bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacogenetic testing: current evidence of clinical utility
Authors: Moaddeb Jivan , Haga Susanne B.
Published: May 2013

Over the last decade, the number of clinical pharmacogenetic tests has steadily increased as understanding of the role of genes in drug response has grown. However, uptake of these tests has been slow, due in large part to the lack of robust evidence demonstrating clinical utility. We review the evidence behind four pharmacogenetic tests and discuss the barriers and facilitators to uptake: (1) warfarin (drug safety and efficacy); (2) clopidogrel (drug efficacy); (3) codeine (drug safety and efficacy); and (4) abacavir (drug safety). Future efforts should be directed toward addressing these issues and considering additional approaches to generating evidence basis to support clinical use of pharmacogenetic tests.
Enhancement of corrosion resistance of nickel based superalloys by laser surface melting
Authors: Samantaroy P K , Girija S , Kaul R , Kamachi Mudali U
Published: May 2013

Laser surface melting of Ni based superalloys (alloys 600, 690 and 693) was carried out to study the effect of surface modification on the corrosion behaviour in simulated nuclear high level waste (HLW) and chloride medium. Surface characterisation was performed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The alloys exhibited cubic crystal system and cellular microstructure. Double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation test in 0·5M H2SO4 containing 0·0001M KSCN showed a low degree of sensitisation compared to the solution annealed specimens. Laser surface melting resulted in enhancement of corrosion resistance of the alloys in simulated HLW and chloride medium when compared to as received and solution annealed specimens; nevertheless, no discernable difference was found between the laser surface melted alloys 600, 690 and 693 in simulated HLW. However, the laser surface melted alloy 690 showed superior pitting corrosion resistance. The results of the present investigation are discussed in this paper.
Serum 2-hydroxyglutarate levels predict isocitrate dehydrogenase mutations and clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: DiNardo Courtney D. , Propert Kathleen J. , Loren Alison W. , Paietta Elisabeth , Sun Zhuoxin , Levine Ross L. , Straley Kimberly S. , Yen Katharine , Patel Jay P. , Agresta Samuel , Abdel-Wahab Omar , Perl Alexander E. , Litzow Mark R. , Rowe Jacob M. , Lazarus Hillard M. , Fernandez Hugo F. , Margolis David J. , Tallman Martin S. , Luger Selina M. , Carroll Martin
Published: May 2013

Key Points

Serum 2HG analysis by LC-MS can accurately identify patients with AML with and without IDH mutations. Oncometabolite testing of serum 2HG is indicated as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic monitoring tool in AML.
On symmetry group classification of a fin equation
Authors: Orhan Özlem , Gün Gülden , Özer Teoman
Published: May 2013

We deal with the Noether symmetry classification of a nonlinear fin equation, in which thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient are assumed to be functions of the temperature. In this study Noether symmetries of the fin equation are investigated using the partial Lagrangian approach. This classification includes Noether symmetries, first integrals and some invariant solutions with respect to different choices of thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient functions.
Parental bonding and personality characteristics of first episode intention to suicide or deliberate self-harm without a history of mental disorders
Authors: Hsu Ya-Fen , Chen Po-Fei , Lung For-Wey
Published: May 2013

Background

There is substantial overlap between deliberate self-harm (DSH) and intention to suicide (ITS), although the psychopathologies and motivations behind these behaviors are distinctly different. The purpose of this study was to investigate (i) the pathway relationship among parental bonding, personality characteristics, and alexithymic traits, and (ii) the association of these features with ITS and DSH using structural equation modeling to determine the risks and protective factors for these behaviors.

Methods

Sixty-nine first-time DSH and 36 first-time ITS patients without medical or psychiatric illnesses, and 66 controls were recruited. The Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ) were filled out by the participants.

Results

Our structural equation models showed that parental bonding had the greatest influence on the development of DSH behavior in patients. On the other hand, participants who were younger, less extraverted, with a greater extent of the alexithymic trait of difficulty identifying feeling (DIF), and a worse mental health condition, were more likely to develop ITS behavior. Males were more likely than females to develop the alexithymic trait of DIF.

Conclusions

Although there are many covariates that affect both ITS and DSH behaviors, these covariates may have different functions in the development of these behaviors, thus revealing the psychopathological difference between DSH and ITS. Policymakers should consider these differences and build intervention and prevention programs for gender- and age-specific high-risk groups to target the differences, with a focus on family counseling to treat DSH and a focus on attempting to increase emotional awareness to treat ITS.
Severe Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria among adults at Kassala Hospital, eastern Sudan
Authors: Abdallah Tajeldin M , Abdeen Mohamed T , Ahmed Ikhlas S , Hamdan Hamdan Z , Magzoub Mamoun , Adam Ishag
Published: May 2013

Background

There have been few published reports on severe Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria among adults in Africa.

Methods

Clinical pattern/manifestations of severe P. falciparum and P. vivax (according to World Health Organization 2000 criteria) were described in adult patients admitted to Kassala Hospital, eastern Sudan.

Results

A total of 139 adult patients (80 males, 57.6%) with a mean (SD) age of 37.2 (1.5) years presented with severe P. falciparum (113, 81.3%) or P. vivax (26, 18.7%) malaria. Manifestations among the 139 patients included hypotension (38, 27.3%), cerebral malaria (23, 16.5%), repeated convulsions (18, 13.0%), hypoglycaemia (15, 10.8%), hyperparasitaemia (14, 10.1%), jaundice (14, 10.1%), severe anaemia (10, 7.2%), bleeding (six, 4.3%), renal impairment (one, 0.7%) and more than one criteria (27, 19.4%). While the geometric mean of the parasite count was significantly higher in patients with severe P. vivax than with severe P. falciparum malaria (5,934.2 vs 13,906.6 asexual stage parasitaemia per μL, p = 0.013), the different disease manifestations were not significantly different between patients with P. falciparum or P. vivax malaria. Three patients (2.2%) died due to severe P. falciparum malaria. One had cerebral malaria, the second had renal impairment, jaundice and hypoglycaemia, and the third had repeated convulsions and hypotension.

Conclusions

Severe malaria due to P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria is an existing entity among adults in eastern Sudan. Patients with severe P. falciparum and P. vivax develop similar disease manifestations.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Extranuclear ERα is associated with regression of T47D PKCα-overexpressing, tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer
Authors: Perez White Bethany , Molloy Mary Ellen , Zhao Huiping , Zhang Yiyun , Tonetti Debra A.
Published: May 2013

Background

Prior to the introduction of tamoxifen, high dose estradiol was used to treat breast cancer patients with similar efficacy as tamoxifen, albeit with some undesirable side effects. There is renewed interest to utilize estradiol to treat endocrine resistant breast cancers, especially since findings from several preclinical models and clinical trials indicate that estradiol may be a rational second-line therapy in patients exhibiting resistance to tamoxifen and/or aromatase inhibitors. We and others reported that breast cancer patients bearing protein kinase C alpha (PKCα)- expressing tumors exhibit endocrine resistance and tumor aggressiveness. Our T47D:A18/PKCα preclinical model is tamoxifen-resistant, hormone-independent, yet is inhibited by 17β-estradiol (E2) in vivo. We previously reported that E2-induced T47D:A18/PKCα tumor regression requires extranuclear ERα and interaction with the extracellular matrix.

Methods

T47D:A18/PKCα cells were grown in vitro using two-dimensional (2D) cell culture, three-dimensional (3D) Matrigel and in vivo by establishing xenografts in athymic mice. Immunofluoresence confocal microscopy and co-localization were applied to determine estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) subcellular localization. Co-immunoprecipitation and western blot were used to examine interaction of ERα with caveolin-1.

Results

We report that although T47D:A18/PKCα cells are cross-resistant to raloxifene in cell culture and in Matrigel, raloxifene induces regression of tamoxifen-resistant tumors. ERα rapidly translocates to extranuclear sites during T47D:A18/PKCα tumor regression in response to both raloxifene and E2, whereas ERα is primarily localized in the nucleus in proliferating tumors. E2 treatment induced complete tumor regression whereas cessation of raloxifene treatment resulted in tumor regrowth accompanied by re-localization of ERα to the nucleus. T47D:A18/neo tumors that do not overexpress PKCα maintain ERα in the nucleus during tamoxifen-mediated regression. An association between ERα and caveolin-1 increases in tumors regressing in response to E2.

Conclusions

Extranuclear ERα plays a role in the regression of PKCα-overexpressing tamoxifen-resistant tumors. These studies underline the unique role of extranuclear ERα in E2- and raloxifene-induced tumor regression that may have implications for treatment of endocrine-resistant PKCα-expressing tumors encountered in the clinic.
Role of p38 and JNK MAPK signaling pathways and tumor suppressor p53 on induction of apoptosis in response to Ad-eIF5A1 in A549 lung cancer cells
Authors: Taylor Catherine A. , Zheng Qifa , Liu Zhongda , Thompson John E.
Published: May 2013

Background

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A1 (eIF5A1) is a highly conserved protein involved in many cellular processes including cell division, translation, apoptosis, and inflammation. Induction of apoptosis is the only function of eIF5A1 that is known to be independent of post-translational hypusine modification. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases during apoptosis of A549 lung cancer cells infected with adenovirus expressing eIF5A1 or a mutant of eIF5A1 that cannot be hypusinated (eIF5A1K50A).

Methods

Using adenoviral-mediated transfection of human A549 lung cancer cells to over-express eIF5A1 and eIF5A1K50A, the mechanism by which unhypusinated eIF5A1 induces apoptosis was investigated by Western blotting, flow cytometry, and use of MAPK and p53 inhibitors.

Results

Phosphorylation of ERK, p38 MAPK, and JNK was observed in response to adenovirus-mediated over-expression of eIF5A1 or eIF5A1K50A, along with phosphorylation and stabilization of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. Synthetic inhibitors of p38 and JNK kinase activity, but not inhibitors of ERK1/2 or p53 activity, significantly inhibited apoptosis induced by Ad-eIF5A1. Importantly, normal lung cells were more resistant to apoptosis induced by eIF5A1 and eIF5A1K50Athan A549 lung cancer cells.

Conclusions

Collectively these data indicate that p38 and JNK MAP kinase signaling are important for eIF5A1-induced cell death and that induction of apoptosis was not dependent on p53 activity.
Statistical analysis of inter-cell interference in uplink OFDMA networks with soft frequency reuse
Authors: Zhu Yuanping , Xu Jing , Wang Jiang , Yang Yang
Published: May 2013

As the inter-cell interference becomes a great challenge in frequency reuse one systems, soft frequency reuse (SFR) has been widely used to deal with the severe inter-cell interference especially for cell edge users. This paper proposes an analytical method to investigate the statistics of inter-cell interference in uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access systems when SFR scheme is adopted. Probability density functions of inter-cell interference in different frequency bands are derived and then used to deduce the expectation and variance of inter-cell interference from multiple interfering cells. The derivations are validated through numerical results. In addition, the relationship between system parameters and the statistics of inter-cell interference in different frequency bands is investigated. These contributions will give insights and guidelines for the system optimization.
Hippocampal gene expression dysregulation of Klotho, nuclear factor kappa B and tumor necrosis factor in temporal lobe epilepsy patients
Authors: Teocchi Marcelo Ananias , Ferreira Ana Érika Dias , da Luz de Oliveira Evandro Pinto , Tedeschi Helder , D’Souza-Li Lília
Published: May 2013

Background

Previous research in animal seizure models indicates that the pleiotropic cytokine TNF is an important effector/mediator of neuroinflammation and cell death. Recently, it has been demonstrated that TNF downregulates Klotho (KL) through the nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) system in animal models of chronic kidney disease and colitis. KL function in the brain is unclear, although Klotho knockout (Kl

−/−
) mice exhibit neural degeneration and a reduction of hippocampal synapses. Our aim was to verify if the triad KL-NFKB1-TNF is also dysregulated in temporal lobe epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE(HS)) patients.

Findings

We evaluated TNF, NFKB1 and KL relative mRNA expression levels by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in resected hippocampal tissue samples from 14 TLE(HS) patients and compared them to five post mortem controls. Four reference genes were used: GAPDH, HPRT1, ENO2 and TBP. We found that TNF expression was dramatically upregulated in TLE(HS) patients (P <0.005). NFKB1 expression was also increased (P <0.03) while KL was significantly downregulated (P <0.03) in TLE(HS) patients. Hippocampal KL expression had an inverse correlation with NFKB1 and TNF.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that, similar to other inflammatory diseases, TNF downregulates KL through NFkB in TLE(HS) patients. The remarkable TNF upregulation in patients is a strong indication of hippocampal chronic inflammation. Our finding of hippocampal KL downregulation has wide implications not only for TLE(HS) but also for other neuronal disorders related to neurodegeneration associated with inflammation.
Correlation between target motion and the dosimetric variance of breast and organ at risk during whole breast radiotherapy using 4DCT
Authors: Wang Wei , Li Jian Bin , Hu Hong Guang , Li Feng Xiang , Xu Min , Sun Tao , Lu Jie
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the correlation between the respiration-induced target motion and volume variation with the dosimetric variance on breast and organ at risk (OAR) during free breathing.

Methods and materials

After breast-conserving surgery, seventeen patients underwent respiration-synchronized 4DCT simulation scans during free breathing. Treatment planning was constructed using the end inspiration scan, then copied and applied to the other phases and the dose distribution was calculated separately to evaluate the dose-volume histograms (DVH) parameters for the planning target volume (PTV), ipsilateral lung and heart.

Results

During free breathing, the treated breast motion vector was 2.09 ± 0.74 mm, and the volume variation was 3.05 ± 0.94%. There was no correlation between the breast volume and target/OAR dosimetric variation (|r| = 0.39 ~ 0.48). In the anteroposterior, superoinferior and vector directions, breast movement correlated well with the mean PTV dose, conformal index, and the lung volume receiving high dose (|r| = 0.651-0.975); in the superoinferior and vector directions, breast displacement only correlated with the heart volume receiving >5 Gy (V5) (r = −0.795, 0.687). The lung volume and the lung volume receiving high dose correlated reasonably well (r = 0.655 ~ 0.882), and a correlation only existed between heart volume and V5 (r = −0.701).

Conclusion

Target movement correlated well with the target/OAR dosimetric variation in certain directions, indicating that whole breast IMRT assisted by breathing control or respiratory-adapted gated treatment promotes the accuracy of dose delivery during radiotherapy. During free breathing, the effect of breast volume variation can be ignored in whole breast IMRT.
Contribution of three-dimensional conformal intensity-modulated radiation therapy for women affected by bulky stage II supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin disease
Authors: Antoni Delphine , Natarajan-Ame Shanti , Meyer Philippe , Niederst Claudine , Bourahla Khalil , Noel Georges
Published: May 2013

Purpose

To analyze the outcome and dose distribution of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) by helical tomotherapy in women treated for large supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin’s disease.

Material and methods

A total of 13 patients received adjuvant radiation at a dose of 30 Gy to the initially involved sites with a boost of 6 Gy to those areas suspected of harboring residual disease on the simulation CT scan.

Results

With a median follow-up of 23 months, the two-year progression-free survival was 91.6%, and the 2- and 3-year overall survivals were 100%. We did not report any heart or lung acute side effects. The conformity index of PTV (Planning Target Volume) was better for IMRT than for 3D-CRT (p=0.001). For the breasts, lungs, heart, thyroid and esophagus, the volume distributions favored the IMRT plans. For the breasts, the V20Gy, V25Gyand V30Gywere 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 times lower, respectively, for IMRT than for 3D-CRT. For the lung tissues, the V20Gyand V30Gywere 2 times and 4.5 times lower, respectively, for IMRT than for 3D-CRT. For the heart, the V20Gyand V30Gywere 1.4 and 2 times lower, respectively, for IMRT than for 3D-CRT. For the esophagus, the V35Gywas 1.7 lower for IMRT than for 3D-CRT, and for the thyroid, the V30Gywas 1.2 times lower for IMRT.

Conclusion

IMRT by helical tomotherapy improved the PTV coverage and dramatically decreased the dose in organs at risk. The treatment was well tolerated, but a longer follow-up is necessary to prove a translation of these dosimetric improvements in the outcome of the patients.
Medial Mandibulotomies: Is there sufficient space in the midline to allow a mandibulotomy without compromising the dentition?
Authors: Shinghal Tulika , Bissada Eric , Chan Hon Biu , Wood Robert E , Atenafu Eshetu G , Brown Dale H , Gilbert Ralph W , Gullane Patrick J , Irish Jonathan C , Waldron John , Goldstein David P
Published: May 2013

Objectives

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of complications in median and paramedian mandibulotomies. In addition, the interdental space in the median and paramedian region was calculated.

Study design

Retrospective study.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed for all cases where a mandibulotomy was performed from 2002 to 2010. 117 charts (61 paramedian and 56 median) were identified. We included data on complications, which fell in the following 2 categories: plate and dental complications. For our second objective, we evaluated 40 different patients with base of tongue or tonsillar cancer treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The interdental space between the lateral incisors and the canines was electronically calculated on the digital Panorex images.

Main outcome measures

Dental and plate complications were evaluated. We also assessed interdental space.

Results

Patient characteristics were not significantly different. The median group had significantly more dental complications (p=0.0375, RD=0.19 and 95% CI (0.0139-0.3661)). The paramedian group had significantly more plate complications (p=0.0375, RD=0.082 and 95% CI (0.0131-0.1508). The distance between the central incisors was significantly less than the distance between the lateral incisors and canines both at the crestal and apical levels (p=0.0086 and p<0.001).

Conclusions

There are significantly more dental complications in the median approach. There were significantly more plate complications in the paramedian group. In addition, there is significantly less space in the between the median region as compared to the paramedian region. This is the first study that documents the advantage of the paramedian approach for dental complications.
Canadian Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery clerkship curricula: Evolving toward tomorrow's learners
Authors: Kelly Kate , Fung Kevin , McLean Laurie
Published: May 2013

Background

Increasing focus is being placed on Clerkship curriculum design and implementation in light of new undergraduate medical education research and accreditation standards. Canadian Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OTOHNS) Clerkship programs are continually but independently evolving towards a common goal of improving Clerkship curriculum.

Methods

An electronic survey was sent to undergraduate OTOHNS directors at all Canadian medical schools (n = 17) examining their Clerkship curricula. Themes included Clerkship format, teaching methods, faculty support and development, program strengths, and barriers.

Results

Survey response rate was 76%. All responding schools had OTOHNS Clerkship programs ranging in type (mandatory, selective or elective) and length (<1 to 4 weeks). Learning modalities varied. Electronic learning tools were identified as increasingly important to curriculum delivery. Common strengths included wide clinical exposure and one-on-one mentoring. Multiple challenges were identified in curriculum implementation and evaluation. All schools expressed interest in developing national standards, objectives and e-learning resources.

Conclusions

Significant variation exists in OTOHNS Clerkship experiences between Canadian medical schools. Many schools perceive barriers of insufficient time, space and curriculum standardization. Interested Canadian OTOHNS educators are eager to collaborate to improve the collective OTOHNS Clerkship experience.
A computerized expert system for diagnosing primary headache based on International Classification of Headache Disorder (ICHD-II)
Authors: Eslami Vahid , Rouhani-Esfahani Sadreddin , Hafezi-Nejad Nima , Refaeian Farshid , Abdi Siamak , Togha Mansoureh
Published: May 2013

Background

The authors developed a computerized program designed to diagnose primary headache based on international classification of headache disorders, 2nd edition (ICHD-II) criteria for use by physicians.

Methods

An appropriate questionnaire was designed according to the ICHD-II criteria for all types of primary headaches and the computerized system provided diagnosis based on the criteria. The software was tested by analyzing 80 patients, recruited from an outpatient headache clinic, affected by primary headache. Each patient with a unique card number was interviewed up to 15 minutes. At the end of each day, software and neurologist diagnoses were evaluated for each patient.

Results

Of 80 patients, the software was able to come up with correct results in 78 cases. The age of the patients ranged from 30 to 80 years old. Migraine headache accounted for 71 cases, five patients had tension type headache, and 2 had cluster headaches; all were correctly diagnosed by software. Two cases were not concordant with the neurologist’s diagnosis. The neurologist diagnosed these two cases as “Medical overuse syndrome headache” and “cluster headache”, which our software was not able to diagnosis them.

Conclusions

This software permitted the diagnosis of more than 97% of the patients similar to the physician's. We hope this questionnaire and applying the software to diagnose headache based on ICHD could be of help to better the diagnosis of headaches.
Economic Impacts of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake and Tsunami
Authors: Kajitani Yoshio , Chang Stephanie E. , Tatano Hirokazu
Published: May 2013

This paper provides an overview of economic impacts in the first year after the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident—at an estimated ¥16.9 trillion (US$211 billion) in direct damage, the costliest natural disaster on record. Documented costs to date include ¥2.9 trillion in insurance payouts and ¥17.7 trillion in response and recovery budgets by the national government that will be financed largely by tax increases and bonds. In the regions with physical damage, fisheries and agriculture, among other sectors, were very hard hit. The disaster also caused measurable economic impacts well beyond the damage regions, including losses in gross domestic product (GDP), in manufacturing from supply-chain disruptions, and in retail trade and tourism due to restrained consumption and radiation fears. Reduced capacity for generating electricity has led to substantial energy conservation nationwide. Results from applying a loss estimation model demonstrated good agreement with observed post-disaster economic activity.
“Even the Rats Don't Come Here”
Authors: Featherstone Mark
Published: May 2013

In this article I explore the situation of the Eastern European, and specifically Romanian, Roma in contemporary Paris. Building upon ethnographic work in the suburbs of the city, I consider the sociospatial marginalization of the Romanian Roma and the ways the French state sought to other the new immigrants from Eastern Europe because of their inability to conform to the norms of the neoliberal capitalist utopia advanced by Nicolas Sarkozy in the early years of the twenty-first century. In the first section of the article, I discuss the situation of the Romanian Roma in contemporary Paris as nomads and squatters before seeking to explain their objective resistance to sociospatial normalization in terms of the existentialism of the Romanian writer Emile Cioran, who lived a reclusive, alienated life in Paris in the second half of the twentieth century. Contrasting Cioran's immigrant thought to Julia Kristeva's work on the relation between her adopted home and her motherland, Bulgaria, I suggest that for understanding the situation of the Roma in Paris Cioran is a better source than Kristeva, the poststructuralist thinker of abjection, who champions France as a space of oedipalization and normalization. Expanding this work in the second section of the article, I seek to locate it in a discussion of the banlieue and the abandoned spaces of Paris, which become zones of otherness that simultaneously contain and resist the utopian tendency to construct self-identical cities. Here I argue that Sarkozy's neoliberal utopia, which is reflected in attempts to modernize, regenerate, and marketize lost areas of the city, represents a form of posthumanism that we must resist through identification with miserable others, such as the Romanian Roma. In the final section of the article, I conclude by making a case for political identification with the Romanian Roma, a “defense of their right to city,” and opposition to what I call the anal-sadistic system. Here I rely on Alain Badiou's recent reading of Sarkozy as an anal sadist to suggest that “super Sarko” was in some respects representative of the sadistic neoliberal capitalist system that voraciously consumes value and violently others abjection. Despite the fall of Sarkozy and the election of the socialist François Hollande, I argue that this identification with the Romanian Roma remains central to cultural politics today. This is the case because the situation of the abject other defines the very horizon of political struggle in the twenty-first century by virtue of how it delimits the space of the city and separates humanized insiders from dehumanized outsiders.
Metabolism
Authors: Miles Malcolm
Published: May 2013

Metabolism was an important Japanese movement in architecture in the postwar period, drawing on both international modernism and elements of Japanese vernacular building. Like international modernism, Metabolism addressed both building design and urban planning; it used new technologies to suspend buildings in space and introduced components for a more flexible built environment, such as the pod or plug-in capsule—devices taken up in parallel by Archigram in Britain—that give the user the role of completing the building (while implying that it may change again and never be completed). But Metabolism was also part of the rebuilding of Japanese identity after 1945 and the firebombing that erased large parts of most Japanese cities, not just Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Metabolists brought progressive values to the project and emphasized a need for public-sector initiatives—in contrast to today's privileging of the private sector under neoliberalism. Metabolism is worth reconsidering, then, both because it adds a chapter to the history of international modernism and because it extends the field of modernism through an architecture not only of international harmony but also of national reconstruction.
A versatile platform for creating a comprehensive UAS-ORFeome library in Drosophila
Authors: Bischof Johannes , Björklund Mikael , Furger Edy , Schertel Claus , Taipale Jussi , Basler Konrad
Published: May 2013

Overexpression screens are used to explore gene functions in Drosophila, but this strategy suffers from the lack of comprehensive and systematic fly strain collections and efficient methods for generating such collections. Here, we present a strategy that could be used efficiently to generate large numbers of transgenic Drosophila strains, and a collection of 1149 UAS-ORF fly lines that were created with the site-specific ΦC31 integrase method. For this collection, we used a set of 655 genes that were cloned as two variants, either as an open reading frame (ORF) with a native stop codon or with a C-terminal 3xHA tag. To streamline the procedure for transgenic fly generation, we demonstrate the utility of injecting pools of plasmids into embryos, each plasmid containing a randomised sequence (barcode) that serves as a unique identifier for plasmids and, subsequently, fly strains. We also developed a swapping technique that facilitates the rapid exchange of promoters and epitope tags in vivo, expanding the versatility of the ORF collection. The work described here serves as the basis of a systematic library of Gal4/UAS-regulated transgenes.
Elastogenesis at the onset of human cardiac valve development
Authors: Votteler Miriam , Berrio Daniel A. Carvajal , Horke Alexander , Sabatier Laetitia , Reinhardt Dieter P. , Nsair Ali , Aikawa Elena , Schenke-Layland Katja
Published: May 2013

Semilunar valve leaflets have a well-described trilaminar histoarchitecture, with a sophisticated elastic fiber network. It was previously proposed that elastin-containing fibers play a subordinate role in early human cardiac valve development; however, this assumption was based on data obtained from mouse models and human second and third trimester tissues. Here, we systematically analyzed tissues from human fetal first (4-12 weeks) and second (13-18 weeks) trimester, adolescent (14-19 years) and adult (50-55 years) hearts to monitor the temporal and spatial distribution of elastic fibers, focusing on semilunar valves. Global expression analyses revealed that the transcription of genes essential for elastic fiber formation starts early within the first trimester. These data were confirmed by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry employing antibodies that recognize fibronectin, fibrillin 1, 2 and 3, EMILIN1 and fibulin 4 and 5, which were all expressed at the onset of cardiac cushion formation (~week 4 of development). Tropoelastin/elastin protein expression was first detectable in leaflets of 7-week hearts. We revealed that immature elastic fibers are organized in early human cardiovascular development and that mature elastin-containing fibers first evolve in semilunar valves when blood pressure and heartbeat accelerate. Our findings provide a conceptual framework with the potential to offer novel insights into human cardiac valve development and disease.
The Pygo2-H3K4me2/3 interaction is dispensable for mouse development and Wnt signaling-dependent transcription
Authors: Cantù Claudio , Valenta Tomas , Hausmann George , Vilain Nathalie , Aguet Michel , Basler Konrad
Published: May 2013

Pygopus has been discovered as a fundamental Wnt signaling component in Drosophila. The mouse genome encodes two Pygopus homologs, Pygo1 and Pygo2. They serve as context-dependent β-catenin coactivators, with Pygo2 playing the more important role. All Pygo proteins share a highly conserved plant homology domain (PHD) that allows them to bind di- and trimethylated lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me2/3). Despite the structural conservation of this domain, the relevance of histone binding for the role of Pygo2 as a Wnt signaling component and as a reader of chromatin modifications remains speculative. Here we generate a knock-in mouse line, homozygous for a Pygo2 mutant defective in chromatin binding. We show that even in the absence of the potentially redundant Pygo1, Pygo2 does not require the H3K4me2/3 binding activity to sustain its function during mouse development. Indeed, during tissue homeostasis, Wnt/β-catenin-dependent transcription is largely unaffected. However, the Pygo2-chromatin interaction is relevant in testes, where, importantly, Pygo2 binds in vivo to the chromatin in a PHD-dependent manner. Its presence on regulatory regions does not affect the transcription of nearby genes; rather, it is important for the recruitment of the histone acetyltransferase Gcn5 to chromatin, consistent with a testis-specific and Wnt-unrelated role for Pygo2 as a chromatin remodeler.
Urachal Carcinoma: Imaging Findings
Authors: Monteiro Vanessa , Cunha Teresa Margarida
Published: May 2013

Urachal carcinoma is a rare neoplasm, which accounts for only 0.5–2% of bladder malignancies, and arises from a remnant of the fetal genitourinary tract. A 46-year-old woman presented with a history of pelvic pain and frequent daytime urination. Ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR) demonstrated a supravesical heterogeneous mass with calcifications. The patient underwent a partial cystectomy with en-bloc resection of the mass and histopathological examination revealed the diagnosis of urachal adenocarcinoma. Urachal carcinomas are usually associated with poor prognosis and early diagnosis is fundamental. CT and MR are useful to correctly diagnose and preoperatively staging.
A case of postoperative pyopneumothorax following CT-guided radiofrequency ablation for lung cancer with interstitial pneumonia
Authors: Okuma Tomohisa , Tsuji Taisuke , Sakamoto Tetsuki , Tokura Sayoko , Akira Masanori , Hamamoto Shinichi , Matsuoka Toshiyuki , Miki Yukio
Published: May 2013

We report a case of serious complications following computed tomography (CT)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) performed for the treatment of lung cancer with interstitial pneumonia. The patient developed delayed-onset pyopneumothorax, which required 6 months of antibiotic treatment, drainage, and video-assisted thoracoscopic debridement. Although CT-guided RFA is a promising, effective procedure for difficult-to-treat lung cancer, the present case suggests a risk of complications for patients complicated with interstitial pneumonia and warrants caution.
Crouzon syndrome associated with acanthosis nigricans: Prenatal 2D and 3D ultrasound findings and postnatal 3D CT findings
Authors: Nørgaard Pernille , Hagen Casper Petri , Hove Hanne , Dunø Morten , Nissen Kamilla Rothe , Kreiborg Sven , Jørgensen Finn Stener
Published: May 2013

Crouzon syndrome with acanthosis nigricans (CAN) is a very rare condition with an approximate prevalence of 1 per 1 million newborns. We add the first report on prenatal 2D and 3D ultrasound findings in CAN. In addition we present the postnatal 3D CT findings. The diagnosis was confirmed by molecular testing.
Leiomyoma of the nipple diagnosed by MRI
Authors: Cho Hyung Ji , Kim Sung Hun , Kang Bong Joo , Kim Hanna , Song Byung Joo , Lee Ah Won
Published: May 2013

Leiomyoma of the nipple is a rare, benign, non-epithelial tumor that is thought to arise from smooth muscle fibers in the subareolar tissue of the breast. We report an unusual case of leiomyoma of the nipple in a 32-year-old woman in whom the diagnosis was made by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy. She came to our hospital complaining of a recently enlarged nipple with discharge and erosion in the region of the left nipple-areolar complex. This mass was evaluated by mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a leiomyoma of the nipple examined by MRI. MRI showed an oval mass with circumscribed margins that appeared as an intermediate signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted images. A dynamic MRI study showed a rim-enhancing oval mass with delayed persistent enhancement. Ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy revealed spindle cell proliferation consistent with leiomyoma of the nipple.
Institutions, cost-effectiveness analysis and healthcare rationing: the example of healthcare coverage in the English National Health Service
Authors: Williams Iestyn
Published: May 2013

Agencies designed to inform the distribution of public resources between competing healthcare programmes are now commonplace across the developed world. While costeffectiveness analysis (CEA) has become integral to prescriptions for such decisions, its influence in practice remains modest especially at local decision-making levels. Explanations focus on evidence and interests and therefore overlook the role played by institutions in determining the use of CEA. Case studies from the English National Health Service indicate that institutions are critical to understanding the technology coverage function and the role of evidence, analysis and deliberation in this.
Is everybody happy? The politics and measurement of national wellbeing
Authors: Tomlinson Michael W. , Kelly Grace P.
Published: May 2013

This article explores the political and intellectual influences behind the growth of interest in happiness and the emergence of the new ‘science of happiness’. It offers a critique of the use of subjective wellbeing indicators within indexes of social and economic progress, and argues that the proposed United Kingdom's National Well-being Index is over-reliant on subjective measures. We conclude by arguing that the mainstreaming of happiness indicators reflects and supports the emergence of ‘behavioural social policy’.
Invisible and at Risk: STDs Among Young Adult Sexual Minority Women in the United States
Authors: Lindley Lisa L. , Walsemann Katrina M. , Carter Jarvis W.
Published: May 2013

Context

Sexual minority women are not adequately assessed by national STD surveillance systems, and research regarding STD burden in nationally representative samples of such women is rare. Moreover, few studies have assessed STD risk exclusively among young adult women.

Methods

Wave 4 (2007–2008) data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health on 7,296 females aged 24–32 were used to examine the relationship between sexual orientation and receipt of an STD diagnosis in the past year. Multivariate logistic regression analyses used two measures of sexual orientation: sexual identity and gender of sex partners.

Results

Eighty percent of women considered themselves straight; 16% mostly straight; and 4% bisexual, mostly gay or gay. Eighty‐five percent had had only male partners, while 7% had had one female partner, and 8% two or more female partners. In unadjusted models, women who identified themselves as mostly straight were more likely than straight women to have had an STD (odds ratio, 1.4); mostly gay or gay women were at lower risk (0.4). Women who had had two or more female partners had a higher STD risk than did women who had had only male partners (1.7). Adjusting for social and demographic characteristics did not substantially alter these results; however, the associations between sexual identity, gender of sex partners and STD diagnosis were eliminated after adjustment for sexual behaviors (e.g., having had anal sex).

Conclusions

Sexual identity, gender of sex partners and sexual behaviors should be taken into account in assessments of women's STD risk.
Lehrstuhl Öffentliche Bibliotheken / Professorship in Public Libraries / La chaire universitaire “bibliothèques publiques”
Authors: Umlauf Konrad
Published: May 2013

Neben der Lehre steht die Produktion von Lehr- und Handbüchern sowie Nachschlagewerken des Faches im Fokus des Lehrstuhls. Die Forschungsleistungen sind überwiegend Beiträge dazu. Anders als die Denomination des Lehrstuhls vermuten lässt, umfasst er ein breites Spektrum an Sparten übergreifenden Lehrgebieten wie z. B. Informationsaufbereitung, Management, Bestandsmanagement, Marktforschung.
Die Studiengänge am Institut für Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaft / Programs of study at Berlin School of Library and Information Science / Le programme d’études à l’“Institut für Bibliotheksund Informationswissenschaft” (l’institut de bibliothéconomie et de sciences de l’information)
Authors: Umlauf Konrad
Published: May 2013

Das Institut für Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaft ist das einzige deutsche Universitätsinstitut, das das Fach in einer bibliotheksorientierten Ausprägung vertritt. Diese Sicht des Faches liegt seinen Studiengängen zugrunde: Bachelorkombinationsstudiengang mit Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaft als Kern- oder als Zweitfach in Kombination mit einem anderen Fach; Monobachelorstudiengang Informationsmanagement und Informationstechnologie, der zur Hälfte aus Modulen aus der Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaft sowie aus der Informatik besteht; Masterstudiengang im Direktstudium, der forschungsorientiert angelegt ist; weiterbildender Masterstudiengang im Fernstudium, in dem auch Bibliotheksreferendare ausgebildet werden. Ferner bestehen Kooperationen mit ausländischen Hochschulen, in deren Rahmen weitere Studiengänge oder ein Modulaustausch realisiert werden.
wiki2rdf: Automatische Extraktion von RDF-Tripeln aus Artikelvolltexten der Wikipedia / wiki2rdf: Automatic extraction of RDF triples from Wikipedia full texts / wiki2rdf: Extraction automatique de triplets RDF à partir de textes intégraux de Wikipédia
Authors: Meyer Alexander
Published: May 2013

Im Projekt DBpedia werden unter anderem Informationen aus Wikipedia-Artikeln in RDF-Tripel umgewandelt. Dabei werden jedoch nicht die Artikeltexte berücksichtigt, sondern vorrangig die sogenannten Infoboxen, die Informationen enthalten, die bereits strukturiert sind. Im Rahmen einer Masterarbeit am Institut für Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaft der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin wurde wiki2rdf entwickelt, eine Software zur regelbasierten Extraktion von RDF-Tripeln aus den unstrukturierten Volltexten der Wikipedia. Die Extraktion erfolgt nach Syntax-Parsing mithilfe eines Dependency-Parsers. Exemplarisch wurde wiki2rdf auf 68820 Artikel aus der Kategorie „Wissenschaftler“ der deutschsprachigen Wikipedia angewandt. Es wurden 244563 Tripel extrahiert.
Modellierung und Ontologien im Wissensmanagement / Modeling and Ontologies in Knowledge Management / Modélisation et ontologies dans la gestion des connaissances
Authors: Gradmann Stefan , Iwanowa Julia , Dröge Evelyn , Hennicke Steffen , Trkulja Violeta , Olensky Marlies , Stein Christian , Struck Alexander , Baierer Konstantin
Published: May 2013

Im Artikel werden laufende Arbeiten und Ergebnisse der Forschergruppe Wissensmanagement beschrieben. Diese entstanden vor allem durch die am Lehrstuhl Wissensmanagement angesiedelten Projekte Europeana v2.0, Digitised Manuscripts to Europeana (DM2E) sowie von Teilprojekten des vor kurzem gestarteten DFG-Exzellenzclusters Bild Wissen Gestaltung. Die Projekte befassen sich mit Spezialisierungen des Europeana Data Model, der Umwandlung von Metadaten in RDF und der automatisierten und nutzerbasierten semantischen Anreicherung dieser Daten auf Basis eigens entwickelter oder modifizierter Anwendungen sowie der Modellierung von Forschungsaktivitäten, welche derzeit auf die digitale Geisteswissenschaft zugeschnitten ist. Allen Projekten gemeinsam ist die konzeptionelle oder technische Modellierung von Informationsentitäten oder Nutzeraktivitäten, welche am Ende im Linked Data Web repräsentiert werden.
Benefits of Motor and Exercise Imagery for Older Adults
Authors: Kalicinski Michael , Lobinger Babett H.
Published: May 2013

Abstract: The benefits of imagery use have been shown for athletes and neurological patients, but little is known about the benefits of motor and exercise imagery for older adults. Current research on movement-related imagery is reviewed in this narrative article, with a focus on methods for estimating the ability to use motor and exercise imagery and the extent of their use. Recent investigations of motor imagery and exercise imagery in healthy older adults are reviewed. Recommendations for integrating the two approaches in future research are made and the potential of imagery use to encourage physical activity in older adults is discussed.
Petroleum Refining and Natural Gas Processing
Authors: Riazi M. R. , Eser Semih , Agrawal Suresh S. , Peña Díez José Luis
Published: May 2013

Description

This one-of-a-kind, comprehensive handbook provides the latest industry and research advances in petroleum refining, natural gas processing, and refinery management. Over 40 scientists, experts and professionals from both academia and industry have contributed to the 33 chapters in this handbook.

Unique features include:
Introduction
Authors: Riazi M. R. , Eser Semih , Peña Díez José Luis , Agrawal Suresh S.
Published: May 2013

Petroleum and natural gas provide more than 60 % of today's world energy demand and will remain the most important nonrenewable sources of energy for the next few decades. In addition, they provide feedstocks for petrochemical plants for the production of hundreds of different petrochemicals. Although petroleum refining is a century-old industry, today's refineries are much more sophisticated than those in the 1970s and 1980s or even the 1990s. This global industry needs to exercise continuous improvement to meet the challenges posed by new fuel specifications, new environmental regulations, and changing feed composition along with the decreasing availability of petroleum reserves and economic challenges. This introductory chapter presents an overview of petroleum formation, petroleum refining, natural gas processing, and the scope of the book with a brief reference to the significance of each chapter. Elements of modern and future refineries are discussed in a historical perspective along with current economic and environmental challenges and global competitions. In addition, a brief introduction to refinery planning and scheduling, management, offsite operation, and the economical and commercial aspects of refineries is presented for various chapters. The role of hydrogen, biofuels, and other potential sources of energy in the future energy supply is also discussed. This chapter concludes with a section on the usefulness and importance of the book.