bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Specific bile acids inhibit hepatic fatty acid uptake in mice
Authors: Nie Biao , Park Hyo Min , Kazantzis Melissa , Lin Min , Henkin Amy , Ng Stephanie , Song Sujin , Chen Yuli , Tran Heather , Lai Robin , Her Chris , Maher Jacquelyn J. , Forman Barry M. , Stahl Andreas
Published: April 2012

Bile acids are known to play important roles as detergents in the absorption of hydrophobic nutrients and as signaling molecules in the regulation of metabolism. We tested the novel hypothesis that naturally occurring bile acids interfere with protein-mediated hepatic long chain free fatty acid (LCFA) uptake. To this end, stable cell lines expressing fatty acid transporters as well as primary hepatocytes from mouse and human livers were incubated with primary and secondary bile acids to determine their effects on LCFA uptake rates. We identified ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) as the two most potent inhibitors of the liver-specific fatty acid transport protein 5 (FATP5). Both UDCA and DCA were able to inhibit LCFA uptake by primary hepatocytes in a FATP5-dependent manner. Subsequently, mice were treated with these secondary bile acids

in vivo

to assess their ability to inhibit diet-induced hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Administration of DCA

in vivo

via injection or as part of a high-fat diet significantly inhibited hepatic fatty acid uptake and reduced liver triglycerides by more than 50%.

Conclusion:

The data demonstrate a novel role for specific bile acids, and the secondary bile acid DCA in particular, in the regulation of hepatic LCFA uptake. The results illuminate a previously unappreciated means by which specific bile acids, such as UDCA and DCA, can impact hepatic triglyceride metabolism and may lead to novel approaches to combat obesity-associated fatty liver disease. (Hepatology 2012)
Retinoids ameliorate insulin resistance in a leptin-dependent manner in mice
Authors: Tsuchiya Hiroyuki , Ikeda Yoshito , Ebata Yu , Kojima Chihiro , Katsuma Rikutaro , Tsuruyama Tatsuaki , Sakabe Tomohiko , Shomori Kohei , Komeda Noriko , Oshiro Shoko , Okamoto Hideharu , Takubo Kazuko , Hama Susumu , Shudo Koichi , Kogure Kentaro , Shiota Goshi
Published: April 2012

Transgenic mice expressing dominant-negative retinoic acid receptor (RAR) α specifically in the liver exhibit steatohepatitis, which leads to the development of liver tumors. Although the cause of steatohepatitis in these mice is unknown, diminished hepatic expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 suggests that insulin resistance may be involved. In the present study, we examined the effects of retinoids on insulin resistance in mice to gain further insight into the mechanisms responsible for this condition. Dietary administration of all-
trans

-retinoic acid (ATRA) significantly improved insulin sensitivity in C57BL/6J mice, which served as a model for high-fat, high-fructose diet–induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The same effect was observed in genetically insulin-resistant KK-
A

y

mice, occurring in concert with activation of leptin-signaling pathway proteins, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Janus kinase 2. However, such an effect was not observed in leptin-deficient

ob/ob

mice. ATRA treatment significantly up-regulated leptin receptor (LEPR) expression in the livers of NAFLD mice. In agreement with these observations,

in vitro

experiments showed that in the presence of leptin, ATRA directly induced LEPR gene expression through RARα, resulting in enhancement of STAT3 and insulin-induced insulin receptor substrate 1 phosphorylation. A selective RARα/β agonist, Am80, also enhanced hepatic LEPR expression and STAT3 phosphorylation and ameliorated insulin resistance in KK-
A

y

mice.

Conclusion:

We discovered an unrecognized mechanism of retinoid action for the activation of hepatic leptin signaling, which resulted in enhanced insulin sensitivity in two mouse models of insulin resistance. Our data suggest that retinoids might have potential for treating NAFLD associated with insulin resistance. (Hepatology 2012)
Von Willebrand factor as new noninvasive predictor of portal hypertension, decompensation and mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis
Authors: Ferlitsch Monika , Reiberger Thomas , Hoke Matthias , Salzl Petra , Schwengerer Bernadette , Ulbrich Gregor , Payer Berit Anna , Trauner Michael , Peck-Radosavljevic Markus , Ferlitsch Arnulf
Published: April 2012

von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF-Ag) is elevated in patients with liver cirrhosis, but the clinical significance is unclear. We hypothesized that vWF-Ag levels may correlate with portal pressure, measured by hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), and predict clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH; HVPG ≥10 mmHg), decompensation and mortality. Portal hemodynamics were assessed by HVPG measurement, whereas vWF-Ag levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During follow-up, complications of liver cirrhosis, death or transplantation were recorded. Two hundred and eighty-six patients (205 male and 81 female; mean age, 56 years) with liver cirrhosis were included. vWF-Ag correlated with HVPG (r = 0.69;

P

< 0.0001) and predicted CSPH independently of Child Pugh score. Higher vWF-Ag levels were associated with varices (odds ratio [OR] = 3.27;

P

< 0.001), ascites (OR = 3.93;

P

< 0.001) and mortality (hazard ratio: 4.41;

P

< 0.001). Using a vWF-Ag cut-off value of ≥241%, the AUC for detection of CSPH in compensated patients was 0.85, with a positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 87% and 80%, respectively. Compensated patients had 25% mortality after 53 months if the vWF-Ag was <315% compared to 15 months in patients with vWF-Ag >315% (

P

< 0.001). Decompensated patients had a mortality of 25% after 37 and 7 months if their vWF-Ag was <315% and >315%, respectively (

P

= 0.002). In compensated patients with a vWF-Ag >315% median time to decompensation or death was 32 months compared with 59 months in patients with vWF-Ag <315%. vWF-Ag equals Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) in mortality prediction (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.71 for vWF-Ag versus AUC = 0.65 for MELD;

P

= 0.2).

Conclusion

: vWF-Ag is a new, simple and noninvasive predictor of CSPH. A vWF-Ag cut–off value at 315% can clearly stratify patients with compensated and decompensated liver cirrhosis in two groups with completely different survival. vWF-Ag may become a valuable marker for the prediction of mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis in clinical practice. (Hepatology 2012)
Progastrin overexpression imparts tumorigenic/metastatic potential to embryonic epithelial cells: Phenotypic differences between transformed and nontransformed stem cells
Authors: Sarkar Shubhashish , Kantara Carla , Ortiz Ixiu , Swiercz Rafal , Kuo Joyce , Davey Robert , Escobar Kenneth , Ullrich Robert , Singh Pomila
Published: April 2012

We recently reported that overexpression of progastrin (PG) in embryonic epithelial cells (HEKmGAS cells) increased proliferation of the cells compared to that of control HEKC cells. Here, we report the novel finding that tumorigenic and metastatic potential of HEKmGAS cells is also increased significantly compared to that of HEKC cells. Cell surface‐associated annexinA2 (CS‐ANXA2) binds PG and is overexpressed on cancer cells, allowing us to successfully use fluorescently labeled PG peptide for enumerating metastatic lesions of transformed/cancer cells in vivo. Next, we examined the hypothesis that increased tumorigenic/metastatic potential of isogenic HEKmGAS versus HEKC cells maybe due to transformed phenotype of stem cells. FACSorting/FACScanning of cells demonstrated significant increases in percent doublecortin‐CAM‐kinase‐like1 (DCLK1)/Lgr5‐positive stem cells, coexpressing cluster of differentiation44 (CD44)/CS‐ANXA2, in HEKmGAS versus HEKC cells. Distinct differences were noted in the morphology of HEKC versus HEKmGAS spheroidal growths on nonadherent cultures (selective for stem cells). HEKC spheroids were rounded with distinct perimeters (e.g., basement membranes), whereas HEKmGAS spheroids were amorphous with no perimeters. Relative levels of DCLK1/Lgr5/CD44 and ANXA2/β‐catenin/pNFκBp65/metalloproteinases were significantly increased in HEKmGAS versus HEKC cells, growing as monolayer cultures, 3D spheroids (in vitro), or xenografts (in vivo). Interestingly, HEKC cells enriched for CS‐ANXA2 developed amorphous spheroids, whereas downregulation of ANXA2 in HEKmGAS clones resulted in loss of matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs) and re‐formation of rounded spheroids, suggesting that high levels of CS‐ANXA2/MMPs may impact spheroid morphology. Downregulation of DCLK1 significantly attenuated activation of β‐catenin, with loss of proliferation of HEKmGAS and HEKC cells, suggesting that DCLK1 is required for maintaining proliferation of cells. Our results suggest the novel possibility that transformed stem cells, unlike nontransformed stem cells, coexpress stem cell markers DCLK1 and CD44 with CS‐ANXA2.
Can I help you? Physicians' expectations as predictor for treatment outcome
Authors: Witt C.M. , Martins F. , Willich S.N. , Schützler L.
Published: April 2012

Background

Patients' expectations of acupuncture treatment have widely been investigated; however, little focus has been on the physicians' expectations. We aimed to investigate (1) which patient characteristics lead to different expectations of physicians, and (2) whether physicians' expectations predict pain reduction and physical functioning in acupuncture and usual care treatment for chronic pain.

Methods

In four large multi‐centre, randomized trials patients with chronic pain were randomized to receive usual care alone or 10 additional acupuncture treatments. Data were pooled. Baseline characteristics of the three expectation groups were compared, and the physicians' expectation and its interaction with the treatment group were included in two linear regression models predicting pain reduction and change in physical functioning. Other patient characteristics were included for adjustment.

Results

9900 patients treated by 2781 physicians were analysed. Age, education and disease‐related variables differed in the expectation groups. There was no interaction between treatment group and expectation. Patients, for whom the physicians had expected substantial improvement, showed more pain reduction (p < 0.001) and better physical functioning (p < 0.001) than patients for whom moderate improvement was expected. No significant differences were found between expected moderate and expected lack of success. However, the proportion of explained variance that was due to physicians' expectations was small considering total explained variance.

Conclusions

Physicians' high expectations at baseline predict better outcome, independent of the treatment. Since we adjusted for several patient variables including duration and severity of disease, this cannot be explained by prognostic factors only. Other explanations are discussed and recommended for future research.
In vitro assessment of poly(methylmethacrylate)‐based bone cement containing magnetite nanoparticles for hyperthermia treatment of bone tumor
Authors: Li Zhixia , Kawamura Koki , Kawashita Masakazu , Kudo Tada‐aki , Kanetaka Hiroyasu , Hiraoka Masahiro
Published: April 2012

Poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)‐based cements containing magnetite (C‐PMMA/Fe3O4) is useful in hyperthermia treatment for bone tumor. We have prepared C‐PMMA/Fe3O4 by incorporating Fe3O4 powders of different diameters (means of 300, 35, and 11 nm) into the polymerization reaction of methyl methacrylate monomer to develop a new bone cement with high heating efficiencies in alternating current (AC) magnetic fields. Further, we have investigated the in vitro heating capability of the cements in different AC magnetic fields. The mechanical strength and biocompatibility of the resultant cements were also assessed. Their heat generation strongly depends on the magnetite nanoparticle sizes and applied magnetic fields. The cement containing Fe3O4 with mean diameter around 35 nm exhibited the highest heating capability in AC magnetic fields of 120 and 300 Oe at 100 kHz while that with mean diameter around 11 nm exhibited optimum heating capability in AC magnetic fields of 40 Oe at 600 kHz. The incorporation of Fe3O4 into cement—30 wt % of the total amount of cement—did not significantly change the compressive strength of cement, and the proliferation of rat fibroblast Rat‐1 cells on cement discs was not inhibited. Our investigations are useful for designing new PMMA/Fe3O4 bone cement with high heating efficiencies and biocompatibilities for bone tumor treatments. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 100A:2537–2545, 2012.
On the biocompatibility between TiO2 nanotubes layer and human osteoblasts
Authors: Portan Diana V. , Kroustalli Anthi A. , Deligianni Despina D. , Papanicolaou George C.
Published: April 2012

Titanium and its alloys are the most popular biomaterials replacing hard tissues in implant surgeries. Clinicians are generally pleased by titanium mechanical properties and non‐toxicity performances; on the other hand, there have been reported several cases of titanium implantation failure, phenomenon explained sometimes as “non adherence of human tissue to the metallic surface.” Yet, researchers reported that titanium surfaces are favorable for osteoblasts adhesion. Therefore, titanium integration into the human body remains an unsolved problem. In the present study, biocompatibility tests were performed on titanium and TiO2 nanotubes substrates, involving human bone marrow cells. The combination of a newly developed analytical model based on the hybrid interphase concept, applicable to systems consisting of inert materials when in contact with living tissues, together with experimental results, confirmed previous research studies and lead to the conclusion that osteoblasts adhere efficiently to titanium surfaces. However, the present results suggest that osteoblasts strong anchorage at the very first moment of their contact with the metallic material leads to their apoptosis. It is most probable that in several cases this is the reason of failed implantation surgeries involving titanium. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 100A:2546–2553, 2012.
Tubular perfusion system culture of human mesenchymal stem cells on poly‐L‐lactic acid scaffolds produced using a supercritical carbon dioxide‐assisted process
Authors: Pisanti Paola , Yeatts Andrew B. , Cardea Stefano , Fisher John P. , Reverchon Ernesto
Published: April 2012

In vitro human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) proliferation and differentiation is dependent on scaffold design parameters and specific culture conditions. In this study, we investigate how scaffold microstructure influences hMSC behavior in a perfusion bioreactor system. Poly‐L‐lactic acid (PLLA) scaffolds are fabricated using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‐CO2) gel drying. This production method results in scaffolds fabricated with nanostructure. To introduce a microporous structure, porogen leaching was used in addition to this technique to produce scaffolds of average pore size of 100, 250, and 500 μm. These scaffolds were then cultured in static culture in well plates or dynamic culture in the tubular perfusion system (TPS) bioreactor. Results indicated that hMSCs were able to attach and maintain viability on all scaffolds with higher proliferation in the 250 μm and 500 μm pore sizes of bioreactor cultured scaffolds and 100 μm pore size of statically cultured scaffolds. Osteoblastic differentiation was enhanced in TPS culture as compared to static culture with the highest alkaline phosphatase expression observed in the 250 μm pore size group. Bone morphogenetic protein‐2 was also analyzed and expression levels were highest in the 250 μm and 500 μm pore size bioreactor cultured samples. These results demonstrate cellular response to pore size as well as the ability of dynamic culture to enhance these effects. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 100A:2563–2572, 2012.
Liquid‐phase laser process for simple and area‐specific calcium phosphate coating
Authors: Oyane Ayako , Sakamaki Ikuko , Shimizu Yoshiki , Kawaguchi Kenji , Koshizaki Naoto
Published: April 2012

Simple, mild, and area‐specific calcium phosphate (CaP) coating techniques are useful for the production and surface modification of biomaterials. In this study, an area‐specific CaP coating technique for polymer substrates was successfully developed using a liquid‐phase laser process. In the proposed method, Nd–YAG laser light (355 nm, 30 Hz, and 1–3 W) irradiated an ethylene‐vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) substrate immersed in a supersaturated CaP solution for various periods of time (up to 30 min). The CaP‐forming ability increased with an increase in the laser power and irradiation period. At the optimal laser power (3 W), a continuous CaP layer formed within 30 min on the laser‐irradiated surface of the EVOH substrate. The formation of CaP was attributed to laser absorption by the EVOH substrate, which promoted the surface modification of EVOH and an increase in the temperature of the solution near the surface of the substrate. The resulting CaP coating showed better cell adhesion property than the naked EVOH substrate. The proposed CaP coating technique is simple (quick and single step) and area specific. Furthermore, the present process is carried out under mild conditions, that is, at normal pressures and temperatures in a safe aqueous medium. These are significant advantages of the proposed CaP coating technique. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 100A:2573–2580, 2012.
Vacuum‐assisted infiltration of chitosan or polycaprolactone as a structural reinforcement for sintered cancellous bovine bone graft
Authors: Laird Dougal F. , Mucalo Michael R. , Dias George J.
Published: April 2012

Sintered cancellous bovine bone (SCBB) offers numerous advantages as a bone graft substitute material; however, its mechanical properties require improvement. In this study, SCBB was infiltrated with ε‐polycaprolactone (PCL) or chitosan/monetite to improve mechanical properties while retaining valuable SCBB structure. Organic infiltrating solutions consisted of (i) chitosan and monetite (CaHPO4) dissolved in hydrochloric acid; (ii) chitosan, monetite (CaHPO4), and genipin dissolved in hydrochloric acid; or (iii) PCL polymer dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF). Porous SCBB materials were infiltrated with one of the three solutions using vacuum‐assisted infiltration. Chitosan and CaHPO4 were immobilized in the SCBB structure by reprecipitation following a pH increase in an ammonia atmosphere. Genipin was used in one sample group to immobilize chitosan via crosslinking. PCL was immobilized by evaporating the THF carrier solvent. Mechanical compression testing showed an improvement in ultimate stress for the SCBB with chitosan/CaHPO4 infiltrates, whereas PCL samples showed an increase in modulus. All SCBB samples were found to demonstrate favorable in vitro biocompatibility when subjected to L929 mouse fibroblast cells but required a vigorous washing regime to eradicate toxic ammonia residue. In conclusion, infiltration of SCBB with a polymeric or organic/mineral composite matrix positively modifies SCBB mechanical properties in favor of bone grafting applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A 100A:2581–2592, 2012.
Blood banking and transfusion medicine for the apheresis medicine practitioner
Authors: Jeffus Susanne , Wehrli Gay
Published: April 2012

This article provides a concise overview of blood banking and transfusion medicine (BBTM) for the therapeutic apheresis medicine practitioner. It addresses the complete pathway from blood donor qualification to blood collection, to processing and storing blood components, to patient testing, to ordering blood components for therapeutic apheresis (TA) procedures, to preparing the component for transfusion, and finally to transfusion. The nurses, technologists, and physicians orchestrate these activities in concert to best serve patients undergoing TA procedures. Enhancing knowledge of these processes may improve the quality of patient care and the utilization of blood products. J. Clin. Apheresis 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ultrastructural alterations in colon absorptive cells of alloxan‐induced diabetic rats submitted to long‐term physical training
Authors: Remedio Rafael N. , Barbosa Rodrigo A. , Castellar Alexandre , Gomes Ricardo J. , Caetano Flávio H.
Published: April 2012

Absorptive cells have notable importance for proper function of the colon, absorbing water and nutrients. In type I diabetes, hyperglycemia leads to remarkable alterations in cell structure. In absorptive cells, such changes may impair the function of the organ as a whole. Also, the effects of physical training, which plays crucial role in the treatment of diabetes, are not yet known in these cells. For this reason, to analyze the changes in colon epithelial absorptive cells of diabetic rats and the effects of physical training, Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sedentary control (SC), trained control (TC), sedentary diabetic (SD), and trained diabetic (TD). The training protocol consisted of swimming for 60 min a day, 5 days per week, during 8 weeks. Colon samples were collected, processed, and evaluated by histochemical and ultrastructural techniques. Although histochemical analysis did not reveal major differences, significant morphological differences were ultrastructurally observed among groups, especially related to the structure of tight junctions, interdigitations, and microvilli, which became longer in diabetics, and whose length was reduced after physical training, as proved by statistical analysis. There were no relevant changes in organelles. Thus, the development of type I diabetes can lead to changes at ultrastructural level that, even subtle, may cause important alterations in cell function. The practice of physical training, in turn, proved to be an important ally in the treatment of such changes. However, it cannot be used singly for treating this disease, requiring the combined practice of other methods. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Software for drift compensation, particle tracking and particle analysis of high‐speed atomic force microscopy image series
Authors: Husain Mohamed , Boudier Thomas , Paul‐Gilloteaux Perrine , Casuso Ignacio , Scheuring Simon
Published: April 2012

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) image acquisition is performed by raster‐scanning a faint tip with respect to the sample by the use of a piezoelectric stage that is guided by a feedback system. This process implies that the resulting images feature particularities that distinguish them from images acquired by other techniques, such as the drift of the piezoelectric elements, the unequal image contrast along the fast‐ and the slow‐scan axes, the physical contact between the tip of nondefinable geometry and the sample, and the feedback parameters. Recently, high‐speed AFM (HS‐AFM) has been introduced, which allows image acquisition about three orders of magnitude faster (500–100 ms frame rate) than conventional AFM (500 s to 100 s frame rate). HS‐AFM produces image sequences, large data sets, which report biological sample dynamics. To analyze these movies, we have developed a software package that (i) adjusts individual scan lines and images to a common contrast and z‐scale, (ii) filters specifically those scan lines where increased or insufficient force was applied, (iii) corrects for piezo‐scanner drift, (iv) defines particle localization and angular orientation, and (v) performs particle tracking to analyze the lateral and rotation displacement of single molecules. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Early adhesion of human mesenchymal stem cells on TiO2 surfaces studied by single‐cell force spectroscopy measurements
Authors: Bertoncini P. , Le Chevalier S. , Lavenus S. , Layrolle P. , Louarn G.
Published: April 2012

Understanding the interactions involved in the adhesion of living cells on surfaces is essential in the field of tissue engineering and biomaterials. In this study, we investigate the early adhesion of living human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on flat titanium dioxide (TiO2) and on nanoporous crystallized TiO2 surfaces with the use of atomic force microscopy‐based single‐cell force spectroscopy measurements. The choice of the substrate surfaces was motivated by the fact that implants widely used in orthopaedic and dental surgery are made in Ti and its alloys. Nanoporous TiO2 surfaces were produced by anodization of Ti surfaces. In a typical force spectroscopy experiment, one living hMSC, immobilized onto a fibronectine‐functionalized tipless lever is brought in contact with the surface of interest for 30 s before being detached while recording force‐distance curves. Adhesion of hMSCs on nanoporous TiO2 substrates having inner pore diameter of 45 nm was lower by approximately 25% than on TiO2 flat surfaces. Force–distance curves exhibited also force steps that can be related to the pulling of membrane tethers from the cell membrane. The mean force step was equal to 35 pN for a given speed independently of the substrate surface probed. The number of tethers observed was substrate dependent. Our results suggest that the strength of the initial adhesion between hMSCs and flat or nanoporous TiO2 surfaces is driven by the adsorption of proteins deposited from serum in the culture media. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of trace indium in urine after preconcentration with a chelating‐resin‐packed minicolumn
Authors: Liu Hui‐Ming , Chang Ching‐Yao , Wu Chia‐Chan , Wei Jian‐Ming , Chen Wei‐Yu , Yeh Cheng‐Tsung
Published: April 2012

A simple and rapid chelating‐resin‐packed column has been developed for preconcentration of trace indium in biological samples. A large‐sized urine sample was pumped through a minicolumn at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min by using a peristaltic pump, and the eluents were analyzed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Four commercially available chelating resins including Chelex‐100, Amberlite IRC‐50, Duolite GT‐73, and Celite 545‐AW were studied for evaluating the indium sorption performance. Several parameters, such as pH, resin amount, eluent volume, eluent flow rate, and the volume of sample, were investigated and optimized. A 100–200 mL of the sample was loaded into a column containing 1.2 g of wet Chelex‐100 and subjected to the ion‐exchange procedure. The retained analytes were eluted with 5.0 mL of 0.1 M HNO3 and quantified by GFAAS. The correlation coefficient in the range 10–250 ng/mL was of 0.9994. The limit of detection of the proposed method was 2.75 ng/mL. The method developed was successfully applied to analysis of spiked urine samples with good recoveries of 93–103% (n = 6) and reproducibility (relative standard deviation < 4.9%). The accuracy of procedure was confirmed by indium determination in spiked certified reference materials.
Analysis of Network Activities in Geoparks as Geotourism Destinations
Authors: Farsani Neda T. , Coelho Celeste O. A. , Costa Carlos M. M.
Published: April 2012

Geoparks as an innovation for the protection of natural and geological heritage play an important role in the development of geotourism and knowledge exchange. The European Geopark Network and the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network have introduced geotourism as one of the main target for geoparks in parallel with conservation and education. For that purpose, it is crucial to apply the network concept to geotourism activities. This paper is aimed at analysing network activity between geoparks and evaluating the connectivity rate of the Global Geoparks Network and the European Geoparks Network. It was concluded that UNESCO Global Geoparks Network and European Geoparks Network have concentrated their network activities on the areas of meetings, conferences and exchange of knowledge. Moreover, the authorities of geoparks have attempted a development of tourism marketing in their territory. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human papillomavirus DNA strongly correlates with a poorer prognosis in oral cavity carcinoma
Authors: Duray Anaëlle , Descamps Géraldine , Decaestecker Christine , Remmelink Myriam , Sirtaine Nicolas , Lechien Jérôme , Ernoux‐Neufcoeur Perle , Bletard Noëlla , Somja Joan , Depuydt Christophe E. , Delvenne Philippe , Saussez Sven
Published: April 2012

Objectives/Hypothesis:

The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a clinical series of 162 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) was studied. Furthermore, we analyzed the correlation between the immunohistochemical expression of p16, p53, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and HPV status to predict survival in OSCC patients.

Study Design:

Retrospective study.

Methods:

Paraffin‐embedded samples from OSCC patients (n = 162) were evaluated for the presence of HPV DNA using both GP5+/GP6+ consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and type‐specific E6/E7 PCR to detect HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 67, and 68. Immunohistochemical staining for p16, p53, and EGFR was also performed.

Results:

The type‐specific E6/E7 PCR demonstrated that 65 of the 147 OSCC patients (44%) presented with high‐risk (hr) HPV types and that 38 of the 147 OSCC patients (26%) presented with low‐risk (lr) HPV types. Comparable p53 and EGFR expression levels were observed in the hr HPV+ group (41.5% p53+, 92% EGFR+) and the lr HPV+ group (57% p53+, 92% EGFR+). Conversely, a slight increase in the proportion of p16+ tumors was observed in the hr HPV+ group (65%) compared with the lr HPV+ group (44%). In regard to patient outcome, the presence of HPV was correlated with a worse prognosis (P = .007).

Conclusions:

A high prevalence of hr and lr HPV infections was detected in the OSCC patients included in the study. Moreover, hr HPV positivity was correlated with a decreased 5‐year disease‐free survival rate compared with HPV− and lr HPV+.
Dynamic and Transient Shear Start‐Up Flow Experiments for Analyzing Nanoclay Localization in PP/PET Blends: Correlation with Microstructure
Authors: Entezam Mehdi , Khonakdar Hossein Ali , Yousefi Ali Akbar , Jafari Seyed Hassan , Wagenknecht Udo , Heinrich Gert
Published: April 2012

Dynamic and transient shear start‐up flow experiments along with TEM, WAXS, and SEM analyses are performed on PP/PET blends and nanocomposites. The TEM results along with a theoretical analysis based on a thermodynamic model reveal that the clay particles are mainly localized in the PET phase. The localization of nanoclay in PET as the matrix phase leads to a refinement of morphology. The localization of clay is also studied by analyzing changes in complex viscosity and storage modulus in oscillation mode as well as the changes in power law index obtained from steady‐state and transient shear start‐up flow experiments. The changes in the rheological behavior of the blends are attributed to formation of clay network‐like structures.

magnified image
Diffusion sensitivity of turbo spin echo sequences
Authors: Weigel Matthias , Hennig Jürgen
Published: April 2012

This article introduces an effective b‐factor bTSE for turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences to quantify their inherent diffusion sensitivity. bTSE is investigated for a broad variety of two‐dimensional‐ and three‐dimensional‐TSE sequences using constant and varying flip angles (transitions between pseudo steady states, SPACE, VISTA, Cube, etc.). The inherent TSE diffusion sensitivity becomes important for high‐resolution protocols, which can lead to subtle contrast modifications or even fluid suppressions in a clinical setting or animal imaging regime. The bTSE values obtained considerably depend on the relaxation times and diffusion coefficient and, thus, on the tissue under observation. The fractional bTSE contributions per TSE imaging encoding axis are highly anisotropic. Further noteworthy effects such as decreasing b‐factors along a TSE train are pointed out and explained. The results are also discussed in combination with recent findings regarding contrast properties and possible diffusion sensitivity of TSE sequences. Identical but well more pronounced bTSE effects are observed in the animal imaging regime due to smaller field of view and higher resolutions. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Risk factors and outcome of ventilator associated tracheitis (VAT) in pediatric trauma patients
Authors: Mhanna Maroun J. , Elsheikh Ibrahim S. , Super Dennis M.
Published: April 2012

We sought to investigate the risk factors and outcome of Ventilator Associated Tracheitis (VAT) according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) definition in pediatric trauma patients who were ventilated for ≥48 hr. In a retrospective cohort study, medical records of all pediatric trauma patients admitted to our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) between April 2002 and April 2007 were reviewed. Medical records were reviewed for patients' demographics, Trauma Injury Severity Score (TISS), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), type of trauma, and other potential risk factors prior to the development of VAT (such as hyperglycemia, rate of re‐intubation and tracheotomy, presence of chest tubes and central lines, urinary tract infection, seizures, need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, use of total parental nutrition, transfusion, use of H2 blockers, steroids, and pressors/inotropes). Medical records were also reviewed for days of mechanical ventilation, PICU length of stay, and PICU mortality. During the study period, 217 trauma patients were admitted to the PICU, 113 patients met our inclusion criteria and 21.2% (24/113) developed VAT. On average patients with VAT (in comparison to patients without VAT), had a higher TISS score on admission [38.6 ± 16.9 vs. 24.2 ± 10.6; respectively (P < 0.01)], longer days of ventilation and PICU length of stay [11.5 ± 6.2 vs. 3.7 ± 2.3 days (P < 0.001) and 16.4 ± 8.3 vs. 5.4 ± 2.8 days (P < 0.001), respectively]. There was no difference in mortality between the two groups. In a logistic regression model adjusting for possible confounders, the TISS score (adjusted OR 7.53; CI: 2.01–28.14; P = 0.03 and use of pressors/inotropes (adjusted OR 4.64; CI: 1.28–16.86; P = 0.01) were the only independent risk factors associated with VAT. We conclude that the severity of illness and use of pressors/inotropes are associated with VAT in pediatric trauma patients. We also conclude that VAT is associated with an increase in days of mechanical ventilation and PICU length of stay in pediatric trauma patients. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:176–181. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Self-similarity in coupled Brinkman/Navier–Stokes flows
Authors: Battiato Ilenia
Published: April 2012

In this paper we derive self-similar solutions of flows through both a porous medium and a pure fluid. Self-similar filtration velocity and hydrodynamic shear profiles are obtained by means of asymptotic analysis in the limit of infinitely small permeability, and for both laminar and turbulent regimes over the porous medium. We show that a spatial length scale, related to the porous layer thickness, naturally emerges from the limiting process and suggests a more formal definition of thick and thin porous media. We finally specialize the analysis to porous media constituted of patterned cylindrical obstacles, which can freely deflect under the aerodynamic shear exerted by the fluid flowing through and over the forest. A self-similar solution for the bending profile of the elastic cylindrical obstacles is obtained as intermediate asymptotics, and applied to carbon nanotube (CNT) forests’ response to aerodynamic stresses. This self-similar solution is successfully used to estimate flexural rigidity of CNTs by linear fit of appropriately rescaled maximum deflection and average velocity measurements.
All Natural Right Is Changeable: Aristotelian Natural Right, Prudence, and the Specter of Exceptionalism
Authors: Roberts William Clare
Published: April 2012

In his recent book on Strauss, Steven B. Smith has called attention to “a curiously neglected passage from the very center ofNatural Right and History,” a passage in which Strauss “acknowledges the way political decisions grow out of concrete situations and cannot be deduced from a priori rules.” The passage reads:

Let us call an extreme situation a situation in which the very existence or independence of a society is at stake. In extreme situations there may be conflicts between what the self-preservation of society requires and the requirements of commutative and distributive justice. In such situations,and only in such situations, it can justly be said that the public safety is the highest law. A decent society will not go to war except for a just cause. But what it will do during a war will depend to a certain extent on what the enemy—possibly an absolutely unscrupulous and savage enemy—forces it to do. There are no limits which can be defined in advance, there are no assignable limits to what might become just reprisals.
Public Reason and Political Action: Justifying Citizen Behavior in Actually Existing Democracies
Authors: Stears Marc , Humphrey Mathew
Published: April 2012

Political theorists seeking to respond to public concerns about citizen behavior in democratic politics might turn to the literature on public reason. Within that literature, idealized citizens are expected to abide by what we call the “public-reason-giving requirement” when engaging in political acts. Here we examine what the doctrine of public reason has to say to political actors in nonideal democratic circumstances. We find that the recommendations for actual behavior in this literature rely heavily upon a forward- and backward-looking “Janus-faced” justification, focused on the way in which non-reason-giving political actions have or could serve the long-term interests of public reason itself. Through a critical evaluation of this idea we suggest that public reason has nothing meaningful to say to contemporary political actors. This, we maintain, is a serious flaw in a putative standard for political behavior and thus the liberal commitment to “public reason” under nonideal circumstances is misplaced.
Methodological Reflections on Typologies for Numerical Notations
Authors: Widom Theodore Reed , Schlimm Dirk
Published: April 2012

Argument

Past and present societies world-wide have employed well over 100 distinct notational systems for representing natural numbers, some of which continue to play a crucial role in intellectual and cultural development today. The diversity of these notations has prompted the need for classificatory schemes, or typologies, to provide a systematic starting point for their discussion and appraisal. The present paper provides a general framework for assessing the efficacy of these typologies relative to certain desiderata, and it uses this framework to discuss the two influential typologies of Zhang & Norman and Chrisomalis. Following this, a new typology is presented that takes as its starting point the principles by which numerical notations represent multipliers (the principles of cumulation and cipherization), and bases (those of integration, parsing, and positionality). Many different examples show that this new typology provides a more refined classification of numerical notations than the ones put forward previously. In addition, the framework provided here can be used to assess typologies not only of numerical notations, but also of many other domains.
The Role of Hypotheses in Biomechanical Research
Authors: Rowbottom Darrell P. , Alexander R. McNeill
Published: April 2012

Argument

This paper investigates whether there is a discrepancy between stated and actual aims in biomechanical research, particularly with respect to hypothesis testing. We present an analysis of one hundred papers recently published inThe Journal of Experimental BiologyandJournal of Biomechanics, and examine the prevalence of papers which (a) have hypothesis testing as a stated aim, (b) contain hypothesis testing claims that appear to be purely presentational (i.e. which seem not to have influenced the actual study), and (c) have exploration as a stated aim. We found that whereas no papers had exploration as a stated aim, 58 per cent of papers had hypothesis testing as a stated aim. We had strong suspicions, at the bare minimum, that presentational hypotheses were present in 31 per cent of the papers in this latter group.
A Sense of Mission: The Alfred P. Sloan and Russell Sage Foundations' Behavioral Economics Program, 1984–1992
Authors: Heukelom Floris
Published: April 2012

Argument

The main contribution of the Alfred P. Sloan and Russell Sage Foundations' behavioral economics program (1984–1992) was not the resources it provided, which were relatively modest. Instead, the program's contribution lay in catalyzing “a sense of mission” in the collaboration between psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, economist Richard Thaler, and their associates. Partly this reflected the common strategy of American foundations to pick an individual or small group of scientists and stick with them until scientific success had been achieved. But moreover, it was a consequence of the careful management of the program's director Eric Wanner. The various actors involved in the behavioral economics program constructed a new behavioral economic sub-discipline in economics by tapping into existing missionary sentiments in the economic and psychological disciplines, while at the same time actively shaping this sense of mission.
Protection of Cultural Goods— Economics of Identity
Authors: Bicskei Marianna , Bizer Kilian , Gubaydullina Zulia
Published: April 2012

This article addresses the current international debate on the protection of cultural goods. Whereas some groups (such as indigenous peoples) are arguing for the creation of cultural property rights analogous to classic intellectual property rights such as patent and copyright, most industrialized countries advocate to keep cultural goods within the public domain. In this article, we develop an economic perspective based on identity and clarify the question of which cultural goods should be protected, regulated, or left in the public domain. We conclude that protection based on the concept of identity is required for a very limited scope of cultural goods.
Essentialism, Externalism, and Human Nature
Authors: Cain M.J.
Published: April 2012

Psychological essentialism is a prominent view within contemporary developmental psychology and cognitive science according to which children have an innate commitment to essentialism. If this view is correct then a commitment to essentialism is an important aspect of human nature rather than a culturally specific commitment peculiar to those who have received a specific philosophical or scientific education. In this article my concern is to explore the philosophical significance of psychological essentialism with respect to the relationship between the content of our concepts and thoughts and the nature of the extra-cranial world. I will argue that, despite first appearances, psychological essentialism undermines a form of externalism that has become commonplace in the philosophy of mind and language.
Can Evolutionary Biology do Without Aristotelian Essentialism?
Authors: Boulter Stephen J.
Published: April 2012

It is usually maintained by biologists and philosophers alike that essentialism is incompatible with evolutionary biology, and that abandoning essentialism was a precondition of progress being made in the biological sciences. These claims pose a problem for anyone familiar with both evolutionary biology and current metaphysics. Very few current scientific theories enjoy the prestige of evolutionary biology. But essentialism – long in the bad books amongst both biologists and philosophers – has been enjoying a strong resurgence of late amongst analytical philosophers with a taste for metaphysics. Indeed, to impartial observers it is likely to appear that both evolutionary biology and essentialism are as well supported in their respective domains as could reasonably be expected. There is thus at least a prima facie tension here between evolutionary biology, metaphysics (of a reputable sort) and, as we shall see, pre-theoretical common sense.
The Sceptical Beast in the Beastly Sceptic: Human Nature in Hume
Authors: Kail P.J.E
Published: April 2012

David Hume's most brilliant and ambitious work is entitledA Treatise of Human Nature, and it, together with his other writings, has left an indelible mark on philosophical conceptions of human nature. So it is not merely the title of Hume's work that makes discussion of it an appropriate inclusion to this volume, but the fact of its sheer influence. However, its pattern of influence – including, of course, the formulations of ideas consciously antithetical Hume's own – is an immensely complex one, subtle and incredibly difficult to decode. In all probability ‘Hume's’ presence in contemporary thinking of human nature is to likened to the end product of a historiographical game of Chinese whispers, whereby ‘Hume's’ view onxandyis now inflected with interpretations his work – or, more accurately, selected parts of it – that are in turn filtered by thinkers and traditions with different focuses and interest from Hume's own. I am not equipped even to begin to trace this line of influence, a lack compounded by my relative ignorance of the present state of the debate on human nature. Nevetheless various ‘humean’ doctrines still orient debate (even if they aren't labelled as such) and I guess these claims include the idea that causation is a matter of instantiating a universal regularity, that normativity can understood causally, that motivation is a matter of belief plus some independently intelligibly ‘attitude’, that a self is best conceived as a collection of independent states that (somehow) combine to yield a self and so on.
From climate and society to weather and landscape
Authors: Pillatt Toby
Published: April 2012

This article asks whether there is a role for weather in archaeological narratives. In archaeology, ideas of weather have been expressed almost solely through the aggregated measure of climate. A number of theoretical and practical problems arise from this, specifically in questioning how climatic change can be related to social change. The article reviews how other disciplines have developed a sense of climate that is more embedded in the human experience of landscape. A case study of a township in Cumbria uses the inhabited perspectives of two 18th-century diarists to explore how we might develop and apply these ideas in an archaeological context. The conclusion outlines some of the challenges for future research, arguing that we should consider weather as a material condition of the landscape – something as much open to archaeological investigation as any other aspect of the past.
Weathering climate change. The value of social memory and ecological knowledge
Authors: Cooper Jago
Published: April 2012

Pillatt's research provides exactly the type of critique needed to stimulate debate surrounding the role of archaeology and history in climate studies. The perceptive micro-scale deconstruction of weather, landscape and people in early modern Mosser highlights the precarious disjuncture between the human experience of weather and the processes of climate variability. However, I am certainly a lot more optimistic and positive about the role that archaeology and history have to play in this debate and will perhaps provide a more macro-scale contribution to this particular archaeological dialogue. I would argue that the time-depth of human experience will always be essential in offering context and understanding to individual weather events and longer-term climate variability.