bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liposomes as solubilizers for lipophilic parenteral drugs: Transfer of drug and lipid marker to plasma proteins
Authors: Kaess Kathrin , Fahr Alfred
Published: July 2014

The effect of plasma on the retention of lipophilic drugs by liposomes as affected by the liposome fluidity was investigated. Liposomes consisted of eggPC/eggPG (9:1 w/w) or DPPC/DPPG (9:1 w/w) with 10 wt% incorporated 14C‐labeled Temoporfin (mTHPC) and trace amounts of 3H‐labeled cholesteryloleylether (COE) as lipid marker. Liposomal formulations were incubated at different concentrations in 50% human plasma for 48 h and the mixtures fractionated using gel permeation chromatography, separating liposomes and (lipo)proteins (albumin, HDL, LDL) from each other. The DPPC/DPPG liposomes retained 75–90% of the COE label at 48 h, depending on the liposome concentration, while the EPC/EPG liposomes retained only 5% of this label. By contrast, for the case of the mTHPC label, the EPC/EPG liposomes retained 24% at 48 h. whereas the DPPC/DPPG liposomes retained only 15%. In all cases, HDL was the predominant acceptor of both drug and COE label, closely followed by LDL. Albumin participated only marginally in the transfer process. It can be concluded, that EPC/EPG liposomes can retain lipophilic drugs better than DPPC/DPPG liposomes. Given a lifetime of 8 h for liposomes in vivo, 40% of the drug stays in the liposomes, whereas only 25% is retained for DPPC/DPPG liposomes at sufficient liposome concentration.

Transfer of drug from liposomal formulations to human plasma was measured after separation of plasma components by GPC. Incubation of mTHPC loaded liposomes with human plasma results in a transfer of the drug and phospholipids mostly to HDL, followed by LDL, whereas albumin is only marginally involved in the transfer process. In comparison to a fluid liposomal formulation composed of eggPC/eggPG (9:1 w/w), rigid DPPC/DPPG (9:1 w/w) liposomes show less interactions with plasma proteins but a faster drug release.
White matter injury: Ischemic and nonischemic
Authors: Fern Robert F. , Matute Carlos , Stys Peter K.
Published: July 2014

Ischemic pathologies of white matter (WM) include a large proportion of stroke and developmental lesions while multiple sclerosis (MS) is the archetype nonischemic pathology. Growing evidence suggests other important diseases including neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders also involve a significant WM component. Axonal, oligodendroglial, and astroglial damage proceed via distinct mechanisms in ischemic WM and these mechanisms evolve dramatically with maturation. Axons may pass through four developmental stages where the pattern of membrane protein expression influences how the structure responds to ischemia; WM astrocytes pass through at least two and differ significantly in their ischemia tolerance from grey matter astrocytes; oligodendroglia pass through at least three, with the highly ischemia intolerant pre‐oligodendrocyte (pre‐Oli) stage linking the less sensitive precursor and mature phenotypes. Neurotransmitters play a central role in WM pathology at all ages. Glutamate excitotoxicity in WM has both necrotic and apoptotic components; the latter mediated by intracellular pathways which differ between receptor types. ATP excitotoxicity may be largely mediated by the P2X7 receptor and also has both necrotic and apoptotic components. Interplay between microglia and other cell types is a critical element in the injury process. A growing appreciation of the significance of WM injury for nonischemic neurological disorders is currently stimulating research into mechanisms; with curious similarities being found with those operating during ischemia. A good example is traumatic brain injury, where axonal pathology can proceed via almost identical pathways to those described during acute ischemia. GLIA 2014;62:1780–1789
Conserved nucleation sites reinforce the significance of Phi value analysis in protein‐folding studies
Authors: Gianni Stefano , Jemth Per
Published: July 2014

The only experimental strategy to address the structure of folding transition states, the so‐called Φ value analysis, relies on the synergy between site directed mutagenesis and the measurement of reaction kinetics. Despite its importance, the Φ value analysis has been often criticized and its power to pinpoint structural information has been questioned. In this hypothesis, we demonstrate that comparing the Φ values between proteins not only allows highlighting the robustness of folding pathways but also provides per se a strong validation of the method. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(7):449–452, 2014
Impairment of homeostasis in lysosomal storage disorders
Authors: Segatori Laura
Published: July 2014

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are inherited metabolic diseases caused by deficiencies in lysosomal proteins, which result in accumulation of undegraded metabolites and disruption of lysosomal proteostasis. Despite significant progress in the molecular genetics and biochemistry underlying the cellular pathogenesis of LSDs, the mechanisms that link accumulation of storage material to development and progression of these diseases are still unclear. At the crossroad of degradative pathways, lysosomes play a fundamental role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Through a series of examples, this review illustrates how defects in lysosomal biogenesis and function impact a number of cellular pathways that are involved in the pathogenic cascade. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(7):472–477, 2014
Reactive oxygen species‐dependent JNK downregulated olaquindox‐induced autophagy in HepG2 cells
Authors: Zhao Dongxu , Wang Congcong , Tang Shusheng , Zhang Chaoming , Zhang Shen , Zhou Yan , Xiao Xilong
Published: July 2014

Autophagy plays an important role in response to intracellular and extracellular stress to sustain cell survival. However, dysregulated or excessive autophagy may lead to cell death, known as “type II programmed cell death,” and it is closely associated with apoptosis. In our previous study, we proposed that olaquindox induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells through a caspase‐9 dependent mitochondrial pathway. In this study, we investigated autophagy induced by olaquindox and explored the crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy in olaquindox‐treated HepG2 cells. Olaquindox‐induced autophagy was demonstrated by the accumulation of monodansylcadervarine, as well as elevated expression of autophagy‐related MAP‐LC3 and Beclin 1 proteins. The autophagy inhibitor 3‐methyladenine significantly increased the apoptotic rate induced by olaquindox, which was correlated with increased ratio of Bax/Bcl‐2. The further studies showed that olaquindox increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and antioxidant N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) effectively blocked the accumulation of ROS but failed to block autophagy. Moreover, olaquindox induced the activation of c‐Jun N‐terminal protein kinase (JNK), and JNK inhibitor SP600125 failed to block autophagy. Instead, olaquindox‐induced autophagy was enhanced by NAC or SP600125. Meanwhile, JNK activation was remarkably blocked by NAC, indicating that ROS may be the upstream signaling molecules of JNK activation and involved in the negative regulation of olaquindox‐induced autophagy. These results suggest that olaquindox induces autophagy in HepG2 cells and that olaquindox‐induced apoptosis can be enhanced by 3‐methyladenine. Olaquindox‐induced autophagy in HepG2 cells is upregulated by Beclin 1 but downregulated by ROS‐dependent JNK. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Renal cells exposed to cadmium in vitro and in vivo: normalizing gene expression data
Authors: Nair A. R. , Smeets K. , Keunen E. , Lee W.‐K. , Thévenod F. , Van Kerkhove E. , Cuypers A.
Published: July 2014

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal with a long half‐life in biological systems. This half‐life is partly as a result of metallothioneins (MTs), metal‐binding proteins with a high affinity for Cd. The high retention properties of the kidneys reside in proximal tubular cells that possess transport mechanisms for Cd‐MT uptake, ultimately leading to more Cd accumulation. Researchers have studied MT–metal interactions using various techniques including quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR), an efficient tool for quantifying gene expression. Often a poor choice of reference genes, which is represented by their instability and condition dependency, leads to inefficient normalization of gene expression data and misinterpretations. This study demonstrates the importance of an efficient normalization strategy in toxicological research. A selection of stable reference genes was proposed in order to acquire reliable and reproducible gene quantification under metal stress using MT expression as an example. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo setups were compared to identify the influence of toxicological compounds in function of the experimental design. This study shows that glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapdh), tyrosine monooxygenase/tryptophan5‐monooxygenase activation‐protein, zeta polypeptide (Ywhaz) and beta‐actin (Actb) are the most stable reference genes in a kidney proximal tubular cell line exposed to moderate and high Cd concentrations, applied as CdCl2. A slightly different sequence in reference gene stability was found in renal cells isolated from rats in vivo exposed to Cd. It was further shown that three reference genes are required for efficient normalization in this experimental setup. This study demonstrates the importance of an efficient normalization strategy in toxicological research. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are Two Heads Better than One? Assessing the Influence of Collaborative Judgements and Presentation Mode on Deception Detection for Real and Mock Transgressions
Authors: Culhane Scott E. , Kehn Andre , Hatz Jessica , Hildebrand Meagen M.
Published: July 2014

The current study examined three primary goals within the deception detection literature that have not been previously assessed in combination. First, we assessed if decisions about the veracity of a statement are more accurate in dyads than individuals. Second, we evaluated whether type of lie (mock transgressions versus real transgression [RT]) influenced observers' ability to distinguish a truthful statement from a lie. Third, we assessed if the presentation mode (audio versus video with audio) impacted deception detection accuracy. A sample of college students (n = 282) evaluated eight previously recorded statements for veracity. True and false statements were elicited through a cheating paradigm (i.e. RTs) or a mock transgression paradigm. Participants either viewed and listened to these statements or only listened to an audio recording. Results of an analysis of variance indicated that working in dyads did not improve deception detection accuracy. Participants were significantly more accurate in detecting deception in situations where the speaker believes a RT has occurred. The highest accuracy rates were achieved in the real transgression audio condition. Implications of these results for the practice of detecting deceit are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diffusion tensor MRI of the corpus callosum in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Chapman Molly C. , Jelsone‐Swain Laura , Johnson Timothy D. , Gruis Kirsten L. , Welsh Robert C.
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To determine if decline in corpus callosum (CC) white matter integrity in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is localized to motor‐related areas.

Materials and Methods

Twenty‐one ALS patients and 21 controls participated. Diffusion tensor images (DTI) were acquired using 3 Tesla (T) MRI. Tract‐based spatial statistics were used to examine whole‐brain white matter damage. A segmentation schema was used to define CC volumes‐of‐interest (VOI). Fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial‐ and axial‐diffusivity (RD, AD) were extracted from VOIs and compared between groups. DTI measurements in motor‐related Area III were tested for correlation with symptoms and disease duration.

Results

Extracted FA values from CC VOIs were reduced in ALS patients (P ≤ 0.0001), particularly in Areas II and III (P ≤ 0.01). Reduced FA in Area III correlated with disease symptomology (P ≤ 0.05) and duration (P ≤ 0.02). Between‐group whole‐brain comparisons (P ≤ 0.05, corrected) showed reduced FA and increased RD throughout white matter regions including the CC, corona radiata, and internal capsule. AD was increased in the left corona radiata and internal and external capsules.

Conclusion

FA in motor‐related regions of the CC is more affected than other CC areas in ALS patients. Microstructural pathology of transcallosal fiber tracts may represent a future component of an imaging biomarker for ALS. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;39:641–647. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis and Characterization of 1‐Vinylimidazolium Alkyl Sulfate Polymeric Ionic Liquids
Authors: Gallagher Simon , Ziolkowski Bartosz , Fox Eoin , Fraser Kevin J. , Diamond Dermot
Published: July 2014

Three ionic monomers based on a 1‐vinylimidazolium cation, 1‐vinyl‐3‐methylimidazolium methyl sulfate, 1‐vinyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium ethyl sulfate, and 1‐vinyl‐3‐propylimidazolium propyl sulfate are synthesized and characterized by thermal and spectroscopic methods. The ionic‐liquid monomers (ILMs) are prepared using a halide‐free route under ambient conditions by the quaternization reaction of 1‐vinylimidazoles with alkyl sulfates. Through free‐radical polymerization and rheology analysis, solid freestanding linear polymeric‐ionic‐liquid (PILs) films are obtained with a tanδ value as low as 0.180. After polymerization, thermal methods show the linear PILs to possess a thermal stability of up to 340 °C, while rheology analysis reveals the films to have a storage moduli value as high as 4.64 × 106 Pa.

image
Microbial catabolism of procyanidins by human gut microbiota
Authors: Ou Keqin , Sarnoski Paul , Schneider Keith R. , Song Kaijie , Khoo Christina , Gu Liwei
Published: July 2014

Scope

A major portion of ingested procyanidins is degraded by human microbiota in the colon into various phenolic compounds. These microbial metabolites are thought to contribute to the health benefits of procyanidins in vivo. The objective of this study was to identify and quantify the microbial metabolites of procyanidins after anaerobic fermentation with human microbiota.

Methods and results

(−)‐Epicatechin, (+)‐catechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin A2, partially purified apple and cranberry procyanidins were incubated with human microbiota at a concentration equivalent to 0.5 mM epicatechin. GC‐MS analysis showed that common metabolites of all six substrates were benzoic acid, 2‐phenylacetic acid, 3‐phenylpropionic acid, 2‐(3′‐hydroxyphenyl)acetic acid, 2‐(4′‐hydroxyphenyl)acetic acid, 3‐(3′‐hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid, and hydroxyphenylvaleric acid. 5‐(3′,4′‐Dihydroxyphenyl)‐γ‐valerolactones and 5‐(3′‐hydroxyphenyl)‐γ‐valerolactones were identified as the microbial metabolites of epicatechin, catechin, procyanidin B2, and apple procyanidins but not from the procyanidin A2 or cranberry procyanidin ferments. 2‐(3′,4′‐Dihydroxyphenyl)acetic acid was only found in the fermented broth of procyanidin B2, A2, apple, and cranberry procyanidins. The mass recoveries of microbial metabolites range from 20.0 to 56.9% for the six substrates after 24 h of fermentation.

Conclusion

Procyanidins, both B‐type and A‐type can be degraded by human gut microbiota. The microbial metabolites may contribute to the bioactivities of procyanidins.
Flammability and thermal behavior of polypropylene composites containing dihydrogen phosphate anion‐intercalated layered double hydroxides
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Liu Xishan , Gu Xiaoyu , Jiang Peng , Sun Jun
Published: July 2014

Dihydrogen phosphate anion‐intercalated layered double hydroxides (M‐LDHs) was prepared by modification of Mg‐Al‐CO32− layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with anion exchange procedure. The structure of the M‐LDHs was characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Polypropylene (PP)/LDHs and PP/M‐LDHs composites were prepared by melt compounding. The morphology of PP composites was investigated by TEM and XRD, which demonstrated that M‐LDHs could be well dispersed in PP matrix to form a nano‐scale exfoliated structure. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that thermal stability of PP composites was improved by the presence of LDHs and M‐LDHs. The flammability of PP composites was characterized by limited oxygen index, vertical burning test (UL‐94), FTIR, and cone calorimeter test, and the result showed the fire performance were significantly improved after the addition of LDHs and/or M‐LDHs which can remarkably decrease the heat release rate, total heat release, and the fire performance index. It was proposed that the lamellar structure of LDHs can block the heat, dilute the flammable gases and decrease the temperature, while the replaced H2PO4− into LDHs molecules can enhance the charred layer formation during burning procedure. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer analysis showed that most phosphorus remained in the char layer, suggesting the replaced H2PO4− in LDHs molecules mainly function in the condensed phase. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2230–2237, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Preparation of porous nylon 6 fiber via electrospinning
Authors: Zhang Huimin , Zhang Li , Jia Qingxiu , Shi Chaoming , Yang Jian
Published: July 2014

Porous nylon‐6 fibers were obtained by electrospinning of ultra‐high molecular polyamide 6 (UHMW‐PA6). First, UHMW‐PA6/calcium formate composite nanofibers were prepared as precursors by electrospinning UHMW‐PA6 solutions containing different contents of calcium formate particles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine the surface morphology and inner structure of composite nanofibers. It was found that calcium formate particles were distributed both inside and on the surface of nanofibers. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to study the structure and properties of these nanofibers. Then, porous UHMW‐PA6 nanofibers were obtained by soaking the electrospun web in water for 24 h, to remove calcium formate particles. The removal of calcium formate particles was confirmed using FTIR and TGA tests. SEM and TEM observations revealed the formation of porous structure in these nanofibers. In addition, CaCl2 was used instead of calcium formate to prepare the UHMW‐PA6 nanoporous fiber. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1133–1141, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
A new look at drugs targeting malignant melanoma—An application for mass spectrometry imaging
Authors: Sugihara Yutaka , Végvári Ákos , Welinder Charlotte , Jönsson Göran , Ingvar Christian , Lundgren Lotta , Olsson Håkan , Breslin Thomas , Wieslander Elisabet , Laurell Thomas , Rezeli Melinda , Jansson Bo , Nishimura Toshihide , Fehniger Thomas E. , Baldetorp Bo , Marko‐Varga György
Published: July 2014

Malignant melanoma (MM) patients are being treated with an increasing number of personalized medicine (PM) drugs, several of which are small molecule drugs developed to treat patients with specific disease genotypes and phenotypes. In particular, the clinical application of protein kinase inhibitors has been highly effective for certain subsets of MM patients. Vemurafenib, a protein kinase inhibitor targeting BRAF‐mutated protein, has shown significant efficacy in slowing disease progression. In this paper, we provide an overview of this new generation of targeted drugs, and demonstrate the first data on localization of PM drugs within tumor compartments. In this study, we have introduced MALDI‐MS imaging to provide new information on one of the drugs currently used in the PM treatment of MM, vemurafenib. In a proof‐of‐concept in vitro study, MALDI‐MS imaging was used to identify vemurafenib applied to metastatic lymph nodes tumors of subjects attending the regional hospital network of Southern Sweden. The paper provides evidence of BRAF overexpression in tumors isolated from MM patients and localization of the specific drug targeting BRAF, vemurafenib, using MS fragment ion signatures. Our ability to determine drug uptake at the target sites of directed therapy provides important opportunity for increasing our understanding about the mode of action of drug activity within the disease environment.
The predictability of the extratropical stratosphere on monthly time‐scales and its impact on the skill of tropospheric forecasts
Authors: Tripathi Om P. , Baldwin Mark , Charlton‐Perez Andrew , Charron Martin , Eckermann Stephen D. , Gerber Edwin , Harrison R. Giles , Jackson David R. , Kim Baek‐Min , Kuroda Yuhji , Lang Andrea , Mahmood Sana , Mizuta Ryo , Roff Greg , Sigmond Michael , Son Seok‐Woo
Published: July 2014

Extreme variability of the winter‐ and spring‐time stratospheric polar vortex has been shown to affect extratropical tropospheric weather. Therefore, reducing stratospheric forecast error may be one way to improve the skill of tropospheric weather forecasts. In this review, the basis for this idea is examined. A range of studies of different stratospheric extreme vortex events shows that they can be skilfully forecasted beyond 5 days and into the sub‐seasonal range (0–30 days) in some cases. Separate studies show that typical errors in forecasting a stratospheric extreme vortex event can alter tropospheric forecast skill by 5–7% in the extratropics on sub‐seasonal time‐scales. Thus understanding what limits stratospheric predictability is of significant interest to operational forecasting centres. Both limitations in forecasting tropospheric planetary waves and stratospheric model biases have been shown to be important in this context.
Probability of regenerating a normal limb after bite injury in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
Authors: Thompson Sierra , Muzinic Laura , Muzinic Christopher , Niemiller Matthew L. , Voss S. Randal
Published: July 2014

Multiple factors are thought to cause limb abnormalities in amphibian populations by altering processes of limb development and regeneration. We examined adult and juvenile axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) in the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center (AGSC) for limb and digit abnormalities to investigate the probability of normal regeneration after bite injury. We observed that 80% of larval salamanders show evidence of bite injury at the time of transition from group housing to solitary housing. Among 717 adult axolotls that were surveyed, which included solitary‐housed males and group‐housed females, approximately half presented abnormalities, including examples of extra or missing digits and limbs, fused digits, and digits growing from atypical anatomical positions. Bite injury probably explains these limb defects, and not abnormal development, because limbs with normal anatomy regenerated after performing rostral amputations. We infer that only 43% of AGSC larvae will present four anatomically normal looking adult limbs after incurring a bite injury. Our results show regeneration of normal limb anatomy to be less than perfect after bite injury.
Experimental investigation of an optimized airfoil for vertical‐axis wind turbines
Authors: Ragni Daniele , Ferreira Carlos Simão , Correale Giuseppe
Published: July 2014

The present study addresses the experimental verification of the performance of a new airfoil design for lift‐driven vertical‐axis wind turbines (VAWTs). The airfoil is obtained through a genetic‐algorithm optimization of an objective function which maximizes the aerodynamic performance of airfoils having a larger thickness, providing better structural stiffness compared to more slender NACA design. The work presents an experimental analysis of such improved performance of a 26% thick VAWT‐optimized airfoil (DU12W262). The 2D flow velocity, pressure and aerodynamic loads are measured by combined use of particle image velocimetry, wall‐pressure sensors and wake rakes. Additionally, the airfoil surface pressure is determined by integrating the pressure equation from the experimental velocity field. Results are initially obtained with the airfoil in steady conditions, at Reynolds 3.5*105, 7.0*105 and 1.0*106 with both free and forced (1%c) boundary layer transition. Xfoil simulations are employed for comparison with the experimental results, showing a good agreement in the linear range of angle of attack and a consistent lift/drag overestimation in the separated one. The airfoil performance is further assessed under pitching conditions (oscillatory, ramp up), at Reynolds 7.0*105 with reduced frequencies ranging from 0.07 to 0.11 and the aerodynamic load behaviour compared with the steady case. The experimental data are used as input for a numerical simulation of a 2D VAWT; while the performance are compared with those for NACA 4‐series airfoils commonly used for VAWTs, showing a significantly higher maximum power coefficient for the optimized airfoil. All the data presented in the manuscript are made available in the Supporting information. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A flywheel in a wind turbine rotor for inertia control
Authors: Jauch Clemens
Published: July 2014

In this paper, a flywheel energy storage that is an integral part of a wind turbine rotor is proposed. The rotor blades of a wind turbine are equipped with internal weights, which increase the inertia of the rotor. The inertia of this flywheel can be controlled by varying the position of the weights, i.e. by positioning them closer to the center of rotation (closer to the hub) or closer to the tip of the blades. The simulation model used in this study is introduced briefly. The equation system of the flywheel is set up. Finally, simulations of different scenarios show the performance of this controllable flywheel. The conclusion is that the proposed system can mitigate transients in the power output of wind turbines. Hence, it can support the frequency control in a power system by contributing to the power system inertia. © 2014 The Authors. Wind Energy published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Load control on a dynamically pitching finite span wind turbine blade using synthetic jets
Authors: Taylor Keith , Leong Chia Min , Amitay Michael
Published: July 2014

The feasibility of active flow control, via arrays of synthetic jet actuators, to mitigate hysteresis was investigated experimentally on a dynamically pitching finite span S809 blade. In the present work, a six‐component load cell was used to measure the unsteady lift, drag and pitching moment. Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (SPIV) measurements were also performed to understand the effects of synthetic jets on flow separation during dynamic pitch and to correlate these effects with the forces and moment measurements. It was shown that active flow control could significantly reduce the hysteresis in lift, drag and pitching moment coefficients during dynamic pitching conditions. This effect was further enhanced when the synthetic jets were pulsed modulated. Furthermore, additional reduction in the unsteady load oscillations can be observed in post‐stall conditions during dynamic motions. This reduction in the unsteady aerodynamic loading can potentially lead to prolonged life of wind turbine blades. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of Pancreatic Juice Cytology in the Preoperative Management of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm of the Pancreas in the Era of International Consensus Guidelines 2012
Authors: Ohtsuka Takao , Matsunaga Taketo , Kimura Hideyo , Watanabe Yusuke , Tamura Koji , Ideno Noboru , Aso Teppei , Miyasaka Yoshihiro , Ueda Junji , Takahata Shunichi , Osoegawa Takashi , Igarashi Hisato , Ito Tetsuhide , Ushijima Yasuhiro , Ookubo Fumihiko , Oda Yoshinao , Mizumoto Kazuhiro , Tanaka Masao
Published: July 2014

Background

Routine endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) for pancreatic juice cytology (PJC) during management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is not recommended in the international consensus guidelines 2012. The aim of the present study was to investigate the roles of PJC in relation to the new stratification of clinical findings in the consensus guidelines 2012.

Methods

Medical records of 70 consecutive patients who underwent preoperative PJC, subsequent pancreatectomy, and a pathological diagnosis of IPMN were reviewed. Diagnostic ability of PJC to detect malignant lesions was calculated by the stratification of clinical findings.

Results

Forty patients had malignant lesions, including 29 with malignant IPMN, 10 with concomitant pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and one with both. Accuracies of PJC in all 70 patients and in 59 patients with IPMN alone were 77 and 80 %, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of PJC in patients with “worrisome features” were 100 and 94 %, respectively. Eight of 11 patients with concomitant pancreatic adenocarcinoma had non‐malignant IPMN without risk factors, and 3 significant lesions could be diagnosed only by ERP/PJC. In addition, the management plan based on imaging study changed from observation to resection in two patients who had the single “worrisome feature” of branch duct IPMN and positive PJC results. As a result, PJC altered the management plan in 5 patients.

Conclusions

Pancreatic juice cytology potentially has important roles to determine the adequate treatment choice in patients with IPMNs with “worrisome features,” and to detect significant lesions that could not be detected by other imaging modalities.
Comparison of Seed Oil Composition of Nigella sativa L. and N. damascena L. During Seed Maturation Stages
Authors: Telci Isa , Sahin‐Yaglioglu Ayse , Eser Ferda , Aksit Huseyin , Demirtas Ibrahim , Tekin Saban
Published: July 2014

Nigella sativa and N. damascena are major spices and aromatic plants that are cultivated commonly in Turkey. The fatty acid compositions of full maturated seeds in the species were compared in the research. Variations in the fatty acid composition of the oil in the species were also examined during the four maturation stages of seeds, immature, premature, mature, and delayed mature. Quantitative variation in the fatty acid compositions were significantly (p < 0.01) different between the species. Linoleic and palmitic acid contents were higher statistically (p < 0.01) in N. sativa with 57.0 and 12.5 %, respectively while the oleic acid content was higher in N. damascena with 32.2 %. During the maturation stages, linoleic acid—the main fatty acid in both species—contents decreased regularly from 57 to 51 % during maturation stages in both species. On the other hand, the oleic acid amount (the main saturated fatty acid in both species), increased from immature stages to delayed mature stages and were found to be 20.0 and 27.2 %, respectively. According to the results, it can be concluded that harvesting from fully mature stages is preferable than other stages. This is due not only to the significant difference in fatty acid content of immature and premature stages but also the harvesting loss of the delayed maturation stages.
At Least an Infantogram if not Perinatal Autopsy
Authors: Deka Dipika , Naha Moumita , Dadhwal Vatsla , Kabra Madhulika , Gupta Neerja
Published: July 2014

To study the feasibility and value of postmortem fetal infantogram (X-ray film) in pregnancies terminated for prenatally diagnosed fetal congenital malformations and stillborn fetuses with congenital anomalies. Forty-two fetuses were diagnosed antenatally by ultrasonography to have fetal congenital malformation, 36 couples opted for medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) and intrauterine death (IUD) occurred in six cases. Informed written consent for autopsy including infantogram was given by 41 couples, one couple permitted only radiographs. On infantogram, the antenatal ultrasound diagnoses were confirmed in all the cases of central nervous system anomalies, but were not useful for genitourinary anomalies or cardiac anomalies. In five cases of antenatally suspected skeletal anomalies, radiographs changed the diagnosis of thanatophoric dwarf to osteogenesis imperfecta type llC in one case and achondrogenesis type 1B in another case. Infantogram made the syndromic diagnosis in three cases—sirenomelia, Roberts syndrome and caudal regression syndrome. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia was diagnosed at infantogram in a case missed on ultrasound. In three cases of nonimmune hydrops, X-ray films correlated with ultrasound findings, but could not find the cause. If autopsy, the ‘goal standard’ test is refused or cannot be done, at least an infantogram should routinely be done in pregnancies terminated for prenatally diagnosed fetal congenital malformations and stillborn fetuses with congenital anomalies, as it is noninvasive, easily available and consent given. It may change the diagnosis and counseling for future pregnancies, hence very useful in perinatal medicine.
Business transformation towards sustainability
Authors: Müller Anna-Luisa , Pfleger Regina
Published: July 2014

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in today’s corporate world and can contribute to the current and future success of organizations. Integrating ecological, social, and economic objectives into corporate decisions is a key success factor for transformation towards sustainability. As sustainability is not achieved by single actions, but rather is an on-going process, decision-makers must have means to analyze the current state of an organization. For this, we first illustrate how companies can structure the field of action for the transformation towards sustainability. Furthermore, we propose a decision model to determine how sustainability actions should be implemented in accordance with the paradigm of value-based management, i.e., considering their economic effects. We illustrate the application of the approach using the example of a German medium-sized company.

Executive summary

Recently, organizations have recognized sustainability as an emerging mega-trend and as an increasingly important strategic goal. Its integration into the business model can be a key success factor, but also a challenge that requires a systematic approach. In order to comprehensively steer corporate sustainability, with the aim of minimizing negative externalities while maximizing positive effects, companies first need to structure their processes to achieve transparency on where sustainability actions can be incorporated. By furthermore considering the three dimensions of sustainability, possible starting points for sustainability actions can be identified. These two perspectives are complemented by adapting the basic idea of stages of development and maturity to sustainability context, as a way to capture the progress of sustainability actions within each corporate activity. The resulting “Sustainability Maturity Cube” serves as a blueprint, i.e., a first generic approach, of how an organization can structure the field of action for the transformation towards sustainability. Considering the paradigm of value-based management in business context, economic effects of the transformation towards sustainability have to be regarded. We therefore, also propose a decision model, which allows aligning ecological, social and economic objectives in order to draw economically useful conclusions by determining the optimal increase of the sustainability maturity level. To evaluate whether our approach proves useful for subject matter experts who are involved in sustainability decisions, we provide a first example of how a specific company can transform towards sustainability.
Respectful maternity care in three health facilities in Burkina Faso: The experience of the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Burkina Faso
Authors: Ouédraogo Ali , Kiemtoré Sibraogo , Zamané Hyacinthe , Bonané Blandine T. , Akotionga Michel , Lankoande Jean
Published: July 2014

The Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Burkina Faso (SOGOB) conducted a project to reinforce skills in respectful maternity care among its members and health workers at three facilities. The participatory process allowed health workers to self‐diagnose quality of care, recognize their own responsibility, propose solutions, and pledge respectful care commitments that were specific for each unit. Key commitments included good reception; humanistic clinical examination; attentive listening and responsiveness to patient needs; privacy, discretion, and confidentiality; availability; and comfort. These commitments can potentially be modified after each evaluation by SOGOB. Poor working conditions were found to negatively impact on quality of care. High staff turnover, frequent technical malfunctions, and inadequate infrastructure were identified as issues that require future focus to ensure improvements in quality of care are sustainable. Programs that aim to improve the maternity experience by linking good practice with humanistic care merit rollout to all healthcare facilities in Burkina Faso.
A quantitative midge-based reconstruction of mean July air temperature from a high-elevation site in central Colorado, USA, for MIS 6 and 5
Authors: Haskett Danielle R. , Porinchu David F.
Published: July 2014

Sediments recovered from the Ziegler Reservoir fossil site (ZRFS) in Snowmass Village, Colorado (USA) were analyzed for subfossil chironomids (or midges). The midge stratigraphy spans ~140–77 ka, which includes the end of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 and all of MIS 5. Notable shifts in midge assemblages occurred during two discrete intervals: the transition from MIS 6 to MIS 5e and midway through MIS 5a. A regional calibration set, incorporating lakes from the Colorado Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and Uinta Mountains, was used to develop a midge-based mean July air temperature (MJAT) inference model (r2jack= 0.61, RMSEP = 0.97°C). Model results indicate that the transition from MIS 6 to MIS 5e at the ZRFS was characterized by an increase in MJAT from ~9.0 to 10.5°C. The results also indicate that temperatures gradually increased through MIS 5 before reaching a maximum of 13.3°C during MIS 5a. This study represents the first set of quantitative, midge-based MJAT estimates in the continental U.S. that spans the entirety of MIS 5. Overall, our results suggest that conditions in the Colorado Rockies throughout MIS 5 were cooler than today, as the upper limit of the reconstructed temperatures is ~2°C below modern July air temperatures.
Unsettling Expectations: (Un)certainty, Settler States of Feeling, Law, and Decolonization1
Authors: Mackey Eva
Published: July 2014

Guaranteeing “certainty” (for governments, business development, society, etc.) is often the goal of state land rights settlements with Indigenous peoples in Canada. Certainty is also often seen as an unequivocally desirable and positive state of affairs. This paper explores how certainty and uncertainty intersect with the challenges of decolonization in North America. I explore how settler certainty and entitlement to Indigenous land has been constructed in past colonial and current national laws, land policies, and ideologies. Then, drawing on data from fieldwork among activists against land rights, I argue that their deep anger about their uncertainty regarding land and their futures helps to reveal how certainty and entitlement underpin “settler states of feeling” (Rifkin). If one persistent characteristic of settler colonialism is settler certainty and entitlement, then decolonization, both for settlers and for jurisprudence, may therefore mean embracing uncertainty. I conclude by discussing the relationship between certainty, uncertainty, and decolonization.
Jurisdiction and Settler Colonialism: Where Do Laws Meet?
Authors: Pasternak Shiri
Published: July 2014

To engage in the question of what it means to decolonize law, we must ask by what authority a law has the authority to be invoked and to govern. In this paper, I describe the conditions necessary for the exercise of Canadian law as being the work of jurisdiction, and I call into question Canada’s legality and legitimacy in making jurisdictional claims. Decolonizing law means deconstructing the state’s grounds to inaugurate law on lands acquired through colonial settlement. By critically examining law’s geography and scope I call into question the modern definition of territory itself. Further, I draw attention to jurisdiction as a conceptual framework for understanding the specificities of settler colonialism; illustrate jurisdiction as a historical concept, distinct from territory and sovereignty; and show some of the ways in which jurisdiction is enacted to govern across multiple scales and issues.
The influence of nonlinear bottom friction on the properties of decaying cyclonic and anticyclonic vortex structures in a shallow rotated fluid
Authors: Kostrykin S. V. , Khapaev A. A. , Yakushkin I. G.
Published: July 2014

The problem of the decay of intense vortices in a shallow rotated neutrally stratified fluid is considered using simulations with a modified model of von Kármán type and laboratory experiments. The numerical model describes a forced axisymmetric vortex, vertically confined, but infinite in the horizontal plane. It may be used for comparisons with laboratory experiments, in which a quasi-turbulent eddy flow is generated, using magnetohydrodynamic forcing. A detailed analysis of simulations of the free decay of the flow from an initial state, given either by an arbitrary Poiseuille or by a forced stationary profile of vorticity, is provided. Based on this analysis, three different regimes of decay of intense anticyclones in the parameter space of the Ekman and initial Rossby numbers are found. It is shown that anticyclones with large enough Rossby and small enough Ekman numbers may decay to a non-trivial stationary state, or at least they decay much slower than cyclones of the same intensity. The laboratory experiments show much slower decay of intense anticyclones than weak anticyclones or cyclones, and also a dominance of anticyclones over cyclones during the initial stage of decay. These observations qualitatively agree with theoretical predictions.
Show Me the Money: Interjurisdiction Political Competition and Fiscal Extraction in China
Authors: LÜ XIAOBO , LANDRY PIERRE F.
Published: July 2014

We argue that interjurisdiction competition in authoritarian regimes engenders a specific logic for taxation. Promotion-seeking local officials are incentivized to signal loyalty and competence to their principals through tangible fiscal revenues. The greater the number of officials accountable to the same principal, the more intense political competition is, resulting in higher taxation; however, too many officials accountable to the same principal leads to lower taxation due to shirking by uncompetitive officials and the fear of political instability. Using a panel dataset of all Chinese county-level jurisdictions from 1999–2006, we find strong evidence for an inverse U-shaped relationship between the number of county-level jurisdictions within a prefecture—our proxy for the intensity of political competition—and fiscal revenues in most provinces but not so in politically unstable ethnic minority regions. The results are robust to various alternative specifications, including models that account for heterogeneous county characteristics and spatial interdependence.
Uniform Bands
Authors: Albert Justin , Pastijn Francis
Published: July 2014

A semigroupBin which every element is an idempotent can be embedded into such a semigroupB′, where all the local submonoids are isomorphic, and in such a way thatBandB′satisfy the same equational identities. In view of the properties preserved under this embedding, a corresponding embedding theorem is obtained for regular semigroups whose idempotents form a subsemigroup.
EDITORIAL FOREWORD
Authors: Pursley Sara , Baron Beth
Published: July 2014

The image featured on this issue's cover depicts a 19th-century Greek Orthodox church in the Anatolian town of Derinkuyu. Decades after the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey that forcibly deported the town's Christian residents, the church would be converted into a mosque. This process is examined in the article by Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir, Robert Hayden, and Aykan Erdemir, discussed below, but the photograph also resonates with the themes of diaspora and minorities that run through most of the articles and essays in this issue.
PHILIP HITTI, BRAZIL, AND THE DIASPORIC HISTORIES OF AREA STUDIES
Authors: Karam John Tofik
Published: July 2014

This article rethinks area studies through the diasporic histories of influential graduates of the Syrian Protestant College. My focus is on Philip Hitti and his ties with fellow alumni who migrated to the Brazilian city of São Paulo. Examining his first visit to Brazil in 1925, letter exchanges through the 1940s, and a second trip in 1951, I ask how Hitti and São Paulo-based alumni sought to establish an Arab studies program in Brazil. In borrowing a template for studying the Middle East, Hitti and colleagues imbued it with a widespread sentiment that Arab and Muslim legacies of the Iberian peninsula had shaped Portugal, and thus Brazil's historical and linguistic formation. They relocated a model of area studies but refitted its content. In revealing how the institution of area studies moved across and merged with varied sociocultural settings, these diasporic histories provincialize the U.S. model for knowing the Middle East.
THE ICONOSTASIS IN THE REPUBLICAN MOSQUE: TRANSFORMED RELIGIOUS SITES AS ARTIFACTS OF INTERSECTING RELIGIOSCAPES
Authors: Tanyeri-Erdemir Tuğba , Hayden Robert M. , Erdemir Aykan
Published: July 2014

In this paper we focus on the Republican Mosque in Derinkuyu, Turkey, a Greek Orthodox church built in 1859 and transformed into a mosque in 1949 that still exhibits many obviously Christian structural features not found in most such converted churches. We utilize the concept ofreligioscape, defined as the distribution in spaces through time of the physical manifestations of specific religious traditions and of the populations that build them, to analyze the historical transformations of the building, and show that this incongruity marks a specific stage in the long-term competitive sharing of space by the two religiously defined communities concerned. This shared but contested space is larger than that of the building or even the town of Derinkuyu. We argue that syncretism without sharing correlates with a lack of need to show dominance symbolically, since the community that had lost the sacred building had been displaced as a group, and was no longer present to be impressed or intimidated.
LABOR ACTIVISM AND THE STATE IN THE OTTOMAN TOBACCO INDUSTRY
Authors: Nacar Can
Published: July 2014

In the late 19th and early 20th century, tobacco exports from the Ottoman Empire rapidly increased. Thousands of workers began to earn their livelihoods in warehouses, sorting and baling tobacco leaves according to their qualities. Ottoman towns where tobacco warehouses were concentrated soon became the sites of frequent labor protests. This article analyzes strikes that broke out in two such towns, İskeçe (Xanthi) and Kavala, in 1904 and 1905. It underlines the active role of the Ottoman government in the settlement of these strikes. It also shows that mobilized tobacco workers devised effective protest tactics and often secured a say in key decisions, such as when and under what conditions the warehouses operated. However, in both towns, labor activism was characterized by fragmentation as well as unity. The workers who took to the streets did not equally share the burdens and benefits of their collective actions. That inequality, the article argues, was rooted in gendered power relations, intercommunal rivalries, and other social tensions among the workers.