bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Sulfones by Iron‐Catalyzed Decomposition of Sulfonylhydrazones
Authors: Barluenga José , Tomás‐Gamasa María , Aznar Fernando , Valdés Carlos
Published: January 2011

The Fe‐catalyzed decomposition of sulfonylhydrazones gives rise to sulfones. The reaction is quite general and allows the preparation of sulfones from a variety of aryl, alkyl, and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes and ketones. Crossover experiments reveal that the reaction is an intermolecular process, which may proceed by nucleophilic attack of the sulfinate anion on an iron carbene complex.
Divergent Approach to Gabosines and Anhydrogabosines: Enantioselective Syntheses of (+)‐Epiepoformin, (+)‐EpoKformin, (+)‐Gabosine A, and Gabosines B and F
Authors: Toribio Gladis , Marjanet Georgina , Alibés Ramon , de March Pedro , Font Josep , Bayón Pau , Figueredo Marta
Published: January 2011

A divergent approach to polyoxygenated methylcyclohexanes has been applied to synthesize several gabosines and anhydrogabosines. The starting hydroxycyclohexenone, which is readily available in any antipodal form, provides access to both enantiomers of the target compounds. The syntheses of anhydrogabosines involve three main transformations: α‐methylation, epoxidation, and sulfur removal, whereas the syntheses of gabosines require an additional epoxide hydrolysis step. The strategy has been applied to the synthesis of (+)‐epiepoformin, (+)‐epoformin, (+)‐gabosine A, and gabosines B and F, through straightforward sequences in good overall yields.
Easy Access to Pyranoacridines, Pyranoxanthenes, and Arylchromenes Through a Domino Reaction
Authors: Commandeur Claude , Florent Jean‐Claude , Rousselle Patricia , Bertounesque Emmanuel
Published: January 2011

A series of pyrano[2,3,4‐kl]acridines has been synthesized through an unprecedented domino reaction involving1‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐10‐methylacridone and Grignard reagents. This method has been successfully applied to xanthone, anthracenone, and benzophenone derivatives, thus providing novel access to pyranoxanthenes, dihydronaphthochromenes, and arylchromenes.
ZNF703 is a common Luminal B breast cancer oncogene that differentially regulates luminal and basal progenitors in human mammary epithelium
Authors: Holland Daniel G. , Burleigh Angela , Git Anna , Goldgraben Mae A. , Perez‐Mancera Pedro A. , Chin Suet‐Feung , Hurtado Antonio , Bruna Alejandra , Ali H. Raza , Greenwood Wendy , Dunning Mark J. , Samarajiwa Shamith , Menon Suraj , Rueda Oscar M. , Lynch Andy G. , McKinney Steven , Ellis Ian O. , Eaves Connie J. , Carroll Jason S. , Curtis Christina , Aparicio Samuel , Caldas Carlos
Published: January 2011

The telomeric amplicon at 8p12 is common in oestrogen receptor‐positive (ER+) breast cancers. Array‐CGH and expression analyses of 1172 primary breast tumours revealed that ZNF703 was the single gene within the minimal amplicon and was amplified predominantly in the Luminal B subtype. Amplification was shown to correlate with increased gene and protein expression and was associated with a distinct expression signature and poor clinical outcome. ZNF703 transformed NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, behaving as a classical oncogene, and regulated proliferation in human luminal breast cancer cell lines and immortalized human mammary epithelial cells. Manipulation of ZNF703 expression in the luminal MCF7 cell line modified the effects of TGFβ on proliferation. Overexpression of ZNF703 in normal human breast epithelial cells enhanced the frequency of in vitro colony‐forming cells from luminal progenitors. Taken together, these data strongly point to ZNF703 as a novel oncogene in Luminal B breast cancer.
Hysteretic behavior and strength capacity of shallowly embedded steel column bases with SFRCC slab
Authors: Cui Yao , Nakashima Masayoshi
Published: January 2011

A series of shallowly embedded steel column bases consisting of an exposed column base and a floor slab is tested under horizontal cyclic loading to very large deformation. The effects of floor slabs on strength and ductility are examined using concrete and Steel fiber‐reinforced cementitous composites (SFRCC) for the floor slab. The elastic stiffness, maximum strength, and dissipated energy of the column bases when they include SFRCC increase by 40, 70, and 70% over those of corresponding column bases with concrete floor slab. Better bonding behavior is notable for SFRCC, and the maximum strength and dissipated energy further increase by 15–30% and 70–90%, respectively, owing to the careful arrangement of reinforcing bars. Numerical models are developed to enhance the understanding the behavior of shallowly embedded column bases. Procedures for estimating the elastic stiffness and maximum strength of shallowly embedded column bases with conventional concrete are calibrated for their applicability to those with SFRCC slab. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding your own and other's minds: The relationship to eating disorder related symptoms
Authors: Warren Louise , Cooper Myra J.
Published: January 2011

A study using a cross‐sectional survey design examined whether eating disorder (ED) related symptoms are associated with understanding one's own and others' minds. A non‐clinical sample of 145 women completed self‐report questionnaires and recorded their emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses to descriptions of scenarios (vignettes). Responses to scenarios were made from the perspective of self, an attachment figure and a same sex acquaintance. Data were analysed using multiple regression statistics with ED related symptoms as the dependent variable. High levels of ED related symptoms were associated with ‘concretised’ understanding of own emotions (i.e. a greater number of food related responses), but sophisticated understanding of same sex acquaintance's emotions. They were associated with fewer positive thoughts for self, fewer negative emotions about their own behaviour, and more food responses for same sex acquaintance's behaviour. Similarities and differences were observed in the different perspectives. Limitations are discussed. Implications for further research related to this topic and relevant to EDs are briefly summarised. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Space‐Earth absorption in the absence of rain: Radiometric inversion coefficients for Italy
Authors: Barbaliscia Francesco , Guerriero Leila , Schiavon Giovanni , Solimini Domenico
Published: January 2011

Space‐earth atmospheric attenuation in absence of rain can be estimated from atmospheric physical parameters, which are, in turn, obtainable from radiometric measurements of the sky brightness temperature. In this paper the radiometric inversion coefficients needed to retrieve the total vapour and liquid water content of the atmosphere from radiometric measurements are computed making use of a statistically significant data‐ base of radiosonde vertical profiles. Linear regression is applied to data collected over ten years at five Italian sites to derive the inversion coefficients under various operational hypotheses. Site‐to‐site and seasonal variabilities are analysed as well as the influence of both the instrumental characteristics and the criterium for detecting cloud liquid. A first set of values valid for the Italian territory is presented for system design purpose.
Digital video and speech transmission in existing land mobile radio networks
Authors: Pelz R. Mann , Benthin M. , Kammeyer K. ‐D.
Published: January 2011

The development of very low bit rate image compression algorithms renders the transmission of moving and still video with associated speech in a variety of existing and future narrowband telecommunication networks. Existing analog, narrowband (mobile) networks represent a potential field for the introduction of digital bearer services under utilization of the underlying system resources in a compatible manner. A broader variety of services in coexistence with existing analog services may be provided without new network planning. This paper presents corresponding techniques for video and speech transmission in the existing Nonpublic Land Mobile Network under application of commercially available radio telephones and an additional, external digital signal processing unit. Special attention is given to the choice of a digital modulation method under consideration of network constraints such as adjacent channel interference and linear distortions due to nonideal analog IF filters. In this context a modified maximum likelihood detector based on an equivalent linear model of the baseband transmission link is presented. For robust low bit rate video transmission a combined source‐channel coding scheme with unequal error protection matched to the source and channel characteristics in case of the target mobile narrowband network is proposed.
Code division multiple access schemes for terrestrial and satellite mobile communication networks: Modeling and performance evaluation
Authors: Del Re Enrico , Fantacci Romano , Pazzaglia Antonio
Published: January 2011

This paper deals with the modeling and performance evaluation of different Code Division Multiple Access schemes suitable for applications in terrestrial and satellite mobile communication networks. The use of particular propagation channel models and the relative sensitivity of different demodulation schemes to their parameters are the subject the paper is focused on. In particular, an extension to the case of wideband communications of Lutz's satellite channel model is presented. The main goal is to analyze how the increased interference level, typical of a multipath environment, can influence different demodulator architectures in different propagation conditions. Perfectly coherent and differential modulation methods are employed with conventional and RAKE receivers to derive the error rate performance by computer simulations. Some issues concerning the characterization of the propagation channel models in the case of the RAKE receiver are also investigated and discussed.
Improved multipulse algorithm for speech coding by means of adaptive boltzmann annealing
Authors: Mumolo Enzo , Rebelli Alessio , Riceardi Giuseppe
Published: January 2011

In this paper we will describe an algorithm, based on the Simulated Annealing technique, for solving the problem of multipulse excitation computation for speech coding applications. Multipulse excitation modeling is described by two set of parameters: pulse locations and amplitudes. The search for optimal pulse locations is the most burdensome task, since there is no closed form solution. Therefore, suboptimal approaches are used in order to maintain a good effectiveness in the parameter estimation while keeping the computational load within reasonable bounds. As compared to the one described in [2], the proposed algorithm achieves an effective improvement in objective performances of more than 1.5 dB. The price that must be paid for this performance improvement is the higher computational cost that this algorithm requires. The objective results of the proposed algorithm will be compared with the results of the algorithm described in [2], and the computational complexity will be analyzed.
Hierarchical dynamic control of multiple traffic classes in ATM networks
Authors: Bolla Raffaele , Davoli Franco , Lombardo Alfio , Palazzo Sergio , Panno Daniela
Published: January 2011

A hierarchical control structure is proposed to ensure performance requirements and to maintain load balancing among different traffic classes at an ATM node. A two‐level control hierarchy is defined, where one level performs fixed class‐selective call admission control strategies that are periodically dynamically coordinated by a higher level bandwidth allocation controller. The call admission control rules are designed to maintain a certain grade of service, in terms of cell loss probability, given the buffer space and bandwidth (percentage of cells) assigned to each class. The assignment of buffers is performed off‐line, whereas bandwidth shares are periodically recomputed on‐line by the allocation controller, that attempts to minimize a cost function, accounting for overall cell loss and refused traffic. The bandwidth assignments obtained are passed to the call admission controllers, where they are used as parameters affecting the admission rules until the next intervention. The control structure, the strategies and the optimization algorithm used are described in detail, as well as the assumptions underlying the choices that have been made. Simulation results are reported and discussed.
One‐shot pseudo‐time method for aerodynamic shape optimization using the Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Hazra S. B. , Jameson A.
Published: January 2011

This paper presents a numerical method for aerodynamic shape optimization problems in compressible viscous flow. It is based on simultaneous pseudo‐time stepping in which stationary states are obtained by solving the pseudo‐stationary system of equations representing the state, costate and design equations. The main advantages of this method are that it blends in nicely with previously existing pseudo‐time‐stepping methods for the state and the costate equations, that it requires no additional globalization in the design space, and that a preconditioner can be used for convergence acceleration which stems from the reduced SQP methods. For design examples of 2D problems, the overall cost of computation can be reduced to less than 2 times the forward simulation runs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A high‐order finite difference method for numerical simulations of supersonic turbulent flows
Authors: Li Zhaorui , Jaberi Farhad A.
Published: January 2011

This paper describes a new class of three‐dimensional finite difference schemes for high‐speed turbulent flows in complex geometries based on the high‐order monotonicity‐preserving (MP) method. Simulations conducted for various 1D, 2D, and 3D problems indicate that the new high‐order MP schemes can preserve sharp changes in the flow variables without spurious oscillations and are able to capture the turbulence at the smallest computed scales. Our results also indicate that the MP method has less numerical dissipation and faster grid convergence than the weighted essentially non‐oscillatory method. However, both of these methods are computationally more demanding than the COMP method and are only used for the inviscid fluxes. To reduce the computational cost for reacting flows, the scalar equations are solved by the COMP method, which is shown to yield similar results to those obtained by the MP in supersonic turbulent flows with strong shock waves. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A numerical study of the wake behind a blunt‐trailing‐edged body. Part 2: the topology of the flow
Authors: Ortega Marcos A. , Girardi Roberto M. , Silvestrini Jorge H.
Published: January 2011

This project focuses on the wake behind a two‐dimensional blunt‐trailing‐edged body. The body has an elliptical nose followed by a straight section that ends in a blunt base. For this geometry, the boundary layer separation points are defined and fixed. This permits a better assessment of the vital influence of the boundary layers upon the wake. It is hoped that the study of this special geometry will contribute to a better understanding of the wake flow. The main aim of this article is to study the topology of the wake by means of direct numerical simulation (DNS). The idea is to mimic some experimental work techniques. In an experiment, by means of proper synchronization, one is able to arrive at the mean‐in‐the‐phase fields. In the present work, similar data are obtained through the use of numerical tools. The topology of the wake flow in terms of the movement of the coherent structures, fields of Reynolds stresses, position of saddles and centers, is obtained for certain values of the body's aspect ratio. A comparison with the circular cylinder experimental data is also provided. An important result is the finding of some specific stress distributions around the main structures. The stress level lines are a hint of where the energy transfer of the mean flow to the turbulence is more intense. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microstructures of phosphatic porcelain from sintering to vitrification: Evidence from sherds excavated in Charleston, South Carolina
Authors: Owen J. Victor , Hunter Robert , Jellicoe Rod , Zierden Martha
Published: January 2011

Eight phosphatic porcelain sherds recovered from various historical sites in Charleston were analyzed by electron microprobe. Some sherds contain sulfur (2.3–3.1wt.% SO3); others contain only traces of this component. The analytical data suggest that the sulfurous sherds are Bow porcelain (London, Bowcock period, ca. 1755–1769). The origin(s) of the low‐S samples remains unidentified; one compositionally resembles “gold‐anchor period” (phosphatic) Chelsea porcelain (London, ca. 1756–1769) but its decoration is inconsistent with known wares produced by this factory during that era. The degree of vitrification is highly variable, particularly among the SO3‐poor samples. The melt phase is strongly enriched in incompatible elements (Ti, Fe, Na, K). The phosphate phase [calcined bone ash (hydroxyapatite)] in poorly vitrified samples hosts minute melt blebs, but remains porous. With increasing vitrification, these melt blebs increase in size and begin to coalesce, ultimately forming ameboid patches up to ∼10 μm in diameter. In the most vitrified samples, the coalesced melt “leaks” into the matrix, leaving behind a phosphate phase that lacks pores and melt and has a lower CaO/P2O5 ratio (=2.7, molecular proportions) than either hydroxyapatite (3.3) or β‐whitlockite (3.0). The two varieties of phosphate occur in some poorly vitrified samples, suggesting the recycling of high‐fired wasters (as “grog”) in their ceramic pastes. Melt compositions vary with contiguous mineralogy, accounting for their divergence from the ternary eutectic in the Ca3(PO4)2‐CaAl2Si2O8‐SiO2 system. The resorption of phosphate by the matrix melt virtually precludes recognition of anorthite formed by the “non‐phosphate glass equation.” © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human health care and selection effects. Understanding labor supply in the market for nursing1
Authors: Barigozzi Francesca , Turati Gilberto
Published: January 2011

The aim of this paper is to study (adverse) selection in a labor supply model where potential applicants are characterized by different vocational levels and skills. We look at how the composition of the pool of active workers changes as the wage rate increases. Contrary to what would expect, average productivity does not necessarily increase monotonically in the wage rate. We identify conditions in which a wage increase reduces the average productivity and/or average vocation of active workers. Our results help understand the potential impact of wage increases as a policy designed to resolving shortages in the labor market for nurses. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical and pathological determinants in tonsillar cancer
Authors: Chuang Hui‐Ching , Fang Fu‐Min , Huang Chao‐Cheng , Huang Hsuan‐Ying , Chen Han‐Ku , Chen Chang‐Han , Chien Chih‐Yen
Published: January 2011

Background

The purpose of this study was to present the impact of clinicopathological factors on patient survival in tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) that needs to be evaluated.

Method

This study enrolled 86 patients with tonsillar SCC undergoing surgical resection.

Results

The cumulative 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) rate for stages I, II, III, and IVa/b tumors was 100%, 91.7%, 100%, and 61.8%, respectively. Unfavorable cumulative 5‐year DSS rates were significantly correlated with advanced T classification (p = .029), tumor thickness over 1 cm (p = .007), 3 or more positive neck lymph nodes (p < .001), and extracapsular spread (ECS; p = .002). Cox regression analysis revealed that the presence of 3 or more positive neck lymph nodes (p = .035) and the stage IVa/b (p = .022) were the independent predictors of the 5‐year DSS.

Conclusion

Patients with tonsillar SCC with stage IVa/b and metastasis to 3 or more lymph nodes have poorer clinical outcomes. Novel therapeutic strategies are necessary for these patients. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Reirradiation with intensity‐modulated radiotherapy in recurrent head and neck cancer
Authors: Zwicker Felix , Roeder Falk , Hauswald Henrik , Thieke Christian , Timke Carmen , Schlegel Wolfgang , Debus Juergen , Münter Marc W. , Huber Peter E.
Published: January 2011

Background

In this retrospective investigation we analyzed outcome and toxicity after intensity‐modulated reirradiation of recurrent head and neck cancer.

Methods

Thirty‐eight patients with local recurrent head and neck cancer were evaluated. The median dose of initial radiotherapy was 61 Gy. Reirradiation was carried out with step‐and‐shoot intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (median dose: 49 Gy).

Results

Median overall survival was 17 months, and the 1‐ and 2‐year overall survival rates were 63% and 34%. The 1‐ and 2‐year local control rates were 57% and 53%. Distant spread occurred in 34%, and reirradiation induced considerable late toxicity in 21% of the patients. Thirty‐two percent showed increased xerostomia after reirradiation. The risk for xerostomia was significantly higher for cumulative mean doses of ≥45 Gy to parotid glands. Considering median cumulative maximum doses of 53 Gy to the spinal cord and 63 Gy to the brainstem, no late toxicities were observed.

Conclusions

Reirradiation with intensity‐modulated radiotherapy in recurrent head and neck cancer is feasible with acceptable toxicity and yields encouraging rates of local control and overall survival. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in patients with oral cavity cancer in a betel nut chewing–prevalent area
Authors: Hsieh Chia‐Hsun , Chang John W. C. , Hsieh Jia‐Juan , Hsu Todd , Huang Shiu‐Feng , Liao Chun‐Ta , Wang Hung‐Ming
Published: January 2011

Background

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations exist in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but few data about mutation patterns with clinical outcomes were reported.

Methods

Fifty‐six formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tumor samples were obtained surgically from OSCC patients. Direct sequencing of EGFR was carried out using nested polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between EGFR status and clinical courses was analyzed.

Results

Two (3.56%) missense mutations (G857R; L862Q) in exon 20 were identified. Two types of silent mutation, A859A in exon 21 (1.79%) and Q787Q mutations in exon 20 (30.36%), were also found. No mutation was detected in exons 18 and 19. No significant difference in disease‐free survival and locoregional control rate was shown between patients with and without Q787Q mutation.

Conclusions

We identified a high frequency of Q787Q mutation and a less prevalent active EGFR mutation in OSCC patients in Taiwan where betel nut is commonly chewed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Transoral laser microsurgery as primary treatment for advanced‐stage oropharyngeal cancer: A united states multicenter study
Authors: Haughey Bruce H. , Hinni Michael L. , Salassa John R. , Hayden Richard E. , Grant David G. , Rich Jason T. , Milov Simon , Lewis James S. , Krishna Murli
Published: January 2011

Background

Nonsurgical modalities are sometimes advocated as the standard of care for advanced oropharyngeal tumors. Oncologic and functional results have been modest. The aim of our study was to evaluate outcomes of a minimally invasive approach, using transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) as the primary treatment for advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods

A prospectively assembled database of 204 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages III and IV tonsil or tongue base cancer, treated primarily with TLM during 1996–2006 at 3 centers with minimum 2‐year follow‐up was analyzed. Survival, locoregional control, and swallowing status were recorded.

Results

Mean follow‐up was 49 months and 79.4% of patients were alive. Three‐year overall survival, disease‐specific survival, and disease‐free survival were 86%, 88%, and 82%, respectively. Local control was 97%, and 87% of patients had normal swallowing or episodic dysphagia.

Conclusions

TLM as a primary treatment for advanced oropharyngeal malignancy confers excellent survival and swallowing proficiency. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Primacy of surgery in the management of mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children
Authors: Ryan Jesse T. , El‐Naggar Adel K. , Huh Winston , Hanna Ehab Y. , Weber Randal S. , Kupferman Michael E.
Published: January 2011

Background

Epithelial salivary gland neoplasms are rare in children. Malignant tumors account for 30% to 50% of cases in the pediatric age group, with mucoepidermoid carcinoma as the most common histology.

Methods

A retrospective medical record review was conducted from 1953 to 2007 to identify patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the age of 18 years or younger at the time of diagnosis. Forty‐nine patients were identified. Their medical records were examined for presentation, treatment, pathologic features, and outcomes.

Results

Forty‐nine pediatric patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma were identified. The parotid gland (49%) and oral cavity (35%) were the most common subsites. Nodal metastasis was seen in 24% of patients. All patients underwent surgery, and 11 patients (22%) were treated with radiation therapy. The 5‐year overall survival was 98%, the 10‐year overall survival was 94%, and 10% of patients developed recurrence.

Conclusion

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma in children carries a favorable prognosis and can be successfully treated with surgery alone in most cases. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Impact of radiation and hepatitis virus infection on risk of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ohishi Waka , Fujiwara Saeko , Cologne John B. , Suzuki Gen , Akahoshi Masazumi , Nishi Nobuo , Tsuge Masataka , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: January 2011

In cohort studies of atomic bomb survivors and Mayak nuclear facility workers, radiation-associated increases in liver cancer risk were observed, but hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections were not taken strictly into account. We identified 359 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases between 1970 and 2002 in the cohort of atomic bomb survivors and estimated cumulative incidence of HCC by radiation dose. To investigate contributions of radiation exposure and hepatitis virus infection to HCC risk, we conducted a nested case-control study using sera stored before HCC diagnosis in the longitudinal cohort of atomic bomb survivors. The study included 224 HCC cases and 644 controls that were matched to the cases on gender, age, city, and time and method of serum storage, and countermatched on radiation dose. The cumulative incidence of HCC by follow-up time and age increased significantly with radiation dose. The relative risk (RR) of HCC for radiation at 1 Gy was 1.67 (95% confidence interval: 1.22-2.35) with adjustment for alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), and smoking habit, whereas the RRs for HBV or HCV infection alone were 63 (20-241) and 83 (36-231) with such adjustment, respectively. Those estimates changed little when radiation and hepatitis virus infection were fit simultaneously. The RR of non-B, non-C HCC at 1 Gy was 1.90 (1.02-3.92) without adjustment for alcohol consumption, BMI, or smoking habit and 2.74 (1.26-7.04) with such adjustment.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that radiation exposure and HBV and HCV infection are associated independently with increased HCC risk. In particular, radiation exposure was a significant risk factor for non-B, non-C HCC with no apparent confounding by alcohol consumption, BMI, or smoking habit. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;53:-)
C-Src is required for complex formation between the hepatitis C virus-encoded proteins NS5A and NS5B: A prerequisite for replication
Authors: Pfannkuche Andreas , Büther Katrin , Karthe Juliane , Poenisch Marion , Bartenschlager Ralf , Trilling Mirko , Hengel Hartmut , Willbold Dieter , Häussinger Dieter , Bode Johannes Georg
Published: January 2011

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and establishes a persistent infection in more than 60% of infected individuals. This high frequency of persistent infection indicates that HCV has evolved efficient strategies to interfere with the adaptive and innate immune response and to occupy and use host cell infrastructure. The present study provides evidence that c-Src, a member of the Src family kinases that participates in many signal transduction pathways, represents an essential host factor exploited for viral replication. c-Src directly interacts with the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5B) via its SH3 domain and with the nonstructural phosphoprotein NS5A via its SH2 domain. Both interactions are required to maintain the protein-protein interaction of NS5A and NS5B, which has been previously demonstrated to be essential for viral replication. Accordingly, HCV genome replication and production of the viral proteins was strongly reduced upon small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of c-Src or in the presence of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A. This effect could not be rescued by supplementation of the two other ubiquitously expressed Src family kinases Fyn or Yes.

Conclusion:

Our data suggest that c-Src participates in the formation of an NS5A/NS5B protein complex that is required for efficient replication of HCV. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;53:-)
Development of a team workload assessment technique for the main control room of advanced nuclear power plants
Authors: Lin Chiuhsiang Joe , Hsieh Tsung‐Ling , Tsai Ping‐Jung , Yang Chih‐Wei , Yenn Tzu‐Chung
Published: January 2011

For almain control room (MCR) in advanced nuclear power plants (ANPPs), a team of three operators has been adopted to enhance the safety of all the operating conditions, including general, abnormal, and emergent. Therefore, to evaluate the workload of team operators in the MCR of NPPs would be one valuable issues in human factor engineering (HFE) research. The NASA Task Load Index (NASA‐TLX) has been selected to measure the workload of operators in past studies. Some studies, however, indicated that the workload measured by the NASA‐TLX did not have significant correlation with team performance. That is, assessing team workload using NASA‐TLX alone may be a problem, and its sensitivity needs to be verified. In this study, a measurement called Team Workload Assessment (TWA) was developed to evaluate the team workload by characteristics of teamwork. The important characteristics of teamwork, including coordination, communication, support and leadership, and time sharing were developed in the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's α coefficient were used to examine the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Finally, the team workload scores of the TWA were compared with the team workload scores of the NASA‐TLX and the task performance was obtained from an experiment designed to verify the suitability of the TWA. As a result, it was found that the team workload scores of the TWA are more sensitive to task performance than are those of the NASA‐TLX. Therefore, the TWA is available to measure the team workload in the MCR of NPPs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modelling hydrological processes influenced by soil, rock and vegetation in a small karst basin of southwest China
Authors: Zhang Zhicai , Chen Xi , Ghadouani Anas , Shi Peng
Published: January 2011

Hydrological processes in karst basins are controlled by permeable multimedia, consisting of soil pores, epikarst fractures, and underground conduits. Distributed modelling of hydrological dynamics in such heterogeneous hydrogeological conditions is a challenging task. Basing on the multilayer structure of the distributed hydrology‐soil‐vegetation model (DHSVM), a distributed hydrological model for a karst basin was developed by integrating mathematical routings of porous Darcy flow, fissure flow and underground channel flow. Specifically, infiltration and saturated flow movement within epikarst fractures are expressed by the ‘cubic law’ equation which is associated with fractural width, direction, and spacing. A small karst basin located in Guizhou province of southwest China was selected for this hydrological simulation. The model parameters were determined on the basis of field measurement and calibrated against the observed soil moisture contents, vegetation interception, surface runoff, and underground flow discharges from the basin outlet. The results show that due to high permeability of the epikarst zone, a significant amount of surface runoff is only generated after heavy rainfall events during the wet season. Rock exposure and the epikarst zone significantly increase flood discharge and decrease evapotranspiration (ET) loss; the peak flood discharge is directly proportional to the size of the aperture. Distribution of soil moisture content (SMC) primarily depends on topographic variations just after a heavy rainfall, while SMC and actual ET are dominated by land cover after a period of consecutive non‐rainfall days. The new model was able to capture the sharp increase and decrease of the underground streamflow hydrograph, and as such can be used to investigate hydrological effects in such rock features and land covers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment on the function of reservoirs for flood control during typhoon seasons based on a distributed hydrological model
Authors: Wang Guoqiang , Xu Zongxue
Published: January 2011

A grid‐based distributed hydrological model, PDTank model, is used to simulate hydrological processes in the upper Tone River catchment. The Tone River catchment often suffers from heavy rainfall events during the typhoon seasons. The reservoirs located in the catchment play an important role in flood regulation. Through the coupling of the PDTank model and a reservoir module that combines the storage function and operation function, the PDTank model is used for flood forecasting in this study. By comparing the hydrographs simulated using gauging and radar rainfall data, it is found that the spatial variability of rainfall is an important factor for flood simulation and the accuracy of the hydrographs simulated using radar rainfall data is slightly improved. The simulation of the typhoon flood event numbered No. 9 shows that the reservoirs in the catchment attenuate the peak flood discharge by 423·3 m3/s and validates the potential applicability of the distributed hydrological model on the assessment of function of reservoirs for flood control during typhoon seasons. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some relationships between lithology, basin form and hydrology: a case study from the Thames basin, UK
Authors: Bloomfield J. P. , Bricker S. H. , Newell A. J.
Published: January 2011

The role of lithology in influencing basin form and function is explored empirically by investigating correlations between a range of catchment variables, where the spatial unit of analysis is not surface catchments but lithologically coherent groundwater units. Using the Thames basin, UK, as a case study, nine groundwater units have been identified. Values for 11 hydrological and geomorphological variables, including rainfall, drainage density, Baseflow Index, aquifer porosity, storage coefficient and log‐hydraulic conductivity, aquifer and drainage elevation, river incision, and hypsometric integral have been estimated for each of the groundwater units in the basin, and Pearson correlation coefficients calculated for all pairs of variables. Seven of the correlation coefficients are found to be significant at a confidence level of > 99%. Negative correlations between drainage density and log aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and between drainage density and river incision, and positive correlations between log‐hydraulic conductivity and river incision, log‐hydraulic conductivity and Baseflow Index, and between Baseflow Index and river incision are inferred to have consistent causal explanations. For example, incision of rivers into aquifers leads to relative increases in hydraulic gradients in the vicinity of rivers which, in turn, promotes the development of secondary porosity increasing both aquifer hydraulic conductivity and, hence, Baseflow Index. The implication of this interpretation is that the geomorphological evolution of basins is intimately linked to the evolution of hydraulic conductivity of the underlying aquifers. This is consistent with, and supports the notion of a coupled complexly evolving surface water‐groundwater system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing possible changes in flood frequency due to climate change in mid‐sized watersheds in New York State, USA
Authors: Shaw Stephen B. , Riha Susan J.
Published: January 2011

The frequency of flooding is often presumed to increase with climate change because of projected increases in rainfall intensities. In this paper, using 50‐plus years of historical discharge and meteorological data from three watersheds in different physiographic regions of New York State, USA, we find that annual maximum stream discharges are associated with 20% or less of the annual maximum rainfall events. Instead of rainfall events, approximately 20% of annual maximum stream discharges are associated with annual maximum snowmelt events while 60% of annual maximum discharges are associated with moderate rainfall amounts and very wet soil conditions.

To explore the potential for changes in future flood risk, we employed a compound frequency distribution that assumes annual maximum discharges can be modelled by combining the cumulative distribution functions of discharges resulting from annual maximum rainfall, annual maximum snowmelt, and occurrences of moderate rain on wet soils. Basing on a compound frequency distribution comprised of univariate general extreme value (GEV) and gamma distributions, we found that a hypothetical 20% increase in the magnitude of rainfall‐related stream discharge results in little change in 96th percentile annual maximum discharge. For the 99th percentile discharge, two waterbodies in our study had a 10% or less increase in annual maximum discharge when annual maximum rainfall‐related discharges increased 20% while the third waterbody had a 16% increase in annual maximum discharges. Additionally, in some cases, annual maximum discharges could be offset by a reduction in the discharge resulting from annual maximum snowmelt events. While only intended as a heuristic tool to explore the interaction among different flood‐causing mechanisms, use of a compound flood frequency distribution suggests a case can be made that not all waterbodies in humid, cold regions will see extensive changes in flooding due to increased rainfall intensities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aquifer parameter estimation using an incremental area method
Authors: Avcı Cem B. , Ufuk Şahin A. , Çiftçi Emin
Published: January 2011

Theoretical well functions have been derived over the years to predict ground water level behaviour in aquifer systems under stress owing to groundwater extraction. The drawdown data collected during pump tests are typically analysed using graphical curve‐matching procedures to estimate aquifer parameters based on these well functions. Difficulty in aquifer characteristic identification and parameter estimation may arise when the field data do not perfectly match the drawdown curves obtained from the well functions. The present study provides a new method for the interpretation of aquifer pump tests which supplements the existing curve‐matching procedures in case ideal conditions do not exist; the proposed method provides a greater degree of flexibility in the data analysis for diagnostic tool purposes. The method, referred to as the Incremental Area Method (IAM) is based on integrating the logarithmic‐based drawdown curves within a discrete time and matching the results with a corresponding time integral of the Theis (1935) Well Function which governs ideal confined aquifers. The application of the proposed method to synthetically generated data and field data showed that IAM represents a viable method which yields information on potential non‐idealness of the aquifer and provides aquifer parameter estimates thus potentially overcoming drawdown data curve‐matching difficulties. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A simple concept for calibrating runoff thresholds in quasi‐distributed variable source area watershed models
Authors: Easton Zachary M. , Walter M. Todd , Fuka Daniel R. , White Eric D. , Steenhuis Tammo S.
Published: January 2011

Most semi‐distributed watershed water quality models divide the watershed into hydrologic response units (HRU) with no flow among them. This is problematic when watersheds are delineated to include variable source areas (VSAs) because it is the lateral flows from upslope areas to downslope areas that generate VSAs. Although hydrologic modellers have often successfully calibrated these types of models, there can still be considerable uncertainty in model results. In this paper, a topographic‐index‐based method is described and tested to distribute effective soil water holding capacity among HRUs, which can be subsequently adjusted using the watershed baseflow coefficient. The method is tested using a version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model that simulates VSA runoff and is applied to two watersheds: a New York State (NYS) watershed, and one in the head waters of the Blue Nile Basin (BNB) in Ethiopia. Daily streamflow predicted using effective soil water storage capacities based only on the topographic index were reassuringly accurate in both the NYS watershed (daily Nash Sutcliffe (E) = 0·73) and in the BNB (E = 0·70). Using the baseflow coefficient to adjust the effective soil water storage capacity only slightly improved streamflow predictions in NYS (E = 0·75) but substantially improved the BNB predictions (E = 0·80). By comparison, the standard SWAT model, which uses the traditional look‐up tables to determine a runoff curve number, performed considerably less accurately in un‐calibrated form (E = 0·51 for NYS and E = 0·45 for BNB), but improved substantially when explicitly calibrated to streamflow measurements (E = 0·76 for NYS and E = 0·67 for the BNB). The calibration method presented here provides a parsimonious, systematic approach to using established models in VSA watersheds that reduces the ambiguity inherent in model calibration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the roles of environmental factors in coastal fish production in the northern Baltic Sea: A Bayesian network application
Authors: Uusitalo Laura , Kuikka Sakari , Kauppila Pirkko , Söderkultalahti Pirkko , Bäck Saara
Published: January 2011

Environmental conditions play a crucial role in the distribution and abundance of fish species in any area. Much research has been attributed to the requirements and tolerance limits of commercially exploited fish species. It is rare, however, that studies have been able to address the relative importance of potentially restrictive environmental factors; extensive enough to allow for estimation of the effect of several environmental factors through the fishes' life span. The coastline of Finland in the northern Baltic Sea offers a unique natural experimental setting that can be used to assess the relative importance of various environmental factors for the species occupying it. The area includes major variations in several crucial environmental factors: salinity, temperature regime, represented by winter ice duration, coastline characteristics, and eutrophic status. Furthermore, Finland has collected extensive and spatially representative data of water quality and environmental factors, as well as a long and extraordinarily spatially detailed data set of commercial catches of several fish species. In this article, we make an attempt to correlate the environmental data to the commercial catches of fish species, assuming that the commercial catches reflect, to some reasonable degree, the productivity of that species in that area (compared to other areas and combinations of environmental factors, not to other species). We use a Bayesian network approach to examine the sensitivity of the species to the environmental factors. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 445–455. © SETAC
Use of multicriteria involvement processes to enhance transparency and stakeholder participation at Bergen Harbor, Norway
Authors: Sparrevik Magnus , Barton David N , Oen Amy MP , Sehkar Nagothu Udaya , Linkov Igor
Published: January 2011

Use of participatory stakeholder engagement processes could be important to reduce the risk of potential conflicts in managing contaminated sites. Most stakeholder engagement techniques are qualitative in nature and require experienced facilitators. This study proposes a multicriteria involvement process to enhance transparency and stakeholder participation and applies it to a contaminated sediment management case study for Bergen Harbor, Norway. The suggested multicriteria involvement process builds on the quantitative principles of multicriteria decision analysis and also incorporates group interaction and learning through qualitative participatory methods. Three different advisory groups consisting of local residents, local stakeholders, and nonresident sediment experts were invited to participate in a stakeholder engagement process to provide consensual comparative advice on sediment remediation alternatives. In order for stakeholders or residents to be able to embrace a complex decision such as selection of remediation alternatives, the involvement process with lateral learning, combined with multicriteria decision analysis providing structure, robustness and transparent documentation was preferable. In addition, a multicriteria involvement process resulted in consistent ranking of remediation alternatives across residents, stakeholder, and experts, relative to individual intuitive ranking without the multicriteria involvement process. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2011;7:414–425. © 2011 SETAC
The ethics of population control in rural China, 1979–92
Authors: Thomas Neil
Published: January 2011

A decade ago China's population policy, and associated programmes, had many admirers. Although it was often argued that China's methods of reducing levels of fertility and population growth were not transferable to other countries, elements of the population programme were held up as examples to be followed. In recent years however there has been a sharp decline in support for the programme amongst the global community. Media coverage of the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo (1994) exemplified this evolving distaste for the methods used to control population growth in China. This paper is an attempt to discover whether this change of perception is grounded in a proper understanding of the relevant facts and in a consistent application of ethical principles to the changing population policy. It brings together evidence on trends in fertility, population policy, the provision of family planning services, and socio‐economic influences on the demand for children, to clarify the complex and diverse demographic situation emerging in rural China. It then examines the conflict between policy and reproductive aspirations revealed by studies of ‘ideal family size’ and of rising reported sex ratios at birth. An ethical framework is then presented, and the consistency of two major critics of the policy/programme are examined through it. It is concluded that the One‐Child Family Policy, as it operated in the early 1990s, led to widespread adoption of out‐of‐plan babies and sex‐selective abortion. However, arguments against the need for any form of population control are unconvincing, and there is little evidence to suggest that alternative population control policies would be demographically effective or receive widespread popular support within China.