bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mental Health Payment-by-Results Clusters and the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool
Authors: Lee Sun W. , Forsyth Kirsty , Morley Mary , Garnham Mike , Heasman David , Taylor Renee R.
Published: May 2012

In the United Kingdom, payment for mental health services follows a system of payment-by-results. A mental health clustering tool, classifying individuals into clusters based on service needs, was developed as a broad-based means of planning care packages. It is yet unknown whether payment-by-results clusters will be reflective of the occupational needs of service users. To evaluate the relationship between service users' membership in service need clusters and occupational groupings based on outcomes from an independent measure on participation and engagement in self-care, productivity, and leisure (Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool [MOHOST]), retrospective medical record data were gathered from 675 service users with a range of psychiatric disorders from two organizations in England. Using six subscales of the MOHOST, the two-step cluster analysis identified occupational groupings. Then the multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine whether the mean scores of the six MOHOST subscales were significantly different across the occupational groupings. Finally, participants' membership in the payment-by-results clusters was compared to their membership in the occupational groupings. Participants fell into one of three levels: high-, middle-, or low-functioning occupational groups. These groups did not bear direct relationships with the individual payment-by-results clusters. This suggests that the mental health clustering tool and the MOHOST are likely targeting different characteristics in the service users.
Therapeutic Window of Retinal Photocoagulation With Green (532-nm) and Yellow (577-nm) Lasers
Authors: Sramek Christopher K. , Leung Loh-Shan B. , Paulus Yannis M. , Palanker Daniel V.
Published: May 2012

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

The 577-nm (yellow) laser provides an alternative to the 532-nm (green) laser in retinal photocoagulation, with potential benefits in macular treatment and through ocular opacities. To assess relative risk of thermomechanical rupture of Bruch’s membrane with yellow laser in photocoagulation, the therapeutic window, the ratio of threshold powers for mild coagulation and rupture, was measured.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Retinal coagulation and rupture thresholds, visualized ophthalmoscopically, were measured with 577- and 532-nm lasers using 10- to 100-ms pulses in 34 rabbit eyes. Lesions at 1 and 7 days were assessed histologically.

RESULTS:

Coagulation threshold with yellow laser was 26% lower than with green laser. The therapeutic window increased linearly with log-duration for both wavelengths with a difference in parallel-slope intercept of 0.36 ± 0.20, corresponding to 8% to 15% wider therapeutic window for yellow wavelength.

CONCLUSION:

The therapeutic window of retinal photocoagulation in rabbits at 577 nm is slightly wider than at 532 nm, whereas histologically the lesions are similar.
Contact-Dependent Interference with Invariant NKT Cell Activation by Herpes Simplex Virus-Infected Cells
Authors: Bosnjak Lidija , Sahlström Peter , Paquin-Proulx Dominic , Leeansyah Edwin , Moll Markus , Sandberg Johan K.
Published: May 2012

Invariant CD1d-restricted NKT (iNKT) cells play important roles in generating protective immune responses against infections. In this study, we have investigated the role of human iNKT cells in HSV-1 infection and their interaction with epidermal keratinocytes. These cells express CD1d and are the primary target of the virus. Keratinocytes loaded with α-galactosyl ceramide (α-GalCer) could stimulate IFN-γ production and CD25 upregulation by iNKT cells. However, both α-GalCer–dependent and cytokine-dependent activation of iNKT cells was impaired after coculture with HSV-1–infected cells. Notably, CD1d downregulation was not observed on infected keratinocytes, which were also found to inhibit TCR-independent iNKT cell activation. Further examination of the cytokine profile of iNKT–keratinocyte cocultures showed inhibition of IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, and IL-17 secretion but upregulation of IL-4 and TNF-α after the infection. Moreover, cell-to-cell contact between infected keratinocytes and iNKT cells was required for the inhibition of activation, as the cell-free supernatants containing virus did not affect activation. Productive infection of iNKT cells was however not required for the inhibitory effect. After coculture with infected cells, iNKT cells were no longer responsive to further stimulation with α-GalCer–loaded CD1d-expressing cells. We found that exposure to HSV-1–infected cells resulted in impaired TCR signaling downstream of ZAP70. Additionally, infected cells upregulated the expression of the negative T cell regulator, galectin-9; however, blocking experiments indicated that the impairment of iNKT cell responses was independent of galectin-9. Thus, interference with activation of human iNKT cells by HSV-1 may represent a novel immunoevasive strategy used by the virus to avoid immune clearance.
Decoy Receptor 3 Suppresses TLR2-Mediated B Cell Activation by Targeting NF-κB
Authors: Huang Zi-Ming , Kang Jhi-Kai , Chen Chih-Yu , Tseng Tz-Hau , Chang Chien-Wen , Chang Yung-Chi , Tai Shyh-Kuan , Hsieh Shie-Liang , Leu Chuen-Miin
Published: May 2012

Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) is a soluble protein in the TNFR superfamily. Its known ligands include Fas ligand, homologous to lymphotoxin, showing inducible expression, and competing with HSV glycoprotein D for herpes virus entry mediator, a receptor expressed by T lymphocytes, TNF-like molecule 1A, and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. DcR3 has been reported to modulate the functions of T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages; however, its role in regulating B cell activation is largely unknown. In this study, we found that the DcR3.Fc fusion protein bound to human and mouse B cells and suppressed the activation of B cells. DcR3.Fc attenuated Staphylococcus aureus, IgM-, Pam3CSK4-, and LPS-mediated B cell proliferation but did not affect cytokine-induced B cell growth. In the presence of these mitogens, DcR3.Fc did not induce B cell apoptosis, suggesting that DcR3 may inhibit the signal(s) important for B cell activation. Because the combination of Fas.Fc, LT-βR.Fc (homologous to lymphotoxin, showing inducible expression, and competing with HSV glycoprotein D for herpes virus entry mediator, a receptor expressed by T lymphocytes receptor), and DR3.Fc (TNF-like molecule 1A receptor) did not suppress B cell proliferation and because the biological effect of DcR3.Fc on B cells was not blocked by heparin, we hypothesize that a novel ligand(s) of DcR3 mediates its inhibitory activity on B cells. Moreover, we found that TLR2-stimulated NF-κB p65 activation and NF-κB–driven luciferase activity were attenuated by DcR3.Fc. The TLR2-induced cytokine production by B cells was consistently reduced by DcR3. These results imply that DcR3 may regulate B cell activation by suppressing the activation of NF-κB.
CIKS/Act1-Mediated Signaling by IL-17 Cytokines in Context: Implications for How a CIKS Gene Variant May Predispose to Psoriasis
Authors: Sønder Søren Ulrik , Paun Andrea , Ha Hye-Lin , Johnson Peter F. , Siebenlist Ulrich
Published: May 2012

Psoriasis is a relapsing skin disease characterized by abnormal keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation and by an influx of inflammatory immune cells. Recently, IL-17 cytokines have been strongly implicated as critical for the pathogenesis of this disease. IL-17A (also known as IL-17) and IL-17F are the signature cytokines of Th17 cells, but are also produced by innate cells, including γδ T cells present in skin, whereas epithelial cells, including keratinocytes, may produce IL-17C. IL-17 cytokines signal via the adaptor protein connection to IκB kinase and stress-activated protein kinases (CIKS)/Act1. Psoriasis is a disease with a strong genetic predisposition, and the gene encoding CIKS has recently been identified as a susceptibility locus. Unexpectedly, one predisposing gene variant features a mutation that impairs rather than enhances CIKS-mediated IL-17 cytokine signaling, counter to the predicted role for IL-17 cytokines in psoriatic inflammation. In this study, we demonstrate, however, that this mutant adaptor does not impair the IL-17–specific contributions to the genetic response when combined with TNF-α, a cytokine also prominent in psoriatic inflammation. Interestingly, TNF-α signals compensate IL-17 signaling defects imposed by this mutant adaptor even for genes that are not induced by TNF-α alone, including the transcription factors CCAAT/enhancer binding protein δ and IκBζ, which help regulate secondary gene expression in response to IL-17. Based on these findings we discuss a scenario in which the mutant adaptor may interfere with homeostatic maintenance of epithelial barriers, thereby potentially enabling the initiation of inflammatory responses to insults, whereas this same mutant adaptor would still be able to mediate IL-17–specific contributions to inflammation once TNF-α is present.
IL-15–Dependent Upregulation of GITR on CD8 Memory Phenotype T Cells in the Bone Marrow Relative to Spleen and Lymph Node Suggests the Bone Marrow as a Site of Superior Bioavailability of IL-15
Authors: Snell Laura M. , Lin Gloria H. Y. , Watts Tania H.
Published: May 2012

CD8 memory T cells are enriched in the bone marrow, a site where these cells are thought to receive homeostatic signals. However, the primary site where CD8 memory T cells receive their cytokine-induced homeostatic signals has recently come under debate. In this study, we demonstrate that the bone marrow contains a fraction of CD8 memory phenotype T cells with elevated expression of glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR). In contrast, splenic and lymph node memory phenotype T cells have GITR levels similar to those on naive T cells. The bone marrow GITRhi memory T cells have a phenotype indicative of cytokine activation, with higher CD122 and lower CD127 than do the GITRbasal memory T cells. Remarkably, these bone marrow-specific GITRhi cells are almost completely ablated in the absence of IL-15, whereas TNFR2 and 4-1BB expression on the CD8 memory T cells are IL-15 independent. Furthermore, adoptively transferred splenic CD8 memory phenotype T cells show IL-15–dependent GITR upregulation upon entry into the bone marrow. This result implies that the selective appearance of GITRhi memory phenotype T cells in the bone marrow reflects the local microenvironment rather than a different subset of memory T cells. GITR−/− mice have a lower frequency of CD8 memory phenotype cells in the bone marrow, yet the GITR−/− cells hyperproliferate compared with those in wild-type mice. Taken together, these data suggest that GITR plays a role in the survival of CD8 memory phenotype T cells and that GITR upregulation represents a precise marker of cells that have responded to IL-15.
IL-7 Functionally Segregates the Pro-B Cell Stage by Regulating Transcription of Recombination Mediators across Cell Cycle
Authors: Johnson Kristen , Chaumeil Julie , Micsinai Mariann , Wang Joy M. H. , Ramsey Laura B. , Baracho Gisele V. , Rickert Robert C. , Strino Francesco , Kluger Yuval , Farrar Michael A. , Skok Jane A.
Published: May 2012

Ag receptor diversity involves the introduction of DNA double-stranded breaks during lymphocyte development. To ensure fidelity, cleavage is confined to the G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle. One established mechanism of regulation is through periodic degradation of the RAG2 recombinase protein. However, there are additional levels of protection. In this paper, we show that cyclical changes in the IL-7R signaling pathway functionally segregate pro-B cells according to cell cycle status. In consequence, the level of a downstream effector of IL-7 signaling, phospho-STAT5, is inversely correlated with cell cycle expression of Rag, a key gene involved in recombination. Higher levels of phopho-STAT5 in S-G2 correlate with decreased Rag expression and Rag relocalization to pericentromeric heterochromatin. These cyclical changes in transcription and locus repositioning are ablated upon transformation with v-Abl, which renders STAT5 constitutively active across the cell cycle. We propose that this activity of the IL-7R/STAT5 pathway plays a critical protective role in development, complementing regulation of RAG2 at the protein level, to ensure that recombination does not occur during replication. Our data, suggesting that pro-B cells are not a single homogeneous population, explain inconsistencies in the role of IL-7 signaling in regulating Igh recombination.
A geomorphic and soil description of the long-term fire experiment in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
Authors: Venter Frederik J. , Govender Navashni
Published: May 2012

In 1954, the experimental burning programme into fire research was initiated in the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. It is viewed as one of the last remaining long- term landscape fire experiments in Africa. Throughout the more than five decades of fire treatments in the experiment, numerous surveys (expanding various spatial and temporal scales), research projects (covering biotic and abiotic components) and analyses have been conducted with the aim to assess the impacts of different fire regimes on the savannah biome. The design of the experiment intended to test the effect of season and frequency of burning on vegetation within four major landscapes in the KNP. However, these effects have been partly obscured by factors not fully taken into account by the experimental design, namely, herbivory, artificial water provision and soil variation. Soil variation between replicates in the same landscape, as well as within individual replicates, has raised the issue of the representivity of the trial. This paper provided a description and ranking of the experimental burning trial according to the geomorphic and soil characteristics of each plot in comparison to the surrounding landscape.Conservation implications: The KNP burn plots are one of the largest and longest-running fire experiments on fire ecology in African savannahs. However, studies need to consider the underlying geomorphic and soil template when designing experiments and interpreting results. This work describes the representivity of the plots across, and within, treatments.
Proglacial river stage, discharge, and temperature datasets from the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua River northern tributary, Southwest Greenland, 2008–2011
Authors: Rennermalm A. K. , Smith L. C. , Chu V. W. , Forster R. R. , Box J. E. , Hagedorn B.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. Pressing scientific questions concerning the Greenland ice sheet's climatic sensitivity, hydrology, and contributions to current and future sea level rise require hydrological datasets to resolve. While direct observations of ice sheet meltwater losses can be obtained in terrestrial rivers draining the ice sheet and from lake levels, few such datasets exist. We present a new hydrologic dataset from previously unmonitored sites in the vicinity of Kangerlussuaq, Southwest Greenland. This dataset contains measurements of river stage and discharge for three sites along the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua (Watson) River's northern tributary, with 30 min temporal resolution between June 2008 and July 2011. Additional data of water temperature, air pressure, and lake stage are also provided. Flow velocity and depth measurements were collected at sites with incised bedrock or structurally reinforced channels to maximize data quality. However, like most proglacial rivers, high turbulence and bedload transport introduce considerable uncertainty to the derived discharge estimates. Eleven propagating error sources were quantified, and reveal that largest uncertainties are associated with flow depth observations. Mean discharge uncertainties (approximately the 68% confidence interval) are two to four times larger (±19% to ±43%) than previously published estimates for Greenland rivers. Despite these uncertainties, this dataset offers a rare collection of direct measurements of ice sheet runoff to the global ocean and is freely available for scientific use at http://dx.doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.762818.
Translating Universal Health Care for the Homeless: Barriers and potential facilitating factors for accessing health care amongst street dwellers in India
Authors: Prasad V
Published: May 2012

Urban health policy has remained a neglected area in India, and amongst the urban poor, the homeless remain the most deprived, neglected and stigmatized group. While they suffer from a large burden of disease, there are a variety of reasons that prevent them from accessing the available health care services – particularly in the public health sector. These barriers have been poorly understood and documented. This report, based upon a detailed study of homeless participants in New Delhi, India, seeks to highlight the systemic changes that would be required within public health systems to enable street dwellers to avail of their services and realise the conceptual ambit of ' health for all' in the context of homeless persons.
Near Approximations in -Closure Spaces
Authors: Abd El-Monsef M. E. , Shokry M. , Yousif Y. Y.
Published: May 2012

Most real-life situations need some sort of approximation to fit mathematical models. The beauty of using topology in approximation is achieved via obtaining approximation for qualitative subgraphs without coding or using assumption. The aim of this paper is to apply near concepts in the -closure approximation spaces. The basic notions of near approximations are introduced and sufficiently illustrated. Near approximations are considered as mathematical tools to modify the approximations of graphs. Moreover, proved results, examples, and counterexamples are provided.
The Impact of Solubility and Dissolution Assessment on Formulation Strategy and Implications for Oral Drug Disposition
Authors: Alsenz Jochem
Published: May 2012

This review discusses the importance of drug solid–state properties and of solubility and dissolution measurement for the identification of appropriate formulations/formulation strategies and highlights their impact on drug disposition and candidate selection. Common elements of solubility/dissolution protocols are presented and the methods addressing equilibrium, apparent, kinetic, and intrinsic solubility, as well as powder and intrinsic dissolution are discussed. Tools for drug categorization (BCS, BDDCS) and estimation of oral drug absorption (MAD) are assessed. A detailed description of available formulation approaches is provided, including improvement of drug dissolution rate and/or apparent solubility, drug solubilization approaches, and inhibition of drug precipitation.
Stereochemical Elements Associated with Drug Metabolism and Toxicity
Authors: Wienkers Larry C. , Padbury Guy E.
Published: May 2012

Many drugs used in clinical practice today are administered as a racemic mixture. As a consequence, these drugs can often be associated with complex pharmacokinetics and observed toxicities compared to drugs that are administrated as a single enantiomer. It is well established that two enantiomers of a chiral drug commonly possess different pharmacological properties. In addition to variable pharmacodynamic properties, numerous studies have shown that the individual enantiomers of a chiral drug often display stereoselectivity in pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and drug disposition, particularly in the area of drug metabolism. This chapter attempts to provide a representative appraisal of the various stereochemical aspects associated with the metabolism and toxicity of chiral drugs.
Phytochemical Modulators of Human Drug Metabolism: Drug Interactions with Fruits, Vegetables, and Botanical Dietary Supplements
Authors: Gurley Bill , Fifer Kim E. , Gardner Zöe
Published: May 2012

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) have been components of man's diet for millennia and are believed to have played a significant role in steering the functional development of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XMEs) and transporters within the human gastrointestinal tract. Only recently, however, PSMs have been recognized as modulators of human drug disposition. Despite exposure to thousands of structurally diverse dietary phytochemicals, only a few appear to significantly modulate human drug‐metabolizing enzymes and transporters. In some instances, these interactions may have beneficial effects, such as cancer prevention (i.e., isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables), whereas others may dramatically affect the pharmacokinetics of concomitantly administered drugs (i.e., furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice). In today's global economy, the opportunity for exposure to more exotic phytochemicals is significantly enhanced. Formulated as concentrated phytochemical extracts, botanical dietary supplements are vehicles for a host of PSMs rarely encountered in the normal diet. When taken with conventional medications, botanical dietary supplements may give rise to clinically significant herb–drug interactions. These interactions stem from phytochemical‐mediated induction and/or inhibition of human drug‐metabolizing enzymes and transporters.

In this chapter, the herb–drug interaction risks and mechanisms for several of the most popular dietary supplements are discussed. Botanicals most likely to produce clinically important herb–drug interactions are those whose phytochemicals act as mechanism‐based inhibitors of cytochrome P450 enzyme (CYP) activity (e.g.,Hydrastis canadensis, Piper nigrum,andSchisandra chinensis) or function as ligands for orphan nuclear receptors (e.g.,Hypericum perforatum). In addition, several external factors unrelated to phytochemical pharmacology can augment the drug interaction potential of botanical supplements.
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry for Analysis of Metal‐Containing Pharmaceuticals
Authors: Gammelgaard Bente , Stürup Stefan , Møller Charlotte
Published: May 2012

This chapter presents and overview of the ICP‐MS instrumentation and the hyphenation of this detection method to the separation methods CE and HPLC for analysis of metal based drugs and their interactions with biomolecules. Advantages and limitations of the separation methods and their hyphenations are described. Examples of applications are given for the most frequently analysed drugs based on platinum, gold, ruthenium are given.
Clinical Aspects of Drug Biotransformation: An OverviewDedicated to the memory of Mark J. Winn, Ph.D.,1960–1993
Authors: Coleman Michael D. , Radulovic Louis L.
Published: May 2012

The success of a new drug largely depends on the lessons learned from both existing successful and unsuccessful drugs. Although there are many factors that govern the overall effectiveness of a particular agent, its presence for a period commensurate with optimum efficacy is essential at the receptor or tissue and this is governed by clearance. In turn, clearance depends on the myriad processes of biotransformation, which have evolved to serve the individual through biosynthesis and disposal of vital small molecules. Biotransformation is also tasked with protecting homeostasis from xenobiotic agents by removing them, usually through varying degrees of structural alteration aimed at increasing water solubility that promotes renal excretion. This chapter is intended to provide an overview of the major oxidative, conjugative, and hydrolyzing capabilities of our biotransforming enzyme systems, alongside their impressively flexible and highly adapted means of detecting and monitoring small molecules to be metabolized. The role of biotransformation in the insurance of population survival through genetic enzymatic polymorphisms is also explored and its impact on the individual's treatment experience. The effect on biotransformation of inhibition is discussed, as are the major factors the patient brings to the drug treatment process, such as age, disease, gender, and pregnancy. Finally, how the process of drug discovery accommodates biotransformation is outlined from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry. Understanding of all these interlocking and complex processes will provide an insight into how mass drug therapy can be harnessed to minimize toxicity and maximize efficacy in the twenty‐first century.
Effects of Liver Disease on Drug Metabolism in Humans
Authors: Tan Hui‐Hui , Schiano Thomas D.
Published: May 2012

Drug disposition in humans is influenced by its absorption, volume of distribution, metabolism, and elimination. Drug metabolism involves Phase I and II biotransformations, most of which occur in the human liver. This chapter focuses on how physiological states may affect hepatic metabolism and the impact of liver disease on drug handling. The liver is vulnerable to a wide variety of insults, but the repertoire of its response to injury is limited. Likewise, the functional consequences of liver disease on drug disposition are determined by the extent of the injury, as opposed to its etiology. Predicting drug metabolism in patients with liver disease is particularly challenging. No universal rule can be applied to the modification of drug dosages in patients with liver disease.
Role of Metabolism in Toxicity of Drugs in Humans
Authors: Kalgutkar Amit S. , Bauman Jonathan N.
Published: May 2012

Because of the inability to predict and quantify the risk of idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions (IADRs) and because reactive metabolites as opposed to the parent molecules from which they are derived are thought to be responsible for the pathogenesis of some IADRs, procedures (reactive metabolite trapping and/or covalent binding) are being incorporated into the discovery screening funnel early on to assess the risk of reactive metabolite formation. Utility of the methodology in structure–toxicity relationships and scope in abrogating the formation reactive metabolites at the lead optimization stage are discussed in this chapter. Interpretation of the output from reactive metabolite assessment assays, however, is confounded by the fact that many successfully marketed drugs are false positives. Therefore, caution must be exercised in deprioritizing a compound based on a positive result, so that the development of a useful and potentially profitable compound will not be unnecessarily halted. Risk mitigation strategies (e.g. competing detoxication pathways, low daily dose, etc.) when selecting reactive metabolite positive for clinical development are also discussed.
Silicon Fluorides for Acid‐Base Catalysis in Glycosidations
Authors: Kumar Amit , Geng Yiqun , Schmidt Richard R.
Published: May 2012

Adduct formation between alcohols as glycosyl acceptors and phenylsilicon trifluoride (PhSiF3) as catalyst permits acid‐base‐atalyzed glycosidations with O‐glycosyl trichloroacetimidates as glycosyl donors. In this way, from various glycosyl donors and acceptors 1,2‐trans‐ and some 1,2‐cis‐glycosides could be obtained with high anomeric selectivity. A preference for an intramolecular bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2‐type) reaction course with concomitant donor and acceptor activation is supported by the results.
Iron(III) Chloride‐Catalysed Aerobic Reduction of Olefins using Aqueous Hydrazine at Ambient Temperature
Authors: Lamani Manjunath , Ravikumara Guralamata S. , Prabhu Kandikere Ramaiah
Published: May 2012

A chemoselective reduction of olefins and acetylenes is demonstrated by employing catalytic amounts of ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3⋅6 H2O) and aqueous hydrazine (NH2NH2⋅H2O) as hydrogen source at room temperature. The reduction is chemoselective and tolerates a variety of reducible functional groups. Unlike other metal‐catalysed reduction methods, the present method employs a minimum amount of aqueous hydrazine (1.5–2 equiv.). Also, the scope of this method is demonstrated in the synthesis of ibuprofen in aqueous medium.
Coating die design for suspensions
Authors: Lin Yu‐Yan , Wu Ping‐Yao , Liu Ta‐Jo , Hsu Tong C. , Tiu Carlos
Published: May 2012

A novel idea was proposed to the design of a coating die for delivering suspensions. In addition to considering the lateral flow uniformity of the liquid sheet, particle sedimentation is also avoided by maintaining high shear rates inside the die. Only two shims are designed to deliver the coating suspensions, and these two shims are easy to make and flexible for replacement. Two theoretical tools were developed for die design, i.e., one‐dimensional lubrication approximation combined with the optimal design and three‐dimensional finite element simulation. The coating suspension was assumed to obey the Bingham model. It was found that the one‐dimensional lubrication approximation can offer the basic optimal design, whereas edge effects can be minimized through three‐dimensional finite element corrections. Three experimental dies were built: a T‐die, a fishtail die and a coat hanger die based on the optimal design. Experimental results verified the theoretical predictions. © 2012 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interfacially confined RAFT miniemulsion copolymerization of styrene and butadiene
Authors: Yu Yitao , Zhang Qinghua , Zhan Xiaoli , Chen Fengqiu
Published: May 2012

In this study, ammonolyzed poly(styrene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) terminated with dithioester group can be self‐assembled into an amphiphilic macro‐reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent, and RAFT group will be located in the interface of oil and water. RAFT polymerization of styrene (S) and butadiene (B) will be confined in the interface. The main work is to study the effect of degree of aminolysis, reaction temperature, and ratio of S/B on the polymerization kinetics and living characters. The experimental results revealed that aminolysis of dithioester group would lead to retardation and loss of living characters under higher degree of aminolysis. Interfacially confined RAFT miniemulsion polymerizations were of relatively good controlled/living characters under lower degree of aminolysis before gelation. Increase of reaction temperature and ratio of S/B will accelerate the formation of gelation. Finally, styrene/butadiene copolymer nanoparticles with uniform particle size were formed, and because of microphase segregation “core–shell” morphology with polybutadiene core and polystyrene shell was seen obviously. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Shape Analysis of the Corpus Callosum and Cerebellum in Female MS Patients with Different Clinical Phenotypes
Authors: Sigirli Deniz , Ercan Ilker , Ozdemir Senem Turan , Taskapilioglu Ozlem , Hakyemez Bahattin , Turan Omer Faruk
Published: May 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the shape differences in the corpus callosum (CC) and cerebellum of female relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) patients compared with healthy controls. This study was conducted using the magnetic resonance imaging scans of 15 control subjects, 26 RRMS, and 14 SPMS patients. The data obtained from the landmark coordinates were analyzed with statistical shape analysis. The landmarks that were chosen to determine the shape differences of the CC and cerebellum have been identified and used in previous studies. In addition to these landmarks, constructed landmarks were determined and used to assess regional shape differences better. The shapes of the CC and cerebellum showed statistically significant differences from the controls when compared with both the RRMS and SPMS patients. It was found that the deformation observed from controls to SPMS was greater than the deformation from controls to RRMS, both for the CC and cerebellum. In conclusion, this study revealed CC and cerebellar shape change in RRMS and SPMS, and showed that deformations both in CC and cerebellum advances with the disease progression. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley‐Periodicals, Inc.
Temporal Dynamics of Cooperation
Authors: Locey Matthew L. , Rachlin Howard
Published: May 2012

Parties in real‐world conflicts often attempt to punish each other's behavior. If this strategy fails to produce mutual cooperation, they may increase punishment magnitude. The present experiment investigated whether delay reduction—potentially less harmful than magnitude increase—would generate mutual cooperation as interactions are repeated. The participants played a prisoner's dilemma game against a computer that played a tit‐for‐tat strategy, cooperating after a participant cooperated, defecting after a participant defected. For half the participants, the delay between their choice and the computer's next choice was long relative to the delay between the computer's choice and their next choice. For the other half, long and short delays were reversed. The tit‐for‐tat contingency reinforces the other player's cooperation (by cooperating) and punishes the other player's defection (by defecting). Both the rewards and the punishments are discounted by delay. Consistent with delay discounting, the participants cooperated more when the delay between their choice and the computer's cooperation (reward) or defection (punishment) was relatively short. These results suggest that, in real‐world tit‐for‐tat conflicts, the decreasing delay of reciprocation or retaliation may foster mutual cooperation as effectively as (or more effectively than) the more usual tactic of increasing magnitude of reciprocation or retaliation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dual‐domain deformation transfer for triangular meshes
Authors: Zhao Yong , Pan Bin , Xiao Chunxia , Peng Qunsheng
Published: May 2012

Creating an attractive mesh animation is a laborious and time‐consuming task. In this paper, we propose a practical deformation transfer algorithm to make it easier. To achieve a robust numerical solver, we perform the transfer process in the dual domain; that is, the deformations are transferred between the dual meshes of the source and target meshes. Firstly, the source animation is analyzed and visualized to help the user specify markers in the large deformation regions. Then, through respecting the coherence information, a fast and deformation‐aware surface correspondence approach is presented to determine how the source animation is transferred. Finally, the transferred result can be reconstructed via dual Laplacian optimization. Various experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of this paper. Moreover, a user study is carefully designed to perceptually validate our motivation and advantages. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Expanding the Horizon of the Thymine Isostere Biochemistry: Unique Cyclobutane Dimers Formed by Photoreaction between a Thymine and a Toluene Residue in the Dinucleotide Framework
Authors: Liu Degang , Zhou Yan , Pu Jingzhi , Li Lei
Published: May 2012

Substituted toluenyl groups are considered as close isosteres of the thymine residue. They can be recognized by DNA polymerases as if they were thymine. These toluene derivatives are generally inert toward radical additions, including the [2+2] photo‐cycloadditions, due to the stable structure of the aromatic ring and are usually used as solvents for radical reactions. Surprisingly, after incorporating toluene into the dinucleotide framework, we found that the UV excited thymine residue readily dimerizes with the toluenyl moiety through a [2+2] photo‐addition reaction. Furthermore, the reaction site on the toluenyl moiety is not the C5C6 bond, as commonly observed in cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, but the C4C5 or C3C4 instead. Such a reaction pattern suggests that in the stacked structure, it is one of these bonds, not the C5C6, that is close to the thymine C5C6 bond. A similar structural feature is found in DNA duplex with a thymine replaced by a 2,4‐difluorotoluene. Our results argue that although the substituted toluenyl moieties closely mimic the size and shape of the thymine residue, their more hydrophobic nature determines that they stack on DNA bases differently from the natural thymine residue and likely cause local conformational changes in duplex DNA.
On the transmission opportunity and TCP throughput in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Wang Jian , Huang Aiping , Wang Wei , Zhang Zhaoyang , Lau Vincent K.N.
Published: May 2012

The characteristics of cognitive radio networks have huge impacts on the end‐to‐end performance of the transmission control protocol (TCP) for secondary users. Thus, the existing TCP throughput expression, widely used in wired and wireless networks, is no longer suitable for cognitive radio networks. In this paper, we derive the transmission opportunity of secondary users, taking into account the dynamics of spectrum availability, the overhead and errors of spectrum sensing, as well as the interaction between TCP and lower layers. The amount of transmission opportunity is expressed in terms of effective data transmission time. On the basis of the analysis of the transmission opportunity, an expression of an effective TCP throughput is then derived. To evaluate this effective TCP throughput expression, two cross‐layer optimization problems are formulated as application examples to maximize the transport layer effective throughput and energy utility, respectively. Simulation results show that our analysis on transmission opportunity is accurate, and the derived effective TCP throughput expression is more precise than existing ones. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atmospheric pressure ion lens extends the stable operational region of an electrospray ion source for capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhao Shuai Sherry , Zhong Xuefei , Chen David D.Y.
Published: May 2012

An atmospheric ion lens incorporated into an electrospray ion source for capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry (CE‐MS) is found to extend the stable operational regions for both flow rates and electrospray ionization (ESI) voltages. The stable operating conditions for the ESI source with and without the ion lens were characterized. The results showed that the stable operation region was widest when the voltage difference between the sprayer and the ion lens ranges from 2.6 to 2.8 kV, and under these condition, the CE‐MS interface can be adapted to a broader range of electroosmotic and modifier flow rates. Modeling of the electric field in the electrospray ion source with the ion lens suggests that the extension of the stable region is attributed to the flatter equipotential surfaces around the sprayer tip and higher electric field strengths in the rest of the interface region.
Staining‐free gel electrophoresis‐based multiplex enzyme assay using DNA and peptide dual‐functionalized gold nanoparticles
Authors: Zhao Wenting , Yao Chunlei , Luo Xiaoteng , Lin Li , Hsing I‐Ming
Published: May 2012

We report a simple staining‐free gel electrophoresis method to simultaneously probe protease and nuclease. Utilizing gold nanoparticles (Au‐NPs) dual‐functionalized with DNA and peptide, the presence and concentration of nuclease and protease are determined concurrently from the relative position and intensity of the bands in the staining‐free gel electrophoresis. The use of Au‐NPs eliminates the need for staining processes and enables naked eye detection, while a mononucleotide‐mediated approach facilitates the synthesis of DNA/peptide conjugated Au‐NPs and simplifies the operation procedures. Multiplex detection and quantification of DNase I and trypsin are successfully demonstrated.
Native analysis of plasma‐derived clotting factor VIII concentrates: “Sponge effect” and contaminants
Authors: Blasi Barbara , D'Amici Gian Maria , D'Alessandro Angelo , Zolla Lello
Published: May 2012

In the present study, we analysed two commercially available plasma‐derived FVIII preparations, Beriate and Emoclot, through native gel‐based approaches (CN‐PAGE). The rationale behind this study was to assess whether protein complexes from plasma resisted the aggressive manufacturing processes. A preliminary analysis of plasma complexes was performed focusing on the molecular weight range between 45 kDa and 1 MDa. As a result, we could evidence in both preparations the presence of complexes, which resisted the cryoprecipitation, chromatographic and heat treatment processing steps. These complexes behaved in a “sponge‐effect”‐like fashion through the enrichment of otherwise less abundant contaminants. The use of an alternative electrophoretic approach such as CN‐PAGEallowed us to confirm 2DE‐based observations and expand the list of non‐FVIII proteins which contaminate the preparations.
Study on the influence of ageing on thermal decomposition of double‐base propellants and prediction of their in‐use time
Authors: Trache Djalal , Khimeche Kamel
Published: May 2012

A comparative study of the thermal decomposition of naturally and artificially aged double‐base propellants has been carried out at five different heating rates in a dynamic nitrogen atmosphere using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The results show that there is only one decomposition peak on DSC curves, and this decomposition has been accelerated by ageing. The influence of the heating rate on the DSC behaviour of the propellants was verified. The kinetic parameters such as activation energy and frequency factor and the thermodynamic parameters such as the enthalpy of activation, free energy of activation and critical explosion temperature for the compounds were obtained from DSC data using non‐isothermal methods proposed by Kissinger and Ozawa. On the other hand, a prediction of the in‐service period by van't Hoff's equation was performed and compared with the experimental results in order to check the constancy and validity of this method. As a result, the prediction procedure used to obtain the time–temperature profile was achieved with good accordance. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new species and a new combination of Minuartia L. (Caryophyllaceae) from NE Iran
Authors: Mostafavi Golaleh , Assadi Mostafa , Nejadsattari Taher , Sharifnia Fariba , Joharchi Mohammad R. , Mehregan Iraj
Published: May 2012

Minuartia khorassanica is introduced and described as a new species. The species has a limited distribution in E. Iran close to the Afghanistan frontier. Minuartia afghanica Rech. f. from Afghanistan and Pakistan is morphologically related to the new species but it is not known in Iran. The most important differences between the new species and M. afghanica are mainly in the shape of sepals and leaves and pedicel length. Moreover the two species have quite distinct ranges. Minuartia lineata Bornm. is another relative of the new species differing from it mainly in reproductive characters. The new species is illustrated and compared with M. lineata based on seed and pollen grain data. An identification key to distinguish these three species is given.

In addition, Minuartia litwinowii Schischk. from Turkmenistan and adjacent areas in Iran is reduced to the rank of subspecies as M. lineata subsp. litwinowii. Identification key and selected specimens are given for the two subspecies of M. lineata. The distribution map of all taxa is presented. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Cross Hedging with Currency Forward Contracts
Authors: Wong Kit Pong
Published: May 2012

This study examines the behavior of a competitive exporting firm that exports to a foreign country and faces multiple sources of exchange rate uncertainty. Although there are no hedging instruments between the home and foreign currencies, there is a third country that has well‐developed currency forward markets to which the firm has access. The firm's optimal cross‐hedging decision is shown to depend both on the degree of incompleteness of the currency forward markets in the third country, and on the correlation structure of the random spot exchange rates. Furthermore, the firm is shown to be more eager to produce and expand its exports to the foreign country when the missing currency forward contracts between the home and foreign currencies can be synthesized by the existing currency forward contracts. In this case of perfect cross hedging, the separation theorem holds but the full‐hedging theorem may or may not hold. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark
Valine but not leucine or isoleucine supports neurotransmitter glutamate synthesis during synaptic activity in cultured cerebellar neurons
Authors: Bak Lasse K. , Johansen Maja L. , Schousboe Arne , Waagepetersen Helle S.
Published: May 2012

Synthesis of neuronal glutamate from α‐ketoglutarate for neurotransmission necessitates an amino group nitrogen donor; however, it is not clear which amino acid(s) serves this role. Thus, the ability of the three branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs), leucine, isoleucine, and valine, to act as amino group nitrogen donors for synthesis of vesicular neurotransmitter glutamate was investigated in cultured mouse cerebellar (primarily glutamatergic) neurons. The cultures were superfused in the presence of 15N‐labeled BCAAs, and synaptic activity was induced by pulses of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (300 μM), which results in release of vesicular glutamate. At the end of the superfusion experiment, the vesicular pool of glutamate was released by treatment with α‐latrotoxin (3 nM, 5 min). This experimental paradigm allows a separate analysis of the cytoplasmic and vesicular pools of glutamate. Amount and extent of 15N labeling of intracellular amino acids plus vesicular glutamate were analyzed employing HPLC and LC‐MS analysis. Only when [15N]valine served as precursor did the labeling of both cytoplasmic and vesicular glutamate increase after synaptic activity. In addition, only [15N]valine was able to maintain the amount of vesicular glutamate during synaptic activity. This indicates that, among the BCAAs, only valine supports the increased need for synthesis of vesicular glutamate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adsorption in a stratified column bed packed with porous particles having partially fractal structures and a distribution of particle diameters
Authors: Li Min , Liapis Athanasios I.
Published: May 2012

Stratified column bed systems whose sections are formed by packing adsorbent particles with a partially fractal structure are proposed and studied. The simulation results clearly show that the breakthrough times and the shape of the breakthrough curves obtained from stratified column beds are significantly larger and sharper than those obtained from conventional columns. The stratified column beds provide, to the designer and user of chromatographic column systems, more degrees of freedom with respect to the number of parameters and variables that could be controlled in the design, construction, and operation of efficient chromatographic adsorption systems. Furthermore, the results suggest that the stratified column beds could provide a higher dynamic adsorptive capacity than conventional columns when it is required to increase the column throughput.
Monolithic columns with optimized pore structure for molecular size‐based separations of synthetic polymers
Authors: Korolev Alexander , Victorova Elena , Ibragimov Timur , Kanatyeva Anastasiya , Kurganov Alexander
Published: May 2012

Monolithic capillary columns based on divinylbenzene were synthesized using different alcanols as porogens. Prepared columns were tested in separation of polystyrene standards according to their molar mass (MM) and were characterized by corresponding calibration graphs. It was demonstrated that a decrease of alcanol chain length from dodecanol to octanol resulted in a decrease of column permeability and in an improved column ability to separate polystyrene standards. In contrast, removing a good solvent from porogen mixture results in an increase of column permeability and in a decrease of column performance toward polystyrene standards. Optimized synthetic conditions included porogen composed of nonanol and toluene or mesytilene, and the column prepared with this porogen was capable of separating a mixture of 14 polystyrene standards with MM ranged from several millions to oligomers.