bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the Rights of Man: Georg Jellinek on Rights and the State
Authors: Kelly Duncan
Published: February 2008

A century has passed since the publication in Germany of a now famous essay on the rights of man by the Heidelberg professor of public law, Georg Jellinek. Over the course of that century, although a “rights revolution” has undoubtedly taken place, numerous practical problems remain in trying to enforce the basic proposition that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Such problems have led one recent commentator to suggest that perhaps the only meaningful defense of human rights is one based on “moral reciprocity” and secular humanism because any attempts to prioritize human rights on either religious grounds, for example, or that of intrinsic human value, are doomed to failure.
Legal Constructions of Gender and Violence against Women in Puerto Rico under Spanish Rule, 1860–1895
Authors: Cubano-Iguina Astrid
Published: February 2008

The study of changing legal conceptions over time, as they manifest themselves in the day-to-day practice of the courts, has proven to be one of the most rewarding, albeit arduous, areas of inquiry in law history. Court records provide unique insights into an otherwise invisible flow of legal understandings in the past and into common people's sharing or contesting those views. This article, based on the court records of domestic violence and rape in the Arecibo Superior Court from 1860–1895, permits revealing insights into the ways in which these offenses were shaped, as legal concepts, and into magistrates' and common people's constructions of gender. It studies criminal law administration in the Arecibo region and its connections to women. The Arecibo judicial district included nine municipalities on the northern coast and interior of Puerto Rico. Its records comprise a collection of thousands of handwritten documents left in extremely fragile state by humidity and poor conservation. They constitute a very large sample of the judicial work in the region.
Toward an Assessment ofVerbal Art as Performance: A Cross-Disciplinary Citation Study with Rhetorical Analysis
Authors: Rudy Jill Terry
Published: February 2008

At the 20th anniversary of its publication in book form, Verbal Art as Performance merits reconsideration for its contribution to folklore studies and other scholarly fields. While many contemporary folklorists may clearly remember the intellectual and social milieu surrounding the production and reception of Verbal Art, the passage of time since then invites an examination of the diffusion of the text across scholarly disciplines and allows for the book to be assessed in terms of its impact on folklore studies. This article includes a citation study of journal references to the text and a rhetorical analysis of references in articles published by folklore journals. This study indicates that Verbal Art has played a central role in synthesizing earlier research on performance-centered theories in folklore; the book continues to disseminate these ideas to scholars in a variety of academic fields. The aspects of Verbal Art that threaten to undermine its connections with the field of folklore studies, including the widespread interest in performance concepts and the intentional reach to an interdisciplinary audience, can also serve to invigorate the field and promote its interests to a significant number of scholars in other areas.
HIV‐associated multicentric Castleman's disease
Authors: Stebbing Justin , Pantanowitz Liron , Dayyani Farshid , Sullivan Ryan J. , Bower Mark , Dezube Bruce J.
Published: February 2008

Multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD), a relatively rare lymphoproliferative disorder that presents with heterogenous symptoms including fevers, anemia, and multifocal lymphadenopathy, is today most commonly observed in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type‐1 (HIV). In such individuals, a lymph node biopsy typically identifies cells that stain for Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus proteins, and most HIV‐associated MCD features can be attributed to the presence of this γ‐herpesvirus. Surgery and antiviral therapies including highly active antiretroviral therapy, interferon‐α, foscarnet, ganciclovir, and antibodies to interleukin‐6 have proved largely ineffective, and chemotherapy in HIV positive individuals is complicated by limited efficacy and pronounced toxicity. While no randomized trials have been performed, more recently the use of the anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in large single center cohorts has been associated with prolonged remissions, radiologic responses, as well as hematologic and serum chemistry normalization of the inflammatory picture observed, at the expense of B cell depletion and flare of Kaposi's sarcoma. MCD represents a model of disease at the interplay between tumor biology, infection, and immunology. Am. J. Hematol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical studies in familial VCP myopathy associated with Paget disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Kimonis Virginia. E. , Mehta Sarju G. , Fulchiero Erin C. , Thomasova Dana , Pasquali Marzia , Boycott Kym , Neilan Edward G. , Kartashov Alex , Forman Mark S. , Tucker Stuart , Kimonis Katerina , Mumm Steven , Whyte Michael P. , Smith Charles D. , Watts Giles D. J.
Published: February 2008

Inclusion body myopathy with Paget disease of the bone (PDB) and/or frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD, OMIM 167320), is a progressive autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the Valousin‐containing protein (VCP, p97 or CDC48) gene. IBMPFD can be difficult to diagnose. We assembled data on a large set of families to illustrate the number and type of misdiagnoses that occurred. Clinical analysis of 49 affected individuals in nine families indicated that 42 (87%) of individuals had muscle disease. The majority were erroneously diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), facioscapular muscular dystrophy, peroneal muscular dystrophy, late adult onset distal myopathy, spinal muscular atrophy, scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among others. Muscle biopsies showed rimmed vacuoles characteristic of an inclusion body myopathy in 7 of 18 patients (39%), however, inclusion body myopathy was correctly diagnosed among individuals in only families 5 and 15. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) was diagnosed in 13 individuals (27%) at a mean age of 57 years (range 48.9–60.2 years); however, several individuals had been diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. Histopathological examination of brains of three affected individuals revealed a pattern of ubiquitin positive neuronal intranuclear inclusions and dystrophic neurites. These families expand the clinical phenotype in IBMPFD, a complex disorder caused by mutations in VCP. The presence of PDB in 28 (57%) individuals suggests that measuring serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity may be a useful screen for IBMPFD in patients with myopathy. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Microduplication 22q11.2: A benign polymorphism or a syndrome with a very large clinical variability and reduced penetrance?—Report of two families
Authors: Courtens Winnie , Schramme Inge , Laridon Annick
Published: February 2008

We report on two unrelated families where the probands presented with learning difficulties and a microduplication 22q11.2. In the first family the proband was a 7‐year‐old boy who was referred because of psychomotor retardation, behavioral problems, large weight and height, and mild dysmorphism. His father and one brother also had mental retardation and behavioral anomalies, and presented the same microduplication. In the second family only the proband had mild learning difficulties, but the same microduplication 22q11.2 was discovered in her sister, her asymptomatic mother and grandfather. No distinctly recognizable phenotype has been observed in the individuals from our two families diagnosed with microduplication 22q11.2. The marked clinical variability both inter‐ and intrafamilial, including the presence of a complete normal phenotype and the presence of high intellectual possibilities in two individuals with this microdupllication 22q11.2 is remarkable. So far, 63 patients, corresponding to 35 families, with microduplication 22q11.2 have been described. The fact that microduplication 22q11.2 can be seen in individuals with a normal/near normal phenotype has been previously reported as well. We postulate that the clinical findings described so far could be due to ascertainment bias, since the most common reason for performing FISH 22 analyses is to exclude microdeletion. Future reports are needed to answer the question whether microduplication could be a non‐pathogenic polymorphism or whether it is a real syndrome with a very large clinical variability and reduced penetrance. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
E‐government access to social service information: State web resources for domestic violence survivors
Authors: Davenport Dee Dee , Richey Jennifer , Westbrook Lynn
Published: February 2008

This study provides the first nationwide analysis of states' e‐government support for domestic violence (DV) survivors, identifying characteristics and patterns of domestic violence content and access to this content on all state government Web sites (50 states plus the District of Columbia). Using a systematic examination of click paths and site search results, DV content was located, examined, and codified in terms of information type (e.g., shelter access), accessibility (e.g., language), and type of authoring agency (e.g., law enforcement). General DV resources such as hotline/referral services were more prevalent than content related to specific needs such as child custody. States provide substantially more information on immediate emergency needs, which are actually met at the local level, than on intermediate or long‐term support. Accessibility was hampered by both cognitive concerns (e.g., English‐only sites) and affective concerns (e.g., a tone which focused on data transmission rather than on information use). Legal/law enforcement agencies rather than social service or medical agencies consistently provided the most information as well as the largest numbers of connections to other sites, both within and beyond the state government site.
Expression of glucagon receptors in tetracycline‐inducible HEK293S GnT1− stable cell lines: An approach toward purification of receptor protein for structural studies
Authors: Unson Cecilia G.
Published: February 2008

Glucagon is a 29‐amino acid polypeptide hormone secreted by pancreatic A cells. Together with insulin, it is an important regulator of glucose metabolism. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by reduced insulin secretion from pancreatic B cells and increased glucose output by the liver which has been attributed to abnormally elevated levels of glucagon. The glucagon receptor (GR) is a member of family B G protein‐coupled receptors, ligands for which are peptides composed of 30–40 amino acids. The impetus for studying how glucagon interacts with its membrane receptor is to gain insight into the mechanism of glucagon action in normal physiology as well as in diabetes mellitus. The principal approach toward this goal is to design and synthesize antagonists of glucagon that will bind with high affinity to the GR but will not activate it. Site‐directed mutagenesis of the GR has provided some insight into the interactions between glucagon and GR. The rational design of potent antagonists has been hampered by the lack of structural information on receptor‐bound glucagon. To obtain adequate amounts of receptor protein for structural studies, a tetracycline‐inducible HEK293S GnT1− cell line that stably expresses human GR at high‐levels was developed. The recombinant receptor protein was characterized, solubilized, and isolated by one‐step affinity chromatography. This report describes a feasible approach for the preparation of human GR and other family B GPCRs in the quantities required for structural studies. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 90: 287–296, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
A role for microwave processing in the dry preservation of mammalian cells
Authors: Chakraborty Nilay , Biswas Debasree , Parker Wesley , Moyer Pat , Elliott Gloria D.
Published: February 2008

Dry preservation involves removing water from samples so that degradative biochemical processes are slowed and extended storage is possible. Recently this approach has been explored as a method for preserving living mammalian cells. The current work explores the use of microwave processing to enhance evaporation rates and to improve drying uniformity, thereby overcoming some of the challenges in this field. Mouse macrophage cells (J774) were pre‐incubated in full complement media containing 50 mM trehalose, for 18‐h, to allow for endocytosis of trehalose. Droplets of experimental and control (no intracellular trehalose) cell suspensions were placed on coverslips in a microwave cavity. Water was evaporated using intermittent microwave heating (600 W, 30 s intervals). Samples were dried to various moisture levels, rehydrated, and then survival was assessed after a 45‐min recovery period using Calcein‐AM/PI fluorescence and Trypan Blue exclusion assays. The metabolic activity of dried cells (4.3 gH2O/gdw) was assessed after rehydration using a resazurin reduction assay. Apoptosis levels were also measured. Post‐ rehydration survival correlated with the final moisture content achieved, consistent with other drying methods. Intracellular trehalose provided protection against injury associated with moisture loss. Metabolic assays revealed normal growth in surviving cells, and these survival levels were consistent with results from apoptosis assays (P > 0.05). Brightfield and fluorescence images of microwave‐dried samples revealed a uniform distribution of cells within the dried matrix and profilometry analysis demonstrated that solids were uniformly distributed throughout the sample. Microwave‐processing successfully facilitated rapid and uniform dehydration of cell‐based samples. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;100: 782–796. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Therapeutic effects of molecularly designed antigen UREB138 for mice infected with Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Morihara Fumiko , Hifumi Emi , Yamada Manabu , Nishizono Akira , Uda Taizo
Published: February 2008

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria that is well known as the principal cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in humans. Because no effective vaccine has yet been established, we designed a new biomolecule as a vaccination antigen capable of preventing the infection of H. pylori. The designed biomolecule involves a 138 stretch (aa 201–aa 338 of β‐subunit of H. pylori urease), which is the functionally important region for urease activity. The region was expressed as a recombinant protein, called UREB138. The therapeutic vaccination was performed using UREB138 in mice persistently infected with H. pylori. The subcutaneous administration of UREB138 remarkably reduced the number of bacteria in the mice stomach compared with the control. Immunization with UREB138 enhanced the urease‐specific IgA and IgG1 in the serum. Immunohistochemical staining for IgA in gastric mucosa showed that the number of mice positively stained with IgA was significantly higher in UREB138‐immunized mice than in control mice. Furthermore, the expression of interferon‐gamma mRNA in the gastric tissues with eradicated bacteria was higher than in the non‐eradicated group. The combination of Th1‐ and Th2‐mediated immunity plays a role in reducing the colonization of bacterial numbers of H. pylori. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;100: 634–643. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The response of human embryonic stem cell‐derived endothelial cells to shear stress
Authors: Metallo Christian M. , Vodyanik Maxim A. , de Pablo Juan J. , Slukvin Igor I. , Palecek Sean P.
Published: February 2008

An important physiological function of vascular endothelial cells is to detect and respond to physical stimuli. While many efforts have been made to derive endothelial cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), the ability of these derivatives to respond to mechanical forces has yet to be ascertained. hESC‐derived endothelial cells (hEECs) were obtained by coculturing hESCs with OP9 stromal cells. Here we applied physiologic levels of shear stress to hEECs in a parallel plate flow chamber and observed changes in cell morphology and gene expression, comparing the response to that of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs). Shear induced hEECs to elongate and align in the direction of flow, and their overall transcriptional response to shear was similar to the primary cells tested. In response to shear in hEECs, COX2 and MMP1 were upregulated four‐ and threefold, MCP1 and VCAM1 expression decreased over fivefold, and ICAM1 and TPA were downregulated almost threefold. TGFβ1 and SOD2 transcription exhibited no change under the conditions tested. Additionally, preshearing of hEECs mitigated TNFα‐induced VCAM1 surface expression. These findings suggest that hEECs are capable of functionally responding to changes in fluid shear stress by modulating gene expression and cell morphology. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;100: 830–837. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of intracellular nucleotide and nucleotide sugar contents on recombinant interferon‐γ glycosylation during batch and fed‐batch cultures of CHO cells
Authors: Kochanowski N. , Blanchard F. , Cacan R. , Chirat F. , Guedon E. , Marc A. , Goergen J.‐L.
Published: February 2008

Both the macroheterogeneity of recombinant human IFN‐γ produced by CHO cells and intracellular levels of nucleotides and sugar nucleotides, have been characterized during batch and fed‐batch cultures carried out in different media. Whereas PF‐BDM medium was capable to maintain a high percentage of the doubly‐ glycosylated glycoforms all over the process, mono‐glycosylated and non‐glycosylated forms increased during the batch culture using SF‐RPMI medium. Intracellular level of UTP was higher in PF‐BDM all over the batch culture compared to the SF‐RPMI process. UDP‐Gal accumulated only during the culture performed in PF‐BDM medium, probably as a consequence of the reduced UDP‐Glc synthesis flux in SF‐RPMI medium. When the recombinant CHO cells were cultivated in fed‐batch mode, the UTP level remained at a relatively high value in serum‐containing RPMI and its titer increased during the fed‐phase indicating an excess of biosynthesis. Besides, an accumulation of UDP‐Gal occurred as well. Those results all together indicate that UTP and UDP‐Glc syntheses in CHO cells cultivated in SF‐RPMI medium in batch process, could be limiting during the glycosylation processes of the recombinant IFN‐γ. At last, the determination of the energetic status of the cells over the three studied processes suggested that a relationship between the adenylate energy charge and the glycosylation macroheterogeneity of the recombinant IFN‐γ may exist. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;100: 721–733. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tailor‐Made Poly(amidoamine)s for Controlled Complexation and Condensation of DNA
Authors: Hartmann Laura , Häfele Stefanie , Peschka‐Süss Regine , Antonietti Markus , Börner Hans G.
Published: February 2008

A set of polymer carriers for DNA delivery was synthesized by combining monodisperse, sequence‐defined poly(amidoamine) (PAA) segments with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks. The precise definition of the PAA segments provides the possibility of correlating the chemical structure (monomer sequence) with the resulting biological properties. Three different PAA–PEO conjugates were synthesized by solid‐phase supported synthesis, and the cationic nature of the PAA segments was systematically varied. This allows for the tailoring of interactions with double‐stranded plasmid DNA (dsDNA). The potential of the PAA–PEO conjugates as non‐viral vectors for gene delivery is demonstrated by investigating the dsDNA complexation and condensation properties. Depending on the applied carrier, a transition in polyplex (polymer–DNA ion complex) structures is observed. This reaches from extended ring‐like structures to highly compact toroidal structures, where supercoiling of the DNA is induced. An aggregation model is proposed that is based on structural investigations of the polyplexes with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). While the cationic PAA segment mediates primarily the contact of the carrier to the dsDNA, the PEO block stabilizes the polyplex and generates a “stealth” aggregate, as was suggested by Zeta potentials that were close to zero. The controlled aggregation leads to stable, single‐plasmid complexes, and stabilizes the DNA structure itself. This is shown by ethidium bromide intercalation assays and DNase digestion assays. The presented PAA–PEO systems allow for the formation of well‐defined single‐plasmid polyplexes, preventing hard DNA compression and strongly polydisperse polyplexes. Moreover carrier polymers and the resulting polyplexes exhibit no cytotoxicity, as was shown by viability tests; this makes the carriers potentially suitable for in vivo delivery applications.
Palladium Nanoclusters Supported on Propylurea‐Modified Siliceous Mesocellular Foam for Coupling and Hydrogenation Reactions
Authors: Erathodiyil Nandanan , Ooi Samuel , Seayad Abdul M. , Han Yu , Lee Su Seong , Ying Jackie Y.
Published: February 2008

This paper describes the synthesis, characterization and applications of palladium (Pd) nanoparticles supported on siliceous mesocellular foam (MCF). Pd nanoparticles of 2–3 nm and 4–6 nm were used in reactions involving molecular hydrogen (such as hydrogenation of double bonds and reductive amination), transfer hydrogenation of ketones and epoxides, and coupling reactions (such as Heck and Suzuki reactions). They successfully catalyzed all these reactions with excellent yield and selectivity. This heterogeneous catalyst was easily recovered by filtration, and recycled several times without any significant loss in activity and selectivity. The palladium leaching in the reactions was determined to be much less than the FDA‐approved limit of 5 ppm. Furthermore, the catalyst can be stored and handled under normal atmospheric conditions. This immobilized catalyst allows for ease of recovery/reuse and minimization of waste generation, which are of great interest in the development of green chemical processes.
Review: Durability and Degradation Issues of PEM Fuel Cell Components
Authors: de Bruijn F. A. , Dam V. A. T. , Janssen G. J. M.
Published: February 2008

Besides cost reduction, durability is the most important issue to be solved before commercialisation of PEM Fuel Cells can be successful. For a fuel cell operating under constant load conditions, at a relative humidity close to 100% and at a temperature of maximum 75 °C, using optimal stack and flow design, the voltage degradation can be as low as 1–2 μV·h. However, the degradation rates can increase by orders of magnitude when conditions include some of the following, i.e. load cycling, start–stop cycles, low humidification or humidification cycling, temperatures of 90 °C or higher and fuel starvation. This review paper aims at assessing the degradation mechanisms of membranes, electrodes, bipolar plates and seals. By collecting long‐term experiments as well, the relative importance of these degradation mechanisms and the operating conditions become apparent.
Cytokine profiling using monocytes/macrophages cultured on common biomaterials with a range of surface chemistries
Authors: Schutte Robert J. , Parisi‐Amon Andreina , Reichert W. Monty
Published: February 2008

Cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were assayed from the supernatants of monocytes and macrophages cultured on common biomaterials with a range of surface chemistries. TNF‐α, MCP‐1, MIP‐1α, IL‐8, IL‐6, IL‐1β, VEGF, IL‐1ra, and IL‐10 were measured from monocyte/macrophage cultures at different stages of activation and differentiation seeded onto polyethylene, polyurethane, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, and a hydrogel copolymer of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, and polyethylene glycol acrylate in tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) plates. Empty TCPS wells and organo‐tin polyvinyl chloride served as “blanks” and positive controls, respectively. Results showed an overall increase in cytokine, chemokine, and growth factor production as monocytes are activated or differentiated into macrophages and that proinflammatory and anti‐wound healing cytokines and chemokines dominate this profile. However, cytokine production was only modestly affected by the surface chemistry of these four stable and noncytotoxic biomaterials. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
Novel polyion complex micelles for liver‐targeted delivery of diammonium glycyrrhizinate: In vitro and in vivo characterization
Authors: Yang Ke Wei , Li Xin Ru , Yang Zhuo Li , Li Ping Zhu , Wang Fei , Liu Yan
Published: February 2008

Polyion complex micelles (PIC micelles) based on methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)‐grafted‐chitosan (mPEG‐g‐Chitosan) and lactose‐conjugated PEG‐grafted‐chitosan (Lac‐PEG‐g‐Chitosan) were designed as carriers for anionic drugs. Diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG)‐loaded conventional PIC micelles (mPIC micelles) and lactose‐modified PIC micelles (Lac‐PIC micelles) were prepared successfully with encapsulation efficiency of 97.4% and 96.7%, respectively. These micelles were uniform spherical particles with a mean size of 21.6 and 26.4 nm by transmission electron microscopy, respectively. No significant size change of these micelles in three months indicated their good physical stability. The in vitro drug release behavior of mPIC micelles in different media as well as the changes of size and zeta potential demonstrated that the drug was released mainly through swelling and diffusion induced by ion exchange. The pharmacokinetic experiments showed that the area under the curve of DG plasma concentration‐time profile in rats for mPIC micelles and Lac‐PIC micelles were 1.2 times and 0.4 times higher than that for DG injection, respectively. The liver targeting ability of both mPIC micelles and Lac‐PIC micelles was evaluated in rats, revealing that Lac‐PIC micelles could deliver more DG to liver than mPIC micelles. Therefore, the Lac‐PIC micelles prepared in this study were promising liver‐targeted nanocarriers for DG. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
Solutions of symmetry‐constrained least‐squares problems
Authors: Peng Zhen‐Yun
Published: February 2008

In this paper, two new matrix‐form iterative methods are presented to solve the least‐squares problem:

and matrix nearness problem:

where matrices $A\in R^{p\times n_1},B\in R^{n_2\times q},C\in R^{p\times m_1},D\in R^{m_2\times q},E\in R^{p\times q},\widetilde{X}\in R^{n_1\times n_2}$ and $\widetilde{Y}\in R^{m_1\times m_2}$ are given; 𝒮1 and 𝒮2 are the set of constraint matrices, such as symmetric, skew symmetric, bisymmetric and centrosymmetric matrices sets and SXY is the solution pair set of the minimum residual problem. These new matrix‐form iterative methods have also faster convergence rate and higher accuracy than the matrix‐form iterative methods proposed by Peng and Peng (Numer. Linear Algebra Appl. 2006; 13: 473–485) for solving the linear matrix equation AXB+CYD=E. Paige's algorithms, which are based on the bidiagonalization procedure of Golub and Kahan, are used as the framework for deriving these new matrix‐form iterative methods. Some numerical examples illustrate the efficiency of the new matrix‐form iterative methods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effective condition number for numerical partial differential equations
Authors: Li Zi‐Cai , Huang Hung‐Tsai
Published: February 2008

In this paper, the new computational formulas are derived for the effective condition number Cond_eff, and the new error bounds involved in both Cond and Cond_eff are developed. A theoretical analysis is provided to support some conclusions in Banoczi et al. (SIAM J. Sci. Comput. 1998; 20:203–227). For the linear algebraic equations solved by the Gaussian elimination or the QR factorization (QR), the direction of the right‐hand vector is insignificant for the solution errors, but such a conclusion is invalid for the finite difference method for Poisson's equation. The effective condition number is important to the numerical partial differential equations, because the discretization errors are dominant. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neuro‐genetic algorithm for non‐linear active control of structures
Authors: Jiang Xiaomo , Adeli Hojjat
Published: February 2008

In a companion paper, a new non‐linear control model was presented for active control of three‐dimensional (3D) building structures including geometrical and material non‐linearities, coupling action between lateral and torsional motions, and actuator dynamics (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng; DOI:10.1002/nme.2195). A dynamic fuzzy wavelet neuroemulator was presented for predicting the structural response in future time steps. In this paper, a new neuro‐genetic algorithm or controller is presented for finding the optimal control forces. The control algorithm does not need the pre‐training required in a neural network‐based controller, which improves the efficiency of the general control methodology significantly. Two 3D steel building structures, a 12‐story structure with vertical setbacks and an 8‐story structure with plan irregularity, are used to validate the neuro‐genetic control algorithm under three different seismic excitations. Numerical validations demonstrate that the new control methodology significantly reduces the displacements of buildings subjected to various seismic excitations including structures with plan and elevation irregularities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A total Lagrangian framework for simulation of powder compaction process based on a smooth three‐surface Cap model and a mesh‐free method
Authors: Rossi Rodrigo , Alves Marcelo Krajnc , Al‐Qureshi Hazim Ali
Published: February 2008

This paper presents a detailed framework for simulation of cold powder compaction process. This framework consists of the following main assumptions: The total Lagrangian description is employed; the powder is assumed to be isotropic and it is modeled by a complete, smooth three‐surface Cap model; the constitutive formulation is based on the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient and on stress–strain pair formed by the Hencky logarithmic strain and the rotated Kirchhoff stress tensor; the elastic constitutive relationship considers that some parameters are dependent upon the relative density of the powder; the contact formulation is based on the Signorini condition and the friction is modeled by using a regularized Coulomb model; and the spatial discretization is made by the element‐free Galerkin method where the essential boundary conditions are enforced via an augmented Lagrangian method. Details concerning the discretization and the linearization of the weak form are presented and a master algorithm is proposed. Some key examples already investigated by other authors, but with somewhat different approaches, are revisited in this paper in order to investigate the adequacy of the proposed model and attest the performance of the proposed numerical scheme. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
POU5F1, encoding a key regulator of stem cell pluripotency, is fused to EWSR1 in hidradenoma of the skin and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands
Authors: Möller E , Stenman G , Mandahl N , Hamberg H , Mölne L , van den Oord JJ , Brosjö O , Mertens F , Panagopoulos I
Published: February 2008

The EWSR1 gene is known to play a crucial role in the development of a number of different bone and soft tissue tumours, notably Ewing's sarcoma. POU5F1 is expressed during early development to maintain the totipotent status of embryonic stem and germ cells. In the present study, we report the fusion of EWSR1 and POU5F1 in two types of epithelial tumours: hidradenoma of the skin and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands. This finding not only broadens considerably the spectrum of neoplasms associated with EWSR1 fusion genes but also strengthens the evidence for shared pathogenetic mechanisms in the development of adnexal and salivary gland tumours. Reminiscent of the previously reported fusion genes involving EWSR1, the identified transcript is predicted to encode a chimeric protein consisting of the EWSR1 amino‐terminal domain and the POU5F1 carboxy‐terminal domain. We assessed the transcriptional activation potential of the chimera compared to the wild‐type proteins, as well as activation of transcription through the oct/sox composite element known to bind POU5F1. Among other POU5F1 target genes, this element is present in the promoter of NANOG and in the distal enhancer of POU5F1 itself. Our results show that although the chimera is capable of significant transcriptional activation, it may in fact convey a negative regulatory effect on target genes. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
FOXL2 and SOX9 as parameters of female and male gonadal differentiation in patients with various forms of disorders of sex development (DSD)
Authors: Hersmus R , Kalfa N , de Leeuw B , Stoop H , Oosterhuis JW , de Krijger R , Wolffenbuttel KP , Drop SLS , Veitia RA , Fellous M , Jaubert F , Looijenga LHJ
Published: February 2008

The transcription factors SOX9 and FOXL2 are required for male and female mammalian gonadal development. We have used specific antibodies to investigate the role of these key proteins in disorders of sex development (DSD), specifically inter‐sex states. In normal gonads, SOX9 was found to be restricted to the presence of (pre‐)Sertoli cells, while FOXL2 was found in granulosa cells, and in stromal cells interpreted as early ovarian stroma. Both proteins were found within a single patient, when testicular and ovarian development was present; and within the same gonad, when both differentiation lineages were identified, as in ovotesticular DSD (ie hermaphrodite). Especially SOX9 was informative to support the presence of early testicular development (ie seminiferous tubules), expected based on morphological criteria only. In a limited number of DSD cases, FOXL2 was found within reasonably well‐developed seminiferous tubules, but double staining demonstrated that it was never strongly co‐expressed with SOX9 in the same cell. All seminiferous tubules containing carcinoma in situ (CIS), the malignant counterpart of a primordial germ cell, ie the precursor of type II germ cell tumours of the testis, seminomas and non‐seminomas, showed the presence of SOX9 and not FOXL2. In contrast, gonadoblastomas (GBs), the precursor of the same type of cancer, in a dysgenetic gonad, showed expression of FOXL2 and no, or only very low, SOX9 expression. These findings indicate that gonadal differentiation, ie testicular or ovarian, determines the morphology of the precursor of type II germ cell tumours, CIS or GB, respectively. We show that in DSD patients, the formation of either ovarian or/and testicular development can be visualized using FOXL2 and SOX9 expression, respectively. In addition, it initiates a novel way to study the role of the supportive cells in the development of either CIS or GB. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A mechanistic investigation into the covalent chemical derivatisation of graphite and glassy carbon surfaces using aryldiazonium salts
Authors: Abiman Poobalasingam , Wildgoose Gregory G. , Compton Richard G.
Published: February 2008

Modification of carbon materials such as graphite and glassy carbon in bulk quantities using diazonium salts is developed. We used both 4‐nitrobenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate and 1‐antharaquinonediazonium chloride to modify graphite and glassy carbon surfaces. Experiments were carried out in the presence and absence of hypophosphorous acid and the mechanism involved in both cases were studied using cyclic voltammetry. The observed peak potentials for both the 4‐nitrophenyl and 1‐anthraquinonyl modified materials were found to differ depending on whether or not the hypophosphorous acid reducing agent was used. In the absence of hypophosphorous acid the derivatisation reaction was inferred to go through a cationic intermediate, whilst in the presence of the hypophosphorous acid the mechanism likely involves either a purely radical intermediate or a mixture of radical and cationic species. Derivatisation experiments from 5 to 70°C allowed us to determine the optimum derivatisation temperature for both cases, in the presence and absence of hypophosphorous acid. Optimum temperature was 20°C for the former and 35°C for the later. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Similar chemistry, but different bond preferences in inter versus intra‐protein interactions
Authors: Cohen Mati , Reichmann Dana , Neuvirth Hani , Schreiber Gideon
Published: February 2008

Proteins fold into a well‐defined structure as a result of the collapse of the polypeptide chain, while transient protein‐complex formation mainly is a result of binding of two folded individual monomers. Therefore, a protein–protein interface does not resemble the core of monomeric proteins, but has a more polar nature. Here, we address the question of whether the physico‐chemical characteristics of intraprotein versus interprotein bonds differ, or whether interfaces are different from folded monomers only in the preference for certain types of interactions. To address this question we assembled a high resolution, nonredundant, protein–protein interaction database consisting of 1374 homodimer and 572 heterodimer complexes, and compared the physico‐chemical properties of these interactions between protein interfaces and monomers. We performed extensive statistical analysis of geometrical properties of interatomic interactions of different types: hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, and aromatic interactions. Our study clearly shows that there is no significant difference in the chemistry, geometry, or packing density of individual interactions between interfaces and monomeric structures. However, the distribution of different bonds differs. For example, side‐chain–side‐chain interactions constitute over 62% of all interprotein interactions, while they make up only 36% of the bonds stabilizing a protein structure. As on average, properties of backbone interactions are different from those of side chains, a quantitative difference is observed. Our findings clearly show that the same knowledge‐based potential can be used for protein‐binding sites as for protein structures. However, one has to keep in mind the different architecture of the interfaces and their unique bond preference. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Some new considerations concerning the Rayleigh‐wave velocity in auxetic materials
Authors: Scarpa Fabrizio , Malischewsky Peter G.
Published: February 2008

The Rayleigh wave velocity is examined in isotropic and non‐isotropic auxetic (negative Poisson's ratio) solids. A novel approximation of the Rayleigh wave speed c versus the Poisson's ratio of an isotropic solid is derived using the concept of ellipticity. The Rayleigh wave propagation is investigated also for anisotropic incompressible solids, such as thick composite balanced symmetric cross‐ply laminates, exhibiting through‐the‐thickness negative Poisson's ratio. The results show increased wave speed for auxetic laminate configurations, as well as increased sensitivity of the wave speed in the cross‐ply regions corresponding to NPR values. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Surgeons’ Non‐technical Skills in the Operating Room: Reliability Testing of the NOTSS Behavior Rating System
Authors: Yule Steven , Flin Rhona , Maran Nicola , Rowley David , Youngson George , Paterson‐Brown Simon
Published: February 2008

Background

Previous research has shown that surgeons’ intraoperative non‐technical skills are related to surgical outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the NOTSS (Non‐technical Skills for Surgeons) behavior rating system. Based on task analysis, the system incorporates five categories of skills for safe surgical practice (Situation Awareness, Decision Making, Task Management, Communication & Teamwork, and Leadership).

Methods

Consultant (attending) surgeons (n = 44) from five Scottish hospitals attended one of six experimental sessions and were trained to use the NOTSS system. They then used the system to rate consultant surgeons’ behaviors in six simulated operating room scenarios that were presented using video. Surgeons’ ratings of the behaviors demonstrated in each scenario were compared to expert ratings (“accuracy”), and assessed for inter‐rater reliability and internal consistency.

Results

The NOTSS system had a consistent internal structure. Although raters had minimal training, rating “accuracy” for acceptable/unacceptable behavior was above 60% for all categories, with mean of 0.67 scale points difference from reference (expert) ratings (on 4‐point scale). For inter‐rater reliability, the mean values of within‐group agreement (rwg) were acceptable for the categories Communication & Teamwork (.70), and Leadership (.72), but below a priori criteria for other categories. Intra‐class correlation coefficients (ICC) indicated high agreement using average measures (values were. 95–.99).

Conclusions

With the requisite training, the prototype NOTSS system could be used reliably by surgeons to observe and rate surgeons’ behaviors. The instrument should now be tested for usability in the operating room.
Risk Factors and Clinical Outcome for Anastomotic Leakage After Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer
Authors: Lee Won‐Suk , Yun Seong Hyeon , Roh Young‐Nam , Yun Hae‐Ran , Lee Woo Yong , Cho Yong Beom , Chun Ho‐Kyung
Published: February 2008

Background

Anastomosis leakage is a major complication of rectal surgery. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection (LAR) in rectal cancer patients and study its impact on long‐term prognosis and disease‐free survival and overall survival in rectal cancer patients.

Methods

Consecutive patients who underwent rectal resection with primary anastomosis below the pelvic peritoneal reflexion for rectal cancer between October 1996 to February 2006 were included.

Results

Anastomosis leakage after LAR occurred in 51 patients (4.0%). The median time to leakage was 4 days (range = 2–30 days). In univariate analysis, gender, level of anastomosis less than 4 cm, preoperative concomitant chemoradiation (CCRT), and length of operation greater than 120 min were significantly associated with anastomosis leakage. In a multivariate analysis, gender (p = 0.041; relative risk = 2.007; 95% CI = 1.030–3.912) and preoperative CCRT (p = 0.003; relative risk = 2.861; 95% CI = 1.417–5.778) were identified as independent prognostic factors. The overall survival of the nonleakage group and the leakage group was 80.2% and 64.9%, respectively (p = 0.170). The 5‐year disease‐free survival rates were not significantly different between the nonleakage and leakage groups (78.1% vs. 65.9%, p = 0.166).

Conclusions

The incidence of anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection is relatively low. Male gender and preoperative CCRT were associated with increased risk for anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer surgery. No effect of anastomosis leakage on local recurrence was found in this series.
‘A Peril to the Bench of Bishops’: Sisterhoods and Episcopal Authority in the Church of England, 1845–1908
Authors: MUMM SUSAN
Published: February 2008

This paper reflects on the uncomfortable relationship between gender, religion, authority and influence in the Victorian Church of England, using the example of the ecclesiastical response to the rise of Anglican religious communities for women in the second half of the nineteenth century. Anglican sisterhoods occupied equivocal and disputed space within the Victorian Church of England, proclaiming their loyalty to the Church but unfettered by any ecclesiastical legislation or tradition that would have compelled them to obey the bishops. In a society that assumed that obedience to lawful authority was a natural attribute of godly women, their ambiguous and improvised relationship with the church hierarchy created enormous tension as well as considerable hostility.
English Deism and Germany: The Thomas Morgan controversy
Authors: van den BERG JAN
Published: February 2008

The work of the English Deist Thomas Morgan (d. 1743), a Marcion in his time, received much negative criticism in England and abroad, especially in Germany. His views aroused comments in books, dissertations and journals. Only in the first half of the twentieth century was he to be praised by theologians such as Adolf von Harnack and Emanuel Hirsch, who likewise disparaged the Old Testament.
Contrasting lipid biomarker composition of terrestrial organic matter exported from across the Eurasian Arctic by the five great Russian Arctic rivers
Authors: van Dongen Bart E. , Semiletov Igor , Weijers Johan W. H. , Gustafsson Örjan
Published: February 2008

Surface sediments outside the great Russian Arctic rivers (GRARs; Ob, Yenisey, Lena, Indigirka, and Kolyma) were investigated for their lipid biomarker composition to elucidate compositional distinctions of the exported organic matter (OM) across this continent‐scale climosequence of the Siberian Arctic. The lipid biomarker composition is dominantly terrestrial (high molecular weight (HMW) n‐alkanols, n‐alkanoic acids, n‐alkanes; branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), β‐sitosterol, other sterols, and triterpenoids) with only minor marine contributions (e.g., the ratio of terrigenous‐to‐aquatic n‐alkanes was 17–80, the TOC/TN ratio was 10–16, and the branched and isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) index >0.88). There is a large contribution of C23 and C25 homologues relative to other long‐chained n‐alkanes, suggesting substantial contribution of probably Sphagnum‐derived OM. The C23 and C25 contribution decreases eastward, signaling either a decrease in the potential contribution of Sphagnum or a shift within the n‐alkane distribution of Sphagnum species or increased aeolian input, due to more arid conditions in the east. Other distinctions in molecular OM composition across the climosequence include increased concentrations of both HMW n‐alkanoic acids and β‐sitosterol relative to HMW n‐alkanes in the eastern sediments. This suggests that the OM exported by the eastern GRARs is, despite their higher bulk radiocarbon ages, less degraded, which is consistent with increasing permafrost and a shorter annual thaw period in eastern Siberia. Taken together, this benchmark study of the current composition of terrestrially exported OM suggests distinguishing continent‐scale trends in molecular composition of the OM across the west‐east set of GRARs, which reflects both differences in vegetation and climate. If the climate in the eastern Russian Arctic region becomes more like the current state in the western part, these results would predict a greater degree of decomposition of the old terrestrial OM released by the eastern GRARs and thus greater remineralization and release as CO2 and methane.