bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering study of human serum on PVAAg nanofilm prepared by using electrostatic self‐assembly
Authors: Liu Renming , Zi Xingfa , Kang Yipu , Si Minzhen , Wu Yanchun
Published: April 2010

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)‐protected silver nanoarchitecture (PVAAg nanofilm) on the surface of the glass substrate was prepared by using electrostatic self‐assembly at a proper voltage. The two‐dimensional morphology of the PVAAg nanofilm has been examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of human serum (HS) on PVAAg nanofilms were recorded. The results show that the Raman scattering of HS can be enhanced efficiently based on these PVAAg nanofilms. However, it also can be seen that the effect of sodium citrate (SC) acting as anticoagulant on the SERS spectrum of HS is unnegligible, which has not been discussed adequately in the previous reports. To discuss the effect of SC on the SERS spectrum of HS, we have studied the normal Raman spectra of solid SC and the SERS spectra of 1.0 × 10−3 mol/l aqueous solution of SC adsorbed on the PVA–Ag nanofilms. Meanwhile, Raman wavenumbers of the SC molecule were calculated by using the method of DFT‐B3LYP/6‐31G*, and the dominant assignations of the calculated wavenumbers were performed. It was found that the density functional theory (DFT) calculation of SC Raman spectrum matches well with the experimental results. With the perfect reproducibility and high SERS activity, this method will be useful in the development of HS detection methods. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of quercetin glycosides and free quercetin in buckwheat by capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography
Authors: Dadáková Eva , Kalinová Jana
Published: April 2010

A simple and reliable method for determination of quercetin glycosides and free quercetin in buckwheat flower, leaves, stems and achenes was developed. The method consists of flavonoid extraction from freeze‐dried homogenous material in 50% v/v methanol solution and in presence of an antioxidant, cleaning of extract and analyte isolation using SPE. Analytical step uses capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography. The working ranges, LOD and LOQ, recovery, precision and measurement uncertainty were calculated. The method is suitable for samples from buckwheat. The highest content of rutin was found in flowers of both kinds of buckwheat (99 400 mg/kg in F. esculentum, 108 000 mg/kg in F. tataricum). The free quercetin occurs in flowers and achenes of F. esculentum, whereas flowers and achenes of F. tataricum contained quercitrin.
Screening antibody and immunosorbent selectivity by two‐dimensional liquid chromatography‐MS/MS (2‐D LC‐MS/MS)
Authors: Cho Wonryeon , Jung Kwanyoung , Regnier Fred E.
Published: April 2010

Selectivity of both peptide‐ and glycan‐targeting antibodies was examined by 2‐D LC‐MS/MS. Proteins selected from biological extracts immunospecifically in a first chromatography dimension using antibodies immobilized by either covalent coupling or adsorption to protein G were desorbed with a denaturing mobile phase and transferred to a 1.5 μm nonporous particle RP chromatography (NP‐RPC) column in a second dimension. Protein peak capacity of the NP‐RPC column was approximately 50. Peaks collected from the RPC column were tryptic digested and the peptide fragments were identified by MALDI‐MS/MS. The objective of this analytical strategy was to discriminate between protein antigens and nonantigens through identification of their peptides, leading to an evaluation of the selectivity of antibodies and immunosorbents. Quantification of the relative amount of antigen and nonantigen species captured by immunosorbents was achieved by absorbance, along with the likely capture mechanism. A limitation of the approach was in discriminating between isoforms of an antigen in which neither the antibody nor the LC‐MS system targeted the differentiating feature in the isoforms.
Ultrasonic cell grinder extraction of anthraquinones from Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and determination by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Wang Guo‐Ying , Qi Huan‐Yang , Shi Yan‐Ping
Published: April 2010

An ultrasonic cell grinder extraction (UCGE) method has been developed and applied to extract five anthraquinones (physcion, chrysophanol, emodin, rhein, and aloe‐emodin) from Radix et Rhizoma Rhei. Several parameters of UCGE procedure, including ultrasonic cell grinder running mode, type and volume of extraction solvent and extraction time, were optimized. The determination was preformed on a Waters ultra‐performance LC BEH C18 column using gradient elution system. A baseline separation could be achieved in less than 7.5 min with high resolution. Under the optimized conditions, contents of physcion, chrysophanol, emodin, rhein and aloe‐emodin in Radix et Rhizoma Rhei collected from different cultivated areas were 0–4.22, 0.11–27.64, 0.09–3.49, 0.31–3.31 and 0.13–2.93 mg/g, respectively. Compared with reflux, maceration and ultrasonic bath extractions, the UCGE method was more efficient, faster and easier to be operated, and required lower extraction temperature and less solvent. The results indicated that UCGE was a novel and ideal method for extracting bioactive constituents from plant samples.
Screening of antioxidant phenolic compounds in Chinese Rhubarb combining fast counter‐current chromatography fractionation and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis
Authors: Hu Ruilin , Lu Yanbin , Dai Xiaojing , Pan Yuanjiang
Published: April 2010

In this paper, an effective method combing fast elution‐extrusion counter‐current chromatography (CCC) and LC/MS for rapid screening of antioxidative phenolic compounds in Chinese Rhubarb is presented. An integrated three‐coil CCC column (40 mL each coil) was used to accomplish the optimization of biphasic liquid system. In a single run (approximately 40 min), the solvent system composed of n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (1:1:1:1, v/v) was selected as optimum CCC liquid system for fast fractionation of the crude ethanol extract. With a 140 mL‐capacity CCC instrument, 100 mg Chinese Rhubarb extract was separated under the optimized conditions, producing six fractions in only 100 min. The quantities of each fraction were ∼15 mg. In addition, each fraction was subjected to antioxidant activity assay and characterized by LC/MS analysis. Fifty compounds, including phenolic acids, phenolic glucosides and hydroxyanthraquinones, were detected by LC/MS/MS analysis. As a result, gallic acid together with Fr I showed excellent antioxidant activity, which was well consistent with previous studies and exhibited great potential for natural drug discovery program of the present method.
Subcritical fluid chromatography of water soluble nucleobases on various polar stationary phases facilitated with alcohol‐modified CO2 and water as the polar additive
Authors: Ashraf‐Khorassani Mehdi , Taylor Larry T.
Published: April 2010

The separation of four water soluble nucleobases (thymine, uracil, adenine, and cytosine) via supercritical fluid chromatography with a CO2‐based mobile phase containing an alcohol modifier and additive is described. Methanol, ethanol, 1‐propanol, and 1‐butanol were examined in conjunction with water as a neutral additive. Packed column stationary phases included silica bonded diol, cyanopropyl, and 2‐ethyl pyridine. Thymine and uracil eluted with good peak shapes without additive, while adenine and cytosine yielded late eluting, severely tailing peaks. The addition of up to 5% water to each of the five alcohols gave rise to much sharper peaks that eluted under gradient conditions in less than 10 min with no baseline noise. Results with water under identical chromatographic conditions were compared with formic acid and ammonium acetate as additives. Water proved to be much superior to formic acid, and it was comparable to ammonium acetate. The role of water was speculated to not only enhance the solvating power of the binary mobile phase for water soluble analytes, but the common elution pattern exhibited by each of the three stationary phases suggested that water had altered the surface chemistry of the packed phase.
A discontinuous enrichment method for the efficient solution of plate vibration problems in the medium‐frequency regime
Authors: Massimi Paolo , Tezaur Radek , Farhat Charbel
Published: April 2010

A discontinuous enrichment method (DEM) is presented for the efficient discretization of plate vibration problems in the medium‐frequency regime. This method enriches the polynomial shape functions of the classical finite element discretization with free‐space solutions of the biharmonic operator governing the elastic vibrations of an infinite Kirchhoff plate. These free‐space solutions, which represent flexural waves and decaying modes, are discontinuous across the element interfaces. For this reason, two different and carefully constructed Lagrange multiplier approximations are introduced along the element edges to enforce a weak continuity of the transversal displacement and its normal derivative, and discrete Lagrange multipliers are introduced at the element corners to enforce there a weak continuity of the transversal displacement. The proposed DEM is illustrated with the solution of sample plate vibration problems with different types of harmonic loading in the medium‐frequency regime, away from and close to resonance. In all cases, its performance is found to be significantly superior to that of the classical higher‐order finite element method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemokine/chemokine receptor interactions in extramedullary leukaemia of the skin in childhood AML: Differential roles for CCR2, CCR5, CXCR4 and CXCR7
Authors: Faaij Claudia M.J.M. , Willemze Annemieke J. , Révész Tom , Balzarolo Melania , Tensen Cornelis P. , Hoogeboom Manja , Vermeer Maarten H. , van Wering Elisabeth , Zwaan Christian M. , Kaspers Gertjan J.L. , Story Colin , van Halteren Astrid G.S. , Vossen Jaak M. , Egeler R. Maarten , van Tol Maarten J.D. , Annels Nicola E.
Published: April 2010

Chemokine receptor/ligand interactions orchestrate the migration of cells to peripheral tissues such as the skin. We analysed chemokine receptor expression by acute myeloid leukaemic (AML) cells present in peripheral blood (n = 7), bone marrow (n = 6), or skin (n = 11) obtained from 15 paediatric AML patients with skin involvement and in 10 AML patients without skin involvement. High percentages of circulating CCR2pos AML cells were only detected in patients with extramedullary disease. Skin‐residing AML cells displayed a different set of receptors in situ, namely: CCR5, CXCR4, CXCR7 and CX3CR1. These results suggest the involvement of different chemokine/chemokine receptor interactions in homing and retention of AML blasts in the skin. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:344–348. © 2010 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
A novel G473A mutation in the glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase gene
Authors: Chen Xiaowen , Yue Lijie , Li Chengrong , Li Changgang
Published: April 2010

Hereditary deficiency in human glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is mostly caused by single nucleotide change in the G6PD gene which leads to single amino acid substitution. In 104 cases of Chinese children with G6PD deficiency, RT‐PCR‐DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) combined with DNA sequencing was carried out to screen the mutations within the coding region of G6PD gene. A novel missense mutation (G473A), predicting a Cys‐to‐Tyr substitution at codon 158, was identified in a male infant patient and confirmed in his mother. This G6PD variant (158 Tyr) showed decreased enzyme activity, belonging to WHO Class II. We designated this variant as G6PD Shenzhen by the birthplace of the propositus. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:383–385. © 2010 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
Solitary, extracutaneous, skull‐based juvenile xanthogranuloma
Authors: De Paula André Maues , André Nicolas , Fernandez Carla , Coulibaly Bema , Scavarda Didier , Lena Gabriel , Bouvier Corinne
Published: April 2010

We report a case of an 18‐month‐old female who presented an occipital bone lesion with progressive growth. Imaging studies showed a left extradural, skull‐based tumor partially occupying the posterior fossa. Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies confirmed a juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG). Partial surgical resection, chemotherapy, and conformational radiotherapy were used. Exclusive extracutaneous JXG with an intracranial, vertebral, or skull‐based localization is extremely rare. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:380–382. © 2010 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
Trait and source factors in HEXACO‐PI‐R self‐ and observer reports
Authors: Ashton Michael C. , Lee Kibeom
Published: April 2010

We examined the joint factor structure of self‐reports and observer reports on the facet scales of the HEXACO Personality Inventory—Revised in a sample of 563 pairs of well‐acquainted persons. In separate analyses based on a targeted orthogonal rotation and on a CFA model, we identified six trait factors (representing the HEXACO dimensions) plus two source factors (representing the favourability bias of self‐reports and observer reports, respectively). All six trait factors were recovered with substantial loadings for the appropriate facet scales. The content of the self‐report and observer report source factors suggested that the former mainly involved ‘egoistic’ or ‘agentic’ biases and the latter mainly involved ‘moralistic’ or ‘communal’ biases. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐informant agreement for personality and evaluative person descriptors: Comparing methods for creating informant measures
Authors: Simms Leonard J. , Zelazny Kerry , Yam Wern How , Gros Daniel F.
Published: April 2010

Little attention typically is paid to the way self‐report measures are translated for use in self‐informant agreement studies. We studied two possible methods for creating informant measures: (a) the traditional method in which self‐report items were translated from the first‐ to the third‐person and (b) an alternative meta‐perceptual method in which informants were directed to rate their perception of the targets' self‐perception. We hypothesized that the latter method would yield stronger self‐informant agreement for evaluative personality dimensions measured by indirect item markers. We studied these methods in a sample of 303 undergraduate friendship dyads. Results revealed mean‐level differences between methods, similar self‐informant agreement across methods, stronger agreement for Big Five dimensions than for evaluative dimensions, and incremental validity for meta‐perceptual informant rating methods. Limited power reduced the interpretability of several sparse acquaintanceship effects. We conclude that traditional informant methods are appropriate for most personality traits, but meta‐perceptual methods may be more appropriate when personality questionnaire items reflect indirect indicators of the trait being measured, which is particularly likely for evaluative traits. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lots of target variance: An update of SRM using the HEXACO personality inventory
Authors: de Vries Reinout E.
Published: April 2010

According to previous studies based on the Social Relations Model (SRM), most of the variance in observer reports of personality is perceiver and relationship variance, and not much is target variance. However, most SRM studies have employed short adjective scales instead of personality questionnaires. Results based on the HEXACO‐PI‐R in family and work groups showed high levels of consensus (target variance) and self‐other agreement for all traits and, except for Honesty–Humility and Openness to Experience, low levels of generalized rater bias (perceiver variance) and of assumed similarity. Additionally, intraclass correlations suggested a 'group personality' for some traits. The findings suggest that the use of personality questionnaires in Social Relations Analyses may promote higher estimates of consensus in personality judgments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The proteome complement of Nicotiana tabacum Bright‐Yellow‐2 culture cells
Authors: Duby Geoffrey , Degand Hervé , Faber Anne‐Marie , Boutry Marc
Published: April 2010

The Nicotiana tabacum Bright‐Yellow‐2 (BY2) cell line is one of most commonly used plant suspension cell lines and offers interesting properties, such as fast growth, amenability to genetic transformation, and synchronization of cell division. To build a proteome reference map of BY2 cell proteins, we isolated the soluble proteins from N. tabacum BY2 cells at the end of the exponential growth phase and analyzed them by 2‐DE and MALDI TOF‐TOF. Of the 1422 spots isolated, 795 were identified with a significant score, corresponding to 532 distinct proteins.
Breaking the covalent connection: Chain connectivity and the catalytic reaction of PMM/PGM
Authors: Schramm Andrew M. , Karr Dale , Mehra‐Chaudhary Ritcha , Van Doren Steven R. , Furdui Cristina M. , Beamer Lesa J.
Published: April 2010

Fragment complementation has been used to investigate the role of chain connectivity in the catalytic reaction of phosphomannomutase/phosphoglucomutase (PMM/PGM) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a human pathogen. A heterodimer of PMM/PGM, created from fragments corresponding to its first three and fourth domains, was constructed and enzyme activity reconstituted. NMR spectra demonstrate that the fragment corresponding to the fourth (C‐terminal) domain exists as a highly structured, independent folding domain, consistent with its varied conformation observed in enzyme–substrate complexes. Steady‐state kinetics and thermodynamics studies reported here show that complete conformational freedom of Domain 4, because of the break in the polypeptide chain, is deleterious to catalytic efficiency primarily as a consequence of increased entropy. This extends observations from studies of the intact enzyme, which showed that the degree of flexibility of a hinge region is controlled by the precise sequence of amino acids optimized through evolutionary constraints. This work also sheds light on the functional advantage gained by combining separate folding domains into a single polypeptide chain.
Evaporation of microscopic black holes in string theory and the bound on species
Authors: Dvali G. , Lüst D.
Published: April 2010

We address the question how string compactifications with D‐branes are consistent with the black hole bound, which arises in any theory with number of particle species to which the black holes can evaporate. For the Kaluza‐Klein particles, both longitudinal and transversal to the D‐branes, it is relatively easy to see that the black hole bound is saturated, and the geometric relations can be understood in the language of species‐counting. We next address the question of the black hole evaporation into the higher string states and discover, that contrary to the naive intuition, the exponentially growing number of Regge states does not preclude the existence of semi‐classical black holes of sub‐stringy size. Our analysis indicates that the effective number of string resonances to which such micro black holes evaporate is not exponentially large but is bounded by N = 1/gs2, which suggests the interpretation of the well‐known relation between the Planck and string scales as the saturation of the black hole bound on the species number. In addition, we also discuss some other issues in D‐brane compactifications with a low string scale of order TeV, such as the masses of light moduli fields.
Black holes and large N species solution to the hierarchy problem
Authors: Dvali G.
Published: April 2010

We provide the perturbative and non‐perturbative arguments showing that theories with large number of species of the quantum fields, imply an inevitable hierarchy between the masses of the species and the Planck scale, shedding a different light on the hierarchy problem. In particular, using the black hole physics, we prove that any consistent theory that includes N Z2‐conserved species of the quantum fields of mass Λ, must have a value of the Planck mass, which in large N limit is given by MP2
\gsim
N Λ2. An useful byproduct of this proof is that any exactly conserved quantum charge, not associated with a long‐range classical field, must be defined maximum modulo N, with N
\gsim
(MP/m)2, where m is the mass of the unit charge. For example, a continuous global U(1) ‘baryon number’ symmetry, must be explicitly broken by gravity, at least down to a ZN subgroup, with N
\lsim
(MP/mb)2, where mb is the baryon mass. The same constraint applies to any discrete gauge symmetry, as well as to other quantum‐mechanically‐detectable black hole charges that are associated with the massive quantum hair of the black hole. We show that the gravitationally‐coupled N‐species sector that solves the gauge hirearchy problem, should be probed by LHC.
A novel in vitro assay of tumor‐initiating cells in xenograft prostate tumors
Authors: Silvers Christopher R. , Williams Karin , Salamone Linda , Huang Jiaoti , Jordan Craig T. , Zhou Haijun , Palapattu Ganesh S.
Published: April 2010

BACKGROUND

The field of prostate cancer has been stymied by the difficulty of cultivating patient‐derived samples in the laboratory. In order to help circumvent this challenge, we sought to develop an in vitro assay of human prostate cancer initiation employing a prostate‐associated mesenchymal feeder layer.

METHODS

Rat seminal vesicle mesenchyme (rSVM) harvested from male neonatal rats was plated in 12‐well plates and then irradiated with 30 Gy after ∼75% confluence. Single‐cell suspensions of two human non‐adherent prostate cancer xenograft lines (TRPC and LAPC9) were then plated on irradiated rSVM. At 3–4 weeks, three‐dimensional solid structures, termed glandoids, were harvested and analyzed or transplanted singly into the renal capsule of immunodeficient mice. Animals were assessed for tumor formation 8–12 weeks after engraftment. Finally, clonality assays were performed to determine whether glandoids usually arise from a single cell and are therefore clonal in origin.

RESULTS

Glandoids form with reliable frequency (1/∼300 plated cells), are constituted by relevant cell types (CK8+, CK5−, PSA+) and after implantation into immunocompromised mice, give rise to tumors that recapitulate original xenograft histology and cell composition; defining a glandoid as a tumor‐initiating unit. In addition, assessment of red fluorescent protein (RFP)‐labeled glandoids revealed either all red or non‐red structures, with few areas of fusion, suggesting glandoids are clonal in origin.

CONCLUSIONS

The above assay describes an adjunct technique to readily cultivate cells from prostate cancer xenografts in vitro and as such provides a platform on which tumor‐initiating cell studies and high‐throughput drug discovery may be performed. Prostate 70: 1379–1387, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Loss of the matriptase inhibitor HAI‐2 during prostate cancer progression
Authors: Bergum Christopher , List Karin
Published: April 2010

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer progression is accompanied by increased levels of extracellular proteases that are capable of remodeling the extracellular matrix as well as cleaving and activating growth factors and their receptors that are critically involved in pro‐cancerous signaling pathways. The membrane anchored serine protease matriptase (also known as MT‐SP1, epithin, and TADG15) has been implicated in prostate cancer. Several studies have demonstrated that the expression of this protease, both on the RNA and protein level is significantly increased during prostate cancer progression. Hepatocyte activator growth factor inhibitor‐2 (HAI‐2) has recently been identified as a physiological inhibitor of matriptase. It has been proposed that the increase of matriptase with a concomitant loss of its inhibitors may play a critical role in cancer progression.

METHODS

In this study, we used immunohistochemistry to determine the expression of HAI‐2 protein in 136 prostate cancer samples, 20 prostate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) samples, and 31 normal or tumor‐adjacent prostate samples. Specificity of detection was ensured by using two unrelated HAI‐2 antibodies and corresponding non‐immune IgG antibodies.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that HAI‐2 protein is significantly decreased in malignant lesions as compared to normal and BPH lesions, and that the most poorly differentiated tumors (Gleason score 8–10) have the lowest level of HAI‐2 expression.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that the loss of HAI‐2 may be actively involved in prostate cancer progression by causing a reduced inhibitory capacity of proteolysis possibly of the physiological target for HAI‐2 matriptase. Prostate 70: 1422–1428, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Novel mechanisms of optical harmonics generation in semiconductors
Authors: Pisarev R. V. , Kaminski B. , Lafrentz M. , Pavlov V. V. , Yakovlev D. R. , Bayer M.
Published: April 2010

Spectroscopic study of diamagnetic, diluted magnetic, and magnetically ordered semiconductors reveals several novel mechanisms of optical harmonics generation. It is found that Landau‐level orbital quantization of the band energy is a key mechanism for magnetic‐field‐induced second harmonic generation (MSHG) in diamagnetic semiconductors GaAs and CdTe. The giant Zeeman spin‐splitting of electronic states is essential for MSHG in diluted magnetic semiconductors (Cd,Mn)Te. Both mechanisms involving the optical nonlinearities of electric‐dipole type take place in noncentrosymmetric semiconductors. Spin‐induced second harmonic generation (SHG) is observed at the band gap in magnetic centrosymmetric semiconductors EuTe and EuSe. This mechanism involving the optical nonlinearities of magnetic‐dipole type is essential for centrosymmetric semiconductors. The magnetic field and temperature dependencies demonstrate that the nonlinear processes arise due to novel types of optical nonlinearities caused by the external magnetic field. The observed mechanisms of optical nonlinearities open access to a wide class of centrosymmetric and noncentrosymmetric systems by harmonics generation spectroscopy.
A Long-Term Follow-Up Study of Intravenous Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients With Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Lee Jin Soo , Hong Ji Man , Moon Gyeong Joon , Lee Phil Hyu , Ahn Young Hwan , Bang Oh Young
Published: April 2010

We previously evaluated the short-term follow-up preliminary data of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation in patients with ischemic stroke. The present study was conducted to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of i.v. MSCs transplantation in a larger population. To accomplish this, we performed an open-label, observer-blinded clinical trial of 85 patients with severe middle cerebral artery territory infarct. Patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups, those who received i.v. autologous ex vivo cultured MSCs (MSC group) or those who did not (control group), and followed for up to 5 years. Mortality of any cause, long-term side effects, and new-onset comorbidities were monitored. Of the 52 patients who were finally included in this study, 16 were the MSC group and 36 were the control group. Four (25%) patients in the MSC group and 21 (58.3%) in the control group died during the follow-up period, and the cumulative surviving portion at 260 weeks was 0.72 in the MSC group and 0.34 in the control group (log-rank; p = .058). Significant side effects were not observed following MSC treatment. The occurrence of comorbidities including seizures and recurrent vascular episodes did not differ between groups. When compared with the control group, the follow-up modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was decreased, whereas the number of patients with a mRS of 0–3 increased in the MSC group (p = .046). Clinical improvement in the MSC group was associated with serum levels of stromal cell-derived factor-1 and the degree of involvement of the subventricular region of the lateral ventricle. Intravenous autologous MSCs transplantation was safe for stroke patients during long-term follow-up. This therapy may improve recovery after stroke depending on the specific characteristics of the patients.
Adaptive management for eradication of exotic species
Authors: Kotani Koji , Kakinaka Makoto , Matsuda Hiroyuki
Published: April 2010

The problems of controlling exotic species have been acknowledged as serious threats to an indigenous ecosystem as well as to society. In response to these threats, various management programs of exotic species have been proposed for supporting eradication in many regions. Although eradication is regarded as the first‐best solution, such attempts have been unsuccessful in reality due to mainly two factors: (1) stock‐dependent catchability, and (2) uncertainties. This article demonstrates when to aim at eradication through addressing an optimal adaptive management strategy in the framework of a bio‐economic model with the aforementioned factors. The study sets out that the sensitivity of catchability in response to a change in the existing stock determines whether or not aiming at eradication is justified. The results also show that process uncertainty associated with stock growth significantly affects the timing of removal actions for eradication, and an increase in the degree of uncertainty could help achieve eradication in a cost–effective manner if we optimally adapt our removal actions to the uncertainty.
Historical demography of a wild lemur population (Propithecus verreauxi) in southwest Madagascar
Authors: Lawler Richard R.
Published: April 2010

The human colonization of Madagascar is associated with the extinction of numerous lemur species. However, the degree to which humans have negatively influenced the historical population dynamics of extant lemur species is not well understood. This study employs genetic and demographic analyses to estimate demographic parameters relating to the historical population dynamics of a wild lemur population, Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi). The genetic analyses are used to determine whether this population experienced a historically recent (i.e., within the last 2000 years) population bottleneck, as well as to estimate the historical population growth rate and the timing of any changes in population size in the past. In addition, a retrospective demographic analysis is used to determine sources of variation and covariation in the sifaka life cycle and how variation in life‐cycle transitions contributes to variation in population growth rate. The genetic analyses indicate that the sifaka population did not experience a recent population bottleneck; however, the historical population growth rate was negative, indicating that the ancestral population size was much larger than the current size. The timing of the ancestral population decline has a point estimate of 2300 years ago, but with large credible intervals: 3611–1736 years ago. This point estimate corresponds with the first evidence for human arrival to Madagascar. Climatic variation has also likely influenced past (and current) population dynamics due to stochastic annual rainfall patterns and climatic desiccation, the latter of which began in southwestern Madagascar around 4000 years ago. Variation in the survival of 2‐year‐old animals as well as large adult females makes the largest contribution to variation in population growth rate. In the absence of more explicit models pertaining to historical population dynamics, it is difficult to attribute the negative population growth rate of this species solely to a single factor (e.g., hunting, habitat destruction).
Somatosensory processing in neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Cascio Carissa J.
Published: April 2010

The purpose of this article is to review the role of somatosensory perception in typical development, its aberration in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, and the potential relations between tactile processing abnormalities and central features of each disorder such as motor, communication, and social development. Neurodevelopmental disorders that represent a range of symptoms and etiologies, and for which multiple peer-reviewed articles on somatosensory differences have been published, were chosen to include in the review. Relevant studies in animal models, as well as conditions of early sensory deprivation, are also included. Somatosensory processing plays an important, yet often overlooked, role in typical development and is aberrant in various neurodevelopmental disorders. This is demonstrated in studies of behavior, sensory thresholds, neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology in samples of children with Fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and cerebral palsy (CP). Impaired somatosensory processing is found in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders and is associated with deficits in communication, motor ability, and social skills in these disorders. Given the central role of touch in early development, both experimental and clinical approaches should take into consideration the role of somatosensory processing in the etiology and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Altwerden in der Großwohnsiedlung: Unterstützung durch ein Akteursnetzwerk
Authors: Wolter Birgit
Published: April 2010

The article investigates the activities of a network in Berlin that aims to enable elderly people to live independently in their own homes as long as possible. The investigation covered problems and potentials of a large housing estate as a place to grow old as well as the effects of networking in a neighbourhood. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used, including spatial analyses, participant observation, structured interviews, group discussions and a questionnaire. The results show that elderly residents value the estate as a good place to live. The network definitely has a positive impact in terms of providing support in the residential setting and identifying structural deficits. Involving informal multipliers from the neighbourhood in the network’s operation represents a notable and hitherto insufficiently utilized potential.
Towards the convergence of digital TV systems
Authors: Soares Luiz Fernando Gomes , Moreno Marcelo Ferreira , de Resende Costa Romualdo Monteiro , Moreno Marcio Ferreira
Published: April 2010

To allow producing digital TV applications independently from receiver’s hardware and operating system, and also to provide better support to application designs, middleware layer is introduced in digital TV system architectures. At first, middleware systems were developed aiming at specific transport platforms (IPTV, terrestrial DTV, etc.), offering support to services specifically designed for those platforms. However, the next generation of digital TV pulls all TV services present in all current platforms together into a single core of distributed services, as a result of the transport platforms convergence. In this hybrid TV, transport systems shall be concealed by the middleware to applications, as other operating system and hardware resources are hidden.

This paper emphasizes the middleware natural role as key technology for this upcoming convergent digital TV, raising some requirements to be committed. NCL and Ginga-NCL features—technologies recommended by ITU-T for IPTV services, and ISDB standards for terrestrial DTV—are used as examples of some proposed solutions, as well as to illustrate some issues which deserve future research attention and new better results.
Neonatal arthritis disturbs sleep and behaviour of adult rat offspring and their dams
Authors: Roizenblatt Suely , Andersen Monica L. , Bignotto Magda , D'Almeida Vania , Martins Paulo J.F. , Tufik Sergio
Published: April 2010

This study aims to evaluate the impact of neonatal arthritis on adult pain threshold, sleep and general behaviours in rats and their lactating dams. Male pups were injected in the hind paw with complete Freund's adjuvant or saline on postnatal day (PN) 1. After weaning, dams were tested for anxiety, sleep recording or hormone profiling (ACTH, corticosterone and prolactin) and brain sampling (pineal melatonin and hippocampus serotonin). At adulthood (PN90), distinct subgroups of neonatal arthritic (AR) and control rats (CR) were also assessed for anxiety and pain thresholds, sleep recording, and blood/brain sampling. Compared to their respective controls at PN12, dams of arthritic rats (DAR) showed a longer latency in expressing pup retrieval and dam–pup interaction. DAR and AR showed a lower pain threshold, anxiety‐like behaviour, and sleep fragmentation. Compared to controls, DAR displayed longer sleep latency, reduced paradoxical sleep latency and sleep efficiency, a decrease in prolactin and serotonin levels and increased melatonin levels. This model of unilateral hindpaw inflammation has a wide range of long‐term effects in both lactating dams and their adult offspring.
Functional signaling of membrane‐bound TL1A induces IFN‐γ expression
Authors: Biener-Ramanujan Eva , Gonsky Rivkah , Ko Brian , Targan Stephan R.
Published: April 2010

TL1A, a TNF member implicated in autoimmune diseases, is a transmembrane protein that is processed to release soluble TL1A (TL1A‐S). TL1A‐S induces a Th1 response, although the functional significance of membrane‐bound TL1A (TL1A‐M) remains unknown. We generated TL1A‐M expression in HEK‐293 cells capable of binding DR3‐Fc. Co‐incubating IL‐12/IL‐18‐primed CD4+ T cells with HEK‐293 cells expressing TL1A‐M induced 3‐fold increase in IFN‐γ that was blocked by anti‐TL1A Ab. These results demonstrate that TL1A‐M can bind death domain receptor 3 (DR3) through cell–cell contact to induce downstream IFN‐γ secretion enhancement. Anti‐TL1A antibodies designed to treat immune diseases should be verified to block both endogenous TL1A forms.
Biochemical characterization of glutaredoxins from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Kinetics and specificity in deglutathionylation reactions
Authors: Gao Xing-Huang , Zaffagnini Mirko , Bedhomme Mariette , Michelet Laure , Cassier-Chauvat Corinne , Decottignies Paulette , Lemaire Stéphane D.
Published: April 2010

MINT‐7761098:GRX5 (uniprotkb:A8I7Q4) and GRX5 (uniprotkb:A8I7Q4) bind (MI:0408) by comigration in non denaturing gel electrophoresis (MI:0404)
Expression of leucine‐rich‐repeat‐kinase 2 (LRRK2) during embryonic development
Authors: Zechel Sabrina , Meinhardt Andreas , Unsicker Klaus , von Bohlen und Halbach Oliver
Published: April 2010

The LRRK2 gene was recently found to have multiple mutations that are causative for the most common inherited form of late onset Parkinson's disease. In the adult brain, LRRK2 mRNA is broadly expressed, also in regions other than the nigrostriatal system. In order to establish a basis for assessing more detailed functional implications of LRRK2 in development, we provide here an in‐depth analysis of its mRNA expression patterns in neural and extra‐neural tissues with a focus on murine embryonic development. LRRK2 mRNA is detectable at E8.5 in non‐neural and at E10.5 in neural tissues. From E12.5 to E16.5, LRRK2 mRNA is prominently expressed throughout the neocortex and subsequently highly concentrated in ventricular and subventricular zones and cortical plate. In addition, developing cerebellar granule and Purkinje neurons and spinal cord neurons display robust LRRK2 expression. In non‐neural tissues LRRK2 was highly expressed in limb interdigital zones, developing kidney glomeruli, and spermatogenetic cells. Together, our results suggest roles for LRRK2 in controlling proliferation, migration, and differentiation of neural cells as well as in morphogenesis of extra‐neural tissues.
Crafting Integrated Multichannel Retailing Strategies
Authors: Zhang Jie , Farris Paul W. , Irvin John W. , Kushwaha Tarun , Steenburgh Thomas J. , Weitz Barton A.
Published: April 2010

Multichannel retailing is the set of activities involved in selling merchandise or services to consumers through more than one channel. Multichannel retailers dominate today's retail landscape. While there are many benefits of operating multiple channels, these retailers also face many challenges. In this article, we discuss the key issues concerning multichannel retailing, including the motivations and constraints of going multichannel, the challenges of crafting multichannel retailing strategies and opportunities for creating synergies across channels, key retail mix decisions facing multichannel retailers, and the dynamics of multichannel retailing. We synthesize current knowledge drawn from the academic literature and industry practice, and discuss potential directions for future research.
Delinquent drug takers. A study of the social profile and drug taking habits of a sample of Borstal trainees
Authors: Ellis Mary
Published: April 2010

Feltham Borstal and its psychiatric and medical resources caters for a large percentage of drug abusers admitted to the Borstal system. This paper is concerned with findings derived from an assessment of a sample of 98 boys seen before the law was altered and the availability of hard drugs reduced, and a second sample of 87 boys who were assessed later.

Some of the statements made about the drug culture and its devotees are examined, some of the author's hypotheses are tested and an attempt to identify characteristics that would predict who might become an injecting adult has been made.

The study was made in preparation for a follow‐up, the results of which will appear in a later issue of the Journal.
The Scottish children's panels and their critics
Authors: Bruce Nigel
Published: April 2010

The children's panels in Scotland, which have been in operation since 1971, have progressively reduced the number of children under 16 who are prosecuted in Scottish courts to around 2000 a year. This article reviews the ancestry of the panels, their powers, their philosophy and their performance to date. It examines the criticisms of the panel system made by four distinct groups, who are here labelled “the right”, “the left”, “the criminologists” and “the reformers”. Taking a developmental view of juvenile justice, it argues that since children may outgrow the panel system at different chronological ages, legislation is needed to provide adolescents with a smoother, more logical and more democratic transfer from the panel to the court system.
Therapeutic uses of psychological testing of borderline adolescents
Authors: Maltas Carolynn Parmet
Published: April 2010

Sharing the results of psychological testing with hospitalized adolescent patients can be a productive way of facilitating the early stages of therapy and teaching the adolescents to think psychologically about themselves. The particular advantages of such an approach in working with a group of patients who are dealing with issues of identity formation while handicapped by serious ego defects are discussed. Complex decisions must be made around such issues as timing of a session between patient, therapist and psychologist, level and quantity of material to be presented and ways of relating it to the ongoing therapeutic work. A number of case summaries are given to illustrate the range of uses and some of the potential dangers.
The introduction of small group work to an adolescent unit
Authors: Steinberg Derek , Merry Jaqueline , Collins Suzanne
Published: April 2010

Some principles on which small group work with adolescents can be based are described, and an account is given of its introduction to a unit where the high number of transient staff in training could militate against the successful operation of group work. Problems presented by two important aspects of the unit's policies—emphasis on multidisciplinary work, and the wide range of diagnoses among the boys and girls admitted to the unit—are discussed. It is concluded that small group work can be introduced and maintained in such settings and that it enables staff to enahance their skills in working together and with adolescents.

Whilst we have as yet no positive research data proving its efficacy, our impression nevertheless is that patients benefit sufficiently to justify continuing with small group work. Attempts are planned to define the various aims of group work more closely and to devise means of assessing results.
Security—a dirty word?
Authors: Barlow Gerald
Published: April 2010

The need for secure provision for difficult and allegedly highly disturbed adolescents continues to be felt by both Social Services and Health Service institutions. The author who has worked in two Youth Treatment Centres, describes the setting up of these secure establishments by central government, and briefly examines different perceptions of their role —the views of agencies and individuals who use them, and of those who work in them. The Centres see “security” as having a therapeutic as well as a protective function. Control is a necessary part of adolescent development, but is particularly important as an ingredient of professional care for disturbed young people. Both the secure building and the controlled environment of Youth Treatment Centres are important parts of a programme which finally aims at the client's self control and independence. Security and control are often seen as a negative last resort, and decried as part of legitimate or necessary intervention in the care of adolescents. In fact control is often an essential accompaniment of care or treatment and professionals have to be prepared to offer adequate control if their caring or therapeutic efforts are to be effective.
Out‐patient treatment of severe school phobia
Authors: Framrose R.
Published: April 2010

Four case descriptions are offered to illustrate the principles of an outpatient management approach to severe school phobia, (i) Active therapeutic intervention is necessary to challenge the adolescent's omnipotent fantasies and help overcome his anxiety. (2) Concurrent family work is needed to capitalise on the powerful re‐structuring effect of this intervention. (3) Liaison with other agencies is often important in reinforcing the therapeutic confrontation. Details of an escorting procedure are described.

This active approach can promote major therapeutic change, even in severe and longstanding cases.
Excellent agreement between genetic and hydrogen breath tests for lactase deficiency and the role of extended symptom assessment
Authors: Pohl D. , Savarino E. , Hersberger M. , Behlis Z. , Stutz B. , Goetze O. , Eckardstein A. v. , Fried M. , Tutuian R.
Published: April 2010

Clinical manifestations of lactase (LCT) deficiency include intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms. Lactose hydrogen breath test (H2-BT) is considered the gold standard to evaluate LCT deficiency (LD). Recently, the single-nucleotide polymorphism C/T− 13 910has been associated with LD. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the agreement between genetic testing of LCT C/T− 13 910and lactose H2-BT, and the diagnostic value of extended symptom assessment. Of the 201 patients included in the study, 194 (139 females; mean age 38, range 17–79 years, and 55 males, mean age 38, range 18–68 years) patients with clinical suspicion of LD underwent a 3–4 h H2-BT and genetic testing for LCT C/T− 13 910. Patients rated five intestinal and four extra-intestinal symptoms during the H2-BT and then at home for the following 48 h. Declaring H2-BT as the gold standard, the CC− 13 910genotype had a sensitivity of 97 % and a specificity of 95 % with a κ of 0·9 in diagnosing LCT deficiency. Patients with LD had more intense intestinal symptoms 4 h following the lactose challenge included in the H2-BT. We found no difference in the intensity of extra-intestinal symptoms between patients with and without LD. Symptom assessment yielded differences for intestinal symptoms abdominal pain, bloating, borborygmi and diarrhoea between 120 min and 4 h after oral lactose challenge. Extra-intestinal symptoms (dizziness, headache and myalgia) and extension of symptom assessment up to 48 h did not consistently show different results. In conclusion, genetic testing has an excellent agreement with the standard lactose H2-BT, and it may replace breath testing for the diagnosis of LD. Extended symptom scores and assessment of extra-intestinal symptoms have limited diagnostic value in the evaluation of LD.