bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases in canine lymphoma: in vivo and in vitro study
Authors: Aricò Arianna , Giantin Mery , Gelain Maria Elena , Riondato Fulvio , Comazzi Stefano , Rütgen Barbara C , Essler Sabine E , Dacasto Mauro , Castagnaro Massimo , Aresu Luca
Published: May 2013

Background

Canine lymphoma represents the most frequent haematopoietic cancer and it shares some similarities with human non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play a coordinated role during invasion and proliferation of malignant cells; however, little is known about their role in canine haematologic malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA and protein expression of VEGF and the most relevant MMPs in canine lymphoma. Lymph node aspirates from 26 B-cell and 21 T-cell lymphomas were collected. The protein expression levels of MMP-9, MMP-2 and VEGF-A were evaluated by immunocytochemistry, and the mRNA levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, RECK, VEGF-A and VEGF-164 were measured using quantitative RT-PCR.

Results

MT1-MMP, TIMP-1 and RECK mRNA levels were significantly higher in T-cell lymphomas than in B-cell lymphomas. Higher mRNA and protein levels of MMP-9 and VEGF-A were observed in T-cell lymphomas than in B-cell lymphomas and healthy control lymph nodes. A positive correlation was found between MMP-9 and VEGF-A in T-cell lymphomas. Moreover, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1 and VEGF-A were expressed at the highest levels in high-grade T-cell lymphomas.

Conclusions

This study provides new information on the expression of different MMPs and VEGF in canine lymphoma, suggesting a possible correlation between different MMPs and VEGF, immunophenotype and prognosis.
Correlation of the oxygen radical activity and antioxidants and severity in critically ill surgical patients – study protocol
Authors: Shim Hongjin , Jang Ji Young , Lee Seung Hwan , Lee Jae Gil
Published: May 2013

Background

Surgical patients who require an emergent operation commonly have severe sepsis or septic shock, followed by high morbidity and mortality rates.

Despite advances in treatment however, no predictable markers are available. In severe sepsis, many pathophysiologic mechanisms are involved in progression to organ failure, and oxygen free radical and antioxidants are known to contribute to this process. Oxygen free radical and antioxidants contribute to progression of organ failure in severe sepsis. In fact, oxygen radical activity has been reported to be correlated with disease severity and prognosis in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Accordingly, we aim to assess the usefulness of oxygen free radical and antioxidant concentrations to predict the disease severity and mortality in a cohort of critically ill surgical patients.

Methods/Design

This is a prospective observation study including patient demographic characteristics, clinical information, blood sampling/serum oxygen radical activity, serum antioxidant activity, serum antioxidant concentrations (zinc, selenium and glutamate), disease severity scores, outcomes, lengths of stay in intensive care unit, hospital 30-day mortality.
Optimization of human corneal endothelial cell culture: density dependency of successful cultures in vitro
Authors: Peh Gary SL , Toh Kah-Peng , Ang Heng-Pei , Seah Xin-Yi , George Benjamin L , Mehta Jodhbir S
Published: May 2013

Background

Global shortage of donor corneas greatly restricts the numbers of corneal transplantations performed yearly. Limited ex vivo expansion of primary human corneal endothelial cells is possible, and a considerable clinical interest exists for development of tissue-engineered constructs using cultivated corneal endothelial cells. The objective of this study was to investigate the density-dependent growth of human corneal endothelial cells isolated from paired donor corneas and to elucidate an optimal seeding density for their extended expansion in vitro whilst maintaining their unique cellular morphology.

Results

Established primary human corneal endothelial cells were propagated to the second passage (P2) before they were utilized for this study. Confluent P2 cells were dissociated and seeded at four seeding densities: 2,500 cells per cm2 (‘LOW’); 5,000 cells per cm2 (‘MID’); 10,000 cells per cm2 (‘HIGH’); and 20,000 cells per cm2 (‘HIGH×2’), and subsequently analyzed for their propensity to proliferate. They were also subjected to morphometric analyses comparing cell sizes, coefficient of variance, as well as cell circularity when each culture became confluent. At the two lower densities, proliferation rates were higher than cells seeded at higher densities, though not statistically significant. However, corneal endothelial cells seeded at lower densities were significantly larger in size, heterogeneous in shape and less circular (fibroblastic-like), and remained hypertrophic after one month in culture. Comparatively, cells seeded at higher densities were significantly homogeneous, compact and circular at confluence. Potentially, at an optimal seeding density of 10,000 cells per cm2, it is possible to obtain between 10 million to 25 million cells at the third passage. More importantly, these expanded human corneal endothelial cells retained their unique cellular morphology.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated a density dependency in the culture of primary human corneal endothelial cells. Sub-optimal seeding density results in a decrease in cell saturation density, as well as a loss in their proliferative potential. As such, we propose a seeding density of not less than 10,000 cells per cm2 for regular passage of primary human corneal endothelial cells.
Meropenem and piperacillin/tazobactam prescribing in critically ill patients: does augmented renal clearance affect pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target attainment when extended infusions are used?
Authors: Carlier Mieke , Carrette Sofie , Roberts Jason A , Stove Veronique , Verstraete Alain , Hoste Eric , Depuydt Pieter , Decruyenaere Johan , Lipman Jeffrey , Wallis Steven C , De Waele Jan J
Published: May 2013

Background

Correct antibiotic dosing remains a challenge for the clinician. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of augmented renal clearance on pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target attainment in critically ill patients receiving meropenem or piperacillin/tazobactam, administered as an extended infusion.

Methods

This was a prospective, observational, pharmacokinetic study executed at the medical and surgical intensive care unit at a large academic medical center. Elegible patients were adult patients without renal dysfunction receiving meropenem or piperacillin/tazobactam as an extended infusion. Serial blood samples were collected to describe the antibiotic pharmacokinetics. Urine samples were taken from a 24-hour collection to measure creatinine clearance. Relevant data were drawn from the electronic patient file and the intensive care information system.

Results

We obtained data from 61 patients and observed extensive pharmacokinetic variability. Forty-eight percent of the patients did not achieve the desired pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target (100% f T>MIC), of which almost 80% had a measured creatinine clearance >130 mL/min. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that high creatinine clearance was an independent predictor of not achieving the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target. Seven out of nineteen patients (37%) displaying a creatinine clearance >130 mL/min did not achieve the minimum pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target of 50% f T>MIC.

Conclusions

In this large patient cohort, we observed significant variability in pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target attainment in critically ill patients. A large proportion of the patients without renal dysfunction, most of whom displayed a creatinine clearance >130 mL/min, did not achieve the desired pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target, even with the use of alternative administration methods. Consequently, these patients may be at risk for treatment failure without dose up-titration.
Surface Motions on Near-Distance Rock Sites in the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake
Authors: Anderson John G.
Published: May 2013

This paper selects several sites intended to represent relatively undistorted rock motions just inland from the faulting in the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake. Sites were selected for relatively high values of VS30 and for absence of strong site resonances. At these sites, ground motions at the surface were moderate, with peak accelerations of up to ∼330 cm/s2 and peak velocities up to ∼45 cm/s. Although moderate, these records imply that the strong motion generating area of the Tohoku earthquake was as much as ten times more energetic than the 1985 Michoacan earthquake, for which ground motions on rock were recorded above a strong motion generating area. These results suggest that a wide range of source parameters can occur in subduction zone earthquakes.
Overview of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami Damage and Its Relation to Coastal Protection along the Sanriku Coast
Authors: Mori Nobuhito , Cox Daniel T. , Yasuda Tomohiro , Mase Hajime
Published: May 2013

At 14:46 local time on 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred off the coast of northeast Japan. The very large local tsunami heights and damage to coastal structures and other civil infrastructure were strongly dependent on the location. To verify the effectiveness of several types of tsunami protection strategies, we analyzed three typical areas from the Sanriku ria coast. Detailed survey data are shown with photographs and are discussed with regard to severity of damage and tsunami event. The roles of offshore tsunami breakwaters and coastal forests are discussed for severe tsunami, which exceeds 10 m near the coast. The survey observations and results from numerical calculations clearly indicate the reduction of tsunami damage due to an offshore barrier in Kamaishi Bay.
Les effondrements de carrières de Paris : La grande réforme des années 1770
Authors: Le Roux Thomas
Published: May 2013

Dans les années 1770, Paris dut faire face à une série d’effondrements des carrières à pierre et à plâtre situées sous la ville. Si les divers accidents ne tuèrent qu’une vingtaine de personnes, l’évaluation des risques et les alertes qui circulaient dans l’espace public provoquèrent une réforme administrative d’une grande importance. En quelques années, la gestion des risques des carrières passa du bureau des Finances à la Lieutenance générale de police. Ce transfert eut plusieurs implications majeures : les procédures judiciaires s’effacèrent au profit de procédures administratives plus expéditives, la gestion financière de l’entreprise des carrières fut clairement connectée aux politiques d’urgence et de risques, l’expertise scientifique et la médiatisation de la catastrophe intégrèrent les pratiques policières, enfin une politique de soutien aux victimes fut mise en place. Autant d’éléments qui permettent de lire cette réforme comme celle d’une modernisation de l’Etat à un moment de fortes tensions dans l’art de la gouvernance.

In the 1770s Paris faced a series of collapses of stone and plaster quarries beneath the city. Although the various accidents killed only about twenty people, the resultant warnings and risk assessments that circulated in the public sphere generated an administrative reform of great importance. Within a few years quarries risk management moved from the Bureau des Finances to the Lieutenance Générale de Police. This transfer had several major consequences: judicial proceedings faded in favor of more expeditious administrative procedures, financial management of the quarries business became more clearly connected to emergency and risk policies, scientific expertise and media coverage integrated the police practices of disaster regulation, and finally a victim relief policy was implemented. All of these developments allow us to read this reform as the modernization of the state at a time of high tension in the art of governance.
Place Matters: Mortality, Space, and Urban Form in the 2003 Paris Heat Wave Disaster
Authors: Keller Richard C.
Published: May 2013

The devastating heat wave of August 2003 killed nearly fifteen thousand people in France, including more than a thousand in Paris alone. The social histories of many of these victims draw attention to the links between place and vulnerability in the urban environment, as well as their historical particularities. Housing conditions influenced a geography of vulnerability during the catastrophe. This essay focuses on this problem with attention to the particular population that, while “housed,” lives on the precipice of homelessness. Investigating the everyday lives and deaths of these victims demonstrates the critical importance of the geographic dimensions of risk in the urban landscape, as well as the historical development of the place-based vulnerabilities that the disaster cast in high relief.

La vague de chaleur meurtrière d’août 2003 a entraîné la mort de presque 15 000 personnes en France, dont plus d’un millier dans la capitale. L’histoire sociale de nombreuses victimes de la canicule découvre les liens étroits entre les lieux de résidence et la vulnérabilité dans l’environnement urbain, ainsi que leurs particularités historiques. Les conditions de logement ont eu une influence profonde sur la géographie de la vulnérabilité pendant la catastrophe. Cet article a pour but de mettre en évidence ce problème grâce à sa focalisation sur une population qui, bien qu’elle soit « logée », vit dans une condition de précarité absolue. Une enquête sur la vie quotidienne et la mort anonyme de ces victimes peut souligner l’importance critique des dimensions géographiques du risque dans le paysage urbain ainsi que le développement historique des vulnérabilités locales que la canicule a montrées.
Direct binding of TUBB3 with DCC couples netrin-1 signaling to intracellular microtubule dynamics in axon outgrowth and guidance
Authors: Qu Chao , Dwyer Trisha , Shao Qiangqiang , Yang Tao , Huang Huai , Liu Guofa
Published: May 2013

The coupling of axon guidance cues, such as netrin-1, to microtubule (MT) dynamics is essential for growth cone navigation in the developing nervous system. However, whether axon guidance signaling regulates MT dynamics directly or indirectly is unclear. Here, we report that TUBB3, the most dynamic β–tubulin isoform in neurons, directly interacts with the netrin receptor DCC, and that netrin-1 induces this interaction in primary neurons. TUBB3 colocalizes with DCC in the growth cones of primary neurons and MT dynamics is required for netrin-1-promoted association of TUBB3 with DCC. Netrin-1 not only increases cosedimentation of DCC with polymerized MT, but also promotes MT dynamics in the growth cone. Knocking down TUBB3 inhibits netrin-1-induced MT dynamics, axon outgrowth and attraction in vitro and causes defects in commissural axon projection in the embryo. These results indicate that TUBB3 directly links netrin signaling pathways to MT dynamics and plays an important role in guiding commissural axons in vivo.
Evidence of a triosephosphate isomerase non-catalytic function critical to behavior and longevity
Authors: Roland Bartholomew P. , Stuchul Kimberly A. , Larsen Samantha B. , Amrich Christopher G. , VanDemark Andrew P. , Celotto Alicia M. , Palladino Michael J.
Published: May 2013

Triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) is a glycolytic enzyme that converts dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) into glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP). Glycolytic enzyme dysfunction leads to metabolic diseases collectively known as glycolytic enzymopathies. Of these enzymopathies, TPI deficiency is unique in the severity of neurological symptoms. The Drosophila sugarkill mutant closely models TPI deficiency and encodes a protein prematurely degraded by the proteasome. This result led us to question whether enzyme catalytic activity was critical to the pathogenesis of TPI sugarkill neurological phenotypes. To study TPI deficiency in vivo we developed a genomic engineering system for the TPI locus that enables the efficient generation of novel TPI genetic variants. Using this system we demonstrate that TPI sugarkill can be genetically complemented by TPI encoding a catalytically inactive enzyme. Further, our results demonstrate a non-metabolic function for TPI, the loss of which contributes significantly to the neurological dysfunction in this animal model.
Germline deletion of Cetn1 causes infertility in male mice
Authors: Avasthi Prachee , Scheel Jan Frederik , Ying Guoxin , Frederick Jeanne M. , Baehr Wolfgang , Wolfrum Uwe
Published: May 2013

Centrins are calmodulin-like Ca2+-binding proteins that can be found in all ciliated eukaryotic cells from yeast to mammals. Expressed in male germ cells and photoreceptors, centrin 1 (CETN1) resides in the photoreceptor transition zone and connecting cilium. To identify its function in mammals, we deleted Cetn1 by homologous recombination. Cetn1−/− mice were viable and showed no sign of retina degeneration suggesting that CETN1 is nonessential for photoreceptor ciliogenesis or structural maintenance. Phototransduction components localized normally to the Cetn1−/− photoreceptor outer segments, and loss of CETN1 had no effect on light-induced translocation of transducin to the inner segment. Although Cetn1−/− females and Cetn1+/− males had normal fertility, Cetn1−/− males were infertile. The Cetn1−/− testes size was normal, and spermatogonia as well as spermatocytes developed normally. However, spermatids lacked tails suggesting severe spermiogenesis defects at the late maturation phase of spermatozoa. Viable sperm cells were absent and the few surviving spermatozoa were malformed. Light and electron microscopy analyses of Cetn1−/− spermatids revealed failures in centriole rearrangement during basal body maturation and in the basal body-nucleus connection. These results confirm an essential role for CETN1 in late steps of spermiogenesis and spermatid maturation.
Effect of Surface Chemisorption between Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(styrene sulfonate) and Ag Nanoparticles on the Conductivity of the Nanocomposite Film
Authors: Wang Seok-Joo , Choi Yong-June , Yoo Byungwook , Kim Yong-Hoon , Park Hyung-Ho
Published: May 2013

The effects of Ag nanoparticle (NP) incorporation on the bonding state and electronic properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films were investigated. Surface stabilization of the Ag NPs by trisodium citrate effectively prevented aggregation of the Ag NPs. The introduction of Ag NPs induced PEDOT moieties as chemisorption centers. The resulting PEDOT-rich film surface with Ag NPs was responsible for the enhanced film conductivity and decreased work function of the Ag NP–PEDOT:PSS film.
Facile Synthesis of Hollow Core–Porous Shell Structure Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Microfibers Using a Simple Microfluidic System
Authors: Song Minyung , Cho Sung-rheb , Chang Suk Tai
Published: May 2013

Hollow core polyacrylonitrile (PAN) microfibers with nano- and microporosity are synthesized based on the regeneration of PAN from dimethyl sulfoxide in a hydrodynamic flow-focusing microfluidic device. This technique is a fast and one-step approach to fabricate such core–shell microfibers. The fiber size (20–45 µm) and the nanopore size (90–300 nm) are well controllable by simply changing core–sheath flow rate and PAN concentration.
Mixed Epithelial and Stromal Tumor of the Kidney with Polypoid Component Extending into Renal Pelvis and Ureter
Authors: Horikawa Masahiro , Shinmoto Hiroshi , Kuroda Kenji , Shiomi Eisuke , Soga Shigeyoshi , Ito Keiichi , Tachi Kazuyoshi , Katsurada Yuka , Simazaki Hideyuki , Asano Tomohiko , Kaji Tatsumi
Published: May 2013

Mixed epithelial and stromal tumor (MEST) of the kidney is an unusual benign neoplasm that predominantly occurs in middle-aged females. It typically appears as a well-circumscribed multiseptate mass with solid components on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance image (MRI), reflecting its characteristics of an admixture of stromal proliferation and epithelial cells consisting of multiple cysts. We present a rare case of 61-year-old woman with MEST, which manifested as a multilocular cystic mass with a polypoid component protruding into the renal pelvis and ureter. To our best knowledge, this is the first case of MEST extending into the ureter.
Successful closure of intractable tracheoesophageal fistula using a combination of a modified silicon stent and metallic stents
Authors: Yata S , Kaminou T , Hashimoto M , Ohuchi Y , Sugiura K , Adachi A , Kawai1 T , Endo M , Takasugi S , Yamamoto S , Matsumoto K , Kodani M , Ihaya T , Suyama H , Ogawa T
Published: May 2013

Although surgery is the usual management strategy for acquired benign tracheoesophageal fistula, sometimes this approach is contraindicated or the patient declines surgical management. In this report, we describe a case of a patient with tracheoesophageal fistula at the level of the carina due to bronchial arterial infusion chemotherapy. Closure could not be achieved in response to multiple treatment strategies, including airway stenting, esophageal stenting, occlusion with microcoils, or cyanoacrylate glue. We subsequently achieved closure of this fistula through the combination of a modified silicon stent and metallic stents.
Dynamic alteration of regional cerebral blood flow during carotid compression and proof of reversibility
Authors: Asahi Kouichi , Hori M , Hamasaki N , Sato S , Nakanishi H , Kuwatsuru R , Sasai K , Aoki S
Published: May 2013

Background

It is difficult to non-invasively visualize changes in regional cerebral blood flow caused by manual compression of the carotid artery.

Purpose

To visualize dynamic changes in regional cerebral blood flow during and after manual compression of the carotid artery.

Material and Methods

Two healthy volunteers were recruited. Anatomic features and flow directions in the circle of Willis were evaluated with time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and two-dimensional phase-contrast (2DPC) MRA, respectively. Regional cerebral blood flow was visualized with territorial arterial spin-labeling magnetic resonance imaging (TASL-MRI). TASL-MRI and 2DPC-MRA were performed in three states: at rest, during manual compression of the right carotid artery, and after decompression. In one volunteer, time-space labeling inversion pulse (Time-SLIP) MRA was performed to confirm collateral flow.

Results

During manual carotid compression, in one volunteer, the right thalamus changed to be fed only by the vertebrobasilar system, and the right basal ganglia changed to be fed by the left internal carotid artery. In the other volunteer, the right basal ganglia changed to be fed by the vertebrobasilar system. 2DPC-MRA showed that the flow direction changed in the right A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery and the right posterior communicating artery. Perfusion patterns and flow directions recovered after decompression. Time-SLIP MRA showed pial vessels and dural collateral circulation when the right carotid artery was manually compressed.

Conclusion

Use of TASL-MRI and 2DPC-MRA was successful for non-invasive visualization of the dynamic changes in regional cerebral blood flow during and after manual carotid compression.
Solitary fibrous tumor of filum terminale
Authors: Wu Yanping , Huang Biao , Liang Changhong
Published: May 2013

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a mesenchymal neoplasm that most commonly arises from the visceral or parietal pleura. Solitary fibrous tumor with a primary site in the filum terminale has not been reported previously in the literature. Here we report a case of SFT occurring in the filum terminale. The characteristic imaging feature of this tumor is hypointensity on T2-weighted images. Even though rare, SFT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of tumors occurring intraspinally, even in the filum terminale.
Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the appendix mimicking acute appendicitis
Authors: Fusari Mario , Sorrentino Nicoletta , Bottazzi Enrico Coppola , Del Vecchio Walter , Cozzolino Immacolata , Maurea Simone , Salvatore Marco , Imbriaco Massimo
Published: May 2013

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the appendix is a very rare neoplasm that usually presents with signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis and in particular with a right lower abdominal pain. Preoperative imaging detection of appendiceal adenocarcinoma has an important value because it may result in an appropriate surgical procedure. We report a rare case of primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the vermiform appendix in an 80-year-old man who was misdiagnosed on computed tomography (CT) scan as acute appendicitis.
Migration to the pulmonary artery of nine metallic coils placed in the internal iliac vein for treatment of giant rectal varices
Authors: Yamasaki Wataru , Kakizawa Hideaki , Ishikawa Masaki , Date Shuji , Tatsugami Fuminari , Terada Hiroaki , Masaki Keiichi , Kawaoka Tomokazu , Tsuge Masataka , Aikata Hiroshi , Chayama Kazuaki , Awai Kazuo
Published: May 2013

Transcatheter venous embolization with metallic coils is a safe and reliable method for the treatment of pelvic congestion syndrome and pelvic varicocele. While rare, coil migration to the pulmonary arteries is potentially fatal. We report the migration to the pulmonary artery of a cluster of nine metallic microcoils placed in the internal iliac vein to obliterate giant rectal varices. Our patient suffered no severe sequelae. To avoid coil migration to the pulmonary arteries, the coils chosen for placement must take into consideration the characteristics of the target vessels, particularly of larger veins.
Developing Leadership Through Adult and Adolescent Partnerships in the Third Millennium
Authors: Culp Kenneth , Cox Kathryn J.
Published: May 2013

Leadership educators must consider how to most effectively develop youth knowledge, skills, attitudes, aspirations and leadership abilities when facilitating leadership development. During the first two millennia, leadership was adult-centered, with little focus on development. To develop effective leadership programs, it is essential that leadership educators: consider the implications of societal trends; project the contexts of 21st century leadership; understand and apply the principles of effective youth leadership development; and, develop meaningful adult and adolescent partnerships to prepare youth for success in the third millennium.
An Exploratory Comparison of the Policing Views of Nigerian and US College Students
Authors: Lambert Eric G. , Elechi O. Oko , Wu Yuning
Published: May 2013

That the police have the onerous duty of maintaining law and order in society is not in contention; however, the extent to which the public are satisfied with police maintenance of law and order varies from society to society. There has been very little research on views about policing in Nigeria. Based on survey data collected from 758 college students, this exploratory study compares and contrasts college students' views of policing in Nigeria and the USA. The results uncover both intra- and international differences in views on various areas of policing, including general confidence in the police, trust in and support for the police, and specific attitudes toward police civility, effectiveness, accountability, aggressive policing and community policing.
Crystal structure of 1'-methoxy-7a',8-dimethyldecahydro-1'H[7,9amethanocyclohepta[ c]pyran-4,4'-isobenzofuran]-1,9(3H,4aH)-dione, C21H30O5
Authors: Zou Juan , Li Qi-Ji , Zhang Qi-Long , Zhang Jing-Jie , Pan Lu-Tai
Published: May 2013

C21H30O5, monoclinic, P21 (no. 4), a = 7.396(1) Å, b = 11.650(2) Å, c = 11.440(2) Å, β = 108.155(4)°, V = 936.7 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0398, wRref(F2) = 0.1032, T = 293 K.
Crystal structure of bis[4-(5-amino-3-carboxy-1-cyclopropyl-6,8-difluoro- 4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-7-yl)-2,6-dimethylpiperazin-1-ium]benzene- 1,4-dicarboxylate, (C19H23F2N4O3)2+(C8H4O4)–, C23H25F2N4O5
Authors: Zhu Ling , Zhao Xin-Hua
Published: May 2013

C23H25F2N4O5, triclinic, P1¯ (no. 2), a = 7.397(1) Å, b = 9.649(1) Å, c = 15.361(2) Å, α = 89.30(1)°, β = 79.57(1)°, γ = 86.40(1)°, V = 1076.1 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0503, wRref(F2) = 0.1532, T = 296 K.
The Historical Dynamics of Mexico’s Groundwater Crisis in La Laguna
Authors: Wolfe Mikael
Published: May 2013

This article examines the historical dynamics by which Mexico’s groundwater resources were knowingly depleted and contaminated from the 1930s to the 1960s. Using the paradigmatic arid north central “Laguna” region as case study, it documents how Mexican engineers alternately warned of the dangers of aquifer depletion and profited from the business opportunities “Mexicanization” of groundwater pumping technology provided via Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI)—a conflict-of-interest which symbolized the tension between advancing techno-scientific knowledge of natural processes and capitalist state formation in postrevolutionary Mexico. The central argument is that this irresolvable contradiction rendered the expert informed and officially acknowledged need for groundwater conservation well nigh impossible vis-à-vis state, private and popular demand for the resource, whether fueled by Lázaro Cárdenas’ radical agrarian reform in the 1930s—for which the Laguna served as emblem—or commercial agriculture thereafter.

Este artículo examina la dinámica histórica que condujo al agotamiento y la contaminación intencionados de los recursos hídricos subterráneos de México entre las décadas de 1930 y 1960. Mediante el estudio de caso de la paradigmática y árida región central del Norte, La Laguna, el artículo documenta cómo los ingenieros mexicanos advirtieron de los peligros del agotamiento acuífero al tiempo que se beneficiaron de las oportunidades de negocio que brindaba la “mexicanización” de la tecnología de extracción del agua subterránea por vía de la Industrialización por Sustitución de Importaciones (ISI): un conflicto de intereses que simbolizó la tensión entre el avance del conocimiento tecnocientífico sobre los procesos naturales y la formación del Estado capitalista en el México postrevolucionario. El argumento central es que esta contradicción insalvable originó la necesidad de conservar los acuíferos subterráneos, avalada por los expertos y oficialmente reconocida, muy cerca de lo imposible vis-à-vis con la demanda estatal, privada y popular del recurso, ya fuera alentada por la reforma agraria radical de Lázaro Cárdenas en la década de 1930—para la cual La Laguna sirvió como emblema—o posteriormente por la agricultura comercial.
Associations of TSH levels within the reference range with future blood pressure and lipid concentrations: 11-year follow-up of the HUNT study
Authors: Åsvold Bjørn Olav , Bjøro Trine , Vatten Lars J
Published: May 2013

Objective

In cross-sectional studies, TSH levels within the reference range have been positively associated with blood pressure and adverse serum lipid levels. In a prospective study, we aimed to determine whether differences in TSH levels within the reference range are associated with future levels of blood pressure and lipids.

Design

We conducted a prospective population-based study.

Methods

In 9709 women and 4644 men without previous thyroid disease who had a baseline TSH level of 0.45–4.5 mU/l, we studied the associations of baseline TSH levels with blood pressure and lipid levels at follow-up 11 years later.

Results

Higher TSH levels at baseline were associated with higher systolic (P=0.002 in women) and diastolic (P=0.03 in women) blood pressure, non-HDL cholesterol (P=0.01 in men) and triglyceride (P=0.008 in men) levels and lower HDL cholesterol levels (P<0.001 in women and men) at follow-up, but the associations were very modest and not consistent between the sexes. Among people who remained free of thyroid disease, changes in TSH levels during follow-up were associated with concomitant changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, non-HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels (all P<0.001), with similar results being observed for women and men. Thus, blood pressure and lipid levels increased among people with an increase in TSH levels and decreased among people with a decrease in TSH levels compared with people with no change in TSH levels.

Conclusions

High TSH levels within the reference range may be associated with modestly higher future levels of blood pressure and adverse serum lipids. TSH levels may co-vary with blood pressure and lipid levels among people with apparently normal thyroid function.
Trajectory of the Arctic as an integrated system
Authors: Hinzman Larry D. , Deal Clara J. , McGuire A. David , Mernild Sebastian H. , Polyakov Igor V. , Walsh John E.
Published: May 2013

Although much remains to be learned about the Arctic and its component processes, many of the most urgent scientific, engineering, and social questions can only be approached through a broader system perspective. Here, we address interactions between components of the Arctic system and assess feedbacks and the extent to which feedbacks (1) are now underway in the Arctic and (2) will shape the future trajectory of the Arctic system. We examine interdependent connections among atmospheric processes, oceanic processes, sea‐ice dynamics, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, land surface stocks of carbon and water, glaciers and ice caps, and the Greenland ice sheet. Our emphasis on the interactions between components, both historical and anticipated, is targeted on the feedbacks, pathways, and processes that link these different components of the Arctic system. We present evidence that the physical components of the Arctic climate system are currently in extreme states, and that there is no indication that the system will deviate from this anomalous trajectory in the foreseeable future. The feedback for which the evidence of ongoing changes is most compelling is the surface albedo‐temperature feedback, which is amplifying temperature changes over land (primarily in spring) and ocean (primarily in autumn–winter). Other feedbacks likely to emerge are those in which key processes include surface fluxes of trace gases, changes in the distribution of vegetation, changes in surface soil moisture, changes in atmospheric water vapor arising from higher temperatures and greater areas of open ocean, impacts of Arctic freshwater fluxes on the meridional overturning circulation of the ocean, and changes in Arctic clouds resulting from changes in water vapor content.
Simulating One‐Dimensional Unsaturated Flow in Heterogeneous Soils with Water Content‐Based Richards Equation
Authors: Zha Yuanyuan , Yang Jinzhong , Shi Liangsheng , Song Xuehang
Published: May 2013

Changes in soil hydraulic properties with depth are common in field soils and need to be described in numerical simulations. Water content is undesirable to calculate Darcian flux since it is not continuous across boundaries between different soil layers. A general form of the one‐dimensional water content–based Richards equation, which was first derived by Hills et al., is adopted here to simulate one‐dimensional unsaturated flow in gradational soils by adding a correction term. For cell‐centered grid, several algorithms are presented to find the correction term for the two nodes in the vicinity of the layer interface. For vertex‐centered grid, the dyadic values of water content at the interface are represented by one sole water content value through the introduction of composite soil water curve. The proposed algorithms are implemented in an iterative model, and then the model is tested with several synthetic cases in gradational soil and layered soil. The water content–based Richards equation leads to superior numerical performance in terms of mass conservation, accuracy, and efficiency over the mixed form Richards equation, especially for the flow in relatively dry soil and with coarse grid. In layered soil, it is found that the algorithm based on vertex‐centered grid is the most robust among all the methods discussed here.
Modeling Increased Groundwater Recharge due to Change from Rainfed to Irrigated Cropping in a Semiarid Region
Authors: Le Coz Mathieu , Favreau Guillaume , Ousmane Sani Daouda
Published: May 2013

Land use conversion from rainfed to irrigated cropping increases drainage and groundwater recharge, yet reliable estimates of the magnitude of the change are difficult to obtain for shallow aquifers. In the semiarid Komadugu Yobe River valley (Lake Chad basin, SE Niger), the area of irrigated cropping has doubled in the last three decades, which may have increased recharge fluxes to the shallow (∼6 m in depth) water table. To quantify the increase in recharge, water flow in the vadose zone was modeled, taking into account the predetermined heterogeneity of the River alluvium. For each sedimentary unit, soil moisture was monitored in situ under controlled hydraulic surface conditions by vertical neutron probe surveys. Using one‐dimensional numerical simulations in a Monte‐Carlo procedure, probability density functions (PDFs) of soil hydraulic parameters that reproduce moisture measurements were established. The centers of the PDFs were shown to be in accordance with the textural classification inferred from grain size analyses. The PDFs were then combined with a three‐dimensional geological model of the alluvium and the groundwater recharge was simulated separately under irrigated and rainfed cropping conditions. The results showed that the uncertainty in soil hydraulic parameters (i) strongly influenced the absolute values of the simulated recharge, but (ii) only slightly affected the simulated differential recharge between irrigated and rainfed cropping conditions. The increase in groundwater recharge was therefore well constrained and was estimated at 15 cm (dry year) and 25 cm (wet year), i.e., representing 18 and 23% of water input. The approach described here is applicable to most shallow aquifers in River valleys where surface water is used for irrigation, a widespread characteristic of semiarid regions.
Forward Prediction of Height‐Averaged Capillary Pressure–Saturation Parameters Using the BC‐vG Upscaler
Authors: Cheng C.-L. , Perfect E. , Mills R.T.
Published: May 2013

There is ongoing interest in approaches for upscaling point (e.g., pixel or voxel scale) measurements of soil hydraulic properties to predict column‐scale behavior in the laboratory, or even field‐scale processes. We have developed the BC‐vG Upscaler for estimating the height‐averaged capillary pressure–saturation relationship, , for a given porous medium based on equations used in the TrueCell program. Whereas TrueCell inversely estimates point Brooks and Corey (BC) equation parameters from data, the BC‐vG Upscaler uses point BC parameters as inputs for the forward prediction of height‐averaged van Genuchten (vG) parameters. The BC‐vG Upscaler was verified using previously published, independent point and height‐averaged capillary pressure–saturation data sets for silica sand. The capability of the BC‐vG Upscaler was demonstrated in three separate applications. The first showed how the program can be used to predict height‐averaged vG equation parameters using three different relationships between n and m. The second explored the effects of varying column height on the predicted vG parameters for a hypothetical porous medium. The third used the BC‐vG Upscaler to predict height‐averaged vG parameters for a 50‐cm‐tall column based on previously published point BC parameters for a wide range of porous media. The BC‐vG Upscaler is available free upon request. It should prove useful for converting point BC parameters into height‐averaged vG parameters suitable for inclusion in numerical models for simulating variably saturated flow. The program could also be used to develop new scale‐dependent relationships between the parameters of the BC and vG equations.
A Psychological View of Sexual Pain among Women: Applying the Fear-Avoidance Model
Authors: Thomtén Johanna , Linton Steven J
Published: May 2013

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to examine how well research findings on dyspareunia (intercourse pain) fit the fear-avoidance (FA) model on pain. Results: The evidence suggests that the experience of pain in dyspareunia functions similarly to the pain reported in other pain conditions. There are also accumulating data showing that the central mechanisms of the FA model, such as catastrophizing, fear, hypervigilance and disability, are central to the experience of sexual pain. However, there are also some potential differences between sexual pain and other pain conditions that demand further attention in terms of the role of the partner, specific emotional consequences of avoidance and the effect of hypervigilance on sexual arousal. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the relevance of the FA model in sexual pain. They also imply that treatment methods for fear and avoidance in other pain conditions offer new avenues for treating sexual pain problems in the clinic. Future studies should focus on expanding how the mechanisms in the FA model contribute to sexual pain, as well as how treatments based on the model may be applied clinically.
Alzheimer'S Disease, Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment and the Menopause: A ‘Window of Opportunity’?
Authors: Davey Dennis A
Published: May 2013

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not an inevitable consequence of aging and may be modified by both adverse and protective factors. The pathological changes of AD commence in midlife and AD has a long preclinical phase that may be diagnosed by biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid and by brain MRI. New clinical criteria for the diagnosis of AD dementia and AD mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have been proposed. MCI and dementia are frequently the result of AD and cerebrovascular disease combined. Over the age of 85 years, MCI and dementia are more common in women than in men. Women with a surgical premature menopause have an increased risk of MCI and AD. Menopausal hormone therapy from the menopause to the age of 60 years, when any risks of menopausal hormone therapy are extremely small, may provide a ‘window of opportunity’ to reduce the risk of MCI and AD in later life. Many measures may help to prevent, delay or minimize AD in both women and men and should be actively encouraged.
Numerical investigation of three types of space and time fractional Bloch-Torrey equations in 2D
Authors: Yu Qiang , Liu Fawang , Turner Ian , Burrage Kevin
Published: May 2013

Recently, the fractional Bloch-Torrey model has been used to study anomalous diffusion in the human brain. In this paper, we consider three types of space and time fractional Bloch-Torrey equations in two dimensions: Model-1 with the Riesz fractional derivative; Model-2 with the one-dimensional fractional Laplacian operator; and Model-3 with the two-dimensional fractional Laplacian operator.

Firstly, we propose a spatially second-order accurate implicit numerical method for Model-1 whereby we discretize the Riesz fractional derivative using a fractional centered difference. We consider a finite domain where the time and space derivatives are replaced by the Caputo and the sequential Riesz fractional derivatives, respectively. Secondly, we utilize the matrix transfer technique for solving Model-2 and Model-3. Finally, some numerical results are given to show the behaviours of these three models especially on varying domain sizes with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions.
Factors Associated With Utilization of Preoperative and Postoperative Rehabilitation Services by Patients With Amputation in the VA System: An Observational Study
Authors: Resnik Linda J. , Borgia Matthew L.
Published: May 2013

Background

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense published evidence-based guidelines to standardize and improve rehabilitation of veterans with lower limb amputations; however, no studies have examined the guidelines' impact.

Objectives

The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe the utilization of rehabilitative services in the acute care setting by people who underwent major lower limb amputation in the VA from 2005 to 2010, (2) to identify factors associated with receipt of rehabilitation services, and (3) to examine the impact of the guidelines on service receipt.

Design

A cross-sectional study of 12,599 patients, who underwent major surgical amputation of the lower limb at a VA medical center from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2010, was conducted. Data were obtained from main and surgical inpatient datasets and the inpatient encounters files of the Veterans Health Administration databases.

Methods

Rehabilitation services were categorized as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and either (any therapy), before or after amputation. Separate multivariate logistic regressions examined the impact of guideline implementation and identified factors associated with service receipt.

Results

Patients were 1.45 and 1.73 times more likely to receive preoperative physical therapy and occupational therapy and 1.68 and 1.79 times more likely to receive postoperative physical therapy and occupational therapy after guideline implementation. Patients in the Northeast had the lowest likelihood of receiving preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation services, whereas patients in the West had the highest likelihood. Other patient characteristics associated with service receipt were identified.

Limitations

The sample included only veterans who had surgeries at VA Medical Centers and cannot be generalized to veterans with surgeries outside the VA or to nonveteran patients and settings.

Conclusions

Further quality improvement efforts are needed to standardize delivery of rehabilitation services for veterans with amputations in the acute care setting.
Sex, Lies, and Revisions: Historicizing Hellman's The Children's Hour
Authors: Spencer Jenny
Published: May 2013

An original box office success, Lillian Hellman's frequently anthologized and easily available play The Children's Hour is rarely revived on the professional stage, yet continues to be widely performed by community and college theatres in the U.S. and abroad. Clearly, the lesbian themes that stirred such vociferous controversy with original audiences in 1934 appear quite different to contemporary audiences: this is not a play that a feminist director would eagerly seek out, despite the powerful (some would say melodramatic) experience it provides for its audiences. In addition to its retrograde treatment of lesbianism, the play has frequently been criticized for implausible character motivation, melodramatic plotting, and shifts in thematic emphasis that undermine its otherwise well-made structure. Were The Children's Hour a "forgotten" play, the question of how to approach it today might be different, but the archival research whereby "lost" plays are discovered and subsequently revived seems unnecessary for a play that still resonates so strongly in the public imagination" Yet canonical familiarity has its own disadvantages. Reproducing The Children's Hour as a literary artifact may have extended its stage life and solidified (for better or worse) its literary reputation. But it has done so at the expense of the play's own history as an unstable, evolving, and ever-problematic script. Indeed, I would argue that the value of Hellman's play for us today is in its invitation to engage in the kind of "complex seeing" that Brecht found essential to an historicizing attitude.