bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical pattern and associations of oxaliplatin acute neurotoxicity
Authors: Argyriou Andreas A. , Cavaletti Guido , Briani Chiara , Velasco Roser , Bruna Jordi , Campagnolo Marta , Alberti Paola , Bergamo Francesca , Cortinovis Diego , Cazzaniga Marina , Santos Cristina , Papadimitriou Konstantinos , Kalofonos Haralabos P.
Published: July 2012

BACKGROUND:

The objective of the current prospective, multicenter, international study was to trace the incidence and severity of acute oxaliplatin‐induced peripheral neuropathy (OXLIPN) and to determine its clinical pattern. The authors also specifically tested whether patients who had more symptoms of acute OXLIPN eventually would develop a more severe chronic, cumulative form of OXLIPN.

METHODS:

One hundred seventy patients (mean ± standard deviation age, 63.7 ± 8.7 years) who were scheduled to receive either combined leucovorin, 5‐fluoruracil, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or combined capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) for metastatic colorectal cancer were monitored prospectively at baseline and were followed in 4 European sites. The incidence of hyperexcitability symptoms secondary to acute OXLIPN was assessed by using a descriptive questionnaire (yes/no question) at each clinical evaluation. Motor and neurosensory criteria according to version 3 of the National Cancer Institute's Common Toxicity Criteria were applied to clinically grade the severity of OXLIPN.

RESULTS:

Acute OXLIPN was present in 146 of 170 patients (85.9%). The vast majority of these patients manifested cold‐induced perioral (95.2%) or pharyngolaryngeal (91.8%) dysesthesias. Severe acute OXLIPN that required prolongation of oxaliplatin infusion from 2 hours to 4 to 6 hours occurred in 32 of 146 patients (21.9%). The increased number of acute OXLIPN symptoms was correlated significantly (Spearman rho correlation coefficient [r]) with both the development (r = 0.602; P < .001) and the degree of the chronic, cumulative form (r = 0.702; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

The current results indicated that the vast majority of patients with colorectal cancer who receive oxaliplatin‐based chemotherapy will manifest symptoms of a transient acute syndrome soon after oxaliplatin administration. Patients who have a more complex combination of acute phenomena related to axonal hyperexcitability are those who eventually develop more severe OXLIPN. Therefore, it may be advisable to test agents against acute OXLIPN to verify their effects on the chronic form. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Potential pitfalls of needle tract effects on repeat thyroid fine‐needle aspiration
Authors: Recavarren Rosemary A. , Houser Patricia M. , Yang Jack
Published: July 2012

BACKGROUND:

Fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) is a screening and diagnostic tool used in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. Its use has resulted in an increase in the ratio of malignant versus benign thyroid nodules undergoing surgical excision. However, the FNA procedure produces some histological and cytologic alterations, which may lead to misinterpretation on repeat FNA. The goal of the current study was to characterize FNA‐induced morphological alterations and their potential influence on interpretations in repeat FNA specimens.

METHOD:

Thyroidectomy specimens that had benign histological diagnoses and for which previous FNA specimens were available were retrieved. The FNA‐induced histological alterations were evaluated and grouped based on the interval between the FNA procedure and surgical excision. Repeat thyroid FNA specimens with a cytologic diagnosis of “atypical cells/follicular lesion” were reviewed. Worrisome cytologic features that might occur after the previous FNA procedure were discussed.

RESULTS:

Needle tracts were identified in 68 of the 96 thyroidectomy specimens studied. FNA‐induced histological alterations included hemorrhage, granulation, exuberant fibroblastic reaction, reactive follicular cells, infarction, and scarring. The presence of plump endothelial cells, myofibroblasts, and, particularly, reactive follicular cells with nuclear grooving and nuclear clearing are potential pitfalls in repeat FNA and these changes are reported to peak within 20 to 40 days after the FNA procedure. Sixteen of 152 repeat FNA cases were diagnosed as atypical cells/follicular lesion, and FNA‐induced changes might have contributed to the diagnosis in 2 of these 16 cases.

CONCLUSIONS:

Cytologists should be aware of atypical cellular changes caused by previous FNA procedures. Although uncommon, these changes may become potential pitfalls in the cytologic diagnosis of repeat thyroid FNA specimens. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Queuing analyses and statistically bounded delay control for two‐hop green wireless relay transmissions
Authors: Du Qinghe , Zhang Chao
Published: July 2012

Although the wireless relay transmission has been recognized as one of the effective approaches in extending the coverage area and improving the network capacity, the delay control over the two‐hop wireless channels toward end users’ QoS satisfaction is still challenging in green wireless network designs. In this paper, we propose the QoS‐driven delay control schemes over two‐hop wireless relay links to statistically upper bound the total queuing delay for the decode‐and‐forward relay transmissions. Specifically, we first conduct asymptotic queuing‐delay analyses for the relay transmissions. Then, we show that an efficient approach for statistical delay guarantees is to make the exponentially decaying speed of the complementary cumulative distribution functions of the queueing delay at both hops identical. We further derive that this target needs to be attained through asymmetric resource allocations over the two hops. Motivated by this fact, we formulate two optimization problems aiming at satisfying the specified delay‐bound violation probability for the relay transmission, while minimizing the power consumption toward green wireless networking. One framework is for the frequency‐division duplex relay mode and the other is for time‐division duplex relay mode. In the frequency‐division duplex relay mode, the source and relay nodes use a different transmit power. For the time‐division duplex relay mode, the source and relay nodes use time‐slots with different length but with the same instantaneous power. We solve for the optimal solutions for both of the aforementioned frameworks. Also conducted is a set of simulation results to show the impact of the QoS requirements, traffic load, and position of the relay node on the resource allocation over wireless relay links. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Runtime failure rate targeting for energy‐efficient reliability in chip microprocessors
Authors: Miller Timothy , Surapaneni Nagarjuna , Teodorescu Radu
Published: July 2012

Technology scaling is having an increasingly detrimental effect on microprocessor reliability, with increased variability and higher susceptibility to errors. At the same time, as integration of chip multiprocessors increases, power consumption is becoming a significant bottleneck. To ensure continued performance, growth of microprocessors requires development of powerful and energy‐efficient solutions to reliability challenges. This paper presents a reliable multicore architecture that provides targeted error protection by adapting to the characteristics of individual cores and workloads, with the goal of providing reliability with minimum energy. The user can specify an acceptable reliability target for each chip, core, or application. The system then adjusts a range of parameters, including replication and supply voltage, to meet that reliability goal. In this multicore architecture, each core consists of a pair of pipelines that can run independently (running separate threads) or in concert (running the same thread and verifying results). Redundancy is enabled selectively, at functional unit granularity. The architecture also employs timing speculation for mitigation of variation‐induced timing errors and to reduce the power overhead of error protection. On‐line control based on machine learning dynamically adjusts multiple parameters to minimize energy consumption. Evaluation shows that dynamic adaptation of voltage and redundancy can reduce the energy delay product of a chip multiprocessor by 30 − 60% compared with static dual modular redundancy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automatic neutrophil nucleus lobe counting based on graph representation of region skeleton
Authors: Qiao Guohui , Zong Guanghua , Sun Minglei , Wang Jianzhong
Published: July 2012

Abnormal neutrophil nucleus lobation (like left shift and right shift) helps to diagnose for some clinical conditions. Currently, quantification of it depends on the manual microscopic inspection of blood smears by clinicians. The quality of the manual inspection is extremely limited by the efficiency of clinicians and their medical background. This article proposed an automatic lobe counting method based on the graph representation of the nucleus region skeletons. Skeletons of the segmented nucleus regions are computed by augmented Fast Marching Method and transformed into plane graphs. Then the nucleus lobes are split based on the extracted graph properties including width distribution along the skeleton and graph structure decomposition. Experiments show that the proposed method could efficiently approaches the real lobe numbers in blood smears and reliably distinguish the stabs from the segmented neutrophils, thus it should be helpful in automatic neutrophil lobe number quantification and abnormal lobation diagnosis. © 2012 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Maternal care associates with play dominance rank among adult female rats
Authors: Parent Carine I. , Del Corpo Adina , Cameron Nicole M. , Meaney Michael J.
Published: July 2012

Variations in maternal care influence important life history traits that determine reproductive fitness. The adult female offspring of mothers that show reduced levels of pup licking/grooming (LG; i.e., low‐LG mothers) show increased defensive responses to stress, accelerated pubertal development, and greater sexual receptivity than the female offspring of high‐LG mothers. Amongst several species an accelerated pattern of reproductive development is associated with increased dominance‐related behaviors and higher social rank. We hypothesize that rats from low‐LG dams may thus also secure higher social rank as a means to compete for limited resources with conspecifics. In this study, social interactions were observed in triads of adult female rats aged p90 that received low, mid, and high levels of pup LG over the first week of life. Low‐ and mid‐LG females had the highest pinning scores and high‐LG rats the lowest, showing that low‐ and mid‐LG adult females engage in greater play dominance‐related behavior. Likewise, low‐ and mid‐LG rats spent significantly more time drinking following 24 hr of water deprivation in a water competition test thus allowing them to secure a limited resource more easily than high‐LG rats. Interestingly, pinning by play dominant females was increased when subordinates were sexually receptive (proestrus/estrus), suggestive of a process of reproductive suppression. Some evidence suggests that low‐LG and mid‐LG rats also show greater fecundity than high‐LG rats. Variations in maternal care may thus have a long‐term influence on the development of play dominance and possibly social rank in the female rat, which might contribute to reproductive success within a competitive environment.© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 745–756, 2013.
The interrelationship of hydrology and biology in a Tennessee stream, USA
Authors: Elkin Kimberly , Lanier Susan , Rebecca Monette
Published: July 2012

Fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), macroinvertebrate North Carolina Biotic Integrity Index (NCBI) data, and Tennessee Macroinvertebrate Index (TMI) data were collected in 2009 and 2010 along with the hydrology to determine if a golf course water withdrawal was degrading the stream's aquatic life. Campostoma anomalum dominated the stream, and there were low numbers of Ephemeroptera–Plecoptera–Trichoptera (EPT) taxa. Richland Creek is a 28‐square‐mile watershed located in a highly urbanized area. The golf course withdraws a daily average of 400 000 (1514 cubic metre) gallons of water over a 60 to 155 day period. McCabe Golf Course withdraws >10% of the flow in the low‐flow months of June through October. Fish IBI scores were poor throughout Richland Creek with the upstream IBI being higher than downstream of the withdrawal. TMI scores were moderately impaired upstream and downstream of the golf course withdrawal, with the TMI being marginally better upstream of the withdrawal than downstream. The natural flow regime (Annear et al., 2004) is not maintained in Richland Creek because of the urban nature of the stream and the increased stormwater runoff into the stream. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's instream flow policy statement states that flow should not be <20% above the September median flow, which is 12 cfs (0·39 cms). The hydrology of the stream is altered by one major water withdrawal with its associated low‐head dam as well as urbanization, which affects the fish and macroinvertebrate diversity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Ethynyl and 2‐Thienyl Substituents on the Complexation of 4′‐Substituted 2,2′:6′,2″‐Terpyridines with Zn2+ and Fe2+ Ions, and the Spectroscopic Properties of the Ligands and Formed Complex Species
Authors: Vitvarová Tereza , Zedník Jiří , Bláha Michal , Vohlídal Jiří , Svoboda Jan
Published: July 2012

The complexation of terpyridine (tpy) and its 4′‐ethynyl (E) and 4′‐(2‐thienyl) (T) derivatives, as promising chelate end groups for oligomeric components of conjugated metallosupramolecular polymers, with Zn2+ and Fe2+ ions as ion couplers was investigated in acetonitrile using NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The binding of these ligands with Zn2+ ions shows two distinct steps with comparable binding constants in the range of 106 dm3 mol–1, whereas their binding with Fe2+ ions shows a strong tendency to form [FeL2]2+ species, which almost do not dissociate to monoligand species [FeL]2+ even at a twofold excess of Fe2+ ions. The ligand exchange dynamics between [ZnL2]2+ species in solution was studied by NMR spectroscopy and the related parameters were determined. UV/Vis spectra taken during complexation show an apparent isosbestic point at 310 ± 10 nm, and those of the systems with Fe2+ ions also show a metal‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer band at 550–580 nm. 4′‐Substituents strongly enhance the luminescence of tpy (ca. 400 times). Additional enhancement is provided by binding the ligands to Zn2+ ions, whereas their binding to Fe2+ ions quenches the fluorescence.
Chromate‐Mediated One‐Step Quantitative Transformation of PW12 into P2W20 Polyoxometalates
Authors: Bajpe Sneha R. , Breynaert Eric , Robeyns Koen , Houthoofd Kristof , Absillis Gregory , Mustafa Danilo , Parac‐Vogt Tatjana N. , Maes Andre , Martens Johan A. , Kirschhock Christine E. A.
Published: July 2012

The addition of H3PW12O40 to an aqueous solution of K2CrO4 led to the hydrolysis of [PW12O40]3– with its quantitative conversion into K13[KP2W20O72]. K13[KP2W20O72] in these chromate‐containing solutions was characterized by 183W and 31P NMR, EXAFS, SAXS, and EPR spectroscopy.
Behavior of Glassy Carbon Paste Electrode in Flowing Methanolic Solutions
Authors: Dejmkova Hana , Zima Jiri , Barek Jiri , Mika Jan
Published: July 2012

Carbon paste electrodes are often used for electrochemical determinations, but their application in media with high content of organic solvents, particularly in HPLC, is limited by their low stability. The work presented here examines the effect of a moving methanol‐containing solution on a glassy carbon paste electrode by studying its electrochemical behavior in relation to the period of contact and methanol content in the solution. In combination with microscopic observation of the paste surface it can be concluded that the electrode is affected by the methanolic solution and the surface roughness increases, resulting in the stable state compatible with measurements in highly methanolic solutions.
Ion Transfer Voltammetry Associated with Two Polarizable Interfaces Within Water and Moderately Hydrophobic Ionic Liquid Systems
Authors: Gan Shiyu , Zhou Min , Zhang Jingdong , Zhong Lijie , Ulstrup Jens , Niu Li
Published: July 2012

An electrochemical system composed of two polarizable interfaces (the metallic electrode|water and water|ionic liquid interfaces), namely two‐polarized‐interface (TPI) technique, has been proposed to explore the ion transfer processes between water and moderately hydrophobic ionic liquids (W|mIL), typically 1‐octyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (C8mimC1C1N) and 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (C6mimC1C1N). Within the classic four‐electrode system, it is not likely that the ion transfer information at the W|mIL interface can be obtained due to an extremely narrow polarized potential window (ppw) caused by these moderately hydrophobic ionic components. In this article, we show that TPI technique has virtually eliminated the ppw limitation based on a controlling step of concentration polarization at the electrode|water interface. With the aid of this technique, the formal ion transfer potential differences between C1C1N− and Cnmim+ (n=6, 8) were accurately determined for 356 mV and 420 mV at a corresponding interface (W|C6mimC1C1N and W|C8mimC1C1N). Besides, this technique is used to monitor electrochemical polarization at the two W|mIL systems, which exhibits an adaptable polarizability (i.e., a conversion from a nonpolarized interface to a polarized interface). Some of the typical anion transfers at the W|C8mimC1C1N interface have also been investigated, as they are particularly important for ion extraction. The experimental results indicate that this facile TPI technique offers a general avenue to explore ion transfer in multifarious biphasic systems.
SECM Studies on the Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Glycerol at Copper Electrodes in Alkaline Medium
Authors: Dantas L. M. F. , De Souza A. P. R. , Castro P. S. , Paixão T. R. L. C. , Bertotti M.
Published: July 2012

This study aims at analyzing the reaction mechanism of the electrooxidation of glycerol at copper surfaces in NaOH solutions using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) in the substrate generation/tip collection (SG/TC) mode. Experiments showed the dependence of the current at the tip on the distance between generator and tip, as well as on the concentration of the NaOH solution. The current at the tip decreased significantly after addition of glycerol, as a result of the competition between diffusion of the free‐soluble Cu(III) species and its consumption during the diffusion in the solution. The determination of the analyte in a castor biodiesel sample employing a single copper microelectrode was carried out.
Chitosan‐Based Hydrothermal Nanocarbon: Core‐Shell Characteristics and Composite Electrodes
Authors: Xia Fengjie , Pan Mu , Mu Shichun , Jones Matthew D. , Wolverson Daniel , Marken Frank
Published: July 2012

Low cost sustainable hydrothermal nanocarbon from chitosan is investigated for anion binding and electrochemical sensing. Raman analysis suggests amorphous carbon core components but film electrodes show insulator characteristics due to incomplete “core‐shell carbonisation”. Anion adsorption capability is exploited in a composite with negatively charged carbon nanoparticles. The accessible positive surface charge is estimated as 14, 70, 20 C g−1 for hydrothermal nanocarbon obtained at 180 °C, 200 °C, 230 °C, respectively (Langmuirian binding constant ca. 105 mol−1 dm3), which suggests that up to 15 % of nitrogen can be present in the form of accessible surface or shell ammonium functionalities.
Determination of Iron: Electrochemical Methods
Authors: Lu Min , Rees Neil V. , Kabakaev Alex S. , Compton Richard G.
Published: July 2012

Iron is an abundant element in the environment which plays an important role in environmental and biological systems. In particular, its essential function in photosynthesis has been seen as a limiting factor for phytoplanktons in ocean waters. Thus, sensitive speciation and determination of iron is of major interest, and many techniques have been established for analytical purposes. Electrochemical methods have been commonly explored due to their inexpensive, simple and rapid nature, with adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) being widely used due to its ability to complex and preconcentrate iron ions for ultrasensitive detection. This paper aims to present a review of recent determinations of trace iron using electrochemical methods.
An integral approach to bedrock river profile analysis
Authors: Perron J. Taylor , Royden Leigh
Published: July 2012

Bedrock river profiles are often interpreted with the aid of slope–area analysis, but noisy topographic data make such interpretations challenging. We present an alternative approach based on an integration of the steady‐state form of the stream power equation. The main component of this approach is a transformation of the horizontal coordinate that converts a steady‐state river profile into a straight line with a slope that is simply related to the ratio of the uplift rate to the erodibility. The transformed profiles, called chi plots, have other useful properties, including co‐linearity of steady‐state tributaries with their main stem and the ease of identifying transient erosional signals. We illustrate these applications with analyses of river profiles extracted from digital topographic datasets. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Morphological changes on meander point bars associated with flow structure at different discharges
Authors: Kasvi Elina , Vaaja Matti , Alho Petteri , Hyyppä Hannu , Hyyppä Juha , Kaartinen Harri , Kukko Antero
Published: July 2012

This study investigates the impact of flow structure of different discharges on meander point bar morphology. We carried out mobile and terrestrial laser scanning campaigns before and after a flood on two sandy‐bed point bars. Between the scans, the flow structure was examined using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler at three flow stages. The results indicated that a meander point bar both affects and in turn, is itself modified by the flow at different discharges. The lower flow stages also have a significant effect on point bar morphology, especially on deposition over the bar head. Secondary circulation is responsible for scroll bar formation on the point bar margin beyond the apex. Flow separation at the inner bank, by contrast, does not require secondary circulation, but is dependent on flow depth over the point bar. A sudden increase in depth beyond the point bar top causes decreased stream power over the bar tail. The flow separation and decreased stream power cause a slow flow zone and net deposition over point bar tail. The backwater effect, if evident, may strengthen the process. Thus, filling over the bar tail seems generic for point bars and independent on secondary flow. Chutes and chute bars, scroll bars, bar head filling and bar platform filling, by contrast, require special fluvio‐morphological circumstances discussed in this paper. Whilst this paper confirms that the three‐dimensional flow structure has a major effect on point bar morphology, the flow structure seems to depend on how the point bar affects the flow trajectory which, in turn, depends upon the flow stage. Finally, the shape of the bend and the grain size distribution control the impacts of the flow structure, leading to divergent morphologies of point bars with certain generic features. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dry–wet cycles increase pesticide residue release from soil
Authors: Jablonowski Nicolai David , Linden Andreas , Köppchen Stephan , Thiele Björn , Hofmann Diana , Burauel Peter
Published: July 2012

Soil drying and rewetting may alter the release and availability of aged pesticide residues in soils. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of soil drying and wetting on the release of pesticide residues. Soil containing environmentally long-term aged (9–17 years) 14C-labeled residues of the herbicides ethidimuron (ETD) and methabenzthiazuron (MBT) and the fungicide anilazine (ANI) showed a significantly higher release of 14C activity in water extracts of previously dried soil compared to constantly moistened soil throughout all samples (ETD: p < 0.1, MBT and ANI: p < 0.01). The extracted 14C activity accounted for 44% (ETD), 15% (MBT), and 20% (ANI) of total residual 14C activity in the samples after 20 successive dry–wet cycles, in contrast to 15% (ETD), 5% (MBT), and 6% (ANI) in extracts of constantly moistened soils. In the dry–wet soils, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content correlated with the measured 14C activity in the aqueous liquids and indicated a potential association of DOC with the pesticide molecules. Liquid chromatography MS/MS analyses of the water extracts of dry–wet soils revealed ETD and MBT in detectable amounts, accounting for 1.83 and 0.01%, respectively, of total applied water-extractable parent compound per soil layer. These findings demonstrate a potential remobilization of environmentally aged pesticide residue fractions from soils due to abiotic stresses such as wet–dry cycles. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 1941–1947. © 2012 SETAC
Multimetal accumulation in crustaceans in surface water related to body size and water chemistry
Authors: Verschoor Anja J. , Hendriks A. Jan , Vink Jos P.M. , de Snoo Geert R. , Vijver Martina G.
Published: July 2012

Many relationships of bioaccumulation of metals have been derived in the past, but verification in the field is often lacking. In the present study, the authors collected field data on bioaccumulation in caged Daphnia magna and Gammarus roeseli in 12 different contaminated brooks. Besides generating a comprehensive data set on bioaccumulation for these species, the authors also checked whether the bioavailability at the biotic ligand is useful to explain differences in observed bioaccumulation. Increasing bioaccumulation of Mn, Cd, Co, and Ni was observed, which leveled off at higher concentrations. Whole-body concentrations of Ca, Na, Mg, K, Fe, Cu, Se, and Zn were independent of exposure concentrations. Univariate and multivariate regressions were performed to examine the relationships between accumulated metals and dissolved metal concentrations (Cw), fractional occupancy of the biotic ligand (fBL), species weight, and other undefined species traits. Significant relations between body weight and bioaccumulation were found for Na, Fe, Mn, Cd, Co, and Zn; smaller organisms accumulated larger amounts of these elements. Reduced body weight was accompanied by elevated concentrations of Co, Cu, and Fe in D. magna and elevated concentrations of Mn in G. roeseli, indicating toxicity. Although significant relations were found between bioaccumulation and fBL for Mn and Co, Cw was a better predictor of bioaccumulation. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2269–2280. © 2012 SETAC
Research misconduct: how bad is it and what can be done?
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: July 2012

We make two important assumptions when appraising the evidence behind an intervention: that the data are genuine and that they represent the total body of relevant knowledge. Doubts have been growing about both. Research misconduct and selective reporting of clinical trials are undermining confidence in scientific data, and the response of the research establishment has been mixed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New Minor Spirostane Glycosides from Ypsilandra thibetica
Authors: Zhang Xu‐Dong , Chen Chang‐Xiang , Yang Jun‐Yun , Ni Wei , Liu Hai‐Yang
Published: July 2012

A further phytochemical investigation on the whole plants of Ypsilandra thibetica yielded three new spirostane glycosides, named ypsilandrosides M–O (1–3). Their structures were established as (3β,11α,25R)‐3,11‐dihydroxyspirost‐5‐en‐12‐one 3‐{O‐α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside} (1), (3β,7β,25R)‐spirost‐5‐ene‐3,7‐diol 3‐{O‐α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside} (2), and (3β,7α,25R)‐spirost‐5‐ene‐3,7,17‐triol 3‐{O‐α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐O‐[α‐L‐rhanmopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside} (3) by means of a combination of MS, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic methods, and chemical degradation. Among them, compound 3 is the first pennogenin (=(3β,25R)‐spirost‐5‐ene‐3,17‐diol) saponin whose aglycone contains an OH group at C(7). Compounds 1–3 were evaluated for the inhibition of the growth of five tumor cell lines, but all of them proved to be inactive.
A Novel Catalyst‐Free One‐Pot Synthesis of Some New N‐(α‐Hydroxybenzyl)formamides by Treatment of 2,2‐Dichloroaziridines with Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Water under Neutral Conditions
Authors: Naeimi Hossein , Rabiei Khadijeh
Published: July 2012

A novel, mild, and efficient method is reported for the preparation of new N‐(α‐hydroxybenzyl)formamides in excellent yields and appropriate reaction times through the reaction of 2,2‐dichloroaziridines with aqueous DMSO as the O‐donor under neutral conditions at 70–85°.
Three New Pregnane Alkaloids from Veratrum taliense
Authors: Sun Yun , Chen Jin‐Xiong , Zhou Lin , Su Jia , Li Yan , Qiu Ming‐Hua
Published: July 2012

Three new alkaloids, 3‐O‐acetylveralkamine (1), veralkamine 3‐(β‐D‐glucopyranoside) (2), and 6,7‐epoxyverdine (3), together with five known alkaloids, veramitaline, veralkamine (4), angeloylzygadenine, veratroylzygadenine, and veramiline 3‐(β‐D‐glucopyranoside), were isolated from the whole plants of Veratrum taliense. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, and the NMR data of veralkamine (4) are given for the first time. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of all isolated compounds, except for veramitaline, were tested.
Two New Cerebrosides from the Aerial Parts of Tithonia diversifolia
Authors: Zhao Gui‐Jun , Xi Zhong‐Xin , Chen Wan‐Sheng , Li Xia , Wang Yan , Sun Lian‐Na
Published: July 2012

Two new cerebrosides, (2R)‐N‐{(1S,2S,3R,8E)‐1‐[(β‐D‐glucopyranosyloxy)methyl]‐2,3‐dihydroxyheptadec‐8‐en‐1‐yl}‐2‐hydroxyhexadecanamide (1) and (2R)‐N‐{(1S,2R,8E)‐1‐[(β‐D‐glucopyranosyloxy)methyl]‐2‐hydroxyheptadec‐8‐en‐1‐yl}‐2‐hydroxyhexadecanamide (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis (IR, HR‐ESI‐MS, and 1D‐, and 2D‐NMR).
Synthesis and Antimalarial‐Activity Evaluation of TetraoxaneTriazine Hybrids and Spiro[piperidine‐4,3′‐tetraoxanes]
Authors: Kumar Nitin , Khan Shabana I. , Rawat Diwan S.
Published: July 2012

A series of tetraoxanetriazine hybrids and spiro[piperidine‐4,3′‐tetraoxanes] have been synthesized, and all the compounds were screened for in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine‐sensitive (D6) and chloroquine‐resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Most of the spiro[piperidine‐4,3′‐tetraoxanes] exhibited moderate to good antimalarial activities, and two compounds have shown good antimalarial activity with IC50 values in the range of 0.30 to 0.70 μM against both the strains with high selectivity index and no cytotoxicity towards mammalian kidney cell line.
Reduced expression of FASN through SREBP‐1 down‐regulation is responsible for hypoxic cell death in HepG2 cells
Authors: Jung Seung‐Youn , Jeon Hye‐Kyung , Choi Jae‐Sun , Kim Yung‐Jin
Published: July 2012

Cells under hypoxic stress either activate an adaptive response or undergo cell death. Although some mechanisms have been reported, the exact mechanism behind hypoxic cell death remains unclear. Recently, increased expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) has been observed in various human cancers. In highly proliferating cells, tumor‐associated FASN is considered necessary for both membrane lipids production and post‐translational protein modification, but the exact mechanisms are not fully understood. Further, FASN overexpression is associated with aggressive and malignant cancer diseases and FASN inhibition induces apoptosis in cancer cells. For this reason, FASN is emerging as a key target for the potential diagnosis and treatment of various cancers. Here, we observed decreased FASN expression under hypoxic cell death conditions in HepG2 cells. Thus, we examined the effect of decreased FASN expression on hypoxia‐induced cell death in HepG2 cells and also investigated the mechanism responsible for reduction of FASN expression under hypoxic cell death conditions. As a result, reduction of FASN expression resulted in hypoxic cell death via malonyl‐CoA accumulation. In addition, SREBP‐1 restored FASN reduction and hypoxia‐induced apoptosis. Taken together, we suggest that hypoxic cell death is promoted by the reduced expression of FASN through SREBP‐1 down‐regulation. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 3730–3739, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
H. pylori induces the expression of Hath1 in gastric epithelial cells via interleukin‐8/STAT3 phosphorylation while suppressing Hes1
Authors: Zhang Xin , Yang Yongtao , Zhu Rong , Bai Jianying , Tian Yin , Li Xiaohuan , Peng Zhihong , He Yonghong , Chen Lei , Fang Dianchun , Chen Wensheng , Zou Quanming , Mao Xuhu , Wang Rongquan
Published: July 2012

Chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori is a leading cause of gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM), which arises from abnormal cell differentiation of the epithelium in the gastric mucosa. However, the mechanisms involved in H. pylori‐mediated IM remain elusive. The aim of our study was to explore the effects and the underlying mechanisms of H. pylori on the abnormal expression of Hath1 and Sox2 and to reveal its relationship to the development of gastric IM. We found that Hath1 and Sox2 were overexpressed in gastric IM tissue. Hath1 expression was up‐regulated, whereas Sox2 expression, which was independent of the CagA virulence factor, was down‐regulated in gastric epithelial cells and coincided with increased IL‐6 and IL‐8 levels in the culture media. Stimulation with H. pylori‐related cytokine IL‐8, but not IL‐6 or IL‐1β, was induced by Hath1 expression in the gastric epithelial cells. Although IL‐8 and IL‐6 levels correlated with STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription) phosphorylation before and after H. pylori eradication in the gastric mucosa, only the blocking of IL‐8‐induced STAT3 activation using AG490 or STAT3‐targeting RNA interference altered Hath1 expression. Additionally, we found that H. pylori down‐regulated Hes1, which is a direct downstream target gene of Notch signaling and a repressor of Hath1 expression. These findings suggest that H. pylori induced inflammation up‐regulate Hath1 expression via interleukin‐8/STAT3 (IL‐8) phosphorylation while suppressing Hes1, which provides a novel molecular connection between a H. pylori infection and intestinal metaplasia. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 3740–3751, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Raman tensor analysis of (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3–LiSbO3 lead‐free ceramics and its application to study grain/domain orientation
Authors: Zhu Wenliang , Zhu Jiliang , Wang Mingsong , Zhu Bo , Zhu Xiaohong , Pezzotti Giuseppe
Published: July 2012

A quantitative polarized Raman analysis of ferroelectric grain/domain orientation in LiSbO3 (LS‐modified) (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN) ceramics is presented, based on the analysis of the complex orientation dependence in space of their Raman‐active modes. Complete sets of Raman tensor elements of Ag, and Eg phonon modes for orthorhombic/tetragonal structures of KNN have been determined. Through this spectroscopic algorithm, quantitative information could be extracted in terms of three Euler angles in space for KNN samples consisting of mixed phases, thus enabling quantitative visualization of the local distribution of grains/domains in the solid angle. As an application of the method, we quantitatively examined the unknown crystallographic grain orientation patterns on the surfaces of pure KNN and of KNN‐0.05LS ceramics. These two samples were useful to clarify a polymorphic phase transition from the orthorhombic to the tetragonal phase taking place in the LS‐modified KNN system. Thus, we demonstrated that polarized Raman spectroscopy is a valuable and efficient tool for nondestructive three‐dimensional assessments of grain/domain orientation in ferroelectric materials with complex polymorphic structures. We believe that the data shown here represent a typical scenario encountered in grain/domain orientation assessments of piezoelectric perovskites. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Heslington brain: a challenge for analytical Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Edwards Howell G. M. , Ali Esam M. A. , O'Connor Sonia
Published: July 2012

The survival of brain tissue in archaeological depositional environments is a very unusual occurrence that has generated much discussion and conjecture forensically. Here, we report the Raman spectroscopic analysis of biomaterial found in the cranial cavity of a decapitated skull dating from the Iron Age, some 2500 years ago, from which the presence of degraded protein consistent with it being naturally preserved brain is concluded. The novel observation of characteristic Raman spectroscopic signatures of biochemicals produced by cyanobacteria, namely carotenoids and scytonemin, both in the brain tissue and surrounding deposits from the cranium is consistent with the waterlogged depositional environment in which the human skeletal remains were found. The Raman spectral data are in support of biochemical, morphological and radiographic analyses of this biomaterial, which therefore can be described as brain that has been significantly reduced in volume inside the cranial cavity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cognitive and Behavioral Treatment Options for Insomnia
Authors: Ebben Matthew R. , Narizhnaya Mariya
Published: July 2012

Insomnia is a costly disorder that affects a significant number of people. In many cases, insomnia is comorbid with other illnesses, which complicates its diagnosis and treatment. Most often it is treated with medication; however, patients are not always safe using hypnotics, and medication does not attack the source of the disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapies are better for long‐term treatment because they address factors causing or perpetuating insomnia, as opposed to treatments that focus on symptoms. This article examines various nonpharmacological treatments for insomnia. In addition, because circadian rhythm disorders may exhibit symptoms similar to insomnia, there is also a brief overview of 2 common circadian rhythm disorders, delayed sleep phase syndrome and advanced sleep phase syndrome. Mt Sinai J Med 79:512–523, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Home‐Based Primary Care: A Needed Primary‐Care Model for Vulnerable Populations
Authors: DeCherrie Linda V. , Soriano Theresa , Hayashi Jennifer
Published: July 2012

Home‐based primary care has a long history in American medicine, and its prevalence is again increasing slowly in the United States in response to a changing demographic, societal, and health‐policy climate. There are many models of home‐based primary care, including private practice, academic, Veterans Affairs–associated, and concierge practices. There is a growing body of literature supporting the effectiveness of the medical house‐call model. New healthcare reform initiatives could further impact the number and size of home‐based primary‐care practices, including the Independence at Home and the Accountable Care Organization demonstration projects. Mt Sinai J Med 79:425–432, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Primary‐Care Physician Compensation
Authors: Olson Arik
Published: July 2012

This article reviews existing models of physician compensation and presents information about current compensation patterns for primary‐care physicians in the United States. Theories of work motivation are reviewed where they have relevance to the desired outcome of satisfied, productive physicians whose skills and expertise are retained in the workforce. Healthcare reforms that purport to bring accountability for healthcare quality and value—rather than simply volume—bring opportunities to redesign primary‐care physician compensation and may allow for new compensation methodologies that increase job satisfaction. Physicians are increasingly shunning the responsibility of private practice and choosing to work as employees of a larger organization, often a hospital. Employers of physicians are seeking compensation models that reward both productivity and value. Mt Sinai J Med 79:490–496, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Role of Institutional Climate in Fostering Diversity in Biomedical Research Workforce: A Case Study
Authors: Butts Gary C. , Hurd Yasmin , Palermo Ann‐Gel S. , Delbrune Denise , Saran Suman , Zony Chati , Krulwich Terry A.
Published: July 2012

This article reviews the barriers to diversity in biomedical research and describes the evolution of efforts to address climate issues to enhance the ability to attract, retain, and develop underrepresented minorities, whose underrepresentation is found both in science and medicine, in the graduate‐school biomedical research doctoral programs (PhD and MD/PhD) at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. We also describe the potential beneficial impact of having a climate that supports diversity and inclusion in the biomedical research workforce. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine diversity‐climate efforts are discussed as part of a comprehensive plan to increase diversity in all institutional programs: PhD, MD/PhD, and MD, and at the residency, postdoctoral fellow, and faculty levels. Lessons learned from 4 decades of targeted programs and activities at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine may be of value to other institutions interested in improving diversity in the biomedical science and academic medicine workforce. Mt Sinai J Med 79:498–511, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Delivering Psychiatric Services in Primary‐Care Setting
Authors: Cerimele Joseph M. , Katon Wayne J. , Sharma Vansh , Sederer Lloyd I.
Published: July 2012

Psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety disorders, are common in primary‐care settings, though often overlooked or untreated. Depression and anxiety disorders are associated with a poorer course for and complications from common chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease. Integrating psychiatric services into primary‐care settings can improve recognition and treatment of psychiatric disorders for large populations of patients. Numerous research studies demonstrate associations between improved recognition and treatment of psychiatric disorders and improved courses of psychiatric disorders, but also with improvements in other chronic diseases such as diabetes. The evidence bases supporting the use of 2 models of integrated care, colocation of psychiatric care and collaborative care, are reviewed. These models' uses in specific populations are also discussed. Mt Sinai J Med 79:481–489, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Primary Care Training and the Evolving Healthcare System
Authors: Peccoralo Lauren A. , Callahan Kathryn , Stark Rachel , DeCherrie Linda V.
Published: July 2012

With growing numbers of patient‐centered medical homes and accountable care organizations, and the potential implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the provision of primary care in the United States is expanding and changing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create more primary‐care physicians and to train physicians to practice in this environment. In this article, we review the impact that the changing US healthcare system has on trainees, strategies to recruit and retain medical students and residents into primary‐care internal medicine, and the preparation of trainees to work in the changing healthcare system. Recruitment methods for medical students include early preclinical exposure to patients in the primary‐care setting, enhanced longitudinal patient experiences in clinical clerkships, and primary‐care tracks. Recruitment methods for residents include enhanced ambulatory‐care training and primary‐care programs. Financial‐incentive programs such as loan forgiveness may encourage trainees to enter primary care. Retaining residents in primary‐care careers may be encouraged via focused postgraduate fellowships or continuing medical education to prepare primary‐care physicians as both teachers and practitioners in the changing environment. Finally, to prepare primary‐care trainees to effectively and efficiently practice within the changing system, educators should consider shifting ambulatory training to community‐based practices, encouraging resident participation in team‐based care, providing interprofessional educational experiences, and involving trainees in quality‐improvement initiatives. Medical educators in primary care must think innovatively and collaboratively to effectively recruit and train the future generation of primary‐care physicians. Mt Sinai J Med 79:451–463, 2012 © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Project Management Trilogy Challenges in Africa—Where to from Here?
Authors: Rwelamila P. D. , Purushottam Neha
Published: July 2012

While projects are now recognized as a means to achieve competitive advantage in Africa, project management still remains a Cinderella field. On average, 8 out of 10 project managers are accidental or have an inadequate project management (PM) knowledge base; PM training is falling short of some fundamental knowledge areas; and organizations which are supposed to be centered on programs and portfolios are, in practice, project-oriented organizations by default. These challenges are referred to in this paper as “PM trilogy challenges.” Results of five research projects are used in this paper to identify and discuss these issues. Finally, recommendations are made.
Possible existence of field‐induced Josephson junctions
Authors: Pomorski Krzysztof , Prokopow Przemyslaw
Published: July 2012

We demonstrate the possible existence of a new class of superconducting Josephson junctions (JJs) named field‐induced Josephson junctions (FIJJs). One representative is a junction made by placing a ferromagnetic strip on the top of a superconducting strip, which we study in this work. We obtain a possible transition between one regime of an FIJJ, which is the quasi‐tunneling weak link Josephson junction (similar in certain aspects to an S–F–S Josephson junction, but with different boundary conditions), and the second regime of an FIJJ, which is the weak link constriction (two superconductors connected by a narrow superconducting link) as a function of the thickness of the superconducting strip, magnitude of magnetization, and temperature. We use the generalized Ginzburg–Landau (GL) equations derived from the extended Hubbard model in order to determine some properties of the new class of Josephson junction. In this paper, we perform the computation for a first type of superconductor, although both types of superconductor can be used to create an FIJJ. Further directions of studies of the indicated class of Josephson junction are also described.