bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation of interferon pathway in 2-methoxyestradiol-treated osteosarcoma cells
Authors: Wimbauer Fritz , Yang Caihong , Shogren Kristen L , Zhang Minzhi , Goyal Ribu , Riester Scott M , Yaszemski Michael J , Maran Avudaiappan
Published: March 2012

Background

Osteosarcoma is a bone tumor that often affects children and young adults. Although a combination of surgery and chemotherapy has improved the survival rate in the past decades, local recurrence and metastases still develop in 40% of patients. A definite therapy is yet to be determined for osteosarcoma. Anti- tumor compound and a metabolite of estrogen, 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) induces cell death in osteosarcoma cells. In this report, we have investigated whether interferon (IFN) pathway is involved in 2-ME-induced anti-tumor effects in osteosarcoma cells.

Methods

2-ME effects on IFN mRNA levels were determined by Real time PCR analysis. Transient transfections followed by reporter assays were used for investigating 2-ME effects on IFN-pathway. Western blot analyses were used to measure protein and phosphorylation levels of IFN-regulated eukaryotic initiation factor-2 alpha (eIF-2α).

Results

2-ME regulates IFN and IFN-mediated effects in osteosarcoma cells. 2 -ME induces IFN gene activity and expression in osteosarcoma cells. 2-ME treatment induced IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) sequence-dependent transcription and gamma-activated sequence (GAS)-dependent transcription in several osteosarcoma cells. Whereas, 2-ME did not affect IFN gene and IFN pathways in normal primary human osteoblasts (HOB). 2-ME treatment increased the phosphorylation of eIF-2α in osteosarcoma cells. Furthermore, analysis of osteosarcoma tissues shows that the levels of phosphorylated form of eIF-2α are decreased in tumor compared to normal controls.

Conclusions

2-ME treatment triggers the induction and activity of IFN and IFN pathway genes in 2-ME-sensitive osteosarcoma tumor cells but not in 2-ME-resistant normal osteoblasts. In addition, IFN-signaling is inhibited in osteosarcoma patients. Thus, IFN pathways play a role in osteosarcoma and in 2-ME-mediated anti-proliferative effects, and therefore targeted induction of IFN signaling could lead to effective treatment strategies in the control of osteosarcoma.
Factors affecting commencement and cessation of smoking behaviour in Malaysian adults
Authors: Ghani Wan Maria Nabillah , Razak Ishak Abdul , Yang Yi Hsin , Talib Norain Abu , Ikeda Noriaki , Axell Tony , Gupta Prakash C , Handa Yujiro , Abdullah Norlida , Zain Rosnah Binti
Published: March 2012

Background

Tobacco consumption peak in developed countries has passed, however, it is on the increase in many developing countries. Apart from cigarettes, consumption of local hand-rolled cigarettes such as bidi and rokok daun are prevalent in specific communities. Although factors associated with smoking initiation and cessation has been investigated elsewhere, the only available data for Malaysia is on prevalence. This study aims to investigate factors associated with smoking initiation and cessation which is imperative in designing intervention programs.

Methods

Data were collected from 11,697 adults by trained recording clerks on sociodemographic characteristics, practice of other risk habit and details of smoking such as type, duration and frequency. Smoking commencement and cessation were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank tests. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to calculate the hazard rate ratios.

Results

Males had a much higher prevalence of the habit (61.7%) as compared to females (5.8%). Cessation was found to be most common among the Chinese and those regularly consuming alcoholic beverages. Kaplan-Meier plot shows that although males are more likely to start smoking, females are found to be less likely to stop. History of betel quid chewing and alcohol consumption significantly increase the likelihood of commencement (p < 0.0001), while cessation was least likely among Indians, current quid chewers and kretek users (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Gender, ethnicity, history of quid chewing and alcohol consumption have been found to be important factors in smoking commencement; while ethnicity, betel quid chewing and type of tobacco smoked influences cessation.
Structure of Co-2 × 2 nanoislands grown on Ag/Ge(111)-√3 × √3 surface studied by scanning tunneling microscopy
Authors: Huang Xiao-Lan , Lin Chun-Liang , Tomaszewska Agnieszka , Chen Chun-Rong , Fu Tsu-Yi
Published: March 2012

We have found that Co-2 × 2 islands grown on an Ag/Ge(111)-√3 × √3 surface have hcp structure with the (11-20) orientation. The island evolution involves transformation of the unit cell shape from parallelogram into rectangular, which is accompanied by the island shape transformation from hexagonal into stripe-like. Identified are two crystallographic directions for the island growth, the pseudo-[0001] and the pseudo-[1-100]. We have observed the occurrence of a lateral shift between the topmost and the underlying bilayers in the case of the island growth along the pseudo-[0001] direction. In contrast, the topmost and the underlying bilayers are unshifted for the growth along the pseudo-[1-100] direction.
Genetic relationships and epidemiological links between wild type 1 poliovirus isolates in Pakistan and Afghanistan
Authors: Angez Mehar , Shaukat Shahzad , Alam Muhammad M , Sharif Salmaan , Khurshid Adnan , Zahoor Zaidi Syed Sohail
Published: March 2012

Background/Aim

Efforts have been made to eliminate wild poliovirus transmission since 1988 when the World Health Organization began its global eradication campaign. Since then, the incidence of polio has decreased significantly. However, serotype 1 and serotype 3 still circulate endemically in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Both countries constitute a single epidemiologic block representing one of the three remaining major global reservoirs of poliovirus transmission. In this study we used genetic sequence data to investigate transmission links among viruses from diverse locations during 2005-2007.

Methods

In order to find the origins and routes of wild type 1 poliovirus circulation, polioviruses were isolated from faecal samples of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) patients. We used viral cultures, two intratypic differentiation methods PCR, ELISA to characterize as vaccine or wild type 1 and nucleic acid sequencing of entire VP1 region of poliovirus genome to determine the genetic relatedness.

Results

One hundred eleven wild type 1 poliovirus isolates were subjected to nucleotide sequencing for genetic variation study. Considering the 15% divergence of the sequences from Sabin 1, Phylogenetic analysis by MEGA software revealed that active inter and intra country transmission of many genetically distinct strains of wild poliovirus type 1 belonged to genotype SOAS which is indigenous in this region. By grouping wild type 1 polioviruses according to nucleotide sequence homology, three distinct clusters A, B and C were obtained with multiple chains of transmission together with some silent circulations represented by orphan lineages.

Conclusion

Our results emphasize that there was a persistent transmission of wild type1 polioviruses in Pakistan and Afghanistan during 2005-2007. The epidemiologic information provided by the sequence data can contribute to the formulation of better strategies for poliomyelitis control to those critical areas, associated with high risk population groups which include migrants, internally displaced people, and refugees. The implication of this study is to maintain high quality mass immunization with oral polio vaccine (OPV) in order to interrupt chains of virus transmission in both countries to endorse substantial progress in Eastern-Mediterranean region.
Capture and commercialization of blue land crabs ("guaiamum") Cardisoma guanhumi (Lattreille, 1825) along the coast of Bahia State, Brazil: an ethnoecological approach
Authors: Firmo Angélica MS , Tognella Mônica MP , Silva Saulo R , Barboza Raynner RRD , Alves Rômulo RN
Published: March 2012

Background

Blue Land Crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) is one of the most important crustacean species captured and commercialized in Brazil. Although this species is not considered to be threatened with extinction, populations ofC. guanhumiare known to be rapidly diminishing due to heavy harvesting pressures and degradation of their natural habitats, highlighting the necessity of developing and implanting management and protection strategies for their populations. There have been no ethnozoological publications that have focused specifically onC. guanhumi, in spite of importance of this type of information for developing efficient management plans of resource utilization. So, the present work describes the ethnoecological aspects of the capture and commercialization ofC. guanhumiby a fishing community in northeastern Brazil.

Methods

Field work was carried out in the municipality of Mucuri, Bahia in Brazil, between the months of January and March/2011 through the use of open semi-structured interviews with all of the crustacean harvesters in city who acknowledged their work in capturing this species, totaling 12 interviewees. The informants were identified through the use of the "snowball" sampling technique. In addition to the interviews themselves, the "guided tour" technique and direct observations was employed.

Results

According all the interviewees, theC. guanhumiis popularly called "guaiamum" and is collected in "apicum" zones. They recognize sexual dimorphism in the species based on three morphological characteristics and the harvesters also pointed two stages in the reproductive cycle during the year and another phase mentioned by the interviewees was ecdysis. All of the interviewed affirmed that the size and the quantitiesC. guanhumistocks in Mucuri have been diminishing. All of the interviewees agreed that the species and other mangrove resources constituted their principal source of income. The harvesters dedicated three to five days a week to collect Blue Land Crabs and the principal technique utilized for capturing is a trap called a "ratoeira" (rat-trap).

Conclusions

The results of the present work demonstrated that the community retains a vast and important volume of knowledge aboutC. guanhumithat could subsidize both scientific studies and the elaboration of viable management and conservation strategies for this species.
Establishment and characterization of a differentiated epithelial cell culture model derived from the porcine cervix uteri
Authors: Miessen Katrin , Einspanier Ralf , Schoen Jennifer
Published: March 2012

Background

Cervical uterine epithelial cells maintain a physiological and pathogen-free milieu in the female mammalian reproductive tract and are involved in sperm-epithelium interaction. Easily accessible, differentiated model systems of the cervical epithelium are not yet available to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms within these highly specialized cells. Therefore, the aim of the study was to establish a cell culture of the porcine cervical epithelium representing in vivo-like properties of the tissue.

Results

We tested different isolation methods and culture conditions and validated purity of the cultured cells by immunohistochemistry against keratins. We could reproducibly culture pure epithelial cells from cervical tissue explants. Based on a morphology score and the WST-1 Proliferation Assay, we optimized the growth medium composition. Primary porcine cervical cells performed best in conditioned Ham's F-12, containing 10% FCS, EGF and insulin. After cultivation in an air-liquid interface for three weeks, the cells showed a discontinuously multilayered phenotype. Finally, differentiation was validated via immunohistochemistry against beta catenin. Mucopolysaccharide production could be shown via alcian blue staining.

Conclusions

We provide the first suitable protocol to establish a differentiated porcine epithelial model of the cervix uteri, based on easily accessible cells using slaughterhouse material.
The pattern of relapse and survival of elective irradiation of the upper neck for stage N0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: He Xiayun , Pan Ziqiang , Guo Xiaomao , Ye Ming , Zhang Zhen , He Shaoqin , Liu Taifu
Published: March 2012

Background

To investigate patterns of failure and survival rates of elective irradiation of upper neck in N0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Methods

From February 1996 to November 2002, 97 patients without cervical lymph node involvement were admitted for radiotherapy alone. Before treatment, each patient underwent enhanced CT of nasopharynx and neck. All patients received radiotherapy to the nasopharynx, skull base, and upper neck drainage areas (including levels II, III, and VA). The upper neck was irradiated to a total dose of 50-56 Gy/25-28 fractions/5-5.6 weeks. For the primary tumor, 22 patients used conventional fractionation for a total dose of 70 Gy/35 fractions/7 weeks, and 75 patients used an accelerated hyperfractionationated schedule for a total dose of 78 Gy/60 fractions/6 weeks.

Results

The median follow-up of these 97 patients was 7.75 years. 10 patients had recurrences in the nasopharynx, 8 had distant metastasis, and 5 had recurrences in the cervical lymph nodes. Among the cervical lymph node failures, the areas of recurrence were in the II drainage areas in 4 patients who had neck dissections afterwards, and in IA drainage areas in 1 patient who also had recurrence in the nasopharynx. The causes of death were recurrence in the nasopharynx for 8 patients, 1 of these also had recurrence in the neck, distant metastases in 8 patients, and non-neoplastic diseases in 3 patients.

Conclusions

The causes of failure of N0 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy alone to the nasopharynx and upper neck were nasopharyngeal recurrence, distant metastasis, and cervical recurrence in order of frequency. Elective irradiation of upper neck (II, III, VA) is advised for stage N0 patients diagnosed by enhanced CT of neck. Cervical recurrence alone is rare, which did not greatly affect the long-term survival after salvage neck dissection.
Pulmonary langerhans cell histiocytosis
Authors: Suri Harpreet S , Yi Eunhee S , Nowakowski Gregorz S , Vassallo Robert
Published: March 2012

Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (PLCH) is a relatively uncommon lung disease that generally, but not invariably, occurs in cigarette smokers. The pathologic hallmark of PLCH is the accumulation of Langerhans and other inflammatory cells in small airways, resulting in the formation of nodular inflammatory lesions. While the overwhelming majority of patients are smokers, mechanisms by which smoking induces this disease are not known, but likely involve a combination of events resulting in enhanced recruitment and activation of Langerhans cells in small airways. Bronchiolar inflammation may be accompanied by variable lung interstitial and vascular involvement. While cellular inflammation is prominent in early disease, more advanced stages are characterized by cystic lung destruction, cicatricial scarring of airways, and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Pulmonary function is frequently abnormal at presentation. Imaging of the chest with high resolution chest CT scanning may show characteristic nodular and cystic abnormalities. Lung biopsy is necessary for a definitive diagnosis, although may not be required in instances were imaging findings are highly characteristic. There is no general consensus regarding the role of immunosuppressive therapy in smokers with PLCH. All smokers must be counseled on the importance of smoking cessation, which may result in regression of disease and obviate the need for systemic immunosuppressive therapy. The prognosis for most patients is relatively good, particularly if longitudinal lung function testing shows stability. Complications like pneumothoraces and secondary pulmonary hypertension may shorten life expectancy. Patients with progressive disease may require lung transplantation.
Comparative quantitative proteomics of prochlorococcus ecotypes to a decrease in environmental phosphate concentrations
Authors: Fuszard Matthew A , Wright Phillip C , Biggs Catherine A
Published: March 2012

Background

The well-lit surface waters of oligotrophic gyres significantly contribute to global primary production. Marine cyanobacteria of the genus Prochlorococcus are a major fraction of photosynthetic organisms within these areas. Labile phosphate is considered a limiting nutrient in some oligotrophic regions such as the Caribbean Sea, and as such it is crucial to understand the physiological response of primary producers such as Prochlorococcus to fluctuations in the availability of this critical nutrient.

Results

Prochlorococcus strains representing both high light (HL) (MIT9312) and low light (LL) (NATL2A and SS120) ecotypes were grown identically in phosphate depleted media (10 μM Pi). The three strains displayed marked differences in cellular protein expression, as determined by high throughput large scale quantitative proteomic analysis. The only strain to demonstrate a significantly different growth rate under reduced phosphate conditions was MIT9312. Additionally, there was a significant increase in phosphate-related proteins such as PhoE (> 15 fold increase) and a depression of the Rubisco protein RbcL abundance in this strain, whereas there appeared to be no significant change within the LL strain SS120.

Conclusions

This differential response between ecotypes highlights the relative importance of phosphate availability to each strain and from these results we draw the conclusion that the expression of phosphate acquisition mechanisms are activated at strain specific phosphate concentrations.
Inhibition of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C results in loss of mesenchymal traits in metastatic breast cancer cells
Authors: Abalsamo Laura , Spadaro Francesca , Bozzuto Giuseppina , Paris Luisa , Cecchetti Serena , Lugini Luana , Iorio Egidio , Molinari Agnese , Ramoni Carlo , Podo Franca
Published: March 2012

Introduction

Acquisition of mesenchymal characteristics confers to breast cancer (BC) cells the capability of invading tissues different from primary tumor site, allowing cell migration and metastasis. Regulators of the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) may represent targets for anticancer agents. Accruing evidence supports functional implications of choline phospholipid metabolism in oncogene-activated cell signaling and differentiation. We investigated the effects of D609, a xanthate inhibiting phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) and sphingomyelin synthase (SMS), as a candidate regulator of cell differentiation and MET in the highly metastatic BC cell line MDA-MB-231.

Methods

PC-PLC expression and activity were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), immunoblotting and enzymatic assay on human MDA-MB-231 compared with MCF-7 and SKBr3 BC cells and a nontumoral immortalized counterpart (MCF-10A). The effects of D609 on PC-PLC and SMS activity, loss of mesenchymal markers and changes in migration and invasion potential were monitored in MDA-MB-231 cells by enzymatic assays, CLSM, immunoblotting and transwell chamber invasion combined with scanning electron microscopy examinations. Cell proliferation, formation and composition of lipid bodies and cell morphology were investigated in D609-treated BC cells by cell count, CLSM, flow-cytometry of BODIPY-stained cells, nuclear magnetic resonance and thin-layer chromatography.

Results

PC-PLC (but not phospholipase D) showed 2- to 6-fold activation in BC compared with nontumoral cells, the highest activity (up to 0.4 pmol/μg protein/min) being detected in the poorly-differentiated MDA-MB-231 cells. Exposure of the latter cells to D609 (50 μg/mL, 24-72 h) resulted into 60-80% PC-PLC inhibition, while SMS was transiently inhibited by a maximum of 21%. These features were associated with progressive decreases of mesenchymal traits such as vimentin and N-cadherin expression, reduced galectin-3 and milk fat globule EGF-factor 8 levels, β-casein formation and decreased in vitro cell migration and invasion. Moreover, proliferation arrest, changes in cell morphology and formation of cytosolic lipid bodies typical of cell differentiation were induced by D609 in all investigated BC cells.

Conclusions

These results support a critical involvement of PC-PLC in controlling molecular pathways responsible for maintaining a mesenchymal-like phenotype in metastatic BC cells and suggests PC-PLC deactivation as a means to promote BC cell differentiation and possibly enhance the effectiveness of antitumor treatments.
Gene expression in extratumoral microenvironment predicts clinical outcome in breast cancer patients
Authors: Román-Pérez Erick , Casbas-Hernández Patricia , Pirone Jason R , Rein Jessica , Carey Lisa A , Lubet Ronald A , Mani Sendurai A , Amos Keith D , Troester Melissa A
Published: March 2012

Introduction

A gene expression signature indicative of activated wound responses is common to more than 90% of non-neoplastic tissues adjacent to breast cancer, but these tissues also exhibit substantial heterogeneity. We hypothesized that gene expression subtypes of breast cancer microenvironment can be defined and that these microenvironment subtypes have clinical relevance.

Methods

Gene expression was evaluated in 72 patient-derived breast tissue samples adjacent to invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ. Unsupervised clustering identified two distinct gene expression subgroups that differed in expression of genes involved in activation of fibrosis, cellular movement, cell adhesion and cell-cell contact. We evaluated the prognostic relevance of extratumoral subtype (comparing the Active group, defined by high expression of fibrosis and cellular movement genes, to the Inactive group, defined by high expression of claudins and other cellular adhesion and cell-cell contact genes) using clinical data. To establish the biological characteristics of these subtypes, gene expression profiles were compared against published and novel tumor and tumor stroma-derived signatures (Twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1) overexpression, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)-induced fibroblast activation, breast fibrosis, claudin-low tumor subtype and estrogen response). Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of tissues representing each microenvironment subtype were performed to evaluate protein expression and compositional differences between microenvironment subtypes.

Results

Extratumoral Active versus Inactive subtypes were not significantly associated with overall survival among all patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.4, 95% CI 0.6 to 2.8, P = 0.337), but there was a strong association with overall survival among estrogen receptor (ER) positive patients (HR = 2.5, 95% CI 0.9 to 6.7, P = 0.062) and hormone-treated patients (HR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 7.0, P = 0.045). The Active subtype of breast microenvironment is correlated with TWIST-overexpression signatures and shares features of claudin-low breast cancers. The Active subtype was also associated with expression of TGF-β induced fibroblast activation signatures, but there was no significant association between Active/Inactive microenvironment and desmoid type fibrosis or estrogen response gene expression signatures. Consistent with the RNA expression profiles, Active cancer-adjacent tissues exhibited higher density of TWIST nuclear staining, predominantly in epithelium, and no evidence of increased fibrosis.

Conclusions

These results document the presence of two distinct subtypes of microenvironment, with Active versus Inactive cancer-adjacent extratumoral microenvironment influencing the aggressiveness and outcome of ER-positive human breast cancers.
The New Imperialism: Stabilization and Reconstruction or the Responsibility to Fix?
Authors: Quainton Anthony C. E.
Published: March 2012

As a result of the wars undertaken in Iraq and Afghanistan by the George W. Bush administration, the United States has taken on a responsibility to reconstruct the political and economic institutions of these countries. This responsibility has been carried out through provincial reconstruction teams that operate at the local level to rebuild the societies shattered by war. In conceptual terms, the responsibility increasingly reflects the new emphasis on reconstruction and stabilization operations laid out in the State Department’s 2011 Quadrennial Defense and Development Review, which sets the groundwork for future interventions both to prevent states from failing and to rebuild states devastated by war or natural disaster. The ambitious nature of this strategy suggests a new age of American imperialism under which the “responsibility to protect” of the 1990s may become the “responsibility to fix” of the twenty-first century.
Egypt’s Unfinished Revolution
Authors: El-Khawas Mohamed
Published: March 2012

Egypt’s revolution has produced odd results. President Hosni Mubarak was replaced in 2011 by the military, which plans to stay in office until 2013. The interim government has been trying to reconcile the differing demands of young revolutionaries and emerging political parties. It has been struggling to deal with an ailing economy and deteriorating security. Although the goal is to transfer power to a democratically elected government, building an infrastructure for sustainable democratic institutions has been slow, messy, and difficult. Youth are disappointed in the outcome of their efforts to reform the country, fearing that the demands that triggered the revolution may not be met.
Introduction of automated blood pressure devices intended for a low resource setting in rural Tanzania
Authors: Baker Elinor Chloe , Hezelgrave Natasha , Magesa Stephen M , Edmonds Sally , de Greeff Annemarie , Shennan Andrew
Published: March 2012

Regular blood pressure (BP) monitoring is a cost-effective means of early identification and management of hypertensive disease in pregnancy. In much of rural sub-Saharan Africa, the ability to take and act on accurate BP measurements is lacking as a result of poorly functioning or absent equipment and/or inadequate staff education. This study describes the feasibility of using validated automated BP devices suitable for low-resource settings (LRS) in primary health-care facilities in rural Tanzania. Following a primary survey, 19 BP devices were distributed to 11 clinics and re-assessed at one, three, six, 12 and 36 months. Devices were used frequently with high levels of user satisfaction and good durability. We conclude that the use of automated BP devices in LRS is feasible and sustainable. An assessment of their ability to reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality is vital.
Changing clinico-laboratory profile of encephalitis patients in the eastern Uttar Pradesh region of India
Authors: Bhatt Girish Chandra , Bondre V P , Sapkal G N , Sharma Tanya , Kumar Santosh , Gore M M , Kushwaha K P , Rathi A K
Published: March 2012

A cross-sectional study was done on 100 consecutive paediatric patients presenting with acute encephalitis syndrome. The clinico-laboratory features of all patients were recorded in a prestructured performa. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples were tested for: Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus; Chandipura virus; coxsackie virus; dengue virus; enterovirus 76; and West Nile virus. Twenty-two (22.0%) patients were confirmed JE cases and 17% had parasitic or bacteriological aetiology. The remaining 61 cases (61.0%) in which no viral aetiological agent was found were grouped as non-JE cases. Peripheral vascular failure, splenomegaly and hypotonia were distinguishing clinical features found in the non-JE patients. A high mortality of 26.5% was seen in patients with confirmed or presumptive viral encephalitis (22/83). A fatal outcome was independently associated with peripheral vascular failure and pallor at the time of admission. Early recognition of these signs may help clinicians to manage these cases.
Salvaging a diabetic foot: a new cost-effective method
Authors: Gnanaraj J , Gnanaraj Danita , Prasad Arun
Published: March 2012

The method that we use has an initial cost (£150) and uses fewer materials for dressing daily than other methods. It is easy to use at the extremities and is effective in preventing amputation in some diabetics.
Differentiating Between Burkitt Lymphoma and CD10+ Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: McGowan Paul , Nelles Nicole , Wimmer Jana , Williams Dawn , Wen Jianguo , Li Marilyn , Ewton April , Curry Choladda , Zu Youli , Sheehan Andrea , Chang Chung-Che (Jeff)
Published: March 2012

The goal of this study was to evaluate routine flow cytometric (FC) immunophenotypic markers in differentiating between Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and CD10+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We performed retrospective analysis of FC data from 55 patients. We evaluated 9 FC parameters: forward and side scatter (FSC and SSC); mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) for CD20, CD10, CD38, CD79b, CD43, and CD71; and the percentage of neoplastic cells positive for CD71 (%CD71). The FSC; MFIs of CD10, CD43, CD79b, and CD71; and %CD71 cells were significantly different between BL and CD10+ DLBCL (P < .05; Student t test). A 5-point scoring system (FSC, %CD71, and MFIs of CD43, CD79b, and CD71) was devised, and 6 (60%) of 10 BLs scored 3 or greater and 1 (10%) of 10 CD10+ DLBCLs scored 3 (P = .04; χ2). Our findings indicate that routine FC parameters can aid in differentiating BL from CD10+ DLBCL.
Rapid Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase Genes in Enterobacteriaceae Directly From Blood Culture Bottles by Real-Time PCR
Authors: Francis Richard O. , Wu Fann , Della-Latta Phyllis , Shi Jun , Whittier Susan
Published: March 2012

Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are endemic in New York City hospitals and have been associated with serious infections globally. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed to detect carbapenem resistance attributable to KPC from blood culture bottles positive for gram-negative bacilli. Culture confirmation of carbapenemase production included automated imipenem and meropenem susceptibility testing and ertapenem susceptibility testing by disk-diffusion. A total of 323 Enterobacteriaceae isolates were tested, of which 8.7% (n = 28) demonstrated carbapenem-resistance by automated and manual susceptibility testing methods or by RT-PCR. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the RT-PCR assay when compared with the automated method were 92.9%, 99.3%, 92.9%, and 99.3%, respectively, and 96.4%, 99.7%, 96.4%, and 99.7%, respectively, when compared with the ertapenem disk-diffusion method. RT-PCR is a rapid and reliable means of detecting carbapenem resistance due to KPC-plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae directly from blood culture bottles.
A programmable single-component diode based on an ambipolar organic field-effect transistor (OFET)
Authors: Sugawara Tadashi , Itoh Takuro , Suzuki Kentaro , Higuchi Hiroyuki , Matsushita Michio M.
Published: March 2012

An ambipolar field-effect transistor (FET) based on tetracyanoquarterthienoquinoid (TCT4Q) was constructed. When a set of source, drain, and gate voltages were applied to a thin film of TCT4Q at temperatures lower than 150 K, both positive and negative carriers were trapped and frozen even after removal of the gate voltage. The frozen carriers worked as a floating gate with the gradient by creating a PN(NP) junction through the injection of oppositely charged “mobile” carriers. The device exhibited a distinct rectifying effect when an alternating current (50 < f <500 mHz) was applied through the source and drain electrodes. Moreover, the function of the molecular device is programmable and erasable.
Interfacial Layer Growth Condition Dependent Electrical Conduction in HfO2/SiO2 Heterostructured thin films
Authors: Sahoo Santosh K. , Misra D.
Published: March 2012

The electrical conduction mechanism contributing to the leakage current at different field regions has been studied in this work. The current-voltage (I-V) measurement of TiN/HfO2/SiO2/P-Si nMOS capacitor has been taken for two different interfacial layer (SiO2) growth conditions such as in situ steam grown (ISSG) and chemical processes. It is observed that Poole-Frenkel mechanism is the dominant conduction mechanism in high field region whereas Ohmic conduction is dominant in the low field region. Also it is seen that the gate leakage current is reduced for the devices having chemically grown interfacial layer compared to that of ISSG devices. Both trap energy level (ϕt) and activation energy (Ea) increase in the chemically grown interfacial layer devices for the Poole-Frenkel and Ohmic conduction mechanisms respectively in comparison to ISSG devices. Trap energy level (ϕt) of ~ 0.2 eV, obtained from Poole-Frenkel mechanism indicates that the doubly ionized oxygen vacancies (V2-) are the active defects and are contributing to the leakage current in these devices.
Development and Application of Chen-Mobius Lattice Inversion Potential for Pd-Au Alloy
Authors: Duan Xianbao , Chen Zhengzheng , Kapur Neeti , Hao Xianghong , Cho Kyeongjae , Shan Bin
Published: March 2012

Bimetallic Pd-Au nanoparticles have received much attention due to their potential applications in catalysis. We have developed a Pd-Au alloy potential based on Chen-Mobius lattice inversion method and applied it to the investigation of the melting of Pd-Au binary nanoparticles via molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulation results show the particle size dependence of the melting point and an enrichment of Au atoms to the surface near melting temperature.
Phylogenetic and functional characteristics of household yard floras and their changes along an urbanization gradient
Authors: Knapp Sonja , Dinsmore Lucy , Fissore Cinzia , Hobbie Sarah E. , Jakobsdottir Ina , Kattge Jens , King Jennifer Y. , Klotz Stefan , McFadden Joseph P. , Cavender-Bares Jeannine
Published: March 2012

Urban areas are among the most heavily managed landscapes in the world, yet they harbor a remarkable richness of species. Private yards are common habitats in urban areas and are places where cultivated species manage to escape cultivation and become part of the spontaneous species pool. Yards are novel ecosystems where community assembly is driven by both natural and anthropogenic processes. Phylogenetic diversity and functional traits are increasingly recognized as critical to understanding processes of community assembly. Recent evidence indicates that urban areas may select more closely related plant species from the pool of regionally occurring species than do nonurban areas, and that exotic species are phylogenetically clustered within communities. We tested whether phylogenetic diversity and functional trait composition in privately managed yards change along a gradient of housing density in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolis, Minnesota, USA, in accordance with these predictions. We also identified characteristics of the spontaneous yard flora by comparing its phylogenetic diversity and functional composition with the “natural‐areas” species pool represented by the flora of nearby Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. Along the urbanization gradient, yards had more species per hectare in densely built regions than in lower‐density regions, but phylogenetic diversity and functional composition did not change with housing density. In contrast, in comparison to species in natural areas, yard species were more closely related to each other and functionally distinct: They were more often short‐lived, self‐compatible, and had higher specific leaf area than species of Cedar Creek. The high number of exotic yard species increased the yard flora's phylogenetic relatedness in comparison to species of Cedar Creek, causing a degree of phylogenetic homogenization within yards. The urban environment and homeowners' preferences select for trait attributes and phylogenetic lineages that can colonize and persist in yards. As yard species disperse beyond household boundaries, their functional attributes will affect ecosystem processes in urban environments and beyond, such as accelerating decomposition rates. Limited phylogenetic diversity may reduce the potential of ecosystems to respond to environmental changes. As cities continue to expand globally, understanding the impacts of yard management for biodiversity and ecosystem services becomes increasingly important.
A generalized approach to modeling and estimating indirect effects in ecology
Authors: Clough Yann
Published: March 2012

The need to model and test hypotheses about complex ecological systems has led to a steady increase in use of path analytical techniques, which allow the modeling of multiple multivariate dependencies reflecting hypothesized causation and mechanisms. The aim is to achieve the estimation of direct, indirect, and total effects of one variable on another and to assess the adequacy of whole models. Path analytical techniques based on maximum likelihood currently used in ecology are rarely adequate for ecological data, which are often sparse, multi‐level, and may contain nonlinear relationships as well as nonnormal response data such as counts or proportion data. Here I introduce a more flexible approach in the form of the joint application of hierarchical Bayes, Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms, Shipley's d‐sep test, and the potential outcomes framework to fit path models as well as to decompose and estimate effects. An example based on the direct and indirect interactions between ants, two insect herbivores, and a plant species demonstrates the implementation of these techniques, using freely available software.
Problem Solving and Working Memory Updating Difficulties in a Group of Poor Comprehenders
Authors: Cornoldi Cesare , Drusi Silvia , Tencati Chiara , Giofrè David , Mirandola Chiara
Published: March 2012

Problem-solving abilities, text comprehension, and working memory updating were investigated in 25 8–year-old children with a specific difficulty at comprehending written texts (i.e., poor comprehenders) and 25 control children matched for gender, age, schooling, and reading decoding ability. Poor comprehenders revealed to be less competent not only in the tasks that required a good text comprehension but also in problem-solving and updating tasks. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for educational settings.
Observing and Influencing Alertness in Individuals With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities in Multisensory Environments
Authors: Munde Vera , Vlaskamp C. , Post W. J. , Ruijssenaars A. J. J. M. , Maes B. , Nakken H.
Published: March 2012

While alertness is widely acknowledged as one of the most important preconditions for learning and development, individuals with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) experience a wide range of difficulties in the contact with their environment. The aim of the present study was to identify aspects of stimulation situations that influence the alertness levels of individuals in the target population.

Based on video recordings of 24 participants, alertness levels and environmental conditions were scored. Descriptive analyses and multilevel logistic regression analysis were used to identify the aspects of the stimulation situation that were related to occurrence of alertness.

The results show that visual stimuli (optimally in combination with auditory stimuli) produced the highest alertness levels. Furthermore, the effects of stimuli outweighed the effect of time. The role of direct support persons is thus especially important in alertness stimulation of individuals with PIMD.
Pathways to Care of Individuals With Mild Intellectual Disability
Authors: Soenen Sarah , Van Berckelaer-Onnes Ina , Scholte Evert
Published: March 2012

This study investigated whether clinical profiles in individuals with mild intellectual disability (MID) could be defined in terms of their histories (e.g., behavioral, social-environmental, educational, and service use characteristics). The clinical psychologists administered the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders to the (substitute) parents and analyzed the clinical records of individuals with MID. Four subtypes of individuals with MID with specific clinical profiles participated in this study. The results of this study, which used discriminant analysis of the individuals’ histories, supported two discriminant functions. The first discriminant function differentiated clinical profiles largely based on developmental disorders from clinical profiles based on personality disorders. The second function differentiated clinical profiles based on personality disorders and externalizing behavioral problems from other clinical profiles. The characteristics in the histories of individuals with MID can be very different and need to be assessed for further understanding of their unique needs.
Sand Fly-Leishmania Interactions: Long Relationships are Not Necessarily Easy
Authors: Ramalho-Ortigao Marcelo , M. Saraiva Elvira , M. Traub-Csekö Yara
Published: March 2012

Sand fly and Leishmania are one of the best studied vector-parasite models. Much is known about the development
of these parasites within the sand fly, and how transmission to a suitable vertebrate host takes place. Various molecules
secreted by the vector assist the establishment of the infection in a vertebrate, and changes to the vector are promoted
by the parasites in order to facilitate or enhance transmission. Despite a generally accepted view that sand flies and
Leishmania are also one of the oldest vector-pathogen pairs known, such long history has not been translated into a harmonic
relationship. Leishmania are faced with many barriers to the establishment of a successful infection within the sand
fly vector, and specific associations have been developed which are thought to represent aspects of a co-evolution between
the parasite and its vectors. In this review, we highlight the journey taken by Leishmania during its development within
the vector, and describe the issues associated with the natural barriers encountered by the parasite. Recent data revealed
sexual replication of Leishmania within the sand fly, but it is yet unknown if such reproduction affects disease outcome.
New approaches targeting sand fly molecules to prevent parasite transmission are being sought, and various techniques related
to genetic manipulation of sand flies are being utilized.
Serbian language acquisition in communist Romania
Authors: Sorescu-Marinkovic Annemarie
Published: March 2012

The paper analyzes a unique linguistic phenomenon characterizing Romania?s
western border areas for almost a decade, in the 1980s: the acquisition of
the Serbian language by Romanians in Timi?oara under the communist regime,
primarily through exposure to Yugoslav television programmes. It gives a
necessarily sketchy overview of private life under communism, notably the
situation in the Banat province, whose privileged position as a result of
being closest to the West both geographically and culturally was reflected in
the acceptance of pluralism and a critical attitude towards authoritarianism.
Taking into account the literature on foreign language acquisition through
exposure to television programmes, the study is based on a research involving
Romanian natives of Timi?oara who, although lacking any formal instruction in
Serbian, intensively and regularly watched Yugoslav television programmes in
the period in question, and on evaluating their competence and proficiency in
Serbian, through language tests, narrative interviews in Romanian and free
conversations in Serbian. The conclusion is that most respondents, despite
the varying degree of proficiency in Serbian depending on their active use of
the language before and after 1989, showed a strong pragmatic competence,
which appears to contradict the author?s initial hypothesis.
The beginning of the 1875 Serbian uprising in Herzegovina the British perspective
Authors: Kovic Milos
Published: March 2012

The main goal of this article is to scrutinize the contemporary British
sources, in order to establish what they say about the causes of the
insurrection in Herzegovina which marked the beginning of the Eastern Crisis
of 1875-1878. The official reports of British diplomats, the observations of
newspaper correspondents, and the instruc?tions of London policy makers
support the conclusion that the immediate cause of the insurrection was
agrarian discontent, especially tithe collecting. In considering the
?external influences? on the outbreak of the insurrection, the British
emphasized the role of Austria-Hungary and Montenegro. Behind these
countries, they saw the shadow of the Three Emperors? League, which was
perceived as the main threat to the Ottoman Empire and, consequently, to the
balance of power in Europe. Serbia was not seen as directly involved in the
events in Herzegovina. Later on, at the time of Prince Milan?s visit to
Vienna, and as volunteers from Serbia began to be despatched to Herzegovina,
the British diplomats increasingly perceived Serbia, in addition to
Montenegro, as another tool of the Three Emperors? League.
Political and social rivalries in nineteenth-century Serbia: Svabe or Nemackari
Authors: Krestic Petar
Published: March 2012

The nature of the relationship between the Serbs from Serbia and the Serbs
from the Habsburg Monarchy in the nineteenth century is important for
understand?ing the process of national development of the Serbian people as a
whole. Therefore the paper analyzes the controversy over Svabe or Nemackari,
as the Serbs from Austria were called, which was one of the factors
responsible for internal instability of the Principality of Serbia in the
nineteenth century.
Young Bosnia: Literary action 1908-1914
Authors: Palavestra Predrag
Published: March 2012

Literary work and criticism was a significant aspect of the public activity
of the short-lived Young Bosnia movement, but an aspect which has been
unjustly neglected in historiography or overshadowed by the political aspect
marked by the struggle for national liberation. Much as the movement was
unstructured, contradiction-ridden and often uncertain whether to give
precedence to the ethical or the aesthetic dimension of literature, its
openness to the pace-setting European cultures gave an impetus to laying the
literary and intellectual groundwork for the modernization of not only the
local literary scene in Bosnia-Herzegovina but also of the shared cultural
space in interwar Yugoslavia.
Serbs in Croatia (1918-1929): Between the myth of “Greater-Serbian Hegemony” and social reality
Authors: Bozic Sofija
Published: March 2012

The situation of the Serbian community in Croatia in the years following the
1918 unification has been analyzed in order to test whether the clich?d view
of Croatia and Croats as having been endangered and exploited had any impact
on the status of the Serbian community and, if it did, in what way. Although
the topic is far from being exhausted in this contribution, the examples
given suggest that the two nations in Croatia were deeply divided. The
sources studied cast quite a different light on the thesis that Croats were
?oppressed? by Serbs, a thesis that has for quite a long time been passing as
a valid historical interpretation in historiography. These sources suggest
that the perception of Serbs as hegemony-minded resulted from propaganda
rather than from the actual state of affairs. Besides, they show that the
Serbs - systematically portrayed to the Croatian public as invaders and
enslavers, while, by contrast, they saw themselves as being ?third-rate
citizens? - lived their daily lives under strain, surrounded by intolerance,
subjected to various forms of pressure and violence, often fearing for their
livelihoods, even for their lives. The inexorable logic of facts leads to the
conclusion that members of the Serbian community in Croatia felt
discriminated against and not quite safe.