bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein separation using free‐flow electrophoresis microchip etched in a single step
Authors: Wang Pingli , Zhang Lihua , Shan Yichu , Cong Yongzheng , Liang Yu , Han Bin , Liang Zhen , Zhang Yukui
Published: May 2010

A one‐step etching method was developed to fabricate glass free‐flow electrophoresis microchips with a rectangle separation microchamber (42 mm‐long, 23 mm‐wide and 28 μm‐deep), in which two glass bridges (0.5 mm‐wide) were made simultaneously to prevent bubbles formed by electrolysis near the Pt electrode from entering the separation chamber. By microchip free‐flow zone electrophoresis, with 200 V voltage applied, the baseline separation of three FITC labeled proteins, ribonuclease B, myoglobin and β‐lactoglobulin, was achieved, with resolution over 1.78. Furthermore, with 2.5 mM Na2SO4 added into the electrode buffer to form higher electrical field strength across separation microchamber than electrode compartments, similar resolution of samples was achieved with the applied voltage decreased to 75 V, which could obviously decrease Joule heat during continuous separation. All these results demonstrate that the free‐flow electrophoresis microchip fabricated by one‐step etching method is suitable for the continuous separation of proteins, which might become an effective pre‐fractionation method for proteome study.
Preferential association between childhood emotional abuse and bipolar disorder
Authors: Etain Bruno , Mathieu Flavie , Henry Chantal , Raust Aurélie , Roy Isabelle , Germain Anne , Leboyer Marion , Bellivier Frank
Published: May 2010

Childhood trauma has been suggested to be involved in the susceptibility to bipolar disorder. However, case‐control studies are lacking, and the preferential implication and the dose‐effect of different trauma subtypes remain poorly investigated. Two hundred six bipolar patients and 94 controls completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein et al., 1994). The CTQ total score was higher for bipolar patients than for controls. The presence of multiple trauma was significantly more frequent in bipolar patients than in controls (63% vs. 33%). Multiple logistic regression suggested that only emotional abuse was associated with bipolar disorder with a suggestive dose‐effect. Clinical practice should include systematic assessment of childhood trauma among bipolar patients with a particular focus on emotional abuse.
Biocompatibility Assessment of Insulating Silicone Polymer Coatings Using an in vitro Glial Scar Assay
Authors: Achyuta Anil Kumar H. , Polikov Vadim S. , White Aleksandr J. , Lewis Hilton G. Pryce , Murthy Shashi K.
Published: May 2010

Vapor‐deposited silicone coatings are attractive candidates for providing insulation in neuroprosthetic devices owing to their excellent resistivity, adhesion, chemical inertness and flexibility. A biocompatibility assessment of these coatings is an essential part of the materials design process, but current techniques are limited to rudimentary cell viability assays or animal muscle implantation tests. This article describes how a recently developed in vitro model of glial scar formation can be utilized to assess the biocompatibility of vapor‐deposited silicone coatings on micron‐scale wires. A multi‐cellular monolayer comprising mixed glial cells was obtained by culturing primary rat midbrain cells on poly(D‐lysine)‐coated well plates. Stainless steel microwires were coated with two novel insulating thin film silicone polymers, namely poly(trivinyltrimethylcyclotrisiloxane) (polyV3D3) and poly(trivinyltrimethylcyclotrisiloxane–hexavinyldisiloxane) (polyV3D3–HVDS) by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). The monolayer of midbrain cells was disrupted by placing segments of coated microwires into the culture followed by immunocytochemical analysis after 7 d of implantation. Microglial proximity to the microwires was observed to correlate with the amount of fibronectin adsorbed on the coating surface; polyV3D3–HVDS adsorbed the least amount of fibronectin compared to both stainless steel and polyV3D3. Consequently, the relative number of microglia within 100 µm of the microwires was least on polyV3D3–HVDS coatings compared to steel and polyV3D3. In addition, the astrocyte reactivity on polyV3D3–HVDS coatings was lower compared to stainless steel and polyV3D3. The polyV3D3–HVDS coating was therefore deemed to be most biocompatible, least reactive and most preferable insulating coating for neural prosthetic devices.

magnified image
Characterization of Ultra‐Thin Temperature‐Responsive Polymer Layer and Its Polymer Thickness Dependency on Cell Attachment/Detachment Properties
Authors: Fukumori Kazuhiro , Akiyama Yoshikatsu , Kumashiro Yoshikazu , Kobayashi Jun , Yamato Masayuki , Sakai Kiyotaka , Okano Teruo
Published: May 2010

Ultra thin poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) modified glass coverslips (PIAPAm‐CS) using electron beam irradiation exhibited a clear relationship between the polymer thickness and thermal cell adhesion/detachment behavior. The polymer thickness dependency and the characteristic of ultra thin PIPAAm layer, has been illustrated in terms of the molecular motion of the modified PIPAAm chains. PIPAAm‐CSs surfaces with various area‐polymer densities and thicknesses were characterized by AFM and protein adsorption assay. The newly obtained results gave a further insight into the illustration. Finally, the future application of intelligent surfaces was discussed for fabricating tissue and organ.

magnified image
Dimensional upper bounds for admissible subgroups for the metaplectic representation
Authors: Cordero E. , De Mari F. , Nowak K. , Tabacco A.
Published: May 2010

We prove dimensional upper bounds for admissible Lie subgroups H of G = ℍd ⋊ Sp (d, ℝ), d ≥ 2. The notion of admissibility captures natural geometric phenomena of the phase space and it is a sufficient condition for a subgroup to be reproducing. It is expressed in terms of absolutely convergent integrals of Wigner distributions, translated by the affine action of the subgroup. We show that dim H ≤ d2 + 2d, whereas if H ⊂ Sp (d, R), then dim H ≤ d2 + 1. Both bounds are shown to be optimal (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Linking the proteins—Elucidation of proteome‐scale networks using mass spectrometry
Authors: Pflieger Delphine , Gonnet Florence , de la Fuente van Bentem Sergio , Hirt Heribert , de la Fuente Alberto
Published: May 2010

Proteomes are intricate. Typically, thousands of proteins interact through physical association and post‐translational modifications (PTMs) to give rise to the emergent functions of cells. Understanding these functions requires one to study proteomes as “systems” rather than collections of individual protein molecules. The abstraction of the interacting proteome to “protein networks” has recently gained much attention, as networks are effective representations, that lose specific molecular details, but provide the ability to see the proteome as a whole. Mostly two aspects of the proteome have been represented by network models: proteome‐wide physical protein–protein‐binding interactions organized into Protein Interaction Networks (PINs), and proteome‐wide PTM relations organized into Protein Signaling Networks (PSNs). Mass spectrometry (MS) techniques have been shown to be essential to reveal both of these aspects on a proteome‐wide scale. Techniques such as affinity purification followed by MS have been used to elucidate protein–protein interactions, and MS‐based quantitative phosphoproteomics is critical to understand the structure and dynamics of signaling through the proteome. We here review the current state‐of‐the‐art MS‐based analytical pipelines for the purpose to characterize proteome‐scale networks. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 30:268–297, 2011
The Rosetta Stone of isotope science and the uranium/lead system
Authors: De Laeter John
Published: May 2010

The nucleosynthetic characteristics of U and Pb, together with the interconnectivity between these elements by two radioactive decay chains, are the foundation on which the U/Pb system was able to make a unique contribution to isotope science. The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian tablet that enabled previously indecipherable hieroglyphics to be translated. In a similar manner, the isotopic investigation of the U/Pb system, by a variety of mass spectrometric instrumentation, has led to our knowledge of the age of the Earth and contributed to thermochronology. In a similar manner, climate change information has been garnered by utilizing the U‐Disequilibrium Series to measure the ages of marine archives. The impact of Pb in the environment has been demonstrated in human health, particularly at the peak of leaded petrol consumption in motor vehicles in the 1970s. Variations in the isotopic composition of lead in samples enable the source of the lead to be “fingerprinted” so as to trace the history of the Pb in ice cores and aerosols. The discovery of nuclear fission of 235U led to the development of nuclear reactors and the isotopic investigation of the Oklo natural reactors. The mass spectrometer is the modern Rosetta Stone of isotope science, which has enabled the isotopic hieroglyphics of the U/Pb system to be investigated to reveal new horizons in our understanding of nature, and to address a number of societal and environmental problems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 30:757–771, 2011
Structure determination of selaginellins G and H from Selaginella pulvinata by NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Cao Yuan , Chen Ji‐Jun , Tan Ning‐Hua , Wu Yong‐Ping , Yang Jie , Wang Qiang
Published: May 2010

Selaginellins G (1) and H (2), two new selaginellin derivatives, were isolated from the whole plant of Selaginella pulvinata. Their structures were elucidated, and complete assignments of the 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic data were achieved by 1D and 2D NMR experiments (HSQC, HMBC, COSY and ROESY). Compound 1 displayed good antifungal activity against Candida albicans with an IC50 value of 5.3 µg/ml. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Consequences of T2 relaxation during half‐pulse slice selection for ultrashort TE imaging
Authors: Robson Matthew D. , Gatehouse Peter D.
Published: May 2010

A “half‐pulse” slice selection approach is used in the ultrashort echo time pulse sequence and is required to give minimal transverse relaxation in a two‐dimensional acquisition. This method splits the normal excitation radiofrequency pulse in half and acquires a pair of images, each using one of these half‐pulses. These half‐pulses are used without a refocusing gradient since summing the pair of images yields images with accurate slice selection. When the radiofrequency pulse duration is similar to the sample T2, characteristics such as the effective echo time and choice of radiofrequency pulse require careful evaluation as some of the approximations in conventional slice selection do not apply. We derive a theory that includes relaxation during excitation using Pauly's excitation k‐space formalism. Further, this theory is tested on phantoms with a range of values of T2 demonstrating the effect on the slice profile. We conclude that relaxation during excitation is significant and should be included in our estimate of the T2 weighting of the sequence. In general, the T2 weighting should be measured from the time of the centroid of the excitation pulse. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Patient‐adaptive reconstruction and acquisition in dynamic imaging with sensitivity encoding (PARADISE)
Authors: Sharif Behzad , Derbyshire J. Andrew , Faranesh Anthony Z. , Bresler Yoram
Published: May 2010

MRI of the human heart without explicit cardiac synchronization promises to extend the applicability of cardiac MR to a larger patient population and potentially expand its diagnostic capabilities. However, conventional nongated imaging techniques typically suffer from low image quality or inadequate spatio‐temporal resolution and fidelity. Patient‐Adaptive Reconstruction and Acquisition in Dynamic Imaging with Sensitivity Encoding (PARADISE) is a highly accelerated nongated dynamic imaging method that enables artifact‐free imaging with high spatio‐temporal resolutions by utilizing novel computational techniques to optimize the imaging process. In addition to using parallel imaging, the method gains acceleration from a physiologically driven spatio‐temporal support model; hence, it is doubly accelerated. The support model is patient adaptive, i.e., its geometry depends on dynamics of the imaged slice, e.g., subject's heart rate and heart location within the slice. The proposed method is also doubly adaptive as it adapts both the acquisition and reconstruction schemes. Based on the theory of time‐sequential sampling, the proposed framework explicitly accounts for speed limitations of gradient encoding and provides performance guarantees on achievable image quality. The presented in‐vivo results demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the PARADISE method for high‐resolution nongated cardiac MRI during short breath‐hold. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A technique for rapid single‐echo spin‐echo T2 mapping
Authors: Sussman Marshall S. , Vidarsson Logi , Pauly John M. , Cheng Hai‐Ling Margaret
Published: May 2010

A rapid technique for mapping of T2 relaxation times is presented. The method is based on the conventional single‐echo spin echo approach but uses a much shorter pulse repetition time to accelerate data acquisition. The premise of the new method is the use of a constant difference between the echo time and pulse repetition time, which removes the conventional and restrictive requirement of pulse repetition time ≫ T1. Theoretical and simulation investigations were performed to evaluate the criteria for accurate T2 measurements. Measured T2s were shown to be within 1% error as long as the key criterion of pulse repetition time/T2 ≥3 is met. Strictly, a second condition of echo time/T1 ≪ 1 is also required. However, violations of this condition were found to have minimal impact in most clinical scenarios. Validation was conducted in phantoms and in vivo T2 mapping of healthy cartilage and brain. The proposed method offers all the advantages of single‐echo spin echo imaging (e.g., immunity to stimulated echo effects, robustness to static field inhomogeneity, flexibility in the number and choice of echo times) in a considerably reduced amount of time and is readily implemented on any clinical scanner. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Erythrocyte shape reversion from echinocytes to discocytes: Kinetics via fast‐measurement NMR diffusion‐diffraction
Authors: Pages Guilhem , Yau Tsz W. , Kuchel Philip W.
Published: May 2010

Pulsed field‐gradient spin‐echo (PGSE) NMR spectroscopy via q‐space plots can characterize erythrocyte shapes and their evolution. The present study employed PGSE NMR to investigate shape reversion from advanced echinocytic to normal discocytic shapes due to depletion and then readdition of Mg2+. In q‐space plots of the data, the diffusion‐diffraction minima disappeared for Mg2+‐depleted erythrocytes and reappeared during the shape recovery process, but with lower definition than for control cells. Shape estimates from PGSE NMR spectra and light microscopy were in excellent agreement after application of a scaling/correction factor. 31P NMR was used to probe the biochemical processes activated in erythrocytes after depletion or addition of Mg2+; it showed the activation of the nonoxidative part of the pentose phosphate pathway. Experimental conditions were optimized to bypass this pathway without any influence on the q‐space plots. The release of choline from phosphatidylcholine in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane of the cells, observed using 1H spin‐echo NMR, showed a higher rate for shape‐recovered than for control cells. This points to a change in phospholipid asymmetry in the plasma membrane. This variation in asymmetry affected the mean cell shape and hence influenced the average alignment of the erythrocytes with the static magnetic field and so affected the shapes of the q‐space plots. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
T1 assessment of hip joint cartilage following intra‐articular gadolinium injection: A pilot study
Authors: Bittersohl Bernd , Hosalkar Harish S. , Kim Young‐Jo , Werlen Stefan , Trattnig Siegfried , Siebenrock Klaus A. , Mamisch Tallal C.
Published: May 2010

This pilot study defines the feasibility of cartilage assessment in symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement patients using intra‐articular delayed gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of cartilage (ia‐dGEMRIC). Nine patients were scanned preliminary to study the contrast infiltration process into hip joint cartilage. Twenty‐seven patients with symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement were subsequently scanned with intra‐articular delayed gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of cartilage. These T1 findings were correlated to morphological findings. Zonal variations were studied. This pilot study demonstrates a significant difference between the pre‐ and postcontrast T1 values (P < 0.001) remaining constant for 45 min. We noted higher mean T1 values in morphologically normal‐appearing cartilage than in damaged cartilage, which was statistically significant for all zones except the anterior‐superior zone. Intraobserver (0.972) and interobserver correlation coefficients (0.933) were statistically significant. This study outlines the feasibility of intra‐articular delayed gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of cartilage for assessment of cartilage changes in patients with femoroacetabular impingement. It can also define the topographic extent and differing severities of cartilage damage. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Uniqueness, loss of ellipticity and localization for the time‐discretized, rate‐dependent boundary value problem with softening
Authors: Benallal A. , Berstad T. , Børvik T. , Hopperstad O. S.
Published: May 2010

The discretization in time of the initial boundary value problem for rate‐dependent (elastic‐viscoplastic) solid materials in presence of softening is investigated in this paper. The emphasis is put on uniqueness, loss of ellipticity and localization. It is found that the time‐discretized problem resembles the incremental problem for rate‐independent materials and softening may lead to ill‐posedness (loss of ellipticity) if the time step is greater than a critical value. It is well established that the implication of loss of ellipticity for the numerical simulations after spatial discretization is the pathological mesh dependency of the computed results. We furnish a method to compute the critical time step and demonstrate its use for a simple example problem. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Convergence speed in multi‐objective metaheuristics: Efficiency criteria and empirical study
Authors: Durillo J. J. , Nebro A. J. , Luna F. , Coello Coello C. A. , Alba E.
Published: May 2010

Solving optimization problems using a reduced number of objective function evaluations is an open issue in the design of multi‐objective optimization metaheuristics. The usual approach to analyze the behavior of such techniques is to choose a benchmark of known problems, to perform a predetermined number of function evaluations, and then, apply a set of performance indicators in order to assess the quality of the solutions obtained. However, this sort of methodology does not provide any insights of the efficiency of each algorithm. Here, efficiency is defined as the effort required by a multi‐objective metaheuristic to obtain a set of non‐dominated solutions that is satisfactory to the user, according to some pre‐defined criterion. Indeed, the type of solutions of interest to the user may vary depending on the specific characteristics of the problem being solved. In this paper, the convergence speed of seven state‐of‐the‐art multi‐objective metaheuristics is analyzed, according to three pre‐defined efficiency criteria. Our empirical study shows that SMPSO (based on a particle swarm optimizer) is found to be the best overall algorithm on the test problems adopted when considering the three efficiency criteria. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new family of high regularity elements
Authors: Sun Jiguang
Published: May 2010

In this article, we propose a new family of high regularity finite element spaces. The global approximation spaces are obtained in two steps. We first build an open cover of the computational domain and local approximation spaces on each patch of the cover. Then we construct partition of unity functions subordinate to the open cover depending on the regularity requirement. The basis functions of the global space is given by the products of the local basis functions and the corresponding partition of unity functions. The method can be used to construct finite element spaces of any desired regularity. Approximation properties and implementation details are discussed. Numerical examples for the biharmonic equation are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 28: 1–16, 2012
Robust guaranteed cost control of discrete‐time networked control systems
Authors: Wu Ligang , Lam James , Yao Xiuming , Xiong Junlin
Published: May 2010

This paper is concerned with the robust guaranteed cost control problem for networked control systems (NCSs). The plant considered is an uncertain linear discrete‐time system, where the communication limitations include packet‐loss and signal transmission delay. Our purpose is to design a robust state‐feedback guaranteed cost controller such that the resulting closed‐loop system is robustly stable, and a specified quadratic cost function is upper bound for all admissible uncertainties under such communication limitations. A model of NCSs is established which contains two additive delay components, one being a known constant, and the other unknown constant. By introducing a novel Lyapunov‐Krasoviskii function with the idea of delay partitioning, new sufficient conditions for the existence of guaranteed cost controllers are proposed. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the usefulness of the developed theory. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ACADO toolkit—An open‐source framework for automatic control and dynamic optimization
Authors: Houska Boris , Ferreau Hans Joachim , Diehl Moritz
Published: May 2010

In this paper the software environment and algorithm collection ACADO Toolkit is presented, which implements tools for automatic control and dynamic optimization. It provides a general framework for using a great variety of algorithms for direct optimal control, including model predictive control as well as state and parameter estimation. The ACADO Toolkit is implemented as a self‐contained C++ code, while the object‐oriented design allows for convenient coupling of existing optimization packages and for extending it with user‐written optimization routines. We discuss details of the software design of the ACADO Toolkit 1.0 and describe its main software modules. Along with that we highlight a couple of algorithmic features, in particular its functionality to handle symbolic expressions. The user‐friendly syntax of the ACADO Toolkit to set up optimization problems is illustrated with two tutorial examples: an optimal control and a parameter estimation problem. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stochastic faulty actuator‐based reliable control for a class of interval time‐varying delay systems with Markovian jumping parameters
Authors: Gu Zhou , Yue Dong , Wang Daobo , Liu Jingliang
Published: May 2010

The paper addresses the problem of a reliable control for interval time‐varying delay system with Markovian jumping parameters. A new practical actuator fault model, by assuming that the actuator fault obeys a certain probabilistic distribution, is considered. Delay‐dependent conditions for the solvability of these problems are obtained via new parameter‐dependent Lyapunov function. The closed‐loop systems are stochastically stable not only when all actuators are operational, but also in case of some actuator failures. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Successful treatment of early detected trilateral retinoblastoma using standard infant brain tumor therapy
Authors: Wright Karen D. , Qaddoumi Ibrahim , Patay Zoltan , Gajjar Amar , Wilson Matthew W. , Rodriguez‐Galindo Carlos
Published: May 2010

Trilateral retinoblastoma is characterized by the presence of retinoblastoma with an intracranial tumor. The incidence is low and prognosis poor. Due to the paucity of information regarding successful treatment, we report the case of a 6 month old female referred for leukocoria and found to have an associated suprasellar tumor and pineal enhancement. The patient, treated with standard infant brain tumor therapy, remains alive without signs of active disease 35 months after diagnosis; no surgery or irradiation was used. Early diagnosis of trilateral retinoblastoma may facilitate the use of less intensive therapeutic approaches and result in excellent outcomes in these patients. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:570–572. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Vincristine and carboplatin chemotherapy for unresectable and/or recurrent low‐grade astrocytoma of the brainstem
Authors: Ronghe Milind , Hargrave Darren , Bartels Ute , Tabori Uri , Vaidya Sucheta , Chandler Chris , Kulkarni Abhaya , Bouffet Eric
Published: May 2010

Background

Radiotherapy remains a widely accepted postoperative treatment modality for unresectable or recurrent low‐grade glioma (LGG). However, there is increasing evidence to suggest that chemotherapy can delay and may obviate the need for radiotherapy in progressive/recurrent LGG. The majority of the published experience is in children with hypothalamic/optic chiasmatic lesions and little information is available regarding its use in LGG of the brainstem.

Procedure

We describe clinical characteristics and course of children with LGG of the brainstem who received carboplatin‐based chemotherapy in two institutions over 10 years (1996–2006). This was a retrospective review of consecutively treated children with LGG of the brainstem (midbrain, pons, medulla, and upper cervical cord). Vincristine and carboplatin were first‐line chemotherapy regimen used in all patients.

Results

In this series, there were 16 children (9 males) with median age at diagnosis of 4.2 years (range 0.5–8). Eight children were treated at diagnosis while the remaining eight received chemotherapy after either radiological progression or clinical deterioration. After a median follow‐up of 57 months (range 20–136) from initiation of chemotherapy all children are alive and 11 remain progression free (1 complete response, 8 with partial response + minor response, and 2 stable diseases).

Conclusions

The efficacy of this chemotherapy regimen in this series supports its role in children with progressive unresectable LGG of brainstem. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:471–477. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of L‐arginine supplementation on immune responsiveness in patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Scavella Arnette , Leiva Lily , Monjure Hanh , Zea Arnold H. , Gardner Renee V.
Published: May 2010

Background

L‐arginine (L‐Arg) is deficient in sickle cell disease (SSD) during vasoocclusion. We investigated possible causal relationship between L‐Arg deficiency and immune dysfunction in SSD in steady‐state.

Procedure

Fifteen patients with SSD in steady‐state and 13 controls were studied. Plasma L‐Arg levels were measured using liquid chromatography. T cell subsets and CD3zeta (CD3ζ) chain expression were analyzed using flow cytometry. Lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and production of IL‐6 and interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) were evaluated with and without L‐Arg.

Results

SSD patients had significantly lower L‐Arg levels than controls. CD3 and CD19 cell populations were comparable for both groups, but SSD patients had above normal numbers of natural killer cells (P = 0.06). Patients and controls exhibited significantly increased lymphocyte blastogenesis to PHA after introduction of L‐Arg to cultures; response of patients was significantly greater than values for control individuals. Proliferative response to candida in SSD patients was significantly lower than in controls; L‐Arg supplementation did not increase this response. L‐Arg had no effect on blastogenic response to PPD and candida albicans. No effect was likewise seen in production of IL‐6 and IFN‐γ after addition of L‐Arg. CD3ζ chain expression increased after addition of L‐Arg in both groups; differences were insignificant.

Conclusion

L‐Arg levels in steady‐state SSD are significantly lower than in controls. L‐Arg supplementation enhanced lymphocyte blastogenesis to PHA for both controls and patients, but not in response to antigen. There were no significant differences in CD3ζ chain expression although upregulation of expression occurred after L‐Arg supplementation for both groups. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:318–323. © 2010 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
A quantitative meta‐analysis of neurocognitive sequelae in survivors of pediatric brain tumors
Authors: Robinson Kristen E. , Kuttesch John F. , Champion Jennifer E. , Andreotti Charissa F. , Hipp Dana W. , Bettis Alexandra , Barnwell Anna , Compas Bruce E.
Published: May 2010

Background

Deficits in neurocognitive functioning are an important area of late effects in survivors of pediatric brain tumors, but a quantitative analysis of the magnitude of these deficits has yet to be conducted.

Procedure

The purpose of the current article is to provide a comprehensive meta‐analysis of the literature on long‐term neurocognitive effects found in these survivors.

Results

Results indicated significant deficits in both narrow and broad indices of neurocognitive functioning, and the overall magnitude of the effects across all domains ranged from small to large in magnitude (g = −0.45 to −1.43) with a large mean overall effect size of g = −0.91.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the importance of monitoring the neurocognitive late effects in survivors of pediatric brain tumors, and the need for more consistent consideration of demographic, diagnostic, and treatment‐related variables in future research to allow for examination of factors that may moderate these deficits. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:525–531. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A review on oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber‐reinforced polymer composite materials
Authors: Hassan Azman , Salema Arshad Adam , Ani Farid Nasir , Bakar Aznizam Abu
Published: May 2010

Natural fiber‐reinforced polymer composite materials have emerged in a wide spectrum of area of the polymer science. The composite produced from these types of materials are low density, low cost, comparable specific properties, and most importantly they are environmental friendly. The composite materials produced from oil palm fibers and commercially available polymers have offered some specific properties that can be comparable to conventional synthetic fiber composite materials. However, these properties are greatly dependent on the compatibility of oil palm fibers and matrix phase with moisture absorption as one of the critical issues that becomes the drawbacks of the oil palm fiber polymer composite materials. Apparently, it greatly affects the physical as well as mechanical properties of the composite materials. The present review reports the work on oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber‐reinforced polymer composites with some interest on the OPEFB physical structure, and chemical compositions. Finally, the incorporation of OPEFB into polymeric materials leads to several interesting consequences on the water absorption characteristics and the mechanical properties, which have been reviewed. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:2079–2101, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Assessing the influence of cotton fibers on the degradation in soil of a thermoplastic starch‐based biopolymer
Authors: Moriana Rosana , Karlsson Sigbritt , Ribes‐Greus Amparo
Published: May 2010

Biocomposites consisting of cotton fibers and a commercial starch‐based thermoplastic were subjected to accelerated soil burial test. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry analysis was carried out to provide chemical–structural information of the polymeric matrix and its reinforced biocomposites. The effects that take place as a consequence of the degradation in soil of both materials were studied by FTIR‐ATR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). When the polymeric matrix and the reinforced biocomposite are submitted to soil burial test, the infrared studies display a decrease in the CO band associated to the ester group of the synthetic component as a consequence of its degradation. The crystalline index of both materials decreased as a function of the degradation process, where the crystalline structure of the reinforced biocomposite was the most affected. In accordance, the degraded reinforced biocomposite micrographs displayed a more damaged morphology and fracture surface than the degraded polymeric matrix micrographs. On the other hand, the same thermal decomposition regions were assessed for both materials, regardless of the degradation time. Kissinger, Criado, and Coats‐Redfern methods were applied to analyze the thermogravimetric results. The kinetic triplet of each thermal decomposition process was determined for monitoring the degradation test. The thermal study confirms that starch was the most biodegradable polymeric matrix component in soil. However, the presence of cotton fiber modified the degradation rate of both matrix components; the degradability in soil of the synthetic component was slightly enhanced, whereas the biodegradation rate of the starch slowed down as a function of the soil exposure time. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:2102–2111, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Preparation of high‐performance flame‐retardant hybrid material by hyperbranched polyphosphate ester
Authors: Zhang Daohong , Wu Haiyan , Li Tingcheng , Zhang Aiqing , Peng Yongli , Jing Fengxi
Published: May 2010

A novel hyperbranched polyphosphate ester (HPPE) and a high‐performance hybrid flame‐retarding material HPPE/diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) epoxy resin are prepared. The effect of HPPE content and molecular weight on the mechanical performance, thermal performance, and flame‐retarding property of the hybrid material is studied. The results show that the overall performance of the hybrid material first increases and then decreases with the increase of HPPE content as well as the molecular weight and reaches maximum with 8–12 wt% of HPPE. When compared with the performance of pure DGEBA, the tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, fracture toughness, and limited oxygen index of the HPPE‐2/DGEBA hybrid material are enhanced by about 114%, 50%, 48%, 95%, and 20%, respectively. The toughening and reinforcing mechanism of the hybrid system is a novel in situ effect as revealed by the micrographs of the fracture surfaces using scanning electron microscopy. POLYM. COMPOS., 32:36–43, 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers
Ultrasonography of the fetal brainstem: a biometric and anatomical, multioperator, cross‐sectional study of 913 fetuses of 21–36 weeks of gestation
Authors: Mirlesse V. , Courtiol C. , Althuser M. , CFEF  , Duyme M.
Published: May 2010

Objectives

To establish the ultrasonographic fetal growth charts of the pons and the vermis/pons ratio on a multioperator basis in low‐risk pregnancies and provide a detailed description of the anatomical and ultrasonographic criteria of normal brainstem growth.

Methods

A prospective, multicenter, multioperator, ultrasonographic study was conducted on 913 fetuses aged 21–36 weeks. The anteroposterior diameter of the pons and the greatest vermal height were measured to establish a growth chart, using a mid‐sagittal plane with a posterior transfontanellar approach. The LMS semiparametric statistical method was used to construct the growth charts. Three morphological structures were also examined: the pons arch and its echostructure, the bulbo‐protuberential sulcus and the primary vermal fissure.

Results

The anteroposterior diameter of the pons and the greatest vermal height were measured in 96.7% of cases. The anteroposterior diameter of the pons and vermis increased linearly with gestational age. The vermis/pons ratio was stable during pregnancy.

Conclusion

We have drawn the growth charts for the pons and vermis during pregnancy and described the normal ultrasound morphology of the brainstem. Knowledge of these morphological and biometric data could facilitate early screening for pontocerebellar hypoplasia. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Women's experience of pre‐implantation genetic diagnosis: a qualitative study
Authors: Karatas J. C. , Barlow‐Stewart K. , Strong K. A. , Meiser B. , McMahon C. , Roberts C.
Published: May 2010

Objective

To provide an in‐depth account of the experience of pre‐implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

Method

Exploratory qualitative interview study. Participants were recruited from one major in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic in Sydney, Australia. Data were collected through 14 in‐depth interviews with women at different stages of PGD, utilized a thematic approach and facilitated by NVivo software.

Results

Women reported using PGD as empowering and led them to feel in control of their reproductive futures. Health professionals who did not tell women about PGD were seen as a barrier to accessing treatment. The ability to select embryos free from the genetic condition (for which it was at risk) alleviated stress. Despite this, stress experienced with PGD was significant for women, and often related to past experiences of reproductive trauma and grief. The outcome of embryos was also the cause of stress for women.

Conclusion

Women undergoing PGD have a diverse range of reproductive and genetic histories, psychosocial circumstances and world views that all interact and impact their experience of PGD. Successful support and care of these women should address all of these factors and tailor the support provided for women using this physically and emotionally complex form of reproductive technology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication of Cu(In, Ga)Se2thin films by sputtering from a single quaternary chalcogenide target
Authors: Shi J. H. , Li Z. Q. , Zhang D. W. , Liu Q. Q. , Sun Z , Huang S. M.
Published: May 2010

Single‐layered Cu‐In‐Ga‐Se precursors were fabricated by one‐step sputtering of a single quaternary Cu(In,Ga)Se2(CIGS) chalcogenide target at room temperature, followed by post selenization using Se vapor obtained from elemental Se pellets. The morphological and structural properties of both as‐deposited and selenized films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The precursor films exhibited a chalcopyrite structure with a preferential orientation in the (112) direction. The post‐selenization process at high‐temperature significantly improved the quality of the chalcopyrite CIGS. The CIGS layers after post‐selenization were used to fabricate solar cells. The solar cell had an open‐circuit voltage Voc of 0.422 V, a short‐circuit current densityJ = 24.75 mA, a fill factor of 53.29%, and an efficiency of 7.95%. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heavy atom motions and tunneling in hydrogen transfer reactions: the importance of the pre‐tunneling state
Authors: Limbach Hans‐Heinrich , Schowen K. Barbara , Schowen Richard L.
Published: May 2010

Arrhenius curves of selected hydrogen transfer reactions in organic molecules and enzymes are reviewed with the focus on systems exhibiting temperature‐independent kinetic isotope effects. The latter can be rationalized in terms of a ‘pre‐tunneling state’ which is formed from the reactants by heavy atom motions and which represents a suitable molecular configuration for tunneling to occur. Within the Bell–Limbach tunneling model, formation of the pre‐tunneling state dominates the Arrhenius curves of the H and the D transfer even at higher temperatures if a large energyEmis required to reach the pre‐tunneling state. Tunneling from higher vibrational levels and the over‐barrier reaction via the transition state which lead to temperature‐dependent kinetic isotope effects dominate the Arrhenius curves only ifEmis small compared to the energy of the transition state. Using published data on several hydrogen transfer systems, the type of motions leading to the pre‐tunneling state is explored. Among the phenomena which lead to large energies of the pre‐tunneling state are (i) cleavage of hydrogen bonds or coordination bonds of the donor or acceptor atoms to molecules or molecular groups in order to allow the formation of the pre‐tunneling state, (ii) the occurrence of an energetic intermediate on the reaction pathway within which tunneling takes place, and (iii) major reorganization of a molecular skeleton, requiring the excitation of specific vibrations in order to reach the pre‐tunneling state. This model suggests a solution to the puzzle of Kwart's findings of temperature‐independent kinetic isotope effects for hydrogen transfer in small organic molecules. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anisotropic plasticity and chain orientation in polymer glasses
Authors: Ge Ting , Robbins Mark O.
Published: May 2010

The anisotropic mechanical response of oriented polymer glasses is studied through simulations with a coarse‐grained model. Systems are first oriented by uniaxial compression or tension along an axis. Then the mechanical response to subsequent deformation along the same axis or along a perpendicular axis is measured. As in experiments, the flow stress and strain hardening modulus are both larger when deformation increases the degree of molecular orientation produced by prestrain, and smaller when deformation reduces the degree of orientation. All stress curves for parallel prestrains collapse when plotted against either the total integrated strain or the degree of molecular orientation. Stress curves for perpendicular prestrains can also be collapsed. The stress depends on the degree of strain or molecular orientation along the final deformation axis and is independent of the degree of orientation in the perpendicular plane. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1473–1482, 2010
Crystallization kinetics and crystalline morphology of poly(ε‐caprolactone) in blends with grafted rubber particles
Authors: L'Abee Roy , Van Duin Martin , Goossens Han
Published: May 2010

The crystallization behavior of pure PCL and PCL in blends with crosslinked rubber particles was studied under (non)isothermal crystallization conditions, where the rubber particles were grafted with PCL chains via hydrogen abstraction of the aliphatic moieties in PCL. The crystal growth and the organization of crystals into spherulitic superstructures are significantly influenced by the presence of the grafted rubber particles, which act as an excellent nucleating agent for PCL. The nucleating efficiency shows an exponential dependency on the PCL grafting density and, according to an Avrami analysis, an increased PCL grafting density increases the overall crystallization rate of the PCL matrix. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1438–1448, 2010
Polymers on snow: Toward skiing faster
Authors: Giesbrecht Jan L. , Smith Paul , Tervoort Theo A.
Published: May 2010

In this study, small‐scale model skis running down a Nordic ski track were used to investigate the tribological properties of polymer ski soles of a wide range of chemical compositions and surface structures on snow at temperatures of −2 to −4 °C. It was found that ski soles consisting of smooth hydrophilic films of an arithmetical mean surface roughness of less than 0.2 μm experience a considerably higher friction with snow than flat hydrophobic films indicating that for such soles, capillary bridging of the lubricating water film between the snow and the ski base is the dominating friction mechanism. An optimum surface roughness of the ski soles was detected —in the range of 0.2–1 μm. At this surface roughness, sliders are always fast, essentially independent of chemical composition of the ski sole and surface topology. At higher surface roughness, it was found that friction between polymer and snow increases again, especially for structured surfaces that are not aligned in the gliding direction. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1543–1551, 2010
Strain hardening and its relation to Bauschinger effects in oriented polymers
Authors: Senden D. J. A. , van Dommelen J. A. W. , Govaert L. E.
Published: May 2010

The nature of strain hardening in glassy polymers is investigated by studying the mechanical response of oriented polycarbonate in uniaxial extension and compression. The yield stress in extension is observed to increase strongly with predeformation, whereas it slightly decreases in compression (the so‐called Bauschinger effect). Moreover, oriented specimens tend to display increased strain hardening in extension, whereas this nearly vanishes in compression. It is shown that these observations can be captured by the introduction of a viscous contribution to strain hardening in terms of a deformation dependence of the flow stress. This can originate either from a deformation‐induced change in activation volume, as observed for isotactic polypropylene, or from a deformation‐induced change of the rate constant, as observed for polycarbonate, which causes the room temperature yield kinetics of this material to shift from the α into the (α+β) regime. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1483–1491, 2010
Adjustment to cancer and the information needs of people with lung cancer
Authors: Mulcare H. , Schofield P. , Kashima Y. , Milgrom J. , Wirth A. , Bishop M. , Wheeler G.
Published: May 2010

Objective: Although typically high, the need for information varies between cancer patients. Few studies, however, have examined the factors that predict patient information needs. This study investigated the influence of different styles of adjustment to cancer on information needs. It was proposed that adjustment styles can be defined in terms of goal pursuit and that adjustment influences information needs as these also arise from goal pursuit.

Method: Seventy‐three lung cancer patients were recruited at their first appointment with their radiation oncologist. Participants completed the Patient Information Needs Questionnaire measuring Disease Orientated (DO) information and Action Orientated (AO) information, the Mini‐Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, and a purpose‐built measure of cancer‐related personal goals.

Results: High levels of the adjustment styles, Fighting Spirit and Anxious Preoccupation, were related to a high need for DO information (p=0.042 and 0.023, respectively). Conversely, high levels of the adjustment style Cognitive Avoidance was related to a low need for DO information (p=0.041). High levels of Anxious Preoccupation were also positively related to a high need for AO information (p=0.018). Support for the proposed theoretical model was also found: information goals predicted information needs and mediated the relationship between Fighting Spirit and DO information need.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that information needs vary as a function of adjustment to cancer. Consequently information provision to cancer patients could be more appropriately tailored by attending to how a patient is adjusting to their diagnosis of cancer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.