bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between lung to thorax transverse area ratio and observed/expected lung area to head circumference ratio in fetuses with left‐sided diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Hidaka Nobuhiro , Murata Masaharu , Sasahara Jun , Ishii Keisuke , Mitsuda Nobuaki
Published: October 2014

Observed/expected lung area to head circumference ratio (o/e LHR) and lung to thorax transverse area ratio (LTR) are the sonographic indicators of postnatal outcome in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), and they are not influenced by gestational age. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between these two parameters in the same subjects with fetal left‐sided CDH. Fetuses with left‐sided CDH managed between 2005 and 2012 were included. Data of LTR and o/e LHR values measured on the same day prior to 33 weeks' gestation in target fetuses were retrospectively collected. The correlation between the two parameters was estimated using the Spearman's rank‐correlation coefficient, and linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between them. Data on 61 measurements from 36 CDH fetuses were analyzed to obtain a Spearman's rank‐correlation coefficient of 0.74 with the following linear equation: LTR = 0.002 × (o/e LHR) + 0.005. The determination coefficient of this linear equation was sufficiently high at 0.712, and the prediction accuracy obtained with this regression formula was considered satisfactory. A good linear correlation between the LTR and the o/e LHR was obtained, suggesting that we can translate the predictive parameters for each other. This information is expected to be useful to improve our understanding of different investigations focusing on LTR or o/e LHR as a predictor of postnatal outcome in CDH.
Spiradenoma and cylindroma originate from the hair follicle bulge and not from the eccrine sweat gland: an immunohistochemical study with CD200 and other stem cell markers
Authors: Sellheyer Klaus
Published: October 2014

Background

Spiradenoma and cylindroma have historically been described as sweat gland tumors and have often been considered to be of eccrine lineage. However, (a) associations with trichoepitheliomas in Brooke‐Spiegler syndrome or with trichoepitheliomas and milia in Rasmussen syndrome, (b) neoplastic combinations with hair follicle tumors in solitary cases, and (c) anatomical considerations support a folliculosebaceous‐apocrine lineage. Follicular stem cell markers may allow for further characterization of these neoplasms.

Methods

A total of 97 tumors were examined for the expression pattern of follicular stem cell markers cytokeratin 15 (CK15), cytokeratin 19 (CK19), pleckstrin homology‐like domain, family A, member 1 (PHLDA1), and CD200. The tumors were comprised of 27 spiradenomas, 30 cylindromas, 16 hidradenomas, 19 poromas, 4 dermal duct tumors and 1 hidroacanthoma simplex.

Results

All spiradenomas and cylindromas were CD200‐positive whereas the other tumors classified as eccrine in lineage were all CD200‐negative. CK15 also discriminated between spiradenomas and cylindromas and the remaining neoplasms but not to the degree of CD200. PHLDA1 and CK19 were noncontributory.

Conclusions

It is concluded that both spiradenoma and cylindroma are not eccrine but follicular tumors. More specifically, it is proposed that both adnexal neoplasms are derived from the hair follicle bulge and as such represent one of the least differentiated follicular tumors.
The additive effect of excimer laser on non‐cultured melanocyte–keratinocyte transplantation for the treatment of vitiligo: a clinical trial in an Iranian population
Authors: Ebadi A. , Rad M.M. , Nazari S. , Fesharaki R.J. , Ghalamkarpour F. , Younespour S.
Published: October 2014

Background

Non‐cultured cellular grafting is specified for stable vitiligo treatment as a novel surgical technique, however, the additive effect of excimer laser on melanocytes–keratinocytes transplantation (MKT) have not experienced yet.

Objective

To assay the additive effect of excimer laser on MKT for the treatment of vitiligo in an Iranian population.

Methods and materials

In this non‐randomized clinical trial, 39 patches were evaluated. Nine patches treated by MKT alone, 10 patches treated by MKT and excimer laser, 10 patches treated with excimer alone and 10 patches left without any treatments as control patches.

Results

In the patches treated with excimer, the percentage reduction of depigmented area from baseline varied, ranging from 0 to 43.9%. In the nine patches treated with non‐cultured MKT, the median percentage reduction of depigmented area from baseline was 15.9%. The median percentage reduction of depigmented area in excimer + MKT was 41.9% .In the untreated patches, the median percentage reduction of depigmented area was 0.1%. After controlling for the effect of ‘depigmented area at baseline’, significant reductions were observed in depigmented area of the patches treated with combination therapy of excimer and non‐cultured MKT in comparison with the other therapies and untreated patches.

Conclusion

Although pigmentation in our patients was lower than previous reports from Iran and other countries, however, we signified adding excimer to MKT increased the pigmentation rate in treated patches. Further investigations are recommended with longer follow‐up and larger series to validate the findings reported here.
Sexual Function in Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Prostatic Enlargement Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Results of a 6-Month, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Tadalafil Coadministered with Finasteride
Authors: Glina Sidney , Roehrborn Claus G. , Esen Adil , Plekhanov Alexey , Sorsaburu Sebastian , Henneges Carsten , Büttner Hartwig , Viktrup Lars
Published: October 2014

Introduction

Tadalafil (TAD) 5 mg coadministered with finasteride (FIN) 5 mg significantly improves lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic enlargement. However, its effects on erectile/sexual function have yet to be fully described.

Aim

Assess the effects of TAD/FIN coadministration (compared with placebo [PBO]/FIN) on erectile and sexual function in sexually active men with LUTS and prostatic enlargement secondary to BPH with or without baseline comorbid erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods

A randomized, double-blind, PBO-controlled study of 695 men (610 sexually active; 450 with baseline ED; 404 sexually active with baseline ED) conducted at 70 sites in 13 countries. TAD 5 mg or PBO once daily coadministered with FIN 5 mg once daily for 26 weeks.

Main Outcome Measures

International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) domain and single-item scores; proportions of patients who demonstrated minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) in IIEF-Erectile Function domain scores (IIEF-EF; MCID defined as ≥4-point improvement); and sexual dysfunction adverse events (AEs).

Results

Compared with PBO/FIN, TAD/FIN resulted in improvements for all IIEF domain and single-item scores assessed among patients with baseline ED (P ≤ 0.002 for all measures) and among patients without baseline ED (P ≤ 0.041 for all measures). Compared with PBO/FIN, significantly larger percentages of sexually active men with baseline ED treated with TAD/FIN achieved an IIEF-EF MCID after 4, 12, and 26 weeks of therapy (P < 0.001 for odds ratio comparisons between TAD/FIN and PBO/FIN at all 3three postbaseline timepoints). The incidence of sexual AEs was low: five TAD/FIN patients and seven PBO/FIN patients reported sexual AEs, including ED, decreased/lost libido, and ejaculation disorders.

Conclusions

TAD/FIN coadministration for the treatment of men with LUTS and prostatic enlargement secondary to BPH concurrently leads to statistically significant improvements in erectile/sexual function and is well-tolerated, regardless of the presence/absence of ED at treatment initiation.
Development of Penile Hydrocele Following Placement of Inflatable Penile Prosthesis: A Rare Entity
Authors: Raheem Omer A. , Cohen Seth D. , Chandrasekaran Bindupriya , Goldstein Irwin
Published: October 2014

Introduction

The development of a penile hydrocele following the placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) for erectile dysfunction has never been documented. We herein report an unusual complication of penile hydrocele formation that developed following placement of an IPP for erectile dysfunction.

Methods

The penile hydrocele was successfully repaired by excision of the hydrocele sac.

Results

Successful surgical repair of a penile hydrocele was accomplished following placement of an IPP without removal of any implant components. The penile implant was functional at the end of the procedure as well as at all scheduled follow-up appointments.

Conclusions

With advances in both surgical techniques and improved devise technology, high volume penile implanters encounter fewer IPP-related complications such as infectious or mechanical complications. We herein report for the first time a rare complication of penile hydrocele development after IPP placement that was treated successfully with surgical excision of the hydrocele sac. Urologists who perform these types of procedures should be aware of this unusual complication and know that it is curable with prompt diagnosis and meticulous surgical repair.
Sand grain size composition influences subsurface oxygen diffusion and distribution of an endemic, psammophilic lizard
Authors: Ryberg W. A. , Fitzgerald L. A.
Published: October 2014

Reptile species endemic to dune ecosystems worldwide possess morphological and behavioral adaptations for burying in sand. Specializations for burying and subsurface breathing among these animals are advantageous only where sand conditions permit. The patchy distributions of many psammophilic species are presumably due to the occurrence of suitable areas where attributes of the sand facilitate locomotion, burying, subsurface breathing and nesting. The endemic, dune‐dwelling Sceloporus arenicolus does not occur in areas where sand grain size composition is relatively fine, and the distribution of the species appears limited to areas with coarse‐grained sand. However, the exact mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. We hypothesized that subsurface breathing is inhibited in fine sand, and tested the prediction that fine sand restricts diffusion of oxygen. We compared oxygen diffusion rates in sand with grain size compositions matching sites where S. arenicolus was present (coarse sand) to diffusion rates in samples from sites where it was absent (fine sand). We found that samples with relatively coarse sand from sites where S. arenicolus was present had higher oxygen diffusion rates than samples with finer sand where S. arenicolus was absent. These results corroborated our prediction and support the hypothesis that subsurface breathing by S. arenicolus is constrained by fine sand. This is the first step in a line of research on the role of sand grain size composition in the life history of dune‐dwelling reptiles and more experiments can build on this study. Our results have broad implications for the conservation of all strictly psammophilic species by improving our understanding of the habitat elements necessary for their survival and persistence.
Percutaneous Disc Decompression for Lumbar Radicular Pain: A Review Article
Authors: Ong Damian , Chua Nicholas H. L. , Vissers Kris
Published: October 2014

Background

Open discectomy remains the standard of treatment for patients with lumbar radicular pain secondary to a prolapsed intervertebral disc. Open discectomy performed in patients with small, contained herniations may result in poor outcomes. The various techniques of percutaneous disc decompression (PDD) have been developed to address this population.

Methods

A literature search was conducted on articles, which address PDD for lumbar radicular pain. Published techniques include chymopapain chemonucleolysis, percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD), automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD), Dekompressor, nucleoplasty, and targeted disc decompression (TDD). In addition, the rationale of provocative discography, selective nerve root injections, and intra‐op discograms before performing PDD is discussed in detail.

Results

Dekompressor and nucleoplasty have the best level of evidence with a score of 2B+. The chymopapain chemonucleolysis has the most publications, but it is also accompanied by the most significant adverse complications and so it is scored as a 2B+/−. The other techniques are supported mainly by observational studies and thus their scores range between 0 and 2B+/−. There is no supporting evidence for provocative discography in patients with lumbar radicular pain. The evidence for a positive selective nerve root injection as an inclusion criteria or the need for an intra‐op discogram shows mixed results.

Conclusions

Nucleoplasty and Dekompressor have a weak positive recommendation for the treatment of patients with lumbar radicular pain. There is no role for provocative discography in this group of patients, although the evidence for a selective nerve root injection or an intra‐op discogram is inconclusive.
Business model innovation and owner–managers: the moderating role of competition
Authors: Velu Chander , Jacob Arun
Published: October 2014

This study examines the relationship among owner–managers, business model innovation, and competition. We present a newly constructed dataset of 111 new firms that launched electronic trading platforms (business model innovations) in the US and European bond markets between 1995 and 2004. We contribute to the emerging literature on business model innovation by integrating effectuation theory with the Austrian school's view of competition as a discovery process to examine the role of the entrepreneur in business model design. Our findings reveal that the presence of entrepreneurs as owner–managers positively influences the degree of innovation: this relationship is stronger in less competitive environments but is weaker (and may even reverse) in highly competitive environments. We discuss implications for theory and for entrepreneurs in influencing the degree of business model innovation, and suggest future directions for research.
Improvement of pea biomass and seed productivity by simultaneous increase of phloem and embryo loading with amino acids
Authors: Zhang Lizhi , Garneau Matthew G. , Majumdar Rajtilak , Grant Jan , Tegeder Mechthild
Published: October 2014

The development of sink organs such as fruits and seeds strongly depends on the amount of nitrogen that is moved within the phloem from photosynthetic‐active source leaves to the reproductive sinks. In many plant species nitrogen is transported as amino acids. In pea (Pisum sativum L.), source to sink partitioning of amino acids requires at least two active transport events mediated by plasma membrane‐localized proteins, and these are: (i) amino acid phloem loading; and (ii) import of amino acids into the seed cotyledons via epidermal transfer cells. As each of these transport steps might potentially be limiting to efficient nitrogen delivery to the pea embryo, we manipulated both simultaneously. Additional copies of the pea amino acid permease PsAAP1 were introduced into the pea genome and expression of the transporter was targeted to the sieve element‐companion cell complexes of the leaf phloem and to the epidermis of the seed cotyledons. The transgenic pea plants showed increased phloem loading and embryo loading of amino acids resulting in improved long distance transport of nitrogen, sink development and seed protein accumulation. Analyses of root and leaf tissues further revealed that genetic manipulation positively affected root nitrogen uptake, as well as primary source and sink metabolism. Overall, the results suggest that amino acid phloem loading exerts regulatory control over pea biomass production and seed yield, and that import of amino acids into the cotyledons limits seed protein levels.
Minimization of line edge roughness and critical dimension error in electron-beam lithography
Authors: Zhao Xinyu , Lee Soo-Young , Choi Jin , Lee Sang-Hee , Shin In-Kyun , Jeon Chan-Uk
Published: October 2014

As the minimum feature size continues to decrease, the line edge roughness (LER) has become a critical issue to be addressed. The LER is caused by a number of stochastically fluctuating effects involved in the fabrication process using electron-beam lithography. Since the LER does not scale with the feature size, it can significantly limit the minimum feature size and the maximum circuit density that can be achieved in a pattern of nanoscale features. Many of the efforts to decrease the LER in the past took an empirical or trial-and-error approach. In this study, a computational approach is taken in developing effective methods to minimize the LER, taking the critical dimension (CD) error due to the proximity effect also into account. Since the LER and the CD error vary with the resist-depth dimension, a 3D model is employed instead of a 2D model used in most of the previous work. The simulation results show that the proposed methods have potential to provide a practical and effective way to minimize the LER.
Transorbital superior ophthalmic vein sacrifice to preserve vision in ocular hypertension from aseptic cavernous sinus thrombosis
Authors: Ladner Travis R , Davis Brandon J , He Lucy , Mawn Louise A , Mocco J
Published: October 2014

Aseptic cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) is rare and may clinically masquerade as a carotid cavernous fistula. Conventional management includes oral anticoagulation, but cases of ocular hypertension affecting vision may require more aggressive intervention. We report a case of a woman with spontaneous bilaterally occluded cavernous sinuses with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), which resolved immediately following unilateral superior ophthalmic vein (SOV) sacrifice. She was subsequently placed on oral anticoagulants. By 4 months postoperatively her IOP was normalized and her vision had improved. Repeat angiography demonstrated stable venous filling, with some mild improvement of flow through the cavernous sinus. Coil-mediated sacrifice of the SOV might be an effective means to relieve ocular hypertension and preserve vision in the setting of aseptic CST.
Cat scratch disease, a rare cause of hypodense liver lesions, lymphadenopathy and a protruding duodenal lesion, caused byBartonella henselae
Authors: van Ierland-van Leeuwen Marloes , Peringa Jan , Blaauwgeers Hans , van Dam Alje
Published: October 2014

A 46-year-old woman presented with right upper abdominal pain and fever. At imaging, enlarged peripancreatic and hilar lymph nodes, as well as hypodense liver lesions, were detected, suggestive of malignant disease. At endoscopy, the mass adjacent to the duodenum was seen as a protruding lesion through the duodenal wall. A biopsy of this lesion, taken through the duodenal wall, showed a histiocytic granulomatous inflammation with necrosis. Serology forBartonella henselaeIgM was highly elevated a few weeks after presentation, consistent with the diagnosis of cat scratch disease. Clinical symptoms subsided spontaneously and, after treatment with azithromycin, the lymphatic masses, liver lesions and duodenal ulceration disappeared completely.
hMSH6: a potential diagnostic marker for oral carcinoma in situ
Authors: Jessri Maryam , Dalley Andrew J , Farah Camile S
Published: October 2014

Oral medicine specialists rely upon accurate assessment of pathology to rationalise lesion management, especially for high-risk oral epithelial dysplasia, carcinoma in situ (CIS) and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cross-discipline cancer research has highlighted the role of genetic instability in neoplasia. Improved diagnostic stringency from translation of immunostaining for DNA repair defects into current pathology practice has potential to benefit pathologists, clinicians and patients. The focus of this study was the obligatory and non-obligatory components of the MutLα and MutSα mismatch repair heterodimers, namely hMLH1, hMSH2, hPMS2 and hMSH6, which were studied in 274 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. A readily apparent inverse correlation between oral disease severity and both obligatory and non-obligatory components of MutLα and MutSα was observed (hMLH1, ρ=−0.715; hPMS2, ρ=−0.692; hMSH2, ρ=−0.728; and hMSH6, ρ=−0.702), with particularly conspicuous loss of hMSH6 expression from the stratum basale of CIS.
On factorization systems for surjective quandle homomorphisms
Authors: Even Valérian , Gran Marino
Published: October 2014

We study and compare two factorization systems for surjective homomorphisms in the category of quandles. The first one is induced by the adjunction between quandles and trivial quandles, and a precise description of the two classes of morphisms of this factorization system is given. In doing this we observe that a special class of congruences in the category of quandles always permute in the sense of the composition of relations, a fact that opens the way to some new universal algebraic investigations in the category of quandles. The second factorization system is the one discovered by E. Bunch, P. Lofgren, A. Rapp and D. N. Yetter. We conclude with an example showing a difference between these factorization systems.
Preparation of microporous rock samples for confocal laser scanning microscopy
Authors: Shah S. M. , Crawshaw J. P. , Boek E. S.
Published: October 2014

In this paper we describe an improved sample-preparation technique for applying confocal laser scanning microscopy to image the void space of porous geological media, particularly various kinds of carbonate rocks with significant microporosity. We have improved the existing sample-preparation technique for confocal imaging by introducing a positive-pressure application step. This additional step helps to force the fluorescent-doped epoxy mixture inside the submicron pores (the microporosity) which make up a significant fraction of the total porosity of the carbonate rocks being characterized using confocal laser scanning microscopy. We also provide additional technical details and discuss practical aspects important to consider when imaging carbonate rock samples using this technique.
Antiestrogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of n-Hexane Fraction of Vitex negundo Linn Leaf Extract: A Probable Mechanism for Blastocyst Implantation Failure in Mus musculus
Authors: Jivrajani Mehul , Ravat Nirav , Anandjiwala Sheetal , Nivsarkar Manish
Published: October 2014

The anti-implantation potential of different fractions of Vitex negundo Linn leaf extract was evaluated in female Swiss Albino mice. Animals from different groups were dosed orally either with 0.2% agar (vehicle) or with fractions of V. negundo leaf extract (n-hexane, chloroform, n-butanol, and remnant fractions) at 10:00 a.m., from day 1 to day 6 of pregnancy. The pregnant females from each group were sacrificed on different days of pregnancy (n=6), and uterus was excised and used for estimation of lipid peroxidation and assay of superoxide dismutase activity as a marker for blastocyst implantation. Animals treated with n-hexane fraction showed altered level of superoxide anion radical and superoxide dismutase activity as compared to control animals. The probable mechanism by which this extract exhibits inhibition of blastocyst implantation is through the anti-inflammatory and antiestrogenic potential.
Effect of Micellar Aggregate on the Kinetics and Mechanism of the Reaction between Ethylene Glycol and Periodate
Authors: Segun Esan Olaseni
Published: October 2014

The oxidation of ethylene glycol by periodate (IO4-) was studied in different micellar aggregates of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) and dodecylamine (DA) by means of UV/Vis spectroscopy. The observed constant Ko was obtained by monitoring the disappearing of ethylene glycol with time at a suitable wavelength under pseudofirst condition. Addition of CTABr and DA inhibits the reaction rate while the kinetic behavior was explained on the association of one of the reactants with the micelles leaving the other reactant in the bulk solution (pseudophase model).
Associations of Acrylamide Intake with Circulating Levels of Sex Hormones and Prolactin in Premenopausal Japanese Women
Authors: Nagata Chisato , Konishi Kie , Tamura Takashi , Wada Keiko , Tsuji Michiko , Hayashi Makoto , Takeda Noriyuki , Yasuda Keigo
Published: October 2014

Background: It has been hypothesized that alteration of hormone systems is involved in the carcinogenesis of acrylamide. The aim of the present study was to examine the cross-sectional associations between dietary acrylamide intake and sex hormone levels in premenopausal Japanese women.

Methods: Study subjects were 393 women who had regular menstrual cycles less than 40 days long. Acrylamide intake was assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire and was based on acrylamide concentration reported from analyses of Japanese foods. We measured the plasma concentrations of estradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, sex hormone–binding globulin, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and prolactin.

Results: After controlling for age, the phase of the menstrual cycle, and other covariates, acrylamide intake was statistically significantly inversely associated with total and free estradiol levels and statistically significantly positively associated with follicle-stimulating hormone level. Total and free estradiol levels were 18.2% and 19.3% lower, respectively, in women in the highest quartile of acrylamide intake than in those in the lowest quartile of intake. Follicle-stimulating hormone levels were 23.5% higher in women in the highest quartile of acrylamide intake than in those in the lowest quartile of intake.

Conclusion: The data suggest that acrylamide intake may alter estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone levels.

Impact: High estradiol levels have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Although the results need confirmation, they highlight the need to investigate the relationships among dietary acrylamide, sex hormones, and breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(1); 249–54. ©2014 AACR.
The Neurosurgical Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review
Authors: Laxton Adrian W. , Stone Scellig , Lozano Andres M.
Published: October 2014

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating neurological illness of increasing prevalence. Because many patients are affected and current treatments have limited effectiveness, other therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Objectives: Here we provide a review of the neurosurgical approaches that have been attempted or are currently being investigated for the treatment of AD. Methods: Computerized database searches identified all of the published studies in the English-language literature examining the surgical treatment of AD since 1950. Results: The following 5 categories of neurosurgical treatment were identified: cerebrospinal fluid shunting, intraventricular infusions, tissue grafting, gene therapy, and electrical neural stimulation. Conclusions: While none of the neurosurgical approaches applied to the treatment of AD have proven effective to date, recent trials involving gene therapy and electrical neural stimulation are showing promising early results. Larger trials investigating these treatments have been proposed or are currently under way.
EEG Theta Power and Coherence to Octave Illusion in First-Episode Paranoid Schizophrenia with Auditory Hallucinations
Authors: Zheng Leilei , Chai Hao , Yu Shaohua , Xu You , Chen Wanzhen , Wang Wei
Published: October 2014

Background: The exact mechanism behind auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia remains unknown. A corollary discharge dysfunction hypothesis has been put forward, but it requires further confirmation. Electroencephalography (EEG) of the Deutsch octave illusion might offer more insight, by demonstrating an abnormal cerebral activation similar to that under auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patients. Methods: We invited 23 first-episode schizophrenic patients with auditory hallucinations and 23 healthy participants to listen to silence and two sound sequences, which consisted of alternating 400- and 800-Hz tones. EEG spectral power and coherence values of different frequency bands, including theta rhythm (3.5-7.5 Hz), were computed using 32 scalp electrodes. Task-related spectral power changes and task-related coherence differences were also calculated. Clinical characteristics of patients were rated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Results: After both sequences of octave illusion, the task-related theta power change values of frontal and temporal areas were significantly lower, and the task-related theta coherence difference values of intrahemispheric frontal-temporal areas were significantly higher in schizophrenic patients than in healthy participants. Moreover, the task-related power change values in both hemispheres were negatively correlated and the task-related coherence difference values in the right hemisphere were positively correlated with the hallucination score in schizophrenic patients. Limitations: We only tested the Deutsch octave illusion in primary schizophrenic patients with acute first episode. Further studies might adopt other illusions or employ other forms of schizophrenia. Conclusion: Our results showed a lower activation but higher connection within frontal and temporal areas in schizophrenic patients under octave illusion. This suggests an oversynchronized but weak frontal area to exert an action to the ipsilateral temporal area, which supports the corollary discharge dysfunction hypothesis.
Detection of BRAF Mutation in Metastatic Melanoma Utilizing Cell-Transferred Cytological Smears
Authors: Chen Shaoxiong , Randolph Melissa , Cramer Harvey M. , Watkins Tracy , McCullough Holly , Post Kristin M. , Sen Joyashree D. , Cheng Liang , Wu Howard H.
Published: October 2014

Objectives: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is frequently used to diagnose metastatic melanoma. In this study, we validated the use of cell-transferred cytological smears for BRAF molecular testing. Study Design: We conducted a search of our laboratory information system for the period 2011-2013 in order to identify surgical pathology cases of either primary or metastatic melanomas in which BRAF mutation analyses had already been performed. Thirty FNA cases with diagnoses of metastatic melanoma from the same patients were identified. Direct smears from each FNA case were selected for mutation analyses using the cell transfer technique. Results: Mutation analyses were successfully performed on 28 of 30 FNA cases (93%) using the cell-transferred cytological smears. In 25 cases (8 BRAF mutations and 17 BRAF wild types), there was 100% agreement for the BRAF mutation between the cell-transferred cytological smears and the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Three FNA cases showed BRAF mutations that had not been detected in the correlated surgical specimens which were tested twice, and 2 cases failed to work. Conclusions: Cell-transferred cytological smears are a reliable and alternative resource for detecting BRAF mutations in metastatic melanoma.
Radiotherapy for a Phalanx Bone Metastasis of a Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sumodhee Shakeel , Huchot Eric , Peret Gaelle , Marchal Christian , Paganin Fabrice , Magnin Valerie
Published: October 2014

Phalanx bone metastasis as the initial presenting sign of lung cancer is a rare presentation. Lung cancer is known to metastasize to the bone, but rarely to the fingers. A 61-year-old male smoker presented with pain in the left ring finger. Severe pain discouraged the patient from using his left hand. An X-ray of the left hand showed a lytic bone lesion. The patient was treated with finger radiotherapy. Analgesics were no longer needed and the patient was able to reuse his left hand in his everyday life. Palliative radiotherapy relieved our patient and improved his quality of life.
Clinical Significance of Chronic Kidney Disease and Atrial Fibrillation on Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Hwang Hyeon Seok , Park Mahn-Won , Yoon Hye Eun , Chang Yoon Kyung , Yang Chul Woo , Kim Suk Young , Cho Jung Sun , Kim Chan Joon , Park Gyung-Min , Park Chul-Soo , Choi Yun-Seok , Koh Yoon-Seok , Lee Jong Min , Shin Dong Il , Seo Suk Min , Jeon Doo Soo , Moon Keon Woong , Yoo Ki Dong , Kim Hee Yeol , Kim Dong-Bin , Park Hun-Jun , Kim Pum-Joon , Chang Kiyuk , Chung Wook-Sung , Seung Ki-Bae , Jeong Myung Ho , Her Sung-Ho , Ahn Youngkeun
Published: October 2014

Background/Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) often coexists with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk for AMI. However, the combined impact of CKD and AF on the mortality and morbidity in AMI population has not been determined. Methods: Between January 2004 and December 2009, a total of 4,738 AMI patients were enrolled prospectively. Patients were divided into four groups according to the combined status of CKD and AF. The primary endpoint was a combination of 5-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Results: The prevalence of AF was significantly higher in CKD patients than in non-CKD patients (6.76 vs. 3.31%, p < 0.001). The highest cumulative event rate of MACCE and death was observed in patients with both CKD and AF (68.5 and 64.0%), respectively. In multivariable analyses, compared with patients with neither AF nor CKD, hazard ratios (HR) for composite of MACCE were 1.66 (95% CI, 1.14-2.41), 1.24 (95% CI, 1.06-1.46), and 2.10 (95% CI, 1.42-3.13) for patients with AF only, those with CKD only, and those with both CKD and AF, respectively (p for interaction = 0.935). Patients with both CKD and AF had a greatest risk for all-cause mortality (HR 2.54; 95% CI, 1.60-4.53), and the significant synergistic interaction was observed between CKD and AF (p for interaction = 0.015). Conclusion: The combined effect of AF and CKD on the risk of MACCE after an AMI is stronger than any separate condition, and it confers a synergistic effect on the all-cause mortality risk.
Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator for an Ischemic Stroke with Occult Double Primary Cancer
Authors: Yoneda Yukihiro , Fukuda Akira , Yamazaki Tomohiro , Sasaki Natsuhi , Ohta Masahiko , Kageyama Yasufumi
Published: October 2014

Background: In patients with advanced-stage cancer, systemic thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for hyperacute ischemic stroke is not strictly off-label, but it is at higher risk of complications (including bleeding). Case Report: A 71-year-old male with unrecognizable malignancy developed a hemispheric ischemic stroke and received intravenous tPA within 4.5 h of onset, followed by anticoagulation treatment after 24 h of thrombolysis. Two days later, the patient had tarry stool and progressive anemia, receiving a blood transfusion. The systemic workup documented the presence of double primary cancers with advanced stage gastric and rectal cancers, and the patient subsequently received palliative care. The outcome at 3 months was a modified Rankin Scale of 5, and the patient died 6 months after the stroke. Discussion: Although systemic thrombolysis with tPA for ischemic stroke in patients with advanced-stage cancer may be performed relatively safely, optimal post-thrombolysis management is important to prevent the complications.
Redescription and molecular characterisation of Xiphinema barense Lamberti et al., 1986 (Nematoda: Longidoridae) from wild olive trees in southern Italy
Authors: De Luca Francesca , Archidona-Yuste Antonio , Troccoli Alberto , Fanelli Elena , Vovlas Nicola , Trisciuzzi Nicola , Castillo Pablo
Published: October 2014

A population of Xiphinema barense from wild olive trees in Torre Pozzella, Brindisi province, southern Italy, is described using both morphological and molecular studies and compared with the description of the type specimens. The wild olive nematode population agrees very well with all morphometrics provided in the original description. However, detailed observations of the lumen of the tubular portion of the uterus in paratypes and specimens of the new population revealed a clear pseudo-Z-organ with small granules mixed with crystalloid bodies which were previously undetected. Photomicrographs of adult paratypes, which were lacking in the original description, and of specimens of the new population from wild olive trees are provided. The results of the phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the D2-D3 expansion regions of the 28S rRNA gene and ITS rRNA genes confirm the species differentiation and indicate the phylogenetic position of X. barense and its relationship with closely related species.
„Pokłosie”, poGrossie i kibice polskości
Authors: Forecki Piotr
Published: October 2014

"Aftermath", after-Gross and the fans of PolishnessAftermath was released in the late 2012. Its director, Władysław Pasikowski, had previously been famous for his violent action films with strong male protagonists. He has also written some of the most sexist dialogues in the history of Polish cinema, as well as a number of lines, often obscene, which have become catchphrases and slogans present every day in the pop culture.His latest film, however, tackles a completely different issue – this thriller-cum-western tells a story that is decidedly contemporary, but nevertheless inspired by the events that took place in Jedwabne (described by Jan Tomasz Gross in his book Neighbors). Aftermath does not attempt to provide a reconstruction of the events that took place “on the margins of the Holocaust” (including Jedwabne). However, it clearly hints at the issue of the Polish contribution to the extermination of Jews and the impact of the conspiracy of silence having been broken. The film gave rise to a heated debate, which rippled through the Polish media for as long as two months after its release. This article is an attempt to analyse and interpret the words and ideas that appeared in the debate. „Pokłosie”, poGrossie i kibice polskościWraz z końcem 2012 roku odbyła się premiera filmu fabularnego Pokłosie w reżyserii Władysława Pasikowskiego. Ten bardzo popularny polski reżyser znany był dotychczas przede wszystkim z mocnych filmów sensacyjnych o twardych mężczyznach. Zasłynął także jako autor bodaj najbardziej seksistowskich dialogów w polskim kinie oraz rozmaitych i częstokroć wulgarnych kwestii wypowiadanych przez bohaterów, z których wiele do dziś funkcjonuje w popkulturze na prawach popularnych cytatów.W swoim najnowszym filmie Pasikowski sięgnął jednak po zupełnie inny temat. W konwencji thrillera z elementami westernu opowiedział historię jak najbardziej współczesną, ale w zdecydowany spósob zainspirowaną wydarzeniami w Jedwabnem, opisanymi przez Jana Tomasza Grossa w książce Sąsiedzi. Pokłosie nie stanowi jednak próby faktograficznej rekonstrukcji tego, co działo się na „obrzeżach Zagłady”, w tym również w Jedwabnem, lecz jednoznacznie dotyka problemu polskiego współudziału w zagładzie Żydów i konsekwencji związanych ze złamaniem ukonstytuowanej wokół tego faktu społecznej zmowy milczenia. Film wywołał gorącą dyskusję, która toczyła się w ogólnopolskich mediach przez niemal dwa miesiące od jego premiery. Podstawowym celem artykułu jest próba analizy oraz interpretacji słów i myśli wypowiedzianych w czasie jej trwania.
„Dzisiaj ma głos towarzysz Mauzer”. Rewolucyjna strategia literacka Majakowskiego
Authors: Stańczyk Xawery
Published: October 2014

‘You have the floor, Comrade Mauser’. Literature and engagement: Mayakovsky’s revolutionary poetry as a case studyThe Russian futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky was criticised not only by conservative or moderate critics and writers, but also by Bolshevik ideologists and activists. While moderate authors criticised Mayakovsky’s engagement in the communist movement and worried about the waste of his genius, the left-wing writers refused him the place among proletarians due to his improper social background. The article shows the similarities between these two strands of criticism and analyses why communist party was so hostile to the avant-garde revolutionary poetry.The aim of this text was to investigate why engaged literature is regarded as insincere, unnatural and inappropriate, and to analyse the relations between the poet’s words and their specific performative power, the revolutionary abuse and the utopian vision of new world. „Dzisiaj ma głos towarzysz Mauzer”. Rewolucyjna strategia literacka MajakowskiegoWłodzimierz Majakowski, rosyjski poeta futurystyczny, krytykowany był nie tylko przez krytyków i pisarzy o poglądach konserwatywnych lub umiarkowanych, lecz również przez ideologów oraz aktywistów bolszewickich. Autorzy o poglądach umiarkowanych wyrażali dezaprobatę wobec zaangażowania Majakowskiego w ruch komunistyczny i obawiali się, że geniusz się marnuje. Z kolei lewicowo nastawieni pisarze odmawiali Majakowskiemu miejsca pośród proletariuszy w związku z jego nieodpowiednim pochodzeniem. Niniejszy artykuł pokazuje podobieństwa łączące oba rodzaje krytyki, zawiera również próbę odpowiedzi na pytanie, dlaczego partia komunistyczna wykazywała tak daleko idącą wrogość w stosunku do awangardowej poezji rewolucyjnej.Celem artykułu było znalezienie odpowiedzi na pytanie, dlaczego literaturę zaangażowaną odbiera się jako nieszczerą, nieprzyzwoitą i nienaturalną, jak też przeanalizowanie relacji pomiędzy słowami poety, ich szczególną mocą performatywną, rewolucyjnym nadużyciem oraz utopijną wizją nowego świata.
Ale światy są tendencyjne
Authors: Fiedotow Agata
Published: October 2014

But... These worlds are tendentious The article focuses on the term tendentious novel and its special use in the Polish literary theory: the context of socialist realist novels. Taking into consideration Louis Althusser’s concept of ideology and Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of pure and impure taste, the article calls into question the idea of tendentiousness in discourse, and categorizing novels as “strongly saturated with ideology” and therefore labelling them as “tendentious”. The inspiration to write this paper was the perception of socialist realism in Poland, with particular reference to Stalinist novels, whose forgotten senses and unknown but universal metaphoric systems are presented by the author. Ale światy są tendencyjneAutorka opisuje znaczenie pojęcia „powieści tendencyjnej”, jak również jego szczególne użycie w polskiej teorii literatury w kontekście powieści socrealistycznej. W odniesieniu do koncepcji ideologii Louisa Althussera oraz teorii gustu czystego/nieczystego Pierre’a Bourdieu autorka kwestionuje ideę „tendencyjności” w dyskursie, a co za tym idzie, stawia pod znakiem zapytania również zasadność określania powieści „mocno nasyconych ideologią” mianem „tendencyjnych”. Inspiracją do napisania artykułu był odbiór w Polsce realizmu socjalistycznego, a w szczególności powieści czasu stalinizmu, których zapomniany sens oraz uniwersalną metaforykę autorka przedstawia w niniejszej pracy.
Rozmowa z Nadą Prlją
Authors: Waślicka Zofia , Prlja Nada
Published: October 2014

An interview with Nada Prlja Nada Prlja is an artist who works in the public space and tackles the issues of social inequalities and exclusion. During the 7th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, she built a Peace Wall across Friedrichstrasse and thus she blocked the passage between the northern part of the street, which is a tourist attraction, and where expensive shops and restaurants are located; and its southern part, which is inhabited mainly by immigrants, who live in council flats. Nada Prjla tried to visualise the symbolic divide between the rich and the poor part of the street by putting the wall up, whose name alludes to the peace walls that split Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. Rozmowa z Nadą PrljąNada Prlja to artystka działająca w przestrzeni publicznej, podejmująca kwestie nierówności społecznych i wykluczenia. W ramach 7. Berlińskiego Biennale Sztuki Współczesnej w 2012 roku Prlja zbudowała Peace Wall (‘Mur Pokoju’) w poprzek jezdni na Friedrichstrasse w Berlinie. Zablokowała w ten sposób ruch między turystyczną, północną częścią tej ulicy z eleganckimi restauracjami i sklepami a jej południową częścią, gdzie znajduje się zamieszkane głównie przez imigrantów osiedle budynków socjalnych. Nada Prlja postanowiła uwidocznić tę symboliczną granicę między bogatą a biedną częścią ulicy i ustawiła tam mur. Jego nazwa nawiązuje do „murów pokoju” (peace walls) oddzielających od siebie protestantów i katolików w Irlandii Północnej.
Niebiali, niemężczyźni i inni nieprawdziwi obywatele. O reprodukcji społecznych nierówności w książce Karen Brodkin „How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says about Race in America”
Authors: Pasieka Agnieszka
Published: October 2014

Non-whites, non-males and other non-genuine citizens. The reproduction of social inequalities as seen in Karen Brodkin’s 'How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says about America'The article offers a review of Karen Brodkin’s How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says about America. Brodkin analyses the social and political transformations in America and puts the analysis in the context of her own autobiography. The first issue that Brodkin investigates are the processes that led to the change in the social status of Jews and other immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe in the 20th century. Second, Brodkin tries to understand her own origins, as well as different life styles and ways of perceiving the Jewish identity present in her family. Beside the analysis itself, Brodkin also offers many interesting remarks on the construction of racial and ethnic categories, discrimination, and the interactions between the ethnic, class and gender aspects of one’s identity. Niebiali, niemężczyźni i inni nieprawdziwi obywatele. O reprodukcji społecznych nierówności w książce Karen Brodkin „How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says about Race in America”Artykuł ten stanowi recenzję książki amerykańskiej antropolożki Karen Brodkin, zatytułowanej How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says about Race in America (‘Jak Żydzi stali się białymi i co mówi to o zjawisku rasy w Ameryce’), która łączy analizę przemian społeczno-politycznych w Stanach Zjednoczonych z autobiograficznym studium własnych doświadczeń autorki. Tym samym Brodkin podejmuje dwa zasadnicze problemy. Pierwszym z nich jest próba zrozumienia procesów, które doprowadziły do zmiany statusu społecznego Żydów oraz innych imigrantów ze wschodniej i południowej Europy w dwudziestowiecznej Ameryce. Drugą analizowaną kwestią jest próba zrozumienia przez autorkę jej własnego pochodzenia, sytuacji rodzinnej, obowiązujących w jej rodzinie rożnych modeli życia i rożnych sposobów postrzegania tożsamości żydowskiej. Podejmując wymienione zagadnienia, Brodkin oferuje szereg cennych refleksji dotyczących konstrukcji kategorii rasowych i etnicznych, zjawiska dyskryminacji oraz relacji pomiędzy tożsamością etniczną, klasową i genderową.