bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lymphoplasmacyte‐rich meningioma: A convexity mass with regional enhancement in the adjacent brain parenchyma
Authors: Nakayama Yoko , Watanabe Masatoshi , Suzuki Kenji , Usuda Hiroyuki , Emura Iwao , Toyoshima Yasuko , Takahashi Hitoshi , Kawaguchi Tadashi , Kakita Akiyoshi
Published: July 2011

Lymphoplasmacyte‐rich meningioma (LPM) is a rare, benign variant of meningioma, characterized by massive inflammatory cell infiltration and a variable proportion of meningothelial tumorous elements. Here we report the clinicopathological features of an LPM located at the right frontal convexity in a 37‐year‐old woman. The patient had suffered an initial generalized tonic‐clonic seizure when she was 32 weeks pregnant. The lesion exhibited low intensity on T1‐weighted MRI and high intensity on T2‐weighted images, with surrounding parenchymal edema. The mass exhibited gadolinium enhancement with dural tail signs. Moreover, multiple foci of linear enhancement spreading through the sulci and into the nearby brain parenchyma were evident. At 1 month after parturition, en bloc removal of the mass, the attached dura mater and adjacent brain tissue was performed. Histologically, the mass located in the subdural space was composed of a mixture of B‐ and T‐lymphocytes and plasma cells. Within the mass, multiple small lobules of meningothelial cells showing immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen and vimentin were observed. The inflammatory cells had also infiltrated the subarachnoid and Virchow‐Robin spaces, and the dura mater. The cerebral cortex showed ischemic changes, but no tumor cell invasion. On the basis of these histological features, the lesion appeared to be LPM with an inconspicuous meningothelial component and extensive inflammatory infiltration. This case appears to provide useful information on the pathogenesis of this variant.
Prenatal alcohol consumption and knowledge about alcohol consumption and fetal alcohol syndrome in Korean women
Authors: Kim Oksoo , Park Kyungil
Published: July 2011

The study investigated prenatal alcohol consumption and knowledge of alcohol risks and fetal alcohol syndrome among Korean women. The participants were 221 Korean women who attended the post‐partum care centers in Seoul, Korea. The data included the participants' background characteristics, quantity–frequency typology, Student Alcohol Questionnaire, and a scale on the participants' knowledge of fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol was consumed during pregnancy by 12.7% of the participants. Of these, 60.7% drank alcohol with their spouse. A few participants reported that nurses identified their drinking habits and gave them information on alcohol consumption and fetal alcohol syndrome. Most of the participants did not have the opportunity for prenatal counseling about fetal alcohol syndrome. The knowledge level regarding alcohol risks and fetal alcohol syndrome among the participants was poor. Alcohol consumption before pregnancy was significantly related to prenatal alcohol consumption. Prenatal alcohol consumption was not related to knowledge about alcohol consumption and fetal alcohol syndrome. The assessment of alcohol consumption and counseling about alcohol are needed for pregnant women in order to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome.
Factors associated with depressive symptoms in low‐income, older Korean women with hypertension
Authors: Sung Kiwol
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that are associated with depressive symptoms in community‐dwelling, low‐income, older Korean women with hypertension. A total of 107 low‐income, older (aged 74 ± 6 years) Korean women with hypertension participated in the study. Information about depressive symptoms, functional status, and social support were collected by interviews that used the Geriatric Depression Scale, Katz's Activities of Daily Living, and the Lubben Social Support Network Scale, respectively. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors that affected depressive symptoms. The results indicated that the depressed women had been diagnosed with hypertension for a longer period of time and took a larger number of medications than the women in the non‐depressive group. They also had poorer functional status and an “isolated” social support network. The social support network, length of time since diagnosis, number of medications, and functional status were associated independently with depressive symptoms. It was concluded that clinicians should assess for the factors that are associated with depressive symptoms, including a poor social support network, poor daily activity, the number of medications, and the length of time since diagnosis in order to prevent the symptoms of comorbidities worsening in low‐income, hypertensive, older women.
Maternity care professionals' perceptions of supporting employed women in Norway
Authors: Alstveit Marit , Severinsson Elisabeth , Karlsen Bjørg
Published: July 2011

The World Health Organization calls on health professionals to support women in combining maternity and work. The aim of this study was to explore midwives' and public health nurses' perceptions of supporting employed women to balance work and family life during pregnancy and early motherhood. An exploratory design, including multistage focus group interviews, was used. The focus group consisted of five midwives and one public health nurse who was working in maternity care. The data were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis. The comprehensive theme, “empowering the women when they are in ‘another’ state of normality”, was based on two themes, “being in dialogue with the women” and “supporting the women to manage daily activities”. The first theme was based on the subthemes, “perceiving the women to be in ‘another’ state of normality” and “providing an open atmosphere for dialogue”, while the second subtheme was based on “confirming self‐esteem” and “suggesting adjustments at work”. The midwives and public health nurse empowered the women by enhancing their ability to carry out the self‐care that was necessary in order to manage both their work and family life. Collaboration between maternity healthcare providers and employers should be developed in order to support employed women.
Seroprevalence ofTreponema Pallidumantibody among pregnant population of Bangladesh
Authors: Nessa Ashrafun , Islam Mohammad Nazrul , Ashraf Fatema , Islam Fahmida , Khanam Afroza , Sultana Nahida , Rashid Mohammad Harun Ur
Published: July 2011

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of antibody toTreponema pallidumamong pregnant women and its association with age, sexual behavior and socioeconomic status.

Materials and Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, 1266 sera were collected from pregnant women attending Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Rajshahi, Khulna and Chittagong Medical College Hospitals between February 2007 and April 2008. From each hospital, samples were collected from about a quarter of the total recruited pregnant women. Sera were tested to identify the antibody toT. pallidumusing Treponema pallidum hemagglutination at the Virology Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Logistic regression was used to explore potential risk factors for syphilis.

Results: Among 1250 sera tested (16 sera were discarded due to hemolysis), 37 (2.96%) were positive forT. pallidumantibody. Higher seropositivity was associated with couples with no formal education, low socioeconomic status (P = 0.006), marriage at or before 18 years of age (P = 0.002), multiple marriages of the husband (P = 0.031) and sexual activity for more than 10 years (P = 0.007). Among these factors, low education level of women, early age of marriage and multiple marriages of the husband showed individual effects on high seropositivity toT. pallidum.

Conclusions: The high seroprevalence of syphilis among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics of these hospitals indicates the need for the incorporation of screening for syphilis in routine antenatal screening in Bangladesh. Improvement of education level in the female population, prevention of early marriage and preventing polygamy of husbands may play an important role in prevention of syphilis among women.
Expectations, Assumptions and Realities: Scottish Local Government Post-Devolution
Authors: McGarvey Neil
Published: July 2011

This article reviews developments in Scottish local government post-devolution. In doing so it outlines some expectations, assumptions and realities about local government in Scotland. Three assumptions are examined and rejected: 1999 was ‘Year Zero’ for Scottish local government; central–local relations are characterised by a cohesive centre versus a cohesive locality; central–local relations in Scotland are nothing more than a fuzzy microcosm of central–local relations in England. The article argues that Scotland increasingly offers a different ‘story’ of central–local government relations with pre-existing differences accentuating in the context of minority government, different processes of governance and attitudes to the welfare state.
PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY AND PASTORAL POWER: THE TRANSFORMATION OF QUALITY REGISTERS IN SWEDISH HEALTH CARE
Authors: BEJEROT EVA , HASSELBLADH HANS
Published: July 2011

In the context of the recent transformation of control in Swedish health care, the changing role of quality registers are analysed as a vivid example of how professional groups become involved in new modes of regulating professional work. Based on a critical appraisal of the main currents in the research on NPM, it is argued that understanding ‘the productive side of power’ is an underexploited theme. The main part of the article is devoted to a detailed analysis of how a seemingly insignificant, but in its consequences important, professional practice was transformed from a resource for clinical research, an entirely professional concern, to a tool for hierarchical control. In the concluding sections, a number of important conditions for the successful use of ‘soft power’ in modern societies are identified and discussed.
BEYOND GAPS AND IMBALANCES: RE‐STRUCTURING THE DEBATE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL FISCAL RELATIONS
Authors: SHARMA CHANCHAL KUMAR
Published: July 2011

How do we know whether a country suffers from vertical fiscal imbalance (VFI)? What should be done about it? Academic appreciation of these issues in general, and the nature of political behaviour in particular, both have major implications for the way federations are fiscally structured. While the latter clearly is a problem of political negotiations, our focus is on the former, that is, conceptual clarity, which precedes meaningful negotiations. Thus, the paper aims to clarify the multiple usages of the symbolically loaded terms VFI and VFG (vertical fiscal gap) by critically engaging the fundamental assumptions and premises underlying these ostensibly similar notions. It proposes an alternative conceptual framework and introduces the concepts of vertical fiscal asymmetry (VFA) and vertical fiscal difference (VFD) that have the potential to better structure public debate on issues of vertical fiscal relations and stimulate a sensible appreciation of the problem and possible remedies.
THE MULTIVARIATE supOU STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODEL
Authors: Barndorff‐Nielsen Ole Eiler , Stelzer Robert
Published: July 2011

Using positive semidefinite supOU (superposition of Ornstein–Uhlenbeck type) processes to describe the volatility, we introduce a multivariate stochastic volatility model for financial data which is capable of modeling long range dependence effects. The finiteness of moments and the second‐order structure of the volatility, the log‐ returns, as well as their “squares” are discussed in detail. Moreover, we give several examples in which long memory effects occur and study how the model as well as the simple Ornstein–Uhlenbeck type stochastic volatility model behave under linear transformations. In particular, the models are shown to be preserved under invertible linear transformations. Finally, we discuss how (sup)OU stochastic volatility models can be combined with a factor modeling approach.
AN EPISTEMIC COMMUNITY AS INFLUENCER AND IMPLEMENTER IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING IN AUSTRALIA
Authors: Irvine Helen , Cooper Kathie , Moerman Lee
Published: July 2011

This paper explicates the dual role of epistemic communities as influencers of accounting policy within regulatory space and as implementers who effect change within the domain of accounting. Set within the context of New South Wales in Australia, and the challenge of the financial sustainability of its local councils, the study was informed by documentary sources, and used data from interviews and a survey. Accounting and finance professionals, as an epistemic community, played a pivotal role in formulating accounting policy and in embedding fair value measurement of infrastructure assets.
Air‐filled postcranial bones in theropod dinosaurs: physiological implications and the ‘reptile’–bird transition
Authors: Benson Roger B. J. , Butler Richard J. , Carrano Matthew T. , O'Connor Patrick M.
Published: July 2011

Pneumatic (air‐filled) postcranial bones are unique to birds among extant tetrapods. Unambiguous skeletal correlates of postcranial pneumaticity first appeared in the Late Triassic (approximately 210 million years ago), when they evolved independently in several groups of bird‐line archosaurs (ornithodirans). These include the theropod dinosaurs (of which birds are extant representatives), the pterosaurs, and sauropodomorph dinosaurs. Postulated functions of skeletal pneumatisation include weight reduction in large‐bodied or flying taxa, and density reduction resulting in energetic savings during foraging and locomotion. However, the influence of these hypotheses on the early evolution of pneumaticity has not been studied in detail previously. We review recent work on the significance of pneumaticity for understanding the biology of extinct ornithodirans, and present detailed new data on the proportion of the skeleton that was pneumatised in 131 non‐avian theropods and Archaeopteryx. This includes all taxa known from significant postcranial remains. Pneumaticity of the cervical and anterior dorsal vertebrae occurred early in theropod evolution. This ‘common pattern’ was conserved on the line leading to birds, and is likely present in Archaeopteryx. Increases in skeletal pneumaticity occurred independently in as many as 12 lineages, highlighting a remarkably high number of parallel acquisitions of a bird‐like feature among non‐avian theropods. Using a quantitative comparative framework, we show that evolutionary increases in skeletal pneumaticity are significantly concentrated in lineages with large body size, suggesting that mass reduction in response to gravitational constraints at large body sizes influenced the early evolution of pneumaticity. However, the body size threshold for extensive pneumatisation is lower in theropod lineages more closely related to birds (maniraptorans). Thus, relaxation of the relationship between body size and pneumatisation preceded the origin of birds and cannot be explained as an adaptation for flight. We hypothesise that skeletal density modulation in small, non‐volant, maniraptorans resulted in energetic savings as part of a multi‐system response to increased metabolic demands. Acquisition of extensive postcranial pneumaticity in small‐bodied maniraptorans may indicate avian‐like high‐performance endothermy.
Squirrel glider home ranges near urban edges in eastern Australia
Authors: Brearley G. , McAlpine C. , Bell S. , Bradley A.
Published: July 2011

Conservation biology and landscape ecology are increasingly concerned with the effects of urbanization on wildlife, including the influences of habitat edges. This is particularly important in landscapes where a restriction on species home‐range movements may reduce an animal's ability to access habitat resources, which ultimately reduces population viability. Despite this, there is limited information available on the movement behavior of wildlife at forest edges adjoining urban areas. We addressed this by radiotracking 30 squirrel gliders Petaurus norfolcensis in forest interiors and near road and residential edges in the fragmented urban landscape of south‐east Queensland, Australia. An assessment of fixed‐kernel (FK100% and FK50%) and minimum convex polygon (MCP100%) methods revealed that FK provided the most reliable home‐range estimates. We applied a general linear model to test the influence of season, age and sex relative to habitat type (forest interiors, road edge, residential edge) on squirrel glider home‐range size (FK95% & FK50%). We found that squirrel gliders living in interior habitats had significantly larger home ranges (7.07 ha±0.43) than individuals living near roads (3.79 ha±0.22) and residential areas (3.40 ha±0.26). Similarly, home‐range core areas (FK50%) were significantly larger in forest interiors (1.49±0.13 ha) than near road (0.78±0.07 ha) and residential edges (0.70±0.08 ha). We also found that squirrel gliders regularly cross narrow roads up to 20 m wide and with a tree gap up to 15 m to access adjacent vegetation, and are willing to utilize foraging resources in residential backyards. Changes in squirrel glider home ranges near edges identified in this study have implications for understanding how this species responds to urban edges, and we highlight important areas for future edge‐related studies to correctly inform conservation and management.
National Identity and Immigration Policy: Concern for Legality or Ethnocentric Exclusion?
Authors: Mukherjee Sahana , Molina Ludwin E. , Adams Glenn
Published: July 2011

Does support for tough policies against undocumented immigration reflect anti‐immigrant sentiments or a neutral concern about upholding laws? This study addresses the question by examining the relationship between different expressions of national identification and ethnocentric enforcement bias—that is, support for punishment of law‐breaking immigrants but not law‐breaking American employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants. Results revealed an association of this enforcement bias with nationalism (an ethnocentric engagement with national identity) but not with patriotism (a more critical engagement with national identity). A moderation analysis indicated that the relationship between nationalism and ethnocentric enforcement bias was most evident among participants who endorsed a “culture”‐based construction of American identity in terms of American citizenship and ability to speak English. Discussion focuses on policy developments that reflect a symbolic threat to culture‐based constructions of American identity and on the implications for fair and just enforcement of immigration policy.
Poor procedures and quality control among nonaffiliated blood centers in Burkina Faso: an argument for expanding the reach of the national blood transfusion center
Authors: Nébié Koumpingnin , Ouattara Siaka , Sanou Mahamoudou , Kientega Youssouphe , Dahourou Honorine , Ky Lassina , Kienou Kisito , Diallo Samba , Bigirimana Françoise , Fretz Catherine , Murphy Edward L. , Lefrère Jean‐Jacques
Published: July 2011

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the creation of national blood transfusion services. Burkina Faso has a CNTS (Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine—National Blood Transfusion Center) but it currently covers only 53% of the national blood supply versus 47% produced by independent hospital blood banks.

STUDY DESIGN: To evaluate blood collection, testing, preparation, and prescription practices in the regions of Burkina Faso that are not covered by the CNTS, a cross‐sectional survey was conducted.

METHODS: Data were collected by trained professionals from May to June 2009 at 42 autonomous blood centers not covered by the CNTS.

RESULTS: Blood collection was supervised in all sites by laboratory technicians without specific training. There was no marketing of community blood donation nor mobile collection. Donation was restricted to replacement (family) donors in 21.4% of sites. Predonation screening of donors was performed in 63.4% of sites, but some did not use written questionnaires. Testing for HIV, hepatitis B virus, and syphilis was universal, although some sites did not screen for hepatitis C virus. In 83.3% of the sites, blood typing was performed without reverse ABO typing. In 97.6% of the sites, nurses acted alone or in conjunction with a physician to order blood transfusions.

CONCLUSION: Shortcomings in non‐CNTS blood centers argue for the development of a truly national CNTS. Such a national center should coordinate and supervise all blood transfusion activities, and is the essential first step for improving and institutionalizing blood transfusion safety and efficacy in a developing country.
Low Temperature Pressureless Sintering of SiC Using an Aluminum Borocarbide Additive
Authors: Lee Sea‐Hoon
Published: July 2011

The densification of an Al3BC3–SiC system during pressureless sintering was investigated. Densification of SiC could be achieved after sintering at 1850°C for 2 h by adding 10 wt% Al3BC3. The formation of partly crystallized grain boundaries and a core–rim structure within SiC grains indicated that liquid phase sintering was the major densification mechanism. The initial shrinkage at 1430°C was caused by the formation of a liquid silicate phase. Sintering shrinkage accelerated above 1580°C due to the rearrangement of SiC particles. The dissolution–reprecipitation of SiC and the final removal of pores occurred above 1780°C. In contrast to Al2O3 additive which has low efficiency, Al3BC3 strongly promoted the pressureless sintering of SiC.
Synthesis and Characterization of Ag Nanoparticles and Ag‐Loaded TiO2 Photocatalysts
Authors: Sauthier G. , Pérez del Pino A. , Figueras A. , György E.
Published: July 2011

Ag nanoparticles and Ag–TiO2 nanostructures were grown on (001) SiO2 quartz substrates by pulsed laser deposition using a KrF* excimer laser source (λ = 248 nm, τFWHM~10 ns, ν = 10 Hz) for the irradiation of Ag and TiO2 targets. The obtained structures were characterized by atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV‐visible absorption spectroscopy. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated under near‐UV light illumination by decomposition of methylene blue. The relationship between the laser synthesis process parameters and nanoparticles’ chemical composition, crystal structure, morphology, shape and size distribution on the substrate surface were investigated and correlated with their optical properties. The established experimental parameters were used for the synthesis of nanostructures consisting of anatase phase TiO2 thin films covered by Ag nanoparticles for photocatalytic applications. The optimum experimental conditions were determined which ensure significantly improved photoactivity in the presence of Ag nanoparticles as compared to the bare oxide surface.
Association of polycystic ovarian syndrome with human leukocyte antigen polymorphism in Korean women
Authors: KIM JIN JU , HWANG KYU RI , SHIN SUE , YOON JONG HYUN , KIM BYOUNG JAE , CHOI YOUNG MIN , ROH EUN YOUN
Published: July 2011

Kim JJ, Hwang KR, Shin S, Yoon JH, Kim BJ, Choi YM, Roh EY. Association of polycystic ovarian syndrome with human leukocyte antigen polymorphism in Korean women. APMIS 2011.

Although several studies have demonstrated the genetic contribution to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the cause of this syndrome remains unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) systems and PCOS in Koreans. We compared the HLA‐A, B and DRB1 genotype distribution of 52 PCOS patients and 67 healthy Korean women. In addition, we investigated the association of HLA with free‐testosterone level. HLA‐A*11, A*31 and B*54 showed increased phenotype frequencies (PFs) in PCOS women compared to controls (p = 0.032, OR 2.79; p = 0.019, OR 6.05; p = 0.002, OR 6.40). HLA‐DRB1*15 showed negative correlations with the free‐testosterone concentration both in total subjects and PCOS patients (p = 0.024 and p = 0.008). The results of the study suggest mild associations of HLA alleles with pathophysiology of PCOS and/or testosterone production in PCOS. Further investigation in a large number of subjects, including subdivision and multi‐population studies, will need to be conducted to prove the consistent or variable association in PCOS.
One‐year clinical and radiographic assessment of fluoride‐enhanced implants on immediate non‐functional loading in posterior maxilla and mandible: a pilot prospective clinical series study
Authors: Rismanchian Mansoor , Fazel Akbar , Rakhshan Vahid , Eblaghian Gelareh
Published: July 2011

Objective: The functional, esthetic, and psychological problems of 3–6 months of edentulousness and also discomfort of two‐stage surgery might cause many patients to avoid implant‐supported restorations. Therefore, the immediate non‐functional loading protocol might be of value.

Methods: Twenty Astra Tech implants, 11–13 mm in length and 3.5–4 mm in diameter, were placed in maxillary and mandibular posterior sites of 10 healthy patients (two for each) with adequate alveolar bone. Temporary prostheses were relieved of all centric and eccentric contacts. Functional permanent prostheses were fabricated 13 weeks postoperatively. Clinical and radiographic examinations (including the implant stability quotient [ISQ]) were carried out immediately after implantation and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

Results: A 100% success rate was observed within 1 year. The plaque and bleeding indices, and pocket‐probing depths did not show a significant change throughout the study. The ISQ values after implant insertion, and 3, 6, and 12 months later were respectively 76.6 ± 6.57, 77.6 ± 10.54, 81.8 ± 6.8, and 82.43 ± 3.7. The increase was statistically significant (P=0.004) according to the Freidman test. The ISQ values measured after the implant insertion were significantly different from those measured in the sixth and 12th postoperative months (P<0.008) according to the Wilcoxon signed‐ranks test. The mean crestal alveolar bone resorption values in the third, sixth, and 12th postoperative months were 0.4 ± 0.55, 0.48 ± 0.37, and 0.48 ± 0.21 mm, respectively; and the change in marginal alveolar bone loss was not significant according to the Freidman test.

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this pilot study, non‐functional immediate loading might meet the expectations of both the patients and clinicians.

To cite this article:
 Rismanchian M, Fazel A, Rakhshan V, Eblaghian G. One‐year clinical and radiographic assessment of fluoride‐enhanced implants on immediate non‐functional loading in posterior maxilla and mandible: a pilot prospective clinical series study. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. xx, 2011; 000–000. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2010.02134.x
α‐Adducin Translocates to the Nucleus upon Loss of Cell–Cell Adhesions
Authors: Chen Chien‐Lin , Lin Yu‐Ping , Lai Ying‐Chu , Chen Hong‐Chen
Published: July 2011

The F‐actin binding protein adducin plays an important role in plasma membrane stability, cell motility and cell–cell junctions. In this study, we demonstrate that α‐adducin is mainly localized in the nucleus of sparsely cultured epithelial cells, whereas it is localized at cell–cell junctions when the cells are grown to confluence. Disruption of cell–cell adhesions induces a nuclear translocation of α‐adducin. Conversely, α‐adducin is redistributed to the cytoplasm and cell–cell junctions in the process of establishing cell–cell adhesions. We identify that α‐adducin contains a bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) in its COOH‐terminal tail domain and a nuclear export signal in its neck region. The phosphorylation of α‐adducin at Ser716 that is immediately adjacent to the NLS appears to antagonize the function of the NLS. Moreover, we show that depletion of α‐adducin has adverse effects on cell–cell adhesions and, to our surprise, cell proliferation. The impaired cell proliferation is associated with mitotic defects characterized by disorganized mitotic spindles, aberrant chromosomal congregation/segregation and abnormal centrosomes. Taken together, our results not only reveal the mechanism for α‐adducin to shuttle between the cytoplasm and nucleus, but also highlight a potential role for α‐adducin in mitosis.
Phosphatidylinositol‐3,5‐Bisphosphate: No Longer the Poor PIP2
Authors: Ho Cheuk Y. , Alghamdi Tamadher A. , Botelho Roberto J.
Published: July 2011

Phosphoinositides play an important role in organelle identity by recruiting effector proteins to the host membrane organelle, thus decorating that organelle with molecular identity. Phosphatidylinositol‐3,5‐bisphos‐ phate [PtdIns(3,5)P2] is a low‐abundance phosphoinositide that predominates in endolysosomes in higher eukaryotes and in the yeast vacuole. Compared to other phosphoinositides such as PtdIns(4,5)P2, our understanding of the regulation and function of PtdIns(3,5)P2 remained rudimentary until more recently. Here, we review many of the recent developments in PtdIns(3,5)P2 function and regulation. PtdIns(3,5)P2 is now known to espouse functions, not only in the regulation of endolysosome morphology, trafficking and acidification, but also in autophagy, signaling mediation in response to stresses and hormonal cues and control of membrane and ion transport. In fact, PtdIns(3,5)P2 misregulation is now linked with several human neuropathologies including Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Given the functional versatility of PtdIns(3,5)P2, it is not surprising that regulation of PtdIns(3,5)P2 metabolism is proving rather elaborate. PtdIns(3,5)P2 synthesis and turnover are tightly coupled via a protein complex that includes the Fab1/PIKfyve lipid kinase and its antagonistic Fig4/Sac3 lipid phosphatase. Most interestingly, many PtdIns(3,5)P2 regulators play simultaneous roles in its synthesis and turnover.
Natural and Unnatural Disasters: Responding with Respect for Indigenous Rights and Knowledges
Authors: HOWITT RICHARD , HAVNEN OLGA , VELAND SIRI
Published: July 2011

A key challenge for contemporary democratic societies is how to respond to disasters in ways that foster just and sustainable outcomes that build resilience, respect human rights, and foster economic, social, and cultural well‐being in reasonable timeframes and at reasonable costs. In many places experiencing rapid environmental change, indigenous people continue to exercise some level of self‐governance and autonomy, but they also face the burden of rapid social change and hostile or ambiguous policy settings. Drawing largely on experience in northern Australia, this paper argues that state policies can compound and contribute to vulnerability of indigenous groups to both natural and policy‐driven disasters in many places. State‐sponsored programmes that fail to respect indigenous rights and fail to acknowledge the relevance of indigenous knowledge to both social and environmental recovery entrench patterns of racialised disadvantage and marginalisation and set in train future vulnerabilities and disasters. The paper advocates an approach to risk assessment, preparation, and recovery that prioritises partnerships based on recognition, respect, and explicit commitment to justice. The alternatives are to continue prioritising short‐term expediencies and opportunistic pursuit of integration, or subverting indigenous rights and the knowledge systems that underpin them. This paper argues such alternatives are not only unethical, but also ineffective.
In Silico Exploration of Anti‐Inflammatory Activity of Natural Coumarinolignoids
Authors: Meena Abha , Yadav Dharmendra K. , Srivastava Ankit , Khan Feroz , Chanda Debabrata , Chattopadhyay Sunil K.
Published: July 2011

Natural coumarinolignoids isolated from the seeds of Cleome viscosa consist of a racemic mixture of cleomiscosins A, B and C. To screen out potential lead, anti‐inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated through molecular docking and QSAR studies by using reported in vivo activity of Swiss albino mice. Based on docking binding affinity, a possible mechanism of action has been hypothesized which constitute toll‐like receptors (TLR‐4), cluster of differentiation molecules (CDs), iNOS, COX‐2 and STAT‐6 proteins. It was very interesting to find that the 3D topology of the active site of COX‐2 from the docking was in good agreement with QSAR model and in silico ADME/T parameters. A forward feed multiple linear regression model was developed with r2 = 0.92 and rCV2 = 0.87. This study showed that chemical descriptors, for example dipole vector‐X, dipole vector‐Y, steric energy, LUMO energy, size of smallest ring, size of largest ring and carboxyl group count, correlate reasonably well with experimental in vivo activity (logLD50). QSAR study indicates that dipole vector‐Y and carboxyl group count have negative correlation with activity. Cleomiscosins also showed compliance with 95% of in silico ADME/T properties of available drugs, e.g. serum protein binding, blood–brain barrier, CNS activity, HERG K+ channel activity, apparent Caco‐2 permeability, apparent MDCK permeability, skin permeability and human oral absorption in GI. Besides, toxicity screening study suggests that cleomiscosin molecules possess no toxicity risk parameters. This study offer useful references for understanding and molecular design of inhibitors with improved anti‐inflammatory activity.
Anticipating Happiness in a Future Negotiation: Anticipated Happiness, Propensity to Initiate a Negotiation, and Individual Outcomes
Authors: Kong Dejun Tony , Tuncel Ece , McLean Parks Judi
Published: July 2011

We examined the role of anticipated happiness in negotiation settings. Anticipated happiness is the happiness that individuals expect to experience in the future if certain events do or do not occur. In two studies, we tested the argument that anticipated happiness initiates an approach goal, leading individuals to promote economic interests. Study 1 revealed that anticipated happiness was positively related to the propensity to initiate a negotiation, mediated by an approach goal. In Study 2, we found that anticipated happiness about reaching the target value increased the individual negotiation outcome, mediated by actual target value. Our studies provide insight into how anticipated happiness influences motivation, behavior, and ultimately individual outcomes in negotiations.
The microsporidian parasite Vavraia culicis as a potential late life–acting control agent of malaria
Authors: Lorenz Lena M. , Koella Jacob C.
Published: July 2011

Microsporidian parasites are being considered as alternatives to conventional insecticides for malaria control. They should reduce malaria transmission by shortening the lifespan of female mosquitoes and thus killing them before they transmit malaria. As the parasite replicates throughout the mosquito’s life, it should have little detrimental effects on young mosquitoes, thus putting less selection pressure on the hosts to evolve resistance. Here, we examined these expectations for the microsporidian Vavraia culicis on Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto mosquitoes under varying environmental conditions. Infection by the microsporidian delayed pupation by 10%, decreased fecundity by 23% and reduced adult lifespan by 27%, with higher infectious doses causing greater effects. The decrease of lifespan was mostly because of an increase of the mortality rate with age. Similarly, the parasite’s effect on mosquito fecundity increased with the mosquitoes’ age. Neither infection nor food availability affected juvenile survival. Thus, as V. culicis reduced the longevity of A. gambiae (s.s.), yet affected mortality and fecundity of the young mosquitoes only slightly, the microsporidian is a promising alternative to insecticides for effective malaria control that will impose little evolutionary pressure for resistance.
Low‐Dose Cyclophosphamide Selectively Decreases Regulatory T Cells and Inhibits Angiogenesis in Dogs with Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Authors: Burton J.H. , Mitchell L. , Thamm D.H. , Dow S.W. , Biller B.J.
Published: July 2011

Background: Low‐dose, continuous (metronomic) chemotherapy improves tumor control by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and suppressing regulatory T cells (Treg) in mice and humans. The effects of metronomic chemotherapy on Treg and tumor angiogenesis in dogs has not been investigated previously.

Objective: To determine whether metronomic cyclophosphamide (CYC) therapy decreases Treg or exhibits antiangiogenic activity or both in dogs with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). We hypothesized that Treg numbers would be increased in dogs with STS and that continuous dosing of CYC would decrease Treg in a dose‐dependent manner, as well as exhibit antiangiogenic activity.

Animals: Eleven client‐owned dogs with grade I or II STS. Twenty‐one healthy dogs were used as controls.

Methods: Prospective, open, clinical trial. Dogs with STS were enrolled in 2 dose cohorts and administered CYC at 12.5 or 15 mg/m2 PO once daily for 28 days. Whole blood and tumor biopsy specimens were obtained on days 0, 14, and 28 to assess changes in T lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry and tumor microvessel density (MVD), respectively.

Results: Administration of CYC at 12.5 mg/m2/d significantly decreased the number of Treg from days 0 to 28, but there was no change in the percentage of Treg or tumor MVD. In dogs that received CYC at 15.0 mg/m2/d, both the number and percent of Treg as well as tumor MVD were significantly decreased over 28 days.

Conclusions: CYC administered at 15 mg/m2/d should be used in further studies examining the antitumor properties of low‐dose CYC in dogs.
Hybrid LES Approach for Practical Turbomachinery Flows—Part I: Hierarchy and Example Simulations
Authors: Tucker Paul , Eastwood Simon , Klostermeier Christian , Jefferson-Loveday Richard , Tyacke James , Liu Yan
Published: July 2011

Unlike Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models that need calibration for different flow classes, LES (where larger turbulent structures are resolved by the grid and smaller modeled in a fashion reminiscent of RANS) offers the opportunity to resolve geometry dependent turbulence as found in complex internal flows—albeit at substantially higher computational cost. Based on the results for a broad range of studies involving different numerical schemes, large eddy simulation (LES) models and grid topologies, an LES hierarchy and hybrid LES related approach is proposed. With the latter, away from walls, no LES model is used, giving what can be termed numerical LES (NLES). This is relatively computationally efficient and makes use of the dissipation present in practical industrial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) programs. Near walls, RANS modeling is used to cover over numerous small structures, the LES resolution of which is generally intractable with current computational power. The linking of the RANS and NLES zones through a Hamilton–Jacobi equation is advocated. The RANS-NLES hybridization makes further sense for compressible flow solvers, where, as the Mach number tends to zero at walls, excessive dissipation can occur. The hybrid strategy is used to predict flow over a rib roughened surface and a jet impinging on a convex surface. These cases are important for blade cooling and show encouraging results. Further results are presented in a companion paper.
Particle-Image Velocimetry Measurements of Film Cooling in an Adverse Pressure Gradient Flow
Authors: Jessen Wilhelm , Konopka Martin , Schroeder Wolfgang
Published: July 2011

The turbulent flow field of a film cooling flow is investigated using the particle-image velocimetry technique. Cooling jets are injected from a multirow hole configuration into a turbulent boundary layer flow of a flat plate in the presence of a zero and an adverse pressure gradient. The investigations focus on full-coverage film cooling. Therefore, the film cooling configuration consists of three staggered rows of holes with a lateral spacing of p/D=3 and a streamwise row distance of l/D=6. The inclined cooling holes feature a fan-shaped exit geometry with lateral and streamwise expansions. Jets of air and CO2 are injected separately at different blowing ratios into a boundary layer to examine the effects of the density ratio between coolant and mainstream on the mixing behavior and consequently, the cooling efficiency. For the zero pressure gradient case, the measurement results indicate the different nature of the mixing process between the jets and the crossflow after the first, second, and third row. The mainstream velocity distributions evidence the growth of the boundary layer thickness at increasing row number. The interaction between the undisturbed boundary layer and first two rows leads to maximum values of turbulent kinetic energy. The presence of an adverse pressure gradient in the mainstream clearly intensifies the growth of the boundary layer thickness and increases the velocity fluctuations in the upper mixing zone. The measurements considering an increased density ratio show higher turbulence intensities in the shear zone between the jets and the main flow, leading to a more pronounced mixing in this area. The results of the experimental measurements are used to validate numerical findings from a large-eddy simulation. This comparison shows a very good agreement for mean velocity distributions and velocity fluctuations.
A Study of Double Diffusive Free Convection From a Corrugated Vertical Surface in a Darcy Porous Medium Under Soret and Dufour effects
Authors: Krishna Murthy S.V.S.S.N.V.G. , Rathish Kumar B.V. , Chandra Peeyush , Sangwan Vivek , Nigam Mohit
Published: July 2011

This study examines the influence of Soret and Dufour effects on double diffusive free convection due to wavy vertical surface immersed in a fluid saturated semi-infinite porous medium under Darcian assumptions. A wavy to flat surface transformation is applied, and the resulting coupled nonlinear partial differential equations under Boussinesq approximation are reduced to boundary layer equations. A finite difference scheme based on the Keller-Box approach has been used in conjunction with block-tridiagonal solver for obtaining the solution for boundary layer equations. Results from the current study are compared with those available in literature. The effect of various parameters such as wave amplitude (a), Lewis number (Le), buoyancy ratio (B), and Soret (Sr) and Dufour (Df) numbers are analyzed through local and average Nusselt number, and local and average Sherwood number plots.
Heat Transfer Experiments in a Confined Jet Impingement Configuration Using Transient Techniques
Authors: Hoefler Florian , Dietrich Nils , Wolfersdorf Jens
Published: July 2011

A confined jet impingement configuration has been investigated in which the matter of interest is the convective heat transfer from the air flow to the passage walls. The geometry is similar to gas turbine blade cooling applications. The setup is distinct from usual cooling passages by the fact that no crossflow and no bulk flow directions are present. The flow exhausts through two staggered rows of holes opposing the impingement wall. Hence, a complex 3-D vortex system arises, which entails a complex heat transfer situation. The transient thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) method was used in previous studies to measure the heat transfer on the passage walls. Due to the nature of these experiments, the fluid as well as the wall temperature vary with location and time. As a prerequisite of the transient TLC technique, the heat transfer coefficient is assumed to be constant over the transient experiment. Therefore, it is the scope of this article to qualify this assumption and to validate the results at discrete locations. For this purpose, fast response surface thermocouples and heat flux sensors were applied, in order to gain information on the temporal evolution of the wall heat fluxes. The linear relation between heat flux and temperature difference could be verified for all measurement sites. This validates the assumption of a constant heat transfer coefficient. Nusselt number evaluations from independent techniques show a good agreement, considering the respective uncertainty ranges. For all investigated sites, the Nusselt numbers range within ±9% of the values gained from the TLC measurement.
Determination of Subsurface Hardness Gradients in Plastically Graded Materials via Surface Indentation
Authors: Klecka Michael A. , Subhash Ghatu , Arakere Nagaraj K.
Published: July 2011

Graded materials with high surface hardness and ductile cores are popularly used in high performance bearing applications to resist surface wear and fatigue damage. The gradient in hardness with depth is commonly determined using micro-indentation on the cross section of the material which contains the gradation in microstructure or composition. In the current study, a novel method is proposed to predict the hardness gradient profile using solely surface indentations at a range of loads. The method does not require the graded material to be sectioned, and has practical utility in the surface treatment industry. Two case hardened steels, M-50 NiL and Pyrowear® 675, and a through-hardened M50 steel, are used as model materials to illustrate the concepts. For a material with a decreasing gradient in hardness, higher indent loads result in a lower measured hardness due to the influence of the softer subsurface layers. A power-law model is presented which relates the measured surface indentation hardness under increasing load to the subsurface gradient in hardness. It is shown that the response of the material is not influenced greatly by the absolute surface hardness value, but instead sensitive to the sharpness of the gradient in subsurface hardness beneath the indented region. The proposed approach is not specific to case hardened steels and can be used to determine the subsurface hardness gradient for any plastically graded material (PGM).
Generalized Ballistic-Diffusive Formulation and Hybrid SN-PN Solution of the Boltzmann Transport Equation for Phonons for Nonequilibrium Heat Conduction
Authors: Mittal Arpit , Mazumder Sandip
Published: July 2011

A generalized form of the ballistic-diffusive equations (BDEs) for approximate solution of the Boltzmann Transport equation (BTE) for phonons is formulated. The formulation presented here is new and general in the sense that, unlike previously published formulations of the BDE, it does not require a priori knowledge of the specific heat capacity of the material. Furthermore, it does not introduce artifacts such as media and ballistic temperatures. As a consequence, the boundary conditions have clear physical meaning. In formulating the BDE, the phonon intensity is split into two components: ballistic and diffusive. The ballistic component is traditionally determined using a viewfactor formulation, while the diffusive component is solved by invoking spherical harmonics expansions. Use of the viewfactor approach for the ballistic component is prohibitive for complex large-scale geometries. Instead, in this work, the ballistic equation is solved using two different established methods that are appropriate for use in complex geometries, namely the discrete ordinates method (DOM) and the control angle discrete ordinates method (CADOM). Results of each method for solving the BDE are compared against benchmark Monte Carlo results, as well as solutions of the BTE using standalone DOM and CADOM for two different two-dimensional transient heat conduction problems at various Knudsen numbers. It is found that standalone CADOM (for BTE) and hybrid CADOM-P1 (for BDE) yield the best accuracy. The hybrid CADOM-P1 is found to be the best method in terms of computational efficiency.