bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two adult siblings with atypical cryopyrin‐associated periodic syndrome due to a novel M299V mutation in NLRP3
Authors: Verma Deepti , Eriksson Per , Sahdo Berolla , Persson Alexander , Ejdebäck Mikael , Särndahl Eva , Söderkvist Peter
Published: March 2010

Objective

The NALP3 inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that triggers caspase 1–mediated interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) release. Mutations in the gene encoding NALP3 (NLRP3) underlie the cryopyrin‐associated periodic syndrome (CAPS). The aim of this study was to report a novel NLRP3 mutation in 2 siblings of Swedish descent in whom symptoms first presented in adulthood.

Methods

Mutation analysis of NLRP3 was performed on DNA from patients with CAPS and 100 control subjects. For assessment of caspase 1 and IL‐1β, blood was collected from patients and age‐ and sex‐matched healthy control subjects. Genetic constructs containing mutant or wild‐type NLRP3 were transduced into THP‐1 cells, followed by assessment of IL‐1β levels in cell supernatant.

Results

Both siblings carried a novel M299V mutation in NLRP3, which was not present in the control population. The samples obtained from the patients displayed increased caspase 1 activity and elevated IL‐1β levels at basal conditions as compared with healthy control subjects. THP‐1 cells expressing mutated M299V revealed almost 10‐fold higher IL‐1β production compared with the wild‐type construct.

Conclusion

M299V is an activating mutation in NLRP3 resulting in elevated spontaneous caspase 1 activity and IL‐1β levels. The classic CAPS phenotype was lacking in these adult siblings. Whereas one sibling displayed a milder phenotype that has so far responded satisfactorily to oral nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in combination with low‐dose corticosteroids, the inflammatory symptoms in the sibling with the more severe case responded well to IL‐1β blockade. Understanding the pathogenic mechanism underlying such disorders can be helpful for the physician. Our study reinforces the importance of genetic testing and laboratory investigations in combination with careful phenotypic evaluation for the diagnosis of such patients.
An education that pierces what the knife cannot: A student perspective
Authors: Hammer Rachel R.
Published: March 2010

If personalized medicine is the way of the future, and the physician's approach to each patient becomes more individualized and team‐based, so must the professors' approach to the medical student experience. Mayo Medical School has an innovative curriculum designed to respect and enhance the individual interests of its students. A former educator herself, and now a medical student, the author advocates for further creative curriculum design to enhance healthy student attitude learning in medical school. In her personal testimony to the healing power of art and story, she cautions institutions that ignore integrating humanities into their curriculum that their student physicians will build self‐protective barriers without self‐reflection. She argues students must have more avenues to express their emotions during difficult transitions and ethical dilemmas. This commentary describes extracurricular student projects during anatomy, and includes an example of student reflective writing in anatomy. The author suggests that narrative medicine as an emerging discipline would be an effective educational strategy when applied to any aspect of the medical curriculum, and should be considered by more medical schools for further progress in medical education. Anat Sci Educ, 2010. © 2010 American Association of Anatomists.
Motor‐linked implicit learning in persons with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Travers Brittany G. , Klinger Mark R. , Mussey Joanna L. , Klinger Laura G.
Published: March 2010

Fifteen adolescents and young adults with high‐functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 18 age‐ and IQ‐matched adults with typical development (TD) completed a serial reaction time task (SRT) to examine possible motor‐linked implicit learning impairments in persons with ASD. Measures were taken to decrease the role of explicit learning in the SRT. Results showed that participants with ASD demonstrated intact motor‐linked implicit learning. Furthermore, the motor‐linked implicit learning appeared to take place at a similar rate across trials in the group with ASD compared to the group with TD. These results suggest that persons with ASD are successful in implicit learning of motor‐linked behavior. The results of this study, coupled with past findings, suggest that people with ASD may be able to learn motor movements without conscious awareness, especially if the individual is older and is learning fine motor sequences.
SAR versus Sinc: What is the appropriate RF exposure metric in the range 1–10 GHz? Part II: Using complex human body models
Authors: McIntosh Robert L. , Anderson Vitas
Published: March 2010

This is the second of the two articles that present modeling data and reasoned arguments for specifying the appropriate crossover frequency at which incident power flux density (Sinc) replaces the peak 10 g averaged value of the specific energy absorption rate (SAR) as the designated basic restriction for protecting against radiofrequency electromagnetic heating effects in the 1–10 GHz range. In our first study, we compared the degree of correlation between these basic restrictions and the peak‐induced tissue temperature rise (ΔT) for a representative range of population/exposure scenarios using simple multi‐planar models exposed to plane wave conditions. In this complementary study, complex heterogeneous head models for an adult and 12‐year‐old child were analyzed at 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 GHz for a variety of exposure conditions. The complex models indicate that peak ΔT is better correlated with peak 10 g SAR than Sinc at 1 and 3 GHz and with Sinc at 6–10 GHz, in contrast to the results from Part I. Considering the planar and complex body modeling results together, and given the equivocal indications of the two metrics in the 6–10 GHz range, we recommend that the breakpoint be set at 6 GHz. This choice is also based on other considerations such as ease of assessment. We also recommend that the limit level of Sinc should be adjusted to provide a better match with 10 g SAR in the induced tissue temperature rise. Bioelectromagnetics 31:467–478, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ultrasensitive chemiluminescent immunoassay of Salmonella with silver enhancement of nanogold labels
Authors: Wang Zhouping , Duan Nuo , Li Jingquan , Ye Jing , Ma Shufeng , Le Guowei
Published: March 2010

In this paper, silver enhancement of nanogold labels coupled with chemiluminescence detection was developed for ultrasensitive immunoassay of Salmonella based upon antigen–antibody immunoreaction. Polyclonal rabbit anti‐Salmonella sp. antibodies (pAb) were employed to establish the analytical protocol. The pAb coated onto ELISA microwell plates and Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) conjugated pAb capture target Salmonella to form a sandwich‐type complex. Silver then was in situ deposited around the Au NPs core and resulted in the signal amplification. In consequence, silver was dissolved to form Ag+ and a sensitive chemiluminescence based on the Ag+–K2S2O8–Mn2+–luminol system was coupled for further signal amplification. Under the optimized conditions, the chemiluminescent intensity is proportional to target Salmonella over the range of 5–1038 cfu mL−1 with a detection limit of 5 cfu mL−1. The relative standard deviation for 11 measurements of about 50–100 cfu/mL target Salmonella is 4.7%. The proposed method was successfully applied to measure Salmonella in food samples and the results are identical to those of the offical standard method of China. These offer us a more powerful tool for ultrasensitive assay of foodborne pathogens. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Son, Ltd.
Practical application of bioluminescence enzyme immunoassay using enhancer for firefly luciferin–luciferase bioluminescence
Authors: Minekawa Takayuki , Ohkuma Hiroshi , Abe Katsushi , Maekawa Hiroaki , Arakawa Hidetoshi
Published: March 2010

Firefly luciferin–luciferase bioluminescence is known for its high quantum yield (41.0 ± 7.4%). Given this high quantum yield, application of this bioluminescence is expected to be useful in the field of clinical diagnostics. The kinetic profile of this bioluminescence exhibits an instant rise (<1 s) and a rapid decay in light emission (decreased to 42% after 5 s). In this study, we applied four enhancers including coenzyme A, inosine5′‐triphosphate sodium salt, sodium tripolyphosphate and potassium pyrophosphate to prolong light emission. When these enhancers were used, luminescence was only decreased to 89, 83, 87 and 82% after 5 s, respectively. These materials modified the kinetic profile of bioluminescence so that the luminescence is more suitable for clinical application. It becomes more suitable because they enable highly sensitive integration and simplification of a device by separating luminescence measurements from dispensing of reagents. Using these enhancers, we then developed a bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay (BLEIA) for hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) that employed firefly luciferase as a labeling enzyme. We compared the results obtained from the HBsAg BLEIA method with the conventional chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay method, and found a satisfactory correlation (r = 0.984, n = 118). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two new synthetic peptides from the N‐domain of CEACAM1 (CD66a) stimulate neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells
Authors: Skubitz Keith M. , Skubitz Amy P. N.
Published: March 2010

Four members of the carcinoembryonic antigen family, CEACAMs 1, 3, 6, and 8, are expressed on human neutrophils and can trigger an activation signal that increases neutrophil adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayers. To identify active sites on CEACAM1, we previously performed molecular modeling using IgG and CD4 as models, and 28 peptides of 14 amino acids in length were synthesized that were predicted to be present at loops and turns between β‐sheets. Three peptides, each from the N‐terminal domain, increased neutrophil adhesion to HUVEC monolayers and upregulated cell‐surface CD11b/CD18 expression on neutrophils. In our earlier study, one N‐domain peptide (CD66a‐7) was not successfully synthesized, and another N‐domain peptide (CD66a‐6) was not soluble in the assay system. In the present study, we have now successfully synthesized CD66a‐7, and a new peptide (CD66a‐6L), that is a modification of the peptide that was insoluble in the earlier study. Both of these new peptides increased neutrophil adhesion to HUVEC monolayers. Importantly, the amino acid sequence of CD66a‐7 is identical to the homologous peptides from CEACAMs 3, 5, and 6, but differs from the homologous peptide of CEACAM8, which was not active in this system. CD66a‐6L is identical to the homologous peptide from CEACAM6. The data suggest that peptide motifs from at least five regions of the N‐terminal domain of CEACAM1 are involved in the interaction of CEACAM1 with other ligands and can initiate signal transduction in neutrophils. Some of these active peptides are identical to homologous regions of other CEACAMs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 96: 25–31, 2011.
A significant role for high‐energy transitions in the ultraviolet circular dichroism spectra of polypeptides and proteins
Authors: Woody Robert W.
Published: March 2010

The nπ* and ππ* transitions of polypeptides mix significantly with very high energy transitions in the poly(Pro)II conformation, as evidenced by the strongly nonconservative CD spectrum in the 170–250 nm region. Because of this, the exciton model, the standard quantum mechanical model for predicting absorption and CD spectra of polypeptides, gives poor results for the poly(Pro) II (PII) conformation, although it works well for the α‐helix, β‐sheet, and β‐turns. The exciton theory has been extended to include the effects of mixing of discrete peptide transitions near 200 nm with the large number of uncharacterized transitions in the deep ultraviolet. These latter transitions dominate the polarizability, and their mixing with the discrete transitions can be described via bond and lone‐pair polarizability tensors, derivable by ab initio methods. This extended exciton method gives a good description of the CD spectrum of (Ala)n oligomers in the PII conformation. For this conformation, the polarizability contributions lead to a strong negative band near 200 nm that dominates the calculated and observed CD spectrum. The model does not give a good description of the CD of (Pro)n oligomers, probably because of conformational heterogeneity or nonadditive contributions of the Pro side chains. The model improves the calculated CD spectra of α‐helical (Ala)n oligomers. Although the high‐energy transitions make only a small net contribution to the CD of the α‐helix in the 200 nm region, they enhance the negative exciton band at ∼205 nm and largely cancel the negative exciton band near 175 nm, substantially improving agreement with experiment. Chirality, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
GenosorbN: Neues Absorptionsmittel für die CO2‐Entfernung aus Gasströmen
Authors: Ohle A.
Published: March 2010

Bei der CO2‐Absorption verursacht die Waschmittelregenerierung oft den größten Anteil am Energiebedarf. Das Verfahren kann durch den Einsatz des neuartigen Hybrid‐Waschmittels GenosorbN (Poly(methyldiglykol)amin) energetisch erheblich günstiger gestaltet werden und ist damit auch für die Minderung der CO2‐Emissionen in der Stromerzeugung interessant.
Selecting an optimal staging system for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Hsu Chia‐Yang , Hsia Cheng‐Yuan , Huang Yi‐Hsiang , Su Chien‐Wei , Lin Han‐Chieh , Lee Pui‐Ching , Loong Che‐Chuan , Chiang Jen‐Huey , Huo Teh‐Ia , Lee Shou‐Dong
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND:

Selecting an appropriate staging system is crucial to predict the outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The optimal prognostic model for HCC is under intense debate. This study investigated the prognostic ability of the 5 currently used staging systems, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), Japan Integrated Scoring (JIS) system, tumor‐node‐metastasis (TNM), and Tokyo score, for HCC.

METHODS:

Between 2002 and 2008, 1713 prospectively enrolled HCC patients were compared for their long‐term survival by using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) according to the staging or scoring methods of these 5 models.

RESULTS:

The mean and median follow‐up duration was 18 and 14 months, respectively. Among all patients, the CLIP staging system had the lowest AIC value in comparison with other systems in the Cox proportional hazards model, followed by the Tokyo score, JIS score, BCLC staging system, and TNM staging system. Patients undergoing curative treatment had a significantly better survival in comparison with patients undergoing noncurative treatment (P < .001). When the predictive accuracy of the staging systems was analyzed according to treatment strategy, the CLIP staging system had the lowest AIC value and remained the best prognostic model in patients undergoing curative (801 patients) and noncurative (912 patients) treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:

The CLIP staging system is the best long‐term prognostic model for HCC in a cohort of patient with early to advanced stage of HCC. Its predictive accuracy is independent of the treatment strategy. Selecting an optimal staging system is helpful in improving the design of future clinical trials. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Genetic alterations in the RAS/RAF/mitogen‐activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/Akt signaling pathways in the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Santarpia Libero , Myers Jeffrey N. , Sherman Steven I. , Trimarchi Francesco , Clayman Gary L. , El‐Naggar Adel K.
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND:

The follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) is the second most common histotype among papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs). Although the prognosis of FVPTC is similar to the conventional phenotype, differential diagnostic difficulties may not be uncommon with other follicular thyroid neoplasms, and little is known about their genetic alterations. Defining these alterations may lead to the identification of diagnostic and biologic markers.

METHODS:

In this study, the authors evaluated genetic alterations and downstream‐activated signals of the Ras/Raf–mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/v‐akt murine thymoma viral oncogene (Akt) (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathways in 30 FVPTC tissue specimens. Tumors and matched normal thyroid samples were tested for RAS, for the v‐raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene (BRAF) substitution of valine (V) for glutamate (E) at codon 600 (the V600E mutation), for phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), for catalytic PI3k p110 subunit alpha (PIK3CA), for AKT, and for the presence of rearranged during transfection (ret) proto‐oncogene/PTC (RET‐PTC) and paired box‐8 (PAX8)/peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) fusion protein (PAX8‐PPARγ) rearrangements by direct sequencing and reverse transcriptase‐polymerases chain reaction analyses, respectively. Western blot analysis was used to assess the effects of these gene abnormalities on the activation of the 2 pathways.

RESULTS:

Genetic alterations were identified in 70% of FVPTCs. Activation of the MAPK and PI3K pathways was observed in 74% and 22% of tumors, respectively. The alterations that were identified in the genes of the 2 pathways were mutually exclusive. Chromosomal RET‐PTC and PAX8‐PPARγ rearrangements were observed in 20% and 17% of tumors, respectively. It was noteworthy that some FVPTCs with RET‐PTC had the coactivation of both pathways.

CONCLUSIONS:

RET‐PTC and PAX8‐PPARγ rearrangements and mutations of the neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog N‐RAS at codon 61 were the most common genetic alterations in FVPTCs. Activation of the MAPK pathway was a frequent event in FVPTCs, and the PI3K signaling pathway could be coactivated in RET‐PTC tumors. These findings may have important therapeutic implication in patients with FVPTC. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin as first‐line treatment in patients aged 70 years or older with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: McHayleh Wassim , Foon Kenneth , Redner Robert , Sehgal Rajesh , Raptis Anastasios , Agha Mounzer , Luong The Minh , Schlesselman James J. , Boyiadzis Michael
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND:

Elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are generally unable to withstand the rigors of intensive induction chemotherapy and its attendant complications. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) is an immunoconjugate that had demonstrated activity in recurrent AML.

METHODS:

The objective of the current study was to determine the prognostic factors for achievement of complete remission (CR) in newly diagnosed elderly AML patients treated with GO as initial induction therapy. A retrospective study was performed of efficacy and toxicity associated with GO therapy, and factors potentially predictive of response were assessed in 49 previously untreated AML patients.

RESULTS:

CR was achieved in 14% of all treated patients. Among the patients with an intermediate‐risk karyotype, the CR rate was 30%, compared with none with an unfavorable karyotype. The median duration of overall survival was 3.7 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.4‐6.9 months), and the median recurrence‐free survival in patients who achieved CR was 11.8 months (95% CI, 5.0‐ind months).

CONCLUSIONS:

These data suggest that GO should be considered as a first‐line treatment option in older patients with AML with intermediate‐risk cytogenetics who cannot tolerate high‐dose induction chemotherapy. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Distinctive expression of the polycomb group proteins Bmi1 polycomb ring finger oncogene and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 in nonsmall cell lung cancers and their clinical and clinicopathologic significance
Authors: Kikuchi Junko , Kinoshita Ichiro , Shimizu Yasushi , Kikuchi Eiki , Konishi Jun , Oizumi Satoshi , Kaga Kichizo , Matsuno Yoshihiro , Nishimura Masaharu , Dosaka‐Akita Hirotoshi
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND:

The polycomb group genes Bmi1 polycomb ring finger oncogene (Bmi1) and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) function as transcriptional repressors involved in gene silencing and in the malignant transformation and biologic aggressiveness of several human carcinomas. In the current study, the authors evaluated Bmi1 and EZH2 protein expression in specimens of human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS:

The authors conducted an immunohistochemical assessment of 157 surgically resected NSCLCs to evaluate the correlation between Bmi1 and EZH2 expression and various features, including clinical, clinicopathologic, and biologic characteristics.

RESULTS:

Normal bronchial epithelia revealed abundant expression of Bmi1 and sporadic expression of EZH2. Patients who had high EZH2 expression in tumor cells had a poorer prognosis than patients who had low EZH2 expression in tumor cells all pathologic stages of NSCLC (P = .001) and in pathologic stage I NSCLC (P = .006). Multivariate analysis revealed that high EZH2 expression was a independent, unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with pathologic stage I disease (P = .048). High EZH2 expression was correlated significantly with nonadenocarcinoma histology (P = .001), moderate and poor differentiation (P = .001), advanced pathologic tumor classification (P = .02), and high Ki‐67 and cyclin E labeling indices (P < .001). Bmi1 expression, in contrast, was not a significant prognostic factor and was not correlated with any clinicopathologic factors other than early pathologic tumor classification.

CONCLUSIONS:

Bmi1 and EZH2 had characteristic and distinctive expression in NSCLCs. High EZH2 expression was correlated with tumor aggressiveness and may provide a novel prognostic marker for NSCLCs. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
An EM‐like reconstruction method for diffuse optical tomography
Authors: Wang Caifang
Published: March 2010

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is an optical imaging modality which provides the spatial distributions of optical parameters inside an object. The forward model of DOT is described by the diffusion approximation of radiative transfer equation, while the DOT is to reconstruct the optical parameters from boundary measurements. In this paper, an EM‐like iterative reconstruction method specifically for the steady state DOT problem is developed. Previous iterative reconstruction methods are mostly based on the assumption that the measurement noise is Gaussian, and are of least‐squares type. In this paper, with the assumption that the boundary measurements have independent and identical Poisson distributions, the inverse problem of DOT is solved by maximizing a log‐likelihood functional with inequality constraints, and then an EM‐like reconstruction algorithm is developed according to the Kuhn–Tucker condition. The proposed algorithm is a variant of the well‐known EM algorithm. The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested with three‐dimensional numerical simulation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identifying critical financial networks of the DJIA: Toward a network‐based index
Authors: Emmert‐Streib Frank , Dehmer Matthias
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, we introduce a novel definition of financial networks obtained from time series data from the stock market. Second, we demonstrate that these networks can be used as an index with the property to reflect critical states of the market, respectively, crashes sufficiently. Our work aims to advocate a network‐based analysis in the context of the stock market, because such a collective phenomenon can not only be economically described by networks but also analyzed as demonstrated in this article. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 16: 24–33, 2010
Optimal redundancy allocation for high availability routers
Authors: Tsai Chia‐Tai , Jan Rong‐Hong , Wang Kuochen
Published: March 2010

How to optimally allocate redundant routers for high availability (HA) networks is a crucial task. In this paper, a5‐tuple availability function A(N, M, λ, µ, δ) is proposed to determine the minimum required number of standby routers to meet the desired availability (ρ) of an HA router, whereNandMare the numbers of active routers and standby routers, respectively, and λ, µ, and δ are a single router's failure rate, repair rate, and failure detection and recovery rate, respectively. We have derived the availability function, and analytical results show that the failure detection and recovery rate (δ) is a key parameter for reducing the minimum required number of standby routers of an HA router. Thus, we also propose a High Availability Management (HAM) middleware, which was designed based on an open architecture specification, called OpenAIS, to achieve the goal of reducing takeover delay (1/δ) bystateful backup. We have implemented an HA Open Shortest Path First (HA‐OSPF) router, which consists of two active routers and one standby router, to illustrate the proposed HA router. Experimental results show that the takeover delays of the proposed HA‐OSPF router were reduced by 6, 37.3, and 98.6% compared with those of the industry standard approaches, the Cisco‐ASR 1000 series router, the Juniper MX series router, and the Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) router, respectively. In addition, in contract to the industry routers, the proposed HA router, which was designed based on an open architecture specification, is more cost‐effective, and its redundancy model can be more flexibly adjusted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The value of p16 in ASCUS cases: A retrospective study using frozen cytologic material
Authors: Alameda Francesc , Pijuan Lara , Lloveras Belen , Bellosillo Beatriz , Larrazabal Fernando , Mancebo Gemma , Muñoz Raquel , Carreras Ramon , Serrano Sergi
Published: March 2010

This study scans the efficacy of p16 immunostain on gynecological cytologies for the detection of high‐grade lesions in ASCUS cases. This is a retrospective study that evaluates p16 immunostaining using frozen material from 109 cases diagnosed as ASCUS and followed for an average of 16 months. The diagnosis of ASCUS was made using liquid‐based cytology (Thin Prep, Hologic, Marlborough, MA). High‐risk HPV using Hybrid Capture II was performed. The immunohistochemical evaluation of p16 immunoreactivity was done following Wentzensen criteria. In the series p16 immunoreactivity showed a sensitivity and negative predictive value for HSIL, of 82.3 and 94.5% with specificity and positive predictive value of 100%. The sensitivity was similar to that found using the HC‐II, though the specificity was much higher. The use of p16 immunostain in cytologic specimens applying the Wentzensen criteria helps to focus the attention in positive cells evaluating the cell changes, helps to detect some cells suspicious or diagnostic of HSIL, and could help to reclassify the ASCUS cases. Diagn.Cytopathol. 2011;39:110–114. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diabetic cataracts: mechanisms and management
Authors: Obrosova Irina G. , Chung Stephen S. M. , Kador Peter F.
Published: March 2010

Diabetes mellitus is associated with a 5‐fold higher prevalence of cataracts, which remains a major cause of blindness in the world. Typical diabetic cataracts contain cortical and/or posterior subcapsular opacities. Adult onset diabetic cataracts also often contain nuclear opacities. Mechanisms of diabetic cataractogenesis have been studied in less detail than those of other diabetic complications. Both animal and human studies support important contribution of increased aldose reductase activity. Surgical extraction is the only cure of diabetic cataract today. An improved understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms, together with finding effective therapeutic agents, remain highest priority for diabetic cataract‐related research and pharmaceutical development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring the composition of communication networks of governance – a case study on local environmental policy in Helsinki, Finland
Authors: Toikka Arho
Published: March 2010

Governance (Rhodes, 1996; Kooiman, 1993, 2003; Pierre, 2000) is one of the most popular new concepts in policy science and administrative science. The literature does not constitute a unified theory, but a single theme runs throughout: policy decisions are referred to as being made by networks of organizations. However, the network governance literature has not built on the previous literature on policy networks and the methods of social network analysis. The structure of the governance network can make a difference in policy‐making, but the structures have often been neglected in governance research. Here, the combination of social network analysis and governance literature is suggested as a possibility for investigating network structures. In particular, we investigate how and why the organizations involved choose their communication partners. The methods of exponential random graph modelling (sometimes referred to as p* models) (Snijders et al., 2006; Robins et al., 2007a, 2007b) enable the simultaneous modelling of structural effects and individual variables and their effects on network structure. As of yet, there are few substantial applications. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the composition of a policy network and the effects of network and actor variables on the empirically observed network. The environmental policy of the city of Helsinki, Finland, is used to demonstrate the approach. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
The EU energy and climate package: a showcase for European environmental leadership?
Authors: Uusi‐Rauva Christa
Published: March 2010

Climate change is one of the main contemporary challenges, and it has been argued that there is a need for strong environmental leadership to achieve global climate deals. Few studies, however, have questioned how ‘environmental leadership’ is demonstrated in political and media discourse. To fill this gap, this paper adopts a critical discourse analytical (CDA) perspective to explore how the EU and newspapers in six European countries discursively construct environmental leadership in relation to the EU climate package that was introduced and ratified in 2008. The findings suggest that environmental leadership is a struggle for meaning that shifts over time, from first, aiming at emissions reduction targets that are higher than others' versus targets that would be stringent enough to effectively fight climate change to second, the means used to reach the reduction targets versus the ends that are reached. This shift over the period of year 2008 seems largely due to significant changes in the social context. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Correlation between thermal properties and chemical composition of Italian virgin olive oils
Authors: Chiavaro Emma , Estrada Maria Teresa Rodriguez , Bendini Alessandra , Cerretani Lorenzo
Published: March 2010

Thirteen monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOos) from two Italian regions were evaluated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to study statistical correlations among major and minor chemical components and thermal properties obtained by cooling transitions and their deconvoluted peaks. The application of DSC for the discrimination of EVOos according to the cultivar and geographical origin was also considered. Thermal properties of the cooling transitions (except for the crystallization enthalpy) were almost all influenced by triolein content and fatty acid composition. Thermal properties (area, onset and offset temperatures of transition, transition range, and peak temperature) of the three deconvoluted peaks were found to be significantly correlated not only to major but also to minor components (diacylglycerols, free fatty acids) and oxidative stability indices. The analysis of thermal properties obtained by cooling transition did not lead to sample discrimination according to geographical provenience. However,Ton,Toff, and peak areas of the two deconvoluted transitions that peaked at the lowest temperatures, as well asToffof deconvoluted peak at the highest temperature, significantly differentiated oil samples according to their geographical origin. These findings may be confirmed by the appliance of multivariate statistical analysis to a larger set of samples to select thermal parameters able to discriminate among EVOos of different geographical provenience.

Practical applications

DSC application exhibits some advantages upon the classical analytical methods as it does not require sample preparation and use of solvents, thus resulting in a reduced environmental impact. The results of this study suggest that DSC can be used to test quality and to determine geographical origin of EVOo.
Granulation of sludge under different loads of a glycerol fraction from biodiesel production
Authors: Cydzik‐Kwiatkowska Agnieszka , Wojnowska‐Baryła Irena , Selewska Katarzyna
Published: March 2010

The aim of the research was to evaluate the possibility of using the crude glycerol fraction from biodiesel manufacturing processes for granular sludge production. The experiment was carried out simultaneously in four sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) at different carbon loads: 0.2 ± 0.08, 0.6 ± 0.16, 1.1 ± 0.27, and 1.3 ± 0.35 g COD/g TSS per cycle (COD – chemical oxygen demand, TSS – total suspended solids). Granulation did not occur in the reactor with the lowest organic carbon load. In the remaining reactors small granules began to appear after 25 cycles of reactor operation. In all reactors the efficiency of carbon removal remained at ca. 80%. The highest granular sludge production per cycle was 0.31 ± 0.28 g TSS/L; it was obtained at an organic load of 1.1 ± 0.27 g COD/g TSS per cycle. Most of the introduced COD was removed in the reactors during the first 5 h of aeration; the COD removal rate was correlated with the organic load and varied from 123.12 to 472.76 mg COD  per litre and hour.

Practical applications: With the increasing production of biodiesel fuel a problem arises with the utilization of glycerol that is a by‐product of the process. By‐product glycerol fraction from small agricultural installations is usually contaminated. Its composition varies depending on parameters of the transesterification process and it is unprofitable to purify it. In the present research we investigated one possible way of dealing with the by‐product. The glycerol fraction was successfully used as a carbon source for the production of aerobic granular sludge. The granules obtained can be used as a seed sludge in granule‐based reactors, or can be cofired with coal or directly combusted. Since aerobic granular sludge is one of the most promising technologies investigated during the last few years it appears to possess high utility.
Synthesis of 2,4‐Disubstituted Pyrimidin‐5‐yl C‐2′‐Deoxyribonucleosides by Sequential Regioselective Reactions of 2,4‐Dichloropyrimidine Nucleosides
Authors: Kubelka Tomáš , Slavětínská Lenka , Klepetářová Blanka , Hocek Michal
Published: March 2010

A new modular synthesis of diverse 2,4‐disubstituted pyrimidin‐5‐yl C‐2′‐deoxyribonucleosides by sequential regioselective reactions of 2,6‐dichloropyrimidin‐5‐yl C‐nucleosides was developed. The intermediate was prepared by the Heck coupling of 2,6‐dichloro‐5‐iodopyrimidine with glycal followed by desilylation and reduction. Its mild nucleophilic substitutions or Fe‐catalyzed cross‐coupling with MeMgCl proceeded regioselectively at position 4, whereas at elevated temperatures or with excess of MeMgCl, double substitution occurred. The 2‐chloro‐4‐substituted intermediates undergo another substitution or coupling to afford 2,4‐disubstituted derivatives.
Determination of Plant Thiols by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Coulometric and Amperometric Detection in Lettuce Treated by Lead(II) Ions
Authors: Diopan Vaclav , Shestivska Violetta , Zitka Ondrej , Galiova Michaela , Adam Vojtech , Kaiser Jozef , Horna Ales , Novotny Karel , Liska Miroslav , Havel Ladislav , Zehnalek Josef , Kizek Rene
Published: March 2010

The main aim of this paper is to utilize high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for determination of thiols content in plants tissues of lettuce treated with lead(II) ions (0, 0.5 and 1 mM). We used two HPLC‐ED instruments: HPLC coupled with one channel amperometric detector and HPLC coupled with twelve channel coulometric detector to detect simultaneously twelve thiols. The detection limits of thiols measured by CoulArray detector were about two magnitudes lower in comparison to those measured by Coulochem III detector and were from tens to hundreds pM. Under the optimal conditions, we utilized HPLC‐CoulArray detector for analysis of tissues from lettuce plants. In addition, distribution and accumulation of lead ions with high spatial resolution was monitored using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy.
Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis of Hemoglobin Immobilized in a Polymeric Ionic Liquid Film
Authors: Zhang Qian , Lv Xue , Qiao Yun , Zhang Ling , Liu Da‐Liang , Zhang Wei , Han Guang‐Xi , Song Xi‐Ming
Published: March 2010

A polymer film based on polymeric ionic liquid, which was poly(1‐vinyl‐3‐butylimidazolium chloride) (poly(ViBuIm+Cl−)for short), was firstly used as matrix to immobilize hemoglobin (Hb). FTIR and UV‐vis spectra demonstrated that the native structure of Hb was well preserved after entrapped into the polymer film. The Hb immobilized in the poly(ViBuIm+Cl−) film showed a fast direct electron transfer for the Hb‐FeIII/FeII redox couple. Based on the direct electron transfer of the immobilized Hb, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/Hb/poly(ViBuIm+Cl−)/GC electrode displayed good sensitivity and wide linear range for the detection of H2O2. The linear range of the PVA/Hb/poly(ViBuIm+Cl−)/GC electrode to H2O2 is from 3.5 to 224 μM with a limit of detection of 1.17 μM. Such an avenue, which integrated polymeric ionic liquid and redox protein via a simple method, may provide a novel and efficient platform for the fabrication of biosensors, biofuel cells and other bioelectrochemical devices.
Electrochemical Characterization of Myoglobin‐Polylysine Films at a Temperature Range of 6–80 °C
Authors: Guto Peterson M. , Kamau Geoffrey N.
Published: March 2010

This work demonstrated for the first time that myoglobin cross‐linked in polylysine films is electrochemically active at 6 °C. At 6 °C, these protein films exhibited reversible reduction/oxidation peaks which are characteristic of FeIII/FeII redox couple. The estimated current function densities (J=1.6×10−4 C/V cm2), surface concentrations (ΓT=0.10 nmol/cm2) and standard electron transfer constant (ks=13.86 s−1) at 6 °C for the data taken at a scan rate of 0.1 V/s were similar to those which were obtained at 10, 15 and 23 °C. Basically, this study shows a possible electrocatalytic application of these myoglobin/polylysine films, for example in low temperature sensing applications.
An Electrically Heated Au Electrode for Electrochemical Detection in Microchip System
Authors: Wu Di , Wu Jian , Zhu Yu‐Hua , Xu Jing‐Juan , Chen Hong‐Yuan
Published: March 2010

An electrically heated Au electrode which can be used for microchip electrophoresis has been constructed and evaluated. The Au electrode is heated by direct current (DC) getting across the copper wire enlacing the Au electrode. Control and measurement of the temperature at the surface of the heated Au electrode can be easily achieved. Electrochemical characteristics of the heated electrode are investigated. Separation and determination of dopamine (DA) and catechol (CA) on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchip are performed to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of this heated electrode detection system.
Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of Paraquat Using a Bismuth‐Film Electrode
Authors: de Figueiredo‐Filho Luiz Carlos S. , dos Santos Vagner B. , Janegitz Bruno Campos , Guerreiro Thiago Brito , Fatibello‐Filho Orlando , Faria Ronaldo Censi , Marcolino‐Junior Luiz Humberto
Published: March 2010

A bismuth‐film electrode (BiFE) ex situ electrochemically deposited onto a copper substrate has been presented for paraquat determination. The bismuth film was electrochemically deposited at an applied potential of −0.18 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.0 M KCl) for 200 s. The analytical curve was linear in the paraquat concentration range from 6.6×10−7 M to 4.8×10−5 M with a limit of detection of 9.3×10−8 M. The method presented satisfactory results at a confidence level of 95% and the performance was evaluated in water samples.
Mammalian glucocorticoid metabolites act as androgenic endocrine disruptors in the medaka (Oryzias latipes)
Authors: Grillitsch Britta , Altmann Dominik , Schabuss Michael , Zornig Horst , Sommerfeld-Stur Irene , Möstl Erich
Published: March 2010

Glucocorticoid metabolites enter the aquatic environment via mammalian excrements. Molecular structures of their C19O3 metabolites strongly resemble the major fish androgen 11-ketotestosterone. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that the cortisol metabolite 5α-androstan-3,11,17-trione acts similarly to 11-ketotestosterone by employing a fish screening assay for endocrine-active substances. After 21 d, both 11-oxygenated compounds had masculinized sex characteristics of the anal fin in female medaka in a dose-dependent manner. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:1613–1620. © 2010 SETAC
Mahalanobis distance‐based traffic matrix estimation
Authors: Jiang Dingde , Wang Xingwei , Guo Lei
Published: March 2010

This letter studies large‐scale IP traffic matrix (TM) estimation problem and proposes a novel method called the Mahalanobis distance‐based regressive inference (MDRI). By using Mahalanobis distance as an optimal metric, we can get rid of the highly ill‐posed nature of this problem. We describe the TM estimation into an optimal process, and then by optimising the regularised equation about this problem, TM's estimation can accurately obtained. Testing results are shown to be promising. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wall‐stress boundary conditions for variational‐multiscale LES
Authors: Hulshoff S. J. , Munts E. A. , Labrujere J.
Published: March 2010

Two methods are introduced for the implementation of wall‐stress boundary conditions in variational‐multiscale large‐eddy simulations. In both methods, the boundary conditions are applied weakly using an interior‐penalty approach, where the discretization parameters are determined using information from a wall‐stress model.

The performance of the methods is compared with that of hard Dirichlet boundary conditions for turbulent channel flows. A convergence study is performed for the second of the methods, which is found to be the most viable for practical application. Sources of error affecting the convergence study are discussed and quantified. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Solution of magnetohydrodynamic flow in a rectangular duct by Chebyshev collocation method
Authors: Çelik İbrahim
Published: March 2010

In this study, matrix representation of the Chebyshev collocation method for partial differential equation has been represented and applied to solve magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow equations in a rectangular duct in the presence of transverse external oblique magnetic field. Numerical solution of velocity and induced magnetic field is obtained for steady‐state, fully developed, incompressible flow for a conducting fluid inside the duct. The Chebyshev collocation method is used with a reasonable number of collocations points, which gives accurate numerical solutions of the MHD flow problem. The results for velocity and induced magnetic field are visualized in terms of graphics for values of Hartmann number H≤1000. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thin film flow of non‐Newtonian MHD fluid on a vertically moving belt
Authors: Hameed M. , Ellahi R.
Published: March 2010

Thin film flow of an Oldroyd 6‐constant fluid on a vertical moving belt is investigated analytically and numerically. The governing equations for the flow field are derived for a steady one‐dimensional flow. The effect of constant applied magnetic field is included and its influence on the flow field is studied. The nonlinear governing equations are solved analytically and the exact solution is obtained in an elegant way. Numerical solutions are also obtained using higher‐order Chebyshev spectral methods. The influence of various non‐Newtonian parameters, gravitational force and applied magnetic field is investigated. The results showing the effect of gravity, magnetic field and material constants α1 and α2 are presented. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A simple quality triangulation algorithm for complex geometries
Authors: Zhang Yaoxin , Jia Yafei , Chan H. C. , Wang Sam S. Y.
Published: March 2010

This paper presents a simple algorithm for quality triangulation in domains with complex geometries. Based on the fact that the equilateral triangles (regular meshes) are ideal for numerical computations in computational fluids dynamics (CFD) analysis, the proposed algorithm starts with an initial equilateral triangle mesh covering the whole domain. Nodes close to the boundary edges satisfy the so‐called non‐encroaching criterion, the distance from any inserted node to any boundary vertices and the midpoints of any boundary edge is greater than a given characteristic length. Both nearly uniform and non‐uniform triangle meshes can be generated using a mesh size reduction technique. Local refinement is achieved by using transition layers. More regular meshes can be generated in the interior of the domain and all angles of the triangle mesh produced by this algorithm are proven to be bounded in a reasonable range (19.5–141°). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effects of acute treatment with tandospirone, diazepam, and placebo on driving performance and cognitive function in healthy volunteers
Authors: Takahashi Masahiro , Iwamoto Kunihiro , Kawamura Yukiko , Nakamura Yukako , Ishihara Ryoko , Uchiyama Yuji , Ebe Kazutoshi , Noda Akiko , Noda Yukihiro , Yoshida Keizo , Iidaka Tetsuya , Ozaki Norio
Published: March 2010

Objective

To assess the effects of two anxiolytics, diazepam and tandospirone, on driving performance from methodological viewpoints taking frequent rear‐end collisions into account.

Methods

In this double‐blinded, three‐way crossover trial, 18 healthy males received acute doses of 20 mg tandospirone (TSP), 5 mg diazepam (DZP), and placebo (PCB). The subjects were administered three driving tasks—road tracking, car following, and harsh braking—performed using a driving simulator and three cognitive tasks—Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Test, and N‐back test—at baseline and at 1 and 4 h post‐dosing. The Stanford Sleepiness Scale scores were also assessed.

Results

DZP nonsignificantly increased the percent change of brake reaction time (BRT) as compared to PCB at 4 h post‐dosing. TSP nonsignificantly decreased the percent change of BRT as compared to PCB. Consequently, there was a significant difference in the percent change of BRT between DZP and TSP at 4 h post‐dosing. For the remaining tasks, no statistically significant effects of treatment were observed.

Conclusions

Acute doses of DZP significantly impaired the harsh‐braking performance as compared to acute doses of TSP. These findings suggest that TSP may be used more safely in patients' driving activities. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.