bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Iterleukin 1 alpha is a marker of endothelial cellular senescent
Authors: Mariotti Massimo , Castiglioni Sara , Bernardini Daniela , Maier Jeanette AM
Published: April 2006

Background

The functional changes associated with endothelial senescence may be involved in human aging and age-related vascular disorders. Since the inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL-)1 inhibits endothelial growth, we evaluated the expression of IL-1α, IL-1β and their antagonist, the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), in endothelial in vitro senescence and quiescence. We also examined the expression of IL-1α in human senescent and progeric fibroblasts.

Results

We found that the overexpression of IL-1α specifically characterizes endothelial senescence. No modulation of this cytokine was observed in endothelial quiescence and in senescent or progeric human fibroblasts. The expression of IL-1β and IL-1ra was also assessed and found not to be affected by senescence.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that a dysfunction of the cytokine network associates with aging and point to a specific role of IL-1α in endothelial senescence.
Ethnotaxonomy of mastofauna as practised by hunters of the municipality of Paulista, state of Paraíba-Brazil
Authors: Mourão José S , Araujo Helder FP , Almeida Fabiana S
Published: April 2006

It was aimed in the present work to report aspects related to identification, naming and categorization of the mastofauna species of the caatinga biome, according to hunters' knowledge of Northeast Brazil. The methods of free and semi-structured interviews and guided tours were applied here. The data obtained were analyzed under the emic/etic point of view by comparing the local people's knowledge to those reported in the literature. The inland hunters use some classification models of mammals living around them as for example the folk taxonomy, and a categorization based on the animal utility. Some species are preferably hunted for providing food while others are hunted for therapeutic ends. Hunt techniques were made evident by the informers. The retrieval and comprehension of the whole process related to such knowledge is very important to evaluate the human culture and the protection that people exert on local biodiversity, since these aspects have implications for the conservation and management of faunistic resources.
HER4 in breast cancer: comparison of antibodies against intra- and extra-cellular domains of HER4
Authors: Tovey Sian M , Dunne Barbara , Witton Caroline J , Cooke Timothy G , Bartlett John MS
Published: April 2006

Introduction

We have previously linked HER4 expression with increased survival in breast cancer. However, other reports have associated HER4 with adverse prognostic significance. One possible explanation for the conflicting reports may be that these results are antibody dependent. The HER4 protein is enzymatically cleaved, which may alter the function of its intracellular domain (ICD). We have therefore compared the staining patterns of antibodies against its intracellular and extracellular domains using tissue microarray technology.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed and evaluated on tumours from 402 tamoxifen treated oestrogen receptor positive patients. The HFR1 antibody recognises the ICD of HER4 and thus recognises both the intact receptor and the cleaved ICD. The H4.77.16 clone recognises an extracellular domain of HER4 and thus detects the full length receptor only.

Results

Both antibodies demonstrated nuclear, cytoplasmic and membranous staining. Concordance between the membrane staining patterns was high (88.44%, kappa 0.426). The HFR1 antibody, however, demonstrated generally higher levels of cytoplasmic staining (concordance 74.77%, kappa 0.351). The antibodies demonstrated very different patterns of nuclear staining. Over 60% of patients stained with the H4.77.16 had no nuclear staining whereas the vast majority showed staining with the HFR1 antibody (concordance 40.12%, kappa 0.051). Neither antibody demonstrated relationships between membranous or cytoplasmic HER4 staining and survival, although associations were seen with known poor prognostic markers. Cases with H4.77.16-determined nuclear staining had significantly poorer survival outcomes.

Conclusion

The difference in antigen site may explain the different staining patterns we have seen with respect to location; with each antibody appearing to select for distinct compartments. Thus, HFR1 may select for cytoplasmic and nuclear HER4 ICD, whilst H4.77.16 selects for membranous HER4 and/or HER4 being recycled in cytoplasm or nucleus. This ability to distinguish between site and function of HER4 and its fragments is particularly important, with recent evidence highlighting the different functions of nuclear and mitochondrial HER4.
Long-term outcomes and clinical predictors of hospital mortality in very long stay intensive care unit patients: a cohort study
Authors: Friedrich Jan O , Wilson Gail , Chant Clarence
Published: April 2006

Introduction

Little information is available on prognosis and outcomes of very long stay intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The purpose of this study was to identify long-term outcomes after hospital discharge and readily available clinical predictors of hospital mortality for patients requiring prolonged care in the ICU.

Method

Clinical data were collected from consecutive patients requiring at least 30 days of ICU care admitted over 3 calendar years (2001 to 2003) to a medical/surgical ICU in a university-affiliated tertiary care centre.

Results

A total of 182 patients met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 63 years, median ICU stay of 48.5 days (interquartile range 36–78 days) and ICU mortality of 32%. They accounted for 8% of total admissions and 48% of total occupied beds. Of these patients, 42% died in hospital, 44% returned to their previous place of residence, and 14% were transferred to long-term care institutions. By 6 months after hospital discharge a further 8% of the patients had died, 40% remained at their previous place of residence, and 10% were in long-term care. Predictors of hospital mortality, identified using multivariate logistic regression, included age (odds ratio [OR] 1.45 per additional decade, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–1.91), any immunosuppression (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.7–15.5), mechanical ventilation for longer than 90 days (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.3–12.0), treatment with inotropes or vasopressors for more than 3 days at or after day 30 in the ICU (OR 7.1, 95% CI 2.6–19.3), and acute renal failure requiring dialysis at or after day 30 in the ICU (OR 6.3, 95% CI 2.0–19.7).

Conclusion

Patients with very long stays in the ICU appear to have a reasonable chance of survival, with most survivors in our cohort residing at their previous place of residence 6 months after hospital discharge. Prolonged requirement for life support therapies (ventilation, vasoactive agents, or acute dialysis) and a limited number of pre-existing co-morbidities (immunosuppression and, to a lesser extent, patient age) were predictors of increased hospital mortality. These predictors may assist in clinical decision making for this resource intensive patient population, and their reproducibility in other very long stay patient populations should be explored.
Oxygenation effect of interventional lung assist in a lavage model of acute lung injury: a prospective experimental study
Authors: Zick Günther , Frerichs Inéz , Schädler Dirk , Schmitz Gunnar , Pulletz Sven , Cavus Erol , Wachtler Felix , Scholz Jens , Weiler Norbert
Published: April 2006

Introduction

The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that a pumpless arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (interventional lung assist (ILA)) does not significantly improve oxygenation in a lavage model of acute lung injury.

Methods

The study was designed as a prospective experimental study. The experiments were performed on seven pigs (48–60 kg body weight). The pigs were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Both femoral arteries and one femoral vein were cannulated and connected with ILA. Acute lung injury was induced by repeated bronchoalveolar lavage until the arterial partial pressure of O2 was lower than 100 Torr for at least 30 minutes during ventilation with 100% O2.

Results

ILA was applied with different blood flow rates through either one or both femoral arteries. Measurements were repeated at different degrees of pulmonary gas exchange impairment with the pulmonary venous admixture ranging from 35.0% to 70.6%. The mean (± standard deviation) blood flow through ILA was 15.5 (± 3.9)% and 21.7 (± 4.9)% of cardiac output with one and both arteries open, respectively. ILA significantly increased the arterial partial pressure of O2 from 64 (± 13) Torr to 71 (± 14) Torr and 74 (± 17) Torr with blood flow through one and both femoral arteries, respectively. O2 delivery through ILA increased with extracorporeal shunt flow (36 (± 14) ml O2/min versus 47 (± 17) ml O2/min) and reduced arterialization of the inlet blood. Pulmonary artery pressures were significantly reduced when ILA was in operation.

Conclusion

Oxygenation is increased by ILA in severe lung injury. This effect is significant but small. The results indicate that the ILA use may not be justified if the improvement of oxygenation is the primary therapy goal.
Small volume of hypertonic saline as the initial fluid replacement in experimental hypodynamic sepsis
Authors: Garrido Alejandra del Pilar Gallardo , Cruz Ruy Jorge , de Figueiredo Luiz Francisco Poli , e Silva Maurício Rocha
Published: April 2006

Introduction

We conducted the present study to examine the effects of hypertonic saline solution (7.5%) on cardiovascular function and splanchnic perfusion in experimental sepsis.

Methods

Anesthetized and mechanically ventilated mongrel dogs received an intravenous infusion of live Escherichia coli over 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, they were randomized to receive lactated Ringer's solution 32 ml/kg (LR; n = 7) over 30 minutes or 7.5% hypertonic saline solution 4 ml/kg (HS; n = 8) over 5 minutes. They were observed without additional interventions for 120 minutes. Cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure (MAP), portal and renal blood flow (PBF and RBF, respectively), gastric partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2; gas tonometry), blood gases and lactate levels were assessed.

Results

E. coli infusion promoted significant reductions in CO, MAP, PBF and RBF (approximately 45%, 12%, 45% and 25%, respectively) accompanied by an increase in lactate levels and systemic and mesenteric oxygen extraction (sO2ER and mO2ER). Widening of venous-arterial (approximately 15 mmHg), portal-arterial (approximately 18 mmHg) and gastric mucosal-arterial (approximately 55 mmHg) pCO2 gradients were also observed. LR and HS infusion transiently improved systemic and regional blood flow. However, HS infusion was associated with a significant and sustained reduction of systemic (18 ± 2.6 versus 38 ± 5.9%) and mesenteric oxygen extraction (18.5 ± 1.9 versus 36.5 ± 5.4%), without worsening other perfusional markers.

Conclusion

A large volume of LR or a small volume of HS promoted similar transient hemodynamic benefits in this sepsis model. However, a single bolus of HS did promote sustained reduction of systemic and mesenteric oxygen extraction, suggesting that hypertonic saline solution could be used as a salutary intervention during fluid resuscitation in septic patients.
A classification based framework for quantitative description of large-scale microarray data
Authors: Sangurdekar Dipen P , Srienc Friedrich , Khodursky Arkady B
Published: April 2006

Genome-wide surveys of transcription depend on gene classifications for the purpose of data interpretation. We propose a new information-theoretical-based method to: assess significance of co-expression within any gene group; quantitatively describe condition-specific gene-class activity; and systematically evaluate conditions in terms of gene-class activity. We applied this technique to describe microarray data tracking Escherichia coli transcriptional responses to more than 30 chemical and physiological perturbations. We correlated the nature and breadth of the responses with the nature of perturbation, identified gene group proxies for the perturbation classes and quantitatively compared closely related physiological conditions.
Modulation of cell cycle progression by CTLA4-CD80/CD86 interactions on CD4+ T cells depends on strength of the CD3 signal: critical role for IL-2
Authors: Mukherjee Sambuddho , Ahmed Asma , Malu Shruti , Nandi Dipankar
Published: April 2006

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) is a well-studied T cell costimulatory receptor that is known to inhibit T cell activation. In this study, the relationship between strength of the first signal and costimulatory interactions on primary mouse CD4+ T cells was investigated. CTLA4-CD80/CD86 interactions differentially modulate T cell cycling based on the mode of CD3 signal: Activation with plate-bound (pb) anti-CD3 generates a strong signal compared with a weak signal with soluble (sol) anti-CD3, resulting in approximately sevenfold higher amounts of interleukin (IL)-2 and an increase in cell cycling. Activation of T cells with sol anti-CD3 (weak signal) together with CTLA4-CD80/CD86 blockade lowers IL-2 production and cell cycling, demonstrating an enhancing role for these interactions. Conversely, blockade of CTLA4-CD80/CD86 interactions on T cells activated with pb anti-CD3 (strong signal) increases proliferation, which is consistent with CTLA4 as a negative regulator. Also, coculture of T cells with Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing CD80 or CD86 demonstrates that the strength of the primary signal plays an important role. It is important that modulation of IL-2 amounts leads to distinct alterations in the functional effects of CTLA4-CD80/CD86 interactions. On increasing IL-2 amounts, activation of T cells stimulated with sol anti-CD3 (weak signal) and CTLA4-CD80/CD86 blockade is greater compared with control. Concurrently, neutralization of IL-2 greatly reduces activation of T cells stimulated with pb anti-CD3 (strong signal) and CTLA4-CD80/CD86 blockade compared with control. These results underscore the importance of strength of first signal, CTLA4-CD80/CD86 interactions, and IL-2 amounts in modulating primary CD4+ T cell responses.
Case Management, Similar Fact Evidence in Civil Cases, and a Divided Law of Evidence
Authors: Munday Roderick
Published: April 2006

It is widely assumed that, by virtue of their acquired professional skills, judges are markedly better than jurors at performing complex adjudicative tasks and that they are less susceptible to the cognitive distortions that affect lay minds when handling emotive or potentially prejudicial information. Taking its cue from the House of Lords recent decision in O'Brien concerning the admissibility of ‘similar fact evidence’ in civil proceedings, this article reviews existing experimental data which point strongly in the opposite direction. The advent of case management, in both civil and criminal cases, looks set to encourage a system in which the quantity and nature of evidence placed before the tribunal may be influenced by the tribunal's composition. This development is likely to reinforce the assumption of judicial superiority evident in existing procedural rules. Yet if judges share many, if not most, of the cognitive foibles of non-professional fact-finders, it is questionable—in the absence of further study—whether a divided law of evidence would be desirable or justified.
Of Shipwrecked Sailors, Unborn Children, Conjoined Twins and Hijacked Airplanes—Taking Human Life and the Defence of Necessity
Authors: Bohlander Michael
Published: April 2006

Necessity is not a defence to murder. This principle has been repeated ever since R v Dudley and Stephens. Behind the arguments put forward in the debate lie the sanctity of life, the idea that one could not weigh one life against another, the question as to who should be the one to make that decision and that life as such was the highest good. But is that really true? Has English law not subscribed already to the idea that it may be permissible to take a human life in situations that are commonly classified as duress, duress of circumstances or necessity? This article traces the development of areas of law where necessity arguments and balancing exercises play a role in the decision about the taking of human life, but which are not usually looked at in depth when arguments about necessity are exchanged.
Using Approximate Bayesian Computation to Estimate Tuberculosis Transmission Parameters From Genotype Data
Authors: Tanaka Mark M , Francis Andrew R , Luciani Fabio , Sisson S A
Published: April 2006

Tuberculosis can be studied at the population level by genotyping strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from patients. We use an approximate Bayesian computational method in combination with a stochastic model of tuberculosis transmission and mutation of a molecular marker to estimate the net transmission rate, the doubling time, and the reproductive value of the pathogen. This method is applied to a published data set from San Francisco of tuberculosis genotypes based on the marker IS6110. The mutation rate of this marker has previously been studied, and we use those estimates to form a prior distribution of mutation rates in the inference procedure. The posterior point estimates of the key parameters of interest for these data are as follows: net transmission rate, 0.69/year [95% credibility interval (C.I.) 0.38, 1.08]; doubling time, 1.08 years (95% C.I. 0.64, 1.82); and reproductive value 3.4 (95% C.I. 1.4, 79.7). These figures suggest a rapidly spreading epidemic, consistent with observations of the resurgence of tuberculosis in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s.
A Simple Linear Regression Method for Quantitative Trait Loci Linkage Analysis With Censored Observations
Authors: Anderson Carl A , McRae Allan F , Visscher Peter M
Published: April 2006

Standard quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping techniques commonly assume that the trait is both fully observed and normally distributed. When considering survival or age-at-onset traits these assumptions are often incorrect. Methods have been developed to map QTL for survival traits; however, they are both computationally intensive and not available in standard genome analysis software packages. We propose a grouped linear regression method for the analysis of continuous survival data. Using simulation we compare this method to both the Cox and Weibull proportional hazards models and a standard linear regression method that ignores censoring. The grouped linear regression method is of equivalent power to both the Cox and Weibull proportional hazards methods and is significantly better than the standard linear regression method when censored observations are present. The method is also robust to the proportion of censored individuals and the underlying distribution of the trait. On the basis of linear regression methodology, the grouped linear regression model is computationally simple and fast and can be implemented readily in freely available statistical software.
Definition of a 1.06-Mb Region Linked to Neuroinflammation in Humans, Rats and Mice
Authors: Öckinger Johan , Serrano-Fernández Pablo , Möller Steffen , Ibrahim Saleh M , Olsson Tomas , Jagodic Maja
Published: April 2006

Unbiased identification of susceptibility genes might provide new insights into pathogenic mechanisms that govern complex inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis. In this study we fine mapped Eae18a, a region on rat chromosome 10 that regulates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for multiple sclerosis. We utilized two independent approaches: (1) in silico mapping based on sequence similarity between human multiple sclerosis susceptibility regions and rodent EAE quantitative trait loci and (2) linkage mapping in an F10 (DA × PVG.AV1) rat advanced intercrossed line. The linkage mapping defines Eae18a to a 5-Mb region, which overlaps one intergenomic consensus region identified in silico. The combined approach confirms experimentally, for the first time, the accuracy of the in silico method. Moreover, the shared intersection between the results of both mapping techniques defines a 1.06-Mb region containing 13 candidate genes for the regulation of neuroinflammation in humans, rats, and mice.
Some observations of the effects of time on the capacity of piles driven in sand
Authors: Jardine R. J. , Standing J. R. , Chow F. C.
Published: April 2006

Piles driven in sand can show remarkable increases in their axial shaft capacities in the months that follow installation. Many practical benefits follow if service capacities can be relied upon to exceed the levels proven in site tests, which are usually performed within a few days of driving. This paper reports findings from a programme of mainly tension tests on steel pipe piles performed in dense sand at Dunkirk, northern France. The tests demonstrated more marked shaft capacity growth with time than expected. The aged piles also showed surprisingly brittle failure modes; prior testing to failure both degraded capacity and modified the ageing processes, leading to non-monotonic shaft capacity–time traces that fall far below the intact ageing characteristic (IAC) defined by tests on fresh, previously unfailed, piles. Capacity–time trends inferred from repeatedly tested piles can give misleading results. The new findings allow the ageing effects to be characterised more clearly, and permit a re-evaluation of existing databases involving piles of various types driven in a range of silts, sands and gravels. Important practical conclusions are drawn regarding pile design and the interpretation of field pile load tests.
Behaviour of jacked and driven piles in sandy soil
Authors: Yang J. , Tham L. G. , Lee P. K. K. , Chan S. T. , Yu F.
Published: April 2006

As an alternative to conventional dynamic pile installation methods, pile jacking is an environmentally friendly technique that could become more widely accepted. Great concern has arisen over the performance of jacked piles as compared with that of driven piles. This paper describes a comprehensive field study that was aimed at investigating the differences and similarities between the behaviour of jacked H-piles and that of driven H-piles. The instrumented piles, varying in length from 32 to 55 m and having a design capacity of up to 3540 kN, were installed in residual soils whose properties are close to silty sands. The load test results indicate that the shaft resistance of jacked piles is generally stiffer and stronger than that of driven piles, but the base resistance of jacked piles is weaker than that of driven piles. At a load level of twice the design capacity, the percentage of pile head load carried by base varies from 2% to 10% for jacked piles, with a mean value of 6%; for driven piles the percentage varies from 6% to 61% with a mean value of 38%. The back-calculated values of the shaft friction coefficient, β, were found to be in a range of 0·25–0·6 for both jacked and driven piles. A correlation was also observed between the ultimate shaft friction and the mean standard penetration test N value (N), which suggests that the shaft friction can be taken as 1·5N to 2N (kPa) for both jacked and driven H-piles.
Evaluating Adequacy and Usability of Soil Maps in Croatia
Authors: Hengl Tomislav , Husnjak Stjepan
Published: April 2006

The paper suggests a methodological framework for evaluating adequacy and usability of soil maps by analyzing the following 10 aspects: lineage, consistency, completeness, effective scale, attribute accuracy, thematic contrast, accuracy of legends, integrity, popularity, and accessibility. This framework was used to evaluate the national soil resource inventory in Croatia and to find out why the maps are not used to the full potential. Six 1:50K map sheets (of 185 in total), 3 control surveys, and 10 full profile descriptions in the main landscape regions of Croatia were used to estimate the effective map scale and thematic accuracy of profile observations. In addition, the existing digital data sets (digital soil map and database with 2198 profiles) were evaluated for thematic purity and contrast. The results show that the soil maps are of lower quality than planned and that their usability for spatial planning is limited. The average polygon size and the positional accuracy of primary soil boundaries correspond to the 1:150K scale, while the intensity of field observations corresponds to the 1:250K scale. Mapping units are heterogeneous for mapping of clay content, pH, and organic matter, with an average normalized variation of 68% within units and the mean thematic overlap of 66% between geographically adjacent units. This makes this inventory adequate for small‐scale applications only. The major usability problems identified were lack of specific interpretations corresponding to user needs, unpopularity of soil survey concepts, inconsistency of methodology and unclear distribution policy. The evaluation can be used to decide how to improve the usability of the existing datasets and design methodological steps for a new survey by involving end users in the design of the soil information system.
Two Emblems in Brutus' Orchard
Authors: Velz John W.
Published: April 2006

Two difficult passages in the second act of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar can be illuminated if each is interpreted as an emblem. Brutus’ troublesome first soliloquy and the strange dialogue among three conspirators about where the sun rises are both moments of great moral intensity; Brutus meditates on the necessity of assassinating Caesar in the first passage and commits himself to the conspiracy during the second. We might plausibly look to iconography as a perspective on such morally intense moments; emblems, certainly, are in keeping with the pageantry, symbolic statuary, ritual, and solemn moral utterance which permeate this play.
The 'Sack of Rome' Set to Music
Authors: Harran Don
Published: April 2006

The texts of the early sixteenth-century madrigal are markedly uniform in their content. Love is the main theme, treated in as many variations as issue from the vagaries of the amorous condition (longing, despair, concupiscence, hate, disenchantment, etc.). So uniform, in fact, is the subject matter that when a poem departs from convention, it warrants attention as something of a rara avis. This is the case with the sonnet Trist’ Amarilli mia set to music by Philippe Verdelot, a French (or Netherlandish?) composer residing in Italy during the second and third decades, or more, of the century. Its (anonymous) poet delineates the sort of bucolic scene one happens upon more often in the later madrigal, and peoples it with Amaryllis, Tityrus, Atalanta, and a company of shepherds and flocks.
The Understanding of Sickness in Donne's Devotions
Authors: Goldberg Jonathan
Published: April 2006

While no one would deny that Donne's Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions is a unique work of the imagination, critical comment has generally failed to perceive the commonplaces that lie behind Donne's thought. All too often the work has been labeled the 'curious’ product of an ‘anxious and restless mind' when, in fact, Donne's devotional aims lead him to traditional themes and to a view of the self that tends to deny value to personal idiosyncracies. Devotional literature generally demands from both reader and author a kind of impersonality, or better, universality of self. The author of a devotional work focuses on that area of the self in which he and his reader share similar needs: both identify themselves as fallen men, the crucial fact in their self-understanding.
If Music and Sweet Poetry Agree: Thomas Ford's ‘Since First I
Saw Your Face'
Authors: Siemens Reynold
Published: April 2006

Elizabethan song-writers commonly strove to achieve a just rapport between
the conventions of the music and the meaning of the words. For them the
expressive aspect of the music was inseparable from the significance of the
verse, and the success of a song depended heavily upon the extent to which
verbal sense and musical sound echoed one another.
‘Per il bene di … nostra cipta’: Borso d'Este and the Certosa of Ferrara*
Authors: Rosenberg Charles M.
Published: April 2006

Although the Este family had traditionally supported numerous monastic foundations, Borso d'Este's patronage of the Carthusian order is notable in that it introduced a new religious community into Ferrara. The history of the establishment, development, and decoration of the Charterhouse of Ferrara is indicative of the taste, artistic and religious views, and political exigencies which shaped the religious patronage of Borso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio. At the same time, the specific examples of Borso's monastic patronage are illustrative of the fundamental assumptions underlying fifteenth-century aristocratic support of religious foundations.

On April 23,1452, Borso d'Este laid the cornerstone for the Certosa on a site not far from the Este villa of Belfiore and the Dominican Monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli. By spring 1461, the Monastery was habitable, though not yet complete.
Plautus and the Three Princes of Serendip1
Authors: Small Jocelyn Penny
Published: April 2006

Adaptability enables folktales to survive for long periods of time. What began as an oral tale may become the basis of later literary works. The tale retains its basic elements while undergoing alterations and embellishments to suit its different contexts, both social and literary. The ‘Inclusa’ is such an example. Stith Thompson reduces the tale to its bare essentials as ‘underground passage to paramour's house. Woman goes from one to the other. Her husband is made to believe that the woman next door is her sister.’ The setting, the characterization of the participants, and the actual mechanics of the action are not given; the individual storyteller supplies these elements, so that variants are produced. Although the origins of the Inclusa remain obscure, its written development can be traced.
An Early-Tudor Oxford Schoolbook
Authors: Orme Nicholas
Published: April 2006

One of the most attractive genres of educational literature consists of the sets of Latin and English prose passages written by English schoolmasters during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries to exercise their pupils in Latin. Some of the exercises were in Latin alone, intended as examples or models of Latin grammar and syntax. Others, which contemporaries called "vulgars" (Latin vulgaria), comprised passages in English for the pupils to translate into Latin, with model Latin versions for comparison.
Azide–Tetrazole Ring‐Chain Isomerism in Polyazido‐1,3,5‐triazines, Triazido‐s‐heptazine, and Diazidotetrazines
Authors: Hammerl Anton , Klapötke Thomas M. , Rocha Reginaldo
Published: April 2006

The azide–tetrazole isomerism in several polyazido‐1,3,5‐triazines, triazido‐sym‐heptazine, and some diazido‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazines was investigated by ab initio quantum chemical methods in order to determine whether the polyazides are suitable starting materials for the synthesis of the isomeric tetrazoles. The effects of solvation in CCl4, DMSO and water on this isomerism were included using the self consistent reaction field (SCRF) method. The effect of amino‐ and nitrosubstituents on the azide–tetrazole isomerism was also examined. In the gas phase all investigated polyazidoheterocycles do not cyclize to form tetrazoles. An electron‐donating amino group favors the ring closure to tetrazoles, whereas an electron‐withdrawing nitro group favors the azides. Solvation in polar solvents favors the formation of a tetrazole ring system due to higher charge separation in the tetrazole ring system, but for all polyazido‐1,3,5‐triazines, including triazido‐s‐heptazine, the effects of solvation are not strong enough to shift the equilibrium to the tetrazole side, which explains why several attempts to detect these compounds have failed. The monotetetrazoles of diazidotetrazine and bis(azido)azo‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine and the ditetrazole of bis(azido)hydrazo‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine are the minimum energy species in DMSO and water. Thus we predict that the diazidoazo‐ and hydrazotetrazines will readily cyclize to the tetrazoles in polar solvents. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Site‐specific delivery of dexamethasone from biodegradable implants reduces formation of pericardial adhesions in rabbits
Authors: Chorny Michael , Mishaly David , Leibowitz Avshalom , Domb Abraham J. , Golomb Gershon
Published: April 2006

Repeated sternotomy often leads to serious complications in patients due to the formation of cardiac adhesions. In this study we characterized dexamethasone‐loaded biodegradable poly(lactide)‐poly(ethyleneglycol) copolymer films for site‐specific drug delivery and examined their efficacy in the rabbit model of postoperative cardiac adhesions. Tritiated dexamethasone‐loaded films were used to determine the in vitro release and in vivo drug distribution. Dexamethasone release in serum was biphasic with 69% drug released after 72 hr. The implants produced sustained drug levels at the implantation site with low distribution into the peripheral tissues. The matrices were implanted in rabbits between the epicardium and the sternum following sternotomy, pericardiectomy and epicardium abrasion, with the drug‐releasing surface facing the epicardium. The tenacity and density of the adhesions was examined 21 days post procedure in comparison to both groups of untreated and rabbits implanted with blank matrices. Similarly tenacious and dense adhesions were observed in both control groups. In contrast, epicardial adhesions' formation was significantly reduced and the anatomy was preserved in the treated animals. It is concluded that local delivery of dexamethasone from biodegradable implants provides a promising approach for the prevention of pericardial adhesions while potentially minimizing the systemic adverse effects inherent to systemic therapy or high blood levels of the drug. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Toxoplasma gondii, HCV, and HBV seroprevalence and co‐infection among HIV‐positive and ‐negative pregnant women in Burkina Faso
Authors: Simpore Jacques , Savadogo Aly , Ilboudo Denise , Nadambega Marie Christelle , Esposito Maria , Yara Justine , Pignatelli Salvatore , Pietra Virginio , Musumeci Salvatore
Published: April 2006

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infections can cause serious complications in HIV‐infected pregnant women, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects (e.g., mental retardation, blindness, epilepsy etc.) and could favor or enhance the mother‐to‐child transmission of HCV, HBV, and HIV vertical transmission. From May 20, 2004 to August 3, 2005, 336 18–45 years aged pregnant women, were enrolled for an investigation of the prevalence of serum antibodies against T. gondii, HCV, HBV, and HIV using ELISA. The prevalence of T. gondii, HCV, and HBV in pregnant women was 25.3%, 5.4%, and 9.8%, respectively and the HIV serostatus (61.6%) seems to be associated with greater prevalence rates of both T. gondii (28.5% vs. 20.2%) and HBV (11.6% vs. 7.0%). Without taking into account HIV, only 65.5% (220 of 336) of the women were not infected with these agents. The co‐infection rate between HIV‐infected and ‐negative women was different statistically: T. gondii/HBV 0.048 versus 0.015, T. gondii/HCV 0.014 versus 0.008, and HCV/HBV 0.005 versus 0.008, respectively. The elevated co‐infection rate in HIV‐positive women demonstrated that they are exposed to T. gondii, HCV, and HBV infections prevalently by sexual contact. J. Med. Virol. 78:730–733, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The epimerization of peptide aldehydes—a systematic study
Authors: Ganneau Cécile , Moulin Aline , Demange Luc , Martinez Jean , Fehrentz Jean‐Alain
Published: April 2006

Peptide aldehydes are interesting targets as enzyme inhibitors, and can be used for pseudopeptide chemistry or ligation. However, they are known to be subjected to epimerization during synthesis or purification. By 1H NMR, a model dipeptide aldehyde can be used to check the possible epimerization occurring during synthesis. Various purification methods were investigated, but none was free from epimerization. Copyright © 2006 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laminar gravitational convection of heat in dead-end channels
Authors: Sturm Terry W.
Published: April 2006

A closed-form solution of the coupled momentum and thermal energy equations is obtained for laminar gravitational circulation of water resulting from a longitudinal temperature gradient in a dead-end channel. The temperature gradient is determined by the rate of heat loss from the water surface. The solution is shown to be dependent on a modified Rayleigh number which involves the local surface heat-transfer coefficient. An experimental study was conducted, and the results are compared with the closed-form solution.
The modified cuinulant expansion for two-dimensional isotropic turbulence
Authors: Tatsumi Tomomasa , Yanase Shinichiro
Published: April 2006

The two-dimensional isotropic turbulence in an incompressible fluid is investigated using the modified zero fourth-order cumulant approximation. The dynamical equation for the energy spectrum obtained under this approximation is solved numerically and the similarity laws governing the solution in the energy-containing and enstrophy-dissipation ranges are derived analytically. At large Reynolds numbers the numerical solutions yield the k−3 inertial subrange spectrum which was predicted by Kraichnan (1967), Leith (1968) and Batchelor (1969) assuming a finite enstrophy dissipation in the inviscid limit. The energy-containing range is found to satisfy an inviscid similarity while the enstrophy-dissipation range is governed by the quasi-equilibrium similarity with respect to the enstrophy dissipation as proposed by Batchelor (1969). There exists a critical time tc which separates the initial period (t < tc) and the similarity period (t > tc) in which the enstrophy dissipation vanishes and remains non-zero respectively in the inviscid limit. Unlike the case of three-dimensional turbulence, tc is not fixed but increases indefinitely as the viscosity tends to zero.
Nonlinear dispersive waves in a Hall plasma with a finite conductivity
Authors: Granik A. T.
Published: April 2006

The study of nonlinear magnetosonic waves in a turbulent plasma is extended to include the effects of the Hall term. The turbulence and Hall effect are characterized by an effective electrical conductivity and an ion gyrofrequency respectively. It is shown that the magnetosonic waves are governed by a nonlinear equation which can be considered as the generalization of a Korteweg & de Vries (1895) equation with dispersion. For a stationary solution two cases are considered in detail: (a) an unperturbed magnetic field is almost parallel to a wave vector, and (b) they are almost perpendicular. In the case (a) it is shown that the presence of the Hall term can lead to an oscillatory solution which decays due to the finite conductivity. In the second case the Hall effect does not affect the monotonous character of a decaying Taylor-shock profile.
Flow induced by jets and plumes
Authors: Schneider W.
Published: April 2006

The order of magnitude of the flow velocity due to the entrainment into an axisymmetric, laminar or turbulent jet and an axisymmetric laminar plume, respectively, indicates that viscosity and non-slip of the fluid at solid walls are essential effects even for large Reynolds numbers of the jet or plume. An exact similarity solution of the Navier-Stokes equations is determined such that both the non-slip condition at circular-conical walls (including a plane wall) and the entrainment condition at the jet (or plume) axis are satisfied. A uniformly valid solution for large Reynolds numbers, describing the flow in the laminar jet region as well as in the outer region, is also given. Comparisons show that neither potential flow theory (Taylor 1958) nor viscous flow theories that disregard the non-slip condition (Squire 1952; Morgan 1956) provide correct results if the flow is bounded by solid walls.
Similarity of steady stratified flows
Authors: Yih Chia-Shun
Published: April 2006

Steady flows of an incompressible, inviscid, and non-diffusive fluid of variable density in a gravitational field are first considered. By a transformation it is shown conclusively that there are infinitely many flows with the same flow pattern, provided the density gradients of these flows at any section (e.g. far upstream) differ only by a multiplicative constant. These flows have identical local internal Froude numbers at all corresponding points of the flows and, hence, identical local Richardson numbers. They are therefore dynamically similar. Every time a solution for one stratification is obtained, one has in fact obtained the solutions for infinitely many stratifications.

The creation of vorticity in steady stratified flows is then examined, and it is shown that this creation can be divided into two parts, one part being entirely due to the inertial effect and the other originating from the gravity effect of density variation.

Finally, compressibility is considered and the results on similarity of stratified flows and on vorticity and circulation are extended to apply to steady flows of gases stratified in entropy.
The coupling between flow instabilities and incident disturbances at a leading edge
Authors: Goldstein M. E.
Published: April 2006

It is now generally agreed that an external disturbance field, such as an incident acoustic wave, can effectively couple to instabilities of a flow past a trailing edge. One purpose of the present paper is to show that there are situations where a similar coupling can occur at a leading edge. The process is analysed and the effects of experimentally controllable parameters are assessed. It is important to account for such phenomena when evaluating the effect of external disturbances on transition.
Theory of the pressure–strain rate. Part 2. Diagonal elements
Authors: Weinstock J.
Published: April 2006

A theoretical calculation is made of (the diagonal elements of) pressure-strain-rate calculation ρ0−1〈p[∇u + (∇u)T]〉 for a simple turbulent shear flow. This calculation parallels a previous calculation of the off-diagonal element. The calculation is described as follows. (1) Beginning with the Navier-Stokes equation, an expression for the (diagonal) pressure-strain-rate term is derived analytically in terms of measurable quantities (velocity spectra) - this derivation makes use of a cumulant discard. (2) It is proved that, to lowest order in the spectral anisotropy, the diagonal pressure-strain-rate term is linearly proportional to the diagonal Reynolds-stress elements. (3) A formula is derived for the proportionality constants (Rotta constants) in terms of arbitrary spectra. (4) This formula is used to calculate theoretically the numerical value of Rotta's constant Cii for models of velocity spectra (the variation of Cii with variations of spectral shapes and of Reynolds number are also determined). (5) Deficiencies and limitations of Rotta's model are identified and discussed.

It is found that Rotta's expression for 2ρ0−1〈p∂ui/∂i〉 is only valid for special spectra. Surprisingly large deviations of Rotta's expression from theory are found for a more complex spectra thought to be typical of simple shear flow. In addition, it is found that Cxz is intrinsically and quantitatively different from Cii because the latter depends importantly on the large-wavenumber part of the spectrum (the inertial subrange) whereas the former does not. The numerical ratio Czz/Cxz is calculated theoretically and shown to be about 2 for the zero-moment model. It is concluded that a linear term in the stress anisotropy as proposed by Rotta does not always exist. The deviation of Rotta's model from theory is understood by distinguishing between the spectral anisotropy and the stress anisotropy.

For the zero-moment spectral model, where the Rotta relation is valid, it is found that Cii varies significantly with large Reynolds number but is rather insensitive to the large-wavelength part of the spectrum.
Numerical solutions for the spin-up of a stratified fluid
Authors: Hyun Jae Min , Fowlis William W. , Warn-Varnas Alex
Published: April 2006

Numerical solutions for the impulsively started spin-up of a thermally stratified fluid in a cylinder with an insulating side wall are presented. Previous experimental and numerical work on stratified spin-up had not provided a comprehensive and accurate set of flow-field data. Further, comparisons of this work with theory showed, in general, a substantial discrepancy. The theory was scaled using the homogeneous meridional-flow spin-up time scale and thus viscous-diffusion effects were excluded from the interior. It was anticipated that these effects could only be significant on the larger viscous-diffusion time scale. However, the comparisons with theory showed a faster rate of decay for the measurements even over the shorter meridional-flow spin-up time scale. Previous workers had suggested a number of explanations but the cause of the discrepancy was still unresolved. To provide data to extend the previous work, a numerical model was used. The model was first checked against accurate experimental measurements of stratified spin-up made using a laser-Doppler velocimeter. New accurate results which cover ranges of Ekman number (5·92 × 10−4 ≤ E ≤ 7·24 × 10−4), Rossby number (0·019 ≤ ε ≤ 0·220), stratification parameter (0·0 ≤ Sa−1 ≤ 1·03), and Prandtl number (5·68 ≤ σ ≤ 7·10) are presented. These results show the radial and vertical structure of the decaying azimuthal and meridional flows. The inertial–internal gravity oscillations excited by the impulsive spin-up are clearly seen. By making use of conclusions from the previous work and the results presented in this paper, it is established that viscous diffusion in the interior is the cause of the discrepancy with theory. Stratification causes the meridional spin-up flow to be confined closer to the boundary disks. This results in non-uniform spin-up of the interior and hence flow gradients in the interior. These gradients introduce viscous diffusion into the interior sooner than anticipated by the theory. A previous suggestion that the faster decay rate is due to angular momentum being injected into the interior from an oscillation of the meridional corner-jet flow is shown to be untenable.
Numerical solution for fully developed flow in heated curved tubes
Authors: Prusa J. , Yao L. S.
Published: April 2006

Fully developed laminar flow for a horizontal heated curved tube is studied numerically. The tube is heated so as to maintain a constant axial temperature gradient. A physical model is introduced that accounts for the combined effects of both buoyancy and centrifugal force. Results, for a Prandtl number of one, are presented for a moderate range of Dean numbers and the product of the Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers. Detailed predictions of the flow resistance, the average heat-transfer rate and the secondary-flow streamlines are given. Also presented are results on the position of the local maxima of shear stress and heat-transfer rate. The numerical results reveal that the mass-flow rate is drastically reduced owing to the secondary flow for a given axial pressure gradient. Consequently, the total heat- transfer rate decreases for a more-curved tube as well as for a larger axial temperature gradient. A flow-regime map is provided to indicate the three basic regimes where (i) centrifugal force dominates, (ii) both buoyancy and centrifugal forces are important, and (iii) buoyancy force dominates.