bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tales of the digital sublime
Authors: Hutchins Brett
Published: May 2015

This article outlines the relationship between Big Data and sport in the network society. Critiquing the hype associated with Big Data, it is explained that modern sport informs the historical rise of this technological phenomenon, serving as a social and cultural site where the accelerating privatization and commodification of statistics and statistically generated information occurs. These developments deliver increased entertainment options for fans of many professional men’s sports and an unprecedented number of performance indicators for selected coaches, athletes and pundits. However, the information technology infrastructure and resources required to generate real-time data are adding to widening inequalities between elite ‘data-rich’ sports and comparatively impoverished ‘data-poor’ sports, including many women’s competitions. It is argued that a collective fascination with the digital sublime obscures the complex interaction between corporate power, digital data markets, history and culture, and contributes to inequalities that demand ongoing attention and critique.
Microvasculature and incident atrioventricular conduction abnormalities in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
Authors: Chacko Billy G , Edwards Matthew S , Sharrett A Richey , Qureshi Waqas T , Klein Barbara E K , Klein Ronald , Herrington David M , Soliman Elsayed Z
Published: May 2015

Abnormalities of the microvasculature are linked to major cardiac events, but their role in the development of atrioventricular conduction abnormalities (AVCA) is unknown. We examined the association between central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE), a measure of the microvasculature, and incident AVCA. This analysis included 3975 participants free of AVCA at baseline from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Incident AVCA was defined as a composite of new heart rate-adjusted PR interval ⩾ 200 ms (first-degree AV block) and advanced block (second-degree or complete AV block) detected from the MESA exam 5 electrocardiogram (ECG). CRAE was measured from retinal photographs at exam 2. Both ECGs and retinal photographs were collected using standardized methods and read and graded at central core labs. Incident AVCA were present in 7.4% ( n=290) of the participants, of which 94% were first-degree AV block. Incident AVCA were increasingly more common in participants with narrower CRAE (4.6% in Q4, 6.4% in Q3, 7.0% in Q2 and 10.8% in Q1, p-value for trend < 0.0001). The socio-demographic and cardiovascular disease risk-adjusted odds of incident AVCA in the Q1 group (the group with the narrowest retinal arteriolar diameter) was nearly twice the odds in the Q4 group (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.15–2.51). This association remained significant after adjustment for major ECG abnormalities and incident cardiovascular disease (Q1 vs Q4, OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.01–2.71). In conclusion, narrower retinal arteriolar caliber is associated with development of new AV conduction abnormalities.
Spironolactone inhibits the activity of the Na+/H+ exchanger in the aorta of mineralocorticoid-induced hypertensive rats
Authors: Carreño Juan E , Verdugo Fernando J , Contreras Felipe , Montellano Felipe A , Veloso Sebastian , Schalper Kurt A , Sandoval Mauricio , Villanueva Sandra , Marusic Elisa , Irarrazabal Carlos E
Published: May 2015

Introduction:

Aldosterone can induce changes in the expression or activity of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE–1) in vascular smooth muscle cells. We aimed to clarify whether chronic mineralocorticoid receptor activation exerts an effect on the activity of NHE–1 in the aorta of mineralocorticoid-induced hypertensive rats.

Methods:

Uninephrectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats received subcutaneously 10 mg/week of desoxycorticosterone (DOCA) with or without 20 mg/kg of spironolactone, or vehicle alone ( n = 20). After four weeks of treatment, the animals were sacrificed; the aorta was excised for subsequent studies, including histological analysis, RT-PCR, Western blot, measurement of NHE-1 activity and vascular contractility in the presence or absence of the selective NHE-1 inhibitor ethyl-isopropyl amiloride (EIPA).

Results:

Chronic DOCA treatment increased the NHE-1 activity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and aortic wall thickness. All these effects were prevented by co-treatment with Spironolactone ( p < 0.05). Phenylephrine-induced vascular contractility was significantly reduced in the DOCA group when EIPA was added in the media ( p < 0.05). No significant differences in NHE-1 mRNA or protein levels were detected between groups.

Conclusions:

Chronic DOCA administration induced functional and morphological alterations in the rat aorta that are partially explained by enhanced NHE-1 activity and prevented by spironolactone. However, we did not observe changes in the NHE-1 transcript or protein levels, suggesting that the effect may be due to post-transcriptional modifications induced by mineralocorticoid receptor activation.
Validating predictors of therapeutic success: A causal inference approach
Authors: Abad Ariel Alonso , Elst Wim Van der , Molenberghs Geert
Published: May 2015

In personalized medicine medical decisions, practices and/or products are tailored to the individual patient. The idea is to provide the right patient with the right drug at the right dose at the right time. However, our current lack of ability to predict an individual patient's treatment success for most diseases and conditions is a major challenge to achieve the goal of personalized medicine. In the present work, we argue that many of the techniques often used to evaluate predictors of therapeutic success may not be able to answer the relevant scientific questions and we propose a new validation strategy based on causal inference. The methodology is illustrated using data from a clinical trial in opiate/heroin addiction. The user-friendly R library EffectTreat is provided to carry out the necessary calculations.
Brighouse and Swift on the family, ethics and social justice
Authors: Calder Gideon
Published: May 2015

The family disrupts equality while also, think many, providing goods of unique value. In Family Values, Brighouse and Swift tackle both of these tendencies, offering a refined and distinctive liberal egalitarian account both of the value of family life, and the limits of what may be done in its name. It builds up from an account of children's specific interests to a defence of ‘familial relationship goods’ as providing the best way of satisfying those interests. Thus though parenthood carries goods of its own, parental prerogatives are delimited by what is good for children. The position which emerges plays out in nuanced, sometimes surprising ways. I raise three main lines of potential criticism, concerning, respectively, the distribution of family relationship goods, their value in relation to fair equality of opportunity, and the viability of distinguishing between family-located and other contributions to the realisation of a child's interests.
In the Voices of Parents
Authors: Burke Meghan M. , Sandman Linda
Published: May 2015

Since its initial passage in 1975, parent involvement had been a cornerstone of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, parents face many barriers in voicing their concerns to professionals. One way for parents to share their insights and create systemic change is during an IDEA reauthorization. Yet, although the public is afforded the opportunity to provide feedback during a reauthorization, individual parent input is frequently under-represented. In this study, across urban, suburban, and rural regions of a state, we asked parents of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities ( N = 49) to provide videotaped testimonies about their concerns regarding IDEA. After qualitatively analyzing their testimonies, we found that parents wanted the next IDEA reauthorization to add supports (including applied behavior analysis services and teacher–student ratios), provide specificity regarding certain provisions (i.e., transition, least restrictive environment, and eligibility criteria for learning disabilities), and maintain or increase stipulations (paperwork provisions and federal funding, respectively). Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Evaluation method of adhesive joint strength based on the normal–shear stress of adhesive interface and its application in engineering
Authors: Jingxin Na , Yu Liu , Shizhen Tao , Liang Cai , Yakun Yan
Published: May 2015

Traditional material-joining techniques are facing enormous challenges due to the wide use of new materials in engineering. Therefore, the application of bonding technique in engineering becomes more and more important. In order to facilitate designers evaluating the joint strength of bonding structure, a fast and simple strength evaluation method which can be easily used for adhesive joints under complex working conditions was proposed in this article. The normal and shear stresses of the adhesive interface were selected as the main research objects in the method considering the complex working conditions that many bonding structures may face in engineering. Butt joint, single lap joint, and several groups of scarf joint specimens with different adhesive angles were fabricated. Numerous repetitive tensile tests were conducted to obtain the adhesive failure stresses under different conditions. The adhesive failure stress envelope was fitted based on the experimental data, and the evaluation method of adhesive joint strength was developed in detail. Finally, verification experiments were designed. The results indicate that the evaluation method of adhesive joint strength based on the normal–shear stress of the adhesive interface is simple and effective in engineering application.
Effects of liquid morphology and distribution on the apparent properties of porous media made of stacked particles
Authors: Yu Mingzhi , Fan Xuejing , Ranasinghe Tiran SB KM Walawwe , Wang Liqiu
Published: May 2015

To understand the effects of liquid morphology on the apparent transfer properties of porous media formed by stacked particles, the authors investigate the particles’ aggregation state, apparent volume, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity of wet stacked glass beads. It shows that the liquid mainly exists as liquid bridges when the liquid content is low and connects each other when high. The transformation of liquid morphology and distribution influences the liquid effects on particles, thus changing the aggregation state of the particles and the apparent properties of the porous media in turn. A model is developed for predicting the critical liquid content at which the liquid morphology shifts from the state of liquid bridges into the state of interconnectedness. The prediction from the model is in good agreement with the experiment.
Ordering the NHS to provide prescribing and dispensing guidance for branded and generic products
Authors: Hayes Christopher
Published: May 2015

This case provides useful guidance to generic companies launching a product with a skinny label, where patented indications have been carved out. Warner-Lambert obtained an order for NHS England to cascade prescribing guidance to enable prescribers and pharmacists to avoid patent infringement, but also to remove any objections to the generic launch. This demonstrates that the utility of a second medical use patent in preventing generic entry may be rather limited.
The perceived impact of sexual orientation on the ability of queer leaders to relate to followers
Authors: Chang Jerome , Bowring Michèle A
Published: May 2015

As the body of research around diversity and leadership in the workforce continues to grow and develop, so does research around the queer experience in the workforce. Thus far, a great deal of research on the queer experience focuses on the costs and benefits of disclosure in the workplace. However, little work explores the intersection of leadership and sexual orientation. The aim of this qualitative paper is to focus on the specific work and/or volunteer leadership experiences of queer leaders within the context of their organizations. In particular, we focus on how queer leaders perceive the impact of their sexual orientation on their ability to relate to followers. Among the identified themes, issues of disclosure, advocacy, and temporal placement were the most consistent areas perceived to be impacted by sexual orientation. The implications and limitations of this study for future research are discussed.
Mesenchymal stromal cells for treatment of the acute respiratory distress syndrome: The beginning of the story
Authors: Morrison T , McAuley DF , Krasnodembskaya A
Published: May 2015

In spite of decades of research, the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) continues to have an unacceptably high mortality and morbidity. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) present a promising candidate for the treatment of this condition and have demonstrated benefit in preclinical models. MSCs, which are a topic of growing interest in many inflammatory disorders, have already progressed to early phase clinical trials in ARDS. While a number of their mechanisms of effect have been elucidated, a better understanding of the complex actions of these cells may pave the way for MSC modifications, which might enable more effective translation into clinical practice.
Renal cancer
Authors: Hemmant Joshua
Published: May 2015

Cancers of the kidney may be primary or secondary in origin. The vast majority of primary cancers are renal cell carcinomas, diagnosed incidentally on abdominal imaging. Secondary tumours found in the kidney are evaluated and managed depending on other clinical findings, including extent of the original cancer. The common original sites of spread include breast, lung, skin and lymph. Surgery remains the only curative therapy for renal cancer, and longer-term prognosis remains poor. Cancer referrals and diagnosis are an important aspect to increased successful curative treatment. The aim of this article is to evaluate renal cancer and give an overview of the important aspects from prevalence through diagnosis and staging, to treatment and management.
Aetiological profile of women presenting with premature ovarian failure to a single tertiary care center in Oman
Authors: Gowri Vaidyanathan , Al Shukri Maryam , Al-Farsi Fatma Abdulaziz , Al-Busaidi Nadya Ahmed , Dennison David , Al Kindi Salam , Daar Shahina , Al Farsi Khalil , Pathare Anil V
Published: May 2015

Background

Premature ovarian failure is estimated to affect at least 1%–3% of adult women. There are several aetio-pathogenic factors that may cause premature ovarian failure including iatrogenic causes, genetic, autoimmune, infectious and idiopathic. The aim of this study was to identify the aetiological profile of women with premature ovarian failure presenting to Sultan Qaboos University hospital.

Method

A retrospective medical record review was conducted from June 2006 to October 2012. All women diagnosed with symptoms and/or laboratory evidence of premature ovarian failure (follicle stimulating hormone ≥40 UI/L and less than 40 years of age) were enrolled in this study. Possible causes of premature ovarian failure were obtained and classified into main aetiological factors.

Results

There were 90 patients during the study period, of which, 39 (43%) were following chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant. The second most common reason was idiopathic (n = 29; 31%) followed by autoimmune diseases (n = 8; 9%) and genetic disorders (n = 7; 8%). Most chemotherapy cases (69%) were among the young age group, while in the older age group idiopathic was the commonest (48%).

Conclusion

Compared to the world literature, the most common cause of premature ovarian failure in this study was chemotherapy induced, especially in young girls undergoing bone marrow transplantation. This is due to high prevalence of transplantable hereditary haematological disorders like thalassemia and sickle-cell disease in this part of the world. Current standard of care recommends cryopreservation of ovarian tissue to preserve ovarian function in young girls undergoing bone marrow transplantation for such disorders.
Outcomes in HIV/HBV-Coinfected Patients in the Tenofovir Era Are Greatly Affected by Immune Suppression
Authors: Huang Andrew J. , Núñez Marina
Published: May 2015

Objectives:

HIV-infected patients have higher mortality when coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). With potent highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and the use of tenofovir (TDF), outcomes may improve. Our objective was to determine the clinical and virological outcomes of a HIV/HBV-Coinfected cohort at our center since TDF became available.

Methods:

We retrospectively studied all HIV/HBV-Coinfected adults followed between 2002 and 2012 for ≥3 months. Outcome measurements included HBV DNA suppression, HBV e-antigen (HBeAg) and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance, cirrhosis diagnosis, development of liver complications, and overall and liver-related mortality. Predicting factors were assessed with log-rank test and logistic regression.

Results:

Median time to follow-up of the 99 patients included was 5 years. Undetectable HBV DNA and HBsAg loss were achieved by 65% and 18%, respectively. Overall and liver-related mortality rates were 4.58 and 0.91 per 100 person-years, respectively. Most patients died of causes unrelated to the liver. Four patients died from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and one, hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected, from liver failure. Higher CD4 counts at last follow-up were associated with HBV suppression (odds ratio [OR] 1.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.001-1.006, P = .007), HBeAg loss (OR 1.003, 95% CI 1-1.005, P = .02), HBsAg loss (CD4 count >700 cells/mm3, OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.06-13.58, P = .04), and survival (OR .994, 95% CI 0.990-0.997, P < .0001). HCV coinfection was associated with higher overall mortality (OR 7.74, 95% CI 1.47-40.81, P = .02).

Conclusion:

Mortality was high and most often unrelated to liver disease in this HIV/HBV-Coinfected cohort treated predominantly with TDF-containing HAART. Optimal CD4 counts predicted survival and the achievement of HBV virological end points. Tenofovir prevented liver decompensation but not HCC, which was the predominant cause of liver death.
Microstructure and texture evolution of stationary shoulder friction stir welded Ti6Al4V alloy
Authors: Jiang X. , Wynne B. P. , Martin J.
Published: May 2015

Microstructure evolution and texture evolution in the weld zones during stationary shoulder friction stir welding of Ti6Al4V alloy of 7 mm thickness have been investigated by optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction method. A unique method was developed to differentiate the heat affected zone (HAZ) and the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ). The weld zones are characterised by equiaxed structure in the base material (BM), bimodal structure in the HAZ, coarse lamellar structure in the TMAZ and fine lamellar structure in the stir zone (SZ). Prismatic texture {11 [Formula: see text] 0} < 0001> and {11 [Formula: see text] 0} < 10 [Formula: see text] 0> were developed in the BM and the HAZ, the SZ is dominated by the simple shear texture component D1 (11 [Formula: see text] )[111] and the TMAZ has intermediate shear texture D1.
Multiobjective optimal design of friction stir welding considering quality and cost issues
Authors: Zhang Q. , Mahfouf M. , Panoutsos G. , Beamish K. , Liu X.
Published: May 2015

Because of the high complexity in microstructure evolution in friction stir welding, it becomes very difficult to design optimal welding parameters. To solve this problem, in the current paper, soft computing based data driven models are developed to provide accurate and instant predictions for the welding process, and a multiobjective optimisation approach is employed to find optimal solutions to achieve the desired quality and economic objectives. The current work studies the aluminium AA5083-O as an example, where not only weld quality and mechanical properties of a joint but also in process properties and production cost are considered as objectives in the optimal design.
VAMP-7 links granule exocytosis to actin reorganization during platelet activation
Authors: Koseoglu Secil , Peters Christian G. , Fitch-Tewfik Jennifer L. , Aisiku Omozuanvbo , Danglot Lydia , Galli Thierry , Flaumenhaft Robert
Published: May 2015

Key Points

VAMP-7 functions in platelet granule exocytosis and spreading. VAMP-7 associates with VARP and Arp2/3, thereby linking granule exocytosis and actin reorganization.
Hematite Thin Films with Various Nanoscopic Morphologies Through Control of Self-Assembly Structures
Authors: Liu Jingling , Kim Yong-Tae , Kwon Young-Uk
Published: May 2015

Hematite (α-Fe2O3) thin films with various nanostructures were synthesized through self-assembly between iron oxide hydroxide particles, generated by hydrolysis and condensation of Fe(NO3)3 · 6H2O, and a Pluronic triblock copolymer (F127, (EO)106(PO)70(EO)106, EO = ethylene oxide, PO = propylene oxide), followed by calcination. The self-assembly structure can be tuned by introducing water in a controlled manner through the control of the humidity level in the surrounding of the as-cast films during aging stage. For the given Fe(NO3)3 · 6H2O:F127 ratio, there appear to be three different thermodynamically stable self-assembly structures depending on the water content in the film material, which correspond to mesoporous, spherical micellar, and rod-like micellar structures after removal of F127. Coupled with the thermodynamic driving forces, the kinetics of the irreversible reactions of coalescence of iron oxide hydroxide particles into larger ones induce diverse nanostructures of the resultant films. The length scale of so-obtained nanostructures ranges from 6 nm to a few hundred nanometers. In addition to water content, the effects of other experimental parameters such as aging temperature, spin rate during spin coating, type of substrate, and type of iron reagent were investigated.
Natural human knockouts and the era of genotype to phenotype
Authors: Alkuraya Fowzan S
Published: May 2015

Complete loss of gene function in humans by naturally occurring biallelic loss-of-function mutations (human knockout) is not a new concept. However, the recent identification of human knockouts along the entire spectrum of health and disease by next-generation sequencing promises to unlock their full potential to accelerate the medical and functional annotation of the human genome.
Safety of biologic and nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy in veterans with rheumatoid arthritis and hepatitis B virus infection: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Burton Mary Jane , Curtis Jeffrey R , Yang Shuo , Chen Lang , Singh Jasvinder A , Mikuls Ted R , Winthrop Kevin L , Baddley John W
Published: May 2015

Introduction

We evaluated the safety of current treatment regimens for patients with RA and HBV in a large US cohort.

Methods

We identified biologic and nonbiologic treatment episodes of RA patients using 1997 to 2011 national data from the US Veterans Health Administration. Eligible episodes had evidence of HBV infection (HBV surface antigen, HBV core antibody, HBV e-antibody and/or HBV DNA) and had a baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) <1.5 times the upper limit of laboratory normal within 90 days prior to initiation of a new biologic or nonbiologic DMARD. The main outcome of interest was hepatotoxicity, defined as ALT elevation >100 IU/mL. Results were reported as the cumulative incidence of treatment episodes achieving hepatotoxicity at 3, 6 and 12 months post biologic exposure.

Results

Five hundred sixty-six unique RA patients with HBV contributed 959 treatment episodes. Mean age was 62.1 ± 10.3 years; 91.8% were male. Hepatotoxicity was uncommon, with 26 events identified among 959 episodes (2.7%) within 12 months. Hepatotoxicity was comparable between biologic and nonbiologic DMARDs (2.6% vs. 2.8%, P = 0.87). The median time between HBV screening and starting a new RA drug was 504 days (IQR 144, 1,163). Follow-up HBV testing occurred among 14 hepatotoxicity episodes (53.8%) at a median of 202 days (IQR 82, 716) from the date of ALT elevation. A total of 146 (15.2%) treatment episodes received at least one test for HBV DNA at any point in the observation period.

Conclusions

Among US veterans with RA and HBV the risk of hepatotoxicity is low (2.7%), and comparable between biologic and nonbiologic DMARDS (2.8% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.87). HBV testing associated with DMARD initiation or hepatotoxicity was infrequent.
Network-coded primary-secondary cooperation in OFDM-based cognitive multicast networks
Authors: Liu Zhihui , Xu Wenjun , Li Shengyu , Lin Jiaru
Published: May 2015

This paper investigates resource allocation for network-coded primary-secondary cooperation in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based cognitive multicast networks, in which cognitive radio (CR), network coding (NC), multicast, and OFDM are effectively combined toward the spectrum efficient fifth generation (5G) wireless communication systems. Different from the conventional one-to-one/one-to-more primary-secondary cooperation, the paper concentrates on two-to-one primary-secondary cooperation, in which one secondary user (SU) cooperates with two primary users (PUs) to gain more spectrum access opportunities. To accomplish the cooperation, an agreement is established between the SU and PUs. Meanwhile, to alleviate spectrum bands consumed for PUs’ data transmission, network coding is employed at the SU transmitter. Subject to per-primary-user minimum rate requirement and the total power budget at the secondary transmitter, the investigated primary-secondary cooperation strategy is formulated as a mixed integer optimization problem with the aim of maximizing the average multicast transmission rate. The formulated problem is non-convex and difficult to solve directly. In this paper, a stepwise optimization algorithm is proposed in which the subcarrier assignment and power allocation are executed separately to reduce the computation complexity. The simulation results show that compared to existing schemes, the achieved secondary multicast transmission rate in the proposed scheme is greatly improved. The presented network-coded primary-secondary cooperation is a promising paradigm to improve the spectrum efficiency for the future 5G systems.
Conservation oriented habitat classification scheming and mapping of Egypt
Authors: Harhash Khaled Allam , El-Henawy Mohmmed Talaat , Fattah Haitham Farouk Abdel , Antar Mohammed Sameh
Published: May 2015

Background

“habitat classification models” are invaluable tools for species conservation, land-use planning, reserve design, and meta-population assessments, particularly at broad spatial scales”. Globally, there are at least 23 schemes developed for habitat classification schemes. The pioneer attempts in Egypt for classifying habitats were started by the series of Kassas giving a concern about dry lands and desertification problems. The main purpose of this paper is to: 1) present a suitable model for large scale planning to support the decision making process towards the natural resources in Egypt, 2) standardize data collection on habitats which will assist in management and conservation of the Egypt’s natural heritage.

Results

This paper presents new GIS-based habitat classification hierarchy that contains 5 main habitat systems, 12 habitat sub-system and 36 habitat classes. One of the major outputs of this present scheme is to define the boundaries of the three classes (epipelagic – mesopelagic – bathypelagic) of the pelagic sub-system.

Conclusion

This hierarchy represents a new GIS-based standardized habitats scheming for Egypt. It was designed to support the current efforts to define the key biodiversity hotspots as well as long term planning of biodiversity at the national level. This new habitat mapping/scheming, has considerable potential utility for conservation priority setting for Egypt; it could be used to design and update the existing protected areas network; it could be used to evaluate the protected areas system representativeness, and climate change impacts studies. It is recommended to link habitat classification and mapping efforts in Egypt to regional and global approaches.
Study of phosphorylation events for cancer diagnoses and treatment
Authors: López Villar Elena , Madero Luis , A López‐Pascual Juan , C Cho William
Published: May 2015

The activation of signaling cascades in response to extracellular and intracellular stimuli to control cell growth, proliferation and survival, is orchestrated by protein kinases via phosphorylation. A critical issue is the study of the mechanisms of cancer cells for the development of more effective drugs. With the application of the new proteomic technologies, together with the advancement in the sequencing of the human proteome, patients will therefore be benefited by the discovery of novel therapeutic and/or diagnostic protein targets. Furthermore, the advances in proteomic approaches and the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) have opened a new door which is helpful in the identification of patients at risk and towards improving current therapies. Modification of the signaling‐networks via mutations or abnormal protein expression underlies the cause or consequence of many diseases including cancer. Resulting data is used to reveal connections between genes proteins and compounds and the related molecular pathways for underlining disease states. As a delegate of HUPO, for human proteome on children assays and studies, we, at Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, are seeking to support the human proteome in this context. Clinical goals have to be clearly established and proteomics experts have to set up the appropriate proteomic strategy, which coupled to bioinformatics will make it possible to achieve new therapies for patients with poor prognosis. We envision to combine our up‐coming data to the HUPO organization in order to support international efforts to advance the cure of cancer disease.
Investigation of the high-frequency wavefield of an off-center monopole acoustic logging-while-drilling tool
Authors: Wang Hua , Tao Guo , Fehler Michael C.
Published: May 2015

During logging-while-drilling (LWD) operations, complex drill string movements and the weight of the drill pipe often lead to a measurement tool that is not centralized. Therefore, studies of the response of an off-center acoustic LWD tool are essential to facilitate better interpretation of measurements made in an actual drilling environment. Such studies will be helpful for tool design and data processing. We used a finite-difference method to simulate the response of a noncentralized monopole acoustic LWD tool at high frequency (10 kHz). We analyzed the effects on the waveforms for receivers at different azimuths caused by an off-center tool with differing amounts of offset. We used velocity-time semblance and dispersion analysis methods to help us to understand the modes in the waveforms at different azimuth receivers for different tool offsets. We have found that the waveforms in the direction of the tool offset, that is, where the fluid column is smallest, were affected the most. Waveforms in the orthogonal direction were less affected by tool offset. Collar flexural and collar quadrupole modes appear when the tool is off center. In addition, the formation flexural and quadrupole modes contaminate the Stoneley wave. Waveforms in a fast formation are more strongly affected by the offset of the tool than those in a slow formation. In a fast formation, the new collar modes make it difficult to determine the P-wave velocity in the direction of tool offset whereas it is easier in the orthogonal direction. However, P-waves are less contaminated by new modes in a slow formation. Due to the significant changes in waveforms with azimuth when the tool is off center, the simple addition of all waveforms from an azimuthal distribution of receivers will not result in a clean waveform that is sensitive to only the surrounding formation.
Keynes and the Psychology of Economic Behavior: From Stout and Sully toThe General Theory
Authors: Barnett Vincent
Published: May 2015

This article examines the potential influence of the work of two psychologists—G. F. Stout and James Sully—on J. M. Keynes’s economic theory. It does so by providing an analysis of aspects of the notes that Keynes made while studying for the Civil Service entrance examination in psychology in 1905-6, and how they related to the source materials on which they were based. It argues that Keynes did “absorb” some of the ideas of these two psychologists while studying for the Civil Service examination, and that they then reappeared in modified form in his later economic writings. Consequently, psychological ideas (and also ideas about physiological evolution) are more important in Keynes’s economic theory than is sometimes recognized.
Mises and Montaigne: A Note
Authors: Kuscevic Casto Martín Montero , del Río Rivera Marco Antonio
Published: May 2015

Ludwig von Mises coined the term “Montaigne dogma” to refer to situations in which someone’s gain is someone else’s loss. In this article we show that imputing the dogma to Montaigne is not only unfair but, most importantly, incorrect.
Fordian Confiteor: Catholicism and Social Disengagement in The Good Soldier
Authors: Steedley Elizabeth
Published: May 2015

Concentrating on characterizations of Catholicism in The Good Soldier, “Fordian Confiteor” argues that Ford Madox Ford’s characters turn to religious stereotypes and unauthorized forms of confession in a disastrous attempt to secure themselves against monumental changes in contemporary society and politics. Demonstrating how John Dowell’s impressionistic narrative signals the dangers of social disengagement and political isolation, the essay also addresses the novel’s historical allusions to the English Reformation and the latent correlations between characters’ behavior and the antimodernist stance of the Catholic Church during the opening decades of the twentieth century.
Katherine Anne Porter, Magic, and transition
Authors: Hasler-Brooks Kerry
Published: May 2015

Although Katherine Anne Porter began her writing career in the magazines, these periodicals have been largely erased from critical discussions of her work. This essay begins to recover the neglected publication history of Porter’s magazine fiction by reading her short story “Magic” in the context of its original publication in transition. Eugene Jolas’s transnational, interwar magazine cultivated transformative literary innovations with a rhetoric of magic that Jolas developed throughout the magazine. By returning “Magic” to the “American Number” of transition where it first appeared, reading it alongside Jolas’s individual contributions to the magazine’s language of magic, and considering the ways it anticipated the verticalist theory that Jolas would go on to cultivate in the magazine, this essay recovers Porter’s contribution to the magazine’s aesthetic vision.
Fantastic Dreams: The Art of Chen Haiyan
Authors: Majid Amjad
Published: May 2015

This article presents the work of Chinese artist and printmaker Chen Haiyan, providing a critical analysis of her lifetime of woodcuts, prints, and ink paintings. The topics explored are the integration of dreams in Chen Haiyan's art and their relation to “the fantastic,” which is analyzed from a theoretical and comparative standpoint through various works of literature and literary theory. The article considers the role of magical realism, fantastic literary devices, and Chen Haiyan's personal folklore as part of her art-making process that intersects her dreams with her reality.
Akt-mediated phosphorylation increases the binding affinity of hTERT for importin α to promote nuclear translocation
Authors: Jeong Sun Ah , Kim Kuglae , Lee Ji Hoon , Cha Jeong Seok , Khadka Prabhat , Cho Hyun-Soo , Chung In Kwon
Published: May 2015

Telomeres are essential for chromosome integrity and protection, and their maintenance requires the ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase. Previously, we have shown that human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) contains a bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS; residues 222–240) that is responsible for nuclear import, and that Akt-mediated phosphorylation of residue S227 is important for efficient nuclear import of hTERT. Here, we show that hTERT binds to importin-α proteins through the bipartite NLS and that this heterodimer then forms a complex with importin-β proteins to interact with the nuclear pore complex. Depletion of individual importin-α proteins results in a failure of hTERT nuclear import, and the resulting cytoplasmic hTERT is degraded by ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Crystallographic analysis reveals that the bipartite NLS interacts with both the major and minor sites of importin-α proteins. We also show that Akt-mediated phosphorylation of S227 increases the binding affinity for importin-α proteins and promotes nuclear import of hTERT, thereby resulting in increased telomerase activity. These data provide details of a binding mechanism that enables hTERT to interact with the nuclear import receptors and of the control of the dynamic nuclear transport of hTERT through phosphorylation.
A high-content screening microscopy approach to dissect the role of Rab proteins in Golgi-to-ER retrograde trafficking
Authors: Galea George , Bexiga Mariana G. , Panarella Angela , O'Neill Elaine D. , Simpson Jeremy C.
Published: May 2015

Here, we describe a high-content microscopy-based screen that allowed us to systematically assess and rank proteins involved in Golgi-to-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retrograde transport in mammalian cells. Using a cell line stably expressing a GFP-tagged Golgi enzyme, we used brefeldin A treatment to stimulate the production of Golgi-to-ER carriers and then quantitatively analysed populations of cells for changes in this trafficking event. Systematic RNA interference (RNAi)-based depletion of 58 Rab GTPase proteins and 12 Rab accessory proteins of the PRAF, YIPF and YIF protein families revealed that nine of these were strong regulators. In addition to demonstrating roles for Rab1a, Rab1b, Rab2a, and Rab6a or Rab6a′ in this transport step, we also identified Rab10 and Rab11a as playing a role and being physically present on a proportion of the Golgi-to-ER tubular intermediates. Combinatorial depletions of Rab proteins also revealed previously undescribed functional co-operation and physical co-occurrence between several Rab proteins. Our approach therefore provides a novel and robust strategy for a more complete investigation of the molecular components required to regulate Golgi-to-ER transport in mammalian cells.
Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio as a predictor of systemic inflammation - A cross-sectional study in a pre-admission setting.
Authors: Venkatraghavan Lashmi , Tan Tze Ping , Mehta Jigesh , Arekapudi Anil , Govindarajulu Arun , Siu Eric
Published: May 2015

Background: Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR)  is an emerging biomarker that is used to predict postoperative mortality and morbidity in cardiac and cancer surgeries. The association of this biomarker with systemic illness and its usefulness in risk assessment of preoperative patients has not been fully elucidated.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of elevated NLR in preoperative patients and to examine the relationship between elevated NLR and the presence of systemic illnesses as well as anaesthesia risk indices such as American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) and the revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) scores.

 Design: Cross-sectional study

Setting: Anaesthesia pre-admission clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada

Patients: We evaluated 1117 pre-operative patients seen at an anesthesia preadmission clinic.

Results: NLR was elevated (>3.3) in 26.6% of target population. In multivariate analysis, congestive cardiac failure, diabetes mellitus and malignancy were independent risk factors predicting raised NLR. After regression analysis, a relationship between NLR and ASA score (Odds Ratio 1.78; 95% CI: 1.42-2.24) and revised cardiac risk index (RCRI, odds ratio 1.33; 95% CI: 1.09-1.64, p-value: 0.0063) was observed.

Conclusions:  NLR was elevated (> 3.3) in 26.6% of patients. Congestive cardiac failure and malignancy were two constant predictors of elevated NLR at >3.3 and > 4.5. There was a strong association between NLR and anesthesia risk scoring tools of ASA and RCRI.
Unexpected lack of specificity of a rabbit polyclonal TAP-L (ABCB9) antibody
Authors: van Endert Peter , Lawand Myriam
Published: May 2015

In this article, we describe the surprising non-specific reactivity in immunoblots of a rabbit polyclonal antibody (ref. Abcam 86222) expected to recognize the transporter associated with antigen processing like (TAP-L, ABCB9) protein. Although this antibody, according to company documentation, recognizes a band with the expected molecular weight of 84 kDa in HeLa, 293T and mouse NIH3T3 whole-cell lysates, we found that this band is also present in immunoblots of TAP-L deficient bone marrow-derived dendritic cell (BMDC) whole-cell lysates in three independent replicates. We performed extensive verification by multiple PCR tests to confirm the complete absence of the ABCB9 gene in our TAP-L deficient mice. We conclude that the antibody tested cross-reacts with an unidentified protein present in TAP-L knockout cells, which coincidentally runs at the same molecular weight as TAP-L. These findings underline the pitfalls of antibody specificity testing in the absence of cells lacking expression of the target protein.
Places Commemorating the January Uprising in the Krzeszowice Region
Authors: Strojnowska Dorota
Published: May 2015

The article is devoted to the places commemorating the Krzeszowice participants of Polish insurrection activities during the January Uprising (1863-1864). To observe the 150th anniversary of the January Uprising outbreak, the present article attempts to collect the information concerning traces of the Uprising in the Krzeszowice region. Although there was no military activity in the region, weapons were collected, volunteers set out from here, and this is where wounded participants of the fights were treated. Krzeszowice and the adjoining areas were the places where the participants of the Uprising and the exiles to Siberia spent the final years of their lives. The article indicates places of remembrance and the insurgents’ tombs. Many of the tombs no longer exist; some of the inscriptions are indecipherable. War tombs in the region are inventoried, yet until now there have been no records of tombs holding the remains of Insurrections participants deceased after the military activities. In Krzeszowice, the insurgents’ tombs are the most visible testimony to independence-seeking activities.On account of the Potocki family’s activities, St. Rafal Jozef Kalinowski and priest Wincenty Smoczynski, the Krzeszowice region became one of the places supporting the participants of the Uprising – first the wounded, later Siberia returnees, for example priest Jozef Owsiany, or those returning from emigration, for example priest Seweryn Paszkowski.Insurrection participants from the Krzeszowice region left documents and keepsakes – tokens of gratitude offered to the Potocki family by the insurgents, a collection of items commemorating St. Rafal Jozef Kalinowski’s insurrection activity (a patron of the exiled to Siberia, who entered the Barefoot Carmelites), the tokens of memory placed in the Monastery of Barefoot Carmelites in Czerna by the family of Joanna Podluska – a veteran of the Uprising, and items left by Florian Buzdygan, a local Uprising leader, currently in the collection of The Krzeszowice Region Society [Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Ziemi Krzeszowickiej].
Reactions to the Murder of Priest Jerzy Popieluszko Based on Selected Documents of the Krakow Polish United Workers’ Party Committee and Texts from “Gazeta Krakowska” (1984-1985)
Authors: Łatka Rafał
Published: May 2015

The murder of priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, perpetrated by the officers of the Security Service, had far-reaching social and political consequences in the People’s Republic of Poland. The perpetrators’ trial was of equal importance. The trial was staged by the communist authorities in such a way that those who commissioned the murder could not be traced.The article aims at analysing, on a few examples, how the priest Popieluszko’s murder was received and what the far-reaching repercussions were, from the perspective of opinions by selected people from the Krakow region.The intentions of the Krakow Committee of the PZPR’s authorities who worked to ‘cover up the Popieluszko case’, as stated in one of the acts, are presented on the basis of selected archives. The first part of the article presents examples of the society’s reactions to the kidnapping and assassination of ‘Solidarity’s’ chaplain and the progress of his killers’ trial, the information gathered among the residents of the province by the order of the communist authorities.The second part of the article contains a brief analysis of the selected texts published in “Gazeta Krakowska”, associated with the aforementioned issue. The majority of these texts were submitted from the head office of the PZPR via the Polish Press Agency; they were also statements made by Jerzy Urban, the communist government spokesperson. However, the editors of this party-endorsed daily newspaper also had their own ‘original’ contribution to propaganda attacks directed against priest J. Popieluszko (the articles by Stanislaw Stanuch).
The potential of novel native plant materials for the restoration of novel ecosystems
Authors: Jones T.A. , Monaco T.A. , Rigby C.W.
Published: May 2015

Extensive ecological change has been sustained by many dryland ecosystems throughout the world, resulting in conversion to so-called novel ecosystems. It is within such ecological contexts that native plant materials destined for ecological applications must be able to function. In the Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis [Beetle & A.M. Young] S.L. Welsh) ecosystems of the Intermountain West, for example, novel ecosystem structure and functioning are pervasive. Invasive species, particularly annual grasses, fuel repeated wildfires that drive previously stable ecosystem states across thresholds to less desirable states that are highly recalcitrant to restoration efforts. Structural changes include reductions of native flora, damage to biological soil crusts, and alterations to soil microbiota. Functional changes include altered hydrologic and nutrient cycling, leading to permanent losses of soil organic matter and nitrogen that favor the invaders. We argue that there is an important place in restoration for plant materials that are novel and/or non-local that have been developed to be more effective in the novel ecosystems for which they are intended, thus qualifying them as “ecologically appropriate.” Such plant materials may be considered as an alternative to natural/local “genetically appropriate” plant materials, which are sometimes deemed best adapted due to vetting by historical evolutionary processes.