bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heritable alteration in salt-tolerance in rice induced by introgression from wild rice (Zizania latifolia)
Authors: Yang Chunwu , Zhang Tianyuan , Wang Huan , Zhao Na , Liu Bao
Published: December 2012

Background

Introgression as a means of generating phenotypic novelty, including altered stress tolerance, is increasingly being recognized as common. The underlying basis for de novo genesis of phenotypic variation in the introgression lines remains largely unexplored. In this investigation, we used a rice line (RZ35) derived from introgressive hybridization between rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wild rice (Zizania latifolia Griseb.), along with its rice parental line (cv. Matsumae) as the experimental materials. We compared effects of salt stress on growth, ion homeostasis, and relevant gene expression between RZ35 and Matsumae, to explore possible mechanisms of heritable alteration in stress tolerance induced by the introgression.

Results

Contrary to our expectation, the results showed that the inhibitory effect of salt stress on growth of RZ35 was significantly greater than that of Matsumae. We further found that a major underlying cause for this outcome is that the introgression process weakened the capacity in Na+ exclusion under the salt stress condition, and hence, escalated the injuries of Na+ and Cl- in shoots of RZ35. Accordingly, based on q-RT-PCR analysis, four genes known to be involved in the Na+ exclusion, i.e., OsHKT1;5, OsSOS1, OsCIPK24 and OsCBL4, were found to be significantly down-regulated in roots of RZ35 relative to its rice parental line under the salt stress condition, thus implicating a gene expression regulation-based molecular mechanism underlying the difference in salt stress-tolerance between the introgression line and its rice parental line.

Conclusions

We show that introgression represents a potent means for rapidly generating de novo heritable variations in physiological traits like stress tolerance in plants, although the direction of the alteration appears unpredictable.
Effect of Lactation on Postpartum Cardiac Function of Pregnancy-Associated Hypertensive Mice
Authors: Murata Kazuya , Saito Chiaki , Ishida Junji , Hamada Juri , Sugiyama Fumihiro , Yagami Ken-ichi , Fukamizu Akiyoshi
Published: December 2012

Preeclampsia is a serious complication during pregnancy, and recent epidemiological studies indicate the association between preeclampsia and cardiac morbidity and mortality during the postpartum period. Although the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the postpartum period is affected by lactation, its role in maternal heart with a history of preeclampsia remains unclear. In this study, we investigated postpartum change in cardiac remodeling and function of pregnancy-associated hypertensive (PAH) mice with and without lactation. The systolic blood pressure was increased in PAH mice at day 19 of gestation (E19) and was reduced to normal levels in both lactating and nonlactating (NL) groups in the postpartum period. Histological analyses revealed that cardiac hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration in PAH mice at E19 were improved in both lactating and NL groups at 4 weeks postpartum (4W-PP), while marked fibrosis remained. Increased mRNA expression of profibrotic genes and proinflammatory cytokines in PAH mice at E19 was significantly reduced in both lactating and NL groups at 4W-PP. Echocardiographic analysis found no significant differences in fractional shortening between PAH mice and C57BL/6J mice at E19. On the other hand, at 4W-PP, NL PAH mice showed normal fractional shortening, but lactating PAH mice exhibited significant decreases in cardiac contractility compared with NL PAH mice. These results show that cardiac remodeling induced by hypertension during pregnancy are improved in the postpartum period except fibrosis, whereas lactation induces cardiac contractile dysfunction in mice with a history of pregnancy-associated hypertension.
Representations of Gender in Malaysian Malay Cinema: Implications for Human Security
Authors: Basri Fuziah Kartini Hassan
Published: December 2012

The Human Development Report in 1994 redefines human security as people-centered and suggests that it is easier to ensure through early prevention (see www.undp.org/hdro/hdrs/1994/english/94.htm). For most people, insecurity comes from the concerns about their survival, self-preservation,
and wellbeing in a day-to-day context. When associated with gender, these concerns are manifested in the form of gender injustice, specifically when one sex dominates and oppresses another in many ways and by various means. In most societies today, it is women who feel more insecure than men.
This is no wonder as the alarming statistics on violence and crime against women around the world often illustrate (for reports on Malaysia, see Wencelaus Dana, 2004; Rashila and Junaenah, 2004).
Heim Movies: The Return of the Cyborg Double in The Ring Franchise
Authors: Ashby Madeline
Published: December 2012

Accepting The Ring as uncanny necessitates an interdisciplinary approach to its reading. Where this essay will differ from previous criticism is in its refusal to stand on either side of the anthropological/psychoanalytic divide that has heretofore dominated the discourse regarding
both the Japanese and American films. Instead, I have chosen to read Sadako and Samara's story as that about an avenging, repressed cyborg who, unlike the liberated Harawayan heroines of Ghost in the Shell or other Japanese cultural products, does not revel in her non-binarist nature but navigates
the diaspora wrathfully. Her seemingly-endless uncanny return is made possible only through her union with technology
Mother Earth Tuya's Marriage
Authors: Chen Ya-chen
Published: December 2012

Following Wang Quanan's claims about the topics of his film, I argue that the interrelationship he describes constitutes a sort of ecofeminist intertextuality that challenges stereotypical patriarchal marital systems and gender ideologies. Essentially speaking, Tuya is Mother Earth;
her illness, a consequence of the overuse of her physical powers, mirrors the abuse of the natural environment. The audiovisual ecofeminism in the cinematic story of Mother Earth Tuya's marriage revises the stereotypical patriarchal definitions of polygamy, division of labor, women working
force, dowry, divorce, men's ownership of women, and even penis envy or castration fear.
Spectacles, but no Wheelchairs
Authors: Pearson Lyle
Published: December 2012

The subject of Ravi Chopra's 2003 Hindi film Baghban (The Gardener), Indian senior citizens, is rare on film but increasing in reality enough to warrant extended comment. We have little to go on concerning contemporary Indian seniors. Tilak and the editors of the first book, Drs. Bose
and Gangrade, claim there is not yet a science of Indian gerontology, despite the evidence below.
The (Auto)biography of a Madman: Ambivalence and Ambiguity in Zhang Yang's Quitting
Authors: Zhu Aijun
Published: December 2012

Quitting is essentially a biography of a madman. this article will take a closer look at quitting and will find that Jia Hongsheng and the Madman share a poignant criticism on the traditions they are to inherit. Although the Madman is more relentless condemning thousands of years of
Chinese civilization as cannibalistic, the quest of Jia Hongsheng is more complex and more profound in that he not only challenges the fatherly tradition of peasant culture, but that he questions the significance of life in itself. Unlike the Madman who goes back to normal, Jia seems rather
ambiguous and not quite "cured."
Post-Independence Sinhala Films: Milestones of Social Change in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayasinghe Manouri , Dissanyake Niluka
Published: December 2012

The birth of the Sinhala film industry coincided with Ceylonese independence. From the 16th century onwards, Ceylon had seen successive invasions and colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. Independence was finally attained with the departure of the British, in early 1948.
It thus seems telling that the first Sinhala movie, Kadawuna Poronduwa (Broken Promise), was released in 1947. The objective of this paper is to portray how Sinhala cinema depicts the various socio-political developments which Sri Lanka has undergone in the post-independence period.
Titanium Dioxide‐Mediated Photocatalytic Degradation of Humic Acid under Natural Sunlight
Authors: He Yi
Published: December 2012

In this article, photocatalytic degradation of humic acid, a predominant type of natural organic matter present in ground and surface waters, was conducted using a commercial titanium dioxide catalyst under natural sunlight irradiation in a batch photoreactor. Various parameters, such as photocatalyst loading, pH value, irradiation intensity, initial concentration, and illumination time, had a significant influence on humic acid removal. The adsorption isotherm of TiO2 dosage fit to Langmuir's isotherm equation well, and the reaction kinetics of initial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration increased with the increase of TiO2 dosage but decreased with the increase of initial DOC. The mineralization of humic acid revealed that the large molecular weight organics with aromatic and hydrophobic properties were removed, while the most persistent components were the shortest UV‐absorbing and hydrophilic low‐molecular‐weight compounds. This study indicates that the solar/TiO2 photocatalytic degradation is a promising process for humic acid removal from water.
Use of relative effectiveness information in reimbursement and pricing decisions in Europe
Authors: van Nooten Floortje , Caro J Jaime
Published: December 2012

Although comparative effectiveness has received considerable attention recently – especially in the USA – it is not a new concept. In Europe, it has been applied for some time now in the pricing and reimbursement processes of many countries. Each one uses it in its own way, however, with variations in the precise definition and the role it plays in the process. It remains to be seen whether the implementation of comparative effectiveness becomes more harmonized and whether it will be integrated better with the registration process. Regardless of the extent to which it is standardized, obtaining the data will remain a substantial hurdle, both methodologically and operationally. Everyone wants comparative effectiveness information but no one knows quite how to make it happen.
Matching study designs to disability-related comparative effectiveness research questions
Authors: Ballou Jeffrey , Rich Eugene , Kehn Matthew
Published: December 2012

Comparative effectiveness research can help patients with disabilities; their caregivers and providers determine which healthcare choices are beneficial and will most reduce limitations and barriers, and improve quality of life. Well-designed comparative effectiveness research will be critical as the number of working-age adults affected by disability grows in the future, along with disability-related health expenditures. To better address the need for high-quality and informative research on the effectiveness of interventions for people with disabilities, the authors conducted a comprehensive review of existing standards for assessing evidence quality, collecting input from a wide range of experts and policy makers to determine the type of evidence needed for informing disability-related decision-making and the applicability of existing standards to disability research. This review article presents methodological and design issues for researchers to consider when addressing disability-related comparative effectiveness research questions.
Inflammatory Markers and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Wang Xia , Bao Wei , Liu Jun , OuYang Ying-Ying , Wang Di , Rong Shuang , Xiao Xiao , Shan Zhi-Lei , Zhang Yan , Yao Ping , Liu Lie-Gang
Published: December 2012

OBJECTIVE

There has been growing evidence that inflammatory markers play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. We aimed to systematically review prospective studies on the associations of elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with increased risk of type 2 diabetes by conducting a meta-analysis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Library databases up until 10 February 2012 was conducted to retrieve prospective studies matched to search terms. We used generalized least-squares trend estimation to assess dose-response relationships. The summary risk estimates were pooled using either fixed-effects or random-effects models to incorporate between-study variation.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis, including 10 prospective studies, with a total of 19,709 participants and 4,480 cases, detected a significant dose-response association of IL-6 levels with type 2 diabetes risk (relative risk [RR] 1.31 [95% CI 1.17–1.46]). For CRP, the meta-analysis involving 22 cohorts, with a total of 40,735 participants and 5,753 cases, showed that elevated CRP levels were significantly associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes (1.26 [1.16–1.37]), with the absence of publication bias. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses further supported the associations.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis provides further evidence that elevated levels of IL-6 and CRP are significantly associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Morita-Baylis-Hillman and Rauhut-Currier Reactions of Conjugated Nitroalkenes
Authors: Kaur Kirandeep , Namboothiri Irishi N. N.
Published: December 2012

?-Functionalization of conjugated nitroalkenes and nitrodienes using various electrophiles in the presence of amine catalysts such as imidazole and DMAP and the synthetic applications of the products are reviewed. The electrophiles include formaldehyde, activated non-enolizable
carbonyl compounds, activated imines, azodicarboxylates as well as activated alkenes such as nitroalkenes, MVK and acrylate. Reports on synthetic applications of the products, though only appearing in the last three years, highlight the potential of these multi-functional scaffolds to take
part in diverse transformations such as Michael addition, cycloaddition and many cascade reactions leading to complex molecules including natural products.
“Zealous for Their Own Way of Worship”: Defoe, Monarchy, and Religious Toleration during the War of the Quadruple Alliance
Authors: Strawn Morgan
Published: December 2012

Daniel Defoe divides his historical novel Memoirs of a Cavalier (1720) into two parts. The first follows King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden in the Thirty Years War (1618–48); the second examines Charles i and the Bishops’ Wars (1639–40). This diptych portrait of kingship highlights the advantages and limits of the monarch’s ability to promote religious toleration, resonating with contemporary political developments. During the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–20), Britain partnered with Catholic countries in order to preserve the Continental balance of power. The representation of Gustavus Adolphus’s ecumenical leadership in Memoirs of a Cavalier reflects Defoe’s newfound appreciation for such interfaith co-operation. While eighteenth-century conflict revealed the benefits of co-operating with Catholic foreigners, it also revealed the dangers of weakening religious establishments at home. When Spain attempted to disrupt the British war effort by sponsoring an uprising of Episcopalian Highlanders, many blamed that disturbance on laws that weakened the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. For British readers in 1720, the re-enactment of the Bishops’ Wars was a timely reminder of the dangers that arose when king and kirk quarrelled.
Barbauld’s Richardson and the Canonization of Personal Character
Authors: Hammerschmidt Sören
Published: December 2012

In The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson (1804), Anna Barbauld assured readers that the novelist’s personal character (as displayed in his letters) corresponded to his authorial moral character (as inferred through his novels) in order to present him as an appropriate father of the modern British novel—a process I call the canonization of personal character. Barbauld’s editorial work presented Richardson as a benevolent patriarchal figure whose moral authority over the domestic life of his extended family guaranteed the morality of his novels and personal character alike. As my study of Richardson’s correspondence with Sarah Wescomb shows, Barbauld’s interventions muted challenges to Richardson’s authority on questions of paternal control and filial obedience. Life writing, textual criticism, and literary history intertwined so intimately in Barbauld’s treatment that they mutually constituted and sustained each other. Her contributions to the elevation and institution of novels as national genre in the Correspondence and The British Novelists (1810) should therefore be read alongside her canonization of Richardson as the first properly moral, modern novelist.
Sequential three-component synthesis of 1,4-bis[6,9-dihydro-6-oxo-9-phenyl-1H-purin-2-yl]piperazines
Authors: Fang Zheng Dong , Fang Di , Cheng Quan
Published: December 2012

A simple one-pot efficient method for the synthesis of 1,4-bis[6,9-dihydro-6-oxo-9-phenyl-1 H-purin-2-yl]piperazines by a domino three-component process involves an aza-Wittig reaction/heterocyclisation in the presence of sodium ethoxide as catalyst. Ethyl 1-phenyl-5-[(triphenylphosphoranylidene)amino]-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylate reacted with aromatic isocyanate to give carbodiimide intermediates, followed by addition of piperazines to give the corresponding guanidine intermediates. The guanidine intermediates were cyclised in the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium ethoxide to give 1,4-bis(6,9-dihydro-6-oxo-9-phenyl-1 H-purin-2-yl)piperazine derivatives in good yields.
One-Pot Tandem Approach for the Synthesis of Quinazolinones from ortho-Aminobenzamides, Benzyl Halides and Benzyl Alcohols
Authors: Motevalli Kourosh , Mirzazadeh Roghieh , Yaghoubi Zahra
Published: December 2012

A one-pot tandem procedure is described for the synthesis of quinazolinones from benzyl halides or benzyl alcohols and ortho-aminobenzamides leading to the production of quinazolinones with high yields under mild conditions in DMSO without requiring an additional oxidant. According to the current method benzyl chlorides, benzyl bromides and benzyl alcohols bearing a range of substituents are suitable substrates.
The First Total Synthesis of Fuscain
Authors: Liang Yuan-wei , Liao Xiao-jian , Wang Chang-jun , Guo Jin-zhi , Li Shuo , Xu Shi-hai
Published: December 2012

The first total synthesis of the furanolactam fuscain is reported. The key step in the synthesis was the formation of seven-membered lactam by acylation of a furan ring using the mild Lewis acid CuSO4·5H2O.
Gangrenous jejunogastric intussuception as a complication of gastric surgery
Authors: Hossain SM , Iqbal AKMR , Ahmed SF , Rahman MW
Published: December 2012

Jejunogastric intussusception (JGI) is a rare but serious complication following gastrojenjunostomy operation. Clinical presentation may be acute or chronic. The efferent loop intussusception is most frequent type. Our case report include a 60 years male presented with sudden onset of epigastric pain, vomiting, hematemesis and a palpable mass at epigastrium with previous history of gastric surgery about 11 years back. Diagnosis of JGI was confirmed with endoscopy findings. After prompt resuscitation early surgery was done. Gangrenous segment was resected and revision surgery was done in Roux-en-Y pattern. Post-operative period was uneventful. Awareness of such complication, early diagnosis and prompt surgery can reduce the mortality of JGI. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bmjk.v43i1-2.13018 Bang Med J (Khulna) 2010; 43: 18-20
Psychoanalysis to the People!: Alienation, Anguish, and the Unconscious in a Review of the Italian Left, 1961–9
Authors: Pasqualini Mauro
Published: December 2012

This article explores how the Italian filmmaker and novelist Lorenza Mazzetti (1928–) has appropriated psychoanalysis. By looking at her novels and basically at her column of personal advice within the Communist weekly Vie Nuove during the 1960s, the article shows her increasing use of psychoanalytic insights as a form of defending a secular sexual morality and changes in gender relations as well as way of analysing the relationship between youth and politics. The article highlights Mazzetti's initial distrust towards psychoanalysis, and contrasts it with her increasing enthusiasm for psychoanalysis as a necessary companion of revolutionary activism. It takes Mazzetti's case as evidence of the receptivity towards psychoanalysis among Italian Communists.
Thirty Years On: K.R. Eissler's Interview with Joan Riviere (1953)
Authors: Bakman Nina
Published: December 2012

In her interview with Kurt R. Eissler, Joan Riviere talked about her analysis with Freud and her translation of his writings. Other subjects covered were her discovery of Melanie Klein's work, the question of Freud's technique, her relationship with Anna Freud, in particular, her views on child analysis. With her well-known severity, Riviere assessed Freud as an analyst. She provided a testimony of his approach to training analyses.
Cantharidin and Its Anhydride-Modified Derivatives: Relation of Structure to Insecticidal Activity
Authors: Sun Wenbo , Liu Zhongyi , Zhang Yalin
Published: December 2012

Cantharidin is a natural compound of novel structure with ideal insecticidal activity. However, the relationship of structure to insecticidal activity of cantharidin and its derivatives has not been ever clarified. To explore what determines the insecticidal activity structurally of cantharidin-related compounds, two series target compounds 6 and 7 were synthesized by replacing the anhydride ring of norcantharidin with an aromatic amine or fatty amine with different electron density, respectively. The structures of these compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS-ESI. A bioassay showed that compounds 6 (a–m) lacked any larvicidal activity against Plutella xylostella; whereas their ring-opened partners 7 (a–m) provided a variety of larvicidal activities against P. xylostella, and compound 7f indicated the highest larvicidal activity with LC50 value of 0.43 mM. The present work demonstrated that the form of the compound (cyclic or ring-opened) or their ability to hydrolyze facilely was the key to determine whether it exhibits larvicidal activity. Moreover, it revealed that the improvement of insecticidal activity required a reasonable combination of both aliphatic amide and aromatic amide moieties, and the type of substituent Y on the aniline ring was critical.
Immunological Effects of Oenothein B, an Ellagitannin Dimer, on Dendritic Cells
Authors: Yoshimura Morio , Akiyama Hiroshi , Kondo Kazunari , Sakata Kozue , Matsuoka Hideki , Amakura Yoshiaki , Teshima Reiko , Yoshida Takashi
Published: December 2012

Oenothein B is a unique macrocyclic ellagitannin dimer that has been found in various medicinal plants belonging to Onagraceae, Lythraceae, and Myrtaceae, with diverse biological activities. The immunological effects of tannins in terms of cytokine-release from macrophages and monocytes have been discussed, while the effects on other immunocompetent cells have been the subject of minimal investigation. We evaluated the immunomodulatory effects induced by tannin treatment in human dendritic cells (DCs), which play a critical role in the initial immune response, by measuring the changes in cytokine production, cell differentiation, and cell viability. Oenothein B showed significant down-regulation of the expression of cell surface molecules, CD1a and CD83, suggesting the inhibition of DC differentiation and/or maturation. The suppressive effect on DCs was associated with the induction of apoptosis without the activation of caspase-3/7, 8, and 9, and this was supported by the morphological features indicating significant nuclear condensation. Oenothein B also markedly suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, in a dose-dependent manner. These data may, in part, be able to explain the traditional use of tannin-containing medicinal plants for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Spatial Regulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling by Endocytosis
Authors: Ceresa Brian
Published: December 2012

Signaling by cell surface receptors appears to be relatively straight-forward: ligand binds to the extracellular domain of the receptor and biochemical changes are communicated into the cell. However, this process is more complex than it first seems due to the various mechanisms that regulate signaling. In order to effectively target these receptors for pharmacological purposes, a more complete understanding of how their signaling is regulated is needed. Here, how the endocytic pathway regulates receptor signaling is discussed, using the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a model. In particular, the spatial regulation of signaling is examined. Areas of discussion include: how endocytic trafficking affects biology/pathology, varying approaches for studying the relationship between receptor endocytosis and signaling, and developments in how the endocytic pathway controls EGFR:effector communication and EGFR-mediated cell biology.
Survival and Infectivity of the Insect-Parasitic Nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar in Solutions Containing Four Different Turfgrass Soil Surfactants
Authors: Hoctor Terri , Gibb Timothy , Bigelow Cale , Richmond Douglas
Published: December 2012

This laboratory study examined viability and infectivity of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar in solutions containing four different turfgrass soil surfactants: Revolution (Aquatrols Corp., Paulsboro, NJ), Aqueduct (Aquatrols Corp., Paulsboro, NJ), Cascade Plus (Precision Laboratories Inc., Waukegan, IL) and OARS (Aqua-Aid Inc., Rocky Mount, NC). Infective juvenile H. bacteriophora were added to solutions containing each of the four surfactants, and nematode viability and infectivity were monitored over time. In one of two trials, nematode survival in solutions containing the surfactants Aqueduct and Cascade Plus was consistently higher compared to the water control and solutions containing Revolution or OARS. Surfactants had no significant influence on nematode infectivity in either trial. Findings indicate that most of the common turfgrass soil surfactants examined should be compatible with EPNs and that some may potentially enhance nematode survival. Results also imply that tank-mixing of EPNs with most turfgrass soil surfactants should not pose a significant risk to the nematodes. The influence of soil surfactants on EPN performance remains to be examined in the field.
A Refined Finite Element Formulation for the Microstructure-Dependent Analysis of Two-Dimensional (2D) Lattice Materials
Authors: Mancusi Geminiano , Feo Luciano
Published: December 2012

A finite element approximation is proposed for the dynamic analysis of two-dimensional (2D) lattice materials. The unit cell is modeled by means of a defined number of shear deformable micro-beams. The main innovative feature concerns the presence of a microstructure-dependent scale length, which allows the consideration of the so called size-effect that can be highly relevant, due to the characteristics of the lattice at the local scale. Some numerical results show the influence of the microstructure parameter on the dynamic behavior of two-dimensional lattice materials.
Mechanical Properties and Deformation Behavior of Bulk Metallic Glasses
Authors: Louzguine-Luzgin Dmitri , Louzguina-Luzgina Larissa , Churyumov Alexander
Published: December 2012

Metallic glasses demonstrate unique properties, including large elastic limit and high strength, which make them attractive for practical applications. Unlike crystalline alloys, metallic glasses, in general, do not exhibit a strain hardening effect, while plastic deformation at room temperature is localized in narrow shear bands. Room-temperature mechanical properties and deformation behavior of bulk metallic glassy samples and the crystal-glassy composites are reviewed in the present paper.
Learning and digital inclusion: the ELAMP project
Authors: D'Arcy Kate
Published: December 2012

The Electronic Learning and Mobility Project (ELAMP) was a nationally funded project by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which ran from 2004 to 2010. The main aim of ELAMP was to improve the education of Traveller children, particularly highly mobile learners. ELAMP focussed upon the use of mobile technology and distance learning to support, enhance and extend young Travellers’ educational and vocational opportunities. This article will reflect upon the learning and technological experiences and opportunities that the ELAMP project provided for Traveller children, young people and their families. In doing so it will critically consider the value of information technology in working with Traveller communities and advancing their educational opportunities. Reviewing ELAMP work will also demonstrate how the use of mobile technology can improve educational outcomes and Traveller families’ digital inclusion. Now that the project has ended, this article will question why we are not using what we learnt from ELAMP to move forward. The author was a tutor on the project who also evaluated the Strand B, Wider Key Skills element of ELAMP for The University of Sheffield between 2008 and 2010, which is the main focus of this particular article.Keywords: ELAMP; education: digital inclusion; information technology; young Travellers and their families(Published: 19 December 2012)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2012, 20: 18603 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v20i0.18603
Digital exclusion or learning exclusion? An ethnographic study of adult male distance learners in English prisons
Authors: Pike Anne , Adams Anne
Published: December 2012

Previous research has highlighted the value of technology to enhance learning. However, digital inclusion research has argued that many issues such as skills, access, usability and choice impact on the effectiveness of technology to enhance learning. The findings in this paper add to the debate by highlighting the importance of value and context. In particular, the value that institutions and individuals place on the role of further and higher distance learning in a prison can affect technology-enhanced learning in that context. This research identified that despite good IT skills and improved technologies, prison learners’ access and use of technology is hampered by conflicting priorities amongst the multiple organisations controlling prisoner activities. This can lead to a prison in which menial work is valued far higher than learning. Technology-enhanced distance learning, perceived by many to be a lifeline in a desolate environment, is heavily restricted in such prisons. The situation is thought to be deteriorating as the number of organisations involved increases and the Government’s plans for ‘‘working’’ prisons gather pace.Keywords: social inclusion; digital inclusion; distance learning; higher education; prisoner reintegration(Published: 19 December 2012)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2012, 20: 18620 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v20i0.18620
Information and communication technology related needs of college and university students with disabilities
Authors: Fichten Catherine S. , Asuncion Jennison V. , Wolforth Joan , Barile Maria , Budd Jillian , Martiniello Natalie , Amsel Rhonda
Published: December 2012

Purpose: To explore variables related to how well the information and communication technologies (ICTs) related needs of students with different disabilities are being met on campus at institutions of higher education, at home and in e-learning contexts. We also explore the disciplines and programmes pursued by students with different disabilities and the specialised ICTs they use. Method: A total of 1,354 Canadian university and junior/community college students with various disabilities completed the POSITIVES Scale. Results: Post-secondary students often have several disabilities which may affect how easily they can use ICTs. Students’ disabilities also influence the specialised ICTs they use and how well their ICT-related needs are being met. While the findings indicate that, overall, students’ ICT-related needs are generally well met, the results also show that these are better met on campus than at home, and at colleges than at universities. This is not related to institution size or to students’ disciplines. Conclusions: Our results show more favourable than unfavourable findings. Nevertheless, there are concerns around the availability of computers with adaptive software/hardware in specialised laboratories as well as with institutional ICT loan programmes; funding for ICTs for personal use; training, both on and off campus; and technical support off campus.Keywords: college university students; disabilities; POSITIVES Scale; ICT needs; e-learning(Published: 19 December 2012)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2012, 20: 18646 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v20i0.18646
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor and Interleukin-1β are Important Cytokines in Repair of the Cirrhotic Liver after Bone Marrow Cell Infusion: Comparison of Humans and Model Mice
Authors: Mizunaga Yuko , Terai Shuji , Yamamoto Naoki , Uchida Koichi , Yamasaki Takahiro , Nishina Hiroshi , Fujita Yusuke , Shinoda Koh , Hamamoto Yoshihiko , Sakaida Isao
Published: December 2012

We previously described the effectiveness of autologous bone marrow cell infusion (ABM i) therapy for patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). We analyzed chronological changes in 19 serum cytokines as well as levels of specific cytokines in patients after ABM i therapy and in a mouse model of cirrhosis generated using green fluorescent protein (GFP)/carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). We measured expression profiles of cytokines in serum samples collected from 13 patients before and at 1 day and 1 week after ABM i. Child–Pugh scores significantly improved in all of these patients. To analyze the meaning of early cytokine change, we infused GFP-positive bone marrow cells (BMCs) into mice with CCl4-induced LC and obtained serum and tissue samples at 1 day and as well as at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks later. We compared chronological changes in serum cytokine expression in humans and in the model mice at 1 day and 1 week after BMC infusion. Among 19 cytokine, both granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in serum was found to show the same chronological change pattern between human and mice model. Next, we examined changes in cytokine expression in cirrhosis liver before and at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after BMC infusion. Both G-CSF and IL-1β were undetectable in the liver tissues before and at 1 week after BMC infusion but increased at 2 weeks and continued until 4 weeks after infusion. The infused BMCs induced an early decrease of both G-CSF and IL-1β in serum and an increase in the model mice with LC. These dynamic cytokine changes might be important to repair liver cirrhosis after BMC infusion.
G-CSF Stimulation and Coronary Reinfusion of Mobilized Circulating Mononuclear Proangiogenic Cells in Patients with Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease: Five-Year Results of the TOPCARE-G-CSF Trial
Authors: Honold Joerg , Fischer-Rasokat Ulrich , Lehmann Ralf , Leistner David M. , Seeger Florian H. , Schachinger Volker , Martin Hans , Dimmeler Stefanie , Zeiher Andreas M. , Assmus Birgit
Published: December 2012

Prognosis of patients with heart failure remains poor despite improved conventional and interventional treatment regimens. The improvement of neovascularization and repair processes by administration of bone marrow-derived cells modestly improved the recovery after acute myocardial infarction. However, circulating patient-derived cells are reduced in number and function particularly in chronic heart failure. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis whether the mobilization of circulating mononuclear proangiogenic cells (CPCs) by G-CSF may overcome some of these limitations. In the present pilot study, 32 patients with at least 3-month-old myocardial infarction were randomized to G-CSF alone (G-CSF group) or intracoronary infusion of G-CSF-mobilized and cultured CPCs into the infarct-related artery (G-CSF/CPC group). Primary endpoint of the study was safety. Efficacy parameters included serial assessment of LV function, NT-proBNP levels, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. G-CSF effectively mobilized circulating CD34+CD45+ cells after 5 days in all patients (408 ± 64%) without serious adverse events. At 3 months, NYHA class and global LV function did not show significant improvements in both treatment groups (G-CSF: ΔLVEF 1.6 ± 2.4%; p = 0.10; G-CSF/CPC: ΔLVEF 1.4 ± 4.1%; p = 0.16). In contrast, target area contractility improved significantly in the G-CSF/CPC group. During 5-year follow-up, one patient died after rehospitalization for worsening heart failure. Eleven patients underwent further revascularization procedures. NT-proBNP levels, cardiopulmonary exercise capacity, and NYHA class remained stable in both treatment groups. The results from our pilot trial indicate that administration of G-CSF alone or G-CSF-mobilized and cultured CPCs can be performed safely in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. However, only minor effects on LV function, NT-proBNP levels, and NYHA classification were observed during follow-up, suggesting that the enhancement of CPCs by G-CSF alone does not substantially improve intracoronary cell therapy effects in patients with chronic ischemic heart failure.
Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Advanced Prostate Cancer: Is Intermittent Therapy the New Standard of Care?
Authors: Klotz L. , Toren P.
Published: December 2012

Purpose: Intermittent androgen deprivation is increasingly used as an alternative to continuous life-long androgen deprivation therapy for men with advanced or recurrent prostate cancer. Recent Findings: Two recent phase III trials have clarified the benefits of intermittent therapy. The Canadian-led pr.7 trial in men with nonmetastatic disease and prostate-specific antigen recurrence after definitive local therapy showed that intermittent therapy resulted in survival equivalent to that with continuous therapy, with significant improvements in quality of life. Patients on intermittent therapy experienced improved bone health, fewer metabolic and hematologic disturbances, fewer hot flashes, and improved sexual function. In men with metastatic disease, the data are less clear. The long-awaited results of the Southwest Oncology Group 9346 trial, comparing intermittent with continuous therapy in metastatic disease, showed no difference in overall survival. Post hoc stratification analysis showed a worse outcome in patients with “minimal” metastatic disease, and no difference in those with widespread bone metastases. The significance of that observation is in dispute. The present review also addresses practical issues in the use of intermittent therapy, including patient selection, follow-up, and therapy cycling. Summary: The recent results of randomized clinical trials now establish that intermittent androgen deprivation therapy is an approach that should be considered the standard of care in most patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer requiring hormonal therapy and in selected patients with metastatic disease. Key Points: (1) Level I evidence supports the oncologic equivalence of intermittent compared with continuous androgen blockade in men with biochemical failure. (2) Compared with continuous androgen deprivation, intermittent therapy demonstrates improved quality of life and fewer side effects. (3) Patient selection for intermittent therapy is important to maintain good oncologic results. (4) Monitoring of prostate-specific androgen response and duration of off-treatment intervals allow for stratification of patients by risk of progression.
Management of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Global Approach
Authors: Saad F.
Published: December 2012

Treatment options for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have evolved since the start of the 2000s, with most of the new effective therapies appearing since 2010. In 2004, docetaxel was the first chemotherapeutic agent to improve survival in CRPC, but little else was available once patients recurred. Since 2010, four new options have been shown to improve survival in patients with refractory or recurring disease after docetaxel. In the management of bone metastases, two bone-targeted therapies have been shown to reduce the risk of bone complications, and they are part of the overall management strategy in CRPC patients. Therapeutic options before chemotherapy have shown promising results and may soon become available in Canada. The present article reviews the treatment options that have shown to be effective in CRPC and also some of the ongoing work in the field.
TELEHEALTH, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND SOCIAL WELFARE
Authors: Wang Fuhmei
Published: December 2012

Country experiences in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Taiwan, and UK have been in favor of telehealth services since the early 1990s. Though a few studies do discuss evidence of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of telehealth programs, the literature might limit to financial evaluation. This research investigates the welfare implications of conventional in-person and telecommunications health care as improving health levels or preventing health from deterioration for efficient resource allocation by incorporating government intervention for equal accessibility of health care in the economic progress perspective. Analytical findings indicate that the inverse U shape relationship between telehealth expenditure share and social welfare status exists as the nonlinear nexus between telehealth expenditure share and economic growth presents. The health dividend in terms of an enhanced economic growth rate can be achieved only when the initial share of telehealth expenditure is smaller than the growth-maximizing share. For economic sustainable development, telehealth initiatives strengthen rather than compete with conventional in-person health care. Research results guide the countries, which have or will have telehealth systems, for effectively allocating medical resources to stimulate economic growth and improve the population's well-being.
Regroupement familial : l'exception algérienne (1962-1976)
Authors: Cohen Muriel
Published: December 2012

Le décret de 1976 relatif aux conditions d’entrée et de séjour des familles d’étrangers résidant régulièrement en France ne fait qu’officialiser des procédures administratives apparues dans les années 1920 et qui se renforcent progressivement après-guerre. Mais ce cadre juridique ne s’applique pas aux familles algériennes qui, du fait de l’héritage colonial, bénéficient d’un régime dérogatoire censé les favoriser. Mais est-ce bien le cas ?
Flight Testing the ADS-33E Cargo Helicopter Handling Qualities Requirements Using a CH-53G
Authors: Hoefinger Marc , Blanken Chris L.
Published: December 2012

Flight tests with a German Army Sikorsky CH-53G helicopter were performed to evaluate the applicability and repeatability of the U.S. Army's Aeronautical Design Standard (ADS)-33E-PRF cargo helicopter handling qualities requirements. The objectives were to corroborate earlier findings
and to propose modifications if deemed necessary. The CH-53G was chosen because it is the largest helicopter operated by the German Army, and its dedicated role is cargo and troop transport. The quantitative criteria and the associated boundaries as specified in the standard were largely confirmed.
Several flight test maneuvers were revised and tailored. Generally, the heights for performing the near-earth maneuvers were increased. The time/tolerances experienced were borderline desired/adequate or adequate.
Impacts of climate change on the water regime of the Inn River basin – extracting adaptation-relevant information from climate model ensembles and impact modelling
Authors: Korck J. , Danneberg J. , Willems W.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. The Inn River basin is a highly relevant study region in terms of potential hydrological impacts of climate change and cross boundary water management tasks in the Alpine Space. Regional analyses in this catchment were performed within the EU co-funded project AdaptAlp. Objective of the study was to gain scientifically based knowledge about impacts of climate change on the water balance and runoff regime for the Inn River basin, this being fundamental for the derivation of adaptation measures. An ensemble of regional climate projections is formed by combinations of global and regional climate models on the basis of both statistical and bias-corrected dynamical downscaling procedures. Several available reference climate datasets for the study region are taken into account. As impact model, the process-oriented hydrological model WaSiM-ETH is set up. As expected, regional climate projections indicate temperature increases for the future in the study area. Projections of precipitation change are less homogenous, especially regarding winter months, though most indicate a decrease in the summer. Hydrological simulation results point towards climate induced changes in the water regime of the study region. The analysis of hydrological projections at both ends of the ensemble bandwidth is a source of adaptation relevant information regarding low-flow and high-flow conditions. According to a "drought-prone scenario", mean monthly low flow could decrease up to −40% in the time frame of 2071–2100. A "high-flow-increase-scenario" points towards an increase in mean monthly high flow in the order of +50% in the winter, whilst showing a decrease in autumn.
Remote estimation of reconnection parameters in the Earth's magnetotail: model and observations
Authors: Alexandrova A. , Nakamura R. , Semenov V. S. , Kubyshkin I. V. , Apatenkov S. , Panov E. V. , Korovinskiy D. , Biernat H. , Baumjohann W. , Glassmeier K.-H. , McFadden J. P.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. We develop a method to estimate the reconnected magnetic flux and the location of the reconnection site using properties of magnetic field and plasma velocity disturbances in the regions surrounding the reconnection plasma flow. Our analysis is based on a 3-D non-steady reconnection model with a finite-sized X-line length. In this framework, we obtain a system of equations capturing the relationships between the disturbances of the magnetic field and plasma flow from one side and the reconnection characteristics from another side. These equations allow us to determine the reconnection characteristics from one-point remote observations of the reconnection fast flow, propagated in the magnetotail current sheet. We apply the model to magnetic field and plasma observations at (−43, −11.2, −6.9) RE GSM obtained by the THEMIS/ARTEMIS spacecraft, located in the tail lobe during a substorm event. We found that the reconnection region was located at ~ (−27, 3.5, 0) RE GSM. The X-line appeared to be close to the local time of the substorm current wedge identified from ground-based observations. We estimated the total magnetic flux, which was reconnected in the event as ~5 MWb. That corresponds to a small fraction of the total amount of magnetic flux transferred during a substorm.