bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of heavy social drinking on executive function: a systematic review and meta‐analytic study of existing literature and new empirical findings
Authors: Montgomery Catharine , Fisk John E. , Murphy Philip N. , Ryland Ida , Hilton Joanne 
Published: March 2012

BackgroundPrevious investigations of executive function in alcohol dependent and in social drinkers have not always produced consistent results and have not utilised key indicators of recent theoretical models of Executive Function (EF). The present paper reports the results of two studies that seek to address these limitations.MethodStudy 1 took the form of a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies examining EF in social drinkers. In Study 2, 41 participants completed an alcohol use inventory and were assigned to either light or heavy alcohol use via median split of average weekly dose. Participants completed measures of the fractionated executive processes of updating, shifting, inhibition and access to semantic memory.ResultsStudy 1 only identified seven studies of EF in social drinkers, and the mean effect size was non‐significant. In study 2, the heavy alcohol use group performed worse on all measures of executive functioning except memory updating.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation of executive functioning in social drinkers. Given that the participants were non‐treatment seeking social drinking students, the EF deficit in the heavy user group is particularly worrying and could increase the likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Snow surface energy exchanges and snowmelt in a shrub‐covered bog in eastern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Knox Sara H. , Carey Sean K. , Humphreys Elyn R. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to measure and evaluate the energy balance of a snowpack in a northern peatland, with a particular emphasis on the ground heat flux (G), and to evaluate the performance of a point energy and mass balance snowmelt model (SNOBAL) in peatland ecosystems. G is typically considered a small component of the snowpack energy balance (EB) when compared with radiative and turbulent fluxes. However, in environments where the soil temperature remains above freezing throughout the winter, G may be an important energy input to the snowpack. For direct assessment of the role of G in the snow energy budget of such an environment, the EB components of the snowpack at the Mer Bleue bog, a northern peatland, were directly measured and modelled using SNOBAL during the 2009–2010 winter. When integrated over the pre‐melt period, simulated and measured G proved to be a large contributor to the EB (25%). Net radiation and G were somewhat under‐predicted by SNOBAL, whereas turbulent fluxes (especially latent heat fluxes LE) were considerably over‐predicted. G calculated by SNOBAL was found to be sensitive to the temperature gradient between the soil and the lower layer of the snowpack, whereas simulated turbulent fluxes were sensitive to the parameterization chosen to estimate roughness lengths for heat and water vapour. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring uptake mechanisms of oral nanomedicines using multimodal nonlinear optical microscopy
Authors: Garrett Natalie Laura , Lalatsa Aikaterini , Uchegbu Ijeoma , Schätzlein Andreas , Moger Julian 
Published: March 2012

AbstractAdvances in pharmaceutical nanotechnology have yielded ever increasingly sophisticated nanoparticles for medicine delivery. When administered via oral, intravenous, ocular and transcutaneous delivery routes, these nanoparticles can elicit enhanced drug performance. In spite of this, little is known about the mechanistic processes underlying interactions between nanoparticles and tissues, or how these correlate with improved pharmaceutical effects. These mechanisms must be fully understood before nanomedicines can be rationally engineered to optimise their performance. Methods to directly visualise these particulates within tissue samples have traditionally involved imaging modalities requiring covalent labelling of fluorescent or radioisotope contrast agents. We present CARS, second harmonic generation and two photon fluorescence microscopy combined as a multi‐modal label‐free method for pinpointing polymeric nanoparticles within the stomach, intestine, gall bladder and liver. We demonstrate for the first time that orally administered chitosan nanoparticles follow a recirculation pathway from the GI tract via enterocytes, to the liver hepatocytes and intercellular spaces and then to the gall bladder, before being re‐released into the gut together with bile. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Production and utilization of acellular lung scaffolds in tissue engineering
Authors: Nichols Joan E. , Niles Jean A. , Cortiella Joaquin 
Published: March 2012

AbstractPulmonary disease is a worldwide public health problem that reduces the quality of life and increases the need for hospital admissions as well as the risk for premature death for those affected. For many patients, lung transplantation is the only chance for survival. Unfortunately, there is a significant shortage of lungs for transplantation and since the lung is the most likely organ to be damaged during procurement many lungs deemed unacceptable for transplantation are simply discarded. Rather than discarding these lungs they can be used to produce three‐dimensional acellular (AC) natural lung scaffolds for the generation of engineered lung tissue. AC scaffolds are lungs whose original cells have been destroyed by exposure to detergents and physical methods of removing cells and cell debris. This creates a lung scaffold from the skeleton of the lungs themselves. The scaffolds are then used to support adult, stem or progenitor cells which can be grown into functional lung tissue. Recent studies show that engineered lung tissues are capable of surviving after in vivo transplantation and support limited gas exchange. In the future engineered lung tissue has the potential to be used in clinical applications to replace lung functions lost following injury or disease. This manuscript discusses recent advances in development and use of AC scaffolds to support engineering of lung tissues. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2185–2192, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Novel Radiation‐Induced Properties of Graphene and Related Materials
Authors: Kumar Prashant , Das Barun , Chitara Basant , Subrahmanyam K. S. , Gopalakrishnan K. , Krupanidhi S. B. , Rao C. N. R. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractInteraction of graphene, graphene oxide, and related nanocarbons with radiation gives rise to many novel properties and phenomena. Irradiation of graphene oxide in solid state or in solution by sunlight, UV radiation, or excimer laser radiation reduces it to graphene with negligible oxygen functionalities on the surface. This transformation can be exploited for nanopatterning and for large scale production of reduced graphene oxide (RGO). Laser‐induced dehydrogenation of hydrogenated graphene can also be used for this purpose. All such laser‐induced transformations are associated with thermal effects. RGO emits blue light on UV excitation, a feature that can be used to generate white light in combination with a yellow emitter. RGO as well as graphene nanoribbons are excellent detectors of infra‐red radiation while RGO is a good UV detector.
Microwave‐Assisted Ring‐Opening Polymerization of D,L‐Lactide: A Probe for the Nonexistence of Nonthermal Microwave Effects
Authors: Ramier Julien , Renard Estelle , Grande Daniel 
Published: March 2012

AbstractRing‐opening polymerization of D,L‐lactide is critically reevaluated under both microwave dielectric heating and conventional conduction/convection heating in order to probe the nonexistence of “nonthermal” microwave effects. All experiments are conducted in toluene by resorting to a fiber‐optic sensor that allows for accurate internal reaction temperature measurements. For a given temperature, the results obtained either with a “temperature control” microwave heating mode or with a “power control” procedure can well be reproduced through conventional thermal heating. Microwave irradiation does not induce any alteration of the polymerization kinetics or “livingness”, clearly demonstrating the absence of any specific “nonthermal” effect in the microwave‐assisted process.
GSTM1 and GSTT1 copy numbers and mRNA expression in lung cancer
Authors: Rotunno Melissa , Lam Tram K. , Vogt Aurelie , Bertazzi Pier Alberto , Lubin Jay H. , Caporaso Neil E. , Landi Maria Teresa 
Published: March 2012

AbstractLarge fractions of the human population do not express GSTM1 and GSTT1 (GSTM1/T1) enzymes because of deletions in these genes. These variations affect xenobiotic metabolism and have been evaluated in relation to lung cancer risk, mostly based on null/present gene models. We measured GSTM1/T1 heterozygous deletions, not tested in genome‐wide association studies, in 2,120 controls and 2,100 cases from the Environment And Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) study. We evaluated their effect on mRNA expression on lung tissue and peripheral blood samples and their association with lung cancer risk overall and by histology types. We tested the null/present, dominant, and additive models using logistic regression. Cigarette smoking and gender were studied as possible modifiers. Gene expression from blood and lung tissue cells was strongly down regulated in subjects carrying GSTM1/T1 deletions by both trend and dominant models (P < 0.001). In contrast to the null/present model, analyses distinguishing subjects with 0, 1, or 2 GSTM1/T1 deletions revealed several associations. There was a decreased lung cancer risk in never‐smokers (OR = 0.44; 95%CI = 0.23–0.82; P = 0.01) and women (OR = 0.50; 95%CI = 0.28–0.90; P = 0.02) carrying 1 or 2 GSTM1 deletions. Analogously, male smokers had an increased risk (OR = 1.13; 95%CI = 1.0–1.28; P = 0.05) and women a decreased risk (OR = 0.78; 95%CI = 0.63–0.97; P = 0.02) for increasing GSTT1 deletions. The corresponding gene smoking and gene–gender interactions were significant (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that decreased activity of GSTM1/T1 enzymes elevates lung cancer risk in male smokers, likely due to impaired carcinogens' detoxification. A protective effect of the same mutations may be operative in never‐smokers and women, possibly because of reduced activity of other genotoxic chemicals. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Numerical analysis of heat and moisture transport with a finite difference method
Authors: Li Buyang , Sun Weiwei 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn this article, we study a system of nonlinear parabolic partial differential equations arising from the heat and moisture transport through textile materials with phase change. A splitting finite difference method with semi‐implicit Euler scheme in time direction is proposed for solving the system of equations. We prove the existence and uniqueness of a classical positive solution to the parabolic system as well as the existence and uniqueness of a positive solution to the splitting finite difference system. We provide optimal error estimates for the splitting finite difference system under the condition that the mesh size and time step size are smaller than a positive constant which solely depends upon the physical parameters involved. Numerical results are presented to confirm our theoretical analysis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2013
Intense and Energetic Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Arrays
Authors: Kim Jae Young , Ballato John , Kim Sung‐O 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIntense and energetic atmospheric plasma emissions were achieved by direct jet‐to‐jet coupling using honeycomb‐structured quartz tube arrays. Two plasma modes were found to exist in the same plasma array structure under a change of gas flow conditions: an intense plasma mode and the well‐collimated plasma mode. In order to describe the direct jet‐to‐jet coupling by electrical coupling of charged particles in the plasma, the optical emission of the plasma array was compared with that of a single tube plasma jet. Under identical electrical driving and gas conditions, the optical intensity from the intense plasma jet was approximately four times larger in the coupled array than in the single plasma jet structure. Additionally, the electron energy in the intense plasma was larger than that of the well‐collimated plasma jets in the same device. This intense and energetic plasma jet, arising through direct jet‐to‐jet coupling, may provide novel applications requiring strong discharge processes using simplified structures and accompanying instrumentation when compared with the present vacuum plasma systems. magnified image
Localized Growth of Silicon Oxide Nanowires by Micro‐Afterglow Oxidation
Authors: Arnoult Grégory , Gries Thomas , Henrion Gérard , Migot Sylvie , Fournée Vincent , Belmonte Thierry 
Published: March 2012

AbstractSilicon oxide nanowires are synthesised below 523 K by a non‐VLS mechanism on different substrates: Fe‐0.5 wt.‐%Si and Fe‐1.5 wt.‐%Si alloys and silicon wafers coated or not by 30‐nm thick coatings of iron. An Ar‐O2 micro‐afterglow is used to feed the substrate with oxidising species over an area of ≈2 mm2. In this area, circular bundles of nanowires appear after 15 min and are randomly distributed. Each bundle diameter increases with time and reaches 50 µm. After several hours, bundles overlap and give a continuous carpet of nanowires. TEM analyses show that no iron is found in the nanowires, whatever the substrate. A growth mechanism, based on the emergence of a surface defect is proposed. magnified image
A tale of two plants: Using LOPA for SIL assignment
Authors: Schmidt Michael S. , Kilpatrick Dan 
Published: March 2012

AbstractTwo plants operated by the same company have “identical” ammonium nitrate (AN) solution pump installations. Yet the teams performing the layer of protection analysis (LOPA) concluded that the safety instrumented functions (SIFs) to protect those pumps needed different safety integrity levels (SILs). Despite the similarity of the installations, the teams discovered legitimate differences that warranted different conclusions about what SIL assignment should be. For those with a specific interest in AN, this article reviews the consequences of AN pump hazards, their initiating causes, and the types of independent layers of protection (IPLs) that can be brought to bear. Of more general interest will be the discussion of the impact of risk tolerance criteria, frequency modifiers, and IPLs on final SIL assignment, and why dictating a fixed SIL assignment to certain types of hazards or installations is inappropriate, especially in the development of industry standards or government regulations. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2012
X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy of pulsed laser deposited Pb(Zr,Ti)O3−δ
Authors: Dragoi Cristina , Gheorghe Nicoleta G. , Lungu George A. , Trupina Lucian , Ibanescu Andra G. , Teodorescu Cristian M. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractHigh quality pulsed laser deposited lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films are obtained by pulsed laser deposition on SrRuO3(111) single crystal layers and characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), to determine the surface composition. It is found that a minor amount of Pb forms PbO2 at the surface and also some Pb is included into the contamination layer, in form of a Pb(CO3)2 layer of about 1 nm thickness, occupying about one quarter of the PZT surface. The stoichiometry of the outermost 4–5 nm layers yielded as PbZr0.25Ti0.80O2.5, which suggest the formation of an oxygen depleted, Brownmillerite‐like layer at the surface, of at least 5 nm thickness.
Novel sonomicrometry of ex vivo diaphragm after phrenic nerve injury: Role of matrix metalloproteinases
Authors: Wang Huan , Imamura Yukio , Matsumoto Naoya , Wang Hong , Ogura Hiroshi , Shimazu Takeshi , Seiyama Akitoshi 
Published: March 2012

AbstractExtracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and their proteolytic enzymes, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), implicate in neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) function during development. However, their pathophysiological mechanisms in the diaphragm remain obscure, because a well‐characterized ex vivo experimental system has still been lacking. In the study, we aim to develop a novel ex vivo method of sonomicrometry and evaluate validity of the method with a mouse diaphragm twitch after phrenic nerve injury. In an ex vivo experiment using phrenic nerve‐injured mice, diaphragm twitch during electrical pulse stimulation of phrenic nerve was transiently suppressed on day 1. Recombinant MMPs administered in recording solution exerted dose‐responsive suppression on the diaphragm twitch in normal mice tissue. Furthermore, gelatinolytic and immunoblot experiments were performed to evaluate MMPs' involvement and NMJs' insults. After nerve injury, (1) in vivo levels of MMPs were transiently upregulated at day 1 and (2) expressions of ECM proteins, agrin (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stabilizer) and laminin, were transiently reduced at day 1 in the diaphragm. These alterations were cancelled by preinjection of the MMP inhibitor. In conclusion, MMPs hamper NMJ synaptic function in association with the impairment of ECM milieu. Our novel experimental method using ex vivo sonomicrometry is necessary for examining the molecular pathophysiolgy for the dysfunction of NMJs in the diaphragm. Synapse, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantitative hippocampal structural changes following electroconvulsive seizure treatment in a rat model of depression
Authors: Kaae Susanne S. , Chen Fenghua , Wegener Gregers , Madsen Torsten M. , Nyengaard Jens R. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractObjective: The pathophysiology of depression and the effects of antidepressant treatment are hypothesized to be related to hippocampal structural changes. This study aims to investigate the effect of electroconvulsive seizures on behavior and hippocampal structure in a rat model of depression. Methods: Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) and Flinders Resistant Line (FRL) rats were treated daily for 10 days with either electroconvulsive seizures or sham treatment. The behavior was evaluated using the forced swim test. Design‐based stereological methods were used to quantify the hippocampal volume and the numbers of neurons and glial cells in specific hippocampal subregions. Results: The basal level of hippocampal volume and neuron number differed significantly between the two rat strains, and a trend toward the FSL strain having more glial cells was found. The structural differences found between the sham‐treated animals were counteracted by electroconvulsive seizure (ECS) treatment, which also normalized the behavior. ECS treatment increased the number of glial cells in hilus significantly in the FRL rats and with the same tendency for the FSL rats. Conclusion: Our results indicate that along with hippocampal neurogenesis, gliogenesis may also be involved in the pathophysiology of depression and in the effect of antidepressant treatment. The underlying mechanisms remain unknown, and further investigations are required to clarify whether the structural changes are necessary to induce a therapeutic effect of antidepressant treatment or if they rather represent an epiphenomenon. Synapse, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nomifensine alters sex differences in striatal dopaminergic function
Authors: Poth Luke S. , O'connell Bryan P. , Mcdermott Janet L. , Dluzen Dean E. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractA series of three experiments are presented in which the acute effects of the catecholamine reuptake inhibitor, nomifensine, upon striatal dopaminergic function are compared in female and male mice. In Experiment 1, treatment with nomifensine (5 mg kg−1), at 30 min prior to injection of methamphetamine (40 mg kg−1) significantly decreased the amount of striatal dopamine depletion in male, but not female, mice, thereby abolishing the sex difference in methamphetamine‐induced neurotoxicity (males > females). In Experiment 2, the methamphetamine‐evoked sex differences in dopamine and DOPAC output from superfused striatal tissue (males > females) were abolished in mice treated with nomifensine at 30 min prior to tissue removal. In Experiment 3, the potassium chloride‐evoked sex differences in dopamine and DOPAC output from superfused striatal tissue (females > males) were reversed in mice treated with nomifensine at 30 min prior to tissue removal. Taken together these results demonstrate the critical role played by catecholamine transporters in sex differences of dopaminergic function and suggest that this may involve the dopamine transporter, due to its high concentrations within the striatum. Such findings highlight the need for gender‐specific considerations in use of treatments that target reuptake transporters function. Synapse, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
No evidence for mevalonate shunting in moderately affected children with Smith‐Lemli‐Opitz syndrome
Authors: Roullet Jean‐Baptiste , Merkens Louise S. , Pappu Anuradha S. , Jacobs Megan D. , Winter Rolf , Connor William E. , Steiner Robert D. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractSmith‐Lemli‐Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is caused by a genetic deficiency in 7‐dehydrocholesterol (7‐DHC) reductase (EC 1.3.1.21), the last enzyme of the cholesterol synthetic pathway. In SLOS, plasma cholesterol concentration is reduced and immediate precursor concentration (7‐DHC) is elevated. Surprisingly, total sterol synthesis is reduced but HMG‐CoA reductase activity, a rate‐limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis is unaltered as judged by normal urinary excretion of mevalonic acid (MVA) (Pappu et al. J Lipid Res 43:1661–1669, 2002). These findings raise the possibility of increased diversion of MVA into the MVA shunt pathway away from sterol synthesis, by activation of the shunt pathway enzymes. To test this hypothesis, we measured the urinary excretion of 3‐methylglutaconic acid (U‐3MGC), a by‐product of the shunt pathway, in 19 mildly to moderately severely affected SLOS subjects (ten males, nine females) receiving either a cholesterol‐free or a high cholesterol diet, and in 20 age‐ and sex‐matched controls. U‐3MGC was similar in SLOS and controls, and was unaffected by dietary cholesterol intake. Further, no change in U‐3MGC was observed in a subset of SLOS subjects (n = 9) receiving simvastatin. In contrast, U‐MVA was reduced by cholesterol supplementation (~54%, p < 0.05) and by simvastatin (~50%, p < 0.04). There was no correlation between U‐3MGC and either plasma sterol concentrations, urinary isoprenoids, or the subjects’ clinical severity score. However U‐3MGC was inversely correlated with age (p < 0.04) and body weight (p < 0.02), and higher in females than in males (~65%, p < 0.025). The data show that DHCR7 deficiency does not result in 3MGC accumulation in SLOS and suggest that the MVA shunt pathway is not activated in patients with the condition.