bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Moderating Effects of Autism on Parent Views of Genetic Screening for Aggression
Authors: May Michael E. , Brandt Rachel C. , Bohannan Joseph K.
Published: October 2012

Advances in gene–environment interaction research have revealed genes that are associated with aggression. However, little is known about parent perceptions of genetic screening for behavioral symptoms like aggression as opposed to diagnosing disabilities. These perceptions may influence future research endeavors involving genetic linkage studies to behavior, including proactive approaches for parents to avoid events leading to aggression. The purpose of this study was to solicit the perspectives of parents who have children with autism about screening for genes associated with aggression, compared to responses from those who have children without disabilities and those planning to have children. Parents of children with autism were more likely to support screening and the use of the results to seek treatment if necessary. Results are discussed in the context of surveillance screening and systematic early intervention for behavioral symptoms related to autism. The results may provide insight for clincians, researchers, policymakers, and advocacy groups related to diagnosing and treating aggression in people with autism.
Introduction: Collecting the Eclectic in Roman Houses
Authors: Tronchin Francesca C.
Published: October 2012

This paper introduces the four essays in this collection on eclecticism and display in Roman houses; works by Emanuel Mayer, Eugene Dwyer, Lauren Petersen, and Francesca Tronchin address archaeological evidence from Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as ancient written sources on decorating and collecting from the perspective of social history. The essay also provides a historiographic account of discussions of eclecticism in Roman visual culture, noting that this stylistic heterogeneity has long been acknowledged in the material, yet has only rather recently been described in a positive light. As pertains to domestic decoration, this introduction and the papers that follow note that employing various eclecticisms within the home could have addressed an audience diverse in religious affiliations, economic status, and intellectual abilities.
The South African Sexual Offences Act and Local Meanings of Coercion and Consent in KwaZulu Natal: Universal Human Rights?
Authors: Singleton Judith L.
Published: October 2012

In 2007 South Africa's Parliament passed the Sexual Offences Act, which had been debated since 1999. The law includes a statutory provision with new legal definitions of rape and consent. Influenced by Western human rights ideology and vocabulary, the Sexual Offences Act represents one form of discourse in South Africa about sexual coercion and consent. By using ethnographic methods, this article examines the wide disparity between some of the state discourses about coercion and consent and local beliefs and practices about the meanings of these terms in the Zulu township of Mpophomeni. Proponents of South Africa's new democracy often ignore poor young women's and men's local understandings of rape and of the violence they encounter on a daily basis. Against this background, the article offers recommendations to improve the current law and its effectiveness.
Cicero and Tyrannio: Mens addita videtur meis aedibus ( Ad Atticum 4.8.2)
Authors: Johnson William A.
Published: October 2012

Scholar and teacher Tyrannio is known for his management of the Sullan library of Aristotle and for his reorganization of Cicero’s library in Antium. The investigation here examines the parallel between these activities with focus on the curious phrase that Cicero uses to describe Tyrannio’s achievement, mens addita videtur meis aedibus . Conclusions include: mens means to invoke Anaxagorean νοῦς; mens also alludes to the story that Plato used the nickname ὁ Νοῦς (“the Brain”) for Aristotle. This reading illuminates the badinage characteristic of Cicero’s letters to Atticus while also adding to our understanding of Tyrannio’s position within their social circle.
Prostitutes, Plonk, and Play: Female Banqueters on a Red-figure Psykter from the Hermitage
Authors: Glazebrook Allison
Published: October 2012

My examination of the female banqueters on this psykter investigates gender ideologies in Attic vase painting, but also humor, eroticism and the use of stereotypes in late-archaic Athens. I suggest this image of female banqueters helped male symposiasts bond and reinforced the privileged position of the Athenian male citizen. The similarity of this image to the actual symposium forced the symposiast to reflect on his behavior, while its differences worked to identify any female at the symposium as “other.” In the process, I also unravel attitudes towards the female prostitute and problematize the identification “hetaira” given to female banqueters.
Second-Chance Collegians: Inside the Remedial Classroom
Authors: Rose Mike
Published: October 2012

There is a lot of attention being given these days to remediation in higher education. "Failure to Launch," reads one representative headline, "Community College Students Can't Meet Higher Goals." The numbers vary but, on average, suggest that about 35 percent to 40 percent of students in state colleges and universities are held for one or more basic skills courses. The numbers increase in the community college, typically 60 percent and higher. So, roughly half of post-secondary students in the United States need some assistance to do college-level work.
The Hidden Life of Porcelainiers in Eighteenth-Century France
Authors: Jones Christine A.
Published: October 2012

Once porcelain experimentation began on the Continent, from the mid-seventeenth century onward, the new trade venture inspired discussion of the porcelain arts that formulated a relationship between the artisan and the object. In these public discourses—published analyses, treatises, and descriptions of the trade—the purpose of the porcelainier was made to disappear behind the mechanical and chemical demands of the craft. My recuperation of the porcelainier 's vision in this article appeals to the only written tradition in which that voice can be heard: patent documents. Correspondence exchanged between artisans and the crown from the early days of experimentation (1670-1700) to the royal regulation of the industry (1750s) offer evidence of the visionary ideas that porcelainiers brought to practising and promoting their craft.
Devotional Reading and Novel Form: The Case of David Simple
Authors: Pettella Tera
Published: October 2012

Although the novel as a form gained popularity throughout the eighteenth century, devotional texts such as the Bible, printed sermons, and books of practical divinity, including The Whole Duty of Man , continued to dominate the print market. These devotional texts establish and foster discontinuous, repetitive, and emblematic reading practices. The form of devotional texts and religious reading practices is essential to a more satisfying description of the formal development of the novel, most notably episodic, sentimental novels like Sarah Fielding’s The Adventures of David Simple . The complex relation ship between devotional and secular texts involved authors borrowing and adapting forms from devotional texts, while readers adapted their own devotional reading practices to secular texts. The force and visibility of the novel in the eighteenth century resulted more from the novel form’s familiarity than its novelty.
Opening the Phosphoric "Envelope": Scientific Appraisal, Domestic Spectacle, and (Un)"Reasonable Creatures" in Edgeworth's Belinda
Authors: Wright Nicole M.
Published: October 2012

Maria Edgeworth's novel Belinda (1801) has received increasing attention in recent years from scholars interested in the author's pedagogical methods (introduced by Edgeworth and her father Richard Lovell Edgeworth in the treatise Practical Education [1798]). Yet there has been little sustained critical assessment of the novel's scenes of empirical inquiry, specifically the two phosphoric spectacles, or attention to how these scenes reflect late-Enlightenment debates and Edgeworth's call for a significant revamping of the period's didactic scientific literature. Far from disavowing the value of all emotional response in favour of a frigid adherence to empirical inquiry, Edgeworth's characters show that empiricism can bolster domestic harmony and strengthen emotional bonds within the household. Edgeworth responds to contemporary debates regarding the use of spectacle in teaching science, suggesting that proper scientific education liberates those benighted by superstition and societal prejudices. The scientific method's appeal lies in its transformative effect on the novel's characters, as it generates a shared empirically grounded discourse, fostering communication between characters differing in race, social rank, education, or age.
Sharing the World : Luce Irigaray and the Hospitality of Difference
Authors: Still Judith
Published: October 2012

This article addresses the hospitality of difference and of desire (rather than meeting needs), in Luce Irigaray’s Sharing the World (2008). While some traditions of hospitality assume a degree of sameness between guest and host at the outset, or as a goal, Irigaray typically insists on real qualitative difference.
Nourishing Difference for the Erotic Couple
Authors: Poe Danielle
Published: October 2012

Erotic relationships have often been excluded from accounts of social transformation, but they can challenge us to work together and return to ourselves. In Irigaray’s work, “the two” create new paths to reach each other and return to themselves as individuals; in so doing, they create new possibilities for others.
Negativity, Unhappiness or Felicity: On Irigaray's Dialectical Culture of Sexual Difference
Authors: Malabou Catherine , Ziarek Ewa Plonowska
Published: October 2012

Written in two voices, this article shows that Luce Irigaray’s thought offers an alternative to the subject/object structure dominant in philosophy. The article engages with dialectical thought and especially Hegel, exploring Irigaray’s focus on sexual difference. The authors elucidate negativity and felicity in politics, history, and personal life.
Powerful Yet Powerless, Powerless Yet Powerful: The Burmese Exorcist
Authors: Rozenberg Guillaume
Published: October 2012

One of the most typical forms of weikza cult consists in congregations ( gaing ) specialized in the practice of exorcism. Relying on the monographic study of such a congregation — the Shweyingyaw Congregation? the article explores the Burmese exorcist's identity. It describes the parameters of this identity in accordance with the way the exorcists themselves conceive their role and their efficacy. The article eventually compares the Burmese exorcist with three archetypal figures in the scholarly study of religion (the possession specialist, the shaman and the Church priest) in order to offer a generic characterization of his exorcistic faculty.
British Black Box: A Return to Race and Science in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth
Authors: McMann Mindi
Published: October 2012

This essay argues that the rhetoric of science and race have real effects on the characters and relationships in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth . Through reading the anxieties about race, ethnicity, and science that permeate the novel in conjunction with the cybernetic term “black box,” two things become evident. First, race and science become the primary categories through which the characters comprehend each other. Second, characteristics of those categories that are taken for granted, such as what constitutes Britishness in the 21 st century, and the certainty of scientific evidence, actually destabilize the relationships they are intended to define.
Brick Lane Blockades: The Bioculturalism of Migrant Domesticity
Authors: Chakravorty Mrinalini
Published: October 2012

This essay examines Monica Ali’s Brick Lane ’s tactics of cultural preservation, both dominant and minor, that routinely frame biologically inflected claims about migrant belonging in Britain. Working within and against theories of biopolitics, I trace how the novel is implicated in public discourses about the cultural demands of citizenship for migrants to Britain who are often mired in an irreducibly corporeal shadow language. Rather than social constructs, the uproar surrounding the publication of Brick Lane divulges the extent to which cultural claims about race, language, assimilation, and authenticity remain anchored in naturalized identity claims about what it means for former colonial migrants to belong in Britain today.
Ksenia Rappoport and transnational stardom in contemporary cinema
Authors: Lerner Giovanna Faleschini
Published: October 2012

This article examines the role of the transnational star in challenging stable notions of Italian identity, through an analysis of Ksenia Rappoport's performances in four Italian films, La sconosciuta/The Unknown Woman by Tornatore (2006), L'uomo che ama/The Man Who Loves by M.S. Tognazzi
(2008), La doppia ora/The Double Hour by Capotondi (2009), Il padre e lo straniero/The Father and the Foreigner by R. Tognazzi (2010). Rappoport's characters display ambiguous moral identities that correspond, on the level of plot, to their uncertain national identities: they are foreign-born,
yet they 'don't look' foreign and appear integrated in Italian society. Through Rappoport's 'Italian' appearance the directors destabilize firm definitions of italianitá and express the contemporary 'panic over national identity'. This apprehension encompasses the characters' subversion
of gender roles and exposes the overlap between gender identity and concepts of otherness. Rappoport remains an outsider in The Father and the Foreigner, where she is the mother of a child with severe disabilities – the ultimate other in a society obsessed with physical perfection. Rappoport's
work as a transnational performer thus exposes and explores the anxieties of Italian society at large about new definitions of national identity and culture in an age of global mobility and transnational migration.
Neural Network Based Multi Stage Modelling of Chylla Haase Polymerization Reactor
Authors: Damodaran Vasanthi , N Pappa
Published: October 2012

An accurate semi batch process model should be a nonlinear dynamic model. Neural networks are suitable for modelling nonlinear dynamics and can be used for developing empirical models of semi batch processes. Multi stage neural network based modelling of the polymerization reactor described by Chylla and Haase, is illustrated in this paper. The process is divided into three regions namely heat up period, feed period and hold period and neural model is developed for each stage. This method of multi stage modelling captures the dynamics of the process accurately for the semi batch process. At different stages respective neural model is active based on the period of operation.
Minimal support results for Schrödinger equations
Authors: De Carli Laura , Edward Julian , Hudson Steve , Leckband Mark
Published: October 2012

We consider a number of linear and non-linear
boundary value problems involving generalized
Schrödinger equations. The model case is
-Δu = V
u for u ∈ W
0
1,2(D)
with D a bounded domain in ℝ
n
. We use the Sobolev embedding theorem, and in some cases the Moser–Trudinger inequality and the Hardy–Sobolev inequality, to derive necessary conditions for the existence of nontrivial solutions.

These conditions usually involve a lower bound for a product of
powers of the norm of V, the measure of D, and a sharp Sobolev
constant. In most cases, these inequalities are best possible.
A Spectrum Sensing Network for Cognitive PMSE Systems
Authors: Brendel Johannes , Riess Steffen , Stoeckle Andreas , Rummel Rafael , Fischer Georg
Published: October 2012

This article is about a Spectrum Sensing Network (SSN) which generates an accurate radio environment map (e.g. power over frequency, time, and location) from a given application area. It is intended to be used in combination with cognitive Program Making and Special Events (PMSE) devices (e.g. wireless microphones) to improve their operation reliability. The SSN consists of a distributed network of multiple scanning radio receivers and a central data management and storage unit. The parts of the SSN are presented in detail and the advantages and use cases of such a sensing network structure will be outlined.
System-Level Mitigation of Undersampling ADC Nonlinearity for High-IF Radio Receivers
Authors: Vallant Georg , Epp Michael , Allén Markus , Valkama Mikko , Jondral Friedrich K.
Published: October 2012

Over the last years ongoing advances in ADC technology have enabled RF signals to be sampled at IF frequencies. Undersampling is nowadays employed in software-defined radio or radar receivers and offers the possibility to relieve requirements in the analog receiver partition. Unfortunately, when moving to higher IF concepts, this becomes demanding for the ADC itself, because of inherent spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) roll-off that increases with input frequency. This fact often limits the receiver's IF placement to Nyquist zone (NZ) 2. In this work the emerging concept of Digital Assistance is pursued to give the receiver access to higher NZs while making no compromise on the SFDR. We will present and discuss post-correction results for two 16-bit high-speed converters from two different vendors at 120 and 125 MSPS, respectively. The proposed system-level post-correction decomposes nonlinearity into a static and a dynamic part. For both ADCs under investigation the degraded SFDR in higher NZs could be improved by up to 15 dB using purely digital linearization technologies, thus increasing the detectability of small signals in the presence of very strong signals or interferers. Near-identical results for both ADCs confirm the general validity of the system-level correction approach.
Profile of the “Green Organic and Medicinal Chemistry” research group at the University of Massachusetts Boston
Authors: Zhang Wei
Published: October 2012

No abstract available.
Applicability of Vis-NIR hyperspectral imaging for monitoring wood moisture content (MC)
Authors: Kobori Hikaru , Gorretta Nathalie , Rabatel Gilles , Bellon-Maurel Véronique , Chaix Gilles , Roger Jean-Michel , Tsuchikawa Satoru
Published: October 2012

Visible-near-infrared hyperspectral imaging was tested for its suitability for monitoring the moisture content (MC) of wood samples during natural drying. Partial least-squares regression (PLSR) prediction of MC was performed on the basis of average reflectance spectra obtained from hyperspectral images. The validation showed high prediction accuracy. The results were compared concerning the PLSR prediction of MC mapping from raw spectra and standard normal variate (SNV) treatment. SNV pretreatment leads to the best results for visualizing the MC distribution in wood. Hyperspectral imaging has a high potential for monitoring the water distribution of wood.
Transforming growth factor β signaling regulates the invasiveness of normal mammary epithelial cells and the metastasis formation of tumor cells
Authors: Vafaizadeh Vida , Graab Ulrike , Darvishi Tahmineh , Machado Rita , Groner Bernd
Published: October 2012

Breast cancer patients with disseminated metastatic disease still have a very unfavorable prognosis. Investigations into the molecular mechanisms that underlie metastasis formation have a high priority and can possibly result in improved therapeutic interventions. The process of oncogenic epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has recently become a focus in cancer research because it encompasses many of the phenotypic traits characteristic of metastatic cells, e.g., increased motility, invasion, anoikis resistance, immunosuppression, and cancer stem cell potential. A number of central cellular signaling pathways and transcription factors have been implied in the control of EMT and metastasis formation, among them signal originating from the activation of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), epithelial growth factor, Wnt, Notch, and Hedgehog pathways. We have investigated the contribution of TGFβ signaling to metastasis-related cellular properties. TGFβ signaling can have tumor-suppressive and -promoting effects depending on the tumor type and the stage of tumor progression. TGFβ can inhibit the proliferation of mammary epithelial cells (MECs), but it can also induce EMT, invasion, and metastasis, possibly through Smad-independent signaling events. We investigated the effects of TGFβ pathway inhibition on the proliferation, differentiation, and invasion of both normal and malignant MECs. shRNA-mediated downregulation of the Smad4 protein in non-tumorigenic HC11 and tumorigenic 4T1 cells promotes the invasiveness of both cell lines. Mammary gland reconstitution studies, with primary MECs expressing shSmad4, resulted only in subtle effects on the glandular morphogenesis. Orthotopic transplantation of shSmad4-transduced 4T1 tumor cells caused the accelerated growth of mammary tumors and enhanced colonization and macroscopic lung metastases when compared to control cells. Surprisingly, the expression of Smad4 was restored, and a strong activation of Stat3 was found in the metastatic lesions present in the lungs. These lesions express metastatic factors, such as angiopoietin-like-4 and the inhibitor of DNA binding/differentiation 1. We suggest that the downregulation of Smad4 inhibits the tumor-suppressive effects of TGFβ signaling and enhances tumor growth. The downregulation, however, was only transient, and the reactivation of Smad4 expression caused the reversal of EMT, mesenchymal to epithelial transition, and thereby promoted metastasis formation in the lungs.
Phenolic-rich extracts from selected tropical underutilized legumes inhibit α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and angiotensin I converting enzyme in vitro
Authors: Ademiluyi Adedayo O. , Oboh Ganiyu
Published: October 2012

Background: In this study, interaction of free and bound phenolic extracts from selected tropical underutilized legumes (a popular folklore for the management of diabetes and hypertension) with key enzymes linked to type 2 diabetes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase) and hypertension (angiotensin I converting enzyme, ACE) was assessed.

Methods: The free phenolic extracts of the soybean were obtained by extracting powdered legume seeds with 80% acetone, whereas the residue was subjected to alkaline and acid hydrolysis before extraction with ethyl acetate to obtain the bound extracts. Thereafter, enzyme (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and ACE) inhibitory studies and antioxidant capacity of the extracts were investigated.

Results: The free and bound phenolic extracts inhibited α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and ACE activities in a dose-dependent manner. However, the free phenolic extracts of all the legumes were stronger inhibitors of α-glucosidase than their corresponding bound phenolic extracts. In addition, the free phenolic extracts (except melon) exhibited stronger ACE inhibition than their corresponding bound phenolic extracts. All the phenolic extracts significantly (p<0.05) inhibited Fe2+-induced oxidative stress in the pancreas (in vitro) and exhibited strong antioxidant activities.

Conclusions: The inhibition of the α-amylase, α-glucosidase, ACE, and oxidative stress by the phenolic extracts could be a part of the mechanism through which these underutilized legumes manage/prevent type 2 diabetes and hypertension. However, as revealed by this study, bambara groundnut with the best enzyme inhibitory potentials coupled with strong antioxidant properties ranked highest, whereas melon seed ranked least.
Inverse determination of unsteady temperatures and heat fluxes on inaccessible boundaries
Authors: Dennis Brian H. , Dulikravich George S.
Published: October 2012

The direct measurement of temperatures and heat fluxes may be difficult or impossible on
boundaries that are inaccessible, such as internal cavities, or exposed to harsh environmental conditions
that would destroy the thermal sensors. In such circumstances, one may inversely determine the temperature
and heat fluxes on these unknown boundaries by using over-specified conditions on boundaries where such
information can be readily collected. This assumes the geometry and material properties of the domain are
known. Algorithms for solving these problems, such as those based on finite difference, finite element, and
boundary element, are well known for the case where measured boundary conditions are not a function of
time. In this work, we demonstrate an inverse finite element method that effectively solves this inverse
heat conduction problem using over-specified temperatures and heat fluxes that are time varying. The
material properties may be highly heterogeneous and non-linear. A boundary regularization method is used to
stabilize the method for cases involving errors in temperature and heat flux measurements. Several three-dimensional examples are given using simulated measurements with and without measurement errors, to
demonstrate the accuracy of the method.
Pharmacovigilance in pregnancy: adverse drug reactions associated with fetal disorders
Authors: Wettach Carmen , Thomann Janine , Lambrigger-Steiner Claudia , Buclin Thierry , Desmeules Jules , von Mandach Ursula
Published: October 2012

Objective: To provide the first update on drug safety profiles and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with fetal disorders from the Swiss national ADR database.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using data from 202 pharmacovigilance reports on drug-associated fetal disorders from the Swiss national ADR database from 1990 to 2009. Evaluated aspects included administrative information on the report, drug exposure, and disorders.

Results: The ADR reporting frequency on the topic of fetal disorders has increased during the last 20 years, from only 1 report in 1991 to a maximum of 31 reports in 2008. Nervous system drugs were the most frequently reported drug group (40.2%) above all antidepressants and antiepileptics. The highest level of overall drug intake could be observed for the 1st trimester (85.4%), especially for the first 6 weeks of pregnancy. The most frequently reported types of fetal disorders were malformations (68.8%), especially those of the musculoskeletal and circulatory systems. A positive association was discovered between antiepileptics and malformations in general and in particular of the circulatory system and the eye, ear, face, and neck.

Conclusions: The results suggest that the nervous system drug group bears an especially high risk for malformations. The most commonly identified drug exposures can help focus pharmacoepidemiologic efforts in drug-induced birth defects.
Grundfragen der Begünstigung – Plädoyer für eine vermögensorientierte Restriktion des Tatbestandes
Authors: Bosch Nikolaus
Published: October 2012

Eine zutreffende Handhabung des Tatbestands der Begünstigung
wird in Klausuren vor allem durch die notwendige Offenheit der Teilnahmelehre und die wenig bestimmte Abgrenzung verschiedener Stufen der Deliktsverwirklichung erschwert. Zu den bestehenden Problemen der Tatbestandsauslegung trägt aber auch die unscharfe Rechtsgutbestimmung der h.M. bei, die in § 257 StGB eine bunte Mischung aus Rechtspflege- und Vermögensinteressen, aber auch nichtvermögensbezogenen Individualinteressen geschützt sieht.
Der Beitrag verdeutlicht die damit einhergehenden Fragen der Tatbestandsauslegung unter Berücksichtigung typischer Klausurkonstellationen.
Der Sukzessionsschutz im BGB
Authors: Petersen Jens
Published: October 2012

Der Sukzessionsschutz gehört gewiss zu den anspruchsvolleren Prinzipien des Privatrechts. Sein Verständnis hilft aber zu einem vertieften Eindringen in den Rechtsstoff, das sich über kurz oder lang auch in besseren Noten niederschlagen kann.
Signals from the Deep: Reach-Related Activity in the Human Superior Colliculus
Authors: Linzenbold Walter , Himmelbach Marc
Published: October 2012

Neurophysiological studies in nonhuman species indicated that neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) are involved in the control of upper limb movements. These findings suggested that the SC represents a crucial hub in a general sensorimotor network, including skeletomotor as much as oculomotor functions. In contrast to the SC in the various animal models, the human SC is largely unknown territory. In particular, it is unknown whether findings of reach-related activity in the nonhuman SC can be extrapolated to humans. Using fMRI we found signal increases at superficial/intermediate and deep locations at the SC during the execution of arm movements. In contrast, signals related to saccade execution were confined to the superficial and intermediate locations. Although targets for reaching were presented in the left and right hemifields under central fixation, we found a lateralization of reach-related signals with respect to the active arm. In contrast, saccade-related activity was bilateral, in agreement with the bilateral target presentation and the resulting directions of saccades. Our results suggest that the human SC not only contributes to the coordination of eye movements and spatial shifts of attentions but also to the sensorimotor control of arm movements.
Preface
Authors: Ertl Gerhard
Published: October 2012

In Memoriam Dieter M. Kolb (1942–2011)
Case–control study of markers of insulin resistance and endometrial cancer risk
Authors: Friedenreich Christine M , Langley Annie R , Speidel Thomas P , Lau David C W , Courneya Kerry S , Csizmadi Ilona , Magliocco Anthony M , Yasui Yutaka , Cook Linda S
Published: October 2012

Markers of insulin resistance such as the adiponectin:leptin ratio (A:L) and the homeostasis model assessment ratio (HOMA-IR) are associated with obesity and hyperinsulinemia, both established risk factors for endometrial cancer, and may therefore be informative regarding endometrial cancer risk. This study investigated the association between endometrial cancer risk and markers of insulin resistance, namely adiponectin, leptin, the A:L ratio, insulin, fasting glucose, and the HOMA-IR. We analyzed data from 541 incident endometrial cancer cases and 961 frequency age-matched controls in a population-based case–control study in Alberta, Canada from 2002 to 2006. Participants completed interview-administered questionnaires were assessed for anthropometric measures, and provided 8-h fasting blood samples either pre- or postoperatively. Blood was analyzed for concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, and insulin by immunoassay, and fasting plasma glucose levels were determined by fluorimetric quantitative determination. Compared with the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of insulin and HOMA-IR was associated with 64% (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.12–2.40) and 72% (95% CI: 1.17–2.53) increased risks of endometrial cancer, respectively, and the highest quartile of adiponectin was associated with a 45% (95% CI: 0.37–0.80) decreased risk after multivariable adjustments. Null associations were observed between fasting glucose, leptin and A:L, and endometrial cancer risk. This population-based study provides evidence for a role of insulin resistance in endometrial cancer etiology and may provide one possible pathway whereby obesity increases the risk of this common cancer. Interventions aimed at decreasing both obesity and insulin resistance may decrease endometrial cancer risk.
Receptors and Other Signaling Proteins Required for Serotonin Control of Locomotion inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Gürel Güliz , Gustafson Megan A , Pepper Judy S , Horvitz H Robert , Koelle Michael R
Published: October 2012

A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of signaling by the neurotransmitter serotonin is required to assess the hypothesis that defects in serotonin signaling underlie depression in humans. Caenorhabditis elegans uses serotonin as a neurotransmitter to regulate locomotion, providing a genetic system to analyze serotonin signaling. From large-scale genetic screens we identified 36 mutants of C. elegans in which serotonin fails to have its normal effect of slowing locomotion, and we molecularly identified eight genes affected by 19 of the mutations. Two of the genes encode the serotonin-gated ion channel MOD-1 and the G-protein-coupled serotonin receptor SER-4. mod-1 is expressed in the neurons and muscles that directly control locomotion, while ser-4 is expressed in an almost entirely non-overlapping set of sensory and interneurons. The cells expressing the two receptors are largely not direct postsynaptic targets of serotonergic neurons. We analyzed animals lacking or overexpressing the receptors in various combinations using several assays for serotonin response. We found that the two receptors act in parallel to affect locomotion. Our results show that serotonin functions as an extrasynaptic signal that independently activates multiple receptors at a distance from its release sites and identify at least six additional proteins that appear to act with serotonin receptors to mediate serotonin response.
Core Concepts
Authors: Dyer Adrian , Ikemba Catherine
Published: October 2012

The fetal myocardium and circulation differ from that of the adult in many important ways. Postnatal circulation occurs in series with the right ventricle providing a full cardiac output to the pulmonary circulation and the left ventricle delivering that same cardiac output to the body (systemic circulation). In the fetus, however, there is a parallel circulation in which organs receive blood flow from both ventricles, and the ventricular output is described as combined. Due to this arrangement, the fetus has unique methods to adapt to intrauterine stressors on the cardiovascular system. There are several normal physiologic transitions that take place after birth which may be perturbed by a compromised hemodynamic state or the presence of congenital heart disease. The transition to an adult circulation is a dynamic process, of which the understanding is critical to the care of neonates.
Fetal and Neonatal Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmias
Authors: Pike Jodi I. , Greene E. Anne
Published: October 2012

Several types of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias can occur in the fetus and neonate, including premature atrial contractions, ectopic atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter, and supraventricular tachycardia. This review describes the pathophysiology and corresponding electrocardiographic findings of each arrhythmia. In addition, this summary compares the clinical findings, management, and outcomes of these arrhythmias during fetal and postnatal life. The distinctive characteristics of ectopic and re-entrant tachycardias are also described.
Remote ischemic conditioning: Short-term effects on rat liver ischemic-reperfusion injury
Authors: Czigány Zoltán , Turóczi Zsolt , Bulhardt Orsolya , Hegedüs Viktor , Lotz Gábor , Rakonczay Zoltán , Balla Zsolt , Harsányi László , Szijártó Attila
Published: October 2012

Introduction: Several techniques have been developed to reduce ischemic-reperfusion injury. A novel method is the remote ischemic perconditioning, applied parallel with target organ ischemia. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the extent of liver ischemic-reperfusion injury via the application of this novel method. Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 30, 10/group) were subjected to 60-minute partial liver ischemia and 60-minute reperfusion. Rats in the perconditioned group received conditioning treatment during the last 40 minutes of liver ischemia by infrarenal aortic clamping. Hepatic and lower limb microcirculation was monitored by laser Doppler flowmeter during reperfusion. After reperfusion, liver samples were taken for routine histological examination and redox-state assessment. Serum transaminase activities and liver tissue heat-shock protein-72 expression were measured. Results: Parameters of microcirculation showed significant (p<0.05) improvement in the perconditioned group in comparison with the control. Besides the significant improvement observed in the serum alanine amino-transferase activities, significantly milder tissue injury was detected histologically in the liver sections of the perconditioned group. Moreover, significant improvement was found in the redox-state parameters. Conclusion: Perconditioning may be a reasonable possibility to reduce liver ischemic-reperfusion injury. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1579–1587.
Pulse Polymerized Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Electrodes For Solid-State Supercapacitors with Ionic Liquid Gel Polymer Electrolyte
Authors: Pandey G. P. , Rastogi A. C.
Published: October 2012

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) electrodes are prepared by a novel ultrashort galvanic pulse electropolymerization technique for application in solid-state supercapacitors. Microstructure studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that PEDOT electrodes deposited by pulse polymerization are highly porous as compared to the conventional potentiostatic polymerization. In addition, as revealed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies in the PEDOT films formed by pulse polymerization, the polymer chains are fully conjugated with the dopant ClO4- ions. Solid-state supercapacitor cells using pulse polymerized PEDOT electrodes and ionic liquid gel polymer electrolyte were fabricated and characterized. The impedance spectroscopy studies show that the pulse polymerized PEDOT electrode have specific capacitance value of ∼ 65 F g-1 as compared to ∼52 F g-1for potentiostatically polymerized PEDOT and significantly lower interfacial and charge transfer resistance. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge characterization show highly capacitive behavior of the supercapacitor cells in the solid-state configuration.
Nitrogen for growth of stock plants and production of strawberry runner tips
Authors: Janisch Djeimi Isabel , Andriolo Jerônimo Luiz , Toso Vinícius , Santos Kamila Gabriele Ferreira dos , Souza Jéssica Maronez de
Published: October 2012

The objective of this research was to determine growth and dry matter partitioning among organs of strawberry stock plants under five Nitrogen concentrations in the nutrient solution and its effects on emission and growth of runner tips. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions, from September 2010 to March 2011, in a soilless system with Oso Grande and Camino Real cultivars. Nitrogen concentrations of 5.12, 7.6, 10.12 (control), 12.62 and 15.12 mmol L-1 in the nutrient solution were studied in a 5x2 factorial randomised experimental design. All runner tips bearing at least one expanded leaf (patent requested) were collected weekly and counted during the growth period. The number of leaves, dry matter (DM) of leaves, crown and root, specific leaf area and leaf area index (LAI) was determined at the final harvest. Increasing N concentration in the nutrient solution from 5.12 to 15.12 mmol L-1 reduces growth of crown, roots and LAI of strawberry stock plants but did not affect emission and growth of runner tips. It was concluded that for the commercial production of plug plants the optimal nitrogen concentration in the nutrient solution should be 5.12 mmol L-1.
Ascensão capilar de água em substratos de coco e de pinus
Authors: Barreto Carlos Vinicius Garcia , Testezlaf Roberto , Salvador Conan Ayade
Published: October 2012

O uso da irrigação por capilaridade na produção de mudas em viveiros pode trazer vantagens ao uso de água e sua utilização adequada requer o conhecimento da capacidade de ascensão de água no meio de crescimento das raízes, atributo pouco estudado. Para avaliar esta condição fundamental, este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a ascensão de água em substratos comerciais de coco e pinus, em dois padrões de tamanho de partículas e em duas condições de umidade, para indicar aquele que possua as melhores características físicas para aplicação na irrigação por capilaridade. Utilizou-se o método de ascensão capilar, com colunas desmontáveis de anéis preenchidas com substratos, avaliando-se os seguintes tempos de contato do fundo da coluna com a lâmina de água: 0,25, 0,5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 e 24 horas, com 10 repetições por tempo testado. Pelos resultados, observou-se que a maior ascensão capilar acumulada em 24 horas de ensaio foi obtida para os substratos de textura fina de coco e de pinus. Além disso, a hidrofobia do substrato de coco seco recomenda que as irrigações nesse material devem ter frequências maiores que substratos de pinus, evitando seu secamento. O substrato de pinus, por não apresentar esse comportamento, deve ter turnos de rega mais espaçados, principalmente sob textura fina. Devido à sua maior retenção de água e capacidade de elevação de água quando umedecido, o substrato fino de coco é mais adequado à irrigação por capilaridade em recipientes como tubetes.
Enfermeiros e clientela com bulimia e anorexia: estudo de caso
Authors: Martins Claudia Regina Carvalho , Caccavo Paulo Vaccari
Published: October 2012

Investigação que objetivou identificar a interação de enfermeiros e clientes portadores de bulimia e anorexia. Utilizamos o estudo de caso como recurso, para o qual coletamos dados de prontuários e fizemos entrevistas com oito de quatorze enfermeiros, que foram nossos sujeitos-objeto. De acordo com os enfermeiros, os clientes se isolavam do mundo, vivendo num mundo sem fome e de espelhos que refletiam um corpo sempre acima do "peso ideal"; eram pessoas solitárias, que perderam o brilho pessoal, emitindo sinais de que podiam extinguir a vida deles a qualquer momento. Com o estudo, foi possível identificar a maneira pela qual os enfermeiros interagiam e percebiam os clientes e, em decorrência disso, explicitamos uma prática de cuidar peculiar na enfermagem.
Nitrogen fertilizer (15N) leaching in a central pivot fertigated coffee crop
Authors: Bortolotto Rafael Pivotto , Bruno Isabeli Pereira , Reichardt Klaus , Timm Luís Carlos , Amado Telmo Jorge Carneiro , Ferreira Ademir de Oliveira
Published: October 2012

Nitrogen has a complex dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. N fertilizers are subject to chemical and microbial transformations in soils that can result in significant losses. Considering the cost of fertilizers, the adoption of good management practices like fertigation could improve the N use efficiency by crops. Water balances (WB) were applied to evaluate fertilizer N leaching using 15N labeled urea in west Bahia, Brazil. Three scenarios (2008/2009) were established: i) rainfall + irrigation the full year, ii) rainfall only; and iii) rainfall + irrigation only in the dry season. The water excess was considered equal to the deep drainage for the very flat area (runoff = 0) with a water table located several meters below soil surface (capillary rise = 0). The control volume for water balance calculations was the 0 - 1 m soil layer, considering that it involves the active root system. The water drained below 1 m was used to estimate fertilizer N leaching losses. WB calculations used the mathematic model of Penman-Monteith for evapotranspiration, considering the crop coefficient equal to unity. The high N application rate associated to the high rainfall plus irrigation was found to be the main cause for leaching, which values were 14.7 and 104.5 kg ha-1 for the rates 400 and 800 kg ha-1 of N, corresponding to 3.7 and 13.1 % of the applied fertilizer, respectively.
Aclimatização de mudas micropropagadas de bananeira 'Grand Naine' com aplicação de biofertilizantes em duas estações do ano
Authors: Nomura Edson Shigueaki , Damatto Junior Erval Rafael , Fuzitani Eduardo Jun , Saes Luis Alberto , Jensen Evelyn
Published: October 2012

A utilização de mudas de bananeira micropropagadas de qualidade é o primeiro passo na implantação de um bom pomar e, para isso, sua aclimatização deve ser realizada de forma adequada. Em vista disso, objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar o desempenho dos biofertilizantes HUMITEC® e RUTER AA® no desenvolvimento de mudas de bananeira micropropagadas, sendo instalado um experimento em viveiro comercial de produção de mudas. Foram utilizadas mudas de bananeira cv. Grand Naine, obtidas por micropropagação, sendo, posteriormente, transplantadas em sacos de polietileno preto (1,5 L), contendo, como substrato, terra de subsolo (Latossolo Amarelo), casca de arroz carbonizada e composto orgânico Organifol® (1:1:1). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, fatorial 2 x 4 (produtos e doses), com quatro repetições e quatro plantas úteis por parcela. Os tratamentos foram compostos pelos seguintes biofertilizantes e doses: HUMITEC® (0,0; 4,0; 8,0; 16,0 mL planta-1) e RUTER AA® (0,0; 2,0; 4,0; 8,0 mL planta-1). As doses dos produtos foram divididas em duas aplicações (28 e 56 dias após o transplantio das mudas), aplicadas via fertirrigação. Noventa e oito dias após o transplantio avaliaram-se as seguintes variáveis: altura das plantas (cm), diâmetro do colo rente superfície do solo (mm), área foliar total e por folha, biomassas fresca e seca da parte aérea e das raízes (g). Os dados foram submetidos análise da variância e quando o teste F foi significativo, realizou-se análise de regressão. Pode-se concluir que aplicações de HUMITEC® e RUTER AA® favoreceram o desenvolvimento das mudas e que, no verão, as plantas apresentaram maior desenvolvimento durante a aclimatização.
Gestação e tabagismo: representações e experiências de pacientes de Unidades de Saúde da Família
Authors: Fontanella Bruno José Barcellos , Secco Karina Nogueira Dias
Published: October 2012

OBJETIVO: Analisar e interpretar o que gestantes dependentes de tabaco/nicotina pensam e experimentam quanto à problemática relacionada a essas condições. MÉTODO: Pesquisa qualitativa utilizando narrativas de gestantes ou puérperas que fumaram ou interromperam o uso de tabaco na gestação. As narrativas de uma amostra intencional de 14 usuárias de Unidades de Saúde da Família de um município paulista foram analisadas quanto aos enunciados. RESULTADOS: Formularam-se quatro categorias: contraste entre desejo de interromper o uso e o papel não identificado dos profissionais e serviços; questões sobre a saúde da mãe e da criança; questões socioculturais e familiares e, por fim, uma "epidemiologia espontânea". As representações sociais constatadas mostram discrepâncias e homologias com os modos como as ciências da saúde lidam com o tabagismo no período gestacional. As participantes consideraram inexistir uma cultura terapêutica para tabagismo nos serviços de Atenção Primária à Saúde que frequentam, tendo se mostrado angustiadas com essa questão e com os conflitos socioculturais e familiares que enfrentam. Uma compreensão peculiar sobre os riscos para a saúde foi constatada. CONCLUSÃO: Embora os resultados não sejam generalizáveis, as tensões constatadas sugerem caminhos para uma maior adaptação da Atenção Primária à Saúde às necessidades das gestantes tabagistas.
Contribuição para o conhecimento da Brassolis sophorae (Linnaeus, 1758), B. astyra Godart, 1821 (Lepid. - Brassolidae) e de seus inimigos naturais
Authors: Mariconi Francisco A. Menezes , Zamith Adiel Paes Leme
Published: October 2012

Êste trabalho tem por objetivo contribuir para o conhecimento da Brassolis astyra God. e B. sophorae (L.), espécies muito nocivas ao coqueiro da Bahia (Cocos nucifera L.), carnaubera (Copernicia cerifera Mart.) e outras Palmáceas. Contém a sinonímia, resumo da bibliografia e a distribuição geográfica das duas espécies. Contém, além de dados biológicos, importância econômica e a natureza dos estragos causados pelos insetos, a lista das plantas hospedeiras. Apontam-se medidas de combate que incluem medidas culturais, artificiais, química, biológicas, inclusive a manutenção de parasitas. Trata também de todos os insetos parasitas das duas espécies de Brassolis. Os autores limitaram-se a dar a sinonímia, distribuição geográfica, resumo da literatura e lista dos insetos hospedeiros dos parasitas que não foram vistos. Dos parasitas obtidos pelos autores, dão-se também algumas notas biológicas e sistemáticas.