bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An overfilled cavity problem for Maxwell's equations
Authors: Li Peijun , Wu Haijun , Zheng Weiying
Published: June 2012

This paper is concerned with the mathematical analysis of the scattering of a time‐harmonic electromagnetic plane wave by an open and overfilled cavity that is embedded in a perfect electrically conducting infinite ground plane, where the electromagnetic wave propagation is governed by the Maxwell equations. Above the flat ground surface and the open aperture of the cavity, the space is assumed to be filled with a homogeneous medium with a constant permittivity and permeability, whereas the interior of the cavity is filled with some inhomogeneous medium with a variable permittivity and permeability. The scattering problem is modeled as a boundary value problem over a bounded domain, with transparent boundary condition proposed on the hemisphere enclosing the inhomogeneity represented by the cavity. The existence and uniqueness of the weak solution for the model problem are established by using a variational approach. The perfectly matched layer (PML) method is investigated to truncate the unbounded electromagnetic cavity scattering problem. It is shown that the truncated PML problem attains a unique solution. An explicit error estimate is given between the solution of the original scattering problem and that of the truncated PML problem. The error estimate implies that the PML solution converges exponentially to the original cavity scattering problem by increasing either the PML medium parameter or the PML layer thickness. The convergence result is expected to be useful for determining the PML medium parameter in the computational electromagnetic scattering problem. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characteristics of persons with overactive bladder of presumed neurologic origin: Results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey
Authors: Hall Susan A. , Curto Teresa M. , Onyenwenyi Ahunna , Lemack Gary E. , Tennstedt Sharon L. , Link Carol L. , McKinlay John B.
Published: June 2012

Aims

To compare the descriptive epidemiology of overactive bladder (OAB) of presumed neurologic origin (NOAB) to OAB of non‐neurologic origin (N‐NOAB).

Methods

Five thousand five hundred three community‐dwelling persons aged 30–79 were interviewed regarding urologic symptoms (2002–2005). NOAB was defined as symptoms of urgency and/or urgency incontinence among those with a self‐reported history of healthcare provider diagnosed stroke (N = 98), multiple sclerosis (N = 21), or Parkinson's disease (N = 7). N‐NOAB was defined identically but occurring among those not reporting neurologic disease (ND). Prevalence estimates were weighted to reflect sampling design; chi‐square, Fisher's exact, or t‐tests were used to test differences. Urologic symptom interference was assessed using the Epstein scale, while the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on health‐related quality‐of‐life (HRQOL) was measured using a modification of the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire‐7.

Results

Forty‐five (31.0%) of 125 persons with ND and 994 (16.7%) of 5378 persons without ND reported OAB symptoms. The overall prevalence of NOAB and N‐NOAB was 0.6% and 16.4%, respectively. Persons with NOAB had higher (worse) mean American Urologic Association Symptom Index scores (13.0 vs. 10.0, P = 0.09) compared to those with N‐NOAB, and were significantly more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and fair/poor self‐reported health (all P < 0.05). Mean symptom interference and UI HRQOL scores were significantly higher (worse) in the NOAB group compared to persons with N‐NOAB (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Persons with NOAB appeared to have a greater burden of urologic illness with respect to symptom interference and HRQOL compared to persons with N‐NOAB. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:1149–1155, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Efficacy and safety of solifenacin to treat overactive bladder symptoms in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: An open‐label, multicenter, prospective study
Authors: Chung Jae Hoon , Lee Joo Yong , Kang Dong Hyuk , Ha U‐Syn , Lee Seung Hwan , Ham Won Sik , Cho Kang Su , Han June Hyun , Park Jinsung , Yoo Tag Keun , Lee Seung Wook
Published: June 2012

Aims

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of solifenacin 5 mg to treat voiding symptoms caused by idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) after a ventriculoperitoneal (V‐P) shunt operation.

Methods

A total of 53 patients diagnosed with iNPH and complaining of voiding symptoms were enrolled. Before treatment with solifenacin (V1), 4 (V2) and 12 (V3) weeks after starting solifenacin overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS), the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life (QoL) score, maximal urine flow rate (Qmax), voided volume, and post‐voiding residual urine volume (PVR) were measured. An urodynamic study (UDS) was performed at V1 and V3, and the safety of solifenacin was assessed at V1, V2, and V3.

Results

Of the 53 patients, 38 patients (71.70%) completed the 12‐week clinical trial. The mean patient age was 52.24 ± 10.08 years. OABSS and IPSS were significantly improved. The mean voided volume was 147.18 ± 61.84 ml at V1 and 160.03 ± 62.59 ml at V3 (P < 0.001), and PVR was 64.87 ± 41.11 ml at V1 and 69.05 ± 39.54 ml at V3 (P = 0.009). Of the 31 patients who underwent UDS, 26 patients (83.87%) had detrusor overactivity (DO) at V1, with a mean value of 107.67 ± 18.13 ml. Of the 26 with DO at V1, 22 (84.62%) still had DO at V3. A mean DO of 131.66 ± 15.27 ml was observed at V3 (P < 0.001). The most common adverse effects was dry mouths.

Conclusions

Solifenacin is effective in the treatment of OABS in iNPH patients who underwent the V‐P shunt operation. Solifenacin increases bladder capacity causing of DO at UDS. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:1175–1180, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new level set method for topology optimization of distributed compliant mechanisms
Authors: Zhu Benliang , Zhang Xianmin
Published: June 2012

A new level set method for topology optimization of distributed compliant mechanism is presented in this study. By taking two types of mean compliance into consideration, several new objective functions are developed and built in the conventional level set method to avoid generating the de facto hinges in the created mechanisms. Aimed at eliminating the costly reinitialization procedure during the evolution of the level set function, an accelerated level set evolution algorithm is developed by adding an extra energy function, which can force the level set function to close to a signed distance function during the evolution. Two widely studied numerical examples in topology optimization of compliant mechanisms are studied to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Occupational Therapy in Oman: The Impact of Cultural Dissonance
Authors: Al Busaidy Najat Saif Mohammed , Borthwick Alan
Published: June 2012

Occupational therapy theory and philosophy are broadly considered to be based on Western cultural values. In contrast, the application of theory and practice in the Sultanate of Oman, historically based on traditional Middle Eastern and Islamic cultural values, provides a case exemplar, which highlights both paradigmatic differences and cultural dissonance. Drawing on the experiences of occupational therapists working in Oman, this study found that the application of therapeutic goals aimed at patient independence and autonomy were difficult to achieve in an environment where family duty and responsibility for care were highly prized. Dressing and cooking assessments were challenging, and issues related to gender proved problematic. Therapists found the need to adapt practice to acknowledge these differences, and to adopt pragmatic problem‐solving strategies, without resolving the underpinning philosophical contradictions. Occupational therapy in Oman is under‐researched; further work is needed to confirm the cross‐cultural validity of specific assessments and practice models. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Validation of Equations Suggested for the Elastic Behaviour of Powders
Authors: Nysaeter Trude O.
Published: June 2012

A new equation for the relationship between elastic stress and strain for powders, based on Hooke's law has been described in a recent article [1]. The equation will here be validated by least mean square curve fitting on experimental measurements obtained by cyclic consolidation of powders in a uniaxial tester. The validation shows that the derived equation fits quite well to the unloading of the tested powders, whereas the reloading has a more linear relationship.
Binary copper oxide semiconductors: From materials towards devices
Authors: Meyer B. K. , Polity A. , Reppin D. , Becker M. , Hering P. , Klar P. J. , Sander Th. , Reindl C. , Benz J. , Eickhoff M. , Heiliger C. , Heinemann M. , Bläsing J. , Krost A. , Shokovets S. , Müller C. , Ronning C.
Published: June 2012

Copper‐oxide compound semiconductors provide a unique possibility to tune the optical and electronic properties from insulating to metallic conduction, from bandgap energies of 2.1 eV to the infrared at 1.40 eV, i.e., right into the middle of the efficiency maximum for solar‐cell applications. Three distinctly different phases, Cu2O, Cu4O3, and CuO, of this binary semiconductor can be prepared by thin‐film deposition techniques, which differ in the oxidation state of copper. Their material properties as far as they are known by experiment or predicted by theory are reviewed. They are supplemented by new experimental results from thin‐film growth and characterization, both will be critically discussed and summarized. With respect to devices the focus is on solar‐cell performances based on Cu2O. It is demonstrated by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) that the heterojunction system p‐Cu2O/n‐AlGaN is much more promising for the application as efficient solar cells than that of p‐Cu2O/n‐ZnO heterojunction devices that have been favored up to now.
Assimilation of radial velocity and reflectivity data from coastal WSR‐88D radars using an ensemble Kalman filter for the analysis and forecast of landfalling hurricaneIke(2008)
Authors: Dong Jili , Xue Ming
Published: June 2012

Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) assimilation and forecasting experiments are performed for the case of HurricaneIke(2008), the third most destructive hurricane hitting the USA. Data from two coastal WSR‐88D radars are carefully quality controlled before assimilation. In the control assimilation experiment, reflectivity (Z) and radial velocity (Vr) data from two radars are assimilated at 10 min intervals over a 2 h period shortly beforeIkemade landfall. A 32‐member forecast ensemble is initialized by introducing both mesoscale and convective‐scale perturbations to the initial National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) operational global forecast system (GFS) analysis background, and the ensemble spread during the analysis cycles is maintained using multiplicative covariance inflation and posterior additive perturbations. The radar data assimilation results in much improved vortex intensity and structure analysis over the corresponding GFS analysis. Compared with the forecast starting from the GFS analysis, the forecast intensity, track and structure ofIkeover a 12 h period are much improved in both deterministic and ensemble forecasts. Assimilation of eitherVrorZleads to improvement in the forecasts, withVrdata exhibiting much greater impacts thanZdata. With the 2 h assimilation window, 30 min assimilation intervals produced results similar to 10 min intervals, while 60 min intervals were found to be too long. The ensemble forecasts starting from the EnKF analyses are found to be mostly better than the corresponding deterministic forecast, especially after ensemble post‐processing, such as probability matching for precipitation. Precipitation equitable threat scores were calculated and compared. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Surface Functionalization of Nanoparticles to Control Cell Interactions and Drug Release
Authors: Luo Rongcong , Neu Björn , Venkatraman Subbu S.
Published: June 2012

Nanoparticles made from poly(dl‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) are used to deliver a wide range of bioactive molecules, due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. This study investigates the surface modification of PLGA nanoparticles via the layer‐by‐layer (LbL) deposition of polyelectrolytes, and the effects of these coatings on the release behavior, cytotoxicity, hemolytic activity, and cellular uptake efficiency. PLGA nanoparticles are modified via LbL adsorption of two polyelectrolyte pairs: 1) poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and 2) poly(L‐lysine hydrobromide) (PLL) and dextran sulfate (DES). It is demonstrated that both PAH/PSS and PLL/DES coatings suppress the burst release usually observed for unmodified PLGA nanoparticles and that the release behavior can be adjusted by changing the layer numbers, layer materials, or by crosslinking the layer constituents. Neither bare nor polyelectrolyte‐modified PLGA nanoparticles show any signs of cytotoxicity. However, nanoparticles with a positively charged polyelectrolyte as the outermost layer induce hemolysis, whereas uncoated particles or particles with a negatively charged polyelectrolyte as the outermost layer show no hemolytic activity. Furthermore, particles with either PAH or PLL as the outermost layer also demonstrate a higher uptake efficiency by L929 fibroblast cells, due to a higher cell–particle affinity. This study suggests that LbL coating of PLGA nanoparticles can control the release behavior of bioactive molecules as well as the surface activity, therefore providing a promising strategy to enhance the efficiency of nanoparticulate drug‐delivery systems.
The Trivalent Manganese Hydrogenophosphate LiMn(H2P2O7)2: A Chain‐Like Structure
Authors: Baies Radu , Pralong Valérie , Caignaert Vincent , Raveau Bernard
Published: June 2012

A new Mn3+ hydrogenophosphate LiMn(H2P2O7)2 was synthesized, using a soft chemistry method. The ab initio structure resolution of this phase shows that it consists of infinite chains [MnH4P4O14]∞, built up of corner‐sharing MnO6 octahedra and P2O5(OH)2 diphosphate groups. The cohesion between the chains is ensured by Li+ cations and hydrogen bonds. This compound is paramagnetic and Mn3+ is in high spin (H.S.) configuration. The impedance plots show that this hydrogenophosphate is a modest ionic conductor with activation energy of 0.8 eV and a conductivity reaching 10–6 S·cm–1 at 320 °C.
Two Keggin Templated Supramolecular Compounds by Exerting the Chelate and Linking Dual Roles of the Ligand 2, 2′‐Biimidazole
Authors: Ying Jun , Lin Xiao‐Ling , Liu Yu‐Jing , Xiao Ru , Wang Xiu‐Li , Tian Ai‐Xiang
Published: June 2012

Two new Keggin templated supramolecular compounds, [Zn2(H2biim)5(SiM12O40)]·4H2O [M = W (1), Mo (2)] (H2biim = 2, 2′‐biimidazole), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions by using the ligand 2, 2′‐biimidazole. They were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, elemental analyses, IR and photoluminescence spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry. The two isostructural compounds are constructed by two discrete supramolecular moieties: the inorganic chains consist of Keggin anions and metal‐organic chains constructed by [Zn2(H2biim)5]4+ subunits. In the dinuclear [Zn2(H2biim)5]4+ subunit, the H2biim ligands exhibit a dual role, chelating and linking. The metal‐organic chains further construct a 3D supramolecular framework with channels, in which the Keggin‐based inorganic chains are accommodated. The electrochemical behaviors of compounds 1 and 2 bulk‐modified carbon paste electrodes (1‐CPE, 2‐CPE) were studied.
On the Immobilization of a Monophosphaferrocene on a Silica Support
Authors: Komath Mallissery Samith , Gudat Dietrich
Published: June 2012

Reactions of 2‐formyl‐3, 4‐dimethyl‐1‐phosphaferrocene with aminopropyl (AP) functionalized hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) were studied in the absence and presence of an excess of the mild reducing agent Na[BH3CN]. Starting material and reaction products were characterized by analytical and multinuclear (13C, 29Si, 31P) MAS NMR spectroscopic data. Both reactions proceeded by partial derivatization of surface‐bound NH2 groups to yield products with tethered phosphaferrocene units. Evaluation of spectroscopic data and the results of homogeneous model reactions confirmed that condensation of both components gives imines, which are obviously kinetically labile and allow leakage of the tethered phosphaferrocene into solution. Reactions carried out in the presence of Na[BH3CN] proceed as reductive amination to yield secondary amines with enhanced kinetic stability. The reductive amination is accompanied by formation of minor amounts of phosphorus‐containing by‐products as well as the hydrolysis of surface bound ethoxy groups present in the starting material.
N‐Pyrazolylpropanamide – a Versatile Ligand for the Construction of Supramolecular Hydrogen‐Bonded Frameworks
Authors: Wagner Thomas , Hrib Cristian G. , Lorenz Volker , Edelmann Frank T. , Amenta Donna S. , Burnside Christopher J. , Gilje John W.
Published: June 2012

The syntheses and single‐crystal X‐ray structures of several first‐row transition metal complexes containing the multifunctional acrylamide‐derived ligand N‐pyrazolylpropanamide (1 = L) are reported. The general synthesis involves treatment of appropriate transition metal salts with an excess of 1 in ethanolic solution in the presence of triethylorthoformate as dehydrating agent. This way the perchlorates of iron(II) and cobalt(II) afforded the complexes [L2M(EtOH)2](ClO4)2[M = Fe (2), Co (3), in good yields (82 and 85 %)]. Light green L2NiCl2 (4) was obtained analogously from NiCl2·6H2O. Hydration of 4 afforded the dark green cationic nickel(II) complex [L2Ni(H2O)4]Cl2 (4a). In compounds 2–4 the N‐pyrazolylpropanamide acts as N, O‐chelating ligand. In contrast, monodentate nitrogen coordination via the pyrazolyl ring was found for the dicoordinate silver(I) complex [L2Ag]NO3·H2O (5). The molecular and crystal structures of 2, 3, 4a, and 5 were determined by X‐ray diffraction.
Stabilization of the electroweak vacuum by a scalar threshold effect
Authors: Elias-Miró Joan , Espinosa José R. , Giudice Gian F. , Lee Hyun Min , Strumia Alessandro
Published: June 2012

Abstract

We show how a heavy scalar singlet with a large vacuum expectation value can evade the potential instability of the Standard Model electroweak vacuum. The quartic interaction between the heavy scalar singlet and the Higgs doublet leads to a positive tree-level threshold correction for the Higgs quartic coupling, which is very effective in stabilizing the potential. We provide examples, such as the see-saw, invisible axion and unitarized Higgs inflation, where the proposed mechanism is automatically implemented in well-defined ranges of Higgs masses.
A New Classification of Positive Sestamibi and Ultrasound Scans in Parathyroid Localization
Authors: Agcaoglu Orhan , Aliyev Shamil , Heiden Katy , Neumann Donald , Milas Mira , Mitchell Jamie , Siperstein Allan E. , Berber Eren
Published: June 2012

Background

Ultrasound (US) and sestamibi (MIBI) are traditionally considered positive or negative. The purpose of this study was to define and test a new scoring system for MIBI and US and to determine whether this can improve their accuracy for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Methods

This is a prospective study of 200 consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who had a single uptake on MIBI scans before bilateral neck exploration at a tertiary academic center between 2007 and 2008. These patients also had surgeon‐performed neck US in the office, which was scored as “typical” or “atypical” based on how characteristic the image resembled a parathyroid gland. The MIBI uptake was scored by the nuclear medicine specialist as “weak,” “moderate,” or “strong” compared with the signal intensity of the thyroid. US and MIBI scoring was done preoperatively and their findings were compared with operative data.

Results

Of 200 patients, 71 % had a single adenoma, 12 % had double adenomas, and 17 % had four‐gland hyperplasia. A weak, moderate, and strong signal on MIBI had an accuracy of 23, 47, and 72 %, respectively, in demonstrating single‐gland disease. An atypical versus typical US appearance was accurate in 55 and 74 % of the time, in identifying single‐gland disease.

Conclusions

An appraisal of US and MIBI positivity in relation to image characteristics affects the reliability of both studies. This information should be kept in mind when selecting patients for focal neck exploration.
Strengthening Surgical Services at the Soum (First‐referral) Hospital: The WHO Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (EESC) Program in Mongolia
Authors: Henry Jaymie A. , Orgoi Sergelen , Govind Salik , Price Raymond R. , Lundeg Ganbold , Kehrer Beat
Published: June 2012

Background

Provision of surgical care continues to receive little attention and funding despite the growing burden of surgical disease worldwide. In 2004, The World Health Organization (WHO) established the Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (EESC) program, which was designed to strengthen surgical services at the first‐referral hospital. There are limited data documenting the implementation and scale‐up of such services. We describe the nationwide implementation of the EESC program in Mongolia over a 6 year period.

Methods

Surgical services were increased in rural areas of Mongolia using the WHO Integrated Management of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (IMEESC) toolkit from 2004 to 2010. Fund of knowledge tests and program evaluation was done to measure uptake, response, and perceived importance of the program. Two years after the pilot sites were launched, programmatic impact on short‐term process measures was evaluated using the WHO Monitoring and Evaluation form.

Results

The program was implemented in 14 aimags/provinces (66.67 %) and 178 soum hospitals (52.66 %). Fund of knowledge scores increased from 47.72 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 40.7–54.7) to 77.9 % (95 % CI 70.1–85.7, p = 0.0001) after the training program. 1 year post‐training, there was a 57.1 % increase in the availability of emergency rooms, 59.1 % increase in the supply of emergency kits, a 73.64 % increase in the recording of emergency care cases, and a 46.66 % increase in the provision of facility and instrument usage instructions at the pilot sites.

Conclusions

The EESC program was successfully implemented and scaled up at a national level with improvements in short‐term process measures.
Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy with D2 Lymphadenectomy for Advanced Gastric Cancer
Authors: Lee Ju‐Hee , Ahn Sang‐Hoon , Park Do Joong , Kim Hyung‐Ho , Lee Hyuk‐Joon , Yang Han‐Kwang
Published: June 2012

Background

The use of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) has not yet gained widespread acceptance because of difficulties in performing D2 lymphadenectomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of LTG with D2 lymphadenectomy in treating AGC.

Methods

A total of 94 patients who underwent LTG with D2 lymphadenectomy for AGC between January 2005 and October 2011 were included in this study. The patient data were obtained from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Morbidity was stratified by the Clavien‐Dindo classification.

Results

Concurrent pancreatectomy or splenectomy was performed on 48 patients. The median operation time was 230 min, and the median number of lymph nodes harvested per patient was 60.5. The TNM stages of the tumor were Ib in 9 patients (9.6 %), IIa in 16 (17 %), IIb in 7 (7.4 %), IIIa in 16 (17 %), IIIb in 17 (18.1 %), IIIc in 25 (26.6 %), and IV in 4 (4.3 %). Major morbidity (≥ grade IIIa) occurred in 9 patients (9.6 %) without postoperative mortality. At last follow‐up, tumor recurrence had occurred in 13 patients with a median follow‐up time of 12.77 months.

Conclusions

The acceptable rate of major morbidity in our series suggested that laparoscopic total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy is applicable to AGC. Long‐term follow‐up is mandatory to validate long‐term outcome.
Key Performance Indicators in an Acute Surgical Unit: Have We Made an Impact?
Authors: Hsee Li , Devaud Marcelo , Civil Ian
Published: June 2012

Introduction

Timely access to acute surgery is a worldwide issue and New Zealand is similarly affected. Auckland City Hospital is one of the largest metropolitan public hospitals in New Zealand where more than 60 % of surgical admissions fit into the acute category. In January 2009, an Acute Surgical Unit (ASU) was set up to improve acute surgical flow. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were identified as valuable tools in evaluating ASU service performance. Our goals were to describe the current acute patient pathway, present the early trend of KPIs for the ASU and determine whether an impact has been made on acute surgical patients.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients admitted with acute general surgical conditions from January 2008 (pre‐ASU) to October 2010 was performed. Patient data were identified through hospital electronic records. KPIs assessed included: (1) time to assess referred patients from the emergency department (ED) and from GPs [where patient assessment occurs in the assessment and planning unit (APU)]; (2) preoperative length of stay (LOS[PO]); (3) length of stay of nonadmitted patients (LOS[NA]); (4) case volume “in h” (0730–1730) versus “after h”; and (5) readmission rate. Statistical analysis was performed with one‐way ANOVA, regression, and χ2 tests.

Results

Results show a reduction of mean time from referral to assessment from 2.28 to 1.6 h in the ED (p ≤ 0.001). Patients are seen in APU after GP referral sooner as well as the time from referral to assessment reducing from 2 to 1.76 h (p < 0.001). The LOS[PO] has not changed significantly overall (34.58 vs. 34.88 h, p = not significant [NS]). However, there are encouraging signs in high‐volume procedures, such as appendicectomy. The mean LOS[PO] for appendicectomy was 7.81 h but is now 6.53 h (p ≤ 0.005). The LOS[NA] has decreased from 15.23 to 9.48 h (p < 0.005). Since the development of the ASU, the number of cases operated on “in hours” is increasing with a corresponding decrease in “after hours” operating.

Conclusions

Our KPIs demonstrate an early positive trend of facilitating acute patient flow. There is minimal difference between pre‐ and post‐ASU LOS[PO].The causes are likely multifactorial, including increased case volume displacing minor cases of lesser urgency, lack of operating staff, and shortage of hospital beds in winter months. This study supports the utility of ASU in facilitating patient flow in a NZ metropolitan public hospital.
Comment on “Degradation of Two Persistent Surfactants by UV‐Enhanced Ozonation”
Authors: Heinze John E.
Published: June 2012

In a recent issue of this journal, Tehrani‐Bagha et al. (J Surf Deterg 15:59–66, 2012) state that sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, more commonly known as linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is a “persistent surfactant” that demonstrates “low biodegradability.” Tehrani‐Bagha et al. further imply that LAS has “harmful effects” on the environment, causing “serious environmental pollution.” This comment reviews some of the extensive literature available on LAS including five environmental assessments which concluded that LAS is of low concern and not a risk to the environment. Published studies and reviews report that LAS passes stringent laboratory tests designed to measure ready biodegradability and demonstrates rapid biodegradation in both laboratory and field studies. These studies and assessments contradict the statements made about LAS in the Tehrani‐Bagha et al. paper.
The Incredible Shrinking Black Woman: Implications of Health Policies
Authors: Dias Janice Johnson , Price Gregory N.
Published: June 2012

Black American women are shrinking in height at a faster rate than other groups, a phenomenon that has consequences for the physical health and economic well-being of black females. Relative to the cohort born from 1955 to 1974, the most recent cohort (1970–1986) of black American women and girls have lost more than half an inch (approximately 0.56) in height. Adult height is a measure of net nutrition acquired during childhood and adolescence and is correlated with a wide variety of economic and health outcomes. Simultaneously, the body mass index (BMI) among blacks has also increased at a faster rate than whites in both the periods of 1988–1994 (1.06 kg/m2) and 1999–2002. Black women and girls, in particular, experienced the greatest increase in BMI since the 1990s. Evidence that black American women are shrinking and BMI is growing highlights the need to examine the nutritional intake of black girls during childhood and adolescence; early nutritional deficiencies have persistent impact over their life course. In this policy brief, we consider several public health policy interventions that affect black girls’ nutritional intake across the life course, particularly during childhood and adolescence.
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of skeletal muscle atrophy: an update
Authors: Fanzani Alessandro , Conraads Viviane M. , Penna Fabio , Martinet Wim
Published: June 2012

Skeletal muscle atrophy is defined as a decrease in muscle mass and it occurs when protein degradation exceeds protein synthesis. Potential triggers of muscle wasting are long‐term immobilization, malnutrition, severe burns, aging as well as various serious and often chronic diseases, such as chronic heart failure, obstructive lung disease, renal failure, AIDS, sepsis, immune disorders, cancer, and dystrophies. Interestingly, a cooperation between several pathophysiological factors, including inappropriately adapted anabolic (e.g., growth hormone, insulin‐like growth factor 1) and catabolic proteins (e.g., tumor necrosis factor alpha, myostatin), may tip the balance towards muscle‐specific protein degradation through activation of the proteasomal and autophagic systems or the apoptotic pathway. Based on the current literature, we present an overview of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to muscle wasting. We also focus on the multifacetted therapeutic approach that is currently employed to prevent the development of muscle wasting and to counteract its progression. This approach includes adequate nutritional support, implementation of exercise training, and possible pharmacological compounds.
II. HABITUAL RESIDENCE AND THE NEWBORN—A FRENCH PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Fiorini Aude
Published: June 2012

Where a pregnant woman travels and subsequently gives birth to a child abroad, should the left behind father be able to petition for the ‘return’ of his child under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction? An affirmative answer would not only presuppose that the abduction of the child had been in breach of the father's actually exercised rights of custody, but would also depend on which country, if any, the child was habitually resident in immediately before the ‘abduction’.
The constitutionalization of what?
Authors: BROWN GARRETT WALLACE
Published: June 2012

There are difficult global challenges that need to be addressed. In response, many have argued for the increased constitutionalization of international law. An argument is often also made that the international order is already constitutionalized in some meaningful sense and that there are founding conditions within the international order that represent something like a global constitution. Nevertheless, when surveying the literature on constitutionalization one is often struck by a general ambiguity about what the term means and with how constitutionalization is meant to operate between theory and institutional practice. In particular, there seems to be an overall ambiguity regarding what is being constituted by the processes of constitutionalization, about how these processes operate, and with whether this legal order is in fact creating the type of progressive cosmopolitanism that is often assumed. To address these ambiguities, this article will seek to better understand what appeals to constitutionalization generally mean and to expose key conceptual problems. The goal in doing so is to highlight areas that need greater conceptual attention and to recommend potential solutions, so that more cosmopolitan minded scholars can feel more confident in prescribing constitutionalization as part of their normative catalogue.
The effect of vertical and horizontal dilution on fertilized patch experiments
Authors: Ianson Debby , Völker Christoph , Denman Ken L. , Kunze Eric , Steiner Nadja
Published: June 2012

A great deal of attention, both negative and positive, has been directed at the potential of large‐scale iron fertilization schemes to sequester carbon by inducing phytoplankton blooms that would, in theory, result in significant export of organic carbon to the deep ocean in high nitrogen ‐ low chlorophyll regions. A suite of iron manipulation or ‘patch’ experiments has been performed over length‐scales of 10s of km. Here, we use a physical‐ecological‐chemical model, with prognostic nitrogen, silica and iron dynamics, to study one of the most successful of these experiments, the Subarctic Ecosystem Response to Iron Enrichment Study (SERIES), focusing on the vertical export of organic material, which is difficult to observe in the field. The implications of large‐scale fertilization, i.e. increasing patch size, are investigated. Our results agree with the general conclusions obtained from the field experiments. Only a modest export of organic carbon occurs (less than 25% of carbon uptake by phytoplankton) at the base of the mixed layer. Furthermore, we show that lateral and vertical supply of silicic acid is necessary to fuel a sustained phytoplankton bloom. Increasing patch size results in less lateral nutrient supply relative to patch area and so a decrease, not only in total production (per unit area), but in the contribution by large phytoplankton due to silica limitation. Most importantly, the export of organic carbon (per unit area) decreases substantially, by nearly an order of magnitude, as scales of 1000 km are approached.
The sequestration efficiency of the biological pump
Authors: DeVries Tim , Primeau Francois , Deutsch Curtis
Published: June 2012

The conversion of dissolved nutrients and carbon to organic matter by phytoplankton in the surface ocean, and its downward transport by sinking particles, produces a “biological pump” that reduces the concentration of atmospheric CO2. Global rates of organic matter export are a poor indicator of biological carbon storage however, because organic matter gets distributed across water masses with diverse pathways and timescales of return to the surface. Here we show that organic matter export and carbon storage can be related through a sequestration efficiency, which measures how long regenerated nutrients and carbon will be stored in the interior ocean before being returned to the surface. For the first time, we derive global maps of the sequestration efficiency of the biological pump at different residence time horizons. These maps reveal how regional patterns of organic matter export contribute to the biological pump, and how the biological pump responds to changes in biological productivity driven by climate change.
Estimating the capture and loss of cold plasma from ionospheric outflow
Authors: Haaland S. , Eriksson A. , Engwall E. , Lybekk B. , Nilsson H. , Pedersen A. , Svenes K. , André M. , Förster M. , Li K. , Johnsen C. , Østgaard N.
Published: June 2012

An important source of magnetospheric plasma is cold plasma from the terrestrial ionosphere. Low energy ions travel along the magnetic field lines and enter the magnetospheric lobes where they are convected toward the tail plasma sheet. Recent observations indicate that the field aligned ion outflow velocity is sometimes much higher than the convection toward the central plasma sheet. A substantial amount of plasma therefore escapes downtail without ever reaching the central plasma sheet. In this work, we use Cluster measurements of cold plasma outflow and lobe convection velocities combined with models of the magnetic field in an attempt to determine the fate of the outflowing ions and to quantify the amount of plasma lost downtail. The results show that both the circulation of plasma and the direct tailward escape of ions varies significantly with magnetospheric conditions. For strong solar wind driving with a southward interplanetary magnetic field, also typically associated with high geomagnetic activity, most of the outflowing plasma is convected to the plasma sheet and recirculated. For periods with northward interplanetary magnetic field, the convection is nearly stagnant, whereas the outflow, although limited, still persists. The dominant part of the outflowing ions escape downtail and are directly lost into the solar wind under such conditions.
Quasi‐two‐day wave coupling of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere‐ionosphere in the TIME‐GCM: Two‐day oscillations in the ionosphere
Authors: Yue Jia , Wang Wenbin , Richmond Arthur D. , Liu Han‐Li
Published: June 2012

The Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME‐GCM) is used to simulate the quasi‐two‐day wave (QTDW) modulation of the ionospheric dynamo and electron density. The QTDW can directly penetrate into the lower thermosphere and modulate the neutral winds at a period of two days. The QTDW modulation of the tidal amplitudes is not evident. The QTDW in zonal and meridional winds results in a quasi‐two‐day oscillation (QTDO) of the dynamo electric fields at southern midlatitudes, which is mapped into the conjugate northern magnetic midlatitudes. The QTDO of the electric fields in the E region is transmitted along the magnetic field lines to the F region and leads to the QTDOs of the vertical ion drift and total electron content (TEC) at low and mid latitudes. The QTDO of the vertical ion drift near the magnetic equator leads to the 2‐day oscillation of the fountain effect. The QTDO of the TEC has two peaks at ±25 magnetic latitude (Mlat) and one near the dip equator. The equatorial peak is nearly out of phase with the ones at ±25 Mlat. The vertical ion drift at midlatitudes extends the QTDW response of the TEC to midlatitudes from the Equatorial Ionospheric Anomaly (EIA). Most differently from previous reports, we discover that the QTDW winds couple into the F region ionosphere through both the fountain effect and the middle latitude dynamos.
A parametrization, based on sea ice morphology, of the neutral atmospheric drag coefficients for weather prediction and climate models
Authors: Lüpkes Christof , Gryanik Vladimir M. , Hartmann Jörg , Andreas Edgar L.
Published: June 2012

A hierarchy of parametrizations of the neutral 10 m drag coefficients over polar sea ice with different morphology regimes is derived on the basis of a partitioning concept that splits the total surface drag into contributions of skin drag and form drag. The new derivation, which provides drag coefficients as a function of sea ice concentration and characteristic length scales of roughness elements, needs fewer assumptions than previous similar approaches. It is shown that form drag variability can explain the variability of surface drag in the marginal sea ice zone (MIZ) and in the summertime inner Arctic regions. In the MIZ, form drag is generated by floe edges; in the inner Arctic, it is generated by edges at melt ponds and leads due to the elevation of the ice surface relative to the open water surface. It is shown that an earlier fit of observed neutral drag coefficients is obtained as a special case within the new concept when specific simplifications are made which concern the floe and melt pond geometry. Due to the different surface morphologies in the MIZ and summertime Arctic, different functional dependencies of the drag coefficients on the sea ice concentration result. These differences cause only minor differences between the MIZ and summertime drag coefficients in average conditions, but they might be locally important for atmospheric momentum transport to sea ice. The new parametrization formulae can be used for present conditions but also for future climate scenarios with changing sea ice conditions.
Penumbra Detection using PWI/DWI Mismatch MRI in a Rat Stroke Model with and without Comorbidity: Comparison of Methods
Authors: Reid Emma , Graham Delyth , Lopez-Gonzalez M Rosario , Holmes William M , Macrae I Mhairi , McCabe Christopher
Published: June 2012

Perfusion-diffusion (perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI)/diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)) mismatch is used to identify penumbra in acute stroke. However, limitations in penumbra detection with mismatch are recognized, with a lack of consensus on thresholds, quantification and validation of mismatch. We determined perfusion and diffusion thresholds from final infarct in the clinically relevant spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone (SHRSP) rat and its normotensive control strain, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and compared three methods for penumbra calculation. After permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) (WKY n=12, SHRSP n=15), diffusion-weighted (DWI) and perfusion-weighted (PWI) images were obtained for 4 hours post stroke and final infarct determined at 24 hours on T2 scans. The PWI/DWI mismatch was calculated from volumetric assessment (perfusion deficit volume minus apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)-defined lesion volume) or spatial assessment of mismatch area on each coronal slice. The ADC-derived lesion growth provided the third, retrospective measure of penumbra. At 1 hour after MCAO, volumetric mismatch detected smaller volumes of penumbra in both strains (SHRSP: 31±50 mm3, WKY: 22±59 mm3, mean±s.d.) compared with spatial assessment (SHRSP: 36±15 mm3, WKY: 43±43 mm3) and ADC lesion expansion (SHRSP: 41±45 mm3, WKY: 65±41 mm3), although these differences were not statistically significant. Spatial assessment appears most informative, using both diffusion and perfusion data, eliminating the influence of negative mismatch and allowing the anatomical location of penumbra to be assessed at given time points after stroke.
Impact of oncogenic driver mutations on feedback between the PI3K and MEK pathways in cancer cells
Authors: Yuen Hiu-Fung , Abramczyk Olga , Montgomery Grant , Chan Ka-Kui , Huang Yu-Han , Sasazuki Takehiko , Shirasawa Senji , Gopesh Srivastava , Chan Kwok-Wah , Fennell Dean , Janne Pasi , El-Tanani Mohamed , Murray James T.
Published: June 2012

Inhibition of the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt/mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1) and Ras/MEK [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase]/ERK pathways for cancer therapy has been pursued for over a decade with limited success. Emerging data have indicated that only discrete subsets of cancer patients have favourable responses to these inhibitors. This is due to genetic mutations that confer drug insensitivity and compensatory mechanisms. Therefore understanding of the feedback mechanisms that occur with respect to specific genetic mutations may aid identification of novel biomarkers that predict patient response. In the present paper, we show that feedback between the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 and Ras/MEK/ERK pathways is cell-line-specific and highly dependent on the activating mutation of K-Ras or overexpression c-Met. We found that cell lines exhibited differential signalling and apoptotic responses to PD184352, a specific MEK inhibitor, and PI103, a second-generation class I PI3K inhibitor. We reveal that feedback from the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 to the Ras/MEK/ERK pathway is present in cancer cells harbouring either K-Ras activating mutations or amplification of c-Met but not the wild-type counterparts. Moreover, we demonstrate that inhibition of protein phosphatase activity by OA (okadaic acid) restored PI103-mediated feedback in wild-type cells. Together, our results demonstrate a novel mechanism for feedback between the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 and the Ras/MEK/ERK pathways that only occurs in K-Ras mutant and c-Met amplified cells but not the isogenic wild-type cells through a mechanism that may involve inhibition of a specific endogenous phosphatase(s) activity. We conclude that monitoring K-Ras and c-Met status are important biomarkers for determining the efficacy of PI103 and other PI3K/Akt inhibitors in cancer therapy.
Recruitment of HRDC domain of WRN and BLM to the sites of DNA damage induced by mitomycin C and methyl methanesulfonate
Authors: Samanta Saheli , Karmakar Parimal
Published: June 2012

The HRDC (helicase and RNase D C‐terminal) domain at the C‐terminal of WRNp (Werner protein) (1150–1229 amino acids) and BLMp (Bloom protein) (1212–1292 amino acids) recognize laser microirradiation‐induced DNA dsbs (double‐strand breaks). However, their role in the recognition of DNA damage other than dsbs has not been reported. In this work, we show that HRDC domain of both the proteins can be recruited to the DNA damage induced by MMS (methyl methanesulfonate) and MMC (methyl mitomycin C). GFP (green fluorescent protein)‐tagged HRDC domain produces distinct foci‐like respective wild‐types after DNA damage induced by the said agents and co‐localize with α‐H2AX. However, in time course experiment, we observed that the foci of HRDC domain exist after 24 h of removal of the damaging agents, while the foci of full‐length protein disappear completely. This indicates that the repair events are not completed by the presence of protein corresponding to only the HRDC domain. Consequently, cells overexpressing the HRDC domain fail to survive after DNA damage, as determined by MTT [3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide] assay. Moreover, 24 h after removal of damaging agents, the extent of DNA damage is greater in cells overexpressing HRDC domain compared with corresponding wild‐types, as observed by comet assay. Thus, our observations suggest that HRDC domain of both WRN and BLM can also recognize different types of DNA damages, but for the successful repair they fail to respond to subsequent repair events.
Knockdown of OY‐TES‐1 by RNAi causes cell cycle arrest and migration decrease in bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Cen Yan‐Hui , Guo Wen‐Wen , Luo Bin , Lin Yong‐Da , Zhang Qing‐Mei , Zhou Su‐Fang , Luo Guo‐Rong , Xiao Shao‐Wen , Xie Xiao‐Xun
Published: June 2012

OY‐TES‐1 is a member of the CTA (cancer‐testis antigen) group expressed in a variety of cancer and restrictedly expressed in adult normal tissues, except for testis. To determine whether MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) express OY‐TES‐1 and its possible roles on MSCs, OY‐TES‐1 expression in MSCs isolated from human bone marrow was tested with RT (reverse transcription)‐PCR, immunocytochemistry and Western blot. Using RNAi (RNA interference) technology, OY‐TES‐1 expression was knocked down followed by analysing cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis and migration ability. MSCs expressed OY‐TES‐1 at both mRNA and protein levels. The down‐regulation of OY‐TES‐1 expression in these MSCs caused cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction and migration ability attenuation. Through these primary results it was suggested that OY‐TES‐1 may influence the biological behaviour of MSCs.