bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban governance and health care provision in Delhi
Authors: Lama-Rewal Stéphanie Tawa
Published: October 2011

This paper considers how changes in urban governance in Delhi over the last two decades have influenced the provision of health care services. It begins by describing the introduction of, or return to, elected governments for the National Capital Territory of Delhi and for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. It then discusses public health care, which in effect serves low-income groups as most higher-income groups now use private services, and how this has changed, drawing on interviews and direct observations of elected representatives and officials at state and municipal levels, political cadres, NGOs, members of residential welfare associations and public health care users. The research focused on four municipal wards that included a middle-class area, a mixed-income area, a ward where many slum communities had been relocated and an “urban village”. The research also included an analysis of the priority given to health care issues (and what those issues are) in the Legislative Assembly and in the Municipal Health Department and Municipal Health Committee. The paper suggests that the opening by state government of new invited spaces for resident welfare associations meant that the elected members of the Legislative Assembly and of the municipal government were by-passed. It increased the influence of resident welfare associations, but these are a feature of middle-class areas whose inhabitants use private health care. It avoided contestation, as the state could decide who was invited. The role of NGOs as advocates for the urban poor also diminished, as many were drawn into becoming implementers of government programmes. In effect, this increase in participation can be seen as a new form of centralization, strengthening the position of senior bureaucrats and by-passing the elected politicians.
The 2011 State Assembly Election in West Bengal
Authors: Chakrabarty Bidyut
Published: October 2011

On the basis of electoral data and other inputs from the grassroots, the article attempts to comprehend the poll reversal of the Left Front in West Bengal in 2011 state assembly election. The article further argues that the 2011 poll victory of the Trinamul Congress-alliance is the culmination of a process that started with the mis-handling of the people’s agitation by the government over the land-grab in Singur and Nandigram for rapid industrialisation. By votingout the incumbent government after three decades, the voters of West Bengal had once again proved that no political party was invincible in a democratic system of governance. The reasons are located in the failure of the ruling party to understand the mass sentiments and also in the success in bringing the divided opposition by the Trinamul leadership under one political platform.
Effects of a Low-Element Challenge Course on Abstinence Self-Efficacy and Group Cohesion
Authors: Clem Jamie M. , Smith Thomas E. , Richards Kristin V.
Published: October 2011

Substance abuse researchers identify self-efficacy and group cohesion as important components in alcohol and other drug-dependency treatment. Objectives: The purpose of this single-group, pretest–posttest study is to explore the therapeutic value of a challenge course intervention on the self-efficacy and group cohesion of nine chemically dependent, adult females. Methods: Data were collected using two validated outcome measures administered before and after the intervention. Focus groups provided insight into the experiences of participants and were examined using manifest and latent theme analysis. Results: Findings indicate statistically significant improvements on both outcome measures with medium to large effect sizes. Several themes were identified including group unity, trust, interpersonal growth, and self-confidence. Conclusions: Suggestions for practice and future research are provided.
Management of Acquired Cardiac Disease in the Obstetric Patient
Authors: Wolff Gregory A. , Weitzel Nathaen S.
Published: October 2011

Physiologic changes incurred by pregnancy can cause severe decompensation in the parturient with underlying cardiac disease. The result is increased morbidity and mortality for both mother and child. Appropriate anesthetic management can significantly impact these outcomes. This review systematically presents the pathophysiology, peripartum risk, and anesthetic management in the puerperium of specific acquired cardiac abnormalities including: valvular disease, pulmonary hypertension, cardiomyopathy, cardiac transplantation, ischemia, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest.
Addressing escalating health care costs in ageing populations by increasing generic medicine utilization
Authors: Simoens Steven
Published: October 2011

With the ageing of European populations and rising prevalence of age-related chronic diseases, access to affordable medical treatment will become increasingly important over the next decades. Promoting the use of generic medicines by the elderly can contribute to sustaining European health care systems. This paper aims to show how increased utilization of generic medicines can address the challenge of escalating health care costs due to population ageing. To this effect, the paper calculates the generic market share for common diseases affecting the elderly and computes the savings from increasing the generic market share for these diseases. Data on the off-patent retail market in the 27 European countries in 2009 were derived from IMS Health. The findings indicate that Europe does not realize the full potential of generic medicines to sustain affordable medical treatment for ageing populations: the generic market share ranged from 6% for osteoporosis to 71% for pain and inflammation. Increasing generic market shares could yield savings of €4–16 billion for the 27 countries studied. The size of savings varies widely between diseases, with the lowest savings to be achieved in cardiac rhythm diseases and the highest savings in cancer, pain and inflammation, and hypertension. Promoting the use of generic medicines by the elderly can enhance patient compliance with treatment, improve health outcomes and reduce health care expenditure, and thus is a cost-effective policy.
Influence of manganese on pack boriding behaviour of pure iron
Authors: Gencer Y
Published: October 2011

The boronising behaviour of pure iron and Fe–Mn alloys (1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 wt-%Mn) was investigated by ‘pack boronising’ at 1100°C for 3 h to determine the effect of Mn. FeB and Fe2B polyphase exist on all the boronised Fe–Mn alloys, and Fe–16 wt-%Mn alloy also has MnB2 phase in the boride layer. The usual crack on the interface of FeB and Fe2B was not observed for the boronised Fe–Mn alloys with 12 wt-% or more Mn. The same sawtooth-like morphology of the boride layer occurs on the pure iron and the Fe–Mn synthetic alloys without a clear transition zone. The distribution of Mn in the matrix and the boride layer is almost even. The average boride layer thickness is 280 μm and is independent of Mn content. The microhardness values are between 1700 and 2150 HV without a clear dependence on the amount of Mn.
Transcriptomic analysis of the interaction between Helianthus annuus and its obligate parasite Plasmopara halstedii shows single nucleotide polymorphisms in CRN sequences
Authors: As-sadi Falah , Carrere Sébastien , Gascuel Quentin , Hourlier Thibaut , Rengel David , Le Paslier Marie-Christine , Bordat Amandine , Boniface Marie-Claude , Brunel Dominique , Gouzy Jérôme , Godiard Laurence , Vincourt Patrick
Published: October 2011

Background

Downy mildew in sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) is caused by the oomycete Plasmopara halstedii (Farl.) Berlese et de Toni. Despite efforts by the international community to breed mildew-resistant varieties, downy mildew remains a major threat to the sunflower crop. Very few genomic, genetic and molecular resources are currently available to study this pathogen. Using a 454 sequencing method, expressed sequence tags (EST) during the interaction between H. annuus and P. halstedii have been generated and a search was performed for sites in putative effectors to show polymorphisms between the different races of P. halstedii.

Results

A 454 pyrosequencing run of two infected sunflower samples (inbred lines XRQ and PSC8 infected with race 710 of P. halstedii, which exhibit incompatible and compatible interactions, respectively) generated 113,720 and 172,107 useable reads. From these reads, 44,948 contigs and singletons have been produced. A bioinformatic portal, HP, was specifically created for in-depth analysis of these clusters. Using in silico filtering, 405 clusters were defined as being specific to oomycetes, and 172 were defined as non-specific oomycete clusters. A subset of these two categories was checked using PCR amplification, and 86% of the tested clusters were validated. Twenty putative RXLR and CRN effectors were detected using PSI-BLAST. Using corresponding sequences from four races (100, 304, 703 and 710), 22 SNPs were detected, providing new information on pathogen polymorphisms.

Conclusions

This study identified a large number of genes that are expressed during H. annuus/P. halstedii compatible or incompatible interactions. It also reveals, for the first time, that an infection mechanism exists in P. halstedii similar to that in other oomycetes associated with the presence of putative RXLR and CRN effectors. SNPs discovered in CRN effector sequences were used to determine the genetic distances between the four races of P. halstedii. This work therefore provides valuable tools for further discoveries regarding the H. annuus/P. halstedii pathosystem.
Association of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction with metabolic syndrome, prediabetes and diabetes in adults from Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Thompson Angela M , Zhang Yonghong , Tong Weijun , Xu Tan , Chen Jing , Zhao Li , Kelly Tanika N , Chen Chung-Shiuan , Bazzano Lydia A , He Jiang
Published: October 2011

Background

We examined the association of biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction with diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in persons from Inner Mongolia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,536 people aged 20 years and older from Inner Mongolia, China. Overnight fasting blood samples were obtained to measure plasma concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), soluble inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), sE-selectin, angiotensin II, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose. Waist circumference and blood pressure were measured by trained staff. MetS was defined according to the modified ATP III definition for Asians. Elevated level of the biomarker was defined as values in the upper tertile of the distribution. Participants were categorized into one of four groups based on the presence or absence of metabolic and glycemic abnormalities: 1) free of prediabetes, diabetes and MetS (reference group), 2) prediabetes or diabetes only, 3) MetS without prediabetes or diabetes, and 4) MetS plus prediabetes or diabetes. The multivariable models are adjusted for age, gender, smoking, drinking, family history of hypertension, and body mass index.

Results

Among study participants, 18.5% had prediabetes, 3.6% had diabetes, and 27.4% of the entire study population had 3 or more components of the MetS. Elevated hsCRP was associated with an increased odds of prediabetes or diabetes only, MetS without prediabetes or diabetes, and MetS plus prediabetes or diabetes with multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 2.3 (1.7-3.1), 3.0 (2.4-3.8), and 5.8 (4.5-7.5), respectively. Elevated sICAM-1 was associated with increased odds (95% CI) of prediabetes or diabetes only (2.1, 1.6-2.9) and MetS plus prediabetes or diabetes (4.2, 3.2-5.3) but was not associated with MetS alone. Elevated sE-selectin was associated with a modestly increased risk of MetS (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.2). Elevated levels of Angiotensin II were not associated with the MetS plus prediabetes or diabetes in this study.

Conclusions

Diabetes and the MetS are common in the Inner Mongolia population. The biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction are associated with increased risk for diabetes and MetS in this population. These results are consistent with results from other populations.
Perifosine Plus Bortezomib and Dexamethasone in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Previously Treated With Bortezomib: Results of a Multicenter Phase I/II Trial
Authors: Richardson Paul G. , Wolf Jeff , Jakubowiak Andrzej , Zonder Jeff , Lonial Sagar , Irwin David , Densmore John , Krishnan Amrita , Raje Noopur , Bar Michael , Martin Tom , Schlossman Robert , Ghobrial Irene M. , Munshi Nikhil , Laubach Jacob , Allerton Jeff , Hideshima Teru , Colson Kathleen , Poradosu Enrique , Gardner Lesa , Sportelli Peter , Anderson Kenneth C.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Novel agents have improved patient outcome in relapsed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Preclinical data show that the novel signal transduction modulator, perifosine, enhances the cytotoxicity of dexamethasone and bortezomib. Clinical data suggest that perifosine in combination with dexamethasone has activity in relapsed or relapsed/refractory MM.

Patients and Methods

In a phase I/II study, perifosine in combination with bortezomib with or without dexamethasone was prospectively evaluated in 84 patients with relapsed or relapsed/refractory MM. All were heavily pretreated and bortezomib exposed; 73% were refractory to bortezomib, and 51% were refractory to bortezomib and dexamethasone. The dose selected for the phase II study was perifosine 50 mg/d plus bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2, with the addition of low-dose dexamethasone at 20 mg if progression occurred on perifosine plus bortezomib alone.

Results

An overall response rate (ORR; defined as minimal response or better) of 41% was demonstrated with this combination in 73 evaluable patients, including an ORR of 65% in bortezomib-relapsed patients and 32% in bortezomib-refractory patients. Therapy was generally well tolerated; toxicities, including gastrointestinal adverse effects and fatigue, proved manageable. No treatment-related mortality was seen. Median progression-free survival was 6.4 months, with a median overall survival of 25 months (22.5 months in bortezomib-refractory patients).

Conclusion

Perifosine–bortezomib ± dexamethasone demonstrated encouraging activity in heavily pretreated bortezomib-exposed patients with advanced MM. A phase III trial is underway comparing perifosine–bortezomib plus dexamethasone with bortezomib–dexamethasone in patients with relapsed/refractory MM previously treated with bortezomib.
Influence of Comorbidities and Age on Risk of Death Without Recurrence: A Retrospective Analysis of the Arimidex, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination Trial
Authors: Ring Alistair , Sestak Ivana , Baum Michael , Howell Anthony , Buzdar Aman , Dowsett Mitch , Forbes John F. , Cuzick Jack
Published: October 2011

Purpose

The Arimidex, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination (ATAC) study was a double-blind randomized trial in which postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer were assigned to receive anastrozole, tamoxifen, or the combination. We have conducted a retrospective analysis to examine the effects of comorbidities and age on treatment received, breast cancer–related mortality, and competing causes of mortality.

Patients and Methods

The current analyses were based on 10-year median follow-up data in the two monotherapy arms (anastrozole, n = 3,092; tamoxifen, n = 3,094) of the ATAC study. Baseline comorbidities and tumor and treatment characteristics were compared between women age less than 70 years and women age ≥ 70 years. The cumulative incidence of breast cancer–related and non–breast cancer–related mortality was assessed according to age and comorbidities.

Results

One thousand six hundred sixty-two patients (27%) were age ≥ 70 years at study entry. Older women were more likely to undergo mastectomy (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; 95% CI, 1.71 to 2.16) and less likely to receive radiotherapy (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.55) or chemotherapy (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.29). Women age ≥ 70 years had an increased risk of recurrence compared with women age less than 70 years (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.37) and a substantially increased risk of death without recurrence (HR, 4.13; 95% CI, 3.53 to 4.83). The risk of death without recurrence increased with comorbidity score (10-year estimates of 8.4%, 20.0%, and 30.4% for Satariano score 0, 1, and 2+, respectively; P < .001).

Conclusion

Age influences the risk of recurrence, and age and comorbidities significantly influence the risk of death without recurrence. Formal assessment of comorbidities should be incorporated into decisions regarding adjuvant therapies.
Prognostic Impact of Body Mass Index Stratified by Smoking Status in Patients With Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Yoon Harry H. , Lewis Mark A. , Shi Qian , Khan Maliha , Cassivi Stephen D. , Diasio Robert B. , Sinicrope Frank A.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

Given that smoking affects body mass index (BMI) and survival, stratification by smoking status may be required to determine the true prognostic impact of BMI. Although obesity increases risk for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), the prognostic influence of obesity and its potential modification by smoking status is unknown in this disease.

Patients and Methods

All patients (N = 778) underwent potentially curative esophagectomy. BMI was calculated using measured height and weight at surgery and categorized as obese (≥ 30 kg/m2), overweight (25 to 29.9 kg/m2), or normal (18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2). Cigarette smoking was categorized as never or ever. The association of BMI with disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) was determined by Cox regression.

Results

Excess BMI was significantly associated with DSS in a manner that differed substantially by smoking status (P for interaction = .023). Among never smokers, obesity was significantly associated with adverse DSS (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.11; 95% CI, 1.31 to 3.43; P = .002), DFS (HR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.30 to 3.18; P = .002), and OS (HR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.24 to 3.14; P = .004), as compared with normal weight, after adjusting for covariates. By contrast, among ever smokers, obesity was not prognostic, and overweight status was significantly associated with favorable survival in univariate, but not multivariate, analysis.

Conclusion

Obesity among never smokers was independently associated with two-fold worsening of DSS, DFS, and OS after surgery for EAC, after adjusting for known prognostic factors. These data, in one of the largest reported resected EAC cohorts, are the first to show an adverse prognostic impact of obesity in EAC.
Challenging the Feasibility and Clinical Significance of Current Guidelines on Lymph Node Examination in Rectal Cancer in the Era of Neoadjuvant Therapy
Authors: Govindarajan Anand , Gönen Mithat , Weiser Martin R. , Shia Jinru , Temple Larissa K. , Guillem Jose G. , Paty Philip B. , Nash Garrett M.
Published: October 2011

Purpose

We sought to examine the feasibility and clinical significance of current guidelines on nodal assessment in patients with rectal cancer (RC) treated with neoadjuvant radiation.

Methods

All patients with RC treated with curative surgery from 1991 to 2003 were included. Number of lymph nodes (LNs) assessed was compared between patients who received neoadjuvant therapy and surgery (NEO) and patients who underwent surgery alone (SURG). Impact of node retrieval on node positivity and disease-specific survival (DSS) in NEO patients was assessed.

Results

In total, 708 patients were identified, of whom 429 (61%) were in the NEO group. These patients had significantly fewer nodes assessed than SURG patients (unadjusted mean, 10.8 v 15.5; adjusted mean difference, −5.0 nodes; P < .001). In the NEO group, 63% of patients had fewer than 12 nodes retrieved (P < .001 v SURG). The proportion of patients diagnosed with node-positive disease in the NEO group was significantly and monotonically associated with the number of lymph nodes retrieved, with no plateau in the relationship. Fewer nodes retrieved was not associated with inferior DSS.

Conclusion

In a tertiary cancer center, the 12-LN threshold was not relevant and often not achievable in patients with RC treated with neoadjuvant therapy. Lower LN count after neoadjuvant treatment was not associated with understaging or inferior survival. Although we support the critical importance of careful pathologic examination and adequate nodal staging, we challenge the relevance of LN count both in clinical practice and as a quality indicator in RC.
Hormonal Therapy Promotes Hormone-Resistant Phenotype by Increasing DNMT Activity and Expression in Prostate Cancer Models
Authors: Gravina Giovanni Luca , Marampon Francesco , Piccolella Margherita , Motta Marcella , Ventura Luca , Pomante Roberto , Popov Vladimir M. , Zani Bianca M. , Pestell Richard G. , Tombolini Vincenzo , Jannini Emmanuele A. , Festuccia Claudio
Published: October 2011

We hypothesized that hormonal therapy favors the development of the hormone-resistant phenotype through epigenetic mechanisms. Human prostate cancer tissues and in vitro and in vivo models were used to verify this hypothesis. We demonstrated that tumor cells continuously treated with bicalutamide (BCLT) or cultured in androgen-depleted medium progressively acquire higher DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity and expression than cells cultured in standard condition. Increased DNMT expression and activity also paralleled the up-regulation of truncated AR isoforms, which favors the development of the hormone-resistant phenotype. After androgen stimulation with 10−12m dihydrotestosterone, DNMT activity was significantly reduced in comparison with hormonal therapy. Consistent with these observations, the silencing of DNMT3a and DNMT3b significantly decreased the DNMT activity levels. These findings were also directly correlated with phosphatase and tensin homolog down-regulation and activation of ERK and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases/AKT8 virus oncogene cellular homolog pathways. The use of a pan-DNMT inhibitor (5-Azacitidine) greatly reduced the development of the hormone-resistant phenotype induced by long-term BCLT treatment, and this finding correlated with low DNMT activity. The regulation of DNMT activity was, in some measure, dependent on the androgen receptor, as small interfering RNA treatment targeting the androgen receptor greatly decreased the modulation of DNMT activity under androgenic and antiandrogenic stimulation. These observations were correlated in vivo in patients, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. Patients treated by BCLT before surgery had higher DNMT3a and DNMT3b expression than patients who had not undergone this treatment. Our findings provide evidence of a relationship between the castration-resistant phenotype and DNMT expression and activity in human prostate cancer.
Role of Medium- and Short-Chain L-3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase in the Regulation of Body Weight and Thermogenesis
Authors: Schulz Nadja , Himmelbauer Heinz , Rath Michaela , van Weeghel Michel , Houten Sander , Kulik Wim , Suhre Karsten , Scherneck Stephan , Vogel Heike , Kluge Reinhart , Wiedmer Petra , Joost Hans-Georg , Schürmann Annette
Published: October 2011

Dysregulation of fatty acid oxidation plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of obesity and insulin resistance. Medium- and short-chain-3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase (SCHAD) (gene name, hadh) catalyze the third reaction of the mitochondrial β-oxidation cascade, the oxidation of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA to 3-ketoacyl-CoA, for medium- and short-chain fatty acids. We identified hadh as a putative obesity gene by comparison of two genome-wide scans, a quantitative trait locus analysis previously performed in the polygenic obese New Zealand obese mouse and an earlier described small interfering RNA-mediated mutagenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. In the present study, we show that mice lacking SCHAD (hadh−/−) displayed a lower body weight and a reduced fat mass in comparison with hadh+/+ mice under high-fat diet conditions, presumably due to an impaired fuel efficiency, the loss of acylcarnitines via the urine, and increased body temperature. Food intake, total energy expenditure, and locomotor activity were not altered in knockout mice. Hadh−/− mice exhibited normal fat tolerance at 20 C. However, during cold exposure, knockout mice were unable to clear triglycerides from the plasma and to maintain their normal body temperature, indicating that SCHAD plays an important role in adaptive thermogenesis. Blood glucose concentrations in the fasted and postprandial state were significantly lower in hadh−/− mice, whereas insulin levels were elevated. Accordingly, insulin secretion in response to glucose and glucose plus palmitate was elevated in isolated islets of knockout mice. Therefore, our data indicate that SCHAD is involved in thermogenesis, in the maintenance of body weight, and in the regulation of nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion.
The Scenes of Seeing: Frances Benjamin Johnston and Visualizations of the “Indian” in Black, White, and Native Educational Contexts
Authors: Cooper Tova
Published: October 2011

Cooper's essay shows how the photographs taken by Frances Benjamin Johnston at educational institutions such as the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and Hampton Institute, as well as in the Washington, D.C., public schools, show the influence of social Darwinism on progressive educational ideology. By elucidating how the image of the “Indian” functions as a shifting signifier in these photos, this essay offers insight into how educational institutions for black, white, and native students taught them to acquire different subject positions in the process of adopting U.S. citizenship. Boarding schools for native students encouraged them to adopt detribalized Indian identities while the schools paradoxically taught these students to abandon their native identities in the process of Americanization. At Hampton, symbols of the Indian functioned confusedly, simultaneously encouraging African Americans to feel more assimilated than American Indians and reminding them that the dominant culture considered even the unassimilated Indian to be racially superior to the black man. Finally, Johnston's photos of public schools attended by white children transform images of Indian objects and people into simultaneous embodiments of progress and immobility, bolstering white students' identities as representatives of “civilization.” The essay also examines writing by former American Indian boarding-school students to show how they reimagined the figure of the Indian to critique the falsely democratic rhetoric of citizenship education, even as they praised the schools for making them who they were. Both the visual and verbal accounts Cooper discusses speak to subaltern students' ability to express individuality in the face of an evolutionary framework that sought to systematize their identities based on their race.
Dave Eggers's What Is the What: Fictionalizing Trauma in the Era of Misery Lit
Authors: Twitchell Elizabeth
Published: October 2011

Twitchell's essay examines Dave Eggers's What Is the What (2006) in the context of recent international interest in the morality of uncertainty, a stance which looks to self-erasure, not-knowing, and imaginative empathy as providing both the most humane response to trauma and a generative platform for cross-cultural understanding. Twitchell posits that this turn can be productively situated in relation to two seemingly unconnected “problem” genres of U.S. literature: representations of Africa and memoirs of suffering. By positioning What Is the What—the fictionalized autobiography of a real-life Sudanese Lost Boy written by a white American author—as the limit case for the imaginative representation of distant trauma, two distinct questions arise and converge: how did the fictionalizing of suffering become a means of rendering it usable, and what confluence of events has made it ethically possible for an American writer to offer a first-person account of African trauma? By sketching the recent critical histories of depictions of Africa and memoirs of trauma—each of which have been haunted by the specters of narcissism and fraudulence—Twitchell argues that two seemingly antagonistic cultural imperatives coincided at the moment of the novel's publication: the moral obligation to empathize with distant and dissimilar persons, and a skepticism about the morality of empathic identification itself. She suggests that Eggers's novel proposes a way out of this stalemate by offering a model for empathic response grounded in the ethical value of uncertainty and error, in which representations of Africa and memoirs of suffering function as privileged sites of cultural conversation not despite their inevitable inaccuracies but because of them.
Effects of early-stage aging on locomotor dynamics and hindlimb muscle force production in the rat
Authors: Horner Angela M. , Russ David W. , Biknevicius Audrone R.
Published: October 2011

Attenuation of locomotor function is common in many species of animals as they age. Dysfunctions may emerge from a constellation of age-related impairments, including increased joint stiffness, reduced ability to repair muscle tissue, and decreasing fine motor control capabilities. Any or all of these factors may contribute to gait abnormalities and substantially limit an animal's speed and mobility. In this study we examined the effects of aging on whole-animal locomotor performance and hindlimb muscle mechanics in young adult rats aged 6–8 months and ‘early aged’ 24-month-old rats (Rattus norvegicus, Fischer 344 × Brown Norway crosses). Analyses of gaits and kinematics demonstrated that aged rats moved significantly more slowly, sustained longer hindlimb support durations, moved with a greater proportion of asymmetrical gaits, were more plantigrade, and moved with a more kyphotic spinal posture than the young rats. Additionally, the external mechanical energy profiles of the aged animals were variable across trials, whereas the younger rats moved predominantly with bouncing mechanics. In situ analyses of the ankle extensor/plantar flexor muscle group (soleus, plantaris, and medial and lateral gastrocnemii) revealed reduced maximum force generation with aging, despite minimal changes in muscle mass. The weakened muscles were implicated in the degradation of hindfoot posture, as well as variability in center-of-mass mechanics. These results demonstrate that the early stages of aging have consequences for whole-body performance, even before age-related loss of muscle mass begins.
Combining forces and kinematics for calculating consistent centre of mass trajectories
Authors: Maus Horst-Moritz , Seyfarth André , Grimmer Sten
Published: October 2011

The motion of centre of mass (CoM) is a fundamental object of investigation in biomechanical analysis. In principle, the CoM motion can either be calculated from force data (dynamic method) or motion capture data (kinematic method). In both approaches, the accuracy of the calculated trajectories depends on the quality of the original signals. Interestingly, the inaccuracies in each method are related to different parts of the Fourier spectrum. Here, we present a new approach to compute CoM motion based on the reliable frequency range of force and kinematic measurements. As a result we obtain physically consistent CoM and force signals, i.e. the second derivative of the CoM trajectory equals the force. The algorithm is verified on simulation data and applied to selected experimental data. We show that the new algorithm can eliminate typical inaccuracies inherent in kinematic and force signals. Also, we discuss the biological and technical origins of these findings.
Intraspecific variation in the thermal plasticity of mitochondria in killifish
Authors: Dhillon Rashpal S. , Schulte Patricia M.
Published: October 2011

Populations of the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) inhabit salt marshes and estuaries along the eastern coast of North America from Newfoundland to northern Florida, and are thus exposed to a large range of temperatures. Previous studies have shown higher whole-organism metabolic rates in the northern subspecies (F. h. macrolepidotus) compared with the southern subspecies (F. h. heteroclitus) of these fish. Here, we examine phenotypic plasticity in the response to cold temperatures between the two subspecies by acclimating fish to 5, 15 and 25°C and comparing several mitochondrial and muscle properties. The relative area of oxidative muscle versus glycolytic muscle fibers was greater in the northern subspecies at the 5 and 15°C acclimation temperatures. However, there were no differences in capillary density between the two subspecies or at different temperatures. Mitochondrial volume and surface densities increased in response to cold temperature acclimation in red and white muscle, but only in the northern killifish. Citrate synthase activities also increased in the northern killifish at 5 and 15°C. The ratio of calculated [free ADP] to [ATP] increased in the 5°C acclimated southern killifish but not in the northern killifish at 5°C when compared with the 15°C acclimation group, suggesting that there are differences in adenylate signaling for mitochondrial respiration between subspecies at low temperature. Taken together, our data indicate that the northern subspecies have a greater ability to increase mitochondrial capacity at colder temperatures compared with the southern subspecies, providing one of the few examples of intraspecific variation in phenotypic plasticity in mitochondrial amount in response to cold temperatures.
Variation in expression of calcium-handling proteins is associated with inter-individual differences in mechanical performance of rat (Rattus norvegicus) skeletal muscle
Authors: James Rob S. , Walter Isabel , Seebacher Frank
Published: October 2011

An important constraint on locomotor performance is the trade-off between sprint and endurance performance. One intuitive explanation for this trade-off is that an individual muscle cannot excel at generating both maximal force/power and high fatigue resistance. The underlying reasons for this muscle trade-off are poorly defined. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that inter-individual variation in muscle mechanics is associated with inter-individual differences in metabolic capacities and expression of calcium-handling proteins. Lateral gastrocnemius muscles were isolated from 20 rats (Rattus norvegicus) and analysed to determine metabolic capacity, sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA)1 protein concentration, total SERCA activity, and mRNA concentrations of SERCA1, SERCA2, troponin I and ryanodine receptors. Isometric studies of lateral gastrocnemius muscles at 30°C showed that muscles with higher sprint performance had lower fatigue resistance. More rapid muscle contraction was correlated with higher lactate dehydrogenase activity and increased expression of ryanodine receptor 1. More rapid muscle relaxation was correlated with increased expression of troponin I type 2 (fast) isoform and decreased expression of SERCA2 (slow) isoform. Treating muscles with dantrolene confirmed that ryanodine receptor activity is important in determining tetanus force and muscle contraction rates, but has no effect on fatigue resistance. Thapsigargin treatment revealed that SERCA activity determines fatigue resistance but does not affect maximal muscle force or contraction rates. We conclude that the opposing roles of SERCA activity and expression of ryanodine receptors in determining fatigue resistance and force production, respectively, at least partly explain differences in sprint and endurance performance in isolated rat gastrocnemius muscle.
Visual conditioning of the sting extension reflex in harnessed honeybees
Authors: Mota Theo , Roussel Edith , Sandoz Jean-Christophe , Giurfa Martin
Published: October 2011

Visual performances of honeybees have been extensively studied using free-flying individuals trained to choose visual stimuli paired with sucrose reward. By contrast, harnessed bees in the laboratory were not thought to be capable of learning a Pavlovian association between a visual stimulus (CS) and sucrose reward (US). For reasons as yet unknown, harnessed bees only learn visual cues in association with sucrose if their antennae are ablated. However, slow acquisition and low retention performances are obtained in this case. Here, we established a novel visual conditioning protocol, which allows studying visual learning and memory in intact harnessed bees in the laboratory. This protocol consists of conditioning the sting extension reflex (SER) by pairing a visual stimulus (CS+) with an electric shock punishment (US), and a different visual stimulus (CS–) with the absence of shock. Bees with intact antennae learned the discrimination between CS+ and CS– by using chromatic cues, achromatic cues or both. Antennae ablation was not only unnecessary for learning to occur but it even impaired visual SER conditioning because of a concomitant reduction of responsiveness to the electric shock. We thus established the first visual conditioning protocol on harnessed honeybees that does not require injuring the experimental subjects. This novel experimental approach opens new doors for accessing the neural correlates of visual learning and memory in honeybees.
The Health Reforms: Time for Reflection or Acceleration?
Authors: Alessi Charles
Published: October 2011

The health reforms in England are at a critical stage. Much has been written about them, both for and against. It may be helpful to take stock of what the options are before forming a view as to whether to pause or proceed.
Entry into core surgical training
Authors: O'Connell Rachel L , Patel Ashish S
Published: October 2011

Entry into core surgical training is an important stepping stone for those aspiring to a career in surgery. The specialty remains as popular as ever and prior knowledge of the criteria required is essential to improve the odds of selection. This month's authors, one of whom is a recently appointed core surgical trainee, offer pragmatic advice for success.
Acoustic analysis of tracheo-oesophageal voice in male total laryngectomy patients
Authors: Deore N , Datta S , Dwivedi RC , Palav R , Shah R , Sayed SI , Jagde M , Kazi R
Published: October 2011

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that voice parameters of post-laryngectomy patients using tracheo-oesophageal (TO) prosthetic valves are similar to those of normal laryngeal subjects.

METHODS

Thirty total laryngectomy patients and thirty normal controls were subjected to acoustic analysis of single voice recordings using a sustained vowel. Acoustic parameters including fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, harmonics-to-noise ratio and maximum phonation time were analysed.

RESULTS

Poorer values were found as well as larger variability for all the voice parameters for the total laryngectomy patients using TO voice compared with those of normal subjects. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) for all studied parameters between the TO and normal speech.

CONCLUSIONS

Alaryngeal speech with TO voice prosthesis is not yet comparable to laryngeal speech.
Caecal volvulus in a patient with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction
Authors: Tatterton M , El-Khatib C
Published: October 2011

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a rare disorder characterised by recurrent symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction without an underlying mechanical cause. Caecal volvulus remains a rare cause of intestinal obstruction that often requires operative intervention. We describe the previously unreported case of caecal volvulus occurring in an adult patient with CIPO, together with his subsequent management.
Extracting Coal Ash Content from Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Spectra by Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Yao Shunchun , Lu Jidong , Dong Meirong , Chen Kai , Li Junyan , Li Jun
Published: October 2011

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with partial least squares (PLS) analysis has been applied for the quantitative analysis of the ash content of coal in this paper. The multivariate analysis method was employed to extract coal ash content information from LIBS spectra rather than from the concentrations of the main ash-forming elements. In order to construct a rigorous partial least squares regression model and reduce the calculation time, different spectral range data were used to construct partial least squares regression models, and then the performances of these models were compared in terms of the correlation coefficients of calibration and validation and the root mean square errors of calibration and cross-validation. Afterwards, the prediction accuracy, reproducibility, and the limit of detection of the partial least squares regression model were validated with independent laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy measurements of four unknown samples. The results show that a good agreement is observed between the ash content provided by thermo-gravimetric analyzer and the LIBS measurements coupled to the PLS regression model for the unknown samples. The feasibility of extracting coal ash content from LIBS spectra is approved. It is also confirmed that this technique has good potential for quantitative analysis of the ash content of coal.
Depth Characterization of Photopolymerized Films by Confocal Raman Microscopy Using an Immersion Objective
Authors: Courtecuisse François , Dietlin Céline , Croutxé-Barghorn Céline , Van Der Ven Leendert G. J.
Published: October 2011

The depth characterization of photopolymer films by confocal Raman microscopy is often troublesome due to refraction effects. To minimize these effects, we used an oil immersion objective and a method was developed to avoid penetration of the oil without damaging the sample surface. Since the surface may be sticky if oxygen in the air inhibits the photopolymerization, a protective layer could not be put onto the film. Therefore, the method consists in using a thin polypropylene foil as substrate for the coating and placing the sample upside down under the objective. In this manner, the immersion oil could be deposited on top of the polypropylene. The advantage of this setup is that the oil, polypropylene substrate, and photopolymer film have close refractive indices. Basic calculations showed that the depth resolution is hardly affected in that configuration and double-bond conversion profiles could be plotted as a function of reliable nominal depth. The validity of the methodology was confirmed by experiments carried out with a dry metallurgical objective on the sample surface, face up, where refraction effects are still minor. In addition, infrared spectroscopy, which was used to follow the photopolymerization, corroborated the Raman conversion of the films over their thickness. The confocal Raman microscopy method can be applied to various photopolymerized systems to characterize their behavior towards oxygen inhibition and other heterogeneities in conversion arising from inner filter effects or interactions between additives for instance.
From Bulk to Single-Cell Classification of the Filamentous Growing Streptomyces Bacteria by Means of Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Walter Angela , Schumacher Wilm , Bocklitz Thomas , Reinicke Martin , Rösch Petra , Kothe Erika , Popp Jürgen
Published: October 2011

Classification of Raman spectra recorded from single cells is commonly applied to bacteria that exhibit small sizes of approximately 1 to 2 μm. Here, we study the possibility to adopt this classification approach to filamentous bacteria of the genus Streptomyces. The hyphae can reach extensive lengths of up to 35 μm, which can correspond to a single cell identified in light microscopy. The classification of Raman bulk spectra will be demonstrated. Here, ultraviolet resonance Raman (UV RR) spectroscopy is chosen to classify six Streptomyces species by the application of a tree-like classifier. For each knot of the hierarchical classifier, estimated classification accuracies of over 94% are accomplished. In contrast to the classification of bulk spectra, the classification of single-cell spectra requires a homogenous substance distribution within the cell. Consequently, the bacterial cell chemistry can be represented by one individual spectrum. This requirement is not fulfilled when different spectra are processed from different locations within the cell. Bacteria of the investigated genus Streptomyces exhibit, besides the normal bacterial spectra, lipid-rich spectra. The occurrence of lipid enrichment depends on culture age and nutrition availability. With this study, we investigate the cell substance distribution, especially of lipid-rich fractions. The classification utilizing a tree-like classifier is also applied to the Streptomyces single-cell spectra, resulting in classification accuracies between 80 and 93% for the investigated Streptomyces species.
The Role of Entrepreneurial Networks in the Exploration and Exploitation of Internationalization Opportunities by Information and Communication Technology Firms
Authors: Vasilchenko Elena , Morrish Sussie
Published: October 2011

This article investigates the role of entrepreneurial social and business networks in the internationalization of high-technology firms. The authors present case study evidence from born-global information and communication technology firms that shows that established and newly formed social networks can be instrumental in exploring internationalization opportunities. These social networks potentially lead to collaborative cooperation and form part of an entrepreneur's broader business network that facilitates exploitation of internationalization opportunities culminated by successful entry into foreign markets. The study incorporates contemporary literature and offers an internationalization opportunity exploration–exploitation model emanating from the entrepreneur's network configuration. In doing so, it takes a process approach and provides much needed qualitative evidence in network research.
Design of a Multicast Optical Packet Switch Based on Fiber Bragg Grating Technology for Future Networks
Authors: Cheng Yuh-Jiuh , Yeh Tzuoh-Chyau , Cheng Shyr-Yuan
Published: October 2011

In this paper, a non-blocking multicast optical packet switch based on fiber Bragg grating technology with optical output buffers is proposed. Only the header of optical packets is converted to electronic signals to control the fiber Bragg grating array of input ports and the packet payloads should be transparently destined to their output ports so that the proposed switch can reduce electronic interfaces as well as the bit rate. The modulation and the format of packet payloads may be non-standard where packet payloads could also include different wavelengths for increasing the volume of traffic. The advantage is obvious: the proposed switch could transport various types of traffic. An easily implemented architecture which can provide multicast services is also presented. An optical output buffer is designed to queue the packets if more than one incoming packet should reach to the same destination output port or including any waiting packets in optical output buffer that will be sent to the output port at a time slot. For preserving service-packet sequencing and fairness of routing sequence, a priority scheme and a round-robin algorithm are adopted at the optical output buffer. The fiber Bragg grating arrays for both input ports and output ports are designed for routing incoming packets using optical code division multiple access technology.