bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) labeling efficiency and subsequent MRI tracking of native cell populations pertinent to pulmonary heart valve tissue engineering studies
Authors: Ramaswamy Sharan , Schornack Paul A. , Smelko Adam G. , Boronyak Steven M. , Ivanova Julia , Mayer John E. , Sacks Michael S.
Published: January 2011

The intimal and medial linings of the pulmonary artery consist largely of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), respectively. The migration of these cell types to a potential tissue‐engineered pulmonary valve (TEPV) implant process is therefore of interest in understanding the valve remodeling process. Visualization and cell tracking by MRI, which employs hypointense contrast achievable through the use of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) microparticles to label cells, provides a method in which this can be studied. We investigated the SPIO labeling efficiency of human VECs and VSMCs, and used two‐ and three‐dimensional gradient echo sequences to track the migration of these cells in agar gel constructs. Protamine sulfate (4.5 µg/mL) was used to enhance SPIO uptake and was found to have no influence on cell viability or proliferation. MRI experiments were initially performed using a 9.4‐T scanner. The results demonstrated that the spatial positions of hypointense spots were relatively unchanged over 12 days. Subsequent MR experiments performed at 7 T demonstrated that three‐dimensional imaging provided the best spatial resolution to assess cell fate. R2* maps were bright in SPIO cell‐encapsulated gels in comparison with unlabeled counterparts. Signal voids were ruled out as hypointense regions owing to the smooth exponential decay of T2* in these voxels. As a next step, we intend to use the SPIO cell labeling and MR protocols established in this study to assess whether hemodynamic stresses will alter the vascular cell migratory patterns. These studies will shed light on the mechanisms of vascular remodeling after TEPV implantation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
X‐ray diffraction, Raman, and differential thermal analyses of the thermal aging of a Kevlar®‐PBI blend fabric
Authors: Arrieta Carlos , David Eric , Dolez Patricia , Vu‐Khanh Toan
Published: January 2011

A previous study of the effects of thermal aging on the tensile properties of a fabric made of a 60–40 wt % blend of Kevlar and PBI fibers has shown that exposure to elevated temperatures between 190 and 320°C results in a rapid decrease in tensile breaking force retention. In this article, X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analyses were carried out to evaluate the consequences of thermal aging on the material's crystallinity. Differential thermal analyses were also undertaken to examine the evolution of the glass transition temperature of PBI following thermal exposure. X‐ray diffraction profiles show a gradual increase in the crystallinity with temperature and aging time, whereas a complete disappearance of spectral lines for aged samples in Raman analysis suggests instead a decrease in crystallinity as a consequence of exposure to elevated temperatures. The seemingly contradictory outcome obtained when using the two techniques led to the proposal of a new, alternative hypothesis to explain the observed results. This hypothesis involves two simultaneous events that occur during thermal aging: the increase of crystallite size in the direction parallel to coplanar sheets, and the disruption of the crystalline lattice in the direction perpendicular to those sheets. The glass transition temperature of PBI was found to shift towards the lower temperatures after thermal aging, a phenomenon that can be associated with random polymer chain scission caused by thermal aging. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Study of nanoreinforced shape memory polymers processed by casting and extrusion
Authors: Richardson Tara B. , Mosiewicki Mirna A. , Uzunpinar Cihan , Marcovich Norma E. , Aranguren Mirta I. , Kilinc‐Balci Fatma , Broughton Roy M. , Auad Maria L.
Published: January 2011

Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) reinforced shape memory polyurethane (PU) composite fibers and films have been fabricated via extrusion and casting methods. Cellulose nanofibers were obtained through acid hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose. This treatment aided in achieving stable suspensions of cellulose crystals in dimethylformamide (DMF), for subsequent incorporation into the shape memory matrix. CNTs were covalent functionalized with carboxyl groups (CNT‐COOH) and 4,4′‐methylenebis (phenylisocyanate) (MDI) (CNT‐MDI) to improve the dispersion efficiency between the CNT and the polyurethane. Significant improvement in tensile modulus and strength were achieved by incorporating both fillers up to 1 wt% without sacrificing the elongation at break. Electron microscopy was used to investigate the degree of dispersion and fracture surfaces of the composite fibers and films. The effects of the filler (type and concentration) on the degree of crystallinity and thermal properties of the hard and soft segments that form the PU sample were studied by calorimetry. Overall, results indicated that the homogeneous dispersion of nanotubes and cellulose throughout the PU matrix and the strong interfacial adhesion between nanotubes and/or cellulose and the matrix are responsible for the enhancement of mechanical and shape memory properties of the composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Placental volume and three‐dimensional power Doppler analysis in prediction of pre‐eclampsia and small for gestational age between Week 11 and 13 weeks and 6 days of gestation
Authors: Odeh Marwan , Ophir Ella , Maximovsky Olga , Grinin Vitali , Bornstein Jacob
Published: January 2011

Objective

To assess three‐dimensional placental volume measurement and three‐dimensional power Doppler (3D‐PD) indices between 10 weeks and 6 days and 13 weeks and 6 days in predicting pregnancy‐induced hypertension (PIH) and small for gestational age (SGA).

Methods

Three hundred and eight women undergoing fetal nuchal translucency measurement were prospectively assessed using three‐dimensional ultrasound in order to measure placental volume and 3D‐PD indices: vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI), using the VOCAL software. The outcome was scored as normal, PIH, SGA or both.

Results

Eight women developed PIH and ten delivered SGA; and 17 developed PIH or SGA. The age, gestational age at the examination or delivery, number of the pregnancy and the nuchal translucency, were similar in all groups. The placental volume, FI and VFI were similar between the groups. The VI was significantly lower when PIH developed (7.86 ± 3.92 vs. 12.02 ± 7.09 in the normal group, P = 0.035). The crown‐rump length (CRL) was significantly smaller in the group where either PIH or SGA developed compared to normal outcome (54.29 ± 6.50 and 59.04 ± 8.89, respectively, P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Placental volume is not appropriate for early prediction of PIH or SGA, whereas the VI may be of some potential in detection of PIH. The significance of small CRL in these patients should be further tested. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Translating Single Project Management Knowledge to Project Programs
Authors: Görög Mihály
Published: January 2011

Over the past decade, the efficient implementation of project programs became of great importance. Many authors are concerned with improving the professionalism of implementing project programs, and most of them identify context-related factors that are considered the bases of successful implementation. However, little has been written on how to use the project management toolkit in project programs. In mid-2007, a research program was initiated to highlight the role of the single project management toolkit in implementing programs. During the research, both case-based and interview-based research methods were used. The primary question addressed in this article is how to translate single project management knowledge to program management.
Soluble high‐Tg polyetherimides with good flame retardancy based on an asymmetric phosphinated etherdiamine
Authors: Lin Ching Hsuan , Chang Sheng Lung , Cheng Po Wen
Published: January 2011

This study focuses on preparing soluble, high‐Tg polyetherimides (PEIs) with good flame retardancy. To achieve this goal, a phosphinated aminophenol, 1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐1‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐1‐(6‐oxido‐6H‐dibenz〈c,e〉〈1,2〉oxaphosphorin‐6‐yl)ethane (1), was prepared. Then, an asymmetric etherdiamine, 1‐(4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl)‐1‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐1‐(6‐oxido‐6H‐dibenz〈c,e〉〈1,2〉oxaphosphorin‐6‐yl)ethane (3), was prepared from the nucleophilic substitution of (1) with 4‐chloronitrobenzene, followed by catalytic hydrogenation. Light colored, tough, and foldable PEIs (5) with good thermal stability, organo‐solubility, and good flame retardancy were synthesized from the condensation of (3) with various aromatic dianhydrides in N,N‐dimethylacetamide, followed by thermal imidization. Properties of the resulting PEIs were evaluated and compared with those of symmetric PEIs (5′) and polyimides (5″). The structure–property relationships were discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Synthesis and photovoltaic behaviors of narrow‐band‐gap π‐conjugated polymers composed of dialkoxybenzodithiophene‐ and thiophene‐based fused aromatic rings
Authors: Lee Kwang‐hoi , Lee Ho‐Jin , Morino Kazuhide , Sudo Atsushi , Endo Takeshi
Published: January 2011

π‐Conjugated polymers, PBDT‐CNETT and PBDT‐CNECPDT, were prepared by the Stille cross‐coupling polymerization. Optical and thermal properties of the obtained polymers were investigated by UV–vis spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. PBDT‐CNETT and PBDT‐CNECPDT exhibited very narrow band gaps of 1.39 and 1.13 eV, respectively. Highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels estimated by surface analyzer were −5.17 and −5.11 eV for PBDT‐CNETT and PBDT‐CNECPDT, respectively. The solar cells based on these polymers were evaluated with the cell configuration of ITO/PEDOT‐PSS/polymer:PC61BH/LiF/Al. The power conversion efficiencies of the solar cells were estimated to be 1.57 and 0.16% for PBDT‐CNETT and PBDT‐CNECPDT, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Transitions in the web of heterotic vacua
Authors: Anderson L.B. , Gray J. , Ovrut B.A.
Published: January 2011

We analyze transitions between heterotic vacua with distinct gauge bundles using two complementary methods – the effective four‐dimensional field theory and the corresponding geometry. From the viewpoint of effective field theory, such transitions occur between flat directions of the potential energy associated with heterotic stability walls. Geometrically, this branch structure corresponds to smooth deformations of the gauge bundle coupled to the chamber structure of Kähler moduli space. We demonstrate how such transitions can change important properties of the effective theory, including the gauge symmetry and the massless spectrum. Geometrically, this study is divided into deformations of the vector bundle which preserve the rank of the gauge bundle and those which change the rank. In the latter case, our results provide explicit solutions to a class of Li‐Yau type deformation problems. Finally, we use the framework of stability walls and their effective theory to study Donaldson‐Thomas invariants on Calabi‐Yau threefolds.
Rapid dislocation‐related D1‐photoluminescence imaging of multicrystalline Si wafers at room temperature
Authors: Schmid R. P. , Mankovics D. , Arguirov T. , Ratzke M. , Mchedlidze T. , Kittler M.
Published: January 2011

Here we report on a novel method, which allows rapid photoluminescence imaging of band‐to‐band and dislocation‐related radiation, D1, on multicrystalline silicon wafers at room temperature. We demonstrate spatially resolved 5.0 × 5.0 cm2D1‐images, with a resolution of ∼120 µm, within a total recording time of 550 ms. The method provides homogeneous illumination over the whole sample area. Comparison with results from a conventional photoluminescence mapping technique demonstrates the potential of this new method for application as an in‐line wafer characterization technique.
New template based nanoelectrode arrays for organic/inorganic photovoltaic applications
Authors: Gu Diefeng , Baumgart Helmut , Namkoong Gon
Published: January 2011

In this Letter, we report on a new nanofabrication technology to yield highly arrayed nanoelectrodes for organic–inorganic solar cells that promise new levels of performance and efficiency. This technology efficiently controls the effective area of highly arrayed nanoelectrodes and allows for the maximum incorporation of organic materials within the voids. Particularly the 3D parameters such as thickness, spacing, and height of the nanostructures are controlled non‐lithographically by atomic layer deposition technology.

magnified image

New template based device structure with nanoelectrode arrays for organic/inorganic photovoltaic applications.

(© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
THRESHOLD FLOWS FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF SEASONALLY PERSISTENT THERMAL STRATIFICATION: SHOALHAVEN RIVER BELOW TALLOWA DAM, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA
Authors: Reinfelds I. , Williams S.
Published: January 2011

Reduced mixing of deep pools attributable to river regulation and downstream flow suppression can lead to an increase in the magnitude, frequency and duration of thermal stratification in riverine pools over summer. This study monitored hourly temperature profiles with five thermistor loggers in a 15 m deep natural pool over 12 months from May 2005. Detailed bathymetric and topographic survey data and HEC‐RAS hydraulic modelling of layer Richardson numbers were used to extend thermistor observations of flow‐related stratification breakdown in this single deep pool to a 20 km long pool‐riffle dominated river reach below the dam. Reach‐wide breakdown of persistent thermal stratification in deep pools over spring and summer was likely to be achieved by a flow rate of 3000 ML day−1. This flow rate approximates the long‐term mean annual natural flow (2860 ML day−1) and the 16th flow duration percentile (mean daily flows equalled or exceeded for 16% of time), indicating that thermal stratification of the deepest pools in the Shoalhaven River is a common, natural phenomenon not solely attributable to river regulation. Should reasonably consistent hydraulic geometry relationships exist between low salinity rivers in similar climatic, hydrologic and geomorphic settings, then we suggest that the mean annual natural flow is likely to achieve widespread breakdown of thermal stratification across lengthy reaches of similar pool‐riffle sequence rivers elsewhere. Hourly mean wind speeds of up to 65 km h−1 recorded at an automated weather station 25 km from the study site were found to suppress of the degree of thermal stratification in the study pool but did not achieve deep mixing of persistent seasonal thermoclines. Large, rapid and sustained air temperature decreases associated with the passage of cold fronts across southeastern Australia in summer were found to be more effective than wind and achieved mixing to depths of at least 4.2 m. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PHILharmonicFlows: towards a framework for object‐aware process management
Authors: Künzle Vera , Reichert Manfred
Published: January 2011

Companies increasingly adopt process management systems (PrMS) that offer promising perspectives for more flexible and efficient process execution. However, there still exist many processes in practice which are not adequately supported by contemporary PrMS. We believe that a major reason for this deficiency stems from the unsatisfactory integration of processes and data in existing PrMS. Despite emerging approaches that address this integration, a unified and comprehensive understanding of object‐awareness in connection with process management is still missing. To remedy this deficiency, we extensively analyzed various processes from different domains which are not adequately supported by existing PrMS. As a major insight we learned that in many cases comprehensive process support requires object‐awareness. In particular, process support has to consider object behavior as well as object interactions, and should therefore be based on two levels of granularity. Besides this, object‐awareness requires data‐driven process execution and integrated access to processes and data. This paper presents the basic properties of object‐aware processes as well as fundamental requirements for their operational support. It further introduces our PHILharmonicFlows framework which addresses these requirements and enables object‐aware process management in a comprehensive manner. Finally, we evaluate this framework along several process scenarios. We believe that a holistic approach integrating data, processes and users offers promising perspectives in order to overcome the numerous limitations of contemporary PrMS. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rutin inhibits human leukemia tumor growth in a murine xenograft model in vivo
Authors: Lin Jing‐Pin , Yang Jai‐Sing , Lin Jen‐Jyh , Lai Kuang‐Chi , Lu Hsu‐Feng , Ma Chia‐Yu , Sai‐Chuen Wu Rick , Wu King‐Chuan , Chueh Fu‐Shin , Gibson Wood W. , Chung Jing‐Gung
Published: January 2011

Numerous studies have shown that rutin has anticancer effects. We have previously reported that rutin induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in murine leukemia WEHI‐3 cells in vitro and in vivo. However, there are no data showing that rutin inhibits human leukemia HL‐60 cells in vivo in a murine xenograft animal model. Human leukemia HL‐60 cells were implanted into mice and treated with vehicle (1% DMSO), rutin (120 mg/kg of body weight) or vinblastine (120 μg/kg of body weight). Compounds and agents were injected once every four days intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 36 days. Treatment with 120 mg/kg of rutin or with 120 μg/kg of vinblastine resulted in a reduction of tumor weight and volume when compared with the control groups. Tumor size in xenograft mice treated with 120 mg/kg of rutin was significantly smaller than that in the untreated‐control group. These novel findings indicate that rutin inhibits tumor growth in a xenograft animal model. Rutin may be useful in treating leukemia but certainly much more research is needed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.
Toxicity of food contaminant furan on liver and kidney of growing male rats
Authors: Selmanoğlu Güldeniz , Karacaoğlu Elif , Kılıç Aysun , Koçkaya E. Arzu , Akay M. Turan
Published: January 2011

Furan is a chemical used in some industrial products and occurs naturally in heat‐treated foods. We aimed to investigate the effects of orally administered furan on liver and kidney in growing Wistar male rats for 90 days. In this respect, biochemical, morphological, histopathological, and histomorphometrical examinations were performed. Three‐ to 4‐week aged rats were divided into five groups of eight animals each; control, oil control; 2, 4, 8 mg/kg/day furan treatment groups. At the end of the experiment, antioxidant enzyme activities and serum AST, ALT, HDL, Urea, etc. levels were analyzed. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) were also measured in liver homogenates. Also, liver and kidney were examined morphologically and histopathologically under light microscopy. According to the results of biochemical analysis, ALT, ALP, and LDL levels in treatment groups were significantly different compared with control groups. While LDL levels in treatment groups increased significantly, ALT and ALP levels decreased significantly. No significant changes were observed in liver MDA levels, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in treatment groups. While IL‐6 levels did not change in treatment groups, furan caused dose‐dependent increases in liver TNF‐α level of rats. In treatment groups, absolute and relative liver weights changed significantly, however, no significant changes were observed in kidney and relative kidney weights. Hyperemic blood vessels in the liver and congestion, edema, fibrosis, and tubular damage in the kidney of rats treated with furan were observed histopathologically. According to histomorphometric examinations, glomeruli diameters and glomerular volume decreased in the kidneys of rats in treatment groups. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.
Capacity limits of spectrum‐sharing systems over hyper‐fading channels
Authors: Ekin Sabit , Yilmaz Ferkan , Celebi Hasari , Qaraqe Khalid A. , Alouini Mohamed‐Slim , Serpedin Erchin
Published: January 2011

Cognitive radio (CR) with spectrum‐sharing feature is a promising technique to address the spectrum under‐utilization problem in dynamically changing environments. In this paper, the achievable capacity gain of spectrum‐sharing systems over dynamic fading environments is studied. To perform a general analysis, a theoretical fading model called hyper‐fading model that is suitable to the dynamic nature of CR channel is proposed. Closed‐form expressions of probability density function (PDF) and cumulative density function (CDF) of the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) for secondary users (SUs) in spectrum‐sharing systems are derived. In addition, the capacity gains achievable with spectrum‐sharing systems in high and low power regions are obtained. The effects of different fading figures, average fading powers, interference temperatures, peak powers of secondary transmitters, and numbers of SUs on the achievable capacity are investigated. The analytical and simulation results show that the fading figure of the channel between SUs and primary base‐station (PBS), which describes the diversity of the channel, does not contribute significantly to the system performance gain. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Trans‐splicing
Authors: Lasda Erika L. , Blumenthal Thomas
Published: January 2011

Trans‐splicing is the joining together of portions of two separate pre‐mRNA molecules. The two distinct categories of spliceosomal trans‐splicing are genic trans‐splicing, which joins exons of different pre‐mRNA transcripts, and spliced leader (SL) trans‐splicing, which involves an exon donated from a specialized SL RNA. Both depend primarily on the same signals and components as cis‐splicing. Genic trans‐splicing events producing protein‐coding mRNAs have been described in a variety of organisms, including Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila. In mammalian cells, genic trans‐splicing can be associated with cancers and translocations. SL trans‐splicing has mainly been studied in nematodes and trypanosomes, but there are now numerous and diverse phyla (including primitive chordates) where this type of trans‐splicing has been detected. Such diversity raises questions as to the evolutionary origin of the process. Another intriguing question concerns the function of trans‐splicing, as operon resolution can only account for a small proportion of the total amount of SL trans‐splicing. WIREs RNA 2011 2 417–434 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.71

This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms

RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing
Guarding the ‘translation apparatus’: defective ribosome biogenesis and the p53 signaling pathway
Authors: Chakraborty Anirban , Uechi Tamayo , Kenmochi Naoya
Published: January 2011

Ribosomes, the molecular factories that carry out protein synthesis, are essential for every living cell. Ribosome biogenesis, the process of ribosome synthesis, is highly complex and energy consuming. Over the last decade, many exciting and novel findings have linked various aspects of ribosome biogenesis to cell growth and cell cycle control. Defects in ribosome biogenesis have also been linked to human diseases. It is now clear that disruption of ribosome biogenesis causes nucleolar stress that triggers a p53 signaling pathway, thus providing cells with a surveillance mechanism for monitoring ribosomal integrity. Although the exact mechanisms of p53 induction in response to nucleolar stress are still unknown, several ribosomal proteins have been identified as key players in this ribosome–p53 signaling pathway. Recent studies of human ribosomal pathologies in a variety of animal models have also highlighted the role of this pathway in the pathophysiology of these diseases. However, it remains to be understood why the effect of ribosomal malfunction is not a universal response in all cell types but is restricted to particular tissues, causing the specific phenotypes seen in ribosomal diseases. A challenge for future studies will be to identify additional players in this signaling pathway and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms that link defective ribosome synthesis to p53. WIREs RNA 2011 2 507–522 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.73

This article is categorized under:

Translation > Ribosome Biogenesis

Translation > Translation Regulation
The vicissitudes of emergency psychiatry: A service systems perspective
Authors: Mendoza Ricardo
Published: January 2011

This article, adapted from a speech given at the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, highlights the challenges facing this young field.
Disaster mental health: Current status and future directions
Authors: Young Bruce H. , Ruzek Josef I. , Gusman Fred D.
Published: January 2011

In times of disaster, emergency mental health services must be delivered in the field. This chapter reviews the current state of the literature and future trends in disaster mental health.
An examination of california's civil commitment laws and national future trends
Authors: Weinberger Linda E. , Botello Timothy
Published: January 2011

California's civil commitment statute serves as a model for many other states. A move to update the California law may set national precedent.
Mobile crisis: Moving emergency psychiatry out of the hospital setting
Authors: Alexander Constance , Zealberg Joseph J.
Published: January 2011

Mobile crisis teams constitute a growing force in emergency psychiatric service provision in the community. The implications of the for‐profit, private teams that are joining the long‐standing public teams are discussed.
Preventing Children's Aggression in Immigrant Latino Families: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of the Families and Schools Together Program
Authors: Knox Lyndee , Guerra Nancy G. , Williams Kirk R. , Toro Rosa
Published: January 2011

The effectiveness of the evidence based program, Families and Schools Together (FAST), was examined in two inter‐related studies with immigrant Latino (Mexican) families in the U.S. In Study 1, we reported findings from pre‐test, 3‐month post‐test, and 12‐month follow‐up surveys of parents and children participating in the FAST program. Families were selected from communities that were randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups. A total of 282 parents (263 mothers and 19 fathers) participated in either the intervention (140 parents) or control (142 parents) condition over the course of 3 years. Each of the parents had a participating focal child; thus, 282 children (144 females and 138 males; average age = 9.5 years) participated in the study. A primary focus of the research was to determine whether participation in FAST led to reductions in children's aggression. Using linear growth models, no differences were noted on aggression between intervention and control groups, although intervention children did show significant improvements in social problem‐solving skills and perceptions of collective efficacy. In Study 2, we conducted two focus groups with ten FAST participants to explore whether other unmeasured outcomes were noted and to understand better the mechanisms and impact of FAST. All of the parents in the focus groups reported that FAST had helped them better relate to and communicate with their children, and that the greatest effect was on the behavior of their older children. Results are discussed in terms of cultural fit of the FAST program for immigrant Latino families and future directions.
Growth, final height and endocrine sequelae in a UK population of patients with Hurler syndrome (MPS1H)
Authors: Gardner Chris J. , Robinson Nicola , Meadows Tim , Wynn Robert , Will Andrew , Mercer Jean , Church Heather J. , Tylee Karen , Wraith J. Edmond , Clayton Peter E.
Published: January 2011

Objective

Hurler Syndrome, (MPSIH) is an inborn error of glycosaminoglycan metabolism. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has transformed the prognosis for these children. Prior to transplant patients receive chemotherapy or chemo‐radiotherapy. Regular screening for the development of endocrine sequelae is therefore essential. We present for the first time data on final adult height and endocrine complications in children with MPSIH post HSCT.

Design

Retrospective case note study and a prospective programme of growth and endocrine assessment.

Patients

22 patients were included, mean age at last assessment 12.2 (Range 6.3–21.6) years. Mean age at HSCT was 1.3 (SD 0.6) years. Conditioning included mostly busulphan and cyclophosphamide, with 5 patients receiving total body irradiation prior to second transplant.

Results

Height SDS decreased over time. Final height (FH) was attained in seven patients with male FH SDS −4.3 (Range −3.8, −5.1) and female FH SDS −3.4 (Range −2.9, −5.6). Eight of 13 patients tested had evidence of high growth hormone (GH) levels, while one had GH deficiency. Adrenal and thyroid function was normal in all. 11 patients were pubertal or post pubertal. Two females had pubertal failure requiring intervention. All male patients had spontaneous, complete puberty; however three patients have reduced testicular volumes. Five out of 13 patients tested had an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test.

Conclusion

Growth is impaired, primarily related to skeletal dysplasia, but also associated with GH resistance. Pubertal development may be compromised and abnormalities of glucose metabolism are common. We recommend a structured endocrine surveillance programme for these patients.
PTC124 improves readthrough and increases enzymatic activity of the CPT1A R160X nonsense mutation
Authors: Tan Lu , Narayan Srinivas B. , Chen Jie , Meyers Gail Ditewig , Bennett Michael J.
Published: January 2011

Deficiency of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) results in impaired hepatic long‐chain fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis. We have previously described a patient with a severe CPT1A phenotype who is homozygous for the nonsense mutation 478 C > T (R160X). It has been known for some time that gentamicin can promote readthrough of nonsense codons. Recently, a new compound (PTC124) with less clinical toxicity than gentamicin has been indicated as a therapy for patients with nonsense mutations for multiple genetic diseases. The study is designed to investigate whether PTC124 can promote readthrough of the R160X CPT1A mutation and increase normal sized CPT1 protein expression and activity in the patient's skin fibroblasts. Our study demonstrated that after both PTC 124 and gentamicin treatment, there was an increase in CPT1 activity in patient fibroblasts to levels that are similar to that of the mild Inuit P479L variant. Our results provide additional evidence for proof of principle that PTC124 is a potential therapeutic agent for treating patients with any genetic condition that results from a nonsense mutation.
Passive case‐finding for Alzheimer's disease and dementia in two U.S. communities
Authors: Knopman David S. , Petersen Ronald C. , Rocca Walter A. , Larson Eric B. , Ganguli Mary
Published: January 2011

Passive surveillance for disease is a public health approach that relies on documentation available within existing health records for the region or community being studied. Its two primary advantages over active case‐finding are the lower cost of research and the lower burden on the population under study. The effectiveness of passive case‐finding depends on the comprehensiveness of the healthcare coverage in a given community and the adequacy of the available medical records. The Rochester Epidemiology Project has permitted dementia case detection for Olmsted County, Minnesota, using a medical records‐linkage system. These data were compared with case ascertainment using direct assessment of individuals in an epidemiological study of the same community. At the Group Health Research Institute, investigators compared dementia and Alzheimer's disease cases detected using an electronic medical record database search with those identified by a parallel active case‐finding study. In this article, the advantages and disadvantages of passive case‐finding were discussed, and the following conclusion was drawn: the purpose of the study being conducted should determine the case‐finding approach that is to be used.
Operationalizing diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease and other age‐related cognitive impairment—Part 1
Authors: Mayeux Richard , Reitz Christiane , Brickman Adam M. , Haan Mary N. , Manly Jennifer J. , Glymour M. Maria , Weiss Christopher C. , Yaffe Kristine , Middleton Laura , Hendrie Hugh C. , Warren Lauren H. , Hayden Kathleen M. , Welsh‐Bohmer Kathleen A. , Breitner John C.S. , Morris John C.
Published: January 2011

In this article, the challenges faced by several noted population studies for Alzheimer dementia in operationalizing current clinical diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been reviewed. Differences in case ascertainment, methodological biases, cultural and educational influences on test performance, inclusion of special populations such as underrepresented minorities and the oldest old, and detection of the earliest symptomatic stages of underlying AD have been considered. Classification of Alzheimer dementia may be improved by the incorporation of biomarkers for AD if the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the biomarkers are established and if they are appropriate for epidemiological studies, as may occur should a plasma biomarker be developed. Biomarkers for AD could also facilitate studies of the interactions of various forms of neurodegenerative disorders with cerebrovascular disease, resulting in “mixed dementia”.
National estimates of the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States
Authors: Brookmeyer Ron , Evans Denis A. , Hebert Liesi , Langa Kenneth M. , Heeringa Steven G. , Plassman Brenda L. , Kukull Walter A.
Published: January 2011

Several methods of estimating prevalence of dementia are presented in this article. For both Brookmeyer and the Chicago Health and Aging project (CHAP), the estimates of prevalence are derived statistically, forward calculating from incidence and survival figures. The choice of incidence rates on which to build the estimates may be critical. Brookmeyer used incidence rates from several published studies, whereas the CHAP investigators applied the incidence rates observed in their own cohort. The Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS) and the East Boston Senior Health Project (EBSHP) were sample surveys designed to ascertain the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. ADAMS obtained direct estimates by relying on probability sampling nationwide. EBSHP relied on projection of localized prevalence estimates to the national population. The sampling techniques of ADAMS and EBSHP were rather similar, whereas their disease definitions were not. By contrast, EBSPH and CHAP have similar disease definitions internally, but use different calculation techniques, and yet arrive at similar prevalence estimates, which are considerably greater than those obtained by either Brookmeyer or ADAMS. Choice of disease definition may play the larger role in explaining differences in observed prevalence between these studies.
Reducing case ascertainment costs in U.S. population studies of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and cognitive impairment—Part 2
Authors: Evans Denis A. , Grodstein Francine , Loewenstein David , Kaye Jeffrey , Weintraub Sandra
Published: January 2011

Dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) is a major public health threat in developed countries where longevity has been extended to the eighth decade of life. Estimates of prevalence and incidence of DAT vary with what is measured, be it change from a baseline cognitive state or a clinical diagnostic endpoint, such as Alzheimer's disease. Judgment of what is psychometrically “normal” at the age of 80 years implicitly condones a decline from what is normal at the age of 30. However, because cognitive aging is very heterogeneous, it is reasonable to ask “Is ‘normal for age’ good enough to screen for DAT or its earlier precursors of cognitive impairment?” Cost containment and accessibility of ascertainment methods are enhanced by well‐validated and reliable methods such as screening for cognitive impairment by telephone interviews. However, focused assessment of episodic memory, the key symptom associated with DAT, might be more effective at distinguishing normal from abnormal cognitive aging trajectories. Alternatively, the futuristic “Smart Home,” outfitted with unobtrusive sensors and data storage devices, permits the moment‐to‐moment recording of activities so that changes that constitute risk for DAT can be identified before the emergence of symptoms.
The effect of within-crop habitat manipulations on the conservation biological control of aphids in field-grown lettuce
Authors: Skirvin D.J. , Kravar-Garde L. , Reynolds K. , Wright C. , Mead A.
Published: January 2011

Within-crop habitat manipulations have the potential to increase the biological control of pests in horticultural field crops. Wildflower strips have been shown to increase the abundance of natural enemies, but there is little evidence to date of an impact on pest populations. The aim of this study was to determine whether within-crop wildflower strips can increase the natural regulation of pests in horticultural field crops. Aphid numbers in plots of lettuce grown adjacent to wildflower strips were compared with those in plots grown in the absence of wildflowers. The presence of wildflower strips led to a decrease in aphid numbers on adjacent lettuce plants during June and July, but had less impact in August and September. The decrease in aphid numbers was greatest close to the wildflower strips and, the decrease in aphid numbers declined with increasing distance from the wildflower strips, with little effect at a distance of ten metres. The main natural enemies found in the crop were those that dispersed aerially, which is consistent with data from previous studies on cereal crops. Analysis and interpretation of natural enemy numbers was difficult due to low recovery of natural enemies, and the numbers appeared to follow changes in aphid abundance rather than being directly linked to the presence of wildflower strips. Cutting the wildflower strips, to remove floral resources, had no impact on the reduction in aphid numbers achieved during June and July, but decreased the effect of the wildflower strips during August and September. The results suggest that wildflower strips can lead to increased natural regulation of pest aphids in outdoor lettuce crops, but more research is required to determine how this is mediated by natural enemies and how the impact of wildflower strips on natural pest regulation changes during the growing season.
British Suffragettes and the Russian Method of Hunger Strike
Authors: Grant Kevin
Published: January 2011

In the spring of 1878 male political prisoners in the Peter and Paul Fortress of St. Petersburg went on hunger strike to protest against the oppressive conditions in which they were held by the tsarist regime. After three days, news of the strike reached the prisoners' families, who appealed for relief to the director of military police, General N. V. Mezentsev. The director dismissed their pleas and reportedly declared of the hunger strikers, “Let them die; I have already ordered coffins for them all.” It was a volatile period of repression and reprisal in the Russian revolutionary movement. The tsarist regime had cracked down on the revolutionary populists, thenarodniki, and the era of terrorism had just begun in St. Petersburg that January, when Vera Zasulich shot and seriously wounded the city's governor. The hunger strikers were among a group of 193 revolutionaries who had been recently tried for treason and sentenced to various forms of punishment, including hard labor and imprisonment in Siberia. In these circumstances the news of Mezentsev's response spread quickly beyond the strikers' families, soon reaching a would-be terrorist and former artillery officer, Sergius Kravchinskii. Kravchinskii killed Mezentsev with a dagger on a city street, then fled Russia and made his way to Great Britain, a haven for Russian revolutionaries since Alexander Herzen had arrived in 1852 and established the first Russian revolutionary press abroad. Kravchinskii likewise wrote against the tsarist regime, under the pen name Sergius Stepniak, and in 1890 he became the editor of a new, London-based periodical,Free Russia. Its first number chronicled a dramatic series of hunger strikes led by female revolutionaries imprisoned at Kara in the Trans-Baikál of eastern Siberia. These strikes had culminated in the death of one woman after she was flogged and in five suicides by female and male political prisoners who, after the death of their comrade, had ended their hunger strikes to eat poison. Having been inspired to terror by his sympathy for revolutionary hunger strikers, Stepniak, like other Russian exiles, believed that the hunger strike would win sympathy and support for Russian revolutionaries in Britain.
Social scientific inquiry and meta-theoretical fantasy: the case of International Relations
Authors: GUNNELL JOHN G.
Published: January 2011

The turn to the philosophy of scientific realism as a meta-theory for the study of International Relations manifests a reluctance to confront the basic problem of the relationship between philosophy and social scientific inquiry. Despite the realists' rejection of traditional empiricism, and particularly the instrumentalist account of scientific theory, the enthusiasm for realism neglects many of the same problems that, more than a generation earlier, were involved in the social scientific embrace of positivism. One of these problems was a lack of understanding regarding the character and history of the philosophy of natural science and its relationship and applicability to the study of social phenomena. Proponents of realism have also neither adequately articulated and defended realism as a philosophical position, and distinguished it from other perspectives, nor confronted the fundamental challenge to realism and other foundationalist philosophies which has been mounted by the contemporary critique of traditional representational philosophy.
Theorising free capital mobility: the perspective of developing countries
Authors: SHENG LI
Published: January 2011

Using a simple economic model, this article illustrates the greatly diverging interests and preferences of developed and developing countries with regards to capital mobility. Theoretically, developed countries' gain from free capital mobility likely comes at the expense of risk and loss for developing countries due to the latter's financial vulnerability. It is also found that it does not pay for a developed country to push its developing counterparts into prematurely liberalising their capital markets because this type of impatience reduces the developed country's own first-mover advantage in strategic bargaining for capital mobility benefits.
Prime minister and foreign secretary: the dual role of James Ramsay MacDonald in 1924
Authors: KITCHING CAROLYN J.
Published: January 2011

The career and reputation of James Ramsay MacDonald are generally influenced by his actions in 1931, and yet, as Donald Cameron Watt has stated, it is ‘not really possible to blackguard him for 1931 without having to cast aspersions on his extraordinary achievements earlier on’. This article examines some of these ‘extraordinary’ achievements by considering the role of MacDonald himself in the formation and leading of the 1924 minority Labour Government. It considers the difficulty he experienced in creating a Cabinet from colleagues whom he generally considered to be unsuitable and incapable, and which led him to become both Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. He faced criticism from many in his party for his failure to implement a measure of socialist reforms, yet given the nature of the domestic problems with which his government was faced, and the tenuous nature of this government, held in place, as it was, by a fractured Liberal Party, this ‘failure’ is scarcely surprising. However, this article maintains that in foreign policy, and in his powerful joint role, MacDonald's reputation in 1924 really can be described as outstanding.
The Sea and the World of theMutasaddi:A profile of port officials from Mughal Gujarat (c. 1600–1650)
Authors: FLORES JORGE
Published: January 2011

This article seeks to trace the profile of the governors (mutasaddis) of the main port-cities (especially Surat and, to a lesser extent, Cambay) of the Mughal province of Gujarat in the first half of the seventeenth century. My research on the careers of individualmutasaddis – based mainly (but not exclusively) on existent Portuguese materials – allows us to better understand the social world of those occupying key positions in the ‘waterfront’ of the Mughal Empire and its dealings extensively with the European powers (Portuguese, Dutch and English). Hence, the analysis of the professional and personal trajectories of the Indian Muslim doctor Muqarrab Khan and the Persian Mir Musa Mu'izzul Mulk presented here demonstrate how far business, politics and cultural patronage were often entangled in the career of a Mughalmutasaddiof Gujarat.
Analysis of Mars analogue soil samples using solid-phase microextraction, organic solvent extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Orzechowska G. E. , Kidd R. D. , Foing B. H. , Kanik I. , Stoker C. , Ehrenfreund P.
Published: January 2011

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are robust and abundant molecules in extraterrestrial environments. They are found ubiquitously in the interstellar medium and have been identified in extracts of meteorites collected on Earth. PAHs are important target molecules for planetary exploration missions that investigate the organic inventory of planets, moons and small bodies. This study is part of an interdisciplinary preparation phase to search for organic molecules and life on Mars. We have investigated PAH compounds in desert soils to determine their composition, distribution and stability. Soil samples (Mars analogue soils) were collected at desert areas of Utah in the vicinity of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), in the Arequipa region in Peru and from the Jutland region of Denmark. The aim of this study was to optimize the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method for fast screening and determination of PAHs in soil samples. This method minimizes sample handling and preserves the chemical integrity of the sample. Complementary liquid extraction was used to obtain information on five- and six-ring PAH compounds. The measured concentrations of PAHs are, in general, very low, ranging from 1 to 60 ng g−1. The texture of soils is mostly sandy loam with few samples being 100 % silt. Collected soils are moderately basic with pH values of 8–9 except for the Salten Skov soil, which is slightly acidic. Although the diverse and variable microbial populations of the samples at the sample sites might have affected the levels and variety of PAHs detected, SPME appears to be a rapid, viable field sampling technique with implications for use on planetary missions.