bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intra‐operative fluorescent cholangiography using indocyanin green during robotic single site cholecystectomy
Authors: Buchs Nicolas C. , Hagen Monika E. , Pugin François , Volonte Francesco , Bucher Pascal , Schiffer Eduardo , Morel Philippe
Published: May 2012

Background and study aims

Very recently, robotic single site cholecystectomy (RSSC) has been reported feasible and safe for selected cases. While an intra‐operative cholangiography can be performed, data is scarce with respect to its use. Indocyanin green (ICG) has been shown to be a viable option to visualize biliary anatomy. Since the introduction of a new near infrared camera integrated to the da Vinci Si System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA), the surgeon is able to assess the biliary anatomy by a non‐invasive and non‐ionizing method. This paper presents the first report of ICG imaging during a RSSC.

Patients and Methods

Twelve consecutive patients presenting symptomatic cholelithiasis were prospectively enrolled. They underwent RSSC approximately 45 minutes after intravenous administration of ICG (2.5 mg). The biliary anatomy was analyzed using a near infrared camera integrated to the robot before and after the robotic dissection.

Results

Eight women and four men underwent the procedure. There was a port addition in one case and no peri‐operative complications. Mean operative time was 85 minutes (range: 57–125). The cystic, common bile and common hepatic ducts were recognized by fluorescence imaging before the dissection in 91.7%, 50%, and 33.3% of patients, respectively. At least one structure was visualized in 100% of patients. After the completion of Calot's triangle dissection, the cystic, common bile, and common hepatic ducts were recognized in 100%, 83.3%, and 66.7% of cases respectively.

Conclusions

RSSC using ICG for biliary tree fluorescence imaging can be performed safely. Fluorescent cholangiography enabled real‐time identification of the extra‐hepatic biliary anatomy using a near infrared camera integrated to the robot. Its routine clinical use merits further investigations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effect of Size and Shape of Austenite Grains on the Mechanical Properties of a Low‐Alloyed TRIP Steel
Authors: Davut Kemal , Zaefferer Stefan
Published: May 2012

The effects of size and shape of austenite grains on the extraordinary hardening of steels with transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) have been studied. The deformation and transformation of austenite was followed by interrupted ex situ bending tests using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A finite element model (FEM) was used to relate the EBSD based results obtained in the bending experiments to the hardening behavior obtained from tensile experiments. The results are interpreted using a simple rule of mixture for stress partitioning and a short fiber reinforced composite model. It is found that both, the martensite transformation rate and the flow stress difference between austenite and martensite significantly influence the hardening rate. At the initial stage of deformation mainly larger grains deform, however, they do not reach the same strain level as the smaller grains because they transform into martensite at an early stage of deformation. A composite model was used to investigate the effect of grain shape on load partitioning. The results of the composite model show that higher stresses develop in more elongated grains. These grains tend to transform earlier as it is confirmed by the EBSD observations.
A Novel Zinc(II)‐Organic Coordination Framework Involving in situ Tetrazole Ligand Synthesis: Crystal Structure and Luminescent Properties
Authors: Sun Lin , Li Gui‐Zhu , Xu Mei‐Hua , Li Xiao‐Jian , Li Jian‐Rong , Deng Hong
Published: May 2012

The compound [Zn(5‐(2‐M)ET)2]n (1) [5‐(2‐M)ET = 5‐(2‐methoxyl)ethyltetrazole] was obtained by reaction of ZnSO4, sodium azide, and 3‐methoxyl propionitrile via an in situ [2+3] cycloaddition under hydrothermal conditions. It was characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Compound 1 is a 3D coordination framework with diamond‐like topology that is built up by infinite helical chains, which are interconnected by tetrazole groups.
Cage Compounds of Phosphorus and the Heavier Group 14 Elements
Authors: Almstätter Stefan , Eberl Miriam , Balázs Gábor , Bodensteiner Michael , Scheer Manfred
Published: May 2012

The Sn/P cage compounds [Sn10(tBuP)4] (1) and [Sn10(tBuP)7Cl4] (2) were obtained by the reaction of LitBuPH with SnBr2 and SnCl2, respectively. Theoretical calculations confirm that the tin atoms in 2 feature different formal oxidation states. The reaction of PbCl2 with LitBuPH and LiPHSiiPr3 yields the Pb/P cage compounds [Pb7(tBuP)7] (3) and [Pb6(PSiiPr3)6] (4), respectively, that represent new derivatives of known polyhedrons of this class of compounds. The new products were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, elemental analysis and partially by MS and MAS‐NMR spectroscopy.
Participation of Surgical Residents in Operations: Challenging a Common Classification
Authors: Bezemer Jeff , Cope Alexandra , Faiz Omar , Kneebone Roger
Published: May 2012

Background

One important form of surgical training for residents is their participation in actual operations, for instance as an assistant or supervised surgeon. The aim of this study was to explore what participation in operations entails and how it might be described and analyzed.

Methods

A qualitative study was undertaken in a major teaching hospital in London. A total of 122 general surgical operations were observed. A subsample of 14 laparoscopic cholecystectomies involving one or more residents was analyzed in detail. Audio and video recordings of eight operations were transcribed and analyzed linguistically.

Results

The degree of participation of trainees frequently shifted as the operation progressed to the next stage. Participation also varied within each stage. When trainees operated under supervision, the supervisors constantly adjusted their degree of control over the resident’s operative maneuvers.

Conclusions

Classifications such as “assistant” and “supervised surgeon” describing a trainee’s overall participation in an operation potentially misrepresent the varying involvement of resident and supervisor. Video recordings provide a useful alternative for documenting and analyzing actual participation in operations.
HSC90 is required for nascent hepatitis C virus core protein stability in yeast cells
Authors: Kubota Naoko , Inayoshi Yasutaka , Satoh Naoko , Fukuda Takashi , Iwai Kenta , Tomoda Hiroshi , Kohara Michinori , Kataoka Kazuhiro , Shimamoto Akira , Furuichi Yasuhiro , Nomoto Akio , Naganuma Akira , Kuge Shusuke
Published: May 2012

Hepatitis C virus core protein (Core) contributes to HCV pathogenicity. Here, we demonstrate that Core impairs growth in budding yeast. We identify HSP90 inhibitors as compounds that reduce intracellular Core protein level and restore yeast growth. Our results suggest that HSC90 (Hsc82) may function in the protection of the nascent Core polypeptide against degradation in yeast and the C‐terminal region of Core corresponding to the organelle‐interaction domain was responsible for Hsc82‐dependent stability. The yeast system may be utilized to select compounds that can direct the C‐terminal region to reduce the stability of Core protein.
Can pollution bias peatland paleoclimate reconstruction?
Authors: Payne Richard J. , Mitchell Edward A.D. , Nguyen-Viet Hung , Gilbert Daniel
Published: May 2012

Peatland testate amoebae are widely used to reconstruct paleohydrological/climatic changes, but many species are also known to respond to pollutants. Peatlands around the world have been exposed to anthropogenic and intermittent natural pollution through the late Holocene. This raises the question: can pollution lead to changes in the testate amoeba paleoecological record that could be erroneously interpreted as a climatic change? To address this issue we applied testate amoeba transfer functions to the results of experiments adding pollutants (N, P, S, Pb, O3) to peatlands and similar ecosystems. We found a significant effect in only one case, an experiment in which N and P were added, suggesting that pollution-induced biases are limited. However, we caution researchers to be aware of this possibility when interpreting paleoecological records. Studies characterising the paleoecological response to pollution allow pollution impacts to be tracked and distinguished from climate change.
A randomised study on the effects of fish protein supplement on glucose tolerance, lipids and body composition in overweight adults
Authors: Vikøren Linn A. , Nygård Ottar K. , Lied Einar , Rostrup Espen , Gudbrandsen Oddrun A.
Published: May 2012

The popularity of high-protein diets for weight reduction is immense. However, the potential benefits from altering the source of dietary protein rather than the amount is scarcely investigated. In the present study, we examined the effects of fish protein supplement on glucose and lipid metabolism in overweight adults. A total of thirty-four overweight adults were randomised to 8 weeks' supplementation with fish protein or placebo tablets (controls). The intake of fish protein supplement was 3 g/d for the first 4 weeks and 6 g/d for the last 4 weeks. In this study, 8 weeks of fish protein supplementation resulted in lower values of fasting glucose (P< 0·05), 2 h postprandial glucose (P< 0·05) and glucose-area under the curve (AUC) (five measurements over 2 h, P< 0·05) after fish protein supplementation compared to controls. Glucose-AUC was decreased after 8 weeks with fish protein supplement compared to baseline (P< 0·05), concomitant with increased 30 min and decreased 90 min and 2 h insulin C-peptide level (P< 0·05), and reduced LDL-cholesterol (P< 0·05). Body muscle % was increased (P< 0·05) and body fat % was reduced (P< 0·05) after 4 weeks' supplementation. Physical activity and energy and macronutrients intake did not change during the course of the study. In conclusion, short-term daily supplementation with a low dose of fish protein may have beneficial effects on blood levels of glucose and LDL-cholesterol as well as glucose tolerance and body composition in overweight adults. The long-term effects of fish protein supplementation is of interest in the context of using more fish as a protein source in the diet, and the effects of inclusion of fish in the diet of individuals with low glucose tolerance should be evaluated.
Oviposition strategies of temporary pool mosquitoes in relation to weather, tidal regime and land use in a temperate wetland
Authors: Cardo M.V. , Vezzani D. , Carbajo A.E.
Published: May 2012

Wetlands have traditionally been associated with harbouring mosquitoes, a well-known nuisance and vectors of diseases. Within mosquito life cycle, oviposition is a determinant event by shaping their individual fitness and vectorial capacity. The study was conducted in one of the main temperate wetlands in South America. We used Generalized Linear Models to study the relation between temperature, precipitation, tidal regime, land use, microenvironment, and the occurrence of floodwater (OchlerotatusandPsorophoraspp.) and raft-laying (CulexandUranotaeniaspp.) mosquitoes using temporary pools as larval habitats. Pool occurrence was negatively associated with temperature, and positively related to precipitation and high tides. As regards the land use, it was lowest in domestic areas and plantations, intermediate in secondary forests, and highest in marshes. Each oviposition strategy was best modelled as a function of different environmental factors. The occurrence of floodwater mosquitoes was positively associated with high cumulative precipitation and low tide records. Raft-laying mosquitoes were related to low temperature records, while the effect of flooding varied with the land use. In view of these results, physical (water inputs and movement), chemical, and biological (egg and larval flushing, and predatory interactions) considerations are given to provide insight in the oviposition patterns of mosquitoes occurring in this complex wetland. We finally propose the generation of a tidal flow as a control measure against floodwater mosquitoes, which are the most anthropophilic in the study area.
Host feeding patterns ofCulicoidesspecies (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) within the Picos de Europa National Park in northern Spain
Authors: Calvo J.H. , Berzal B. , Calvete C. , Miranda M.A. , Estrada R. , Lucientes J.
Published: May 2012

Blood meal identification can provide information about the natural host-feeding patterns or preferences ofCulicoidesspecies. Such information could indirectly provide data indicating which reservoirs are significant in associated vector-borne diseases.

We positively identified the host species through DNA sequencing of thecytochrome bgene in 144 of the 170 (84.7%) blood meal specimens tested. In the remaining samples, identification of the blood-meal source was unsuccessful, possibly due to the post-ingestion time prior to sampling or the availability of the species-specificcytochrome bgene sequences in the database. The majority of identified blood meals were derived from mammalian blood (95.8%), and only six contained chicken blood. We identified five species as mammalian hosts forCulicoidesspp.: sheep (87.7%), human (6.5%), cattle (3.7%) and Savi's Pine Vole (Micrototus savii) (2.1%). The results suggested that large mammals, specifically ruminants, were most frequently fed upon by biting midges (Culicoidesspp.), but evidence of opportunistic feeding behaviour was also found. Host feeding behaviour ofCulicoidesspecies may also be influenced by the relative abundance of a particular host species in the area being studied. In this sense, Savi's Pine Vole, a wild species, was found to be a locally relevant host and a putative reservoir for viruses transmitted by species of biting midges belonging to theCulicoidesgenus.

Finally, feeding on multiple potential host species was observed. One midge acquired blood meals from human and chicken hosts, while four other midges fed on two different sheep.
Addressing an Ambivalent Relationship: Policing and the Urban Poor in Mexico City
Authors: MÜLLER MARKUS-MICHAEL
Published: May 2012

This article analyses citizen–police relations in the marginalised Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa. It demonstrates that despite predominantly negative perceptions about and experiences with the police, local residents do not abandon state institutions as security providers. The article claims that as formal and informal access to the legal and coercive powers of the police provides an important resource for local residents needing to resolve individual or collective security problems and conflicts in their favour, local police forces continue to be addressed and imagined by residents as relevant security actors.
Impact Evaluation of Chile Solidario: Lessons and Policy Recommendations
Authors: LARRAÑAGA OSVALDO , CONTRERAS DANTE , RUIZ-TAGLE JAIME
Published: May 2012

This article evaluates the impact of the Chile Solidario anti-poverty programme. The evaluation is based on propensity score matching and a difference-in-difference estimator along with databases of Social Assistance Committee forms. The results show a positive but small impact on employment and housing along with a slightly negative impact on self-generated income. They also suggest that gains tend to be concentrated in the first phase, during which beneficiaries work with a family support professional, and that these benefits may not be sustainable. Participant families show absolute gains in income and employment, but these may be attributed to environmental conditions rather than the programme; this raises doubts about the premise that these families were initially marginalised from the economy and social networks.
Captain Jorge Álvares and Father Luís Fróis S.J.: Two Early Portuguese Descriptions of Japan and the Japanese
Authors: WILLIS CLIVE
Published: May 2012

The dialogism of the Russian philosopher and literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin (1895–1975), that is, the study of cultural interaction and the acknowledgment of the value or at least of the objective existence of other cultures, corresponds to one of the most significant aspects of Renaissance Humanism.1 In his turn, the Franco-Bulgarian philosopher Tzvetan Todorov (born 1939) has stressed the Humanists’ quest for “cultural relativism”, as exemplified by Amerigo Vespucci, who sought to evaluate the arrival of Europeans from the standpoint of American Indians, in total contrast to the monological approach of Christopher Columbus.2 The emphasis was on a two-way process. Similar attitudes to those of Vespucci can be found in Thomas More's Utopia, in Michel de Montaigne's celebrated essay on the cannibals he encountered in Rouen, and in the Fides, religio moresque aethiopum of Damião de Góis (to mention but three prominent cases). Finally, it was the Palestinian-American literary theorist and cultural critic Edward Said (1935–2003) who throughout Orientalism (New York, 1978) propounded the widely accepted (though often hotly debated) theory that westerners’ analyses of eastern cultures were (and are) predominantly condescending, racist and imperialistic.
The Rite of Durgā in Medieval Bengal: An Introductory Study of Raghunandana'sDurgāpūjātattvawith Text and Translation of the Principal Rites
Authors: SARKAR BIHANI
Published: May 2012

The autumnal Durgā Pūjā, the ten-lunar-day worship of the goddess Durgā, also known as Caṇḍī or Caṇḍīkā, is one of the most important festivals in East India and Nepal. Throughout villages and cities in Bengal, Orissa, Assam and the Kathmandu Valley the occasion is marked by pomp and circumstance. In Bengal especially, this worship is a reflection of a culture that has given goddesses a privileged position over male deities from at least the time of the Pālas.2However, despite the availability of material from the eighteenth century to the present day, the worship of the goddess prior to the colonial presence still remains to a great extentterra incognita. Sanskritpaddhatis (ritual manuals) from the medieval era are among the few records available from Bengal that shed light on the pedagogical and performative context of the rite. The purpose of this article is to provide a synchronic sketch of the medieval ceremony based on the influential and widely cited medieval manual, theDurgāpūjātattva(“The truth concerning the rite of Durgā”, henceforth DPT) of Raghunandana Bhaṭṭācārya (1520–1575ce)3supported by parallel accounts of the rite contained in related literature. The sketch will be used as a broad framework to illustrate the manner in which the ceremony was performed or could have been performed in Bengal during the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuriesce.
“Justice to India – Prosperity to England – Freedom to the Slave!” Humanitarian and Moral Reform Campaigns on India, Aborigines and American Slavery
Authors: LAIDLAW ZOË
Published: May 2012

This article considers British agitation against East India Company rule in India via an examination of the Aborigines Protection Society and the British India Society. Founded by humanitarians and moral reformers in the 1830s, these organisations placed India within a wide transnational context, which stretched from Britain's settler and plantation colonies to Liberia and the United States. However, in the wake of slave emancipation, British campaigners struggled to reconcile their universal understanding of humanity with their equally strong confidence in the benefits of ‘British civilisation’. Their nebulous and changeable programmes for reform failed to convince Britain's politicians and public that the challenges of free trade could be met by the exclusive use of free labour, or that all imperial subjects possessed equal rights. A fuller appreciation of these campaigns reveals the contradictions and occlusions inherent in mid-nineteenth century humanitarianism, and underscores the importance of a more geographically integrated approach to the history of opposition to Britain's empire.
Cyclicity of singular inner functions from the corona theorem
Authors: El-Fallah Omar , Kellay Karim , Seip Kristian
Published: May 2012

Carleson's corona theorem is used to obtain two results on cyclicity of singular inner functions in weighted Bergman-type spaces on the unit disk. Our method of proof requires no regularity conditions on the weights.
Influence of overriding plate geometry and rheology on subduction
Authors: Butterworth N. P. , Quevedo L. , Morra G. , Müller R. D.
Published: May 2012

Subduction dynamics is strongly dependent on the geometry and rheology of the subducting slab and adjacent plates, as well as on the induced mantle flow driven by the evolution of tectonic configurations along subduction zones. However, these processes, and the associated plate tectonic driving forces, are difficult to study using time‐dependent 3‐dimensional computer simulations due to limitations in computing resources. We investigate these phenomena with a novel numerical approach, using BEM‐Earth, a Stokes flow solver based on the Boundary Element Method (BEM) with a Fast‐Multipole (FM) implementation. The initial BEM‐Earth model configurations self‐consistently determine the evolution of the entire lithosphere‐mantle system without imposing additional constraints in a whole‐Earth spherical setting. We find that models without an overriding plate overestimate trench retreat by 65% in a 20 m.y. model run. Also, higher viscosity overriding plates are associated with higher velocity subducting slabs, analogue to faster oceanic plates subducting beneath more rigid continental lithosphere. In our models poloidal flows dominate the coupling between the down‐going and overriding plates, with trench‐orthogonal length variations in overriding plates inducing flows at least ∼2× stronger than trench‐parallel width variations. However, deformation in the overriding plate is related to its length and width, with narrower and longer plates extending more than wider and shorter plates.
Attributing the impacts of land‐cover changes in temperate regions on surface temperature and heat fluxes to specific causes: Results from the first LUCID set of simulations
Authors: Boisier J. P. , de Noblet‐Ducoudré N. , Pitman A. J. , Cruz F. T. , Delire C. , van den Hurk B. J. J. M. , van der Molen M. K. , Müller C. , Voldoire A.
Published: May 2012

Surface cooling in temperate regions is a common biogeophysical response to historical Land‐Use induced Land Cover Change (LULCC). The climate models involved in LUCID show, however, significant differences in the magnitude and the seasonal partitioning of the temperature change. The LULCC‐induced cooling is directed by decreases in absorbed solar radiation, but its amplitude is 30 to 50% smaller than the one that would be expected from the sole radiative changes. This results from direct impacts on the total turbulent energy flux (related to changes in land‐cover properties other than albedo, such as evapotranspiration efficiency or surface roughness) that decreases at all seasons, and thereby induces a relative warming in all models. The magnitude of those processes varies significantly from model to model, resulting on different climate responses to LULCC. To address this uncertainty, we analyzed the LULCC impacts on surface albedo, latent heat and total turbulent energy flux, using a multivariate statistical analysis to mimic the models' responses. The differences are explained by two major ‘features’ varying from one model to another: the land‐cover distribution and the simulated sensitivity to LULCC. The latter explains more than half of the inter‐model spread and resides in how the land‐surface functioning is parameterized, in particular regarding the evapotranspiration partitioning within the different land‐cover types, as well as the role of leaf area index in the flux calculations. This uncertainty has to be narrowed through a more rigorous evaluation of our land‐surface models.
Quaternary seismo‐tectonic activity of the Polochic Fault, Guatemala
Authors: Authemayou Christine , Brocard Gilles , Teyssier Christian , Suski Barbara , Cosenza Beatriz , Morán‐Ical Sergio , González‐Véliz Claussen Walther , Aguilar‐Hengstenberg Miguel Angel , Holliger Klaus
Published: May 2012

The Polochic‐Motagua fault system is part of the sinistral transform boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates in Guatemala and the associated seismic activity poses a threat to ∼70% of the country's population. The aim of this study is to constrain the Late Quaternary activity of the Polochic fault by determining the active structure geometry and quantifying recent displacement rates as well as paleo‐seismic events. Slip rates have been estimated from offsets of Quaternary volcanic markers and alluvial fan using in situ cosmogenic36Cl exposure dating. Holocene left‐lateral slip rate and Mid‐Pleistocene vertical slip rate have been estimated to 4.8 ± 2.3 mm/y and 0.3 ± 0.06 mm/y, respectively, on the central part of the Polochic fault. The horizontal slip rate is within the range of longer‐term geological slip rates and short‐term GPS‐based estimates. In addition, the non‐negligible vertical motion participates in the uplift of the block north of the fault and seems to be a manifestation of the regional, far‐field stress regime. We excavated the first trench for paleo‐seismological study on the Polochic fault in which we distinguish four large paleo‐seismic events since 17 ky during which the Polochic fault ruptured the ground surface.
Cross‐shore decay of cliff top ground motions driven by local ocean swell and infragravity waves
Authors: Young Adam P. , Guza R. T. , Adams Peter N. , O'Reilly William C. , Flick Reinhard E.
Published: May 2012

Ground motions at the frequencies (between 0.01 and 0.1 Hz) of ocean infragravity and swell waves were observed on a cross‐shore transect extending landward from the edge of a southern California coastal cliff. Cliff top ground motions are coherent and in phase with water level fluctuations at the cliff base. Vertical ground motions at infragravity and single frequencies decay rapidly with inland distance from the cliff edge (e‐folding scale is about 12 m), and at the edge decrease by several orders of magnitude between high tide when waves reach the cliff base, and low tide when the waterline is about 50 m from the cliff base. The observed cross‐shore decay scales are qualitatively consistent with gravitational loading and attraction of water waves at tidally modulated distances from the cliff base. At approximately constant distance from the waterline, ground motions vary roughly linearly with nearshore swell wave energy. In contrast to these locally forced ground motions, double frequency band (0.1–0.2 Hz) cliff top vertical ground motions are remotely generated with spatially uniform magnitudes approximately equal to those observed 14 km inland. Near the cliff edge, ground tilt dominates the observed large (relative to vertical) cross‐shore acceleration at infragravity frequencies, contributes significantly to cross‐shore acceleration at swell frequencies, and is a small fraction of cross‐shore acceleration at higher frequencies.
Understanding sudden changes in cloud amount: The Southern Annular Mode and South American weather fluctuations
Authors: Laken Benjamin A. , Pallé Enric
Published: May 2012

This work investigates the cause and effects of extreme changes in synoptic‐scale cloud cover operating at daily timescales using a variety of satellite‐based and reanalysis data sets. It is found that the largest sudden increases detected in globally averaged cloud cover over the last ten years of satellite‐based observations occur following positively correlated shifts in the phase of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index. The associated pressure anomalies are found to generate frontal cloud formation over large areas of the South American continent, increasing regional cloud cover by up to 20%; these changes are correlated to statistically significant reductions in local temperatures of approximately −2.5°C with a +1 day time lag, indicating the SAM index is associated with large scale weather fluctuations over South America.
Adipokines, Ghrelin and Obesity‐Associated Insulin Resistance in Nondiabetic Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Barazzoni Rocco , Aleksova Aneta , Armellini Ilaria , Cattin Maria Rosa , Zanetti Michela , Carriere Cosimo , Giacca Mauro , Dore Franca , Guarnieri Gianfranco , Sinagra Gianfranco
Published: May 2012

Altered glucose metabolism negatively modulates outcome in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Insulin resistance is commonly associated with increasing BMI in the general population and these associations may involve obesity‐related changes in circulating ghrelin and adipokines. We aimed at investigating interactions between BMI, insulin resistance and ACS and their associations with plasma ghrelin and adipokine concentrations. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMAIR)‐insulin resistance index, plasma adiponectin, leptin, total (T‐Ghrelin), acylated (Acyl‐Ghrelin), and desacylated ghrelin (Desacyl‐Ghrelin) were measured in 60 nondiabetic ACS patients and 44 subjects without ACS matched for age, sex, and BMI. Compared with non‐ACS, ACS patients had similar HOMAIR and plasma adipokines, but lower T‐ and Desacyl‐Ghrelin and higher Acyl‐Ghrelin. Obesity (BMI > 30) was associated with higher HOMAIR, lower adiponectin, and higher leptin (P < 0.05) similarly in ACS and non‐ACS subjects. In ACS (n = 60) HOMAIR remained associated negatively with adiponectin and positively with leptin independently of BMI and c‐reactive protein (CRP) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, low T‐ and Desacyl‐Ghrelin with high Acyl‐Ghrelin characterized both obese and non‐obese ACS patients and were not associated with HOMAIR. In conclusion, in ACS patients, obesity and obesity‐related changes in plasma leptin and adiponectin are associated with and likely contribute to negatively modulate insulin resistance. ACS per se does not however enhance the negative impact of obesity on insulin sensitivity. High acylated and low desacylated ghrelin characterize ACS patients independently of obesity, but are not associated with insulin sensitivity.
Pilot Study on the Detection of Simulated Lesions Using a 2D and 3D Digital Full-Field Mammography System with a Newly Developed High Resolution Detector Based on Two Shifts of a-Se
Authors: Schulz-Wendtland R. , Bani M. , Lux M. , Schwab S. , Loehberg C. , Jud S. , Rauh C. , Bayer C. , Beckmann M. , Uder M. , Fasching P. , Adamietz B. , Meier-Meitinger M.
Published: May 2012

Purpose: Experimental study of a new system for digital 2D and 3D full-field mammography (FFDM) using a high resolution detector based on two shifts of a-Se. Material and Methods: Images were acquired using the new FFDM system Amulet® (FujiFilm, Tokio, Japan), an a-Se detector (receptor 24 × 30 cm2, pixel size 50 µm, memory depth 12 bit, spatial resolution 10 lp/mm, DQE > 0.50). Integrated in the detector is a new method for data transfer, based on optical switch technology. The object of investigation was the Wisconsin Mammographic Random Phantom, Model 152A (Radiation Measurement Inc., Middleton, WI, USA) and the same parameters and exposure data (Tungsten, 100 mAs, 30 kV) were consistently used. We acquired 3 different pairs of images in the c-c and ml planes (2D) and in the c-c and c-c planes with an angle of 4 degrees (3D). Five radiologists experienced in mammography (experience ranging from 3 months to more than 5 years)
analyzed the images (monitoring) which had been randomly encoded (random generator) with regard to the recognition of details such as specks of aluminum oxide (200–740 µm), nylon fibers (0.4–1.6 mm) and round lesions/masses (diameters 5–14 mm), using special linear glasses for 3D visualization, and compared the results. Results: A total of 225 correct positive decisions could be detected: we found 222 (98.7 %) correct positive results for 2D and 3D visualization in each case. Conclusion: The results of this phantom study showed the same detection rates for both 2D and 3D imaging using full field digital mammography. Our results must be confirmed in further clinical trials.
Neurologie/Allgemeine Gynäkologie. Frauen und Epilepsie
Authors: Elger Christian
Published: May 2012

In Deutschland leben etwa 100 000 Frauen im gebärfähigen Alter, die an einer Epilepsie leiden. Die Behandlung und Beratung dieser Frauen stellt, insbesondere im Hinblick auf Empfängnisverhütung und Schwangerschaft, sowohl für den Gynäkologen als auch den Neurologen eine besondere Herausforderung dar. Bei der gynäkologischen Behandlung von Frauen mit Epilepsie müssen daher deren Besonderheiten berücksichtigt werden. Insbesondere die Beratung erfolgt in den gynäkologischen Praxen oft nicht auf der Basis des aktuellen Wissensstandes; wegen der besonderen Bedeutung sollten Gynäkologen dies berücksichtigen.
Physics and environment
Authors: Davis Harold L. , Feibelman Walter A. , Hoover Richard B. , Leonard Thomas A.
Published: May 2012

In this issue our feature articles focus on the subject of environmental problems. On page 26 Marvin Goldberger explains generally how physicists can contribute in this area. Following him on page 32 Hans Panofsky points out how heavily modern meteorology draws on various branches of physics. On page 38 Ali Cambel reviews the projected increases in demand for energy and the ways that these increases might be achieved with minimum threat to the environment. The three authors originally presented their papers at the recent Annual Meeting of Society Officers and Corporate Associates of the American Institute of Physics. Besides "Physics and Environment," speakers at the meeting also presented papers concerned with "Physics and Life Sciences" and "Physics and Energy Sources." The prize winners of the photographic competition held by PHYSICS TODAY for each of these three subject areas were first announced at this meeting. Each winner received an award of $200. Following are reproductions of the prize-winning photographs.
Sociology of refereeing
Authors: Zuckerman Harriet , Merton Robert K.
Published: May 2012

Nearly all scholarly journals use referees to screen submitted manuscripts. Physical scientists recognize the significance of the referee system: Some defend the system, and others attack it. But refereeing itself has not been systematically assessed. By studying the archives of The Physical Review for the years 1948 to 1956 (before the separate publication of Physical Review Letters) we have been able to come to a few conclusions about the workings of the referee system. Although some of the results were expected, others are surprising. Younger physicists, for example, are more likely to have their papers accepted than are older physicists, and the physics “establishment” does not appear to have any bias toward publishing the papers of its own members. The referee system here apparently does what it is supposed to do: Sift out the good papers from the bad.
Cosmological Surveys with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder
Authors: Duffy A. R. , Moss A. , Staveley-Smith L.
Published: May 2012

This is a design study into the capabilities of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder in performing a full-sky low redshift neutral hydrogen survey, termed WALLABY, and the potential cosmological constraints one can attain from measurement of the galaxy power spectrum. We find that the full sky survey will likely attain 6 × 105 redshifts which, when combined with expected Planck CMB data, will constrain the Dark Energy equation of state to 20%, representing a coming of age for radio observations in creating cosmological constraints.
Münch without tears: a steady-state Münch-like model of phloem so simplified that it requires only algebra to predict the speed of translocation
Authors: Pickard William F.
Published: May 2012

The pressure-driven mass-flow hypothesis of phloem translocation associated with Ernst Münch has become hegemonic and has been mathematically modelled in many, many different fashions – but not, apparently, in one chosen so that it gives simple algebraic predictions of (i) the speed of translocation; (ii) the saccharide concentration at the source; and (iii) the pressure offset due to translocation. To overcome this deficit, the problem was drastically simplified by assuming that: (i) radial variations could be neglected; (ii) osmotic water uptake was restricted to sink and source regions of negligible thickness; (iii) there was a constant rate of saccharide loading at the source; and (iv) the sink strength was sufficient to lower the photosynthate concentration at the extreme distal end of the sieve tube to levels at which it becomes unimportant. The resulting system of quadratic algebraic equations was then solved for the translocation speed, which was shown to vary as the square-root of the loading rate. Also found were the offset of the intra-tube hydrostatic pressure and the sap saccharide concentration at the source, which, likewise, vary as the square-root of the loading rate.
Loss of P-type ATPase ATP13A2/PARK9 function induces general lysosomal deficiency and leads to Parkinson disease neurodegeneration
Authors: Dehay Benjamin , Ramirez Alfredo , Martinez-Vicente Marta , Perier Celine , Canron Marie-Hélène , Doudnikoff Evelyne , Vital Anne , Vila Miquel , Klein Christine , Bezard Erwan
Published: May 2012

Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder pathologically characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra pars compacta and the presence, in affected brain regions, of protein inclusions named Lewy bodies (LBs). TheATP13A2gene (locus PARK9) encodes the protein ATP13A2, a lysosomal type 5 P-type ATPase that is linked to autosomal recessive familial parkinsonism. The physiological function of ATP13A2, and hence its role in PD, remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that PD-linked mutations in ATP13A2 lead to several lysosomal alterations in ATP13A2 PD patient-derived fibroblasts, including impaired lysosomal acidification, decreased proteolytic processing of lysosomal enzymes, reduced degradation of lysosomal substrates, and diminished lysosomal-mediated clearance of autophagosomes. Similar alterations are observed in stable ATP13A2-knockdown dopaminergic cell lines, which are associated with cell death. Restoration of ATP13A2 levels in ATP13A2-mutant/depleted cells restores lysosomal function and attenuates cell death. Relevant to PD, ATP13A2 levels are decreased in dopaminergic nigral neurons from patients with PD, in which ATP13A2 mostly accumulates within Lewy bodies. Our results unravel an instrumental role of ATP13A2 deficiency on lysosomal function and cell viability and demonstrate the feasibility and therapeutic potential of modulating ATP13A2 levels in the context of PD.
From antiferromagnetic insulator to correlated metal in pressurized and doped LaMnPO
Authors: Simonson J. W. , Yin Z. P. , Pezzoli M. , Guo J. , Liu J. , Post K. , Efimenko A. , Hollmann N. , Hu Z. , Lin H.-J. , Chen C.-T. , Marques C. , Leyva V. , Smith G. , Lynn J. W. , Sun L. L. , Kotliar G. , Basov D. N. , Tjeng L. H. , Aronson M. C.
Published: May 2012

Widespread adoption of superconducting technologies awaits the discovery of new materials with enhanced properties, especially higher superconducting transition temperatures
T

c

. The unexpected discovery of high
T

c

superconductivity in cuprates suggests that the highest
T

c

s
occur when pressure or doping transform the localized and moment-bearing electrons in antiferromagnetic insulators into itinerant carriers in a metal, where magnetism is preserved in the form of strong correlations. The absence of this transition in Fe-based superconductors may limit their
T

c

s
, but even larger
T

c

s
may be possible in their isostructural Mn analogs, which are antiferromagnetic insulators like the cuprates. It is generally believed that prohibitively large pressures would be required to suppress the effects of the strong Hund’s rule coupling in these Mn-based compounds, collapsing the insulating gap and enabling superconductivity. Indeed, no Mn-based compounds are known to be superconductors. The electronic structure calculations and X-ray diffraction measurements presented here challenge these long held beliefs, finding that only modest pressures are required to transform LaMnPO, isostructural to superconducting host LaFeAsO, from an antiferromagnetic insulator to a metallic antiferromagnet, where the Mn moment vanishes in a second pressure-driven transition. Proximity to these charge and moment delocalization transitions in LaMnPO results in a highly correlated metallic state, the familiar breeding ground of superconductivity.
Transiently populated intermediate functions as a branching point of the FF domain folding pathway
Authors: Korzhnev Dmitry M. , Religa Tomasz L. , Kay Lewis E.
Published: May 2012

Studies of protein folding and the intermediates that are formed along the folding pathway provide valuable insights into the process by which an unfolded ensemble forms a functional native conformation. However, because intermediates on folding pathways can serve as initiation points of aggregation (implicated in a number of diseases), their characterization assumes an even greater importance. Establishing the role of such intermediates in folding, misfolding, and aggregation remains a major challenge due to their often low populations and short lifetimes. We recently used NMR relaxation dispersion methods and computational techniques to determine an atomic resolution structure of the folding intermediate of a small protein module—the FF domain—with an equilibrium population of 2–3% and a millisecond lifetime, 25 °C. Based on this structure a variant FF domain has been designed in which the native state is selectively destabilized by removing the carboxyl-terminal helix in the native structure to produce a highly populated structural mimic of the intermediate state. Here, we show via solution NMR studies of the designed mimic that the mimic forms distinct conformers corresponding to monomeric and dimeric (
K
d
 = 0.2 mM) forms of the protein. The conformers exchange on the seconds timescale with a monomer association rate of 1.1·10
4
 M
-1
 s
-1
and with a region responsible for dimerization localized to the amino-terminal residues of the FF domain. This study establishes the FF domain intermediate as a central player in both folding and misfolding pathways and illustrates how incomplete folding can lead to the formation of higher-order structures.
Low-temperature, manganese oxide-based, thermochemical water splitting cycle
Authors: Xu Bingjun , Bhawe Yashodhan , Davis Mark E.
Published: May 2012

Thermochemical cycles that split water into stoichiometric amounts of hydrogen and oxygen below 1,000 °C, and do not involve toxic or corrosive intermediates, are highly desirable because they can convert heat into chemical energy in the form of hydrogen. We report a manganese-based thermochemical cycle with a highest operating temperature of 850 °C that is completely recyclable and does not involve toxic or corrosive components. The thermochemical cycle utilizes redox reactions of Mn(II)/Mn(III) oxides. The shuttling of Na
+
into and out of the manganese oxides in the hydrogen and oxygen evolution steps, respectively, provides the key thermodynamic driving forces and allows for the cycle to be closed at temperatures below 1,000 °C. The production of hydrogen and oxygen is fully reproducible for at least five cycles.
Orthodoxy and nation-building: Nichifor Crainic and religious nationalism in 1920s Romania
Authors: Clark Roland
Published: May 2012

This article uses the early career of Nichifor Crainic (1889–1972) to show why Orthodox Christianity became a central element of Romanian ultra-nationalism during the 1920s. Most Romanian nationalists were atheists prior to the First World War, but state-sponsored nation-building efforts catalyzed by territorial expansion and the incorporation of ethnic and religious minorities allowed individuals such as Crainic to introduce religious nationalism into the public sphere. Examining Crainic's work during the 1920s shows how his nationalism was shaped by mainstream political and ideological currents, including state institutions such as the Royal Foundations of Prince Carol and the Ministry of Cults and of Art. Despite championing “tradition,” Crainic was committed to changing Romanian society so long as that change followed autochthonous Romanian models. State sponsorship allowed Crainic to promote religious nationalism through his periodical Găndirea. Crainic's literary achievements earned him a chair in theology, from which he pioneered new ways of thinking about mysticism as an expression of Romanian culture and as crucial to understanding the Romanian nation.
Separate and combined influence of posture and sprint running on plasma volume changes
Authors: Tsampoukos Antonios , Stokes Keith , Nevill Mary
Published: May 2012

It is currently unknown whether any changes in plasma volume (PV) after sprint running are inherent to sprint running per se or are due to other confounding factors such as changes in posture. The purpose of the present study was to examine the independent effects of sprint running on PV changes. Eight females completed two trials on separate days: (1) a 30‐s sprint on a non‐motorised treadmill and (2) a control trial where no exercise was undertaken but blood samples were taken at identical time points as in the exercise trial. Changes in PV were calculated using haematocrit and haemoglobin. Post‐sprint PV reductions were greater in the sprint than the control trial (mean: −17.7, SD=3.1% vs. mean: −7.5, s = 4.9, P<0.05, n=8). There were greater changes in PV in the sprint than the control trial in most sampling points. These data show that sprint running of only 30 s induces transient reductions in PV independently of posture change. The present findings suggest that PV changes due to sprint running should be routinely reported as well as the posture and the exact time in this posture.
The effect of intensity on relative pitch
Authors: Thompson WilliamForde , Peter Varghese , Olsen Kirk N. , Stevens Catherine J.
Published: May 2012

In two experiments, we examined the effect of intensity and intensity change on judgements of pitch differences or interval size. In Experiment 1, 39 musically untrained participants rated the size of the interval spanned by two pitches within individual gliding tones. Tones were presented at high intensity, low intensity, looming intensity (up-ramp), and fading intensity (down-ramp) and glided between two pitches spanning either 6 or 7 semitones (a tritone or a perfect fifth interval). The pitch shift occurred in either ascending or descending directions. Experiment 2 repeated the conditions of Experiment 1 but the shifts in pitch and intensity occurred across two discrete tones (i.e., a melodic interval). Results indicated that participants were sensitive to the differences in interval size presented: Ratings were significantly higher when two pitches differed by 7 semitones than when they differed by 6 semitones. However, ratings were also dependent on whether the interval was high or low in intensity, whether it increased or decreased in intensity across the two pitches, and whether the interval was ascending or descending in pitch. Such influences illustrate that the perception of pitch relations does not always adhere to a logarithmic function as implied by their musical labels, but that identical intervals are perceived as substantially different in size depending on other attributes of the sound source.
Symmetry problem
Authors: Ramm A.
Published: May 2012

A novel approach to an old symmetry problem is developed. A new proof is given for the following symmetry problem, studied earlier: if

Δ
u
=
1

\Delta u=1

in

D
⊂

R

3

D\subset \mathbb {R}^3

,

u
=
0

u=0

on

S
S

, the boundary of

D
D

, and

u
N

=
c
o
n
s
t

u_N=const

on

S
S

, then

S
S

is a sphere. It is assumed that

S
S

is a Lipschitz surface homeomorphic to a sphere. This result has been proved in different ways by various authors. Our proof is based on a simple new idea.