bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abdominal Tuberculosis in Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu
Authors: Shrestha S , Pradhan GB , Bhoomi K , Shrestha BL , Bhattachan CL
Published: May 2010

Abdominal Tuberculosis is a common extra pulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis. The wide spectrum of presentation makes abdominal tuberculosis difficult to diagnose and treat. Retrospective review of cases with abdominal tuberculosis presenting to the Surgery Department of Nepal Medical College Teaching Hospital from January 2002- June 2007 was done to describe our experience of abdominal tuberculosis over a 5 year period. We found total 32 patients with abdominal tuberculosis, among which 13 had concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis. The most common clinical presentation, i.e. a triad of abdominal pain, fever and weight loss was present in 13 who had symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis presented to physicians and the remaining 19 presented acutely to surgeons with symptoms of pain and obstruction. Chest X ray, abdominal ultrasound and barium meal follow through done to find associated abnormalities. Diagnostic Laparoscopy was performed in 10 and 3 patients with peritonitis underwent emergency laparotomy which revealed multiple ileal perforations in 2 cases and one had multiple strictures with small bowel perforation. Diagnosis of tuberculosis, attended at surgeons was confirmed by demonstrating caseating granulomas in histology and Acid Fast Bacilli Positive, culture for M. tuberculosis from peritoneal fluid. All patients were started anti tuberculosis treatment. Abdominal tuberculosis is a relatively common finding and should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain, fever and weight loss. Key Words: Tuberculosis; abdominal tuberculosis; Acid Fast Bacilli; ileocaecal disease DOI: 10.3126/saarctb.v5i1.3083 SAARC J. Tuber. Lung Dis. HIV/AIDS 2008 Vol.5(1) 39-42
(Love) Letters: Madeleine de Scudéry and the Epistolary Impulse
Authors: DeJean Joan
Published: May 2010

In the fall of 1653, Madeleine de Scudéry had just completed Artamène, ou le Grand Cyrus and not yet begun Clélie, histoire romaine. Along with several members of her Paris salon she took advantage of the first ever intra-mural mail system, inaugurated in August 1653: they exchanged letters in which they discussed everything from their feelings for each other to the topics for the next salon, known as “le samedi.” Scudéry and Paul Pellisson subsequently collected these letters and had them copied and bound to form a manuscript. The nineteenth-century owner of the manuscript titled it Chroniques des samedis, which has long encouraged scholars to think of it as merely the account of the salon meetings. Chroniques is much more than that, as it portrays in letters Scudéry's search for her next novel—its subject and especially its form—as well as displaying her creating fictions in letter form. The new penny post only operated for about three months, yet Scudéry's manuscript reveals the understanding that this form of communication gave her of the interface between material culture and literary culture, between postal systems and epistolarity.
“A Living Law to Himself and Others”: Daniel Defoe, Algernon Sidney, and the Politics of Self-Interest in Robinson Crusoe and Farther Adventures
Authors: Dowdell Coby
Published: May 2010

This article provides a context for the dramatic shift in the political constitution of Crusoe's island that occurs between Robinson Crusoe and Farther Adventures. Scrutinizing Daniel Defoe's changing views on self-interest from the publication of Jure Divino: A Satyr (1706) to the publication of the Crusoe narratives (1719) provides insight into why a monarchical Crusoe appears confident enough to place the political authority of his island in the hands of the previously recalcitrant mutineers. Defoe's insistence that the ability of the inhabitants to consent to a particular form of government is predicated upon their capacity to provide themselves with appropriate rules of social and political conduct underwrites the central paradox of Crusoe's island republic: how might a self-governing commonwealth be reconciled with the need to defer authority to an external ruler? What additional forms of civic practice might be required for the security of a European colony so far removed from the seat of British monarchical authority?
Reforming Character: William Law and the English Theophrastan Tradition
Authors: Jensen Kristin
Published: May 2010

Eighteenth-century devotional writer William Law employed the Theophrastan character genre in his book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life in order to habituate his readers to certain ways of thinking about their own moral characters. I have sifted through the reception history of A Serious Call for evidence of the ways in which readers used Law's characters as rhetorical points of reference and as aids for examining and modifying their own characters. Considered together, Law's moral guidebook and the extant readers' responses to it provide a picture of eighteenth-century resourcefulness in adapting a form of fictional character to support the reform of personal character.
A Tale of Two Tactics: Laclos's Novel Approach to Military Crisis and Reform
Authors: Osman Julia Anne
Published: May 2010

Scholars have long recognized Les Liaisons Dangereuses as a document for social reform, declaring the need for more women's education and exposing moral corruption among French nobles. Scholars have also recognized Laclos's military background and his metaphoric language of war and alliances. This essay places Laclos's novel in the context of French military reform in the late eighteenth century and, in doing so, reveals new layers of social critique. As an artillery officer and critic of Vauban, he was deeply affected by this thirty-year period of debate among officers on how to improve the French army after the loss of the Seven Years' War. With this context in mind, the military language of Valmont and Merteuil, when interpreted literally, reveal Laclos's take on the reform period. Merteuil's methods of seduction bear an uncanny resemblance to the tactics of Frederick the Great, and Valmont's conquest of la présidente de Tourvel echoes Vaubanian siege-craft. With this perspective, the “war” between the two leads not to an odd ending without resolution, but the expected conclusion for these military debates and reforms. In Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Laclos reveals his perception of the military debates of the time and argues that any meaningful military reform requires societal changes.
Factors affecting outcome following treatment of patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas
Authors: Sughrue Michael E. , Rutkowski Martin J. , Aranda Derick , Barani Igor J. , McDermott Michael W. , Parsa Andrew T.
Published: May 2010

Object

Although there is a considerable volume of literature available on the treatment of patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas (CSMs), most of the data regarding tumor control and survival come from case studies or single-institution series. The authors performed a meta-analysis of reported tumor control and survival rates of patients described in the published literature, with an emphasis on specific prognostic factors.

Methods

The authors systematically analyzed the published literature and found more than 3000 patients treated for CSMs. Separate meta-analyses were performed to calculate pooled rates of recurrence and cranial neuropathy after 1) gross-total resection, 2) subtotal resection without adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy or radiosurgery, and 3) stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone. Results were expressed as pooled proportions, and random-effects models were used to incorporate any heterogeneity present to generate a pooled proportion. Individual studies were weighted using the inverse variance method, and 95% CIs for each group were calculated from the pooled proportions.

Results

A total of 2065 nonduplicated patients treated for CSM met inclusion criteria for the analysis. Comparisons of the 95% CIs for recurrence of these 3 cohorts revealed that SRS-treated patients experienced improved rates of recurrence (3.2% [95% CI 1.9–4.5%]) compared with either gross-total resection (11.8% [95% CI 7.4–16.1%]) or subtotal resection alone (11.1% [95% CI 6.6–15.7%]) (p < 0.01). The authors found that the pooled mixed-effects rate of cranial neuropathy was markedly higher in patients undergoing resection (59.6% [95% CI 50.3–67.5%]) than for those undergoing SRS alone (25.7% [95% CI 11.5–38.9%]) (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Radiosurgery provided improved rates of tumor control compared with surgery alone, regardless of the subjective extent of resection.
Tractography of the amygdala and hippocampus: anatomical study and application to selective amygdalohippocampectomy
Authors: Colnat-Coulbois Sophie , Mok Kelvin , Klein Denise , Pénicaud Sidonie , Tanriverdi Taner , Olivier André
Published: May 2010

Object

The aim of this study was to evaluate, using diffusion tensor tractography, the white matter fibers crossing the hippocampus and the amygdala, and to perform a volumetric analysis and an anatomical study of the connections of these 2 structures. As a second step, the authors studied the white matter tracts crossing a virtual volume of resection corresponding to a selective amygdalohippocampectomy.

Methods

Twenty healthy right-handed individuals underwent 3-T MR imaging. Volumetric regions of interest were manually created to delineate the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the volume of resection. White matter fiber tracts were parcellated using the fiber assignment for continuous tracking tractography algorithm. All fibers were registered with the anatomical volumes.

Results

In all participants, the authors identified fibers following the hippocampus toward the fornix, the splenium of the corpus callosum, and the dorsal hippocampal commissure. With respect to the fibers crossing the amygdala, the authors identified the stria terminalis and the uncinate fasciculus. The virtual resection disrupted part of the fornix, fibers connecting the 2 hippocampi, and fibers joining the orbitofrontal cortex. The approach created a theoretical frontotemporal disconnection and also interrupted fibers joining the temporal pole and the occipital area.

Conclusions

This diffusion tensor tractography study allowed for good visualization of some of the connections of the amygdala and hippocampus. The authors observed that the virtual selective amygdalohippocampectomy disconnected a large number of fibers connecting frontal, temporal, and occipital areas.
Feed supplementation and weight change, milk yield and post-partum oestrus in Desi cows
Authors: Alam MGS , Rahman MA , Khatun M , Ahmed JU
Published: May 2010

A feeding trial was performed with 16 multiparous lactating Desi (indigenous) cows for 32 weeks to evaluate the effects of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) and ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) as alternative sources of protein together with urea-treated straw, fish meal, green grass and urea molasses mineral block (UMMB) on body weight, milk yield and resumption of ovarian cyclicity after parturition. Cows were grouped into four and supplied four diets. Cows in groups B (dhaincha, ipil-ipil, treated straw, fish meal and common salt), group C (UMMB and green grass), and group A (treated straw, fish meal and common salt) gained body weight 20.7 ± 2.1, 17.2 ± 1.3 and 15.4 ± 3.6 kg, respectively, over a period of 32 weeks. Non-supplemented cows (group D) lost body weight an average of 12.5 ± 5.4 kg. Among the supplemented cows, significantly (P<0.05) better weight gain was observed in group B than groups C and A. The difference in weight gain between B and C, and C and A were not significant (P>0.05). Significantly (P<0.01) higher milk yield was observed in groups B, C and A than in D. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences in milk yield between groups B, A and C. The animals of group C, B and A expressed behavioural oestrus 84-190 (149.0 ± 46.3), 131-220 (178.0 ± 32.0) and 179-218 (200.5 ± 14.0) days postpartum, respectively, these were not significantly (P>0.05) different. None of the cows in group D manifested oestrus during the study period. It is suggested that feed supplementation during lactation in cows stimulates ovarian cyclicity earlier. Dhaincha and ipil-ipil could be used as alternative sources of protein for ruminants, which may result in better weight gain, milk yield and reproductive performance during postpartum period in indigenous cows. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v26i2.4949 Bangl. vet. 2009. Vol. 26, No. 2, 39-47
Supplementation of maize-based concentrates and milk production in indigenous cows
Authors: Kamal MM , Iqbal DMH , Khaleduzzaman ABM
Published: May 2010

The effect of feeding maize-based concentrates on milk yield in cows with cost-benefit analysis was done at smallholder farms in four districts of northern Bangladesh. Concentrate mixtures containing wheat bran, rice polish and sesame oil cake were supplied to 40 indigenous (Desi) cows (20 in Group A and 20 in Group B) for 30 days before intervened feeding. Cows were given 1 kg maize-based concentrates/100 kg body weight twice daily for a further 60 days after feeding intervention. Cows' body weight, milk yield and farm income were recorded before and after maze-based concentrate supplementation. Milk production is increased by 30% for Group A and 90% for Group B. The difference in milk yield before and after supplementation of maize-based concentrate in Group B was significant (P<0.05). The cows' average body weights in Group A increased by 4.7 kg and in Group B by 1.8 kg. In both groups, net income increased and the income increase in A was significantly (P<0.01) greater than in B. Maize-based concentrated feeding in cows led to better milk yield with good economic return. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v26i2.4950 Bangl. vet. 2009. Vol. 26, No. 2, 48-53
Prevalence and risk factors of mastitis in dairy cows
Authors: Rahman MA , Bhuiyan MMU , Kamal MM , Shamsuddin M
Published: May 2010

Identification of risk factors is important for the design of control programmes for mastitis in cows. Information about farms and management was collected at a farm visit. California Mastitis Test (CMT) was performed to assess sub-clinical mastitis, and cows, udder and milk were examined for clinical mastitis. A total of 347 lactating cows from 83 farms in the dry season (November - February) and 388 lactating cows from 89 farms in the wet season (June - October) were studied. The overall prevalence of mastitis was 19.9% and 44.8% in dry and wet seasons, respectively. The prevalence of mild mastitis was 17.3% and 40.7%, whereas that of moderate mastitis was 2.6% and 4.1% in dry and wet seasons, respectively. The prevalence of mastitis was higher (P<0.01) in wet than in dry season. On average, 18.7% quarters had mastitis during the wet season and 6.9% in the dry season. In the dry and wet seasons, respectively, 63.9% and 11.2% had completely dry floors, and the prevalence of mastitis was 22.6% and 30.0%. On the other hand, 88.8% and 36.1% of 83 farms had partly or completely wet and soiled floor and the prevalence of mastitis was 40.0% and 59.5% in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Udder cleanliness, milk yield and peri-parturient diseases significantly (P<0.01) increased the risk of mastitis. The prevalence of mastitis is regarded as quite high. Dry and clean floor to keep cow's udder and teat clean would help control mastitis in the dairy farms of Bangladesh. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v26i2.4951 Bangl. vet. 2009. Vol. 26, No. 2, 54-60
Clove oil anaesthesia in singhi (Heteropneustes fossilis) and lata (Channa punctatus) fish
Authors: Matin SMA , Hossain MA , Hashim MA
Published: May 2010

Three different concentrations of clove oil were applied to two different size groups of singhi (Heteropneustes fossilis) and lata (Channa punctatus) fish to observe the anaesthetic effect and to find an optimum dose. Two groups each consisting of 10 fish was exposed to 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03% clove oil. All fish of either size anaesthetized with 0.01% clove oil exhibited longer induction and shorter recovery period. Exposure to 0.03% concentration of clove oil produced shorter induction and longer recovery period. The smoothness of induction of anaesthesia and recovery was the best in all groups with 0.02% clove oil. There was no mortality encountered with 0.01% and 0.02% concentration. Exposure to 0.03% of clove oil produced 20% mortality in larger singhi. In smaller and larger lata, the mortality rate was 60 and 50%, respectively. Clove oil (0.02%) appeared to be a suitable agent for anaesthesia in these two species of fish. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v26i2.4953 Bangl. vet. 2009. Vol. 26, No. 2, 68-73
Impact of urea-based diets on production of Red Chittagong Cattle
Authors: Habib MA , Hossain MS , Bhuiyan AKFH
Published: May 2010

The production traits of Red Chittagong Cattle (RCC) were studied using two diets: A [Urea-molasses-rice straw (UMRS), Green Grass and Concentrate] and B [Rice straw, Green Grass and Concentrate]. In cows fed diets A and B, birth weights of calves were 15.2 and 14.1 kg (P<0.05), daily milk yield 2.0 and 2.0 kg (P>0.05), lactation length 254.8 and 247.1 days (P>0.05), age at first oestrus 28.4 and 25.6 months (P<0.05), number of services per pregnancy 1.6 and 2.5 (P<0.05), onset of postpartum oestrus 141.3 and 109.3 days (P<0.05), calving interval 14.2 and 13.3 months (P<0.05), semen volume per ejaculation 3.0 and 3.7 ml (P<0.05), mass activity of sperm 58.6 and 68.4% (P<0.01) and sperm concentration 709.1 and 1289.0 million/ml (P<0.01), respectively. DOI: 10.3329/bvet.v26i2.4954 Bangl. vet. 2009. Vol. 26, No. 2, 74-79
Cytokines and Growth Factors Expressed by Human Cutaneous Melanoma
Authors: Elias Elias G. , Hasskamp Joanne H. , Sharma Bhuvnesh K.
Published: May 2010

Cytokines and growth factors have biologic effects that could stimulate tumor growth, invasion and angiogenesis. The incidence of 24 factors was investigated in 25 cultured human melanoma cell lines and in 62 fixed tissues at different stages of the disease. Over 80% of the human melanoma cell lines expressed TGF-β, IL-8, IL-6, VEGF, PDGF-AA and OPN. Significantly higher TGF-β, IGF-1 and IL-15 were determined in primary lesions compared to distant metastases by immunohistochemistry. Illustrating the complexity of the milieu of the tumor microenvironment, some of these factors may have to be considered in targeted therapy.
An Overview of Biomarkers and Molecular Signatures in HCC
Authors: Yim Seon-Hee , Chung Yeun-Jun
Published: May 2010

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Although most HCCs seem to originate from the accumulation of genetic abnormalities induced by various risk factors, underlying mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis remain unclear. Long-term survival of HCC patients is also poor, partly due to HCC recurrence. Although serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level is a useful marker for the detection and monitoring of HCC, AFP levels may remain normal in the patients even with advanced HCC. To identify useful biomarkers for HCC, many studies have been conducted on molecular events such as genetic and epigenetic alterations, and gene expression. This review summarizes recent studies of potential molecular markers for diagnosis and monitoring metastasis or recurrence of HCC.
Entropy: The Markov Ordering Approach
Authors: Gorban Alexander N. , Gorban Pavel A. , Judge George
Published: May 2010

The focus of this article is on entropy and Markov processes. We study the properties of functionals which are invariant with respect to monotonic transformations and analyze two invariant “additivity” properties: (i) existence of a monotonic transformation which makes the functional additive with respect to the joining of independent systems and (ii) existence of a monotonic transformation which makes the functional additive with respect to the partitioning of the space of states. All Lyapunov functionals for Markov chains which have properties (i) and (ii) are derived. We describe the most general ordering of the distribution space, with respect to which all continuous-time Markov processes are monotonic (the Markov order). The solution differs significantly from the ordering given by the inequality of entropy growth. For inference, this approach results in a convex compact set of conditionally “most random” distributions.
Macroporous Semiconductors
Authors: Föll Helmut , Leisner Malte , Cojocaru Ala , Carstensen Jürgen
Published: May 2010

Pores in single crystalline semiconductors come in many forms (e.g., pore sizes from 2 nm to > 10 µm; morphologies from perfect pore crystal to fractal) and exhibit many unique properties directly or as nanocompounds if the pores are filled. The various kinds of pores obtained in semiconductors like Ge, Si, III-V, and II-VI compound semiconductors are systematically reviewed, emphasizing macropores. Essentials of pore formation mechanisms will be discussed, focusing on differences and some open questions but in particular on common properties. Possible applications of porous semiconductors, including for example high explosives, high efficiency electrodes for Li ion batteries, drug delivery systems, solar cells, thermoelectric elements and many novel electronic, optical or sensor devices, will be introduced and discussed.
Fluorinated Poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s: Synthesis and Optical Properties of an Intriguing Class of Luminescent Polymers
Authors: Farinola Gianluca M. , Cardone Antonio , Babudri Francesco , Martinelli Carmela , Naso Francesco , Bruno Giovanni , Losurdo Maria
Published: May 2010

This review is an overview of our previous work on the synthesis and properties of poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s (PPVs) selectively fluorinated in different positions of the conjugated backbone. Both the synthetic challenges and the effects of functionalization with fluorine atoms on the optical behavior are discussed, highlighting the peculiarities and the interest of this class of conjugated polymers. A general polymerization protocol for PPVs, that is based on the Pd-catalyzed Stille cross-coupling reaction of bis-stannylated vinylene monomers with aromatic bis-halides, has been successfully extended to the synthesis of selectively fluorinated poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s. The properties of a series of these PPVs differing in the number and positions of the fluorine atoms on the conjugated backbone have been studied, even in comparison with the non-fluorinated counterparts. The intriguing optical features of the resulting materials are discussed considering not only the role of the electronic and steric effects induced by the fluorine substituents, but also the impact of the fluorination on the solid state organization and intermolecular interactions.
Synthesis Methods of Carbon Nanotubes and Related Materials
Authors: Szabó Andrea , Perri Caterina , Csató Anita , Giordano Girolamo , Vuono Danilo , Nagy János B.
Published: May 2010

The challenge on carbon nanotubes is still the subject of many research groups. While in the first years the focus was on the new synthesis methods, new carbon sources and support materials, recently, the application possibilities are the principal arguments of the studies. The three main synthesis methods discussed in this review are the arc discharge, the laser ablation and the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) with a special regard to the latter one. In the early stage of the nanotube production the first two methods were utilized mainly for the production of SWNTs while the third one produced mainly MWNTs. The principle of CVD is the decomposition of various hydrocarbons over transition metal supported catalyst. Single-walled (SWNT), multi-walled (MWNT) and coiled carbon nanotubes are produced. In some case, interesting carbonaceous materials are formed during the synthesis process, such as bamboo-like tubes, onions, horn-like structures. In this paper, we refer to the progresses made in the field of the synthesis techniques of carbon nanotubes in the last decade.
The Cinnamon-Derived Dietary Factor Cinnamic Aldehyde Activates the Nrf2-Dependent Antioxidant Response in Human Epithelial Colon Cells
Authors: Wondrak Georg , Villeneuve Nicole F. , Lamore Sarah D. , Bause Alexandra S. , Jiang Tao , Zhang Donna D.
Published: May 2010

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of tumor-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent research suggests that pharmacological intervention using dietary factors that activate the redox sensitive Nrf2/Keap1-ARE signaling pathway may represent a promising strategy for chemoprevention of human cancer including CRC. In our search for dietary Nrf2 activators with potential chemopreventive activity targeting CRC, we have focused our studies on trans-cinnamic aldehyde (cinnamaldeyde, CA), the key flavor compound in cinnamon essential oil. Here we demonstrate that CA and an ethanolic extract (CE) prepared from Cinnamomum cassia bark, standardized for CA content by GC-MS analysis, display equipotent activity as inducers of Nrf2 transcriptional activity. In human colon cancer cells (HCT116, HT29) and non-immortalized primary fetal colon cells (FHC), CA- and CE-treatment upregulated cellular protein levels of Nrf2 and established Nrf2 targets involved in the antioxidant response including heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and γ-glutamyl-cysteine synthetase (γ-GCS, catalytic subunit). CA- and CE-pretreatment strongly upregulated cellular glutathione levels and protected HCT116 cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced genotoxicity and arsenic-induced oxidative insult. Taken together our data demonstrate that the cinnamon-derived food factor CA is a potent activator of the Nrf2-orchestrated antioxidant response in cultured human epithelial colon cells. CA may therefore represent an underappreciated chemopreventive dietary factor targeting colorectal carcinogenesis.
A LC-MS-Based Method for Quantification of Biomarkers from Serum of Allergic Rats
Authors: Bai Yu Jing , Gao Xiao Yan , Lu Jian Qiu , Zhang Hong Gui
Published: May 2010

Allergies are highly complex disorders with clinical manifestations ranging from mild oral, gastrointestinal, recurrent wheezing, and cutaneous symptoms to life-threatening systemic conditions. The levels of arachidonic acid, eicosanoids, histamine, organic acids and valine are considered to have a variety of physiological functions in connection with allergies. In this research, we have developed a RP-LC/MS method to separate and quantitate six different potential endogenous biomarkers, including leukotrieneB4 (LTB4), prostaglandinD2 (PGD2), arachidonic acid (AA), histamine (HI), lactic acid (LA) and valine (VAL), from serum of rats with ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy and normal rats, and the discrepancies between the model group and the control group were compared. The separation was performed on a Prevail C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with a gradient elution of acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid (v/v) and 10 mM ammonium formate (adjusted to pH 4.0 with formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL min−1 The method was validated and shown to be sensitive, accurate (recovery values 76.16–92.57%) and precise (RSD < 10% for all compounds) with a linear range over several orders of magnitude. The method was successfully applied to rat serum and shown to be indicative of the endogenous levels of biomarkers within the rat body. The analysis of the biomarkers can provide insight into the allergic mechanisms associated with related diseases.
Estimating Speed and Direction of Small Dynamic Targets through Optical Satellite Imaging
Authors: Easson Greg , DeLozier Scott , Momm Henrique G.
Published: May 2010

Moving Target Indicators (MTI) are systems used to distinguish movement from stationary scenes and sometimes to derive the spatial attributes of these objects. These systems are currently used in many sectors such as traffic studies, border surveillance, and military applications. The proposed MTI reveals vehicles and their velocities using commercial imagery from a passive optical satellite-mounted sensor. With simple process of image differencing, the MTI can automatically recognize conveyances in motion (speed and direction) represented by polygons formed by a group of pixels from successive images. Micro-change detection with an existing commercial satellite requires special considerations of differences in spatial and spectral resolution between images. Complications involving the movement detection system such as vehicle overlap, vehicle clusters, and zones of low confidence are refined by adding error-reducing modules. This process is tested on a variety of vehicles, their concentrations, and environments, confirming the feasibility of utilizing an MTI with commercial optical satellite imagery for movement recognition and velocity estimation.
Special Issue: Retroviral Enzymes
Authors: Menéndez-Arias Luis
Published: May 2010

The retroviral RNA genome encodes for three enzymes essential for virus replication: (i) the viral protease (PR), that converts the immature virion into a mature virus through the cleavage of precursor polypeptides; (ii) the reverse transcriptase (RT), responsible for the conversion of the single-stranded genomic RNA into double-stranded proviral DNA; and (iii) the integrase (IN) that inserts the proviral DNA into the host cell genome. All of them are important targets for therapeutic intervention. This Special Issue provides authoritative reviews on the most recent research towards a better understanding of structure-function relationships in retroviral enzymes. The Issue includes three reviews on retroviral PRs, seven on RT and reverse transcription, and four dedicated to viral integration. [...]
Changes in Body Fat Mass in Patients after Starting Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Choi Soo Jeong , Kim Na Ri , Hong Seong Ah , Lee Wan Bok , Park Moo Yong , Kim Jin Kuk , Hwang Seung Duk , Lee Hae Kyung
Published: May 2010

Background

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is characterized by gain in fat mass. Visceral fat mass is associated with metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis rather than subcutaneous fat mass. In addition, the change in visceral fat mass is a more reliable predictor of survival in PD patients. In this study, we prospectively examined serial changes in fat composition and nutritional status and analyzed factors associated with gain in fat mass in patients undergoing PD.

Methods

Body composition was assessed by bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) and computed tomogram (CT). Nutrition status was assessed by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance (nPNA), serum albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and lipid profile. All measurements except BIA were performed on the seventh day and at 6 and 12 months after the start of PD.

Results

60 patients (30 men; mean age 55.0 ± 12.5 years) were enrolled. Increase in body weight continued during the 12 months but visceral and subcutaneous fat mass increased during the first 6 months and decreased during the second 6 months. While hematocrit and serum albumin decreased during the first 6 months, they did not change during the second 6 months. Serum creatinine, total cholesterol, and triglyceride increased similarly to the weight pattern. While nPNA decreased during the 12 months, Kt/V, SGA, and CRP did not change. Patients that had more visceral fat mass at the start of PD had less gain of visceral fat mass during the first 6 months ( r = –0.821, p = 0.002). Patients that had more subcutaneous fat mass at the start of PD had less gain of subcutaneous fat mass ( r = –0.709, p = 0.015). The change in weight was not associated with the change in visceral or subcutaneous fat during the first 6 months.

Conclusion

Patients starting PD experience weight gain, including visceral and subcutaneous fat, during the first 6 months of PD. Patients with high baseline fat mass had less increase in fat mass than those with low baseline fat mass, regardless of visceral or subcutaneous fat mass.
Low Immunogenicity Allows Staphylococcus Epidermidis to Cause Pd Peritonitis
Authors: Jung Karin , Lüthje Petra , Lundahl Joachim , Brauner Annelie
Published: May 2010

Background

Peritonitis is a common and serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Coagulase-negative staphylococci from the patient's own skin flora are the most commonly found micro-organisms.

Objective

In the present study we aim to elucidate the immune response in the early stage of infection and to clarify the importance of bacterial attachment to fibrinogen.

Methods

Clinical Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates collected from PD peritonitis or the residential skin flora of healthy individuals were used to infect monocytes, macrophages, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the presence or absence of fibrinogen. The S. epidermidis strain HB (fbe+), expressing the fibrinogen-binding protein Fbe, and its isogenic mutant STO56 (fbe– ) were used to study the impact of Fbe during cell infection. Immune induction was measured as interleukin-8 (IL-8) production determined by ELISA. Modulation of CD11b/CD18 expression in neutrophils incubated in conditioned medium from these experiments was analyzed in order to judge the cellular response.

Results

S. epidermidis causing peritonitis was less immunogenic compared to strains belonging to the residential skin flora, as measured by IL-8 induction in monocytes and CD11b/CD18 expression in neutrophils. At low bacterial concentrations, attachment to fibrinogen was a prerequisite for an IL-8 induction in monocytes and PBMC. The fibrinogen-binding protein Fbe did not, however, influence immune induction under this condition.

Conclusions

We suggest that S. epidermidis strains may be able to cause clinical infection by evoking an inadequate immunological response in the early stage of infection. Bacterial attachment to fibrinogen is a relevant event during this phase but independent of the fibrinogen-binding protein Fbe.
Saint Lucy, the Queen of Light. The Legend and Folklore of Saint Lucy
Authors: Wolf-Knuts Ulrika
Published: May 2010

The Feast of Saint Lucy is celebrated on December 13 by a girl wearing a white gown and candles that visits a crowded church. This article investigates the senses mentioned in newspaper reports describing this ceremony. I explain why some senses are not mentioned at all, and I relate my findings to thoughts about the senses as elements of a cultural system guided by power, experiences, and expectations that make up the sense of tradition.
***
Praznik sv. Lucije se praznuje 13. decembra. Pri tem je glavna figura dekle, ki v belem ogrinjalu in s svečami obišče polno cerkev. Članek obravnava omembe čutov v časniških poročilih, ki opisujejo ceremonijo. Avtorica pojasnjuje, zakaj nekateri čuti sploh niso omenjeni, in povezuje spoznanja z mislimi o čutih kot elementih kulturnega sistema pod nadzorom moči, izkušenj in pričakovanj, ki osmišljajo tradicijo.
The Senses, the Path, and the Bus. A Sensory Ethnography of the Saigoku Pilgrimage
Authors: Barbaro Paolo
Published: May 2010

This paper describes and analyzes the Saigoku pilgrimage in contemporary Japan from the point of view of the senses. The description of the most common sensescapes that pilgrims encounter and produce follows a general presentation of the pilgrimage and its broader context. The subsequent analysis of the modes of production and consumption of the sensescapes reveals the formation of similarly patterned clusters of perceptions around similar socio-cultural, behavioral, and environmental factors.
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V razpravi je opisano in s stališča čutov analizirano romanje Saigoku (»romanje v zahodne province«) v sodobni Japonski. Opisu najpogostejših čutnih pokrajin, s katerimi se romarji srečajo in jih proizvedejo, sledi splošna predstavitev romanja v širšem kontekstu. Na tem temelječa analiza načinov produkcije in rabe čutnih pokrajin razkrije oblikovanje podobno vzorčenih skupkov percepcij ob podobnih družbenokulturnih, vedenjskih in okoljskih dejavnikih.
Belief in Saints. Sensory Reality in Religious Experience. As Presented in Examples of Religious Practice in Croatia
Authors: Belaj Marijana
Published: May 2010

Examples of people’s belief in patron saints on the teritory of Croatia are used in an attempt to explain the sensation of sanctity through the prism of the senses harnessed in its shaping. In the same context, some practices noticed during a contemporary celebration of Youth Day (the birthday of Josip Broz Tito) in Kumrovec point to the process of consecrating of the person and place that normally, due to their provenance, are marked as absolutely non-religious or even anti-religious.
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Številni primeri ljudskih verovanj v svetnike zavetnike na Hrvaškem so uporabljeni v poskusu, da bi razložili občutenje svetosti v prizmi čutnosti. V istem kontekstu so bili opazovani nekateri dogodki med sodobnim praznovanjem dneva mladosti (rojstnega dne Josipa Broza Tita) v Kumrovcu, ki kažejo na proces posvetitve osebe in prostora, ki sta po svoji provenienci označena kot popolnoma nereligozna ali celo antireligiozna.
Transformation of Sensuality in the Slovenian Ballad of Lepa Vida (Lovely Vida)
Authors: Avsenik Nabergoj Irena
Published: May 2010

The article analyses the mental movement in the character of Lepa Vida, as portrayed in the ballad by France Prešeren, in terms of communicative context. Through a mixture of realism and tragedy, the reader is taken and moved from the story to the scheme of transformation of values in the span between unsatiated sensuality and unfulfilled longing. The fatal error brings about a total inner reorientation of longing.
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Prispevek analizira duševno gibanje v značaju Lepe Vide, kot jo prikazuje France Prešeren v baladi v smislu komunikativnega konteksta. Bralca zajame mešanje realizma in tragedije in ga vodi iz zgodbe v zasnovo transformacije vrednot v razponu med nepotešeno čutnostjo in neizpolnjenim hrepenenjem. Usodna napaka povzroči popolno notranjo preusmeritev hrepenenja.
La diosa de Galera, fuente de aceite perfumado
Authors: Almagro-Gorbea Martín
Published: May 2010

La llamada Diosa de Galera apareció en una tumba real de la necrópolis ibérica de Tutugi (Granada), comparable a la de Pozo Moro, aunque de mediados del siglo V a.C. Es una escultura de alabastro labrada en un taller áulico sirio-fenicio del siglo VIII a.C. para servir como vaso sagrado de aceite perfumado destinado en exclusiva a la unción ritual de estatuas de divinidad y/o de reyes divinizados.
La diosa Astart, entronizada entre dos esfinges, aparece concebida como Árbol de la Vida, pues de sus pechos brota el divino néctar o ambrosía perfumado que da al Rey la vida, le protege mágicamente y le garantiza la vida eterna en el Más Allá, según indican textos y representaciones orientales.
Se trata de un objeto ritual sacro de ámbito regio, no de un simple keimélion traído por los fenicios. Sería la divinidad protectora de algún miembro de estirpe real nordsirio llegado a Occidente a través de la koiné colonial fenicia. Su aparición en una tumba real de Hispania documenta cómo se debió conformar la ideología y el ritual de las elites regias de Tartessos y del mundo ibérico en el Periodo Orientalizante.
Arquitectura y modalidad: la construcción del poder en el mundo postorientalizante
Authors: Jiménez Ávila Javier
Published: May 2010

Se estudian y se revisan algunos aspectos de la secuencia constructiva de las edificaciones palaciales post-orientalizantes del Suroeste peninsular, desde las fases más antiguas hasta su desaparición a finales del siglo V a. C. Todas ellas parecen experimentar procesos análogos que permiten conectar las transformaciones arquitectónicas observadas con decursos históricos e ideológicos de carácter general, relacionados con el surgimiento, desarrollo y desaparición de las aristocracias rurales de esta región a finales de la Primera Edad del Hierro.
Triclinia y salones triclinares en las viviendas romanas urbanas del cuadrante nordeste de la Península Ibérica (I a.C.-III d.C.)
Authors: Uribe Agudo Paula
Published: May 2010

Presentamos en el siguiente trabajo diversas consideraciones sobre la identificación e interpretación de los triclinia y salones triclinares dentro de las viviendas romanas del cuadrante Nordeste de la Península Ibérica. En este sentido, utilizamos todos los datos posibles: decoración de la estancia, su posición dentro de la vivienda, la metrología, su morfología en planta o los restos materiales para poder proporcionar diversas interpretaciones sobre el uso del espacio. Finalmente, exponemos una breve clasificación además de reinterpretar ciertos términos que a lo largo de la historiografía se han utilizados arbitriamente, como es el caso de oecus.
Áreas productivas y zonas de servicio de la villa romana de Los Cipreses (Jumilla, Murcia)
Authors: Noguera Celdrán José Miguel , Antolinos Marín Juan Antonio
Published: May 2010

En el presente artículo exponemos un avance de los resultados obtenidos en las recientes campañas de excavación arqueológica en la villa romana de Los Cipreses (Jumilla, Murcia), en particular referidos a las partes fructuaria, donde se ha documentado varias instalaciones relacionadas con la producción de vino y aceite, y rustica, donde se ha constatado una serie de dependencias de uso doméstico y artesanal para la población servil del enclave. El asentamiento, sin duda el corazón de un fundus dedicado a la explotación y manufacturación agropecuaria, muestra tres fases constructivas y de desarrollo insertas en un horizonte cronológico comprendido entre los siglos I y V d.C.
Las diademas-cinturón castreñas: el conjunto con decoración figurada de Moñes (Villamayor, Piloña, Asturias)
Authors: García Vuelta Óscar , Perea Alicia
Published: May 2010

Definimos y caracterizamos un grupo de orfebrería castreña de la II Edad del Hierro, denominado diademas-cinturón. La revisión historiográfica y documental de toda una serie de hallazgos antiguos nos ha permitido aclarar cuestiones sobre el contexto, asociación y procedencia de gran importancia a la hora de interpretar este material tan controvertido. Completamos este estudio con el análisis tecnológico de los fragmentos dispersos del conjunto de Moñes, basado en la observación topográfica de la superficie del metal con lupa binocular y en microscopio electrónico de barrido.
La inscripción con letras de bronce y otros documentos epigráficos del foro de Segobriga
Authors: Abascal Juan Manuel , Alföldy Géza , Cebrián Rosario
Published: May 2010

El foro de Segobriga estuvo pavimentado con losas calizas sobre las que se grabó una gran inscripción para letras de bronce a comienzos del Principado; el epígrafe alude a la donación de este pavimento y el hallazgo permite dar sentido a otras inscripciones de la misma zona de la ciudad.
Estudio del trazado regulador del foro de Pollentia (Alcudia, Mallorca)
Authors: Orfila Margarita , Moranta Luis
Published: May 2010

En la ciudad romana de Pollentia (Mallorca) se ha identificado el sistema de trazado regulador utilizado por los agrimensores para modular y planificar primero, y trazar y ordenar a continuación sobre el terreno los edificios del Foro, justificando su distribución e interrelación espacial, comprobando finalmente su posterior implicación en lo que significa la estructuración global de toda la ciudad. El punto inicial sería el centro de un edículo, única pieza del Foro orientada Norte-Sur, que permite definir la orientación de la trama urbana, el emplazamiento y proporciones de los diferentes edificios y viales del Foro, su modulación reguladora y su expansión hacia el resto de la ciudad. Este sistema de trazado regulador analizado y definido en Pollentia resulta ser un instrumento de trabajo apto para ser contrastado en los Foros de otras ciudades romanas tales como Pompeia, Ostia, Gabii, Cumes, Augusta Raurica, ... lo que implica que nos encontraríamos ante un método aplicado de manera bastante generalizada a la hora de proyectar una ciudad entera en la que se guardarían proporciones y emplazamientos perfectamente reglamentados entre sus edificios, siempre bajo la aplicación simultánea de dos criterios: una regulación geométrica global, que definiría ubicaciones de los edificios y espacios libres, y una regulación geométrica interior, que definiría las compartimentaciones interiores de los diversos edificios, sean públicos o particulares.
Fundamentos geométricos, metrológicos y sistemas de proporción en la arquitectura altomedieval asturiana (siglos VIII y X)
Authors: Arias Páramo Lorenzo
Published: May 2010

Estudiamos los criterios de orden y proporción presentes en la arquitectura altomedieval asturiana (siglos VIII-X). El estudio abarca igualmente el sistema metrologico aplicado, estudiando asimismo el módulo de proporción presente en sus edificios. A partir de estos principios se establecen las formas tipológicas y los cánones de proporción comunes al conjunto de la arquitectura asturiana.
Sobre los signos de lectura problemática en la escritura ibérica levantina y una inscripción revisada
Authors: Rodríguez Ramos Jesús
Published: May 2010

Este artículo estudia los signos de la escritura ibérica levantina que, por su escasa frecuencia, todavía no tienen un valor conocido. Se sistematizan los datos al respecto y se justifican las soluciones más probables. Asimismo se documenta la existencia de un nuevo signo problemático, probablemente un alófono vocálico especial. Finalmente se reestudia una inscripción recientemente publicada, cuya dirección de lectura parece ser sinistrorsa.
Accesorios metálicos de correas de cinturones militares altoimperiales hallados en Hispania
Authors: Aurrecoechea Fernández Joaquín
Published: May 2010

Estudio sobre los accesorios metálicos pertenecientes a «mandiles» militares de época romana hallados en Hispania. Entre ellos se documenta un conjunto completo aparecido en una tumba de Aznalcázar (Sevilla), hallazgo de excepcional importancia debido a la escasez de piezas semejantes en contextos sepulcrales. Finalmente, se interpreta el significado de estos bronces dentro del marco cronológico de la dinastía flavia.
El uso ritual de la vajilla cerámica en la necrópolis púnica de Cádiz
Authors: Niveau de Villedary y Marinas Ana M.
Published: May 2010

En este trabajo se analizan los posibles usos rituales de la vajilla en el ámbito funerario. Para ello contamos con la información que nos proporcionan los conjuntos cerámicos que se localizan en pozos votivos y fosas, diseminados por buena parte de la necrópolis. En estos depósitos se amortizan, en última instancia, los elementos materiales utilizados en ceremonias de tipo sacro. Nuestro propósito es, en un primer paso, tratar de sistematizar formalmente el repertorio vascular púnico-gaditano del s. III a.C, para, a continuación, estudiar éste desde un punto de vista funcional; aunque siempre, recordamos, desde la óptica de su utilización en un ambiente ritual y funerario, como es el de las necrópolis.
Las sandalias de Apolo. Sobre el origen griego de los cinturones «célticos»
Authors: Jiménez Ávila Javier
Published: May 2010

Los cinturones de escotaduras y placa romboidal, objetos característicos de la Protohistoria peninsular, han sido considerados por la tradición investigadora española como el reflejo de influencias de las culturas de la Edad del Hierro del Centro de Europa, y han pasado a denominarse de manera generalizada como broches de tipo céltico. En este artículo se presentan datos e ideas que avalan una hipótesis alternativa, apenas tenida en cuenta en la bibliografía hispánica, que defiende el origen griego de estas producciones. A partir de estos datos se propone un nuevo modelo cronológico, artesanal y comercial para este conjunto de objetos que contribuye a comprender algunos aspectos de la colonización griega en la Península Ibérica.
La iconografía divina en Celtiberia: una revisión crítica
Authors: Alfayé Villa Silvia
Published: May 2010

En este artículo se lleva a cabo una revisión de las supuestas imágenes de dioses indígenas documentadas en Celtiberia, para concluir que sólo algunas de ellas pueden ser consideradas como representaciones de divinidades, y que su aparición parece estar vinculada a la presencia de Roma en esa zona dado que su cronología abarca los siglos I a.C. – I d.C.