bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Vellenga Edo , van Putten Wim , Ossenkoppele Gert J. , Verdonck Leo F. , Theobald Matthias , Cornelissen Jan J. , Huijgens Peter C. , Maertens Johan , Gratwohl Alois , Schaafsma Ron , Schanz Urs , Graux Carlos , Schouten Harry C. , Ferrant Augustin , Bargetzi Mario , Fey Martin F. , Löwenberg Bob ,   for the Dutch-Belgian Hemato-Oncology Cooperative Group (HOVON), and Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research Collaborative Group (SAKK)
Published: September 2011

We report the results of a prospective, randomized phase 3 trial evaluating autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (ASCT) versus intensive consolidation chemotherapy in newly diagnosed AML patients in complete remission (CR1). Patients with AML (16-60 years) in CR1 after 2 cycles of intensive chemotherapy and not eligible for allogeneic SCT were randomized between intensive chemotherapy with etoposide and mitoxantrone or ASCT ater high-dose cyclophosphamide and busulfan. Of patients randomized (chemotherapy, n = 259; ASCT, n = 258), more than 90% received their assigned treatment. The 2 groups were comparable with regard to prognostic factors. The ASCT group showed a markedly reduced relapse rate (58% vs 70%, P = .02) and better relapse-free survival at 5 years (38% vs 29%, P = .065, hazard ratio = 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.1) with nonrelapse mortality of 4% versus 1% in the chemotherapy arm (P = .02). Overall survival was similar (44% vs 41% at 5 years, P = .86) because of more opportunities for salvage with second-line chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation in patients relapsing on the chemotherapy arm. This large study shows a relapse advantage for ASCT as postremission therapy but similar survival because more relapsing patients on the chemotherapy arm were salvaged with a late transplantation for relapse. This trial is registered at www.trialregister.nl as #NTR230 and #NTR291.
Spleen transcriptome response to infection with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in broiler chickens
Authors: Sandford Erin E , Orr Megan , Balfanz Emma , Bowerman Nate , Li Xianyao , Zhou Huaijun , Johnson Timothy J , Kariyawasam Subhashinie , Liu Peng , Nolan Lisa K , Lamont Susan J
Published: September 2011

Background

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is detrimental to poultry health and its zoonotic potential is a food safety concern. Regulation of antimicrobials in food-production animals has put greater focus on enhancing host resistance to bacterial infections through genetics. To better define effective mechanism of host resistance, global gene expression in the spleen of chickens, harvested at two times post-infection (PI) with APEC, was measured using microarray technology, in a design that will enable investigation of effects of vaccination, challenge, and pathology level.

Results

There were 1,101 genes significantly differentially expressed between severely infected and non-infected groups on day 1 PI and 1,723 on day 5 PI. Very little difference was seen between mildly infected and non-infected groups on either time point. Between birds exhibiting mild and severe pathology, there were 2 significantly differentially expressed genes on day 1 PI and 799 on day 5 PI. Groups with greater pathology had more genes with increased expression than decreased expression levels. Several predominate immune pathways, Toll-like receptor, Jak-STAT, and cytokine signaling, were represented between challenged and non-challenged groups. Vaccination had, surprisingly, no detectible effect on gene expression, although it significantly protected the birds from observable gross lesions. Functional characterization of significantly expressed genes revealed unique gene ontology classifications during each time point, with many unique to a particular treatment or class contrast.

Conclusions

More severe pathology caused by APEC infection was associated with a high level of gene expression differences and increase in gene expression levels. Many of the significantly differentially expressed genes were unique to a particular treatment, pathology level or time point. The present study not only investigates the transcriptomic regulations of APEC infection, but also the degree of pathology associated with that infection. This study will allow for greater discovery into host mechanisms for disease resistance, providing targets for marker assisted selection and advanced drug development.
Protection of protease-activated receptor 2 mediated vasodilatation against angiotensin II-induced vascular dysfunction in mice
Authors: Chia Elizabeth , Kagota Satomi , Wijekoon Enoka P , McGuire John J
Published: September 2011

Background

Under conditions of cardiovascular dysfunction, protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) agonists maintain vasodilatation activity, which has been attributed to increased cyclooxygenase-2, nitric oxide synthase and calcium-activated potassium channel (SK3.1) activities. Protease-activated receptor 2 agonist mediated vasodilatation is unknown under conditions of dysfunction caused by angiotensin II. The main purpose of our study was to determine whether PAR2-induced vasodilatation of resistance arteries was attenuated by prolonged angiotensin II treatment in mice. We compared the vasodilatation of resistance-type arteries (mesenteric) from angiotensin II-treated PAR2 wild-type mice (WT) induced by PAR2 agonist 2-furoyl-LIGRLO-amide (2fly) to the responses obtained in controls (saline treatment). We also investigated arterial vasodilatation in angiotensin II-treated PAR2 deficient (PAR2-/-) mice.

Results

2fly-induced relaxations of untreated arteries from angiotensin II-treated WT were not different than saline-treated WT. Treatment of arteries with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and SK3.1 inhibitor (L-NAME + TRAM-34) blocked 2fly in angiotensin II-treated WT. Protein and mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 were increased, and cyclooxygenase activity increased the sensitivity of arteries to 2fly in only angiotensin II-treated WT. These protective vasodilatation mechanisms were selective for 2fly compared with acetylcholine- and nitroprusside-induced relaxations which were attenuated by angiotensin II; PAR2-/- were protected against this attenuation of nitroprusside.

Conclusions

PAR2-mediated vasodilatation of resistance type arteries is protected against the negative effects of angiotensin II-induced vascular dysfunction in mice. In conditions of endothelial dysfunction, angiotensin II induction of cyclooxygenases increases sensitivity to PAR2 agonist and the preserved vasodilatation mechanism involves activation of SK3.1.
Ex vivo hepatic venography for hepatocellular carcinoma in livers explanted for liver transplantation
Authors: Miyazaki Kensuke , Soyama Akihiko , Hidaka Masaaki , Hamasaki Koji , Yamanouchi Kosho , Takatsuki Mitsuhisa , Kanematsu Takashi , Eguchi Susumu
Published: September 2011

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is supposed to have a venous drainage system to a portal vein, which makes intrahepatic metastasis possible. However, the mechanism of extrahepatic recurrence, including the possibility of a direct route to the systemic circulation from the HCC nodules, remains unclear. Therefore, we performed retrograde hepatic venography for HCC in livers that had been explanted for liver transplantation in order to explore the possible direct connection between the hepatic vein and HCC nodules.

Methods

Of 105 living-donor liver transplantations (LDLT) performed up to July, 2009 at the Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University Hospital, dynamic hepatic venography was performed with contrast media under fluoroscopy for the most recent 13 cases with HCC. The presence of a tumor stain for each HCC case was evaluated and compared with the histological findings of HCC.

Results

Hepatic venography revealed a tumor stain in 2 of 13 cases (15%). Neither showed any microscopic tumor invasion of HCC into the hepatic vein. In the other 11 cases, there were 4 microscopic portal venous invasions and 2 microscopic hepatic venous invasions. No patients have shown HCC recurrence in follow-up (median period, 13 months).

Conclusion

Using ex vivo hepatic venography, a direct connection to the hepatic vein from HCC in whole liver was revealed in 2 cases without demonstrated histopathological invasion to hepatic vein for the first time in the literature. The finding suggests that there is direct spillage of HCC cells into the systemic circulation via hepatic vein.
Double-strand break repair processes drive evolution of the mitochondrial genome in Arabidopsis
Authors: Davila Jaime I , Arrieta-Montiel Maria P , Wamboldt Yashitola , Cao Jun , Hagmann Joerg , Shedge Vikas , Xu Ying-Zhi , Weigel Detlef , Mackenzie Sally A
Published: September 2011

Background

The mitochondrial genome of higher plants is unusually dynamic, with recombination and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) activities producing variability in size and organization. Plant mitochondrial DNA also generally displays much lower nucleotide substitution rates than mammalian or yeast systems. Arabidopsis displays these features and expedites characterization of the mitochondrial recombination surveillance gene MSH1 (MutS 1 homolog), lending itself to detailed study of de novo mitochondrial genome activity. In the present study, we investigated the underlying basis for unusual plant features as they contribute to rapid mitochondrial genome evolution.

Results

We obtained evidence of double-strand break (DSB) repair, including NHEJ, sequence deletions and mitochondrial asymmetric recombination activity in Arabidopsis wild-type and msh1 mutants on the basis of data generated by Illumina deep sequencing and confirmed by DNA gel blot analysis. On a larger scale, with mitochondrial comparisons across 72 Arabidopsis ecotypes, similar evidence of DSB repair activity differentiated ecotypes. Forty-seven repeat pairs were active in DNA exchange in the msh1 mutant. Recombination sites showed asymmetrical DNA exchange within lengths of 50- to 556-bp sharing sequence identity as low as 85%. De novo asymmetrical recombination involved heteroduplex formation, gene conversion and mismatch repair activities. Substoichiometric shifting by asymmetrical exchange created the appearance of rapid sequence gain and loss in association with particular repeat classes.

Conclusions

Extensive mitochondrial genomic variation within a single plant species derives largely from DSB activity and its repair. Observed gene conversion and mismatch repair activity contribute to the low nucleotide substitution rates seen in these genomes. On a phenotypic level, these patterns of rearrangement likely contribute to the reproductive versatility of higher plants.
Skin impulse excitation of spinal sensory neurons in developingXenopus laevis(Daudin) tadpoles
Authors: James Lisa J. , Soffe Stephen R.
Published: September 2011

Responses to gentle touch in young Xenopus tadpoles are mediated by spinal cord sensory Rohon–Beard neurons. Tadpoles also respond to noxious stimuli that elicit ‘skin impulses’, which propagate between epithelial cells over the whole body surface, somehow entering the CNS to generate a response. After hatching (∼48 h post-fertilization), skin impulse signals enter the CNS only via cranial nerves, but previous evidence suggested the possibility of direct entry to the spinal cord before this (∼24 h). We have used behavioural and electrophysiological methods to explore the developmental pattern of skin impulse entry into the spinal cord and the involvement of Rohon–Beard neurons. Lesioning confirmed that skin impulse signals can directly enter the spinal cord in young embryos, but access decreases over ∼12 h and disappears soon after hatching. Electrical recordings from central Rohon–Beard axons in young embryos showed firing in response to skin impulses. However, unit recordings from Rohon–Beard somata showed that individuals that responded to touch within a characteristic, localised receptive field did not fire to skin impulses, whereas others from similar locations responded reliably. Developmental loss of skin impulse access to the spinal cord mirrored the known spread of sensitivity to gentle touch as the peripheral mechanosensory endings of Rohon–Beard neurons mature. Together, these results suggest that Rohon–Beard neurons respond to skin impulses only while immature, providing a transitory route for skin impulses to excite the CNS. In this way, Rohon–Beard neurons would mediate responses first to noxious and then to localised, gentle touch stimuli as the neurons developed.
Redox Reaction of Bis(dithiolene)sulfidotungsten(IV) Complex with Elemental Sulfur: Functional Analogs of Polysulfide Reductase of Molybdoenzymes
Authors: Sugimoto Hideki , Tajima Reiko , Toyota Kazuo , Miyake Hiroyuki , Itoh Shinobu
Published: September 2011

The reaction of bis(dithiolene)sulfidotungsten(IV) complex with elemental sulfur yielded bis(dithiolene)(tetrasulfido)tungsten(IV) complex. A labeling experiment using 34S has indicated that the reaction is reversible and a sulfido(trisulfido)tungsten(VI) species is involved as an intermediate. The reaction represents a model reaction of polysulfide reductase of molybdoenzymes.
Ruthenium-catalyzed Oxidative Alkenylation of Arenes via Regioselective C–H Bond Cleavage Directed by a Nitrogen-containing Group
Authors: Hashimoto Yuto , Ueyama Takumi , Fukutani Tatsuya , Hirano Koji , Satoh Tetsuya , Miura Masahiro
Published: September 2011

Direct alkenylation of 1-phenylpyrazoles with alkenes such as acrylates accompanied by regioselective C–H bond cleavage proceeds efficiently under ruthenium catalysis in the presence of a copper oxidant. The procedure is also applicable to 2-phenylbenzothiazole and benzanilide.
Recombinant human midkine stimulates proliferation and decreases dedifferentiation of auricular chondrocytesin vitro
Authors: Xu Chuanying , Zhang Zhonghui , Wu Mingyuan , Zhu Shunying , Gao Jin , Zhang Jing , Yuan Yunsheng , Zhang Kejian , Yu Yan , Han Wei
Published: September 2011

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is widely used for the repair of cartilage defects. However, due to the lack of chondrocyte growth factor and dedifferentiation of the cultured primary chondrocytes, cell source has limited the clinical potential of ACI. Auricular cartilage is an attractive potential source of cells for cartilage tissue engineering. Here we demonstrated that recombinant human midkine (rhMK) significantly promoted proliferation of rat primary auricular chondrocytes cultured and passaged in monolayer, which was mediated by the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways. Furthermore, rhMK attenuated the dedifferentiation of cultured chondrocytes by maintaining the expression of chondrocyte-specific matrix proteins during culture expansion and passage. Importantly, rhMK-expanded chondrocytes reserved their full chondrogenic potential and redifferentiated into elastic chondrocytes after being cultured in high density. The results suggest that rhMK may be used for the preparation of chondrocytes in cartilage tissue engineering.
Crosstalk between leptin and interleukin-1βabrogates negative inotropic effects in a model of chronic hyperleptinemia
Authors: Radin M Judith , Holycross Bethany J , McCune Sylvia A , Altschuld Ruth A
Published: September 2011

Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 β) is a proinflammatory cytokine with potent cardiosuppressive effects. Previous studies have shown that leptin blunts the negative inotropic effects of IL-1 β in isolated adult rat cardiac myocytes. However, the interactions between leptin and IL-1 β in the heart have not been examined on a background of chronic hyperleptinemia. To study this interaction, we have chosen the SHHF rat, a model of spontaneous hypertension that ultimately develops congestive heart failure. SHHF that are heterozygous for a null mutation of the leptin receptor (+/ facp, HET) are phenotypically lean but chronically hyperleptinemic and develop heart failure earlier than their normoleptinemic true lean (+/+, LN) littermates. Simultaneous cell shortening and calcium transients were measured in isolated ventricular cardiac myocytes from LN and HET SHHF in response to leptin, IL-1 β or IL-1 β following one hour pretreatment with leptin. Despite evidence of metabolic leptin resistance, HET myocytes were sensitive to the negative inotropic effect of leptin, similar to LN. Contractility returned to control levels in myocytes from HET that were pretreated with leptin prior to IL-1 β, while contractility remained depressed compared with control and similar to leptin alone in LN. Chronic hyperleptinemia resulted in altered JAK/STAT signaling in response to leptin and IL-1 β in isolated perfused hearts from HET compared with LN SHHF. Phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) and STAT5 (pSTAT5) decreased when HET hearts were treated with leptin followed by IL-1 β. While decreases in pSTAT3 and pSTAT5 may be associated with abrogation of the acute negative inotropic effects of IL-1 β in the presence of leptin in HET, long-term consequences remain to be explored. This study demonstrates that the heart remains sensitive to leptin in a hyperleptinemic state. Crosstalk between leptin and IL-1 β can influence cardiac function and cytokine signaling and these interactions are moderated by the presence of long-term hyperleptinemia.
In VivoOlfactory Model of APP-Induced Neurodegeneration Reveals a Reversible Cell-Autonomous Function
Authors: Cheng Ning , Cai Huaibin , Belluscio Leonardo
Published: September 2011

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) has long been linked to the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the associated cell death has been difficult to capturein vivo, and the role of APP in effecting neuron loss is still unclear. Olfactory dysfunction is an early symptom of AD with amyloid pathology in the olfactory epithelium correlating well to the brain pathology of AD patients. As olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) regenerate continuously with immature and mature OSNs coexisting in the same olfactory epithelium, we sought to use this unique system to study APP-induced neurodegeneration. Here we have developed an olfactory-based transgenic mouse model that overexpresses humanized APP containing familial AD mutations (hAPP) in either mature or immature OSNs, and found that despite the absence of extracellular plaques a striking number of apoptotic neurons were detected by 3 weeks of age. Importantly, apoptosis was restricted to the specific population overexpressing hAPP, either mature or immature OSNs, sparing those without hAPP. Interestingly, we observed that this widespread neurodegeneration could be rapidly rescued by reducing hAPP expression levels in immature neurons. Together, these data argue that overexpressing hAPP alone could induce cell-autonomous apoptosis in both mature and immature neurons, challenging the notion that amyloid plaques are necessary for neurodegeneration. Furthermore, we show that hAPP-induced neurodegeneration is reversible, suggesting that AD-related neural loss could potentially be rescued. Thus, we propose that this uniquein vivomodel will not only help determine the mechanisms underlying AD-related neurodegeneration but also serve as a platform to test possible treatments.
The Cortical Rhythms of Chronic Back Pain
Authors: Baliki Marwan N. , Baria Alex T. , Apkarian A. Vania
Published: September 2011

Chronic pain is maladaptive and influences brain function and behavior by altering the flow and integration of information across brain regions. Here we use a power spectral analysis to investigate impact of presence of chronic pain on brain oscillatory activity in humans. We examine changes in BOLD fluctuations, across different frequencies, in chronic back pain (CBP) patients (n= 15) as compared to healthy controls (n= 15) during resting-state fMRI. While healthy subjects exhibited a specific, frequency band-dependent, large-scale neural organization, patients showed increased high-frequency BOLD oscillations (0.12–0.20 Hz) circumscribed mainly to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and parts of the default mode network. In the patients a correlation analysis related the mPFC aberrant BOLD high-frequency dynamics to altered functional connectivity to pain signaling/modulating brain regions, thus linking BOLD frequency changes to function. We also found that increased frequency fluctuations within the mPFC were temporally synchronous with spontaneous pain changes in patients during a pain-rating task. These observations provide novel insights about the nature of CBP, identifying how it disturbs the resting brain, and link high-frequency BOLD oscillations to perception.
Subalgebra Analogue to standard basis for ideal
Authors: Khan Junaid
Published: September 2011

A theory of “subalgebra basis” analogous to standard basis (the generalization of Gröbner bases to monomial orderings which are not necessarily well orderings [1]) for ideals in polynomial rings over a field is developed. We call these bases “SASBI Basis” for “Subalgebra Analogue to Standard Basis for Ideals”. The case of global orderings, here they are called “SAGBI Basis” for “Subalgebra Analogue to Gröbner Basis for Ideals”, is treated in [6]. Sasbi bases may be infinite. In this paper we consider subalgebras admitting a finite Sasbi basis and give algorithms to compute them.
Statistical σ approximation to Bögel-type continuous functions
Authors: Karakuş Sevda , Demirci Kamil
Published: September 2011

In this paper, using the concept of statistical σ-convergence which is stronger than the statistical convergence, we obtain a statistical σ-approximation theorem for sequences of positive linear operators defined on the space of all real valued B-continuous functions on a compact subset of the real line. Then, we construct an example such that our new approximation result works but its classical and statistical cases do not work. Also we compute the rate of statistical σ-convergence of sequence of positive linear operators.
Champion of Justice: How Asian Heroes Saved Japanese Imperialism
Authors: Ching Leo
Published: September 2011

With a catchy theme song and exotic scenery from the South, Kaiketsu Harimao (“Fast Thief Harimao”) made its debut in Japan on 5 April 1960. The first domestically produced television movie broadcast in color and the first to have locations overseas (notably in Angkor Wat), Harimao ran until June 1961, with a total of sixty-five episodes. Harimao opens with a procession of native men—their nativeness marked by their sarongs and painted dark skin—walking warily along the beach. They are vigilantly guarded by British soldiers with guns and whips to enforce the march. The opening scene not only establishes the exotic locale of the south but also accentuates the opposition between master and slave, between white and nonwhite races. As a soldier strikes down with a whip, the camera cuts to the lower torso of a man wearing a gun holster with a tiger-figured buckle and then moves up as the man pulls his gun and ires. Our hero wears a white turban and dark sunglasses. His shots send the soldiers' weapons flying. He mounts his horse as the camera zooms out to show him on a distant cliff, underscoring his extraordinary marksmanship. After the startled soldiers ask, “Who's there, who's that?” in unison with the hopeful natives, they shout, “Harimao, Harimao, it's Harimao!” and the airy and melodious theme song begins. As the credits roll, Harimao and his followers defeat the British soldiers and free the natives. The lead-in ends with the natives waving gratefully as Harimao and his men gallop off in triumph.
Literature, Theory, and the Politics of Criticism in Contemporary Thailand
Authors: Harrison Rachel V.
Published: September 2011

In the aftermath of Britain's Nuptial Extravaganza celebrating the Union of Prince William and Kate Middleton, comparisons between that event and the profile of the monarchy in Thailand have emerged. Occupying a central and highly visible position in the public domain, Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX, r. 1946–present) is widely held in great esteem. Yet the silencing of republican sentiment in the run-up to the royal wedding in London echoes the measures deployed with increasing regularity and rigor in Thailand under article 112 of the country's penal code, a law against lèse-majesté that effectively suppresses all open criticism of the Thai monarchy. In 2009 an all-time high of 164 lèse-majesté cases were tried in Thailand's Court of First Instance (“Article 112”). The Thai historian and public intellectual Somsak Jeamteerasakul, among others, has argued that these measures create a climate of fear around the discussion of the place and role of the monarchy in contemporary Thailand. This climate also has a bearing on the production and study of literature, on literary analysis, and on approaches to literary and cultural theory in Thailand.
Epitaphic Nation: The Problem of the South and Necropolitics in Early Modern Vietnamese National Literature
Authors: Thu-Hương Nguyễn-Võ
Published: September 2011

Whoever goes down to Bà Ria and happens by the cemetery in the sand at the village of Phu'ó'c Lě, I beg you to go in that cemetery and look for the grave with a cross painted half black, half white, by the side of the Church of Martyrs–to visit that grave lest it become pitiful. Because it has been two years since anyone visited or cast as much as a glance.

—Nguyễn Trong Quan

SO opens nguyễn trọng quản's thẩy lazaro phiển (“lazaro phiển” 22). The narrative begins at an obscure gravesite evokes the life of a man as both victim of state violence and perpetrator of private deaths. Lazaro Phiển is a ictional work written in the romanized script and was published in Saigon in 1887 in a novelistic format almost forty years before Hoàng Ngọc Phách's Tố Tâm. Yet the latter, published in Hanoi in 1925, is oten touted in official literary history as the first modern Vietnamese novel. Although Nguyễn Trọng Qu.n's narrative revolves around the recovery of an elided story, the author could not have anticipated the elision of his work from a nationalist literary genealogy that locates the origin of modern Vietnamese literature in the North. he elision was part of a general omission of works from the South in the last decades of the nineteenth century and irst two decades of the twentieth. his genealogy was by no means limited to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the North but was also perpetuated in the Republic of Vietnam in the South ater independence and the partitioning of the country into North and South in 1954
The Rise of the Written Vernacular: Europe and Eurasia
Authors: Cohen Walter
Published: September 2011

When Students of Western European Medieval Literature speak of the rise of the vernacular, they often do not mean what you might think they mean—neither the continued use of Latin as a written vernacular for over five hundred years after the fall of the Roman Empire nor the first texts in Celtic, Germanic, and Semitic languages, from the fourth to the tenth century. They mean something later and geographically narrower—the writing that emerges from the breakup of Latin into distinct regional speech patterns, the Romance languages and literatures, primarily in the territories of modern France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal. Although understanding the rise of Romance-language literature as the rise of vernacular writing misrepresents medieval European literature, it has an important rationale. The twelfth-century literature of what is now France—Old French romance in the north, Occitan (formerly Provençal) lyric in the south—establishes continent-wide norms, thereby giving European literature a coherent set of forms and themes for the first time.
Why Not Compare?
Authors: Friedman Susan Stanford
Published: September 2011

Why not compare? It's a janus-faced question, a double entendre, its dual meanings depending on emphasis. On the one hand, what are all the reasons why we shouldnotcompare? But, on the other hand, whyshouldn'twe compare, and what are the costs if we do not? Embedded in these questions are more fundamental ones ranging from the epistemological to the methodological. What do we mean by comparison, what effects do our comparisons have, and how do we actually do comparison? By “we” here, I address those involved in intellectual work who face choices on whether or not to engage in comparison; I do not, in this essay, address those who study how and why individuals or human societies compare and with what consequences.
Detection of Pesticides in Active and Depopulated Beehives in Uruguay
Authors: Pareja Lucía , Colazzo Marcos , Pérez-Parada Andrés , Niell Silvina , Carrasco-Letelier Leonidas , Besil Natalia , Cesio María Verónica , Heinzen Horacio
Published: September 2011

The influence of insecticides commonly used for agricultural purposes on beehive depopulation in Uruguay was investigated. Honeycombs, bees, honey and propolis from depopulated hives were analyzed for pesticide residues, whereas from active beehives only honey and propolis were evaluated. A total of 37 samples were analyzed, representing 14,800 beehives. In depopulated beehives only imidacloprid and fipronil were detected and in active beehives endosulfan, coumaphos, cypermethrin, ethion and chlorpyrifos were found. Coumaphos was present in the highest concentrations, around 1,000 µg/kg, in all the propolis samples from active beehives. Regarding depopulated beehives, the mean levels of imidacloprid found in honeycomb (377 µg/kg, Standard Deviation: 118) and propolis (60 µg/kg, Standard Deviation: 57) are higher than those described to produce bee disorientation and fipronil levels detected in bees (150 and 170 µg/kg) are toxic per se. The other insecticides found can affect the global fitness of the bees causing weakness and a decrease in their overall productivity. These preliminary results suggest that bees exposed to pesticides or its residues can lead them in different ways to the beehive.
Nutritional Deficiencies and Phospholipid Metabolism
Authors: Gimenez María S. , Oliveros Liliana B. , Gomez Nidia N.
Published: September 2011

Phospholipids are important components of the cell membranes of all living species. They contribute to the physicochemical properties of the membrane and thus influence the conformation and function of membrane-bound proteins, such as receptors, ion channels, and transporters and also influence cell function by serving as precursors for prostaglandins and other signaling molecules and modulating gene expression through the transcription activation. The components of the diet are determinant for cell functionality. In this review, the effects of macro and micronutrients deficiency on the quality, quantity and metabolism of different phospholipids and their distribution in cells of different organs is presented. Alterations in the amount of both saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A, E and folate, and other micronutrients, such as zinc and magnesium, are discussed. In all cases we observe alterations in the pattern of phospholipids, the more affected ones being phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin. The deficiency of certain nutrients, such as essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and some metals may contribute to a variety of diseases that can be irreversible even after replacement with normal amount of the nutrients. Usually, the sequelae are more important when the deficiency is present at an early age.
Extreme Glacial Legacies: A Synthesis of the Antarctic Springtail Phylogeographic Record
Authors: McGaughran Angela , Stevens Mark I. , Hogg Ian D. , Carapelli Antonio
Published: September 2011

We review current phylogeographic knowledge from across the Antarctic terrestrial landscape with a focus on springtail taxa. We describe consistent patterns of high genetic diversity and structure among populations which have persisted in glacial refugia across Antarctica over both short (10 Mya) timescales. Despite a general concordance of results among species, we explain why location is important in determining population genetic patterns within bioregions. We complete our review by drawing attention to the main limitations in the field of Antarctic phylogeography, namely that the scope of geographic focus is often lacking within studies, and that large gaps remain in our phylogeographic knowledge for most terrestrial groups.
Go Forth and Multiply: Revisiting Religion and Fertility in the United States, 1984-2008
Authors: Borch Casey , West Matthew , Gauchat Gordon
Published: September 2011

Many studies on the fertility differential by religion have considered both Catholics and Protestants to be equally homogenous groups. Contrary to these studies, we contend that Protestant fertility must be studied in the context of heterogeneous groups. Specifically, conservative Protestantism, with its beliefs about artificial birth control mirroring Catholic teaching, should be examined separately from other Protestant traditions. Using data from the General Social Survey we find that conservative Protestants and Catholics had about the same level of fertility, while mainline Protestants have a fertility rate that is significantly lower than that of Catholics. We also examine the changes in these differences over time.
An Intelligent Tool for Activity Data Collection
Authors: Sarkar A. M. Jehad
Published: September 2011

Activity recognition systems using simple and ubiquitous sensors require a large variety of real-world sensor data for not only evaluating their performance but also training the systems for better functioning. However, a tremendous amount of effort is required to setup an environment for collecting such data. For example, expertise and resources are needed to design and install the sensors, controllers, network components, and middleware just to perform basic data collections. It is therefore desirable to have a data collection method that is inexpensive, flexible, user-friendly, and capable of providing large and diverse activity datasets. In this paper, we propose an intelligent activity data collection tool which has the ability to provide such datasets inexpensively without physically deploying the testbeds. It can be used as an inexpensive and alternative technique to collect human activity data. The tool provides a set of web interfaces to create a web-based activity data collection environment. It also provides a web-based experience sampling tool to take the user’s activity input. The tool generates an activity log using its activity knowledge and the user-given inputs. The activity knowledge is mined from the web. We have performed two experiments to validate the tool’s performance in producing reliable datasets.
Surface Plasmon Resonance Based Biosensors for Exploring the Influence of Alkaloids on Aggregation of Amyloid-β Peptide
Authors: Kraziński Bartłomiej Emil , Radecki Jerzy , Radecka Hanna
Published: September 2011

The main objective of the presented study was the development of a simple analytical tool for exploring the influence of naturally occurring compounds on the aggregation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ40) in order to find potential anti-neurodegenerative drugs. The gold discs used for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements were modified with thioaliphatic acid. The surface functionalized with carboxylic groups was used for covalent attaching of Aβ40 probe by creation of amide bonds in the presence of EDC/NHS. The modified SPR gold discs were used for exploring the Aβ40 aggregation process in the presence of selected alkaloids: arecoline hydrobromide, pseudopelletierine hydrochloride, trigonelline hydrochloride and α-lobeline hydrochloride. The obtained results were discussed with other parameters which govern the phenomenon studied such as lipophilicity/ hydrophilicy and Aβ40-alkaloid association constants.
A New Approach to Visual-Based Sensory System for Navigation into Orange Groves
Authors: Torres-Sospedra Joaquin , Nebot Patricio
Published: September 2011

One of the most important parts of an autonomous robot is to establish the path by which it should navigate in order to successfully achieve its goals. In the case of agricultural robotics, a procedure that determines this desired path can be useful. In this paper, a new virtual sensor is introduced in order to classify the elements of an orange grove. This proposed sensor will be based on a color CCD camera with auto iris lens which is in charge of doing the captures of the real environment and an ensemble of neural networks which processes the capture and differentiates each element of the image. Then, the Hough’s transform and other operations will be applied in order to extract the desired path from the classification performed by the virtual sensory system. With this approach, the robotic system can correct its deviation with respect to the desired path. The results show that the sensory system properly classifies the elements of the grove and can set trajectory of the robot.
Electrocoagulation in Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Butler Erick , Hung Yung-Tse , Yeh Ruth Yu-Li , Suleiman Al Ahmad Mohammed
Published: September 2011

A review of the literature published in from 2008 to 2010 on topics related to electrochemical treatment within wastewater was presented. The review included several sections such as optimization, modeling, various wastewater treatment techniques, analytical and instrumentation, and comparison with other treatment methods.
PEG-embedded KBr3: A recyclable catalyst for multicomponent coupling reaction for the efficient synthesis of functionalized piperidines
Authors: Verma Sanny , Jain Suman L , Sain Bir
Published: September 2011

PEG-embedded potassium tribromide ([K+PEG]Br3−) was found to be an efficient and recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of functionalized piperidines in high yields in a one step, three component coupling between aldehyde, amine and β-keto ester. At the end of the reaction the [K+PEG]Br3− was readily regenerated from the reaction mixture by treating the residue containing [K+PEG]Br− with molecular bromine.
Functional Outcomes for Surgically Treated 3- and 4-part Proximal Humerus Fractures
Authors: Wild Jason R. , DeMers Ariana , French Robert , Shipps Melanie R. , Bergin Patrick F. , Musapatika Dana , Jelen Bradley A.
Published: September 2011

Surgical treatment of 3- and 4-part proximal humeral fractures remains challenging. This study retrospectively evaluated functional outcomes of locked plate fixation vs hemi-arthroplasty in 57 patients with 3- and 4-part proximal humerus fractures from 2003 to 2005 with a mean follow-up time of 35 months (range, 15.7–52.7 months). Mean patient age was 56.9 years (range, 29–81.7 years) for the open reduction and internal fixation group (n=42) and 66.4 years (range, 38.1–90 years) for hemiarthroplasty group (n=15). All 57 patients completed the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, the Simple Shoulder Test, the Euroqol EQ-50, and the visual analog pain scale. Range of motion, the Constant Score, and the UCLA Shoulder score were used to evaluate a subset of 33 patients. Forty-one patients in the open reduction and internal fixation group achieved union, and 1 had symptomatic avascular necrosis requiring subsequent hemiarthroplasty. Two patients had implant removal for impingement symptoms. In the hemiarthroplasty group, there was 1 revision for a loose prosthesis. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (
P
=.023), Simple Shoulder Test (
P
=.012), patient satisfaction (
P
=.034), Constant Score (
P
=.008), Kelsh Adjusted Constant Score (
P
=.015), UCLA Shoulder score (
P
=.01), and range of motion (forward flexion,
P
=.002; abduction,
P
=.001) were significantly better in the open reduction and internal fixation group than the hemiarthroplasty group. No significant differences between the groups existed in terms of SF-12 (physical,
P
=.118; mental,
P
=.134), Euroqol EQ-50 (
P
=.169), or visual analog pain scale scores (
P
=.135), but all trended toward better with open reduction and internal fixation.
Bilateral Fatigue Fracture of the Femoral Components in a Cruciate-retaining Cementless Total Knee Prosthesis
Authors: Saito Shu , Tokuhashi Yasuaki , Ishii Takao , Mori Sei , Hosaka Kunihiro , Ryu Keinosuke , Suzuki Gen
Published: September 2011

This article reports a case of bilateral fatigue fracture of the femoral components in a cruciate-retaining uncemented total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A 75-year-old woman (height, 158 cm; weight, 72 kg; body mass index, 29.2) had undergone one-stage bilateral TKA for osteoarthritis 11 years previously at the author’s institution. Surgery was performed using an uncemented Flexible Nichidai Knee. Equal tension of the collateral ligaments and normal mechanical axis were achieved during the primary procedure. The patient was an ardent lover of the game of badminton and had higher activity levels with daily playing. At 8 years postoperatively, she started complaining of mild pain in both knees. The pain gradually increased, and at 11 years postoperatively, she had difficulty walking. Anteroposterior radiographs showed narrowing of the medial joint space, indicating wear of the polyethylene insert. Lateral radiographs showed signs of broken implants in both knees. There were no signs of gross implant loosening or osteolysis. One-stage revision surgery was performed, and the knees were converted to cemented posterior-stabilized TKAs. At revision, the bilateral femoral components were found to be fractured at the junction between the trochlear flange and the medial condyle, anteriorly to the medial peg. The polyethylene insert showed mild wear at the medial middle portion.

In the majority of case reports, stress fractures of the femoral component have predominantly affected the medial condyle, following uncemented implantation of fixed-bearing knees. In this case, failure of bone ingrowth in uncemented components, higher body mass index, and a higher athletic activity led to fatigue fracture of the femoral components.
Site-Specific Insertion Polymorphism of the MITE Alex-1 in the Genus Coffea Suggests Interspecific Gene Flow
Authors: Dubreuil-Tranchant Christine , Guyot Romain , Guellim Amira , Duret Caroline , de la Mare Marion , Razafinarivo Norosoa , Poncet Valérie , Hamon Serge , Hamon Perla , de Kochko Alexandre
Published: September 2011

Miniature Inverted-repeat Transposable Elements (MITEs) are small nonautonomous class-II transposable elements distributed throughout eukaryotic genomes. We identified a novel family of MITEs (named Alex) in the Coffea canephora genome often associated with expressed sequences. The Alex-1 element is inserted in an intron of a gene at the CcEIN4 locus. Its mobility was demonstrated by sequencing the insertion site in C. canephora accessions and Coffea species. Analysis of the insertion polymorphism of Alex-1 at this locus in Coffea species and in C. canephora showed that there was no relationship between the geographical distribution of the species, their phylogenetic relationships, and insertion polymorphism. The intraspecific distribution of C. canephora revealed an original situation within the E diversity group. These results suggest possibly greater gene flow between species than previously thought. This MITE family will enable the study of the C. canephora genome evolution, phylogenetic relationships, and possible gene flows within the Coffea genus.
Neurothekeoma Palpebrae in Association with Multiple Superficial Angiomyxomas: Tegumental Angiomyxoma- Neurothekeoma Syndrome (TAN Syndrome)
Authors: Aik Kah Tan , Chui Yong Ku , Annuar Faridah Hanom
Published: September 2011

We report a case of 10-year-old Indian girl with history of multiple superficial angiomyxoma, presented with three months history of painless right upper lid swelling. There were no visual dysfunctions. Previously, the patient had multiple superficial angiomyxoma (left pinna, left upper cheek, left upper limb, chest, right axilla, hard palate) and epidermal cyst (chin). The histopathological specimens were negative to S-100 protein antibody. Systemic review and family history was unremarkable. Excision biopsy and upper lid reconstruction were performed. Intraoperatively the tumor was multilobulated, firm, well encapsulated and did not invade the underlying tarsal plate. Histopathological features of the upperlid tumor were consistent with nerves sheath myxoma (neurothekeoma). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of neurothekeoma in association with multiple superficial angiomyxoma.
The atmospheric potential of biogenic volatile organic compounds from needles of White Pine (Pinus strobus) in Northern Michigan
Authors: Toma S. , Bertman S.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. The key role biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) play in atmospheric chemistry requires a detailed understanding of how BVOC concentrations will be affected by environmental change. Large-scale screening of ecosystems is difficult with enclosure methods. In this study, BVOC in needles of 71 white pine trees (Pinus strobus), which are becoming a large part of Midwest forests, are tracked for three summers at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS). α-pinene, the dominant terpene in all samples, accounts for 30–50% of all terpenes on a mole basis. The most abundant sesquiterpenoid was a C15 alcohol identified as germacrene-D-4-ol. The abundance of this material and its atmospheric relevance has not been considered previously. The relationship between limonene and α-pinene clearly shows two distinct trends in the population of these forests. About 15% of the trees showed high levels of limonene (up to 36% of the total BVOC) in the same trees every year. With this mixture, limonene contributes 11% of the α-pinene contribution to total gas-phase OH loss at UMBS compared to less than 2% considering the composition of the majority trees. Hence we show that chemotypic variation within forests can affect atmospheric chemistry and that large-scale screening of BVOC can be used effectively to study the importance of BVOC variation for predicting atmospheric chemistry in future forests.