bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical composition and functional characterisation of commercial pumpkin seed oil
Authors: Procida Giuseppe , Stancher Bruno , Cateni Francesca , Zacchigna Marina
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) seed oil is a common product in Slovenia, Hungary and Austria and is considered a preventive agent for various pathologies, particularly prostate diseases. These properties are related to its high content of carotenoids and liposoluble vitamins. In this study the carotenoid (lutein and zeaxanthin), vitamin E (α‐ and γ‐tocopherol) and fatty acid contents of 12 samples of commercial pumpkin seed oil were investigated together with the composition of the volatile fraction resulting from the roasting process.

RESULTS: The aromatic profile obtained from the commercial samples was directly related to the intensity of the roasting process of the crushed pumpkin seeds. The roasting temperature played a crucial role in the concentrations of volatile substances originating from Strecker degradation, lipid peroxidation and Maillard reaction.

CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that high‐temperature roasting leads to the production of an oil with intense aromatic characteristics, while mild conditions, generally employed to obtain an oil with professed therapeutic characteristics, lead to a product with minor characteristic pumpkin seed oil aroma. The nutraceutical properties of the product are confirmed by the high content of α‐ and γ‐tocopherol and carotenoids. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Influence of some environmental factors on drupe maturation and olive oil composition
Authors: Di Vaio Claudio , Nocerino Sabrina , Paduano Antonello , Sacchi Raffaele
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationships between olive cultivars and the cultivation environment as well as optimising cultivation choices can lead to maximum expression of oil production in terms of both quantity and quality. For this purpose, samples of the Ortice olive cultivar grown in two different environments in southern Italy at altitudes of 500 and 50 m above sea level (a.s.l.) were harvested on various dates to monitor drupe maturation and determine the nutritional and chemical characteristics of the oils.

RESULTS: Fruits grown at 50 m a.s.l. ripened about 10–15 days earlier than those grown at 500 m a.s.l. The oil obtained at 500 m a.s.l. was characterised by a higher content of total polyphenols and a higher content of oleic and stearic acids.

CONCLUSION: The different heat accumulation related to the environment affected drupe development as well as the colouring trend and oil content. Consequently, the growth environment changed the content of Ortice oil fatty acids and polyphenols, while the flavour profile remained fairly stable in both environments, with the cultivar effect prevailing over the environment factor. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Development of a protocol to solidify native and artificial oil bodies for long‐term storage at room temperature
Authors: Chang Ming‐Tsung , Chen Chun‐Ren , Liu Ting‐Hang , Lee Chin‐Pei , Tzen Jason TC
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Oil bodies isolated from sesame seeds coalesced to form large oil drops when they were solidified in a drying process commonly used for food products. The aim of this study was to develop a protocol to solidify oil bodies for long‐term storage at room temperature.

RESULTS: On the basis of testing several excipients, the coalescence of oil bodies could be effectively prevented when they were combined with mannitol. Sizes of oil bodies appeared similar under a light microscope before and after powderisation in combination with 70% or more mannitol. Artificial oil bodies were successfully generated with sesame oil, phospholipid and recombinant sesame caleosin. Following the developed protocol, native and artificial oil bodies were stably solidified in tablets. Both native and artificial oil bodies dissolved from the tablets remained stable after an accelerated stress test under a condition of 75% humidity at 40 °C for 4 months.

CONCLUSION: A protocol was successfully developed for the solidification of native and artificial oil bodies in stable powder and tablet forms. This successful protocol is very likely to expedite the utilisation of artificial oil bodies in their potential applications. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
A rapid and simple screening method of Cronobacter spp. in cell suspension and tofu
Authors: Kim Sun Ae , Yu Ji Hyun , Rhee Min Suk
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Cronobacter spp. causes illnesses such as neonatal meningitis, sepsis and necrotising enterocolitis that can be fatal in infants and neonates. Thus it is of great concern to the food industry, which requires a simple and miniaturised method for the rapid detection of Cronobacter spp. in food.

RESULTS: A simple and rapid method was developed for the quantitative estimation of Cronobacter spp. Cell suspension cultures and tofu inoculated with Cronobacter spp. as well as a mixed culture (Cronobacter spp. and other micro‐organisms) were serially diluted twofold on microtitre plates. Kim and Rhee broth, containing salicin, was added to each well. After 16–18 h of incubation the colour of broth in the wells changed from purple to yellow owing to salicin fermentation by Cronobacter spp. Bacterial counts were predicted by analysing the end points (the last well number in a series of positive wells). The coefficients of determination (r2) between the conventional plating method and the current method had high degrees of correlation (0.954–0.963), suggesting that the latter method offers a reasonable quantification of Cronobacter spp.

CONCLUSION: The simple method developed in this study could be used for the efficient and rapid screening of Cronobacter spp. in the food industry. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Oil accumulation in intact olive fruits measured by near infrared spectroscopy–acousto‐optically tunable filter
Authors: Bellincontro Andrea , Caruso Giovanni , Mencarelli Fabio , Gucci Riccardo
Published: August 2012

Background

A field experiment was conducted to test the reliability of the near infrared spectroscopy (NIR)–acousto‐optically tunable filter (AOTF) method to measure mesocarp oil content in vivo against nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) determinations using three different olive cultivars at different stages of ripening.

Results

In the partial least squares model carried out for the cultivar ‘Arbequina’, the coefficient of determination in calibration (R2c) was 0.991, while the coefficient of determination in cross‐validation (R2cv) was 0.979. For the cultivar ‘Frantoio’ the indexes were 0.982 and 0.971, respectively; while for the cultivar ‘Leccino’ R2c was 0.977 and R2cv was 0.965. Finally, for the combined model (sum of the three varieties) these indexes were 0.921 and 0.903, respectively. The residual predictive deviation (RPD) ratio was insufficient for the predictive model of cultivar ‘Leccino’ only (1.98), whereas in the other cases the RPD ratios were completely sufficient, within the estimation range over 2.5–3 (2.61 in the global model, and 4.23 in the cultivar ‘Frantoio’), or in describing a large capacity with values greater than 5, as in the cultivar ‘Arbequina’ (9.58).

Conclusion

NIR‐AOTF spectroscopy proved to be a novel, rapid and reliable method to monitor the oil accumulation process in intact olive fruits in the field. The innovative approach of coupling NIR and NMR technologies opens up new scenarios for determining the optimal time for harvesting olive trees to obtain maximum oil production.
Northern bobwhite response to Conservation Reserve Program habitat and landscape attributes
Authors: Blank Peter J.
Published: August 2012

The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhite) has experienced substantial population declines in recent decades in the United States, and especially in Maryland and Delaware. The United States Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) could provide additional habitat for bobwhites, leading to an increase in bobwhite abundance. I investigated if bobwhite abundance was related to the percent cover of CRP land and landscape attributes in local landscapes on Maryland's Eastern Shore and Delaware. Observers conducted bobwhite point transect surveys at 113 locations during the breeding seasons of 2006–2007, and I calculated landscape metrics for 500‐m radius landscapes centered on each point transect location. Most CRP land in the study landscapes was planted to herbaceous vegetation. Bobwhite abundance was strongly positively associated with percent cover of CRP land in the landscape but was not strongly related to percent cover of agriculture or forest or to landscape patch density. These results suggest that the CRP has created additional habitat for bobwhites in Maryland and Delaware and that landscapes with greater proportions of herbaceous CRP practices support more bobwhites. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Skin rejuvenation by microneedle fractional radiofrequency treatment in Asian skin; Clinical and histological analysis
Authors: Seo Kyu Young , Yoon Moon Soo , Kim Dong Hyun , Lee Hee Jung
Published: August 2012

Background

For skin rejuvenation, microneedle fractional radiofrequency (RF) is a recently developed minimally invasive method for delivering RF energy directly into the skin using microneedle.

Objective

We evaluated efficacy and safety of microneedle fractional RF for skin rejuvenation in Asian skin and also conducted immunohistochemical analysis before and after treatment.

Patients and Methods

Twenty‐five females (mean age 54.2, Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III–IV) received three consecutive fractional RF treatment at 4‐week intervals. Outcome assessments included standardized photography, physician's global assessment, patient's satisfaction scores, objective biophysical measurements, and histologic analysis including immunohistochemical staining.

Results

All patients showed clinical improvement on physician's global assessment and patient's satisfaction scores. Among objective biophysical measurements, improvement in hydration and skin roughness was noticed. Histologic examination revealed marked increase in dermal thickness, dermal collagen content and dermal fibrillin content. Side effects were minimal.

Limitations

The limitations are the small number of patients and lack of long‐term follow‐up.

Conclusion

Microneedle fractional RF is a safe and effective skin rejuvenation method in Asians. Lasers Surg. Med. 44: 631–636, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of Carbon Nanoreinforcements of Different Shapes on the Mechanical Properties of Epoxy‐Based Nanocomposites
Authors: Alishahi Ehsan , Shadlou Shahin , Doagou‐R Saeed , Ayatollahi Majid Reza
Published: August 2012

The effect of carbon nanoreinforcements of different shapes on the mechanical properties of epoxy‐based composites is studied. It is found that while nanodiamond and fibrous (carbon nanotube and nanofiber) particles provided better tensile properties, platelet (graphene oxide) nanoreinforcements lead to a considerable increase in the fracture toughness of the composites. The trend of the results is explained on the basis of the geometrical characteristics of the reinforcements. The accuracy of several micromechanics‐based criteria for predicting the Young's modulus of composites is investigated for different nanoparticle shapes. The state of dispersion of nanofillers and the fracture surface features of all composites are examined using TEM and SEM.

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Responsive Polyelectrolyte Multilayers Assembled at High Ionic Strength with an Unusual Collapse at Low Ionic Strength
Authors: Irigoyen Joseba , Han Lulu , Llarena Irantzu , Mao Zhenwei , Gao Changyou , Moya Sergio E.
Published: August 2012

Responsive polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) of poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and poly(styrene sodium sulfonate) (PSS) with thicknesses between 350 and 400 nm for 11 deposited polyelectrolyte layers were fabricated assembling the polyelectrolytes at 3 M NaCl. When the 3 M NaCl bulk solution is replaced by water, the PEMs release water, approximately a 46% of the total mass, and experience a thickness reduction of more than 200 nm. Changes in thickness and water content are fully reversible. The film recovers its original thickness and water content when it is exposed again to a 3 M NaCl solution. A responsive polymer film is achieved with the capability of swelling at high ionic strength and collapsing in water with variations in thickness of hundred of nanometers.
Paley–Wiener theorems and uncertainty principles for the windowed linear canonical transform
Authors: Kou Kit‐Ian , Xu Rui‐Hui , Zhang Yan‐Hui
Published: August 2012

In a recent paper, the authors have introduced the windowed linear canonical transform and shown its good properties together with some applications such as Poisson summation formulas, sampling interpolation, and series expansion. In this paper, we prove the Paley–Wiener theorems and the uncertainty principles for the (inverse) windowed linear canonical transform. They are new in literature and has some consequences that are now under investigation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Algebraic foundations of split hypercomplex nonlinear adaptive filtering
Authors: Hitzer E.
Published: August 2012

A split hypercomplex learning algorithm for the training of nonlinear finite impulse response adaptive filters for the processing of hypercomplex signals of any dimension is proposed. The derivation strictly takes into account the laws of hypercomplex algebra and hypercomplex calculus, some of which have been neglected in existing learning approaches (e.g., for quaternions). Already in the case of quaternions, we can predict improvements in performance of hypercomplex processes. The convergence of the proposed algorithms is rigorously analyzed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Approximation of a population dynamics model by parabolic regularization
Authors: Iannelli Mimmo , Marinoschi Gabriela
Published: August 2012

The basic linear model for describing an age structured population spreading in a limited habitat is considered with the purpose of investigating an approximation procedure based on parabolic regularization. In fact, a viscosity model is introduced by considering an appropriate approximating regularized parabolic problem and it is proved that the sequence of the approximating solutions tends to the solution to the original problem. The advantage of this approach is that it leads to the numerical solution of a parabolic problem that has more stable solutions than the hyperbolic‐parabolic original problem and avoids the restrictions (compatibility conditions) needed to treat the latter. Moreover, for the solution of the approximating problem, it is possible to take advantage of established software packages dedicated to parabolic problems. Some examples of the approach are provided using COMSOL Multiphysics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Retrospective correction of physiological noise in DTI using an extended tensor model and peripheral measurements
Authors: Mohammadi Siawoosh , Hutton Chloe , Nagy Zoltan , Josephs Oliver , Weiskopf Nikolaus
Published: August 2012

Diffusion tensor imaging is widely used in research and clinical applications, but this modality is highly sensitive to artefacts. We developed an easy‐to‐implement extension of the original diffusion tensor model to account for physiological noise in diffusion tensor imaging using measures of peripheral physiology (pulse and respiration), the so‐called extended tensor model. Within the framework of the extended tensor model two types of regressors, which respectively modeled small (linear) and strong (nonlinear) variations in the diffusion signal, were derived from peripheral measures. We tested the performance of four extended tensor models with different physiological noise regressors on nongated and gated diffusion tensor imaging data, and compared it to an established data‐driven robust fitting method. In the brainstem and cerebellum the extended tensor models reduced the noise in the tensor‐fit by up to 23% in accordance with previous studies on physiological noise. The extended tensor model addresses both large‐amplitude outliers and small‐amplitude signal‐changes. The framework of the extended tensor model also facilitates further investigation into physiological noise in diffusion tensor imaging. The proposed extended tensor model can be readily combined with other artefact correction methods such as robust fitting and eddy current correction. Magn Reson Med 70:358–369, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diaphragm pacing and noninvasive respiratory management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease
Authors: Mahajan Kedar R. , Bach John Robert , Saporito Lou , Perez Nick
Published: August 2012

Introduction: Although it is known that continuous noninvasive ventilation (CNIV) can prolong life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease (ALS/MND), in this study we explore similar claims for diaphragm pacing (DP). Methods: NIV and DP users' vital capacities (VCs) over time and duration of NIV and CNIV dependence were analyzed for 354 non‐DP and 8 DP ALS/MND patients. Results: Patients had a higher rate of monthly VC decline before NIV use (5.1 ± 7.6%) than during NIV use (2.5 ± 3.6%) (P < 0.01, 95% CI 0.84–4.5); the decline for 4 DP users was 3.7–20%. Fifty‐five ALS/MND patients used part‐time NIV for 19.9 ± 27.6 months until tracheostomy/death, whereas 113 others used it for 10.9 ± 10.5 months until CNIV dependence for another 12.8 ± 16.2 months. After placement, 7 DP users were CNIV dependent in 8.0 ± 7.0 months, whereas 6 underwent tracheostomy/died in 18.2 ± 13.7 months. Conclusions: CNIV prolonged the survival of 113 of the 354 non‐DP and 6 DP ALS/MND patients by 12.8 and 10.2 months, respectively. DP provided no benefit on VC or mechanical ventilation–free survival. Muscle Nerve, 2012
Thermoplastic polyurethanes from renewable resources: effect of soft segment chemical structure and molecular weight on morphology and final properties
Authors: Saralegi Ainara , Rueda Lorena , Fernández‐d'Arlas Borja , Mondragon Iñaki , Eceiza Arantxa , Corcuera Mª Angeles
Published: August 2012

The effect of soft segment molecular weight and chemical structure on the morphology and final properties of segmented thermoplastic polyurethanes containing various hard segment contents has been investigated from the viewpoint of the degree of microphase separation. Vegetable oil‐based polyesters and corn sugar‐based chain extender have been used as renewable resources. The synthesis has been carried out in bulk without catalyst using a two‐step polymerization process. Physicochemical, thermal and mechanical properties, and also morphology, have been studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and mechanical testing. Chemical structure and molecular weight of polyols strongly affect the properties of the synthesized segmented thermoplastic polyurethanes. An increase in soft segment molecular weight leads to an increase of the degree of soft segment crystallinity and microphase separation, thus giving enhanced mechanical properties and higher thermal stability. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
A study of the stabilization of vertical alignment for liquid crystals by increasing the side‐chain rigidity of polyimides
Authors: Yi Long‐Fei , Xia Sen‐Lin , Sun Zhen , Liu Meng‐Si , Wang Ying‐Han
Published: August 2012

A series of polyimides (PIs) with various side‐chain structures were prepared via copolymerization of pyromellitic dianhydride, 3,3′‐dimethyl‐4,4′‐methylenediamine and three functional diamines: 4‐(4‐octyloxybenzoyloxy)biphenyl‐3′,5′‐diaminobenzoate (C8‐BPDA), 4‐octyloxybiphenyl‐3′,5′‐diaminobenzoate (C8‐PDA) and 4‐(4‐butoxybenzoyloxy)biphenyl‐3′,5′‐diaminobenzoate (C4‐BPDA). PIs derived from C8‐BPDA and C4‐BPDA exhibited excellent rubbing resistance in comparison with PI from C8‐PDA and the pretilt angle could be controlled over 89° after rubbing. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal degradation of PIs under nitrogen atmosphere occurred above 320 °C, and PI derived from C8‐BPDA showed the best thermal stability. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction patterns indicated an amorphous morphology of the PIs, and the PIs also had outstanding solubility in polar aprotic solvents. The resultant PI films were light colored and maintained high transparency in the visible light region. By increasing the rigidity of side‐chains, the rubbing resistance and the thermal stability of PIs could be promoted at the same time. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Exceptionally good, transparent and flexible FeS2/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and FeS2/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite thin films with excellent UV‐shielding properties
Authors: Sajimol Augustine M , Anand Puthirath B , Anilkumar Kollery M , Jayalekshmi Sankaran
Published: August 2012

Composites of nanocrystalline iron disulfide (FeS2) coated with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) or poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) have been successfully synthesized using a solvothermal process, in which PVP and PVA serve as soft templates. Transparent, flexible thin films of these nanocomposites were prepared from homogeneous solution using a solution‐casting approach. X‐ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis and energy‐dispersive X‐ray, Fourier transform infrared and UV‐visible absorption spectroscopic techniques were employed to study the structural and optical properties of these nanocomposite films. UV‐visible spectra in transmission mode reveal the UV‐shielding efficiency of these nanocomposite films and the films are found to be exceptionally good for UV‐shielding applications in the wavelength range 200 to 400 nm. The present work aims at developing transparent and flexible UV‐shielding materials and colour filters using cost‐effective and non‐toxic inorganic–polymer nanocomposites. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Psycho‐educational interventions for melanoma survivors: a systematic review
Authors: McLoone Jordana , Menzies Scott , Meiser Bettina , Mann Graham J. , Kasparian Nadine A.
Published: August 2012

Objective

To systematically review psycho‐educational interventions developed for melanoma survivors.

Methods

Electronic databases Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, and CINAHL were systematically searched using key words and subject headings for articles describing educational or psychological interventions designed specifically for people affected by melanoma.

Results

Twenty‐seven articles, generated by 16 unique interventions, were included for detailed review. Overall, educational interventions showed increased patient satisfaction with clinical care and information provision, as well as increased frequency of skin self‐examination, although accuracy and thoroughness of skin examination were seldom reported. Participation in psychological interventions was associated with decreases in anxiety, health‐related distress, and melanoma recurrence rates, as well as positive changes in coping with illness. Programs, when implemented as part of routine clinical care, were found to be cost‐effective.

Conclusions

Interventions in this field vary widely, limiting the identification of ‘active ingredients' for psychological or behavioral change. Future intervention studies should ensure sufficient information is provided to support program replication and comprehensive assessment of program outcomes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Suppression of short‐range scattering via hydrophobic substrates and the fractional quantum Hall effect in graphene
Authors: Hansel Stefan , Lafkioti Myrsini , Krstić Vojislav
Published: August 2012

We demonstrate that a hydrophobic layer between substrate and graphene largely eliminates Coulomb interaction between the graphene monolayer and charged impurities on the substrate, significantly reducing short‐range scattering. At high carrier concentrations the mobilities thus obtained, deliver a ratio of Coulomb scattering mean free path to average charge carrier separation comparable to that of the highest mobility samples that exhibit the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE). We observe the FQHE in the lowest mobility samples reported up to now and conclude that increasing the ratio of Coulomb scattering mean free path to charge carrier separation overcomes the limitations for the observation of the FQHE imposed by overall mobility. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Inhaled Cissampelos sympodialis Down‐Regulates Airway Allergic Reaction by Reducing Lung CD3+T Cells
Authors: Vieira Giciane C. , De Lima Josenilson F. , De Figueiredo Regina C. B. Q. , Mascarenhas Sandra R. , Bezerra‐Santos Claudio R. , Piuvezam Marcia R.
Published: August 2012

Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl. (Menispermaceae) root infusion is used in Northeast Brazil to treat allergic asthma. We have previously shown that oral use of the plant extract reduces eosinophil infiltration into the lung of ovalbumin (OVA)‐ sensitized mice. However, drugs taken by inhalation route to treat asthma achieve better outcomes. Thereby, in this study, we evaluated the inhaled C. sympodialis alcoholic extract as a therapeutic treatment in OVA‐sensitized BALB/c mice. The parameters which were analyzed consisted of leukocyte recruitment to the airway cavity, tissue remodeling and cell profile. The inhaled extract inhibited mainly eosinophil recruitment to the pleural cavity, bronchoalveolar lavage and peripheral blood. This treatment reduced the OVA‐specific IgE serum titer and leukocyte infiltration in the peribronchiolar and pulmonary perivascular areas as well as mucus production. In addition, we also tested isolated alkaloids from the plant extract. The flow cytometric analysis showed that methylwarifteine (MW) and, mainly, the inhaled extract reduced the number of CD3+T cells and eosinophil‐like cells. Therefore, inhaled C. sympodialis extract and MW lead to down‐regulation of inflammatory cell infiltration with remarkable decrease in the number of T cells in an experimental model of respiratory allergy, suggesting that the plant can be delivered via inhalation route to treat allergic asthma. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Plant Polyphenols on Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury of the Isolated rat Heart and Vessels
Authors: Brosková Z. , Drábiková K. , Sotníková R. , Fialová S. , Knezl V.
Published: August 2012

In the present study, we investigated the potential protective effect of selected natural substances in a rat model of heart and mesenteric ischemia‐reperfusion (I/R). Experiments were performed on isolated Langendorff‐perfused rat hearts, subjected to 30‐min global ischemia, followed by 30‐min reperfusion. Arbutin, curcumin, rosmarinic acid and extract of Mentha x villosa were applied in the concentration of 1 × 10−5 mol/l 10 min before the onset of ischemia and during reperfusion, through the perfusion medium. Mesenteric ischemia was induced by clamping the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for 60 min, subsequent reperfusion lasted 30 min. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by SMA ex vivo was determined by luminol‐enhanced chemiluminiscence (CL). The effect of the substances was tested after their incubation with tissue. Curcumin and extract of Mentha x villosa were found to be the most effective in reducing reperfusion‐induced dysrhythmias ‐ ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. This effect was accompanied by bradycardic effect. The mesenteric I/R induced an increase in CL in vascular tissue which was dampened by substances tested. All substances tested were found to have antioxidant properties, as demonstrated by a reduction in ROS production in mesenteric vessels. This effect was confirmed in curcumin and extract of Mentha x villosa which reduced reperfusion dyshythmias. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silymarin Decreases Connective Tissue Growth Factor to Improve Liver Fibrosis in Rats Treated with Carbon Tetrachloride
Authors: Tzeng Jann‐Inn , Chen Mei‐Fen , Chung Hsien‐Hui , Cheng Juei‐Tang
Published: August 2012

Silymarin is an herbal product showing potential as protection against hepatic disorders. In an attempt to develop the agent for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis, we screened the effects of silymarin on a rat model of hepatic fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Intraperitoneal administration of CCl4 to rats for 8 weeks not only increased the plasma levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) but also induced a marked increase in the formation of hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were also reduced in the liver of rats treated with CCl4. Oral administration of silymarin (200 mg/kg, three times daily), in parallel, decreased the plasma levels of GOT and GPT. Furthermore, in addition to the improvement of hepatic fibrosis, the hepatic levels of hydroxyproline and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were both markedly decreased by silymarin. Silymarin also elevated the activities of SOD and GPx in liver isolated from CCl4‐treated rats. The results suggest that oral administration of silymarin protects against CCl4‐induced hepatic fibrosis in rats, likely due to the decrease in fibrotic parameters such as CTGF. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Secure identity‐based multisignature schemes under quadratic residue assumptions
Authors: Wei Lifei , Cao Zhenfu , Dong Xiaolei
Published: August 2012

Digital signatures are one of the fundamental security primitives because they provide authenticity and nonrepudiation in the broadcast/multicast communication networks. However, the current broadcast/multicast authentication standards are vulnerable to signature flooding because excessive signature verification requests exhaust the computational resource of victims. The situation becomes worse in the case of the energy‐constrained networks such as wireless sensor networks and mobile ad hoc networks. As an essential variation of ordinary digital signature schemes, multisignature schemes enable a single compact signature to authenticate a message under a set of different signers. In this paper, we first propose an efficient identity‐based multisignature scheme with three interactive rounds under quadratic residue assumption, which equals to the large integer factoring assumption. By using the technique of quadratic residue‐based multiplicatively homomorphic equivocable commitment, an advanced identity‐based multisignature scheme is proposed to achieve to reduce the interactive round complexity to two rounds. We give the formal security proof that our schemes are existentially unforgeable under adaptively chosen message attacks and chosen identity attacks in the random oracle model. Compared with the previous work, our schemes are very efficient. In particular, our schemes are featured by the weak assumption and the efficient signing and verification procedures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Secure group and multi‐layer group communication schemes based on polynomial interpolation
Authors: B. R. Purushothama , Amberker B. B.
Published: August 2012

Secure group communication model poses the challenge of key management to enforce the access control among the users of the group. Secure group key management schemes should be designed such that there is less rekeying and storage cost involved to manage the group keys. We propose a centralized, scalable, share‐based secure group key management scheme employing a new approach on the basis of the polynomial interpolation technique. We prove the security of the scheme. We design a multilayer share‐based key management scheme to manage the keys in the multilayer communication model. A new aggregate tree structure is proposed to manage the keys in the multilayer communication model. We analyze and evaluate the performance of the designed schemes in detail for storage and rekeying cost. We show that the proposed share‐based group key management scheme and the multilayer key management schemes are efficient in terms of storage and rekeying cost in comparison with two schemes based on threshold secret‐sharing method available in the literature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A communication and computation‐efficient three‐party authenticated key agreement protocol
Authors: Tan Zuowen
Published: August 2012

The three‐party authenticated key agreement protocol enables two clients to authenticate each other and agree on a session key over an insecure public network with the help of a trusted server. The password‐based three‐party authenticated key agreement protocols often have two drawbacks: (1) the server must store large numbers of passwords and (2) low‐entropy passwords easily suffer from potential guessing attacks. The public key infrastructure‐based three‐party authenticated key agreement protocols need no password. In 2008, Chen et al. proposed a round‐efficient three‐party authenticated key agreement protocol that needs no password or public key cryptosystem. However, the computation costs and communication loads of their protocol are still high. In 2009, Yang et al. proposed an efficient three‐party authenticated key exchange protocol based upon elliptic curve cryptography for mobile commerce environments. Unfortunately, both three‐party authenticated key agreement protocols are insecure. In this paper, we propose a novel three‐party authenticated key agreement protocol that requires neither public key cryptosystem nor password. Compared with the previous three‐party authenticated key agreement protocols, the novel three‐party authenticated key agreement protocol requires considerably fewer rounds, lower communication cost and smaller computation cost. The comparisons have shown that our three‐party authenticated key agreement protocol is more practical than other three‐party authenticated key agreement protocols. The proposed protocol is provably secure on the basis of the intractability of the computational Diffie–Hellman problems in the random oracle model. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distributed monitoring for misbehaviour detection in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Benahmed Khelifa , Merabti Madjid , Haffaf Hafid
Published: August 2012

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) often consist of tiny devices and offer a variety of potential means to monitor the environment. However, WSNs are vulnerable to several types of attack because of their use in critical applications, their deployment in open and unprotected environments and their limited system resources. Therefore, security design is an important aspect of WSNs. In this work, we focus on detecting misbehaving nodes in WSNs. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to present a complete and formal study on finding optimised monitor nodes and combining the organisation of the network with monitoring for misbehaviour detection in WSNs. The main idea of this work is to propose simple and efficient distributed monitoring algorithm capable of detecting misbehaviours based on a clustered architecture, where the cluster head is elected according to a new set of metrics. These new election metrics are based on a multiple‐criteria decision approach in order to monitor the health status of cluster members and detect misbehaviour. Our proposed strategy ensures a good selection of the nodes responsible for monitoring, reduces energy consumption during the monitoring process—effectively reducing the amount of security information that flows through the network—and reduces latency. The efficiency of our method is evaluated through simulation experiments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of variability on the choice of biosimilarity limits in assessing follow‐on biologics
Authors: Zhang Nan , Yang Jun , Chow Shein‐Chung , Endrenyi Laszlo , Chi Eric
Published: August 2012

With larger variation in biological products compared with small molecular drugs, it is suggested that the assessment of biosimilarity of follow‐on biologics (FOBs) should take variability into consideration in addition to average as standard in bioequivalence tests in small molecule drugs. Recent research on assessing variability in biosimilarity of FOBs has focused on direct assessment of variances, individual biosimilar index aggregating average and variability, and comparison of the entire distributions. However, the choice of biosimilarity limits for evaluating FOBs has not been investigated in the literature. In this article, we first explore the impact of variability on biosimilarity limits for the average biosimilarity assessment. On the basis of the derived relationship between variability and biosimilarity limit that result in the same power given all other parameters fixed, we propose several scaled biosimilarity limits to incorporate highly variable biological products. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An adapted F‐test for homogeneity of variability in follow‐on biological products
Authors: Yang Jun , Zhang Nan , Chow Shein‐Chung , Chi Eric
Published: August 2012

In recent years, follow‐on biological products (biosimilars) have received much attention from both the biotechnology industry and the regulatory agencies, especially after the passage of the 2010 healthcare reform bill. Unlike the traditional small‐molecule drug products, the development of biological products is not only more complicated but also sensitive to small changes (both mean and variation) in procedure/environment during the manufacturing process because of some fundamental differences between drug products and biological products. A small change will have an impact on the quality of the product and consequently the treatment effect. Thus, in addition to the assessment of biosimilarity in average, it was suggested that biosimilarity in variability between biological products should be assessed. In this article, we propose an adapted F‐test for homogeneity of variances to assess biosimilarity in variability. We study the performance and concordance of the proposed adapted F‐test and compare it with probability‐based method by extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unsupervised clustering of multivariate circular data
Authors: Abraham Christophe , Molinari Nicolas , Servien Rémi
Published: August 2012

In this paper, we study an unsupervised clustering problem. The originality of this problem lies in the data, which consist of the positions of five separate X‐ray beams on a circle. Radiation therapists positioned the five X‐ray beam ‘projectors’ around each patient on a predefined circle. However, similarities exist in positioning for certain groups of patients, and we aim to describe these similarities with the goal of creating pre‐adjustment settings that could help save time during X‐ray positioning. We therefore performed unsupervised clustering of observed X‐ray positions. Because the data for each patient consist of five angle measurements, Euclidean distances are not appropriated. Furthermore, we cannot perform k‐means algorithm, usually used for minimizing corresponding distortion because we cannot calculate centers of clusters. We present here solutions to these problems. First, we define a suitable distance on the circle. Then, we adapt an algorithm based on simulated annealing to minimize distortion. This algorithm is shown to be theoretically convergent. Finally, we present simulations on simulated and real data. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Why Can't We All Just Accommodate: A Soft Systems Methodology Application on Disagreeing Stakeholders
Authors: Houghton Luke
Published: August 2012

The idea of accommodating worldviews in problem structuring is a common approach across many methodologies. A key assumption of this research is the idea that actors must reach a point where a debate about change, through an accommodation of worldviews, can occur. This paper looks at a field study where actors actively used their declared worldviews against each other to argue for change. Even though this process led to a stalling of the method, an argument is made that there is still much to be learned from actors who actively structure disagreement. In particular by studying how this process occurs, we can develop new streams of research into problem framing and methodology use that are currently absent problem structuring research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Certification of NIST SRM 2569 Lead Paint Films for Children's Products
Authors: Molloy John L. , Sieber John R. , Murphy Karen E. , Long Stephen E. , Leigh Stefan D.
Published: August 2012

SRM 2569 Lead Paint Films for Children's Products is a new Standard Reference Material (SRM) developed for use primarily with X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) instrumentation. It consists of three paint coatings, with nominally 0, 90, and 300 mg/kg of Pb added, on polyester substrates. The levels of Pb are appropriate for use when validating test methods intended for testing product compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The Pb mass fraction, mass Pb per unit area, paint density, and paint thickness are all characterized to make these materials useful to users of different XRF instrumentation. These parameters are consistent with one another and can be used to demonstrate mathematical conversions between units of mass fraction and mass per unit area. The assigned values for these parameters were obtained through direct determinations using instrumental methods and via calculations using measured values for paint ingredients, paint composition, and physical properties. The paints are highly homogeneous among units, although within units, some localized areas enriched in Pb can be observed using microbeam XRF instrumentation. For this reason, SRM 2569 is not recommended for use with measured areas smaller than 1 mm diameter. The development of SRM 2569 is a good case study for the use of multiple, interrelated parameters and test methods to demonstrate the comparability of values derived from a variety of measurement processes. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
XAFS investigations of copper(II) complexes with tetradentate Schiff base ligands
Authors: Gaur Abhijeet , Shrivastava B. D. , Srivastava K. , Prasad J. , Singh Sandeep K.
Published: August 2012

X‐ray absorption fine structure spectra have been investigated at the K‐edge of copper in copper(II) salen/salophen complexes: [Cu(salen)] (1), [Cu(salen)CuCl2].H2O (2), [Cu(salophen)] (3) and [Cu(salophen) CuCl2].H2O (4), where salen2− = N,N′‐ethylenebis (salicylidenaminato); salophen2− = o‐phenylenediaminebis(salicylidenaminato). Complexes 1 and 3 are supposed to have one type of copper centers (called (Cu1)) and complexes 2 and 4 two types of copper centers (called (Cu1) and (Cu2)) having different coordination environments and geometries. A theoretical model has been generated using the available crystallographic data of complex 1 and it has been used for analysis of the extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data of the four complexes to obtain the structural parameters for (Cu1) center. For this center, the obtained Cu–Cu distance (3.2 Å) verifies the binuclear nature of all the complexes. For determining the coordination geometry around (Cu2) center in 2 and 4, a theoretical model has been generated using the crystal structure of a Cu(II) complex, [Cu(C16H12N2O2Cl2)]. This theoretical model has been fitted to the EXAFS data of 2 and 4 to obtain the structural parameters for (Cu2) center. The present analysis shows that (Cu1) center has square pyramidal geometry involving 2N and 3O donor atoms, whereas (Cu2) center has distorted tetrahedral geometry with 2O and 2Cl donor atoms. The values of the chemical shifts and presence of typical Cu(II) X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy features suggest that copper is in the +2 oxidation state in all these complexes. The intensity of ls → 3d pre‐edge feature has been used to investigate the geometry and binuclear nature of the complexes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new versatile system for rapid control of gene expression in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Zilio Nicola , Wehrkamp‐Richter Sophie , Boddy Michael Nicholas
Published: August 2012

The ability to regulate the expression of a gene greatly aids the process of uncovering its functions. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has so far lacked a system for rapidly controlling the expression of chromosomal genes, hindering its full potential as a model organism. Although the widely used nmt1 promoter displays a wide dynamic range of activity, it takes > 14–15 h to derepress. The urg1 promoter also shows a large dynamic range and can be induced quickly (< 2 h), but its implementation requires laborious strain construction and it cannot be used to study meiosis. To overcome these limitations, we constructed a tetracycline‐regulated system for inducible expression of chromosomal genes in fission yeast, which is easily established and implemented. In this system the promoter of a gene is replaced by simple one‐step substitution techniques with a tetracycline‐regulated promoter cassette (tetO7–TATACYC1) in cells where TetR/TetR′‐based transcription activators/repressors are also produced. Using top1 and nse6 as reporter genes, we show that Top1 and Nse6 appear after just 30 min of activating tetO7–TATACYC1 and plateau after ~4–6 h. The amount of synthesised protein is comparable to that produced from the attenuated nmt1 promoter Pnmt8, which should be closer to wild‐type levels for most genes than those generated from excessively strong promoters and can be controlled by changing the concentration of the effector antibiotic. This system also works efficiently during meiosis, thus making it a useful addition to the toolkit of the fission yeast community. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Model-independent bounds on squarks from monophoton searches
Authors: Bélanger Geneviève , Heikinheimo Matti , Sanz Verónica
Published: August 2012

Abstract

Supersymmetry with a compressed spectrum could be responsible for the negative results from supersymmetric searches at LHC. Squarks and gluinos well below the TeV scale could have escaped detection since all search channels lose sensitivity when the mass splitting between supersymmetric particles becomes small. Even in this stealthy situation, production of colored particles is probed in processes with supersymmetric particles produced in association with a high-pT photon. We show that searches for missing energy with a monophoton are a powerful tool, and that the 2011 LHC data already surpasses the limits set by LEP and TeVatron in the compressed case. We set a model-independent bound on the mass of any up (down) type squark of 150 (110) GeV, and stronger model-dependent bounds can be set. We also comment on the expected improvement on those bounds in the 2012 LHC run.
The mechanism of olfactory organ ventilation in Periophthalmus barbarus (Gobiidae, Oxudercinae)
Authors: Kuciel Michał
Published: August 2012

Periophthalmus barbarus Linnaeus, 1766 has many adaptations for amphibious life as a consequence of tidal zone occupation. One of them is the ability to keep a little amount of water and air in mouth while on land or in hypoxic water, correlated with closing a gill lid for gas exchange improvement. It causes that mechanisms of olfactory organ ventilation described in other species of actinopterygians (compression of accessory nasal sac(s) by the skull and jaw elements while mouth and gill lid moving) are not in operation. There is a specific mechanism of olfactory organ ventilation independent on jaw and skull elements movements. Compression of accessory nasal sacs is possible by a0 contraction and it is a movement effect on bones combined by ligaments. This process can be observed on P. barbarus as lifting the rostral part of the head.