bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chimeric partial scapula and latissimus dorsi muscle flap for midfoot reconstruction: A case report
Authors: Chen Cha‐Chun , Lin Chi‐Huwang , Lin Yu‐Hsien
Published: July 2012

Free muscular, osteomuscular, and fasciocutaneous flaps are widely used for midfoot reconstruction. The latissimus dorsi (LD) flap is rich in muscle mass, but the weight‐bearing ability of the reconstruction with its combination with a scapula or rib has not been evaluated. Here, we report a case of reconstruction of the right midfoot with the trauma‐related osteomyelitis using a free chimeric scapula and LD muscle flap in a 59‐year‐old woman with diabetes mellitus. After radical debridement and sequestrectomy, a 7 × 3 cm2 wound with a 5 × 3 cm2 bony defect was reconstructed with the chimeric scapula and LD muscle flap. The postoperative course was uneventful. The bony union was achieved 6 months after surgery. In 14 months follow‐up, no clinical complications including a new ulcer or stress fracture were noted. At the end of follow‐up, the gait analysis showed an unbalanced stress distribution on the right foot and a valgus gait. We suggest that this chimeric scapula and LD muscle flap may be an alternative option for midfoot reconstruction. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
A simple fractal geometry to design multiband frequency selective surfaces
Authors: Campos A. L. P. S. , da Silva Segundo F. C. G. , Maniçoba R. H. C. , Gomes Neto A. , D'Assunção A. G.
Published: July 2012

This article presents simulation and experimental investigation of a frequency‐selective surface (FSS) using simple fractal geometry. The geometry used in design of multiband FSS was the fractal spiral element (FSE). Simulated results obtained to fractals FSS were compared with measured results. Three structures were designed with FSE Levels 4, 5, and 6. These entire structures act like stop‐band filters with multiband response. Both simulation and experimental investigations were done. Simulation investigation was performed using the Ansoft Designer™ software. Experimental investigation was performed using an Agilent Technologies vector network analyzer—model N5230A. A good agreement between the results was obtained. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54: 2321–2325, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27045
Portable Mbps point‐to‐point OOK‐NRZ visible light communication devices based on white light‐emitting diode illuminant
Authors: Liu Yang , Zheng Chuan‐Tao , Li Yan‐Ting , Ye Wei‐Lin
Published: July 2012

By using on‐off‐keying nonreturn‐to‐zero modulation, a reliable point‐to‐point visible light communication (VLC) data link between the developed portable VLC transmitter and receiver is established. The VLC structure and principle, the spectral characteristics of white light‐emitting diode, and visible detector, and the time‐ and frequency‐domain electro‐optical‐electro responses, are experimentally studied. Under a definite threshold voltage, the VLC transmission turns out to be band pass feature, and at a communication distance of 0.5 m, the maximum bit rate is up to 4 Mbps. Besides, for dropping the bit error ratio to an acceptable value, a modulation coefficient within the range of 0.68∼1 is preferred, and a suitable bias voltage range is also desired. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2248–2252, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27052
Small square slot antenna with dual band‐notch function by using inverted T‐shaped ring conductor‐backed plane
Authors: Ojaroudi Nasser , Ojaroudi Mohammad
Published: July 2012

In this article, a novel method for designing a new slot antenna with dual band‐notch characteristic for ultra‐wideband applications has been presented. By inserting a coupled inverted T‐shaped ring strip on the other side of the substrate, a dual band‐notch function generated, also additional resonance is excited and hence much wider impedance bandwidth can be produced, especially at the higher band. The measured results reveal that the presented dual band‐notch slot antenna offers a wide bandwidth with two notched bands, covering all the 5.2/5.8‐GHz wireless local area network, 3.5/5.5‐GHz WiMAX, and 4‐GHz C bands. The designed antenna has a small size of 20 × 20 mm2. Good return loss and radiation pattern characteristics are obtained in the frequency band of interest. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2267–2270, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27057
Methods to improve the bandwidth performance for compact dielectric resonator antennas
Authors: Ge Yuehe
Published: July 2012

Two techniques are implemented to improve the impedance matching and the bandwidth of ultrawideband (UWB) rectangular stacked dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs), making them more reliable for FCC UWB application.Cutting a groove on the bottom side of the dielectric resonator can improve the impedance matching within the UWB bandwidth, whereas a square metallic patch connected to a coaxial probe to excite the DRA can extend the entire UWB. Applying the two techniques together to the rectangular stacked DRA can both improve the impedance matching and the bandwidth, without compromising any performance. Theoretical and experimental verification for the two techniques are conducted. A prototype antenna that has a dielectric volume of 12 × 8 × 14.9 mm3 (or 0.124λ × 0.083λ × 0.152λ at 3.1 GHz) achieves a |S11| < −10 dB bandwidth of 111.2%, covering the entire FCC UWB bandwidth (3.1–10.6 GHz, 1:3.4 or 109.5%), and an average measured gain of 6 dBi over the band. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2252–2256, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27058
Novel compact UWB antenna with reconfigurable dual‐band notches using pin diode switches actuated without λg/4 DC bias lines
Authors: Naser‐Moghadasi Mohammad , Reza Haraty Mohammad , Seyed Momeni Seyed Majid , Virdee Bal S.
Published: July 2012

This article presents a simple and compact ultrawideband (UWB) microstrip antenna whose band limited notches can be dynamically reconfigured individually to circumvent the problem of interference encountered between UWB and WiMAX/WLAN systems. The coplanar waveguide‐fed antenna includes a defected ground structure (DGS) that generates the desired notch bands at the two aforementioned service bands. PIN diodes integrated within the DGS are used to electronically control the individual band limited notches without affecting each other's characteristics and the antenna's overall performance. The proposed technique offers the solution to the problem encountered in existing reconfigurable antennas which serve only one frequency band at a time. Furthermore, the proposed antenna use PIN diodes that do not need any dc bias line etched on the dielectric substrate, and thereby avoiding the problems associated with dc effects. Details of the antenna's design and simulation results are presented and validated with practical measurements. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2392–2397, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27066
Influence of probe pressure when using MM‐wave open‐ended probe for diagnosis of the human skin
Authors: Smulders P.F.M. , Janssen N.
Published: July 2012

Millimeter‐wave (mm‐wave) reflectometry is a potentially interesting technique to analyze the human skin. We examined the possible influence of the probe pressure on the reflection coefficient obtained with a mm‐wave empty open‐ended wave‐guide probe when used for diagnosis of human skin. It is demonstrated that this influence can be considerable.© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2341–2342, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27074
Microstrip L‐band antenna based on julia prefractal curve
Authors: Caramanica F.
Published: July 2012

In this Letter, a wideband antenna operating in a portion of the L‐Band frequency range is presented. The antenna is based on a prefractal geometry belonging to Julia Set and optimized by means of hybrid‐coded genetic algorithm to minimize size and voltage‐standing‐wave‐ratio coefficient and consequently meet physical and electrical requirements. After numerical assessment, a prototype of the global positioning system‐band antenna has been built and experimentally tested. The comparison between numerical and experimental data shows a good agreement and the satisfaction of requirements. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2327–2330, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27088
Compact single‐feed circularly polarized aperture‐coupled stack antenna with minkowski‐island‐based fractal patch
Authors: Hung Tian‐Fu , Liu Ji‐Chyun , Bor Sheau‐Shong , Chen Chi Chiang
Published: July 2012

The authors propose a compact single‐feed stack antenna consisting of a Minkowski‐island‐based (MIB) fractal patch with perturbation, an aperture‐coupled structure, and a straight‐strip feed line for circular polarization (CP) and unidirectional radiation applications. The MIB fractal configuration with second‐order iteration is embedded in the patch for miniaturization. The size reduction of 39.1% is achieved in contrast to the typical patch antenna. This fractal structure applies both dual‐mode and orthogonal mode effects simultaneously in the square patch to present bandwidth (BW) and CP characteristics. The stack antenna presents the desired axial ratio (AR) bands of 2.44 GHz with 3‐dB BW = 30 MHz (1.2%). The CP is demonstrated with AR spectrum, orthogonal modes distributions, and phase difference. The proposed antenna is successfully simulated and measured with frequency responses, radiation patterns, and current distributions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2278–2283, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27090
Accelerated point spread function mapping using signal modeling for accurate echo‐planar imaging geometric distortion correction
Authors: Dragonu Iulius , Lange Thomas , Baxan Nicoleta , Snyder Jeff , Hennig Juergen , Zaitsev Maxim
Published: July 2012

Echo‐planar imaging is a fast and commonly used magnetic resonance imaging technique with applications in diffusion weighted and functional MRI. Fast data acquisition in echo‐planar imaging is accomplished by the extended readout, which also introduces sensitivity to off‐resonance effects such as amplitude of static (polarizing) field inhomogeneities and eddy‐currents. These off‐resonance effects produce geometric distortions in the corresponding echo‐planar images. To correct for these distortions, an acceleration of point spread function (PSF) acquisition using a special sampling pattern is presented in this work. The proposed technique allows for reliable and fully automated distortion correction of echo‐planar images at a field strength of 3 T. Additionally, a new approach to visualize and determine the distortions in a hybrid (x, y, kPSF) three‐dimensional space is proposed. The accuracy and robustness of the proposed technique is demonstrated in phantom and in vivo experiments. The accuracy of the presented method here is compared to previous techniques for echo‐planar imaging distortion correction such as PLACE. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Attitudes towards prenatal testing and termination of pregnancy in British Pakistani parents and relatives of children with recessive conditions in the UK
Authors: Ahmed S. , Ahmed M. , Sharif S. M. , Sheridan E. , Taylor G. R.
Published: July 2012

Objective

To compare British Pakistani parents' and their relatives' attitudes to prenatal testing (PND) and termination of pregnancy (TOP) for a range of conditions.

Method

A total of 222 British Pakistani participants: 117 parents of children with a child with a genetic condition (52 fathers and 65 mothers) and 103 of their relatives (51 males and 52 females) completed a structured questionnaire about their attitudes toward PND and TOP for 30 different conditions.

Results

Parents were more accepting of PND (P < 0.001) and TOP (P < 0.001) than their relatives for most of the conditions. Male relatives were consistently least interested in PND and TOP, except for conditions at the serious end of the continuum, where over 90% would opt for PND for quadriplegia and anencephaly, and over 60% would opt for TOP for these conditions.

Conclusion

The lower level of interest in PND and TOP in relatives, particularly men, may be due to lack of information disseminated by parents about their child's recessive inheritance and its implications for relatives, resulting in poor understanding of genetic risk. These findings highlight the need for the provision of proactive genetic counselling to raise awareness of genetic risk and facilitate informed reproductive decision‐making in at‐risk relatives. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adult antisocial syndrome co‐morbid with borderline personality disorder is associated with severe conduct disorder, substance dependence and violent antisociality
Authors: Freestone Mark , Howard Rick , Coid Jeremy W. , Ullrich Simone
Published: July 2012

This study tested the hypothesis that syndromal adult antisocial behaviour (AABS) co‐morbid with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a syndrome that emerges from severe conduct disorder (CD) in childhood and adolescence and is strongly associated, in adulthood, with both violence and substance dependence. In a sample of 8 580 community‐resident adults screened for the presence of personality disorders, the following predictions arising from this hypothesis were tested: first, that those with AABS co‐morbid with BPD would, in comparison with those showing AABS or BPD only, show a high level of antisocial outcomes, including violence; second, that adjusting for co‐morbid alcohol dependence would attenuate group differences in many of the antisocial outcomes, and violence in particular; and third, that the AABS/BPD group would show both a high prevalence and a high severity of CD, and that adjusting for co‐morbid CD would attenuate any association found between AABS/BPD co‐morbidity and violence. Results confirmed these predictions, suggesting that AABS/BPD co‐morbidity mediates the relationship between childhood CD and a predisposition to adult violence. The triad of AABS/BPD co‐morbidity, alcohol dependence and severe CD is likely associated with the risk of criminal recidivism in offenders with personality disorder following release into the community. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relationship between structure and efficiency of atropisomeric phosphine ligands in homogeneous catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation
Authors: Demchuk Oleg M. , Arlt Dieter , Jasiński Radomir , Pietrusiewicz K. Michal
Published: July 2012

A relationship between the structure of biaryl atropisomeric diphosphine ligands and their efficiency in model rhodium catalyzed asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation reactions have been studied with an attempt to separate the two main factors influencing the performance of the ligand in the catalyst core namely, the steric and the electronic factors. A series of new biaryl atropisomeric bisphosphines with only one substituent varied in its electron‐donating versus electron‐withdrawing ability placed in a position that should in principle not affect the ligand conformation was designed and synthesized for this purpose. Screening of these ligands in model rhodium catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenations revealed that both yields and especially optical purities of the obtained products are in a clear‐cut relationship with the nature of the single substituent varied in the ligand structure. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physical activity and exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction in Greek schoolchildren
Authors: Anthracopoulos Michael B. , Fouzas Sotirios , Papadopoulos Marios , Antonogeorgos George , Papadimitriou Anastasios , Panagiotakos Demosthenes B. , Nicolaidou Polyxeni , Priftis Kostas N.
Published: July 2012

Objective

To investigate the association between physical activity and exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in an urban population sample of schoolchildren, taking into account potential confounders such as asthma symptoms and overweight.

Methods

Children aged 10–12 years answered validated questionnaires on physical activity (Physical Activity and Lifestyle Questionnaire) and asthma symptoms (ISAAC questionnaire), and were categorized according to their body mass index (BMI). EIB (FEV1 decrease from baseline ≥13%) was assessed by a standardized free running Exercise Challenge Test (ECT).

Results

Six hundred seven children completed the ECT. There were no differences among asthma groups (diagnosed asthma, asthma‐related symptoms not diagnosed as asthma, no asthma‐related symptoms) regarding total daily energy expenditure and time spent in mild (1.1–2.9 metabolic equivalents—METs), moderate (3–6 METs), and vigorous (>6 METs) activities. Only overweight/obese EIB‐positive children had shorter duration of vigorous activity as compared to their EIB‐negative or non‐overweight/obese EIB‐positive peers. Total daily energy expenditure and duration of mild‐ and moderate‐intensity activity were negatively associated with EIB independently of BMI status or asthma‐related symptoms.

Conclusions

Decreased levels of physical activity are associated with EIB irrespectively of BMI status and asthma‐related symptoms. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the negative impact of sedentary lifestyle on the development of EIB suggested by these findings. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012. 47:1080–1087. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Current trends in α‐helical membrane protein crystallization: An update
Authors: Parker Joanne L. , Newstead Simon
Published: July 2012

α‐Helical membrane proteins (MPs) are the targets for many pharmaceutical drugs and play important roles in human physiology. In recent years, significant progress has been made in determining their atomic structure using X‐ray crystallography. However, a major bottleneck in MP crystallography still remains, namely, the identification of conditions that give crystals that are suitable for structural determination. In 2008, we undertook an analysis of the crystallization conditions for 121 α‐helical MPs to design a rationalized sparse matrix crystallization screen, MemGold. We now report an updated analysis that includes a further 133 conditions. The results reveal the current trends in α‐helical MP crystallization with notable differences since 2008. The updated information has been used to design new crystallization and additive screens that should prove useful for both initial crystallization scouting and subsequent crystal optimization.
Triazole fungicides and the selection of resistance to medical triazoles in the opportunistic mould Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Verweij Paul E , Kema Gert HJ , Zwaan Bas , Melchers Willem JG
Published: July 2012

Azole resistance is an emerging problem in the opportunistic mould Aspergillus fumigatus. The triazoles are the most important agents for the management of Aspergillus diseases in humans. Selection for acquired resistance may occur in the hospital setting through exposure to high doses of azoles during azole therapy, but evidence is accumulating that A. fumigatus may become resistant to medical triazoles through environmental exposure to fungicides. The recovery of A. fumigatus isolates resistant to the medical triazoles from azole‐naive patients as well as from the environment strongly indicates an environmental route of resistance selection. Molecule alignment studies have identified five fungicides that share a very similar molecule structure with the medical triazoles, and thus may have selected for mechanisms that confer resistance to both groups of compounds. It is important to explore further the presumed fungicide‐driven route of resistance selection in order to implement effective preventive measures as the prevalence of azole resistance in A. fumigatus continues to increase and causes major challenges in the management of azole‐resistant Aspergillus diseases. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Effective attenuation lengths for photoelectrons in thin films of silicon oxynitride and hafnium oxynitride on silicon
Authors: Powell C. J. , Werner W. S. M. , Smekal W. , Tasneem G.
Published: July 2012

We have used the National Institute of Standards and Technology Database for the Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA) to simulate photoelectron intensities for thin films of SiO1.6N0.4 and HfO1.9N0.1 on silicon with excitation by Al Kα X‐rays. We considered Si 2p3/2 photoelectrons from SiO1.6N0.4 and the substrate and Hf 4f7/2 photoelectrons from HfO1.9N0.1. The simulations were performed for ranges of film thicknesses and photoelectron emission angles and for two common configurations for X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the sample‐tilting configuration and the Theta Probe configuration. We determined photoelectron effective attenuation lengths (EALs) by two methods, one by analyzing photoelectron intensities as a function of film thickness for each emission angle (Method 1) and the other by analyzing photoelectron intensities as a function of emission angle for each film thickness (Method 2). Our analyses were made with simple expressions that had been derived with the assumption that elastic‐scattering effects were negligible. We found that EALs from both methods were systematically larger for the Theta Probe configuration, by amounts varying between 1% and 5%, than those for the sample‐tilting configuration. These differences were attributed to anisotropy effects in the photoionization cross section that are expected to occur in the former configuration. Generally, similar EALs were found by each method for each film material although larger EALs were found from Method 2 for film thicknesses less than 1.5 nm. SESSA is a useful tool for showing how elastic scattering of photoelectrons modifies EALs for particular materials, film thicknesses, and XPS configurations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface characterization of nanoparticles: different surface analytical techniques compared
Authors: Kersting R. , Breitenstein D. , Hagenhoff B. , Fartmann M. , Heller D. , Grehl T. , Brüner P. , Niehuis E.
Published: July 2012

The rapidly growing interest in nanoparticles (NPs) as part of technical products conflicts with the limited knowledge about potential health risks. This dilemma is the initial point of the project NanoPaCT where, based on the chemical composition of NPs and toxicological tests, a forecast on their biological activity should be made. For the chemical characterization of the outer surface of core‐shell NPs, an excellent surface sensitivity of the applied analytical techniques is required. In this article, we will present data on an approach to optimise time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) to this need. The effect of primary ion parameters (species, energy) was studied on a model system (HfO2 on Si) as well as on Lumidot core‐shell NPs. The full layer closure of both films was proofed by means of low energy ion scattering. On the flat high‐K sample, a clear variation of surface sensitivity could be observed as function of primary ion (PI) parameters. In contrast to this, almost no effect was found on core‐shell NPs which behave in the experiment like homogeneous particles. These results indicate that NPs probably melt‐up or evaporate after direct or grazing impact of PI at typical energies used in ToF‐SIMS. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The C allele of synonymous SNP (rs1142636, Asn170Asn) in SYN1 is a risk factor for the susceptibility of Korean female schizophrenia
Authors: Yu Gyeong Im , Kim Su Kang , Park Hae Jeong , Kim Jong Woo , Chung Joo‐Ho , Shin Dong Hoon
Published: July 2012

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of synapsin I (SYN1) (rs1142636, Asn170Asn, Xp11.23) and SYN2 (rs2289708, 3′‐untranslated region, 3p25) in schizopherenia. Methods: Two hundred eighty six schizophrenia patients and 304 control subjects were recruited. SNPs with a know heterozygosity and minor allele frequency (MAF) > 0.1 in Asian populations were selected and genotyped by direct sequencing. Results: The allelic frequencies of rs1142636 (SYN1) were associated with schizophrenia (P < 0.05), respectively. The allelic frequency of rs1142636 in all subjects was associated with schizophrenia [P = 0.000059, OR = 2.17 (95% CI = 1.47–3.18)]. The C allele frequency of rs1142636 was higher in schizophrenia (20.8%) than that in controls (10.8%). In the analysis of gender, the allelic frequency of rs1142636 was also strongly associated with female schizophrenia [P = 0.0001, OR = 2.65 (95% CI = 1.61–4.36)], but not with male schizophrenia. The C allele frequency of rs1142636 was higher in female schizophrenia (22.2%) than that in female controls (9.7%). The rs2289708 SNP (SYN2) did not show any association between schizophrenia and controls. Conclusions: These results suggest that the C allele of a synonymous SNP (rs1142636, Asn170Asn, Xp11.23) in SYN1 may be a risk factor for the susceptibility of Koreran female schizophrenia. Synapse 66:979–983, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Detection of ischemic neuronal damage with [18F]BMS‐747158‐02, a mitochondrial complex‐1 positron emission tomography ligand: Small animal PET study in rat brain
Authors: Fukumoto Dai , Nishiyama Shingo , Harada Norihiro , Yamamoto Shigeyuki , Tsukada Hideo
Published: July 2012

The acute and subacute ischemic neuronal damage in rat brain caused by photochemically induced thrombosis (PIT) was imaged using [18F]BMS‐747158‐02 ([18F]BMS) for mitochondrial complex‐1 (MC‐1) and [11C](R)‐PK11195 ([11C](R)‐PK) for peripheral benzodiazepine receptor [PBR; translocator protein] at preischemic “Normal,” 1 (day 1), and 7 days (day 7) after ischemic insult. When [18F]BMS was intravenously injected into “Normal” rat, it was rapidly taken up into the brain, in which it showed a homogeneous distribution, and the uptake was suppressed by rotenone, a specific MC‐1 inhibitor. The specificity of [18F]BMS binding to MC‐1 was also confirmed by living brain slice imaging. At day 1, [18F]BMS uptake was low in infarct and peri‐infarct regions where neuronal damage was detected by 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. At day 7, the damaged areas determined using [18F]BMS revealed some discrepancy from those detected by TTC staining, suggesting that TTC stained not only surviving cells but also activated microglial cells in the peri‐infarct region. This was also confirmed by [11C](R)‐PK imaging and immunohistochemical assessment with Iba1 antibody. In contrast, the uptake pattern of [18F]BMS was consistent with immunohistochemical assessment with NeuN antibody at both days 1 and 7. These results demonstrated that [18F]BMS could be a promising positron emission tomography ligand to assess the neuronal damage induced by ischemic insult in both acute and subacute phases. Synapse 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Paradoxical effects of the endocannabinoid uptake inhibitor VDM11 on accumbal neural encoding of reward predictive cues
Authors: Oleson Erik B. , Cheer Joseph F.
Published: July 2012

A growing body of evidence implicates the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in brain reward function. Previous studies show that antagonizing eCB transmission decreases reward‐directed behavior and nucleus accumbens (NAc) encoding of reward predictive cues. We, therefore, hypothesized that elevating eCB levels would uniformly facilitate NAc neural encoding of reward predictive cues and reward‐directed behavior. Contrary to our expectations, the eCB transport uptake inhibitor, VDM11, dose dependently decreased both measures. Synapse 66:984–988, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Will the Olympics make us fitter or fatter?
Authors: Kirby Roger
Published: July 2012

The contrast between the habits of those who compete and those who spectate highlights one of the central paradoxes of modern life: our aspirations for a slim, healthy body are undermined by the temptation to eat and drink too much. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
The athlete's heart
Authors: Gati Sabiha , Sharma Sanjay
Published: July 2012

In this article, the authors highlight the spectrum, magnitude and determinants of the athlete's heart and provide a practical guide for differentiating physiological left ventricular hypertrophy from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Altitude‐related illness and men's health
Authors: Dick Alastair G.
Published: July 2012

With adventurous travel destinations now commonplace, it is important to be aware of the dangers of extreme environments, such as high altitude, as Alastair Dick explains. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Dr John M. Tomlinson, 1934–2012
Authors: Wylie Kevan R.
Published: July 2012

Kevan Wylie shares memories of his colleague Dr John Tomlinson, who died suddenly on 11 June 2012. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons
Developing Vocabulary Through Purposeful, Strategic Conversations
Authors: Wasik Barbara A. , Iannone‐Campbell Charlene
Published: July 2012

Explicit instruction on the skill of creating mental imagery from text supports reading comprehension and recall. This article shares a strategy for teaching students how to process what they read by comparing mental imagery to “brain movies.” It emphasizes choosing appropriate fiction and nonfiction texts to encourage readers to build the skill of creating mental imagery, and offers examples from two classrooms on how students use brain movies to make meaning from what they read.
Dynamic analysis tool development for swept wind turbine blades
Authors: Larwood Scott , van Dam C.P.
Published: July 2012

Because of their aeroelastic behavior, swept wind turbine blades offer the potential to increase energy capture and lower fatigue loads. This article describes work to develop a dynamic analysis code for swept wind turbine blades. This work was an outgrowth of a U.S. Department of Energy contract on swept blades, where the authors used the Adams™ dynamic software (MSC Software Corporation, Santa Ana, CA, USA). The new code is based on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's FAST code and allows for lower cost analysis and faster computation times for swept blades. The additions to the FAST code include the geometry and mode shapes required for the bending and twisting motion of the swept blade. In addition, a finite element program to determine mode shapes for the swept blade was developed. Comparisons of results obtained with the new code and analytical solutions for a curved cantilever beam show good agreement in local torsional deflections. Comparisons with field data obtained for a 750 kW wind turbine with swept blades were complicated by uncertainties in the test wind speed and turbine controller settings.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Systems biology of skeletal muscle: fiber type as an organizing principle
Authors: Greising Sarah M. , Gransee Heather M. , Mantilla Carlos B. , Sieck Gary C.
Published: July 2012

Skeletal muscle force generation and contraction are fundamental to countless aspects of human life. The complexity of skeletal muscle physiology is simplified by fiber type classification where differences are observed from neuromuscular transmission to release of intracellular Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the resulting recruitment and cycling of cross‐bridges. This review uses fiber type classification as an organizing and simplifying principle to explore the complex interactions between the major proteins involved in muscle force generation and contraction. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2012. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1184

This article is categorized under:

Physiology > Mammalian Physiology in Health and Disease

Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Organ, Tissue, and Physiological Models
Randomized Controlled Trial of Tamsulosin for Prevention of Acute Voiding Difficulty After Rectal Cancer Surgery
Authors: Jang Je‐Ho , Kang Sung‐Bum , Lee Sung‐Min , Park Jun‐Seok , Kim Duck‐Woo , Ahn Soyeon
Published: July 2012

Background

We conducted a randomized clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of the selective α1A‐adrenoceptor antagonist tamsulosin in preventing acute voiding difficulty after rectal cancer surgery.

Methods

A total of 94 rectal cancer patients with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of ≤7 were randomly assigned (1:1) to the tamsulosin group (0.2 mg/day orally for 7 days) (n = 47) or the control group (n = 47). The primary endpoint was the reinsertion rate of the urinary catheter after its removal on postoperative day (POD) 3. The secondary endpoints included the maximum (Qmax) and average (Qavg) urinary flow rates on POD 3, and the voided volume (VV), residual urine volume (RU), and IPSS on POD 7. Analyses were based on an intention‐to‐treat population.

Results

The reinsertion rate of the urinary catheter in the tamsulosin group was similar to that in the control group (23.4 vs. 21.3 %, respectively; p = 0.804). The postoperative voiding parameters and IPSS were not better in the tamsulosin group than in the control group after adjustments were made for the baseline measurements with analysis of covariance (Qmax, p = 0.537; Qavg, p = 0.399; VV, p = 0.645; RU, p = 0.703; IPSS, p = 0.761). Multivariate analysis revealed that being male was the only independent risk factor for reinsertion of the urinary catheter (odds ratio 0.239; 95 % confidence interval 0.069–0.823; p = 0.023).

Conclusions

This controlled trial showed that tamsulosin at 0.2 mg/day does not prevent acute voiding difficulty after rectal cancer surgery.
Open reduction and internal fixation of unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis by means of surgical dislocation does not decrease the rate of avascular necrosis: A preliminary study
Authors: Alves Cristina , Steele Marie , Narayanan Unni , Howard Andrew , Alman Benjamin , Wright James G.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The treatment of unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) remains controversial. Surgical dislocation and open reduction has the potential to significantly reduce the rate of avascular necrosis (AVN) by allowing direct preservation of the femoral head blood supply. The purpose of this study was to determine if open reduction of the unstable SCFE by means of surgical hip dislocation reduced the risk of AVN compared with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records and radiographs of patients treated at our institution between the years 2000 and 2008. Sex, age, side of slip, precipitating event, pre- and post-operative anterior physeal separation (APS) and slip angle, slip severity, time between inciting event and surgical treatment, number of screws used, development of AVN, and need for subsequent surgery were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed to compare risk factors and occurrence of AVN.

Results

From 2004 to 2008, we treated 12 patients with unstable SCFEs: six had closed reduction and percutaneous pinning and six underwent open reduction by means of surgical hip dislocation. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding sex, age, slip angle, APS, time to surgery, and AVN rate. At follow-up, 4 (66.7 %) patients had AVN in the group which had open reduction, while 2 (33.3 %) patients had AVN in the group which underwent closed reduction. ( p = 0.57).

Conclusions

Open reduction of the unstable SCFE by means of surgical dislocation of the hip does not decrease the rate of AVN when compared to closed reduction.
Tools for Resilience Building and Adaptive Spatial Governance
Authors: Birkmann Jörn , Bach Claudia , Vollmer Maike
Published: July 2012

Climate change, resilience building and vulnerability reduction are emerging issues in spatial development and spatial planning in Germany, the European Union and globally. This paper introduces different concepts of and views on adaptation, vulnerability and resilience and outlines their implications for spatial planning in the context of a changing climate. On the basis of a conceptual discussion of key terms, the authors underscore the importance of assessing vulnerability as baseline information for the promotion of resilience and the enhancing of adaptation. The challenges of identifying and assessing vulnerability are illustrated through a case study of local flood vulnerability in Cologne with a specific focus on the vulnerability of different population groups as well as critical infrastructures. The respective key elements and phases of such assessments are identified. New challenges with regard to systemic risks are addressed and recommendations for improved linkages between spatial planning and civil protection formulated. The final part of the paper evaluates the upcoming challenges for adaptive planning in the context of climate change adaptation, for example regarding scenario development and its application.
SevenAcantholaimus(Chromadoridae: Nematoda) species from one deep-sea sediment sample (Angola Basin, south-east Atlantic)
Authors: Miljutina Maria A. , Miljutin Dmitry M. , Tchesunov Alexei V.
Published: July 2012

The genusAcantholaimus(Chromadoridae: Nematoda) is one of the most species-rich deep-sea nematode genera. The descriptions of two new species and supplemental descriptions of five known species from the Angola Basin (south-east Atlantic Ocean) and a depth of about 5500 m are given.Acantholaimus formosussp. nov. is characterized by a spindle-shaped body with narrow elongated anterior end, the position of amphideal fovea on the apical tip of the body and by robust rugae and onchia.Acantholaimus skukinaesp. nov. is characterized by its cylindrical body shape; short outer labial, cephalic, cervical, and somatic setae; large amphideal fovea; the position of its amphideal fovea (situated relatively far from the head end); and relatively small onchia.Acantholaimus angustuswas previously found in the Peru Basin (central-eastern Pacific) and the Clarion–Clipperton Nodule Province (Equatorial Pacific), about 13,000 km apart from the nearest previous location of finding. The type location ofA. verscheldiis the Kenyan coast of the Indian Ocean. New specimens of this species were found about 8000 km apart from the type location.Acantholaimus akvavitus, A. iubilusandA. quintuswere previously found in different parts of the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Contextualising Romano-British Lead Tanks: A Study in Design, Destruction and Deposition
Authors: Crerar Belinda
Published: July 2012

Despite being an intriguing, if obscure, series of artefacts there has been a hesitancy in academic discussion to address fully the myriad of questions raised by the design and archaeological find-spots of lead tanks from Roman Britain. This, and an uncritical acceptance that they were used by early Christians as baptismal fonts, has led to a lack of appreciation of their contribution to our knowledge of late Romano-British religion. This paper seeks to redress this via two channels. The first is a detailed and contextualised examination of the design, iconography and manufacture of these tanks. The second is an investigation into how the manner of their deposition can inform their function. It is concluded that the evidence used to associate the tanks with baptism is flawed and greater attention must be given to other facets of their design in order to gain an appreciation of their proper place in the culture and religion of Roman Britain.
Taming the smallest predators of the oceans
Authors: del Campo Javier , Not Fabrice , Forn Irene , Sieracki Michael E , Massana Ramon
Published: July 2012

Protists (unicellular eukaryotes) arguably account for most eukaryotic diversity and are central players of the biosphere. Known protist diversity and biology is largely based on cultured strains. Yet, environmental molecular surveys have unveiled entirely novel lineages that, as their prokaryotic counterparts, are essentially uncultured. Culture bias is an important drawback for any microbe-related science and is particularly severe for heterotrophic protists, which depend on organic food sources for growth. Here, we show how ecologically significant bacterivorous protists have been brought into culture by mimicking in situ conditions. Single cells sorted by serial dilution or flow cytometry were inoculated into seawater amended with natural bacterial assemblage at nearly in situ abundances. Strains belonging to lineages only known so far from environmental sequencing were isolated. Among them, Minorisa minuta gen. nov. sp. nov. forms a novel branch within Rhizaria, holding a key evolutionary position, and with an average size of 1.4 μm represents one of the smallest bacterial grazers known to date. It has a worldwide planktonic distribution and can account for 5% of heterotrophic protists communities in coastal waters. Physiological features of this strain can partly explain its success in the environment. Culturing ecologically relevant but elusive protists provide invaluable material for ecophysiology, genomics, ecosystem modeling and evolutionary issues.
Metabolic potential of a single cell belonging to one of the most abundant lineages in freshwater bacterioplankton
Authors: Garcia Sarahi L , McMahon Katherine D , Martinez-Garcia Manuel , Srivastava Abhishek , Sczyrba Alexander , Stepanauskas Ramunas , Grossart Hans-Peter , Woyke Tanja , Warnecke Falk
Published: July 2012

Actinobacteria within the acI lineage are often numerically dominating in freshwater ecosystems, where they can account for >50% of total bacteria in the surface water. However, they remain uncultured to date. We thus set out to use single-cell genomics to gain insights into their genetic make-up, with the aim of learning about their physiology and ecological niche. A representative from the highly abundant acI-B1 group was selected for shotgun genomic sequencing. We obtained a draft genomic sequence in 75 larger contigs (sum=1.16 Mb), with an unusually low genomic G+C mol% (∼42%). Actinobacteria core gene analysis suggests an almost complete genome recovery. We found that the acI-B1 cell had a small genome, with a rather low percentage of genes having no predicted functions (∼15%) as compared with other cultured and genome-sequenced microbial species. Our metabolic reconstruction hints at a facultative aerobe microorganism with many transporters and enzymes for pentoses utilization (for example, xylose). We also found an actinorhodopsin gene that may contribute to energy conservation under unfavorable conditions. This project reveals the metabolic potential of a member of the global abundant freshwater Actinobacteria.
Informatic strategies for the discovery of polyketides and nonribosomal peptides
Authors: Johnston Chad , Ibrahim Ashraf , Magarvey Nathan
Published: July 2012

A modern challenge and opportunity exists for in the ability to link genomic and metabolomic data, using novel informatic methods to find new bioactive natural products.
Inhibitors of bacterial tubulin target bacterial membranes in vivo
Authors: Foss Marie H. , Eun Ye-Jin , Grove Charles I. , Pauw Daniel A. , Sorto Nohemy A. , Rensvold Jarred W. , Pagliarini David J. , Shaw Jared T. , Weibel Douglas B.
Published: July 2012

The loss of ΔΨ disrupts the normal localization pattern of membrane-associated proteins. The cartoon and images depict the diffuse pattern of a polarly localized protein, MinD after reduction of ΔΨ in E. coli. The length of the line across the cell membrane depicts the relative magnitude of ΔΨ.
Protein dynamics and enzyme catalysis: the ghost in the machine?
Authors: Glowacki David R. , Harvey Jeremy N. , Mulholland Adrian J.
Published: July 2012

One of the most controversial questions in enzymology today is whether protein dynamics are significant in enzyme catalysis. A particular issue in these debates is the unusual temperature-dependence of some kinetic isotope effects for enzyme-catalysed reactions. In the present paper, we review our recent model [Glowacki, Harvey and Mulholland (2012) Nat. Chem. 4, 169–176] that is capable of reproducing intriguing temperature-dependences of enzyme reactions involving significant quantum tunnelling. This model relies on treating multiple conformations of the enzyme–substrate complex. The results show that direct ‘driving’ motions of proteins are not necessary to explain experimental observations, and show that enzyme reactivity can be understood and accounted for in the framework of transition state theory.
Cholesterol, an essential molecule: diverse roles involving cytochrome P450 enzymes
Authors: McLean Kirsty J. , Hans Marcus , Munro Andrew W.
Published: July 2012

Cholesterol is an essential molecule for eukaryotic life and is an important precursor for a wide range of physiological processes. Biosynthesis and homoeostasis of cholesterol are complex mechanisms that are tightly regulated and interlinked with activities of a number of cytochrome P450 enzymes. These P450s play central critical roles in cholesterol metabolism. Key roles include a rate-limiting reaction in the synthesis of cholesterol itself, and in the oxidative transformations of cholesterol into steroid hormones and bile acids. However, microbial P450s also have important roles that impinge directly on human cholesterol synthesis and oxidation. Recent data reveal that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (which infects more than one-third of the world's human population) uses P450s to initiate breakdown of host cholesterol as an energy source. Microbial P450s also catalyse industrially important transformations in the synthesis of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, with clear benefits to humans. The present article reviews the various roles of P450s in human cholesterol metabolism, from endogenous P450s through to microbial oxidases that enable catabolism of human cholesterol, or facilitate production of statins that regulate cholesterol production with positive outcomes in cardiovascular disease.
Microtensile testing of submicrometer thick functional polymer samples
Authors: Lang Udo , Süss Tobias , Dual Jurg
Published: July 2012

Organic electronic devices are currently being introduced in commercial applications such as flexible displays. Due to the mechanical loading of these devices during bending, it is important to know the mechanical properties in order to assess reliability. It is therefore essential to develop experimental setups for the mechanical characterization of submicrometer thick functional polymer layers. In this paper a new microtensile approach is presented along with first results for Young's modulus of polyimide (PI) and the conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS obtained using this method. The microtensile specimen are made of a bilayer consisting of PI as the substrate layer and of a submicron layer of PEDOT:PSS deposited on top of it. The mechanical properties are derived from comparison of measurements performed on samples with and without the functional layer and by varying this layer's thickness. A thorough error analysis is also presented to provide an overview of the precision inherent in this approach. The experiments yield Young's moduli of 3.28 ± 0.34 GPa for PI and of 4.51 ± 0.34 GPa for PEDOT:PSS.
Optimizing conical intersections of solvated molecules: The combined spin-flip density functional theory/effective fragment potential method
Authors: Minezawa Noriyuki , Gordon Mark S.
Published: July 2012

Solvent effects on a potential energy surface crossing are investigated by optimizing a conical intersection (CI) in solution. To this end, the analytic energy gradient has been derived and implemented for the collinear spin-flip density functional theory (SFDFT) combined with the effective fragment potential (EFP) solvent model. The new method is applied to the azomethane-water cluster and the chromophore of green fluorescent protein in aqueous solution. These applications illustrate not only dramatic changes in the CI geometries but also strong stabilization of the CI in a polar solvent. Furthermore, the CI geometries obtained by the hybrid SFDFT/EFP scheme reproduce those by the full SFDFT, indicating that the SFDFT/EFP method is an efficient and promising approach for understanding nonadiabatic processes in solution.