bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Image, créativité et sentiment d’efficacité personnelle
Authors: Hébrard Véronique
Published: March 2012

L’utilisation de l’image fixe et mobile rendue possible par les TICE (technologies de l’information et de la communication pour l’enseignement) peut être l’occasion d’activités pédagogiques visant à faire percevoir à des apprenants en difficulté d’apprentissage linguistique, l’étendue de leur potentiel créatif et cognitif. L’activité qui est présentée ici décrit les différentes étapes de la réalisation d’un commentaire oral de type journalistique sur un support vidéo à caractère professionnel. Cet exercice s’est avéré particulièrement bien adapté au public visé.
Earthquake forecast enrichment scores
Authors: Smyth Christine , Yamada Masumi , Mori Jim
Published: March 2012

The Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP) is a global project aimed at testing earthquake forecast models in a fair environment. Various metrics are currently used to evaluate the submitted forecasts. However, the CSEP still lacks easily understandable metrics with which to rank the universal performance of the forecast models. In this research, we modify a well-known and respected metric from another statistical field, bioinformatics, to make it suitable for evaluating earthquake forecasts, such as those submitted to the CSEP initiative. The metric, originally called a gene-set enrichment score, is based on a Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic. Our modified metric assesses if, over a certain time period, the forecast values at locations where earthquakes have occurred are significantly increased compared to the values for all locations where earthquakes did not occur. Permutation testing allows for a significance value to be placed upon the score. Unlike the metrics currently employed by the CSEP, the score places no assumption on the distribution of earthquake occurrence nor requires an arbitrary reference forecast. In this research, we apply the modified metric to simulated data and real forecast data to show it is a powerful and robust technique, capable of ranking competing earthquake forecasts.
Is RSBY India's platform to implementing universal hospital insurance?
Authors: Dror David M. , Vellakkal Sukumar
Published: March 2012

Background & objectives:

In 2008, India's Labour Ministry launched a hospital insurance scheme called Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) covering ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) households. RSBY is implemented through insurance companies; premiums are subsidized by Union and States governments (75 : 25%). We examined RSBY's enrolment of BPL, costs vs. budgets and policy ramifications.

Methods:

Numbers of BPL are obtained by following criteria of two committees appointed for this task. District-specific premiums are weighted to obtain national average premiums. Using the BPL estimates and national premiums, we calculated overall expected costs of full roll-out of the RSBY per annum, and compared it to Union government budget allocations.

Results:

By March 31, 2011, RSBY enrolled about 27.8 per cent of the number of BPL households following the Tendulkar Committee estimates (37.6% following the Lakdawala Committee criteria). The average national weighted premium was

JOURNAL/ijmer/04.03/02223309-201235010-00012/math_12MM1/v/2022-09-30T171233Z/r/image-tiff

530 per household per year in 2011. The expected cost of premium to the union government of enrolling the entire BPL population in financial year (FY) 2010-11 would be

JOURNAL/ijmer/04.03/02223309-201235010-00012/math_12MM2/v/2022-09-30T171233Z/r/image-tiff

33.5 billion using Tendulkar count of BPL (or

JOURNAL/ijmer/04.03/02223309-201235010-00012/math_12MM3/v/2022-09-30T171233Z/r/image-tiff

24.6 billion following Lakdawala count), representing about 0.3 per cent (or 0.2%, respectively) of the total union budget. The RSBY budget allocation for FY 2010-11 was only about 0.037 per cent of the total union budget, sufficient to pay premiums of only 34 per cent of the BPL households enrolled by March 31, 2011.

Interpretation & conclusions:

RSBY could be the platform for universal health insurance when (i) the budget allocation will match the required funds for maintenance and expansion of the scheme; (ii) the scheme would ensure that beneficiaries’ rights are legally anchored; and (iii) RSBY would attract large numbers of premium-paying (non-BPL) households.
Chromosomal abnormalities & oxidative stress in women with premature ovarian failure (POF)
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Pathak Dhananjay , Venkatesh Sundararajan , Kriplani Alka , Ammini A.C. , Dada Rima
Published: March 2012

Background & objectives:

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as the cessation of ovarian function under the age of 40 yr and is characterized by amenorrhoea, hypoestrogenism and elevated serum gonadotrophin levels. The cause of POF remains undetermined in majority of the cases. This study was aimed to investigate the type and frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities in patients with idiopathic POF and also to study the role of oxidative stress in such cases.

Methods:

Seventy five women with idiopathic POF were included in this study. Chromosome analysis was done in peripheral blood lymphocytes by conventional GTG banding to identify numerical or structural abnormalities. Cytogenetically normal cases were investigated for reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in their blood by luminol-chemiluminescence assay.

Results:

Eighteen chromosomal anomalies were identified in POF patients (24%). Majority of the cases were found to have X-chromosome abnormalities (28%). Overall median ROS range was found to be significantly higher (P<0.01) in POF patients [50480 (120,132966) RLU/min] compared to controls [340 (120,5094) RLU/min]. Among these, 50 per cent of the POF patients had higher ROS levels, 20 per cent had medium elevation and 30 per cent were found to have normal values comparable to controls.

Interpretation & conclusions:

X-chromosome anomalies were found to be the major contributor of POF. Oxidative stress may be the underlying aetiology in idiopathic premature ovarian failure. Thus the results of this study highlight the role of cytogenetic abnormalities and supraphysiological levels of ROS in causation of idiopathic POF. But the role of oxidative stress needs to be confirmed by other studies on patients from different geographical areas and from different ethnicities.
High‐Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension in Cattle (Brisket Disease): Candidate Genes and Gene Expression Profiling of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Authors: Newman John H. , Holt Timothy N. , Hedges Lora K. , Womack Bethany , Memon Shafia S. , Willers Elisabeth D. , Wheeler Lisa , Phillips John A. , Hamid Rizwan
Published: March 2012

High‐altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) is a consequence of chronic alveolar hypoxia, leading to hypoxic vasoconstriction and remodeling of the pulmonary circulation. Brisket disease in cattle is a naturally occurring animal model of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Genetically susceptible cattle develop severe pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure at altitudes >7,000 ft. No information currently exists regarding the identity of the pathways and gene(s) responsible for HAPH or influencing severity. We hypothesized that initial insights into the pathogenesis of the disease could be discovered by a strategy of (1) sequencing of functional candidates revealed by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis and (2) gene expression profiling of affected cattle compared with altitude‐matched normal controls, with gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). We isolated blood from a single herd of Black Angus cattle of both genders, aged 12–18 months, by jugular vein puncture. Mean pulmonary arterial pressures were 85.6±13 mmHg STD in the 10 affected and 35.3±1.2 mmHg STD in the 10 resistant cattle, P<0.001. From peripheral blood mononuclear cells, DNA was hybridized to an Affymetrix 10K Gene Chip SNP, and RNA was used to probe an Affymetrix Bovine genome array. SNP loci were remapped using the Btau 4.0 bovine genome assembly. mRNA data was analyzed by the Partek software package to identify sets of genes with an expression that was statistically different between the two groups. GSEA and IPA were conducted on the refined expression data to identify key cellular pathways and to generate networks and conduct functional analyses of the pathways and networks. Ten SNPs were identified by allelelic association and four candidate genes were sequenced in the cohort. Neither endothelial nitric oxide synthetase, NADH dehydrogenase, TG‐interacting factor‐2 nor BMPR2 were different among affected and resistant cattle. A 60‐gene mRNA signature was identified that differentiated affected from unaffected cattle. Forty‐six genes were overexpressed in the affected and 14 genes were downregulated in the affected cattle by at least 20%. GSEA and Ingenuity analysis identified respiratory diseases, inflammatory diseases and pathways as the top diseases and disorders (P<5.14×10−14), cell development and cell signaling as the top cellular functions (P<1.20×10−08), and IL6, TREM, PPAR, NFkB cell signaling (P<8.69×10−09) as the top canonical pathways associated with this gene signature. This study provides insights into differences in RNA expression in HAPH at a molecular level, and eliminates four functional gene candidates. Further studies are needed to validate and refine these preliminary findings and to determine the role of transcribed genes in the development of HAPH.
Pulmonary Artery Endothelium Resident Endothelial Colony‐Forming Cells in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Duong Heng T. , Comhair Suzy A. , Aldred Micheala A. , Mavrakis Lori , Savasky Benjamin M. , Erzurum Serpil C. , Asosingh Kewal
Published: March 2012

Proliferative pulmonary vascular remodeling is the pathologic hallmark of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) that ultimately leads to right heart failure and death. Highly proliferative endothelial cells known as endothelial colony‐forming cells (ECFC) participate in vascular homeostasis in health as well as in pathological angiogenic remodeling in disease. ECFC are distinguished by the capacity to clonally proliferate from a single cell. The presence of ECFC in the human pulmonary arteries and their role in PAH pathogenesis is largely unknown. In this study, we established a simple technique for isolating and growing ECFC from cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC) to test the hypothesis that ECFC reside in human pulmonary arteries and that the proliferative vasculopathy of PAH is related to greater numbers and/or more proliferative ECFC in the pulmonary vascular wall. Flow cytometric forward and side scatter properties and aggregate correction were utilized to sort unmanipulated, single PAEC to enumerate ECFC in primary PAEC cultures derived from PAH and healthy lungs. After 2 weeks, wells were assessed for ECFC formation. ECFC derived from PAH PAEC were more proliferative than control. A greater proportion of PAH ECFC formed colonies following subculturing, demonstrating the presence of more ECFC with high proliferative potential among PAH PAEC. Human androgen receptor assay showed clonality of progeny, confirming that proliferative colonies were single cell‐derived. ECFC expressed CD31, von Willebrand factor, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, caveolin‐1 and CD34, consistent with an endothelial cell phenotype. We established a simple flow cytometry method that allows ECFC quantification using unmanipulated cells. We conclude that ECFC reside among PAEC and that PAH PAEC contain ECFC that are more proliferative than ECFC in control cultures, which likely contributes to the proliferative angiopathic process in PAH.
Decreasing particle number concentrations in a warming atmosphere and implications
Authors: Yu F. , Luo G. , Turco R. P. , Ogren J. A. , Yantosca R. M.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. New particle formation contributes significantly to the number concentration of condensation nuclei (CN) as well as cloud CN (CCN), a key factor determining aerosol indirect radiative forcing of the climate system. Using a physics-based nucleation mechanism that is consistent with a range of field observations of aerosol formation, it is shown that projected increases in global temperatures could significantly inhibit new particle, and CCN, formation rates worldwide. An analysis of CN concentrations observed at four NOAA ESRL/GMD baseline stations since the 1970s and two other sites since 1990s reveals long-term decreasing trends that are consistent in sign with, but are larger in magnitude than, the predicted temperature effects. The possible reasons for larger observed long-term CN reductions at remote sites are discussed. The combined effects of rising temperatures on aerosol nucleation rates and other chemical and microphysical processes may imply substantial decreases in future tropospheric particle abundances associated with global warming, delineating a potentially significant feedback mechanism that increases Earth's climate sensitivity to greenhouse gas emissions. Further research is needed to quantify the magnitude of such a feedback process.
Measurement-based modelling of bromine-induced oxidation of mercury above the Dead Sea
Authors: Tas E. , Obrist D. , Peleg M. , Matveev V. , Faïn X. , Asaf D. , Luria M.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. Atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs) outside the polar region – driven by high levels of gaseous Br and BrO (i.e., BrOx) – were observed recently in the warm Dead Sea boundary layer. The efficient oxidation of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) under temperate conditions by BrOx was unexpected considering that the thermal back dissociation reaction of HgBr is about 2.5 orders of magnitude higher under Dead Sea temperatures compared to polar temperatures, and hence was expected to significantly slow down GEM oxidation under warm temperatures. The goal of this modelling study was to improve understanding of the interaction of reactive bromine and mercury during Dead Sea AMDEs using numerical simulations based on a comprehensive measurement campaign in summer 2009. Our analysis is focused on daytime AMDE when chemical processes dominate concentration changes. Best agreements between simulations and observations were achieved using rate constants for kHg+Br and kHg+BrO of 2.7 × 10−13 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and 1.5 × 10−13 cm3 molecule−1 s−1, respectively. Our model also predicted that a rate constant kHg+BrO of 5.0 × 10−14 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 may be considered as a minimum, which is higher than most reported values. These rate constants suggest that BrO could be a more efficient oxidant than Br in the troposphere as long as [Br]/[BrO] ratios are smaller than ~0.2 to 0.5. Under Dead Sea conditions, these kinetics demonstrate a high efficiency and central role of BrOx for AMDEs, with relative contributions to GEM depletion of more than ~90%. Unexpectedly, BrO was found to be the dominant oxidant with relative contributions above 80%. The strong contribution of BrO could explain why the efficiency of GEM oxidation at the Dead Sea does not critically depend on Br and, therefore, is comparable to that in cold polar regions. In order to confirm the suggested kinetics, additional studies, particularly for temperature-dependence of rate constants, are required.
Little Ice Age advance and retreat of Glaciar Jorge Montt, Chilean Patagonia
Authors: Rivera A. , Koppes M. , Bravo C. , Aravena J. C.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. Glaciar Jorge Montt (48°20' S/73°30' W), one of the main tidewater glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Icefield (SPI), has experienced the greatest terminal retreat observed in Patagonia during the past century, with a recession of 19.5 km between 1898 and 2011. This retreat has revealed trees laying subglacially until 2003. These trees were dated using radiocarbon, yielding burial ages between 460 and 250 cal yrs BP. The presence of old growth forest during those dates indicates that Glaciar Jorge Montt was upvalley of its present position before the commonly recognized Little Ice Age (LIA) period in Patagonia. The post-LIA retreat was most likely triggered by climatically induced changes during the 20th century; however, Glaciar Jorge Montt has responded more dramatically than its neighbours. The retreat of Jorge Montt opened a 19.5 km long fjord since 1898, which reaches depths in excess of 390 m. The bathymetry is well correlated with glacier retreat rates, suggesting that dynamic responses of the glacier are at least partially connected to near buoyancy conditions at the ice front, resulting in high calving fluxes, accelerating thinning rates and rapid ice velocities.
Outcomes of Initial Hemodialysis Access Surgery in an Asian Population
Authors: Thwaites Stephen E. , Robless Peter A.
Published: March 2012

Purpose

Access-related morbidity contributes substantially to the costs of hemodialysis. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of initial hemodialysis access surgery at a single center in Singapore and to analyze factors which might influence survival of the surgically-created access.

Methods

Patients undergoing their first hemodialysis access operations between January 2003 and December 2007 were retrospectively identified. Primary and assisted primary patency rates were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Data on age, sex, diabetic status, and prior tunneled central venous catheter (CVC) use were analyzed against the outcome of arteriovenous fistulas (AVF).

Results

During the study period, 410 primary upper limb access operations were performed: 297 forearm AVF (72.4%), 91 upper arm AVF (22.2%), and 22 arteriovenous grafts (AVG; 5.4%). Men comprised 55.4%, 271 (66.1%) had diabetes, and 316 patients (77.1%) came to surgery with pre-existing CVC. Sixty-two percent of forearm AVF and 67% of arm AVF were used successfully. Age, sex, diabetes, and prior use of a CVC did not significantly affect the ability to use an AVF. Only in the female diabetic subgroup was an earlier loss of primary assisted patency of AVF recorded.

Conclusions

In our Asian population, we have demonstrated AVF patency rates equivalent to those of international centers. We now face the challenge of achieving a higher rate of pre-emptive AVF placement with a subsequent reduction in CVC use.
Interrupted Discourse and Ethical Judgement in Jonathan Littell's The Kindly Ones
Authors: McFadden Ronan
Published: March 2012

No text exists within a moral vacuum, and the considerable success of Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones comes with serious criticism of its perceived ethical messages. This is unsurprising, given the subject matter: Littell’s first literary work is the story of Maximilien Aue, a fictional Nazi SS officer who escapes prosecution for participating in the mass murder of Jews, as well as for raping his sister and murdering his lover, his best friend and – as the novel implies – his mother and stepfather. Having taken a false French identity after the war and become a successful industrialist, Max narrates his memoirs as an older man, seemingly unrepentant for his participation in the Holocaust, which he puts into writing with over 900 pages of precise, disturbing detail. Written in French, American-born Littell’s detailed descriptions of extreme violence and sex have been labelled by some critics as ‘death porn’, and have invited comparisons to Sade and Georges Bataille. Andrew Hussey has called these French authors ‘controversial influences – it is possible to read both Bataille and Sade simply as advocates of extreme cruelty’ (Hussey 2007). In this paper, it is my intention to analyse the ethical considerations in The Kindly Ones to show what I believe is an intentional resistance to the reduction of specific characters and stories, the latter resulting in generalising ethical messages. I will take Hannah Arendt’s analysis of Adolf Eichmann as an example in order to investigate how The Kindly Ones simultaneously entertains and resists Arendt’s concept of the banality of evil as a paradigm for perpetrators in general, which creates a type of ethical confusion, similar to Robert Eaglestone’s interpretation of Emmanuel Lévinas’s term “interrupted discourse”. I believe this constitutes Littell’s critique ofhuman moral systems and will argue that the interrupted discourse of The Kindly Ones, far from being an unethical text, allows for the emergence of a universal ethical perspective beyond flawed human judgement.
The English Libel Reform Campaign: Fighting for our Right to Debate
Authors: Stone Jay
Published: March 2012

In science, healthy debate and discussion of each other’s work is crucial. We all read papers and discuss what we think about them, whether we agree with their controls, their statistical analysis, whether we would have drawn the same conclusions. It is what drives our work forward. We put so much emphasis on having a fresh pair of eyes on our work that we have even designed the peer review system around it. Science is meant to be open for all to see, warts and all.
Janet Malcolm, Chekhov: a Critical Journey
Authors: Kanakova Anna
Published: March 2012

What makes Janet Malcolm stand out immediately from a long line of Chekhov’s biographers is her critical approach to working within the genre. It is a rare and a brave biographer who proclaims ‘the inescapable triviality of biography’ (p. 36). She repeatedly challenges the sentimentality which has become a tradition with Chekhov’s biographers and with which anyone who has a read Henry Troyat’s Chekhov or Philip Callow’s Chekhov: The Hidden Ground will be familiar. Malcolm’s own tone is one of respectful detachment, and she consistently opts for discussing Chekhov’s relationship to his work rather than speculating on the details of his private life. ‘Chekhov’s... literary practice...was a kind of exercise in withholding’ (pp.40-1), she ponders, and this becomes her own ‘practice.’
Karen Barad, Meeting the Universe Halfway: Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and Meaning
Authors: Peacock Vita
Published: March 2012

Barad raises the curtain with a play, the recently dramatized encounter between two German quantum physicists, Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg in 1941, an historical event of which of which little is known. The scientists discuss the possible development of a German atom bomb. Having previously been close, thereafter the two part company. Opening her substantial monograph with a lengthy critique of the play crystallizes Barad’s intentions, and reveals her strongest card. Science, even, (perhaps especially) that of the most microscopic kind, quantum physics, which explores the world at the level of the atomic, may have geopolitical, ethical, and historical implications. The practice of science is shaped by what is deemed to matter, at any given time. Reaching willingly into another domain, in this case the world of art, foreshadows the greatest merit of the book, the ease with which Barad dances across disciplinary boundaries with a trickster-like fluidity. In style and content the introduction supports her two-pronged agenda, a novel theory of scientific objects, as well as a novel theory of science-as-object.
Spleen, Nostalgia, and the Reconstruction of Human Time in Leonardo Padura's Las Cuatro Estaciones
Authors: Zamora Alejandro , Gélinas Mélissa
Published: March 2012

This paper seeks to highlight the contribution made to detective literature by the Cuban Leonardo Padura, one of Latin America’s foremost contemporary detective writers. With Las cuatro estaciones, his famous tetralogy, Padura became one of the central figures of the Latin American neopoliciaco sub-genre and instilled a definite renewal in Cuban detective fiction. This paper will focus on Padura’s unique ways of departing not only from his national tradition but also from the ‘classic’ and ‘hardboiled’ models, hence illustrating the author’s contribution to the detective genre. It is argued that Padura’s tetralogy most significant innovation is its thorough articulation of the narrative identities of individuals, through a reconstruction of human time (Ricoeur) in present-day Cuba. Las cuatro estaciones can further be thought as a mosaical endeavour (Benjamin) that allows for the capture and additional development of fictional but credible beings’ ipseities. The mosaical endeavour gives rise to other literary strategies, such as a polyphonic narration, the use of the detective pretext and the ironical subversion of the ‘detachment of the detective’ principle. These three strategies enable the author to refigure human time in contemporary Cuban society, in such a way that it becomes possible to grasp the meanings and origins of a generational spleen feeling that can be observed in most of the series’ main characters – and especially in its protagonist, Mario Conde.
Do RCTs Provide Better Evidence than Observational Studies?
Authors: Sami Talha , Sedgwick Philip
Published: March 2012

Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) was born on the premise that some commonly used treatments are not evidence-based. The EBM philosophy is that Randomised Clinical Trials (RCTs) alongside systematic reviews offer stronger evidential support than observational studies, mechanistic reasoning and expert judgement (Howick, 2011, 10). This paper argues that RCTs provide better evidential support than observational studies in two halves. Section I outlines EBM principles: it dissects RCTs and observational studies from an internal perspective. The foundation of Section I is that as long as RCTs entail less confounding factors than observational studies, they will provide superior evidential support1 (Howick, 2011, p.61). Section II will critique EBM ideology from an external perspective: if RCTs survive the criticisms then it is established that RCTs provide better evidential support than observational trials. It will start by analysing general principles and progress into scrutinising specific RCT devices. The conclusion is that RCTs withstand the criticism and are superior.
Has the Worldwide Convergence on the Anglo-American Style Shareholder Model of Corporate Law Yet been Assured?
Authors: Palmer Cagman
Published: March 2012

It has become increasingly mainstream for corporate law scholars to recognise that the world has dichotomised itself into two patterns of share ownership: dispersed ownership of shares and concentrated ownership of shares. In substance, the differences in ownership patterns beget different background systems of corporate governance. In general, the US and UK corporate governance system adopts the former which is more aligned with a shareholder-oriented model, whereas the corporate governance systems of most European and Asian countries adopt the latter which is more in alignment with a stakeholder-oriented model. Over time, the academic debate has revolved round the question of whether there can or will be global convergence on a single type of share ownership and resultant global convergence in corporate governance. This debate has simmered concomitantly with Hansmann and Kraakman‟s hypothesis put forward in their seminal scholarship of 2001 that it is only a matter of time that the emergent consensus on the supremacy of the shareholder-oriented model might propel judiciaries in countries with a non-shareholder-oriented model to make corresponding changes in their corporate laws towards a shareholder-model. Influenced by the above discussion, this article enquires into the soundness of their hypothesis. This article ultimately shows that the worldwide convergence is not necessarily a straightforward exercise in practice due not only to the persistent differences in the world‟s corporate ownership structures, also to several other reasons.
The Impact of Solar Panels on the Price and Saleability of Domestic Properties in Oxford
Authors: Morris-Marsham Charlie , Moore Gemma
Published: March 2012

Studies into energy efficiency and micro-generation in the built environment tend to focus on the economic or environmental paybacks of installed technologies. However, as the opening quote suggests, features that reduce the energy consumption of a property may also play a role in influencing property value. To date research into whether and to what extent energy efficiency and micro-generation technologies, such as solar panels, affect the price and saleability of properties has been limited and the assumption amongst property professionals has been that these installations do not affect the price or saleability of properties (Home Sale Network 2009; RICS 2010). This paper addresses the topic by reporting the results of a study which examined property buyer responses to solar panels and explored the expectations of householders and estate agents surrounding solar panels and value in domestic properties in Oxford.
The Ultimate Catch-22: Will Life be the Death of Us?
Authors: Petchey Louisa
Published: March 2012

Whatever it is that you live, eat and breathe, the point is you eat and breathe. Remarkably, these two simple (and occasionally pleasurable) activities are all that’s needed to keep the biology of your body ticking over. By getting oxygen into your lungs and food into your stomach you are providing all the raw materials required for aerobic respiration: the chemical reaction that is constantly firing away in every cell of your body to give you energy. This fantastic life-giving reaction comes courtesy of a tiny organelle in your cells called the mitochondrion. But don’t be fooled by their apparently selfless nature - they might just be the death of you.
Distribution of Cardiac Stem Cells in the Human Heart
Authors: Arsalan Mani , Woitek Felix , Adams Volker , Linke Axel , Barten Markus J. , Dhein Stefan , Walther Thomas , Mohr Friedrich-Wilhelm , Garbade Jens
Published: March 2012

Introduction.
The existence of human cardiac stem cells (hCSC) and their regenerative capacity are not fully defined. The aim of this study was to identify and analyse the distribution of hCSCs by flow cytometry (FCM). Methods. Tissue samples from the left ventricle (LV) and the appendages of the right atrium (RA) and left atrium (LA) were taken during cardiac surgery. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated, labelled for the stem-cell-marker c-kit and hematopoietic-lineage markers and analysed by FCM. Results. HCSCs could be isolated from the RA, LA, and LV without significant quantitative difference between both atria (A) (RA 4.80 ± 1.76% versus LA 4.99 ± 1.69% of isolated MNCs, P=0.922). The number of hCSCs was significantly higher in both atria compared to the left ventricle (A 4.90 ± 1.29% versus LV 0.62 ± 0.14% of isolated MNCs, P=0.035). Conclusion. The atria contain a higher concentration of hCSC than the left ventricle. HCSCs located in the atria could serve as an endogenous source for heart regeneration.
Studies on Paliperidone in OROS Tablets: Extraction Procedure and Chromatographic Analysis
Authors: Barbosa Fábio , Mantovani Luciano , Garcia Cássia V. , Mendez Andreas S. L.
Published: March 2012

A stability-indicating liquid chromatographic (LC) method was studied for the determination of paliperidone in osmotic-controlled release oral delivery system (OROS) tablets. A tablet extraction procedure was developed by testing the efficiency of solvents (water, HCl, NaOH, acetonitrile, methanol) and techniques (ultrasonic bath, magnetic stirrer), and evaluating the release of the drug with respect to time. A forced degradation study was conducted to demonstrate the stability-indicating power of the method. Chromatographic separation was achieved using an isocratic elution in a reversed-phase system with a mobile phase prepared from a mixture of phosphate buffer and acetonitrile. The use of an ultrasonic bath demonstrated paliperidone release from OROS tablets in a total time of 60 min. Verifying the efficiency of the chromatographic procedure, the theoretical plates (N=12634.21) and tailing factor (tf=1.31) were constant during repeated injections. The retention time of paliperidone was 4.8 min, and the method was validated within the concentration range of 10–50 μg mL-1 (r=0.9999). Adequate reproducibility (RSD% = 0.30–0.59), interday precision (RSD%=1.81), and accuracy were obtained. The proposed method was successfully applied to paliperidone determination in the presence of degradation products, and an efficient extraction procedure from the OROS tablets was developed.
Improvement of Water Solubility of Josamycin by Inclusion Complex with -Cyclodextrin
Authors: El Harti J. , Cherrah Y. , Bouklouze A.
Published: March 2012

Josamycin propionate (JMP) is an antibiotic belonging to the family of macrolide. According to the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS), this compound can be classed in class II, low solubility and high permeability. In order to increase its apparent water solubility, inclusion complexation between Josamycin propionate and γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) was studied. UV spectrophotometric method was employed to investigate the phase-solubility profile and the stability constant of the complexation in aqueous medium. Solid state of the binary system prepared by coevaporation (in 50%-50% ethanol/water) has been characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformation-infrared spectrometry (FTIR). These techniques indicate that JMP forms an association complex with γ-CD. The shift in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) confirms the existence of the inclusion complex. Also the results obtained showed an enhancement of the solubility in water of Josamycin propionate.
Familial Paraphilia: A Pilot Study with the Construction of Genograms
Authors: Labelle Alain , Bourget Dominique , Bradford John M. W. , Alda Martin , Tessier Pierre
Published: March 2012

Biological factors are likely predisposing and modulating elements in sexually deviant behavior. The observation that paraphilic behavior tends to cluster in some families is intriguing and potentially raises questions as to whether shared genetic factors may play a role in the transmission of paraphilia. This pilot study introduces five families in which we found presence of paraphilia over generations. We constructed genograms on the basis of a standardized family history. Results document the aggregation of sexual deviations within the sample of families and support a clinical/phenomenological heterogeneity of sexual deviation. The concept of paraphilia in relation to phenotypic expressions and the likelihood of a spectrum of related disorders must be clarified before conclusions can be reached as to family aggregation of paraphilia based on biological factors.
First Problem of Stokes for Generalized Burgers' Fluids
Authors: Jamil Muhammad
Published: March 2012

The velocity field and the adequate shear stress corresponding to the first problem of Stokes for
generalized Burgers’ fluids are determined in simple forms by means of integral transforms. The solutions
that have been obtained, presented as a sum of steady and transient solutions, satisfy all imposed initial
and boundary conditions. They can be easily reduced to the similar solutions for Burgers, Oldroyd-B,
Maxwell, and second-grade and Newtonian fluids. Furthermore, as a check of our calculi, for small values of the
corresponding material parameters, their diagrams are almost identical to those corresponding to the known
solutions for Newtonian and Oldroyd-B fluids. Finally, the influence of the rheological parameters on the
fluid motions, as well as a comparison between models, is graphically illustrated. The non-Newtonian effects
disappear in time, and the required time to reach steady-state is the lowest for Newtonian fluids.
CD8 T-Cell Responses in Incident and Prevalent Human Papillomavirus Types 16 and 18 Infections
Authors: Coleman Hannah N. , Moscicki Anna-Barbara , Farhat Sepideh N. , Gupta Sushil K. , Wang Xuelian , Nakagawa Mayumi
Published: March 2012

CD8 T-cell responses were examined in subjects with incident (new following negative visits) or prevalent (lasting ≥ 4 months) human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) or human papillomavirus (HPV18) infection. The groups were chosen from a cohort of women being followed every 4 months with cervical cytology and HPV-DNA testing. Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay was performed at enrollment (time zero) and one year later. At time zero, 1 (6%) of 17 subjects with incident HPV 16/18 infections had positive ELISPOT results which increased to 6 (35%) at one year. For the subjects with prevalent HPV 16/18 infections, the ELISPOT results were similar at time zero (2 (15%) of 15 subjects positive) and at one year (3 (20%)). While all of the 11 women with prevalent HPV16 infection showed clearance one year later, unexpectedly only 1 (25%) of 4 women with prevalent HPV18 infection demonstrated clearance one year later (P=.009).
Distribution and ecology of Biatoridium monasteriense J. Lahm ex Körb in Poland
Authors: Łubek Anna
Published: March 2012

A new site of Biatoridium monasteriense was discovered during a lichenological investigation in Białowieża National Park. The paper presents information on the distribution of this species in Poland.
Outlaw Heroes in Myth and History
Authors: Seal Graham
Published: March 2012

This book provides an overview and analysis of the global tradition of the outlaw hero. The mythology and history of the outlaw hero is traced from the Roman Empire to the present, showing how both real and mythic figures have influenced social, political, economic and cultural outcomes in many times and places.
The Non-Geometric Lenin
Authors: Elwood Carter
Published: March 2012

This book is a collection of eleven essays dealing with Lenins attempt to develop a Bolshevik Party between 1910 and 1914 as well as his curious relations with a tsarist police spy and a female Bolshevik during that period.
George Eliot's Grammar of Being
Authors: Raines Melissa
Published: March 2012

Drawing on original manuscripts and Victorian psychological theory, this study shows that George Eliot was an author who shaped her sentences as carefully as she wanted her public to read them.
Minutes to Midnight
Authors: Dukes Paul
Published: March 2012

The book examines the evolution of the predicament symbolised by the setting of the Doomsday Clock at a few minutes to midnight in the context of the Anthropocene Era from 1763, making special reference to the study of history.
Christian Fiction and Religious Realism in the Novels of Dostoevsky
Authors: van den Bercken Wil
Published: March 2012

This study offers a literary analysis and theological evaluation of the Christian themes in the five great novels of Dostoevsky - 'Crime and Punishment', 'The Idiot', 'The Adolescent', 'The Devils' and 'The Brothers Karamazov'.
The WTO and its Development Obligation
Authors: Ezeani Elimma
Published: March 2012

'The WTO and its Development Obligation' boldly argues that, in view of the WTO's development-based focus, there is an urgent need for developing countries to realise the potential benefits of global trade in their domestic environment.
Nationalizing the Body
Authors: Mukharji Projit
Published: March 2012

Nationalizing the Body examines the different meanings of modern medicine that were employed in colonial South Asia, and explores the different discourses that were constructed around modernity.
Energy for Development
Authors: Vedavalli Rangaswamy
Published: March 2012

A pioneering study on energy sector reform and liberalization in developing countries.
The Economics of the Yasuní Initiative
Authors: Vogel Joseph , Chichilnisky Graciela
Published: March 2012

Climate change lends itself to both political economy and humor. Through the lens of thermodynamics, the payment Ecuador seeks for not drilling in the Yasuní is equitable and efficient.
Rent from the Land
Authors: Stahl Johannes
Published: March 2012

'Rent from the Land' examines the effects of the massive political and economic changes of postsocialism on rural society and environment in Albania.
Identification of inhibitors of the SalmonellaFraB deglycase, a drug target
Authors: Law Jamison D. , Gao Yuan , Kovvali Sravya , Thirugnanasambantham Pankajavalli , Wysocki Vicki H. , Ahmer Brian M. M. , Gopalan Venkat
Published: February 2025

Nontyphoidal Salmonella is one of the most prevalent causes of human foodborne illnesses worldwide, with no narrow‐spectrum antibiotics or vaccines available. Here, we seek to address this gap. During the host inflammatory response, Salmonella metabolizes fructose‐asparagine as a nutrient using proteins encoded in the fra operon. Deletion of fraB leads to a build‐up of 6‐phosphofructose‐aspartate, the substrate of FraB, and intoxicates Salmonella. Because fra genes are absent in mammals and most members of the human gut microbiome, FraB inhibitors are expected to have limited off‐target effects and offer prospects as potential therapeutics. To identify such inhibitors, we conducted a high‐throughput screening of small‐molecule libraries using a FraB activity‐based biochemical assay. We screened 131,165 compounds and identified 126 hits that could be obtained commercially for further characterization. When tested at 25 μm inhibitor in the presence of 1 mm 6‐phosphofructose‐aspartate, FraB activity was reduced ~ 30–100% by 65 compounds. Guided by preliminary cell‐based data, we further characterized six compounds (one triazolidine, two thiadiazolidines, and three triazolothiadiazoles) and found them to exhibit IC50 values from ~ 3 to 100 μm and KI (inhibitor constant) values from ~ 1 to 29 μm. Native mass spectrometry revealed that all three triazolothiadiazoles were capable of binding FraB; we also obtained evidence that one of the triazolothiadiazoles binds FraB even in the presence of substrate. The recurrence of multiple pharmacophores bolsters prospects for farming more hits from compound libraries and for designing therapeutics against nontyphoidal Salmonella.
Considering the Risks and Costs of Solid Organ Xenotransplantation
Authors: Krebs Catharine E. , McCarthy Janine , Sullivan Kristie , Craner James , Parent Brendan , Lam Ann
Published: February 2025

The standard treatment for end‐stage organ failure is transplantation, but demand for organs has always vastly outstripped supply. Discussions are ongoing about the feasibility of addressing the organ shortage through measures like increasing organ donations, improving post‐transplant outcomes, and xenotransplantation. This paper examines the rationale, risks, and costs of xenotransplantation, such as xenozoonoses, creating a new form of industrialized animal farming, abandoning animal ethics principles, and the opportunity costs of investing finite research dollars in xenotransplantation instead of investing in more viable strategies. Alternative strategies that can ethically and effectively address the demand for heart, kidney, and other transplants are recommended: Improving disease prevention and management to reduce demand for transplant organs, improving transplantation methods, and systemic changes to donor policies and organ recovery methods to increase overall supply. Upon careful exploration of the full landscape of organ transplantation, it is considered whether these alternative strategies that do not impose the definite harms and significant risks of xenotransplantation are the most ethical and effective means to increase life‐saving options and improve clinical outcomes for patients in organ failure.
Vibration and Bandgap Characteristics Analysis of Pyramid Cylinder Lattice Skeleton Structure
Authors: Xue Xin , Zeng Qin , Wu Fang , Liao Juan , Zhang Mangong
Published: February 2025

Lattice structures have attracted significant scholarly attention due to their exceptional mechanical properties, including lightweight characteristics and high strength. Their multifunctionality, such as energy absorption and vibration reduction, adds to their versatility. While extensive research has been conducted on the vibration reduction performance of plate‐type, shell‐type, and truss‐type lattice structures, studies on cylindrical lattice structures are comparatively limited. To achieve broadband vibration suppression in cylindrical structures, this study proposes a novel cylindrical structure based on pyramid cells. The vibration suppression performance and the bandgap formation mechanism of the pyramid cylindrical lattice skeleton structure are examined, with a quantitative analysis of the influence of structural parameters on vibration suppression performance using normalized indicators. Results indicate that the structure demonstrates multiple bandgaps within the 0–1500 Hz range, exhibiting substantial vibration attenuation capabilities. Additionally, adjusting parameters enables the bandgap to shift toward lower frequencies. Finally, the experimental verification of finite element model has been performed by comparing the vibration transmission curves with a maximum relative error of −7.48% at the resonance peak. This work offers valuable insights for the application of cylindrical lattice structures in vibration and noise control fields.
Improving Cyclability and Structural Stability of Co‐Free Layered Cathode by Controlling Porosity and Cracks in Secondary Particles for Low‐Cost and High‐Energy LIBs
Authors: Choi Myungeun , Lee Hee‐Beom , Lee Yongseok , Kweon Hyunji , Ahn Jinho , Ku Bonyoung , Lee Jihoe , Lee Sangyeop , Park Jiyoung , Kim Young‐Min , Kim Jongsoon
Published: February 2025

The Co‐free Li[Ni0.75Mn0.25]O2 (NM7525) cathode offers the significant advantage of low production costs. However, it requires a high‐voltage charging process (≥4.5 V vs Li/Li⁺) to achieve the energy density level of high‐Ni Li[NixCoyMnz]O2 (x ≥ 0.8) cathodes, which leads to severe structural and morphological degradation in the secondary particles during prolonged cycling. Herein, it is demonstrated that the formation of a stable and homogeneous cathode‐electrolyte interface (CEI) can effectively suppress large porosity and crack propagation in the secondary particles of the NM7525 cathode, as well as undesirable structural changes and microstrain in the crystal structure, with a high charging cut‐off voltage of 4.45 V and an elevated temperature of 45 °C in the full‐cell system. For stabilization of the CEI layer at the high‐voltage operation, an optimized electrolyte system is applied, containing the additive with low highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy. This controlled porosity and crack formation in secondary particles enhances the electrochemical performances of the NM7525‐based full cell. In the case of cyclability, the CEI‐stabilized full‐cell delivers a high‐capacity retention of 90% after 100 cycles under the harsh operation conditions of high charging cut‐off voltage and elevated temperature, whereas the as‐prepared full‐cell shows a retention of just 78%.
Construction of a Fluoride‐Free and High‐Voltage Lithium Metal Battery with a Li3N/Li2O Heterostructure Solid Electrolyte Interface
Authors: Xu Shengtao , Xu Sheng , Guo Xiaoyu , Xiong Jin , Wei Zhangyue , Zhu Sheng , Xu Jinting , Gong Shuaiqi , Shi Penghui , Guo Shuainan , Min Yulin
Published: February 2025

Currently, the design of lithium metal batteries primarily focuses on improving cycling stability by increasing the lithium fluoride (LiF) content in the interfacial layer. However, the extensive use of fluorides poses severe environmental concerns. In this study, a novel strategy is proposed to construct a Li3N/Li2O heterostructure via the in situ decomposition of lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) and lithium nitrate (LiNO3), replacing the role of LiF in the SEI. This unique heterostructure combines excellent lithium‐ion transport capability with robust electronic insulation properties, effectively preventing electron tunneling phenomena. When paired with the NCM811 cathode, the Li||NCM811 full cell exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, including outstanding charge–discharge capabilities under extreme temperatures. At 60 °C and 1C conditions, the battery retains 82.11% of its capacity after 500 cycles; at 25 °C and 1C, it maintains a capacity retention rate of 80.61% after 800 cycles. Furthermore, under practical application conditions (100 µm lithium anode, N/P ratio of 3.09, and a 1.5 Ah pouch cell), the fluorine‐free lithium metal battery (LMB) retains 77.93% capacity after 100 cycles, demonstrating the superiority and practical value of this strategy.