bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Telmisartan Plus Amlodipine in Nonresponders to CCB Monotherapy
Authors: Neldam Steen , Zhu Dingliang , Schumacher Helmut
Published: June 2013

Hypertensive patients unable to reach blood pressure (BP) targets with antihypertensive monotherapy may be switched to a combination of two medications with complementary modes of action for improved treatment response. Thispost hocanalysis pools data from 2812 patients, 1891 of whom were not at goal (diastolic BP [DBP] <90 mm Hg) with amlodipine 5 mg (A5) monotherapy who subsequently switched to telmisartan 40 or 80 mg (T80)/A5 single-pill combination (SPC) or amlodipine 10 mg (A10) monotherapy, and considers an additional 921 patients, 616 of whom were not at goal with A10 monotherapy who switched to telmisartan/amlodipine SPC. Patients switched to telmisartan/amlodipine SPC achieved significantly greater BP reductions compared with continued monotherapy (P<0.0001) with reductions of −15.2/−10.9 mm Hg seen with T80/A5 after 8 weeks in patients switched from A5. BP goal (<140/90 mm Hg), systolic BP goal (<140 mm Hg), and DBP goal (<90 mm Hg) were reached by significantly more patients with telmisartan/amlodipine than with monotherapy (P<0.0001for all comparisons; 56.1%, 69.7%, and 66.9%, resp., in patients who switched from A5 to T80/A5). Early use of such combination therapy should be considered to quickly reach BP targets, particularly in patients with added risk.
SUMOhunt: Combining Spatial Staging between Lysine and SUMO with Random Forests to Predict SUMOylation
Authors: Ijaz Amna
Published: June 2013

Modification with SUMO protein has many key roles in eukaryotic systems which renders the identification of its target proteins and sites of considerable importance. Information regarding the SUMOylation of a protein may tell us about its subcellular localization, function, and spatial orientation. This modification occurs at particular and not all lysine residues in a given protein. In competition with biochemical means of modified-site recognition, computational methods are strong contenders in the prediction of SUMOylation-undergoing sites on proteins. In this research, physicochemical properties of amino acids retrieved from AAIndex, especially those involved in docking of modifier and target proteins and optimal presentation of target lysine, in combination with sequence information and random forest-based classifier presented in WEKA have been used to develop a prediction model, SUMOhunt, with statistics significantly better than all previous predictors. In this model 97.56% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, 94% specificity, and 0.95 MCC have been achieved which shows that proposed amino acid properties have a significant role in SUMO attachment. SUMOhunt will hence bring great reliability and efficiency in SUMOylation prediction.
Effects of Amyloid Precursor Protein 17 Peptide on the Protection of Diabetic Encephalopathy and Improvement of Glycol Metabolism in the Diabetic Rat
Authors: Meng Heng , Zhang Duo , Yang Haishan
Published: June 2013

Researchers have proposed that amyloid precursor protein 17 peptide (APP17 peptide), an active fragment of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the nervous system, has therapeutic effects on neurodegeneration. Diabetic encephalopathy (DE) is a neurological disease caused by diabetes. Here we use multiple experimental approaches to investigate the effect of APP17 peptide on changes in learning behavior and glycol metabolism in rats. It was found that rats with DE treated by APP17 peptide showed reversed behavioral alternation. The [18F]-FDG-PET images and other results all showed that the APP17 peptide could promote glucose metabolism in the brain of the DE rat model. Meanwhile, the insulin signaling was markedly increased as shown by increased phosphorylation of Akt and enhanced GLUT4 activation. Compared with the DE group, the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT in the rat hippocampal gyrus were increased, while MDA decreased markedly in the DE + APP17 peptide group. No amyloid plaques in the cortex and the hippocampus were detected in either group, indicating that the experimental animals in the current study were not suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. These results indicate that APP17 peptide could be used to treat DE effectively.
Performance Analysis of Grid Integrated Hydro and Solar Based Hybrid Systems
Authors: Meshram Sweeka , Agnihotri Ganga , Gupta Sushma
Published: June 2013

The renewable energy systems (RESs) are an attractive option to electrify the community as they are environment friendly, free of cost, and all-pervading. The efficiency of these energy systems is very low and can be improved by integrating them in parallel. In this paper, hydro (7.5 kW) and solar systems (10 kW) are taken as RESs and connected with the utility grid. Due to the intermittent nature of both the hydro and photovoltaic energy sources, utility grid is connected to the system for ensuring the continuous power flow. The hydro power generation system uses the self excited induction generator (SEIG) and converters. The AC/DC/AC converter is used as interface to connect the hydro turbine to the utility grid to adjust the generated voltage to the utility grid voltage. The solar generation system is the combination of PV array, boost converter, and solar inverter. The control of both the hydro and solar power plants is provided through the constant current controller. The analysis has been done to verify the existence of the proposed system. Results demonstrate that the proposed system is able to be put into service and can feed the community.
Bending Moment Calculations for Piles Based on the Finite Element Method
Authors: Jie Yu-xin , Yuan Hui-na , Zhou Hou-de , Yu Yu-zhen
Published: June 2013

Using the finite element analysis program ABAQUS, a series of calculations on a cantilever beam, pile, and sheet pile wall were made to investigate the bending moment computational methods. The analyses demonstrated that the shear locking is not significant for the passive pile embedded in soil. Therefore, higher-order elements are not always necessary in the computation. The number of grids across the pile section is important for bending moment calculated with stress and less significant for that calculated with displacement. Although computing bending moment with displacement requires fewer grid numbers across the pile section, it sometimes results in variation of the results. For displacement calculation, a pile row can be suitably represented by an equivalent sheet pile wall, whereas the resulting bending moments may be different. Calculated results of bending moment may differ greatly with different grid partitions and computational methods. Therefore, a comparison of results is necessary when performing the analysis.
Use of Fidji Cervical Cage in the Treatment of Cervical Spinal Cord Injury without Radiographic Abnormality
Authors: Huang Sheng-Li , Yan Hong-Wei , Wang Kun-Zheng
Published: June 2013

Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) is a rare condition seen in adults. Many interbody fusion cages have been developed for its treatment, but clinical studies of Fidji cervical cage are still scarce. A total number of five patients (four male and one female) were reviewed. The ages of the patients ranged from 40 to 60 years. All the patients underwent neurological and radiological examinations. Neurological and functional outcomes were assessed on the basis of Frankel’s grade. Three of the patients were Frankel B, and the rest two were Frankel C. Magnetic resonance imaging was also performed for the evaluation of spinal cord and intervertebral disc injury. Anterior cervical discectomy and Fidji cervical cage fusion were performed for all. The fusion status was evaluated on the basis of X-rays. After surgical intervention, the clinical symptoms improved for all the patients. The disc interspaces in all the patients achieved solid union at final follow-up. Fidji cervical cage is very efficient in achieving cervical fusion in patients with SCIWORA. There are few complications associated with the use of this cage, and the functional and neurological outcomes are satisfactory.
Successful Management of a Combined Abdominal and Thoracic Trauma with Rectal Impalement: Report of a Case
Authors: Kasapas Konstantinos , Daskalaki Anna , Kaimasidis George , Chalkiadakis George
Published: June 2013

Introduction. Combined abdominal and thoracic impalement injuries are a rare form of penetrating trauma. Nowadays, they occur more frequently as an accident and not so often as a deliberate violent action.Case Report. A 35-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department with chest pain and respiratory distress after he had reportedly slipped in his bathtub. Abdominal and thoracic imaging, including computed tomography (CT), confirmed a right-sided pneumothorax and a liver laceration without bleeding or further endoperitoneal trauma. A chest tube was placed. During his hospitalization in the first 24-hour period, he complained of abdominal and right shoulder pain accompanied by fever. A new abdominal and thoracic CT scanning revealed a rupture of the rectosigmoid, a rupture of right hemidiaphragm, and a foreign body in the thoracic cavity. The patient admitted that a broomstick was violently placed through his rectum, and he underwent a thoracotomy with an exploratory laparotomy. The foreign object was removed, the diaphragmatic rupture was repaired, and a Hartmann’s procedure was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.Conclusion. In cases of combined thoracoabdominal trauma, high index of suspicion is required when medical history is misleading and the injuries are not obvious immediately. A coordinated team effort in a well-organized trauma center is also very important.
Systemic BCG-Osis as a Rare Side Effect of Intravesical BCG Treatment for Superficial Bladder Cancer
Authors: Lukacs S. , Tschobotko B. , Szabo N. A. , Symes Andrew
Published: June 2013

Intravesical Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy is a commonly used treatment for superficial bladder cancer. Although the treatment is well tolerated in 95% of cases, life-threatening side effects including BCG sepsis can occur. This report describes the case of an 82-year-old man with a background of lung disease. He developed septic shock and type two respiratory failure after receiving the sixth installation of intravesical BCG (TICE strain) immunotherapy for recurrent bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma in situ. Despite the early initiation of broad spectrum antibiotics (tazocin and gentamicin), he remained pyrexial. There was a rapid deterioration, and on the second day of his admission, he developed type two respiratory failure secondary to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) prompting transfer to Intensive Care for Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) Ventilation. The blood cultures taken before the induction of antibiotics results were negative. Increasing clinical suspicion of systemic BCG-osis prompted the initiation of antituberculosis therapy (ethambutol, isoniazid rifampicin) and steroids. Following six days of BiPAP and anti-tuberculosis therapy in ITU, his condition started to improve. Following a prolonged hospital stay he was discharged on long term ethambutol therapy. BCG-osis is a well-known though rare side effect of intravesical BCG therapy. We would like to highlight the importance of having a low threshold for starting anti-TB treatment.
A Novel Analytic Technique for the Service Station Reliability in a Discrete-Time Repairable Queue
Authors: Liu Renbin , Tang Yinghui
Published: June 2013

This paper presents a decomposition technique for the service station reliability in a discrete-time repairableGeomX/G/1 queueing system, in which the server takes exhaustive service and multiple adaptive delayed vacation discipline. Using such a novel analytic technique, some important reliability indices and reliability relation equations of the service station are derived. Furthermore, the structures of the service station indices are also found. Finally, special cases and numerical examples validate the derived results and show that our analytic technique is applicable to reliability analysis of some complex discrete-time repairable bulk arrival queueing systems.
Chylothorax Complicating Closure of the Ductus Arteriosus: The Second Case
Authors: Ennazk L. , Echouka O. , El Houati R. , Mouaffak Y. , El Adib G. , Boumzebra D. , Younous S.
Published: June 2013

Chylothorax is a possible complication of intrathoracic surgery. The diagnosis of postoperative chylothorax is easy; however, the treatment can cause problems of management because of the lack of consensus. In children, the most common causes of postoperative chylothorax are the cures for congenital heart diseases. We report the case of a two-year-old child, presenting with a chylothorax following surgery of the ductus arteriosus. Our case illustrates the treatment that must first include medical measures without delaying the surgery. The risk is the installation of nutritional and immune deficiency.
Age-Induced Loss of Mossy Fibre Synapses on CA3 Thorns in the CA3 Stratum Lucidum
Authors: Ojo Bunmi , Davies Heather , Rezaie Payam , Gabbott Paul , Colyer Francis , Kraev Igor , Stewart Michael G.
Published: June 2013

Advanced ageing is associated with hippocampal deterioration and mild cognitive decline. The hippocampal subregion CA3 stratum lucidum (CA3-SL) receives neuronal inputs from the giant mossy fibre boutons of the dentate gyrus, but relatively little is known about the integrity of this synaptic connection with ageing. Using serial electron microscopy and unbiased stereology, we examined age-related changes in mossy fibre synapses on CA3 thorny excrescences within the CA3-SL of young adults (4-month-old), middle-aged (12-month-old), and old-aged (28-month-old) Wistar rats. Our data show that while there is an increase in CA3 volume with ageing, there is a significant (40–45%) reduction in synaptic density within the CA3-SL of 12- and 28-month-old animals compared with 4-month-old animals. We also present preliminary data showing that the CA3 neuropil in advanced ageing was conspicuously full of lipofuscin and phagolysosome positive, activated microglial cellular processes, and altered perivascular pathology. These data suggest that synaptic density in the CA3-SL is significantly impaired in ageing, accompanied by underlying prominent ultrastructural glial and microvascular changes.
Percutaneous Fixation of Anterior Column Acetabular Fracture in a Renal Transplant Recipient
Authors: Ceylan Halil , Selek Ozgur , Sarlak Ahmet Y.
Published: June 2013

Renal transplantation, performed per million population, ranges from 30 to 60 in developed countries. The transplanted kidney is generally placed in iliac fossa; therefore the treatment procedure of the pelvic trauma in these patients should be selected carefully. The gold standard technique for the treatment of displaced acetabulum fractures is open reduction and internal fixation. Our patient had received a living-related-donor renal transplant due to chronic renal failure. In the second year of transplantation, she had been injured in a motor-vehicle accident, and radiographs showed a right acetabular anterior column fracture and left pubic rami fractures. The patient was treated with percutaneous fixation techniques and at one year of postoperative period there was no evidence of degenerative signs and the clinical outcome was good. Beside having the advantage of avoiding dissection through the iliac fossa by the standard ilioinguinal approach, percutaneous techniques, with shorter surgical time, decreasing soft tissue disruption, and the potential for early discharge from hospital might be ideal for a renal transplant recipient carrying a higher risk of infection. Percutaneous fixation of selected acetabular fractures in a renal transplant recipient would presumably have the potential to decrease the morbidity associated with traditional open surgical procedures.
Notes on Early Land Plants Today. 40. Notes on Cephaloziellaceae (Marchantiophyta)
Authors: VÁŇA JIŘÍ , SÖDERSTRÖM LARS , HAGBORG ANDERS , VON KONRAT MATT
Published: June 2013

The family Cephaloziellaceae is here defined in a very broad sense based mainly on molecular studies and includes morphologically diverse elements. Necessary new combinations are made in addition to some transfers and new synonyms in Cylindrocolea and Cephaloziella.
Notes on Early Land Plants Today. 41. New combinations and synonyms in Cephaloziaceae (Marchantiophyta)
Authors: VÁŇA JIŘÍ , SÖDERSTRÖM LARS , HAGBORG ANDERS , VON KONRAT MATT
Published: June 2013

Vilnet et al. (2012) and Feldberg et al. (2013) demonstrated that Cephalozia in the sense it has been treated in recent years is polyphyletic (e.g. Váňa 1988). The genus as usually circumscribed falls into two clades. The clade with the type of Cephalozia also includes Metahygrobiella as demonstrated by Feldberg et al. (2013) without making any nomenclatural changes. The other clade was shown by both studies to include Pleurocladula and Vilnet et al. (2013) therefore transferred many of the taxa included in their study to Pleurocladula. As they also demonstrated that Schofieldia belongs to this clade, they should have used this name for the genus as it is two years older. A number of taxa not included in their phylogeny are morphologically related to their taxa and should also be transferred. Feldberg et al. (2013) showed that Fuscocephaloziopsis also belongs here. As this name predates both Pleurocladula and Schofieldia, we transfer Pleurocladula and some Cephalozia species to Fuscocephaloziopsis. It should be noted, however, that there still are some taxa in Cephalozia that have been insufficiently studied to place them in any of the two genera.
A key to the Australian Sarcophagidae (Diptera) with special emphasis on Sarcophaga (sensu lato)
Authors: MEIKLEJOHN KELLY A , DOWTON MARK , PAPE THOMAS , WALLMAN JAMES F
Published: June 2013

The Australian Sarcophagidae (Diptera) currently comprise 84 species, classified into ten genera from the subfamilies Miltogramminae and Sarcophaginae. A key is provided to the Australian sarcophagids, allowing for separation into sub-families and genera, along with the identification of all species of Sarcophaga (sensu lato). A comprehensive database of illustrations and photographs of male terminalia, as well as updated biological information, is given for each species of Sarcophaga s.l.
A new species of Agapophytus Guérin named after the late Donald H. Colless (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae)
Authors: WINTERTON SHAUN L.
Published: June 2013

A distinctive new species of Agapophytus Guérin, 1831 (Agapophytus collessi sp. nov.) is described from Australia (Dip-tera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae) and honouring the Dipterist Dr Donald H. Colless.
Dr Donald H. Colless, in Memoriam
Authors: THEISCHINGER GUNTHER
Published: June 2013

The life, work and success of Dr Donald H. Colless are treated in the preceding articles by people close to him and competent to do it. My desire is to briefly describe how this most successful scientist, one of the most remarkable people I have met, treated, inspired, encouraged and motivated an immigrant amateur entomologist who had just arrived in Australia. I was interested in continuing my taxonomic work on the Australian Tipulidae (Diptera) and various aquatic insect taxa, expanding from my previous studies on the European fauna.
Phrudoneura (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Australia and Melanesia
Authors: BICKEL DANIEL J.
Published: June 2013

The genus Phrudoneura Meuffels & Grootaert (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Is-lands, and New Caledonia is revised, and four new species are described. Phrudoneura collessi sp. nov. occurs in tropical and subtropical Australia, and is named in honour of the Australian Dipterist, Don Colless. Phrudoneura popondetta sp. nov. is from lowland Papua New Guinea, and P. abbreviata Meuffels & Grootaert, originally described from Papua New Guinea, is now recorded from tropical Australia and the Solomon Islands. The previously described fauna of New Cale-donia of five species is reviewed and two new species are described, P. adusta and P. hibernalis. All species are keyed and illustrated. Phrudoneura is not placed in any established subfamily but is regarded as incertae sedis, perhaps having clos-est affinity with the Sympycninae.
Collessiama (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae: Taenogera genus-group), a new genus from eastern Australia, with a key to the Australian genera of Therevidae
Authors: LAMBKIN CHRISTINE L. , TURCO FEDERICA
Published: June 2013

The stiletto fly family Therevidae is diverse and species rich in Australasia, with numerous undescribed species. Ongoing studies of Ectinorhynchus Macquart, 1850 from the Taenogera genus-group indicate that the genus Evansomyia Mann, 1928 stat. rev. is valid and is raised from synonymy for three species: Evansomyia phyciformis (White, 1915) stat. rev., Evansomyia scutellus (Mann, 1933) comb. nov., and Evansomyia venusta (Erichson, 1842) comb. nov.. Two new species of an unusual new therevid genus, Collessiama Lambkin gen. nov., are described from females and rare males collected in montane localities in eastern Australia. The dichotomous key to Australian therevid genera is updated to include Evan-somyia and Collessiama, and a key to species of Collessiama is provided. Collessiama narelleae Lambkin sp. nov. and Collessiama damani Lambkin sp. nov. are illustrated with drawings and high-resolution photographs of adult males and females, and genitalia. Detailed locality records are given for each species and distribution maps are provided.
Supplementary descriptions of Australian Rhinotorini (Diptera: Heteromyzidae)
Authors: MCALPINE DAVID K.
Published: June 2013

Additional material of rhinotorine flies (Diptera: family Heteromyzidae or Heleomyzidae) is studied, much of it collected by the late Donald H. Colless. A distinctive morphological feature of the antenna, present in a majority of genera of the tribe Rhinotorini, is briefly described. Keys are given to the Australasian genera of Rhinotorini and to the species of Cairn-simyia Malloch and Zentula McAlpine. Cairnsimyia englishae n. sp. (New South Wales), Cairnsimyia collessi n. sp. (Queensland), and Zentula tropica n. sp. (Queensland) are described.
Singing and cultural understanding: A music education perspective
Authors: Ilari Beatriz , Chen-Hafteck Lily , Crawford Lisa
Published: June 2013

This article explores the relationship between singing and cultural understanding. Singing emerges in infancy and develops through processes of enculturation and socialization. When we sing songs from diverse cultures, we are granted with opportunities to learn about the cultures of others, and gain a better understanding of our own. Thus, singing songs from different cultures may play important roles in the construction of our identities and in how we perceive and understand others, and ultimately ourselves. Cultural understanding, however, is complex in nature and multi-layered. Even if research findings concerning the relationship between singing and cultural understanding are mixed, we argue that there is value in enhancing students’ cultural understanding through singing multicultural songs. Singing multicultural songs can also promote the well being of students. It is beyond the education of music. It is about a comprehensive education of humans as social beings and music as a human endeavor.
Running on the Web
Authors: Banwart Mary Christine , Winfrey Kelly L.
Published: June 2013

Online self-presentation strategies are critical for female candidates to develop and deliver effectively. This is because the media appear to cover male and female candidates differently in news coverage, and research-based evidence continues to suggest that voters hold male and female candidates to different standards in mixed-gender races. This study examines how women running in mixed-gender races during the 2012 general election cycle employed self-presentation strategies to present a viable image for election. Candidate websites from U.S. House races featuring a female and male candidate are analyzed for their overall use of feminine versus masculine styles, as well as style-based issue discussion and image presentation. The results are compared to past research to further highlight relevant changes over time as women continue to construct their candidacies and define their space—and voice—within the political environment.
Factors Affecting Speed of Adjustment to Target Leverage: Malaysia Evidence
Authors: Haron Razali , Ibrahim Khairunisah , Nor Fauzias Mat , Ibrahim Izani
Published: June 2013

This study focuses on the dynamic aspect of capital structure which is a relatively new area in the finance literature. By employing panel data, 790 of non-financial listed firms in Malaysia are examined for the period 2000–2009. Conducted using the dynamic Partial Adjustment Model and estimated based on the Generalized Method of Moment, this study investigates the existence of target capital structure, speed of adjustment and factors affecting speed of adjustment. There are evidences of target capital structure and firms do adjust to be at their target from time to time with a considerably rapid speed of adjustment, in line with dynamic trade-off theory. Firms in Malaysia are found to be under-adjusted, being below the required adjustment to be at the target within a year. Study on factors affecting speed of adjustment is a new contribution to the literature as no work has been done regarding this issue in Malaysia. This study also analyzes firm-specific factors affecting speed of adjustment. There is strong evidence on the negative relationship between the speed of adjustment and distance from target leverage suggesting fast adjustment if not being far from target. Firm size and profitability significantly influence speed of adjustment for firms in Malaysia.
Dimensions of Strong Brand and Risk: Based on a Liquidity-Augmented Capital Asset Pricing Model
Authors: Chu Hyo-Youn
Published: June 2013

This article investigates the trade-off of developing a brand facing a firm. Establishing the brand on the one hand reduces liquidity (subjective) risk perceived by investors through effective marketing, but on the other hand increases market (objective) risk through incurring a substantial advertising expenditure to accumulate intangible assets. I estimate the model parameters using a new liquidity-augmented Capital Asset Pricing Model developed by Liu ( 2006 ). I find that as advertising expenditure increases, the brand lowers liquidity risk associated with perceived risk by consumers and investors, but increases market risk associated with asset-market structure. Although the impact through which the role of brands operated differed somewhat across industry characteristics, I find that the general impact of brand contribution is empirically plausible across the firm products.
Book Review: Corporate Governance in India
Authors: Vancheswar Vijay
Published: June 2013

Jayati Sarkar and Subrata Sarkar, Corporate Governance in India. New Delhi: SAGE South Asia Edition, SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, 2012, 562 pp. ₹ 795 [Hardback] [ISBN: 978-81-321-0723-1]
Book Review: Millennials and the Workplace-Challenges for Architecting the Organizations of Tomorrow
Authors: Verma Subir
Published: June 2013

Pritam Singh, Asha Bhandarkar and Sumita Rai, Millennials and the Workplace-Challenges for Architecting the Organizations of Tomorrow. New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2012, 233 + xxix pages, ₹ 425 (Paperback) (ISBN: 9788-132-108986)
Gendered representations of parents behind bars: An analysis of newspaper reports
Authors: Umamaheswar Janani
Published: June 2013

Scholars have devoted significant attention to the issue of incarcerated parents, and a separate body of research has examined the representation of crime and offenders in the media. In this study, I contribute to research on incarcerated parents and on media portrayals of offenders by examining the role of gender in US newspaper representations of incarcerated parents over the past three decades. The findings suggest that the difficulties of parenting behind bars and the intergenerational consequences of incarceration are common themes in newspaper accounts of both mothers and fathers in prison. Findings also reveal evidence of a ‘mothering discourse’ that emphasizes the importance of the mother–child relationship in accounts of inmate mothers in particular. These findings are interpreted by drawing on theoretical literature regarding family ideology, parenting discourses, and the ideological nature of the media.
Social memory and ritual performance
Authors: Peterson Rick
Published: June 2013

This article is concerned with archaeological evidence for the mechanisms by which group memory is transmitted. Specifically, how do natural places such as caves and rock shelters retain their status as foci for ritual activity? It draws upon recent social and archaeological theory around embodied memory; in particular, Connerton’s (1989) division of memory claims into three kinds. These are: personal memory claims, cognitive memory claims and habit-memory. It is argued that cognitive memory claims and habit-memory should be regarded as aspects of the same process of remembering; following Gell (1998) and Jones (2007) , physical traces of past action are regarded as central to this act of memory. Three encounters with memory are analysed: managing memories, remembering a lesson learnt and formal performance which reinforces group memories. It is argued that all three share some of the attributes of a ritual performance. An analysis of biographies of practice is proposed to draw out these links between small-scale habit-memory and long-term group memory.
Australia, Indigenous peoples and World Heritage from Kakadu to Cape York: State Party behaviour under the World Heritage Convention
Authors: Logan William
Published: June 2013

The recent heritage literature abounds with criticism of UNESCO and the system set up under its World Heritage Convention. Much of this criticism would be better directed at the States Parties to the Convention, most of which operate in ways that serve their own national interest. Some, however, give mixed signals and demonstrate behaviour that seems inconsistent to the outside observer. Australia is an example of such a State Party, having been a leader in two seemingly opposed policy shifts within the World Heritage system during the last 15 years. On one hand, since the late 1990s Kakadu crisis it has sought to re-focus the World Heritage system on the conservation of Outstanding Universal Value to the detriment of important societal issues which the system could address more concertedly, such as the achievement of cultural dialogue and the entrenchment of human rights. On the other hand, Australia has been a principal advocate for greater involvement of Indigenous peoples in World Heritage nomination and management. The extent to which Australian governments have learnt to deal more sensitively with their Indigenous citizens is shown in the current development of the World Heritage nomination of Cape York. Australia’s apparently inconsistent behaviour within the World Heritage system reflects tensions within Australia’s internal governance arrangements and also at the interface between global governance and state governance. Clearer recognition of such tensions is necessary if a better understanding of the operations of the World Heritage system is to be achieved and if ways to improve the World Heritage system are to be found.
Uncertainty analysis in degradation modeling for maintenance policy assessment
Authors: Baraldi Piero , Compare Michele , Zio Enrico
Published: June 2013

We consider the problem of the evaluation of the maintenance policy of a component by means of degradation modeling. We assume that the stochastic laws governing the degradation process are uncertain, and so are the related parameters. We assume that the information available is in the form of qualitative judgment by an expert. We develop a representation framework based on possibility theory and the concept of fuzzy random variables. An example of application is given with reference to a medium-voltage circuit-breaker test facility.
Diabetic nephropathy in a sibling and albuminuria predict early GFR decline: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Gunzler Douglas , Bleyer Anthony J , Thomas Robert L , O’Brien Alicia , Russell Gregory B , Sattar Abdus , Iyengar Sudha K , Thomas Charles , Sedor John R , Schelling Jeffrey R
Published: June 2013

Background

Diabetic nephropathy is a growing clinical problem, and the cause for >40% of incident ESRD cases. Unfortunately, few modifiable risk factors are known. The objective is to examine if albuminuria and history of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in a sibling are associated with early DN progression or mortality.

Methods

In this longitudinal study of adults >18 yrs with diabetes monitored for up to 9 yrs (mean 4.6 ± 1.7 yrs), 435 subjects at high risk (DN family history) and 400 at low risk (diabetes >10 yrs, normoalbuminuria, no DN family history) for DN progression were evaluated for rate of eGFR change using the linear mixed effects model and progression to ESRD. All-cause mortality was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analyses while controlling for baseline covariates in a Cox proportional hazards model. Covariates included baseline eGFR, age, gender, race, diabetes duration, blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c and urine albumin:creatinine ratio. Propensity score matching was used to identify high and low risk group pairs with balanced covariates. Sensitivity analyses were employed to test for residual confounding.

Results

Mean baseline eGFR was 74 ml/min/1.73 m2 (86% of cohort >60 ml/min/1.73 m2). Thirty high risk and no low risk subjects developed ESRD. eGFR decline was significantly greater in high compared to low risk subjects. After controlling for confounders, change in eGFR remained significantly different between groups, suggesting that DN family history independently regulates GFR progression. Mortality was also significantly greater in high versus low risk subjects, but after controlling for baseline covariates, no significant difference was observed between groups, indicating that factors other than DN family history more strongly affect mortality. Analyses of the matched pairs confirmed change in eGFR and mortality findings. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the eGFR results were not due to residual confounding by unmeasured covariates of a moderate effect size in the propensity matching.

Conclusions

Diabetic subjects with albuminuria and family history of DN are vulnerable for early GFR decline, whereas subjects with diabetes for longer than 10 years, normoalbuminuria and negative family history, experience slower eGFR decline, and are extremely unlikely to require dialysis. Although we would not recommend that patients with low risk characteristics be neglected, scarce resources would be more sensibly devoted to vulnerable patients, such as the high risk cases in our study, and preferably prior to the onset of albuminuria or GFR decline.
Nip the HPV encoded evil in the cancer bud: HPV reshapes TRAILs and signaling landscapes
Authors: Halim Talha Abdul , Farooqi Ammad Ahmad , Zaman Farrukh
Published: June 2013

HPV encoded proteins can elicit ectopic protein–protein interactions that re-wire signaling pathways, in a mode that promotes malignancy. Moreover, accumulating data related to HPV is now providing compelling substantiation of a central role played by HPV in escaping immunosurveillance and impairment of apoptotic response. What emerges is an intricate network of Wnt, TGF, Notch signaling cascades that forms higher-order ligand–receptor complexes routing downstream signaling in HPV infected cells. These HPV infected cells are regulated both extracellularly by ligand receptor axis and intracellularly by HPV encoded proteins and impair TRAIL mediated apoptosis. We divide this review into different sections addressing how linear signaling pathways integrate to facilitate carcinogenesis and compounds that directly or indirectly reverse these aberrant interactions offer new possibilities for therapy in cancer. Although HPV encoded proteins mediated misrepresentation of pathways is difficult to target, improved drug-discovery platforms and new technologies have facilitated the discovery of agents that can target dysregulated pathways in HPV infected cervical cancer cells, thus setting the stage for preclinical models and clinical trials.
Living on the edge: a longitudinal study of Anopheles funestus in an isolated area of Mozambique
Authors: Charlwood J Derek , Cuamba Nelson , Tomás Elsa VE , Briët Olivier JT
Published: June 2013

Background

Understanding the survival strategies of malaria vectors at the edges of their distribution, where they are under stress from environmental conditions, may lead to the development of novel control techniques and may help predict the effects of climate change on these mosquitoes.

Methods

The population dynamics of an isolated population of Anopheles funestus from the peninsula of Linga Linga in southern Mozambique was studied over a period of 104 weeks from March 2009 to May 2011 by 917 light-trap and 390 exit collections, mostly in an area close to a seasonal pond.

Results

Over the sampling period, 3,684 An. funestus females were caught. Densities decreased with increasing distance from the pond. In 2009 and 2010, a single annual peak in An. funestus density coincident with the single annual peak in rainfall was observed, but a clear population peak was absent during the first 21 weeks of 2011. In between population peaks, An. funestus remained present at low densities. In light trap collections, the proportion of gravid mosquitoes was significantly higher during the ‘low season’ (the period between peaks) than during the peak season (RR = 4.3, p<0.001). In contrast, in exit collections, the proportion of gravid mosquitoes was significantly lower during low season than during the peak season (RR = 0.64, p<0.01). Also, in light traps, the proportion of part-fed females was higher during the low season than during the peak season (RR = 4.5, p<0.001), whereas this was inversed for engorged females (RR = 0.46, p<0.05).

Thirteen out of 289 (4.5%) An. funestus tested positive in the sporozoite ELISA. The proportion of sporozoite positive females was higher during the low season (6.25%, six out of 96) than during the peaks (3.63%, seven out of 193), but this difference was not significant.

Conclusions

It is suggested that a proportion of the mosquito population may become gonotrophically discordant during the long dry season resulting in enhanced mosquito survival and sustained malaria transmission.
Does geography influence the treatment and outcomes of colorectal cancer? A population-based analysis
Authors: Helewa Ramzi M , Turner Donna , Wirtzfeld Debrah , Park Jason , Hochman David , Czaykowski Piotr , Singh Harminder , Shu Emma , Xue Lin , McKay Andrew
Published: June 2013

Background

The Canadian province of Manitoba covers a large geographical area but only has one major urban center, Winnipeg. We sought to determine if regional differences existed in the quality of colorectal cancer care in a publicly funded health care system.

Methods

This was a population-based historical cohort analysis of the treatment and outcomes of Manitobans diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 2004 and 2006. Administrative databases were utilized to assess quality of care using published quality indicators.

Results

A total of 2,086 patients were diagnosed with stage I to IV colorectal cancer and 42.2% lived outside of Winnipeg. Patients from North Manitoba had a lower odds of undergoing major surgery after controlling for other confounders (odds ratio (OR): 0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26 to 0.90). No geographic differences existed in the quality measures of 30-day operative mortality, consultations with oncologists, surveillance colonoscopy, and 5-year survival. However, there was a trend towards lower survival in North Manitoba.

Conclusion

We found minimal differences by geography. However, overall compliance with quality measures is low and there are concerning trends in North Manitoba. This study is one of the few to evaluate population-based benchmarks for colorectal cancer therapy in Canada.
Abcb4 acts as multixenobiotic transporter and active barrier against chemical uptake in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos
Authors: Fischer Stephan , Klüver Nils , Burkhardt-Medicke Kathleen , Pietsch Mirko , Schmidt Anne-Marie , Wellner Peggy , Schirmer Kristin , Luckenbach Till
Published: June 2013

Background

In mammals, ABCB1 constitutes a cellular “first line of defense” against a wide array of chemicals and drugs conferring cellular multidrug or multixenobiotic resistance (MDR/MXR). We tested the hypothesis that an ABCB1 ortholog serves as protection for the sensitive developmental processes in zebrafish embryos against adverse compounds dissolved in the water.

Results

Indication for ABCB1-type efflux counteracting the accumulation of chemicals in zebrafish embryos comes from experiments with fluorescent and toxic transporter substrates and inhibitors. With inhibitors present, levels of fluorescent dyes in embryo tissue and sensitivity of embryos to toxic substrates were generally elevated. We verified two predicted sequences from zebrafish, previously annotated as abcb1, by cloning; our synteny analyses, however, identified them as abcb4 and abcb5, respectively. The abcb1 gene is absent in the zebrafish genome and we explored whether instead Abcb4 and/or Abcb5 show toxicant defense properties. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses showed the presence of transcripts of both genes throughout the first 48 hours of zebrafish development. Similar to transporter inhibitors, morpholino knock-down of Abcb4 increased accumulation of fluorescent substrates in embryo tissue and sensitivity of embryos toward toxic compounds. In contrast, morpholino knock-down of Abcb5 did not exert this effect. ATPase assays with recombinant protein obtained with the baculovirus expression system confirmed that dye and toxic compounds act as substrates of zebrafish Abcb4 and inhibitors block its function. The compounds tested comprised model substrates of human ABCB1, namely the fluorescent dyes rhodamine B and calcein-am and the toxic compounds vinblastine, vincristine and doxorubicin; cyclosporin A, PSC833, MK571 and verapamil were applied as inhibitors. Additionally, tests were performed with ecotoxicologically relevant compounds: phenanthrene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) and galaxolide and tonalide (two polycyclic musks).

Conclusions

We show that zebrafish Abcb4 is a cellular toxicant transporter and provides protection of embryos against toxic chemicals dissolved in the water. Zebrafish Abcb4 thus is functionally similar to mammalian ABCB1, but differs from mammalian ABCB4, which is not involved in cellular resistance to chemicals but specifically transports phospholipids in the liver. Our data have important implications: Abcb4 could affect bioavailability - and thus toxicologic and pharmacologic potency - of chemicals to zebrafish embryos and inhibition of Abcb4 therefore causes chemosensitization, that is, enhanced sensitivity of embryos to toxicants. These aspects should be considered in (eco)toxicologic and pharmacologic chemical screens with the zebrafish embryo, a major vertebrate model.
Subgroup J avian leukosis virus infection inhibits autophagy in DF-1 cells
Authors: Liu Haixia , Cao Weisheng , Li Yuhao , Feng Min , Wu Xiaochan , Yu Kangzhen , Liao Ming
Published: June 2013

Background

Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) infection can induce tumor-related diseases in chickens. Previous studies by our laboratory demonstrated that ALV-J infection of DF-1 cells resulted in altered activity and phosphorylation of AKT. However, little is known about the subsequent activation of host DF-1 cells.

Results

In the current study, autophagy inhibition was observed for ALV-J infected DF-1 cells. Our data showed that the autophagosome protein, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II (LC3-II), was reduced considerably in DF-1 cells infected with active ALV-J, while no change was observed for cells infected with inactivated ALV-J. Autophagy inhibition was also confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Interestingly, when autophagy was promoted by rapamycin, the titers of ALV-J replication were decreased, and the replication level of ALV-J was significantly enhanced when atg5 (autophagy-related gene 5) was knocked out.

Conclusions

These results suggested that ALV-J infection could down-regulate autophagy in DF-1 cells during viral replication. This study is the first to report on the relationship between ALV-J infection and autophagy in DF-1 cells.
Comparative inhalation toxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and low surface carbon black
Authors: Ma-Hock Lan , Strauss Volker , Treumann Silke , Küttler Karin , Wohlleben Wendel , Hofmann Thomas , Gröters Sibylle , Wiench Karin , van Ravenzwaay Bennard , Landsiedel Robert
Published: June 2013

Background

Carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and carbon black are seemingly chemically identical carbon-based nano-materials with broad technological applications. Carbon nanotubes and carbon black possess different inhalation toxicities, whereas little is known about graphene and graphite nanoplatelets.

Methods

In order to compare the inhalation toxicity of the mentioned carbon-based nanomaterials, male Wistar rats were exposed head-nose to atmospheres of the respective materials for 6 hours per day on 5 consecutive days. Target concentrations were 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/m3 for multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 0.5, 2.5, or 10 mg/m3 for graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and low-surface carbon black. Toxicity was determined after end of exposure and after three-week recovery using broncho-alveolar lavage fluid and microscopic examinations of the entire respiratory tract.

Results

No adverse effects were observed after inhalation exposure to 10 mg/m3 graphite nanoplatelets or relatively low specific surface area carbon black. Increases of lavage markers indicative for inflammatory processes started at exposure concentration of 0.5 mg/m3 for multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 10 mg/m3 for graphene. Consistent with the changes in lavage fluid, microgranulomas were observed at 2.5 mg/m3 multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 10 mg/m3 graphene. In order to evaluate volumetric loading of the lung as the key parameter driving the toxicity, deposited particle volume was calculated, taking into account different methods to determine the agglomerate density. However, the calculated volumetric load did not correlate to the toxicity, nor did the particle surface burden of the lung.

Conclusions

The inhalation toxicity of the investigated carbon-based materials is likely to be a complex interaction of several parameters. Until the properties which govern the toxicity are identified, testing by short-term inhalation is the best option to identify hazardous properties in order to avoid unsafe applications or select safer alternatives for a given application.