bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure‐Activity Relationships of 3,3′‐Phenylmethylene‐bis‐4‐hydroxycoumarins: Selective and Potent Inhibitors of Gram‐Positive Bacteria
Authors: Petnapapun Kanokporn , Chavasiri Warinthorn , Sompornpisut Pornthep
Published: December 2013

Dicoumarols and coumarin derivatives have shown a variety of pharmaceutical activities and have been found to be potent inhibitor for the NAD(P)H‐dependent flavoproteins. In this report, dicoumarol and its derivatives containing the substituted benzene ring at the methylenebis position were synthesized and evaluated for their antibacterial activity against gram‐positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, and gram‐negative bacteria: Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp. The results showed that the synthesized dicoumarols affect cell growth but are selective against gram‐positive over gram‐negative bacterial cells. However, for most derivatives, the substitution of steric bulky benzene group on the methylenebis position appears to decrease in the efficacy of antibacterial effect. This finding is roughly described by the predicted poorer docked structure of the derivatives to a homology model of S. aureus flavoprotein. 3D‐QSAR study highlighted structural features around the substituted benzene ring of dicoumarols as the antibacterial activity. CoMFA and CoMSIA contour maps support the idea that steric repulsion at the para position could diminish the antibacterial activity. The results of this study provide a better understanding of the molecular basis for the antibacterial activity of dicoumarols.
Ultrasensitive Nano‐ELISA for Detecting Sulfadimethoxine in Chicken Tissue
Authors: Peng Chi-Fang , Duan Xiao-Hui , Pan Qiu-Li , Liu Li-Qiang , Xue Feng
Published: December 2013

It is challenging to obtain a highly sensitive enzyme‐linked sorbent immunoassay (ELISA) method for the rapid screening of veterinary drug residue in animal tissues. Here we present that a simple and sensitive detection for sulfadimethoxine (SDM) residue in animal tissues was achieved by utilizing a bioconjugate of gold nanoparticles and enzyme‐labeled antibody as signal probe in enzyme‐linked sorbent immunoassay (ELISA). The developed nano‐ELISA has increased the sensitivity of a traditional ELISA for SDM by 20‐fold. The sensitivity of this ELISA was 5 pg/mL in buffer, and the detection limit (LOD) of 0.2 µg/kg can be obtained after chicken liver was simply extracted by buffer. This simple and sensitive method can be used to improve the sensitivity of ELISA methods for various small molecule contaminants.
The Validity of Dimensional Regularization Method on Fractal Spacetime
Authors: Tao Yong
Published: December 2013

Svozil developed a regularization method for quantum field theory on fractal spacetime (1987). Such a method can be applied to the low-order perturbative renormalization of quantum electrodynamics but will depend on a conjectural integral formula on non-integer-dimensional topological spaces. The main purpose of this paper is to construct a fractal measure so as to guarantee the validity of the conjectural integral formula.
Permanence for a Discrete Ratio-Dependent Predator-Prey System with Holling Type III Functional Response and Feedback Controls
Authors: Chen Jiangbin , Yu Shengbin
Published: December 2013

A new set of sufficient conditions for the permanence of a ratio-dependent predator-prey system with Holling type III functional response and feedback controls are obtained. The result shows that feedback control variables have no influence on the persistent property of the system, thus improving and supplementing the main result of Yang (2008).
Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Interleukin-4 Inhibits Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Expression in the Mouse Macrophage Cell Line RAW264.7 through the Repression of Octamer-Dependent Transcription
Authors: Hiroi Miki , Sakaeda Yoshiichi , Yamaguchi Hana , Ohmori Yoshihiro
Published: December 2013

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a signature molecule involved in the classical activation of M1 macrophages and is induced by theNos2gene upon stimulation with Th1-cell derived interferon-gamma (IFNγ) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Although the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 is known to inhibitNos2gene expression, the molecular mechanism involved in the negative regulation ofNos2by IL-4 remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of IL-4-mediatedNos2transcriptional repression in the mouse macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (Stat6) knockdown by siRNA abolished the IL-4-mediated inhibition ofNos2induced by IFNγ/LPS. Transient transfection of a luciferase reporter gene containing the 5′-flanking region of theNos2gene demonstrated that an octamer transcription factor (OCT) binding site in the promoter region is required for both positive regulation by IFNγ/LPS and negative regulation by IL-4. Although IL-4 had no inhibitory effect on the DNA-binding activity of constitutively expressed Oct-1, IL-4-inducedNos2-reporter transcriptional repression was partially attenuated by overexpression of the coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP). These results suggest that a coactivator/cofactor that functionally interacts with Oct-1 is a molecular target for the IL-4-mediated inhibition ofNos2and that IL-4-activated Stat6 represses Oct-1-dependent transcription by competing with this coactivator/cofactor.
Responses of Ecosystem CO2 Fluxes to Short‐Term Experimental Warming and Nitrogen Enrichment in an Alpine Meadow, Northern Tibet Plateau
Authors: Zong Ning , Shi Peili , Jiang Jing , Song Minghua , Xiong Dingpeng , Ma Weiling , Fu Gang , Zhang Xianzhou , Shen Zhenxi
Published: December 2013

Over the past decades, the Tibetan Plateau has experienced pronounced warming, yet the extent to which warming will affect alpine ecosystems depends on how warming interacts with other influential global change factors, such as nitrogen (N) deposition. A long‐term warming and N manipulation experiment was established to investigate the interactive effects of warming and N deposition on alpine meadow. Open‐top chambers were used to simulate warming. N addition, warming, N addition × warming, and a control were set up. In OTCs, daytime air and soil temperature were warmed by 2.0°C and 1.6°C above ambient conditions, but soil moisture was decreased by 4.95 m3 m−3. N addition enhanced ecosystem respiration (Reco); nevertheless, warming significantly decreased Reco. The decline of Reco resulting from warming was cancelled out by N addition in late growing season. Our results suggested that N addition enhanced Reco by increasing soil N availability and plant production, whereas warming decreased Reco through lowering soil moisture, soil N supply potential, and suppression of plant activity. Furthermore, season‐specific responses of Reco indicated that warming and N deposition caused by future global change may have complicated influence on carbon cycles in alpine ecosystems.
Fault Tolerant Consensus of Multi-Agent Systems with Linear Dynamics
Authors: Li Jianzhen
Published: December 2013

This paper deals with the consensus problem of linear multi-agent systems with actuator faults. A fault estimator based consensus protocol is provided, together with a convergence analysis. It is shown that the consensus errors of all agents will converge to a small set around the origin, if parameters in the consensus protocol are properly chosen. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.
Durability Environmental Regionalization for Concrete Structures
Authors: Luo Daming , Wang Yan , Niu Ditao
Published: December 2013

Environment is the external factor that affects the durability of concrete structures. Buildings in different regions with different climates will respond to durability deterioration in different ways. For macroenvironmental regionalization, the dominant factor analysis method of the climatic zonation was applied into the environmental regionalization in this paper. Based on the environmental characteristics in China and the effect of environmental factor on the durability of concrete structure, the proper regionalization indexes are chosen, and the environmental regionalization is made. For microenvironmental regionalization, fuzzy set and rough set theories were used in date mining on discrete measured data, and the weight determination of various factors affecting durability was transformed into evaluation of the significance of attributes among rough sets. The method of durability environmental regionalization is established by analyzing the degree of influence that various factors have on the durability of concrete structures. The result of durability environmental regionalization for concrete structures in Shenzhen city shows that the proposed approach is reasonable.
Surface Modification on the Sputtering‐Deposited ZnO Layer for ZnO‐Based Schottky Diode
Authors: Chang Ren-Hao , Yang Kai-Chao , Chen Tai-Hong , Lai Li-Wen , Lee Tsung-Hsin , Yao Shiau-Lu , Liu Day-Shan
Published: December 2013

We prepare a zinc oxide‐ (ZnO‐) based Schottky diode constructed from the transparent cosputtered indium tin oxide‐ (ITO‐) ZnO ohmic contact electrode and Ni/Au Schottky metal. After optimizing the ohmic contact property and removing the ion‐bombardment damages using dilute HCl etching solution, the dilute hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ammonium sulfide (NH4)2Sx solutions, respectively, are employed to modify the undoped ZnO layer surface. Both of the Schottky barrier heights with the ZnO layer surface treated by these two solutions, evaluated from the current‐voltage (I‐V) and capacitance‐voltage (C‐V) measurements, are remarkably enhanced as compared to the untreated ZnO‐based Schottky diode. Through the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and room‐temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) investigations, the compensation effect as evidence of the increases in the O–H and OZn acceptor defects appearing on the ZnO layer surface after treating by the dilute H2O2 solution is responsible for the improvement of the ZnO‐based Schottky diode. By contrast, the enhancement on the Schottky barrier height for the ZnO layer surface treated by using dilute (NH4)2Sx solution is attributed to both the passivation and compensation effects originating from the formation of the Zn–S chemical bond and VZn acceptors.
An Iterative Shrinking Metricf-Projection Method for Finding a Common Fixed Point of a Closed and Quasi-Strictf-Pseudocontraction and a Countable Family of Firmly Nonexpansive Mappings and Applications in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Ungchittrakool Kasamsuk , Kumtaeng Duangkamon
Published: December 2013

We create some new ideas of mappings called quasi-strictf-pseudocontractions. Moreover, we also find the significant inequality related to such mappings and firmly nonexpansive mappings within the framework of Hilbert spaces. By using the ideas of metricf-projection, we propose an iterative shrinking metricf-projection method for finding a common fixed point of a quasi-strictf-pseudocontraction and a countable family of firmly nonexpansive mappings. In addition, we provide some applications of the main theorem to find a common solution of fixed point problems and generalized mixed equilibrium problems as well as other related results.
GPS and InSAR Time Series Analysis: Deformation Monitoring Application in a Hydraulic Engineering Resettlement Zone, Southwest China
Authors: Xiao Ruya , He Xiufeng
Published: December 2013

Booming development of hydropower in China has resulted in increasing concerns about the related resettlement issues. Both global positioning system (GPS) and persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) time series analysis are applied to measuring the magnitude and monitoring the spatial and temporal variations of land surface displacement in Hanyuan, a hydraulic engineering resettlement zone, southwest China. The results from the GPS monitoring system established in Hanyuan match well the digital inclinometer results, suggesting that the GPS monitoring system can be employed as a complement to the traditional ground movement monitoring methods. The InSAR time series witness various patterns and magnitudes of deformation in the resettlement zone. Combining the two complementary techniques will overcome the limitations of the single method.
A Novel Coordinated Edge Caching with Request Filtration in Radio Access Network
Authors: Li Yang , Xu Yuemei , Lin Tao , Wang Xiaohui , Ci Song
Published: December 2013

Content caching at the base station of the Radio Access Network (RAN) is a way to reduce backhaul transmission and improve the quality of experience. So it is crucial to manage such massive microcaches to store the contents in a coordinated manner, in order to increase the overall mobile network capacity to support more number of requests. We achieve this goal in this paper with a novel caching scheme, which reduces the repeating traffic by request filtration and asynchronous multicast in a RAN. Request filtration can make the best use of the limited bandwidth and in turn ensure the good performance of the coordinated caching. Moreover, the storage at the mobile devices is also considered to be used to further reduce the backhaul traffic and improve the users’ experience. In addition, we drive the optimal cache division in this paper with the aim of reducing the average latency user perceived. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms existing algorithms.
Simulation of High Impact Rainfall Events Over Southeastern Hilly Region of Bangladesh Using MM5 Model
Authors: Ahasan M. N. , Chowdhury M. A. M. , Quadir D. A.
Published: December 2013

Simulation of high impact rainfall events over southeastern hilly region of Bangladesh has been carried out using Fifth-Generation PSU/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) conducting two historical rainfall events, namely, 21 June, 2004 and 11 July, 2004. These extraordinary rainfall events were localized over the Rangamati region and recorded 304 mm and 337 mm rainfall on 21 June, 2004 and 11 July, 2004, respectively, over Rangamati within a span of 24 h. The model performance was evaluated by examining the different predicted and derived parameters. It is found that the seasonal monsoon trough has northerly position compared to normal and pass through Bangladesh extending up to northeast India for both cases. The heat low was found to be intense (996 hPa) with strong north-south pressure gradient (12–15 hPa). The analysis of the geopotential height field at 200 hPa shows that the Tibetan high is shifted towards south by 7-8° latitudes with axis along 22–25°N for both cases. The analysis of the wind field shows that the areas of high impact rainfall exhibit strong convergence of low level monsoon circulation (~19–58 knots). The strong southwesterlies were found to exist up to 500 hPa level in both cases. The lower troposphere (925–500 hPa) was characterized by the strong vertical wind shear (~9–18 ms−1) and high relative vorticity (~20–40 × 10−5 s−1). The analysis also shows that the areas of high impact rainfall events and neighbourhoods are characterized by strong low level convergence and upper level divergence. The strong southwesterly flow causes transportation of large amount of moisture from the Bay of Bengal towards Bangladesh, especially over the areas of Rangamati and neighbourhoods. The high percentage of relative humidity extends up to the upper troposphere along a narrow vertical column. Model produced details structure of the spatial patterns of rainfall over Bangladesh reasonably well though there are some biases in the rainfall pattern. The model suggests that the highly localized high impact rainfall was the result of an interaction of the mesoscale severe convective processes with the large scale active monsoon system.
Myofibroblastoma of the Female Breast with Admixed but Distinct Foci of Spindle Cell Lipoma: A Case Report
Authors: Ibrahim Hazem A. H. , Shousha Sami
Published: December 2013

Mammary myofibroblastoma (MFB) is a rare benign spindle neoplasm that affects both sexes with a male predominance. It can exhibit a wide range of histological patterns. We report a case of epithelioid/spindle MFB of the female breast with admixed, but distinct, foci of spindle cell lipoma. Whilst all the spindle cells within the tumour expressed CD34, AR, ER, BCL2, and CD10, only those within the myofibroblastoma expressed desmin and only those within the lipomatous areas expressed S100. This finding, to our knowledge, is a novel one that has not been reported before.
HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MS Identification of Light Harvesting and Light Screening Pigments in the Lake Sediments at Edmonson Point
Authors: Giovannetti Rita , Alibabaei Leila , Zannotti Marco , Ferraro Stefano , Petetta Laura
Published: December 2013

The composition of sedimentary pigments in the Antarctic lake at Edmonson Point has been investigated and compared with the aim to provide a useful analytical method for pigments separation and identification, providing reference data for future assessment of possible changes in environmental conditions.
Reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrospray‐mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) detection and diode array detection (DAD) has been used to identify light screening and light harvesting pigments. The results are discussed in terms of local environmental conditions.
Proteinase-Activated Receptor-1 and Immunomodulatory Effects of a PAR1-Activating Peptide in a Mouse Model of Prostatitis
Authors: Stanton M. Mark , Nelson Lisa K. , Benediktsson Hallgrimur , Hollenberg Morley D. , Buret Andre G. , Ceri Howard
Published: December 2013

Background. Nonbacterial prostatitis has no established etiology. We hypothesized that proteinase-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) can play a role in prostatitis. We therefore investigated the effects of PAR1 stimulation in the context of a new model of murine nonbacterial prostatitis.Methods. Using a hapten (ethanol-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid- (DNBS-)) induced prostatitis model with both wild-type and PAR1-null mice, we examined (1) the location of PAR1 in the mouse prostate and (2) the impact of a PAR1-activating peptide (TFLLR-NH2: PAR1-TF) on ethanol-DNBS-induced inflammation.Results. Ethanol-DNBS-induced inflammation was maximal at 2 days. In the tissue, PAR1 was expressed predominantly along the apical acini of prostatic epithelium. Although PAR1-TF on its own did not cause inflammation, its coadministration with ethanol-DNBS reduced all indices of acute prostatitis. Further, PAR1-TF administration doubled the prostatic production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) compared with ethanol-DNBS treatment alone. This enhanced IL-10 was not observed in PAR1-null mice and was not caused by the reverse-sequence receptor-inactive peptide, RLLFT-NH2. Surprisingly, PAR1-TF, also diminished ethanol-DNBS-induced inflammation in PAR1-null mice.Conclusions. PAR1 is expressed in the mouse prostate and its activation by PAR1-TF elicits immunomodulatory effects during ethanol-DNBS-induced prostatitis. However, PAR1-TF also diminishes ethanol-DNBS-induced inflammation via a non-PAR1 mechanism by activating an as-yet unknown receptor.
Distributed Risk Aversion Parameter Estimation for First-Price Auction in Sensor Networks
Authors: An Xin , Xu Shuo , Chen Jiancheng , Zhang Yuan
Published: December 2013

Following the Internet, the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes a prime vehicle for supporting auction. The use of market mechanisms to solve computer science problems is gaining significant traction. More and more clues show that the bidders tend to be risk-averse ones. However, traditional nonparametric approach is only applicable for the case of risk neutrality in a centralized server. This study proposes a generalized nonparametric structural estimation procedure for the first-price auctions in the distributed sensor networks. To evaluate the performance of the aggregated parameter estimators, extensive Monte Carlo simulation experiments are conducted for ten different values of risk aversion parameters including the risk neutrality case in multiple classic scenes. Moreover, in order to improve the usability of the aggregated parameter estimators, some guidance is also given for real-world applications.
Drug Release Analysis and Optimization for Drug‐Eluting Stents
Authors: Li Hongxia , Zhang Yihao , Zhu Bao , Wu Jinying , Wang Xicheng
Published: December 2013

The drug release analysis and optimization for drug‐eluting stents in the arterial wall are studied, which involves mechanics, fluid dynamics, and mass transfer processes and design optimization. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to analyze the process of drug release in the vessels for drug‐eluting stents (DES). Kriging surrogate model is used to build an approximate function relationship between the drug distribution and the coating parameters, replacing the expensive FEM reanalysis of drug release for DES in the optimization process. The diffusion coefficients and the coating thickness are selected as design variables. An adaptive optimization approach based on kriging surrogate model is proposed to optimize the lifetime of the drug in artery wall. The adaptive process is implemented by an infilling sampling criterion named Expected Improvement (EI), which is used to balance local and global search and tends to find the global optimal design. The effect of coating diffusivity and thickness on the drug release process for a typical DES is analyzed by means of FEM. An implementation of the optimization method for the drug release is then discussed. The results demonstrate that the optimized design can efficiently improve the efficacy of drug deposition and penetration into the arterial walls.
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Identification of Labile Radicals Formed during Pyrolysis of Catechool, Hydroquinone, and Phenol through Neutral Pyrolysis Product Mass Analysis
Authors: Adounkpe Julien , Aina Martin , Mama Daouda , Sinsin Brice
Published: December 2013

Catechol, hydroquinone, and phenol are known to be environmental pollutants due to their ability to generate environmentally free radicals, which cause millions of deaths worldwide. Recently, efforts have been done to precisely identify the origin and the nature of those free radicals employing EPR-LTMI technique. All the three precursors generate cyclopentadienyl radical as major pyrolysis products and phenoxyl radical as both pyrolysis and photolysis products which were obtained from phenol; ortho-semiquinone and para-semiquinone were seen, respectively, from the pyrolysis of catechol and hydroquinone. However, it has been suspected that the solely use of the EPR-LTMI did not allow the isolation of the more labile radicals that is supposedly terminated by radical-radical or radical-surface interaction. The present study reports the gas chromatography mass analysis of the pyrolysis products from catechol, hydroquinone, and phenol. Naphthalene , indene, and hydroxyindene were observed as the pyrolysis products of hydroquinone, while fluorene, 1H-indenol and its isomer 1H-inden-1-one 2,3 dihydro, acenaphthylene, benzofuran-7-methyl, and benzofuran-2-methyl were observed as pyrolysis products of catechol. Dibenzo dioxin and dibenzo furan were observed from pyrolysis of catechol and hydroquinone. Those products result from the combination of radicals such as cyclopentadienyl, para-semiquinone, ortho-semiquinone, hydroxyl-cyclohexadienyl, phenoxyl, and most importantly Hydroxycyclopentadienyl which was not identified by EPR-LTMI.
A Kernel‐Based Approach for Biomedical Named Entity Recognition
Authors: Patra Rakesh , Saha Sujan Kumar
Published: December 2013

Support vector machine (SVM) is one of the popular machine learning techniques used in various text processing tasks including named entity recognition (NER). The performance of the SVM classifier largely depends on the appropriateness of the kernel function. In the last few years a number of task‐specific kernel functions have been proposed and used in various text processing tasks, for example, string kernel, graph kernel, tree kernel and so on. So far very few efforts have been devoted to the development of NER task specific kernel. In the literature we found that the tree kernel has been used in NER task only for entity boundary detection or reannotation. The conventional tree kernel is unable to execute the complete NER task on its own. In this paper we have proposed a kernel function, motivated by the tree kernel, which is able to perform the complete NER task. To examine the effectiveness of the proposed kernel, we have applied the kernel function on the openly available JNLPBA 2004 data. Our kernel executes the complete NER task and achieves reasonable accuracy.
Secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity of seed extracts from Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.
Authors: Feki Houda , Koubaa Imed , Damak Mohamed
Published: December 2013

The aim of this study was to screen various solvent extracts of seeds of Solanum elaeagnifolium to display the phytochemical composition, the total phenolic content, the total flavonoid content and the antioxidant capacity in order to find possible sources for future novel antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical formulations. Various extracts of seeds of Solanum elaeagnifolium were obtained by maceration. The total phenolic content of the different extracts was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the total flavonoid content was quantified using a method based on the formation of a flavonoidâ€“aluminium complex .The antioxidant activity was essayed through some in vitro models such as the antioxidant capacity by phosphomolybdenum method, radical scavenging activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and reducing power assay. The acetone extract showed the highest total phenolics (580.99 Â± 20.56 mg gallic acid equivalents/g of extract), and the highest total flavonoids (207.61 Â± 2.62 mg quercetin equivalents/g of extract). This extract showed an antioxidant activity higher than that of Î±-tocopherol. These results suggest the potential of Solanum elaeagnifolium against free-radical-associated oxidative damage.
‘ENVIRONMENTAL AKALISM’ AND THE WAR ON FILTH: THE PERSONIFICATION OF SANITATION IN URBAN NIGERIA
Authors: Manton John
Published: December 2013

In Nigerian cities, as across much of Africa, sanitation practices at zone, ward and street levels inscribe – in patterns of circulation and interaction around waste – not only the hopes and fears of urban residents and managers, but also the aspirations and failures encoded in colonial and post-colonial national and regional histories. Adjusting to numerous challenges – the interplay of racist colonial zoning strategies, rapid post-colonial urban expansion, the withdrawal of public services amid the liberalization programmes of the 1980s, the increasingly abject character of the social contract, and the ongoing tenuousness of economic life and activity – urban environmental sanitation in Nigeria has long struggled to keep pace with the historical dynamics of the country's emergent metropolises. Following the activities of a cohort of inspectors and volunteers at the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Oyo State, this article examines the politics of performance and coercion surrounding the monthly observance of Environmental Sanitation Day in Ibadan amid the heightened political tensions of the electoral season in 2011.
PHARMACY, MONEY AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN DAKAR
Authors: Tousignant Noémi
Published: December 2013

Pharmacy students at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar must research and write a thesis to graduate.Thésardswho took topics in analytical chemistry and toxicology describe their thesis work as a temporary opportunity to perform ‘street-level’ public health research that they regard as ‘relevant’ to the quality of people's lives. Expecting futures in the private commercial sector,thésardsregretfully leave the thesis behind. This article explores the parenthetical nature of this moment – its brief openings and more durable closures – as part of the history of ways of being a pharmacist in post-colonial Senegal. The thesis as an interlude in students’ biographies, curtailed by narrowed horizons of expectation, evokes other contractions: in the range of professional roles open to Senegalese pharmacists, and in the circuits of public health with which they might engage. Forthésards,fieldwork, government work and commercial work entail spatial practices and imaginations; different ways of moving around the city and of tracing urban space that define pharmacists’ roles in terms of the modes through which they engage with broader collectivities. Mappingthésards’parenthesis in Dakar is a means of capturing both their urban experience of work and the intertwining spatial, temporal and affective dimensions associated with this work. The past, probable and possible trajectories of pharmacy work are imprinted and imagined in the space of the city as field, market and polis. Pharmacists’ prospects and aspirations are caught up in broader shifts in how education, (un)employment and entrepreneurship animate relations of association and exchange in Senegal.
“Oh Hell, May, Why Don’t You People Have a Cookbook?”: Camp Humor and Gay Domesticity
Authors: Vider Stephen
Published: December 2013

Domesticity has been underexamined in historical accounts of gay male culture in the United States. This essay analyzes The Gay Cookbook , by Chef Lou Rand Hogan, in order to reconsider the role of domestic space in shaping gay male identity, community, and politics in the post–World War II period. Published in 1965 and promoted in mainstream and gay media, Hogan’s cookbook presented a style of camp humor that challenged popular representations of gay life as lonely and “seedy,” as well as early gay rights activists’ emphasis on gender-normative self-presentation. The cookbook was also emblematic of an expanding gay print and consumer culture, which increasingly located the home as a site of consumption and social and sexual connection. The Gay Cookbook , I argue, reveals how domesticity blurred divides between “public” and “private” gay life, and provided a space to negotiate Cold War class, race, sexual, and gender conventions.
Creating a Tipping Point: Texas Obesity Policy Actions in Review, 2000–2010
Authors: Ory Marcia G. , Nichols Donna , Dickerson Justin B. , Madsen Klaus Krøyer , Dowdy Diane M. , Menendez Tiffni , Miller Camille , Hoelscher Deanna M.
Published: December 2013

This paper discusses the historical context and current challenges of obesity prevention and control initiatives in Texas to understand how the obesity epidemic has been addressed by multiple interacting stakeholders over the past decade. By reviewing state reports and interviewing key decision makers, this paper chronicles recent efforts in Texas by highlighting health policy initiatives and champions who helped to create the foundation for obesity prevention and control. The findings outline the sentinel policy approaches that were implemented by public/private sector partnerships over the last decade, as well as the public figures that have been singular champions in creating the momentum for these changes. The efforts to address obesity with a collaborative approach in Texas have shown initial promise in creating a tipping point to control the obesity epidemic. These strategies can also serve as a model for obesity prevention and control at the national level.
Celebrating The Erotic Empire: Montfleury’s Glorification Of “Ottoman” Legal And Sexual Practices
Authors: Wikström Toby
Published: December 2013

Montfleury’s Le Mary sans femme disseminates distorted yet laudatory information about the legal and sexual practices of the Ottoman Empire to French audiences and readers. The playwright rehearses long-standing orientalist tropes by representing the Ottoman Empire as despotic and devoid of law. Instead of condemning this putative lawlessness, however, Montfleury celebrates it. The glorification of (supposed) Ottoman juridical and sexual customs indicates that Said’s theory of orientalism must be modified to account fully for the complexities of early modern European discourse on the Muslim world.
Hemingway’s Hospitality in A Moveable Feast
Authors: Stamant Nicole
Published: December 2013

Applying culinary theory—including the element of hospitality often elided in strictly gastronomic discourse—to a reading of A Moveable Feast , this essay suggests that Hemingway’s treatment of public and private culinary spaces facilitates meta-fictional recollection.
A Disability Critique of the New Prenatal Test for Down Syndrome
Authors: Kaposy Chris
Published: December 2013

This article presents evidence that the availability of a new noninvasive test for Down syndrome (known as “MaterniT21”) could result in increased uptake of prenatal testing for Down syndrome and an increase in selective abortions of affected fetuses. I argue that people with Down syndrome and those sympathetic to them have reason to object to these developments because bias against cognitive disability is an influence on decisions to test and terminate for Down syndrome, and social practices motivated by bias are objectionable. The article addresses many of the challenges to the disability critique formulated by its detractors. I discuss whether the disability critique is the same as the “expressivist” objection to prenatal testing, the nature of the harm experienced by people with Down syndrome, and the link between prenatal testing and this harm.
Beyond Religion and Spirituality: Faith in the Study and Practice of Medicine
Authors: Ventres William , Dharamsi Shafik
Published: December 2013

Discussions about faith in medicine traditionally have been linked to religion and spirituality. Faith, however, is also that sense of trust or confidence one has in someone or something. As such, it is a concept integral to medical education and practice. This essay explores several dimensions of faith that play significant roles in medicine. It reviews why developing an awareness of faith is important for medical students and practitioners alike, and concludes by suggesting it is by seeking such faith in the profession that medical students and physicians can nurture their personal and professional growth.
‘I Read What I Like’: politics of reading and reading politics in apartheid South Africa
Authors: Matteau-Matsha Rachel
Published: December 2013

This article discusses the alternative reading practices that occurred in the shadow of censorship during the apartheid period in South Africa. Following a brief overview of the censorship apparatus’ institutionalisation process, the focus of this article turns to readers and the alternative reading networks and sites of book distribution of banned or likely to be banned publications that emerged despite censorship. By linking these reading practices to the broader political landscape, this article will examine the role played by readers as agents of social change, drawing parallels between their reading protocols and political activism. Building on the field of book history, albeit modestly, this research reflects on the value of literature as a medium for social change, or in the words of Robert Darnton, investigate ‘the world behind books’ (1982: ix).
The Primošten vineyards. Future of a tradition
Authors: Šestan Ivan
Published: December 2013

The Primošten vineyards are recognised as a typical Mediterranean cultural complex. In the historical sense, however, the Neolithic, paleomediterranean and ancient Greek elements are distinctive as well. The vineyards are almost exclusively planted with red grapes of the babić variety. As the cultivation of vines and wine production require introducing new technologies, the question of the future of the traditional cultivation and protection of the Primošten vineyards arises. As this is not only a matter of cultural heritage, but also of man’s intervention in nature, the author explains the need for a holistic approach to the protection of this heritage — the cultural landscape.
The revival of the St Urban’s fest. Drawing On early modern history in the current cultural representation of wine-making in Hajós, Hungary
Authors: Prosser-Schell Michael
Published: December 2013

The author analyses a few aspects of a local festival held every year for decades in a grape-growing and wine-making settlement in Southern Hungary. A statue of Saint Urban was erected in the early 1980s in Hajós, a village settled by German families in the 18th century following the Turkish occupation. Over the years the local festival has undergone many changes that the article attempts to trace and analyse.
Phosphatidylinositol 5‐phosphate: A nuclear stress lipid and a tuner of membranes and cytoskeleton dynamics
Authors: Viaud Julien , Boal Frédéric , Tronchère Hélène , Gaits‐Iacovoni Frédérique , Payrastre Bernard
Published: December 2013

Phosphatidylinositol 5‐phosphate (PtdIns5P), the least characterized among the three phosphatidylinositol monophosphates, is emerging as a bioactive lipid involved in the control of several cellular functions. Similar to PtdIns3P, it is present in low amounts in mammalian cells, and can be detected at the plasma membrane and endomembranes as well as in the nucleus. Changes in PtdIns5P levels are observed in mammalian cells following specific stimuli or stresses, and in human diseases. Recently, the contribution of several enzymes such as PIKfyve, myotubularins, and type II PtdInsP‐kinases to PtdIns5P metabolism has gained a strong experimental support. Here, we provide a picture emerging from recent studies showing how this lipid can be generated and act as a regulator of membrane and cytoskeleton dynamics, and as a modulator of gene expression. We briefly summarize the current methods and tools for studying PtdIns5P, and discuss how PtdIns5P can integrate and coordinate different functions in a spatiotemporal manner.
Erotic Feelings Toward the Therapist: A Relational Perspective
Authors: Lotterman Jenny H.
Published: December 2013

This article focuses on the relational treatment of a male patient presenting with sexual and erotic feelings toward the therapist. The use of relational psychotherapy allowed us to collaborate in viewing our therapeutic relationship as a microcosm of other relationships throughout the patient's life. In this way, the patient came to understand his fears of being close to women, his discomfort with his sexuality, and how these feelings impacted his ongoing romantic and sexual experiences. Use of the therapist's reactions to the patient, including conscious and unconscious feelings and behaviors, aided in the conceptualization of this case. Working under a relational model was especially helpful when ruptures occurred, allowing the patient and therapist to address these moments and move toward repair. The patient was successful in making use of his sexual feelings to understand his feelings and behaviors across contexts.
“Yes, Of Course It Hurts When Buds Are Breaking”: Therapist Reactions to an Adolescent Client's Sexual Material in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Authors: Nissen‐Lie Helene A. , Stänicke Erik
Published: December 2013

This article focuses on the therapist's emotional reactions to a young female client's revelations about her fear of being raped that came up in the course of an open‐ended psychodynamic psychotherapy. The client suffered from depression and emotional disturbance related to the overwhelming developmental tasks of adolescence, including individuation and psychosexual development. The patient's fears and nightmares not only raised ethical dilemmas in the therapist regarding how to handle the implications of these revelations but also reactivated the therapist's own issues from her adolescent period. The fact that the material of the patient found a “hook” (Gabbard, ) in the therapist enabled a deeper understanding of the patient that helped resolve her inner conflicts and move on in her development.
Platelets in Tumor Progression: A Host Factor That Offers Multiple Potential Targets in the Treatment of Cancer
Authors: Sharma Deva , Brummel‐Ziedins Kathleen E. , Bouchard Beth A. , Holmes Chris E.
Published: December 2013

While platelets are well known to play a central role in hemostasis and thrombosis, there is emerging experimental evidence to suggest that they also mediate tumor cell growth, dissemination, and angiogenesis. An increase in platelet number (thrombocytosis) and activity is seen in patients with a wide spectrum of malignancies, and the former is correlated with a decrease in overall survival and poorer prognosis. Preclinical data suggest that circulating tumor cell partnerships with platelets in the blood facilitate tumor metastases through direct interactions and secreted bioactive proteins. Platelets form aggregates with tumor cells, thereby protecting them from host immune surveillance through physical shielding and induction of “platelet mimicry.” There is also laboratory evidence to suggest that activated platelets interact with cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment through paracrine signaling and direct contact, thereby promoting tumor cell growth and survival. For example, platelets release mediators of both tumor angiogenesis and osteoclast resorption. The interplay between platelets and tumor cells is complex and bidirectional with involvement of multiple other components within the tumor microenvironment, including immune cells, endothelial cells, and the extracellular matrix. We review the role of platelets in tumor progression, emphasizing the opportunity these interactions afford to target platelets and platelet function to improve patient outcomes in the cancer prevention and treatment setting. J. Cell. Physiol. 229: 1005–1015, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Correlation of dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI perfusion parameters with angiogenesis and biologic aggressiveness of rectal cancer: Preliminary results
Authors: Yeo Dong‐Myung , Oh Soon Nam , Jung Chan‐Kwon , Lee Myung Ah , Oh Seong Taek , Rha Sung Eun , Jung Seung Eun , Byun Jae Young , Gall Peter , Son Yohan
Published: December 2013

Purpose

To investigate whether quantitative parameters derived from dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) are correlated with angiogenesis and biologic aggressiveness of rectal cancer.

Materials and Methods

A total of 46 patients with rectal cancer underwent DCE‐MRI. Using a two‐compartmental model, quantitative parameters (Ktrans, kep, ve, and iAUC) were calculated from the whole‐transverse region of interest (ROI) and high Ktrans area ROI of entire tumors. Histological specimens were analyzed for tumor size; T/N stage; lymphatic, vascular, perineural invasion; expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); and KRAS gene mutations. Tumor angiogenesis was evaluated based on the microvessel density (MVD) and the expression level of the vascular endothelial growth factor. Correlations of the DCE‐MRI parameters with histological markers and angiogenesis were determined using Student's t‐test and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

The mean kep from high Ktrans area ROIs showed a significantly positive correlation with MVD (P  =  0.030, r  =  0.514, R2  =  0.264). The mean kep from the whole‐transverse ROIs showed a significant inverse correlation with T stage (T1 vs. T2–4, P  =  0.021). EGFR‐positive cancer displayed higher mean Ktrans (P  =  0.045) and kep (P  =  0.038) than EGFR‐negative cancer in whole‐transverse ROIs.

Conclusion

These preliminary results suggest that the determination of kep of high Ktrans area permits the noninvasive estimation of tumor angiogenesis in rectal cancer and that DCE‐MRI parameters can be used as imaging biomarkers to predict the biologic aggressiveness of the tumor and patient prognosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:474–480.© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Color reproduction with a various number of sub‐pixels
Authors: Kanazawa Masaru
Published: December 2013

Monochrome reflective‐type displays are widely used for portable reading applications such as electric papers because this type does not need a back light unit and can be used outdoors for a long time. Color reflective‐type displays without back light units are desired to expand the market further. The current color reproduction is based on three sub‐pixel red, green and blue (RGB) methods, and when used in reflective type, its luminance is reduced to a third of that of monochrome type. Adding a white sub‐pixel to the current method can improve the luminance, making the sub‐pixel number four. However, in the case of a high resolution display with a four‐sub‐pixel method, the pixel structure is complex, and the luminance improvement may be limited. Instead of increasing the sub‐pixel number, two sub‐pixel methods are investigated. These methods can improve luminance with limited color gamut. The performances are compared with those of other methods quantitatively.
Performance of superheater materials in simulated oxyfuel combustion conditions
Authors: Tuurna S. M. , Pohjanne P. K. , Yli‐Olli S. A.
Published: December 2013

Oxyfuel fired combustion has the potential to increase the fireside corrosion rates comparing to air firing combustion as a result of the increasing amounts of aggressive combustion products due to recycling of flue gas. The changes in the combustion gas chemistry will also affect the chemistry and formation of deposits, with potentially increasing corrosion and internal attack of the boiler components that are in contact with the combustion and flue gas environment. As the currently available information on the corrosion rates under oxyfuel conditions is still limited, and partially also contradicting, corrosion testing of existing boiler materials under high carbon dioxide combustion environments with the relevant oxygen, water vapour and impurity concentrations and deposits is very much needed. The work describes the laboratory testing of selected alloys (EN 1.4922, UNS S34710, UNS S31042, UNS S31035, A263 and A617) under simulated oxy‐ and air‐firing combustion conditions with and without calcium carbonate–calcium sulphate deposit at 600 and 650 °C. The results showed that the corrosion resistance increased when the chromium content increased but without added impurities like sulphur and chlorides, the simulated oxyfuel conditions did not result in more severe corrosion than under air‐fired environment. No carburisation of the metal substrate was observed after exposure to simulated oxyfuel gas atmospheres without deposit, although some carbon enrichment was detected near the oxide–metal interface. With extended exposure time, the oxide scale properties may change to enable metal carburisation. The exposure with deposit at 650 °C resulted in corrosion of all tested alloys and clear carburisation of steels EN 1.4922 and UNS S34710. Corrosion and microstructural changes, like carburisation, may reduce mechanical performance such as creep and/or fatigue strength and ductility, and thus the expected component life.
Adaptive tetrahedral mesh generation by constrained centroidal voronoi‐delaunay tessellations for finite element methods
Authors: Chen Jie , Huang Yunqing , Wang Desheng , Xie Xiaoping
Published: December 2013

This article presents a tetrahedral mesh adaptivity algorithm for three‐dimensional elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs) using finite element methods. The main issues involved are the mesh size and mesh quality, which have great influence on the accuracy of the numerical solution and computational cost. The first issue is addressed by a posteriori error estimator based on superconvergent gradient recovery. The second issue is solved by constrained centroidal Voronoi–Delaunay tessellations (CCVDT), which guarantees good quality tetrahedrons over a large class of mesh domains even, if the grid size varies a lot at any particular refinement level. The CCVDT enjoys the energy equidistribution property so that the errors are very well equidistributed with properly chosen sizing field (density function). And with this good property, a new refinement criteria is raised which is different from the traditional bisection refinement. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 30: 1633–1653, 2014