bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delayed accumulation of intestinal coliform bacteria enhances life span and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans fed respiratory deficient E. coli
Authors: Gomez Fernando , Monsalve Gabriela C , Tse Vincent , Saiki Ryoichi , Weng Emily , Lee Laura , Srinivasan Chandra , Frand Alison R , Clarke Catherine F
Published: December 2012

Background

Studies with the nematode model Caenorhabditis elegans have identified conserved biochemical pathways that act to modulate life span. Life span can also be influenced by the composition of the intestinal microbiome, and C. elegans life span can be dramatically influenced by its diet of Escherichia coli. Although C. elegans is typically fed the standard OP50 strain of E. coli, nematodes fed E. coli strains rendered respiratory deficient, either due to a lack coenzyme Q or the absence of ATP synthase, show significant life span extension. Here we explore the mechanisms accounting for the enhanced nematode life span in response to these diets.

Results

The intestinal load of E. coli was monitored by determination of worm-associated colony forming units (cfu/worm or coliform counts) as a function of age. The presence of GFP-expressing E. coli in the worm intestine was also monitored by fluorescence microscopy. Worms fed the standard OP50 E. coli strain have high cfu and GFP-labeled bacteria in their guts at the L4 larval stage, and show saturated coliform counts by day five of adulthood. In contrast, nematodes fed diets of respiratory deficient E. coli lacking coenzyme Q lived significantly longer and failed to accumulate bacteria within the lumen at early ages. Animals fed bacteria deficient in complex V showed intermediate coliform numbers and were not quite as long-lived. The results indicate that respiratory deficient Q-less E. coli are effectively degraded in the early adult worm, either at the pharynx or within the intestine, and do not accumulate in the intestinal tract until day ten of adulthood.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that the nematodes fed the respiratory deficient E. coli diet live longer because the delay in bacterial colonization of the gut subjects the worms to less stress compared to worms fed the OP50 E. coli diet. This work suggests that bacterial respiration can act as a virulence factor, influencing the ability of bacteria to colonize and subsequently harm the animal host. Respiratory deficient bacteria may pose a useful model for probing probiotic relationships within the gut microbiome in higher organisms.
Malaria Policy Advisory Committee to the WHO: conclusions and recommendations of September 2012 meeting
Authors:   WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Committee and Secretariat
Published: December 2012

The Malaria Policy Advisory Committee to the World Health Organization met in Geneva, Switzerland from 11 to 13 September, 2012. This article provides a summary of the discussions, conclusions and recommendations from that meeting.

Meeting sessions included: updated policy recommendations on the use of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy, as well as the use of single dose primaquine as a Plasmodium falciparum gametocytocide; the need to develop a Global Technical Strategy for Malaria Control and Elimination 2016– 2025 and a global strategy for control of Plasmodium vivax; the Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria independent evaluation and promoting malaria case management in the private sector; updates from the Technical Expert Group on drug resistance and containment and the Evidence Review Group on malaria burden estimation; update on the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine; progress on the policy setting process for malaria vector control; and the process for updating the WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria.

Policy statements, position statements, and guidelines that arise from the MPAC meeting conclusions and recommendations will be formally issued and disseminated to World Health Organization Member States by the World Health Organization Global Malaria Programme.
APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F rarely co-mutate the same HIV genome
Authors: Ebrahimi Diako , Anwar Firoz , Davenport Miles P
Published: December 2012

Background

The human immune proteins APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F (hA3G and hA3F) induce destructive G-to-A changes in the HIV genome, referred to as ‘hypermutation’. These two proteins co-express in human cells, co-localize to mRNA processing bodies and might co-package into HIV virions. Therefore they are expected to also co-mutate the HIV genome. Here we investigate the mutational footprints of hA3G and hA3F in a large population of full genome HIV-1 sequences from naturally infected patients to uniquely identify sequences hypermutated by either or both of these proteins. We develop a method of identification based on the representation of hA3G and hA3F target and product motifs that does not require an alignment to a parental/consensus sequence.

Results

Out of nearly 100 hypermutated HIV-1 sequences only one sequence from the HIV-1 outlier group showed clear signatures of co-mutation by both proteins. The remaining sequences were affected by either hA3G or hA3F.

Conclusion

Using a novel method of identification of HIV sequences hypermutated by the hA3G and hA3F enzymes, we report a very low rate of co-mutation of full-length HIV sequences, and discuss the potential mechanisms underlying this.
Inhibitory Effects of a Bazedoxifene/Conjugated Equine Estrogen Combination on Human Breast Cancer Cells In Vitro
Authors: Song Yan , Santen Richard J. , Wang Ji-ping , Yue Wei
Published: December 2012

Breast cancer incidence is increased in women receiving menopausal hormone therapy with estrogen plus progestin but not with estrogen alone. The use of a tissue-selective estrogen complex (TSEC) has been proposed as a novel menopausal hormone therapy strategy to eliminate the requirement for a progestogen. Combination of bazedoxifene (BZA) with conjugated estrogens (CEs), the first TSEC, has shown beneficial effects. Whether it would exert antiestrogenic effects on breast cancer is not clear. To address this issue, we compared estradiol (E2) and CE alone on proliferation and apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. CE stimulated growth of MCF-7 cells at a peak concentration 10-fold higher than required for E2. Both CE and E2 alone increased DNA synthesis and reduced apoptosis with activation of MAPK, Akt, and p70S6K and up-regulation of antiapoptotic factors survivin, Bcl-2, and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein, These effects could be completely blocked by BZA. Gene expression studies demonstrated that CE and E2 were equally potent on expression of cMyc, pS2, and WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2, whereas the stimulatory effects of CE on progesterone receptor and amphiregulin expression were weaker than E2. BZA effectively blocked each of these effects and showed no estrogen agonistic effects when used alone. Our results indicate that the stimulatory effects of E2 or CE on breast cancer cells could be completely abrogated by BZA. These studies imply that the CE/BZA, TSEC, exerts antiestrogenic effects on breast cancer cells and might block the growth of occult breast neoplasms in postmenopausal women, resulting in an overall reduction in tumor incidence.
Revenue Sharing and Information Leakage in a Supply Chain
Authors: Kong Guangwen , Rajagopalan Sampath , Zhang Hao
Published: December 2012

This work explores the potential of revenue-sharing contracts to facilitate information sharing in a supply chain and mitigate the negative effects of information leakage. We consider a supplier who offers a revenue-sharing contract to two competing retailers, one of whom has private information about uncertain market potential and orders first. This order information may be leaked to the uninformed retailer by the supplier to realize higher profits. We show that the incentives of the supplier and retailers are better aligned under a revenue-sharing contract, as opposed to under a wholesale-price contract, reducing the supplier's incentive to leak. This is true for a wide range of wholesale prices and revenue-share percentages and is more likely when the revenue-share percentage is higher and when variation in demand is greater. Preventing information leakage may result in higher profits not only for the informed retailer and supplier but surprisingly even for the uninformed retailer. Our results are robust when the model is generalized along various dimensions.

This paper was accepted by Yossi Aviv, operations management.
Prioritizing Burn-Injured Patients During a Disaster
Authors: Chan Carri W. , Green Linda V. , Lu Yina , Leahy Nicole , Yurt Roger
Published: December 2012

The U.S. government has mandated that, in a catastrophic event, metropolitan areas need to be capable of caring for 50 burn-injured patients per million population. In New York City, this corresponds to 400 patients. There are currently 140 burn beds in the region, which can be surged up to 210. To care for additional patients, hospitals without burn centers will be used to stabilize patients until burn beds become available. In this work, we develop a new system for prioritizing patients for transfer to burn beds as they become available and demonstrate its superiority over several other triage methods. Based on data from previous burn catastrophes, we study the feasibility of being able to admit 400 patients to burn beds within the critical three- to five-day time frame. We find that this is unlikely and that the ability to do so is highly dependent on the type of event and the demographics of the patient population. This work has implications for how disaster plans in other metropolitan areas should be developed.
Determining the Priority of Critical Service Attributes: An Integrated Model and an Empirical Case Study in the Higher Education Sector
Authors: Sukwadi Ronald , Yang Ching-Chow , Fan Liu
Published: December 2012

Today, higher education institutions (HEIs) are realizing the significance of customer-oriented philosophies and quality management systems to help manage their operations on educational services. This paper starts with a review of some previous models and then outlines the results of a study conducted on students at selected Indonesian HEIs to obtain student perspectives of the service quality of those institutions. An integration of the Kano and customer-oriented models using structural equation modeling was applied to determine the priority of critical service attributes in higher education. This integrated model was illustrated empirically in a case study of the industrial engineering departments of four well-known private universities in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Potential of Social Entrepreneurship: Conceptual Tools for Applying Citizenship Theory to Policy and Practice
Authors: Caldwell Kate , Harris Sarah Parker , Renko Maija
Published: December 2012

Contemporary policy encourages self-employment and entrepreneurship as a vehicle for empowerment and self-sufficiency among people with disabilities. However, such encouragement raises important citizenship questions concerning the participation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). As an innovative strategy for addressing pressing social and economic problems, “social entrepreneurship” has become a phrase that is gaining momentum in the IDD community—one that carries with it a very distinct history. Although social entrepreneurship holds the potential to be an empowering source of job creation and social innovation, it also has the potential to be used to further disenfranchise this marginalized population. It is crucial that in moving forward society takes care not to perpetuate existing models of oppression, particularly in regard to the social and economic participation of people with IDD. The conceptual tools addressed in this article can inform the way that researchers, policymakers, and practitioners approach complex issues, such as social entrepreneurship, to improve communication among disciplines while retaining an integral focus on rights and social justice by framing this issue within citizenship theory.
Red Theories, Blue Theories, and Beyond -- The Evolution of Cinema Studies and Theories in Mainland China
Authors: Xihe Chen
Published: December 2012

This paper will examine the development and trends of Chinese film theories and aesthetics since the founding of the PRC in 1949, focusing on the period after the start of the New Era in 1978, when Chinese cinema studies and theories came under the influence of Western film theories.
For the Sake of God: Religion, Militancy, and Identity in Pakistani Cinema
Authors: Dasgupta Satarupa
Published: December 2012

This paper identifies the overarching topics delineated by the film Khuda Ke Liye, by analyzing its different attributes, including plot, characterization, and treatment. The paper tries to explore how the film vocalizes controversial ideological debates which have received currency
in Pakistani and contemporary Muslim societies, yet which rarely found voice in popular culture production of Pakistan (Dawn, 2007, July 22). The paper also endeavors to analyze whether the movie manages to offer solutions to such complex ideological questions that have had an impact on the
negotiation of religious and cultural identity in Pakistan
Cinema in Sri-Lanka: A Symposium
Authors: Conrich Ian , Gillet Nelly
Published: December 2012

This issue grew out of the editors' wish to foreground the richness of Sri Lankan cinema, and to gather a variety of viewpoints and perceptions on the history and state of the country's film industry. All the contributors agree on the close interaction between the cinema industry and
the cultural and social realities of the country. The articles that follow explore the ethnic divide that has affected Sri Lanka for several decades, as well as the historical changes from a colonial country to a nation striving to shape its postcolonial identity.
Doomsday, Past, Present and Future: Kinji Fukasaku's Virus
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: December 2012

Based on Fukkatsu No Hi (Day of Resurrection) by Sakyo Komatsu, who had also written a novel later adapted for a 150 minute disaster movie, Tidal Wave (1973), and released in America in a badly dubbed and heavily cut 1975 version, Kinji Fukasaku's Virus (1980), a film whose Japanese
title is the same as the original novel, appears to resemble those many ill-conceived international co-productions characterizing the 1970s and 1980s. Virus superficially appears to be just another version of a 1970s genre running out of energy.
Representation of the Kwangju Uprising -- A Petal (1996) and May 18 (2007)
Authors: Kim Chunhyo
Published: December 2012

The studies of relationship between historical events and popular culture have mainly focused on the Western perspective. However, there are few studies with regard to the relationship between the Kwangju Uprising and commercial films. This paper deals with the representations of the
Kwangju Uprising in both A Petal (Jang, Sung-Woo; 1996) and May 18 (Kim, Ji-Hoon; 2007), based on the concepts of both identity and the ideological roles of Althusser. The research question is how is the Kwangju Uprising represented in both Korean films? Textual analysis is used as the method.
This paper is composed of four parts: 1. the identity and representation; 2. "history-in Kwangju" and Kwangju Uprising in 1980; 3. the Kwangju Uprising in both A Petal and May 18; 4. representation of the Kwangju Uprising in both A Petal and May 18.
The Transnational Reach of Korean Popular Culture in Asia: Influences of the Korean Wave on Understandings of Korea and Pan-Asian Identity
Authors: Yoon Jiwon
Published: December 2012

In this article, the consumption of Korean media by East Asians will be examined using the frameworks of hybridity and pan-Asian identity. Then, a textual analysis of postings on the fansite of Bae Young Jun, one of the most famous Korean, will be analyzed to understand what fans of
Korean pop culture get out of these Korean media products. This analysis also will be used to see if fans' interactions with Korean pop culture have influenced their understandings and impressions of Korea
Flashback: Notes on Watching Malayalam Movies in 1990
Authors: Slingo Carol
Published: December 2012

The following article reflects upon the attitudes and enthusiasm expressed by Indian audiences towards film and cinematic culture during the 1990s.
"Reels on Wheels": Mobile Cinema in Rural Colonial Ceylon (1910-1974): An Interview with Hans Van Starrex of New Imperial Talkies Ltd.
Authors: Tampoe-Hautin Vilasnee
Published: December 2012

This interview, which was conducted June 5, 2006, in Colombo, focuses on the travelling show business started by Hans Van Starrex's father, in the late 1920s. It is based on the recollection of anecdotes related to him and attests to the early interest shown in the cinema by enterprising
Ceylonese, whose ingenuity assisted in developing the new art on the island.
Portfolio Dynamics and Alliance Termination: The Contingent Role of Resource Dissimilarity
Authors: Cui Anna S.
Published: December 2012

This article takes a portfolio approach to examine how an alliance's propensity of termination is influenced by its resource relationships with other alliances of the firm. Whereas previous research has suggested that similar partner resources in a portfolio create redundancy and that dissimilar resources are beneficial, this study argues that redundancy may be necessary to ensure stable access to resources and that synergies from dissimilar resources may be difficult to realize. Thus, under some conditions, resource dissimilarity may be less supportive of, or even detrimental to, the continuity of an alliance. The author identifies several conditional factors that change the role of resource dissimilarity. While relational connectedness between the focal partner and other partners of the firm is found to strengthen the supporting effect of resource dissimilarity on alliance continuity, vertical connectedness of alliance activities, formation of substituting alliances by the focal partner, and market uncertainty weaken the supporting effect of resource dissimilarity. The findings reveal alliance termination factors beyond dyadic interactions and provide important implications for managing interdependencies within an alliance portfolio to enhance alliance stability.
Rejuvenating Sirtuins: The Rise of a New Family of Cancer Drug Targets
Authors: Bruzzone Santina , Daniele Parenti Marco , Grozio Alessia , Ballestrero Alberto , Bauer Inga , Del Rio Alberto , Nencioni Alessio
Published: December 2012

Sirtuins are a family of NAD+-dependent enzymes that was proposed to control organismal life span about a decade ago. While such role of sirtuins is now debated, mounting evidence involves these enzymes in numerous physiological processes and disease conditions, including metabolism, nutritional behavior, circadian rhythm, but also inflammation and cancer. SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3, SIRT6, and SIRT7 have all been linked to carcinogenesis either as tumor suppressor or as cancer promoting proteins. Here, we review the biological rationale for the search of sirtuin inhibitors and activators for treating cancer and the experimental approaches to their identification.
Femoral Offset (3D) in Patients without Osteoarthritis – Index Values from 200 Hip Joints
Authors: Preininger Bernd , Schmorl Kathrin , Roth Philipp von , Winkler Tobias , Matziolis Georg , Perka Carsten , Tohtz Stephan
Published: December 2012

Introduction:

Femoral offset (FO) is a crucial parameter for hip joint biomechanics. Reference values for FO are particularly important when joint geometry has to be reconstructed during surgical interventions. Such reference values are scarce in literature and have mainly been obtained from osteoarthritis (OA) patients. The aim of this study was to conduct a patient-specific study of FO without osteoarthritis and to create a dataset of FO index values.

Materials and Methodology:

One hundred (49 female, 51 male; mean age: 59 (18 - 83) years) pelvic computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed to determine FO in each patient. Bilateral symmetry and correlation between demographic data and FO were analyzed.

Results:

The mean FO ± SD was different for male (4.36 ± 0.56 cm) and female patients (3.95 ± 0.35 cm) (p <.0001). No Side differences of FO were observed in male and female patients. Significant correlation between height and FO was only observed in male patients.

Conclusion:

The values obtained in this study can be used as index values for the restoration and evaluation of hip geometry. For men, FO can be approximated using the correlation between FO and height.
Retrospective Analyses of Inputs of Municipal Wastewater Effluent and Coupled Impacts on an Urban Lake
Authors: Effler Steven W. , O'Donnell Susan M. , Prestigiacomo Anthony R. , Matthews David A. , Auer Martin T.
Published: December 2012

A retrospective review and analysis are presented of the evolution of treatment, point of discharge considerations, and constituent loading from the Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant (Metro), and the coupled water quality effects on the receiving urban lake (Onondaga Lake, New York) from the early 1970s to 2010. The analysis is based on long‐term monitoring of the discharge, Onondaga Lake, and a nearby river system considered as a potential alternate to receive the effluent. The Metro discharge is extraordinarily large relative to the lake's hydrologic budget, representing approximately 25% of the total inflow, greater than for any other lake in the United States. The large loads of nitrogen and phosphorus received from the facility resulted in severe water quality effects in the lake during the early portion of record, including (1) violations of standards to protect against toxic effects of ammonia and nitrite, (2) violations of the water clarity standard for swimming safety, (3) exceedances of a limit for the summer average concentration of total phosphorus in the upper waters, and (4) lakewide violations of the oxygen standard during fall turnover. The effects of Metro were compounded by effects of discharges from soda ash/chlor‐alkali and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. The sedimentary record of the lake indicates that even greater levels of cultural eutrophication prevailed before the monitoring commenced. Dramatic improvements in the water quality of the lake were achieved in recent years by implementing advanced treatment technologies. Exceedances of receiving water limits in the lake were eliminated, with the exception of the total phosphorus limit. A zebra mussel invasion compromised the oxygen resources and assimilative capacity of the nearby river for more than 15 years. This eliminated an option, previously supported by managers, of full diversion of the Metro effluent to the river.
Effectiveness of Electrooxidation Process for Stabilizing and Conditioning of Urban and Industrial Wastewater Sludge
Authors: Drogui Patrick , Bureau Marc‐André , Mercier Guy , Blais Jean François
Published: December 2012

The objective of this research was to investigate the performance of an electrochemical process for enhancing dewaterability and stabilize wastewater sludge from paper mill industry (PMS) and municipal wastewater (MWS) treatment plants. The treatment was conducted using 13.2 kg of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) per ton of dry sludge (TDS) and 200 kg of NaCl/tds as electrolytes, at a current intensity of 8A for 60 min. The process was efficient for increasing the dryness of PMS with an average value of 25.3 ± 1.2% (w/w). By comparison, the electrochemical treatment using MWS allowed increasing the dryness to 33.4 ± 1.4% (w/w). Simultaneously, the process was found to be effective in removing pathogen indicators (abatement > 4 to 5 log units of total and fecal coliforms) using either PMS or MWS. At the same time, it preserved the fertilizing properties of sludge by maintaining the concentration of Ptot, N‐TKN and COD in dewatered sludge. The substitution of sodium chloride (used as electrolyte) by sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) combined with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) allowed reducing the formation of organo‐chlorinated compounds: more than 50% of chloroform was reduced, 86% of toluene was reduced and 59% of phenolic compounds was reduced.
Pros and cons of pragmatic clinical trials
Authors: Lurie Jon D , Morgan Tamara S
Published: December 2012

Traditional randomized controlled trials are the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating health interventions and are typically designed to maximize internal validity, often at the cost of limited generalizability. Pragmatic randomized controlled trials should be designed with a conscious effort to generate evidence with a greater external validity by making the research question as similar as possible to the questions faced by clinical decision-makers (i.e., patients and their families, physicians, policy makers and administrators) and then answer that question with rigor. Clarity and transparency about the specifics of the research question are the keys to designing, as well as interpreting, any clinical trial.
Interview: Data acquisition, tumor heterogeneity and precision medicine: future challenges for oncologic comparative effectiveness research
Authors: Benson Al B
Published: December 2012

Al B Benson 3rd, MD, FACP, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago (IL, USA). He is also the Associate Director for Clinical Investigations for the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Benson earned his medical degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo, following which he completed an Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals in Madison (WI, USA). He was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois and Co-Medical Director for the National Public Health Service in Champaign (IL, USA). He then served as a Clinical Oncology Fellow at the University of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center. Benson is a recipient of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Statesman Award (Fellow of ASCO). He has been a member of the ASCO Task Force on Quality of Cancer Care, the Co-Chair of ASCO’s Stage II Colon Cancer Guidelines Panel and the Guidelines Panel for use of Radiofrequency Ablation for Colorectal Cancer Hepatic Metastases. He also is the Chair of both the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Gastrointestinal and Data Monitoring Committees. In addition, he is a past President of the Illinois Medical Oncology Society, past President for the Association of Community Cancer Centers, and a member of the Executive Committee and immediate past-chair of the Board of Directors of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). He is a member of the Board of the NCCN Foundation and ECOG Research and Education Foundation. He is the past President of the International Society of GI Oncology. Benson is a member of the Scientific Board of Directors of the Patient Advocate Foundation, the National Patient Advocate Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer and Friends of Cancer Research. Benson’s research is primarily in the areas of gastrointestinal cancer clinical trials and cancer guideline development. Benson is an associate editor of the
Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research
.
Natural radioactivity of coal and fly ash at the Nikola Tesla B TPP
Authors: Kisic Dragica , Miletic Sasa , Radonjic Vladimir , Radanovic Sanja , Filipovic Jelena , Grzetic Ivan
Published: December 2012

Serbian thermal power plants (TPPs) produce siliceous fly ash from lignite in
the quantity of approximately 6 million tons per year. The potential market
for the use of fly ash is operational, but for the time being, only used by
cement producers. Fly ash radioactivity could be one of the major points of
concern when larger use of fly ash is planned, particularly in the Serbian
construction industry. Radioactivity measurements have been conducted
regularly for decades. This paper presents the results of a ten-year fly ash
radioactivity measurements at the Nikola Tesla B TPP located in Obrenovac. In
addition, the paper compares the natural radionuclides coal content data
combusted by the Nikola Tesla B TPP boilers coming from the Kolubara Basin
and ash created during coal combustion. Fly ash created in the Nikola Tesla
TPPs boilers is characterised by the increased concentration of the natural
radionuclides content compared to coal. This is the so-called technologically
enhanced natural radioactivity (Technologically Enhanced Occurring
Radioactive Material - TENORM) of industrial waste, whereas the average
specific activities: 232Th in coal amount to 25.2 Bq/kg, and in fly ash and
coal 84.2 Bq/kg and 238U 38.3 Bq/kg, respectively. Following the obtained
natural radionuclides content results it may be concluded that the Nikola
Tesla B TPP ash may be disposed into the environment. Ash may be used also in
the construction industry (civil engineering). In building construction
applications, ash share as the additive to other building materials depends
from its physical and chemical characteristics, as well as from the
radionuclides activity: 266Ra, 232Th and 40K. Unlike the thermal power plants
regularly (once a year) testing the specific natural radionuclides activity
in the combusted coal and boiler fly ash, Electric Power Industry of Serbia
has not performed large-scale investigations of the natural radionuclides
content in coal within the Kolubara Mining Basin. Natural radionuclides
content in fly ash is compared to the combusted coal some 3 - 4 times higher
and may present a limitation for applying ash in the construction industry.
In view of the above, and considering the construction industry interests in
using the Nikola Tesla B TPP ash, regular investigations of the natural
radionuclides content in ash created in the thermal power plants should be
carried out, together with the Kolubara Mining Basin coal combusted by the
Nikola Tesla B TPP and other PE EPS thermal power plants. The current
Kolubara Mining Basin coal characteristics investigation programme should be
supplemented by the natural radionuclides content of the uranium (238U,
226Ra) and thorium series (232Th) and potassium 40 (40K).
Externalities of Mandatory IFRS Adoption: Evidence from Cross-Border Spillover Effects of Financial Information on Investment Efficiency
Authors: Chen Chen , Young Danqing , Zhuang Zili
Published: December 2012

This study examines the externalities of mandatory IFRS adoption on firms' investment efficiency in 17 European countries. We use the ROA difference between the firm and its peers to proxy for the information on the peers' investment performance. We find that the spillover effect of a firm's ROA difference versus its foreign peers, but not domestic peers, on the firm's investment efficiency increases after IFRS adoption. We also find that increased disclosure by both foreign and domestic peers after IFRS adoption has a spillover effect on a firm's investment efficiency. Further, a firm's investment changes induced by its ROA difference versus foreign peers are more value-relevant after IFRS adoption, and those induced by increased disclosure by foreign peers under IFRS are value-relevant. Additional analyses reveal that our results are affected by legal enforcement strength, peer composition, and industry competition. Overall, we document positive externalities of mandatory IFRS adoption.

Data Availability: Data are available from commercial providers (Worldscope, DataStream, and I/B/E/S).
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Noninsulin-Using Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Polonsky William H. , Fisher Lawrence
Published: December 2012

Given the importance of glycemic control in the development of diabetes complications, the plethora of tools now available to monitor the day-to-day trends in glycemia is remarkable. In this regard, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) has been considered a key component of patient management. Arguably, there remains almost universal agreement that SMBG should be available to all diabetic patients regardless of current treatment strategy. However, recently there have been reports that have challenged the current paradigm that all patients should use SMBG and concluded that SMBG for type 2 diabetic patients not on insulin may not be beneficial on glycemic control and must be weighed against the expense and inconvenience. In the counterpoint narrative following the contribution by Malanda et al., Drs. Polonsky and Fisher provide a compelling argument suggesting that while it is evident that implementing SMBG in unstructured ways without training patients and clinicians is likely to be a waste of resources, there are effective and powerful ways to use structured SMBG in insulin-naïve type 2 diabetic patients.

—William T. Cefalu, md Editor in Chief, Diabetes Care
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Noninsulin-Using Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Malanda Uriëll L. , Bot Sandra D. , Nijpels G.
Published: December 2012

Given the importance of glycemic control in the development of diabetes complications, the plethora of tools now available to monitor the day-to-day trends in glycemia is remarkable. In this regard, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) has been considered a key component of patient management. Arguably, there remains almost universal agreement that SMBG should be available to all diabetic patients regardless of current treatment strategy. However, recently there have been reports that have challenged the current paradigm that all patients should use SMBG and concluded that SMBG for type 2 diabetic patients not on insulin may not be beneficial on glycemic control and must be weighed against the expense and inconvenience. In this two-part point-counterpoint narrative, Malanda et al. and Polonsky and Fisher take opposing views on the utility of SMBG to be valuable for individuals with type 2 diabetes not using insulin. In the narrative below, Malanda et al. suggest that the evidence for potentially beneficial SMBG-induced effects on glycemic control, hypoglycemic periods, and potential harms in type 2 diabetic patients who are not treated with insulin does not justify the use of SMBG. Moreover, the use of SMBG is associated with huge costs, which should be better redirected to effective strategies to improve health for this category of patients.

—William T. Cefalu, md Editor in Chief, Diabetes Care
Rétif, Sade, and the Origins of Pornography: Le Pornographe as Anti-Text of La Philosophie dans le boudoir
Authors: Wyngaard Amy S.
Published: December 2012

Nicolas-Edme Rétif de la Bretonne’s 1769 Le Pornographe—the work from which the term pornography is derived—is not in itself pornographic, and scholars working on the history of pornography emphasize the work’s lack of substantive links to the modern pornographic genre. In this article, I will elucidate the role that Le Pornographe played in the development of pornography—and in particular in Sade’s literary production—by proposing a reading of Sade’s La Philosophie dans le boudoir (1795) as a parody and perversion of Rétif’s text. Sade’s dramatic dialogue, which presents a perverted family tale, subverts the sentimental model that Rétif’s text explicitly elaborates. The Revolutionary pamphlet that it frames, which presents plans to establish houses of prostitution for men and women, appropriates and distorts elements of the reform treatise in Le Pornographe, as Rétif himself perceived. By reading the two texts in concert, I show not only how Sade may have been less revolutionary than reactionary in his writing, but also how Rétif’s work can be inserted into the history of pornography as a pivotal text.
Regioselective Synthesis of 2- and 3-Substituted Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines
Authors: Liu Guoping , Cong Xuefeng , He Jiaheng , Luo Shunzhong , Wu Di , Lan Jingbo
Published: December 2012

A range of 2- or 3-substituted imidazo[1,2- a]pyridines were prepared from 2-aminopyridine derivatives and gem-dibromovinyl compounds by the tandem nucleophilic substitution (or nucleophilic addition)/cyclisation reaction.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Evaluation of Cancer Inhibitory Activity of 4-[indol-3-yl-Methylene]-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one derivatives
Authors: Jing Lingling , Wang Liang , Zhao Yinglan , Tan Rui , Xing Xiumei , Liu Ting , Huang Wencai , Luo Youfu , Li Zicheng
Published: December 2012

A series of 4-(1 H-indol-3-yl-methylene)-1 H-pyrazol-5(4 H)-one derivatives have been synthesised. The Z structure of 4-[(1-methyl-1 H-indol-3-yl)methylene]-3-phenyl-1 -p-tolyl-1 H-pyrazol-5-one was determined by X-ray crystallography. The antitumour activity was evaluated against five cancer cells by MTT assay. [(1 H-Indol-3-yl)methylene]-1-(2,4-dini-trophenyl)-3-methyl-1 H-pyrazole-5-one and 4-{4-[(1-benzyl-1 H-indol-3-yl)methylene]-3-methyl-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1 H-pyrazol-1-yl}-benzoic acid have similar anticancer activity with 5-UF on the test cancer cells (exception of A375). Almost all the target compounds displayed antitumour activity against A549 and PC-9, and those with benzyl at 1-position of indole had higher activity against PC-9 (IC50 value lower than 30 μM). Those with benzyl at the indole and carboxyl at the phenyl part of of pyrazole were more active against PC-9 and A549 cells, providing a good indication for subsequent optimisation as lung cancer inhibitory agents.
Novel Efficient Three-Component, One-Pot Synthesis of 3-(α-amidobenzyl)-4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives
Authors: Malekpour Masud , Anaraki-Ardakani Hossein , Noei Maziar
Published: December 2012

The three-component reaction between 4-hydroxycoumarin, aromatic aldehydes and amides catalysed by p-toluenesulfonic acid in solvent-free conditions provided a simple and efficient one-pot route for the synthesis of 3-(α-amidobenzyl)-4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives in excellent yields.
Facile Biginelli-Type Reactions Catalysed by Super Acidic Ionic Liquid under Solvent-Free Conditions
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhou Min , Chen Qun , He Ming-Yang
Published: December 2012

[MeC(OH)2]+ClO4- as a super acidic ionic liquid is an extremely active catalyst for Biginelli-type reactions. The present method is especially effective for the inactive aliphatic aldehydes. The solvent-free conditions, high catalytic activity, wide substrates tolerance and convenient product isolation make the protocol more advantageous.
Urban Ecosystem Health Assessment and Its Application in Management: A Multi-Scale Perspective
Authors: Su Meirong , Yang Zhifeng , Chen Bin , Liu Gengyuan , Zhang Yan , Zhang Lixiao , Xu Linyu , Zhao Yanwei
Published: December 2012

Urban ecosystem health assessments can be applied extensively in urban management to evaluate the status quo of the urban ecosystem, identify the limiting factors, identify key problems, optimize the scheme and guide ecological regulation. Regarding the multi-layer roles of urban ecosystems, urban ecosystem health should be assessed at different scales with each assessment providing a specific reference to urban management from its own viewpoint. Therefore, a novel framework of multi-scale urban ecosystem health assessment is established on global, national, regional and local scales. A demonstration of the framework is shown by using a case study in Guangzhou City, China, where urban ecosystem health assessment is conducted in the order of global, national, regional, and local scales, from macro to micro, and rough to detailed analysis. The new multi-scale framework can be utilized to generate a more comprehensive understanding of urban ecosystem health, more accurate orientation of urban development, and more feasible regulation and management programs when compared with the traditional urban ecosystem health assessment focusing at the local scale.
Arsenic Contaminated Groundwater and Its Treatment Options in Bangladesh
Authors: Jiang Jia-Qian , Ashekuzzaman S. , Jiang Anlun , Sharifuzzaman S. , Chowdhury Sayedur
Published: December 2012

Arsenic (As) causes health concerns due to its significant toxicity and worldwide presence in drinking water and groundwater. The major sources of As pollution may be natural process such as dissolution of As-containing minerals and anthropogenic activities such as percolation of water from mines, etc. The maximum contaminant level for total As in potable water has been established as 10 µg/L. Among the countries facing As contamination problems, Bangladesh is the most affected. Up to 77 million people in Bangladesh have been exposed to toxic levels of arsenic from drinking water. Therefore, it has become an urgent need to provide As-free drinking water in rural households throughout Bangladesh. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the recent data on arsenic contamination status, its sources and reasons of mobilization and the exposure pathways in Bangladesh. Very little literature has focused on the removal of As from groundwaters in developing countries and thus this paper aims to review the As removal technologies and be a useful resource for researchers or policy makers to help identify and investigate useful treatment options. While a number of technological developments in arsenic removal have taken place, we must consider variations in sources and quality characteristics of As polluted water and differences in the socio-economic and literacy conditions of people, and then aim at improving effectiveness in arsenic removal, reducing the cost of the system, making the technology user friendly, overcoming maintenance problems and resolving sludge management issues.
Novel Molecular Targets for the Treatment of Gastroenteropancreatic Endocrine Tumors: Answers and Unsolved Problems
Authors: Capurso Gabriele , Fendrich Volker , Rinzivillo Maria , Panzuto Francesco , Bartsch Detlef , Fave Gianfranco
Published: December 2012

As more knowledge on molecular alterations favoring carcinogenesis and spreading of gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumors has become available, a number of targeted agents interfering with key growth and angiogenic pathways have been explored in preclinical and clinical studies. The mTOR inhibitor Everolimus, and the multi-target antiangiogenetic agent Sunitinib, have been shown to be effective and thus have been approved by the FDA for treatment of pancreatic endocrine tumors. However, there is little data on the primary resistance to targeted agents on these tumors. The goals of the present review are to elucidate the possible advantage of combined treatments in overcoming induced resistances, and to identify biomarkers able to predict clinical efficacy. Moreover, the role of interesting targets for which a strong biological rationale exists, and specific inhibitors are available, such as the Src Family Kinases and the Hedgehog Pathway, are discussed. There is now need for more preclinical studies on cell lines and animal models to provide a stronger preclinical background in this field, as well as clinical trials specifically comparing one targeted therapy with another or combining different targeted agents.
Chromosome-Specific DNA Repeats: Rapid Identification in Silico and Validation Using Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization
Authors: Hsu Joanne , Zeng Hui , Lemke Kalistyn , Polyzos Aris , Weier Jingly , Wang Mei , Lawin-O'Brien Anna , Weier Heinz-Ulrich , O'Brien Benjamin
Published: December 2012

Chromosome enumeration in interphase and metaphase cells using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is an established procedure for the rapid and accurate cytogenetic analysis of cell nuclei and polar bodies, the unambiguous gender determination, as well as the definition of tumor-specific signatures. Present bottlenecks in the procedure are a limited number of commercial, non-isotopically labeled probes that can be combined in multiplex FISH assays and the relatively high price and effort to develop additional probes. We describe a streamlined approach for rapid probe definition, synthesis and validation, which is based on the analysis of publicly available DNA sequence information, also known as “database mining”. Examples of probe preparation for the human gonosomes and chromosome 16 as a selected autosome outline the probe selection strategy, define a timeline for expedited probe production and compare this novel selection strategy to more conventional probe cloning protocols.
Fiber Loop Ringdown Sensor for Potential Real-Time Monitoring of Cracks in Concrete Structures: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Sahay Peeyush , Kaya Malik , Wang Chuji
Published: December 2012

A fiber loop ringdown (FLRD) concrete crack sensor is described for the first time. A bare single mode fiber (SMF), without using other optical components or chemical coatings, etc., was utilized to construct the sensor head, which was driven by a FLRD sensor system. The performance of the sensor was evaluated on concrete bars with dimensions 20 cm × 5 cm × 5 cm, made in our laboratory. Cracks were produced manually and the responses of the sensor were recorded in terms of ringdown times. The sensor demonstrated detection of the surface crack width (SCW) of 0.5 mm, which leads to a theoretical SCW detection limit of 31 μm. The sensor’s response to a cracking event is near real-time (1.5 s). A large dynamic range of crack detection ranging from a few microns (μm) to a few millimeters is expected from this sensor. With the distinct features, such as simplicity, temperature independence, near real-time response, high SCW detection sensitivity, and a large dynamic range, this FLRD crack sensor appears promising for detections of cracks when embedded in concrete.
Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Pandemic Influenza A H1N1 Vaccine amongst Essential Service Providers: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Beattie Alice , Palmer Katie , Rees Emily , Riddell Zoe , Roberts Charlotte , Jordan Rachel
Published: December 2012

Although mentioned in the UK pandemic plan, essential service providers were not among the priority groups. They may be important targets of future influenza pandemic vaccination campaigns. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 380 employees from West Midlands police headquarters and 15 operational command units in the West Midlands Area during December 2009–February 2010 to identify factors affecting intention to accept the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine. One hundred and ninety nine (52.4%) employees completed the questionnaire. 39.7% were willing to accept the vaccine. The most common reasons for intention to accept were worry about catching Swine Flu (n = 42, 53.2%) and about infecting others (n = 40, 50.6%). The most common reason for declination was worry about side effects (n = 45, 57.0%). The most important factor predicting vaccine uptake was previous receipt of seasonal vaccine (OR 7.9 (95% CI 3.4, 18.5)). Employees aged <40 years, males, current smokers, and those who perceived a greater threat and severity of swine flu were also more likely to agree to the vaccine. The findings of this study could be used to improve future pandemic immunization strategies. Targeted education programs should be used to address misconceptions; the single most important factor which might lead to a large improvement in uptake is to allay concern about side effects.