bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visual assessment of light source color quality
Authors: Bodrogi Peter , Brückner Stefan , Khanh Tran Quoc , Winkler Holger 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe color quality of the lit visual environment can be improved by optimizing light source spectral power distributions. For a comprehensive optimization, it is important to identify the relationship among the perceptual properties of color quality. In this work, a colorful still life or tabletop arrangement was constructed from real artificial objects. Thirty observers with normal color vision scaled nine different properties of color quality under three light sources, incandescent, fluorescent and white LED. Six factors were extracted from the correlations among the obtained visual color quality scales. Factors were assigned the following labels: memory, preference, brightness, fidelity, gamut and difference. Mean factor values were computed for each light source. Significant differences were found in case of preference, brightness and fidelity: for preference, INC was rated better than CFL and LED was rated better than CFL, for brightness, LED was better than INC and LED was better than CFL and for fidelity, INC was better than CFL and INC was better than LED. The brightness factor was consistent among the observers. Three clusters of observers were found for preference and fidelity. The memory, gamut and difference factors showed large interobserver variability. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2013
Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane as a Hydrogen Source: Fundamental Issues and Potential Solutions Towards Implementation
Authors: Sanyal Udishnu , Demirci Umit B. , Jagirdar Balaji R. , Miele Philippe 
Published: November 2011

AbstractIn today’s era of energy crisis and global warming, hydrogen has been projected as a sustainable alternative to depleting CO2‐emitting fossil fuels. However, its deployment as an energy source is impeded by many issues, one of the most important being storage. Chemical hydrogen storage materials, in particular BN compounds such as ammonia borane, with a potential storage capacity of 19.6 wt % H2 and 0.145 kg L−1, have been intensively studied from the standpoint of addressing the storage issues. Ammonia borane undergoes dehydrogenation through hydrolysis at room temperature in the presence of a catalyst, but its practical implementation is hindered by several problems affecting all of the chemical compounds in the reaction scheme, including ammonia borane, water, borate byproducts, and hydrogen. In this Minireview, we exhaustively survey the state of the art, discuss the fundamental problems, and, where applicable, propose solutions with the prospect of technological applications.
Three‐dimensional segmentation of nuclei and mitotic chromosomes for the study of cell divisions in live Drosophila embryos
Authors: Chinta Rambabu , Wasser Martin 
Published: November 2011

AbstractDrosophila embryogenesis is an established model to investigate mechanisms and genes related to cell divisions in an intact multicellular organism. Progression through the cell cycle phases can be monitored in vivo using fluorescently labeled fusion proteins andtime‐lapse microscopy. To measure cellular properties in microscopic images, accurate and fast image segmentation methods are a critical prerequisite. To quantify static and dynamic features of interphase nuclei and mitotic chromosomes, we developed a three‐dimensional (3D) segmentation method based on multiple level sets. We tested our method on 3D time‐series images of live embryos expressing histone‐2Av‐green fluorescence protein. Our method is robust to low signal‐to‐noise ratios inherent to high‐speed imaging, fluorescent signals in the cytoplasm, and dynamic changes of shape and texture. Comparisons with manual ground‐truth segmentations showed that our method achieves more than 90% accuracy on the object as well as voxel levels and performs consistently throughout all cell cycle phases and developmental stages from syncytial blastoderm to postblastoderm mitotic domains. © 2011 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Subcritical co‐solvents extraction of lipid from wet microalgae pastes of Nannochloropsis sp.
Authors: Chen Min , Liu Tianzhong , Chen Xiaolin , Chen Lin , Zhang Wei , Wang Junfeng , Gao Lili , Chen Yu , Peng Xiaowei 
Published: November 2011

AbstractIn this paper subcritical co‐solvents extraction (SCE) of algal lipid from wet pastes of Nannochloropsis sp. is examined. The influences of five operating parameters including the ratio between ethanol to hexane, the ratio of mixed solvents to algal biomass (dry weight), extraction temperature, pressure, and time were investigated. The determined optimum extraction conditions were 3:1 (hexane to ethanol ratio), 10:1 ratio (co‐solvents to microalgae (dry weight) ratio), 90°C, 1.4 MPa, and 50 min, which could produce 88% recovery rate of the total lipids. In addition, electron micrographs of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to show that the algal cell presented shrunken, collapsed with some wrinkles and microholes after SCE extraction. The main composition of total lipids extracted under the optimum conditions was TAG which represented more than 80%. And the fatty acid profile of triglycerides revealed that C16:0 (35.67 ± 0.2%), C18:1 (26.84 ± 0.044%) and C16:1 (25.96 ± 0.011%) were dominant.Practical applications: The reported method could save energy consumption significantly through avoiding deep dewatering (for example drying). The composition of the extracted lipid is suitable for the production of high quality biodiesel.
Dienamine Catalysis: An Emerging Technology in Organic Synthesis
Authors: Ramachary Dhevalapally B. , Reddy Y. Vijayendar 
Published: November 2011

AbstractHigh‐yielding asymmetric synthesis of bioactive molecules with the aid of mild catalysis is an efficient approach in reaction engineering. In the early days, synthetic chemists mainly focused on the synthesis of complex molecules, but not much on reaction efficiency and eco‐friendly conditions. Recent investigations have been directed towards the development of atom economy and of eco‐friendly and enantioselective synthesis in the most efficient ways. In this regard, the development of newly emerging asymmetric enamine and dienamine catalysis shows one way in which a powerful technology can address these critical issues. Here we discuss the entire saga of dienamine chemistry from “preformed dienamines” to “in situ dienamines” and its applications in the synthesis of bioactive molecules and natural products.
Comparison of Comet assay dose‐response for ethyl methanesulfonate using freshly prepared versus cryopreserved tissues
Authors: Recio Leslie , Kissling Grace E. , Hobbs Cheryl A. , Witt Kristine L. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe National Toxicology Program (NTP) is using the Comet assay to evaluate genotoxic potential, and is investigating the integration of this assay into repeat‐dose toxicity studies. To reduce sample‐to‐sample variability, address logistical concerns associated with evaluating multiple tissues from many animals, and accommodate sample collection at geographically distant testing facilities, tissue samples collected for Comet analysis by the NTP are routinely flash‐frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored in a –80°C freezer until evaluation. To compare data obtained from frozen tissues to data from freshly isolated tissues, we conducted a dose‐response study in male Sprague Dawley rats. Rats (5 per treatment group) were administered ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS; 0, 25, 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) by gavage twice at an interval of 21 hr; blood, liver, stomach, and colon tissues were harvested 3 hr after the second treatment. Single‐cell preparations from each of the four tissues were put into Hank's balanced salt solution with 10% fresh dimethyl sulfoxide. One aliquot of each tissue preparation was used for immediate analysis, while additional aliquots were flash‐frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored in a −80°C freezer for 1 or 8 weeks. One set of 8‐week frozen samples was shipped roundtrip via air courier from Research Triangle Park, NC to Rochester, NY prior to analysis. For all four tissues, results from frozen, nontransported samples showed a similar dose‐response pattern for EMS‐induced genotoxicity. We also demonstrated that for three tissues (blood, liver, stomach), air transport did not alter the sensitivity of the Comet assay for detecting DNA damage. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2012. Published 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Investigations on cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of laser printer emissions in human epithelial A549 lung cells using an air/liquid exposure system
Authors: Tang Tao , Gminski Richard , Könczöl Mathias , Modest Christoph , Armbruster Benedikt , Mersch‐Sundermann Volker 
Published: November 2011

AbstractExposure to emissions from laser printers during the printing process is commonplace worldwide, both in the home and workplace environment. In the present study, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of the emission from five low to medium‐throughput laser printers were investigated with respect to the release of ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter (PM), and submicrometer particles (SMP) during standby and operation. Experiments were conducted in a 1 m3 emission chamber connected to a Vitrocell® exposure system. Cytotoxicity was determined by the WST‐1 assay and genotoxicity by the micronucleus test in human A549 lung cells. The five laser printers emitted varying but generally small amounts of O3, VOC, and PM. VOC emissions included 13 compounds with total VOC concentrations ranging from 95 to 280 μg/m3 (e.g., 2‐butanone, hexanal, m,p‐xylene, and o‐xylene). Mean PM concentrations were below 2.4 μg/m3. SMP number concentration levels during standby ranged from 9 to 26 particles/cm3. However, three of the printers generated a 90 to 16 × 103‐fold increase of SMP during the printing process (maximum 294,460 particles/cm3). Whereas none of the printer emissions were found to cause cytotoxicity, emissions from two printers induced formation of micronuclei (P < 0.001), thus providing evidence for genotoxicity. As yet, differences in biological activity cannot be explained on the basis of the specific emission characteristics of the different printers. Because laser printing technology is widely used, studies with additional cytogenetic endpoints are necessary to confirm the DNA‐damaging potency and to identify emission components responsible for genotoxicity. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Vitamin D, osteocalcin, and risk for adiposity as comorbidities in middle school children
Authors: Boucher-Berry Claudia , Speiser Phyllis W , Carey Dennis E , Shelov Steven P , Accacha Siham , Fennoy Ilene , Rapaport Robert , Espinal Yomery , Rosenbaum Michael 
Published: November 2011

Abstract
Nonclassic actions of vitamin D include potential regulation of immune function and glucose homeostasis. The bone-metabolism loop has recently been expanded to include osteocalcin, which appears to play a more direct role in pancreatic beta cell function and energy metabolism. We hypothesized that both vitamin D and osteocalcin would correlate negatively with indices of adiposity-related comorbidity risk in periadolescents, varying by ethnic group. We analyzed anthropometric, metabolic, and inflammatory markers from a multiethnic population of 106 school children 11 to 14 years of age studied as part of the Reduce Obesity and Diabetes (ROAD) consortium. As expected, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH vitamin D) was inversely correlated with intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH); total osteocalcin (OCN) and uncarboxylated osteocalcin (uOCN) were directly correlated with each other. OCN and uOCN concentrations correlated inversely with age. Vitamin D deficiency was most prevalent among East Asians (EA) and African Americans (AA). The highest lipid risk scores and homeostatic model for assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values were seen in the South Asian (SA) group. Overall, adiposity measures were inversely correlated with OCN and iPTH, whereas such relationships were not observed for vitamin D. Acute insulin response to glucose challenge correlated negatively with uOCN in all subjects; however, lipid risk score correlated negatively with uOCN only in whites. The relationships between markers of calcium metabolism and body composition, glucose homeostasis, lipids, and inflammation all showed racial and ethnic differences. No consistent relationship was found between vitamin D and adiposity or vitamin D and glucose metabolism; instead vitamin D levels varied by race and ethnicity in this school-based group. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that markers of calcium and bone metabolism may reflect risk for adiposity-related comorbidities in children. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Hospitalists and intensivists in the medical ICU: A prospective observational study comparing mortality and length of stay between two staffing models
Authors: Wise Kristin R. , Akopov Valery A. , Williams Byron R. , Ido Moges S. , Leeper Kenneth V. , Dressler Daniel D. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND:A shortage of critical care specialists or intensivists, coupled with expanding United States critical care needs, mandates identification of alternate qualified physicians for intensive care unit (ICU) staffing.OBJECTIVE:To compare mortality and length of stay (LOS) of medical ICU patients cared for by a hospitalist or an intensivist‐led team.DESIGN:Prospective observational study.SETTING:Urban academic community hospital affiliated with a major regional academic university.PATIENTS:Consecutive medical patients admitted to a hospitalist ICU team (n = 828) with selective intensivist consultation or an intensivist‐led ICU teaching team (n = 528).MEASUREMENTS:Endpoints were ICU and in‐hospital mortality and LOS, adjusted for patient differences with logistic and linear regression models and propensity scores.RESULTS:The odds ratio adjusted for disease severity for in‐hospital mortality was 0.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49, 1.18; P = 0.23) and ICU mortality was 0.8 (95% CI: 0.51, 1.32; P = 0.41), referent to the hospitalist team. The adjusted LOS was similar between teams (hospital LOS difference 0.9 days, P = 0.98; ICU LOS difference 0.3 days, P = 0.32). Mechanically ventilated patients with intermediate illness severity had lower hospital LOS (10.6 vs 17.8 days, P < 0.001) and ICU LOS (7.2 vs 10.6 days, P = 0.02), and a trend towards decreased in‐hospital mortality (15.6% vs 27.5%, P = 0.10) in the intensivist‐led group.CONCLUSIONS:The adjusted mortality and LOS demonstrated no statistically significant difference between hospitalist and intensivist‐led ICU models. Mechanically ventilated patients with intermediate illness severity showed improved LOS and a trend towards improved mortality when cared for by an intensivist‐led ICU teaching team. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011;. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine
Quantitative assessment of skeletal muscle degeneration in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 using MRI
Authors: Hiba Bassem , Richard Nathalie , Hébert Luc J. , Coté Chantal , Nejjari Mimoun , Vial Christoph , Bouhour Françoise , Puymirat Jack , Janier Marc 
Published: November 2011

AbstractPurpose:To identify MRI biomarkers that could be used to follow disease progression and therapeutic efficacy in one individual muscle in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1).Materials and Methods:Lower limb MRI and maximal ankle dorsiflexor strength assessment, using a hand‐held dynamometer, were performed in 19 DM1 patients and 6 control subjects. The volume of residual muscle tissue of Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscle was chosen as an index for muscle atrophy, and the T2‐relaxation‐time of the residual muscle tissue was measured to evaluate edema‐like lesions. The fat‐to‐water ratio was assessed using three‐point Dixon images to quantify fat infiltration in the entire muscle.Results:The intra‐observer variability of MRI indices (∼5.2% for the residual muscle tissue volume and 2.5% for the fat‐to‐water ratio) was lower than that of the dorsiflexor torque measurement (∼11.5%). A high correlation (r = 0.91) was found between maximal ankle dorsiflexor strength and residual TA muscle tissue volume in DM1 patients. Increases in the fat‐to‐water ratio and T2‐relaxation‐time were associated with a decrease in maximal ankle dorsiflexor strength.Conclusion:MRI appears as a noninvasive method which can be used to follow disease progression and therapeutic efficacy. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:678‐685. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Perfusion parameters analysis of the vertebral bone marrow in patients with Ph1− chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (PhnegMPN): A dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) study
Authors: Courcoutsakis Nikos , Spanoudaki Athina , Maris Thomas G. , Astrinakis Emmanuel , Spanoudakis Emmanuel , Tsatalas Constantinos , Prassopoulos Panos 
Published: November 2011

AbstractPurpose:To evaluate perfusion parameters of the vertebral bone marrow in patients with Philadelphia negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (PhnegMPN) using dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI).Materials and Methods:The study enrolled 24 patients with PhnegMPN: 12 patients with myelofibrosis (Group A), 6 with essential thrombocythemia (ET), and 6 with polycythemia vera (PV) (Group B) who underwent DCE‐MRI of the lumbosacral spine. Twelve normal individuals served as control group (Group C). Wash‐in (WIN), wash‐out (WOUT), maximum contrast‐enhancement (CE), time‐to‐peak (TTPK), time‐to‐maximum slope (TMSP), and the WIN/TMSP ratio (WTSP) were calculated.Results:WIN, CEmax, and WTSP parameters were higher in Group A than in Group C (P < 0.05). These parameters were significant (P < 0.0001) in discriminating patients with myelofibrosis from normal individuals with sensitivities 74.14%, 87.93%, 74.14%, and specificities 91.07%, 83.93%, 91.07%, respectively. WIN, WOUT, CEmax, and WTSP parameters were higher in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.05). Group B exhibited no differences in perfusion parameters as compared with Group C with the exception of WOUT.Conclusion:Patients with myelofibrosis exhibited increased perfusion parameters in vertebral bone marrow, which could be consisted with increased vascularity, probably related to neoangiogenesis as opposed to ET or PV patients showing no increased perfusion. DCE‐MRI may be of value in discriminating subgroups of PhnegMPN patients and in indicating those progressing to myelofibrosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:696‐702. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cisterna chyli in patients with portal hypertension: Evaluation with MR imaging
Authors: Ito Katsuyoshi , Shimizu Ayame , Tanabe Masahiro , Matsunaga Naofumi 
Published: November 2011

AbstractPurpose:To evaluate the difference in the caliber of cisterna chyli between patients with and without portal hypertension on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to assess the alteration of the caliber of cisterna chyli related to contraction waves during serial T2‐weighted MRI.Materials and Methods:This study included 177 patients with and without portal hypertension who underwent two sets of T2‐weighted MRI. MR images were evaluated for the visibility of cisterna chyli, the difference in the diameter of cisterna chyli between two patients groups, and the alteration in the diameter of cisterna chyli during serial T2‐weighted MRI.Results:The mean maximal diameter of cisterna chyli in patients with portal hypertension (4.97 ± 1.87 mm, range; 2.5–13.1 mm) was significantly larger (P < 0.001) than that in patients without portal hypertension (3.37 ± 1.25 mm, range; 1.5–6.8 mm). In 132 patients with visible cisterna chyli and portal hypertension, 25 (19%) patients had a positive caliber change of cisterna chyli of more than 2 mm between two sets of T2‐weighted MR images.Conclusion:The dilatation of cisterna chyli can be demonstrated at MRI in patients with portal hypertension. Additionally, the positive caliber change of cisterna chyli related to contraction waves was observed in subsets of patients during serial T2‐weighted MRI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:624‐628. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transgenic mice with SCA10 pentanucleotide repeats show motor phenotype and susceptibility to seizure: A toxic RNA gain‐of‐function model
Authors: White Misti , Xia Guangbin , Gao Rui , Wakamiya Maki , Sarkar Partha S. , McFarland Karen , Ashizawa Tetsuo 
Published: November 2011

AbstractSpinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder manifested by ataxia and seizure. SCA10 is caused by a large expansion of an intronic ATTCT pentanucleotide repeat in the ATXN10 gene. We have recently postulated a toxic RNA‐mediated gain of function in the pathogenesis of spinal cerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10). The spliced intron‐9 RNA containing the expanded AUUCU repeat aggregates in SCA10 cells and sequesters hnRNP K. hnRNP K sequestration triggers the translocation of protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) to mitochondria, leading to activation of caspase‐3 and apoptosis. To confirm the toxic RNA‐mediated gain of function, we generated a new transgenic mouse model in which the expanded pentanucleotide repeats are constructed in the 3′‐untranslated region (3′UTR) to ensure transcription without translation of the repeat. We constructed an artificial transgene containing the SCA10 (ATTCT)500 track within the 3′UTR of the LacZ gene driven by the rat prion promoter (PrP) and used this to generate a new transgenic mouse model for SCA10. We then examined these mice for neurological phenotypes and histopathological, molecular, and cellular changes. The transgenic mice showed irregular gait and increased seizure susceptibility at the age of 6 months, resembling the clinical phenotype of SCA10. The cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and pontine nuclei showed neuronal loss. The brains of these animals also showed molecular and cellular changes similar to those previously found in an SCA10 cell model. Expression of the expanded SCA10 AUUCU repeat within the 3′UTR of a gene results in neuronal loss with associated gait abnormalities and increased seizure susceptibility phenotypes, which resemble those seen in SCA10 patients. Moreover, these results bolster the idea that the SCA10 disease mechanism is mediated by a toxic RNA gain‐of‐function mutation of the expanded AUUCU repeat. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.