bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Les noms des langues chez les Grecs
Authors: Lambert Frédéric
Published: April 2013

Ancient Greeks used two terms to designate their language or languages : glōssa, which took on the meaning of language in modern Greek, and dialektos, which of course means dialect. But unlike the use of these terms in the modern languages, for the ancient Greeks they did not necessarily refer to the expected hierarchy : the grammarians used dialektos equally to designate any language or way of speaking, whereas glōssa refers rather to a word or an expression belonging to what we now call a dialect ! Amongst historians the two words are virtually equivalent and both refer to any language without any hierarchy. On the other hand, as far as the designation of languages is concerned, Greeks did not use, as we do, a nominalized form such as «Greek » or «Attic » . In fact they conceived their language and its different dialects, as much as the «barbarian » languages, as ways of speaking (dialektos) by different peoples. Finally it is clear that, even though it is premature to call the work achieved by Greek grammarians grammatisation, this did not prevent them from conceiving linguistic otherness in their own linguistic domain.
Les noms des langues en arabe
Authors: Guillaume Jean-Patrick
Published: April 2013

Dès l’époque antéislamique, l’arabe dispose d’un vocabulaire abondant et expressif pour désigner les diverses «façons de parler » des autres, qu’il s’agisse de variétés dialectales d’arabe ou de langues étrangères. Ce vocabulaire reflète une conception du langage et de la diversité linguistique centrée sur les locuteurs : la langue est perçue, non comme une entité autonome, mais dans sa relation à ceux qui l’utilisent, et aux discours à travers lesquels elle se manifeste. C’est tout d’abord à travers les discussions sur la question des emprunts lexicaux dans le Coran, et sur celle des dialectalismes coraniques, qu’émerge progressivement l’idée de la langue arabe (al-‛ arabiyya) comme un objet abstrait, transcendant la compétence linguistique de chaque locuteur pris isolément. Cette conception atteindra sa forme la plus achevée à travers le processus de grammatisation de l’arabe : la ‛ arabiyya est alors perçue comme un système abstrait, où chaque élément, si marginal ou aberrant soit-il, occupe la place qui lui revient. Cette évolution, toutefois, est inséparable d’une «clôture glottocentrique » qui constitue la principale limite de la tradition linguistique arabe.
La grotte à inhumations d’Askar en Samarie. L’occupation du IVe millénaire (niveau IIIb)
Authors: Guyot Frédéric
Published: April 2013

This article explores the material culture of the Southern Levant during the 4th millennium BC through the study of the archaeological assemblage from the funerary cave of Askar - used as a burial place during the periods known as Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age I. It contains data about this region, which is to date poorly documented, especially concerning the funerary practices. That is the reason why this study focuses on the different features of the material culture of Askar that distinguishes it from the northern and southern cultures to which the sites of this period are commonly connected. It appears that these distinctive features are shared by a number of sites also situated in the central area of the Southern Levant. This group of sites shares both ceramic typology and techniques of production that set them apart from other assemblages from adjacent areas. This fact has allowed us to reconsider the often quoted dichotomy between a northern culture and a southern culture and to postulate the existence of a distinct material facies in the central South Levant during the 4th millennium BC.
Interpreting Animal Bones in Iran: Considering New Animal Bone Assemblages from Three Sites in the Qazvin Plain within a Broader Geographical and Chronological Perspective
Authors: Young Ruth , Fazeli Nashli Hassan
Published: April 2013

This paper presents the preliminary analyses and interpretations of animal bone assemblages from three Chalcolithic sites in the Qazvin Plain, Iran. The results of our analyses are then compared to existing analyses from earlier excavations at two of these sites. While there are some similarities between the earlier and later assemblages and analyses, there are also interesting differences. However, issues with dating, excavation and sample collection, as well as sample size from each site meant that analysing each assemblage in detail and linking this analysis to detailed context information has not been possible. Therefore a wider trawl for studies of animal bones from prehistoric sites in a variety of environmental settings in Iran has been carried out in order to determine whether there are broader, longer term trends in human-animal relationships that our Qazvin Plain sites may have been part of. We have looked at animal bone data from a number of prehistoric sites in order to see whether there are any major trends in animal management which might be linked to such things as chronological period, environmental setting, site function and so forth, within which our Qazvin Plain sites can be placed. From the data we consider there are no such trends apparent. Finally, we consider issues of pastoralism in Iran, and are particularly concerned with the suggestion that high numbers of sheep and goat in an assemblage is an indicator of pastoral mobility.
Role of IL-22– and TNF-α–Producing Th22 Cells in Uveitis Patients with Behçet’s Disease
Authors: Sugita Sunao , Kawazoe Yuko , Imai Ayano , Kawaguchi Tatsushi , Horie Shintaro , Keino Hiroshi , Takahashi Masayo , Mochizuki Manabu
Published: April 2013

Behçet’s disease is a systemic inflammatory disorder with recurrent episodes of oral ulceration, skin lesions, genital ulceration, and intraocular inflammation (uveitis). The intraocular inflammation is strictly associated with Th effector cells. IL-22 is a member of the IL-10 cytokine family that is involved in inflammatory processes. Recently, Th22 cells were identified as a Th cell population that produces IL-22 and TNF-α and are distinct from Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells. In this study, we established Th22-type T cell clones from ocular samples taken from Behçet’s disease patients with active uveitis. These clones produced large amounts of IL-22 and TNF-α but not the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ and the Th17 cytokine IL-17. CD4+ T cells from the peripheral blood of Behçet’s disease patients differentiated into Th22 cells in the presence of IL-6 and TNF-α in vitro. The polarized Th22 cell lines produced large amounts of IL-22, and the polarized Th1 and Th17 cells also produced IL-22. In the presence of anti–TNF-α– and anti–IL-6–blocking Abs, Behçet’s disease Th22-type T cells failed to produce IL-22. In addition, infliximab-pretreated Th22 cells and Th22-type ocular T cells produced less IL-22 and TNF-α. Moreover, IL-22–producing T cells were isolated from mice with experimental autoimmune uveitis, an animal model of Behçet’s disease, and the intraocular T cells from uveitis models produced large amounts of IL-22 in the presence of retinal Ags. Our results suggest that inflammatory cytokines IL-22 and TNF-α may play a key role in the ocular immune response in Behçet’s disease.
Copresentation of Intact and Processed MHC Alloantigen by Recipient Dendritic Cells Enables Delivery of Linked Help to Alloreactive CD8 T Cells by Indirect-Pathway CD4 T Cells
Authors: Sivaganesh Siva , Harper Simon J. , Conlon Thomas M. , Callaghan Chris J. , Saeb-Parsy Kourosh , Negus Margaret C. , Motallebzadeh Reza , Bolton Eleanor M. , Bradley J. Andrew , Pettigrew Gavin J.
Published: April 2013

In transplantation, direct-pathway CD8 T cells that recognize alloantigen on donor cells require CD4 help for activation and cytolytic function. The ability of indirect-pathway CD4 T cells to provide this help remains unexplained, because a fundamental requirement for epitope linkage is seemingly broken. The simultaneous presentation, by host dendritic cells (DCs), of both intact MHC class I alloantigen and processed alloantigen would deliver linked help, but has not been demonstrated definitively. In this study, we report that following in vitro coculture with BALB/c DCs, small numbers (∼1.5%) of C57BL/6 (B6) DCs presented acquired H-2d alloantigen both as processed allopeptide and as unprocessed Ag. This represented class I alloantigen provides a conformational epitope for direct-pathway allorecognition, because B6 DCs isolated from cocultures and transferred to naive B6 mice provoked cytotoxic CD8 T cell alloimmunity. Crucially, this response was dependent upon simultaneous presentation of class II–restricted allopeptide, because despite acquiring similar amounts of H-2d alloantigen upon coculture, MHC class II–deficient B6 DCs failed to elicit cytotoxic alloimmunity. The relevance of this pathway to solid-organ transplantation was then confirmed by the demonstration that CD8 T cell cytotoxicity was provoked in secondary recipients by transfer of DCs purified from wild-type, but not from MHC class II–deficient, C57BL/6 recipients of BALB/c heart transplants. These experiments demonstrate that representation of conformationally intact MHC alloantigen by recipient APC can induce cytotoxic alloimmunity, but simultaneous copresentation of processed allopeptide is essential, presumably because this facilitates linked recognition by indirect-pathway CD4 Th cells.
Febuxostat: a new drug for an old disease. Do we really need it?
Authors: Gulli Giovanni , De Filippis Luigi
Published: April 2013

BACKGROUND Febuxostat is a non-purine selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase whose therapeutic effect is decreasing the serum uric acid concentration. Febuxostat has a marketing authorisation for the treatment of chronic hyperuricaemia in conditions where urate/uric acid deposition has already occurred. The recommended dose of febuxostat is 80 mg once daily. If the person’s serum uric acid concentration is above 6 mg/dL after 2-4 weeks, febuxostat 120 mg once daily may be considered. The most common side effects associated with febuxostat are diarrhoea, nausea, headache, liver function test abnormalities and rash. The evidence in support of the clinical effectiveness of febuxostat in comparison with allopurinol is not strong. DISCUSSION A meta-analysis showed that although the urate-lowering efficacy of febuxostat was statistically significantly higher than fixed-dose allopurinol (300 mg/day), a higher proportion of patients receiving febuxostat needed treatment for gout flares compared with those receiving fixed-dose allopurinol. For the febuxostat 80 mg/day group this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.18), but for the 120 mg/day febuxostat group it was. Moreover, guidelines recommend dose titration for allopurinol according to therapeutic targets. It is possible that dose-titrated allopurinol may be more effective than fixed-dose allopurinol. CONCLUSIONS Febuxostat is a plausible improvement on current second-line options. These options are considered where allopurinol is not appropriate, e.g. because of chronic kidney disease, intolerance or lack of response.
Management of hepatocellular carcinoma: international guidelines
Authors: Fenoglio Luigi , Castagna Elisabetta , Serraino Cristina , Cardellicchio Adele , Pomero Fulvio , Bracco Christian , Grosso Maurizio
Published: April 2013

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide. The incidence of HCC is increasing in Europe and in the United States. HCC is currently the leading cause of death among cirrhotic patients. Cirrhosis is the strongest and the most common risk factor for HCC. Surveillance for HCC is widely practiced and can be recommended for certain at-risk groups. Among serological screening test, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the best known (cut-off 20 ng/mL, sensitivity 60%, specificity 91%). The radiological screening test most widely used is ultrasonography (sensitivity 65—80%, specificity >90%). The tests used to diagnose HCC include radiology, biopsy and AFP. Detection of hepatic mass within a cirrhotic liver is highly suspicious of HCC. If AFP is greater than 200 ng/mL and the radiological appearance of the mass is suggestive for HCC, the likelihood that the lesion is HCC is high. The Barcelona-Clinic-Liver-Cancer staging system identifies patients with early HCC who may benefit from curative therapies, those at intermediate or advanced disease stage who may benefit from palliative treatments, as well as those at end-stage with a very poor life expectancy. Today many patients are diagnosed at an early stage. The therapies that offer a high rate of complete responses and potential cure are surgical resection, transplantation and percutaneous ablation. Among non-curative therapies the only one that has been shown to positively impact survival is transarterial chemoembolization. Several steps have to be taken to improve effectiveness of HCC therapy. These include patient education on risk factors for HCC and implementation of screening programs, increasing the number of patients diagnosed in early stage.
Ruptured aneurysm of the hepatic artery: a mismatching diagnosis
Authors: Bua Vincenzo , Marsigli Lorenzo , Nardi Roberto , Trivella Anna Maria , Isceri Salvatore , Piegaia Maria Luisa , Pierfederici Andrea , Ferretti Maurizio , Boriani Luciana , Brunori Alessandra , Ziosi Angelo
Published: April 2013

Background: Hepatic aneurysms are extremely rare with very few cases reported, and most have been source of misdiagnosis and clinical pitfalls in emergency medicine. Presentation with intraabdominal hemorrhage is associated with a high mortality rate. Case report: We report the case of an adult male, referred for a severe acute pain in the left lower chest-upper quadrant abdomen pain. We present multislice contrast-enhanced CT-scanning and angiographic findings, and a life-saving emergency trancatheter embolization, using fragments of absorbable gelatin sponge. Emergency doctors should consider ruptured hepatic artery aneurysms in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain and promptly cooperate with endovascular specialists to treat this life-threatening condition.
Safety and effectiveness of drug therapy for the acutely agitated patient (Part I)
Authors: Airoldi Gianluca
Published: April 2013

Acute agitation occurs in a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions, and the management of agitated, abusive, or violent patients is a common problem in the emergency department. Rapid control of potentially dangerous behaviors by physical restraint and pharmacologic tranquillization is crucial to ensure the safety of the patient and health-care personnel and to allow diagnostic procedures and treatment of the underlying condition. The purpose of this article (the first in a 2-part series) is to review the extensive safety data published on the antipsychotic medications currently available for managing situations of this type, including older neuroleptics like haloperidol, chlorpromazine, and pimozide as well as a number of the newer atypical antipsychotics (olanzapine, risperidone, ziprasidone). Particular attention is focused on the ability of these drugs to lengthen the QT interval in surface electrocardiograms. This adverse effect is of major concern, especially in light of the reported relation between QT interval and the risk of sudden death. In patients with the congenital long-QT syndrome, a long QT interval is associated with a fatal paroxysmal ventricular arrhythmia knownas torsades de pointes. Therefore, careful evaluation of the QT-prolonging properties and arrhythmogenic potential of antipsychotic drugs is urgently needed. Clinical assessment of drug-induced QT-interval prolongation is strictly dependent on the quality of electrocardiographic data and the appropriateness of electrocardiographic analyses. Unfortunately, measurement imprecision and natural variability preclude a simple use of the actually measured QT interval as a surrogate marker of drug-induced proarrhythmia. Because the QT interval changes with heart rate, a rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) is commonly used when evaluating a drug’s effect. In clinical settings, themost widely used formulas for rate-correction are those of Bazett (QTc=QT/RR^0.5) and Fridericia (QTc=QT/RR^0.33), both of which standardize themeasuredQTinterval to an RRinterval of 1 s (heart rate of 60 bpm).However, QT variability can also be influenced by other factors that are more difficult to measure, including body fat, meals, psycho-physical distress, and circadian and seasonal fluctuations.
Hormonal contraception and the risk of venous thrombosis: Management recommendations from the Piedmont Region and the Consensus Conference of the Italian National Institute of Health
Authors: Donvito Valentina , Giolito Maria R.
Published: April 2013

Hormonal methods are used by many fertile women who require contraception. They are highly effective, but their use is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism. This report summarizes the recommendations of the Public Health Service of Italy’s Piedmont Region for the prescription of hormonal contraception (November 2007) and the results of the Consensus Conference of the Italian National Health Institute on the prevention of thromboembolism related to hormonal contraception (July 2009). Although hormonal contraception increases the relative risk for venous thromboembolism, both documents agreed that the absolute risk remains very small. Assessments of eligibility for hormonal contraception must be based on complete medical history that include medical conditions, drugs used, and family history. Unnecessary medical barriers, such as routine screening for thrombophilia, are not recommended. Most women can safely use hormonal contraception. Physicians and women should discuss the risks, benefits, and uncertainties associated with hormonal contraception so that women will be able to make informed decisions regarding their use.
The study of hepatic hemodynamics: research activity or clinical tool?
Authors: Puoti Claudio , Bellis Lia
Published: April 2013

Portal hypertension is a progressive complication of cirrhosis. Therefore, the management of a patient with cirrhosis and gastrointestinal bleeding depends largely on the stage of the portal hypertension. The patient may be in the pre-variceal stage or present with acute variceal bleeding, in which case the objectives are to control the current hemorrhage and prevent recurrence. In clinical practice, the severity of portal hypertension can be estimated, reliably and safely, by transjugular measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). After a brief review of the pathophysiology of portal hypertension in cirrhosis, the authors describe the technique used to measure transjugular HVPG, its prognostic value in patients with cirrhosis, the pros and cons of including this procedure in routine work-ups of these patients, and its potential roles in monitoring responses to treatment and in the preoperative assessment of cirrhotic patients undergoing hepatic resection.
In-hospital gastric protection with proton pump inhibitors: adverse effects beyond (over)utilization?
Authors: Montanari Paolo
Published: April 2013

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have provided important benefits in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease and in the prevention of non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and aspirin-related ulcer complications. PPIs are also the most commonly used medications for stress ulcer prophylaxis, despite little evidence to support their use in non-intensive care unit. Discussion: Considering the widespread use of PPIs, these agents’ overall safety profile is unquestionable. However, there is growing evidence that PPIs use may be associated with an increased risk of enteric infections, pneumonia, hip fractures, vitamin B12 deficiency. Overall, until now, none of these adverse effects have discouraged the PPIs treatment. Recently attention has been placed on a more important potential adverse effect of PPIs, their interaction with clopidogrel to which they are associated for the prophylaxis of gastrointestinal bleeding. Preliminary results of laboratory tests suggest that omeprazole reduces clopidogrel’s antiplatelet effect. The interaction seems to involve the competitive inhibition of the CYP2C19 isoenzyme. The effect appears to be clinically important, as some retrospective studies have shown an increase in adverse cardiovascular outcomes when PPIs and clopidogrel are used concomitantly. Some studies indicate that pantoprazole and esomeprazole are not associated with impaired response to clopidogrel. However, the available data for PPIs other than omeprazole do not allow definitive conclusions to be drawn about whether is a class effect. Conclusions: Specifically designed and randomized clinical studies are needed to define the interaction between PPIs and clopidogrel. Moreover, alternative treatment strategies with histamine- 2 receptor antagonists that are not dependent on cytochrome p450 2C19 should be tested in future studies.
Special Issue
Authors: Editors The
Published: April 2013

Not available
An Unusual Radiological Presentation of a Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst in a Child
Authors: Kayhan Servet , Sahin Unal , Turut Hasan , Yurdakul Cuneyt
Published: April 2013

Giant pulmonary hydatid cyst is usually encountered in adolescents and children who are older than 10 years. A relatively higher elasticity of the lung tissue allows rapid growth of cysts. We present a case of a 15-year-old male who was admitted with complaint of frequent and persistent dry cough for over a month. Computed tomographic scan revealed a giant cyst with thick enhancing rim and an “air bubble” sign. Diagnosis of giant hydatid cyst was confirmed by surgery and histopathological examination.
Numerical Integration over Pyramids
Authors: Chen Chuanmiao , Křížek Michal , Liu Liping
Published: April 2013

Pyramidal elements are often used to connect tetrahedral and hexahedral elements in the finite element method. In this paper we derive three new higher order numerical cubature formulae for pyramidal elements.
A Comparison of the Performance of Limiters for Runge-Kutta Discontinuous Galerkin Methods
Authors: Zhu Hongqiang , Cheng Yue , Qiu Jianxian
Published: April 2013

Discontinuities usually appear in solutions of nonlinear conservation laws even though the initial condition is smooth, which leads to great difficulty in computing these solutions numerically. The Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) methods are efficient methods for solving nonlinear conservation laws, which are high-order accurate and highly parallelizable, and can be easily used to handle complicated geometries and boundary conditions. An important component of RKDG methods for solving nonlinear conservation laws with strong discontinuities in the solution is a nonlinear limiter, which is applied to detect discontinuities and control spurious oscillations near such discontinuities. Many such limiters have been used in the literature on RKDG methods. A limiter contains two parts, first to identify the “troubled cells”, namely, those cells which might need the limiting procedure, then to replace the solution polynomials in those troubled cells by reconstructed polynomials which maintain the original cell averages (conservation). [SIAM J. Sci. Comput., 26 (2005), pp. 995–1013.] focused on discussing the first part of limiters. In this paper, focused on the second part, we will systematically investigate and compare a few different reconstruction strategies with an objective of obtaining the most efficient and reliable reconstruction strategy. This work can help with the choosing of right limiters so one can resolve sharper discontinuities, get better numerical solutions and save the computational cost.
MULTI-STEP AND MULTI-PHOTO MATCHING FOR ACCURATE 3D RECONSTRUCTION
Authors: Previtali M. , Barazzetti L. , Scaioni M.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. The paper presents an automated procedure for surface reconstruction from digital images. This method was developed for closerange photogrammetric applications, with a particular attention to terrestrial free-form objects that can be modelled with point clouds extracted from images. Therefore, the paper is not directly concerned with architectural elements, where objects feature breaklines and discontinuities that are preferably modelled with manual measurements. The implemented algorithm (MGCM+) integrates two image matching techniques developed in Photogrammetry and Computer Vision in order to obtain metric results in an automated way. Different strategies were exploited to successfully combine both strategies, along with several new improvements. Starting from a set of images and their orientation parameters a preliminary seed model is extracted by using a patch-based algorithm (PMVS). Then, a multi-photo refinement via LSM (MGCM) improves the precision of results and provides a statistical evaluation through a variance-covariance matrix.
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MONITORING OF UNDER WATER EROSION IN THE VICINITY OF CYLINDRICAL BRIDGE PIERS
Authors: Eder K. , Rapp C. , Kohl V. , Hanrieder B. , Stilla U.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Within this work the three dimensional development of a scour around a cylindrical bridge pier has been investigated experimentally. The erosion process has been surveyed in short time intervals using a photogrammetric approach. The results of the work give an unprecedented insight in the development of the scour geometry over time and therefore a crucial step to the fundamental understanding of the phenomena.
DEM GENERATION BY MEANS OF NEW DIGITAL AERIAL CAMERAS
Authors: Höhle J.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Based on practical experiences with the first generation of digital cameras the impact of four new digital aerial cameras on the DEM generation is estimated. The cameras are evaluated with respect to elevation accuracy, area coverage and image quality. In the derived formulae for the absolute accuracy of elevations a camera factor is applied, which summarizes several features in one number. The produced graphs show the potential of the new cameras regarding the relative and absolute accuracy of automatically derived elevations. For better absolute elevation accuracy the increase of the base/height ratio and of the resolving power of lenses are more important than the reduction of the pixel size. Improvement of the elevation accuracy by means of multi-ray photogrammetry is discussed.
USING FULL WAVEFORM DATA IN URBAN AREAS
Authors: Molnar B. , Laky S. , Toth C.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. In this paper, the use of waveform data in urban areas is studied. Full waveform is generally used in non-urban areas, where it can provide better vertical structure description of vegetation compared to discrete return systems. However, waveform could be potentially useful for classification in urban areas, where classification methods can be extended to include parameters derived from waveform analysis. Besides common properties, also sensed by multi-echo systems (intensity, number of returns), the shape of the waveform also depends on physical properties of the reflecting surface, such as material, angle of incidence, etc. The main goal of this investigation is to identify relevant parameters, derived from waveform that are related to surface material or object class. This paper uses two waveform parameterization approaches: Gaussian shape fitting and discrete wavelet transformation. The two classification methods tested are: supervised Bayes classification and unsupervised Self-Organizing Map (SOM) classification. The results of these methods were compared to each other and to manual classification. The initial conclusion is that, though waveform data contains classification information, the waveform shape by itself is not enough to perform classification in urban regions, and, consequently, it should be combined with the point cloud geometry.
CROSS-COVARIANCE ESTIMATION FOR EKF-BASED INERTIAL AIDED MONOCULAR SLAM
Authors: Kleinert M. , Stilla U.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. Repeated observation of several characteristically textured surface elements allows the reconstruction of the camera trajectory and a sparse point cloud which is often referred to as "map". The extended Kalman filter (EKF) is a popular method to address this problem, especially if real-time constraints have to be met. Inertial measurements as well as a parameterization of the state vector that conforms better to the linearity assumptions made by the EKF may be employed to reduce the impact of linearization errors. Therefore, we adopt an inertial-aided monocular SLAM approach where landmarks are parameterized in inverse depth w.r.t. the coordinate system in which they were observed for the first time. In this work we present a method to estimate the cross-covariances between landmarks which are introduced in the EKF state vector for the first time and the old filter state that can be applied in the special case at hand where each landmark is parameterized w.r.t. an individual coordinate system.
Alexander in the City of the Excellent: A Persian Tradition of Utopia
Authors: Masroori Cyrus
Published: April 2013

Persian, one of the most potent languages when it comes to imagery and fiction, offers a utopian tradition in which Alexander of Macedonia is presented as the hero of the story. Identifying Alexander with a Quranic figure and associating him with an Islamic sage, this tradition circumvented the negative conception associated with Alexander as a destroyer of the Persian Empire. This article reviews various accounts of Alexander's discovery of a utopia, describes his redemption from being a usurper, and lodges these accounts within the broader discourse of their time.
Lipid Profile in Oropharyngeal Cancers in Southern India
Authors: A. Anuradha  , L.K. Veerathu  , G. Sudhakar  , S. Kolla  , N. Sidhanathi  , R. Kondreddy  , S. Shakila  , J.R. Peela
Published: April 2013

Background: Oropharyngeal cancers are the most common cancers in India especially among the rural population of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh where people practice reverse smoking and Tobacco chewing. These cancers mostly cause dysphagia and dyspnea compromising on their quality of life. The study was designed to understand and evaluate the pattern of serum lipid profile in patients suffering from Oropharyngeal carcinomas. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 patients with Oropharyngeal carcinoma starting from oral cavity and extending up to the level of esophagus have been selected from 25 to 70 years of age with a mean age of 45 years from the Department of Radiotherapy, King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam from March 2011 to Aug 2011. A total of 73 healthy controls in the same age group were also selected. All the 60 cases of oropharyngeal cancers were malignant histologically. Serum Lipid profile was done for all cases and the controls after an overnight fast. Serum Total Cholesterol, High density lipoprotein cholesterol, Low density lipoprotein cholesterol and Triglycerides were measured using authentic kit methods and Very Low density lipoprotein cholesterol was calculated from the triglyceride value (using Friedewald's equation). Results: Cases of oropharyngeal cancer have shown significant decrease in total cholesterol and Low density lipoprotein cholesterol when compared with that of controls (0.006 and 0.005 respectively). Serum triglycerides and Very low density lipoproteins cholesterol also showed a decrease in cases but not significant statistically. However, High density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly elevated in patients with oropharyngeal cancers when compared with controls (p=0.005). The same trend of low cholesterol and low density cholesterol was observed in both males and females, though not significant among females. However, high density cholesterol levels showed significant rise in both males and females. Conclusion: The present study has shown significant association between serum lipid profile variations and Oropharyngeal cancer.
The Many Aspects of Off-Label Prescribing in Oncology
Authors: Anna Gu  , Albert I. Wertheimer
Published: April 2013

Off-label prescribing is particularly common in oncology. While it brings abundant benefits to cancer treatment, decisions on off-label prescribing should be made with caution, due to insufficient supporting data, weak safety monitoring system, and increased health care burden. Currently, reimbursement decisions for off-label oncology are based on recommendations from four drug compendia, each of which combines data from clinical trials and/or observational studies and expert opinions. Further enhancements are expected in terms of transparency and consistency of compendia's methods of data synthesis. While the existing FDA regulations prohibit direct-to-prescriber promotion, with the exception of publication on off-label drug use, considerable leeway may be given to late-stage cancer patients. Clinical Trials for oncology off-label indication should focus on late stage cancer patients beyond first-line therapy and patient sample should have equal representations from academic and community settings. Off-label oncology clinical trials should also provide full information on conflict of interest. Given the high stakes involved in oncology treatment, future policies should strike a balance between innovation and clinical, economic, and humanistic consequences.
Skin Recurrence of a Phyllodes Tumor and Impact of Radiotherapy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Serap Yücel  , Hüseyin Kadioglu  , Zeynep Güral  , Seyma Yildiz  , Zuhal Gücin
Published: April 2013

Introduction:Phyllodes tumors (PTs) are rare and are usually associated with local recurrences. Determining appropriate clear margins at surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant radiotherapy is an ongoing dilemma for oncology professionals. The skin recurrence of a PT is not a commonly described situation in the published literature. Herein, we presented a patient with a skin recurrence of a PT. Case:A 48 year old Turkish woman presented with a lump on her left nipple-areolar complex. She had an anamnesis of a lumpectomy for PT 6 years ago and a nipple-areolar complex sparing mastectomy with immediate silicon reconstruction due to the recurrence of PT 3 years ago. No adjuvant treatment was administered after either of these surgical procedures. A magnetic resonance examination of her breast and a histopathological evaluation revealed the skin recurrence of PT. A nipple-areolar complex excision with 2 cm clear margins and adjuvant radiotherapy was then administered to her as the treatment regimen. Discussion:Surgery is defined as the effective treatment for PT but patients with high risk factors as large tumor size, positive margins and recurrent disease adjuvant treatments must be added.
Hemangioendothelioma with a Prominent Lymphoid Infiltrate Mimicking Follicular Dendritic Cell Tumor: Report of a Case
Authors: Justin Kerstetter  , Mia Perez  , Craig Zuppan  , Paul Herrmann  , John R. Goldblum  , Jun Wang
Published: April 2013

Hemangioendothelioma is a vascular tumor with several different morphologic patterns that can include a component of ovoid or spindled cells, but generally lacks an inflammatory component. The combined morphologic and immunohistochemical features are generally sufficient to accurately diagnose this tumor and its many variants. We present a challenging lymphocyte-rich soft tissue lesion that was not recognized to be an unusual hemangioendothelioma until after several recurrences in the arm of a 63 year-old male, which was originally diagnosed as a follicular dendritic cell tumor instead. Local recurrence developed 3 and 11 years later with resections. The most recent tumor consisted predominantly of epithelioid spindled cells with moderate amounts of bubbly pale to eosinophilic cytoplasm with rare discrete cytoplasmic vacuoles, admixed with a prominent lymphoid infiltrate and occasional erythrocytes. The tumor cells were positive for keratin and vascular markers (CD31, CD34, and Factor VIII), but negative for follicular dendritic cell markers (CD21, CD23, CD35). Slides from the two previous excisions were re-analyzed, and showed the same morphologic and immunohistochemical features as the latest recurrence. The diagnosis was revised to recurrent lymphocyte-rich hemangioendothelioma. The patient is free of tumor at 7 years follow-up. This represents an unusual and potentially confusing pattern of hemangioendothelioma that is not previously well described in the literature. Vascular tumors should be included in the differential diagnosis of suspected dendritic cell tumors, even if a lymphocyte-rich infiltrate is present. Vascular as well as dendritic cell markers should be included in the immunohistochemical panel employed in their evaluation. Keyword: Hemangioendothelioma, lymphocyte rich, follicular dendritic cell, tumor.
Autorité et pratiques d’animation des relations humaines des dirigeants de TPE dans un éthos méditerranéen
Authors: Frimousse Soufyane
Published: April 2013

La région nord du Maroc évolue avec les effets de la « mondialisation », la montée concomitante de l’individualisme… Toutefois, la dimension communautaire constitue encore le noyau dur de cette région. Les valeurs ne se délitent pas, mais évoluent et se transforment. Cette dimension communautaire et les valeurs qui les accompagnent se transposent-elles dans les pratiques des dirigeants de toutes petites entreprises ? Comment le dirigeant parvient-il à concilier, dans son style d’encadrement et ses pratiques d’animation des relations humaines, le halo de valeurs puisé dans les permanences du passé et les évolutions sociétales ? Comment s’opère la complexe articulation entre l’universel et le contextuel ? Notre contribution s’attache à expliquer comment le fonds culturel est préservé par le dirigeant et pourquoi il a encore un effet social et une signification.
A role for PVRL4-driven cell–cell interactions in tumorigenesis
Authors: Pavlova Natalya N , Pallasch Christian , Elia Andrew EH , Braun Christian J , Westbrook Thomas F , Hemann Michael , Elledge Stephen J
Published: April 2013

During all stages of tumor progression, cancer cells are subjected to inappropriate extracellular matrix environments and must undergo adaptive changes in order to evade growth constraints associated with the loss of matrix attachment. A gain of function screen for genes that enable proliferation independently of matrix anchorage identified a cell adhesion molecule PVRL4 (poliovirus-receptor-like 4), also known as Nectin-4. PVRL4 promotes anchorage-independence by driving cell-to-cell attachment and matrix-independent integrin β4/SHP-2/c-Src activation. Solid tumors frequently have copy number gains of the PVRL4 locus and some have focal amplifications. We demonstrate that the transformation of breast cancer cells is dependent on PVRL4. Furthermore, growth of orthotopically implanted tumors in vivo is inhibited by blocking PVRL4-driven cell-to-cell attachment with monoclonal antibodies, demonstrating a novel strategy for targeted therapy of cancer.
Unmasking the role of mast cells in dengue
Authors: Avirutnan Panisadee , Matangkasombut Ponpan
Published: April 2013

Immune cells called mast cells can hinder rather than help the body's response to dengue virus, which suggests that mast cell products could be used as biomarkers to identify severe forms of the disease.
How Formality Works: The Case of Environmental Professionals
Authors: Mieg Harald A. , De Sombre Steffen , Näf Matthias Andreas
Published: April 2013

This article provides an overview of our research on environmental professionals in Switzerland over the last twenty years. From the beginning, we were interested in studying how formality functions in this field and how abstraction drives jurisdictional change We started with the goal of examining professsionalization, i.e., the question of whether a new environmental profession arises. Our findings suggest this has not yet occurred; instead, we observe increased scientification of the field, underlining the role of science-based formalization (providing social capital in the form of a science-based language). We analyze a survey on environmental professionals and show how abstraction works: reduction and formalization as two distinct forms of abstraction are specifically related to inter- and intra-professional competition.
Smallpox Readiness
Authors: Gostin Lawrence O. , Singaravelu Shalini , Hynes Noreen
Published: July 2024

This Viewpoint highlights the potential for unintentional or deliberate release of variola virus (smallpox), discusses current medical countermeasures for smallpox, and calls for greater flexibility from the US and its partners in developing safe, reliable, affordable, and equitable countermeasures.
A Bio‐Inspired Janus Patch for Treating Abdominal Wall Defects
Authors: Liu Ziting , Liu Jiahui , Bai Yutong , Wu Shuilin , Zhao Jie , Ren Luquan
Published: July 2024

Implantable biomedical patch used in treating abdominal wall defects requires antibacterial, anti‐adhesion, and pro‐healing activities to ensure surgical success and prevent postsurgical complications. However, it often encounters challenges in fulfilling these three critical properties simultaneously, as these processes can always be contradictory during treatment. Herein, to break the barriers between bactericidal activity and cytocompatibility, cell adhesion and anti‐adhesion, a bio‐inspired patch with an asymmetric Janus structure is developed. This bio‐inspired Janus patch features cicada wing‐inspired nanostructures on its top surface, enabling both mechano–bactericidal effects and promotion of fibroblast adhesion and proliferation, which stems from its inherent “selective biocidal activity” toward bacteria and mammalian cells. Subsequently, a poly‐zwitterion layer with robust nonfouling properties is grafted on the bottom surface, realizing cell adhesion and anti‐adhesion on two sides of the same patch. Compared to the commercially available polypropylene (PP) meshes, the top surface of the Janus patch, which faces the abdominal wall, demonstrates superior capabilities in preventing postoperative infection and promoting tissue repair. Simultaneously, the other side facing the viscera efficiently prevents any visceral tissue adhesion. With these prominent performances, the bio‐inspired Janus patch presents a pioneering strategy for designing next‐generation patches to treat abdominal wall defects.
Engineering Collinear Magnetization in Hexagonal LuFeO3 and Magnetoelectric Control of Skyrmions in Hexagonal 2D Epilayers
Authors: Swamynadhan M. J. , O'Hara Andrew , Ghosh Saurabh , Pantelides Sokrates T.
Published: July 2024

Cubic, perovskite‐structure ABO3‐ and A1−xA'xBO3‐type oxides have been investigated extensively while their hexagonal structure versions have not, even though they are multiferroic and can form heterostructures with hexagonal 2D materials. In particular, multiferroic 2D epilayers may lead to strong magnetoelectric coupling. Hexagonal RFeO3 ferrites, where R is a rare‐earth element (Lu, Yb, etc.), are excellent candidates, but their ferromagnetism is weak. In this work, density‐functional‐theory (DFT) calculations are employed and first show that heavy electron doping of hexagonal LuFeO3 (h‐LFO), namely Lu1−xHfxFeO3 (h‐LHFO), leads to spin‐disproportionation of the Fe sublattices and, especially for x = 1/2 and 2/3, to robust, room‐temperature, out‐of‐plane, collinear ferrimagnetism that is stabilized by a Jahn–Teller metal‐to‐insulator transition. h‐LHFO/h‐2D heterostructures are then shown, where h‐2D is the FE/FM monolayer MnSTe, to stabilize skyrmions without an external magnetic field and their chirality is controlled by an external electric field through the h‐LHFO polarization, opening up a new realm for magnetoelectric applications.
Embedded Fluidic Sensing and Control with Soft Open‐Cell Foams
Authors: Rajappan Anoop , Liu Zhen , Yap Te Faye , Rasheed Rawand M. , Preston Daniel J.
Published: July 2024

The synthesis of soft matter intelligence with circuit‐driven logic has enabled a new class of robots that perform complex tasks or conform to specialized form factors in unique ways that cannot be realized through conventional designs. Translating this hybrid approach to fluidic systems, the present work addresses the need for sheet‐based circuit materials by leveraging the innate porosity of foam—a soft material—to develop pneumatic components that support digital logic, mixed‐signal control, and analog force sensing in wearables and soft robots. Analytical tools and experimental techniques developed in this work serve to elucidate compressible gas flow through porous sheets, and to inform the design of centimeter‐sized foam resistors with fluidic resistances on the order of 109 Pa s m−3. When embedded inside soft robots and wearables, these resistors facilitate diverse functionalities spanning both sensing and control domains, including digital logic using textile logic gates, digital‐to‐analog signal conversion using ladder networks, and analog sensing of forces up to 40 N via compression‐induced changes in resistance. By combining features of both circuit‐based and materials‐based approaches, foam‐enabled fluidic circuits serve as a useful paradigm for future hybrid robotic architectures that fully embody the sensing and computing capabilities of soft fluidic materials.
Impact of Defects and Disorder on the Stability of Ta3N5 Photoanodes
Authors: Wolz Lukas M. , Grötzner Gabriel , Rieth Tim , Wagner Laura I. , Kuhl Matthias , Dittloff Johannes , Zhou Guanda , Santra Saswati , Streibel Verena , Munnik Frans , Sharp Ian D. , Eichhorn Johanna
Published: July 2024

The photoelectrochemical performance of Ta3N5 photoanodes is strongly impacted by the presence of shallow and deep defects within the bandgap. However, the role of such states in defining stability under operational conditions is not well understood. Here, a highly controllable synthesis approach is used to create homogenous Ta3N5 thin films with tailored defect concentrations to establish the relationship between atomic‐scale point defects and macroscale stability. Reduced oxygen contents increase long‐range structural order but lead to high concentrations of deep‐level states, while higher oxygen contents result in reduced structural order but beneficially passivate deep‐level defects. Despite the different defect properties, the synthesized photoelectrodes degrade similarly under water oxidation conditions due to the formation of a surface oxide layer that blocks interfacial hole injection and accelerates charge recombination. In contrast, under ferrocyanide oxidation conditions, it is found that Ta3N5 films with high oxygen concentrations exhibit long‐term stability, whereas those possessing lower oxygen contents and higher deep‐level defect concentrations rapidly degrade. These results indicate that deep‐level defects result in rapid trapping of photocarriers and surface oxidation but that shallow oxygen donors can be introduced into Ta3N5 to enable kinetic stabilization of the interface.