bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Signatures of Localized Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma to Predict Disease-Free Survival after Nephrectomy
Authors: Klatte Tobias , Seligson David B. , LaRochelle Jeffrey , Shuch Brian , Said Jonathan W. , Riggs Stephen B. , Zomorodian Nazy , Kabbinavar Fairooz F. , Pantuck Allan J. , Belldegrun Arie S.
Published: March 2009

Purpose: To identify the molecular signature of localized (N0M0) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and assess its ability to predict outcome.

Methods: Clinical characteristics and pathologic records of 170 patients with localized clear cell RCC who underwent nephrectomy were reviewed. Immunohistochemical analysis was done on a tissue microarray of all primary tumors using a kidney cancer–related panel of protein markers, which included CAIX, CAXII, CXCR3, gelsolin, Ki-67, vimentin, EpCAM, p21, p27, p53, pS6, PTEN, HIF-1α, pAkt, VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3. Associations with disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated with Cox models, and a concordance index assessed prognostic accuracy.

Results: Median follow-up was 7.1 years. The final multivariate Cox model determined T classification, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and five molecular markers (Ki-67, p53, endothelial VEGFR-1, epithelial VEGFR-1, and epithelial VEGF-D) to be independent prognostic indicators of DFS. The molecular signature based on these markers predicted DFS with an accuracy of 0.838, an improvement over T classification of 0.746, and the University of California-Los Angeles Integrated Staging System of 0.780. A constructed nomogram combined the molecular, clinical, and pathologic factors and approached a concordance index of 0.904.

Conclusions: A molecular signature consisting of five molecular markers (Ki-67, p53, endothelial VEGFR-1, epithelial VEGFR-1, and epithelial VEGF-D) can predict DFS for localized clear cell RCC. The prognostic ability of the signature and nomogram may be superior to clinical and pathologic factors alone and may identify a subset of localized patients with aggressive clinical behavior. Independent, external validation of the nomogram is required. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(3):894–900)
Alcohol Intake and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Pooled Analysis of Fourteen Cohort Studies
Authors: Genkinger Jeanine M. , Spiegelman Donna , Anderson Kristin E. , Bergkvist Leif , Bernstein Leslie , van den Brandt Piet A. , English Dallas R. , Freudenheim Jo L. , Fuchs Charles S. , Giles Graham G. , Giovannucci Edward , Hankinson Susan E. , Horn-Ross Pamela L. , Leitzmann Michael , Männistö Satu , Marshall James R. , McCullough Marjorie L. , Miller Anthony B. , Reding Douglas J. , Robien Kim , Rohan Thomas E. , Schatzkin Arthur , Stevens Victoria L. , Stolzenberg-Solomon Rachael Z. , Verhage Bas A.J. , Wolk Alicja , Ziegler Regina G. , Smith-Warner Stephanie A.
Published: March 2009

Background: Few risk factors have been implicated in pancreatic cancer etiology. Alcohol has been theorized to promote carcinogenesis. However, epidemiologic studies have reported inconsistent results relating alcohol intake to pancreatic cancer risk.

Methods: We conducted a pooled analysis of the primary data from 14 prospective cohort studies. The study sample consisted of 862,664 individuals among whom 2,187 incident pancreatic cancer cases were identified. Study-specific relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models and then pooled using a random effects model.

Results: A slight positive association with pancreatic cancer risk was observed for alcohol intake (pooled multivariate relative risk, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.45 comparing ≥30 to 0 grams/day of alcohol; P value, test for between-studies heterogeneity = 0.80). For this comparison, the positive association was only statistically significant among women although the difference in the results by gender was not statistically significant (P value, test for interaction = 0.19). Slightly stronger results for alcohol intake were observed when we limited the analysis to cases with adenocarcinomas of the pancreas. No statistically significant associations were observed for alcohol from wine, beer, and spirits comparing intakes of ≥5 to 0 grams/day. A stronger positive association between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk was observed among normal weight individuals compared with overweight and obese individuals (P value, test for interaction = 0.01).

Discussion: Our findings are consistent with a modest increase in risk of pancreatic cancer with consumption of 30 or more grams of alcohol per day. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(3):765–76)
Rising Thyroid Cancer Incidence in the United States by Demographic and Tumor Characteristics, 1980-2005
Authors: Enewold Lindsey , Zhu Kangmin , Ron Elaine , Marrogi Aizen J. , Stojadinovic Alexander , Peoples George E. , Devesa Susan S.
Published: March 2009

Thyroid cancer incidence has been rising in the United States, and this trend has often been attributed to heightened medical surveillance and the use of improved diagnostics. Thyroid cancer incidence varies by sex and race/ethnicity, and these factors also influence access to and utilization of healthcare. We therefore examined thyroid cancer incidence rates by demographic and tumor characteristics based on 48,403 thyroid cancer patients diagnosed during 1980–2005 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute. The rates varied by histologic type, sex, and race/ethnicity. Papillary carcinoma was the only histologic type for which incidence rates increased consistently among all racial/ethnic groups. Subsequent analyses focused on the 39,706 papillary thyroid cancers diagnosed during this period. Papillary carcinoma rates increased most rapidly among females. Between 1992–1995 and 2003–2005, they increased nearly 100% among White non-Hispanics and Black females but only 20% to 50% among White Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Black males. The increases were most rapid for localized stage and small tumors; however, rates also increased for large tumors and tumors of regional and distant stage. Since 1992–1995, half the overall increase in papillary carcinoma rates was due to increasing rates of very small (≤1.0 cm) cancers, 30% to cancers 1.1 to 2 cm, and 20% to cancers >2 cm. Among White females, the rate of increase for cancers >5 cm almost equaled that for the smallest cancers. Medical surveillance and more sensitive diagnostic procedures cannot completely explain the observed increases in papillary thyroid cancer rates. Thus, other possible explanations should be explored. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(3):784–91)
Placental Weight and Breast Cancer Survival in Young Women
Authors: Larfors Gunnar , Lambert Paul C. , Lambe Mats , Ekbom Anders , Cnattingius Sven
Published: March 2009

A growing body of evidence indicates that reproductive history influences survival in breast cancer, especially among women diagnosed during or shortly after a pregnancy. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that increasing placental weight, as an indirect marker of exposure to elevated hormone levels during pregnancy, would be associated with reduced survival in breast cancer. A cohort of 1873 women with at least one pregnancy after January 1st, 1973, and a subsequent breast cancer diagnosis before the end of 1991 were followed up for death or emigration through 2006. Information on placental weight and potential confounding factors were collected from medical records and from nationwide registers, which resulted in data on placental weight in the most recent pregnancy before diagnosis for 1,057 cases. For each 100-gram increase in placental weight, the adjusted hazard ratio of death was 1.09 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99-1.19]. The association was stronger among primiparous women (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.09-1.47), and among women diagnosed during pregnancy or within 2 years from last birth (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.06-1.59). Increasing placental weight is associated with reduced breast cancer survival. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the reduced survival in breast cancer among women with a recent childbirth is linked to pregnancy hormone exposure. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(3):777–83)
Control Selection Options for Genome-Wide Association Studies in Cohorts
Authors: Wacholder Sholom , Rotunno Melissa
Published: March 2009

Investigators planning studies within cohorts have many options for choosing an efficient sampling design for genome-wide association and other molecular epidemiology studies. Consideration of person-year and proportional hazards analyses of full cohorts may add further insight into ramifications of different designs. Empirical evidence from genome-wide association studies can supplement intuition and simulations in comparing properties of various case-control designs within cohorts. Additional theoretical and empirical work, justification of sampling choice in publications, and consideration of context and scientific aims can improve designs and, thereby, increase the scientific value and cost effectiveness of future studies. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(3):695–7)
Funding Opportunities for Investigators in the Early Stages of Career Development
Authors: Sumandea C. Amelia , Balke C. William
Published: March 2009

Many sources of advice and guidance are available to the early career investigator. Generally, mentors serve as the primary source of information, although program and review officers are the most underutilized resources. This article organizes these opportunities to enable early career investigators to plot a rational trajectory for career success. A list of the major agencies that provide grant support for early career investigators is included. In addition, funding opportunities are organized on the basis of the stage in career development pathway and the type of terminal degree.
Adjunctive Thrombectomy and Distal Protection in Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Srinivasan Manivannan , Rihal Charanjit , Holmes David R. , Prasad Abhiram
Published: March 2009

A significant proportion of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction have persistent impairment of microvascular blood flow despite successful reperfusion of epicardial vessels. Microvascular dysfunction has been associated with larger infarct size, increased predisposition to ventricular arrhythmias, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, recurrent myocardial infarction, and death. It remains unclear whether this association is of direct mechanistic significance or whether the microcirculatory injury is an epiphenomenon and a manifestation of greater ischemic insult to the myocardium. Although several potential mechanisms have been proposed for the microvascular dysfunction, distal microembolization during mechanical reperfusion is likely to be an important contributor. Consequently, there has been increasing interest in the concept of adjunctive mechanical thrombectomy to improve outcomes in primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Until recently, randomized trials of thrombectomy and distal protection devices during primary percutaneous coronary intervention have provided conflicting results with no definitive evidence for efficacy. The recently published Thrombus Aspiration During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Myocardial Infarction Study has rekindled the interest in this area. This trial is the largest randomized study of a thrombectomy device published to date and demonstrates that adjunctive treatment with aspiration thrombectomy during primary percutaneous coronary intervention improves surrogate and clinical end points. The aim of the present report is to review the evidence to date on the role of mechanical thrombectomy and embolic protection in native coronary arteries during primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
Cardiac Myosin-Binding Protein C Mutations and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: van Dijk Sabine J. , Dooijes Dennis , dos Remedios Cris , Michels Michelle , Lamers Jos M.J. , Winegrad Saul , Schlossarek Saskia , Carrier Lucie , ten Cate Folkert J. , Stienen Ger J.M. , van der Velden Jolanda
Published: March 2009

Background—

Mutations in the
MYBPC3
gene, encoding cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C), are a frequent cause of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In the present study, we investigated whether protein composition and function of the sarcomere are altered in a homogeneous familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patient group with frameshift mutations in
MYBPC3
(MYBPC3
mut
).

Methods and Results—

Comparisons were made between cardiac samples from
MYBPC3
mutant carriers (c.2373dupG, n=7; c.2864_2865delCT, n=4) and nonfailing donors (n=13). Western blots with the use of antibodies directed against cMyBP-C did not reveal truncated cMyBP-C in MYBPC3
mut
. Protein expression of cMyBP-C was significantly reduced in MYBPC3
mut
by 33±5%. Cardiac MyBP-C phosphorylation in MYBPC3
mut
samples was similar to the values in donor samples, whereas the phosphorylation status of cardiac troponin I was reduced by 84±5%, indicating divergent phosphorylation of the 2 main contractile target proteins of the β-adrenergic pathway. Force measurements in mechanically isolated Triton-permeabilized cardiomyocytes demonstrated a decrease in maximal force per cross-sectional area of the myocytes in MYBPC3
mut
(20.2±2.7 kN/m
2
) compared with donor (34.5±1.1 kN/m
2
). Moreover, Ca
2+
sensitivity was higher in MYBPC3
mut
(pCa
50
=5.62±0.04) than in donor (pCa
50
=5.54±0.02), consistent with reduced cardiac troponin I phosphorylation. Treatment with exogenous protein kinase A, to mimic β-adrenergic stimulation, did not correct reduced maximal force but abolished the initial difference in Ca
2+
sensitivity between MYBPC3
mut
(pCa
50
=5.46±0.03) and donor (pCa
50
=5.48±0.02).

Conclusions—

Frameshift
MYBPC3
mutations cause haploinsufficiency, deranged phosphorylation of contractile proteins, and reduced maximal force-generating capacity of cardiomyocytes. The enhanced Ca
2+
sensitivity in MYBPC3
mut
is due to hypophosphorylation of troponin I secondary to mutation-induced dysfunction.
Vascular-Protective Effects of High-Density Lipoprotein Include the Downregulation of the Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor
Authors: Van Linthout Sophie , Spillmann Frank , Lorenz Mario , Meloni Marco , Jacobs Frank , Egorova Marina , Stangl Verena , De Geest Bart , Schultheiss Heinz-Peter , Tschöpe Carsten
Published: March 2009

There is growing evidence that a cross-talk exists between the renin-angiotensin (Ang) system and lipoproteins. We investigated the role of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) on Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) regulation and subsequent Ang II–mediated signaling under diabetic conditions. To investigate the effect of HDL on AT1R expression in vivo, apolipoprotein A-I gene transfer was performed 5 days after streptozotocin injection. Six weeks after apolipoprotein A-I gene transfer, the 1.9-fold (
P
=0.001) increase of HDL cholesterol was associated with a 4.7-fold (
P
<0.05) reduction in diabetes mellitus–induced aortic AT1R expression. Concomitantly, NAD(P)H oxidase activity,
Nox 4
, and

p22
phox

mRNA expression were reduced 2.6-fold, 2.0-fold, and 1.5-fold (
P
<0.05), respectively, whereas endothelial NO synthase dimerization was increased 3.3-fold (
P
<0.005). Apolipoprotein A-I transfer improved NO bioavailability as indicated by ameliorated acetylcholine-dependent vasodilation in the streptozotocin-
Ad.hapoA-I
group compared with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. In vitro, HDL reduced the hyperglycemia-induced upregulation of the AT1R in human aortic endothelial cells. This was associated with a 1.3-fold and 2.2-fold decreases in reactive oxygen species and NAD(P)H oxidase activity, respectively (
P
<0.05). Finally, HDL reduced the responsiveness to Ang II, as indicated by decreased oxidative stress in the hyperglycemia+HDL+Ang II group compared with the hyperglycemia+Ang II group. In conclusion, vascular-protective effects of HDL include the downregulation of the AT1R.
First-Trimester Prediction of Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy
Authors: Poon Leona C.Y. , Kametas Nikos A. , Maiz Nerea , Akolekar Ranjit , Nicolaides Kypros H.
Published: March 2009

This study aimed to establish a method of screening for pregnancy hypertension by a combination of maternal variables, including mean arterial pressure, uterine artery pulsatility index, pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A, and placental growth factor in early pregnancy. The base-cohort population constituted of 7797 singleton pregnancies, including 34 case subjects who developed preeclampsia (PE) requiring delivery before 34 weeks (early PE) and 123 with late PE, 136 with gestational hypertension, and 7504 cases subjects (96.3%) who were unaffected by PE or gestational hypertension. Maternal history, uterine artery pulsatility index, mean arterial pressure, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A were recorded in all of the cases in the base cohort, but placental growth factor was measured only in the case-control population of 209 cases who developed hypertensive disorders and 418 controls. In each case the measured mean arterial pressure, uterine artery pulsatility index, pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A, and placental growth factor were converted to a multiple of the expected median (MoM) after correction for maternal characteristics found to affect the measurements in the unaffected group. Early PE and late PE were associated with increased mean arterial pressure (1.15 MoM and 1.08 MoM) and uterine artery pulsatility index (1.53 MoM and 1.23 MoM) and decreased pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (0.53 MoM and 0.93 MoM) and placental growth factor (0.61 MoM and 0.83 MoM). Logistic regression analysis was used to derive algorithms for the prediction of hypertensive disorders. It was estimated that, with the algorithm for early PE, 93.1%, 35.7%, and 18.3% of early PE, late PE, and gestational hypertension, respectively, could be detected with a 5% false-positive rate and that 1 in 5 pregnancies classified as being screen positive would develop pregnancy hypertension. This method of screening is far superior to the traditional approach, which relies entirely on maternal history.
Prolonged Activation of the Baroreflex Decreases Arterial Pressure Even During Chronic Adrenergic Blockade
Authors: Lohmeier Thomas E. , Hildebrandt Drew A. , Dwyer Terry M. , Iliescu Radu , Irwin Eric D. , Cates Adam W. , Rossing Martin A.
Published: March 2009

Previous studies suggest that prolonged electric activation of the baroreflex may reduce arterial pressure more than chronic blockade of α
1
- and β
1,2
-adrenergic receptors. To determine whether central inhibition of sympathetic outflow has appreciable effects to chronically reduce arterial pressure by actions distinct from well-established mechanisms, we hypothesized that chronic baroreflex activation would lower arterial pressure substantially even during complete α
1
- and β
1,2
-adrenergic receptor blockade. This hypothesis was tested in 6 dogs during adrenergic blockade (AB; 18 days) with and without electric activation of the carotid baroreflex (7 days). During chronic AB alone, there was a sustained decrease in the mean arterial pressure of 21±2 mm Hg (control: 95±4 mm Hg) and an ≈3-fold increase in plasma norepinephrine concentration (control: 138±6 pg/mL), likely attributed to baroreceptor unloading. In comparison, during AB plus prolonged baroreflex activation, plasma norepinephrine concentration decreased to control levels, and mean arterial pressure fell an additional 10±1 mm Hg. Because of differences in plasma norepinephrine concentration, we also tested the acute blood pressure–lowering effects of MK-467, a peripherally acting α
2
-antagonist. After administration of MK-467, there was a significantly greater fall in arterial pressure during AB (15±3 mm Hg) than during AB plus prolonged baroreflex activation (7±3 mm Hg). These findings suggest that reflex-induced increases in sympathetic activity attenuate reductions in arterial pressure during chronic AB and that inhibition of central sympathetic outflow by prolonged baroreflex activation lowers arterial pressure further by previously undefined mechanisms, possibly by diminishing attendant activation of postjunctional α
2
-adrenergic receptors.
Public service motivation and job performance of public sector employees in the Netherlands
Authors: Leisink Peter , Steijn Bram
Published: March 2009

This article contributes in three ways to our understanding of public service motivation (PSM) and its effects. In the first place, it applies an abridged version of Perry's measurement scale in the Dutch public sector. Although the results of the analysis show that PSM is a valid concept in this context, doubts arise as to whether one should use the same four dimensions as in the USA. Second, the analysis shows that — contrary to expectations — PSM is of equal importance in the segments of the Dutch public sector that were investigated. Third, the effect of PSM on three performance-related behavioural outcome variables (commitment, willingness to exert effort and perceived job performance) is analysed. In addition to PSM, a measurement of PSM fit is included. The hypothesis that PSM fit mediates the relationship between PSM and the outcome variables is rejected. In practice, it appears that both PSM and PSM fit have independent effects on these outcome variables.

Points for practitioners Public organizations have to attract people who are motivated to work for the sector. In the Netherlands, the Ministry of the Interior is running a recruitment campaign to achieve this. This article shows the value of this strategy as workers with such a motivation (`public service motivation' or PSM) are more committed to the organization, more willing to exert effort and have a higher perception of their performance. Probably this will reflect in better public service delivery. However, the article also shows that recruiting PSM-oriented workers is not enough. It is also important that workers will be able to really `use' their PSM in their work. If not, they will become frustrated, which in the end will have adverse effects for the quality of public service delivery.
Anticorruption effects of information communication and technology (ICT) and social capital
Authors: Dong Chul Shim  , Tae Ho Eom
Published: March 2009

This article examines the argument that Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and social capital serve as major factors to reduce corruption. ICT has the potential to reduce unnecessary human intervention in government work processes, thus reducing the need to monitor corrupt behavior. Furthermore, citizens living in a society with a high level of social capital are more likely to become actively involved in the political decision-making process, increasing the likelihood that public employees' corrupt behaviors will be exposed to the densely connected public. We also examined the relationship between social capital and ICT. Our statistical analysis, which used panels of datasets obtained from various sources, revealed that (1) ICT is an effective tool for reducing corruption; (2) social capital also has positive effects on anti-corruption, but various dimensions of social capital may have different impacts; and (3) the relationship between social capital and ICT is inconclusive.

Points for practitioners The theoretical model and empirical results of this article shed light on the potential impacts of ICT on corruption, thereby providing practitioners with the opportunity to consider ICT as a useful and practical policy tool for reducing corruption in addition to traditional methods, i.e. administrative reform and law enforcement. Further, although our research findings on the relationship between ICT and social capital were inconclusive, social capital was found to have anticorruption effects independent of ICT, which implies that policies designed to foster trust networks in a society can contribute to the reduction of corruption.
Governmental financial transparency in MERCOSUR member countries
Authors: Caba Pérez Carmen , López-Hernández Antonio Manuel
Published: March 2009

In the last century, the MERCOSUR member countries have carried out reforms aimed at achieving better public financial information for governmental decision-taking. Important changes are currently taking place on the international public accounting scene, and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has published International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), by which it seeks to ensure that governmental financial reports include financial information of sufficient quality to support decision-making by different users, and at the same time to improve the comparability of the financial information presented by public sector bodies throughout the world. In this article, we examine the consistency of the information included by MERCOSUR member countries in their current year-end governmental public financial reports with the public financial reporting practices recommended by IFAC, in order to determine whether further efforts are needed to improve transparency and comparability.

Points for practitioners The article may help government practitioners in MERCOSUR countries to become aware of the divergences which exist regarding the governmental financial information offered by each of the countries in MERCOSUR. Moreover, it could help to set up a common project of account reform which would take IPSAS as its model. This unified framework for accounting policies would increase the coherence of financial information and would establish a common measurement basis to assess the financial results of all of the MERCOSUR countries.
The English Language Curriculum for Senior Secondary School in China
Authors: Wenfeng Wang  , Lam Agnes S.L.
Published: March 2009

■ This article traces the evolution of the English language curriculum for senior secondary school in China from 1949 against the background of national developments in China. The latest English language curriculum (2003) is then introduced and discussed in comparison with the 1993 syllabus. The comparison suggests that the 2003 curriculum recognizes the humanistic value of English as a foreign language in fostering students' cognitive and personal growth beyond its traditional instrumental value in providing access to scientific knowledge and economic development. This calls for a concomitant fundamental change in teachers with its associated difficulties for teachers in curricular implementation and the need for new teacher development programmes.
Beauty and Simplicity: the Power of Fine Art in Moral Teaching On Education in Seventeenth-Century Holland
Authors: Dekker Jeroen J. H.
Published: March 2009

Seventeenth century Dutch genre painting played a major role in the promotion of the pursuit of family and educational virtues. Packing moralistic messages in fine paintings was considered as a very effective moralistic communication policy in a culture in which sending such moralising messages was very popular. The flourishing art market supplied great numbers of moralising paintings and drawings on education and domestic virtues, so contributing to the reconciliation of the existing tensions, or, in the words of Simon Schama, embarrassment between beauty and the promoted virtues of frugality and simplicity. A broad middle class created its own private surrounding in which morality and enjoying the beauty of moralising on the family and parenting went together, as is made clear by the analysis of a series of representative images. Dutch parents, moralists, and painters knew the power of beauty in moralising on the family.
In Vivo Evaluation of ß-TCP Containing 3D Laser Sintered Poly(ether ether ketone) Composites in Pigs
Authors: Von Wilmonsky Cornelius , Lutz Rainer , Meisel Ulf , Srour Safwan , Rupprecht Stephan , Toyoshima Takeshi , Nkenke Emeka , Schlegel Karl Andreas , Pohle Dirk , Münstedt Helmut , Rechtenwald Thomas , Schmidt Michael
Published: March 2009

The aim of this study was to produce an individually shaped medical implant from a 3D database and to evaluate the biological behavior of a laser sintered poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) implant with incorporated osteoconductive bone materials in porcine bone defects. Laser sintered PEEK samples containing ß-tricalciumphosphate (ß-TCP) were implanted into critical size defects in the frontal skull of ten pigs. Compression moulded pure PEEK was used as a reference material. The bone-implant interface was histomorphometrically analysed after 6, 12, and 24 weeks. Histomorphometrical evaluations after 24 weeks revealed that the superficially located ß-TCP was in contact with the surrounding bone, whereas the other groups were fibrous encapsulated. Interfacial shear strength was significantly higher for the ß-TCP containing group in comparison to the compression moulded PEEK group (p = 0.004) and the laser sintered PEEK group. The laser sintered PEEK implants seem to be attractive as bone substitutes for reconstructive surgery due to their individually constructed 3D shape and biocompatibility.
Endothelial Cell and Platelet Behavior on Titanium Modified with a Mutilayer of Polyelectrolytes
Authors: Li Quan-Li , Nan Huang  , Jialong Chen  , Cheng Chen  , Junying Chen  , Hui Chen
Published: March 2009

Endothelial cell seeding, a promising method for improving the performance of vascular grafts, often requires immobilizing biological molecules on the surface of the substrate material. In this study, chitosan (CS) and sulfated chitosan (SCS) multilayers were coated on pure titanium using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The CS—SCS multilayer growth was carried out by first depositing a single layer of positively charged poly(L-lysine) (PLL) on the NaOHtreated titanium substrate, followed by alternate deposition of negatively charged SCS and positively charged CS, and terminated by an outermost layer of SCS. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and endothelial cells were seeded on NaOH treated titanium and CS—SCS coated titanium samples, respectively, to evaluate the adhesion and activation of platelets and the behavior of endothelial cells in vitro. The multilayer processed surfaces displayed reduced platelet adhesion and activation, and promoted endothelial cell attachment and growth in vitro. This approach may be used for the fabrication of titanium-based vascular implant surfaces for endothelial promotion.
Career plans and aspirations of recent black and minority ethnic business graduates
Authors: Kirton Gill
Published: March 2009

While existing data now provides a fairly detailed picture of the state of the graduate labour market, less is known about the career aspirations of graduates, how and why they make the decisions they do. Based on qualitative interviews with black and minority ethnic business graduates, the article investigates the subjective dimensions of the early formation of careers.This approach opens the way for exploring the influence of `race'/ethnicity and to do so, the article employs Jenkins' (2004) sociological framework for conceptualizing identity focusing on how identity works in everyday life through three distinct `orders' — the individual, interaction and institutional. The article argues that career plans and aspirations, while not simply reflective of or determined by `race'/ethnicity, are formulated in the light of self-concepts of ethnicity that interact dialectically with awareness of a racialized, discriminatory labour market.
Stuck in the middle with who? The class identity of knowledge workers
Authors: Marks Abigail , Baldry Chris
Published: March 2009

The coming of the information age has been associated with widespread social transformation and new, or dissolved, class structures. Central to this claim is the emergence of `knowledge workers' including information technology professionals. While previous discussion has focused on the paradox faced by IT workers as both professionals and employees, this article, using empirical data from five software organizations in Scotland, examines their perceptions of class structure and their own class position. It finds that participants clearly retained varying class models of society but expressed conflict between their own self-rated class identity and that which they awarded to their occupation and profession.
Serum and BAL cytokine and antioxidant enzyme levels at different stages of pneumoconiosis in coal workers
Authors: Ulker OC , Yucesoy B , Demir O , Tekin IO , Karakaya A
Published: March 2009

Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) is an occupational pulmonary disease that occurs by chronic inhalation of coal dust. CWP is divided into two stages depending on the extent of the disease, as simple pneumoconiosis (SP) and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). In the present study, serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytokine (interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], transforming growth factor-β [TGF-β]) and antioxidant enzymes levels, their relation with the disease severity, and whether they can be considered as biological markers were investigated. Serum and BAL levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were higher in SP and PMF patient groups compared with that in active and retired miner groups. Serum and BAL IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were also found to be higher in patients with PMF compared with the SP group. BAL superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase levels and serum SOD level were increased in both patient groups compared with the control group. In addition, mean serum and BAL TGF-β levels were found to be increased in patients with SP compared with PMF group. Based on these results, BAL and serum cytokine and antioxidant enzymes levels were evaluated and discussed as potential biomarkers for different stages of CWP.
Enzymuria determination in children treated with aminoglycosides drugs
Authors: Mohammadi-Karakani A , Asgharzadeh-Haghighi S , Ghazi-Khansari M , Seyed-Ebrahimi A , Ghasemi A , Jabari E
Published: March 2009

Although aminoglycosides antibiotics are used in children and adult commonly, they have serious side effects such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. In clinical practice, for renal function, the levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen routinely are measured. Since these parameters have limitations such as unreliability, insensitivity, and nonspecificity, the rapid assessment of renal function based on these patients is very important. Increase in N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), a hydrolytic lysosomal enzyme, suggests proximal tubular cell damage. In this study, 32 children aged 2 months through 2 years, treated with gentamicin and amikacin for suspected infections at the pediatric ward of Alborz hospital from September 2006 to February 2007, were enrolled. Serum and fresh urine before and after drug infusion were obtained on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th days of antibiotic treatment. Serum urea and creatinine with urinary creatinine, albumin, NAG, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity were then determined. A statistically significant increase in urinary NAG, LDH, and AP on 5th day was found compared with before gentamicin administration ( P < 0.001, P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively). The urinary NAG activity may be a useful indicator of renal injury in children treated with aminoglycosides drugs compared with other routine clinical indicators.
H2 Control of Large Segmented Telescopes
Authors: Shengxiang Jiang  , Voulgaris Petros G. , Holloway Leland E. , Thompson Laird A.
Published: March 2009

In this paper we conduct a preliminary study of control of the primary mirror of a large segmented telescope, i.e. aligning the segments to form a paraboloid. This work is motivated by the need of astronomers to study faint objects and to reach the highest possible angular resolution. First, we present background information about large segmented telescopes and our collaborative research program on large telescopes. Second, we formulate a model of the primary mirror system in state space. Third, we design a centralized controller using H2 methods for a seven-segment system which establishes the best possible performance characteristics for the laboratory-type of unit that we plan to build. Simulation results are displayed. Finally, we apply spatially-invariant distributed control techniques to an infinite segmented system that approximates a large mirror. Through the H2 norm, we calculate upper bounds for the relative displacements between adjacent segments with either a spatially-invariant infinite controller or a truncated local controller. Simulation results are also presented with a truncated local controller applied to a 19-segment system. In all cases, the results indicate that the required mirror-to-mirror surface position accuracy of 10-8 m can be achieved.
Orthogonal Eigenstructure Control with Non-collocated Actuators and Sensors
Authors: Rastgaar M.A. , Ahmadian M. , Southward S.C.
Published: March 2009

An orthogonal eigenstructure control method with collocated actuators and sensors was recently developed by the authors. In this paper the application of the method is extended beyond the collocation of the actuators and sensors, including the cases that different numbers of actuators and sensors are used. Orthogonal eigenstructure control is an output feedback control for multi-input multi-output linear systems. This method uses singular value decomposition to find the matrix that spans the null space of the closed-loop eigenvectors. This method regenerates the open-loop system while simultaneously determines a set of eigenvectors that are orthogonal to the open-loop eigenvectors. This method does not attempt to place the eigenvalues of the closed-loop system, nor does it require defining a set of closed-loop eigenvectors. The closed-loop eigenvectors will be within the achievable eigenvector set and the closed-loop poles will be consistent with them. As a result, no extra constraints have been imposed to the system trying to place the closed-loop poles at certain locations such that excessive force in actuators is prevented. Since there are usually some limitations on the location of the actuators and sensors, collocation of actuators and sensors is not always possible. Also, some systems might not have equal number of actuators and sensors. The proposed method in this paper is based on adding virtual actuators and sensors to the closed-loop system in order to extend the application of the orthogonal eigenstructure control to the systems with non-collocated actuators and sensors as well as the systems with different numbers of actuators and sensors.
The First Passage Failure of SDOF Strongly Nonlinear Stochastic System with Fractional Derivative Damping
Authors: Chen L.C. , Zhu W.Q.
Published: March 2009

The first passage failure of single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) strongly nonlinear stochastic system with fractional derivative damping is studied. The stochastic averaging method for SDOF strongly nonlinear stochastic system with fractional derivative damping under white noise excitations using the generalized harmonic function is introduced. The averaged Itô equation for Hamiltonian is obtained by using the stochastic averaging method. Then, a backward Kolmogorov equation governing the conditional reliability function and a Pontryagin equation governing the mean of the first passage time are established. The conditional reliability function, and the conditional probability density and mean first passage time are obtained from solving these equations together with suitable initial condition and boundary conditions. Finally, two examples are worked out in detail and the solutions are confirmed by using Monte Carlo simulation of original systems.
`Flagging' the Skin: Corporeal Nationalism and the Properties of Belonging
Authors: Grabham Emily
Published: March 2009

Just as the nation is imagined and produced through everyday rhetoric and maps and flags, it is also constructed on the skin, and through bodies, by different types of corporeal `flagging'. In this article, I use two examples of contemporary surgical procedures to explore these dynamics. Aesthetic surgeries on `white' subjects are not often interrogated for their racializing effects, but I use the concept of `flagging' to explore how these surgeries work in the UK to align `white' bodies with a white nation. US media coverage of Iraq invasion veterans with prosthetic limbs circulates narratives of heroism and patriotism, and I explore how the apparent `visibility' of these limbs works to re-embed notions of the US as a transcendent Christian nation. In these two examples of corporeal modification, the nation is `flagged' on the skin, reiterating relationships of belonging that echo practical and conceptual links with property. Propertied belonging — possessive and constitutive — unfolds through bodies, producing whiteness not only as property itself, but also as unmarked, habitual terrain.
An impossible future: John Perry Barlow's 'Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace'
Authors: Morrison Aimée Hope
Published: March 2009

John Perry Barlow's 'Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace' narrates a world in which revolutionary politics are assumed to be immanent in the machines that structure and enable networked communication. Attention to the rhetorical strategies of the piece reveals a wealth of contradictions and misdirection: newness is rooted in history; revolution is effected by commercial transaction; and liberal democracy becomes libertarianism. The ways in which the Declaration establishes and resolves narrative conflict promote an 'impossible future' that is blind both to the history of the underlying technologies and to the American revolutionary politics on which it claims to base itself. Barlow's project would have been served better by a more pragmatic intervention into real-world processes.Ten years after its original publication, the Declaration is both widely reprinted and increasingly mocked: its language has become commonplace and its idealism has come to seem absurd.
This body which is not mine
Authors: Coy Maddy
Published: March 2009

This paper explores women's accounts of prostitution in terms of the lived experience of the body, drawing on life story narratives and arts images created by women in the sex industry. These narratives show that women's experiences of prostitution constitute a spectrum of (dis)embodiment that is inflected, not determined, by settings and contexts. Theoretical approaches to embodiment were sought that acknowledged tensions between violation and a sense of empowerment. Therefore, the ontology of selling sex, and associated experiences such as violence, drug use and self-harm are explored using feminist applications of Merleau-Ponty's notion of the `habit body'. A key focus is how the body is constituted by embodied experiences of abuse (e.g. the work of Parkins and of Weiss), and how women negotiate ownership of the body within commercial sex transactions. This highlights the process of repositioning the body by selling sex, in accordance with the accumulated experiences of the habit body. Thus, to borrow from Wendy Parkins, women perceive that they are acting meaningfully through the body, even when reproducing dynamics of objectification and dissociation.
In the tomb of Tutankhamun
Authors: Grimaud Emmanuel
Published: March 2009

The rooms devoted to the tomb of Tutankhamun inside the Egyptian Art Museum in Cairo are an exemplary laboratory in which to observe a wide range of relationships visitors have with artifacts: from the most expeditious visit to the most meticulous investigation. This article shows how the funerary furniture of the Pharaoh has been carefully cultivated as a mystery to be deciphered and how from its excavation by Howard Carter to its display inside the museum, the enigma of Tutankhamun has taken unexpected forms, giving us a remarkable opportunity to think about the anthropological implications of assisted curiosity.
Speculators and santuristas
Authors: Argyriadis Kali
Published: March 2009

Within the last ten years, cultural tourisn based mainly on Afro-Cuban folklore has grown considerably in Havana. At the same time, an increasing number of foreigners are visiting the island in order to learn about religions such as santería and palo monte, both considered as having their roots in Africa. In the economical crisis facing Cuba today, religíon has become one of the most efficient way to improve one's economical situation. This fact is discussed and criticized at various levels of Cuban society. This article analyses this phenomenon, considering criticisms of mercantilism as an ambigous `category of accusation' typical of the exchanges between practitioners and of the social relations on the island in general. Based on ethnographic researches conducted in Havana, this article also addresses the classical distinction between sacred and profane. Distinctions between cultural, artistic, religious, political, emotional and economical dimensions is also discussed. We will see that those dimensions are always manifest and connected together in touristic shows as well as in religious ceremonies.
Transmission illuminance proxy HDR imaging: A new technique to quantify luminous flux
Authors: Mardaljevic J. , Painter B. , Andersen M.
Published: March 2009

A technique to measure arbitrarily complex luminous fluxes across large areas is presented. The technique is founded on high-dynamic range (HDR) imaging technology and can be achieved using a standard consumer digital camera and everyday materials such as printer-grade white paper. The same approach can also be used to determine the direct and diffuse components of illuminance. The technique has been named transmission illuminance proxy - high dynamic range imaging or TIP-HDRI.
sPECAM-1 and sVCAM-1: role in pathogenesis and diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C and association with response to antiviral therapy
Authors: Kukla Michal , Zwirska-Korczala Krystyna , Gabriel Andrzej , Janczewska-Kazek Ewa , Berdowska Agnieszka , Wiczkowski Andrzej , Rybus-Kalinowska Barbara , Kalinowski Mariusz , Ziolkowski Adam , Wozniak-Grygiel Elzbieta , Waluga Marek , Nowak Blazej
Published: March 2009

Aim: To analyze the relationship between pretreatment clinical or histological features and the levels of soluble platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (sPECAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), to determine their serum concentration in responders and nonresponders, to evaluate the behavior under antiviral therapy, to explain their relationship in response to therapy and to assess the association between these two molecules in chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Methods: The study analyzed 65 CHC patients, including 50 patients (Group 1) with marked fibrosis treated with peginterferon plus ribavirin, 15 patients without fibrosis (Group 2) and 13 healthy volunteers (the control group, Group 3). sPECAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels were assessed by an immunoenzymatic method (ELISA) before and after therapy.

Results: sVCAM-1 and sPECAM-1 serum concentrations increased significantly in CHC patients (p<0.001). sPECAM-1 levels corresponded to inflammatory grade (p = 0.03) and fibrosis stage (p = 0.01). sVCAM-1 increased only in advanced fibrosis. After therapy, sPECAM-1 levels decreased significantly (p<0.001) with no difference between responders and nonresponders. sPECAM-1 correlated positively with inflammatory activity (p = 0.02), fibrosis stage (p<0.001), sVCAM-1 (r = 0.56, p<0.001) and alanine aminotransferase activity (r = 0.30, p = 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a good discriminant power of serum sPECAM-1 concentrations for detection of liver fibrosis — stage 0 versus stage 1—3, AUC 0.81; cut-off 221.0 ng/ml and a fair discriminant power for distinguishing bridging fibrosis, AUC 0.78; cut-off 237.1 ng/ml.

Conclusions: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in upregulation of sPECAM-1 and sVCAM-1. sPECAM-1 levels are related to necroinflammatory activity and may also identify patients with advanced fibrosis. The sPECAM-1 value was decreased by therapy but its measurement cannot predict therapy outcome and confirm HCV persistence. sPECAM-1 may influence VCAM-1 expression.