bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Weight Loss on LDL and HDL Kinetics in the Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Ng Theodore W.K. , Watts Gerald F. , Barrett P. Hugh R. , Rye Kerry-Anne , Chan Dick C.
Published: October 2007

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of weight loss on LDL and HDL kinetics and plasma retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) and adiponectin levels in men with the metabolic syndrome.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—LDL apolipoprotein (apo)B-100 and HDL apoA-I kinetics were studied in 35 obese men with the metabolic syndrome at the start and end of a 16-week intervention trial of a hypocaloric, low-fat diet (n = 20) versus a weight maintenance diet (n = 15) using a stable isotope technique and multicompartmental modeling.

RESULTS—Consumption of the low-fat diet produced significant reductions (P < 0.01) in BMI, abdominal fat compartments, and homeostasis model assessment score compared with weight maintenance. These were associated with a significant increase in adiponectin and a fall in plasma RBP-4, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and LDL apoB-100 concentration (P < 0.05). Weight loss significantly increased the catabolism of LDL apoB-100 (+27%, P < 0.05) but did not affect production; it also decreased both the catabolic (−13%) and production (−13%) rates of HDL apoA-I (P < 0.05), thereby not altering plasma HDL apoA-I or HDL cholesterol concentrations. VLDL apoB-100 production fell significantly with weight loss (P < 0.05). The increase in LDL catabolism was inversely correlated with the fall in RBP-4 (r = −0.54, P < 0.05) and the decrease in HDL catabolism with the rise in adiponectin (r = −0.56, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS—In obese men with metabolic syndrome, weight loss with a low-fat diet decreases the plasma LDL apoB-100 concentration by increasing the catabolism of LDL apoB-100; weight loss also delays the catabolism of HDL apoA-I with a concomitant reduction in the secretion of HDL apoA-I. These effects of weight loss could partly involve changes in RBP-4 and adiponectin levels.
Skeletal Muscle Deoxygenation After the Onset of Moderate Exercise Suggests Slowed Microvascular Blood Flow Kinetics in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Bauer Timothy A. , Reusch Jane E.B. , Levi Moshe , Regensteiner Judith G.
Published: October 2007

OBJECTIVE—People with type 2 diabetes have impaired exercise responses even in the absence of cardiovascular complications. One key factor associated with the exercise intolerance is abnormally slowed oxygen uptake (V̇o2) kinetics during submaximal exercise. The mechanisms of this delayed adaptation during exercise are unclear but probably relate to impairments in skeletal muscle blood flow. This study was conducted to compare skeletal muscle deoxygenation (deoxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin [HHb]) responses and estimated microvascular blood flow (Qm) kinetics in type 2 diabetic and healthy subjects after the onset of moderate exercise.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Pulmonary V̇o2 kinetics and [HHb] (using near-infrared spectroscopy) were measured in 11 type 2 diabetic and 11 healthy subjects during exercise transitions from unloaded to moderate cycling exercise. Qm responses were calculated using V̇o2 kinetics and [HHb] responses via rearrangement of the Fick principle.

RESULTS—V̇o2 kinetics were slowed in type 2 diabetic compared with control subjects (43.8 ± 9.6 vs. 34.2 ± 8.2 s, P < 0.05), and the initial [HHb] response after the onset of exercise exceeded the steady-state level of oxygen extraction in type 2 diabetic compared with control subjects. The mean response time of the estimated Qm increase was prolonged in type 2 diabetic compared with healthy subjects (47.7 ± 14.3 vs. 35.8 ± 10.7 s, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS—Type 2 diabetic skeletal muscle demonstrates a transient imbalance of muscle O2 delivery relative to O2 uptake after onset of exercise, suggesting a slowed Qm increase in type 2 diabetic muscle. Impaired vasodilatation due to vascular dysfunction in type 2 diabetes during exercise may contribute to this observation. Further study of the mechanisms leading to impaired muscle oxygen delivery may help explain the abnormal exercise responses in type 2 diabetes.
Cost-Effectiveness of Screening for Pre-Diabetes Among Overweight and Obese U.S. Adults
Authors: Hoerger Thomas J. , Hicks Katherine A. , Sorensen Stephen W. , Herman William H. , Ratner Robert E. , Ackermann Ronald T. , Zhang Ping , Engelgau Michael M.
Published: October 2007

OBJECTIVE—To estimate the cost-effectiveness of screening overweight and obese individuals for pre-diabetes and then modifying their lifestyle based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A Markov simulation model was used to estimate disease progression, costs, and quality of life. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated from a health care system perspective. We considered two screening/treatment strategies for pre-diabetes. Strategy 1 included screening overweight subjects and giving them the lifestyle intervention included in the DPP if they were diagnosed with both impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Strategy 2 included screening followed by lifestyle intervention for subjects diagnosed with either IGT or IFG or both. Each strategy was compared with a program of no screening.

RESULTS—Screening for pre-diabetes and treating those identified as having both IGT and IFG with the DPP lifestyle intervention had a cost-effectiveness ratio of $8,181 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) relative to no screening. If treatment was also provided to subjects with only IGT or only IFG (strategy 2), the cost-effectiveness ratio increased to $9,511 per QALY. Changes in screening-related parameters had small effects on the cost-effectiveness ratios; the results were more sensitive to changes in intervention-related parameters.

CONCLUSIONS—Screening for pre-diabetes in the overweight and obese U.S. population followed by the DPP lifestyle intervention has a relatively attractive cost-effectiveness ratio.
Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Subclinical Atherosclerosis
Authors: Bertoni Alain G. , Wong Nathan D. , Shea Steven , Ma Shuangge , Liu Kiang , Preethi Srikanthan , Jacobs David R. , Wu Colin , Saad Mohammed F. , Szklo Moyses
Published: October 2007

OBJECTIVE—To investigate the association of insulin resistance and clinically defined metabolic syndrome (MetS) with subclinical atherosclerosis and examine whether these relationships vary by race/ethnicity or sex.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by coronary artery calcium (CAC) and carotid intima-medial thickness (IMT) in 5,810 participants without diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a cohort of adults aged 45–84 years without prior cardiovascular disease (CVD). Fasting insulin and glucose were utilized to estimate insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and the revised National Cholesterol Education Program definition of MetS was utilized. Multivariable linear or relative risk regression was used to analyze the association between HOMA-IR and subclinical atherosclerosis and assess its independence from MetS components.

RESULTS—HOMA-IR was associated with increased IMT after adjustment for demographics (age, site, and education), smoking, education, and LDL cholesterol in each ethnic group, except Hispanic subjects, and in both men and women. After further adjusting for nonglucose MetS components, HOMA-IR was not associated with increased IMT. Subjects in the highest quintile of HOMA-IR had an elevated prevalence of CAC in each ethnic group and both sexes, after adjustment for demographics, smoking, and LDL but not after further adjustment for nonglucose MetS components. Among those with detectable CAC, there was no significant relationship between HOMA-IR and the amount of CAC.

CONCLUSIONS—Although HOMA-IR was associated with increased subclinical atherosclerosis, the association was not independent of the risk factors that comprise MetS. Determination of HOMA-IR is unlikely to contribute to improved determination of risk of subclinical CVD.
Cognitive Function and Army Rejection Rate in Young Adult Male Offspring of Women With Diabetes
Authors: Nielsen Gunnar Lauge , Dethlefsen Claus , Sørensen Henrik Toft , Pedersen Jan Fog , Molsted-Pedersen Lars
Published: October 2007

OBJECTIVE—While maternal diabetes is a known risk factor for perinatal complications, there is little data on long-term intellectual outcome in offspring. We compare the rejection rate and cognitive functioning of military conscripts according to maternal diabetes status during pregnancy.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We identified a cohort of Danish male offspring of diabetic mothers born between 1976 and 1984 and followed this cohort together with population-based control subjects to military conscription. The main outcome was army rejection rate and cognitive function measured with a validated intelligence test.

RESULTS—The army rejection rate was 52.5% among 282 men whose mothers had diabetes during pregnancy and 45.4% among 870 control subjects (risk difference 7.3 [95% CI 0.6–14.0]). Mean cognitive scores were 41.4 units (95% CI 40.2–42.6) in diabetes-exposed conscripts and 42.7 units (42.0–43.4) in control subjects. Stratification by gestational age, Apgar score, and White’s class (A–F) did not change the associations. In a subgroup analysis using available data on A1C levels during pregnancy, this variable was inversely associated with cognitive functioning. In men with maternal A1C <7%, cognitive scores were identical to those in control subjects.

CONCLUSIONS—The slightly higher army rejection rate in men with maternal diabetes indicates higher morbidity. The identical cognitive functioning in cases of well-controlled maternal diabetes compared with that in control subjects is reassuring, but the negative association between A1C and cognitive score highlights the importance of striving for optimal metabolic control in diabetic women who are or plan to become pregnant.
Optical Sensor Based on Nanomaterial for the Selective Detection of Toxic Metal Ions
Authors: Lee S. J. , Lee J.‐E. , Seo J. , Jeong I. Y. , Lee S. S. , Jung J. H.
Published: October 2007

A heterogeneous “naked‐eye” colorimetric and spectrophotometric cation sensor, SNT‐1, was prepared by immobilization of the azo‐coupled macrocyclic receptor 1 on a silica nanotube (SNT) via sol–gel reaction. The optical sensing ability of SNT‐1 was studied by addition of metal ions such as Ag+, Co2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ (all as nitrates) in water. Upon the addition of Hg2+ in suspension SNT‐1 resulted in a color change from yellow to violet. This is novel rare example for chromogenic sensing of a specific metal ion by inorganic nanotubes. On the other hand, no significant changes in color were observed in the parallel experiments with Co2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, and Ag+. These findings confirm that SNT‐1 can be useful as chemosensors for selective detection of Hg2+ over a range of metal ions. More interestingly, after addition of NO3– and ClO4– SNT‐1 was observed to change color from yellow to violet and pink, respectively. However, no color changes were observed upon addition of Cl–, Br–, I–, SCN–, or SO42–. Furthermore, the extraction ability of SNT‐1 was also estimated by measuring the amount of Hg2+ adsorbed by ion chromatography, showing that 95 % of the Hg2+ ion is extracted by SNT‐1. This suggests that SNT‐1 is potentially useful as a stationary phase for the separation of Hg2+ in liquid chromatography. In order to extend the above performance to a portable chemosensor kit, SNT‐1 was coated as a thin film of 50 μm thickness onto a glass substrate. The supported SNT‐1 also changed from yellow to violet when dipped into Hg2+ solution. On the other hand, no significant change in color was observed in other metal‐ion solutions. The results imply that the supported SNT‐1 is applicable as a portable colorimetric sensor for detection of Hg2+ in the field.
High‐Efficiency Red Phosphorescent Iridium Dendrimers with Charge‐ Transporting Dendrons: Synthesis and Electroluminescent Properties
Authors: Liang B. , Wang L. , Xu Y. H. , Shi H. H. , Cao Y.
Published: October 2007

A series of 1‐phenylisoquinoline derivatives encapsulated with peripheral arylamines as dendrons are synthesized by using the Ullmann reaction and palladium‐catalyzed aromatic carbon–carbon Suzuki‐coupling reactions. Red‐emitting dendritic iridium complexes (called G1‐1, G1‐2, and G2) are synthesized using the following derivatives: N,N‐diphenyl‐3′‐isoquinolin‐4‐biphenylaniline, N,N‐di(9,9‐dimethylfluorenyl‐3′‐isoquinolin‐4‐biphenylaniline, N,N‐di(4′‐di(2′‐(9′,9′‐dimethylfluorenyl)amine)biphenyl‐3′‐isoquinolin‐4‐biphenylaniline as the first ligands and 5‐methyl‐3‐(pyridin‐2′‐yl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole as an ancillary ligand. The obtained dendrimers are soluble in common organic solvents, and uniform thin films can be spin‐coated from such solutions. Devices fabricated from dendritic iridium complexes G1‐2 and G2 with a small molecule host are fabricated by spin‐coating from chloroform solution in different device configurations. G1‐2 and G2 show similar device performances with maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 12.8 % and 11.8 % (photons/electron) and luminous efficiency of 9.2 cd A–1 and 8.5 cd A–1 at 0.1 mA cm–2, respectively. Devices based on polymer host poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene)(PFO) (30 % PBD (2‐(4‐biphenyl)‐5‐(4‐tert‐butylphenyl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole)) show a slightly higher efficiency for G1‐2, with a maximum EQE of 13.9 % at a much higher current density of 6.4 mA cm–2 and luminance of 601 cd m–2.
Control of Specular and Diffuse Reflection of Light Using Particle Self‐Assembly at the Polymer and Metal Interface
Authors: Ahn J. S. , Hendricks T. R. , Lee I.
Published: October 2007

We present a novel method of controlling the specular and diffuse reflection of light by the electrostatic deposition of a spherical particle monolayer followed by electroless plating. Charged polystyrene colloidal particles, ranging in size from 100 nm to 5 μm, were adsorbed from solution onto oppositely charged polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM). The monodisperse particle monolayers were coated with nickel in a two‐step electroless plating process using palladium catalysts. These surfaces can be used as diffusive metal reflectors with a uniformly controlled surface roughness due to the uniform size of deposited particles. In addition, the self‐assembled particles at the polymer and metal interface deflected the internal stresses that build‐up at the interface while the metal was being deposited. This allowed a thicker metal film to be deposited before delamination occurred. A UV‐VIS spectrometer with movable fiber optic cables was employed to characterize the optical properties of the reflectors. The optical fibers permit versatile and precise measurements of specular and diffuse reflectance. By measuring the angular dependent reflectance, we demonstrate how to estimate the distribution of reflected light from the nickel coated surface and how to calculate the ratio of specular and diffuse reflection in the total reflected light. Optical measurements of our nickel samples showed that this approach could be used to control the portion of diffuse reflection from 8.25 to 59.97 %. Additionally, a quartz crystal microbalance was employed to study the electroless nickel plating rate on PEM. Our proposed method is simple, cost‐effective and convenient for mass production because the process consists of a series of simple immersion steps without vacuum technology or special equipment.
Molecular diagnosis and monitoring in the clinical management of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Authors: Ou Joyce , Vergilio Jo‐Anne , Bagg Adam
Published: October 2007

The well‐established molecular pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and its consequences for laboratory testing and clinical management illustrate a classic paradigm for the importance of molecular diagnostics in targeted drug therapy. The success of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), imatinib, as the currently recommended first‐line treatment of early chronic phase CML has both fueled the need for timely and reproducible molecular testing of the BCR‐ABL1 fusion transcript in diagnosis and monitoring as well as necessitated the detection of kinase domain mutations that confer resistance to this agent. As, ongoing research continues to refine guidelines for monitoring residual disease in patients undergoing TKI therapy, an understanding of molecular technologies and their interpretation is critical. This review summarizes the molecular strategies that are currently employed in the initial diagnosis and subsequent management of CML patients maintained on TKI therapy. Am. J. Hematol., 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MTHFR C677T polymorphisms among the Ahirs and Jats of Haryana (India)
Authors: Saraswathy K.N. , Mukhopadhyay Rupak , Sinha Ekata , Aggarwal Shweta , Sachdeva M.P. , Kalla A.K.
Published: October 2007

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a vital enzyme catalyzing the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) linked reduction of 5,10‐methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5‐methylenetetrahydrofolate, which serves as cofactor in methylation of homocysteine to methionine. Three clinically important mutations of the MTHFR gene namely C677T, A1298C, and T1317C are reported to be associated with various pathological conditions. The present study deals with the screening of C677T mutation among two endogamous groups viz. Ahirs and Jats of Haryana (India). The mutation is reported to be significantly associated with thrombosis, hypertension, stroke and myocardial infraction, neural tube defects (NTDs), and recurrent pregnancy loss. The T allele among Jats is found to be more frequent (0.06) than Ahirs (0.03). Moreover, the Jats population shows a significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium with respect to C677T mutation. This could probably be due to some selection pressure operating in the population. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The impact of developmental conditions on adult salivary estradiol levels: Why this differs from progesterone?
Authors: Núñez‐De La Mora Alejandra , Bentley Gillian R. , Choudhury Osul A. , Napolitano Dora A. , Chatterton Robert T.
Published: October 2007

Women living in energetically stressful conditions have significantly lower baseline salivary steroid levels compared to those in affluent environments. Developmental hypotheses suggest that interpopulation variation in ovarian function results from contrasting environments experienced during growth. We use a migrant study of Bangladeshi women to test this hypothesis. We compared middle‐class women (19–39 years) who migrated to London, UK, at different life‐stages (pre and postmenarche), with Bangladeshi sedentees, second‐generation British‐Bangladeshis, and white British women living in similar London neighborhoods (total n = 227). We analyzed levels of salivary estradiol for one menstrual cycle, together with data on anthropometry, diet, lifestyle, and migration and reproductive histories. Results from multiple linear regression models, controlling for anthropometric and reproductive variables, show no significant differences in baseline estradiol levels between groups whether all cycles or just ovulatory cycles are analyzed. We also found no correlation between age at migration or time since migration on estradiol levels, nor between adult estradiol levels and age at menarche. Our results differ from previous reports of significantly lower salivary estradiol levels in populations living in more extreme ecological settings. They also contrast with our previous findings of significant intergroup differences in baseline levels of salivary progesterone. However, women who spent their childhood in Sylhet have a lower proportion of ovulatory cycles compared to women who developed in Britain. These group differences in ovulation frequency indicate more qualitative effects of contrasting developmental environments. We discuss possible explanations for differences in response between progesterone and estradiol, as well as broader implications of our findings. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Five cases of caudal regression with an aberrant abdominal umbilical artery: Further support for a caudal regression–sirenomelia spectrum
Authors: Duesterhoeft Sara M. , Ernst Linda M. , Siebert Joseph R. , Kapur Raj P.
Published: October 2007

Sirenomelia and caudal regression have sparked centuries of interest and recent debate regarding their classification and pathogenetic relationship. Specific anomalies are common to both conditions, but aside from fusion of the lower extremities, an aberrant abdominal umbilical artery (“persistent vitelline artery”) has been invoked as the chief anatomic finding that distinguishes sirenomelia from caudal regression. This observation is important from a pathogenetic viewpoint, in that diversion of blood away from the caudal portion of the embryo through the abdominal umbilical artery (“vascular steal”) has been proposed as the primary mechanism leading to sirenomelia. In contrast, caudal regression is hypothesized to arise from primary deficiency of caudal mesoderm. We present five cases of caudal regression that exhibit an aberrant abdominal umbilical artery similar to that typically associated with sirenomelia. Review of the literature identified four similar cases. Collectively, the series lends support for a caudal regression–sirenomelia spectrum with a common pathogenetic basis and suggests that abnormal umbilical arterial anatomy may be the consequence, rather than the cause, of deficient caudal mesoderm. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social–biological information technology: An integrated conceptual framework
Authors: Nahl Diane
Published: October 2007

A model is proposed that is motivated by the growing theoretical importance of the affective domain in information science (IS) and human–computer interaction (HCI), and the increased need for integrated models that provide an explicit account of how human mental and physiological systems dynamically interact in task performance with information systems. The ecological constructionism framework defines a social and biological information technology that is created through the dynamic intersection of technological affordances in symbiotic interaction with affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor information procedures that users creatively construct to satisfice the social practices inherent in information settings. Samples of spontaneous user discourse were mapped, demonstrating the model's suitability for charting the flow of mental procedures that users perform in interaction with information systems. The framework is shown to be compatible with the research focus in the literature on information behavior in IS and user affect in HCI. It also addresses current challenges to create more versatile architectures integrating technology, biology, and community into organic or synergic systems. The model specifies the components and dynamics of a human–computer symbiotic information environment.
Optical flares from the faint mid‐dM star 2MASS J00453912+4140395
Authors: Kővári Zs. , Vilardell F. , Ribas I. , Vida K. , van Driel‐Gesztelyi L. , Jordi C. , Oláh K.
Published: October 2007

We present B and V light curves of a large stellar flare obtained with the Wide Field Camera at the Isaac Newton 2.5‐m telescope (La Palma). The source object is a faint (mV = 21.38) foreground star in the field of the Andromeda galaxy, with its most probable spectral type being dM4. We provide an estimate of the total flare energy in the optical range and find it to be of the order of 1035 erg. The cooling phase of the large flare shows three additional weak flare‐like events, which we interpret as results of a triggering mechanism also observed on the Sun during large coronal mass ejections. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Productivity and impact of astronomical facilities: A statistical study ofpublications and citations
Authors: Trimble V. , Ceja J.A.
Published: October 2007

In calendar years 2001 and 2002, 20 journals of astronomy and astrophysics published 7768 papers that reported or analyzed observations at wavelengths from meter radio to ultrahigh energy gamma rays. In the three calendar years after publication, these papers were cited more than 97 000 times, according to the Science Citation Index/Web of Science data base (the most complete, we believe, available), for an average rate of 4.19 citations per paper per year.We slice these data up several ways, by subject matter, wavelength band, and the telescopes (etc.) used. Most of the results will not surprise: There are hot topics (cosmology, exoplanets) and not so hot topics (binary stars, planetary nebulae). Papers reporting spacebased data are cited a bit more often and radio papers a bit less often than optical papers, but multi‐wavelength studies do the best. The total number of telescopes involved is surprisingly large, about 330 optical and infrared (mostly ground based but including HST), 109 radio (including COBE and VSOP satellites), and 90 space based (including satellites, interplanetary probes, things carried on rockets, balloons, the Shuttle, and so forth). The superstar telescopes are (mostly) the ones you would expect, though having the most papers does not always go with largest ratios of citations per paper. HST produces the largest number of optical papers, but SDSS the most highly‐cited ones, while the VLA is responsible for the largest number of radio papers and the most highly cited (apart from balloon‐borne CMB observatories), and among things that fly, the most recent tend to dominate both paper and citation numbers. If you have to choose, it is probably better to opt for a small telescope on a well‐supported site than a larger one with less support, and service to the community, in the form of catalogues and mission definitions, is rewarded, at least in citation counts, if not always in other ways. A few comparisons are made with other studies. The main difference is that we have included all the papers and all the telescopes for the years chosen, rather than focussing on one or a few observatories or skimming the cream of most‐cited papers or ones from the highest‐profile journals. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Combining astrometry with the light‐time effect: The case of VW Cep, ζ Phe and HT Vir
Authors: Zasche P. , Wolf M.
Published: October 2007

Three eclipsing binary systems with astrometric orbit have been studied. For a detailed analysis two circular‐orbit binaries (VW Cep and HT Vir) and one binary with an eccentric orbit (ζ Phe) have been chosen. Merging together astrometry and the analysis of the times of minima, one is able to describe the orbit of such a system completely. The O – C diagrams and the astrometric orbits of the third bodies were analysed simultaneously for these three systems by the least‐squares method. The introduced algorithm is useful and powerful, but also time consuming, due to many parameters which one is trying to derive. The new orbits for the third bodies in these systems were found with periods 30, 221, and 261 yr, and eccentricities 0.63, 0.37, and 0.64 for VWCep, ζ Phe, and HT Vir, respectively. Also an independent approach to compute the distances to these systems was used. The use of this algorithm to VW Cep gave the distance d = (27.90 ± 0.29) pc, which is in excellent agreement with the previous Hipparcos result. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Toward an integrated straw‐based biorefinery
Authors: Deswarte Fabien E. I. , Clark James H. , Wilson Ashley J. , Hardy Jeff J. E. , Marriott Ray , Chahal Surinder P. , Jackson Charles , Heslop Graham , Birkett Michael , Bruce Toby J. , Whiteley Geoff
Published: October 2007

Straw is a good example of a low‐value, high‐volume agricultural by‐product that can be the basis for a biorefinery, which should aim (to be truly sustainable and economically viable) to process the feedstock into a variety of valuable products cleanly and efficiently. This article discusses a clean technology –supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, which can represent an ideal initial processing stage in a biorefinery supplied with wheat straw or any appropriate biofeedstock. It also describes different biorefining scenarios and determines the potential economic benefits that might result from a coordinated structure. This working example is the culmination of four years of research undertaken by a consortium led by the University of York and consisting of a number of industrial and academic partners across the supply chain. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Auf Kapillardruckmessung basierende Nachbehandlung von Betonflächen im plastischen Materialzustand
Authors: Schmidt Detlef , Slowik Volker , Schmidt Markus , Fritzsch Roberto
Published: October 2007

An Betonoberflächen kann es im plastischen Materialzustand durch die Verdunstung von Wasser zum Aufbau eines kapillaren Unterdrucks im Porensystem des Materials kommen, was Schwindverformungen zur Folge hat. Ab einem bestimmten gefügeabhängigen Unterdruck tritt örtlich ungleichmäßig Luft in das Feststoff‐Flüssigkeits‐System ein. Daraus resultieren Ungleichmäßigkeiten im Dehnungsfeld und möglicherweise Risse. Durch die gezielte Beeinflussung des Kapillardruckaufbaus kann die Gefahr der Rissbildung im sehr frühen Alter, d. h. bis zu etwa sechs Stunden nach dem Betonieren, entscheidend gesenkt werden. Es wird eine Methode zur gesteuerten Nachbehandlung vorgeschlagen, welche auf der Messung des kapillaren Unterdrucks unter Baustellenbedingungen basiert. Bei Erreichen eines vorher festgelegten Schwellwerts erfolgt kurzzeitig die Vernebelung von Wasser über der Betonoberfläche. Dadurch wird der Unterdruck verringert, jedoch nicht vollständig abgebaut. Folglich kann sich bei der Vernebelung kein geschlossener ebener Wasserfilm auf der Betonoberfläche bilden, was aufgrund der lokalen Erhöhung des Wasserzementwerts nachteilige Auswirkungen auf die Materialeigenschaften im Oberflächenbereich hätte.
Physical and chemical modifications of collagen gels: Impact on diffusion
Authors: Erikson Arne , Andersen Hilde Nortvedt , Naess Stine Nalum , Sikorski Pawel , Davies Catharina de Lange
Published: October 2007

The extracellular matrix (ECM) represents a major barrier for delivery of therapeutic drugs, and the transport is determined by the ECM composition, structure, and distribution. Because of the high interstitial fluid pressure in tumors, diffusion becomes the main transport mechanism through ECM. The purpose of this work was to study the impact of the structure of the collagen network on diffusion, by studying to what extent the orientation and chemical modification of the collagen network influenced diffusion. Collagen gels with a concentration of 0.2–2.0% that is comparable with the amount of collagen in the tumor ECM were used as a model system for ECM. Collagen gels were aligned in a low‐strength magnetic field and geometrical confinement, and chemically modified by adding decorin or hyaluronan. Diffusion of dextran 2‐MDa molecules in the collagen gels was measured using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Alignment of the collagen fibers in our gels was found to have no impact on the diffusion coefficient. Adding decorin reduced the diameter of the collagen fibers, but no effect on diffusion was observed. Hyaluronan also reduced the fiber diameter, and high concentration of hyaluronan (2.5 mg/ml) increased the diffusion coefficient. The results indicate that the structure of the collagen network is not a major factor in determining the diffusion through the ECM. Rather, increasing the concentration of collagen was found to reduce the diffusion coefficient. Concentration of the collagen network is more important than the structure in determining the diffusion coefficient. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 89: 135–143, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
First Dicyanamide‐Bridged Spin‐Crossover Coordination Polymer: Synthesis, Structural, Magnetic, and Spectroscopic Studies
Authors: Genre Caroline , Jeanneau Erwann , Bousseksou Azzedine , Luneau Dominique , Borshch Serguei A. , Matouzenko Galina S.
Published: October 2007

We report here on the synthesis and characterisation of a first iron(II) spin‐crossover coordination polymer with the dca spacer ligand, having the formula [Fe(aqin)2(dca)]ClO4⋅MeOH (aqin=8‐aminoquinoline, dca=dicyanamide), which displays a two‐step complete spin transition. Variable‐temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy have revealed that the two relatively gradual steps are centred at 215 and 186 K and are separated by an inflection point at about 201 K, at which 50 % of the complex molecules undergo a spin transition. The two steps are related to the existence of two crystallographically inequivalent metal sites, as confirmed by the structural and Mössbauer studies. The crystal structure was resolved at 293 K (HS form) and 130 K (LS form). Both spin‐state structures belong to the triclinic P$\bar 1$ space group (Z=2). The complex assumes a linear chain structure, in which the active iron(II) sites are linked to each other by anionic dicyanamide ligands acting as chemical bridges. The Fe–Fe distances through the dca ligand are 8.119(1) and 7.835(1) Å in the high‐spin and low‐spin structures, respectively. The polymeric chains extend along a (1, 0, −1) axis and are packed in sheets, between which the perchlorate anions and methanol molecules are inserted. The complex molecules are linked together by π‐stacking interactions and H‐bonding between the H‐donor aqin ligands and the perchlorate ions. These structural features provide a basis for cooperative interactions in the crystal lattice. Analysis of the two‐step spin‐crossover character in this compound suggests that covalent interactions through the spacer ligand do not provide the main mechanism of cooperativity.
Supramolecular Solids as a Medium for Single‐Crystal‐to‐Single‐Crystal E/Z Photoisomerization: Kinetic Study of the Photoreactions of Two Zn‐Coordinated Tiglic Acid Molecules
Authors: Zheng Shao‐Liang , Vande Velde Christophe M. L. , Messerschmidt Marc , Volkov Anatoliy , Gembicky Milan , Coppens Philip
Published: October 2007

[Zn(TA)2(H2O)2] (H‐TA=tiglic acid) has been embedded in a framework composed of CECR (CECR=C‐ethylcalix[4]resorcinarene) molecules to examine its E→Z photoisomerization in a periodic framework. The photoisomerization of tiglic acid in CECR‐[Zn(TA)2(H2O)2]⋅4 H2O proceeds without the [2+2]‐dimerization reaction that often occurs in crystals of uncomplexed analogues, and without breakdown of the crystal lattice that frequently occurs in neat crystals. The two Zn‐coordinated TA molecules are located in different size cavities. The rate constants of the isomerization reaction are strongly affected by the size of the reaction cavity. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the reaction rates and the occupancies in the final photostationary state shows that the activation energies and the standard enthalpies of activation are dependent on the difference between the reaction cavities. This is the first quantitative diffraction study of solid‐state E/Z isomerization of a metal‐coordinated ligand in a periodic host environment.
Echocardiographic Evaluation and Clinical Implications of Aortic Stiffness and Coronary Flow Reserve and their Relation
Authors: Nemes Attila , Geleijnse Marcel L. , Forster Tamás , Soliman Osama I. I. , Ten Cate Folkert J. , Csanády Miklós
Published: October 2007

The normal human aorta is not a stiff tube but is characterized by elastic properties with a buffering Windkessel function. Aortic stiffening may cause an increase in aortic pulse pressure, left ventricular load, and ultimately left ventricular hypertrophy. This, together with the decreased diastolic transmyocardial pressure gradient interacts with coronary flow and flow reserve. In recent studies, significant correlations between coronary flow reserve and aortic stiffness have been demonstrated in different patient populations. The aim of the present review is to describe the current echocardiographic modalities to measure aortic stiffness and coronary flow reserve and to overview our knowledge about the relationship between aortic stiffness and coronary flow reserve. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon and Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death Due to Ventricular Arrhythmias: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Saya Shoaib , Hennebry Thomas A. , Lozano Pedro , Lazzara Ralph , Schechter Eliot
Published: October 2007

We report a case of coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) in a patient who underwent coronary angiography due to anginal chest pain and recurrent syncope with complete normalization of flow after intracoronary adenosine. He was noted to have multiple episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia on holter monitor and increased QTc dispersion on surface electrocardiogram (EKG). He responded very well to oral dipyridamole therapy with complete resolution of his symptoms and no episodes of ventricular tachycardia on the event recorder at 3 months. We review the diagnosis and clinical features of CSFP and its association with increased QTc dispersion and the role of oral dipyridamole therapy in this condition. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new meshless collocation method for partial differential equations
Authors: Kamruzzaman M. , Sonar Th. , Lutz Th. , Krämer E.
Published: October 2007

A collocation meshless method is developed for the numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDEs) on the scattered point distribution. The meshless shape functions are constructed on a group of selected nodes (stencil) arbitrarily distributed in a local support domain by means of a polynomial interpolation. This shape function formulation possesses the Kronecker delta function property, and hence many numerical treatments are as simple as those of the finite element method (FEM). The nearest neighbor algorithm is used for the support domain nodes collection, and a search algorithm based on the Gauss–Jordan pivot method is applied to select a suitable stencil for the construction of the shape functions and their derivatives. This search technique is subject to a monitoring procedure which selects appropriate stencil in order to keep the condition number of the resulting linear systems small. Various meshless collocation schemes for the solution of elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic PDEs are investigated for the proposed method. The proposed method is pure meshless since it only uses scattered sets of collocation points and thus no nodes connectivity information is required. Different types of PDEs, i.e. the Poisson equation, the Wave equation, and Burgers' equation are studied as test cases and all of the computational results are examined. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thin‐Film Infrared Spectroscopy of Acetonitrile
Authors: Kosower Edward M. , Markovich Gil , Borz Galina
Published: October 2007

Acetonitrile and [D3]acetonitrile in the vicinal region of a planar AgX fiber contain linear dipole–dipole linked oligomers as shown by 1) comparison of infrared band intensity ratios in the gaseous and condensed phases and 2) remarkable plots of absorbance (CN stretch) versus time during evaporation from an AgX planar fiber element. The plots (CH3CN 2252 cm−1, CD3CN 2262 cm−1) reveal the presence of octamers, hexamers, tetramers, and dimers along with some heptamer, trimer, and monomer structures. A novel isotope effect arises from the somewhat smaller size of the CD3CN resulting in an increase in the CN band intensity. The organized oligomers may be termed pseudocrystals and are the main components responsible for absorption intensity in the infrared spectrum of acetonitrile, on the AgX planar fiber or in an IR cell.
Summary of ‘Vaccines for women to prevent neonatal tetanus’
Authors: Milne Andrea
Published: October 2007

This is a summary of a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Demicheli V, Barale A, Rivetti A. Vaccines for women to prevent neonatal tetanus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD002959. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002959.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying Commentary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables articles. Copyright © 2007 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration
Straightforward Synthesis of Donor‐Stabilised Phosphenium Adducts from Imidazolium‐2‐carboxylate and Their Electronic Properties (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 31/2007)
Authors: Azouri Michèle , Andrieu Jacques , Picquet Michel , Richard Philippe , Hanquet Bernard , Tkatchenko Igor
Published: October 2007

The cover picture shows one of donor‐stabilized phosphenium compounds which have been obtained by direct addition of chlorophosphanes to the 1,3‐dimethylimidazolium‐2‐carboxylate without any further purification step. Their stronger κ‐acceptor character similar to phosphites and their ionic nature render these ligands very promising in the development of new continuous‐flow catalytic processes. Details of phosphorylation mechanisms of imidazolium‐2‐carboxylate as well as the electronic and steric properties of these adducts are discussed in the article by J. Andrieu et al. on p. 4877 ff.
Electrochemical Kinetic Characterization of Redox Mediated Glucose Oxidase Reactions: A Simplified Approach
Authors: delle Noci Stefania , Frasconi Marco , Favero Gabriele , Tosi Marina , Ferri Tommaso , Mazzei Franco
Published: October 2007

One of the main drawbacks affecting first‐generation electrochemical biosensors in the analysis of real matrices is the interference of electroactive species present in the sample under investigation. Several approaches have been attempted to overcome this problem in the past ten years but the best results were achieved by using mediated based electrochemical biosensors. Despite this, the kinetic of the redox mediators‐enzymatic proteins interaction has not been studied deeply enough. In this work we have developed a theoretical‐methodological approach for the characterization of the kinetic of interaction between redox enzymes and substrates and/or redox mediators. Particularly, the interaction of glucose oxidase (GOx) with several commercially available redox mediators has been studied by means of amperometry and cyclic voltammetry. The main kinetic parameters for different mediators were exploited and discussed with the aim of finding the best mediator for a glucose biosensor to be used on real samples.
Preparation of Nanogapped Gold Nanoparticle Array for DNA Detection
Authors: Tokonami Shiho , Shiigi Hiroshi , Nagaoka Tsutomu
Published: October 2007

A novel DNA detection technique using a gold nanoparticle array film electrode has been reported here. The gold nanoparticles molecularly linked with binder molecule (1,10‐decanedithiol) were separated 1.3 nm from each other, and the DNA conductivity change from single to double strand was measured by monitoring a voltage drop across the particles, between which a probe of a 12‐mer oligonucleotide was immobilized. In adding a complementary oligonucleotide on the nanoparticle film chip, an immediate decrease in the film resistance (ca. 1.4 Ω) due to a hybridization event occurred in a reproducible manner with this simple setup. In the paper, we have an interest in the primary sensing properties; effect of the film resistance on the sensor response, dependence of the resistance change on the DNA concentration, and the performance of the system for DNA detection including single nucleotide polymorphisms were described.
Preparation, Characterization, and Electrocatalytic Properties of Cobalt Oxide and Cobalt Hexacyanoferrate Hybrid Films
Authors: Chen Shen‐Ming , Wu Ming‐Huei , Thangamuthu R.
Published: October 2007

Polynuclear mixed‐valent films of cobalt oxide and cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoOCoHCF) have been deposited on electrode surfaces from a solution of Co2+ and Fe(CN)63− ions by repetitive potential cycling method. Simultaneous cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance measurements demonstrate the steady growth of modified film. The effect of type of monovalent cations as well as acidity of the supporting electrolyte on film growth and redox behavior of resulting film was investigated. In pure supporting electrolyte, electrochemical responses of modified electrode resemble with that of a surface immobilized redox couple. The hybrid film electrodes showed electrocatalytic activity toward oxidation of NADH, hydrazine and hydroxylamine. The feasibility of using our modified electrodes for analytical application was also explored.
Improved Detection Limit and Stability of Amperometric Carbon Nanotube‐Based Immunosensors by Crosslinking Antibodies with Polylysine
Authors: Cataldo Vito , Vaze Abhay , Rusling James F.
Published: October 2007

Amperometric immunosensor configurations featuring covalently bound anti‐biotin antibodies (Ab) embedded into a polylysine (PLL)‐single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) composite layer were evaluated. Assemblies were made by first oxidizing pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes to form surface carboxylic acid groups, to which PLL, SWCNTs and anti‐biotin were covalently linked. Incorporating SWCNT into PLL‐antibody assemblies improved the amperometric detection limit for biotin (Ag) labeled with horseradish peroxidase to 10 fmol mL−1. Anti‐biotin embedded into the PLL matrix had improved thermal stability and retained its binding ability for biotin after exposure to temperatures of 42 °C for up to 3 hours, while the noncrosslinked antibody was inactivated at this temperature in several minutes.
Multiple pesticide analysis in wine by MEKC combined with solid‐phase microextraction and sample stacking
Authors: Ravelo‐Pérez Lidia M. , Hernández‐Borges Javier , Borges‐Miquel Teresa M. , Rodríguez‐Delgado Miguel Á.
Published: October 2007

In this work, a new method for the determination in white wines of 12 pesticides widely used in vine cultivars (namely, carbendazim, pirimicarb, metalaxyl, pyrimethanil, procymidone, nuarimol, azoxystrobin, tebufenozide, fenarimol, benalaxyl, penconazole, and tetradifon) using solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) and MEKC with diode‐array detection (DAD) was developed. The MEKC buffer consisted of 100 mM sodium tetraborate and 30 mM SDS at pH 8.5 with 6% v/v 1‐propanol. Reversed‐electrode polarity stacking mode (REPSM) was applied as on‐line preconcentration strategy. In order to carry out an effective and sensitive determination of these pesticides in wine samples, an off‐line SPME procedure was optimized by means of an experimental design. After studying the extraction performance of different SPME coatings, PDMS/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fibers were found the most appropriate for the extraction of most of these pesticides. Carbendazim and metalaxyl could not be extracted from wine samples. Calibration curves for extracted standards and fortified white wines were studied in order to determine the presence of a matrix effect. The combination of both preconcentration procedures (SPME and REPSM) allowed the determination of ten of these pesticides in white wines at concentrations between 0.054 and 0.113 mg/L. (i.e., levels well below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) allowed for these compounds in wine grapes). Ten homemade wines were they analyzed with the optimized method demonstrating the usefulness of the proposed procedure.