bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient monitoring and follow‐up in lentiviral clinical trials
Authors: McGarrity Gerard J. , Hoyah Gloria , Winemiller April , Andre Kris , Stein David , Blick Gary , Greenberg Richard N. , Kinder Clifford , Zolopa Andrew , Binder‐Scholl Gwen , Tebas Pablo , June Carl H. , Humeau Laurent M. , Rebello Tessio
Published: January 2013

Background

Lentiviral vectors are being used with increasing frequency in human clinical trials. We were the first to use lentiviral vectors in clinical trials in 2003. Our lentiviral vector encoded a long RNA antisense sequence to the HIV‐1 envelope and was used in an ex vivo autologous setting to provide viral load control in HIV‐1 positive subjects failing anti‐HIV therapy. A total of 65 subjects have been treated in Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials in six institutions.

Methods

Good manufacturing practices (GMP) lots of the lentiviral vector used in our clinical trials were assayed for the presence of replication competent lentivirus (RCL). RCL assays were conducted at two stages. The first testing was performed on samples collected immediately following bulk harvest of the GMP product lot and consisted of 1 × 108 cells used in production. RCL assays were also performed on aliquots of the final fill of the vector by the inoculation of at least 5% of the GMP final fill volume into C8166 cells, passaged for at least ten passages and tested for RCL by p24 enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and vesicular stomatitis virus‐G envelope DNA.

Results

Following 263 infusions of autologous, transduced cells, no adverse events have been detected in these subjects, with some followed for more than 8 years following infusions. More than 4.3 × 1012 VRX496 proviral copies were administered to these 65 subjects.

Conclusions

Data from this small population suggest that there is no apparent risk for serious adverse events with the use of lentiviral vectors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Density weighted turbo spin echo imaging
Authors: Zeller Mario , Gutberlet Marcel , Stäb Daniel , Ritter Christian Oliver , Beer Meinrad , Hahn Dietbert , Köstler Herbert
Published: January 2013

Purpose

To optimize the spatial response function (SRF) while maintaining optimal signal to noise ratio (SNR) in T2 weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) imaging by prospective density weighting.

Materials and Methods

Density weighting optimizes the SRF by sampling the k‐space with variable density without the need of retrospective filtering, which would typically result in nonoptimal SNR. For TSE, the T2 decay needs to be considered when calculating an optimized sampling pattern. Simulations were carried out and T2 weighted in vivo TSE measurements were performed on a 3 Tesla MRI system. To evaluate the SNR, reversed centric density weighted and retrospectively filtered Cartesian acquisitions with identical measurement parameters and SRFs were compared with TEeff = 90 ms and a density weighted k‐space sampling optimized to yield a Kaiser function for SRF side lobe suppression for white matter.

Results

Density weighting of a reversed centric reordering scheme resulted in an SNR increase of (43 ± 13)% compared with the Cartesian acquisition with retrospective filtering while maintaining comparable contrast behavior.

Conclusion

Density weighting is applicable to TSE imaging and results in significantly increased SNR. The gain can be used to shorten the measurement time, which suggests applying density weighting in both time and SNR constrained MRI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;37:965–973. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determination of one‐dimensional spherically aberrated point spread function in depth profiling by confocal Raman microscopy
Authors: de la Paz Miguel María , Pablo Tomba J.
Published: January 2013

We present a simple experiment that allows the complete and direct characterization of the point spread function (PSF) in refraction‐aberrated depth profiling experiments with confocal Raman microscopy. We used a wedge‐shaped solid polymer film to induce refraction aberrations on the response of an infinitesimally thin Raman scatterer, represented by a polished silicon wafer. The system, with the film pasted on top of the Si wafer, was probed by a depth slicing technique under a dry‐optics configuration. Post‐acquisition processing of the Si and polymer intensity maps allowed the reconstruction of the axial PSF spatially resolved each 1 µm or less in the z‐axis and for virtually continuous values of focusing depth. In agreement with theory, we found that PSF broadens asymmetrically with focusing depth, with a marked shift in the focus point. From the shape of PSF, we obtained values of depth resolution within the film that confirm that axial discrimination is not drastically deteriorated, as suggested by previous works, and that confocal aperture effectively reduces the collection volume even under severe refraction interference. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Near‐infrared surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NIR‐SERS) studies on oxyheamoglobin (OxyHb) of liver cancer based on PVA‐Ag nanofilm
Authors: Liu Renming , Xiong Yang , Tang Weiyue , Guo Yan , Yan Xinhui , Si Minzhen
Published: January 2013

A near‐infrared surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NIR‐SERS) method was employed for oxyheamoglobin (OxyHb) detection to develop a simple blood test for liver cancer detection. Polyvinyl alcohol protected silver nanofilm (PVA‐Ag nanofilm) used as the NIR‐SERS active substrate to enhance the Raman scattering signals of OxyHb. High quality NIR‐SERS spectrum from OxyHb adsorbed on PVA‐Ag nanofilm can be obtained within 16 s using a portable Raman spectrometer. NIR‐SERS measurements were performed on OxyHb samples of healthy volunteers (control subjects, n = 30), patients (n = 40) with confirmed liver cancer (stage I, II and III) and the liver cancer patients after surgery (n = 30). Meanwhile, the tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the measured NIR‐SERS spectra were performed, and the results suggested cancer specific changes on molecule level, including a decrease in the relative concentrations and the percentage of aromatic amino acids of OxyHb, changes of the vibration modes of the CaHm group and pyrrole ring of OxyHb of liver cancer patients. In this paper, principal component analysis (PCA) combined with independent sample T test analysis of the measured NIR‐SERS spectra separated the spectral features of the two groups into two distinct clusters with the sensitivity of 95.0% and the specificity of 85.7%. Meanwhile, the recovery situations of the liver cancer patients after surgery were also assessed using the method of discriminant analysis‐predicting group membership based on PCA. The results show that 26.7% surgeried liver cancer patients were distinguished as the normal subjects and 63.3% were distinguished into the cancer. Our study demonstrated great potentials for developing NIR‐SERS OxyHb analysis into a novel clinical tool for non‐invasive detection of liver cancers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Randomized Clinical Trial of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Veterans With PTSD Related to Military Sexual Trauma
Authors: Surís Alina , Link‐Malcolm Jessica , Chard Kathleen , Ahn Chul , North Carol
Published: January 2013

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in the treatment of self‐reported and clinician‐assessed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to military sexual trauma (MST), along with depressive symptoms. Eighty‐six veterans (73 female, 13 male) randomly assigned to receive 12 individual sessions of either CPT or present‐centered therapy (PCT) were included in analyses. Blinded assessments occurred at baseline, posttreatment, and 2, 4, and 6 months posttreatment. Mixed‐effects model analysis revealed a significant interaction between groups (p = .05, d = −0.85): At posttreatment, veterans who received CPT had a significantly greater reduction in self‐reported, but not clinician‐assessed, PTSD symptom severity compared to veterans who received PCT. All three primary outcome measures improved significantly, both clinically and statistically, across time in both treatment groups. Pre‐ and posttreatment effect sizes were mostly moderate to large (d = 0.30–1.02) and trended larger in the CPT group. Although the study was impacted by treatment fidelity issues, results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of CPT in reducing self‐reported PTSD symptoms in a population of veterans with MST, expanding on established literature that has demonstrated the effectiveness of CPT in treating PTSD related to sexual assault in civilian populations.
Influence of structural variations on imidazolium‐based ionic liquids
Authors: Dold Christian , Amann Tobias , Kailer Andreas
Published: January 2013

In this work, a fundamental study of ionic liquids (ILs) is shown. The main goal was to establish relationships between rheological and tribological properties of ILs and to understand how these properties are linked to the molecular structure of ILs. Of particular interest were the effects occurring to a frictional system due to variations of the anions and the alkyl chain length of the imidazolium‐based cations. Tribological experiments were performed using a reciprocating ball‐on‐disc test machine. To understand the effects resulting from a variation of the structural characteristics of the used ILs on the rheological properties, studies were performed using a rheometer. The results obtained are very promising in terms of improving friction and wear behaviour by using ILs as lubricants. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rapid parameter optimization of low signal‐to‐noise samples in NMR spectroscopy using rapid CPMG pulsing during acquisition: application to recycle delays
Authors: Farooq Hashim , Courtier‐Murias Denis , Soong Ronald , Masoom Hussain , Maas Werner , Fey Michael , Kumar Rajeev , Monette Martine , Stronks Henry , Simpson Myrna J. , Simpson André J.
Published: January 2013

A method is presented that combines Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) during acquisition with either selective or nonselective excitation to produce a considerable intensity enhancement and a simultaneous loss in chemical shift information. A range of parameters can theoretically be optimized very rapidly on the basis of the signal from the entire sample (hard excitation) or spectral subregion (soft excitation) and should prove useful for biological, environmental, and polymer samples that often exhibit highly dispersed and broad spectral profiles. To demonstrate the concept, we focus on the application of our method to T1 determination, specifically for the slowest relaxing components in a sample, which ultimately determines the optimal recycle delay in quantitative NMR. The traditional inversion recovery (IR) pulse program is combined with a CPMG sequence during acquisition. The slowest relaxing components are selected with a shaped pulse, and then, low‐power CPMG echoes are applied during acquisition with intervals shorter than chemical shift evolution (RCPMG) thus producing a single peak with an SNR commensurate with the sum of the signal integrals in the selected region. A traditional 13C IR experiment is compared with the selective 13C IR‐RCPMG sequence and yields the same T1 values for samples of lysozyme and riverine dissolved organic matter within error. For lysozyme, the RCPMG approach is ~70 times faster, and in the case of dissolved organic matter is over 600 times faster. This approach can be adapted for the optimization of a host of parameters where chemical shift information is not necessary, such as cross‐polarization/mixing times and pulse lengths. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Luteoprotective roles of luteinizing hormone are mediated by not only progesterone production but also glucocorticoid conversion in bovine corpus luteum
Authors: Kawaguchi Syota , Bowolaksono Anom , Sakumoto Ryosuke , Okuda Kiyoshi
Published: January 2013

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is known as a key regulator of corpus luteum (CL) function, but the luteoprotective mechanisms of LH in the maintenance of bovine CL function are not well understood. The current study investigated if LH increases cell viability and induces cortisol conversion, and if the luteoprotective action of LH is mediated by stimulating the local production and action of progesterone (P4) and/or cortisol. Cultured bovine luteal cells obtained at the mid‐luteal stage (Days 8–12 of the estrous cycle) were treated for 24 hr with LH (10 ng/ml) with/without onapristone (OP, a specific P4 receptor antagonist; 100 µM), cortisone (1 µM), and aminoglutethimide (AGT, a specific inhibitor of cytochrome P450 side‐chain cleavage; 100 µM). LH with and without OP significantly increased the mRNA and protein expressions of 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B) 1, but did not affect the mRNA or protein expression of HSD11B2. These treatments also significantly increased HSD11B1 activity. Cell viability was significantly increased by LH alone or by LH in combination with cortisone and OP. LH in combination with OP or AGT significantly decreased cell viability as compared to LH alone. The overall results suggest that LH stimulates not only P4 production but also HSD11B1 expression, thereby increasing the cortisol concentration in the bovine CL, and that LH prevents cell death through these survival pathways. LH may consequently support CL function during the luteal phase in cattle. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80: 204–211, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamic methylation pattern of the methyltransferase1o (Dnmt1o) 5′‐flanking region during mouse oogenesis and spermatogenesis
Authors: Ko Yeoung‐Gyu , Yun Jisoo , Park Hyoung Joon , Tanaka Satoshi , Shiota Kunio , Cho Jae‐Hyeon
Published: January 2013

DNA methyltransferase1o (Dnmt1o), which is specific to oocyte and preimplantation embryo, plays a role in maintaining DNA methylation in mammalian cells. Here, we investigated the methylation status of CpGs sites in the Dnmt1o 5′‐flanking region in germ cells at different stages of oogenesis or spermatogenesis. The methylation levels of the CpG sites at the 5′‐flanking regions were hypermethylated in growing oocytes of all follicular stages, while the oocytes in meiotic metaphase II (MII) were demethylated. The methylation pattern within the CpGs sites in the 5′‐flanking region, however, was dramatically changed during spermatogenesis. We observed that there was significant non‐CpG methylation both in MII oocytes and spermatocytes. Although a low methylation level in non‐CpG sites was observed in primary and secondary oocytes, the CpA site of position 25 and CpT site of position 29 within the no‐CpG region in the 5′‐flanking region of Dnmt1o was highly methylated in MII oocytes. During spermatogenesis, the low degree of methylation at CpG sites in spermatocytes increased to a higher degree in sperm, while the high ratio of methylation in non‐CpG sites in spermatocytes decreased. Together, germ cells showed inverted methylation patterns between CpG and non‐CpG sites in the Dnmt1o 5′‐upstream region, and the methylation pattern during oogenesis did not drastically change, remaining generally hypomethylated at the MII stage. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80: 212–222, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prospective and retrospective high order eddy current mitigation for diffusion weighted echo planar imaging
Authors: Xu Dan , Maier Joseph K. , King Kevin F. , Collick Bruce D. , Wu Gaohong , Peters Robert D. , Hinks R. Scott
Published: January 2013

Purpose

The proposed method is aimed at reducing eddy current (EC) induced distortion in diffusion weighted echo planar imaging, without the need to perform further image coregistration between diffusion weighted and T2 images. These ECs typically have significant high order spatial components that cannot be compensated by preemphasis.

Theory and Methods

High order ECs are first calibrated at the system level in a protocol independent fashion. The resulting amplitudes and time constants of high order ECs can then be used to calculate imaging protocol specific corrections. A combined prospective and retrospective approach is proposed to apply correction during data acquisition and image reconstruction.

Results

Various phantom, brain, body, and whole body diffusion weighted images with and without the proposed method are acquired. Significantly reduced image distortion and misregistration are consistently seen in images with the proposed method compared with images without.

Conclusion

The proposed method is a powerful (e.g., effective at 48 cm field of view and 30 cm slice coverage) and flexible (e.g., compatible with other image enhancements and arbitrary scan plane) technique to correct high order ECs induced distortion and misregistration for various diffusion weighted echo planar imaging applications, without the need for further image post processing, protocol dependent prescan, or sacrifice in signal‐to‐noise ratio. Magn Reson Med 70:1293–1305, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tailoring the crystalline structure of polypropylene parts molded through water‐assisted injection molding: Effects of melt temperature and polymeric nucleating agent
Authors: Wang Bin , Huang Han‐Xiong
Published: January 2013

The melt temperature and a special polymeric nucleating agent [acrylonitrile–styrene copolymer (SAN)] were investigated to find an effective way for tailoring the crystalline structures of the water‐assisted injection‐molded polypropylene (WAIM PP) parts. The results showed that lowering the melt temperature led to the formation of a small amount of β‐form crystals in both outer and core layers of the WAIM PP parts. Nevertheless, the melt temperature had little effect on tailoring the crystalline structures of the WAIM PP parts. The addition of a low content (6 wt%) of the SAN was interestingly found to gradually influence the crystalline structures as lowering the melt temperature. WAIM PP/SAN blend parts with high contents of β‐form in both outer and core layers (30.7 and 18.4%, respectively), and high contents of transcrystals in the inner layer were molded at relatively low melt temperature (180°C), whereas the SAN had little influence on the crystalline structures at higher melt temperature (230°C). The formation of the transcrystals was ascribed to the in situ fibrillation of the SAN, which was resulted from high shear and cooling rates caused by high‐pressure water penetration during WAIM. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Investigation of third‐order nonlinear optical properties of pyrazoline‐doped polyvinyl alcohol films
Authors: Janardhana K. , Ravindrachary V. , Rajesh Kumar P.C. , Ismayil
Published: January 2013

A 2‐pyrazoline,3‐(phenyl)‐5‐(4‐N,N‐dimethylaminophe nyl)‐1H‐2‐pyrazoline (PDAP) was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet (UV)–visible, and Z‐scan techniques. The PDAP‐doped polyvinyl alcohol composite films were prepared by solvent casting method using dimethylformamide as solvent. The optical properties of the composites were studied using UV–visible, steady state fluorescence, single beam Z‐scan technique and degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) technique. The optical constants such as band gap and optical activation energy were evaluated. The steady state fluorescence data showed both emission peak wavelengths and intensity change with PDAP‐doping level in the composites. The open aperture Z‐scan of the composite films displayed reverse saturable absorption. A self‐focusing effect was observed under closed aperture configuration and the nonlinear refractive index of the film was observed increasing with the increase of doping. The third‐order nonlinear susceptibility was compared with that obtained with picoseconds pulses through DFWM technique. The thermogravimetry analysis shows that the composites are thermally stable up to 260°C. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Dust effects on PV array performance: in‐field observations with non‐uniform patterns
Authors: Lorenzo E. , Moretón R. , Luque I.
Published: January 2013

This paper presents the impact of non‐homogeneous deposits of dust on the performance of a PV array. The observations have been made in a 2‐MW PV park in the southeast region of Spain. The results are that inhomogeneous dust leads to more significant consequences than the mere short‐circuit current reduction resulting from transmittance losses. In particular, when the affected PV modules are part of a string together with other cleaned (or less dusty) ones, operation voltage losses arise. These voltage losses can be several times larger than the short‐circuit ones, leading to power losses that can be much larger than what measurements suggest when the PV modules are considered separately. Significant hot‐spot phenomena can also arise leading to cells exhibiting temperature differences of more than 20 degrees and thus representing a threat to the PV modules' lifetime. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insulated gate bipolar transistor reliability testing protocol for PV inverter applications
Authors: Flicker Jack , Kaplar Robert , Yang Benjamin , Marinella Matthew , Granata Jennifer
Published: January 2013

To decrease the cost of ownership of photovoltaic systems, less costly and more reliable photovoltaic inverters must be developed. Insulated gate bipolar transistors are a significant cause of inverter failures and system inefficiencies, so a thorough understanding of their strengths and weaknesses with regards to inverters is necessary. This paper summarizes the current state of experimentation surrounding the use of IGBTs in photovoltaic inverters and discusses their construction, use, lifetime, and reliability of IGBTs regularly used in photovoltaic inverters. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Integrative analysis of proteomic and transcriptomic data for identification of pathways related to simvastatin‐induced hepatotoxicity
Authors: Cho Young‐Eun , Moon Pyong‐Gon , Lee Jeong‐Eun , Singh Thoudam S. K. , Kang Wonku , Lee Hyun‐Chul , Lee Myung‐Hoon , Kim Sang‐Hyun , Baek Moon‐Chang
Published: January 2013

Hepatocytes are used widely as a cell model for investigation of xenobiotic metabolism and the toxic mechanism of drugs. Simvastatin is the first statin drug used extensively in clinical practice for control of elevated cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia. However, it has also been reported to cause adverse effects in liver due to cellular damage. In this study, for proteomic and transcriptomic analysis, rat primary hepatocytes were exposed to simvastatin at IC20 concentration for 24 h. Among a total of 607 differentially expressed proteins, 61 upregulated and 29 downregulated proteins have been identified in the simvastatin‐treated group. At the mRNA level, results of transcriptomic analysis revealed 206 upregulated and 41 downregulated genes in the simvastatin‐treated group. Based on results of transcriptomic and proteomic analysis, NRF2‐mediated oxidative stress response, xenobiotics by metabolism of cytochrome P450, fatty acid metabolism, bile metabolism, and urea cycle and inflammation metabolism pathways were focused using IPA software. Genes (FASN, UGT2B, ALDH1A1, CYP1A2, GSTA2, HAP90, IL‐6, IL‐1, FABP4, and ABC11) and proteins (FASN, CYP2D1, UG2TB, ALDH1A1, GSTA2, HSP90, FABP4, and ABCB11) related to several important pathways were confirmed by real‐time PCR andWestern blot analysis, respectively. This study will provide new insight into the potential toxic pathways induced by simvastatin.
Crystalline electric field splitting in YbNi4P2 measured by inelastic neutron scattering
Authors: Huesges Zita , Stockert Oliver , Koza Michael Marek , Krellner Cornelius , Geibel Christoph , Steglich Frank
Published: January 2013

The heavy fermion (HF) compound YbNi4P2 is a promising new system for the study of ferromagnetic quantum criticality. Its particular crystal structure in which the Yb ions form chains along the c‐axis might cause quasi‐1D magnetic interactions. In thermodynamic and transport measurements, highly anisotropic behaviour has been observed. To clarify the role of the crystalline electric field (CEF) on this anisotropy, we have measured its level scheme by inelastic neutron scattering. We observed a broad magnetic excitation feature between 7 and 13 meV that is composed of two or three CEF transitions. We discuss the probability of an additional CEF level at either very high or very low energy.
Application of Bayesian Methods for Age‐Dependent Reliability Analysis
Authors: Alzbutas Robertas , Iešmantas Tomas
Published: January 2013

In this article, the authors present a general methodology for age‐dependent reliability analysis of degrading or ageing components, structures and systems. The methodology is based on Bayesian methods and inference—its ability to incorporate prior information and on ideas that ageing can be thought of as age‐dependent change of beliefs about reliability parameters (mainly failure rate), when change of belief occurs not only because new failure data or other information becomes available with time but also because it continuously changes due to the flow of time and the evolution of beliefs.

The main objective of this article is to present a clear way of how practitioners can apply Bayesian methods to deal with risk and reliability analysis considering ageing phenomena. The methodology describes step‐by‐step failure rate analysis of ageing components: from the Bayesian model building to its verification and generalization with Bayesian model averaging, which as the authors suggest in this article, could serve as an alternative for various goodness‐of‐fit assessment tools and as a universal tool to cope with various sources of uncertainty.

The proposed methodology is able to deal with sparse and rare failure events, as is the case in electrical components, piping systems and various other systems with high reliability. In a case study of electrical instrumentation and control components, the proposed methodology was applied to analyse age‐dependent failure rates together with the treatment of uncertainty due to age‐dependent model selection. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Real‐time Reliability Evaluation with a General Wiener Process‐based Degradation Model
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Jiang Ping , Guo Bo , Cheng Zhijun
Published: January 2013

The aim of this paper is to investigate the issue of real‐time reliability evaluation based on a general Wiener process‐based degradation model. With its mathematical tractability, the Wiener process with a linear drift has been widely used in the literature, to characterize the dynamics of the degradation process or its transformation. However, the nonlinear degradation process, which can't be properly linearized, exists in practice. The dynamics of such a degradation process can't be accurately captured by linear models. Here, a general Wiener process‐based degradation model is proposed, which covers a variety of Wiener process‐based models as its limiting cases. A two‐stage method is presented to estimate the unknown parameters. Two real‐time reliability evaluation procedures are presented for different conditions: one is the analytical evaluation procedure, and the other is the simulated evaluation procedure. It is shown that when new degradation information is available, the evaluation results can be adaptively updated. Moreover, to check out the proposed degradation model, a graphical method is provided. Finally, the validity of the proposed evaluation method is illustrated by a numerical example and two real‐world examples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimum Multiple and Multivariate Poisson Statistical Control Charts
Authors: Aparisi Francisco , García‐Bustos Sandra , Epprecht Eugenio K.
Published: January 2013

This paper deals with the simultaneous statistical process control of several Poisson variables. The practitioner of this type of monitoring may employ a multiple scheme, i.e. one chart for controlling each variable, or may use a multivariate scheme, based on monitoring all the variables with a single control chart. If the user employs the multivariate schemes, he or she can choose from, for example, three options: (i) a control chart based on the sum of the different Poisson variables; (ii) a control chart on the maximum value of the different Poisson variables; and (iii) in the case of only two variables, a chart that monitors the difference between them. In this paper, the previous control charts are studied when applied to the control of p = 2, 3 and 4 variables. In addition, the optimization of a set of univariate Poisson control charts (multiple scheme) is studied. The main purpose of this paper is to help the practitioner to select the most adequate scheme for her/his production process. Towards this goal, a friendly Windows© computer program has been developed. The program returns the best control limits for each control chart and makes a complete comparison of performance among all the previous schemes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative pattern analysis of the N‐terminally processed isoforms of platelet factor‐4 in serum
Authors: Kim Jin Young , Lee Jae‐Ryoung , Choi Sunkyu , Kim Eun‐Min , Jung Nak‐Kyun , Kim Young Hwan , Yoo Jong Shin , Lee Seung‐won
Published: January 2013

RATIONALE

Platelet factor 4 (PF4) is a small cytokine belonging to the CXC chemokine family which has been shown to play a role in inflammation and in the regulation of angiogenesis. In general, chemokines are susceptible to proteolytic cleavage in amino and carboxy terminal regions, which usually results in dramatic changes to the chemokine bioactivity. The purpose of this study was to identify various platelet factor‐4 (PF4) isoforms caused by proteolytic processing and to quantify their levels in normal serum.

METHODS

First, we identified the N‐terminally truncated PF4 isoforms from a standard purified PF4 protein sample by using mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis. Then, we used high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to semi‐purify PF4 from serum samples, and the levels of the four most abundant PF4 isoforms were quantitatively determined using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assays on a nano‐LC/triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometer.

RESULTS

We have identified seven N‐terminally processed PF4 isoforms and compared the levels of major PF4 isoforms from nine serum samples. Pro‐p1 (EAEEDGDLQCLCVK–; average MW, 7765.2) is the major PF4 isoform in serum whereas the PF4 isoforms, designated Prot‐p4 (FASAEAEEDGDLQCLCVK– ;average MW, 8141.5), Prot‐p3 (SAEAEEDGDLQCLCVK– ; average MW, 7923.3), and Prot‐p2 (AEEDGDLQCLCVK– ; average MW, 7836.3), are at about 16%, 3%, and 2% levels of the major one, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first report on the levels of N‐terminally processed PF4 isoforms in serum. Also, this study shows the usefulness of SRM in determining concentrations of protein isoform variants, which can be often overlooked in immunoassay analysis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proteomics analysis of ancient food vessel stitching reveals >4000‐year‐old milk protein
Authors: Buckley Michael , Melton Nigel D. , Montgomery Janet
Published: January 2013

RATIONALE

The 19th century excavation of an exceptionally well‐preserved Early Bronze Age high status log‐coffin burial from northern England, dated to 2200–2020 BC, yielded a 'food residue' collected from the inside of an accompanying bark vessel. This residue contained fibrous stitching that was used to hold the bark walls of the vessel together, first described as animal sinews, although the surviving material clearly contains animal hairs. Protein sequencing by soft ionisation mass spectrometry should identify the proteins that constitute the material, as well as the animal species from which they derive.

METHODS

Peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) by MALDI‐TOF‐MS combined with liquid chromatography‐ESI‐LTQ‐MS/MS was used to identify low‐abundance proteins as well as the dominant proteins in the sample.

RESULTS

These proteomics techniques revealed the dominant proteins as deriving from the fibrous keratins (both types 1 and 2) and collagens (types 1 and 3), specifically those indicative of a bovine source. However, several peptide sequences diagnostic of bovine α‐S1‐casein were also observed, indicating that traces of milk had been preserved within the >4000‐year‐old fibrous residue.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of this food vessel that once contained milk within a burial of high status is suggestive of the importance placed on these secondary products. It is perhaps more remarkable that this information was retrieved not only from material of such antiquity, but also from an excavation that occurred nearly 200 years ago. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multi‐profile hidden Markov model for mood, dietary intake, and physical activity in an intervention study of childhood obesity
Authors: Ip E. H. , Zhang Q. , Schwartz R. , Tooze J. , Leng X. , Han H. , Williamson D. A.
Published: January 2013

Motivated by an application to childhood obesity data in a clinical trial, this paper describes a multi‐profile hidden Markov model (HMM) that uses several temporal chains of measures respectively related to psychosocial attributes, dietary intake, and energy expenditure behaviors of adolescents in a school setting. Using these psychological and behavioral profiles, the model delineates health states from the longitudinal data set. Furthermore, a two‐level regression model that takes into account the clustering effects of students within school is used to assess the effects of school‐based and community‐based interventions and other risk factors on the transition between health states over time. The results from our study suggest that female students tend to decrease their physical activities despite a high level of anxiety about weight. The finding is consistent across intervention and control arms. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonlinear time history analysis of China Pavilion for Expo 2010 Shanghai China
Authors: Wu Xiaohan , Sun Fangtao , Lu Xilin , Qian Jiang
Published: January 2013

The peculiar building style and special structural system of the National Hall of China Pavilion for Expo 2010 Shanghai is a long‐span and large cantilevered steel–concrete hybrid structure with a shape of an inverted trapezoid in elevation and local discontinuity of floor slabs in plan for esthetic and functional considerations. Because of these characteristics, the building is classified as an irregular and complex structure. To investigate the seismic behavior of the structure, a refined finite element model was established by using NosaCAD. To simulate the nonlinear behavior of the members, the fiber section model was chosen for compression‐flexure frame members, and nonlinear flat shell element was chosen for tube wall. Nonlinear analysis was carried out to study the seismic behavior of the structure under the minor and major earthquakes at the level of intensity 7. With the analysis, the deformations, internal forces and damage states of the structure were investigated. Analysis results show that there is no damage on structure under minor earthquake, the structural system has sufficient capacity and ductility to resist major earthquake, and seismic performance objective of no damage under minor earthquake and no collapse under major earthquake can be reached. The deformation of the structure is less than the limit of the Chinese code. The order and distribution of damages on components of the tubes are reasonable, which can dissipate some dynamic energy. Finally, weak points were identified, and some corresponding suggestions were put forward to improve the overall seismic performance of this structure. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Linear‐scaling self‐consistent field methods for large molecules
Authors: Kussmann Jörg , Beer Matthias , Ochsenfeld Christian
Published: January 2013

Over the last decades, linear‐scaling quantum–chemical methods (QM) have become an important tool for studying large molecular systems, so that already with modest computer resources molecules with more than a thousand atoms are well in reach. The key feature of the methods is the reduction of the steep scaling of the computational effort of conventional ab initio schemes to linear while reliability and accuracy of the underlying quantum–chemical approximation is preserved in the most successful schemes. This review gives a brief overview of selected linear‐scaling approaches at the Hartree–Fock and density‐functional theory level with a particular emphasis on density matrix‐based approaches. The focus is not only on energetics, but also on the calculation of molecular properties providing an important link between theory and experiment. In addition, the usefulness of linear‐scaling QM approaches within quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) hybrid schemes is briefly discussed. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2013, 3:614–636. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1138

This article is categorized under:

Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods
Visual working memory
Authors: Mance Irida , Vogel Edward K.
Published: January 2013

Visual working memory (VWM), the system of storing, manipulating, and utilizing, visual information is fundamental to many cognitive acts. Exploring the limitations of this system is essential to understand the characteristics of higher‐order cognition, since at a basic level, VWM is the interface through which we interact with our environment. Given its important function, this system has become a very active area of research in the recent years. Here, we examine current models of VWM, along with the proposed reasons for what limits its capacity. This is followed by a short description of recent neural findings that have helped constrain models of VWM. In closing, we focus on work exploring individual differences in working memory capacity, and what these findings reveal about the intimate relationship between VWM and attention. WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:179–190. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1219

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Memory
Application of WDXRF in the provenance studies of Persian haft rang tiles: a statistical approach
Authors: Holakooei Parviz , Petrucci Ferruccio Carlo , Tassinari Renzo , Vaccaro Carmela
Published: January 2013

An outstanding style of Persian tilework, which emerged from the north‐eastern Iran in the 15th century, was extensively used for decorating architectural facades during the Safavid period (from the 16th through the 18th century). This type of tilework, the so‐called haft rang, technically comprises of forming a clay body and firing two glazed layers on top of the body. In the present paper, the first analytical data concerning haft rang tiles is provided. To do so, forty three samples of Safavid haft rang bodies were analysed by wavelength dispersive x‐ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and the obtained data were handled by principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the 17th century haft rang tiles wherever found are local products; that is, Safavid tile‐makers have used local clay sources to make the bodies of haft rang tiles. The analytical data also showed that old tileworks, in general sense, can be simply replaced by newly manufactured tiles or, at least, all tilework revetments in an individual edifice might not have been produced in an identical workshop. Moreover, WDXRF was used as an accurate and precise method to determine the chemical composition and to support compositional classification in provenance studies and can be considered as a reliable alternative for studying the provenance of archaeological ceramics. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On finite-temperature holographic QCD in the Veneziano limit
Authors: Alho T. , Järvinen M. , Kajantie K. , Kiritsis E. , Tuominen K.
Published: January 2013

Abstract

Holographic models in the T = 0 universality class of QCD in the limit of large number N
c of colors and N
f massless fermion flavors, but constant ratio x
f = N
f
/N
c, are analyzed at finite temperature. The models contain a 5-dimensional metric and two scalars, a dilaton sourcing TrF
2 and a tachyon dual to
$ \overline{q}q $
. The phase structure on the T, x
f plane is computed and various 1st order, 2nd order transitions and crossovers with their chiral symmetry properties are identified. For each x
f , the temperature dependence of p/T
4 and the condensate
$ \left\langle {\overline{q}q} \right\rangle $
is computed. In the simplest case, we find that for x
f up to the critical x
c ~ 4 there is a 1st order transition on which chiral symmetry is broken and the energy density jumps. In the conformal window x
c
< x
f
< 11/2, there is only a continuous crossover between two conformal phases. When approaching x
c from below, x
f → x
c, temperature scales approach zero as specified by Miransky scaling.
Metamorphic protein IscU alternates conformations in the course of its role as the scaffold protein for iron–sulfur cluster biosynthesis and delivery
Authors: Markley John L. , Kim Jin Hae , Dai Ziqi , Bothe Jameson R. , Cai Kai , Frederick Ronnie O. , Tonelli Marco
Published: January 2013

IscU from Escherichia coli, the scaffold protein for iron‐sulfur cluster biosynthesis and delivery, populates a complex energy landscape. IscU exists as two slowly interconverting species: one (S) is largely structured with all four peptidyl–prolyl bonds trans; the other (D) is partly disordered but contains an ordered domain that stabilizes two cis peptidyl–prolyl peptide bonds. At pH 8.0, the S‐state is maximally populated at 25 °C, but its population decreases at higher or lower temperatures or at lower pH. The D‐state binds preferentially to the cysteine desulfurase (IscS), which generates and transfers sulfur to IscU cysteine residues to form persulfides. The S‐state is stabilized by Fe–S cluster binding and interacts preferentially with the DnaJ‐type co‐chaperone (HscB), which targets the holo‐IscU:HscB complex to the DnaK‐type chaperone (HscA) in its ATP‐bound from. HscA is involved in delivery of Fe–S clusters to acceptor proteins by a mechanism dependent on ATP hydrolysis. Upon conversion of ATP to ADP, HscA binds the D‐state of IscU ensuring release of the cluster and HscB. These findings have led to a more complete model for cluster biosynthesis and delivery.
Analysis of biomarker expression in severe endometriosis and determination of possibilities for targeted intraoperative imaging
Authors: van den Berg Liseth L. , Crane Lucia M.A. , van Oosten Marleen , van Dam Gooitzen M. , Simons Arnold H.M. , Hofker H. Sijbrand , Bart Joost
Published: January 2013

Objective

To evaluate the expression of biomarkers in endometriotic tissue in order to determine the most promising molecules for targeted intraoperative imaging.

Methods

Tissue samples were obtained from 18 patients with endometriosis. The intensity and pattern of expression of the following biomarkers were assessed by immunohistochemistry: C‐X‐C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), estrogen receptor (ER), folate receptor α (FR‐α), hypoxia‐inducible factor 1‐α (HIF‐1α), progesterone receptor (PR), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A). The Target Selection Criteria scoring system was used to select the most promising biomarkers for intraoperative imaging.

Results

Expression of CXCR4, EpCAM, ER, PR, and VEGF‐A was scored as strong in endometriotic epithelium. Expression of FR‐α was detected in 94.4% of samples, whereas HIF‐1α was expressed in just 5.6% of samples. Of note, CXCR4, ER, and VEGF‐A were also expressed in surrounding healthy tissue, thus reducing the target‐to‐background ratio.

Conclusion

Of the 7 biomarkers assessed in the present study, EpCAM, FR‐α, and VEGF‐A seem the most promising for targeted intraoperative imaging of endometriosis.
Glomerulonephritis associated with tuberculosis: A case report and literature review
Authors: Solak Yalcin , Gaipov Abduzhappar , Anil Melih , Atalay Huseyin , Ozbek Orhan , Turkmen Kultigin , Polat Ilker , Turk Suleyman
Published: January 2013

Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis caused mycobacterium tuberculosis is rare; however, three case have been reported to date. Crescentic glomerulonephritis is a life‐threatening disease and together with the presence of tuberculous infection is associated with a poor outcome if treatment is inadequate and delayed. We describe the case of a 31‐year‐old female patient with nephrotic syndrome and progressive renal failure secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis. Renal biopsy showed crescent formation in 14 out of 27 glomeruli, and there was diffuse linear staining of immunoglobulin G deposits. Treatment included corticosteroids in combination with antituberculosis drugs for 2 months, and resulted in a significant improvement in renal function, the disappearance of proteinuria and pulmonary symptoms. We also present a review of the pertinent literature and discuss the pathophysiology of tuberculosis‐related acute postinfectious glomerulonephritis.
Evaluation of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony in chronic heart failure patients by two‐dimensional speckle tracking imaging
Authors: Jiang Feng‐Xia , Guo Rui‐Qiang , Chen Jin‐Ling
Published: January 2013

The purpose of this study was to evaluate left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony (LVMD) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients using two‐dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D‐STI), and also to compare the usefulness of three patterns of myocardial deformation in mechanical dyssynchrony assessment. Furthermore, the relationships between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), QRS duration (QRSd), and LVMD were explored. In total, 78 patients and 60 healthy individuals (group 3) were enrolled. The patients were classified into two subgroups: LVEF ≤ 35% (group 1), 35% < LVEF < 50% (group 2). All participants underwent two‐dimensional echocardiography, and dyssynchrony indices derived from 2D‐STI were calculated. According to statistical principles, the cut‐off value of LVMD was defined as mean ± 1.645 SD of the normal population. Dyssynchrony rates were calculated in CHF subgroups and compared within each subgroup, respectively. Compared with group 3, all indices in group 1 were remarkably higher (p < 0.05), and some of the indices in group 2 were significantly higher (p < 0.05). A significant difference of dyssynchrony rate was noted within both group 1 and group 2 (χ2 = 25.55, p < 0.05 vs. χ2 = 23.88, p < 0.05), and the highest value was derived from the longitudinal index in both subgroups. LVEF was related to all three forms of strain/strain rate (p < 0.05), whereas no relationship existed between QRSd and dyssynchrony indices (p > 0.05). CHF patients have different extents of LVMD. Longitudinal deformation shows the best detectability of dyssynchrony motion. Left ventricular systolic function was closely related to mechanical dyssynchrony, whereas QRSd showed no significant correlation.