bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of molecular testing to thyroid fine‐needle aspiration cytology of “follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance”
Authors: Ohori N. Paul , Nikiforova Marina N. , Schoedel Karen E. , LeBeau Shane O. , Hodak Steven P. , Seethala Raja R. , Carty Sally E. , Ogilvie Jennifer B. , Yip Linwah , Nikiforov Yuri E.
Published: January 2010

BACKGROUND:

“Follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance” is a heterogeneous category of cases that cannot be classified into 1 of the other established categories. The use of ancillary molecular studies has not been widely explored for this diagnosis.

METHODS:

All thyroid cytology cases diagnosed as follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance were retrieved from April 2007 to December 2008. During this time period, samples were collected routinely at the time of aspiration for cytologic and molecular studies. Analysis for BRAF and RAS gene mutations and RET/PTC and PAX8/PPARγ gene rearrangements were performed and correlated with the cytologic features and surgical pathology outcome.

RESULTS:

From a total of 513 follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance cases identified, 455 had adequate molecular results. Of these, 117 cases had cytologic‐histologic correlation. In this group, 35 (29.9%) cases had a neoplastic outcome and 20 (17.1%) cases from 19 patients were carcinoma. Positive molecular results were found in 12 cases, all of which were papillary carcinoma. There were no false‐positive molecular results. In correlating the molecular results with surgical pathology outcome, we found that the cancer probability for follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance cases with molecular alteration was 100%, while the probability for follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance cases without molecular alteration was 7.6% (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

By cytomorphology alone, follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance specimens represent cases that are intermediate in risk between the benign and “suspicious for follicular neoplasm” categories. Although not all papillary carcinoma cases are detected by molecular testing, a positive molecular test result is very helpful in refining follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance cases into high‐risk and low‐risk categories. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
“FISHing” to detect urinary and other cancers
Authors: Smith G. Denice , Bentz Joel S.
Published: January 2010

BACKGROUND:

The UroVysion Bladder Cancer Kit detects amplifications of chromosomes 3, 7, and 17, and the deletion of 9p21, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Because manual interpretation of UroVysion FISH is time consuming and can be challenged by variable probe signal strengths and background labeling, the authors investigated an automated image analysis system to improve throughput, productivity, quality control, and accuracy.

METHODS:

The authors evaluated the interactive BioView Duet imaging system as an aid to UroVysion FISH interpretation in a 2‐armed, blinded comparison with manual screens of the same 135 consecutive cases. Manual and Duet‐assisted interpretations were compared with respect to concordance, reproducibility, and timing.

RESULTS:

Eighty‐one cases were interpreted as positive or negative with 94% concordance and a kappa value of 0.84 between manual and Duet‐aided interpretations. Three cases that ultimately were judged positive were detected with the aid of Duet but were missed with a manual screen. A final interpretation could not be given for≈25% of Duet‐scanned cases. Duet‐aided interpretation was highly reproducible for patient and control slides. Pathologist evaluation time per case was 4 minutes compared with 30 minutes for manual interpretation. Cytotechnologist involvement added 18 minutes for a total of 22 minutes, a savings of 8 minutes per case.

CONCLUSIONS:

Duet‐aided interpretations were at least equivalent to manual interpretations. The system permitted interactive review of abnormal cells and had the ability to evaluate the same cells for brightfield cytology followed by FISH. The image processing and analysis tools of the Duet system enhanced the morphology skills of cytology professionals in providing accurate interpretations. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Measuring the color of granite rocks: A proposed procedure
Authors: Prieto Beatriz , Sanmartín Patricia , Silva Benita , Martínez‐Verdú Francisco
Published: January 2010

In spite of color being one of the physicochemical parameters most commonly used to characterize ornamental stone, there is yet no standardized protocol for measuring this parameter. Such a protocol is of particular importance for characterizing the color of heterogeneous surfaces, as in the case of granite. The aim of the present study was to determine the minimum area and the number of measurements required to characterize the color of granite rocks. A spectrophotometer and a tristimulus colorimeter, were used to measure the color of granite samples, and the measurements were expressed in CIE L*a*b* color system units. Three parameters were considered as variable factors: the type of rock (Labrador Claro, Grissal, Rosa Porriño, and Blanco Cristal), surface finish (polished, honed, sawn, and flamed), and target area (circular apertures of diameter 5, 8, 10, and 50 mm). The results of the application of multivariate analysis of variance and of the classical CIELAB formula and CIE L*a*b*‐based color‐difference formulae (i.e., CIE94 and CIEDE2000) to the data revealed that, although all considered factors affected the minimal area and the number of measurements required, the different circular apertures of both the instruments can be disregarded if the number of measurements and area recommended in this study are used. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2010
Detection and classification of thyroid follicular lesions based on nuclear structure from histopathology images
Authors: Wang Wei , Ozolek John A. , Rohde Gustavo K.
Published: January 2010

Follicular lesions of the thyroid are traditionally difficult and tedious challenges in diagnostic surgical pathology in part due to lack of obvious discriminatory cytological and microarchitectural features. We describe a computerized method to detect and classify follicular adenoma of the thyroid, follicular carcinoma of the thyroid, and normal thyroid based on the nuclear chromatin distribution from digital images of tissue obtained by routine histological methods. Our method is based on determining whether a set of nuclei, obtained from histological images using automated image segmentation, is most similar to sets of nuclei obtained from normal or diseased tissues. This comparison is performed utilizing numerical features, a support vector machine, and a simple voting strategy. We also describe novel methods to identify unique and defining chromatin patterns pertaining to each class. Unlike previous attempts in detecting and classifying these thyroid lesions using computational imaging, our results show that our method can automatically classify the data pertaining to 10 different human cases with 100% accuracy after blind cross validation using at most 43 nuclei randomly selected from each patient. We conclude that nuclear structure alone contains enough information to automatically classify the normal thyroid, follicular carcinoma, and follicular adenoma, as long as groups of nuclei (instead of individual ones) are used. We also conclude that the distribution of nuclear size and chromatin concentration (how tightly packed it is) seem to be discriminating features between nuclei of follicular adenoma, follicular carcinoma, and normal thyroid. © 2010 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Rapid and quantitative detection of Legionella pneumophila applying immunomagnetic separation and flow cytometry
Authors: Füchslin Hans Peter , Kötzsch Stefan , Keserue Hans‐Anton , Egli Thomas
Published: January 2010

Legionella is a pathogenic bacterium that establishes and proliferates well in water storage and distribution systems. Worldwide it is responsible for numerous outbreaks of legionellosis, which can be fatal. Despite recent advances in molecular and immunological methods, the official, internationally accepted detection method for Legionella spp. in water samples (ISO 11371) is still based on cultivation. This method has major disadvantages such as a long assay time of 10 days and the detection of cultivable cells only. Therefore, we developed a cultivation‐independent, quantitative, and fast detection method for Legionella pneumophila in water samples. It consists of four steps, starting with (1) a concentrating step, in which cells present in one litre of water are concentrated into 5 ml by filtration (pore size 0.45 μm), (2) then cells are resuspended with sterile filtered buffer and double‐stained with FITC‐ and Alexa‐conjugated Legionella‐specific antibodies, (3) subsequently, the cells are immunomagnetically caught, and (4) finally, fluorescently labeled Legionella cells were flow cytometrically detected and quantified. The efficiency of each step was tested separately. The whole method allows detection of L. pneumophila in 180 min with a detection limit of around 500 cells/l and a recovery of Legionella cells of 52.1 % out of spiked tap water. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometric cell‐counting correlated well. © 2010 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Bacterial protein kinase inhibitors
Authors: Kurosu Michio , Begari Eeshwaraiah
Published: January 2010

Protein kinases have become the second most important group of drug targets for the pharmaceutical industry next to G‐protein‐coupled receptors. Thus, over the past decade, a significant number of small molecules have been generated for protein kinase drug optimization programs. The vast majority of kinase inhibitors target the ATP binding site of the enzyme; however, the poor protein kinase selectivity of ATP‐competitive protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) limits their use for treating chronic diseases. In contrast, for inhibitors of bacterial signal transduction systems targeting bacterial kinase(s), there are no such selectivity requirements as long as the inhibitor does not act on any human kinases at the effective concentrations for killing bacteria in vivo. Protein phosphorylation in bacteria is performed by two‐component signal transduction systems (2CSTSs) and eukaryotic‐like serine/threonine kinases or bacterial tyrosine kinases. Recently, a large number of studies of protein kinases essential for sustaining bacterial growth and kinases required for virulence have been reported. Thus, bacterial protein kinases offer considerable potential as new drug targets. To identify bacterial PKIs, large chemical libraries of ATP‐competitive inhibitors developed for eukaryotic protein kinases are an invaluable asset. This manuscript reviews progress on the development of prokaryotic protein kinase inhibitors. Drug Dev Res 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The new market for volatility trading
Authors: Zhang Jin E. , Shu Jinghong , Brenner Menachem
Published: January 2010

This study analyses the new market for trading volatility; VIX futures. We first use market data to establish the relationship between VIX futures prices and the index itself. We observe that VIX futures and VIX are highly correlated; the term structure of average VIX futures prices is upward sloping, whereas the term structure of VIX futures volatility is downward sloping. To establish a theoretical relationship between VIX futures and VIX, we model the instantaneous variance using a simple square root mean‐reverting process with a stochastic long‐term mean level. Using daily calibrated long‐term mean and VIX, the model gives good predictions of VIX futures prices under normal market situation. These parameter estimates could be used to price VIX options. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 30:809–833, 2010
Currency option pricing: Mean reversion and multi‐scale stochastic volatility
Authors: Wong Hoi Ying , Zhao Jing
Published: January 2010

This paper investigates the valuation of currency options when the underlying currency follows a mean‐reverting lognormal process with multi‐scale stochastic volatility. A closed‐form solution is derived for the characteristic function of the log‐asset price. European options are then valued by means of the Fourier inversion formula. The proposed model enables us to calibrate simultaneously to the observed currency futures and the implied volatility surface of the currency options within a unified framework. The fractional fast Fourier transform (FFT) is adopted to implement the Fourier inversion, thus ensuring that the grid spacing restriction of the standard FFT can be relaxed, which results in a more efficient computation. Using Monte Carlo simulation as a benchmark, our numerical examples show that the derived option pricing formula is accurate and efficient for practical use. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 30:938–956, 2010
Interleukins 1α and 1β secreted by some melanoma cell lines strongly reduce expression of MITF‐M and melanocyte differentiation antigens
Authors: Kholmanskikh Olga , van Baren Nicolas , Brasseur Francis , Ottaviani Sabrina , Vanacker Julie , Arts Nathalie , van der Bruggen Pierre , Coulie Pierre , De Plaen Etienne
Published: January 2010

We report that melanoma cell lines expressing the interleukin‐1 receptor exhibit 4‐ to 10‐fold lower levels of mRNA of microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF‐M) when treated with interleukin‐1β. This effect is NF‐κB and JNK‐dependent. MITF‐M regulates the expression of melanocyte differentiation genes such as MLANA, tyrosinase and gp100, which encode antigens recognized on melanoma cells by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes. Accordingly, treating some melanoma cells with IL‐1β reduced by 40–100% their ability to activate such antimelanoma cytolytic T lymphocytes. Finally, we observed large amounts of biologically active IL‐1α or IL‐1β secreted by two melanoma cell lines that did not express MITF‐M, suggesting an autocrine MITF‐M downregulation. We estimate that ∼13% of melanoma cell lines are MITF‐M‐negative and secrete IL‐1 cytokines. These results indicate that the repression of melanocyte‐differentiation genes by IL‐1 produced by stromal cells or by tumor cells themselves may represent an additional mechanism of melanoma immune escape.
α5β1 integrin antagonists reduce chemotherapy‐induced premature senescence and facilitate apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells
Authors: Martinkova Eva , Maglott Anne , Leger David Y. , Bonnet Dominique , Stiborova Marie , Takeda Ken , Martin Sophie , Dontenwill Monique
Published: January 2010

The α5β1 integrin represent a new therapeutic target for glioblastoma, which are malignant brain tumors difficult to cure with conventional therapies. Glioblastoma are known to be highly resistant to chemotherapy. We, therefore, investigated whether blocking α5β1 integrin with specific nonpeptidic antagonists concomitantly with chemotherapy (ellipticine and temozolomide) may impact the response to chemotherapy of human glioblastoma. Here we show that inhibiting α5β1 integrin with 2 selective ligands (SJ749 and K34c) decreases chemotherapy‐induced premature senescence and facilitates cell apoptosis in a functional p53 background (U87MG cells). When p53 is mutated and inactive (U373 cells), chemotherapy induces p53‐independent cell apoptosis instead of senescence that is not improved by integrin antagonists. Silencing p53 in U87MG cells with siRNA as well as evaluating HCT116 p53+/+ and p53−/− colon carcinoma cell behavior support the hypothesis of an as yet unknown effect of α5β1 integrin antagonists on the control of chemotherapy‐induced premature senescence and apoptosis. α5β1 integrin antagonists modulate the p53 signaling induced by chemotherapy. Our results highlight a new role of the α5β1 integrin in the control of glioblastoma aggressiveness and responsiveness to chemotherapy, which may have a crucial impact in the clinical management of patients suffering from brain tumors.
Upregulation of REG Iα accelerates tumor progression in pancreatic cancer with diabetes
Authors: Zhou Lin , Zhang Ruifeng , Wang Lishun , Shen Shaoming , Okamoto Hiroshi , Sugawara Akira , Xia Li , Wang Xiaoling , Noguchi Naoya , Yoshikawa Takeo , Uruno Akira , Yao Weiyan , Yuan Yaozong
Published: January 2010

Diabetes is now generally accepted as a crucial event in the process of pancreatic cancer (PaC). However, molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between diabetes and PaC are not fully understood. Regenerating gene (REG) Iα is a growth factor affecting pancreatic islet beta cells, and it has been shown to be involved in the carcinogenesis in gastrointestinal tract. It is rational to speculate that REG Iα plays a potential role in the pathogenesis of PaC with diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the REG Iα protein expression profile in PaC with and without diabetes, and define the contribution of REG Iα on PaC development. We found that REG Iα protein preferentially expressed in cancerous tissues of PaC patients with diabetes by Western blot. REG Iα positive cancer cells in PaC with diabetes (n = 38) was significantly higher than that in subjects without diabetes (n = 42, p < 0.05) by immunohistochemical analysis. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of REG Iα protein in PaC cell lines resulted in accelerated cell proliferation and consequently tumor growth, both in vitro and in vivo. The findings suggest that REG Iα may act as one of the tumor promoter and contribute to the aggressive nature of PaC, especially in the subpopulation with diabetes. This study would shed new insights for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the link between diabetes and PaC.
Insights on distinct pathways of thiazolidinediones (PPARγ ligand)‐promoted apoptosis in TRAIL‐sensitive or ‐resistant malignant urothelial cells
Authors: Plissonnier Marie Laure , Fauconnet Sylvie , Bittard Hugues , Lascombe Isabelle
Published: January 2010

Thiazolidinediones, including rosiglitazone and troglitazone, are insulin‐sensitizing drugs and high‐affinity ligands for the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Apart from their antidiabetic activity, these molecules possess antitumor properties. We investigated their potential apoptotic effects on RT4 (derived from a well‐differentiated Grade I papillary tumor) and T24 (derived from an undifferentiated Grade III carcinoma) bladder cancer cells. Rosiglitazone induced G2/M or G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in RT4 and T24 cells, respectively. Only troglitazone triggered apoptosis via extrinsic and intrinsic pathways in both cell lines. Interestingly, rosiglitazone amplified TRAIL‐induced apoptosis in TRAIL‐sensitive RT4 cells or let TRAIL‐resistant T24 cells to respond to TRAIL. Thiazolidinediones acted through PPARγ activation‐independent mechanisms. The underlying mechanisms involved for the first time in cancer cells the upregulation of soluble and/or membrane‐bound TRAIL. This was associated with increased cell surface death receptor 5 expression and c‐FLIP and survivin downregulation, mediated in part through proteasome‐dependent degradation in troglitazone‐promoted cell death. Therefore, the combination of rosiglitazone and TRAIL could be clinically relevant as chemopreventive or therapeutic agents for the treatment of TRAIL‐resistant high‐grade urothelial cancers.
Partial covering arrays and a generalized Erdös‐Ko‐Rado property
Authors: Carey Particia A. , Godbole Anant P.
Published: January 2010

The classical Erdös–Ko–Rado theorem states that if k⩽⌊n/2⌋ then the largest family of pairwise intersecting k‐subsets of [n]={1, …, n} is of size \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage[mathscr]{euscript}\footskip=0pc\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}${{{n}}}{-}{{{1}}}\choose{{{{k}}}{-}{{{1}}}}$\end{document}. A family of k subsets satisfying this pairwise intersecting property is called an EKR family. We generalize the EKR property and provide asymptotic lower bounds on the size of the largest family 𝒜 of k‐subsets of [n] that satisfies the following property: For each A, B, C∈𝒜, each of the four sets A∩B∩C; A∩B∩
C̃; A∩B̃∩C; Ã∩B∩C are non‐empty. This generalized EKR (GEKR) property is motivated, generalizations are suggested, and a comparison is made with fixed weight 3‐covering arrays. Our techniques are probabilistic, and reminiscent of those used in (A. Godbole, D. Skipper, and R. Sunley, Comb Prob Computing 5 (1996), 105–118) and in the work of Roux, as cited in (N. J. A. Sloane, J Comb Designs 1 (1993), 51–63). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 18: 155–166, 2010
A class of symmetric graphs with 2‐arc transitive quotients
Authors: Jia Bin , Lu Zai Ping , Wang Gai Xia
Published: January 2010

Let Γ be an X‐symmetric graph admitting an X‐invariant partition ℬ︁ on V(Γ) such that Γℬ︁ is connected and (X, 2)‐arc transitive. A characterization of (Γ, X, ℬ︁) was given in [S. Zhou Eur J Comb 23 (2002), 741–760] for the case where |B|>|Γ(C)∩B|=2 for an arc (B, C) of Γℬ︁.We con‐sider in this article the case where |B|>|Γ(C)∩B|=3, and prove that Γ can be constructed from a 2‐arc transitive graph of valency 4 or 7 unless its connected components are isomorphic to 3K2, C6 or K3, 3. As a byproduct, we prove that each connected tetravalent (X, 2)‐transitive graph is either the complete graph K5 or a near n‐gonal graph for some n⩾4. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 65: 232–245, 2010
Cycles of even lengths modulo k
Authors: Diwan Ajit A.
Published: January 2010

Thomassen [J Graph Theory 7 (1983), 261–271] conjectured that for all positive integers k and m, every graph of minimum degree at least k+1 contains a cycle of length congruent to 2m modulo k. We prove that this is true for k⩾2 if the minimum degree is at least 2k−1, which improves the previously known bound of 3k−2. We also show that Thomassen's conjecture is true for m = 2. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 65: 246–252, 2010
Cubicity of interval graphs and the claw number
Authors: Adiga Abhijin , Chandran L. Sunil
Published: January 2010

Let G(V, E) be a simple, undirected graph where V is the set of vertices and E is the set of edges. A b‐dimensional cube is a Cartesian product I1×I2×···×Ib, where each Ii is a closed interval of unit length on the real line. The cubicity of G, denoted by cub(G), is the minimum positive integer b such that the vertices in G can be mapped to axis parallel b‐dimensional cubes in such a way that two vertices are adjacent in G if and only if their assigned cubes intersect. An interval graph is a graph that can be represented as the intersection of intervals on the real line—i.e. the vertices of an interval graph can be mapped to intervals on the real line such that two vertices are adjacent if and only if their corresponding intervals overlap. Suppose S(m) denotes a star graph on m+1 nodes. We define claw number ψ(G) of the graph to be the largest positive integer m such that S(m) is an induced subgraph of G. It can be easily shown that the cubicity of any graph is at least ⌈log2ψ(G)⌉. In this article, we show that for an interval graph G ⌈log2ψ(G)⌉⩽cub(G)⩽⌈log2ψ(G)⌉+2. It is not clear whether the upper bound of ⌈log2ψ(G)⌉+2 is tight: till now we are unable to find any interval graph with cub(G)>⌈log2ψ(G)⌉. We also show that for an interval graph G, cub(G)⩽⌈log2α⌉, where α is the independence number of G. Therefore, in the special case of ψ(G)=α, cub(G) is exactly ⌈log2α2⌉. The concept of cubicity can be generalized by considering boxes instead of cubes. A b‐dimensional box is a Cartesian product I1×I2×···×Ib, where each Ii is a closed interval on the real line. The boxicity of a graph, denoted box(G), is the minimum k such that G is the intersection graph of k‐dimensional boxes. It is clear that box(G)⩽cub(G). From the above result, it follows that for any graph G, cub(G)⩽box(G)⌈log2α⌉. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 65: 323–333, 2010
Beyond top‐down and bottom‐up work redesign: Customizing job content through idiosyncratic deals
Authors: Hornung Severin , Rousseau Denise M. , Glaser Jürgen , Angerer Peter , Weigl Matthias
Published: January 2010

Two established approaches to work redesign are formal top‐down interventions and proactive bottom‐up job crafting. Top‐down approaches are limited in their ability to create individually optimized work characteristics, whereas bottom‐up processes are constrained by the latitude workers have to modify their own jobs. Following recent research on the idiosyncratic deals (i‐deals) individuals negotiate with their employer, task i‐deals customizing job content are suggested as a third approach to work redesign. Hypotheses on antecedents and consequences of task i‐deals were tested in two studies conducted in the United States and Germany using structural equation modeling. LMX related positively to the extent of successfully negotiated task i‐deals, which, in turn, was associated with a more positive evaluation of work characteristics—specifically, higher complexity and control and lower stressors. Work characteristics mediated positive indirect effects of task i‐deals on employee initiative and work engagement. Denied requests for task i‐deals were associated with a more negative assessment of work characteristics. We conclude with theoretical, practical, and research implications for better understanding and implementing work redesign through i‐deals. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perceiving and responding to challenges in job crafting at different ranks: When proactivity requires adaptivity
Authors: Berg Justin M. , Wrzesniewski Amy , Dutton Jane E.
Published: January 2010

We utilize a qualitative study of 33 employees in for‐profit and non‐profit organizations to elaborate theory on job crafting. We specifically focus on how employees at different ranks describe perceiving and adapting to challenges in the execution of job crafting. Elaborating the challenges employees perceive in job crafting and their responses to them details the adaptive action that may be necessary for job crafting to occur. Specifically, our findings suggest that higher‐rank employees tend to see the challenges they face in job crafting as located in their own expectations of how they and others should spend their time, while lower‐rank employees tend to see their challenges as located in their prescribed jobs and others' expectations of them. The nature of each group's perceived challenges is related to the adaptive moves that they make to overcome them, such that higher‐rank employees adapt their own expectations and behaviors to make do with perceived opportunities to job craft at work, while lower‐rank employees adapt others' expectations and behaviors to create opportunities to job craft. Our elaborated theory presents a socially embedded account of job crafting as a proactive and adaptive process that is shaped by employees' structural location in the organization. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Friends, not foes?: Work design and formalization in the modern work context
Authors: Juillerat Tina L.
Published: January 2010

Scholars have long debated the advantages and disadvantages of formalization. Although many researchers have suggested that formalization is likely to be disadvantageous in the dynamic environments currently faced by organizations and employees, formalization appears to be increasingly pervasive in modern organizations. Since scholars have suggested that the effects of formalization may depend on the way it is implemented, I examine work design as a key contingency for the successful implementation of formalization. Based on examination and integration of work design, organizational theory, and cognitive perspectives, I conclude that formalization is actually more advantageous and viable in the current work context. However, neither work design nor formalization individually is sufficient for organizations seeking to cope with current challenges. Rather, both interact and thus represent key levers for organizations seeking to thrive in the modern work context. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Putting job design in context: Introduction to the special issue
Authors: Grant Adam M. , Fried Yitzhak , Parker Sharon K. , Frese Michael
Published: January 2010

This special issue introduces new cross‐disciplinary, cross‐level, and cross‐cultural perspectives on job design. The authors examine job design from the viewpoints of organizational behavior, sociology, economics, corporate strategy, entrepreneurship, and evolutionary psychology. They consider job design in the context of interpersonal interactions, teams, leadership, networks, occupations, organizational structures, national cultures, and institutional fields. They explore how employees take initiative to craft their jobs, negotiate idiosyncratic deals, and navigate entrepreneurial roles, corporate director roles, executive roles, and careers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chromatographic fingerprinting and related chemometric techniques for quality control of traditional Chinese medicines
Authors: Liang Yizeng , Xie Peishan , Chau Footim
Published: January 2010

Development of chromatographic fingerprint (CF) and related chemometric methods and their applications to quality control of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) were discussed. CF is essentially a kind of quality control method for TCMs (or Chinese herbal medicines). Also, it is a quality‐relevant‐data high‐throughput and integral tool to explore chemically the complexity of TCMs. With the help of chemometrics, some difficulties in evaluation and analysis of CFs, such as calculation of information content, peak alignment, pattern analysis, deconvolution of overlapping peaks,etc.could be well solved. To further explore TCMs synergic quality, intensive study of CF coupled with chemometrics will create the possibility to achieve the aim to reveal the working mechanisms of TCMs and to further control and strengthen TCMs' intrinsic quality in a comprehensive manner.
Application of gold nanoparticles in separation sciences
Authors: Sýkora David , Kašička Václav , Mikšík Ivan , Řezanka Pavel , Záruba Kamil , Matějka Pavel , Král Vladimír
Published: January 2010

The review article is devoted mainly to the description of applications of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in separation sciences, especially in electromigration and chromatographic techniques. The applications of GNPs in particular separation methods, CE, microchip CE, MEKC, CEC, HPLC and GC, are classified according to the molecular size of the analytes from low‐molecular‐mass compounds via medium sized substances to biopolymers (proteins and nucleic acids). A very recent and promising utilization of GNPs for sample preparation, preconcentration and preseparation of selected analytes from complex matrices is presented as well. Moreover, in two introductory sections, typical preparation procedures of the GNPs and their modifications are presented and physico‐chemical and analytical methods employed for characterization of the native and modified GNPs are briefly introduced.
Role of glycolipids in breadmaking
Authors: Selmair Patrick L. , Koehler Peter
Published: January 2010

In wheat flour used for breadmaking, glycolipids are essential “endogenous surfactants” (1). Bread volume and crumb structure of wheat flour‐based bakery products are influenced by glycolipids, without the decisive mode of action being conclusively known. Little information on how glycolipids from other plant sources perform as wheat flour improvers is available. In this paper we review our work done on revealing the baking performance of the four major glycolipid classes present in commercial lecithins (sterol glucosides (SG), acylated sterol glucosides (ASG), cerebrosides and digalactosyl diacylglycerides (DGDG). Our purpose is to better understand the role of these substances in the baking process. Our results suggest that there are two groups of glycolipids with excellent baking performance. Both groups were found to have an impact on the dough liquor rather than on the gluten‐starch matrix. The cerebrosides and DGDG most likely influenced the overall baking result by directly stabilizing the dough liquor/gas cell interface, while ASG and SG did this indirectly through a synergistic effect with a dough liquor constituent, most probably the endogenous flour lipids.
Production and utilization of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD)
Authors: Ab Gapor Md Top
Published: January 2010

PFAD (palm fatty acid distillate) is a by‐product of physical refining of crude palm oil products and is composed of free fatty acids (81.7%), glycerides (14.4%), squalene (0.8%), vitamin E (0.5%), sterols (0.4%) and other substances (2.2%). PFAD is used in the animal feed and laundry soap industries as well as a raw material for the oleochemicals industry. Vitamin E, squalene and phytosterols are value‐added products which could be extracted from PFAD and are of potential value for the nutraceutical and cosmetic industries.
Systematic MALDI‐TOF CID Investigation on Different Substituted mPEG 2000
Authors: Knop Katrin , Jahn Burkhard O. , Hager Martin D. , Crecelius Anna , Gottschaldt Michael , Schubert Ulrich S.
Published: January 2010

Methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) 2000 (mPEG 2000) samples were substituted via esterification reactions to convert the hydroxyl end group of the mPEG into potential initiators for the cationic ring opening polymerization of 2‐oxazolines. These substitution products were investigated by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS); in addition, detailed MALDI‐TOF/TOF‐collision induced dissociation (CID) MS studies were performed to introduce this method as complementary structural characterization tool allowing the detailed analysis of the prepared macromolecules. The CID of the macroinitiators revealed 1,4‐hydrogen and 1,4‐ethylene eliminations forming very regular fragmentation patterns which showed, depending on the end groups, different fragmentation series. Furthermore, very pronounced McLafferty + 1 rearrangements (1,5 hydrogen‐transfer) of the introduced ester end groups were observed leaving the mPEG molecule as neutral acid. This incisive loss revealed the exact molar mass for each end group and, therefore, represents an important tool for end group determination of functionalized polymers.

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Recent advances toward the inhibition of mAG and LAM synthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Umesiri Francis E. , Sanki Aditya K. , Boucau Julie , Ronning Donald R. , Sucheck Steven J.
Published: January 2010

Drug‐resistant forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) are increasing worldwide, underscoring the need to develop new drugs to treat the disease. One of the factors that make tuberculosis difficult to treat is the unique architecture of the mycobacterial cell wall. In this review, we catalogue the enzymes involved in the synthesis of the mycolylarabinogalactan (mAG), a key structural component of the mycobacterial cell wall. In addition, we review the enzymes required for the synthesis of the related lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a structure that possesses immunomodulatory properties. The integrity of the mAG and LAM is critical to the viability of mycobacteria, and many of the established antimycobacterial agents target enzymes critical to the synthesis of the mAG and LAM. Recently, new enzymes catalyzing synthetic steps in the synthesis of the mAG and LAM have been characterized and their substrate specificity determined. In this report, we review recent efforts to characterize the enzymes involved in mAG and LAM synthesis and describe the compounds used to inhibit the enzymes or characterize their catalytic activity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 30, No. 2, 290–326, 2010
Glycan and lectin microarrays for glycomics and medicinal applications
Authors: Katrlík Jaroslav , Švitel Juraj , Gemeiner Peter , Kožár Tibor , Tkac Jan
Published: January 2010

Three different array formats to study a challenging field of glycomics are presented here, based on the use of a panel of immobilized glycan or lectins, and on in silico computational approach. Glycan and lectin arrays are routinely used in combination with other analytical tools to decipher a complex nature of glycan‐mediated recognition responsible for signal transduction of a broad range of biological processes. Fundamental aspects of the glycan and lectin array technology are discussed, with the focus on the choice and availability of the biorecognition elements, fabrication protocols, and detection platforms involved. Moreover, practical applications of both technologies especially in the field of clinical diagnostics are provided. The future potential of a complementary in silico array technology to reveal details of the protein–glycan‐binding profiles is discussed here. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 30, No. 2, 394–418, 2010
Needing a large DIEAP flap for unilateral breast reconstruction: Double‐pedicle flap and unipedicle flap with additional venous discharge
Authors: Salgarello Marzia , Barone‐Adesi Liliana , Sturla Marcella , Masetti Riccardo , Mu Lanhua
Published: January 2010

Background:

In selected cases a four zone‐deep inferior epigastric artery perfortor (DIEAP) flap is needed for unilateral breast reconstruction. It may happen in patients with a midline scar of the abdomen or with minimal abdominal tissue, as well as in case the recipient site needs a big amount of tissue for the breast reconstruction. The purpose of this paper is to describe two options: to raise an unipedicle DIEAP flap including large size medially located perforator/s with an additional venous outflow, or to raise a double‐pedicle DIEAP flap.

Methods:

Since 2000 34 cases of unilateral breast reconstruction with a four‐zone unipedicle DIEAP flap (two cases) or a double‐pedicle DIEAP flap (32 cases) have been performed. Preoperative examination of the superficial and deep epigastric vascular system with color doppler sonography (CDS) and/or multidetector‐row CT (MDCT) were performed to assess the dominant abdominal perforator/s. If one or two large size, medially located perforators were identified and the superficial venous system showed vascular connections between right and left hemiabdomen, it was possible to use an unipedicle four‐zone DIEAP flap with an additional anastomosis of the superficial vein. If this specific vascular situation did not exist, a double‐pedicle DIEAP flap was raised.

Results:

There were no major complications, and very satisfactory results have been obtained.

Conclusions:

This retrospective study showed that both options of raising a large DIEAP flap for unilateral breast reconstruction, namely unipedicled flap based on large medial perforator/s plus additional venous discharge or double‐pedicle flap, are safe. Preoperative examination of the dominant perforator/s with CDS and/or MDCT is mandatory in both cases. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 2010.
Synthesis of hydrophilic microspheres with LCST close to body temperature for controlled dual‐sensitive drug release
Authors: Spizzirri U. Gianfranco , Iemma Francesca , Puoci Francesco , Xue Feng , Gao Wei , Cirillo Giuseppe , Curcio Manuela , Parisi Ortensia I. , Picci Nevio
Published: January 2010

Novel stimuli‐responsive hydrophilic microspheres were prepared by free radical polymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and methacrylic acid (MA), as hydrophilic monomers, and N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and N,N′‐ethylenebisacrylamide (EBA), as thermo‐sensitive monomer and crosslinker, respectively. Hydrophilic comonomers were introduced in the macromolecular network to synthesize materials with tunable thermal behavior. In addition, by introducing in the polymerization feed both a hydrophilic and a pH‐sensitive monomer, such as MA, dual stimuli‐responsive (pH and temperature) hydrogels were synthesized. The incorporation of monomers in the network was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, while the network density and the shape of hydrogels was found to strictly depend on the concentration of monomers in the polymerization feed. Thermal analyses showed negative thermo‐responsive behavior with pronounced water affinity of microspheres at a temperature lower than lower critical solution temperature (LCST). In our experiment, the LCST values of the hydrogels were in the range 34.6–37.5°C, close to the body temperature, and the amount of hydrophilic moieties in the polymeric network allows to collect shrinking/swelling transition temperatures higher than the LCST of NIPAAm homopolymers. In order to test the preformed materials as drug carriers, diclofenac diethylammonium salt (DDA) was chosen and drug entrapment percent was determined. Drug release profiles, in media at different temperature and pH, depend on hydrogels crosslinking degree and drug–bead interactions. By using semi‐empirical equations, the release mechanism was extensively studied and the diffusional contribute was evaluated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Medication use in early pregnancy‐prevalence and determinants of use in a prospective cohort of women
Authors: Cleary Brian J. , Butt Hajeera , Strawbridge Judith D. , Gallagher Paul J. , Fahey Tom , Murphy Deirdre J.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

To examine the extent, nature and determinants of medication use in early pregnancy.

Methods

We reviewed early pregnancy medication use, as reported to a midwife at the booking interview, in women delivering between 2000 and 2007 in a large maternity hospital in Dublin, Ireland (n = 61 252).

Results

Excluding folic acid, at least one medication was reported in 23 989 (39.2%) pregnancies. Over the counter (OTC) medications were reported in 11 970 (19.5%) pregnancies, illicit drugs or methadone in 545 (0.9%) and herbal medicines/supplements in 352 (0.58%). FDA category D and X medications were reported by 1532 (2.5%) and 1987 (3.2%) women. Asthma, depression and hypertension were among the most commonly reported chronic medical disorders. Medications with potential for foetal harm were reported by 86 (15.7%) women treated for depression and 68 (20%) women treated for hypertension. Factors associated with reporting the use of medications with potential for foetal harm included unplanned pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12–1.52), booking at less than 12 weeks gestation (aOR 1.83, 95%CI 1.58–2.13), being above 25 years of age, unemployed (aOR 2.58, 95%CI 2.03–3.29), nulliparous (aOR 1.41; 95%CI 1.22–1.63), single (aOR 1.28; 95%CI 1.06–1.54) or smoking during pregnancy (aOR 1.96, 95%CI 1.67–2.28).

Conclusions

Women frequently report medication use in early pregnancy. Women and prescribers need to be aware of the lack of pregnancy safety data for many medications, and the need for pre‐pregnancy planning. Prescribers should ensure that optimal medications are used when treating women of childbearing potential with chronic medical disorders. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polymer‐based fluorescence sensors incorporating chiral binaphthyl and benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazole moieties for Hg2+ detection
Authors: Huang Xiaobo , Meng Jie , Dong Yu , Cheng Yixiang , Zhu Chengjian
Published: January 2010

Three chiral polymers P‐1, P‐2, and P‐3 could be obtained by the polymerization of (R)‐6,6′‐dibutyl‐3,3′‐diiodo‐2, 2′‐binaphthol (R‐M‐1), (R)‐6,6′‐dibutyl‐3,3′‐diiodo‐2,2′‐bisoctoxy‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (R‐M‐2), and (R)‐6,6′‐dibutyl‐3,3′‐diiodo‐2,2′‐bis (diethylaminoethoxy)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (R‐M‐3) with 4,7‐diethynyl‐benzo[2,1,3]‐thiadiazole (M‐1) via Pd‐catalyzed Sonogashira reaction, respectively. P‐1, P‐2, and P‐3 can show pale red, blue–green, and orange fluorescence. The responsive optical properties of these polymers on various metal ions were investigated by fluorescence spectra. Compared with other cations, such as Co2+, Ni2+, Ag+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+, Hg2+ can exhibit the most pronounced fluorescence response of these polymers. P‐1 and P‐2 show obvious fluorescence quenching effect upon addition of Hg2+, on the contrary, P‐3 shows fluorescence enhancement. Three polymer‐based fluorescent sensors also show excellent fluorescence response for Hg2+ detection without interference from other metal ions. The results indicate that these kinds of tunable chiral polybinaphthyls can be used as fluorescence sensors for Hg2+ detection. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 997–1006, 2010
Proline‐based polymeric monoliths: Synthesis, characterization, and applications as organocatalysts in aldol reaction
Authors: Garg Dipti , Ahn J.‐H. , Chauhan Ghanshyam S.
Published: January 2010

Proline‐based polymer monoliths were synthesized via green protocol using lipase‐catalyzed esterification of methacrylic acid and 4‐hydroxyproline. Prolinyl methacrylate thus prepared was polymerized in situ as crosslinked monolith. The monolith was characterized by various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen analysis and used as catalyst in aldol reactions. The swelling behavior of the monolith was also studied as function of various external parameters like pH and temperature. The monoliths synthesized with 1% crosslinker was selected as candidate monolith for use as catalyst in aldol reaction, which was studied as a function of time, temperature, substrate structure, and amount of water:EtOH. The catalysts exhibited high efficiency in the cross aldol reaction, especially with the aromatic substrates having electron withdrawing substituent, and also good activity retention was observed when recycleability was studied up to five cycles. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1007–1015, 2010
Kinetics of the radical copolymerization of 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate with tert‐butyl α‐trifluoromethacrylate
Authors: Boschet Frédéric , Kostov Georgi , Ameduri Bruno , Yoshida Toru , Kawada Kosuke
Published: January 2010

The radical copolymerization of two different methacrylate monomers, 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFEMA) and tert‐butyl α‐trifluoromethacrylate (TBTFMA) in solution was investigated. The resulting statistic poly(TFEMA‐co‐TBTFMA) copolymers were characterized by NMR spectroscopy to assess their compositions. The kinetics of copolymerization enabled one to determine the reactivity ratios of both comonomers according to the methods of Fineman‐Ross, Kelen‐Tüdos, and extended Kelen‐Tüdos. Excellent correlations were found between these methods leading to the following reactivity ratios: rTFEMA = 4.87 ± 1.50 and rTBTFMA = 0.10 ± 0.02 at 74 °C. These values indicated that the structure of the copolymers was composed of poly(TFEMA) micro‐blocks separated by one TBTFMA unit. Both yields and molecular weights (ranging between 1,000 and 12,000 g/mol) increased with the TFEMA content. The thermal stability of these (co)polymers showed that the decomposition temperature at 10% weight loss increased both with TFEMA content and increasing molecular weights of the poly(TFEMA‐co‐TBTFMA) copolymers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1029–1037, 2010