bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Site‐specific human histone H3 methylation stability: fast K4me3 turnover
Authors: Zheng Yupeng , Tipton Jeremiah D. , Thomas Paul M. , Kelleher Neil L. , Sweet Steve M. M.
Published: May 2014

We employ stable‐isotope labeling and quantitative mass spectrometry to track histone methylation stability. We show that H3 trimethyl K9 and K27 are slow to be established on new histones and slow to disappear from old histones, with half‐lives of multiple cell divisions. By contrast, the transcription‐associated marks K4me3 and K36me3 turn over far more rapidly, with half‐lives of 6.8 h and 57 h, respectively. Inhibition of demethylases increases K9 and K36 methylation, with K9 showing the largest and most robust increase. We interpret different turnover rates in light of genome‐wide localization data and transcription‐dependent nucleosome rearrangements proximal to the transcription start site.
Examining the kinetics of the thermal polymerization of commercial aromatic bis‐benzoxazines
Authors: Hamerton Ian , McNamara Lisa T. , Howlin Brendan J. , Smith Paul A. , Cross Paul , Ward Steven
Published: May 2014

Three commercial bis‐benzoxazine monomers based on the aniline derivatives of bisphenol A (BA‐a), bisphenol F (BF‐a), and 3,3′‐thiodiphenol (BT‐a) are examined using a variety of spectroscopic, chromatographic, and thermomechanical techniques. The kinetics of the polymerization of BA‐a were found to be well described using an autocatalytic model for which values of n = 1.39 and m = 2.49 were obtained for the early and later stages of reaction respectively (activation energy = 81–88 kJ/mol.). Following recrystallization the same monomer yielded values of n = 1.80, m = 0.92, and Ea = 94–97 kJ/mol. BF‐a and BT‐a were also found to be well described using an autocatalytic model for which values of n = m = 2.11 (BF‐a) and n = 2.10, m = 1.47 (BT‐a) were obtained for the early and later stages of reaction (activation energy = 80–84 kJ/mol. for BF‐a and 88–95 kJ/mol. for BT‐a). The kinetic data are compared with parallel studies involving chemically initiated benzoxazine monomers. Molecular simulation is used to examine the rotational freedom of the central bridging units and this is related to the degree of conversion achieved. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 2068–2081
Deep proteomic profiling of human carotid atherosclerotic plaques using multidimensional LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Hao Piliang , Ren Yan , Pasterkamp Gerard , Moll Frans L. , de Kleijn Dominique P. V. , Sze Siu Kwan
Published: May 2014

Purpose

To increase the proteome coverage of human atherosclerotic plaques and identify low‐abundance proteins that may have important functions during the development and progression of atherosclerosis.

Experimental design

Thirty‐eight human carotid atherosclerotic plaques were pooled into two samples and analyzed in triplicate using offline multidimensional LC‐MS/MS. The collected fractions of trypsin‐digested peptides from Electrostatic Repulsion‐Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography (ERLIC) were analyzed by LC‐MS/MS on a Q Exactive (Thermo Fisher, MA, USA).

Results

A total of 4702 proteins were identified from atherosclerotic plaques at a false discovery rate (FDR) of 1%, of which 3846 were identified with at least 2 unique peptides. Many pathways related to the development and progression of atherosclerosis were identified, such as atherosclerosis signaling, toll receptor signaling pathway and inhibition of matrix metalloproteases. Many low‐abundance proteins with important functions in atherosclerosis that were previously unidentifiable using mass spectrometry based proteomics methods, such as TGF‐β, interleukins and other growth factors, were identified confidently from plaques.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

This study has substantially increased the coverage of the atherosclerotic plaque proteome which represents a leap forward in understanding of plaque composition, development and progression. The identification of many low‐abundance proteins may also facilitate biomarker discovery.
Uncovering the molecular networks in periodontitis
Authors: Trindade Fábio , Oppenheim Frank G. , Helmerhorst Eva J. , Amado Francisco , Gomes Pedro S. , Vitorino Rui
Published: May 2014

Periodontitis is a complex immune‐inflammatory disease that results from a preestablished infection in gingiva, mainly due to Gram‐negative bacteria that colonize deeper in gingival sulcus and latter periodontal pocket. Host inflammatory and immune responses have both protective and destructive roles. Although cytokines, prostaglandins, and proteases struggle against microbial burden, these molecules promote connective tissue loss and alveolar bone resorption, leading to several histopathological changes, namely destruction of periodontal ligament, deepening of periodontal pocket, and bone loss, which can converge to attain tooth loss. Despite the efforts of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics/peptidomics, and metabolomics, there is no available biomarker for periodontitis diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment evaluation, which could assist on the established clinical evaluation. Nevertheless, some genes, transcripts, proteins and metabolites have already shown a different expression in healthy subjects and in patients. Though, so far, ‘omics approaches only disclosed the host inflammatory response as a consequence of microbial invasion in periodontitis and the diagnosis in periodontitis still relies on clinical parameters, thus a molecular tool for assessing periodontitis lacks in current dental medicine paradigm. Saliva and gingival crevicular fluid have been attracting researchers due to their diagnostic potential, ease, and noninvasive nature of collection. Each one of these fluids has some advantages and disadvantages that are discussed in this review.
Galvanomagnetic and thermoelectric properties of Te doped single‐crystal bismuth wires
Authors: Nikolaeva A. A. , Konopko L. A. , Huber T. E. , Tsurkan A. K. , Meglei D. F. , Matveev D. Yu.
Published: May 2014

We present a study of the electrical, transport and thermoelectric properties of Te‐ doped single‐ crystal Bi wires in a glass capillary. The tellurium concentration ranged up to the solubility limit. Measurements of resistance and thermopower were carried out over a wide range of temperatures (2–300 K) and magnetic fields (0–14 T). The shift of the Fermi level by Te doping of Bi wires is calculated from the Shubnikov de Haas oscillations. The effect of quantum confinement and the wire boundary scattering at low temperatures is significantly suppressed for Te‐ doped samples, which are consistent with general theoretical considerations. An anomaly of the thermopower in the form of sign inversion from negative to positive was detected at an electron concentration of ∼1×1020 cm‐3. The observed anomaly disappears after further doping. The effect is interpreted in terms of the manifestation of the features in thermopower at an electronic topological transition (2 1/2 Lifshitz impurity phase transition). (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Raman investigation on thin and thick CdTe films obtained by close spaced vacuum sublimation technique
Authors: Nam D. , Cheong H. , Opanasyuk A. S. , Koval P. V. , Kosyak V. V. , Fochuk P. M.
Published: May 2014

The CdTe thin and thick films were obtained by the close spaced vacuum sublimation technique on a glass substrate under the following growth conditions: the evaporator temperature was 620 °C; and the substrate temperature was varied in the range from 250 °C to 550 °C. High purity CdTe powder was used as a charge for evaporation. The Raman spectra were measured using TRIAX 320 and TRIAX 550 spectrometers at room temperature. The 488‐nm line and 514.5‐nm line of an Ar+ laser and a 785‐nm diode laser were used as excitation sources. The signal was collected by the liquid nitrogen cooled charge‐coupled‐device (CCD) detector. A number of intense Raman peaks at 140, 167, 190, 271, 332 and 493 cm‐1 were observed and were interpreted as TO (140 cm‐1), 1LO (167 cm‐1), 2LO (332 cm‐1), 3LO (493 cm‐1) phonon modes and plasmon‐phonon mode (190 cm‐1). The presence of several phonon replicas in the Raman spectra confirms high crystal quality of the samples. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Studies of the surface regions of (Cd,Mn)Te crystals
Authors: Kochanowska Dominika , Rasiński Marcin , Witkowska‐Baran Marta , Lewandowska Małgorzata , Mycielski Andrzej
Published: May 2014

The growth process conditions affect quality of the crys­tal. Structural defects such as grains, twin boundaries and precipitates are formed during the crystal growth. The defects (especially‐inclusions) at the surface can be investigated in a microscale by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is shown in the article that a well known etchant, usually used for visual inspection of the quality of the CdTe‐related crystals, can be applied to the preparation of the (Cd,Mn)Te surface for SEM investigations.

Samples, cut from different parts of a (Cd,Mn)Te crystal, were ground, mechano‐chemically polished, and treated by the special etchant (to indicate polarity and to reveal twinning). After that treatment the defects (grain and twin boundaries, tellurium inclusions) at the surface became much more accessible for both SEM and visual investigations. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Influence of annealing on the properties of (Cd,Mn)Te crystals
Authors: Witkowska‐Baran M. , Kochanowska D. M. , Mycielski A. , Jakieła R. , Wittlin A. , Knoff W. , Suchocki A. , Nowakowski P. , Korona K.
Published: May 2014

Semi‐insulating (Cd,Mn)Te crystals are believed to be suitable to successfully replace the commonly used (Cd,Zn)Te and CdTe crystals as a material for manufacturing large‐area X‐ and γ‐ray detectors. The purpose of the studies was to elaborate the technology of the (Cd,Mn)Te crystal plates with high resistivity, uniform in the whole volume of the plate. The article presents a method of annealing of the monocrystalline (Cd,Mn)Te crystal plates, giving the desired, repeatable results. The semi‐insulating (Cd,Mn)Te crystals, doped (for compensation) mainly by vanadium, but sometimes by Cl, In, or Cl and V, were grown by the Bridgman method, and the monocrystalline plates were cut. Subsequently the plates were annealed in Cd vapour. The resistivity of the plates was around 109 Ωcm, and the μτ‐product was about 10‐4 ‐10‐3 cm2/V. Mapping of the resistivity was performed on both the as‐grown crystals and the annealed crystal plates. The resistivity of the as‐grown crystals was in the range of 105‐106 Ωcm and inhomogeneous. After annealing the resistivity increased up to 109 Ωcm and better homogeneity could be seen. Annealing in the saturated Cd vapour influenced tellurium inclusions/precipitates. It was studied by IR transmission microscopy. For the as‐grown samples the density of Te inclusions (>1 µm) was ≈ 4×105 cm‐3, but for the annealed samples it was ≈ 104 cm‐3. The low‐temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements indicated significantly lowered concentrations of acceptors after annealing. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Band alignment at band‐insulator/Mott‐insulator interfaces
Authors: Janotti A. , Bjaalie L. , Himmetoglu B. , Van de Walle C. G.
Published: May 2014

magnified image

Recent experiments have demonstrated the formation of a two‐dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with a high density of 3 × 1014 cm–2 at the interface of a band insulator (SrTiO3) and a Mott insulator (GdTiO3), with potential application in electronic devices. This contrasted with the 2DEG at the SrTiO3/LaAlO3 interface, two band insulators, for which the reported electron densities are an order of magnitude lower. Understanding the differences between SrTiO3/LaAlO3 and SrTiO3/GdTiO3, and identifying other materials combinations that also give rise to such high 2DEG densities will add flexibility to materials design and contribute to advancing this field of research. Based on first‐principles calculations, we propose that YTiO3 combined with SrTiO3 will also lead to a 2DEG with density of 3 × 1014 cm–2. YTiO3 is a Mott insulator, with lattice parameters and band structure similar to those of GdTiO3. We calculate the band alignment at the SrTiO3/YTiO3 interface, compare with the SrTiO3/GdTiO3 system, and discuss the origins of the differences between the rare‐earth titanates and LaAlO3 regarding the 2DEG densities. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Evaluation against CALIPSO lidar observations of the multi‐geostationary cloud cover and type dataset assembled in the framework of the Megha‐Tropiques mission
Authors: Sèze Geneviève , Pelon Jacques , Derrien Marcel , Le Gléau Hervé , Six Bruno
Published: May 2014

To support the Megha‐Tropiques space mission, cloud mask and cloud type classification are needed at high spatial and time resolutions over the tropical belt for water vapour and precipitation analysis. For this purpose, visible and infrared radiance data from geostationary satellites (GEO) are used with a single algorithm initially developed by SAFNWC (Satellite Application Facility for Nowcasting) for Meteosat Second Generation. This algorithm has been adapted by SAFNWC to the spectral characteristics and field of view of each satellite. Retrieved cloud cover characteristics (cloud mask, classification and top pressure) are evaluated over four months in summer of 2009 against CALIOP lidar observations from the CALIPSO polar‐orbiting satellite. To better identify atmospheric and instrumental issues, separate analyses are performed over land and ocean, for 1:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. CALIPSO overpasses and for each GEO. Both mean cloud‐cover occurrence and instantaneous cloud‐cover statistics are compared. We found that each classification has specific features, which depend on observed cloud regimes and instrument capabilities. Most important, a common behaviour of the GEOs against CALIOP depending on cloud type is observed. We found that GEO cloud occurrence is lower by about 10% than for CALIOP, with the largest biases over land during daytime and the smallest over ocean during daytime. Further detailed analysis reveals specific discrepancies in the retrieved cloud types. As expected, high‐level clouds are detected more frequently by the lidar. We show that, over ocean when the optical thickness of detected high‐level clouds is limited to greater than 0.1 in the comparisons, multi‐spectral radiometry performs very similarly. However, the most significant difference is attributed to non‐detection of low‐level clouds that are often broken, which causes a reduction of up to 20% in low‐level cloud fraction and even 30% in some regions. Other significant differences are seen over land, where mid‐level clouds are not detected or are misclassified.
Evaluation of ERA‐Interim reanalysis precipitation products using England and Wales observations
Authors: de Leeuw J. , Methven J. , Blackburn M.
Published: May 2014

Precipitation forecast data from the ERA‐Interim reanalysis (33 years) are evaluated using the daily England and Wales Precipitation (EWP) observations obtained from a rain‐gauge network. Observed and reanalysis daily precipitation data are both described well by Weibull distributions with indistinguishable shapes but different scale parameters, such that the reanalysis underestimates the observations by an average of 22%. The correlation between the observed and ERA‐Interim time series of regional daily precipitation is 0.91. ERA‐Interim also captures the statistics of extreme precipitation including a slightly lower likelihood of the heaviest precipitation events (> 15 mm day−1 for the regional average) than indicated by the Weibull fit. ERA‐Interim is also closer to EWP for the high precipitation events. Since these carry weight in longer accumulations, a smaller underestimation of 19% is found for monthly mean precipitation. The partition between convective and stratiform precipitation in the ERA‐Interim forecast is also examined. In summer both components contribute equally to the total precipitation amount, while in winter the stratiform precipitation is approximately double the convective. These results are expected to be relevant to other regions with low orography on the coast of a continent at the downstream end of midlatitude stormtracks.
The mixing time of the giant component of a random graph
Authors: Benjamini Itai , Kozma Gady , Wormald Nicholas
Published: May 2014

We show that the total variation mixing time of the simple random walk on the giant component of supercritical and is . This statement was proved, independently, by Fountoulakis and Reed. Our proof follows from a structure result for these graphs which is interesting in its own right. We show that these graphs are “decorated expanders” — an expander glued to graphs whose size has constant expectation and exponential tail, and such that each vertex in the expander is glued to no more than a constant number of decorations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 45, 383–407, 2014
How to interpret a small increase in AUC with an additional risk prediction marker: decision analysis comes through
Authors: Baker Stuart G. , Schuit Ewoud , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Pencina Michael J. , Vickers Andew , Moons Karel G.M. , Mol Ben W.J. , Lindeman Karen S.
Published: May 2014

An important question in the evaluation of an additional risk prediction marker is how to interpret a small increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Many researchers believe that a change in AUC is a poor metric because it increases only slightly with the addition of a marker with a large odds ratio. Because it is not possible on purely statistical grounds to choose between the odds ratio and AUC, we invoke decision analysis, which incorporates costs and benefits. For example, a timely estimate of the risk of later non‐elective operative delivery can help a woman in labor decide if she wants an early elective cesarean section to avoid greater complications from possible later non‐elective operative delivery. A basic risk prediction model for later non‐elective operative delivery involves only antepartum markers. Because adding intrapartum markers to this risk prediction model increases AUC by 0.02, we questioned whether this small improvement is worthwhile. A key decision‐analytic quantity is the risk threshold, here the risk of later non‐elective operative delivery at which a patient would be indifferent between an early elective cesarean section and usual care. For a range of risk thresholds, we found that an increase in the net benefit of risk prediction requires collecting intrapartum marker data on 68 to 124 women for every correct prediction of later non‐elective operative delivery. Because data collection is non‐invasive, this test tradeoff of 68 to 124 is clinically acceptable, indicating the value of adding intrapartum markers to the risk prediction model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dose finding with drug combinations in cancer phase I clinical trials using conditional escalation with overdose control
Authors: Tighiouart Mourad , Piantadosi Steven , Rogatko André
Published: May 2014

We present a Bayesian adaptive design for dose finding of a combination of two drugs in cancer phase I clinical trials. The goal is to estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) as a curve in the two‐dimensional Cartesian plane. We use a logistic model to describe the relationship between the doses of the two agents and the probability of dose limiting toxicity. The model is re‐parameterized in terms of parameters clinicians can easily interpret. Trial design proceeds using univariate escalation with overdose control, where at each stage of the trial, we seek a dose of one agent using the current posterior distribution of the MTD of this agent given the current dose of the other agent. At the end of the trial, an estimate of the MTD curve is proposed as a function of Bayes estimates of the model parameters. We evaluate design operating characteristics in terms of safety of the trial design and percent of dose recommendation at dose combination neighborhoods around the true MTD curve. We also examine the performance of the approach under model misspecifications for the true dose–toxicity relationship. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two Coordination Polymers Constructed from 5‐(4‐Pyridyl)‐1H‐tetrazole Ligands with Different Organic Carboxylates: Structure and Luminescence Properties
Authors: Zheng Sheng‐Run , Wen Xi‐Ling , Liu Zi‐Meng , Xie Tao , Tan Jing‐Bo , Fan Jun , Hou Shuang‐Shuang , Zhang Wei‐Guang
Published: May 2014

Two coordination polymers (CPs), namely, [Cu(Hptz)2(Hhba)2]n (1) [Hptz = 5‐(4‐pyridyl)‐1H‐tetrazole, H2hba = 2‐hydroxybenzoic acid] and [Zn3(ptz)2(hpa)2]n (2) (H2hpa = 2‐hydroxy‐2‐phenylacetic acid), were synthesized by solvothermal reactions. Both complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 exhibits a 2D (4,4) network, where each layer connects to four adjacent layers to construct a 3D supramolecular framework. Compound 2 has a 3D framework structure composed of 1D SUBs, which are formed by both carboxyl and tetrazole groups. The complexes represent two rare examples of CPs constructed from Hptz and organic carboxyl acid ligands. Complex 2 exhibits intense, red‐shifted emissions in the visible region at room temperature.
Shape Control of VO2 (B) Hierarchical Nanostructures
Authors: Ji Qi , Jiang Yingchang , Zhang Zhongping , Tian Yongtao , Wang Zhenyang
Published: May 2014

A green route is designed to gain a clear idea of growth mechanism of complex VO2 (B) hierarchical microstructures, since this kind of metal oxide has various metastable phases due to their diverse valence states. Three‐dimensional (3D) uniform flower‐like VO2 (B) hierarchical microstructure has thus been assembled with the interleaving nanoplates, which are about 25 nm in thickness and well‐crystallized in structure with {114} planes as the dominant surfaces. Results of the systemic control experiments revealed that formation of the flower‐like VO2 (B) results from a fast nucleation‐growth process, where ethylene glycol (EG) not only acts as a green solvent and reductive agent, but also plays a key role in self‐assembly of the resulted VO2 (B) hierarchical microstructures. Hydroxyl amount on the solvent molecule is crucial in formation and shape control of VO2 (B) hierarchical microstructures. Result of this work would be helpful to understand the growth mechanism of complex three‐dimensional hierarchical superstructures of different metal oxides, which is very important to material science and inorganic synthetic chemistry.
Long‐term effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy in Fabry disease: results from the NCS‐LSD cohort study
Authors: Anderson L. J. , Wyatt K. M. , Henley W. , Nikolaou V. , Waldek S. , Hughes D. A. , Pastores G. M. , Logan S.
Published: May 2014

Objectives

To determine the effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for adults and children with Fabry disease.

Design

Cohort study including prospective and retrospective clinical data. Age‐ and gender‐adjusted treatment effects were estimated using generalised linear mixed models. Treated patients contributed data before and during treatment and untreated patients contributed natural history data.

Participants

Consenting adults (N = 289) and children (N = 22) with a confirmed diagnosis of Fabry disease attending a specialist Lysosomal Storage Disorder treatment centre in England. At recruitment 211 adults and seven children were on ERT (range of treatment duration, 0 to 9.7 and 0 to 4.2 years respectively).

Outcome measures

Clinical outcomes chosen to reflect disease progression included left ventricular mass index (LVMI); proteinuria; estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); pain; hearing and transient ischaemic attacks (TIA)/stroke.

Results

We found evidence of a statistically significant association between time on ERT and a small linear decrease in LVMI (p = 0.01); a reduction in the risk of proteinuria after adjusting for angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (p < 0.001) and a small increase in eGFR in men and women without pre‐treatment proteinuria (p = 0.01 and p < 0.001 respectively). The same analyses in children provided no statistically significant results. No associations between time on ERT and pain, risk of needing a hearing aid, or risk of stroke or TIAs, were found.

Conclusions

These data provide some further evidence on the long‐term effectiveness of ERT in adults with Fabry disease, but evidence of effectiveness could not be demonstrated in children.
Phase I study on the safety, pharmacokinetic profile, and efficacy of the combination of TSU-68, an oral antiangiogenic agent, and S-1 in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ikeda Masafumi , Shiina Shuichiro , Nakachi Kohei , Mitsunaga Shuichi , Shimizu Satoshi , Kojima Yasushi , Ueno Hideki , Morizane Chigusa , Kondo Shunsuke , Sakamoto Yasunari , Asaoka Yoshinari , Tateishi Ryosuke , Koike Kazuhiko , Arioka Hitoshi , Okusaka Takuji
Published: May 2014

Purpose We aimed to investigate the recommended dose for the combination of TSU-68, a multiple-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, and S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on its associated dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) frequency. We also determined the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of the combination treatment. Patients and methods Patients without any prior systemic therapy received 400 mg/day TSU-68 orally and 80 mg/day (level 1) or 100 mg/day (level 2) S-1 for 4 or 2 weeks followed by a 2- or 1-week rest period (groups A and B, respectively). According to the treatment, patients progressed from level 1B to level 2A, then level 2B. Safety and response rates were assessed. Results Eighteen patients were enrolled. Two patients at levels 1B and 2A but none at level 2B showed DLTs. The common adverse drug reactions were a decrease in hemoglobin levels, hypoalbuminemia, and anorexia, which were mild in severity (grades 1–2). PK data from levels 1B and 2A indicated that the area under the curve for TSU-68 and 5-fluorouracil was unlikely to be affected by the combination treatment. Response rate, disease control rate, median time to progression, and median overall survival were 27.8 %, 61.1 %, 5.3 months, and 12.8 months, respectively. Conclusion The recommended dose for advanced HCC should be 400 mg/day TSU-68 and 100 mg/day S-1 for 4 weeks followed by 2-week rest.
Median Nerve Compression at the Fibrous Arch of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis: An Anatomic Study of the Pronator Syndrome
Authors: Guo Bev , Wang Angela
Published: May 2014

Background

Flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) arch is a site of compression in pronator syndrome yet little is known about its anatomic structure. The purpose of the study is to delineate the surgical anatomy of the FDS arch along with its relationship to the anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) takeoff.

Methods

Thirty-eight cadavers were dissected using a modified Henry's approach. The FDS arch was identified, and its distance to the antebrachial crease and medial and lateral epicondyle were measured. The FDS arch was divided in a sequential fashion until adequate decompression of the median nerve was achieved. The total length of the release was measured. The takeoff of the AIN was identified in relation to the FDS arch.

Results

Two types of the FDS arch were discovered, a distinct fibrous arch and an indistinct fibrous arch with vertical fibers blending into overlying fascia. Only 42 % of specimens had a distinct FDS arch averaging 1.69 cm in length. The majority of specimens had an indistinct arch, and of those, 77 % had overlying muscle, requiring an average release of 2.6 cm. The AIN branched at or distal to the FDS arch in 74 % of specimens, and only 8 % was found to have an ulnar-sided origin off the median nerve.

Conclusions

A longer surgical release is needed with indistinct FDS arches. Overlying muscle during dissection may be indicative of an indistinct arch. Dissection along the ulnar side of the median nerve can possibly decrease the chance of injury to the AIN during decompression.
Managing Parrot Bite Injuries to the Hand: Not Just Another Animal Bite
Authors: King I. C. C. , Freeman H. , Wokes J. E.
Published: May 2014

Bites and scratches are common injuries, frequently sustained from humans, dogs and cats. Exotic pet-related harm however is an important and increasingly emerging class of injury. Whilst the principles of prompt and thorough medical assessment, antibiotics and potential surgical washout and debridement apply, exotic pet wounds require further consideration. Standard antibiotic prophylaxis with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (also known as co-amoxiclav) is not sufficient for the pathogens transmitted by parrot bites. We illustrate the importance of adequate consideration of microbiological pathogens with a case report of an open finger fracture resulting from a parrot bite. We intend this to be a valuable resource for healthcare professionals in their effective management of such injuries.

Level of Evidence: V
Structural and Interfacial Properties of Hyperbranched‐Linear Polymer Surfactant
Authors: Qiang Taotao , Bu Qiaoqiao , Huang Zhaofeng , Wang Xuechuan
Published: May 2014

With oleic acid grafting modification, a series of hyperbranched‐linear polymer surfactants (HLPS) were prepared by hydroxyl‐terminated hyperbranched polymer (HBP), which was gained through a step synthesis method using trimethylolpropane and AB2 monomer. The AB2 monomers were obtained through the Michael addition reaction of methyl acrylate and diethanol amine. The structures of HLPS were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which indicated that HBP was successfully modified by oleic acid. Furthermore, the properties of surface tension and critical micelle concentration of HLPS solution showed that HLPS can significantly reduce the surface tension of water. The morphology of the HLPS solution was characterised by dynamic light scattering, which revealed that HLPS exhibited a nonmonotonic appearance in particle size at different scattering angles owing to the different replaced linear portions. The relationships of the surface pressure to monolayer area and time were measured using the Langmuir–Blodgett instrument, which showed that the surface tension of monolayer molecules increased with the increasing of hydrophobic groups. In addition, the interface conditions of different replaced HLPS solutions were simulated.
Acquired resistance to EGFR‐targeted therapies in colorectal cancer
Authors: Van Emburgh Beth O. , Sartore-Bianchi Andrea , Di Nicolantonio Federica , Siena Salvatore , Bardelli Alberto
Published: May 2014

Cetuximab and panitumumab are anti‐epidermal growth factor receptor (anti‐EGFR) monoclonal antibodies used as therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer patients. Intrinsic mechanisms of resistance, such as RAS mutations, can prevent patients from having a response with clinical benefit. The clinical efficacy of EGFR targeted antibodies is limited by the development of acquired (secondary) resistance, which typically occurs within 3–12 months from the start of therapy. Preclinical models and analyses of clinical samples have uncovered some of the alterations that confer a selective advantage to tumor cells when under the pressure of anti‐EGFR therapy. Molecular profiling of clinical specimens confirmed that genetic alterations of genes in the EGFR‐RAS‐RAF‐MEK signaling pathway and of receptor tyrosine kinases are mechanisms of acquired resistance to anti‐EGFR antibodies. The escape from anti‐EGFR blockade appears to converge on the (re)activation of MEK‐ERK or AKT as revealed in preclinical studies. Circulating tumor DNA and patient derived xenografts have proven useful tools to monitor patients for resistance to anti‐EGFR therapy and test combination therapies to overcome or reverse resistance.
Challenging Behaviours, Co-morbidities, Service Utilisation and Service Access among Community-dwelling Adults with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicentre Study
Authors: Simpson Grahame K. , Sabaz Mark , Daher Maysaa , Gordon Robert , Strettles Barbara
Published: May 2014

Objective: To examine patterns, predictors and unmet needs of service utilisation and access to mental health and/or drug and alcohol services among community-dwelling adults with severe traumatic brain injury, and compare those who displayed challenging behaviours with those not displaying challenging behaviour.

Design: Retrospective multicentre study.

Subjects: All active clients (n= 507) of the New South Wales (NSW) Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program (BIRP) community rehabilitation teams.

Methods: Clinician-rated data were collected on client challenging behaviours, mental health and functional status, service utilisation and unmet needs. Between-groups analyses (challenging behaviour versus no challenging behaviours) were conducted to examine patterns of service utilisation and unmet needs. Predictors for service utilisation were tested by multiple linear regression.

Results: Challenging behaviours were associated with higher use of BIRP and non-BIRP services and greater levels of unmet needs. Challenging behaviour was an independent predictor of higher levels of service utilisation, in conjunction with pre- and post-injury mental health and drug and alcohol co-morbidities and geographic location. Only 15.3% of the 111 clients with challenging behaviours and co-morbid drug and alcohol problems accessed a drug and alcohol service, while another 32.4% had unmet needs for such services.

Conclusion: Challenging behaviours make an independent contribution to increased levels of service utilisation after severe traumatic brain injury.
Estimating the value of von Kármán’s constant in turbulent pipe flow
Authors: Bailey S. C. C. , Vallikivi M. , Hultmark M. , Smits A. J.
Published: May 2014

Five separate data sets on the mean velocity distributions in the Princeton University/ONR Superpipe are used to establish the best estimate for the value of von Kármán’s constant for the flow in a fully developed, hydraulically smooth pipe. The profiles were taken using Pitot tubes, conventional hot wires and nanoscale thermal anemometry probes. The value of the constant was found to vary significantly due to measurement uncertainties in the mean velocity, friction velocity and the wall distance, and the number of data points included in the analysis. The best estimate for the von Kármán constant in turbulent pipe flow is found to be $0.40 \pm 0.02$. A more precise estimate will require improved instrumentation.
Passive boundary layer control of oblique disturbances by finite-amplitude streaks
Authors: Shahinfar Shahab , Sattarzadeh Sohrab S. , Fransson Jens H. M.
Published: May 2014

Recent experimental results on the attenuation of two-dimensional Tollmien–Schlichting wave (TSW) disturbances by means of passive miniature vortex generators (MVGs) have shed new light on the possibility of delaying transition to turbulence and hence accomplishing skin-friction drag reduction. A recurrent concern has been whether this passive flow control strategy would work for other types of disturbances than plane TSWs in an experimental configuration where the incoming disturbance is allowed to fully interact with the MVG array. In the present experimental investigation we show that not only TSW disturbances are attenuated, but also three-dimensional single oblique wave (SOW) and pair of oblique waves (POW) disturbances are quenched in the presence of MVGs, and that transition delay can be obtained successfully. For the SOW disturbance an unusual interaction between the wave and the MVGs occurs, leading to a split of the wave with one part travelling with a ‘mirrored’ phase angle with respect to the spanwise direction on one side of the MVG centreline. This gives rise to $\Lambda $-vortices on the centreline, which force a low-speed streak on the centreline, strong enough to overcome the high-speed streak generated by the MVGs themselves. Both these streaky boundary layers seem to act stabilizing on unsteady perturbations. The challenge in a passive control method making use of a non-modal type of disturbances to attenuate modal disturbances lies in generating stable streamwise streaks which do not themselves break down to turbulence.
A mixture theory for size and density segregation in shallow granular free-surface flows
Authors: Tunuguntla D. R. , Bokhove O. , Thornton A. R.
Published: May 2014

In the past ten years much work has been undertaken on developing mixture theory continuum models to describe kinetic sieving-driven size segregation. We propose an extension to these models that allows their application to bidisperse flows over inclined channels, with particles varying in density and size. Our model incorporates both a recently proposed explicit formula for how the total pressure is distributed among different species of particles, which is one of the key elements of mixture theory-based kinetic sieving models, and a shear rate-dependent drag. The resulting model is used to predict the range of particle sizes and densities for which the mixture segregates. The prediction of no segregation in the model is benchmarked by using discrete particle simulations, and good agreement is found when a single fitting parameter is used which determines whether the pressure scales with the diameter, surface area or volume of the particle.
An Update: Is Globalization Continuing to Benefit American Wine Drinkers?
Authors: Gokcekus Omer , Lee Bernard
Published: May 2014

As in the 17 years leading up to 2005, as shown in Gokcekus and Fargnoli (2007), there was no change in quality between 2006 and 2012. There was more variety and, perhaps most importantly, the average real price of wines on Wine Spectator's Top 100 List declined even faster. However, rather than wines from the New-New World and Non-incumbent countries, it was wines from Italy, Spain, and Portugal—New-Old World—that were primarily responsible for these beneficial changes (greater variety and more affordable wines in the Top 100 List) for American wine drinkers. (JEL Classifications: F120, F140, C200)
On defining image schemas
Authors: MANDLER JEAN M. , PAGÁN CÁNOVAS CRISTÓBAL
Published: May 2014

abstract

In this theoretical paper we propose three different kinds of cognitive structure that have not been differentiated in the psychological and cognitive linguistic literatures. They are spatial primitives, image schemas, and schematic integrations. Spatial primitives are the first conceptual building blocks formed in infancy, image schemas are simple spatial stories built from them, and schematic integrations use the first two types to build concepts that include non-spatial elements, such as force and emotion. These different kinds of structure have all come under the umbrella term of ‘image schemas’. However, they differ in their content, developmental origin, imageability, and role in meaning construction in language and in thought. The present paper indicates how preverbal conceptualization needs to be taken into account for a complete understanding of image schemas and their uses. It provides examples to illustrate this influence, the most important of these being the primacy of imageable spatial information.
Double Edged Blades: Re-visiting the British (and Irish) Flint Daggers
Authors: Frieman Catherine J.
Published: May 2014

Flint daggers are a well-known and closely studied category of artefact found throughout western Europe during the final centuries of the Neolithic and the earliest phases of metal use. They are widely linked to the adoption of metal objects and metallurgy – in many cases being described as copies of metal daggers. In Britain, several hundred flint daggers have been recovered from a variety of contexts, among the best known of which are a handful of rich Beaker single inhumation burials. The British flint daggers were of great interest to early archaeologists, and were the subject of several publications in the early 20th century, most notably the seminal 1931 typochronology and catalogue by W.F. Grimes. However, despite 80 years of evolution in our understanding of the British Early Bronze Age, Beaker burials, European flint daggers, and lithic technology in general, little further attention has been accorded to the British flint daggers. This paper returns to the flint daggers deposited in British contexts. It proposes a new classification for British daggers, distinguishing between those probably produced in Britain and those brought in from elsewhere on the continent. It further examines thechaîne opératoirefor these daggers based on their final form as no production locales are yet known and examines in detail the choices made in their deposition, not just in funerary contexts but on dry land and, most importantly, in wet contexts. Finally, it proposes a sequence of development for British flint daggers which links them technologically and morphologically to lanceolate Scandinavian daggers in circulation in the Netherlands. It is suggested that people in south-east Britain knowingly played up this Dutch connection in order to highlight a specific ancestral identity linking them directly to communities across the Channel.
Genealogy and Ambivalence of a Therapeutic Heterodoxy. Islam and Tibetan Medicine in North-western India
Authors: PORDIÉ LAURENT
Published: May 2014

This paper examines the case of a Shiite practitioner of Tibetan medicine in Ladakh, North-western India. It recounts the story of a Buddhist family converted to Islam, for which the abandonment of religion has not led to the discontinuation of a lineal medical practice known to have Buddhist overtones. This situation provides an invitation to explore the social consequences of maintaining the practice in a region characterized by religious conflict, as well as the criteria of sameness and difference, technique and genealogy that make a marked ‘other’ a practitioner of Tibetan medicine. These religious overlaps are, however, not only apparent at the social level; they are also present in the preparation of medicines, in etiological narratives or in the physical regimes of bodily care. The composite nature of medical practice helps us to observe from a new angle the role of religion in the practice of Tibetan medicine. The way medicine is enacted and performed in this context provides empirical materials to study the paradigms that both structure and confer motion to Tibetan learned medicine. The ethnography of a remote region in the Himalayas opens up research paths for the anthropology of Asian medicine amongst new categories of healers and renewed contexts of practice.
A frame-analytical perspective on conflict between people and an expanding wolf Canis lupus population in central Italy
Authors: Vitali Chiara
Published: May 2014

Attempts to mitigate conflict between wolves and livestock breeding in the Mugello area of central Italy have so far proven to be costly, resource-intensive and fraught with tension. I applied frame analysis as a tool for investigating the roots of such tensions. The frame-analytical perspective highlighted that, while current policy focuses on improving technical approaches, conflict is also fuelled by a discrepancy in the frames of meaning that groups of stakeholders construct around the issue of wolf management. I outline two discordant frames: a dominant valuable wolf frame, currently underlying policy, and a political wolf frame that challenges existing management aims. Barriers to communication and potential points of mediation are identified. In addition, I outline a third, problematic wolf frame that may act as a potential aid in the process of bridging the two discordant frames, which is identified as a condition for successful wolf management.
Hospital Policies and Nurses’Attitudes in Israel towards Paid carers’ Tasks during Patient Hospitalization
Authors: Iecovich Esther , Rabin Barbara , Penchak Michal
Published: May 2014

Beaucoup de patients âgés hospitalisés sont fonctionellement dépendant et, pendant leur hospitalisation, ils emploient soignants rémunérés pour effectuer diverses tâches. Cette étude a examiné les attitudes des infirmières au sujet des tâches que les soignants doivent ou ne doivent pas être autorisés à jouer dans la prestation de soins durant l’hospitalisation, et les facteurs sous-jacents ces attitudes des infirmières vers les soignants rémunérés. L’étude a impliqué des interviews de cinq informateurs clés, tels que les infirmières en chef et les directeurs médicaux dans deux hôpitaux et des enquêtes sur 265 infirmières en médicine interne et gériatrie générale. Bien que pas de politiques ou directives formelles existent en ce qui concerne les tâches effectuées par les soignants rémunérés, la plupart des infirmières croyaient que les soignants rémunérés devraient être autorisés à effectuer certaines tâches, sauf pour celles qui entraînent soins infirmiers professionnels. Les caractéristiques des infirmières et des hôpitaux ont contribué à expliquer les attitudes des infirmières envers la participation des soignants remunérés avec les bénéficiaires âgés de soins. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent un besoin de politiques explicites et des orientations pratiques pour soignants rémunérés de patients âgés au cours de l’hospitalisation.
Controlled Environment Specimen Transfer
Authors: Damsgaard Christian D. , Zandbergen Henny , W. Hansen Thomas , Chorkendorff Ib , B. Wagner Jakob
Published: May 2014

Specimen transfer under controlled environment conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and gas composition, is necessary to conduct successive complementary in situ characterization of materials sensitive to ambient conditions. The in situ transfer concept is introduced by linking an environmental transmission electron microscope to an in situ X-ray diffractometer through a dedicated transmission electron microscope specimen transfer holder, capable of sealing the specimen in a gaseous environment at elevated temperatures. Two catalyst material systems have been investigated; Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst for methanol synthesis and a Co/Al2O3 catalyst for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis. Both systems are sensitive to ambient atmosphere as they will oxidize after relatively short air exposure. The Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst, was reduced in the in situ X-ray diffractometer set-up, and subsequently, successfully transferred in a reactive environment to the environmental transmission electron microscope where further analysis on the local scale were conducted. The Co/Al2O3 catalyst was reduced in the environmental microscope and successfully kept reduced outside the microscope in a reactive environment. The in situ transfer holder facilitates complimentary in situ experiments of the same specimen without changing the specimen state during transfer.