bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Drought, Heat, and Combined Drought and Heat Tolerant Donors in Maize
Authors: Cairns Jill E. , Crossa Jose , Zaidi P. H. , Grudloyma Pichet , Sanchez Ciro , Araus Jose Luis , Thaitad Suriphat , Makumbi Dan , Magorokosho Cosmos , Bänziger Marianne , Menkir Abebe , Hearne Sarah , Atlin Gary N.
Published: April 2013

Low maize (Zea maysL.) yields and the impacts of climate change on maize production highlight the need to improve yields in eastern and southern Africa. Climate projections suggest higher temperatures within drought‐prone areas. Research in model species suggests that tolerance to combined drought and heat stress is genetically distinct from tolerance to either stress alone, but this has not been confirmed in maize. In this study we evaluated 300 maize inbred lines testcrossed to CML539. Experiments were conducted under optimal conditions, reproductive stage drought stress, heat stress, and combined drought and heat stress. Lines with high levels of tolerance to drought and combined drought and heat stress were identified. Significant genotype × trial interaction and very large plot residuals were observed; consequently, the repeatability of individual managed stress trials was low. Tolerance to combined drought and heat stress in maize was genetically distinct from tolerance to individual stresses, and tolerance to either stress alone did not confer tolerance to combined drought and heat stress. This finding has major implications for maize drought breeding. Many current drought donors and key inbreds used in widely grown African hybrids were susceptible to drought stress at elevated temperatures. Several donors tolerant to drought and combined drought and heat stress, notably La Posta Sequia C7‐F64‐2‐6‐2‐2 and DTPYC9‐F46‐1‐2‐1‐2, need to be incorporated into maize breeding pipelines.
Population Structure and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Diversity of Historical Minnesota Maize Inbreds
Authors: Schaefer Christopher M. , Bernardo Rex
Published: April 2013

The University of Minnesota has developed more than 600 maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds since 1915. Our objectives were to (i) characterize the population structure and relatedness in the historical Minnesota maize inbred collection in comparison with inbreds of known heterotic groups, (ii) identify any unique germplasm groups among the historical Minnesota inbreds, and (iii) characterize the genetic diversity of the historical Minnesota germplasm. We used the Illumina MaizeSNP50 Beadchip to analyze 284 inbreds with 43,252 single nucleotide polymorphism markers: 143 inbreds developed at Minnesota (referred to as “A” inbreds), 26 inbreds developed by public breeding programs, and 115 inbreds developed by seed companies. Model‐based clustering divided the inbreds into K = 5 subpopulations represented by the B73, Mo17, Oh43, A321, and PH207 genetic backgrounds. More than 60% of the A inbreds clustered in the A321 subpopulation; many of these inbreds were derived from the open‐pollinated cultivar Minnesota 13. The A321 subpopulation had higher mean dissimilarity (0.384) and gene diversity (0.377) than the other four subpopulations. Subclusters in the A321 and Oh43 subpopulations represented groups of inbreds unique to the historical Minnesota germplasm. Our results may help provide maize breeders with information needed to effectively use historical genetic resources while maintaining heterotic patterns necessary in hybrid breeding.
Experiences of Social Class: Learning from Occupational Therapy Students
Authors: Beagan Brenda L.
Published: April 2013

Background and Purpose. Despite the potential in occupational therapy models, there has been little investigation of the ways social class may affect occupations or occupational therapy. This paper explores the occupational impacts of poverty.Methods. Essays by 17 occupational therapy students, who identify as lower class, were coded and analyzed inductively.Results. Class-based shame and stigma led to attempts to “pass” as middle class-an occupation consuming time and energy. Exclusion from middle-class leisure occupations left students with gaps in their adult knowledge. Family was a site of both shame and safety, as well as pressure to succeed. Educational occupations embody marginalization.Practice Implications. Class is not only about money, but also having the right norms, values, and experiences to fit easily in middle-class society. Educational and health care institutions epitomize middle-class assumptions. The experiences of these students may help therapists to examine where they unwittingly enact middle-class norms in practice.
Enabling Occupation through Facilitating the Diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Missiuna Cheryl , Pollock Nancy , Egan Mary , DeLaat Denise , Gaines Robin , Soucie Helen
Published: April 2013

Background. The largest proportion of children seen within school-based occupational therapy is referred for handwriting difficulties. Many of these children have Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), a disorder that often goes undiagnosed, making if difficult for children, parents, and teachers to access resources.Purpose. The purpose of this article is to outline the important role of occupational therapists in recognizing and facilitating the diagnosis of DCD.Key Issues. In this paper, a case is made for an expansion of the role of school-based occupational therapists in facilitating diagnosis for children with DCD. Through a review of the literature, we establish the importance of a diagnosis for children and families and critically reflect on issues that may make therapists reluctant to become involved in facilitating this diagnosis.Implications. Occupational therapists working in schools are able to recognize children with DCD, an important first step in accessing key resources useful to improve occupational performance and quality of life.
Reference Values of Physical Performance in Thai Elderly People Who Are Functioning Well and Dwelling in the Community
Authors: Thaweewannakij Thiwabhorn , Wilaichit Sirinat , Chuchot Renu , Yuenyong Yaowaraporn , Saengsuwan Jiamjit , Siritaratiwat Wantana , Amatachaya Sugalya
Published: April 2013

Background

Because the number of elderly people is rapidly increasing, reference values for the physical abilities necessary to independently conduct daily activities are crucial for promoting good health. Although a few studies have reported reference values for functional tests relating to these abilities, all of those values were derived from populations in developed countries, which have baseline demographic and anthropometric characteristics different from those of Thai people.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe reference values for 5 physical performance tests for Thai elderly people who were functioning well and dwelling in the community.

Design

A cross-sectional design was used in this study.

Methods

A total of 1,030 Thai elderly people who were functioning well were cross-sectionally assessed for their physical abilities with 5 functional tests: 10-Meter Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed “Up & Go” Test, Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test, and Six-Minute Walk Test. The data were reported with descriptive statistics according to decade of age and sex. Differences among the age decades and between the sexes were analyzed with a 1-way analysis of variance and an independent-sample t test, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine baseline characteristics important in functional abilities.

Results

Most of the values found for the performance-based measures were lower than those previously reported, with a significant trend toward age- and sex-related functional decline. Weight and height were important contributors to level of functional ability.

Limitations

Only a few elderly individuals older than 90 years of age participated in this study. Therefore, their findings were combined with those of participants aged 80 to 89 years.

Conclusions

The findings described here may be useful as reference values for 5 physical performance tests for Thai elderly people. Health practitioners can use this information to identify functional impairments early and to promote independence in Thai and other elderly populations with similar anthropometric characteristics, such as those in the Association of South East Asian Nations.
Total Synthesis of Hematoporphyrin and Protoporphyrin; a Conceptually New Approach
Authors: Martin Pierre , Müller Markus , Flubacher Dietmar , Boudier Andreas , Spielvogel Dirk
Published: April 2013

The total synthesis of protoporphyrin IX and its disodium salt using a new alternative method to the classical MacDonald condensation is reported. The key step is the reaction of the new unsymmetrical diiodo dipyrrylmethane 1 with the known dipyrrylmethane 2. Coupling
of the two fragments leads directly to porphyrin 3 without the need of an oxidizing agent. The new methodology is well suited for the synthesis of protoporphyrin IX derivatives on a multi-100 g scale in good quality without the need for chromatography. Furthermore, these preparations
are completely free of any contaminant of animal origin, which represents a real improvement in the manufacturing of protoporphyrin IX derivatives.
Total Synthesis of the Myxobacterial Macrolide Ripostatin B
Authors: Glaus Florian , Altmann Karl-Heinz
Published: April 2013

This article describes the total synthesis of ripostatin B, which is a 14-membered macrolide of myxobacterial origin that inhibits E. coli RNA polymerase by a different mechanism of action than the first-line anti-tuberculosis drug rifampicin. Structurally, ripostatin B features a labile
and synthetically challenging doubly skipped triene motif embedded in the macrolactone ring. Key steps in the synthesis were a Paterson aldol reaction, a low-temperature Yamaguchi esterification and an alkene metathesis reaction to close the macrolide ring. The natural product was synthesized in a longest linear sequence of 21 steps and 3.6% overall yield.
Lewis Acid–Water/Alcohol Complexes as Hydrogen Atom Donors in Radical Reactions
Authors: Povie Guillaume , Renaud Philippe
Published: April 2013

Water or low molecular weight alcohols are, due to their availability, low price and low toxicity ideal reagents for organic synthesis. Recently, it was reported that, despite the very strong BDE of the O–H bond, they can be used as hydrogen atom donors in place of expensive and/or
toxic group 14 metal hydrides when boron and titanium(III) Lewis acids are present. This finding represents a considerable innovation and uncovers a new perspective on the paradigm of hydrogen atom transfers to radicals. We discuss here the influence of complex formation and other association
processes on the efficacy of the hydrogen transfer step. A delicate balance between activation by complex formation and deactivation by further hydrogen bonding is operative.
Bioinspired Surfaces Against Bacterial Infections
Authors: Gomes José , Grunau Alexander , Lawrence Adrien K. , Eberl Leo , Gademann Karl
Published: April 2013

Bioactive surfaces that can prevent bacterial infections are of great interest since device-related infections represent an emerging and major threat to our health-care system. For that purpose, dopamine and its derivatives have been shown to provide an exceptionally facile method for
the immobilization of bioactive compounds on metal oxide surfaces through an operationally simple dip-and-rinse procedure. Based on this method, three different coating strategies for the assembly of antifouling, antibacterial, and quorum sensing modulating surfaces have been established.
The anachelin chromophore and nitro-dopamine proved to be very suitable anchoring moieties as they possess better oxidative stability and binding efficiency compared to dopamine itself. Furthermore, adsorbed bioactive hybrids were shown to be stable and recycling of the surfaces could be achieved.
These examples clearly demonstrate the efficiency of this approach for the production of active surfaces, such as in biomedical devices.
Peptide-catalyzed 1,4-Addition Reactions of Aldehydes to Nitroolefins
Authors: Kastl Robert , Arakawa Yukihiro , Duschmalé Jörg , Wiesner Markus , Wennemers Helma
Published: April 2013

Conjugate addition reactions of aldehydes to nitroolefins provide synthetically useful ?-nitroaldehydes. Here we summarize our research on peptide-catalyzed conjugate addition reactions of aldehydes to differently substituted nitroolefins. We show that peptides of the general
type Pro-Pro-Xaa (Xaa = acidic amino acid) are not only highly active, robust and stereoselective catalysts but have also remarkable chemoselectivities.
New Approaches to Control Infections: Anti-biofilm Strategies against Gram-negative Bacteria
Authors: Sommer Roman , Joachim Ines , Wagner Stefanie , Titz Alexander
Published: April 2013

Hospital-acquired bacterial infections, especially with Gram-negative pathogens, present a major threat due to the rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant strains. Targeting mechanisms of bacterial virulence has recently appeared as a promising new therapeutic paradigm. Biofilm formation
is a bacterial lifestyle, which offers a survival advantage through its protective matrix against host immune defense and antibiotic treatment. Interfering with biogenesis of adhesive organelles, bacterial communication or carbohydrate-mediated adhesion as anti-biofilm strategies are reviewed.
Vendidas y Devueltas: Queer Times and Color Lines in Chicana/o Performance
Authors: Rowe Aimee Carrillo
Published: April 2013

This paper explores the temporal structures that shape Chicana subjectivity. The historical figure, La Malinche, is often imagined through acts of betrayal as “La Vendida” (literally the one who has been sold). I propose an alternative reading—that of “La Devuelta”—the one who is returned as an empowering Chicana figure. Drawing on and extending theories of queer temporality, I consider the way time passes and is recuperated by queer Chicanas who rewrite nationalist temporalities. Although nationalist projects structure La Vendida through heterosexual and capitalist imperatives, Chicana feminist treatments of imperial trauma and queer erotics provide alternate modes of belonging, healing, and embodiment.
Covert Wars in the Bedroom and Nation: Motherwork, Transnationalism, and Domestic Violence inBlack Widow's WardrobeandMother Tongue
Authors: Johnson Leigh
Published: April 2013

This article argues that, as a tool for social justice and resistance, the concept of motherwork can be usefully applied to two texts by Chicana writers—Lucha Corpi's Black Widow's Wardrobe and Demetria Martínez's Mother Tongue. The essay draws on Patricia Hill Collins's theory of motherwork and survival for women of color to show how characters in the novels confront violence by doing motherwork. The article employs a transnational reading of the texts to argue that in this context domestic violence has a double meaning—that of the home and that of the nation. The article addresses motherwork generally, turns to hemispheric and transnational concerns, and concludes with a discussion of domestic violence and the motherwork that emerges in opposition to it. By doing motherwork, the characters develop survival tactics that resist racist, patriarchal practices in government policy.
Sara Baartman and the “Inclusive Exclusions” of Neoliberalism
Authors: Lloyd Sheila
Published: April 2013

This essay examines three African-American feminist texts—Elizabeth Alexander's “The Venus Hottentot,” Barbara Chase-Riboud's Hottentot Venus, and Suzan-Lori Parks's Venus. In their nuanced critiques of the sovereign power of neoliberalism as both a sociopolitical and a discursive condition, that is, as what Foucault calls a biopolitics, these texts represent a feminist cultural activism that challenges the hegemonic forms of neoliberalism and transnational market relations. Despite their apparent focus on African-American women's bodies and their exploitation and instrumentalization, what is additionally meaningful in these texts is that the more recent history of globalization to which women are subjected under late capitalism—a history within and on which these texts and their writers work—is shown to be coextensive (although not homologous) with the history of imperialism that made it possible in the first place to mark out a place for a Sara Baartman (the so-called Hottentot Venus) in nascent capitalist relations and forces of production and in the early colonization of southern Africa. In their nonreferential literary representations of twentieth-century neoliberalism, Alexander, Parks, and Chase-Riboud give readers a marginal subject, “Sara Baartman,” who serves not simply as an icon of sexual difference between white and black, as some critics have argued, but as an economic placeholder for these interrelated nineteenth- and twentieth-century economic and social histories.
Reflections on the Uncritical Appropriation of Cinematic Christ-Figures: Holy Other or Wholly Inadequate?
Authors: Deacy Dr. Christopher
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to offer a critical response to Anton Karl Kozlovic’s article, published in the Journal of Religion and Popular Culture in 2004, on “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-figure.” Even though one may be able to discern a parallel between a film character and the person of Christ, I argue that Kozlovic’s tendency to impose Christian motifs on to films rests on the false assumption that all of the facets of Christ’s life and work can be fitted into a particular typology, such that a film either does, or does not, have the necessary definitional properties. I propose adopting a new approach to the theology-film field which entails not the pursuit of redundant thematic parallels but asking whether or not a two-fold dialogical relationship between theology and film and between Christ and Christ-figure can emerge.
Favourite Pew or Box Seat?  Sabbath Beliefs as a Barrier to Sporting Event Attendance on Sunday: A Congregational Study
Authors: Waller Ph.D, D.Min.v Steven N.
Published: April 2013

A 10-item Sabbath Beliefs and Practices Scale was administered to 100 respondents as a part of a congregational study designed to investigate how beliefs about the Christian Sabbath influenced sport spectatorship on Sunday. Using a five point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) respondents were asked to indicate their strength of agreement with the statements relating to the Christian Sabbath. Key findings included: (1) a strong relationship between belief (that attending a sporting event on Sunday was sinful) and source of belief (the Bible, a church doctrine, personal belief); and (2) a significant difference in Sabbath Belief and Practices Scores as a function of length of membership in the congregation. The results suggest that these congregants would find ways to negotiate religious constraints and attend sporting events on Sunday.
Marivaux And Pirandello
Authors: Scherer Jaques
Published: April 2013

If the past can influence the present, it is correct to say also that modern authors, when they have contributed something truly important and have deepened our sensitivity and our understanding, can allow us to see in the work of older authors riches that their contemporaries had not suspected. Since Valery it is no longer even a paradox to add that certain of these riches could have been unknown to the author himself. This article aims at sketching in broad outlines a re-evaluation of this type by showing how the new ideas on the theatre that have been made familiar by the work of Pirandello can rightly clarify, in a retrospective way, certain aspects of the comedies of Marivaux.
The Lark
Authors: Knepler Henry
Published: April 2013

The Main Difference between the work of a translator of a play and that of an adapter can be stated simply: a translator will try to reproduce the original intact; he will therefore generally try to find a level of language and idiom which achieves that aim. An adapter tries to find an approximate equivalent for the original, not only in terms of the language but in terms of the whole theatrical tradition to which the adaptation is being made. He therefore has to deal with two elements in addition to the linguistic problem; dramatic technique first of all, and secondly those commonly understood national characteristics or attitudes which are relevant to the particular play. Both of these depend on the traditions and therefore on the expectations of the playgoer; they are bound up with each other and often seem no more than two aspects of the same problem.
An Approach To Tragedy
Authors: Dahlstrom Carl
Published: April 2013

The Attempt’s To Evaluate Works Of Literately as tragedy are often seriously hampered if not completely frustrated by difficulties in defining the tragic vein. While many essays and monographs offer discussions of a great number of literary compositions called tragedies, they do not provide a common denominator for them. In fact, scholars and critics generally fail to give us analyses that may be employed with complete confidence. Yet we all know that the works of literature which properly belong to the class of tragedy must have in common some quality or qualities by means of which they are distinguished from all other works of literature. We also realize that if we can isolate. whatever is peculiar to tragedy we shall be in an excellent position to define the vein, and we shall then have far less trouble when we attempt to evaluate individual dramas.
Uncertain Mobilities
Authors: Pooley Colin G.
Published: April 2013

Contemporary society assumes high levels of unimpeded mobility, and disruptions to the ability to move quickly and easily can cause considerable concern. This paper examines the notion of mobility uncertainty and disruption from an historical perspective, arguing that interruptions to mobility have long been a characteristic of everyday travel. It is suggested that what has changed is not so much the extent or nature of disruption, but rather the resilience of transport systems and societal norms and expectations about travel. Data are taken from five examples of life writing produced by residents of the United Kingdom during the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. The texts are used to illustrate the travel problems encountered and the strategies adopted to deal with them. A concluding discussion examines these themes in the context of twenty-first century mobility.
Reshaping Empire
Authors: Bhimull Chandra D.
Published: April 2013

In the 1920s, Imperial Airways, the first national airline and antecedent of British Airways, launched in Britain. Within a few years, it flew passengers to Britain's overseas territories for the first time. This essay analyzes travel writings from these first flyers. It combines anthropological and historical approaches to expose the advent of airline travel transforming colonial encounters. It argues that the integration of high speed and the verticality of flight dramatically altered how metropolitan travelers related to the landscapes and lives literally beneath them. An anthrohistorical inquiry into the impact of airborne mobility, it also wonders how this new way of moving affected people on the ground, especially those in colonies. Scarcely examined in tandem, regard for both groups illuminates how the airliner's three-dimensional movements remapped racial hierarchies. Consideration of this new geometry of power helps us reimagine where empire and oppression, as lived experiences, are located, fueled, and executed.
"Traffic"
Authors: Müller Dorit , Weber Heike
Published: April 2013

In a nineteenth century context, traffic could mean both communication and the transportation of goods and people. For instance, the German term “traffic” (Verkehr), referred to “communicating” (verkehren) and to “traffic”/“transportation” (Verkehr). Historically speaking, before the age of telegraphy, any communication over distance required the physical transport of a message or a messenger. Many authors, thus, identified the latter as a fundamental caesura in the relationship between media and mobility, uncoupling media from their previous reliance on physical movement. At the same time, telegraphy and the railway formed a paradigmatic symbiosis that enforced the ongoing duality between media and mobility: traffic depended on and sometimes boosted communication and vice versa. Hence, traffic and media were not disconnected as such, but their connections were rearranged and new ones emerged while others such as the postal services persisted.
History as Epic
Authors: Booth Rodrigo
Published: April 2013

National Museum of Air and Space, Pedro Aguirre Cerda Avenue 5000, Cerrillos, Santiago, Chile Admission: Free
www.museoaeronautico.gob.cl
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
No Brakes
Authors: Stalter-Pace Sunny
Published: April 2013

Premium Rush, United States, 2012, Pariah Productions, directed by David Koepp, written by David Koepp and John Kamps, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dania Ramirez, Wolé Parks, Jamie Chung, and Michael Shannon.
Enlargement of small, asymptomatic, unruptured intracranial aneurysms in patients with no history of subarachnoid hemorrhage: the different factors related to the growth of single and multiple aneurysms
Authors: Chien Aichi , Liang Feng , Sayre James , Salamon Noriko , Villablanca Pablo , Viñuela Fernando
Published: April 2013

Object

This study was performed to investigate the risk factors related to the growth of small, asymptomatic, unruptured aneurysms in patients with no history of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods

Between January 2005 and December 2010, a total of 508 patients in whom unruptured intracranial aneurysms were diagnosed at the University of California, Los Angeles medical center did not receive treatment to prevent rupture. Of these, 235 patients with no history of SAH who had asymptomatic, small, unruptured aneurysms (< 7 mm) were monitored with 3D CT angiography images. Follow-up images of the lesions were used to measure aneurysm size changes. Patient medical history, family history of SAH, aneurysm size, and location were studied to find the risk factors associated with small aneurysm growth.

Results

A total of 319 small aneurysms were included, with follow-up durations of 29.2 ± 20.6 months. Forty-two aneurysms increased in size during the follow-up; 5 aneurysms grew to become ≥ 7 mm within 38.2 ± 18.3 months. A trend of higher growth rates was found in single aneurysms than in multiple aneurysms (p = 0.07). A history of stroke was the only factor associated with single aneurysm growth (p = 0.03). The number of aneurysms (p = 0.011), number of aneurysms located within the posterior circulation (p = 0.030), and patient history of transient ischemic attack (p = 0.044) were related to multiple aneurysm growth.

Conclusions

Multiple small aneurysms are more likely to grow, and multiple aneurysms located in the posterior circulation may require additional attention. Although single aneurysms have a lower risk of growth, a trend of higher growth rates in single aneurysms was found.
Characterization of the blood-brain barrier of metastatic and primary malignant neoplasms
Authors: Nduom Edjah K. , Yang Chunzhang , Merrill Marsha J. , Zhuang Zhengping , Lonser Russell R.
Published: April 2013

Object

The astrocytic contribution to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in metastatic and primary malignant brain tumors is not well understood. To better understand the vascular properties associated with metastatic and primary malignant brain tumors, the authors systematically analyzed the astrocytic component of the BBB in brain neoplasms.

Methods

Twelve patients who underwent resection of metastatic or primary brain neoplasms (4 metastatic lesions, 2 low-grade astrocytomas, 2 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 4 glioblastoma multiforme) were included. Clinical, MRI, operative, histopathological and immunohistochemical (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP], CD31, and aquaporin 4 [AQ4]) findings were analyzed.

Results

Intratumoral regions of MRI enhancement corresponded with breakdown of the normal astrocyte–endothelial cell relationship in the BBB in metastatic deposits and malignant gliomas. Metastases demonstrated lack of perivascular GFAP and AQ4 on CD31-positive intratumoral vessels. At the metastasis-brain interface, normalization of GFAP and AQ4 staining associated with intraparenchymal vessels was observed. Intratumoral vasculature in enhancing regions of high-grade gliomas revealed gaps in GFAP and AQ4 staining consistent with disintegration of the normal astrocyte–endothelial cell association in the BBB. Intratumoral vasculature in low-grade and nonenhancing regions of high-grade gliomas maintained the normal astrocyte–endothelial cell relationship seen in an intact BBB, with GFAP- and AQ4-positive glial processes that were uniformly associated with the CD31-positive vasculature.

Conclusions

Regions of MRI enhancement in metastatic and primary malignancies correspond to areas of breakdown of the physiological astrocyte–endothelial cell relationship of the BBB, including loss of normal perivascular astrocytic architecture on GFAP and AQ4 immunohistochemistry. Nonenhancing areas are associated with preservation of the normal astrocyte–endothelial cell relationship of the intact BBB.
Long-term seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcome following trans–middle temporal gyrus amygdalohippocampectomy and standard temporal lobectomy
Authors: Bujarski Krzysztof A. , Hirashima Fuyuki , Roberts David W. , Jobst Barbara C. , Gilbert Karen L. , Roth Robert M. , Flashman Laura A. , McDonald Brenna C. , Saykin Andrew J. , Scott Rod C. , Dinnerstein Eric , Preston Julie , Williamson Peter D. , Thadani Vijay M.
Published: April 2013

Object

Previous comparisons of standard temporal lobectomy (STL) and selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SelAH) have been limited by inadequate long-term follow-up, variable definitions of favorable outcome, and inadequate consideration of psychiatric comorbidities.

Methods

The authors performed a retrospective analysis of seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes in a noncontemporaneous cohort of 69 patients with unilateral refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and MRI evidence of mesial temporal sclerosis after either an STL or an SelAH and examined seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes.

Results

The mean duration of follow-up for STL was 9.7 years (range 1–18 years), and for trans–middle temporal gyrus SelAH (mtg-SelAH) it was 6.85 years (range 1–15 years). There was no significant difference in seizure outcome when “favorable” was defined as time to loss of Engel Class I or II status; better seizure outcome was seen in the STL group when “favorable” was defined as time to loss of Engel Class IA status (p = 0.034). Further analysis revealed a higher occurrence of seizures solely during attempted medication withdrawal in the mtg-SelAH group than in the STL group (p = 0.016). The authors found no significant difference in the effect of surgery type on any cognitive and most psychiatric variables. Standard temporal lobectomy was associated with significantly higher scores on assessment of postsurgical paranoia (p = 0.048).

Conclusions

Overall, few differences in seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcome were found between STL and mtg-SelAH on long-term follow-up. Longer exposure to medication side effects after mtg-SelAH may adversely affect quality of life but is unlikely to cause additional functional impairment. In patients with high levels of presurgical psychiatric disease, mtg-SelAH may be the preferred surgery type.
Spirituality and religion in oncology
Authors: Peteet John R. , Balboni Michael J.
Published: April 2013

Despite the difficulty in clearly defining and measuring spirituality, a growing literature describes its importance in oncology and survivorship. Religious/spiritual beliefs influence patients' decision‐making with respect to both complementary therapies and aggressive care at the end of life. Measures of spirituality and spiritual well‐being correlate with quality of life in cancer patients, cancer survivors, and caregivers. Spiritual needs, reflective of existential concerns in several domains, are a source of significant distress, and care for these needs has been correlated with better psychological and spiritual adjustment as well as with less aggressive care at the end of life. Studies show that while clinicians such as nurses and physicians regard some spiritual care as an appropriate aspect of their role, patients report that they provide it infrequently. Many clinicians report that their religious/spiritual beliefs influence their practice, and practices such as mindfulness have been shown to enhance clinician self‐care and equanimity. Challenges remain in the areas of conceptualizing and measuring spirituality, developing and implementing training for spiritual care, and coordinating and partnering with chaplains and religious communities. CA Cancer J Clin 2013;63:280–289. ©2013 American Cancer Society.
Isolated Hydatid Cyst of Breast: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Lal S , Shrivastava GP
Published: April 2013

J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2012; 30: 219-220 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v30i4.14765
Upper GI Hemorrhage from Duodenal Ulcer due to Post-Cholecystectomy Clip Migration
Authors: Hussain M Margub , Bhuiya MA Hashem , Ahmed Faruque , Masud MA , Rahman Atiar , Rahman Mahfuzur , Kafr Abdulla-hel , Rahman Mizanur
Published: April 2013

J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2012; 30: 225-228 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v30i4.14767
Human Temporal Cortical Single Neuron Activity during Language: A Review
Authors: Ojemann George
Published: April 2013

Findings from recordings of human temporal cortical single neuron activity during several measures of language, including object naming and word reading are reviewed and related to changes in activity in the same neurons during recent verbal memory and verbal associative learning measures, in studies conducted during awake neurosurgery for the treatment of epilepsy. The proportion of neurons changing activity with language tasks was similar in either hemisphere. Dominant hemisphere activity was characterized by relative inhibition, some of which occurred during overt speech, possibly to block perception of one’s own voice. However, the majority seems to represent a dynamic network becoming active with verbal memory encoding and especially verbal learning, but inhibited during performance of overlearned language tasks. Individual neurons are involved in different networks for different aspects of language, including naming or reading and naming in different languages. The majority of the changes in activity were tonic sustained shifts in firing. Patterned phasic activity for specific language items was very infrequently recorded. Human single neuron recordings provide a unique perspective on the biologic substrate for language, for these findings are in contrast to many of the findings from other techniques for investigating this.
Involvement of Sphingolipids in Ethanol Neurotoxicity in the Developing Brain
Authors: Saito Mariko , Saito Mitsuo
Published: April 2013

Ethanol-induced neuronal death during a sensitive period of brain development is considered one of the significant causes of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). In rodent models, ethanol triggers robust apoptotic neurodegeneration during a period of active synaptogenesis that occurs around the first two postnatal weeks, equivalent to the third trimester in human fetuses. The ethanol-induced apoptosis is mitochondria-dependent, involving Bax and caspase-3 activation. Such apoptotic pathways are often mediated by sphingolipids, a class of bioactive lipids ubiquitously present in eukaryotic cellular membranes. While the central role of lipids in ethanol liver toxicity is well recognized, the involvement of sphingolipids in ethanol neurotoxicity is less explored despite mounting evidence of their importance in neuronal apoptosis. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate that ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis in animal models of FASD is mediated or regulated by cellular sphingolipids, including via the pro-apoptotic action of ceramide and through the neuroprotective action of GM1 ganglioside. Such sphingolipid involvement in ethanol neurotoxicity in the developing brain may provide unique targets for therapeutic applications against FASD. Here we summarize findings describing the involvement of sphingolipids in ethanol-induced apoptosis and discuss the possibility that the combined action of various sphingolipids in mitochondria may control neuronal cell fate.
Regulatory Roles for Long ncRNA and mRNA
Authors: Karapetyan Armen , Buiting Coen , Kuiper Renske , Coolen Marcel
Published: April 2013

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology have identified the transcription of a much larger portion of the genome than previously anticipated. Especially in the context of cancer it has become clear that aberrant transcription of both protein-coding and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are frequent events. The current dogma of RNA function describes mRNA to be responsible for the synthesis of proteins, whereas non-coding RNA can have regulatory or epigenetic functions. However, this distinction between protein coding and regulatory ability of transcripts may not be that strict. Here, we review the increasing body of evidence for the existence of multifunctional RNAs that have both protein-coding and trans-regulatory roles. Moreover, we demonstrate that coding transcripts bind to components of the Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 (PRC2) with similar affinities as non-coding transcripts, revealing potential epigenetic regulation by mRNAs. We hypothesize that studies on the regulatory ability of disease-associated mRNAs will form an important new field of research.
Reciprocity in Locating Contributions: Experiments on the Neighborhood Public Good Game
Authors: Berninghaus Siegfried , Güth Werner , Schosser Stephan
Published: April 2013

In repeated public good experiments, reciprocity helps to sustain high levels of cooperation. Can this be achieved by location choices in addition to making contributions? It is more realistic to rely on an intuitive neighborhood model for community members who interact repeatedly. In our experiments, participants can locate their contribution, yielding a small benefit for the participant, who receives the contribution and a small disadvantage for the participant, at the opposite location. This mechanism of individually targeted sanctions helps to foster initial cooperation. It decreases over time, however. Location choices are used to reciprocate, but may not suffice to stabilize voluntary cooperation as an effect observed in the field.
A Rainfall- and Temperature-Driven Abundance Model for Aedes albopictus Populations
Authors: Tran Annelise , L'Ambert Grégory , Lacour Guillaume , Benoît Romain , Demarchi Marie , Cros Myriam , Cailly Priscilla , Aubry-Kientz Mélaine , Balenghien Thomas , Ezanno Pauline
Published: April 2013

The mosquito Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) is an invasive species which has colonized Southern Europe in the last two decades. As it is a competent vector for several arboviruses, its spread is of increasing public health concern, and there is a need for appropriate monitoring tools. In this paper, we have developed a modelling approach to predict mosquito abundance over time, and identify the main determinants of mosquito population dynamics. The model is temperature- and rainfall-driven, takes into account egg diapause during unfavourable periods, and was used to model the population dynamics of Ae. albopictus in the French Riviera since 2008. Entomological collections of egg stage from six locations in Nice conurbation were used for model validation. We performed a sensitivity analysis to identify the key parameters of the mosquito population dynamics. Results showed that the model correctly predicted entomological field data (Pearson r correlation coefficient values range from 0.73 to 0.93). The model’s main control points were related to adult’s mortality rates, the carrying capacity in pupae of the environment, and the beginning of the unfavourable period. The proposed model can be efficiently used as a tool to predict Ae. albopictus population dynamics, and to assess the efficiency of different control strategies.
Targeting the Redox Balance in Inflammatory Skin Conditions
Authors: Wagener Frank , Carels Carine , Lundvig Ditte
Published: April 2013

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be both beneficial and deleterious. Under normal physiological conditions, ROS production is tightly regulated, and ROS participate in both pathogen defense and cellular signaling. However, insufficient ROS detoxification or ROS overproduction generates oxidative stress, resulting in cellular damage. Oxidative stress has been linked to various inflammatory diseases. Inflammation is an essential response in the protection against injurious insults and thus important at the onset of wound healing. However, hampered resolution of inflammation can result in a chronic, exaggerated response with additional tissue damage. In the pathogenesis of several inflammatory skin conditions, e.g., sunburn and psoriasis, inflammatory-mediated tissue damage is central. The prolonged release of excess ROS in the skin can aggravate inflammatory injury and promote chronic inflammation. The cellular redox balance is therefore tightly regulated by several (enzymatic) antioxidants and pro-oxidants; however, in case of chronic inflammation, the antioxidant system may be depleted, and prolonged oxidative stress occurs. Due to the central role of ROS in inflammatory pathologies, restoring the redox balance forms an innovative therapeutic target in the development of new strategies for treating inflammatory skin conditions. Nevertheless, the clinical use of antioxidant-related therapies is still in its infancy.
A Lead (II) 3D Coordination Polymer Based on a Marine Cyclic Peptide Motif
Authors: Chakraborty Subrata , Tyagi Pooja , Tai Dar-Fu , Lee Gene-Hsiang , Peng Shie-Ming
Published: April 2013

The crystal structure of a naturally occurring cyclic tetrapeptide cyclo(Gly-L-Ser-L-Pro-L-Glu) [cyclo(GSPE)] was obtained. The conformation of synthesized cyclo(GSPE) fixes the coordination to lead ion in a 1:1 ratio. This cyclo(GSPE)-Pb complex was constructed as an asymmetric 3D network in the crystalline state. The polymerization of a heavy metal ion with a rigid asymmetric cyclic tetrapeptide represents the first example of a new class of macrocyclic complexes.
Cholesterol-Induced Buckling in Physisorbed Polymer-Tethered Lipid Monolayers
Authors: Hussain Noor , Siegel Amanda , Johnson Merrell , Naumann Christoph
Published: April 2013

The influence of cholesterol concentration on the formation of buckling structures is studied in a physisorbed polymer-tethered lipid monolayer system using epifluorescence microscopy (EPI) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The monolayer system, built using the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, consists of 3 mol % poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) lipopolymers and various concentrations of the phospholipid, 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (SOPC), and cholesterol (CHOL). In the absence of CHOL, AFM micrographs show only occasional buckling structures, which is caused by the presence of the lipopolymers in the monolayer. In contrast, a gradual increase of CHOL concentration in the range of 0–40 mol % leads to fascinating film stress relaxation phenomena in the form of enhanced membrane buckling. Buckling structures are moderately deficient in CHOL, but do not cause any notable phospholipid-lipopolymer phase separation. Our experiments demonstrate that membrane buckling in physisorbed polymer-tethered membranes can be controlled through CHOL-mediated adjustment of membrane elastic properties. They further show that CHOL may have a notable impact on molecular confinement in the presence of crowding agents, such as lipopolymers. Our results are significant, because they offer an intriguing prospective on the role of CHOL on the material properties in complex membrane architecture.
Like a Caterpillar Losing its Cocoon: Rediscovery of Self in Marisa Labozzetta’s Thieves Never Steal in the Rain
Authors: Oberdan Angelina
Published: April 2013

We ward off loss as best we can, but rarely are we so lucky. We attach significance to our rituals and collected items. This theme of warding off loss and searching for ways to cope with it is woven through the linked stories of Marisa Labozzetta’s Thieves Never Steal in the Rain, especially in the stories about Joanna and Barbara. Barbara’s ritualistic collecting links her directly to the past. Through these objects, the past and present become fluid for Barbara, and she believes that they can even affect her future. Because of this, she gathers objects in an attempt to preserve her luckiness as she has been since she was a child. This idea of actively working against or shielding oneself and loved ones from loss is also apparent in Labozetta’s stories that feature Joanna. Joanna’s daughter, Jill, died in a terrible accident, and Joanna blames herself because she thinks she should have been able to prevent Jill’s death. Joanna also emphasizes the importance of things in a way that is similar to Barbara’s. When she thinks she has lost her artistic eye, Joanna reclaims the things from her childhood desk. Unfortunately, and despite their best efforts, neither Joanna nor Barbara is able to stave off loss forever: Barbara’s house burns down and Jill cannot be resurrected. However, Barbara feels liberated after her house burns, and Joanna rediscovers her artistic eye. Perhaps what we need to remember, and what the stories in Marisa Labozzetta’s Thieves Never Steal in the Rain remind us, is that we can’t prevent loss and somehow we have to cope with it. In coping with the loss, we can rediscover our best selves.
Nanostructured Surfaces and Detection Instrumentation for Photonic Crystal Enhanced Fluorescence
Authors: Chaudhery Vikram , George Sherine , Lu Meng , Pokhriyal Anusha , Cunningham Brian
Published: April 2013

Photonic crystal (PC) surfaces have been demonstrated as a compelling platform for improving the sensitivity of surface-based fluorescent assays used in disease diagnostics and life science research. PCs can be engineered to support optical resonances at specific wavelengths at which strong electromagnetic fields are utilized to enhance the intensity of surface-bound fluorophore excitation. Meanwhile, the leaky resonant modes of PCs can be used to direct emitted photons within a narrow range of angles for more efficient collection by a fluorescence detection system. The multiplicative effects of enhanced excitation combined with enhanced photon extraction combine to provide improved signal-to-noise ratios for detection of fluorescent emitters, which in turn can be used to reduce the limits of detection of low concentration analytes, such as disease biomarker proteins. Fabrication of PCs using inexpensive manufacturing methods and materials that include replica molding on plastic, nano-imprint lithography on quartz substrates result in devices that are practical for single-use disposable applications. In this review, we will describe the motivation for implementing high-sensitivity fluorescence detection in the context of molecular diagnosis and gene expression analysis though the use of PC surfaces. Recent efforts to improve the design and fabrication of PCs and their associated detection instrumentation are summarized, including the use of PCs coupled with Fabry-Perot cavities and external cavity lasers.