bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Localization and expression of peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) in mammalian oocytes and preimplantation embryos
Authors: Brahmajosyula Manjula , Miyake Masashi
Published: December 2011

Post-translational modifications generally involve the addition or removal of various functional groups to or from the protein residues. However, citrullination, which is catalyzed by the peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs), involves conversion of one kind of amino acid residue into another. One of five isoforms, PAD4 is a nuclear enzyme known to play a role in development, differentiation and apoptosis through gene regulation. To investigate the possible role of PAD4 in mammalian preimplantation embryonic development, we first studied localization and expression of PAD4 and citrullinated proteins in pig and mouse oocytes, and parthenogenetic orin vitrofertilized (IVF) embryos. Immunofluorescence study revealed that PAD4 primarily localizes in the cytoplasm in pig oocytes and parthenogenetic embryos. However, the nuclear translocation of PAD4 was observed in late germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes prior to GV breakdown and was localized around the metaphase (M)I and II spindle. Nucleus localized PAD4 was noticed partially again in blastocysts. In mouse IVF embryos, nuclear translocation started from the 2-cell stage and gradually increased up to blastocyst. Western blot studies confirmed that PAD4 was expressed in oocytes, and parthenogenetic embryos of pig. Citrullinated proteins were detected in granular form on the chromatin in GV, MI and MII oocytes and nuclei in all the stages of the embryos studied. It was found that the target of citrullination was histone protein (H3), not B23. Therefore the presence of PAD4 and citrullinated histone H3 in oocytes and embryos suggested a possible role for PAD4 in preimplantation embryonic development.
Quantum tunneling of the Bloch point in a magnetic film with strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy
Authors: Shevchenko A. B. , Barabash M. Yu.
Published: December 2011

It is shown that the Bloch point quantum tunneling through a defect in the domain wall of a magnetic bubble is possible in principle. It is established that the temperature corresponding to this process is in the subhelium temperature range.
Capacitance of a highly ordered array of nanocapacitors: Model and microscopy
Authors: Cortés A. , Celedón C. , Ulloa P. , Kepaptsoglou D. , Häberle P.
Published: December 2011

This manuscript describes briefly the process used to build an ordered porous array in an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane, filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNTs were grown directly inside the membrane through chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The role of the CNTs is to provide narrow metal electrodes contact with a dielectric surface barrier, hence, forming a capacitor. This procedure allows the construction of an array of 1010 parallel nano-spherical capacitors/cm2. A central part of this contribution is the use of physical parameters obtained from processing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, to predict the specific capacitance of the AAOs arrays. Electrical parameters were obtained by solving Laplace’s equation through finite element methods (FEMs).
Modeling and small-angle neutron scattering spectra of chromatin supernucleosomal structures at genome scale
Authors: Ilatovskiy Andrey V. , Lebedev Dmitry V. , Filatov Michael V. , Grigoriev Mikhail , Petukhov Michael G. , Isaev-Ivanov Vladimir V.
Published: December 2011

Eukaryotic genome is a highly compacted nucleoprotein complex organized in a hierarchical structure based on nucleosomes. Detailed organization of this structure remains unknown. In the present work we developed algorithms for geometry modeling of the supernucleosomal chromatin structure and for computing distance distribution functions and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) spectra of the genome-scale (∼106 nucleosomes) chromatin structure at residue resolution. Our physical nucleosome model was based on the mononucleosome crystal structure. A nucleosome was assumed to be rigid within a local coordinate system. Interface parameters between nucleosomes can be set for each nucleosome independently. Pair distance distributions were computed with Monte Carlo simulation. SANS spectra were calculated with Fourier transformation of weighted distance distribution; the concentration of heavy water in solvent and probability of H/D exchange were taken into account. Two main modes of supernucleosomal structure generation were used. In a free generation mode all interface parameters were chosen randomly, whereas nucleosome self-intersections were not allowed. The second generation mode (generation in volume) enabled spherical or cubical wall restrictions. It was shown that calculated SANS spectra for a number of our models were in general agreement with available experimental data.
Electron spectrum of the disordered binary linear chain
Authors: Ivanov M. A. , Molodid V. S. , Skripnik Yu. V.
Published: December 2011

Within the tight-binding model, numerical calculations of one-electron spectra of long disordered two-component linear chains are performed. The general structure of the spectrum is obtained. It is shown that in the region of a localized level, the spectrum has a clear hierarchy and self-similarity properties typical for fractals. The distribution of intervals between levels within the quasi-continuous spectrum is determined. It is shown that this distribution has a random exponential character without a dip in the region of small intervals. The change of the general form of the density of states in the quasi-continuous region of the spectrum was found. It is demonstrated that there appear sets of features, consisting of resonant minima and maxima, which condense at the band edges. With increasing the difference of energy levels of components, such features are gradually transformed into forbidden bands with widths depending linearly on the concentration. It is established that the positions of these features do not depend on the parameters of the components and on their concentration, but are determined by the self-energies of short chains of atoms of the main component. The general structure of the spectrum at commensurable concentrations of different atoms is also found.
Spectrally and temporarily resolved luminescence study of short-range order in nanostructured amorphous ZrO2
Authors: Tiseanu Carmen , Parvulescu Vasile I. , Sanchez-Dominguez Margarita , Boutonnet Magali
Published: December 2011

The local structure amorphous ZrO2 doped with europium (Eu3+) and its evolution during crystallization was investigated by using spectrally and temporally resolved luminescence of europium. A small contribution of a crystalline, tetragonal-like local phase emission to the overall broad/amorphous emission could be observed in the amorphous state before calcination. Also, a non- negligible amount of amorphous type emission was still detectable with the crystalline europium-doped ZrO2 obtained on calcination at 500 and 1000 °C being assigned to a disordered, monoclinic-like local phase.
Magnetometry and transport data complement polarized neutron reflectometry in magnetic depth profiling
Authors: Wang Yi , He Xi , Mukherjee T. , Fitzsimmons M. R. , Sahoo S. , Binek Ch.
Published: December 2011

Exchange coupled magnetic hard layer/soft layer thin films show a variety of complex magnetization reversal mechanisms depending on the hierarchy of interaction strengths within and between the films. Magnetization reversal can include uniform rotation, soft layer biasing, as well as exchange spring behavior. We investigate the magnetization reversal of a CoPt/Permalloy/Ta/Permalloy heterostructure. Here, Stoner-Wohlfarth-type uniform magnetization rotation of the virtually free Permalloy layer and exchange spring behavior of the strongly pinned Permalloy layer are found in the same sample. We investigate the complex magnetization reversal by polarized neutron reflectometry, magnetometry, and magneto-transport. The synergy of combining these experimental methods together with theoretical modeling is key to obtain the complete quantitative depth resolved information of the magnetization reversal processes for a multilayer of mesoscopic thickness.
Quasi in situ scanning force microscope with an automatic operated reaction chamber
Authors: Hund Markus , Olszowka Violetta , Fischer Franz , Krejtschi Heinz
Published: December 2011

We describe the design and performance of a quasi in situ scanning force microscope with an automatic operated reaction chamber. The design provides a repetitive hermetically sealed sample environment for successive processing. The reaction chamber is based on a combination of a flexure-guided cover, a piezo-positioning system and a force applicator system. An axial force seals the cover against the reactor enabling flow-through applications at low pressure, ambient pressure, or elevated pressure. The position stability of the sample relative to the probe is characterized and a full automated operation of the instrument is explored by the alignment of an ABC terblock copolymer thin film undergoing solvent vapor annealing in the presence of a high electric field. Due to the high electric field strength and the sharp scanning force microscope tip it is impossible to perform in situ scanning in the presence of the electric field.
Effect of metal-precursor gas ratios on AlInN/GaN structures for high efficiency ultraviolet photodiodes
Authors: Sakai Y. , Khai P. C. , Egawa T.
Published: December 2011

The authors report on the effect of metal-precursor gas ratios on AlInN/GaN structures for high efficiency ultraviolet photodiodes. AlInN/GaN structures with the different metal-precursor gas ratio, namely V/III ratio, were grown on AlN templates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Nearly lattice-matched AlInN layer is obtained at the higher temperature by decreasing the V/III ratio. AlInN layers are found to have good crystal qualities with no dependency on the V/III ratio. However, pit density depends slightly on the V/III ratio, indicating good surface morphology is obtained by decreasing the V/III ratio. The fabricated photodiodes also show good device characteristics by decreasing the V/III ratio. The spectral responsivity at the cutoff wavelength increases from 1 to 20 mA/W, indicating that the quantum efficiency is greatly improved. We believe that the further optimization of the growth parameters for AlInN/GaN structures is one of the effective approaches in realizing high efficiency ultraviolet photodiodes.
First-principles study of initial growth of GaXO layer on GaAs-β2(2 × 4) surface and interface passivation by F
Authors: Wang Weichao , Xiong Ka , Wallace Robert M. , Cho Kyeongjae
Published: December 2011

A theoretical scheme is used to investigate atomic and electronic structures of the growth of gallium oxides on the GaAs(001) surface and GaXO/GaAs interface. Using first principles molecular dynamics, it is found that oxygen and surface As-As dimer have a mutual diffusion when Ga2O3 molecular species gradually precipitate on the GaAs(001)-β2(2 × 4) surface until the surface is fully covered by one monolayer. One Ga-Ga dimer and a Ga atom with low coordination are observed. These bondings lead to gap states located in the upper half region of the GaAs bandgap. Further partial charge analysis shows that these gap states arise from Ga-dangling bonds and the low-coordinated Ga atoms which are removed by the subsequent Ga2O growth. Moreover, further Ga2O growth results in the formation of unsaturated As-O. Consequently, gap states are introduced in the lower part of the GaAs gap. In both cases, F assists in eliminating unsaturated Ga- or As-related bonds and shows a significant passivation effect, i.e., removing the gap states.
Effect of H on interface properties of Al2O3/In0.53Ga0.47As
Authors: Liu Zuoguang , Cui Sharon , Shekhter Pini , Sun Xiao , Kornblum Lior , Yang Jie , Eizenberg Moshe , Chang-Liao K. S. , Ma T. P.
Published: December 2011

We report that depositing Al2O3 on InGaAs in an H-containing ambient (e.g., in forming gas) results in significant reduction of interface-trap density and significantly suppressed frequency dispersion of accumulation capacitance. The results of the inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy study reveal that strong trap features at the Al2O3/InGaAs interface in the InGaAs band gap are largely removed by depositing Al2O3 in an H-containing ambient. Transmission electron microscopy images and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data shed some light on the role of hydrogen in improving interface properties of the Al2O3/In0.53Ga0.47As gate stack.
The diet of the female ricefield rat, Rattus argentiventer, influences their breeding performance in a mixed rice cropping ecosystem in An Giang province, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Authors: My Phung Nguyen Thi , Brown Peter R. , Leung Luke K.-P.
Published: December 2011

Context
The ricefield rat, Rattus argentiventer, is the main rodent pest of rice in Vietnam, causing annual pre-harvest rice losses of around 10%. Although its diet is reported to consist of mainly rice, other components might also be important, and it is not known whether its breeding performance is affected by the quality and/or quantity of food. Furthermore, if its breeding is synchronised with the growth of rice crops, the rats will be able to make full use of the food supply to produce offspring. This knowledge is necessary for developing improved strategies for managing this pest.

Aims
This study aimed to determine whether the breeding performance of female R. argentiventer is responding to food quality (increased percentage of rice in stomach) and/or quantity (increased weight of stomach content) or whether its breeding is synchronised with the growth of rice crops.

Methods
The stomach contents and breeding condition of 296 adult female rats were sampled by snap trapping once a month from October 2008 to December 2009 over three consecutive irrigated lowland rice crops fields to cover a range of rice growth stages in An Giang province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Key results
Overall, rice formed 70.5% ± 2.0 s.e. in the diet, followed by green material (25.9% ± 1.9 s.e.), insects (3.1% ± 0.6 s.e.) and mung bean (0.5% ± 0.3 s.e.). The probability of breeding increased with increasing mean percentage of rice in the diet: Pr(Breed) = 1/(1 + exp(0.6395–0.0090 × Rice)). However, this relationship was not consistent because breeding performance was high at the heading stage when the percentage of rice in the stomach was low and because breeding intensity was low at sowing when the percentage of rice in stomach was high. The rice growth stage is a better predictor for the breeding performance than the percentage of rice in the diet.

Conclusions
Breeding was driven by a functional response of rats to the abundant supply of food quality (rice grain), modified by some unknown mechanisms that modifies this response of rats so that rats can anticipate food supply. Understanding the nature of this mechanism may provide insights into population processes that can be exploited in controlling rats in rice crops.

Implications
Farmers could slow the reproductive rate of female R. argentiventer by reducing the food quantity through minimising the amount of spilt grain left in the field and through more synchronous cropping.
“What an un-wiki way of doing things”
Authors: Ensslin Astrid
Published: December 2011

Wikipediadefines itself as “the biggest multilingual free-content encyclopedia on the internet”, thus featuring an explicit language policy in its mission statement. Bearing in mind that the site has become the most popular source of encyclopaedic information online, its significance for public encounters with multilingualism should not be underestimated. This article offers a critical and multimodal discourse analytical approach toWikipedia’s explicit and implicit multilingual policies and practices. I examine, under “explicit metalinguistic practice” (Woolard 1998), public disclaimers and exemplary user practice and talk on the “Multilingual Coordination” entry. Under “implicit metapragmatics”, I shall offer a multimodal analysis ofWikipedia’s multilingualism-oriented interface design; the corporate logo and its paratextual meta-commentary on a number of linguistic and journalistic websites; and a code-critical reading ofWikipedia’s “Babel” user language templates. My observations are discussed against the backdrop of postcolonialist theories on the role of English aslingua francaof the information age.
Unity in disunity
Authors: Milani Tommaso M. , Davies Bethan , Turner Will
Published: December 2011

This paper takes as a point of departure the website of the “Voices” project, a large media enterprise on languages in the UK conducted by the BBC in 2003–2005. With the help of the notions of language ideology and the analytical tools of multimodal critical discourse analysis, the paper shows how representations of languages on the website are a discursive terrain on which negotiations of national identities are played out. Essentially, the argument is that there is a constant tension betweencentripetal(unifying) andcentrifugal(particularising) forces which strive for the production of different, concomitant and often conflicting national identities. Whereas the BBC seeks to represent the UK as a happy and unified multilingual nation, the many postings on the website show how multilingualism is not always perceived by speakers as a happy and unproblematic phenomenon, but is a politically-fraught issue that creates strong disagreements about the values of different languages in British society as well as their functions as markers of different national identities.
Gaussian process modelling forbicoidmRNA regulation in spatio-temporal Bicoid profile
Authors: Liu Wei , Niranjan Mahesan
Published: December 2011

Motivation: Bicoid protein molecules, translated from maternally provided bicoid mRNA, establish a concentration gradient in Drosophila early embryonic development. There is experimental evidence that the synthesis and subsequent destruction of this protein is regulated at source by precise control of the stability of the maternal mRNA. Can we infer the driving function at the source from noisy observations of the spatio-temporal protein profile? We use non-parametric Gaussian process regression for modelling the propagation of Bicoid in the embryo and infer aspects of source regulation as a posterior function.

Results: With synthetic data from a 1D diffusion model with a source simulated to model mRNA stability regulation, our results establish that the Gaussian process method can accurately infer the driving function and capture the spatio-temporal dynamics of embryonic Bicoid propagation. On real data from the FlyEx database, too, the reconstructed source function is indicative of stability regulation, but is temporally smoother than what we expected, partly due to the fact that the dataset is only partially observed. To be in line with recent thinking on the subject, we also analyse this model with a spatial gradient of maternal mRNA, rather than being fixed at only the anterior pole.

Contact:  m.niranjan@southampton.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Only pollinator fig wasps have males that collaborate to release their females from figs of an Asian fig tree
Authors: Suleman Nazia , Raja Shazia , Compton Stephen G.
Published: December 2011

Male insects rarely collaborate with each other, but pollinator fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) are said to be an exception. Immature fig wasps feed on galled ovules located inside figs, the inflorescences of
Ficus
species (Moraceae). After mating, adult pollinator males chew communal exit-holes that allow mated females (which are often also their siblings) to escape. Figs also support non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFWs), some of which produce exit-holes independently. We determined whether collaboration between pollinator males (
Kradibia tentacularis
from
Ficus montana
) was necessary for the release of their females, and used the relationship between male numbers and likelihood of success to measure the extent of cooperation during exit-hole production. These attributes were then compared with those of an NPFW (
Sycoscapter
sp.) from the same host plant. Pollinators were more abundant than NPFW, but their more female-biased sex ratio meant male pollinator densities were only slightly higher. Individual males of both species could produce an exit-hole. Single males of the NPFW were just as successful as single male pollinators, but only male pollinators cooperated effectively, becoming more successful as their numbers increased. The lack of cooperation among NPFW may be linked to their earlier period of intense inter-male aggression.
Time scales for dynamical relaxation to the Born rule
Authors: Towler M. D. , Russell N. J. , Valentini Antony
Published: December 2011

We illustrate through explicit numerical calculations how the Born rule probability densities of non-relativistic quantum mechanics emerge naturally from the particle dynamics of de Broglie–Bohm pilot-wave theory. The time evolution of a particle distribution initially
not
equal to the absolute square of the wave function is calculated for a particle in a two-dimensional infinite potential square well. Under the de Broglie–Bohm ontology, the box contains an objectively existing ‘pilot wave’ which guides the electron trajectory, and this is represented mathematically by a Schrödinger wave function composed of a finite out-of-phase superposition of
M
energy eigenstates (with
M
ranging from 4 to 64). The electron density distributions are found to evolve naturally into the Born rule ones and stay there; in analogy with the classical case this represents a decay to ‘quantum equilibrium’. The proximity to equilibrium is characterized by the coarse-grained subquantum
H
-function which is found to decrease roughly exponentially towards zero over the course of time. The time scale
τ
for this relaxation is calculated for various values of
M
and the coarse-graining length
ε
. Its dependence on
M
is found to disagree with an earlier theoretical prediction. A power law,
τ
∝
M
−1
, is found to be fairly robust for all coarse-graining lengths and, although a weak dependence of
τ
on
ε
is observed, it does not appear to follow any straightforward scaling. A theoretical analysis is presented to explain these results. This improvement in our understanding of time scales for relaxation to quantum equilibrium is likely to be of use in the development of models of relaxation in the early Universe, with a view to constraining possible violations of the Born rule in inflationary cosmology.
Do Contrasting Statements Improve Users' Understanding of Different Assurance Levels Conveyed in Assurance Reports?
Authors: Low Kin‐Yew , Boo El'fred
Published: December 2011

We investigate in an experiment the effects of including statements contrasting the amount of assurance evidence collected and the relative level of assurance provided (‘contrasting statements’) on users' assurance assessment. We manipulated between subjects the type of assurance reports (limited versus reasonable assurance) and the presence of contrasting statements in the assurance report (with versus without). We also measured the participants' assurance knowledge (less versus more informed). We find that, under the current reporting regime which requires the inclusion of contrasting statements only in limited assurance reports, only more informed users can differentiate the extent of assurance conveyed in limited versus reasonable assurance reports. Extending the requirement of contrasting statements to reasonable assurance reports enables both less and more informed users to make stronger discerning assurance assessments between limited and reasonable assurance reports. We also find that users cannot distinguish between limited and reasonable assurance reports without contrasting statements. Overall results suggest that contrasting statements improve users' understanding of the different assurance levels conveyed in limited and reasonable assurance reports.
Model‐based approach to dose optimization of lopinavir/ritonavir when co‐administered with rifampicin
Authors: Zhang Chao , Denti Paolo , Decloedt Eric , Maartens Gary , Karlsson Mats O. , Simonsson Ulrika S. H. , McIlleron Helen
Published: December 2011

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT

• Doubling the dose of lopinavir/ritonavir overcomes the effect of rifampicin on lopinavir concentrations. However, lopinavir concentrations are highly variable and side effects occur commonly. Hence optimized dosing could limit the number of patients exposed to high lopinavir concentrations while maintaining adequate lopinavir concentrations.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

• We built an integrated population pharmacokinetic model of lopinavir and ritonavir, describing the drug–drug interactions between lopinavir, ritonavir and rifampicin. Based on this model, we have predicted that lower doses of lopinavir/ritonavir can be used in patients weighing less than 50 kg. Also, diurnal variations on lopinavir and ritonavir were investigated for both bioavailability and clearance.

AIMS

Rifampicin, a key component of antitubercular treatment, profoundly reduces lopinavir concentrations. The aim of this study was to develop an integrated population pharmacokinetic model accounting for the drug–drug interactions between lopinavir, ritonavir and rifampicin, and to evaluate optimal doses of lopinavir/ritonavir when co‐administered with rifampicin.

METHODS

Steady‐state pharmacokinetics of lopinavir and ritonavir were sequentially evaluated after the introduction of rifampicin and gradually escalating the dose in a cohort of 21 HIV‐infected adults. Intensive pharmacokinetic sampling was performed after each dose adjustment following a morning dose administered after fasting overnight. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted using NONMEM 7.

RESULTS

A simultaneous integrated model was built. Rifampicin reduced the oral bioavailability of lopinavir and ritonavir by 20% and 45% respectively, and it increased their clearance by 71% and 36% respectively. With increasing concentrations of ritonavir, clearance of lopinavir decreased in an Emax relationship. Bioavailability was 42% and 45% higher for evening doses compared with morning doses for lopinavir and ritonavir, respectively, while oral clearance of both drugs was 33% lower overnight. Simulations predicted that 99.5% of our patients receiving doubled doses of lopinavir/ritonavir achieve morning trough concentrations of lopinavir > 1 mg l−1 during rifampicin co‐administration, and 95% of those weighing less than 50 kg achieve this target already with 600/150 mg doses of lopinavir/ritonavir.

CONCLUSIONS

The model describes the drug–drug interactions between lopinavir, ritonavir and rifampicin in adults. The higher trough concentrations observed in the morning were explained by both higher bioavailability with the evening meal and lower clearance overnight.
Uptake of folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy: focus group analysis of women’s views and experiences
Authors: Barbour R. S. , Macleod M. , Mires G. , Anderson A. S.
Published: December 2011

How to cite this article
 Barbour R.S., Macleod M., Mires G. & Anderson A.S. (2012) Uptake of folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy: focus group analysis of women’s views and experiences. J Hum Nutr Diet.25, 140–147

Background:  To reduce risk of neural tube defects, current guidance recommends that all women who could become pregnant should take a daily 400 μg folic acid supplement before conception and until the 12th week of pregnancy. It is recognised that compliance with this guidance is sub‐optimal, although little is known about the reasons why. The present study aims to explore the rationale behind women’s decision‐making on folic acid supplement use to inform health communications.

Methods:  Women attending routine health visitor led baby clinics completed a questionnaire to establish their folic acid use in their most recent pregnancy. Participants were then invited to join focus group discussions to explore motivators and barriers to folic acid supplement use before and during pregnancy.

Results:  Of 292 women approached, 211 (70%) provided information on supplement use. Of these, 67 (31%) reported having taken folic acid supplements as recommended; 118 (56%) only during pregnancy [22 (18%) only intermittently]; and 26 (12%) had not taken folic acid at all. Eight focus group discussions were held comprising 24 participants. Discussions indicated the rationale behind current recommendations was known. Participants often linked folic acid use with morning sickness, and invoked busy lives, competing priorities for concern, and poor memory in accounting for intermittent use. Building a ‘lay evidence base’ from their own experiences, many cited healthy pregnancy outcomes without supplement use and expressed scepticism about its preventive action.

Conclusions:  The findings of the present study highlight the importance of guidance on the importance of daily folic acid supplement use, the severity of neural tube defects and the provision of evidence on risk reduction.
Influence of baseline renal function and dose reduction of nephrotoxic chemotherapeutic agents on the outcome of metastatic urothelial carcinoma: A retrospective study
Authors: Maru Shintaro , Abe Takashige , Shinohara Nobuo , Sazawa Ataru , Maruyama Satoru , Harabayashi Toru , Suzuki Shin , Nonomura Katsuya
Published: December 2011

Objectives:  To investigate the influence of baseline renal function and dose reduction of chemotherapeutic agents on the outcome of metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients with renal impairment.

Methods:  A total of 57 patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated by systemic chemotherapy were included in the present study. The 24 h‐creatinine clearance was measured before each cycle and dose reduction was carried out according to our guidelines. Patients were divided into two groups according to baseline 24 h‐creatinine clearance: fit group (60 mL/min/1.48 m2≤) and unfit group (60 mL/min/1.48 m2>). Clinical characteristics and final outcomes were compared between the two groups.

Results:  There was no significant difference in the total number of chemotherapy cycles of each patient between the two groups (fit group: median 5; unfit group: median 4; P = 0.7466), although dose reduction was carried out significantly more often in the unfit group than in the fit group during treatment (fit group: median 0 cycles; unfit group: median 3.5 cycles; P = 0.0016). Overall, the median survival was 16 months. There was a significant survival difference between the two groups (fit group: median 17 months; unfit group: median 10 months; P = 0.0419). On multivariate analyses, impaired renal function at the baseline remained an adverse factor (HR 2.27, P = 0.01).

Conclusions:  “Unfit” was a poor prognostic factor for metastatic urothelial carcinoma. The dose reduction strategy contributed to continuous treatment in the unfit group. However, its contribution to the prognosis of unfit patients is uncertain.
Pricing of innate and discretionary accruals in Australian debt
Authors: Aldamen Husam , Duncan Keith
Published: December 2011

This paper addresses the conflicting evidence on the role of accruals in debt pricing. We show that the two subcomponents of accruals quality, innate and discretionary accruals, both impact the debt pricing. Higher innate accruals increases cost of debt, consistent with the prior evidence (Francis et al., 2005; Gray et al., 2009). However, we also find that higher discretionary accruals reduce the cost of debt. This contrasts with the prior evidence of a positive association between discretionary accruals and cost and debt (Francis et al., 2005), and no association (Gray et al., 2009). We show that noisy measurement of cost of debt reconciles these results.
Playoff Uncertainty, Match Uncertainty and Attendance at Australian National Rugby League Matches*
Authors: KING NICHOLAS , OWEN P. DORIAN , AUDAS RICK
Published: December 2011

This article develops a new simulation‐based measure of playoff uncertainty and investigates its contribution to modelling match attendance compared with other variants of playoff uncertainty in the existing literature. A model of match attendance incorporating match uncertainty, playoff uncertainty, past home team performance and other relevant control variables is fitted to Australian National Rugby League data for seasons 2004–2008. The probability of making the playoffs and home team success are more important determinants of match attendance than match uncertainty. Alternative measures of playoff uncertainty based on points behind the leader, although more ad hoc, also appear able to capture broadly similar effects on attendance to the playoff probabilities.
Cost‐effective HLA‐Cw06:02 typing in a Caucasian population
Authors: Nikamo Pernilla , Ståhle Mona
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Considering the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of psoriasis which may translate into distinct disease pathology and treatment response, correct typing of the main candidate gene HLA‐C is critical but not trivial. To facilitate genotyping, we compared established techniques with our newly developed tool. Here, we propose that typing of four single nucleotide polymorphic markers within the HLA‐C region correctly determines HLA‐Cw*06:02 genotypes in psoriatic cases and healthy controls in a population of Caucasian origin. Typing of the SNPs presented herein proved to be precise, reliable, time and cost effective, and requiring low amount of DNA.
Indigenous Management Research in China from an Engaged Scholarship Perspective
Authors: Van de Ven Andrew H. , Jing Runtian
Published: December 2011

This commentary discusses the four articles in this special MOR issue on indigenous management research in China. It begins by recognizing the importance of indigenous research not only for understanding the specific knowledge of local phenomena, but also for advancing general theoretical knowledge across cultural boundaries. Challenging to undertake, we propose a method of engaged scholarship for conducting indigenous research. The four articles in this special issue provide good examples of applying principles of engaged scholarship in their indigenous Chinese management studies.
Proof of Cellini’s conjecture on self-avoiding paths in Coxeter groups
Authors: Dyer Matthew
Published: December 2011

This note proves Cellini’s conjecture that, in a Coxeter system (W,S) with reflections T, the T-increasing paths in W are self-avoiding. Here, a T-increasing path is a sequence v,t1v,…,tn⋯t1v in W with ti∈T and t1≺⋯≺tn in a reflection order ⪯ of T.
On ramification filtrations and p-adic differential equations, II: mixed characteristic case
Authors: Xiao Liang
Published: December 2011

Let K be a complete discrete valuation field of mixed characteristic (0,p), with possibly imperfect residue field. We prove a Hasse–Arf theorem for the arithmetic ramification filtrations on GK, except possibly in the absolutely unramified and non-logarithmic case, or the p=2 and logarithmic case. As an application, we obtain a Hasse–Arf theorem for filtrations on finite flat group schemes over 𝒪K.
Nonlinear ordinary differential equations in fluid dynamics
Authors: Ramshaw John D.
Published: December 2011

The equivalence between nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and linear partial differential equations (PDEs) was recently revisited by Smith, who used the equivalence to transform the ODEs of Newtonian dynamics into equivalent PDEs, from which analytical solutions to several simple dynamical problems were derived. We show how this equivalence can be used to derive a variety of exact solutions to the PDEs describing advection in fluid dynamics in terms of solutions to the equivalent ODEs for the trajectories of Lagrangian fluid particles. The PDEs that we consider describe the time evolution of non-diffusive scalars, conserved densities, and Lagrangian surfaces advected by an arbitrary compressible fluid velocity field u(x, t). By virtue of their arbitrary initial conditions, the analytical solutions are asymmetric and three-dimensional even when the velocity field is one-dimensional or symmetrical. Such solutions are useful for verifying multidimensional numerical algorithms and computer codes for simulating advection and interfacial dynamics in fluids. Illustrative examples are discussed.
Position of rays and lateral deviation of vessel elements in the stem wood of some dicotyledonous species with storeyed, double-storeyed, and nonstoreyed cambia
Authors: Wilczek Anna , Włoch Wiesław , Iqbal Muhammad , Kojs Paweł
Published: December 2011

It is believed that differentiating vessel elements increase their diameter by growing intrusively in the circumferential direction and symplastically in the radial direction in relation to the stem axis. On the basis of a detailed analysis of the cell arrangement observed in a series of semithin anatomical sections of cambial zone and the developing and mature secondary xylem of Terminalia ivorensis , Wisteria floribunda , and Millettia laurentii , we revealed a novel correlation of growing vessel elements with surrounding tissues. Rays seem to prevent the growing vessel elements from protruding laterally between the cells of adjacent rays. The growing vessel elements break the continuity of several neighbouring radial files of fusiform cell derivatives but not of ray cell derivatives. If a contiguous ray becomes an obstacle for the growth of vessel elements on any one side, the growing elements often start to grow in the opposite direction, consequently causing a deviation in the alignment of the vessel elements concerned. This mechanism explains why vessel elements may deviate from the array of their precursors, the fusiform cambial initials. Our models on the intrusive symplastic growth of vessel element mother cells have revealed that intrusive growth does not occur between radial walls of neighbouring cells.
Optical limiting behavior of ring substituted zinc, indium and gallium phthalocyanines in the presence of quantum dots
Authors: Britton Jonathan , Litwinski Christian , Durmuş Mahmut , Chauke Vongani , Nyokong Tebello
Published: December 2011

This paper presents the study of the effects of CdTe-TGA quantum dots (QDs) on optical limiting ability of different phthalocyanine (Pc) complexes (1–10) containing Zn , Ga , In central metals and substituted with benzyloxyphenoxy, phenoxy, tert-butylphenoxy and amino groups. The optical limiting parameters of Pcs were higher for tert-butylphenoxy when compared to benzyloxyphenoxy and phenoxy substituents, in DMSO. Non-peripheral substitution decreased the optical limiting parameters. Third-order susceptibility (Im[χ(3)]/α) values of Pcs in the absence and presence of CdTe QDs were in the 10-12 to 10-10 esu.cm range. Hyperpolarizabilities (γ) ranged from 10-31 to 10-29 esu L for Pc alone or in mixture with QDs. There is a general improvement in optical limiting ability of Pc complexes in the presence of CdTe TGA QDs. Due to these promising results, future work can be implemented for the creation of Pc:QD thin films, which would then be examined to ensure that their optical limiting ability is still acceptable.
Voltammetric Study of the Molybdate Reduction and Subsequent Oxidation on Glassy Carbon Electrode in Acid Media
Authors: Galicia Alejandra , Zayas Teresa , Salgado Leonardo
Published: December 2011

The electroreduction of molybdate and subsequent electro-oxidation on glassy carbon electrodes was studied by cyclic voltammetry in acid medium. The results show that the reduction of molybdate depends on applied potential and molybdate concentration in solution. The molybdate reduction process is characterized by cathodic peaks Ic (-0.143 mV), IIc (-0.270 mV) and the cathodic band (Bc) around -400 mV. Cathodic peaks Ic and IIc correspond to the early stages of reduction of molybdate. Both peaks show some degree of reversibility with respect to the anodic peaks Ia and IIa. As the cathode switching potential is more negative than -400 mV and the concentration of molybdate increases, the band Bc is the dominant factor in the reduction process, resulting in the formation of the anodic peaks IIIa (-217 mV) and IVa (477 mV) on voltammogram. This behaviour can be justified through the formation and oxidation of hydrogen molybdenum bronzes on the surface of glassy carbon.
Corrosion Evaluation of NiCrAlCoY Coating Applying Electrochemical Noise and Lineal Polarization Resistance Techniques
Authors: Trujillo Estrada Ariadna , Cuevas-Arteaga Cecilia , Porcayo Calderón Jesús
Published: December 2011

Kinetics corrosion of NiCrAlCoY thermal flame spray coating are reported. This coating was exposed to LiBr-H2O (wt. 50%) at 25 and 70°C during 10 days. The electrochemical noise (EN) technique and lineal polarization resistance (LPR) were applied. NiCrAlCoY coating was tested as sprayed condition and polished condition. These two different conditions were chosen in order to determine the effect of porosity and homogeneity of the surface. The resistance noise (Rn) was determined from the EN measurements, and Rn together with LPR were compared. Considering that the corrosion resistance is the inverse of the corrosion rate, it is stated that at 25°C the corrosion rate was higher in the polished condition coatings. At 75°C, this behavior was only observed through the LPR results. Probably, this discrepancy between both techniques was because of the determination of Rn was made statistically considering localized events. In general, the passive layer formed after spraying protects the coating generating major corrosion resistance.
Comparative Electrochemical Study of MgZnGa and ZnGaAl Hydrotalcites
Authors: Aguilar-Vargas Lida Vianney , González Ignacio , Sánchez-Valente Jaime
Published: December 2011

Two lamellar double hydroxides were synthesized by co-precipitation. The electrochemical behavior of MgZnGa and ZnGaAl HTs was studied in two electrolytic media: 0.1 M NaOH and 0.1 M NaOH/ 0.05 M NaCl. Voltammetric and amperometric studies were performed to identify oxidation and reduction processes and the effect of Mg2+, Zn2+, Ga3+ and Al3+ cations in total reactivity. Electrocatalytic behavior of water oxidation by the two HTs shows better performance of MgZnGa HT; this is apparently due to the presence of a greater amount of Ga3+ in the network of this HT. Chloride adsorption at the surface of the electrode affects the currents obtained by using sodium-chloride containing electrolyte, with larger currents resulting from the use of ZnGaAl HT, probably due to the presence of Al3+ in the HT structure. As far as reduction is concerned, Zn2+ and Ga3+ reduction processes are observed within the networks of both HTs
Evaluation of an Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Process for the Organic Matter Removal from Dairy Wastewater
Authors: Borbón Brenda , Oropeza Guzmán Mercedes T. , Lin Ho Shui W. , Aguirre Hernandez Gerardo
Published: December 2011

The dairy industries are associated with the generation of large volumes of wastewater. The water in these industries is used throughout all steps like cleaning, sanitization, heating, cooling and floor washing. One of the principal characteristic of this wastewater is the high organic matter bio and non biodegradable. After sampling and analyzing the wastewater discharge, the ratio BOD5/COD= 0.39 suggests a difficult problem for the wastewater disposal. Moreover the reuse potential with this quality is null. In this paper authors report the first steps to evaluate an advance oxidation process (AOP) for farḿs wastewater No. 1 of "La Cuenca Lechera de Ensenada Baja California", using a DSA electrode of Ti/IrO2/Ta2O5. The characterization of wastewater used extraction by partitions methods indicating the presence of organic compounds like fatty acids, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amines and other nitrogen-containing compounds in such proportions that a AOP seems to have good prospect of success. The electrochemical study using cyclic voltammetry indicated the presence of oxidizable organic compounds and using differential pulse voltammetry also direct oxidations seems to be attributable to nitrogen compounds, among others.
A Fatal Case ofKlebsiella pneumoniaeMycotic Aneurysm
Authors: Chao Chien-Ming , Lee Kun-Kuang , Wang Chia-Sheng , Chen Ping-Jen , Yeh Tsung-Chih
Published: December 2011

Mycotic aneurysm is a serious clinical condition with significant morbidity and mortality.Staphylococcus aureusandSalmonellaspecies are the most common causative pathogens.Klebsiella pneumoniaewas rarely reported as a possible pathogen causing mycotic aneurysm; therefore, we describe aK. pneumoniae-related fatal bacteremia mycotic aneurysm in a patient in spite of appropriate antimicrobial agents and surgical management.
Role of JNK in Mammary Gland Development and Breast Cancer
Authors: Cellurale Cristina , Girnius Nomeda , Jiang Feng , Cavanagh-Kyros Julie , Lu Shaolei , Garlick David S. , Mercurio Arthur M. , Davis Roger J.
Published: December 2011

cJun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling has been implicated in the developmental morphogenesis of epithelial organs. In this study, we employed a compound deletion of the murine Jnk1 and Jnk2 genes in the mammary gland to evaluate the requirement for these ubiquitously expressed genes in breast development and tumorigenesis. JNK1/2 was not required for breast epithelial cell proliferation or motility. However, JNK1/2 deficiency caused increased branching morphogenesis and defects in the clearance of lumenal epithelial cells. In the setting of breast cancer development, JNK1/2 deficiency significantly increased tumor formation. Together, these findings established that JNK signaling is required for normal mammary gland development and that it has a suppressive role in mammary tumorigenesis. Cancer Res; 72(2); 472–81. ©2011 AACR.
Tone Sandhi and Tonal Coarticulation in Tianjin Chinese
Authors: Zhang Jie , Liu Jiang
Published: December 2011

We present in this article an acoustic study on tone sandhi and tonal coarticulation in Tianjin Chinese. Our results indicate that Tianjin tone sandhi is likely influenced by Standard Chinese and is undergoing a number of changes, causing variations and exceptions to the sandhi patterns, and the majority of the sandhis are non-neutralizing, contra traditional descriptions. Tonal coarticulation in Tianjin exhibits a number of well-known cross-linguistic properties: progressive assimilation, regressive dissimilation, a greater progressive effect, and a number of High/ Low asymmetries. Despite the dissimilatory properties observable from both tone sandhi and tonal coarticulation, they seem to have different characteristics, indicating different sources for the two processes.
Ultrasonography: Ariadne’s Thread in the Diagnosis of the Cardiorenal Syndrome
Authors: Di Lullo Luca , Floccari Fulvio , Granata Antonio , D’Amelio Alessandro , Rivera Rodolfo , Fiorini Fulvio , Malaguti Moreno , Timio Mario
Published: December 2011

The term cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) describes a broad spectrum of clinical conditions with four combinations of acute and chronic heart and kidney failure. Based on the pathophysiological primum movens, the actual classification recognizes five CRS types: in type I and II CRS, the initiating event is heart failure (acute or chronic), while it is kidney failure in type III and IV CRS; type V is linked to systemic diseases. Ultrasound techniques (echocardiography and ultrasonography of the kidney, inferior vena cava and chest) can be extremely helpful in establishing a prompt diagnosis and a correct CRS classification. Basic echocardiography allows evaluation of ventricular diastolic and systolic functions, investigates pulmonary congestion and pericardial effusion, and describes volume overload. On the other hand, renal ultrasound helps clinicians to distinguish between acute and chronic renal failure, excludes urinary tract dilation or pathological bladder repletion, and provides crucial information regarding kidney volume or echogenicity. Applying basic knowledge of echocardiography and renal ultrasound, nephrologists may be in a better position for patient treatment and management, bearing in mind that doctors can properly use a stethoscope although not being a cardiologist.