bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between plasma cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels and hemodynamic instability during liver transplantation
Authors: Bezinover Dmitri , Kadry Zakiyah , Uemura Tadahiro , Sharghi Michael , Mastro Andrea M. , Sosnoski Donna M. , Dalal Priti , Janicki Piotr K.
Published: November 2012

The activation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) has been associated with hemodynamic instability during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The aim of this prospective, observational study was to investigate the involvement of cGMP in the mediation of profound hypotension during liver graft reperfusion. An additional objective was to determine whether preoperative cGMP levels are associated with intraoperative hemodynamic instability. Forty-four consecutive patients undergoing OLT were included in the study. Blood samples for cGMP analysis were obtained from (1) the radial artery before the surgical incision; (2) the radial artery, portal vein, and flush blood during the anhepatic phase; and (3) the radial artery 20 minutes after liver graft reperfusion. On the basis of a statistical analysis, the patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (preoperative cGMP level ≥ 0.05 μmol/L) and group 2 (preoperative cGMP level < 0.05 μmol/L). We demonstrated a significant correlation between the preoperative levels of cGMP and the amount of catecholamine required to maintain hemodynamic stability during reperfusion (r = 0.52, P < 0.001), the length of the hospital stay (r = 0.38, P = 0.01), and the length of the intensive care unit (ICU) stay (r = 0.44, P = 0.004). We also demonstrated a significantly higher intraoperative catecholamine requirement (P < 0.001) and a prolonged postoperative ICU stay (P = 0.02) in group 1 patients versus group 2 patients. In conclusion, this study demonstrates increased baseline cGMP production in patients with ESLD, which is significantly associated with severe hypotension during OLT. We suggest that preoperative levels of cGMP correlate with hemodynamic instability during liver graft reperfusion. Liver Transpl 19:191–198, 2013. © 2012 AASLD.
Depletion of acidic phospholipids influences chromosomal replication in Escherichia coli
Authors: Fingland Nicholas , Flåtten Ingvild , Downey Christopher D. , Fossum‐Raunehaug Solveig , Skarstad Kirsten , Crooke Elliott
Published: November 2012

In Escherichia coli, coordinated activation and deactivation of DnaA allows for proper timing of the initiation of chromosomal synthesis at the origin of replication (oriC) and assures initiation occurs once per cell cycle. In vitro, acidic phospholipids reactivate DnaA, and in vivo depletion of acidic phospholipids, results in growth arrest. Growth can be restored by the expression of a mutant form of DnaA, DnaA(L366K), or by oriC‐independent DNA synthesis, suggesting acidic phospholipids are required for DnaA‐ and oriC‐dependent replication. We observe here that when acidic phospholipids were depleted, replication was inhibited with a concomitant reduction of chromosomal content and cell mass prior to growth arrest. This global shutdown of biosynthetic activity was independent of the stringent response. Restoration of acidic phospholipid synthesis resulted in a resumption of DNA replication prior to restored growth, indicating a possible cell‐cycle‐specific growth arrest had occurred with the earlier loss of acidic phospholipids. Flow cytometry, thymidine uptake, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction data suggest that a deficiency in acidic phospholipids prolonged the time required to replicate the chromosome. We also observed that regardless of the cellular content of acidic phospholipids, expression of mutant DnaA(L366K) altered the DNA content‐to‐cell mass ratio.
Fast direct fourier reconstruction of radial and PROPELLER MRI data using the chirp transform algorithm on graphics hardware
Authors: Feng Yanqiu , Song Yanli , Wang Cong , Xin Xuegang , Feng Qianjin , Chen Wufan
Published: November 2012

Purpose

To develop and test a new algorithm for fast direct Fourier transform (DrFT) reconstruction of MR data on non‐Cartesian trajectories composed of lines with equally spaced points.

Theory and Methods

The DrFT, which is normally used as a reference in evaluating the accuracy of other reconstruction methods, can reconstruct images directly from non‐Cartesian MR data without interpolation. However, DrFT reconstruction involves substantially intensive computation, which makes the DrFT impractical for clinical routine applications. In this article, the Chirp transform algorithm was introduced to accelerate the DrFT reconstruction of radial and Periodically Rotated Overlapping ParallEL Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction (PROPELLER) MRI data located on the trajectories that are composed of lines with equally spaced points. The performance of the proposed Chirp transform algorithm‐DrFT algorithm was evaluated by using simulation and in vivo MRI data.

Results

After implementing the algorithm on a graphics processing unit, the proposed Chirp transform algorithm‐DrFT algorithm achieved an acceleration of approximately one order of magnitude, and the speed‐up factor was further increased to approximately three orders of magnitude compared with the traditional single‐thread DrFT reconstruction.

Conclusion

Implementation the Chirp transform algorithm‐DrFT algorithm on the graphics processing unit can efficiently calculate the DrFT reconstruction of the radial and PROPELLER MRI data. Magn Reson Med, 70:1087–1094, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sociodemographic factors influencing the use of injections in South Korean outpatient care
Authors: Lee Iyn‐Hyang , Park Sylvia , Lee Eui‐Kyung
Published: November 2012

Purpose

This study explored the relationship between sociodemographic factors and injection utilization in South Korea.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cross‐sectional analysis using 2009 prescription claims for Korean National Health Insurance beneficiaries. We analyzed the utilization, costs, and proportion of injections in the insured market for oral‐injection dual‐dose‐form ingredients (DFIs). We included outpatients who were prescribed DFIs with no age limits. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate the predictive factors of injection use.

Results

Injections accounted for about 5% of outpatient utilization and costs of the study drugs. The odds of having injections were 1.3–1.6 times higher among those patients who are 70 years and older compared with those in the 20s, in smaller‐sized hospitals and clinics than that in larger, and among medical institutions in rural areas than those in the capital area. The odds of having injections were increased stepwise for the age groups of 30–69 years. Injections were more likely to be prescribed for systematic hormonal preparations and drugs for the musculoskeletal system.

Conclusions

The use of injections was higher among older groups, among smaller medical institutions, and among institutions in rural areas in Korean outpatient care. The difference between prescribing defined daily doses and prescribing rate for injections of the audit reports implies that Korean doctors prescribed injections often, but small doses for momentary effects in outpatient settings. Further studies are required to uncover the underlying causes of the high prevalence of injection use in older or rural populations and smaller institutions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Short‐wave radiances: comparison between SEVIRI and the Unified Model
Authors: Thelen Jean‐Claude , Edwards John M.
Published: November 2012

The radiation scheme in the Met Office Unified Model (UM) is extended to allow the calculation of short‐wave radiances. Comparisons between short‐wave reflectances simulated with the global forecasting configuration of the UM and observations from SEVIRI (Spin Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager) on board Meteosat 8 are presented. One of the main purposes for such a comparison is model validation, since it allows us to directly compare model and satellite reflectances, without having to make use of retrieval systems. Eliminating the retrieval algorithm has the advantage that we can be certain that any discrepancies between the modelled and the measured radiances are due to inaccuracies in the model, rather than differences in the assumptions made both in the model and the retrieval algorithm. In principle, this should allow us to detect weaknesses in the model parametrizations.

In particular, we compare the four short‐wave channels of SEVIRI to the corresponding radiance simulations obtained from the UM over oceanic regions. Generally good agreement between the simulated and observed reflectances was obtained in the visible channels, but greater disagreement was found in the NIR 1.6 and IR 3.9 channels, hinting at deficiencies in the model's representation of particle size. Sensitivity studies are carried out to explore these sensitivities.
The Harmattan over West Africa: nocturnal structure and frontogenesis
Authors: Burton R. R. , Devine G. M. , Parker D. J. , Chazette P. , Dixon N. , Flamant C. , Haywood J. M.
Published: November 2012

This article presents observations and model simulations of the low‐level nocturnal structure of the atmosphere over West Africa. The measurements are taken from the dry‐season Special Observing Period (SOP‐0) of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA), at Niamey, Niger, on 23 and 24 January 2006. During this time, mesoscale structures in the atmospheric aerosol loadings were observed. The available observations indicate that these mesoscale features at Niamey are consistent with the passage of gravity currents or bores in the northerly Harmattan winds.

Model simulations at resolutions down to 1 km indicate that the mesoscale structures are caused by nocturnal frontogenesis in the baroclinic zone to the south of the Sahara in the winter months. This frontogenesis is a continental‐scale phenomenon, which has significant implications for the uplift and transport of dust and biomass‐burning aerosols in the region. An accompanying frontogenetic feature appears further south in the model simulations, associated with the winter intertropical front. The frontogenesis is possibly linked with the development of structures showing characteristics of canonical mesoscale phenomena, including internal bores and gravity currents. Representation of these features in the UK Met Office Unified Model at different resolutions (from 12 km to 1 km) is discussed.
NWP model forecast skill optimization via closure parameter variations
Authors: Ollinaho Pirkka , Laine Marko , Solonen Antti , Haario Heikki , Järvinen Heikki
Published: November 2012

We apply a recently developed method, the Ensemble Prediction and Parameter Estimation System (EPPES), to demonstrate how numerical weather prediction (NWP) model closure parameters can be optimized. As proof of concept, we tune the medium‐range forecast skill of the ECMWF model HAMburg version (ECHAM5) atmospheric general circulation model using an ensemble prediction system (EPS) emulator. Initial state uncertainty is represented in the EPS emulator by applying the initial state perturbations generated at the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Model uncertainty is represented in the emulator via parameter variations at the initial time. We vary four closure parameters related to parametrizations of subgrid‐scale physical processes of clouds and precipitation. With this set‐up, we generate ensembles of 10‐day global forecasts with the ECHAM5 model at T42L31 resolution twice a day over a period of three months. The cost function in the optimization is formulated in terms of standard forecast skill scores, verified against the ECMWF operational analyses. A summarizing conclusion of the experiments is that the EPPES method is able to find ECHAM5 model closure parameter values that correspond to smaller values of the cost function. The forecast skill score improvements verify positively in dependent and independent samples. The main reason is the reduced temperature bias in the tropical lower troposphere. Moreover, the optimization improved the top‐of‐atmosphere radiation flux climatology of the ECHAM5 model, as verified against the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) radiation data over a 6‐year period, while the simulated tropical cloud cover was reduced, thereby increasing a negative bias as verified against the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data.
Small‐scale structure of radiation fog: a large‐eddy simulation study
Authors: Bergot Thierry
Published: November 2012

In order to study the small‐scale structure of radition fog, large‐eddy simulations (LESs) of a fog case are analysed. The LESs were performed at very high resolution –2 m in the horizontal and 1 m in the vertical. Despite uncertainties in the measurements, particularly for advection, the main characteristics of the fog layer were well captured by the model. Radiation fog forms in statically stable stratification near the ground. During the formation phase, small stripes occur in the middle of the fog layer, associated with a significant burst in the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). During the development phase, the dynamics of the fog layer change significantly. The maximum of the variance moves to the top of the fog layer where horizontal rolls appear clearly. These eddies have their centre near the mean top of the fog layer and have a depth corresponding to about one third of the fog layer height. This leads to a maximum of TKE at the top of fog, and to very strong scatter on the liquid water content. The energy is clearly produced at a length‐scale corresponding to the fog height. The turbulence is 3D homogeneous inside the fog layer, while it is better characterized by 2D turbulence near the top. During the dissipation phase, the radiative heating of the surface increases the convective structure of the fog. The dissipation of fog at ground level takes a long time (about 2 h), even if the soil conditions are homogeneous. The top of the stratus layer is homogeneous, while the spread of the base height reaches a value typical of the cloud thickness. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Tunnel passing maneuvers of prescribed formations
Authors: Sharma Bibhya , Vanualailai Jito , Singh Shonal
Published: November 2012

Tunnel passing is a pattern formation of multiple robots, an outcome of formation control which is the general problem of controlling a large number of robots required to move as a group. Tunnel passing deals with the task of driving a team of robots from arbitrary initial positions through a tunnel of given geometry. This paper proposes a decentralized planner that guarantees collision‐free tunnel passing maneuvers of a team of nonholonomic car‐like robots fixed in a prescribed formation, while considering all the practical limitations and constraints due to nonholonomy, tunnel geometry, and the formation specifications. Although solutions in literature are restricted to tunnels with linear segments, this paper introduces piecewise tunnel walls with straight and curved segments. The motion planner, derived from the Lyapunov‐based control scheme works within an overarching leader‐follower framework to generate either split/rejoin or expansion/contraction of the formation, as feasible solutions. Results from simulating virtual scenarios demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed nonlinear controllers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PI regulation for a class of bioreactors: stability and performance
Authors: Alvarez‐Ramirez Jose , Alvarez Jesus
Published: November 2012

Stability and performance features of linear PI compensation for continuous bioreactors are studied in this paper. First, it is established that conventional PI control can be represented as the combination of an I/O inverse dynamics feedback with a modeling error dynamic estimator. Then, the analysis of the closed‐loop dynamics carried out with singular perturbation tools shows that PI control can recover the stability and performance induced by exact I/O inverse dynamics feedback controller. The theoretical results are illustrated via a typical numerical example. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative biomarkers of human skin photoaging based on intrinsic second harmonic generation signal
Authors: Zhuo Shuangmu , Zhu Xiaoqin , Chen Jianxin , Xie Shusen
Published: November 2012

Collagen change is a major feature in the photoaged human skin. Here, we present the use of intrinsic second harmonic generation (SHG) signal as a novel means to quantify collagen change with photoaging. We obtain the SHG images of the superficial dermis from ex vivo the cheek skin and the abdomen skin of eight patients aged 55–60 years. The results show that SHG signal can quantitatively reveal collagen change between normal and photoaged human skin in three dimensions. By comparing normal with photoaged dermis, there are significant differences in the collagen content and fine structure, providing substantial potential to be applied in vivo for the clinical diagnosis of human skin photoaging. SCANNING 35: 273‐276, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Secure event signature protocol for peer‐to‐peer massive multiplayer online games using bilinear pairing
Authors: Yuan Wei , Hu Liang , Li Hongtu , Chu Jianfeng
Published: November 2012

With the development of the Internet, multiplayer online games are rapidly replacing the traditional single‐player games. The peer‐to‐peer architecture, which is suitable for massive multiplayer online games, is being considered as the replacement for traditional client–server architecture. Because the current solutions cannot prevent the cheating problems to gain unfair advantages in these games completely, we summarize the problems existing in some event signature protocols for peer‐to‐peer online games and propose a new secure event signature protocol. The security basis of the proposed protocol is the discrete logarithms and bilinear pairing. Our protocol provides higher security than some current protocols on secure event signature, although the efficiency of our protocol is lower than theirs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electron field emission of iron and cobalt‐doped DLC films fabricated by electrochemical deposition
Authors: Ling Xiaoming , Zhang Peizeng , Li Ruishan , Fan Duowang , Yao Xiaoming
Published: November 2012

Using a simple electrochemical depositing process, iron and cobalt‐doped diamond‐like carbon (DLC) films were deposited on Si (100) substrates. The results showed that metallic elements were inhomogeneously doped into highly cross‐linking amorphous carbon matrix, forming the typical nanocrystalline/amorphous nanocomposite structure, and simultaneously the microsturcture of amorphous carbon was changed by the doping of metals. Field emission performance showed that the incorporation of iron and cobalt effectively decreases the threshold field from 13.5 V/µm to 8.0 V/µm and 6.5 V/µm, respectively, and a highest current density of the Co‐DLC film was about 1.2 mA/cm2 at the electric field of 23.5 V/µm. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cumulative damage model of mid‐rise shear wall and its experimental verification
Authors: Zhang Pin‐le , Wen Pan , Zhong Tao
Published: November 2012

The study concentrated on investigating the relationship of the continuous cumulative damage, macroscopic deformation development and failure process of mid‐rise shear walls. Nonlinear fiber element model considering the effect of cumulative damage is proposed for evaluating the seismic performance of shear wall. Numerical analyses of shear wall specimens are carried out according to the proposed model to obtain the evolution of damage index of the shear wall. Experiments of six L‐shaped shear wall specimens subjected to reversed cyclic loading are carried out to verify the proposed model. Correlation of damage index and performance level is established, which provides good reference for the safety assessment of the structure under seismic type of loading. The model is efficient to evaluate the seismic performance of shear wall proved by the satisfactory agreement between analytical and experimental results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Survey of Husbandry Practices for Lorisid Primates in North American Zoos and Related Facilities
Authors: Fuller Grace , Kuhar Christopher W. , Dennis Patricia M. , Lukas Kristen E.
Published: November 2012

Zoos and related facilities in North America currently manage five species in the primate family Lorisidae: the greater (Nycticebus coucang), Bengal (N. bengalensis) and pygmy (N. pygmaeus) slow lorises, red slender loris (Loris tardigradus), and potto (Perodicticus potto). We used an online survey to describe institutional housing and husbandry practices for these species and assess the extent to which practices are consistent with established guidelines. Our results show that most captive lorisids are housed solitarily or in pairs. Most individuals occupy a single exhibit space in a building dedicated to nocturnal animals. Facilities are commonly meeting recommendations for abiotic exhibit design and are providing animals with an enriched environment. However, pottos and slender lorises currently occupy exhibit spaces smaller than the recommended minimum, and the impact of cleaning protocols on olfactory communication should be critically evaluated. Few facilities are taking advantage of the benefits of positive reinforcement training for promoting animal welfare. Research is greatly needed on the effects of exhibit lighting on behavior, health, and reproduction; and to determine how best to manage the social needs of lorisids with naturally dispersed social structures. Although captive populations of slender lorises, pottos, and slow lorises are declining, we suggest that improved husbandry knowledge has the potential to positively influence population sustainability and to enhance future efforts to manage the growing pygmy loris population. Zoo Biol. 32:88‐100, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Selective Hydrogenation of Soybean Oil on Copper Catalysts as a Tool Towards Improved Bioproducts
Authors: Trasarti A. F. , Segobia D. J. , Apesteguía C. R. , Santoro F. , Zaccheria F. , Ravasio N.
Published: November 2012

The liquid‐phase soybean oil hydrogenation was studied on silica‐supported Cu and ternary Cu–Zn–Al catalysts. Cu/SiO2 samples were prepared by incipient‐wetness impregnation (Cu/SiO2‐Imp) and chemisorption‐hydrolysis (Cu/SiO2‐CH), while two Cu–Zn–Al mixed oxides containing 8 (Cu(8)–Zn–Al) and 15 % Cu (Cu(15)–Zn–Al), respectively, were prepared by coprecipitation. Copper dispersion (DCu) was 23 % on Cu/SiO2‐CH, and this sample showed a high activity for soybean oil hydrogenation; in contrast, Cu/SiO2‐Imp was inactive, probably because Cu was poorly dispersed (DCu = 2 %). The oil hydrogenation activity on Cu(15)–Zn–Al (DCu = 9 %) was lower than on Cu/SiO2‐CH, while Cu(8)–Zn–Al (DCu = 23 %) was inactive. Citral hydrogenation used as a test reaction showed that the intrinsic Cu0 activity was not significantly changed by the kind of support or the catalyst preparation method. These latter results suggested that the observed differences in soybean oil hydrogenation may be explained as changes in accessibility of the triglyceride molecules to Cu active sites. In ternary Cu–Zn–Al samples, access to catalytic sites was hampered by the narrower pore structure of the catalyst. Copper exhibited unique properties for obtaining proper lubricants from soybean oil hydrogenation because selectively hydrogenated unsaturated linolenic (C18:3) and linoleic (C18:2) fatty acids to unsaturated oleic acid (C18:1) without forming saturated stearic acid (C18:0).
Full Characterisation of Crambe abyssinica Hochst. Seed Oil
Authors: Lalas Stavros , Gortzi Olga , Athanasiadis Vasilios , Dourtoglou Eftalia , Dourtoglou Vassilis
Published: November 2012

This work was dedicated to reporting the full chemical and physical characterisation of Crambe abyssinica Hochst. seed oil. The oil from the seeds was extracted using n‐hexane. The seeds contain about 30 % oil. Density, refractive index, colour, smoke point, viscosity, acidity, saponification value, iodine value, fatty acid methyl esters, the relative position of fatty acids in C1 and C3 carbon glycerol, sterols, tocopherols, peroxide value, at 232 nm, and the susceptibility to oxidation measured by the Rancimat method were determined. The oil was found to contain high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, especially C22:1 (63.77 %). The dominant saturated acid was C22:0 (2.14 %). The oil was also found to contain high levels of β‐sitosterol (51.93 %), campestanol (21.98 %), and brassicasterol (12.35 %). α‐, γ‐, and δ‐Tocopherols were detected up to levels of 7.67, 125.04, and 3.99 mg/kg, respectively. The induction period (at 110 °C and 20 l/h) of the oil was 8.83 h. The relative position of fatty acids in C1 and C3 position was as follows: linoleic 0.45 %, oleic 8.84 %, and erucic 90.72 %. The thermal profile of the oil presented a single peak at −20.94 °C.
Oil extraction from microalga Nannochloropsis sp. with isopropyl alcohol
Authors: Yao Linxing , Gerde Jose A. , Wang Tong
Published: November 2012

An efficient process for fractioning microalgae oil and non‐lipid biomass was developed. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was used to extract oil from Nannochloropsis sp. at 80 °C, leaving the majority of non‐lipid biomass in the solid fraction. The effectiveness of extraction with or without a dewatering pretreatment (DW) was compared. Effects of dewatering time and solvent ratio, IPA concentration, IPA refluxing time, and sonication pretreatment on the oil and biomass yields were studied. The dewatering conditions with a high water‐to‐alcohol ratio (W/A = 2:1) and mild mixing (1 min gentle shaking) had 14 % less oil loss in the DW fraction than that with a low water‐to‐alcohol ratio (W/A = 1:1) and vigorous mixing (30 min and 300 rpm mixing). Sonication resulted in 14–26 % more oil loss in the DW fraction when compared to intact cell treatment. Without dewatering, 85 % of the total oil from intact cells was extracted by a single extraction using 70 % (wt) IPA aqueous solution. The 88 and 95 % IPA treatments extracted similar percentages of oil to that of the 70 % IPA, but used two‐ and fivefold more solvent. The amount of oil extracted from broken cells increased with increasing IPA concentrations. An effective extraction can be completed in 30 min. On a 100‐g (wet matter) scale, the 70 % IPA achieved 92 % oil yield and 93 % non‐lipid biomass yield.
Oil, Fatty Acid Profile and Karanjin Content in Developing Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre Seeds
Authors: Pavithra H. R. , Gowda Balakrishna , Rajesh Kumar K. , Prasanna K. T. , Shivanna M. B.
Published: November 2012

Oil content, fatty acid composition and karanjin content were studied in developing pongamia seeds, at intervals of 3 weeks from 30 weeks after flowering up to 42 weeks. Three marked stages in seed development were observed at the early green pod stage, the middle half brown stage and the late dark brown stage. Significant variation in seed biomass, pod and seed characteristics were observed. A significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the moisture content of the seeds was observed during seed development. The oil content gradually increased from 32.06 to 36.53 % as the seed matured. A significant variation in fatty acid composition was detected across all stages of seed development. Palmitic acid (16:0) content marginally decreased from 11.81 to 10.18 %, while stearic acid (18:0) and linolenic acid (18:3) remained constant at all stages of seed maturity. A steady increase in oleic acid (18:1) content from 38.11 to 49.11 % was observed, while the linoleic acid (18:2) content decreased from 30.14 to 18.85 %. The iodine value increased, while the saponification number of oil decreased during seed development. The increase in karanjin content was steady. Seeds harvested after 42 week after flowering yielded the maximum oil with high oleic acid content which could be suitable for biodiesel production.
Ende des regionalen Experiments? Eine Bilanz der Reform des englischen Planungssystems unter New Labour
Authors: Grohs Stephan
Published: November 2012

The English planning system underwent a series of remarkable reforms under the New Labour governments between 1997–2010. After the hollowing out of planning functions under the previous conservative governments, planning regained a new significance on the political agenda. First, there was a turn from the traditional paradigm of land-use-planning to a more strategically oriented Spatial Planning approach. Second, the institutional landscape was subjected to a far-reaching reallocation of competences between the local and the revalued regional level. The article resumes this process which was stopped abruptly after the change in government of 2010. It analyzes the implementation of the reforms drawing on two in depth case studies. An evaluation of the reforms identifies the strengths and also the obstacles of the far-reaching transformation in the highly politicized English planning landscape. A discussion of the future of planning after the preliminary end of the regional experiment concludes this article.
Improving Alzheimer's disease phase II clinical trials
Authors: Greenberg Barry D. , Carrillo Maria C. , Ryan J. Michael , Gold Michael , Gallagher Kim , Grundman Michael , Berman Robert M. , Ashwood Timothy , Siemers Eric R.
Published: November 2012

Over the past 30 years, many drugs have been studied as possible treatments for Alzheimer's disease, but only four have demonstrated sufficient efficacy to be approved as treatments, of which three are in the same class. This lack of success has raised questions both in the pharmaceutical industry and academia about the future of Alzheimer's disease therapy. The high cost and low success rate of drug development across many disease areas can be attributed, in large part, to late‐stage clinical failures (Schachter and Ramoni, Nat Rev Drug Discov 2007;6:107–8). Thus, identifying in phase II, or preferably phase I, drugs that are likely to fail would have a dramatic impact on the costs associated with developing new drugs. With this in mind, the Alzheimer's Association convened a Research Roundtable on June 23 and 24, 2011, in Washington, DC, bringing together scientists from academia, industry, and government regulatory agencies to discuss strategies for improving the probability of phase II trial results predicting success when considering the go/no‐go decision‐making process leading to the initiation of phase III.
Amyloid imaging and cognitive decline in nondemented oldest‐old: The 90+ Study
Authors: Kawas Claudia H. , Greenia Dana E. , Bullain Szofia S. , Clark Christopher M. , Pontecorvo Michael J. , Joshi Abhinay D. , Corrada María M.
Published: November 2012

Background

The goal of this study was to examine cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between cognitive performance and beta amyloid (Aβ) load determined by florbetapir F18 positron emission tomography (PET) in nondemented oldest‐old.

Methods

Thirteen nondemented (normal or cognitively impaired nondemented) participants (median age, 94.2 years) from The 90+ Study underwent florbetapir‐PET scanning within 3 months of baseline neuropsychological testing. Amyloid load was measured with a semi‐automated quantitative analysis of average cortical‐to‐cerebellar standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr) and a visual interpretation (Aβ– or Aβ+). Neuropsychological testing was repeated every 6 months.

Results

At baseline, SUVr correlated significantly with tests of global cognition and memory. During follow‐up (median, 1.5 years), the Aβ+ group had steeper declines on most cognitive tests, particularly global cognitive measures.

Conclusion

This preliminary study suggests that greater amyloid load is associated with poorer cognition and faster cognitive decline in nondemented oldest‐old. Amyloid load may identify individuals at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Dual inhibition of Janus and Src family kinases by novel indirubin derivative blocks constitutively‐activated Stat3 signaling associated with apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer cells
Authors: Nam Sangkil , Wen Wei , Schroeder Anne , Herrmann Andreas , Yu Hua , Cheng Xinlai , Merz Karl-Heinz , Eisenbrand Gerhard , Li Hongzhi , Yuan Yate-Ching , Jove Richard
Published: November 2012

Constitutively‐activated JAK/Stat3 or Src/Stat3 signaling plays a crucial role in tumor cell survival, proliferation, angiogenesis and immune suppression. Activated JAK/Stat3 or Src/Stat3 has been validated as a promising molecular target for cancer therapy. However, prolonged inhibition of Src family kinases (SFKs) leads to reactivation of signal transducer and activator of transcript 3 (Stat3) and tumor cell survival through altered JAK/Stat3 interaction. This compensatory feedback suggests that dual inhibition of Janus kinases (JAKs) and SFKs might be a promising strategy for targeting downstream Stat3 signaling in the clinic. In this study, we identify that the natural product derivative E738 is a novel dual inhibitor of JAKs and SFKs. The IC50 values of E738 against recombinant JAKs and SFKs in vitro are in the ranges of 0.7–74.1 nM and 10.7–263.9 nM, respectively. We observed that phosphorylation of both Jak2 and Src was substantially inhibited in the submicromolar range by E738 in cultured human pancreatic tumor cells, followed by blockade of downstream Stat3 activation. E738 down‐regulated expression of the Stat3 target proteins Mcl‐1 and survivin, associated with induction of apoptosis. Computational models and molecular dynamics simulations of E738/Tyk2 or E738/Src in silico suggest that E738 inhibits both tyrosine kinase 2 (Tyk2) and Src as an ATP‐competitive ligand. Moreover, the planar E738 molecule demonstrates a strong binding affinity in the compact ATP‐binding site of Tyk2. In sum, E738 is the first dual inhibitor of JAKs and SFKs, followed by inhibition of Stat3 signaling. Thus, according to in vitro experiments, E738 is a promising new therapeutic agent for human pancreatic cancer treatment by blocking both oncogenic pathways simultaneously.
Time–space relationships among structural and metamorphic aureoles related to granite emplacement: a case study from the Serre Massif (southern Italy)
Authors: FESTA VINCENZO , CAGGIANELLI ALFREDO , LANGONE ANTONIO , PROSSER GIACOMO
Published: November 2012

Tectonic and thermal perturbations, related to emplacement of granodiorite in the upper continental crust, have been investigated in the late-Hercynian basement exposed in southern Calabria (Italy). Here, the structural aureole is marked by the presence of a major rim fold adjacent to the intrusive contact for a length of at least 20 km. Geometrical analysis of the structural aureole and related foliations, lineations and crenulations reveals that the perturbed zone is at least 3000 m wide and characterized by an open synform trending nearly parallel to the intrusive contact. This pattern is compatible with a laccolith-like mode of magma emplacement, related to the accretion of the pluton that shouldered weak phyllitic and slaty wall rocks. The metamorphic aureole, about 1800 m wide, is characterized by biotite, cordierite and andalusite that appear sequentially in spotted schists and hornfelses approaching the intrusive contact. The peak assemblage equilibrated between 535 and 590°C at pressures between 175 and 200 MPa, confirmed by Al-in-hornblende barometry on granodiorite. Microstructural analysis allowed the inference of a time lag between the thermal and tectonic perturbations. With the aid of thermal modelling it was possible to quantify the time required to reach the peak temperature at a distance from the intrusive contact where cordierite spots and andalusite porphyroblasts clearly overprint crenulations. This estimate represents the time limit to accomplish deformation in the inner portion of the aureole and thus indicates a minimum strain rate of 4 × 10−14s−1within the country rocks during granodiorite intrusion.
Diocesan Licensing and Medical Practitioners in South-West England, 1660–1780
Authors: Mortimer Ian
Published: November 2012

The licensing of provincial surgeons and physicians in the post-Restoration period has proved an awkward subject for medical historians. It has divided writers between those who regard the possession of a local licence as a mark of professionalism or proficiency, those who see the existence of diocesan licences as a mark of an essentially unregulated and decentralized trade, and those who discount the distinction of licensing in assessing medical expertise availability in a given region. Such a diversity of interpretations has meant that the very descriptors by which practitioners were known to their contemporaries (and are referred to by historians) have become fragmented and difficult to use without a specific context. As David Harley has pointed out in his study of licensed physicians in the north-west of England, “historians often define eighteenth-century physicians as men with medical degrees, thus ignoring … the many licensed physicians throughout the country”. One could similarly draw attention to the inadequacy of the word “surgeon” to cover licensed and unlicensed practitioners, barber-surgeons, Company members in towns, self-taught practitioners using surgical manuals, and procedural specialists whose work came under the umbrella of surgery, such as bonesetters, midwives and phlebotomists. Although such fragmentation of meaning reflects a diversity of practices carried on under the same occupational descriptors in early modern England, the result is an imprecise historical literature in which the importance of licensing, and especially local licensing, is either ignored as a delimiter or viewed as an inaccurate gauge of medical proficiency.
A Pauper Dead-House: The Expansion of the Cambridge Anatomical Teaching School under the late-Victorian Poor Law, 1870–1914
Authors: Hurren Elizabeth T
Published: November 2012

In May 1901 an article appeared in the Yarmouth Advertiser and Gazette entitled ‘Alleged Traffic in Pauper Corpses—How the Medical Schools are Supplied—The Shadow of a Scandal’. It recounted that, although a pauper named Frank Hyde aged fifty had died in Yarmouth workhouse on 11 April 1901, his body was missing from the local cemetery. The case caused a public outcry because the workhouse death register stated that Hyde had been “buried by friends” in the parish five days after he had died. An editorial alleged that “the body was sent to Cambridge for dissection” instead and that the workhouse Master's clerk profited 15 shillings from the cadaver's sale. Following continued bad publicity, the visiting committee of Yarmouth Union investigated the allegations. They discovered that between 1880 and 1901 “26 bodies” had been sold for dissection and dismemberment under the terms of the Anatomy Act (1832) to the Cambridge anatomical teaching school situated at Downing College. The Master's clerk staged a false funeral each time a pauper died in his care. He arranged it so that “coffins were buried containing sand or sawdust or other ingredients but the body of the person whose name appeared on the outside [emphasis in original]” of each coffin never reached the grave. This was Hyde's fate too. Like many paupers who died in the care of Poor Law authorities in the nineteenth century, Hyde's friends and relatives lacked resources to fund his funeral expenses. Consequently, he underwent the ignominy of a pauper burial, but not in Yarmouth. His body was conveyed on the Great Eastern railway in a “death-box” to Cambridge anatomical teaching school. Following preservation, which took around four months, the cadaver was dissected and dismembered. It was interred eleven months after death in St Benedict's parish graveyard within Mill Road cemetery, Cambridge, on 8 March 1902. A basic Christian service was conducted by John Lane of the anatomy school before burial in a pauper grave containing a total of six bodies. The plot was unmarked and Frank Hyde disappeared from Poor Law records—the end product of pauperism.
Professionalism and the Boundaries of Control: Pharmacists, Physicians and Dangerous Substances in Canada, 1840–1908
Authors: Malleck Daniel J
Published: November 2012

In the drive for the consolidation of professional authority, physicians in the nineteenth century sought to exert control over all associated occupations, and weaken the influence of competitors. Many historians have chronicled this process, as doctors and their associations sought to proscribe or eliminate competitors such as homeopaths, eclectics, chiropractors and Thomsonians. Others have explored how physicians sought to subjugate allied occupations such as nursing, radiation technology and physical therapy. Such studies consider power struggles in two contexts. First, doctors could and wanted to function without the interference of others in the health industry. Second, doctors sought to enforce a power structure that placed them at the top with all the other health care occupations beneath them, dependent upon the activities of the physicians to maintain their livelihoods. In both contexts, external factors and internal exigencies shaped the future identity of all occupational groups.
The Officiers de Santé of the French Revolution: A Case Study in the Changing Language of Medicine
Authors: Crosland Maurice
Published: November 2012

The revolutionary period in France was a time of great turmoil. It affected all aspects of society including medicine. One feature which has received some attention is the concomitant change in language. The adoption of the general term officier de santé (literally “health officer”) to denote all those practising medicine at the time provides a particularly interesting example, which has never been properly studied. The distinguished French historian of medicine, Jean-Charles Sournia, has said that the term deserves special attention, but he devotes no more than half a page to it.
A Commentary on the History of Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Twentieth-Century Germany, Holland and Great Britain
Authors: Neve Michael
Published: November 2012

The detailed essays in this special issue of Medical History provide an opportunity for reflection on common themes as well as on differing medical and historical contexts, specifically examining the organization and practice of European social psychiatry, its various definitions, as well as the history of psychotherapy, in twentieth-century Germany, Holland and Great Britain. The chance has also arisen for one of the two guest editors to comment briefly on various other points that seem pertinent, by way of brief introduction. His fellow guest editor, Harry Oosterhuis, is the author of one essay and co-author of another.
The Effects of the 1918–1919 Influenza Pandemic on Infant and Child Health in Derbyshire
Authors: Reid Alice
Published: November 2012

In early 1919 my father, not yet demobilized, came on one of his regular, probably irregular, furloughs to Carisbrook Street to find both my mother and sister dead. The Spanish Influenza pandemic had struck Harpurhey. There was no doubt of the existence of a God: only the supreme being could contrive so brilliant an afterpiece to four years of unprecedented suffering and devastation. I apparently, was chuckling in my cot while my mother and sister lay dead on a bed in the same room.
War Syndromes: The Impact of Culture on Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Authors: Jones Edgar , Wessely Simon
Published: November 2012

The general principle that the experience of combat damages servicemen's long-term physical and mental health is recognized. However, controversy has raged over the nature of particular post-combat disorders such as shell shock, disordered action of the heart (DAH), effort syndrome, effects of Agent Orange and, not least, Gulf War syndrome. We, among many others, have argued that they should be classified as functional syndromes characterized by medically unexplained symptoms, which include: fatigue, weakness, sleep difficulties, headache, muscle ache and joint pain, problems with memory, attention and concentration, nausea and other gastro-intestinal symptoms, anxiety, depression, irritability, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, sore throat and dry mouth. Despite popular claims to the contrary, no simple biomedical aetiology has been discovered to account for these disorders, hence the term “medically unexplained”. Furthermore, they are not easily interpreted using accepted psychiatric classifications. Without demonstrable organic cause, war syndromes have attracted diverse causal explanations, ranging from pressure on the arteries of the chest, constitutional inferiority, toxic exposure, bacterial infection to microscopic cerebral haemorrhage.
Cooking up Fine Remedies: On the Culinary Aesthetic in a Sixteenth-Century Chinese Materia Medica
Authors: Lo Vivienne , Barrett Penelope
Published: November 2012

Flesh of the Quail

Sweet, bland, non-poisonous.

Not to be eaten before the month of May, eaten with pig's liver it will cause blackheads, with mushrooms one develops haemorrhoids.

A visceral tonic and vitalizer. Makes the bones and muscles strong and able to endure cold and heat. It relieves inflammation. With ginger and red mung bean it cures diarrhoea and dysentery. Fried in cream it is fattening to the belly, but it is good for reducing the abdomen swollen on account of water retention. For the chronic disorders of children.
Putting Theory into Practice: James Black, Receptor Theory and the Development of the Beta-Blockers at ICI, 1958–1978
Authors: Quirke Viviane
Published: November 2012

The concept of drug receptors has played a significant role in the biomedical sciences and in pharmaceutical innovation in the second half of the twentieth century. Although the concept dates back to the work of the German bacteriologist and immunologist Paul Ehrlich and of the British physiologist John Newport Langley at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, its acceptance was delayed because of conflicting ideas about drug action, and because of uncertainties and hesitations about the concept itself.
An eighteenth-century case history: Carlisle Spedding 1738
Authors: Beckett J. V.
Published: November 2012

Carlisle Spedding was principal colliery steward to the Lowther family from about 1730 until his death in 1755. He was responsible for their mining interests, centred on Whitehaven in West Cumberland. His work frequently took him underground, where he was exposed to the inflammable gases found in mines. Ventilation methods were still primitive, and as a result of his exposure Spedding was frequently ill. A case history of his indisposition in 1738 has survived. This was the work of the Leyden-trained chemist and physician, Dr. William Brownrigg, and it reveals some of the symptoms encountered and remedies proposed for one particularly severe bout of illness.
The Peckham Health Centre, “PEP”, and the concept of general practice during the 1930s and 1940s
Authors: Lewis Jane , Brookes Barbara
Published: November 2012

This paper documents the proposals put forward by George Scott Williamson and Innes Pearse, founders of the Peckham Health Centre and members of the Political and Economic Planning (PEP) Health Group, to enhance the role and status of the general practitioner (GP). Their ideas are significant in terms of their understanding of the threat that specialism posed to general practice and of the problems of control and finance raised by reform. Their solution - the establishment of GP therapeutic centres or cells - is located in terms of their own ideas regarding health and medical practice and is compared with the other major proposal for group practice in health centres, which emanated from the Dawson Committee in 1920. Finally, the paper provides some suggestions as to the reason for their failure.