bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Minute Myocardial Injury as Measured by High-Sensitive Troponin T Serum Levels Predicts the Response to Intracoronary Infusion of Bone Marrow-Derived Mononuclear Cells in Patients With Stable Chronic Post-Infarction Heart Failure
Authors: Luu Brigitte , Leistner David M. , Herrmann Eva , Seeger Florian H. , Honold Joerg , Fichtlscherer Stephan , Zeiher Andreas M. , Assmus Birgit
Published: March 2017

Rationale:

Cell-based therapies are a promising option in patients with chronic postinfarction heart failure (ischemic cardiomyopathy [ICM]). However, the responses after intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow–derived mononuclear cells (BMCs) are heterogeneous, which may be related to impaired cell retention in patients with ICM. Ischemic injury is associated with upregulation of prototypical chemoattractant cytokines mediating retention and homing of circulating cells. The development of ultrasensitive tests to measure high-sensitive troponin T (hs-TnT) serum levels revealed the presence of ongoing minute myocardial injury even in patients with stable ICM.

Objective:

To test the hypothesis that serum levels of hs-TnT correlate with cell retention and determine the response to intracoronary BMC application in patients with ICM.

Methods and Results:

About 157 patients with stable ICM and no substantial impairment of kidney function received intracoronary BMC administration. Immediately prior to cell application, hs-TnT levels to measure myocardial injury and NT-proBNP levels as marker of left ventricular wall stress were determined. Patients with elevated hs-TnT were older and had more severe heart failure. Importantly, only patients with elevated baseline hs-TnT≥15.19 pg/mL (upper tertile) demonstrated a significant (
P
=0.04) reduction in NT-proBNP serum levels (−250 [−1465; 33] pg/mL; relative reduction −24%) 4 months after BMC administration, whereas NT-proBNP levels remained unchanged in patients in the 2 lower hs-TnT tertiles. The absolute decrease in NT-proBNP at 4 months was inversely correlated with baseline hs-TnT (
r
=−0.27,
P
=0.001). Finally, retention of intracoronarily infused,
111
Indium-labeled cells within the heart was closely associated with hs-TnT levels in patients with chronic ischemic heart failure (
P
=0.0008, n=10, triple measurements).

Conclusions:

The extent of ongoing myocardial injury as measured by serum levels of hs-TnT predicts the reduction of NT-proBNP serum levels at 4 months after intracoronary BMC administration in patients with ICM, suggesting that the beneficial effects of BMC application on LV remodeling and wall stress are confined to patients with ongoing minute myocardial injury.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00962364.
Size-mediated, density-dependent cannibalism in the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus (Dana, 1852) (Decapoda, Astacidea), an invasive crayfish in Britain
Authors: Houghton R. J. , Wood C. , Lambin X.
Published: March 2017

The role of cannibalism in crayfish populations is not well understood, despite being a potentially key density-dependent process underpinning population dynamics. We studied the incidence of cannibalism in an introduced signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus population in a Scottish lowland river in September 2014. Animals were sampled using six different sampling techniques simultaneously, revealing variable densities and size distributions across the site. Cannibalism prevalence was estimated by analysing the gut contents of crayfish >20 mm CL for the presence of crayfish fragments, which was found to be 20% of dissected individuals. When seeking evidence of relationships between the sizes of cannibals and ‘prey’, the density of conspecifics <56% the size of a dissected individual yielded the best fit. The relationship between cannibalism probability and crayfish size and density was equally well described by three different metrics of crayfish density. Cannibalism increased with crayfish size and density but did not vary according to sex. These results suggest that large P. leniusculus frequently cannibalize smaller (prey) conspecifics, and that the probability of cannibalism is dependent upon the relative size of cannibal-to-prey and the density of the smaller crayfish. We suggest that removing large individuals, as targeted by many traditional removal techniques, may lead to reduced cannibalism and therefore a compensatory increase in juvenile survival.
Mission and Cosmopolitan Mothering
Authors: Småberg Maria
Published: March 2017

This article discusses and analyzes mothering that crosses boundaries of care in spite of differences of nationality, culture and religion. Swedish missionary Alma Johansson was one of a remarkable number of women missionaries who volunteered as relief workers during the Armenian refugee crisis. These women missionaries were often seen as mothers who were ‘saving a whole generation’. The article shows how Johansson acted as an external mother and created transnational bonds of solidarity between Swedish and Armenian mothers. The close relationships became a foundation for Armenian children and women to help themselves. However, in this mothering were also ambivalences.
“I Switch Off”
Authors: Salisbury Laura
Published: March 2017

This essay analyses Beckett’s What Where and its staging of torture by contextualising it within postwar psychological and psychoanalytic attempts to make sense of social and political violence. Placing What Where in dialogue with the Milgram experiment and Wilfred Bion’s work on ‘splitting’ as a switching off of ‘thinking,’ the essay explores how Beckett uses a reflexive aesthetic authoritarianism to represent and enact “the works,” while constructing a temporal form within which the fragile and difficult work of thinking might yet be contained.
Rain, Riches, and Empire: The Relationship between Nations Ruling Distant Lands, Nations of Great Wealth, and Regions of Regular Moderate Atmospheric Precipitation
Authors: Railsback L. Bruce
Published: March 2017

Two of the great questions of human history and economics are why some nations held far-flung empires and why some presently enjoy great wealth. One factor that should be included in the inevitably multifactorial answer to these questions is regular moderate precipitation (precipitation with an average rate between 30 and 120 mm for each month). Only a small proportion of Earth’s surface has regular moderate precipitation, and most of that area is in Europe and eastern North America. Strikingly, of the 13 nations that held geographically discontinuous multicontinental transoceanic empires, 12 overlap with regions of regular moderate precipitation. Similarly, of the 20 nations with the greatest per capita GDP in 2015, 16 coincide with regions of regular moderate precipitation. These relationships are presumably rooted in the greater success, or lesser inhibition, of human construction of infrastructure, husbandry of livestock, and cultivation of crops, some combination of which likely allowed industrialization, projection of geopolitical power, and accumulation of wealth. One instructive example is that of China, which has a climate superficially like that of Europe and eastern North America but no regions of regular moderate rainfall, and which neither developed an overseas empire nor is among the world’s nations with greatest per capita GDP. Furthermore, concentration of nations holding empires and wealth in the Northern Hemisphere and their absence from the south can be linked to the coincidence that the Southern Hemisphere’s latitudinal zone of regular moderate rainfall is over the Southern Ocean, where there is little land on which human societies could have enjoyed the benefits of that supportive climate.
Struggles at the Summits: Discourse Coalitions, Field Boundaries, and the Shifting Role of Business in Sustainable Development
Authors: Ferns George , Amaeshi Kenneth
Published: March 2017

This research explores the field dynamics that facilitated the emergence of a dominant understanding of business’ role in sustainable development (SD). Based on a study of the U.N. Earth Summits, we examine how actors meet every decade to battle for definitional control of what SD means for business, and what business means for SD. Through a discourse analysis of texts from business, policy, and civil society actors during each Summit, we illustrate how an ensuing discursive struggle shifts the role of business in SD from being largely undefined in 1992, to being considered an SD partner in 2002, and finally to becoming a driver of SD by 2012. We contend that these shifts occurred largely due to two field dynamics: (a) rearranging of field boundaries and (2) forming of a discourse coalition. Accordingly, our study highlights how disparate actors coalesce around a shared-meaning system and collectively shape the role of business role in SD. However, we argue that despite the allure of a unified meaning-making process between once antagonistic actors, business–SD relations are underpinned by politicized interaction where certain actors come to dominate, and, in doing so, marginalize others.
Abortion Facility Closings and Abortion Rates in Texas
Authors: Quast Troy , Gonzalez Fidel , Ziemba Robert
Published: March 2017

From 2004 to 2014, the overall abortion rate in Texas fell by almost a third from 10.7 to 7.2 abortions per 1000 women aged 10 to 49 years. During this same period, the number of abortion clinics operating at least 6 months in the year fell from 40 to 27. We examined the relationship between the abortion rate and the proximity of abortion facilities. We matched annual, county-level data on abortion rates in Texas from 2004 through 2014 with the distance from the county centroids to the nearest abortion facility in operation. Linear regressions were used to estimate the association between abortion rates and proximity to abortion facilities. The regressions controlled for county-level and state-level characteristics as well as the availability of abortion services in neighboring US states and Mexico. We found that a 100-mile increase in distance to the nearest abortion facility was associated with a 10% decrease in the overall abortion rate. The relationship appeared to be driven largely by distances of 200 miles or more. The overall relationship was generally present for whites and blacks, whereas the pattern was less clear for Hispanics. The analysis indicated that the overall association was driven largely by women aged 20 to 34 years. Decreased access to abortion facilities was associated with decreases in the abortion rate, yet the relationship varied by race/ethnicity and age. As such, regulations that affect the operational status of abortion facilities likely have differential effects on women.
Campus of Opportunity: A Qualitative Analysis of Homeless Students in Community College
Authors: Gupton Jarrett T.
Published: March 2017

Objective: Community colleges are gateways of access to higher education for many underrepresented students. One group that has received little attention in the community college research literature is homeless youth. The objective of this research is to address the following research questions: (a) What might be learned from the narratives of homeless youth and their experiences in postsecondary education? and (b) How might community colleges promote interpersonal and institutional resilience for homeless students? Method: Utilizing qualitative research techniques, this article reviews the experiences’ of homeless youth attending community college and explores the ways in which community colleges might serve as sites for fostering resilience and stability in the lives of homeless students. Results: The results of this empirical work suggest that although homeless students do benefit from enrolling in community college, some of the benefits are not salient to them and they are unable to take full advantage of institutional resources. Contributions: The findings from this study contribute to the literature on low-income students’ experiences in community college and add the voices and experiences of homeless youth.
Technologies and application of pipeline centerline and bending strain of In-line inspection based on inertial navigation
Authors: Li Rui , Cai Maolin , Shi Yan , Feng Qingshan , Chen Pengchao
Published: March 2017

Inertial mapping unit (IMU) in-line inspection (ILI) has become routine practice for long-distance buried transport pipelines of oil and gas. It is capable of measuring the pipeline centerline position coordinates and locating the pipeline anomalies, features and fittings to help the oil company manage it. The IMU inspection data also can be used to compute the pipeline bending strain and assess the potential deviation from the original position where endures the extra stress. This paper introduces the main principle, measurement and data processing for IMU ILI. As a key point of calculation for centerline and bending strain, the identification and optimization of the signal are also discussed. At the end of this paper, the developments of IMU ILI are presented. The IMU ILI becomes an important and effective method for pipeline integrity management and safe operation of buried oil and gas pipelines.
An improved heterogeneous multi-swarm PSO algorithm to generate an optimal T-S fuzzy model of a hydraulic process
Authors: Chrouta Jaouher , Zaafouri Abderrahmen , Jemli Mohamed
Published: March 2017

In this paper, a new methodology to develop an Optimal Fuzzy model (OptiFel) using an improved Multi-swarm Particle Swarm Optimization (MsPSO) algorithm is proposed with a new adaptive inertia weight based on Grey relational analysis. Since the classical MsPSO suffers from premature convergence and can be trapped into local optima, which significantly affects the model accuracy, a modified MsPSO algorithm is presented here. The most important advantage of the proposed algorithm is the adjustment of fewer parameters in which the main parameter is the inertia weight. In fact, the control of this parameter could facilitate the convergence and prevent an explosion of the swarm. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by adopting standard tests and indicators which are reported in the specialized literature. The proposed Grey MsPSO is first applied to solve the optimization problems of six benchmark functions and then, compared with the other nine variants of particle swarm optimization. In order to demonstrate the higher search performance of the proposed algorithm, the comparison is then made via two performance tests such as the standard deviation and central processing unit time. To further validate the generalization ability of the Improved OptiFel approach, the proposed algorithm is secondly applied on the Box–Jenkins Gas Furnace system and on a irrigation station prototype. A comparative study based on Mean Square Error is then performed between the proposed approach and other existing methods. As a result, the improved Grey MsPSO is well adopted to find an optimal model for the real processes with high accuracy and strong generalization ability.
Countering terrorism and radicalisation: Securitising social policy?
Authors: Ragazzi Francesco
Published: March 2017

While social and security policies have always overlapped in complex ways, recent developments in counter-terrorism policy suggest that Western European states, and the United Kingdom more specifically, are accelerating what can be termed the ‘securitisation of social policy’1 – namely, the increased submission of social policy actors and their practices to the logics of security and social control. With the PREVENT programme remaining highly controversial, what are the effects of these state practices? Has David Cameron’s project of ‘muscular liberalism’, aimed at integration and community cohesion, been enforced through counter-radicalisation policies? This themed issue examines preventative counter-terrorism policies in the UK and the politics of religion, ethnicity and race they enact. The relation between social policy and critical security studies is explored by an interdisciplinary group of scholars.
MiR-613 suppresses retinoblastoma cell proliferation, invasion, and tumor formation by targeting E2F5
Authors: Zhang Yiting , Zhu Xinyue , Zhu Xiaomin , Wu Yan , Liu Yajun , Yao Borui , Huang Zhenping
Published: March 2017

Retinoblastoma is a common intraocular malignancy that occurs during childhood. MicroRNAs play critical roles in the regulation of retinoblastoma initiation and progression, and aberrant expression of miR-613 had been reported in various types of cancer. However, the role and mechanism of its function in retinoblastoma are still unclear. In this study, we found that miR-613 was downregulated in retinoblastoma tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-613 suppressed retinoblastoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and induced cell cycle arrest in vitro. Additionally, overexpressed miR-613 also inhibited tumor formation of retinoblastoma cells in vivo. We further identified E2F5 as a direct target of miR-613. Reintroduction of E2F5 without 3′-untranslated region reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-613 on cell proliferation and invasion. Our data collectively indicate that miR-613 functions as a tumor suppressor in retinoblastoma through downregulating E2F5, supporting the targeting of the novel miR-613/E2F5 axis as a potentially effective therapeutic approach for retinoblastoma.
Neuropeptide gastrin-releasing peptide induces PI3K/reactive oxygen species–dependent migration in lung adenocarcinoma cells
Authors: Jaeger Natália , Czepielewski Rafael Sanguinetti , Bagatini Maira , Porto Bárbara N , Bonorino Cristina
Published: March 2017

Nerve fibers and neurotransmitters have increasingly been shown to have a role in tumor progression. Gastrin-releasing peptide is a neuropeptide linked to tumor aggressiveness, acting as an autocrine tumor growth factor by binding to its receptor, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor, expressed by many tumors. Although neuropeptides have been previously linked to tumor cell proliferation, more recent studies have uncovered roles for neuropeptides in chemotaxis and metastasis. Understanding the precise roles of such peptides in cancer is crucial to optimizing targeted therapy design. We have previously described that gastrin-releasing peptide acts directly as a chemotactic factor for neutrophils, dependent on PI3K, ERK, and p38. In this study, we investigated roles for gastrin-releasing peptide in lung adenocarcinoma. We asked if gastrin-releasing peptide would act as a proliferative and/or chemotactic stimulus for gastrin-releasing peptide receptor–expressing tumor cells. In A549 cells, a non-small cell lung carcinoma line, the treatment with gastrin-releasing peptide leads to activation of AKT and ERK1/2, and production of reactive oxygen species. Gastrin-releasing peptide induced migration of A549 cells, dependent on gastrin-releasing peptide receptor and PI3K, but not ERK. However, no proliferation was observed in these cells in response to gastrin-releasing peptide, and gastrin-releasing peptide did not promote resistance to treatment with a chemotherapy drug. Our results suggest that, similar to what happens in neutrophils, gastrin-releasing peptide is a migratory, rather than a proliferative, stimulus, for non–small cell lung carcinoma cells, indicating a putative role for gastrin-releasing peptide and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor in metastasis.
Coptisine-induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and reactive oxygen species–dependent mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells
Authors: Rao Poorna Chandra , Begum Sajeli , Sahai Mahendra , Sriram D Saketh
Published: March 2017

This study aimed to explore the effect of coptisine on non-small-cell lung cancer and its mechanism through various in vitro cellular models (A549). Results claimed significant inhibition of proliferation by coptisine against A549, H460, and H2170 cells with IC50 values of 18.09, 29.50, and 21.60 µM, respectively. Also, coptisine exhibited upregulation of pH2AX, cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, and downregulation of the expression of cyclin B1, cdc2, and cdc25C and upregulation of p21 dose dependently. Furthermore, induction of apoptosis in A549 cells by coptisine was characterized by the activation of caspase 9, caspase 8, and caspase 3, and cleavage of poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase. In addition, coptisine was found to increase reactive oxygen species generation, upregulate Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential, and cause cytochrome c release into the cytosol. Besides, treatment with a reactive oxygen species inhibitor (N-acetyl cysteine) abrogated coptisine-induced growth inhibition, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species generation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, the mediation of reactive oxygen species in the apoptosis-induced effect of coptisine in A549 cells was corroborated. These findings have offered new insights into the effect and mechanisms of action of coptisine against non-small-cell lung cancer.
Overexpression of miR-519d in lung adenocarcinoma inhibits cell proliferation and invasion via the association of eIF4H
Authors: Bai Yong , Lu Chunya , Zhang Guojun , Hou Yu , Guo Yanjie , Zhou Heqi , Ma Xiaojingnan , Zhao Guoqiang
Published: March 2017

Lung cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer worldwide due to its high mortality rate. Adenocarcinoma constitutes 20%–30% of all lung cancers. In recent years, studies on the mechanisms of lung tumorigenesis and development have in part focused on the microRNAs for their crucial role in the progress of different cancers. As for our study, we demonstrated that miR-519d was differently downregulated and eIF4H was significantly overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma via the detection of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction compared with the adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, xenograft tumor experiment, Ki67 immunohistochemistry assay and transwell assay were performed to explain that the upregulated miR-519d could inhibit the proliferation and invasion of A549 and H1299 cells. To further advance our understanding of the mechanisms of miR-519d, we performed the bioinformatics analysis and the luciferase report assay. The results from these procedures revealed eIF4H to be one of the targets of miR-519d. Downregulated eIF4H was analogous to the overexpressed miR-519d obtained from miR-519d agomir and si-eIF4H transfection. In summary, it can be concluded that miR-519d targets eIF4H in lung adenocarcinoma to inhibit cell proliferation and invasion. This mechanism may offer new insights into the tumorigenesis and development of lung adenocarcinoma.
Novel tetrahydroacridine and cyclopentaquinoline derivatives with fluorobenzoic acid moiety induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in lung cancer cells by activation of DNA damage signaling
Authors: Szymański Paweł , Olszewska Paulina , Mikiciuk-Olasik Elżbieta , Różalski Antoni , Maszewska Agnieszka , Markiewicz Łukasz , Cuchra Magda , Majsterek Ireneusz
Published: March 2017

Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, indicating a necessity to develop more effective therapy. Acridine derivatives are potential anticancer agents due to their ability to intercalate DNA as well as inhibit enzymes involved in replication and transcription. Recently, we have evaluated anticancer activity of 32 novel acridine-based compounds. We found that the most effective were tetrahydroacridine and cyclopentaquinoline derivatives with fluorobenzoic acid containing eight and nine carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular mechanisms of compounds-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells. All compounds activated Ataxia telangiectasia mutated kinase and phosphorylated histone H2A.X at Ser139 indicating DNA damage. Treatment of cells with the compounds increased phosphorylation and accumulation of p53 that regulate cell cycle as well as apoptosis. All compounds induced G0/1 cell cycle arrest by phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 at Tyr15 resulting in attenuation of the kinase activity. In addition, cyclopentaquinoline derivatives induced expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 inhibitor, p21; however, tetrahydroacridine derivatives had no significant effect on p21. Moreover, all compounds decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential accompanied by increased expression of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2, suggesting activation of the mitochondrial pathway. All compounds also significantly attenuated the migration rates of lung cancer cells. Collectively, our findings suggest a central role of activation of DNA damage signaling in response to new acridine derivatives treatment to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells and provide support for their further development as potential drug candidates.
Plasma microRNA192 in combination with serum CA19-9 as non-invasive prognostic biomarker in periampullary carcinoma
Authors: Murali Manohar K , Sasikala Mitnala , KVSRR Yesaswini , Sunil V , Talukdar Rupjyoti , Murthy HVV , Ramji C , Rao GV , Pradeep R , Reddy D Nageshwar
Published: March 2017

In this study, circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are being investigated as non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers. Since the prognosis for pancreatobiliary subtype of periampullary carcinoma is poor, we assessed the prognostic relevance of miRNAs in combination with CA19-9 as noninvasive biomarker in periampullary carcinoma. Circulating miRNAs in plasma and serum CA19-9 were evaluated in periampullary carcinoma patients (n = 109) undergoing Whipple’s pancreaticoduodenectomy and in healthy volunteers (n = 92). Tumour tissues were subjected to staging and subtyping prior to determining differentially expressed miRNAs in them by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Statistical analysis involved correlation, receiver operating characteristic, logistic regression, survival analyses and Cox-proportional regression. Of the three differentially expressed circulating miRNA, miRNA192 was significantly increased both in circulation and in tumour tissue and correlated with tumour stage and aggressiveness (r = 0.96, P < 0.0001). Area under the curve of circulating miRNA192 + CA19-9 combination was 0.877 (95% confidence interval, 0.72 to 0.96) for stage III and 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 0.88) for tumour aggressiveness. The combination was associated with poor survival (median: 22 months, P = 0.0008) in stage III patients. Cox-proportional regression analysis revealed prognostic importance of combination of circulating miR192 and CA19-9 (HR = 1.005, P = 0.0001) in periampullary carcinoma. In conclusion, combination of circulating miRNA192 with serum CA19-9 is a better prognostic biomarker than CA19-9 alone.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 and phosphatase and tensin homolog as therapeutic targets in breast cancer
Authors: Dirican Ebubekir , Akkiprik Mustafa
Published: March 2017

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Turkey and worldwide. It is considered a heterogeneous disease and has different subtypes. Moreover, breast cancer has different molecular characteristics, behaviors, and responses to treatment. Advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms implicated in breast cancer progression have led to the identification of many potential therapeutic gene targets, such as Breast Cancer 1/2, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha, and tumor protein 53. The aim of this review is to summarize the roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 (alpha) (alias p85α) and phosphatase and tensin homolog in breast cancer progression and the molecular mechanisms involved. Phosphatase and tensin homolog is a tumor suppressor gene and protein. Phosphatase and tensin homolog antagonizes the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway that plays a key role in cell growth, differentiation, and survival. Loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog expression, detected in about 20%–30% of cases, is known to be one of the most common tumor changes leading to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway activation in breast cancer. Instead, the regulatory subunit p85α is a significant component of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway, and it has been proposed that a reduction in p85α protein would lead to decreased negative regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and hyperactivation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 protein has also been reported to be a positive regulator of phosphatase and tensin homolog via the stabilization of this protein. A functional genetic alteration of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 that results in reduced p85α protein expression and increased insulin receptor substrate 1 binding would lead to enhanced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling and hence cancer development. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 underexpression was observed in 61.8% of breast cancer samples. Therefore, expression/alternations of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 and phosphatase and tensin homolog genes have crucial roles for breast cancer progression. This review will summarize the biological roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 and phosphatase and tensin homolog in breast cancer, with an emphasis on recent findings and the potential of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 and phosphatase and tensin homolog as a therapeutic target for breast cancer therapy.
SF3B4 is decreased in pancreatic cancer and inhibits the growth and migration of cancer cells
Authors: Zhou Wentao , Ma Ning , Jiang Hao , Rong Yefei , Deng Yuezhen , Feng Yuanyuan , Zhu Hongxu , Kuang Tiantao , Lou Wenhui , Xie Dong , Wang Dansong
Published: March 2017

Splicing factor 3b subunit 4, a critical component of pre-message RNA splicing complex, has been reported to play an important part in the tumorigenesis. However, the expression pattern and biological role of splicing factor 3b subunit 4 in pancreatic cancer have never been investigated. In this study, we found that both the messenger RNA ( p < 0.001) and protein level of splicing factor 3b subunit 4 were decreased significantly in pancreatic cancer specimens compared with their adjacent normal tissues. Overexpression of splicing factor 3b subunit 4 in pancreatic cancer cells inhibited cell growth and motility in vitro, while suppressing splicing factor 3b subunit 4 expression promoted the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, splicing factor 3b subunit 4 was found to inhibit the activity of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling via downregulating the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 on a tyrosine residue at position 705. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that splicing factor 3b subunit 4 acted as a suppressive role in pancreatic cancer and indicated that restoring the function of splicing factor 3b subunit 4 might be a strategy for cancer therapy.
Sulfiredoxin may promote metastasis and invasion of cervical squamous cell carcinoma by epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: Chen Xiaoyan , Lan Kangyun , Liu Qin , Yang Xue , Wang Hui
Published: March 2017

Sulfiredoxin (Srx), a novel oxidative stress-induced antioxidant protein, has been reported to be expressed in several human tumour tissues. However, the expression and functions of Srx in cervical squamous cell carcinoma remain unknown. Here, we proved that expression of Srx was upregulated in cervical tissues as revealed by immunohistochemistry, and revealed a close correlation between the protein’s expression and the expression level of one core epithelial–mesenchymal transition marker, E-cadherin. We demonstrated that Srx was overexpressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and its expression level was closely correlated with lymph node metastasis and invasion of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Meanwhile, Srx expression was negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression. The remission time (tumour-free status after surgery) of the Srx strong staining group was significantly shorter than that of the Srx weak staining group. We silenced Srx by short hairpin RNA in HeLa and SiHa cells. Diminished Srx expression upregulated E-cadherin expression. The cell invasion and migration activity in the ShSrx group were obviously decreased in HeLa and SiHa cells. Moreover, Srx regulated the expression of the other marker of epithelial–mesenchymal transition, vimentin. In conclusion, the study suggested that Srx was highly expressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and may promote invasion and metastasis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma via regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition.
Utility of Flow Cytometry in Diagnosing Hematologic Malignancy in Tonsillar Tissue
Authors: Aisagbonhi Omonigho , DeLelys Michelle , Hartford Nicole , Preffer Frederic , Ly Amy
Published: March 2017

Objective. Tonsil surgical biopsy or excision is a very common procedure. However, there exist no consensus guidelines for the pathologic handling of tonsil specimens; gross and/or microscopic evaluation may be used. Diagnosis of tonsillar hematologic malignancy requires histology, immunohistochemistry and/or flow cytometry. Data regarding the utility of flow cytometry in tonsillar tissues are limited. We assessed our experience with flow cytometry for tonsil diagnosis with regard to accuracy and use patterns at a tertiary academic medical center. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed all surgically biopsied or excised tonsil specimens that underwent flow cytometry evaluation from August 2011 to March 2014. Patient clinical information, intraoperative frozen section, histology, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry diagnoses were recorded. Results. The study included 154 tonsil specimens from 89 females and 65 males. Patients averaged 27.4 years old (range 2-87 years); 73 were pediatric. Both histology and flow cytometry were benign for 148 patients (96.1%). Hematolymphoid malignancy was diagnosed in 6 adults by histology/immunohistochemistry: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (2), small B-cell lymphoma (2), concomitant follicular lymphoma and histiocytic sarcoma (1), and extraosseous plasmacytoma (1). Flow cytometry identified abnormal populations in 5 of 6 cases, and detected clonal populations in 2 reactive follicular hyperplasia cases. Conclusion. Tonsillar hematolymphoid malignancy is uncommon, and flow cytometry was less accurate than histology/immunohistochemistry for its diagnosis. Despite the rarity of tonsillar lymphoma in children, nearly half of study patients were pediatric. Intraoperative frozen section diagnosis showed excellent sensitivity for malignancy, and could be used to effectively triage cases for flow cytometry evaluation.
Examining domestic and international visits in Australia’s Aboriginal tourism
Authors: Mahadevan Renuka
Published: March 2017

Using recent nationwide panel data, an analysis considering the factors that influence the choice of Aboriginal tourism was undertaken. Although international visit numbers were larger than domestic, the former and not the latter is found to be on a decline over time. Gender does not influence domestic visits but females among international visitors are more likely to participate in Aboriginal tourism. Evidence also shows that international marketing strategies aimed at first-time visitors and adult couples, while domestic marketing efforts towards the friends and relatives travel group are likely to work. Blending Aboriginal tourism with attractions in the natural environment and wildlife for international tourists, and for domestic visitors, incorporating it in often visited regional areas can raise participation in this tourism form.
Ethical qualities in consumption
Authors: Shaw Deirdre , McMaster Robert , Longo Cristina , Özçaglar-Toulouse Nil
Published: March 2017

This article seeks to develop an empirically grounded theorization of care. Current care theory tends to be conceived along philosophical, psychological and labour dimensions, with much of the literature focusing on caring labour and, therefore, invoking a productionist orientation. By contrast, our focus on consumption suggests a reorientation in conceptualizing care to more fully apprehend the nuances of care neglected in a consumption context. We draw from Tronto’s phases of care in arguing that caregiving is not necessarily only an activity involving one’s labour. Through interviews, we examine how and what we consume manifests care and caring. We theorize care in consumption as a circular and dynamic process involving the combination of awareness, responsibility and action. This enhanced understanding of care could facilitate improved market exchanges and relationships between different stakeholders.
Approximate answering of queries involving polyline–polyline topological relationships
Authors: Formica Anna , Mazzei Mauro , Pourabbas Elaheh , Rafanelli Maurizio
Published: March 2017

In geographic information systems, pictorial query languages are visual languages which make easier the user to express queries by free-hand drawing. In this perspective, this article proposes an approach to provide approximate answers to pictorial queries that do not match with the content of the database, that is, the results are null. It addresses the polyline–polyline topological relationships and is based on an algorithm, called Approximate Answer Computation algorithm, which exploits the notions of Operator Conceptual Neighborhood graph and 16-intersection matrix. The operator conceptual neighborhood graph represents the conceptual topological neighborhood between Symbolic Graphical Objects and is used for relaxing constraints of queries. The nodes of the operator conceptual neighborhood graph are labeled with geo-operators whose semantics has been formalized. The 16-intersection matrix provides enriched query details with respect to the well-known Dimensionally Extended 9-Intersection Model proposed in the literature. A set of minimal 16-intersection matrices associated with each node of the operator conceptual neighborhood graph, upon the external space connectivity condition, is defined and the proof of its minimality is provided. The main idea behind each introduced notion is illustrated using a running example throughout this article.
Students Improve in Reading Comprehension by Learning How to Teach Reading Strategies. An Evidence-based Approach for Teacher Education
Authors: Koch Helvi , Spörer Nadine
Published: March 2017

In this intervention study, we investigated how we could teach university students who were majoring in education to teach reading strategies. The goal of the study was to analyze whether and to what extent students would benefit from the intervention with respect to their own learning. Did their own reading skills improve after they attended the intervention? The sample consisted of n = 61students who were assigned to one of two conditions: (a) an adaption of reciprocal teaching; and (b) a control group that was not taught how to teach reading strategies. The evidence-based teaching method used in the intervention condition consisted of three elements: modeling, scaffolding, and repeated practice. Training success was assessed in a pre-posttest control group design with standardized reading comprehension and reading speed tests. To compare the development of the students in the two conditions, repeated measures ANOVAs were used. At posttest, intervention students outperformed control students in reading comprehension as well as in reading speed.
Promoting Inclusion Through Evidence-Based Alternatives to Restraint and Seclusion
Authors: Trader Barbara , Stonemeier Jennifer , Berg Tricia , Knowles Christen , Massar Michelle , Monzalve Manuel , Pinkelman Sarah , Nese Rhonda , Ruppert Traci , Horner Robert
Published: March 2017

The use of restraint and seclusion in schools has been identified repeatedly as an approach that is overused, misused, and potentially dangerous. In this article, we emphasize the importance of an approach to supporting students with significant problem behavior that focuses on prevention, evidence-based intervention procedures, heightened levels of monitoring, and documented professional development. While the need for the use of restraint in emergency conditions will remain, the overall rate at which restraint and seclusion are used needs to be reduced and the quality of support for students with significant problem behavior needs to improve. An example of one district that is adopting a comprehensive alternative approach is provided.
Everyday ethics of participation: a case study of a CBPR in Nunavik
Authors: Fraser Sarah , Vrakas Georgia , Laliberté Arlene , Mickpegak Raymond
Published: March 2017

Introduction:

Multiple reports highlight the need for community-based family-oriented prevention services for Aboriginal peoples in order to address important health and social inequalities. Participatory, empowerment-based approaches are generally favoured for these means. Faced with important social issues, in a context of colonisation and complex power dynamics, we question how community members experience participation, as well as the everyday dynamics that take place when attempting to create community-level change.

Context:

The initial steps of this community-based participatory research (CBPR) took place over a two-year period in a community of Nunavik, a large northern region of the province of Quebec. The objective of the CBPR was to develop a community-driven project aimed at supporting families to be able to keep children within their homes or communities, rather than having to be placed under child welfare services.

Method:

We participated in, and documented, various group meetings, community workshops, informal reflexive discussions, and formal interviews with community partners to explore their everyday experiences of participation in community-based change.

Results:

We describe some of the initial actions taken in this project. We describe how certain social and power dynamics infiltrated into the process of participation leading to various tensions, personal and interpersonal experiences and needs.

Discussion:

We discuss how these experiences led to everyday ethical dilemmas regarding participation. We conclude that although participatory approaches towards community change may be effective, they are also ethically challenging and at times disempowering for those who participate. We describe some of the approaches used to work with these ethical challenges.
Self-Reported Usage, Functional Benefit, and Audiologic Characteristics of Cochlear Implant Patients Who Use a Contralateral Hearing Aid
Authors: Neuman Arlene C. , Waltzman Susan B. , Shapiro William H. , Neukam Jonathan D. , Zeman Annette M. , Svirsky Mario A.
Published: March 2017

Ninety-four unilateral CI patients with bimodal listening experience (CI plus HA in contralateral ear) completed a questionnaire that focused on attitudes toward hearing aid use postimplantation, patterns of usage, and perceived bimodal benefits in daily life. Eighty participants continued HA use and 14 discontinued HA use at the time of the questionnaire. Participant responses provided useful information for counseling patients both before and after implantation. The majority of continuing bimodal (CI plus HA) participants reported adapting to using both devices within 3 months and also reported that they heard better bimodally in quiet, noisy, and reverberant conditions. They also perceived benefits including improved sound quality, better music enjoyment, and sometimes a perceived sense of acoustic balance. Those who discontinued HA use found either that using the HA did not provide additional benefit over the CI alone or that using the HA degraded the signal from the CI. Because there was considerable overlap in the audiograms and in speech recognition performance in the unimplanted ear between the two groups, we recommend that unilateral CI recipients are counseled to continue to use the HA in the contralateral ear postimplantation in order to determine whether or not they receive functional or perceived benefit from using both devices together.
Modelling urban form: A multidimensional typology of urban occupation for spatial analysis
Authors: Abrantes Patrícia , Rocha Jorge , Marques da Costa Eduarda , Gomes Eduardo , Morgado Paulo , Costa Nuno
Published: March 2017

The conceptual and methodological debate on urban form has grown in the last decades to recognize that social, economic, demographic and political processes can contribute to the development of new urban forms, especially those related to urban sprawl, as well as to find alternative methodologies for measuring them. Spatial metrics derived from landscape ecology arise as principal indicators to measure urban form. This paper proposes a typology of the urban occupation of Portuguese municipalities. It uses land use/cover data from 1990 and 2006 to extract built-up areas, and it presents five spatial metrics alongside seventeen statistical indicators from 1991 to 2011 most commonly used in the literature to characterize urban occupation. It uses a self-organising map as a visual tool to identify trends and relationships among variables and to cluster municipalities. Based on the self-organising map’s visual clustering, six types of urban occupation of Portuguese municipalities are proposed. In addition, the paper discusses the added value of using indicators that describe both the patterns and the characteristics of the municipalities for making spatial planning decisions in Portugal. The observed results show that spatial metrics are particularly adequate for measuring peri-urban municipalities (urban sprawl areas). These results represent the first multidimensional and systematic analysis of Portuguese urban occupation and they can be the first step in the integration of spatial metrics as indicators that are suitable for the analysis of spatial planning, and also for comparative purposes at a broader geographical scale.
Porcelain shards from Portuguese wrecks: Raman spectroscopic analysis of marine archaeological ceramics
Authors: Carter Elizabeth A. , Wood Michelle L. , de Waal Danita , Edwards Howell G. M.
Published: March 2017

Raman spectroscopic analysis of shards recovered from two Portuguese shipwrecks, the Santo Espirito (1608) and the Santa Maria Madre de Deus (1643), believed to be carrying porcelains of the Ming period have revealed some interesting and novel results that inform historical ideas of porcelain production. The porcelain body of two of the four shards from the Santa Maria Madre de Deus were found to contain anatase, a low temperature polymorph of titanium dioxide, and β-wollastonite a mineral characteristic of soft-paste porcelains that are made at medium-temperature firing conditions. Previously, β-wollastonite has been found in a range of sixteenth to nineteenth century European porcelains but this is the first report of its detection in porcelain believed to be from the Ming period. These same shards exhibited unusual spectral features that were attributed to the resonance enhancement of rare earth elements that resulted from excitation using a near-infrared source.