bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dielectrophoresis in microfluidics technology
Authors: Çetin Barbaros , Li Dongqing 
Published: September 2011

AbstractDielectrophoresis (DEP) is the movement of a particle in a non‐uniform electric field due to the interaction of the particle's dipole and spatial gradient of the electric field. DEP is a subtle solution to manipulate particles and cells at microscale due to its favorable scaling for the reduced size of the system. DEP has been utilized for many applications in microfluidic systems. In this review, a detailed analysis of the modeling of DEP‐based manipulation of the particles is provided, and the recent applications regarding the particle manipulation in microfluidic systems (mainly the published works between 2007 and 2010) are presented.
Electrokinetic DNA transport in 20 nm‐high nanoslits: Evidence for movement through a wall‐adsorbed
Authors: Castillo‐Fernandez Oscar , Salieb‐Beugelaar Georgette B. , van Nieuwkasteele Jan W. , Bomer Johan G. , Arundell Martin , Samitier Josep , van den Berg Albert , Eijkel Jan C. T. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe electrokinetic transport behavior of λ‐DNA (48 kbp) in 20 nm‐high fused‐silica nanoslits in the presence of short‐chain PVP is investigated. Mobility and video data show a number of phenomena that are typical of DNA transport through gels or polymer solutions, thus indicative of rigid migration obstacles in the DNA pathway. Calculations show that a several nanometer thin layer of wall‐adsorbed PVP (‘nano‐gel’) can provide such a rigid obstacle matrix to the DNA. Such ultrathin wall‐adsorbed polymer layers represent a new type of matrix for electrokinetic DNA separation.
Assessment of micronucleus frequency in the peripheral blood of female rats in persistent estrus treated with selective estrogen receptor modulators
Authors: Mendes Rodrigues Junior Dorival , Ribeiro dos Santos Alesse , Amelia de Carvalho Melo Cavalcante Ana , Pereira Alencar Airlane , Vitor Lopes‐Costa Pedro , Borges da Silva Benedito 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate micronucleus (MN) frequency in polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) of female rats in persistent estrus (a model developed to mimic polycystic ovary syndrome) treated with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs, tamoxifen, and raloxifene). Forty female Wistar‐Hannover rats were divided into four groups of 10 animals each: Group I (normally cycling rats) and Group II (persistent estrus) both received only vehicle, while Group III (persistent estrus) was treated with tamoxifen (250 μg/animal/day) and Group IV (persistent estrus) was treated with raloxifene (750 μg/animal/day). Tamoxifen and raloxifene were given by oral gavage beginning on postnatal day 90 and continuing for 30 consecutive days. Peripheral blood samples were collected from tails 1 day following the last exposure. Blood smears were made on glass slides and stained with 10% Giemsa solution. ANOVA and a Tukey post‐hoc test were used for data analysis. Mean percentages of MN were 1.82 ± 0.13, 5.20 ± 0.24, 3.32 ± 0.13, and 3.04 ± 0.12 in Groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The results indicate that tamoxifen and raloxifene similarly reduced the formation of MNPCE of female rats in persistent estrus (P < 0.0001 for Groups III and IV vs. Group II), using the dosages and time periods applied in the present study. The data suggest possibly antimutagenic effects of SERMs under high levels of estrogens. The findings also suggest that this is an interesting animal model for studying the genotoxicity of estrogens. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Building pounding damage observed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake
Authors: Cole Gregory L. , Dhakal Rajesh P. , Turner Fred M. 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYBuilding pounding damages observed in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake are described in this paper. The extent and severity of pounding damage is presented based on a street survey of Christchurch's central business district. Six damage severity levels and two confidence levels are defined to classify the observed damage. Generally, pounding was observed to be a secondary effect. However, over 6% of the total surveyed buildings were observed to have significant or greater pounding damage. Examples of typical and exceptional pounding damage are identified and discussed. Extensive pounding damage was observed in low‐rise unreinforced masonry buildings that were constructed with no building separation. Modern buildings were also endangered by pounding when building separations were infilled with solid architectural flashings. The damage caused by these flashings was readily preventable. The observed pounding damage is compared to that observed in the September 2010 Darfield earthquake to explore if the damage could have been predicted. It is found that pounding prone buildings can be identified with reasonable accuracy by comparing configurations to characteristics previously noted by researchers. However, detailed pounding damage patterns cannot currently be precisely predicted by these methods. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Can avoidance behavior of the mite Oppia nitens be used as a rapid toxicity test for soils contaminated with metals or organic chemicals?
Authors: Owojori Olugbenga J , Healey Janell , Princz Juliska , Siciliano Steven D 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
Survival and reproduction soil toxicity tests for a new mite test species, Oppia nitens, have recently been developed for boreal ecosystems; however, the tests require 28 to 35 d. Avoidance tests have the potential to allow for rapid preliminary screening assessments of soils. The objective of this investigation was to determine the relevance of the avoidance test with the oribatid mite O. nitens as a short screening test in lower-tier environmental risk assessment. We assessed the effects of soil properties and chemicals on O. nitens avoidance behavior as well as the minimum time required to obtain a significant avoidance response from the mite. Specimens of this mite were exposed in Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) artificial soils that had been adjusted to achieve varying soil properties as well as to a range of concentrations of the following contaminants: Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, phenanthrene, benzo[a]pyrene, geraniol, and boric acid over 1, 2, or 5 d. The results were then compared with those of parallel life-cycle toxicity studies. The results showed that 24 h was adequate to obtain a significant response of the mites and that the soil properties tested (moisture, pH, organic matter, and clay content) had little influence on mite avoidance. The median effective concentration (EC50) for avoidance response was lower than or in the same range as the reproduction EC50 values for the organic compounds (phenanthrene and geraniol) and metals (Cu and Zn) or the median lethal concentration (LC50) values for Pb. The 24-h mite avoidance test is a suitable screening method across a range of soil properties and chemicals. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:2594–2601. © 2011 SETAC
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in surface soils from e-waste recycling areas and industrial areas in South China: Concentration levels, congener profile, and inventory
Authors: Gao Shutao , Hong Jianwen , Yu Zhiqiang , Wang Jingzhi , Yang Guoyi , Sheng Guoying , Fu Jiamo 
Published: September 2011

Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in 60 surface soils from two e-waste recycling sites (Qingyuan and Guiyu, China) and their surrounding areas to assess the extent and influence of PBDEs from e-waste recycling sites on the surrounding areas. A total of 32 surface soils from industrial areas in South China were also investigated for comparison. The mean concentrations of total PBDEs in the e-waste recycling sites of Guiyu and Qingyuan were 2,909 and 3,230 ng/g dry weight, respectively, whereas the PBDE concentrations decreased dramatically (1–2 orders of magnitude) with increasing distance from the recycling site, suggesting that the e-waste recycling activities were the major source of PBDEs in the surrounding areas. Decabromodiphenyl ethers accounted for 77.0 to 85.8% of total PBDEs in e-waste recycling areas, whereas it accounted for 90.2% in industrial areas. Principal component analysis showed that the major source of PBDEs in e-waste recycling areas were a combination of penta-, octa-, and deca-BDE commercial formulations, whereas deca-BDE commercial formulations were the major source of PBDE congeners in industrial areas. The inventories of PBDEs gave preliminary estimates of 6.22 tons and 13.4 tons for the e-waste recycling areas and industrial areas. The results suggested that significantly higher PBDEs in the e-waste recycling sites have already affected surrounding areas negatively within a relatively large distance. Because of the environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of PBDEs, improving the recycling techniques employed at such facilities and developing e-waste management policies are necessary. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:2688–2696. © 2011 SETAC
VCAT synchroniser—reduction of buffer size in VCAT enabled next generation SDH networks
Authors: Manke Sunanda , Khare Kavita , Sapre S.D. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTNext generation synchronous digital hierarchy is a popular transport technology for integrated voice and data communication. It typically uses virtual concatenation (VCAT) for dynamic bandwidth management. This paper discusses different issues related to VCAT. Paper mainly focuses on the differential delay that occurs as all the VCAT members traverse through different path to reach the destination. These streams do not reach the destination at the same time and thus incur differential delay. Buffers are provided at the receiver to compensate for differential delay. The larger the differential delay, the larger is the buffer requirement at the receiver. Differential delay/buffer size can be reduced by proper routing of the traffic. In the existing receiver circuits, all incoming streams are allocated the same buffer space, specifying the maximum differential delay it can compensate. This results in a large buffer requirement. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes a novel scheme of allocating buffers dynamically to all the streams. To achieve this, differential delay between the streams is computed by extracting the multiframe indicator and then as per the delay, each stream is allocated buffer space from a common buffer pool. The common buffer pool consists of a number of buffer modules. The size of each module is equal to the frame size for the specific virtual channel, and the size of the common buffer pool is architecture dependent. Sixty per cent reduction in the buffer requirement is predicted using this scheme, at the receiver. For functional verification of the concept, a hardware circuit is designed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The CDKN2A/CDKN2B/CDK4/CCND1 pathway is pivotal in well‐differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma oncogenesis. An analysis of 104 tumors
Authors: Louis‐Brennetot Caroline , Coindre Jean‐Michel , Ferreira Céline , Pérot Gaëlle , Terrier Philippe , Aurias Alain 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe MDM2 and CDK4 genes are the main targets of chromosome 12 amplification in well‐differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas. Nevertheless, around 10% of these tumors do not amplify CDK4. To find substitutive alterations of CDK4 amplification, we analyzed a large series of liposarcomas by array‐CGH, real‐time genomic PCR, gene expression array, and real‐time RT‐PCR. We demonstrate that an alteration in the CDKN2A/CDKN2B/CDK4/CCND1 pathway is present in almost all cases without CDK4 amplification, thereby confirming the pivotal role of this pathway in liposarcoma oncogenesis. Moreover, we show that cell cycle and differentiation are driven by a subtle and complex balance between members of this pathway. Finally, we demonstrate that in tumors without amplification/overexpression of CDK4, the chromosome 1q21‐1q23 region is a preferential partner of chromosome 12 amplicon, suggesting that the mechanism of amplification is slightly different in this group of tumors. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel EWSR1‐CREB3L1 fusion transcript in a case of small cell osteosarcoma
Authors: Debelenko Larisa V. , McGregor Lisa M. , Shivakumar Bangalore R. , Dorfman Howard D. , Raimondi Susana C. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractCellular morphology of small cell osteosarcoma, an aggressive variant of osteosarcoma, is similar to Ewing sarcoma, but its molecular pathogenesis is largely unknown. We report the case of a 12‐year‐old girl with multifocal small cell osteosarcoma positive for the Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 (EWSR1) gene rearrangement by interphase fluorescent in situ hybridization and negative for EWSR1‐FLI1, EWSR1‐ERG, and EWSR1‐WT1 fusion transcripts by reverse transcriptase PCR. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends revealed exon 6 of the cAMP‐responsive element binding protein 3‐like 1 gene (CREB3L1, also known as “OASIS,” NM_52854.2) fused in‐frame to the EWSR1 exon 11, consistent with the EWSR1‐CREB3L1 fusion transcript expressed in tumor tissue. The corresponding chimeric gene was confirmed by amplification and subsequent sequencing of the genomic breakpoint between introns 11 and 5 of EWSR1 and CREB3L1, respectively. An ∼70 kDa product in the tumor tissue lysate reacted with the CREB3L1 carboxyterminal antibody, consistent with a 656‐amino acid predicted chimeric protein. Immunohistochemistry with the same antibody showed signal translocation from the physiologic perinuclear compartment observed in glia and unrelated osteoblasts to nuclei of tumor cells, consistent with the likely function of EWSR1‐CREB3L1 as a transcriptional regulator predicted by its structure. This is the first report of a fusion transcript in osteogenic sarcoma; it demonstrates a relation between molecular mechanisms of small cell osteogenic and Ewing sarcomas. The 3′‐end partner and the inferred structure of EWSR1‐CREB3L1, however, are different from those of Ewing sarcoma, suggesting different targets of the new oncogene. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nrf2 deficiency potentiates methamphetamine‐induced dopaminergic axonal damage and gliosis in the striatum
Authors: Granado Noelia , Lastres‐Becker Isabel , Ares‐Santos Sara , Oliva Idaira , Martin Eduardo , Cuadrado Antonio , Moratalla Rosario 
Published: September 2011

AbstractOxidative stress that correlates with damage to nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and reactive gliosis in the basal ganglia is a hallmark of methamphetamine (METH) toxicity. In this study, we analyzed the protective role of the transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor‐erythroid 2‐related factor 2), a master regulator of redox homeostasis, in METH‐induced neurotoxicity. We found that Nrf2 deficiency exacerbated METH‐induced damage to dopamine neurons, shown by an increase in loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐ and dopamine transporter (DAT)‐containing fibers in striatum. Consistent with these effects, Nrf2 deficiency potentiated glial activation, indicated by increased striatal expression of markers for microglia (Mac‐1 and Iba‐1) and astroglia (GFAP) one day after METH administration. At the same time, Nrf2 inactivation dramatically potentiated the increase in TNFα mRNA and IL‐15 protein expression in GFAP+ cells in the striatum. In sharp contrast to the potentiation of striatal damage, Nrf2 deficiency did not affect METH‐induced dopaminergic neuron death or expression of glial markers or proinflammatory molecules in the substantia nigra. This study uncovers a new role for Nrf2 in protection against METH‐induced inflammatory and oxidative stress and striatal degeneration. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Screening for cognitive impairment in older general hospital patients: comparison of the Six‐Item Cognitive Impairment Test with the Mini‐Mental State Examination
Authors: Tuijl Jolien P. , Scholte Evert M. , de Craen Anton J.M. , van der Mast Roos C. 
Published: September 2011

ObjectiveTo investigate the performance and usability of the Six‐Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT) as a screening instrument for cognitive impairment in older, general hospital inpatients/outpatients.MethodIn 253 general hospital patients aged ≥ 70 years, diagnostic accuracy of the 6CIT and time required to administer it were assessed using the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) as the criterion standard.ResultsThe (negative) correlation between the 6CIT and the MMSE was very high (r = −0.82). Optimal comparability was found using a MMSE cutoff of ≤19 for lower and ≤23 for higher educated patients, at a cutoff of ≥11 on the 6CIT that was not sensitive to educational level. The sensitivity of the 6CIT was 0.90 and the specificity was 0.96, whereas the positive predictive value was 0.83 and the negative predictive value was 0.98. The area under the curve was 0.95. The mean administration time was 5.8 min for the MMSE and 2.5 min for the 6CIT (p ≤ 0.01).ConclusionsDiagnostic accuracy of the 6CIT was high. As the 6CIT is not sensitive to educational level, does not require advanced language skills, only takes a few minutes to administer and is very easy to use, it appears to be a suitable screening instrument for cognitive impairment in older patients in the general hospital. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of medial cortical networks for anticipatory processing in obsessive‐compulsive disorder
Authors: Ciesielski Kristina T. , Rauch Scott L. , Ahlfors Seppo P. , Vangel Mark E. , Wilhelm Sabine , Rosen Bruce R. , Hämäläinen Matti S. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractRecurrent anticipation of ominous events is central to obsessions, the core symptom of obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD), yet the neural basis of intrinsic anticipatory processing in OCD is unknown. We studied nonmedicated adults with OCD and case matched healthy controls in a visual‐spatial working memory task with distractor. Magnetoencephalography was used to examine the medial cortex activity during anticipation of to‐be‐inhibited distractors and to‐be‐facilitated retrieval stimuli. In OCD anticipatory activation to distractors was abnormally reduced within the posterior cingulate and fusiform gyrus compared to prominent activation in controls. Conversely, OCD subjects displayed significantly increased activation to retrieval stimuli within the anterior cingulate and supplementary motor cortex. This previously unreported discordant pattern of medial anticipatory activation in OCD was accompanied by normal performance accuracy. While increased anterior cortex activation in OCD is commonly viewed as failure of inhibition, the current pattern of data implicates the operation of an anterior compensatory mechanism amending the posterior medial self‐regulatory networks disrupted in OCD. Hum Brain Mapp 33:2125–2134, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Midlife obesity and trajectories of brain volume changes in older adults
Authors: Driscoll Ira , Beydoun May A. , An Yang , Davatzikos Christos , Ferrucci Luigi , Zonderman Alan B. , Resnick Susan M. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractAlthough obesity has been linked to structural brain changes, little is known about its associations with the rates of brain atrophy. We examined associations between global (BMI) and central (waist circumference) midlife obesity and subsequent trajectories of regional brain atrophy in 152 individuals [M (age) = 69 ± 7.8] prospectively followed through the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging; 21 individuals became impaired during follow‐up. We report no associations (P > 0.05) between either global or central midlife obesity and subsequent rates of regional brain volume changes against a background of age‐related atrophy in older individuals who remained nondemented. When looking at the entire sample, greater decline was observed in the volume of gray matter, precuneus, cingulate and orbito‐frontal gyri for globally obese (P < 0.03), even though only data up to the point of dementia diagnosis were included in the analyses (i.e., while still considered clinically normal). Moreover, when trajectories of regional volume changes were examined across the range of BMI and waist circumference values instead of employing a cut‐off point to define obesity, a different pattern of results emerged. Overall, our results suggest that midlife obesity may be an important modifier of brain atrophy in individuals who are developing cognitive impairment and dementia, while it has little effect on structural brain integrity in nondemented older adults. Moreover, the discrepancies in findings between studies may be in part due to participant sampling and methodological differences. Hum Brain Mapp 33:2204–2210, 2012. Published 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stimulating creativity via the exposure to other people's ideas
Authors: Fink Andreas , Koschutnig Karl , Benedek Mathias , Reishofer Gernot , Ischebeck Anja , Weiss Elisabeth M. , Ebner Franz 
Published: September 2011

AbstractAs it is the case in brainstorming, each single idea a person generates to a specific problem may stimulate new ideas or solutions in others. In this fMRI study, we investigate the effects of cognitive stimulation via the exposure to other people's ideas on the originality of generated ideas. Participants are requested to generate alternative uses of conventional everyday objects subsequent to a short cognitive stimulation intervention in which they are exposed to other ideas, which were either common or highly original. In a control condition, meaningless pseudowords are shown. Results suggest that cognitive stimulation via common or moderately creative ideas was effective in improving creativity. At the neurophysiological level, temporo‐parietal brain regions (primarily right‐hemispheric) turned out to be particularly sensitive to cognitive stimulation, possibly indicating that cognitive stimulation via relevant memory cues results in a state of heightened focused attention to memory that facilitates efficient retrieval and recombination of existing knowledge. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
RESPONSE TO REGULATORY STRINGENCY: THE CASE OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION USE IN NURSING HOMES
Authors: Bowblis John R. , Crystal Stephen , Intrator Orna , Lucas Judith A. 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYThis paper studies the impact of regulatory stringency, as measured by the statewide deficiency citation rate over the past year, on the quality of care provided in a national sample of nursing homes from 2000 to 2005. The quality measure used is the proportion of residents who are using antipsychotic medication. Although the changing case‐mix of nursing home residents accounts for some of the increase in the use of antipsychotics, we find that the use of antipsychotics by nursing homes is responsive to state regulatory enforcement in a manner consistent with the multitasking incentive problem. Specifically, the effect of the regulations is dependent on the degree of complementarity between the regulatory deficiency and the use of antipsychotics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.