bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Scoliosis and segmentation defects of the vertebrae
Authors: Eckalbar Walter L. , Fisher Rebecca E. , Rawls Alan , Kusumi Kenro 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe vertebral column derives from somites, which are transient paired segments of mesoderm that surround the neural tube in the early embryo. Somites are formed by a genetic mechanism that is regulated by cyclical expression of genes in the Notch, Wnt, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathways. These oscillators together with signaling gradients within the presomitic mesoderm help to set somitic boundaries and rostral–caudal polarity that are essential for the precise patterning of the vertebral column. Disruption of this mechanism has been identified as the cause of severe segmentation defects of the vertebrae in humans. These segmentation defects are part of a spectrum of spinal disorders affecting the skeletal elements and musculature of the spine, resulting in curvatures such as scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis. While the etiology of most disorders with spinal curvatures is still unknown, genetic and developmental studies of somitogenesis and patterning of the axial skeleton and musculature are yielding insights into the causes of these diseases. WIREs Dev Biol 2012, 1:401–423. doi: 10.1002/wdev.34This article is categorized under:

Early Embryonic Development > Development to the Basic Body Plan
Vertebrate Organogenesis > Musculoskeletal and Vascular
Birth Defects > Organ Anomalies
On theorem prover-based testing
Authors: Brucker Achim D. , Wolff Burkhart 
Published: March 2012

Abstract

HOL
-TestGen is a specification and test case generation environment extending the interactive theorem prover Isabelle/
HOL
. As such, Testgen allows for an integrated workflow supporting interactive theorem proving, test case generation, and test data generation. The
HOL
-TestGen method is two-staged: first, the original formula is partitioned into
test cases
by transformation into a normal form called
test theorem
. Second, the test cases are analyzed for ground instances (the
test data
) satisfying the constraints of the test cases. Particular emphasis is put on the control of explicit test-hypotheses which can be proven over concrete programs. Due to the generality of the underlying framework, our system can be used for black-box unit, sequence, reactive sequence and white-box test scenarios. Although based on particularly clean theoretical foundations, the system can be applied for substantial case-studies.
Snapshot of Surgical Activity in Rural Ethiopia: Is Enough Being Done?
Authors: Reshamwalla Sophie , Gobeze Aberra A. , Ghosh Sunirmal , Grimes Caris , Lavy Christopher 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBackgroundSurgical conditions are responsible for a significant burden of the disease prevalence in sub‐Saharan Africa. However, there is a paucity of data surrounding the amount and availability of surgical care. Few surveys exist that document current rates of surgical activity in the low‐income setting, and most figures rely on the country estimates. We aim to document accurately the rates of surgery at the district level.MethodsWe performed a retrospective survey of surgical activity in 10 hospitals in the Southern Nation and Nationalities Peoples’ Region of Ethiopia using a standardized data collection form. We also performed structured interviews with hospital directors.ResultsSurgical output varied across the hospitals from 56 to 421 operations per year per 100,000 catchment population. The most commonly performed operation was cesarean section (29% of major procedures). Emergency surgery accounted for 55% of operations, with the most frequent emergency operation being cesarean section. The overall cesarean section rate was alarmingly low at 0.6%. There are only 76 health workers that are providing a surgical service to this sample population of 12.9 million people.ConclusionsThe rates of surgery found here were very low, consistent with the huge shortage of health workers providing a surgical service. The low cesarean section rate indicates that there is a large unmet surgical disease burden at the population level, and more comprehensive surveys are required to investigate this further. The most important steps to tackle the problem of deficiencies in global surgery are to increase access to surgical care and the surgical workforce capacity.
Toward an Improved Understanding of Isolated Upright Reflux: Positional Effects on the Lower Esophageal Sphincter in Patients with Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux
Authors: Hoppo Toshitaka , Komatsu Yoshihiro , Nieponice Alejandro , Schrenker Joan , Jobe Blair A. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of this study was to assess the effect of body position on lower esophageal sphincter (LES) structure and function.MethodsSymptomatic patients underwent high‐resolution manometry in the supine and upright positions followed by pH testing. Regardless of whether there was a positive DeMeester score, isolated upright reflux patterns were considered present when the supine fraction of time pH <4 = 0%. Predominant‐upright and predominant‐supine bipositional reflux (SBR) patterns were considered present when the supine fraction of time was <upright fraction of time pH <4 and the supine fraction was >upright fraction of time pH <4, respectively.ResultsOf 128 patients, 35 isolated upright, 55 predominant‐upright bipositional, and 27 SBR patients were identified. When supine, LES pressure/length was higher in upright compared to bipositional reflux patients. When upright, there was no difference in LES pressure/length between groups. The LES in isolated upright reflux patients became defective when moved from supine to upright position compared to bipositional patients, where the LES was defective regardless of position. Although the incidence of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) events was comparable between groups, isolated upright patients commonly had a normal DeMeester score.ConclusionPosition impacts LES competency in those with upright reflux and would not be detected with supine manometry. Upright reflux can be associated with GERD and LPR despite negative pH testing.
Intensification of β-poly(l-malic acid) production by Aureobasidium pullulans ipe-1 in the late exponential growth phase
Authors: Cao Weifeng , Luo Jianquan , Zhao Juan , Qiao Changsheng , Ding Luhui , Qi Benkun , Su Yi , Wan Yinhua 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
β-Poly(malic acid) (PMLA) has attracted industrial interest because this polyester can be used as a prodrug or for drug delivery systems. In PMLA production by Aureobasidium pullulans ipe-1, it was found that PLMA production was associated with cell growth in the early exponential growth phase and dissociated from cell growth in the late exponential growth phase. To enhance PMLA production in the late phase, different fermentation modes and strategies for controlling culture redox potential (CRP) were studied. The results showed that high concentrations of produced PMLA (above 40 g/l) not only inhibited PMLA production, but also was detrimental to cell growth. Moreover, when CRP increased from 57 to 100 mV in the late exponential growth phase, the lack of reducing power in the broth also decreased PMLA productivity. PMLA productivity could be enhanced by repeated-batch culture to maintain cell growth in the exponential growth phase, or by cell-recycle culture with membrane to remove the produced PMLA, or by maintaining CRP below 70 mV no matter which kind of fermentation mode was adopted. Repeated-batch culture afforded a high PMLA concentration (up to 63.2 g/l) with a productivity of 1.15 g l−1 h−1. Cell-recycle culture also confirmed that PMLA production by the strain ipe-1 was associated with cell growth.
Surface Activities, Foam Properties, HLB, and Krafft Point of Some n‐Alkanesulfonates (C14–C18) with Different Isomeric Distributions
Authors: Fekarcha Latifa , Tazerouti Amel 
Published: March 2012

AbstractA homologue series of sodium secondary n‐alkanesulfonates (C14, C16 and C18) were obtained by photosulfochlorination process with two different reaction conditions. Different length chains with different isomeric distributions of n‐alkanesulfonates are expected to present variations in physicochemical properties. In this investigation, the relationships between their isomeric distribution and their chain length and micellar behaviors were thoroughly explored. Their CMC at different temperatures were determined using specific conductivity and surface tension measurements. Through surface tension isotherms, the surface activities (γCMC) were obtained. The surface absorption amounts (Γmax) and the molecular areas (Amin) were calculated using Gibb's equation. As expected, these surfactants exhibit good surface properties. It was shown that the CMC values increase with increasing the percentage of secondary isomers, with a surface tension decrease. It was also shown that the CMC values decrease with increasing chain length. The HLB values were calculated for each surfactant and the results obtained suggest that they are O/W emulsifiers. The foam properties of synthesized surfactants were evaluated and compared to those obtained for commercial samples. It was shown that the foamability is influenced both by the length of the hydrophobic moiety and the percentage of secondary isomers. It can be easily concluded that the C14 sulfonates show the best foaming properties independently of their isomeric distribution. The Krafft point values obtained indicate that the micellization and the surfactant solubility mainly depend on the proportion of secondary isomers and the length of hydrophobic moiety.
Effects of exogenous 17β‐estradiol on follicular development in the neonatal and immature mouse in vivo
Authors: Wei Quanwei , Shi Fangxiong , He Jianwen , Xie Chong , Xu Ke , Zhang Wei , Sun Siyu , Fedail Jaafar , Watanabe Gen , Taya Kazuyoshi 
Published: March 2012

AbstractPurposeThe study was aimed to examine the effects of exogenous 17β‐estradiol (E2) on oocyte nest breakdown and follicular growth in the ovary of neonatal and immature mice.MethodsThe effect of E2 on primordial follicle formation and differentiation were examined by treating neonatal mice with E2 in mineral oil at a dose of 10 mg/kg by sc injection each day from postnatal days 1 (PND1) to 10 (PND10). This investigation was conducted by using histological observation and immunohistochemical staining of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA); the numbers of follicles at each stage were examined to assess the follicular development.ResultsThe results indicated that such dose of E2 inhibited oocyte nest breakdown from PND1 to PND10 significantly and enhanced the oocyte staining intensity of PCNA in the ovary by PND3, 5 and 10. PCNA staining was mainly detected on growing follicles (stages later than primary follicle). Our results also revealed that E2 decreased the size of the reproductive tract at PD10.ConclusionsThis dose of E2 treatment inhibits oocyte nest breakdown and primordial follicle assembly, and causes follicle losses after PND5. Effects of exogenous E2 on follicular development in the neonatal and immature mouse may through a PCNA‐dependent pathway.
Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Optic Neuritis
Authors: Fatima Zareen , Motosugi Utaroh , Muhi Ali , Hori Masaaki , Ishigame Keiichi , Araki Tsutomu 
Published: March 2012

Purpose To evaluate imaging characteristics of optic nerves by using magnetic resonance imaging, especially diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient measurements in acute and chronic phases of optic neuritis (ON). Materials and Methods A retrospective study was conducted by using records of 14 patients with clinically suspected acute ON (15 nerves), 5 chronic ON (7 nerves), and 11 normal volunteers with no eye symptoms were used as controls. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed by a 1.5T scanner. Affected nerves were evaluated for sizes, signal characteristics on DWI and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), contrast enhancement, and apparent diffusion coefficient values. Visually assessed characteristics were compared between the acute and chronic, whereas apparent diffusion coefficient values were assessed among acute ON, chronic ON, and the control groups by using the Fisher exact test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results There were significant differences in the diameter of the optic nerves, hyperintensity on DWI, and enhancement characteristics on post-enhanced images in acute and chronic phases of ON ( P = .0001, P < .0001, and P = .0022, respectively), apparent diffusion coefficient values of the optic nerves in acute ON, chronic ON, and control groups also differed significantly from each other. Conclusion In conclusion, DWI can add valuable information in assessment of damage to nerve and neuronal barriers and thus in predicting recovery in cases of ON.
Brands as intentional agents: Our response to commentaries
Authors: Fiske Susan T. , Malone Chris , Kervyn Nicolas 
Published: March 2012

AbstractWe are grateful for the stimulating and hospitable welcome to us as guests in consumer psychology. As sojourners, we share a keen interest, but know that we come to visit without knowing the territory intimately. Granted, Chris Malone is an experienced, senior marketing practitioner who now owns a research‐based consulting firm with a particular interest and specialization in this area. In addition, Nicolas Kervyn, trained as an experimental social psychologist, has worked and consulted in marketing. Susan Fiske, trained as an experimental social psychologist, had kibitzed in consumer psychology since she first served on the JCP board as an assistant professor. However, none of us has imperialist ambitions in consumer psychology. We are happy nonetheless to offer our framework as what seems to us a potentially useful complement to prior and ongoing related work. These exceptionally thoughtful commentaries broaden and inform our framework (Kervyn, Fiske, & Malone, 2012‐‐this issue). In return, we offer some responses regarding our own view of the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework (BIAF), its parent, the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), and relationships with the commentators’ own contributions.
Same destination, different paths: When and how does observing others' choices and reasoning alter confidence in our own choices?
Authors: Lamberton Cait Poynor , Naylor Rebecca Walker , Haws Kelly L. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractSeeing others make the same decision we do does not always increase choice confidence or tell the whole story of social influence when consumers expect to have to publically discuss their choice and reasoning. Instead, consumers' confidence in their publically stated choices can be diminished if observed others make the same choice but justify the choice using different reasoning. This effect occurs because confidence in one's own reasoning is thrown into doubt, rather than due to a desire to affiliate with the observed other. These effects are eliminated in both private choice contexts and in rejection versus selection tasks.
Energy dissipation rate surrogates in incompressible Navier–Stokes turbulence
Authors: Almalkie Saba , de Bruyn Kops Stephen M. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractHigh-resolution direct numerical simulations of isotropic homogeneous turbulence are used to understand the differences between the effects of spatial intermittency on the energy dissipation rate and on surrogates for the dissipation rate that are based on measurements of a subset of the strain rate tensor. In particular, the one-dimensional longitudinal and transverse surrogates, as well as a surrogate based on the asymmetric part of the strain rate tensor, are considered. The instantaneous surrogates are studied locally, locally averaged in space and conditionally averaged to see what statistics of the dissipation rate might accurately be inferred given measurements of the surrogates. The simulations with the Reynolds numbers based on the Taylor microscale of 102–235 are highly resolved for accurate evaluation of higher-order statistics. The probability densities of the local and locally averaged surrogates are significantly different from the corresponding statistics for the dissipation rate itself. All of the surrogates are more intermittent than the dissipation rate, the transverse surrogate is more intermittent than the longitudinal and these trends are still prominent even when the fields are spatially averaged at length scales close to the integral length scale. As a consequence, the intermittency exponent computed from the moments of the locally averaged longitudinal and transverse surrogates is approximately 1.5 and 2.2 times higher, respectively, than that computed by the same method from the dissipation rate field. In addition, while different methods of computing intermittency exponent from the dissipation rate field yield the same result, different methods applied to a surrogate are inconsistent.
Explicit filtering to obtain grid-spacing-independent and discretization-order-independent large-eddy simulation of compressible single-phase flow
Authors: Radhakrishnan Senthilkumaran , Bellan Josette 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn large-eddy simulation (LES), it is often assumed that the filter width is equal to the grid spacing. Predictions from such LES are grid-spacing dependent since any subgrid-scale (SGS) model used in the LES equations is dependent on the resolved flow field which itself varies with grid spacing. Moreover, numerical errors affect the flow field, especially the smallest resolved scales. Thus, predictions using this approach are affected by both modelling and numerical choices. However, grid-spacing-independent LES predictions unaffected by numerical choices are necessary to validate LES models through comparison with a trusted template. First, such a template is created here through direct numerical simulation (DNS). Then, simulations are conducted using the conventional LES equations and also LES equations which are here reformulated so that the small-scale-producing nonlinear terms in these equations are explicitly filtered (EF) to remove scales smaller than a fixed filter width; this formulation is called EFLES. First, LES is conducted with four SGS models, then EFLES is performed with two of the SGS models used in LES; the results from all these simulations are compared to those from DNS and from the filtered DNS (FDNS). The conventional LES solution is both grid-spacing and spatial discretization-order dependent, thus showing that both of these numerical aspects affect the flow prediction. The solution from the EFLES equations is grid independent for a high-order spatial discretization on all meshes tested. However, low-order discretizations require a finer mesh to reach grid independence. With an eighth-order discretization, a filter-width to grid-spacing ratio of two is sufficient to reach grid independence, while a filter-width to grid-spacing ratio of four is needed to reach grid independence when a fourth- or a sixth-order discretization is employed. On a grid fine enough to be utilized in a DNS, the EFLES solution exhibits grid independence and does not converge to the DNS solution. The velocity-fluctuation spectra of EFLES follow those of FDNS independent of the grid spacing used, in concert with the original concept of LES. The reasons for the different predictions of conventional LES or EFLES according to the SGS model used, and the different characteristics of the EFLES predictions compared to those from conventional LES are analysed.
ON SOME REFINEMENTS AND CONVERSES OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL HILBERT-TYPE INEQUALITIES
Authors: KRNIĆ MARIO 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe main objective of this paper is a study of some new refinements and converses of multidimensional Hilbert-type inequalities with nonconjugate exponents. Such extensions are deduced with the help of some remarkable improvements of the well-known Hölder inequality. First, we obtain refinements and converses of the general multidimensional Hilbert-type inequality in both quotient and difference form. We then apply the results to homogeneous kernels with negative degree of homogeneity. Finally, we consider some particular settings with homogeneous kernels and weighted functions, and compare our results with those in the literature.
Do possible worlds compromise God's beauty? A reply to Mark Ian Thomas Robson
Authors: ROBSON JON 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn a recent article Mark Ian Thomas Robson argues that there is a clear contradiction between the view that possible worlds are a part of God's nature and the theologically pivotal, but philosophically neglected, claim that God is perfectly beautiful. In this article I show that Robson's argument depends on several key assumptions that he fails to justify and as such that there is reason to doubt the soundness of his argument. I also demonstrate that if Robson's argument were sound then this would be a problem for all classical theists and not just those who hold the possible worlds view.
The logic of deflective action: US energy shocks and the US policy process
Authors: Grossman Peter Z. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractExogenous shocks may lead to policies that seem extreme and even “irrational”. This paper argues that, in the event of a major energy shock in the US that persists, such legislation is an inevitable response to the demand from constituents that political actors “do something”. Since shocks by their nature are unanticipated and are often highly technical and complex, boundedly rational legislators cannot generally understand all of the ramifications of the shock, much less hope to craft well-considered and precise legislation to deal with it. But the demand to “do something” means that a range of actions is politically necessary. The “shock” policy process is modelled as a stepwise legislative decision problem. If the crisis persists, legislation that promises a solution is likely to be the result, even if this “solution” is infeasible. The model is applied to five US energy shocks.
Conflict and Revolt: The Bishop of Ely and his Peasants at the Manor of Brandon in Suffolk c. 1300-81
Authors: MÜLLER MIRIAM 
Published: March 2012

AbstractUsing the evidence of manorial court records, this paper examines in detail the developments in the relationship between the Bishop of Ely and his peasants at the manor of Brandon leading up to the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. Increasing levels of discontent among the peasantry can be observed across the period. This is expressed in rising reported numbers of various cases in the court rolls, such as non-compliance with the court, labour refusals, trespasses and cases of foot-dragging. This rising level of conflict, some open, some more hidden, can be seen as evidence both for increasing seigniorial concern to assert various jurisdictional rights, and the peasants’ increasing willingness to test the boundaries of seigniorial dominion, leading eventually to their participation in the Rising in East Anglia.