bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of ligustilide in rat blood and tissues by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Shi Yunfeng , He Langchong , Wang Sicen
Published: April 2006

A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method was developed to study the pharmacokinetics of ligustilide following oral administration to rats. The method was used for the analysis of samples taken from rats. Biological samples were prepared by liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) using an n‐hexane–ether (2:1) solvent mixture for a sample clean‐up step and analyzed by GC/MS with a quadrupole MS detector in selected ion monitoring mode (m/z 190). The calibration curves were linear over the concentration range 0.172–8.60 µg/mL (r > 0.99) for blood samples and a different range (r > 0.99) for different tissue samples. The limit of detection (LOD) was 1.0 ng/mL or 1.0 ng/g (three times the signal–noise ratio). Within‐ and between‐day precision expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD) for the method was 1.58–3.88 and 2.99–4.91%, respectively. The recovery for all samples was >80%, except for liver samples (>70%). The main pharmacokinetic parameters obtained were: Tmax = 0.65 ± 0.07 h, Cmax = 1.5 ± 0.2 µg/mL, AUC = 34 ± 6 h µg/mL and Ka = 3.5 ± 0.6/h. The experimental results showed that ligustilide was easily absorbed, but its elimination was slow, from 3 to 12 h after oral administration. The concentrations of ligustilide in rat cerebellum, cerebrum, spleen and kidney were higher than those in other organs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of foscarnet (trisodium phosphonoformate) in pharmaceutical preparations by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection
Authors: García Javier , Márquez Apolonia , Ruiz Rosa , López Luis F. , Claro Carmen , Lucero María Jesús
Published: April 2006

An isocratic high‐performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of foscarnet in isoosmotic sodium chloride aqueous solution. The mobile phase consisted of mixture of methanol:water (30:70 v/v), containing 1 mm tetrahexylammonium hydrogen sulphate at pH 5.80. The analyte was separated on a reversed‐phase C18 column packed with 4 µm spherical particles of octadecylsilane. Hydrochlorothiazide was used as internal standard. UV detection at 232 nm allowed a quantification limit of 50 µg/mL. The assay was linear from 50 to 4000 µg/mL. The coefficient of variation was ≤2.52% for intra‐assay precision and ≤3.49% for inter‐assay precision. The deviation from the nominal value ranged from −0.57 to 0.47% for the same‐day accuracy and from −0.75 to 3.06% for day‐to‐day accuracy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of diethylstilbesterol residues in chicken and liver tissues
Authors: Xu ChuanLai , Chu XiaoGang , Peng ChiFang , Liu Liqiang , Wang Liying , Jin ZhengYu
Published: April 2006

A competitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the quantitative detection of the diethylstilbesterol (DES). Polyclonal rabbit antisera, raised against protein conjugate diethylstilbesterol‐mono‐caroxyl‐propyl‐ethyl‐bovine‐serum‐albumin (DES‐MCPE‐BSA), were utilized in immobilized antibody‐based and competitive immunoassays. Assay conditions, including concentrations of antisera and horseradish peroxidase, (HRP)‐DES, were optimized. The effects of incubation time, surfactant concentration, ionic strength and pH of the medium were also investigated. The typical calibration curve gave an average IC50value of 2.4 ng/mL, calibration range from 0.2 to 30.5 ng/mL and a detection limit of 0.07 ng/mL. The specificity of the assay was tested against DES structurally related compounds, and the assay proved highly selective for DES. Assay performance was validated using spiked chicken meat and liver tissue samples. Moreover, it was compared with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The ion pair for quantification of DES wasm/z267.4/251.4, and the linear equation of DES wasy= 0.1033x+ 0.0126 (r= 0.9960). The two analytical methods can be applied to monitor DES and other steroid residues in foods. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of cocaine and cocaethylene in urine by solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Authors: Yonamine Mauricio , Saviano Alessandro Morais
Published: April 2006

In order to evaluate recent cocaine exposure or its coingestion with ethanol, a simple and sensitive solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) procedure for determination of cocaine and cocaethylene in urine was developed and validated. A polydimethylsiloxane fibre (100 µm) was submersed in the urine sample for 20 min under magnetic stirring after alkalinization with solid buffer (NaHCO3:K2CO3, 2:1). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) was used to identify and quantify the analytes in selected ion monitoring mode (SIM). The limits of quantification were 5.0 ng/mL for both analytes. Good inter‐ and intra‐assay precision was also observed (coefficient of variation <9%). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous determination of honokiol and magnolol in Magnolia officinalis by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection
Authors: Wu Yu‐Tse , Lin Lie‐Chwen , Tsai Tung‐Hu
Published: April 2006

An optimized high‐performance liquid chromatographic method coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC‐MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of honokiol and magnolol in Magnolia officinalis. Honokiol and magnolol were separated from the extracts using a reversed‐phase C18 column with a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and water (75:25, v/v) at a flow‐rate of 0.8 mL/min. Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode was used for all sample quantification by the precursor‐ion/product ion pair m/z 265 → m/z 224 for honokiol and m/z 265 → m/z 247 for magnolol. Validation data showed that this method has good linearity (r2 > 0.995) over the concentration range of 0.0025–0.5 µg/mL for honokiol and magnolol, and both intra‐ and inter‐day variability were acceptable within 15% at the lowest concentrations for this method. This proposed method provides excellent specificity, higher sensitivity and shorter run time than conventional methods and was applied successfully to determine the contents of honokiol and magnolol in M. officinalis. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of coenzyme Q10 in human seminal plasma by high‐performance liquid chromatography and its clinical application
Authors: Li Ke , Shi Yonghui , Chen Suang , Li Wei , Shang Xuejun , Huang Yufeng
Published: April 2006

A high‐performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the analysis of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in human seminal plasma was developed and applied to investigate its clinical significance as a reference index relating to oxidative stress and infertile status of spermatozoa. After precipitation of proteins in seminal plasma with methanol, CoQ10 and coenzyme Q9 (CoQ9; internal standard) were extracted with hexane. The supernatant after centrifugation was evaporated to dryness with nitrogen at 45°C. The residue was re‐dissolved in isopropanol. HPLC separation of the sample solution was performed on a Lichrospher C18 column with a mobile phase composed of isopropanol–methanol–tetrahydrofuran in the ratio of 55:39:6 (v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Under the chromatographic conditions described, the CoQ10 and CoQ9 had retention times of approximately 5.83 and 4.97 min, respectively. The peaks were detected at UV 275 nm. Good separation and detectability of CoQ10 in human seminal plasma were obtained. The method was linear in the range 0.01–10.00 µg/mL. The relative standard deviations within‐ and between‐assay for CoQ10 analysis were 0.85 and 1.86%, respectively. The average recoveries were 94.1–99.0% for the human seminal plasma samples. The CoQ10 levels in seminal plasma of 195 patients and 23 control subjects were studied. CoQ10 concentrations in the two populations were: 37.1 ± 12.2 ng/mL in the fertile group and 48.5 ± 20.4 ng/mL in the infertile group. The large difference (p < 0.01) between the fertile and infertile populations is evident. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HPLC study of tissue distribution of loganin in rats
Authors: Li Xiaona , Wang Qiao , Zhang Lantong , Xu Lei , Yin Wei
Published: April 2006

A rapid, sensitive and selective high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for determination of loganin in rat tissues. Samples were prepared based on a simple protein precipitation. Separation of loganin was achieved on a reversed‐phase C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water (16:84, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 236 nm and the temperature of the column was kept at 30°C. The method was applied to study tissue distribution of loganin in rats after a single administration of loganin at a dose of 20 mg/kg. The highest level was observed in kidney, then in stomach, lung and small intestine. The lowest level was found in brain. The peak levels were attained at 90 min in most tissues. It was indicated that kidney was the major distribution tissue of loganin in rats, and that loganin had difficulty in crossing the blood–brain barrier. It was also found there was no long‐term accumulation of loganin in rat tissues.
Rapid column‐switching liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric assay for DHEA‐sulfate in the plasma of patients with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Cho Sung‐Hee , Jung Byung Hwa , Lee Won‐Yong , Chung Bong Chul
Published: April 2006

A simple and highly sensitive method for the quantification of dehydroepiandrosterone‐3‐sulfate (DHEAS) in human plasma was developed. DHEAS was directly determined in plasma using column‐switching liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC‐MS). The plasma was filtered with a membrane filter. The filtrate was injected onto a pre‐column without further sample preparation such as extraction or derivatization. The pre‐column was washed with an aqueous solution to remove interference and the analyte was eluted into a reversed‐phase C18 analytical column for separation and detection using a column‐switching valve. The calibration range of DHEAS was 0.01–10 µmol/L, and the linearity of the method was 0.999. The limit of detection (LOD) at a signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio of 3 was 5 nmol/L. The accuracy and precision (%CV) were less than 10% in within‐day and day‐to‐day variations. To explore the relationship between Alzheimer's disease and the DHEAS level in human plasma, the concentrations of DHEAS in female patients with Alzheimer's disease (n = 20) and in normal female subjects (n = 20) were measured. The level of DHEAS was significantly decreased in the plasma of patients with Alzheimer's disease (p < 0.0002) compared with that in normal subjects. From the results, we concluded that our method is sufficiently sensitivity and reliability for the quantification of DHEAS in clinical samples. Plasma DHEAS concentration could be an important marker to understand the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conditional survival of patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Moller Michael B. , Pedersen Niels T. , Christensen Bjarne E.
Published: April 2006

BACKGROUND

Prognosis of lymphoma patients is usually estimated at the time of diagnosis and the estimates are guided by the International Prognostic Index (IPI). However, conditional survival estimates are more informative clinically, as they consider those patients only who have already survived a period of time after treatment. Conditional survival data have not been reported for lymphoma patients.

METHODS

Conditional survival was estimated for 1209 patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from the population‐based LYFO registry of the Danish Lymphoma Group. The Kaplan‐Meier method was used to estimate conditional survival at 0‐5 years after diagnosis.

RESULTS

The probability of surviving 5 years increases with each year survived for the first 3 years after diagnosis, after which the increase is minimal. The median survival increases from 38 months for all patients to between 108 and 120 months, conditioned on survival for at least 3‐5 years. The prognostic capacity of the IPI and the age‐adjusted IPI was high at diagnosis, but the significance gradually declined in the first years after diagnosis. Furthermore, the prognostic impact of the individual clinical variables of the IPI was also significant at diagnosis, but 2 years after diagnosis only age had prognostic impact. Multivariate analysis of patients who survived ≥3 years identified only age as a prognostic factor.

CONCLUSION

For patients with DLBCL who have survived more than 1 year after diagnosis, the conditional survival probability provides more accurate prognostic information than the conventional survival rate estimated from the time of diagnosis. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
ACTIBIND, an actin‐binding fungal T2‐RNase with antiangiogenic and anticarcinogenic characteristics
Authors: Roiz Levava , Smirnoff Patricia , Bar‐Eli Menashe , Schwartz Betty , Shoseyov Oded
Published: April 2006

BACKGROUND

ACTIBIND is an Aspergillus niger extracellular ribonuclease (T2‐ribonuclease [RNase]) that possesses actin‐binding activity. In plants, ACTIBIND inhibits the elongation and alters the orientation of pollen tubes by interfering with the intracellular actin network. The question rose whether ACTIBIND can also affect mammalian cancer development.

METHODS

Cell colony formation was performed in human colon (HT‐29, Caco‐2, RSB), breast (ZR‐75‐1), and ovarian (2780) cancer cells in the presence or absence of 1 μM ACTIBIND. In HT‐29 and ZR‐75‐1 cells, the effect of ACTIBIND on cell migration was studied by microscopic observations and by invasion assay through Matrigel. Tube formation was assessed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in the presence of angiogenin or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) (1 μg/mL each) following overnight incubation with 1 or 10 μM ACTIBIND. In an athymic mouse xenograft model, HT‐29 cells were injected subcutaneously, followed by subcutaneous (0.4‐8 mg/mouse/injection) or intraperitoneal (0.001‐1 mg/mouse/injection) injections of ACTIBIND. In a rat dimethylhydrazine (DMH)‐colorectal carcinogenesis model, ACTIBIND was released directly into the colon via osmotic micropumps (250 μg/rat/day) or given orally via microcapsules (1.6 mg/rat/day). Aberrant crypt foci, tumors in the distal colon, and tumor blood vessels were examined.

RESULTS

ACTIBIND had an anticlonogenic effect unrelated to its ribonuclease activity. It also inhibited angiogenin‐induced HUVEC tube formation in a dose‐responsive manner. ACTIBIND was found to bind actin in vitro. It also bound to cancer cell surfaces, leading to disruption of the internal actin network and inhibiting cell motility and invasiveness through Matrigel‐coated filters. In mice, ACTIBIND inhibited HT‐29 xenograft tumor development, given either as a subcutaneous or intraperitoneal treatment. In rats, ACTIBIND exerted preventive and therapeutic effects on developing colonic tumors induced by DMH. It also reduced the degree of tumor observation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that ACTIBIND is an effective antiangiogenic and anticarcinogenic factor. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Palladium‐Catalysed Cross‐Coupling and Related Reactions Involving Pyrroles
Authors: Banwell Martin G. , Goodwin Thomas E. , Ng Sarah , Smith Jason A. , Wong David J.
Published: April 2006

The Pd0‐catalysed cross‐coupling of intact pyrroles with various reaction partners is reviewed. Coverage includes the Buchwald–Hartwig, carbonylation, Heck, Kumada, Negishi, Sonogashira, Stille, Suzuki–Miyaura, Tsuji–Trost, and (Pd0‐catalysed) Ullmann reactions. Some emphasis is given to the application of such processes in the synthesis of pyrrole‐containing natural products. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
The Pyroglutamate Hydantoin Rearrangement
Authors: Dieltiens Nicolai , Claeys Diederica D. , Zhdankin Viktor V. , Nemykin Victor N. , Allaert Bart , Verpoort Francis , Stevens Christian V.
Published: April 2006

When a mixture of a pyroglutamate and an isocyanate in THF is treated with NaH, a ring transformation occurs leading to functionalised hydantoins. The novel reaction involves a ring‐closing ring‐opening sequence providing a new and straightforward access to an interesting class of heterocyclic compounds. Furthermore, starting from pyroglutamates allows the synthesis of highly substituted hydantoins under very mild conditions. This ring transformation in combination with ring‐closing metathesis is used in a four‐step reaction sequence for the synthesis of multi‐functionalised bicyclic hydantoin derivatives.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Metalation of 9‐Oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonadiene – the Deprotonation Path to Bridgehead Olefins
Authors: Bassioni Ghada , Köhler Frank H.
Published: April 2006

A new route to bridgehead olefins based on a deprotonation reaction has been established. The deprotonation of 9‐oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonadiene (1) with tBuLi/TMEDA occurs selectively in the allylic position. Whilst 1 has four allyl positions, only one bridgehead proton was removed, as demonstrated by quenching with Me3SnCl, Me3SiOTf, and Me3PbCl. With a threefold excess of deprotonating agent and subsequent treatment with Me3SnCl, three stannylated derivatives – 3, 4a, and 4b – were obtained. Compound 3 is the starting diene 1 substituted at the bridgehead position 1 in the skeleton, and when smaller quantities of deprotonating agent were used it was the only stannylated derivative of 1 formed. Compounds 4a and 4b had each undergone a shift of one double bond to give bridgehead olefins exo‐ and endo‐stannylated at position 3 in the skeleton. The common intermediate precursor of compounds 3, 4a, and 4b was a bridgehead allyl anion, which can also be generated from 3 and could be observed directly by 6Li and 13C NMR spectroscopy. After quenching of the anion with Me3SiOTf, and Me3PbCl, two silylated and plumbylated derivatives of 1 were obtained in each case: the bridgehead‐substituted compounds and the 3‐exo‐substituted bridgehead olefins. The stannylated bridgehead olefins 4a and 4b rearranged slowly to give 3 in what is formally a 1,3‐stannatropic shift reaction. The kinetics of the reactions are zero‐order in 4a and 4b, respectively, pointing to intermediate light‐promoted homolytic cleavage of the Sn–C bond and the formation of a tight radical pair.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Essential oil of Elettariopsis elan C.K. Lim
Authors: Wong K. C. , Sivasothy Y. , Boey P. L.
Published: April 2006

The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves, rhizomes and roots of Elettariopsis elan C.K. Lim were analysed by capillary GC and GC‐MS. Twenty‐eight compounds were identified in the leaf oil, among which monoterpenoids predominated and the most abundant component was geraniol (71.6%). The rhizomes and roots yielded an oil also rich in monoterpenoids but with a distinctly different odour, with camphene (28.6%), fenchyl acetate (8.6%) and α‐phellandrene (8.4%) as the major components. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of the essential oil of two different altitudinal populations of Coespeletia moritziana (Sch. Bip.ex Wedd) Cuatrec
Authors: Ibañez J. , Usubillaga A.
Published: April 2006

Coespeletia moritziana is a resinous plant that grows between 3700 and 4400 m at the high paramos of western Venezuela. The essential oil of leaves and flowering stalks of two altitudinal populations was analyzed at different blooming stages. GC‐MS analysis permitted identification of 21 components which made up 90–96% of the oil. It was found that α‐pinene (>50%) and β‐pinene (11–19%) were the most abundant constituents, while germacrene D, α‐ylangene and α‐zingiberene were the most abundant sesquiterpenes. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed the existence of chemical variation in the essential oil at the two altitudinal populations of C. moritziana while oil composition at different vegetative stages did not show significant differences. These results suggest that altitude is a factor influencing the chemistry of this plant. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Essential oil of Algerian Saccocalyx satureioides Coss. et Durieu
Authors: Biondi Daniela M. , Sari Madani , Ghani Zedam Abdel , Ruberto Giuseppe
Published: April 2006

The volatile components of the aerial parts of Saccocalyx satureioides Coss et Durieu, obtained by hydrodistillation, have been analysed by GC and GC‐MS. Forty‐one components have been fully identified and grouped into three classes, namely monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The oxygenated monoterpenes, with 76.9%, was the most represented class, α‐terpineol (32.7%), thymol (22.8%), borneol (11.6%) and carvacrol (6.9%) being the main components. p‐Cymene (5.0%), camphene (2.9%), γ‐terpinene (2.8%), α‐pinene (1.8%) and limonene (1.5%) were the more significant monoterpene hydrocarbons. The concentration of sesquiterpenes was lower than 3%. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pesticide and plasticizer residues in biological citrus essential oils from 2003–2004
Authors: Bella G. Di , Serrao L. , Salvo F. , Turco V. Lo , Croce M. , Dugo G.
Published: April 2006

Contamination of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides, phosphorated plasticizers, chloroparaffins and phthalate, adipate and sebacate ester in citrus essential oils produced in Sicily in the crop years 2003–2004 was studied by HRGC in connection with FPD, ECD and MS detectors. All the samples, 40 from 2003 and 10 from 2004, were grown using biological cultivation and were industrially produced. Biological farming is based on the abolition of chemicals and produces food free from contaminants. Unfortunately, residues of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides were found in some of the analysed citrus essential oils from both the crop years. Also, plasticizers residues were found in some of the studied oils, probably as a result of the use of different types of plastic components during the extraction process. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Essential oil of Homalomena sagittifolia Jungh.
Authors: Wong K. C. , Lim T. B. , Ali D. M. H.
Published: April 2006

The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves and rhizomes of Homalomena sagittifolia Jungh. were analysed by capillary GC and GC‐MS; 59 constituents were identified in the leaf oil, monoterpene hydrocarbons being the major chemical class with α‐pinene (22.2%) and β‐pinene (17.2%) dominating. Among the sesquiterpenoids present, the most abundant was neointermedeol. The rhizome oil yielded 49 identified constituents and was characterized by a very high level of linalool (61.9%). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intrusive lherzolites within the basalts of Küre ophiolite (Turkey): an occurrence in the Tethyan suprasubduction marginal basin
Authors: Çakir Üner , Genç Yurdal , Paktunç Doğan
Published: April 2006

The Küre ophiolite is interpreted as the remnants of the suprasubduction marginal basin formed on the northwardly subducted Tethyan oceanic lithosphere. The Küre Basin was opened during late Late Triassic and closed during late Middle Jurassic.

Intrusive lherzolites cut the lower part of the basalts forming the volcanic upper unit of the Küre ophiolite. Lherzolites occur in tabular form with hectometric dimensions and have a massive character. High temperature metamorphic effects were developed in the wallrock along a zone a few metres thick. The lherzolite is relatively fresh and displays poikilitic texture where subhedral and anhedral olivines are included in large pyroxenes. The primary mineral paragenesis of the lherzolite is represented by olivine and chromite as early cumulus phases. Diopside, bronzite and plagioclase are the late igneous minerals. Hornblende and titanite formed during the late stage of crystallization at the expense of clinopyroxene. Serpentine minerals, phlogopite and hydrogrossular are the secondary minerals formed at the expense of olivine, bronzite and diopside. Tremolite, actinolite, chlorite and sericite are the late alteration products of the lherzolite.

High temperature and low pressure conditions are indicated based on the mineral compositions. The crystallization temperature of the olivine and chromite is estimated to be 1015–1070°C, and that of the pyroxenes, the last crystallized primary minerals, around 900–950°C. The solidification of the magma was completed in the lower part of the basalts, at a depth of c. 2.7 km. The Küre lherzolite has a very high oxygen fugacity indicating an oxidized arc magma origin. The magma rose as a crystal mush and intruded the basalts. The generation of the parental magma may be explained by extensive melting of the upper mantle, facilitated by the presence of hydrous fluids released from the subducted Tethyan oceanic lithosphere. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new deep‐water Upper Ordovician (Caradocian) trilobite fauna from south‐west Wales
Authors: Fortey Richard A.
Published: April 2006

A deep‐water trilobite fauna has been discovered in the otherwise graptolitic Mydrim Formation near Clarbeston Road, Pembrokeshire, south‐west Wales. Associated graptolites indicate an early Caradocian age. The trilobites comprise three species with eyes reduced or absent, representing an atheloptic assemblage with benthic life habits, which appeared during a short period of relative oxygenation of the Welsh Basin. The trilobite Platycalymene dilatata (Tullberg) is redescribed from the type material from Sweden, and new material from Wales is assigned to this species. Two new species are described in addition. Rorringtonia multisegmentata sp. nov. possesses twelve thoracic segments, which has implications for the classification of the Rorringtoniidae within the Aulacopleuroidea. Trinucleus conollyi sp. nov. differs from T. fimbriatus in the proliferation of the radial sulci. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of stormflow responses of surface‐mined and forested watersheds in the Appalachian Mountains, USA
Authors: Negley Timothy L. , Eshleman Keith N.
Published: April 2006

The results of a hydrological analysis that was conducted as part of a larger, multifaceted, collaborative effort to quantify ecosystem functions in watersheds subjected to land‐use and land‐cover change are presented. The primary goal of the study was to determine whether a small watershed in the Appalachian region (USA) that was recently subjected to surface mining and reclamation practices produces stormflow responses to rain events that are different from those produced by a nearby reference watershed covered by young, second‐growth forest. Water balances indicated that runoff yields did not vary significantly between the two watersheds on an annual basis. Statistically significant differences (p⩽0·05) in runoff responses were observed on an event basis, however, with the mined/reclaimed watershed producing, on average (a) higher storm runoff coefficients (2·5×), (b) greater total storm runoff (3×), and (c) higher peak hourly runoff rates (2×) when compared with the reference watershed. Results of a unit hydrograph analysis also showed, unexpectedly, that the modelled unit responses of the two watersheds to effective rainfall pulses were similar, despite the noted differences in land cover. Differences in stormflow responses were thus largely explained by dramatic reductions in cumulative rates of rainfall abstraction (measured using infiltrometers) attributable to soil compaction during land reclamation. Additional field hydrological measurements on other mined watersheds will be needed to generalize our results, as well as to understand and predict the cumulative hydrological impacts of widespread surface mining in larger watersheds and river basins. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automatic identification of the left ventricle in cardiac cine‐MR images: Dual‐contrast cluster analysis and scout‐geometry approaches
Authors: Pednekar Amol S. , Muthupillai Raja , Lenge Veronica V. , Kakadiaris Ioannis A. , Flamm Scott D.
Published: April 2006

Purpose

To evaluate the technical feasibility of two approaches—dual‐contrast (DC) cluster analysis, and scout geometry (SG)—for automatic identification of the left ventricular (LV) cavity in short‐axis (SA) cine‐MR images.

Materials and Methods

The DC algorithm uses Fuzzy C‐Means (FCM) cluster analysis of SA images from a black‐blood double‐inversion recovery turbo spin‐echo (dual IR TSE) sequence, and bright‐blood images from a steady‐state free precession (SSFP) sequence. The SG algorithm employs geometric information from scout views (i.e., vertical long‐axis (VLA) and four‐chamber (4CH) views). Both algorithms incorporate additional geometric continuity constraints along with LV region segmentation to identify the LV. The performance of both algorithms was compared on images of eight healthy volunteers, and the SG algorithm was further evaluated on images of 13 clinical patients.

Results

The DC algorithm identified the LV in 89% (72/75 at end‐diastole (ED) and 47/59 at end‐systole (ES)) of the images from healthy volunteers, compared to 98% (74/75 at ED and 57/59 at ES) by the SG algorithm. Both methods are robust against interslice signal variations and misalignment. The DC method suffers from misregistration between the dual IR TSE and SSFP images near the apex at ES. The SG method identified the LV in 91% (112/122 at ED and 91/102 at ES) of the images from clinical patients.

Conclusion

The SG method requires no additional scan, is robust and accurate, and performs better than the DC method for automatic identification of the LV. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bone loss dynamics result in trabecular alignment in aging and ovariectomized rats
Authors: Waarsing Jan H. , Day Judd S. , Verhaar Jan A.N. , Ederveen Antwan G.H. , Weinans Harrie
Published: April 2006

Because of the destructive nature of techniques used to measure bone morphometry, studies of architectural changes and bone loss have utilized cross‐sectional study designs, with all its inherent limitations in nuances. Here, the results of a longitudinal study using in vivo micro‐CT are presented elucidating the dynamics of bone loss and architectural adaptation in rat models of aging and postmenopausal bone loss. Using 3‐D methodology, we observed the changes in bone architecture in the proximal tibia of normally aging and ovariectomized rats for 54 weeks. Spatial patterns in bone resorption were observed that were similar for both groups. Remaining trabeculae increased in thickness or were remodeled into new trabecular structures, especially in the ovariectomized animals. The combination of bone loss and bone formation resulted in alignment of trabeculae across the growth plate. Cortical modeling that was associated with growth continued after cessation of longitudinal growth in the ovariectomized animals, resulting in shape changes of the proximal tibia. The organized nature of the changes in bone architecture that occurred after ovariectomy and the high similarity with the changes observed in the normally aging animals, suggest that estrogen depletion resulted in an acceleration of a normal bone adaptation process. The observed aligning of trabeculae suggests regulation through mechanical loading. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Cartilage tissue engineering by expanded goat articular chondrocytes
Authors: Miot S. , Scandiucci de Freitas P. , Wirz D. , Daniels A.U. , Sims T. J. , Hollander A. P. , Mainil‐Varlet P. , Heberer M. , Martin I.
Published: April 2006

In this study we investigated whether expanded goat chondrocytes have the capacity to generate cartilaginous tissues with biochemical and biomechanical properties improving with time in culture. Goat chondrocytes were expanded in monolayer with or without combinations of FGF‐2, TGF‐β1, and PDGFbb, and the postexpansion chondrogenic capacity assessed in pellet cultures. Expanded chondrocytes were also cultured for up to 6 weeks in HYAFF®‐M nonwoven meshes or Polyactive™ foams, and the resulting cartilaginous tissues were assessed histologically, biochemically, and biomechanically. Supplementation of the expansion medium with FGF‐2 increased the proliferation rate of goat chondrocytes and enhanced their postexpansion chondrogenic capacity. FGF‐2‐expanded chondrocytes seeded in HYAFF®‐M or Polyactive™ scaffolds formed cartilaginous tissues with wet weight, glycosaminoglycan, and collagen content, increasing from 2 days to 6 weeks culture (up to respectively 2‐, 8‐, and 41‐fold). Equilibrium and dynamic stiffness measured in HYAFF®‐M‐based constructs also increased with time, up to, respectively, 1.3‐ and 16‐fold. This study demonstrates the feasibility to engineer goat cartilaginous tissues at different stages of development by varying culture time, and thus opens the possibility to test the effect of maturation stage of engineered cartilage on the outcome of cartilage repair in orthotopic goat models. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Healing of articular cartilage defects. An experimental study of vascular and minimal vascular microenvironment
Authors: Årøen Asbjørn , Heir Stig , Løken Sverre , Engebretsen Lars , Reinholt Finn P.
Published: April 2006

The repair potential in a chondral defect with (treatment A) or without access to bone marrow elements (treatment B) at the basis of the defect sealed by a rim‐sutured periosteal flap was studied using adult New Zealand rabbits (22 weeks) as an experimental model. At sacrifice, macroscopical changes, synovial fluid contents, degree of filling, thickness of the cartilage rim, and the subchondral bone were evaluated. Histomorphometric measurements of extent of filling (mainly fibrous tissue) of the defect at 36 weeks postoperatively, showed 50% filling in treatment A compared with 33% in treatment B (p = 0.011). A difference in height of the cartilage rim between the experimental groups and sham‐control was measured ( p = 0.005). Cartilage degeneration was observed at the cartilage rim of the original defect, and included loss of chondrocytes and disruption of surface continuity in both experimental groups. In addition, treatment A resulted in a significantly increased thickness of the subchondral bone in the defect in comparison to treatment B at 2 weeks and at 36 weeks (p = 0.021). The increased thickness of the subchondral bone may be of concern for the bone marrow stimulation techniques regarding the long‐term outcome. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Laser diodes semicircular side-pumped laser rod with a
round-sharped output
Authors: Guo Y X , Gong M L , Xue H Z , Li C , Yan P , Liu Q , Chen G
Published: April 2006

In order to keep the symmetric of the pump geometry and
obtain a low-level, high quality laser output, the temperature of
the side-pumped laser rod is more often be controlled by a water
cooling system than a conduction cooling system in the
diode-pumped solid-state lasers. But the use of the water cooling
system increases the volume and decreases the mobility. To solve
the confliction between the beam quality and the mobility of the
laser system, a novel, compact and all-solid design of the pump
structure is applied to the side-pumped laser system. The Nd:YAG
rod is pumped by semicircular mounted LD arrays in the pump
module, and two pump modules are working together to compensate
each other. Numerical calculation and experiment are performed,
the output laser has a round-sharped beam with a beam waist of
5 mm and a divergence angle less than 7 mrad, and a maxim output
pulse energy of 75.8 mJ is obtained under the working frequency of
20Hz, the slope efficiency is 35.8%.
Influence of Reactice Processing on the Properties of PP/Glass Fiber Composites Compatibilized with Silane
Authors: Felix Afonso H. O. , Cardozo Nilo S. M. , Nachtigall Sonia M. B. , Mauler Raquel S.
Published: April 2006

Summary: Composites of PP reinforced with 20 wt.‐% of short glass fibers were prepared by extrusion using VTES as a coupling agent. The addition of VTES was performed via in‐situ functionalization of PP and by a two‐step process in which PP was functionalized before the composite preparation. The obtained samples were characterized using rheometry, mechanical tests and microscopy. Both processes allowed the fiber/matrix interaction to increase. It was found that the VTES content affected the viscosity of the system by means of three different mechanisms: reduction of β‐scission reactions, decrease of fiber sliding and plasticizing effect on the matrix. Whereas the first two mechanisms increased the viscosity of the final composite after unreacted VTES removal, the third one reduced the viscosity during the process and contributed to fiber‐length preservation. The effects of VTES and peroxide contents on the Young's modulus were closely related to their effects on the final fiber length, indicating the effectiveness of using VTES as a coupling agent. Comparison between in‐situ functionalization and the two‐step process with prefunctionalization showed that in‐situ functionalization led to a lower degree of chain breakage, even when it was performed in the presence of peroxide.

Scanning electron micrographs of PP/glass fiber composite prepared without coupling agent.

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Scanning electron micrographs of PP/glass fiber composite prepared without coupling agent.
Flow, enduring, and situational involvement in the Web environment: A tripartite second‐order examination
Authors: Huang Ming‐Hui
Published: April 2006

Flow, a construct borrowed from reference disciplines, has been proposed as the central process in Web navigation. However, when flow is applied directly to the context of marketing, it suffers from conceptual ambiguity and overlap with the popular marketing construct, involvement. The present study aims to provide a clear framework within which to delineate the relationship between flow and involvement, and thus develop a better theoretical basis that incorporates the flow construct into Internet marketing. This study first distinguishes explicitly between flow, enduring involvement, and situational involvement. It then operationalizes these constructs with the use of customary measures to disclose their unique and common characteristics. Finally, a second‐order confirmatory factor analysis allowing measurement errors is used to identify explicitly the tripartite relationship between the three constructs. The conceptual and operational implications are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Herding in online product choice
Authors: Huang Jen‐Hung , Chen Yi‐Fen
Published: April 2006

Previous research has shown that people are influenced by others when making decisions. This work presents three studies examining herding in product choices on the Internet. The first two studies addressed how two cues frequently found on the Internet, that is, sales volume and customer reviews, influence consumer on‐line product choices. The third study examined the relative effectiveness of two recommendation sources. The experimental results revealed that subjects used the choices and evaluations of others as cues for making their own choices. However, herding effects are offset significantly by negative comments from others. Additionally, the recommendations of other consumers influence the choices of subjects more effectively than recommendations from an expert. Finally, implications of this work are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interactive continuously moving table (iCMT) large field‐of‐view real‐time MRI
Authors: Sabati M. , Lauzon M.L. , Mahallati H. , Frayne R.
Published: April 2006

Continuously moving table (CMT) MRI is a new method that is capable of generating 3D, seamless, large field‐of‐view (FOV) images by acquiring readouts along the patient superior–inferior axis as the subject is translated through the scanner. For applications that require artifact‐free images, such as arterial‐phase contrast‐enhanced (CE) angiography of the legs, a major challenge is to match the MR data acquisition and patient table motion with the dynamics of blood flow in the region of interest (ROI). Instead of restricting the CMT to predetermined constant table speeds, we adopted a more general approach in which the table motion is decoupled from the phase‐encoding order. In our approach the table moves adaptively and in response to operator‐provided feedback obtained from viewing real‐time preview (or fluoroscopic) images. This interactivity is accomplished by integrating high temporal‐spatial resolution encoding of the table position with real‐time hybrid‐space filling and image reconstruction. Experimental results obtained using our prototype interactive CMT (iCMT) system on a peripheral vascular phantom and five healthy volunteers demonstrate the feasibility of this robust and rapid imaging method for acquiring 3D large‐FOV continuous images with patient‐specific adaptive table motion profiles. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fast CT‐PRESS‐based spiral chemical shift imaging at 3 Tesla
Authors: Mayer Dirk , Kim Dong‐Hyun , Adalsteinsson Elfar , Spielman Daniel M.
Published: April 2006

A new sequence is presented that combines constant‐time point‐resolved spectroscopy (CT‐PRESS) with fast spiral chemical shift imaging. It allows the acquisition of multivoxel spectra without line splitting with a minimum total measurement time of less than 5 min for a field of view of 24 cm and a nominal 1.5 × 1.5‐cm2 in‐plane resolution. Measurements were performed with 17 CS encoding steps in t1 (Δt1 = 12.8 ms) and an average echo time of 151 ms, which was determined by simulating the CT‐PRESS experiment for the spin systems of glutamate (Glu) and myo‐inositol (mI). Signals from N‐acetyl‐aspartate, total creatine, choline‐containing compounds (Cho), Glu, and mI were detected in a healthy volunteer with no or only minor baseline distortions within 14 min on a 3 T MR scanner. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Melt flow properties, mechanical properties, thermal properties and morphology of polycarbonate/highly branched polystyrene blends
Authors: Li Aiying , Chang Jieyun , Wang Kaiquan , Lu Lude , Yang Xujie , Wang Xing
Published: April 2006

A highly branched polystyrene (HBPS) was synthesized via the copolymerization of 4‐(chloromethyl) styrene with styrene using the self‐condensing atom transfer radical polymerization method. The addition of HBPS as a melt modifier for polycarbonate (PC) was attempted. Melt flow properties, mechanical properties, thermal properties and morphology of the blends were studied. The results showed that a significant drop in the blend viscosity occurs immediately on addition of HBPS. Impact strength, tensile strength and glass transition temperature (Tg) of all the blends have not been significantly reduced compared with those of pure PC. The TGA analyses showed that an initial weight loss temperature of all the blends is above 458 °C and slightly low compared with that of pure PC, but all the blends still have excellent thermal stability. Morphological studies using SEM showed that a two‐phase morphology is characteristic of all the blends, with more or less spherical droplets of the minor HBPS phase dispersed in the continuous PC phase. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Decolorization of Denim Fabrics with Cold Plasmas in the Presence of Magnetic Fields
Authors: Ghoranneviss Mahmood , Moazzenchi Bahareh , Shahidi Sheila , Anvari Abbas , Rashidi Abosaeed
Published: April 2006

Summary:Denim jeans have consistently been fashionable around the world. This fabric inspired strong opinions from historians, teenagers, and movie stars, and has acquired different styles throughout the years. Most jeans today are stonewashed; this technique first become popular in 1970. Now, in addition to pumice stones, enzymes are used on the cotton fabrics to create the stonewashed look. Nowadays, plasma treatment is a cost‐effective and environment‐friendly process which is able to modify the properties of the fabric surface in order to achieve this effect. Plasma surface treatment changes the properties of the fabric up to a limited depth (several molecular layers), leaving the bulk properties of even the most delicate materials unchanged. In this study, we have investigated the effect of low‐temperature Argon plasmas on the decolorizing of denim surfaces. The denim fabrics were placed on a copper cathode and were exposed to the plasmas for different periods of time, varying from 2.5 to 15 min. The homogeneity of the plasma was secured by means of a magnetic field. The results, which were very good decolorized, varnished surfaces of the fabrics will be discussed.

Photographs of denim samples before (top) and after (bottom) a treatment with a low‐temperature Ar plasma.

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Photographs of denim samples before (top) and after (bottom) a treatment with a low‐temperature Ar plasma.
Development of a liquid chromatography/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of trichothecenes, zearalenone and aflatoxins in foodstuffs
Authors: Tanaka Hiroki , Takino Masahiko , Sugita‐Konishi Yoshiko , Tanaka Toshitsugu
Published: April 2006

A liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC/APCI‐MS) method based on time‐of‐flight MS (TOFMS) with a real‐time reference mass correction technique was developed for the simultaneous determination of Fusarium mycotoxins (nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, fusarenon X, 3‐acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15‐acetyldeoxynivalenol, HT‐2 toxin, T‐2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, zearalenone) and Aspergillus mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2) in corn, wheat, cornflakes and biscuits. Samples were cleaned up with a MultiSep #226 column. Detection of the mycotoxins was carried out in exact mass chromatograms with a mass window of 0.03 Th. Calibration curves were linear from 2 to 200 ng · mL−1 for trichothecenes and zearalenone, and 0.2 to 20 ng · mL−1 for aflatoxins, by 20 µL injection. The limits of detection ranged from 0.1 to 6.1 ng · g−1 in foodstuffs analyzed in this study. The LC/TOFMS method was found to be suitable for the screening of multiple mycotoxins in foodstuffs rapidly and with high sensitivity, and its performance was demonstrated for the confirmation for target mycotoxins. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.