bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three ulcerative colitis susceptibility loci are associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis and indicate a role for IL2, REL, and CARD9
Authors: Janse Marcel , Lamberts Laetitia E. , Franke Lude , Raychaudhuri Soumya , Ellinghaus Eva , Boberg Kirsten Muri , Melum Espen , Folseraas Trine , Schrumpf Erik , Bergquist Annika , Björnsson Einar , Fu Jingyuan , Westra Harm Jan , Groen Harry J.M. , Fehrmann Rudolf S.N. , Smolonska Joanna , van den Berg Leonard H. , Ophoff Roel A. , Porte Robert J. , Weismüller Tobias J. , Wedemeyer Jochen , Schramm Christoph , Sterneck Martina , Günther Rainer , Braun Felix , Vermeire Severine , Henckaerts Liesbet , Wijmenga Cisca , Ponsioen Cyriel Y. , Schreiber Stefan , Karlsen Tom H. , Franke Andre , Weersma Rinse K.
Published: March 2011

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the bile ducts. Both environmental and genetic factors contribute to its pathogenesis. To further clarify its genetic background, we investigated susceptibility loci recently identified for ulcerative colitis (UC) in a large cohort of 1,186 PSC patients and 1,748 controls. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) tagging 13 UC susceptibility loci were initially genotyped in 854 PSC patients and 1,491 controls from Benelux (331 cases, 735 controls), Germany (265 cases, 368 controls), and Scandinavia (258 cases, 388 controls). Subsequently, a joint analysis was performed with an independent second Scandinavian cohort (332 cases, 257 controls). SNPs at chromosomes 2p16 ( P-value 4.12 × 10−4), 4q27 ( P-value 4.10 × 10−5), and 9q34 ( P-value 8.41 × 10−4) were associated with PSC in the joint analysis after correcting for multiple testing. In PSC patients without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), SNPs at 4q27 and 9q34 were nominally associated ( P < 0.05). We applied additional in silico analyses to identify likely candidate genes at PSC susceptibility loci. To identify nonrandom, evidence-based links we used GRAIL (Gene Relationships Across Implicated Loci) analysis showing interconnectivity between genes in six out of in total nine PSC-associated regions. Expression quantitative trait analysis from 1,469 Dutch and UK individuals demonstrated that five out of nine SNPs had an effect on cis-gene expression. These analyses prioritized IL2, CARD9, and REL as novel candidates.

Conclusion:

We have identified three UC susceptibility loci to be associated with PSC, harboring the putative candidate genes REL, IL2, and CARD9. These results add to the scarce knowledge on the genetic background of PSC and imply an important role for both innate and adaptive immunological factors. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;)
The temporal effect of training utility perceptions on adopting a trained method: The role of perceived organizational support
Authors: Madera Juan M. , Steele Stacey T. , Beier Margaret
Published: March 2011

The current study examined the temporal effect of perceived training utility on adoption of a trained method and how perceived organizational support influences the relationship between perceived training utility perceptions and adoption of a trained method. With the use of a correlational‐survey–based design, this longitudinal study required participants to complete questionnaires immediately after training and 6 months posttraining. The results showed that perceived organizational support interacted with the immediate posttraining utility perceptions, such that regardless of whether trainees' initial utility perception was low or high, trainees' perceptions of training utility measured 6 months posttraining were high when there was a high level of organizational support. Training utility perceptions measured 6 months posttraining mediated the relationship between initial utility perceptions and organizational support and training adoption.
D‐4F, an apoA‐I mimetic peptide, inhibits proliferation and tumorigenicity of epithelial ovarian cancer cells by upregulating the antioxidant enzyme MnSOD
Authors: Ganapathy Ekambaram , Su Feng , Meriwether David , Devarajan Asokan , Grijalva Victor , Gao Feng , Chattopadhyay Arnab , Anantharamaiah G.M. , Navab Mohamad , Fogelman Alan M. , Reddy Srinivasa T. , Farias‐Eisner Robin
Published: March 2011

We recently reported that apoA‐I and apoA‐I mimetic peptides prevent the development of flank tumors in immunocompetent C57BL/6J mice. To delineate the mechanism(s) of action of apoA‐I mimetic peptides in tumor development, we examined the effect of D‐4F (an apoA‐I mimetic peptide) on the antioxidant status and on the gene expression and function of antioxidant enzymes in ID8 cells (a mouse epithelial ovarian cancer cell line) and in a mouse model. We demonstrate that D‐4F treatment significantly reduces the viability and proliferation of ID8 cells, with a concomitant improvement of the antioxidant status of ID8 cells as measured by lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide levels. D‐4F treatment induces MnSOD (but not CuZnSOD) mRNA, protein, and activity. Inhibition of MnSOD in ID8 cells using shRNA vectors abrogates the inhibitory effects of D‐4F on ID8 cell viability and proliferation. Moreover, tumor development from ID8 cells carrying shRNA for MnSOD were unaffected by D‐4F treatment. Our results suggest that the inhibitory effects of D‐4F on ID8 cell proliferation and tumor development are mediated, at least in part, by the induced expression and activity of MnSOD.
The effects of cadmium on VEGF‐mediated angiogenesis in HUVECs
Authors: Kim Jisun , Lim Wonbong , Ko Youngjong , Kwon HyukIl , Kim Sangwoo , Kim Oksu , Park Gyeongju , Choi Hongran , Kim Okjoon
Published: March 2011

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic element that causes morphologic alterations and dysfunction in blood vessels. The altered vascular function caused by cadmium has been implicated in a range of chronic diseases, including hypertension. The effects of cadmium are a multisystem phenomenon involving inflammation, hypertrophy, apoptosis, angiogenesis and important processes involved in vascular remodeling systems. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a major role in cell growth and angiogenesis under pathologic conditions. VEGF secretion is related to anti‐apoptosis protein expression and attenuates apoptosis in endothelial cells. This study examined the VEGF‐dependent mechanisms of angiogenesis and apoptosis in cadmium‐treated endothelial cells (HUVECs). The effects and mechanisms of cadmium in endothelial cells (HUVECs) were examined by exposing the cells to different doses of cadmium chloride (2.5–40 μ m). After the cadmium treatment, the angiogenesis and apoptosis mechanisms related to VEGF in cadmium‐treated HUVECs were examined. As a result, the low concentration of cadmium increased the tube formation in HUVECs. In addition, cadmium at concentrations of 5 and 10 μ m increased VEGF secretion and VEGFR2 activity, which suggest that cadmium affects the growth of blood vessels. All three MAPK pathways, namely ERK, JNK and p38, were activated by cadmium in HUVECs. However, high concentrations of cadmium caused cell damage, disrupted tube formation and inhibited VEGF expression and the activities of VEGFR2 and MAPK in HUVECs. Cadmium has dual functions through VEGF‐dependent mechanisms in a dose‐dependent manner. In this study, the dual effects of cadmium might alter angiogenesis and induce apoptosis through VEGF pathways in HUVECs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Isomers and isomerization reactions of four nitro derivatives of methane
Authors: Zhang Chaoyang , Wang Xiaolin , Zhou Mingfei
Published: March 2011

The nitro, nitrite, and aci‐form isomers and the isomerization reactions of mono‐, di‐, tri‐, and tetra‐nitromethanes (NMs) were computationally investigated. The results show that the isomerization displacement of NO2 by ONO groups is surprisingly thermodynamically favored for the di‐, tri‐, and tetra‐NMs. The molecular stability decreases and the isomerization becomes easier by increasing nitro groups. The largest attraction among substitutes takes place through the central carbon atom in C(ONO)4 and leads to its higher stability than the C(NO2)4 isomer. There is a concerted change of the CONO, CONO, and CONO bonds in the nitrite isomers, that is, the weakened CONO bond is accompanied with the strengthened CONO and CONO bonds, and vice versa. We only succeeded in finding two tight transition states of isomerization reactions from NO2 to ONO in the mono‐ and di‐NMs, whereas isomerization reactions to the aci‐forms through an intramolecular hydrogen transfer can always be found. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2011
Derivatives of 4‐amino‐2‐nitrodiphenylamine as dyes for synthetic polymer fibres
Authors: Peters Arnold T.
Published: March 2011

The synthesis of a series of substituted 4‐amino‐2‐nitrodiphenylamines is described. These compounds dye synthetic polymer fibres in bordeaux to violet‐blue shades of moderate to poor light fastness. Light fastness properties are enhanced by the use of substituents which decrease the basicity of the 4‐amino group; such substitution, however, results in colour shifts into the yellow to orange region.
Apparatus for slab polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
Authors: Ewart J. A. D.
Published: March 2011

An apparatus for eight‐channel gel electrophoresis on polyacrylamide slabs is described. It can be easily and cheaply constructed. The use of the buffer for cooling enables high voltage gradients to be applied giving good separation and resolution in under 2 h. A destaining apparatus, which does not use electrophoresis and is suitable for slab or “disc” gels, has been developed.
Studies in the lightfastness of nitrodiphenylamine dyes
Authors: Asquith Raymond S. , Blair Hal S. , Hamill Aidan C.
Published: March 2011

Studies of the photofading of nitrodiphenylamine dyes have been made in ethanolic solution. It has been shown that the presence of oxygen during photoirradiation of the solution acts as an inhibitor, causing an induction period before degradation commences. The results suggest that the intermediate in the degradation is a triplet state, and this is quenched by oxygen. The “deactivated” oxygen molecules, so formed, can be reactivated by collision with “normal” oxygen molecules. The enhancement of photodegradation in the presence of hydrogen donors suggests that the degradation mechanism is reductive in nature. The influence of the positions of the nitro‐groups in the diphenylamine derivatives supports the postulate that the reaction proceeds via quinonoid forms. The absence of brown degradation products suggests that the mechanism of degradation is not the same as that occurring on solid substrates, although the order of dye stability is the same in both cases.
Reduction characteristics of Fe‐Bi‐P mixed oxide catalysts and their ammoxidation activities of propylene
Authors: Oka Hideaki , Harano Yoshio , Imoto Tatsuya
Published: March 2011

The characteristics of Fe‐Bi‐P mixed oxide catalysts of different compositions for reduction by propylene or ammonia and the ammoxidation activities of propylene were studied using a McBain type thermobalance and the pulse reaction technique respectively. By comparing the dependency of the reduction characteristics and catalytic activity with oxide composition and also the reduction rates and reoxidation rates of the reduced catalyst it was concluded that the ammoxidation of propylene on Fe‐Bi‐P mixed oxide catalyst proceeds through alternate repetition of reduction by propylene and reoxidation by oxygen, and that abstraction of allylic hydrogen from adsorbed C3H6 is the rate determining step.
Hydrolysis of pentosans in bagasse pith
Authors: Nee Charles I. , Yee Wen F.
Published: March 2011

Work has been conducted on the hydrolysis of pentosans in bagasse pith as the first part of a study of the chemistry of bagasse processing aimed at establishing an integrated industry. Bagasse pith is the fine part screened out and discarded as waste during the preparation of raw material for bagasse pulping plant. By using dilute sulphuric acid at a concentration less than 2% by weight and at a temperature lower than 165°C, pith is hydrolysed to pentoses in a yield of 80–90% based on potential pentoses in pith. Hydrolysis of pentosans in pith, within the scope of experiment, seems to be a first order reaction. However, the semi‐logarithmic time plot for the hydrolysis of potential pentoses in the residue consists of two straight lines of different slope. This may be explained on the assumption that bagasse pith contains two major fractions of pentosans that are hydrolysed at different rates. Saeman's equation for hydrolysis of wood with sulphuric acid may be adapted to represent dependence of rate constant K on acid concentration C and reaction temperature T in hydrolysis of the two major parts of pentosans in bagasse pith.
Sonazoid‐enhanced ultrasonography for the diagnosis of an intrapancreatic accessory spleen: A case report
Authors: Makino Yuki , Imai Yasuharu , Fukuda Kazuto , Seki Yasushi , Kogita Sachiyo , Sawai Yoshiyuki , Igura Takumi , Kurokawa Masanori , Takamura Manabu
Published: March 2011

We report a case of an intrapancreatic accessory spleen in 59‐year‐old man, in which contrast‐enhanced sonography (US) using Sonazoid, a second‐generation contrast agent, was useful for the diagnosis. Sonazoid‐enhanced US could prove both hypervascularity and the existence of reticuloendothelial cell systems in the mass, which is the key to the diagnosis of an accessory spleen. Sonazoid‐enhanced US might become a standard imaging technique for the diagnosis of an accessory spleen. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 2011;
Duplex ultrasound evaluation of endoluminally treated aortic aneurysms with emphasis on diameter measurement: A comparison with computed tomography
Authors: Demirpolat Gulgun , Ozturk Nur , Parildar Mustafa , Posacıoğlu Hakan , Tamsel Sadik
Published: March 2011

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) for endoleak detection and measurement of the aneurysm diameter after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Methods:

Forty‐eight CDUS and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) examinations performed concurrently on 29 patients who were treated with endovascular stent grafts for abdominal aortic aneurysms were included in the study. CTA and CDUS findings were retrospectively compared for aneurysm diameter, patency of the graft, and the presence of leaks in the aneurysm's lumen (the so‐called “endoleaks”).

Results:

The stent graft was patent in all patients. Including the follow‐up examinations, endoleaks were detected in a total of 17 CTA studies. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for CDUS compared with CTA as the gold standard were 100%, 96%, 94.4%, and 100%, respectively. Kappa statistics showed a high level of agreement between CDUS ant CTA examinations (χ = 0.95). The aneurysm diameters measured with CDUS and CTA were significantly different, but within 5 mm of each other in 83% of patients.

Conclusions:

Provided that a strict CDUS protocol including spectral analysis of perigraft flow is used, CDUS is comparable to CTA for endoleak detection and measurement of the aneurysm diameter. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 2011;
Snowfall over central‐eastern China and Asian atmospheric cold source in January
Authors: Nan Sulan , Zhao Ping
Published: March 2011

In January 2008, a severe snowstorm disaster occurred in central‐eastern China. Using the monthly means from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP‐NCAR) reanalysis data set and the observations from surface stations of China for the period 1953–2008, we statistically investigate the relationship between the January snowstorm weather over central‐eastern China and the synchronous atmospheric thermal condition over the Asian continent. The results show that the extreme snowfall weather over central‐eastern China is closely associated with the Asian atmospheric cold source (AACS) in January. When AACS is weak (corresponding to a higher AACS value), the heavy snowfall weather appears in central‐eastern China. The values of both AACS and snowfall over central‐eastern China in 2008 are most anomalous during the recent 30 years. This link may be explained by the atmospheric circulation well. Under a weak AACS (with a higher AACS value), a 500‐mb anomalous low covers the mid‐low latitudes of Asia, accompanying an anomalous high over the eastern coasts of East Asia. Accordingly, the southerly wind anomalies between the anomalous low and high prevail in the lower troposphere over central‐eastern China, with the northerly wind anomalies prevail over this region at the surface, which also strengthen upward motion over central‐eastern China. The southerly wind anomalies transport more water vapour into central‐eastern China from both the South China Sea and the Bay of Bengal. These anomalies in the atmospheric circulation are responsible for the formation of the heavy snowfall weather in central‐eastern China. Compared to both the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation during winter, the thermal condition over the Asian continent has a closer relationship with the occurrence of the heavy snowfall weather over central‐eastern China. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Plant‐based fertilizers for organic vegetable production
Authors: Nygaard Sorensen Jorn , Thorup‐Kristensen Kristian
Published: March 2011

To ensure high yield and quality in organic vegetable production, crops often require additional fertilizer applied during the season. Due to the risk of contamination of edible plant products from slurry, plant‐based fertilizers may be used as an alternative. The purpose of our work was to develop mobile green manures with specific high nutrient concentrations (e.g., nitrogen [N], sulfur [S], and phosphorus [P]) that are released quickly after soil incorporation and that are easy to handle during storage and application. To distinguish from traditional green manures that are grown to improve soil fertility, the term “mobile green manures” is used for green‐manure crops that are harvested in one field and then moved as a whole and used as fertilizer in other fields. To further investigate mobile‐green‐manure crops for use as efficient fertilizers, pot and field experiments were conducted with cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botrytis) and kale (Brassica oleracea sabellica) supplied with organic matter consisting of a wide range of plant species with varying nutrient concentrations. Further, field experiments were conducted with leek (Allium porrum) and celery (Apium graveolens dulce) supplied with increasing amounts of organic matter consisting of fresh, ensiled, or dried green manures. Results show that garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), dyer's woad (Isatis tinctoria), and fodder radish (Raphanus sativus) harvested with a high leaf‐to‐stem ratio resulted in high P concentration, and cruciferous crops in high S concentration. Dyer's woad, salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor), and stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) showed high boron (B) concentration, whereas species such as dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), chicory (Cichorium intybus), and garden sorrel showed high potassium (K) concentration. Green manures with high P and S concentrations increased the nutrient uptake and yield of pot‐grown cauliflower and kale. Field experiments showed that the production of cauliflower and kale decreased when the carbon‐to‐nitrogen (C : N) ratio of applied green manure increased. In kale, for example, application of 160 kg N ha–1 in early harvested lucerne (Medicago sativa) with a C : N ratio of 10 resulted in the highest kale production whereas application of an equal amount of N in late harvested lucerne with a C : N ratio of 20 produced 34% less. Differences in vegetable production were not due to the amount of N applied, but to the N availability. Field experiments with fresh, ensiled, or dry green manure applied to leek and celery showed that the C : N ratio has to be low to get a fast response. Further, these field experiments demonstrate the importance of green manures, which can be stored and are easy to handle during transport, crop application, and soil incorporation. It is concluded that it is possible to produce green manures with high concentrations of S, P, K, and B, and low C : N ratios and that these properties have a great impact on the value of the green manure for vegetable production.
Combined effects of the antibiotic sulfadiazine and liquid manure on the soil microbial‐community structure and functions
Authors: Hammesfahr Ute , Bierl Reinhard , Thiele‐Bruhn Sören
Published: March 2011

Sulfonamides are the second most used antibiotic class in veterinary medicine and applied to livestock to treat bacterial infections. Subsequently, they are spread onto agricultural soils together with the contaminated manure used as fertilizer. Both manure and antibiotics affect the soil microbial community. However, the influence of different liquid manure loads on effects of antibiotics to soil microorganisms is not well understood. Therefore, we performed a microcosm experiment for up to 32 d to clarify whether the function and structure of the soil microbial community is differently affected by interactions of manure and the antibiotic sulfadiazine (SDZ). To this end selected concentrations of pig liquid manure (0, 20, 40, 80 g kg–1) and SDZ (0, 10, 100 mg kg–1) were combined. We hypothesized that incremental manure amendment might reduce the effect of SDZ in soils, due to an increasing sorption capacity of SDZ to organic compounds. Clear dose‐dependent effects of SDZ on microbial biomass and PLFA pattern were determined, and SDZ effects interacted with the liquid manure application rate. Soil microbial biomass increased with incremental liquid manure addition, whereas this effect was absent in the presence of additional SDZ. However, activities of enzymes such as urease and protease were only slightly affected and basal respiration was not affected by SDZ application, while differences mostly depended on the concentration of liquid manure. These results illustrated that the microbial biomass and structural composition react more sensitive to SDZ contamination than functional processes. Furthermore, effects disproportionally increased with incremental liquid manure addition, although extractable amounts of SDZ declined with increasing liquid manure application.
Headspace single drop microextraction coupled with microwave extraction of essential oil from plant materials
Authors: Zhai Yujuan , Sun Shuo , Wang Ziming , Zhang Yupu , Liu He , Sun Ye , Zhang Hanqi , Yu Aimin
Published: March 2011

Headspace single drop microextraction (HS‐SDME) coupled with microwave extraction (ME) was developed and applied to the extraction of the essential oil from dried Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. et Perry and Cuminum cyminum L. The operational parameters, such as microdrop volume, microwave absorption medium (MAM), extraction time, and microwave power were optimized. Ten microliters of decane was used as the microextraction solvent. Ionic liquid and carbonyl iron powder were used as MAM. The extraction time was less than 7 min at the microwave power of 440 W. The proposed method was compared with hydrodistillation (HD). There were no obvious differences in the constituents of essential oils obtained by the two methods.
Chromatographic determination of biogenic amines in wines after treatment with ionic liquids as novel media
Authors: Jiang Hai‐Liang , Ying Li‐Yan , Zhou Sai‐Chun , Ying Min , Shen Wei , Qiu Dong‐He
Published: March 2011

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4MIM][PF6]), were used as the novel media for derivatization, extraction and preconcentration of biogenic amines (BAs) in wines. Six BAs, tryptamine (Try), phenylethylamine (Phe), putrescine (Put), cadaverine (Cad), tyramine (Tyr) and spermine (Spe) were selected as the model compounds and dansyl chloride (Dns‐Cl) as the derivatizing reagent. The derivatizations of amines were conducted in water‐IL two‐phase system, in which the partition property of related substance in the IL was investigated and the mechanism (http://www.iciba.com/mechanism/) of derivation and extraction of amines was discussed. The influencing factors, including sample volume, derivatizing reagent concentration, pH value and ultrasound reaction time, were optimized. The Dns‐amines were separated by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and detected with UVD at 254 nm. For each of the tested amines, a good linearity was obtained in the concentration range of 0.1–20 mg/L with the correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9814–0.9930. The limits of detection reached μg/L level and the relative standard deviations (RSD, n=3) were between 3.2 and 8.1%. Satisfactory recovery for each BA was obtained, ranging from 82.3 to 114.0%. The developed method was successfully applied to determine six BAs in red wines and Chinese yellow wine.
Predictors of rape: Findings from the National Survey of Adolescents
Authors: Elwood Lisa S. , Smith Daniel W. , Resnick Heidi S. , Gudmundsdottir Berglind , Amstadter Ananda B. , Hanson Rochelle F. , Saunders Benjamin E. , Kilpatrick Dean G.
Published: March 2011

The current report examines data for 872 female adolescents obtained during the initial and follow‐up interviews of the National Survey of Adolescents, a nationally representative sample. Lifetime prevalence of violence exposure reported was 12% and 13% for sexual assault, 19% and 10% for physical assault/punishment, and 33% and 26% for witnessing violence at Waves I and II, respectively. Racial/ethnic status, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and family drug problems emerged as significant predictors of new rape. Each of the PTSD symptom clusters significantly predicted new rape and analyses supported the mediational role of PTSD between CSA and new rape. African American or other racial identity was associated with lower risk.
Hemodynamic consequences of spontaneous splenorenal shunts in deceased donor liver transplantation
Authors: Castillo-Suescun Federico , Oniscu Gabriel C. , Hidalgo Ernest
Published: March 2011

The presence of large spontaneous splenorenal shunts (SSRSs) is a risk factor for poor portal vein flow and liver dysfunction. The disconnection of splenorenal shunts by left renal vein (LRV) ligation has been suggested as a potential solution for improving portal flow. We reviewed the hemodynamic consequences of splenorenal shunts in deceased donor liver transplantation and investigated the role of LRV ligation. In 10 patients who underwent liver transplantation at our institution between January 2006 and April 2010, an SSRS was diagnosed preoperatively. Intraoperative portal and hepatic artery flows were measured with a transit time flowmeter. The shunt was disconnected in 6 patients for whom the portal flow after reperfusion was less than or equal to 1200 mL/minute. LRV ligation resulted in significant increases in the portal flow. There were no differences in renal function for the patients who underwent renal vein ligation and the patients who did not undergo ligation. In conclusion, LRV ligation disconnects splenorenal shunts and modulates the portal inflow without any detrimental effects on renal function. Liver Transpl 17:891–895, 2011. © 2011 AASLD.
High spatial resolution interpolation of monthly temperatures of Sardinia
Authors: Boi P. , Fiori M. , Canu S.
Published: March 2011

Interpolation of monthly averages of maximum and minimum temperatures for 1 year data on a 250 m grid by multilinear regression his presented here. The principal aim is to find a suitable parameter for interpolation of minimum temperatures in cases of nocturnal inversion. For this purpose a geostatistical parameter has been calculated and tested. It is related to the height relative to the nearest valley. The second aim is to find how the regression equation depends on the sea distance, if in a linear or non linear form and, if nonlinear, what is the best exponent. The procedure has been tested on a 1 year data set from 60 meteorological stations on Sardinia Island. The selection of parameters has been made by the forward selection method. The interpolation errors (RMSE) on independent stations (i.e. not used to calculate the regression coefficient) have been calculated by the cross‐validation method using a developmental data set of size n − 1. The parameter that contains most of the variance is the height: the second one, for minimum temperatures, is the relative height. For maximum temperatures the second parameter is the sea distance, but only in summer months. The RMSE on the independent data ranges from 1.0 to 1.5 °C for minimum temperatures and from 0.5 °C (winter months) to 1.4 °C (summer months) for maximum temperatures. The effect of relative elevation in the regression is a 15% increase of the coefficient of determination. At the same time it lowers the RMSE significantly. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Novel ultrawideband monopole antenna with miniaturized size
Authors: Jiang Wen , Gong Qi , Gong Shu‐xi , Hong Tao , Qiao Zhi‐zhuang
Published: March 2011

A novel ultrawideband monopole antenna with miniaturized size is proposed in this letter.The miniaturized antenna is obtained by splitting the symmetrical structure of a reference antenna. A 41.2% reduction in size can be realized. Its UWB‐related characteristics are simulated, experimentally verified and compared with the reference antenna. The results show that the proposed antenna has as good radiation performance as the reference antenna. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1176–1178, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25893
A simple FBG sensor for strain–temperature discrimination
Authors: Reddy Parne Saidi , Sai Prasad R.L. N. , Sen Gupta D. , Sai Shankar M. , Srimannarayana K. , Tiwari Umesh , Mishra Vandana
Published: March 2011

A simple sensor using half the length of a 3‐cm fiber Bragg grating embedded on a cantilever is proposed for the simultaneous measurement and discrimination of strain and temperature. The response of the sensor is linear from 30 to 200°C, and its strain and temperature sensitivities are found to be 3.38 pm/μm 19.05 pm/°C, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1021–1024, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25901
A CMOS QPSK demodulator frontend for a PON ONU
Authors: Chen Fei , Bespalko Ryan , Frank Brian M.
Published: March 2011

A quadrature phase‐shift keying (QPSK) demodulator frontend for a passive optical network (PON) optical network unit receiver fabricated in CMOS 0.13‐μm technology is presented. The frontend integrates a compact 5‐GHz ring quadrature voltage‐controlled oscillator (QVCO), two inductor‐less broadband mixers, and two second‐order LC ladder low‐pass filters. The broadband mixers operate with an input frequency between 2.5 and 7.5 GHz and with an input 1‐dB compression point of −5 dBm. Area‐saving design techniques are applied to lower the cost of the terminal receivers, because a competitive cost is a key requirement for the deployment of the PON access network. The frontend circuit presented achieves an area savings of more than 90% for the QVCO and mixers when compared with some published designs that can also fit the application. Measurement and simulation results are presented to verify that this frontend can be used to demodulate a QPSK signal with a data rate as high as 5 Gb/s, which is twice the downstream data rate of the current Gigabit PON standard. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1056–1062, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25902
A high‐isolation switch based on a standard GaAs process
Authors: Zhurbenko Vitaliy
Published: March 2011

The design and evaluation of an ultra‐wideband nonreflective single port single throw switch integrated circuit is described. The switch has a measured insertion loss of <1.2 dB and isolation of typically better than 70 dB from DC to 10 GHz. The developed circuit is intended for implementation in ultra‐wideband microwave instruments and systems requiring high level of isolation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:984–987, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25906
Printed, integrable, dipole‐slot diversity‐antenna system for compact, 5 GHz WLAN access point
Authors: Su Saou‐Wen , Lee Cheng‐Tse
Published: March 2011

A printed, diversity‐antenna system embedded inside a compact, 5 GHz wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) and integrated with the system printed circuit board (PCB) thereof is proposed. The antenna system comprises two closely packed antennas: one dipole and one open slot, which form into a hybrid of dipole and slot antennas. The antennas occupy a small size of 12.5 × 27 mm2 and are etched on an inexpensive FR4 antenna substrate, which is situated above the AP system PCB by an air separation of distance 6.4 mm. In this case, the design makes use of the ground plane of the system PCB as an efficient reflector for both antennas and integrates the system PCB into an internal multiantenna solution for wireless AP applications. The dipole and the slot antennas were also positioned in such a way that the radiation with polarization diversity can be realized. The results showed that good input matching with a reflection coefficient of −14 dB over the 5 GHz bands was obtained. High‐gain and directional radiation patterns were also observed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1087–1094, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25911
An ultra‐wideband fractal slot antenna with low backscattering cross section
Authors: Xu Hai‐Yang , Zhang Hou , Li Gui‐Yuan , Xu Qi‐Bo , Lu Ke
Published: March 2011

In this article, an ultra‐wide modified Koch fractal antenna is proposed.Simulated and measured results show that the bandwidth of −10 dB return loss is from 2.7 GHz to more than 15 GHz. The radiation patterns are comparatively symmetrical at both 3 and 8 GHz. Moreover, this novel antenna has low backscattering cross section compared with the initial square slot antenna. The backscattering cross section values of the two antennas with different load are also presented to make the achievement of the RCS values with arbitrary load possible. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1150–1154, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25915
Time domain design for ultra wideband filters
Authors: Duroc Yvan , Kharrat Ines , Kaddour Darine
Published: March 2011

In this article, a time domain method for designing microstrip‐line ultra wideband passband filters is presented.From the filter expected specifications, the profile of the nonuniform transmission line is calculated analytically. The filter presented in this article illustrates the proposed method and emphasizes its potential. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1006–1011, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25921
Design of CPW‐FEED inscribed square circular fractal antenna for UWB applications
Authors: Kumar Raj , Sawant K. K.
Published: March 2011

In this article, a novel inscribed square circular shape fractal antenna is proposed for UWB applications. The proposed antenna has been designed on FR4 substrate εr = 4.3, h = 1.53 mm with the diameter 18.4 mm. The CPW‐feed technique and the fractal concept have been used to achieve the ultra‐wideband impedance matching and compact size. The experimental result of proposed fractal antenna exhibits the ultra‐wideband characteristics from 3.01 to 15.0 GHz at VSWR 2:1 corresponds to 133.149% impedance bandwidth. The proposed antenna has also been studied experimentally with respect to each iteration. The measured radiation pattern of fractal antenna is nearly omnidirectional in azimuth plane and dumble shape in elevation plane. This antenna is useful for UWB communication System. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1079–1083, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25926
Rectangular slot antenna design with two L‐shaped slits for WLAN/WiMAX applications
Authors: Sim Chow‐Yen‐Desmond , Cai Fu‐Ren
Published: March 2011

A novel coplanar rectangular slot antenna with dual band operation is proposed.By loading two dissimilar inverted L‐shaped slit into the rectangular radiating element, broad impedance bandwidth at both lower and upper operating bands are achieved to allow the operation for 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz wireless local area network and 2.6/3.5/5.5 GHz worldwide interoperability for microwave access bands. The design evolution of this proposed antenna by simulation is clearly demonstrated, and a prototype was fabricated and experimentally investigated. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:987–991, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25936
Single‐layer crossed dipole antenna with circular polarization for handheld RFID reader
Authors: Chen Hua‐Ming , Wang Yang‐Kai , Lin Yi‐Fang , Yang Zhong‐Zhe
Published: March 2011

A compact circularly polarized coplanar crossed dipole antenna with an unequal length of arms for RFID reader is designed and measured in this paper. It uses two unequal length dipoles connected in parallel to a coaxial cable feed and requires no matching network. The impedance bandwidth of the proposed antenna for S11 <10 dB is about 6.9% and it has a 3‐dB CP bandwidth of about 1.0%. Experimental results and simulations reveal that the proposed antenna features total size of 0.15 λ0 in side of square substrate and 0.005 λ0 in height at the center frequency 924 MHz. In addition to this, the compact antenna is easily to be embedded in the holding box as transmitting antenna in handheld RFID reader. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1172–1176, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25937
High‐gain reconfigurable LNA using optimized Q‐factor inductor and switched capacitor
Authors: Chang Ho‐Jun , Park Kun‐Man , Ham Jung‐Hyun , Yun Tae‐Yeoul
Published: March 2011

This letter presents a band‐selectable LNA with high gain and low noise in 0.25‐μm RF CMOS technology.The proposed reconfigurable LNA uses two techniques: optimized spiral inductors and a switched capacitor technique. The gain and noise figure of the LNA are improved by using Q‐factor optimized inductors, which are designed with an octagonal shape having a peak Q‐factor at desired frequency bands. The high Q‐factor of the switched capacitor in parallel configuration at the load also increases the gain of the band‐selectable LNA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1069–1074, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25945
Bidirectional visible light wireless transmission supported by reflective semiconductor optical amplifier based optical access network
Authors: Son Yong‐Hwan , Kim Hyun‐Seung , Won Yong‐Yuk , Han Sang‐Kook
Published: March 2011

We propose the visible light communication (VLC) system based on optical access network using white light emitting diode (LED) and reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA). The RSOA is employed as an optical network unit (ONU) in order to be connected with VLC link based on white LED and photo diode (PD). The proposed architecture is demonstrated experimentally and its performance is verified through the experimental investigation of quality‐factor (Q‐factor) and eye pattern up to 20 Mb/s data. The variation of performance is shown depending on both the existence of the ambient light and the distance between the LED and PD. A 20 Mb/s downlink and uplink transmission is demonstrated in 23‐km single mode fiber (SMF) and 100 cm long wireless channel experimentally. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:1032–1036, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25946
Improvement on reflectivity of chemical composition gratings at high temperatures
Authors: Li Guoyu , Guan Bai‐ou
Published: March 2011

The development of the chemical composition gratings (CCGs) is described, and the influencing factors on reflectivity of CCGs in hydrogen‐loaded germanosilicate fibers have been studied.Experimental results show that improving the initial fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strength and enhancing the hydrogen concentration in FBGs inscription help to improve the reflectivity of the CCGs, and using different laser pulse energy of fabricating the FBGs has little effect on the reflectivity of CCGs. Finally the reasons of improving the reflectivity of CCGs are also discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:963–966, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25953
Current Disease‐Modifying Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Derwenskus Joy
Published: March 2011

The treatment era for multiple sclerosis began in 1993 with the approval of the first disease‐modifying therapy. This changed the management of multiple sclerosis from treating acute exacerbations to focusing on preventive therapeutic options that lessen the risk for exacerbations, changes on magnetic resonance imaging, and disability as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale. Currently, there are 8 therapies approved to treat multiple sclerosis: beta‐interferons (Avonex, Betaseron, Extavia, and Rebif), fingolimod (Gilenya), glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), mitoxantrone (Novantrone), and natalizumab (Tysabri). These agents will be reviewed including the pivotal trial data, mechanisms of action, and side effects. The timing of beginning therapy and selection of these agents must be individualized for each patient depending upon patient preference, tolerability, clinical and magnetic resonance imaging disease activity, and disease course. All of the current treatments are approved for relapsing disease. To date only the injectable agents, including interferons and glatiramer acetate, have been shown to be of benefit when started after an initial demyelinating event referred to as clinically isolated syndrome. Mitoxantrone was approved for progressive relapsing and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, although its use is limited by potential risks such as cardiotoxicity and leukemia. Although these agents have made a significant impact on the treatment of multiple sclerosis, they are often only partially effective, so patients may continue to have disease activity. Multiple new agents are currently being tested in clinical trials and it is likely our treatment paradigms will change as more effective therapies become available. Mt Sinai J Med 78:161–175, 2011 © 2011 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Cystic Mandibular Lesion in the Antiquity. A Rare Finding
Authors: Carrascal S. , Chimenos‐Küstner E. , Isidro A. , Malgosa A.
Published: March 2011

Ameloblastoma is a not uncommon tumour reported in the clinical literature and is characterised by a multilocular cavity with ‘soap bubble’ pattern usually in the posterior body of the mandible. A review of the palaeopathology literature did not reveal any examples of ameloblastoma. In this paper, a probable case of ameloblastoma in a male skeleton, 45 – 55 years at age of death, from Casserres, Barcelona, Spain, (ca ad V‐IX centuries) is presented. This case was identified during the anthropological study of the remains in the laboratory of biological anthropology in the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The mandible of this individual (AEC'07‐C2‐139) exhibits unusual features, like cavitated lesions in the posterior side of the right gonion and the expansion of the right ramus of the mandible. All these features are consistent with ameloblastoma. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High dose methotrexate treatment in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia may be optimised by a weight‐based dose calculation
Authors: Jönsson Peter , Skärby Tor , Heldrup Jesper , Schrøder Henrik , Höglund Peter
Published: March 2011

Background

The inter‐individual variation in exposure to methotrexate is considerable after intravenous high dose methotrexate (HDMTX) administration and both under‐ and over exposures may have dire consequences. Thus, optimal dose individualisation is of paramount importance.

Procedure

We studied how pharmacokinetic parameters were related to outcome in 340 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). A population pharmacokinetic model was developed with data from 1284 HDMTX courses in 304 children evaluating age, height, weight, body surface area (BSA), sex, serum creatinine and serum alanine aminotransferase as potential covariates.

Result

Body weight improved the population pharmacokinetic model significantly more than any of the other patient characteristics, indicating that body weight may be the better way of dose normalisation. In a logistic regression analysis, higher values of clearance as well as volume of distribution were related to increased relapse risk in the standard (SR) and intermediate risk (IR) groups as well as in the entire cohort. A higher weight was strongly associated with worse outcome in the SR and IR groups, (P = 0.0186 and 0.0121, respectively).

Conclusions

We conclude that dose normalisation of methotrexate according to body weigh may give more predictable pharmacokinetics of methotrexate and may also improve the outcome for children with ALL. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;57:41–46. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Four novel ELANE mutations in patients with congenital neutropenia
Authors: Kurnikova Maria , Maschan Michael , Dinova Evgeniya , Shagina Irina , Finogenova Natalia , Mamedova Elena , Polovtseva Tatyana , Shagin Dmitry , Shcherbina Anna
Published: March 2011

Congenital neutropenia is a heterogeneous bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by a maturation arrest of myelopoesis at the promyelocyte/myelocyte stage. Cyclic neutropenia (CyN) and severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) are two main forms of congenital neutropenia. Genetic analysis has shown that heterozygous mutations in the ELANE gene encoding the neutrophil elastase are the major cause of these disorders. We investigated the prevalence of ELANE mutations in a group of 16 patients from 14 families with congenital neutropenia. Five patients had typical manifestations of CyN, and 11 patients had SCN. Seven different heterozygous ELANE mutations were found, including four novel mutations. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 332–335. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.