bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein Kinase C, Focal Adhesions and the Regulation of Cell Migration
Authors: Fogh Betina S. , Multhaupt Hinke A.B. , Couchman John R.
Published: December 2013

Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix is a complex process involving protrusive activity driven by the actin cytoskeleton, engagement of specific receptors, followed by signaling and cytoskeletal organization. Thereafter, contractile and endocytic/recycling activities may facilitate migration and adhesion turnover. Focal adhesions, or focal contacts, are widespread organelles at the cell-matrix interface. They arise as a result of receptor interactions with matrix ligands, together with clustering. Recent analysis shows that focal adhesions contain a very large number of protein components in their intracellular compartment. Among these are tyrosine kinases, which have received a great deal of attention, whereas the serine/threonine kinase protein kinase C has received much less. Here the status of protein kinase C in focal adhesions and cell migration is reviewed, together with discussion of its roles and potential substrates.
Tolerance to air exposure: a feature driving the latitudinal distribution of two sibling kelp species
Authors: López-Cristoffanini Camilo , Tellier Florence , Otaíza Ricardo , Correa Juan A. , Contreras-Porcia Loretto
Published: December 2013

Tolerance to air exposure should be an important feature in determining the geographic distribution of seaweeds. Two sibling kelp species with contrasting latitudinal distributions were selected to test the relationship between their distribution and air exposure tolerance: Lessonia berteroana distributed between 18° and 30°S and Lessonia spicata, which is found from 29° to 41°S along the Chilean coast. This region presents a latitudinal gradient of environmental variables, which leads to an increase in air exposure as latitude decreases. Therefore, populations of L. spicata are likely to be exposed to lower desiccation levels than those of L. berteroana. To assess adaptation to air exposure, early stages of development of these species were exposed to air daily for 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 h, and the activities of two antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase and catalase) were measured. Results showed that L. spicata spores ceased their postgermination development when exposed to 1 and 2 h of air, contrasting with L. berteroana, in which spore development was not abruptly stopped as for L. spicata. In addition, the apparent inactivation of the antioxidant enzyme catalase in both species strongly suggests a lower buffering capacity to an excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggered by air exposure. Thus, air exposure seems an important factor determining the northern geographic limit of L. spicata.
Prognostic factors of overall survival after laser interstitial thermal therapy in patients with glioblastoma
Authors: Missios Symeon , Schroeder Jason L. , Barnett Gene H. , Mohammadi Alireza M.
Published: December 2013

Background:

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive technique for treating intracranial tumors percutaneously. Controlled thermal damage to the tumor may offer an adjunct to the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) especially in deep-seated locations. We report our series of patients with GBM treated with LITT.

Methods:

Eleven consecutive patients with GBM who underwent LITT at the Cleveland Clinic using the NeuroBlate

Results:

LITT was delivered as upfront treatment in six cases and delivered as salvage in five cases. After 26.2 months of follow-up, 73% of cases demonstrated progression and 54.5% died. The median overall survival (OS) for the cohort was 8.4 months. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 6.1 months. A tendency towards improved overall survival was discovered in patients who had near complete coverage of tumor by blue and yellow TDT-lines.

Conclusions:

LITT can be used in a safe and effective manner for the treatment of patients with difficult to access GBM. Improved coverage of the tumor by the TDT-treatment lines has a tendency to improve patient overall survival.
Honeyvine Milkweed (Cynanchum laeve) Control in Plasticulture Bell Pepper Production
Authors: Masabni Joseph G. , Walters S. Alan , Young Bryan G. , Coolong Timothy
Published: December 2013

A 2-yr study was conducted to evaluate bell pepper response and honeyvine milkweed control from PRE herbicides, clomazone and trifluralin, applied under polyethylene mulch. Clomazone (0.8 and 1.4 kg ai ha−1) and trifluralin (0.7 and 1.1 kg ai ha−1) were applied alone or in combination. Herbicides were applied after beds were made and before polyethylene mulch was laid, followed by transplanting pepper within hours of herbicide application. In both years, initial bleaching of lower leaves was observed; the injury was observed in some treatments, but not others. Honeyvine milkweed, growing in the planting hole, exhibited significant bleaching and stunting in most herbicide treatments. Both clomazone and trifluralin resulted in season-long honeyvine milkweed control in both years. However, the use of clomazone and trifluralin together for control of honeyvine milkweed does not seem justified due to the potential for herbicide antagonism, as indicated in this study. The total number and fresh weight of harvested bell pepper were not affected by the herbicides or rates. All herbicide treatments resulted in about twice the yield (average of 8.8 kg) of the hand-weeded control (4.6 kg) in both years. This study strongly supports the safety and effectiveness of clomazone and/or trifluralin applied pretransplant under polyethylene mulch in bell pepper production for control of honeyvine milkweed.
Effect of Selective Amicarbazone Placement on Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua) and Creeping Bentgrass Growth
Authors: Jeffries Matthew D. , Gannon Travis W. , Rufty Thomas W. , Yelverton Fred H.
Published: December 2013

Growth chamber experiments were conducted to assess the effects of foliage-only, soil-only, and foliage-plus-soil placements of amicarbazone on annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass growth. Evaluated herbicide treatments included amicarbazone at 49 or 147 g ai ha−1, as well as bispyribac-sodium at 74 g ai ha−1for comparative purposes. Data from this research agree with previous reports of amicarbazone plant uptake. Amicarbazone is absorbed via above- and belowground pathways; however, plant growth is inhibited more by root uptake. Compared to foliage-only amicarbazone placement, soil-only placement more than doubled reductions in aboveground biomass and root mass 56 d after treatment (DAT), whereas no differences were detected between placements including soil contact. Across all evaluated parameters in this research, amicarbazone (49 g ha−1) impacted creeping bentgrass growth similarly to bispyribac-sodium, whereas annual bluegrass growth was inhibited more by amicarbazone, suggesting it provides a more efficacious chemical option for end-user applications.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approval Summary: Omacetaxine Mepesuccinate as Treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Alvandi Firoozeh , Kwitkowski Virginia E. , Ko Chia-Wen , Rothmann Mark D. , Ricci Stacey , Saber Haleh , Ghosh Debasis , Brown Janice , Pfeiler Erika , Chikhale Elsbeth , Grillo Joseph , Bullock Julie , Kane Robert , Kaminskas Edvardas , Farrell Ann T. , Pazdur Richard
Published: December 2013

On October 26, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Synribo; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., North Wales, PA, http://www.tevausa.com) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic phase (CP) or accelerated phase (AP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with resistance and/or intolerance to two or more tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The approval was based on the FDA review of data from 111 patients with CML in CP or in AP who had received two or more prior TKIs, including imatinib. Major cytogenetic response was achieved in 18% of patients with CP, with a median response duration of 12.5 months. Major hematologic response was achieved in 14% of patients with AP, with a median response duration of 4.7 months. The FDA safety evaluation was based on submitted data from 163 patients with CP or AP CML who had received at least one dose of omacetaxine mepesuccinate. The safety evaluation was limited by the single-arm design of the clinical trials as conducted in a small number of previously treated patients. The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions of any grade in enrolled patients included thrombocytopenia, anemia, neutropenia, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, asthenia, injection site reaction, pyrexia, and infection. The FDA concluded that omacetaxine mepesuccinate has shown activity and a favorable benefit-to-risk profile for the studied population of adult patients with CML (CP or AP) with resistance and/or intolerance to two or more TKIs. Further evidence of response durability to verify clinical benefit is pending.
Idiosyncratic responses of grizzly bear habitat to climate change based on projected food resource changes
Authors: Roberts David R. , Nielsen Scott E. , Stenhouse Gordon B.
Published: December 2013

Climate change vulnerability assessments for species of conservation concern often use species distribution and ecological niche modeling to project changes in habitat. One of many assumptions of these approaches is that food web dependencies are consistent in time and environmental space. Species at higher trophic levels that rely on the availability of species at lower trophic levels as food may be sensitive to extinction cascades initiated by changes in the habitat of key food resources. Here we assess climate change vulnerability forUrsus arctos(grizzly bears) in the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains using projected changes to 17 of the most commonly consumed plant food items. We used presence–absence information from 7088 field plots to estimate ecological niches and to project changes in future distributions of each species. Model projections indicated idiosyncratic responses among food items. Many food items persisted or even increased, although several species were found to be vulnerable based on declines or geographic shifts in suitable habitat. These includedHedysarum alpinum(alpine sweet vetch), a critical spring and autumn root‐digging resource when little else is available. Potential habitat loss was also identified for three fruiting species of lower importance to bears:Empetrum nigrum(crowberry),Vaccinium scoparium(grouseberry), andFragaria virginiana(strawberry). A general trend towards uphill migration of bear foods may result in higher vulnerability to bear populations at low elevations, which are also those that are most likely to have human–bear conflict problems. Regardless, a wide diet breadth of grizzly bears, as well as wide environmental niches of most food items, make climate change a much lower threat to grizzly bears than other bear species such as polar bears and panda bears. We cannot exclude, however, future alterations in human behavior and land use resulting from climate change that may reduce survival rates.
A Study of Due Recyclable Waste Containers in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Wei-Lung
Published: December 2013

This study surveys the operation modes, results and problems of the waste container recycling system in
Taiwan, known as the Four-in-One Program, and compares the collation and time trend analysis of the program’s results
(such as the garbage clearance volume, the recycling rate of recyclable resources, the price of plastic “Due Recyclable
Waste Containers” (DRWCs), among other variables). The results show that the Four-in-One Program in Taiwan could
prevent waste generation and increase recycling weight and that the program’s key contributing factors are the collective
environmental consciousness, subsidies, and the resources recycle fee (RRF). However, the decreasing trends of the daily
per capita garbage clearance volume in Taiwan and Japan might be because the Four-in-One Program’s municipal garbage
collection teams check the trash to retrieve recyclable resources.
Focusing Accounting Curricula on Students' Long-Run Careers: Recommendations for an Integrated Competency-Based Framework for Accounting Education
Authors: Lawson Raef A. , Blocher Edward J. , Brewer Peter C. , Cokins Gary , Sorensen James E. , Stout David E. , Sundem Gary L. , Wolcott Susan K. , Wouters Marc J. F.
Published: December 2013

Professional organizations, accrediting bodies, and accounting educators have defined the competencies that accounting students need for entry-level success in public accounting. However, definitions of the competencies required by all accounting students for long-term career requirements are lacking, as is an understanding of how to develop these competencies within the accounting curriculum. In 2010 the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and the Management Accounting Section (MAS) of the American Accounting Association (AAA) formed a Task Force to address these issues and make curriculum recommendations for all accounting majors. This paper is a report of that Task Force. It is responsive to the recent call to “connect the accounting body of knowledge to a map of competencies” and to create “curricular models for the future” (Pathways Commission 2012, 37, 75), and it includes a literature review that spans the scope and focus of accounting education, the value proposition for accounting (i.e., specification as to how accountants today, working in a variety of settings, add organizational value), and the importance of competency integration. This review leads to four recommendations. First, accounting education should be oriented toward long-term career demands. Second, the focus of accounting education should include organizational settings beyond the current focus on public accounting/auditing. Third, educational objectives should reflect how accountants add organizational value. Fourth, these objectives should be developed as integrated competencies. These recommendations lead to the competency-based educational Framework presented in this paper. This Framework is intended to apply to a variety of career paths including, but not limited to, public accounting. The paper concludes with a call to accountants in all areas to participate in further development of the Framework.
Cryptosporidium infection in school children in Dhanusha district, Nepal
Authors: Yadav Nagendra Prasad , Sah DK , Manadhar S , Singh JK
Published: December 2013

Background and Objectives: Gastro-intestinal water-borne infections are among the most emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases throughout the world. Most water-borne diseases are caused by organism ranging from microscopic viruses of less than 30 nm in diameter to parasites of 10cm in length culminate into diarrhea and cause approximately 5million reported deaths annually. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites, Cryptosporidium parvum among school children. Material and Methods: The study was carried out between Februry to July 2012. Cases of diarrhea reported in 23 students were linked to water handling practices. A total 500 of child of age less than 15 years old was included in the study. A total five hundred soft, loose or watery stool specimens collected from student of less than fifteen years from different school in Janakpur. The sample was collected randomly from randomly selected five schools. The collected stool samples were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. A modified Ziehl Neelsen with DMSO staining method was used for detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts in the stool samples. Results: The oocysts of Cryptosporidium were identified in 64 (6.8%) of the samples, while 242 samples (13%) showed mixed infections. Children aged between 3 and 10 years were mostly infected by this parasite, while infection was more prevalent in females than in males for all the age groups. Conclusion: The study suggests that Cryptosporidium is one of the important intestinal parasites of children as etiologic agents of diarrhea in immune-compromised population. Janaki Medical College Journal of Medical Sciences (2013) Vol. 1 (2): 40-45 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jmcjms.v1i2.9268
A Study of the Dielectric Constant of Potassium Hexacyanoferrate Trihydrate
Authors: Chakrabarti S. K. , Jha I. S. , Yadav R. N.
Published: December 2013

The variation of dielectric constant with temperature of potassium hexacyanoferrate trihydrate has been reported in this study. It is a monoclinic ferroelectric crystal. As the temperature is gradually increased a jump in the value of its dielectric constant takes place around 57°C. But as the temperature crosses 145°C, the dielectric constant increased drastically giving two adjacent peaks at 154°C and 157°C. In course of cooling also the dielectric constant of it shows anomaly–however in diminished order. Such anomalous behaviour of the dielectric constant of potassium hexacyanoferrate trihydrate may be mainly due to its high sensitivity to mechanical stresses, thereby causing piezoelectricity.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jncs.v29i0.9249Journal of Nepal Chemaical SocietyVol. 29, 2012Page : 58-61Uploaded date: 12/4/2013
Equilibrium Sorption Studies of Basic Blue-9 Dye from Aqueous Medium Using Activated Carbon Produced from Water Hyacinth (Eichornia Crassipes)
Authors: Tarawou Timi , Wankasi D. , Jnr Michael Horsfall
Published: December 2013

The study shows that water hyacinth could be used as novel raw material for the production of effective activated carbon for the adsorption (removal) of Basic Blue- 9 dye from aqueous solution. Optimum removal of 86% dye was obtained which decreased to 62% with an increase in concentration from 50 to 300mg/l, though sorption capacity was found to increase with an increase in concentration. Both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were suitable for describing the experimental data in this study with high regression coefficients (R2) of 0.9852 and 0.9905 respectively. The Langmuir maximum sorption capacity (qm) was found to be 421mg/g. It was further observed that the intensity of adsorption, n, was found to be 1.84 which shows that the sorption process was favourable. The equilibrium parameter, RL, value of 0.138 also shows that the adsorption of Basic Blue-9 dyes onto the activated carbon was favourable. The macropore and micropore diffusion constants show that the rate limiting step is the micropore diffusion stage since the micropore diffusion constant (Kid2) value of 0 is lower than the macropore diffusion constant (Kid) value of 0.2543, thus the rate of micropore diffusion is the slower step and the rate determining step. The study also showed that the sorption process was predominantly controlled by intra-particle diffusion, though film diffusion also played a significant role.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jncs.v29i0.9254Journal of Nepal Chemical Society Vol. 29, 2012 Page: 67-74 Uploaded date: 12/5/2013
Assessment of Beta Angle among the various Facial Types in Garhwali Population - A Cephalometric Evaluation
Authors: Prasad P Narayana , Ansari Rubina , Rana Tarun , Rawat Nimme
Published: December 2013

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate Beta (β) angle variation in different facial types among Garhwali population and also to evaluate the differences in Beta angle in male and female subgroups. Materials & Method: The sample included pre-treatment lateral cephalograms of 90 native Garhwali subjects (age 16-24 years) who were divided into three groups: normodivergent, hypodivergent and hyperdivergent; of 30 subjects of each group 15 were male and 15 were female. Result: In Garhwali population subjects with a β angle between 28° to 32° have a normodivergent facial type (ANOVA p < 0.01). Conclusion: There is a significant difference in the mean values of β angle in Garhwali population among various facial types. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v3i1.9280   Orthodontic Journal of Nepal, Vol.3, No.1, 2013: 37-40
Evaluation of Dental Anxiety in Parents Accompanying their Children for Dental Treatment
Authors: Dikshit Parajeeta , Limbu Senchhema , Bhattarai Kreepa
Published: December 2013

Objective: To evaluate the anxiety level of parents accompanying their children for the dental treatment. Materials & Method: Dental Anxiety Scale-Revised (DAS-R) questionnaire was filled by 101 subjects (53 females and 48 males) visiting the dental department for their children’s dental treatment. Result: 62.4 % parents accompanying their children had no or low anxiety levels and 9.9% and 5.9% showed high to severe anxiety levels respectively. There was no statistical significant difference seen between the anxiety levels in male and female parents. Conclusion: 37.6 % parents accompanying their children to the dentist showed moderate to severe anxiety levels with no significant difference seen in the overall anxiety levels of mothers and fathers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v3i1.9282 Orthodontic Journal of Nepal, Vol.3, No.1, 2013: 47-52
Correction of Class II Division 2 Deepbite Malocclusion with Non-extraction Therapy
Authors: Shrestha Situ L , Manipal Supreeth S , Shrestha Bikash V , Jaiswal Alok K
Published: December 2013

The article presents a case report of a teen age girl with Class II Division 2 malocclusion with deep over bite. The case was treated on non-extraction basis using 0.018 pre-adjusted edgewise appliance with anterior bite plate (monobloc) to correct deep bite and forward placement of the mandible. Use of Class II elastics helped to achieve Class I canine and molar retention. Treatment was completed in 22 months with good occlusion and facial esthetics. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v3i1.9287 Orthodontic Journal of Nepal, Vol.3, No.1, 2013: 73-75
Impact of target location on the response of trigeminal neuralgia to stereotactic radiosurgery
Authors: Xu Zhiyuan , Schlesinger David , Moldovan Krisztina , Przybylowski Colin , Sun Xingwen , Lee Cheng-Chia , Yen Chun-Po , Sheehan Jason
Published: December 2013

Object

The authors evaluate the impact of target location on the rate of pain relief (PR) in patients with intractable trigeminal neuralgia (TN) undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

Methods

The authors conducted a retrospective review of 99 patients with idiopathic TN who were identified from a prospectively maintained database and were treated with SRS targeting the dorsal root entry zone with a maximum dose of 80 Gy. Targeting of the more proximal portion of a trigeminal nerve with the 50% isodose line overlapping the brainstem was performed in 36 patients (proximal group). In a matched group, 63 patients received SRS targeting the 20% isodose line tangential to the emergence of the brainstem (distal group). The median follow-up time was 33 months (range 6–124 months).

Results

The actuarial rate of maintenance of Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) Pain Score I–IIIa was attained in 89% of patients at 1 year, 81% at 2 years, and 69% at 4 years, respectively, after SRS. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that durability of PR was only associated with the proximal location of the radiosurgical target (log-rank test, p = 0.018). Radiosurgery-induced facial numbness (BNI Score II or III) developed in 35 patients, which was significantly more frequent in the proximal group (19 patients [53%] compared with 16 [25%] in the distal group [p = 0.015]).

Conclusions

The radiosurgical target appears to affect the duration of pain relief in patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia with the target closer to the brainstem affording extended pain relief. However, the proximal SRS target was also associated with an increased risk of mild to moderate facial numbness.
Intraoperative rerupture during surgical treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is not associated with an increased risk of vasospasm
Authors: Sheth Sunil A. , Hausrath Daniel , Numis Adam L. , Lawton Michael T. , Josephson S. Andrew
Published: December 2013

Object

Intraoperative rerupture during open surgical clipping of cerebral aneurysms in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a relatively frequent and potentially catastrophic occurrence. Patients who suffer rerupture have been shown to have worse outcomes at discharge compared with those who do not have rerupture. Perioperative injury likely plays a large part in the clinical worsening of these patients. However, due to the increased vessel manipulation and repeat exposure to acute hemorrhage, it is possible that secondary injury from increased incidence of vasospasm also contributes. Identifying an increased rate of vasospasm in these patients would justify early aggressive treatment with measures to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia. The authors investigated whether patients who suffer intraoperative rerupture during surgical treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysms are at increased risk of developing vasospasm.

Methods

Five hundred consecutive patients treated with open surgical clipping for SAH were reviewed, and clinical and imaging data were collected. Angiographic vasospasm was defined as vessel narrowing believed to be consistent with vasospasm on angiography. Symptomatic vasospasm was defined as angiographic vasospasm in the setting of a clinical change attributable to vasospasm. Rates of angiographic and symptomatic vasospasm among patients with and without intraoperative rerupture were compared.

Results

There were no significant differences between the groups with and without rupture with respect to age, sex, modified Fisher grade, history of hypertension, or smoking. The group with intraoperative rupture had more patients with Hunt and Hess Grade I. Angiographic vasospasm was noted in 279 (66%) of the 425 patients without rerupture compared with 49 (65%) of the 75 patients with rerupture (p = 1.0, Fisher's exact test). Symptomatic vasospasm was noted in 154 (36%) of the 425 patients without rerupture, compared with 31 (41%) of the 75 patients with rerupture (p = 0.44, Fisher's exact test). In multivariate analysis, higher modified Fisher grade was significantly predictive of vasospasm, whereas older age and male sex were protective.

Conclusions

This study found no significant influence of intraoperative rerupture during open surgical clipping on the rate of angiographic or symptomatic vasospasm. Brief exposure to acute hemorrhage and vessel manipulation associated with rerupture events did not affect the rate of vasospasm. Risk of vasospasm was related to increased modified Fisher grade, and inversely related to age and male sex. These results do not justify early, targeted vasospasm therapy in patients with intraoperative rerupture.
Comparative effectiveness of treatment options for pediatric craniopharyngiomas
Authors: Ali Zarina S. , Bailey Robert L. , Daniels Lawrence B. , Vakhshori Venus , Lewis Daniel J. , Hossain Alisha T. , Sitterley Karlyndsay Y. , Lee John Y. K. , Storm Phillip B. , Heuer Gregory G. , Stein Sherman C.
Published: December 2013

Object

No clear treatment guidelines for pediatric craniopharyngiomas exist. The authors developed a decision analytical model to evaluate outcomes of 4 surgical approaches for craniopharyngiomas in children, including attempted gross-total resection (GTR), planned subtotal removal plus radiotherapy, biopsy plus radiotherapy, and endoscopic resections of all kinds.

Methods

Pooled data, including the authors' own experience, were used to create evidence tables, from which incidence, relative risks, and summary outcomes in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated for the 4 management strategies.

Results

Quality-adjusted life years at the 5-year follow-up were 2.3 ± 0.1 for attempted GTR, 2.9 ± 0.2 for planned subtotal removal plus radiotherapy, 3.9 ± 0.2 for biopsy plus radiotherapy, and 3.7 ± 0.2 for endoscopic resection (F = 17,150, p < 0.001). Similarly, QALYs at 10-year follow-up were 4.5 ± 0.2 for attempted GTR, 5.7 ± 0.5 for planned subtotal removal plus radiotherapy, and 7.8 ± 0.5 for biopsy plus radiotherapy (F = 6,173, p < 0.001). On post hoc pairwise comparisons, the differences between all pairs compared were also highly significant (p < 0.001). Since follow-up data at 10 years are lacking for endoscopic cases, this category was excluded from 10-year comparisons.

Conclusions

Biopsy with subsequent radiotherapy is the preferred approach with respect to improved overall quality of life. While endoscopic approaches also show promise in preserving quality of life at five-year follow-up, there are not sufficient data to draw conclusions about this comparison at 10 years.
Differential Expression Analysis of a Subset of Drought-Responsive GmNAC Genes in Two Soybean Cultivars Differing in Drought Tolerance
Authors: Thao Nguyen , Thu Nguyen , Hoang Xuan , Ha Chien , Tran Lam-Son
Published: December 2013

The plant-specific NAC transcription factors play important roles in plant response to drought stress. Here, we have compared the expression levels of a subset of GmNAC genes in drought-tolerant DT51 and drought-sensitive MTD720 under both normal and drought stress conditions aimed at identifying correlation between GmNAC expression levels and drought tolerance degree, as well as potential GmNAC candidates for genetic engineering. The expression of 23 selected dehydration-responsive GmNACs was assessed in both stressed and unstressed root tissues of DT51 and MTD720 using real-time quantitative PCR. The results indicated that expression of GmNACs was genotype-dependent. Seven and 13 of 23 tested GmNACs showed higher expression levels in roots of DT51 in comparison with MTD720 under normal and drought stress conditions, respectively, whereas none of them displayed lower transcript levels under any conditions. This finding suggests that the higher drought tolerance of DT51 might be positively correlated with the higher induction of the GmNAC genes during water deficit. The drought-inducible GmNAC011 needs to be mentioned as its transcript accumulation was more than 76-fold higher in drought-stressed DT51 roots relative to MTD720 roots. Additionally, among the GmNAC genes examined, GmNAC085, 092, 095, 101 and 109 were not only drought-inducible but also more highly up-regulated in DT51 roots than in that of MTD720 under both treatment conditions. These data together suggest that GmNAC011, 085, 092, 095, 101 and 109 might be promising candidates for improvement of drought tolerance in soybean by biotechnological approaches.
A Histone-Like Protein Induces Plasmid DNA to Form Liquid Crystals in Vitro and Gene Compaction in Vivo
Authors: Sun Shiyong , Liu Mingxue , Dong Faqin , Fan Shenglan , Yao Yanchen
Published: December 2013

The liquid crystalline state is a universal phenomenon involving the formation of an ordered structure via a self-assembly process that has attracted attention from numerous scientists. In this study, the dinoflagellate histone-like protein HCcp3 is shown to induce super-coiled pUC18 plasmid DNA to enter a liquid crystalline state in vitro, and the role of HCcp3 in gene condensation in vivo is also presented. The plasmid DNA (pDNA)-HCcp3 complex formed birefringent spherical particles with a semi-crystalline selected area electronic diffraction (SAED) pattern. Circular dichroism (CD) titrations of pDNA and HCcp3 were performed. Without HCcp3, pUC18 showed the characteristic B conformation. As the HCcp3 concentration increased, the 273 nm band sharply shifted to 282 nm. When the HCcp3 concentration became high, the base pair (bp)/dimer ratio fell below 42/1, and the CD spectra of the pDNA-HCcp3 complexes became similar to that of dehydrated A-form DNA. Microscopy results showed that HCcp3 compacted the super-coiled gene into a condensed state and that inclusion bodies were formed. Our results indicated that HCcp3 has significant roles in gene condensation both in vitro and in histone-less eukaryotes in vivo. The present study indicates that HCcp3 has great potential for applications in non-viral gene delivery systems, where HCcp3 may compact genetic material to form liquid crystals.
Characterization of a Maize Wip1 Promoter in Transgenic Plants
Authors: Zhang Shengxue , Lian Yun , Liu Yan , Wang Xiaoqing , Liu Yunjun , Wang Guoying
Published: December 2013

The Maize Wip1 gene encodes a wound-induced Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI) protein which is a type of serine protease inhibitor, and its expression is induced by wounding or infection, conferring resistance against pathogens and pests. In this study, the maize Wip1 promoter was isolated and its function was analyzed. Different truncated Wip1 promoters were fused upstream of the GUS reporter gene and transformed into Arabidopsis, tobacco and rice plants. We found that (1) several truncated maize Wip1 promoters led to strong GUS activities in both transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco leaves, whereas low GUS activity was detected in transgenic rice leaves; (2) the Wip1 promoter was not wound-induced in transgenic tobacco leaves, but was induced by wounding in transgenic rice leaves; (3) the truncated Wip1 promoter had different activity in different organs of transgenic tobacco plants; (4) the transgenic plant leaves containing different truncated Wip1 promoters had low GUS transcripts, even though high GUS protein level and GUS activities were observed; (5) there was one transcription start site of Wip1 gene in maize and two transcription start sites of GUS in Wip1::GUS transgenic lines; (6) the adjacent 35S promoter which is present in the transformation vectors enhanced the activity of the truncated Wip1 promoters in transgenic tobacco leaves, but did not influence the disability of truncated Wip1231 promoter to respond to wounding signals. We speculate that an ACAAAA hexamer, several CAA trimers and several elements similar to ACAATTAC octamer in the 5'-untranslated region might contribute to the strong GUS activity in Wip1231 transgenic lines, meanwhile, compared to the 5'-untranslated region from Wip1231 transgenic lines, the additional upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5'-untranslated region from Wip1737 transgenic lines might contribute to the lower level of GUS transcript and GUS activity.
Cancer Preventive Efficacy of Marine Carotenoid Fucoxanthin: Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis
Authors: Rengarajan Thamaraiselvan , Rajendran Peramaiyan , Nandakumar Natarajan , Balasubramanian Maruthaiveeran , Nishigaki Ikuo
Published: December 2013

Epidemiological investigations have shown that overcoming the risk of cancer is related to the consumption of green vegetables and fruits. Many compounds from different origins, such as terrestrial plants and marine and microbial sources, have been reported to have therapeutic effects of which marine sources are the most important because the diversity of marine life is more varied than other sources. Fucoxanthin is one important compound with a marine origin and belongs to the group of carotenoids; it can be found in marine brown seaweeds, macroalgae, and diatoms, all of which have remarkable biological properties. Numerous studies have shown that fucoxanthin has considerable medicinal potential and promising applications in human health. In this review, we summarize the anticancer effects of fucoxanthin through several different mechanisms including anti-proliferation, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and anti-angiogenesis, and its possible role in the treatment of cancer.
The Metabolic and Ecological Interactions of Oxalate-Degrading Bacteria in the Mammalian Gut
Authors: Miller Aaron , Dearing Denise
Published: December 2013

Oxalate-degrading bacteria comprise a functional group of microorganisms, commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals. Oxalate is a plant secondary compound (PSC) widely produced by all major taxa of plants and as a terminal metabolite by the mammalian liver. As a toxin, oxalate can have a significant impact on the health of mammals, including humans. Mammals do not have the enzymes required to metabolize oxalate and rely on their gut microbiota for this function. Thus, significant metabolic interactions between the mammalian host and a complex gut microbiota maintain the balance of oxalate in the body. Over a dozen species of gut bacteria are now known to degrade oxalate. This review focuses on the host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions that regulate the degradation of oxalate by the gut microbiota. We discuss the pathways of oxalate throughout the body and the mammalian gut as a series of differentiated ecosystems that facilitate oxalate degradation. We also explore the mechanisms and functions of microbial oxalate degradation along with the implications for the ecological and evolutionary interactions within the microbiota and for mammalian hosts. Throughout, we consider questions that remain, as well as recent technological advances that can be employed to answer them.
Potentiometric Urea Biosensor Based on an Immobilised Fullerene-Urease Bio-Conjugate
Authors: Saeedfar Kasra , Heng Lee , Ling Tan , Rezayi Majid
Published: December 2013

A novel method for the rapid modification of fullerene for subsequent enzyme attachment to create a potentiometric biosensor is presented. Urease was immobilized onto the modified fullerene nanomaterial. The modified fullerene-immobilized urease (C60-urease) bioconjugate has been confirmed to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea in solution. The biomaterial was then deposited on a screen-printed electrode containing a non-plasticized poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PnBA) membrane entrapped with a hydrogen ionophore. This pH-selective membrane is intended to function as a potentiometric urea biosensor with the deposition of C60-urease on the PnBA membrane. Various parameters for fullerene modification and urease immobilization were investigated. The optimal pH and concentration of the phosphate buffer for the urea biosensor were 7.0 and 0.5 mM, respectively. The linear response range of the biosensor was from 2.31 × 10−3 M to 8.28 × 10−5 M. The biosensor’s sensitivity was 59.67 ± 0.91 mV/decade, which is close to the theoretical value. Common cations such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH4+ showed no obvious interference with the urea biosensor’s response. The use of a fullerene-urease bio-conjugate and an acrylic membrane with good adhesion prevented the leaching of urease enzyme and thus increased the stability of the urea biosensor for up to 140 days.
Application of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curves for Explosives Detection Using Different Sampling and Detection Techniques
Authors: Young Mimy , Fan Wen , Raeva Anna , Almirall Jose
Published: December 2013

Reported for the first time are receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves constructed to describe the performance of a sorbent-coated disk, planar solid phase microextraction (PSPME) unit for non-contact sampling of a variety of volatiles. The PSPME is coupled to ion mobility spectrometers (IMSs) for the detection of volatile chemical markers associated with the presence of smokeless powders, model systems of explosives containing diphenylamine (DPA), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) and nitroglycerin (NG) as the target analytes. The performance of the PSPME-IMS was compared with the widely accepted solid-phase microextraction (SPME), coupled to a GC-MS. A set of optimized sampling conditions for different volume containers (1–45 L) with various sample amounts of explosives, were studied in replicates (n = 30) to determine the true positive rates (TPR) and false positive detection rates (FPR) for the different scenarios. These studies were obtained in order to construct the ROC curves for two IMS instruments (a bench-top and field-portable system) and a bench top GC-MS system in low and high clutter environments. Both static and dynamic PSPME sampling were studied in which 10–500 mg quantities of smokeless powders were detected within 10 min of static sampling and 1 min of dynamic sampling.
Le « doyen contrôleur des coûts » : outils de gestion et allocation des ressources dans la gouvernance des universités
Authors: Fabre Pascal
Published: December 2013

L’implémentation des décisions présidentielles, en particulier celles relatives à la contrainte financière, constitue un défi à la gouvernance des universités. Par rapport à cet objectif, les directeurs d’UFR ou doyens représentent une courroie de transmission vitale entre la présidence et les composantes. L’objectif de cet article est donc d’examiner quels obstacles rencontrent les directeurs d’UFR chargés de décliner la contrainte financière dans leurs établissements et parallèlement d’examiner en quoi les outils de gestion (en particulier la comptabilité analytique) peuvent contribuer à lever (au moins partiellement) ces obstacles. À un niveau plus conceptuel, il s’agit également de mieux comprendre l’intérêt pour les décideurs de disposer des outils de gestion évoqués, même dans des organisations où le contrôle politique (au sens d’Hofstede) est théoriquement le mode classique de répartition des ressources.
Institution
Authors: Schaepelynck Valentin
Published: December 2013

Résumé : Après avoir rappelé l’existence ancienne du terme “institution” en sociologie (Durkheim, Mauss), l’auteur note avec Boltanski le caractère étrange du concept, fondateur en sociologie, mais flou dans ses usages et sa polysémie, et au statut épistémique incertain. L’article reconstruit alors le concept à partir de la psychothérapie institutionnelle (Tosquelles, Oury) pour penser son écart d’avec la notion d’ “établissement”, et à partir de la pédagogie institutionnelle en introduisant une série de notions : norme, discipline, violence symbolique, conflit, qui permettent d’en décrire le champ et d’en caractériser les dynamiques. L’ “analyse institutionnelle” se définit alors comme une psychosociologie critique des institutions (Lapassade), visant à en mettre à jour le fonctionnement occulte, leurs enjeux de pouvoir, et susceptible d’intervenir dans le champ pratique pour œuvrer à leur remise en cause sociale et politique.
Prevention and treatment of diarrhoea with Saccharomyces boulardii in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections
Authors: Shan L.-S. , Hou P. , Wang Z.-J. , Liu F.-R. , Chen N. , Shu L.-H. , Zhang H. , Han X.-H. , Han X.-X. , Cai X.-X. , Shang Y.-X. , Vandenplas Y.
Published: December 2013

The aim of this study was to determine whether Saccharomyces boulardii prevents and treats diarrhoea and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD) in children. A total of 333 hospitalised children with acute lower respiratory tract infection were enrolled in a 2-phase open randomised controlled trial. During the 1st phase, all children received intravenous antibiotics (AB). They were randomly allocated to group A (S. boulardii 500 mg/day + AB, n=167) or group B (AB alone, n=166) and followed for 2 weeks. Diarrhoea was defined as ≽3 loose/watery stools/day during at least 2 days, occurring during treatment and/or up to 2 weeks after AB therapy had stopped. AAD was considered when diarrhoea was caused by Clostridium difficile or when stool cultures remained negative. In the 2nd phase of the study, group B patients who developed diarrhoea were randomly allocated to two sub-groups: group B1 (S. boulardii + oral rehydration solution (ORS)) and group B2 (ORS alone). Data from 283 patients were available for analysis. Diarrhoea prevalence was lower in group A than in group B (11/139 (7.9%) vs. 42/144 (29.2%); relative risk (RR): 0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1-0.5). S. boulardii reduced the risk of AAD (6/139 (4.3%) vs. 28/144 (19.4%); RR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.1-0.5). When group B patients developed diarrhoea (n=42), S. boulardii treatment during 5 days (group B1) resulted in lower stool frequency (P<0.05) and higher recovery rate (91.3% in group B1 vs. 21.1% in B2; P<0.001). The mean duration of diarrhoea in group B1 was shorter (2.31±0.95 vs. 8.97±1.07 days; P<0.001). No adverse effects related to S. boulardii were observed. S. boulardii appeared to be effective in the prevention and treatment of diarrhoea and AAD in children treated with intravenous antibiotics.
The diversity of intestinal microbiota of Mongolians living in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Zhang J. , Zheng Y. , Guo Z. , Qiao J. , Gesudu Q. , Sun Z. , Huo D. , Huang W. , Huo Q. , Kwok L. , Zhang H.
Published: December 2013

The Mongolian nationality has developed their unique lifestyle and dietary habit for thousands of years. However, by now, little research has been focused on Mongolian gut microbiota and how it is related to different dietary habits. In this study, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods were applied to reveal the diversity of predominant gut bacteria of 48 healthy Mongolians recruited from Hohhot city and the Xilin Gol pasturing area in Inner Mongolia. Compared to similar studies of other nationalities, results from the present study have confirmed that the composition of Mongolian gut microbiota is highly similar at the phylum level (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria) but variable at the genus level. Especially, the numbers of Phascolarctobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are rather high. DGGE profiles of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium revealed that Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis were predominant in the gut of the Mongolian subjects studied. On the contrary, Lactobacillus helveticus was detected in every pasturing area Mongolian, but not in any of the Hohhot city Mongolians. qPCR results revealed that the numbers of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium of Xilin Gol Mongolians were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of Hohhot Mongolians, whereas the numbers of Enterobacterium were significantly lower (P<0.05). In addition, by partial least squares discriminate analysis and cluster analysis of data generated from DGGE and qPCR experiments, a striking difference in the composition of intestinal microbiota of Mongolians living in Hohhot city and the Xilin Gol pasturing area has been found. This study clearly shows that diet affects the microbiota composition of Mongolians living in different circumstances, i.e. urban versus rural.
Study on Shape-Memory Mechanism and Properties of NR/TPI Blends
Authors: Lin Guang Yi , Liu Shu Ming , Dong Fang Chen
Published: December 2013

Crystalline grains of TPI distribute in NR/TPI blends in the role of physical crosslinking points and make up for deficiencies of the NR/TPI blending system. The flexibility and strength have been enhanced significantly by increasing the the addition level of TPI. The NR/TPI vulcanizates containing 30% of TPI were found to show the recovery rate of 99.4%, while the shape fixity was close to 100%. The study indicated that the recovery rates of NR/TPI vulcanizates depended to a large extent on the addition level of TPI. The influence of the addition level of TPI on the micro-structure of NR/TPI blends was investigated. In addition, the effects of TPI content on static mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical properties, shape-memory performance and cure characteristics of NR/TPI blends were also discussed.
Creep Behavior Prediction Research of T92 Steel Based on BP Neural Network
Authors: Liu Jian
Published: December 2013

Based on the BP neural network theory, the creep rate prediction model of T92 steel was established under multiple stress levels. Obtained the experimental results and using the model, the experimental results were trained. The results show that the simulation results match the measured results well with a high forecast precision. The BP neural network method can serve as research on T92 steel creep behavior.