bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre-Carboniferous geology of the northern part of the Arctic Islands: Northern Heiberg Fold Belt, Clements Markham Fold Belt, and Pearya; northern Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere islands
Authors: Trettin H P
Published: October 2013

This report describes and interprets the geology of three tectono-stratigraphic belts in the northernmost part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago that differ in structural trend and in aspects of their stratigraphy and tectonic histories. The southeast-trending
Northern Heiberg Fold Belt of Axel Heiberg Island contains about 8 km of strata ranging in age from Early Cambrian or older to Early Devonian. The southwest-trending Clements Markham Fold Belt of northern Ellesmere Island contains 4 to 5 km of strata ranging from Early Cambrian or older to Late
Silurian. Pearya is limited to northernmost Ellesmere Island and has highly diverse structural trends. It comprises a Mesoproterozoic crystalline basement and probably more than 8 km of supracrustal strata that extend in age from Neoproterozoic to Late Silurian. Pearya is interpreted as a suspect
terrane with Caledonian affinities that probably was accreted to the Clements Markham Fold Belt in Late Ordovician time. The strata of all three provinces consist of a considerable variety of sedimentary and volcanic rocks that were partly metamorphosed under greenschist to lower amphibolite facies
conditions. Orogenies of late Mesoproterozoic-early Neoproterozoic and Early-Middle Ordovician ages were confined to Pearya. Several disturbances occurred in Pearya and the Clements Markham Fold Belt in Late Ordovician-earliest Silurian time. A Late Silurian-Early Devonian orogenic event, apparent
in the Northern Heiberg Fold Belt, probably also affected Ellesmere Island. The Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous Ellesmerian Orogeny involved the entire report area. Six generations of granitoid intrusions, ranging in age from late Mesoproterozoic to Late Devonian, are of synorogenic or
postorogenic origin, whereas granitoid intrusions of late Early Carboniferous and Late Cretaceous ages are of rift origin. An ultramafic-mafic suite is of Early Ordovician age, and mafic plutons range in age from Ordovician(?) to Late Cretaceous. Small showings of copper minerals occur in volcanic
and carbonate rocks of the Clements Markham Fold Belt and Pearya.
Three I know not what:The influence of Greek philosophy on the doctrine of Trinity
Authors: Santrac Aleksandar S.
Published: October 2013

This article examines the origins of the traditional or orthodox Trinitarian formula. The main objective is to clarify to what extent the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity (Nicene formula) has been influenced by Greek philosophy. Through contemporary theological dialogue on this issue, the research focuses on the comparison between the traditional formulation of the doctrine of Trinity, influenced by Greek philosophy and the biblical revelation of the godhead. The conclusion is that the trinitarian formula might not be a dogmatic teaching, but a mystery (a dehellenisation of the concept of Trinity) and that the Church fathers and the post-Nicene church used the Greek philosophical-theological expressions for Trinity, already present in Scriptures in its doxological and liturgical form, primarily for the purpose of contextualisation.Hierdie artikel ondersoek die oorsprong van die tradisionele of ortodokse trinitariese leerstuk. Die hoofdoel is om uit te vind tot watter mate die tradisioneel Christelike leer oor die Drie-eenheid (Niceense formule) deur die Griekse filosofie beïnvloed is. Deur die hedendaagse teologiese debat oor hierdie onderwerp na te gaan, fokus die navorsing op ’n vergelyking tussen die tradisionele formulering van die leer van die Drie-eenheid soos beïnvloed deur die ortodokse Griekse filosofie en deur die bybelse openbaring van die godheid. Die slotsom waartoe gekom word, is dat die trinitariese formule moontlik nie ’n dogmatiese leerstuk was nie, maar ’n misterie (’n dehellenisering van die Drie-eenheidsbegrip). Die kerkvaders en die post-Niceense kerk het die Griekse filosofies-teologiese uitdrukkings vir die Drie-eenheid, wat alreeds in die Skrif in sy doksologiese en liturgiese vorm voorgekom het, moontlik slegs vir die doel van kontekstualisering gebruik.
Perceptions of rural primary healthcare personnel about expansion of early communication intervention
Authors: Van der Linde Jeannie , Kritzinger Alta
Published: October 2013

Background: Early communication intervention services rendered by speech-language therapists and audiologists to families of infants and young children with feeding difficulties, hearing loss or emerging communication disorders should be implemented throughout South Africa. Early intervention can ameliorate risks, enhance development and may prevent further delays. Based on research initiated during a community-service year experience in a rural subdistrict,an incremental process of establishing accessible early communication intervention services was deemed feasible. Such a process cannot be successful if the collaboration of primary healthcare personnel and managers is not ensured.Objectives: The aim of the article was to describe the perceptions of primary healthcare personnel with regard to expansion of early communication intervention services to infants at risk of developmental delay.Method: A qualitative descriptive survey design was followed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 primary healthcare nurses and sisters and eight primary healthcare programme managers in Ditsobotla subdistrict in the North West province of South Africa.Results: The participants indicated that by improving team work, developing training programmes and evaluating identification methods and resources, the step-by-step rollout of early communication intervention functions on four organisational levels may be a realistic goal for sustainable services in the resource-limited district.Conclusion: The positive perceptions and contributions by participants promise a rich human-resource basis for transdisciplinary collaboration between speech-language therapists, audiologists and primary healthcare personnel in order to reduce the burden of early communication disorders in a rural district.
Reasons patients leave their nearest healthcare service to attend Karen Park Clinic, Pretoria North
Authors: Masango- Makgobela Agnes T. , Govender Indiran , Ndimande John V.
Published: October 2013

Background: Many patients move from one healthcare provider or facility to another, disturbing the continuity that enhances holistic patient care.Objectives: To investigate the reasons given by patients for attending Karen Park Clinic rather than the clinic nearest to their homes.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted during 2010. Three hundred and fifty patients attending Karen Park Clinic were given questionnaires to complete, with the following variables: place of residence; previous attendance at the clinic nearest their home; services available at their nearest clinic; and their willingness to attend their nearest clinic in future.Results: Respondents were from Soshanguve (153; 43.7%), Mabopane (92; 26.3%), Garankuwa (29; 8.3%) and Hebron (20; 5.7%) and most were women (271; 77.4%) aged 26–45 (177; 50.6%). Eighty per cent (281) of the patients had visited their nearest clinic previously and 54 of these (19.2%) said they would not return. The reasons for this were: long waiting time (88; 25.1%); long queues (84; 24%); rude staff (60; 17%); and no medication (39; 11.1%).Conclusion: The majority of patients who had attended their nearest clinic were adamant that they would not return. It is necessary to reduce waiting times, thus reducing long queues. This can be achieved by having adequate, satisfied healthcare providers to render a quality service and by organising training for management. Patients can thus be redirected to their nearest clinic and the health centre’s capacity can be increased by procuring adequate drugs. There is a need to follow up on patients’ complaints about staff attitudes.
Acral gangrene as a presentation of non-uremic calciphylaxis
Authors: Hammadah Muhammad , Chaturvedi Shruti , Jue Jennifer , Buletko Andrew Blake , Qintar Mohammed , Madmani Mohammed Eid , Sharma Prashant
Published: October 2013

We are describing a case of 55-year-old obese female with significant history of uncontrolled rheumatoid arthritis, who recently had decreased her immune-suppression medications. She presented with extensive acral gangrene involving multiple fingers and toes. Clinical picture and laboratory findings were suggestive of vasculitis; however, skin biopsy established diagnosis of calciphylaxis, in settings of normal kidney function. Patient was treated with sodium thiosulfate with gradual improvement in her skin lesions.
Distributed hydrologic modeling of a sparsely monitored basin in Sardinia, Italy, through hydrometeorological downscaling
Authors: Mascaro G. , Piras M. , Deidda R. , Vivoni E. R.
Published: October 2013

Abstract. The water resources and hydrologic extremes in Mediterranean basins are heavily influenced by climate variability. Modeling these watersheds is difficult due to the complex nature of the hydrologic response as well as the sparseness of hydrometeorological observations. In this work, we present a strategy to calibrate a distributed hydrologic model, known as TIN-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS), in the Rio Mannu basin (RMB), a medium-sized watershed (472.5 km2) located in an agricultural area in Sardinia, Italy. In the RMB, precipitation, streamflow and meteorological data were collected within different historical periods and at diverse temporal resolutions. We designed two statistical tools for downscaling precipitation and potential evapotranspiration data to create the hourly, high-resolution forcing for the hydrologic model from daily records. Despite the presence of several sources of uncertainty in the observations and model parameterization, the use of the disaggregated forcing led to good calibration and validation performances for the tRIBS model, when daily discharge observations were available. The methodology proposed here can be also used to disaggregate outputs of climate models and conduct high-resolution hydrologic simulations with the goal of quantifying the impacts of climate change on water resources and the frequency of hydrologic extremes within medium-sized basins.
Cystatin C at Admission in the Intensive Care Unit Predicts Mortality among Elderly Patients
Authors: Dalboni Maria Aparecida , Beraldo Daniel de Oliveira , Quinto Beata Marie Redublo , Blaya Rosângela , Narciso Roberto , Oliveira Moacir , Monte Júlio César Martins , Durão Marcelino de Souza , Cendoroglo Miguel , Pavão Oscar Fernando , Batista Marcelo Costa
Published: October 2013

Introduction. Cystatin C has been used in the critical care setting to evaluate renal function. Nevertheless, it has also been found to correlate with mortality, but it is not clear whether this association is due to acute kidney injury (AKI) or to other mechanism. Objective. To evaluate whether serum cystatin C at intensive care unit (ICU) entry predicts AKI and mortality in elderly patients. Materials and Methods. It was a prospective study of ICU elderly patients without AKI at admission. We evaluated 400 patients based on normality for serum cystatin C at ICU entry, of whom 234 (58%) were selected and 45 (19%) developed AKI. Results. We observed that higher serum levels of cystatin C did not predict AKI ( versus  mg/L; ). However, it was an independent predictor of mortality, H.R. = 6.16 (95% CI 1.46–26.00; ), in contrast with AKI, which was not associated with death. In the ROC curves, cystatin C also provided a moderate and significant area (0.67; ) compared to AKI (0.47; ) to detect death. Conclusion. We demonstrated that higher cystatin C levels are an independent predictor of mortality in ICU elderly patients and may be used as a marker of poor prognosis.
Dynamic High-Speed Knotting of a Rope by a Manipulator
Authors: Yamakawa Yuji , Namiki Akio , Ishikawa Masatoshi
Published: October 2013

In this paper we suggest an entirely new strategy for the dexterous manipulation of a linear flexible object, such as rope or a cable, with a high-speed manipulator. We deal with a flexible rope as one example of the linear flexible object. The strategy involves manipulating the object at high-speed. By moving the robot at high-speed, we can assume that the dynamic behaviour of the flexible rope can be obtained by performing algebraic calculations of the high-speed robot motion. Based on this assumption, we derive a dynamic deformation model of the flexible rope and confirm the validity of the proposed model. Then we perform a simulation of dynamic, high-speed knotting based on the proposed model. We also discuss the possibility of forming the knot based on a simple analysis model. Finally, we show experimental results demonstrating dynamic, high-speed knotting with a high-speed manipulator.
Sky Region Detection in a Single Image for Autonomous Ground Robot Navigation
Authors: Shen Yehu , Wang Qicong
Published: October 2013

The sky region in an image provides horizontal and background information for autonomous ground robots and is important for vision-based autonomous ground robot navigation. This paper proposes a sky region detection algorithm within a single image based on gradient information and energy function optimization. Unlike most existing methods, the proposed algorithm is applicable to both colour and greyscale images. Firstly, the gradient information of the image is obtained. Then, the optimal segmentation threshold in the gradient domain is calculated according to the energy function optimization and the preliminary sky region is estimated. Finally, a post-processing method is applied in order to refine the preliminary sky region detection result when no sky region appears in the image or when objects extrude from the ground. Experimental results have proven that the detection accuracy is greater than 95% in our test set with 1,000 images, while the processing time is about 150ms for an image with a resolution of 640×480 on a modern laptop using only a single core.
A Smooth Tour Construction Approach for a Mobile Robot with Kinematic Constraints
Authors: Yazici Ahmet
Published: October 2013

Mobile robots are increasingly used for service-like applications in which the service points are known and the mobile robot starts from a starting location, visits all the service points requested and returns to the starting location. The tour construction problem in these applications can be treated as a Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). Classical tour construction algorithms that are proposed for the TSP find tours do not consider robot kinematic constraints. These tours may have sharp turns at some service points. When a mobile robot follows such a tour, it stops, turns and speeds up again. Therefore, the robots waste a considerable amount of power and time. In these cases, tour smoothing can be used to overcome this problem. However, smoothing an existing tour may result in unnecessarily long tours. In this study, a Smooth Tour Construction (STC) approach is proposed for mobile robots with kinematic constraints. The STC approach considers tour construction and tour smoothing concurrently. The logic behind the tour construction part of the approach is based on the Savings Algorithm (SA). The tour smoothing is based on Dubins' arc-line approach. Experiments are conducted for P3-DX robots in a laboratory environment. Comparisons are also drawn with various tour smoothing algorithms in simulation environments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed STC approach.
Retour sur la xvie conférence générale du Conseil international des musées (Icom) à Québec : 1992, année charnière de la muséologie québécoise
Authors: Bergeron Yves , Rivard René , Simard Cyril
Published: October 2013

Cet article met en perspective le réseau muséal québécois au moment où se tenait à Québec en septembre 1992 la xvie conférence générale du Conseil international des musées (Icom) sous le thème « Musées : y a-t-il des limites ? » Il s’agit d’un moment historique qui est marqué par une effervescence sans précédent dans le développement du réseau muséal. Pour la première fois, une série de publications soulignaient l’histoire et le rôle social des musées. Cette xvie conférence de l’Icom a notamment contribué au rayonnement et à la reconnaissance de la muséologie québécoise sur la scène internationale. Les témoignages de deux muséologues, Cyril Simard et René Rivard, servent de trame de fond à ce moment fondateur pour l’histoire des musées.
Le Centre franco-ontarien de folklore, un cas d’intersection disciplinaire
Authors: Gervais Roger , St-Pierre Stéphanie
Published: October 2013

Le Centre franco-ontarien de folklore (Cfof) est un organisme provincial à but non lucratif qui se spécialise en folklore. Dans cet article, nous montrons comment cet organisme est à la croisée de plusieurs chemins. Il se situe entre le monde de la recherche, le devoir de la préservation et l’imposant besoin de diffusion du patrimoine oral franco-ontarien. Il compose avec le patrimoine immatériel, matériel et la culture populaire. Il est le résultat de l’intersection entre la connaissance savante et la connaissance populaire. L’étude de ce cas montre que les intersections disciplinaires ne sont pas uniquement un défi pour les universitaires et que, malgré certains obstacles, les spécialisations et les partenariats servent de renfort pour le domaine de l’ethnologie, tout comme pour les organismes communautaires qui cherchent à répondre à des besoins sociaux.
Voyages à Floribec. De touriste à chercheur
Authors: Tremblay Rémy
Published: October 2013

J’ai été initié à la Floride dès l’âge de six ans, alors que mes parents séjournaient annuellement quelques semaines par année dans les motels fréquentés par les Québécois dans les banlieues de Miami, telles Surfside et plus tard Hollywood-Beach. Ces séjours m’ont emmené à faire un doctorat à l’Université d’Ottawa sur les dimensions sociospatiales qui sont à la base de la communauté de Floribec (Hollywood-Dania-Hallandale, Floride). Toutefois, je réalisais rapidement que d’étudier un terrain continuellement victime de railleries de la part des médias, de certaines couches socioéconomiques de la société québécoise et, aussi, de collègues s’avérerait un défi. J’ai accepté ce défi sans hésiter. Aujourd’hui, Floribec demeure encore une destination touristique et un terrain de recherche qui me passionne profondément, mais je dois continuellement défendre non seulement le caractère « savant » de ce foyer francophone en terre étatsunienne, mais aussi ceux qui le fréquentent comme touristes et ceux qui y ont immigré. Ce cours récit personnel relate brièvement ma passion pour la Floride québécoise comme touriste, comme étudiant et comme chercheur.
L’écriture de la ville de Nairobi dans les oeuvres de la nouvelle scène littéraire kenyane
Authors: Journo Aurélie
Published: October 2013

Depuis le début des années 1970, Nairobi a pris une place centrale dans la fiction kenyane. Ville où convergent les migrants des campagnes et les exilés des pays en crise alentour, elle constitue « un microcosme, un monde en soi, qui représente, plus qu’un simple aspect de la société kenyane, ce qu’est véritablement le Kenya » . Pour les jeunes écrivains kenyans, elle est un personnage à part entière : « C’est une magicienne devenue prostituée. Elle est aussi psychotique. Et schizophrène » . Les écrits de cette nouvelle génération s’articulent ainsi autour de la figure ambivalente de Nairobi, ville qui, de simple décor réaliste, est devenue au fil des pages et du temps un lieu palimpseste, et qui à son tour imprime sa marque sur les corps qui la traversent. Écrire la ville, c’est avant tout s’écrire, projeter sur elle ses incertitudes quant à la place qu’on y occupe. Lieu liminaire, « espace ambigu [...] dans lequel les constructions du chez-soi et de l’ailleurs sont temporairement interrompues avant d’être réinscrites, réordonnées, en tout cas reconstituées » , la ville est aussi un lieu carnavalesque, où tous les retournements sont possibles et où l’identité de ses habitants est sans cesse remise en question. Nairobi, dans les textes de la nouvelle génération d’auteurs kenyans comme Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Binyavanga Wainaina ou Mehul Gohil, se fait donc texte et miroir, espace où se déchiffre la nature de la condition de l’homme kenyan.
Le Nairobi des poètes : une géographie des pratiques littéraires de la « génération Kwani »
Authors: Marcel Olivier
Published: October 2013

Comme en attestent les récents débats du Kwani ? Litfest 2010 (festival littéraire à Nairobi), la littérature contemporaine au Kenya est marquée par l’idée, souvent contestée, de l’émergence d’une nouvelle génération littéraire. Formulée en opposition à la génération postindépendance, cette « génération Kwani » serait constituée de jeunes auteurs vivant et écrivant la ville, se détachant des questions ethniques et postcoloniales et s’inscrivant dans de nouveaux réseaux institutionnels. Cette proposition peut être éclairée par une géographie des pratiques littéraires de ces jeunes auteurs. En retraçant les itinéraires quotidiens et les performances d’une sélection représentative d’auteurs, nous souhaitons comprendre comment se construit la figure de l’écrivain contemporain kenyan. Dans la dernière décennie, l’agenda culturel de Nairobi s’est densifié, offrant une palette de lieux à travers lesquels les écrivains peuvent se définir. Il s’agit d’identifier et de saisir l’usage de deux types de lieux figurant dans leur espace vécu : les lieux de socialisation (bars, restaurants, clubs, loisirs) et les lieux de légitimation (associations, centres culturels, universités). Ces lieux, incarnés par des institutions et leurs évènements, peuvent servir de clé d’analyse du champ littéraire kenyan.
« It’s Never Just One Road » : Genga-Idowu et la prostitution dans l’espace urbain de Nairobi
Authors: Muriungi Colomba
Published: October 2013

My article is a reading of Genga-Idowu’s Lady in Chains with an intention to show how she attempts to rewrite the presentation of the prostitute figure in a Kenyan urban space by figuring prostitution as an institution that is useful in questioning and revising economic power relations between men and women. Genga-Idowu shows that women can reliably accumulate income from prostitution and emancipate themselves from the economic disadvantages of postcolonial Kenya. I examine specific traits of the prostitute figure and the spaces within the city that this writer utilizes to revise and disavow Kenyan male writers and socio-cultural conception of the prostitute. Thus prostitution will be projected as a business and a potential alternative road that makes women economically powerful and frees them from other kinds of disadvantages that characterize their lives.
La fiction urbaine contemporaine swahilie : quelques pistes
Authors: Ali Ryanga Sheila , Wangari Maina Rachel
Published: October 2013

Kenyan literary writers in Swahili soon after independence dwelt mostly with rural setting. Most of the works dwelt on African social values and philosophy within work ethics and relationships. However, with the growth of industries in urban centers, the issue of rural urban migration arose. Many educated Kenyans moved to urban centers in search of jobs. To mirror this change in society, literary writers enriched their works by using both the rural and urban settings. This became a constant feature in the works of literary writers in Swahili. Some of these features include street life, life in the slums and pollution. This paper attempts to study how the urban setting is depicted in modern Kenyan Swahili literary texts. Realism theory as propagated by both Georg Lukács and Bertolt Brecht will be invoked during the analysis of the texts, specifically, how the urban genre developed, images used to depict urban life and centers, and establish the influence of this genre on Swahili literary writing as a whole.
In Vitro Biomechanical Strain Regulation of Fibroblast Wound Healing
Authors: Cao Thanh V. , Hicks Michael R. , Standley Paul R.
Published: October 2013

Context:Strain-directed therapy such as vacuum compression and manual manipulative therapies are clinically effective, but their cellular and molecular mechanisms are not well understood.

Objective:To determine the effects of modeled myofascial release (MFR) on fibroblast wound healing and to investigate the potential role of nitric oxide (NO) in mediating these responses.

Methods:Using an in vitro scratch wound strain model, the authors investigated human fibroblast wound healing characteristics in response to injurious repetitive motion strain (RMS) and MFR. Secretion of NO was induced with interleukin-1β and sodium nitroprusside and inhibited with NO synthase inhibitor L-NG-monomethyl arginine citrate (L-NMMA) to determine the effects of NO on wound healing. Protein microarray was also performed to evaluate the expression of intracellular protein and activation of protein kinase G (PKG), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), protein kinase C (PKC), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), the downstream effectors in the NO pathway.

Results:Fibroblasts that received RMS resulted in reduced wound closure rates (vs nonstrain,P<.05), which are partially attenuated by a single dose of MFR. Interleukin-1β and exogenous NO did not appear to have an effect on nonstrained fibroblast wound healing. However, strained fibroblasts appeared to express increased sensitivity to NO. The authors also observed a 12.2% increase in NO secretion, an increase in PKG activation, and a downregulation of PKC and PI3K inhibitory domain in the combined strain group.

Conclusion:If clinically translatable, these data suggest that mechanical strain such as vacuum compression therapy and manual manipulative therapy may modify PKC and PI3K to sensitize fibroblasts to NO and improve wound healing by promoting cell proliferation and migration by means of PKC and PKG signaling.
Thoracic Splenosis More Than 40 Years After Thoracoabdominal Trauma
Authors: O-Yurvati Albert H. , Thompson Jared B. , Woods Tessa N.
Published: October 2013

Splenosis is a rare occurrence that is defined as autotransplantation of splenic tissue usually after splenic rupture due to trauma and subsequent splenectomy. Although splenosis most commonly occurs in the abdomen, the authors report a rare case of thoracic splenosis after remote thoracoabdominal trauma. A 62-year-old woman was found to have lower-lobe, pleural-based nodular lesions in juxtaposition to the posteromedial segment of the lung during workup for an abdominal hernia. Surgical excision of the mass confirmed the diagnosis of ectopic splenic tissue, and splenosis was diagnosed. This woman was among the rare 18% of people who are found to have splenosis in the intrathoracic space. In the workup of pulmonary nodules in patients with a history of trauma, splenosis should be a consideration.
Observed features of the Halmahera and Mindanao Eddies
Authors: Kashino Yuji , Atmadipoera Agus , Kuroda Yoshifumi , Lukijanto
Published: October 2013

The structure and variability of the Halmahera and Mindanao Eddies (HE and ME), which are thought to be quasi‐stationary eddies, are described based on onboard and time‐series observations in the gateway region of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF). The HE was found to have a clear anticyclonic eddy structure during all cruises. It tilted northward and/or westward with increasing depth. The HE mixes waters from the northern and southern hemispheres and transfers this mixed water to the eastern route of the ITF. The HE shifted northwestward in the boreal summer and the cold phase of ENSO (El Niño and Southern Oscillation) and southeastward in the boreal winter and the warm phase of ENSO. In contrast, the ME, with its cyclonic eddy structure, was observed only once and seems not to be a quasi‐stationary eddy. It appears in the mean field and is confined above the thermocline. The stationary northward undercurrent, the Mindanao Undercurrent, was also not found at 7°N east of Mindanao, but the northern tip of the HE was found at this latitude.
Water isotopes as tools to document oceanic sources of precipitation
Authors: Jouzel Jean , Delaygue Gilles , Landais Amaëlle , Masson‐Delmotte Valérie , Risi Camille , Vimeux Françoise
Published: October 2013

The isotopic composition of precipitation, in deuterium, oxygen 18 and oxygen 17, depends on the climatic conditions prevailing in the oceanic regions where it originates, mainly the sea surface temperature and the relative humidity of air. This dependency applies to present‐day precipitation but also to past records which are extracted, for example, from polar ice cores. In turn, coisotopic measurements of deuterium and oxygen 18 offer the possibility to retrieve information about the oceanic origin of modern precipitation as well as about past changes in sea surface temperature and relative humidity of air. This interpretation of isotopic measurements has largely relied on simple Rayleigh‐type isotopic models and is complemented by Lagrangian back trajectory analysis of moisture sources. It is now complemented by isotopic General Circulation Models (IGCM) in which the origin of precipitation can be tagged. We shortly review published results documenting this link between the oceanic sources of precipitation and their isotopic composition. We then present experiments performed with two different IGCMs, the GISS model II and the LMDZ model. We focus our study on marine water vapor and its contribution to precipitation over Antarctica and over the Andean region of South America. We show how IGCM experiments allow us to relate climatic conditions prevailing in the oceanic source of precipitation to its isotopic composition. Such experiments support, at least qualitatively, the current interpretation of ice core isotopic data in terms of changes in sea surface temperature. Additionally, we discuss recent studies clearly showing the added value of oxygen 17 measurements.
MSN Anti‐Cancer Nanomedicines: Chemotherapy Enhancement, Overcoming of Drug Resistance, and Metastasis Inhibition
Authors: He Qianjun , Shi Jianlin
Published: October 2013

In the anti‐cancer war, there are three main obstacles resulting in high mortality and recurrence rate of cancers: the severe toxic side effect of anti‐cancer drugs to normal tissues due to the lack of tumor‐selectivity, the multi‐drug resistance (MDR) to free chemotherapeutic drugs and the deadly metastases of cancer cells. The development of state‐of‐art nanomedicines based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) is expected to overcome the above three main obstacles. In the view of the fast development of anti‐cancer strategy, this review highlights the most recent advances of MSN anti‐cancer nanomedicines in enhancing chemotherapeutic efficacy, overcoming the MDR and inhibiting metastasis. Furthermore, we give an outlook of the future development of MSNs‐based anti‐cancer nanomedicines, and propose several innovative and forward‐looking anti‐cancer strategies, including tumor tissue−cell−nuclear successionally targeted drug delivery strategy, tumor cell‐selective nuclear‐targeted drug delivery strategy, multi‐targeting and multi‐drug strategy, chemo‐/radio‐/photodynamic‐/ultrasound‐/thermo‐combined multi‐modal therapy by virtue of functionalized hollow/rattle‐structured MSNs.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Highly Transparent Platinum Counter Electrodes for Metal/Polymer Flexible Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Garcia‐Alonso Diana , Zardetto Valerio , Mackus Adriaan J. M. , De Rossi Francesca , Verheijen Marcel A. , Brown Thomas M. , Kessels Wilhelmus M. M. , Creatore Mariadriana
Published: October 2013

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to deposit Pt nanoparticles at low temperature (25–150 °C) to fabricate highly transparent counter electrodes (CEs) for flexible dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The Pt nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited for different number of ALD cycles on indium tin oxide (ITO)/polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to assess the Pt NP loading, density, and size. There is a trade‐off between transparency and catalytic activity of the CE, and the best cell performances of back‐side‐illuminated DSCs (≈3.7% efficiency) are achieved for Pt ALD at temperatures in the range of 100–150 °C, even though deposition at 25 °C is also viable. The best cell produced with ALD platinized CE (100 cycles at 100 °C) outperforms the reference cells fabricated with electrodeposited and sputtered Pt CEs, with relative improvements in efficiency of 19% and 29%, respectively. In addition, these parameters are used to fabricate a large area CE for a sub‐module (active area of 17.6 cm2), resulting in an efficiency of 3.1%, which demonstrates the scalability of the process.
HLA associations in schizophrenia: Are we re‐discovering the wheel?
Authors: Kodavali Chowdari V. , Watson Annie M. , Prasad Konasale M. , Celik Cemil , Mansour Hader , Yolken Robert H. , Nimgaonkar Vishwajit L.
Published: October 2013

Associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms on chromosome 6p and schizophrenia (SZ) risk have been evaluated for over five decades. Numerous case–control studies from the candidate gene era analyzed moderately sized samples and reported nominally significant associations with several loci in the HLA region (sample sizes, n = 100–400). The risk conferred by individual alleles was modest (odds ratios < 2.0). The basis for the associations could not be determined, though connections with known immune and auto‐immune abnormalities in SZ were postulated. Interest in the HLA associations has re‐emerged following several recent genome‐wide association studies (GWAS); which utilized 10‐ to 100‐fold larger samples and also identified associations on the short arm of chromosome 6. Unlike the earlier candidate gene studies, the associations are statistically significant following correction for multiple comparisons. Like the earlier studies; they have modest effect sizes, raising questions about their utility in risk prediction or pathogenesis research. In this review, we summarize the GWAS and reflect on possible bases for the associations. Suggestions for future research are discussed. We favor, in particular; efforts to evaluate local population sub‐structure as well as further evaluation of immune‐related variables in future studies. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bio‐oil from whole‐tree feedstock in resol‐type phenolic resins
Authors: Chaouch Mounir , Diouf Papa Niokhor , Laghdir Aziz , Yin Suzhou
Published: October 2013

Renewable chemicals are of growing importance in terms of opportunities for environmental concerns over fossil‐based chemicals. Lignocellulosic biomass can be converted into energy and chemicals via thermal and biological processes. Among all the transformation processes available, fast pyrolysis is the only one to produce a high yield of a liquid‐phase product called bio‐oil or pyrolysis oil. Bio‐oil is considered to be a promising substitute for phenol in phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin synthesis. In this work, bio‐based phenolic resins have been formulated, partially substituting phenol by bio‐oils from two Canadian whole‐tree species. The new resins are produced by replacing 25, 50, and 75% of phenol with bio‐oil for each species (three bioresins per species). The aim of this study is to synthesize renewable resins with competitive price and satisfactory quality. The results obtained have shown that substitution degree up to 50% provided reactivity and performance equal or superior to the pure PF resin. They also present a good storage stability, improved shear strength, and thermal stability comparable to the pure PF. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014, 131, 40014.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Some New Heterocycles Incorporating the Pyrazolopyridine Moiety
Authors: Abu‐Melha Sraa
Published: October 2013

2‐Cyano‐N‐(4,6‐dimethyl‐1H‐pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridin‐3‐yl)acetamide (2) was utilized as key intermediate for the synthesis of some new coumarin 3, pyridine 4, pyrrole 5, thiazole 8, pyrido[2′,3′:3,4]‐pyrazolo‐[5,1‐c]triazine 7, and aminopyrazolo 10 compounds. 2‐Cyano‐N‐(4,6‐dimethyl‐1H‐pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridin‐3‐yl)‐3‐(dimethylamino)acrylamide (11) was synthesized and allowed to react with hydroxylamine, hydrazine, and guanidine to afford regioselectively the isoxazole 13, pyrazole 15, and pyrimidine 17 derivatives, respectively. The reaction of 11 with thiourea and/or with ethyl glycinate in basic medium afforded the regioisomeric pyrimidinethione 18 and 3,5‐dioxo‐1,4‐diazepine‐6‐carbonitrile 23. All the synthesized products were tested and evaluated as antimicrobial agents.
Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Some 2‐Azetidinone Derivatives as Potential Antihyperlipidemic Agents
Authors: Arya Nikhilesh , Dwivedi Jaya , Khedkar Vijay M. , Coutinho Evans C. , Jain Kishor S.
Published: October 2013

In an effort to develop new molecules with improved antihyperlipidemic activity, eight new 2‐azetidinone analogs (4a–4h) of ezetimibe were designed through in silico docking experiments with the crystal structure of the Niemann‐Pick C1‐like 1 protein (NPC1L1). Synthesis and further antihyperlipdemic evaluation of this series in the Triton WR 1339 induced hyperlipidemic rat model showed some of the molecules to exhibit significant lipid‐lowering effects comparable to ezetimibe. Correlation between the observed biological activity and the in silico molecular docking scores of the compounds was observed.
Performance of the cut‐cell method of representing orography in idealized simulations
Authors: Good Beth , Gadian Alan , Lock Sarah‐Jane , Ross Andrew
Published: October 2013

Several tests of a model with a cut‐cell representation of orography are presented: a resting atmosphere test, advection across a hill and a warm rising bubble over hills with different gradients. The tests are compared with results from terrain‐following models. Results indicate that errors associated with terrain‐following coordinates are reduced, in some cases greatly reduced, with the cut‐cell approach. In a resting atmosphere, the cut‐cell approach does not generate flow around an isolated hill however steep the terrain. Relative errors in a rising bubble test are an order of magnitude smaller than terrain‐following simulations.
FOXO in aging: Did evolutionary diversification of FOXO function distract it from prolonging life?
Authors: Schaible Ralf , Sussman Meir
Published: October 2013

In this paper we contrast the simple role of FOXO in the seemingly non‐aging Hydra with its more diversified function in multicellular eukaryotes that manifest aging and limited life spans. From this comparison we develop the concept that, whilst once devoted to life‐prolonging cell‐renewal (in Hydra), evolutionary accumulation of coupled functionality in FOXO has since ‘distracted’ it from this role. Seen in this light, aging may not be the direct cost of competing functions, such as reproduction or growth, but the result of a shift in emphasis in a protein, which is accompanied by advantages such as greater organismal complexity and adaptability, but also disadvantages such as reduced regeneration capacity. Studying the role of FOXO in non‐aging organisms might, therefore, illuminate the path to extend life span in aging organisms.

Editor's suggested further reading in BioEssays Stem cells and aging from a quasi‐immortal point of view Abstract
Prevalence and management of coronary chronic total occlusions in a tertiary veterans affairs hospital
Authors: Jeroudi Omar M. , Alomar Mohammed E. , Michael Tesfaldet T. , Sabbagh Abdallah El , Patel Vishal G. , Mogabgab Owen , Fuh Eric , Sherbet Daniel , Lo Nathan , Roesle Michele , Rangan Bavana V. , Abdullah Shuaib M. , Hastings Jeffrey L. , Grodin Jerrold , Banerjee Subhash , Brilakis Emmanouil S.
Published: October 2013

Objectives

We sought to determine the contemporary prevalence and management of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) in a veteran population.

Background

The prevalence and management of CTOs in various populations has received limited study.

Methods

We collected clinical and angiographic data in consecutive patients that underwent coronary angiography at our institution between January 2011 and December 2012. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was defined as ≥50% diameter stenosis in ≥1 coronary artery. CTO was defined as total coronary artery occlusion of ≥3 month duration.

Results

Among 1,699 patients who underwent angiography during the study period, 20% did not have CAD, 20% had CAD and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), and 60% had CAD but no prior CABG. The prevalence of CTO among CAD patients with and without prior CABG was 89 and 31%, respectively. Compared to patients without CTO, CTO patients had more co‐morbidities, more extensive CAD and were more frequently referred for CABG. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to any vessel was performed with similar frequency in patients with and without CTO (50% vs. 53%). CTO PCI was performed in 30% of patients without and 15% of patients with prior CABG with high technical (82 and 75%, respectively) and procedural success rates (80 and 73%, respectively).

Conclusions

In a contemporary veteran population, coronary CTOs are highly prevalent and are associated with more extensive co‐morbidities and higher likelihood for CABG referral. PCI was equally likely to be performed in patients with and without CTO. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A phase 1, randomized study to assess the pharmacokinetic comparability of siltuximab derived from two different cell lines in healthy subjects
Authors: Xu Chao , Han Chao , Marini Joseph , Ford Joyce , Marciniak Stanley , Lopez Manny , Frederick Bart , de Vries Dick , Bandekar Rajesh , Davis Hugh M. , Zhou Honghui , Puchalski Thomas A.
Published: October 2013

Siltuximab, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against interleukin (IL‐6), is under development by Janssen Research & Development, LLC. During early clinical development, siltuximab was produced in a murine Sp2/0 myeloma cell line. The production cell line was switched to stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line for subsequent clinical development. A two‐part, parallel‐group, phase 1 study was designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of a single IV administration of Sp2/0‐ and CHO‐derived siltuximab in healthy subjects. The results from this study demonstrated PK comparability of siltuximab produced from Sp2/0 and CHO cell lines. The 90% confidence interval of the ratios of geometric means of Cmax and AUC0–84day following 1.4 mg/kg doses was (99.4%, 111.3%) and (98.1%, 109.6%), respectively, both within the pre‐specified comparability range of 80–125%. Siltuximab derived from either the Sp2/0 or CHO cell lines was in general well tolerated and was not found to be immunogenic in this study.
Population pharmacokinetic analysis of dutogliptin, a selective dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor
Authors: Marier Jean‐Francois , Mouksassi Mohamad‐Samer , Gosselin Nathalie H. , Li Jianke
Published: October 2013

Dutogliptin is a selective dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor shown to be efficacious and safe in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis of dutogliptin was performed based on data collected in 561 healthy subjects and patients with T2DM enrolled in Phase I and II studies to assess sources of variability and support dosing rationale. The effect of extrinsic (formulations, fed/fasting conditions, potential drug–drug interaction with metformin) and intrinsic (baseline characteristics, markers of renal function, renal impairment category, and disease status) covariates was evaluated using non‐linear mixed effect modeling. Plasma concentrations of dutogliptin were best fitted with a two‐compartment model with a first‐order rate constant of absorption (Ka) and a lag time. No differences were observed between healthy subjects and patients with T2DM. Apparent clearance (CL/F) and terminal elimination half‐life of dutogliptin were 176 L/h and 12.2 hours, respectively. Typical CL/F values in patients with mild and moderate renal impairment were 121 and 79 L/h, respectively. No drug–drug interaction was observed with metformin. These results suggest that a reduction in dosing from 400 to 200 mg daily is warranted in T2DM patients with moderate renal impairment. No dose adjustments were deemed necessary for other evaluated patient characteristics and coadministration with metformin.
Complex dynamics in equilibrium asset pricing models with boundedly rational, heterogeneous agents
Authors: Beaumont Paul M. , Guan Yuanying , Kercheval Alec N.
Published: October 2013

We study a simple model based upon the Lucas framework where heterogeneous agents behave rationally in a fully intertemporal setting but do not know other investors' personal preferences, wealth or investment portfolios. As a consequence, agents initially do not know the equilibrium asset pricing function and must make guesses, which they update via adaptive learning with constant gain. We demonstrate that even in this simple environment the economy can, depending on parameters, exhibit either stable convergence to equilibrium, or chaotic dynamical behavior of asset prices and trading volume without converging to the rational expectations equilibrium of the Lucas model. This contradicts the assertion that the Lucas model is stable in the face of modest deviations from the strong assumptions required to compute the equilibrium. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 19: 38–55, 2014
Controllable surface‐state emission from colloidal CdS quantum dots under different growth conditions
Authors: Li Qiang , Guo Shaoning , Xu Pei , Wu Lijun
Published: October 2013

High‐quality colloidal photoluminescent CdS quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in non‐coordinating solvent octadecene (ODE) using oleic acid (OA) as capping molecule, and characterized by powered x‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV‐Vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy and time‐resolved emission spectroscopy. The effects of the growth time, the molar ratio of OA/Cd and Cd/S on the PL intensity from surface‐state have been investigated. We found that the surface‐state emission could be easily controlled by tuning the growth time and the molar ratio of Cd/S.