bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From “Good day” to “Sign here”: Norms Shaping Negotiations Within a Face Culture
Authors: Teng‐Calleja Mendiola , Baquiano Marshaley J. , Montiel Cristina J.
Published: October 2015

Using discourse analysis, we examine how culture shapes the dynamics and outcome of wage negotiations. With an intracultural lens, we look at how two opposing groups that share one overarching culture maximize group gains and achieve a bargaining agreement. We analysed audio recordings of collective bargaining meetings between labor and management negotiators of a multinational beverage company in the Philippines. Consistent with the claims of previous studies, negotiation between labor and management within this culture reflected low trust. Joint gains were however achieved through face dynamics that thwarted the impact of low trust bargaining. Specifically, our discursive analysis shows how utterances contain justifications, demands, rejections and threats. However, such apparently contentious talks are embedded in local language that conveys respect for authority, mixed with efforts to maintain harmony. These reflections of face culture in the bargaining process help shift the negotiations from a contentious to a collaborative and successful problem‐solving process.
Photobiological Origins of the Field of Genomic Maintenance
Authors: Ganesan Ann , Hanawalt Philip
Published: October 2015

Although sunlight is essential for life on earth, the ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths in its spectrum constitute a major threat to life. Various cellular responses have evolved to deal with the damage inflicted in DNA by UV, and the study of these responses in model systems has spawned the burgeoning field of DNA repair. Although we now know of many types of deleterious alterations in DNA, the approaches for studying them and the early mechanistic insights have come in large part from pioneering research on the processing of UV‐induced bipyrimidine photoproducts in bacteria. It is also notable that UV was one of the first DNA damaging agents for which exposure was directly linked to cancer; the sun‐sensitive syndrome, xeroderma pigmentosum, was the first example of a cancer‐prone hereditary disease involving a defect in DNA repair. We provide a short history of advances in the broad field of genomic maintenance as they have emerged from research in photochemistry and photobiology.
Quantifying the Establishment Likelihood of Invasive Alien Species Introductions Through Ports with Application to Honeybees in Australia
Authors: Heersink Daniel K. , Caley Peter , Paini Dean R. , Barry Simon C.
Published: October 2015

The cost of an uncontrolled incursion of invasive alien species (IAS) arising from undetected entry through ports can be substantial, and knowledge of port‐specific risks is needed to help allocate limited surveillance resources. Quantifying the establishment likelihood of such an incursion requires quantifying the ability of a species to enter, establish, and spread. Estimation of the approach rate of IAS into ports provides a measure of likelihood of entry. Data on the approach rate of IAS are typically sparse, and the combinations of risk factors relating to country of origin and port of arrival diverse. This presents challenges to making formal statistical inference on establishment likelihood. Here we demonstrate how these challenges can be overcome with judicious use of mixed‐effects models when estimating the incursion likelihood into Australia of the European (Apis mellifera) and Asian (A. cerana) honeybees, along with the invasive parasites of biosecurity concern they host (e.g., Varroa destructor). Our results demonstrate how skewed the establishment likelihood is, with one‐tenth of the ports accounting for 80% or more of the likelihood for both species. These results have been utilized by biosecurity agencies in the allocation of resources to the surveillance of maritime ports.
State or Diaspora: Jewish History as a Form of National Belonging
Authors: Conforti Yitzhak
Published: October 2015

This study addresses the writing of Jewish history as a form of national belonging in Israel and in the Diaspora. Simon Dubnow laid the foundation for Jewish national historiography in the beginning of the twentieth century. Beginning in the 1920s, Zionist historians in Palestine emphasized the centrality of the Land of Israel in Jewish history, while Jewish historians in the Diaspora preferred an elliptical model, which recognized two national centres – ‘Babylon and Jerusalem’. In the 1930s, a debate broke out between two principal Jewish historians, Salo Baron and Yitzhak Baer. While Baer stressed the Zionist conception of Jewish history, Baron emphasized the world dimensions of Jewish history. Similarly, during the 1950s a dispute arose between Jewish scholar Simon Rawidowicz and David Ben‐Gurion. For Rawidowicz, a Jewish centre in the Diaspora was parallel in significance to the State of Israel. By contrast, for Ben‐Gurion only a Jewish nation‐state could provide true Jewish national belonging. In this article, I analyse both arguments and draw conclusions for the current relationship between Israeli historical awareness and the use of Jewish history in the Diaspora.
Linking mortuary data improves vital statistics on cause of death of children under five years in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
Authors: Groenewald Pam , Bradshaw Debbie , Neethling Ian , Martin Lorna J. , Dempers Johan , Morden Erna , Zinyakatira Nesbert , Coetzee David
Published: October 2015

Objectives

Reducing child mortality requires good information on its causes. Whilst South African vital registration data have improved, the quality of cause‐of‐death data remains inadequate. To improve this, data from death certificates were linked with information from forensic mortuaries in Western Cape Province.

Methods

A local mortality surveillance system was established in 2007 by the Western Cape Health Department to improve data quality. Cause‐of‐death data were captured from copies of death notification forms collected at Department of Home Affairs Offices. Using unique identifiers, additional forensic mortuary data were linked with mortality surveillance system records. Causes of death were coded to the ICD‐10 classification. Causes of death in children under five were compared with those from vital registration data for 2011.

Results

Cause‐of‐death data were markedly improved with additional data from forensic mortuaries. The proportion of ill‐defined causes was halved (25–12%), and leading cause rankings changed. Lower respiratory tract infections moved above prematurity to rank first, accounting for 20.8% of deaths and peaking in infants aged 1–3 months. Only 11% of deaths from lower respiratory tract infections occurred in hospital, resulting in 86% being certified in forensic mortuaries. Road traffic deaths increased from 1.1–3.1% (27–75) and homicides from 3 to 28.

Conclusions

The quality and usefulness of cause‐of‐death information for children in the WC was enhanced by linking mortuary and vital registration data. Given the death profile, interventions are required to prevent and manage LRTI, diarrhoea and injuries and to reduce neonatal deaths.
The Interconnectedness of Diet Choice and Distance Running: Results of the Research Understanding the Nutrition of Endurance Runners (RUNNER) Study
Authors: Turner-McGrievy Gabrielle M. , Moore Wendy J. , Barr-Anderson Daheia
Published: October 2015

This study examined differences in diet, particularly vegetarian and vegan, among ultramarathon and other long distance runners. Participants who had completed a half- (HALF), full- (FULL), or ultramarathon (ULTRA) in the past 12 months were recruited to complete an online survey assessing current diet, reason for diet, and other dietary behaviors. A total of 422 participants completed the survey (n = 125 ULTRA, n = 152 FULL, n = 145 HALF). More ULTRA participants were men (63%) (vs. FULL (37%) and HALF (23%)) and ULTRA participants reported significantly more years of running (16.2 ± 13.6) than FULL (12.1 ± 11.1, p < .05) or HALF (10.6 ± 11.6, p < .05). Body mass index (self-reported height/weight) was significantly higher in HALF (24.3 ± 4.4 kg/m2) vs. FULL (23.1 ± 3.2 kg/m2, p < .05). ULTRA runners were almost twice as likely to report following a vegan/vegetarian diet than HALF and FULL marathoners combined (B = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.08, 3.48) and reported following their current diet longer (13.7 ± 15.3 years) than HALF participants (8.6 ± 12.1 years, p = .01). ULTRA participants more commonly cited environmental concerns whereas HALF and FULL participants cited weight loss or maintenance as a reason for following their current diet. There was no difference in diet quality between ULTRA and other runners but vegan and vegetarian runners had higher diet quality scores than nonvegetarian runners (p < .001). The findings point to an interconnectedness between long distance running, diet, and diet choice and can help guide nutrition, exercise, and psychology professionals who are working with distance runners.
Case-Control Study of Telavancin as an Alternative Treatment for Gram-Positive Bloodstream Infections in Patients with Cancer
Authors: Chaftari Anne-Marie , Hachem Ray , Jordan Mary , Garoge Kumait , Al Hamal Zainab , El Zakhem Aline , Viola George M. , Granwehr Bruno , Mulanovich Victor , Gagel Andrew , Reitzel Ruth , Yousif Ammar , Jiang Ying , Raad Issam
Published: October 2015

Gram-positive bacterial infections are an important cause of morbidity and death among cancer patients, despite current therapy. In this case-control study, we evaluated the clinical outcomes and safety of telavancin in cancer patients with uncomplicated Gram-positive bloodstream infections (BSIs). Between March 2011 and May 2013, we enrolled cancer patients with uncomplicated Gram-positive BSIs to receive intravenous telavancin therapy for at least 14 days for
Staphylococcus aureus
and 7 days for other Gram-positive cocci. Patients with baseline creatinine clearance (CL
CR
) values of >50 ml/min received 10 mg/kg/day of telavancin, and those with CL
CR
values between 30 and 49 ml/min received 7.5 mg/kg/day. Patients were compared with a retrospective cohort of 39 historical patients with Gram-positive BSIs, matched for underlying malignancy, infecting organism, and neutropenia status, who had been treated with vancomycin. A total of 78 patients were analyzed, with 39 in each group. The most common pathogen causing BSIs was
S. aureus
(51%), followed by alpha-hemolytic streptococci (23%),
Enterococcus
spp. (15%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (8%), and beta-hemolytic streptococci (3%). Sixty-two percent of patients had hematological malignancies, and 38% had solid tumors; 51% of the patients were neutropenic. The overall response rate determined by clinical outcome and microbiological eradication at 72 h following the initiation of therapy, in the absence of relapse, deep-seated infections, and/or infection-related death, was better with telavancin than with vancomycin (86% versus 61%;
P
= 0.013). Rates of drug-related adverse events were similar in the two groups (telavancin, 31%; vancomycin, 23%;
P
= 0.79), with similar rates of renal adverse events. Telavancin may provide a useful alternative to standard vancomycin therapy for Gram-positive BSIs in cancer patients. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01321879.)
Secreted factors from dental pulp stem cells improve glucose intolerance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice by increasing pancreatic β-cell function
Authors: Izumoto-Akita Takako , Tsunekawa Shin , Yamamoto Akihito , Uenishi Eita , Ishikawa Kota , Ogata Hidetada , Iida Atsushi , Ikeniwa Makoto , Hosokawa Kaori , Niwa Yasuhiro , Maekawa Ryuya , Yamauchi Yuichiro , Seino Yusuke , Hamada Yoji , Hibi Hideharu , Arima Hiroshi , Ueda Minoru , Oiso Yutaka
Published: October 2015

Objective

Many studies have reported that stem cell transplantation promotes propagation and protection of pancreatic β-cells in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice without the differentiation of transplanted cells into pancreatic β-cells, suggesting that the improvement is due to a paracrine effect of the transplanted cells. We investigated the effects of factors secreted by dental pulp stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) on β-cell function and survival.

Research design and methods

Conditioned medium from SHED (SHED-CM) was collected 48 h after culturing in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM). The insulin levels in SHED-CM and serum-free conditioned media from human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-CM) were undetectable. STZ-induced diabetic male C57B/6J mice were injected with DMEM as a control, SHED-CM, exendin-4 (Ex-4), or BM-CM for 14 days. Mouse pancreatic β-cell line MIN6 cells were incubated with different concentrations of STZ with SHED-CM, DMEM, Ex-4, or BM-CM for 6 h.

Results

Administration of 1 mL of SHED-CM twice a day improved glucose intolerance in STZ-induced diabetic mice and the effect continued for 20 days after the end of treatment. SHED-CM treatment increased pancreatic insulin content and β-cell mass through proliferation and an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test revealed enhanced insulin secretion. Incubation of MIN6 cells (a mouse pancreatic β-cell line) with SHED-CM enhanced insulin secretion in a glucose concentration-dependent manner and reduced STZ-induced cell death, indicating that the amelioration of hyperglycemia was caused by the direct effects of SHED-CM on β-cell function and survival. These effects were more pronounced than with the use of Ex-4, a conventional incretin-based drug, and BM-CM, which is a medium derived from other stem cells.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that SHED-CM provides direct protection and encourages the propagation of β-cells, and has potential as a novel strategy for treatment of diabetes.
Adherence to oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation—a population-based retrospective cohort study linking health information systems in the Valencia region, Spain: a study protocol
Authors: Sanfélix-Gimeno G , Rodríguez-Bernal C L , Hurtado I , Baixáuli-Pérez C , Librero J , Peiró S
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Adherence to oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment, vitamin K antagonists or new oral anticoagulants, is an essential element for effectiveness. Information on adherence to OAC in atrial fibrillation (AF) and the impact of adherence on clinical outcomes using real-world data barely exists. We aim to describe the patterns of adherence to OAC over time in patients with AF, estimate the associated factors and their impact on clinical events, and assess the same issues with conventional measures of primary and secondary adherence—proportion of days covered (PDC) and persistence—in routine clinical practice.

Methods and analysis

This is a population-based retrospective cohort study including all patients with AF treated with OAC from 2010 to date in Valencia, Spain; data will be obtained from diverse electronic records of the Valencia Health Agency. Primary outcome measure: adherence trajectories. Secondary outcomes: (1) primary non-adherence; (2) secondary adherence: (a) PDC, (b) persistence. Clinical outcomes: hospitalisation for haemorrhagic or thromboembolic events and death during follow-up. Analysis: (1) description of baseline characteristics, adherence patterns (trajectory models or latent class growth analysis models) and conventional adherence measures; (2) logistic or Cox multivariate regression models, to assess the associations between adherence measures and the covariates, and logistic multinomial regression models, to identify characteristics associated with each trajectory; (3) Cox proportional hazard models, to assess the relationship between adherence and clinical outcomes, with propensity score adjustment applied to further control for potential confounders; (4) to estimate the importance of different healthcare levels in the variations of adherence, logistic or Cox multilevel regression models.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the corresponding Clinical Research Ethics Committee. We plan to disseminate the project's findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at relevant health conferences. Policy reports will also be prepared in order to promote the translation of our findings into policy and clinical practice.
Gravitational waves: A probe to the physics in the early universe
Authors: Huang Qing-Guo
Published: October 2015

Gravitational waves can escape from the big bang and can be taken as a probe to the physics, in particular the inflation, in the early universe. Planck scale is a fundamental scale for quantum theory of gravity. Requiring the excursion distance of inflaton in the field space during inflation yields an upper bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio. For example, [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text]. In the typical inflationary scenario, we predict [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] which are consistent with Planck data released in 2015 quite well. Subtracting the contribution of thermal dust measured by Planck, BICEP2 data implies [Formula: see text] which is the tightest bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio from current experiments.
Rényi entropy in AdS3/CFT2
Authors: Chen Bin , Wu Jie-Qiang
Published: October 2015

The recent study of Rényi entropy opens a new window to study the AdS3/CFT2 correspondence. Here we review the latest developments in this area. In particular, we focus on the computations of the Rényi entropy in the cases of two short disjoint intervals on a complex plane and one single interval on a torus. We also discuss the large interval limit of the latter case and propose a new expansion framework in the CFT computation and a new set of monodromy conditions in the holographic computation.
Schwinger effect, Hawking radiation and gauge–gravity relation
Authors: Kim Sang Pyo
Published: October 2015

We present a unified picture for the Schwinger effect and the Hawking radiation and address the gauge–gravity relation and the dS–AdS duality issue at the one-loop level. We propose a thermal interpretation for the Schwinger effect in an (A)dS space and in an Reissner–Nordström black hole. The emission of charged particles from the near-extremal charged black hole is proportional to the Schwinger effect in an AdS and to another Schwinger effect in a Rindler space accelerated by the surface gravity.
When temporal expressions help to detect vital documents related to an entity
Authors: Abbes Rafik , Pinel-Sauvagnat Karen , Hernandez Nathalie , Boughanem Mohand
Published: October 2015

In this paper we aim at filtering documents containing timely relevant information about an entity (e.g., a person, a place, an organization) from a document stream. These documents that we call vital documents provide relevant and fresh information about the entity. The approach we propose leverages the temporal information reflected by the temporal expressions in the document in order to infer its vitality. Experiments carried out on the 2013 TREC Knowledge Base Acceleration (KBA) collection show the effectiveness of our approach compared to state-of-the-art ones.
Common Fixed Point Theorems of Greguš Type (ϕ,ψ)-Weak Contraction for R-Weakly Commuting Mappings in 2-Metric Spaces
Authors: Parvateesam Murthy Penumarthy , Devi Patel Uma
Published: October 2015

The main purpose of this paper is to establish a common fixed point theorem for set valued mappings in 2-metric spaces by generalizing a theorem of Abd EL-Monsef et al. (2009) and Murthy and Tas (2009) by using (ϕ,ψ)-weak contraction in view of Greguš type condition for set valued mappings using R-weakly commuting maps.
Verbal Aggression from Care Recipients as a Risk Factor among Nursing Staff: A Study on Burnout in the JD-R Model Perspective
Authors: Viotti Sara , Gilardi Silvia , Guglielmetti Chiara , Converso Daniela
Published: October 2015

Among nursing staff, the risk of experiencing violence, especially verbal aggression, is particularly relevant. The present study, developed in the theoretical framework of the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R), has two main aims: (a) to examine the association between verbal aggression and job burnout in both nurses and nurse’s aides and (b) to assess whether job content, social resources, and organizational resources lessen the negative impact of verbal aggression on burnout in the two professional groups. The cross-sectional study uses a dataset that consists of 630 workers (522 nurses and 108 nurse’s aides) employed in emergency and medical units. High associations were found between verbal aggression and job burnout in both professional groups. Moderated hierarchical regressions showed that, among nurses, only the job content level resources moderated the effects of the verbal aggression on job burnout. Among nurse’s aides, the opposite was found. Some resources on the social and organizational levels but none of the job content level resources buffered the effects of verbal aggression on workers burnout. The study highlights the crucial role of different types of resources in protecting nursing staff from the detrimental effects of verbal aggression on job burnout.
Genetic Polymorphism and Expression of CXCR4 in Breast Cancer
Authors: Okuyama Kishima Marina , Brajão de Oliveira Karen , Ariza Carolina Batista , de Oliveira Carlos Eduardo Coral , Losi Guembarovski Roberta , Banin Hirata Bruna Karina , de Almeida Felipe Campos , Vitiello Glauco Akelinghton Freire , Trugilo Kleber Paiva , Guembarovski Alda Fiorina Maria Losi , Jorge Sobrinho Walter , Campos Clodoaldo Zago , Watanabe Maria Angelica Ehara
Published: October 2015

CXCR4genetic polymorphisms, as well as their expression level, have been associated with cancer development and prognosis. The present study aimed to investigate the influence ofCXCR4rs2228014 polymorphism on its mRNA and protein expression in breast cancer samples. It was observed that patients presented higherCXCR4mRNA relative expression (5.7-fold) than normal mammary gland, but this expression was not correlated with patients clinicopathological features (nuclear grade, nodal status, ER status, PR status, p53 staining, Ki67 index, and HER-2 status). Moreover,CXCR4mRNA relative expression also did not differ regarding the presence or absence of T allele (p=0.301). In the immunohistochemical assay, no difference was observed for CXCR4 cytoplasmic protein staining in relation to different genotypes (p=0.757); however, high cytoplasmic CXCR4 staining was verified in invasive breast carcinoma (p<0.01). All in all, the results from present study indicated that rs2228014 genetic variant does not alterCXCR4mRNA or protein expression. However, this receptor was more expressed in tumor compared to normal tissue, in both RNA and protein levels, suggesting its promising applicability in the general context of mammary carcinogenesis.
3D Surface Profile and Color Stability of Tooth Colored Filling Materials after Bleaching
Authors: Irawan Bryant Anthony , Irawan Stacey Natalie , Masudi Sam’an Malik , Sukminingrum Ninin , Alam Mohammad Khursheed
Published: October 2015

This study aims to evaluate the effects of vital tooth bleaching with carbamide peroxide home bleaching and in-office bleaching on the color stability and 3D surface profile of dental restorative filling materials. Thirty discs (n=30) measure 6 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick for each of three restorative materials. These are nanofilled composite Filtek Z350 XT, the submicron composite EsteliteΣQuick, and nanofilled glass ionomer Ketac N100 nanoionomer and were fabricated in shade A2. Each group was further divided into three subgroups (n=10): subgroup A (Opalescence PF), subgroup B (Opalescence Boost in-office bleaching), and subgroup C (distilled water) serving as control. Samples were bleached according to the manufacturer’s instructions for a period of two weeks. The Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage (CIEL*,a*,b*) system was chosen for image processing, while 3D surface profile was tested with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Statistical analyses were performed with the Mann-Whitney tests and Krusal-Wallis with aPvalue of ≤0.05. The three restorative materials showed significant color changes (ΔE);P≤0.05. In diminishing order, the mean color changes recorded were EsteliteΣ(3.82 ± 1.6) > Ketac Nano (2.97 ± 1.2) > Filtek Z350 XT (2.25 ± 1.0). However, none of the tested materials showed statistically significant changes in surface roughness;P>0.05.
The Impact of Pain Assessment on Critically Ill Patients’ Outcomes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Georgiou Evanthia , Hadjibalassi Maria , Lambrinou Ekaterini , Andreou Panayiota , Papathanassoglou Elizabeth D. E.
Published: October 2015

In critically ill patients, pain is a major problem. Efficient pain management depends on a systematic, comprehensive assessment of pain. We aimed to review and synthesize current evidence on the impact of a systematic approach to pain assessment on critically ill patients’ outcomes. A systematic review of published studies (CINAHL, PUBMED, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and COCHRANE databases) with predetermined eligibility criteria was undertaken. Methodological quality was assessed by the EPHPP quality assessment tool. A total of 10 eligible studies were identified. Due to big heterogeneity, quantitative synthesis was not feasible. Most studies indicated the frequency, duration of pain assessment, and types of pain assessment tools. Methodological quality assessment yielded “strong” ratings for 5/10 and “weak” ratings for 3/10 studies. Implementation of systematic approaches to pain assessment appears to associate with more frequent documented reports of pain and more efficient decisions for pain management. There was evidence of favorable effects on pain intensity, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, mortality, adverse events, and complications. This systematic review demonstrates a link between systematic pain assessment and outcome in critical illness. However, the current level of evidence is insufficient to draw firm conclusions. More high quality randomized clinical studies are needed.
Systematic Review of the Use of Phytochemicals for Management of Pain in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Harrison Andrew M. , Heritier Fabrice , Childs Bennett G. , Bostwick J. Michael , Dziadzko Mikhail A.
Published: October 2015

Pain in cancer therapy is a common condition and there is a need for new options in therapeutic management. While phytochemicals have been proposed as one pain management solution, knowledge of their utility is limited. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of the biomedical literature for the use of phytochemicals for management of cancer therapy pain in human subjects. Of an initial database search of 1,603 abstracts, 32 full-text articles were eligible for further assessment. Only 7 of these articles met all inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The average relative risk of phytochemical versus control was 1.03 [95% CI 0.59 to 2.06]. In other words (although not statistically significant), patients treated with phytochemicals were slightly more likely than patients treated with control to obtain successful management of pain in cancer therapy. We identified a lack of quality research literature on this subject and thus were unable to demonstrate a clear therapeutic benefit for either general or specific use of phytochemicals in the management of cancer pain. This lack of data is especially apparent for psychotropic phytochemicals, such as theCannabisplant (marijuana). Additional implications of our findings are also explored.
Roles of Pyruvate, NADH, and Mitochondrial Complex I in Redox Balance and Imbalance inβCell Function and Dysfunction
Authors: Luo Xiaoting , Li Rongrong , Yan Liang-Jun
Published: October 2015

Pancreaticβcells not only use glucose as an energy source, but also sense blood glucose levels for insulin secretion. While pyruvate and NADH metabolic pathways are known to be involved in regulating insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulation, the roles of many other components along the metabolic pathways remain poorly understood. Such is the case for mitochondrial complex I (NADH/ubiquinone oxidoreductase). It is known that normal complex I function is absolutely required for episodic insulin secretion after a meal, but the role of complex I inβcells in the diabetic pancreas remains to be investigated. In this paper, we review the roles of pyruvate, NADH, and complex I in insulin secretion and hypothesize that complex I plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis ofβcell dysfunction in the diabetic pancreas. This hypothesis is based on the establishment that chronic hyperglycemia overloads complex I with NADH leading to enhanced complex I production of reactive oxygen species. As nearly all metabolic pathways are impaired in diabetes, understanding how complex I in theβcells copes with elevated levels of NADH in the diabetic pancreas may provide potential therapeutic strategies for diabetes.
Prostatosymphyseal Fistula Treated by Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Whelan Lucy , Mullarkey Emma , Woo Henry H.
Published: October 2015

This case report documents a rare complication of prostate resection following a Greenlight laser procedure. The 75-year-old gentleman involved underwent photoselective vaporisation of the prostate (PVP) for clinically benign prostatic obstruction. Subsequent to PVP, the patient experienced recurrent macroscopic haematuria and pubic pain. Investigations confirmed the presence of a prostate-symphyseal fistula, a rare complication of PVP. We believe this to be the first reported case of successful treatment with robotic assisted radical prostatectomy.
Amyand’s Hernia: Rare Presentation of a Common Ailment
Authors: Singhal Sanjeev , Singhal Anu , Negi Sanjay Singh , Tugnait Rahul , Arora Pankaj Kumar , Tiwari Bishwanath , Malik Pawan , Gupta Lav , Bimal Amit , Gupta Abhishek , Gupta Rahul , Chouhan Pushkar , Singh ChandraKant
Published: October 2015

Inguinal hernia with vermiform appendix as content is known as Amyand’s hernia. It is a rare entity but we encountered four cases within six months. A 52-year-old female had high grade fever and evidence of inflammatory pathology involving the ileocaecal region. She was initially managed conservatively and subsequently underwent exploratory laparatomy. The appendix was perforated and herniating in the inguinal canal. Appendectomy was done with herniorrhaphy without mesh placement. A 74-year-old male with bilateral inguinal hernia, of which, the right side was more symptomatic, underwent open exploration. Operative findings revealed a lipoma of the sac and a normal appearing appendix as content. Contents were reduced without appendectomy and mesh hernioplasty was performed. A 63-year-old male with an obstructed right sided hernia underwent emergency inguinal exploration which revealed edematous caecum and appendix as content without any inflammation. Contents were reduced without any resection. Herniorrhaphy was performed without mesh placement. A 66-year-old male with an uncomplicated right inguinal hernia underwent elective surgery. The sac revealed an appendix with adhesions at the neck. Contents were reduced after adhesiolysis and hernioplasty was performed with mesh placement. Emphasis is made to the rarity of disease, variation in presentation, and difference in treatment modalities depending upon the state of appendix.
QoS Management for Embedded Databases in Multicore-Based Embedded Systems
Authors: Kang Woochul , Chung Jaeyong
Published: October 2015

With ubiquitous deployment of sensors and network connectivity, amounts of real-time data for embedded systems are increasing rapidly and database capability is required for many embedded systems for systematic management of real-time data. In such embedded systems, supporting the timeliness of tasks accessing databases is an important problem. However, recent multicore-based embedded architectures pose a significant challenge for such data-intensive real-time tasks since the response time of accessing data can be significantly affected by potential intercore interferences. In this paper, we propose a novel feedback control scheme that supports the timeliness of data-intensive tasks against unpredictable intercore interferences. In particular, we use multiple inputs/multiple outputs (MIMO) control method that exploits multiple control knobs, for example, CPU frequency and the Quality-of-Data (QoD) to handle highly unpredictable workloads in multicore systems. Experimental results, using actual implementation, show that the proposed approach achieves the target Quality-of-Service (QoS) goals, such as task timeliness and Quality-of-Data (QoD) while consuming less energy compared to baseline approaches.
Gender Differences in Childhood Lyme Neuroborreliosis
Authors: Tveitnes Dag , Øymar Knut
Published: October 2015

Background. Many neurological diseases show differences between genders. We studied gender differences in childhood Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) in an endemic area of Lyme borreliosis in Norway.Methods. In a population based study, all children (<14 years of age) with symptoms suspicious of LNB, including all children with acute facial nerve palsy, were evaluated for LNB by medical history, clinical examination, blood tests, and lumbar puncture. LNB was diagnosed according to international criteria.Results. 142 children were diagnosed with LNB during 2001–2009. Facial nerve palsy was more common in girls (86%) than in boys (62%)p<0.001, but headache and/or neck stiffness as the only symptom was more common in boys (30%) than in girls (10%)p=0.003. The girls were younger than boys and had a shorter duration of symptoms, but boys had a higher level of pleocytosis than girls. In a multivariate analysis, both gender and having headache and neck stiffness were associated with a higher level of pleocytosis.Conclusion. Girls and boys have different clinical presentations of LNB, and boys have a higher level of inflammation than girls independent of the clinical presentation.
CMP-Neu5Ac Hydroxylase Null Mice as a Model for Studying Metabolic Disorders Caused by the Evolutionary Loss of Neu5Gc in Humans
Authors: Kwon Deug-Nam , Choi Yun-Jung , Cho Ssang-Goo , Park Chankyu , Seo Han Geuk , Song Hyuk , Kim Jin-Hoi
Published: October 2015

The purpose of this study was to identify the modification/turnover of gene products that are altered in humans due to evolutionary loss of Neu5Gc. CMP-Neu5Ac hydroxylase- (Cmah-) deficient mice show the infiltration of Kupffer cells within liver sinusoids, whereas body and liver weight develop normally. Pathway analysis by use of Illumina MouseRef-8 v2 Expression BeadChip provided evidence that a number of biological pathways, including the glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, TCA cycle, and pentose phosphate pathways, as well as glycogen metabolism-related gene expression, were significantly upregulated inCmah-null mice. The intracellular glucose supply inCmah-null mice resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the advanced glycation end products accumulation that could further induce oxidative stress. Finally, lowsirtuin-1andsirtuin-3gene expressions due to higher NADH/NAD inCmah-null mice decreasedFoxo-1andMnSODgene expression, suggesting that oxidative stress may result in mitochondrial dysfunction inCmah-null mouse. The present study suggests that mice with CMAH deficiency can be taken as an important model for studying metabolic disorders in humans.
Mortality in Iranian Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: Cumulative Impact of Cardiovascular Comorbidities as One Major Risk Factor
Authors: Fereshtehnejad Seyed-Mohammad , Shafieesabet Azadeh , Shafieesabet Mahdiyeh , Shahidi Gholam Ali , Delbari Ahmad , Lökk Johan
Published: October 2015

Mortality rate, life expectancy, survival, and the impact of comorbidities on them in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) need to be assessed in settings with different sociodemographic backgrounds. We investigated mortality features in Iranian PD patients focusing on the role of cardiovascular multimorbidity on their survival. Data on mortality and comorbidity profile was gathered in a cohort of 190 individuals with idiopathic PD referred to a Movement Disorders Clinic. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) compared to the Tehran general population was 3.44 and the life expectancy at birth was 67.4 (95% CI: 59.1–75.8) yr. Patients with at least one cardiovascular comorbidity had a shorter survival time after PD onset (14.0 versus 29.2 yr,p=0.012). The hazard ratio for death increased 2.8 times (95% CI: 1.5–5.2,p=0.002) with one additional cardiovascular comorbidity. Among all comorbid conditions, stroke showed the strongest independent effect on mortality in PD patients [HR = 13.1 (95% CI: 2.4–71.7),p=0.003]. Conclusively, life expectancy was slightly lower in Iranian PD patients compared to the general population, while the SMR was high. Cardiometabolic multimorbidity substantially decreased survival in people with PD. Our study highlights the need for assessment, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular morbidities in parkinsonian patients, given their effect on survival.
Identification of Gene Expression Pattern Related to Breast Cancer Survival Using Integrated TCGA Datasets and Genomic Tools
Authors: Huang Zhenzhen , Duan Huilong , Li Haomin
Published: October 2015

Several large-scale human cancer genomics projects such as TCGA offered huge genomic and clinical data for researchers to obtain meaningful genomics alterations which intervene in the development and metastasis of the tumor. A web-based TCGA data analysis platform called TCGA4U was developed in this study. TCGA4U provides a visualization solution for this study to illustrate the relationship of these genomics alternations with clinical data. A whole genome screening of the survival related gene expression patterns in breast cancer was studied. The gene list that impacts the breast cancer patient survival was divided into two patterns. Gene list of each of these patterns was separately analyzed on DAVID. The result showed that mitochondrial ribosomes play a more crucial role in the cancer development. We also reported that breast cancer patients with low HSPA2 expression level had shorter overall survival time. This is widely different to findings of HSPA2 expression pattern in other cancer types. TCGA4U provided a new perspective for the TCGA datasets. We believe it can inspire more biomedical researchers to study and explain the genomic alterations in cancer development and discover more targeted therapies to help more cancer patients.
Determinants of Method Switching among Social Franchise Clients Who Discontinued the Use of Intrauterine Contraceptive Device
Authors: Hameed Waqas , Azmat Syed Khurram , Ali Moazzam , Hussain Wajahat , Mustafa Ghulam , Ishaque Muhammad , Ali Safdar , Ahmed Aftab , Temmerman Marleen
Published: October 2015

Introduction. Women who do not switch to alternate methods after contraceptive discontinuation, for reasons other than the desire to get pregnant or not needing it, are at obvious risk for unplanned pregnancies or unwanted births. This paper examines the factors that influence women to switch from Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) to other methods instead of terminating contraceptive usage altogether.Methods. The data used for this study comes from a larger cross-sectional survey conducted in nine (9) randomly selected districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan, during January 2011. Using Stata 11.2, we analyzed data on 333 women, who reported the removal of IUCDs due to reasons other than the desire to get pregnant.Results. We found that 39.9% of the women do not switch to another method of contraception within one month after IUCD discontinuation. Use of contraception before IUCD insertion increases the odds for method switching by 2.26 times after removal. Similarly, postremoval follow-up by community health worker doubles (OR = 2.0) the chances of method switching. Compared with women who received free IUCD service (via voucher scheme), the method switching is 2.01 times higher among women who had paid for IUCD insertion.Conclusion. To increase the likelihood of method switching among IUCD discontinuers this study emphasizes the need for postremoval client counseling, follow-up by healthcare provider, improved choices to a wider range of contraceptives for poor clients, and user satisfaction.
A Comparison of Pattern of Pregnancy Loss in Women with Infertility Undergoing IVF and Women with Unexplained Recurrent Miscarriages Who Conceive Spontaneously
Authors: Tamhankar Vidya A. , Liu Beiyu , Yan Junhao , Li Tin-Chiu
Published: October 2015

Objective. Women with infertility and recurrent miscarriages may have an overlapping etiology. The aim of this study was to compare the pregnancy loss in pregnancies after IVF treatment with spontaneous pregnancies in women with recurrent miscarriages and to assess differences related to cause of infertility.Methods. The outcome from 1220 IVF pregnancies (Group I) was compared with 611 spontaneous pregnancies (Group II) in women with recurrent miscarriages. Subgroup analysis was performed in Group I based on cause of infertility: tubal factor (392 pregnancies); male factor (610 pregnancies); and unexplained infertility (218 pregnancies).Results. The clinical pregnancy loss rate in Group I (14.3%) was significantly lower than that of Group II (25.8%,p<0.001) and this was independent of the cause of infertility. However the timing of pregnancy loss was similar between Groups I and II. The clinical pregnancy loss rate in Group I was similar in different causes of infertility.Conclusions. The clinical pregnancy loss rate following IVF treatment is lower than that of women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages who conceived spontaneously. This difference persists whether the infertility is secondary to tubal factors, male factors, or unexplained cause.
TNF Receptor-2 Facilitates an Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in the Liver to Promote the Colonization and Growth of Hepatic Metastases
Authors: Ham Boram , Wang Ni , D'Costa Zarina , Fernandez Maria Celia , Bourdeau France , Auguste Patrick , Illemann Martin , Eefsen Rikke Loevendahl , Høyer-Hansen Gunilla , Vainer Ben , Evrard Maximilien , Gao Zu-Hua , Brodt Pnina
Published: October 2015

Successful colonization by a cancer cell of a distant metastatic site requires immune escape in the new microenvironment. TNF signaling has been implicated broadly in the suppression of immune surveillance that prevents colonization at the metastatic site and therefore must be blocked. In this study, we explored how TNF signaling influences the efficiency of liver metastasis by colon and lung carcinoma in mice that are genetically deficient for the TNF receptor TNFR2. We found a marked reduction in liver metastases that correlated with a greatly reduced accumulation at metastatic sites of CD11b+GR-1+ myeloid cells with enhanced arginase activity, identified as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Reduced infiltration of MDSC coincided with a reduction in the number of CD4+FoxP3+ T regulatory cells in the tumors. Reconstitution of TNFR2-deficient mice with normal bone marrow, or adoptive transfer of TNFR2-expressing MDSC into these mice, was sufficient to restore liver metastasis to levels in wild-type mice. Conversely, treatment with TNFR2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotides reduced liver metastasis in wild-type mice. Clinically, immunohistochemical analysis of liver metastases from chemotherapy-naïve colon cancer patients confirmed the presence of CD33+HLA-DR−TNFR2+ myeloid cells in the periphery of hepatic metastases. Overall, our findings implicate TNFR2 in supporting MDSC-mediated immune suppression and metastasis in the liver, suggesting the use of TNFR2 inhibitors as a strategy to prevent metastatic progression to liver in colon, lung, and various other types of cancer. Cancer Res; 75(24); 5235–47. ©2015 AACR.
Abstract A17: Identification and characterization of small molecules targeting MYC-cofactor interactions
Authors: Castell Alina , Yan Qinzi , Ridderstråle Karin , Larsson. Lars-Gunnar
Published: October 2015

Our aim is to develop specific inhibitors targeting the interaction between the oncoprotein/transcription factor MYC and its cofactors. MYC-family genes (MYC, MYCN, MYCL) are involved in over half of all cancers, including many childhood cancers such as neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, leukemia and lymphoma, and is often strongly associated with poor prognosis. This emphasizes the need to identify clinically relevant MYC inhibitors. It regulates numerous genes involved in cell growth, metabolism, apoptosis, senescence and other processes. MYC is functionally dependent on interaction with the dimerization partner MAX and with several cofactors involved in different aspects of transcription regulation. Targeting such interactions with low Mw compounds is a plausible way to inhibit the transcriptional function of MYC. We have established several techniques to visualize MYC-cofactor interactions in living (BiFC, split Gaussia Luc) or fixed (isPLA) cells to screen small Mw compound libraries for MYC/cofactor-interaction inhibitors. In MYC/MAX BiFC and Gaussia Luc screens, 15 compounds were identified that directly or indirectly inhibit MYC/MAX interactions in cells. Several of these compounds including analogues are potent inhibitors of MYC/MYCN-dependent proliferation and transformation in neuroblastoma, leukemia/lymphoma and other cancer cells by inducing apoptosis or senescence. One of these, #2, and analogues completely inhibit MYC/MAX interactions in vitro by binding MYC. Another compound, 2XU, inhibit MYC/MAX interactions in sub-nanomolar concentration. We are evaluating the biological activities of these molecules further in different MYC-driven cell culture systems, and are elucidating their mechanisms of action by X-ray crystallography, FRET and SPR. In vivo studies with some of these molecules in mouse tumor models is ongoing. Furthermore, extended screens for finding molecules targeting MYC and other cofactor interactions, such as E3-ligases, are ongoing. The MYC inhibitors identified here have the potential to become important tools in the studies of MYC function in cells and in vivo as well as lead molecules for drug development for treatment of MYC-driven tumors.

Citation Format: Alina Castell, Qinzi Yan, Karin Ridderstråle, Lars-Gunnar Larsson. Identification and characterization of small molecules targeting MYC-cofactor interactions. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Myc: From Biology to Therapy; Jan 7-10, 2015; La Jolla, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2015;13(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A17.