bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction in multiple sclerosis— A double blind, placebo controlled, randomised clinical trial
Authors: McClurg D. , Ashe R.G. , Lowe‐Strong A.S. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractAimsLower urinary tract dysfunction affects up to 75% of the multiple sclerosis population. Results from our recent Pilot Study (McClurg et al., 2006) indicated that a combined programme of pelvic floor muscle training, electromyography biofeedback and neuromuscular electrical stimulation modalities may alleviate some of the distressing symptoms within this population. This clinical trial aimed to evaluate further the efficacy of these interventions and to establish the benefit of neuromuscular electrical stimulation above and beyond that of EMG biofeedback and pelvic floor muscle training.Methods74 multiple sclerosis patients who presented with lower urinary tract dysfunction were randomly allocated to one of two groups ‐ Group 1 received Pelvic Floor Muscle Training, Electromyography Biofeedback and Placebo Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (n=37), and Group 2 which received Pelvic Floor Muscle Training, Electromyography Biofeedback, and Active Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (n=37). Treatment was for nine weeks with outcome measures recorded at weeks 0, 9, 16 and 24. The Primary Outcome Measure was the number of leakage episodes. Within group analysis was by Paired Samples t‐test. Group differences were analysed using Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance and Post‐hoc tests were used to determine the significance of differences between Groups at each time point.ResultsThe mean number of incontinence episodes were reduced in Group 2 by 85% (p=0.001) whereas in Group 1 a lesser reduction of 47% (p=0.001) was observed. However, there was a statistically superior benefit in Group 2 when compared to Group 1 (p=0.0028). This superior benefit was evident in all other outcome measures.ConclusionsThe addition of Active Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to a programme of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Electromyography Biofeedback should be considered as a first‐line option in alleviating some of the symptoms of lower urinary tract dysfunction associated with multiple sclerosis. Neurourol. Urodynam. 27:231–237, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Production to order and off‐line inspection when the production process is partially observable
Authors: Grosfeld‐Nir Abraham , Cohen Eyal , Gerchak Yigal 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThis study combines inspection and lot‐sizing decisions. The issue is whether to INSPECT another unit or PRODUCE a new lot. A unit produced is either conforming or defective. Demand need to be satisfied in full, by conforming units only. The production process may switch from a “good” state to a “bad” state, at constant rate. The proportion of conforming units in the good state is higher than in the bad state. The true state is unobservable and can only be inferred from the quality of units inspected. We thus update, after each inspection, the probability that the unit, next candidate for inspection, was produced while the production process was in the good state. That “good‐state‐probability” is the basis for our decision to INSPECT or PRODUCE. We prove that the optimal policy has a simple form: INSPECT only if the good‐state‐probability exceeds a control limit. We provide a methodology to calculate the optimal lot size and the expected costs associated with INSPECT and PRODUCE. Surprisingly, we find that the control limit, as a function of the demand (and other problem parameters) is not necessarily monotone. Also, counter to intuition, it is possible that the optimal action is PRODUCE, after revealing a conforming unit. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2007
A contact‐stabilized Newmark method for dynamical contact problems
Authors: Deuflhard Peter , Krause Rolf , Ertel Susanne 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe numerical integration of dynamical contact problems often leads to instabilities at contact boundaries caused by the non‐penetration condition between bodies in contact. Even an energy dissipative modification (see, e.g. (Comp. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng. 1999; 180:1–26)), which discretizes the non‐penetration constraints implicitly, is not able to circumvent artificial oscillations. For this reason, the present paper suggests a contact stabilization in function space, which avoids artificial oscillations at contact interfaces and is also energy dissipative. The key idea of this contact stabilization is an additional L2‐projection at contact interfaces, which can be easily added to any existing time integration scheme. In case of a lumped mass matrix, this projection can be carried out completely locally, thus creating only negligible additional numerical cost. For the new scheme, an elementary analysis is given, which is confirmed by numerical findings in an illustrative test example (Hertzian two‐body contact). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties for polypropylene and amorphous poly alpha olefin blends
Authors: Ha H. S. , Woo J. Y. , Kim W. H. , Kim H. S. , Kim B. K. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractRheological, thermal, and mechanical properties of polypropylene homo polymer (PPH)/amorphous poly alpha olefin (APAO) blends as a function of molecular weight, comonomer type and content, and blend composition have been investigated. Homo APAO grade showed better compatibility than copolymerized ones in terms of rheological and thermal properties. The mechanical strength showed strong dependence on APAO content and type, and the impact strength and melt index rapidly increased for certain types of APAO at and above 30 wt%. On comparison with commercially used PPH/ethylene–propylene rubber (EPR) blend system, it is supposed that PPH/APAO blend can be successfully used in thermoplastic polyolefin applications. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sarcomas: genetics, signalling, and cellular origins. Part 2: TET‐independent fusion proteins and receptor tyrosine kinase mutations
Authors: Suvà M‐L , Cironi L , Riggi N , Stamenkovic I 
Published: August 2007

AbstractAlthough the mechanisms that underlie sarcoma development are still poorly understood, the identification of non‐random chromosomal translocations and receptor tyrosine kinase mutations associated with defined sarcoma types has provided new insight into the pathogenesis of these tumours. In Part 1 of the review (J Pathol 2007;213:4–20), we addressed sarcomas that express fusion genes containing TET gene family products. Part 2 of the review summarizes our current understanding of the implications of fusion genes that do not contain TET family members in sarcoma development, as well as that of specific mutations in genes encoding receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The final section will serve as a summary of both reviews and will attempt to provide a synthesis of some of the emerging principles of sarcomagenesis. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal sizing and life cycle assessment of residential photovoltaic energy systems with battery storage
Authors: Celik A. N. , Muneer T. , Clarke P. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThis paper presents the optimal sizing and life cycle assessment of residential photovoltaic (PV) energy systems. The system consists of PV modules as the main power producer, and lead–acid batteries as the medium of electricity storage, and other essential devices such as an inverter. Five‐parameter analytic PV cell model is used to calculate the energy production from the modules. Electrical needs for a family living under normal conditions of comfort are modelled and used within simulation of the system performance, with an average daily load of approximately 9·0 kWh. The system's performance simulations are carried out with typical yearly solar radiation and ambient temperature data from five different sites in Turkey. The typical years are selected from a total of 6 years data for each site. The life cycle cost of the PV system is analysed for various system configurations for a 20‐year system life. The role of the batteries in PV energy systems are analysed in terms of the cost and power loss. The system performance is analysed as a function of various parameters such as energy production and cost. It is shown that these change substantially for different system configurations and locations. The life cycle assessment of the energy system described was also carried out to determine the environmental impact. It was found that, with the conservative European average electricity mix, energy pay back time (EPBT) is 6·2 years and CO2 pay back time is 4·6 years for the given system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantum yields and potential energy surfaces: a theoretical study
Authors: Nakamura Shinichiro , Kobayashi Takao , Takata Atsushi , Uchida Kingo , Asano Yukako , Murakami Akinori , Goldberg Alexander , Guillaumont Dominique , Yokojima Satoshi , Kobatake Seiya , Irie Masahiro 
Published: August 2007

AbstractA theoretical study on quantum yields (QYs) of the photochromic cyclization and cycloreversion reactions is presented. It is shown that the thermodynamic relative stability of various energy minima on the ground state is primarily important for the cyclization reactions. On the other hand, the profile of the excited state potential energy surfaces (PESs) and the locations of conical intersections (CI) are important for the cycloreversion reactions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing electrochromic properties of conducting polymers via copolymerization: Copolymer of 1‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐2,5‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1H‐pyrrole with 3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene
Authors: Turkarslan Ozlem , Ak Metin , Tanyeli Cihangir , Akhmedov Idris M. , Toppare Levent 
Published: August 2007

AbstractA copolymer of 1‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐2,5‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1H‐pyrrole (FPTP) with 3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene (EDOT) was electrochemically synthesized and characterized. While poly(FPTP) (P(FPTP)) has only two colors in its oxidized and neutral states (blue and yellow), its copolymer with EDOT has five different colors (purple, red, light gray, green, and blue). Electrochromic devices based on P(FPTP‐co‐EDOT) and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) were constructed and characterized. The oxidized state of the device shows blue color whereas it shows purple for the reduced state. At several potentials the device has good transparency with green and gray colors. Maximum contrast (Δ%T) and switching time of the device were measured as 23% and 1.1 s at 555 nm. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4496–4503, 2007
Hydrophilic segmented block copolymers based on poly(ethylene oxide) and monodisperse amide segments
Authors: Husken Debby , Feijen Jan , Gaymans Reinoud J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractSegmented block copolymers based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) flexible segments and monodisperse crystallizable bisester tetra‐amide segments were made via a polycondensation reaction. The molecular weight of the PEO segments varied from 600 to 4600 g/mol and a bisester tetra‐amide segment (T6T6T) based on dimethyl terephthalate (T) and hexamethylenediamine (6) was used. The resulting copolymers were melt‐processable and transparent. The crystallinity of the copolymers was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR). The thermal properties were studied by DSC, temperature modulated synchrotron small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The elastic properties were evaluated by compression set (CS) test. The crystallinity of the T6T6T segments in the copolymers was high (>84%) and the crystallization fast due to the use of monodisperse tetra‐amide segments. DMA experiments showed that the materials had a low Tg, a broad and almost temperature independent rubbery plateau and a sharp flow temperature. With increasing PEO length both the PEO melting temperature and the PEO crystallinity increased. When the PEO segment length was longer than 2000 g/mol the PEO melting temperature was above room temperature and this resulted in a higher modulus and in higher compression set values at room temperature. The properties of PEO‐T6T6T copolymers were compared with similar poly(propylene oxide) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) copolymers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4522–4535, 2007
Relict cryopedogenic features in soils with secondary carbonate horizons, western Wyoming, USA
Authors: Dillon Jeremy S. , Sorenson Curtis J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractWe document relict cryopedogenic features in strongly developed calcic horizons on a flight of fluvial terraces in a mid‐latitude, intermontane basin in western Wyoming, USA. The calcic horizons show many distinctive cryopedogenic features including relict sand wedges, involutions, mixed horizons, fragmented and displaced carbonate/silica stone pendants and indurated soil material, and vertically oriented stones. Evidence of mixing, fracture, displacement and orientation of soil materials, independent of evidence for biologic or recrystallisation processes, strongly suggests cryoturbation. The soils also include micro‐scale features such as orbiculic and suscitic fabrics, vesicular and elongated pores, shattered pedogenic ooids and sand grains, and platy to blocky microstructure. The micro‐scale features are likely related to seasonal frost. The calcic horizons do not include progressive morphological differences across the upper eight terraces in the study area. The overall similarity is likely caused by the fracturing and mixing processes associated with cryoturbation. There is a need to further document cryoturbation features in calcic horizons to understand the specific cryogenic processes related to their genesis. Cryoturbation implies movement and mixing of soil material. Thus the recognition of relict cryoturbation features in mid‐latitude calcic soils may have significant implications regarding their use for geochronology, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstruction. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Permafrost aggradation caused by tephra accumulation over snow‐covered surfaces: examples from the Hekla‐2000 eruption in Iceland
Authors: Kellerer‐Pirklbauer Andreas , Farbrot Herman , Etzelmüller Bernd 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe relationship between explosive volcanic eruptions and permafrost aggradation is discussed at a regional (Hekla volcano, Iceland, 63°59′N 19°40′W) and a global scale. During the most recent Hekla eruption in winter 2000, tephra buried the adjacent winter snow cover. Observations of denivation landforms, excavated sections and active‐layer thickness were carried out 15 to 77 months after the eruption. Results show that the combination of climate that favours permafrost and a thin layer of tephra is sufficient to reduce the sub‐tephra snow ablation substantially, possibly even to zero, causing aggradation of the surface and preserving massive ground ice and permafrost. Based on these observations, a conceptual model for permafrost aggradation related to tephra accumulation was developed. On a global scale, about one third of all active volcanoes seems to be located in permafrost‐favourable areas, suggesting that explosive volcanic eruptions may be significant for permafrost aggradation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phosphoproteomics for the discovery of kinases as cancer biomarkers and drug targets
Authors: Yu Li‐Rong , Issaq Haleem J. , Veenstra Timothy D. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractEarly detection and targeted therapy represent a novel regimen of cancer management. The understanding of receptor tyrosine kinases in tumorigenesis at the molecular level has led to the first generation of kinase inhibitors for anticancer therapy that targets a specific kinase or pathway. While the therapeutic advantage is obvious, targeted therapy often relapses and results in drug resistance for advanced cancers. To achieve feasible early detection and better efficacy of therapeutics targeting multiple pathways, significantly more biomarkers and drug targets are in demand, especially for individualized therapy. Recent advances in phosphoprotein enrichment and MS technologies for quantitative phosphoproteome analysis provide great opportunities in the identification and validation of kinases as drug targets. The MS‐based phosphoproteomic technologies would be useful tools as well for the identification of phosphosignatures unique to a specific type or subtype of cancer and drug responsive biomarkers. This review summarizes the major kinases acting as cancer biomarkers and drug targets, the advances of MS‐based phosphoproteomic technologies, and some potential values and challenges of this emerging phosphoproteomics‐based biomarker and drug target discovery field. Strategies for global, targeted, and quantitative phosphoproteomics are discussed, and some recent interesting applications are also evaluated.
Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of preeclampsia using proteomic technologies
Authors: Webster Rose P. , Myatt Leslie 
Published: August 2007

AbstractPreeclampsia, a disease of pregnancy, is a multisystem disorder associated with elevated maternal blood pressure, proteinurea, oedema, and fetal abnormalities. It is a major cause of mortality, morbidity, perinatal death, and premature delivery. Despite active research in the past decade, there is yet no definitive cure for preeclampsia. The disease has been treated symptomatically with antihypertensives, antieclamptics, bed rest, and a whole gamut of isolated therapies. In an attempt to understand the molecular basis of this disease and many other fatal diseases including cancer and heart disease, the scientific community has been turning to understanding the genome and more lately the “proteome”. Proteomics enables researchers to identify all proteins expressed in a cell or organ and detect any PTM in the protein expression patterns. Deciphering the placental proteome and studying the differences in protein expression patterns in the normal as against the preeclamptic proteome might possibly in future lead to early detection and therapeutic targeting of preeclampsia.
Antibody‐based Proteomics: From bench to bedside
Authors: Dahan Sophie , Chevet Eric , Liu Jian‐Feng , Dominguez Michel 
Published: August 2007

AbstractOver the past 75 years, antibodies have gone from being recognized as disease biomarkers to being used as very powerful therapeutic tools. This evolution has been accelerated by the identification of mAb and the extensive use of immunological tools both at fundamental and clinical levels. In this review, we evaluate how antibodies can be used to assess the proteome of cells or tissues and their relevance for clinical applications. These antibody‐based proteomics approaches also require analytical and technological pipelines as well as specific enabling tools which are described. Our first objective was to establish how large‐scale datasets (provided by high‐throughput studies such as proteomics and transcriptomics) can be integrated with literature searches and clinical data to identify potentially relevant markers against which antibodies should be raised. Then based on an extensive literature review and our experience, we compare the methodologies developed to produce specific antibodies either in vivo or in vitro. This is followed by the description of the validation tools currently available and it also includes the use of antibody‐based approaches in the establishment of molecular signatures utilized at the bench and soon available for bedside use.
Body fluid proteomics: Prospects for biomarker discovery
Authors: Ahn Sung‐Min , Simpson Richard J. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractMany diseases are caused by perturbations of cellular signaling pathways and related pathway networks as a result of genetic aberrations. These perturbations are manifested by altered cellular protein profiles in the fluids bathing tissue/organs (i.e., the tissue interstitial fluid, TIF). A major challenge of clinical chemistry is to quantitatively map these perturbed protein profiles – the so‐called “signatures of disease” – using modern proteomic technologies. This information can be utilized to design protein biomarkers for the early detection of disease, monitoring disease progression and efficacy of drug action. Here, we discuss the use of body fluids in the context of prospective biomarker discovery, and the marked 1000–1500‐fold dilution of body fluid proteins, during their passage from TIF to the circulatory system. Further, we discuss proteomics strategies aimed at depleting major serum proteins, especially albumin, in order to focus on low‐abundance protein/peptides in plasma. A major limitation of depletion strategies is the removal of low‐molecular weight protein/peptides which specifically bind major plasma proteins. We present a prototype model, using albumin, for understanding the multifaceted nature of biomarker research, highlighting the involvement of albumin in Alzheimer's disease. This model underscores the need for a system‐level understanding for biomarker research and personalized medicine.
Identification and functional characterization of the bile acid transport proteins in non‐mammalian ileum and mammalian liver
Authors: Guariento Mara , Raimondo Domenico , Assfalg Michael , Zanzoni Serena , Pesente Patrizia , Ragona Laura , Tramontano Anna , Molinari Henriette 
Published: August 2007

AbstractIt has been proposed that intracellular carrier proteins mediate active transport of the bile acids within hepatocytes and ileocytes, during the enterohepatic circulation. In mammalian species only ileal bile acid binding proteins have been so far identified, while liver cytosolic carriers have never been found. On the contrary, in non‐mammalian vertebrates, only liver, and not ileal, bile acid binding proteins were reported. The aim of the present work is to find the missing cytosolic transport proteins. A bioinformatic search allowed us to identify a non‐mammalian putative bile acid binding protein in the chicken ileum (cI‐BABP), which we recombinantly expressed and purified. The protein exhibits the capability, tested by in vitro NMR experiments, of binding bile acids. Furthermore, strong NMR evidence reported that the human liver fatty acid binding protein (hL‐FABP) can also bind bile acids. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that both cI‐BABP and hL‐FABP have a bile acid binding function in the two organisms, and support a previous hypothesis on the role of hL‐FABP in regulating bile acid metabolism and determining bile acid pool size. Proteins 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A model for the assembly of nicotinic receptors based on subunit–subunit interactions
Authors: Ortells Marcelo O. , Barrantes Georgina E. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractNeuronal ion‐channels are complex multimeric proteins. Within a given family, the variability of their pharmacological responses depends on subunit composition and subunit arrangement. We report here that protein assembly in the pentameric nicotinic acetylcholine receptor family, the best characterized of all neuronal receptors, can be predicted using information derived from homology modeled surface to surface subunit interactions based on the atomic structure of a snail acetylcholine‐binding protein. An empirical assembly model is able to establish both subunit stoichiometry and subunit arrangement of known neuronal and muscle nicotinic receptors. This contribution to the understanding of nicotinic receptor assembly and variability might be extended to other types of ion‐channels. Proteins 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.