bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre-Secular Iranians in a Post-Secular Age: The Death of God, the Resurrection of God
Authors: Alijani Reza
Published: June 2011

The issues of religion and secularization are among the most pressing concerns in Iran today. Religion has historically played different roles and has been present at different levels within the society. Followers of different religions either have chosen total submission based on literal readings of the scriptures or have followed a rationalist perspective using their own interpretations of religious teachings. During the past several centuries, as a result of the dominance of secularization and laïcité, religion throughout the world took a backseat and the “death of God” was witnessed. After this lengthy retreat, we now observe the reemergence of religions in different forms. Religion has proved to have “nine lives,” and each time, the death of God turned into the resurrection of God. But the resurrected God and reemerged religions are not one and the same as before. They have now assumed new roles. Along the same line, in its long historical process secularization has also had its ups and downs and has thus evolved. In some cases it has been open and flexible, and in others, rigid and fundamentalist. Hence new theories must closely explore the evolving relationship between secularization and religion. In both theory and practice, the boundaries within which religion can or cannot operate, and the extent to which religion should or should not play a role in the public sphere, must be scrutinized. There are two types of religiosity, one rigid and literalist and the other rationalist and humanist, and there are two types of secularism, a rigid and fundamentalist one that denies any role for religion in society and a flexible and tolerant one that only restricts religion from interfering in the state. In this “post-secular” environment, the rationalist religious intellectuals and the tolerant secularists can coexist and find mutual understanding. Iranian intellectuals, whether religious or nonreligious, or liberals, nationalists, socialists, or social democrats, should agree on one principle and that is that they all can freely compete in civil society, but they should not bring their ideologies into the state.
Post-Islamist Trends in Postrevolutionary Iran
Authors: Mahdavi Mojtaba
Published: June 2011

Today's Iran under the Islamic state represents the most complex forms of post-Islamism in the Muslim world. The unintended consequences of the Islamic Republic have empowered and enlightened the public, transformed the people from subjects to citizens, and in effect have undermined the intellectual, political, and social foundations of the Islamic state. Post-Islamism in postrevolutionary Iran signifies the paradoxes of the Islamic state. This article examines the nature and the diversity of post-Islamist trends in today's Iran symbolized by the current Green Movement. It conceptualizes and contextualizes post-Islamist discourses in Iran and then analyzes the sociopolitical origins of three intellectual trends of post-Islamism in postrevolutionary Iran: quasi/semi-post-Islamism, liberal post-Islamism, and neo-Shariati's post-Islamist discourse. The conclusion problematizes the potential future of post-Islamism in the country.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and Its Opposition
Authors: Mohajer Nasser , Vahabi Mehrdad
Published: June 2011

This essay takes a stylized paradoxical fact of Iranian politics under the Islamic Republic of Iran as its starting point: the stark confusion between the position and a good portion of the opposition. Such a blurred frontier between “position” and “opposition” did not exist during the shah's regime. Without the decisive support of non-Islamic organizations, secular intellectuals, and political forces on the ground, the creation of a theocratic regime in Iran and its consolidation could not be realized. Now on the thirtieth anniversary of the Islamic Republic, the open opposition of many influential clerics toward how the government is run under the present supreme leader and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provides a new episode of “opposition” within the theocrats' circles. To put this paradoxical fact differently, it should be emphasized that no regime in Iran's modern history has produced so much opposition within its own ranks and enjoyed the loyalty of its oppositions at the same time. How could this paradox be explained? Our essay tackles this issue by describing the peculiar type of social order under the Islamic Republic of Iran as ordered anarchy or “destructive coordination.” Analyzing the sources of this type of coordination, we proceed in two steps. The first is to question whether there has ever been a laic or secular movement in Iran's recent history. The second consists in defining the institutional setup and recent dynamics of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a strange, if not unique, mutant of Samuel P. Huntington's praetorian state, led by “priests” and armed religious militants.
Secularism in the Middle East, Palestine as an Example
Authors: Hamdan Abel Majeed
Published: June 2011

Twenty years ago, religious trends were hardly visible in Palestine. Various factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) were all secular. This is not the case today, as the religious discourse is overwhelming and the secular one is on the retreat. This so-called Islamic awakening has several explanations: (1) the cultural heritage beginning with the end of the Rashidi era of the Abbasids when the backward streams erased rational thinking and judgment from public life; (2) colonialism, beginning with the arrival of Napoleon in Egypt and the rise of nationalist forces and their opposition to all that the West represented, including Western secular values; (3) the formation of the state of Israel and Zionism, which continued to represent the viscous face of occupation and the misrepresentation of secularism; and (4) oil and the Saudi-backed Wahhabi movement and their control over most Arab television channels, in contrast to secular Arab groups and their lack of financial means to compete with the Islamists' propaganda (some turn to religious programs to win the street back). Nonetheless, the possibility for progressive secular movements to recover and act again is increasing in Palestine and in other countries in the region.
Crisis and Recovery Narratives in Maghrebi Histories of the Ottoman Period (ca. 1870–1970)
Authors: McDougall James
Published: June 2011

This article examines the role of the Ottoman state as a reference point in Maghrebi historiography through two works from each of Algeria and Tunisia and from two generations of historical writers. Ahmad al-Sharif al-Zahhar (1781–1872), naqib al-ashraf of Algiers at the end of the Ottoman regency, and the Tunisian historian and reformer Ahmad Ibn Abi Diyaf (ca. 1804–74) wrote in conditions of “crisis” in the nineteenth century; the Tunisian establishment intellectual and educator Hasan Husni Abd al-Wahhab (1884–1968) and the Algerian nationalist journalist and publicist Ahmad Tawfiq al-Madani (1899–1983) each sought in different ways to “recover” their countries' histories in the twentieth century. Comparisons and contrasts across these generations and in each country, with their different relationships to the memory of Ottoman rule and their different colonial experiences, illustrate the different ways in which the Ottoman period has been interpreted in the Maghreb. Assimilated as a “natural” aspect of the region's history in the nineteenth century, the Ottoman presence required more overt interpretive work by writers in the twentieth. Across generations, differing preoccupations about the formation of community and state determined how writers approached the Ottoman legacy, which in both cases has generally remained marginal to more widespread perceptions of history and national origins.
Synthesis of natural pyranonaphthoquinones and related antibiotic aza-analogues
Authors: Jacobs Jan , Claessens Sven , Huygen Kris , Abbaspour Tehrani Kourosch , De Kimpe Norbert
Published: June 2011

Pentalongin, the active principle isolated from the roots of the Central East African medicinal plant Pentas longiflora, revealing the basic skeleton of 3,4-dehydropyranonaphthoquinones, was synthesized by ring-closing metathesis of a suitable precursor. Mollugin, together with the (+)-cis-dihydroxylated analogue and the tetracyclic isagarin have been isolated from P. longiflora as well as from other rubiaceous herbs, which are often used in Chinese folk medicine. Synthetic routes of these natural products are presented, as well as the first syntheses of the natural products 3-hydroxy- and 3-methoxymollugin. Although pyranonaphthoquinones represent a large class of natural products, reports of their naturally occurring 2-aza analogues, all of which have been isolated as 2-aza-anthraquinones, are scarce in the literature. Nevertheless, this class of compounds has been found to possess interesting antitumor, antifungal, and antibiotic properties. Therefore, several synthetic routes to new classes of 2-aza-anthraquinones were developed. In vitro testing of the obtained compounds for their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis showed promising results.
Standard of Practice and Flynn Effect Testimony in Death Penalty Cases
Authors: Gresham Frank M. , Reschly Daniel J.
Published: June 2011

The Flynn Effect is a well-established psychometric fact documenting substantial increases in measured intelligence test performance over time. Flynn's (1984) review of the literature established that Americans gain approximately 0.3 points per year or 3 points per decade in measured intelligence. The accurate assessment and interpretation of intellectual functioning becomes critical in death penalty cases that seek to determine whether an individual meets the criteria for intellectual disability and thereby is ineligible for execution under Atkins v. Virginia (2002). We reviewed the literature on the Flynn Effect and demonstrated how failure to adjust intelligence test scores based on this phenomenon invalidates test scores and may be in violation of the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing as well as the “Ethical Principles for Psychologists and Code of Conduct.” Application of the Flynn Effect and score adjustments for obsolete norms clearly is supported by science and should be implemented by practicing psychologists.
Sowing the Seeds of the Autism Field: Leo Kanner (1943)
Authors: Blacher Jan , Christensen Lisa
Published: June 2011

More than 65 years after Leo Kanner published his seminal article, research on autism continues to be an area of increasing interest. Although much progress has been made, this field is still in its infancy, and many avenues of research are just beginning to be pursued. Despite the time that has passed, the syndrome Kanner identified and his comments about the children he observed continue to have meaning today, and although some of his suggestions about the etiology and presentation of autism were grounded in the thinking of his day, many of his observations were quite prescient. In this paper we explore Kanner's contributions to the field of autism, discuss how the field has changed, and suggest ways that research on autism spectrum disorders can continue to move forward.
MicroRNAs as Regulators of Signal Transduction in Urological Tumors
Authors: Fendler Annika , Stephan Carsten , Yousef George M , Jung Klaus
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that have been shown to play pivotal roles in carcinogenesis. In the past decade, miRNAs have been the focus of much research in oncology, and there are great expectations for their utility as cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

CONTENT

In this review we examine how miRNAs can regulate signal transduction pathways in urological tumors. We performed in silico target prediction using TargetScan 5.1 to identify the signal transduction targets of miRNA, and we summarize the experimental evidence detailing miRNA regulation of pathways analyzed herein.

miRNAs, which have been shown to be dysregulated in bladder, prostate, and renal cell cancer, are predicted to target key proteins in signal transduction. Because androgen receptor signaling is a major regulator of prostate cancer growth, its regulation by miRNAs has been well described. In addition, members of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt (RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase) signaling pathway have been shown to be susceptible to miRNA regulation. In contrast, there are very few studies on the impact of miRNA regulation on signaling by VHL (von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor) and vascular endothelial growth factor in renal cell carcinoma or by fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 and p53 in bladder cancer. Many miRNAs are predicted to target important signaling pathways in urological tumors and are dysregulated in their respective cancer types; a systematic overview of miRNA regulation of signal transduction in urological tumors is pending. The identification of these regulatory networks might lead to novel targeted cancer therapies. In general, the targeting of miRNAs is a valuable approach to cancer therapy, as has been shown recently for various types of cancer.
Subjective outcome evaluation of the Project P.A.T.H.S.: findings based on different datasets
Authors: Shek Daniel T.L. , Ma Cecilia M.S. , Tang Christina Y.P.
Published: June 2011

A total of 216 schools participated in the Project P.A.T.H.S. in the 2008/2009 school year. After completion of the Tier 1 Program, subjective outcome evaluation data were collected from 3274 program implementers. Based on the consolidated data with schools as units, results showed that participants had positive perceptions of the program, implementers and benefits of the program. More than four-fifths of the implementers regarded the program as helpful to the program participants. Multiple regression analysis revealed that perceived qualities of the program and the program implementers predicted perceived effectiveness of the program. Grade differences were not significant, except in the perception of the program for the Secondary 1 and Secondary 3 programs. The present study provides additional support for the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong.
Influence of family structure on sexual behavior of Turkish female adolescents
Authors: Tasci Yasemin , Demir Berfu , Kocak Muberra , Ercan Fedi , Karadag Burak , Göktolga Umit
Published: June 2011

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the link between romantic relationship and/or sexual activity of adolescents, and family structure.

Methods: Medical records of 1087 adolescent girls were evaluated for age, statute (student, working, out-of-school), incidence of romantic relationship and sexual activity, and family structures.

Results: Teenager students had significantly less romantic relationships and experience of sexual intercourse than other groups. Parent-adolescent communication was negatively correlated with absence of romantic relationship and sexual intercourse.

Conclusion: Adolescents who have left school and are working constitute a population having higher romantic relationships and sexual intercourse experiences compared with the student adolescents. Good relationships with parents were associated with less risky sexual behavior. Close relationships with school delay the onset of sexual activity.
“A Down Brother”: Earvin “Magic” Johnson and the Quest for Retail Justice in Los Angeles
Authors: Simon Bryant
Published: June 2011

“A Down Brother,” looks at the role Earvin “Magic” Johnson played in the redevelopment of South Central Los Angeles in the wake 1992 civic unrest. Johnson famously teamed up with several multi-national brands to build a series of movie theaters, coffee shops, and restaurants in the area. While his business moves have been well chronicled, almost no one has taken seriously his ideas. Johnson claimed that recycling black dollars, not state action, was the best way to rebuild. His actions placed him in a long line of nationalist-tinged race men. But more than that, they reflected the thinking of many South Central residents, who themselves adhered in the wake of the riots to a broad, and sometimes vague, set of nationalist ideas. In the end, Johnson’s schemes didn’t rebuild South Central, and he eventually walked away from the area, raising questions about in his particular notion of black capitalist development with its reliance on service jobs and outside dollars. Yet, Johnson’s very popularity and the popularity of his ideas highlight the enduring importance of nationalist ideas in California’s Long Civil Rights Movement.
Concrete in Paradise
Authors: Solnit Rebecca , Fradkin Alex
Published: June 2011

This essay documents and examines the remains of military bunkers along the California coast. These structures, monuments to the grim anticipation of war, appear to be intrusions upon the beauty of the landscape, but we might also view them as witnesses to the nation’s particular imagination of danger during the 20th Century, and more specifically, to California’s ever deepening relationship with the defense industry.
Silicon Valleys
Authors: O'mara Margaret
Published: June 2011

What makes Silicon Valley tick? If you build a research park, will they come? For over half a century, regions around the world have been trying to find the answers to these questions and to build high-tech success stories of their own. While most places have fallen short of their silicon dreams, the search for the next Silicon Valley has helped export a particularly Californian aesthetic and way of doing business across the globe. It also has shown the degree to which the Valley’s success was not only an American phenomenon, but also a Californian one – rooted in this state’s history, its politics, and its culture.
Tahoe Blue
Authors: Herring Scott
Published: June 2011

When confronted by the political controversies that frequently erupt over Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains, most observers believe these controversies to be “normal” environmental quarrels. This essay argues that, on the contrary, they arise from our expectations about the place. The greater Tahoe area was defined, early in its history, as a work of fine art; this act of definition is the most important factor in political brawls over the region. At the same time, greater Tahoe itself has a say in its own affairs, because natural forces in the area have a powerful influence over human reactions to the place.
Novel candidate colorectal cancer biomarkers identified by methylation microarray-based scanning
Authors: Mori Yuriko , Olaru Alexandru V , Cheng Yulan , Agarwal Rachana , Yang Jian , Luvsanjav Delgermaa , Yu Wayne , Selaru Florin M , Hutfless Susan , Lazarev Mark , Kwon John H , Brant Steven R , Marohn Michael R , Hutcheon David F , Duncan Mark D , Goel Ajay , Meltzer Stephen J
Published: June 2011

DNA hypermethylation is a common epigenetic abnormality in colorectal cancers (CRCs) and a promising class of CRC screening biomarkers. We conducted a genome-wide search for novel neoplasia-specific hypermethylation events in the colon. We applied methylation microarray analysis to identify loci hypermethylated in 17 primary CRCs relative to eight non-neoplastic colonic mucosae (NCs) from neoplasia-free subjects. These CRC-associated hypermethylation events were then individually evaluated for their ability to discriminate neoplastic from non-neoplastic cases, based on real-time quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) assays in 113 colonic tissues: 51 CRCs, nine adenomas, 19 NCs from CRC patients (CRC–NCs), and 34 NCs from neoplasia-free subjects (control NCs). A strict microarray data filtering identified 169 candidate CRC-associated hypermethylation events. Fourteen of these 169 loci were evaluated using qMSP assays. Ten of these 14 methylation events significantly distinguished CRCs from age-matched control NCs (P<0.05 by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis); methylation of visual system homeobox 2 (VSX2) achieved the highest discriminative accuracy (83.3% sensitivity and 92.3% specificity, P<1×10−6), followed by BEN domain containing 4 (BEND4), neuronal pentraxin I (NPTX1), ALX homeobox 3 (ALX3), miR-34b, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R), BTG4, homer homolog 2 (HOMER2), zinc finger protein 583 (ZNF583), and gap junction protein, gamma 1 (GJC1). Adenomas were significantly discriminated from control NCs by hypermethylation of VSX2, BEND4, NPTX1, miR-34b, GLP1R, and HOMER2 (P<0.05). CRC–NCs were significantly distinguished from control NCs by methylation of ALX3 (P<1×10−4). In conclusion, systematic methylome-wide analysis has identified ten novel methylation events in neoplastic and non-neoplastic colonic mucosae from CRC patients. These potential biomarkers significantly discriminate CRC patients from controls. Thus, they merit further evaluation in stool- and circulating DNA-based CRC detection studies.
Hooked on zebrafish: insights into development and cancer of endocrine tissues
Authors: Bourque Caitlin , Houvras Yariv
Published: June 2011

Zebrafish is emerging as a unique model organism for studying cancer genetics and biology. For several decades zebrafish have been used to study vertebrate development, where they have made important contributions to understanding the specification and differentiation programs in many tissues. Recently, zebrafish studies have led to important insights into thyroid development, and have been used to model endocrine cancer. Zebrafish possess a unique set of attributes that make them amenable to forward and reverse genetic approaches. Zebrafish embryos develop rapidly and can be used to study specific cell lineages or the effects of chemicals on pathways or tissue development. In this review, we highlight the structure and function of endocrine organs in zebrafish and outline the major achievements in modeling cancer. Our goal is to familiarize readers with the zebrafish as a genetic model system and propose opportunities for endocrine cancer research in zebrafish.
Testosterone or 17β-estradiol exposure reveals sex-specific effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in human myotubes
Authors: Salehzadeh Firoozeh , Rune Anna , Osler Megan , Al-Khalili Lubna
Published: June 2011

Changes in sex hormone levels with aging or illness may lead to metabolic disorders. Moreover, the ratio changes in men versus women may have distinct pathological responses. Since little is known about sex hormone action on muscle metabolism, we examined the role of testosterone or 17β-estradiol (E2) in metabolism and investigated whether either hormone may mediate a sex-specific effect. Myotubes from postmenopausal women and age-matched male donors were treated with 10 nM testosterone or E2 for 4 days, and assays were performed to measure metabolic readouts, signal transduction, and mRNA expression. Testosterone and E2 treatment enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose incorporation into glycogen and AKT phosphorylation in myotubes from female donors, highlighting a sex-specific role of sex hormone in glucose metabolism. Testosterone treatment increased palmitate oxidation in myotubes from both female and male donors, while E2 enhanced palmitate oxidation in myotubes from male donors only. Testosterone-mediated increase in palmitate oxidation was attenuated at the presence of androgen receptor antagonist, which may indicate a role of nuclear steroid receptor in muscle lipid oxidation. Testosterone treatment increased mRNA expression of the insulin receptor substrate 2 in myotubes from male and female donors, whereas it increased mRNA expression of glycogen synthase 1 only in myotubes from male donors. E2 treatment increased pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 mRNA expression in myotubes from female donors. Thus, our data suggest that testosterone or E2 modulates muscle glucose and lipid metabolism and may play a role in metabolism in a sex-dependent manner.
Deficiências minerais em plantas de bertalha ( Basella alba, L.)
Authors: Donald E.L. de F. , Sarruge J.R. , Sfredo G.J.
Published: June 2011

Plantas de bertalha (Basella alba, L.) INPA-1 foram cultivadas em casa de vegetação em quartzo moído, irrigadas com soluções nutritivas conforme SARRUGE (1975) e submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: completo, omissão de N, omissão de P, omissão de K, omissão de Ca, omissão de Mg e omissão de S, com o objetivo de: (a) obter sintomas de deficiência dos ma cronutrientes; (b) analisar o crescimento das plantas através da produção de matéria seca; (c) determinar a concentração dos macronutrientes nas folhas e caules das plantas cultivadas nos diversos tratamentos. Os sintomas visuais de deficiência foram identificados e descritos. As plantas foram coletadas e separadas em raiz, caule, folhas e determinaram-se os teores dos macronutrientes minerais neste material. Os resultados obtidos mostram: - os sintomas visuais de deficiência são bem definidos e de fácil caracterização para todos os nutrientes; - só foi possível detectar efeito na produção de matéria seca das folhas e caules para omissão de nitrogênio e para omissão de potássio nos caules; - os níveis de deficiência e adequação obtidos nas folhas foram respectivamente: N% = 1,25 e 2,63; P% = 0,17 e 0,36; K% = 0,46 e 3,55; Ca% = 0,62e 1,78; Mg% = 0,37 e 0,80; s%= 0,19 e 0,23. - os níveis de deficiência e adequação obtidos nos caules foram respectivamente: N% = 0,67 e 0,98; P% = 0,13 e 0,31; K% = 0,73 e 2,67; Ca% = 0,11 e 0,64; Mg% = 0,08 e 0,20; S% = 0,15 e 0,20.
Estudos sobre a nutrição mineral do arroz: XXVI. Avaliação do estado nutricional da variedade Dourado Precoce
Authors: Malavolta E. , Almeida C.L.F. de , Dario G.J.A. , Maria I.C. de , Brito Neto J. , Baldeon J.R.M. , Farinazzo Filho M. , Castro O.M. de , Lorandi R.
Published: June 2011

A variedade Dourado Precoce foi cultivada em solução nutritiva completa e com deficiência de macronutrientes.A produção de matéria seca total, avaliada antes do fim do ciclo, não foi diminuida pela carência de Ca, Mg e S. De um modo geral os teores encontrados na matéria seca foram maiores no tratamento completo. Através de diagnose foliar feita no perfilhamento estabeleceram-se níveis adequados e deficientes de macronutrientes. Foi verificado que os testes rápidos notecido foliar para N-NO3-, P-H2PO4 e K+ solúvel dão indicações do estado nutricional. A atividade da redutase de nitrato foliar foi reduzida significativamente pela deficiência de todos os elementos.
Absorção de nutrientes por duas cultivares de girassol (Helianthus annuus, L.) em condições de campo: IV. Acúmulo de micronutrientes
Authors: Sfredo G.J. , Sarruge J.R. , Haag H.P.
Published: June 2011

Para a determinação do acúmulo de microrutrientes em função da idade da planta, instalou-se um experimento em Latossolo Roxo eutrófico, no Centro Nacional de Pesquisas de Soja/ EMBRAPA, Londrina (PR). Foram aplicadas seis doses de adubo NPK, dos quais foram usadas duas para estudar o acúmulo de micronutrientes: 0-0-0 e 90-45-45 kg/ha para a cultivar Con tissol e 0-0-0 e 45-45-45 kg/ha para a cultivar Guayacan. Coletaram-se amostras para análise de 14 em 14dias a partir da emergência. Pode-se concluir: a. o acúmulo máximo de micronutrientes ocorreu aos 88 dias e o ponto de inflexão aos 56 dias após a emergência; b. as quantidades totais absorvidas pelas plantas obedeceu ã ordem: Fe > Mn > B > Zn > Cu; c. a exportação de micronutrientes a través da colheita de grãos segue a ordem: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > B; d. o acúmulo máximo, em g de micronutrientes para uma produção de 1.000 kg de grãos foi: Fe = 933; Mn = 787; B = 383; Zn = 59,3; Cu = 22,8 e B= 12,3.
Aproveitamento de algumas fontes de potássio pelo sorgo sacarino (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)
Authors: Vidal Antonia A. , Neptune Andre Martin Louis
Published: June 2011

Com o objetivo de estudar a eficiência de três materiais potássicos originários de Poços de Caldas, MG, e submetidos a tratamento hidrotérmico, foi conduzido um experimento de campo, utilizando o sorgo sacarino (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cultivar "Start". Os materiais potássicos foram analisados para determinação do teor de potássio; também foram feitas análises granulométricas dos mesmos. O experimento foi desenvolvido na Fazenda Experimental Areio da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Piracicaba, São Paulo, em Terra Roxa Estruturada de fertilidade mediana. As fontes de potássio foram comparadas com o cloreto de potássio e utilizou-se de duas doses de K2O/ha (100 kg/ha de K(2)0 e 200 kg/ /ha de K2O). Após a colheita do experimento foram feitas análises de produção de colmos e grãos, teores de potássio nas folhas, colmos e grãos, quantidade do elemento exportado pelos colmos e grãos, além de análises tecnológicas para determinação das quantidades de açúcar total recuperável e de álcool etílico. Através dos resultados obtidos e analisados concluiu-se que: - O material potássico designado por amostra 2 apresentou maior teor de K2O solúvel em ácido cítrico 2% (26,02%) e resultou em maior produção de grãos e maior quantidade de potássio extraída pelos mesmos, quando aplicado na dose 2 (200 kg/ /ha de K2O). - O material potássico designado por amostra 1 (27,5% de K2O solúvel em ácido cítrico 2%) apresentou a menor granulometria, porém, nem sempre o material de menor grau de finura é o mais solúvel. - Houve resposta à aplicação das fontes de potássio no que diz respeito aos teores deste elemento nos colmos e a quantidade do elemento extraída pelos mesmos, porém não houve diferença entre as fontes utilizadas. - O cloreto de potássio, quando aplicado na dose 2 (200 kg/ha de K2OT teve efeito negativo na produção de grãos, na porcentagem de potássio nos grãos e a quantidade de potássio extraída pelos mesmos. - Houve resposta ã aplicação das fontes de potássio no que diz respeito à quantidade de açúcar total recuperável e produção de álcool teorico, porém, o comportamento das fontes foi semelhante.
Nova espécie de Nidularium Lem. (Bromeliaceae) para São Paulo, Brasil
Authors: Moreira Bianca Alsina , Wanderley Maria das Graças Lapa
Published: June 2011

No decorrer dos estudos das Bromeliaceae para a Flora Fanerogâmica do Estado de São Paulo, foi descoberta uma nova espécie do gênero Nidularium procedente da Serra da Bocaina. A descrição da nova espécie é acompanhada de ilustrações e de comentários.
Choosing the Best Second-Line Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor in Imatinib-Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients Harboring Bcr-Abl Kinase Domain Mutations: How Reliable Is the IC50?
Authors: Soverini Simona , Rosti Gianantonio , Iacobucci Ilaria , Baccarani Michele , Martinelli Giovanni
Published: June 2011

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Explain the IC50 of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and the kind of information this parameter provides about its efficacy.List the multiple factors that may be responsible for resistance to a target therapeutic agent.Describe the clinical relevance of Bcr-Abl mutations in chronic myeloid leukemia patients.

This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com

Development of drug resistance to imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients is often accompanied by selection of point mutations in the kinase domain (KD) of the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein, where imatinib binds. Several second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been designed rationally so as to enhance potency and retain the ability to bind mutated forms of Bcr-Abl. Since the preclinical phase of their development, most of these inhibitors have been tested in in vitro studies to assess their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for unmutated and mutated Bcr-Abl—that is, the drug concentration required to inhibit the cell proliferation or the phosphorylation processes driven by either the unmutated or the mutated forms of the kinase. A number of such studies have been published, and now that two inhibitors—dasatinib and nilotinib—are available for the treatment of imatinib-resistant cases, it is tempting for clinicians to reason on the IC50 values to guess, case by case, which one will work best in patients harboring specific Bcr-Abl KD mutations. Here, we discuss the pros and cons of using this approach in TKI selection.
Effect of geotextile constraint on geotextile/geomembrane interface shear behavior
Authors: Kim D. , Frost J.D.
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT: This paper examines the role of geotextile constraint during laboratory testing on geotextile/geomembrane interface shear behavior. This study specifically involved four needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles as well as a smooth and a textured HDPE geomembrane representative of products commonly used in practice. The effects of allowing geotextile strain on geotextile/geomembrane interface performance were quantified through a series of laboratory tests using an interface shear device that can be used to perform tests with geotextiles in both constrained and unconstrained conditions. Testing was conducted over a range of normal stresses between 10 and 400 kPa. Results showed that allowing geotextile strain decreased the peak interface shear resistance against a smooth geomembrane surface by 11% to 25% and by 13% to 33% for quasi-residual interface shear resistance. Decreases in interface shear resistance for unconstrained geotextiles against a moderately textured geomembrane were found to be 19% to 35% and 6% to 23% for peak and quasi-residual states, respectively. A distinct pattern of vertical displacements was observed for various combinations of materials and boundary conditions. This study provides quantitative insight into texture-filament interlocking mechanisms potentially relevant to in situ conditions. Based on the experimental observations, generalized interface shear mechanisms are proposed.
Stiffness of reinforced level sandy ground loaded by a footing
Authors: Huang C.-C.
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT: Previous studies on the characteristics of reinforced level sandy ground have focused on the bearing capacity or settlement of footings at ultimate states. The applicability of their conclusions may be limited, because in many cases ground reaction modulus values are required. Based on the load–settlement relationship obtained from model footing tests, increases of the stiffness of reinforced sandy ground, loaded by a footing, are closely related to deep-footing and wide-slab effects. That is, theoretical bearing capacity ratios BCRd and BCRs, representing deep-footing and wide-slab effects, respectively, at ultimate states of reinforced sandy ground, can be used to evaluate the stiffness increases of reinforced sandy ground. A stiffness ratio Rk, defined as the ratio between the stiffness of reinforced ground and that of unreinforced ground subjected to a specific footing load q, can be expressed using linear functions of BCRd and BCRs. Results of regression analyses suggest that BCRs has a larger contribution to Rk than BCRd for all values of q examined, and that the effect of the wide slab on the ground stiffness increase is more pertinent for a relatively large value of q.
Port of Ferrol enlargement works, Spain
Authors: de la Peña Zarzuelo Ignacio
Published: June 2011

The Port of Ferrol is in the autonomous region of Galicia, in the north-west of the Iberian peninsula, in the ria of the same name. The port has traditionally specialised in bulk goods, mainly coal, scrap and petroleum products. An increase in traffic in the 1990s, combined with the diversification policy in the port authority activities, and the advisability to have a new container terminal, led the Port Authority to consider a major expansion project in the outer part of the ria. This paper provides an account of the works that were involved in this project (carried on from 2001 to 2005), known as the ‘Port of Ferrol enlargement works (outer harbour) – 1st stage’ and describes all the main construction processes (quarry, construction of breakwater, wharf, dredging processes, etc.) including the technological advances introduced at these works.
Estimating propeller scour at quays alongside a berthing ship
Authors: Ryan Donal , Hamill Gerard A.
Published: June 2011

This paper presents the findings from an experimental investigation into the nature and extent of the scouring that occurs when a ship berths alongside a quay wall within the confines of a harbour. It examines the interaction between the relative position of the quay wall to the central axis of the ship and the influence of the angle of the vessel's rudder on the magnitude of the scouring produced at bollard pull conditions. The experimental programme covered a range of sediment sizes. Methods for calculating the depth of expected scour are presented both in terms of semi-empirical equations and through the use of trained artificial neural networks.
Determining coastal zone boundaries and related issues in Turkey
Authors: Çete Mehmet , Demir Osman , Uzun Bayram
Published: June 2011

Turkey is surrounded by three seas: the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The total length of coastline is 8333 km. Therefore, the coasts are one of the country's most important natural resources. This resource, which is under population pressure due to urbanisation, industrialisation, tourism and secondary housing, requires effective management. The first stage of coastal management is the determination of coastal boundaries; in Turkey, this raises a number of issues requiring solutions. These issues include: inappropriate coastal uses as a result of regulations that have changed over time; a lack of defined scientific criteria for determining the boundaries; the majority of coastal boundaries are undetermined; carrying out boundary determinations after multiple adjudications in the same area; and inconsistencies between existing and cadastral maps. Immediate solutions for these issues are required to enable sustainable use of the coasts. This paper introduces the main principles of Turkish coastal use and describes the changes experienced in coastal boundary determinations over time. In addition, it discusses the issues faced in determining coastal zone boundaries and provides some recommendations.
Rising sea levels in the English Channel 1900 to 2100
Authors: Haigh Ivan , Nicholls Robert , Wells Neil
Published: June 2011

There is great concern about rising sea levels in the coming century, particularly in terms of extreme sea levels and the increased likelihood of coastal flooding. This is especially true for the south-east coast of England where rising sea levels interact with a growing population and economy. This paper examines how extreme sea levels (excluding waves) have changed through the twentieth century at 16 sites around the English Channel. Extreme sea levels were found to have increased at all 16 sites, but at rates not statistically different from the observed rise in mean sea level. Potential future changes in extreme high sea levels throughout the twenty-first century are estimated for nine UK south coast sites using the 2009 projections from the UK Climate Impacts Programme. For the low, medium and high emissions scenarios (12, 40 and 81 cm total ocean rise, respectively), the exceedence frequency of extreme high sea levels along the south coast would on average increase over the twenty-first century by a factor of 10, 100 and about 1800, respectively. Finally these changes are considered in relation to a large recent surge event in March 2008, which caused significant flooding in the central Channel.
Improved State-Variable Internal Model Based Digital Controller for Three-Phase PWM Inverters that Complies with the Standard Iec 62040-3
Authors: Botteron Fernando , Pinheiro Humberto
Published: June 2011

This paper proposes an improved state-variable internal model based digital voltage controller suitable for three-phase PWM inverters with output transformer for medium and high power uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). The proposed controller is derived from the internal model principle using a state-variable approach in stationary alfa-beta frame. For the controller design an improved discrete-time model that uses the average of two samples in a switching period is proposed. In addition, this model takes into account the digital implementation time delay. With the proposed controller it is possible to obtain a high performance in both steady-state and load transients. Also, with the selected internal model, dc components resulting from the circuit implementation non-idealities are not amplified, avoiding transformer saturation. To validate the proposed digital controller and to demonstrate the steady-state and transient performance, experimental results from a 10kVA space vector modulated three-phase inverter, fully controlled by a DSP TMS320F241, are presented. In steady-state the UPS output voltages have very low total harmonic distortion (THD) for both balanced and unbalanced non-linear loads. The output voltage dynamic performance complies with the international Standard IEC 62040-3 Classification 1, which is the most severe limit making the three-phase PWM inverter suitable for most types of critical loads.
Synthesis of propylene carbonate from urea and 1,2-propylene glycol over metal carbonates
Authors: Zhou Jiancheng , Dongfang Wu , Zhang Birong , Guo Yali
Published: June 2011

A series of single-metal carbonates and Pb-Zn mixed-metal carbonates were
prepared as catalysts for alcoholysis of urea with 1,2-propylene glycol (PG)
for the synthesis of propylene carbonate (PC). The mixed carbonates all show
much better catalytic activities than the single carbonates, arising from a
strong synergistic effect between the two crystalline phases, hydrozincite
and lead carbonate. The mixed carbonate with Pb/Zn=1:2 gives the highest
yield of PC, followed by the mixed carbonate with Pb/Zn=1:3. Furthermore,
Taguchi method was used to optimize the synthetic process for improving the
yield of PC. It is shown that the reaction temperature is the most
significant factor affecting the yield of PC, followed by the reaction time,
and that the optimal reaction conditions are the reaction time at 5 hours,
the reaction temperature at 180 oC and the catalyst amount at 1.8 wt%,
resulting in the highest PC yield of 96.3%.
Oxaprozin: Synthesis, SAR study, physico-chemical characteristics and pharmacology
Authors: Bozic Bojan , Trisovic Nemanja , Valentic Natasa , Uscumlic Gordana , Petrovic Slobodan
Published: June 2011

Oxaprozin (3-(4,5-difeniloksazol-2-yl)propanoic acid) is a nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in the treatment of numerous inflammatory
musculoskeletal diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis,
tendonitis, ankylosing spondylitis and bursitis. It is the first
representative member of the diaryl-substituted heterocyclic compounds, which
have found clinical use as selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its official use in 1992.
Both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of oxaprozin are mainly due
to the potent inhibition of COX. However, oxaprozin-induced benefits might be
also regulated by other COX-independent pathways. It has been shown that
oxaprozin induced direct proapoptotic effects in CD40L-treated human
monocytes independently of COX inhibition. It also has several advantages in
the treatment of inflammatory diseases in comparison to other NSAIDs such as
aspirin, naproxen, indomethacin and phenylbutazone, which enabled oxaprozin
to become one of the most used NSAIDs in America. Oxaprozin, as other members
of the group of NSAIDs, can cause gastrointestinal complications, but
significantly lower due to relatively high pKa value. In this paper,
importance of oxaprozin in the treatment of arthritis and its pharmacokinetic
properties were described, therewith its activity and side effects were
compared with other commercially available anti-inflammatory drugs.
Effect of Nurse Case Management Compared With Usual Care on Controlling Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Ishani Areef , Greer Nancy , Taylor Brent C. , Kubes Laurie , Cole Paula , Atwood Melissa , Clothier Barbara , Ercan-Fang Nacide
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether nurse case management with a therapeutic algorithm could effectively improve rates of control for hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia compared with usual care among veterans with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A randomized controlled trial of diabetic patients that had blood pressure (BP) >140/90 mmHg, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) >9.0%, or LDL >100 mg/dL. Intervention patients received case management (n = 278) versus usual care (n = 278) over a 1-year period. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients achieving simultaneous control of all three parameters (defined by BP <130/80 mmHg, HbA1c <8.0%, and LDL <100 mg/dL) at 1 year. Secondary outcomes included improvements within each individual component of the composite primary outcome. Differences between groups were analyzed using t tests, Pearson χ2 tests, and linear and logistic regression.

RESULTS

A greater number of individuals assigned to case management achieved the primary study outcome of having all three outcome measures under control (61 [21.9%] compared with 28 [10.1%] in the usual care group [P < 0.01]). In addition, a greater number of individuals assigned to the intervention group achieved the individual treatment goals of HbA1c <8.0% (73.7 vs. 65.8%, P = 0.04) and BP <130/80 mmHg (45.0 vs. 25.4%, P < 0.01), but not for LDL <100 mg/dL (57.6 vs. 55.4%, P = 0.61), compared with those in the usual care group.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with diabetes, nurse case managers using a treatment algorithm can effectively improve the number of individuals with control of multiple cardiovascular risk factors at 1 year.
Optimal Glycemic Control, Pre-eclampsia, and Gestational Hypertension in Women With Type 1 Diabetes in the Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia Intervention Trial
Authors: Holmes Valerie A. , Young Ian S. , Patterson Christopher C. , Pearson Donald W.M. , Walker James D. , Maresh Michael J.A. , McCance David R. ,   for the Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia Intervention Trial Study Group
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between glycemic control, pre-eclampsia, and gestational hypertension in women with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Pregnancy outcome (pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension) was assessed prospectively in 749 women from the randomized controlled Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia Intervention Trial (DAPIT). HbA1c (A1C) values were available up to 6 months before pregnancy (n = 542), at the first antenatal visit (median 9 weeks) (n = 721), at 26 weeks’ gestation (n = 592), and at 34 weeks’ gestation (n = 519) and were categorized as optimal (<6.1%: referent), good (6.1–6.9%), moderate (7.0–7.9%), and poor (≥8.0%) glycemic control, respectively.

RESULTS

Pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension developed in 17 and 11% of pregnancies, respectively. Women who developed pre-eclampsia had significantly higher A1C values before and during pregnancy compared with women who did not develop pre-eclampsia (P < 0.05, respectively). In early pregnancy, A1C ≥8.0% was associated with a significantly increased risk of pre-eclampsia (odds ratio 3.68 [95% CI 1.17–11.6]) compared with optimal control. At 26 weeks’ gestation, A1C values ≥6.1% (good: 2.09 [1.03–4.21]; moderate: 3.20 [1.47–7.00]; and poor: 3.81 [1.30–11.1]) and at 34 weeks’ gestation A1C values ≥7.0% (moderate: 3.27 [1.31–8.20] and poor: 8.01 [2.04–31.5]) significantly increased the risk of pre-eclampsia compared with optimal control. The adjusted odds ratios for pre-eclampsia for each 1% decrement in A1C before pregnancy, at the first antenatal visit, at 26 weeks’ gestation, and at 34 weeks’ gestation were 0.88 (0.75–1.03), 0.75 (0.64–0.88), 0.57 (0.42–0.78), and 0.47 (0.31–0.70), respectively. Glycemic control was not significantly associated with gestational hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

Women who developed pre-eclampsia had significantly higher A1C values before and during pregnancy. These data suggest that optimal glycemic control both early and throughout pregnancy may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes.