bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Navigating Social Roles in Pursuit of Important Goals: A Communal Goal Congruity Account of STEM Pursuits
Authors: Diekman Amanda B. , Steinberg Mia
Published: July 2013

Our exploration of communal goal processes in decisions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers integrates research on goal pursuit processes with research on stereotyping and on social role occupancy. Social roles encompass expectations and resources that can originate from group membership in broad social categories, such as gender, ethnicity, or nationality, or from more narrowly focused occupational and family roles. Our review elaborates on three ways in which social roles intersect with goal pursuit processes, with particular attention to how communal goals influence STEM pursuits. First, social roles influence goal selection or what goals are prioritized generally and at a particular time. Second, beliefs about social roles can influence the kinds of roles that people shy away from or seek out. Third, occupying a particular social role can actually facilitate or impede goal progress. With regard to STEM pursuits, we demonstrate that communal goals are valued both generally by people and especially by women, and that consensual stereotypes describe STEM fields as less likely to afford communal goals than other occupational roles. However, emphasizing the communal aspects of STEM fields elicits greater positivity toward these roles. Finally, we explore the ways in which STEM occupational roles are or might be enacted in communally‐oriented ways. The goal congruity perspective thus can offer a unifying framework to integrate an understanding of the social structure – that is, roles and contexts – with the social cognition of the individual – that is, critical motivational and cognitive processes.
The development of a methodology using fuzzy logic to assess the performance of cropping systems based on a case study of maize in the Po Valley
Authors: Carozzi M. , Bregaglio S. , Scaglia B. , Bernardoni E. , Acutis M. , Confalonieri R.
Published: July 2013

The development of tools for evaluating the sustainability of cropping systems is fundamental to providing reliable information on crop performance. In this study, an integrated index [Performance Index (PI)] was developed based on environmental, production and cost variables. In this approach, data are aggregated using a fuzzy logic‐based procedure to deal with the inherent subjectivity at each aggregation step. The PI was tested for three cropping systems in the Po Valley (northern Italy) where maize was grown using minimum tillage, sod seeding and conventional tillage. The methodology proved to be effective for evaluating the three systems. In contrast to other methods for evaluating cropping systems such as those based on agro‐ecological indicators (AEIs), direct aggregation of measured variables reduces the risk of losing information because the level of abstraction in the mathematical formalization of AEIs is usually higher. This advantage is counterbalanced by an increase in the data needed for the evaluation process. The use of domain experts and the mathematical management of subjective decisions should encourage the use of the methodology in other regions and cropping systems.
H435‐containing immunoglobulin G3 allotypes are transported efficiently across the human placenta: implications for alloantibody‐mediated diseases of the newborn
Authors: Einarsdottir Helga , Ji Yanli , Visser Remco , Mo Chunyan , Luo Guangping , Scherjon Sicco , van der Schoot C. Ellen , Vidarsson Gestur
Published: July 2013

Background

The neonatal receptor (FcRn) extends the half‐life of human immunoglobulin (Ig)G and transports it across the placenta, providing the newborn with humoral immunity. Of the four subclasses, IgG3 stands out with strong effector functions, short half‐life (7 days vs. 21 days for other subclasses), and poor placental transport. We recently described how a single‐amino‐acid polymorphism at Position 435 in IgG3 is sufficient to explain the short half‐life of R435‐containing IgG3 and demonstrated that H435‐IgG3 has a normal half‐life of 21 days. Here, we investigated whether the R435 also explains the relatively poor placental transport of IgG3.

Study Design and Methods

Sera were collected from paired mothers and newborns at birth. The study included six mothers expressing R435‐IgG diagnosed with fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and treated with intravenous immune globulin (IVIG; containing H435‐IgG3, also known as G3m16 or G3m(s,t) allotype), as well as 33 paired samples of both G3m16− and G3m16+ mothers. Placental IgG transport was estimated by comparing cord and maternal concentrations of IgG subclass and G3m16 allotype.

Results

The placental transport of naturally occurring H435‐IgG3 allotypes was significantly more efficient than that of other R435‐IgG3 allotypes and was comparable to IgG1 transport.

Conclusion

We demonstrate that the poor maternal–fetal transport of IgG3 is only true for most individuals of western populations where the G3m16 is not common. In G3m16+ individuals, expressing H435‐containing IgG3, IgG3 transport is similar to IgG1, which may give rise to enhanced complications in pregnancy‐associated alloimmune disease in ethnic communities where this naturally occurring H435 containing IgG3 allotype is more frequent.
JNK3 Couples the Neuronal Stress Response to Inhibition of Secretory Trafficking
Authors: Yang Guang , Zhou Xun , Zhu Jingyan , Liu Rui , Zhang Si , Coquinco Ainsley , Chen Yongting , Wen Yanhua , Kojic Luba , Jia William , Cynader Max S.
Published: July 2013

Palmitoylated JNK3 sequesters the phosphatase Sac1 at the Golgi to limit trafficking of glutamate receptors to the cell surface.
Identification of 23-(
S
)-2-Amino-3-Phenylpropanoyl-Silybin as an Antiviral Agent for Influenza A Virus Infection
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Authors: Dai Jian-Ping , Wu Li-Qi , Li Rui , Zhao Xiang-Feng , Wan Qian-Ying , Chen Xiao-Xuan , Li Wei-Zhong , Wang Ge-Fei , Li Kang-Sheng
Published: July 2013

It has been reported that autophagy is involved in the replication of many viruses. In this study, we screened 89 medicinal plants, using an assay based on the inhibition of the formation of the Atg12-Atg5/Atg16 heterotrimer, an important regulator of autophagy, and selected
Silybum marianum
L. for further study. An antiviral assay indicated that silybin (S0), the major active compound of
S. marianum
L., can inhibit influenza A virus (IAV) infection. We later synthesized 5 silybin derivatives (S1 through S5) and found that 23-(
S
)-2-amino-3-phenylpropanoyl-silybin (S3) had the best activity. When we compared the polarities of the substituent groups, we found that the hydrophobicity of the substituent groups was positively correlated with their activities. We further studied the mechanisms of action of these compounds and determined that S0 and S3 also inhibited both the formation of the Atg12-Atg5/Atg16 heterotrimer and the elevated autophagy induced by IAV infection. In addition, we found that S0 and S3 could inhibit several components induced by IAV infection, including oxidative stress, the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and IκB kinase (IKK) pathways, and the expression of autophagic genes, especially Atg7 and Atg3. All of these components have been reported to be related to the formation of the Atg12-Atg5/Atg16 heterotrimer, which might validate our screening strategy. Finally, we demonstrated that S3 can significantly reduce influenza virus replication and the associated mortality in infected mice. In conclusion, we identified 23-(
S
)-2-amino-3-phenylpropanoyl-silybin as a promising inhibitor of IAV infection.
Platform Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum with Reduced Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Activity for Improved Production of
l
-Lysine,
l
-Valine, and 2-Ketoisovalerate
Authors: Buchholz Jens , Schwentner Andreas , Brunnenkan Britta , Gabris Christina , Grimm Simon , Gerstmeir Robert , Takors Ralf , Eikmanns Bernhard J. , Blombach Bastian
Published: July 2013

Exchange of the native
Corynebacterium glutamicum
promoter of the
aceE
gene, encoding the E1p subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), with mutated
dapA
promoter variants led to a series of
C. glutamicum
strains with gradually reduced growth rates and PDHC activities. Upon overexpression of the
l
-valine biosynthetic genes
ilvBNCE
, all strains produced
l
-valine. Among these strains,
C. glutamicum aceE
A16 (pJC4
ilvBNCE
) showed the highest biomass and product yields, and thus it was further improved by additional deletion of the
pqo
and
ppc
genes, encoding pyruvate:quinone oxidoreductase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, respectively. In fed-batch fermentations at high cell densities,
C. glutamicum aceE
A16 Δ
pqo Δppc
(pJC4
ilvBNCE
) produced up to 738 mM (i.e., 86.5 g/liter)
l
-valine with an overall yield (
Y
P/S
) of 0.36 mol per mol of glucose and a volumetric productivity (

Q
P

) of 13.6 mM per h [1.6 g/(liter × h)]. Additional inactivation of the transaminase B gene (
ilvE
) and overexpression of
ilvBNCD
instead of
ilvBNCE
transformed the
l
-valine-producing strain into a 2-ketoisovalerate producer, excreting up to 303 mM (35 g/liter) 2-ketoisovalerate with a
Y
P/S
of 0.24 mol per mol of glucose and a

Q
P

of 6.9 mM per h [0.8 g/(liter × h)]. The replacement of the
aceE
promoter by the
dapA
-A16 promoter in the two
C. glutamicum
l
-lysine producers DM1800 and DM1933 improved the production by 100% and 44%, respectively. These results demonstrate that
C. glutamicum
strains with reduced PDHC activity are an excellent platform for the production of pyruvate-derived products.
PREPARATION OF FOLATE-CONJUGATED BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN NANOPARTICLES ADSORBING EPIRUBICIN HYDROCHLORIDE
Authors: ZHAO XIUHUA , TANG JIAMING , ZU YUANGANG , WANG WEIGUO , LI NA , XU WENJIA
Published: July 2013

This work investigated the preparation process of folate-conjugated bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (FA–BSANPs) adsorbing epirubicin hydrochloride (EPI) nanoparticles (FA–EPI–BSANPs), a specific-targeting drug delivery system in cancer chemotherapy. The BSANPs were prepared by desolvation as a drug carrier system and conjugated with folate to produce FA–EPI–BSANPs that specifically target tumors by cross-linking. EPI, an anticancer drug, was adsorbed by this drug carrier system. The influences of six experimental parameters, namely, the adsorption time, FA–BSANPs solution-adsorbed EPI concentration, stirring speed, FA–BSANPs solution pH, the ratio of glutaraldehyde and BSA, and mass ratio of FA–BSANPs to EPI, on the drug loading efficiency (DLR) and drug entrapment efficiency (DER) of FA–EPI–BSANPs were investigated via the single factor method. The results indicated that the optimum operation conditions were obtained with 145.4 nm±0.5 nm MPS, 23.41% DLR and 98.93% DER. The N -hydroxysuccinimide-folate content associated with BSANPs was up to 0.9757% (wt). The DLR and DER of EPI increased with increasing adsorption time, FA–BSANPs solution concentration, and pH value, peaking at 1750 rpm with increasing stirring speed, but decreasing thereafter. The FA–EPI–BSANPs obtained were characterized by laser light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. Drug release in vitro was investigated, as well. The characterization results showed that EPI in FA–EPI–BSANPs existed in an amorphous, instead of crystalline state. Most of the EPI was enclosed by FA–BSANPs, and a small amount was adsorbed onto the surface of the FA–BSANPs. The FA–EPI–BSANPs particles are nearly ellipsoidal and significantly affect sustained release. The inhibitory rate of FA–EPI–BSANP was mensurated by MTT method. The inhibitory rate of FA–EPI–BSANPs for SMMC 7721 cell developed with raise of concentration and was higher than other samples. The IC50 values of FA–EPI–BSANPs and EPI were 11.5 μg/mL and 18.8 μg/mL, respectively. The target ability of FA–EPI–BSANP for SMMC 7721 cell was mensurated by fluorescence (FITC) modified albumin techniques. The uptake rate of FA–EPI–BSANPs was higher than samples without folate conjugated, and increased with increased concentration.
QUANTIFYING THE SHORT LIFETIME WITH TCSPC-FLIM: FIRST MOMENT VERSUS FITTING METHODS
Authors: XU LINGLING , WEI ZHONG-CHAO , ZENG SHAOQUN , HUANG ZHEN-LI
Published: July 2013

Combing the time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) provides promising opportunities in revealing important information on the microenvironment of cells and tissues, but the applications are thus far mainly limited by the accuracy and precision of the TCSPC-FLIM technique. Here we present a comprehensive investigation on the performance of two data analysis methods, the first moment (M1) method and the conventional least squares (Fitting) method, in quantifying fluorescence lifetime. We found that the M1 method is more superior than the Fitting method when the lifetime is short (70 ~ 400 ps) or the signal intensity is weak (<103 photons).
PREPARATION OF FLOWER-LIKECo3O4/Fe3O4MAGNETIC MICROSPHERES FOR PHOTODEGRADATION OFRhBUNDER UV LIGHT
Authors: ZHANG BAOLIANG , ZHANG HEPENG , ZHOU LUNWEI , ALI NISAR , GENG WANGCHANG , ZHANG QIUYU
Published: July 2013

Flower-like Co3O4/ Fe3O4magnetic microspheres were prepared by coprecipitation of Fe2+and Fe3+in presence of flower-like Co3O4microspheres as template. The preparation process included three steps: preparation of flower-like Co3O4microspheres by hydrothermal method; immersion of Fe2+and Fe3+ions; coprecipitation in the presence of OH-. Rhodamine B (RhB) was chosen as model pollutants to investigate the photodegradation capacities of Co3O4/ Fe3O4magnetic microspheres. The results showed that the microspheres exhibited excellent degradation property and can be recycled to use again. After four times use the degradation efficiency was still above 90%.
THERMOGELLING COPOLYMERS FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
Authors: YE ENYI , DEEN G. ROSHAN , LOH XIAN JUN
Published: July 2013

Biodegradable thermogelling polymers can be applied in biomedical areas requiring sustained drug release capabilities, for gene delivery and for tissue engineering. As injectable materials, thermogels can be implanted in the human body with minimal surgical intervention. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the recent developments in this field and highlights the most recent research papers. From the current research literature, we look toward the future and provide a broad outlook toward the prospective trends in this field.
NATURALLY EFFICIENT EMITTERS: LUMINESCENT ORGANOMETALLIC COMPLEXES DERIVED FROM NATURAL PRODUCTS
Authors: ZHANG WEN-HUA , YOUNG DAVID J.
Published: July 2013

Naturally occurring molecules offer intricate structures and functionality that are the basis of modern medicinal chemistry, but are under-represented in materials science. Herein, we review recent literature describing the use of abundant and relatively inexpensive, natural products for the synthesis of ligands for luminescent organometallic complexes used for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and related technologies. These ligands are prepared from the renewable starting materials caffeine, camphor, pinene and cinchonine and, with the exception of caffeine, impart performance improvements to the emissive metal complexes and resulting OLED devices, with emission wavelengths that span the visible spectrum from blue to red. The advantages of these biologically-derived molecules include improved solution processibility and phase homogeneity, brighter luminescence, higher quantum efficiencies and lower turn-on voltages. While nature has evolved these carbon-skeletons for specific purposes, they also offer some intriguing benefits in materials science and technology.
Rare Decays andCPViolation in theBsSystem
Authors: Borissov Guennadi , Fleischer Robert , Schune Marie-Hélène
Published: July 2013

CP-violating phenomena and rare decays of B0smesons offer interesting probes to test the quark-flavor sector of the Standard Model. In view of the many new results reported, in particular from the Large Hadron Collider, this topic received a great deal of attention in 2012. We provide an overview of the most recent experimental results and new theoretical developments, and we discuss the prospects for future exploration of the B0smeson system.
The Correlation between Chronic Periodontitis and Oral Cancer
Authors: Krüger Maximilian , Hansen Torsten , Kasaj Adrian , Moergel Maximilian
Published: July 2013

Infections are increasingly considered as potential trigger for carcinogenesis apart from risk factors like alcohol and tobacco. The discussion about human papilloma virus (HPV) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) points at a general role of infection for the development of oral carcinomas. Furthermore, first studies describe a correlation between chronic periodontitis and OSCC, thus, characterizing chronic inflammation as being a possible trigger for OSCC. In front of this background, we present four well-documented clinical cases. All patients showed a significant anatomical relation between OSCC and clinical signs of chronic periodontitis. The interindividual differences of the clinical findings lead to different theoretical concepts: two with coincidental appearance of OSCC and chronic periodontitis and two with possible de novo development of OSCC triggered by chronic inflammation. We conclude that the activation of different inflammatory cascades by chronic periodontitis negatively affects mucosa and bone. Furthermore, the inflammatory response has the potential to activate carcinogenesis. Apart from a mere coincidental occurrence, two out of four patients give first clinical hints for a model wherein chronic periodontitis represents a potential risk factor for the development of OSCC.
QDs Supported on Langmuir‐Blodgett Films of Polymers and Gemini Surfactant
Authors: Alejo T. , Martín-García B. , Merchán M. D. , Velázquez M. M.
Published: July 2013

Different LB films of poly(octadecene‐co‐maleic anhydride), PMAO, poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride) partial 2 butoxy ethyl ester cumene terminated, PS‐MA‐BEE, and Gemini surfactant ethyl‐bis(dimethyl octadecylammonium bromide), 18‐2‐18, have been used to study the effect of the substrate coating on the surface self‐assembly of CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Results show that all the “coating molecules” avoid the 3D aggregation of QDs observed when these nanoparticles are directly deposited on mica. Different morphologies were observed depending on the molecules used as coatings, and this was related to the surface properties, such as wetting ability, and the morphology of the coating LB films.
Crime Busting Model Based on Dynamic Ranking Algorithms
Authors: Cao Yang , Xu Xiaotian , Ye Zhijing
Published: July 2013

This paper proposed a crime busting model with two dynamic ranking algorithms to detect the likelihood of a suspect and the possibility of a leader in a complex social network. Signally, in order to obtain the priority list of suspects, an advanced network mining approach with a dynamic cumulative nominating algorithm is adopted to rapidly reduce computational expensiveness than most other topology-based approaches. Our method can also greatly increase the accuracy of solution with the enhancement of semantic learning filtering at the same time. Moreover, another dynamic algorithm of node contraction is also presented to help identify the leader among conspirators. Test results are given to verify the theoretical results, which show the great performance for either small or large datasets.
The Instability of an Electrohydrodynamic Viscous Liquid Micro-Cylinder Buried in a Porous Medium: Effect of Thermosolutal Marangoni Convection
Authors: Moatimid Galal M. , Hassan Mohamed A.
Published: July 2013

The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thermosolutal Marangoni convection of viscous liquid, in the presence of an axial electric field through a micro cylindrical porous flow, is considered. It is assumed that the surface tension varies linearly with both temperature and concentration. The instability of the interface is investigated for the free surface of the fluid. The expression of the free surface function is derived taking into account the independence of the surface tension of the heat and mass transfer. The transcendental dispersion relation is obtained considering the dependence of the surface tension on the heat and mass transfer. Numerical estimations for the roots of the transcendental dispersion relation are obtained indicating the relation between the disturbance growth rate and the variation of the wave number. It is found that increasing both the temperature and concentration at the axial microcylinder has a destabilizing effect on the interface, according to the reduction of the surface tension. The existence of the porous structure restricts the flow and hence has a stabilizing effect. Also, the axial electric field has a stabilizing effect. Some of previous analytical and experimental results are recovered upon appropriate data choices.
Analysis of the Dynamic Response in Blast-Loaded CFRP-Strengthened Metallic Beams
Authors: Wang Zhenyu , Zhao Yang , Liang Xu , He Zhiguo
Published: July 2013

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) are good candidates in enhancing the blast resistant performance of vulnerable public buildings and in reinforcing old buildings. The use of CFRP in retrofitting and strengthening applications is traditionally associated with concrete structures. Nevertheless, more recently, there has been a remarkable aspiration in strengthening metallic structures and components using CFRP. This paper presents a relatively simple analytical solution for the deformation and ultimate strength calculation of hybrid metal-CFRP beams when subjected to pulse loading, with a particular focus on blast loading. The analytical model is based on a full interaction between the metal and the FRP and is capable of producing reasonable results in a dynamic loading scenario. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model is also developed to reveal the full dynamic behavior of the CFRP-epoxy-steel hybrid beam, considering the detailed effects, that is, large strains, high strain rates in metal, and different failure modes of the hybrid beam. Experimental results confirm the analytical and the FE results and show a strong correlation.
Phase Stability Diagrams for High Temperature Corrosion Processes
Authors: Ramos-Hernandez J. J. , Porcayo-Calderon J. , Salinas-Bravo V. M. , Arrieta-Gonzalez C. D. , Gonzalez-Rodriguez J. G. , Martinez-Gomez L.
Published: July 2013

Corrosion phenomena of metals by fused salts depend on chemical composition of the melt and environmental conditions of the system. Detail knowledge of chemistry and thermodynamic of aggressive species formed during the corrosion process is essential for a better understanding of materials degradation exposed to high temperature. When there is a lack of kinetic data for the corrosion processes, an alternative to understand the thermodynamic behavior of chemical species is to utilize phase stability diagrams. Nowadays, there are several specialized software programs to calculate phase stability diagrams. These programs are based on thermodynamics of chemical reactions. Using a thermodynamic data base allows the calculation of different types of phase diagrams. However, sometimes it is difficult to have access to such data bases. In this work, an alternative way to calculate phase stability diagrams is presented. The work is exemplified in the Na-V-S-O and Al-Na-V-S-O systems. This system was chosen because vanadium salts is one of the more aggressive system for all engineering alloys, especially in those processes where fossil fuels are used.
Role of Kampo Medicine in Integrative Cancer Therapy
Authors: Yamakawa Jun-ichi , Motoo Yoshiharu , Moriya Junji , Ogawa Masao , Uenishi Hiroaki , Akazawa Sumiyo , Sasagawa Toshiyuki , Nishio Matomo , Kobayashi Junji
Published: July 2013

Clinical trials to date demonstrate that standard cancer treatments are currently the most efficient treatments for large numbers of cancer patients. Cancer treatments will increasingly require approaches that allow patients to live with cancer, by increasing their natural healing power and tumor immunity, as well as attenuating the progression of their cancers, instead of only attacking the cancer cells directly. Complementary and alternative medicine, including Kampo medicine, compensates for the drawbacks of western medicine by increasing patients’ self-defense mechanisms. In Japan, clinicians who have studied both western medicine and Kampo treat cancer patients by fusing the two medical systems into a unitary one. The goal of the system is to assist the functional maintenance and recovery of the living body complex with the physical, mental, social, and spiritual balance, rather than addressing direct antitumor effects. In this review, we describe the usefulness of Kampo medicine, especially juzentaihoto, and outline the reports on evidence, in addition to the report on an attitudinal survey about the use of Kampo medicine in cancer treatment in Japan.
Laryngeal Synovial Sarcoma: A Rare Clinical Entity
Authors: Saxby Clair , Bova Ron , Edwards Melanie
Published: July 2013

Introduction. Synovial sarcomas (SS) are aggressive malignant soft tissue tumours that are thought to arise from pluripotent mesenchymal cells.Clinical Report. A 20-year-old male presented with an acute onset of respiratory stridor. Computer tomography scanning confirmed a mass arising from the left supraglottic larynx and an emergency tracheostomy was performed. A diagnosis of biphasic synovial sarcoma was formed. A total laryngectomy and left hemithyroidectomy was performed in conjunction with a left modified radical neck dissection. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy followed by a course of radiotherapy and remains alive and disease free at 18 months after treatment.Discussion. Prognosis for patients with SS is related to primary tumour extent, grade, and size. The presence of the diagnostic translocation, t(X;18), is being targeted and hopefully will lead to the development of new therapeutics (Guadagnolo et al., 2007).Conclusion. Laryngeal SS remains a rare and poorly understood entity. A multidisciplinary approach to treatment is essential and long-term followup is imperative.
A Case of Reed Syndrome with a Novel Mutation in the Fumarate Hydratase Gene
Authors: Laufer Christin B. , Green Layne B. , Whittemore Darren E.
Published: July 2013

Reed syndrome is a heritable cancer predisposition syndrome that can easily be missed due to its simple presentation of tender red papules. We present a young female with a history of uterine fibroids who presented to the dermatology clinic with several painful pink papules that had been previously evaluated by multiple physicians. Biopsy results were diagnostic for cutaneous leiomyomas, raising clinical suspicion for Reed syndrome. She was found to have a novel heterozygote mutation in her fumarate hydratase gene, supporting the diagnosis. This case demonstrates the importance of rendering a proper workup for seemingly innocent skin complaints as they could be associated with an underlying malignancy. Despite the fact that up to 16% of patients can develop aggressive type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma, there are currently no consensus guidelines on screening or patient management.
Trypanocidal Activity of Thioamide-Substituted Imidazoquinolinone: Electrochemical Properties and Biological Effects
Authors: Frank Fernanda M. , Ciccarelli Alejandra B. , Bollini Mariela , Bruno Ana M. , Batlle Alcira , Lombardo Maria E.
Published: July 2013

Three thioamide-substituted imidazoquinolinone, which possess a heterocyclic center similar to tryptanthrin and are namedC1,C2, andC3, were studied regarding (a) theirin vitroanti-Trypanosoma cruziactivity, (b) their cytotoxicity and electrochemical behaviour, and (c) their effect on cell viability, redox state, and mitochondrial function. The assayed compounds showed a significant activity against the proliferative forms, but onlyC1showed activity on the trypomastigote form (forC1,IC50 epi=1.49 μM;IC50 amas=1.74 μM; andIC50 try=34.89 μM). The presence of an antioxidant compound such as ascorbic acid or dithiotreitol induced a threefold increase in the antiparasitic activity, whereas glutathione had a dual effect depending on its concentration. Our results indicate that these compounds, which exhibited low toxicity to the host cells, can be reduced inside the parasite by means of the pool of low molecular weight thiols, causing oxidative stress and parasite death by apoptosis. The antiparasitic activity of the compounds studied could be explained by a loss of the capacity of the antioxidant defense system of the parasite to keep its intracellular redox state.C1could be considered a good candidate forin vivoevaluation.
Heuristic Search for Planning with Different Forced Goal‐Ordering Constraints
Authors: Luo Jiangfeng , Zhang Weiming , Cui Jing , Zhu Cheng , Huang Jincai , Liu Zhong
Published: July 2013

Planning with forced goal‐ordering (FGO) constraints has been proposed many times over the years, but there are still major difficulties in realizing these FGOs in plan generation. In certain planning domains, all the FGOs exist in the initial state. No matter which approach is adopted to achieve a subgoal, all the subgoals should be achieved in a given sequence from the initial state. Otherwise, the planning may arrive at a deadlock.
For some other planning domains, there is no FGO in the initial state. However, FGO may occur during the planning process if certain subgoal is achieved by an inappropriate approach. This paper contributes to illustrate that it is the excludable constraints among the goal achievement operations (GAO) of different subgoals that introduce the FGOs into the planning problem, and planning with FGO is still a challenge for the heuristic search based planners. Then, a novel multistep forward search algorithm is proposed which can solve the planning problem with different FGOs efficiently.
Risk of Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients with Vitiligo
Authors: Fleissig E. , Gross M. , Ophir I. , Elidan J. , Bdolah-Abram T. , Ingber A.
Published: July 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of hearing loss and vestibular symptoms among Israeli vitiligo patients as compared with healthy controls. Methods: 16 vitiligo patients and 16 healthy controls were enrolled in this prospective study. Vitiligo patients had undergone dermatologic evaluation and complete ENT evaluation. Results: Vitiligo patients demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) (p = 0.001). A ‘notch'-shaped audiogram was the most frequent type of audiogram found among vitiligo patients (p = 0.021). Patients with mucosal involvement as the primary site of onset had a significantly more normal hearing level (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Due to the high prevalence of SNHL amongst vitiligo patients, it is recommended that these patients undergo a complete hearing evaluation, avoiding ototoxic hazards if possible.
Continuous Magnetic Resonance Perfusion Imaging Acquisition during Systemic Thrombolysis in Acute Stroke
Authors: Griebe M. , Kern R. , Eisele P. , Sick C. , Wolf M.E. , Sauter-Servaes Johannes , Gregori J. , Günther M. , Hennerici M.G. , Szabo K.
Published: July 2013

Background: Early recanalization and increase in collateral blood supply are powerful predictors of favourable outcome in acute ischaemic stroke. The factors contributing to the heterogeneous response to intravenous thrombolysis therapy in individual patients, however, are not fully understood. The on-going single-centre ‘MR perfusion imaging during thrombolysis' study uses repetitive arterial spin labelling (ASL) measurements to characterize the haemodynamic processes in acute stroke during therapy. The first milestone was to develop an appropriate infrastructure for thrombolysis in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner without time delay and ensuring optimal patient safety and care. Methods: Between February and December 2011, 16 patients with acute neurological symptoms suggestive of hemispheric stroke within 4.5 h after symptom onset were included. In addition to clinical data, we documented the time from onset to arrival at the hospital, start and duration of MRI examination, start of thrombolytic therapy, and complications. The decision to thrombolyse was made after a routine stroke MRI protocol. During the 60-min systemic thrombolysis, repetitive ASL perfusion imaging was acquired, providing non-invasive information on cerebral perfusion. Continuous ECG monitoring, pulse oximetry, blood pressure measurements every 5 min, and short neurological assessments every 15 min were performed in every patient. Results: The median initial NIHSS score of the patients presenting with a mean of 84 min after onset was 4 (range 2-18). MRI examination was initiated within a mean of 45 min after arrival at the hospital. Five patients identified as stroke mimics were not treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), and in 1 case with basilar artery occlusion bridging therapy was performed outside the scanner. In the remaining 10 patients, rt-PA therapy was started in the scanner directly after decision making on the basis of clinical information and baseline MRI. The mean door-to-needle time was 60 min (range 44-115) including approximately 10 min needed for acquiring informed consent. While 4 patients required antihypertensive treatment, no relevant complications were encountered. Conclusions: Fast and safe medical care in patients during systemic thrombolysis in the MRI scanner is feasible. Despite the process of obtaining informed consent, with a dedicated and experienced stroke team the door-to-needle time can be kept in a range recommended by current guidelines. Continuous real-time information about the dynamics of cerebral perfusion from ASL perfusion in acute stroke patients undergoing thrombolysis may provide additional information for the understanding of the events following acute arterial obstruction and its course.
Pneumomastia: A Rare Cause of Breast Swelling
Authors: Kipling Mike , Christou Christopher , Barthelmes Ludger
Published: July 2013

Background: Pneumomastia is air within the breast parenchyma. A number of causes have been reported for this condition. This case report describes a new cause and details of the management strategy applied, together with a review of the literature. Case Report: We describe a case of acute breast swelling in a 40-year-old woman and its subsequent successful conservative management. Conclusion: Bronchopleural fistula after thoracotomy is a risk, and can cause pneumomastia. This is more likely to occur after redo thoracic surgery. Pneumomastia after repeat thoracotomy can be managed conservatively, even in the presence of a bronchopleural fistula.
Rise and Persistence of Animal Polyploidy: Evolutionary Constraints and Potential
Authors: Choleva L. , Janko K.
Published: July 2013

The past decade has witnessed a tremendous increase in interest in polyploidy, which may partly be related to the development of new powerful genetic and genomic tools. These have provided numerous insights into mainly genetic and genomic consequences of polyploidy, dramatically improving our understanding of the dynamics of the polyploidization process and its importance as a mechanism in animal evolution. In contrast, several other aspects of polyploidization, such as physiology, ecology and development, have received considerably less attention. Our aim is not to make an exhaustive review of current knowledge about animal polyploidy, but rather to thoroughly elaborate on some very fundamental questions which still remain open or even neglected. In particular, we show that properties of new polyploid lineages largely depend upon the proximate way in which they arose, but the evolutionary pathways to polyploidy are often unresolved. To help researchers orientate amongst the number of pathways to polyploidy, we provide an extensive review of particular scenarios proposed in distinct animal taxa. We discuss how polyploidy relates to hybridization, particularly with respect to asexuality, and elaborate on whether clonal triploids may help to overcome the constraints of aneuploidy, thereby serving as a triploid bridge towards the establishment of new polyploid species. We further show that in most animal asexual complexes clonal lineages may become established only under one ploidy level (usually either di- or triploidy), and that it is rather rare to see the coexistence of successful clones of different ploidies. We discuss why the rate of polyploidization is higher in some taxa than in others, and what tools we have to evaluate the rate of polyploidization. Finally, we review some of the immediate physiological and developmental effects of polyploidy which are related to the genome size/cell size relation and show how studies of polyploidy may enhance the study of macroecology and developmental biology. See also the sister article focusing on plants by Weiss-Schneeweiss et al. in this themed issue.
Primary Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma of the Scapula
Authors: Yavuz Alpaslan , Göya Cemil , Bora Aydın , Beyazal Mehmet
Published: July 2013

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is an unusual soft tissue malignity, occurring in less than 1% of sarcomas and typically found in the head and neck tissues in children or, in adults, in the deep soft tissues of the lower extremities. In this report, we present a 33-year-old male with primary ASPS in the right scapular bone and discuss the radiologic features of this tumor in the context of the current literature.
Usefulness of 320-Row Area Detector Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis of Cystic Falx Meningioma
Authors: Tabuchi Sadaharu , Nakajima Sadao
Published: July 2013

We present a case of cystic falx meningioma. Cystic meningioma is rare and not easy to diagnose preoperatively; it is often misdiagnosed as other tumors, including glial or metastatic tumors with cystic or necrotic changes. This study showed the potential impact of 320-row computed tomography (CT) on image-based diagnostic evaluation of cystic meningioma with special attention to the novel techniques of 4-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) and CT whole-brain perfusion (CTP). 4D-CTA showed the arterial supply feeding the tumor and late enhancement of the tumor nodule, similar to that seen in meningioma by conventional angiography. CTP showed that the tumor had a higher cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume and a longer mean transit time than adjacent brain tissue. These findings were consistent with meningioma and reinforced the other imaging findings, resulting in the correct preoperative diagnosis. The new techniques available for 320-row CT can potentially be used to improve differential diagnosis and preoperative assessment of cystic tumors with nodules.
Slimeware: Engineering Devices with Slime Mold
Authors: Adamatzky Andrew
Published: July 2013

The plasmodium of the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum is a gigantic single cell visible to the unaided eye. The cell shows a rich spectrum of behavioral patterns in response to environmental conditions. In a series of simple experiments we demonstrate how to make computing, sensing, and actuating devices from the slime mold. We show how to program living slime mold machines by configurations of repelling and attracting gradients and demonstrate the workability of the living machines on tasks of computational geometry, logic, and arithmetic.
A Design for Living Technology: Experiments with the Mind Time Machine
Authors: Ikegami Takashi
Published: July 2013

Living technology aims to help people expand their experiences in everyday life. The environment offers people ways to interact with it, which we call affordances. Living technology is a design for new affordances. When we experience something new, we remember it by the way we perceive and interact with it. Recent studies in neuroscience have led to the idea of a default mode network, which is a baseline activity of a brain system. The autonomy of artificial life must be understood as a sort of default mode that self-organizes its baseline activity, preparing for its external inputs and its interaction with humans. I thus propose a method for creating a suitable default mode as a design principle for living technology. I built a machine called the mind time machine (MTM), which runs continuously for 10 h per day and receives visual data from its environment using 15 video cameras. The MTM receives and edits the video inputs while it self-organizes the momentary now. Its base program is a neural network that includes chaotic dynamics inside the system and a meta-network that consists of video feedback systems. Using this system as the hardware and a default mode network as a conceptual framework, I describe the system's autonomous behavior. Using the MTM as a testing ground, I propose a design principle for living technology.
Toward Metabolic Robotics: Insights from Modeling Embodied Cognition in a Biomechatronic Symbiont
Authors: Montebelli Alberto , Lowe Robert , Ziemke Tom
Published: July 2013

We present a novel example of a biomechatronic hybrid system. The living component of the system, embedded within microbial fuel cells, relies on the availability of food and water in order to produce electrical energy. The latter is essential to the operations of the mechatronic component, responsible for finding and collecting food and water, and for the execution of work. In simulation, we explore the behavioral and cognitive consequences of this symbiotic relation. In particular we highlight the importance of the integration of sensorimotor and metabolic signals within an evolutionary perspective, in order to create sound cognitive living technology.
Pervasive Flexibility in Living Technologies through Degeneracy-Based Design
Authors: Whitacre James , Bender Axel
Published: July 2013

The capacity to adapt can greatly influence the success of systems that need to compensate for damaged parts, learn how to achieve robust performance in new environments, or exploit novel opportunities that originate from new technological interfaces or emerging markets. Many of the conditions in which technology is required to adapt cannot be anticipated during its design stage, thus creating a challenge for the designer. Inspired by the study of a range of biological systems, we propose that degeneracy—the realization of multiple, functionally versatile components with contextually overlapping functional redundancy—will support adaptation in technologies, because it effects pervasive flexibility, evolutionary innovation, and homeostatic robustness. We provide examples of degeneracy in a number of rudimentary living technologies, from military sociotechnical systems to swarm robotics, and we present design principles—including shared protocols, loose regulatory coupling, and functional versatility—that allow degeneracy to arise in both biological and man-made systems.
Latin American Immigration to the United States
Authors: Tienda Marta , Sánchez Susana M.
Published: July 2013

This essay provides an overview of immigration from Latin America since 1960, focusing on changes in both the size and composition of the dominant streams and their cumulative impact on the U.S. foreign-born population. We briefly describe the deep historical roots of current migration streams and the policy backdrop against which migration from the region surged. Distinguishing among the three major pathways to U.S. residence – family sponsorship, asylum, and unauthorized entry – we explain how contemporary flows are related both to economic crises, political conflicts, and humanitarian incidents in sending countries, but especially to idiosyncratic application of existing laws over time. The concluding section highlights the importance of investing in the children of immigrants to meet the future labor needs of an aging nation.
Assimilation in New Destinations
Authors: Marrow Helen B.
Published: July 2013

This article outlines a long-term research agenda on immigrant assimilation by calling on scholars to be more explicit about how we model and measure assimilation, and to move away from previously aspatial approaches to the topic. After briefly overviewing the field, I draw on original qualitative data from a new immigrant destination region to highlight several places where I believe we scholars can better clarify definitions of and assumptions about assimilation, as well as choices about and interpretations of our data, to foster transparency and facilitate scholarly discovery. I conclude by arguing that scholars working in new immigrant destinations are well poised to examine how legal status – a key structural feature of the context of reception in a host society or locale – shapes assimilation processes and outcomes.
Immigration & the Color Line at the Beginning of the 21st Century
Authors: Bean Frank D. , Lee Jennifer , Bachmeier James D.
Published: July 2013

The “color line” has long served as a metaphor for the starkness of black/white relations in the United States. Yet post-1965 increases in U.S. immigration have brought millions whose ethnoracial status seems neither black nor white, boosting ethnoracial diversity and potentially changing the color line. After reviewing past and current conceptualizations of America's racial divide(s), we ask what recent trends in intermarriage and multiracial identification – both indicators of ethnoracial boundary dissolution – reveal about ethnoracial color lines in today's immigrant America. We note that rises in intermarriage and multiracial identification have emerged more strongly among Asians and Latinos than blacks and in more diverse metropolitan areas. Moreover, these tendencies are larger than would be expected based solely on shifts in the relative sizes of ethnoracial groups, suggesting that immigrationgenerated diversity is associated with cultural change that is dissolving ethnoracial barriers – but more so for immigrant groups than blacks.
Modernization for Emigration: Determinants & Consequences of the Brain Drain
Authors: Portes Alejandro , Celaya Adrienne
Published: July 2013

This essay reviews existing theories of professional emigration as background to examine the present situation. Classical theories of the brain drain neglected the possibility that immigrant professionals would return to their home countries and make significant investments and economic contributions there. They do, in fact, with beneficial consequences for the development of these countries. The advent of the transnational perspective in the field of immigration has helped clarify these dynamics, while identifying the conditions under which professional cyclical returns and knowledge transfers can take place. Implications for the future attraction of foreign professionals by the United States and other advanced countries are discussed.