bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the Signal Process of a Bell-Shaped Vibratory Angular Rate Gyro
Authors: Su Zhong , Liu Ning , Li Qing , Fu Mengyin , Liu Hong , Fan Junfang
Published: March 2014

A bell-shaped vibratory angular rate gyro, which is inspired by the Chinese traditional bell, is a kind of axisymmetric shell resonator gyroscope. Its sensitive element is a vibratory-like Chinese traditional bell, using a piezoelectric element on the wall of the vibrator to detect the standing wave’s precession to solve the input angular rate. This work mainly studies the circuit system of a bell-shaped vibratory angular rate gyro. It discusses the process of circuit system design, analysis and experiment, in detail, providing the foundation to develop a bell-shaped vibratory angular rate gyro. Since the bell-shaped resonator’s curved structure has the characteristics of large noise in the piezoelectric signal and large harmonics, this paper analyzes its working and signal detection method, then gives the whole plan of the circuit system, including the drive module, the detection module and the control loop. It also studies every part of the whole system, gives a detailed design and analysis process and proves part of the circuit system using digital simulation. At the end of the article, the test result of the circuit system shows that it can remove the disadvantages of the curved structure having large noise in the piezoelectric signal and large harmonics and is more effective at solving the input angular rate.
Zearalenone, an Estrogenic Mycotoxin, Is an Immunotoxic Compound
Authors: Hueza Isis , Raspantini Paulo , Raspantini Leonila , Latorre Andreia , Górniak Silvana
Published: March 2014

The aim of this study was to assess the toxic effects of zearalenone (ZEA) on the immune function. Ovariectomised rats were treated daily by gavage with 3.0 mg/kg of ZEA for 28 days. Body weight gain, food consumption, haemotological parameters, lymphoid organs, and their cellularities were evaluated. Moreover, acquired immune responses and macrophage activity were also assessed. ZEA promoted reduction in body weight gain, which is not fully explained by diminished food consumption. Despite no effect on haematological parameters, ZEA caused thymic atrophy with histological and thymocyte phenotype changes and decrease in the B cell percentage in the spleen. With respect to acquired and innate immune responses, no statistically significant differences in delayed-type hypersensitivity were noticed; however, in the ZEA-treated rats, antibody production and peroxide release by macrophages were impaired. The observed results could be related to ZEA activity on ERs; thus, ZEA is an immunotoxic compound similar to estrogen and some endocrine disruptors.
Direct Reprogrammed Neuronal Cells as a Novel Resource for Cell Transplantation Therapy
Authors: Yamashita Toru , Abe Koji
Published: March 2014

Cell transplantation/replacement therapy is attractive as a novel strategy for neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. To realize this therapy, safer and more therapeutic effective cell resources are now required. Since induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can retain high replication competence and pluripotency when they differentiate into various kinds of cells, they are regarded as a promising cell source for cell transplantation therapy. However, high tumorigenesis of iPSCs has to be overcome for clinical applications. Recent progress includes the combination of novel transcriptional factors that can convert somatic cells to various kinds of mature neuronal cells and neural stem cells without requiring iPSC fate. Some evidence indicates that these directly induced neuronal cells have little tumorigenic potential. In this article, we discuss the advantage, issues, and possibility of clinical application of these cells for cell transplantation therapy.
A Modified Desirability Function Approach for Mean-Variance Optimization of Multiple Responses
Authors: Kushwaha Sunil , Sikdar Sudipta , Mukherjee Indrajit , Ray Pradip Kumar
Published: March 2014

A generic problem encountered in process improvement involves simultaneous optimization of multiple responses (so-called ‘critical response/output characteristics'). These types of problems are also referred to as ‘multiple response optimization (MRO) problems'. The primary goal of any process improvement initiative is to determine the best process operating conditions that simultaneously optimizes various critical ‘response characteristics'. Conventional desirability function approach uses response functions, target values, specifications to convert a MRO problem to a composite single objective optimization problem. The single objective function is maximized to determine near optimal conditions based on specific metaheuristic search strategy. The solution quality is expressed in terms of closeness of mean to target values and reduced variance around targets. Researchers generally impose hypothetical boundary conditions on variance to achieve satisfactory solutions. In this paper, an unconstrained modified desirability function is proposed, which do not require boundary conditions on variance, to determine efficient solution for MRO problem. Various case studies from open literature are selected to verify the superiority of the proposed approach over conventional desirability approach.
Persistent arthralgia among Chikungunya patients and associated risk factors in Chennai, South India
Authors: Ramachandran V , Kaur P , Kanagasabai K , Vadivoo S , Murhekar MV
Published: March 2014

Context:

Chikungunya (CHIK) fever is viral disease characterized by joint pain for prolonged duration in various settings. However, there are no reports of long-term follow-up of the CHIK patients from India.

Aims:

We conducted a cohort study to describe the clinical manifestations, incidence of persistent arthralgia, and the associated risk factors among patients with CHIK identified during an outbreak in a suburb of Chennai, India.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cum prospective cohort study in Gowripet, Avadi, Chennai. We included all adult CHIK case patients identified during the outbreak. We conducted a nested case-control study to identify the risk factors for persistent arthralgia defined as a CHIK case experiencing arthralgia for more than 15 days from the date of onset of illness. We included all 81 patients and 81 randomly selected controls.

Results:

All 403 case patients had joint pain. Approximately 40% suffered joint pain for up to 1 month and 7% had it beyond 1 year. The most commonly affected types of joints were knee (96%), wrist (80%), and ankle (77%) joints. Regarding the number of types of joints affected, 36% had six types of joints, 23% had five types of joints, and 14% had three types of joints affected. The overall incidence of persistent arthralgia was 80%. High-grade fever, involvement of four or more types of joints, and joint swelling were significantly associated with persistent arthralgia.

Conclusions:

High prevalence of persistent arthralgia indicates the need for appropriate treatment strategies to reduce the severity and duration of joint pain.
Health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in North India
Authors: Negi H , Sarkar M , Raval AD , Pandey K , Das P
Published: March 2014

Background and Objectives:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem in India and constitutes an important cause of mortality and morbidity. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) and its determinants in patients with COPD from India.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 126 patients (73.81% male) were enrolled using convenient sampling prospectively in this cross-sectional study. Eligible patients were assessed for socioeconomic status, anthropometric measures, COPD severity, dyspnea and health status using the Hindi version of St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Linear regression model was used to examine the association between risk factors and HRQL score (a higher score indicating poorer HRQL), adjusting for age and sex.

Results:

The mean total score for SGRQ in the patients was 52.66 ± 12.89, indicating a marked impairment of HRQL. Impairment was associated with the severity of airway obstruction, but within each Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage, the variation (SD) was wide [stage I: 47.8 ± 12.3 (n = 14); stage II: 49.28 ± 11.69 (n = 47); stage III: 53.47 ± 11.69 (n = 44); stage IV: 61.75 ± 14.14 (n = 21)]. A regression analysis showed that body mass index, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), dyspnea grade, and depression were associated with poor HRQL.

Conclusion:

HRQL of COPD patients was significantly impaired across stages. Marked impairment of HRQL was found even in patients with mild disease.
Patient-physician trust among adults of rural Tamil Nadu
Authors: Baidya M , Gopichandran V , Kosalram K
Published: March 2014

Background:

Trust is the acceptance of a vulnerable situation in which the truster believes that the trustee will act in the truster's best interests. The cornerstone of the patient-physician relationship is "trust". Despite the intensity and importance of trust relationship of patients toward their physician, the phenomenon is rarely studied in developing countries.

Objective:

Our study aimed to explore the concept of patient-physician trust among adults of rural Tamil Nadu to assess the factors affecting patient-physician trust relationship and patient satisfaction.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive household survey was carried out on 112 individuals selected by a multistage random sampling method. Men and women aged above 40 years who have visited a health care service at least once during the last 5 years were included in the study. Thom et al's modification of the Anderson and Dedrick Physician Trust scale was used to measure patient trust in physician.

Results:

Trust is a one-dimensional construct in the surveyed population as revealed by an exploratory factor analysis which extracted one component explaining 50% of the overall variance. Trust influences patient's self-reported satisfaction (β coefficient of 0.048; P < 0.001) and remains independent of all the other factors assessed in the study such as, age, gender, education, self-reported health status, time spent with the physician, physician's gender, physician's age, and medical specialty that the physician belongs to. Physician's gender, physician's age, self-reported health status, and time spent with the physician were significantly associated with satisfaction with the physician.

Conclusion:

Trust in physicians seems to not depend on any of the assessed factors and largely seems to be implicit in the physician-patient relationship. Trust in physician is associated with patient satisfaction. Further studies are needed to assess trust in physicians in developing country settings.
Role of inhaled amphotericin in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: Sehgal IS , Agarwal R
Published: March 2014

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an immunological pulmonary disorder caused by immune reactions mounted against the ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. The disease clinically manifests with poorly controlled asthma, hemoptysis, systemic manifestations like fever, anorexia and weight loss, fleeting pulmonary opacities and bronchiectasis. The natural course of the disease is characterized by repeated episodes of exacerbations. Almost 30-40% of the patients require prolonged therapy, which currently consists of corticosteroids and anti-fungal azoles; both these agents have significant adverse reactions. Amphotericin B administered via the inhaled route can achieve a high concentration in the small airways with minimal systemic side-effects. Nebulized amphotericin B has been used in the management of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The aim of this review is to study the utility of inhaled amphotericin in ABPA.
Projects not initiated by investigators
Authors: Kuyare SS , Marathe PA , Shetty YC , Kamat SK , Katkar JV , Thatte UM
Published: March 2014

Background:

Some investigators on receiving queries from Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC), either leave the queries unanswered or withdraw their studies. The present study was conducted to assess the queries raised by two IECs after reviewing studies that were not initiated and to identify reasons for the same. Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI) website was checked to review approval status of these studies at other sites.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective analysis of studies (submitted between January 2006 and December 2011) not initiated by investigators on receiving queries from IECs were identified. The nature of of these studies: whether sponsored (pharmaceutical industry (pharma)/government/investigator initiated), single-centre/multi-centric, and queries raised were analyzed. Status of multi-centric trials; not initiated at our site was checked at CTRI. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

A total of 219/2075 (11%) studies were not initiated. The proportions in pharma sponsored, investigator initiated, and government sponsored were 33%. 7.4%, and 8%, respectively. Out of a total of 1676 queries, the maximum queries were related to ethics (42%) and the least were administrative (7%). The largest proportion of queries in the pharma studies was ethical (47%), whereas majority were scientific queries (45.5%) for the investigator initiated studies. Twenty-one of the 94 multi-centric studies not initiated at our site were found registered at the CTRI and were ongoing or completed at 2-55 sites.

Conclusion:

Inability of investigators to defend studies due to lack of good clinical research practice (GCP) and research methodology training or unwillingness of sponsors to comply with local IEC requirements could be potential reasons for studies remaining uninitiated. Continued GCP training of investigators and IEC members and development of uniform ethical review standards across IECs are strongly recommended.
Xanthoma disseminatum
Authors: Attia AM , Bakry OA , Mohamed EE
Published: March 2014

Xanthoma disseminatum (XD) is a rare, benign, non-Langerhans cell histiocytic disorder. The pathogenesis is not clear. It manifests with multiple, grouped, red-brown to yellow papules and nodules involving the skin, mucous membranes, and internal organs. We present a case of progressive XD in a 10-year-old male child. The patient presented with progressive, bilateral and symmetrical, reddish-brown, coalescent papules on the neck, around both eyes and all over his trunk and extremities. Skin lesions were accompanied by blurred vision and hoarseness of voice. Examination revealed xanthomatous infiltration of cornea, oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal mucosae. The patient had diabetes insipidus that was diagnosed 2 years before the appearance of skin lesions. Medical treatment with corticosteroids (20 mg/day) and azathioprine (2 mg/kg/day) did not stop the disease progression.
Beware of parotitis induced by iodine-containing contrast media
Authors: Kohat AK , Jayantee K , Phadke RV , Muthu R , Singh V , Misra UK
Published: March 2014

Carotid stenting is being increasingly used for revascularization of the moderate to severe carotid stenosis and thus its complications are increasingly being recognized. We report a rare complication of induced by iodine contrast in a patient undergoing carotid stenting. s. A 51 year old man after the second stenting developed multiple small infarcts in spite of the distal device. He also had painful parotid swelling which improved within a week. One should be aware of iodine parotitis s in the patients undergoing iodinated contrast study.
The Inscription of Fundamental Human Rights and the Liberation of the Igbo Woman from Customary and Administrative Burdens
Authors: Orabueze Florence O , Ogbazi Ifeyinwa
Published: March 2014

There is no doubt that the International Bill of Rights and other international legal instruments have sought to truly liberate every human being by the recognition of the equality and inalienable rights of all persons on the face of the earth as the foundation for peace, justice and freedom. In order to ensure that these rights are enjoyed by all, without exception, state-parties have been enjoined to domesticate the fundamental human rights and to further abrogate existing laws, including customary laws and practices, which constitute impediments to the full enjoyment of these rights by everybody. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, just as others before it, has incorporated these rights in its chapter four. The thrust of this research, therefore, is to critically examine three provisions of the grund norm – the right to the dignity of the human person, the right to freedom from discrimination and the right to the acquisition and ownership of property – as they concern the liberation of the Igbo woman. This is aimed at determining whether these constitutional provisions have really liberated her from customary practices that degrade, marginalize and disinherit her – whether as a widow, as a childless woman, as an unmarried woman and as an illegitimate daughter. It also questions whether her constitutional guaranteed rights have been abrogated through administrative actions and the struggle going on to liberate her. UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities vol 14 (2) 2013
Interrogating Infanticide/ Child Euthanasia in the Roman Christian Era, Vis-À-Vis the Abuja Practice
Authors: Aneni Monica Omoye
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this paper is an attempt to examine infanticide practices in the Roman Christian era and interrogate infanticide and child euthanasia in the same era. It also attempts to point out infanticide practices in Abuja and makes a distinction between infanticide and child euthanasia in Abuja. The study employed historical and comparative methodologies to highlight the issues surrounding infanticide/child euthanasia in the Roman Christian era and infanticide in Abuja. A deliberate attempt at population reduction and man’s instinctive nature towards his survival are some of the rationales for the practice of infanticide in antiquity and Abuja. The paper concludes with the argument that infanticide and child euthanasia are one and the same in antiquity, and infanticide in Abuja continues to be practiced due to lack of education and enlightenment of the people who performed them. Further studies could examine diverse religious inclinations toward infanticide/ or child euthanasia in the Graeco-Roman world and the modern world.Keywords: infanticide, child euthanasia, Roman Christian era, AbujaUJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities vol 14 (2) 2013
Causative Constructions: A Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Imoh Philip Manda
Published: March 2014

This study is a descriptive study of causative constructions in Bassa language. It is a language classified as belonging to the Western Kru of Benue Congo (Blench, & Williamson, 2000:25; Crozier and Blench, 1992:32). Causative construction implies an expression where the caused event is depicted as taking place because someone does something or something happens, that is, if x hadn’t happened, y wouldn’t have happened. The process is characterized by two events such that one occurs at t1 and another at t2, and the occurrence of the first is responsible for the second event. Data for the study were sourced by a customized checklist, my native intuition as native speaker, and some written texts in Bassa. The work discovered that morphologically derived causative verbs could come from a verb or an adjective stem and in each case; it is characterized by transitivizing the derived verb with the resultant effect of increasing the argument by one to the basic structure and transformation of the arguments. In this case, the basic subject moves to the object position and the applied argument, that is, the causer argument becomes the subject of the derived mono-clausal structure. This work also discovered that when these processes occur, the applied subject is focalized, becomes the privileged argument and displaces the inherent subject and moves it below the predicate and the derived mono-clausal sentence from the complex sentence is economized.UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities vol 14 (2) 2013
Apresentação
Authors: Vendramini Célia Regina , Alves Natália , Rummert Sonia Maria
Published: March 2014

Apresentação
Educar, qualificar: caminhos e descaminhos da educação de jovens e adultos trabalhadores
Authors: Rummert Sonia Maria
Published: March 2014

Este artigo apresenta reflexões acerca de questões relativas à qualificação, abordadas em duas perspectivas básicas. Trata-se das concepções de qualificação subordinadas à divisão social do trabalho e da decorrente adequação da força de trabalho às necessidades históricas dos diferentes estágios de expansão e consolidação do capital. Posteriormente, será abordada essa temática à luz do materialismo histórico dialético. Para tanto, será apresentada, inicialmente, uma breve retrospectiva histórica da temática da qualificação, coadunada com as necessidades impostas à classe trabalhadora pelo modo de produção capitalista. A seguir, discorre-se sobre as contribuições marxianas à reflexão sobre a mesma temática. Em continuidade, apresenta-se reflexões preliminares acerca da importância da experiência para a educação de jovens e adultos trabalhadores, na perspectiva da educação comprometida com a emancipação humana.
Formação de Adultos Pouco Escolarizados: paradoxos da perspectiva da Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida
Authors: Cavaco Carmen
Published: March 2014

Neste artigo, procura-se analisar criticamente a perspectiva política da Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida, tendo como referência as políticas e práticas orientadas para os adultos pouco escolarizados, em Portugal. Considera-se que, contrariamente ao discurso político da Agenda Europeia e das orientações políticas nacionais, a perspectiva da Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida não visa uma educação para todos, nem todo o tipo de educação. A análise que se apresenta resultou de uma investigação de natureza qualitativa, que se baseou na recolha documental e estatística. Estes dados foram complementados com informação recolhida através de entrevistas, num território do sul de Portugal, composto por cinco municípios. Os dados empíricos recolhidos evidenciam que as orientações políticas referentes à perspectiva da Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida dão lugar a práticas muito circunscritas de formação, que não atendem à riqueza e diversidade dos processos educativos e que, por esse motivo, não envolvem a globalidade dos cidadãos. A maior parte da formação realizada no território em estudo é orientada para adultos activos e baseia-se na forma escolar, o que dificulta a participação dos adultos pouco escolarizados.
Violência na Escola: considerações a partir da formação docente
Authors: Tavares Santos Jean Mac Cole , Pereira Milene Rejane , Rodrigues Érica Renata Clemente
Published: March 2014

Neste trabalho apresenta-se alguns resultados de pesquisa realizada com graduandos do curso de licenciatura em Pedagogia da Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN) sobre o fenômeno da violência na escola. Tomou-se como referencial teórico para definição e problematização do conceito de violência os estudos de Andrade, Aquino, Abramovay e Rua, Araújo, Charlot, Bauman e Freire. Discute-se, assim, os vários conceitos de violência na escola. Para apreender as concepções discentes sobre o assunto, foram entrevistados vinte e oito graduandos do curso de Pedagogia buscando relacionar a compreensão deles sobre o fenômeno com os estudos sobre o tema. Pensou-se, com eles, que o docente deve partilhar saberes para gerir conflitos de violência na escola, através do diálogo, da ética profissional, da relação social de ensino-aprendizagem.
Currículo, cultura e crueldade: para compor uma ética com Antonin Artaud e o teatro
Authors: Oliveira Thiago Ranniery Moreira de , Paraíso Marlucy Alves
Published: March 2014

Este artigo busca nas linhas de força de Antonin Artaud, do Teatro da Crueldade e da Filosofia da Diferença de Gilles Deleuze elementos para compor uma ética da crueldade curricular. Desenvolve-se, assim, o argumento de que a crueldade das formas de vida e a crueldade das forças de uma vida permitem alimentar exigência de uma ética da crueldade curricular. Expõe-se, desse modo, a dimensão ética e cultural da crueldade a partir do duplo formas/forças posto em jogo no Teatro da Crueldade. Extrai-se, portanto, uma ética da crueldade curricular que funciona a partir de dois movimentos: dar conta dos autoengendramentos das formas de vida em um currículo e pensar os movimentos fecundos que possibilitam a permanente invenção de formas de viver.
Formação inicial e a manifestação dos acadêmicos sobre a relação teoria e prática
Authors: Tozetto Susana Soares , Gomes Thais de Sá
Published: March 2014

A teoria é entendida na percepção de Otaviano Pereira como a interiorização da prática, contemplação da ação prática. Pautado no conceito do referido autor, buscou-se investigar qual o conceito de teoria na percepção das acadêmicas do curso de Pedagogia, a fim de identificar nos depoimentos das mesmas, indícios que retratem qual a relação teoria/prática entendida. Assim, procura-se identificar nosdepoimentos das acadêmicas qual é o entendimento de teoria que elas apresentam e se o mesmo indica a compreensão da unidade da relação teoria e prática, aspecto que possibilitará a práxis. O que se identificou com a investigação foi que em determinado momento do curso as acadêmicas compreendem a teoria separada da prática. Comoresultado da investigação percebeu-se que somente um pequeno grupo de acadêmicas demonstraram compreensão do referido conceito, pois retratam em seus discursos o movimento dialético na fundamentação teórico/prática.
“Aprender para quê?” Uma análise da aprendizagem na educação escolar atual
Authors: Simão Pereira Clarice , Da Cunha Urt Sônia
Published: March 2014

O propósito deste artigo é analisar a função da aprendizagem na educação escolar. Apresenta-se o recorte de uma entrevista de Ruben Alves, intitulada “Aprender para quê?”, e discute-se alguns aspectos principais da exposição do autor. O texto expõe que a educação escolar vem sendo menosprezada, com acentuado esvaziamento de conteúdo e redução do papel do professor a mero facilitador do processo de ensino e aprendizagem. A partir das questões levantadas, buscou-se fazer o contraponto, e conduzindo a análise por meio de interlocuções com outros autores, que defendem a educação escolar como lócus fundamental na formação humana, responsável pela socialização do conhecimento científico, artístico e filosófico, acumulado historicamente. Nesta direção, compreende-se que a aprendizagem está estritamente vinculada ao desenvolvimento humano, e pode se constituir em instrumento de luta e transformação.
Tussen feit en fictie - Over Roelants wapenschild en een Zuid-Vlaams ontstaansmilieu voor de Middelnederlandse Fierabras
Authors: Kestemont Mike
Published: March 2014

In 1860, Blommaert edited a manuscript fragment, found in the municipal archives of Bourbourg. The fragment offers a unique text witness of a Middle Dutch Carolingian epic, nowadays known as the Fierabras. Just before the fragment breaks off, the text discusses the shield (escutcheon) of the epical heroes Roland and his father Milon, bearing a red lion rampant on a field of gold. In 1937, Knuttel recognized in this heraldic detail an unambiguous allusion to the arms of the counts of Holland. Ever since, researchers believe the Bourbourg-text to have been written for the court of Holland, being one of the sparse testimonies of the interest the Dutch nobility in the north took in patronizing Middle Dutch chivalric literature. Our investigations, however, seem to counter this view. Members of the House of Gavere, in the south of Flanders, took on a variant of Roland’s shield by the end of the thirteenth century, claiming descendance from a comrade-in-arms of the epic hero. This legend took root in southern Flemish manuscript illumination around 1300. It will be demonstrated that southern Flanders – the region around Gavere – is an equally likely context for the composition of the Bourbourg-text, offering a much more plausible explanation for the southern Flemish dialect of its poet.
Interdisciplinariteit als participerende objectivering - Over de erkenning van de institutionele autonomie van literatuur in het recht in Nederland rond 1920
Authors: Grüttemeier Ralf
Published: March 2014

This article takes as its point of departure the obvious heterogeneity of the present debate on interdisciplinary research. An effort to find explanatory factors for this heterogeneity is combined with a plea for interdisciplinary research based on disciplinary research questions and/or on what Bourdieu calls ‘participant objectivation’ as a mode of foregrounding the foundations of disciplines. Against this background, the second part of this article tries to give an example for interdisciplinary research on the area of law and literature in which the professional view of the juridical field on literature is analyzed from the perspective whether it can give more plausible and profound answers to questions concerning the literary field. Especially the hypothesis of the rise of a literary field in the Netherlands around 1900 is tested with regard to the recognition of a relative autonomous literary field by the field of power, in casu by jurisdiction. As a case study, the reflection of the trials 1919/1920 on the Dutch translation of the novel De hel by the French writer Henri Barbusse is analyzed with regard to the concept of institutional autonomy of literature within the legal field. That reconstruction is undertaken from different sources, among which newspaperarticles, a parliamentary debate and a juridical journal.
In den beginne waren er het woord én het beeld - De ‘plaatjesroman’ in de Nederlandse literatuur na 1960: de gevallen Krol en Kousbroek
Authors: Opstaele Miekw
Published: March 2014

Novels come to life in the reader’s imagination where word and image go hand in hand. An intriguing type of novel is the one that displays visual images in the text. This type, however, constitutes a minority in recent literary history, as literature is of course primarily a verbal art. Traditionally, the pictures are believed to work against the reader’s narrative imagination. It is said that the process of imagination is fed precisely by the absence of direct visual material. However, in the second half of the twentieth century examples can be found in Dutch literature of ‘pictorial novels’ in which the pictures do not obstruct the reading process, but add another dimension to the text. Those novels, in which the integration of pictures seems to function as a literary technique, make up the subject of this article. It examines the function and meaning of pictures in two Dutch novels: Gerrit Krol, Het gemillimeterde hoofd (1967) and Rudy Kousbroek, Vincent en het geheim van zijn vaders lichaam (1981). Furthermore, the analysis of the novels presented in this article, shows that pictures have a specific function in the novel and that they can play an important role in the story on several levels.
Inleiding - Geschiedenissen lezen, herlezen en onthouden. Literatuur, geschiedschrijving en ideologie, 1600-1815
Authors: van der Haven Kornee , Jensen Lotte
Published: March 2014

Hun gelieve zich te errinneren, dat eenen yghelyke niet alles te voore komt, en vaaken de tydt yet verborgens oopenbaart, ’t welk, aanmerkelyk van zelf, ook dikmaals tot ontfouwing van ’t ouwde dient, en, daaronder gemengt als nieuw, de zinnen aanlokt tot leezen en herleezen van geschiedenissen, zonder ’t onthouden der welke ’s Lands behoudenis last lydt.2 [Maar zij zouden moeten beseffen dat iedereen niet alles onder ogen komt en dat de tijd vaak iets verborgens openbaart dat, uit zichzelf al de moeite waard, dikwijls tevens tot verheldering van het oude dient en daaronder als iets nieuws gemengd, de lust prikkelt tot het lezen en herlezen van geschiedenissen, zonder het onthouden waarvan het behoud van het land gevaar loopt]
Eten! Lezen! Reizen! - Traditie, toerisme en lifestyle bij Bart van Loo en Geerten Meijsing
Authors: De Bruyn Ben
Published: March 2014

This article analyzes the literary non-fiction of Bart van Loo, especially his trilogy of books devoted to French literature and culture, De Frankrijktrilogie (2011). Developing Jim Collins’s penetrating account of ‘popular literary culture’ and of the ways in which literary classics are nowadays converted into entertaining ‘good reads’, the article argues that the literary tradition currently functions as a guide to the ‘good life’. Crucial here, as a comparison with Geerten Meijsing’s similar use of the Italian cultural heritage demonstrates, is the opposition between tasteless consumerism and an alternative, ‘literary’ form of lifestyle, which weds elegant literature to tasteful forms of fashion, tourism and gastronomy.
Hoe telbaar is stijl? - Een kwantitatieve analyse van observatie en participatie in de stijl van Arnon Grunberg
Authors: Fagel Suzanne , Stukker Ninke , van Andel Loes
Published: March 2014

Digital humanities’ is a discipline on the rise. But there still are a lot of prejudices to battle concerning the use of quantitative methods in literary analysis. This article presents an example of the way quantitative data can be used in a stylistic analysis. Our case study is the novel De asielzoeker by Arnon Grunberg. We relate Grunberg’s poetical standpoints on the nature and function of literature to his style of writing. Our article contains two linguistic analyses: an analysis of Grunberg’s use of causal connectives, and an analysis of his verb use. Goal of this research is to give an insight into the possibilities, but also the limitations of quantitative methods in literary-stylistic analysis
Alfvén waves in space and astrophysical dusty plasmas
Authors: Jatenco-Pereira V. , Chian A. C.-L. , Rubab N.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. In this paper, we present some results of previous works on Alfvén waves in a dusty plasma in different astrophysical and space regions by taking into account the effect of superthermal particles on the dispersive characteristics. We show that the presence of dust and superthermal particles sensibly modify the dispersion of Alfvén waves. The competition between different damping processes of kinetic Alfvén waves and Alfvén cyclotron waves is analyzed. The nonlinear evolution of Alfvén waves to chaos is reviewed. Finally, we discuss some applications of Alfvén waves in the auroral region of space plasmas, as well as stellar winds and star-forming regions of astrophysical plasmas.
Computer assisted Sound Analysis of Arteriovenous Fistula in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Malindretos Pavlos , Liaskos Christos , Bamidis Panagiotis , Chryssogonidis Ioannis , Lasaridis Anastasios , Nikolaidis Pavlos
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this study was to reveal the unique sound characteristics of the bruit produced by arteriovenous fistulae (AVF), using a computerized method. An electronic stethoscope (20 Hz to 20 000 Hz sensitivity) was used, connected to a portable laptop computer. Forty prevalent hemodialysis patients participated in the study. All measurements were made with patients resting in supine position, prior to the initiation of mid-week dialysis session. Standard color Doppler technique was used to estimate blood flow. Clinical examination revealed the surface where the perceived bruit was more intense, and the recording took place at a sample rate of 22 000 Hz in WAV lossless format. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) mathematical algorithm, was used for the sound analysis. This algorithm is particularly useful in revealing the periodicity of sound data as well as in mapping its frequency behavior and its strength. Produced frequencies were divided into 40 frequency intervals, 250 Hz apart, so that the results would be easier to plot and comprehend. The mean age of the patients was 63.5 ± 14 years; the median time on dialysis was 39.6 months (mean 1 month, max. 200 months). The mean blood flow was 857.7 ± 448.3 ml/min. The mean sound frequency was approximately 5 500 Hz ± 4 000 Hz and the median, which is also expressing the major peak of sound data, was 750 Hz, varying from 250 Hz to 10 000 Hz. A possible limitation of the study is the relatively small number of participants.
Effects of Coencapsulation of Hepatocytes with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in the Treatment of Rats with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure
Authors: Zhang Yue , Chen Xue-Min , Sun Dong-Lin
Published: March 2014

Introduction

Cell transplantation is an alternative to liver transplantation, which is hampered by short survival time and immunorejection. The goal of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of hepatocytes coencapsulated with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in treating acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Methods

Rat hepatocytes and ADSCs were isolated, and coencapsulated by alginate-poly-L-lysinealginate microencapsulation. The morphological and functional changes of heterotypic interactions were characterized. ACLF in rats was induced by D-galactosamine administration following CCl4-induced cirrhosis. These rats were subjected to intraperitoneal transplantation of 5 × 107 coencapsulated hepatocytes with ADSCs, 5 × 107 encapsulated hepatocytes alone, or empty vehicles after 24 h, respectively. The survival rate and liver functions were assessed.

Results

Hepatocyte performance levels such as albumin secretion and urea synthesis induction were all significantly enhanced in the coencapsulation group compared with the homo-encapsulated hepatocytes group (p<0.05). The results of cell cycle analysis showed that larger populations of hepatocytes with ADSC treatment were accumulated in the G2-S phase, and there were fewer in the G0-G1 phase compared to encapsulation of hepatocytes alone. Intraperitoneal transplantation of coencapsulated hepatocytes with ADSCs not only increased the survival rate, but also improved liver functions in a rat model of ACLF.

Conclusions

Transplantation of coencapsulated hepatocytes and ADSCs might be a promising strategy for cell-based therapy of acute liver diseases.
RIPK4 is Downregulated in Poorly Differentiated Tongue Cancer and is Associated with Migration/Invasion and Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis
Authors: Wang Xinhua , Zhu Wenyuan , Zhou Yi , Xu Wanlian , Wang Huiming
Published: March 2014

Background

RIPK4 is essential for the identification of keratinocyte differentiation and cutaneous inflammation. The mechanisms involved in the tumorigenesis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) have not been well characterized yet.

Objective

To assess RIPK4 expression in various differentiated TSCC and to determine its basic biological function.

Methods

Overall, 109 human samples (36 normal tongue tissues and 73 surgically excised TSCC tissues with different degrees of differentiation) were collected for the present study. The expression of RIPK4 was assessed by real time PCR and immunocytochemistry. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between RIPK4 and clinical characteristics. In vitro analyses by scratch wound healing assay and invasion assays, as well as confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry analysis were performed using the Tca-8113 tongue cancer cell line. Cisplatin sensitivity analysis and cisplatin-induced activation of caspase 8 analysis were also performed.

Results

A significantly higher level of RIPK4 was found in well-differentiated TSCC samples than in the poorly differentiated ones (p<0.01). Male patients had relatively higher levels of RIPK4 (p=0.03). RIPK4 levels were also increased in older patients. In vitro, RIPK4 reduced the migration and invasion of the Tca-8113 cell line, but did not affect apoptosis and cell cycle. Both RIPK4 up or downregulation induced cell sensitivity to cisplatin, determining cell apoptosis.

Conclusions

In the present work we found a correlation between RIPK4 expression and TSCC degree of differentiation, age, and gender. The better understanding of the molecular mechanism of RIPK4 in TSCC may provide a promising biomarker for tongue cancer prognosis and treatment.
A rare case of May-Thurner-like syndrome in an elderly lady
Authors: Sahnan Kapil , Yee Chris Pui Yan , Thomas Robert Hywel , Sritharan Kaji
Published: March 2014

An elderly lady presented with decreased mobility, sputum production and intermittent confusion. She was treated for chest sepsis, fast atrial fibrillation, and acute kidney injury, and also noted to have a swollen left leg. Venous duplex imaging showed extensive thrombus within the left common iliac, left external iliac and left common femoral veins. A CT Venogram showed compression of the left common iliac vein between an osteophyte at L5 and a calcified ipsilateral common iliac artery. It also showed a pelvic kidney with an extra renal pelvis and large renal cyst which was indirectly contributing to venous compression by splinting the left iliac artery. A decision was made after discussion at the Vascular MDT that the patient was not fit enough for surgery and to manage her medically with anticoagulation. Discussion: Proximal DVT’s are rarer than distal thrombosis, but have similar causes. One of the rarer causes of proximal DVT is May-Thurner syndrome and its variants known collectively as non-thrombotic iliac vein lesions. May-Thurner originally described DVT formation caused by extrinsic compression of the left common iliac vein between the overriding contralateral (right) common iliac artery and adjacent lumbar vertebrae. The best imaging modality is a CT Venogram. Duplex ultrasonography can be used, although it can be difficult to visualize the iliac veins. The mainstay of management is surgical thrombectomy, or thrombolysis, followed by stenting of the affected vessel. However, if intervention is not appropriate, then it can be managed medically with anticoagulation.
A retrospective study on emergency visits in two hospitals in Sherbrooke, Canada
Authors: Zubieta Lourdes , Fernández-Peña José Ramón
Published: March 2014

Non-urgent use of Emergency Departments throughout Canada has long presented a conundrum for hospital admini- strators and health service planners. On the one hand, perceptions persist that those non-urgent users contribute to overcrowding, higher costs of care and longer wait times. On the other hand, non-urgent users do not appear to increase wait times for high-acuity patients; they perceive their condition to be acute, or claim not having convenient access to primary medical services. The objective of this study is to investigate factors associated with emergency demand for minor conditions using administrative data as well as geographical and socioeconomic characteristics as captured by Pampalon’s deprivation indexes. We reviewed 42 months of administrative data (2006 – 2009) of minor emergency visits in two hospitals in Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. Data mining algorithms were applied to classify the visits and detect major utilization patterns of Sherbrooke residents. Lower priority visits (CTAS 5) continued to increase in the city hospital following a remodel. Adult residents tend to choose the closest ED, and children mainly go to the regional hospital ED. The use of ED for minor conditions (CTAS level 4 and 5) was higher in the most deprived communities, whether materially or socially. The most common diagnostic codes were injuries and poisoning, ill-defined conditions, respiratory problems, digestive system problems, musculoskeletal, and mental health conditions, with 15% of the visits not completed because patients left before seeing a doctor. Two Sherbrooke boroughs, with no walk-in clinics, generated the majority (57%) of all non-urgent visits. We forecast the reduction in the number of visits to ED if two walk-in clinics were opened in these boroughs.
The search for the perfect handover
Authors: Samee Mohammed , Kallal Catherine , Hamman Seth
Published: March 2014

Objective: Multiple forces in today’s hospital environment have increased the frequency of transitions of care for patients. This increase has resulted in the need to establish effective and structured handover processes. Methods: Our institution established a multi-disciplinary Handover Taskforce with the goal of creating a practical and HIPAA-compliant hand-off tool utilizing computer technology. The Taskforce had representation from residents, attending physicians, nursing, pharmacy, informatics, risk management and patient safety. The Taskforce work was guided by two concepts. First, streamline the process by avoiding redundant input into clinical information systems. Second, create an effective tool that could be used by all members of the healthcare team. Results: We describe the process by which this project was successfully executed, resulting in a HIPAA-compliant custom web application utilizing Microsoft SharePoint ®. Conclusions: Challenges encountered in the process, as well as applicability to other institutions, are addressed in the article.
Identification of an Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Protein Interacting with DNA Polymerase Beta by a Yeast Two-Hybrid Screen
Authors: Panda Kakali , Bhattacharyya Nandan , Khanra Kalyani
Published: March 2014

Base excision repair (BER) is a key pathway for maintaining genomic stability. A key enzyme in the BER pathway is DNA polymerase beta (polβ). It has been shown that more than 11% of breast, bladder, esophageal, colon, and gastric cancer samples studied so far exhibit polβ mutation. A truncated form of polβ, polβΔ (exon 11 deletion), identified in a colon tumour sample, exhibited dominant negative activity. Using this poβΔ as bait, we screened a HeLa cDNA library for any interacting protein(s) in the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system. PolβΔ was cloned into a pGBKT7 vector (pGBKT7-polβΔ). pGBKT7-polβΔ was transformed into the yeast strain AH109. Then the cDNA library was co-transformed into AH109=pGBKT7-polβΔ and screened by the selection procedure. The yeast-purified plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli. Plasmid DNA was isolated from the colonies, purified, digested with Sma I and Sal I, and the fragments were sequenced. Four positive clones were obtained. Out of these, three proteins were already known to interact with polβ (XRCC1, MGC5306, and AP endonuclease 1). The only member previously not known to interact with polβ was phosphatidylinositol glycosylase type S (PIGS). PIGS is a 64-kDa membrane protein, encoded in chromosome 17. The PIGS protein interacts also with wild-type polβwhich was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. The role of the newly identified protein in the dominant negative function of the variant form of polβ remains to be seen.
Influence of Culture Conditions on the Biotransformation of (+)-Limonene by Aspergillus niger
Authors: García-Carnelli Carlos , Rodríguez Paula , Heinzen Horacio , Pilar Menéndez Pilar
Published: March 2014

The influence of the cultivation system and of the culture medium on the biotransformation of (+)-limonene by a strain of Aspergillus niger was investigated. Biooxidation products were obtained in all conditions tested. Using a laboratory bioreactor, six terpenes were identified in every medium, predominantly terpineols and carveols, whereas terpinen-4-ol and perillyl alcohol were the only terpenes found when flasks were used for culture. Perillyl alcohol and carveols predominated when the medium was tryptic soy broth (TSB), whereas the formation of terpineols was clearly favoured in malt broth (MB). Thus, there was a marked influence of the culture conditions on the results of the biotransformation. Changes in the conditions led to variations both in the type and relative amount of products obtained.