bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Syndromic and non‐syndromic aneurysms of the human ascending aorta share activation of the Smad2 pathway
Authors: Gomez Delphine , Al Haj Zen Ayman , Borges Luciano F , Philippe Monique , Gutierrez Paulo Sampaio , Jondeau Guillaume , Michel Jean‐Baptiste , Vranckx Roger 
Published: January 2009

AbstractCommon features such as elastic fibre destruction, mucoid accumulation, and smooth muscle cell apoptosis are co‐localized in aneurysms of the ascending aorta of various aetiologies. Recent experimental studies reported an activation of TGF‐β in aneurysms related to Marfan (and Loeys‐Dietz) syndrome. Here we investigate TGF‐β signalling in normal and pathological human ascending aortic wall in syndromic and non‐syndromic aneurysmal disease. Aneurysmal ascending aortic specimens, classified according to aetiology: syndromic MFS (n = 15, including two mutations in TGFBR2), associated with BAV (n = 15) or degenerative forms (n = 19), were examined. We show that the amounts of TGF‐β1 protein retained within and released by aneurysmal tissue were greater than for control aortic tissue, whatever the aetiology, contrasting with an unchanged TGF‐β1 mRNA level. The increase in stored TGF‐β1 was associated with enhanced LTBP‐1 protein and mRNA levels. These dysregulations of the extracellular ligand are associated with higher phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad2 mRNA levels in the ascending aortic wall from all types of aneurysm. This activation correlated with the degree of elastic fibre fragmentation. Surprisingly, there was no consistent association between the nuclear location of pSmad2 and extracellular TGF‐β1 and LTBP‐1 staining and between their respective mRNA expressions. In parallel, decorin was focally increased in aneurysmal media, whereas biglycan was globally decreased in aneurysmal aortas. In conclusion, this study highlights independent dysregulations of TGF‐β retention and Smad2 signalling in syndromic and non‐syndromic aneurysms of the ascending aorta. Copyright © 2009 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality of security through triple key scheme in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Zia Tanveer A. , Zomaya Albert Y. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractQuality and security are two intertwined concepts where quality seeks perfection while security countermeasures the elements which weakens the quality. Wireless sensor networks have emerged as a promising future of many sensitive applications. Due to the wireless media and the deployment nature, sensor networks are more prone to security attacks. Several security solutions have been proposed, mostly adding overheads to already resource limited sensor networks. Delivering security and quality simultaneously is challenging because security mechanism severely affects quality mechanisms in terms of performance, data confidentiality, availability, integrity, and authentication. This paper presents a quality of security (QoSec) concept through a triple key scheme (TKS) which has comparatively low security overheads hence providing a quality security solution against the known attacks in wireless sensor networks. Three metrics; time to transmit, latency overheads, and energy overheads are used to do comparative analysis with other existing solutions. Experimental results show that TKS has low overheads hence delivering a quality security at low computational cost. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation study of IEEE 802.15.4 LR‐WPAN for industrial applications
Authors: Chen Feng , Wang Nan , German Reinhard , Dressler Falko 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe IEEE 802.15.4 protocol has become the primary solution for many low‐rate wireless personal area network (LR‐WPAN) applications. This is especially the case for industrial sensor network applications such as automation control. We contribute to the better understanding of the protocol behavior by presenting a set of results of simulation experiments. Our results outline the capabilities of this protocol in the selected scenarios but also the limitations. In particular, we investigated the dependency of the protocol on protocol‐inherent parameters such as the beacon order and the superframe order but also to different traffic load. Our results can be used for planning and deploying IEEE 802.15.4‐ based sensor networks with specific performance demands. We put a special focus on application scenarios in industrial sensor network applications. The primary requirements are reduced end‐to‐end latency and energy consumption. Our studies are based on our new implementation of IEEE 802.15.4 developed for the simulation framework OMNeT++. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimating population haplotype frequencies from pooled DNA samples using PHASE algorithm
Authors: PIRINEN MATTI , KULATHINAL SANGITA , GASBARRA DARIO , SILLANPÄÄ MIKKO J. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryRecent studies show that the PHASE algorithm is a state-of-the-art method for population-based haplotyping from individually genotyped data. We present a modified version of PHASE for estimating population haplotype frequencies from pooled DNA data. The algorithm is compared with (i) a maximum likelihood estimation under the multinomial model and (ii) a deterministic greedy algorithm, on both simulated and real data sets (HapMap data). Our results suggest that the PHASE algorithm is a method of choice also on pooled DNA data. The main reason for improvement over the other approaches is assumed to be the same as with individually genotyped data: the biologically motivated model of PHASE takes into account correlated genealogical histories of the haplotypes by modelling mutations and recombinations. The important questions of efficiency of DNA pooling as well as influence of the pool size on the accuracy of the estimates are also considered. Our results are in line with the earlier findings in that the pool size should be relatively small, only 2–5 individuals in our examples, in order to provide reliable estimates of population haplotype frequencies.
Inferring genetic values for quantitative traits non-parametrically
Authors: GIANOLA DANIEL , de los CAMPOS GUSTAVO 
Published: January 2009

SummaryInferences about genetic values and prediction of phenotypes for a quantitative trait in the presence of complex forms of gene action, issues of importance in animal and plant breeding, and in evolutionary quantitative genetics, are discussed. Current methods for dealing with epistatic variability via variance component models are reviewed. Problems posed by cryptic, non-linear, forms of epistasis are identified and discussed. Alternative statistical procedures are suggested. Non-parametric definitions of additive effects (breeding values), with and without employing molecular information, are proposed, and it is shown how these can be inferred using reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces regression. Two stylized examples are presented to demonstrate the methods numerically. The first example falls in the domain of the infinitesimal model of quantitative genetics, with additive and dominance effects inferred both parametrically and non-parametrically. The second example tackles a non-linear genetic system with two loci, and the predictive ability of several models is evaluated.
Prevention of human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor protein aggregation in recombinant Pichia pastoris fed‐batch fermentation using additives
Authors: Bahrami Ali , Shojaosadati Seyed Abbas , Khalilzadeh Rasoul , Mohammadian Jafar , Farahani Ebrahim Vashghani , Masoumian Mohammad Reza 
Published: January 2009

rhG‐CSF (recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor) was expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris under the control of the AOX1 (alcohol oxidase 1) promoter. The production of rhG‐CSF was induced by switching from growth on glycerol to growth on methanol. In the induction phase, the methanol feed rate had a significant effect on the specific expression rate of rhG‐CSF. A constant feed rate of 16 ml·h−1·l−1 was found to be optimal for a high specific expression rate of rhG‐CSF (0.058 mg−1·h−1·g DCW−1; DCW is dry cell weight). Under this condition, a maximum concentration of 300 mg/l of rhG‐CSF and the expression yield of 0.6 mg of rhG‐CSF/g of methanol were attained. However, the secreted rhG‐CSF was shown to exist as aggregates in the culture broth, owing to hydrophobic interactions. To prevent undesirable protein aggregation, the presence of additional additives in the P. pastoris culture medium was investigated. Among seven additives tested, Tween 20, Tween 80 and betaine exhibited the best results in respect of preventing the formation of rhG‐CSF protein aggregates.
Accuracy of an electronic apex locator in primary teeth with root resorption
Authors: Angwaravong O. , Panitvisai P. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractAim  To evaluate whether root resorption of primary molar teeth affects the accuracy of the Root ZX apex locator and to compare the Root ZX at different meter readings with direct canal measurement.Methodology  Sixty extracted primary molar teeth with root resorption affecting one sixth to one third of root length were used. The teeth were embedded in an alginate model. A K‐type file was used in association with a Root ZX apex locator to measure canal length. Measurements were recorded using the Root ZX meter reading ‘Apex’ and ‘0.5 bar’. Actual tooth length was measured with a K‐file to the major foramen. All measurements were read under a stereomicroscope at 15× magnification. The deviation of the Root ZX measurement from the actual canal length was determined.Results  Mean differences between Root ZX length meter reading ‘Apex’ and actual length were 0.01 ± 0.23 mm whereas mean differences between Root ZX length meter reading ‘0.5 bar’ and actual length were −0.33 ± 0.30 mm. The Root ZX was 96.7% accurate to within ± 0.5 mm of the apical foramen when compared with the actual canal length of primary molars with root resorption.Conclusions  Using a criterion of ± 0.5 mm, the accuracy of the Root ZX was high and not affected by root resorption. When compared with direct canal measurement, the error in locating the apical foramen was smaller with measurement at meter reading ‘Apex’ than meter reading ‘0.5 bar’.
The effect of resin‐based sealers on fracture properties of dentine
Authors: Jainaen A. , Palamara J. E. A. , Messer H. H. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractAim  To determine whether resin‐based sealer cements are able to strengthen root dentine, as measured by work of fracture (Wf), micro‐punch shear strength (MPSS) and resistance to vertical root fracture (VRF).Methodology  One hundred and twenty extracted premolar teeth were randomly assigned amongst four treatments before testing: intact, root canals prepared but unfilled, or root filled using epoxy‐ or urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA)‐based sealer (plus core material). Samples were then prepared for measuring Wf, MPSS or VRF using standard test procedures. Data were analyzed using one‐way anova with significance set at P < 0.05.Results  For all three tests, root canals filled using epoxy resin‐based sealer were not statistically significantly different compared with UDMA resin (P = 1 for Wf, P = 0.7 for MPSS and P = 0.12 for VRF), or different from both sound and prepared dentine (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference between sound dentine and prepared dentine for both Wf (P = 0.92) and resistance to VRF (P = 1).Conclusions  Neither epoxy nor UDMA resins used as sealer cements enhanced fracture resistance of root dentine when placed within root canals of extracted teeth.
Enzymatic treatments reveal differential capacities for xylan recognition and degradation in primary and secondary plant cell walls
Authors: Hervé Cécile , Rogowski Artur , Gilbert Harry J. , Paul Knox J. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryThe capacity of four xylan‐directed probes (carbohydrate‐binding modules CfCBM2b‐1‐2 and CjCBM15; monoclonal antibodies LM10 and LM11) to recognize xylan polysaccharides in primary and secondary cell walls of tobacco stem sections has been determined. Enzymatic removal of pectic homogalacturonan revealed differential recognition of xylans in restricted regions of cortical primary cell walls. Monoclonal antibody binding to these exposed xylans was more sensitive to xylanase action than carbohydrate‐binding module (CBM) binding. In contrast, the recognition of xylans by CBMs in secondary cell walls of the same organ was more sensitive to xylanase action than the recognition of xylans by the monoclonal antibodies. A methodology was developed to quantify indirect immunofluorescence intensities, and to evaluate xylanase impacts. The four xylan probes were also used to detect xylan populations in chromatographic separations of solubilized cell wall materials from tobacco stems. Altogether, these observations reveal the heterogeneity of the xylans in plant cell walls. They indicate that although CBM and antibody probes can exhibit similar specificities against solubilized polymers, they can have differential capacities for xylan recognition in muro, and that the access of molecular probes and enzymes to xylan epitopes/ligands also varies between primary and secondary cell walls that are present in the same organ.
Association of the HLA‐DPB1*0501 allele with anti‐aquaporin‐4 antibody positivity in Japanese patients with idiopathic central nervous system demyelinating disorders
Authors: Matsushita T. , Matsuoka T. , Isobe N. , Kawano Y. , Minohara M. , Shi N. , Nishimura Y. , Ochi H. , Kira J. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThere are two subtypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asians: the opticospinal (OSMS) form that shows a selective involvement of the optic nerve and the spinal cord and the conventional (CMS) form that has disseminated lesions in the central nervous system including the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem. Both show distinct human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II associations. OSMS has similar features to the relapsing form of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) in Western populations. Recently, it was shown that antibodies to aquaporin‐4 (AQP4) are specifically detected in NMO patients and in some Japanese patients with OSMS or recurrent optic neuritis or myelitis. To clarify the immunogenetic background of anti‐AQP4 antibody production, we studied HLA‐DRB1 and ‐DPB1 gene polymorphisms in anti‐AQP4 antibody‐positive and ‐negative patients with idiopathic demyelinating diseases, such as MS, recurrent optic neuritis and recurrent myelitis. The phenotypic frequency of the HLA‐DPB1*0501 allele was significantly increased in anti‐AQP4 antibody‐positive patients (89.5%, odds ratio = 4.8; 95% confidence interval = 1.6–14.3, n = 38, Pcorr = 0.032) compared with controls (64.0%, n = 125) but not in either anti‐AQP4 antibody‐negative OSMS (75.0%, n = 32) or CMS (69.2%, n = 52) patients. There was no significant correlation between any HLA‐DRB1 allele and the existence of anti‐AQP4 antibody. These findings suggest that the emergence of anti‐AQP4 antibody is reinforced by the presence of the HLA‐DPB1*0501 allele in Japanese.
Factors associated with seclusion in a statewide forensic psychiatric service in Australia over a 2‐year period
Authors: Thomas Stuart D.M. , Daffern Michael , Martin Trish , Ogloff James R.P. , Thomson Lindsay D.G. , Ferguson Murray 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTDespite seclusion being described as one of the most ethically‐ and legally‐controversial management options available, it remains a widely‐used clinical strategy for managing disruptive, aggressive, and violent behaviour. This study sought to determine how frequently seclusion was used, the common characteristics of those secluded and not secluded, and the degree to which the Level of Service Inventory – Revised: Screening Version (LSI‐R: SV) could predict seclusion. The study was retrospective, covering the first 2 years of operation of a statewide forensic psychiatry hospital in Victoria, Australia. Data were collected from individual case files, electronic databases, and paper copies of records pertaining to violent incidents and episodes of seclusion. Eighty five (44%) of the 193 patients admitted during this period were secluded. Those secluded were significantly younger and had a more established psychiatric history. LSI‐R: SV scores were significantly and positively associated with being secluded. A statistical model containing three LSI‐R: SV items, along with age on admission and psychiatric history, achieved an area under the curve of 0.74. Seclusion is used on a regular basis in response to a range of different forms of aggressive behaviour of different severity. The LSI‐R: SV demonstrated moderate‐to‐good accuracy in predicting seclusion and warrants further research using detailed prospective methodologies.
Evaluation of a new mental health liaison role in a rural health centre in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta: A Canadian story
Authors: Brinkman Karen , Hunks Dwight , Bruggencate Gloria , Clelland Steve 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the evaluation of a mental health liaison (MHL) role in a rural community in Alberta, Canada. The role provides advocacy, education, indirect and direct client intervention, and follow up. It was developed to eliminate gaps in mental health care and build collaborative cultures between the local hospital, physicians' offices, mental health clinics, and community agencies. Obtaining stakeholder feedback was an important step in assessing initial service impact while providing directions for role refinement and future programme development. A total of 116 questionnaires were distributed to physicians, hospital staff, and community mental health assessing stakeholder perception relating to various functions of the MHL. A 50% (n = 58) response rate was achieved with broad representation from different partners, including 75% of local physicians. The majority of respondents positively perceived the roles, functions, and impact of the MHL, including relationship development across the hospital community, improved access to services, and perceived improved client outcomes. The results reinforced that the MHL service meets a previously unmet need in this rural setting. Findings are being used to refine roles, provide local learning and resource development, understand issues relating to programme development in other areas, and develop client level outcomes relating to the services delivered.
BEYOND HEURISTICS: APPLYING SCENARIOS TO EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT
Authors: DAMMERS ED , EVERS DAVID 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTScenarios, unlike forecasts or prognoses, do not seek to predict future events. Instead, the intent is to understand how the future is produced by examining a number of possible developmental pathways. These pathways are created by adjusting a limited number of variables within a particular cause‐effect chain of events. The insights generated by the scenario method not only produce knowledge about driving forces but also regarding the capacity to change the future. A scenario study carried out by the ESPON programme on the territorial development of Europe has not only cast light on how the spatial structure of Europe is likely to evolve, and identified a number of challenges which any future spatial policy will need to address. These insights have since made their way into a number of important policy documents, including the Territorial Agenda.
J. Cosmet. Sci., 59, 15–32 (January/February 2008) A simple analysis of the changes during evaporation of a commercial emulsion of unknown composition
Authors: Bergamaschi M. M. , Santos O. D. H. , Rocha‐Filho P. A. , Friberg S. E. 
Published: January 2009

SynopsisOptical microscopy and centrifugation were used to observe the structural changes during evaporation of a commercial skin lotion of unknown composition. The degree of evaporation was determined from the changed weight of a microscope slide with the emulsion on a defined area and thickness, the evaporation loss vs. time being measured by a balance under an infrared lamp. The results revealed not only which parts of the emulsion were most prone to evaporation without chemical analysis, but also gave surprising information as to which kind of structures would appear after extensive evaporation. The importance of these changes for the action of a skin lotion is briefly discussed.
J. Cosmet. Sci., 59, 59–69 (January/February 2008) Biological activities of selected peptides: Skin penetration ability of copper complexes with peptides
Authors: Mazurowska L. , Mojski M. 
Published: January 2009

SynopsisThis study concerning the permeability through skin barriers of copper complexes with peptides is an important part of the research on their biological activity. The transport of copper complexes through the skin is essential in treatment of dermatological dysfunctions connected to the deficiency of these elements in the skin. During the last several years, a special interest in transepidermal copper delivery has been observed. This is the reason why copper compounds have been used as active compounds in care cosmetics. Yet, the transport process of copper complexes with tripeptides, glycyl‐histidyl‐lysine GHK, or γ‐glutamylcysteinyl‐glycine GSH through the stratum corneum has received very little attention in the literature so far. The penetration ability of GHK‐Cu and GSH‐Cu through the stratum corneum and the influence of the complexes with tripeptide on the copper ion transport process is the key factor in their cosmetic and pharmaceutical activity. The in vitro penetration process was studied in the model system, a Franz diffusion cell with a liposome membrane, where liquid crystalline systems of physicochemical properties similar to the ones of the intercellular cement of stratum corneum were used as a standard model of a skin barrier. The results obtained demonstrated that copper complexes permeate through the membranes modeling the horny lipid layer and showed the influence of peptides on the dynamics of copper ion diffusion.
Vol.42, No.1, pp.36‐39, 2008 Determination of diethylene glycol in toothpaste
Authors: Kamimura M. , Mizuno K. , Kuromi K. , Ueno C. , Kurita H. , Owada K. , Yamamoto M. 
Published: January 2009

A rapid and simple method using gas chromatography (GC) for the determination of diethylene glycol (DEG) in toothpaste was developed. DEG in toothpaste was extracted with methanol containing 1,4‐butanediol as the internal standard by using an ultrasonic bath. The centrifuged and filtrated methanol extracts were analyzed by GC on an InertCap 624 capillary column. The recoveries of DEG from toothpaste fortified at the levels of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0%, were 103.6, 99.9, 99.4%, respectively. The quantitation limit of DEG in toothpaste was 0.05??%. The proposed method could be applied to other cosmetics on the market without any interference. By using this method, DEG was detected the presence in two out of 10 toothpaste samples set to the hotel. This analytical method should be useful for quality control for manufacturers and importers of cosmetics.Keywords: diethylene glycol (DEG), toothpaste, gas chromatography, capillary column, 1,4‐butanediol, methanol extract, cosmetics, determination, analysis, DEG detection