bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reviving the Southern Gentleman : Ideals of Manhood in Madeleine L’Engle’s Fiction (1946, 1971)
Authors: BRAY Suzanne
Published: April 2016

Faire revivre le gentleman du Sud : la masculinité idéale dans la fiction de Madeleine L’Engle. Au début de sa carrière littéraire, Madeleine L’Engle (1918-2007) n’était pas une admiratrice du gentleman sudiste. Fille d’une Belle du Sud, L’Engle visitait la région depuis son enfance, mais elle se sentait complètement étrangère à la région et estimait que les hommes de sa famille sudiste étaient bien moins qu’idéale. Son premier roman du Sud, Ilsa (1946), reflète cette attitude négative. Mécontente avec Ilsa, L’Engle prit la décision de faire des recherches approfondies sur son histoire familiale et celle de la région avant d’écrire un deuxième roman du Sud. Ce qu’elle trouvait l’a convaincue que l’idéal du gentleman sudiste avait encore une certaine validité et que l’on pourrait le faire revivre. En revanche, il fallait élargir le rôle à ceux qu’on avait autrefois exclus : les afro-américains, les blancs pauvres et les enfants, tout en retrouvant ses racines chrétiennes. La famille Renier et son entourage dans The Other Side of the Sun (1971) et leurs descendants dans Dragons in the Waters (1976), A House like a Lotus (1984) et A Live Coal in the Sea (1996) présentent des modèles à suivre de masculinité sudiste. Pour créer ces modèles, L’Engle s’est inspirée du gentleman traditionnel, mais également de certains de ses propres ancêtres. En même temps, on y trouve des contre-exemples qui démontrent ce qui se passe quand le gentleman sudiste quitte ses origines chrétiennes et développe une compréhension plus tribale des responsabilités d’un homme.
Manhood in Eudora Welty’s Delta Wedding (1946) : Masterly, or Simply Mastered?
Authors: GROS Emmeline
Published: April 2016

L’article explore l’ambivalence de la masculinité dans Delta Wedding d’Eudora Welty (1946). Cet article soutient que Delta Wedding, qui place le héros George Fairchild au centre du récit, doit être lu moins comme un texte féministe que comme la création féminine d’un récit d’héroïsme masculin, dans lequel l’idéal de la masculinité est présenté comme objet/sujet visuel, plaisir pour le regard féminin. Le Sud masculin interprété par Welty est subverti ; L’idéal de masculinité, loin d’être fixe, naturel et héroïque, est ici exposé comme fragile, comme étant facilement imitable, et limité à un jeu d’apparences. Welty montre que la masculinité du Sud est une notion fluide et changeante.
Dismantling Southern Codes of Black Masculinity : The Black Male’s Demystified Image in Hal Bennett’s Lord of Dark Places (1970)
Authors: CLARY Françoise
Published: April 2016

Le sens, dit Greimas, n’est rien d’autre que ce qu’il est possible d’interpréter et de décoder. Prenant appui sur la théorie de l’intersectionalité, on avancera l’argument que deux visions antagonistes des hommes noirs s’opposent dans la représentation de la masculinité noire proposée par Hal Bennett, l’une est celle de l’étalon noir provocant, l’autre celle du Noir assimilationniste soumis, toutes deux étant le produit de mythes. Cet essai part du postulat que la puissance revenant aux métaphores et la focalisation sur la rhétorique de l’exagération peuvent apparaître comme un nouveau langage inventé pour démanteler le discours uniforme de la masculinité, déconstruire les stéréotypes du Noir violeur, inscrire dans le texte la visibilité du corps de l’homme noir et esquisser de nouvelles formes de masculinité où le masculin et le féminin afro-américains se retrouvent inextricablement liés lorsque l’on s’attache à l’idée que discuter de son corps permet de se définir soi-même.
Amy’s Men, or Wounded Masculinity in Ron Rash’s One Foot in Eden (2002)
Authors: SPILL Frédérique
Published: April 2016

Le premier roman de Ron Rash, Un Pied au Paradis, évoque une enquête criminelle au fin fond des montagnes appalachiennes dans les années 1950 : un homme a été tué en conséquence du désir de maternité frustré d’une femme, qui est aussi l’épouse d’un autre. Tandis que le roman dépeint un environnement essentiellement masculin où évoluent des héros virils qui se caractérisent le plus souvent par des comportements violents, les personnages masculins du roman semblent tous paradoxalement meurtris, voire dysfonctionnels. L’histoire d’Amy et de ses hommes met ainsi en lumière la manière dont les définitions de la féminité et de la masculinité font alors l’objet de changements sans précédents. À travers la succession des narrateurs homodiégétiques, c’est un portrait complexe et kaléidoscopique de la masculinité sudiste qui s’élabore—une masculinité fluctuante, probablement en transition, qui a bien du mal à redéfinir ses marques.
Of Pit Bulls and Men : Tamed Manhood in Harry Crews’s An American Family (2006)
Authors: ARBEIT Marcel
Published: April 2016

L’article analyse le déclin et le rétablissement de la masculinité du Sud chez le principal protagoniste masculin du roman, An American Family : The Baby with the Curious Markings (2006), dernier livre en date d’Harry Crews. En se basant sur plusieurs études traitant de la masculinité en général et de la masculinité du Sud des Etats-Unis, en particulier—notamment la facilité chez ces hommes du Sud (une tendance souvent stéréotypée) à commettre des actes de violence et de brutalité, en particulier—cet article montre la possibilité, suggérée par Crews, de ré-éduquer un homme dépourvu de manières et abusant de sa femme, en faisant appel à une violence, une torture et une humiliation infligés par une femme. Dans le contexte de la théorie masochiste de Sigmund Freud et au moyen de textes choisis, représentant différents courants dans les mouvements masculins qui considèrent les hommes comme des victimes féminisés ; victimes qui se doivent de reconquérir une virilité fragilisée et qui cherchent également à libérer les émotions et sensibilités qu’ils ont dû contenir, cet article pose les trois étapes de la réformation masculine : l’infantilisation, la féminisation, et la re-masculinisation. Dans le roman, Crews compare l’épreuve de son protagoniste à celle des pit-bulls, marginalisés pour leur férocité, mais qui, dans les cironstances adéquates, sont capables de se comporter comme des animaux de compagnie fidèles.
The Southern Man through a Northern Eye : The Southern Gentleman in Joyce Carol Oates’s The Accursed (2013) and Carthage (2014)
Authors: TROMBLE Tanya
Published: April 2016

Cet article étudie la façon dont Joyce Carol Oates, dans les romans Les Maudits et Carthage, crée des personnages de « gentleman » déplacés ou en marge, en ayant recours à des stéréotypes. Oates décrit deux personnages qui évoluent à l’écart de leurs communautés respectives ; pour eux, être un « gentleman » relève du masque, d’une identité cultivée avec plus ou moins de succès. Les Maudits déconstruit le mythe d’un exceptionnalisme régional en montrant un homme du Sud et un homme du Nord en proie aux mêmes faiblesses morales. Dans Carthage, la capacité de l’Enquêteur d’évoquer le « gentleman » surligne l’artificialité de ce personnage mythique du Sud.
O Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea sob a direção de Eduardo Malta
Authors: Duro Rita
Published: April 2016

Eduardo Malta (1900-1967) foi um controverso diretor do Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea (MNAC) entre 1959 e 1967. Este período foi considerado pela historiografia portuguesa como um dos mais negros na história desta instituição museológica, constituindo um “caso de estudo” na história da museologia portuguesa. Ao longo da sua carreira artística, Eduardo Malta estabeleceu uma valiosa rede de contactos no regime do Estado Novo e foi um artista protegido por António de Oliveira Salazar. A sua nomeação como diretor do MNAC representou um exercício de poder por parte do Estado Novo, contrariando a opinião pública das esferas artística e intelectual, que reagiram através de um protesto com mais de 200 subscritores. Neste artigo pretende-se apresentar a figura do pintor e analisar a sua administração no MNAC, através de pontuais episódios centrados nas aquisições, exposições permanente e temporária, catálogos publicados e na comunicação com os públicos. Em simultâneo, reflete-se sobre a sua inadequação ao cargo, em parte representativa do discurso museológico do Regime à época.
Património cultural e discursos museológicos: narrativas de memórias e identidades locais
Authors: Tolentino Atila Bezerra
Published: April 2016

Ao compreender que a área do património cultural se constitui como um espaço social de disputa política, económica e simbólica, este artigo pretende identificar e refletir de que forma a diversidade cultural e as memórias coletivas das comunidades do Vale do Gramame (Estado de Paraíba, Brasil), são representadas na narrativa expositiva do Museu Comunitário da Escola Viva Olho do Tempo. O debate leva em consideração as discussões já travadas por autores que tratam o património cultural como categoria do pensamento, bem como questões apontadas por Stuart Hall a respeito da construção das identidades culturais na modernidade, a constituição da memória como um elemento social, a partir de Maurice Halbwachs e Paul Ricouer, e as relações de força que envolvem a conceção de capital simbólico proposto por Pierre Bourdieu. Além da pesquisa teórica, o trabalho pautou-se pela observação participante durante o trabalho de campo, ocorrido entre 2014 e 2015. Como resultado, propõe-se que os museus são espaços constituídos de poder e de empoderamento. Em função disso, novos sujeitos e grupos sociais, como as comunidades do Vale do Gramame, comummente não representadas ou silenciadas nesses espaços, estão a apropriar-se dos museus para que incluam as suas memórias e identidades.
Do “museu aberto” ao “museu disperso”: desafios ao poder
Authors: Teixeira Mariana Roquette
Published: April 2016

A conjuntura socioeconómica dos últimos anos tem despoletado um forte debate sobre o posicionamento e a ação das instituições de arte na sociedade. O presente artigo centra-se na análise de um novo conceito de museu – o “museu disperso” – proposto por Charles Esche (n. 1962) e no qual assenta a programação do Van Abbemuseum (Eindhoven, Holanda). Partindo de alguma da produção teórica de Esche sobre o museu no século XXI e mediante o estudo comparativo de um conjunto de projetos, exposições e eventos de épocas distintas (décadas de 1960, 2000 e 2010), procuramos compreender a influência que a ideia de “museu aberto”, desenvolvida ao longo da década de 1960 como alternativa ao “museu-santuário”, exerce na construção deste novo conceito de museu alternativo, que se apresenta como proposta de reação ao museu enquanto lugar de lazer e consumo que satisfaz interesses políticos e económicos. Para tal, procedemos ao levantamento e análise de artigos de imprensa dedicados às referidas mostras, relatos dos curadores de exposições, muitas vezes sob a forma de entrevistas, material iconográfico e catálogos de exposição. Esta análise revela que, apesar de não o mencionar nos seus ensaios e entrevistas, Charles Esche recupera a essência do conceito original de “museu aberto” e retrabalha-o, de forma a expandi-lo e a conferir-lhe uma nova vida. Por fim, e tendo presente o destino do “museu aberto”, é lançada a questão sobre o futuro do “museu disperso” tal como idealizado pelo curador inglês.
Malhas em Imagem: um projeto sobre a ourivesaria de Gondomar
Authors: Restivo Manuela
Published: April 2016

O presente artigo serve o propósito de dar a conhecer o projeto Malhas em Imagem, desenvolvido pela associação cultural Casa do Vinhal, que visa a promoção da ourivesaria produzida em Gondomar, nomeadamente das malhas. As malhas (ou fios) são um dos tipos de peças mais comummente produzidas pelas oficinas de Gondomar, mas permanecem pouco conhecidas da grande maioria das pessoas. O projeto Malhas em Imagem procura evidenciar e divulgar a variedade dos modelos de malhas e a complexidade formal e técnica que podem assumir, reunindo num repositório digital imagens de diversas malhas, bem como a informação a estas associada. Neste texto desenha-se um breve estado da arte sobre a investigação e divulgação da ourivesaria do norte de Portugal e particularmente de Gondomar, de modo a contextualizar e demonstrar as razões pelas quais o projeto foi criado.
Virtual Reality and Point-Based Rendering in Architecture and Heritage
Authors: Mures Omar A. , Jaspe Alberto , Padrón Emilio J. , Rabuñal Juan R.
Published: April 2016

Recent advances in acquisition technologies such as LiDAR, range cameras and photogrammetry have put point clouds once again in the forefront of several fields with applications in Computer Graphics, Vision and Machine Learning, such as civil engineering, architecture, heritage and archaeology. Taking also into account new progressions in Virtual Reality that are also making VR relevant again, the possibilities when using these two technologies together are endless. From the improvement of architectural workflows, to the conservation of important ancient monuments, these two technologies can improve current efforts substantially. This chapter focuses on how these two fields can be combined in new and innovative ways, so that professionals can optimally exploit the advantages that these improved technologies can offer.
Representation and Experimentation
Authors: Fallavollita Federico
Published: April 2016

This paper describes the use of the synthetic method through digital generative algorithms in the study of geometry. In particular, this paper describes the construction of a ruled surface that rests on three skew lines in the method of mathematical representation. This study is part of a bigger picture that has as its goal the renewal of the study of geometry according to the synthetic method, in other words through the use of drawing in the virtual laboratory. The drawing in this sense is a logical tool to understand the geometry in space. The possibility of constructing algorithms to generate and control geometric shape allows having a greater control on both the final form and, above all, on the generative process of form itself. This is particularly important for those who have a synthetic approach in the study of geometry. It refers to the ability to view the entire creative process of the shape and the ability to alter some parameters to improve the result. The representation of the algorithms allows having both an overview and a detailed view of the entire creative process.
Caramuel's “Architectura Obliqua”
Authors: Iurilli Stefania
Published: April 2016

The content of this chapter comes from a wider research, investigating a controversial architectural treatise titled “Architectura Civil Recta y Obliqua”. It was written in the late XVII century by the polygraph and mathematician Juan Caramuel de Lobkowitz, and it is often mentioned by historians in relation with the cultural debate around an illustrious project: Bernini's Vatican colonnade. However, the theoretical apparatus behind the “invention” of oblique architecture - certainly the most original part of the treatise - is more complex, and it is thought to sink its roots in the rising Science of Representation. The book has been subject of a renewed academic interest in the recent past. Nevertheless, a systematic study that efficiently related the treatise, the complex personality of its author and the scientific and cultural background of XVII century is still missing.
The Dynamic Eye
Authors: D'Acunto Giuseppe
Published: April 2016

During the Sixteenth century, the studies about perspective reach an higher level of systematize, so high to open their field of action to geographical and astronomic representations: In the painting and ornamental art, especially, it start to use a different way of perspective technique more cunning and provocative, in agreement with the desire of contemporaneous artists and scientists to go beyond, across the limit of reality where ‘it shown only things that you can see' for a fresh look – physical and symbolic - to the Other from her- or himself, to a new and more exciting overlook in which “…the appearance eclipses the reality”. The more odd and bizarre aspects of the perspective rules' turn into the aim of research, where its interior laws are taken to an extreme level and are employed to verify the expressive prospect of the same technique, beyond any restitution of realistic appearance to the represented subject, organic or not. It is so the time of anamorphosis.
Muqarnas: Geometrical and Stereotomic Techniques in Ancient Islamic Architectures
Authors: Occhinegro Ubaldo
Published: April 2016

The topic of this chapter is the geometry and the construction of vaulted and decorative systems called ‘muqarnas', one of the most typical elements of Islamic architecture. This way of ‘vaulting spaces' or building roof and decorations with a system of regular staircase-elements that break down the surface covering it with simple geometrical figures, so as to make up complex patterns, spreads throughout Arabic countries, leading to the development of several styles, deriving from different generative geometries, and from building techniques and used materials. The reason which accounts for the widespread development of this type of decoration is to be found in the prohibition of the Moslem religion to portray idols or anthropomorphic figures of God, in contrast with the decorative techniques of sculpture and painting characterizing Christian art. The geometrical study which is at the basis of the Islamic art of decorating is arousing new interest and attention as regards the new systems of parametric modeling in computer art, besides opening new perspectives in standardized building techniques with new materials.
Algorithms for Geometrical Models in Borromini's San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane
Authors: Falcolini Corrado
Published: April 2016

Construction of mathematical models of the vault of Borromini's San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane based on parametric curves and surfaces, including the shape of the vault and rules for its tessellation with crosses and octagonal coffers. Several models of different complexity are optimized and tested measuring their distance from the point cloud of a very accurate 3D survey and the analysis of such measured data is proposed to validate hypothesis of construction procedures by checking symmetries of coffers shape, scale and position in different levels and sectors. Some original algorithms are discussed to produce regular tessellations on a surface with a generic base curve and to construct regular parametric curves section out of simple point cloud data.
Geometry in the Architectural Design of Rafael Moneo
Authors: Taboada José Antonio Franco
Published: April 2016

In the architectural work of Rafael Moneo, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1996, geometry is a fundamental element, as he has confirmed through his writings and the very reality of his work. This chapter contains an analysis of the geometric component of his work, through his writings and interviews, but also through the drawings and models of his works that are most paradigmatic or most representative of his architectural style. Also analyzed are the possible influences from other architects and important works from the history of architecture. The conclusion is that the geometric component underlying his works has its roots in Platonic thought and that for Moneo, architectural ideas have an ontological nature, transcending the imperfection inherent in nature and approaching the perfection of Platonic order.
Computational Design and Built Environments
Authors: Filippucci Marco , Bianconi Fabio , Andreani Stefano
Published: April 2016

Drawing has always been the most powerful instrument for the conceptualization, interpretation and representation of spaces and forms. Today, the computer screen complements the eye-brain telescope with an additional lens that increases the ability to understand, visualize and ultimately design the built environment. Computational design is dramatically shifting not only established drawing and modeling practices, but also ? and perhaps most importantly ? design thinking processes in the very conception and morphogenesis of forms and of their complex relationships in space. Specifically parametric modeling allows to understand geometry and manipulate shapes in dynamic, articulated and yet intuitive ways, opening up unprecedented design opportunities but also diminishing the importance of the design process for the sake of formal complexity. This chapters offers some insights on the incredible design opportunities offered by new computational instruments, as well as highlighting circumstances in which the act of ‘modeling' takes over the ‘design.'
Algorithms-Aided Sustainable Urban Design
Authors: Lima Fernando T. , Kós José Ripper , Paraizo Rodrigo Cury
Published: April 2016

This chapter is part of a research on algorithmic approaches to sustainable urban design. It focuses on the use of computational tools to provide quick and dynamic assessment while planning and discussing interventions in urban areas. The objective is to address the use of algorithmic systems to formulate effective strategies for sustainable urban projects, guided by Transit Oriented Development (TOD) principles. TOD is an urban development model that considers geometric principles and measurable parameters for designing sustainable cities. It advocates the creation of mixed-use neighborhoods within walking distance to a variety of transportation options and amenities, so that basic urban needs are easily accessible. In addition to establish a theoretical framework connecting algorithmic-parametric concepts and geometrical features of TOD, this chapter describes an experimental employment of algorithmic models working on TOD principles, in order to enhance a systematic and dynamic testing and subsequent argumentation for sustainable urban projects.
Complex Regulation Pattern of IRF3 Activation Revealed by a Novel Dimerization Reporter System
Authors: Wang Zining , Ji Jingyun , Peng Di , Ma Feng , Cheng Genhong , Qin F. Xiao-Feng
Published: April 2016

Induction of type I IFN (IFN-I) is essential for host antiviral immune responses. However, IFN-I also plays divergent roles in antibacterial immunity, persistent viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and tumorigenesis. IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) is the master transcription factor that controls IFN-I production via phosphorylation-dependent dimerization in most cell types in response to viral infections and various innate stimuli by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). To monitor the dynamic process of IRF3 activation, we developed a novel IRF3 dimerization reporter based on bimolecular luminescence complementation (BiLC) techniques, termed the IRF3-BiLC reporter. Robust induction of luciferase activity of the IRF3-BiLC reporter was observed upon viral infection and PAMP stimulation with a broad dynamic range. Knockout of TANK-binding kinase 1, the critical upstream kinase of IRF3, as well as the mutation of serine 386, the essential phosphorylation site of IRF3, completely abolished the luciferase activity of IRF3-BiLC reporter, confirming the authenticity of IRF3 activation. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the IRF3-BiLC reporter is a highly specific, reliable, and sensitive system to measure IRF3 activity. Using this reporter system, we further observed that the temporal pattern and magnitude of IRF3 activation induced by various PAMPs are highly complex with distinct cell type–specific characteristics, and IRF3 dimerization is a direct regulatory node for IFN-α/β receptor–mediated feed-forward regulation and crosstalk with other pathways. Therefore, the IRF3-BiLC reporter has multiple potential applications, including mechanistic studies as well as the identification of novel compounds that can modulate IRF3 activation.
Test Results of Sintered Nanosilver Paste Die Attach for High-Temperature Applications
Authors: Croteau Paul , Seal Sayan , Witherell Ryan , Glover Michael , Krishnamurthy Shashank , Mantooth Alan
Published: April 2016

The emergence of wide band gap devices has pushed the boundaries of power converter operations and high power density applications. It is desirable to operate a power inverter at high switching frequencies to reduce passive filter weight and at high temperature to reduce the cooling system requirement. Therefore, materials and components that are reliable at temperatures ranging from −55°C to 200°C, or higher, are needed. Sintered silver is receiving significant attention in the power electronic industry. The porous nature of sintered nanosilver paste with a reduced elastic modulus has the potential to provide strain relief between the die component and substrate while maintaining its relatively high melting point after sintering. The test results presented herein include tensile testing to rupture of sintered silver film to characterize stress-strain behavior, as well as die shear and thermal cyclic tests of sintered silver-bonded silicon die specimens to copper substrates to determine shear strength and reliability.
SIP with TSV for Class 1 Medical Devices
Authors: Lee Youngtak , Link Doug
Published: April 2016

The demand for greater performance of hearing instruments in smaller form factors continues to drive the need for miniaturization of microelectronic packages. This article reports how through-silicon-via (TSV) technology was used to shrink the size of a conventional digital signal process (DSP)-based system in package (SIP) used in the smallest in-the-ear hearing instruments. The conventional SIP is a heterogeneous multichip module containing a wire-bonded electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) die mounted atop a DSP flip-chip die along with 10 passive components built upon a high-density alumina substrate. The wire bonds of the conventional SIP, along with the extra space they require, are eliminated and replaced by TSV structures fabricated in the DSP integrated circuit (IC) wafer using the via-last method. A redistribution layer on the back side of the DSP IC enables direct attachment and electrical interconnection of the memory IC to the DSP IC. The result is a 23% smaller SIP with functionality demonstrated in hearing aid prototypes. This is believed to be the first demonstration of TSV in a heterogeneous hearing aid multichip module. This article describes the design approaches, materials, basic process steps, results, and challenges encountered in creating this novel TSV-SIP.
Till geochemical data for the south Core Zone, Quebec and Labrador (NTS 23-P and 23-I): till samples collected in 2014
Authors: McClenaghan M B , Paulen R C , Rice J
M , Pyne M , Lion A
Published: April 2016

This open file reports preliminary results for the 2014 field season of reconnaissance-scale till sampling in the south Core Zone in NTS sheets 23I and 23P. The report also contains data for glacial sediment samples collected 10 to 200 km to the north of the
mapping area, in support of focussed bedrock mapping activities in the North Core Zone. All surface sediment sampling was carried out as part of the Geological Survey of Canada's (GSC) Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals 2 (GEM-2) program, as part of the GEM-2 Core Zone Project
(2014-2017).
Adjuvant chemotherapy in soft tissue sarcomas…Conflicts, consensus, and controversies
Authors: Bajpai Jyoti , Susan Deepa
Published: April 2016

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are an uncommon and diverse group of more than 50 mesenchymal malignancies. Each of these histologic subtypes represents a unique disease with distinct biologic behavior and varying sensitivity to chemotherapy. The judicious use of adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy along with surgery and radiation in the treatment of localized STS has a role in improving patient outcomes by decreasing local and distant recurrences. There is evidence that the use of adjuvant chemotherapy to a mixed cohort of chemo sensitive and insensitive sarcoma subtypes results in limited benefit. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to identify the subpopulation with high metastatic potential and to identify effective histology-specific treatment options to these patients. Present perspective, will focus on the rationale for adjuvant chemotherapy in sarcoma, with emphasis on the histology driven chemotherapy. It will outline key therapeutic opportunities and hurdles in adjuvant medical treatment of sarcoma, focusing on specific subtypes that are on the verge of new breakthroughs, as well as those in which promise has not lived up to expectations.
Malignant and borderline phyllodes tumor of breast treated with a multi-modality approach in a tertiary cancer care centre in North India
Authors: Mallick Supriya , Joshi Nikhil p. , Roy Soumyajit , Gandhi Ajeet Kumar , Pandit Subhash , Sharma Dayanand , Julka Pramod Kumar , Rath Goura Kishore
Published: April 2016

Background: Phyllodes tumor (PT) of the breast can be categorized into benign, borderline and malignant subgroups depending on various histopathological factors. Although malignant PTs may be indolent and controlled by local excision, they frequently show local and distant relapses. Literature reveals local recurrence to be the predominant pattern of failure and thus emphasizes the importance of adjuvant radiation in these tumors. The role of systemic chemotherapy has remained doubtful. Materials and Methods: We have analyzed details of all patients of PT (n = 33) treated with adjuvant multi-modality approach in our institute since 1994–2009. The demographic data, treatment details, recurrence patterns and salvage treatment options were documented. Results: All patients received adjuvant radiation. Seven patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean survival of the entire cohort was 150.618 months. There was a trend for better overall survival with borderline grade (193.6 vs. 160.2 months; P = 0.08, log rank). The disease free survival (DFS) favored borderline grade (193.6 months vs. 82.9 months for high grade; P = 0.02, log rank). The DFS was significantly better in tumors having negative margins on postoperative histopathological examination (DFS rate at 5 years being 100% vs. 69.2% for positive or close margins; P = 0.015). The mode of surgery did not have any impact on survival. Conclusion: Adjuvant Radiation should be discussed taking into account surgical margins, size and various pathological factors of the primary. Adjuvant radiation may be utilized in high risk patients to enhance loco-regional control. Systemic chemotherapy is an option, worth exploring, in cases of systemic failure.
A study to compare the diagnostic efficacy of closed pleural biopsy with that of the thoracoscopic guided pleural biopsy in patients of pleural effusion
Authors: Mishra Ashwini Kumar , Verma Sanjeev Kumar , Kant Surya , Kushwaha Ram Awadh , Garg Rajiv , Kumar Santosh , Prakash Ved , Verma Ajay , Sagar Mala
Published: April 2016

Background: The diagnostic approach to exudative pleural effusion remains an underappreciated aspect of modern thoracic medicine. 15-20% of the pleural effusions remain undiagnosed. The most efficient approach to pleural exudates remains uncertain and controversial particularly if acquisition of pleural tissue is required. The clinician needs to consider various factors when confronted with the choice between closed pleural biopsy (CPB) and thoracoscopy. Hence this study was planned to compare the diagnostic efficacy of CPB and Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy (TPB). Materials and Methods: This was a prospective interventional study in patients of exudative pleural effusion. CPB was performed by Cope′s biopsy needle. Then inspection of the pleural cavity was performed by single port rigid thoracoscope (KARL, STORZ TELECAM DX II 20 2330 20) with viewing angle of zero (0) degrees and biopsy taken from the diseased or unhealthy parietal pleura. Accordingly we compared the results of CPB and TPB. Results: 46 Patients underwent this study. In all 46 patients both CPB and TPB were performed.TPB was diagnostic in 36 cases (78.2%) while CPB was diagnostic only in 10 cases i.e. 21.7%. 10 (21,7%) cases remained undiagnosed. On thoracoscopic examination 30 patients were having nodularity, 25 (54.3%) were having adhesions and 20 (43.5%) were having hyperemia. 79.3% of the patients with nodularity turned out to be malignant and 71.4% of patients with adhesions and hyperemia tubercular. Conclusions: TPB has much greater diagnostic efficacy than CPB.
Clinical implications of cytosine deletion of exon 5 of P53 gene in non small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Mir Rashid , Masroor Mirza , Javid Jamsheed , Ahamad Imtiyaz , Farooq Shazia , Yadav Prasant , Zuberi Mariyam , Lone Maqbool , Ray P.C , Saxena Alpana
Published: April 2016

Aim: Lung cancer is considered to be the most common cancer in the world. In humans, about 50% or more cancers have a mutated tumor suppressor p53 gene thereby resulting in accumulation of p53 protein and losing its function to activate the target genes that regulate the cell cycle and apoptosis. Extensive research conducted in murine cancer models with activated p53, loss of p53, or p53 missense mutations have facilitated researchers to understand the role of this key protein. Our study was aimed to evaluate the frequency of cytosine deletion in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: One hundred NSCLC patients were genotyped for P53 (exon5, codon168) cytosine deletion leading to loss of its function and activate the target genes by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. The P53 cytosine deletion was correlated with all the clinicopathological parameters of the patients. Results and Analysis: 59% cases were carrying P53 cytosine deletion. Similarly, the significantly higher incidence of cytosine deletion was reported in current smokers (75%) in comparison to exsmoker and nonsmoker. Significantly higher frequency of cytosine deletion was reported in adenocarcinoma (68.08%) than squamous cell carcinoma (52.83%). Also, a significant difference was reported between p53 cytosine deletion and metastasis (64.28%). Further, the majority of the cases assessed for response carrying P53 cytosine deletion were found to show faster disease progression. Conclusion: The data suggests that there is a significant association of the P53 exon 5 deletion of cytosine in codon 168 with metastasis and staging of the disease.
Prognostic classification index in Iranian colorectal cancer patients: Survival tree analysis
Authors: Malehi Amal Saki , Rahim Fakher
Published: April 2016

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic index for separating homogenous subgroups in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients based on clinicopathological characteristics using survival tree analysis. Methods: The current study was conducted at the Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shahid Beheshti Medical University in Tehran, between January 2004 and January 2009. A total of 739 patients who already have been diagnosed with CRC based on pathologic report were enrolled. The data included demographic and clinical-pathological characteristic of patients. Tree-structured survival analysis based on a recursive partitioning algorithm was implemented to evaluate prognostic factors. The probability curves were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and the hazard ratio was estimated as an interest effect size. Result: There were 526 males (71.2%) of these patients. The mean survival time (from diagnosis time) was 42.46± (3.4). Survival tree identified three variables as main prognostic factors and based on their four prognostic subgroups was constructed. The log-rank test showed good separation of survival curves. Patients with Stage I-IIIA and treated with surgery as the first treatment showed low risk (median = 34 months) whereas patients with stage IIIB, IV, and more than 68 years have the worse survival outcome (median = 9.5 months). Conclusion: Constructing the prognostic classification index via survival tree can aid the researchers to assess interaction between clinical variables and determining the cumulative effect of these variables on survival outcome.
Network-Based Enriched Gene Subnetwork Identification: A Game-Theoretic Approach
Authors: Abolfazi Razi , Fatemeh Afghah , Salendra Singh , Vinay Varadan
Published: April 2016

Identifying subsets of genes that jointly mediate cancer etiology, progression, or therapy response remains a challenging problem due to the complexity and heterogeneity in cancer biology, a problem further exacerbated by the relatively small number of cancer samples profiled as compared with the sheer number of potential molecular factors involved. Pure data-driven methods that merely rely on multiomics data have been successful in discovering potentially functional genes but suffer from high false-positive rates and tend to report subsets of genes whose biological interrelationships are unclear. Recently, integrative data-driven models have been developed to integrate multiomics data with signaling pathway networks in order to identify pathways associated with clinical or biological phenotypes. However, these approaches suffer from an important drawback of being restricted to previously discovered pathway structures and miss novel genomic interactions as well as potential crosstalk among the pathways. In this article, we propose a novel coalition-based game-theoretic approach to overcome the challenge of identifying biologically relevant gene subnetworks associated with disease phenotypes. The algorithm starts from a set of seed genes and traverses a protein–protein interaction network to identify modulated subnetworks. The optimal set of modulated subnetworks is identified using Shapley value that accounts for both individual and collective utility of the subnetwork of genes. The algorithm is applied to two illustrative applications, including the identification of subnetworks associated with (i) disease progression risk in response to platinum-based therapy in ovarian cancer and (ii) immune infiltration in triple-negative breast cancer. The results demonstrate an improved predictive power of the proposed method when compared with state-of-the-art feature selection methods, with the added advantage of identifying novel potentially functional gene subnetworks that may provide insights into the mechanisms underlying cancer progression.
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: The Future of Immune Targeting
Authors: García-Teijido Paula , Cabal María Luque , Fernández Ignacio Peláez , Pérez Yolanda Fernández
Published: April 2016

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous tumor. There is increasing evidence of the role of tumor lymphocytic immune infiltrates in this subtype of breast cancer. Robust levels of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been associated with improved disease-free and overall survival rates in TNBC patients with and without any treatment. Recent efforts have been made to develop a standardized methodology for evaluating TILs. The presence of TILs in the breast tumor microenvironment can also predict responses not only to neoadjuvant but also to adjuvant chemotherapy treatments. High numbers of TILs correlate with increased pathological complete responses (pCR) in TNBC. TILs are prognostic and predictive of response to standard therapies; thus, the immune system appears to play an active role in a subgroup of breast cancer. There is an increasing interest in directly targeting the immune system as part of breast cancer therapy, mainly in patients with TNBC. New immune modulatory agents, including immune checkpoints inhibitors, have shown promising activity in a subgroup of metastatic TNBC. Increased programmed cell death protein 1 ligand (PD-L1) expression on the surface of TNBC provides the rationale for implementing therapeutic strategies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in TNBC. The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor pembrolizumab, and the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab have shown promising results in clinical trials.
Hurwitz’s counting isomers of alkanes
Authors: Helmstetter Holger , Oswald Nicola M.R.
Published: April 2016

In a late entry in his mathematical diary from 1918 Adolf Hurwitz refined ideas due to Arthur Cayley in order to count trees of specific structure (namely isomers of alkanes). We shall analyze his reasoning in detail and discuss it in context with Cayley's original approach and George Pólya's later enumeration method.
Simple Identification of Human Taenia Species by Multiplex Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification in Combination with Dot Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Authors: Nkouawa Agathe , Sako Yasuhito , Okamoto Munehiro , Ito Akira
Published: April 2016

For differential detection of Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, and Taenia asiatica, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene has been recently developed and shown to be sensitive, specific, and effective. However, to achieve differential identification, one specimen requires three reaction mixtures containing a primer set of each Taenia species separately, which is complex and time consuming and increases the risk of cross-contamination. In this study, we developed a simple differential identification of human Taenia species using multiplex LAMP (mLAMP) in combination with dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA). Forward inner primers of T. solium, T. saginata, and T. asiatica labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), digoxigenin (DIG), and tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA), respectively, and biotin-labeled backward inner primers were used in mLAMP. The mLAMP assay succeeded in specific amplification of each respective target gene in a single tube. Furthermore, the mLAMP product from each species was easily distinguished by dot-ELISA with an antibody specific for FITC, DIG, or TAMRA. The mLAMP assay in combination with dot-ELISA will make identification of human Taenia species simpler, easier, and more practical.
Leptospirosis Seroprevalence Among Blue Metal Mine Workers of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Parveen Sakkarai Mohamed Asha , Suganyaa Baskar , Sathya Muthu Sri , Margreat Alphonse Asirvatham Princy , Sivasankari Karikalacholan , Shanmughapriya Santhanam , Hoffman Nicholas E. , Natarajaseenivasan Kalimuthusamy
Published: April 2016

Leptospirosis is mainly considered an occupational disease, prevalent among agriculture, sewage works, forestry, and animal slaughtering populations. However, putative risk to miners and their inclusion in the high-risk leptospirosis group remain in need of rigorous analysis. Therefore, a study was conducted with the objective to assess the leptospirosis seroprevalence among miners of two districts of Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 244 sera samples from Pudukkottai miners (124) and Karur miners (120) were analyzed by microscopic agglutination test. Antibodies to leptospires were detected in 94 samples giving an overall seroprevalence of 38.5%. The seroprevalence was higher among Pudukkottai miners (65.3%) when compared with Karur miners (10.8%). Seroprevalence among control population (13%) was significantly less than that of the Pudukkottai miners marking a possible high-risk population group distinction. Subject sera most commonly reacted with organisms of the serogroup Autumnalis, and the pattern was similar in carrier animals of the study areas. Two leptospires were isolated from kidney samples of rats. The prevalence of Autumnalis among rodents and humans source tracked human leptospirosis among the miners. The study also determined that Pudukkottai miners are subjected to high-risk challenges such as exposure to water bodies on the way to the mines (odds ratio [OR] = 10.6), wet mine areas (OR = 10.6), rat infestation (OR = 4.6), and cattle rearing (OR = 10.4) and are thus frequently exposed to leptospirosis compared with Karur miners. Hence, control strategies targeting these populations will likely to prove to be effective remediation strategies benefiting Pudukkottai miners and workers in similar environments across occupations.
Detecting moisture transport pathways to the subtropical North Atlantic free troposphere using paired H2O-δD in situ measurements
Authors: González Yenny , Schneider Matthias , Dyroff Christoph , Rodríguez Sergio , Christner Emanuel , García Omaira Elena , Cuevas Emilio , Bustos Juan Jose , Ramos Ramon , Guirado-Fuentes Carmen , Barthlott Sabine , Wiegele Andreas , Sepúlveda Eliezer
Published: April 2016

Abstract. We present two years of in situ measurements of water vapour (H2O) and its isotopologue ratio (δD, the standardized ratio between H216O and HD16O), made at two remote mountain sites on Tenerife in the subtropical North Atlantic. We show that the data – if measured during night-time – are well representative for the lower/middle free troposphere. We use the measured H2O-δD pairs, together with dust measurements and back trajectory modelling for analysing the moisture pathways to this region. We can identify four principally different transport pathways. The air mass transport from high altitudes and high latitudes shows two different scenarios. The first scenario brings dry air masses to the stations, as the result of condensation events occurring at low temperatures. The second scenario brings humid air masses to the stations, due to cross-isentropic mixing with lower-level and more humid air during transport since last condensation (LC). The third pathway is transportation from lower latitudes and lower altitudes, whereby we can identify rain re-evaporation as an occasional source of moisture. The fourth pathway is linked to the African continent, where during summer, dry convection processes over the Sahara very effectively inject humidity from the boundary layer to higher altitudes. This so-called Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is then advected westward over the Atlantic and contributes to moisten the free troposphere. We demonstrate that the different pathways leave distinct fingerprints on the measured H2O-δD pairs.
Regional effect on urban atmospheric nucleation
Authors: Salma Imre , Németh Zoltán , Kerminen Veli-Matti , Aalto Pasi , Nieminen Tuomo , Weidinger Tamás , Molnár Ágnes , Imre Kornélia , Kulmala Markku
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Secondary aerosol particle production via new particle formation (NPF) has been shown to be a major source for global aerosol load. It has been also observed frequently in urban environments affecting the human health. Here, we investigate the effect of regional NPF on urban aerosol load under well-defined atmospheric conditions. The Carpathian Basin, the largest orogenic basin in Europe, represents an excellent opportunity for exploring these interactions. Based on long-term observations, we revealed that NPF seen in a central large city of the basin (Budapest) and its regional background occur in a consistent and spatially coherent way as result of a joint atmospheric phenomenon taking place over large horizontal scales. We found that NPF events at the urban site are usually delayed by > 1 hour relative to the rural site or even inhibited above a critical condensational sink level. The urban processes require higher formation rates and growth rates to be realised, by mean factors of 2 and 1.6, respectively, than the regional events. Regional- and urban-type NPF events sometimes occur jointly with multiple onsets, while they often exhibit dynamic and timing properties which are different for these NPF types.