bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doubly Resolvable Nearly Kirkman Triple Systems
Authors: Abel R. Julian R. , Chan Nigel , Colbourn Charles J. , Lamken E. R. , Wang Chengmin , Wang Jinhua
Published: January 2013

Necessary conditions for existence of a resolvable group divisible design (GDD) with block size 3 and type (a nearly Kirkman triple system, NKTS(v)), are and (mod 6). In this paper, we look at doubly resolvable NKTS(v)s; here we find that these necessary conditions are sufficient, except possibly for 64 values of v.
Molecularly imprinted polymers on the surface of silica microspheres via sol‐gel method for the selective extraction of streptomycin in aqueous samples
Authors: Junjie Li , Mei Yang , Danqun Huo , Changjun Hou , Xianliang Li , Guomin Wang , Dan Feng
Published: January 2013

Streptomycin‐imprinted silica microspheres were prepared by combining a surface molecular‐imprinting technique with the sol‐gel method. A mixture of tetrahydrofuran, ethanol, and water (6:1:1, v/v/v) was selected as dispersing solvent while 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane and triethoxyphenylsilane acted as functional monomers, and tetraethyl orthosilicate as a cross‐linker. Characterization of the molecularly imprinted polymers was conducted using scanning electron microscope and dynamic binding experiments. As compared to the nonimprinted polymers, the imprinted polymers exhibited a higher degree of saturated adsorption volume up to 26.3 mg/g, and better selectivity even in an aqueous solution with interfering compounds, including dihydrostreptomycin, neomycin, and tetracycline. The adsorption ability and selectivity were observed to be influenced by the mole ratio of 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane and triethoxyphenylsilane. Feasibility of the polymers to be used for actual application was also evaluated with spiked samples, indicating great potential for large‐scale applications. Moreover, the streptomycin‐imprinted polymers can be repeatedly used for 12 cycles without losing original performance, which is beneficial for commercial use.
Kinetics of Carbon Dioxide Reaction with Aqueous Mixture of Piperazine and 2‐Amino‐2‐ethyl‐1,3‐propanediol
Authors: Ume Cyril Sunday , Alper Erdogan , Gordesli F. Pinar
Published: January 2013

Current researchers from environmental and industrial fields are focusing on advanced means of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture to limit its consequences in process industries. They also intend to enhance the mitigation of environmental impart by CO2 especially its greenhouse effect. In this study, the kinetics of CO2 reaction with an aqueous blend of piperazine (PZ) and 2‐amino‐2‐ethyl‐1,3‐propanediol (AEPD) were investigated. It was found that blending of AEPD with a little percentage of PZ generated the observed rate constant, ko, values that were more than twice the direct summation of the ko values of the aqueous pure amines at the corresponding concentration and temperature. The kinetic study of the system was modeled using a termolecular mechanism. Blending 0.05 kmol/m3 of PZ with 0.5 kmol/m3 of AEPD gives an observed rate constant ko value of 2397.9 s−1 at 298 K. This result is comparable to rate constants of other amine mixtures. Thus, the aqueous blend of AEPD with PZ is an attractive solvent for CO2 capture that has good advantages. The PZ that serves as the promoter in the reaction is needed in small fraction, whereas AEPD, which is a sterically hindered amine, increases CO2 absorption capacity of the system. AEPD can be produced from renewable materials. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 45: 161–167, 2013
Skin graft survival on subcutaneous hinge flaps: An algorithm for nasal reconstruction
Authors: Almeyda Robert , van der Eerden Paul , Vuyk Hade
Published: January 2013

Objectives/Hypothesis:

To assess the survival of full‐thickness skin grafts and perichondrial cutaneous grafts when placed on subcutaneous soft tissue flaps used in nasal reconstruction.

Study Design:

Retrospective case series from a secondary‐care cutaneous cancer practice.

Methods:

Twenty‐eight patients with nasal defects secondary to basal cell carcinoma excision were included. Clinical information, including case notes and photography, was obtained and analyzed. Graft survival was assessed in relation to type of graft and subcutaneous soft tissue flap employed for the reconstruction.

Results:

Overall graft survival was 79%, with 89% and 74% for perichondrial cutaneous graft and full‐thickness skin grafts, respectively. Anecdotally, procerus and nasalis flaps were found to yield higher graft survival than cheek fat flaps.

Conclusions:

The combination of subcutaneous soft tissue flap and skin graft cover offers a valuable addition to the treatment algorithm for nasal reconstruction following cutaneous malignancy excision. Laryngoscope, 2013
Laser Structuring of Flexible Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Gebhardt Mandy , Hänel Jens , Allenstein Frank , Scholz Christian , Clair Maurice
Published: January 2013

Besides the „classical”︁ inorganic solar cells based on silicon, research on novel solar cell technologies has been intensified in the last years. The focus has been put especially on organic solar cells (OPV). Their industrial production has been made possible only recently.

Organic solar cells constitute an alternative to common mono‐ and polycrystalline solar cells as well as the novel thin‐film technologies. Silicon, CIS/CIGS (Copper‐Indium‐Gallium‐Selenide) and Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) are used as semiconductor materials for the last‐mentioned technology, which are largely made up of heavy metals. Highly poisonous and environmentally harmful chemicals are often involved in the production which requires large amounts of energy.
Solutions for Beam Shaping
Authors: Laskin Alexander
Published: January 2013

Growing popularity of high power lasers in material processing is accompanied with variety of demands to control the laser intensity profile and spot shape. The applications like metal or plastics welding, cladding, selective laser melting, hardening, brazing, annealing get benefits from providing flattop or inverse‐Gauss intensity distribution of a laser spot with round, elliptical or linear shape. The complexity of requirements is also increased due to variety of laser sources: solid‐state, diode or fiber lasers can be TEM00 or multimode, free space or fiber‐coupled, CW or pulsed, the laser power spans from few watts to several kW. To meet these requirements the up‐to‐date beam shaping solutions can be built on the base of the field mapping refractive beam shapers like πShaper, which operational principle implies transformation of laser intensity distribution from Gaussian to flattop, super‐Gauss, or inverse‐Gauss, conserving of beam consistency, low divergence of collimated output beam, high transmittance, extended depth of field, capability to operate with TEM00 or multimode lasers, implementations as telescopes or collimators. This article describes basic principles and important features of refractive beam shapers as well as some optical layouts that can be built on their base to meet requirements of modern laser technologies.
Agreement between patients' self‐report and medical records for vaccination: the PGRx database
Authors: Grimaldi‐Bensouda Lamiae , Aubrun Elodie , Leighton Pamela , Benichou Jacques , Rossignol Michel , Abenhaim Lucien ,   the PGRx Study Group
Published: January 2013

Purpose

Patients' self‐reported vaccine exposure (PS) may be subject to memory errors and other biases. Physicians' prescription records and other medical records (MR) do not capture noncompliance with vaccination. This study compared PS with MR for influenza, 23‐valent pneumococcal, and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

Methods

The Pharmacoepidemiologic General Research Extension (PGRx) database uses a network of over 300 general practitioners across France, who systematically recruit an age‐ and sex‐stratified sample of patients (≥ 14 years old), without reference to their diagnoses or prescriptions. Patients received a structured telephone interview, combined with an interview guide listing vaccines commonly given. Patients' self‐reported vaccination in the 3 years before their recruitment was compared with medical records kept by the physician or the patient.

Results

Concordance between PS and MR was assessed for 7613 patients for whom both sources of information were available. Agreement within 3 years before the recruitment date was substantial for influenza vaccines (prevalence and bias‐adjusted kappa [PABAK] = 0.74, sensitivity PS relative to MR 81.5%) and high for 23‐valent pneumococcal vaccines (PABAK = 0.98, sensitivity PS 49.6) and HPV vaccines (PABAK = 0.92, sensitivity PS 91.6). In adjusted analyses, agreement varied with sociodemographic and health‐related factors, particularly for influenza and 23‐valent pneumococcal vaccines.

Conclusions

The PGRx method for drug exposure assessment is a new tool in pharmacoepidemiology that shows substantial to high agreement between PS and MR for exposure to various vaccines. Our finding of high agreement between PS and MR for HPV vaccination status in young women is a significant addition to the literature. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxidative modifications of cerebral transthyretin are associated with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Pieragostino Damiana , Del Boccio Piero , Di Ioia Maria , Pieroni Luisa , Greco Viviana , De Luca Giovanna , D'Aguanno Simona , Rossi Claudia , Franciotta Diego , Centonze Diego , Sacchetta Paolo , Di Ilio Carmine , Lugaresi Alessandra , Urbani Andrea
Published: January 2013

Transthyretin (TTR) is a homotetrameric protein of the CNS that plays a role of as the major thyroxine (T4) carrier from blood to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). T4 physiologically helps oligodendrocyte precursor cells to turn into myelinating oligodendrocytes, enhancing remyelination after myelin sheet damage. We investigated post‐translational oxidative modifications of serum and CSF TTR in multiple sclerosis subjects, highlighting high levels of S‐sulfhydration and S‐sulfonation of cysteine in position ten only in the cerebral TTR, which correlate with an anomalous TTR protein folding as well as with disease duration. Moreover, we found low levels of free T4 in CSF of multiple sclerosis patients, suggestive of a potential role of these modifications in T4 transport into the brain.
One‐pot synthesis of precise polyisoxazoles by click polymerization: Copper (I)‐catalyzed 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides with alkynes
Authors: Li Yan , Cheng Bin
Published: January 2013

This article reports a new one‐pot method for polymer preparation, which involves double click chemistry. In one pot, two click reactions take place sequentially by adding the reactants step by step. The first click reaction is to produce the monomer for the second click reaction for polymerization. The click polymerization differs from the general click polymerization with the reaction of diazides and dialkynes. Nitrile oxides, produced in situ by the first click reaction of the formation of aldoxime, instead azides, avoiding the poisonousness and explosiveness of azides and being much safer and easy to operate. And 3,5‐disubstitute polyisoxazoles are produced by the copper(I)‐catalyzed the 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides with alkynes in high yields by our one‐pot method. The resulting polyisoxazoles agree well with the structural assignment obtained by the 1H NMR and IR analyses, with high molecular weights, narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn < 1.2) and high regioregularity. The poor solubility of these polymers is found to be caused by their crystallization. Improvement of solubility is achieved by modifying the structures of alkyne monomers. All the polymers are thermally stable, losing little of their weights when heated to ∼350 °C. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013
Synthesis of well‐defined comb‐like graft (co)polymers by nucleophilic substitution reaction between living polymers and polyhalohydrocarbon
Authors: Lin Yichao , Zheng Jun , Liu Feng , Tang Tao
Published: January 2013

A series of graft (co)polymers were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution reaction between iodinated 1,2‐polybutadiene (PB‐I, backbone) and living polymer lithium (side chains). The coupling reaction between PB‐I and living polymers can finish within minutes at room temperature, and high conversion (up to 92%) could be obtained by effectively avoiding side reaction of dimerization when living polymers were capped with 1,1‐diphenylethylene. By virtue of living anionic polymerization, backbone length, side chain length, and side chain composition, as well as graft density, were well controlled. Tunable molecular weight of graft (co)polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution can be obtained by changing either the lengths of side chain and backbone, or the graft density. Graft copolymers could also be synthesized with side chains of multicomponent polymers, such as block polymer (polystyrene‐b‐polybutadiene) and even mixed polymers (polystyrene and polybutadiene) as hetero chains. Thus, based on living anionic polymerization, this work provides a facile way for modular synthesis of graft (co)polymers via nucleophilic substitution reaction between living polymers and polyhalohydrocarbon (PB‐I). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013
Phase separation at the magnetic–superconducting transition in La0.7Y0.3FeAsO1−xFx
Authors: Prando Giacomo , Sanna Samuele , Lamura Gianrico , Shiroka Toni , Tropeano Matteo , Palenzona Andrea , Grafe Hans‐Joachim , Büchner Bernd , Carretta Pietro , De Renzi Roberto
Published: January 2013

In this paper we report a detailed µ+SR and 19F NMR study of the La0.7Y0.3FeAsO1−xFx class of materials. Here, the diamagnetic La1−yYy substitution increases chemical pressure and, accordingly, sizeably enhances the optimal superconducting transition temperature. We investigate the magnetic–superconducting phase transition by keeping the Y content constant (y = 0.3) and by varying the F content in the range $0.025\leq x\leq 0.15$. Our results show how magnetism and superconductivity coexist for x = 0.065. Such coexistence is due to segregation of the two phases in macroscopic regions, resembling what was observed in LaFeAsO1−xFx materials under applied hydrostatic pressure. This scenario is qualitatively different from the nanoscopic coexistence of the two order parameters observed when La is fully substituted by magnetic rare‐earth ions like Sm or Ce.
Seebeck effect near quantum MIT in Eu1 − xCaxB6
Authors: Glushkov Vladimir , Baybakov Ruslan , Demishev Sergey , Dukhnenko Anatoliy , Levchenko Anna , Shitsevalova Natalya , Sluchanko Nickolay
Published: January 2013

We report the results of a Seebeck effect study carried out on the single crystals of Eu1 − xCaxB6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) at temperatures 1.8–300 K. The Seebeck coefficient is shown to be determined by the sum of the linear term S = AT and a phonon‐drag contribution, which is induced by the local phonon mode of europium (calcium) with the characteristic frequency 7.3 meV (9.1 meV). The crossover from negative (A ≈ −0.23 µV K−2 for x = 0) to positive (A ≈ +1.2 µV K−2 for x = 0.244) values of the diffusion thermopower indicates the smooth change of the band structure when approaching the hole‐like conductivity found in Eu1 − xCaxB6 at x > xC ≈ 0.2.
Indications of a magnetic‐field‐driven anisotropy in the hybridization gap semiconductor CeOs4As12
Authors: Cichorek Tomasz , Bochenek Lukasz , Wawryk Ryszard , Henkie Zygmunt
Published: January 2013

The filled skutterudite compound CeOs4As12 displays phenomena that are associated with hybridization between the 4f‐electron and conduction‐electron states. This holds especially true for a semiconducting ground state with a main energy gap as small as Δ/kB = 45 K. When subjected to magnetic field, the hybridization gap semiconductor CeOs4As12 becomes metallic below around 2.5 K. Preliminary electrical‐resistivity experiments provide evidence for an anisotropy of magnetic‐field‐induced insulator–metal transition in this cubic material. Our findings suggest a contribution of the quartet $4{\rm f \hbox{-} }\Gamma _{67}^{- } $ states to transport properties of CeOs4As12.
Adaptive neural network control of bilateral teleoperation with unsymmetrical stochastic delays and unmodeled dynamics
Authors: Li Zhijun , Xia Yuanqing
Published: January 2013

In this paper, adaptive NN control is proposed for bilateral teleoperation system with dynamic uncertainties, unknown external disturbances, and unsymmetrical stochastic delays in communication channel to achieve transparency and robust stability. Compared with previous passivity‐based teleoperation framework, the communication delays are unsymmetrical and stochastic. By partial feedback linearization using nominal dynamics, the nonlinear dynamics of the teleoperation system are transformed into two subsystems: local master/slave dynamics control and time‐delay motion tracking. By integrating Markov jump systems and adaptive parameters updating, adaptive NN control strategy is developed. The stability of the closed‐loop system and the boundedness of tracking errors are proved using Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional synthesis under specific linear matrix inequalities conditions. The proposed adaptive NN control is robust against motion disturbances, parametric uncertainties, and unsymmetrical stochastic delay, which effectiveness is validated by extensive simulation studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic and biochemical biomarkers in the macrophyte Bidens laevis L. Exposed to a commercial formulation of endosulfan
Authors: Pérez Débora J. , Lukaszewicz Germán , Menone Mirta L. , V. Amé María , Camadro Elsa L.
Published: January 2013

Previous studies in the wetland macrophyte Bidens laevis L have demonstrated that the insecticide endosulfan induces a high frequency of somatic chromosome aberrations in anaphase–telophase (CAAT) but no DNA changes as determined by the single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. Thus, cytogenetic biomarkers appear to be more sensitive to the toxic effects of the insecticide than the DNA molecule in the studied species. For this reason, the goals of this study were to use cytogenetic biomarkers—CAAT and abnormal metaphase—and defense biomarkers such as the activity of the antioxidant enzymes—guaiacol peroxidases (POD), glutathione reductase, and microsomal and cytosolic (m‐ and c‐) glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST)—to evaluate in B. laevis effects caused by a commercial formulation of endosulfan. The frequency of CAAT was increased at 5, 10, 50, and 100 μg/L endosulfan with respect to the negative controls by 3.1, 2.5, 2.5, and 3.2‐fold, respectively while the frequency of abnormal metaphases was also increased at the same concentrations by 3.5, 2.8, 3.2, and 11.3‐fold, respectively. In addition to these aneugenic effects, other abnormalities such as C‐mitosis and chromosome clumping were observed at 10 μg/L endosulfan. On the other hand, POD induction at 0.02, 0.5, 5, and 10 μg/L and m‐GST inhibition at 0.5, 10, and 50 μg/L in plants exposed during 24 h to endosulfan were observed but all of these responses were highly variable. In conclusion, only cytogenetic biomarkers like CAAT in B. laevis can serve potentially as early warning systems to detect environmentally relevant concentrations of endosulfan in aquatic ecosystems. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 1063–1071, 2014.
NNLO corrections to top pair production at hadron colliders: the quark-gluon reaction
Authors: Czakon Michal , Mitov Alexander
Published: January 2013

Abstract

We compute the next-to-next-to-leading order QCD correction to the total inclusive top pair production cross-section in the reaction
$ qg\to t\overline{t}+X $
. We find moderate
$ \mathcal{O} $
(1%) correction to central values at both Tevatron and LHC. The scale variation of the cross-section remains unchanged at the Tevatron and is significantly reduced at the LHC. We find that recently introduced approximation based on the high-energy limit of the top pair cross-section significantly deviates from the exact result. The results derived in the present work are included in version 1.4 of the program Top++. Work towards computing the reaction
$ gg\to t\overline{t}+X $
is ongoing.
Direct air capture of CO2 with chemicals: optimization of a two-loop hydroxide carbonate system using a countercurrent air-liquid contactor
Authors: Mazzotti Marco , Baciocchi Renato , Desmond Michael J. , Socolow Robert H.
Published: January 2013

Direct Air Capture (DAC) of CO2 with chemicals, recently assessed in a dedicated study by the American Physical Society (APS), is further investigated with the aim of optimizing the design of the front-end section of its benchmark two-loop hydroxide-carbonate system. Two new correlations are developed that relate mass transfer and pressure drop to the air and liquid flow velocities in the countercurrent packed absorption column. These relationships enable an optimization to be performed over the parameters of the air contactor, specifically the velocities of air and liquid sorbent and the fraction of CO2 captured. Three structured Sulzer packings are considered: Mellapak-250Y, Mellapak-500Y, and Mellapak-CC. These differ in cost and pressure drop per unit length; Mellapak-CC is new and specifically designed for CO2 capture. Scaling laws are developed to estimate the costs of the alternative DAC systems relative to the APS benchmark, for plants capturing 1 Mt of CO2 per year from ambient air at 500 ppm CO2 concentration. The optimized avoided cost hardly differs across the three packing materials, ranging from $518/tCO2 for M-CC to $568/tCO2 for M-250Y. The $610/tCO2 avoided cost for the APS-DAC design used M-250 Y but was not optimized; thus, optimization with the same packing lowered the avoided cost of the APS system by 7 % and improved packing lowered the avoided cost by a further 9 % The overall optimization exercise confirms that capture from air with the APS benchmark system or systems with comparable avoided costs is not a competitive mitigation strategy as long as the energy system contains high-carbon power, since implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage, substitution with low-carbon power and end-use efficiency will offer lower avoided-cost strategies.
Asymptotic stabilization of entropy solutions to scalar conservation laws through a stationary feedback law
Authors: Perrollaz Vincent
Published: January 2013

In this paper, we study the problem of asymptotic stabilization by closed loop feedback for a scalar conservation law with a convex flux and in the context of entropy solutions. Besides the boundary data, we use an additional control which is a source term acting uniformly in space.
Propagation of low regularity for solutions of nonlinear PDEs on a Riemannian manifold with a sub-Laplacian structure
Authors: Bernicot Frédéric , Sire Yannick
Published: January 2013

Following Bernicot (2012) [7], we introduce a notion of paraproducts associated to a semigroup. We do not use Fourier transform arguments and the background manifold is doubling, endowed with a sub-Laplacian structure. Our main result is a paralinearization theorem in a non-Euclidean framework, with an application to the propagation of regularity for some nonlinear PDEs.
Treadmill exercise ameliorates symptoms of methimazole‐induced hypothyroidism through enhancing neurogenesis and suppressing apoptosis in the hippocampus of rat pups
Authors: Shin Mal‐Soon , Ko Il‐Gyu , Kim Sung‐Eun , Kim Bo‐Kyun , Kim Tae‐Soo , Lee Shin‐Ho , Hwang Dong‐Sup , Kim Chang‐Ju , Park Jin‐Kook , Lim Baek‐Vin
Published: January 2013

Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in new neuron production and maturation during brain development. Physical exercise is known to promote cell survival and functional recovery after brain injuries. In the present study, we investigated the effects of treadmill exercise on short‐term memory, spatial learning ability, neurogenesis, and apoptosis in hypothyroidism rat pups. On the 14th perinatal day, the pregnant rats were divided into two groups: the maternal control group and the maternal methimazole (MMI)‐treated group. For the induction of hypothyroidism in rat pups, MMI was added to the drinking water (0.02%, wt/vol), from the 14th prenatal day to the 49th postnatal day. After delivery, the male rat pups born from the maternal control group were assigned into the control group and the control and exercise group. The rat pups born from the maternal MMI‐treated group were divided into the hypothyroidism‐induction group and the hypothyroidism‐induction and treadmill exercise group. The rat pups in the exercise groups were forced to run on a motorized treadmill for 30 min once a day, starting on the 22nd postnatal day for 4 weeks. Induction of hypothyroidism during the fetal and early postnatal period showed suppression of neurogenesis and enhancement of apoptosis in the hippocampus. Short‐term memory and spatial learning ability were deteriorated in the hypothyroidism rat pups. Treadmill exercise during the postnatal period increased neurogenesis and inhibited apoptosis, and resulted in the improvement of short‐term memory and spatial learning ability in the hypothyroidism rat pups.
Rosuvastatin‐regulated post‐translational phosphoproteome in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
Authors: Huang Bin , Wu Chien‐Hsing , Li Fu‐An , Liang Shih‐Shin , Shieh Ying‐Hua , Wang Ling Danny
Published: January 2013

Statins, 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, are widely prescribed as cholesterol‐lowering drugs. Statins have recently been found to have pleiotropic effects that are independent of their lipid‐lowering properties. Phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues of functional proteins are considered to be important in the endothelial signaling cascade. In this study, protein phosphorylation status in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs) after rosuvastatin treatment was examined. The proteins were collected from rosuvastatin‐treated ECs and then the phosphorylated peptides purified by a Fe3+‐immobilized metal‐affinity chromatography bead system were examined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Alterations of the phosphorylation status of proteins were noticed after rosuvastatin treatment. There were 277 and 530 phosphorylated proteins identified from the control and rosuvastatin‐treated ECs, respectively. Among those proteins, T78, in addition to S156 of the Ras‐GTPase‐activating protein, was phosphorylated after rosuvastatin treatment. Rosuvastatin reduced the phosphorylation of Y455 in HSP90 protein. Decreased phosphorylation of T211 with a concurrent increase in the T291 phosphorylation of Akt1 was observed under rosuvastatin treatment. Increased S633 phosphorylation was detected in endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Western blot analysis further showed an earlier and greater S633 phosphorylation than that of S1177 in endothelial nitric oxide synthase after rosuvastatin treatment. Changes in the phosphorylation status of these proteins may alter the protein's function and affect endothelial physiology. The current study provides new insights leading to a better understanding of the pleiotropic effects of statins on the vascular system.
Urinary neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin levels predict cisplatin‐induced acute kidney injury better than albuminuria or urinary cystatin C levels
Authors: Lin Hugo You‐Hsien , Lee Su‐Chu , Lin Sheng‐Fung , Hsiao Hui‐Hua , Liu Yi‐Chang , Yang Wen‐Chi , Hwang Daw‐Yang , Hung Chi‐Chih , Chen Hung‐Chun , Guh Jinn‐Yuh
Published: January 2013

Cisplatin‐induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major concern among clinicians in prescribing cisplatin‐based chemotherapy. This study evaluated and compared the ability of urinary biomarkers, including urinary neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL), cystatin C, and the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) to predict cisplatin‐induced AKI. Thirty‐three cancer patients receiving cisplatin‐based chemotherapy were prospectively studied, including 10 (30%) who developed AKI (the study group). Changes of urinary biomarkers were compared at 4 hours, 8 hours, and 12 hours, and 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, and 4 days after cisplatin intravenous infusions (75 mg/m2) versus the baseline. There was a significant increase in urinary NGAL levels from 12 hours to 4 days (p < 0.05) compared to baseline after cisplatin infusion in the AKI group. The magnitude of these changes over time differed significantly by group (p < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating curve describing the relationship between urinary NGAL levels and AKI within 12 hours was 0.865 (95% confidence interval = 0.691–1.000). Urinary NGAL levels independently predicted AKI 12 hours after cisplatin (p = 0.045) after adjustments for age, gender, body mass index, baseline serum creatinine, and urinary total protein. Urinary NGAL levels may be an early biomarker of AKI in patients receiving cisplatin‐based treatment.
The feasibility and correlation of atrial fibrillation vulnerability test to the indices of atrial substrates using atrial burst decremental pacing
Authors: Tang Wei‐Hua , Lee Kun‐Tai , Tsai Wei‐Chung , Sheu Sheng‐Hsiung , Lai Wen‐Ter
Published: January 2013

Pulmonary vein isolation and atrial substrate modification using catheter ablation have been developed as a standard treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the standard end‐point for these procedures is still not well established. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics among positive and negative AF vulnerability patients with normal structural heart, in order to define the endpoint of the atrial substrate modification. Fifty supraventricular tachycardia patients with normal heart structure referred for electrophysiological study and catheter ablation were enrolled. After eliminating the underling arrhythmias, the basic cycle length, effective refractory period of the right atrium, and the P wave indices in 12‐lead electrocardiograms were measured. The AF vulnerability test was performed by atrial burst decremental pacing with a pacing cycle length decreasing from 290 ms to 200 ms. The AF vulnerability test was considered as positive when the duration of the induced AF or atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATs) was longer than 10 seconds. The parameters of atrial substrates were compared between patients with positive and negative values of the AF vulnerability test. ATs or AF were induced in 24 (48%) patients. Among these patients, 12 (24%) induced ATs or AF were found to be sustained (duration more than 10 seconds). However, only two of these patients could reproduce the positive result after 10 minutes of the first induced protocol. Comparing the patient baseline characteristics, P wave characteristics and cardiac echo parameters, there were no significant differences between the positive and negative AF vulnerability groups. In conclusion, AF and ATs could be induced in patients with a structurally normal heart. The traditional clinical indices of atrial substrates were not significantly different between the positive and negative AF vulnerability patients. Protocols other than atrial burst decremental pacing should be investigated to evaluate the endpoint of the atrial substrate modification.
Novel usage of intraocular pressure‐lowering drugs as wound‐healing inhibitors after trabeculectomy with cell culture and animal models
Authors: Wu Kwou‐Yeung , Wu Pei‐Cheng , Lai Yu‐Hung , Hong Show‐Jen
Published: January 2013

Inhibiting the healing of wounds to ensure that the aqueous humor can drain into the scleral space unimpeded and form a filtering bleb plays a crucial role in determining the success rate of glaucoma surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the novel use, with cell culture and animal models, of some commercial intraocular pressure (IOP)‐lowering drugs in inhibiting the healing of fibroblast wounds. The Tenon's fibroblasts of rabbits were cultured to evaluate 13 IOP‐lowering drugs for cellular proliferation, collagen formation, and migration. These were measured using [3H]thymidine and [3H]proline uptake, and Transwell chambers. A preservative of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) was initially used, with 0.02% as a maximal original concentration. All of the drugs and the BAK were diluted from original commercial concentrations to 1/10, 1/100, and 1/1000. The more inhibitive drugs screened from the cell cultures were then selected for further short‐term application during and after trabeculectomy surgeries had been performed on the rabbits. Expression of the proliferative cell nuclear antigen was immunohistochemically examined 3 and 7 days after surgery. The results revealed that the inhibitive effects of BAK in cellular [3H]thymidine and [3H]proline uptake, and cellular migration were only evident at 0.002% concentrations. Based on the results of the cell cultures, timolol, latanoprost, and unoprostone exhibited a greater inhibitory effect than the other drugs. Moreover, the animal studies showed that latanoprost and unoprostone significantly suppressed the positive expression of proliferative cell nuclear antigen around the operative excision area 7 days after the trabeculectomy surgeries. The results indicate that short‐term use of some IOP‐lowering drugs, such as latanoprost and unoprostone, may inhibit postoperative wound healing after glaucoma surgery.
Randomized trial comparing rabeprazole‐ versus lansoprazole‐based Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens
Authors: Liu Meng‐Kwan , Wu I‐Chen , Lu Chien‐Yu , Kuo Chao‐Hung , Yu Fang‐Jung , Liu Chung‐Jung , Hsu Ping‐I , Hsu Wen‐Hung , Su Yu‐Chung , Chen Angela , Wu Deng‐Chyang , Kuo Fu‐Chen , Chen Jyh‐Jou
Published: January 2013

Different types of proton pump inhibitor (PPI)‐based triple therapies could result in different Helicobacter pylori eradication rates. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of rabeprazole‐ and lansoprazole‐based triple therapies in primary treatment of H. pylori infection. From September 2005 to July 2008, 426 H. pylori‐infected patients were randomly assigned to receive a 7‐day eradication therapy with either rabeprazole 20 mg bid (RAC group, n = 222) or lansoprazole 30 mg bid (LAC group, n = 228) in combination with amoxicillin 1 g bid and clarithromycin 500 mg bid. The patients received follow‐up esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and/or 13C‐urea breath test 12–16 weeks later to define H. pylori status. Their personal and medical history, compliance and side effects were obtained by using a standardized questionnaire. Intention‐to‐treat analysis revealed that the eradication rate was 87.84% in the RAC group and 85.96% in the LAC group (p = 0.56). All patients returned for assessment of compliance (100% in the LAC group vs. 99.50% in the RAC group; p = 0.32) and adverse events (7.20% in the RAC group vs. 5.70% in the LAC group, p = 0.51). Univariate analysis suggested that patients with nonsteroid anti‐inflammatory agent (NSAID) use had lower eradication rates than those without (76.71% vs. 88.74%; p = 0.006). Our results showed that efficacy and safety were similar in rabeprazole‐ and lansoprazole‐based primary therapies. The influence of NSAID usage on H. pylori eradication needs to be further investigated.
The Cambridge Star Atlas
Authors: Tirion Wil
Published: January 2013

This classic star atlas is ideal for both beginning astronomers and more experienced observers worldwide. The clear, full-color maps show stars, clusters and galaxies visible with binoculars or a small telescope. The atlas also features constellation boundaries and the Milky Way, and lists objects that are interesting to observe. This new edition features a clearer map of the Moon's surface, showing craters and features; a second Moon map, mirror reversed for users of telescopes with star diagonals; enhanced index charts showing the constellations more clearly; and a new data table listing stars hosting planetary systems. It is now spiral bound, making it ideal for use at the telescope.
Sudden Death in the Young
Authors: Byard Roger W.
Published: January 2013

Determining the cause of death in children and young adults can pose considerable challenges. Professor Byard provides for the first time a complete overview of pathological aspects of sudden death in the young, from before birth to middle adult life. Highly illustrated with more than 800 colour figures, this third edition contains new sections on sexual abuse, pregnancy-related deaths and rare natural diseases, as well as expanded coverage of unexpected death in young adults up to the age of 30 years. Chapters are organised by systems and cover all aspects of natural death, as well as accidents, suicides and homicides. Supported by extensive referencing and numerous tables, the book can also be used as a practical autopsy manual. An encyclopaedic overview and analysis of sudden death in the young, this is a key text for pediatric and forensic pathologists, pediatricians, and lawyers and physicians involved in medicolegal cases.
The Great Powers and the International System
Authors: Braumoeller Bear F.
Published: January 2013

Do great leaders make history? Or are they compelled to act by historical circumstance? This debate has remained unresolved since Thomas Carlyle and Karl Marx framed it in the mid-nineteenth century, yet implicit answers inform our policies and our views of history. In this book, Professor Bear F. Braumoeller argues persuasively that both perspectives are correct: leaders shape the main material and ideological forces of history that subsequently constrain and compel them. His studies of the Congress of Vienna, the interwar period, and the end of the Cold War illustrate this dynamic, and the data he marshals provide systematic evidence that leaders both shape and are constrained by the structure of the international system.
Sustainability Science
Authors: de Vries Bert J. M.
Published: January 2013

Sustainable development is becoming the guiding principle for the twenty-first century. This textbook – based on the author's course and rigorously class-tested by his students – provides an introduction into patterns of past and present (un)sustainable development and into the emergence of the notion of sustainable development. It systematically surveys the key concepts, models and findings of the various scientific disciplines with respect to the major sustainability issues: energy, nature, agro-food and resource systems, and economic growth. System analysis and modelling is introduced and used as an integrating tool. Stories and worldviews are used to connect the quantitative and the qualitative and to offer the reader an understanding of relevant trends and events in context. Sustainability Science is an ideal textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses in sustainable development and in environmental and resource science and policy.
Introduction to Quantum Effects in Gravity
Authors: Mukhanov Viatcheslav , Winitzki Sergei
Published: January 2013

This book, first published in 2007, is an introductory textbook on quantum field theory in gravitational backgrounds intended for undergraduate and beginning graduate students in the fields of theoretical astrophysics, cosmology, particle physics, and string theory. The book covers the basic (but essential) material of quantization of fields in an expanding universe and quantum fluctuations in inflationary spacetime. It also contains a detailed explanation of the Casimir, Unruh, and Hawking effects, and introduces the method of effective action used for calculating the back-reaction of quantum systems on a classical external gravitational field. The broad scope of the material covered will provide the reader with a thorough perspective of the subject. Every major result is derived from first principles and thoroughly explained. The book is self-contained and assumes only a basic knowledge of general relativity. Exercises with detailed solutions are provided throughout the book.
Landslide Ecology
Authors: Walker Lawrence R. , Shiels Aaron B.
Published: January 2013

Despite their often dangerous and unpredictable nature, landslides provide fascinating templates for studying how soil organisms, plants and animals respond to such destruction. The emerging field of landslide ecology helps us understand these responses, aiding slope stabilisation and restoration and contributing to the progress made in geological approaches to landslide prediction and mitigation. Summarising the growing body of literature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilising, and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. It explores nutrient cycling; soil development; and how soil organisms disperse, colonise and interact in what is often an inhospitable environment. Recognising the role that these processes play in providing solutions to the problem of unstable slopes, the authors present ecological approaches as useful, economical and resilient supplements to landslide management.
On the People's Terms
Authors: Pettit Philip
Published: January 2013

According to republican theory, we are free persons to the extent that we are protected and secured in the same fundamental choices, on the same public basis, as one another. But there is no public protection or security without a coercive state. Does this mean that any freedom we enjoy is a superficial good that presupposes a deeper, political form of subjection? Philip Pettit addresses this crucial question in On the People's Terms. He argues that state coercion will not involve individual subjection or domination insofar as we enjoy an equally shared form of control over those in power. This claim may seem utopian but it is supported by a realistic model of the institutions that might establish such democratic control. Beginning with a fresh articulation of republican ideas, Pettit develops a highly original account of the rationale of democracy, breathing new life into democratic theory.
Boundary Control
Authors: Gibson Edward L.
Published: January 2013

The democratization of a national government is only a first step in diffusing democracy throughout a country's territory. Even after a national government is democratized, subnational authoritarian 'enclaves' often continue to deny rights to citizens of local jurisdictions. Gibson offers new theoretical perspectives for the study of democratization in his exploration of this phenomenon. His theory of 'boundary control' captures the conflict pattern between incumbents and oppositions when a national democratic government exists alongside authoritarian provinces (or 'states'). He also reveals how federalism and the territorial organization of countries shape how subnational authoritarian regimes are built and how they unravel. Through a novel comparison of the late nineteenth-century American 'Solid South' with contemporary experiences in Argentina and Mexico, Gibson reveals that the mechanisms of boundary control are reproduced across countries and historical periods. As long as subnational authoritarian governments coexist with national democratic governments, boundary control will be at play.
Class in Archaic Greece
Authors: Rose Peter W.
Published: January 2013

Archaic Greece saw a number of decisive changes, including the emergence of the polis, the foundation of Greek settlements throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the organisation of panhellenic games and festivals, the rise of tyranny, the invention of literacy, the composition of the Homeric epics and the emergence of lyric poetry, the development of monumental architecture and large scale sculpture, and the establishment of 'democracy'. This book argues that the best way of understanding them is the application of an eclectic Marxist model of class struggle, a struggle not only over control of agricultural land but also over cultural ideals and ideology. A substantial theoretical introduction lays out the underlying assumptions in relation to alternative models. Material and textual remains of the period are examined in depth for clues to their ideological import, while later sources and a wide range of modern scholarship are evaluated for their explanatory power.
A Contribution to the Pure Theory of Taxation
Authors: Guesnerie Roger
Published: January 2013

Now available in paperback this book investigates the way in which tax systems affect economic efficiency and the distribution of welfare. It examines within a unified framework questions that are usually treated in different areas of the literature: institutional economics, positive economics, normative economics, and political economics. It adheres to the rigorous standards of pure theory while paying careful attention to the policy relevance of the arguments. Tax systems are viewed as information extracting devices that generate sets of equilibria of complex geometry. A tax reform methodology is proposed that sheds light on optimal taxes. Social conflicts in the determination of taxes are shown to have effects on social cohesion.
Republicanism and Liberalism in America and the German States, 1750–1850
Authors: Becker Peter
Published: January 2013

Republicanism and Liberalism in America and the German States represents the cooperative effort of a group of American and German scholars to move the historical debate on Republicanism and Liberalism to a new stage. Previously, the relationship between Republican and Liberal ideas, concepts and world views has been discussed in the context of American revolutionary and late eighteenth-century history. While the German states did not experience successful revolutions like those in North America and France, Republican and Liberal ideas and 'language' deeply affected German political thinking and culture, especially in the southern states. The essays published in this book expand the time frame of the debate into the first half of the nineteenth century, applying an innovative and comparative German-American perspective. By systematically studying the similarities and differences in the understanding of Republicanism and Liberalism in the United States and German states, the collection stimulates efforts toward a comprehensive interpretation of political, intellectual and social developments in the 'modernizing' Atlantic world of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Introduction to Astronomical Spectroscopy
Authors: Appenzeller Immo
Published: January 2013

Spectroscopy is the principal tool used in astronomy to investigate the Universe beyond Earth's atmosphere. Through the analysis of electromagnetic radiation, spectrographs enable observers to assess the chemical composition, kinematics and local physical properties of distant stars, nebulae and galaxies. Thoroughly illustrated and clearly written, this handbook offers a practical and comprehensive guide to the different spectroscopic methods used in all branches of astronomy, at all wavelengths from radio to gamma-ray and from ground and space-borne instruments. After a historical overview of the field, the central chapters navigate the various types of hardware used in spectroscopy. In-depth descriptions of modern techniques and their benefits and drawbacks help you choose the most promising observation strategy. The handbook finishes by assessing new technologies and future prospects for deep-sky observation. This text is an ideal reference for today's graduate students and active researchers, as well as those designing or operating spectroscopic instruments.