bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deficiency of different nitric oxide synthase isoforms activates divergent transcriptional programs in cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Cappola Thomas P. , Cope Leslie , Cernetich Amy , Barouch Lili A. , Minhas Khalid , Irizarry Rafael A. , Parmigiani Giovanni , Durrani Sarfraz , Lavoie Tera , Hoffman Eric P. , Ye Shui Q. , Garcia Joe G. N. , Hare Joshua M.
Published: March 2015

Decreased nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity induces left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), but the transcriptional pathways mediating this effect are unknown. We hypothesized that specific NOS isoform deletion (NOS3 or NOS1) would activate different transcriptional programs in LVH. We analyzed cardiac expression profiles (Affymetrix MG-U74A) from NOS−/− mice using robust multi-array average (RMA). Of 12,422 genes analyzed, 47 genes were differentially expressed in NOS3−/− and 67 in NOS1−/− hearts compared with wild type (WT). Only 16 showed similar changes in both NOS−/− strains, most notably decreased heat-shock proteins (HSP10, 40, 70, 86, 105). Hypertrophied NOS1−/− hearts had unique features, including decreased myocyte-enriched calcineurin interacting protein and paradoxical downregulation of fetal isoforms (α-skeletal actin and brain natriuretic peptide). Cluster analyses demonstrated that NOS1 deletion caused more pronounced changes in the myocardial transcriptome than did NOS3 deletion, despite similar cardiac phenotypes. These findings suggest that the transcriptional basis for LVH varies depending on the inciting biochemical stimulus. In addition, NOS isoforms appear to play distinct roles in modulating cardiac structure.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of gene expression patterns during cardiac development
Authors: Soufan Alexandre T. , Ruijter Jan M. , van den Hoff Maurice J. B. , de Boer Piet A. J. , Hagoort Jaco , Moorman Antoon F. M.
Published: March 2015

The study of the genetic regulation of embryonic development requires the three-dimensional (3D) mapping of gene expression at the microscopic level. Despite the recent burst in the number of methods focusing on 3D reconstruction of embryonic specimens, an adequate and accessible 3D reconstruction protocol for the visualization of patterns of gene expression is lacking. In this communication we describe a protocol that was developed for the 3D visualization of patterns of gene expression determined by in situ hybridization (ISH) on serial sections. The method still requires tissue sectioning, due to penetration limits of the specific staining agents into whole embryo preparations. With regard to expenditure of resources, i.e., hardware, software, and time, the protocol is relatively undemanding. Because the variation between specimens requires the visualization of multiple specimens per stage, it was decided to “do more, less well.” The current protocol, therefore, results in reconstructions of sufficient, but not the highest, quality. The use of the protocol is demonstrated on a series of serially sectioned mouse hearts, ranging from embryonic day 8.5 to 14.5. The myocardium of the hearts was identified by ISH using a mixture of specific mRNA probes and reconstructed.
Transcytosis: Crossing Cellular Barriers
Authors: TUMA PAMELA L. , HUBBARD ANN L.
Published: March 2015

Tuma, Pamela L., and Ann L. Hubbard. Transcytosis: Crossing Cellular Barriers. Physiol Rev 83: 871–932, 2003; 10.1152/physrev.00001.2003.—Transcytosis, the vesicular transport of macromolecules from one side of a cell to the other, is a strategy used by multicellular organisms to selectively move material between two environments without altering the unique compositions of those environments. In this review, we summarize our knowledge of the different cell types using transcytosis in vivo, the variety of cargo moved, and the diverse pathways for delivering that cargo. We evaluate in vitro models that are currently being used to study transcytosis. Caveolae-mediated transcytosis by endothelial cells that line the microvasculature and carry circulating plasma proteins to the interstitium is explained in more detail, as is clathrin-mediated transcytosis of IgA by epithelial cells of the digestive tract. The molecular basis of vesicle traffic is discussed, with emphasis on the gaps and uncertainties in our understanding of the molecules and mechanisms that regulate transcytosis. In our view there is still much to be learned about this fundamental process.
Regulation and Modulation of pH in the Brain
Authors: CHESLER MITCHELL
Published: March 2015

Chesler, Mitchell. Regulation and Modulation of pH in the Brain. Physiol Rev 83: 1183-1221, 2003; 10.1152/physrev.00010.2003.—The regulation of pH is a vital homeostatic function shared by all tissues. Mechanisms that govern H+in the intracellular and extracellular fluid are especially important in the brain, because electrical activity can elicit rapid pH changes in both compartments. These acid-base transients may in turn influence neural activity by affecting a variety of ion channels. The mechanisms responsible for the regulation of intracellular pH in brain are similar to those of other tissues and are comprised principally of forms of Na+/H+exchange, Na+-driven Cl-/HCO3-exchange, Na+-HCO3-cotransport, and passive Cl-/HCO3-exchange. Differences in the expression or efficacy of these mechanisms have been noted among the functionally and morphologically diverse neurons and glial cells that have been studied. Molecular identification of transporter isoforms has revealed heterogeneity among brain regions and cell types. Neural activity gives rise to an assortment of extracellular and intracellular pH shifts that originate from a variety of mechanisms. Intracellular pH shifts in neurons and glia have been linked to Ca2+transport, activation of acid extrusion systems, and the accumulation of metabolic products. Extracellular pH shifts can occur within milliseconds of neural activity, arise from an assortment of mechanisms, and are governed by the activity of extracellular carbonic anhydrase. The functional significance of these compartmental, activity-dependent pH shifts is discussed.
Beyond Neurons: Evidence That Immune and Glial Cells Contribute to Pathological Pain States
Authors: Watkins Linda R. , Maier Steven F.
Published: March 2015

Chronic pain can occur after peripheral nerve injury, infection, or inflammation. Under such neuropathic pain conditions, sensory processing in the affected body region becomes grossly abnormal. Despite decades of research, currently available drugs largely fail to control such pain. This review explores the possibility that the reason for this failure lies in the fact that such drugs were designed to target neurons rather than immune or glial cells. It describes how immune cells are a natural and inextricable part of skin, peripheral nerves, dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord. It then examines how immune and glial activation may participate in the etiology and symptomatology of diverse pathological pain states in both humans and laboratory animals. Of the variety of substances released by activated immune and glial cells, proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, interleukin-6) appear to be of special importance in the creation of peripheral nerve and neuronal hyperexcitability. Although this review focuses on immune modulation of pain, the implications are pervasive. Indeed, all nerves and neurons regardless of modality or function are likely affected by immune and glial activation in the ways described for pain.
Interactions Between Membrane Conductances Underlying Thalamocortical Slow-Wave Oscillations
Authors: DESTEXHE A. , SEJNOWSKI T. J.
Published: March 2015

Destexhe, A., and T. J. Sejnowski. Interactions Between Membrane Conductances Underlying Thalamocortical Slow-Wave Oscillations. Physiol Rev 83: 1401-1453, 2003; 10.1152/physrev.00012.2003.—Neurons of the central nervous system display a broad spectrum of intrinsic electrophysiological properties that are absent in the traditional “integrate-and-fire” model. A network of neurons with these properties interacting through synaptic receptors with many time scales can produce complex patterns of activity that cannot be intuitively predicted. Computational methods, tightly linked to experimental data, provide insights into the dynamics of neural networks. We review this approach for the case of bursting neurons of the thalamus, with a focus on thalamic and thalamocortical slow-wave oscillations. At the single-cell level, intrinsic bursting or oscillations can be explained by interactions between calcium- and voltage-dependent channels. At the network level, the genesis of oscillations, their initiation, propagation, termination, and large-scale synchrony can be explained by interactions between neurons with a variety of intrinsic cellular properties through different types of synaptic receptors. These interactions can be altered by neuromodulators, which can dramatically shift the large-scale behavior of the network, and can also be disrupted in many ways, resulting in pathological patterns of activity, such as seizures. We suggest a coherent framework that accounts for a large body of experimental data at the ion-channel, single-cell, and network levels. This framework suggests physiological roles for the highly synchronized oscillations of slow-wave sleep.
Estrogen and Thyroid Hormone Receptor Interactions: Physiological Flexibility by Molecular Specificity
Authors: Vasudevan Nandini , Ogawa Sonoko , Pfaff Donald
Published: March 2015

The influence of thyroid hormone on estrogen actions has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro. In transient transfection assays, the effects of liganded thyroid hormone receptors (TR) on transcriptional facilitation by estrogens bound to estrogen receptors (ER) display specificity according to the following: 1) ER isoform, 2) TR isoform, 3) the promoter through which transcriptional facilitation occurs, and 4) cell type. Some of these molecular phenomena may be related to thyroid hormone signaling of seasonal limitations upon reproduction. The various combinations of these molecular interactions provide multiple and flexible opportunities for relations between two major hormonal systems important for neuroendocrine feedbacks and reproductive behaviors.
Regulation of Amino Acid and Glucose Transporters in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Mann Giovanni E. , Yudilevich David L. , Sobrevia Luis
Published: March 2015

While transport processes for amino acids and glucose have long been known to be expressed in the luminal and abluminal membranes of the endothelium comprising the blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers, it is only within the last decades that endothelial and smooth muscle cells derived from peripheral vascular beds have been recognized to rapidly transport and metabolize these nutrients. This review focuses principally on the mechanisms regulating amino acid and glucose transporters in vascular endothelial cells, although we also summarize recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms controlling membrane transport activity and expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. We compare the specificity, ionic dependence, and kinetic properties of amino acid and glucose transport systems identified in endothelial cells derived from cerebral, retinal, and peripheral vascular beds and review the regulation of transport by vasoactive agonists, nitric oxide (NO), substrate deprivation, hypoxia, hyperglycemia, diabetes, insulin, steroid hormones, and development. In view of the importance of NO as a modulator of vascular tone under basal conditions and in disease and chronic inflammation, we critically review the evidence that transport of l-arginine and glucose in endothelial and smooth muscle cells is modulated by bacterial endotoxin, proinflammatory cytokines, and atherogenic lipids. The recent colocalization of the cationic amino acid transporter CAT-1 (system y+), nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and caveolin-1 in endothelial plasmalemmal caveolae provides a novel mechanism for the regulation of NO production by l-arginine delivery and circulating hormones such insulin and 17β-estradiol.
Chemical Constituents and an Alternative Medicinal Veterinary Herbal Soap Made fromSenna macranthera
Authors: Inoue Andrade Flávia , Purgato Gislaine Aparecida , Faria Maia Thalita de , Pais Siqueira Raoni , Lima Sâmia , Diaz Gaspar , Diaz Marisa Alves Nogueira
Published: March 2015

Upon undergoing biomonitoring, the most active dichloromethane extract retrieved fromSenna macrantheraroots led to the isolation of three main compounds: emodine, physione, and chrysophanol. In this sequence, these compounds revealed a potential antibacterial activity againstStaphylococcus aureusstrains isolated from animals with mastitis infections with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 20, 90, and 90 μg mL−1, respectively. Therefore, an herbal soap was also produced from this same active extract. This soap was testedin vitrousing gloves contaminated by animals with bovine mastitis that had been discarded after use by milkers and showed similar results to previously tested compounds. These results indicate the potential of this plant as an alternative veterinary medicine for the production of antibacterial soaps that aimed at controlling bovine mastitis infections in small Brazilian farms.
Significance of Circulating and Crevicular Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Rheumatoid Arthritis-Chronic Periodontitis Association
Authors: Silosi Isabela , Cojocaru Manole , Foia Lili , Boldeanu Mihail Virgil , Petrescu Florin , Surlin Petra , Biciusca Viorel
Published: March 2015

In the recent years, statistically significant associations between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal disease have been identified. Emerging as a chronic inflammatory joint disease, RA displays various features and pathogenetic events similar to chronic periodontitis (CP). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of determining systemic and crevicular levels of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) as potential biomarkers for association between RA and CP. A total of fifty-six patients were included in the study. The subjects were categorized into four groups as follows: healthy-control (n=21), active RA (n=16), CP (n=14), and RA-CP association (n=12). Assessment of serum and crevicular concentrations of total MMP-9 (active and pro-MMP-9) was based on ELISA technique. The results of this study showed statistically significant differences of serum MMP-9 between patients groups and control. Serum levels of MMP-9 were similar in RA and RA-CP associated patients. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) recorded increased MMP-9 levels in RA-CP association subjects as compared to CP. Considering that RA-CP association is characterized by a disregulation of the inflammatory response, MMP-9 may play a role in the pathogenesis of RA-CP association. MMP-9 is therefore a sensitive tool in the diagnosis and management of patients affected by this binomial association.
NaoXinTong Inhibits the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy indb/dbMice
Authors: Liu Mengyang , Pan Quan , Chen Yuanli , Yang Xiaoxiao , Zhao Buchang , Jia Lifu , Zhu Yan , Han Jihong , Li Xiaoju , Duan Yajun
Published: March 2015

Buchang NaoXinTong capsule (NXT) is a Chinese Materia Medica standardized product extracted from 16 Chinese traditional medical herbs and widely used for treatment of patients with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases in China. Formation of microaneurysms plays an important role in the development of diabetic retinopathy. In this study, we investigated if  NXT can protect diabetic mice against the development of diabetic retinopathy. Thedb/dbmice (~6 weeks old), a diabetic animal model, were divided into two groups and fed normal chow or plus NXT for 14 weeks. During the treatment, fasting blood glucose levels were monthly determined. After treatment, retinas were collected to determine retinal thickness, accumulation of carbohydrate macromolecules, and caspase-3 (CAS-3) expression. Our results demonstrate that administration of NXT decreased fasting blood glucose levels. Associated with the decreased glucose levels, NXT blocked the diabetes-induced shrink of multiple layers, such as photoreceptor layer and outer nuclear/plexiform layers, in the retina. NXT also inhibited the diabetes-induced expression of CAS-3 protein and mRNA, MMP-2/9 and TNFαmRNA, accumulation of carbohydrate macromolecules, and formation of acellular capillaries in the retina. Taken together, our study shows that NXT can inhibit the development of diabetic retinopathy and suggests a new potential application of NXT in clinic.
Acute Traumatic Injury of the Larynx
Authors: Kragha K. O.
Published: March 2015

Laryngeal trauma is rare but serious and potentially deadly injury. The prompt diagnosis and management of acute laryngeal trauma is necessary because the clinical presentation is variable depending on the location, severity, and mechanism of injury. Two case histories are presented: (1) case history A: a 53-year-old male, after motor vehicle accident, fractured the mid anterior thyroid cartilage and both aspects of the cricoid cartilage; however, this patient was asymptomatic from the above fractures; and (2) case history B: a 41-year-old male who sustained trauma to the chest, neck, and left arm after being struck by a large lead pipe which fractured the left aspect of the cricoid cartilage was symptomatic. The type rather than the severity of acute laryngeal injury and the mechanism of injury may be related to symptomatology. Acute laryngeal trauma should be recognized by trauma radiologists and emergency room physicians. Early diagnosis and management of acute laryngeal trauma may prevent unnecessary specialty consults and long-term complications.
A Least-Squares FEM for the Direct and Inverse Rectangular Cavity Scattering Problem
Authors: Zheng Enxi , Ma Fuming , Wang Yujie
Published: March 2015

This paper is concerned with the scattering problem of a rectangular cavity. We solve this problem by a least-squares nonpolynomial finite element method. In the method, we use Fourier-Bessel functions to capture the behaviors of the total field around corners. And the scattered field towards infinity is represented by a combination of half-space Green functions. Then we analyze the convergence and give an error estimate of the method. By coupling the least-squares nonpolynomial finite element method and the Newton method, we proposed an algorithm for the inverse scattering problem. Numerical experiments are presented to show the effectiveness of our method.
Identification of Putative Molecular Markers Associated with Root Traits in Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner
Authors: Achar Devaraja , Awati Mallikarjuana G. , Udayakumar M. , Prasad T. G.
Published: March 2015

Coffea canephora exhibit poor root system and are very sensitive to drought stress that affects growth and production. Deeper root system has been largely empirical as better avoidance to soil water limitation in drought condition. The present study aimed to identify molecular markers linked to high root types in Coffea canephora using molecular markers. Contrasting parents, L1 valley with low root and S.3334 with high root type, were crossed, and 134 F1 individuals were phenotyped for root and associated physiological traits (29 traits) and genotyped with 41 of the 320 RAPD and 9 of the 55 SSR polymorphic primers. Single marker analysis was deployed for detecting the association of markers linked to root associated traits by SAS software. There were 13 putative RAPD markers associated with root traits such as root length, secondary roots, root dry weight, and root to shoot ratio, in which root length associated marker OPS1850 showed high phenotypic variance of 6.86%. Two microsatellite markers linked to root length (CPCM13400) and root to shoot ratio (CM211300). Besides, 25 markers were associated with more than one trait and few of the markers were associated with positively related physiological traits and can be used in marker assisted trait selection.
Prediction of Concrete Compressive Strength by Evolutionary Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Nikoo Mehdi , Torabian Moghadam Farshid , Sadowski Łukasz
Published: March 2015

Compressive strength of concrete has been predicted using evolutionary artificial neural networks (EANNs) as a combination of artificial neural network (ANN) and evolutionary search procedures, such as genetic algorithms (GA). In this paper for purpose of constructing models samples of cylindrical concrete parts with different characteristics have been used with 173 experimental data patterns. Water-cement ratio, maximum sand size, amount of gravel, cement, 3/4 sand, 3/8 sand, and coefficient of soft sand parameters were considered as inputs; and using the ANN models, the compressive strength of concrete is calculated. Moreover, using GA, the number of layers and nodes and weights are optimized in ANN models. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the model, the optimized ANN model is compared with the multiple linear regression (MLR) model. The results of simulation verify that the recommended ANN model enjoys more flexibility, capability, and accuracy in predicting the compressive strength of concrete.
Wavelet-Based Methodology for Evolutionary Spectra Estimation of Nonstationary Typhoon Processes
Authors: Zhou Guang-Dong , Ding You-Liang , Li Ai-Qun
Published: March 2015

Closed-form expressions are proposed to estimate the evolutionary power spectral density (EPSD) of nonstationary typhoon processes by employing the wavelet transform. Relying on the definition of the EPSD and the concept of the wavelet transform, wavelet coefficients of a nonstationary typhoon process at a certain time instant are interpreted as the Fourier transform of a new nonstationary oscillatory process, whose modulating function is equal to the modulating function of the nonstationary typhoon process multiplied by the wavelet function in time domain. Then, the EPSD of nonstationary typhoon processes is deduced in a closed form and is formulated as a weighted sum of the squared moduli of time-dependent wavelet functions. The weighted coefficients are frequency-dependent functions defined by the wavelet coefficients of the nonstationary typhoon process and the overlapping area of two shifted wavelets. Compared with the EPSD, defined by a sum of the squared moduli of the wavelets in frequency domain in literature, this paper provides an EPSD estimation method in time domain. The theoretical results are verified by uniformly modulated nonstationary typhoon processes and non-uniformly modulated nonstationary typhoon processes.
Drug Resistant Fetal Arrhythmia in Obstetric Cholestasis
Authors: Altug Nahide , Kirbas Ayse , Daglar Korkut , Biberoglu Ebru , Uygur Dilek , Danisman Nuri
Published: March 2015

Obstetric cholestasis (OC) is a pregnancy specific liver disease characterized by increased levels of bile acid (BA) and pruritus. Raised maternal BA levels could be associated with intrauterine death, fetal distress, and preterm labor and also alter the rate and rhythm of cardiomyocyte contraction and may cause fetal arrhythmic events. We report a case of drug resistant fetal supraventricular tachycardia and concomitant OC.Conclusion.If there are maternal OC and concomitant fetal arrhythmia, possibility of the resistance to antiarrhythmic treatment should be kept in mind.
Katastrofe i migracije: kritičko-hermeneutički pristup
Authors:   Odjel za sociologiju, Sveučilište u Zadru, Zadar, Hrvatska, Katunarić Vjeran
Published: March 2015

Departing from Sorokin dualistic (“internal” and “external”) explanations of movement and from an extended critical hermeneutic understanding of the life-world, the article first analyzes some examples of mythologems/ideologems of migration. Furthermore, it discusses the connection between catastrophes and migrations in the animal and human world, the movements of things and ideas, especially the myth of the “migration of souls”. The main (hypo)thesis relates to the contemporary blockade of mass migration of people from the South to the North, which is taken as a result of the collapse of key development projects arising from the ideology of liberalism and socialism, where, as an anti-modernization response, a part of the South reactivates myth of the “migration of souls”. Catastrophic events thus cause (mass) migration, interpreted as a phenomenon of the life-worlds in two ways: firstly, as an object of religious and scientific worldviews that postulate nothingness or disappearance of (individual) species as a precondition for creation (of a new world or new species); secondly, catastrophes are reinterpreted from the perspective of the concept of multiple universes, which is more hermeneutic than analytical. In imperial cosmologies material or ideal element of the monistic assumption of the universe prevails. The prevalence is expressed as the conceptual split between the immortal “migrant” soul and decaying “indigenous” body (idealistic solution) or combined (materialistic solution). The exodus as a motif occurs in many cultures along with the myth of “migration of souls”. Nowadays, the myth is reactivated among populations obsessed by militaristic idea of the “holy war”. The aggression against the life-worlds is thus composed of two long-term processes that undermine (utopian) hope for a better life. One process relates to the expansion of the capitalist markets that leads to the impoverishment of most people in the South. The second process relates to substituting secular migration to safer areas by illusory, i.e. apocalyptic scenarios of survival. The author argues that only rational answer to the destructive threat is translating ideas about the multiple universe into new, yet alternative, global investments into the development of the South (and the North). This way, a potential immigrant participates in the building of his/her local environment, whereby his/her (e)migration becomes unnecessary or the subject to free choice.
Suvremena migracijska obilježja statističkih jedinica Republike Hrvatske
Authors:   Institut za migracije i narodnosti, Zagreb, Hrvatska, Klempić Bogadi Sanja , Lajić Ivan ,   Institut za migracije i narodnosti, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Published: March 2015

The paper analyzes the basic demographic processes in the Republic of Croatia (NUTS 1), in its statistical macro-regions (NUTS 2) and counties (NUTS 3) in the inter-census period from 2001 to 2011. The theoretical part discusses the optimal structure and the establishment of statistical macro-regions, as well as the impact of demographic factors on their formation. The authors are critical of the quality and content of certain demographic categories set in the last census and their incomparability with previous censuses. Medium-intensity depopulation is still continuing; however, a large part of the Croatian territory is affected by this unfavourable characteristic of the overall population trend. Namely, in the last decade of the inter-census period, only the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County in Continental Croatia recorded an increase in population, while in Adriatic Croatia such a case was found only in the Zadar and Istria Counties. Both components of the overall population trends in Croatia – natural change and net migration – bear a negative denominator. Only two of twenty-one NUTS 3 units showed natural increase (the Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva Counties), while the other counties, even the immigration ones, registered natural population decrease. It is obvious from migration data that Croatia has polarized to Zagreb and its surroundings as the economic and demographic centre of the country, and to the coastal counties that, for the most part, still have an economically attractive tourism-based economic development and migration attractiveness to some extent. Most Continental Croatian counties consist of poorly developed, peripheral areas of depopulation and demographic decline in general.
Successful Nilotinib Treatment in a Child with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Al-Jafar Hassan A. , Al-Mulla Ali , AlDallal Salma , Buhamad Jaber H. , Askar Haifa
Published: March 2015

A 16-year-old female was diagnosed incedentally with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase. She showed complete remission after 3 months of nilotinib treatment. CML is a rare malignant neoplasm in pediatric age. It is characterized by a Philadelphia chromosome, which comes from a genetic translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. This translocation results in an abnormal fusion called BCR-ABL oncogene which encodes a chimeric BCR-ABL protein. This protein is the underlying cause of CML. Nilotinib is a newly licensed drug for CML in adults. Structurally, it is similar to imatinib (the older tyrosine kinase inhibitor), but it is much more potent in inhibiting BCR-ABL due to its much increased affinity for its binding site. Specific guidelines for CML treatment in children have yet to be determined. In our patient, nilotinib was used as an off-label drug because it is not licensed for children. According to the pharmacokinetic response to drugs, children cannot be considered small adults irrespective of their weight. Off-label drug use based on evidence that it is the best treatment available is an important tool in the hands of expert treating physicians.
Transcriptional Regulation of Renal Dopamine D1 Receptor Function During Oxidative Stress
Authors: Banday Anees A. , Lokhandwala Mustafa F.
Published: March 2015

There exists a strong link between oxidative stress, renal dopaminergic system, and hypertension. It is reported that reactive oxygen species attenuate renal proximal tubular dopamine receptor (D1R) function, which disrupts sodium regulation and leads to hypertension. However, the mechanisms for renal D1R dysfunction are not clear. We investigated the role of redox-sensitive transcription factors AP1 and SP3 in transcriptional suppression of D1R gene and subsequent D1R signaling. Human kidney proximal tubular cells were treated with a pro-oxidant
l
-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) with and without an antioxidant tempol. In human kidney cells, BSO caused oxidative stress and reduced D1R mRNA and membrane receptor expression. Incubation of human kidney cells with SKF38393, a D1R agonist, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of Na/K-ATPase. However, SKF38393 failed to inhibit Na/K-ATPase in BSO-treated cells. BSO increased AP1 and SP3 nuclear expression. Transfection with AP1- or SP3-specific siRNA abolished BSO-induced D1R downregulation. Treatment of rats with BSO for 4 weeks increased oxidative stress and SP3–AP1 expression and reduced D1R numbers in renal proximal tubules. These rats exhibited high blood pressure, and SKF38393 failed to inhibit proximal tubular Na/K-ATPase activity. Control rats were kept on tap water. Tempol per se had no effect on D1R expression or other signaling molecules but prevented BSO-induced oxidative stress, SP3–AP1 upregulation, and D1R dysfunction in both human kidney cells and rats. These data show that oxidative stress via AP1–SP3 activation suppresses D1R transcription and function. Tempol mitigates oxidative stress, blocks AP1–SP3 activation, and prevents D1R dysfunction and hypertension.
The Benefits of Modeling Slack Variables in SVMs
Authors: Tang Fengzhen , Tiňo Peter , Gutiérrez Pedro Antonio , Chen Huanhuan
Published: March 2015

In this letter, we explore the idea of modeling slack variables in support vector machine (SVM) approaches. The study is motivated by SVM+, which models the slacks through a smooth correcting function that is determined by additional (privileged) information about the training examples not available in the test phase. We take a closer look at the meaning and consequences of smooth modeling of slacks, as opposed to determining them in an unconstrained manner through the SVM optimization program. To better understand this difference we only allow the determination and modeling of slack values on the same information—that is, using the same training input in the original input space. We also explore whether it is possible to improve classification performance by combining (in a convex combination) the original SVM slacks with the modeled ones. We show experimentally that this approach not only leads to improved generalization performance but also yields more compact, lower-complexity models. Finally, we extend this idea to the context of ordinal regression, where a natural order among the classes exists. The experimental results confirm principal findings from the binary case.
Abstracting the Set: Monet’s Cathedrals and Stable Mental Concepts from Serial Pictorial Artworks
Authors: Kass Jason , Harland Beth , Donnelly Nick
Published: March 2015

The ability to form stable mental representations (or concepts) from a set of instances is fundamental to human visual cognition and is evident across the formation of prototypes, from simple pseudo-random dot patterns through to the recognition of faces. In this paper we argue that the cognitive and perceptual processes that lead to the formation of stable concepts are also important in understanding spectatorship of a certain class of serial artworks that are composed of multiple discrete but related pictures. This article considers the processes that enable the formation of stable mental representations in relation to a series of paintings of Rouen Cathedral by Claude Monet. The implications of understanding these processes for the spectatorship of this class of serial artworks are discussed.
Relief Articulation Techniques
Authors: Koenderink Jan , van Doorn Andrea , Albertazzi Liliana , Wagemans Johan
Published: March 2015

We consider techniques used in the articulation of pictorial relief. The related ‘cue’ best known to vision science is ‘shading’. It is discussed in terms of an inverse optics algorithm known as ‘shape from shading’. However, the familiar techniques of the visual arts count many alternative cues for the articulation of pictorial relief. From an art technical perspective these cues are well known. Although serving a similar purpose as shading proper, they allow a much flatter value scale, making it easier to retain the picture plane, or major tonal areas. Vision research has generally ignored such methods, possibly because they lack an obvious basis in ecological optics. We attempt to rate the power of various techniques on a common ‘shading scale’. We find that naive observers spontaneously use a variety of cues, and that several of these easily equal, or beat, conventional shading. This is of some conceptual interest to vision science, because shading has a generally acknowledged ecological basis, whereas the alternative methods lack this.
A Kick in the Theological Shins: Constructing a Theology for Youth Ministry
Authors: Pearson Clive , Gapes Christine
Published: March 2015

At the very heart of the study of youth ministry is the struggle to develop a theology that both informs youth culture and allows itself to be shaped by that culture. In this paper, Pearson and Gapes reflect on their experience of putting together a course of study in the Australian context with lessons learnt and recommendations for the future.
Community, Identity, & Youth Ministry
Authors: Hudson Chris
Published: March 2015

The idea of community is central to much writing and thinking about youth ministry. In this article, Hudson explores the notion of community from an intensely theological perspective, drawing especially on patristic notions as well as philosophical theology.
Building Bridges: A case for a Science & Religion dialogue with youth
Authors: Winstanley Mark Monk
Published: March 2015

It is not a new situation for young people to struggle with the apparent contradiction between science and religion. However, that situation has become more acute in the 21st-century. This paper seeks to examine the nature of that struggle and offer a framework for response that retains the integrity of both the scientific and faith communities and that of the young enquirers themselves.
Spiritual Songs as Text: Genre and Interpretation
Authors: Ward Pete
Published: March 2015

Contemporary worship songs are a contextualisation of the Christian faith in popular culture. As such they may be read as genre in relation to other styles of popular music. This paper discusses the use of genre in the study of popular music and then uses the interpretative pattern resulting from this discussion to develop a complex multilayered reading of one specific worship song.
Let X = X: Generation X and world mission
Authors: Tiplady Richard
Published: March 2015

The work of mission agencies is predominantly structured in a modernist fashion. The challenge of postmodernity and the cultural shifts experienced in the world of Generation X necessitates a fresh approach to world mission and evangelisation. This paper seeks to address some of the challenges raised by this issue with some pragmatic suggestions for the forward.
Severed Connections: Using Theological Imagination to Explore Youth's Response to Violence at Port Arthur
Authors: Gapes Christine
Published: March 2015

In this article, Gapes explores with honesty and courage a most pertinent issue facing young people in the world today: the response to violence. Drawing on a particular incident and, combining that with her broad experience and knowledge in the field of youth ministry and practical theology, Gapes draws conclusions that can be applied in different situations the world over.
Profiles in Vocation: A Study in the Conceptual Resources of Youth
Authors: White David F.
Published: March 2015

Popular youth ministry in recent history has focused primarily on short-term aims of Christian formation and has largely neglected forming youth for a lifetime partnership with God in vocation. Vocation emerged as a Christian doctrine in the Protestant Reformation, but contained a naïve view of status quo social roles inappropriate for today. James Fowler is among a group of contemporary theologians articulating an upadated vision for Christian vocation. This paper highlights results of a study at Emory University in which researchers identify four key profiles or distinctive ways in which youth negotiate their futures in response to Christian faith. These profiles hold significance when compared to Fowler's vision for Christian vocation, especially as they illuminate possibilities for congregations in forming youth.
"...try and find the thread ..."The Relationship between Generations in Youth Ministry - Covering also the Issue of Family and Faith
Authors: Schwab Ulrich
Published: March 2015

The transmission of faith between generations is a topic of interest within the Youth Ministry and Religious Education literature. This article examines the relationship between generations and attitudes to religion in post 1945 Germany. Through considering the way in which generations are defined as sociological phenomenon and the dynamics that history and context bring to the relationship between generations, the author argues that faith transmission is best approached as dialogue between generational perspectives
and practices.
The Same but Different: the culture in which our adolescents live
Authors: O'Keefe Theresa
Published: March 2015

Adolescents engage in and interpret the cultural world they share with adults with different cognitive and emotional capacities than most of the adults around them. Those differences in capacity make the same world a different place. Drawing from a sample of major studies, this article reviews elements of findings on the dynamic interaction between adolescent development and contemporary culture and compiles these into four related stressors that adolescents in the United States encounter. Those stressors are:

1. The poly-vocal nature of the contemporary world;

2. The over-scheduled lives of children and families;

3. The isolation felt by adolescents, parents, and families overall; and

4. The marketplace's effort to target children and adolescents.

The stressors, it is argued, raise concerns for adolescents' efforts to navigate and to find a personal sense of identity and purpose. The article then moves to examine in what particular ways this is problematic for adolescents and suggests how our religious communities might assist adolescents in growing to adulthood with a sense of self able to function in a challenging world.
From ghetto to communitas: Post-Soviet youth ministry and leadership on a pilgrimage to Emmaus
Authors: Norheim Bård Eirik Hallesby
Published: March 2015

This article explores the ecclesiological and missiological context of post-soviet Estonia. Drawing from the perspective of the evangelical church in this nation, the author proposes a paradigm and perception shift is required to help the church re-imagine its future as a missional communitas. This discussion makes use of sociological and missiological notions of liminality to present a vision for a church that embraces the transitional nature of contemporary society and in particular the uncertain futures of nations such as Estonia. Having discussed these issues, the author presents three pen portraits of visions for the church and youth ministry in this context.
Carex procumbens (Carex sect. Rhomboidales, Cyperaceae), a new species from Hainan, China
Authors: YANG HU-BIAO , LI XIAO-XIA , BAI CHANG-JUN , WANG WEN-QIANG , YU DAO-GENG , DONG RONG-SHU , LIU GUO-DAO
Published: March 2015

Carex procumbens, a new species of Carex sect. Rhomboidales from Hainan, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. longipetiolata but differs in culms soft and usually prostrate on the ground, having narrower leaves with the leaf base gradually narrowed, with 2–3 spikes, terminal spike 8–12 mm long, lateral spikes 5–15 mm long and loosely flowered, staminate glumes ovate with green middle vein and apex rounded, pistillate glumes ovate-lanceolate ca. 6 mm and middle vein excurrent into a short awn for ca. 2 mm, perigynia fusiform and glabrous, nutlet brown to dark brown and ovate-rhomboid, nutlet ca. 7 mm long and with a short curved beak.
A new section (Begonia sect. Oligandrae sect. nov.) and a new species (Begonia pentandra sp. nov.) in Begoniaceae from New Guinea
Authors: Hughes Mark , Takeuchi Wayne
Published: March 2015

Begonia pentandra is described from previously unknown environments on the Juha limestone of Papua New Guinea’s Southern Escarpment. It is placed in the newly described Begonia sect. Oligandrae, along with B. brassii, B. chambersiae, B. oligandra and B. sandsiana. The section is endemic to the New Guinea Highlands and is characterised by male flowers with 4–8 stamens and fruits with three, fleshy, horn-like wings.
A revision of the Deltochilum subgenus Aganhyboma Kolbe, 1893 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)
Authors: SILVA FERNANDO A. B. , LOUZADA JÚLIO , VAZ-DE-MELLO FERNANDO
Published: March 2015

The species of the Deltochilum subgenus Aganhyboma, endemic to Central and South America, are reviewed. The species have been divided into complexes, with a brief diagnosis presented for each. A key for identification of 26 currently recognized species is provided in English and Portuguese. Two major groups within the subgenus are recognized (trisignatum and valgum). The first is represented by species typically belonging to the subgenus Aganhyboma (Deltochilum (A.) trisignatum, D. (A.) kolbei, D. (A.) violaceum, D. (A.) cupreicolle and D. (A.) viridescens new status) and three new species described here (D. (A.) amandaarcanjoae, D. (A.) viridicatum and D. (A.) titovidaurrei). The second group (valgum) is represented by: D. (A.) valgum, D. (A.) longiceps new status, D. (A.) acropyge new status, D. (A.) acanthus, D. (A.) icaroides and D. (A.) icariforme), previously assigned to the subgenus Deltohyboma. Twelve new species are described for the valgum group (D. (A.) schefflerorum; D. (A.) streblopodum; D. (A.) feeri; D. (A.) larseni; D. (A.) arturoi; D. (A.) finestriatum; D. (A.) cangalha; D. (A.) alpercata; D. (A.) ritamourae; D. (A.) kolleri; D. (A.) paresi; D. (A.) subrubrum). A lectotype is designated for D. (A.) trisignatum and D. (A.) icariforme. A detailed literature review, synonymies, description, illustration of key morphological characters, data of the studied material and geographic distribution is provided for each species.
International Human Rights and Domestic Income Inequality
Authors: Cole Wade M.
Published: March 2015

Much research finds that human rights treaties fail to improve domestic practices unless governments are held accountable in some fashion. The implication is that noncompliance can be attributed to insincere commitments and willful disobedience. I challenge this claim for a core but overlooked treaty: the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Few analysts have studied the ICESCR because its terms are difficult to implement and suitable measures for judging compliance are hard to find. I analyze its association with income inequality, using data for more than 100 countries (1981 to 2005) and methods that account for the possibility of reverse causality. ICESCR membership reduces inequality in both developed and developing countries, although the relationship is stronger for developed countries—precisely those with the greatest capacity to implement their obligations. Other key determinants of income inequality and treaty compliance—left partisanship, union density, workers’ rights, and democracy—do not systematically condition the effects of ICESCR membership. The ICESCR is therefore quite effective in reducing inequality, an outcome likely explained by renewed global attention to socioeconomic rights during the neoliberal era.
On the model order reduction of a direct current motor
Authors: Toukhtarian Raffi , Sanjab Anibal , Saab Samer
Published: March 2015

Neglecting the armature inductance, La, is a common approach for model order reduction for a class of brush DC motors. Some authors, however, make a partial or incomplete interpretation for neglecting La, leading students to wrong results and misunderstandings. The existing conditions in the literature and in introductory control systems textbooks are either based on the time constant of the mechanical system being greatly larger than that of the electrical system, or La ≈ 0. These conditions are not supported analytically and no corresponding error analysis of any kind is provided. This paper analyzes and criticizes the eligibility of these conditions and provides an error model that corresponds to the model order reduction associated with neglecting La, and another that corresponds to neglecting the non-dominant pole. Experimental results are included to illustrate the suitability of the proposed error models and the suitability of employing such models in basic control designs.
Percutaneously inserted long-term central venous catheters in pigs of different sizes
Authors: Larsson N , Claesson Lingehall H , Al Zaidi N , Claesson J , Jensen-Waern M , Lehtipalo S
Published: March 2015

Pigs are used for long-term biomedical experiments requiring repeated injections, infusions and collections of blood samples. Thus, it is necessary for vascular catheters to be indwelling to avoid undue stress to the animals and the use of restraints. We propose a refined model of percutaneous insertion of long-term central venous catheters to minimize the surgical trauma and postoperative complications associated with catheter insertion. Different sizes of needles (18 Ga versus 21 Ga) for initial puncture of the veins were compared. In conventional pigs weighing less than 30 kg, catheter insertion may be facilitated by using a microintroducer set with a 21 Ga needle. In pigs weighing 50 kg, a standard 18 Ga needle may be preferable.