bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Brassica nigra collections using simple sequence repeat markers reveals distinct groups associated with geographical location, and frequent mislabelling of species identity
Authors: Pradhan Aneeta , Nelson Matthew N. , Plummer Julie A. , Cowling Wallace A. , Yan Guijun
Published: January 2011

Genetic diversity of 180 Brassica nigra (L.) Koch genotypes from 60 different accessions was evaluated using 15 simple sequence repeat markers with known locations on the Brassica A, B, and C genomes. Two lines each from Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Brassica carinata Braun were also included as comparator species. A total of 218 high quality alleles were used to generate a genetic distance matrix, and clustering and multidimensional scaling analyses were used to investigate genetic relationships among the accessions. Accessions from the same country of origin tended to cluster together. Surprisingly, 13 accessions declared to be B. nigra had A- and B-genome alleles and morphology consistent with them being B. juncea, which was supported by their positioning near B. juncea in the cluster analysis. Two B. nigra accessions possessed alleles associated more closely with the A genome than the B genome, and these may be Brassica rapa L. accessions. One B. nigra accession had B- and C-genome alleles and morphology consistent with it being B. carinata. The remaining 44 accessions (73%) appeared to be truly B. nigra and formed morphologically and genetically distinct groups associated with country or region of origin, notably Ethiopia, Israel, India, and Europe. Most B. nigra accessions were highly heterozygous, consistent with their obligate outcrossing habit. This study demonstrated the value of using molecular markers with known genome locations (in this case, in the Brassica A, B, and C genomes) to confirm species identity in families such as Brassicaceae where species identification based solely on morphological characters is difficult.
Cryptic biodiversity and phylogenetic relationships revealed by DNA barcoding of Oriental black flies in the subgenusGomphostilbia(Diptera: Simuliidae)
Authors: Pramual Pairot , Wongpakam Komgrit , Adler Peter H.
Published: January 2011

Understanding the medical, economic, and ecological importance of black flies relies on correct identification of species. However, traditional taxonomy of black flies is impeded by a high degree of morphological uniformity, especially the presence of cryptic biodiversity, historically recognized by details of chromosomal banding patterns. We assess the utility of DNA barcoding, based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences, for identifying 13 species of Oriental black flies in the subgenus Gomphostilbia. Samples of larvae fixed in Carnoy’s solution were used to gather molecular and chromosomal data from the same individual. We found that larvae refrigerated in Carnoy’s fixative for as long as 11 years can be used for DNA study. Levels of intraspecific genetic divergence, based on the Kimura-2 parameter, range from 0% to 9.28%, with a mean of 2.75%, whereas interspecific genetic divergence ranges from 0.34% to 16.05%. Values of intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergence overlap in seven species owing to incomplete lineage sorting and imperfect taxonomy, implying that DNA barcoding to identify these species will be ambiguous. Despite a low level of success, we found that DNA barcoding is useful in revealing cryptic biodiversity, potentially facilitating traditional taxonomy. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that species groups currently recognized on morphological criteria are not monophyletic, suggesting a need to reevaluate the classification of the subgenus Gomphostilbia.
MASSIVELY PARALLEL I/O FOR PARTITIONED SOLVER SYSTEMS
Authors: LIU NING , FU JING , CAROTHERS CHRISTOPHER D. , SAHNI ONKAR , JANSEN KENNETH E. , SHEPHARD MARK S.
Published: January 2011

This paper investigates I/O approaches for massively parallel partitioned solver systems. Typically, such systems have synchronized "loops" and write data in a well defined block I/O format consisting of a header and data portion. Our target use for such a parallel I/O subsystem is checkpoint-restart where writing is by far the most common operation and reading typically only happens during either initialization or during a restart operation because of a system failure. We compare four parallel I/O strategies: POSIX File Per Processor (1PFPP), "Poor-Man's" Parallel I/O (PMPIO), a synchronized parallel I/O (syncIO), and a "reduced blocking" strategy (rbIO). Performance tests executed on the Blue Gene/P at Argonne National Laboratory using real CFD solver data from PHASTA (an unstructured grid finite element Navier-Stokes solver) show that the syncIO strategy can achieve a read bandwidth of 47.4 GB/sec and a write bandwidth of 27.5 GB/sec using 128K processors. The "reduced-blocking" rbIO strategy achieves an actual writing performance of 17.8 GB/sec and the perceived writing performance is 166 TB/sec on Blue Gene/P using 128K processors.
COULOMB ENERGY OF AXIALLY DEFORMED NUCLEUS
Authors: WANG NING , YU XUEXIN , LIU MIN
Published: January 2011

We previously proposed a formula for calculating the Coulomb energy of spherical nucleus with Woods–Saxon charge distribution. In this work, the analytical formula is extended for description of the Coulomb energy of nucleus with β2 and β4 deformation.
SPACING OF THE ENTROPY SPECTRUM FOR KS BLACK HOLE IN HOŘAVA–LIFSHITZ GRAVITY
Authors: SETARE M. R. , MOMENI D.
Published: January 2011

In this paper we present the spectrum of entropy/area for Kehagias–Sfetsos (KS) black hole in Hořava–Lifshitz (HL) gravity via quasinormal modes (QNM) approach. We show that in the massive case, the mass parameter μ disappears in the entropy spectrum and the quasinormal modes are modified by a term proportional to the mass square term. Our calculations show that the charge-like parameter [Formula: see text] appears in the surface gravity and our calculations can be applied to any spherically symmetric spacetime which has only one physically acceptable horizon. Our main difference between our calculations and what was done in Ref. 1 is that we explicitly calculated the portion of charge and mass on the surface gravity and consequently in the QNM expression. Since the imaginary part of the QNM is related to the adiabatic invariance of the system and also to the entropy, surprisingly the mass parameter does not appear in the entropy spectrum. Our conclusion supported by some acclaims about the scalar field parameters (charges) cannot change the fundamental parameters in the four-dimensional black holes.
OPERATIONS PRESERVING GLOBAL RIGIDITY OF GENERIC DIRECTION-LENGTH FRAMEWORKS
Authors: JACKSON BILL , JORDÁN TIBOR
Published: January 2011

A two-dimensional direction-length framework is a pair (G, p), where G = (V; D, L) is a graph whose edges are labeled as 'direction' or 'length' edges, and a map p from V to ℝ2. The label of an edge uv represents a direction or length constraint between p(u) and p(v). The framework (G, p) is called globally rigid if every other framework (G, q) in which the direction or length between the endvertices of corresponding edges is the same, is 'congruent' to (G, p), i.e. it can be obtained from (G, p) by a translation and, possibly, a dilation by -1.

We show that labeled versions of the two Henneberg operations (0-extension and 1-extension) preserve global rigidity of generic direction-length frameworks. These results, together with appropriate inductive constructions, can be used to verify global rigidity of special families of generic direction-length frameworks.
S-WAVE BOTTOM TETRAQUARKS
Authors: GERASYUTA S. M. , KOCHKIN V. I.
Published: January 2011

The relativistic four-quark equations are found in the framework of coupled-channel formalism. The dynamical mixing of the meson–meson states with the four-quark states is considered. The four-quark amplitudes of the tetraquarks, including u, d, s, and bottom quarks, are constructed. The poles of these amplitudes determine the masses and widths of S-wave bottom tetraquarks.
STRONG ABSORPTION ANALYSIS OF ELASTIC SCATTERING REACTIONS USING McINTYRE AND FRAHN–VENTER MODELS
Authors: BADRAN R. I. , BADAHDAH H. , ARAFAH M. , KHALIDI R.
Published: January 2011

The Frahn–Venter and McIntyre models are employed to analyze the experimental data of a set of elastic scattering reactions for heavy ions. The existence of semi-classical phenomena such as Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction patterns has been obtained by analyzing the experimental data of a set of elastic scattering reactions 12 C + 28 Si at laboratory energies 24.0, 49.3, 70.0, 83.5, and 186.4 MeV, 16 O + 28 Si at laboratory energies 72.0, 141.5, and 215.0 MeV, 16 O + 16 O at laboratory energies 145.0 and 350.0 MeV, 16 O + 12 C at laboratory energies 128.0 and 168.0 MeV; 12 C + 12 C at laboratory energies 89.7, 93.8, 105.0, 112.0, 117.1, 121.6, 126.7, and 158.8 MeV. The theoretical models can reasonably reproduce the general pattern of the data, thus allowing us to extract important parameters from elastic scattering processes. Deviations of some reproduced results from experimental data may be attributed to weak absorption. It is found that interpretation of the diffraction features of the data is model-independent. The values of extracted parameters, from both models, are found comparable to each other and to those of others. The correlation between the total reaction cross-section and the incident laboratory energy for each scattering is discernible and comparable with those of others.
A REVIEW OF REACTANT SALTS FOR RESORPTION REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
Authors: BAO H. S. , WANG R. Z.
Published: January 2011

Resorption refrigeration system, a novel type of chemisorption technique, employs two or more inorganic salts as sorbent reactants, which co-operate as working pair. The working conditions and some evaluation indicators of the resorption system with different working pairs in previous studies are collected and summarized in this work. The performance of the reactant salts is compared, and further effort direction of the selection of working pairs is also analyzed.
Impact of high-level transformations within the ROCCC framework
Authors: Buyukkurt Betul , Cortes John , Villarreal Jason , Najjar Walid A.
Published: January 2011

Reconfigurable computers, where one or more FPGAs are attached to a conventional microprocessor, are promising platforms for code acceleration. Despite their advantages, programmability concerns and the lack of efficient design tools/compilers for FPGAs are preventing the technology's widespread adoption. The traditional compiler technology is microprocessor-based-systems-specific and needs to be customized and augmented to address the needs in reconfigurable computing. The challenges are several due to the resources and performance constraints for FPGAs being drastically different than those of microprocessors, and also that compiling for FPGAs requires laying the computation in space by a circuit rather than in time by a sequence of instructions.

ROCCC is an optimizing C-to-VHDL compiler specifically targeting the reconfigurable computer platforms. ROCCC includes several high-level optimizations that parallelize and optimize the source code for minimized area and critical path length and maximized throughput. This article presents the effect of ROCCC's high-level transformations on the performance of the generated VHDL output. ROCCC utilizes: (1) several array access optimizations to eliminate redundant memory accesses, (2) procedure-level optimizations to achieve circuit area reductions of up to 88% compared to circuit areas generated from unoptimized codes, (3) loop-level optimizations to increase the throughput, and (4) transformations unique to certain classes of applications. The preceding listed features help ROCCC generate circuits with very large degrees of parallelism capable of very high computation rates.
Energetic costs of producing muscle work and force in a cyclical human bouncing task
Authors: Dean Jesse C. , Kuo Arthur D.
Published: January 2011

Muscles expend energy to perform active work during locomotion, but they may also expend significant energy to produce force, for example when tendons perform much of the work passively. The relative contributions of work and force to overall energy expenditure are unknown. We therefore measured the mechanics and energetics of a cyclical bouncing task, designed to control for work and force. We hypothesized that near bouncing resonance, little work would be performed actively by muscle, but the cyclical production of force would cost substantial metabolic energy. Human subjects ( n = 9) bounced vertically about the ankles at inversely proportional frequencies (1–4 Hz) and amplitudes (15–4 mm), such that the overall rate of work performed on the body remained approximately constant (0.30 ± 0.06 W/kg), but the forces varied considerably. We used parameter identification to estimate series elasticity of the triceps surae tendon, as well as the work performed actively by muscle and passively by tendon. Net metabolic energy expenditure for bouncing at 1 Hz was 1.15 ± 0.31 W/kg, attributable mainly to active muscle work with an efficiency of 24 ± 3%. But at 3 Hz (near resonance), most of the work was performed passively, so that active muscle work could account for only 40% of the net metabolic rate of 0.76 ± 0.28 W/kg. Near resonance, a cost for cyclical force that increased with both amplitude and frequency of force accounted for at least as much of the total energy expenditure as a cost for work. Series elasticity reduces the need for active work, but energy must still be expended for force production.
A mathematical model of blood-interstitial acid-base balance: application to dilution acidosis and acid-base status
Authors: Wolf Matthew B. , DeLand Edward C.
Published: January 2011

We developed mathematical models that predict equilibrium distribution of water and electrolytes (proteins and simple ions), metabolites, and other species between plasma and erythrocyte fluids (blood) and interstitial fluid. The models use physicochemical principles of electroneutrality in a fluid compartment and osmotic equilibrium between compartments and transmembrane Donnan relationships for mobile species. Across the erythrocyte membrane, the significant mobile species Cl−is assumed to reach electrochemical equilibrium, whereas Na+and K+distributions are away from equilibrium because of the Na+/K+pump, but movement from this steady state is restricted because of their effective short-term impermeability. Across the capillary membrane separating plasma and interstitial fluid, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, and H+are mobile and establish Donnan equilibrium distribution ratios. In each compartment, attainment of equilibrium by carbonates, phosphates, proteins, and metabolites is determined by their reactions with H+. These relationships produce the recognized exchange of Cl−and bicarbonate across the erythrocyte membrane. The blood submodel was validated by its close predictions of in vitro experimental data, blood pH, pH-dependent ratio of H+, Cl−, and HCO3−concentrations in erythrocytes to that in plasma, and blood hematocrit. The blood-interstitial model was validated against available in vivo laboratory data from humans with respiratory acid-base disorders. Model predictions were used to gain understanding of the important acid-base disorder caused by addition of saline solutions. Blood model results were used as a basis for estimating errors in base excess predictions in blood by the traditional approach of Siggaard-Andersen (acid-base status) and more recent approaches by others using measured blood pH and Pco2values. Blood-interstitial model predictions were also used as a basis for assessing prediction errors of extracellular acid-base status values, such as by the standard base excess approach. Hence, these new models can give considerable insight into the physicochemical mechanisms producing acid-base disorders and aid in their diagnoses.
Effects of aging and exercise training on spinotrapezius muscle microvascular Po2 dynamics and vasomotor control
Authors: McCullough Danielle J. , Davis Robert T. , Dominguez James M. , Stabley John N. , Bruells Christian S. , Behnke Bradley J.
Published: January 2011

With advancing age, there is a reduction in exercise tolerance, resulting, in part, from a perturbed ability to match O2 delivery to uptake within skeletal muscle. In the spinotrapezius muscle (which is not recruited during incline treadmill running) of aged rats, we tested the hypotheses that exercise training will 1) improve the matching of O2 delivery to O2 uptake, evidenced through improved microvascular Po2 (PmO2), at rest and throughout the contractions transient; and 2) enhance endothelium-dependent vasodilation in first-order arterioles. Young (Y, ∼6 mo) and aged (O, >24 mo) Fischer 344 rats were assigned to control sedentary (YSED; n = 16, and OSED; n = 15) or exercise-trained (YET; n = 14, and OET; n = 13) groups. Spinotrapezius blood flow (via radiolabeled microspheres) was measured at rest and during exercise. Phosphorescence quenching was used to quantify PmO2 in vivo at rest and across the rest-to-twitch contraction (1 Hz, 5 min) transition in the spinotrapezius muscle. In a follow-up study, vasomotor responses to endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and -independent (sodium nitroprusside) stimuli were investigated in vitro. Blood flow to the spinotrapezius did not increase above resting values during exercise in either young or aged groups. Exercise training increased the precontraction baseline PmO2 (OET 37.5 ± 3.9 vs. OSED 24.7 ± 3.6 Torr, P < 0.05); the end-contracting PmO2 and the time-delay before PmO2 fell in the aged group but did not affect these values in the young. Exercise training improved maximal vasodilation in aged rats to acetylcholine (OET 62 ± 16 vs. OSED 27 ± 16%) and to sodium nitroprusside in both young and aged rats. Endurance training of aged rats enhances the PmO2 in a nonrecruited skeletal muscle and is associated with improved vascular smooth muscle function. These data support the notion that improvements in vascular function with exercise training are not isolated to the recruited muscle.
A Unique Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Radiofrequency Ablation with More than 12 Years Overall Survival: A Case Report
Authors: Thanos Loukas , Ptohis Nikolaos , Pomoni Anastasia , Sotiropoulou Evangelia , Pomoni Mary , Kelekis Dimitrios
Published: January 2011

The case of a 72-year-old male patient with HCC is presented in whom percutaneous RFA was used as the sole first-line anticancer treatment, since he denied having partial hepatectomy. The patient underwent RFA two more times, at 1.5 years for treating a local tumor progression at the initial ablation site and at 11 years after the first session for treating a new remote intrahepatic recurrence. He revealed a long-term survival of more than 12 years so far and still remains in excellent clinical status.
On Subnormal Solutions of Periodic Differential Equations
Authors: Chen Zong-Xuan , Shon Kwang Ho
Published: January 2011

We investigate the existence and the form of subnormal solutions of higher‐order linear periodic differential equations, and precisely estimate the growth of all solutions.
Glycemic Index and Pregnancy: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Louie Jimmy Chun Yu , Brand-Miller Jennie C. , Markovic Tania P. , Ross Glynis P. , Moses Robert G.
Published: January 2011

Background/Aim. Dietary glycemic index (GI) has received considerable research interest over the past 25 years although its application to pregnancy outcomes is more recent. This paper critically evaluates the current evidence regarding the effect of dietary GI on maternal and fetal nutrition.Methods. A systematic literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and ISI Web of Science, from 1980 through September 2010, was conducted.Results. Eight studies were included in the systematic review. Two interventional studies suggest that a low-GI diet can reduce the risk of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants in healthy pregnancies, but one epidemiological study reported an increase in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. Evidence in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), though limited (n=3), consistently supports the advantages of a low-GI diet.Conclusion. There is insufficient evidence to recommend a low-GI diet during normal pregnancy. In pregnancy complicated by GDM, a low-GI diet may reduce the need for insulin without adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. Until larger-scale intervention trials are completed, a low-GI diet should not replace the current recommended pregnancy diets from government and health agencies. Further research regarding the optimal time to start a low-GI diet for maximum protection against adverse pregnancy outcomes is warranted.
Bridging the Gap between Fluxomics and Industrial Biotechnology
Authors: Feng Xueyang , Page Lawrence , Rubens Jacob , Chircus Lauren , Colletti Peter , Pakrasi Himadri B. , Tang Yinjie J.
Published: January 2011

Metabolic flux analysis is a vital tool used to determine the ultimate output of cellular metabolism and thus detect biotechnologically relevant bottlenecks in productivity.13C-based metabolic flux analysis (13C-MFA) and flux balance analysis (FBA) have many potential applications in biotechnology. However, noteworthy hurdles in fluxomics study are still present. First, several technical difficulties in both13C-MFA and FBA severely limit the scope of fluxomics findings and the applicability of obtained metabolic information. Second, the complexity of metabolic regulation poses a great challenge for precise prediction and analysis of metabolic networks, as there are gaps between fluxomics results and other omics studies. Third, despite identified metabolic bottlenecks or sources of host stress from product synthesis, it remains difficult to overcome inherent metabolic robustness or to efficiently import and express nonnative pathways. Fourth, product yields often decrease as the number of enzymatic steps increases. Such decrease in yield may not be caused by rate-limiting enzymes, but rather is accumulated through each enzymatic reaction. Fifth, a high-throughput fluxomics tool hasnot been developed for characterizing nonmodel microorganisms and maximizing their application in industrial biotechnology. Refining fluxomics tools and understanding these obstacles will improve our ability to engineer highlyefficient metabolic pathways in microbial hosts.
Cavitating Mesenteric Lymph Node Syndrome in Association with Coeliac Disease and Enteropathy Associated T-Cell Lymphoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: McBride Olivia M. B. , Skipworth Richard J. E. , Leitch Derek , Yalamarthi Satheesh
Published: January 2011

Cavitating mesenteric lymph node syndrome (CMLNS) is a rare and poorly understood complication of coeliac disease (CD), with only 37 cases reported in the literature. CD is an immune-mediated enteropathy, with alterations seen in the small bowel architecture on exposure to ingested gluten. Those who fail to respond to a strict gluten-free diet are termed to have refractory coeliac disease (RCD). This is associated with serious complications such as enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL). We present the case of a 71-year-old female investigated for weight loss and a palpable intraabdominal mass. Abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan showed multiple necrotic mesenteric lymph nodes. At operation, multiple cavitating mesenteric lymph nodes, containing milky fluid, were found. An incidental EATL was found at the terminal ileum, which was resected. The patient subsequently tested positive for CD. This is the second case report to document an association between CMLNS and EATL. This paper highlights the varied presentation of CD. In this case, the diagnosis of CD was made retrospectively after the complications were dealt with. This paper is followed by a review of relevant literature.
Quotient of Ideals of an Intuitionistic Fuzzy Lattice
Authors: Thomas K. V. , Nair Latha S.
Published: January 2011

The concept of intuitionistic fuzzy ideal of an intuitionistic fuzzy lattice is introduced, and its certain characterizations are provided. We defined the quotient (or residual) of ideals of an intuitionistic fuzzy sublattice and studied their properties.
Maintenance of Weight Loss in Adolescents: Current Status and Future Directions
Authors: Butryn Meghan L. , Wadden Thomas A. , Rukstalis Margaret R. , Bishop-Gilyard Chanelle , Xanthopoulos Melissa S. , Louden Delroy , Berkowitz Robert I.
Published: January 2011

There is a dearth of research on the long-term efficacy and safety of treatments for adolescent obesity. This narrative review examined several approaches to treatment, focusing on long-term effectiveness data in adolescents, as well as relevant findings from studies of adults. The available research suggests that lifestyle modification has promise in obese adolescents, although it is not clear that any particular dietary or physical activity approach is more effective than another. Meal replacements are quite effective in adults and deserve further research in adolescents. Extending the length of treatment to teach weight loss maintenance skills is likely to improve long-term outcomes in adolescents, and delivering treatment via the Internet or telephone is a novel way of doing so. Treatment that combines lifestyle modification with the medication orlistat generally appears to be safe but only marginally superior to lifestyle modification alone. More research is needed on the management of adolescent obesity, which has been overlooked when compared with research on the treatment of obesity in children and adults.
Antinociceptive Activity ofMelicope ptelefoliaEthanolic Extract in Experimental Animals
Authors: Sulaiman Mohd Roslan , Mohd Padzil Azyyati , Shaari Khozirah , Khalid Syamimi , Shaik Mossadeq Wan Mastura , Mohamad Azam Shah , Ahmad Syahida , Akira Ahmad , Israf Daud , Lajis Nordin
Published: January 2011

Melicope ptelefoliais a medicinal herb commonly used in Malaysia to treat fever, pain, wounds, and itches. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antinociceptive activity of theMelicope ptelefoliaethanolic extract (MPEE) using animal models of nociception. The antinociceptive activity of the extract was assessed using acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, hot-plate, and formalin-induced paw licking tests. Oral administration of MPEE produced significant dose-dependent antinociceptive effects when tested in mice and rats using acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction test and on the second phase of the formalin-induced paw licking test, respectively. It was also demonstrated that MPEE had no effect on the response latency time to the heat stimulus in the thermal model of the hot-plate test. In addition, the antinociception produced by MPEE was not blocked by naloxone. Furthermore, oral administration of MPEE did not produce any effect in motor performance of the rota-rod test and in acute toxicity study no abnormal behaviors as well as mortality were observed up to a dose level of the extract of 5 g/kg. These results indicated that MPEE at all doses investigated which did not produce any sedative and toxic effects exerted pronounce antinociceptive activity that acts peripherally in experimental animals.
A New Approach for Estimating the Friction in Thin Film Lubrication
Authors: Lukkassen Dag , Meidell Annette , Wall Peter
Published: January 2011

An important problem in the theory of lubrication is to model and analyze
the effect of surface roughness on, for example, the friction and load carrying
capacity. A direct numerical computation is often impossible since an
extremely fine mesh is required to resolve the surface roughness. This
suggests that one applies some averaging technique. The branch in mathematics
which deals with this type of questions is known as homogenization. In this
paper we present a completely new method for computing the friction. The
main idea is that we study the variational problem corresponding to the
Reynolds equation. We prove that the homogenized variational problem is
closely related to the homogenized friction. Finally we use bounds on the
homogenized Lagrangian to derive bounds for the friction. That these bounds
can be used to efficiently compute the friction is demonstrated in a typical
example.
Free and Forced Vibrations of Elastically Connected Structures
Authors: Kelly S. Graham
Published: January 2011

A general theory for the free and forced responses of n elastically connected parallel structures is developed. It is shown that if the stiffness operator for an individual structure is self‐adjoint with respect to an inner product defined for Ck[0, 1], then the stiffness operator for the set of elastically connected structures is self‐adjoint with respect to an inner product defined on U = Rn × Ck[0, 1]. This leads to the definition of energy inner products defined on U. When a normal mode solution is used to develop the free response, it is shown that the natural frequencies are the square roots of the eigenvalues of an operator that is self‐adjoint with respect to the energy inner product. The completeness of the eigenvectors in W is used to develop a forced response. Special cases are considered. When the individual stiffness operators are proportional, the problem for the natural frequencies and mode shapes reduces to a matrix eigenvalue problem, and it is shown that for each spatial mode there is a set of n intramodal mode shapes. When the structures are identical, uniform, or nonuniform, the differential equations are uncoupled through diagonalization of a coupling stiffness matrix. The most general case requires an iterative solution.
Cytomegalovirus Reactivation in Ulcerative Colitis Patients
Authors: Nguyen Minh , Bradford Kara , Zhang Xiaolan , Shih David Q.
Published: January 2011

Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients are believed to have an increased risk for the colonic reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection due to both inherent and iatrogenic factors. Numerous studies and case reports have described CMV infection as complicating the disease course of ulcerative colitis patients; the existing evidence suggests an association between the presence of CMV infection and increased colectomy and mortality rates in UC patients. Whether CMV is nonpathogenic with a tropism towards areas of dysplasia and inflammation in the colon of UC or plays an active role in pathogenesis is still debated. In this paper, we examine the existing evidence for the diagnosis and management of CMV infection in UC patients.
Genetic Rodent Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Van Den Bosch L.
Published: January 2011

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective death of motor neurons in the motor cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. A large number of rodent models are available that show motor neuron death and a progressive motor phenotype that is more or less reminiscent of what occurs in patients. These rodent models contain genes with spontaneous or induced mutations or (over) express different (mutant) genes. Some of these models have been of great value to delineate potential pathogenic mechanisms that cause and/or modulate selective motor neuron degeneration. In addition, these genetic rodent models play a crucial role in testing and selecting potential therapeutics that can be used to treat ALS and/or other motor neuron disorders. In this paper, we give a systematic overview of the most important genetic rodent models that show motor neuron degeneration and/or develop a motor phenotype. In addition, we discuss the value and limitations of the different models and conclude that it remains a challenge to find more and better rodent models based on mutations in new genes causing ALS.
Chemoprevention of Head and Neck Cancer by Green Tea Extract: EGCG—The Role of EGFR Signaling and “Lipid Raft”
Authors: Masuda Muneyuki , Wakasaki Takahiro , Toh Satoshi , Shimizu Masahito , Adachi Seiji
Published: January 2011

Over the past decade dose-intensified chemo-radiotherapy or molecular targeted therapy has been introduced into the treatments of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to improve the outcomes of this dismal disease. However, these strategies have revealed only limited efficacy so far. Moreover, the frequent occurrences of second primary tumor further worsen the prognosis of patients. In this context, early detection and chemoprevention appear to be a realistic and effective method to improve the prognosis as well as quality of life in patients with HNSCC. In this short paper, we discuss the potential of green tea extract, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-galate (EGCG) in HNSCC chemoprevention, focusing on two aspects that are provided recently: (1) evidence of clinical efficacy and (2) unique biological effects on “lipid raft” that emerged as an important platform of numerous biophysical functions, for example, receptor tyrosin kinases (RTKs) signalings including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which play critical roles in HNSCC carcinogenesis.
Modulation of Cell Death byM. tuberculosisas a Strategy for Pathogen Survival
Authors: Abebe Markos , Kim Louise , Rook Graham , Aseffa Abraham , Wassie Liya , Zewdie Martha , Zumla Alimuddin , Engers Howard , Andersen Peter , Doherty T. Mark
Published: January 2011

It has been clearly demonstrated thatin vitro, virulentM. tuberculosiscan favor necrosis over apoptosis in infected macrophages, and this has been suggested as a mechanism for evading the host immune response. We recently reported that an effect consistent with this hypothesis could be observed in cells from the blood of TB patients, and in this paper, we review what is known about evasion strategies employed byM. tuberculosisand in particular consider the possible interaction of the apoptosis-inhibiting effects ofM. tuberculosisinfection with another factor (IL-4) whose expression is thought to play a role in the failure to controlM. tuberculosisinfection. It has been noted that IL-4 may exacerbate TNF-α-induced pathology, though the mechanism remains unexplained. Since pathology in TB typically involves inflammatory aggregates around infected cells, where TNF-α plays an important role, we predicted that IL-4 would inhibit the ability of cells to removeM. tuberculosisby apoptosis of infected cells, through the extrinsic pathway, which is activated by TNF-α. Infection of human monocytic cells with mycobacteriain vitro, in the presence of IL-4, appears to promote necrosis over apoptosis in infected cells—a finding consistent with its suggested role as a factor in pathology duringM. tuberculosisinfection.
Effect of Aqueous Extract of Massularia acuminata Stem on Sexual Behaviour of Male Wistar Rats
Authors: Yakubu M. T. , Akanji M. A.
Published: January 2011

Ancient literature alluded to the use of a number of plants/preparations as sex enhancer. One of such botanicals is Massularia acuminata in which the stem has been acclaimed to be used as an aphrodisiac. Documented experiments or clinical data are, however, lacking. Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the acclaimed aphrodisiac activity of M. acuminata stem. Sixty male rats were completely randomized into 4 groups (A–D) of 15 each. Rats in group A (control) were administered with 1 mL of distilled water (the vehicle) while those in groups B, C, and D were given same volume containing 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extract, respectively. Sexual behaviour parameters were monitored in the male rats for day 1 (after a single dose), day 3 (after three doses, once daily), and day 5 (after five doses, once daily) by pairing with a receptive female (1 : 1). The male serum testosterone concentration was also determined. Cage side observation on the animals revealed proceptive behaviour (ear wiggling, darting, hopping, and lordosis) by the receptive female rats and precopulatory behaviour (chasing, anogenital sniffing and mounting) by the extract‐treated male rats. The extract at 500, and 1000 mg/kg body weight significantly (P < .05) increased the frequencies of mount and intromission. In addition, the ejaculation latency was significantly prolonged (P < .05). The latencies of mount and intromission were reduced significantly whereas ejaculation frequency increased. The extract also reduced the postejaculatory interval of the animals. Computed percentages of index of libido, mounted, intromitted, ejaculated and copulatory efficiency were higher in the extract treated animals compared to the distilled water‐administered control whereas the intercopulatory interval decreased significantly. The extract also significantly (P < .05) increased the serum testosterone content of the animals except in those administered with 250 mg/kg body weight on days 1 and 3. Data from this study identified that the aqueous extract of Massularia acuminata stem enhanced sexual behaviour in male rats. The improved sexual appetitive behaviour in male rats at the doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight of Massularia acuminata stem may be attributed, at least in part, to the alkaloids, saponins, and /or flavonoids since these phytochemicals has engorgement, androgen enhancing, and antioxidant properties.
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases as Therapeutic Targets in Rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Crose Lisa E. S. , Linardic Corinne M.
Published: January 2011

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs) are the most common soft tissue sarcomas of childhood and adolescence. To date, there are no effective treatments that target the genetic abnormalities in RMS, and current treatment options for high-risk groups are not adequate. Over the past two decades, research into the molecular mechanisms of RMS has identified key genes and signaling pathways involved in disease pathogenesis. In these studies, members of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family of cell surface receptors have been characterized as druggable targets for RMS. Through small molecule inhibitors, ligand-neutralizing agents, and monoclonal receptor-blocking antibodies, RTK activity can be manipulated to block oncogenic properties associated with RMS. Herein, we review the members of the RTK family that are implicated in RMS tumorigenesis and discuss both the problems and promise of targeting RTKs in RMS.
Metabolomic Profiling for Identification of Novel Potential Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Barderas Maria G. , Laborde Carlos M. , Posada Maria , de la Cuesta Fernando , Zubiri Irene , Vivanco Fernando , Alvarez-Llamas Gloria
Published: January 2011

Metabolomics involves the identification and quantification of metabolites present in a biological system. Three different approaches can be used: metabolomic fingerprinting, metabolic profiling, and metabolic footprinting, in order to evaluate the clinical course of a disease, patient recovery, changes in response to surgical intervention or pharmacological treatment, as well as other associated features. Characteristic patterns of metabolites can be revealed that broaden our understanding of a particular disorder. In the present paper, common strategies and analytical techniques used in metabolomic studies are reviewed, particularly with reference to the cardiovascular field.
Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis: Insights from Large Animal Models
Authors: Vilahur Gemma , Padro Teresa , Badimon Lina
Published: January 2011

Atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications are responsible for remarkably high numbers of deaths. The combination ofin vitro, ex vivo, andin vivoexperimental approaches has largely contributed to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the atherothrombotic process. Indeed, different animal models have been implemented in atherosclerosis and thrombosis research in order to provide new insights into the mechanisms that have already been outlined in isolated cells and protein studies. Yet, although no model completely mimics the human pathology, large animal models have demonstrated better suitability for translation to humans. Indeed, direct translation from mice to humans should be taken with caution because of the well‐reported species‐related differences. This paper provides an overview of the availableatherothrombotic-likeanimal models, with a particular focus on large animal models of thrombosis and atherosclerosis, and examines their applicability for translational research purposes as well as highlights species‐related differences with humans.
Estrogen and Cytochrome P450 1B1 Contribute to Both Early- and Late-Stage Head and Neck Carcinogenesis
Authors: Shatalova Ekaterina G. , Klein-Szanto Andres J.P. , Devarajan Karthik , Cukierman Edna , Clapper Margie L.
Published: January 2011

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) is the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States. The goal of this study was to evaluate the contribution of estrogens to the development of HNSCCs. Various cell lines derived from early- and late-stage head and neck lesions were used to characterize the expression of estrogen synthesis and metabolism genes, including cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1B1, examine the effect of estrogen on gene expression, and evaluate the role of CYP1B1 and/or estrogen in cell motility, proliferation, and apoptosis. Estrogen metabolism genes (CYP1B1, CYP1A1, catechol-o-methyltransferase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1, and glutathione-S-transferase P1) and estrogen receptor (ER) β were expressed in cell lines derived from both premalignant (MSK-Leuk1) and malignant (HNSCC) lesions. Exposure to estrogen induced CYP1B1 2.3- to 3.6-fold relative to vehicle-treated controls (P = 0.0004) in MSK-Leuk1 cells but not in HNSCC cells. CYP1B1 knockdown by shRNA reduced the migration and proliferation of MSK-Leuk1 cells by 57% and 45%, respectively. Exposure of MSK-Leuk1 cells to estrogen inhibited apoptosis by 26%, whereas supplementation with the antiestrogen fulvestrant restored estrogen-dependent apoptosis. Representation of the estrogen pathway in human head and neck tissues from 128 patients was examined using tissue microarrays. The majority of the samples exhibited immunohistochemical staining for ERβ (91.9%), CYP1B1 (99.4%), and 17β-estradiol (88.4%). CYP1B1 and ERβ were elevated in HNSCCs relative to normal epithelium (P = 0.024 and 0.008, respectively). These data provide novel insight into the mechanisms underlying head and neck carcinogenesis and facilitate the identification of new targets for chemopreventive intervention. Cancer Prev Res; 4(1); 107–15. ©2011 AACR.
Naftopidil, a Selective α1-Adrenoceptor Antagonist, Suppresses Human Prostate Tumor Growth by Altering Interactions between Tumor Cells and Stroma
Authors: Hori Yasuhide , Ishii Kenichiro , Kanda Hideki , Iwamoto Yoichi , Nishikawa Kohei , Soga Norihito , Kise Hideaki , Arima Kiminobu , Sugimura Yoshiki
Published: January 2011

In prostate cancer, tumor–stroma interactions play a critical role in the promotion of tumorigenesis, and thus the prevention of those interactions is a promising target to suppress tumor growth. Several studies demonstrated that alpha1-adrenoceptor (α1-AR) antagonists, therapeutic drugs for benign prostatic hyperplasia, have growth inhibitory effects on human prostate cancer (PCa) cells through induction of apoptosis or G1 cell-cycle arrest. However, their direct actions on stromal cells surrounding cancer cells have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of subtype-selective α1-AR antagonists (naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin) on prostate tumor growth with a focus on the role of stroma, using commercially available fibroblast cells (PrSC). Tumorigenic studies in vivo showed significant reductions in tumor growth when E9 cells (an androgen low-sensitive LNCaP subline) grafted with PrSC were treated with naftopidil. In in vitro analyses, naftopidil and silodosin showed antiproliferative effects on PCa cells regardless of androgen sensitivity and α1-AR subtype expression. In PrSC, a strong growth inhibitory effect was observed with naftopidil but not silodosin. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that naftopidil, but not silodosin, induced G1 cell-cycle arrest in both PCa cells and PrSC. In naftopidil-treated PrSC, total interleukin-6 protein was significantly reduced with increased suppression of cell proliferation. Silodosin induced weak early apoptosis only in PCa cells. These findings demonstrated that naftopidil strongly suppressed cell proliferation of stromal cells, resulting in decreased tumorigenic soluble factor, suggesting that naftopidil might be effective in preventing stromal support of tumor cells. Cancer Prev Res; 4(1); 87–96. ©2011 AACR.
The Role of NAG-1/GDF15 in the Inhibition of Intestinal Polyps in APC/Min Mice by Sulindac
Authors: Wang Xingya , Kingsley Philip J. , Marnett Larry J. , Eling Thomas E.
Published: January 2011

The antitumor effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are assumed to be due to the inhibition of COX activity, but COX-independent mechanisms may also play an important role. NSAID-activated gene (NAG-1/GDF15) is induced by NSAIDs and has antitumorigenic activities. To determine the contribution of COX-2 inhibition and NAG-1/GDF15 expression to the prevention of colon carcinogenesis by NSAIDs, we evaluated several sulindac derivatives [des-methyl (DM)-sulindac sulfide and its prodrug DM-sulindac] that do not inhibit COX-2 activity. Sulindac sulfide and DM-sulindac induced the expression of NAG-1/GDF15 in HCT116 cells as determined by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. We fed APC/Min mice with 320 ppm of sulindac and doses of DM-sulindac. Only sulindac significantly inhibited tumor formation inAPC/Min mice. To determine the pharmacokinetic properties of sulindac and DM-sulindac in vivo, wild-type C57/B6 mice were fed with sulindac and DM-sulindac at 80, 160, and 320 ppm. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that the conversion of DM-sulindac to DM-sulindac sulfide (active form) was less efficient than the conversion of sulindac to sulindac sulfide (active form) in the mice. Lower levels of DM-sulindac sulfide accumulated in intestinal and colon tissues in comparison with sulindac sulfide. In addition, NAG-1/GDF15 was induced in the liver of sulindac-fed mice but not in the DM-sulindac–fed mice. Collectively, our results suggest that the tumor-inhibitory effects of sulindac in APC/Min mice may be due to, in part, NAG-1/GDF15 induction in the liver. Our study also suggests that pharmacologic properties should be carefully evaluated when developing drug candidates. Cancer Prev Res; 4(1); 150–60. ©2011 AACR.
The Search for Unaffected Individuals with Lynch Syndrome: Do the Ends Justify the Means?
Authors: Hampel Heather , de la Chapelle Albert
Published: January 2011

Lynch syndrome is the most common cause of inherited colorectal and endometrial cancers yet it is underrecognized in clinical practice. The relative merits of screening for Lynch syndrome among healthy adults without cancer versus among adults with colorectal or endometrial cancer are discussed in this Perspective article. Newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients are a much easier target population for screening and this approach leads to more informative genetic test results, at a lower cost in most cases. Cancer Prev Res; 4(1); 1–5. ©2011 AACR.