bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular characterization, immunohistochemical localization and expression of a ribosomal protein L17 gene from Apis cerana cerana
Authors: Meng Fei , Zhang Liang , Kang Mingjiang , Guo Xingqi , Xu Baohua
Published: August 2010

Ribosomal protein L17 (RPL17) is a core protein of the large (60S) ribosomal subunit and plays an important role in protein synthesis. In this report, a RPL17 gene was isolated from Apis cerana cerana, designated as AccRPL17. Alignment analysis showed that AccRPL17 exhibits high homology to other known RPL17s. Moreover, genomic sequence analysis revealed that five exons are splitted by four introns, and the position of the first intron is comparatively conservative, being localized in the 5′ untranslated region. Partial putative cis‐acting elements related to development were also examined. Quantitative real‐time PCR showed that the highest mRNA level was detected in larvae on the fifth day. Simultaneously, immunohistochemical localization showed that AccRPL17 is primarily concentrated in muscular tissues, stigma, body wall, and the surrounding of the eye in the fifth‐instar larvae. Further studies suggested that AccRPL17 might be involved in responses to abiotic stresses. This is a report attempting to analyze the expression and distribution of RPL17 in A. cerana cerana. These results indicated that AccRPL17 might play an important role in insect development, and the importance of AccRPL17 in participating in abiotic stresses is discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Regulation of complement by cartilage oligomeric matrix protein allows for a novel molecular diagnostic principle in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Happonen Kaisa E. , Saxne Tore , Aspberg Anders , Mörgelin Matthias , Heinegård Dick , Blom Anna M.
Published: August 2010

Objective

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a structural component of cartilage, where it catalyzes collagen fibrillogenesis. Elevated amounts of COMP are found in serum during increased turnover of cartilage associated with active joint disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). This study was undertaken to investigate the ability of COMP to regulate complement, a capacity that has previously been shown for some other cartilage proteins.

Methods

Regulation of complement by COMP was studied using functional in vitro assays. Inter‐actions between complement proteins and COMP were investigated by direct binding assay and electron microscopy. Circulating COMP and COMP–C3b complexes in serum and synovial fluid from RA and OA patients and healthy controls were measured with a novel enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

We found in vivo evidence of complement activation by released COMP in the general circulation of patients with RA, but not patients with OA. COMP induced activation and deposition of C3b and C9 specifically via the alternative pathway of complement, which was attributable to direct interaction between COMP and properdin. Furthermore, COMP inhibited the classical and the lectin complement pathways due to direct interaction with the stalk region of C1q and mannose‐binding lectin, respectively.

Conclusion

COMP is the first extracellular matrix protein for which an active role in inflammation has been demonstrated in vivo. It can activate one complement pathway at the same time as it has the potential to inhibit another. The net outcome of these interactions is most likely determined by the type of released COMP fragments, which may be disease specific.
Analysis of the workforce and workplace for rheumatology and the research activities of rheumatologists early in their careers
Authors: Desjardins Claude , St.Clair E. William , Ehrenberg Ronald G.
Published: August 2010

Objective

To assess the workforce and workplace in rheumatology, and the research work of early‐career rheumatologists.

Methods

Early‐career rheumatologists were defined as practicing physicians who joined the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1991–2005, were 49 years of age or younger when they joined, and reside in North America. This cohort participated in a Web‐based survey distributed by the ACR. A total of 247 surveys (21.2% response) were used for this analysis. Survey questions were designed to obtain core insights about the workforce, workplace, research activities, funding, and the demographic profile of respondents.

Results

Respondents from all workplaces—clinical, academic, federal, and industry—engaged in clinical care, teaching, administration, and research. The time devoted to these tasks was employer dependent, and workplaces shaped the scale and scope of research. Patient‐oriented research was predominant across all workplaces. Disease, population, and translational research were intermediate, and few respondents pursued basic or prevention‐oriented research in any type of workplace. Rheumatologists obtained extramural funds (21.3%) and intramural funds (78.7%) to pay portions of their salaries for time spent on research. Receiving a National Institutes of Health K08/K23 award was associated with receipt of a federal research project grant (P < 0.001). Respondents associated investigative work with reduced earnings, a perception validated by an estimated drop in pre‐tax annual earnings of 2.3% for each half‐day/week dedicated to research (P < 0.01).

Conclusion

The results of this study justify interventions for closing gaps embedded in investigational rheumatology. These include improved funding for clinical research, increasing the number of K08/K23 awards, and recruiting rheumatologists from underrepresented demographic groups.
Innovative activities for teaching anatomy of speech production
Authors: Skinder‐Meredith Amy E.
Published: August 2010

Courses in anatomy have traditionally relied on lectures and cadaver dissection laboratories. In speech and hearing sciences, there tends to be less access to cadavers than in medical schools and other allied health professions. It is more typical to use anatomical models, diagrams and lecture slides. Regardless of the resources available, anatomy is a subject that lends itself to hands‐on learning. This article briefly reviews teaching methods and describes a variety of innovative activities to enhance learning of anatomical concepts and clinical relevance of anatomy for speech production. Teaching strategies and activities were developed to capitalize on students' multimodal learning preferences as revealed by responses to a survey administered to 49 undergraduates in the beginning of an anatomy of speech production course. At the end of the semester, students completed a second survey. A five‐point Likert scale was used to assess the usefulness of each activity as a learning tool or level of clinical relevance and the level of enjoyability. The responses were overwhelmingly positive with level of usefulness and level of clinical relevance rated higher on average than the level of enjoyment. Anat Sci Educ 3:234–243, 2010. © 2010 American Association of Anatomists.
Adapting semantic natural language processing technology to address information overload in influenza epidemic management
Authors: Keselman Alla , Rosemblat Graciela , Kilicoglu Halil , Fiszman Marcelo , Jin Honglan , Shin Dongwook , Rindflesch Thomas C.
Published: August 2010

The explosion of disaster health information results in information overload among response professionals. The objective of this project was to determine the feasibility of applying semantic natural language processing (NLP) technology to addressing this overload. The project characterizes concepts and relationships commonly used in disaster health‐related documents on influenza pandemics, as the basis for adapting an existing semantic summarizer to the domain. Methods include human review and semantic NLP analysis of a set of relevant documents. This is followed by a pilot test in which two information specialists use the adapted application for a realistic information‐seeking task. According to the results, the ontology of influenza epidemics management can be described via a manageable number of semantic relationships that involve concepts from a limited number of semantic types. Test users demonstrate several ways to engage with the application to obtain useful information. This suggests that existing semantic NLP algorithms can be adapted to support information summarization and visualization in influenza epidemics and other disaster health areas. However, additional research is needed in the areas of terminology development (as many relevant relationships and terms are not part of existing standardized vocabularies), NLP, and user interface design.
Reform Beijing to a public transit oriented city – from the view of transportation equity
Authors: Shi Jing , Wu Zhaozhang , Jin Jangwon
Published: August 2010

The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate and validate the necessity of reforming Beijing to a public transit oriented (PTO) city from the view of transportation equity. Equity is believed to be of significant importance to the development of sustainable transportation. This paper presents a comparison of the transportation structure in Beijing with that in other big cities around the world using Cluster Analysis. To accomplish the objective, a road spatial recourse analyzing model is used. This model describes how to distribute road spatial resources fairly to private cars, taxies, and buses. Furthermore, a survey on the satisfactory degree about the first bus rapid transit (BRT) line in Beijing from 8 aspects was conducted. An average score between 4.5 and 3.5 out of 5 demonstrates that the residents are satisfied with the BRT line. Results of this study show the feasibility and creditability in applying PTO transportation structure in Beijing. It is emphasized that more attention should be paid to public transit and it should be the orientation of Beijing's transportation system developed for the consideration of transportation equity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Airport gate reassignments considering deterministic and stochastic flight departure/arrival times
Authors: Yan Shangyao , Tang Ching‐Hui , Hou Yu‐Zhou
Published: August 2010

It is often the case in actual airport operations that flight departure/arrival information will vary with time. In practice, flight departure/arrival times closer to the time when the airport authority starts to plan the reassignments tend to be more certain; those further away tend to be more stochastic. These two types of flights can be called deterministic flights and stochastic flights, respectively. A deterministic flight has a certain departure/arrival time; while a stochastic flight will have a variety of stochastic departure/arrival times. In this study the aim is to develop a gate reassignment model (GRM) designed to consider both deterministic and stochastic flight departure/arrival times. A 0–1 integer programming technique is applied to formulate the GRM. In practice gate reassignments need to be handled repeatedly, so to make this possible the GRM is applied to a dynamic gate reassignment framework (DGRF). The theoretical effectiveness of the GRM applied to the DGRF is evaluated by the development of a lower bound solution. Numerical tests, related to the operations of an international Taiwan airport, show that the proposed GRM and DGRF perform well. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cortical underconnectivity coupled with preserved visuospatial cognition in autism: Evidence from an fMRI study of an embedded figures task
Authors: Damarla Saudamini Roy , Keller Timothy A. , Kana Rajesh K. , Cherkassky Vladimir L. , Williams Diane L. , Minshew Nancy J. , Just Marcel Adam
Published: August 2010

Individuals with high‐functioning autism sometimes exhibit intact or superior performance on visuospatial tasks, in contrast to impaired functioning in other domains such as language comprehension, executive tasks, and social functions. The goal of the current study was to investigate the neural bases of preserved visuospatial processing in high‐functioning autism from the perspective of the cortical underconnectivity theory. We used a combination of behavioral, functional magnetic resonance imaging, functional connectivity, and corpus callosum morphometric methodological tools. Thirteen participants with high‐functioning autism and 13 controls (age‐, IQ‐, and gender‐matched) were scanned while performing an Embedded Figures Task. Despite the ability of the autism group to attain behavioral performance comparable to the control group, the brain imaging results revealed several group differences consistent with the cortical underconnectivity account of autism. First, relative to controls, the autism group showed less activation in the left dorsolateral prefrontal and inferior parietal areas and more activation in visuospatial (bilateral superior parietal extending to inferior parietal and right occipital) areas. Second, the autism group demonstrated lower functional connectivity between higher‐order working memory/executive areas and visuospatial regions (between frontal and parietal‐occipital). Third, the size of the corpus callosum (an index of anatomical connectivity) was positively correlated with frontal–posterior (parietal and occipital) functional connectivity in the autism group. Thus, even in the visuospatial domain, where preserved performance among people with autism is observed, the neuroimaging signatures of cortical underconnectivity persist.
Evidence that polymorphic deletion of the glutathione S‐transferase gene, GSTM1, is associated with esophageal atresia
Authors: Filonzi Laura , Magnani Cinzia , de' Angelis Gian Luigi , Dallaglio Sara , Nonnis Marzano Francesco
Published: August 2010

BACKGROUND:

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a life‐threatening congenital condition whose etiology and pathogenesis are still poorly understood. An increasing trend of this pathology in some Italian regions suggests a possible interaction between xenobiotics and genes involved in detoxification processes during early embryonic development. For the first time polymorphisms of GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genes were analyzed in association with EA.

METHODS:

The study population consisted of 25 EA children, 50 unrelated healthy children, 20 of the EA children's mothers, and 40 unrelated mothers. GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were identified by PCR amplification, and GSTP1 polymorphism was detected by RFLP analysis.

RESULTS:

An association was found between homozygosity for the GSTM1 null genotype and EA in affected children (p = 0.0022) and their mothers (p = 0.022). No association was found between GSTT1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms and EA children or their mothers.

CONCLUSIONS:

Results suggest that the GSTM1−/− null genotype may play an important role in the development of EA during early embryogenesis as a consequence of altered detoxification processes both in children and in the mothers. We hypothesize that GSTM1 allelic loss could be responsible for reduced or null catalytic activity in tissues exposed to amniotic fluid, and inefficient detoxification could be a trigger altering proliferation/apoptotic pattern of gut‐trachea separation. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Somatic mutations and the hierarchy of hematopoiesis
Authors: Traulsen Arne , Pacheco Jorge M. , Luzzatto Lucio , Dingli David
Published: August 2010

Clonal disease is often regarded as almost synonymous with cancer. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that our bodies harbor numerous mutant clones that are not tumors, and mostly give rise to no disease at all. Here we discuss three somatic mutations arising within the hematopoietic system: BCR‐ABL, characteristic of chronic myeloid leukemia; mutations of the PIG‐A gene, characteristic of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria; the V617F mutation in the JAK2 gene, characteristic of myeloproliferative diseases. The population frequencies of these three blood disorders fit well with a hierarchical model of hematopoiesis. The fate of any mutant clone will depend on the target cell and on the fitness advantage, if any, that the mutation confers on the cell. In general, we can expect that only a mutation in a hematopoietic stem cell will give long‐term disease; the same mutation taking place in a cell located more downstream may produce just a ripple in the hematopoietic ocean.
The effects of fluent levels of Big 6 + 6 skill elements on functional motor skills with children with autism
Authors: Twarek Melissa , Cihon Traci , Eshleman John
Published: August 2010

Functional motor skills are often taught using chaining procedures. Research suggests that chaining procedures are not likely to be effective if they do not focus on the accuracy and speed of composite skill completion. Precision teaching (PT) research suggests that improved performance of a composite skill can be achieved if the performance speed of the component behaviors is increased. This study assessed the effects of repeated timed practice of component motor skills on speed and accuracy of composite skills and the effects of fluent component motor skills on the completion of daily living composite skills. Three children with autism participated. The results suggest that all participants were able to perform the component skills at their individual aims and performed most of the component skills at fluent levels as assessed by retention and endurance checks. Each participant increased the number of composite skill steps performed independently and one decreased the overall time to complete the composite skill. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Failure to demonstrate the differential outcomes effect in children with autism
Authors: Chong Ivy M. , Carr James E.
Published: August 2010

The differential outcomes procedure was evaluated during conditional discrimination training with three children with autism. Linking specific reinforcers to specific target responses did not produce large or consistent improvements in training efficiency compared to a nondifferential outcomes procedure. The results are discussed in the context of existing applied research on the differential outcomes effect and its relevance to skill acquisition technology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectroscopy characterization of the interaction between brevifolin carboxylic acid and bovine serum albumin
Authors: Tian Jianniao , Xie Yuhuan , Zhao Yanchun , Li Caifeng , Zhao Shulin
Published: August 2010

The mechanism of binding of the antivirus drug, brevifolin carboxylic acid (BCA) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and Raman spectroscopy under pseudo‐physiological conditions for the first time. A strong fluorescence quenching was observed and the quenching mechanism was considered as static quenching. Various binding parameters were evaluated. The quantitative analysis of CD spectral data revealed that the α‐helical content of BSA increased from 48.91% (in free BSA) to 52.46% (in bound form) in the presence of BCA. Based on the Förster's theory of non‐radiation energy transfer, the relation of the binding average distance r between the donor (BSA) and acceptor (BCA) and acceptor concentration was determined. The changes in association constants of BCA–BSA in the presence of the common ions are also discussed. From the CD, FT‐IR, time‐resolved fluorescence and Raman spectroscopic results, it is apparent that the interaction of BCA with BSA causes a conformational change in the protein, and the Trp and Tyr residues are buried in more hydrophobic surroundings. BCA mainly binds to residue Trp 212 located in domain II of BSA by hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of ketotifen fumarate by capillary electrophoresis with tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) electrochemiluminescence detection
Authors: Zhou Min , Li Yu‐Jie , Ma Yong‐Jun , Wang Wei‐Feng , Mi Juan , Chen Hui
Published: August 2010

On the basis of an europium (III)‐doped Prussian blue analog film modifying platinum electrode as the working electrode, a Ru(bpy)32+‐based electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assay coupled with capillary electrophoresis has been first established for the determination of ketotifen fumarate (KTF). Analytes were injected onto a separation capillary of 50 cm length (50 μm i.d., 360 μm o.d.) by electrokinetic injection for 10 s at 10 kV. Parameters related to the separation and detection were discussed and optimized. It was proved that 15 mm phosphate buffer at pH 8.0 could achieve the most favorable resolution, and the highest sensitivity of detection was obtained using the detection potential at 1.25 V and 5 mm Ru(bpy)32+ in 100 mm phosphate buffer at pH 8.0 in the detection reservoir. Under the optimized conditions, the ECL intensity was in proportion to KTF concentration over the range from 3.0 × 10−8 to 5.0 × 10−6 g mL−1 with a detection limit of 2.1 × 10−8 g mL−1 (3σ). The relative standard deviations of the ECL intensity and the migration time were 0.95 and 0.26%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to determine KTF contents in pharmaceuticals and human urine with recoveries between 99.5 and 107.0%. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simple and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of pregabalin in capsules through derivatization with fluorescamine
Authors: Walash M. I. , Belal F. , El‐Enany N. , El‐Maghrabey M. H.
Published: August 2010

A new, simple and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of pregabalin (PG) in capsules. The method is based on the reaction between pregabalin and fluorescamine in borate buffer solution of pH 10 to give a highly fluorescent derivative that is measured at 487 nm after excitation at 390 nm. The different experimental parameters affecting the development and stability of the reaction product were carefully studied and optimized. The fluorescence intensity concentration plot was rectilinear over the range of 0.01–0.3 µg mL−1 with a lower detection limit of 0.0017 µg mL−1 and limit of quantitation of 0.005 µg mL−1. The developed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the drug in its commercial capsules. The mean percentage recovery of PG in its capsule was 99.93±1.24 (n = 3). Statistical comparison of the results with those of the comparison method revealed good agreement and proved that there was no significant difference in the accuracy and precision of the two methods. A proposed reaction pathway was postulated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new Pr3+‐activated molybdate‐based phosphor for application to white LEDs with blue excitation
Authors: Li Qiuxia , Huang Jiaping , Chen Donghua
Published: August 2010

The novel red‐emitting phosphors KxSr1−2xMoO4:Pr3+x (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) were prepared by solid‐state reaction. The crystallization and particle sizes of samples were investigated by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM images were in good agreement with the theoretical calculation data from the XRD patterns. Photoluminescence analysis indicated that there were three excitation peaks under 430–500 nm, and all samples showed the intensely red emission at 648 nm corresponding to the 3P0 → 3F2 transition of Pr3+. The concentrations of doping ions, temperature and polyethylene glycol in the phosphor system can significantly influence the intensity of the red emission. The photoluminescence spectral intensity reached its maximum at x = 0.02. The results showed that the investigated phosphor is a potential red phosphor for white light‐emitting diodes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characteristics of rare earth (RE = Eu, Tb, Tm)‐doped Y2O3 phosphors for thermometry
Authors: Ishiwada Naohiro , Ueda Toshihisa , Yokomori Takeshi
Published: August 2010

The temperature‐dependent photoluminescences of Y2O3:Eu (6% Eu), Y2O3:Tb (4% Tb) and Y2O3:Tm (1% Tm) were investigated for high‐temperature phosphor thermometry. Two different phases, the monoclinic phase and cubic phase, were considered because the fluorescence spectra vary with the phase. To employ the intensity ratio method, we investigated their photoluminescence spectra under the excitation light of an Hg–Xe lamp as the temperature was elevated from room temperature to more than 1200 K. As a result, it was confirmed that the luminescence intensity of all of the phosphors varied with elevating temperature, i.e. thermal quenching, with the variations depending on the type of rare earth impurity and their phases. The results indicate that Y2O3:Eu phosphors are applicable to the intensity ratio method because they show appropriate variations in the intensity ratio of two emission lines, and they also have strong and sharp peak intensities without excessive optical noise or black body radiation over a wide range of temperatures. The intensity ratios for Y2O3:Tb provide such small variations with temperature that the temperature resolution is low, despite the strong emission intensities. As for Y2O3:Tm, the intensity ratios also have a low temperature resolution and their emission intensities are weak. Therefore, Y2O3:Tb and Y2O3:Tm are not appropriate for the intensity ratio method for phosphor thermometry. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Template‐tethered collagen mimetic peptides for studying heterotrimeric triple‐helical interactions
Authors: Li Yang , Mo Xiao , Kim Daniel , Yu S. Michael
Published: August 2010

Collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs) have been used to elucidate the structure and stability of the triple helical conformation of collagen molecules. Although CMP homotrimers have been widely studied, very little work has been reported regarding CMP heterotrimers because of synthetic difficulties. Here, we present the synthesis and characterization of homotrimers and ABB type heterotrimers comprising natural and synthetic CMP sequences that are covalently tethered to a template, a tris(2‐aminoethyl) amine (TREN) succinic acid derivative. Various tethered heterotrimers comprising synthetic CMPs [(ProHypGly)6, (ProProGly)6] and CMPs representing specific domains of type I collagen were synthesized and characterized in terms of triple helical structure, thermal melting behavior, and refolding kinetics. The results indicated that CMPs derived from natural type I collagen sequence can form stable heterotrimeric helical complexes with artificial CMPs and that the thermal stability and the folding rate increase with the increasing number of helical stabilizing amino acids (e.g. Hyp) in the peptide chains. Covalent tethering enhanced the thermal stability and refolding kinetics of all CMPs; however, their relative values were not affected suggesting that the tethered system can be used for comparative study of heterotrimeric CMP's folding behavior in regards to chain composition and for characterization of thermally unstable CMPs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 95: 94–104, 2011.
Collagen oligomers modulate physical and biological properties of three‐dimensional self‐assembled matrices
Authors: Bailey J. L. , Critser P. J. , Whittington C. , Kuske J. L. , Yoder M. C. , Voytik‐Harbin S. L.
Published: August 2010

Elucidation of mechanisms underlying collagen fibril assembly and matrix‐induced guidance of cell fate will contribute to the design and expanded use of this biopolymer for research and clinical applications. Here, we define how Type I collagen oligomers affect in‐vitro polymerization kinetics as well as fibril microstructure and mechanical properties of formed matrices. Monomers and oligomers were fractionated from acid‐solubilized pig skin collagen and used to generate formulations varying in monomer/oligomer content or average polymer molecular weight (AMW). Polymerization half‐times decreased with increasing collagen AMW and closely paralleled lag times, indicating that oligomers effectively served as nucleation sites. Furthermore, increasing AMW yielded matrices with increased interfibril branching and had no correlative effect on fibril density or diameter. These microstructure changes increased the stiffness of matrices as evidenced by increases in both shear storage and compressive moduli. Finally, the biological relevance of modulating collagen AMW was evidenced by the ability of cultured endothelial colony forming cells to sense associated changes in matrix physical properties and alter vacuole and capillary‐like network formation. This work documents the importance of oligomers as another physiologically‐relevant design parameter for development and standardization of polymerizable collagen formulations to be used for cell culture, regenerative medicine, and engineered tissue applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 95: 77–93, 2011.
Predictors of physical and emotional recovery 6 and 12 months after surgery
Authors: Peters M L , Sommer M , van Kleef M , Marcus M A E
Published: August 2010

Background

A proportion of patients do not recover fully from surgery or they develop chronic postsurgical pain. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and predictors of unfavourable long-term outcome after surgery using a prospective cohort design.

Methods

Some 401 patients undergoing various elective surgical procedures filled in the RAND 36-item Health Survey 1·0 health-related quality-of-life questionnaire before operation and at 6 and 12 months of follow-up to assess changes in pain, physical functioning, mental health and vitality. Preoperative psychological assessment was obtained.

Results

Most patients showed improvement in the various aspects of health-related quality of life after surgery, but a considerable proportion (14–24 per cent) still showed deterioration at 6 and 12 months. Multivariable linear regression analysis identified acute postoperative pain, duration of the operation and preoperative physical condition as the most important predictors of long-term pain and physical functioning. Preoperative surgical fear also had a small but significant contribution. The main predictors of mental health and vitality were physical condition before surgery, surgical fear and optimism.

Conclusion

Up to a quarter of patients experienced suboptimal recovery after surgery. Both somatic and psychological factors were associated with the long-term outcome. Optimal recovery could be promoted by effective interventions on malleable factors.
Management of blunt injuries to the spleen
Authors: Renzulli P , Gross T , Schnüriger B , Schoepfer A M , Inderbitzin D , Exadaktylos A K , Hoppe H , Candinas D
Published: August 2010

Background

Non-operative management (NOM) of blunt splenic injuries is nowadays considered the standard treatment. The present study identified selection criteria for primary operative management (OM) and planned NOM.

Methods

All adult patients with blunt splenic injuries treated at Berne University Hospital, Switzerland, between 2000 and 2008 were reviewed.

Results

There were 206 patients (146 men) with a mean(s.d.) age of 38·2(19·1) years and an Injury Severity Score of 30·9(11·6). The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma classification of the splenic injury was grade 1 in 43 patients (20·9 per cent), grade 2 in 52 (25·2 per cent), grade 3 in 60 (29·1 per cent), grade 4 in 42 (20·4 per cent) and grade 5 in nine (4·4 per cent). Forty-seven patients (22·8 per cent) required immediate surgery. Transfusion of at least 5 units of red cells (odds ratio (OR) 13·72, 95 per cent confidence interval 5·08 to 37·01), Glasgow Coma Scale score below 11 (OR 9·88, 1·77 to 55·16) and age 55 years or more (OR 3·29, 1·07 to 10·08) were associated with primary OM. The rate of primary OM decreased from 33·3 to 11·9 per cent after the introduction of transcatheter arterial embolization in 2005. Overall, 159 patients (77·2 per cent) qualified for NOM, which was successful in 143 (89·9 per cent). The splenic salvage rate was 69·4 per cent. In multivariable analysis age at least 40 years was the only factor independently related to failure of NOM (OR 13·58, 2·76 to 66·71).

Conclusion

NOM of blunt splenic injuries has a low failure rate. Advanced age is independently associated with an increased failure rate.
Scoring system to identify patients at high risk of oesophageal cancer
Authors: Rhatigan E , Tyrmpas I , Murray G , Plevris J N
Published: August 2010

Background

Identification of a patient cohort at high risk of developing oesophageal cancer might enable a greater proportion of patients with curable disease stages to be identified and permit better use of investigative resources. The aim of this study was to develop a scoring system that identifies patients with dysphagia at greatest risk of having oesophageal cancer.

Methods

Data on 435 patients with dysphagia were recorded. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify parameters predictive of cancer. These were used to create the Edinburgh Dysphagia Score (EDS), which was then validated in a second cohort of patients.

Results

The EDS contained six parameters: age, sex, weight loss, duration of symptoms, localization of dysphagia and acid reflux. It stratified the development cohort into a group at higher risk, containing 39 of 40 patients with cancer, and a group at lower risk, comprising 36·0 per cent of referrals (sensitivity 97·5 per cent, negative predictive value 99·3 per cent). On validation, the EDS divided the referrals into a higher-risk group identifying all 26 cancers and a lower-risk group comprising 30·0 per cent of referrals.

Conclusion

From 574 referrals, the EDS correctly classified as higher risk all but one patient with cancer. Some 34·0 per cent of patients identified as lower risk could have been investigated less urgently. This simple scoring system permits sensitive prioritization of patients referred with dysphagia, and enables more efficient use of investigative resources.
Randomized clinical trial of the influence of mechanical bowel preparation on faecal microflora in patients undergoing colonic cancer resection
Authors: Watanabe M , Murakami M , Nakao K , Asahara T , Nomoto K , Tsunoda A
Published: August 2010

Background

This study investigated the influence of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) on faecal microflora, using rRNA-targeted reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction in patients undergoing colonic cancer resection.

Methods

Forty-two patients undergoing elective colonic surgery were randomized into MBP or no-MBP groups (21 in each group). The main outcome was the bacterial microflora and faecal organic acid content of faecal material obtained at operation.

Results

Clinical characteristics were similar in the two groups. Bowel content in the resected specimens did not differ significantly. The count of bacterial microflora, such as Bifidobacterium and total Lactobacillus, in both intraoperative faecal material and first material after surgery was significantly lower in the MBP group than the no-MBP group (P < 0·050). Levels of faecal organic acids, such as acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, in intraoperative faecal material were significantly lower, and levels of lactic acid were significantly higher, in the MBP group than in the no-MBP group (P < 0·050). The succinic acid level was significantly higher after surgery than before operation in the MBP group (P = 0·008).

Conclusion

Preoperative MBP caused an imbalance in the bowel microflora, suggesting that it offers no advantages in terms of enterobacterial microflora for patients undergoing colonic cancer resection. Registration number: UMIN000003153 (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm).
The performance of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid as mobile phase additive in HPLC‐based lipophilicity assessment
Authors: Giaginis Costas , Tsantili‐Kakoulidou Anna
Published: August 2010

Ionic liquids have been widely used as green alternative mobile phase additives to shield the residuals silanols groups and modify the stationary/mobile phase HPLC systems. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM][BF4]) in producing extrapolated logkw indices suitable to substitute for octanol–water logP or logD values. The effect of [EMIM][BF4] was investigated for a set of basic and neutral drugs using two different columns, BDS and ABZ+. [EMIM][BF4] was added simply alone or in combination with n‐octanol and was compared with the conventional masking agent n‐decylamine. [EMIM][BF4] reduced the retention by suppressing silanophilic interactions, althoug to a lower extent than n‐decylamine. Addition of n‐octanol further decreased the retention by shielding silanol sites on BDS and/or interacting with polar groups through hydrogen bonding on ABZ+. Logkw/logD7.4 relationships proved moderate compared with those derived upon addition of n‐decylamine. They were considerably improved upon the introduction of protonated fraction F+ in the correlation, reflecting ion pair formation between the chaotropic anion [BF4]‐ and the protonated basic compounds. In this aspect, the ionic liquid [EMIM][BF4], although efficient as a masking agent, cannot be recommended as mobile phase additive to reproduce octanol–water partitioning. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous determination of five active hydrolysis ingredients from Panax quinquefolium L. by HPLC‐ELSD
Authors: Zhang Xiangrong , Ma Xiaoning , Si Bingkun , Zhao Yuqing
Published: August 2010

An effective method for simultaneous determination of five hydrolysis products of 20 (R)‐dammarane‐3β,6α,12β,20,25‐pentol, 24(R)‐ocotillol, 20(R)‐protopanaxatriol, 20(S)‐panaxatriol and 20(R)‐dammarane‐3β,12β,20,25‐tetrol was developed using high‐performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC‐ELSD). The hydrolysis products from Panax quinquefolium L. in the stems and leaves, berries, flower buds and roots components were successfully separated on a Kromasil C18 column using methanol and water (83:17, v/v) as mobile phase in 18 min. The parameter for the ELSD was set to a probe temperature of 40°C and the nebulizer for nitrogen gas was adjusted to 3 L/min. All calibration curves showed good linear regression (r > 0.9975) within test ranges. The validation of the method included recovery, linearity, accuracy and precision (intra‐ and inter‐day variation). The accuracy and precision were satisfactory, with the overall intra‐ and inter‐day variation being less than 3.11%, and recoveries of this method were greater than 95.0%. This study developed an effective and rapid method for simultaneous determination of multiple hydrolysis components from Panax quinquefolium L. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous quantification of total eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid in plasma by high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Salm Paul , Taylor Paul J. , Kostner Karam
Published: August 2010

A method for the simultaneous quantification of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in human plasma by HPLC–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS) was developed and validated. Free and esterified forms of fatty acids were hydrolysed from plasma samples in the presence of an internal standard and subjected to liquid–liquid extraction. The chromatographic run time was 3.5 min per sample. The assay was linear from 0.5 to 300 mg/L (r2 > 0.997, n = 18). Based on matrix addition, accuracy deviation was <15%, except for AA at 10 mg/L (30–90%), whereas precision was <8% for all fatty acids studied. The method was applied to the measurement of these omega‐3 fatty acids in a fish oil supplement study with healthy volunteers. Healthy males (n = 4) were administered a supplement containing 465 mg EPA and 375 mg DHA per capsule (Omacor®). A dose of two capsules was given daily over a 4 week period. Pre‐treatment concentrations varied between subjects for EPA (17–68 mg/L), DHA (36–63 mg/L) and AA (121–248 mg/L). During the dosing period EPA increased 460–480% from the baseline concentration, while DHA increased 150–160%. The EPA–AA ratio increased from 0.07–0.56 to 0.3–3.1 after 4 weeks of dosing. In conclusion, the method described could be suitable for monitoring EPA, DHA and AA in clinical studies that may aid in achieving optimal concentrations of these fatty acids in patients who could be at risk of sudden cardiac death. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Indirect reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatographic and direct thin‐layer chromatographic enantioresolution of (R,S)‐Cinacalcet
Authors: Bhushan Ravi , Dubey Rituraj
Published: August 2010

Enantioresolution of the calcimimetic drug (R,S)‐Cinacalcet was achieved using both indirect and direct approaches. Six chiral variants of Marfey's reagent having l‐Ala‐NH2, l‐Phe‐NH2, l‐Val‐NH2, l‐Leu‐NH2, l‐Met‐NH2 and d‐Phg‐NH2 as chiral auxiliaries were used as derivatizing reagents under microwave irradiation. Derivatization conditions were optimized. Reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography was successful using binary mixtures of aqueous trifluoroacetic acid and acetonitrile for separation of diastereomeric pairs with detection at 340 nm. Thin silica gel layers impregnated with optically pure l‐histidine and l‐arginine were used for direct resolution of enantiomers. The limit of detection was found to be 60 pmol in HPLC while in TLC it was found to be in the range of 0.26–0.28 µg for each enantiomers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Defense attorneys' concerns about the competence of adolescent defendants
Authors: Viljoen Jodi L. , McLachlan Kaitlyn , Wingrove Twila , Penner Erika
Published: August 2010

Research indicates that a sizable proportion of adolescent defendants have difficulty understanding and participating in legal proceedings against them, and may be incompetent to stand trial. To examine attorneys' experience in defending adolescents with competence‐related difficulties, 214 juvenile attorneys were surveyed. Findings indicated that attorneys have doubts about the competence of approximately 10% of adolescent defendants, and that they find these cases particularly challenging to defend. Most attorneys appear to recognize that developmental factors may contribute to adolescents' competence‐related difficulties, and believe that the law should accept developmental immaturity as a basis for incompetence findings. In approximately half of the cases in which attorneys had doubts about competence, attorneys did not request a competence evaluation but instead made other efforts to address competence issues, such as by teaching adolescents about legal proceedings and further involving their parents. The implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of a process to manufacture PEGylated orally bioavailable insulin
Authors: Hazra Partha , Adhikary Laxmi , Dave Nitesh , Khedkar Anand , Manjunath H. S. , Anantharaman Ramya , Iyer Harish
Published: August 2010

To make insulin orally bioavailable, insulin was modified by covalent attachment (conjugation) of a short‐chain methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) derivative to the ε‐amino group of a specific amino acid residue (LysB29). During the conjugation process, activated PEG can react with any of the free amino groups, the N‐terminal of the B chain (PheB1), the N‐terminal of the A chain (GlyA1), and the ε‐amino group of amino acid (LysB29), resulting in a heterogeneous mixture of conjugated products. The abundance of the desired product (Methoxy‐PEG3‐propionyl—insulin at LysB29:IN‐105) in the conjugation reaction can be controlled by changing the conjugation reaction conditions. Reaction conditions were optimized for maximal yield by varying the proportions of protein to mPEG molecule at various values of pH and different salt and solvent concentrations. The desired conjugated molecule (IN‐105) was purified to homogeneity using RP‐HPLC. The purified product, IN‐105, was crystallized and lyophilized into powder form. The purified product was characterized using multiple analytical methods including ESI‐TOF and peptide mapping to verify its chemical structure. In this work, we report the process development of new modified insulin prepared by covalent conjugation of short chain mPEG to the insulin molecule. The attachment of PEG to insulin resulted in a conjugated insulin derivative that was biologically active, orally bioavailable and that showed a dose‐dependent glucose lowering effect in Type 2 diabetes patients. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Optimization of ultrasound‐accelerated synthesis of enzymatic octyl hydroxyphenylpropionate by response surface methodology
Authors: Lee Chih‐Chen , Chen Hsiao‐Ching , Ju Hen‐Yi , Liu Yung‐Chuan , Chen Jiann‐Hwa , Shie Shiau‐Ying , Chang Cheng , Shieh Chwen‐Jen
Published: August 2010

The ultrasound‐accelerated enzymatic synthesis of octyl hydroxyphenylpropionate (OHPP) from p‐hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (HPPA) and octanol was investigated in this study. A commercially available immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica, Novozym® 435, was used as the biocatalyst. A three‐level‐three‐factor Box‐Behnken design experiment and response surface methodology were used to evaluate the effects of temperature, reaction time, and enzyme activity on percent yield of OHPP. The results indicated that temperature and enzyme activity significantly affected percent yield, whereas reaction time did not. A model for the synthesis of OHPP was established. Based on a ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions for OHPP synthesis were predicted to use a reaction temperature of 58.8°C, a reaction time of 14.6 h, and an enzyme activity of 410.5 PLU with a yield of 98.5%. A reaction was performed under these optimal conditions, and a yield of 97.5% ± 0.1% was obtained. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Towards an indirect screening technique facilitating detection of cellular populations bearing specific cell surface markers
Authors: Arora Sandeep K. , Sharma Rohit , Kaur Gagandeep , Bhoria Preeti , Sharma Maryada , Luthra‐Guptasarma Manni
Published: August 2010

We describe and demonstrate a technique for detection of cell surface antigens, with potential use in tissue antigen research. Briefly, a small volume of wetted chromatographic beads (specifically, 100 μL of Nickel‐nitriloacetic acid (NTA) agarose) was bound to small quantities (specifically, ∼0.1–0.2 μg) of a single‐chain Fv antibody recognizing the Class I MHC heavy chain antigen. The beads were then used to capture and detect cells bearing this antigen, through SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of boiled bead–cell complexes. A key feature of this method is its use of “signal amplification.” Although the antibody‐mediated binding and immobilization of intact cells involves relatively small numbers of antibodies, and cells, what is being detected is simply the presence of cells. Each bound cell contains a number of abundant proteins that are present in millions of copies per cell, and the abundance of these proteins ensures that they are detectable on SDS‐PAGE, signaling cell‐binding. As few as 1010–1012 scFv antibodies immobilized on 100 μL of Ni‐NTA beads are thus enough for the trapping of enough cells to allow visualization of their abundant proteins. Conceptually, this method could be easily developed and applied to detection of cells bearing any other cell specific antigen. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010