bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of chronic illnesses on the use and effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer
Authors: Gross Cary P. , McAvay Gail J. , Guo Zhenchao , Tinetti Mary E.
Published: May 2007

BACKGROUND.

It is unclear how noncancer conditions affect the use or effectiveness of adjuvant therapy among older patients with colon cancer.

METHODS.

The authors conducted a cohort study of older patients with stage III colon cancer who were diagnosed from 1993 to 1999 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results‐Medicare database. The correlations between receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy and heart failure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were assessed. Multivariable regression analysis was used to assess the risk of death and hospitalization as a function of treatment and comorbidity status.

RESULTS.

The study sample consisted of 5330 patients (median age, 76 years). The use of adjuvant therapy was related significantly to heart failure (36.2% vs 64.9% of patients with vs without heart failure, respectively; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.40–0.60). More moderate correlations were observed for COPD (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70–0.99) and diabetes (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68–0.97). Among patients who had heart failure, the 5‐year survival was significantly higher among those who received adjuvant chemotherapy (adjusted 5‐year survival rate, 43%; 95% CI, 40–47%) than among those who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (30%; 95% CI, 27–34%). Among patients without heart failure, the 5‐year survival estimates among treated and untreated patients were 54% (95% CI, 52–56%) and 41% (95% CI, 38–44%), respectively. The probability of all‐cause, condition‐specific, or toxicity‐related hospitalization associated with adjuvant therapy was not altered by the presence of any of the 3 conditions.

CONCLUSIONS.

Although chronic conditions appeared to be a strong barrier to the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant therapy appeared to provide a significant survival benefit to patients who had colon cancer with the conditions studied. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
The treatment of sexually dysfunctional women without partners: A controlled study of three behavioural group approaches
Authors: Stravynski Ariel , Gaudette Gilles , Lesage Alain , Arbel Nira , Bounader Jocelyne , Lachance Lise , Clerc Doris , Fabian Jose , Lamontagne Yves , Langlois Robert , Lipp Olivier , Sidoun Paul
Published: May 2007

Background. In the absence of models of therapy for sexual dysfunction in single women, this study drew on approaches that have been shown to be useful with men. This controlled study compared three approaches to the treatment of sexually dysfunctional single women.

Method. Forty‐nine sexually dysfunctional women were randomly assigned to treatments focusing on either their sexual dysfunction, their interpersonal problems, a combination of both or a waiting list; 47 completed treatment, and 45 a 1 year follow‐up. Treatment was administered in small groups in 15 weekly sessions and four 6 weekly sessions during the first 6 months of a 1 year follow‐up.

Results. No clinically meaningful change was observed during the waiting period. In contrast, a significant and equivalent improvement was observed in all treatment conditions by the end of treatment and was maintained at 6 and 12 month follow‐ups. No significant differences between the treatment conditions were found at any point.

Conclusions. Sexual dysfunction in single women responded to treatment by various behavioural group approaches. Clinically, results fell short of the improvements observed in sexually dysfunctional men treated similarly. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Who can benefit from time‐limited dynamic psychotherapy? A study of psychiatric outpatients with personality disorders
Authors: Vinnars Bo , Barber Jacques P. , Norén Kristina , Thormählen Barbro , Gallop Robert , Lindgren Annika , Weinryb Robert M.
Published: May 2007

Introduction: This study examined whether measures of Personality Disorder (PD) from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder IV, psychodynamic character, psychological mindedness, interpersonal patterns and personality traits predicted treatment outcome for PD patients. Method: Consecutive PD patients were randomly assigned to manualized time‐limited supportive‐expressive psychotherapy (SEP; n = 76) or non‐manualized open‐ended community delivered psychodynamic treatment (CDPT; n = 80). Significant predictors were tested together in order to examine whether they moderated or predicted the reduction of psychiatric symptoms (Symptom Check List‐90). Results: In the entire sample, patients with more severe levels of PD disorderness (number of positive PD criteria) had slower rates of improvement, but patients with more severe levels of vindictiveness (assessed by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems [IIP]) had higher rates of improvement. High levels of IIP dominance were significantly related to higher rate of improvement in the CDPT treatment compared with SEP. Conclusion: Due to the fact that more severe PD patients had slower rates of improvement, longer treatment may be needed for this population. Specific interpersonal problems may impact whether patients should receive manualized or non‐manualized treatment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Frequency of fainting, vomiting and incontinence in panic disorder: A descriptive study
Authors: Green Sheryl M. , Antony Martin M. , McCabe Randi E. , Watling Mark A.
Published: May 2007

Little is known about how often individuals with panic disorder (PD) actually experience the physical catastrophes that they fear (e.g., fainting, vomiting, incontinence). This study investigated the frequency of such events in PD and the circumstances under which they occur. A systematic chart review of 574 consecutive patients diagnosed with PD was completed. Nineteen out of 35 patients who had previously reported a history of fainting, vomiting or incontinence (i.e., loss of bowel or bladder control) during a panic attack were interviewed by telephone. Of this sample, 11 confirmed a history of fainting, four confirmed a history of vomiting and four confirmed a history of incontinence during at least one previous panic attack. Four of these individuals reported more than one type of event and several others reported that they had only come close to experiencing these feared events. Participants also reported on the timing of these events (relative to their panic attacks), the circumstances under which the events occurred, as well as possible causes and outcomes of the events. Although rare, catastrophic events such as fainting, vomiting and incontinence appear to occur in the context of panic attacks for some individuals. The implications for cognitive behavioural treatment of PD are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DHT‐based peer‐to‐peer search system using pseudo‐candidate key indexing
Authors: Arakawa Yutaka , Minami Hiroya , Matsuo Masato , Yamaguchi Masayasu , Saito Hiroshi
Published: May 2007

In service in the ubiquitous networking environment, it is expected that flexible interaction between the user and the things (resource) in the real world will become important. In order to realize such an interaction, there must be a system in which the resource to be utilized can be searched for with its attribute information as keys. Consequently, this paper proposes a DHT (distributed hash table)‐based P2P search system using a new indexing method called pseudo‐candidate key indexing. A problem of the conventional DHT‐based P2P search system is that a large amount of communication is needed in the search process. The proposed system attempts to deal with the problem by preparing an index for all search conditions which are useful to the user, thus reducing the amount of communication in the search. A simulation verifies that the proposed system is scalable. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 90(11): 81–94, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.20317
A study of IP routing stability for GMPLS‐based next‐generation backbone network
Authors: Tagami Atsushi , Hasegawa Teruyuki , Hasegawa Toru
Published: May 2007

GMPLS (Generalized Multi‐Protocol Label Switching) is considered promising as the basic technology for forming the next‐generation ISP (Internet Service Provider) backbone network. In an IP backbone network based on GMPLS, the optical layer and the packet layer are vertically integrated and operate in close collaboration. It is due to this collaborative operation of multiple layers that integrated network control such as path setting in the optical layer according to the IP traffic in the packet layer and fast recovery from faults is realized. However, there is a danger, due to the similarity of functions in the two layers or to mismatch of the parameters, that collaborative operation between layers may affect the stability of IP routing in the packet layer. This situation is mostly due to the fact that the time granularity in the change of path state in the optical layer is finer than that of the IP routing protocol processing in the packet layer. This paper discusses route stability in the packet layer during collaborative operation of layers. The situation is analyzed by simulation and a method of improving stability is proposed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 90(11): 71–80, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.20332
A proposal of multipath reliable communication technique considering unstable links
Authors: Yagyu Tomohiko , Jibiki Masahiro
Published: May 2007

Recently, with advances in cellular phones and wireless LAN technologies, mixed environments consisting of a fixed network and a wireless network have become commonplace. Also, information networks represented by the Internet are now indispensable for daily life. Hence, demands for highly reliable communications in a mixed environment of fixed and wireless networks have increased. However, wireless networks have the problem of easily generated packet loss due to various factors such as obstacles and interference. In a network consisting of a link with a high packet loss rate and high instability, the end‐to‐end packet arrival rate is significantly degraded. In addition, the entire network may become unstable due to frequency updating of the paths as a result of losses in routing control packets. To enhance the packet arrival rate, it is effective to use a multipath communications system in which several copies of the packets are sent by different paths. In this paper, based on path design considering the introduction of the intermittent state as a link condition, and introduction of the concepts of interruption‐tolerant path and route calculation considering interference, a multipath communication system is proposed that enhances the end‐to‐end packet arrival rate while the control load is reduced in a network consisting of unstable links. By means of simulation it is shown that the control load can be kept small during communications while the packet arrival rate is improved over that in the conventional system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 90(11): 1–11, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.20405
Hierarchical BIST: Test‐per‐clock BIST with low overhead
Authors: Yamaguchi Kenichi , Inoue Michiko , Fujiwara Hideo
Published: May 2007

We have proposed a hierarchical built‐in self‐test (BIST) mechanism for register‐transfer level (RTL) circuits, to simplify testing design methods. Hierarchical BIST is a two‐layered approach to BIST that operates at the register‐transfer level and gate level. At the register‐transfer level, the test‐pattern generator creates a test pattern and applies it to the module under test, and creates a pathway that enables the response analyzer to monitor the results. At the gate level, the error‐detection rate for the module under test is tested by simulating errors. An advantage of the hierarchical BIST approach is that high detection rates can be achieved with low hardware overhead. In this paper, we propose time‐division single‐control testability as a testability model for hierarchical BIST. We conducted tests that demonstrate this is an effective way to reduce test execution time and hardware overhead. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 90(6): 47–58, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley. com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.20362
Evaluation of the stability of blends of sunflower and rice bran oil
Authors: Mezouari Samia , Eichner Karl
Published: May 2007

Blends of sunflower oil (SFO) and rice bran oil (RBO) were evaluated for their stability. Additionally, known amounts of natural antioxidants extracted from RBO were added to SFO, and their protective effect was compared to that of the blends. The results found indicate that by raising the amount of RBO, from 10 to 50%, an increase of OLO, OLP, PPL, OOO, PPO, OPO, 18:1 and 16:0 occurred, followed by a decrease of LLL, LLO, and 18:2. These changes in fatty acid and triacylglycerol (TAG) composition led to an increase of the oil stability index at 120 °C and a reduction of polymer TAG formation in the heated blends at 180 °C during 8 h. A comparable protective effect of natural antioxidants to that of blending was observed in a 50 : 50 blend, by remarkably increasing the induction period.
Biodegradability of biodiesel fuel of animal and vegetable origin
Authors: Sendzikiene Egle , Makareviciene Violeta , Janulis Prutenis , Makareviciute Dovile
Published: May 2007

One of the positive features of biofuel concerning environmental protection is its high biodegradability. Fuel is considered to be biodegradable if not less than 90% of it degrades within 21 days. The aim of this work was to determine the biodegradability of various kinds of fatty acid methyl esters and their mixtures with fossil diesel fuel in natural environments. It was determined that fatty acid methyl esters meet the requirements for biodegradability set by the EU. Of rapeseed oil fatty acid methyl esters (RME), 91.2% degraded within 21 days, compared to 94.2% of rapeseed oil fatty acid ethyl esters, 98.3% of linseed oil fatty acid methyl esters (LSME), 90% of tallow fatty acid methyl esters, and 92.5% of pork lard fatty acid methyl esters (LME), while the amount of degraded fossil diesel fuel reached only 57.3%. The biodegradability of multi‐component biofuels containing RME, LSME and LME is similar; the best is of a mixture of 70% RME, 6% LSME and 24% LME. It was determined that more than 90% of multi‐component biofuel and fossil diesel fuel mixtures degrade within 21 days when they contain 35% and more of multi‐component biofuel.
Detection of foreign fat in milk fat from different continents by triacylglycerol analysis
Authors: Molkentin Joachim
Published: May 2007

The adulteration of bovine milk fat with foreign fat can be detected by the analysis of its triacylglycerol (TAG) composition in combination with TAG formulae to calculate S‐values. With genuine milk fats these S‐values must not exceed certain limits already laid down in German and European analytical standards since 1994. The present validity of the TAG formulae and corresponding S‐ranges was confirmed by analysis of 148 recently produced European milk fat samples comprising a wide variation in lipid composition. Additionally, representative milk fat collections from New Zealand (n = 31) and South Africa (n = 10) were analyzed for their TAG composition to check the applicability of the TAG method to non‐European dairy products. These samples were identified as pure and unadulterated as well. All the analyzed samples (n = 189) provided S‐values clearly within the admissible limits. Consequently, the composition of genuine milk fat from different continents still fits the S‐ranges formerly established for Europe, and the TAG method most likely can be applied globally. Limitations have to be considered with technologically processed milk fat or fat from low‐fat milk products such as skim milk or buttermilk.
Aza‐Baylis–Hillman Reactions and Their Synthetic Applications
Authors: Shi Yong‐Ling , Shi Min
Published: May 2007

Aza‐Baylis–Hillman reactions have attracted much attention over the past decade. This review concentrates on discussion of the origins of and progress in aza‐Baylis–Hillman reactions, including the development of catalysts and substrate scopes, mechanistic study, asymmetric reactions, and further transformations of the products. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Is intrinsic religious orientation a culturally specific American Protestant concept? The fusion of intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation among non‐Protestants
Authors: Flere Sergej , Lavrič Miran
Published: May 2007

The relationship between intrinsic and personal extrinsic religious orientation as suggested by Gorsuch and McPherson is studied within four denominational samples of university students in four different cultural environments. Results show that intrinsic and extrinsic personal religious orientation form two separate dimensions only within the American Protestant sample. In three different European religious environments (one Eastern Orthodox, one Islamic, and one Roman Catholic), all extrinsic personal and intrinsic items can be combined into a single dimension. It is speculated that the intrinsic orientation may be culturally tied to Protestantism. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination and Application of Square‐Wave Voltammetry of yRNA on a CPB‐Cellulose Modified Electrode
Authors: He Xiaoying , Zhu Qingtao , Liao Fang , Zhu Lin , Ai Zhen
Published: May 2007

Electrochemical behavior of remarkably low levels of Ribonucleic acid yeast (yRNA) is studied through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and kinetic parameters of the electrochemical reaction have also been calculated through square‐wave voltammetry (SWV), based on immobilization of yRNA on the surface of a CPB‐cellulose modified electrode. YRNA/ CPB‐cellulose/ITO conductive glass electrode is demonstrated by Infrared reflect (IR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The oxidation peak potential of yRNA shifts negatively with increasing pH. The peak currents decrease gradually in successive scans and no corresponding reduction peaks occur, indicating that oxidation process of yRNA is completely irreversible. Variables influencing DPV response of yRNA, such as pH, pulse amplitude and electrolyte concentration, are explored and optimized. Peak currents are proportional to the concentration of yRNA in the range of 0.1 μg mL−1–1.0 μg mL−1, and the linear regression coefficient equals 0.9923. The detection limit for yRNA is 1.0×10−10 g mL−1. Interferences of L‐cysteine, L‐alanine, Hemoglobin, Uridine 5′‐monophosphate, Guanosine 5′‐monophosphate, Adenosine 5′‐triphosphate and some metal ions (Co3+, Cr3+, Ni2+, Hg2+, Zn2+, etc) are negligible. The methods adopted here are more sensitive and selective than currently applied techniques and overcome the drawback of absorption spectroscopy arising from a strong interference due to other UV‐absorbing substances.
Sensitive Voltammetric Response of p‐Nitroaniline on Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotube‐Ionic Liquid Gel Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes
Authors: Zhao Faqiong , Liu Liqin , Xiao Fei , Li Jiangwen , Yan Rui , Fan Shuangshuang , Zeng Baizhao
Published: May 2007

An ionic liquid (i.e., 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, BMIMPF6)‐single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) gel modified glassy carbon electrode (BMIMPF6‐SWNT/GCE) is fabricated. At it the voltammetric behavior and determination of p‐nitroaniline (PNA) is explored. PNA can exhibit a sensitive cathodic peak at −0.70 V (vs. SCE) in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution on the electrode, resulting from the irreversible reduction of PNA. Under the optimized conditions, the peak current is linear to PNA concentration over the range of 1.0×10−8–7.0×10−6 M, and the detection limit is 8.0×10−9 M. The electrode can be regenerated by successive potential scan in a blank solution for about 5 times and exhibits good reproducibility. Meanwhile, the feasibility to determine other nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) with the modified electrode is also tested. It is found that the NACs studied (i.e., p‐nitroaniline, p‐nitrophenol, o‐nitrophenol, m‐nitrophenol, p‐nitrobenzoic acid, and nitrobenzene) can all cause sensitive cathodic peaks under the conditions, but their peak potentials and peak currents are different to some extent. Their peak currents and concentrations show linear relationships in concentration ranges with about 3 orders of magnitude. The detection limits are 8.0×10−9 M for p‐nitroaniline, 2.0×10−9 M for p‐nitrophenol, 5.0×10−9 M for o‐nitrophenol, 5.0×10−9 M for m‐nitrophenol, 2.0×10−8 M for p‐nitrobenzoic acid and 8.0×10−9 M for nitrobenzene respectively. The BMIMPF6‐SWNT/GCE is applied to the determination of NACs in lake water.
Performance evaluation of optically preamplified dicode pulse position modulation receivers
Authors: Al‐Suleimani I. H. , Phillips A. J. , Woolfson M. S.
Published: May 2007

An analysis for optically preamplified dicode pulse position modulation (DiPPM) receivers is presented for the first time. The performance at two different bit rates (622 Mbit/s and 2.5 Gbit/s) is analysed and compared with equivalent optically preamplified pulse position modulation (PPM) and on‐off keyed non‐return‐to‐zero (OOK NRZ) systems. Additionally a new derivation for the average power of the DiPPM pulse stream is provided and the sensitivity performance is compared with that obtainable from a previous formula, with results that are somewhat more conservative. For optically preamplified systems it is shown that PPM significantly outperforms DiPPM and OOK NRZ, when using the DiPPM average power formula derived here, but DiPPM could still show a sensitivity benefit over OOK NRZ of 4.2 dB. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Consumption and Efficiency of a Passenger Car with a Hydrogen/Oxygen PEFC based Hybrid Electric Drivetrain
Authors: Büchi F. N. , Paganelli G. , Dietrich P. , Laurent D. , Tsukada A. , Varenne P. , Delfino A. , Kötz R. , Freunberger S. A. , Magne P.‐A. , Walser D. , Olsommer D.
Published: May 2007

The main factors for reducing the consumption of a vehicle are reduction of curb weight, air drag and increase in the drivetrain efficiency. Highly efficient drivetrains can be developed based on PEFC technology and curb weight may be limited by an innovative vehicle construction. In this paper, data on consumption and efficiency of a four‐place passenger vehicle with a curb weight of 850 kg and an H2/O2 fed PEFC/Supercap hybrid electric powertrain are presented. Hydrogen consumption in the New European Driving Cycle is 0.67 kg H2/100 km, which corresponds to a gasoline equivalent consumption of 2.5 l/100 km. When including the energy needed to supply pure oxygen, the calculated consumption increases from 0.67 to 0.69–0.79 kg H2/100 km, depending on the method of oxygen production.
Effects of IFI16 overexpression on the growth and doxorubicin sensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma–derived cell lines
Authors: De Andrea Marco , Gioia Daniela , Mondini Michele , Azzimonti Barbara , Renò Filippo , Pecorari Giancarlo , Landolfo Vincenzo , Tommasino Massimo , Accardi Rosita , Herold‐Mende Christel , Landolfo Santo , Gariglio Marisa
Published: May 2007

Background.

In a previous analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), we showed that the levels of the interferon‐inducible protein IFI16 inversely correlate with cancer grade. In this study, we further evaluate the molecular role of IFI16 in the development of HNSCCs.

Methods.

The effect of IFI16 expression was evaluated by its retroviral restoration in an IFI16‐negative HNSCC‐derived cell line, HNO136. Growth rate and soft agar colony formation were evaluated. The effect of IFI16 restoration in cells exposed to doxorubicin was also analyzed.

Results.

IFI16 restoration resulted in the inhibition of both cell growth and in vitro transforming activity and increased doxorubicin‐induced cell death by accumulating the cells at the G2/M phase.

Conclusion.

In agreement with our previous in vivo data, IFI16 appears to be involved in maintaining the normal growth of epithelial cells, whereas its downregulation may contribute to uncontrolled cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 2007
New Oligosaccharide Esters and Xanthone C‐Glucosides from Polygala telephioides
Authors: Chang Hai‐Tao , Tu Peng‐Fei
Published: May 2007

Three new oligosaccharide esters named telephioses D (4), E (5), and F (6), and two new xanthone C‐glucosides, telephioxanthones A (7) and B (8), together with five known oligosaccharide esters and mangiferin, were isolated from the whole plant of Polygala telephioides Willd. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data.
Two Novel Neophysalins from Physalis alkekengi L. var. franchetii
Authors: Chen Rong , Liang Jing‐Yu , Liu Rui
Published: May 2007

Two novel neophysalins, named physalin W (1) and physalin X (2), were isolated from the EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Physalis alkekengi L. var. franchetii (Solanaceae). Their structures were determined mainly by spectroscopic techniques including 2D‐NMR (HMBC, HSQC, 1H,1H‐COSY, NOESY) and MS experiments.
Estimating sublimation of intercepted and sub‐canopy snow using eddy covariance systems
Authors: Molotch Noah P. , Blanken Peter D. , Williams Mark W. , Turnipseed Andrew A. , Monson Russell K. , Margulis Steven A.
Published: May 2007

Direct measurements of winter water loss due to sublimation were made in a sub‐alpine forest in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Above‐and below‐canopy eddy covariance systems indicated substantial losses of winter‐season snow accumulation in the form of snowpack (0·41 mm d−1) and intercepted snow (0·71 mm d−1) sublimation. The partitioning between these over and under story components of water loss was highly dependent on atmospheric conditions and near‐surface conditions at and below the snow/atmosphere interface. High above‐canopy sensible heat fluxes lead to strong temperature gradients between vegetation and the snow‐surface, driving substantial specific humidity gradients at the snow surface and high sublimation rates. Intercepted snowfall resulted in rapid response of above‐canopy latent heat fluxes, high within‐canopy sublimation rates (maximum = 3·7 mm d−1), and diminished sub‐canopy snowpack sublimation. These results indicate that sublimation losses from the sub‐canopy snowpack are strongly dependent on the partitioning of sensible and latent heat fluxes in the canopy. This compels comprehensive studies of snow sublimation in forested regions that integrate sub‐canopy and over‐story processes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of dimeric anthocyanins and new oligomeric pigments in red wine by means of HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MSn
Authors: Alcalde‐Eon Cristina , Escribano‐Bailón María Teresa , Santos‐Buelga Celestino , Rivas‐Gonzalo Julián C.
Published: May 2007

High‐pressure liquid chromatography‐diode array detector‐electrospray ionisation/ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MSn) analyses carried out in red wine fractions revealed the existence of dimeric anthocyanins (A–A+), previously detected in grape skin, and allowed the detection and identification, for the first time, of other derived oligomers. The structure of these compounds was characterised according to their MSn(n = 1–4) fragmentation patterns. The newly detected oligomers consisted of a flavanol, (epi)catechin or (epi)gallocatechin, linked through its C4 position to the nucleophilic positions of the upper unit of a dimeric anthocyanin (F–A–A+). All the compounds contained malvidin as one of the anthocyanin subunits, whereas the other anthocyanin moiety could be either delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin or malvidin. With the fractionation method employed, the dimeric anthocyanins eluted in the same fractions as the monomeric anthocyanins. However, the new F–A–A+ oligomers were found in the same fractions as F‐A+ dimers, which might indicate a structural similarity between both types of compounds. ESI/MSn analyses, coupled or not to HPLC, showed to be a useful and powerful tool for detecting and identifying these oligomers in wines, which usually elute from reversed‐phase columns as humps and/or are overlapped by the peaks of other compounds. The detection of these oligomeric pigments in wine has provided more information about the complex pigments responsible for the elevation of the base line observed in the chromatograms of wines and has also revealed that oligomeric anthocyanins can take part in the reactions usually undergone by monomeric anthocyanins. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved protein identification efficiency by mass spectrometry using N‐terminal chemical derivatization of peptides from Angiostrongylus costaricensis, a nematode with unknown genome
Authors: León Ileana R. , Neves‐Ferreira Ana G. C. , Valente Richard H. , Mota Ester M. , Lenzi Henrique L. , Perales Jonas
Published: May 2007

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), Peptide Mass Fingerprinting (PMF) and MALDI‐MS/MS ion search (using MASCOT) have become the preferred methods for high‐throughput identification of proteins. Unfortunately, PMF can be ambiguous, mainly when the genome of the organism under investigation is unknown and the quality of spectra generated is poor and does not allow confident identification. The post‐source decay (PSD) fragmentation of singly charged tryptic peptide ions generated by MALDI‐TOF/TOF typically results in low fragmentation efficiency and/or complex spectra, including backbone fragmentation ions (series b and y), internal fragmentation etc. Interpreting these data either manually and/or using de novo sequencing software can frequently be a challenge. To overcome this limitation when studying the proteome of adult Angiostrongylus costaricensis, a nematode with unknown genome, we have used chemical N‐terminal derivatization of the tryptic peptides with 4‐sulfophenyl isothiocyanate (SPITC) prior to MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS. This methodology has recently been reported to enhance the quality of MALDI‐TOF/TOF‐PSD data, allowing the obtainment of complete sequence of most of the peptides and thus facilitating de novo peptide sequencing. Our approach, consisting of SPITC derivatization along with manual spectra interpretation and Blast analysis, was able to positively identify 76% of analyzed samples, whereas MASCOT analysis of derivatized samples, MASCOT analysis of nonderivatized samples and PMF of nonderivatized samples yielded only 35, 41 and 12% positive identifications, respectively. Moreover, de novo sequencing of SPITC modified peptides resulted in protein sequences not available in NCBInr database paving the way to the discovery of new protein molecules. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment and validation of the MS/MS fragmentation patterns of the macrolide immunosuppressant everolimus
Authors: Boernsen K. Olaf , Egge‐Jacobsen Wolfgang , Inverardi Bruno , Strom Tobin , Streit Frank , Schiebel Hans‐Martin , Benet Leslie Z. , Christians Uwe
Published: May 2007

Everolimus (40‐O‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)rapamycin, Certican) is a 31‐membered macrolide lactone. In lymphocytes, it inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and is used as an immunosuppressant after organ transplantation. Due to its instability in pure organic solvents and insufficient HPLC separation, NMR spectroscopy analysis of its metabolite structures is nearly impossible. Therefore, structural identification based on tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and MSn fragmentation patterns is critical. Here, we have systematically assessed the fragmentation pattern of everolimus during liquid chromatography (LC)‐electrospray ionization (ESI)‐MS/MS and validated the fragment structures by (1) comparison with structurally identified derivatives (sirolimus), (2) high‐resolution mass spectrometry, (3) elucidation of fragmentation pathways using ion trap mass spectrometry (up to MS5) and (4) H/D exchange. In comparison with the structurally related immunosuppressants tacrolimus and sirolimus, our study was complicated by the low ionization efficiency of everolimus. Detection of positive ions gave the best sensitivity, and everolimus and its fragments were mainly detected as sodium adducts. LC‐ESI‐MS/MS of everolimus in combination with collision‐induced dissociation (CID) resulted in a complex fragmentation pattern and the structures of 53 fragments were identified. These detailed fragmentation pathways of everolimus provided the basis for structural elucidation of all everolimus metabolites generated in vivo und in vitro. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesized substructural logics
Authors: Kamide Norihiro
Published: May 2007

A mechanism for combining any two substructural logics (e.g. linear and intuitionistic logics) is studied from a proof‐theoretic point of view. The main results presented are cut‐elimination and simulation results for these combined logics called synthesized substructural logics. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Infinite games in the Cantor space and subsystems of second order arithmetic
Authors: Nemoto Takako , Ould MedSalem MedYahya , Tanaka Kazuyuki
Published: May 2007

In this paper we study the determinacy strength of infinite games in the Cantor space and compare them with their counterparts in the Baire space. We show the following theorems:

1. RCA0 ⊢ $ \Delta^0_1 $‐Det* ↔ $ \Sigma^0_1 $‐Det* ↔ WKL0.

2. RCA0 ⊢ ($ \Sigma^0_1 $)2‐Det* ↔ ACA0.

3. RCA0 ⊢ $ \Delta^0_2 $‐Det* ↔ $ \Sigma^0_2 $‐Det* ↔ $ \Delta^0_1 $‐Det ↔ $ \Sigma^0_1 $‐Det ↔ ATR0.

4. For 1 < k < ω, RCA0 ⊢ ($ \Sigma^0_2 $)k ‐Det* ↔ ($ \Sigma^0_2 $)k –1‐Det.

5. RCA0 ⊢ $ \Delta^0_3 $‐Det* ↔ $ \Delta^0_3 $‐Det.

Here, Det* (respectively Det) stands for the determinacy of infinite games in the Cantor space (respectively the Baire space), and ($ \Sigma^0_n $)k is the collection of formulas built from $ \Sigma^0_n $ formulas by applying the difference operator k – 1 times. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Understanding two‐sided persuasion: An empirical assessment of theoretical approaches
Authors: Eisend Martin
Published: May 2007

This study tries to evaluate empirically the validity and generality of causal models based on alternative theories and the integrative frame‐work provided by Crowley and Hoyer (1994) to explain the underlying persuasive mechanisms of two‐sided messages in marketing. In addition to an empirical test of the models, the study theoretically discusses and empirically explores suggestions for model modifications. Applying meta‐analytic‐based causal estimation, the results show that the parsimonious model based on attribution theory provides high generality and affirms the prevalent use of the theory in previous studies. All other models could be meaningfully improved by integrating alternative processes of less‐effortful message elaboration as suggested by dual‐process theories. The results suggest that the impact of argument quality in two‐sided messages is in line with previous models assuming effortful message elaboration, while less‐effortful elaboration processes seem to rely on the number of arguments used in two‐sided messages. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diffusion tensor MRI in rat models of invasive and well‐demarcated brain tumors
Authors: Kim Sungheon , Pickup Stephen , Hsu Oliver , Poptani Harish
Published: May 2007

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and its metrics, such as mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA), have been used to detect the extent of brain tumors and understand tumor growth and its influence on the surrounding tissue. However, there are conflicting reports on how DTI metrics can be used for tumor diagnosis. The physiological interpretation of these metrics in terms of tumor growth is also not clear. The objective of this study was to investigate the DTI parameters in two rat brain tumor models (9L and F98) with different patterns of aggressiveness by longitudinal monitoring of tumor growth and comparing the DTI parameters of these two tumor models. In addition to the standard DTI metrics, MD and FA, we measured other metrics representing diffusion tensor shape, such as linear and planar anisotropy coefficients (CL and CP), and orientational coherence measured by lattice index (LI), to characterize the two tumor models. The 9L tumor had higher FA, CL, and LI than the F98 tumor. F98 had a larger difference in anisotropies between tumor and peritumor regions than 9L. From the eigenvalues, it was found that the increase in CL and trace of the 9L tumor was due to an increase in the primary eigenvalue, whereas the increase in CP in the peritumor region was due to an increase in both primary and secondary eigenvalues and a decrease in tertiary eigenvalue. Our results indicate that shape‐oriented anisotropy measures, such as CL and CP, and orientational coherence measures, such as LI, can provide useful information in differentiating these two tumor models and also differentiating tumor from peritumoral regions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fast degradable poly(L‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) microspheres for tissue engineering: Synthesis, characterization, and degradation behavior
Authors: Garkhal Kalpna , Verma Shalini , Jonnalagadda S. , Kumar Neeraj
Published: May 2007

Polymeric scaffolds play a crucial role in engineering process of new tissues and effect the cell growth and viability. PLCL copolymers are found to be very useful during cell growth due to their elastic behavior and mechanical strength. Thus, low molecular weight PLCL copolymers of various ratios viz. PLCL(90/10), PLCL(75/25), PLCL(50/50) and PCL were synthesized by ring opening polymerization using stannous octoate as a catalyst. Synthesized polymers were characterized by GPC, 1H‐NMR, FTIR and XRD. The thermal properties of the copolymers were studied using TGA and DSC. Microspheres of about 100 μm diameter were prepared for different copolymers and their in vitro degradation behaviors were studied up to 108 days. It was observed that degradation of PLA content in polymer backbone occurs faster than PCL component which is also indicated by corresponding change in ratios of PLA/PCL, as determined by 1H‐NMR. SEM images of microspheres depicted the surface morphology during degradation and suggested the faster degradation for PLCL (50:50). Copolymers of different thermal, mechanical properties and different degradation behaviors can be prepared by adjusting the composition of copolymers. Various synthesized polymers from this work have been tested in our laboratory as polymeric scaffold for soft tissue engineering. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2755–2764, 2007
Nonisothermal crystallization behavior of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)/clay nano‐biocomposites
Authors: Chivrac Frédéric , Pollet Eric , Avérous Luc
Published: May 2007

The study of the nonisothermal crystallization behavior of layered silicates micro‐ and nano‐biocomposites based on poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT), a biodegradable copolyester, has been carried out with different theoretical models. They were applied and developed with the aim to describe and better understand the influence of the layered silicates dispersion on crystallization. The nucleation efficiency of the layered silicates has been demonstrated with the use of the “Modified Avrami model,” thanks to the higher crystallization rate parameter, Zc, and of the lower crystallization half‐time, t1/2, compared to the neat matrix. The crystallization activation energies, Ea, calculated from “Kissinger's model” have shown that layered silicates have a negative effect on the crystallite growth process. Thus, these analyses have shown that layered silicates have a double effect on the crystallization process. These two opposites' phenomena depend on the dispersion quality and are more pronounced for the intercalated nano‐biocomposites. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1503–1510, 2007
Immiscibility, upper critical solution temperature, and miscibility in blends of poly(vinyl ether)s with polyacrylics: Effects of pendant groups
Authors: Woo E. M. , Juang Yau‐Tsung
Published: May 2007

Various phase behavior of blends of poly(vinyl ether)s with homologous acrylic polymers (polymethacrylates or polyacrylates) were examined using differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy (OM), and Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy. Effects of varying the pendant groups of either of constituent polymers on the phase behavior of the blends were analyzed. A series of interestingly different phase behavior in the blends has been revealed in that as the pendant group in the acrylic polymer series gets longer, polymethacrylate/poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) blends exhibit immiscibility, upper critical solution temperature (UCST), and miscibility, respectively. This study found that the true phase behavior of poly(propyl methacrylate)/PVME [and poly(isopropyl methacrylate)/PVME)] blend systems, though immiscible at ambient, actually displayed a rare UCST upon heating to higher temperatures. Similarly, as the methyl pendant group in PVE is lengthened to ethyl (i.e., PVME replaced by PVEE), phase behavior of its blends with series of polymethacrylates or polyacrylates changes correspondingly. Analyses and quantitative comparisons on four series of blends of PVE/acrylic polymer were performed to thoroughly understand the effects of pendant groups in either polyethers (PVE's) or acrylic polymers on the phase behavior of the blends of these two constituents. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1521–1534, 2007
Synthesis and characteristics of a novel silicon‐containing flame retardant and its application in poly[2,2‐propane‐(bisphenol)carbonate]/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Authors: Zhong Hanfang , Wei Ping , Jiang Pingkai , Wu Dan , Wang Genlin
Published: May 2007

Novel halogen‐free compounds [9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphanthrene‐10‐oxide/vinyl methyl dimethoxysilane/N‐β‐(aminoethyl)‐γ‐aminopropyl methyl dimethoxysilane (DOPO–VMDMS–NMDMS)] that simultaneously contain phosphorus, nitrogen, and silicon have been synthesized through the reaction of 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphanthrene‐10‐oxide (DOPO), vinyl methyl dimethoxysilane (VMDMS), and N‐β‐(aminoethyl)‐γ‐aminopropyl methyl dimethoxysilane (NMDMS). The chemical structure and properties of DOPO–VMDMS–NMDMS have been investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, phosphorous nuclear magnetic resonance, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). These synthesized flame retardants have been blended with a poly[2,2‐propane‐(bisphenol) carbonate]/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) alloy. The flame‐retardant properties of these mixture samples have been estimated with the limiting oxygen index (LOI), and the thermal stability has been characterized with TGA. The LOI value of PC/ABS/DOPO–VMDMS–NMDMS is enhanced up to 27.2 vol % from 21.2 vol %, and the char yield is also improved slightly (from 12 to 17%) with 2.8 wt % phosphorus, 3.0 wt % silicon, and 0.5 wt % nitrogen (at a 30 wt % loading of DOPO–VMDMS–NMDMS). The results show that there is a synergistic effect of the elements phosphorus, silicon, and nitrogen on the flame retardance. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1542–1551, 2007
Effect of cosolvent on solid phase transitions of α‐ to β‐form crystal of syndiotactic polystyrene occurred in supercritical Co2 containing solvent
Authors: Liao Xia , He Jiasong , Zhang Jun , Ma Weiming
Published: May 2007

The solid phase transition mechanism of α‐ to β‐form crystal upon specific treating with supercritical CO2 + cosolvent on original pure α and mixed (α+β) form syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) was investigated, using wide angle X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements as a function of temperature, pressure, and cosolvent content. As in the supercritical CO2, sPS in supercritical CO2 + cosolvent underwent solid phase transitions from α‐ to β‐form, and higher temperature or higher pressure favored this transformation. Due to the higher dipole moment of acetone, small amounts of acetone used as cosolvent with CO2 made the transition of α‐ to β‐form occur at lower temperature and pressure than in supercritical CO2, and made the α‐form crystal completely transform to β‐form in the original mixed (α+β) form, whereas ethanol did not. The original β‐form crystal in the original mixed (α+β) form sample acted as the nucleus of new β‐form crystal in the presence of cosolvent as it did in supercritical CO2, when compared with the original pure α‐form sample. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1625–1636, 2007
The regional distribution of mountain permafrost in Iceland
Authors: Etzelmüller Bernd , Farbrot Herman , Guðmundsson Águst , Humlum Ole , Tveito Ole Einar , Björnsson Helgi
Published: May 2007

A regional map of permafrost distribution in Iceland was developed based on meteorological data. The regional model was calibrated with ground surface temperature data and tested using ground temperature data from four shallow boreholes and a rock glacier inventory. The results indicate widespread mountain permafrost at elevations above 800–900 m a.s.l. in northern and eastern Iceland. According to the regional map, the mountain permafrost zone covers c. 8000 km2 which is about 8% of the country's land area. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Epilepsy: problems of diagnosis and recommended treatment
Authors: Cooper Nicola , Feely Morgan
Published: May 2007

Our series Prescribing in older people gives practical advice for successful management of the special problems experienced by this patient group. Here, the authors describe the prob lems associated with diag nosing epilepsy and discuss recommended treatment. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Interface Ltd
Probing the transverse magneto‐optical Kerr effect at the nanoscale
Authors: Alvarez‐Prado L.‐M. , Souche Y. , Carminati R.
Published: May 2007

This article presents a theoretical formalism for a magneto‐optical scanning near‐field microscope (MO‐SNOM) in the transverse magneto‐optical Kerr effect configuration. Polarized light emitted by a nanosource is scattered by the magnetic object towards the detector. The nanosource is modelled as a circular aperture in an infinitely thin, perfectly conducting screen following the Bethe–Bouwkamp model. The theorem of reciprocity is used for calculating the detected signal in a constant‐height scanning mode for a Co thin film pattern. Two magnetic distributions are investigated: the single domain and the Bloch wall. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Gaussian quantum dots of type II in in‐plane electric field
Authors: Krasnyj J. , Tytus M. , Donderowicz W. , Jacak W. , Chuchmala A.
Published: May 2007

The growing interest is recently focusing on QDs of type II, which contrary to type I QDs attract electrons and repulse holes (or conversely). In such QDs an electron–hole pair (X exciton) can still be traped due to electron–hole Coulomb attraction, resulting in significantly more complex structure of excitonic states. We consider an X exciton in QD of type II defined by electrostatic focusing in a narrow quantum well, in the presence of additional external in‐plane electric field. The dependence of PL spectrum on dot size and in‐plane electric field is analysed within the Hartree approach for model planar Gaussian confinement. The exciton ground state and its energy red‐shift are found as a function of electric field and dot size. Corresponding rearrangement of PL spectrum is described. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)