bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multispectral optoacoustic and MRI coregistration for molecular imaging of orthotopic model of human glioblastoma
Authors: Attia Amalina Binte Ebrahim , Ho Chris Jun Hui , Chandrasekharan Prashant , Balasundaram Ghayathri , Tay Hui Chien , Burton Neal C. , Chuang Kai‐Hsiang , Ntziachristos Vasilis , Olivo Malini
Published: April 2016

Multi‐modality imaging methods are of great importance in oncologic studies for acquiring complementary information, enhancing the efficacy in tumor detection and characterization. We hereby demonstrate a hybrid non‐invasive in vivo imaging approach of utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) for molecular imaging of glucose uptake in an orthotopic glioblastoma in mouse. The molecular and functional information from MSOT can be overlaid on MRI anatomy via image coregistration to provide insights into probe uptake in the brain, which is verified by ex vivo fluorescence imaging and histological validation.

In vivo MSOT and MRI imaging of an orthotopic glioma mouse model injected with IRDye800‐2DG. Image coregistration between MSOT and MRI enables multifaceted (anatomical, functional, molecular) information from MSOT to be overlaid on MRI anatomy images to derive tumor physiological parameters such as perfusion, haemoglobin and oxygenation.

magnified image

In vivo MSOT and MRI imaging of an orthotopic glioma mouse model injected with IRDye800‐2DG. Image coregistration between MSOT and MRI enables multifaceted (anatomical, functional, molecular) information from MSOT to be overlaid on MRI anatomy images to derive tumor physiological parameters such as perfusion, haemoglobin and oxygenation.
Hypohamiltonian Planar Cubic Graphs with Girth 5
Authors: McKay Brendan D.
Published: April 2016

A graph is called hypohamiltonian if it is not hamiltonian but becomes hamiltonian if any vertex is removed. Many hypohamiltonian planar cubic graphs have been found, starting with constructions of Thomassen in 1981. However, all the examples found until now had 4‐cycles. In this note we present the first examples of hypohamiltonian planar cubic graphs with cyclic connectivity 5, and thus girth 5. We show by computer search that the smallest members of this class are three graphs with 76 vertices.
Diagnostic utility of intravoxel incoherent motion mr imaging in differentiating primary central nervous system lymphoma from glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Yamashita Koji , Hiwatashi Akio , Togao Osamu , Kikuchi Kazufumi , Kitamura Yoshiyuki , Mizoguchi Masahiro , Yoshimoto Koji , Kuga Daisuke , Suzuki Satoshi O. , Baba Shingo , Isoda Takuro , Iwaki Toru , Iihara Koji , Honda Hiroshi
Published: April 2016

Purpose

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MR imaging and 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) in differentiating primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Materials and Methods

Fifty patients, 17 with PCNSL and 33 with GBM, were retrospectively studied. From the 3 Tesla IVIM data, the perfusion fraction (f) and diffusion coefficient (D) were obtained. In addition, the maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) was obtained from the FDG‐PET data. Each of the three parameters was compared between PCNSL and GBM using Mann‐Whitney U‐test. The performance in discriminating between PCNSL and GBM was evaluated using receiver‐operating characteristics analysis and area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) values for the three parameters.

Results

The fmax and Dmin values were significantly higher in GBM than in PCNSL (P < 0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively). In addition, the SUVmax value was significantly lower in GBM than in PCNSL (P < 0.0005). The AUC values for fmax, Dmin, and SUVmax were 0.756, 0.905, and 0.857, respectively. The combination of the fmax and Dmin increased the diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.936) of fmax (P < 0.05), but this value was not significantly different from the values for Dmin (P = 0.30).

Conclusion

IVIM‐MR imaging noninvasively provides useful quantitative information in distinguishing between PCNSL and GBM. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:1256–1261.
Development and validation of a magnetic solid‐phase extraction with high‐performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of amphetamine and methadone in urine
Authors: Taghvimi Arezou , Hamishehkar Hamed , Ebrahimi Mahmoud
Published: April 2016

The simultaneous determination of amphetamine and methadone was carried out by magnetic graphene oxide nanoparticles, a magnetic solid‐phase extraction adsorbent, as a new sample treatment technique. The main factors (the amounts of sample volume, amount of adsorbent, type and amount of extraction organic solvent, time of extraction and desorption, pH, the ionic strength of extraction medium, and agitation rate) influencing the extraction efficiency were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, good linearity was observed in the range of 100–1500 ng/mL for amphetamine and 100–1000 ng/mL for methadone. The method was evaluated for determination of AM and methadone in positive urine samples, satisfactory results were obtained, therefore magnetic solid‐phase extraction can be applied as a novel method for the determination of drugs of abuse in forensic laboratories.
Glucocerebrosidase in Parkinson's disease: Insights into pathogenesis and prospects for treatment
Authors: Schapira Anthony H.V. , Chiasserini Davide , Beccari Tommaso , Parnetti Lucilla
Published: April 2016

PD involves several converging pathogenetic pathways to neurodegeneration; highlighted in specific cases by genetic mutations causing familial PD. Numerically, the most important genetic mutations associated with PD are those of the glucocerebrosidase gene. Approximately 10% of PD patients carry glucocerebrosidase mutations. This observation has enhanced focus on the autophagy‐lysosome system as important in pathogenesis. The relationship of the glucocerebrosidase pathway to the cause and progression of PD highlights the potential to use abnormalities identified as biomarkers and modify glucocerebrosidase activity or substrate accumulation as neuroprotection. Biomarkers relevant to the glucocerebrosidase pathway, for example, enzyme activity and substrate levels, may be identified in blood, urine, and CSF. These may be combined with clinical features to help identify mutation carriers that are at increased risk of PD. The molecular mechanisms by which glucocerebrosidase mutations may result in PD are not fully understood. There is evidence accumulating that there is a reciprocal interaction between glucocerebrosidase and alpha‐synuclein levels. This interaction may potentially be used to increase glucocerebrosidase enzyme activities and therefore reduce alpha‐synuclein levels to modify the course of PD. Substrate reduction therapy may be an alternative strategy, particularly if membrane abnormalities underlie the organellar dysfunction in PD neurodegeneration. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Time on timing: Dissociating premature responding from interval sensitivity in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Zhang Jiaxiang , Nombela Cristina , Wolpe Noham , Barker Roger A. , Rowe James B.
Published: April 2016

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) can cause impulsivity with premature responses, but there are several potential mechanisms. We proposed a distinction between poor decision‐making and the distortion of temporal perception. Both effects may be present and interact, but with different clinical and pharmacological correlates.

Objectives

This study assessed premature responding during time perception in PD.

Methods

In this study, 18 PD patients and 19 age‐matched controls completed 2 temporal discrimination tasks (bisection and trisection) and a baseline reaction‐time task. Timing sensitivity and decision‐making processes were quantified by response and response time. An extended version of the modified difference model was used to examine the precision of time representation and the modulation of response time by stimulus ambiguity.

Results

In the bisection task, patients had a lower bisection point (P < .05) and reduced timing sensitivity when compared with controls (P < .001). In the trisection task, patients showed lower sensitivity in discriminating between short and medium standards (P < .05). The impairment in timing sensitivity correlated positively with patients' levodopa dose equivalent (P < .05). Critically, patients had disproportionately faster response times when compared with controls in more ambiguous conditions, and the degree of acceleration of response time increased with disease severity (P < .05). Computational modeling indicated that patients had poorer precision in time representation and stronger modulation of response time by task ambiguity, leading to smaller scaling of the decision latency (P < .05).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that timing deficits in PD cannot be solely attributed to perceptual distortions, but are also associated with impulsive decision strategies that bias patients toward premature responses. © 2016 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
HERMES: Hadamard encoding and reconstruction of MEGA‐edited spectroscopy
Authors: Chan Kimberly L. , Puts Nicolaas A. J. , Schär Michael , Barker Peter B. , Edden Richard A. E.
Published: April 2016

Purpose

To investigate a novel Hadamard‐encoded spectral editing scheme and evaluate its performance in simultaneously quantifying N‐acetyl aspartate (NAA) and N‐acetyl aspartyl glutamate (NAAG) at 3 Tesla.

Methods

Editing pulses applied according to a Hadamard encoding scheme allow the simultaneous acquisition of multiple metabolites. The method, called HERMES (Hadamard Encoding and Reconstruction of MEGA‐Edited Spectroscopy), was optimized to detect NAA and NAAG simultaneously using density‐matrix simulations and validated in phantoms at 3T. In vivo data were acquired in the centrum semiovale of 12 normal subjects. The NAA:NAAG concentration ratio was determined by modeling in vivo data using simulated basis functions. Simulations were also performed for potentially coedited molecules with signals within the detected NAA/NAAG region.

Results

Simulations and phantom experiments show excellent segregation of NAA and NAAG signals into the intended spectra, with minimal crosstalk. Multiplet patterns show good agreement between simulations and phantom and in vivo data. In vivo measurements show that the relative peak intensities of the NAA and NAAG spectra are consistent with a NAA:NAAG concentration ratio of 4.22:1 in good agreement with literature. Simulations indicate some coediting of aspartate and glutathione near the detected region (editing efficiency: 4.5% and 78.2%, respectively, for the NAAG reconstruction and 5.1% and 19.5%, respectively, for the NAA reconstruction).

Conclusion

The simultaneous and separable detection of two otherwise overlapping metabolites using HERMES is possible at 3T. Magn Reson Med 76:11–19, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is there any association between urodynamic variables and severity of overactive bladder in women with idiopathic detrusor overactivity?
Authors: Giarenis Ilias , Zacchè Martino , Robinson Dudley , Cardozo Linda
Published: April 2016

Aims

The lack of a validated detrusor overactivity (DO) severity tool limits the clinical value of urodynamics in the management of patients with overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). The aim of this study, was to identify urodynamic variables that correlate with validated OAB severity measures.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study enrolling consecutive women with idiopathic DO. The 24 hr urgency episodes and the score of the Incontinence Impact (II) domain of the King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) were used to assess the severity of OAB.

Results

The study enrolled 299 women with idiopathic DO. The cystometric capacity, compliance, and the threshold volume for the first involuntary detrusor contraction (IDC) showed a statistically significant negative correlation with the II domain of the KHQ and the 24 hr urgency episodes. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the amplitude of first IDC and the OAB severity measures, but only borderline for the amplitude of the highest IDC. There were no statistically significant differences between women with and without leakage per urethram during a detrusor contraction.

Conclusions

Cystometric capacity, compliance (measured in ml/cm H2O), threshold volume, and amplitude of the first IDC could be routinely documented in everyday clinical practice. The measures more commonly used for describing the severity of DO, such as leakage per urethram during a detrusor contraction and amplitude of the highest detrusor contraction, have a limited role confirming the complicated interaction between the detrusor muscle, the urethral sphincter, and the pelvic floor in women. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:780–783, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of plasticizers on thermal properties and crystallization behaviour of poly(lactic acid) films obtained by compression moulding
Authors: Muller Justine , Jiménez Alberto , González‐Martínez Chelo , Chiralt Amparo
Published: April 2016

Neat and plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films were obtained by compression moulding. Three different plasticizers, at concentrations of 5 and 10%, were used: poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of 1000 and 4000 g mol−1 molecular weights and a commercial plasticizer, Palamoll®638. Crystallization behaviour and glass transition of PLA films were analysed using differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray diffraction. Films were also characterised in terms of structural, tensile, barrier and optical properties. The addition of the three plasticizers reduced the glass transition temperature (Tg) while promoting the crystallization of PLA in the compression‐moulded films, depending on their type and concentration. PEG 4000 enhanced the crystallization more than PEG 1000 and Palamoll®638, the latter being that which induced the lowest degree of crystallization. The Tg value of the PLA amorphous phase was reduced by the addition of plasticizers, proportionally to their concentration. Nevertheless, all of the plasticized films exhibited similar elastic modulus and were less resistant to break and less extensible due to the greater induced crystallinity. PEG 4000 markedly reduced the film stretchability whereas this effect was less marked when Palamoll®638 was used. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Application of wide selected‐ion monitoring data‐independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor
Authors: Martin Laetitia B. B. , Sherwood Robert W. , Nicklay Joshua J. , Yang Yong , Muratore‐Schroeder Tara L. , Anderson Elizabeth T. , Thannhauser Theodore W. , Rose Jocelyn K. C. , Zhang Sheng
Published: April 2016

We describe here the use of label‐free wide selected‐ion monitoring data‐independent acquisition (WiSIM‐DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral library consisting of 11 753 unique peptides, corresponding to 2338 tomato protein groups, was used and the DIA analysis was performed at the MS1 level utilizing narrow mass windows for extraction with Skyline 2.6 software. We identified a total of 1140 proteins, 67 of which had expression levels that differed significantly between the cd2 tomato mutant and the wild‐type cultivar M82. Differentially expressed proteins including a key protein involved in cutin biosynthesis, were selected for validation by target SRM/MRM and by Western blot analysis. In addition to confirming a role for CD2 in regulating cuticle formation, the results also revealed that CD2 influences pathways associated with cell wall biology, anthocyanin biosynthesis, plant development, and responses to stress, which complements findings of earlier RNA‐Seq experiments. Our results provide new insights into molecular processes and aspects of fruit biology associated with CD2 function, and demonstrate that the WiSIM‐DIA is an effective quantitative approach for global protein identifications.
Anisotropic self‐assembly and gelation in aqueous methylcellulose—theory and modeling
Authors: Ginzburg Valeriy V. , Sammler Robert L. , Huang Wenjun , Larson Ronald G.
Published: April 2016

Recent experimental studies demonstrated that the aqueous methylcellulose (MC) polymer chains in water can form nanoscale fibrils (diameter ∼14 nm, persistence length ∼60 nm), and those fibrils can organize into networks at higher temperatures and/or concentrations, forming the commonly observed gel. Here we propose that the fibrils are one‐dimensional self‐assemblies of stacked, fused polymer rings that are formed at elevated temperatures due to the changing nature of the MC‐water hydrogen bonding. This mechanism is analogous to the coil‐helix transition in polypeptides, although it is not clear whether the MC fibrils possess chirality. We perform coarse‐grained molecular simulations of MC chain structure at temperatures both above and below the hypothesized coil‐to‐ring transition, with CG forcefield tuned by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, and observe the expected conformational change. We then develop a statistical mechanical theory to predict the fibril self‐assembly, gelation and rheology as function of temperature and concentration. The findings are in reasonable agreement with experimental data and could be generalized to other carbohydrate polymers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016, 54, 1624–1636
Chiral three‐dimensional isotropic lattices with negative Poisson's ratio
Authors: Ha Chan Soo , Plesha Michael E. , Lakes Roderic S.
Published: April 2016

Chiral three‐dimensional isotropic cubic lattices with rigid cubical nodules and multiple deformable ribs are developed and analyzed via finite element analysis. The lattices exhibit geometry‐dependent Poisson's ratio that can be tuned to negative values. Poisson's ratio decreases from positive to negative values as the number of cells increases. Isotropy is obtained by adjustment of aspect ratio. The lattices exhibit significant size effects. Such a phenomenon cannot occur in a classical elastic continuum but it can occur in a Cosserat solid.
Chemical Screening Identifies EUrd as a Novel Inhibitor Against Temozolomide-Resistant Glioblastoma-Initiating Cells
Authors: Tsukamoto Yoshihiro , Ohtsu Naoki , Echizenya Smile , Otsuguro Satoko , Ogura Ryosuke , Natsumeda Manabu , Isogawa Mizuho , Aoki Hiroshi , Ichikawa Satoshi , Sakaitani Masahiro , Matsuda Akira , Maenaka Katsumi , Fujii Yukihiko , Kondo Toru
Published: April 2016

Glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most malignant human cancers, frequently recurs despite multimodal treatment with surgery and chemo/radiotherapies. GBM-initiating cells (GICs) are the likely cell-of-origin in recurrences, as they proliferate indefinitely, form tumors in vivo, and are resistant to chemo/radiotherapies. It is therefore crucial to find chemicals that specifically kill GICs. We established temozolomide (the standard medicine for GBM)-resistant GICs (GICRs) and used the cells for chemical screening. Here, we identified 1-(3-C-ethynyl-β-d-ribopentofuranosyl) uracil (EUrd) as a selective drug for targeting GICRs. EUrd induced the death in GICRs more effectively than their parental GICs, while it was less toxic to normal neural stem cells. We demonstrate that the cytotoxic effect of EUrd on GICRs partly depended on the increased expression of uridine-cytidine kinase-like 1 (UCKL1) and the decreased one of 5′-nucleotidase cytosolic III (NT5C3), which regulate uridine-monophosphate synthesis positively and negatively respectively. Together, these findings suggest that EUrd can be used as a new therapeutic drug for GBM with the expression of surrogate markers UCKL1 and NT5C3.
Brief Report: Alternative Splicing of Extra Domain A (EIIIA) of Fibronectin Plays a Tissue-Specific Role in Hematopoietic Homeostasis
Authors: Malara Alessandro , Gruppi Cristian , Celesti Giuseppe , Romano Bina , Laghi Luigi , Marco Luigi , Muro Andrés F. , Balduini Alessandra
Published: April 2016

Fibronectin (FN) is a major extracellular matrix protein implicated in cell adhesion and differentiation in the bone marrow (BM) environment. Alternative splicing of FN gene results in the generation of protein variants containing an additional EIIIA domain that sustains cell proliferation or differentiation during physiological or pathological tissue remodeling. To date its expression and role in adult hematopoiesis has not been explored. In our research, we demonstrate that during physiological hematopoiesis a small fraction of BM derived FN contains the EIIIA domain and that mice constitutively including (EIIIA+/+) or excluding (EIIIA−/−) the EIIIA exon present comparable levels of hematopoietic stem cells, myeloid and lymphoid progenitors within BM. Moreover, only minor alterations were detected in blood parameters and in hematopoietic frequencies of BM granulocytes/monocytes and B cells. As opposed to other tissues, unique compensatory mechanisms, such as increased FN accumulation and variable expression of the EIIIA receptors, Toll like receptor-4 and alpha9 integrin subunit, characterized the BM of these mice. Our data demonstrate that FN is a fundamental component of the hematopoietic tissue and that the EIIIA exon may play a key role in modulating hematopiesis in conditions of BM stress or diseases.
Neuropeptide Y Induces Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Mobilization by Regulating Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Activity Through Y1 Receptor in Osteoblasts
Authors: Park Min Hee , Lee Jong Kil , Kim Namoh , Min Woo-Kie , Lee Jeong Eun , Kim Kyoung-Tae , Akiyama Haruhiko , Herzog Herbert , Schuchman Edward H. , Jin Hee Kyung , Bae Jae-sung
Published: April 2016

Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) mobilization is an essential homeostatic process regulated by the interaction of cellular and molecular components in bone marrow niches. It has been shown by others that neurotransmitters released from the sympathetic nervous system regulate HSPC egress from bone marrow to peripheral blood. In this study, we investigate the functional role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on this process. NPY deficient mice had significantly impaired HSPC mobilization due to increased expression of HSPC maintenance factors by reduction of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity in bone marrow. Pharmacological or endogenous elevation of NPY led to decrease of HSPC maintenance factors expression by activating MMP-9 in osteoblasts, resulting in HSPC mobilization. Mice in which the Y1 receptor was deleted in osteoblasts did not exhibit HSPC mobilization by NPY. Furthermore, NPY treatment in ovariectomized mice caused reduction of bone loss due to HSPC mobilization. These results suggest a new role of NPY on HSPC mobilization, as well as the potential therapeutic application of this neuropeptide for stem cell-based therapy.
Perinatal and long‐term outcomes in fetuses diagnosed with isolated unilateral ventriculomegaly: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Scala C. , Familiari A. , Pinas A. , Papageorghiou A. T. , Bhide A. , Thilaganathan B. , Khalil A.
Published: April 2016

Objectives

The majority of studies on fetal ventriculomegaly have focused on the perinatal and long‐term outcomes in fetuses with an antenatal diagnosis of bilateral ventriculomegaly. The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review and meta‐analysis to quantify the perinatal and long‐term outcomes in fetuses diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy with isolated unilateral ventriculomegaly.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library were searched electronically. Outcomes investigated included incidence of aneuploidy, congenital infection, progression of ventriculomegaly, associated brain and extracerebral abnormalities in the apparently isolated cases and neurodevelopmental delay in both apparently and truly isolated cases. Sensitivity analysis was performed according to whether the ventriculomegaly was mild/moderate (atrial width < 15 mm) or severe (atrial width ≥ 15 mm). Reference lists within relevant articles and reviews were hand‐searched for additional reports. Cohort and case–control studies were included. Meta‐analysis of proportions was used, and between‐study heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test.

Results

The search yielded 2053 citations. The full text was retrieved for 202, and 11 studies were included in the systematic review. In fetuses with apparently isolated unilateral ventriculomegaly, no chromosomal abnormalities were identified and the pooled prevalence of congenital infection was 8.2% (95% CI, 3.6–14.5%). The pooled prevalence of additional brain abnormalities detected prenatally and postnatally by magnetic resonance imaging was 5.1% (95% CI, 0.2–16.1%) and 6.4% (95% CI, 0.3–19.4%), respectively. The pooled prevalence of abnormal neurodevelopment was 5.9% (95% CI, 2.2–11.2%) in apparently isolated cases with an atrial width of < 15 mm, and it was 7.0% (95% CI, 3.2–12.2%) in fetuses with truly isolated unilateral ventriculomegaly. Most cases with apparently isolated ventriculomegaly were classified as mild/moderate (93.5%) and therefore the outcomes in this group were similar to those in the whole cohort of apparently isolated ventriculomegaly.

Conclusions

The prevalence of aneuploidy, congenital infection and neurodevelopmental delay in fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of isolated unilateral ventriculomegaly is likely to be low. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Laparoscopy‐Assisted Proximal Gastrectomy with the Hinged Double Flap Method
Authors: Muraoka Atsushi , Kobayashi Masahiko , Kokudo Yasutaka
Published: April 2016

Background

No standard proximal gastrectomy method for gastric cancer of the upper third of the stomach (UGC) has been established because few of the current methods prevent gastro‐esophageal reflux and allow easy postoperative endoscopic surveillance. In the present study, we describe laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with the hinged double flap method (Kamikawa’s method) in detail and examine the short‐ to medium‐term outcomes of this approach, which resulted in excellent postoperative function.

Methods

Between 2011 and 2015, 24 patients with early‐stage primary UGC underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with the above‐mentioned method. The celiac and hepatic nerves were preserved without pyloroplasty. A hand‐sewn esophagogastric anastomosis was produced intracorporeally.

Results

There were no in‐hospital deaths, and none of the patients were converted to open surgery. Complications occurred in two patients in the early part of this study (minor anastomotic leakage in one case and an abdominal abscess in the other). None of the patients exhibited symptoms of reflux. Regarding the patients’ postoperative endoscopic classifications, 17, 2, and 1 patient were considered to have grade N or M, grade A, and grade B esophagitis, respectively. All of the patients remain alive, and no cases of postoperative bowel obstruction or recurrent cancer have been observed.

Conclusions

This method can be performed safely and achieves excellent outcomes in terms of preventing gastro‐esophageal reflux. It deserves further evaluation in a multi‐center clinical study.
Experience of Norwegian Female BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation‐Carrying Participants in Educational Support Groups: a Qualitative Study
Authors: Myklebust Marion , Gjengedal Eva , Strømsvik Nina
Published: April 2016

Women identified as BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers are advised to manage their cancer risk through intensive screening programs and/or by undergoing risk‐reducing surgery. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of female BRCA1/2 mutation carriers living with cancer risk and their experiences with participation in educational support groups (ESG). This qualitative study enrolled 17 (10 + 7) ESG participants in two different ESGs. The focus group interviews were performed immediately prior to and following two ESGs. The data were analyzed using John Knodel's (1993) practical approach. Three main themes were identified; the women's expectation and experience with ESG, the feeling of loneliness and isolation, and the feelings of living with “something else.” In this paper we have focused on one of the main themes‐ the women's expectation and experience with ESG. This main theme presents four subthemes: the women's need for unambiguous, clear and unified information from health professionals, the need for social support, the important role of the patient representative, and increased knowledge potentially raising concern. Participation in an ESG for women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations can provide relevant information and support in the decision‐making process related to risk‐reducing surgery.
HIV Positive People’s Perspectives on Canadian Criminal Law and Non-Disclosure
Authors: Adam Barry D. , Globerman Jason , Elliott Richard , Corriveau Patrice , English Ken , Rourke Sean
Published: April 2016

The largest survey to date of people living with HIV regarding attitudes toward criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, this study investigates: sources of legal information available to HIV-positive people; perceptions of how criminal prosecutions and media coverage affect understanding of rights and responsibilities of self and others; and where HIV-positive people themselves stand on the role the criminal justice system should play. While mainstream media constructions of criminal iconography do affect PHA views, those who have higher levels of formal education, are active in the dating scene, and have been living longer with HIV hold less punitive views than those who do not. While the overall pattern of agreement on where to draw the line in criminal prosecution holds regardless of demographic characteristics, there is some statistically significant variation in degree of punitiveness according to sexual orientation and gender as well.
Experimental observation of hairpin auto-generation events in a turbulent boundary layer
Authors: Jodai Y. , Elsinga G. E.
Published: April 2016

Time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry experiments show that new hairpin vortices are generated within a fully developed and unperturbed turbulent boundary layer. The measurements are taken at a Reynolds number based on the momentum thickness of 2038, and cover the near-wall region below $y^{+}=140$, where $y^{+}$ is the wall-normal distance in wall units. Instantaneous visualizations of the flow reveal near-wall low-speed streaks with associated quasi-streamwise vortices, retrograde inverted arch vortices, hairpin vortices and hairpin packets. The hairpin heads are observed as close to the wall as $y^{+}=30$. Examples of hairpin packet evolution reveal the development of new hairpin vortices, which are created upstream and close to the wall in a manner consistent with the auto-generation model (Zhou et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 387, 1999, pp. 353–396). The development of the new hairpin appears to be initiated by an approaching sweep event, which perturbs the shear layer associated with the initial packet. The shear layer rolls up, thereby forming the new hairpin head. The head subsequently connects to existing streamwise vortices and develops into a hairpin. The time scale associated with the hairpin auto-generation is 20–30 wall units of time. This demonstrates that hairpins can be created over short distances within a developed turbulent boundary layer, implying that they are not simply remnants of the laminar-to-turbulent transition process far upstream.
Vortex dynamics and new lift enhancement mechanism of wing–body interaction in insect forward flight
Authors: Liu Geng , Dong Haibo , Li Chengyu
Published: April 2016

The effects of wing–body interaction (WBI) on aerodynamic performance and vortex dynamics have been numerically investigated in the forward flight of cicadas. Flapping wing kinematics was reconstructed based on the output of a high-speed camera system. Following the reconstruction of cicada flight, three models, wing–body (WB), body-only (BD) and wings-only (WN), were then developed and evaluated using an immersed-boundary-method-based incompressible Navier–Stokes equations solver. Results have shown that due to WBIs, the WB model had a 18.7 % increase in total lift production compared with the lift generated in both the BD and WN models, and about 65 % of this enhancement was attributed to the body. This resulted from a dramatic improvement of body lift production from 2 % to 11.6 % of the total lift produced by the wing–body system. Further analysis of the associated near-field and far-field vortex structures has shown that this lift enhancement was attributed to the formation of two distinct vortices shed from the thorax and the posterior of the insect, respectively, and their interactions with the flapping wings. Simulations are also used to examine the new lift enhancement mechanism over a range of minimum wing–body distances, reduced frequencies and body inclination angles. This work provides a new physical insight into the understanding of the body-involved lift-enhancement mechanism in insect forward flight.
Crow instability: nonlinear response to the linear optimal perturbation
Authors: Johnson Holly G. , Brion Vincent , Jacquin Laurent
Published: April 2016

The potential for anticipated destruction of a counter-rotating vortex pair using the linear optimal perturbation of the Crow instability is assessed. Direct numerical simulation is used to study the development of the Crow instability and the subsequent evolution of the flow up to 30 characteristic times at a circulation-based Reynolds number of 1000. The conventional development of the instability leads to multiple contortions of the vortices including the linear growth of sinusoidal deformation, vortex linking and the formation of vortex rings. A new evolution stage is identified, succeeding this well-established sequence: the vortex rings undergo periodic oscillation. Two complete periods are simulated during which the vortical system is hardly altered, thereby demonstrating the extraordinary resilience of the vortices. The possibility of preventing these dynamics using the linear optimal perturbation of the Crow instability, the adjoint mode, is analysed. By appropriately setting the forcing amplitude, the lifetime of the vortices until their loss of coherence is reduced to approximately 13 characteristic times, which is less than half that of the natural Crow behaviour observed with infinitesimal forcing. The dynamics of the flow induced by the linear optimal perturbation that enable this result are connected to processes already known to efficiently alter vortical flows, in particular transient growth and four-vortex dynamics.
Extension to nonlinear stability theory of the circular Couette flow
Authors: Yau Pun Wong , Wang Shixiao , Rusak Zvi
Published: April 2016

A nonlinear stability analysis of the viscous circular Couette flow to axisymmetric finite-amplitude perturbations under axial periodic boundary conditions is developed. The analysis is based on investigating the properties of a reduced Arnol’d energy-Casimir function $\mathscr{A}_{rd}$ of Wang (Phys. Fluids, vol. 2, 2009, 084104). A weighted kinetic energy of the perturbation, which has a form of ${\rm\Delta}\mathscr{A}_{rd}$, the difference between the reduced Arnol’d function and its base flow value, is used as a Lyapunov function. We show that all the inviscid flow effects as well as all the viscous-dependent terms that are related to the flow boundaries vanish. The evolution of ${\rm\Delta}\mathscr{A}_{rd}$ depends only on the viscous effects of the perturbation’s dynamics inside the flow domain. The requirement for the temporal decay of ${\rm\Delta}\mathscr{A}_{rd}$ leads to two novel sufficient conditions for the nonlinear stability of the circular Couette flow in response to axisymmetric perturbations. The linearized version of these conditions for infinitesimally small perturbations recovers the recent linear stability results by Kloosterziel (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 652, 2010, pp. 171–193). By examining the nonlinear stability conditions, we establish a definite operational region of the viscous circular Couette flow that is independent of the fluid viscosity. In this region of operation, the flow is nonlinearly stable in response to perturbations of any size, provided that the initial total circulation function is above a minimum level determined by the operational conditions of the base flow. Comparisons with historical studies show that our results shed light on the experimental measurements of Wendt (Ing.-Arch., vol. 4, 1933, pp. 577–595) and extend the classical nonlinear stability results of Serrin (Arch. Rat. Mech. Anal., vol. 3, 1959, pp. 1–13) and Joseph & Hung (Arch. Rat. Mech. Anal., vol. 44, 1971, pp. 1–22). When the flow is nonlinearly stable and evolves axisymmetrically for all time, then it always decays asymptotically in time to the circular Couette flow determined uniquely by the set-up of the rotating cylinders. Finally, we derive upper-bound estimates on the decay rate of finite-amplitude perturbations for the solid-body rotation flow between two coaxial rotating cylinders and for the circular Couette flow. We demonstrate via numerical simulations that the theoretical upper bound is relevant to the dynamics of various axisymmetric perturbations tested, where it is strictly obeyed. This present study provides new physical insights into a classical flow problem that was studied for many decades.
ARISTODEMUS ‘THE GOOD’ AND THE TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS AGROTERA AT MEGALOPOLIS
Authors: Paradiso Annalisa
Published: April 2016

Aristodemus, a Phigalian by birth, was tyrant of Megalopolis for around fifteen years in the first half of the third century b.c., possibly from the time of the Chremonidean War (267–262) until around 251, when he was murdered by two Megalopolitan exiled citizens, Megalophanes and Ecdelus, pupils of the Academic Arcesilaus. While giving an account of his violent death, Pausanias, none the less, draws a very positive portrait of him, also mentioning the nickname ‘the Good’ which he probably read on Aristodemus' grave. Pausanias also reports the foundation of two temples by the tyrant, both dedicated to Artemis. At 8.35.5 he locates one of the two temples at thirteen stades from Megalopolis on the road to Methydrion, so to the north. There, he says, is a place named Scias, where there are ruins of a sanctuary of Artemis Sciaditis. At 8.32.4, Pausanias briefly refers to the temple of Artemis Agrotera at Megalopolis. He says only that the sanctuary was on a hill in the south-east district of the polis, and adds that it was dedicated as an ἀνάθημα by the tyrant as well.
The Reception of E.P. Thompson in Japan: The New Left, The Making, and “Moral Economy”
Authors: Ichihashi Hideo
Published: April 2016

This article traces the chequered history of the reception of E.P. Thompson in postwar Japan and tries to assess what kind of impact his thoughts and ideas had on the Japanese intellectual world. In so doing, this article will draw on interviews with several academics in Japan from various generations as well as written documents. The article begins with a survey of postwar left-wing politics in Japan, against which background Thompson was introduced as a New Left thinker. It also considers the National History Movement, whose problematic legacy seemed to condition the reception of The Making of the English Working Class in Japan in the 1960s. After exploring the limited reception of The Making among Japanese historians, we witness the more favourable reception of the concept of “moral economy”. The article demonstrates that the rather awkward history of the reception of E.P. Thompson in Japan cannot be understood without referring to the postwar concerns of Japanese intellectuals, concerns that changed fairly dramatically in the course of time.
From Structuralism to Culturalism: The Protracted German Reception ofThe Making of the English Working Classand its Actuality Reassessed from a Post-Cold War Perspective
Authors: Lindenberger Thomas
Published: April 2016

Based on the author’s experience as one of the German translators ofThe Making, this article lays out its protracted and contradictory reception in Germany. When E.P. Thompson’smagnum opuswas published fifty years ago, German scholars on both sides of the Iron Curtain failed to take note of it for several years. The relatively muted reception in West Germany during the 1970s was marked by its dismissal as theory-lacking and “subjectivist”. Examining the contrasting contexts of postwar Britain, with its popular anti-fascist experience, and post-fascist West Germany helps to understand why Thompson’s “empirical idiom” of class history failed to strike a chord at the time with leading representatives of the new generation of “progressive” social historians in Germany and a broader reading public. It was only with the arrival ofAlltagsgeschichte, feminist history, and, more generally, the cultural turn in humanities thatThe Makingand its German translation became a canonical point of reference both in working-class history and the wider humanities. A brief epilogue discusses its lasting potential for a historical understanding of today’s processes of post-Cold War class formation and human rights struggles.
South African History and Subaltern Historiography: Ideas for a Radical History of White Folk
Authors: Roos Neil
Published: April 2016

In considering how “radical” histories of ordinary whites under apartheid might be written, this essay engages with several traditions of historical scholarship “from” and “of” below. For three decades, Marxist-inspired social history dominated radical historiography in South Africa. It has, however, proved little able to nurture historiography of whites that is politically engaged and acknowledges post-Marxist currents in the discipline. I advocate a return to theory and suggest that new sources may be drawn from the academy and beyond. Historiographies “of” below need not necessarily be historiographies “from” below and this article proposes the idea of a “racial state” as an alternative starting point for a history of apartheid-era whites. It goes on to argue that Subaltern Studies, as a dissident, theoretically eclectic and interdisciplinary current in historiography offers useful perspectives for exploring the everyday lives of whites in South Africa. After suggesting a research agenda stemming from these theoretical and comparative insights, I conclude by reflecting on the ethics of writing histories of apartheid-era whites.
On the quasi-collisionality of plasmas with small-scale electric turbulence
Authors: Keenan Brett D. , Medvedev Mikhail V.
Published: April 2016

Chaotic electromagnetic fields are common in many relativistic plasma environments, where they can be excited by instabilities on kinetic spatial scales. When strong electric fluctuations exist on sub-electron scales, they may lead to small angle, stochastic deflections of the electrons’ pitch angles. Under certain conditions, this closely resembles the effect of Coulomb collisions in collisional plasmas. The electric pitch-angle diffusion coefficient acts as an effective collision – or ‘quasi-collision’ – frequency. We show that quasi-collisions may radically alter the expected radiative transport properties of candidate plasmas. In particular, we consider the quasi-collisional generalization of the classical Faraday effect.
Physics of radio emission in gamma-ray pulsars
Authors: Petrova S. A.
Published: April 2016

Propagation of radio emission in a pulsar magnetosphere is reviewed. The effects of polarization transfer, induced scattering and reprocessing to high energies are analysed with a special emphasis on the implications for the gamma-ray pulsars. The possibilities of the pulsar plasma diagnostics based on the observed radio pulse characteristics are also outlined. As an example, the plasma number density profiles obtained from the polarization data for the Vela and the gamma-ray millisecond pulsars J1446-4701, J1939+2134 and J1744-1134 are presented. The number densities derived tend to be the highest/lowest when the radio pulse leads/lags the gamma-ray peak. In the PSR J1939+2134, the plasma density profiles for the main pulse and interpulse appear to fit exactly the same curve, testifying to the origin of both radio components above the same magnetic pole and their propagation through the same plasma flow in opposite directions. The millisecond radio pulse components exhibiting flat position angle curves are suggested to result from the induced scattering of the main pulse by the same particles that generate gamma rays. This is believed to underlie the wide-sense radio/gamma-ray correlation in the millisecond pulsars. The radio quietness of young gamma-ray pulsars is attributed to resonant absorption, whereas the radio loudness to the radio beam escape through the periphery of the open field line tube.
English as an intra-national language in Switzerland
Authors: Brunelière Jean-François
Published: April 2016

In recent years, many researchers have been studying the spread of English in our globalized world, while others have focused on multilingualism. For Stępkowska the question of multilingualism in Europe is intimately linked with English, and Switzerland represents the perfect place for understanding how these relationships evolve. Her book treats sociolinguistic questions at a macro-level and provides the reader with three main elements: a broad consideration of English (Chapter 1), a discussion about language contact (Chapter 2), and new data on the Swiss language use obtained in the canton of Zurich in 2011, which leads to the development of a ‘Swiss paradigm’ conceptualizing the role of English in Switzerland (Chapter 3).
On a partial theta function and its spectrum
Authors: Kostov Vladimir Petrov
Published: April 2016

The bivariate series defines a partial theta function. For fixed q (∣q∣ < 1), θ(q, ·) is an entire function. For q ∈ (–1, 0) the function θ(q, ·) has infinitely many negative and infinitely many positive real zeros. There exists a sequence of values of q tending to –1+ such that has a double real zero (the rest of its real zeros being simple). For k odd (respectively, k even) has a local minimum (respectively, maximum) at , and is the rightmost of the real negative zeros of (respectively, for k sufficiently large is the second from the left of the real negative zeros of ). For k sufficiently large one has . One has and .
Signal Biases Calibration for Precise Orbit Determination of the Chinese Area Positioning System using SLR and C-Band Transfer Ranging Observations
Authors: Fen Cao , Xuhai Yang , Zhigang Li , Liang Chen , Chugang Feng
Published: April 2016

In C-Band transfer measuring systems, the Precise Orbit Determination (POD) precision of Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites is limited by signal biases such as the station delay biases, transponder delay biases, the ionospheric delay model bias, etc. In order to improve the POD precision, the signal biases of the Chinese Area Positioning System (CAPS) are calibrated using Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and C-Band Transfer Ranging (CBTR) observations. Since the Changchun SLR site and C-Band station are close to each other, the signal biases of the Changchun C-Band station are calibrated using the co-location comparison method. Then the signal biases of the other two CAPS C-Band stations, located in Linton and Kashi, are calibrated using the combined POD method, with the signal biases of the Changchun C-Band station being fixed. After the signal biases are calibrated, the RMS of the line-of-sight residuals of the Changchun SLR observations decrease by 0·4 m, with the percentage improvement being 75·19%.