bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of In Vitro Drug Release Test Methods for Nano-Sized Dosage Forms
Authors: D’Souza Susan
Published: November 2014

This review summarizes the methods used to study real-time (37°C) drug release from nanoparticulate drug delivery systems and establish an IVIVC. Since no compendial standards exist, drug release is currently assessed using a variety of methods including sample and separate (SS), continuous flow (CF), dialysis membrane (DM) methods, and a combination thereof, as well as novel techniques like voltametry and turbidimetry. This review describes the principle of each method along with their advantages and disadvantages, including challenges with set-up and sampling. The SS method allows direct measurement of drug release with simple set-up requirements, but sampling is cumbersome. With the CF method, sampling is straightforward but the set-up is time consuming. Set-up as well as sampling is easier with the DM, but it may not be suitable for drugs that bind to the membrane. Novel methods offer the possibility of real-time drug release measurement but may be restricted to certain types of drugs. Of these methods, Level A IVIVCs have been obtained with dialysis, alone or in combination with the sample and separate technique. Future efforts should focus on developing mathematical models that describe drug release mechanisms as well as facilitate formulation development of nano-sized dosage forms.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Screening of Novel 4-Substituted Phenyl-5-[1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-yl]-2H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones
Authors: Bhandari Namratha , Gaonkar Santosh L.
Published: November 2014

The paper describes a convenient method for the preparation of 4-substituted phenyl-5-[1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-5-yl]-2H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones. The structures of the synthesized compounds are established by the results of LCMS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and IR and elemental analyses. The mercaptotriazoles are indicated to be in thione form by 1H NMR spectra. All the synthesized compounds have been screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities. Compounds 12d and 12h exhibit encouraging results, while the remaining compounds show moderate activities. On the basis of spectral studies, formation of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles from the isobenzofuran acyl thiosemicarbazides 11(a–h) is ruled out.
Urinaryβ2-Microglobulin Is a Good Indicator of Proximal Tubule Injury: A Correlative Study with Renal Biopsies
Authors: Zeng Xu , Hossain Deloar , Bostwick David G. , Herrera Guillermo A. , Zhang Ping L.
Published: November 2014

Objective. After filtration through glomeruli,β2-microglobulin is reabsorbed in proximal tubules. Increased urinaryβ2-microglobulin indicates proximal tubule injury and measurement ofβ2-microglobulin in urine is useful to determine the source of renal injury. Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) has been characterized as a selective proximal tubule injury marker. This study was designed to evaluate the correlation of urinaryβ2-microglobulin concentration and KIM-1 expression as evidence of proximal tubule injury.Methods. Between 2009 and 2012, 46 patients with urineβ2-microglobulin (RenalVysion) had follow-up kidney biopsy. Diagnoses included glomerular and tubule-interstitial disease. Immunohistochemical staining for KIM-1 was performed and the intensity was graded from 0 to 3+. Linear regression analysis was applied to correlate the values of urinaryβ2-microglobulin and KIM-1 staining scores.P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results. Thirty patients had elevated urinaryβ2-microglobulin. KIM-1 staining was positive in 35 kidney biopsies. There was a significant correlation between urinaryβ2-microglobulin and KIM-1 staining (P< 0.05). Sensitivity was 86.6%, specificity was 43.7%, positive predictive value was 74.2%, and negative predictive value was 63.6%.Conclusion. Increased urinaryβ2-microglobulin is significantly correlated with KIM-1 staining in injured proximal tubules. Measurement of urineβ2-microglobulin is a sensitive assay for proximal tubule injury.
On One 2-Valued Transformation: Its Invariant Measure and Application to Masked Dynamical Systems
Authors: Troshin P. I.
Published: November 2014

We consider one familySof 2-valued transformations on the interval [0, 1] with measureμ, endowed with a set of weight functions. We construct invariant measureμS=μfor this multivalued dynamical system with weights and show the interplay between such systems and masked dynamical systems, which leads to image processing.
Experimental Investigation of Thermal Characteristics of Kiwira Coal Waste with Rice Husk Blends for Gasification
Authors: Kazawadi Deodatus , John Geoffrey R. , King’ondu Cecil K.
Published: November 2014

Eminent depletion of fossil fuels and environmental pollution are the key forces driving the implementation cofiring of fossil fuels and biomass. Cogasification as a technology is known to have advantages of low cost, high energy recovery, and environmental friendliness. The performance/efficiency of this energy recovery process substantially depends on thermal properties of the fuel. This paper presents experimental study of thermal behavior of Kiwira coal waste/rice husks blends. Compositions of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% weight percentage rice husk were studied using thermogravimetric analyzer at the heating rate of 10 K/min to 1273 K. Specifically, degradation rate, conversion rate, and kinetic parameters have been studied. Thermal stability of coal waste was found to be higher than that of rice husks. In addition, thermal stability of coal waste/rice husk blend was found to decrease with an increase of rice husks. In contrast, both the degradation and devolatilization rates increased with the amount of rice husk. On the other hand, the activation energy dramatically reduced from 131 kJ/mol at 0% rice husks to 75 kJ/mol at 100% rice husks. The reduction of activation energy is advantageous as it can be used to design efficient performance and cost effective cogasification process.
Synthesis, Physicochemical Properties, and Antimicrobial Studies of Iron (III) Complexes of Ciprofloxacin, Cloxacillin, and Amoxicillin
Authors: Eze Fabian I. , Ajali Uzoechi , Ukoha Pius O.
Published: November 2014

Iron (III) complexes of ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, and cloxacillin were synthesized and their aqueous solubility profiles, relative stabilities, and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. The complexes showed improved aqueous solubility when compared to the corresponding ligands. Relative thermal and acid stabilities were determined spectrophotometrically and the results showed that the complexes have enhanced thermal and acid stabilities when compared to the pure ligands. Antimicrobial studies showed that the complexes have decreased activities against most of the tested microorganisms. Ciprofloxacin complex, however, showed almost the same activity as the corresponding ligand. Job’s method of continuous variation suggested 1 : 2 metals to ligand stoichiometry for ciprofloxacin complex but 1 : 1 for cloxacillin complex.
Familial Pancreatic Cancer: The Case for Prophylactic Pancreatectomy in Lieu of Serial Screening and Shared Decision Making
Authors: Iskandar Mazen E. , Wayne Michael G. , Steele Justin G. , Cooperman Avram M.
Published: November 2014

At-risk family members with familial pancreatic cancer (FCaP) face uncertainty regarding the individual risk of developing pancreatic cancer (CaP) and whether to choose serial screening or prophylactic pancreatectomy to avoid CaP. We treated 2 at-risk siblings with a history of FCaP, congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF), and jaundice secondary to a bile duct stricture. In one, a pancreaticoduodenal resection was done and in the second a total pancreatectomy. Malignancy was not present, but extensive pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIn) 2 was present throughout both pancreata. The clinical course and literature review are presented along with the previously unreported association of CHF and CaP.
A Case of Odontogenic Infection byStreptococcus constellatusLeading to Systemic Infection in a Cogan’s Syndrome Patient
Authors: Abe Masanobu , Mori Yoshiyuki , Inaki Ryoko , Ohata Yae , Abe Takahiro , Saijo Hideto , Ohkubo Kazumi , Hoshi Kazuto , Takato Tsuyoshi
Published: November 2014

Odontogenic infection in immunocompromised patients tends to extend systemically beyond the oral cavity. Our case report presents a patient with sepsis due to aStreptococcus constellatus(S. constellatus) odontogenic infection in a 64-year-old-immunocompromised woman with Cogan’s syndrome. She had been suffering from chronic mandibular osteomyelitis which was thought to have been caused by dental caries and/or chronic periodontitis with furcation involvement of the left mandibular first molar. We suspect that the acute symptoms of the chronic osteomyelitis due toS. constellatusled to the systemic infection. This infection could be accelerated by the use of a corticosteroid and an alendronate. This is the first report which represents the potential association between odontogenic infection and Cogan’s syndrome.
On the Projective Description of Weighted (LF)-Spaces of Continuous Functions
Authors: Komarchuk Catherine V. , Melikhov Sergej N.
Published: November 2014

We solve the problem of the topological or algebraic description of countable inductive limits of weighted Fréchet spaces of continuous functions on a cone. This problem is investigated for two families of weights defined by positively homogeneous functions. Weights of this form play the important role in Fourier analysis.
The Inherent Premise of Immunotherapy for Cancer Dormancy
Authors: Manjili Masoud H.
Published: November 2014

Clinical cancer dormancy is evident from the detection of circulating tumor cells in the blood and tissue-residing disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow of cancer survivors who have been clinically disease free. Emerging evidence from clinical and preclinical studies suggests that tumor dormancy is a critical step in the development of both primary cancer and advanced-stage disease. In this review, it is shown that (i) naturally occurring tumor dormancy precedes occurrence of primary cancer, and (ii) conventional cancer therapies result in treatment-induced tumor dormancy, which in turn could lead to distant recurrence of cancer or permanent tumor dormancy, depending on immunogenic status of dormancy. Given that cellular dormancy is an evolutionary conserved survival mechanism in biologic systems, any stress or cytotoxic therapy could trigger cellular dormancy. Therefore, a successful cancer therapy is likely to be achieved by establishing permanent tumor dormancy and preventing distant recurrence of cancer or by eliminating dormant tumor cells. This could be accomplished by cancer immunotherapy because of the establishment of long-term memory responses. Cancer Res; 74(23); 6745–9. ©2014 AACR.
Viruses and Pemphigus: An Intriguing Never-Ending Story
Authors: Ruocco Eleonora , Ruocco Vincenzo , Lo Schiavo Ada , Brunetti Giampiero , Wolf Ronni
Published: November 2014

Virus infections and autoimmunity have long been linked. As to pemphigus, many studies have been directed to prove or rule out the possibility of viral induction. Herpesviruses have often been related to the onset or reactivation of pemphigus. The association may be (i) casual, (ii) due to the iatrogenic immunosuppression facilitating opportunistic viral infections or (iii) based on a pathogenic link between the viral presence and the host's dysregulated immune response leading to autoimmunity. Japanese researchers, using real-time polymerase chain reaction, lately detected herpes simplex virus DNA in the saliva from pemphigus patients at the earliest stage of the disease and with no signs or history of herpetic infection, thus confirming the possible existence of cases of pemphigus induced by herpesviruses. These selected cases could be included into the innovative concept of ‘paraviral eruptions', where an inciting role for induction may be played by the concomitant intake of certain drugs.
Retinoic Acid Receptor-β Gene Reexpression and Biological Activity in SHI-1 Cells after Combined Treatment with 5-Aza-2′-Deoxycytidine and All-Trans Retinoic Acid
Authors: Xiang Lili , Wang Rong , Wei Jiang , Qiu Guoqiang , Cen Jiannong , Hu Shaoyan , Xie Xiaobao , Chen Zixing , Gu Weiying
Published: November 2014

Background: This study was conducted to determine the antineoplastic activities of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (decitabine; DAC) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), administered either alone or in combination, on in vitro cultured SHI-1 cells as well as their effects on the expression of the tumor suppressor gene p16INK4a (p16) and the retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-β. Methods: Cell growth inhibition, differentiation and apoptosis were determined in SHI-1 cells treated with DAC and/or ATRA, and the combination index of the two compounds was calculated. Methylation of the p16 and RAR-β genes in SHI-1 cells was detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of the p16 and RAR-β genes, and Western blot analysis was performed for protein expression. Results: The drug combination had a synergistic effect on growth inhibition, differentiation and apoptosis of SHI-1 cells, and the effects of DAC and ATRA were dependent on time. DAC, either alone or in combination with ATRA, induced demethylation of the genes p16 and RAR-β, whereas ATRA alone had no effect on methylation. The RAR-β gene was reexpressed following DAC-ATRA combination treatment, and both agents had no effect on p16 expression. Conclusion: The results revealed that DAC used in combination with ATRA has significant clinical potential in the treatment of acute monocytic leukemia. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
Validation of a Structured Interview for Telephone Assessment of the Modified Rankin Scale in Brazilian Stroke Patients
Authors: Baggio Jussara A.O. , Santos-Pontelli Taiza E.G. , Cougo-Pinto Pedro T. , Camilo Millene , Silva Nathalia F. , Antunes Paula , Machado Laura , Leite João P. , Pontes-Neto Octavio M.
Published: November 2014

Background: The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) is a commonly used scale to assess the functional outcome after stroke. Several studies on mRS showed good reliability, feasibility, and interrater agreement of this scale using a face-to-face assessment. However, telephone assessment is a more time-efficient way to obtain an mRS grade than a face-to-face interview. The aim of this study was to validate the telephone assessment of mRS among the Portuguese using a structured interview in a sample of Brazilian stroke patients. Methods: We evaluated 50 stroke outpatients twice. The first interview was face-to-face and the second was made by telephone and the time between the two assessments ranged between 7 and 14 days. Four certified raters evaluated the patients using a structured interview based on a questionnaire previously published in the literature. Raters were blinded for the Rankin score given by the other rater. For both assessments, the rater could also interview a caregiver if necessary. Results: The patients' mean age was 62.8 ± 14.7, mean number of years of study 5.2 ± 3.4, 52% were males, 55.2% of patients needed a caregiver's help to answer the questions. The majority of caregivers were female (85%), mean age 49.1 ± 15, and mean number of years of study 8.3 ± 3.4. Perfect agreement between the telephone and face-to-face assessments was obtained for 27 (54%) patients, corresponding to an unweighted Kappa of 0.44 (95% CI 0.27-0.61) and a weighted Kappa of 0.89. The median of telephone assessment mRS was 3.5 (interquartile range = 2-4) and of face-to-face assessment was 4 (interquartile range = 2-5). There was no difference between the two assessments (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.35). Conclusions: Despite the low education level of our sample, the telephone assessment of functional impairment of stroke patients using a translated and culturally adapted Brazilian Portuguese version of the mRS showed good validity and reliability. Therefore, the telephone assessment of mRS can be used in clinical practice and scientific studies in Brazil.
LDL Cholesterol Affects Clinical Outcomes in Incident Hemodialysis Patients During the Early Stages of Dialysis
Authors: Kim Chan Ho , Kim Seung Jun , Lee Mi Jung , Kwon Young Eun , Kim Yung Ly , Park Kyoung Sook , Ryu Han Jak , Oh Hyung Jung , Han Seung Hyeok , Yoo Tae-Hyun , Kim Yong-Lim , Kim Yon Su , Yang Chul Woo , Kim Nam-Ho , Kang Shin-Wook , Park Jung Tak
Published: November 2014

Background/Aims: Using a cohort of incident hemodialysis (HD) patients, this study investigated the impact of lipid profiles on clinical outcomes, especially in the early period of dialysis. Methods: A prospective cohort of 867 incident HD patients was selected. In order to determine the impact of cholesterol level on primary outcome, Cox regression analyses were performed for LDL and non-HDL (NHDL) variables. Results: Univariate analysis revealed an increase in primary outcome risk with an LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dl or higher compared to an LDL cholesterol level lower than 100 mg/dl. High LDL cholesterol remained a significant independent predictor of the composite outcome, even after adjusting for age, gender, diabetes mellitus, preexisting CV disease, albumin, and hs-CRP. Conclusion: Serum LDL cholesterol at the time of HD commencement was a significant independent risk factor for the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and CV events in incident HD patients during the early stages of dialysis. i 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
The Distribution of Doublecortin-Immunopositive Cells in the Brains of Four Afrotherian Mammals: the Hottentot Golden Mole (Amblysomus hottentotus), the Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis), the Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephantulus myurus) and the Four-Toed Sengi (Petrodromus tetradactylus)
Authors: Patzke Nina , LeRoy Andrea , Ngubane Nhlanhla W. , Bennett Nigel C. , Medger Katarina , Gravett Nadine , Kaswera-Kyamakya Consolate , Gilissen Emmanuel , Chawana Richard , Manger Paul R.
Published: November 2014

Adult neurogenesis in the mammalian brain is now a widely accepted phenomenon, typically occurring in two forebrain structures: the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone (SVZ). Until recently, the majority of studies have focused on laboratory rodents, and it is under debate whether the process of adult neurogenesis occurs outside of the SGZ and the SVZ in other mammalian species. In the present study, we investigated potential adult neurogenetic sites in the brains of two elephant shrews/sengis, a golden mole and a rock hyrax, all members of the superorder Afrotheria. Doublecortin (DCX) immunoreactivity was used as a proxy to visualise adult neurogenesis, which is expressed in neuronal precursor cells and immature neurons. In all four species, densely packed DCX-positive cells were present in the SVZ, from where cells appear to migrate along the rostral migratory stream towards the olfactory bulb (OB). DCX-immunopositive cells were present in the granular cell layer and the glomerular layer of the OB. In the hippocampus, DCX-immunopositive cells were observed in the SGZ and in the granular layer of the dentate gyrus, with DCX-immunopositive processes extending into the molecular layer. In addition to these well-established adult neurogenic regions, DCX-immunopositive cells were also observed in layer II of the neocortex and the piriform cortex. While the present study reveals a similar pattern of adult neurogenesis to that reported previously in other mammals, further studies are needed to clarify if the cortical DCX-immunopositive cells are newly generated neurons or cells undergoing cortical remodelling.
Could Sentinel Node Mapping of the Groin Cause Extranodal Metastasis in Vulva Cancer?
Authors: Abdul Wahab Nor Azlia , Abu Saadeh Feras , Lavelle Mairr , Gleeson Noreen
Published: November 2014

Groin node lymphadenectomy in vulva cancer carries a substantial risk of morbid sequelae. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping is a valid alternative in patients with squamous cancer of diameter <4 cm and nonsuspicious lymph nodes. SLN are mapped according to the combined technique of radioscintigraphy using technetium-labelled colloid and blue dye. We describe early extranodal recurrence in 2 patients undergoing SLN mapping. They had lymph node metastases at their original dissection. We question whether rapid lymph flow promoted by injection of colloid and dye could cause retrograde flow of cancer cells along the lymphatics draining from the pubis to the groin and extravasation of cancer cells into the dermis since these metastases arose anterior to the pubis and medial to the groin. These recurrence sites were more medial and cephalad than would be expected for skin bridge metastasis. CT imaging shows the metastases are within the dermis. No lymphatic tissue was identified around these subcuticular cancer deposits at repeat resection. Body wall extension occurs in recurrent vulva cancer, but we never saw such an early recurrence when full inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy without SLN was the standard approach. These 2 cases raise a caveat in the application of SLN mapping in vulva cancer, especially when metastasis is detected on SLN as the afferent channels to the lymph nodes may be already blocked or flow impaired by the tumour.
CADASIL and Autoimmunity: Coexistence in a Family with the R169C Mutation at Exon 4 of the NOTCH3 Gene
Authors: Paraskevas George P. , Bougea Anastasia , Synetou Margarita , Vassilopoulou Sophia , Anagnostou Evangelos , Voumvourakis Konstantinos , Iliopoulos Alexios , Spengos Konstantinos
Published: November 2014

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited small vessel disease caused by mutations of the NOTCH3 gene, which result in degeneration of vascular smooth muscle cells, arteriolar stenosis, and impaired cerebral blood flow. For clinicians this is the commonest hereditary adult-onset condition causing stroke and vascular dementia at middle age. Atypical phenotypes have been recognized, and the disease is probably underdiagnosed in the wider stroke population. Coexistence of autoimmunity is atypical and has been described only in occasional patients. Methods: Three members of a Greek family from the island of Lesvos of North East Greece were evaluated. The patients come from a four-generation family in which there were at least seven members with clinical data suggestive of CADASIL. We describe here the clinical, imaging and biochemical findings in this family with R169C mutation at exon 4 and presenting additional clinical and biochemical findings suggestive of autoimmune disorder. DNA was extracted from whole blood using standard procedures for sequencing. Results: Three affected members of this family carried the R169C. In a phenotypic analysis of affected individuals from four generations with CADASIL, the disease was characterized by migraine attacks, recurrent subcortical infarcts, and cognitive decline with typical anterior temporal lobe white matter lesions. At least 3 mutation carriers from two generations had increased antinuclear antibody (ANA) titers and various combinations of rash, joint pains, photosensitivity, and renal involvement. Conclusion: This is a rare description of the coexistence of autoimmunity in CADASIL patients with possible worsening clinical effects. The study extends the spectrum of atypical presentation of CADASIL. The coexistence of autoimmunity does not necessarily exclude CADASIL, but may cause an additional diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. This autoimmune disorder may have increased the severity of the disease and, additionally, may be related to the pathogenetic mechanisms of CADASIL. It is possible that the NOTCH3 mutation alone is not enough to trigger autoimmunity since, in the case of our family, the R169C mutation has already been described in other families with no evidence of coexistent autoimmunity. Other genetic or environmental factors or interactions and/or common pathways between the vascular and immune systems are probably co-operating. Further, prospective studies are needed to clarify the prevalence and types of autoimmune disorders present in CADASIL families.
Cryptic species in plant-parasitic nematodes
Authors: Palomares-Rius Juan E. , Cantalapiedra-Navarrete Carolina , Castillo Pablo
Published: November 2014

This paper summarises the current knowledge concerning cryptic species of plant-parasitic nematode and briefly reviews the different methods available for their detection and characterisation. Cryptic species represent an important component of biodiversity, such speciation being common among plant-parasitic nematodes and occurring in diverse groups with different life history traits, including the spiral, virus vector, root-lesion and false root-knot nematodes. Cryptic species are important for a number of reasons, including food security, quarantine, non-chemical management technologies and species conservation, and should not be ignored. The magnitude of the phenomenon is largely unknown, but the available data on plant-parasitic nematodes demonstrate that reliance on morphology alone for species delimitation seriously underestimates the total number of taxa. Future research should focus on appropriately designed case studies using combined approaches, including large-scale, whole sample analyses by next-generation sequencing or proteomics in order to be able to answer the many questions that still remain.
Intellectual-Human Rights Defenders and Claims for Academic Freedom under Human Rights Law
Authors: Quinn Robert , Levine Jesse
Published: November 2014

Human rights claims arising out of attacks on intellectual-human rights defenders (hrds), if brought, typically do not include claims for violations of academic freedom. As a result the standards are underdeveloped relative to other human rights claims and the scope of academic freedom violations globally. This may be in part due to a negatively reinforcing lack of familiarity with issues of academic freedom and the available standards for protection among human rights advocates, and in part to the fact that attacks on academic freedom often manifest as violations of other rights under which claims are brought (e.g. wrongful detention or torture). This article argues that existing human rights law would sustain claims for violations of academic freedom as independently and interdependently derived from the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to education. The article argues that including academic freedom claims in such cases has the benefit of providing an additional basis for relief while strengthening the claim for relief on a manifested violation by providing evidence of motive and intent. Including academic freedom claims also has the independent value of addressing the wider harms to the claimant-victim and society that result from attacks on intellectual expression and are not reached by relief on the manifested violation alone, including harms to a claimant-victim’s creative, intellectual or expressive work, and widespread chilling effects on creativity, teaching, publication and the free exchange of ideas in society.
A Theoretical Study on the Spontaneous Radiation of Inertia–Gravity Waves Using the Renormalization Group Method. Part I: Derivation of the Renormalization Group Equations
Authors: Yasuda Yuki , Sato Kaoru , Sugimoto Norihiko
Published: November 2014

By using the renormalization group (RG) method, the interaction between balanced flows and Doppler-shifted inertia–gravity waves (GWs) is formulated for the hydrostatic Boussinesq equations on the f plane. The derived time-evolution equations [RG equations (RGEs)] describe the spontaneous GW radiation from the components slaved to the vortical flow through the quasi resonance, together with the GW radiation reaction on the large-scale flow. The quasi resonance occurs when the space–time scales of GWs are partially comparable to those of slaved components. This theory treats a coexistence system with slow time scales composed of GWs significantly Doppler-shifted by the vortical flow and the balanced flow that interact with each other. The theory includes five dependent variables having slow time scales: one slow variable (linear potential vorticity), two Doppler-shifted fast ones (GW components), and two diagnostic fast ones. Each fast component consists of horizontal divergence and ageostrophic vorticity. The spontaneously radiated GWs are regarded as superpositions of the GW components obtained as low-frequency eigenmodes of the fast variables in a given vortical flow. Slowly varying nonlinear terms of the fast variables are included as the diagnostic components, which are the sum of the slaved components and the GW radiation reactions. A comparison of the balanced adjustment equation (BAE) by Plougonven and Zhang with the linearized RGE shows that the RGE is formally reduced to the BAE by ignoring the GW radiation reaction, although the interpretation on the GW radiation mechanism is significantly different; GWs are radiated through the quasi resonance with a balanced flow because of the time-scale matching.
A Theoretical Study on the Spontaneous Radiation of Inertia–Gravity Waves Using the Renormalization Group Method. Part II: Verification of the Theoretical Equations by Numerical Simulation
Authors: Yasuda Yuki , Sato Kaoru , Sugimoto Norihiko
Published: November 2014

The renormalization group equations (RGEs) describing spontaneous inertia–gravity wave (GW) radiation from part of a balanced flow through a quasi resonance that were derived in a companion paper by Yasuda et al. are validated through numerical simulations of the vortex dipole using the Japan Meteorological Agency nonhydrostatic model (JMA-NHM). The RGEs are integrated for two vortical flow fields: the first is the initial condition that does not contain GWs used for the JMA-NHM simulations, and the second is the simulated thirtieth-day field by the JMA-NHM. The theoretically obtained GW distributions in both RGE integrations are consistent with the numerical simulations using the JMA-NHM. This result supports the validity of the RGE theory. GW radiation in the dipole is physically interpreted either as the mountain-wave-like mechanism proposed by McIntyre or as the velocity-variation mechanism proposed by Viúdez. The shear of the large-scale flow likely determines which mechanism is dominant. In addition, the distribution of GW momentum fluxes is examined based on the JMA-NHM simulation data. The GWs propagating upward from the jet have negative momentum fluxes, while those propagating downward have positive ones. The magnitude of momentum fluxes is approximately proportional to the sixth power of the Rossby number between 0.15 and 0.4.
Oxidative Stress Regulates IL‐4 Gene Expression in Mast Cells through the Reduction of Histone Deacetylase
Authors: Nakamaru Yuji , Takagi Dai , Homma Akihiro , Hatakeyama Shigetsugu , Fukuda Satoshi
Published: November 2014

Objective

Many proinflammatory cytokines are regulated by the acetylation and deacetylation of the core histone. Since dysregulation of T helper 2 cytokine production is a key in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, we examined the role of histone deacetylase (HDAC) on interleukin (IL)–4 gene expression in mast cells. We also examined whether oxidative stress has any impact on HDAC activity.

Study Design

In vitro study.

Setting

Academic research laboratory.

Methods

An IgE‐sensitized mast cell line (RBL‐2H3 cells) was treated with varying concentrations of the HDAC inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA) and H2O2 and stimulated with antigens. The amount of IL‐4 gene expression was quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Quantitative measurement of IL‐4 in the cell supernatant was performed using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, HDAC activity was measured with the use of a nonisotopic assay that utilized an HDAC Fluorescent Activity Assay Kit.

Results

IL‐4 mRNA expression was induced by antigens in IgE‐sensitized RBL‐2H3 cells. Pretreatment with TSA and H2O2 enhanced IL‐4 mRNA expression up to 5‐fold in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore, HDAC activity in RBL‐2H3 cells was reduced after treatment with H2O2.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that oxidative stress may up‐regulate IL‐4 gene expression in mast cells via a decrease in HDAC activity.
Prognostic Value of a Simplified Anatomically Based Nomenclature for Fetal Nuchal Lymphatic Anomalies
Authors: Longstreet Beck , Balakrishnan Karthik , Saltzman Babette , Perkins Jonathan A. , Dighe Manjiri
Published: November 2014

Objective

To propose an anatomic classification for fetal nuchal lymphatic anomalies that will be clinically useful and to evaluate the classification’s value in predicting chromosomal abnormalities, pregnancy outcomes, other associated fetal anomalies, and spontaneous resolution of these lesions.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary academic hospital and affiliated tertiary children’s hospital.

Subjects and Methods

Mother‐baby pairs diagnosed with fetal nuchal lymphatic anomalies in a prenatal ultrasound database. Anomalies were classified as nuchal thickening, dorsal lymphatic malformation, or ventral lymphatic malformation. Pregnancy outcomes, prevalence of chromosomal and anatomic abnormalities, and rates of spontaneous lesion resolution were determined for each group.

Results

The study included 189 patients: 58 with nuchal thickening, 120 with dorsal lymphatic malformation, and 11 with ventral lymphatic malformation. In fetuses for whom chromosomal analysis was available, chromosomal abnormalities were strongly associated with dorsal lymphatic malformations (83%), less associated with nuchal thickening (29%), and not associated with ventral lymphatic malformations. Dorsal lymphatic malformation predicted high rates of elective (43%) and spontaneous (20%) termination of pregnancy and showed the strongest association with cardiac, renal, and skeletal anomalies. Nuchal thickening was more likely to resolve in utero than dorsal lymphatic malformations, while no ventral lymphatic malformation resolved spontaneously.

Conclusions

Fetal nuchal anomalies demonstrate significant and clinically important prognostic differences depending on their anatomic location. The simple classification system proposed here therefore provides useful information to clinicians involved in the pre‐ and postnatal management of children with these anomalies.
Special Education Professional Standards
Authors: Woolf Sara B.
Published: November 2014

Teacher performance evaluation represents a high stakes issue as evidenced by its pivotal emphasis in national and local education reform initiatives and federal policy levers. National, state, and local education leaders continue to experience unprecedented pressure to adopt standardized benchmarks to reflect and link student achievement data to formal teacher performance evaluations. No teacher performance evaluation measures have been developed for use with special education teachers or the settings in which they teach. Dedicated focus is needed to ensure that adopted evaluation measures are sensitive to the specific expertise reflected in the practices of specialty teachers and valid for use. This study explored whether special education stakeholders perceived skills subsumed within nationally endorsed professional special education standards to be important for special education teachers’ effectiveness. Findings are presented in terms of next steps to inform the development of a meaningful measure of special education teacher professional performance and implications for future research.
Reefer Normal
Authors: Linneman Thomas J.
Published: November 2014

Sociologist Thomas J. Linneman explores trends of support for marijuana legalization in the United States.
Analysis of Nutrition Practices and Intestinal Failure–Associated Liver Disease in Infants With Intestinal Surgery
Authors: Shores Darla R. , Bullard Janine E. , Aucott Susan W. , Stewart F. Dylan , Haney Courtney , Nonyane Bareng A. S. , Schwarz Kathleen B.
Published: November 2014

Objectives: The incidence of intestinal failure–associated liver disease (IFALD) varies following intestinal surgical intervention in infants, ranging from 25% to 60%. Although IFALD resolves in some infants, 40% of infants who require long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) progress to liver failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of IFALD at our center among infants requiring intestinal procedures and to assess postoperative feeding practices. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of infants with intestinal surgical procedures before 6 months of age from 2007 to 2012. Infants with preexisting liver disease, other than IFALD, were excluded. The primary outcome was incidence of IFALD during the initial hospitalization. Timing of IFALD development and median time to reach enteral nutrition goals were investigated. Results: The overall incidence of IFALD was 66% (54/82), and among infants requiring >60 days of PN, the incidence was 90% (27/30). Median direct bilirubin of those with IFALD was 7.5 mg/dL. Infants with IFALD were more likely to be premature (29 vs 38 weeks, P < .001), have necrotizing enterocolitis (54% vs 17%, P = .002), and have culture-positive infection (42% vs 7%, P = .001). Among the most recent 24 infants, the median time to introduce enteral nutrition postoperatively was 19 days (interquartile range = 9-27), and the median time to reach 50% of calories from enteral nutrition was 34 days (interquartile range = 23-50). Conclusions: The risk of IFALD is common at our center. Multidisciplinary preventive and therapeutic strategies need to be investigated. Future investigation will focus on the time to reach enteral nutrition goals as a modifiable risk factor.
Search for biomarkers in critically ill patients: a new approach based on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of mini-bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
Authors: Singh Chandan , Rai Ratan Kumar , Azim Afzal , Sinha Neeraj , Baronia Arvind Kumar
Published: November 2014

No abstract
Blanco White, Spanish America, and Economic Affairs: The Slave Trade and Colonial Trade
Authors: de Blas Luis Perdices , Ramos-Gorostiza José Luis
Published: November 2014

Blanco White was one of the most important Spanish intellectuals of the first half of the nineteenth century. Being exiled in England (1810–41) and speaking English fluently enabled him to meet some of the period’s greatest economists, such as Malthus, Whately, Senior, and Mill. Despite this and his having been trained initially as a businessman, he devoted no special attention to economics. Nonetheless, he tackled certain topics of undoubted socioeconomic importance, such as the slave trade and the colonial question and overseas trade. This work aims to contextualize the way Blanco treated these topics within the framework of his Spanish contemporaries, to show that his approach was rooted in a Spanish tradition of thinking. Blanco was already familiar in Spain with some approaches to the slave trade and the colonial question, approaches that he would later fully develop in England.
Prevalence of malaria infection among under five year tribal children residing in malaria endemic forest villages
Authors: Qureshi Ihtesham , Qureshi Mohtashim A. , Gudepu Rohit K. , Arlappa Nimmathota
Published: November 2014

Malaria is a life-threatening protozoal infection and India has the highest malaria burden in South East Asia. The objective of this communication is to assess the prevalence of malaria infection amongst forest dwelling tribal children under the age of five residing in malaria endemic regions of the Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states of India. A total of 5,801 children attended seven outpatient mobile clinics in 2012. Of them, 2,123 children had a history of fever and were screened for malaria with a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). About 37% of children had a history of fever. Of them, 34% children were diagnosed with malaria. The majority (66%) of children with a positive RDT had a mixed malaria infection of both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax, followed by single infections of P. falciparum (18.9%) and P. vivax (14.2%). Malaria infection is a major public health concern amongst the tribal children residing in these malaria endemic forest villages. Therefore, region specific sustainable intervention measures need to be initiated for the prevention and control of malaria and malaria related deaths in this region.
Contraception for young women
Authors: Kochhar Suneeta
Published: November 2014

The options for oral tablets and long-acting reversible contraception are outlined by Suneeta Kochhar
Improving asthma management
Authors: Holmes Steve , Scullion Jane
Published: November 2014

A revised SIGN guideline has just been published. Steve Holmes and Jane Scullion outline the key changes
Effectively treating acne
Authors: Kochhar Suneeta
Published: November 2014

Suneeta Kochhar explains a treatment approach for acne that works
Intersections Between the Autism Spectrum and the Internet: Perceived Benefits and Preferred Functions of Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: Gillespie-Lynch Kristen , Kapp Steven K. , Shane-Simpson Christina , Smith David Shane , Hutman Ted
Published: November 2014

An online survey compared the perceived benefits and preferred functions of computer-mediated communication of participants with (N  =  291) and without ASD (N  =  311). Participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceived benefits of computer-mediated communication in terms of increased comprehension and control over communication, access to similar others, and the opportunity to express their true selves. They enjoyed using the Internet to meet others more, and to maintain connections with friends and family less, than did participants without ASD. People with ASD enjoyed aspects of computer-mediated communication that may be associated with special interests or advocacy, such as blogging, more than did participants without ASD. This study suggests that people with ASD may use the Internet in qualitatively different ways from those without ASD. Suggestions for interventions are discussed.
The agency costs in university institutions: an analytical model for its evaluation
Authors: Rabossi Marcelo
Published: November 2014

In a contractual situation, adverse selection problems and moral hazard risks are commonly seen as organizational or behavioral anomalies that impede that a transaction of goods or services develops efficiently. Generated by informational asymmetries, high monitoring costs, and different preferences between the employer and employees, these agency costs impede institutions from attempting to reach the frontiers of their productive capacity. Universities have been criticized for such pathologies, which in the end increase their costs of production. We propose an analytical model to evaluate whether or not universities are, and if so, then to what degree, attentive to mitigating agency costs. Using the New Institutional Economics (NIE) as the theoretical framework, we suggest to explore academic internal labor markets through explicit (written rules and norms) and implicit contracts (organizational climate). The main contribution of this work lies in proposing to study the working conditions of faculty members with the logic of an economic explanation, deviating from the more traditional sociological and psychological points of view that are generally used in the analysis of faculty life.
The Conceptual Unity of Friendship in the Eudemian and the Nicomachean Ethics
Authors: Zingano Marco
Published: November 2014

Aristotle provides two different explanations for there being three distinct and (so I will argue) genuine kinds of friendship: friendship based on virtue, on pleasure, and on utility. In the
Pholiotina cyanopus, a rare fungus producing
psychoactive tryptamines
Authors: Halama Marek , Poliwoda Anna , Jasicka-Misiak Izabela , Wieczorek Piotr P. , Rutkowski Ryszard
Published: November 2014

Pholiotina cyanopus was collected from wood
chips and other woody remnants of undetermined tree
species. Its basidiomata were found in June within the
area of closed sawmill in the central part of Żywiec city
(SW Poland). Description and illustration of Ph. cyanopus
based on Polish specimens are provided and its ecology,
general distribution and comparison with similar taxa –
Pholiotina smithii, Pholiotina sulcatipes, and others are
discussed as well. The identity of the active compounds
of Ph. cyanopus was additionally determined. Liquid
chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data sets
were obtained to support the occurrence of psilocybin and
its analogues – psilocin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, and
aeruginascin in air-dried basidiomata of the species. The
content of psilocybin was found to be high (0.90±0.08% of
dry weight), besides, analysed samples contained lower
concentrations of psilocin (0.17±0.01%), and baeocystin
(0.16±0.01%). Additionally, the chemical analysis revealed
small amounts of norbaeocystin (0.053±0.004%) and
aeruginascin (0.011±0.0007%) for the first time in the
species.
Oxytocin and callous-unemotional traits: towards a social-cognitive approach to forensic analysis
Authors: Rice Timothy R. , Derish Nicole E.
Published: November 2014

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children and adolescents are an important risk factor for forensic behaviors in youth and in adulthood. There is a strong biologic basis in CU traits, offering the possibility to design biological interventions to address this risk factor. This paper advances the hypothesis that the administration of exogenous oxytocin is a biological intervention worthy of further investigation to address CU traits and moderate future risk factors for forensic behaviors. The evidence for this assertion rests in the empiric evidence that social cognitive deficits play a major role in child and adolescent CU traits and psychopathy. Simultaneously, emerging evidence suggests that youth with CU traits have defined neuroendocrinological correlates within the oxytocin system. A review of the normal neurohormonal physiology of this system is presented to provide a groundwork for the delineation of these correlates. That deficits in this system are found in alternate psychopathologies that present with deficits in social cognition serves as the basis for the hypothesis that these deficits may play a key role in the development and manifestation of CU traits. Their correction through psychopharmacologic and alternate means may provide a future route to addressing a central area of adolescent forensic psychiatry.
Suicidal behavior in a medical professional with comorbid depression and substance use disorder: an educational case report
Authors: Kiraly Drew D. , Sher Leo
Published: November 2014

Here, we publish a report of a previously practicing nurse practitioner who presented to a community hospital with severely depressed mood and neurovegetative symptoms in the context of recent relapse to alcohol and cocaine abuse. This patient had a long history of depression and polysubstance abuse. Additionally, the patient had a history of multiple previous suicide attempts with a high possibility for lethality. All of his attempts occurred in the setting of depression, escalating substance use, and interpersonal difficulties. Due to his chronic struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues, the patient lost his marriage, many close friends, and, eventually, his license to practice medicine. In this report, we highlight the increased risk of suicidal behavior or completed suicide in patients with co-occurring depressive and substance abuse disorders. We also look to highlight the often unmet need of mental health and substance abuse treatment for healthcare professionals. Studies suggest that healthcare providers experience increasing rates of burnout, mood and anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders, but available treatment resources remain scarce. This is a serious public health issue that will require increased vigilance by the community at large to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both patients and their providers.