bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolic engineering ofCorynebacterium glutamicumstrain ATCC13032 to producel‐methionine
Authors: Qin Tianyu , Hu Xiaoqing , Hu Jinyu , Wang Xiaoyuan
Published: September 2014

l‐Methionine–producing strain QW102/pJYW‐4‐homm‐lysCm‐brnFEwas developed fromCorynebacterium glutamicumstrain ATCC13032, using metabolic engineering strategies. These strategies involved (i) deletion of the genethrBencoding homoserine kinase to increase the precursor supply, (ii) deletion of the genemcbRencoding the regulator McbR to release the transcriptional repression to various genes in thel‐methionine biosynthetic pathway, (iii) overexpression of the genelysCmencoding feedback‐resistant aspartate kinase and the genehommencoding feedback‐resistant homoserine dehydrogenase to further increase the precursor supply, and (iv) overexpression of the gene clusterbrnFandbrnEencoding the export protein complex BrnFE to increase extracellularl‐methionine concentration. QW102/pJYW‐4‐homm‐lysCm‐brnFEproduced 42.2 mM (6.3 g/L)l‐methionine after 64‐H fed‐batch fermentation. These results suggest thatl‐methionine–producing strains can be developed from wild‐typeC. glutamicumstrains by rationally metabolic engineering.
Cis and trans internucleosomal interactions of H3 and H4 tails in tetranucleosomes
Authors: Nurse Nathan P. , Yuan Chongli
Published: September 2014

Chromatin structure and the transcriptional state of a gene can be modulated by modifications made on H3 and H4 tails of histones. Elucidating the internucleosomal interactions of these tails is vital to understanding epigenetic regulation. Differentiation between cis (intra‐nucleosomal) and trans (inter‐nucleosomal) interactions is often difficult with conventional techniques since H3 and H4 tails are flexible. The distinction, however, is important because these interactions model short‐ and long‐range chromatin interactions respectively and have different bearings in biological processes. Combining FCS and PCH analysis, we can decouple the contribution of histone tails to cis and trans effects. A Mg2+ gradient was employed to facilitate compaction and oligomerization of tetranucleosomes with H3 and/or H4 tail truncations. H3 tails were found to play a multifunctional role and exhibit the ability to partake in both attractive cis and trans interactions simultaneously. H4 tails partake in attractive cis and repulsive trans interactions at low [Mg2+]. These interactions are diminished at higher [Mg2+]. Simultaneous H3 and H4 tail truncation inhibited array oligomerization but maintained local array compaction at relatively high [Mg2+]. The established experimental approach can be extended to study the detailed molecular interactions mediated by epigenetic modification of flexible histone tails. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 103: 33–40, 2015.
Proton Conductivity of Naphthalene Sulfonate Formaldehyde Resin‐Doped Mesoporous Niobium and Tantalum Oxide Composites
Authors: Turley Jonathan P. , Romer Frederik , Trudeau Michel L. , Dias Marcos L. , Smith Mark E. , Hanna John V. , Antonelli David M.
Published: September 2014

Proton conductivity in a series of mesoporous niobium and tantalum metal oxide (mX2O5) composites of naphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde resin (NSF) that are resistant to moisture loss at temperatures greater than 50 °C is reported. The investigation focuses on the effect to proton conductivity by changing pore size and metal in the mesostructure of the mX2O5 system and thus, a series of mX2O5‐NSF composites were synthesized with C6, C12, and C18 templates. These were characterized by XRD, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption, and scanning TEM and then studied using impedance spectroscopy to establish proton conductivity values at various temperatures ranging from 25 to 150 °C. The most promising sample displayed a conductivity of 21.96 mS cm−1 at 100 °C, surpassing the literature value for Nafion 117 (ca. 8 mS cm−1). 1H and 13C solid state NMR studies the mX2O5‐NSF composites demonstrate that the oligomeric nature of the NSF is preserved while in contact with the mX2O5 surface, thus facilitating conductivity.
Urokinase Receptor Mediates Osteoclastogenesis via M-CSF Release From Osteoblasts and the c-Fms/PI3K/Akt/NF-κB Pathway in Osteoclasts
Authors: Anaraki Parnian Kalbasi , Patecki Margret , Tkachuk Sergey , Kiyan Yulia , Haller Hermann , Dumler Inna
Published: September 2014

Bone remodeling is a dynamic process based on a fine-tuned balance between formation and degradation of bone. Osteoblasts (OBLs) are responsible for bone formation and bone resorption is mediated by osteoclasts (OCLs). The mechanisms regulating the OBL-OCL balance are critical in health and disease; however, they are still far from being understood. We reported recently that the multifunctional urokinase receptor (uPAR) mediates osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to OBLs and vascular calcification in atherosclerosis. Here, we address the question of whether uPAR may also be engaged in regulation of osteoclastogenesis. We show that uPAR mediates this process in a dual fashion. Thus, uPAR affected OBL-OCL interplay. We observed that osteoclastogenesis was significantly impaired in co-culture of monocyte-derived OCLs and in OBLs derived from MSCs lacking uPAR. We show that expression and release, from OBLs, of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), which is indispensable for OCL differentiation, was inhibited by uPAR loss. We further found that uPAR, on the other hand, controlled formation, differentiation, and functional properties of macrophage-derived OCLs. Expression of osteoclastogenic markers, such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and cathepsin K, was impaired in OCLs derived from uPAR-deficient macrophages. The requirement of uPAR for osteoclastogenesis was further confirmed by immunocytochemistry and in bone resorption assay. We provide evidence that the underlying signaling mechanisms involve uPAR association with the M-CSF binding receptor c-Fms followed by c-Fms phosphorylation and activation of the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway in OCLs. We further show that uPAR uses this pathway to regulate a balance between OCL differentiation, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. Our study identified uPAR as an important and multifaceted regulator of OBL-OCL molecular interplay that may serve as an attractive target in bone disease and ectopic calcification. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Shape‐Memory Performance of Thermoplastic Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymer Poly(d,l‐lactic acid‐co‐ethylene glycol‐co‐d,l‐lactic acid) (PELA)/Hydroxyapatite Composites
Authors: Kutikov Artem B. , Reyer Kevin A. , Song Jie
Published: September 2014

Biodegradable polymer/hydroxyapatite (HA) composites are desired for skeletal tissue engin­eering. When engineered with thermally responsive shape‐memory properties, they may be delivered in a minimally invasive temporary shape and subsequently triggered to conform to a tissue defect. Here, the shape‐memory properties of thermoplastic amphiphilic poly(d,l‐lactic acid‐co‐ethylene glycol‐co‐d,l‐lactic acid) (PELA) (Mw = 120 kDa) and HA‐PELA composites are reported. These materials can be cold‐deformed and stably fixed into temporary shapes at room temperature and undergo rapid shape recovery (<3 s) at 50 °C. Stable fixation (>99% fixing ratio) of large deformations is achieved at −20 °C. While the shape recovery from tensile deformations slows with higher HA contents, all the composites (up to 20 wt% HA) achieve high shape recovery (>90%) upon equilibration for 10 min at 50 °C. The permanent shapes of HA‐PELA can be reprogrammed at 50 °C, and macroporous shape‐memory scaffolds can be fabricated by rapid prototyping.

image
Muscle MRS detects elevated PDE/ATP ratios prior to fatty infiltration in Becker muscular dystrophy
Authors: Wokke B. H. , Hooijmans M. T. , van den Bergen J. C. , Webb A. G. , Verschuuren J. J. , Kan H. E.
Published: September 2014

Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is characterized by progressive muscle weakness. Muscles show structural changes (fatty infiltration, fibrosis) and metabolic changes, both of which can be assessed using MRI and MRS. It is unknown at what stage of the disease process metabolic changes arise and how this might vary for different metabolites. In this study we assessed metabolic changes in skeletal muscles of Becker patients, both with and without fatty infiltration, quantified via Dixon MRI and 31P MRS. MRI and 31P MRS scans were obtained from 25 Becker patients and 14 healthy controls using a 7 T MR scanner. Five lower‐leg muscles were individually assessed for fat and muscle metabolite levels. In the peroneus, soleus and anterior tibialis muscles with non‐increased fat levels, PDE/ATP ratios were higher (P < 0.02) compared with controls, whereas in all muscles with increased fat levels PDE/ATP ratios were higher compared with healthy controls (P ≤ 0.05). The Pi/ATP ratio in the peroneus muscles was higher in muscles with increased fat fractions (P = 0.005), and the PCr/ATP ratio was lower in the anterior tibialis muscles with increased fat fractions (P = 0.005). There were no other significant changes in metabolites, but an increase in tissue pH was found in all muscles of the total group of BMD patients in comparison with healthy controls (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that 31P MRS can be used to detect early changes in individual muscles of BMD patients, which are present before the onset of fatty infiltration. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Palaeopathological Assessment of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century Khoesan
Authors: Botha D. , Steyn M.
Published: September 2014

Since the arrival of Dutch colonists in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, Khoesan populations were subjected to severe political and economic marginalisation and often fell prey to racial conflict. These circumstances persisted until the early 20th century, during which an astonishing number of Khoesan skeletons were transported from South Africa to various locations in Europe, as at the time, different institutions competed to obtain these remains. The purpose of this study was to assess the health status of the late 19th and early 20th century Khoesan. Skeletal remains housed in two different European institutions were studied. The sample comprised 140 specimens from the Rudolf Pöch Skeletal Collection in Vienna, Austria, and 15 specimens from the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, France. These individuals represent both sexes and were aged between newborn and 75 years, with 54 being younger than 20 years of age. Results indicated high levels of typical disease conditions associated with groups under stress, such as periostitis, cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis. Treponemal disease, rickets, osteoarthritis and trauma were also encountered amongst other more specific indicators of health and disease. This study provided additional knowledge on the health status and lives of the Khoesan people during this turbulent period and created new awareness regarding a group of severely mistreated individuals. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A pragmatic approach to distributed nonlinear model predictive control: Application to a hydrostatic drivetrain
Authors: Dutta Abhishek , Ionescu Clara , De Keyser Robain
Published: September 2014

The global control of large‐scale production machines composed of interacting subsystems is a challenging problem due to the intrinsic presence of high coupling, constraints, nonlinearity, and communication limitations. In this work, a pragmatic approach to distributed nonlinear model predictive control (DNMPC) is presented with guaranteed decrease in cost. Furthermore, in order to tackle time‐varying process dynamics, a learning algorithm is developed, thereby improving the performance of the global control. The proposed control framework is experimentally validated on a hydrostatic drivetrain, which exhibits nonlinear dynamics, strongly interacting subsystems. The experimental results indicate that good tracking performance and disturbance rejection can be obtained by the proposed DNMPC. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silver versus white sheet as a back reflector for microcrystalline silicon solar cells deposited on LPCVD‐ZnO electrodes of various textures
Authors: Khazaka Rami , Moulin Etienne , Boccard Mathieu , Garcia Loïc , Hänni Simon , Haug Franz‐Josef , Meillaud Fanny , Ballif Christophe
Published: September 2014

We compare the performance of two back reflector designs on the optoelectrical properties of microcrystalline silicon solar cells. The first one consists of a 5‐µm‐thick low‐pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD)‐ZnO electrode combined with a white sheet; the second one incorporates an Ag reflector deposited on a thin LPCVD‐ZnO layer (with thickness below 200 nm). For this latter design, the optical loss in the nano‐rough Ag reflector can be strongly reduced by smoothing the surface of the thin underlying ZnO layer, by means of an Ar‐plasma treatment. Because of its superior lateral conductivity, the thin‐ZnO/Ag back reflector design provides a higher fill factor than the dielectric back reflector design. When decreasing the roughness of the front electrode with respect to our standard front LPCVD‐ZnO layer, the electrical cell performance is improved; in addition, the implementation of the thin‐ZnO/Ag back reflector leads to a significant relative gain in light trapping. Applying this newly optimized combination of front and back electrodes, the conversion efficiency is improved from 8.9% up to 9.4%, for cells with an active‐layer thickness of only 1.1 µm. We thereby highlight the necessity to optimize simultaneously the front and back electrodes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of plasma protein profiles associated with risk groups of prostate cancer patients
Authors: Nordström Malin , Wingren Christer , Rose Carsten , Bjartell Anders , Becker Charlotte , Lilja Hans , Borrebaeck Carl A. K.
Published: September 2014

Purpose

Early detection of prostate cancer (PC) using prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) in blood reduces PC‐death among unscreened men. However, due to modest specificity of PSA at commonly used cut‐offs, there are urgent needs for additional biomarkers contributing enhanced risk classification among men with modestly elevated PSA.

Experimental design

Recombinant antibody microarrays were applied for protein expression profiling of 80 plasma samples from routine PSA‐measurements, a priori divided into four risk groups, based on levels of total and %free PSA.

Results

The results demonstrated that plasma protein profiles could be identified that pin‐pointed PC (a malignant biomarker signature) and most importantly that showed moderate to high correlation with biochemically defined PC risk groups. Notably, the data also implied that the risk group with midrange PSA and low %free PSA, a priori known to be heterogeneous, could be further stratified into two subgroups, more resembling the lowest and highest risk groups, respectively.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

In this pilot study, we have shown that plasma protein biomarker signatures, associated with risk groups of PC, could be identified from crude plasma samples using affinity proteomics. This approach could in the longer perspective provide novel opportunities for improved risk classification of PC patients.
Opportunities and challenges of proteomics in pediatric patients: Circulating biomarkers after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a successful example
Authors: Paczesny Sophie , Duncan Christine , Jacobsohn David , Krance Robert , Leung Kathryn , Carpenter Paul , Bollard Catherine , Renbarger Jamie , Cooke Kenneth
Published: September 2014

Biomarkers have the potential to improve diagnosis and prognosis, facilitate‐targeted treatment, and reduce health care costs. Thus, there is great hope that biomarkers will be integrated in all clinical decisions in the near future. A decade ago, the biomarker field was launched with great enthusiasm because MS revealed that blood contains a rich library of candidate biomarkers. However, biomarker research has not yet delivered on its promise due to several limitations: (i) improper sample handling and tracking as well as limited sample availability in the pediatric population, (ii) omission of appropriate controls in original study designs, (iii) lability and low abundance of interesting biomarkers in blood, and (iv) the inability to mechanistically tie biomarker presence to disease biology. These limitations as well as successful strategies to overcome them are discussed in this review. Several advances in biomarker discovery and validation have been made in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the current most effective tumor immunotherapy, and these could serve as examples for other conditions. This review provides fresh optimism that biomarkers clinically relevant in pediatrics are closer to being realized based on: (i) a uniform protocol for low‐volume blood collection and preservation, (ii) inclusion of well‐controlled independent cohorts, (iii) novel technologies and instrumentation with low analytical sensitivity, and (iv) integrated animal models for exploring potential biomarkers and targeted therapies.
CdTe and Cd‐rich Ternary Tellurides
Authors: Triboulet Robert
Published: September 2014

The E‐MRS Symposium entitled “CdTe and Cd‐rich ternary tellurides: Growth and characterization, physics of defects and impurities, surfaces and applications” was organized in Warsaw (16–20 September 2013), three years after the meeting dedicated to the “Smart growth of CdTe and Cd‐rich ternary tellurides” which was held in the framework of the 2010 E‐MRS Fall Meeting. It covered the most prominent, modern and fundamental aspects of research on these materials as well as their applications in fields such as nuclear detectors and photovoltaic cells.

While CdTe‐based nanostructures are displaying a spectacular boom and are at the forefront of CdTe research, as illustrated by several hundreds of papers devoted to them in the recent literature, a significant activity is nevertheless still dedicated to bulk CdTe and associated Cd‐rich ternary tellurides, mainly CdZnTe and CdMnTe. The principal focus areas are in the fields of physics of macro‐defects, point‐defects and impurities in as‐grown and annealed crystals; surfaces and interfaces; refinement of the growth and characterization of crystals and devices; appli‐ cations dealing mainly with photovoltaic cells for which mass production has begun, and X‐ray and γ‐ray detectors, which are under development with material quality widely recognized as the key remaining issue.

These topics were emphasized during the symposium and the different issues associated with them are identified and discussed.
A few manuscripts only were submitted for publication in the proceedings, according to a recent deplorable and unfortunate fashion. The present proceedings are then constituted of a very limited number of contributions in which we hope the readers will nevertheless find a great interest.
Joint data detection and channel estimation for coded and uncoded continuous phase modulation signals
Authors: Wang Wenwen , Abeysekera Saman S.
Published: September 2014

The performance of decision‐directed approach for joint data detection and channel estimation for continuous phase modulation (CPM) signal is limited because of an inevitable decision delay, which results in a trade‐off between data detection and channel estimation. In this paper, a novel hard output demodulation that solves the conflict requirement on the decision delay by predicting the channel coefficients over a given observation interval through a Kalman filter is proposed for uncoded CPM signal. The prediction guarantees high channel tracking capability and meanwhile maintains the accuracy of data detection. The proposed hard output demodulator is further extended to design a soft‐input soft‐output demodulator for serially concatenated CPM signal, which allows iterative processing. The convergence behavior of the proposed iterative receiver is presented. Simulation results show that the proposed demodulators provide improved performance in terms of bit error rate over some existing algorithms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maximization of user satisfaction in OFDMA systems using utility‐based resource allocation
Authors: Rodrigues Emanuel B. , Lima Francisco R. M. , Maciel Tarcisio F. , Cavalcanti Francisco R. P.
Published: September 2014

In order to keep and/or expand its share of the wireless communication market and decrease churn, it is important for network operators to keep their users (clients) satisfied. The problem to be solved is how to increase the number of satisfied non‐real time (NRT) and real time (RT) users in the downlink of the radio access network of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access system. In this context, the present work proposes a method to solve the referred problem using a unified radio resource allocation (RRA) framework based on utility theory. This unified RRA framework is particularized into two RRA policies that use sigmoidal utility functions based on throughput or delay and are suitable for NRT and RT services, respectively. It is demonstrated by means of system‐level simulations that a step‐shaped sigmoidal utility function combined with a channel‐aware opportunistic scheduling criterion is effective toward the objective of user satisfaction maximization. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and Functional Evaluation of Soy Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Ketals as Bioplasticizers
Authors: Kandula Subbarao , Stolp Lucas , Grass Michael , Woldt Benjamin , Kodali Dharma
Published: September 2014

A facile synthesis of the soy fatty acid methyl ester ketal has been accomplished using acetone in the presence of catalytic anhydrous ferric chloride starting from commercially available soy biodiesel (soy fatty acid methyl ester) after evaluating various synthetic procedures. The soy ketal product was fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, infra‐red and chromatography. The physical and analytical properties of soy ketal as determined by thermogravimetric analysis, viscosity acid and saponification values are acceptable for plasticizer applications. Soy ketal was compounded with polyvinyl chloride for evaluation of plasticizer properties such as efficiency, gelation, viscosity, volatility, thickening/aging behavior and stability. The thickening and aging behaviors of the soy ketal bioplasticizer are better than those of petroleum‐based plasticizers such as diisononyl phthalate and diisononyl‐cyclohexane dicarboxylate, but they need improvement in the areas of thermal stability and water extractability.
Variability in Health Care Services: The Role of Service Employee Flexibility
Authors: Vredenburg Jessica , Bell Simon J.
Published: September 2014

Researchers in services marketing in general, and health services in particular, are increasingly recognising the need for strategies to manage customer variability in the service encounter. The focus of theory and practice to date has been on managing or reducing variability through means such as customer education and tightly controlled service protocols. Growing recognition of the value of co-creation in health care raises the prospect of providers embracing rather than reducing the variability in the service encounter. In this study we investigate how flexibility on the part of service employees can help manage customer variability, and whether this employee flexibility results in favourable outcomes for the patient and the organisation. First, a qualitative study was undertaken to determine the extent of patient variability experienced and how this variability is perceived and managed. Second, a quantitative study, informed by the qualitative phase, was undertaken to test the impact of employee flexibility in a health care service encounter on performance outcomes, namely patient perceived value and patient satisfaction. The results provide support for the conceptual framework, with employee flexibility having a positive relationship with patient satisfaction, partially mediated through the creation of patient perceived value. Managerial and theoretical implications of our findings are discussed.
Necrostatin‐1 protects against reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐induced hepatotoxicity in acetaminophen‐induced acute liver failure
Authors: Takemoto Kenji , Hatano Etsuro , Iwaisako Keiko , Takeiri Masatoshi , Noma Naruto , Ohmae Saori , Toriguchi Kan , Tanabe Kazutaka , Tanaka Hirokazu , Seo Satoru , Taura Kojiro , Machida Keigo , Takeda Norihiko , Saji Shigehira , Uemoto Shinji , Asagiri Masataka
Published: September 2014

Excessive acetaminophen (APAP) use is one of the most common causes of acute liver failure. Various types of cell death in the damaged liver are linked to APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity, and, of these, necrotic cell death of hepatocytes has been shown to be involved in disease pathogenesis. Until recently, necrosis was commonly considered to be a random and unregulated form of cell death; however, recent studies have identified a previously unknown form of programmed necrosis called receptor‐interacting protein kinase (RIPK)‐dependent necrosis (or necroptosis), which is controlled by the kinases RIPK1 and RIPK3. Although RIPK‐dependent necrosis has been implicated in a variety of disease states, including atherosclerosis, myocardial organ damage, stroke, ischemia–reperfusion injury, pancreatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. However its involvement in APAP‐induced hepatocyte necrosis remains elusive. Here, we showed that RIPK1 phosphorylation, which is a hallmark of RIPK‐dependent necrosis, was induced by APAP, and the expression pattern of RIPK1 and RIPK3 in the liver overlapped with that of CYP2E1, whose activity around the central vein area has been demonstrated to be critical for the development of APAP‐induced hepatic injury. Moreover, a RIPK1 inhibitor ameliorated APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity in an animal model, which was underscored by significant suppression of the release of hepatic enzymes and cytokine expression levels. RIPK1 inhibition decreased reactive oxygen species levels produced in APAP‐injured hepatocytes, whereas CYP2E1 expression and the depletion rate of total glutathione were unaffected. Of note, RIPK1 inhibition also conferred resistance to oxidative stress in hepatocytes. These data collectively demonstrated a RIPK‐dependent necrotic mechanism operates in the APAP‐injured liver and inhibition of this pathway may be beneficial for APAP‐induced fulminant hepatic failure.
Surgical removal of intra‐abdominal intrauterine devices at one center in a 20‐year period
Authors: Ertopcu Kenan , Nayki Cenk , Ulug Pasa , Nayki Umit , Gultekin Emre , Donmez Aysegul , Yildirim Yusuf
Published: September 2014

Objective

To review 20 years of experience of the removal of intra‐abdominal intrauterine devices (IUDs) and to compare the surgical methods used.

Methods

In a retrospective study, charts dating from between September 1, 1992, and August 31, 2012, were reviewed. Patients were eligible for inclusion when they had an IUD surgically removed by minilaparotomy or laparoscopy at a tertiary referral center in Izmir, Turkey.

Results

Among the 36 eligible women, 18 (50%) had undergone laparoscopy and 18 (50%) had undergone minilaparotomy. Mean operation length was 55.3 ± 6.3 minutes in the laparoscopy group and 29.1 ± 4.2 minutes in the minilaparotomy group (P = 0.008). Conversion to full laparotomy was necessary in 4 (22%) women in the laparoscopy group and 1 (6%) in the minilaparotomy group (P = 0.02). Perioperative complications were observed in 5 (14%) women, with no difference in frequency between groups (P = 0.09). Total cost of medical/surgical procedures was US$436.4 ± 35.4 for the laparoscopy group and $323.4 ± 21.3 for the minilaparotomy group (P = 0.04).

Conclusion

Minilaparotomy seems to be an important alternative to laparoscopy for the removal of intra‐abdominal IUDs. This procedure should be an integral part of gynecologic surgical training.
Preclinical evaluation of bortezomib/dipyridamole novel combination as a potential therapeutic modality for hematologic malignancies
Authors: Goda Ahmed E. , Erikson Raymond L. , Sakai Toshiyuki , Ahn Jong-Seog , Kim Bo-Yeon
Published: September 2014

Novel combinations aiming at maximizing the efficacy of bortezomib are highly valued in the clinic. Therefore the current study investigated the outcomes of combining bortezomib with dipyridamole, a well‐known antiplatelet. The co‐treatment exerted a synergistic lethality in a panel of human leukemia/lymphoma cell lines of different origin. Mechanistically, dipyridamole did not modulate the proteasome inhibitory activity of bortezomib. However, dipyridamole triggered an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and co‐treatment with bortezomib resulted in higher levels of ER stress than either monotherapies. Relieving ER stress with the protein translation inhibitor, cycloheximide suppressed cell death. Moreover, the enhanced ER stress by the co‐treatment was associated with an aggravation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and glutathione (GSH) depletion. Replenishing GSH pools significantly scavenged ROS and rescued the cells. Importantly, the cytotoxicity of the co‐treatment was executed mainly via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway with an efficient suppression of the key anti‐apoptotic regulators, Mcl‐1, Bcl‐xl, Bcl‐2 and XIAP, driving the independence of the co‐treatment‐induced apoptosis of a single apoptotic trigger. Furthermore, the intrinsic potential of bortezomib to inhibit important pro‐survival pathways was enhanced by dipyridamole in a GSH/ROS‐dependent manner. Interestingly, dipyridamole abrogated JAK2 phosphorylation indirectly and selectively in cancer cells, and the co‐treatment‐induced cytotoxicity was preserved in a model of stromal‐mediated chemoresistance. In nude mice, the antitumor activity of the co‐treatment surpassed that of bortezomib monotherapy despite that synergy was lacking. In summary, findings of the present study provided a preclinical rationale which warrants further clinical evaluation of bortezomib/dipyridamole novel combination in hematologic malignancies.
The Works of Thomas Carlyle
Authors: Carlyle Thomas
Published: September 2014

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) was one of the most influential authors of the nineteenth century. Eagerly studied at the highest level of intellectual society, his satirical essays and perceptive historical biographies caused him to be regarded for much of the Victorian period as a literary genius and eminent social philosopher. After graduating from Edinburgh University in 1814, he published his first scholarly work on German literature in 1824, before finding literary success with his history of the French Revolution in 1837. After falling from favour during the first part of the twentieth century, his work has more recently become the subject of scholarly re-examination. His introduction of German literature and philosophy into the British intellectual milieu profoundly influenced later philosophical and literary studies. These volumes are reproduced from the 1896 Centenary Edition of his collected works. Volume 16 contains the fifth volume of The Life of Frederick the Great.
An Introduction to Judaism
Authors: de Lange Nicholas
Published: September 2014

In this book contemporary Judaism is presented in all its rich diversity, including both traditional and modern theologies as well as secular forms of Jewish identity. While the focus of the book is on developments that have taken place in the past two hundred years, they are set against a historical background, going back to the Bible. Beginning with a description of the Jewish people as it exists in today's world, it studies the unique concept of Jewish peoplehood and its survival over the centuries in the face of many challenges. An account of the key texts is followed by studies of the different interpretations of the religion, and the ways that life is lived out both in the home and in the community. Jewish theology is described both historically and in terms of contemporary issues. An important and distinctive section considers the goals of Jewish life and faith.
Chica da Silva
Authors: Furtado Júnia Ferreira
Published: September 2014

Júnia Ferreira Furtado offers a fascinating study of the world of a freed woman of color in a small Brazilian town where itinerant merchants, former slaves, Portuguese administrators and concubines interact across social and cultural lines. The child of an African slave and a Brazilian military nobleman of Portuguese descent, Chica da Silva won her freedom using social and matrimonial strategies. But her story is not merely the personal history of a woman, or the social history of a colonial Brazilian town. Rather, it provides a historical perspective on the cultural universe she inhabited, and the myths that were created around her in subsequent centuries, as Chica de Silva came to symbolize both an example of racial democracy and the stereotype of licentiousness and sensuality always attributed to the black or mulatta female in the Brazilian popular imagination.
The Cambridge Introduction to Comedy
Authors: Weitz Eric
Published: September 2014

'Laughter', says Eric Weitz, 'may be considered one of the most extravagant physical effects one person can have on another without touching them'. But how do we identify something which is meant to be comic, what defines something as 'comedy', and what does this mean for the way we enter the world of a comic text? Addressing these issues, and many more, this is a 'how to' guide to reading comedy from the pages of a dramatic text, with relevance to anything from novels and newspaper columns to billboards and emails. The book enables you to enhance your grasp of the comic through familiarity with characteristic structures and patterns, referring to comedy in literature, film and television throughout. Perfect for drama and literature students, this Introduction explores a genre which affects the everyday lives of us all, and will therefore also capture the interest of anyone who loves to laugh.
The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, in the County of Southampton
Authors: White Gilbert
Published: September 2014

Gilbert White (1720–1793) published his Natural History and Antiquities as one volume in 1789. Both works consist of a series of letters written by White to the barrister Daines Barrington (1727–1800) and the zoologist Thomas Pennant (1726–1798). The letters in Natural History, White's best-known work, contain detailed information about his observations of local flora, fauna and wildlife. White was a pioneer of the study of birds and animals in their natural habitats, rather than as specimens removed from their environments. His methods of observation enabled him to identify and record many previously unknown species. (He was the first, for example, to distinguish the chiffchaff from the warbler by differences in song.) The letters in Antiquities are concerned with the topographical, social and ancient history of Selborne. They include details of important Roman coin finds and are an indispensable source for the history of local churches and buildings.
Medical Writing
Authors: Goodman Neville W. , Edwards Martin B. , Black Andy
Published: September 2014

Effective communication is the ultimate, but often daunting, purpose of any medical research or review. This book provides the practical information necessary to turn first drafts into concise, unambiguous text, without loss of individuality. Written by a consultant anaesthetist and an experienced medical editor, and also illustrated by an accomplished medical editor, all of whom are sympathetic to the problems and needs of medical writers, this book deals with the basic craft of writing, from choosing the best word or phrase to essential grammar. This expanded fourth edition includes many more words better replaced, and deals explicitly with the problems of writers whose first language is not English. Whether you are writing a simple clinical report or a thesis, supervising others, running a course on medical or scientific writing, or just want to develop your skills in written communication, this book is the ideal guide and reference. Clear, simple and precise, and illustrated with apt cartoons, this is an invaluable handbook.
Non-International Armed Conflicts in International Law
Authors: Dinstein Yoram
Published: September 2014

This dispassionate analysis of the legal implications of non-international armed conflicts explores the rules regulating the conduct of internal hostilities, as well as the consequences of intervention by foreign States, the role of the Security Council, the effects of recognition, State responsibility for wrongdoing by both Governments and insurgents, the interface with the law of human rights and the notion of war crimes. The author addresses both conceptual and specific issues, such as the complexities of 'failing' States or the recruitment and use of child soldiers. He makes use of the extensive case law of international courts and tribunals, in order to identify and set out customary international law. Much attention is also given to the contents of available treaty texts (primarily, the Geneva Conventions, Additional Protocol II and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court): what they contain and what they omit.
Diasporas and Foreign Direct Investment in China and India
Authors: Ye Min
Published: September 2014

This book offers a comparative and historical analysis of foreign direct investment (FDI) liberalization in China and India and explains how the return of these countries' diasporas affects such liberalization. It examines diasporic investment from Western FDIs and finds that diasporas, rather than Western nations, have fueled globalization in the two Asian giants. In China, diasporas contributed the lion's share of FDI inflows. In India, returned diasporas were bridges for, and initiators of, Western investment at home. Min Ye illustrates that diasporic entrepreneurs helped to build China into the world's manufacturing powerhouse and that Indian diasporas facilitated their homeland's success in software services development.
An Introduction to Sparse Stochastic Processes
Authors: Unser Michael , Tafti Pouya D.
Published: September 2014

Providing a novel approach to sparsity, this comprehensive book presents the theory of stochastic processes that are ruled by linear stochastic differential equations, and that admit a parsimonious representation in a matched wavelet-like basis. Two key themes are the statistical property of infinite divisibility, which leads to two distinct types of behaviour - Gaussian and sparse - and the structural link between linear stochastic processes and spline functions, which is exploited to simplify the mathematical analysis. The core of the book is devoted to investigating sparse processes, including a complete description of their transform-domain statistics. The final part develops practical signal-processing algorithms that are based on these models, with special emphasis on biomedical image reconstruction. This is an ideal reference for graduate students and researchers with an interest in signal/image processing, compressed sensing, approximation theory, machine learning, or statistics.
The Iran–Iraq War
Authors: Murray Williamson , Woods Kevin
Published: September 2014

The Iran-Iraq War is one of the largest, yet least documented conflicts in the history of the Middle East. Drawing from an extensive cache of captured Iraqi government records, this book is the first comprehensive military and strategic account of the war through the lens of the Iraqi regime and its senior military commanders. It explores the rationale and decision-making processes that drove the Iraqis as they grappled with challenges that, at times, threatened their existence. Beginning with the bizarre lack of planning by the Iraqis in their invasion of Iran, the authors reveal Saddam's desperate attempts to improve the competence of an officer corps that he had purged to safeguard its loyalty to his tyranny, and then to weather the storm of suicidal attacks by Iranian religious revolutionaries. This is a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the history of war and the contemporary Middle East.
Margaret Cavendish
Authors: Walters Lisa
Published: September 2014

It is often thought that the numerous contradictory perspectives in Margaret Cavendish's writings demonstrate her inability to reconcile her feminism with her conservative, royalist politics. In this book Lisa Walters challenges this view and demonstrates that Cavendish's ideas more closely resemble republican thought, and that her methodology is the foundation for subversive political, scientific and gender theories. With an interdisciplinary focus Walters closely examines Cavendish's work and its context, providing the reader with an enriched understanding of women's contribution to early modern scientific theory, political philosophy, culture and folklore. Considering also Cavendish's ideas in relation to Hobbes and Paracelsus, this volume is of great interest to scholars and students of literature, philosophy, history of ideas, political theory, gender studies and history of science.
Investment Treaty Arbitration as Public International Law
Authors: De Brabandere Eric
Published: September 2014

Investment treaty arbitration is fast becoming one of the most common methods of dispute settlement in international law. Despite having ancient roots, tensions remain between the private interests in international investment relations and the public international law features of the arbitral procedure. This book, which presents an account of investment treaty arbitration as a part of public international law - as opposed to commercial law - provides an important contribution to the literature on this subject. Eric De Brabandere examines the procedural implications of conceiving of investment treaty arbitration in such a way, with regard to issues such as the principles of confidentiality and privacy, and remedies. The author demonstrates how the public international law character of investment treaty arbitration derives from, and has impacted upon, the dispute settlement procedure.
EMQs for the MRCOG Part 2
Authors: Pilkington Andrea , Majumdar Amitabha
Published: September 2014

The EMQ element constitutes 60% of the new MRCOG Part 2 examination. Candidates therefore need to be well-versed in approaching this type of question and extensive practice in answering questions is recommended. This new book contains 150 sample EMQs, together with answers that have full detailed explanations and references for further reading – including RCOG resources such as Green Top Guidelines - to enhance knowledge and understanding. The book also contains a section of handy hints and tips on passing the examination to improve candidates' chances of success. EMQs for the MRCOG Part 2 is an invaluable study aid to help pass the EMQ component of the MRCOG Part 2.
The Challenge of Safeguards in the WTO
Authors: Piérola Fernando
Published: September 2014

The Challenge of Safeguards in the WTO provides a comprehensive overview of the safeguard mechanism in the multilateral trading system. It explains at length its historical and conceptual foundations and elaborates on the various requirements for the imposition of safeguards and the conduct of safeguard investigations. The author draws on his practical experience in order to analyse WTO case law as developed by WTO panels and the Appellate Body and to provide practical suggestions for the resolution of various complex issues which have arisen in practice. He also considers the challenges faced by companies involved in this type of case.
American Identity and the Politics of Multiculturalism
Authors: Citrin Jack , Sears David O.
Published: September 2014

The civil rights movement and immigration reform transformed American politics in the mid-1960s. Demographic diversity and identity politics raised the challenge of e pluribus unum anew, and multiculturalism emerged as a new ideological response to this dilemma. This book uses national public opinion data and public opinion data from Los Angeles to compare ethnic differences in patriotism and ethnic identity and ethnic differences in support for multicultural norms and group-conscious policies. The authors find evidence of strong patriotism among all groups and the classic pattern of assimilation among the new wave of immigrants. They argue that there is a consensus in rejecting harder forms of multiculturalism that insist on group rights but also a widespread acceptance of softer forms that are tolerant of cultural differences and do not challenge norms, such as by insisting on the primacy of English.
The New Moon
Authors: Crotts Arlin
Published: September 2014

Explore Earth's closest neighbor, the Moon, in this fascinating and timely book and discover what we should expect from this seemingly familiar but strange, new frontier. What startling discoveries are being uncovered on the Moon? What will these tell us about our place in the Universe? How can exploring the Moon benefit development on Earth? Discover the role of the Moon in Earth's past and present; read about the lunar environment and how it could be made more habitable for humans; consider whether continued exploration of the Moon is justified; and view rare Apollo-era photos and film stills. This is a complete story of the human lunar experience, presenting many interesting but little-known and significant events in lunar science for the first time. It will appeal to anyone wanting to know more about the stunning discoveries being uncovered on the Moon.
Philosophy of Religion
Authors: Cottingham John
Published: September 2014

Religious belief is not just about abstract intellectual argument; it also impinges on all aspects of human life. John Cottingham's Philosophy of Religion opens up fresh perspectives on the philosophy of religion, arguing that the detached neutrality of much of contemporary philosophizing may be counterproductive - hardening us against the receptivity required for certain kinds of important evidence to become salient. This book covers all the traditional areas of the subject, including the meaning of religious claims, the existence of God and the relation between religion and morality, as well as the role of spiritual praxis and how religious belief affects questions about the meaning of life, human suffering and mortality. While preserving the clarity and rigor that are rightly prized in the analytic tradition, the book also draws on insights from literary and other sources, and aims to engage a wide readership.
Philosophy of Microbiology
Authors: O'Malley Maureen
Published: September 2014

Microbes and microbiology are seldom encountered in philosophical accounts of the life sciences. Although microbiology is a well-established science and microbes the basis of life on this planet, neither the organisms nor the science have been seen as philosophically significant. This book will change that. It fills a major gap in the philosophy of biology by examining central philosophical issues in microbiology. Topics are drawn from evolutionary microbiology, microbial ecology, and microbial classification. These discussions are aimed at philosophers and scientists who wish to gain insight into the basic philosophical issues of microbiology.
Quantum Measurement Theory and its Applications
Authors: Jacobs Kurt
Published: September 2014

Recent experimental advances in the control of quantum superconducting circuits, nano-mechanical resonators and photonic crystals has meant that quantum measurement theory is now an indispensable part of the modelling and design of experimental technologies. This book, aimed at graduate students and researchers in physics, gives a thorough introduction to the basic theory of quantum measurement and many of its important modern applications. Measurement and control is explicitly treated in superconducting circuits and optical and opto-mechanical systems, and methods for deriving the Hamiltonians of superconducting circuits are introduced in detail. Further applications covered include feedback control, metrology, open systems and thermal environments, Maxwell's demon, and the quantum-to-classical transition.