bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
T lymphocytes targeting native receptors
Authors: Rooney Cliona M. , Leen Ann M. , Vera Juan F. , Heslop Helen E.
Published: December 2013

The adoptive transfer of T cells specific for native tumor antigens (TAs) is an increasingly popular cancer treatment option because of the ability of these cells to discriminate between normal and tumor tissues and the corresponding lack of short or long‐term toxicities. Infusions of antigen‐specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells targeting viral antigens derived from Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) induce sustained complete tumor remissions in patients with highly immunogenic tumors such as post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disease, although resistance occurred when the infused T‐cell population had restricted antigen specificity. T cells specific for EBV antigens have also produced complete remissions of EBV‐positive nasopharyngeal carcinomas and lymphomas developing in immunocompetent individuals, even though in these patients tumor survival is dependent on their ability to evade T‐cell immunity. Adapting this strategy to non‐viral tumors is more challenging, as the target antigens expressed are less immunogenic and the tumors lack the potent danger signals that are characteristic of viruses. The goals of current studies are to define conditions that promote expansion of antigen‐specific T cells ex vivo and to ensure their in vivo persistence and survival by combining with maneuvers such as lymphodepletion, checkpoint inhibition, cytokine infusions, or genetic manipulations. More pragmatic goals are to streamline manufacturing to facilitate the transition of these therapies to late phase trials and to evaluate closely histocompatibility antigen (HLA)‐matched banked antigen‐specific T cells so that T‐cell therapies can be made more broadly available.
Capitalism, Markets and Politics
Authors: KAY JOHN
Published: December 2013

The term ‘capitalism’ is no longer a relevant way in which to describe or to understand a modern economy. Ownership of capital is not the source of economic power that it once was. Business leaders of today do not own the factories and the machines, nor do they need to. Let us consider instead, markets. Not the markets for financial products that we see depicted on rows of flickering screens in Canary Wharf, but real markets. Market economies have proved to be chaotic, and imperfect and yet they are the most successful way we know to allocate goods and services. Through a process of experimentation, much failure and some success they evolve. Their development is necessarily uncertain, but that is also their greatest strength.
Austerity's Wasted Years
Authors: MITCHELL AUSTIN
Published: December 2013

Austerity has become the norm of economic management in the EU, Britain and the USA. In each it is offered as the answer to different problems but everywhere the result is cuts in public spending, higher unemployment and low growth, none of which helps recovery from recession.

Labour's response should not be to endorse or continue austerity but to initiate a Keynesian expansionary stimulus based on borrowing and spending on a huge programme of building public housing for rent. This should be accompanied by a competitive exchange rate, an industrial policy to boost the manufacturing sector and a National Investment Bank, the aim being to expand the production base so that it can pay the nation's way in the World and support the structure and the improvements Labour needs. This makes the choice at the next election the issue of what kind of Britain the electorate wants to see: a low wage, mean economy or a determined attempt to rebuild a stronger nation with a more powerful economy.
Genetic diversity and morphological variation of the common chaffinch Fringilla coelebs in the Azores
Authors: Rodrigues Pedro , Lopes Ricardo Jorge , Reis Sandra , Resendes Roberto , Ramos Jaime Albino , Tristão da Cunha Regina
Published: December 2013

We present new insights into the genetic diversity and phylogeography of the common chaffinch Fringilla coelebs from the Azores, based on sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes from 44 individuals and an outgroup/comparison of 44 birds from Madeira, the Canary Islands and the Continental Western Palearctic. To understand the level of concordance between the genetic data and morphometric variability we analysed eight morphometric characters from 413 adult living birds from all the Azores islands and compared the population genetic distances with quantitative morphometric traits. Our results indicate the occurrence of gene flow among the common chaffinch populations in the archipelago revealing the lack of current genetic structure within it and the existence of two co‐occurring lineages. Results also indicate the existence of morphometric differences among islands that could be due to ecological features instead of island isolation. This study also confirms the genetic distance among the common chaffinch populations within Macaronesia and between these archipelagos and the Continental Western Palearctic.
Nurse home visitors' perceived awareness of mandatory reporting requirements: pregnant women's and children's exposure to intimate partner violence
Authors: Davidov Danielle M. , Jack Susan M. ,   the NFP IPV Research Team
Published: December 2013

Aim

To examine nurse home visitors' perceived awareness of reporting requirements for intimate partner violence during pregnancy and children's exposure to such violence.

Background

Many home visitation programmes employ nurses to deliver prenatal and parenting education and services to pregnant women and mothers. Although home visitors are responsible for reporting child maltreatment, the extent to which mandated reporting laws apply to intimate partner violence perpetrated against pregnant women and children's exposure varies considerably between jurisdictions.

Design

Cross‐sectional descriptive survey design.

Methods

A web‐based survey was sent to all home visitors in the Nurse‐Family Partnership programme in April/May 2010. The survey contained two vignettes describing client disclosure of intimate partner violence when: (1) the client is pregnant; and (2) the client's child is in her arms during the violent episode. Participants were asked about perceived reporting requirements and factors that guide reporting decisions.

Findings

Approximately half of the target population returned completed surveys (n=532). Over a quarter of the sample believed that they were mandated to report abuse of a pregnant woman and two‐thirds indicated awareness of a mandate to report when the child was in the mother's arms during the violence. Most nurses indicated that reporting decisions should be based on state law.

Conclusion

Nurse home visitors may believe that they are mandated to report children's exposure to intimate partner violence when the child is at risk of physical harm. Home visitation providers likely consider multiple factors when determining whether to report intimate partner violence and children's exposure to intimate partner violence.
Naked M&A Transactions: How the Lack of Local Expertise in Cross‐Border Deals Can Negatively Affect Acquirer Performance – and How Informed Institutional Investors can Mitigate This Effect
Authors: Faelten Anna , Gietzmann Miles , Vitkova Valeriya
Published: December 2013

This paper tests how informed investors with local expertise can affect cross‐border deal success using a comprehensive dataset of corporate acquirers’ share registers. We posit that deals in which long‐term investors have a high level of expertise in the target firm's region are more likely to perform better than if the deal is ‘naked’, i.e., when such regional expertise amongst the investors is low. We show that the strength of this effect depends upon an index of country‐level M&A maturity which measures the relative divergence between acquirer and target countries. Specifically, we investigate whether acquirers investing in countries with low M&A maturity gain greater benefit from investors with regional expertise. We present evidence which confirms the hypothesis that acquirers in cross‐border corporate transactions are more likely to be successful if the acquirer's investors have a higher level of expertise in the target region, and that this effect is strongest when the maturity for corporate transactions of the target country is low. This provides a specific setting which is consistent with earlier theoretical work that argues in general that information flows should not just be from firms to capital markets but also in the opposite direction, and that this flow of information is particularly important whenever information is dispersed.
Standardized endoscopic reporting
Authors: Aabakken Lars , Barkun Alan N , Cotton Peter B , Fedorov Evgeny , Fujino Masayuki A , Ivanova Ekaterina , Kudo Shin‐ei , Kuznetzov Konstantin , de Lange Thomas , Matsuda Koji , Moine Olivier , Rembacken Björn , Rey Jean‐Francois , Romagnuolo Joseph , Rösch Thomas , Sawhney Mandeep , Yao Kenshi , Waye Jerome D
Published: December 2013

The need for standardized language is increasingly obvious, also within gastrointestinal endoscopy. A systematic approach to the description of endoscopic findings is vital for the development of a universal language, but systematic also means structured, and structure is inherently a challenge when presented as an alternative to the normal spoken word.

The efforts leading to the “Minimal Standard Terminology” (MST) of gastrointestinal endoscopy offer a standardized model for description of endoscopic findings. With a combination of lesion descriptors and descriptor attributes, this system gives guidance to appropriate descriptions of lesions and also has a normative effect on endoscopists in training.

The endoscopic report includes a number of items not related to findings per se, but to other aspects of the procedure, formal, technical, and medical. While the MST sought to formulate minimal lists for some of these aspects (e.g. indications), they are not all well suited for the inherent structure of the MST, and many are missing. Thus, the present paper offers a recommended standardization also of the administrative, technical, and other “peri‐endoscopic” elements of the endoscopic report; important also are the numerous quality assurance initiatives presently emerging.

Finally, the image documentation of endoscopic findings is becoming more obvious—and accessible. Thus, recommendations for normal procedures as well as for focal and diffuse pathology are presented.

The recommendations are “minimal,” meaning that expansions and subcategories will likely be needed in most centers. Still, with a stronger common grounds, communication within endoscopy will still benefit.
Those Who Know, Do. Those Who Understand, Teach. Disseminative Capability and Knowledge Transfer in the Automotive Industry
Authors: Schulze Anja , Brojerdi Gundula , von Krogh Georg
Published: December 2013

Innovations in the automotive industry are increasingly building on contributions from different technological fields. Correspondingly, firms in this industry more than ever tend to form research and development (R&D) alliances that aim at innovating new products through integrating separate fields and transferring knowledge. While, in symmetricalR&Dalliances, each partner intends to ultimately maintain their distinctive and specialized knowledge base, overlapping knowledge facilitates cooperation and ultimately alliance success. Thus, the capability for knowledge transfer between partners is crucial in suchR&Dalliances. The literature provides ample evidence that such knowledge transfer is more likely to succeed if the recipient firm has absorptive capability. However, whereas the characteristics of the knowledge transfer process and the recipient firm are well understood, limited attention has so far been given to the issue of the knowledge source firm's ability to transfer knowledge toR&Dalliance partners. This study focuses on the impact of source firm capability on successful knowledge transfer inR&Dalliances. The study develops a theoretical framework of disseminative capability consisting of five dimensions and tests it on a sample of 59 projects inR&Dalliances in the automotive industry. To ensure content validity and avoid common source bias, data were collected from both alliance partners. To test the hypotheses, multiple regression analyses were performed. The results reveal that the source firm's disseminative capability including the attainment of expert knowledge, assessing the recipient firm's knowledge base, and encoding knowledge are positively related to knowledge transfer success, while, surprisingly, detaching knowledge and support of knowledge application in the recipient firm are negatively related. Intentionally or unintentionally, disseminating knowledge across firm boundaries is widely perceived as detrimental to a firm's competitive advantage. Accordingly, the literature tends to downplay disseminative capability as an important means of exploiting external knowledge in collaborative settings. By demonstrating potential benefits for the source firm to transfer knowledge to the allyingR&Dpartner firm, this paper reinvigorates the collaborative dimension in knowledge transfer. Further, the paper is the first of this kind to theoretically explain and empirically show that dimensions of disseminative capability of collaborators inR&Dalliances are important for knowledge transfer, whereas disseminative capability is the complementary inverse of an organization's absorptive capacity.
UKowner preferences for treatment of feline injection site sarcomas
Authors: Carwardine D. , Friend E. , Toscano M. , Bowlt K.
Published: December 2013

OBJECTIVES

Feline injection site sarcomas are therapeutically challenging because of their locally invasive nature. Several protocols recommend that the two perceived high‐risk adjuvanted vaccines should be administered into distinct anatomical sites (“left hind leg leukaemia, right hind leg rabies”), which should aid surgical resection. This has resulted in a change in tumour distribution with an increased proportion situated caudal to the diaphragm when such a policy is adopted. The aim of this study was to determineUKcat owners’ attitudes towards surgical treatments of different anatomical regions.

METHODS

A cross‐sectional study of an anonymous convenience sample ofUKcat owners was conducted from September to December, 2012 using an internet‐based survey.

RESULTS

There were a total of 208 respondents: 39% would pursue surgery regardless of tumour site. One percent would not pursue surgery. Of the remainder, respondents would not allow amputation of the forelimb (20%), hindlimb (15%) or tail (15%). Twenty‐six, 32 and 27% would not have surgical treatment of the inter‐scapular region, chest or abdomen, respectively. The majority of respondents were willing to travel up to 100 miles for radiotherapy or chemotherapy (66 and 69%, respectively).

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The current feline vaccine site recommendations may not be appropriate forUKcat owners.
Inferring the contribution of sexual reproduction, migration and off‐season survival to the temporal maintenance of microbial populations: a case study on the wheat fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici
Authors: Ali Sajid , Gladieux Pierre , Rahman Hidayatur , Saqib Muhammad S. , Fiaz Muhammad , Ahmad Habib , Leconte Marc , Gautier Angélique , Justesen Annemarie F. , Hovmøller Mogens S. , Enjalbert Jérôme , de Vallavieille‐Pope Claude
Published: December 2013

Understanding the mode of temporal maintenance of plant pathogens is an important domain of microbial ecology research. Due to the inconspicuous nature of microbes, their temporal maintenance cannot be studied directly through tracking individuals and their progeny. Here, we suggest a series of population genetic analyses on molecular marker variation in temporally spaced samples to infer about the relative contribution of sexual reproduction, off‐season survival and migration to the temporal maintenance of pathogen populations. We used the proposed approach to investigate the temporal maintenance of wheat yellow rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (PST), in the Himalayan region of Pakistan. Multilocus microsatellite genotyping of PST isolates revealed high genotypic diversity and recombinant population structure across all locations, confirming the existence of sexual reproduction in this region. The genotypes were assigned to four genetic groups, revealing a clear differentiation between zones with and without Berberis spp., the alternate host of PST, with an additional subdivision within the Berberis zone. The lack of any differentiation between samples across two sampling years, and the very infrequent resampling of multilocus genotypes over years at a given location was consistent with limited over‐year clonal survival, and a limited genetic drift. The off‐season oversummering population in the Berberis zone, likely to be maintained locally, served as a source of migrants contributing to the temporal maintenance in the non‐Berberis zone. Our study hence demonstrated the contribution of both sexual recombination and off‐season oversummering survival to the temporal maintenance of the pathogen. These new insights into the population biology of PST highlight the general usefulness of the analytical approach proposed.
Effects of education in an obesity control program for obese homemakers on body fat and flexibility in Korea
Authors: Song Min‐Sun , Yoo Yong‐Kwon , Kim Nam‐Cho
Published: December 2013

The study aims to investigate the effects of education in an obesity‐control program (EOCP) on the percentage of body fat and flexibility in obese women in Korea. Women with over 30% body fat were offered EOCP between July 2012 and October 2012. The EOCP consisted of an educational program, exercise program, and counseling. The numbers of participants both in the EOCP and control group were 17. The study was analyzed by Wilcoxon signed‐rank test using the Statistical Analysis System package. The EOCP participants presented statistically significant increases in the degree of forward trunk flexion, but only the percentage of the body fat showed differences within the EOCP group. The EOCP improved flexibility in obese women, and can be used in local obesity‐control programs.
Pseudotumor Cerebri Associated with Cyclosporine Use in Severe Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Blasco Morente Gonzalo , Tercedor Sánchez Jesús , Garrido Colmenero Cristina , Martínez García Eliseo , Molina‐Carballo Antonio
Published: December 2013

Cyclosporine use can cause neurologic complications in 0.5% to 35% of cases, although the appearance of pseudotumor cerebri (PC) is exceptional. PC secondary to the use of cyclosporine is described mainly in individuals who have received a bone marrow transplant. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of PC secondary to the use of cyclosporine in a child with severe atopic dermatitis, with satisfactory resolution and without vision sequelae.
Inactivation of Bacteriophage Infecting Bacteroides Strain GB124 Using UV‐B Radiation
Authors: Diston David , Ebdon James E. , Taylor Huw D.
Published: December 2013

Ultraviolet‐B radiation (280–320 nm) has long been associated with the inactivation of microorganisms in the natural environment. Determination of the environmental inactivation kinetics of specific indicator organisms [used as tools in the field of microbial source tracking (MST)] is fundamental to their successful deployment, particularly in geographic regions subject to high levels of solar radiation. Phage infecting Bacteroides fragilis host strain GB124 (B124 phage) have been demonstrated to be highly specific indicators of human fecal contamination, but to date, little is known about their susceptibility to UV‐B radiation. Therefore, B124 phage (n = 7) isolated from municipal wastewater effluent, were irradiated in a controlled laboratory environment using UV‐B collimated beam experiments. All B124 phage suspensions possessed highly similar first order log‐linear inactivation profiles and the mean fluence required to inactivate phage by 4 − log10 was 320 mJ cm−2. These findings suggest that phage infecting GB124 are likely to be inactivated when exposed to the levels of UV‐B solar radiation experienced in a variety of environmental settings. As such, this may limit the utility of such methods for determining more remote inputs of fecal contamination in areas subject to high levels of solar radiation.
The Impact of Accident Attention, Ideology, and Environmentalism on American Attitudes Toward Nuclear Energy
Authors: Besley John C. , Oh Sang‐Hwa
Published: December 2013

This study involves the analysis of three waves of survey data about nuclear energy using a probability‐based online panel of respondents in the United States. Survey waves included an initial baseline survey conducted in early 2010, a follow‐up survey conducted in 2010 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and an additional follow‐up conducted just after the 2011 Fukushima, Japan, nuclear accident. The central goal is to assess the degree to which changes in public views following an accident are contingent on individual attention and respondent predispositions. Such results would provide real‐world evidence of motivated reasoning. The primary analysis focuses on the impact of Fukushima and how the impact of individual attention to energy issues is moderated by both environmental views and political ideology over time. The analysis uses both mean comparisons and multivariate statistics to test key relationships. Additional variables common in the study of emerging technologies are included in the analysis, including demographics, risk and benefit perceptions, and views about the fairness of decisionmakers in both government and the private sector.
Millennium Development Goal 4: reducing perinatal and neonatal mortality in low‐resource settings
Authors: Smith Abi C , Mutangiri Wonderful , Fox Robert , Crofts Joanna F
Published: December 2013

Key content

Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4) set targets to reduce by two‐thirds the number of deaths of children aged <5 years by 2015 compared with 1990. In 2010, 7.7 million of these children died. Progress is accelerating but many countries will not meet targets.

Stillbirths account for 2.65 million deaths but are not addressed in international targets.

Possible solutions including ‘kangaroo mother care’, neonatal resuscitation and breastfeeding are identified; a difference can be made with basic training and resources.

Political leadership is required to make significant health gains.

The evidence for improving peri‐ and neonatal mortality exists. The challenge is in the implementation.

Learning objectives

To understand MDG4 and the variation in pregnancy outcomes for neonates globally.

To increase knowledge of simple interventions and key barriers to improve peri‐ and neonatal mortality.

To help UK doctors understand the health background of inward migrants.

Ethical issues

The increasing divide in health outcomes between rich and poor, both within and between countries.

Gender inequalities may contribute to poor access to care.

Resource limitations are compounded by external factors such as the ‘brain drain’ of health workers.
Electroretinography in the normal koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
Authors: Liddle Vicki L.
Published: December 2013

Objective

To perform electroretinography on normal anesthetized koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus).

Animals studied

Six hospitalized koalas.

Procedure

The koalas were anesthetized using alfaxalone intramuscularly and isoflurane via face mask, then maintained on isoflurane after endotracheal intubation. After 20 min of dark adaptation, electroretinograms were obtained using a handheld electroretinography (ERG) machine using a single flash protocol at three light intensities: 10 mcd s/m2, 3000 mcd s/m2,and 10 000 mcd s/m2.

Results

At 10 mcd s/m2,the mean b‐wave amplitude and implicit time were 49.5 μV (SD± 33.1 and 95%CI29.9–69.0) and 87.4 ms (SD± 6.5 and 95%CI83.6‐91.2). At 3000 mcd s/m2,the mean a‐wave amplitude and implicit time were 70.5 μV (SD± 30.7 and 95%CI52.3–88.7) and 20.6 ms (SD± 3.1 and 95%CI18.7–22.4), and the mean b‐wave amplitude and implicit time were 122.8 μV (SD± 49.3 and 95%CI93.7–151.9) and 63.1 ms (SD± 13.2 and 95%CI55.3–71.0). At 10 000 mcd sm2,the mean a‐wave amplitude and implicit time were 90.8 μV (SD± 37.2 and 95%CI68.8–112.8) and 16.1 ms (SD± 3.1 and 95%CI14.3–18.0), and the mean b‐wave amplitude and implicit time were 148.3 μV (SD± 54.9 and 95%CI115.9–180.8) and 67.4 ms (SD± 8.4 and 95%CI62.5–72.3).

Conclusion

Electroretinography in koalas is practical using a portableERGsystem and aDTLthread electrode and allows for rapid assessment of retinal function.
Contrasting host immuno‐inflammatory responses to bacterial challenge within venous and diabetic ulcers
Authors: McInnes Rachael L. , Cullen Breda M. , Hill Katja E. , Price Patricia E. , Harding Keith G. , Thomas David W. , Stephens Phil , Moseley Ryan
Published: December 2013

Within chronic wounds, the relationship between the clinical diagnosis of infection and bacterial/immuno‐inflammatory responses is imprecise. This study prospectively examined the interrelationship between clinical, microbiological, and proinflammatory biomarker levels between chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Wound swabs and fluids were collected from CVLUs (n = 18) and DFUs (n = 15) and diagnosed clinically as noninfected or infected; and qualitative/quantitative microbiology was performed. CVLU and DFU fluids were also analyzed for cytokine, growth factor, receptor, proteinase/proteinase inhibitor; and oxidative stress biomarker (protein carbonyl, malondialdehyde, and antioxidant capacity) levels. While no correlations existed between clinical diagnosis, microbiology, or biomarker profiles, increasing bacterial bioburden (≥107 colony‐forming unit/mL) was associated with significant alterations in cytokine, growth factor, and receptor levels. These responses contrasted between ulcer type, with elevated and decreased cytokine, growth factor, and receptor levels in CVLUs and DFUs with increasing bioburden, respectively. Despite proteinase biomarkers exhibiting few differences between CVLUs and DFUs, significant elevations in antioxidant capacities correlated with increased bioburden in CVLU fluids, but not in DFUs. Furthermore, oxidative stress biomarker levels were significantly elevated in all DFU fluids compared with CVLUs. This study provides further insight into the contrasting disease‐specific host responses to bacterial challenge within infected CVLUs and DFUs.
The mechanisms and evidence of efficacy of electrical stimulation for healing of pressure ulcer: A systematic review
Authors: Kawasaki Lisa , Mushahwar Vivian K. , Ho Chester , Dukelow Sean P. , Chan Leo L. H. , Chan K. Ming
Published: December 2013

The objective of this article is to provide a systematic review of the efficacy of electrical stimulation in healing pressure ulcer and to review its mechanism of action. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, and NHS EED were searched for relevant interventional studies including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. A best‐evidence synthesis was performed to summarize the results of the included studies. A total of seven RCTs and two observational studies met the inclusion criteria. Moderate level of evidence of efficacy with low risk of bias was shown in all seven RCTs. Although some studies have used continuous direct current, most other investigators opted to use high‐voltage pulsed current to minimize the risk of skin burn and to achieve greater current penetration. Overall, the incidence of adverse effects was very low. Two studies that assessed the economic impacts of electrical stimulation revealed substantial health care cost savings. The mechanisms through which electrical stimulation exerts a positive effect on pressure ulcer healing are reasonably well established. Clinical trials have revealed a moderate level of evidence to support its use as an ancillary treatment modality for healing pressure ulcer. Recommendations regarding the optimal electrical stimulation parameters and dosage of use are provided. Further studies to investigate potential barriers that may impede widespread use in different clinical settings are needed.
Erythropoietin, a novel repurposed drug: An innovative treatment for wound healing in patients with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Hamed Saher , Bennett Charles L. , Demiot Claire , Ullmann Yehuda , Teot Luc , Desmoulière Alexis
Published: December 2013

Developing a new drug is expensive: the cost of going from bench to bedside is about $US1 billion. Therefore, the repurposing of an approved drug is potentially rewarding because it expands the drug's existing therapeutic profile and preempts additional development costs. As the safety profile of a repurposed drug is already well known, any new investigations could then focus on its efficacy and other therapeutic benefits. Recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) is a potential candidate for repurposing because the results of numerous studies have shown that systemic and topical EPO is therapeutically beneficial when it is administered to healthy and diabetic animals with acute and chronic skin wounds and burns. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms of EPO's actions have been elucidated: EPO acts on those nonhematopoietic cells which are involved in the innate immune response where it promotes cellular proliferation and differentiation, exerts its cytoprotective actions, and inhibits apoptosis. In this review, the mechanism of EPO's action in skin wound healing is reviewed, and its potential for treating acute and chronic skin wounds and stimulating tissue regeneration in diabetic patients is discussed.
Real-Time Identification of Incipient Surface Morphology Variations in Ultraprecision Machining Process
Authors: Rao Prahalad , Bukkapatnam Satish , Beyca Omer , Kong Zhenyu (James) , Komanduri Ranga
Published: December 2013

Real-time monitoring and control of surface morphology variations in their incipient stages are vital for assuring nanometric range finish in the ultraprecision machining (UPM) process. A real-time monitoring approach, based on predicting and updating the process states from sensor signals (using advanced neural networks (NNs) and Bayesian analysis) is reported for detecting the incipient surface variations in UPM. An ultraprecision diamond turning machine is instrumented with three miniature accelerometers, a three-axis piezoelectric dynamometer, and an acoustic emission (AE) sensor for process monitoring. The machine tool is used for face-turning aluminum 6061 discs to a surface finish (Ra) in the range of 15–25 nm. While the sensor signals (especially the vibration signal in the feed direction) are sensitive to surface variations, the extraneous noise from the environment, machine elements, and sensing system prevents direct use of raw signal patterns for early detection of surface variations. Also, nonlinear and time-varying nature of the process dynamics does not lend conventional statistical process monitoring techniques suitable for characterizing UPM-machined surfaces. Consequently, instead of just monitoring the raw sensor signal patterns, the nonlinear process dynamics wherefrom the signal evolves are more effectively captured using a recurrent predictor neural network (RPNN). The parameters of the RPNN (weights and biases) serve as the surrogates of the process states, which are updated in real-time, based on measured sensor signals using a Bayesian particle filter (PF) technique. We show that the PF-updated RPNN can effectively capture the complex signal evolution patterns. We use a mean-shift statistic, estimated from the PF-estimated surrogate states, to detect surface variation-induced changes in the process dynamics. Experimental investigations show that variations in surface characteristics can be detected within 15 ms of their inception using the present approach, as opposed to 30 ms or higher with the conventional statistical change detection methods tested.
Thromboresistance Comparison of the HeartMate II Ventricular Assist Device With the Device Thrombogenicity Emulation-Optimized HeartAssist 5 VAD
Authors: Chiu Wei-Che , Girdhar Gaurav , Xenos Michalis , Alemu Yared , Soares Jõao S. , Einav Shmuel , Slepian Marvin , Bluestein Danny
Published: December 2013

Approximately 7.5 × 106 patients in the US currently suffer from end-stage heart failure. The FDA has recently approved the designations of the Thoratec HeartMate II ventricular assist device (VAD) for both bridge-to-transplant and destination therapy (DT) due to its mechanical durability and improved hemodynamics. However, incidence of pump thrombosis and thromboembolic events remains high, and the life-long complex pharmacological regimens are mandatory in its VAD recipients. We have previously successfully applied our device thrombogenicity emulation (DTE) methodology for optimizing device thromboresistance to the Micromed Debakey VAD, and demonstrated that optimizing device features implicated in exposing blood to elevated shear stresses and exposure times significantly reduces shear-induced platelet activation and significantly improves the device thromboresistance. In the present study, we compared the thrombogenicity of the FDA-approved HeartMate II VAD with the DTE-optimized Debakey VAD (now labeled HeartAssist 5). With quantitative probability density functions of the stress accumulation along large number of platelet trajectories within each device which were extracted from numerical flow simulations in each device, and through measurements of platelet activation rates in recirculation flow loops, we specifically show that: (a) Platelets flowing through the HeartAssist 5 are exposed to significantly lower stress accumulation that lead to platelet activation than the HeartMate II, especially at the impeller-shroud gap regions (b) Thrombus formation patterns observed in the HeartMate II are absent in the HeartAssist 5 (c) Platelet activation rates (PAR) measured in vitro with the VADs mounted in recirculation flow-loops show a 2.5-fold significantly higher PAR value for the HeartMate II. This head to head thrombogenic performance comparative study of the two VADs, one optimized with the DTE methodology and one FDA-approved, demonstrates the efficacy of the DTE methodology for drastically reducing the device thrombogenic potential, validating the need for a robust in silico/in vitro optimization methodology for improving cardiovascular devices thromboresistance.
Incorporating Population-Level Variability in Orthopedic Biomechanical Analysis: A Review
Authors: Bischoff Jeffrey E. , Dai Yifei , Goodlett Casey , Davis Brad , Bandi Marc
Published: December 2013

Effectively addressing population-level variability within orthopedic analyses requires robust data sets that span the target population and can be greatly facilitated by statistical methods for incorporating such data into functional biomechanical models. Data sets continue to be disseminated that include not just anatomical information but also key mechanical data including tissue or joint stiffness, gait patterns, and other inputs relevant to analysis of joint function across a range of anatomies and physiologies. Statistical modeling can be used to establish correlations between a variety of structural and functional biometrics rooted in these data and to quantify how these correlations change from health to disease and, finally, to joint reconstruction or other clinical intervention. Principal component analysis provides a basis for effectively and efficiently integrating variability in anatomy, tissue properties, joint kinetics, and kinematics into mechanistic models of joint function. With such models, bioengineers are able to study the effects of variability on biomechanical performance, not just on a patient-specific basis but in a way that may be predictive of a larger patient population. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the broad use of statistical modeling within orthopedics and to discuss ways to continue to leverage these techniques to improve biomechanical understanding of orthopedic systems across populations.
Fluorocarbon assisted atomic layer etching of SiO2 using cyclic Ar/C4F8 plasma
Authors: Metzler Dominik , Bruce Robert L. , Engelmann Sebastian , Joseph Eric A. , Oehrlein Gottlieb S.
Published: December 2013

The authors demonstrate atomic layer etching of SiO2 using a steady-state Ar plasma, periodic injection of a defined number of C4F8 molecules, and synchronized plasma-based Ar+ ion bombardment. C4F8 injection enables control of the deposited fluorocarbon (FC) layer thickness in the one to several Ångstrom range and chemical modification of the SiO2 surface. For low energy Ar+ ion bombardment conditions, the physical sputter rate of SiO2 vanishes, whereas SiO2 can be etched when FC reactants are present at the surface. The authors have measured for the first time the temporal variation of the chemically enhanced etch rate of SiO2 for Ar+ ion energies below 30 eV as a function of fluorocarbon surface coverage. This approach enables controlled removal of Ångstrom-thick SiO2 layers. Our results demonstrate that development of atomic layer etching processes even for complex materials is feasible.
Complete Genome of Bacillus megaterium Siphophage Slash
Authors: DeCrescenzo Andrew J. , Ritter Matthew A. , Chamakura Karthik R. , Kuty Everett Gabriel F.
Published: December 2013

The complete annotated genome sequence of
Bacillus megaterium
bacteriophage Slash is described here. Several key features related to morphogenesis, replication/recombination, DNA metabolism, and lysis are described. Slash also encodes a homolog of SleB, a germination-specific cell wall amidase.
Draft Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp.
enterica
Serotype Saintpaul Strain S-70, Isolated from an Aquatic Environment
Authors: Estrada-Acosta Mitzi , Medrano-Félix Andrés , Jiménez Maribel , Gómez-Gil Bruno , León-Félix Josefina , Amarillas Luis , Chaidez Cristóbal
Published: December 2013

Salmonella
is a pathogen of worldwide importance, causing disease in a vast range of hosts, including humans. We report the genome sequence of
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serotype Saintpaul strain S-70, isolated from an aquatic environment.
Draft Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp.
enterica
Serotype Oranienburg Strain S-76, Isolated from an Aquatic Environment
Authors: Medrano-Félix Andrés , Estrada-Acosta Mitzi , Jiménez Maribel , Gómez-Gil Bruno , León-Félix Josefina , Amarillas Luis , Chaidez Cristóbal
Published: December 2013

Salmonella
is a widespread microorganism and a common causative agent of food-borne illnesses.
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serotype Oranienburg is highly prevalent in surface water from tropical ecosystems and is not commonly related to illnesses. Here, we report the first genome sequence of
Salmonella
Oranienburg strain S-76, isolated from an aquatic environment.
Genome Sequence of an Enterobacter helveticus Strain, 1159/04 (LMG 23733), Isolated from Fruit Powder
Authors: Grim Christopher J. , Gopinath Gopal R. , Mammel Mark K. , Sathyamoorthy Venugopal , Trach Larisa H. , Chase Hannah R. , Tall Ben D. , Fanning Séamus , Stephan Roger
Published: December 2013

We report the draft genome sequence of
Enterobacter helveticus
strain LMG 23733, isolated from fruit powder. The draft genome assembly for
E. helveticus
strain LMG 23733 has a size of 4,635,476 bp and a G+C content of 55.9%.
Draft Genome Sequence of Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp.
nucleatum
ChDC F316, Isolated from a Human Peri-implantitis Lesion in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Park Soon-Nang , Cho Eugene , Kim Hwa-Sook , Kim Dae-Soo , Jung Jaeeun , Baek Jeong-Hun , Kyong Lim Yun , Jo Eojin , Chang Young-Hyo , Hwan Shin Jeong , Choi Sang-Haeng , Kang Jihee , Choi YongUn , Park Hong-Seog , Kim Hongik , Kook Joong-Ki
Published: December 2013

Fusobacterium nucleatum
is a Gram-negative anaerobe and is one of the causative agents of periodontal diseases, including peri-implantitis.
Fusobacterium nucleatum
subsp.
nucleatum
ChDC F316 (KCOM 1322) was isolated from a human peri-implantitis lesion. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this strain.
Genome Sequence of Cupriavidus metallidurans Strain H1130, Isolated from an Invasive Human Infection
Authors: Monsieurs Pieter , Provoost Ann , Mijnendonckx Kristel , Leys Natalie , Gaudreau Christiane , Van Houdt Rob
Published: December 2013

Cupriavidus metallidurans
H1130 was repeatedly isolated from different blood culture sets taken from a patient suffering from significant nosocomial septicemia. Here, we announce the H1130 genome sequence for use in comparative analyses and for exploring the adaptation and pathogenic potential of this bacterium.
Twenty-one bust: a case of chemical transformation of an ingested foreign body
Authors: Greer Nicholas , Mark David , Mulholland Keith , Kirk Stephen
Published: December 2013

The majority of ingested foreign bodies pass of their own accord without causing any adverse impact on the patient, while others present a greater management dilemma. We present a case of a 36-year-old man admitted to the hospital with a 10-day history of colicky abdominal pain following voluntary ingestion of multiple pairs of vinyl gloves. The plain-film abdominal X-ray confirmed small bowel obstruction and gastric bezoar. After failed conservative management he opted for endoscopic retrieval. Following exposure to stomach acid the gloves had lost their structural integrity becoming hard, sharp and brittle. As a result endoscopic removal was abandoned due to the risk of traumatic injury to the oesophagus. A midline laparotomy was performed and the gloves were retrieved via enterotomy. While many foreign bodies are suitable for endoscopic extraction this case demonstrates that the retrieval of vinyl gloves is unlikely to be successful due to significant chemical change.
REGULARIZATION PARAMETER INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS IN NAMBU–JONA-LASINIO MODEL
Authors: INAGAKI T. , KIMURA D. , KOHYAMA H. , KVINIKHIDZE A.
Published: December 2013

Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model used to investigate low energy phenomena is nonrenormalizable, therefore the results depend on the regularization parameter in general. A possibility of the finite in four-dimensional limit and even the in regularization parameter (this is dimension in the dimensional regularization scheme) independent analysis is shown in the leading order of the 1/Nc expansion.
SYNTHESIS OF ZINC OXIDE THIN FILM WITH THREAD-LIKE NANOWIRES ON FLUORINE DOPED TIN OXIDE GLASS SUBSTRATES
Authors: LI XUYANG , KISHI NAOKI , SOGA TETSUO
Published: December 2013

In this paper, ZnO thin film has been synthesized on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate by annealing the Zn film in air flow. The SEM image shows that the high density and thread-like ZnO nanowires could grow on the thin film. XRD pattern shows that ZnO was the only compound. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results of individual ZnO nanowires show that the nanowires grown on the ZnO thin film are single-crystalline, and the selected area electron diffraction pattern (SAED) shows that the nanowires grow along the (001) direction.
DEVELOPMENT OF CHAOTIC OSCILLATORS FROM THE DAMPED HARMONIC OSCILLATOR
Authors: HARWOOD LUKE , WARR PAUL , BEACH MARK
Published: December 2013

Using the damped harmonic oscillator equations as a mathematical template, several novel chaotic oscillators are developed with an emphasis on mathematical simplicity and ease of electronic circuit implementation. These chaotic systems offer an intuitive introduction to chaos theory, enabling comparison of mathematical and computational analyses with experimental results.
NEIMARK BIFURCATIONS OF A GENERALIZED DUFFING–VAN DER POL OSCILLATOR WITH NONLINEAR FRACTIONAL ORDER DAMPING
Authors: LEUNG A. Y. T. , YANG H. X. , ZHU P.
Published: December 2013

A generalized Duffing–van der Pol oscillator with nonlinear fractional order damping is introduced and investigated by the residue harmonic homotopy. The cubic displacement involved in fractional operator is used to describe the higher-order viscoelastic behavior of materials and of aerodynamic damping. The residue harmonic balance method is employed to analytically generate higher-order approximations for the steady state responses of an autonomous system. Nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the harmonically forced oscillator are further explored by the harmonic balance method along with the polynomial homotopy continuation technique. A parametric investigation is carried out to analyze the effects of fractional order of damping and the effect of the magnitude of imposed excitation on the system using amplitude-frequency curves. Jump avoidance conditions are addressed. Neimark bifurcations are captured to delineate regions of instability. The existence of even harmonics in the Fourier expansions implies symmetry-breaking bifurcation in certain combinations of system parameters. Numerical simulations are given by comparing with analytical solutions for validation purpose. We find that all Neimark bifurcation points in the response diagram always exist along a straight line.
Observer-dependent optical properties of stationary axisymmetric spacetimes
Authors: Bini Donato , de Felice Fernando , Geralico Andrea
Published: December 2013

The world lines of null particles admit arbitrary parametrizations. In the presence of a family of observers one may introduce along a null world line an extension of the so-called Cattaneo's relative standard time parameter (valid for massive particles) which plays a special role. Another possibility is to use the coordinate time itself as a parameter. The relation between relative standard time and coordinate time allows for the introduction of an observer-dependent optical path and associated refraction index. Both these quantities are studied here working out explicit examples concerning familiar null orbits and observers in black hole spacetimes.
Kinetics, mechanism and thermodynamics involved in sorption of meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin onto chitosan in aqueous medium
Authors: Saha Tapan K. , Karmaker Subarna , Alam Md F.
Published: December 2013

Sorption of meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin ( H 2 tpps ) onto chitosan has been investigated in aqueous medium. Kinetic and isotherm studies were carried out by considering the effects of various parameters, such as pH, initial concentration of H 2 tpps solution, and temperature. The kinetic data obtained from different batch experiments were analyzed using pseudo first-, second-order, intraparticle, and film diffusion kinetic models. The equilibrium sorption data was analyzed by using Tempkin, Langmuir and Freundlich models. The best results were achieved with the pseudo second-order kinetic, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The intraparticle diffusion and film diffusion are the rate limiting steps. The amount of sorbate adsorbed at equilibrium (qe) increased with increasing the initial concentration of H 2 tpps solution, showing maximum sorption capacity of 445.21 μmol.g-1. The activation energy (Ea) of sorption kinetics was found to be 19.47 kJ.mol-1. Thermodynamic parameters such as change in free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS) were evaluated by applying the Van't Hoff equation. Thermodynamic activation parameters such as change in enthalpy of activation (ΔH‡), entropy of activation (ΔS‡), and free energy of activation (ΔG‡) were also calculated. The thermodynamics of H 2 tpps sorption onto chitosan in aqueous medium indicates its spontaneous and endothermic nature.