bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase II Trial of Sorafenib Combined With Concurrent Transarterial Chemoembolization With Drug-Eluting Beads for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Pawlik Timothy M. , Reyes Diane K. , Cosgrove David , Kamel Ihab R. , Bhagat Nikhil , Geschwind Jean-Francois H.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

To evaluate safety and efficacy of combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with doxorubicin-eluting beads (DEB) and sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients and Methods

A prospective single-center phase II study was undertaken involving patients with unresectable HCC. The protocol involved sorafenib 400 mg twice per day combined with DEB-TACE. Safety and response were assessed.

Results

DEB-TACE in combination with sorafenib was successfully administered in 35 patients: mean age, 63 years; Child's A, 89%; Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C, 64%; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 and 1, 46% and 54%, respectively; and mean index tumor size, 7.7 cm (standard deviation, ± 4.2 cm). Patients underwent 128 cycles of therapy (sorafenib plus DEB-TACE, 60 cycles; sorafenib alone, 68 cycles). Median number of cycles per patient was two (range, one to five cycles); median number of days treated with sorafenib was 71 (range, 4 to 620 days). The most common toxicities during cycle one were fatigue (94%), anorexia (67%), alterations in liver enzymes (64%), and dermatologic adverse effects (48%). Although most patients experienced at least one grade 3 to 4 toxicity, most toxicities were minor (grade 1 to 2, 83% v grade 3 to 4, 17%). Toxicity during cycle two was decreased. Over the course of the study, there were 40 sorafenib dose interruptions and 25 sorafenib dose reductions. Sorafenib plus DEB-TACE was associated with a disease control rate of 95% (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Group)/100% (European Association for the Study of the Liver [EASL]), with an objective response of 58% (EASL).

Conclusion

The combination of sorafenib and DEB-TACE in patients with unresectable HCC is well tolerated and safe, with most toxicities related to sorafenib. Toxicity is manageable with dose adjustment of sorafenib. Preliminary efficacy data are promising.
“Invaded by the World”: Passion, Passivity, and the Object of Desire in Petrarch'sRime Sparse
Authors: Knecht Ross
Published: September 2011

This essay seeks to refine the debate on subjectivity in Petrarch's Rime sparse by arguing that while the poems do present a distinct subject position, it is a position thoroughly compromised by passivity. The essay places the poems in the context of Aristotelian and Scholastic theory of “passion,” a term that in its various Greek, Latin, and vernacular forms signifies not only a psychological affect but also a state of being-acted-upon more generally. The Rime's participation in this discourse is signaled by certain features of its vocabulary, its adoption of ancient poetic tropes, and its grammatical structures. In particular, the use of the passive voice, the grammatical expression of the state of being-acted-upon, at key moments in the cycle presents a subject deprived of agency, maintaining priority in the sentence but ceding action to its object. This passive position grants to Laura, as the poems' object of desire, a rarely acknowledged agency and power, and thus produces an inversion of traditional hierarchies against which the poems struggle but finally fail to contain.
Who Gets on the AEA Program?
Authors: Hinshaw C. Elton , Siegfried John J
Published: September 2011

The dominance of the AEA program by leading research universities declined substantially over the past four decades, but they have maintained their share of papers published in the Papers and Proceedings issue of the Americn Economic Review. Their share of pages in three highly regarded refereed journals declined modestly over the same period. Sporadic contributors do not seem to be working their way much further into the Papers and Proceedings over time, although they have gained greater access to the AEA program. Sporadic contributors, however, also did not publish much more in leading refereed journals in the 1980s than in the 1950s.
An Introduction to Vote-Counting Schemes
Authors: Levin Jonathan , Nalebuff Barry
Published: September 2011

Many researchers, following Kenneth Arrow's lead, have concerned themselves with stating various desirable or undesirable criteria and attempting to classify vote-counting systems. This paper moves away from theoretical discussions: the authors illustrate and motivate a variety of alternatives to plurality rule. The authors demonstrate by example how these alternatives, such as min-max majority and single transferable vote, work and where they fail. In choosing between flawed alternatives, which methods are best suited for selecting a single winner versus ranking the candidates? Does one approach favor candidates with loyal minorities or candidates with broad appeal? How do the authors achieve a representative outcome?
Approval Voting
Authors: Weber Robert J
Published: September 2011

Under approval voting, a voter may cast single votes for each of any number of candidates. In this paper, the history of approval voting and some of its properties are reviewed. When voters vote sincerely, approval voting compares favorably with both the plurality rule and Borda's rule in yielding outcomes reflective of the electorate's will. When voters vote strategically, perverse outcomes possible under other rules cannot arise at equilibrium under approval voting. Well-known ‘median voter’ results in two-candidate positioning games generalize to multicandidate settings under approval voting but not under the plurality rule.
How to Judge Voting Schemes
Authors: Sen Amartya
Published: September 2011

This symposium on voting procedures presents many interesting findings and insights. This note scrutinizes them and discusses two general issues. First, the assumption that voters’ preferences are menu-independent (and based on one canonical ordering of the alternatives) underestimates the importance of the process of voting (voting for x, against y). Second, evaluation can be a two-way process, including the axiomatic method (of social choice theory), going from isolated properties to voting schemes, and the converse method of first identifying attractions and perversities of particular voting schemes (as in this symposium) and then using properties for later axiomatic use.
Some Lessons from the Yield Curve
Authors: Campbell John Y
Published: September 2011

This paper reviews the literature on the relation between short- and long-term interest rates. It summarizes the mixed evidence on the expectation hypothesis of the term structure: when long rates are high relative to short rates, short rates tend to rise as implied by the expectations hypothesis, but long rates tend to fall, which is contrary to the expectations hypothesis. The paper discusses the response of the U.S. bond market to shifts in monetary policy in the spring of 1994 and reviews the debate over the optimal maturity structure of the U.S. government debt.
Retrospectives: Schumpeter, David Wells, and Creative Destruction
Authors: Perelman Michael
Published: September 2011

Joseph A. Schumpeter's celebrated theory of creative destruction was anticipated by David Wells's Recent Economic Changes (1989). In some respects, Wells's treatment is superior to that of Schumpeter. Unlike Schumpeter, who believed that monopolistic competition could maximize economic growth, Wells held that cartels or trusts were necessary to prevent capital-intensive firms from competing themselves into bankruptcy and sending the economy into a depression.
Chorionic Disk Extravillous Trophoblasts in Placental Diagnosis
Authors: Stanek Jerzy
Published: September 2011

To study clinical and placental associations of increased amount of chorionic disk extravillous trophoblast (IAEVT), the frequency of selected clinical and placental parameters of 189 consecutive cases with IAEVT, defined as more than 5 cell islands and/or placental septa per placental section, were compared with those for all remaining 1,006 placentas examined during the same period. IAEVT was statistically significantly associated with preeclampsia, decidual arteriolopathy, placental infarction, and several chronic placental hypoxic lesions (uterine hypoxic pattern of hypoxic placental injury, microscopic chorionic pseudocysts, massive perivillous fibrin deposition, and trophoblastic multinucleated giant cells in decidua) and absence of meconium staining and umbilical cord abnormalities. The amount of chorionic disk extravillous trophoblast is increased in association with clinical conditions and placental lesions associated with chronic hypoxia of uterine origin, ie, placental malperfusion. Counting placental septa and cell islands is a valuable surrogate test of chronic placental hypoxia.
The use of humor in the foreign language classroom: Funny and effective?
Authors: Wagner Manuela , Urios-Aparisi Eduardo
Published: September 2011

The present paper deals with the role of humor in world language teaching and learning. The goal is to enable educators and researchers to address the phenomenon of humor in the world language classroom in its complexity by suggesting a multidisciplinary approach and by introducing a coding scheme for investigating the use of humor in the world language classroom. Finally, we will introduce an ongoing long-term study planned with the proposed design.
Research of Bituminous MortarFatigue Test Method Based on Dynamic Shear Rheometer
Authors: Mo L. T. , Huurman M. , Wu S. P. , Molenaar A. A. A.
Published: September 2011

This paper presents a new test method that allows fatigue characterization on bituminous mortar by means of dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). The studied mortar is composed of bitumen, filler and fine sand at a mass ratio of 0.34:0.30:0.36. Dynamic shear rheometer instruments are widely used for bitumen testing by using parallel plate geometry. However, the parallel plate geometry is not suitable for mortar testing due to the fact that the mortar contains fine sand. To take good advantage of DSR instruments, mortar specimen and clamp system were specially designed so that mortar testing can be performed by using DSR instruments under parallel plate control mode. Due to the complex specimen geometry, finite element simulations were performed to translate the torque and deformation that the specimen was subjected into the real mortar stress and strain. An intensive experimental program indicated that the developed test method was capable to capture the shear fatigue behaviour of mortar at meso-scale by using DSR instruments.
Discrimination and Reaction: The Practical Constitution of Social Exclusion
Authors: Evergeti Venetia
Published: September 2011

This article explores and extends Blumer's work on race prejudice and discrimination by using empirical data from an ethnographic study of minority communities in Greece. Blumer explains prejudice as the result of an interactional process through which one group defines itself as superior or dominant in relation to the other. His work on race prejudice has often been misinterpreted as emphasizing the individual's subjective imaginary of the “other.” Here I illustrate the importance of the intersubjective processes involved in defining a particular social situation as discriminatory. A central point of the article is to elaborate on his analysis by looking at the experience of prejudice and discrimination from the receiving end, through the participants' interpretation of their social interactions with the dominant group. Therefore I focus on how members of the subordinate group interact with the process that Blumer identifies.
The Immediate Impact of Different Types of Television on Young Children's Executive Function
Authors: Lillard Angeline S. , Peterson Jennifer
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE:

The goal of this research was to study whether a fast-paced television show immediately influences preschool-aged children's executive function (eg, self-regulation, working memory).

METHODS:

Sixty 4-year-olds were randomly assigned to watch a fast-paced television cartoon or an educational cartoon or draw for 9 minutes. They were then given 4 tasks tapping executive function, including the classic delay-of-gratification and Tower of Hanoi tasks. Parents completed surveys regarding television viewing and child's attention.

RESULTS:

Children who watched the fast-paced television cartoon performed significantly worse on the executive function tasks than children in the other 2 groups when controlling for child attention, age, and television exposure.

CONCLUSIONS:

Just 9 minutes of viewing a fast-paced television cartoon had immediate negative effects on 4-year-olds' executive function. Parents should be aware that fast-paced television shows could at least temporarily impair young children's executive function.
Sleep-Wake Transitions in Premature Neonates Predict Early Development
Authors: Weisman Omri , Magori-Cohen Reuma , Louzoun Yoram , Eidelman Arthur I. , Feldman Ruth
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE:

To identify patterns of sleep-wake transitions in the neonatal period that might differentiate premature infants who would show better or worse outcomes in multiple developmental domains across the first 5 years of life.

METHODS:

Participants were 143 low birth weight premature infants (mean birth weight: 1482 g; mean gestational age [GA]: 31.82 weeks). Sleep states were observed at a GA of 37 weeks in 10-second epochs over 4 consecutive evening hours and were analyzed through mathematical clustering. Neurobehavioral maturation was evaluated with the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale at discharge, emotional regulation was assessed during infant-mother and infant-father interactions at 3 and 6 months, cognitive development was measured at 6, 12, and 24 months, and verbal IQ, executive functions, and symbolic competence were tested at 5 years.

RESULTS:

Three types of state-transition patterns were identified, and no differences in birth weight, GA, or medical risk between the 3 groups were found. Infants whose sleep-state transitions were mainly characterized by shifts between quiet sleep and wakefulness exhibited the best development, including greater neonatal neuromaturation, less negative emotionality, better cognitive development, and better verbal, symbolic, and executive competences at 5 years. In comparison, infants who cycled mainly between states of high arousal, such as active sleep and cry, or between short episodes of active and quiet sleep showed poorer outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS:

Defining sleep organization on the basis of transitions between states proved useful for identifying risk and resilience indicators in neonatal behavior to predict trajectories of neurobehavioral, emotional, and cognitive growth.
Private Practice Rates Among Pediatric Subspecialists
Authors: Freed Gary L. , Dunham Kelly M. , Loveland-Cherry Carol , Martyn Kristy K. , Moote Marc J. ,   the American Board of Pediatrics Research Advisory Committee
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE:

Historically, most pediatric subspecialists have conducted their clinical work in academic health centers. However, increases in the absolute numbers of pediatric subspecialists in past decades, combined with greater concentrations of children in urban and suburban settings, might result in more opportunities for pediatric subspecialists to enter private practice. Our goal was to assess the proportions of subspecialists in private practice.

METHODS:

We surveyed a stratified, random, national sample of 1696 subspecialists from 5 subspecialties and assessed the ownership of their current clinical practice settings.

RESULTS:

The response rate was 77%. Two-thirds of respondents (65% [n = 705]) reported that they work in academic hospitals or outpatient clinics. Compared with other subspecialists, greater proportions of neonatologists (38% [n = 92]) and critical care physicians (19% [n = 44]) reported that they work in community hospitals. Larger proportions of cardiologists (27% [n = 58]) and gastroenterologists (24% [n = 47]) reported that they work in private outpatient practices.

CONCLUSIONS:

There were significant proportions of pediatric subspecialists in private practice in most of the 5 subspecialties studied. Ensuring children's access to pediatric subspecialists likely will require a robust workforce in both academic and private clinical settings. Ongoing studies of the career trajectories of pediatric subspecialists with respect to their venues of practice will be essential for future workforce planning.
“I have been compromised. I am now fighting against it.” Ligeti vs. Kubrick and the music for 2001: A Space Odyssey
Authors: Heimerdinger Julia
Published: September 2011

Since the release of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968, there have been several different accounts of how György Ligeti’s music (Requiem, Atmosphères, Lux Aeterna and Aventures) came to be in Kubrick’s film and much discussion as to whether Ligeti had been treated fairly. One often repeated version asserts that his works were used without permission and that he got only $3,000 in the end. With the help of contemporary witnesses, letters and previously unexploited papers from the György Ligeti collection at the Paul Sacher Foundation in Basel (Switzerland), as well as the findings of Other Author, this article tries to reconstruct the events and traces Ligeti’s legal steps, simultaneously looking at the composer’s changing attitudes towards the film over the years.
Saline sewage treatment and source separation of urine for more sustainable urban water management
Authors: Ekama G. A. , Wilsenach J. A. , Chen G. H.
Published: September 2011

While energy consumption and its associated carbon emission should be minimized in wastewater treatment, it has a much lower priority than human and environmental health, which are both closely related to efficient water quality management. So conservation of surface water quality and quantity are more important for sustainable development than green house gas (GHG) emissions per se. In this paper, two urban water management strategies to conserve fresh water quality and quantity are considered: (1) source separation of urine for improved water quality and (2) saline (e.g. sea) water toilet flushing for reduced fresh water consumption in coastal and mining cities. The former holds promise for simpler and shorter sludge age activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (no nitrification and denitrification), nutrient (Mg, K, P) recovery and improved effluent quality (reduced endocrine disruptor and environmental oestrogen concentrations) and the latter for significantly reduced fresh water consumption, sludge production and oxygen demand (through using anaerobic bioprocesses) and hence energy consumption. Combining source separation of urine and saline water toilet flushing can reduce sewer crown corrosion and reduce effluent P concentrations. To realize the advantages of these two approaches will require significant urban water management changes in that both need dual (fresh and saline) water distribution and (yellow and grey/brown) wastewater collection systems. While considerable work is still required to evaluate these new approaches and quantify their advantages and disadvantages, it would appear that the investment for dual water distribution and wastewater collection systems may be worth making to unlock their benefits for more sustainable urban development.
Effect of the disinfection agents chlorine, UV irradiation, silver ions, and TiO2 nanoparticles/near-UV on DNA molecules
Authors: Van Aken Benoit , Lin Lian-Shin
Published: September 2011

Extracellular DNA in municipal wastewater and effluents from hospitals and R&D laboratories contains antimicrobial resistance and recombinant genes that are today considered as a new class of emerging contaminants. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of disinfection agents on the integrity of DNA molecules by using real-time PCR. Escherichia coli cell suspensions and genomic DNA in aqueous solution were exposed to increasing doses of disinfection systems, including chlorination, UV irradiation, silver ions, and TiO2 nanoparticles/near-UV. The doses resulting in damage of DNA (16S rDNA) were determined using real-time PCR and compared with the doses resulting in the inactivation of bacterial cells. Our results showed that the disinfection agents chlorine, UV, and silver significantly inhibited the amplification of a fragment of 16S rDNA, but only when applied at doses much higher than the lethal doses for E. coli bacteria. The inactivation doses of TiO2 nanoparticles/near-UV were of the same order of magnitude for both DNA and living cells. Our results raise questions about the efficacy of disinfection processes to destroy and prevent the dispersion of DNA pollutants into the environment. In addition, the damage of DNA by high levels of disinfectants may have implications for the utilization of PCR-based methods for bacterial detection.
Biological treatment of toluene contaminated wastewater by Alcaligenese faecalis in an extractive membrane bioreactor; experiments and modeling
Authors: Mehdizadeh S. N. , Mehrnia M. R. , Abdi K. , Sarrafzadeh M. H.
Published: September 2011

Conventional wastewater treatment methods are not efficient in treating wastewaters contaminated with volatile hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX). The aim of this study is to enhance the efficiency of an extractive membrane bioreactor (EMBR) in treating toluene contaminated wastewater by usage of pure culture of Alcaligenese faecalis. Toluene was used as a model of toxic contaminant because of its wide presence in wastewaters contaminated with petrol derivatives. The Haldane kinetic model adequately described the dynamic behavior of the toluene biodegradation by the strain of A. faecalis over a wide range of initial toluene concentrations (50–1,000 mg L−1) with kinetic constants μmax = 0.066 h−1, ks = 91.7 mg/L and kI = 278.2. Overall mass transfer coefficient has been measured and described as resistance in the series model. No biofilm formed on the exterior surface of the membrane; however in previous works the layer of the biofilm on the exterior surface of the membrane acts as a mass transfer resistance. A mathematical model was developed to predict the pollutant concentration profile along the tube side of the membrane modules.
Advanced Glycation End Products Are Direct Modulators of β-Cell Function
Authors: Coughlan Melinda T. , Yap Felicia Y.T. , Tong David C.K. , Andrikopoulos Sofianos , Gasser Anna , Thallas-Bonke Vicki , Webster Diane E. , Miyazaki Jun-ichi , Kay Thomas W. , Slattery Robyn M. , Kaye David M. , Drew Brian G. , Kingwell Bronwyn A. , Fourlanos Spiros , Groop Per-Henrik , Harrison Leonard C. , Knip Mikael , Forbes Josephine M.
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE

Excess accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) contributes to aging and chronic diseases. We aimed to obtain evidence that exposure to AGEs plays a role in the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The effect of AGEs was examined on insulin secretion by MIN6N8 cells and mouse islets and in vivo in three separate rodent models: AGE-injected or high AGE–fed Sprague-Dawley rats and nonobese diabetic (NODLt) mice. Rodents were also treated with the AGE-lowering agent alagebrium.

RESULTS

β-Cells exposed to AGEs displayed acute glucose-stimulated insulin secretory defects, mitochondrial abnormalities including excess superoxide generation, a decline in ATP content, loss of MnSOD activity, reduced calcium flux, and increased glucose uptake, all of which were improved with alagebrium treatment or with MnSOD adenoviral overexpression. Isolated mouse islets exposed to AGEs had decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, increased mitochondrial superoxide production, and depletion of ATP content, which were improved with alagebrium or with MnTBAP, an SOD mimetic. In rats, transient or chronic exposure to AGEs caused progressive insulin secretory defects, superoxide generation, and β-cell death, ameliorated with alagebrium. NODLt mice had increased circulating AGEs in association with an increase in islet mitochondrial superoxide generation, which was prevented by alagebrium, which also reduced the incidence of autoimmune diabetes. Finally, at-risk children who progressed to T1D had higher AGE concentrations than matched nonprogressors.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that AGEs directly cause insulin secretory defects, most likely by impairing mitochondrial function, which may contribute to the development of T1D.
Intervention With an Erythropoietin-Derived Peptide Protects Against Neuroglial and Vascular Degeneration During Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: McVicar Carmel M. , Hamilton Ross , Colhoun Liza M. , Gardiner Tom A. , Brines Michael , Cerami Anthony , Stitt Alan W.
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE

Erythropoietin (EPO) may be protective for early stage diabetic retinopathy, although there are concerns that it could exacerbate retinal angiogenesis and thrombosis. A peptide based on the EPO helix-B domain (helix B-surface peptide [pHBSP]) is nonerythrogenic but retains tissue-protective properties, and this study evaluates its therapeutic potential in diabetic retinopathy.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

After 6 months of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, rats (n = 12) and age-matched nondiabetic controls (n = 12) were evenly split into pHBSP and scrambled peptide groups and injected daily (10 μg/kg per day) for 1 month. The retina was investigated for glial dysfunction, microglial activation, and neuronal DNA damage. The vasculature was dual stained with isolectin and collagen IV. Retinal cytokine expression was quantified using real-time RT-PCR. In parallel, oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) was used to evaluate the effects of pHBSP on retinal ischemia and neovascularization (1–30 μg/kg pHBSP or control peptide).

RESULTS

pHBSP or scrambled peptide treatment did not alter hematocrit. In the diabetic retina, Müller glial expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein was increased when compared with nondiabetic controls, but pHBSP significantly reduced this stress-related response (P < 0.001). CD11b+ microglia and proinflammatory cytokines were elevated in diabetic retina responses, and some of these responses were attenuated by pHBSP (P < 0.01–0.001). pHBSP significantly reduced diabetes-linked DNA damage as determined by 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling positivity and also prevented acellular capillary formation (P < 0.05). In OIR, pHBSP had no effect on preretinal neovascularization at any dose.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with an EPO-derived peptide after diabetes is fully established can significantly protect against neuroglial and vascular degenerative pathology without altering hematocrit or exacerbating neovascularization. These findings have therapeutic implications for disorders such as diabetic retinopathy.
Prospective Associations of Vitamin D With β-Cell Function and Glycemia
Authors: Kayaniyil Sheena , Retnakaran Ravi , Harris Stewart B. , Vieth Reinhold , Knight Julia A. , Gerstein Hertzel C. , Perkins Bruce A. , Zinman Bernard , Hanley Anthony J.
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE

To examine the prospective associations of baseline vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D; 25(OH)D] with insulin resistance (IR), β-cell function, and glucose homeostasis in subjects at risk for type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We followed 489 subjects, aged 50 ± 10 years, for 3 years. At baseline and follow-up, 75-g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) were administered. IR was measured using the Matsuda index (ISOGTT) and the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), β-cell function was determined using both the insulinogenic index divided by HOMA-IR (IGI/IR) and the insulin secretion sensitivity index-2 (ISSI-2), and glycemia was assessed using the area under the glucose curve (AUCglucose). Regression models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, season, and baseline value of the outcome variable, as well as baseline and change in physical activity, vitamin D supplement use, and BMI.

RESULTS

Multivariate linear regression analyses indicated no significant association of baseline 25(OH)D with follow-up ISOGTT or HOMA-IR. There were, however, significant positive associations of baseline 25(OH)D with follow-up IGI/IR (β = 0.005, P = 0.015) and ISSI-2 (β = 0.002, P = 0.023) and a significant inverse association of baseline 25(OH)D with follow-up AUCglucose (β = −0.001, P = 0.007). Progression to dysglycemia (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or type 2 diabetes) occurred in 116 subjects. Logistic regression analyses indicated a significant reduced risk of progression with higher baseline 25(OH)D (adjusted odds ratio 0.69 [95% CI 0.53–0.89]), but this association was not significant after additional adjustment for baseline and change in BMI (0.78 [0.59–1.02]).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher baseline 25(OH)D independently predicted better β-cell function and lower AUCglucose at follow-up, supporting a potential role for vitamin D in type 2 diabetes etiology.
Increased Phagocyte-Like NADPH Oxidase and ROS Generation in Type 2 Diabetic ZDF Rat and Human Islets
Authors: Syed Ismail , Kyathanahalli Chandrashekara N. , Jayaram Bhavaani , Govind Sudha , Rhodes Christopher J. , Kowluru Renu A. , Kowluru Anjaneyulu
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE

To determine the subunit expression and functional activation of phagocyte-like NADPH oxidase (Nox), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and caspase-3 activation in the Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat and diabetic human islets.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Expression of core components of Nox was quantitated by Western blotting and densitometry. ROS levels were quantitated by the 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate method. Rac1 activation was quantitated using the gold-labeled immunosorbent assay kit.

RESULTS

Levels of phosphorylated p47phox, active Rac1, Nox activity, ROS generation, Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2 phosphorylation, and caspase-3 activity were significantly higher in the ZDF islets than the lean control rat islets. Chronic exposure of INS 832/13 cells to glucolipotoxic conditions resulted in increased JNK1/2 phosphorylation and caspase-3 activity; such effects were largely reversed by SP600125, a selective inhibitor of JNK. Incubation of normal human islets with high glucose also increased the activation of Rac1 and Nox. Lastly, in a manner akin to the ZDF diabetic rat islets, Rac1 expression, JNK1/2, and caspase-3 activation were also significantly increased in diabetic human islets.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide the first in vitro and in vivo evidence in support of an accelerated Rac1–Nox–ROS–JNK1/2 signaling pathway in the islet β-cell leading to the onset of mitochondrial dysregulation in diabetes.
Elevated Depressive Symptoms, Antidepressant Use, and Diabetes in a Large Multiethnic National Sample of Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Ma Yunsheng , Balasubramanian Raji , Pagoto Sherry L. , Schneider Kristin L. , Culver Annie L. , Olendzki Barbara , Tinker Lesley , Liu Simin , Safford Monika , Sepavich Deidre M. , Rosal Milagros C. , Ockene Judith K. , Carnethon Mercedes , Zorn Martha , Hébert James R.
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE

To examine elevated depressive symptoms and antidepressant use in relation to diabetes incidence in the Women’s Health Initiative.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 161,808 postmenopausal women were followed for over an average of 7.6 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) estimating the effects of elevated depressive symptoms and antidepressant use on newly diagnosed incident diabetes were obtained using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for known diabetes risk factors.

RESULTS

Multivariable-adjusted HRs indicated an increased risk of incident diabetes with elevated baseline depressive symptoms (HR 1.13 [95% CI 1.07–1.20]) and antidepressant use (1.18 [1.10–1.28]). These associations persisted through year 3 data, in which respective adjusted HRs were 1.23 (1.09–1.39) and 1.31 (1.14–1.50).

CONCLUSIONS

Postmenopausal women with elevated depressive symptoms who also use antidepressants have a greater risk of developing incident diabetes. In addition, longstanding elevated depressive symptoms and recent antidepressant medication use increase the risk of incident diabetes.
Clinical Effects of Prolonged Application Time of an In-office Bleaching Gel
Authors: Reis A , Tay LY , Herrera DR , Kossatz S , Loguercio AD
Published: September 2011

Clinical Relevance

By refreshing the in-office bleaching gel at each clinical appointment, clinicians can improve the bleaching speed and reduce tooth sensitivity rates.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) in Obstetric Practice
Authors: Sultana S , Begum A , Khan MA
Published: September 2011

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is an acquired and complex disorder that occurs in a wide variety of clinical conditions. This is basically a state of increased propensity for clot formation triggered by a variety of stimuli related to such diverse disorders as sepsis, endothelial cell damage (heat stroke, shock), obstetrical complication (abruptio placenta, amniotic fluid embolism, severe preeclampsia and retained intrauterine dead foetus) and neoplasm. DIC is a classic complication of obstetric conditions occurring in more than 50 percent of patients with obstetric causes. In DIC, an unregulated thrombin explosion cause release of free thrombin into the circulation that leads to the clinical features of DIC, with thrombin and plasmin responsible for the thrombotic and haemorrhagic manifestations, respectively. The diagnosis and treatment of this syndrome require an understanding of its pathophysiology, awareness of the disorders that can trigger it and its early recognition. Acute DIC is usually associated with infections, the commonest cause, about 10-20% of patients with gram negative sepsis have evidence of DIC. Chronic DIC is usually associated with retained dead fetus, carcinomatosis. The diagnosis of this syndrome is essentially clinical, with laboratory tests providing confirmatory evidence. Microvascular thrombosis is the primary mechanism in most cases, and end organ failure is a major cause of death. No single diagnostic test exists for DIC. DIC is initially suggested by the following combination; a clinical condition consistent with DIC, thrombocytopenia, prolonged PT, APTT, and presence of FDP/D-dimer. Medical treatment depends on the cause of the DIC. Basically it involves removing the cause for example, delivery of placenta if it is retained or abrupted, delivery of foetus if retained, quick delivery if severe eclampsia and so on, hysterectomy if bleeding can not be controlled from placental site. After then, and/or con-currently treat DIC with blood and plasma transfusions and appropriate supportive measures. As the sequel of DIC can be devastating, early clinical suspicion and laboratory diagnosis are essential. This review article provides essential guideline for the appropriate diagnosis and clinical management of DIC in obstetric patients. Key words: Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC); Obstetric; Thrombosis; Fibrin; Ddimer; FDP; Anticoagulant. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jdmc.v20i1.8585 J Dhaka Med Coll. 2011; 20(1) :68-74
Fahrs Disease: A Rare Neurodegenerative Disorder in Children
Authors: Rahman AKMM , Begum RS , Hossain MZ , Ali MR , Rahman M
Published: September 2011

A case of Fahr’s disease in reported in a 2 year 9 month old male child presented with developmental delay and seizure. The CT scan of brain showed multiple symmetric calcifications in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and subcortical white matter of cerebral and cerebellar areas. No underlying cause for the bilateral calcification was found. This rare case of Fahr’s disease in a child, which has never been reported in Bangladeshi literature, has been brought out to highlight this unusual condition. Key words: Fahr’s disease; basal ganglia; calcification. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jdmc.v20i1.8589 J Dhaka Med Coll. 2011; 20(1) :86-88
Enter Strategy
Authors: Gottschalk P.
Published: September 2011

Why does the outsourcing of IT frequently fail to produce the expected cost savings and other benefits? Lacity, Willcocks, and Feeny (1996) pose this question, and they suggest the following answer: Because managers do not carefully select which IT activities to outsource. Thus, we start this chapter by looking at the distinctive IT nature. We continue by discussing sourcing alternatives and global outsourcing. The chapter ends with suggestions regarding strategic IT planning and project management.
A Hybrid Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm for Solving No_Idle Permutation Flow Shop Scheduling Problems
Authors: Wang Ya Min , Bao Yun , Chen Jing , Li Jun Qing
Published: September 2011

This paper presents a novel hybrid shuffled frog-leaping algorithm (HSFLA) for solving the no_idle permutation flow shop scheduling problems(NIFS) with the criterion to minimize the maximum completion time( makespan). First, the algorithm employs insert- neighborhood-based local search to enhance the searching ability. Second, it adopts roulette wheel selection operator to generate the global best frog in the early stage of the evolution which can expand the searching solution space. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is effective and efficient for different scale benchmarks of NIFS .
The Machinability of MAR-M247 Superalloy
Authors: Chen Shao Hsien , Su Sen Chieh , Chang Po Chun , Chou Shuo Yan , Shieh Kong King
Published: September 2011

Nickel-base superalloy is a special super heat resistant alloy developed by U.S in 1970s. It is mainly applied to turbine parts as well as high-temperature components. Nickel-base superalloys exhibit an excellent high strength, low thermal conductivity and creep resistance as well as work hardening. It is the most difficult to be machined with high-speed cutting among different sorts of high-temperature superalloys and is a material presenting multifold challenges for machining. The purpose of this study aims at the machinability of Nickel-base alloys. Engineering statistical analysis was employed to observe the cutting speeds, feed rates and surface roughness at first place. The researcher further applied the half-normal probability plot (HNPP), Pareto analysis and ANOVA to identify the cross effects and probed into the characteristics of Nibase alloy.
SVD-Based Color Image Watermarking Using Discrete Wavelet Transform
Authors: Fang Wang Sheng , Zhang Rong , Li Yu Nan , Wu Lu Lu
Published: September 2011

For invisibility and robustness are difficult to reconcile, a combination of singular value decomposition (SVD) and the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) of the color image adaptive watermarking algorithm is proposed. In the embedding process, modification of the singular value of LL band and LH band exploited to the watermarking scheme which excellent preserves the quality. The additional advantage of the proposed technique is taking advantage of HVS which can adaptively regulate the watermark embedding strength. Experimental results show that the algorithm not only has better transparency, but also has good robustness such as noise, compression, filtering, cropping.
The Reversing Paging Process of Callee in Heterogeneous Networks
Authors: Zhao Cong , Guo Wei
Published: September 2011

To achieve the goal that anybody could communicate with anyone at anytime in anyplace and in anyway, many technologies, such as GSM、CDMA、WCDMA、CDMA2000、TD-SCDMA、802.11a/b/g and so on, come true in the past years. And now, many B3G or 4G technologies are being studied. It is well-known that the future network would be heterogeneous networks. It is studied in this paper the mobility management of wireless heterogeneous network and a reversing paging process of callee is proposed which integrates paging and handoff. In the process when the caller pages the callee choosing its best suited network on one end, the callee chooses its own best network to begin a reversing paging process to set up the communication. The simulation tells that the proposed process has better performances in the call delay, the call succeeding rate and the wireless signal cost than that of the existing process in which it sets up the call first and then does vertical handoff independently.
A Personalized Music Recommender Based on Potential Preference Learning Dynamically
Authors: Shi Xiao Wei , Huang Lin Ping , Mi Wei Jian , Chang Dao Fang , Zhang Yan
Published: September 2011

An intelligent musical recommendation system for multi-users in network context is presented. The system is based on a comprehensive user profile described by feature-weight-like_degree-scene vectors. According different scenes, the system can filter the music that user may like in the internet, and form a music recommendation list which will be sent to the user. The Preference Learning Agent updates the users’ profile dynamically based on explicit feedback or the hidden preference obtained from the users’ behavior. The learning rate of like_degree, original like_degree and the weight of feature type are important for the improvement of the feature’s learning efficiency. The recommendation system can capture the users’ potential interest and the evolvement of preferences. Experiment results show that the algorithm can learn users’ preferences effectively.
The Load Balancing System Design of Service Based on IXP2400
Authors: Yi Shi Jun , Jing Xiao Ping
Published: September 2011

This paper proposes a new method of designing load balancing system. The design of the system is based on the performance of hosting service and the switching technology and makes use of the highly flexible programmability and the powerful function of processing network packet of IXP2400 network processor. This method greatly accelerates the processing speed of the system and owing to the advanced technology of network processor it makes the load-sharing system excellent in usability and practicality.
Beta-2 Microglobulin Removal by Immunoextraction and Passive Adsorption in High-Flux Dialyzers
Authors: Branham Michael L. , Govender T. , Ross Edward A.
Published: September 2011

The objectives in this study were to compare the removal of 2-M via different dialyzers (high- and low flux) under equilibrium or sink conditions, wherein there was highly selective antibody-based facilitated transport into a small volume dialysate reservoir. Using an in vitro haemodialysis model we perfused high-flux polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), high-flux cellulose diacetate (CDA), and a low-flux polysulfone (PSF) membranes with known amounts of 2-M through the intracapillary space. Anti-2-M antibodies added to the extracapillary space were shown to create sink conditions across the membrane when its pore size is sufficiently large for diffusion and if 2-M is not strongly adsorbed to the membrane surface. Our results indicate that 2-M (~12kDa) does not penetrate low-flux dialyzers and that its adsorption to intracapillary PSF surfaces does not substantially affect clearance. 2-M strongly adsorbed to high-flux PMMA dialyzers (ko = 0.0271+0.002 min-1), but without significant clearance enhancement due to circulating antibodies. A significant clearance enhancement (101.2%+24.89) for 2-M due to immunoextraction was observed in the high-flux cellulose acetate dialyzers, but without passive adsorption to the surface. These studies demonstrate the utility of in vitro haemodialysis experiments to elucidate midsize molecule clearance in dialysis membranes under controlled conditions. The use of anti-2-M antibodies as dialysate additives might be feasible in the removal of 2-M from whole blood, highlighting the advantages of selective antibody-based extraction of disease-causing toxins into potentially simple extracorporeal devices with small volume receiver compartments.
Talin-1 and Kindlin-3 Regulate α4β1 Integrin-Mediated Adhesion Stabilization, but Not G Protein-Coupled Receptor-Induced Affinity Upregulation
Authors: Hyduk Sharon J. , Rullo Jacob , Cano Adrianet Puig , Xiao Haiyan , Chen Mian , Moser Markus , Cybulsky Myron I.
Published: September 2011

Chemokine/chemoattractant G protein-coupled receptors trigger an inside–out signaling network that rapidly activates integrins, a key step in inflammatory leukocyte recruitment. Integrins mediate leukocyte arrest and adhesion to endothelium through multivalent binding, and they transmit outside–in signals to stabilize adhesion and coordinate cell spreading and migration. In the present study, we used RNA interference in the U937 monocytic cell line to investigate the role of talin-1, kindlin-3, and α-actinin-1 in the fMLF- and SDF-1α–induced upregulation of α4β1 integrin affinity and consequent adhesive events. Affinity upregulation of α4β1 integrin was not impaired by small interfering RNA knockdown of talin-1, kindlin-3, or α-actinin-1. Only kindlin-3 knockdown increased flow-induced detachment from VCAM-1–coated surfaces in response to fluid flow, whereas knockdown of either talin-1 or kindlin-3 increased detachment from ICAM-1–coated surfaces. Biochemical analyses revealed that α4β1 expression was highly enriched in U937 cell microridges and murine lymphocyte microvilli. Kindlin-3 was present throughout the cell, whereas talin-1 was largely excluded from microridges/microvilli. The subcellular colocalization of α4β1 and kindlin-3 in microridges may explain why kindlin-3 rapidly associates with α4β1 after G protein-coupled receptor signaling and contributes to adhesion strengthening. Talin-1 contributed to α4β1-dependent chemotaxis, suggesting that it participates in a later stage of the leukocyte adhesion cascade when the leukocyte cytoskeleton undergoes dramatic rearrangement.
Increased Susceptibility of ST2-Deficient Mice to Polymicrobial Sepsis Is Associated with an Impaired Bactericidal Function
Authors: Buckley Julliette M. , Liu Jing Hua , Li Chong Hui , Blankson Siobhan , Wu Qiong Di , Jiang Yong , Redmond H. Paul , Wang Jiang Huai
Published: September 2011

ST2, a member of the Toll/IL-1R superfamily, negatively regulates both TLR2 and TLR4 signaling. In this study, we report that ST2-deficient mice were more susceptible to polymicrobial sepsis than their wild-type littermates, with increased production of proinflammatory cytokines. Bacterial clearance from the circulation and visceral organs following polymicrobial infection was markedly impaired in ST2-deficient mice. This was associated with substantially reduced uptake, phagocytosis, and intracellular killing of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by ST2-deficient phagocytes. Consistent with a reduced antimicrobial response, phagocytes lacking ST2 displayed a defect in bactericidal activity in response to bacterial challenges with severely impaired phagosome maturation and NOX2 function. Thus, ST2-deficient mice exhibit an increased susceptibility to polymicrobial infection with impaired bacterial clearance, which is associated with defects in phagosome maturation and NOX2-derived production of reactive oxygen species characterized in ST2-deficient phagocytes.