bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electromagnetic-guided neuronavigation for safe placement of intraventricular catheters in pediatric neurosurgery
Authors: Hermann Elvis J. , Capelle Hans-Holger , Tschan Christoph A. , Krauss Joachim K.
Published: August 2012

Object

Ventricular catheter shunt malfunction is the most common reason for shunt revision. Optimal ventricular catheter placement can be exceedingly difficult in patients with small ventricles or abnormal ventricular anatomy. Particularly in children and in premature infants with small head size, satisfactory positioning of the ventricular catheter can be a challenge. Navigation with electromagnetic tracking technology is an attractive and innovative therapeutic option. In this study, the authors demonstrate the advantages of using this technology for shunt placement in children.

Methods

Twenty-six children ranging in age from 4 days to 14 years (mean 3.8 years) with hydrocephalus and difficult ventricular anatomy or slit ventricles underwent electromagnetic-guided neuronavigated intraventricular catheter placement in a total of 29 procedures.

Results

The single-coil technology allows one to use flexible instruments, in this case the ventricular catheter stylet, to be tracked at the tip. Head movement during the operative procedure is possible without loss of navigation precision. The intraoperative catheter placement documented by screenshots correlated exactly with the position on the postoperative CT scan. There was no need for repeated ventricular punctures. There were no operative complications. Postoperatively, all children had accurate shunt placement. The overall shunt failure rate in our group was 15%, including 3 shunt infections (after 1 month, 5 months, and 10 months) requiring operative revision and 1 distal shunt failure. There were no proximal shunt malfunctions during follow-up (mean 23.5 months).

Conclusions

The electromagnetic-guided neuronavigation system enables safe and optimal catheter placement, especially in children and premature infants, alleviating the need for repeated cannulation attempts for ventricular puncture. In contrast to stereotactic techniques and conventional neuronavigation, there is no need for sharp head fixation using a Mayfield clamp. This technique may present the possibility of reducing proximal shunt failure rates and costs for hydrocephalus treatment in this age cohort.
Endovascular obliteration of a ruptured posterior spinal artery pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Tanweer Omar , Woldenberg Rona , Zwany Sarah , Setton Avi
Published: August 2012

Aneurysms of the posterior spinal artery (PSA) are rare lesions. Isolated PSA aneurysms, not in the setting of a high-flow environment, are even more rare. In the few reported cases, these lesions have been predominantly resected or observed. The authors report an isolated pseudoaneurysm of the PSA at the T-11 level presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The patient underwent successful endovascular obliteration. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an endovascular repair of an isolated PSA aneurysm.
Anatomical feasibility of performing intercostal and ilioinguinal nerve to pelvic nerve transfer: a possible technique to restore lower urinary tract innervation
Authors: Brown Justin M. , Barbe Mary F. , Albo Michael E. , Lai H. Henry , Ruggieri Michael R.
Published: August 2012

Object

Nerve transfers are effective for restoring control to paralyzed somatic muscle groups and, recently, even to denervated detrusor muscle in a canine model. A pilot project was performed in cadavers to examine the feasibility of transferring somatic nerves to vesical branches of the pelvic nerve as a method for potentially restoring innervation to control the detrusor muscle in humans.

Methods

Eleven cadavers were dissected bilaterally to expose intercostal, ilioinguinal, and iliohypogastric nerves, along with vesical branches of the pelvic nerve. Ease of access and ability to transfer the former 3 nerves to the pelvic vesical nerves were assessed, as were nerve cross-sectional areas.

Results

The pelvic vesical nerves were accessed at the base of the bladder, inferior to the ureter and accompanied by inferior vesical vessels. The T-11 and T-12 intercostal nerves were too short for transfer to the pelvic vesical nerves without grafting. Ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerves (L-1 origin) were identified retroperitoneally and, with full dissection, were easily transferred to the pelvic vesical nerves intraabdominally. The mean cross-sectional area of the dominant pelvic vesical branch was 2.60 ± 0.169 mm2; ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric branches at the suggested transection site were 2.38 ± 0.32 mm2 (the means are expressed ± SEM).

Conclusions

Use of the ilioinguinal or iliohypogastric nerves for heterotopic transfer to pelvic vesical nerves is surgically feasible, based on anatomical location and cross-sectional areas.
Mammographic Segmentation Using WaveCluster
Authors: Barnathan Michael
Published: August 2012

Segmentation of clinically relevant regions from potentially noisy images represents a significant challenge in the field of mammography. We propose novel approaches based on the WaveCluster clustering algorithm for segmenting both the breast profile in the presence of significant acquisition noise and segmenting regions of interest (ROIs) within the breast. Using prior manual segmentations performed by domain experts as ground truth data, we apply our method to 150 film mammograms with significant acquisition noise from the University of South Florida’s Digital Database for Screening Mammography. We then apply a similar segmentation procedure to detect the position and extent of suspicious regions of interest. Our approach was able to segment the breast profile from all 150 images, leaving minor residual noise adjacent to the breast in three. Performance on ROI extraction was also excellent, with 81% sensitivity and 0.96 false positives per image when measured against manually segmented ground truth ROIs. When not utilizing image morphology, our approach ran in linear time with the input size. These results highlight the potential of WaveCluster as a useful addition to the mammographic segmentation repertoire.
Evaluation of the Variability in Chemical Transport Model Performance for Deposition and Ambient Concentrations of Nitrogen and Sulfur Compounds
Authors: Koo Bonyoung , Piyachaturawat Piti , Morris Ralph , Knipping Eladio
Published: August 2012

Air quality models are increasingly used to develop estimates of dry and wet deposition of sulfate and nitrate in watersheds (because of lack of measurements) in an effort to determine the acidifying deposition load into the aquatic systems. These models need to be rigorously evaluated to ensure that one can rely on the modeled quantities instead of the measured quantities. In the United State (U.S.), these models have been proposed for use in establishing national standards based on modeled quantities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering aquatic acidification as the main ecological endpoint of concern in determining the secondary national ambient air quality standards for nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. Acidification is tied to depositions of sulfur and nitrogen, which are linked to ambient concentrations of the elements. As EPA proposes to use a chemical transport model in linking deposition to ambient concentration, it is important to investigate how the currently used chemical transport models perform in predicting depositions and ambient concentrations of relevant chemical species and quantify the variability in their estimates. In this study, several annual simulations by multiple chemical transport models for the entire continental U.S. domain are evaluated against available measurement data for depositions and ambient concentrations of sulfur oxides and reactive nitrogen species. The model performance results vary by evaluation time-scale and geographical region. Evaluation of annualized quantities (annual average ambient concentrations and annual total depositions) suppresses the large variances shown in the evaluation using the observation’s native shorter-term time-scales (e.g., weekly). In addition, there is a large degree of bias and error (especially for deposition fluxes) in the modeling results that brings to question the suitability of using air quality models to provide estimates of deposition loads. Variability in the ratio of deposition to ambient concentration, so-called the Transference Ratio that EPA has proposed to use in linking deposition to ambient concentration, is also examined. Our study shows that the Transference Ratios as well as total reduced nitrogen deposition, another modeled parameter EPA proposed to use in the process of determining the new secondary standard, vary considerably by geographical region and by model simulation.
The Duality between Corings and Ring Extensions
Authors: Nichita Florin F. , Zielinski Bartosz
Published: August 2012

We study the duality between corings and ring extensions. We construct a new category with a self-dual functor acting on it, which extends that duality. This construction can be seen as the non-commutative case of another duality extension: the duality between finite dimensional algebras and coalgebra. Both these duality extensions have some similarities with the Pontryagin-van Kampen duality theorem.
Exploring Malaysia’s Transformation to Net Oil Importer and Oil Import Dependence
Authors: Prambudia Yudha , Nakano Masaru
Published: August 2012

Within ASEAN, Malaysia is a major oil-exporting country; however, it is expected to become a net oil-importing country in the near future. This issue brings concerns over Malaysia’s energy security, particularly on the aspect of oil import dependency. This is because its transportation and industrial sectors are still heavily dependent on oil products. By simulating dynamic interplays between developments in Malaysia’s oil sector and its economy sectors, this study explores the possible years of the transformation and the extent to which it will be dependent on oil import. Four scenarios related to enhanced oil recovery, exploration and production investment, subsidy elimination and technology advances are considered for the simulation. In isolation, the subsidy elimination scenario provides the best result. However, if all scenarios are considered simultaneously, an undesired effect emerges. The earliest that Malaysia is expected to become a net oil-importing country is 2012 and the latest is 2021. Malaysia’s dependence on oil imports is expected to continue increasing. In all scenarios, the shares of oil import in the total supply rise to above 90% in 2030, with the highest share at 97%.
Effects of a Buried Cysteine-To-Serine Mutation on Yeast Triosephosphate Isomerase Structure and Stability
Authors: Hernández-Santoyo Alejandra , Domínguez-Ramírez Lenin , Reyes-López César A. , González-Mondragón Edith , Hernández-Arana Andrés , Rodríguez-Romero Adela
Published: August 2012

All the members of the triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) family possess a cystein residue (Cys126) located near the catalytically essential Glu165. The evolutionarily conserved Cys126, however, does not seem to play a significant role in the catalytic activity. On the other hand, substitution of this residue by other amino acid residues destabilizes the dimeric enzyme, especially when Cys is replaced by Ser. In trying to assess the origin of this destabilization we have determined the crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TIM (ScTIM) at 1.86 Å resolution in the presence of PGA, which is only bound to one subunit. Comparisons of the wild type and mutant structures reveal that a change in the orientation of the Ser hydroxyl group, with respect to the Cys sulfhydryl group, leads to penetration of water molecules and apparent destabilization of residues 132–138. The latter results were confirmed by means of Molecular Dynamics, which showed that this region, in the mutated enzyme, collapses at about 70 ns.
Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) Correlates of Altered Subunit Stoichiometry in Cys-Loop Receptors, Exemplified by Nicotinic α4β2
Authors: Srinivasan Rahul , Richards Christopher I. , Dilworth Crystal , Moss Fraser J. , Dougherty Dennis A. , Lester Henry A.
Published: August 2012

We provide a theory for employing Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements to determine altered heteropentameric ion channel stoichiometries in intracellular compartments of living cells. We simulate FRET within nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) whose α4 and β2 subunits contain acceptor and donor fluorescent protein moieties, respectively, within the cytoplasmic loops. We predict FRET and normalized FRET (NFRET) for the two predominant stoichiometries, (α4)3(β2)2 vs. (α4)2(β2)3. Studying the ratio between FRET or NFRET for the two stoichiometries, minimizes distortions due to various photophysical uncertainties. Within a range of assumptions concerning the distance between fluorophores, deviations from plane pentameric geometry, and other asymmetries, the predicted FRET and NFRET for (α4)3(β2)2 exceeds that of (α4)2(β2)3. The simulations account for published data on transfected Neuro2a cells in which α4β2 stoichiometries were manipulated by varying fluorescent subunit cDNA ratios: NFRET decreased monotonically from (α4)3(β2)2 stoichiometry to mostly (α4)2(β2)3. The simulations also account for previous macroscopic and single-channel observations that pharmacological chaperoning by nicotine and cytisine increase the (α4)2(β2)3 and (α4)3(β2)2 populations, respectively. We also analyze sources of variability. NFRET-based monitoring of changes in subunit stoichiometry can contribute usefully to studies on Cys-loop receptors.
Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) Assay as an In Vivo Model to Study the Effect of Newly Identified Molecules on Ovarian Cancer Invasion and Metastasis
Authors: Lokman Noor A. , Elder Alison S. F. , Ricciardelli Carmela , Oehler Martin K.
Published: August 2012

The majority of ovarian cancer patients present with advanced disease and despite aggressive treatment, prognosis remains poor. Significant improvement in ovarian cancer survival will require the development of more effective molecularly targeted therapeutics. Commonly, mouse models are used for the in vivo assessment of potential new therapeutic targets in ovarian cancer. However, animal models are costly and time consuming. Other models, such as the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, are therefore an attractive alternative. CAM assays have been widely used to study angiogenesis and tumor invasion of colorectal, prostate and brain cancers. However, there have been limited studies that have used CAM assays to assess ovarian cancer invasion and metastasis. We have therefore developed a CAM assay protocol to monitor the metastatic properties of ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3, SKOV-3 and OV-90) and to study the effect of potential therapeutic molecules in vivo. The results from the CAM assay are consistent with cancer cell motility and invasion observed in in vitro assays. Our results demonstrate that the CAM assay is a robust and cost effective model to study ovarian cancer cell metastasis. It is therefore a very useful in vivo model for screening of potential novel therapeutics.
Synthesis of Triptorelin Lactate Catalyzed by Lipase in Organic Media
Authors: Zhuang Hong , Wang Zhi , Wang Jiaxin , Zhang Hong , Xun Erna , Chen Ge , Yue Hong , Tang Ning , Wang Lei
Published: August 2012

Triptorelin lactate was successfully synthesized by porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) in organic solvents. The effects of acyl donor, substrate ratio, organic solvent, temperature, and water activity were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, a yield of 30% for its ester could be achieved in the reaction for about 48 h.
RNA-Mediated Gene Silencing Signals Are Not Graft Transmissible from the Rootstock to the Scion in Greenhouse-Grown Apple Plants Malus sp.
Authors: Flachowsky Henryk , Tränkner Conny , Szankowski Iris , Waidmann Sascha , Hanke Magda-Viola , Treutter Dieter , Fischer Thilo C.
Published: August 2012

RNA silencing describes the sequence specific degradation of RNA targets. Silencing is a non-cell autonomous event that is graft transmissible in different plant species. The present study is the first report on systemic acquired dsRNA-mediated gene silencing of transgenic and endogenous gene sequences in a woody plant like apple. Transgenic apple plants overexpressing a hairpin gene construct of the gusA reporter gene were produced. These plants were used as rootstocks and grafted with scions of the gusA overexpressing transgenic apple clone T355. After grafting, we observed a reduction of the gusA gene expression in T355 scions in vitro, but not in T355 scions grown in the greenhouse. Similar results were obtained after silencing of the endogenous Mdans gene in apple that is responsible for anthocyanin biosynthesis. Subsequently, we performed grafting experiments with Mdans silenced rootstocks and red leaf scions of TNR31-35 in order to evaluate graft transmitted silencing of the endogenous Mdans. The results obtained suggested a graft transmission of silencing signals in in vitro shoots. In contrast, no graft transmission of dsRNA-mediated gene silencing signals was detectable in greenhouse-grown plants and in plants grown in an insect protection tent.
Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Polyols from Rapeseed Oil and Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foams
Authors: Dworakowska Sylwia , Bogdal Dariusz , Prociak Aleksander
Published: August 2012

The application of raw materials derived from renewable feedstock has given rise to growing interest recently, as it can be exploited for the production of bio-based materials from vegetable oils. Their availability, biodegradability and low prices have been taken into account. In this work, vegetable oil-based polyols as a prospective replacement for petroleum polyols were investigated. A two-stage method for polyol preparation by incomplete epoxidation of natural oils and subsequent complete oxirane ring opening under microwave irradiation is presented. The course of epoxidation and oxirane ring-opening process was determined analytically by an evaluation of iodine, epoxy and hydroxyl values. The samples of oils and their derivatives were also analyzed by FT-IR and characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) in order to calculate their functionalities. Finally, polyols with two different hydroxyl values were obtained and used for the synthesis of flexible polyurethane (PUR) foams. The scope of this research includes the determination of the relationship between the rapeseed oil-based polyol content and the properties of the resulting materials. It was found that applying bio-based polyols in conjunction with petroleum-based polyols for PUR foams formulations resulted in materials with good mechanical properties and a higher number of cells with smaller dimensions.
Rilpivirine, a Novel Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor for the Management of HIV-1 Infection: A Systematic Review
Authors: Schafer Jason J , Short William R
Published: August 2012

Rilpivirine (RPV) is a second-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). It remains active against HIV strains harbouring mutations that affect first-generation agents. RPV is dosed once daily with food and has been coformulated into a single tablet containing tenofovir and emtricitabine. Two Phase III studies of treatment-naive patients found RPV and efavirenz to have similar safety and efficacy. However, suboptimal virological suppression with RPV occurred more commonly in patients with higher baseline viral loads (>100,000 copies/ml). The most common mutation that emerged during RPV therapy was E138K, which often occurred in combination with M184I. E138K is likely to cause cross-resistance to other NNRTIs thereby limiting the further utilization of this class.
Le mythe des premiers réfugiés climatiques : mouvements de populations et changements environnementaux aux îles Torrès (Vanouatou, Mélanésie)
Authors: Siméoni Patricia , Ballu Valérie
Published: August 2012

Depuis la fin des années 1990, la montée du niveau de l’océan aux îles Torrès, dans le nord de l’archipel du Vanouatou, a provoqué l’inquiétude des communautés locales et internationales. En 2004, le village de Lataw sur l’île de Tégoua fut déplacé de plusieurs centaines de mètres avec le soutien du gouvernement du Vanouatou et de l’aide canadienne. Sur la scène internationale, ces villageois devinrent les « premiers réfugiés climatiques » de l’Histoire, et furent présentés comme les victimes du réchauffement. Notre étude porte sur deux villages de deux îles différentes du groupe qui ont vu au cours des douze dernières années leur morphologie côtière évoluer, un phénomène interprété comme lié au réchauffement climatique et à son corollaire : la montée des océans. Cet article présente une analyse des données géophysiques et eustatiques expliquant la variation relative du niveau marin. S’il contribue à la montée des eaux, le réchauffement climatique n’a pas le rôle dominant qui lui a été attribué dans les inondations observées aux Torrès. En effet, les mouvements tectoniques soudains (séismes) ou plus lents nommés intersismiques (entre les séismes), ainsi que des variations temporaires du niveau marin dans le bassin Pacifique liées par exemple à l’oscillation australe (El Niño et La Niña) sont les principaux responsables de la rapide montée des eaux observée sur la période 1997-2009. Les Torrès sont constituées d’un groupe d’îles faiblement peuplées dont les vicissitudes démographiques ont fortement contribué à la distribution contemporaine des habitants. Aujourd’hui essentiellement côtiers, les Torrésiens ne l’ont pas toujours été. Ils sont plus sensibles aux changements environnementaux littoraux que du temps où ils résidaient à l’intérieur des terres. Par ailleurs, leurs croyances en certains pouvoirs surnaturels qui pouvaient commander les éléments naturels subsistent mais de façon approximative au cœur de leurs nouvelles valeurs chrétiennes. Ces dernières n’étant pas axées sur la compréhension de l’environnement, elles n’aidèrent pas particulièrement les insulaires à moderniser leur perception des dangers environnementaux.
Aménagement durable des territoires soumis à de fortes contraintes : enjeux et perspectives à travers l'examen des outils juridiques. L'exemple de la basse vallée du Var (06)
Authors: Reghezza Magali , Sanseverino-Godfrin Valérie
Published: August 2012

Le développement durable demande de reconsidérer l’aménagement d’espaces exposés à des risques naturels ou présentant de forts enjeux environnementaux. La basse vallée du Var (Alpes-Maritimes) constitue un exemple très représentatif de ces territoires considérés comme stratégiques pour le développement local, mais soumis à des dispositifs juridiques de protection très contraignants. Elle fait aujourd’hui l’objet d’un projet d’aménagement dans le cadre d’une opération d’intérêt national (OIN). Pour les porteurs de projet, cette opération est explicitement fondée sur la durabilité, « l’excellence écologique » devenant un moteur de métropolisation. Cet article propose d’étudier la difficile conciliation des objectifs de durabilité à partir des outils juridiques mis en œuvre sur ce territoire et de leurs usages par les différents acteurs. On s’attardera en particulier sur les conséquences de l’inadéquation entre les dispositifs juridiques existants et le nouveau référentiel du développement durable.
Sport et événement festif. La ville à l'heure des marathons et des semi-marathons
Authors: Blin Éric
Published: August 2012

On assiste aujourd’hui au développement des marathons et des semi-marathons dans les grandes villes françaises. Un développement qui s’inscrit dans la dynamique de la ville événementielle et festive. Si ce mouvement est inséparable de l’engouement pour le jogging, la mise en fête de ces manifestations contribue largement à leur essor, compte tenu de l’attrait des coureurs pour des courses qui ne sont pas uniquement sportives. Transformées en événements festifs et populaires d’envergure, ces courses jouent un rôle d’animation et de promotion territoriale considérable. C’est pourquoi, les municipalités, conscientes des retombées à la fois matérielles et immatérielles de ces événements dans un contexte de concurrence interurbaine, s’impliquent davantage dans leur mise en place et, de plus en plus, jouent un rôle moteur dans leur organisation.
Clinical Practice of New Nurse Graduates in Lebanon: Challenges and Perspectives Through the Eyes of Preceptors
Authors: Kantar Lina D.
Published: August 2012

New nurse graduates continue to experience difficulty balancing their preparation for practice with the expectations of the workplace. Few studies have explored the transition practices of nurse graduates through the challenges that they experience. This article presents the findings of a research study that explored the perceptions of preceptors regarding the clinical practice of nurse graduates using the qualitative multiple case study design. Twenty preceptors, selected from three recognized hospitals in Beirut, Lebanon, underwent semistructured interviews. Interview questions were based on an extensive literature review and on Tanner’s (2006) judgment dimensions to categorize transition practices. An exhaustive discussion of the practices led to the identification of major themes that illustrate the clinical experiences of new nurse graduates: (1) inventory of competencies, (2) learning experience, (3) technical and theoretical mysteries, and (4) challenge of one’s potential. The themes provide directives that curriculum leaders and executive nurses can use to plan initiatives that assist in the effective transition of new nurse graduates to the professional role.
Symptoms of Anxiety in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Budoff Hillarie
Published: August 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Understand that symptoms of anxiety are common in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

2.

Incorporate into practice the knowledge that research suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment for patients with ASD plus anxiety symptoms is effective in reducing anxiety.

3.

Know when cognitive-behavior therapy, in conjunction with direct instruction of social skills using applied behavior analysis intervention components, may be effective for treating anxiety in individuals with high-functioning ASD.

The patient is a 15-year-old boy who began exhibiting behavioral difficulties shortly after birth. At age 2 months, he cried all day, every day, and this lasted until he was 8 months old. He would have to be rocked violently to be soothed. He had to be touched constantly, and for months could not sleep without his mother’s touch; if she withdrew her hand he would start screaming. He complains of ongoing sleep issues.
Differentiation of Social Phobia from High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Taylor Bonnie P.
Published: August 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

To identify symptom similarities between social phobia and high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

2.

To learn how to differentiate social phobia from high-functioning ASD.

3.

To understand how social phobia may manifest comorbidly with high-functioning ASD.

The patient is a 10-year-old boy who was brought to the clinic by his mother, who believes he is suffering from social phobia. The mother’s concern for her son stems from his poor eye contact, his preference to play alone, and his lack of peer friendships. According to the mother, her son spends most of his free time by himself on the computer, usually searching the Internet for superhero-related information. She interprets this behavior as his way of decompressing once he is away from the anxiety of being surrounded by people all day at school.
Determination of ADHD vs. Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Antar Laura N.
Published: August 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Recognize that symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) are common in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and ADHD symptoms should be considered an associated symptom domain of ASD.

2.

Understand that although the ADHD-associated symptom domain of ASD is often a target for treatment with medication, treatment has a slightly lower response rate and slightly more side effects than in patients with ADHD alone.

3.

Realize that pharmacologic treatment of the ADHD symptoms in patients with ASD may help them benefit from other interventions targeted at social deficits.

The patient is a 5-year, 6-month-old boy who has received comprehensive interventions for his sparse speech since he was 3 years old. He met most physical milestones on time, spoke words at 12 months, and phrases followed by sentences at 3 years. His IQ testing shows average intelligence. He has no fear of danger and will eat non-food items and lick objects. At times of transition, the patient can become combative with his mother and teachers, a daily occurrence that makes his mother consider home-schooling him for kindergarten, as he does not play with classmates nor is he learning. He cannot write the letters of his name, although he can spell it. The boy has trouble using spoons and is generally clumsy. He does not know the names of any children in his class, and although he insists on being watched by adults while he plays, he has no friends his age and does not play cooperatively or wait his turn.
Differential Diagnosis of Infantile Hemangiomas
Authors: Perman Marissa J. , Castelo-Soccio Leslie , Jen Melinda
Published: August 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Compare and contrast infantile hemangiomas with other vascular anomalies that may be confused clinically.

2.

Describe the vascular anomalies classification system according to the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA), highlighting the differences between vascular tumors, such as infantile hemangiomas, and vascular malformations.

3.

Briefly review associated signs or syndromes found in the context of certain vascular anomalies.
A Case of Internal Ophthalmoplegia Associated With Varicella Zoster
Authors: Shaw Michael , Handley Siân E. , Porooshani Hamid
Published: August 2012

The authors report a case of internal ophthalmoplegia in a 5-year-old boy presenting after primary varicella infection. This is an uncommon and mostly irreversible ocular manifestation after chickenpox. The internal ophthalmoplegia showed a potential mild improvement with oral acyclovir. Consideration should be given to starting treatment on presentation in such cases.
Logique utopique et imaginaire environnemental
Authors: Barthélémy Lambert
Published: August 2012

Les œuvres d’art et les récits environnementaux qui se développent depuis un demi-siècle dans la culture occidentale s’avèrent porteurs d’impulsions utopiques à défaut de développer de véritables utopies systémiques. Car ils parviennent, en jouant d’une logique du déplacement et de l’intensité, à infléchir la perception que les sujets contemporains ont non seulement de l’espace, mais aussi de la communauté et de la temporalité. Cette flexion de l’expérience normative, c’est la proposition utopique implicite portée par l’imagination environnementale contemporaine.
Mondes possibles, lendemains qui chantent ? Projections utopiques dans la littérature de jeunesse contemporaine
Authors: Bazin Laurent
Published: August 2012

Le roman contemporain pour adolescents met fréquemment en scène des alternatives au monde où nous vivons : positive, dans le cas de l’utopie proprement dit, ou négative, dans le cas de la contre-utopie. On analyse la façon dont sont présentées de telles alternatives en étudiant leurs caractéristiques (par comparaison avec ce qui est proposé en littérature générale) et en explorant les enjeux qui y sont liés (politiques, psychologiques, anthropologiques).
Utopía y distopía del fracaso revolucionario en la reciente novelística cubana
Authors: López Magdalena
Published: August 2012

Since the nineties, Cuban narratives have been investigating the collapse of the revolutionary utopia. Generally, literary criticism has tended to establish a differentiation between those writers who were sons of utopia, born just a few years before 1959, and those born during the failure of that utopia, after that year. The two groups are distinguished by a fundamental feature: the former came to share a faith in the premises of the revolution, while the latter never did. Despite this difference, there are points in common between “los desencantados” and “los novísimos” that lead us to rethink how to approach new subjectivities in a nation that appears to have no future. My research involves a comparative study of post-utopian imaginaries through the novels La novela de mi vida by Leonardo Padura (2002), Muerte de nadie by Arturo Arango (2004), and Otras plegarias atendidas by Mylene Fernández Pintado (2003). These works express a search for existential meaning that overcomes the end of the socialist utopia. The utopian failure leads to the emergence of an ambivalent melancholy. While this may lead to immobilizing or narcissistic attitudes of the characters, it also promotes a creative dimension capable of transforming the loss in alternative worlds through literature and the configuration of heterotopic spaces. Thus, revolutionary disappointment does not necessarily mean the end of utopian desire but a change in the way of conceiving it.
Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach: Gorillaz and the Future
Authors: Larson Michael
Published: August 2012

The music and artwork of Gorillaz have raised questions surrounding “the future” since the group’s formation. I categorize the themes of each of the three phases of Gorillaz’s production as follows : Phase One : Millennial Tension, Phase Two : End Times, Phase Three : The Overload. Gorillaz first phase faces the new millennium at the onset of a future already in decay, paying for the dead dreams of progress. The first phase of Gorillaz coincides with the turn of the millennium, what was to have been “the future.” But we find a landscape of environmental devastation, disease, famine, and expanding ghost towns. Phase two coincides with the “war on terror,” and Gorillaz portentously ask if we are “the last living souls” as the struggle to hold onto hope proves difficult. Phase three marks Gorillaz arrival on Plastic Beach, a riff on the gyres of garbage mounting in our oceans. The pressing theme is about holding on to love and desire in the face of world wreckage. Throughout this arc, the Gorillaz project thematically illuminates the anxiety and despair of our age through lyrical motifs and the story of the fictional band’s escapades, maintaining this sense of anxiety and tension while reaching for utopian promise in the dystopian night. Any possible future, it seems, must be built in the face of precariousness and catastrophe. The Gorillaz project expresses a utopian imagination in the midst of the dystopian potential of the present. I situate Gorillaz music and presentation in a critical, though aporetic, utopianism which seeks transformation by incorporating the harsh realities of the present. Plastic Beach emerges as a stage for the imagination of new creations and possibilities.
Pynchon’s Frictional Paradigm: The Force of Yoyodyne vs. the Counterforce of W.A.S.T.E.
Authors: Macura Sergej
Published: August 2012

Cet article trouve son point de départ dans les clauses fondamentales de la Loi du travail des États-Unis de 1946, qui sous-tendent le discours utopique selon lequel tous les membres d’une société doivent pouvoir subvenir à leurs besoins. Alors que l’économie de la Californie a sans aucun doute prospéré durant les décennies de l’après Seconde Guerre mondiale, et ce en partie grâce aux investissements fédéraux dans les industries d’armement, l’influence abrutissante que les grandes entreprises avaient sur les vies de leurs employés de bas niveau provoque, dans le roman de Pynchon Vente à la criée du lot 49, une réaction subversive d’un groupe du personnel technique dans la grande entreprise de Yoyodyne. La forme d’utopie que ce groupe développe ne se hasarde pas au-delà de la composition de lettres acheminées par un service postal secret à l’intérieur de la compagnie, cette résistance inoffensive leur permettant une forme de réhumanisation. Le roman Vineland présente une révolte beaucoup plus fondamentale contre la répression d’Etat sous la forme de mouvements divers à plus grande échelle, dans un département imaginaire – une équipe de cinéma enregistrant des documentaires en direct sur la violence gouvernementale ; une communauté féminine d’arts martiaux résidant dans les collines ; un groupe d’étudiants proclamant sa propre république de courte durée. Ce second roman ne crée pas de polémique avec le texte de la Loi bien qu’il dépeigne les implications pratiques du monopole des entreprises ou de l’Etat et les réactions à ses excès.
Perspectives utopiques sans levier d’Archimède
Authors: Liébert Adeline
Published: August 2012

Les romans L’éternité n’est pas de trop de Cheng, Sans la miséricorde du Christ de Bianciotti et Une autre mer de Magris interrogent l’idée d’utopie en l’articulant avec le désenchantement, son pendant, mais aussi avec la patience et l’espérance, ainsi qu’avec l’état de présence adéquat au monde que Michelstaedter nomme la persuasion. La dynamique instaurée, faite de jonctions et de contradictions, réinvestit la question du sens de l’existence en termes d’épanouissement. Parce qu’elle a le pouvoir de déployer ce qui est inséparable et inconciliable, la littérature apparaît comme le lieu propre de cet esprit d’utopie tel qu’on peut aujourd’hui le concevoir.
Novelistic Nostalgia: The Pleasure and the Pain
Authors: Pánková Lenka
Published: August 2012

This article explores nostalgia in its creative/utopian as well as negative/pathological aspects, as reflected in novels by two contemporary authors: Milan Kundera and Mircea Cărtărescu. While nostalgia mostly perceived as a highly positive value clearly permeates Cărtărescu’s novel, in Kundera’s writing we observe a gradually developing violent rejection of this sentiment. Both Cărtărescu and Kundera display a need to return to their childhood/adolescent origins, albeit for opposing reasons: what the first wishes to symbolically re-create (restorative nostalgia), the latter desires to demolish with a supremely anti-nostalgic gesture.
An Unnatural History: Borges, Tlön, and the Myth of Self
Authors: Pierce Kerri
Published: August 2012

This article applies the concept of unnatural history, which I have adapted from Walter Benjamin’s concept of natural history, as defined in the essay "Der Erzähler" ("The Storyteller"), to a consideration of J. L. Borges’s short fiction "Tlön, Uqbar, OrbisTertius." In particular, it is my contention that "Tlön, Uqbar, OrbisTertius" dramatizes the way in which the idea of self can become mythological in the face of a totalizing fiction. I argue, along with Djelal Kadir, that "Tlön, Uqbar, OrbisTertius" can be taken as a "cautionary tale" intended for the reader. It is in this regard that the idea of "unnatural history" proves especially useful. Although it is not a phrase that appears in Benjamin’s writing, "unnatural history" nonetheless epitomizes Benjamin’s idea of the perspectival shift that takes place when death, a common denominator of human experience, disappears from the scene. "Tlön, Uqbar, OrbisTertius," I argue, likewise dramatizes this perspectival shift, not only exploring the way in which texts are disseminated, but also the way in which texts are read in death’s absence. It is at this point, I contend, that Tlön’s history becomes "unnatural" in the Benjaminian sense and that the notion of self becomes mythological.
La figure de la répétition : une vision de l’utopie désenchantée dans la culture américaine
Authors: Louet Sylvain
Published: August 2012

Trois œuvres explorent le désenchantement de l’utopie à travers la figure de la répétition. Chaque chapitre de la nouvelle Le Tunnel sous l’univers débute le 15 juin. Dans cette dystopie, le rêve de bonheur est l’envers d’un temps voué à la consommation. Dans Replay, Jeff et Paméla revivent vingt ans de leur vie, mais ce roman s’avère pessimiste quant à la possibilité de changer l’Histoire. Dans le film Un jour sans fin, Connors revit le même jour jusqu’à ce qu’il ait donné sens à sa vie.
COMPARISON OF A DNA BASED PCR APPROACH WITH CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS IN MOROCCO
Authors: Zakham Fathiah , Lahlou Oufae , Akrim Mohammed , Bouklata Nada , Jaouhari Sanae , Sadki Khalid , Seghrouchni Fouad , Elmzibri Mohammed , Benjouad Abdelaziz , Ennaji Moulay Mustapha , Elaouad Rajae
Published: August 2012

Background: Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem and the rapid diagnosis and appropriate chemotherapy become the first priority and a serious challenge to improve TB treatment.In the objective of early TB diagnosis and rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in the clinical specimens, the utility of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using the Insertion Sequence 6110 (IS6110) as target was compared to conventional methods.Methods: Out of 305 patients with different clinical manifestations: suspected, new, drug relapse, drug failure and chronic cases were enrolled in this study and tested by mycobacteriological and PCR techniques for the investigation about the tubercle bacilli.Results: The results of the in house IS6110 PCR showed a good sensitivity (92, 42%) and high specificity (98%), the positive and negative predictive values were 96.4 % and 95.3 % respectively.Conclusion: This study showed clearly that the PCR testing using the IS6110 in the routine analysis is a potential tool for the rapid TB diagnosis, especially for critical cases and would be of great interest to help the clinician in the misdiagnosed critical cases by the traditional radiology.
Rubella associated with hemophagocytic syndrome. First report in a male and review of the literature
Authors: Koubaa Makram , Marrakchi Chakib , Mâaloul Imed , Makni Saloua , Beraajah Lamia , Elloumi Moez , Hammami Boussaima , Lahiani Dorra , Boudawara Tahia , Ben Jemâa Mounir
Published: August 2012

A 22-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of fever, skin rash and epistaxis. Physical examination revealed fever (39.5°C), generalized purpura, lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. Blood tests showed pancytopenia. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy showed hemophagocytosis with no evidence of malignant cells. Anti rubella IgM antibody were positif and the IgG titers increased from 16 to 50 UI/mL in 3 days. Therefore, he was diagnosed to have rubella-associated hemophagocytic syndrome. We report herein the first case in a man and the sixth case of rubella-associated hemophagocytic syndrome in the literature by search in Pub Med till March 2012.
SALIVA IRON AND FERRITIN LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH THALASSEMIA AND IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
Authors: Canatan Duran , Akdeniz Sevgi Kosaci
Published: August 2012

Most of the  techniques for measuring iron accumulation such as serum iron concentration, iron binding capacity, serum ferritin level, liver biopsy are invasive and hard methods for patients. The changes in trace element concentrations in saliva at different systemic diseases shows the quantity of the element at the body. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of iron and ferritin in saliva and serum in patients  with thalassemia and iron deficiency anemia. For this purpose, 35 healthy children as control group and 71 thalassemia major, 10 thalassemia intermedia and 15 thalassemia trait patients were involved. Their saliva  and serum iron and ferritin levels were measured.  There was no statistically difference between age and gender in all groups and control group (p>0.05).  In all groups saliva iron levels are higher than serum iron levels(p<0.05). Furthermore there was a positive correlation betwen serum and saliva  iron levels in thalassemia major, intermedia and trait groups ( p=0.000, r=0.972, r=0.720, r=0.955) and also there was a positive correlation between serum and saliva iron levels in control and iron deficiency group (p= 0.000, r= 0.885, r= 0.368).  In conclusion,  Saliva iron and ferritin levels increase  as well as serum in patients with thalassemia and decrease in patients with iron deficiency anemia. Saliva can be used for diagnosis routinely  to shows the iron overload  and deficiency of the body and its easy applicability and also a non-invasive procedure is important advantage.
IMMUNOGLOBULIN GENE REPERTOIRE IN CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA: INSIGHT INTO ANTIGEN SELECTION AND MICROENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTIONS
Authors: Kostareli Efterpi , Gounari Maria , Agathangelidis Andreas , Stamatopoulos Kostas
Published: August 2012

Immunogenetic analysis of the B cell receptors (BcRs) has been a richly rewarding field for unraveling the pathogenesis of human lymphomas, including CLL. A biased immunoglobulin gene repertoire is seen as evidence for selection of CLL progenitor cells by antigen. Additional corroborative evidence is provided by the differential prognosis of cases with distinct mutational status of the clonotypic BcRs. However, perhaps the strongest immunogenetic “evidence for the importance of interactions with microenvironment in driving CLL development and evolution is the existence of subsets of patients with quasi-identical, stereotyped BcRs, collectively accounting for a remarkable one-third of the entire cohort. These observations have been instrumental in shaping the notion that CLL ontogeny is functionally driven and dynamic, rather than a simple stochastic process. From a clinical perspective, ample evidence indicates that immunogenetic information can be used for the biologically and clinically rational categorization of CLL, with important potential implications for basic, translational and clinical research.
TOLL-LIKE RECEPTORS IN CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA
Authors: Muzio Marta , Fonte Eleonora , Caligaris-Cappio Federico
Published: August 2012

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A new nickel discovery in the Prince Albert Hills, Melville Peninsula, Nunavut: implications for Ni-Cu-(PGE) exploration in the Prince Albert Group
Authors: Houlé G , Gibson H L , Richan L , Bécu V , Corrigan D , Nadeau L
Published: August 2012

The Melville Peninsula Project (MPP) is one of a number of geo-mapping projects that were initiated under the Federal Government's Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) Program in 2008. The main purpose of the GEM Program is to provide updated geoscience
information to support exploration in the discovery and development of new energy and mineral resources in Canada's arctic. Specifically, the MPP objectives are to renew and update the public geoscience database for the area, upgrade the knowledge and understanding of the Precambrian geology and
Quaternary superficial cover, and to stimulate mineral exploration in the north-central part of the Churchill Province. Limited understanding of the overall geology and significant economic endowment in time-correlative geological units outside of the map area (e.g., Committee Bay, Piling Group),
justified a closer examination of the geological setting and mineral potential of the Melville Peninsula. The present contribution highlights significant results regarding nickel mineralization obtained during geological mapping in the Prince Albert Hills within the western part of the Melville
Peninsula in Nunavut.