bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
KRAS and BRAF Mutation Analysis in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Cost-effectiveness Analysis from a Swiss Perspective
Authors: Blank Patricia R. , Moch Holger , Szucs Thomas D. , Schwenkglenks Matthias
Published: August 2011

Purpose: Monoclonal antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), such as cetuximab, have led to significant clinical benefits for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients but have also increased treatment costs considerably. Recent evidence associates KRAS and BRAF mutations with resistance to EGFR antibodies. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of predictive testing for KRAS and BRAF mutations, prior to cetuximab treatment of chemorefractory mCRC patients.

Experimental Design: A life-long Markov simulation model was used to estimate direct medical costs (€) and clinical effectiveness [quality-adjusted life-years (QALY)] of the following strategies: KRAS testing, KRAS testing with subsequent BRAF testing of KRAS wild-types (KRAS/BRAF), cetuximab treatment without testing. Comparison was against no cetuximab treatment (reference strategy). In the testing strategies, cetuximab treatment was initiated if no mutations were detected. Best supportive care was given to all patients. Survival times/utilities were derived from published randomized clinical trials. Costs were assessed from the perspective of the Swiss health system.

Results: Average remaining lifetime costs ranged from €3,983 (no cetuximab) to €38,662 (no testing). Cetuximab treatment guided by KRAS/BRAF achieved gains of 0.491 QALYs compared with the reference strategy. The KRAS testing strategy achieved an additional gain of 0.002 QALYs compared with KRAS/BRAF. KRAS/BRAF testing was the most cost-effective approach when compared with the reference strategy (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio: €62,653/QALY).

Conclusion: New predictive tests for KRAS and BRAF status are currently being introduced in pathology. Despite substantial costs of predictive testing, it is economically favorable to identify patients with KRAS and BRAF wild-type status. Clin Cancer Res; 17(19); 6338–46. ©2011 AACR.
Prognostic Impact of ΔTAp73 Isoform Levels and Their Target Genes in Colon Cancer Patients
Authors: Soldevilla Beatriz , Díaz Raquel , Silva Javier , Campos-Martín Yolanda , Muñoz Concepción , García Vanesa , García José M , Peña Cristina , Herrera Mercedes , Rodriguez Marta , Gómez Irene , Mohamed Nagat , Marques Margarita M. , Bonilla Félix , Domínguez Gemma
Published: August 2011

Purpose: Cumulative data support the role of ΔTAp73 variants in tumorigenic processes such as drug resistance. We evaluate the impact of TP73 isoforms and their putative target genes ABCB1, HMGB1, and CASP1 on the survival of colon cancer patients and the correlation between their expressions.

Experimental Design: We determined in 77 colon cancer patients the expression of ΔEx2p73, ΔEx2/3p73, ΔNp73, TAp73, ABCB1, HMGB1, and CASP1 by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR. Tumor characteristics, disease-free survival, and overall survival (OS) were examined in each patient. Functional experiments were carried out to check whether ectopic expression of ΔNp73 modifies the proliferation, drug resistance, migration, and invasion properties of colon tumor cells and the expression of ABCB1, HMGB1, and CASP1.

Results: Positive correlations were observed between the expression levels of ΔTAp73 variants and HMGB1. Furthermore, a trend was observed for ABCB1. Overexpression of ΔEx2/3p73 and ΔNp73 isoforms was significantly associated with advanced stages (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively) and predicted shortened OS (P = 0.04 and P = 0.05, respectively). High levels of ABCB1 and HMGB1 were associated with shorter OS (P = 0.04 and P = 0.05, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that, in addition to the tumor stage, ABCB1 and HMGB1 had independent relationships with OS (P = 0.008). Ectopic expression of ΔNp73 was associated with an increase in proliferation and drug resistance.

Conclusions: The positive correlation between ΔTAp73 variants and HMGB1 and ABCB1 expression supports them as TP73 targets. The fact that upregulation of ΔTAp73 isoforms was associated with shortened OS, increase in proliferation, and drug resistance confirms their oncogenic role and plausible value as prognostic markers. ABCB1 and HMGB1, putative ΔTAp73 target genes, strongly predict OS in an independent manner, making clear the importance of studying downstream TP73 targets that could predict the outcome of colon cancer patients better than ΔTAp73 variants themselves do. Clin Cancer Res; 17(18); 6029–39. ©2011 AACR.
Resection of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancers Reverses Tumor-Induced Gene Expression Changes in the Peripheral Immune System
Authors: Kossenkov Andrew V. , Vachani Anil , Chang Celia , Nichols Calen , Billouin Shere , Horng Wenhwai , Rom William N. , Albelda Steven M. , Showe Michael K. , Showe Louise C.
Published: August 2011

Purpose: To characterize the interactions of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors with the immune system at the level of mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression and to define expression signatures that characterize the presence of a malignant tumor versus a nonmalignant nodule.

Experimental Design: We have examined the changes of both mRNA and miRNA expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) between paired samples collected from NSCLC patients before and after tumor removal using Illumina gene expression arrays.

Results: We found that malignant tumor removal significantly changes expression of more than 3,000 protein-coding genes, especially genes in pathways associated with suppression of the innate immune response, including natural killer cell signaling and apoptosis-associated ceramide signaling. Binding sites for the ETS domain transcription factors ELK1, ELK4, and SPI1 were enriched in promoter regions of genes upregulated in the presence of a tumor. Additional important regulators included five miRNAs expressed at significantly higher levels before tumor removal. Repressed protein-coding targets of those miRNAs included many transcription factors, several involved in immunologically important pathways. Although there was a significant overlap in the effects of malignant tumors and benign lung nodules on PBMC gene expression, we identified one gene panel which indicates a tumor or nodule presence and a second panel that can distinguish malignant from nonmalignant nodules.

Conclusions: A tumor presence in the lung influences mRNA and miRNA expression in PBMC and this influence is reversed by tumor removal. These results suggest that PBMC gene expression signatures could be used for lung cancer diagnosis. Clin Cancer Res; 17(18); 5867–77. ©2011 AACR.
Suppression of Autophagy by FIP200 Deletion Impairs DNA Damage Repair and Increases Cell Death upon Treatments with Anticancer Agents
Authors: Bae Heekyong , Guan Jun-Lin
Published: August 2011

Autophagy is a lysosomal bulk degradation process for intracellular protein and organelles. FIP200 (200 kDa FAK-family interacting protein) is an essential component of mammalian autophagy that is implicated in breast cancer in recent studies. Here we show that inactivation of FIP200 resulted in deficient repair of DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation and anticancer agents in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF). The persistent DNA damage correlated to increased apoptosis and reduced survival of FIP200 knockout (KO) MEFs after treatments with camptothecin (CPT), a topoisomerase I inhibitor and chemotherapeutic agent. Reexpression of FIP200 in FIP200 KO MEFs restored both efficient DNA damage repair and cell survival. Furthermore, knockdown of the increased p62 expression in FIP200 KO MEFs rescued the impaired DNA damage repair and CPT-induced cell death. In contrast, treatment of cells with N-acetyl cysteine did not affect these defects in FIP200 KO MEFs. Finally, FIP200 KO MEFs also showed deficient DNA damage repair and increased cell death compared with control MEFs, when treated with etoposide, a topoisomerase II inhibitor and another anticancer agent. Together, these results identify a new function for FIP200 in the regulation of DNA damage response and cell survival through its activity in autophagy and suggest the possibility of FIP200 or other autophagy proteins as a potential target for treatment to enhance the efficiency of cancer therapy using DNA damage–inducing agents. Mol Cancer Res; 9(9); 1232–41. ©2011 AACR.
Progressive Genomic Instability in the FVB/KrasLA2 Mouse Model of Lung Cancer
Authors: To Minh D. , Quigley David A. , Mao Jian-Hua , Del Rosario Reyno , Hsu Jeff , Hodgson Graeme , Jacks Tyler , Balmain Allan
Published: August 2011

Alterations in DNA copy number contribute to the development and progression of cancers and are common in epithelial tumors. We have used array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) to visualize DNA copy number alterations across the genomes of lung tumors in the KrasLA2 model of lung cancer. Copy number gain involving the Kras locus, as focal amplification or whole chromosome gain, is the most common alteration in these tumors and with a prevalence that increased significantly with increasing tumor size. Furthermore, Kras amplification was the only major genomic event among the smallest lung tumors, suggesting that this alteration occurs early during the development of mutant Kras-driven lung cancers. Recurring gains and deletions of other chromosomes occur progressively more frequently among larger tumors. These results are in contrast to a previous aCGH analysis of lung tumors from KrasLA2 mice on a mixed genetic background, in which relatively few DNA copy number alterations were observed regardless of tumor size. Our model features the KrasLA2 allele on the inbred FVB/N mouse strain, and in this genetic background, there is a highly statistically significant increase in level of genomic instability with increasing tumor size. These data suggest that recurring DNA copy alterations are important for tumor progression in the KrasLA2 model of lung cancer and that the requirement for these alterations may be dependent on the genetic background of the mouse strain. Mol Cancer Res; 9(10); 1339–45. ©2011 AACR.
In Vitro Characterization of the Mechanisms Responsible for Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation
Authors: Spinner Erin M. , Shannon Patrick , Buice Dana , Jimenez Jorge H. , Veledar Emir , del Nido Pedro J. , Adams David H. , Yoganathan Ajit P.
Published: August 2011

Background—

Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is increasingly recognized as a source of morbidity. Current repair strategies focus on annular remodeling because annular dilatation is common in patients with TR. Although papillary muscle (PM) displacement is recognized in functional mitral regurgitation, its role in TR is less well characterized. The objective of this in vitro study was to further clarify the mechanisms by which TR occurs as an effect of annular dilatation and PM displacement.

Methods and Results—

Porcine tricuspid valves (n=16) were studied in an in vitro right heart simulator. The valve dynamics were quantified with isolated annular dilatation starting with a normal annular size (6 cm
2
) and incrementally dilated up to 100%, isolated PM displacement, and a combination of the 2. All valves lost competence at 40% dilatation, resulting in a TR of 7.9±3.4 mL (
P
≤0.05) compared with baseline and central residual leaflet length of 0.5±0.2 cm. Multidirectional displacement of the anterior and posterior/septal PMs and all PMs significantly (
P
≤0.05) increased TR, with normal annular area. Malcoaptation was observed where the 3 leaflets joined with all significant levels of TR. The anterior leaflet had the greatest percent change in residual leaflet length, whereas PM displacement caused a reduction in residual leaflet length for the septal leaflet for all conditions.

Conclusions—

This study shows that although annular dilatation alone leads to TR, isolated PM displacement can also cause TR; annular remodeling strategies should be tailored in the setting of severe PM displacement.
Genetic Variation in Titin in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy–Overlap Syndromes
Authors: Taylor Matthew , Graw Sharon , Sinagra Gianfranco , Barnes Carl , Slavov Dobromir , Brun Francesca , Pinamonti Bruno , Salcedo Ernesto E. , Sauer William , Pyxaras Stylianos , Anderson Brian , Simon Bernd , Bogomolovas Julius , Labeit Siegfried , Granzier Henk , Mestroni Luisa
Published: August 2011

Background—

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited genetic myocardial disease characterized by fibrofatty replacement of the myocardium and a predisposition to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. We evaluated the cardiomyopathy gene titin (
TTN
) as a candidate ARVC gene because of its proximity to an ARVC locus at position 2q32 and the connection of the titin protein to the transitional junction at intercalated disks.

Methods and Results—

All 312 titin exons known to be expressed in human cardiac titin and the complete 3′ untranslated region were sequenced in 38 ARVC families. Eight unique
TTN
variants were detected in 7 families, including a prominent Thr2896Ile mutation that showed complete segregation with the ARVC phenotype in 1 large family. The Thr2896IIe mutation maps within a highly conserved immunoglobulin-like fold (Ig10 domain) located in the spring region of titin. Native gel electrophoresis, nuclear magnetic resonance, intrinsic fluorescence, and proteolysis assays of wild-type and mutant Ig10 domains revealed that the Thr2896IIe exchange reduces the structural stability and increases the propensity for degradation of the Ig10 domain. The phenotype of
TTN
variant carriers was characterized by a history of sudden death (5 of 7 families), progressive myocardial dysfunction causing death or heart transplantation (8 of 14 cases), frequent conduction disease (11 of 14), and incomplete penetrance (86%).

Conclusions—

Our data provide evidence that titin mutations can cause ARVC, a finding that further expands the origin of the disease beyond desmosomal proteins. Structural impairment of the titin spring is a likely cause of ARVC and constitutes a novel mechanism underlying myocardial remodeling and sudden cardiac death.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy as a Therapeutic Option in Patients With Moderate-Severe Functional Mitral Regurgitation and High Operative Risk
Authors: van Bommel Rutger J. , Marsan Nina Ajmone , Delgado Victoria , Borleffs C. Jan Willem , van Rijnsoever Eva P.M. , Schalij Martin J. , Bax Jeroen J.
Published: August 2011

Background—

Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common finding in heart failure patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and has important prognostic implications. However, the increased operative risk of these patients may result in low referral or high denial rate for mitral valve surgery. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to have a favorable effect on MR. Aims of this study were to (1) evaluate CRT as a therapeutic option in heart failure patients with functional MR and high operative risk and (2) investigate the effect of MR improvement after CRT on prognosis.

Methods and Results—

A total of 98 consecutive patients with moderate-severe functional MR and high operative risk underwent CRT according to current guidelines. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and 6-month follow-up; severity of MR was graded according to a multiparametric approach. Significant improvement of MR was defined as a reduction ≥1 grade. All-cause mortality was assessed during follow-up (median 32 [range 6.0 to 116] months). Thirteen patients (13%) died before 6-months follow-up. In the remaining 85 patients, significant reduction in MR was observed in all evaluated parameters. In particular, 42 patients (49%) improved ≥1 grade of MR and were considered MR improvers. Survival was superior in MR improvers compared to MR nonimprovers (log rank
P
<0.001). Mitral regurgitation improvement was an independent prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio 0.35, confidence interval 0.13 to 0.94;
P
=0.043).

Conclusions—

Cardiac resynchronization therapy is a potential therapeutic option in heart failure patients with moderate-severe functional MR and high risk for surgery. Improvement in MR results in superior survival after CRT.
Pin1 Deficiency Causes Endothelial Dysfunction and Hypertension
Authors: Chiasson Valorie L. , Munshi Nidhi , Chatterjee Piyali , Young Kristina J. , Mitchell Brett M.
Published: August 2011

Pin1 is a peptidyl prolyl
cis-trans
isomerase that only binds to and isomerizes phosphorylated serine/threonine-proline motifs, inducing conformational changes that alter target protein function and phosphorylation. We have shown previously that deficiency of another peptidyl prolyl isomerase, FK506 binding protein 12/12.6, alters endothelial NO synthase phosphorylation and causes endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. Endothelial NO synthase contains the Pin1 binding sequence at (p)serine 116-proline 117 and phosphorylation of endothelial NO synthase serine 116 inhibits NO production; however, whether Pin1 deficiency alters vascular function and blood pressure is unknown. We hypothesized that Pin1 isomerizes p-endothelial NO synthase serine 116, which enables dephosphorylation and stimulates NO production. Immunoprecipitation of endothelial NO synthase and probing for Pin1 in rat aortic endothelial cells confirmed the interaction between the two. Pin1 knockdown via small interfering RNA or inhibition by juglone increased endothelial NO synthase serine 116 phosphorylation and prevented vascular endothelial growth factor–induced serine 116 dephosphorylation in endothelial cells. Acute treatment of isolated mouse aortas with juglone increased endothelial NO synthase serine 116 phosphorylation and decreased NO production and relaxation responses. Mice treated with juglone for 2 weeks, as well as Pin1 knockout mice, exhibited increased aortic endothelial NO synthase serine 116 phosphorylation, endothelial dysfunction, and hypertension. These data demonstrate that Pin1 binds endothelial NO synthase and enables dephosphorylation of serine 116, which increases NO production and endothelium-dependent dilation, leading to blood pressure maintenance.
Sex Chromosome Complement Contributes to Sex Differences in Bradycardic Baroreflex Response
Authors: Caeiro Ximena E. , Mir Franco R. , Vivas Laura M. , Carrer Hugo F. , Cambiasso María J.
Published: August 2011

To investigate whether sex chromosome complement modulates bradycardic baroreflex response and contributes to the angiotensin II–bradycardic baroreflex sex differences, we used the four core genotype mouse model in which the effect of gonadal sex and sex chromosome complement is dissociated, allowing comparisons of sexually dimorphic traits among XX and XY females, as well as in XX and XY males. In conscious gonadectomized (GDX) MF1 transgenic mice we evaluated baroreflex regulation of heart rate in response to changes in blood pressure evoked by phenylephrine (1 mg/mL), angiotensin II (100 μg/mL), and sodium nitroprusside (1 mg/mL). The administration of phenylephrine in GDX-XY females resulted in a significantly lower baroreflex response when compared with the other genotypes (in beats · min
−1
· mm Hg
−1
[slopes of regression lines for GDX-XY females −3.56±0.37 versus −6.06±0.38, −6.37±0.54 and −6.70±0.34 for GDX-XY male, GDX-XX female, and GDX-XX male mice, respectively]) {F(1,19)=9.63;
P
<0.01}. In addition, in both GDX-XY males and females, the angiotensin II-bradycardic baroreflex response was attenuated when compared with heart rate changes in GDX-XX male and female mice (in beats · min
−1
· mm Hg
−1
[slopes of regression lines: −2.83±0.28 versus −5.76±0.26 in GDX-XY and GDX-XX mice, respectively]) {F(1,19)=13.91;
P
<0.005}. In contrast, reflex tachycardic responses to sodium nitroprusside were comparable in all of the genotypes. These data support the hypothesis that sex chromosome complement modulates reflex inhibition of heart rate to phenylephrine and angiotensin II. Elucidating the foundational sources of sexually dimorphic traits in the regulation of baroreceptor reflex may enable the design of more appropriate sex-tailored therapeutic treatments in the future.
Potential Vorticity of the Madden–Julian Oscillation
Authors: Zhang Chidong , Ling Jian
Published: August 2011

This study explores the extent to which the dynamical structure of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), its evolution, and its connection to diabatic heating can be described in terms of potential vorticity (PV). The signature PV structure of the MJO is an equatorial quadrupole of cyclonic and anticyclonic PV that tilts westward and poleward. This PV quadrupole is closely related to positive and negative anomalies in precipitation that are in a swallowtail pattern extending eastward along the equator and splitting into off-equatorial branches westward. Two processes dominate the generation of MJO PV. One is linear, involving MJO diabatic heating alone. The other is nonlinear, involving diabatic heating and relative vorticity of perturbations spectrally outside the MJO domain but spatially constrained to the MJO convective envelope. The MJO is thus partially a self-sustaining system and partially a consequence of scale interaction of MJO-constrained stochastic processes. Convective initiation of the MJO over the Indian Ocean features a swallowtail pattern of negative anomalous precipitation and associated anticyclonic PV anomalies at the early stage, and increasing cyclonic PV generation straddling the equator in the midtroposphere due to increasing positive anomalies in precipitation. These lead to the swallowtail pattern in positive anomalous precipitation and the associated PV quadrupole that signifies the fully developed MJO. The equatorial Kelvin and Rossby waves bear PV structures distinct from that of the MJO. They contribute insignificantly to the structure and generation of MJO PV. Solely based on the PV analysis, a hypothesis is proposed that the fundamental dynamics of the MJO depends on neither Kelvin nor Rossby waves.
Surface Track Discontinuity of Tropical Cyclones Crossing Taiwan: A Statistical Study
Authors: Peng L. , Wang S.-T. , Shieh S.-L. , Cheng M.-D. , Yeh T.-C.
Published: August 2011

Surface tracks of some cross-Taiwan tropical cyclones were discontinuous as a result of the blockage of the north-northeast–south-southwest-oriented Central Mountain Range (CMR). This paper tries to identify the variables that may be used to diagnose track continuity in advance. The track records of 131 westbound cross-Taiwan tropical cyclones between 1897 and 2009 are examined. It is found that the track continuity of a westbound cross-Taiwan tropical cyclone depends mostly upon the landfall location (YLF), the approaching direction (ANG), and the maximum wind (VMX) of the cyclone. According to the empirical probability of track continuity estimated from the data, the dependence on YLF, which is nonlinear and remarkably asymmetric with respect to the midpoint of the east coast, may be well approximated by a quadratic function of YLF. The nonlinearity and asymmetry can be interpreted in terms of the length scale of the CMR and the north–south antisymmetry of the cyclonic flow. The estimated dependence of track continuity on cyclone intensity and size may be approximated by a linear function of VMX. The estimated dependence of track continuity on ANG may be approximated by a single term of the modified variable DIR (=|ANG − 110|, where 110 is the direction, in degrees, perpendicular to the CMR’s long axis).

Using the 64 tracks between 1944 and 1996 as the training sample, a logistic regression equation model, built in terms of YLF, YLF square, DIR, and VMX gives an overall accuracy score of 89%. As to the probability estimates of individual tracks, 49 of the 64 tracks have estimated probabilities outside the (0.5 − 0.127, 0.5 + 0.127) RMS error range and are correctly classified. A prediction test using another set of 67 tracks not included in the model-training sample, scores a success rate of 82%. As to the probability predictions for individual tracks, 49 of the 67 tracks have predicted probabilities outside the RMS error range and are correctly predicted. These results confirm the appropriateness of the model and moreover demonstrate that the three parameters, YLF, DIR, and VMX, primarily control the surface track continuity of a westbound tropical cyclone crossing Taiwan.
Behavior of composite advanced pore morphology foam
Authors: Vesenjak Matej , Gačnik Franci , Krstulović-Opara Lovre , Ren Zoran
Published: August 2011

The mechanical characterization of advanced pore morphology (APM) foam, consisting of sphere-like metallic foam elements, is very limited since APM foam has been developed only recently. The purpose of this research was thus to determine the behavior of APM spheres and its composites when subjected to compressive loading. Single metallic APM spheres have been characterized with experimental testing and computational simulations, providing the basic properties and knowledge for an efficient composition of composite APM foam structures. Then, the APM foam elements were molded with epoxy matrix resulting in new composite structures. These composites have been adhered together with the epoxy resin achieving partial and syntactic morphology. The mechanical characterization of composite APM foam structures was based on experimental testing results with free and confined boundaries. The results of the performed research have shown valuable mechanical properties of the composite APM foam structures. Furthermore, they offer new possibilities for their use in general engineering applications.
Received Wisdom and Beyond: Lessons from Fiscal Consolidation in the EU
Authors: Larch Martin , Turrini Alessandro
Published: August 2011

Restoring sustainable public finances in the aftermath of the Great Recession is a key challenge in most EU countries. In order to learn from history, our paper examines consolidation episodes in the EU since 1970. We shed light on the factors that favour the start of a consolidation episode and determine its success. Compared to the existing literature, we add a number of new dimensions in the analysis. First, we explore a broader set of potential ingredients of the ‘recipe for success‘, including the quality and strength of fiscal governance and the implementation of structural reforms. Secondly, we check whether the ‘recipe for success’ changed over time. Our analysis broadly confirms received wisdom concerning the conditions triggering a consolidation episode and the role of the composition of adjustment for success, with some qualifications related to the role played by government wages. In addition it provides evidence that well-designed fiscal governance as well as structural reforms improve the odds of both starting a consolidation episode and achieving a lasting fiscal correction. We also show that, over time, successful and unsuccessful consolidation episodes have become more similar in terms of adjustment composition.
Lessons from Failure: Fiscal Policy, Indulgence and Ideology
Authors: Wren-Lewis Simon
Published: August 2011

Macroeconomic theory clearly suggests that at the zero lower bound, fiscal contraction will reduce output and slow any recovery. Yet in 2010 the focus of fiscal policy in many countries switched from supporting activity to reducing debt, despite the fact that the recovery from recession often appeared weak. While high levels of public debt can explain this switch in some countries, it does not provide a satisfactory account in others. In addition, the possibility of using balanced budget fiscal expansion or tax switches that bring forward spending remain largely unexplored. This paper suggests that policy has been influenced by an opposition to countercyclical fiscal policy which has ideological roots.
The Impact of High Oil Prices on the Economy
Authors: Barrell Ray , Delannoy Aurélie , Holland Dawn
Published: August 2011

The rise in global oil prices observed since September 2010 results in part from the social and political instability in the Middle East and North African regions, and in part from longer-term trends reasserting themselves. The unrest sweeping Tunisia earlier this year spread over many surrounding nations, including some major oil producers, such as Algeria and, most significantly, Libya. The Middle East currently supplies about a third of world oil and possesses over half of the world's proven reserves. Clearly, instability in the region automatically raises worries of supply disruptions and possible oil shortage, stimulating speculation and driving world oil prices to new peaks. Speculators have a tendency to overshoot the impact of a supply shock, and in any case supply-driven spikes should remain temporary, fading away as political stability returns.
The Written Questionnaire as a Sociolinguistic Data Gathering Tool
Authors: Dollinger Stefan
Published: August 2011

Self-reports in linguistic study, which were central to the dialect surveys of the twentieth century, have, by and large, been relegated to the sidelines by more advanced sociolinguistic techniques in recent years. This article probes into the validity of written self-report surveys in relation to the fieldwork method for Vancouver, British Columbia. Confirming Chambers’s general findings of equivalence, it produces insights into the preferred length of written questionnaires and offers recommendations as to question type. The present article also compares the written questionnaire results to acoustically analyzed recorded data for yod-dropping and the low-back vowels before /r/, identifying linguistic items that correlate well with results from self-reports and those that fail to produce reliable results because of ongoing linguistic change or reindexicalization in the case of yod-dropping. Overall, written self-report surveys are found to be highly reliable data gathering tools if certain factors are kept in mind.
Studies on the application properties of calcium sulfate whisker in silicone rubber composites
Authors: Wang J. C. , Pan X. C. , Xue Y. , Cang S. J.
Published: August 2011

Novel room-temperature-vulcanized silicone rubber/calcium sulfate whisker composites have been prepared. Properties such as viscosity, hardness, tensile strength, elongation at break, and thermal stability were researched and compared. A combination of scanning electronic microscopy studies was used to characterize the structure and reinforcing mechanism of calcium sulfate whisker. Results showed that the addition of 10% calcium sulfate whisker-Y into room-temperature-vulcanized composites improved the tensile strength from 4.2 to 5.0 MPa and elongation at break from 210 to 590%. In addition, some improvement in thermal stability was obtained between 350 and 700°C for room-temperature-vulcanized systems.
Diverse perspectives on pupil health among professionals in school-based multi-professional teams
Authors: Guvå Gunilla , Hylander Ingrid
Published: August 2011

Internationally, educators have proposed a shift from a narrow diagnostic view to a holistic and salutogenic perspective on pupils’ school-related difficulties. There is, however, little evidence to suggest that such a shift has taken place, despite being talked about by school administrators. In Sweden such a shift is proposed through a new organization of school services (‘pupil health’) with the distinct aim of psychosocial and physical health promotion in schools. The aim of the present study was to explore the meaning attributed to the new concept of ‘pupil health’ by school psychologists and different school-based professionals (i.e. their social representations of the concept and the services provided). Questions investigated include: What meanings do school-based multi-professional teams attribute to ‘pupil health’? What patterns of meaning can be distinguished between different professional groups and across professional groups? A mainly inductive qualitative content analysis adapted from Graneheim and Lundman (2003) was used. The result is a model, a matrix, which illuminates diversity in ‘pupil health’ as a new concept. The matrix describes four different perspectives on pupil health. The practical implications of those perspectives are discussed with reference to research on multi-professional teams, social representation theory and salutogenic perspectives.
A cognitive behavioural group approach for adolescents with disruptive behaviour in schools
Authors: Ruttledge Richard A. , Petrides K. V.
Published: August 2011

Cognitive behavioural approaches emphasize the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour ( Greig, 2007 ). Previous research has indicated that these approaches are efficacious in reducing disruptive behaviour in adolescents. The aim of the current study was to provide further evaluation of cognitive behavioural group work to reduce disruptive behaviour with this population and to determine if improvements made were maintained in the longer term. The sample comprised 22 adolescents aged 13- to 14-years-old identified by school staff as displaying disruptive behaviour ( Cameron, 1998 ). A curriculum based on Squires (2001) , using key cognitive behavioural approaches, was delivered over a seven-week period to the participants. Participant, parent, and teacher ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) immediately after the intervention all indicated significant reductions in disruptive behaviour. Other positive effects included enhanced ratings of self-concept on the Beck Youth Inventories, 2nd Edition and trait emotional intelligence on the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire–Adolescent Short Form (TEIQue-ASF). Improvements in behaviour and self-concept were maintained at six-month follow-up according to participant and teacher ratings. However, parent ratings of behaviour had returned to pre-intervention levels. Further research, with different age groups and demographic populations along with concurrent parent programmes is recommended.
Body Composition (Sarcopenia) in Obese Patients
Authors: Gallagher Dympna , DeLegge Mark
Published: August 2011

The study of body composition is a rapidly evolving science. In today's environment, there is a great deal of interest in assessing body composition, especially in the obese subject, as a guide to clinical and nutrition interventions. There are some strikingly different compartments of body composition between the obese and the lean patient. We do have the ability to measure body composition accurately, although these techniques can be labor intensive and expensive. The recognition of patients with sarcopenic obesity has identified a potential high‐risk patient population. These body composition abnormalities may have even greater importance in the intensive care patient.
Effects of early relationships on children’s perceived control: A longitudinal study
Authors: Dan Orrie , Sagi-Schwartz Abraham , Bar-haim Yair , Eshel Yohanan
Published: August 2011

People’s response to stress depends to a large extent on their sense of perceived control over the situations they encounter. This longitudinal study of 136 children (70 girls) examined associations between attachment patterns and maternal sensitivity at 12 months of age, and perceived primary and secondary control at 11 years of age. Compared with children who were ambivalently attached in infancy, children who were securely attached reported a greater perceived primary control in general, and more primary control in interaction with their parents at 11 years of age. No such between-group difference in primary control tendencies was found in the context of reported interaction with peers. Higher maternal sensitivity in infancy was associated with higher perceived general primary control at 11 years of age. Lower maternal sensitivity was associated with higher perceived secondary control in children who were ambivalently attached to their mothers in infancy. The results are discussed within a theoretical framework linking early infant experience and the evolving personality characteristics of primary and secondary perceived control in older children and adolescents.
Outcomes of Transoral Robotic Surgery
Authors: Hurtuk Agnes , Agrawal Amit , Old Matthew , Teknos Theodoros N. , Ozer Enver
Published: August 2011

Objective

To report a single institution’s experience with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and its clinical outcomes.

Study Design

Preliminary clinical data from a prospective TORS study.

Setting

University tertiary care facility.

Subjects and Methods

Patients who underwent TORS at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Demographic, intraoperative, clinicopathological, and follow‐up functional data were collected.

Results

Sixty‐four patients underwent TORS with a median age of 56.9 years. A total of 113 TORS procedures were performed. Fifty‐four patients with squamous cell cancer (SCCA) were included in the final analysis. Mean follow‐up time was 11.8 months (range, 2‐29). There was a trend toward longer TORS setup time, operative time, estimated blood loss, and hospital length of stay with advanced (T3) compared with early‐stage tumors (T1‐2). There were no major intraoperative complications, and none of the procedures were aborted because of inability to remove the tumor. Negative resection margins were achieved in 93% of cases of SCCA. No patients experienced immediate postoperative complications, and all of the patients tolerated an oral diet without any airway compromise on the day of surgery. Forty‐nine patients (91%) underwent adjuvant radiation therapy (RT), with 11 patients requiring gastrostomy tube placement during RT. Addition of TORS to overall management of head and neck SCCA spared adjuvant RT or combined chemotherapy and RT (CRT) in 50% of stage I/II tumors and spared chemotherapy in 34% of stage III/IV tumors.

Conclusion

TORS is a safe procedure with minimal complications and favorable clinical and functional outcomes. It is a promising future alternative surgical treatment for laryngopharyngeal tumors.
Using mixed methods to develop and evaluate complex interventions in palliative care research
Authors: Farquhar Morag C , Ewing Gail , Booth Sara
Published: August 2011

Background: there is increasing interest in combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide comprehensiveness and greater knowledge yield. Mixed methods are valuable in the development and evaluation of complex interventions. They are therefore particularly valuable in palliative care research where the majority of interventions are complex, and the identification of outcomes particularly challenging.

Aims: this paper aims to introduce the role of mixed methods in the development and evaluation of complex interventions in palliative care, and how they may be used in palliative care research.

Content: the paper defines mixed methods and outlines why and how mixed methods are used to develop and evaluate complex interventions, with a pragmatic focus on design and data collection issues and data analysis. Useful texts are signposted and illustrative examples provided of mixed method studies in palliative care, including a detailed worked example of the development and evaluation of a complex intervention in palliative care for breathlessness. Key challenges to conducting mixed methods in palliative care research are identified in relation to data collection, data integration in analysis, costs and dissemination and how these might be addressed.

Conclusions: the development and evaluation of complex interventions in palliative care benefit from the application of mixed methods. Mixed methods enable better understanding of whether and how an intervention works (or does not work) and inform the design of subsequent studies. However, they can be challenging: mixed method studies in palliative care will benefit from working with agreed protocols, multidisciplinary teams and engaging staff with appropriate skill sets.
Interactive object recognition using proprioceptive and auditory feedback
Authors: Sinapov Jivko , Bergquist Taylor , Schenck Connor , Ohiri Ugonna , Griffith Shane , Stoytchev Alexander
Published: August 2011

In this paper we propose a method for interactive recognition of household objects using proprioceptive and auditory feedback. In our experiments, the robot observed the changes in its proprioceptive and auditory sensory streams while performing five exploratory behaviors (lift, shake, drop, crush, and push) on 50 common household objects (e.g. bottles, cups, balls, toys, etc.). The robot was tasked with recognizing the objects it was manipulating by feeling them and listening to the sounds that they make without using any visual information. The results show that both proprioception and audio, coupled with exploratory behaviors, can be used successfully for object recognition. Furthermore, the robot was able to integrate feedback from the two modalities, to achieve even better recognition accuracy. Finally, the results show that the robot can boost its recognition rate even further by applying multiple different exploratory behaviors on the object.
Learning the semantics of object–action relations by observation
Authors: Aksoy Eren Erdal , Abramov Alexey , Dörr Johannes , Ning Kejun , Dellen Babette , Wörgötter Florentin
Published: August 2011

Recognizing manipulations performed by a human and the transfer and execution of this by a robot is a difficult problem. We address this in the current study by introducing a novel representation of the relations between objects at decisive time points during a manipulation. Thereby, we encode the essential changes in a visual scenery in a condensed way such that a robot can recognize and learn a manipulation without prior object knowledge. To achieve this we continuously track image segments in the video and construct a dynamic graph sequence. Topological transitions of those graphs occur whenever a spatial relation between some segments has changed in a discontinuous way and these moments are stored in a transition matrix called the semantic event chain (SEC). We demonstrate that these time points are highly descriptive for distinguishing between different manipulations. Employing simple sub-string search algorithms, SECs can be compared and type-similar manipulations can be recognized with high confidence. As the approach is generic, statistical learning can be used to find the archetypal SEC of a given manipulation class. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated on a set of real videos showing hands manipulating various objects and performing different actions. In experiments with a robotic arm, we show that the SEC can be learned by observing human manipulations, transferred to a new scenario, and then reproduced by the machine.
Policy transfer, consultants and the geographies of governance
Authors: Prince Russell
Published: August 2011

The emergence of increasingly transnational geographies of governance presents a challenge to geographers. Geographical work on policy transfer, which links this process with the extension of the hegemonic ‘regimes of truth’ that define policy norms, has much to offer conceptions of emerging geographies of governance, particularly when linked to the production of governance structures, such as global policy networks. The paper argues that increased use of ethnographic methods in policy transfer studies enables a focus on how global policy networks are produced through the actors driving the transfers. This is illustrated through a discussion of policy consultants.
Magnetic-field-driven reversal phase transition in highly textured and self-accommodated martensites of Ni–Co–Mn–In composite
Authors: Liu D M , Nie Z H , Wang Y D , Liaw P K , Ren Y
Published: August 2011

In this paper, in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction was employed to trace the phase transition via the change in the lattice strains under multiple (stress and magnetic) fields for a polymer-bonded Ni–Co–Mn–In composite. Under uniaxial compressive deformation, the parent phase in the Ni–Co–Mn–In alloy endured a compressive internal stress along the loading direction and a tensile internal stress in the transverse direction, leading to the formation of a highly textured martensite. This paper is intended to examine the effect of the external magnetic field on the phase transition in two types of martensite, i.e. highly textured martensite and temperature-induced self-accommodated martensite. For the highly textured martensite, a compressive or tensile internal stress can be observed for the parent phase parallel or perpendicular respectively to the preloading direction under an applied magnetic field. This is due to the magnetic-field-induced transformation from the highly textured martensite to the parent phase. For the self-accommodated martensite accompanied by the random distribution of martensitic variants, no obvious internal stresses are generated in the parent phase under an applied magnetic field of up to 6 T. The insight into the stress state of the alloy phase reinforces the in-depth understanding of the role of external fields in affecting the functional performance of the polymer-bonded Ni–Co–Mn–In composite.
Digital volume correlation analyses of synchrotron tomographic images
Authors: Réthoré J , Limodin N , Buffière J-Y , Hild F , Ludwig W , Roux S
Published: August 2011

Three-dimensional (3D) images of nodular graphite cast-iron samples obtained with synchrotron tomography are analysed by resorting to digital volume correlation. This technique uses the material microstructure to measure displacement fields within a sample submitted to mechanical loading. Compared to classical two-dimensional (2D) digital image correlation, the reconstructed volumes used by DVC tend to increase the uncertainty in the correlation calculations, yet elastic strains of the order of 10−3 can be measured. Displacement fields around the front of a fatigue crack have also been measured by an extended version of DVC, and are used to extract stress intensity factors (in modes I, II, and III) along the crack front. The values are in good agreement with finite element calculations when the experimentally measured displacements prescribed on the sample boundaries are considered as input in the numerical simulations.
Children Abandoned and Taken Back
Authors: Brunet Guy
Published: August 2011

Abandoning a child was no rare deed in European towns in the nineteenth century, mostly among single women in underprivileged environments. On the other hand, taking this same child back was more unusual. By analyzing the registers of the Lyon hospitals, it is possible to determine the percentage of children taken back by their mothers, how this was actually achieved, and to examine the family status of the mothers at the time of both events. Both of these acts—abandoning a child and then taking it back—can be put back in their context in these women’s lives, for instance, by looking into the length of time separating the two procedures. To finish with, it appears that the Hospices civils de Lyon encouraged mothers to take their children back and generally had a conciliatory attitude toward them, supposedly in the children’s interest.
Daily Chicken
Authors: Parlevliet Sanne
Published: August 2011

Literature is a significant agent in the transmission of culture. Through literature expected behavior and patterns of life are passed on from generation to generation. The anticipated power of children’s literature is even stronger. Socializing the target audience has always been one of its main aims. Consequently, books for children are governed by dominant social, cultural, and educational norms. This article explores the reciprocity between cultural transmission and the transmission of literature. It examines adaptations of international literary classics in their capacity of cultural intermediaries between old masterpieces and young audiences. Focusing on ways of transmitting family ideologies to children, the repository of Dutch adaptations of Reynard the fox, Till Eulenspiegel, Robinson Crusoe, and Gulliver’s travels serves as a case study.