bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensate scaffolds can reliably detect joint loading
Authors: Bliss C. L. , Szivek J. A. , Tellis B. C. , Margolis D. S. , Schnepp A. B. , Ruth J. T.
Published: August 2006

Treatment of cartilage defects is essential to the prevention of osteoarthritis. Scaffold‐based cartilage tissue engineering shows promise as a viable technique to treat focal defects. Added functionality can be achieved by incorporating strain gauges into scaffolds, thereby providing a real‐time diagnostic measurement of joint loading. Strain‐gauged scaffolds were placed into the medial femoral condyles of 14 adult canine knees and benchtop tested. Loads between 75 and 130 N were applied to the stifle joints at 30°, 50°, and 70° of flexion. Strain‐gauged scaffolds were able to reliably assess joint loading at all applied flexion angles and loads. Pressure sensitive films were used to determine joint surface pressures during loading and to assess the effect of scaffold placement on joint pressures. A comparison of peak pressures in control knees and joints with implanted scaffolds, as well as a comparison of pressures before and after scaffold placement, showed that strain‐gauged scaffold implantation did not significantly alter joint pressures. Future studies could possibly use strain‐gauged scaffolds to clinically establish normal joint loads and to determine loads that are damaging to both healthy and tissue‐engineered cartilage. Strain‐gauged scaffolds may significantly aid the development of a functional engineered cartilage tissue substitute as well as provide insight into the native environment of cartilage. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006
Asymmetrical regulation of scavenger receptor class B type I by apical and basolateral stimuli using Caco‐2 cells
Authors: Peretti N. , Delvin E. , Sinnett D. , Marcil V. , Garofalo C. , Levy E.
Published: August 2006

Cholesterol uptake and the mechanisms that regulate cholesterol translocation from the intestinal lumen into enterocytes remain for the most part unclear. Since scavenger receptor class B type I (SR‐BI) has been suggested to play a role in cholesterol absorption, we investigated cellular SR‐BI modulation by various potential effectors administered in both apical and basolateral sides of Caco‐2 cells. With differentiation, Caco‐2 cells increased SR‐BI protein expression. Western blot analysis showed the ability of cholesterol and oxysterols in both cell compartments to reduce SR‐BI protein expression. Among the n‐3, n‐6, and n‐9 fatty acid families, only eicosapentaenoic acid was able to lower SR‐BI protein expression on both sides, whereas apical α‐linolenic acid decreased SR‐BI abundance and basolateral arachidonic acid (AA) raised it. Epidermal growth factor and growth hormone, either in the apical or basolateral medium, diminished SR‐BI cellular content, while insulin displayed the same effect only on the basolateral side. In the presence of proinflammatory agents (LPS, TNF‐α, IFN‐γ), Caco‐2 cells exhibited differential behavior. SR‐BI was downregulated by lipopolysaccharide on both sides. Finally, WY‐14643 fibrate diminished SR‐BI protein expression when it was added to the apical medium. Biotinylation studies in response to selected stimuli revealed that regulatory modifications in SR‐BI protein expression occurred for the most part at the apical cell surface irrespective of the effector location. Our data indicate that various effectors supplied to the apical and basolateral compartments may impact on SR‐BI at the apical membrane, thus suggesting potential regulation of intestinal cholesterol absorption and distribution in various intracellular pools. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 421–433, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reconstitution of Runx2/Cbfa1‐null cells identifies a requirement for BMP2 signaling through a Runx2 functional domain during osteoblast differentiation
Authors: Bae Jong‐Sup , Gutierrez Soraya , Narla Radhika , Pratap Jitesh , Devados Rajitha , van Wijnen Andre J. , Stein Janet L. , Stein Gary S. , Lian Jane B. , Javed Amjad
Published: August 2006

The Runx2/Cbfa1 transcription factor is a scaffolding protein that promotes osteoblast differentiation; however, the specific Runx2‐functional domains required for induction of the osteogenic lineage remain to be identified. We approached this question using a TERT‐immortalized cell line derived from calvaria of Runx2‐null mice by reconstituting the osteogenic activity with wild‐type and deletion mutants of Runx2. The presence or absence of osteogenic media (β‐glycerol phosphate and ascorbic acid) and/or with BMP2 did not stimulate osteoblastic gene expression in the Runx2‐null cells. However, cells infected with wild‐type Runx2 adenovirus showed a robust temporal increase in the expression of osteoblast marker genes and were competent to respond to BMP2. Early markers (i.e., collagen type‐1, alkaline phosphatase) were induced (four‐ to eightfold) at Days 4 and 8 of culture. Genes representing mature osteoblasts (e.g., Runx2, osteopontin, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin) were temporally expressed and induced from 18‐ to 36‐fold at Days 8 and 12. Interestingly, TGFβ and Vitamin D‐mediated transcription of osteoblast genes (except for osteopontin) required the presence of Runx2. Runx2 lacking the C‐terminal 96 amino acids (Runx2 Δ432) showed a pattern of gene expression similar to wild‐type protein, demonstrating the Groucho interaction and part of the activation domain are dispensable for Runx2 osteogenic activity. Upon further deletion of the Runx2 C‐terminus containing the nuclear matrix targeting signal and Smad‐interacting domain (Δ391), we find none of the osteoblast markers are expressed. Therefore, the Runx2 391‐432 domain is essential for execution of the BMP2 osteogenic signal. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 434–449, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
DNA damage‐induced RPA focalization is independent of γ‐H2AX and RPA hyper‐phosphorylation
Authors: Liu Jen‐Sing , Kuo Shu‐Ru , Melendy Thomas
Published: August 2006

Replication protein A (RPA) is the major eukaryotic single stranded DNA binding protein that plays a central role in DNA replication, repair and recombination. Like many DNA repair proteins RPA is heavily phosphorylated (specifically on its 32 kDa subunit) in response to DNA damage. Phosphorylation of many repair proteins has been shown to be important for their recruitment to DNA damage‐induced intra‐nuclear foci. Further, phosphorylation of H2AX (γ‐H2AX) has been shown to be important for either the recruitment or stable retention of DNA repair proteins to these intra‐nuclear foci. We address here the relationship between DNA damage‐induced hyper‐phosphorylation of RPA and its intra‐nuclear focalization, and whether γ‐H2AX is required for RPA's presence at these foci. Using GFP‐conjugated RPA, we demonstrate the formation of extraction‐resistant RPA foci induced by DNA damage or stalled replication forks. The strong DNA damage‐induced RPA foci appear after phosphorylated histone H2AX and Chk1, but earlier than the appearance of hyper‐phosphorylated RPA. We demonstrate that while the functions of phosphoinositol‐3‐kinase‐related protein kinases are essential for DNA damage‐induced H2AX phosphorylation and RPA hyper‐phosphorylation, they are dispensable for the induction of extraction‐resistant RPA and RPA foci. Furthermore, in mouse cells genetically devoid of H2AX, DNA damage‐induced extraction‐resistant RPA appears with the same kinetics as in normal mouse cells. These results demonstrate that neither RPA hyper‐phosphorylation nor H2AX are required for the formation in RPA intra‐nuclear foci in response to DNA damage/replicational stress and are consistent with a role for RPA as a DNA damage sensor involved in the initial recognition of damaged DNA or blocked replication forks. J. Cell. Biochem. 99: 1452–1462, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The cellular control of DNA double‐strand breaks
Authors: Scott Shaun P. , Pandita Tej K.
Published: August 2006

DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs) are the most hazardous lesions arising in the genome of eukaryotic organisms, and yet occur normally during DNA replication, meiosis, and immune system development. The efficient repair of DSBs is crucial in maintaining genomic integrity, cellular viability, and the prevention of tumorigenesis. As a consequence, eukaryotic cells have evolved efficient mechanisms that sense and respond to DSBs and ultimately repair the break. The swiftness of the DNA DSB response has paved to the identification of sensors and transducers which allowed to generate a hierarchical signaling paradigm depicting the transduction of the damage signal to numerous downstream effectors (Fig. 1). The function of such effectors involve posttranslational modifications through phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation of the substrates. This review will address the control of DSBs in damaged eukaryotic cells, the physiological processes that require the introduction of a DSB into the genome, and the maintenance of DSBs in non‐damaged cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 99: 1463–1475, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Utilizing SENSE to reduce scan duration in high‐resolution contrast‐enhanced renal MR angiography
Authors: Wilson Gregory J. , Eubank William B. , Vasbinder G. Boudewijn C. , Kessels Alfons G.H. , Hoogeveen Romhild M. , Muthupillai Raja , Maki Jeffrey H.
Published: August 2006

Purpose

To evaluate the use of sensitivity encoding (SENSE) to reduce scan time and decrease detrimental artifacts arising from motion and bolus profile effects during contrast‐enhanced MR angiography (CE‐MRA) of the renal arteries (RAs).

Materials and Methods

A direct comparison of conventional and SENSE (acceleration factor 2) CE‐MRA protocols was performed on 20 patients. Each patient underwent both scans. Both protocols achieved the same resolution, but the SENSE protocol was 50% faster and utilized a faster injection than the conventional scan. Three radiologists graded the images for image quality, artifact levels, and reader confidence.

Results

While the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) decreased (26 ± 5 vs. 30 ± 10; P = 0.04) with the SENSE protocol, the image‐quality scores for four identified segments of the RAs increased or were unchanged. The largest improvements in image quality occurred in the more distal segments of the RAs. Parenchymal ringing (P = 0.005) and RA blurring (P = 0.006) were significantly reduced, and there was a trend toward improvement of RA ringing despite the increased injection rate.

Conclusion

The faster SENSE scan maintained nearly the same SNR (due to faster injection of Gd‐chelate), reduced artifact levels, and improved image quality ratings for the distal renal vessels. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Measurement of single kidney function using dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI: Comparison of two models in human subjects
Authors: Buckley David L. , Shurrab Ala'a E. , Cheung Ching M. , Jones Andrew P. , Mamtora Hari , Kalra Philip A.
Published: August 2006

Purpose

To compare two methods for assessing the single kidney glomerular filtration rate (SK‐GFR) in humans using dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE)‐MRI.

Materials and Methods

Images were acquired from 39 separate MR studies of patients with atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD). Data from the kidneys and descending aorta were analyzed using both a Rutland‐Patlak plot and a compartmental model. MR estimates of the SK‐GFR were compared with standard radioisotope measures in a total of 75 kidneys.

Results

Estimates of renal function using both techniques correlated well with radioisotope‐assessed SK‐GFR (Spearman's ρ = 0.81, Rutland‐Patlak; ρ = 0.71, compartmental model). The Rutland‐Patlak approach provided a near one‐to‐one correspondence, while the compartmental method tended to overestimate SK‐GFR. However, the compartmental model fits to the experimental data were significantly better than those obtained using the Rutland‐Patlak approach.

Conclusion

DCE‐MRI of the kidneys provides data that correlate well with reference measures of SK‐GFR. However, further work, including image registration, is needed to isolate measurement of glomerular filtration to the level of the renal cortex. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association of genetic polymorphism of low‐density lipoprotein receptor with chronic viral hepatitis C infection in Han Chinese
Authors: Li Han , Liu Zhengwen , Han Qunying , Li Yan , Chen Jinghong
Published: August 2006

To study the association between the Ava II polymorphism at the low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDL‐R) gene exon 13 locus and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the Han Chinese, 84 chronic HCV‐infected patients without anti‐viral treatment, and 72 healthy blood donors were studied. Polymerase chain reaction combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) was used to detect the Ava II polymorphism at the LDL‐R gene exon 13 locus. The comparisons of genotype distribution and allele frequency between chronic HCV‐infected patients and healthy controls showed statistically significant differences (P = 0.045 and P = 0.036, respectively). Additionally, the minor allele frequency (MAF) C in the healthy controls was higher than that in the chronic HCV‐infected patients group. There was no significant difference (P = 0.130) when the genotype distribution was compared between chronic HCV‐infected patients with HCV viremia and those without HCV viremia. However, the comparisons of allele frequency between the two groups showed a statistically significant difference (P = 0.047), and the MAF C in HCV RNA negative group was significantly higher than that in HCV RNA positive group. There were no significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency of the Ava II restriction site at the LDL‐R gene exon 13 locus between patients with chronic HCV infection and those with HCV‐associated cirrhosis as well as between patients with normal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and those with abnormal ALT levels. These results suggest that the Han Chinese have Ava II polymorphism at the LDL‐R gene exon 13 locus. The Ava II polymorphism at the LDL‐R gene exon 13 locus showed a statistically significant difference between chronic HCV‐infected patients and healthy controls, indicating a significant contribution of the Ava II polymorphism in susceptibility to HCV infection in these patients. The MAF C in HCV RNA negative group was higher than that in HCV RNA positive group, suggesting that the Ava II polymorphism might also be associated with viremia in patients with HCV infection. J. Med. Virol. 78:1289–1295, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The prevalence of human papillomavirus genotypes in penile cancers from northern Thailand
Authors: Senba Masachika , Kumatori Atsushi , Fujita Shuichi , Jutavijittum Prapan , Yousukh Amnat , Moriuchi Toshiyuki , Nakamura Tsuyoshi , Toriyama Kan
Published: August 2006

The highest frequency of penile cancer occurs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and there have been a few reports concerning the association of penile cancer with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in these areas. The objective of this study was to determine the relation between penile cancer and the prevalence of HPV genotypes in northern Thailand. Eighty‐eight specimens of penile tissue (65 malignant, 1 pre‐malignant, and 22 benign cases) were examined to determine the association of HPV infection. An in situ hybridization (ISH) method was used to detect and localize HPV‐DNA. Sensitive HPV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was used for detection of HPV‐DNA, and DNA sequencing was used to identify the HPV genotype. HPV‐DNA was detected in 53.8% and 81.5% of cases of penile cancer, using ISH and PCR, respectively. The high‐risk HPV‐16, most commonly associated with penile cancer in previous reports, was found in only one case in this study. The most prevalent genotype was the high‐risk HPV‐18, found in 55.4% of the cases (32.3% single and 23.1% multiple infection) followed by the low‐risk HPV‐6, found in 43.1% of the cases (24.6% single and 18.5% multiple infection). In this study, penile cancer was found to be highly correlated with HPV‐DNA. Specifically, infection with both the low‐risk HPV‐6 and the high‐risk HPV‐18 is the characteristic prevalence of HPV genotypes in penile cancer in this area. J. Med. Virol. 78:1341–1346, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Batten disease (JNCL) is linked to disturbances in mitochondrial, cytoskeletal, and synaptic compartments
Authors: Luiro Kaisu , Kopra Outi , Blom Tomas , Gentile Massimiliano , Mitchison Hannah M. , Hovatta Iiris , Törnquist Kid , Jalanko Anu
Published: August 2006

Intracellular pathways leading to neuronal degeneration are poorly understood in the juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL, Batten disease), caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene. To elucidate the early pathology, we carried out comparative global transcript profiling of the embryonic, primary cultures of the Cln3−/− mouse neurons. Statistical and functional analyses delineated three major cellular pathways or compartments affected: mitochondrial glucose metabolism, cytoskeleton, and synaptosome. Further functional studies showed a slight mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormalities in the microtubule cytoskeleton plus‐end components. Synaptic dysfunction was also indicated by the pathway analysis, and by the gross upregulation of the G protein beta 1 subunit, known to regulate synaptic transmission via the voltage‐gated calcium channels. Intracellular calcium imaging showed a delay in the recovery from depolarization in the Cln3−/− neurons, when the N‐type Ca2+ channels had been blocked. The data suggests a link between the mitochondrial dysfunction and cytoskeleton‐mediated presynaptic inhibition, thus providing a foundation for further investigation of the disease mechanism underlying JNCL disease. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Apolipoprotein E exerts selective and differential control over vitamin E concentrations in different areas of mammalian brain
Authors: Vatassery Govind T. , Lam Cornelius , Smith W. Ed , Quach Hung T.
Published: August 2006

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is known to be a risk factor for the incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, vitamin E has been reported to have a role in the treatment of AD. We examined the potential interrelationship between vitamin E and apoE in brain. As the first step, we determined the concentrations of α‐tocopherol in selected brain regions of apoE‐deficient mice at different ages. The mice were fed normal rodent chow. All regions of the brain in apoE‐deficient mice contained less α‐tocopherol than control samples at 2.5 months of age, the initial time of study. This trend continued for 9.5 months for most regions except the spinal cord and cerebellum. Tocopherol levels in these latter regions of apoE‐deficient animals increased to control levels during the study. Serum α‐tocopherol and cholesterol levels were high in the apoE‐deficient animals; however, the CNS cholesterol levels were the same in apoE‐deficient and control mice. This suggests that 1) the decline in brain α‐tocopherol in apoE deficiency is not due to overall alterations in lipid metabolism; and 2) the processing of α‐tocopherol in brain follows a separate pathway than that of cholesterol. Subcellular concentrations of α‐tocopherol were unaltered by apoE deficiency indicating that intracellular handling of tocopherol is not affected by apoE. ApoE may be an important protein controlling vitamin E levels in specific brain regions. Further understanding of the interactions between apoE and vitamin E could be important in the appropriate use of vitamin E in AD. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Novel roles for metallothionein‐I + II (MT‐I + II) in defense responses, neurogenesis, and tissue restoration after traumatic brain injury: Insights from global gene expression profiling in wild‐type and MT‐I + II knockout mice
Authors: Penkowa Milena , Cáceres Mario , Borup Rehannah , Nielsen Finn Cilius , Poulsen Christian Bjørn , Quintana Albert , Molinero Amalia , Carrasco Javier , Florit Sergi , Giralt Mercedes , Hidalgo Juan
Published: August 2006

Traumatic injury to the brain is one of the leading causes of injury‐related death or disability, especially among young people. Inflammatory processes and oxidative stress likely underlie much of the damage elicited by injury, but the full repertoire of responses involved is not well known. A genomic approach, such as the use of microarrays, provides much insight in this regard, especially if combined with the use of gene‐targeted animals. We report here the results of one of these studies comparing wild‐type and metallothionein‐I + II knockout mice subjected to a cryolesion of the somatosensorial cortex and killed at 0, 1, 4, 8, and 16 days postlesion (dpl) using Affymetrix genechips/oligonucleotide arrays interrogating ∼10,000 different murine genes (MG_U74Av2). Hierarchical clustering analysis of these genes readily shows an orderly pattern of gene responses at specific times consistent with the processes involved in the initial tissue injury and later regeneration of the parenchyma, as well as a prominent effect of MT‐I + II deficiency. The results thoroughly confirmed the importance of the antioxidant proteins MT‐I + II in the response of the brain to injury and opened new avenues that were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Data in KO, MT‐I‐overexpressing, and MT‐II‐injected mice strongly suggest a role of these proteins in postlesional activation of neural stem cells. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The meteorological data of William Hutchinson and a Liverpool air pressure time series spanning 1768–1999
Authors: Woodworth Philip L.
Published: August 2006

This paper discusses some of the meteorological measurements made at Liverpool by Captain William Hutchinson in the second half of the eighteenth century. It gives an overview of the various data sets, most of which are now in computer‐accessible form, and provides assessments of their quality, the aim being to gain an overall impression of how good an observer Hutchinson was. His air pressure data have been studied in detail, through comparisons with information from other UK stations, and via investigation of the sea‐level response to air pressure changes as observed in his tidal measurements. A first attempt has been made to construct a Liverpool air pressure time series spanning 1768–1999, by means of the combination of Hutchinson's data with later information from the Liverpool docks and Bidston Observatory. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society
A new European testate amoebae transfer function for palaeohydrological reconstruction on ombrotrophic peatlands
Authors: Charman Dan J. , Blundell Antony ,   ACCROTELM Members
Published: August 2006

Proxy climate data can be obtained from reconstructions of hydrological changes on ombrotrophic (rain‐fed) peatlands using biological indicators, such as testate amoebae. Reconstructions are based on transfer functions, relating modern assemblage composition to water table and moisture content, applied to fossil sequences. Existing transfer functions in Europe and elsewhere are limited geographically and there are often problems with missing or poor analogues. This paper presents a new palaeohydrological transfer function based on sampling raised mires from across Europe. Relationships between assemblages and hydrological variables are described using ordination analyses. Transfer functions are developed for depth to water table (n = 119) and moisture content (n = 132) with root mean squared errors (RMSEP) of 5.6 cm and 2.7% respectively. Both transfer functions have an r2 of 0.71, based on ‘leave one out’ cross‐validation. Comparisons with an existing transfer function for Britain show that the European transfer function performs well in inferring measured water tables in Britain but that the British data cannot be used to infer water tables for other European sites with confidence. Several of the key missing and poor analogue taxa problems encountered in previous transfer functions are solved. The new transfer function will be an important tool in developing peat‐based palaeoclimatic reconstructions for European sites. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vibrational spectral studies and the non‐linear optical properties of a novel NLO material L‐prolinium tartrate
Authors: Padmaja L. , Vijayakumar T. , Hubert Joe I. , Reghunadhan Nair C. P. , Jayakumar V. S.
Published: August 2006

Vibrational spectral analysis of the novel non‐linear optical (NLO) material, L‐prolinium tartrate (LPT) was carried out using NIR‐FT‐Raman and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The density functional theoretical (DFT) computations have been performed at B3LYP/6–31G (d) level to derive equilibrium geometry, vibrational wavenumbers, intensities and first hyperpolarizability. The reasonable NLO efficiency, predicted for the first time in this novel compound, has been confirmed by Kurtz–Perry powder second‐harmonic generation (SHG) experiments. The charge‐transfer interaction between the pyrrolidine ring and the carbonyl group of the tartrate anion through the intramolecular ionic hydrogen bonds is confirmed by the simultaneous activation of ring modes in IR and Raman spectra. The splitting of the ring‐breathing mode, pseudo‐rotational ring puckering modes and the NH2 modes of the pyrrolidine ring lead to the conclusion that the pyrrolidine ring adopts a conformation intermediate between the envelope (bent) form and the half‐chair (twisted) form, resulting in the lowering of symmetry from C2 to Cs. The lowering of the methylenic stretching wavenumbers and the enhancement of the stretching intensities suggest the existence of the electronic effects of back‐donation in LPT. The positional disorder of the pyrrolidine ring, the presence of blue‐shifting H‐bonds as well as other non‐bonded interactions in LPT, low frequency H‐bond vibrations and the role of intramolecular charge transfer and the hydrogen bonds in making the molecule NLO active have been analysed on the basis of the vibrational spectral features. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cumin seed meal as an alternative to wheat bran in commercial laying hen diets
Authors: Mansoori Behzad , Modirsanei Mehrdad , Kiaei Mohammad‐Mehdi
Published: August 2006

To evaluate the nutritional significance of cumin seed meal (CSM) as a commercial poultry feedstuff on laying hen performance and quality of laid eggs, an experiment was conducted using 144 (48‐week‐old) laying hens receiving diets containing 0, 25 and 50 g CSM kg−1 with or without polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and xylanase enzyme (Grindazym™ GP 15000) for 9 weeks. Body weight on the first and last days of the experiment and daily egg production and egg weight and weekly feed intake during the first, fifth and ninth weeks of the experiment were recorded. Shell weight, shell thickness, Haugh unit and yolk colour were measured during the last week of the experiment. The results showed that inclusion of CSM in laying hen diets had no negative influence on the parameters measured compared with the control diet (P > 0.05), but enhanced egg yolk colour (P < 0.05). PEG increased the daily feed intake of birds receiving CSM diets (P < 0.01) and tended to enhance daily egg production and egg weight, although not significantly. Grindazym decreased shell weight and thickness of laid eggs (P < 0.05) and tended to increase hen body weight, but had no influence on other parameters measured. The results demonstrated that CSM can be substituted for wheat bran in layer diets at 25 or 50 g kg−1 dietary inclusion level without any adverse effect on hen performance or egg quality, and might enhance egg yolk colour. In view of the low price of CSM, it could be concluded that inclusion of CSM in the diet might be beneficial to the commercial laying hen industry and reduce the overall cost of egg production. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Feasibility of interstitial Doppler optical coherence tomography for in vivo detection of microvascular changes during photodynamic therapy
Authors: Li Heng , Standish Beau A. , Mariampillai Adrian , Munce Nigel R. , Mao Youxin , Chiu Stephanie , Marcon Norman E. , Wilson Brian C. , Vitkin Alex , Yang Victor X.D.
Published: August 2006

Introduction

Doppler optical coherence tomography (DOCT) is an emerging imaging modality that provides subsurface microstructural and microvascular tissue images with near histological resolution and sub‐mm/second velocity sensitivity. A key drawback of OCT for some applications is its shallow (1–3 mm) penetration depth. This fundamentally limits DOCT imaging to transparent, near‐surface, intravascular, or intracavitary anatomical sites. Consequently, interstitial Doppler OCT (IS‐DOCT) was developed for minimally‐invasive in vivo imaging of microvasculature and microstructure at greater depths, providing access to deep‐seated solid organs. Using Dunning prostate cancer in a rat xenograft model, this study evaluated the feasibility of IS‐DOCT monitoring of microvascular changes deep within a tumor caused by photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Materials and Methods

The DOCT interstitial probe was constructed using a 22 G (diameter ∼0.7 mm) needle, with an echogenic surface finish for enhanced ultrasound visualization. The lens of the probe consisted of a gradient‐index fiber, fusion spliced to an angle‐polished coreless tip to allow side‐view scanning. The lens was then fusion spliced to a single‐mode optical fiber that was attached to the linear scanner via catheters and driven along the longitudinal axis of the needle to produce a 2D subsurface DOCT image. The resultant IS‐DOCT system was used to monitor microvascular changes deep within the tumor mass in response to PDT in the rat xenograft model of Dunning prostate cancer. Surface PDT was delivered at 635 nm with 40 mW of power, for a total light dose of 76 J/cm2, using 12.5 mg/kg of Photofrin as the photosensitizer dose.

Results

IS‐DOCT demonstrated its ability to detect microvasculature in vivo and record PDT‐induced changes. A reduction of detected vascular cross sectional area during treatment and partial recovery post‐treatment were observed.

Conclusions

IS‐DOCT is a potentially effective tool for real‐time visualization and monitoring of the progress of PDT treatments. This capability may play an important role in elucidating the mechanisms of PDT in tumors, pre‐treatment planning, feedback control for treatment optimization, determining treatment endpoints and post‐treatment assessments. Lasers Surg. Med. 38:754–761, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Metal dusting of binary iron aluminium alloys at 600 °C
Authors: Bernst R. , Schneider A. , Spiegel M.
Published: August 2006

In this work experiments on metal dusting of binary iron aluminium alloys with 15, 26 and 40 at.% Al were performed in strongly carburising CO‐H2‐H2O gas mixtures at 600 °C. The mass gain kinetics was measured using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The carburised samples were characterised by means of light optical microscopy (LOM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the mass gain kinetics depends on the CO content of the gas mixtures and on the Al content of the alloys. With decreasing carbon activity the carburisation reaction kinetics decreases and the onset of metal dusting is retarded for increasing time periods. With increasing Al content of the alloys the carburisation reaction is slower and metal dusting sets on at later times. The samples were not pre‐treated for the formation of a protective oxide scale. By X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analyses of the carburised iron aluminium samples it was found that the formation of Al2O3 layers has taken place in the CO‐H2‐H2O gas atmospheres. Needle‐ or plate‐like κ‐phase (Fe3AlCx) precipitates close to the surface of the carburised Fe‐15Al sample were detected by means of XRD and LOM. The coke on top of the carburised samples mainly consists of filamentous carbon with metal particles at their tips.
Novel Phosphorus‐Containing Poly(ether sulfone)s and Their Blends with an Epoxy Resin: Thermal Decomposition and Fire Retardancy
Authors: Braun Ulrike , Knoll Uta , Schartel Bernhard , Hoffmann Thorsten , Pospiech Doris , Artner Johannes , Ciesielski Michael , Döring Manfred , Perez‐Graterol Raul , Sandler Jan K. W. , Altstädt Volker
Published: August 2006

Summary: The decomposition of novel phosphorus‐containing poly(oxyphenylene‐sulfonyl‐phenylene‐oxy‐diphenyl phenylene phosphine oxide) (PSU_I), 2,5‐dihydroxy‐1‐biphenylene‐phosphine oxide based polysulfone (PSU_II), poly(sulfonyl‐diphenylphenylene phosphonate) (PSU_P) and bisphenol A‐based polysulfone (PSU) is studied. The influence of the chemical structure, charring and phosphorus release is discussed based on the mass loss, kinetics and products. The pyrolysis and fire behaviour of blends with epoxy resin (EP) are studied. For EP‐PSU_II, phosphorus initiates water elimination and changes the decomposition pathway of EP. The fire behaviour of EP‐PSU shows some improvements, whereas the heat release rate is crucially reduced for EP‐PSU_II due to simultaneous char formation and flame inhibition.

Decomposition model of PSU_II.

magnified image

Decomposition model of PSU_II.
Aggregation of Fillers Blended into Random Elastomeric Networks: Theory and Comparison with Experiments
Authors: Demir Mustafa M. , Menceloglu Yusuf Z. , Erman Burak
Published: August 2006

Summary:A theoretical model describing aggregation of filler particles in amorphous elastomers is proposed. The model is based on a counting technique originally used in genome analysis to characterize the size and distribution of overlapping segments randomly placed on a DNA molecule. In the present model, the particles are first assumed to aggregate randomly upon mixing into the elastomer and their sizes are calculated. The sizes and distributions of aggregates are also studied in the presence of attractive interparticle forces. Results of the proposed model are compared with experimental data on silica‐filled end‐linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks. Comparison of the theory and experiment shows that the random aggregation assumption where no attractive forces exist between the particles is not valid and a significant attraction between the silica particles is needed in the theory to justify the experimental data obtained using atomic force microscopy. For filler content below 1.45 vol.‐%, the model agrees, qualitatively, with experiment and shows the increase in cluster size with increasing amount of filler. It also explains the increase in the dispersion of aggregate sizes with increasing amount of filler.

Clustering of the primary silica particles in an imaginary volume of poly(dimethylsiloxane) network.

magnified image

Clustering of the primary silica particles in an imaginary volume of poly(dimethylsiloxane) network.
Cover Picture: Macromol. Chem. Phys. 16/2006
Authors: Braun Ulrike , Knoll Uta , Schartel Bernhard , Hoffmann Thorsten , Pospiech Doris , Artner Johannes , Ciesielski Michael , Döring Manfred , Perez‐Graterol Raul , Sandler Jan K. W. , Altstädt Volker
Published: August 2006

Cover: The comprehensive investigation of pyrolysis and fire behaviour using thermal analysis, evolved gas analysis, and different fire tests discovers the decomposition pathways, the fire retardancy mechanisms and the resulting performance in different fire scenarios of novel phosphorus‐containing polysulfones and their blends with epoxy resins. Further details can be found in the Full Paper by U. Braun, U. Knoll, B. Schartel,* T. Hoffmann, D. Pospiech, J. Artner, M. Ciesielski, M. Döring, R. Perez‐Graterol, J. K. W. Sandler, and V. Altstädt on page 1501.
Synthesis and Optical Properties of Sol‐Gel Hybrid Materials that Contain Perfluorocyclobutyl Groups
Authors: Lee Kwan‐Soo , Kim Jae‐Pil , Song Ho‐Suk , Jang Won‐Guen , Park Young‐Sik , Lee Jae‐Suk
Published: August 2006

Summary: A strategy for the synthesis of sol‐gel hybrid materials that contain perfluorocyclobutyl groups is reported. Sol‐gel films have been prepared from three types of siloxane monomers using a typical sol‐gel method in an acidic atmosphere, followed by UV irradiation and dimerization. The materials show high thermal stability that exceeds 400 °C. At a wavelength of 1 550 nm, the refractive index, the birefringence, and the optical loss of the sol‐gel materials are found to be in the ranges of 1.4568–1.4876, −0.0003–0.0029, and 0.34–0.45 dB · cm−1, respectively.

Zero mode birefringence (TE: solid, TM: dash dot) of sol‐gel materials (PFSI/TFVOSI/MSI = 6:1:3) (TE and TM represent polarization perpendicular and parallel to the plane of incidence, respectively).

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Zero mode birefringence (TE: solid, TM: dash dot) of sol‐gel materials (PFSI/TFVOSI/MSI = 6:1:3) (TE and TM represent polarization perpendicular and parallel to the plane of incidence, respectively).
A general representation of left‐handed materials using LC‐loaded transmission lines
Authors: Qin Yao , Cui Tie Jun
Published: August 2006

LC‐loaded transmission lines and composite right/left‐handed (CRLH) LC circuits have been applied to generate equivalent left‐handed materials (LHM). In this paper, we propose a general representation of LHM using the mixture of CRLH circuits and transmission lines, along with the corresponding design formulations. The proposed structure can be easily used to produce an equivalent medium with the permittivity −ε0 and permeability −μ0 consisting of a small loss and retardation, which cannot be realized by previous structures with the microstrip lines in practice. This is very important to verify some LHM experiments such as the LHM superlens and electromagnetic‐wave localization. Circuit simulations have been conducted to test the validity of the general structure. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2167–2171, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21883
T‐shaped slot antenna for 2.4/5.2 GHz WLAN operation
Authors: Liang Xian‐Ling , Zhong Shun‐Shi , Li Chun‐Hui
Published: August 2006

A simple T‐shaped slot antenna for dual‐band wireless local area network (WLAN) application is presented. The T‐shaped slot fed by a rectangular patch produces two resonant frequencies for 2.4‐GHz‐band and 5.2‐GHz‐band operation. The measured impedance bandwidth of the proposed antenna are 650 MHz centered at 2.51 GHz and 640 MHz centered at 5.29 GHz for VSWR[b]≤2, and the measured gains are better than 4.55 and 5.24 dBi for both bands, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2156–2158, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21892
Distributed hybrid‐fiber Raman amplifiers with a section of nonlinear microstructured optical fiber
Authors: Liu Yan‐ge , Wang Chao , Sun Tingting , Li Yan , Wang Zhi , Zhang Chunshu , Kai Guiyun , Dong Xiaoyi
Published: August 2006

A distributed hybrid‐fiber Raman amplifier with a 25‐km single‐mode fiber and a section of nonlinear microstructured optical fiber (NMOF) is proposed and experimentally investigated in detail. Three pump schemes and span configurations, as well as two NMOF types with different parameters and length were considered. The influence of the NMOF presence on the performance of the amplifier was analyzed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2267–2271, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21901
A novel microstrip lowpass filter having two transmission zeros to get sharp attenuation and wide stopband
Authors: Mo Jingyan , Liu Wei , Ma Zhewang
Published: August 2006

This paper proposes a novel microstrip four‐pole lowpass filter with compact size and excellent frequency property. Two transmission zeros are introduced in its stopband. The first transmission zero is produced nearby the passband and makes a sharp rate of attenuation. The second transmission zero is introduced to increase significantly the stopband width. The positions of the two transmission zeros can be adjusted easily. Although it has a smaller number of circuit elements and a lower insertion loss, the filter shows a frequency response better than that of a five‐pole elliptic function filter. The measured filtering characteristics of the filter agree excellently with the simulated results. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2253–2256, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21902
Internal PIFAs for UMTS/WLAN/WiMAX multi‐network operation for a USB dongle
Authors: Su Wei‐Cheng , Wong Kin‐Lu
Published: August 2006

Two kinds of internal planar inverted‐F antennas (PIFAs) suitable for application in a USB dongle for UMTS/WLAN/WiMAX multi‐network operation are presented. The first one is a hybrid PIFA consisting of a metal‐plate portion and a printed portion, while the second one is a printed PIFA. Both the hybrid and printed PIFAs are suitable to be mounted at the top no‐ground region of the USB dongle as internal antennas and can generate two wide bandwidths at about 2.3 and 5.5 GHz to cover the UMTS (1920–2170 MHz), WLAN (2400–2484/5150–5350/5725–5825 MHz) and WiMAX (2500–2690/5150–5850 MHz) bands for seamless wireless network access. Detailed designs of the two PIFAs are described, and results of their impedance and radiation characteristics are presented and discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2249–2253, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21903
A compact‐size circularly polarized antenna using low‐loss alumina substrates
Authors: Tseng Ching‐Fang , Huang Cheng‐Liang , Hsu Allen
Published: August 2006

A compact‐size circularly polarized antenna is investigated by employing high‐permittivity and low‐loss substrate (i.e., high Q × f value) for 2.5‐GHz application. The antenna was individually fabricated on nano‐Al2O3 (εr = 9.7, Q × f value of 500,000 GHz) and Al2O3 (εr = 9.7, Q × f value of 200,000 GHz) substrates. The high‐permittivity and low‐loss ceramic substrate (nano‐Al2O3 substrate) was used to reduce the microstrip antenna dimension on patch size. In addition, the ceramic substrate was studied for broadening the 3‐dB axial ratio bandwidth [circular polarization (CP) bandwidth]. The obtained CP bandwidth is about 80 MHz (∼3.2%) at 2.5 GHz. The proposed antenna occupies a size of 23.4 × 23.4 × 4 mm3 and obtains the operation bandwidth of about 90.96 MHz. Good antenna gain and CP radiation patterns have also been observed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2317–2320, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21909
Spectrum equalization employing reshaping filter to improve ask signal quality in combined FSK/ASK modulation scheme
Authors: Xiangjun Xin , André P. S. , Teixeira A. L. J. , Ferreira Ana , Silveira Tiago , Monteiro P. M. , da Rocha F. , Pinto J. L. , Chaogong Deng
Published: August 2006

A simple, economical, and applicable spectrum equalization method is implemented by employing a reshaping filter combined in frequency‐shift‐keying/amplitude‐shift‐keying modulation scheme, to improve the quality of amplitude‐shift‐keying optical signal. 2.39 dB improvement of Q factor is experimentally demonstrated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2208–2210, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21921
Optimized synthesis of a miniaturized SARSAT band pre‐fractal antenna
Authors: Azaro R. , Donelli M. , Franceschini D. , Zeni E. , Massa A.
Published: August 2006

The design and miniaturization of a monopolar antenna for 406 MHz SARSAT radio beacons is presented. By considering a pre‐fractal structure, the geometrical configuration of the antenna, printed on a planar dielectric substratum, is optimized by means of a particle swarm optimizer in order to minimize the geometrical dimensions of the device and to fit voltage standing wave ratio values defined in the SARSAT standard. The effectiveness of the synthesis approach as well as the feasibility of the designed antenna is assessed through simulations as well as experimental measurements. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2205–2207, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21922
CPW‐FED broadband G‐shaped monopole antenna for WLAN applications
Authors: Kim Sunghun , Choi Junho , Kim Youngsik
Published: August 2006

A novel G‐shaped antenna with a coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed is proposed. The advantages of a CPW feed are to simplify the antenna structure with a single metallic level and reduce the antenna size. Operating resonant modes of the proposed antenna are related to the length of two folded monopoles. A face‐to‐face structure of two folded monopoles is yielded to broaden the lower and upper bands. The measured return loss, radiation patterns, and gains are presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2310–2311, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21924
Transmission properties of microstrip lines loaded with split ring resonators as superstrate
Authors: Anandan C. K. , Nimisha C. S. , Jitha B. , Mohanan P. , Vasudevan K.
Published: August 2006

The propagation characteristics of a microstrip line loaded with an array of split ring resonators (SRRs) as superstrate is investigated. The presence of SRRs over the microstrip line leads to an effective negative permeability in a narrow band, where signal propagation is inhibited. The width and attenuation of the rejected frequency band depends on the height of the superstrate as well as its relative position with respect to the microstrip line. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2280–2282, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21927
Doubly periodic rectangular waveguide
Authors: Dong Tian‐lin , Chen Ping
Published: August 2006

Based on Floquet theorem and Maxwell's equations, the governing five‐term recurrence relation is derived for doubly periodic (DP) waveguide. Its dispersion curve is calculated. Schemes to realize DP waveguide are discussed. Measured date on a model are introduced to establish the proposed concept and the dual‐mode characteristics of DP waveguide as a fundamental transmission line. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2277–2280, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21928
Dual‐band bandpass filter using defected ground structure
Authors: Ho Ka‐Meng , Pang Hoi‐Kai , Tam Kam‐Weng
Published: August 2006

A new I‐shaped defected ground structure (DGS) is used to relocate the microstrip resonator's second harmonic at the proximity of the fundamental passband to realize dual‐band bandpass filter. This DGS is validated by a compact dual‐band bandpass filter at 1.44 and 2.35 GHz with simulations and measurements. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2259–2261, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21929
Dual mode ring resonator band‐pass filter with wide stopband
Authors: Mandal Mrinal Kanti , Sanyal Subrata
Published: August 2006

In this article, parallel‐coupled microstrip line (PCML) with ground plane aperture is used to improve the stopband performance of a stub tuned dual mode ring resonator band‐pass filter (BPF). The PCML with ground plane structure produces a wide‐band band‐pass response, whereas the stub tuned dual mode ring resonator produces sharp cutoff. The combined filter produces vastly improved filter characteristics. A prototype fabricated BPF having passband center frequency 5.71 GHz has a bandwidth of 40.6%. The upper stopband is extended over 6 GHz and there is no undesirable passband on the lower side of the main passband. Skirt selectivity of a single stage filter is at least 120 dB/GHz. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2216–2218, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21934