bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La survivance des traditions épistolaires en Russie soviétique dans les années vingt et trente du XXe siècle
Authors: Jobert Véronique
Published: November 2015

The letters at the center of the article were sent from the Soviet Union by Olga Alexandrovna Voeykova, an elderly aristocratic lady, to her daughter and granddaughters, who had emigrated to Kharbin in Manchuria. They were written in unusually elegant Russian, with many excerpts from other languages, such as German, English or French, all meant to avoid censorship and to preserve the remaining of a disappearing aristocratic culture. The letters give us a unique and brilliantly observed picture of everyday life in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s. Like so many people from her background, the author was highly educated and used to communicate with family and friends by letter. Her accounts describe in particular the difficult circumstances which her class had to endure from a government which considered them « socially foreign ».
Pour ou contre l'Amérique : le courrier des jeunes Soviétiques et la propagande de guerre froide
Authors: Kozovoï Andreï
Published: November 2015

Letters from members of the Soviet youth to the press are an important source for the study of the perceptions of the Cold War in the USSR. These letters allow us to ascertain the effectiveness of the renewal of anti- American propaganda during the years 1975-1985. They show that behind the attitudes of acceptance or rejection of this propaganda, there lay a Cold War culture created by the population itself.
Selection on pollen and pistil traits during pollen competition is affected by both sexual conflict and mixed mating in a self‐compatible herb
Authors: Lankinen Åsa , Smith Henrik G. , Andersson Stefan , Madjidian Josefin A.
Published: November 2015

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

Although much attention has focused on the diversity of plant mating systems, only a few studies have considered the joint effects of mating system and sexual conflict in plant evolution. In mixed‐mating Collinsia heterophylla, a sexual conflict over timing of stigma receptivity is proposed: pollen with a capacity to induce early onset of stigma receptivity secures paternity for early‐arriving pollen (at the expense of reduced maternal seed set), whereas late onset of stigma receptivity mitigates the negative effects of early‐arriving pollen. Here we investigated whether selection on pollen and pistil traits involved in sexual conflict is affected by the presence of both outcross‐ and self‐pollen (mixed mating) during pollen competition.

METHODS:

We conducted two‐donor crosses at different floral developmental stages to explore male fitness (siring ability) and female fitness (seed set) in relation to male and female identity, pollen and pistil traits, and type of competitor pollen (outcross vs. self).

KEY RESULTS:

Late‐fertilizing pollen rather than rapidly growing pollen tubes was most successful in terms of siring success, especially in competition with self‐pollen after pollination at early floral stages. Late stigma receptivity increased seed set after early‐stage pollinations, in agreement with selection against antagonistic pollen.

CONCLUSIONS:

Selection on pollen and pistil traits in C. heterophylla is affected by both sexual conflict and mixed mating, suggesting the importance of jointly considering these factors in plant evolution.
A convenient four-component one-pot strategy toward the synthesis of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines
Authors: Liu Mingxing , Li Jiarong , Chai Hongxin , Zhang Kai , Yang Deli , Zhang Qi , Shi Daxin
Published: November 2015

An efficient one-pot synthesis of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives by the four-component condensation of hydrazines, methylenemalononitriles, aldehydes and alcohols has been developed via two different reaction pathways. The structures of target products were characterized by IR spectroscopy, NMR (1H and 13C) spectroscopy and HRMS (ESI) spectrometry. The crystal structure of 4-ethoxy-6-(2-nitrophenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.
Genes Encoding Aluminum‐Activated Malate Transporter II and their Association with Fruit Acidity in Apple
Authors: Ma Baiquan , Liao Liao , Zheng Hongyu , Chen Jie , Wu Benhong , Ogutu Collins , Li Shaohua , Korban Schuyler S. , Han Yuepeng
Published: November 2015

A gene encoding aluminum‐activated malate transporter (ALMT) was previously reported as a candidate for the Ma locus controlling acidity in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). In this study, we found that apple ALMT genes can be divided into three families and the Ma1 gene belongs to the ALMTII family. Duplication of ALMTII genes in apple is related to the polyploid origin of the apple genome. Divergence in expression has occurred between the Ma1 gene and its homologs in the ALMTII family and only the Ma1 gene is significantly associated with malic acid content. The Ma locus consists of two alleles, Ma1 and ma1. Ma1 resides in the tonoplast and its ectopic expression in yeast was found to increase the influx of malic acid into yeast cells significantly, suggesting it may function as a vacuolar malate channel. In contrast, ma1 encodes a truncated protein because of a single nucleotide substitution of G with A in the last exon. As this truncated protein resides within the cell membrane, it is deemed to be nonfunctional as a vacuolar malate channel. The frequency of the Ma1Ma1 genotype is very low in apple cultivars but is high in wild relatives, which suggests that apple domestication may be accompanied by selection for the Ma1 gene. In addition, variations in the malic acid content of mature fruits were also observed between accessions with the same genotype in the Ma locus. This suggests that the Ma gene is not the only genetic determinant of fruit acidity in apple.
Assessing the Barley Genome Zipper and Genomic Resources for Breeding Purposes
Authors: Silvar Cristina , Martis Mihaela M. , Nussbaumer Thomas , Haag Nicolai , Rauser Ruben , Keilwagen Jens , Korzun Viktor , Mayer Klaus F.X. , Ordon Frank , Perovic Dragan
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to estimate the accuracy and convergence of newly developed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genomic resources, primarily genome zipper (GZ) and population sequencing (POPSEQ), at the genome‐wide level and to assess their usefulness in applied barley breeding by analyzing seven known loci. Comparison of barley GZ and POPSEQ maps to a newly developed consensus genetic map constructed with data from 13 individual linkage maps yielded an accuracy of 97.8% (GZ) and 99.3% (POPSEQ), respectively, regarding the chromosome assignment. The percentage of agreement in marker position indicates that on average only 3.7% GZ and 0.7% POPSEQ positions are not in accordance with their centimorgan coordinates in the consensus map. The fine‐scale comparison involved seven genetic regions on chromosomes 1H, 2H, 4H, 6H, and 7H, harboring major genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) for disease resistance. In total, 179 GZ loci were analyzed and 64 polymorphic markers were developed. Entirely, 89.1% of these were allocated within the targeted intervals and 84.2% followed the predicted order. Forty‐four markers showed a match to a POPSEQ‐anchored contig, the percentage of collinearity being 93.2%, on average. Forty‐four markers allowed the identification of twenty‐five fingerprinted contigs (FPCs) and a more clear delimitation of the physical regions containing the traits of interest. Our results demonstrate that an increase in marker density of barley maps by using new genomic data significantly improves the accuracy of GZ. In addition, the combination of different barley genomic resources can be considered as a powerful tool to accelerate barley breeding.
Des études urbaines comparatistes à une sociologie croisée des politiques urbaines
Authors: Barbier Clément
Published: November 2015

Relatant un parcours de recherche mené dans le cadre d’une recherche doctorale en cotutelle, cette contribution présente un emploi possible des méthodes de l’histoire croisée pour l’étude sociologique des politiques urbaines. Construite à partir de l’analyse comparée franco-allemande de deux projets de renouvellement urbain, la réflexion présente les apports heuristiques d’une démarche de sociologie politique croisée. Cette approche se caractérise par l’élaboration inductive des questions de recherche, l’attention particulière accordée aux contextes urbains étudiés et la prise en considération des circulations transnationales dans le travail de sociogenèse. Cet article esquisse, à partir de brèves illustrations, une voie pour des comparaisons internationales réflexives, questionnant et réajustant en permanence les catégories d’analyse mobilisées.
Les pratiques associatives dans les banlieues de Paris et Buenos Aires. La comparaison de cas contrastés
Authors: Trenta Arnaud
Published: November 2015

Cet article montre les apports de la comparaison de cas fortement contrastés, dans une recherche sur les pratiques associatives dans les quartiers populaires de la périphérie urbaine de Paris et de Buenos Aires. La première partie présente la recherche comparative et la méthode mobilisée pour étudier le fait associatif dans ces territoires. La seconde évoque les différences importantes concernant l’histoire des banlieues industrielles et les formes de sociabilité populaire locale, puis les mécanismes sociaux similaires, liés à une importante participation des associations dans l’espace public en France comme en Argentine. La conclusion revient sur la perspective générale et souligne les apports de la comparaison centrée sur des cas très différents.
Les apports de la comparaison internationale à la démarche de recherche en études urbaines
Authors: Margier Antonin
Published: November 2015

Issu d’une recherche doctorale sur la cohabitation dans les espaces publics de Montréal et Paris, cet article souligne l’importance de l’acte comparatif sur le déroulement de la recherche. En croisant le cheminement de notre recherche avec des réflexions théoriques, nous montrons l’influence prise par la comparaison internationale, dans la construction des hypothèses, dans la réflexion théorique et dans l’interprétation des données empiriques.
Immigration et intégration à l’épreuve de la comparaison : retour sur trois projets européens de recherche
Authors: Escafré-Dublet Angéline
Published: November 2015

À partir d’une expérience de recherche dans le cadre de trois projets européens, l’article revient sur les enjeux conceptuels et méthodologiques liés à la comparaison des phénomènes migratoires et la réponse qui leur est apportée par les politiques publiques. Il analyse les enjeux méthodologiques liés à la construction d’un objet comparable dans le cadre de projets de recherche, pour lesquels le cadre conceptuel est fixé par un groupe de chercheurs de différents pays. En particulier, il discute les apports et limites de l’adoption d’une grille d’analyse pluraliste dans le contexte universaliste des politiques publiques françaises. Il montre que la comparaison menée dans ces trois projets européens permet d’expliciter les spécificités, mais aussi de saisir les origines et les logiques des phénomènes, de manière à mieux comprendre les défis contemporains consécutifs aux migrations.
Ce que le théâtre fait au territoire. Reconfiguration du public et évaluation
Authors: Langeard Chloé , Liot Françoise , Rui Sandrine
Published: November 2015

La mesure de l’activité théâtrale s’est principalement fondée sur des données comptables plaçant les caractéristiques des publics au centre de l’attention. Toutefois, la transformation des activités des théâtres, qui ne se limitent plus à la production et diffusion de spectacles, amène à penser autrement la notion de public et la place que le théâtre occupe sur son territoire. En effet, les théâtres mettent en œuvre des activités hors les murs qui reconfigurent les relations entre les artistes, les publics et les acteurs des territoires, bousculent les logiques de l’évaluation des théâtres et compliquent la mesure des effets. À partir d’une approche qualitative et holiste qui prend appui sur des études de cas diversifiées, l’article montre que ces démarches participent à des transformations qui appellent à penser l’évaluation autrement, notamment en portant l’attention sur les processus culturels, porteurs d’innovation sociale, plus que sur les résultats, souvent insaisissables.
Quand les occupants défilent avec les occupés. Étude d’une coopération paradoxale entre militants israéliens et palestiniens
Authors: Lamarche Karine
Published: November 2015

En prenant pour objet l’étude de la coopération entre des Palestiniens vivant sous occupation israélienne et des Israéliens engagés à leurs côtés, cet article s’intéresse à la question des rapports de domination traversant les mobilisations collectives. Plusieurs travaux de sociologie des mouvements sociaux se sont penchés sur l’effet des hiérarchies sociales sur les pratiques militantes et ont souligné les difficultés que peuvent avoir, à lutter ensemble, des acteurs inégalement dotés et prenant des risques différents sur le terrain. Dans le cas présent, les Israéliens qui rejoignent les Palestiniens dans leur lutte sont indirectement responsables du sort de ces derniers et restent, malgré eux, des occupants. Comment éviter, dès lors, que l’espace militant ne devienne un espace de reproduction des rapports de domination déjà à l’œuvre ?
Straylight Measurements in Two Different Apodized Diffractive Multifocal Intraocular Lenses
Authors: Lapid-Gortzak Ruth , Labuz Grzegorz , van der Meulen Ivanka J. , van der Linden Jan Willem , Mourits M. P. , van den Berg Tom J.
Published: November 2015

PURPOSE:

To evaluate differences in straylight between eyes implanted with a hydrophilic multifocal IOL (Seelens MF; Hanita Lenses, Hanita, Israel) and a hydrophobic multifocal IOL (SN6AD1; Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX).

METHODS:

In a prospective cohort study, routinely obtained straylight measurements (C-Quant; Oculus Optikgeräte, Wetzlar, Germany) 3 months after standard phacoemulsification for either cataract or refractive lens procedures were compared. Patients were implanted with either the SeeLens MF IOL or the SN6AD1 IOL. Postoperative straylight values, visual acuity, and refractive outcomes were compared.

RESULTS:

The SeeLens MF IOL was implanted in 84 eyes and the SN6AD1 IOL in 79 eyes. The difference in straylight was 0.08 (
P
= .01), with the SeeLens MF IOL having less straylight. Postoperative CDVA was logMAR −0.03 ± 0.06 in the SeeLens MF group, and logMAR −0.02 ± 0.08 in the SN6AD1 group. Mean postoperative refraction was +0.01 ± 0.43 and +0.06 ± 0.35 D, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

The Seelens MF IOL showed a stray-light of log(s) 0.08 lower than the SN6AD1 IOL. In terms of spherical equivalent and visual acuity the lenses performed equally. More study will aid in understanding the causes and clinical impact of this difference.

[
J Refract Surg.
2015;31(11):746–751.]
Comparison of Three Epithelial Removal Techniques in PRK: Mechanical, Alcohol-assisted, and Transepithelial Laser
Authors: Shapira Yinon , Mimouni Michael , Levartovsky Shmuel , Varssano David , Sela Tzahi , Munzer Gur , Kaiserman Igor
Published: November 2015

PURPOSE:

To compare the visual and refractive results obtained after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in patients who underwent one of three different epithelial removal techniques.

METHODS:

The authors reviewed the medical files of consecutive eyes with myopia and myopic astigmatism that were treated during a 10-year period by mechanical PRK, alcohol-assisted PRK, or transepithelial PRK (in the phototherapeutic keratectomy mode), and observed for more than 1 year.

RESULTS:

A total of 3,417 patients (3,417 eyes) were included in this study. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the outcome of alcohol-assisted PRK was superior both in efficacy (
P
< .01) and safety (
P
< .001) to those of both mechanical PRK and transepithelial PRK, which were similar. At more than 1 year postoperatively, the mean efficacy index was still high for alcohol-assisted PRK, but low for the transepithelial PRK, corresponding to a mean uncorrected visual acuity of more than one Snellen line lower than those of the other two techniques (
P
< .0001). All three techniques showed a regression toward myopia more than 1 year postoperatively, with significant undercorrection obtained in eyes treated with transepithelial PRK (
P
< .0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Significant differences were detected in both the visual outcomes and the refractive results of the three epithelial removal techniques. The long-term outcomes were best for alcohol-assisted PRK.

[
J Refract Surg.
2015;31(11):760–766.]
A Joint data record of tropospheric ozone from Aura-TES and MetOp-IASI
Authors: Oetjen H. , Payne V. H. , Neu J. L. , Kulawik S. S. , Edwards D. P. , Eldering A. , Worden H. M. , Worden J. R.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. The Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) on Aura and Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on MetOp-A together provide a time series of ten years of free-tropospheric ozone with an overlap of three years. We characterise the differences between TES and IASI ozone measurements and find that IASI's coarser vertical sensitivity leads to a small (< 5 ppb) low bias relative to TES for the free troposphere. The TES-IASI differences are not dependent on season or any other factor and hence the measurements from the two instruments can be merged, after correcting for the offset, in order to study decadal-scale changes in tropospheric ozone. We calculate time series of regional monthly mean ozone in the free troposphere over Eastern Asia, the Western United States (US), and Europe, carefully accounting for differences in spatial sampling between the instruments. We show that free-tropospheric ozone over Europe and the Western US has remained relatively constant over the past decade, but that, contrary to expectations, ozone over Asia in recent years does not continue the rapid rate of increase observed from 2004–2010.
The significance of nitrogen regeneration for new production within a filament of the Mauritanian upwelling system
Authors: Clark D. R. , Widdicombe C. E. , Rees A. P. , Woodward E. M. S.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. The lagrangian progression of biogeochemical processes was followed in a filament of the Mauritanian upwelling system, North West Africa, during offshore advection. Inert duel tracers sulphur hexafluoride and helium-3 labelled a freshly upwelled patch of water that was mapped for 8 days. Changes in biological, physical and chemical characteristics were measured including phytoplankton productivity, nitrogen assimilation and regeneration. Freshly upwelled water contained high nutrient concentrations (NO3− = 9.0 ± 0.1 μmol L−1; PO43− = 0.7 ± 0.1 μmol L−1; Si = 2.7 ± 0.1 μmol L−1) but was depleted in N compared to Redfield stoichiometry (N:P = 13.9:1). A maximum primary productivity rate of 0.7 mol C m−2 d−1 was measured on the continental shelf, associated with N-assimilation rates of 43.8 nmol L−1 h−1 for NO3−, 32.8 nmol L−1 h−1 for NH4+ and a phytoplankton community dominated by diatoms and flagellates. Indicators of phytoplankton abundance and activity decreased as the labelled water mass transited the continental shelf slope into deeper water, possibly linked to the mixed layer depth exceeding the light penetration depth. By the end of the study, primary productivity rates of 0.1 mol C m−2 d−1 were measured, associated with N-assimilation rates of 3.9 nmol L−1 h−1 for NO3−, 6.1 nmol L−1 h−1 for NH4+ and lower nutrient concentrations (NO3− = 4.6 ± 0.3 μmol L−1; PO43− = 0.4 ± 0.1 μmol L−1; Si = 0.9 ± 0.1 μmol L−1). Nitrogen regeneration and assimilation took place simultaneously; NH4+ was regenerated at 9.4–85.0 nmol L−1 h−1; NH4+ was oxidised at 0.30–8.75 nmol L−1 h−1; NO2− was oxidised at 25.55–81.11 nmol L−1 h−1. Results highlight the importance of regenerated NH4+ in sustaining phytoplankton productivity and indicate that the upwelled NO3− pool contained an increasing fraction of regenerated NO3− as it advected offshore. By calculating this fraction and incorporating it into an f ratio formulation we estimated that of the 12.38 Tg C of annual regional production, 4.73 Tg C was exportable.
Rotational Stability and Patient Satisfaction after Implantation of a New Toric IOL
Authors: Gyöngyössy Balazs , Jirak Paul , Schönherr Ulrich
Published: November 2015

Purpose

To evaluate rotational stability, astigmatism correction, visual outcomes, and patient satisfaction after implantation of the toric intraocular lens (IOL) Torica-aA following cataract extraction over a 6-month follow-up period.

Methods

This prospective observational study enrolled 40 eyes of 26 patients presenting with preexisting corneal astigmatism of 1.00 to 2.60 D. The rotational stability of the IOL was evaluated using retroillumination photographs taken within 24 hours after surgery and 1 week and 6 months postoperatively. Other main study outcomes were assessed 6 months postoperatively and included uncorrected and distance-corrected visual acuities, astigmatism correction, and patient satisfaction.

Results

Six months postoperatively, mean absolute IOL rotation was 1.99 ± 1.88° (range 0.10-7.40°) and secondary repositioning was not required. The IOL rotation was <3° in 85% of eyes, ≤5° in 94% of eyes, and <8° in 100% of eyes. Mean residual refractive cylinder was −0.57 ± 0.34 D. The magnitude of the J0 vector was significantly decreased postoperatively (p<0.0001). The mean J45 vector was close to zero preoperatively and postoperatively (p = 0.27). Mean monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) was 0.09 ± 0.12 logMAR and 97% of eyes achieved UDVA of 20/40 or better including 66% of eyes having 20/25 or better. The good UDVA resulted in high levels of spectacle independence and patient satisfaction.

Conclusions

Implantation of the Torica-aA IOL was safe and effective in reducing low to moderate preexisting corneal astigmatism and provided good rotational stability and refractive outcomes, which led to a high degree of patient satisfaction.
Late Opacification of a Hydrophilic Acrylic Intraocular Lens in Europe
Authors: Mojzis Peter , Studeny Pavel , Werner Liliana , Piñero David P.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

To describe the clinical and microscopic findings in 2 different patients of 2 cases of late opacification of the hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) Ioflex.

Methods

Two eyes of 2 patients (73 and 74 years old) had an uneventful phacoemulsification surgery with implantation of the Ioflex IOL (power +21.5 D). At 5 years after surgery, a dense IOL opacification was detected in both cases with significant visual degradation. The IOLs were explanted and analyzed by microscopy.

Results

In both cases, a satisfactory visual recovery was achieved (corrected distance visual acuity of 6/9 and 6/12). Microscopic examination of the explanted IOLs revealed multiple small granules on the surface/subsurface of the lens. Although histochemical or surface analyses were not performed, the aspect appears consistent with a process of calcification of this lens design. Other findings included few surface contaminants, such as fibers, crystals that may correspond to dry viscoelastic and/or salt solutions, as well as pigments and dust-like deposits.

Conclusions

Opacification of the posterior chamber hydrophilic acrylic IOL Ioflex probably related to calcification can appear several years after its implantation and requires IOL exchange due to the significant visual loss induced. More studies are required to understand the causes of this complication.
In vitro Evaluation of a Novel Pulsatile Right Heart Assist Device - the Perkat System
Authors: Kretzschmar Daniel , Lauten Alexander , Ferrari Markus W.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

Acute right ventricular failure is a life-threatening condition with poor prognosis. It occurs as a result of right ventricular infarction, postcardiac transplantation, or postimplantation of a left ventricular assist device. Temporary mechanical right ventricular support could be a reasonable treatment option. Therefore, we developed a novel percutaneously implantable device.

Methods

The PERKAT device consists of a self-expandable chamber covered with multiple inflow valves carrying foils. A flexible outlet tube with a pigtail tip is attached to the distal end. PERKAT is designed for percutaneous implantation through the femoral vein (18 French sheath). The chamber is expanded in the inferior vena cava while the outlet tube bypasses the right heart and the pigtail tip is lying in the pulmonary trunk. An IABP balloon is inserted into the chamber and connected to an IABP console. Balloon deflation generates blood flow from the vena cava into the chamber through the foil valves. During inflation blood is pumped through the tube into the pulmonary arteries.

Results

In vitro experiments were performed using 30 mL and 40 mL IABP balloons. IABP inflation/deflation times were set to 80, 90, 100, and 110 per min with an afterload of 22 mmHg and 44 mmHg. PERKAT generated flow rates between 1.6 to 3.1 l/min, depending on balloon size, pump cycle, and afterload.

Conclusions

The novel percutaneously implantable right ventricular assist device offers emergency support of up to 3 l/min. Based on the successful in vitro evaluation, we recommend the system as a promising approach for treatment of patients in need of RV support.
MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Renal Cell Carcinoma and Their Diagnostic and Prognostic Utility as Cancer Biomarkers
Authors: Fedorko Michal , Pacik Dalibor , Wasserbauer Roman , Juracek Jaroslav , Varga Gabriel , Ghazal Motasem , Nussir Mohamed I.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

To provide information about the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and their diagnostic and prognostic utility as cancer biomarkers.

Methods

A literature search was performed in the PubMed and Web of Science databases using the keywords “renal cancer/renal cell carcinoma/kidney cancer” and “miR*/miRNA*/microRNA*”. Articles dealing with the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of RCC, diagnostic miRNAs and prognostic miRNAs were separated.

Results

MiRNAs act both as oncogenes and tumor suppressors. They regulate apoptosis, cell growth, migration, invasion, proliferation, colony formation and angiogenesis through target proteins involved in several signaling pathways, and they are involved in key pathogenetic mechanisms such as hypoxia (HIF/VHL dependent) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Differentially expressed miRNAs can discriminate either tumor tissue from healthy renal tissue or different RCC subtypes. Circulating miRNAs are promissing as diagnostic biomarkers of RCC. Information about urinary miRNAs associated with RCC is sparse. Detection of a relapse is another implication of diagnostic miRNAs. The expression profiles of several miRNAs correlate with the prognosis of RCC patients. Comparison between primary tumor tissue and metastasis may help identify high-risk primary tumors. Finally, response to target therapy can be estimated thanks to differences in miRNA expression in tissue and serum of therapy-resistant versus therapy-sensitive patients.

Conclusions

Our understanding of the role of microRNAs in RCC pathogenesis has been increasing dramatically. Identification and validation of their gene targets may have direct impact on developing microRNA-based anticancer therapy. Several microRNAs can serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.
Psychological Distress and Health-Related Quality of Life among Head and Neck Cancer Patients during the First Year after Treatment
Authors: Ninu Maria Benedetta , Miccinesi Guido , Bulli Francesco , De Massimi Alessio , Muraca Maria Grazia , Franchi Giovanna , Squadrelli Saraceno Massimo
Published: November 2015

Purpose

Patients treated for head and neck cancer present some of the most significant posttreatment morbidity of any group of patients with cancer. Our aim is to describe quality of life and psychological distress after different treatments among head and neck cancer patients during the first year after treatment.

Methods

A total of 86 patients treated for head and neck cancer were evaluated within 1 year of the end of treatment by means of the Distress Thermometer (DT) and EORTC C30 and H&N35 questionnaires. Type of treatment was classified into 3 groups: surgery, chemo-/radiotherapy, and combined treatment.

Results

Forty-one percent of patients showed a high level of distress (DT >5). Distress was higher in patients with a tracheotomy or with previous cancer in another district. Quality of life was homogeneous across treatment types after adjustment for stage and time since end of treatment, except for higher levels of suffering related to sensory problems, social eating, and dry mouth among patients treated with combined therapy.

Conclusions

The DT and EORTC questionnaires proved to be effective and easy tools to monitor distress and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer. Monitoring the quality of life perceived by each patient during his/her course of treatment could be useful in planning the rehabilitation process while performing follow-up visits.
Desmopressin in Adult Urological Disease: Clinical Evidences
Authors: Siracusano Salvatore , Ciciliato Stefano , Toffoli Laura , Silvestri Tommaso , Casotto Daniela
Published: November 2015

Desmopressin is a synthetic analogue of arginine vasopressin, commercially available since 1974. Desmopressin is proven effective for the treatment primary nocturnal enuresis and polyuria. It has been considered by several investigators for the treatment of nocturia with positive results and is now an established treatment for this indication. In this review, we assessed the available clinical data on desmopressin in adult urological disease.
Effectiveness of Combined Copying Skills Training and Pharmacological Therapy for Patients with Migraine
Authors: Rashid-Tavalai Zahra , Bakhshani Nour Mohammad , Amirifard Hamed , Lashkaripour Maryam
Published: November 2015

Headache is one of the most common complaints in neurological clinics. The current study carried out to determine the benefits of combined Coping Skills Training (CST) and Pharmacotherapy (Ph) for patients with migraine. Forty patients with migraine recruited from the outpatient clinics of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences( Iran) and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: the first group received combined coping skills training (CST) and pharmacotherapy(Ph); and the second group received the pharmacotherapy alone(Ph). Five patients due to lack of regular presence or filling out the questionnaires excluded from the study. Finally, the results of 35 subjects were analyzed. Data collection was done using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale-Sherer, Ways of Coping Questionnaire and Migraine Headache Index. The results of ANCOVA on post-test, after controlling the pre-test scores, suggested a significant difference in self-efficacy scores between CST+Ph and Ph groups. Moreover, results of ANCOVA did not show significant differences between the two groups in the scores of pain severity, quality of life, and the use of coping strategies. Findings of the present study indicated that coping-skills training, as a psychological intervention, improved self-efficacy. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this conclusion.
Predictors of Knowledge of Coronary Intervention in a Group of PCI Patients
Authors: Haseeb Abdul , Bilal Muhammad , Dar Mudassir Iqbal , Arshad Mohammad Hussham , Amir Raamish Bin , Hussain Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid , Mian Sharmeen Kamran , Javed Maheen , Sultan Ayesha , Arfeen Arham Amir
Published: November 2015

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the knowledge of CAD risk factors and post management of coronary intervention among sample of population who were hospitalized for PCI.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted in Cardiology ward of a tertiary care hospital from July 2013 to May 2015 on 600 patients. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the patients. In univariate analysis, t-tests were employed to assess association of knowledge of CAD risk factors with gender, education level and monthly household income.

RESULTS: The mean score of participants with no education was 4.42 and patients with education of bachelors or higher was 8.59 (p-value: 0.01). Similarly, the mean score for participants with monthly household income less than 5000 was 3.32 and participants with income higher than 50,000 had a score of 8.31 (p-value: 0.01). Furthermore, only 28% (N=168) claimed aerobic exercise as a key part of angioplasty recovery.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate the lack of good level of knowledge of risk factors for CAD and post management of coronary intervention among PCI patients of Pakistan. There is urgent need for targeted educational programs on national basis to reduce mortality associated with CAD in Pakistani population.
Redefining Unusable Weeds to Beneficial Plants: Purslane as a Powerful Source of Omega-3 for the Future
Authors: Agil Rania , Gilbert Chloé , Tavakoli Hamed , Hosseinian Farah
Published: November 2015

With global consumer demand shifting towards the consumption of healthier foods, it is crucial to discover new sources of edible plants with high nutritional value and low cost. Unique weeds such as purslane have the potential to be used as an untapped source of unconventional food with diverse nutrients and beneficial bioactive properties. Inflammation can cause oxidative stress related diseases including cardiovascular disorders, aging and cancer. One key nutrient of purslane is omega-3 with potential of inhibitory properties against inflammatory and estrogenic mediators. Purslane is known to be a rich source of a-linolenic acid, 18:3 ω-3, an essential fatty acid, carotenes, antioxidants and minerals. However, the precise mechanism of action of its individual components in disease prevention is unknown. This review provides a summary on the role of purslane bioactives, particularly omega-3 fatty acids as one of purslane’s main constituents with potential of anti-inflammatory and anti-estrogenic properties. The discovery of new sources of plants rich in omega-3 fatty acids may be a useful strategy in utilizing natural alternative sources of foods that can enhance human health and wellbeing.
La carte et le territoire : une nouvelle lecture des frontières et des mesures d’importance et d’asymétrie des attributs dans le modèle tétraclasse
Authors: Windal Pierre-Marie
Published: November 2015

L’objectif de cet article est d’exploiter les propriétés statistiques du modèle tétraclasse de Llosa (1997) pour passer de la simple description à l’inférence. Les variances des contributions et des frontières sont calculées pour tester la validité de l’affectation d’un attribut à une catégorie de satisfaction et mieux gérer les attributs frontaliers. Une nouvelle façon de présenter les résultats sous forme de mesures d’importance et d’asymétrie est proposée, qui préserve toute l’information de la carte classique. L’analyse des propriétés de ce modèle, donc de ses avantages et limites, permet de préciser les conditions dans lesquelles son utilisation est appropriée.
Les nouvelles aides à la vente et à l’achat : définition, état de l’art et proposition d’une taxinomie
Authors: Beck Marie , Crié Dominique
Published: November 2015

L’introduction de nouveaux outils dans le processus d’achat du consommateur s’est accélérée ces cinq dernières années. Le développement des terminaux mobiles et de stratégies omnicanales des entreprises favorisent la diversité de ces supports mis à disposition du vendeur et/ou du consommateur. L’objectif de cet article est d’en établir une taxinomie robuste permettant aux chercheurs d’étendre les résultats de leurs travaux et aux managers d’identifier les différents types de NAVA (Nouvelles Aides à la Vente et à l’Achat), et ainsi d’adopter le ou les outil(s) le(s) plus cohérent(s) par rapport à la stratégie de leur entreprise.
Mieux collecter les données personnelles sur Internet. Une étude qualitative auprès d’internautes français
Authors: Lancelot Miltgen Caroline , Lemoine Jean-François
Published: November 2015

Dans un contexte de méfiance des internautes vis-à-vis de l’utilisation qui peut être faite des informations personnelles qu’ils fournissent sur Internet, quelles stratégies les entreprises peuvent-elles mettre en place afin de contourner leurs craintes, de les rassurer voire de les inciter à divulguer davantage leurs données ? Afin d’apporter des éléments de réponse à cette question, une étude qualitative a été conduite auprès de trente internautes français. Elle permet de mettre à jour sept variables relatives au contexte de sollicitation (exposé de l’utilité et de la finalité de la demande, vocabulaire employé, tonalité de la sollicitation, quantité de données demandées, modalités de réponse proposées, possibilité offerte aux internautes de ne plus être sollicités ultérieurement) qui constituent autant de leviers d’action que les entreprises peuvent mobiliser dans leurs pratiques de collecte.
Le recrutement par parrainage : aller au-delà du schéma de récompense
Authors: Nicholson Patrick , de Pechpeyrou Pauline
Published: November 2015

La majorité des entreprises du domaine des services propose des programmes de recrutement de nouveaux clients basés sur la recommandation interpersonnelle. Si le recours à ces dispositifs de parrainage se justifie par la qualité des clients recrutés, ils reposent avant toute chose sur la propension des clients actuels à solliciter leurs relations. Les résultats d’une expérimentation auprès de 576 consommateurs montrent que la réussite de ces programmes tient davantage à la conviction des clients actuels de leur capacité d’influence et à leur engagement vis-à-vis de l’entreprise qu’à la valeur associée aux récompenses offertes par celle-ci. Le praticien devra donc mieux sélectionner les futurs parrains et les aider à convaincre leur entourage, la qualité de la relation avec les clients et la satisfaction de ces derniers restant les pivots du succès de telles opérations.
Accroître les taux de réponse des sollicitations promotionnelles en vente à distance. Proposition d’une segmentation concomitante des clients et des offres
Authors: Carpentier Laurent , Crié Dominique
Published: November 2015

Dans un contexte de rationalisation des coûts d’envoi des offres promotionnelles par courrier et de saturation des cibles, les modèles de segmentation employés par les entreprises présentent certaines lacunes. Comment gérer plus efficacement l’hétérogénéité des comportements de réponse des clients aux offres promotionnelles en vente à distance ? La méthode de segmentation par l’analyse des classes latentes est proposée. Les résultats de cette étude soulignent que pour améliorer le ciblage des offres et ainsi accroître leur taux de réponse, les entreprises doivent procéder à une segmentation concomitante des clients et des offres promotionnelles.
Perspective générationnelle de la consommation de vin en France : une opportunité pour la segmentation
Authors: Lorey Thierry , Albouy Jeanne
Published: November 2015

Le concept de génération, initialement défini en sociologie, n’a pas connu de traduction significative en marketing sur le plan de la segmentation. A partir d’une analyse critique des critères de segmentation usuels, cette recherche qualitative questionne la pertinence d’une segmentation par les générations pour le secteur du vin en France. Nous montrons que les quatre générations étudiées possèdent des représentations du vin spécifiques, un comportement de consommation singulier et un mode original de transmission. Cette segmentation générationnelle s’avère explicative et prédictive de la consommation de vin. Les recommandations managériales en découlant sont alors discutées, notamment concernant la génération Y qui marque un tournant sociétal.
Membrane properties specialize mammalian inner hair cells for frequency or intensity encoding
Authors: Johnson Stuart L
Published: November 2015

The auditory pathway faithfully encodes and relays auditory information to the brain with remarkable speed and precision. The inner hair cells (IHCs) are the primary sensory receptors adapted for rapid auditory signaling, but they are not thought to be intrinsically tuned to encode particular sound frequencies. Here I found that under experimental conditions mimicking those in vivo, mammalian IHCs are intrinsically specialized. Low-frequency gerbil IHCs (~0.3 kHz) have significantly more depolarized resting membrane potentials, faster kinetics, and shorter membrane time constants than high-frequency cells (~30 kHz). The faster kinetics of low-frequency IHCs allow them to follow the phasic component of sound (frequency-following), which is not required for high-frequency cells that are instead optimally configured to encode sustained, graded responses (intensity-following). The intrinsic membrane filtering of IHCs ensures accurate encoding of the phasic or sustained components of the cell’s in vivo receptor potential, crucial for sound localization and ultimately survival.
The Businessmen of Sveaborg: Civil–Military Interaction in an Atypical Eighteenth Century Nordic Military Town
Authors: Granqvist Juha-Matti
Published: November 2015

Late eighteenth-century Helsinki was, due to the sea fortress Sveaborg, one of the most prominent Nordic military towns. At the same time, Helsinki differed from other Nordic military towns of the era because of its geography. The fortress Sveaborg, with its large military and civilian population, was built on islands unconnected to the mainland and thus was isolated from the outside world every spring and autumn due to the Nordic climate. The burghers of Helsinki, who had shops and taverns on the islands, were vital to the maintenance of the fortress. At the same time, their presence caused tension between the civil society and the military society, as the Army tried to control the burghers’ business and the burghers saw this as a violation of their economic rights. During the sixty-year period of the fortress’s construction (1748–1808), the situation evolved from an open conflict to a mutual agreement and, finally, led to the birth of a new kind of business circle that shook the borders between civil society and the military.
Social Media
Authors: Davis Jenny L.
Published: November 2015

Social media are defined as the set of interactive Internet applications that facilitate (collaborative or individual) creation, curation, and sharing of user‐generated content. They are an increasingly pervasive aspect of everyday life. One can view social media not as something separate from physical reality, but as an integral part of an interwoven social landscape. The prevalence of social media affects and is affected by numerous realms of personal and public life, including processes of identity, interpersonal relationships, and the political economy. Looking towards the future, social media research will examine the seamless ways in which digital technologies, bodies, and the social world intertwine while maintaining unique properties.
Media Ethnography
Authors: Junnilainen Lotta , Luhtakallio Eeva
Published: November 2015

Ethnography is an approach capable of understanding context, culture, and nuance. It has particular potential for studying new modes and changing contexts of communication and the complex social processes of the media society, including its countertrends and weak signs of change. The ethnographic approach directs the researcher to reconsider familiar political, economic, and social structures. Media ethnography combines ethnographic methods from traditional participative observation to the tools of netnography and visual analysis. It studies different aspects of the media from the newsroom to social media networks and uses. Ethnographic analysis is prominent in exploring the contexts of media, but it also brings forth the significance of the researcher's field experience framed by location, culture, gender, race, class, and ethnicity. Questions of production and participation, audience ethnography, ethnographic approaches to visual material, and online ethnography are principal approaches to media ethnography.
Groupthink
Authors: Carlson Gordon S.
Published: November 2015

This essay describes the origins and application of groupthink in a research context. Groupthink has been applied to numerous areas of research several of which inform political communication. Underlying theory is discussed and the components of groupthink theory are explicated. Examples of its use in popular and academic literature are explained.
Heuristic Information‐Processing
Authors: Sotirovic Mira
Published: November 2015

Heuristic information‐processing is a style of thinking that is characterized by using simple rules (heuristics) learned through experiences to make decisions and judgments efficiently or as easily as possible. People tend to process information heuristically when they are less motivated or lack ability to carefully examine the validity of information they receive, or when they are under time pressure. Heuristics may be activated automatically, with little awareness, by ways that information is presented or by various noncontent‐related message cues such as source attractiveness or expertise. Media may promote heuristic processing by making some information or its aspects and cues more available. Whereas the use of heuristics reduces cognitive load and saves effort and time, it also often results in biased and erroneous judgments.
Citizen Journalism
Authors: Fortunati Leopoldina , Farinosi Manuela
Published: November 2015

Citizen journalism represents a rich phenomenon, based on information content generated and shared online by nonprofessional journalists. It has allowed an increase in the degrees of freedom on the part of audiences in the experience and practice of use of news, giving them the opportunity to set up an alternative agenda than that proposed by mainstream media. In several occasions such as the World Trade Center terrorist attacks (2001), Indian Ocean tsunami (2004), London subway bombing (2005), and Hudson River landing (2009), the work carried out by amateur journalists has been precious and has enriched the content transmitted by traditional media. The entry examines the pro and cons of the phenomenon, illustrating its impact on news production, and outlining possible future research directions.
Feminist Theory
Authors: Ross Karen
Published: November 2015

Feminist analyses of political communication tend to argue that women are not well served by journalistic practices which often undermine the potency of women as political actors through a representational emphasis on trivia such as couture, coiffure, and conjugal relations or else, as damagingly, fail to include women's voices and actions at all. Whilst the novelty value of women competing for the top political job might encourage a higher visibility, more does not always mean better and feminist analyses suggest that context and tone as well as frequency are important elements to an exploration of how the representation of politicians is gendered.
Uses and Gratifications
Authors: Leung Louis
Published: November 2015

This article gives an overview of the origin and assumptions of uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, highlighting past and present U&G research. U&G research seeks to understand why people use media, rather than what media do to people, and the general theoretical conclusion from past U&G studies is that the gratifications sought motivated the use of a particular medium in an audience to satisfy certain social and psychological needs. This article also emphasizes how the U&G framework has been employed in political communication research and, more recently, how new media, especially the Internet, have become a focus in explaining a host of political effects variables.