bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What role for genetics in the prediction of multiple sclerosis?
Authors: Sawcer Stephen , Ban Maria , Wason James , Dudbridge Frank
Published: November 2009

For most of us, the foundations of our understanding of genetics were laid by considering Mendelian diseases in which familial recurrence risks are high, and mutant alleles are both necessary and sufficient. One consequence of this deterministic teaching is that our conceptualization of genetics tends to be dominated by the notion that the genetic aspects of disease are caused by rare alleles exerting large effects. Unfortunately, the preconceptions that flow from this training are frequently erroneous and misleading in the context of common traits, where familial recurrence risks are modest, and for the most part the relevant alleles are neither rare, necessary, nor sufficient. For these common traits, the genetic architecture is far more complex, with susceptibility rather than causality resulting from the combined effects of many alleles, each exerting only a modest effect on risk. None of these alleles is sufficient to cause disease on its own, and none is essential for the development of disease. Furthermore, most are carried by large sections of the population, the vast majority of which does not develop the disease. One consequence of our innate belief in the Mendelian paradigm is that we have an inherent expectation that knowledge about the genetic basis for a disease should allow genetic testing and thereby accurate risk prediction. There is an inevitable feeling that the same should be true in complex disease, but is it? ANN NEUROL 2010;67:3–10
Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase define a form of limbic encephalitis
Authors: Malter Michael P. , Helmstaedter Christoph , Urbach Horst , Vincent Angela , Bien Christian G.
Published: November 2009

Objective

Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) have been described in a few patients with temporal lobe epilepsies consistent with limbic encephalitis (LE). We studied a cohort of patients with recent‐onset temporal lobe epilepsy caused by LE to test for GAD antibody positivity and response to immunotherapies.

Methods

Over a period of 3.75 years, 138 patients aged ≥18 years investigated at the Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, for recent‐onset epilepsy were prospectively collected and studied for cliniconeuroradiological features of LE, autoantibodies, and treatment responses.

Results

Fifty‐three adult patients fulfilled the criteria for LE: (1) limbic signs and symptoms for ≤5 years and (2) brain MRI revealing mediotemporal encephalitis (T2/fluid attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity without atrophy). Nine had high‐titer GAD antibodies; 10 had voltage‐gated potassium channel (VGKC) antibodies. Patients with GAD antibodies were younger (median age, 23 years; range, 17‐66 years) (p = 0.003) and presented with seizures only, whereas polymorphic limbic features were more common in the VGKC antibody‐positive group (p < 0.001). None had tumors. Patients with GAD antibodies more frequently had cerebrospinal fluid oligoclonal bands (p = 0.009) and intrathecal secretion of the specific antibody (p = 0.01). Following monthly intravenous methylprednisolone pulses, GAD antibodies remained highly elevated in 6/6 patients, whereas VGKC antibodies normalized in 6/9 patients (p = 0.03). Despite more intense anticonvulsive treatment in the GAD antibody‐positive group (p = 0.01), none of these patients became seizure free, unlike all of the patients with VGKC antibodies (p < 0.001).

Interpretation

High‐titer GAD antibodies define a form of nonparaneoplastic LE. This is a chronic, nonremitting disorder and should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with TLE and mediotemporal encephalitis. Therapeutic trials of other immunotherapies should be undertaken. ANN NEUROL 2010;67:470–478
Cerebellar morphology in Tourette syndrome and obsessive‐compulsive disorder
Authors: Tobe Russell H. , Bansal Ravi , Xu Dongrong , Hao Xuejun , Liu Jun , Sanchez Juan , Peterson Bradley S.
Published: November 2009

Objective

Neuroanatomical and functional imaging studies have identified the cerebellum as an integral component of motor and language control. Few studies, however, have investigated the role of the cerebellum in Tourette syndrome (TS), a condition defined by the presence of semi‐involuntary movements and sounds.

Methods

Magnetic resonance imaging was conducted in 163 persons with TS and 147 control participants. Multivariate linear regression models were used to explore effects on cerebellar surface morphology and underlying volumes for the main diagnosis effects of TS as well as comorbid obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Additionally, the correlations of symptom severity with cerebellar morphology were also assessed.

Results

The TS group demonstrated reduced volumes of the cerebellar hemispheres bilaterally that derived primarily from reduced gray matter in crus I and lobules VI, VIIB, and VIIIA. These decreased regional volumes accompanied increasing tic symptom severity and motoric disinhibition as demonstrated by a finger tapping test. Males had reduced volumes of these same regions compared with females, irrespective of diagnosis. Comorbid OCD was associated with relative enlargement of these regions in proportion to the increasing severity of OCD symptoms.

Interpretation

The cerebellum is involved in the pathogenesis of TS and tic‐related OCD. Baseline gender differences in cerebellar morphology may in part account for the more prevalent expression of TS in males. ANN NEUROL 2010;67:479–487
Milkshakes, lady lumps and growing up to want boobies: how the sexualisation of popular culture limits girls' horizons
Authors: Coy Maddy
Published: November 2009

This article explores research evidence on the harmful impact of sexualised popular culture on girls and young women, and draws implications for the Every Child Matters (ECM) framework (Department for Education and Skills, 2004). The key theme is how sexualisation narrows girls' ‘space for action’, their aspirations and achievements by re‐defining femininity and beauty as of most importance, but also the negative impact on sexual relationships and interactions, with a specific focus on portrayal of black girls and young women in terms of the intersection of race and gender. Recommendations are made for a gendered analysis of sexualisation to be incorporated into ECM indicators and relevant policy measures. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inter‐domain handover scheme using an intermediate mobile access gateway for seamless service in vehicular networks
Authors: Lee Kang‐Won , Seo Won‐Kyeong , Cho You‐Ze , Kim Jong‐Woo , Park Jin‐Soo , Moon Byoung‐Sub
Published: November 2009

Current IP‐level mobility management protocols are unable to satisfy the stringent handover latency requirements for supporting real‐time multimedia services between different domains in a high‐speed vehicular environment. This paper proposes an inter‐domain handover scheme for Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6) with a new network entity, called intermediate‐mobile access gateway (iMAG). The iMAG is located between the home and the foreign domains and is connected to both domains. The proposed scheme is a proactive handover approach that performs the inter‐domain L3 handover in advance before the inter‐domain L2 handover while the Mobile Node (MN) is still connected to the iMAG in the home domain. Therefore, the proposed scheme enables the inter‐domain handover latency to reduce as low as the intra‐domain handover latency. Numerical analysis and simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme is able to support seamless service continuity in inter‐domain handovers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Validated stability‐indicating TLC method for the determination of noscapine
Authors: Ashour Ahmed , Hegazy Maha Abdel Monem , Moustafa Azza Aziz , Kelani Khadiga Omar , Fattah Laila Elsayed Abdel
Published: November 2009

A sensitive, selective, precise and stability‐indicating thin‐layer chromatographic (TLC) method was developed and validated for the analysis of noscapine, both as a bulk drug and in its formulation. The method employed TLC aluminium plates precoated with silica gel 60F‐254 as the stationary phase. The solvent system consisted of chloroform‐methanol (10:0.5 v/v). Densitometric analysis of noscapine and its degradation products was carried out in the absorbance mode at 254 nm. This system was found to give compact symmetrical spots for noscapine (Rf value 0.85 ± 0.04). Noscapine was subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, oxidation and photo degradation.

The drug undergoes photo degradation and also degrades under acidic and basic conditions. The prepared degradation products were identified and verified through infrared (IR) and mass spectral analyses. The degraded products were also well resolved from the pure drug with significantly different Rf values and they were quantitatively determined. The method was validated for linearity, precision, robustness, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), specificity and accuracy. Linearity was found to be in the 1.0–10.0 µg, 0.4–3.2 µg, 1.0–9.0 µg and 0.5–5.0 µg/band ranges for noscapine, cotarnine, meconine and opionic acid, respectively. The polynomial regression analysis for the calibration plots showed a good polynomial relationship with r2 of 0.9998, 9989, 9996 and 0.9997 for noscapine and its three degradation products, cotarnine, meconine and opionic acid, respectively. Statistical analysis proves that the method is repeatable and specific for the estimation of noscapine. As this approach could effectively separate the drug from its degradation products it can be employed as a stability‐indicating method in Quality Control laboratories. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct injection horse‐urine analysis for the quantification and confirmation of threshold substances for doping control. IV. Determination of 3‐methoxytyramine by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Vonaparti A. , Lyris E. , Panderi I. , Koupparis M. , Georgakopoulos C.
Published: November 2009

Levodopa and dopamine have been abused as performance‐altering substances in horse racing. Urinary 3‐methoxytyramine is used as an indicator of dopaminergic manipulation resulting from dopamine or levodopa administration and is prohibited with a urinary threshold of 4 µg mL−1 (free and conjugated). A simple liquid chromatographic (LC)/mass spectrometric (MS) (LCMS) method was developed and validated for the quantification and identification of 3‐methoxytyramine in equine urine. Sample preparation involved enzymatic hydrolysis and protein precipitation. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) was selected as a separation technique that allows effective retention of polar substances like 3‐methoxytyramine and efficient separation from matrix compounds. Electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive mode with product ion scan mode was chosen for the detection of the analytes. Quantification of 3‐methoxytyramine was performed with fragmentation at low collision energy, resulting in one product ion, while a second run at high collision energy was performed for confirmation (at least three abundant ions). Studies on matrix effects showed ion suppression depending on the horse urine used. To overcome the variability of the results originating from the matrix effects, isotopic labelled internal standard was used and linear regression calibration methodology was applied for the quantitative determination of the analyte. The tested linear range was 1–20 µg mL−1. The relative standard deviations of intra‐ and inter‐ assay analysis of 3‐methoxytyramine in horse urine were lower than 4.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Overall accuracy (relative percentage error) was less than 6.2%. The method was applied to case samples, demonstrating simplicity, accuracy and selectivity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ghrelin Attenuates Hepatocellular Injury and Liver Fibrogenesis in Rodents and Influences Fibrosis Progression in Humans
Authors: Moreno Montserrat , Chaves Javier F. , Sancho-Bru Pau , Ramalho Fernando , Ramalho Leandra N. , Mansego Maria L. , Ivorra Carmen , Dominguez Marlene , Conde Laura , Millán Cristina , Marí Montserrat , Colmenero Jordi , Lozano Juan J. , Jares Pedro , Vidal Josep , Forns Xavier , Arroyo Vicente , Caballería Juan , Ginès Pere , Bataller Ramón
Published: November 2009

There are no effective antifibrotic therapies for patients with liver diseases. We performed an experimental and translational study to investigate whether ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone with pleiotropic properties, modulates liver fibrogenesis. Recombinant ghrelin was administered to rats with chronic (bile duct ligation) and acute (carbon tetrachloride) liver injury. Hepatic gene expression was analyzed by way of microarray analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The hepatic response to chronic injury was also evaluated in wild-type and ghrelin-deficient mice. Primary human hepatic stellate cells were used to study the effects of ghrelin

in vitro

. Ghrelin hepatic gene expression and serum levels were assessed in patients with chronic liver diseases. Ghrelin gene polymorphisms were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Recombinant ghrelin treatment reduced the fibrogenic response, decreased liver injury and myofibroblast accumulation, and attenuated the altered gene expression profile in bile duct–ligated rats. Moreover, ghrelin reduced the fibrogenic properties of hepatic stellate cells. Ghrelin also protected rats from acute liver injury and reduced the extent of oxidative stress and inflammation. Ghrelin-deficient mice developed exacerbated hepatic fibrosis and liver damage after chronic injury. In patients with chronic liver diseases, ghrelin serum levels decreased in those with advanced fibrosis, and ghrelin gene hepatic expression correlated with expression of fibrogenic genes. In patients with chronic hepatitis C, polymorphisms of the ghrelin gene (−994CT and −604GA) influenced the progression of liver fibrosis.

Conclusion:

Ghrelin exerts antifibrotic effects in the liver and may represent a novel antifibrotic therapy. (Hepatology 2010;51:974–985.)
Cellular uptake and toxicity of gold nanoparticles in prostate cancer cells: a comparative study of rods and spheres
Authors: Arnida  , Malugin Alexander , Ghandehari Hamidreza
Published: November 2009

Using a series of gold nanoparticles with incremental increase in dimensions but varying geometries (spherical vs rods) we have evaluated the influence of shape, size, surface properties and concentration on cellular uptake, adsorption of proteins and toxicity in a human prostate cancer cell line (PC‐3). In the range of 30–90 nm diameter studied, spherical particles of 50 nm in diameter without polyethylene glycol (PEG) had the highest uptake. Surface attachment of PEG reduced cellular uptake. PEGylated gold nanorods had a net positive charge compared with their spherical counterparts and particle geometry influenced cellular uptake. In the absence of serum proteins the uptake of plain spherical GNPs increased. These studies pave the way for the tailoring of gold nanoparticles for targeted tumor therapy applications. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rearrangement and predissociation processes in negative molecular ions of nitrobenzenes
Authors: Muftakhov Mars V. , Khatymov Rustem V. , Shchukin Pavel V. , Pogulay Andrey V. , Mazunov Victor A.
Published: November 2009

The reactions of resonant electron capture by the molecules of benzene nitroderivatives has been studied in the gas phase. Some fragment negative ions were found to be unstable with respect to electron autodetachment. This circumstance has been used for the determination of their structure. In particular, it has been established that the low measured appearance energy of neutral component of [MH]− ion beam is a result of isomerization of nitrobenzenes' molecular ion, leading to the 2‐nitrosophenol structure with the subsequent formation of the phenoxide anion in the autodetaching state. The effective yield curves of some types of fragment ions demonstrate fine vibrational structures, testifying the predissociation mechanism of ion formation. For all detected ions, the absolute cross sections of formation have been measured. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global runoff routing with the hydrological component of the ECMWF NWP system
Authors: Pappenberger F. , Cloke H. L. , Balsamo G. , Ngo‐Duc T. , Oki T.
Published: November 2009

A global river routing scheme coupled to the ECMWF land surface model is implemented and tested within the framework of the Global Soil Wetness Project II, to evaluate the feasibility of modelling global river runoff at a daily time scale. The exercise is designed to provide benchmark river runoff predictions needed to verify the land surface model. Ten years of daily runoff produced by the HTESSEL land surface scheme is input into the TRIP2 river routing scheme in order to generate daily river runoff. These are then compared to river runoff observations from the Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC) in order to evaluate the potential and the limitations. A notable source of inaccuracy is bias between observed and modelled discharges which is not primarily due to the modelling system but instead of to the forcing and quality of observations and seems uncorrelated to the river catchment size. A global sensitivity analysis and Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) uncertainty analysis are applied to the global routing model. The ground water delay parameter is identified as being the most sensitive calibration parameter. Significant uncertainties are found in results, and those due to parameterisation of the routing model are quantified. The difficulty involved in parameterising global river discharge models is discussed. Detailed river runoff simulations are shown for the river Danube, which match well observed river runoff in upstream river transects. Results show that although there are errors in runoff predictions, model results are encouraging and certainly indicative of useful runoff predictions, particularly for the purpose of verifying the land surface scheme hydrologicly. Potential of this modelling system on future applications such as river runoff forecasting and climate impact studies is highlighted. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Regional co‐variability and teleconnection patterns in surface solar radiation on a planetary scale
Authors: Papadimas C. D. , Fotiadi A. K. , Hatzianastassiou N. , Vardavas I. , Bartzokas A.
Published: November 2009

The spatial and temporal distribution of the downward solar radiation (DSR) at the Earth's surface, which is a key parameter for the Earth‐atmosphere climate system, is studied on a global scale by applying the multivariate statistical method of factor analysis (FA) on mean monthly DSR values for the period 1984–2000 for winter and summer. DSR fluxes have been computed with a physical deterministic radiation transfer model, which uses satellite and reanalysis climatological input data. FA objectively groups grid points with common temporal variability of solar radiation, identifying areas with characteristic solar radiation variability and revealing teleconnection patterns. The globally distributed DSR exhibits strong variability and can be represented by about 30 factors (sub‐areas) explaining approximately 85% of the total variance. The main factors are located in the tropical Pacific (El Niño Southern Oscillation), the northern Pacific (Aleutian low), desert areas (Africa, Middle East, and Australia), and oceanic areas (storm track zone around 60°S). Furthermore, some of these areas are teleconnected indicating common DSR variability in remote places of the Earth. The primary physical parameter for the co‐variability of surface solar radiation is found to be cloud cover. The time series of the factor scores (solar radiation) exhibit features associated with natural climatic phenomena (e.g. NAO, ENSO), thus revealing that DSR might be considered as an indirect indicator for these phenomena. On the other hand, DSR determines these phenomena through its effects on major climate parameters such as surface temperature or evaporation, thus playing a key role in their formation and explanation. Finally, our analysis revealed some statistically significant trends of solar radiation, for example, a reduction in the northern Pacific and an increase in tropical and subtropical regions, which are important for global dimming/brightening and associated surface warming of the Earth. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Probabilistic methods for seasonal forecasting in a changing climate: Cox‐type regression models
Authors: Maia Aline H. N. , Meinke Holger
Published: November 2009

For climate risk management, cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) are an important source of information. They are ideally suited to compare probabilistic forecasts of primary (e.g. rainfall) or secondary data (e.g. crop yields). Summarised as CDFs, such forecasts allow an easy quantitative assessment of possible, alternative actions. Although the degree of uncertainty associated with CDF estimation could influence decisions, such information is rarely provided. Hence, we propose Cox‐type regression models (CRMs) as a statistical framework for making inferences on CDFs in climate science. CRMs were designed for modelling probability distributions rather than just mean or median values. This makes the approach appealing for risk assessments where probabilities of extremes are often more informative than central tendency measures. CRMs are semi‐parametric approaches originally designed for modelling risks arising from time‐to‐event data. Here we extend this original concept to other positive variables of interest beyond the time domain. We also provide tools for estimating CDFs and surrounding uncertainty envelopes from empirical data. These statistical techniques intrinsically account for non‐stationarities in time series that might be the result of climate change. This feature makes CRMs attractive candidates to investigate the feasibility of developing rigorous global circulation model (GCM)–CRM interfaces for provision of user‐relevant forecasts. To demonstrate the applicability of CRMs, we present two examples for El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)‐based forecasts: the onset date of the wet season (Cairns, Australia) and total wet season rainfall (Quixeramobim, Brazil). This study emphasises the methodological aspects of CRMs rather than discussing merits or limitations of the ENSO‐based predictors. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Spatio‐temporal prediction of snow cover in the Black Forest mountain range using remote sensing and a recurrent neural network
Authors: Sauter Tobias , Weitzenkamp Björn , Schneider Christoph
Published: November 2009

Winter tourism is the main economic factor for many different regions in the German Mountain Range. Owing to warming trends experienced in the past and predicted for the future, precise knowledge about the development of snow cover and snow duration in the future is becoming more and more important. On the basis of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A1B scenario, this paper investigates the possible regional development of snow cover and snow duration in the Black Forest in southwest Germany until 2050. For this purpose, we developed a new method that combines Non‐linear AutoRegressive networks with eXogenous inputs (NARX) with Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS). With this non‐parametric approach, we try to define with preferably high accuracy a simple transferable model. Besides the general problem of developing a robust statistical model, our main focus is on the enhancement of the spatial resolution of snow patterns by incorporating complex structures of the underlying terrain using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data. The results suggest a possible decrease in the number of snow days (snow cover ≥ 10 cm) in the decade 2041–2050 by 10 to 44% at altitudes higher than 1200 m, by 17 to 57% at 1000–1200 m and 25 to 66% at 500–1000 m. This results in a dramatic shortening of the snow season mainly caused by earlier snow melt initiation rather than by later first snow precipitation in autumn. These considerable changes in the snow season would cause enormous losses in the skiing and tourism industries. In this context, the obtained high‐resolution snow data and maps can provide a useful tool and decision‐making aid for the economy and politics. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Annual and seasonal mean temperatures in Finland during the last 160 years based on gridded temperature data
Authors: Tietäväinen Hanna , Tuomenvirta Heikki , Venäläinen Ari
Published: November 2009

The annual and seasonal mean temperature of Finland was calculated for 162 years based on spatially interpolated monthly mean temperature records. The spatial interpolation method, known as kriging, was used with the following forcing parameters: the geographical coordinates, elevation of the terrain, and percentage share of lakes and sea. Homogenised data was used, and thus the most important factor affecting the accuracy of the interpolated data was the uneven distribution of the available observation stations both in time and space. The uncertainty due to the homogenisation adjustments made earlier was notably smaller. In the mid‐1800s, the uncertainty in the annual and seasonal mean temperatures was large, with a maximum in winter of over ± 2.0 °C, but the accuracy improved quickly with time as the number of the observation stations increased. At the beginning of the 20th century, the uncertainty related to the limited station network was less than ± 0.2 °C, in winter less than ± 0.4 °C. According to the data, the rise in Finland's annual mean temperature has been statistically significant during the last 100, 50 and 30 years. During the last 100 years the increase in the mean temperature was largest during spring, but during the last 50 years winters have warmed up the most. The temperature time series obtained are compatible with grid point values picked from the global temperature data grids starting from the 1880s, though the global data sets tend to smooth the extremes. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Short‐duration cassava genotypes for crop diversification in the humid tropics: growth dynamics, biomass, yield and quality
Authors: Suja Girija , John Kuzhivilayil Susan , Sreekumar Janardanan , Srinivas Tavva
Published: November 2009

BACKGROUND: Short‐duration (6–7 months) cassava provides opportunities to smallholder farmers for effective utilisation of resources such as land, moisture and nutrients as well as diversification of enterprise and income. The variation in biomass production and partitioning, seasonal course of growth indices, yield, quality and nutrient uptake of ten short‐duration/early‐bulking genotypes of cassava and their impact on nutrient contents in soil in a lowland situation akin to rice fallow were examined in this study.

RESULTS: Triploid 2–18 gave the highest yield (38.34 t ha−1), followed by triploid 4‐2, Sree Vijaya, Sree Jaya and Vellayani Hraswa, which were on a par (30–32 t ha−1). Vellayani Hraswa, Sree Vijaya and triploid 4‐2 had significantly higher tuberous root dry matter content (370–380 mg g−1) and fairly higher starch content (270–280 mg g−1). All genotypes except triploid 4‐2, triploid 2–18 and H‐165 had low cyanogen content (29.2–43.8 µg g−1), well within the tolerable limit. Tuberous root dry matter and total dry matter production, crop growth rate, tuberous root bulking rate and harvest index at the last phase, number of tuberous roots, mean weight of tuberous roots and nutrient uptake showed significant positive correlations with tuberous root yield. Principal component analysis also showed a similar trend.

CONCLUSION: The diploids Sree Vijaya, Sree Jaya, Vellayani Hraswa and Kalpaka are ideal for cultivation in rice fallow for food use owing to their high yield, good cooking quality and low cyanogen content. The triploids are better suited for industrial use owing to their high tuberous root dry biomass production. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Robot‐assisted staging using three robotic arms for endometrial cancer: Comparison to laparoscopy and laparotomy at a single institution
Authors: Jung Yong Wook , Lee Dae Woo , Kim Sang Wun , Nam Eun Ji , Kim Jae Hoon , Kim Jae Wook , Kim Young Tae
Published: November 2009

Purpose

To demonstrate the feasibility of robot‐assisted staging surgery using three arms in patients with endometrial cancer.

Methods

One hundred nine patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer who underwent staging surgery at Yonsei University Health System were enrolled from May 2006 to January 2009. Patient demographics and operative outcomes were prospectively collected.

Results

Robotic surgery using three arms was performed in 28 patients, laparoscopy in 25, and laparotomy in 56. There were no differences among the three groups in terms of patient demographics. The number of harvested pelvic lymph nodes was lower in the laparoscopy group than in the laparotomy group (18.36 ± 7.25 vs. 24.39 ± 10.08, respectively, P = 0.025), but there was no difference between the robot and laparotomy groups. The number of resected para‐aortic lymph nodes and operative time did not differ among the three groups. The average hospital stay was longer for the laparotomy group than the robot and laparoscopy groups (10.78 days vs. 7.92 days vs. 7.67 days, respectively, P < 0.001). Operative complications and transfusions developed more frequently in the laparotomy group than in the robot and laparoscopy groups (25.0% vs. 7.1% vs. 8.0%, respectively, P = 0.049; 42.9% vs. 14.3% vs. 16.0%, respectively, P = 0.006).

Conclusion

Robot‐assisted surgery using three arms is a feasible method for surgical staging in patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;101:116–121. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A diagnostic interview for acute stress disorder for children and adolescents
Authors: Miller Alisa , Enlow Michelle Bosquet , Reich Wendy , Saxe Glenn
Published: November 2009

The goal of this study was to develop a semistructured clinical interview for assessing acute stress disorder (ASD) in youth and test its psychometric properties. Youth (N = 168) with an acute burn or injury were administered the acute stress disorder module of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA‐ASD). The DICA‐ASD demonstrated strong psychometric properties, including high internal consistency (α = .97) and perfect diagnostic interrater agreement (κ = 1.00). Participants diagnosed with ASD scored significantly higher than those not diagnosed on validated traumatic stress symptomatology measures but not on other symptomatology measures, providing evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Preliminary evidence supports the reliability and validity of the first semistructured clinical interview for diagnosing ASD in youth.
The influence of a major disaster on suicide risk in the population
Authors: Mezuk Briana , Larkin Gregory Luke , Prescott Marta R. , Tracy Melissa , Vlahov David , Tardiff Kenneth , Galea Sandro
Published: November 2009

The authors investigated the relationship between the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and suicide risk in New York City from 1990 to 2006. The average monthly suicide rate over the study period was 0.56 per 100,000 people. The monthly rate after September 2001 was 0.11 per 100,000 people lower as compared to the rate in the period before. However, the rate of change in suicide was not significantly different before and after the disaster, and regression discontinuity analysis indicated no change at this date. There was no net change in the suicide rate in New York City attributable to this disaster, suggesting that factors other than exposure to traumatic events (e.g., cultural norms, availability of lethal methods) may be key drivers of suicide risk in this context.
Wind erosion on mining waste in southeast Spain
Authors: Brotons J. Moreno , Díaz A. Romero , Sarría F. Alonso , Serrato F. Belmonte
Published: November 2009

Mining activities are one of the most persistent causes of soil degradation by pollution of heavy metals on the planet. They generate huge amounts of wastes that are deposited over extensive areas. Due to the grain size of the mining wastes, they are prone to wind erosion. As a consequence of their composition with heavy metal, the eroded material can be a potential pollutant of soil and air. This means they are potential pollutants of both the atmosphere and the surrounding soils, not to mention the high risk on they pose the nearby populations.

This research evaluates the amount of wind‐mobilized material and its heavy metal content in sterile slag ponds located in the Cartagena–La Unión area (southeast Spain), which had been a mining area for thousands of years until its demise in 1991. Specific collectors were designed to measure the sediment transported by the wind into the dust traps. They were placed on sterile lag at three heights (21, 42 and 63 cm.) and eight wind directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW).

The results show a high concentration of heavy metals, especially zinc and lead, which could have harmful effects on nearby towns, farming areas and beaches. In some cases, soils located near mining areas, which could potentially be turned over to agriculture, are degraded by heavy metal pollution to the extent that practically they can be considered as desert. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polymerization of the new double‐charged monomer bis‐1,3(N,N,N‐trimethylammonium dicyanamide)‐2‐propylmethacrylate and ionic conductivity of the novel polyelectrolytes
Authors: Shaplov Alexander S. , Lozinskaya Elena I. , Losada Ricardo , Wandrey Christine , Zdvizhkov Alexander T. , Korlyukov Alexander A. , Lyssenko Konstantin A. , Malyshkina Inna A. , Vygodskii Yakov S.
Published: November 2009

The achievement of high ionic conductivity in single‐ion conducting polymer electrolytes is one of the important aims for various electrochemical devices including modern lithium batteries. One way to enhance the ionic conductivity in polyelectrolyte systems is to increase the quantity of charge carriers in each monomer unit. Highly charged poly(bis‐1,3(N,N,N‐trimethylammonium)‐2‐propylmethacrylate) with one of the most conducting anions, namely dicyanamide, was prepared via free radical bulk polymerization or using ionic liquids as reaction medium. The cationic polymers of the double‐charged monomer have molar masses up to $\bar {M}_w$ = 1,830,000 g/mol and the ionic conductivity equal to 5.51 × 10−5 S/cm at 25°C. The film forming ability, crystallinity, thermal stability, and glass transition temperatures of the new polymeric ionic liquids obtained from detailed studies are presented. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bio‐based hyperbranched polyurethane/clay nanocomposites: adhesive, mechanical, and thermal properties
Authors: Deka Harekrishna , Karak Niranjan
Published: November 2009

The unison of vegetable oil‐based hyperbranched polymers with nanotechnology can unhook myriad of avant‐garde applications of such materials. Thus Mesua ferrea L. seed oil‐based hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU)/clay nanocomposites and their performance, with special reference to adhesive strength, are reported for the first time. The nanocomposites of the hyperbranched polyurethane with organically modified nanoclay were obtained by ex situ solution technique and cured by bisphenol‐A‐based epoxy with poly(amido amine) hardener system. The partially exfoliated and well‐distributed structure of nanoclay was confirmed by XRD, SEM, and TEM studies. FTIR spectra indicate the presence of H‐bonding between nanoclay and the polymer matrix. Two times improvement in the adhesive strength and scratch hardness, 10 MPa increments in the tensile strength and 112°C more thermo‐stability have been observed without much affecting the impact resistance, bending, and elongation at break of the nanocomposites compared to the pristine epoxy modified HBPU system. Thus, the resulted nanocomposites are promising materials for different advanced applications including adhesive. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kinetics and colloidal parameters of miniemulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate
Authors: Yildiz Ufuk , Capek Ignac , Sarov Yanko , Corobea Mihai C , Polovkova Julia
Published: November 2009

BACKGROUND: The miniemulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate initiated by a macromonomeric azoinitiator (macroinimer, MIM) and stabilized by the non‐ionic emulsifier Tween 60 (TW‐60) was investigated.

RESULTS: The monomer conversion and the polymerization rate increase with the amount of MIM and then decrease. The desorption rate constants were estimated using the Ugelstad/O'Toole, Gilbert and Nomura models. The Ugelstad/O'Toole and Gilbert models suggest an increase in the k′des value with increasing emulsifier concentration at the highest MIM concentration while the Nomura model proposes no variation in k′des with an increase in both TW‐60 and MIM concentrations. The polymerization rate increases in the following order with regard to initiator: MIM < ammonium persulfate < dibenzoyl peroxide < 2, 2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile.

CONCLUSION: The increase in the rate of polymerization can be discussed in terms of both increased particle concentration and the gel effect. The size of the polymer particles decreases and the number of polymer particles increases with both TW‐60 and MIM concentrations. This behaviour is attributed to the formation of a larger number of smaller monomer and/or polymer particles and higher particle nucleation rate. The observed long nucleation period for the MIM‐initiated polymerization is attributed to the creation of a crosslinked structure and the immobilization of MIM chains. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Structural stability of clean GaAs nanowires grown along the [111] direction
Authors: Magri Rita , Rosini Marcello , Casetta Flavio
Published: November 2009

Using a first‐principles approach we have calculated the formation energies of small diameter GaAs nanowires (NWs) with both zinc‐blende and wurtzite structure grown along the [111] direction. The section of the wires is hexagonal and the side facets are oriented either {11‐20} and {10‐10} in the case of the wurtzite structure, and {110} and {112} for the zinc‐blende structure. The formation energy of the nanowires as a function of their radius is then interpreted in terms of a model in which the energy contributions from the bulks, the flat surfaces and the ridges are taken explicitly into account. We find that the nanowire stability is mainly explained by the competition between the bulk energy, favoring the zincblende structure and the surface energies favoring the wurtzite structure. We find also that the directly calculated formation energies of some small diameter wurtzite NWs can be reproduced by our model taking into account only the bulk and flat surface contributions. That is, the ridges do not contribute substantially to the nanowire formation energy. Inspection of the ridge structure and band structure reveals that this good agreement occurs when the NWs are semiconducting and the ridges do not add more dangling bonds to the surface with respect to those provided by the sidewalls. Within our model we find the critical diameter for the wurtzite‐zinc‐blende transition at 6.3 nm. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Preparation of As‐rich (2x4) – III‐As (001) surfaces by wet chemical treatment and vacuum annealing
Authors: Tereshchenko Oleg E.
Published: November 2009

The GaAs and InAs (001) surfaces chemically treated in HCl‐isopropanol solution (HCl‐iPA) and annealed in vacuum were studied by means of photoemission, low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The photoemission results demonstrated that the chemical treatment removed native oxides from Ga(In)As surfaces and yielded As‐rich surface with several monolayers of excess arsenic and small amounts of GaClx (InClx). Annealing at relatively low‐temperatures induced desorption of this overlayer and revealed a clean arsenic‐rich (2x4)/c (2x8) structure on GaAs and InAs(100) surfaces. The structural properties of chemically prepared III‐As (001) surfaces were found to be similar to those obtained by decapping of As‐capped epitaxial layers. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Top gated graphene transistors with different gate insulators
Authors: Pezoldt Jörg , Hummel Christian , Hanisch Antonia , Hotovy Ivan , Kadlecikova Magdalena , Schwierz Frank
Published: November 2009

Top gated graphene field effect transistors with AlN and Si3N4 gate insulator materials were fabricated by plasma assisted deposition. Transistors with an AlN top gate insulator showed a reduced mobility and channel carrier density, whereas for the transistors with Si3N4 dielectric an increase of the mobility and a decrease of the channel carrier density was observed. The reduced carrier density can be explained by bond formation between the insulator and the graphene sheets. The different behaviour of the carrier mobility is due to defect passivation by H2 in case of Si3N4 and defect formation in the graphene channel for the AlN gate insulator. A reduced transconductance in top gate device configurations compared to the back gate configurations was observed, which can be caused by the Klein paradox or differences in the trap densities in the top gate insulators. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Optical investigation of CuPc thin films on vicinal Si(111)
Authors: Ding Li , Himcinschi Cameliu , Friedrich Marion , Zahn Dietrich R. T
Published: November 2009

CuPc thin films were grown on the hydrogenated vicinal Si(111) surfaces by organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD). Spectroscopic ellipsometry was employed to determine the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k). Furthermore, the ratio of the out‐of‐plane to the in‐plane absorption intensity provides the average tilting angle of molecules in the film. Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) shows the optical anisotropy of CuPc thin films induced by the vicinal Si(111) surfaces, which indicates the in‐plane orientation of molecules. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Self‐assembled monolayers on silicon oxide
Authors: Belgardt Christian , Graaf Harald , Baumgärtel Thomas , Borczyskowski Christian von
Published: November 2009

We evaluated the wet‐chemical formation of octa‐decyltrichlorosilane (OTS) self‐assembled monolayers on silicon substrates with a silicon oxide layer. Our investigations were focussed on the influence of the reaction time on the surface energy. The surface energy was thereby calculated by measuring the static contact angle of two probe liquids on the surface. We found that only high reaction times of several hundred minutes yield a high quality monolayer with a minimal surface energy. A clear increase of the dispersive part of the surface energy for short reaction times is found. This can be explained by a high ratio of gauche‐conformation within the alkyl chains accompanied by a rather slow rearrangement of the chains inside the monolayer to form a densely packed all‐trans conformation. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Electronic growth of Pb on the vicinal Si surface
Authors: Fokin D. A. , Bozhko S. I. , Dubost V. , Debontridder F. , Ionov A. M. , Cren T. , Roditchev D.
Published: November 2009

We have studied the growth of Pb‐islands on a clean vicinal surface of Si(557). Using the Scanning Tunneling Microscopy we show that while in general the growth follows the Stransky‐Krastanov scenario, the peculiar structure of the formed Pb‐islands and, in particular form and pancake‐like layered structure that reflects the minimum in the total electron energy due to the quantum confinement. The Pb EG mode is apparently realized in the case of homoepitaxy during the topmost layer of the nanoisland growth. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Comprehensive model for interface recombination at a‐Si:H/c‐Si interfaces based on amphoteric defects
Authors: Steingrube S. , Steingrube D. S. , Brendel R. , Altermatt P. P.
Published: November 2009

Today, most fabricated solar cells are made of crystalline Silicon (c‐Si) wafers. Electronic passivation of defect states at interfaces is a major issue in recent cell development. A current topic is surface passivation using hydrogenated amorphous Silicon (a‐Si:H). The purpose of this paper is to describe recombination at the a‐Si:H/c‐Si interface by a comprehensive model considering recombination via amphoteric defects. The density of defect states at the interface (Dit) is modeled via the Defect‐Pool‐Model(DPM), adapted to a‐Si:H/c‐Si interfaces by fitting to published experimental data. Since our model accounts for the amphoteric nature of defects at the hetero‐interface, and approximates Dit by a physical model, parameters are physical more meaningful and allow for an investigation of measured recombination properties. A numerical comparison between different recombination models shows that using amphoteric recombination statistics is more generally applicable. The purpose is to apply the model in numerical semiconductor device simulators for accurate modeling of a‐Si:H passivated c‐Si solar cells. Limitations of cell performance due to interface recombination can then be traced back to physical parameters which helps to optimize cell designs (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A climatological study of transient–mean‐flow interactions over West Africa
Authors: Leroux Stephanie , Hall Nicholas M. J. , Kiladis George N.
Published: November 2009

A statistical study is made of the relationship between intraseasonal variations in mid‐tropospheric flow over West Africa and transient‐eddy activity during the June‐September monsoon season, in order to investigate the interaction between the African Easterly Jet (AEJ), African Easterly Waves (AEWs) and convection. NCEP2 reanalyses are used together with Outgoing Long‐wave Radiation (OLR) data from June‐September 1979‐2007. Intraseasonal variability in the 600 hPa zonal wind is isolated using a 10‐120 day filter. The leading Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) describes north‐south displacements of the jet axis. Episodes of AEW activity over the continent are evaluated in terms of the perturbation kinetic energy (PKE) of the less‐than‐six‐day high‐pass filtered wind at 700 and 850 hPa. PKE and OLR are also filtered for the intraseasonal signal. Lag covariance analyses reveal a two‐way interaction between the AEJ and synoptic‐scale transients. Prior to episodes of enhanced transient activity, the AEJ is strengthened in the jet entrance region. During and following these episodes, the AEJ is strengthened on the northern flank of the jet exit region. E‐vector analysis shows that this displacement of the AEJ is consistent with forcing by transients that have an AEW‐like structure. Analysis of OLR shows that periods of enhanced transient activity over West Africa are associated with enhanced convection over the region at intraseasonal time‐scales, and are correlated with prior episodes of enhanced convection to the east, in the ‘convective trigger’ region identified by Thorncroft et al. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society