bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extracapsular spread and adjuvant therapy in human papillomavirus‐related, p16‐positive oropharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Sinha Parul , Lewis James S. , Piccirillo Jay F. , Kallogjeri Dorina , Haughey Bruce H.
Published: November 2011

BACKGROUND:

Extracapsular spread (ECS) is commonly used to justify adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer. The role of ECS as a prognosticator and adjuvant therapy determinant in surgically resected, human papillomavirus‐related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), however, has never been determined.

METHODS:

Of 210 oropharynx patients in a prospective transoral laser microsurgery database, 152 patients who had p16‐positive primary OPSCC and pathologically positive necks were eligible for the study. ECS was measured from routine reporting (ECSreport) and by using a novel histologic grading system (ECSgraded). Proportional hazards models and matched analyses were used to compare the impact of ECS and adjuvant therapy on disease‐free survival (DFS). Patients with and without graded ECS were matched for T‐stage, surgical margins, and adjuvant therapy.

RESULTS:

At a median follow‐up of 43 months, the presence of ECS was not associated with poorer DFS in multivariate analyses (ECSreport: hazard ratio [HR], 3.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45‐25.88; P = .23; ECSgraded: HR, 2.54; 95% CI, 0.88‐7.34; P = .09). T‐stage and high‐grade ECS, ie soft tissue metastasis (STMgraded) were prognostic. Overall and in the presence of ECS or even STM, adjuvant CRT was not associated with better DFS over radiotherapy alone (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.06‐1.13; P = .07). In addition, matched analyses demonstrated no significant reduction in DFS for the presence of ECS versus the absence of ECS or reduced DFS for the administration of adjuvant radiotherapy alone versus CRT in ECS‐positive patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

Routinely reported ECS was not prognostic in this study. Adjuvant CRT versus radiotherapy alone produced no improvement in DFS for ECS‐positive patients. The authors propose that de‐escalated adjuvant therapy should be considered for patients with p16‐positive OPSCC who undergo surgery and that routinely reported ECS should not be used to justify adjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer 2012;3519–3530. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Cochrane Review: Probiotics for treating persistent diarrhoea in children
Authors: Bernaola Aponte Guillermo , Bada Mancilla Carlos Alfonso , Carreazo Pariasca Nilton Yhuri , Rojas Galarza Raúl Alberto
Published: November 2011

Background

Persistent diarrhoea (diarrhoea lasting more than 14 days) accounts for one third of all diarrhoea related deaths in developing countries in some studies. Probiotics may help treatment.

Objectives

To evaluate probiotics for treating persistent diarrhoea in children.

Search strategy

In August 2010, we searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and LILACS. We also contacted authors of included trials and organizations working in the field, and checked reference lists.

Selection criteria

Randomized controlled trials comparing a specified probiotic agent with placebo or no probiotic in children with persistent diarrhoea.

Data collection and analysis

Two review authors assessed the eligibility, risk of bias, extracted and analysed data. Differences were resolved by discussion. Statistical analysis were performed using the fixed‐effect model and the results were expressed as mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main results

Four trials were included, with a total number of 464 participants; one trial had a low risk of bias. Meta‐analysis showed that probiotics reduced the duration of persistent diarrhoea (mean difference 4.02 days, 95% CI 4.61 to 3.43 days, n=324, 2 trials). Stool frequency was reduced with probiotics in two trials. One trial reported a shorter hospital stay, which was significant, but numbers were small. No adverse events were reported.

Authors' conclusions

There is limited evidence suggesting probiotics may be effective in treating persistent diarrhoea in children.

Plain Language Summary

Probiotics for persistent diarrhoea in children

Persistent diarrhoea is defined as a diarrhoeal episode that starts acutely but then lasts for 14 days or more, and it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children under five years old in developing countries throughout the world. The cause of persistent diarrhoea is not completely understood but is likely to be complex; this in turn makes management of the condition difficult. Probiotics are bacteria and yeasts that are similar to the normal bacteria found in a healthy gut. These so called friendly bacteria have been used in several studies to treat acute infectious diarrhoea with encouraging results. This review found four trials involving children with persistent diarrhoea. Two studies with a combined total of 324, showed that probiotics shorten the duration of diarrhoea and reduce the stool frequency on day 5. One study (235 children) suggested that probiotics reduce the hospital stay. Three out of four trials reported that no adverse events occurred. However, this review is limited by few trials with small number of participants, and therefore may not represent a reliable estimate of probiotics' effect.
Commentary on ‘Interactive computer‐based interventions for sexual health promotion’ with a response from the review authors
Authors: Johnson Blair T. , Warren Michelle R. , Bailey Julia V. , Morris Richard W. , Murray Elizabeth , Rait Greta , Mercer Catherine H. , Peacock Richard , Cassell Jackie , Nazareth Irwin
Published: November 2011

These are commentaries of a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Bailey JV, Murray E, Rait G, Mercer CH, Morris RW, Peacock R, Cassell J, Nazareth I. Interactive computer‐based interventions for sexual health promotion. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD006483. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006483.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying Summary article. Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration
Commentary on ‘Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health’ with a response from the review authors
Authors: Flores‐Mir Carlos , Deacon Scott , Deery Chris , Henue Mike , Robinson Peter G.
Published: November 2011

These are commentaries of a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Deacon SA, Glenny AM, Deery C, Robinson PG, Heanue M, Walmsley AD, Shaw WC. Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 12. Art. No.: CD004971. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004971.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying Summary article. Copyright © 2011 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration
The use of the CO2 laser in sternotomy in cardiac surgery: A preliminary report
Authors: Russin Lester A.
Published: November 2011

A biologic adhesive bonding agent for bone and skin was first developed in 1966. Later experiments with cyanacrylate proved ineffective. A new 3M bonding agent, MBR 4197, was tried but proved ineffective owing to the nature of the cut surface. Use of the Sharplan CO2 laser eliminated this problem. Further experiments are now under way to determine more practical applications for this procedure.
pH‐Responsive Aggregation of Amphiphilic Glyco‐Homopolymer
Authors: Dan Krishna , Ghosh Suhrit
Published: November 2011

The first example of amphiphilic glyco‐homopolymers is reported and their aggregation properties as a function of solution pH are studied. Two structurally similar polymers with different hydrophobicity (C8 and C6 alkyl chains) are examined. Both polymers form micelle‐type aggregates in aqueous solution. The size and micro‐environment of the aggregates are found to be strongly dependent on solution pH because of the state of protonation of the tertiary amine group. At acidic pH, swollen multi‐micellar aggregates are formed, presumably because of the electrostatic repulsion among the ammonium ions. At basic pH more compact particles are found, which further co‐assemble to generate either garland type (C8) or fractal‐aggregates (C6).
Women's rights in transition: the collision of feminist interest groups, religion and non‐governmental organizations in three Latin American countries
Authors: Elgar Richard
Published: November 2011

This article explores the roles and successes of feminist interest groups, religious interests and non‐governmental organizations in promoting or blocking reproductive policies in three Andean countries—Chile, Ecuador and Peru. Access to reproductive services and facilities, such as birth control and elective abortion, in the transitional democracies of Latin America has remained as restricted as under authoritarian regimes. The issue is complicated by the involvement of ideologically driven domestic and foreign interests attempting to influence policy decisions. The political outcomes have significant implications for the nature of democracy and for women's representation across Latin America. The evidence shows that successes have been varied for all women's groups involved in the reproductive rights issue. The primary reason appears to be that, despite advances in political representation in the region, the more established religious interests and other countervailing forces have managed to maintain the status quo in the face of feminist interest group demands. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved crack growth resistance and its molecular origin of natural rubber/carbon black by nanodispersed clay
Authors: Wu Xiaohui , Wang Yiqing , Liu Jun , He Shaojian , Zhang Liqun
Published: November 2011

In practice, rubber articles often fail attributed to crack growth under static and dynamic conditions. In this work we designed various experimental methods with precut samples to characterize the effect of nanodispersed clay on the crack growth resistance. The results indicate that the incorporation of nanodispersed clay can greatly improve the crack growth resistance of natural rubber (NR)/carbon black (CB), as evidenced by the enhancement of the tensile strength under static conditions, and improvement of flex‐fatigue properties under dynamic conditions, which could find wide application in the industry. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and molecular simulations are combined to uncover the underlying mechanism of the crack growth resistance, highlighting the enhanced polymer orientation and highly stretched ligaments, and the orientation of the clay sheets. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
The N‐terminal domains of SOCS proteins: A conserved region in the disordered N‐termini of SOCS4 and 5
Authors: Feng Zhi‐Ping , Chandrashekaran Indu R. , Low Andrew , Speed Terence P. , Nicholson Sandra E. , Norton Raymond S.
Published: November 2011

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins function as negative regulators of cytokine signaling and are involved in fine tuning the immune response. The structure and role of the SH2 domains and C‐terminal SOCS box motifs of the SOCS proteins are well characterized, but the long N‐terminal domains of SOCS4–7 remain poorly understood. Here, we present bioinformatic analyses of the N‐terminal domains of the mammalian SOCS proteins, which indicate that these domains of SOCS4, 5, 6, and 7 are largely disordered. We have also identified a conserved region of about 70 residues in the N‐terminal domains of SOCS4 and 5 that is predicted to be more ordered than the surrounding sequence. The conservation of this region can be traced as far back as lower vertebrates. As conserved regions with increased structural propensity that are located within long disordered regions often contain molecular recognition motifs, we expressed the N‐terminal conserved region of mouse SOCS4 for further analysis. This region, mSOCS486–155, has been characterized by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, both of which indicate that it is predominantly unstructured in aqueous solution, although it becomes helical in the presence of trifluoroethanol. The high degree of sequence conservation of this region across different species and between SOCS4 and SOCS5 nonetheless implies that it has an important functional role, and presumably this region adopts a more ordered conformation in complex with its partners. The recombinant protein will be a valuable tool in identifying these partners and defining the structures of these complexes. Proteins 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the discrimination between bulk and surface traps in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs from trapping characteristics
Authors: Ťapajna Milan , Jimenez Jose L. , Kuball Martin
Published: November 2011

Drain current trapping characteristics is shown to be able to distinguish between bulk and surface traps. This is illustrated on stressed and unstressed AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with different surface oxygen content. A trapping characteristic with positive amplitude is shown to be related to surface traps located in the transistor access region close to the gate edge. In contrast, current trapping characteristic with negative amplitude is related to emission from AlGaN bulk traps located underneath the gate. This method enables easy distinguishing between bulk and surface traps generated during reliability testing.
Evaluation of the Effects of Plant‐derived Essential Oils on Central Nervous System Function Using Discrete Shuttle‐type Conditioned Avoidance Response in Mice
Authors: Umezu Toyoshi
Published: November 2011

Although plant‐derived essential oils (EOs) have been used to treat various mental disorders, their central nervous system (CNS) acting effects have not been clarified. The present study compared the effects of 20 kinds of EOs with the effects of already‐known CNS acting drugs to examine whether the EOs exhibited CNS stimulant‐like effects, CNS depressant‐like effects, or neither. All agents were tested using a discrete shuttle‐type conditioned avoidance task in mice. Essential oils of peppermint and chamomile exhibited CNS stimulant‐like effects; that is, they increased the response rate (number of shuttlings/min) of the avoidance response. Linden also increased the response rate, however, the effect was not dose‐dependent. In contrast, EOs of orange, grapefruit, and cypress exhibited CNS depressant‐like effects; that is, they decreased the response rate of the avoidance response. Essential oils of eucalyptus and rose decreased the avoidance rate (number of avoidance responses/number of avoidance trials) without affecting the response rate, indicating that they may exhibit some CNS acting effects. Essential oils of 12 other plants, including juniper, patchouli, geranium, jasmine, clary sage, neroli, lavender, lemon, ylang‐ylang, niaouli, vetivert and frankincense had no effect on the avoidance response in mice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring behavioural change through an agent‐oriented system dynamics model: the use of personal protective equipment among pesticide applicators in Colombia
Authors: Feola Giuseppe , Gallati Justus A. , Binder Claudia R.
Published: November 2011

The misuse of Personal Protective Equipment results in health risk among smallholders in developing countries, and education is often proposed to promote safer practices. However, evidence point to limited effects of education. This paper presents a System Dynamics model which allows the identification of risk‐minimizing policies for behavioural change. The model is based on the IAC framework and survey data. It represents farmers' decision‐making from an agent‐oriented standpoint. The most successful intervention strategy was the one which intervened in the long term, targeted key stocks in the systems and was diversified. However, the results suggest that, under these conditions, no policy is able to trigger a self sustaining behavioural change. Two implementation approaches were suggested by experts. One, based on constant social control, corresponds to a change of the current model's parameters. The other, based on participation, would lead farmers to new thinking, i.e. changes in their decision‐making structure. Copyright © 2011 System Dynamics Society.
Generalized linear model for partially ordered data
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Ip Edward Haksing
Published: November 2011

Within the rich literature on generalized linear models, substantial efforts have been devoted to models for categorical responses that are either completely ordered or completely unordered. Few studies have focused on the analysis of partially ordered outcomes, which arise in practically every area of study, including medicine, the social sciences, and education. To fill this gap, we propose a new class of generalized linear models—the partitioned conditional model—that includes models for both ordinal and unordered categorical data as special cases. We discuss the specification of the partitioned conditional model and its estimation. We use an application of the method to a sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to illustrate how the new method is able to extract from partially ordered data useful information about smoking youths that is not possible using traditional methods. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Visualizing Human Telomerase Activity with Primer‐Modified Au Nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Jiasi , Wu Li , Ren Jinsong , Qu Xiaogang
Published: November 2011

Telomerase is over‐expressed in over 85% of all known human tumors. This renders the enzyme a valuable biomarker for cancer diagnosis and an important therapeutic target. The most widely used telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay has been questioned for telomerase detection. It is reported that human telomerase activity can be visualized by using primer‐modified Au nanoparticles. The working principle is based on the elongated primers conjugated to the gold nanoparticle (AuNP) surface, which can fold into a G‐quadruplex to protect the AuNPs from the aggregation. The developed simple and sensitive colorimetric assay can measure telomerase activity down to 1 HeLa cell µL−1. More importantly, this assay can be easily extended to high‐throughput and automatic format. The AuNP‐TS method is PCR‐free and therefore avoids the amplification‐related errors and becomes more reliable to evaluate telomerase activity. This assay has also been used for initial screening of telomerase inhibitors as anticancer drug agents.
A Comparison of the Prochaska Cycle of Change and the Holling Adaptive Cycle: Exploring Their Ability to Complement Each Other and Possible Applications to Work with Offenders
Authors: MacGill Victor
Published: November 2011

The Prochaska Cycle of Change was developed in the field of cognitive behaviour and is used in areas such as nursing and criminal justice to effect behavioural changes in people. This proposes a cycle with the phases of pre‐contemplation, contemplation, determination, action and maintenance. The Holling Adaptive Cycle was developed from research into ecological systems and is also used in such areas as financial and organizational systems. This model proposes a cycle of exploitation, conservation, release and re‐organization. This paper attempts to map the two cycles on top of each other and explore how this mapping might provide useful metaphors, enhance our understanding of both cycles and provide useful tools for offenders to understand their behaviour. Resilience is a central concept of the Adaptive Cycle and in work with offenders. Just as building resilience helps natural and organizational systems to be adaptive, so too will it assist offenders to gain appropriate governance over themselves and avoid falling back into further offending. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incorporating the NATO Human View in the DoDAF 2.0 Meta Model
Authors: Handley Holly A. H.
Published: November 2011

The NATO Human View is an additional viewpoint for an architecture framework that provides information on the human in the system. This paper represents the last of three papers describing the NATO Human View. The first paper described the development of the Human View by a multinational NATO panel [Handley and Smillie, Syst Eng 11(2) (2008), 156–164]. The second paper described a methodology to use the Human View data in a simulation model in order to demonstrate the impact of the human on system performance [Handley and Smillie, Syst Eng 13(1) (2010), 72–79]. This final paper describes a methodology to align the NATO Human View with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) 2.0 Meta Model (DM2) in order to produce “Fit for Purpose” views. These views can be used to augment the standard sets of architectural products with human‐centered information important to the system description. The alignment of the Human View with the DM2 also facilitates reconciliation of different interpretations of the Human View construct. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
A game‐theoretic approach for relay assignment over distributed wireless networks
Authors: Liang Xuedong , Chen Min , Leung Victor C. M.
Published: November 2011

For full cooperative diversity gains to be achieved while still maintaining spectral and energy efficiency, relay assignment schemes for cooperative communications have been extensively studied in recent research. These schemes select only the best relay from multiple relaying candidates to cooperate with a communication link. However, it is challenging to find the optimal relay in distributed wireless networks because of the dynamic nature of such networks. In this paper, we first formulate the problem of relay assignment as a noncooperative, mixed‐strategy, repeated game, where relaying candidates are modeled as rational players. We then propose a game‐theory‐based relay assignment scheme GTRA, in which each player plays against all the other players and determines whether to cooperate with a communication link on a packet‐by‐packet basis in a distributed manner. To adapt to dynamic environments, players utilized an adaptive learning algorithm, that is, modified‐regret‐matching algorithm, to learn optimal strategies of relay assignment, as well as to orient the game to converge to a set of correlated equilibriums, which is often more system efficient than a Nash equilibrium. To evaluate the performance of GTRA, we compare it with BR, a fictitious two‐player game‐based approach. Simulation results have shown that GTRA outperforms BR in terms of network throughput, especially in environments where the channel fading becomes severe. It is also shown that GTRA can converge to a correlated equilibrium in a short period that enables the GTRA to work well in dynamic environments. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nb3Ru5B2 – The First Fully Characterized Ternary Phase in the Nb‐Ru‐B System: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Bonding Analysis
Authors: Hermus Martin , Geier Daniel , Fokwa Boniface P. T.
Published: November 2011

The first fully characterized phase in the Nb‐Ru‐B system, Nb3Ru5B2, was successfully synthesized as polycrystalline powders as well as single crystals and characterized by EDX analysis and X‐ray diffraction methods. It is the first ternary phase of the type A3T5B2 adopting the Ti3Co5B2 structure type and containing a group eight transition metal at the T sites. According to COHP bonding analysis the Nb–Nb interactions between two pentagonal prisms are strongly bonding and thus weaken the Nb–Ru interactions, which become significantly weaker than those found in the tetragonal prisms. Furthermore a deep pseudogap is found around the Fermi Level of the calculated DOS and the phase is predicted to be a metallic conductor as expected for this metal‐rich boride.
Syntheses, Structural, and Spectroscopic Properties of Copper(II) Complexes of Constrained Macrocyclic Ligands
Authors: Choi Jong‐Ha , Joshi Tanmaya , Spiccia Leone
Published: November 2011

The complexes [Cu(L1)(H2O)2](BF4)2·2H2O (1) [L1 = 5, 16‐dimethyl‐2, 6, 13, 17‐tetraazatricyclo(14, 4, 01.18,07.12)docosane] and 0.5[Cu(L2)(NO3)2][Cu(L2)](NO3)2 (2) [L2 = dibenzyl‐5, 16‐dimethyl‐2, 6, 13, 17‐tetraazatricyclo(14, 4, 01.18,07.12)docosane] were synthesized and characterized by single crystal X‐ray analyses. In these constrained macrocycles, the central copper(II) atoms are in a tetragonally distorted octahedral environment with four nitrogen atoms of the macrocyclic ligands in equatorial positions and oxygen atoms from either water molecules or nitrato groups in axial positions. The macrocyclic ligands in both complexes adopt the most stable trans‐III conformation. The Cu–N distances [1.999(7)–2.095(7) Å] are typical for such complexes, but the axial ligands are weakly coordinating Cu–OH2 bonds [2.693(3) Å] and Cu–ONO2 bonds [2.873(7) Å] due to the combination of the pseudo Jahn–Teller effect and strong in‐plane ligand field. The crystals are stabilized by a three‐dimensional network by hydrogen bonds that are formed among the secondary nitrogen hydrogen atoms, oxygen atoms of water molecules, fluorine atoms of BF4–, and oxygen atoms of NO3–. The electronic absorption and IR spectroscopic properties are also discussed.
Bacterial glyphosate resistance conferred by overexpression of an E. coli membrane efflux transporter
Authors: Staub Jeffrey M , Brand Leslie , Tran Minhtien , Kong Yifei , Rogers Stephen G
Published: November 2011

Glyphosate herbicide-resistant crop plants, introduced commercially in 1994, now represent approximately 85% of the land area devoted to transgenic crops. Herbicide resistance in commercial glyphosate-resistant crops is due to expression of a variant form of a bacterial 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase with a significantly decreased binding affinity for glyphosate at the target site of the enzyme. As a result of widespread and recurrent glyphosate use, often as the only herbicide used for weed management, increasing numbers of weedy species have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Weed resistance is most often due to changes in herbicide translocation patterns, presumed to be through the activity of an as yet unidentified membrane transporter in plants. To provide insight into glyphosate resistance mechanisms and identify a potential glyphosate transporter, we screened Escherichia coli genomic DNA for alternate sources of glyphosate resistance genes. Our search identified a single non-target gene that, when overexpressed in E. coli and Pseudomonas, confers high-level glyphosate resistance. The gene, yhhS, encodes a predicted membrane transporter of the major facilitator superfamily involved in drug efflux. We report here that an alternative mode of glyphosate resistance in E. coli is due to reduced accumulation of glyphosate in cells that overexpress this membrane transporter and discuss the implications for potential alternative resistance mechanisms in other organisms such as plants.
Gender and the “Virtue of Violence”: Creating a New Vision of Political Engagement through the 1911 Revolution
Authors: Edwards Louise , Zhou Lili
Published: November 2011

In this article, we explore the way men and women used the idea of violence to transform their broader political roles in their desired new Republic. We argue that the espousal of violence, whether or not actually undertaken, became an important part of the accoutrements of progressive political forces in China at this time. Violent action was perceived as virtuous rather than villainous among reformers and radicals in the late Qing and early Republic. We demonstrate that the impact and significance of this turn to violence differed for men and for women. For men, the ability and willingness to take violent action symbolized a break with the effete literati of the imperial past by their envisaging of a muscular Confucianism; for women, it provided a platform on which their claims to equal citizenship with men could be performed. The gendered nature of the virtue of violence within this rapidly changing political context produced unexpected results for both male and female political aspirants.
A Dictionary of Maqiao: Metafiction of Collective Biography
Authors: Ying KONG
Published: November 2011

In the field of life writing, a collective biography is a biography of a group of lives that share common background characteristics. Han Shaogong’s A Dictionary of Maqiao (1996) collects life stories, in a lexical list of entries, of 22 principal characters from the fictitious village of Maqiao. If there is a common background characteristic of Maqiao’s people, it is their special way of using words to shape their way of thinking. The 115 word entries that Maqiao people use reveal life stories covering more than a century. As a first person narrator and a biographer of collective lives, Han also seems to be a witness to their lives. How does he fuse autobiographical, biographical and historical truths into this text? How does he interpret Maqiao’s lexicon in the light of their collective lives? Are auto/biographical theories applicable to Han’s collective biography? Finally, what contributions does he make to collective life writing? To answer the above questions, this paper takes A Dictionary of Maqiao as a metafiction to discuss life writing issues with theorists such as Paul John Eakin, Philippe Lejeune, and Zhao Baisheng. It also searches for Han’s methodologies and techniques in creating collective life stories through a textual analysis. By reading literary biographies of Han Shaogong and his stories of Maqiao people, this paper also analyzes what constitutes “truths” and “facts” in this collective biography. Finally, it demonstrates how Han makes biography new in terms of life writing.
Persistent CT nephrograms following cardiac catheterisation and intervention: initial observations
Authors: Katzberg Richard W. , Monsky Wayne L. , Prionas Nicolas D. , Sidhar Vishal , Southard Jeffrey , Carlson Janine , Boone John M. , Lin Tzu-Chun , Li Chin-Shang
Published: November 2011

Objectives

To describe persistent nephrographic patterns detected by unenhanced renal CT at 24 h after cardiac catheterisation and intervention.

Methods

This prospective study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant and institutional review board approved. Twenty-nine patients (20 men, nine women; average age 63.27 and range 41–85 years) agreed to undergo unenhanced dual-energy computed tomography (CT) limited to their kidneys at 24 h after cardiac catheterisation. CT attenuation values (Hounsfield units) were made from the cortical and medullary regions and single kidney total parenchymal iodine values (milligrams) were measured. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and a two-sided Fisher’s exact test were used in the statistics.

Results

Focal nephrograms were observed in at least one kidney (range, one to five regions per kidney) in 10/29 (34%) of patients and bilateral global nephrograms in 13/29 (45%) of patients. Focal nephrograms correlated with cardiac catheterisation fluoroscopic time (r = 0.48; P = 0.0087). For global nephrograms, the total iodine content of right and left kidneys correlated with fluoroscopic time (r = 0.79 and 0.76; P < 0.0001, respectively) and the amount of contrast material (CM) used (r = 0.77 and r = 0.74; P < 0.0001, respectively).

Conclusion

Persistent focal and global nephrograms occur commonly as assessed by non-contrast CT at 24 h post cardiac catheterisation and our observations suggest they could be related to procedural factors.
The Role of Trust in Customer Relationships
Authors: Cowles Deborah L.
Published: November 2011

This paper takes a fresh look at the role of trust in customer relationships by drawing from the economics and communications literatures, where researchers distinguish between concepts of trustworthiness and trusting behaviour. The author develops a typology of trust based on whether a marketing entity is considered trustworthy and whether a behaviour can be considered trusting, and offers the managerial implications of ideas presented, along with six propositions for future research.
The orientations of prolate ellipsoids in linear shear flows
Authors: Gavze Ehud , Pinsky Mark , Khain Alexander
Published: November 2011

The dynamics of the orientations of prolate ellipsoids in general linear shear flow is considered. The motivation behind this work is to gain a better understanding of the motion and the orientation probability distribution of ice particles in clouds in order to improve the modelling of their collision. The evolution of the orientations is governed by the Jeffery equation. It is shown that the possible attractors of this equation are fixed points, limit cycles and an infinite set of periodic solutions, named Jeffery orbits, in the case of simple shear. Linear stability analysis shows that the existence and the stability of the attractors are determined by the eigenvalues of the linear part of the equation. If the eigenvalues possess a non-vanishing real part, then there always exists either a stable fixed point or a stable limit cycle. Pure imaginary eigenvalues lead to Jeffery orbits. The convergence to a stable fixed point or to a stable limit cycle may either be monotonic or may be retarded due to the occurrence of non-normal growth. If non-normal growth occurs the convergence rate may be much slower compared with the characteristic time scale of the shear. Expressions for the characteristic time scale of convergence to the stable solutions are derived. In the case of non-normal growth, expressions are derived for the delay in the convergence. The orientation probability distribution function (p.d.f.) is computed via the solution of the Fokker–Planck equation. The p.d.f. is either periodic, in the case of simple shear (pure imaginary eigenvalues), or it converges to singular points or strips in the orientation space (fixed points and limit cycles) on which it grows to infinity. Time-independent p.d.f.s exist only for imaginary eigenvalues. Unlike the case where Brownian diffusion is present, the steady solutions are not unique and depend on the initial conditions.
Effects of soya oligosaccharides and soya oligopeptides on lipid metabolism in hyperlipidaemic rats
Authors: Xie Shali , Zhu Jundong , Zhang Yanqi , Shi Kai , Shi Yuangang , Ma Xiao
Published: November 2011

In the present study, we aimed to examine the effects of soya oligosaccharides (SOS) and soya oligopeptides (SOP) on blood lipid levels, release of vasoactive substances, antioxidant activity and faecal bile acid (FBA) excretion in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Male Sprague–Dawley rats were evenly divided into five groups according to diets as follows: regular diet (control), HFD, HFD enriched with 2 % of SOS (SOS), HFD enriched with 3 % of SOP (SOP) and HFD enriched with 2 % SOS and 3 % SOP (SOSP). The results showed that SOS and SOP significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TAG, whereas HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly increased. Furthermore, SOS and SOP reduced plasma apoB, apoE and the apoB:apoAI ratio, whereas apoAI was significantly increased. Moreover, SOS and SOP also reduced plasma thromboxane A2(TXA2) and the TXA2:prostacyclin (PGI2) ratio, whereas plasma PGI2and nitric oxide were significantly increased. In addition, SOS and SOP significantly reduced serum and liver malondialdehyde concentrations and increased FBA excretion. However, we did not observe obvious influences of SOS and SOP on superoxide dismutase activities in the liver of HFD-fed rats. The combination of 2 % SOS and 3 % SOP showed a more marked effect than SOS or SOP alone in improving the lipid profile, release of vasoactive substances and increasing FBA excretion (P < 0·05). In summary, SOS and SOP might help prevent atherosclerosis through improving abnormal blood lipid levels, regulating vasoactive substances and protecting against oxidative stress.
The Ascent of the Falling Man: Establishing a Picture's Iconicity
Authors: KROES ROB , ORVELL MILES , NADEL ALAN
Published: November 2011

Why is it that some photographs have a power of epic concentration, condensing larger moments in history into one iconic image? This piece about the photography of 9/11 addresses this question. Its focus is on one photograph in particular, Richard Drew's image of the Falling Man. Central to the argument is the awareness of a paradox: to explore something quintessentially photographic – the force of images that give them iconic power – using a medium for reflection and communication that is inherently non-photographic: i.e. language. The author aims at accounting for the fascination of Drew's image, in a struggle to find words to describe its impact. To that end he looks at how others – the photographer himself, and other creative minds, in essay form, fiction or graphic novels – have translated their fascination into language that may help us account for the way this image continues to haunt us.
XVII.—On a Set of Table-knives in the British Museum made for John the Intrepid, Duke of Burgundy
Authors: Dalton O. M.
Published: November 2011

In the year 1855 the British Museum acquired a set of four knives with enamelled handles in a leather case decorated with incised designs. The handles are richly ornamented with shields of arms, mottoes, and floral motives in translucent enamel upon silver, the grip having in addition strips of the speckled maple-wood used in the manufacture of mazers. These knives deserve description and careful illustration both for their artistic merit and also for their historical interest, it being possible to identify the two different persons for whom the instruments and the sheath were severally made. These persons were John the Intrepid, Duke of Burgundy, father of Philip the Good, and his daughter Isabel, Countess of Penthièvre.
IV.—The Site, Fauna, and Industry of La Cotte de St. Brelade, Jersey
Authors: Marett R.R.
Published: November 2011

The communication which I now have the honour to lay before the Society of Antiquaries presupposes a knowledge of the contents of my two papers concerning Jersey antiquities already published in Archaeologia. I beg to thank the Society for enabling these successive reports on the excavations of La Cotte de St. Brelade to be printed and illustrated on so generous a scale. I would here take the opportunity of likewise acknowledging my debt to many other helpers: first, to Mr. G. F. B. de Gruchy, Seigneur of Noirmont, and owner of the cave, who has not only made over the whole of the treasure-trove to public institutions, providing funds into the bargain in order as it were to exploit him-self, but has throughout been my constant adjutant and co-worker; then to my Oxford friends and pupils who have at considerable cost to themselves taken part in the work for weeks and months together, Captain A. H. Coltart and Mrs. Coltart, Mr. T. B. Kittredge, Mr. B. de Chrustchoff, Miss Bayly, Mr. R. de J. Fleming Struthers, the Rev. E. O. James, Mrs. Jenkinson, Mr. P. H. Brodie; next, to Jersey residents innumerable, most of them ardent members of the Societe Jersiaise, such as, to mention but a few, Mr. E. T. Nicolle, Mr. J. Sinel, the late Dr. A. Dunlop, Mr. H. J. Baal, Mrs. Briard, Mrs. Symons, Mr. G. Le Bas, Mr. A. H. Barreau, Mr. E. F. Guiton, the two last-mentioned gentlemen having as draughtsman and photographer respectively helped largely to make our results intelligible by way of the eye; and, finally, to the many experts who have in various ways assisted in the interpretation of what we brought to light, among them being Sir Hercules Read and Mr. Reginald A. Smith of the British Museum; Dr. A. Smith Woodward and Dr. C. Andrews of the British Museum of Natural History; Dr. A. Keith of the Royal College of Surgeons; and Professor W. J. Sollas and Mr. H. Balfour of Oxford. Let me add, in order to save the face of my kind allies and advisers, that I am in the last resort responsible for every statement of fact or opinion that appears here.
VII.—On a Collection of Antiquities from the Early Iron Age Cemetery of Hallstatt, presented to the British Museum by Lord Avebury, 1916
Authors: Read C. Hercules , Smith Reginald A.
Published: November 2011

The important series of antiquities that forms the subject of this communication was discovered at Hallstatt in the Salzkammergut, Austria, about the year 1869. The exploration was undertaken at the instance of Sir John Lubbock (afterwards Lord Avebury), and it is believed that a journal was kept of the daily results, as appears to have been the case in all instances where authorized digging took place on the site. Unluckily in the interval between 1869 and the present time the journal referring to Lord Avebury's exploration has disappeared, and we thus lack an important part of the information that it should have furnished, viz. the indications as to what objects were associated together, and whether the interments to which they belonged were by cremation or by inhumation. While this loss is much to be regretted, yet the absolute value and importance of the series is still very great, both as typical of the period which stands prominent as the classical example of a cultural turning-point in the history of the arts, and as filling a very serious gap in the evolutionary series in the national collection.
XIII.—Excavations about the Site of the Roman city at Silchester, Hants, in 1909
Authors: Hope W. H. St. John , Stephenson Mill
Published: November 2011

In submitting to the Society our twentieth and final report on the excavation of Calleva Atvebatuni, it may be pointed out that for the first time our work during the past season has lain altogether outside the Roman town. We were able in 1908 to bring to an end the excavation of the whole of the 100 acres within the wall, but, as was then foreshadowed, there still remained to be examined the outer defences and the ditch encircling the wall itself. This formed the work of 1909.
XXVII.—Lake-dwellings in Holderness, Yorks., discovered by Thos. Boynton, Esq., F.S.A., 1880–1
Authors: Smith Reginald A.
Published: November 2011

The Holderness district is a vast accumulation of the great Northern Drift, a thick deposit of clay and gravel, with scratched and striated boulders of Scandinavian and other rocks marked by the grinding and drifting of glaciers and icebergs. This Northern Drift rested on the ancient surface of the chalk when that surface sloped from the Wolds, 600 ft. high, to 60 ft. and more below the sea-level. The vast bay that formerly extended from Flamborough Head to Spurn Point thus received the ice-sheets of the Glacial period, which in melting deposited debris frozen into their mass. There was thus formed an irregular crescentic area, 40 miles long and 20 miles in maximum breadth, reaching the foot of the Wolds which was then the seashore with creeks running inland. The tract rarely rises more than 30 ft. above the sea; and the natural drainage, on account of the slope of the drift, is from the seashore towards the centre line of the drift area. The surface drainage from the Wolds also tends to the same line of outflow. In ancient times the outlets of this drainage into the sea would have been higher, as the strata rise seaward; and consequently more water would have been penned up in the prehistoric lakes, and a larger proportion of the area flooded, than would now be possible, since the waste of land by the sea, at the rate of nearly two yards a year, has been going on for many centuries.
IV.—Rock-cutting and Tomb-architecture in Cyprus during the Graeco-Roman Occupation
Authors: Jeffery Geo.
Published: November 2011

It has been thought, with a good deal of reason for such an opinion, that the age of a quarry or a rock-cut tomb may be determined by the apparent character of the tooling of surfaces. This is most easily defined in the following way.

Bronze Age tooling of rock surfaces of a soft kind, subsequently hardened with age, may perhaps be detected by the marks of a celt driven with a mallet, or possibly a heavy stone. The cut of the implement is short and deep, and of course leaves a rougher surface than the single-handed pick of iron. With the introduction of iron tools the work of finishing surfaces as well as of cutting into the stone seems to have been executed with single-handed picks having points or cutting edges of variable width. At a later period came the use of the chiselshaped pick with serrated edge. It is doubtful whether this was used in the Levant previous to the Byzantine or Constantinian era. The use of the chiselshaped pick causes a long sweeping cut on the stone, an effect also produced by mere chopping sideways with the stone-mason's chopper. The chopper and the chisel-pick play a great part in the finishing off of the elaborate rock-cuttings of the Levant.

From the foregoing it will be noticed that little more than a distinction into the two classes of work done with iron implements, and work done without iron implements, can be attempted for chronological purposes as far as the evidence on rock surfaces survives. The quarries and tombs of Cyprus referred to in the following notes must be considered to belong to the iron implement class; in other words, to the Graeco-Roman and Byzantine history of the island.
VIII.—The Last Testament and Inventory of John de Veer, thirteenth Earl of Oxford
Authors: St. John Hope William H.
Published: November 2011

The last testament and inventory of John de Veer, the thirteenth earl of Oxford, are documents of their class of more than usual interest and importance: firstly, by reason of the nature of their contents; and secondly, because the testator was a man of great wealth and high social standing. He was consequently the possessor of many beautiful and valuable things; and though, alas, not one of them is now known to exist, their appearances and characteristics are vividly brought before us in the descriptions set down in the inventory of the earl's effects.
X.—On the Topography of the Cistercian Abbey of Tower Hill
Authors: Clapham A. W.
Published: November 2011

The ground immediately to the east of the city ditch of London was occupied in medieval times by three important religious foundations, an abbey of Franciscan nuns, another of Cistercian monks, and the great hospital of St. Katherine by the Tower. With the exception of one wall on the site of the first-named house, no trace of any of them survives, though the great church of St. Katherine remained until the last century. The Abbey of St. Mary of Graces, with which we are immediately concerned, was the latest foundation of the Cistercian Order in England; over half a century separates it from the latest of the previous houses, and only a few Carthusian houses, the Bridgettine nunnery of Sion, and some convents of Observant Franciscans are of later date. The house was commonly known as Tower Hill or New Abbey, and is said to have been also called Eastminster in contradistinction to the great Benedictine house in the western suburbs; for this title, however, I have not yet found any ancient authority.
XIV.—The Heraldry in the Cloisters of the Cathedral Church of Christ Canterbury
Authors: Griffin Ralph
Published: November 2011

Towards the close of the fourteenth century extensive building operations were undertaken at Canterbury Cathedral. The more important of these were the rebuilding of the nave and the erection of a new chapter-house. At Canterbury, as at Gloucester, the cloister was to the north of the nave, and as the chapter-house was erected to the east of the cloister it was necessary to reconstruct in some measure the roof of both the south and east walks, but the opportunity was taken to construct an arcading on each side of the cloister garth, and to throw a vaulted roof across from the arcade to the walls. This work was in hand during the time of Prior Chillenden—prior from 1391 to 1411—and he proceeded in the cloisters with a brutal disregard for the beautiful work left behind by his predecessors, whose walls he used so far as they served him. The prior had been munificently assisted by a wealthy archbishop, viz. Archbishop Courtenay, who died the 31st July, 1396.