bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Air Pollution
Authors: Reinhart Paul G. , White Lori , Kim Jee Young , Stanek Lindsay Wichers , Ross Mary , Buckley Barbara
Published: February 2011

The present article summarizes about the air pollution and several legislations for its monitoring and control. Air pollution is a combination of both anthropogenic and natural origins and during the height of the industrial revolution that the health effects of air pollution in the cities became apparent. The first federal legislation involving air pollution was the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 and provided funds for federal research on air pollution and followed by the Clean Air Act of 1963, which established a program within the U.S. Public Health Service for research on air pollution monitoring and control techniques. Later, the Air Quality Act of 1967 expanded the federal government's role involving air pollution by enacting enforcement procedures concerning interstate transport of pollutants. The Clean Air Act of 1970 brought about a number of significant changes and also undergone two amendments. The trends of the level and health effects of various chemical pollutants have been presented.
Health and Safety Factors in Designing an Industrial Hygiene Laboratory
Authors: Lieckfield Robert G. , Macomber Margaret M.
Published: February 2011

The chapter discusses design considerations and the health and safety factors for designing and operating the industrial hygiene laboratory, it is intended to help management plan new laboratory construction or remodel existing laboratory spaces.
Occupational Epidemiology: Some Guideposts
Authors: Gamble John F.
Published: February 2011

The study addresses about the epidemiology and occupational epidemiology. Epidemiology attempts to determine the etiology or cause of disease and to use that knowledge to prevent or control disease. Occupational epidemiology involves studies of workers to determine if workplace exposures are causing disease. Several aspects of comparisons have been discussed to understand the results of epidemiological studies. The information from epidemiological studies has been utilized for several purposes. Etiologic studies are also found useful when they provide information on exposure‐response relationships and host factors. The discovery of popcorn workers lung has been discussed as example of this purpose of occupational epidemiology and several methods and study designs have been applied to investigate the hazard assessment.
Indoor Air Quality in Nonindustrial Occupational Environments
Authors: Morey Philip R. , Crawford Gary N. , Rottersman Robert B.
Published: February 2011

The study summarizes about the indoor air quality of the buildings. Historically, the concept of indoor air quality (IAQ) has included view points that outdoor ventilation air is required both to prevent adverse health effects and to provide for comfort of occupants. It has been observed that airborne contagious diseases and malodor are more prominent in the crowded places with deﬁcient ventilation. The different approaches that can be used during IAQ evaluations reﬂect the varied kinds of problems that can occur in buildings. Higher morbidity and mortality in developing countries have multifactorial causes, with contaminated food, water, and air as major risk factors. An ASHRAE ventilation standard recommends the provision of outdoor air rate per person to lower the risk of diseases. The article focuses IAQ evaluation protocols and guidelines, Canadian and EPA guides, etc.
Control of Nanoscale Environment to Improve Stability of Immobilized Proteins on Diamond Surfaces
Authors: Radadia Adarsh D. , Stavis Courtney J. , Carr Rogan , Zeng Hongjun , King William P. , Carlisle John A. , Aksimentiev Aleksei , Hamers Robert J. , Bashir Rashid
Published: February 2011

Immunoassays for detection of bacterial pathogens rely on the selectivity and stability of bio‐recognition elements such as antibodies tethered to sensor surfaces. The search for novel surfaces that improve the stability of biomolecules and assay performance has been pursued for a long time. However, the anticipated improvements in stability have not been realized in practice under physiological conditions because the surface functionalization layers on commonly used substrates, silica and gold, are themselves unstable on time scales of days. In this paper, we show that covalent linking of antibodies to diamond surfaces leads to substantial improvements in biological activity of proteins as measured by the ability to selectively capture cells of the pathogenic bacterium Escherichia coli O157:H7 even after exposure to buffer solutions at 37 ºC for extended periods of time, approaching 2 weeks. Our results from ELISA, XPS, fluorescence microscopy, and MD simulations suggest that by using highly stable surface chemistry and controlling the nanoscale organization of the antibodies on the surface, it is possible to achieve significant improvements in biological activity and stability. Our findings can be easily extended to functionalization of micro and nanodimensional sensors and structures of biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic interest.
Tumor necrosis factor α–mediated cleavage and inactivation of SirT1 in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes
Authors: Dvir‐Ginzberg Mona , Gagarina Viktoria , Lee Eun Jin , Booth Richard , Gabay Odile , Hall David J.
Published: February 2011

Objective

The protein deacetylase SirT1 positively regulates cartilage‐specific gene expression, while the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) negatively regulates these same genes. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that SirT1 is adversely affected by TNFα, resulting in altered gene expression.

Methods

Cartilage‐specific gene expression, SirT1 activity, and results of chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis at the α2(I) collagen enhancer site were determined in RNA, protein extracts, and nuclei of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes left untreated or treated with TNFα. Protein extracts from human chondrocytes transfected with epitope‐tagged SirT1 that had been left untreated or had been treated with TNFα were analyzed by immunoblotting with SirT1 and epitope‐specific antibodies. The 75‐kd SirT1‐reactive protein present in TNFα‐treated extracts was identified by mass spectroscopy, and its amino‐terminal cleavage site was identified via Edman sequencing. SirT1 activity was assayed following an in vitro cathepsin B cleavage reaction. Cathepsin B small interfering RNA (siRNA) was transfected into chondrocytes left untreated or treated with TNFα.

Results

TNFα‐treated chondrocytes had impaired SirT1 enzymatic activity and displayed 2 forms of the enzyme: a full‐length 110‐kd protein and a smaller 75‐kd fragment. The 75‐kd SirT1 fragment was found to lack the carboxy‐terminus. Cathepsin B was identified as the TNFα‐responsive protease that cleaves SirT1 at residue 533. Reducing cathepsin B levels via siRNA following TNFα exposure blocked the generation of the 75‐kd SirT1 fragment.

Conclusion

These data indicate that TNFα, a cytokine that mediates joint inflammation in arthritis, induces cathepsin B–mediated cleavage of SirT1, resulting in reduced SirT1 activity. This reduced SirT1 activity correlates with the reduced cartilage‐specific gene expression evident in these TNFα‐treated cells.
Wie aus Zwergen Riesen wurden. Eine kurze Geschichte der Dinosaurier Argentiniens
Authors: Hardt Thorolf , Herkner Bernd
Published: February 2011

Dinosaurier begeistern uns! Wir stellen uns gerne vor, wie die Riesenechsen aussahen, wie sie sich bewegten, was sie fraßen und auch, wie sie miteinander kämpften. Vor allem die Giganten unter ihnen genießen unsere besondere Aufmerksamkeit – riesige pflanzenfressende Langhalssaurier und die furchterregenden Raubsaurier. Argentinien bietet für die Rekonstruktion der Dinosaurier‐Erfolgsgeschichte und insbesondere des Riesenwuchses traumhafte Bedingungen: Aus allen drei Zeitepochen des Erdmittelalters – Trias, Jura und Kreide – findet man dort Fossilien der Echsen. Ein potenzieller Vorfahre – ein Archosaurier – war gerade so groß wie ein Huhn. Eoraptor, der momentan älteste Dinosaurier, erreichte die Größe eines kleinen Hundes. Argentinosaurus huinculensis aus der Kreidezeit dagegen war knapp 40 Meter lang und 80 Tonnen schwer.
Das Oligozän. Subtropisches Leben in einem langen, schmalen Meer
Authors: Prinz‐Grimm Peter
Published: February 2011

Obwohl eine generelle globale Abkühlung im Verlauf des Oligozäns nachgewiesen werden kann, herrscht in Mitteleuropa, bedingt durch die folgenden plattentektonischen Verschiebungen, noch ein subtropisches Klima. Zum letzten Mal besteht eine direkte Meeresverbindung zwischen der Nordsee und dem Mittelmeer. Diese Senke durch das Oberrheintal ist ebenso wie das nordalpine Molassebecken eine Konsequenz der Alpenfaltung. Die Lebewesen in diesen Niederungen sind gegenwärtigen subtropischen Ökosystemen ziemlich ähnlich.
Was wissen wir über genetische Variation in menschlichen Populationen?
Authors: Englbrecht Claudia , Tautz Diethard
Published: February 2011

Die Debatte um den Autor Thilo Sarrazin und sein Buch “Deutschland schafft sich ab” zeigte vor allem eines: einen großen Informationsbedarf zum aktuellen Stand der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse.

Wie viel genetische Variation gibt es im modernen Menschen und wie ist diese genetische Variation verteilt? Können Gruppen innerhalb der globalen Population unterschieden werden? Wenn ja, warum ist genetische Variation unterschiedlich verteilt? Und schließlich, warum sind die Antworten zu diesen Fragen überhaupt interessant oder wichtig?
Volumenmessung mit Kolbenhubpipetten
Authors: Schrödel Andrea
Published: February 2011

Eine präzise Volumenmessung ist Voraussetzung für optimale Versuchsergebnisse. Verschiedene Anwendungen erfordern die Benutzung verschiedener Pipettenarten und verschiedener Pipettiermethoden. Für das Messen von geringen Volumen werden in biochemisch arbeitenden Laboren Kolbenhubpipetten mit Einwegpipettenspitzen eingesetzt. Doch misst die Pipette auch so, wie sie soll?
Nachrichten des Verbandes Biologie, Biowissenschaften & Biomedizin in Deutschland
Authors: Blessing Karin
Published: February 2011

Aus den Fachgesellschaften

Gesellschaft für Technische Biologie und Bionik 20

Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft

Dauerbrenner Gentechnikgesetz 21

Aus den Landesverbänden

NRW: Biologentag 2010 21

Bayern
Photocatalytic Degradation of a Gaseous Benzene‐Toluene Mixture in a Circulated Photocatalytic Reactor
Authors: Geng Q. , Chen N.
Published: February 2011

A circulated photocatalytic reactor (CPCR) was designed to enhance performance of the photocatalytic degradation of a gaseous mixture of aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOC) consisting of benzene and toluene in this study. The TiO2 film photocatalysts, characterized by FTIR and SEM, were prepared using the sol‐gel method in low temperature and coating onto the inner wall of this reactor by bonder of poly‐(2,2‐dimethyl)‐acrylic ethylene ester emulsion. The influences of the initial concentration and proportions of the mixture of toluene and benzene on the adsorption efficiency (Ai), degradation efficiency (Di), half‐life (t1/2), and deactivation and regeneration of catalyst in the CPCR were investigated. The results indicated that the adsorption efficiency, degradation efficiency, and half‐life were closely correlated to the initial concentrations of the mixture of toluene and benzene. The adsorption characteristics and kinetics of the photocatalytic degradation of the mixture were obtained based on the Langmuir‐Hinshelwood kinetic model. Furthermore, a series of new equations were developed. Finally, the reaction kinetics of the photocatalytic degradation of gaseous benzene or toluene in the CPCR was influenced by the interaction between benzene and toluene molecules.
Renal Dysfunction in Heart Failure Is Due to Congestion but Not Low Output
Authors: Guglin Maya , Rivero Abel , Matar Fadi , Garcia Marcos
Published: February 2011

Background

Renal dysfunction in heart failure is thought to be due to poor perfusion of the kidney.

Hypothesis

We tested the hypothesis that passive congestion is more important than poor perfusion.

Methods

We retrospectively studied the data on 178 patients who underwent right heart catheterization for evaluation of heart failure and had serum creatinine (Cr) measured on the same day.

Results

Serum Cr and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) correlated with central venous pressure (r = 0.22, P = 0.001 and r = −0.55, P < 0.0001, respectively) and renal perfusion pressure (r = 0.21, P = 0.001 and r = 0.27, P = 0.015, respectively). Neither correlated with cardiac index or left ventricular ejection fraction. Serum Cr was significantly higher and GFR was significantly lower in the upper tertile of central venous pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure as well as in the lower tertile of renal perfusion pressure.

Conclusions

Renal dysfunction in heart failure is determined more by passive congestion than by low perfusion. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
STEMI Patients—The More You Bleed, the More You Die: A Comparison Between Classifications
Authors: Valente Serafina , Lazzeri Chiara , Chiostri Marco , Osmanagaj Lusinda , Giglioli Cristina , Gensini Gian Franco
Published: February 2011

Background

In patients with acute coronary syndromes, an increase in hemorrhagic complications has been observed, and bleeding is now the most frequent noncardiac complication in these patients. Clinical trials and registries have used different scales to classify the severity of bleeding; so far, none of them has been developed for ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients in the era of primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods

We analyzed data from our Intensive Cardiac Care Florence STEMI Registry, comprising 991 STEMI patients consecutively admitted to our intensive cardiac care unit after mechanical revascularization, to assess the clinical impact of both Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage Strategy (ACUITY) classifications in identifying patients with major bleeding at higher risk for in‐hospital mortality.

Results

Major bleeding events occurred in 8.9% of patients (88/991) in the TIMI classification and in 17.2% of patients (170/991) in the ACUITY classification. Among patients with major bleeding classified according to ACUITY, 82 patients did not meet the TIMI criteria for major bleeding. These patients represent the so‐called gray zone, where no transfusion was performed and only 1 patient died.

Conclusions

In STEMI patients who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention and receive dual antiplatelet therapy, TIMI is more capable than ACUITY in identifying patients with major bleeding at higher risk for early mortality. The presence of renal failure represents an independent predictor for major bleeding. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Familial Recurrent Atrial Myxoma: Carney's Complex
Authors: Nagesh Shetty Roy A. , Radin Michael , Sarabi Dennis , Shaoulian Emanuel
Published: February 2011

We report on a family of 4 members, all of whom have had multifocal, recurrent atrial myxomas associated with skin pigmentation, melanotic schwannomas, mucocutaneous myxomas, and tumors of the ovary and pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands. Immunochemistry of the myxoma cells is positive for calretinin, confirming their neuroendocrine origin. Genetic studies confirmed mutations in the gene coding protein kinase A, regulatory subunit 1‐α (PRKAR1α). This is Carney's complex, characterized by multiple, mucocutaneous myxomas; pigmented lesions over the lips, conjunctiva, and genitalia; adenomas of the breast and thyroid; schwannomas; and endocrinal abnormalities including Cushing syndrome and acromegaly. Members of the family require vigorous screening, including urinary free cortisol, plasma transforming growth factor‐β1 and thyrotropin‐releasing hormone, testicular ultrasound, routine echocardiographic screening, searches for cardiac and mucocutaneous myxomas in multiple locations, and genetic studies for the PRKAR1α gene sequence. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Left Atrial Volume Index Over Late Diastolic Mitral Annulus Velocity (LAVi/A′) Is a Useful Echo Index to Identify Advanced Diastolic Dysfunction and Predict Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Park Hun‐Jun , Jung Hae Ok , Min Jinsoo , Park Mahn Won , Park Chan Seok , Shin Dong Il , Shin Woo‐Seung , Kim Pum Joon , Youn Ho‐Joong , Seung Ki‐Bae
Published: February 2011

Background

Combined interpretation of late diastolic mitral annulus velocity (A′) with left atrial volume index (LAVi) may have additional benefits in the assessment of diastolic dysfunction.

Hypothesis

The LAVi/A′ ratio may be useful in the identifying advanced diastolic dysfunction (ADD) and predicting clinical outcomes in patients with dyspnea.

Methods

We enrolled 395 consecutive patients hospitalized with dyspnea (New York Heart Association class II–IV) and performed transthoracic Doppler echocardiography and B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurement. LAVi/A′ values were evaluated in terms of diagnosing ADD and predicting clinical outcome.

Results

On the receiver operation characteristic curve analysis for the determination of ADD, the area under the curves of LAVi/A′ in the entire population was comparable to those of BNP (0.94 vs 0.93, P = 0.845) and mitral E/E′ (0.94 vs 0.93, P = 0.614) and higher than that of LAVi (0.94 vs 0.87; P = 0.014). A LAVi/A′ of 4.0 was the best cut‐off value to identify ADD. During a median follow‐up of 31.9 months (range, 0.3 to 45.7 months), the group with LAVi/A′ ≥4.0 had a higher incidence of primary composite outcomes (cardiac death and/or rehospitalization for heart failure) than the group with LAVi/A′<4.0 (25.0% vs 3.3%, P < 0.001). LAVi/A′ ≥4.0 was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes (odds ratio, 3.245; 95% confidence interval, 1.386–7.598; P = 0.007).

Conclusions

As a new echo index, LAVi/A′ is a useful parameter to identify ADD and predict clinical outcomes in patients with dyspnea. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
The Effects of Statin Monotherapy and Low‐Dose Statin/Ezetimibe on Lipoprotein‐Associated Phospholipase A2
Authors: Lee Sang‐Hak , Kang Seok‐Min , Park Sungha , Jang Yangsoo , Chung Namsik , Choi Donghoon
Published: February 2011

Background

Many of the pleiotropic effects of statins remain to be elucidated.

Hypothesis

Different statin regimens with similar lipid‐lowering efficacy may have different effects on biomarkers of atherothrombosis including lipoprotein‐associated phospholipase A2 (Lp‐PLA2).

Methods

After a 4‐week dietary lead‐in, 82 hypercholesterolemic patients were randomized to 1 of 2 treatment groups: atorvastatin 20 mg or atorvastatin/ezetimibe 5 mg/5 mg. After 8 weeks of drug treatment, the groups were compared for percent change in lipid parameters, Lp‐PLA2, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1, and fibrinogen.

Results

Low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) lowering was comparable between the 2 groups (−47% ± 11% and −49% ± 7% in the atorvastatin and combination groups, respectively). Although Lp‐PLA2 was reduced in both groups, the reduction was greater in the atorvastatin group (−42% and −9% [median], respectively, P = 0.03). Although IL‐6 was decreased only in the atorvastatin group, IL‐6 changes were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The changes in monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 and fibrinogen were similar in each group.

Conclusions

Atorvastatin monotherapy was stronger at reducing plasma Lp‐PLA2 than the low‐dose atorvastatin/ezetimibe combination after equivalent LDL‐C lowering. This result may provide evidence of potential statin effects beyond the lowering of LDL‐C. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

This study was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (A000385), a grant of the Seoul R&BD Program, Republic of Korea (10526), and a grant of the Korean Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs, Republic of Korea (A085136). The authors have no other funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Impact of Preprocedural High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein Levels on Uncovered Stent Struts: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study After Drug‐Eluting Stent Implantation
Authors: Kim Byeong‐Keuk , Kim Jung‐Sun , Oh Changmyung , Ko Young‐Guk , Choi Donghoon , Jang Yangsoo , Hong Myeong‐Ki
Published: February 2011

Background

There are no sufficient data to evaluate the relationship between high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) and uncovered stent struts on optical coherence tomography (OCT) after drug‐eluting stent (DES) implantation.

Hypothesis

We evaluated the relationship between the preprocedural level of hs‐CRP and incomplete neointimal coverage of DES struts on OCT.

Methods

This study was conducted using 124 eligible patients (132 lesions) treated with sirolimus‐eluting stents (SES) or zotarolimus‐eluting stents (ZES). The subjects were divided into 2 groups based on the preprocedural hs‐CRP level: high‐CRP (≥3 mg/L; 58 lesions) and normal‐CRP (<3 mg/L, 74 lesions) groups. The percentage of uncovered struts, calculated as the ratio of uncovered struts to total struts in all OCT cross‐sections, was compared between the 2 groups according to initial clinical presentation (stable angina [SA] vs acute coronary syndrome) and the type of implanted DES (SES vs ZES).

Results

There was no significant correlation between hs‐CRP and the percentage of uncovered struts on OCT in all enrolled lesions. In the SA subgroup, the percentage of uncovered struts was significantly higher in the high‐CRP group than in the normal‐CRP group (8.1 ± 11.6% vs 3.8 ± 7.9%, P = 0.018). There was significant correlation between hs‐CRP level and the percentage of uncovered struts in SA patients with SES (r = 0.280, P = 0.039), but not ZES (r = − 0.063, P = 0.729).

Conclusions

Preprocedural hs‐CRP level could affect incomplete neointimal coverage of struts after DES implantation depending on the initial clinical presentation and the type of implanted DES. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

This study was partly supported by grants from the Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs, Republic of Korea (No. A085012 and A102064), the Korea Health 21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (No. A085136), and the Cardiovascular Research Center, Seoul, Korea. The authors have no other funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Myocardial Infarction in a Patient With Down Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Raina Tushar , McGrath Emmet , Gunn Julian
Published: February 2011

Coronary artery disease and myocardial infarctions are believed to be rare in patients with Down's syndrome. Congenital heart malformations are frequently seen in children born with the syndrome and may represent a substrate for coronary artery embolism in later life. We report a case of myocardial infarction in a patient with Down's syndrome and present a review of the literature. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Association of Warfarin Use With Valvular and Vascular Calcification: A Review
Authors: Palaniswamy Chandrasekar , Sekhri Arunabh , Aronow Wilbert S. , Kalra Ankur , Peterson Stephen J.
Published: February 2011

Vitamin K is required for the activity of various biologically active proteins in our body. Apart from clotting factors, vitamin K–dependent proteins include regulatory proteins like protein C, protein S, protein Z, osteocalcin, growth arrest‐specific gene 6 protein, and matrix Gla protein. Glutamic acid residues in matrix Gla protein are γ‐carboxylated by vitamin K–dependent γ‐carboxylase, which enables it to inhibit calcification. Warfarin, being a vitamin K antagonist, inhibits this process, and has been associated with calcification in various animal and human studies. Though no specific guidelines are currently available to prevent or treat this less‐recognized side effect, discontinuing warfarin and using an alternative anticoagulant seems to be a reasonable option. Newer anticoagulants such as dabigatran and rivaroxaban offer promise as future therapeutic options in such cases. Drugs including statins, alendronate, osteoprotegerin, and vitamin K are currently under study as therapies to prevent or treat warfarin‐associated calcification. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Ion Channel Therapy of Ischemic Heart Disease: From Calcium Channel Blockers to Late Sodium Current Inhibition
Authors: Richard Conti C.
Published: February 2011

magnified image

What is summarized below relates to the clinical usefulness of various ion channel antagonists reviewed by a clinical cardiologist, not a basic scientist working on ion channel biology. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Convergent Synthesis of Polynitrile and/or Polyamine Dendrimers through Hydroaminomethylation and Michael Addition
Authors: Beigi Maryam , Ricken Stefan , Müller Kai Sven , Koç Fikret , Eilbracht Peter
Published: February 2011

A general concept for a versatile convergent synthesis ofpolynitrile and/or polyamine dendrimers has been developed by applying Vögtle's procedure in combination with thetandem hydroformylation/reductive amination sequence, known as hydroaminomethylation. In this approach, first Vögtle's procedure is used to generate the desired dendron, which can then be attached to different types of polyfunctionalized cores (e.g., polyamine, polyhalide, or polyolefin cores) to provide the desired globular architecture. This method can be used as a general procedure for the synthesis of dendrimers with designed shell and core properties as shown by the examples presented.
Analytical modeling of heat convection in magnetized micropolar fluid by using modified differential transform method
Authors: Rashidi M.M. , Laraqi N. , Basiri Parsa A.
Published: February 2011

In this study, a new analytical method (DTM‐Padé) and the numerical method (by using a fourth‐order RungeBKutta and shooting method) were compared to solve convective heat transfer for a micropolar fluid in the presence of uniform magnetic field. It was shown that the differential transform method (DTM) solutions are only valid for small values of independent variables; therefore the DTM is not applicable for solving magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary‐layer equations. The new method (DTM‐Padé) has removed this problem. Numerical comparisons between the DTM‐Padé and the numerical method revealed that the new method is a powerful method for solving MHD boundary‐layer equations. Finally, the analytical and numerical solutions of the problem for different values of the dimensionless parameters are shown simultaneously. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/htj.20337
Considering PTSD from the perspective of brain processes: A psychological construction approach
Authors: Suvak Michael K. , Barrett Lisa Feldman
Published: February 2011

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex psychiatric disorder that involves symptoms from various domains that appear to be produced by the combination of several mechanisms. The authors contend that existing neural accounts fail to provide a viable model that explains the emergence and maintenance of PTSD and the associated heterogeneity in the expression of this disorder (cf. Garfinkel & Liberzon, 2009). They introduce a psychological construction approach as a novel framework to probe the brain basis of PTSD, where distributed networks within the human brain are thought to correspond to the basic psychological ingredients of the mind. The authors posit that it is the combination of these ingredients that produces the heterogeneous symptom clusters in PTSD. Their goal is show that a constructionist approach has significant heuristic value in understanding the emergence and maintenance of PTSD symptoms, and leads to different and perhaps more useful conjectures about the origins and maintenance of the syndrome than the traditional hyperreactive fear account.
The comparison of various ventilation modes and the association of risk factors with CO2 retention during suspension laryngoscopy
Authors: Tang Fang , Li Shao‐Qing , Chen Lian‐Hua , Miao Chang‐Hong
Published: February 2011

Objectives/Hypothesis:

To compare the effectiveness of various ventilation modes during suspension laryngoscopy and to investigate risk factors associated with CO2 retention in high‐frequency jet ventilation (HFJV).

Study Design:

Part I: Randomized controlled study; Part II: Outcomes research.

Methods:

In Part I, saturation of peripheral oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and pH were recorded in different ventilation modes in 60 patients. All subjects were randomly divided into four groups. Three groups received different jet ventilations through a catheter inserted transnasally, and one group had tracheal intubation and received intermittent positive pressure ventilation. In Part II, 59 patients received jet ventilation with a fixed rate; CO2 retention and its potential risk factors were analyzed. Data were collected at the following time points: preinduction (T0), anesthesia induction (T1), laryngoscopic operation (T2), 10 minutes after the initiation of ventilation (T3), extubation (T4), and 10 minutes after extubation (T5).

Results:

In Part I, mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased and heart rate decreased significantly during T2 (P < .01), MAP and heart rate increased significantly during T4 (P < .01), and PaCO2 increased and pH decreased significantly in T3 and T5 (P < .01) in all four groups. Using logistic regression analysis of results from Part II, it was determined that in males, the combination of higher weight, lower height, and body mass index values greater than 25.224 was closely associated with CO2 retention.

Conclusions:

During suspension laryngoscopy surgery, HFJV at 60 beats per minute through a thin transnasal catheter provides adequate ventilation as well as an excellent surgical view. A body mass index of more than 25.224 is the main risk factor for CO2 retention. Laryngoscope, 2011
A novel single point mutation of the LYST gene in two siblings with different phenotypic features of Chediak Higashi syndrome
Authors: Kaya Zuhre , Ehl Stephan , Albayrak Meryem , Maul‐Pavicic Andrea , Schwarz Klaus , Kocak Ulker , Ergun Mehmet Ali , Gursel Turkiz
Published: February 2011

Chediak Higashi syndrome (CHS) is an autosomal‐recessive disorder characterized by oculocutaneous albinism, recurrent infections and a progressive primary neurological disease. Here, we describe two siblings with CHS due to a novel homozygous R1836X mutation in the LYST gene associated with loss of NK cell degranulation and cytotoxicity. While one sibling was born with fair skin and hair and died of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) at 5 months of age, the other sibling had dark black hair and skin and developed HLH at the age of 4 years. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:1136–1139. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ANZCCSG BabyBrain99; intensified systemic chemotherapy, second look surgery and involved field radiation in young children with central nervous system malignancy
Authors: Bandopadhayay Pratiti , Hassall Timothy E. , Rosenfeld Jeffrey V. , Wheeler Greg C. , Downie Peter A. , Kirby Maria L. , Cohn Richard J. , Sullivan Michael J. , Ashley David M.
Published: February 2011

Background

ANZCCSG BabyBrain99 is a trial of intensive systemic chemotherapy with dual stem cell supported treatment, second look surgery and involved field radiation for children less than four years of age with malignant central nervous system tumours.

Procedure

Following primary resection, treatment included two courses of cisplatin and oral etoposide, a third course of mobilising chemotherapy (vincristine, etoposide, cyclophosphamide) with stem cell harvest, followed by intensive stem cell supported chemotherapy with high dose cyclophosphamide, etoposide and vincristine. Children were evaluated for second resection before proceeding to a second stem cell supported consolidation therapy consisting of melphalan and carboplatin. Patients then received involved field radiation therapy.

Results

Thirty three children with a range of diagnoses were enrolled. Nine percent of children had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Eighteen children completed treatment including irradiation. At the end of induction the event free survival was 70% (54–86). Forty eight percent of children had a complete response, 18% had stable disease and 3% had a partial response. Five year overall survival was 40% (22–56) and event free survival was 33% (17–50). Children in whom a complete resection were achieved had a significantly superior outcome compared to those children without a complete resection, 5 year EFS 60% (45–75), as compared to 22% (13–30), P‐value <0.05.

Conclusions

BabyBrain99 confirms that intensive stem cell supported chemotherapy can be safely administered to infants with CNS tumours however overall prognosis remains poor. Importantly, the study reinforces a complete surgical resection as an important favourable prognostic indicator. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:1055–1061. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Shared molecular targets in pediatric gliomas and ependymomas
Authors: Tsuruta Toshihisa , Aihara Yasuo , Kanno Hitoshi , Funase Masakazu , Murayama Toshihiko , Osawa Makiko , Fujii Hisaichi , Kubo Osami , Okada Yoshikazu
Published: February 2011

Background

Recent advances in multidisciplinary treatment approaches have improved the overall prognosis of pediatric brain tumors, but some patients remain refractory to treatment and do poorly. Several molecularly targeted therapies are under development for the treatment of brain tumors, and high‐grade gliomas in adults are a particular area of study.

Procedure

To better understand if these new therapies can be used in pediatric populations, we examined the expression of the following seven marker genes involved in signaling pathways targeted by new therapies: β‐catenin, suppressor of fused (SUFU), erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog (ERBB) 2, platelet‐derived growth factor receptorα (PDGFRα), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), secreted protein acid and rich in cysteine (SPARC), and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor receptor (G‐CSFR). Samples from 27 patients with the primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)/medulloblastomas (MBs) (n = 8), ependymomas (n = 5), or gliomas (n = 14) were assessed by quantitative real‐time PCR. [Correction made here after initial online publication]. We assigned an EXP score to compare across samples and determined the levels of gene expression among tumor cell types.

Results

Gene expression varied among the different tumors, but, within a tumor type, clear expression patterns were seen. The expression of SUFU, ERBB2, and PCNA in metastatic MBs were greater than that seen in non‐metastatic MBs. Most glioma cases highly expressed PDGFRα and G‐CSFR. Additionally, the expression patterns of gliomas and ependymomas were similar (r = 0.77, P = 0.04), but PNET/MBs substantially differed from gliomas (r = −0.37, P = 0.41) or ependymomas (r = 0.23, P = 0.62).

Conclusions

The development of new drugs targeting up‐regulated pathways may be useful for the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. As new drugs are developed, gliomas and ependymomas may be treated with similar compounds. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 1117–1123. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assessment of late cardiotoxicity of pirarubicin (THP) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Shimomura Yasuto , Baba Reizo , Watanabe Arata , Horikoshi Yasuo , Asami Keiko , Hyakuna Nobuyuki , Iwai Asayuki , Matsushita Takeshi , Yamaji Kazutaka , Hori Toshinori , Tsurusawa Masahito ,   for The Japanese Childhood Cancer and Leukemia Study Group (JCCLSG)
Published: February 2011

Background

Pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl‐adriamycin: THP) is a derivative of doxorubicin with reportedly less cardiotoxicity in adults. However no studies of cardiotoxicity in children treated with THP have been reported. This study was performed to assess the THP‐induced cardiotoxicity for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Patients and Methods

This study comprised 61 asymptomatic patients aged from 7.6 to 25.7 years old. Median follow‐up time after completion of anthracycline treatment was 8.1 years (range: 1.7–12.5). The cumulative dose of THP ranged from 120 to 740 mg/m2 with a median of 180 mg/m2. Patients underwent electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, the 6‐min walk test (6MWT), and measurements of serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) before and after exercise.

Results

All subjects showed normal left ventricular function assessed by echocardiography. Ventricular premature contraction in Holter ECG and reduced exercise tolerance in the 6MWT were detected in 2/46 (3.3%) and 5/41(12.2%), respectively. Abnormal BNP levels were detected in 6/60 (10%) both before and after exercise. The cumulative dose of THP was significantly correlated with BNP levels after exercise (r = 0.27, P = 0.03), but not with any other cardiac measurements. Further analysis revealed that subjects with a high cumulative dose ≧300 mg/m2 had significantly higher BNP levels after exercise compared with subjects with a low cumulative dose <300 mg/m2 (P = 0.04).

Conclusions

No significant cardiac dysfunction was detected in long‐term survivors who received THP treatment. The use of post‐exercise BNP level to indicate high cardiotoxicity risk should be verified by further study. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 461–466. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The antioxidant status and response to therapy in children with soft tissue sarcomas and neuroblastoma
Authors: Stachowicz‐Stencel Teresa , Synakiewicz Anna , Owczarzak Anna , Aleksandrowicz‐Wrona Ewa , Sliwinska Aleksandra , Lysiak‐Szydlowska Wieslawa , Balcerska Anna
Published: February 2011

Background

Antioxidant systems in cells maintain the proper homeostasis of reactive oxygen species, which at high concentrations can induce carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of ischemia‐modified albumin (IMA), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) as markers for prognosis in children with neuroblastoma (NB) and soft tissue sarcomas (STS), two cancer types for which reliable prognostic factors are needed.

Procedure

SOD, GSH‐Px, and IMA were measured before and during responses to therapy assessment in 99 children with NB and STS and in 30 healthy controls.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in the erythrocyte SOD and GSH‐Px activities between the patients with cancer and healthy controls. The levels of IMA in patients with STS and NB were found to be significantly higher than in the controls (P = 0.0013; P = 0.0066, and 0.0164, respectively). Decreased activities of SOD and GSH‐Px were found in all patients with poor‐responding (PRS) cancers and decreased SOD activity was found in patients with PRS NB. An increase in GSH‐Px was observed in patients with good‐responding (GR) NB. All patients with GR cancers demonstrated higher SOD and GSH‐Px activities than patients with PRS cancers.

Conclusions

While determining the levels of specific antioxidants as antioxidant‐barrier parameters in children with cancer may be valuable in predicting therapeutic responses as well as outcomes, additional studies are required. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 561–568. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A holographic model of the quantum Hall effect
Authors: Bergman O. , Jokela N. , Lifschytz G. , Lippert M.
Published: February 2011

We describe a holographic model of strongly coupled fermions in 2+1 dimensions based on a D7‐brane probe in the background of D3‐branes. The novel D7‐brane embedding is stabilized by turning on a certain worldvolume flux. We study the system at nonzero temperature and charge density, and in the presence of a background magnetic field. We show that Minkowski embeddings, which terminate above the horizon, describe a family of quantum Hall states with filling fractions that are parameterized by a single discrete parameter. The quantization of the Hall conductivity is a direct consequence of the topological quantization of the fluxes. When the magnetic field is varied relative to the charge density away from these discrete filling fractions, the embeddings deform continuously into black hole embeddings, which enter the horizon and describe metallic states.
RAMV: ensuring resource‐aware message verification in VANETs
Authors: Li Zhengming , Chigan Chunxiao
Published: February 2011

Driven by road safety applications and commercial applications, verification of messages' content integrity and authenticity in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) is indispensable. However, due to numerous message exchanges in VANETs, message verification often leads to excessive resource consumption and even resource depletion in vehicular nodes. To tackle the scalability issue, a novel resource‐aware message verification (RAMV) scheme is proposed in this paper. With application specific differentiation of the messages to better support road safety applications, RAMV streamlines the existing message verification schemes to keep their resource consumption within the preset resource budget. Meanwhile, the common security requirements for message verification are all properly met by RAMV. Enabling resource‐aware, safety‐upholding, and secure message verification, RAMV is especially appealing to the forthcoming massive deployment of VANETs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concise Review: Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Bright Stem and Progenitor Cell Populations from Normal Tissues: Characteristics, Activities, and Emerging Uses in Regenerative Medicine
Authors: Balber Andrew E.
Published: February 2011

Flow cytometry has been used to detect cells that express high levels of the aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in normal tissues. Such ALDH bright (ALDHbr) cell populations have been sorted from human cord blood, bone marrow, mobilized peripheral blood, skeletal muscle, and breast tissue and from the rodent brain, pancreas, and prostate. A variety of hematopoietic, endothelial, and mutiltipotential mesenchymal progenitors are enriched in the human bone marrow, cord, and peripheral blood ALDHbr populations. Multipotential neural progenitors are enriched in rodent brain tissue, and tissue-specific progenitors in the other tissue types. In xenograft models, uncultured human bone marrow and cord ALDHbr cells home to damaged tissue and protect mice against acute ischemic injury by promoting angiogenesis. Uncultured cord ALDHbr cells also deploy to nonhematopoietic tissues and protect animals in CCl4 intoxication and chronic multiorgan failure models. Mouse ALDHbr cells and cells derived from them in culture protect animals in a chronic neurodegenerative disease model. Purifying ALDHbr cells appears to increase their ability to repair tissues in these animal models. Clinical studies suggest that the number of ALDHbr cells present in hematopoietic grafts or circulating in the blood of cardiovascular disease patients is related to clinical outcomes or disease severity. ALDHbr cells have been used to supplement unrelated cord blood transplant and to treat patients with ischemic heart failure and critical limb ischemia. ALDH activity can play several physiological roles in stem and progenitor cells that may potentiate their utility in cell therapy.
Nanotechnology and the treatment of inner ear diseases
Authors: Poe Dennis S , Pyykkö Ilmari
Published: February 2011

Inner ear diseases such as sensorineural hearing loss and vertigo that cause degeneration of sensory‐neural transducer epithelial cells and nerve cells are extremely common and significantly disabling conditions for which there are almost no effective remedies to date. Efforts are being made to produce agents that could prevent injury, limit its extent, and repair injury or regenerate new end organ and neural cells. These promising drugs or gene therapies may require local administration to the inner ear and even cell‐specific targeting to provide adequate effective doses without systemic toxicity or side effects. Delivery of agents may require controlled or sustained release into the inner ear fluids, cellular cytoplasm, or nucleus of targeted cells. A number of classes of nanoparticles have been investigated that demonstrate the potential for accomplishing these challenging tasks. The strategies and experience to date for functionalizing nanoparticles for inner ear delivery and intracellular release of therapeutic agent into targeted cells will be reviewed in this article. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2011 3 212–221 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.125

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
Non‐invasive measurements of atherosclerosis in adult cystinosis patients
Authors: Besouw Martine T. P. , Holewijn Suzanne , Levtchenko Elena N. , Janssen Mirian C. H.
Published: February 2011

Background

Cystinosis is characterized by intralysosomal cystine accumulation, causing end stage renal disease around 10 years of age if not treated with cysteamine. Cystine accumulation in blood vessels might increase atheroma formation or arterial stiffness and therefore increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to investigate the risk for CVD by non‐invasive measures of atherosclerosis (NIMA) and to evaluate the effect of cysteamine treatment.

Patients and methods

Thirteen Dutch adult cystinosis patients were included. White blood cell (WBC) cystine levels, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and concommitant medications were obtained from medical records. NIMA included carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT, n = 13), pulse wave velocity (PWV, n = 8) and pulse wave analysis (PWA, n = 6).

Results

GFR ranged between 4‐95 mL/min/1.73 m². All but one patient were treated with cysteamine, mean WBC cystine values ranged between 0.34‐1.64 nmol cystine/mg protein, 8 patients had mean WBC cystine levels <1 nmol cystine/mg protein. When compared to healthy subjects, cIMT and PWV levels were above normal values in 1 patient for each measure. PWA measurements showed high augmentation index in three patients who did not receive lipid‐lowering medication. When corrected for renal function, cIMT and PWV levels were within the normal range.

Conclusion

Young adult cystinosis patients treated with cysteamine have no additional risk for CVD when compared to patients with chronic kidney disease of other causes.