bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Syncretism or Sychronicity? Remapping the Yolngu Feel of Place
Authors: Magowan Fiona
Published: March 2010

For Christian Yolngu in Arnhem Land visions shape the imagined, embodied and affective experiences of places of danger, illness, healing and general wellbeing. In this paper, I argue that Yolngu have consistently constructed their Christian faith through visions stemming from an ancestral aesthetic embodied in the environment. As a result, religious ideology and social action have sometimes been seen as syncretic, raising questions about how Yolngu understand and experience Christian conversion, encounter and revelation. I argue that Yolngu spiritual experiences emerge from the sentiments associated with ancestral places that act as emotive sites for remapping an ancestral aesthetic as Christian experience. The resultant emotional and spiritual synchronicity underlies a Yolngu Christianity that is corporeal and abstracted, negotiated and strategic, practical and experiential.
Rejecting the Rainbow Serpent: An Aboriginal Artist's Choice of the Christian God as Creator1
Authors: Anderson Sallie
Published: March 2010

In this paper, I illustrate the way one Aboriginal artist challenged what he perceived as an essentialised concept of Aboriginality, by rejecting rainbow serpent iconography. The motivations for this rejection were the artist's strong belief in the Christian God as creator and his reaction against New Age representations of Aboriginality in which the rainbow serpent signifies Aboriginal spirituality and is posited as the single creator for all of Aboriginal Australia. A conflict arose at the artist's gallery when he refused to exhibit a rainbow serpent painting by another Aboriginal artist. Publicised in the local newspaper, the rejection of these artworks started a brief public debate about the role of Christianity in Aboriginal culture. The various positions adopted by the Aboriginal protagonists highlight the complex processes of negotiation, dialogue and debate surrounding diverse constructions of identity.
The Heritage of Hindmarsh Island
Authors: Marcus Julie
Published: March 2010

Book reviewed in this article:

Margaret Simons. The Meeting of the Waters: The Hindmarsh Island Affair.
Whose Tangle is it Anyway? The African‐American Family, Poverty and United States Kinship
Authors: Marcus Anthony
Published: March 2010

The comparison between United States immigrant and African‐American families presented by Daniel Patrick Moynihan in his 1965 report to President Lyndon Johnson remains the most popular folk model for explaining success, failure and mutual aid in poverty. Despite being savaged by social science in its first two decades and largely ignored in the last two, the Moynihan model is an enduring part of popular discourses on race, intensified by contemporary immigrant success narratives. Based on over three years of participant observation research among homeless African‐American and Latino men and their families and Latin‐American immigrants engaging in small business creation in New York City, I argue that Moynihan's empirically valid claim that certain immigrant family forms are more suited to mutual aid in crisis is misused to present the African‐American family as dysfunctional when its kinship norms are actually typically American.
Avian Influenza A Virus Monitoring in Wild Birds in Bavaria: Occurrence and Heterogeneity of H5 and N1 Encoding Genes
Authors: Lang V. , Rinder M. , Hafner‐Marx A. , Rabl S. , Bogner K. H. , Neubauer‐Juric A. , Büttner M.
Published: March 2010

To define avian influenza virus prevalence in wild birds in Bavaria, 12 930 tracheal, cloacal swabs or tissue samples from various waterfowl species were screened between January 2006 and December 2007. In 291 (2.3%) birds, genomes of influenza A viruses were detected by reverse transcription real‐time PCR (rRT‐PCR) targeting the matrix protein genes. Furthermore, solitary H5 hemagglutinin or N1 neuraminidase encoding genes were identified in 35 (0.3%) apparently healthy birds; whereas highly pathogenic (HPAI) H5N1 virus genomes were only diagnosed in dead wild birds (n = 93; 0.7%) found across this federal state region. In this study, multiple import events for H5N1 viruses were confirmed during 2006 and 2007. In addition, our findings argue against an existing HPAI H5N1 reservoir in aquatic birds in Bavaria. By contrast, phylogenetic analyses of the H5 or N1 sequences of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses revealed a marked diversity and multiple genetic lineages. This diversity of LPAI H5 and N1 subtype components indicates the existence of LPAI HA and NA gene pools which differ from the Bavarian HPAI H5N1. Moreover, the hemagglutinin amino acid differences between LPAI H5 viruses of a western European genotypic lineage observed in wild birds suggest a continuous evolution of LPAI viruses in Bavaria.
Molecular Detection of Avian Influenza Virus but not West Nile Virus in Wild Birds in Northern Turkey
Authors: Albayrak H. , Ozan E.
Published: March 2010

In this study, a total of 402 samples (173 cloacal swab samples, 169 tracheal swab samples and 60 organ pools including the lung, spleen, liver, trachea and brain) obtained from 27 different wild avian species from Kizilirmak delta and the adjacent wetlands in northern Turkey were surveyed for the presence of RNA from Avian influenza virus (AIV) and West Nile virus (WNV) by Taqman‐based real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction assay. No WNV genomic RNA was detected in any sample. In contrast, AIV RNA was found in two of 402 samples (0.49%).
Identification of a novel biomarker for oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide in primary human hepatocytes using the 2‐nitrobenzenesulfenyl chloride isotope labeling method
Authors: Takami Yoichiro , Uto Hirofumi , Tamai Tsutomu , Sato Yuko , Ishida Yo‐ichi , Morinaga Hiroyuki , Sakakibara Yoichi , Moriuchi Akihiro , Oketani Makoto , Ido Akio , Nakajima Tomoaki , Okanoue Takeshi , Tsubouchi Hirohito
Published: March 2010

Aim:  Oxidative stress is involved in the progression of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, there are few biomarkers that are easily measured and accurately reflect the disease states. The aim of this study was to identify novel oxidative stress markers using the 2‐nitrobenzenesulfenyl (NBS) stable isotope labeling method and to examine the clinical utility of these diagnostic markers for NASH.

Methods:  Proteins extracted from phosphate buffered saline‐ and hydrogen peroxide‐loaded human primary hepatocyte were labeled with the [12C]‐ and [13C]‐NBS reagents, respectively. Pairs of peaks with 6‐Da differences in which the [13C]‐NBS labeling was more intense than the [12C]‐NBS labeling were detected by MALDI‐TOF/MS and identified by MS/MS ion searching.

Results:  Four pairs of peaks, m/z 1705–1711, m/z 1783–1789, m/z 1902–1908 and m/z 2790–2796, were identified as cytochrome c oxidase VIb (COX6B), liver carboxylesterase 1 (CES1), carbamoyl‐phosphate synthase 1 (CPS1) and superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), respectively. Furthermore, serum MnSOD protein levels were significantly higher in NASH patients than in simple steatosis (SS) patients. The serum MnSOD levels tended to increase in parallel with the stage of fibrosis.

Conclusion:  The NBS labeling technique was useful to identify biomarkers. Serum MnSOD may be a useful biomarker that can distinguish between SS and NASH.
Calculation of water content in water–methane system
Authors: Voňka Petr , Hubková Monika , Meistr Vít
Published: March 2010

Two methods to calculate the water content of water (1)–methane (2) system in the liquid–gas and ice–gas regions at temperatures from 253 to 373 K are proposed and tested in this work. Both are based on the assumption that the influence of methane solubility in liquid water on the calculated water content can be neglected (i.e., only pure water is considered in the liquid phase). A survey of experimental data is also given.
The ethics of basing community prevention in general practice
Authors: Weingarten Michael , Matalon Andre
Published: March 2010

In this paper we argue that the responsibility for systematic community-based preventive medicine should not be made part of the role of the general practitioner (GP). Preventive medicine cannot be shown to be more effective than curative or supportive medicine. Therefore, the allocation of the large amount of general practice staff time and resources required for systematic preventive medicine should not come at the expense of the care of the sick and the suffering. The traditional healing role of the GP requires a cooperative patient-centred approach, whereas systematic preventive medicine is driven by rigid pre-set protocols and is intrinsically paternalistic. Trying to merge the two approaches is detrimental to the doctor-patient relationship. Furthermore, a number of potential pitfalls are identified that may be encountered in the implementation of preventive medicine programmes in general practice: interference with the course of the consultation; inadequate explanation and consent; distortion of practice priorities as reflected in quality indicators; temptation to record inaccurate data; conflict of interests where the doctor is rewarded for performance; patient blaming; exacerbation of the health gap.

We suggest that a more justifiable strategy would be for GPs to identify patients at high risk and offer them specific preventive advice when the opportunity presents itself and at a time when the patient is likely to be most amenable to cooperate. Opportunistic health promotion offers higher expectations of benefit, as well as a more equitable allocation of the risks associated with preventive medicine, than a systematic community-based approach.
The perils of failing to enhance: a response to Persson and Savulescu
Authors: Fenton Elizabeth
Published: March 2010

Ingmar Persson and Julian Savulescu argue that non-traditional forms of cognitive enhancement (those involving genetic engineering or pharmaceuticals) present a serious threat to humanity, since the fruits of such enhancement, accelerated scientific progress, will give the morally corrupt minority of humanity new and more effective ways to cause great harm. And yet it is scientific progress, accelerated by non-traditional cognitive enhancement, which could allow us to dramaticallymorallyenhance human beings, thereby eliminating, or at least reducing, the threat from the morally corrupt minority. I argue that this apparently intractable dilemma is less difficult to resolve than Persson and Savulescu suppose. Their analysis of non-traditional cognitive enhancement overstates the risks and undervalues the benefits that such enhancement might provide. Once the benefits are better described, it is clear that non-traditional cognitive enhancement could be the means of our survival, not of our destruction.
Structural characterization of unsaturated aggregated soil
Authors: Koliji A. , Vulliet L. , Laloui L.
Published: March 2010

Despite the recent experimental studies of soil structure, a comprehensive understanding of the macroscopic response of a soil in relation to its structure has not yet been achieved. This lack of understanding reveals the need for further assessments of soil structure and its evolution under loading. In this work, the structure of an aggregated soil under various conditions of saturation and mechanical loading is studied. We also compare the aggregated soil structure, which shows a double porous fabric, with that of the same soil when reconstituted. The experimental methods selected for this study are a combination of mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and neutron computed tomography (CT). Using MIP and ESEM, we first examine the soil fabric at the intra-aggregate scale. Then, we quantify the structural evolution of the soil using neutron tomography and link it to the macroscopic response of the soil. Based on the experimental evidence, the main features of the soil structure and its evolution are outlined for unsaturated aggregated soil under different loading conditions.
Shear strength of remolded soils at consistency limits
Authors: Kayabali Kamil , Tufenkci Osman Oguz
Published: March 2010

The undrained shear strength of remolded soils is of concern in certain geotechnical engineering applications. Several methods for determining this parameter exist, including the laboratory vane test. This study proposes a new method to estimate the undrained shear strength, particularly at the plastic and liquid limits. For 30 inorganic soil samples of different plasticity levels, we determined the Atterberg limits, then performed a series of reverse extrusion tests at different water contents. The plastic and liquid limits are derived from the linear relationship between the logarithm of the extrusion pressure and water content. The tests show that the average undrained shear strength determined from the extrusion pressures at the plastic limit is about 180 kPa, whereas the average undrained shear strength at the liquid limit is 2.3 kPa. We show that the undrained shear strength of remolded soils at any water content can be estimated from the Atterberg limits alone. Although the laboratory vane test provides a reasonable undrained shear strength value at the plastic limit, it overestimates the undrained shear strength at the liquid limit and thus, care must be taken when the laboratory vane test is used to determine undrained shear strengths at water contents near the liquid limit.
ON QUANTUM HYDRODYNAMIC MODELS FOR ELECTRONIC TRANSPORT IN NANOSCALE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Authors: TULCAN-PAULESCU EUGENIA , COMǍNESCU DAN , PAULESCU MARIUS
Published: March 2010

This article deals with quantum hydrodynamic models (QHD) for electronic transport in semiconductor devices. Numerical simulation of ballistic diode and resonant tunneling diode is discussed. Based on overall results, it can be concluded that the considered QHD models have remarkable abilities to express the refinements of electronic transport in nanodevices.
IMPLEMENTING THE ECONOMICAL 1 → M PHASE-COVARIANT QUANTUM CLONING VIA THE DETECTION OF CAVITY DECAY
Authors: YANG ZHEN , FANG BAO-LONG , WAN HONG-BO , YE LIU
Published: March 2010

We propose a scheme to realize the economical 1 → M phase-covariant quantum cloning in 2-dimension with M Λ-type three-level atoms in an optical cavity. In our scheme, we do not require addressing and exactly manipulating on every atoms, never so much as controlling the time of interaction between atoms and photon. The success or failure of cloning can be determined simply by detecting the polarization of the photon leaking out of the cavity. With the use of an automatic feedback, the success probability of the scheme can be made to approach unity. And the desired output state is a superposition of different combination of two grounds states and thus is free from decoherence caused by spontaneous emission.
IMPROVED ROBUST STABILITY CRITERION FOR UNCERTAIN CELLULAR NEURAL NETWORKS WITH TIME-VARYING DELAY
Authors: LEE S. M.
Published: March 2010

In this paper, we propose a new robust stability analysis method for uncertain cellular neural networks with time-varying delay. The proposed stability criterion is based on the Lyapunov function with sector bounded nonlinear function. The sufficient condition for the stability is derived in terms of LMI (linear matrix inequality). Numerical examples show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies of Some New Molybdenum, Tungsten, and Ruthenium Carbonyl Derivatives of 2-Hydroxymethylpyridine
Authors: Taher M. A. , Jarelnabbi S. E. , Bayoumy B. E. , El-Medani S. M. , Ramadan R. M.
Published: March 2010

Thermal reactions of 2-hydroxymethylpyridine (HMP) with [M(CO)6] in air resulted in formation of the oxo-complexes [M2O6(HMP)2], where M = Mo, 1, or W, 2. The tricarbonyl complex [Ru(CO)3(HMP)], 3, was obtained from the reaction of [Ru3(CO)12] with HMP. In presence of triphenyl phosphine (PPh3), the reaction of HMP with Ru3(CO)12 gave [Ru(CO)2(HMP)(PPh3)], 4. All the complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. The thermal properties of the complexes were also investigated by thermogravimetry technique.
An Elementary Construction on Nonlinear Coherent States Associatedto Generalized Bargmann Spaces
Authors: Intissar Abdelkader
Published: March 2010

Consider the space L2(ℂ, dμ(z)), where is the
Gaussian measure, and its generalized Bargmann subspaces Em which are the null
kernels of the operator ;  
m = 0,1, …. In this work, we present an other construction of Em following the Hermite functions
which allows us to define a family of generalized Bargmann transform Bm which maps isometrically Em into L2(ℝ). The generalized coherent states ∣z〉 m associated to Em are constructed and some properties of them are given.
Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Erdosteine Metabolite I Investigated by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Braga Pier Carlo , Culici Maria , Dal Sasso Monica , Falchi Mario , Spallino Alessandra
Published: March 2010

The aim of this study was to explore the antiradical activity of Met I (an active metabolite of erdosteine) containing a pharmacologically active sulphydryl group, by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy which has not previously been used to characterize the antiradical activity of Met I. The effects of concentrations of 20, 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25 and 0.625 µg/ml of Met I were tested against: (a) the Fenton reaction model system with EPR detection of HO·; (b) the KO2-crown ether system with EPR detection of O2–·; (c) the EPR assay based on the reduction of the Tempol radical, and (d) the EPR assay based on the reduction of Fremy’s salt radical. Our findings show that the intensity of 4 different free radicals was significantly reduced in the presence of Met I, thus indicating the presence of a termination reaction between the free radicals and Met I.
T–786C Polymorphism in the Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Is Associated with Increased Risk of Coronary Artery Disease in a Chinese Population
Authors: Han Yi , Xu Weiwei , Zhang Wen , Liu Naifeng , Ji Yong
Published: March 2010

Background/Aims: Many investigations have revealed that genetic influences can have an important impact on the incidence and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this research was to discover whether the T–786C polymorphism in the promoter 5′-flanking region of the gene for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is associated with CAD. Methods: 622 Chinese Han subjects were enrolled in this case-control study. 312 had CAD confirmed by coronary angiography and 310 were healthy controls. Total genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood and genotype at position –786 of the eNOS gene determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: The allelic frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The minor allele frequency of the T–786C polymorphism was higher in the CAD group than in controls: after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, plasma glucose and presence of hypertension, the odds ratio for the risk of CAD in T–786C allele carriers was 1.739 (1.215–2.490) in comparison to individuals without the minor allele. In a stratified analysis, the association between T–786C genotype and CAD risk was greater in men, individuals ≧60 years of age, smokers, hypertensives and subjects with a body mass index ≧25. The T–786C polymorphism was associated with higher total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in control but not in CAD subjects. Conclusions: The T–786C polymorphism of the eNOS gene appears to be an independent risk factor for CAD in Chinese Hans. This finding requires confirmation in prospective studies and in studies of other populations.
Treatment Effects of Therapeutic Cholinesterase Inhibitors on Visuospatial Processing in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Longitudinal Functional MRI Study
Authors: Thiyagesh Subha N. , Farrow Tom F.D. , Parks Randolph W. , Accosta-Mesa Hector , Hunter Michael D. , Young Claire , Wilkinson Iain D. , Woodruff Peter W.R.
Published: March 2010

Background/Aims: Visuospatial impairments are known to occur in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We hypothesised that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response in task-related brain regions would be impaired in patients with AD during the task and that treatment with acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors would enhance activations in brain regions concerned with this visual perceptual processing. Method: Ten AD subjects were neuropsychologically assessed and underwent fMRI imaging whilst performing a series of visuospatial perception tasks, before and after treatment with acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors. Eleven healthy elderly comparison subjects were also scanned twice. Results: Regions of increased brain activation in AD included the left precuneus, left cuneus, left supramarginal gyrus, right parieto-temporal cortex and right inferior parietal lobule. Further, increased activation in the left precuneus was found to correlate significantly with improved functioning of activities of daily living. Conclusions: We believe this to be the first fMRI study that, after controlling for the confound of repeat scanning, demonstrates altered patterns of brain activation associated with visuospatial processing following treatment in patients with AD. The treatment-related improvement of visual perception in AD may rely on enhanced attentional mechanisms, thereby possibly supporting independent living through improvement on activities of daily living.
The Use of Prealbumin Concentration as a Biomarker of Nutritional Status in Treated Phenylketonuric Patients
Authors: Rocha Júlio César , Almeida Manuela Ferreira , Carmona Carla , Cardoso Maria Luís , Borges Nuno , Soares Isabel , Salcedo Graça , Lima Margarida Reis , Azevedo Isabel , van Spronsen Francjan J.
Published: March 2010

Background/Aims: The neurological sequelae resulting from untreated phenylketonuria are diminished by the success of early introduced and continued dietary treatment. Nowadays, nutritional status is gaining importance in the follow-up of these patients. The aim of this work was to study the relevance of prealbumin concentration as biomarker of protein nutritional status of phenylketonuric patients. Methods: We collected data from 69 phenylketonuric patients on food intake, blood prealbumin and blood phenylalanine concentrations. Protein insufficiency was defined as prealbumin z-scores below the 5th percentile of reference population. Additionally, we considered a prealbumin concentration of 20 mg/dl as a threshold level. Results: Nine patients (13%) showed signs of protein insufficiency. When the threshold of 20 mg/dl for prealbumin was used, we found 38 patients (55%) with low prealbumin concentrations. Conclusion: A significant group presented signs of protein insufficiency either using prealbumin z-scores or prealbumin concentration threshold, especially in milder forms of the disease. The results of this seem to confirm the already described threshold level for prealbumin concentration, suggesting that its measurement may be important for nutritional status evaluation, preventing protein insufficiency in milder forms of phenylketonuria.
Endoscopic Endonasal Removal of Pituitary Adenomas with Paraclival Internal Carotid Artery Invasion
Authors: Zhang Qiuhang , Lv Haili , Chen Ge , Guo Hongchuan
Published: March 2010

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of the endoscopic endonasal removal of pituitary adenomas (PAs) with paraclival internal carotid artery (ICA) invasion. Methods: Between February 2002 and August 2009, 14 consecutive patients underwent ‘pure’ extended endonasal transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery for PAs with paraclival ICA invasion. The clinical outcomes of the patients were evaluated, including symptoms, the extent of the tumor, the amount of tumor removed and any complications. Results: Tumor removal, as assessed by intraoperative endoscopic inspection, postoperative magnetic resonance imaging and clinical evaluation, revealed total resection (cured) in 10 out of 14 PA patients, 1 subtotal resection (controlled), and 3 partial resections (improved). Three patients had recurrences and 2 underwent re-resection. A cerebrospinal fluid leak was seen in 1 patient. There were no cases of meningitis. All of the patients who had symptoms were discharged. Conclusion: Extended endonasal transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery for PAs with paraclival ICA invasion is a safe and effective alternative procedure after proper training. Moreover, the technique is less invasive and effective and requires less time than traditionally utilized procedures.
Cardiac Gap Junction Channels Are Upregulated by Metoprolol: An Unexpected Effect of Beta-Blockers
Authors: Salameh Aida , Blanke Katja , Dhein Stefan , Janousek Jan
Published: March 2010

Background/Aims: Since β-adrenoceptors have been shown to affect cardiac gap junction channels, we wanted to elucidate the possible effect of metoprolol on the gap junction protein connexin-43, using racemic RS-metoprolol or the isomer R-metoprolol (no β-adrenoceptor blockade) or S-metoprolol (β1-adrenoceptor blocker). Methods: Cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were exposed to either RS-metoprolol or R-metoprolol or S-metoprolol (0.1 µmol/l each) without or with additional isoprenaline (0.1 µmol/l) treatment for 24 h. Results: The β-blocker treatment did not alter the frequency of spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes, whereas sole isoprenaline administration significantly enhanced the beating frequency by about 40%. This rise could be blocked by concomitant treatment with S- or RS-metoprolol but not with R-metoprolol. Connexin-43 protein was significantly enhanced by isoprenaline and by R-, S- or RS-metoprolol treatment alone as well as with the combined administration of isoprenaline and R-, S- or RS-metoprolol. Phospho-ERK1 and connexin-43 mRNA were significantly increased by isoprenaline application alone, whereas R-, S- or RS-metoprolol alone or in combination with isoprenaline exhibited no effect. Conclusion: Both isomers of metoprolol upregulate connexin-43 in cultured cardiomyocytes by a β-adrenoceptor-independent mechanism. Since the enhanced presence of connexin-43 in cell membranes under metoprolol was not accompanied by enhanced connexin-43 mRNA, we assume that the metoprolol effect involves reduced connexin-43 degradation.
Determinants of Quality of Life in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia
Authors: Wetzels R.B. , Zuidema S.U. , de Jonghe J.F.M. , Verhey F.R.J. , Koopmans R.T.C.M.
Published: March 2010

Aims: The goal of this study is to assess the relationship between quality of life (QoL), neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), psychotropic drug use (PDU) and patient characteristics in a large group of nursing home residents with dementia. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 288 individuals with dementia who reside in 14 special care units in 9 nursing homes. The following measures were used: the Qualidem scale to assess QoL, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home version, the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), the Severe Impairment Battery-short version, an Activities of Daily Living scale and PDU. Associations between QoL and NPS were examined using multivariate linear regression models with corrections for potential covariates. Results: The average age of the residents was 84 years (SD = ±7). Agitation, depression, psychosis, psychomotor agitation and psychotropic drugs were independently associated with poor QoL. In patients with mild to moderately severe dementia (GDS 4–6), NPS, PDU and cognitive impairment explained almost half of the variance in QoL scores. Agitation and depression were particularly strong predictors of poor QoL. In patients with severe dementia (GDS 7), agitation, depression, psychosis and cognitive impairment were associated with poor QoL. Conclusions: NPS, cognition and PDU independently impair QoL for patients in both the moderate and advanced stages of dementia. These results challenge existing pharmacological intervention strategies and highlight the need for psychosocial interventions in the treatment of NPS.
Comparison of Alloplast Materials in Experimental Extraocular Muscle Surgery
Authors: Ugurbas Silay Cantürk , Kocer Nazim Emrah , Oto Sibel , Kahraman Burcu , Akova Yonca Aydin
Published: March 2010

Background: Extraocular muscles may be recessed using implants as spacer material. Silicone retinal band is an example of a spacer used to elongate the superior oblique (SO) tendon in Brown’s syndrome and SO overaction; however, complications such as extrusion, scarring and restriction due to the implant have been reported. The purpose of our study was to evaluate and compare fibroblastic and inflammatory reactions to different alloplast materials in a rabbit model. Method: Twenty-three rabbit eyes underwent superior rectus (SR) expander surgery, and 9 eyes SR recession surgery. SR expander surgery was performed using either silicone retinal band (240 style; 6 eyes), polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex; 10 eyes) or porous polyethylene (Medpor; 7 eyes). Twenty eyes were enucleated at 4 weeks and 12 eyes at 8 weeks and examined by light microscopy. The expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. Results: All alloplast materials induced more inflammatory response compared to control eyes (p < 0.05). Medpor induced a markedly stronger inflammatory response than silicone and Gore-Tex (p < 0.05). Gore-Tex and silicone induced similar inflammatory responses. Gore-Tex implants yielded a slightly higher bFGF expression than silicone or Medpor implants (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) was found to be similar to silicone in its biocompatibility when used as spacer material in extraocular muscle tendon expander surgery. The high bFGF expression observed in Gore-Tex-implanted eyes suggests porous polymers may promote tissue ingrowth into the implant.
Retrospective Analysis of the Efficacy of Gemcitabine for Previously Treated AIDS-Associated Kaposi’s Sarcoma in Western Kenya
Authors: Strother R. Matthew , Gregory Kelly M. , Pastakia Sonak D. , Were Pamela , Tenge Constance , Busakhala Naftali , Jakait Beatrice , Schellhase Ellen M. , Rosmarin Alan G. , Loehrer Patrick J.
Published: March 2010

Objectives: Evaluation of outcomes in the use of single-agent gemcitabine for the treatment of AIDS-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) in a western Kenyan cancer treatment program. Methods: Retrospective chart review of all patients with KS treated with single agent gemcitabine following failure of first-line Adriamycin, bleomycin, and vincristine (ABV). Baseline demographics were collected, and clinicians’ assessments of response were utilized to fill out objective criteria for both response as well as symptom benefit assessment. Results: Twenty-three patients with KS who had previously failed first-line therapy with ABV were evaluated. Following treatment, 22 of the 23 patients responded positively to treatment with stable disease or better. Of the 18 patients who had completed therapy, with a median follow-up of 5 months, 12 patients had no documented progression. Conclusions: Treatment options in the resource-constrained setting are limited, both by financial constraints as well as the need to avoid myelotoxicity, which is associated with high morbidity in this treatment setting. This work shows that gemcitabine has promising activity in KS, with both objective responses and clinical benefit observed in this care setting. Gemcitabine as a single agent merits further investigation for AIDS-associated KS.
Patterns of Relapse after Chemotherapy in Patients with High-Risk Non-Seminomatous Germ Cell Tumor
Authors: Oechsle Karin , Lorch Anja , Honecker Friedemann , Kollmannsberger Christian , Hartmann Jörg T. , Boehlke Ina , Beyer Jörg , Bokemeyer Carsten
Published: March 2010

Objectives: We investigated the pattern of relapse after chemotherapy in patients with high-risk germ cell tumor (GCT) to critically review common follow-up procedures including close monitoring of serum tumor markers and radiologic procedures. Methods: 645 patients received first-line (434 patients) or salvage platinum-based (211 patients) high-dose chemotherapy in three multicenter trials. Retrospective analysis comprised 77 patients after first-line and 61 after salvage chemotherapy, who had achieved at least a partial remission but progressed afterwards. Results: At relapse, 24% of the patients presented with an isolated elevation in serum tumor markers, 26% with pathologic radiologic confirmation with negative tumor markers, and 42% with elevated tumor markers and radiologically confirmed progression. Relapse was detected by clinical symptoms in 8%. 46% relapsed within 3 months and 97% within 2 years. Relapse pattern did not correlate with tumor marker status or metastasis location prior to chemotherapy, line of chemotherapy, response status after chemotherapy or time point of relapse. Conclusion: In high-risk GCT patients, relapse after chemotherapy is detected either by tumor marker elevation alone, radiologic imaging alone or both, in one third each. Close monitoring including serum tumor markers, radiologic imaging and clinical examination appears warranted within the first 2 years.
Adjuvant Chemotherapy with Etoposide, Adriamycin and Cisplatin Compared with Surgery Alone in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer: A Phase III Randomized, Multicenter, Clinical Trial
Authors: Kulig J. , Kolodziejczyk P. , Sierzega M. , Bobrzynski L. , Jedrys J. , Popiela T. , Dadan J. , Drews M. , Jeziorski A. , Krawczyk M. , Starzynska T. , Wallner G.
Published: March 2010

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with etoposide, Adriamycin and cisplatin (EAP) after potentially curative resections for gastric cancer. Methods: After surgery, patients were randomly assigned to the EAP or control arm. Chemotherapy included 3 courses, administered every 28 days. Each cycle consisted of doxorubicin (20 mg/m2) on days 1 and 7, cisplatin (40 mg/m2) on days 2 and 8, and etoposide (120 mg/m2) on days 4, 5, and 6. Results: Of 309 eligible patients, 141 were allocated to chemotherapy and 154 to the supportive care group. Four (2.8%) treatment-related deaths were recorded, including 3 due to septic complications of myelosuppression and 1 due to cardiocirculatory failure. Grade 3 or 4 toxicities were found in 17 (22%) patients. According to the intention-to-treat analysis, the median survival was 41.3 months (95% confidence interval, 24.5–58.2) and 35.9 months (95% confidence interval, 25.5–46.3) in the chemotherapy and control group, respectively (p = 0.398). Subgroup analysis revealed survival benefit from chemotherapy in patients with tumors infiltrating the serosa and in those with 7–15 metastatic lymph nodes. Conclusion: Three cycles of EAP regimen postoperatively offer no survival advantage in gastric cancer patients.
CHAP31 Induces Apoptosis Only via the Intrinsic Pathway in Human Esophageal Cancer Cells
Authors: Murakami Kentaro , Matsubara Hisahiro , Hoshino Isamu , Akutsu Yasunori , Miyazawa Yukimasa , Matsushita Kazuyuki , Sakata Haruhito , Nishimori Takanori , Usui Akihiro , Kano Masayuki , Nishino Norikazu , Yoshida Minoru
Published: March 2010

Objective: The antitumor mechanism of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors differs from conventional antitumor agents. HDAC inhibitors may be effective as novel therapeutic agents for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study describes the antiproliferative activity of CHAP31, a novel HDAC inhibitor. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism of CHAP31-induced apoptosis was investigated in ESCC. Methods/Results: The antitumor activity of CHAP31 was tested in esophageal cancer cell lines (T.Tn and TE2), and potent antitumor activity was observed in vitro and in vivo. In addition, CHAP31 induced apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells. Next, the mechanisms of CHAP31-induced apoptosis were examined using quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. No processing of caspase 8 was observed, but CHAP31 induced the cleavage of caspase 9 and up-regulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio. Conclusion: This study provides new and important information on the potent antitumor activity of CHAP31 and the apoptotic pathway induced by CHAP31 in human esophageal cancer cell lines T.Tn and TE2. In contrast to previous reports showing that apoptosis induced by HDAC inhibitors includes the extrinsic pathway, in our study, apoptosis induced by CHAP31 in the human esophageal cell lines T.Tn and TE2 involved only the intrinsic pathway.
Elevated Osteopontin Levels in Metastatic Melanoma Correlate with Epigenetic Silencing of Breast Cancer Metastasis Suppressor 1
Authors: Metge Brandon J. , Liu Suhu , Riker Adam I. , Fodstad Oystein , Samant Rajeev S. , Shevde Lalita A.
Published: March 2010

Objective: Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) has been shown to functionally reduce the metastatic potential of melanoma. We also previously reported that BRMS1 negatively regulates the expression of the oncoprotein osteopontin (OPN). This study was carried out to assess the clinical relevance of BRMS1 and OPN in melanoma. Methods: Epigenetic regulation of BRMS1 was assessed by treating clinically derived melanoma cell lines with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) and the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA), followed by sodium bisulfite modification and methylation-specific PCR. Assessments of BRMS1 and OPN levels were performed using immunoblotting, quantitative real-time RT-PCR or reporter assays. RNA silencing was employed to abrogate the expression of OPN in melanoma-derived cell lines. The in vivo relevance of our findings was determined with experiments using athymic nude mice. Results: The reduced expression of BRMS1 in surgically excised melanoma specimens correlated with increased OPN expression during the progression from primary to metastatic melanoma. Treatment with DAC and TSA elevated BRMS1 levels, but caused an inconsistent change in OPN gene expression. Abrogating the expression of OPN in BRMS1-deficient metastatic melanoma-derived cell lines retarded the growth of melanoma tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice. Conclusion: While treatment with DAC and TSA may not be a universally applicable treatment alternative in melanoma, silencing the expression of OPN in metastatic melanomas that have lost expression of BRMS1 is a potential option for therapeutic intervention.
Antiproliferative Effects of Octadecyloxyethyl 9-[2-(Phosphonomethoxy)Ethyl]Guanine against Me-180 Human Cervical Cancer Cells in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Valiaeva Nadejda , Trahan Julissa , Aldern Kathy A. , Beadle James R. , Hostetler Karl Y.
Published: March 2010

Background/Aims: 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]guanine (PMEG) is one of the most active antiproliferative compounds in a series of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates and is active in intraperitoneal P388 tumors in mice. Methods: We synthesized octadecyloxyethyl (ODE) and hexadecyloxypropyl esters of PMEG and compared their antiproliferative activity with unmodified PMEG in primary human fibroblasts and CaSki, Me-180 and HeLa human cervical cancer cell lines in vitro. Results: ODE-PMEG had excellent antiproliferative activity in vitro in this panel of human cervical cancers. We compared the effects of ODE-PMEG and ODE-cidofovir (ODE-CDV) in a solid tumor model using Me-180 human cervical cancer cell lines in athymic nude mice. Intratumoral injection of 25 µg of ODE-PMEG or 100 µg of ODE-CDV daily for 21 days followed by observation for 20–35 days resulted in near-complete disappearance of measurable cervical cancers. Conclusion: ODE-PMEG may be suitable for local or topical treatment of cervical dysplasia.
Static and Dynamic Selection Thresholds Governing the Accumulation of Information in Genetic Algorithms Using Ranked Populations
Authors: Milton John , Kennedy Paul J.
Published: March 2010

Mutation applied indiscriminately across a population has, on average, a detrimental effect on the accumulation of solution alleles within the population and is usually beneficial only when targeted at individuals with few solution alleles. Many common selection techniques can delete individuals with more solution alleles than are easily recovered by mutation. The paper identifies static and dynamic selection thresholds governing accumulation of information in a genetic algorithm (GA). When individuals are ranked by fitness, there exists a dynamic threshold defined by the solution density of surviving individuals and a lower static threshold defined by the solution density of the information source used for mutation. Replacing individuals ranked below the static threshold with randomly generated individuals avoids the need for mutation while maintaining diversity in the population with a consequent improvement in population fitness. By replacing individuals ranked between the thresholds with randomly selected individuals from above the dynamic threshold, population fitness improves dramatically. We model the dynamic behavior of GAs using these thresholds and demonstrate their effectiveness by simulation and benchmark problems.
Flexible work, gender and globalised production
Authors: Soni-Sinha Urvashi
Published: March 2010

The restructuring of world economies in the 1980s and the 1990s has given rise to debates around globalisation, feminisation and flexibility. In the light of these macroeconomic debates, this article analyses the relationship of feminisation and masculinisation to flexibility in the microeconomic context of jewellery production in the Noida Export Processing Zone (NEPZ) and Delhi. It compares ‘flexibility’ in the handmade jewellery sector, which is largely informal, to machine-made jewellery, which is quasi-formal. Most debates on flexibility focus on the supply side and the removal of ‘institiutional rigidities’ that prevent the functioning of free market forces. These debates focus on the issues of organisational flexibility, labour market flexibility and functional flexibility of the entrepreneur. This study goes beyond the employer–worker dyad to examine ‘flexibility’ for the intermediate actors involved in production. In the handmade jewellery sector in both Delhi and NEPZ, labour market flexibility is occurring with a largely masculinised labour force. In machine-made jewellery, there is a slight feminisation of flexible status but it is not marked. The gendered division of labour, thus, is only a small part of what flexibility constitutes, if at all.
Lung Tumor Development and Spontaneous Regression in Lambs Coinfected With Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus and Ovine Lentivirus
Authors: Hudachek S. F. , Kraft S. L. , Thamm D. H. , Bielefeldt-Ohmann H. , DeMartini J. C. , Miller A. D. , Dernell W. S.
Published: March 2010

Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) is a naturally occurring and experimentally inducible lung cancer of sheep caused by Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV). The first aim of this study was to monitor the development of OPA with minimally invasive, real-time observations of animals experimentally infected with JSRV as well as ovine lentivirus (maedi-visna virus). Worldwide, simultaneous infection of sheep with these 2 retroviruses is a common occurrence, naturally and experimentally; consequently, the lung tumor homogenates used as inocula contained both viruses. Following inoculation, computed tomography was used to detect tumor nodules early, before the onset of clinical signs, and to monitor tumor advancement. However, not only was OPA disease progression observed, but the apparent spontaneous regression of OPA was witnessed. In fact, regression was more common than progression following JSRV inoculation of neonatal lambs. Immune responses were detected, particularly involving CD3+ T cells and the production of antibodies against JSRV that may mediate the spontaneous regression of JSRV-induced OPA. The second aim of this study was to determine whether OPA tumors harbor genetic alterations similar to those found in human lung adenocarcinoma. No mutations were found in the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor, KRAS codons 12 and 13, or the DNA-binding domain of p53 in tumor DNA from naturally occurring and experimentally-induced OPA cases. Overall, the genetic profile combined with the disease development data provides further important characterization of OPA and describes, for the first time, spontaneous regression of OPA tumors in experimentally infected sheep.
Adenomatous Polyp With Intestinal Metaplasia of the Esophagus (Barrett Esophagus) in a Dog
Authors: Gibson C. J. , Parry N. M. A. , Jakowski R. M. , Cooper J.
Published: March 2010

Multiple endoscopic biopsy specimens of esophageal mucosa were received from a 13-year-old castrated male standard Poodle. The dog was presented for painful swallowing. Endoscopically, the distal aspect of the esophagus was inflamed with a polypoid mass that protruded into the esophageal lumen. Histologically, the stratified squamous epithelium overlying the mass and lining the adjacent esophageal mucosa was replaced by papillary projections covered by columnar epithelium with goblet cells supported by a fibrous stroma. This article reports a case of spontaneous esophageal adenomatous polyp with intestinal metaplasia (Barrett esophagus) and reviews the pathogenesis of esophageal metaplasia and adenocarcinoma.
Zygomycotic Lymphadenitis in Slaughtered Feedlot Cattle
Authors: Ortega J. , Uzal F. A. , Walker R. , Kinde H. , Diab S. S. , Shahriar F. , Pamma R. , Eigenheer A. , Read D. H.
Published: March 2010

During the 12 months of 2006, zygomycotic lymphadenitis was diagnosed in 194 of 198 feedlot steers (0.04% of cattle slaughtered during that period) in a California slaughterhouse as part of bovine tuberculosis surveillance. Mesenteric lymph nodes were involved in 190 cases. Affected lymph nodes were enlarged (2 to 42 cm in greatest dimension), firm, and mottled gray-white to yellow with multiple granular or caseocalcareous foci. Histologically, nodal architecture was effaced by necrosis, granulomatous inflammation, and fibrosis. In approximately 20% of the cases, granulomas were mainly restricted to subcapsular sinuses and afferent lymphatic vessels, causing granulomatous lymphangitis. Nonseptate, irregularly branching hyphae with nonparallel walls and bulbous enlargements were common in necrotic areas and within the cytoplasm of multinucleated giant cells. Fungal cultures were performed on 124 affected lymph nodes using 7 media, but no zygomycetes were cultured. Fungal DNA was amplified from 20 lymph nodes. Amplicons from 16 nodes had nearly 100% homology with sequences for Rhizomucor pusillus; 4 amplicons had (> 98%) homology with Absidia corymbifera sequences. Zygomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis for granulomatous lymphadenitis in feedlot steers.
Preclinical Models of Restenosis and Their Application in the Evaluation of Drug-Eluting Stent Systems
Authors: Leigh Perkins L. E.
Published: March 2010

Coronary arterial disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, the European Union, and Canada. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has revolutionized the treatment of CAD, and it is the advent of drug-eluting stent (DES) systems that has effectively allayed much of the challenge of restenosis that has plagued the success of PCI through its 30-year history. However, DES systems have not been a panacea: There yet remain the challenges associated with interventions involving bare metallic stents as well as newly arisen concerns related to the application of DES systems. To effectively address these novel and ongoing issues, animal models are relied on both to project the safety and efficacy of endovascular devices and to provide insight into the pathophysiology underlying the vascular response to injury and mechanisms of restenosis. In this review, preclinical models of restenosis are presented, and their application and limitation in the evaluation of device-based interventional technologies for the treatment of CAD are discussed.