bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Persian Novel in French: A Hybrid Genre
Authors: Nanquette Laetitia
Published: September 2011

Writers of Iranian origin who compose in French have published a fair number of novels in France since the beginning of the 1990s. This article analyzes the genre specificity of novels by Franco-Iranian authors and the challenges that the inevitable influence of the French novelistic tradition present to the authors of this Iranian diaspora. I put the Persian novel in French into the context of the contemporary Persian literary system and then give a close reading of one novel to illustrate my point. I have chosen Sorour Kasmaï’s The Glass Cemetery (Le cimeti”re de verre, 2002) as representative of the trend. The analysis of this text, through its formal and content narrative features, shows that the use of French as a language of writing imposes certain literary norms and helps create a hybrid genre, which reflects the diasporic experience.
Endogenous Innovation in the Theory of Growth
Authors: Grossman Gene M , Helpman Elhanan
Published: September 2011

This paper makes the case that purposive, profit-seeking investments in knowledge play a critical role in the long-run growth process. First, the authors review the implications of neoclassical growth theory and the more recent theories of ‘endogenous growth.’ Then they discuss the empirical evidence that bears on the modeling of long-run growth. Finally, the authors describe in more detail a model of growth based on endogenous technological progress and discuss the lessons that such models can teach us.
Nobel Laureate: Gary S. Becker: Ideas About Facts
Authors: Fuchs Victor R
Published: September 2011

Gary S. Becker's career, personality, and contributions are reviewed and commented upon. Special note is taken of his seriousness of purpose, his willingness to take chances, and his persistence in the face of criticism and hostility. Becker's exceptional influence has taken several forms: enlargement of our understanding of traditional economic subjects such as labor economics, the opening up of new fields of research such as law and economics, and the transformation of other social sciences--especially sociology.
Systems Competition and Network Effects
Authors: Katz Michael L , Shapiro Carl
Published: September 2011

This paper discusses firm behavior, market performance, and the public and private institutions that arise in systems markets, i.e., markets where consumers use compatible components together to generate benefits. In such markets, which include communications networks and ‘hardware/software’ networks, popular products are inherently more valuable. These ‘network effects’ can drive corporate strategies and are critical in understanding innovation in many high-technology markets. The discussion here emphasizes the dynamics of consumer adoption decisions in the presence of network effects, competition between incompatible systems, and how suppliers choose which components are compatible and which are not.
Two Improvements on the Clinton Framework
Authors: Diamond Peter A
Published: September 2011

Under the Clinton proposal, states choose a single payer or large regional alliances, where individuals choose from all plans in the market. This should give the high administrative costs of individual choice, not those of group choice. States should have another option--small alliances offering limited, group-based choice. Clinton proposes comprehensive insurance for all, with courts enforcing coverage for all medically necessary services not explicitly excluded. Covered services are not coordinated with resources available. Eventually, rationing will be needed. Less comprehensive basic coverage is an additional tool for rationing and decreases the government's role in determining health spending.
Intergenerational Transfers and the Accumulation of Wealth
Authors: Gale William G , Scholz John Karl
Published: September 2011

This paper uses household data to provide direct estimates of intergenerational transfers as a source of wealth. The authors distinguish between intended transfers (for example, gifts to other households) and possibly unintended transfers (bequests) and estimate that intended transfers account for at least 20 percent of net worth. Thus, a significant portion of the U.S. wealth cannot be explained by the life-cycle model, even when the model is augmented to allow for bequests. Estimated bequests can account for an additional 31 percent of net worth. The authors also show that transfers among living people are about half as large as bequests.
Policy Watch: Proposals for Time-Limited Welfare
Authors: Blank Rebecca M
Published: September 2011

This paper summarizes the Clinton administration's welfare reform proposal and views the available evidence on the effects of time-limiting cash assistance and requiring work among long-term Aid to Families with Dependent Children users. The reforms are designed to increase employment among Aid to Families with Dependent Children recipients. Given changes in the labor market for less-skilled workers, it is not clear that this will increase income among these families. The reform proposals would shift antipoverty spending toward work subsidies, child support collection efforts, and subsidized jobs that support mandated employment. It is unclear that this will produce either a cheaper or more effective antipoverty system than the current one.
A Sequential Sampling Procedure for Stochastic Programming
Authors: Bayraksan Güzin , Morton David P.
Published: September 2011

We develop a sequential sampling procedure for a class of stochastic programs. We assume that a sequence of feasible solutions with an optimal limit point is given as input to our procedure. Such a sequence can be generated by solving a series of sampling problems with increasing sample size, or it can be found by any other viable method. Our procedure estimates the optimality gap of a candidate solution from this sequence. If the point estimate of the optimality gap is sufficiently small according to our termination criterion, then we stop. Otherwise, we repeat with the next candidate solution from the sequence under an increased sample size. We provide conditions under which this procedure (i) terminates with probability one and (ii) terminates with a solution that has a small optimality gap with a prespecified probability.
Moisture Meter Calibrations for Untreated and ACQ-Treated Southern Yellow Pine Lumber and Plywood
Authors: Boardman C. R. , Glass Samuel V. , Carll Charles G.
Published: September 2011

This study investigates the effects of alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) preservative treatment and of plywood glue lines on resistance-based moisture content (MC) measurements. Moisture meter readings using stainless steel screws as electrodes were acquired over a range of moisture conditions in Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) lumber and plywood. Calibration equations are presented for predicting gravimetric MC from meter readings taken in SYP lumber and SYP plywood with or without ACQ treatment. These corrections assume that the meter has been set for SYP. Correlation equations are also presented for directly relating resistance to gravimetric MC, which may be useful for automated data collection systems employed in monitoring moisture levels in buildings. The conductance of SYP lumber was raised by treatment with ACQ, particularly at higher moisture contents, but was unaffected by vacuum-pressure treatment with water. The conductance of untreated SYP plywood, measured with electrodes penetrating the glue lines, exceeded that of untreated SYP lumber. The conductance of SYP plywood was lowered by treatment with ACQ, by vacuum-pressure soaking with water, and by exposure to rain. We suggest that electrolytes in the plywood glue lines increase the conductance of untreated plywood relative to that of untreated lumber, and that the concentration of these electrolytes is lowered by the (aqueous) preservative treatment process, thereby lowering the conductance of these high-conductance pathways.
Data Management in Large Collaborative Biology Research Projects
Authors: Rinn Bernd
Published: September 2011

Scientific data management subsumes several areas of activities related to the storage, classification, querying, retrieval and presentation of research data to develop and share insight into research questions. We give an overview of the challenges of building up data management solutions for large collaborative research projects in the realm of biology from practical experience and describe “building blocks”, which we found to be helpful for developing good solutions. Such building blocks can be technical, organizational, or social.
KASTEL — An Application-Driven Center of Excellence for IT Security
Authors: Müller-Quade Jörn
Published: September 2011

Smart infrastructures, cloud computing, and public security challenge the IT security of the future. In addition to the classical term of security one also has to deal with data that must be kept in clear text, mutually distrustful parties, and threats from insiders. It is not sufficient anymore to only consider the security of single components within a complex system. Furthermore, security can only be achieved in an interdisciplinary effort. The Center of Excellence for Applied Security Technology KASTEL (Kompetenzzentrum für Angewandte Sicherheits-TEchnoLogie) is a research center for security that combines several areas of IT security, users, and legal experts.
Buchbesprechung
Authors: Savitskaya Natallia
Published: September 2011

Marina Scharlaj: Das Weißrussische zwischen Sprachkontakt und Sprachverdrängung. München: Verlag Otto Sagner, 2008. 154 S. Ill., graph. Darst. (Specimina philologiae slavicae 147) ISBN: 978-3-86688-038-2
Contraception by induction of luteinized unruptured follicles with short-acting low molecular weight FSH receptor agonists in female animal models
Authors: van de Lagemaat R , van Koppen C J , Krajnc-Franken M A M , Folmer B J B , van Diepen H A , Mulders S M , Timmers C M
Published: September 2011

During recent decades minor innovative drugs have been developed for the female contraceptive market and they all contain steroidal progestagens (and estrogens) that act centrally and have side effects that can be attributed to this central action. In this study, we present an innovative tissue-specific approach for female contraception by low molecular weight (LMW) FSH receptor (FSHR) agonists, which interact with the FSHR that is dominantly expressed in the granulosa cells. The oral administration of LMW FSHR agonists with a short circulation time, induced formation of luteinized unruptured follicles (LUFs) from the Graafian follicles, thereby preventing the release of the oocyte. The short-acting LMW FSHR compounds were fully agonistic to FSHR (EC50=4–5 nM). In an isolated mouse follicle culture, a short incubation period (2 h) resulted in inhibition of follicular rupture, where continuous incubation induced follicle growth. Pharmacokinetics after oral administration showed a surge-like exposure in rats and monkeys. Oral administration of short-acting LMW FSHR agonists inhibited ovulation at 10 mg/kg in rats and guinea pigs by generating LUFs without affecting cyclicity. Also, inhibition of follicular rupture was shown to be reversible within one cycle. Finally, LUFs were induced without affecting the hormonal cyclicity in cynomolgus monkeys, a mono-ovulatory species. In healthy women LUF formation occurs naturally, with a LUF acting as corpus luteum that produces enough progesterone to ensure normal menstrual cyclicity. Together with the presented data this indicates that the innovative approach with short-acting LMW FSHR agonists could lead to oral contraception for females at the ovarian level.
False-Positive Newborn Screening Result and Future Health Care Use in a State Medicaid Cohort
Authors: Tarini Beth A. , Clark Sarah J. , Pilli Subra , Dombkowski Kevin J. , Korzeniewski Steven J. , Gebremariam Acham , Eisenhandler Jon , Grigorescu Violanda
Published: September 2011

OBJECTIVE:

To compare health care visit rates between infants with false-positive and those with normal newborn screening (NBS) results.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

We analyzed administrative claims of Medicaid-enrolled infants born in Michigan in 2006 and calculated the average number of outpatient, emergency department, and hospital visits for infants aged 3 to 12 months according to NBS results. We calculated an adjusted incidence rate ratio for each visit category, adjusting for covariates and accounting for interaction effects.

RESULTS:

Of the 49 959 infants in the analysis, 818 had a false-positive NBS result. We noted a significant interaction between gestational age and NBS results. We found that preterm, but not term, infants with false-positive results had more acute outpatient visits than their counterparts with normal NBS results. We found no difference in adjusted rates of other visit types (emergency department, inpatient, outpatient well) between infants with false-positive and normal NBS results, regardless of gestational age.

CONCLUSIONS:

Increased rates of acute outpatient visits among preterm infants with false-positive NBS screening results may be attributable to underlying chronic illness or parental anxiety. The absence of increased health care utilization among term infants may be unique to this Medicaid population or a subgroup phenomenon that was not detectable in this analysis.
Health Care Transition for Youth Living With HIV/AIDS
Authors: Dowshen Nadia , D'Angelo Lawrence
Published: September 2011

There are ∼1 million people in the United States living with HIV/AIDS, and >50 000 new infections occur each year. With an estimated 13% of all new infections occurring among young people aged 13 to 24 years and an increasing number of perinatally infected youth surviving to adulthood, there is now an increasing need to transition both perinatally and behaviorally infected youth to the adult health care setting. Recently, pediatric providers and professional societies have prioritized the development of transition programs for adolescents with chronic disease to address the many challenges these youth face in the process. Although multiple position papers have called for continuous, coordinated, culturally appropriate, compassionate, family-centered transition programs for youth with special health care needs and have recognized the need for evidence-based models, few data exist on what strategies are most effective. To date, published data on health care transition for HIV-positive youth are limited and include only 2 studies, which considered behaviorally infected youth. In this state-of-the-art review, we discuss the unique transition challenges to consider for this population, including socioeconomic and health insurance status, the special role of the pediatric or adolescent provider as family, stigma and disclosure issues, cognitive development and mental health issues, medication adherence, and sexual, reproductive, and gender health concerns. Future research will need to include the experiences of transition in low-resource settings and examine clinical outcomes and factors that may predict success or failure of the transition process.
Design and thermoreflectance imaging of high-speed SiGe superlattice microrefrigerators
Authors: Vermeersch Bjorn , Bahk Je-Hyeong , Christofferson James , Shakouri Ali
Published: September 2011

Over the past few years, thermoelectric (TE) materials have been receiving an increasing amount of attention owing to their promising potential for energy conversion and thermal management applications. Thermal characterisation techniques offer a powerful tool in investigating and optimizing the TE device performance. In addition, they can provide a better understanding of the underlying fundamental principles such as Peltier effects at the interfaces of the active medium. In this paper, we present the design and thermal characterisation of integrated highspeed microcoolers based on SiGe superlattices. The electrode metalisation is laid out as a coplanar waveguide, enabling to supply electrical pulses with short rise times to the coolers. We employ a variety of CCD-based transient thermoreflectance imaging methods to perform an extensive dynamic thermal analysis. These techniques provide 2-D temperature maps of the chip surface with ∼100ns temporal and submicron spatial resolution without the need to scan the sample. Net cooling in the 2 degree range is observed, with response times well below 1μs. This is almost two orders of magnitude faster compared to the best in the literature. The obtained images also confirm the previous observations that the Peltier cooling term responds faster than the Joule heating term, in agreement with their expected locality and associated thermal mass. This provides potential to study ultrafast electron-phonon interactions during Peltier effects.
Seebeck and Spin Seebeck effect in Gd-doped GaN thin films for Thermoelectric Devices and Applications
Authors: Kucukgok Bahadir , Su Liqin , Hurwitz Elisa N. , Melton Andrew , Zhiqiang Liu , Lu Na , Ferguson Ian T.
Published: September 2011

GaN-based dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) have recently been investigated for use in spintronic devices. In particular, Gd-doped GaN has shown very promising room temperature ferromagnetic behavior and potential for use in spintronics applications. III-Nitride materials have recently had their thermoelectric properties investigated; however this work has not been extended to Nitride-based DMS. Understanding the spin-calorimetric characteristics of GaN-based DMS is important to the successful development of low-power spintronic devices. In this paper the Seebeck and spin-Seebeck effect in MOCVD grown Gd-doped GaN (Gd: GaN) are investigated.
Theory of phonon conductivity of semiconductor superlattices
Authors: Srivastava Gyaneshwar P. , Hepplestone Steven P.
Published: September 2011

We present a single-mode relaxation-time theory of phonon conductivity of semisonductor superlattices with nanoscale periodicities. Analytic expressions have been obtained for phonon-interface scattering and phonon-phonon scattering taking into consideration the effects of interfaces and the presence of two materials in superlattices. Numerical calculations have been performed by using phonon eigensolutions obtained from an enhanced adiabatic bond charge model and by carrying out Brillouin zone integration using the special q-points scheme. The experimental measured conductivity results for Si(19)/Ge(5) and Si(72)/Ge(30) superlattices have been successfully explained.
An Overview of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials
Authors: Wang Yixu , Shadow Huang Hsiao-Ying
Published: September 2011

The need for the development and deployment of reliable and efficient energy storage devices, such as lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, is becoming increasingly important due to the scarcity of petroleum. In this work, we provide an overview of commercially available cathode materials for Li-ion rechargeable batteries and focus on characteristics that give rise to optimal energy storage systems for future transportation modes. The study shows that the development of lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries promises an alternative to conventional lithiumion batteries, with their potential for high energy capacity and power density, improved safety, and reduced cost. This work contributes to the fundamental knowledge of lithium-ion battery cathode materials and helps with the design of better rechargeable batteries, and thus leads to economic and environmental benefits.
Ordered Si-Ge nanostructures by glancing angle deposition via ion beam sputtering
Authors: Bauer Jens , Weise Michael , Khare Chinmay , Rauschenbach Bernd
Published: September 2011

Glancing angle deposition (GLAD) was used to deposit ordered arrangements of Si/Ge-nanocolumns applying the ion beam sputter technique. After substrate preparation by electron beam lithography as well as nanosphere lithography the deposition behavior of GLAD nanocolumns in regular arrangements with different symmetries was studied. The nanocolumns exhibited distinct morphology regions which are correlated to their temporal evolution during deposition. Furthermore, the customization of the column morphology by non-uniform substrate rotation is considered. Axial Si/Ge-heterojunctions were incorporated by sequential deposition.
Elastic Distortion of Dislocations in Deforming FCC Crystals
Authors: Mohamed Mamdouh , El-Azab Anter , Larson B. C.
Published: September 2011

A computational technique is developed to predict the statistics of internal elastic fields of three-dimensional dislocation systems in deforming crystals. The internal elastic fields are computed based on 3D dislocation realizations generated by the method of dislocation dynamics simulation. Preliminary results are presented for the statistical characteristics of the elastic strain, lattice rotation and dislocation density tensor fields. The importance of the current analysis is discussed in the context of direct comparison of simulations with spatially resolved 3D X-ray microscopy measurements of lattice rotation and the dislocation density tensor.
Neuronal changes caused by Trypanosoma cruzi: an experimental model
Authors: Moreira Neide M , Sant'ana Débora M. G , Araújo Eduardo J. A , Toledo Max J. O , Gomes Mônica L , Araújo Silvana M. de
Published: September 2011

Define an experimental model by evaluating quantitative and morphometric changes in myenteric neurons of the colon of mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Twenty-eight Swiss male mice were distributed into groups: control (CG, n=9) and inoculated with 100 (IG100, n=9) and 1000 (IG1000, n=10) blood trypomastigotes, Y strain-T. cruzi II. Parasitemia was evaluated from 3-25 days post inoculation (dpi) with parasites peak of 7.7 × 10(6) and 8.4 × 10(6) trypomastigotes/mL at 8th dpi (p>0.05) in IG100 and IG1000, respectively. Chronic phase of the infection was obtained with two doses of 100mg/Kg/weight and one dose of 250mg/Kg/weight of Benznidazole on 11, 16 and 18 dpi. Three animals from each group were euthanized at 18, 30 and 75 dpi. The colon was stained with Giemsa. The quantitative and morphometric analysis of neurons revealed that the infection caused a decrease of neuronal density on 30th dpi (p<0.05) and 75 dpi (p<0.05) in IG100 and IG1000. Infection caused death and neuronal hypertrophy in the 75th dpi in IG100 and IG1000 (p<0.05, p<0.01). The changes observed in myenteric neurons were directly related to the inoculate and the time of infection
Whole blood transfusion in small animals: indications and effects
Authors: Godinho-Cunha Luís F , Ferreira Rui M. R. F , Silvestre-Ferreira Ana C
Published: September 2011

Transfusion therapy is a major resource that can improve the patient's capability to overcome the underlying disease. However, the effects of whole blood infusion, and how they affect the patient's outcome, are not yet clear. For this study, a protocol was developed in order to monitor a group of 15 animals (9 dogs, 6 cats) that received a total of 19 transfusions; 3 animals received more than one transfusion each. The most common indications for blood transfusion included acute blood loss (47%), coagulopathy (33%) and other anaemias (20%). The mean pre-transfusion packed cell volume (PCV) of animals with acute blood loss (18%) was higher than in the group of coagulopathy (15%) or other anaemias (15%). The survival rates at 6 days after transfusion were greater in the coagulopathy (80.0%) and other anaemias (66.7%) than in the group of acute blood loss (42.9%). After transfusion, pulse rate ( p <0.01) and platelet count ( p <0.05) decreased significantly, and there was a significant increase in body temperature of the animals that suffered from hypothermia before the transfusion ( p <0.05). Overall survival was predictable based upon posttransfusion body temperature, observed PCV change, the difference between the obtained and the calculated PCV, and administered transfusion volume ( p <0.05)
Cross-disciplinary approaches for measuring parasitic helminth viability and phenotype
Authors: Peak Emily , Hoffmann Karl F
Published: September 2011

Parasitic worms (helminths) within the Phyla Nematoda and Platyhelminthes are responsible for some of the most debilitating and chronic infectious diseases of human and animal populations across the globe. As no subunit vaccine for any parasitic helminth is close to being developed, the frontline strategy for intervention is administration of therapeutic, anthelmintic drugs. Worryingly, and unsurprising due to co-evolutionary mechanisms, many of these worms are developing resistance to the limited compound classes currently being used. This unfortunate reality has led to a renaissance in next generation anthelmintic discovery within both academic and industrial sectors. However, a major bottleneck in this process is the lack of quantitative methods for screening large numbers of small molecules for their effects on the whole organism. Development of methodologies that can objectively and rapidly distinguish helminth viability or phenotype would be an invaluable tool in the anthelmintic discovery pipeline. Towards this end, we describe how several basic techniques currently used to assess single cell eukaryote viability have been successfully applied to parasitic helminths. We additionally demonstrate how some of these methodologies have been adopted for high-throughput use and further modified for assessing worm phenotype. Continued development in this area is aimed at increasing the rate by which novel anthelmintics are identified and subsequently translated into everyday, practical applications.
Avaliação dos prontuários médicos de hospitais de ensino do Brasil
Authors: Silva Fábia Gama , Tavares-Neto José
Published: September 2011

O prontuário do paciente ou do cliente, também denominado prontuário médico, é um elemento fundamental ao bom atendimento e um instrumento de educação permanente e de pesquisa, entre outras finalidades de gerenciamento hospitalar. Neste estudo, foram avaliados os modelos de prontuário utilizados em 77 (73,3%) dos 105 hospitais filiados à Associação Brasileira de Hospitais Universitários e de Ensino (Abrahue), sendo estudados pela estimativa de escores para vários de seus itens ou de partes referentes à história clínica e à evolução do paciente. O tipo predominante dos prontuários (92,2%; n = 71) era em suporte de papel e nenhum no formato eletrônico. Comparados aos prontuários dos hospitais filantrópicos (n = 23), os dos públicos (n = 54) alcançaram maiores escores (p < 0,05), mas em ambos a totalidade dos itens estudados teve baixa pontuação. Nos itens componentes da anamnese, por exemplo, enquanto o escore máximo esperado era 22, a média foi 4,3 (± 3,7), com limites de 0 e 15 e mediana de 4. Em conclusão, além da reduzida qualidade da maioria dos prontuários estudados, a quase totalidade ainda não incorporou as modernas tecnologias disponibilizadas pela ciência da informação.
Coleoptera (Insecta) as forest fragmentation indicators in the Rio Negro sub-region of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Favero S. , Souza HA , Oliveira AKM
Published: September 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the integrity of two forest fragments in Rio Negro Pantanal sub-region, using coleopterans as environmental indicators. The study was carried out at Santa Emilia Farm in the Rio Negro sub-region, municipality of Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul (19º 30' 18'' S and 55° 36' 45'' W). Two sites were selected, locally denominated as "cordilheiras" (narrow and elongated strands of elevated soil), one with low degree of anthropic disturbance (CL) and the other, currently undergoing restoration process (TD). The sampling sites were determined using a GPS device. Ten pit-fall traps containing water and detergent were used for the specimens sampling, which were screened and identified. Abundance, richness, diversity and similarity were determined. Abundance was higher for CL (n = 277) than for TD (n = 251). The same was observed for the diversity indices, CL showed H' = 2.83 bit.individual-1 and TD = 2.48 bit.individual-1, confirming the interferences made for abundance. Specimens of ten families were captured in CL area and seven families in TD area, indicating higher richness in CL, when compared to TD. The linear correlation coefficient (p > 0.05) indicates that both areas are significantly different, showing similarity value of 66.7%. The data show that the structure and disturbance degree in the environment integrity influence the composition of beetles fauna, causing the increase of abundance, richness and diversity in anthropogenic environments undergoing the early stage of regeneration.
Idiopathic Neonatal Haemochromatosis: A Case Report
Authors: Besharat S , Alaee E , Zahedpasha Y
Published: September 2011

A case of neonatal hemochromatosis is reported in a premature 35-week infant who presented at birth with coffee ground vomiting and gradual appearance of grayish icter and colorless stool. Neonatal hemochromatosis was confirmed by elevated ferritin levels and extrahepatic siderosis detected in liver biopsy. Key words: Neonatal hemochromatosis; Liver biopsy; Serum ferritin DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.4966 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3): 247-248
Enteric Fever in Children of Nepal
Authors: Ochiai R Leon
Published: September 2011

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.5351 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3):167-168
Ba5Cd2Sb4O2—A New Antimonide Oxide with a Complex Structure
Authors: Darone Gregory M. , Bobev Svilen
Published: September 2011

Synthesis and single-crystal X-ray structure determination of the new antimonide oxide, Ba5Cd2Sb4O2 are reported. Ba5Cd2Sb4O2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m (No. 12) with unit cell parameters: a = 17.247(7) Å, b = 4.9279(18) Å, c = 12.240(5) Å, and β = 132.558(4)°; Z = 2. Its crystal structure can be described as a polyanionic [Cd2Sb4]6– sub-lattice made up of fused CdSb4 tetrahedra, stacked between puckered slabs of oxo-anions, O2–, and Ba2+ cations. This structure can also be described as a “double-salt”, i.e., a structure composed of fragments from the Zintl phase Ba3Cd2Sb4 intercalated by two BaO-like moieties. The topological similarities between the structures of these compounds are discussed.
Different Impacts of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Oxidative Stress
Authors: Mansego Maria L. , Redon Josep , Martinez-Hervas Sergio , Real Jose T. , Martinez Fernando , Blesa Sebastian , Gonzalez-Albert Veronica , Saez Guillermo T. , Carmena Rafael , Chaves Felipe J.
Published: September 2011

The objective of the study was to evaluate oxidative stress (OS) status in subjects with different cardiovascular risk factors. With this in mind, we have studied three models of high cardiovascular risk: hypertension (HT) with and without metabolic syndrome, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH) with and without insulin resistance. Oxidative stress markers (oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine and malondialdehide) together with the activity of antioxidant enzyme triad (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and activation of both pro-oxidant enzyme (NAPDH oxidase components) and AGTR1 genes, as well as antioxidant enzyme genes (CuZn-SOD, CAT, GPX1, GSR, GSS and TXN) were measured in mononuclear cells of controls (n = 20) and patients (n = 90) by assessing mRNA levels. Activity of some of these antioxidant enzymes was also tested. An increase in OS and pro-oxidant gene mRNA values was observed in patients compared to controls. The hypertensive group showed not only the highest OS values, but also the highest pro-oxidant activation compared to those observed in the other groups. In addition, in HT a significantly reduced antioxidant activity and mRNA induction of antioxidant genes were found when compared to controls and the other groups. In FH and FCH, the activation of pro-oxidant enzymes was also higher and antioxidant ones lower than in the control group, although it did not reach the values obtained in hypertensives. The thioredoxin system was more activated in patients as compared to controls, and the highest levels were in hypertensives. The increased oxidative status in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors is a consequence of both the activation of pro-oxidant mechanisms and the reduction of the antioxidant ones. The altered response of the main cytoplasmic antioxidant systems largely contributes to OS despite the apparent attempt of the thioredoxin system to control it.
The Potential Contributions of Lethal and Edema Toxins to the Pathogenesis of Anthrax Associated Shock
Authors: Hicks Caitlin W. , Cui Xizhong , Sweeney Daniel A. , Li Yan , Barochia Amisha , Eichacker Peter Q.
Published: September 2011

Outbreaks of Bacillus anthracis in the US and Europe over the past 10 years have emphasized the health threat this lethal bacteria poses even for developed parts of the world. In contrast to cutaneous anthrax, inhalational disease in the US during the 2001 outbreaks and the newly identified injectional drug use form of disease in the UK and Germany have been associated with relatively high mortality rates. One notable aspect of these cases has been the difficulty in supporting patients once shock has developed. Anthrax bacilli produce several different components which likely contribute to this shock. Growing evidence indicates that both major anthrax toxins may produce substantial cardiovascular dysfunction. Lethal toxin (LT) can alter peripheral vascular function; it also has direct myocardial depressant effects. Edema toxin (ET) may have even more pronounced peripheral vascular effects than LT, including the ability to interfere with the actions of conventional vasopressors. Additionally, ET also appears capable of interfering with renal sodium and water retention. Importantly, the two toxins exert their actions via quite different mechanisms and therefore have the potential to worsen shock and outcome in an additive fashion. Finally, both toxins have the ability to inhibit host defense and microbial clearance, possibly contributing to the very high bacterial loads noted in patients dying with anthrax. This last point is clinically relevant since emerging data has begun to implicate other bacterial components such as anthrax cell wall in the shock and organ injury observed with infection. Taken together, accumulating evidence regarding the potential contribution of LT and ET to anthrax-associated shock supports efforts to develop adjunctive therapies that target both toxins in patients with progressive shock.
Les professionnels mobiles à l’épreuve des radars automatiques. Une acceptation entre stress contenu et identités au travail bousculées
Authors: Hamelin Fabrice , Eyssartier Chloé
Published: September 2011

L’introduction, en 2003, du recours à l’automatisation pour le contrôle et la sanction des infractions au code de la route a introduit un changement majeur dans la politique de sécurité routière en France. L’objet de ce papier est de saisir l’impact de ce dispositif sur ceux qui en sont les destinataires mais également sur ceux en charge de sa mise en œuvre, d’autant que le recours à l’automatisation a été étendu au franchissement des feux rouges en 2009, en attendant l’introduction de la lecture automatisée des plaques d’immatriculation. La réalisation de focus groups réunissant des professionnels exerçant un « travail de mobilité » (il s’agissait dans ce travail d’agents d’exploitation et d’agents des forces de l’ordre) et des professionnels exerçant un « travail dans la mobilité » (il s’agissait ici des usagers professionnels de la route), fournit le matériau empirique du papier. L’objectif de cet article est de mettre en évidence l’impact du radar automatique sur les pratiques professionnelles, et notamment sur les déplacements, mais également sur l’identité au travail. Les travaux sur les modèles psychologiques du stress et sur la sociologie des professions et du travail offrent une grille d’analyse pertinente pour en saisir tous les éléments.
Réorganisation d’un réseau de transport collectif urbain, ruptures de charge et mobilités éprouvantes à Bruxelles
Authors: Dobruszkes Frédéric , Hubert Michel , Laporte François , Veiders Caroline
Published: September 2011

Cet article analyse la question des correspondances au sein d’un réseau de transports collectifs urbains en tant que facteur pouvant rendre pénible ou éprouvante la mobilité des citoyens. Une analyse critique de la littérature sur les correspondances confirme leur côté pénible pour les passagers et répulsif pour ceux qui sont en position de choix modal. Ensuite, une analyse de l’évolution des correspondances imposées aux voyageurs du réseau bruxellois est proposée. Elle révèle que de très nombreux quartiers et près d’un quart de la population ont perdu l’accès à l’hyper-centre du fait de la récente réforme du réseau.
Breast Conservation Surgery: State of the Art
Authors: White Jonathan , Achuthan Raj , Turton Philip , Lansdown Mark
Published: September 2011

Breast conservation surgery is available to the vast majority of women with breast cancer. The combination of neoadjuvant therapies and oncoplastic surgical techniques allows even large tumours to be managed with a breast-conserving approach. The relationship between breast size and the volume of tissue to be excised determines the need for volume displacement or replacement. Such an approach can also be used in the management of carefully selected cases of multifocal or multicentric breast cancer. The role of novel techniques, such as endoscopic breast surgery and radiofrequency ablation, is yet to be precisely defined.
Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 in Myasthenia Gravis Compared to Other Neurological Disorders and Healthy Controls
Authors: Luckman Steven P. , Gilhus Nils Erik , Romi Fredrik
Published: September 2011

MMP-3 is capable of degrading a variety of proteins, including agrin, which plays a critical role in neuromuscular signaling by controlling acetylcholine receptor clustering. High MMP-3 levels in a proportion of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients have been reported. A pathogenic role of MMP-3 in other neurological disorders has been suggested but not proven. We have therefore examined the levels of MMP-3 in 124 MG patients and compared them to 59 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, 74 epilepsy patients, 33 acute stroke patients, and 90 healthy controls. 15.3% of the patients in the MG group were MMP-3-positive (defined as higher than cutoff value 48 ng/mL) with very high mean MMP-3 concentration (79.9 ng/mL), whereas the proportion of MMP-3 positive patients in the MS (3.4%), epilepsy (6.7%), stroke (0%), and the control group (4.4%) was significantly lower. Mean MMP-3 concentration in the total MG group (25.5 ng/mL) was significantly higher than in the MS (16.6 ng/mL) and stroke (11.7 ng/mL) groups, but did not differ significantly from the epilepsy (19.4 ng/mL) and the control group (23.4 ng/mL). MMP-3 may have a specific pathogenic effect in MG in addition to being associated with autoimmune diseases in general.
RNA-Binding Proteins in Plant Immunity
Authors: Woloshen Virginia , Huang Shuai , Li Xin
Published: September 2011

Plant defence responses against pathogen infection are crucial to plant survival. The high degree of regulation of plant immunity occurs both transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally. Once transcribed, target gene RNA must be processed prior to translation. This includes polyadenylation,5′capping, editing, splicing, and mRNA export. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been implicated at each level of RNA processing. Previous research has primarily focused on structural RNA-binding proteins of yeast and mammals; however, more recent work has characterized a number of plant RBPs and revealed their roles in plant immune responses. This paper provides an update on the known functions of RBPs in plant immune response regulation. Future in-depth analysis of RBPs and other related players will unveil the sophisticated regulatory mechanisms of RNA processing during plant immune responses.
RNA Polymerase II Elongation at the Crossroads of Transcription and Alternative Splicing
Authors: de la Mata Manuel , Muñoz Manuel J. , Alló Mariano , Fededa Juan Pablo , Schor Ignacio E. , Kornblihtt Alberto R.
Published: September 2011

The elongation phase of transcription lies at the core of several simultaneous and coupled events leading to alternative splicing regulation. Although underestimated in the past, it is at this phase of the transcription cycle where complexes affecting the transcription machinery itself, chromatin structure, posttranscriptional gene regulation and pre-mRNA processing converge to regulate each other or simply to consolidate higher-order complexes and functions. This paper focuses on the multiple processes that take place during transcription elongation which ultimately regulate the outcome of alternative splicing decisions.
Effect ofBrucellaInfection on Reproduction Conditions of Female Breeding Cattle and Its Public Health Significance in Western Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Haileselassie Mekonnen , Kalayou Shewit , Kyule Moses , Asfaha Mekonnen , Belihu Kelay
Published: September 2011

The most common clinical manifestations of brucellosis in livestock are associated with reproduction. This paper reports the result of a cross-sectional study conducted between October, 2007 and April, 2008 in Western Tigray, North Ethiopia, with the objectives of assessing the effect ofBrucellainfection on reproduction conditions of female breeding bovine and to explore the presence ofBrucellaseroreactors in vulnerable humans. A total of 1,354 and 246 sera were collected from female cattle and humans, respectively. The sera were screened using Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), and positive samples were confirmed by complement fixation test (CFT). Reproductive conditions for female cattle and risk to human brucellosis seropositivity were tested by using logistic regression analysis. The result indicated that the overall prevalence in female cattle was 6.1%. The study showed 1.2% prevalence among human risk groups, all of which were herdsmen. Logistic regression identified parity status, calving interval, abortion history, and abortion period were significantly associated with seropositivity. The association was not significant with reproductive status and parity number. Proper hygienic practices and team work between veterinary and health personnel should improve the efforts to combat disease transmission.
Similarities in Acquired Factors Related to Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia
Authors: Sirola Joonas , Kröger Heikki
Published: September 2011

Postmenopausal population is at increased risk of musculoskeletal impairments. Sarcopenia and osteoporosis are associated with significant morbidity and social and health-care costs. These two conditions are uniquely linked with similarities in pathophysiology and diagnostic methods. Uniform diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia are still evolving. Postmenopausal sarcopenia and osteoporosis share many environmental risk- and preventive factors. Moreover, geriatric frailty syndrome may result from interaction of osteoporosis and sarcopenia and may lead to increased mortality. The present paper reviews the factors in evolution of postmenopausal sarcopenia and osteoporosis.
Bone Mineral Density Accrual Determines Energy Expenditure with Refeeding in Anorexia Nervosa and Supersedes Return of Menses
Authors: Sum Melissa , Mayer Laurel , Warren Michelle P.
Published: September 2011

Osteopenia and osteoporosis are major complications of anorexia nervosa (AN). Since bone is a tissue requiring large amounts of energy, we examined the disproportionate increase in resting energy expenditure (REE) that occurs with refeeding of AN patients to determine if it was related to bone accretion. Thirty-seven AN patients aged23.4±4.8years underwent a behavioral weight-gain protocol lasting a median of 66 days; 27 remained amenorrheic, and 10 regained menses. Sixteen controls aged25.1±4.7years were age- and % IBW matched with patients. REE was measured using a respiratory chamber-indirect calorimeter. Significant correlations were found between REE and changes in spine (r=0.48,P<0.02) and leg (r=0.43,P<0.05) BMDs in AN patients. Further subgroup analysis of the amenorrheics revealed significant correlation between REE and change in spine BMD (r=0.59,P<0.02) and higher IGF-1 after weight gain compared to controls. Amenorrheics also had lower BMDs. These findings were absent in the regained menses group. The increase in REE seen in women with AN during nutritional rehabilitation may be related to active bone formation, which is not as prominent when menses have returned.
Lignolytic Enzymes of a MushroomStereum ostreaIsolated from Wood Logs
Authors: Praveen K. , Viswanath B. , Usha K. Y. , Pallavi H. , Venkata Subba Reddy G. , Naveen M. , Rajasekhar Reddy B.
Published: September 2011

Production of lignolytic enzymes by the mushroom fungusStereum ostreain liquid medium under conditions of vegetative growth was examined for 10 days in comparison to the reference culturePhanerochaete chrysosporium. Though growth and secretion of extracellular protein byS. ostreawere comparable to those ofP. chrysosporium, yields of laccase enzyme byS. ostreawere higher than laccase titres ofP. chrysosporiumby more than 2 folds on the peak production time interval (IVth day of incubation).S. ostreayielded titres of 25 units of laccase/ml as against 8.9 units of laccase/ml on the IVth day of incubation.Stereum ostreaalso exhibited activities of other lignolytic enzymes, lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP), higher than the reference culture. Growth ofS. ostreaon the medium in the presence of Remazol orange 16 resulted in the decolourisation of dye, confirming the presence of lignolytic enzymes.S. ostreaappears to be a promising culture with complete lignolytic system.
Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)—A Rare Etiology of Dysphagia
Authors: Krishnarasa Balakumar , Vivekanandarajah Abhirami , Ripoll Lucinda , Chang Edwin , Wetz Robert
Published: September 2011

A 72-year-old gentleman presented to the hospital with progressively worsening dysphagia to soft foods and liquids. He was diagnosed with severe pharyngeal dysphagia by modified barium swallow. A CT scan of the neck with IV contrast showed anterior flowing of bridging osteophytes from C3-C6, indicative of DISH, resulting in esophageal impingement. He underwent resection of the DISH segments. Following the surgery, a PEG tube for nutrition supplementation was placed. However, the PEG tube was removed after five months when the speech and swallow evaluation showed no residual dysphagia. DISH is a rare non-inflammatory condition that results in pathological ossification and calcification of the anterolateral spinal ligaments.