bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
gain bounds for systems with sector bounded and slope‐restricted nonlinearities
Authors: Turner Matthew C. , Kerr Murray L.
Published: July 2011

This paper proposes a new method for calculating a bound on the gain of a system comprising a linear time invariant part and a static nonlinear part, which is odd, bounded, zero at zero and has a restriction on its slope. The nonlinear part is also assumed to be sector bounded, with the sector bound being (possibly) different from that implied by the slope restriction. The computation of the gain bound is found by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities, which arise from an integral quadratic constraint formulation of a multiplier problem involving both Zames‐Falb and Popov multipliers. Examples illustrate the effectiveness of the results, and comparisons are made against the state‐of‐the‐art. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Helium ion microscopy of Lepidoptera scales
Authors: Boden Stuart A. , Asadollahbaik Asa , Rutt Harvey N. , Bagnall Darren M.
Published: July 2011

In this report, helium ion microscopy (HIM) is used to study the micro and nanostructures responsible for structural color in the wings of two species of Lepidotera from the Papilionidae family: Papilio ulysses (Blue Mountain Butterfly) and Parides sesostris (Emerald‐patched Cattleheart). Electronic charging of uncoated scales from the wings of these butterflies, due to the incident ion beam, is successfully neutralized, leading to images displaying a large depth‐of‐field and a high level of surface detail, which would normally be obscured by traditional coating methods used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The images are compared with those from variable pressure SEM, demonstrating the superiority of HIM at high magnifications. In addition, the large depth‐of‐field capabilities of HIM are exploited through the creation of stereo pairs that allows the exploration of the third dimension. Furthermore, the extraction of quantitative height information which matches well with cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy measurements from the literature is demonstrated. SCANNING 33: 107–120, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Easy Fabrication of Electrically Insulating Nanogaps by Transfer Printing
Authors: Fakhr Omar , Altpeter Philipp , Karrai Khaled , Lugli Paolo
Published: July 2011

An easy and cost‐effective method to reproducibly fabricate nanogaps over a large area is introduced. Gold is evaporated on low‐aspect‐ratio polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps at an angle of 60°. Afterwards, the stamp is brought into contact with a silicon/silicon dioxide substrate and subsequently peeled at rates varying from 1 to 3 mm s−1, resulting in the fabrication of nanogaps between two gold electrodes. The fabrication of insulating nanogaps with a width down to 50 nm is demonstrated.
Evolving fuzzy systems for data streams: a survey
Authors: Baruah Rashmi Dutta , Angelov Plamen
Published: July 2011

Evolving fuzzy systems (EFSs) can be regarded as intelligent systems based on fuzzy rule‐based or neuro‐fuzzy models with the ability to learn continuously and to gradually develop with the objective of enhancing their performance. Such systems learn in online mode by analyzing incoming samples, and adjusting both structure and parameters. The objective of this chapter is to present a brief overview of some early as well as recent EFSs by focusing on their architecture, design algorithms along with the merits and demerits, and various applications. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2011 1 461–476 DOI: 10.1002/widm.42

This article is categorized under:

Technologies > Computational Intelligence
mRNA export and cancer
Authors: Siddiqui Nadeem , Borden Katherine L. B.
Published: July 2011

Studies in the past several years highlight important features of the messenger RNA (mRNA) export process. For instance, groups of mRNAs acting in the same biochemical processes can be retained or exported in a coordinated manner thereby impacting on specific biochemistries and ultimately on cell physiology. mRNAs can be transported by either bulk export pathways involving NXF1/TAP or more specialized pathways involving chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM1). Studies on primary tumor specimens indicate that many common and specialized mRNA export factors are dysregulated in cancer including CRM1, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), HuR, nucleoporin 88, REF/Aly, and THO. This positions these pathways as potential therapeutic targets. Recently, specific targeting of the eIF4E‐dependent mRNA export pathway in a phase II proof‐of‐principle trial with ribavirin led to impaired eIF4E‐dependent mRNA export correlating with clinical responses including remissions in leukemia patients. Here, we provide an overview of these mRNA export pathways and highlight their relationship to cancer. WIREs RNA 2012, 3:13–25. doi: 10.1002/wrna.101

This article is categorized under:

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Reaktionen von 1,3‐Diphenyltriazenid mit Cu+ und Tl+
Authors: Lego Christian , Neumüller Bernhard
Published: July 2011

1,3‐Diphenyltriazene (1) was treated with sodium in ethanol to obtain the salt Na(1,3‐Ph2N3) (2). Compound 2 reacts with 15‐crown‐5 in EtOH to the crown ether complex [Na(15‐crown‐5)(1,3‐Ph2N3)]·0.5EtOH (3·0.5EtOH). In addition 2 was added to ethanol solutions of CuI and TlI salts to yield the multinuclear complexes [Cu4(1,3‐Ph2N3)4] (4) and [{Tl(Ph2N3)}2]4.[Tl4(1,3‐Ph2N3)2(OEt)2] (5), respectively. Compounds 3–5 were characterized by IR and RE spectroscopy as well as X‐ray structure analyses. The starting compound 1 crystallized as twins. Therefore, the crystal structure of 1 was reinvestigated. According to this, 1 forms infinite chains by hydrogen bonding along [010].
Preliminary Examination of a Cartoon‐Based Hostile Attributional Bias Measure for Urban African American Boys
Authors: Leff Stephen S. , Lefler Elizabeth K. , Khera Gagan S. , Paskewich Brooke , Jawad Abbas F.
Published: July 2011

The current study illustrates how researchers developed and validated a cartoon‐based adaptation of a written hostile attributional bias measure for a sample of urban, low‐income, African American boys. A series of studies were conducted to develop cartoon illustrations to accompany a standard written hostile attributional bias vignette measure (Study 1), to determine initial psychometric properties (Study 2) and acceptability (Study 3), and to conduct a test–retest reliability trial of the adapted measure in a separate sample (Study 4). These studies utilize a participatory action research approach to measurement design and adaptation, and suggest that collaborations between researchers and key school stakeholders can lead to measures that are psychometrically strong, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive. In addition, the cartoon‐based hostile attributional bias measure appears to have promise as an assessment and/or outcome measure for aggression and bullying prevention programs conducted with urban African American boys.
Glucose Detection and Concentration Estimation in Feline Urine Samples with the Bayer Multistix and Purina Glucotest
Authors: Fletcher Jon M , Behrend Ellen N , Welles Elizabeth G , Lee Hollie P , Hosgood Giselle L
Published: July 2011

The Bayer Multistix are commonly used for detection and estimation of feline glucosuria by veterinarians and cat owners. A newer product, the Purina Glucotest, utilizes the same enzymatic technology for detection of glucose, but has been designed for home use as a litter additive that allows interpretation of glucosuria over an 8-h period. The objectives of this study were to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the Glucotest and Multistix, and to assess the 8-h color stability of the Glucotest. Overall, the Glucotest had greater sensitivity and specificity than the Multistix, and more accurately estimated urine glucose concentration if evaluated at least 30 min after exposure to urine. A significant lack of agreement between the results obtained immediately after exposure to urine vs after 30 min and 8 h contradicts the 8-h color stability claim, but the change in urine glucose concentration estimation over time resulted in improved test accuracy at the 30 and 480 min time points.
Chronic arsenic toxicity: Studies in West Bengal, India
Authors: Guha Mazumder Debendranath , Dasgupta U.B.
Published: July 2011

Chronic arsenic toxicity (arsenicosis) as a result of drinking arsenic‐contaminated groundwater is a major environmental health hazard throughout the world, including India. A lot of research on health effects, including genotoxic effect of chronic arsenic toxicity in humans, have been carried out in West Bengal during the last 2 decades. A review of literature including information available from West Bengal has been made to characterize the problem. Scientific journals, monographs, and proceedings of conferences with regard to human health effects, including genotoxicity, of chronic arsenic toxicity have been reviewed. Pigmentation and keratosis are the specific skin diseases characteristic of chronic arsenic toxicity. However, in West Bengal, it was found to produce various systemic manifestations, such as chronic lung disease, characterized by chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive and/or restrictive pulmonary disease, and bronchiectasis; liver diseases, such as non cirrhotic portal fibrosis; polyneuropathy; peripheral vascular disease; hypertension; nonpitting edema of feet/hands; conjunctival congestion; weakness; and anemia. High concentrations of arsenic, greater than or equal to 200 μg/L, during pregnancy were found to be associated with a sixfold increased risk for stillbirth. Cancers of skin, lung, and urinary bladder are the important cancers associated with this toxicity. Of the various genotoxic effects of arsenic in humans, chromosomal aberration and increased frequency of micronuclei in different cell types have been found to be significant. Various probable mechanisms have been incriminated to cause DNA damage because of chronic arsenic toxicity. The results of the study in West Bengal suggest that deficiency in DNA repair capacity, perturbation of methylation of promoter region of p53 and p16 genes, and genomic methylation alteration may be involved in arsenic‐induced disease manifestation in humans. P53 polymorphism has been found to be associated with increased occurrence of arsenic‐induced keratosis. Of the various genes involved in the regulation of arsenic metabolism, single‐nucleotide polymorphisms of purine nucleoside phosphorylase, in one study, showed increased occurrence of arsenicosis.
Risk factors for the leakage of chemotherapeutic agents into systemic circulation after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Hsieh Ming‐Yen , Lin Zu‐Yau , Chen Su‐Hwei , Chuang Wan‐Long
Published: July 2011

This prospective study was to investigate the possible risk factors for the leakage of chemotherapeutic agent into the systemic circulation after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Peripheral plasma concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents were determined at 1 hour and 72 hours after TACE by high‐performance liquid chromatography in 53 patients. HCC were divided into three types namely single nodule (<5 cm), multiple nodules (all <5 cm), and main nodule measuring 5 cm or more. Forty‐four patients (83%) showed detectable chemotherapeutic concentrations within 72 hours after TACE. Patients with single nodular‐type HCC had lower incidence of detectable plasma chemotherapeutic agents after TACE than the other two groups (all p < 0.05). The injected doses of lipiodol, epirubicin, and mitomycin C were lower in patients without detection than in patients with detectable chemotherapeutic agents (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that tumor type and injected dose of lipiodol were two independent risk factors for the leakage of mitomycin C at 1 hour after TACE (all p < 0.05), and the injected dose of mitomycin C was the risk factor for the leakage of epirubicin at 1 hour after TACE (p < 0.05). In conclusion, multiple nodular type and large nodule measuring 5 cm or more have a risk of leakage of mitomycin C after TACE. Injected dose of lipiodol and mitomycin C as risk factor for the leakage of mitomycin C and epirubicin respectively may be because of competition of their injected volume within the limited space of target.
Complicated Candida parapsilosis peritonitis on peritoneal dialysis in a neonate with renal failure because of bilateral adrenal abscesses
Authors: Cheng I. , Chen Yi‐Lin , Lin Cheng‐Hui , Jow Guey‐Mei , Mu Shu‐Chi
Published: July 2011

We present a full‐term female infant with a difficult delivery course complicated with Escherichia coli sepsis and bilateral adrenal abscesses. She developed renal failure and received peritoneal dialysis. Peritonitis of Candida parapsilosis developed later. The infant was successfully treated with hemofiltration and a combination of antifungal agents.
An experimental study of low-Reynolds-number exchange flow of two Newtonian fluids in a vertical pipe
Authors: BECKETT F. M. , MADER H. M. , PHILLIPS J. C. , RUST A. C. , WITHAM F.
Published: July 2011

We present an experimental study of a buoyancy-driven, low-Reynolds-number (Re < 1) exchange flow of two Newtonian fluids in a vertical cylindrical pipe (length 1 m and diameter 38.4 mm) connecting two fluid reservoirs. The denser, more viscous fluid was golden syrup and the less dense, less viscous fluid was a golden syrup–water solution; the ratio of the viscosities of the two fluids (β) ranged from 2 to 1180. Flows were initiated by removing a bung in the base of the upper reservoir or sliding out a gate positioned at the top, middle or bottom of the pipe. We observe the flows over long time durations (up to 356 h), and define the development of the flow with reference to a non-dimensional time (τ). The initial transient development of the flow was dependent on which of the two fluids initially filled the pipe, but this did not systematically affect the flow regime observed at τ ≫ 1. Two distinct flow regimes were observed: axisymmetric core-annular flow (CAF), in which the less viscous fluid occupies a cylindrical core and the denser fluid flows downwards in an annulus, and side-by-side (SBS) flow where both fluids are in contact with the pipe and there is a single interface between them. CAF formed at β ≥ 75 and SBS flow at β ≤ 117. In several experiments, for 5 ≤ β ≤ 59, a slowly developing transitional SBS (TSBS) flow was observed where SBS flow and CAF occurred simultaneously with SBS in the lower portion of the pipe; SBS existed throughout most of the pipe and in one case grew with time to entirely fill the pipe. Velocity profiles determined by tracking tracer particles show that the observed CAFs are adequately described by the formulation of Huppert & Hallworth (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 578, 2007, pp. 95–112). Experimental SBS velocity profiles are not well produced by the formulation of Kerswell (J. Fluid Mech., 10.1017/jfm.2011.190), possibly because the latter is restricted to flows whose cross-section has an interface of constant curvature. Despite the variations in flow regime, volume fluxes can be described by a power-law function of β, Q1 = 0.059 β−0.74. A comparison of experimental data with the theoretical approaches of Huppert Hallworth (2007) and Kerswell (2011) indicates that fluids are not arranged in the regime that maximises volume flux (e.g. SBS or CAF), nor do they adopt the geometry that maximises volume flux within that particular regime.
Studies with low micromolar levels of ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid fail to unravel a preferential route for vitamin C uptake and accumulation in U937 cells
Authors: Azzolini Catia , Fiorani Mara , Guidarelli Andrea , Cantoni Orazio
Published: July 2011

Mammalian cells accumulate vitamin C either as ascorbic acid (AA), via Na+–AA co-transport, or dehydroascorbic acid (DHA, the oxidation product of AA), via facilitative hexose transport. As the latter, unlike the former, is a high-capacity transport mechanism, cultured cells normally accumulate greater levels of vitamin C when exposed to increasing concentrations of DHA as compared with AA. We report herein similar results using the U937 cell clone used in our laboratory only under conditions in which DHA and AA are used at concentrations greater than 50–60 μm. Below 60 μm, i.e. at levels in which AA is normally found in most biological fluids, AA and DHA are in fact taken up with identical rates and kinetics. Consequently, extracellular oxidation of AA switches the mode of uptake with hardly any effect on the net amount of vitamin C accumulated. As a final note, under these conditions, neither AA nor DHA causes detectable toxicity or any change in the redox status of the cells, as assessed by the reduced glutathione/reduced pyridine nucleotide pool. These findings therefore imply that some cell types do not have a preferential route for vitamin C accumulation, and that the uptake mechanism is uniquely dependent on the extracellular availability of AAv. DHA.
Prolonged high iodine intake is associated with inhibition of type 2 deiodinase activity in pituitary and elevation of serum thyrotropin levels
Authors: Li Ningna , Jiang Yaqiu , Shan Zhongyan , Teng Weiping
Published: July 2011

Our previous epidemiological study indicated that excessive intake of iodine could potentially lead to hypothyroidism. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the time and dose effect of iodine intake on serum thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) levels and to explore the non-autoimmune regulation of serum TSH by pituitary type 2 deiodinase (D2). A total of 360 Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups depending on administered iodine dosages (folds of physiological dose): normal iodine (NI), 3-fold iodine (3HI), 6-fold iodine (6HI), 10-fold iodine (10HI) and 50-fold iodine (50HI). At 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks after administration of sodium iodide, blood was collected for serum TSH measurement by chemiluminescent immunoassay. Pituitaries were also excised for measurement of TSHβ subunit expression, D2 expression and activity, monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) and thyroid hormone receptor β2 isoform (TRβ2) levels. The results showed that iodine intake of 10HI and 50HI significantly increased pituitary and serum TSH levels from 8 to 24 weeks (P < 0·05v.NI). Excess iodine had no effect on D2 mRNA or protein expression; however, 10HI and 50HI administration significantly inhibited pituitary D2 activities from 8 to 24 weeks (P < 0·05v.NI). Iodine had no effect on MCT8 or TRβ2 protein levels. We conclude that prolonged high iodine intake inhibits pituitary D2 activity and induces elevation of serum TSH levels. These findings may provide a potential mechanism of iodine excess-induced overt and subclinical hypothyroidism.
Dietary reporting errors on 24 h recalls and dietary questionnaires are associated with BMI across six European countries as evaluated with recovery biomarkers for protein and potassium intake
Authors: Freisling Heinz , van Bakel Marit M. E. , Biessy Carine , May Anne M. , Byrnes Graham , Norat Teresa , Rinaldi Sabina , Santucci de Magistris Maria , Grioni Sara , Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita H. , Ocké Marga C. , Kaaks Rudolf , Teucher Birgit , Vergnaud Anne-Claire , Romaguera Dora , Sacerdote Carlotta , Palli Domenico , Crowe Francesca L. , Tumino Rosario , Clavel-Chapelon Françoise , Boutron-Ruault Marie-Christine , Khaw Kay-Tee , Wareham Nicholas J. , Trichopoulou Antonia , Naska Androniki , Orfanos Philippos , Boeing Heiner , Illner Anne-Kathrin , Riboli Elio , Peeters Petra H. , Slimani Nadia
Published: July 2011

Whether there are differences between countries in the validity of self-reported diet in relation to BMI, as evaluated using recovery biomarkers, is not well understood. We aimed to evaluate BMI-related reporting errors on 24 h dietary recalls (24-HDR) and on dietary questionnaires (DQ) using biomarkers for protein and K intake and whether the BMI effect differs between six European countries. Between 1995 and 1999, 1086 men and women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition completed a single 24-HDR, a DQ and one 24 h urine collection. In regression analysis, controlling for age, sex, education and country, each unit (1 kg/m2) increase in BMI predicted an approximately 1·7 and 1·3 % increase in protein under-reporting on 24-HDR and DQ, respectively (both P < 0·0001). Exclusion of individuals who probably misreported energy intake attenuated BMI-related bias on both instruments. The BMI effect on protein under-reporting did not differ for men and women and neither between countries on both instruments as tested by interaction (all P>0·15). In women, but not in men, the DQ yielded higher mean intakes of protein that were closer to the biomarker-based measurements across BMI groups when compared with 24-HDR. Results for K were similar to those of protein, although BMI-related under-reporting of K was of a smaller magnitude, suggesting differential misreporting of foods. Under-reporting of protein and K appears to be predicted by BMI, but this effect may be driven by ‘low-energy reporters’. The BMI effect on under-reporting seems to be the same across countries.
Eocene raoellids (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla) outside the Indian Subcontinent: palaeogeographical implications
Authors: ORLIAC M. J. , DUCROCQ S.
Published: July 2011

Raoellidae are small fossil cetartiodactyls closely related to the Cetacea. Until now undisputable raoellid remains were reported only from the early Middle Eocene of the Indian Subcontinent, although this Indo-Pakistani endemism has been challenged by several recent works describing potential raoellids from Mongolia, Myanmar and China. In this contribution we address the question of raoellid taxonomic content and definition, through a revision of the dental features of the family. This work, which includes a revision of the putative raoellid material from outside Indo-Pakistan, is primarily based on a re-examination of ‘suoid’ specimens from Shanghuang (Middle Eocene, coastal China). Our results indicate that the Shanghuang material both substantiates the youngest and easternmost occurrence of Raoellidae and represents the only unquestionable record of raoellids outside the Indian Subcontinent at present. This significantly extends the geographical and chronological range of the family. The occurrence of a raoellid species in the Middle Eocene of coastal China implies that raoellids dispersed from the Indian Subcontinent to eastern Asia during Early or Middle Eocene time. This tempers classical hypotheses of Middle Eocene Indian endemism and eastern Asian provincialism.
Contingent Credibility: The Impact of Investment Treaty Violations on Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Allee Todd , Peinhardt Clint
Published: July 2011

During the past few decades governments have signed nearly 2,700 bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with one another in an attempt to attract greater levels of foreign direct investment (FDI). By signing BITs, which contain strong enforcement provisions, investment-seeking governments are thought to more credibly commit to protecting whatever FDI they receive, which in turn should lead to increased confidence among investors and ultimately greater FDI inflows. Our unique argument is that the ability of BITs to increase FDI is contingent on the subsequent good behavior of the governments who sign them. BITs should increase FDI only if governments actually follow through on their BIT commitments; that is, if they comply with the treaties. BITs allow investors to pursue alleged treaty violations through arbitration venues like the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), a heavily utilized and widely observed arbitral institution that is part of the World Bank. Being taken before ICSID, then, conveys negative information about a host country's behavior to the broader investment community, which could result in a sizeable loss of future FDI into that country. We test these contingent effects of BITs using cross-sectional, time-series analyses on all non-OECD countries during a period spanning 1984–2007. We find that BITs do increase FDI into countries that sign them, but only if those countries are not subsequently challenged before ICSID. On the other hand, governments suffer notable losses of FDI when they are taken before ICSID and suffer even greater losses when they lose an ICSID dispute.
The Effect of Sanctions on U.S. Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Biglaiser Glen , Lektzian David
Published: July 2011

For years, the United States has imposed economic sanctions to compel countries to alter their behavior. An important concern is whether government sanctions influence private foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions, the largest source of foreign capital. In the first study to assess empirically the relationship between economic sanctions and FDI, we consider whether U.S. sanctions influence U.S. FDI inflows into targeted countries. Using panel data for 171 countries from 1965 to 2000, we find strong evidence that U.S investors pull out of countries targeted for U.S sanctions prior to their imposition. This disinvestment is not permanent and investment tends to return after the sanctions are imposed. The results provide support for FDI studies that show the effect of risk on investor decision making.
Multilateralism and Democracy: A Dissent Regarding Keohane, Macedo, and Moravcsik
Authors: Gartzke Erik , Naoi Megumi
Published: July 2011

In an article printed last year inInternational Organization, Keohane, Macedo, and Moravcsik argued that multilateral organizations (MLO) could actually be good for democracy. We argue that KMM discount the prospect that MLO influence can be detrimental to democracies not because MLOs are “distant, elitist, and technocratic” but precisely because MLOs are highly political. International organizations have much to offer in improving the welfare of citizens and facilitating coordinations among states. They are not likely to improve procedural functions of democracies without a cost that itself is problematic for democracy.
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION AND MIGRATION ANALYSIS OF HEIGHT, WEIGHT AND BODY MASS INDEX IN A BRITISH COHORT STUDY
Authors: KRZYŻANOWSKA MONIKA , MASCIE-TAYLOR C. G. NICHOLAS
Published: July 2011

Using a sample of 2090 father and son pairs, the regional variation in height, weight and body mass index (BMI) with intra- and inter-generational migration within Britain was examined. Highly significant regional differences in means were found only for fathers. The overall mean height difference between regions ranged from about 2.7 cm to 3.1 cm, with the tallest fathers being found in the East & South-East region and the shortest in Wales. The variation in mean weight between regions was less significant, with the difference between the heaviest region (West Midlands) and lightest (South-West) being about 3.5 kg. For BMI the highest mean was in the North and Wales and the lowest in the South-West (difference of about 1 kg m−2). Intra-generational migrants were, on average, significantly taller than non-migrants for both fathers (+1.4 cm) and sons (+2 cm), but BMI was only significant in fathers, with migrant fathers, on average, having a lower BMI. There were no significant differences in weight between geographically mobile groups for either fathers or sons. Differentiating between regional in- and out-migration revealed that in the fathers' generation in-migrants were taller, on average, in six of the nine regions. The tallest in-migrants among fathers came into the North region; the tallest out-migrants were from Yorkshire & Humberside and the shortest were from Scotland. The largest positive gain on fathers' height was in the West Midlands region and Scotland, while negative effects were found in the Yorkshire & Humberside, East Midlands and East & South-East regions. For sons in-migrants were taller in all regions except Wales, with the largest differences between in-migrants and non-migrants being in the South-East and South-West. For out-migrants, the tallest sons came from Wales, while the shortest came from the East Midlands region. The North, East Midlands, East & South-East and West Midlands regions were net gainers, while Wales and Scotland were net losers. For BMI among fathers, in-migrants were of lower BMI than non-migrants. For out-migrant fathers, the North-West and South-West regions were the only two regions showing positive values, with the largest negative values being found in the East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humberside. The net effect of migration indicated that the largest gains were in the East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humberside regions and the largest losses were in Scotland and Wales. The inter-generational migration for BMI showed that in-migrating sons into the North-West and Wales had higher BMI than sedentes, while in-migrants into Yorkshire & Humberside were lower in BMI. In all regions out-migrants had lower BMI than non-migrants. The net effect of migration revealed that six of the nine regions were net gainers, while the Yorkshire & Humberside region was a net loser.
The anthelmintic efficacy of papaya latex in a rodent–nematode model is not dependent on fasting before treatment
Authors: Luoga W. , Mansur F. , Buttle D.J. , Duce I.R. , Garnett M.C. , Behnke J.M.
Published: July 2011

In earlier studies of the anthelmintic activity of plant cysteine proteinases (CPs), a period of food deprivation was routinely employed before administration of CPs, but there has been no systematic evaluation as to whether this does actually benefit the anthelmintic efficacy. Therefore, we assessed the effect of fasting on the efficacy of CPs from papaya latex (PL) against Heligmosomoides bakeri in C3H mice. We used a refined, supernatant extract of papaya latex (PLS) with known active enzyme content. The animals were divided into three groups (fasted prior to treatment with PLS, not fasted but treated with PLS and fasted but given only water). The study demonstrated clearly that although food deprivation had been routinely employed in much of the earlier work on CPs in mice infected with nematodes, fasting has no beneficial effect on the efficacy of PLS against H. bakeri infections. Administration of CPs to fed animals will also reduce the stress associated with fasting.
Vitamin B12 deficiency: an unusual cause of vocal fold palsy
Authors: Green R , Kara N , Cocks H
Published: July 2011

Objective:

We report an extremely rare case of vocal fold palsy secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency.

Method:

Case report and English-Language review of the world literature concerning vitamin B12 deficiency and its neurological manifestations. We discuss the physiological role of vitamin B and its specific relationship to the presented patient's symptoms.

Results:

We describe a rare instance of a patient presenting with bilateral lower limb weakness and unilateral vocal fold palsy, as a manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency. Quick recognition and treatment resulted in a full recovery.

Discussion:

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of unilateral vocal fold palsy secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency. Central and peripheral neuropathies have been described; however, other than the optic nerve, the cranial nerves are very rarely affected. It is important to consider vitamin B12 deficiency as a cause, as speedy identification and treatment can help prevent permanent neurological damage.
The design and implementation of a novel security model for HealthAgents
Authors: Xiao Liang , Dasmahapatra Srinandan , Lewis Paul , Hu Bo , Peet Andrew , Gibb Alex , Dupplaw David , Croitoru Madalina , Estanyol Francesc , Martínez-Miranda Juan , González-Vélez Horacio , Ariet Magílluch I
Published: July 2011

In this paper, we analyze the special security requirements for software support in health care and the HealthAgents system in particular. Our security solution consists of a link-anonymized data scheme, a secure data transportation service, a secure data sharing and collection service, and a more advanced access control mechanism. The novel security service architecture, as part of the integrated system architecture, provides a secure health-care infrastructure for HealthAgents and can be easily adapted for other health-care applications.
The HealthAgents ontology: knowledge representation in a distributed decision support system for brain tumours
Authors: Hu Bo , Croitoru Madalina , Roset Roman , Dupplaw David , Lurgi Miguel , Dasmahapatra Srinandan , Lewis Paul , Martínez-Miranda Juan , Sáez Carlos
Published: July 2011

In this paper we present our experience of representing the knowledge behind HealthAgents (HA), a distributed decision support system for brain tumour diagnosis. Our initial motivation came from the distributed nature of the information involved in the system and has been enriched by clinicians’ requirements and data access restrictions. We present in detail the steps we have taken towards building our ontology starting from knowledge acquisition to data access and reasoning. We motivate our representational choices and show our results using domain examples used by clinical partners in HA.
A Web-accessible distributed data warehouse for brain tumour diagnosis
Authors: Estanyol Francesc , Rafael Xavier , Roset Roman , Lurgi Miguel , Mier Mariola , Lluch-Ariet Magi
Published: July 2011

Currently, biological databases (DBs) are a common tool to complement the research of a wide range of biomedical disciplines, but there are only a few specialized medical DBs for human brain tumour magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data; they typically store a limited range of biological data (i.e. clinical information, magnetic resonance imaging and MRS data) and are not offered as open-source Structured Query Language relational DB schemas. We present a novel approach to biological DBs: a distributed Web-accessible DB for storing and managing clinical and biomedical data related to brain tumours from different clinical centres. This tool is designed for multi-platform systems with dissimilar DB management systems. Being the main data repository of the HealthAgents (HA) project, it uses multi-agent technology and allows the centres to share data and obtain diagnosis classifications from other centres distributed around the world in a reliable way.

The HA project aims to create an agent-based distributed decision support system (DSS) to assist doctors to provide a brain tumour diagnosis and prognosis. The HA DB enables the DSS to totally integrate with its Graphical User Interface to perform classifications with the stored data and visualize the results using the HA distributed agents framework. This new feature converts the system presented in the first application in the world to combine a storage and management tool for brain tumour data and a complete Web-based DSS to obtain automatic diagnosis.
The development of a graphical user interface, functional elements and classifiers for the non-invasive characterization of childhood brain tumours using magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Authors: Gibb Alexander , Easton John , Davies Nigel , Sun YU , MacPherson Lesley , Natarajan Kal , Arvanitis Theodoros , Peet Andrew
Published: July 2011

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive method, which can provide diagnostic information on children with brain tumours. The technique has not been widely used in clinical practice, partly because of the difficulty of developing robust classifiers from small patient numbers and the challenge of providing decision support systems (DSSs) acceptable to clinicians. This paper describes a participatory design approach in the development of an interactive clinical user interface, as part of a distributed DSS for the diagnosis and prognosis of brain tumours. In particular, we consider the clinical need and context of developing interactive elements for an interface that facilitates the classification of childhood brain tumours, for diagnostic purposes, as part of the HealthAgents European Union project. Previous MRS-based DSS tools have required little input from the clinician user and a raw spectrum is essentially processed to provide a diagnosis sometimes with an estimate of error. In childhood brain tumour diagnosis where there are small numbers of cases and a large number of potential diagnoses, this approach becomes intractable. The involvement of clinicians directly in the designing of the DSS for brain tumour diagnosis from MRS led to an alternative approach with the creation of a flexible DSS that, allows the clinician to input prior information to create the most relevant differential diagnosis for the DSS. This approach mirrors that which is currently taken by clinicians and removes many sources of potential error. The validity of this strategy was confirmed for a small cohort of children with cerebellar tumours by combining two diagnostic types, pilocytic astrocytomas (11 cases) and ependymomas (four cases) into a class of glial tumours which then had similar numbers to the other diagnostic type, medulloblastomas (18 cases). Principal component analysis followed by linear discriminant analysis on magnetic resonance spectral data gave a classification accuracy of 91% for a three-class classifier and 94% for a two-class classifier using a leave-one-out analysis. This DSS provides a flexible method for the clinician to use MRS for brain tumour diagnosis in children.
Cyclospora cayetanensis: a description of clinical aspects of an outbreak in Quebec, Canada
Authors: MILORD F. , LAMPRON-GOULET E. , ST-AMOUR M. , LEVAC E. , RAMSAY D.
Published: July 2011

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an emerging infectious agent. The aim of this study was to describe an outbreak that occurred in 250 adults exposed to contaminated food, focusing on the duration and relapses of symptoms, complications and evidence of local transmission. This outbreak affected workers who ate in a restaurant in June 2005. Cyclospora sp. was observed in the stools of 20 cases and 122 probable cases were identified. The attack rate was estimated at 89%. Main symptoms were diarrhoea (96%), nausea (88%), fatigue (87%), abdominal cramps (85%), fever (52%) and headaches (45%). Contaminated fresh basil originating from a Mexican farm, used to prepare an uncooked appetizer, was identified as the source. In this non-endemic population of immunocompetent adults, Cyclospora infection presents with watery diarrhoea lasting from 4 to 18 days and fatigue lasting from 11 to 42 days. For a small proportion of affected persons, recovery can be delayed.
Final coalgebras in accessible categories
Authors: KARAZERIS PANAGIS , MATZARIS APOSTOLOS , VELEBIL JIŘÍ
Published: July 2011

We propose a construction of the final coalgebra for a finitary endofunctor of a finitely accessible category and study conditions under which this construction is available. Our conditions always apply when the accessible category is cocomplete, and is thus a locally finitely presentable (l.f.p.) category, and we give an explicit and uniform construction of the final coalgebra in this case. On the other hand, our results also apply to some interesting examples of final coalgebras beyond the realm of l.f.p. categories. In particular, we construct the final coalgebra for every finitary endofunctor on the category of linear orders, and analyse Freyd's coalgebraic characterisation of the closed unit as an instance of this construction. We use and extend results of Tom Leinster, developed for his study of self-similar objects in topology, relying heavily on his formalism of modules (corresponding to endofunctors) and complexes for a module.
Progress in defining the biological causes of schizophrenia
Authors: Pickard Benjamin
Published: July 2011

Schizophrenia is a common mental illness resulting from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors. Establishing its primary molecular and cellular aetiopathologies has proved difficult. However, this is a vital step towards the rational development of useful disease biomarkers and new therapeutic strategies. The advent and large-scale application of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic technologies are generating data sets required to achieve this goal. This discovery phase, typified by its objective and hypothesis-free approach, is described in the first part of the review. The accumulating biological information, when viewed as a whole, reveals a number of biological process and subcellular locations that contribute to schizophrenia causation. The data also show that each technique targets different aspects of central nervous system function in the disease state. In the second part of the review, key schizophrenia candidate genes are discussed more fully. Two higher-order processes – adult neurogenesis and inflammation – that appear to have pathological relevance are also described in detail. Finally, three areas where progress would have a large impact on schizophrenia biology are discussed: deducing the causes of schizophrenia in the individual, explaining the phenomenon of cross-disorder risk factors, and distinguishing causative disease factors from those that are reactive or compensatory.
FROM IMPERIAL TO INTERNATIONAL HORIZONS: A HERMENEUTIC STUDY OF BENGALI MODERNISM
Authors: MANJAPRA KRIS
Published: July 2011

This essay provides a close study of the international horizons ofKallol, a Bengali literary journal, published in post-World War I Calcutta. It uncovers a historical pattern of Bengali intellectual life that marked the period from the 1870s to the 1920s, whereby an imperial imagination was transformed into an international one, as a generation of intellectuals born between 1885 and 1905 reinvented the political category of “youth”. Hermeneutics, as a philosophically informed study of how meaning is created through conversation, and grounded in this essay in the thought of Hans Georg Gadamer, helps to reveal this pattern. While translocal vistas of intellectual life were always present in Bengali thought, the contours of those horizons changed drastically in the period under study. Bengali intellectual life, framed within a center–periphery imperial axis in the 1870s, was resolutely reframed within a multipolar international constellation by the 1920s. This change was reflected by the new conversations in which young Bengalis became entangled in the years after the war. At a linguistic level, the shift was registered by the increasing use of terms such asbideś(the foreign) andāntarjātik(international), as opposed tobilāt(England, or the West), to name the world abroad. The world outside empire increasingly became a resource and theme for artists and writers. Major changes in global geopolitical alignments and in the colonial politics of British India, and the relations between generations within Bengali bhadralok society, provide contexts for the rise of this international youth imagination.
READING LIBERAL THEOLOGY
Authors: HOEVELER J. DAVID
Published: July 2011

Gary Dorrien has presented to all who have an interest in religion, and religious ideas especially, a magnificent piece of scholarship. These three volumes on liberal theology in the United States have value in the massive amount of writings they bring under study and into the mainstream of American intellectual history. To that extent they address a historiographical gap; conservative thinking in the long evangelical tradition down to the contemporary “religious right” has received greater attention. Liberal theology, as Dorrien treats it, interconnects with a wide range of ideas—in philosophy, science, and history most importantly, and other topical maters like feminism and race. This trilogy should attract the attention of intellectual historians not only for its rich content but also for the suggestions it has for this discipline itself; that is, for practicing intellectual history and recognizing some of the contrasting approaches to its subject matter.
Patienten- und Expertensicht auf kunsttherapeutische Bildverläufe
Authors: Reibrandt Nicola , Elbing Ulrich , von Wietersheim Jörn
Published: July 2011

Zusammenfassung. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Analyse von kunsttherapeutischen Bildverläufen aus Sicht der behandelten Patienten und aus Sicht von zwei Gruppen von Kunsttherapeuten (Experten). Die Einschätzungen der Experten sollten zudem mit den schriftlichen Behandlungsberichten (Arztbriefen) sowie den Kommentaren der Patienten zu den Bildern aus ihrer Kunsttherapie in Beziehung gesetzt werden. Die Grundlage für die Analyse der Patientensicht bildeten 15 Abschlussinterviews, in denen die Patienten anhand der von ihnen gemalten Bilder ihren Prozess in der Behandlung in einer Psychosomatischen Tagesklinik und in der Kunsttherapie reflektierten. Die transkribierten Interviews wurden mithilfe der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Die Grundlage für die Experten-Einschätzungen bildeten die Bilderserien von 5 dieser Patienten. Die Bilder dieser Patienten wurden den Experten in der Reihenfolge der Erstellung präsentiert, in einer Gruppe von 2 bzw. 3 Therapeuten besprachen sie die Bilder ausführlich und versuchten, die Störung des Patienten und den Verlauf während der Behandlung in der Tagesklinik zu beurteilen. Die Patienten berichten überwiegend neue und positive Erfahrungen im Behandlungsverlauf. Diese zeigen sich für sie vor allem in einzelnen Bildern in der Kunsttherapie und weniger im Bildverlauf als Ganzem. Die subjektiv wichtigen Bilder zeigen sowohl Probleme, aber auch Entwicklungen und geben häufig Zeugnis von definierten Therapieabschnitten. Die Experten konnten bei der Mehrzahl der analysierten Bild-Verläufe Hinweise auf die Art der Störung sowie die Entwicklung des Patienten unter der Therapie erkennen. Diese stimmten besonders bei den Verläufen mit deutlicher Verbesserung mit den Beurteilungen aus den Arztbriefen gut überein. Wesentlich schwieriger scheint es zu sein, als externer Experte die Bedeutung des einzelnen Bildes (Wendepunktbild) zu erfassen. Die gewählte Methodik scheint gut geeignet für weitere Forschungen in diesem Bereich.
Study of an optical nanolens with the parallel finite difference time domain technique
Authors: Argyropoulos C. , Kallos E. , Hao Y.
Published: July 2011

In this paper a three‐dimensional dispersive finite difference time domain based on the message passing interface architecture is applied for the full wave modeling of a metallic nanolens operating at optical frequencies. The subwavelength imaging potential of the nanodevice is thoroughly studied. The issue of symmetry in the nanolens is exploited, which is shown to have a direct result at the dynamic behavior of the nanolens.
Ocean‐generated magnetic field study based on satellite geomagnetic measurements: 1. An error reduction technique for gridded data
Authors: Golubev Yury
Published: July 2011

A data set of approximately 28 months of geomagnetic measurements, made by the CHAMP mission, is planned to study the ocean‐generated magnetic field. An obstacle for using these data is the large statistical error associated with data averaging in each grid point of the regular grid. The error is 102–103 times larger than the magnitude of the ocean‐generated signal. Here, a technique designed to reduce this error that is based on a solution of the Laplace (Helmholtz) equation, is proposed. The main idea behind the technique is that the magnetic potential in free space obeys the Laplace equation while, in general, the statistical error does not. The approach allows a reduction of the error in the gridded data over several orders of magnitude and makes the data useable for studying the ocean‐generated magnetic field. As a preliminary result for using the data for inferring the ocean‐generated magnetic field, the density function is introduced and computed. The function's plot demonstrates the presence of major large‐scale ocean current systems within the midlatitudes.