bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Narrative Relationships Overcome Empathic Bias: Elizabeth Gaskell's Empathy across Social Difference
Authors: Harrison Mary-Catherine
Published: June 2011

Modern and historical scholarship on empathy has consistently demonstrated that people are more likely to empathize with those who are similar to themselves. This empathic bias for similarity means that the affective bonds and ethical motivations that accompany empathy are significantly diminished in relationships with outgroups, as defined by sociological difference. I argue that narrative empathy is uniquely capable of circumventing the similarity bias through compositional strategies related to foregrounding and perspective. Turning to modern research on reading as well as to accounts of reading in the nineteenth century, I propose a two-part argument: first, that the act of reading can overcome the bias that scholars have observed in relationships between people and, second, that narrative empathy has the potential to prevent future cases of bias by reconfiguring readers' criteria for similarity. In an extended case study of Elizabeth Gaskell's novel Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life (1848), I argue that Victorian social-problem literature thematizes empathy across difference and that the self-conscious treatment of cultural difference is particularly helpful for overcoming similarity bias.
A Comeuppance Theory of Narrative and Emotions
Authors: Vermeule Blakey
Published: June 2011

In an important book of evolutionary literary theory, William Flesch argues that we tell stories to exercise our sense of moral outrage. In this essay I try to spell out some of the consequences of his view. First I give an overview of his argument. Then I revisit a major work of fiction—George Eliot's Middlemarch—with his arguments in mind. Eliot's novel also raises issues about the way that narrative connects with emotions, issues that, I argue, illuminate the structure of narrative itself.
Ian McEwan's Neurological Novel
Authors: Thrailkill Jane F.
Published: June 2011

Drawing on cognitive science, literary critics such as Mark Turner have affirmed that for human beings thinking is crucially bound up with narrative. This essay examines how Ian McEwan in his novel Saturday (2005) adds a specifically affective element to the human engagement with narrative through a focus on the neurobiology of consciousness. By casting a neurosurgeon as his protagonist, McEwan attends to what damaged brains can reveal about how story-loving human beings “mind the world. Moreover, in this essay the work of Gerald Edelman in neuroscience and Lisa Feldman Barrett in psychology is cited to bring together disparate fields in affirming that affective feelings convey information about the interface between self and environment. By setting the novel in a single day in London, after 9/11 and during preparations for war in Iraq, McEwan affirms a constructivist theory of knowledge, in which individuals and collectives—including novelists— participate in making up meaningful presents and livable futures. Saturday provides a meditation on how we might further bridge the gap between the humanities and the sciences of mind through cautious collaborations based on the biological rootedness of storytelling, the centrality of feeling to thinking, and a shared empiricism that embraces human activities of interpretation balanced by testing, calibration, and revision.
Secularism and the Iranian Militant Left: Political Misconception or Cultural Issues?
Authors: Vahabzadeh Peyman
Published: June 2011

This essay draws on an original study of the history, theories, and organizational life of Iran's most influential leftist organization in the 1970s, the People's Fedayee Guerrillas, to examine the symptomatic misconception of secularism as well as the secularization of everyday life and politics by a specific generation of Iran's Left. The essay argues that because of its ideological adherence to Marxism, the militant Left of this era simply assumed its role as a secular political force, while riveted by cultural elements that in fact undermined secularism. Moreover, it shows that a stark political dualism between the people and the shah's regime and its capitalist supporters caused the militant Left to advance a certain political binarism that later paved the way for the 1979 Islamic revolution, a phenomenon that indicates how the Left lost sight of the perils of political Islam or discounted its future impact on society. These arguments are complicated by the demographics and cultural inclinations of the members and supporters of the Fedayeen that indicate the extent of permeation of traditionalism and semireligious beliefs in the militant Left. These observations lead the author to inquire whether the Iranian Left has ever been consciously secular.
Print Capitalism and Women's Sexual Agency in the Late Ottoman Empire
Authors: Schick İrvin Cemil
Published: June 2011

Increasingly, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, publications appeared in the Ottoman Empire that took issue with traditional norms of gender and sexuality and advocated alternatives. They criticized arranged marriages and supported companionate unions, attacked polygyny, stressed the importance of a fulfilling sex life in which the wife is an equal partner entitled to gratification, acknowledged sexual attraction as legitimate and viewed the choice of a partner as personally empowering, and even hinted that sexual relations outside marriage were acceptable. Studies of such publications have tended to focus on writers, their thoughts, and the influences that shaped them, generally neglecting the institutional framework that enabled this surge of publications. Focusing on book publishing, this article seeks to document the emergence of Ottoman-Turkish print capitalism and reveal its role in the production of publications that challenged established ideas of personal relations between men and women.
Sectarian Strife and “National Unity” In Egyptian Films: A Case Study of Hassan and Morqos
Authors: Laachir Karima
Published: June 2011

Egyptian filmmakers have braved the issue of religious tension since the beginning of the new millennium occasioned by the rise in religious violence between the two communities. Hassan and Morqos (2008) is the first popular film to address the issue of sectarian tensions directly and openly. In this essay, I argue that while Hassan and Morqos does not attempt to paint a rosy picture of national unity in Egypt, it nevertheless perpetuates the state's official spin on events by laying the blame on “extremists” on both sides, thus exonerating the government from its responsibilities. However, the film poignantly underscores the gap between the official viewpoint of friendship between the two communities, on the one hand, and the deep-seated prejudice and mistrust that govern their daily lives, on the other. Despite its shortcomings, the film opens up a public space for debate where anxieties can be expressed. It does not silence Coptic “difference” in the name of “national unity,” as Coptic religious symbols and culture are strongly present in the film.
Pre-Positioning of Emergency Items for CARE International
Authors: Duran Serhan , Gutierrez Marco A. , Keskinocak Pinar
Published: June 2011

Each year, about 500 natural disasters kill approximately 70,000 people and affect more than 200 million people worldwide. In the aftermath of such events, large quantities of supplies are needed to provide relief aid to the affected. CARE International is one of the largest humanitarian organizations that provide relief aid to disaster survivors. The most vital issues in disaster response are agility in mobilizing supplies and effectiveness in distributing them. To improve disaster response, a research group from Georgia Institute of Technology collaborated with CARE to develop a model to evaluate the effect that pre-positioning relief items would have on CARE's average relief-aid emergency response time. The model's results helped CARE managers to determine a desired configuration for the organization's pre-positioning network. Based on the results of our study and other factors, CARE has pre-positioned relief supplies in three facilities around the world.
A Mathematical Programming Approach to Applicant Selection for a Degree Program Based on Affirmative Action
Authors: Durán Guillermo , Wolf-Yadlin Rodrigo
Published: June 2011

In 2007, the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Chile allied with a major Chilean mining company to inaugurate a master's degree program in globalization management. The program's objective is to address the challenges Chile faces in its development of human and social capital by training young professionals. This paper describes the use of mathematical programming models in the program's applicant selection procedure for the first three entering classes, subject to equity criteria on gender, regional origin, and socioeconomic background. The models generated robust solutions in minutes, an achievement practically impossible using manual methods. The application's success demonstrates how mathematical programming and operations research can contribute to social policy.
The Division of Gains from Complementarities in Human-Capital-Intensive Activity
Authors: Ethiraj Sendil K. , Garg Pranav
Published: June 2011

This study uses data from the National Basketball Association to explore organizational mechanisms that affect the division of firm surplus in human-capital-intensive activity. It builds on the idea that reciprocal interdependence among team members creates the potential for complementarity. Complementarity, in turn, translates into higher firm surplus. The division of this surplus is subject to bargaining between the firm owner and labor. We argue that when complementarity increases, the firm owner's share of surplus will grow if interdependence among team members is symmetric. Furthermore, we identify three levers that make complementarity amenable to managerial design: the nature of interaction among team members, the relative dominance of team members, and the composition of a team. We find that greater interaction among team members and higher recruitment of team-oriented individuals are associated with increased complementarity, whereas dominant team members are associated with reduced complementarity. The study contributes to the literature on organization design by extending its implications to the division of surplus in human-capital-intensive activity.
Diabetes Among Adults With Cognitive Limitations Compared to Individuals With No Cognitive Disabilities
Authors: Reichard Amanda , Stolzle Hayley
Published: June 2011

Using a retrospective analysis of data from the 2006 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS), we assessed the health status of working-age adults with cognitive limitations in comparison to adults with no disability (unweighted N  =  27,116; weighted N  =  240,343,457). Adults with cognitive limitations had a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes than did adults with no disability (19.4% vs. 3.8%, respectively) and a significantly higher prevalence of six other major chronic conditions. In addition, individuals with cognitive limitations and diabetes were significantly more likely to have multiple (four or more) chronic illnesses. The health disparities we found in this study demonstrate the need to improve disease prevention and education efforts for individuals with cognitive limitations and their health care providers.
Active Support: A Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Practice Evaluation
Authors: Hamelin Jeffery P. , Sturmey Peter
Published: June 2011

Researchers have evaluated active support in agencies for persons with developmental disabilities to increase staff assistance and service user engagement. A systematic review identified two studies in which researchers reported three experimental evaluations of active support. Only one experiment showed a clear functional relationship between active support with “ineffective” to “questionable” percentage of nonoverlapping data points effect sizes and acceptable percentage of all nonoverlapping data points effect sizes. Two experiments did not show experimental control; however, there was evidence that the investigators in these studies did not sufficiently manipulate the independent variable. Based on these data, active support only meets Chambless and Hollon's (1998) criterion for a “promising treatment” but not an evidence-based practice. Future research on active support should demonstrate that the experimenter manipulated the independent variable and reported data on individual participants.
Simultaneous Phenotyping and Quantification of α-1-Antitrypsin by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Chen Yuhong , Snyder Melissa R , Zhu Yi , Tostrud Linda J , Benson Linda M , Katzmann Jerry A , Bergen H Robert
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND

α-1-Antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency results from a genetic disorder at 2 common loci. Diagnosis requires quantification of A1AT and subsequent identification of the specific variant. The current algorithm of laboratory testing for the diagnosis of A1AT deficiency uses a combination of quantification (nephelometry), genotyping, and/or phenotyping. We developed a multiple reaction monitoring liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantification of A1AT and identification of the 2 most common deficiency alleles present in 95% of the patients with A1AT deficiency.

METHODS

Serum samples (n = 40) were digested with trypsin, and appropriate 13C/15N-labeled standard peptides were added. We performed LC-MS/MS analysis with a 0.5- by 150-mm C18 column and H2O:acetonitrile:n-propanol:formic acid (A:98:1:1:0.2 and B:10:80:10:0.2; flow 12 μL/min) mobile phase in positive ion mode on a TSQ Quantum triple quadrupole MS system. We measured the A1AT concentration by comparison to a calibration curve and determined the phenotype by the presence or absence of variant peptides. We compared the results to the current phenotyping assay by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and the immunonephelometry quantitative assay.

RESULTS

For A1AT allele detection, in 39 of 40 samples the LC-MS/MS results were identical to those obtained by IEF gel electrophoresis. The single discrepant result was rerun by IEF at a lower dilution, and the results were in concordance. The A1AT quantification by LC-MS/MS also compared favorably with nephelometry.

CONCLUSIONS

The LC-MS/MS method correlates well with current phenotyping and nephelometric assays and has the potential to improve the laboratory diagnosis of genetic A1AT deficiency.
A review of validated youth prevention and positive youth development programs in Asia
Authors: Shek Daniel T.L. , Yu Lu
Published: June 2011

In view of the intensification of adolescent developmental issues in different Asian contexts, there is an urgent need for developing prevention and positive youth development programs in different Asian communities. In this paper, adolescent prevention and positive youth development programs in Asia which have been evaluated by studies adopting true experimental or quasi-experimental designs are reviewed. Several observations are highlighted from this review. First, compared with Western societies, the number of validated programs in different Asian communities was extremely low. Second, there were comparatively more programs addressing substance abuse than other mental health problems. Third, compared with evaluated prevention programs, there were very few positive youth development programs. Finally, there were very few rigorously designed evaluative studies of prevention and positive youth development programs over a long period of time.
Psychopharmacological treatment of ADHD symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Handen Benjamin L. , Taylor Johanna , Tumuluru Rameshwari
Published: June 2011

One of the most frequently reported behavioral concerns among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is high rates of activity and inattention, symptoms that are often associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although there is a considerable body of research regarding the appropriate treatment of ADHD symptoms among typically developing children, the research among children with ASD is more limited. The evidence to date suggests that medication response rates among children with ASD are considerably lower than among typically developing children and that children with ASD tend to be at greater risk for experiencing side effects. The purpose of the present paper is to review the available research on the treatment of ADHD symptoms in children with ASD. This paper summarizes the data on a range of pharmacological options and provides specific recommendations for how best to clinically manage these symptoms.
The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the pathophysiology of adolescent suicidal behavior
Authors: Sher Leo
Published: June 2011

Adolescent suicide research has mostly focused on demographic risk factors. Such studies focus on who is at risk, but do not explain why certain adolescents are at risk for suicide. Studies of the neurobiology of adolescent suicide could clarify why some youths are more suicidal than others and help to find biological markers of suicidal behavior in teenagers. Over the past decade the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior has attracted significant attention of scientists. BDNF is involved in the pathophysiology of many psychiatric disorders associated with suicidal behavior including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. BDNF dysregulation could be associated with increased suicidality independently of psychiatric diagnoses. BDNF plays an important role in the regulation and growth of neurons during childhood and adolescence. Prominent among the brain regions undergoing developmental change during adolescence are stressor-sensitive areas. The serotonin dysfunction found in adolescent and adult suicidal behavior could be related to the low level of BDNF, which impedes the normal development of serotonin neurons during brain development. BDNF dysfunction could play a more significant role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behavior in adolescents than in adults. Treatment-induced enhancement in the BDNF function could reduce suicidal behavior secondary to the improvement in psychiatric pathology or independently of improvement in psychiatric disorders. It is interesting to hypothesize that BDNF could be a biological marker of suicidal behavior in adolescents or in certain adolescent populations.
Can We Save the College Dream?
Authors: Douglass John Aubrey
Published: June 2011

This essay discusses the major financial and organizational challenges facing California’s higher education system, and offers a possible pathway to reforms. Most critics and observers of California’s system remain focused on incremental and largely marginal improvements, transfixed by the state’s persistent financial problems and inability to engage in long-range planning for a population that is projected to grow from approximately 37 million to some 60 million by 2050. A number of studies indicate that California’s higher education system will not keep pace with labor needs in the state, let alone affording opportunities for socioeconomic mobility that once characterized California. California needs a “re-imagined” network of colleges and universities and a plan for “Smart Growth.”
KWXY, AM 1340, Cathedral City
Authors: Kun Josh , Conlin Jeff
Published: June 2011

Josh Kun discusses the origins of Easy Listening music as a Post-War Western musical genre. The soft muzak of KWXY, especially the sound of Ray Coniff, follows listeners as they drive through the California desert, creating a “theatre of memory” in which the past and present collide in a sublime soundscape.
Rare metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma: pictorial review
Authors: Song Hong-Jun , Xue Yan-Li , Xu Yan-Hong , Qiu Zhong-Ling , Luo Quan-Yong
Published: June 2011

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is usually indolent with good prognosis and long-term survival. However, DTC distant metastasis is often a grave event and accounts for most of its disease-specific mortality. The major sites of distant metastases are the lung and bone. Metastases to the brain, breast, liver, kidney, muscle, and skin are rare or relatively rare. Nevertheless, recognizing rare metastases from DTC has a significant impact on the clinical decision making and prognosis of patients. 131I single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (131I-SPECT/CT) can provide both metabolic and anatomic information about a lesion; therefore, it can better localize and define the 131I-WBS findings in DTC patients. In this pictorial review, the imaging features of a range of rare metastases from DTC are demonstrated, with a particular emphasis on the 131I-SPECT/CT diagnostic aspect.
Leptin deficiency suppresses MMTV-Wnt-1 mammary tumor growth in obese mice and abrogates tumor initiating cell survival
Authors: Zheng Qiao , Dunlap Sarah M , Zhu Jinling , Downs-Kelly Erinn , Rich Jeremy , Hursting Stephen D , Berger Nathan A , Reizes Ofer
Published: June 2011

Obesity increases both the risk and mortality associated with many types of cancer including that of the breast. In mice, obesity increases both incidence of spontaneous tumors and burden of transplanted tumors. Our findings identify leptin, an adipose secreted cytokine, in promoting increased mammary tumor burden in obese mice and provide a link between this adipokine and cancer. Using a transplantable tumor that develops spontaneously in the murine mammary tumor virus-Wnt-1 transgenic mice, we show that tumors transplanted into obese leptin receptor (LepRb)-deficient (db/db) mice grow to eight times the volume of tumors transplanted into lean wild-type (WT) mice. However, tumor outgrowth and overall tumor burden is reduced in obese, leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice. The residual tumors in ob/ob mice contain fewer undifferentiated tumor cells (keratin 6 immunopositive) compared with WT or db/db mice. Furthermore, tumors in ob/ob mice contain fewer cells expressing phosphorylated Akt, a growth promoting kinase activated by the LepRb, compared with WT and db/db mice.In vivolimiting dilution analysis of residual tumors from ob/ob mice indicated reduced tumor initiating activity suggesting fewer cancer stem cells (CSCs). The tumor cell populations reduced by leptin deficiency were identified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and found to express LepRb. Finally, LepRb expressing tumor cells exhibit stem cell characteristics based on the ability to form tumorspheresin vitroand leptin promotes their survival. These studies provide critical new insight on the role of leptin in tumor growth and implicate LepRb as a CSC target.
Adubação mineral de Pinus oocarpa schiede
Authors: Lopes M.I.M.S. , Gurgel M.A. de O. , Garrido L.M. do A.G. , Mello F. de A.F. de
Published: June 2011

O presente ensaio refere-se à adubação de Pinus oocarpa Schiede. Foi instalado em solo Latossolo Vermelho Escuro Distrófico originalmente sob vegetação de cerrado, no município de Assis, São Paulo. Através de medições periódicos de altura e DAP (diâmetro à altura do peito) das árvores, foram verificados os efeitos da adubação NPK, calagem, S, B e Zn sob delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Pela análise estatística dos últimos dados de altura e diâmetro, quando as plantas estavam com 3 anos, conclui-se que: a adubação NPK proporcionou um aumento significativo no desenvolvimento das plantas em altura e diâmetro; a adubação NPK + calagem aumentou significativamente a altura; a adubação NPK + calagem + S aumentou significativamente o diâmetro e a aplicação de B e Zn não apresentou efeitos significativos.
Ação de estimulantes vegetais no desenvolvimento do girassol (Helianthus annuus L.)
Authors: Castro Paulo R.C. , Gonçalves M. Bernadete , Silva Medson J. , Ribeiro Sergio A.
Published: June 2011

Verificou-se em condições de casa de vegetação o efeito de três estimulan tes no desenvolvimento de girassol cultivares Uruguay e Anhandy. A semeadura do girassol foi realizada em 17.08.82, em vasos de cerâmica, sendo que 24 e 43 dias aps a semeadura as plantas foram pulverizadas com Triacontanol (l-hidroxitriacontano ) na dosagem de 0,05 mg/l, Agrostemin (alantoina, triptofano, adenina e outros aminoácidos) 1 g/10 ml/3 1 e Ergostim (ácido N-acetil tiazolidin-4-carboxílico com ácido fólico) 1,5ml/ 1, além do controle. Foi verificado que Ergostim promoveu aumentos no crescimento e no peso da matéria seca das plantas de girassol mais pronunciados do que Agrostemin. Triacontanol aumentou a florescência e reduziu o peso da matéria seca das plantas.
Part 2: Pharmacogenetic Variability in Drug Transport and Phase I Anticancer Drug Metabolism
Authors: Deenen Maarten J. , Cats Annemieke , Beijnen Jos H. , Schellens Jan H.M.
Published: June 2011

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: List currently identified candidate genes involved in phase I metabolism that are potential pharmacogenetic markers in anticancer therapy.Describe the general effect on standard treatment of allelic variants of the candidate genes and the implications for individualized treatment.

This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com

Equivalent drug doses in anticancer chemotherapy may lead to wide interpatient variability in drug response reflected by differences in treatment response or in severity of adverse drug reactions. Differences in the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) behavior of a drug contribute to variation in treatment outcome among patients. An important factor responsible for this variability is genetic polymorphism in genes that are involved in PK/PD processes, including drug transporters, phase I and II metabolizing enzymes, and drug targets, and other genes that interfere with drug response. In order to achieve personalized pharmacotherapy, drug dosing and treatment selection based on genotype might help to increase treatment efficacy while reducing unnecessary toxicity.

We present a series of four reviews about pharmacogenetic variability in anticancer drug treatment. This is the second review in the series and is focused on genetic variability in genes encoding drug transporters (ABCB1 and ABCG2) and phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes (CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, DPYD, CDA and BLMH) and their associations with anticancer drug treatment outcome. Based on the literature reviewed, opportunities for patient-tailored anticancer therapy are presented.
Utility of mTOR Inhibition in Hematologic Malignancies
Authors: Younes Anas , Samad Nousheen
Published: June 2011

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an intracellular serine/threonine kinase that exists as a downstream component of numerous signaling pathways. The activation of mTOR results in the production of proteins involved in cell metabolism, growth, proliferation, and angiogenesis. Aberrant activation of mTOR signaling has been identified in a number of cancers, and targeted inhibition of mTOR has been successful in achieving tumor responses, prolonging progression-free survival, and increasing overall survival in various oncologic patient populations. In particular, persistent activation of mTOR signaling has been identified in cell lines and patient samples with leukemias, Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), multiple myeloma (MM), and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). In vitro and preclinical studies using agents that inhibit mTOR signaling have demonstrated cytostatic and cytotoxic effects in these hematologic malignancies, suggesting that mTOR is a rational target for therapy in these disease states. In addition, the combination of mTOR inhibitors with traditional therapies may help to overcome the development of resistance and may improve response rates over those seen with established regimens through synergistic or additive effects. Inhibitors of mTOR signaling currently are being investigated in clinical trials of hematologic malignancies as single agents and as components of combination regimens. Thus far, promising results have been seen with the application of mTOR inhibitors as single agents in patients with relapsed or refractory leukemia, HL, NHL, MM, and WM.
Early Clinical Development of ARQ 197, a Selective, Non–ATP-Competitive Inhibitor Targeting MET Tyrosine Kinase for the Treatment of Advanced Cancers
Authors: Adjei Alex A. , Schwartz Brian , Garmey Edward
Published: June 2011

Expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase c-MET (MET, mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor) in many cancers, and its participation in multiple signal transduction pathways involved in malignant tumor growth, suggest a wide therapeutic potential for MET inhibition in human cancer. Here we describe the discovery and early clinical development of ARQ 197, a novel, selective, non–ATP-competitive inhibitor of MET. Phase I studies demonstrate that ARQ 197 has a predictable pharmacokinetics and favorable safety profile, making it a potentially ideal partner for combination with cytotoxic chemotherapies and targeted anticancer agents. Results from phase I and phase II trials demonstrate preliminary evidence of anticancer activity. New data from a global phase II randomized trial comparing a combination of ARQ 197 plus erlotinib with erlotinib/placebo, in endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor-naïve patients with locally advanced/metastatic non–small cell lung cancer, demonstrate improvement in progression-free and overall survival with combined therapy. Results were especially pronounced for patients with non–squamous lung cancer histologies, and in particular molecularly defined subgroups including KRAS mutations. These and other data from ARQ 197 clinical trials in hepatocellular, germ-cell, pancreatic (in combination with gemcitabine), and colorectal (in combination with cetuximab and irinotecan) cancers further highlight the potential role of ARQ 197 in existing and emerging anticancer therapeutic regimens.
A Pilot Phase II Study of Valproic Acid for Treatment of Low-Grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma
Authors: Mohammed Tabraiz A. , Holen Kyle D. , Jaskula-Sztul Renata , Mulkerin Daniel , Lubner Sam J. , Schelman William R. , Eickhoff Jens , Chen Herbert , LoConte Noelle K.
Published: June 2011

Introduction.

Notch1 has been shown to be a tumor suppressor in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Previous in vitro studies in NET cell lines have also suggested that valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, can induce Notch1 and that Notch1 activation correlates with a decrease in tumor markers for NETs. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the role of VPA in treating NETs and to determine whether VPA induced the Notch signaling pathway signaling in vivo.

Patients and Methods.

Eight patients with low-grade NETs (carcinoid and pancreatic) were treated with 500 mg of oral VPA twice a day with dosing adjusted to maintain a goal VPA level between 50 and 100 μg/mL. All patients were followed for 12 months or until disease progression.

Results.

Notch1 signaling was absent in all tumors prior to treatment and was upregulated with VPA. One patient had an unconfirmed partial response and was noted to have a 40-fold increase in Notch1 mRNA levels. Four patients had stable disease as best response. Tumor markers improved in 5 out of 7 patients. Overall, treatment with VPA was well tolerated.

Conclusion.

VPA activates Notch1 signaling in vivo and may have a role in treating low-grade NETs.
Outcomes After Combined Modality Therapy forEGFR-Mutant and Wild-Type Locally Advanced NSCLC
Authors: Mak Raymond H. , Doran Elizabeth , Muzikansky Alona , Kang Josephine , Neal Joel W. , Choi Noah C. , Willers Henning , Jackman David M. , Sequist Lecia V.
Published: June 2011

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Describe locoregional recurrence rates in EGFR-mutant and wild-type EGFR patients in this study who had locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer that was treated with combined modality therapy, including thoracic radiation therapy.Compare the locoregional recurrence rate in EGFR-mutant and wild-type EGFR patients in this study who had locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer and who were treated without surgery.

This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com

Background.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations identify a unique biological subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Treatment outcomes for EGFR-mutant locally advanced NSCLC patients have not been well described.

Methods.

We retrospectively examined outcomes after combined modality therapy including thoracic radiation therapy (RT) in 123 patients with locally advanced NSCLC and known EGFR mutation status. Outcomes were compared using Kaplan–Meier analysis, the log-rank test, and multivariate Cox regression models.

Results.

All 123 patients underwent thoracic RT; 25% had tumors with EGFR mutations and 94% had stage III disease. Overall, 81% received chemotherapy concurrent with RT and 55% underwent surgical resection. With a median follow-up of 27.5 months, the overall survival (OS) rate was significantly higher in patients with EGFR-mutant tumors than in those with wild-type EGFR tumors (2-year estimate: 92.6% versus 69.0%; p = .04). The 2-year relapse-free survival and distant recurrence rates did not differ significantly by genotype. The 2-year locoregional recurrence rate (LRR) was significantly lower in EGFR-mutant than in wild-type EGFR patients (17.8% versus 41.7%; p = .005). EGFR-mutant genotype was associated with a lower risk for LRR on multivariate analysis, but not OS, after adjusting for surgery and other potential confounders.

Conclusion.

We observed that EGFR-mutant patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with RT had lower rates of LRR than wild-type EGFR patients, raising the hypothesis that EGFR mutations may confer sensitivity to RT and/or chemotherapy. The association between mutation status and OS after combined modality therapy was less robust. Our data may serve as a useful baseline estimate of outcomes by EGFR genotype for future prospective studies.
Settlement of footings on reinforced level sandy ground at peak footing loads
Authors: Huang C.-C.
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT: Performance-based designs for footings placed on reinforced ground that take their ductile behaviour into account require better knowledge of the settlement of footings subjected to peak footing loads. The validity of theoretical formulae for ultimate bearing capacity and settlement for footings on reinforced level ground, proposed previously by the author, are examined, based on recent experimental evidence. It was found that the formula for the ultimate bearing capacity increase in reinforced level sandy ground, based on the deep-footing and wide-slab mechanisms proposed by the author, works well in evaluating ultimate bearing capacity ratios for footings placed on level ground reinforced with high-tensile-stiffness reinforcement. The upper and lower bounds for footing settlements under peak footing loads were derived based on 42 loading test results. They were then applied to three additional series of loading tests using various types of reinforcing material, such as a relatively extensible polymeric mesh and three-dimensional geocell layers with a deep embedment. There was good agreement between the theoretical and measured values of ultimate footing settlement ratios for reinforced ground reinforced with a high-tensile-stiffness geogrid. It was indicated that using three-dimensional geocell reinforcement with a deep embedment may generate greater footing settlements than those predicted by the upper-bound equation proposed here. It was also indicated that using high-tensile-stiffness geogrids in reinforced compacted dense sand tends to generate slightly lower values of ultimate footing settlement ratio, SRf, than those predicted using the lower-bound equation proposed here. Settlement characteristics of compacted sands, in contrast to the pluviated sands conventionally used for deriving experimental databases, may account for this discrepancy; this requires more study in the future.
Modeling and Optimization of Process Parameters by Taguchi Method: Degradation of Phenolic Compounds by UV/H2O2/TiO2 Process
Authors: Nandwani Shilpa , Mungray Arvind Kumar , Chakraborty Mousumi
Published: June 2011

In this study, Taguchi method was used to identify the several factors that may affect the percentage degradation of phenol and p-chlorophenol in wastewater in a UV/H2O2/TiO2 system. The percentage degradation of phenol and p-chlorophenol was greatly influenced by factors such as pH, cycle time and initial concentration of the organic pollutant. By using orthogonal experimental design and analysis technique, the UV/H2O2/TiO2 system performance can be analyzed with more objective conclusion through only a small number of simulation experiments. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to identify the significant factors affecting the response and the best possible factor level combination was determined through. Finally, a regression model for percentage degradation of phenol and p-chlorophenol has been developed, as a function of system parameters. It was found that a UV/H2O2/TiO2 system decomposition of the organic pollutant were highly dependent on cycle time followed by pH of aqueous solution. The optimal settings of highest percentage degradation of phenol and p-chlorophenol in wastewater were also determined.
Correlates of Quality of Life in Older Adults With Diabetes
Authors: Laiteerapong Neda , Karter Andrew J. , Liu Jennifer Y. , Moffet Howard H. , Sudore Rebecca , Schillinger Dean , John Priya M. , Huang Elbert S.
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate associations between health-related quality of life (HRQL) and geriatric syndromes, diabetes complications, and hypoglycemia in older adults with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A race-stratified random sample of 6,317 adults with type 2 or type 1 diabetes, aged 60 to 75 years, enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, who completed a survey that included a HRQL instrument based on the Short Form 8-item health survey. Administrative records were used to ascertain diagnoses of geriatric syndromes, diabetes complications, and hypoglycemia. Associations were estimated between HRQL and exposures in exposure-specific and combined exposure models (any syndrome, any complication, or hypoglycemia). Conservatively, differences of ≥3 points were considered the minimally important difference in HRQL scores.

RESULTS

HRQL was lower with nearly all exposures of interest. The lowest physical HRQL was associated with amputation. In combined exposure models, geriatric syndromes (−5.3 [95% CI −5.8 to −4.8], P < 0.001) and diabetes complications (−3.5 [−4.0 to −2.9], P < 0.001) were associated with lower physical HRQL. The lowest mental HRQL was associated with depression, underweight (BMI <18 kg/m2), amputation, and hypoglycemia. In combined exposure models, only hypoglycemia was associated with lower mental HRQL (−4.0 [−7.0 to −1.1], P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Geriatric syndromes and hypoglycemia are associated with lower HRQL to a comparable degree as diabetes complications. Addressing geriatric syndromes and avoiding hypoglycemia should be given as high a priority as preventing diabetes complications in older adults with diabetes.
Skin Intrinsic Fluorescence Is Associated With Hemoglobin A1c and Hemoglobin Glycation Index but Not Mean Blood Glucose in Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Felipe Dania L. , Hempe James M. , Liu Shuqian , Matter Nate , Maynard John , Linares Carmen , Chalew Stuart A.
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between skin advanced glycation end products (sAGEs) with mean blood glucose (MBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and MBG-independent, between-patient differences in HbA1c among children with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Children aged 5 to 20 years with type 1 diabetes of at least 1 year duration participated. At a clinic visit, sAGE was estimated noninvasively by measurement of skin intrinsic fluorescence (SIF). SIF data were adjusted to correct for variation in skin pigmentation. MBG-independent, between-patient differences in HbA1c were examined by statistically controlling HbA1c for MBG or alternatively by use of a hemoglobin glycation index (HGI). Results were similar whether HbA1c, MBG, and HGI were analyzed as single values from the time of the SIF examination visit or as the mean values from all available visits of the patient.

RESULTS

HbA1c was correlated with MBG (r = 0.5; P < 0.001; n = 110). HbA1c and HGI, but not MBG, were statistically associated with SIF after adjustment for age, duration of diabetes, race, sex, and BMI z-score. SIF increased with age and duration of diabetes and was higher in girls than boys.

CONCLUSIONS

sAGE levels estimated by SIF increase with age, duration of diabetes, and female sex. sAGE is correlated with MBG-independent biological variation in HbA1c, but not with MBG itself. These results suggest that factors besides MBG that influence HbA1c levels also contribute to accumulation of sAGE.
Erratum to: “Aqueous Phenol and Ethylene Glycol Solutions in Electrohydrodynamic Liquid Bridging”
Authors: Eisenhut Mathias , Guo Xinghua , Paulitsch-Fuchs Astrid , Fuchs Elmar
Published: June 2011

The original version of the article was published in Cent. Eur. J. Chem. 9(3) (2011), pp 391–403. Unfortunately, the original version of this article contains mistakes in the caption of the y-axis of Figs. 5,6 and 10 due to a font conversion problem. The actual units on the y-axis of these figures should be µS cm−1, not mS cm−1.
Synthesis and antimicrobial screening of pyrano[3,2-c]chromene derivatives of 1H-pyrazoles
Authors: Sangani Chetan , Mungra Divyesh , Patel Manish , Patel Ranjan
Published: June 2011

A new series of twenty four derivatives of pyrano[3,2-c]chromene IVa-x bearing 1H-pyrazole were synthesized by a one pot, base-catalyzed cyclocondensation reaction of 1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde Ia-l, malononitrile II and 4-hydroxycoumarin IIIa-b. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectral data. All the synthesized compounds were screened against six bacterial pathogens, namely B. subtilis, C. tetani, S. pneumoniae, S. typhi, V. cholerae, E. coli and for antifungal activity against two fungal pathogens, A. fumigatus and C. albicans using the broth microdilution MIC method. Some of the compounds were found to be equipotent or more potent than commercial drugs against most of employed strains, as evident from the screening data.
Determination of nickel by chemical vapor generation in situ trapping flame AAS
Authors: Matusiewicz Henryk , Krawczyk Magdalena
Published: June 2011

The analytical performances of coupled chemical vapor generation, integrated atom trap (CVG-IAT) atomizer flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) system were evaluated for determination of nickel in environmental samples. Nickel chemical vapors are atomized in an air-acetylene flame-heated IAT. A new design of CVG-IAT-FAAS hyphenated technique that would exceed the operational capabilities of existing arrangements (a water-cooled single silica tube, double-slotted quartz tube) permitting construction of an “integrated trap” was investigated. An improvement in limit of detection was achieved compared with that obtained using any of the above atom trapping techniques separately. The concentration limit of detection was 1 ng mL−1 for Ni. The overall efficiencies of the vapor generation process was estimated to be ca. 50%. For a 2 min in situ pre-concentration time, sensitivity enhancement, compared to FAAS, was 200 folds for Ni, using vapor generation atom trapping technique. The sensitivity can be further improved by increasing the collection time. The precision of the measurements for 25 ng mL−1 of Ni was 9% RSD. The accuracy of this method was tested by analyses of NIST SRM 2704 (Buffalo River Sediment), NIST SRM 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter), NIST SRM 2710 (Montana Soil), NBS SRM 1633a (Coal Fly Ash) and NIST SRM 1643e (Trace Element in Water) certified reference materials. The measured Ni content in five reference materials was in satisfactory agreement with the certified values (in the range of 14.3–98 μg g−1). The hyphenated technique was applied for nickel determination in coal fly ash, soil, sediment, sewage and river water.
Total polyphenolic compounds contents (TPC), total antioxidant activities (TAA) and HPLC determination of individual polyphenolic compounds in selected Moravian and Austrian wines
Authors: Soyollkham Badamtsetseg , Valášek Pavel , Fišera Miroslav , Fic Vlastimil , Kubáň Vlastimil , Hoza Ignác
Published: June 2011

Wine samples (Grüner Veltliner (GV) and Zweigelt (ZW) from four different geographical regions of Austria and Czech Republic) were analyzed to determine their total phenolic content (TPC) by applying the Folin-Ciocalteau method, total antioxidant activity (TAA) by FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) assays, and to identify and quantify eleven phenolic compounds using a HPLC/UV-VIS method.
Fast synthesis employing a microwave assisted neat protocol of new monomers potentially useful for the preparation of PDLC films
Authors: Teresa Barros M. , Mouquinho Ana , Petrova Krasimira , Saavedra Mara , Sotomayor João
Published: June 2011

It has been reported that the length of the molecular chain and the rigidity of molecules influence the structure of the polymer network in PDLC films and hence the electro-optical properties of the composites. Herein, a series of new aromatic monomeric monomethacrylates, bismethacrylates and monovinylbenzene derivatives with a mesogenic core were successfully synthesized under microwave irradiation. The microwave assisted synthesis resulted in decreased reaction times, reduced solvent requirement, increased operational simplicity, and in most cases, improved yields and selectivity.
Approximate analytical solutions for arbitrary l-state of the Hulthén potential with an improved approximation of the centrifugal term
Authors: Stanek Jerzy
Published: June 2011

An approximate analytical solution of the radial Schrödinger equation for the generalized Hulthén potential is obtained by applying an improved approximation of the centrifugal term. The bound state energy eigenvalues and the normalized eigenfunctions are given in terms of hypergeometric polynomials. The results for arbitrary quantum numbers n r and l with different values of the screening parameter δ are compared with those obtained by the numerical method, asymptotic iteration, the Nikiforov-Uvarov method, the exact quantization rule, and variational methods. The results obtained by the method proposed in this work are in a good agreement with those obtained by other approximate methods.
Thermodynamic description of the Cu-Ni-Pb system
Authors: Miettinen Jyrki , Gandova Vania , Georgiev Spas , Vassilev Gueorgui
Published: June 2011

Thermodynamic description is presented for the ternary Cu-Ni-Pb system. Optimized parameters of the sub-systems, Cu-Ni, Cu-Pb and Ni-Pb, are taken from earlier assessments and those of the ternary system are optimized in this study by using the experimental phase equilibrium and thermodynamic data. Better agreement is obtained by the present optimization. Calculated results are compared with the original experimental data to demonstrate the successfulness of this assessment. Moreover, a geometric model (general solution model) is used to estimate ternary integral molar Gibbs excess energies of the liquid phase from the bibary systems only. These values, however, disagree with the quantities obtained by thermodynamic optimizations.