bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A multifaith spiritually based intervention for generalized anxiety disorder: a pilot randomized trial
Authors: Koszycki Diana , Raab Kelley , Aldosary Fahad , Bradwejn Jacques
Published: February 2010

This pilot trial evaluated the efficacy of a multifaith spiritually based intervention (SBI) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Patients meeting DSM‐IV criteria for GAD of at least moderate severity were randomized to either 12 sessions of the SBI (n=11) delivered by a spiritual care counselor or 12 sessions of psychologist‐administered cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT; n=11). Outcome measures were completed at baseline, post‐treatment, and 3‐month and 6‐month follow‐ups. Primary efficacy measures included the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed on the intent‐to‐treat sample using the Last Observation Carried Forward method. Eighteen patients (82%) completed the study. The SBI produced robust and clinically significant reductions from baseline in psychic and somatic symptoms of GAD and was comparable in efficacy to CBT. A reduction in depressive symptoms and improvement in social adjustment was also observed. Treatment response occurred in 63.6% of SBI‐treated and 72.3% of CBT‐treated patients. Gains were maintained at 3‐month and 6‐month follow‐ups. These preliminary findings are encouraging and suggest that a multifaith SBI may be an effective treatment option for GAD. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the efficacy of this intervention. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: 66(4):1–12, 2010.
Psychometric properties of a Turkish version of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale
Authors: Rugancı R. Neslihan , Gençöz Tülin
Published: February 2010

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; developed by Gratz & Roemer, 2004) in a Turkish sample. For this purpose, first, the factor structure of the scale was examined with a sample of 338 university students, and an identical factor structure with the original scale was obtained with the exclusion of a single item. Following the confirmation of the 6‐factor structure of the scale with the current Turkish sample, the whole scale's and its six subscales' reliability coefficients were examined via internal consistency and test‐retest reliability coefficients. These reliability analyses indicated satisfactory coefficients. As for the concurrent validity, the correlations of DERS and its subscales with measures of psychological distress were examined. This examination generally revealed strong correlations, although the awareness factor of DERS had relatively weaker correlations with the measures of psychological distress. Finally, concerning the criterion validity, all the measures of DERS could significantly differentiate the participants with “high psychological distress” from those with “low psychological distress”; however, for the awareness subscale the effect size was small. These findings were discussed in line with the relevant literature. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 66:1–14, 2010.
Secondary school advisors as mentors and secondary attachment figures
Authors: Van Ryzin Mark
Published: February 2010

The teacher–student relationship is vital to student outcomes in secondary school. Unfortunately, the transition from elementary to secondary school is associated with a decrease in the quality or supportiveness of this relationship. In response, some secondary schools implement advisory programs, in which a teacher/advisor meets periodically with a small group of students over an extended period. This study examined whether students (N=209) in two small secondary schools would nominate the advisor as part of their attachment hierarchy. Our results indicated that 40% of the sample considered their advisor to be a secondary attachment figure; further, those that did nominate their advisor reported greater engagement in school and demonstrated greater gains in achievement and adjustment compared to those who did not. A relationship assessment instrument from the attachment literature (RSQ) was found to be more efficacious at predicting student outcomes when compared to instruments used in previous mentoring and relationship research. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Patterns of place‐based self‐regulation and associated mental health of urban adolescents
Authors: Mason Michael J. , Korpela Kalevi , Mennis Jeremy , Coatsworth J. Douglas , Valente Thomas W. , Pomponio Amber , Pate Patricia A.
Published: February 2010

Efforts to simultaneously address adolescent self‐regulation, activity space (routine locations), and mental health represent a promising social ecological approach aimed at understanding the lives and development of urban youth. This type of examination of contextual influences on self‐regulation is considered an important area of developmental research, yet one that is understudied (McCabe, Cunnington, & Brooks‐Gunn,2004). Little is known about the self‐regulatory experiences that might link specific types of locations with mental health problems, particularly with urban youth who live in areas characterized by chronic and severe stressors such as personal violence, criminal activity, and poverty. Recent research has demonstrated the “power of context” (Tolan, Gorman‐Smith, Henry, Chung, & Hunt,2002) to influence coping styles and has demonstrated that without detailed and specified knowledge of the social ecology of urban youth, measurement of critical variables and interpretation of results are likely to be misinformed (Tolan & Grant,2009). Given the importance of understanding youth through an interactive and contextual framework (Bronfenbrenner,1979; Szapocznik & Coatsworth,1999), the present study examined self‐regulatory experiences, specified favorite locations, and mental health with urban adolescents residing in low‐resource and high‐risk environments. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Why rape survivors participate in the criminal justice system
Authors: Patterson Debra , Campbell Rebecca
Published: February 2010

After a rape, survivors may seek help from multiple community organizations including the criminal justice system (CJS). Research has found that few survivors report their assaults to the police and of those who do report, many withdraw their participation during the investigation. However, relatively little is known about the factors that lead survivors to participate in the CJS, and how other community services provided by forensic nurses or victim advocates may also help encourage survivor engagement. In the current study, 20 survivors who reported their victimizations to police within a large Midwest county were interviewed about the factors that influenced their involvement in the CJS. Further, we examined the role that the police, forensic nurses, and victim advocates played in their participation. Using qualitative analyses, our findings suggest that informal supports hold a strong role in the reporting process and formal supports are influential in survivors' engagement in the investigational process. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transdifferentiation potentiality of human Wharton's jelly stem cells towards vascular endothelial cells
Authors: Alaminos Miguel , Pérez‐Köhler Bárbara , Garzón Ingrid , García‐Honduvilla Natalio , Romero Beatriz , Campos Antonio , Buján Julia
Published: February 2010

Human Wharton's jelly stem cells (HWJSC) emerged as a potential source of viable cells for use in tissue engineering. In this work, we have analyzed the transdifferentiation capabilities of HWJSC towards transdifferentiated endothelial‐like cells (Tr‐ELC) in order to establish the potential usefulness of these cells in vascular tissue engineering. Our results show that Tr‐ELC became more polygonal and less proliferative than HWJSC, resembling the structure and proliferation rate of the endothelial cells. In addition, the markers of mesenchymal undifferentiation CD9, E‐cad, PODXL, and SSEA‐4 are downregulated in Tr‐ELC, suggesting that these cells can be in the process of adult differentiation. Besides, RT‐PCR and microarray analyses revealed that some genes with a role in defining the endothelial phenotype and structure are upregulated (VEGF‐R1, EDF1, AAMP, CD31, CD34, CDH5, and ICAM2) or downregulated (VEGF) in Tr‐ELC, although a number of genes related to relevant endothelial cell functions (CD36, ECE2, VWF, THBD, PGI2, ECE1, and ACE) did not change or were only partially induced. All this implies that HWJSC are able to efficiently transdifferentiate towards Tr‐ELC at the phenotypical level following a hierarchical pattern of gene activation, with an earlier induction of morphological and phenotypical genes. J. Cell. Physiol. 223:640–647, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Downregulation of hepatic stellate cell activation by retinol and palmitate mediated by adipose differentiation‐related protein (ADRP)
Authors: Lee Ting Fang , Mak Ki M. , Rackovsky Ori , Lin Yun‐Lian , Kwong Allison J. , Loke Johnny C. , Friedman Scott L.
Published: February 2010

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) store retinoids and triacylglycerols in cytoplasmic lipid droplets. Two prominent features of HSC activation in liver fibrosis are loss of lipid droplets along with increase of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), but the link between these responses and HSC activation remains elusive. In non‐adipose cells, adipose differentiation‐related protein (ADRP) coats lipid droplets and regulates their formation and lipolysis; however its function in HSCs is unknown. Here, we observed, in human liver sections or primary HSC culture, ADRP localization to lipid droplets of HSCs, and reduced staining coincident with loss of lipid droplets in liver fibrosis and in culture‐activated HSCs, consistent with HSC activation. In the LX‐2 human immortalized HSCs, with scant lipid droplets and features of activated HSCs, we found that the upregulation of ADRP mRNA by palmitate is potentiated by retinol, accompanied by increased ADRP protein, generation of retinyl palmitate, and lipid droplet formation. ADRP induction also led to decreased expression of α‐SMA mRNA and its protein, while ADRP knockdown with small interfering RNA (siRNA) normalized α‐SMA expression. Furthermore, ADRP induction by retinol and palmitate resulted in decreased expression of collagen I and matrix metalloproteinase‐2 mRNA, fibrogenic genes associated with activated HSCs, while increasing matrix metalloproteinase‐1 mRNA; ADRP knockdown with siRNA reversed these changes. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 was not affected. Thus, ADRP upregulation mediated by retinol and palmitate promotes downregulation of HSC activation and is functionally linked to the expression of fibrogenic genes. J. Cell. Physiol. 223:648–657, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Transcriptome study for early hematopoiesis—achievement, challenge and new opportunity
Authors: Wang San Ming , Zhang Michael Q.
Published: February 2010

Hematopoietic stem progenitor cells are the source for the entire hematopoietic system. Studying gene expression in hematopoietic stem progenitor cells will provide information to understand the genetic programs controlling early hematopoiesis, and to identify the gene targets to interfere hematopoietic disorders. Extensive efforts using cell biology, molecular biology, and genomics approaches have generated rich knowledge for the genes and functional pathways involving in early hematopoiesis. Challenges remain, however, including the rarity of the hematopoietic stem progenitor cells that set physical limitation for the study, the difficulty for reaching comprehensive transcriptome detection under the conventional genomics technologies, and the difficulty for using conventional biological methods to identify the key genes among large number of expressed genes controlling stem cell self‐renewal and differentiation. The newly developed single‐cell transcriptome method and the next‐generation DNA sequencing technology provide new opportunities for transcriptome study for early hematopoietic. Using systems biology approach may reveal the insight of the genetic mechanisms controlling early hematopoiesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 223:549–552, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Therapeutic effect of transplanting β2m−/Thy1+ bone marrow‐derived hepatocyte stem cells transduced with lentiviral‐mediated HGF gene into CCl4‐injured rats
Authors: Hu Jun‐Jie , Sun Chao , Lan Ling , Chen Yuan‐Wen , Li Ding‐Guo
Published: February 2010

Background

β2m−/Thy1+ bone marrow‐derived hepatocyte stem cells (BDHSCs) isolated from the bone marrow of cholestatic rats by magnetic bead cell sorting consistently express characteristics of both stem and liver cells. These stem cells may be good vehicles for gene transfer. Administration of exogenous hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) may be potentially useful for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Because lentiviral vectors integrate stably into the host‐cell genome of nondividing and dividing cells, it may efficiently transfect β2m−/Thy1+ BDHSCs in vitro and secrete high‐level HGF consistently. Transplantation of β2m−/Thy1+ BDHSCs transduced with lentiviral vectors containing the HGF gene may reduce liver fibrosis in rats.

Methods

Lentiviral vectors expressing HGF were constructed and used to transduce β2m−/Thy1+ BDHSCs sorted from cholestatic rats in vitro. Transduction efficiency was evaluated and then these cells were transplanted into rats through the portal vein. Liver function as well as histological and immunohistochemical examinations were carried out to assess the therapeutic efficacy on liver fibrosis.

Results

We demonstrated that high‐level exogenous HGF was detected in supernatants after β2m−/Thy1+ BDHSCs were transfected with lentiviral vectors expressing HGF. Transplantation of transduced β2m−/Thy1+ BDHSCs significantly enhanced liver function and attenuated liver fibrosis in vivo.

Conclusions

The present study indicates that transplantation of β2m−/Thy1+ BDHSCs overexpressing the HGF gene may offer a novel approach for promoting liver function and reverse liver fibrosis. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
More severe type 2 diabetes‐associated ischemic stroke injury is alleviated in aldose reductase‐deficient mice
Authors: Yeung Chung‐Man , Lo Amy C.Y. , Cheung Alvin K.H. , Chung Stephen S.M. , Wong David , Chung Sookja K.
Published: February 2010

Aldose reductase (AR), the first enzyme in the polyol pathway, has been implicated in a wide variety of physiological and pathological functions, such as diabetic vascular and neural complications. It is known that diabetes mellitus can exacerbate brain and retina damage after ischemic injuries. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. In the present study, we made use of db/db mice with an AR null mutation (AR−/−db/db) to understand better the role of AR in the pathogenesis of brain and retina ischemic injuries under diabetic conditions. Cerebral and retinal ischemia was induced by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in control and diabetic mice either with or without an AR null mutation. Mice were evaluated for neurological deficits after 30 min of ischemia and 23.5 hr of reperfusion. Our results showed that the diabetic db/db mice had significantly more severe neurological deficit and larger brain infarct size than the nondiabetic mice. Compared with wild‐type db/db mice, the AR−/−db/db mice had significantly lower neurological scores, smaller brain infarct areas, and less hemispheric brain swelling. Retinal swelling was also significantly decreased in the AR−/−db/db mice. Less swelling in the brain and retina of the AR−/−db/db mice correlated with less expression of the water channel aquaporin 4. Taken together, these data clearly show that deletion of AR leads to less severe brain and retinal ischemic injuries in the diabetic db/db mouse. The present study indicates that inhibition of AR in diabetics may protect against damage in the brain and retina following ischemic reperfusion injury. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of novel 1,4‐benzoxazine compounds that are protective in tissue culture and in vivo models of neurodegeneration
Authors: Wang Lulu , Ankati Haribabu , Akubathini Shashidhar Kumar , Balderamos Michael , Storey Chelsey A. , Patel Anish V. , Price Valerie , Kretzschmar Doris , Biehl Edward R. , D'Mello Santosh R.
Published: February 2010

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease and conditions such as ischemic stroke affect millions of individuals annually and exert an enormous financial burden on society. A hallmark of these conditions is the abnormal loss of neurons. Currently, there are no effective strategies to prevent neuronal death in these pathologies. We report that several 2‐arylidine and 2‐hetarylidin derivatives of the 1,4‐benzoxazines class of compounds are highly protective in tissue culture models of neurodegeneration. Results obtained using pharmcalogical inhibitors indicate that neuroprotection by these compounds does not involve the Raf–MEK–ERK or PI‐3 kinase–Akt signaling pathways nor other survival‐promoting molecules such as protein kinase A (PKA), calcium calmodulin kinase A (CaMK), and histone deacetylases (HDACs). We tested one of these compounds, (Z)‐6‐amino‐2‐(3′,5′‐dibromo‐4′‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐2H‐benzo[b][1,4]oxazin‐3(4H)‐one, designated as HSB‐13, in the 3‐nitropropionic acid (3‐NP)‐induced mouse model of Huntington's disease. HSB‐13 reduced striatal degeneration and improved behavioral performance in mice administered with 3‐NP. Furthermore, HSB‐13 was protective in a Drosophila model of amyloid precursor protein (APP) toxicity. To understand how HSB‐13 and other 1,4‐benzoxazines protect neurons, we performed kinase profiling analyses. These analyses showed that HSB‐13 inhibits GSK3, p38 MAPK, and cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs). In comparison, another compound, called ASK‐2a, that protects cerebellar granule neurons against low‐potassium‐induced death inhibits GSK3 and p38 MAPK but not CDKs. Despite its structural similarity to HSB‐13, however, ASK‐2a is incapable of protecting cortical neurons and HT22 cells against homocysteic acid (HCA)‐induced or Aβ toxicity, suggesting that protection against HCA and Aβ depends on CDK inhibition. Compounds described in this study represent a novel therapeutic tool in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Local isoform‐specific NOS inhibition: A promising approach to promote motor function recovery after nerve injury
Authors: Moreno‐López Bernardo
Published: February 2010

Physical injury to a nerve is the most frequent cause of acquired peripheral neuropathy, which is responsible for loss of motor, sensory and/or autonomic functions. Injured axons in the peripheral nervous system maintain the capacity to regenerate in adult mammals. However, after nerve transection, stumps of damaged nerves must be surgically joined to guide regenerating axons into the distal nerve stump. Even so, severe functional limitations persist after restorative surgery. Therefore, the identification of molecules that regulate degenerative and regenerative processes is indispensable in developing therapeutic tools to accelerate and improve functional recovery. Here, I consider the role of nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by the three major isoforms of NO synthases (NOS) in motor neuropathy. Neuronal NOS (nNOS) seems to be the primary source of NO that is detrimental to the survival of injured motoneurons. Endothelial NOS (eNOS) appears to be the major source of NO that interferes with axonal regrowth, at least soon after injury. Finally, NO derived from inducible NOS (iNOS) or nNOS is critical to the process of lipid breakdown for Wallerian degeneration and thereby benefits axonal regrowth. Specific inhibitors of these isoforms can be used to protect injured neurons from degeneration and promote axonal regeneration. A cautious proposal for the treatment of acquired motor neuropathy using therapeutic tools that locally interfere with eNOS/nNOS activities seems to merit consideration. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Down‐expression of PGC‐1α partially mediated by JNK/c‐Jun through binding to CRE site during apoptotic procedure in cerebellar granule neurons
Authors: Liang Jingyao , Yang Yi , Zhu Xiaonan , Wang Xuelan , Chen Ruzhu
Published: February 2010

In eukaryotes, mitochondria are critical for cellular bioenergetics and mediating apoptosis. The transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC‐1α) is an important regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function. However, the role of PGC‐1α in neuronal apoptosis and its regulation by apoptotic pathway are still unknown. We demonstrated that PGC‐1α expression was down‐regulated in cerebellar granule neurons(CGNs) after activation of the JNK/c‐Jun pathway by potassium deprivation. Overexpression of PGC‐1α partially protected CGNs from potassium deprivation‐induced apoptosis. JNK‐specific inhibitors, SP600125 and CEP11004, partially blocked the inhibitory effects of JNK on PGC‐1α expression and its promoter activity. Furthermore, ChIP assays revealed that c‐Jun was able to bind to the CRE site (‐188 to ‐180) in the PGC‐1α promoter. In conclusion, these results suggest that down‐expression of PGC‐1α partially mediated by activation of JNK/c‐Jun may be through the binding of c‐Jun to the CRE site in the PGC‐1α promoter, and it might be involved in potassium deprivation‐induced apoptosis in CGNs. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Caspases‐2 and ‐8 are involved in the presenilin1/γ‐secretase‐dependent cleavage of amyloid precursor protein after the induction of apoptosis
Authors: Chae San Sook , Yoo Chul Bae , Jo Chulman , Yun Sang‐Moon , Jo Sangmee Ahn , Koh Young Ho
Published: February 2010

The presenilin/γ‐secretase protease cleaves many type‐I membrane proteins, including the amyloid β‐protein (Aβ) precursor (APP). Previous studies have shown that apoptosis induces alterations in Aβ production in a caspase‐dependent manner. Here, we report that staurosporine (STS)‐induced apoptosis induces caspase‐8 and/or‐2‐dependent γ‐secretase activation. Blocking of caspase activity with caspase‐8 inhibitor z‐IETD‐fmk, and caspase‐2 inhibitor z‐VDVAD‐fmk reduced Aβ production by STS in H4 cells expressing the Swedish mutant of APP (HSW) or APP‐C99 (H4‐C99). There was no inhibitory effect of other caspases (‐1, ‐3, ‐5, ‐6, ‐9) on Aβ production by STS. This finding was further supported by evidence that siRNA transfection, depleting caspase‐2 or ‐8 levels, lowered Aβ production in HSW and H4‐C99 cells without affecting expression of APP or γ‐secretase complex. In addition, Aβ production by STS was decreased by JNK inhibitors, SP600125. These results suggest that caspase‐2 and/or ‐8 is involved in presenilin/γ‐secretase activation and Aβ production in apoptosis. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
What motivates OCB? Insights from the volunteerism literature
Authors: Lavelle James J.
Published: February 2010

This paper argues that taking a functionalist perspective can contribute to a more complete understanding of why employees engage in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Informed by the volunteerism literature, a number of other‐oriented and self‐oriented functions are identified as predictors of OCB including value‐expression, social, and career‐related motives. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular diversity of peanut‐nodulating rhizobia in soils of Argentina
Authors: Bogino Pablo , Banchio Erika , Giordano Walter
Published: February 2010

RSα sequencing is a valuable tool for identification of bacterial strains, and for evaluating the genetic structure of indigenous rhizobial populations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, qualitatively, the presence or absence of RSα fragment in peanut‐nodulating strains isolated from plants grown at four sites in central Argentina. RSα fragment was found in only three of 26 indigenous strains, and in one of three inoculant strains analyzed. In contrast to results from studies of other symbiotic nitrogen‐fixing bacteria, such as soybean‐nodulating strains, no correlation was found between generation time and presence of RSα sequence. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence grouped peanut‐nodulating strains into two clusters, Bradyrhizobium japonicum vs. B. elkanii, and showed divergence among strains positive for RSα sequence. Our results confirm the genetic diversity previously reported for various peanut‐nodulating rhizobial strains, and indicate that the RSα fragment is not applicable as a marker or tool for competition assays at the field or ecological level. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effect of salinity on denitrification under limited single carbon source by Marinobacter sp. isolated from marine sediment
Authors: Nakano Miyo , Inagaki Tadashi , Okunishi Suguru , Tanaka Reiji , Maeda Hiroto
Published: February 2010

Marinobacter comprises Gram‐negative, aerobic, motile, and rod‐shaped bacteria within the γ‐subclass of the Proteobacteria and is known to be halophilic or halotolerant, heterotrophic neutrophile. Two strains classified as belonging to Marinobacter, named PAD‐2 and SeT‐1, were isolated from marine sediment. The most closely related species of PAD‐2 and SeT‐1 are M. alkaliphilus and M. guinea, respectively. The strain PAD‐2 exhibited remarkably higher denitrification at concentrations of 0.5 to 1 M NaCl (3–6% w/w) than at other salinities (2 and 3 M NaCl, 12–18% w/w), and optimal denitrification was observed in media with 0.5 M NaCl. The effect of pH on denitrification by strain PAD‐2 was also examined, and the optimum denitrification occurred at neutral pH rather than under alkaline conditions. Overall, strain PAD‐2 appears to be a novel halotolerant species belonging to the genus Marinobacter that shares many characteristics, such as substrate utilization profile and optimum NaCl concentration for growth with M. alkaliphilus. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Combinatorial assessment on dominance and informative diversity of PGPR from rhizosphere of Jatropha curcas L.
Authors: Jha Chaitanya Kumar , Patel Dhara , Rajendran Narayanan , Saraf Meenu
Published: February 2010

The extensive and enduring challenges in soil microbiology depend on the development of efficient methods to be acquainted with the types of microbes present in soil, and to determine the functional performance of the overall microbial groups in situ. This study aims to investigate the combined uses of species richness and diversity as well as to estimate the combinatorial effect of species richness and diversity in order to understand their role and distribution in their habitat. To achieve this objective a study was designed targeting the rhizosphere of Jatropha curcas L. which were planted in various soil conditions on five distinctive sites of Gujarat state (India). These sites were constantly monitored and studied for the species richness and evenness (“heterogeneity”). The isolates were checked for their PGPR potentials like Phosphate solubilisation, Siderophore production, Indole acetic acid production, ACC deaminase production, HCN production, EPS production and Ammonia production. The results obtained were used to calculate richness, evenness and diversity indices. Results reveal the total heterogeneity in the site of fertile Jatropha rhizosphere (GS4) as well as sodic soil site (GS5) than other three sites. Absence of equitability under the selected and defined condition was also observed in GS4 and GS5 sites. The combinatorial estimates provide the information on their distribution and roles in the habitat. In particular, such an empirical relationship from a single rhizosphere of a distinctive species Jatropha is useful to test diversity predictions in natural sites, and further it can be applied to either by performing trials over larger spatial and temporal scales or by conducting correlational studies of biodiversity gradients. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Chondroitin‐6‐sulfate incorporation and mechanical stimulation increase MSC‐collagen sponge construct stiffness
Authors: Kinneberg Kirsten R.C. , Nirmalanandhan Victor S. , Juncosa‐Melvin Natalia , Powell Heather M. , Boyce Steven T. , Shearn Jason T. , Butler David L.
Published: February 2010

Using functional tissue engineering principles, our laboratory has produced tendon repair tissue which matches the normal patellar tendon force‐displacement curve up to 32% of failure. This repair tissue will need to withstand more strenuous activities, which can reach or even exceed 40% of failure force. To improve the linear stiffness of our tissue engineered constructs (TECs) and tissue engineered repairs, our lab is incorporating the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin‐6‐sulfate (C6S) into a type I collagen scaffold. In this study, we examined the effect of C6S incorporation and mechanical stimulation cycle number on linear stiffness and mRNA expression (collagen types I and III, decorin and fibronectin) for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)‐collagen sponge TECs. The TECs were fabricated by inoculating MSCs at a density of 0.14 × 106 cells/construct onto pre‐cut scaffolds. Primarily type I collagen scaffold materials, with or without C6S, were cultured using mechanical stimulation with three different cycle numbers (0, 100, or 3,000 cycles/day). After 2 weeks in culture, TECs were evaluated for linear stiffness and mRNA expression. C6S incorporation and cycle number each played an important role in gene expression, but only the interaction of C6S incorporation and cycle number produced a benefit for TEC linear stiffness. © 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:1092–1099, 2010
Silicon in beer and brewing
Authors: Casey Troy R , Bamforth Charles W
Published: February 2010

BACKGROUND: It has been claimed that beer is one of the richest sources of silicon in the diet; however, little is known of the relationship between silicon content and beer style and the manner in which beer is produced. The purpose of this study was to measure silicon in a diversity of beers and ascertain the grist selection and brewing factors that impact the level of silicon obtained in beer.

RESULTS: Commercial beers ranged from 6.4 to 56.5 mg L−1 in silicon. Products derived from a grist of barley tended to contain more silicon than did those from a wheat‐based grist, likely because of the high levels of silica in the retained husk layer of barley. Hops contain substantially more silicon than does grain, but quantitatively hops make a much smaller contribution than malt to the production of beer and therefore relatively less silicon in beer derives from them. During brewing the vast majority of the silicon remains with the spent grains; however, aggressive treatment during wort production in the brewhouse leads to increased extraction of silicon into wort and much of this survives into beer.

CONCLUSION: It is confirmed that beer is a very rich source of silicon. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Subjective sleep quality in women experiencing intimate partner violence: Contributions of situational, psychological, and physiological factors
Authors: Woods Stephanie J. , Kozachik Sharon L. , Hall Rosalie J.
Published: February 2010

This study, guided by an adaptation of the theory of unpleasant symptoms, examined the complex relationships of childhood maltreatment, intimate partner violence (IPV), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and physical health symptoms with global sleep quality and disruptive nighttime behaviors. Data were analyzed using covariance structure analysis. A convenience sample of 157 women currently experiencing IPV was recruited from crisis shelters and community agencies. Findings provide empirical support that women concurrently experiencing PTSD, depression, and stress‐related physical health symptoms demonstrated poor global sleep quality and frequent disruptive nighttime behaviors. Posttraumatic stress disorder and stress health symptoms functioned as mediators of childhood maltreatment and IPV effects on both global sleep quality and disruptive nighttime behaviors, but depression did not.
Slow wave phenomena in photonic crystals
Authors: Figotin A. , Vitebskiy I.
Published: February 2010

Slow light in photonic crystals and other periodic structures is associated with stationary points of the photonic dispersion relation, where the group velocity of light vanishes. It is shown that in certain cases, the vanishing group velocity is accompanied by the so‐called frozen mode regime, when the incident light can be completely converted into the slow mode with huge diverging amplitude. The frozen mode regime is a qualitatively new wave phenomenon – it does not reduce to any known electromagnetic resonance. Formally, the frozen mode regime is not a resonance, in a sense that it is not particularly sensitive to the size and shape of the photonic crystal. The frozen mode regime is more robust and powerful, compared to any known slow‐wave resonance. It has much higher tolerance to absorption and structural imperfections.
Surface electromagnetic waves: A review
Authors: Polo J.A. , Lakhtakia A.
Published: February 2010

From the beginning of the 20th century, researchers have been interested in surface electromagnetic waves guided by planar interfaces of dissimilar mediums. Much initial research on surface‐plasmon waves and surface‐plasmon‐polariton waves stemmed from theoretical curiosity, but the development of new experimental techniques propelled commercial exploitation for optical sensors of chemical and biological species. Additional surface waves called Dyakonov waves, Tamm waves, and Dyakonov–Tamm waves have emerged during the last 25 years. Experimental observation of Dyakonov waves was reported only in 2009, but the rapid development of experimental apparatus during the 1990s suggests that theoretical predictions will soon be evaluated experimentally, leading to further development of optical detection systems and optical circuitry.
Counterpropagating optical beams and solitons
Authors: Petrović M. , Belić M. , Denz C. , Kivshar Y.S.
Published: February 2010

Physics of counterpropagating optical beams and spatial optical solitons is reviewed, including the formation of stationary states and spatiotemporal instabilities. First, several models describing the evolution and interactions between optical beams and spatial solitons are discussed, that propagate in opposite directions in nonlinear media. It is shown that coherent collisions between counterpropagating beams give rise to an interesting focusing mechanism resulting from the interference between the beams, and that interactions between such beams are insensitive to the relative phase between them. Second, recent experimental observations of the counterpropagation effects and instabilities in waveguides and bulk geometries, as well as in one‐ and two‐dimensional photonic lattices are discussed. A variety of different generalizations of this concept are summarized, including the counterpropagating beams of complex structures, such as multipole beams and optical vortices, as well as the beams in different media, such as photorefractive materials and liquid crystals.
Morphometric and simulation analyses of right hepatic vein reconstruction in adult living donor liver transplantation using right lobe grafts
Authors: Hwang Shin , Lee Sung-Gyu , Ahn Chul-Soo , Moon Deok-Bog , Kim Ki-Hun , Sung Kyu-Bo , Ko Gi-Young , Ha Tae-Yong , Song Gi-Won , Jung Dong-Hwan , Gwon Dong-Il , Kim Kyoung-Won , Choi Nam-Kyu , Kim Kwan-Woo , Yu Young-Dong , Park Gil-Chun
Published: February 2010

The incidence of clinically significant right hepatic vein (RHV) stenosis after adult living donor liver transplantation has been higher than expected. In this study, an assessment of the risk factors for the development of RHV stenosis in this context was undertaken. Hepatic anatomy, surgical techniques, and the incidence of RHV stenosis 1 year after transplantation were evaluated retrospectively in 225 recipients of right lobe grafts. These patients underwent independent RHV reconstruction, which was facilitated by the application of computed tomography morphometry and computational simulation analyses. Three types of preparation of the orifice of the graft RHV and 7 types of preparation for venoplasty of the recipient RHV were used. The frequency of high, middle, and low sites of RHV insertion into the inferior vena cava (IVC) was 56.0%, 36.4%, and 7.6%, respectively, for donors, and 26.7%, 58.7%, and 14.7%, respectively, for recipients. Nine patients (4%) developed RHV stenosis of early onset that required stent insertion during the first 2 postoperative weeks; in 12 patients (5.3%), RHV stenosis of delayed onset occurred. Inappropriate matching of RHV sites of insertion correlated with the incidence of stenosis of early onset (P = 0.039). Technical refinements to avoid adverse consequences of inappropriate ventrodorsal matching of RHV sites of insertion include making the recipient RHV orifice wide and enlarging the recipient IVC by a customized incision and patch venoplasty after anatomical assessment of the RHV and IVC of the graft and recipient. Liver Transpl 16:639-648, 2010. © 2010 AASLD.
Hybrid alginate beads with thermal‐responsive gates for smart drug delivery
Authors: Shi Jun , Liu Xiaopei , Sun Ximeng , Cao Shaokui
Published: February 2010

Polysaccharide‐based thermo‐responsive material was prepared by grafting PNIPAAm onto hybrid alginate beads, in which a biomineralized polyelectrolyte layer was constructed aiming to enhance the mechanical strength and ensure higher graft efficiency. XPS results demonstrated that the incorporation of PNIPAAm to the hybrid beads was successful, and the PNIPAAm‐grafted beads were more hydrophilic than the ungrafted ones as indicated by their swelling behavior. The drug release behaviors revealed that the grafted beads were both thermo‐ and pH‐sensitive, and the PNIPAAm existed in the pores of the alginate beads acted as the “on–off” gates: the pores of the beads were covered by the stretched PNIPAAm to delay the drug release at 25°C and opened to accelerate the drug release at 37°C because of the shrinking of PNIPAAm molecules. This paper would be a useful example of grafting thermo‐responsive polymers onto biodegradable natural polymer substrate. The obtained beads provide a new mode of behavior for thermo‐responsive “smart” polysaccharide materials, which is highly attractive for targeting drug delivery system and chemical separation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
General exposures to prescription medications by race/ethnicity in a population‐based sample: results from the Boston Area Community Health Survey
Authors: Hall Susan A. , Chiu Gretchen R. , Kaufman David W. , Kelly Judith P. , Link Carol L. , Kupelian Varant , McKinlay John B.
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Few recent U.S. studies have examined population‐based patterns in prescription drug use and even fewer have considered detailed patterns by race/ethnicity. In a representative community sample, our objectives were to determine the most commonly used prescription drug classes, and to describe their use by age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Methods

Cross‐sectional epidemiologic study of 5503 (1767 black, 1877 Hispanic, 1859 white) community‐dwelling participants aged 30–79 in the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey (2002–2005). Using medication information collected from an in‐home interview and medication inventory, the prevalence of use of a therapeutic class (95% confidence interval (95%CI)) in the past month was estimated by gender, age group, and race/ethnicity. Estimates were weighted inversely to the probability of sampling for generalizablity to Boston, MA.

Results

The therapeutic class containing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor/serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSRI/SNRI) antidepressants was most commonly used (14.6%), followed by statins (13.9%), beta‐adrenergic blockers (10.6%), and angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (10.5%). Within all age groups and both genders, black participants were substantially less likely than white to use SSRI/SNRI antidepressants (e.g., black men: 6.0% [95%CI: 3.9–8.1%]; white men: 15.0% [95%CI: 10.2–19.4%]). Other race/ethnic differences were observed: for example, black women were significantly less likely than other groups to use benzodiazepines (e.g., black: 2.6% [95%CI: 1.2–3.9%]; Hispanic: 9.4% [95%CI: 5.8–13.0%]).

Conclusions

Race/ethnic differences in use of prescription therapeutic classes were observed in our community sample. Examining therapeutic classes rather than individual drugs resulted in a different distribution of common exposures compared to other surveys. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flavour physics in the Littlest Higgs Model with T‐parity: effects in the K, Bd/s and D systems
Authors: Recksiegel S.
Published: February 2010

The Littlest Higgs Model with T parity (LHT) is an interesting alternative model for New Physics at the TeV scale. Although Flavour Physics was not the reason for creating the LHT model, significant effects (such as large CP violation where not predicted by the SM) can be created without violating existing experimental bounds. We study the B‐, K‐ and especially the D‐sector.
Tracking quintessence, WIMP relic density, PAMELA and Fermi LAT
Authors: Pallis C.
Published: February 2010

The generation of an early kination dominated (KD) era within a tracking quintessential model is investigated, the relic density of the Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) is calculated and we show that it can be enhanced with respect to (w.r.t) its value in the Standard Cosmology (SC). By adjusting the parameters of the quintessential scenario, the cold dark matter abundance in the universe can become compatible with large values for the annihilation cross section times the velocity of the WIMPs. Using these values and assuming that the WIMPs annihilate predominantly to µ+µ‐, we calculate the induced fluxes of e±cosmic rays and fit the current PAMELA and Fermi‐LAT data. We achieve rather good fits in conjunction with a marginal fulfillment of the restriction arisen from the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB).
Sgluons and gluinos of the hybrid N = 1 / N = 2 SUSY model
Authors: Kalinowski J.
Published: February 2010

Prospects for observation of scalar gluons (sgluons) and Dirac gluinos, as predicted by the hybrid N = 1/N = 2 supersymmetric model, at the CERN Large Hadron Collider are discussed.
Effects of shallow traps on the reverse current of diamond Schottky diode: An electrical transient study
Authors: Garino Yiuri , Teraji Tokuyuki , Koizumi Satoshi , Koide Yasuo , Ito Toshimichi
Published: February 2010

We investigated the performance of the reverse characteristics of diamond Schottky diodes at high voltage. We observed that when the diode was in reverse bias voltage conditions, the negative current decayed with a stretched exponential behaviour, which can be ascribed to charging effects. During the discharging phase, where no bias was applied, we observed a positive current that shows again a decaying behaviour, but with a power law trend. These behaviours can be rationalized in terms of trapping/detrapping processes occurring at shallow level traps.
Thermal analysis and characterization of the effect of substrate thinning on the peformances of GaN‐based light emitting diodes
Authors: Lee H. K. , Yu J. S. , Lee Y. T.
Published: February 2010

We report the effect of substrate thickness on the optical and thermal characteristics of InGaN/GaN light emitting diodes (LEDs), operating at λ ∼ 450 nm, with different mesa sizes. For various mesa sizes with different substrate thicknesses, the junction temperature (Tj) is measured as a function of injection current by the forward voltage method and the characteristic temperature is also investigated by measuring the temperature‐dependent electroluminescence spectrum. Based on the experimentally determined heat source density, the junction temperature, heat flux, and thermal resistance (Rth) are calculated theoretically by using a three‐dimensional anisotropic heat dissipation model. The use of a thin substrate thickness of 150 µm effectively improves the heat extraction capability due to the shorter heat transfer path length. For 150 µm (443 µm) thick substrate, the Tj value of LEDs is experimentally estimated as 307.7 K (322.6 K), 311.6 K (329.5 K), and 323 K (355.9 K) under an injection current of 80 mA for 450 × 450, 400 × 400, and 300 × 300 µm2, respectively. At a high injection current of 400 mA, the Tj of 450 × 450 µm2 LED with 150 µm thick substrate is reduced by ∼25.7% compared to that of LED with 443 µm substrate thickness, indicating a value of Tj = 384.5 K. The Rth value is decreased for larger mesa size and thinner substrate thickness, resulting in Rth < 30 K/W for 450 × 450 µm2 LED with 150 µm thick substrate. The theoretically calculated Rth values indicate a good agreement with the experimentally measured data.
Effect of buffer thickness on DC and microwave performance of AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field‐effect transistors
Authors: Chevtchenko Serguei A. , Brunner Frank , Würfl Joachim , Tränkle Günther
Published: February 2010

The authors compared DC and microwave performance of AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field‐effect transistors (HFETs) fabricated on epitaxial structures with different thickness of GaN buffer layer. The structures were grown by low‐pressure metal‐organic vapour phase epitaxy on semi‐insulating SiC substrates. An increase of the average off‐state breakdown voltage from 39 to 142 V with reduction of buffer thickness from 1.5 to 0.5 µm was measured. The increase of breakdown voltage was explained by reduction of buffer leakage current due to higher concentration of dislocations threading to the surface of thin buffer. Our results revealed no degradation of AlGaN/GaN interface and device performance including dispersion for the case of reduced buffer thickness. A comparison of the electron sheet resistance, maximum drain‐to‐source current, transconductance, threshold voltage, gate and drain leakage currents is provided. RF maximum power performance was improved by ∼1 W/mm with higher power added efficiency for transistors fabricated on epitaxial structure with 0.5‐µm‐thick GaN buffer. Current slump was measured by pulsed I–V characteristics. A nearly unchanged dispersion demonstrated the possibility of GaN buffer thickness reduction approach for suppression of punch‐through effect without compromise in current collapse commonly observed in GaN‐based HFETs.
Fabrication of ordered carbon nanotube structures by unconventional lithography
Authors: Greco Pierpaolo , Facchini Massimo , Cavallini Massimiliano , Ruani Giampiero , Dionigi Chiara , Biscarini Fabio
Published: February 2010

We use stamp‐assisted deposition to align single‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) starting from a water suspension of CNTs in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) solution. The driving force of the process is the interplay between capillary flow and spatial confinement, which leads CNTs to self‐organize into bundles aligned in rows hundreds of micrometres long. Lithographically controlled wetting, where the solution is confined in menisci pinned to the stamp protrusions, yields patterns with feature size as small as single nanotubes. Using micromolding in capillaries instead we fabricate patterns of CNTs lines, with nanometric size, preferentially aligned along the microchannel axis and exhibiting a conductivity of about 100 S/cm.