bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterizing temporal changes in forest fire ignitions: looking for climate change signals in a region of the Canadian boreal forest
Authors: Woolford Douglas G. , Cao Jiguo , Dean Charmaine B. , Martell David L.
Published: November 2010

The potential impact of climate change on forest fire risk is of significant concern. Postulated climate change effects on wildfires include increasing annual trends in ignitions and a lengthening of the fire season. We propose to use logistic generalized additive mixed models to investigate these characteristics. We present the modelling framework and outline a set of candidate models that are nested in terms of their fixed effects components. Model selection via likelihood ratio testing is discussed and connected to an entropy‐based scoring rule for Bernoulli responses. We illustrate its application using data for lightning‐caused forest fire ignitions over a period of 42 years in a 9 884 943 hectare region of boreal forest of northwestern Ontario, Canada. Seasonal and annual changes in ignition risk are observed and discussed, but we identify significant outstanding confounding factors that need to be addressed before one can assess the extent to which those changes can or cannot be attributed to climate change. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional ANOVA and regional climate experiments: a statistical analysis of dynamic downscaling
Authors: Sain Stephan R. , Nychka Doug , Mearns Linda
Published: November 2010

Climate model experiments incorporating model runs conducted using different conditions have become popular for the study of uncertainty affecting model output and projections of climate change. Recently, such experiments have been used to also study of the uncertainties in producing high‐resolution projections of climate change based on methods for dynamic downscaling of global models. In this paper, we discuss an initial analysis of a subset of the ensemble being produced by the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program. Using an approach based on a functional analysis of variance, we examine the differences between two different dynamic downscaling methods and demonstrate that there are significant differences between the two models and their projections of summer temperature and precipitation over North America. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A generic coalescent‐based framework for the selection of a reference panel for imputation
Authors: Paşaniuc Bogdan , Avinery Ram , Gur Tom , Skibola Christine F. , Bracci Paige M. , Halperin Eran
Published: November 2010

An important component in the analysis of genome‐wide association studies involves the imputation of genotypes that have not been measured directly in the studied samples. The imputation procedure uses the linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure in the population to infer the genotype of an unobserved single nucleotide polymorphism. The LD structure is normally learned from a dense genotype map of a reference population that matches the studied population. In many instances there is no reference population that exactly matches the studied population, and a natural question arises as to how to choose the reference population for the imputation. Here we present a Coalescent‐based method that addresses this issue. In contrast to the current paradigm of imputation methods, our method assigns a different reference dataset for each sample in the studied population, and for each region in the genome. This allows the flexibility to account for the diversity within populations, as well as across populations. Furthermore, because our approach treats each region in the genome separately, our method is suitable for the imputation of recently admixed populations. We evaluated our method across a large set of populations and found that our choice of reference data set considerably improves the accuracy of imputation, especially for regions with low LD and for populations without a reference population available as well as for admixed populations such as the Hispanic population. Our method is generic and can potentially be incorporated in any of the available imputation methods as an add‐on. Genet. Epidemiol 34:773‐782, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tectonic structures in the Peel Sandstones and Carboniferous limestone, Isle of Man
Authors: Fitches Bill
Published: November 2010

On the Isle of Man, the Early Devonian Peel Sandstones and Early Carboniferous limestones have been deformed in places by folds, cleavage and other structures. The structures in the Peel Sandstones have been attributed to pre‐lithification deformation associated with slumping of the red beds. Here, they are re‐interpreted to be products of post‐lithification deformation, inferred from small‐scale structures and fabrics, which took place in a localized thrust zone. Compression was approximately NW–SE and translation towards the SE. That deformation may have also produced some of the late structures in the Lower Palaeozoic rocks of the island. The minimum age of these post‐Early Devonian structures is unknown but is probably pre‐Carboniferous: they may represent the mid‐Devonian Acadian deformation.

The Carboniferous succession is folded in places and contains stylolites and stylolitic cleavage. A stress regime with E–W to WNW–ESE compression is inferred. These structures have orientations and morphologies shown to resemble those in neighbouring parts of southern Britain, where they are attributed mainly to mid‐ to late‐Carboniferous Variscan events. Alternatively, some or all of them might be products of late Mesozoic and Tertiary tectonics recognized elsewhere in the region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dicationic ionic liquids as recyclable catalysts for one‐pot solvent‐free synthesis of α‐aminophosphonates
Authors: Fang Dong , Yang Jinming , Ni Chunjie
Published: November 2010

Some task‐specific ionic liquids N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethyl‐N,N′‐dipropanesulfonic acid ethylene‐diammonium hydrogen sulfate, N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethyl‐N,N′‐dipropanesulfonic acid‐1,3‐propanediammonium hydrogen sulfate, N,N,N′,N′‐ tetramethyl‐N,N′‐ dipropanesulfonic acid‐1,6‐hexanediammonium hydrogen sulfate were prepared. These ionic liquids could be used as efficient and recyclable catalysts for the synthesis of α‐aminophosphonates at room temperature via an one‐pot three‐component reaction under organic solvent‐free conditions with good yields of 83–96%. The postprocessing was simple, and the catalysts could be reused at least six times without noticeably decreasing the catalytic activity. The novel clean procedure offers the advantages including short reaction time, good yields, operational simplicity, and environmentally benign. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:1–5, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.20647
Synthesis, IR/Raman, and quantum‐chemical structural analysis of new octathiotetraphosphetane ammonium salts
Authors: Badeeva Elena K. , Platova Elena V. , Batyeva Elvira S. , Kursheva Lidiya I. , Zvereva Elena E. , Vandyukov Aleksander. E. , Katsyuba Sergey A. , Kovalenko Valeryi I. , Sinyashin Oleg G.
Published: November 2010

New octathiotetraphosphetane ammonium salts are obtained based on the reaction of white phosphorus (P4) and elemental sulfur with aliphatic mercaptans in the presence of amines (morpholine, methylmorpholine, pyrrolidine, and N,N‐dimethylbenzylamine). Both the salts and novel Cu(I) chloride complex with the pyperidinium salt of octathiotetraphosphetane are characterized by IR/Raman spectroscopy in combination with DFT methods. The comparative spectral analysis reveals clear spectral features, characteristic for a P4S84− anion, which are present in IR and Raman spectra of all the compounds obtained. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:24–30, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.20651
Pd‐, Ni‐, Fe‐, and Co‐Catalyzed Cross‐Couplings Using Functionalized Zn‐, Mg‐, Fe‐, and In‐Organometallics
Authors: Knochel Paul , Thaler Tobias , Diene Coura
Published: November 2010

The development of new methods for preparing polyfunctional organometallics has made a broad range of such reagents available for various transition metal‐catalyzed cross‐couplings. An overview of the most general preparation methods will be presented. Applications to practical cross‐coupling procedures will be covered, emphasizing the functional group compatibility and the reaction scope.
Surface modification of poly(D,L‐lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) nanoparticles with protamine enhanced cross‐presentation of encapsulated ovalbumin by bone marrow‐derived dendritic cells
Authors: Han Ruiling , Zhu Junming , Yang Xiangliang , Xu Huibi
Published: November 2010

Cross‐presentation is the key process in stimulation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immune response in eliminating many infectious diseases and tumors. Previous studies have shown that surface modification of poly(D,L‐lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles with polycations enhanced their adjuvant ability resulting in a strong antibody response to the encapsulated antigen. However, the in vitro cross‐presentation by protamine‐coated PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) has not been addressed yet. In this study, a model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) was encapsulated into PLGA nanoparticles, with (OVA‐NPs/protamine) or without protamine coating (OVA‐NPs). These nanoparticles were then used to stimulate murine bone marrow‐derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Flow cytometry analysis revealed an increase in endocytosis of protamine‐coated PLGA nanoparticles by BMDCs at 37°C. Compared with OVA‐NPs‐treated BMDCs, stimulation with OVA‐NPs/protamine led to significantly upregulation of CD80, CD86, and CD83, increased secretion of IL‐12p70, and decreased production of IL‐4 by BMDCs. Furthermore, OVA‐NPs/protamine‐treated BMDCs also showed an enhanced cross‐presentation to B3Z T cell hybridoma in vitro. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study showed that protamine‐coated PLGA nanoparticles escaped from lysosomes through the interaction with lysosomal membrane. These results demonstrated that protamine‐coated PLGA nanoparticles could enhance the cross‐presentation of encapsulated exogenous antigen by facilitating antigen uptake and lysosomal escape, suggesting the feasibility to be a potent adjuvant for cellular vaccines. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.
Suppressed primary osteoblast functions on nanoporous titania surface
Authors: Zhao Lingzhou , Mei Shenglin , Wang Wei , Chu Paul K. , Zhang Yumei , Wu Zhifen
Published: November 2010

Titiania nanotubes have large potential in medical implant applications but their tissue compatibility is still controversial. Considering that the biological behavior of primary osteoblasts is closer to thein vivosituation than other common cell lines, we investigate the response of primary osteoblasts on anodized nanotextured titania surfaces. Two nanotextured surface morphologies, namely the 5 V anodized surface with a pore diameter of 25 nm and the 20 V anodized surface with a tube diameter of 80 nm are chosen for this study. Initial cell adhesion is not obviously affected by the anodized surfaces. With the exception of slightly higher intracellular alkaline phosphatase activity and more extracellular matrix deposition, cell growth, and cell differentiation represented by the expressions of osteogenesis‐related genes are impaired on both anodized surfaces. This may be attributed to the compromised focal contact formation on the anodized surfaces. The difference in the phenotypes of the primary osteoblasts and the osteoblastic cell lines may partly account for the controversy in osteoblast cytocompatibility on titania nanotubes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.
Differential monocyte/macrophage interleukin‐1β production due to biomaterial topography requires the β2 integrin signaling pathway
Authors: Collie Angela M. B. , Bota Paige C. S. , Johns Rachel E. , Maier Ronald V. , Stayton Patrick S.
Published: November 2010

Monocytes/macrophages are crucial mediators of the host response to biomaterials, and their level of activation can be directly affected by material characteristics. Previous work has demonstrated that primary human monocytes cultured on polytetrafluoroethylene materials of varying topography but identical surface chemistry are differentially affected. Monocytes/macrophages on biaxially‐expanded polytetrafluoroethylene with an average intranodal distance of 4.4 μm (4.4‐ePTFE) produced higher levels of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β) compared with monocytes/macrophages on nonporous polytetrafluoroethylene (np‐PTFE). The current study provides a mechanistic understanding of this response. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that monocytes/macrophages cultured on np‐PTFE were more spread than those on 4.4‐ePTFE. In addition, the actin cytoskeleton and intact β2 integrin receptors were necessary for IL‐1β production by monocytes/macrophages on 4.4‐ePTFE. This IL‐1β production also required the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa‐B, another component of the β2 integrin signaling pathway, although it may not be the primary transcription factor involved. These studies demonstrate the importance of several β2 integrin signaling components to the monocyte/macrophage response to biomaterial topography. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2010.
Control of magnesium corrosion and biocompatibility with biomimetic coatings
Authors: Keim Sigrid , Brunner Johannes G. , Fabry Ben , Virtanen Sannakaisa
Published: November 2010

The use of magnesium and its alloys as biodegradable metallic implant materials requires that their corrosion behavior can be controlled. We tailored the Mg release kinetics and cell adhesion properties of commercially pure Mg by chemical surface treatments in simulated body fluid, in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's cell culture medium in the presence or absence of fetal bovine serum (FBS), or in 100% FBS. HeLa cells were cultured for 24 h on these Mg surfaces to characterize their biocompatibility. Cell density on all treated surfaces was significantly increased compared with a polished Mg surface, where almost no cells survived. This low biocompatibility of pure Mg was not caused by the high Mg ion release with concentrations of up to 300 mg/L in the cell culture medium after 24 h, as cells grown on a glass substrate showed no adverse reactions to high Mg ion concentrations. Rather, the most critical factor for cell adhesion was a sufficiently reduced initial dissolution rate of the surface. A comparison among all surface treatments showed that an incubation of the Mg samples in cell culture medium gave the lowest dissolution rate and resulted in the best cell adhesion and spreading behavior. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
Older men with low serum IGF-1 have an increased risk of incident fractures: The MrOS Sweden study
Authors: Ohlsson Claes , Mellström Dan , Carlzon Daniel , Orwoll Eric , Ljunggren Östen , Karlsson Magnus K , Vandenput Liesbeth
Published: November 2010

Osteoporosis-related fractures constitute a major health concern not only in women but also in men. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a key determinant of bone mass, but the association between serum IGF-1 and incident fractures in men remains unclear.

To determine the predictive value of serum IGF-1 for fracture risk in men, older men (n = 2902, mean age of 75 years) participating in the prospective, population-based Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Sweden study were followed for a mean of 3.3 years. Serum IGF-1 was measured at baseline by radioimmunoassay. Fractures occurring after the baseline visit were validated. In age-adjusted hazards regression analyses, serum IGF-1 associated inversely with risk of all fractures [hazard ratio (HR) per SD decrease = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.41], hip fractures (HR per SD decrease = 1.45, 95% CI 1.07–1.97), and clinical vertebral fractures (HR per SD decrease = 1.40, 95% CI 1.10–1-78). The predictive role of serum IGF-1 for fracture risk was unaffected by adjustment for height, weight, prevalent fractures, falls, and major prevalent diseases. Further adjustment for bone mineral density (BMD) resulted in an attenuated but still significant association between serum IGF-1 and fracture risk. Serum IGF-1 below but not above the median was inversely related to fracture incidence. The population-attributable risk proportion was 7.5% for all fractures and 22.9% for hip fractures. Taken together, older men with low serum IGF-1 have an increased fracture risk, especially for the two most important fracture types, hip and vertebral fractures. The association between serum IGF-1 and fracture risk is partly mediated via BMD. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Camurati-engelmann disease: Unique variant featuring a novel mutation in TGFβ1 encoding transforming growth factor beta 1 and a missense change in TNFSF11 encoding RANK ligand
Authors: Whyte Michael P , Totty William G , Novack Deborah V , Zhang Xiafang , Wenkert Deborah , Mumm Steven
Published: November 2010

We report a 32-year-old man and his 59-year-old mother with a unique and extensive variant of Camurati-Engelmann disease (CED) featuring histopathological changes of osteomalacia and alterations within TGFβ1 and TNFSF11 encoding TGFβ1 and RANKL, respectively. He suffered leg pain and weakness since childhood and reportedly grew until his late 20s, reaching 7 feet in height. He had deafness, perforated nasal septum, torus palatinus, disproportionately long limbs with knock-knees, low muscle mass, and pseudoclubbing. Radiographs revealed generalized skeletal abnormalities, including wide bones and cortical and trabecular bone thickening in keeping with CED, except that long bone ends were also affected. Lumbar spine and hip BMD Z-scores were + 7.7 and + 4.4, respectively. Biochemical markers of bone turnover were elevated. Hypocalciuria accompanied low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels. Pituitary hypogonadism and low serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 were present. Karyotype was normal. Despite vitamin D repletion, iliac crest histology revealed severe osteomalacia. Exon 1 of TNFRSF11A (RANK), exons 2, 3, and 4 of LRP5, and all coding exons and adjacent mRNA splice junctions of TNFRSF11B (OPG), SQSTM1 (sequestosome 1), and TNSALP (tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase) were intact. His asymptomatic and less dysmorphic 5′11″ mother, also with low serum 25(OH)D, had milder clinical, radiological, biochemical, and histopathological findings. Both individuals were heterozygous for a novel 12-bp duplication (c.27_38dup, p.L10_L13dup) in exon 1 of TGFβ1, predicting four additional leucine residues in the latency-associated-peptide segment of TGFβ1, consistent with CED. The son was also homozygous for a single base transversion in TNFSF11, predicting a nonconservative amino acid change (c.107C > G, p.Pro36Arg) in the intracellular domain of RANKL that was heterozygous in his nonconsanguineous parents. This TNFSF11 variant was not found in the SNP Database, nor in published TNFSF11 association studies, but it occurred in four of the 134 TNFSF11 alleles (3.0%) we tested randomly among individuals without CED. Perhaps the unique phenotype of this CED family is conditioned by altered RANKL activity. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Non‐Boltzmann sampling and Bennett's acceptance ratio method: How to profit from bending the rules
Authors: König Gerhard , Boresch Stefan
Published: November 2010

The exact computation of free energy differences requires adequate sampling of all relevant low energy conformations. Especially in systems with rugged energy surfaces, adequate sampling can only be achieved by biasing the exploration process, thus yielding non‐Boltzmann probability distributions. To obtain correct free energy differences from such simulations, it is necessary to account for the effects of the bias in the postproduction analysis. We demonstrate that this can be accomplished quite simply with a slight modification of Bennett's Acceptance Ratio method, referring to this technique as Non‐Boltzmann Bennett. We illustrate the method by several examples and show how a creative choice of the biased state(s) used during sampling can also improve the efficiency of free energy simulations. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011
Inter‐ and intramolecular dispersion interactions
Authors: Swart Marcel , Solà Miquel , Bickelhaupt F. Matthias
Published: November 2010

We have investigated the performance of a variety of density functional methods for weak intra‐ and intermolecular dispersion interactions. Grimme's empirical dispersion correction method is shown to give a good description for these interactions and helps to improve the description of water‐hexamer isomers, noble‐gas dimers, hydrocarbon C12H12 isomers, branching energy of linear versus branched octane, dissociation of the covalently bound anthracene dimer, and stacking within the adenine dimer. However, the dispersion correction does not correct all shortcomings of the different density functionals, which leads to sizeable differences compared to ab initio CCSD(T) and experimental reference data. The only exception is shown to be our recently presented SSB‐D functional that works well for all systems studied here. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011.
UV‐resonance Raman micro‐spectroscopy to assess residual chromophores in cellulosic pulps
Authors: Loureiro Pedro E. G. , Fernandes António J. S. , Furtado Fernanda P. , Carvalho M. Graça V. S. , Evtuguin Dmitry V.
Published: November 2010

Ultraviolet‐resonance Raman (UV‐RR) micro‐spectroscopy is an appropriate and sensitive tool to assess the chromophore structures in bleached cellulosic pulps used for papermaking. The particular selectivity in detection and identification of chromophores in pulps is achieved by acquiring the UV‐RR spectra in the solid state with laser excitation at 325 nm. This wavelength corresponds to absorption of poly‐unsaturated chromophore structures in partially bleached/fully bleached pulps, and linearly correlated with the signal at ca 1600 cm−1 in the UV‐RR spectra. The characteristic vibrations from particular pulp chromophore structures have been assigned from experiments with model compounds, thus allowing the establishment of a UV‐RR database. Among the components of bleached pulp, the xylan–lignin complex was suggested to be an important source of chromophores. The monitoring of pulp bleaching by UV‐RR allowed us to suggest that it is the formation of new polysaccharide‐derived chromophores upon bleaching that hinders development of further brightness and is co‐responsible for the brightness reversion of fully bleached pulps. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vibrational characterization of L‐valine phosphonate dipeptides: FT‐IR, FT‐RS, and SERS spectroscopy studies and DFT calculations
Authors: Podstawka‐Proniewicz Edyta , Andrzejak Marcin , Kafarski Paweł , Kim Younkyoo , Proniewicz Leonard M.
Published: November 2010

Four L‐valine (L‐Val) phosphonate dipeptides that are potent inhibitors of zinc metalloproteases, namely, L‐Val‐C(Me)2‐PO3H2 (V1), L‐Val‐CH(iP)‐PO3H2 (V2), L‐Val‐CH(iB)‐PO3H2 (V3), and L‐Val‐C(Me)(iP)‐PO3H2 (V4), are studied by Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, Fourier‐transform Raman spectroscopy (FT‐RS), and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The band assignment (wavenumbers and intensities) is made based on (B3LYP/6‐311 + + G**) calculations. Comparison of theoretical FT‐IR and FT‐RS spectra with those of SERS allows to obtain information on the orientation of these dipeptides as well as specific‐competitive interactions of their functionalities with the silver substrate. More specifically, V1 and V4 appear to interact with the silver substrate mainly via a CsgCH3 moiety localized at the NamideCsg(CH3)Pmolecular fragment. In addition, the POH and isopropyl units of V4 assist in the adsorption process of this molecule. In contrast, the CαNH2 and PO3H− groups of V2 and V3 interact with the silver nanoparticles, whereas their isopropyl and isobutyl fragments seem to be repelled by the silver substrate (except for the CH2  of V3), similar to the Cβ(CH3)2 fragment of L‐Val for all L‐Val phosphonate dipeptides investigated in this work. The adsorption mechanism of these molecules onto the colloidal silver surface is also affected by amide bond behavior. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Suspension laryngoscopy‐assisted percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in high‐risk patients
Authors: White Hilliary N. , Sharp Dawn B. , Castellanos Paul F.
Published: November 2010

Objectives/Hypothesis:

To describe the outcomes of bedside percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) extended to the care of high‐risk patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) by the use of suspension laryngoscopy (SL) to secure the airway.

Study Design:

Retrospective chart review.

Methods:

The records of 117 consecutive patients who underwent suspension laryngoscopy‐assisted percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (SL‐PDT) between April 2006 and May 2009 at our institution were reviewed. Data gathered included patient demographics, anatomical conditions, ventilator settings, intraoperative findings, presence of coagulopathy or anti‐coagulation, and outcomes.

Results:

One hundred seventeen patients underwent SL‐PDT. Eighty (68%) were considered high risk by virtue of one or more of the following: morbid obesity, coagulopathy, prior neck surgery or head and neck trauma, laryngotracheal stenosis or tracheomalacia, a high‐riding innominate artery, or high ventilator demands. Thirty‐five patients (30%) had two or more of these risk factors. A total of 11 (13.7 %) complications occurred in the high‐risk group. Two major and nine minor complications occurred during the study. There were no adverse sequelae.

Conclusions:

SL‐PDT is a safe and effective means of bedside airway management in critically ill patients. This new technique offers several advantages over traditional percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (T‐PDT) and can be safely employed by otolaryngologists, especially in high‐risk patients. This is most useful when T‐PDT is considered untenable or when transport to the operating room for a standard open tracheostomy is considered too cumbersome or potentially dangerous. Laryngoscope, 2010
Growth and nutrition ofHolcus lanatusin bauxite residue amended with combinations of spent mushroom compost and gypsum
Authors: Courtney R. , Harrington T.
Published: November 2010

Bauxite residues are very slow to naturally vegetate due to nutrient deficiency and high sodicity. In order to test the effectiveness of amendments at promoting revegetation, bauxite residue was amended with varying rates of compost to increase fertility (0, 60, 80 and 120 t ha−1) and gypsum to reduce sodicity (0, 40 and 90 t ha−1). Amended residue was sown withHolcus lanatus, a perennial grass. Following a 1‐year growth period, substrate properties, plant performance and plant nutrient uptake were assessed. Compost application substantially increased substrate N, P, K and Mn concentrations, while gypsum application greatly reduced sodicity and improved nutrient uptake for Mn and P. Compost amendment was essential for sustainable plant growth. Foliar deficiencies in N, P and Mg may persist with lower compost application rates, requiring the addition of supplemental fertiliser for healthy plant growth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional MRI‐compatible laparoscopic surgery training simulator
Authors: Bahrami Parisa , Schweizer Tom A. , Tam Fred , Grantcharov Teodor P. , Cusimano Michael D. , Graham Simon J.
Published: November 2010

During the past few years, laparoscopy has become the gold standard for some surgical procedures and its applications continue to expand. Because of multiple factors such as loss of tactile perception, two‐dimensional visualization of the three‐dimensional surgical field, and demanding bimanual hand–eye coordination, special training is required to achieve proficiency with laparoscopy. In this study, as the first step toward evidence‐based development of strategies to improve the quality of laparoscopy training from brain activity and behavior relationships, a laparoscopy training simulator was developed for use in functional MRI. Experiments confirmed the functional MRI compatibility of the device. Representative behavioral and functional MRI results for two subjects showed the feasibility of using this simulator to investigate the brain activation associated with components of laparoscopic task performance. To our knowledge, this is the first study that directly looks at the functional MRI brain activation during complex surgical training tasks. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Joint design of spoke trajectories and RF pulses for parallel excitation
Authors: Ma Chao , Xu Dan , King Kevin F. , Liang Zhi‐Pei
Published: November 2010

The spoke trajectory is often used in designing multidimensional RF pulses for applications requiring thin slice selection and in‐slice modulation. Ideally, a full set of spokes covering the whole k‐space are desired to generate a given excitation pattern. In practice, however, only a small number of spokes can be used due to the RF pulse length limitation. The spoke locations are, therefore, critical to the performance of the resulting RF pulse and should be in principle optimized jointly with the RF pulse for a given excitation pattern and transmit sensitivities. In this work, we formulate the joint design problem as an optimal spoke selection problem based on the small‐tip‐angle RF pulse design. A sequential selection based algorithm with recursive cost function evaluation is proposed to seek optimized spoke locations to minimize the excitation error. Bloch equation simulations and experimental results on a 3 Tesla scanner equipped with a two‐channel parallel excitation system demonstrate that the proposed method can produce significantly smaller excitation error than conventional methods with high computational efficiency. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Estimation of compaction parameters of fine‐grained soils in terms of compaction energy using artificial neural networks
Authors: Sivrikaya Osman , Soycan Taner Y.
Published: November 2010

The determination of the compaction parameters such as optimum water content (wopt) and maximum dry unit weight (γdmax) requires great efforts by applying the compaction testing procedure which is also time consuming and needs significant amount of work. Therefore, it seems more reasonable to use the indirect methods for estimating the compaction parameters. In recent years, the artificial neural network (ANN) modelling has gained an increasing interest and is also acquiring more popularity in geotechnical engineering applications. This study deals with the estimation of the compaction parameters for fine‐grained soils based on compaction energy using ANN with the feed‐forward back‐propagation algorithm. In this study, the data including the results of the consistency tests, standard and modified Proctor tests, are collected from the literature and used in the analyses. The optimum structure of a network is determined for each ANN models. The analyses showed that the ANN models give quite reliable estimations in comparison with regression methods, thus they can be used as a reliable tool for the prediction of wopt and γdmax. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of acute increase in urge to void on cognitive function in healthy adults
Authors: Lewis M.S. , Snyder P.J. , Pietrzak R.H. , Darby D. , Feldman R.A. , Maruff P.
Published: November 2010

Aims

In healthy adults, voluntary inhibition of micturition is associated with an increasing sensation in the urge to void and pain, and acute pain has been associated with transient deterioration in aspects of cognitive function.

Methods

Eight healthy young adults consumed 250 ml of water every 15 min until they could no longer inhibit voiding. Performance on standardized measures of cognitive function was measured at hourly intervals which were classified as baseline, when individuals reported an increase in the urge to void, a strong increase in the urge to void, an extreme increase in the urge to void and postmicturition.

Results

Sensations of the urge to void and pain increased with time of inhibition of urge to void and with amount of water consumed. Having an extreme urge to void exerted a large negative effect on attentional and working memory functions (d > 0.8). These cognitive functions returned to normal levels after micturition.

Conclusion

The magnitude of decline in cognitive function associated with an extreme urge to void was as large and equivalent or greater than the cognitive deterioration observed for conditions known to be associated with increased accident risk. Neurourol. Urodynam. 30:183–187, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The death and burial of sunghir 1
Authors: Trinkaus E. , Buzhilova A. P.
Published: November 2010

The Mid Upper Paleolithic Sunghir 1 burial of an older adult male is one of the most elaborate burials known, with red ochre, thousands of mammoth ivory beads, and other body ornaments. Reanalysis and cleaning of the skeletal remains revealed a perimortem incision in the ventral–lateral first thoracic vertebra (T1) body, most likely from a sharp blade or point and the probable cause of death. Context indicates that the trauma was most likely from a hunting accident or social altercation. The unusual cause of death may be correlated with the exceptional burial elaboration of Sunghir 1, adding to the high frequency of unusual individuals in the ‘red ochre’ burials of the Mid Upper Paleolithic. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Decentralization as a conflict transformation tool: The challenge in Kosovo
Authors: Gjoni Roland , Wetterberg Anna , Dunbar David
Published: November 2010

Perspectives are divided on whether decentralization can ease ethnic conflict. This article considers whether asymmetric decentralization reforms in Kosovo have reduced tensions between Kosovo Albanians (K‐Albanians) and Serbs (K‐Serbs). We argue that because decentralization has been linked to Kosovo's sovereignty in the years after the NATO bombings, during the final status talks, and after independence, it has not achieved intended outcomes throughout the territory of Kosovo. Instead of assuaging tensions and generating allegiance to the central government, decentralization has re‐inforced ethnic divisions and strengthened K‐Serb ties to Serbia, particularly in northern Kosovo. Concessions to majority Serb municipalities in Kosovo have been seen by K‐Serbs as a bribe to buy acceptance of independence, while K‐Albanians question their leaders' continued policy of asymmetric decentralization. Since independence, there have been some encouraging developments in southern municipalities, where K‐Serbs have participated in municipal elections organized by Pristina. Based on Kosovo's experience, we argue that policy‐makers must consider the impact of decentralization reforms at multiple levels of conflict. Further, although we find that decentralization may engage minorities in political processes if reforms are attempted after the establishment of a central government, we caution that it must be combined with policies to encourage interaction and dialogue between ethnic groups if it is to assuage conflict. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Asymptomatic child heterozygous for hemoglobin S and hemoglobin Pôrto Alegre
Authors: Lojo Liliana , Santiago‐Borrero Pedro , Rivera Enid , Renta Jessicca , Cadilla Carmen L.
Published: November 2010

Hemoglobin Pôrto Alegre (PA) is a rare hemoglobin resulting from a mutation in β9(A6)Ser → Cys. We describe an asymptomatic Puerto Rican female with combined heterozygosity for Hb PA and Hb S. Since birth, she has maintained normal hemoglobin, bilirubin, LDH levels, and reticulocyte count. Peripheral smear evaluation has revealed normal erythrocyte morphology with no changes suggestive of hemolysis. We conclude that the presence of Hb PA does not increase the risk of red blood cell sickling in patients who carry the Hb S mutation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:458–459. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Subclinical cardiac dysfunction and exercise performance in childhood cancer survivors
Authors: De Caro Enrico , Smeraldi Attilio , Trocchio Gianluca , Calevo MariaGrazia , Hanau Guia , Pongiglione Giacomo
Published: November 2010

Background

Although anthracycline cardiotoxicity is clearly related to the cumulative dose administered, subclinical cardiac dysfunction has been reported across a wide range of treatment regimens, and its clinical significance is still unclear. Purpose of this study is to investigate by exercise echocardiography for subclinical cardiac dysfunction in survivors of pediatric cancer treated with low‐moderate anthracycline doses, and to evaluate whether it may alter the response of the cardiovascular system to dynamic exercise.

Procedure

Post‐exercise left ventricular end‐systolic wall stress (ESS), left ventricular posterior wall dimension and percent thickening at end systole, and cardiopulmonary exercise test‐derived indexes of cardiac function were examined in 55 apparently healthy patients (mean age 13.5 ± 2.9 years, median anthracycline cumulative dose 240 mg/m2) and in 63 controls.

Results

Subclinical cardiac dysfunction was identified in 17 patients (30%) presenting reduced left ventricular posterior wall dimension or percent thickening, or increased values of left ventricular ESS as compared to controls (group A), while the remaining patients formed group B. Reduced oxygen consumption at peak exercise in both groups of patients was the only cardiopulmonary exercise test variable resulting significantly different between patients and controls: no differences were found among the groups of patients.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that even patients treated with a median anthracycline dose of 240 mg/m2 (range 100–490) are at considerable risk of exhibiting subclinical cardiac dysfunction that, however, does not seem to alter the physiologic response of the cardiovascular system to dynamic exercise. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;56:122–126. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Treatment and survival patterns for germ cell tumors among 13‐ to 24‐year olds in Yorkshire, UK
Authors: Feltbower Richard G. , Siller Catherine , Woodward Emma , McKinney Patricia A. , Picton Susan V. , Joffe Jonathan , Stark Daniel P.
Published: November 2010

Background

Teenage and young adult (TYA) patient care can fall into gaps between adult and children's services. Increasingly UK TYA multi‐disciplinary teams manage germ cell tumors (GCT) in locally agreed collaborations and age ranges. Patterns of care are changing rapidly. However, between disciplines protocols define different assessment and management in GCT. We aimed to document changes in incidence, treatment, and survival since 1990, to record the baseline to which future trends can be compared.

Procedure

Details were extracted from the UK population‐based Yorkshire Specialist Cancer Register on 237 TYA aged 13–24 years diagnosed with a GCT between 1990 and 2004, followed‐up until 2009. Incidence and survival patterns were assessed using Poisson and Cox regression.

Results

Testicular (n = 190; 80%) and ovarian (n = 22; 9%) GCT were the most common malignancies, and 90% of GCT occurred aged 17–24 years. The overall incidence rate was 26.9 per million person years. Rates increased significantly by 4.0% (95% CI: 1.0–7.1%) per year on average. The most common treatment modality was surgery combined with chemotherapy (49%). Initial treatment changed significantly over time (P = 0.003) and by age (P = 0.005). There were significant differences in the management of stage 1 testicular tumors by age. Among 13‐ to 16‐year olds, 56% were treated exclusively in adult departments. Five‐year survival rates were 93–95% for gonadal GCT, and 70–75% for other sites. Survival did not differ by age (P = 0.65) or period (P = 0.41).

Conclusions

The age‐related differences observed in the approach to GCT treatment suggest a collaborative approach to the models of care among TYA is required. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:282–288. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel nonsense mutation in the MPL gene in congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia
Authors: Chung Hae‐Sun , Koh Kyung Nam , Kim Hee‐Jung , Kim Hee‐Jin , Lee Ki‐O , Park Chan‐Jeoung , Chi Hyun‐Sook , Kim Sun‐Hee , Seo Jong‐Jin , Im Ho Joon
Published: November 2010

Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by thrombocytopenia from failure of megakaryopoiesis. CAMT is one of the bone marrow failure syndromes, and the disease progression may involve other lineages leading to pancytopenia. The genetic background of CAMT is mutations in the MPL gene encoding the thrombopoietin receptor. Here, we describe a Korean male with CAMT. Molecular genetic analyses by direct sequencing revealed that he was compound heterozygous for two nonsense mutations in MPL, Tyr63X (c.189C>A), and Arg357X (c.1069C>T), the latter being a novel mutation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:??–??. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bone mineral density in newly diagnosed children with neuroblastoma
Authors: Al‐Tonbary Youssef A. , El‐Ziny Magdy A. , Elsharkawy Ashraf A. , El‐Hawary Amany K. , El‐Ashry Rasha , Fouda Ashraf E.
Published: November 2010

Background

Neuroblastoma is the second most common extracranial malignant tumor of childhood and the most common solid tumor of infancy which is characterized by bone metastasis. Previous reports on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with leukemia and solid malignancies concentrate on long‐term survivors and on the effect of chemotherapeutic agents and irradiation. Also, evaluation of BMD in neuroblastoma was reported in few studies which were conducted upon adult survivors of childhood cancer. Previous studies on both acute leukemia and lymphoma patients suggested that the disease process itself played a role in decrease BMD.

Methods

We evaluated 27 patients with newly diagnosed neuroblastoma for both lumbar (L2–L4) BMD and total BMD using dual energy X‐ray absorptiometery (DXA) scan to highlight the effect of neuroblastoma as a disease process on BMD as this disease characterized by bone metastasis.

Results

Three out of the 27 patients showed low bone mass in both lumbar and total BMD studies.

Conclusion

Low bone mass may occur in early disease process of neuroblastoma and it is important to consider BMD assessment during the early course of the disease as well as the long‐term survivors as a part of the patient screening in suspected cases. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:202–205. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of the fatigue defect population in an elastomer using X‐ray computed micro‐tomography
Authors: Le Saux Vincent , Marco Yann , Calloch Sylvain , Charrier Pierre
Published: November 2010

As elastomeric materials are heterogeneous by nature, their fatigue behavior is strongly driven by the initiation and the growth of cavities. In this study, X‐ray micro‐tomography is used to describe the fatigue mechanisms at a microscale. This non destructive method has already been widely applied to elastomeric materials to control the fillers size and dispersion or to analyze the cavitation induced under high hydrostatic pressure fatigue loading, for example. Here, this technique is used with a good resolution to analyze the evolution of the defects population during a fatigue campaign on hourglass shaped axisymmetric specimens. The initiation and propagation mechanisms are clearly shown on 3D observations, and the influences of the maximum principal strain and of the number of cycles on several parameters (size repartition, porosity, and defect volumic density) are investigated. A scenario for the fatigue damage evolution is proposed and some fatigue initiation criteria are finally discussed, using the results obtained at the microscopic scale. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Calixarene‐centered amphiphilic A2B2 miktoarm star copolymers based on poly(ε‐caprolactone) and poly(ethylene glycol): Synthesis and self‐assembly behaviors in water
Authors: Gou Peng‐Fei , Zhu Wei‐Pu , Shen Zhi‐Quan
Published: November 2010

Novel calixarene‐centered amphiphilic A2B2 miktoarm star copolymers composed of two PCL arms and two PEG arms with calix[4]arene as core moiety were synthesized by the combination of CROP and “click” chemistry. First, a heterotetrafunctional calix[4]arene derivative with two hydroxyl groups and two alkyne groups was designed as a macroinitiator to prepare calixarene‐centered PCL homopolymers (C4‐PCL) by CROP in the presence of Sn(Oct)2 as catalyst at 110 °C. Next, azide‐terminated PEG (A‐PEG) was synthesized by tandem treating methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)s (mPEG) with 4‐chlorobutyryl chloride and NaN3. Finally, copper(I)‐catalyzed cycloaddition reaction between C4‐PCL and A‐PEG led to A2B2 miktoarm star copolymer [C4S(PCL)2‐(PEG)2]. 1H NMR, FT‐IR, and SEC analyses confirmed the well‐defined miktoarm star architecture. These amphiphilic miktoarm star copolymers could self‐assemble into multimorphological aggregates in water. The calix[4]arene moieties with a cavity <1 nm on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic interface of these aggregates may provide potential opportunities to entrap guest molecules for special applications in supermolecular science. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010
Identification of ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor α as a mediator of neurotoxicity induced by α‐synuclein
Authors: Liu Jun , Shi Min , Hong Zhen , Zhang JianPeng , Bradner Joshua , Quinn Thomas , Beyer Richard P. , Mcgeer Patrick L. , Chen ShengDi , Zhang Jing
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2138–2150, DOI 10.1002/pmic.200900745
SILAC analysis of oxidative stress‐mediated proteins in human pneumocytes: New role for treacle
Authors: Duan Xunbao , Kelsen Steve G. , Clarkson Allen B. , Ji Rong , Merali Salim
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2165–2174, DOI 10.1002/pmic.201000020
The essentiality of α‐2‐macroglobulin in human salivary innate immunity against new H1N1 swine origin influenza A virus
Authors: Chen Chao‐Hsuan , Zhang Xing‐Quan , Lo Chih‐Wei , Liu Pei‐Feng , Liu Yu‐Tsueng , Gallo Richard L. , Hsieh Ming‐Fa , Schooley Robert T. , Huang Chun‐Ming
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2396–2401, DOI 10.1002/pmic.200900775
Identification of candidate nasopharyngeal carcinoma serum biomarkers by cancer cell secretome and tissue transcriptome analysis: Potential usage of cystatin A for predicting nodal stage and poor prognosis
Authors: Chang Kai‐Ping , Wu Chih‐Ching , Chen Hua‐Chien , Chen Shu‐Jen , Peng Pei‐Hua , Tsang Ngan‐Ming , Lee Li‐Yu , Liu Shiau‐Chin , Liang Ying , Lee Yun‐Shien , Hao Sheng‐Po , Chang Yu‐Sun , Yu Jau‐Song
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2644–2660, DOI 10.1002/pmic.200900620
Proteome profiling reveals gender differences in the composition of human serum
Authors: Miike Koichiro , Aoki Masashi , Yamashita Ryo , Takegawa Yumiko , Saya Hideyuki , Miike Teruhisa , Yamamura Ken‐ichi
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2678–2691, DOI 10.1002/pmic.200900496
Quantitative proteome analysis of detergent‐resistant membranes identifies the differential regulation of protein kinase C isoforms in apoptotic T cells
Authors: Solstad Therese , Bjørgo Elisa , Koehler Christian J. , Strozynski Margarita , Torgersen Knut Martin , Taskén Kjetil , Thiede Bernd
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2758–2768, DOI 10.1002/pmic.201000164
Study of monocyte membrane proteome perturbation during lipopolysaccharide‐induced tolerance using iTRAQ‐based quantitative proteomic approach
Authors: Zhang Huoming , Zhao Changqing , Li Xin , Zhu Yi , Gan Chee Sian , Wang Yong , Ravasi Timothy , Qian Pei‐Yuan , Wong Siew Cheng , Sze Siu Kwan
Published: November 2010

This article was originally published in Proteomics 2010, 10, 2780–2789, DOI 10.1002/pmic.201000066