bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ionothermal Synthesis of the First Luminescent Open‐Framework Manganese Borophosphate with Switchable Magnetic Properties
Authors: Wang Guangmei , Valldor Martin , Lorbeer Chantal , Mudring Anja‐Verena
Published: May 2012

A new open‐framework manganese borophosphate, KMnBP2O7(OH)2, has been prepared under ionothermal conditions in the ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐1‐methylpyrrolidinium bromide. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that KMnBP2O7(OH)2 [monoclinic, P21/c, a = 6.659(1), b = 12.049(2), c = 9.790(2) Å, β = 109.12(3)°, V = 742.2(3) Å3, and Z = 4] has an unprecedented open‐framework structure. {MnO5(OH)} octahedra and {BO3(OH)} and {PO3(OH)}/{PO4} tetrahedra link to form a 3D framework with distorted eight‐membered‐ring channels along the crystallographic [001] direction. The negative charges of the inorganic framework are balanced by K+ ions located in the channels. At room temperature, KMnBP2O7(OH)2 shows a bright orange‐red luminescence that redshifts with decreasing temperature. The luminescence lifetimes were determined to be 0.17 ms at room temperature and 3.49 ms at 77 K. Below 3 K, d5 Mn2+ of two neighboring, edge‐sharing {MnO5OH}2 units couple antiferromagnetically, and the magnetic state can be best described as a singlet spin system. These singlets continuously turn into triplets when increasing the magnetic field up to 7 T at 2 K due to relatively weak spin–spin coupling through two identical 98.92(6)° Mn–O–Mn superexchange paths, turning the system into a metastable ferromagnetic state.
Alkali Metal, Magnesium, and Zinc Complexes of Bis(chalcogenophosphinoyl)methanide Ligands
Authors: Thirumoorthi Ramalingam , Chivers Tristram
Published: May 2012

The complexes [Na{HC(PPh2S)2}] (Na3a), [Na{HC(PPh2Se)2}] (Na3b), [K{HC(PPh2S)2}]∞ (K3a), [K{HC(PPh2Se)2}]∞ (K3b), [Mg{HC(PPh2S)2}2] (Mg(3a)2), [Mg{HC(PPh2Se)2}2] (Mg(3b)2), and [Zn{HC(PPh2S)2}2] [Zn(3a)2] have been prepared in good yields (69–92 %) by treatment of the neutral ligands H2C(PPh2E)2 (1a, E = S; 1b, E = Se) with [Na{N(SiMe3)2}] (Na3a), NaNH2 (Na3b), [K{N(SiMe3)2}] (K3a and K3b), [Mg{N(SiMe3)2}2] [Mg(3a)2 and Mg(3b)2], or Me2Zn [Zn(3a)2] as base in THF/toluene. These compounds were characterized in solution by multinuclear (1H, 13C, 31P, and 77Se) NMR spectroscopy and the X‐ray structures of K3a, K3b, Mg(3a)2, Mg(3b)2, and Zn(3a)2 were determined. In the solid state, the E,E′‐chelated ligands in K3a and K3b also engage in potassium–chalcogen interactions with adjacent molecules to form one‐dimensional ladder structures. With K3a, both sulfur atoms of the ligand are involved in chelation leading to four‐membered K2S2 rings, whereas only one selenium atom is tricoordinated in K3b; significant potassium···aryl interactions are also observed in both structures. In the homoleptic magnesium complexes Mg(3a)2 and Mg(3b)2, the E,E′ chelation by the methanide ligands is supplemented by weak, unequal Mg···C interactions [2.781(10) and 3.199(7) Å for Mg(3a)2; 3.331(8) and 3.217(7) Å for Mg(3b)2]. The zinc complex Zn(3a)2 is isostructural with the previously reported selenium analogue Zn(3b)2. The X‐ray structures of the S,S′‐chelated complex [(TMEDA)Li3a] as well as new polymorphs of 1a and 1b are also reported.
Cholesterol oxidation products in milk: Processing formation and determination
Authors: Calderón‐Santiago Mónica , Peralbo‐Molina Ángela , Priego‐Capote Feliciano , Luque de Castro María Dolores
Published: May 2012

Cholesterol oxidation products (oxysterols) are commonly present in foods derived from animals. The main limitations for analysis of these products are associated with the long sample preparation protocols that require saponification. In this research, a protocol was optimized for determination of oxysterols in milks under the process to obtain given commercial milk products. UHT milks, powder milks, condensed milk, and evaporated milk were selected for this study. The levels of the different oxysterols are discussed attending to the type of milk. UHT and skimmed powder milks provide the highest concentration of oxysterols. Particularly, high concentrations were found for 7β‐hydroxy‐cholesterol (up to 205.6 ng/mL), 5‐cholesten‐3β‐ol‐7‐one (up to 21.8 ng/mL), cholesterol 5α,6α‐epoxide (up to 14.9 ng/mL), and 25‐hydroxycholesterol (up to 5.1 ng/mL). An increase in cholesten‐3β‐ol‐7‐one and cholesterol 5α,6α‐epoxide, resulting from the skimming process, was also observed. Additionally, two different heating modes, microwave‐assisted and conventional heating, have been mimicked to study their influence on the formation of oxysterols in milk. Both heating protocols contributed to the formation of oxysterols but short periods of microwave irradiation (60 s) can lead to levels of oxysterols similar to conventional heating for 5 min.

Practical applications: The results of the research described in this article, supported by previous studies in the field, allow to advice about the strong influence of microwave heating of milk on the formation of toxic oxides from the lipid fraction. Although conventional heating can be more tedious and time consuming, it seems to be healthier.
DABCO‐Mediated [4+2] Annulation of But‐3‐yn‐2‐one and Activated Ketones: Facile Preparation of 2,3‐Dihydropyran‐4‐one
Authors: Lian Zhong , Zhao Qian‐Yi , Wei Yin , Shi Min
Published: May 2012

We found that nitrogen‐containing Lewis base mediated [4+2] annulation of but‐3‐yn‐2‐one with activated ketones could proceed efficiently to give the corresponding 2,3‐dihydropyran‐4‐ones in moderate to good yields under mild conditions. The substrate scope has been carefully examined. Moreover, a plausible reaction mechanism for the [4+2] annulation of but‐3‐yn‐2‐one with activated ketones mediated by DABCO has been proposed on the basis of previous literature and our own investigations.
Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis of Guanidine Organocatalysts Bearing a Tetrahydroisoquinoline Framework and Their Evaluation in Michael Addition Reactions
Authors: Naicker Tricia , Arvidsson Per I. , Kruger Hendrik G. , Maguire Glenn E. M. , Govender Thavendran
Published: May 2012

The simple and practical syntheses of chiral guanidine organocatalysts and their evaluation in the asymmetric Michael addition reaction of malonates and β‐keto esters with nitro‐olefins is reported. These organocatalysts are the first of their kind based on a tetrahydroisoquinoline framework. In addition, a microwave‐assisted procedure for introducing the guanidine unit onto amino amide derivatives is reported. The chiral products were obtained with quantitative chemical efficiency (up to 99 % yield) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee).
Deleterious effects of neuronal accumulation of glycogen in flies and mice
Authors: Duran Jordi , Tevy María Florencia , Garcia‐Rocha Mar , Calbó Joaquim , Milán Marco , Guinovart Joan J.
Published: May 2012

Under physiological conditions, most neurons keep glycogen synthase (GS) in an inactive form and do not show detectable levels of glycogen. Nevertheless, aberrant glycogen accumulation in neurons is a hallmark of patients suffering from Lafora disease or other polyglucosan disorders. Although these diseases are associated with mutations in genes involved in glycogen metabolism, the role of glycogen accumulation remains elusive. Here, we generated mouse and fly models expressing an active form of GS to force neuronal accumulation of glycogen. We present evidence that the progressive accumulation of glycogen in mouse and Drosophila neurons leads to neuronal loss, locomotion defects and reduced lifespan. Our results highlight glycogen accumulation in neurons as a direct cause of neurodegeneration.
Bone Mass Eight Years After Treatment for Adolescent‐Onset Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Halvorsen Inger , Platou Dagmar , Høiseth Arne
Published: May 2012

Objective

This paper aims to study long‐term bone mineral development in former patients with an onset of anorexia nervosa during childhood and adolescence.

Methods

Bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar spine and total hip was measured in 39 female participants (mean age = 23.1 years, SD 3.5) an average of 8.1 (±3.3) years after treatment start.

Results

At follow‐up, seven participants (17.9%) still suffered from an eating disorder. Mean BMD in the former patients was within the normal range in the hip but significantly reduced in the spine. Fourteen (36%) of the participants had osteopenia, and three (8%) had osteoporosis in the spine and/or hip. Amenorrhea for more than two years was associated with reduced BMD in the spine, whereas low weight at follow‐up was associated with low BMD in both the spine and the hip.

Conclusion

A large minority of these former patients had low bone mass in young adulthood. In accordance with other studies, our findings support the importance of weight restoration for future bone health in young patients with anorexia nervosa. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Toxicity of dietary methylmercury to fish: Derivation of ecologically meaningful threshold concentrations
Authors: Depew David C. , Basu Niladri , Burgess Neil M. , Campbell Linda M. , Devlin Ed W. , Drevnick Paul E. , Hammerschmidt Chad R. , Murphy Cheryl A. , Sandheinrich Mark B. , Wiener James G.
Published: May 2012

Threshold concentrations associated with adverse effects of dietary exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) were derived from published results of laboratory studies on a variety of fish species. Adverse effects related to mortality were uncommon, whereas adverse effects related to growth occurred only at dietary MeHg concentrations exceeding 2.5 µg g−1 wet weight. Adverse effects on behavior of fish had a wide range of effective dietary concentrations, but generally occurred above 0.5 µg g−1 wet weight. In contrast, effects on reproduction and other subclinical endpoints occurred at dietary concentrations that were much lower (<0.2 µg g−1 wet wt). Field studies generally lack information on dietary MeHg exposure, yet available data indicate that comparable adverse effects have been observed in wild fish in environments corresponding to high and low MeHg contamination of food webs and are in agreement with the threshold concentrations derived here from laboratory studies. These thresholds indicate that while differences in species sensitivity to MeHg exposure appear considerable, chronic dietary exposure to low concentrations of MeHg may have significant adverse effects on wild fish populations but remain little studied compared to concentrations in mammals or birds. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1536–1547. © 2012 SETAC
Pyrethroid and organophosphate pesticide-associated toxicity in two coastal watersheds (California, USA)
Authors: Phillips Bryn M. , Anderson Brian S. , Hunt John W. , Siegler Katie , Voorhees Jennifer P. , Tjeerdema Ron S. , McNeill Katie
Published: May 2012

Portions of the Santa Maria River and Oso Flaco Creek watersheds in central California, USA, are listed as impaired under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act and require development of total maximum daily load (TMDL) allocations. These listings are for general pesticide contamination, but are largely based on historic monitoring of sediment and fish tissue samples that showed contamination by organochlorine pesticides. Recent studies have shown that toxicity in these watersheds is caused by organophosphate pesticides (water and sediment) and pyrethroid pesticides (sediment). The present study was designed to provide information on the temporal and spatial variability of toxicity associated with these pesticides to better inform the TMDL process. Ten stations were sampled in four study areas, one with urban influences, and the remaining in agriculture production areas. Water toxicity was assessed with the water flea Ceriodaphnia dubia, and sediment toxicity was assessed with the amphipod Hyalella azteca. Stations in the lower Santa Maria River had the highest incidence of toxicity, followed by stations influenced by urban inputs. Toxicity identification evaluations and chemical analysis demonstrated that the majority of the observed water toxicity was attributed to organophosphate pesticides, particularly chlorpyrifos, and that sediment toxicity was caused by mixtures of pyrethroid pesticides. The results demonstrate that both agriculture and urban land uses are contributing toxic concentrations of these pesticides to adjacent watersheds, and regional water quality regulators are now using this information to develop management objectives. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1595–1603. © 2012 SETAC
Enhanced closed‐loop EOSTBC schemes for multiple transmit antennas
Authors: Zhang Peng , Yuan Dongfeng , Zhang Haixia , Zhou Xiaotian
Published: May 2012

In this paper, a novel closed‐loop multiple antennas transmission scheme suitable for M = 2p(p ⩾2) transmit antennas is proposed on the basis of the extended orthogonal space–time block codes. And, all 2p transmit antennas are divided into p groups, and each group includes two antennas, and Alamouti orthogonal space‐time block code is adopted. All p groups are used to transmit the same source symbols, and each group is scaled by one scale matrix before transmission. The elegantly designed scale matrix takes both power allocation and phase rotation into account to optimise the antenna array gain and exploit full transmit diversity while maintaining low linear decoding complexity provided by Alamouti code. By formulating the problem as a convex optimisation problem, the optimal solution for the scale matrix is achieved. In addition, several practical feedback codebook design methods are proposed, and their advantages over the existing closed‐loop extended orthogonal space–time block code schemes are clearly demonstrated by both analysis and simulation results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Asymptotic optimal detection for MIMO communication systems employing tree search with incremental channel partition preprocessing
Authors: Radji Djelili , Leib Harry
Published: May 2012

The high complexity of optimal detection for spatial multplexing multiple‐input multiple‐output systems motivates the need for more practical alternatives. Among many suboptimal schemes reported in the literature, very few can be proven to provide close to optimal performance with low fixed complexity. The recently introduced Selection based Minimum Mean Square Error Ordered Successive Interference Cancellation (Sel‐MMSE‐OSIC) algorithm is one such scheme that employs list‐based detection. Simulations results showed that its performance is nearly indistinguishable from optimal at almost all signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) levels. In this paper, we propose an improved asymptotically optimal fixed‐complexity algorithm that provides substantial complexity reductions over Sel‐MMSE‐OSIC with similar error rate performance. This scheme is based on simplified channel partition and efficient tree‐based list detection. To achieve further reductions in complexity for large constellation sizes, a variable complexity version of this scheme is proposed. The resulting algorithm is a variable complexity scheme that operates on a very small subset of candidates and employs an improved channel partition preprocessing that not only reduces complexity but also guarantees high SNR optimality over space uncorrelated channels. Simulations results confirm that the proposed scheme provides significant complexity reductions over conventional variable complexity detection schemes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is It Rare or Common?
Authors: Adhikari Kaustubh , AlChawa Taofik , Ludwig Kerstin , Mangold Elisabeth , Laird Nan , Lange Christoph
Published: May 2012

Many genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have signals with unknown etiology. This paper addresses the question—is such an association signal caused by rare or common variants that lead to increased disease risk? For a genomic region implicated by a GWAS, we use single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data in a case‐control setting to predict how many common or rare variants there are, using a Bayesian analysis. Our objective is to compute posterior probabilities for configurations of rare and/or common variants. We use an extension of coalescent trees—the ancestral recombination graphs—to model the genealogical history of the samples based on marker data. As we expect SNPs to be in linkage disequilibrium with common disease variants, we can expect the trees to reflect the type of variants. To demonstrate the application, we apply our method to candidate gene sequencing data from a German case‐control study on nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Genet. Epidemiol. 36:419‐429, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structure and reactivity of thiosulfonic acids and their anions: A theoretical study
Authors: Cypryk Marek , Krasiński Grzegorz , Mikołajczyk Marian
Published: May 2012

The structures and properties of thiosulfonic acids, RS(SO2)H, R = H (1), Me (2), t‐Bu, (3), Vi (4), Allyl (5), Ph (6), F (7), Cl (8), Br (9), and CF3 (10)) and their anions have been investigated theoretically by the density functional methods. The calculations show that the thiolo‐tautomers, RS(O)2SH, are by 6–8 kcal/mol lower in Gibbs free energy than the thiono‐tautomers, RS(O)(S)OH in the gas phase. In water, the energy difference between tautomers is reduced to about 2–3 kcal/mol, due to more effective solvation of the thiono forms. Thiono–thiolo isomerization may proceed either intra‐ or intermolecularly. The water molecule participating in intramolecular transfer significantly lowers the energy barrier. The thiosulfonate anions show the ambident character with the negative charge dispersed over terminal O and S atoms and are stabilized by electronegative substituents. A study of nucleophilicity of thiosulfonate anions toward MeBr as well as MeO(S)(O)SH and MeS(O)2SH electrophiles measured as the barriers of SN2 substitutions reveals that terminal S(‐) is a stronger nucleophile than O(‐). It is also softer in terms of the Fukui function. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 23:329–339, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.21021
Provision of health care services in austria. A time series approach
Authors: Radosch Ulrike
Published: May 2012

The presented article describes the investigation of three main variables of the health care system in Austria by applying time series analysis. The quantities under consideration are the stock of physicians working in the ambulatory sector, the number of medical services provided and the related costs. The article discusses non‐stationarity and unit root tests and presents an outlook for the considered variables. One conclusion to be drawn from the presented analysis is the presence of a stochastic element in the analyzed variables.
From private club to professional network: An economic history of the Health Economists' Study Group, 1972–1997
Authors: Croxson Bronwyn
Published: May 2012

HESG was founded in 1972 as part of a conscious effort to establish health economics as an identifiable sub‐discipline. It is debatable whether the growth of health economics was demand‐led or supplier‐driven, but in either case the existence of a HESG played a vital role. HESG was founded as a private club, in the tradition of English gentlemen's clubs, designed to provide a forum for debate and an invisible, supportive faculty for health economists dispersed between different organisations throughout the UK. It was given impetus by public economists at the University of York, who were effectively academic entrepreneurs, motivated in part by private gain, but by their actions overcoming the free‐rider problem that might otherwise have retarded the development of health economics. Over the course of its first 25 years, HESG has changed and its membership has grown and altered in composition ‐ over this period, HESG has evolved from a private club to a professional network. It has made a vital contribution to the existence and form of health economics as a subdiscipline in the United Kingdom, and has in turn itself been influenced by the subdiscipline. As a subdiscipline, UK health economics in the 1990s generally draws on a small body of economic theory and is practised by a distinct, identifiable group of economists. This paper was commissioned by HESG, as a history of the organisation. It also analyses the foundation and evolution of HESG as an institutional arrangement designed to overcome a collective action problem.
The impact of health economics on health policy in England, and the impact of health policy on health economics, 1972–1997
Authors: Hurst Jeremy
Published: May 2012

This paper contains a review of the impact of health economics on health policy in England during the past 25 years. Some health economists have expressed disappointment with the scale of the impact that health economics has had on policy but the record set out below suggests that there is modest cause for celebration. That is not to say that there is cause for complacency. There is still a long way to go before all important health policies are based on sound economics reasoning and evidence.

The paper begins with some definitions and background; it covers nine areas of health policy, and health policy making, where past impacts of health economics have been postulated; it covers briefly the reciprocal impact of health policy on health economics; and it concludes with a discussion about the findings.
Smart‐Home Interface Design: Layout Organization Adapted to Americans' and Koreans' Cognitive Styles
Authors: Jeong Kyeong‐Ah , Proctor Robert W. , Salvendy Gavriel
Published: May 2012

Increases in the number of household appliances and devices with RFID tags have created a need for efficient organization of smart‐home interfaces in consideration of residents. Previous studies of information‐grouping and cultural‐differences in cognitive style on performance have yielded mixed results. Gender has not typically been considered, nor have subjective preferences been measured. We tested four participant groups (American and Korean males and females) and two interface groupings (functional and spatial). Participants performed tasks that required locating controls for specific devices/functions, after which they rated the interfaces on several scales. American males preferred the functional organization, but Koreans and American females tended to prefer the spatial organization. The results are consistent with Koreans' preference for thematic‐structure and the view that men's and women's cognitive styles differ in masculine/individualistic cultures (U.S.) but not in feminine/collectivistic cultures (Korea). Potential applications include physical (e.g., power and wall‐mounted switches) and virtual interactions (e.g., remote controls, GUI/Web/Phone). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of Frequency, Intensity, and Interference of Discomfort in Computerized Numeric Control Machine Operations
Authors: Muthukumar Krishnamoorthy , Sankaranarayanasamy Krishnasamy , Ganguli Anindya Kumar
Published: May 2012

The introduction of Computerized Numeric Control (CNC) technology in manufacturing industries revolutionized the production process a few decades back. There are some health and safety problems associated with these machine operations, however. The main objectives of the present work is to study the health and safety issues associated with the CNC machines with respect to control and display, specifically to determine the frequency, intensity of discomfort, and its interference in operating different CNC machines as reported by the workers operating them. The postural discomfort associated with CNC machines was studied, and the frequency, intensity of discomfort, and interference of the level of discomfort with the participants' ability to work were recorded and analyzed. The study revealed that 20.5% of the operators reported discomfort 1 or 2 times, 25.4% experienced discomfort 3 to 4 times in a week, 37.7% had discomfort daily, and 16.4% reported discomfort several times a day. Discomfort was reported in all the body parts involved (lower back, neck, upper back, shoulder, and leg), but the highest discomfort scores were associated with the shoulder and arm region. Workers reporting discomfort several times a day also reported high mean discomfort scores. The study established that the frequency and intensity of the discomfort in all body parts is related to the position of the control panel and display. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISO 9001 and the Quality of Working Life: An Empirical Study in a Peripheral Service Industry to the Standard's Home Market
Authors: Heras‐Saizarbitoria Iñaki , Cilleruelo Ernesto , Allur Erlantz
Published: May 2012

In recent years, the implementation of quality management systems based on ISO 9001 has clearly gone beyond the traditional industrial and service subsectors. It has started to have a growing influence on some peripheral subsectors to the standard home market, such as those of health and social services. In this article, the influence of the main global management meta‐standard is analyzed from a macroergonomic perspective in one of the aforementioned sectors. Based on an empirical exploratory study carried out in two Spanish organizations belonging to the subsector of residential care homes for elderly persons, the influence of the adoption of the standard is analyzed, focusing on the quality of working life of the direct attention employees. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determination of reaeration‐rate coefficient by modified tracer gas technique
Authors: Soares Pétrick Anderson , Faht Guilherme , Pinheiro Adilson , da Silva Marcos Rivail , Zucco Evelyn
Published: May 2012

The modified tracer gas technique is used to determine the reaeration coefficient in six different water bodies of the Itajaí River basin, three with rural land use and three in urban areas. Propane was used as the tracer gas and Rhodamine WT as the conservative tracer, providing information on dilution, mixing and dispersion. Liquefied petroleum gas was used instead of high purity propane, aimed at reducing the costs associated with the field trials. Reaeration‐rate coefficients observed in the field ranged from 25.8 to 367.7 d−1. Two data sets could be observed where smaller streams had substantially larger coefficients of between 133.1 and 367.7 d−1, while the larger streams had values ​​ranging from 25.8 to 54.5 d−1. Five empirical equations were evaluated by comparing the values ​​obtained in the field. The equations proposed by Tsivolgou and Wallace and Tsivoglou and Neal showed greater adherence to the values ​​determined in the tests. Reaeration‐rate coefficients obtained in the field were correlated with the hydrodynamic characteristics of the watercourses, thus establishing a mathematical function through which to obtain estimates for future evaluations. The R2 value obtained using this equation was 0.959, indicating a high correlation between the calculated values ​​and those estimated in the field. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incorporating accumulated temperature and algorithm of snow cover calculation into the snowmelt runoff model
Authors: Yu Meiyan , Chen Xi , Li Lanhai , Bao Anming , de la Paix Mupenzi Jean
Published: May 2012

An accurate simulation of snowmelt runoff is of much importance in arid alpine regions. Data availability is usually an obstacle to use energy‐based snowmelt models for the snowmelt runoff simulation, and temperature‐based snowmelt models are more appealing in these regions. The snow runoff model is very popular nowadays, especially in the data sparse regions, because only temperature, precipitation and snow cover data are required for inputs to the model. However, this model uses average temperature as index, which cannot reflect the snowmelt simulation in the high altitude band. In this study, the snow runoff model is modified on the basis of accumulated active temperature. Snow cover calculation algorithm is added and is no longer needed as input but output. This makes the model able to simulate long‐time runoff and long‐time snow cover variation in every band. An examination of the improved model in the Manas River basin showed that the model is effective. It can reproduce the behaviour of the hydrology and can reflect the actual snow cover fluctuation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficiency verification of a horizontal flow barrier via flowmeter tests and multilevel sampling
Authors: Mastrocicco M. , Sbarbati C. , Colombani N. , Petitta M.
Published: May 2012

The remediation strategy for an industrial site located in a coastal area involves a pump and treat system and a horizontal flow barrier (HFB) penetrating the main aquifer. To validate the groundwater flow conceptual model and to verify the efficiency of the remediation systems, we carried out piezometric measurements, slug tests, pumping tests, flowmeter tests and multilevel sampling. Flowmeter tests are used to infer vertical groundwater flow directions, and base exchange index is used to infer horizontal flow directions at a metric scale. The selected wells are located both upstream and downstream of the HFB. The installation of the HFB produced constraints to the groundwater flow. A stagnant zone of contaminated freshwater floating over the salt wedge in the upper portion of the aquifer is detected downstream of the HFB. This study confirms that the adopted remediation system is efficiently working in the area upstream of the HFB and even downstream in the bottom part of the aquifer. At the same time, it has also confirmed that hot spots are still present in stagnant zones located downstream of the HFB in the upper part of the aquifer, requiring a different approach to accomplish remediation targets. The integrated approach for flow quantification used in this study allows to discriminate the direction and the magnitude of groundwater fluxes near an HFB in a coastal aquifer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of SNODAS snow depth and snow water equivalent estimates for the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA
Authors: Clow David W. , Nanus Leora , Verdin Kristine L. , Schmidt Jeffrey
Published: May 2012

The National Weather Service's Snow Data Assimilation (SNODAS) program provides daily, gridded estimates of snow depth, snow water equivalent (SWE), and related snow parameters at a 1‐km2 resolution for the conterminous USA. In this study, SNODAS snow depth and SWE estimates were compared with independent, ground‐based snow survey data in the Colorado Rocky Mountains to assess SNODAS accuracy at the 1‐km2 scale. Accuracy also was evaluated at the basin scale by comparing SNODAS model output to snowmelt runoff in 31 headwater basins with US Geological Survey stream gauges. Results from the snow surveys indicated that SNODAS performed well in forested areas, explaining 72% of the variance in snow depths and 77% of the variance in SWE. However, SNODAS showed poor agreement with measurements in alpine areas, explaining 16% of the variance in snow depth and 30% of the variance in SWE. At the basin scale, snowmelt runoff was moderately correlated (R2 = 0.52) with SNODAS model estimates. A simple method for adjusting SNODAS SWE estimates in alpine areas was developed that uses relations between prevailing wind direction, terrain, and vegetation to account for wind redistribution of snow in alpine terrain. The adjustments substantially improved agreement between measurements and SNODAS estimates, with the R2 of measured SWE values against SNODAS SWE estimates increasing from 0.42 to 0.63 and the root mean square error decreasing from 12 to 6 cm. Results from this study indicate that SNODAS can provide reliable data for input to moderate‐scale to large‐scale hydrologic models, which are essential for creating accurate runoff forecasts. Refinement of SNODAS SWE estimates for alpine areas to account for wind redistribution of snow could further improve model performance. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Is estrogen plus progestin menopausal hormone therapy safe with respect to endometrial cancer risk?
Authors: Trabert Britton , Wentzensen Nicolas , Yang Hannah P. , Sherman Mark E. , Hollenbeck Albert R. , Park Yikyung , Brinton Louise A.
Published: May 2012

Given the strong link between use of unopposed estrogens and development of endometrial cancers, estrogens are usually prescribed with a progestin, particularly for women with intact uteri. Some studies suggest that sequential use of progestins may increase risk; however, the moderating effects of usage patterns or patient characteristics, including body mass index (BMI), are unknown. We evaluated menopausal hormone use and incident endometrial cancer (n = 885) in 68,419 postmenopausal women with intact uteri enrolled in the National Institutes of Health‐American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health study. Participants completed a risk factor questionnaire in 1996–1997 and were followed up through 2006. Hazard rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression. Among 19,131 women reporting exclusive estrogen plus progestin use, 176 developed endometrial cancer (RR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.74–1.06). Long‐duration (≥10 years) sequential (<15 days progestin per month) estrogen plus progestin use was positively associated with risk (RR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.36–2.60], whereas continuous (>25 days progestin per month) estrogen plus progestin use was associated with a decreased risk (RR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.49–0.83). Increased risk for sequential estrogen plus progestin was seen only among thin‐to‐normal weight women (BMI < 25 kg/m2; RR = 2.53). Our findings support that specific categories of estrogen plus progestin use increases endometrial cancer risk, specifically long durations of sequential progestins, whereas decreased endometrial cancer risk was observed for users of short‐duration continuous progestins. Risks were highest among thin‐to‐normal weight women, presumably reflecting their lower endogenous estrogen levels, suggesting that menopausal hormones and obesity increase endometrial cancer through common etiologic pathways.
The Src SH2 domain interacts dynamically with the focal adhesion kinase binding site as demonstrated by paramagnetic nmr spectroscopy
Authors: Lindfors Hanna E. , Drijfhout Jan Wouter , Ubbink Marcellus
Published: May 2012

The interaction between the tyrosine kinases Src and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key step in signaling processes from focal adhesions. The phosphorylated tyrosine residue 397 in FAK is able to bind the Src SH2 domain. To establish the extent of the FAK binding motif, the binding affinity of the SH2 domain for phosphorylated and unphosphorylated FAK‐derived peptides of increasing length was determined and compared with that of the internal Src SH2 binding site. It is shown that the FAK peptides have higher affinity than the internal binding site and that seven negative residues adjacent to the core SH2 binding motif increase the binding constant 30‐fold. A rigid spin‐label incorporated in the FAK peptides was used to establish on the basis of paramagnetic relaxation enhancement whether the peptide–protein complex is well defined. A large spread of the paramagnetic effects on the surface of the SH2 domain suggests that the peptide–protein complex exhibits dynamics, despite the high affinity of the peptide. The strong electrostatic interaction between the positive side of the SH2 domain and the negative peptide results in a high affinity but may also favor a dynamic interaction. © 2012 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 2012
Using Art to Assess Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking in Adolescents
Authors: Holdren Tara Shoemaker
Published: May 2012

In the current testing environment, high school reading teachers may often rely on a multiple‐choice assessment as the best practice. This study suggests that a visual arts assessment of reading comprehension can rigorously measure critical thinking. This action research study follows 21 high school juniors through the selection, creation, and presentation of visual arts projects specifically crafted to record and assess the skills of analysis and synthesis of information in literature. Anecdotal data was videotaped and manually documented by the researcher, and the research concluded with a focus group discussion to solicit students' feedback on the process. Project rubric criteria and students' explanations of their decision‐making process proved essential to maintaining rigorous intellectual involvement. Educators delivering differentiated instruction could benefit from this alternative way of assessing comprehension skills and soliciting higher level thinking. Demonstrating comprehension through art, students experience increased engagement with the subject matter and develop essential cognitive skills.
Bidialectal African American Adolescents' Beliefs About Spoken Language Expectations in English Classrooms
Authors: Godley Amanda , Escher Allison
Published: May 2012

This article describes the perspectives of bidialectal African American adolescents—adolescents who speak both African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and Standard English—on spoken language expectations in their English classes. Previous research has demonstrated that many teachers hold negative views ofAAVE, but existing scholarship has not considered the perspectives of students themselves. For this study, 51 African American adolescents were asked to write about the dialects they thought students should speak in their English classes. Most students noted that speaking Standard English in professional situations was important, but they expressed diverse opinions about dialect use in their English classes. Students' opinions centered on four themes: (1) fear of external judgment, (2) desire for clear communication, (3) maintenance of identity, and (4) demonstration of respect. The article concludes with suggestions for productive instructional approaches to spoken language and dialect use during literacy activities.
Twenty-five years of PTHrP progress: From cancer hormone to multifunctional cytokine
Authors: McCauley Laurie K , Martin T John
Published: May 2012

Twenty-five years ago a “new” protein was identified from cancers that caused hypercalcemia. It was credited for its ability to mimic parathyroid hormone (PTH), and hence was termed parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP). Today it is recognized for its widespread distribution, its endocrine, paracrine, and intracrine modes of action driving numerous physiologic and pathologic conditions, and its central role in organogenesis. The multiple biological activities within a complex molecule with paracrine modulation of adjacent target cells present boundless possibilities. The protein structure of PTHrP has been traced, dissected, and deleted comprehensively and conditionally, yet numerous questions lurk in its past that will carry into the future. Issues of the variable segments of the protein, including the enigmatic nuclear localization sequence, are only recently being clarified. Aspects of PTHrP production and action in the menacing condition of cancer are emerging as dichotomies that may represent intended temporal actions of PTHrP. Relative to PTH, the hormone regulating calcium homeostasis, PTHrP “controls the show” locally at the PTH/PTHrP receptor throughout the body. Great strides have been made in our understanding of PTHrP actions, yet years of exciting investigation and discovery are imminent. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Targeted inhibition of T-cell factor activity promotes syndecan-2 expression and sensitization to doxorubicin in osteosarcoma cells and bone tumors in mice
Authors: Dieudonné François-Xavier , Marion Allison , Marie Pierre J , Modrowski Dominique
Published: May 2012

Alterations of Wnt signaling appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma, presenting mutations of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and epigenetic downregulation of Wnt inhibitory factor 1. However, the precise role of Wnt effectors in the bone cancer progression remains unclear. We previously showed that Wnt/β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) activation are responsible for the repression of syndecan-2, a key modulator of apoptosis and chemosensitivity in osteosarcoma cells, suggesting a role of Wnt signaling in chemoresistance. In this study, we investigated the functional relationship between syndecan-2, Wnt/β-catenin/TCF signaling and chemosensitivity in these cells. To this goal, we selected resistant osteosarcoma cells from sensitive human cell lines using repeated exposures to doxorubicin. In doxorubicin-responsive but not in doxorubicin-resistant-derived cells syndecan-2 expression was upregulated by doxorubicin treatment. Moreover, syndecan-2 overexpression restored the sensitivity to doxorubicin in resistant-derived cells. We found that syndecan-2 induction by doxorubicin is forkhead box protein O3A (Foxo3a)-dependent. Foxo3a overexpression resulted in increased syndecan-2 expression in sensitive and resistant-derived cells. Doxorubicin modulated Foxo3a binding on syndecan-2 gene promoter and induced Foxo-dependent inhibition of Wnt/TCF activity. Conversely, β-catenin/TCF activation impaired syndecan-2 induction by doxorubicin, indicating that Wnt signaling is competing with the action of the cytotoxic drug. However, β-catenin was also found to be required for Foxo3a activity. Consistently, Dickkopf 1 (DKK1) and secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (sFRP-1) altered doxorubicin action in sensitive cells, whereas inhibition of TCF activity strongly decreased cell viability and increased sensitivity to doxorubicin in sensitive and resistant cells. TCF inhibition also increased the effect of doxorubicin treatment in an orthotopic bone tumor model in mice. Altogether, these data provide evidence that the repression of syndecan-2 by Wnt/β-catenin/TCF signaling contributes to the resistance of osteosarcoma cells to doxorubicin and suggest that TCF inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic strategy in osteosarcoma. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Inhibition of butyrate uptake by the primary bile salt chenodeoxycholic acid in intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Gonçalves Pedro , Catarino Telmo , Gregório Inês , Martel Fátima
Published: May 2012

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that bile acids may play a role in CRC etiology. Our aim was to characterize the effect of the primary bile acid chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) upon14C‐BT uptake in tumoral (Caco‐2) and non‐tumoral (IEC‐6) intestinal epithelial cell lines. A 2‐day exposure to CDCA markedly and concentration‐dependently inhibited 14C‐BT uptake by IEC‐6 cells (IC50 = 120 µM), and, less potently, by Caco‐2 cells (IC50 = 402 µM). The inhibitory effect of CDCA upon 14C‐BT uptake did not result from a decrease in cell proliferation or viability. In IEC‐6 cells: (1) uptake of 14C‐BT involves both a high‐affinity and a low‐affinity transporter, and CDCA acted as a competitive inhibitor of the high‐affinity transporter; (2) CDCA inhibited both Na+‐coupled monocarboxylate cotransporter 1 (SMCT1)‐ and H+‐coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1)‐mediated uptake of 14C‐BT; (3) CDCA significantly increased the mRNA expression level of SMCT1; (4) inhibition of 14C‐BT uptake by CDCA was dependent on CaM, MAP kinase (ERK1/2 and p38 pathways), and PKC activation, and reduced by a reactive oxygen species scavenger. Finally, BT (5 mM) decreased IEC‐6 cell viability and increased IEC‐6 cell differentiation, and CDCA (100 µM) reduced this effect. In conclusion, CDCA is an effective inhibitor of 14C‐BT uptake in tumoral and non‐tumoral intestinal epithelial cells, through inhibition of both H+‐coupled MCT1‐ and SMCT1‐mediated transport. Given the role played by BT in the intestine, this mechanism may contribute to the procarcinogenic effect of CDCA at this level. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2937–2947, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Green Method for the Synthesis of Cyclopenta[b]chromen‐1(9H)‐one Derivatives in Ionic Liquids
Authors: Sheng Jie , Zhang Mei‐Mei , Jiang Hong , Wang Xiang‐Shan
Published: May 2012

A series of cyclopenta[b]chromen‐1(9H)‐one derivatives is prepared in high yields by a one‐pot reaction of substituted salicylaldehydes and cyclopentane‐1,3‐dione in ionic liquids of [BMIm]Br, the procedure is very mild and environmentally benign.
Syntheses of Amino Group‐Substituted N‐Confused Porphyrins
Authors: Rosa Mira Anne C. , Arco Susan D. , Hung Chen‐Hsiung
Published: May 2012

Tetraphenyl N‐confused porphyrins (NCTPP) bearing amino substituents were synthesized for the purpose of functionalization toward water‐soluble and biocompatible molecules. The Pd‐catalyzed coupling reaction of 4‐ethynylaniline with the 2‐bromo NCTPP Ag(III) complex yields Pd(II) and Ag(III) coupling products (4a and 4b), at 39% and 55%, respectively. The identities of these products were confirmed by the differences in the isotope patterns of their molecular ion peaks as well as other spectroscopic data. The Ag(III) coupling product, 4b, was demetallated to form the final product, 5, with a yield of 85%. The meso‐tetrakis(4‐nitrophenyl) N‐confused porphyrin, 6, was synthesized through a methanesulfonic acid catalyzed condensation of pyrrole with the 4‐nitrobenzaldehyde with a yield of 6.8%. Reduction of the compound to meso tetrakis(4‐aminophenyl) N‐confused porphyrin, 7, was achieved with a yield of 90%.
Photocatalytic Activity of Fe and Ce Co‐doped Mesoporous TiO2 Catalyst under UV and Visible Light
Authors: Shi Zhongliang , Lai Hong , Yao Shuhua , Wang Shaofeng
Published: May 2012

The catalysts of un‐doped, single‐doped and co‐doped mesoporous titanium dioxide (MTiO2) were prepared by a template method with tetrabutyltitanate (Ti(OC4H9)4) as a Ti source material and Pluronic P123 as a template. The photo‐absorbance of the obtained catalysts was measured by UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy, and the photocatalytic activities of the prepared samples under UV and visible light were estimated by measuring the degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) (50 mg/L) in an aqueous solution. It was shown that the co‐doped MTiO2 could be activated by visible light and could thus be used as an effective catalyst in photo‐oxidation reactions. The effect of Fe and Ce co‐dopants on the material properties was investigated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption‐desorption isotherm measurement. The characterizations indicated that the photocatalysts possessed a homogeneous pore diameter of ca. 10 nm with high surface area of ca. 150 m2/g. The photocatalytic activity of MTiO2 co‐doped with Fe and Ce was markedly improved due to the synergistic actions of the two dopants.
2‐Starters, Graceful Labelings, and a Doubling Construction for the Oberwolfach Problem
Authors: Buratti Marco , Traetta Tommaso
Published: May 2012

Every 1‐rotationalsolution of a classic or twofold Oberwolfach problem (OP) of ordernis generated by a suitable 2‐factor (starter) ofor, respectively. It is shown that any starter of a twofold OP of orderngives rise to a starter of a classic OP of order(doubling construction). It is also shown that by suitably modifying the starter of a classic OP, one may obtain starters of some other OPs of the same order but having different parameters. The combination of these two constructions leads to lots of new infinite classes of solvable OPs. Still more classes can be obtained with the help of a third construction making use of the possiblegracefulnessof a graph whose connected components are cycles and at most one path. As one of the many applications, Hilton and Johnson's [J London Math Soc, 64 (2001) 513–522] boundabout the solvability of OPis improved toin the case ofreven. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Combin. Designs 20: 483‐503, 2012