bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Signaling network prediction by the Ontology Fingerprint enhanced Bayesian network
Authors: Qin Tingting , Tsoi Lam C , Sims Kellie J , Lu Xinghua , Zheng W Jim
Published: December 2012

Background

Despite large amounts of available genomic and proteomic data, predicting the structure and response of signaling networks is still a significant challenge. While statistical method such as Bayesian network has been explored to meet this challenge, employing existing biological knowledge for network prediction is difficult. The objective of this study is to develop a novel approach that integrates prior biological knowledge in the form of the Ontology Fingerprint to infer cell-type-specific signaling networks via data-driven Bayesian network learning; and to further use the trained model to predict cellular responses.

Results

We applied our novel approach to address the Predictive Signaling Network Modeling challenge of the fourth (2009) Dialog for Reverse Engineering Assessment's and Methods (DREAM4) competition. The challenge results showed that our method accurately captured signal transduction of a network of protein kinases and phosphoproteins in that the predicted protein phosphorylation levels under all experimental conditions were highly correlated (R2= 0.93) with the observed results. Based on the evaluation of the DREAM4 organizer, our team was ranked as one of the top five best performers in predicting network structure and protein phosphorylation activity under test conditions.

Conclusions

Bayesian network can be used to simulate the propagation of signals in cellular systems. Incorporating the Ontology Fingerprint as prior biological knowledge allows us to efficiently infer concise signaling network structure and to accurately predict cellular responses.
The CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in Ewing sarcoma: promotion of tumor growth rather than metastatic disease
Authors: Berghuis Dagmar , Schilham Marco W , Santos Susy J , Savola Suvi , Knowles Helen J , Dirksen Uta , Schaefer Karl-Ludwig , Vakkila Jukka , Hogendoorn Pancras CW , Lankester Arjan C
Published: December 2012

Background

Chemokine receptor CXCR4, together with its ligand CXCL12, plays critical roles in cancer progression, including growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. Ewing sarcoma is a sarcoma with poor prognosis despite current therapies, particularly for patients with advanced-stage disease. Lungs and bone (marrow), organs of predilection for (primary/metastatic) Ewing sarcoma, represent predominant CXCL12 sources.

Methods

To gain insight into the role of the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in Ewing sarcoma, CXCR4, CXCL12 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α protein expression was studied in therapy-naïve and metastatic tumors by immunohistochemistry. CXCR4 function was assessed in vitro, by flow cytometry and proliferation/ cell viability assays, in the presence of recombinant CXCL12 and/or CXCR4-antagonist AMD3100 or under hypoxic conditions.

Results

Whereas CXCR4 was predominantly expressed by tumor cells, CXCL12 was observed in both tumor and stromal areas. Survival analysis revealed an (expression level-dependent) negative impact of CXCR4 expression (p < 0.04). A role for the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in Ewing sarcoma growth was suggested by our observations that i) CXCR4 expression correlated positively with tumor volume at diagnosis (p = 0.013), ii) CXCL12 was present within the microenvironment of virtually all cases, iii) CXCL12 induced proliferation of CXCR4-positive Ewing sarcoma cell lines, which could be abrogated by AMD3100. CXCR4 expression was not correlated with occurrence of metastatic disease. Also, therapy-naïve tumors demonstrated higher CXCR4 expression as compared to metastases (p = 0.027). Evaluation of in vivo hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression and culture of cells under hypoxic conditions revealed no role for hypoxia in CXCR4 expression.

Conclusions

Together, our results imply a crucial role for the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in auto- and/or paracrine growth stimulation. Integration of CXCR4-targeting strategies into first- and/or second-line treatment regimens may represent a promising treatment option for Ewing sarcoma.
Stochastic dynamics of virus capsid formation: direct versus hierarchical self-assembly
Authors: Baschek Johanna E , R Klein Heinrich C , Schwarz Ulrich S
Published: December 2012

Background

In order to replicate within their cellular host, many viruses have developed self-assembly strategies for their capsids which are sufficiently robust as to be reconstituted in vitro. Mathematical models for virus self-assembly usually assume that the bonds leading to cluster formation have constant reactivity over the time course of assembly (direct assembly). In some cases, however, binding sites between the capsomers have been reported to be activated during the self-assembly process (hierarchical assembly).

Results

In order to study possible advantages of such hierarchical schemes for icosahedral virus capsid assembly, we use Brownian dynamics simulations of a patchy particle model that allows us to switch binding sites on and off during assembly. For T1 viruses, we implement a hierarchical assembly scheme where inter-capsomer bonds become active only if a complete pentamer has been assembled. We find direct assembly to be favorable for reversible bonds allowing for repeated structural reorganizations, while hierarchical assembly is favorable for strong bonds with small dissociation rate, as this situation is less prone to kinetic trapping. However, at the same time it is more vulnerable to monomer starvation during the final phase. Increasing the number of initial monomers does have only a weak effect on these general features. The differences between the two assembly schemes become more pronounced for more complex virus geometries, as shown here for T3 viruses, which assemble through homogeneous pentamers and heterogeneous hexamers in the hierarchical scheme. In order to complement the simulations for this more complicated case, we introduce a master equation approach that agrees well with the simulation results.

Conclusions

Our analysis shows for which molecular parameters hierarchical assembly schemes can outperform direct ones and suggests that viruses with high bond stability might prefer hierarchical assembly schemes. These insights increase our physical understanding of an essential biological process, with many interesting potential applications in medicine and materials science.
Dynamics of dendritic cell-derived vesicles: high-resolution flow cytometric analysis of extracellular vesicle quantity and quality
Authors: Nolte-‘t Hoen Esther N M , van der Vlist Els J , de Boer-Brouwer Mieke , Arkesteijn Ger J A , Stoorvogel Willem , Wauben Marca H M
Published: December 2012

Application of a described high-resolution flow cytometrybased analysis of individual extracellular vesicles, to study the dynamics of dendritic cell-derived vesicle secretion and composition.

Nano-sized membrane vesicles are secreted by many cell types. These vesicles can serve as carriers of cellular information. DC-derived vesicles can be targeted to other immune cells and modify their function. Accurate analysis of quantitative and qualitative changes in EV production by DC upon different activation stimuli is needed to further reveal the immune regulatory properties of DC-derived EVs. However, methods for reliable quantification of individual EVs and for analysis of the heterogeneity of EV populations are limited. With our recently developed high-resolution flow cytometry-based method, we can perform a high-throughput, multiparameter, and quantitative analysis of individual EVs. With the use of this novel technique, we show that despite previous assumptions, stimulation with bacterial LPS increases EV release by DC. Furthermore, we demonstrate heterogeneity in DC-derived EVs regarding their buoyant density and MHC class II content. Finally, we show that cognate interaction between LPS-stimulated DC and CD4+ T cells affects both the quantity and quality of LPS DC-derived EVs present in the culture supernatant. These data indicate that flow cytometry-based analysis of individual EVs is a valuable, novel tool to study the dynamics of EV secretion and composition, offering great opportunities to unveil the function of immune cell-derived EVs.
Bridging Decapentaplegic and Wingless signaling inDrosophilawings through repression ofnaked cuticleby Brinker
Authors: Yang Lin , Meng Fei , Ma Da , Xie Wei , Fang Ming
Published: December 2012

Wnts and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are signaling elements that are crucial for a variety of events in animal development. In Drosophila, Wingless (Wg, a Wnt ligand) and Decapentaplegic (Dpp, a BMP homolog) are thought to function through distinct signal transduction pathways and independently direct the patterning of the wing. However, recent studies suggest that Mothers against Dpp (Mad), the key transducer of Dpp signaling, might serve as a node for the crosstalk between these two pathways, and both positive and negative roles of Mad in Wg signaling have been suggested. Here, we describe a novel molecular mechanism by which Dpp signaling suppresses Wg outputs. Brinker (Brk), a transcriptional repressor that is downregulated by Dpp, directly represses naked cuticle (nkd), which encodes a feedback inhibitor of Wg signaling, in vitro and in vivo. Through genetic studies, we demonstrate that Brk is required for Wg target gene expression in fly wing imaginal discs and that loss or gain of brk during wing development mimics loss or gain of Wg signaling, respectively. Finally, we show that Dpp positively regulates the expression of nkd and negatively regulates the Wg target gene Distal-less (Dll). These data support a model in which different signaling pathways interact via a negative-feedback mechanism. Such a mechanism might explain how organs coordinate inputs from multiple signaling cues.
Fgf signaling governs cell fate in the zebrafish pineal complex
Authors: Clanton Joshua A. , Hope Kyle D. , Gamse Joshua T.
Published: December 2012

Left-right (L-R) asymmetries in neuroanatomy exist throughout the animal kingdom, with implications for function and behavior. The molecular mechanisms that control formation of such asymmetries are beginning to be understood. Significant progress has been made by studying the zebrafish parapineal organ, a group of neurons on the left side of the epithalamus. Parapineal cells arise from the medially located pineal complex anlage and migrate to the left side of the brain. We have found that Fgf8a regulates a fate decision among anterior pineal complex progenitors that occurs just prior to the initiation of leftward migration. Cell fate analysis shows that in the absence of Fgf8a a subset of cells in the anterior pineal complex anlage differentiate as cone photoreceptors rather than parapineal neurons. Fgf8a acts permissively to promote parapineal fate in conjunction with the transcription factor Tbx2b, but might also block cone photoreceptor fate. We conclude that this subset of anterior pineal complex precursors, which normally become parapineal cells, are bipotential and require Fgf8a to maintain parapineal identity and/or prevent cone identity.
Electroporation-mediated somatic transgenesis for rapid functional analysis in insects
Authors: Ando Toshiya , Fujiwara Haruhiko
Published: December 2012

Transgenesis is a powerful technique for determining gene function; however, it is time-consuming. It is virtually impossible to carry out in non-model insects in which egg manipulation and screening are difficult. We have established a rapid genetic functional analysis system for non-model insects using a low-cost electroporator (costing under US$200) designed for somatic transformation with the piggyBac transposon. Using this system, we successfully generated somatic transgenic cell clones in various target tissues (e.g. olfactory neurons, wing epidermis, larval epidermis, muscle, fat body and trachea) of the silkworm Bombyx mori during development. We also induced stable and transient RNA interference (RNAi) using short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediating DNA vectors and direct transfer of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), respectively. We found that these electroporation-mediated approaches could also be applied to the swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus and the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Thus, this method could be a powerful genetic tool for elucidating various developmental phenomena in non-model insects.
Development of hypothalamic serotoninergic neurons requires Fgf signalling via the ETS-domain transcription factor Etv5b
Authors: Bosco Adriana , Bureau Charlotte , Affaticati Pierre , Gaspar Patricia , Bally-Cuif Laure , Lillesaar Christina
Published: December 2012

Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter that is involved in numerous physiological functions and its dysregulation is implicated in various psychiatric diseases. In all non-placental vertebrates, serotoninergic (5-HT) neurons are present in several regions of the brain, including the hypothalamus. In placental mammals, however, 5-HT neurons are located in the raphe nuclei only. In all species, though, 5-HT neurons constitute a functionally and molecularly heterogeneous population. How the non-raphe 5-HT populations are developmentally encoded is unknown. Using the zebrafish model we show that, in contrast to the raphe populations, hypothalamic 5-HT neurons are generated independently of the ETS-domain transcription factor Pet1 (Fev). By applying a combination of pharmacological tools and gene knockdown and/or overexpression experiments, we demonstrate that Fgf signalling acts via another ETS-domain transcription factor, Etv5b (Erm), to induce hypothalamic 5-HT neurons. We provide evidence that Etv5b exerts its effects by regulating cell cycle parameters in 5-HT progenitors. Our results highlight a novel role for Etv5b in neuronal development and provide support for the existence of a developmental heterogeneity among 5-HT neurons in their requirement for ETS-domain transcription factors.
Type Ib BMP receptors mediate the rate of commissural axon extension through inhibition of cofilin activity
Authors: Yamauchi Ken , Varadarajan Supraja G. , Li Joseph E. , Butler Samantha J.
Published: December 2012

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have unexpectedly diverse activities establishing different aspects of dorsal neural circuitry in the developing spinal cord. Our recent studies have shown that, in addition to spatially orienting dorsal commissural (dI1) axons, BMPs supply ‘temporal’ information to commissural axons to specify their rate of growth. This information ensures that commissural axons reach subsequent signals at particular times during development. However, it remains unresolved how commissural neurons specifically decode this activity of BMPs to result in their extending axons at a specific speed through the dorsal spinal cord. We have addressed this question by examining whether either of the type I BMP receptors (Bmpr), BmprIa and BmprIb, have a role controlling the rate of commissural axon growth. BmprIa and BmprIb exhibit a common function specifying the identity of dorsal cell fate in the spinal cord, whereas BmprIb alone mediates the ability of BMPs to orient axons. Here, we show that BmprIb, and not BmprIa, is additionally required to control the rate of commissural axon extension. We have also determined the intracellular effector by which BmprIb regulates commissural axon growth. We show that BmprIb has a novel role modulating the activity of the actin-severing protein cofilin. These studies reveal the mechanistic differences used by distinct components of the canonical Bmpr complex to mediate the diverse activities of the BMPs.
TRICOTencodes an AMP1-related carboxypeptidase that regulates root nodule development and shoot apical meristem maintenance inLotus japonicus
Authors: Suzaki Takuya , Kim Chong Sung , Takeda Naoya , Szczyglowski Krzysztof , Kawaguchi Masayoshi
Published: December 2012

During the course of evolution, mainly leguminous plants have acquired the ability to form de novo structures called root nodules. Recent studies on the autoregulation and hormonal controls of nodulation have identified key mechanisms and also indicated a possible link to other developmental processes, such as the formation of the shoot apical meristem (SAM). However, our understanding of nodulation is still limited by the low number of nodulation-related genes that have been identified. Here, we show that the induced mutation tricot (tco) can suppress the activity of spontaneous nodule formation 2, a gain-of-function mutation of the cytokinin receptor in Lotus japonicus. Our analyses of tco mutant plants demonstrate that TCO positively regulates rhizobial infection and nodule organogenesis. Defects in auxin regulation are also observed during nodule development in tco mutants. In addition to its role in nodulation, TCO is involved in the maintenance of the SAM. The TCO gene was isolated by a map-based cloning approach and found to encode a putative glutamate carboxypeptidase with greatest similarity to Arabidopsis ALTERED MERISTEM PROGRAM 1, which is involved in cell proliferation in the SAM. Taken together, our analyses have not only identified a novel gene for regulation of nodule organogenesis but also provide significant additional evidence for a common genetic regulatory mechanism in nodulation and SAM formation. These new data will contribute further to our understanding of the evolution and genetic basis of nodulation.
Modulation of quaternary structure and enhancement of ligand binding by the K-turn of tandem glycine riboswitches
Authors: Baird Nathan J. , Ferré-D’Amaré Adrian R.
Published: December 2012

Most known glycine riboswitches have two homologous aptamer domains arranged in tandem and separated by a short linker. The two aptamers associate through reciprocal “quaternary” interactions that have been proposed to result in cooperative glycine binding. Recently, the interaptamer linker was found to form helix P0 with a previously unrecognized segment 5′ to the first aptamer domain. P0 was shown to increase glycine affinity, abolish cooperativity, and conform to the K-turn motif consensus. We examine the global thermodynamic and structural role of P0 using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), respectively. To evaluate the generality of P0 function, we prepared glycine riboswitch constructs lacking and including P0 from Bacillus subtilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Vibrio cholerae. We find that P0 indeed folds into a K-turn, supports partial pre-folding of all three glycine-free RNAs, and is required for ITC observation of glycine binding under physiologic Mg2+ concentrations. Except for the unusually small riboswitch from F. nucleatum, the K-turn is needed for maximally compacting the glycine-bound states of the RNAs. Formation of a ribonucleoprotein complex between the B. subtilis or the F. nucleatum RNA constructs and the bacterial K-turn binding protein YbxF promotes additional folding of the free riboswitch, and enhances glycine binding. Consistent with the previously reported loss of cooperativity, P0-containing B. subtilis and V. cholerae tandem aptamers bound no more than one glycine molecule per riboswitch. Our results indicate that the P0 K-turn helps organize the quaternary structure of tandem glycine riboswitches, thereby facilitating ligand binding under physiologic conditions.
Algorithmic Solutions for Envy-Free Cake Cutting
Authors: Deng Xiaotie , Qi Qi , Saberi Amin
Published: December 2012

We study the problem of finding an envy-free allocation of a cake to d + 1 players using d cuts. Two models are considered, namely, the oracle-function model and the polynomial-time function model. In the oracle-function model, we are interested in the number of times an algorithm has to query the players about their preferences to find an allocation with the envy less than ϵ. We derive a matching lower and upper bound of θ(1/ϵ)d − 1 for players with Lipschitz utilities and any d > 1. In the polynomial-time function model, where the utility functions are given explicitly by polynomial-time algorithms, we show that the envy-free cake-cutting problem has the same complexity as finding a Brouwer's fixed point, or, more formally, it is PPAD-complete. On the flip side, for monotone utility functions, we propose a fully polynomial-time algorithm (FPTAS) to find an approximate envy-free allocation of a cake among three people using two cuts.
Archetypes in Zhang Yimou's Films: Significance of Regional Culture
Authors: Guo Yuan
Published: December 2012

Scholars of many disciplines, have provided theories on the relationship between place and childhood, adult memory (Glassberg, 2001: 113-118). Place is not empty; it is "storied." Wallace Stegner contends, "No place is a place until the things that have happened in it
are remembered in history, ballads, yarns, legends, or monuments" (in Glassberg, 2001: 116). This paper examines the relationship between Zhang Yimou's filmic presentations and the culture of Shaanxi, his home province. My overall argument is that Shaanxi culture has been the archetypes
for his filmic distinctiveness.
Remapping Ozu's Tokyo? The Interplay between History and Memory in Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Café Lumière
Authors: Wu I-fen
Published: December 2012

This essay will argue that the film's representation of urban Tokyo is shaped by the director's concern with history to discuss its connections with memory. This paper aims to explore how memory has gained in value as a site of historical interpretation, and how history and memory relate
closely to a wider reconsideration of the shifting cultural landscape of modern society. This paper aims to explore how memory has gained in value as a site of historical interpretation, and how history and memory relate closely to a wider reconsideration of the shifting cultural landscape
of modern society. Hou's representation of modern society also heightens the necessity to consider the linkage between past and present, opening up the possibility that is more than just to remember the past and consequently conceive the present.
The Road to Invincible Asia: Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia's Taiwanese Films
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: December 2012

Whenever the name of Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia emerges in any discussion of Hong Kong stardom, the image of Invincible Asia immediately appears. It indelibly associated the actress with a particular image in Hong Kong cinema. Lin's usually neglected Taiwanese films need some exploration
and, hopefully, this study may spur further investigation. The nature of this study is archaeological. I have no knowledge of Chinese, have seen only some 11 films from this period, and can only engage in guesswork as to their more serious implications. But, despite the vast differences these
films exhibit from Lin's later achievements, they are crucial towards understanding the particular way her star image developed over the years.
An investigation of social support in adult recreational music ensembles
Authors: Carucci Christine
Published: December 2012

This study examined social support as perceived and experienced by participants in adult recreational music ensembles. Members of New Horizons (NH) Bands (N=1152) from 63 cities across the United States and Canada participated in the study. A web-based questionnaire identified participant
perception of available support within their ensembles. From the sample, eighteen randomly selected volunteers participated in additional phone interviews. Results indicate that the majority of survey participants perceive support to be available 'most' or 'all of the time' in the categories
of Instrumental/Tangible Support (35.7%), Companionship Support (38.1%) and Emotional/Informational Support (41.1%). Open-ended responses demonstrated specific examples of support being offered and received among participants. The results of this study indicate that in addition to being a
musical outlet for adult learners, group music-making organizations such as NH may be a viable way to increase and maintain social bonds across the lifespan.
Blessures des frontières
Authors: Setti Nadia
Published: December 2012

Supported by Judith Butler’s work, and also by the theme of ambivalence and nonsense as defined by Homi Bhabha, this article initiates thoughts on agency in the historic, literary and cultural context of postcolonial narrations around the reconfiguration of borders in an era of
globalization. This analysis of the works of Malika Mokeddem, Nina Bouraoui, Hélène Cixous, Maryse Condé and Marie NDiaye concentrates on the way in which the texts’ main female characters are all presented as trespassers – human beings struggling to exist,
to speak, to give an account of themselves, and who are breaking away from the standards and displacing borders. A strong feeling of ‘inseparation’ emanates from what divides through unity, from the border as a wound uniting and separating both narrations and people. This
includes wounds of sexual difference, of the sexual body. Traces of wounds consecutive to crossing borders can be found in these wounded narrations where memories attempt to express themselves, often through the necessity of delaying the accounts through repetitions which in themselves
act as means of working through the trauma.
Writing as wounding and healing in Djebar’s Nulle part dans la maison de mon père
Authors: Medeiros Ana de
Published: December 2012

In Assia Djebar’s Nulle part dans la maison de mon père (2007), the narrator recalls a suicide attempt which she made as an adolescent shortly before the outbreak of the Algerian war of independence. This article explores the motives behind the narrator’s death wish.
Djebar portrays a woman who has moved through two cultures, that of the colonizer and that of the colonized, but feels exiled from both; this feeling is summarized by her sense that she has ‘no place’ in her father’s house. At the same time, the narrator connects the suicide
attempt with the role of the father in her formative years; he and her first boyfriend, together, are jointly responsible (‘deux responsables’) for her inability to lead the kind of life she believes would have brought her fulfilment. But rather than pin the blame on these two
individuals, she fits lost opportunities within a wider social and political context, in which not only she, but her parents had been caught up in the tensions of colonized Algeria that were soon to explode into violence. Meanwhile, the whole text is impregnated by nostalgia for the lost paternal
grandmother, and everything she represented for the narrator’s younger self.
Consumer citizens and troubling desires: Reading Hindi cinema in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Shahnaz
Published: December 2012

This discussion draws upon interviews with Pakistani viewers of Hindi cinema and locates them within a context of a declining film industry in Pakistan. I examine the reception of Hindi films among Pakistani audiences, and explore the ways in which their cinematic narratives help infuse
western influences with local traditions. In so doing, they also help produce forms of dress, music and lifestyles that have much to say about the fluidity of cultural forms in local contexts in Pakistan, a country that continues to be a land of contrasts. On the one hand, there is the jihadi
culture and support for Osama bin Laden, and on the other, a local production of modernity influenced by consumerism, redefined sexuality and Shah Rukh Khan. I argue that Hindi films target potential consumers and create desires that trouble as much as they entice. Through a montage of cinematic
narrative, cosmopolitan lifestyles, dazzling wardrobes and distilled glamour, Pakistanis participate in consumption patterns emerging in the country. At the same time, sexuality is in a state of flux. While conservative forces are trying to regulate their mobility and sexuality, young people
are challenging traditions and received norms. Such a process renders Hindi cinema an important yet, to some viewers, troubling component of public culture in Pakistan. The emerging public culture identifies complex and dynamic processes that allow for new types of possibilities and arrangements
as the lives and agency of individuals interweave with shared cinematic texts and the social structures within which they are played out.
REVIEWS
Authors: Banerji Sushmita , Bhattacharya Nandini , Mahadevan Sudhir , Schulz Suzanne L.
Published: December 2012

PRODUCING BOLLYWOOD: INSIDE THE CONTEMPORARY HINDI FILM INDUSTRY, TEJASWINI GANTI (2012) Durham, London: Duke University Press, Paperback, ISBN-13: 978-0822352136, $23.47, 440 pp.

GLOBAL ICONS: APERTURES TO THE POPULAR, BISHNUPRIYA GHOSH (2011) Durham: Duke University Press,
383 pp. Paperback: $25.95, ISBN: 978-0-8223-5016-3. Cloth: $94.95, ISBN: 978-0-8223-5004-0

CENSORSHIP AND SEXUALITY IN BOMBAY CINEMA, MONIKA MEHTA (2011) Austin: University of Texas Press, 348 pp., $40.20, ISBN: 978-0292726925

INDIAN MEDIA, ADRIAN ATHIQUE (2012)
Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 244 pp., $24.95, ISBN: 978-0745653334

HINDI ACTION CINEMA: INDUSTRIES, NARRATIVES, BODIES, VALENTINA VITALI (2010) Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press (reprint of Oxford University Press, 2008, 25 b&w illus.), ISBN 978-0-253-22222-0, p/bk $24.95.
Socioeconomic Status and In-Hospital Pediatric Mortality
Authors: Colvin Jeffrey D. , Zaniletti Isabella , Fieldston Evan S. , Gottlieb Laura M. , Raphael Jean L. , Hall Matthew , Cowden John D. , Shah Samir S.
Published: December 2012

OBJECTIVE:

Socioeconomic status (SES) is inversely related to pediatric mortality in the community. However, it is unknown if this association exists for in-hospital pediatric mortality. Our objective was to determine the association of SES with in-hospital pediatric mortality among children’s hospitals and to compare observed mortality with expected mortality generated from national all-hospital inpatient data.

METHODS:

This is a retrospective cohort study from 2009 to 2010 of all 1 053 101 hospitalizations at 42 tertiary care, freestanding children’s hospitals. The main exposure was SES, determined by the median annual household income for the patient’s ZIP code. The main outcome measure was death during the admission. Primary outcomes of interest were stratified by income and diagnosis-based service lines. Observed-to-expected mortality ratios were created, and trends across quartiles of SES were examined.

RESULTS:

Death occurred in 8950 (0.84%) of the hospitalizations. Overall, mortality rates were associated with SES (P < .0001) and followed an inverse linear association (P < .0001). Similarly, observed-to-expected mortality was associated with SES in an inverse association (P = .014). However, mortality overall was less than expected for all income quartiles (P < .05). The association of SES and mortality varied by service line; only 3 service lines (cardiac, gastrointestinal, and neonatal) demonstrated an inverse association between SES and observed-to-expected mortality.

CONCLUSIONS:

Within children’s hospitals, SES is inversely associated with in-hospital mortality, but is lower than expected for even the lowest SES quartile. The association between SES and mortality varies by service line. Multifaceted interventions initiated in the inpatient setting could potentially ameliorate SES disparities in in-hospital pediatric mortality.
The heart as an endocrine organ
Authors: Mezősi Emese , Bajnok László , Tóth Kálmán
Published: December 2012

The discovery of cardiac hormone production significantly changed the evaluation of the function of the heart, which is rather regarded as a determining factor of the electrolyte and hemodynamic homeostasis cooperating with other organ systems instead of a mechanical pump. The most important hormones produced by the heart are the natriuretic peptides that have the primary role of protection against volume overload through natriuretic, diuretic, vasodilator and antiproliferative effects. They are integrative markers of the cardiac, vascular and renal functions and marking cardiorenal distress. Brain natriuretic peptide and the N-terminal pro-hormone (NT-proBNP) became generally accepted markers of heart failure exceeding traditional pathophysiological significance of those. They are useful in the diagnosis, estimation of prognosis and therapy guidance and their therapeutic administration is also available. Although the detection of extraadrenal aldosterone production is an exciting new discovery, intracardial aldosterone production is not significant in human beings. The intracardial thyroid hormone production is regulated by deiodinase activity. The role of elevated T3 concentration was suggested in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, while low T3 is assumed to be important in adaptation to hypoxia. An unexpected, complex relation can be determined between epicardial adipose tissue and coronary artery diseases, cytokine and adipokine production of adipocytes might be a part of the self-enhancing process of atherosclerosis. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 2041–2047.
Context‐dependent planktivory: interacting effects of turbidity and predation risk on adaptive foraging
Authors: Pangle Kevin L. , Malinich Timothy D. , Bunnell David B. , DeVries Dennis R. , Ludsin Stuart A.
Published: December 2012

By shaping species interactions, adaptive phenotypic plasticity can profoundly influence ecosystems. Predicting such outcomes has proven difficult, however, owing in part to the dependence of plasticity on the environmental context. Of particular relevance are environmental factors that affect sensory performance in organisms in ways that alter the tradeoffs associated with adaptive phenotypic responses. We explored the influence of turbidity, which simultaneously and differentially affects the sensory performance of consumers at multiple trophic levels, on the indirect effect of a top predator (piscivorous fish) on a basal prey resource (zooplankton) that is mediated through changes in the plastic foraging behavior of an intermediate consumer (zooplanktivorous fish). We first generated theoretical predictions of the adaptive foraging response of a zooplanktivore across wide gradients of turbidity and predation risk by a piscivore. Our model predicted that predation risk can change the negative relationship between intermediate consumer foraging and turbidity into a humped‐shaped (unimodal) one in which foraging is low in both clear and highly turbid conditions due to foraging‐related risk and visual constraints, respectively. Consequently, the positive trait‐mediated indirect effect (TMIE) of the top predator on the basal resource is predicted to peak at low turbidity and decline thereafter until it reaches an asymptote of zero at intermediate turbidity levels (when foraging equals that which is predicted when the top predator is absent). We used field observations and a laboratory experiment to test our model predictions. In support, we found humped‐shaped relationships between planktivory and turbidity for several zooplanktivorous fishes from diverse freshwater ecosystems with predation risk. Further, our experiment demonstrated that predation risk reduced zooplanktivory by yellow perch (Perca flavescens) at a low turbidity, but had no effect on consumption at an intermediate turbidity. Together, our theoretical and empirical findings show how the environmental context can govern the strength of TMIEs by influencing consumer sensory performance and how these effects can become realized in nature over wide environmental gradients. Additionally, our hump‐shaped foraging curve represents an important departure from the conventional view of turbidity's effect on planktivorous fishes, thus potentially requiring a reconceptualization of turbidity's impact on aquatic food‐web interactions.
The southernmost record of Mico emiliae (Thomas, 1920) for the state of Mato Grosso, northern Brazil
Authors: Garbino Guilherme Siniciato Terra
Published: December 2012

No abstract
Population density of the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) in a tropical dry forest fragment in northwestern Colombia
Authors: Flórez Juan Carlos Mejía , Delgado Jorge Andrés López
Published: December 2012

No abstract
Extragroup copulations in Alouatta guariba clamitans
Authors: Lopes Karine Galisteo Diemer , Bicca-Marques Júlio César
Published: December 2012

No abstract
Controlled production of alginate nanocomposites with incorporated silver nanoparticles aimed for biomedical applications
Authors: Stojkovska Jasmina , Zvicer Jovana , Jovanovic Zeljka , Miskovic-Stankovic Vesna , Obradovic Bojana
Published: December 2012

Production of nanocomposite alginate microbeads with electrochemically
synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) based on electrostatic extrusion
technique was investigated with respect to potentials for utilization in
pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. It was shown that electrochemical
synthesis of AgNPs results in reduction of practically all Ag+ ions present
in the initial solution yielding stable Ag/alginate colloid solutions that
were demonstrated to be suitable for sterilization, manipulation, and
electrostatic extrusion with retention of AgNPs. Presence of AgNPs in
alginate colloid solutions had negligible effects on the size of the produced
Ag/alginate microbeads, which was chiefly determined by the applied
electrostatic potential during the extrusion. On the other hand,
incorporation of AgNPs within the alginate hydrogel induced slight changes in
biomechanical properties determined in a biomimetic bioreactor, so that
packed beds of nanocomposite Ag/alginate microbeads exhibited slightly higher
dynamic compression modulus as compared to that of control alginate
microbeads (154 ? 4 and 141 ? 2 kPa, respectively). On the other hand,
equilibrium unconfined compression modulus was significantly lower for
nanocomposite microbeads as compared to that of controls (34 ? 2 and 47 ? 0.5
kPa, respectively).
Diabetes and Risk of Fracture-Related Hospitalization
Authors: Schneider Andrea L.C. , Williams Emma K. , Brancati Frederick L. , Blecker Saul , Coresh Josef , Selvin Elizabeth
Published: December 2012

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between diabetes, glycemic control, and risk of fracture-related hospitalization in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Fracture-related hospitalization was defined using International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes (733.1–733.19, 733.93–733.98, or 800–829). We calculated the incidence rate of fracture-related hospitalization by age and used Cox proportional hazards models to investigate the association of diabetes with risk of fracture after adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and behavioral risk factors.

RESULTS

There were 1,078 incident fracture-related hospitalizations among 15,140 participants during a median of 20 years of follow-up. The overall incidence rate was 4.0 per 1,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8–4.3). Diagnosed diabetes was significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of fracture (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.74; 95% CI, 1.42–2.14). There also was a significantly increased risk of fracture among persons with diagnosed diabetes who were treated with insulin (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.15–3.05) and among persons with diagnosed diabetes with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥8% (1.63; 1.09–2.44) compared with those with HbA1c <8%. Undiagnosed diabetes was not significantly associated with risk of fracture (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.82–1.53).

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports recommendations from the American Diabetes Association for assessment of fracture risk and implementation of prevention strategies in persons with type 2 diabetes, particularly those persons with poor glucose control.
Prevalence of coronary artery disease and nation's responsibility towards patients
Authors: Karki DB
Published: December 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v1i1.7247 Journal of Kathmandu Medical College, Vol. 1, No. 1, Issue 1, Jul.-Sep., 2012 pp.1-2
Study of AgNOR count and SAPA score in fine needle aspirates of breast lumps
Authors: Dhakhwa R , Jha R , Sayami G , Shrestha HG
Published: December 2012

Background: Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region technique has a potential value in the diagnosis of malignancy and can be used in cases with equivocal and inconclusive cytological picture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mean Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region count and Subjective Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region Pattern Assessment score in fi ne needle aspirates of breast lumps. Materials and Methods: A prospective, cross sectional study consisting of 110 patients (38 malignant and 72 benign) with clinically palpable breast lumps who underwent fi ne needle aspiration followed by subsequent histopathologic examination were included. Fine Needle Aspiration smears were studied by conventional methods and silver staining for Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Regions. Histopathologic diagnosis was taken as the gold standard. Results: Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region count and Subjective Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region Pattern Assessment score were helpful in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Mean Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region count and Subjective Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region Pattern Assessment score were 2.63 ± 1.36 and 6.26 ± 1.19 respectively in benign lesions while they were 8.42 ± 2.53 and 10.05 ± 2.22 respectively in malignant lesions. With few exceptions, cases with high counts had high scores. Conclusion: Mean Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region AgNOR count and Subjective Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region Pattern Assessment score provide useful information regarding cellular proliferation. Both count and score have comparable diagnostic potential but the latter is a more convenient and rapid method for Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Region evaluation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v1i1.7248 Journal of Kathmandu Medical College, Vol. 1, No. 1, Issue 1, Jul.-Sep., 2012 pp.3-9
Kawasaki disease: A case report
Authors: Ojha AR , Nepal A , Acharya R , Shakya KN
Published: December 2012

Kawasaki disease is a vasculitis of medium sized arteries which is diagnosed by exclusion and by use of diagnostic criteria. It needs a high index of suspicion to diagnose and should be suspected in any child with history of fever for more than a week with rash and lymphadenopathy. Such patients should be treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and Aspirin to prevent complications. Here we report a case of Kawasaki Disease who presented with prolonged fever, rash and lymphadenopathy and made an uneventful recovery. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v1i1.7252 Journal of Kathmandu Medical College, Vol. 1, No. 1, Issue 1, Jul.-Sep., 2012 pp.26-28
How to be a brilliant teacher
Authors: Vaidya A
Published: December 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v1i1.7257 Journal of Kathmandu Medical College, Vol. 1, No. 1, Issue 1, Jul.-Sep., 2012 pp.47-48
Divaswapna (Daydream)
Authors: Vaidya A
Published: December 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jkmc.v1i1.7258 Journal of Kathmandu Medical College, Vol. 1, No. 1, Issue 1, Jul.-Sep., 2012 pp.49
Welcome to Atoms: A New Open Access Journal
Authors: Babb James
Published: December 2012

There is no doubt that it is an exciting time to be studying quantum properties of atoms, molecules, and nuclei. Increasingly deep connections between long-established fields: “atomic physics”, “molecular physics”, “chemical physics”, “nuclear physics”, “scattering theory”, “nuclear magnetic resonance”, “quantum optics”, etc., are blurring old research labels. Atoms is a new open access journal with a broad scope that will aim to capture some of these exciting changes and developments, with a quantum flavor. The Editorial Board's collective expertise spans the fields involved and reflects the international communities active in these areas. [...]
Brain. Conscious and Unconscious Mechanisms of Cognition, Emotions, and Language
Authors: Perlovsky Leonid , Ilin Roman
Published: December 2012

Conscious and unconscious brain mechanisms, including cognition, emotions and language are considered in this review. The fundamental mechanisms of cognition include interactions between bottom-up and top-down signals. The modeling of these interactions since the 1960s is briefly reviewed, analyzing the ubiquitous difficulty: incomputable combinatorial complexity (CC). Fundamental reasons for CC are related to the Gödel’s difficulties of logic, a most fundamental mathematical result of the 20th century. Many scientists still “believed” in logic because, as the review discusses, logic is related to consciousness; non-logical processes in the brain are unconscious. CC difficulty is overcome in the brain by processes “from vague-unconscious to crisp-conscious” (representations, plans, models, concepts). These processes are modeled by dynamic logic, evolving from vague and unconscious representations toward crisp and conscious thoughts. We discuss experimental proofs and relate dynamic logic to simulators of the perceptual symbol system. “From vague to crisp” explains interactions between cognition and language. Language is mostly conscious, whereas cognition is only rarely so; this clarifies much about the mind that might seem mysterious. All of the above involve emotions of a special kind, aesthetic emotions related to knowledge and to cognitive dissonances. Cognition-language-emotional mechanisms operate throughout the hierarchy of the mind and create all higher mental abilities. The review discusses cognitive functions of the beautiful, sublime, music.
Differential Effects of Military Training on Fat-Free Mass and Plasma Amino Acid Adaptations in Men and Women
Authors: Margolis Lee , Pasiakos Stefan , Karl J. , Rood Jennifer , Cable Sonya , Williams Kelly , Young Andrew , McClung James
Published: December 2012

Fat-free mass (FFM) adaptations to physical training may differ between sexes based on disparities in fitness level, dietary intake, and levels of plasma amino acids (AA). This investigation aimed to determine FFM and plasma AA responses to military training, examine whether adaptations differ between male and female recruits, and explore potential associations between FFM and AA responses to training. Body composition and plasma AA levels were assessed in US Army recruits (n = 209, 118 males, 91 females) before (baseline) and every three weeks during basic combat training (BCT), a 10-week military training course. Body weight decreased in men but remained stable in women during BCT (sex-by-time interaction, P < 0.05). Fifty-eight percent of recruits gained FFM during BCT, with more (P < 0.05) females (88%) gaining FFM than males (36%). Total plasma AA increased (P < 0.05) during BCT, with greater (P < 0.05) increases observed in females (17%) then in males (4%). Essential amino acids (EAA) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) were increased (P < 0.05) in females but did not change in males (sex-by-time interaction, P < 0.05). Independent of sex, changes in EAA (r = 0.34) and BCAA (r = 0.27) from baseline were associated with changes in FFM (P < 0.05); greater (P < 0.05) increases in AA concentrations were observed for those who gained FFM. Increases in FFM and plasma AA suggest that BCT elicits a more pronounced anabolic response in women compared to men, which may reflect sex-specific differences in the relative intensity of the combined training and physiological stimulus associated with BCT.