bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in colloidal gold nanobeacons for molecular photoacoustic imaging
Authors: Pan Dipanjan , Pramanik Manojit , Wickline Samuel A. , Wang Lihong V. , Lanza Gregory M.
Published: October 2011

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) represents a hybrid, nonionizing modality, which has been of particular interest because of its satisfactory spatial resolution and high soft tissue contrast. PAI has the potential to provide both functional and molecular imaging in vivo since optical absorption is sensitive to physiological parameters. In this review we summarize our effort to advance molecular PAI with colloidal gold nanobeacons (GNB). GNB represents a robust nanoparticle platform that entraps multiple copies of tiny gold nanoparticles (2–4 nm) within a larger colloidal particle encapsulated by biocompatible synthetic or natural amphilines. The utilization of numerous small gold particles greatly amplifies the signal without exceeding the renal elimination threshold size. With fibrin‐targeted GNB, the robust detection of microthrombus formed over a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque has been achieved, which offers an important opportunity to recognize patients with moderate lumen stenosis but high risk of stroke. With the use of second‐generation smaller GNBs, the potential to improve sentinel lymph node assessment and biopsy was advanced with respect to rapidity and sensitivity of detection in mice. Finally, for angiogenesis, an essential microanatomical biomarker of tumor and cardiovascular disease progression, integrin‐targeted GNBs allowed visualization of numerous angiogenic sprouts and bridges that were otherwise undetectable from inherent blood signal alone, offering sensitive and specific discrimination and quantification of angiogenesis in vivo. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the role of human mobility in the spread of cholera epidemics: towards an epidemiological movement ecology
Authors: Mari Lorenzo , Bertuzzo Enrico , Righetto Lorenzo , Casagrandi Renato , Gatto Marino , Rodriguez‐Iturbe Ignacio , Rinaldo Andrea
Published: October 2011

We investigate the role of human mobility as a driver for long‐range spreading of cholera infections, which otherwise primarily propagate through hydrologically controlled ecological corridors. We rely on a recent mechanistic, field‐data validated, spatially explicit model of disease epidemic made up by a two‐layer network model that accounts for the interplay between epidemiological dynamics, hydrological transport and long‐distance dissemination of the pathogen Vibrio cholerae due to host movement. Here we extend the original model and probe different schemes of human mobility, possibly accounting also for restriction policies aimed at slowing down the evolution of the outbreak in space and time. We show that long‐range human movement is indeed an efficient vector of disease propagation, thus playing a defining role in the formation of regional patterns of cholera epidemics. We conclude that properly designed interventions on human mobility could be an aid to the control of cholera outbreaks and suggest that bridging epidemiology and movement ecology might actually contribute to a better understanding of how waterborne diseases propagate at various scales. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
99mTcI/ReI Tricarbonyl Complexes with Tridentate Cysteamine Based Ligands: Synthesis, Characterization and in vitro/in vivo Evaluation
Authors: Moura Carolina , Gano Lurdes , Santos Isabel C. , Santos Isabel , Paulo António
Published: October 2011

Tricarbonyl MI (M = Re, 99mTc) complexes of a new tridentate cysteamine based chelator have been synthesized and fully characterized. To gain an insight into the usefulness of this new chelator for labeling biomolecules with a fac‐[M(CO)3]+ core, the ligand framework has been functionalized with a N‐(dialkylaminoalkyl) pharmacophore. The corresponding 99mTcI complexes showed moderate affinity for melanin and moderate cell uptake by B16F1 murine melanoma cells, and therefore deserve further evaluation in vivo as radioactive probes for the detection of melanomas.
1,8‐Hydrogen Atom Transfer Promoted by N‐Radicals in (1→4)‐O‐Disaccharide Models
Authors: León Elisa I. , Martín Ángeles , Pérez‐Martín Inés , Suárez Ernesto
Published: October 2011

The nitrogen‐centered radical generated by reaction of an N‐sulfonamidate, attached to C‐6 of a hexopyranose in a disaccharide model, with (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (DIB) andiodine undergoes a novel regio‐ and stereoselective intramolecular 1,8‐hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reaction to promote the functionalization of remote positions.
Parallel single‐cell analysis microfluidic platform
Authors: van den Brink Floris T. G. , Gool Elmar , Frimat Jean‐Philippe , Bomer Johan , van den Berg Albert , Le Gac Séverine
Published: October 2011

We report a PDMS microfluidic platform for parallel single‐cell analysis (PaSCAl) as a powerful tool to decipher the heterogeneity found in cell populations. Cells are trapped individually in dedicated pockets, and thereafter, a number of invasive or non‐invasive analysis schemes are performed. First, we report single‐cell trapping in a fast (2–5 min) and reproducible manner with a single‐cell capture yield of 85% using two cell lines (P3x63Ag8 and MCF‐7), employing a protocol which is scalable and easily amenable to automation. Following this, a mixed population of P3x63Ag8 and MCF‐7cells is stained in situ using the nucleic acid probe (Hoechst) and a phycoerythrin‐labeled monoclonal antibody directed at EpCAM present on the surface of the breast cancer cells MCF‐7 and absent on the myeloma cells P3x63Ag8 to illustrate the potential of the device to analyze cell population heterogeneity. Next, cells are porated in situ using chemicals in a reversible (digitonin) or irreversible way (lithium dodecyl sulfate). This is visualized by the transportation of fluorescent dyes through the membrane (propidium iodide and calcein). Finally, an electrical protocol is developed for combined cell permeabilization and electroosmotic flow (EOF)‐based extraction of the cell content. It is validated here using calcein‐loaded cells and visualized through the progressive recovery of calcein in the side channels, indicating successful retrieval of individual cell content.
The burden of depressive symptoms and various chronic conditions and health concerns on the quality of life among those with Medicare Supplement Insurance
Authors: Ozminkowski Ronald J. , Musich Shirley , Bottone Frank G. , Hawkins Kevin , Bai Ming , Unützer Jürgen , Hommer Cynthia E. , Migliori Richard J. , Yeh Charlotte S.
Published: October 2011

Objective

This study aims to estimate the burden of currently having depressive symptoms on quality of life independently and in combination with various chronic conditions/health concerns among adults with Medicare Supplement Insurance (i.e., Medigap) coverage.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Health Update Survey (HUS). The HUS contains questions on demographics, comorbid conditions, and all of the questions on the Veterans RAND 12‐item (VR‐12) health status/quality of life survey. The survey was mailed to a random sample of 30,000 insureds from 10 states between 2008 and 2009. On the basis of relevant questions from the survey, respondents were categorized into two groups: those currently suffering from current depressive symptoms (N = 2283) and those who never had depressive symptoms (N = 7058). Multiple regression modeling was used to test the impact on quality of life of depressive symptoms independently or as an interaction of depressive symptoms with various chronic conditions/health concerns.

Results

Depressive symptoms were common, with an estimated prevalence of 24.4%. The greatest impact of depressive symptoms in combination with various chronic conditions/health concerns on quality of life was on the ability to handle emotional roles, bodily pain, social functioning, and ability to handle physical roles. Most of the significant interactions between depressive symptoms and various chronic conditions/health concerns were demonstrated for those chronic conditions contributing to functional impairment (e.g., difficulty walking, falls, chronic pain, and diabetes).

Conclusions

Although depressive symptoms independently reduced quality of life, having depressive symptoms in addition to other chronic conditions/health concerns had a greater impact on quality of life. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
COPULA BIVARIATE PROBIT MODELS: WITH AN APPLICATION TO MEDICAL EXPENDITURES
Authors: Winkelmann Rainer
Published: October 2011

The bivariate probit model is frequently used for estimating the effect of an endogenous binary regressor (the ‘treatment’) on a binary health outcome variable. This paper discusses simple modifications that maintain the probit assumption for the marginal distributions while introducing non‐normal dependence using copulas. In an application of the copula bivariate probit model to the effect of insurance status on the absence of ambulatory health care expenditure, a model based on the Frank copula outperforms the standard bivariate probit model. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acinar‐to‐ductal metaplasia accompanies c‐myc‐induced exocrine pancreatic cancer progression in transgenic rodents
Authors: Grippo Paul J. , Sandgren Eric P.
Published: October 2011

Several important characteristics of exocrine pancreatic tumor pathogenesis remain incompletely defined, including identification of the cell of origin. Most human pancreatic neoplasms are ductal adenocarcinomas. However, acinar cells have been proposed as the source of some ductal neoplasms through a process of acinar‐to‐ductal metaplasia. The oncogenic transcription factor c‐myc is associated with human pancreatic neoplasms. Transgenic mice overexpressing c‐myc under control of acinar cell‐specific elastase (Ela) gene regulatory elements not only develop acinar cell carcinomas but also mixed neoplasms that display both acinar‐like neoplastic cells and duct‐like neoplastic cells. In this report, we demonstrate that, first, c‐myc is sufficient to induce acinar hyperplasia, though neoplastic lesions develop focally. Second, cell proliferation remains elevated in the neoplastic duct cell compartment of mixed neoplasms. Third, the proliferation/apoptosis ratio in cells from all lesion types remains constant, suggesting that differential regulation of these processes is not a feature of cancer progression in this model. Fourth, before the development of mixed neoplasms, there is transcriptional activation of the duct cell‐specific cytokeratin‐19 gene promoter in multicellular foci of amylase‐positive acinar neoplasms. This observation provides direct evidence for metaplasia as the mechanism underlying development of ductal neoplastic cells within the context of an acinar neoplasm and suggests that the stimulus for this transformation acts over a multicellular domain or field within a neoplasm. Finally, focal ductal elements develop in some acinar cell carcinomas in Ela‐c‐myc transgenic rats, indicating that myc‐associated acinar‐to‐ductal metaplasia is not restricted to the mouse.
iPoetry: Creating Space for New Literacies in the English Curriculum
Authors: Curwood Jen Scott , Cowell Lora Lee H.
Published: October 2011

This article explores the use of digital poetry in a secondary English classroom and its implications for adolescents’ multimodal composition and identity development. The authors—an English teacher and a library media specialist—collaborated over the course of three years to design, implement, and reiterate a digital poetry curriculum. Through their work, they sought to infuse new vitality into literacy practices in order to enhance students’ engagement, increase their awareness of audience, and encourage their progressive use of media and technology. After students read, critiqued, and wrote poetry using traditional print text, they then employed digital tools to reinterpret those poems using multimodal elements. The authors argue that if teachers are to successfully implement new literacy practices in their classrooms, they must first establish a community of practice with other like‐minded educators in order to engage in ongoing, critical dialogue around issues of literacy, learning, and technology.
Application of the pulsed light technology to mycotoxin degradation and inactivation
Authors: Moreau Morgane , Lescure Geoffroy , Agoulon Adrien , Svinareff Pascal , Orange Nicole , Feuilloley Marc
Published: October 2011

The persistence of mycotoxins and their metabolites in agricultural products is a major safety concern because of their high resistance to all kinds of decontamination techniques. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the pulsed light technology for the degradation of mycotoxins. We report that eight flashes of pulsed light destroyed of 84.5 ± 1.9, 72.5 ± 1.1, 92.7 ± 0.8 and 98.1 ± 0.2% of zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin in solution. The degradation of the molecules was monitored by HPLC and LC‐MS/MS analysis. We estimated the potential toxicity of zearalenone and deoxynivelenol after exposure to a pulsed light treatment using the Caenorhabditis elegans survival tests. The genotoxicity of aflatoxin B1 was also investigated using a complete Ames test. The results show that the treatment of zearalenone and deoxynivelenol by single or multiple flashes of pulsed light is associated with a stagnation or marginal decrease of the toxicity of the mycotoxins and that treatment of aflatoxin B1 by pulsed light can completely eliminate the mutagenic potential of this mycotoxin. This work provides the first demonstration of a nonthermal technology allowing mycotoxin destruction and inactivation of their mutagenic activity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three-dimensional dynamic bone histomorphometry
Authors: Slyfield Craig R , Tkachenko Evgeniy V , Wilson David L , Hernandez Christopher J
Published: October 2011

Dynamic bone histomorphometry is the standard method for measuring bone remodeling at the level of individual events. Although dynamic bone histomorphometry is an invaluable tool for understanding osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases, the technique's two-dimensional nature requires the use of stereology and prevents measures of individual remodeling event number and size. Here, we used a novel three-dimensional fluorescence imaging technique to achieve measures of individual resorption cavities and formation events. We performed this three-dimensional histomorphometry approach using a common model of postmenopausal osteoporosis, the ovariectomized rat. The three-dimensional images demonstrated the spatial relationship between resorption cavities and formation events consistent with the hemiosteonal model of cancellous bone remodeling. Established ovariectomy was associated with significant increases in the number of resorption cavities per unit bone surface (2.38 ± 0.24 mm−2 sham surgery versus 3.86 ± 0.35 mm−2 bilateral ovariectomy [OVX], mean ± SD, p < 0.05) and total volume occupied by cavities per unit bone volume (0.38% ± 0.06% sham versus 1.12% ± 0.18% OVX, p < 0.001), but there was no difference in surface area per resorption cavity, maximum cavity depth, or cavity volume. In addition, we found that established ovariectomy is associated with increased size of bone formation events because of the merging of formation events (23,700 ± 6,890 µm2 sham verusus 33,300 ± 7,950 µm2 OVX). No differences in mineral apposition rate (determined in 3D) were associated with established ovariectomy. That established estrogen depletion is associated with increased number of remodeling events with only subtle changes in remodeling event size suggests that circulating estrogens may have their primary effect on the origination of new basic multicellular units with relatively little effect on the progression and termination of active remodeling events. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Aromatic side‐chain cluster of biotin binding site of avidin allows circular dichroism spectroscopic investigation of its ligand binding properties
Authors: Zsila Ferenc
Published: October 2011

Promiscuous ligand binding by hen egg‐white avidin has been demonstrated and studied by using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy complemented by molecular docking calculations. It has been shown that the biotin‐binding pocket of avidin is able to accommodate a wide variety of chemical compounds including therapeutic drugs (e.g., thalidomide, NSAIDs, antihistamines), natural compounds (bilirubin, myristic acid), and synthetic agents (xanthenone dyes). The cluster of aromatic residues located at the biotin‐binding pocket renders the intrinsic CD spectrum of avidin sensitive to ligand binding that results in the increase of the vibronic components of the 1Lb transition of the Trp residues. Extrinsic (induced) CD bands measured with chemically diverse avidin ligands are generated by intramolecular coupled oscillator (e.g., bilirubin) or by intermolecular ligand‐Trp exciton coupling mechanism [e.g., 2‐(4′‐hydroxyazobenzene)‐benzoic acid (HABA)]. Among the compounds of which avidin‐binding affinity constants have been calculated, two novel high‐affinity ligands, flufenamic acid and an enzyme inhibitor thiazole derivative have been identified (Kd ≈ 1 μM). Avidin binding mode of the ligand molecules has been discussed in the light of docking results. The induced CD profile of the thiazole derivative has been correlated with the stereochemistry of its docked conformation. The important role in the ligand binding of a polar side‐chain cluster at the bottom of the biotin‐binding cavity as well as the analogous avidin‐binding mode of HABA and fenamic acid type NSAIDs have been proposed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural refinement of protein A mimetic peptide
Authors: Dinon Francesca , Salvalaglio Matteo , Gallotta Andrea , Beneduce Luca , Pengo Paolo , Cavallotti Carlo , Fassina Giorgio
Published: October 2011

A novel dendrimeric peptide ligand dubbed D‐PAM‐Φ was designed to achieve a high capacity for human IgG through the decoration of the D‐PAM scaffold. The design criteria based on the introduction of small hydrophobic groups on the D‐PAM structure were supported by the recently published solid‐state structure of D‐PAM complexed to the Fc fragment of a recombinant human IgG1 and by molecular dynamic simulations that provided information on the mode of binding of phenylacetyl‐D‐PAM (D‐PAM‐Φ). D‐PAM‐Φ was immobilised on an activated solid support and compared with the parent D‐PAM affinity matrix. The newly obtained affinity sorbent was evaluated for its capacity to selectively capture polyclonal human IgG; the binding capacity was approximately 10 mg/ml, an almost 10‐fold enhancement with respect to the D‐PAM–functionalised matrices without the specificity of binding being reduced. The new ligand was also effective in the capturing of recombinant humanised IgG1 from a clarified cell culture supernatant. Under a typical laboratory‐scale affinity chromatography assembly and preliminarily optimised binding conditions, the affinity purification of humanised IgG1 from culture supernatants rendered the desired product, with purity higher than 90%. The results suggest that the application of the computational approach on the structure of the D‐PAM–Fc complex may be very valuable in the development of novel lead molecules for the downstream processing of human or humanised antibodies used in therapy. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Biodegradable and Electroactive Hydrogel Based on Aniline Oligomer and Gelatin
Authors: Liu Yadong , Hu Jun , Zhuang Xiuli , Zhang Peibiao , Wei Yen , Wang Xianhong , Chen Xuesi
Published: October 2011

A biodegradable electroactive hydrogel (AP‐g‐GA), aniline pentamer (AP) grafting gelatin (GA), is synthesized by a coupling reaction between the carboxyl group of AP and the amino side group of GA in aqueous solution. The electroactivity of the physical hydrogel is confirmed by UV–vis and CV. The hydrophobic AP changes the hydrogel's porous structure of the natural GA and the gel‐time, which is confirmed by the rheological behavior of the AP‐g‐GA and GA. With an increase in the content of AP, the hydrogel gradually forms a porous structure, from “honeycomb” to “bamboo raft”. The porous scaffolds can be crosslinked with 3.5% EDC in 90% ethanol. MTT assays show that the AP‐g‐GA exhibits reduced cytotoxicity compared to EM AP due to the introduction of the biocompatible GA moiety. The in vitro cell cultures suggest that the AP‐g‐GA#1 (with 1.9% AP) shows the best biocompatibility and cell adhesion ability.

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Localised Actuation in Composites Containing Carbon Nanotubes and Liquid Crystalline Elastomers
Authors: Camargo Carlos J. , Campanella Humberto , Marshall Jean E. , Torras Núria , Zinoviev Kirill , Terentjev Eugene M. , Esteve Jaume
Published: October 2011

A liquid crystalline elastomer–carbon nanotube (LCE‐CNT) composite displays a reversible shape change property in response to light. The development of some systems such as tactile devices requires localised actuation of this material. A method is reported that combines mechanical stretching and thermal crosslinking of an LCE‐CNT for creating sufficiently well‐aligned liquid crystal units to produce localised actuation. The method demonstrates that it is feasible to optically drive a LCE‐CNT film within a localised area, since only the walls of the stretched parts of the film contain aligned LC domains.
A New, Practical Formulation of the Multicomponent Copolymerization Equation
Authors: Saldívar‐Guerra Enrique , Zapata‐González Iván
Published: October 2011

A general and rigorous new formulation of the multicomponent extension to the Mayo Lewis copolymerization equation is presented based in matrix notation. In contrast to the original Walling and Briggs formulation, which was based on determinants and difficult to apply in practice, this new formulation is explicit, easy to implement, and introduces a natural scaling to the problem. The approach is illustrated with calculation of instantaneous composition and compositional drift with conversion for 4 and 6 monomers.

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Immunophenotypic and genomic characterization of papillary carcinomas of the breast
Authors: Duprez Raphaëlle , Wilkerson Paul M , Lacroix‐Triki Magali , Lambros Maryou B , MacKay Alan , Hern Roger A' , Gauthier Arnaud , Pawar Vidya , Colombo Pierre‐Emanuel , Daley Frances , Natrajan Rachael , Ward Eric , MacGrogan Gaëtan , Arbion Flavie , Michenet Patrick , Weigelt Britta , Vincent‐Salomon Anne , Reis‐Filho Jorge S
Published: October 2011

Papillary carcinomas are a special histological type of breast cancer and have a relatively good outcome. We characterized the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of papillary carcinomas to determine whether they would constitute an entity distinct from grade‐ and oestrogen receptor (ER)‐matched invasive ductal carcinomas of no special type (IDC‐NSTs). The phenotype of 63 papillary carcinomas of the breast and grade‐ and ER‐matched IDC‐NSTs was determined by immunohistochemistry. DNA of sufficient quality was extracted from 49 microdissected papillary carcinomas and 49 microdissected grade‐ and ER‐matched IDC‐NSTs. These samples were subjected to high‐resolution microarray‐based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and Sequenom MassARRAY sequencing analysis of 19 known oncogenes. Papillary carcinomas were predominantly of low histological grade, expressed immunohistochemical markers consistent with a luminal phenotype, and a lower rate of lymph node metastasis and p53 expression than grade‐ and ER‐matched IDC‐NSTs. Papillary carcinomas displayed less genomic aberrations than grade‐ and ER‐matched IDC‐NSTs; however, the patterns of gene copy number aberrations found in papillary carcinomas were similar to those of ER‐ and grade‐matched IDC‐NSTs, including 16q losses. Furthermore, PIK3CA mutations were found in 43% and 29% of papillary carcinomas and grade‐ and ER‐matched IDC‐NSTs, respectively. The genomic profiles of encapsulated, solid and invasive papillary carcinomas, the three morphological subtypes, were remarkably similar. Our results demonstrate that papillary carcinomas are a homogeneous special histological type of breast cancer. The similarities in the genomic profiles of papillary carcinomas and grade‐ and ER‐matched IDC‐NSTs suggest that papillary carcinomas may be best positioned as part of the spectrum of ER‐positive breast cancers, rather than as a distinct entity. Furthermore, the good prognosis of papillary carcinomas may stem from the low rates of lymph node metastasis and p53 expression, low number of gene copy number aberrations and high prevalence of PIK3CA mutations. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bronchiectasis in chronic pulmonary aspiration: Risk factors and clinical implications
Authors: Piccione Joseph C. , McPhail Gary L. , Fenchel Matthew C. , Brody Alan S. , Boesch Richard P.
Published: October 2011

Introduction

Bronchiectasis is a well‐known sequela of chronic pulmonary aspiration (CPA) that can result in significant respiratory morbidity and death. However, its true prevalence is unknown because diagnosis requires high resolution computed tomography which is not routinely utilized in this population. This study describes the prevalence, time course for development, and risk factors for bronchiectasis in children with CPA.

Materials and Methods

Using a cross‐sectional design, medical records were reviewed for all patients with swallow study or airway endoscopy‐confirmed aspiration in our airway center over a 21 month period. All patients underwent rigid and flexible bronchoscopy, and high resolution chest computed tomography. Prevalence, distribution, and risk factors for bronchiectasis were identified.

Results

One hundred subjects age 6 months to 19 years were identified. Overall, 66% had bronchiectasis, including 51% of those less than 2 years old. The youngest was 8 months old. Severe neurological impairment (OR 9.45, P < 0.004) and history of gastroesophageal reflux (OR 3.36, P = 0.036) were identified as risk factors. Clinical history, exam, and other co‐morbidities did not predict bronchiectasis. Sixteen subjects with bronchiectasis had repeat chest computed tomography with 44% demonstrating improvement or resolution.

Discussion

Bronchiectasis is highly prevalent in children with CPA and its presence in young children demonstrates that it can develop rapidly. Early identification of bronchiectasis, along with interventions aimed at preventing further airway damage, may minimize morbidity and mortality in patients with CPA. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:447–452. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Current problems in scattering radiative transfer modelling for data assimilation
Authors: Bennartz Ralf , Greenwald Tom
Published: October 2011

This article assesses current issues related to scattering radiative transfer (RT) in data assimilation (DA) and proposes possible ways to solve or mitigate these issues. Emphasis is put not so much on fundamental issues related to RT but on the practical application within a framework of operational numerical weather prediction and DA with their tight constraints on computational efficiency. In particular, three potentially critical open issues are studied: firstly, the trade‐off between speed and accuracy in RT schemes for DA. A numerically efficient method is proposed to determine beforehand whether scattering needs to be accounted for. Secondly, the impact of spectrally highly variable gaseous absorption coefficients within a given instrument's bandpass and its implications on scattering RT is studied. Results of this second part are also put in context with uncertainties caused by the lack of knowledge of scattering optical properties. Finally, model errors due to, for example, the assumption of plane‐parallel RT are studied. It is argued that errors caused by plane‐parallel RT will likely continue to dominate the error budget both in terms of biases and random errors. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
A simple and rapid authentication protocol in mobile networks
Authors: Guo Ming‐Huang
Published: October 2011

Recently, mobile networks are more and more popular in providing the most pursuing pervasive networking services. Many technologies are deployed in mobile networks, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS). In these communication systems, user secrecy and privacy are important issues and should be managed seriously. To avoid security threats, many studies on authentication in the mobile networks are proposed. In 2008, Juang and Wu introduced an authentication scheme with user privacy protection in UMTS networks. It resisted and avoided many security attacks and threats, but there are still some problems, such as the incomplete defense against the impersonation attack and data with International Mobile Subscriber Identity exchanged outside home networks. In this paper, we proposed a simple and rapid authentication scheme in mobile networks. The proposal applies the Elliptic Curve Diffie–Hellman key agreement protocol to exchange the session key safely and Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm to improve the mobile security. It also deploys the temporary key mechanism to speed up the authentication while user is roaming in the mobile networks. The analysis shows that our mechanism not only improves Juang and Wu's proposal but also is a more secure and simple authentication protocol. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Advanced Syntegration as the Most Effective and Efficient Tool for Large‐Scale Disaster Response Coordination
Authors: Reissberg Anja
Published: October 2011

My proposal is to use the Advanced Syntegration as a tool to set up the most efficient and effective disaster response for catastrophic events—in as short as 2.5 or 3.5 days, organized right after the event. MSS is a revolutionary highly innovative tool based on a 3‐year research tradition in cybernetic management. This method is an extremely effective and efficient problem‐solving tool with groundbreaking superlative results to deal with high complexity and solve the biggest challenges and the most pressing decisions of the top management level. It uses the power of up to 40 key players and their collective knowledge in the intelligence‐enhancing, brain‐interlinking architecture of the Syntegration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TheWWWDOTApproach to Improving Students’ Critical Evaluation of Websites
Authors: Zhang Shenglan , Duke Nell K. , Jiménez Laura M.
Published: October 2011

This article introduces a framework designed to improve students' awareness of the need to critically evaluate websites as sources of information and to improve their skill at doing so. The framework, called theWWWDOTframework, encourages students to think about at least six dimensions when evaluating a website: (1)Who wrote this and what credentials do they have? (2)Why was it written? (3)When was it written and updated? (4)Does this help meet my needs? (5)Organization of website; (6)To do list for the future. In an experimental study, fourth‐ and fifth‐grade students who were taught this framework became more aware than control group students of the need to evaluate information on the Internet for credibility and were better able to evaluate the trustworthiness of websites on multiple dimensions. This article describes the framework and how it can be taught through a series of four 30‐minute lessons. Suggestions and materials for teaching are provided.
Identifying Spanish–English Cognates to Scaffold Instruction for Latino ELs
Authors: Montelongo José A. , Hernández Anita , Herter Roberta Joan
Published: October 2011

Spanish–English cognates have been used for decades to facilitate the acquisition of English by Latino English learners (ELs). Using the online program, WordSift, in tandem with the online Find‐a‐Cognate database, teachers can identify important Spanish–English cognates and noncognate words in text. With this information, teachers can plan and devise vocabulary lessons that benefit ELs and native English speakers.
Review of computational fluid dynamics for wind turbine wake aerodynamics
Authors: Sanderse B. , van der Pijl S.P. , Koren B.
Published: October 2011

This article reviews the state‐of‐the‐art numerical calculation of wind turbine wake aerodynamics. Different computational fluid dynamics techniques for modeling the rotor and the wake are discussed. Regarding rotor modeling, recent advances in the generalized actuator approach and the direct model are discussed, as far as it attributes to the wake description. For the wake, the focus is on the different turbulence models that are employed to study wake effects on downstream turbines.
Metabotropic glutamate receptors and cancerous growth
Authors: Teh Jessica , Chen Suzie
Published: October 2011

G‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent a class of therapeutic targets that have been widely exploited for drug designs and development. Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) belong to Class C GPCRs and are predominantly involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). The surprising accumulating evidence suggesting other functional roles of mGluRs in human malignancies in addition to synaptic transmission has presented intriguing possibilities to make mGluRs putative novel targets for human cancers. Since our group first described the aberrant expression of mGluR1 as the driving force in melanomagenesis in transgenic mouse models, other subtypes of mGluRs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cancer types such as malignant gliomas and medulloblastomas. As such, increased efforts have been generated to elucidate the mechanisms by which mGluRs confer oncogenic potential. Current knowledge on the participation of various mGluRs in several human cancers suggests that mGluRs are ‘druggable’ members of the GPCR superfamily and their oncogenic implications in cancer, so further understanding on anti‐mGluR strategies will be beneficial. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2012, 1:211–220. doi: 10.1002/wmts.21

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
RNA‐binding proteins in neurodegenerative disease: TDP‐43 and beyond
Authors: Hanson Keith A. , Kim Sang Hwa , Tibbetts Randal S.
Published: October 2011

Neurodegenerative diseases are a diverse group of disorders that affect different neuron populations, differ in onset and severity, and can be either inherited or sporadic. One common pathological feature of most of these diseases is the presence of insoluble inclusions in and around neurons, which largely consist of misfolded and aggregated protein. For this reason, neurodegenerative diseases are typically thought to be disorders of aberrant protein processing, in which the cumulative effects of misfolded protein aggregates overwhelm the neuron's proteostatic capacity. However, a growing body of evidence suggests a role for abnormal RNA processing in neurodegenerative disease. The importance of RNA metabolism in disease was highlighted by the discovery of TDP‐43 (TAR DNA‐binding protein of 43 kDa), an RNA‐binding protein (RBP), as a primary component of insoluble aggregates in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Subsequently, inherited mutations in TDP‐43 and the structurally related RBP, FUS/TLS (fused in sarcoma/translated in liposarcoma), were found to cause ALS. These exciting findings have ushered in a new era of ALS research in which the deregulation of RNA metabolism is viewed as a central cause of motor neuron deterioration. In addition, the fact that neuropathologically and anatomically distinct neurodegenerative diseases display altered RNA metabolism suggests that common pathologic mechanisms may underlie many of these disorders. WIREs RNA 2012, 3:265–285. doi: 10.1002/wrna.111

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Citizen Schools' partner‐dependent expanded learning model
Authors: Schwarz Eric , McCann Emily
Published: October 2011

Citizen Schools, a national nonprofit organization, shares lessons learned through years of experience
developing and sustaining effective partnerships with schools around the country.
Accelerated Shelf Life Testing (ASLT) of Oils by Light and Temperature Exploitation
Authors: Manzocco Lara , Panozzo Agnese , Calligaris Sonia
Published: October 2011

The peroxide formation rate was measured in sunflower and soybean oils exposed to increasing light intensity, from 0 to 8000 lx, at 10, 20 and 30 °C. Results indicated that shelf life estimation of photosensitive foods under actual or accelerated conditions cannot be correctly achieved if the effect of light is not taken into account. At each lighting level, the Arrhenius equation was applied to develop a model predicting oil shelf life. Thermal activation energy was lower than 50 kJ/mol, indicating temperature to be a scarcely efficient accelerating factor. In contrast, the oxidation rate was significantly affected by light according to a power law equation, whose parameters describe the electromagnetic activation energy of the reaction. The model accounting for the effect of light on oxidation rate was merged with the Arrhenius equation to get a model predicting shelf life on the basis of the concomitant changes in both temperature and light.
Explaining the Motherhood Wage Penalty During the Early Occupational Career
Authors: Staff Jeremy , Mortimer Jeylan T.
Published: October 2011

Prior research shows that mothers earn lower hourly wages than women without children, and that this maternal wage penalty cannot be fully explained by differences between mothers and other women in work experience and job characteristics. This research examines whether the residual motherhood wage penalty results from differences between mothers and other women in the accumulation of work interruptions and breaks in schooling. Using longitudinal data for 486 women followed from ages 19 to 31 in the Minnesota Youth Development Study, we find that accumulated months not in the labor force and not enrolled in school explain the residual pay gap between mothers and other women.
Direct comparison of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Musiek Erik S. , Chen Yufen , Korczykowski Marc , Saboury Babak , Martinez Patricia M. , Reddin Janet S. , Alavi Abass , Kimberg Daniel Y. , Wolk David A. , Julin Per , Newberg Andrew B. , Arnold Steven E. , Detre John A.
Published: October 2011

Background

The utility of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) imaging in Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis has been well established. Recently, measurement of cerebral blood flow using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL‐MRI) has shown diagnostic potential in AD, although it has never been directly compared with FDG‐PET.

Methods

We used a novel imaging protocol to obtain FDG‐PET and ASL‐MRI images concurrently in 17 AD patients and 19 age‐matched control subjects. Paired FDG‐PET and ASL‐MRI images from 19 control subjects and 15 AD patients were included for qualitative analysis, and paired images from 18 control subjects and 13 AD patients were suitable for quantitative analyses.

Results

The combined imaging protocol was well tolerated. Both modalities revealed similar regional abnormalities in AD, as well as comparable sensitivity and specificity for the detection of AD after visual review by two expert readers. Interobserver agreement was better for FDG‐PET (κ: 0.75, standard error: 0.12) than ASL‐MRI (κ: 0.51, standard error: 0.15); intermodality agreement was moderate to strong (κ: 0.45–0.61); and readers were more confident of FDG‐PET reads. Simple quantitative analysis of global cerebral fluorodeoxyglucose uptake (FDG‐PET) or whole‐brain cerebral blood flow (ASL‐MRI) showed excellent diagnostic accuracy for both modalities, with area under receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.90 for FDG‐PET (95% confidence interval: 0.79–0.99) and 0.91 for ASL‐MRI (95% confidence interval: 0.80–1.00).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that FDG‐PET and ASL‐MRI identify similar regional abnormalities and have comparable diagnostic accuracy in a small population of AD patients, and support the further study of ASL‐MRI in dementia diagnosis.
Global economy interacts with climate change to jeopardize species conservation: the case of the greater flamingo in the Mediterranean and West Africa
Authors: BÉCHET ARNAUD , RENDÓN-MARTOS MANUEL , RENDÓN MIGUEL ÁNGEL , AMAT JUAN AGUILAR , JOHNSON ALAN R. , GAUTHIER-CLERC MICHEL
Published: October 2011

The conservation of many species depends on sustainable economic activities that shape their habitats. The economic use of these anthropogenic habitats may change quickly owing to world trade globalization, market reorientations, price volatility or shifts in subsidy policies. The recent financial crisis has produced a global impact on the world economy. How this may have affected the use of habitats beneficial to biodiversity has not yet been documented. However, consequences could be particularly acute for species sensitive to climate change, jeopardizing long-term conservation efforts.
Merk- und Lernleistungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit erworbener Hirnschädigung
Authors: Lepach Anja C. , Petermann Franz , Stülpnagel Alja von
Published: October 2011

Gedächtnis- und Aufmerksamkeitseinbußen sind häufige Folgen nach Hirnschädigungen. Diese Studie untersuchte pilotierend, welchen Einfluss eine gleichzeitige Aufmerksamkeitsbeeinträchtigung (gemessen mit dem TAP-Untertest Alertness) bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit erworbener Beeinträchtigung der Merk- und Lernfähigkeit hat (N = 22; Kriterium: BASIC-MLT). Es erfolgt eine Gruppenzuweisung anhand des TAP-Untertests Alterness in die Gruppe „Merk- und Lernstörung mit Aufmerksamkeitsbeeinträchtigung“ (MeLA, n = 8) und in die Gruppe „Merk- und Lernstörung ohne Aufmerksamkeitsbeeinträchtigung“ (MeL, n = 14). In Anlehnung an drei angenommene Typen von Merk- und Lernstörungen (unaufmerksam, stagnierend, vergesslich) wurde nach Differenzierungsmerkmalen gesucht. Arbeitsgedächtnisaufgaben trennten nicht zwischen den Gruppen. Der Einsatz von Testverfahren, die auch die Abbildung eines Lernverlaufs erlauben, erwies sich als bedeutsam. Die Gruppe MeLA zeigte erwartungsgemäß im unmittelbaren Merken auditiv wie visuell signifikant schlechtere Leistungen, profitierte jedoch von Wiederholungsdurchgängen. Dies entspricht dem unaufmerksamen Lerntyp. Für die Gruppe MeL ergeben sich vermutlich aufgrund der heterogenen Stichprobe lediglich erste Hinweise auf eine bessere unmittelbare Merkleistung bei geringerem Lernverlauf, die eine weitere Betrachtung des stagnierenden und vergesslichen Lerntyps unterstützen.
Assessing community values for reducing agricultural emissions to improve water quality and protect coral health in the Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Rolfe John , Windle Jill
Published: October 2011

Policymakers wanting to increase protection of the Great Barrier Reef from pollutants generated by agriculture need to identify when measures to improve water quality generate benefits to society that outweigh the costs involved. The research reported in this paper makes a contribution in several ways. First, it uses the improved science understanding about the links between management changes and reef health to bring together the analysis of costs and benefits of marginal changes, helping to demonstrate the appropriate way of addressing policy questions relating to reef protection. Second, it uses the scientific relationships to frame a choice experiment to value the benefits of improved reef health, with the results of mixed logit (random parameter) models linking improvements explicitly to changes in “water quality units.” Third, the research demonstrates how protection values are consistent across a broader population, with some limited evidence of distance effects. Fourth, the information on marginal costs and benefits that are reported provide policymakers with information to help improve management decisions. The results indicate that while there is potential for water quality improvements to generate net benefits, high cost water quality improvements are generally uneconomic. A major policy implication is that cost thresholds for key pollutants should be set to avoid more expensive water quality proposals being selected.
Quantum and classical thermoelectric transport in quantum dot nanocomposites
Authors: Zhou Jun , Yang Ronggui
Published: October 2011

Quantum dot nanocomposites are potentially high-efficiency thermoelectric materials, which could outperform superlattices and random nanocomposites in terms of manufacturing cost-effectiveness and material properties because of the reduction of thermal conductivity due to the phonon-interface scattering, the enhancement of Seebeck coefficient due to the formation of minibands, and the enhancement of electrical conductivity due to the phonon-bottleneck effect in electron-phonon scattering for quantum-confined electrons. In this paper, we investigate the thermoelectric transport properties of quantum dot nanocomposites through a two-channel transport model that includes the transport of quantum-confined electrons through the hopping mechanism and the semiclassical transport of bulk-like electrons. For the quantum-confined electrons whose wave functions are confined in the quantum dots with overlapping tail extending to the matrix, we develop a tight-binding model together with the Kubo formula and the Green’s function method to describe the transport processes of these electrons. The formation of minibands due to the quantum confinement and the phonon-bottleneck effect on carrier-phonon scattering are considered. For transport of bulk-like electrons, a Boltzmann-transport–equation-based semiclassical model is used to describe the multiband transport processes of carriers. The intrinsic carrier scatterings as well as the carrier-interface scattering of these bulk-like electrons are considered. We then apply the two-channel transport model to predict thermoelectric transport properties of n-type PbSe/PbTe quantum dot nanocomposites with PbSe quantum dots uniformly embedded in the PbTe matrix. The dependence of thermoelectric transport coefficients on the size of quantum dots, interdot distance, doping concentration, and temperature are studied in detail. Due to the formation of minibands and the phonon-bottleneck effect on carrier-phonon scattering, we show that simultaneous enhancement of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient can be realized in quantum dot nanocomposites. Our study could shed some light on the design of high-efficiency thermoelectric materials for energy conversion and thermal management.
Tensor models and 3-ary algebras
Authors: Sasakura Naoki
Published: October 2011

Tensor models are the generalization of matrix models, and are studied as models of quantum gravity in general dimensions. In this paper, I discuss the algebraic structure in the fuzzy space interpretation of the tensor models which have a tensor with three indices as its only dynamical variable. The algebraic structure is studied mainly from the perspective of 3-ary algebras. It is shown that the tensor models have algebraic expressions, and that their symmetries are represented by 3-ary algebras. It is also shown that the 3-ary algebras of coordinates, which appear in the nonassociative fuzzy flat spacetimes corresponding to a certain class of configurations with Gaussian functions in the tensor models, form Lie triple systems, and the associated Lie algebras are shown to agree with those of the Snyder's noncommutative spacetimes. The Poincare transformations of the coordinates on the fuzzy flat spacetimes are shown to be generated by 3-ary algebras.