bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local Overexpression of Interleukin-11 in the Central Nervous System Limits Demyelination and Enhances Remyelination
Authors: Maheshwari Anurag , Janssens Kris , Bogie Jeroen , Van Den Haute Chris , Struys Tom , Lambrichts Ivo , Baekelandt Veerle , Stinissen Piet , Hendriks Jerome J. A. , Slaets Helena , Hellings Niels
Published: May 2013

Demyelination is one of the pathological hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (MS). To date, no therapy is available which directly potentiates endogenous remyelination. Interleukin-11 (IL-11), a member of the gp130 family of cytokines, is upregulated in MS lesions. Systemic IL-11 treatment was shown to ameliorate clinical symptoms in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS. IL-11 modulates immune cells and protects oligodendrocytesin vitro. In this study, the cuprizone-induced demyelination mouse model was used to elucidate effects of IL-11 on de- and remyelination, independent of the immune response. Prophylactic-lentiviral- (LV-) mediated overexpression of IL-11 in mouse brain significantly limited acute demyelination, which was accompanied with the preservation of CC1+mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) and a decrease in microglial activation (Mac-2+). We further demonstrated that IL-11 directly reduces myelin phagocytosisin vitro. When IL-11 expressing LV was therapeutically applied in animals with extensive demyelination, a significant enhancement of remyelination was observed as demonstrated by Luxol Fast Blue staining and electron microscopy imaging. Our results indicate that IL-11 promotes maturation of NG2+OPCs into myelinating CC1+OLs and may thus explain the enhanced remyelination. Overall, we demonstrate that IL-11 is of therapeutic interest for MS and other demyelinating diseases by limiting demyelination and promoting remyelination.
Merging Static and Dynamic Depth Cues with Optical-Flow Recovery for Creating Stereo Videos
Authors: Cheng Fang-Hsuan , Sung Tze-Yun
Published: May 2013

A method for estimating the depth information of a general monocular image sequence and then creating a 3D stereo video is proposed. Distinguishing between foreground and background is possible without additional information, and then foreground pixels are moved to create the binocular image. The proposed depth estimation method is based on coarse-to-fine strategy. By applying the CID method in the spatial domain, the sharpness and the contrast of an image can be improved by the distance of the region based on its color. Then a coarse depth map of the image can be generated. An optical-flow method based on temporal information is then used to search and compare the block motion status between previous and current frames, and then the distance of the block can be estimated according to the amount of block motion. Finally, the static and motion depth information is integrated to create the fine depth map. By shifting foreground pixels based on the depth information, a binocular image pair can be created. A sense of 3D stereo can be obtained without glasses by an autostereoscopic 3D display.
Association between Serum Interleukin-6 Concentration and Mortality in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Su Dongfang , Li Zhongxia , Li Xinrui , Chen Yuming , Zhang Yuan , Ding Ding , Deng Xueqing , Xia Min , Qiu Jian , Ling Wenhua
Published: May 2013

Objectives. To evaluate whether serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) is associated with increased risk of mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.Methods. We performed a prospective cohort study of 718 CAD patients from the Guangzhou Cardiovascular Disease Cohort (GCDC) study. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to examine the association between serum IL-6 with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.Results. During the 1663 person-years of followup, the cumulative all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were 6.5% (n=47) and 3.3% (n=24), respectively. The mean length of followup was2.32±0.81years. In the multivariable analyses, a one-SD increment in log-transformed serum IL-6 was positively associated with an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with hazard ratios (HR) of 2.93 (95% CI, 2.11–4.08) and 2.04 (95% CI, 1.34–3.68) within the patients combined and 2.98 (95% CI, 2.12–4.18) and 3.10 (95% CI, 1.98–4.85) within males, respectively. Patients in the highest serum IL-6 tertile versus the lowest tertile were at higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with HR of 17.12 (95% CI 3.11–71.76) and 8.68 (95% CI, 1.88–37.51), respectively.Conclusions. In hospitalized patients with CAD, serum IL-6 is significantly associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
Modified Preconditioned GAOR Methods for Systems of Linear Equations
Authors: Zhang Xue-Feng , Cui Qun-Fa , Wu Shi-Liang
Published: May 2013

Three kinds of preconditioners are proposed to accelerate the generalized AOR (GAOR) method for the linear system from the generalized least squares problem. The convergence and comparison results are obtained. The comparison results show that the convergence rate of the preconditioned generalized AOR (PGAOR) methods is better than that of the original GAOR methods. Finally, some numerical results are reported to confirm the validity of the proposed methods.
The System Power Control Unit Based on the On‐Chip Wireless Communication System
Authors: Li Tiefeng , Ma Caiwen , Li WenHua
Published: May 2013

Currently, the on‐chip wireless communication system (OWCS) includes 2nd‐generation (2G), 3rd‐generation (3G), and long‐term evolution (LTE) communication subsystems. To improve the power consumption of OWCS, a typical architecture design of system power control unit (SPCU) is given in this paper, which can not only make a 2G, a 3G, and an LTE subsystems enter sleep mode, but it can also wake them up from sleep mode via the interrupt. During the sleep mode period, either the real‐time sleep timer or the global system for mobile (GSM) communication sleep timer can be used individually to arouse the corresponding subsystem. Compared to previous sole voltage supplies on the OWCS, a 2G, a 3G, or an LTE subsystem can be independently configured with three different voltages and frequencies in normal work mode. In the meantime, the voltage supply monitor, which is an important part in the SPCU, can significantly guard the voltage of OWCS in real time. Finally, the SPCU may implement dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) for a 2G, a 3G, or an LTE subsystem, which is automatically accomplished by the hardware.
β-Catenin Signaling Is a Critical Event in ErbB2-Mediated Mammary Tumor Progression
Authors: Schade Babette , Lesurf Robert , Sanguin-Gendreau Virginie , Bui Tung , Deblois Geneviève , O'Toole Sandra A. , Millar Ewan K.A. , Zardawi Sara J. , Lopez-Knowles Elena , Sutherland Robert L. , Giguère Vincent , Kahn Michael , Hallett Michael , Muller William J.
Published: May 2013

Although ERBB2 amplification and overexpression is correlated with poor outcome in breast cancer, the molecular mechanisms underlying the aggressive nature of these tumors has not been fully elucidated. To investigate this further, we have used a transgenic mouse model of ErbB2-driven tumor progression (ErbB2KI model) that recapitulates clinically relevant events, including selective amplification of the core erbB2 amplicon. By comparing the transcriptional profiles of ErbB2KI mammary tumors and human ERBB2-positive breast cancers, we show that ErbB2KI tumors possess molecular features of the basal subtype of ERBB2-positive human breast cancer, including activation of canonical β-catenin signaling. Inhibition of β-catenin–dependent signaling in ErbB2KI-derived tumor cells using RNA interference impaired tumor initiation and metastasis. Furthermore, treatment of ErbB2KI or human ERBB2-overexpressing tumor cells with a selective β-catenin/CBP inhibitor significantly decreased proliferation and ErbB2 expression. Collectively, our data indicate that ERBB2-mediated breast cancer progression requires β-catenin signaling and can be therapeutically targeted by selective β-catenin/CBP inhibitors. Cancer Res; 73(14); 4474–87. ©2013 AACR.
Associations between Weight in Early Adulthood, Change in Weight, and Breast Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Krishnan Kavitha , Bassett Julie K. , MacInnis Robert J. , English Dallas R. , Hopper John L. , McLean Catriona , Giles Graham G. , Baglietto Laura
Published: May 2013

Background: Adult weight is positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer but few studies have investigated whether there are associations with weight and body mass index (BMI) in early adulthood, or subsequent weight change.

Methods: A total of 14,441 postmenopausal women from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS) were followed for 16.5 years (mean) and 668 incident breast cancers were identified. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox regression.

Results: Weight and BMI at 18 to 21 years were not associated with risk of any type of breast cancer and there was no variation by age. Women with the greatest increase in weight and BMI had higher risk at older ages [HR per 5 kg/m2 gain in BMI = 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11–1.40], although the test for homogeneity by age was not significant. At older ages, the association was stronger for progesterone (PR) positive disease compared with PR negative disease (HR per 5 kg/m2 gain in BMI, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.23–1.66; test for homogeneity by PR status, P < 0.01) and for diseases that were positive for both estrogen (ER) and PR (HR per 5 kg/m2 gain in BMI, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.24–1.69; test for homogeneity by ER/PR status, P = 0.02). HRs were also greater for HER2− and luminal A tumors, but the P values for homogeneity by tumor subgroups were not significant.

Conclusion: Early adulthood weight is not associated with risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Greater weight gain during adulthood might be associated with increased risk for older women (>69 years) and this association might vary by tumor hormone receptor status.

Impact: Further studies need to investigate the impact of increase in weight during adulthood on postmenopausal breast cancer risk and the potential variation by age or tumor characteristics. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(8); 1409–16. ©2013 AACR.
Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Nucleotide Excision Repair Genes, Cigarette Smoking, and the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Wyss Annah B. , Herring Amy H. , Avery Christy L. , Weissler Mark C. , Bensen Jeannette T. , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S. , Funkhouser William K. , Olshan Andrew F.
Published: May 2013

Background: Cigarette smoking is associated with increased head and neck cancer (HNC) risk. Tobacco-related carcinogens are known to cause bulky DNA adducts. Nucleotide excision repair (NER) genes encode enzymes that remove adducts and may be independently associated with HNC, as well as modifiers of the association between smoking and HNC.

Methods: Using population-based case–control data from the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (CHANCE) Study (1,227 cases and 1,325 controls), race-stratified (White, African American), conventional, and hierarchical logistic regression models were used to estimate ORs with 95% intervals (I) for the independent and joint effects of cigarette smoking and 84 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) from 15 NER genes on HNC risk.

Results: The odds of HNC were elevated among ever cigarette smokers and increased with smoking duration and frequency. Among Whites, rs4150403 on ERCC3 was associated with increased HNC odds (AA+AG vs. GG; OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01–1.61). Among African Americans, rs4253132 on ERCC6 was associated with decreased HNC odds (CC+CT vs. TT; OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.45–0.86). Interactions between ever cigarette smoking and three SNPs (rs4253132 on ERCC6, rs2291120 on DDB2, and rs744154 on ERCC4) suggested possible departures from additivity among Whites.

Conclusions: We did not find associations between some previously studied NER variants and HNC. We did identify new associations between two SNPs and HNC and three suggestive cigarette–SNP interactions to consider in future studies.

Impact: We conducted one of the most comprehensive evaluations of NER variants, identifying a few SNPs from biologically plausible candidate genes associated with HNC and possibly interacting with cigarette smoking. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(8); 1428–45. ©2013 AACR.
Comparison of Associations of Body Mass Index, Abdominal Adiposity, and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in a Large Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Keimling Marlen , Renehan Andrew G. , Behrens Gundula , Fischer Beate , Hollenbeck Albert R. , Cross Amanda J. , Leitzmann Michael F.
Published: May 2013

Background: Increased body mass index (BMI) is an established colorectal cancer risk factor. High waist circumference or waist-hip-ratio (WHR) may better reflect an abnormal metabolic state and be more predictive of colorectal cancer risk than BMI.

Methods: We examined BMI, waist circumference, WHR, and hip circumference in relation to colorectal cancer risk among 203,177 participants followed for 10 years. We derived standardized colorectal cancer risk estimates for each anthropometric parameter and compared predictive characteristics (Harrell's C-index). In women, we examined whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use modified the associations between anthropometric measures and colorectal cancer.

Results: We ascertained 2,869 colorectal cancers. In men, increased colon cancer risks were associated with BMI [HR per SD, 1.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08–1.20], waist circumference (HR per SD, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08–1.27), and WHR (HR per SD, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04–1.14). In women, anthropometric variables were unrelated to colon cancer. For men and women, anthropometric variables were unrelated to rectal cancer. Compared with BMI, waist circumference and WHR did not materially influence colon cancer prediction models [C-index changes: −0.0041 and 0.0046 (men); 0.0004 and 0.0005 (women)]. In current HRT users, colon cancer was inversely or suggestively inversely associated with waist circumference (HR per SD, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.63–0.97) and WHR (HR per SD, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.76–1.01), but positively related to hip circumference (HR per SD, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.13–1.71).

Conclusion: BMI, waist circumference, and WHR show comparable positive associations with colon cancer in men. Associations between anthropometric measures and colon cancer are weak or null in women, but there is some evidence for effect modification by HRT.

Impact: These findings may improve our understanding of the relation of adiposity to colorectal cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(8); 1383–94. ©2013 AACR.
The Prognostic Value of MicroRNAs Varies with Patient Race/Ethnicity and Stage of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Bovell Liselle C. , Shanmugam Chandrakumar , Putcha Balananda-Dhurjati K. , Katkoori Venkat R. , Zhang Bin , Bae Sejong , Singh Karan P. , Grizzle William E. , Manne Upender
Published: May 2013

Purpose: MicroRNAs (miRNA) have potential prognostic value for colorectal cancers; however, their value based on patient race/ethnicity and pathologic stage has not been determined. The goal was to ascertain the prognostic value of 5 miRNAs with increased expression in colorectal cancers of African American (black) and non-Hispanic Caucasian (white) patients.

Experimental Design: TaqMan quantitative real-time PCR was used to quantify expression of miR-20a, miR-21, miR-106a, miR-181b, and miR-203 in paired normal and tumor colorectal cancer archival tissues collected from 106 black and 239 white patients. The results were correlated with overall survival based on patient race/ethnicity and pathologic stage. Because decisions about adjuvant therapy are important for stage III colorectal cancers, and because miR-181b seemed to have prognostic value only for stage III black patients, we assessed its prognostic value in a separate cohort of 36 stage III colorectal cancers of blacks.

Results: All 5 miRNAs had higher expression in colorectal cancers (>1.0-fold) than in corresponding normal tissues. High expression of miR-203 was associated with poor survival of whites with stage IV colorectal cancers (HR = 3.00; 95% CI, 1.29–7.53), but in blacks it was an indicator of poor survival of patients with stages I and II colorectal cancers (HR = 5.63; 95% CI, 1.03–30.64). Increased miR-21 expression correlated with poor prognosis for white stage IV patients (HR = 2.50; 95% CI, 1.07–5.83). In both test and validation cohorts, high miR-181b expression correlated with poor survival of only black patients with stage III colorectal cancers (HR = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.03–3.67).

Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that the prognostic value of miRNAs in colorectal cancers varies with patient race/ethnicity and stage of disease. Clin Cancer Res; 19(14); 3955–65. ©2013 AACR.
Developing Standards for Breakthrough Therapy Designation in Oncology
Authors: Horning Sandra J. , Haber Daniel A. , Selig Wendy K.D. , Ivy S. Percy , Roberts Samantha A. , Allen Jeff D. , Sigal Ellen V. , Sawyers Charles L.
Published: May 2013

In July 2012, Congress passed the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA). The Advancing Breakthrough Therapies for Patients Act was incorporated into a Title of FDASIA to expedite clinical development of new, potential “breakthrough” drugs or treatments that show dramatic responses in early-phase studies. Using this regulatory pathway, once a promising new drug candidate is designated as a “Breakthrough Therapy”, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and sponsor would collaborate to determine the best path forward to abbreviate the traditional three-phase approach to drug development. The breakthrough legislation requires that an FDA guidance be drafted that details specific requirements of the bill to aid FDA in implementing requirements of the Act. In this article, we have proposed criteria to define a product as a Breakthrough Therapy, and discussed critical components of the development process that would require flexibility in order to enable expedited development of a Breakthrough Therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 19(16); 4297–304. ©2013 AACR.
Failure of Anti-Interleukin-1 Therapy in Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Case Report
Authors: van der Zee H.H. , Prens E.P.
Published: May 2013

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an inflammatory, debilitating skin disease of follicular origin, characterized by painful deep-seated, inflamed lesions in mainly the inverse areas of the body. HS is notoriously difficult to treat and especially severe disease is often resistant to therapy. New therapeutic options are therefore highly needed. Elevated levels of IL-1 have been demonstrated in HS lesions. Here we report for the first time on the sequential treatment with anakinra (an IL-1 receptor antagonist) and golimumab (a TNF-α-neutralizing antibody) of a patient with severe HS and with comorbid psoriatic arthritis. Although adalimumab and golimumab were efficacious in improving arthritis complaints, both failed in improving the severe HS of our patient. Eventually the patient underwent radical excision of the inflammatory lesions and fistulas.
Virilization of a Young Girl Caused by Concomitant Ectopic and Intra-Adrenal Adenomas of the Adrenal Cortex
Authors: Choukair Daniela , Beuschlein Felix , Zwermann Oliver , Wudy Stefan A. , Haufe Sabine , Holland-Cunz Stefan , Bettendorf Markus
Published: May 2013

Background: Adenomas of the adrenal gland are rare causes of virilization in childhood. Case Report: A girl aged 2 years and 4 months presented with pubarche, distinct clitoral hypertrophy, tall stature, and increased height velocity. Plasma testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone were elevated. Androgens remained unchanged after adrenocorticotropic hormone, and dexamethasone administrations. Ultrasound examination and magnetic resonance imaging indicated an extra-adrenal mass adjacent to the left adrenal gland, which was removed by endoscopic surgery. However, plasma androgens remained elevated and 131I-iodomethyl-norcholesterol scintigraphy revealed tracer enhancement in the right adrenal gland, which was consecutively removed. Virilization regressed after extirpation of the adenomas and height velocity normalized. Results: Histology revealed a circumscribed adenoma in the right adrenal gland and an epithelial mass with adrenal cortical cells in the left-sided ectopic tumor. In the ectopic tumor, melanocortin 2 receptor expression was augmented threefold compared to the control, indicating adrenal origin. Conclusions: In this young girl, virilization is due to concomitant ectopic and intra-adrenal adenomas of the adrenal cortex. By melanocortin 2 receptor expression, it was confirmed that the ectopic adenoma derived from the adrenal cortex. Specific scintigraphy, if available, assists in allocating the source of androgen hypersecretion.
Pheromone Exposure Influences Preoptic Arginine Vasotocin Gene Expression and Inhibits Social Approach Behavior in Response to Rivals but Not Potential Mates
Authors: Mangiamele Lisa A. , Keeney Alex D.T. , D'Agostino Erin N. , Thompson Richmond R.
Published: May 2013

The nonapeptides arginine vasotocin (AVT) and vasopressin mediate a variety of social behaviors in vertebrates. However, the effects of these peptides on behavior can vary considerably both between and within species. AVT, in particular, stimulates aggressive and courtship responses typical of dominant males in several species, although it can also inhibit social interactions in some cases. Such differential effects may depend upon AVT influences within brain circuits that differ among species or between males that adopt alternative reproductive phenotypes and/or upon the differential activation of those circuits in different social contexts. However, to date, very little is known about how social stimuli that promote alternative behavioral responses influence AVT circuits within the brain. To address this issue, we exposed adult male goldfish to androstenedione (AD), a pheromonal signal that is released by both males and females during the breeding season, and measured social approach responses of males towards same- and other-sex individuals before and after AD exposure. In a second experiment, we measured AD-induced AVT gene expression using in situ hybridization. We found that brief exposure to AD induces social avoidance in response to rival males, but does not affect the level of sociality exhibited in response to sexually receptive females. Exposure to AD also increases AVT gene expression in the preoptic area of male goldfish, particularly in the parvocellular population of the preoptic nucleus. Together, these data suggest that AD is part of a social signaling system that induces social withdrawal specifically during male-male interactions by activating AVT neurons.
Observational Monitoring of Clinical Signs during the Last Stage of Habituation in a Wild Western Gorilla Group at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic
Authors: Blake Morton F. , Todd Angelique F. , Lee Phyllis , Masi Shelly
Published: May 2013

Anthropozoonotic disease transmission to great apes is a critical conservation concern, and has raised ethical doubts regarding ape habituation. We monitored over a 3-year period clinical signs within a group of wild western gorillas (G. gorilla) undergoing habituation at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic. The majority of observations consisted of singular coughs and sneezes among the gorillas. These were the only clinical signs that significantly and positively increased over the years. No changes in the demography of the study group were observed. While clinical signs are not necessarily indicative of ‘disease' or other health-related problems, we discuss how long-term records of clinical signs provide useful information when health monitoring, and the importance of the rigid application of preventive disease transmission protocols.
Prevalence of 25-OH Vitamin D Deficiency in a Population of Hemodialysis Patients and Efficacy of an Oral Ergocalciferol Supplementation Regimen
Authors: Porter Anna , Gilmartin Cheryl , Srisakul Usasiri , Arruda Jose , Akkina Sanjeev
Published: May 2013

Background/Aims: Optimal dosing regimens for 25-OH vitamin D (VitD) deficiency are unknown in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of prescribing ergocalciferol supplementation based on KDOQI guidelines for chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages III-IV in HD patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 96 urban, predominately African-American HD patients at a single-center dialysis unit with VitD insufficiency or deficiency treated with ergocalciferol. Patients were classified as either compliant or non-compliant with supplementation as determined by review of pharmacy records. The primary outcome was VitD levels 6 months after initiation of treatment and secondary outcomes were VitD levels at 11 months, bone/mineral and anemia parameters. Results: The population was predominately African-American (69%) and Hispanic (28%). There were 61 individuals in the compliant group and 35 individuals in the non-compliant group. The compliant group was older but otherwise similar in demographics and co-morbid conditions to the non-compliant group. After 6 months of treatment, the compliant group had a significant increase in VitD level (14.7 ± 6.0 to 28.7 ± 10.0 ng/ml, p < 0.0001) compared to the non-compliant group (14.7 ± 5.5 to 14.8 ± 7.1 ng/ml, p = 0.95). There were no differences in the incidence of hypercalcemia between the two groups. Except for a decrease in phosphorus in the compliant group (5.6 ± 1.6 to 4.9 ± 1.7 mg/dl, p = 0.004), there were no significant difference in bone/mineral or anemia parameters including dosing of darbepoetin. Conclusion: An ergocalciferol-prescribing strategy using the KDOQI guidelines for stage III-IV kidney disease in HD patients with VitD deficiency or insufficiency is inadequate to achieve repletion or maintenance of normal VitD levels.
Complex Three-Way Translocation Involving MLL, ELL, RREB1, and CMAHP Genes in an Infant with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and t(6;19;11)(p22.2;p13.1;q23.3)
Authors: Tuborgh A. , Meyer C. , Marschalek R. , Preiss B. , Hasle H. , Kjeldsen E.
Published: May 2013

Rearrangements affecting the MLL gene in hematological malignancies are associated with poor prognosis. Most often they are reciprocal translocations and more rarely complex forms involving at least 3 chromosomes. We describe an unusual case with cutaneous leukemic infiltrates that waxed and waned until progression to acute myeloid leukemia, AML-M5. The leukemic cells harbored a novel apparent 3-way translocation t(6;19;11)(p22.2;p13.1;q23.3). We utilized advanced molecular cytogenetic methods including 24-color karyotyping, high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and DNA sequencing to characterize the genomic complement in the leukemic cells from aspirated bone marrow cells at AML diagnosis. Karyotyping showed 47,XY,t(6;19;11)(p22;p13;q23),+der(6)t(6;11)(p22;q23)[17]/48,sl,+8[3]/48,sl,+8,der(12)t(1;12)(q11;p13)[3]/ 48,sdl,der(Y)t(Y;1)(q12;q11),+8[7] conferring MLL-ELL fusion. Oligo-aCGH analysis confirmed gains of 6p22qter and 11q23.3qter involving the CMAHP and MLL genes, respectively. DNA sequencing disclosed an additional breakpoint at 6p24.3 (at RREB1 gene). Retrospective fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed presence of the MLL-involving rearrangement in the initial stages of disease before clear morphological signs of bone marrow involvement. The patient responded well to therapy and remains in remission >6 years from diagnosis. This apparent 3-way translocation is remarkable because of its rarity and presentation with myeloid sarcoma, and may, as more cases are characterized, further our understanding onto how such complex translocations contribute to promote leukemogenesis and respond to therapy.
Comparative Organization and Gene Expression Profiles of the Porcine Pseudoautosomal Region
Authors: Das P.J. , Mishra D.K. , Ghosh S. , Avila F. , Johnson G.A. , Chowdhary B.P. , Raudsepp T.
Published: May 2013

The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) has important biological functions in spermatogenesis, male fertility and early development. Even though pig (Sus scrofa, SSC) is an agriculturally and biomedically important species, and its genome is sequenced, current knowledge about the porcine PAR is sparse. Here we defined the PAR in SSCXp/Yp by demarcating the sequence of the pseudoautosomal boundary at X:6,743,567 bp in intron 3-4 of SHROOM2 and showed that SHROOM2 is truncated in SSCY. Cytogenetic mapping of 20 BAC clones containing 15 PAR and X-specific genes revealed that the pig PAR is largely collinear with other mammalian PARs or Xp terminal regions. The results improved the current SSCX sequence assembly and facilitated distinction between the PAR and X-specific genes to study their expression in adult and embryonic tissues. A pilot analysis showed that the PAR genes are expressed at higher levels than X-specific genes during early development, whereas the expression of PAR genes was higher at day 60 compared to day 26, and higher in embryonic tissues compared to placenta. The findings advance the knowledge about the comparative organization of the PAR in mammals and suggest that the region might have important functions in early development in pigs.
Verkorte notulen
Authors: KITLV Redactie
Published: May 2013

Bestuursvergadering van 21 Januari 1950; Bestuursvergadering van 18 Februari 1950; Algemene vergadering van 11 Maart 1950; Jaarverslag over 1949; Bestuursvergadering van 11 Maart 1950; Bestuursvergadering van 15 April 1950; Bestuursvergadering van 20 Mei 1950
New Mycomya species from the Himalayas (Diptera, Mycetophilidae): 2. Subgenera Calomycomya, Cymomya, Neomycomya and Pavomya subg. n.
Authors: VÄISÄNEN RAUNO
Published: May 2013

Mycomya Rondani specimens from the Himalayas, mostly Nepal and Myanmar, are revised. Pavomya subg. n. is de-scribed. Altogether nine species from the subgenera Calomycomya, Cymomya, Neomycomya and Pavomya subg. n. are recorded from the Himalayas and Indian subcontinent. The paper includes a key to the subgenera of Mycomya and the Himalayan species of Mycomya of the four subgenera. The following eight new species are described: M. aonyx, M. cuon, M. kambaitiensis, M. marmota, M. paguma, M. panthera, M. ratufa and M. wah. Mycomya fimbriata (Meigen) is recorded from Myanmar.
New species and record of Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from Saudi Arabia
Authors: HLAVÁČ PETER , SHARAF MOSTAFA R. , ALDAWOOD ABDULRAHMAN S.
Published: May 2013

Centrophthalmus subtilissimus sp. nov. is described and the new record of Ctenistes staudingeri Schaufuss from Saudi Arabia is given. Both species were collected in the under rock ant nest of Pheidole cf. pallidula.
A new Nototriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from Parque Nacional Montaña de Botaderos in northeastern Honduras
Authors: TOWNSEND JOSIAH H. , MEDINA-FLORES MELISSA , REYES-CALDERÓN ONÁN , AUSTIN JAMES D.
Published: May 2013

The highlands of northeastern Honduras remain under-characterized in terms of biological diversity, as exemplified by the regularity of new amphibian and reptile taxa discoveries. Following the recent description of a new species of Nototriton from the Sierra de Agalta in northeastern Honduras, we report the discovery of a second new species of Nototriton from the nearby Parque Nacional Montaña de Botaderos. This new taxon, Nototriton mime sp. nov., is distinguished from other Nototriton by its distinctive pale brown dorsal coloration in adult males, relatively large nares, a relatively broad head, mitochondrial sequence divergence, and phylogenetic relationships, and is geographically isolated from other populations of Nototriton.
Case Studies of Tropical Cyclones and Phytoplankton Blooms over Atlantic and Pacific Regions
Authors: Merritt-Takeuchi Ashley M. , Chiao Sen
Published: May 2013

This study investigates phytoplankton blooms following the passage of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins. The variables of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll (Chl-a), precipitation, and storm surface winds were monitored for two case studies, Typhoon Xangsane (2006) and Hurricane Earl (2010). Strong near-surface wind from tropical cyclones creates internal friction, which causes deep nutrient enriched waters to displace from the bottom of the ocean floor up toward the surface. In return, the abundance of upwelled nutrients near the surface provides an ideal environment for the growth of biological substances such as chlorophyll and phytoplankton. The inverse correlation coefficients of SST and Chl-a for this study are −0.67 and −0.26 for Xangsane and Earl, respectively. This suggests that, regardless of ocean basin, changing sea surface temperature and chlorophyll concentrations can be correlated to various characteristics of tropical cyclones including precipitation and surface wind, which in combination results in an increase of phytoplankton.
Clustering of Maxima: Spatial Dependencies among Heavy Rainfall in France
Authors: Bernard Elsa , Naveau Philippe , Vrac Mathieu , Mestre Olivier
Published: May 2013

One of the main objectives of statistical climatology is to extract relevant information hidden in complex spatial–temporal climatological datasets. To identify spatial patterns, most well-known statistical techniques are based on the concept of intra- and intercluster variances (like the k-means algorithm or EOFs). As analyzing quantitative extremes like heavy rainfall has become more and more prevalent for climatologists and hydrologists during these last decades, finding spatial patterns with methods based on deviations from the mean (i.e., variances) may not be the most appropriate strategy in this context of studying such extremes. For practitioners, simple and fast clustering tools tailored for extremes have been lacking. A possible avenue to bridging this methodological gap resides in taking advantage of multivariate extreme value theory, a well-developed research field in probability, and to adapt it to the context of spatial clustering. In this paper, a novel algorithm based on this plan is proposed and studied. The approach is compared and discussed with respect to the classical k-means algorithm throughout the analysis of weekly maxima of hourly precipitation recorded in France (fall season, 92 stations, 1993–2011).
Opinion Climates and Immigrant Political Action
Authors: Just Aida , Anderson Christopher J.
Published: May 2013

We develop a model of immigrant political action that connects individual motivations to become politically involved with the context in which participation takes place. The article posits that opinion climates in the form of hostility or openness toward immigrants shape the opportunity structure for immigrant political engagement by contributing to the social costs and political benefits of participation. We argue that friendly opinion climates toward immigrants enable political action among immigrants, and facilitate the politicization of political discontent. Using survey data from the European Social Survey (ESS) 2002 to 2010 in 25 European democracies, our analyses reveal that more positive opinion climates—at the level of countries and regions—increase immigrant political engagement, especially among immigrants dissatisfied with the political system. However, this effect is limited to uninstitutionalized political action, as opinion climates have no observable impact on participation in institutionalized politics.
Global Burden of Oral Conditions in 1990-2010
Authors: Marcenes W. , Kassebaum N.J. , Bernabé E. , Flaxman A. , Naghavi M. , Lopez A. , Murray C.J.L.
Published: May 2013

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 Study produced comparable estimates of the burden of 291 diseases and injuries in 1990, 2005, and 2010. This article reports on the global burden of untreated caries, severe periodontitis, and severe tooth loss in 2010 and compares those figures with new estimates for 1990. We used disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and years lived with disability (YLDs) metrics to quantify burden. Oral conditions affected 3.9 billion people, and untreated caries in permanent teeth was the most prevalent condition evaluated for the entire GBD 2010 Study (global prevalence of 35% for all ages combined). Oral conditions combined accounted for 15 million DALYs globally (1.9% of all YLDs; 0.6% of all DALYs), implying an average health loss of 224 years per 100,000 population. DALYs due to oral conditions increased 20.8% between 1990 and 2010, mainly due to population growth and aging. While DALYs due to severe periodontitis and untreated caries increased, those due to severe tooth loss decreased. DALYs differed by age groups and regions, but not by genders. The findings highlight the challenge in responding to the diversity of urgent oral health needs worldwide, particularly in developing communities.
“Just a Dream”
Authors: Greene Kevin D.
Published: May 2013

This article based on primary research including collections from the Alan Lomax Collection from the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, The Chicago Historical Society, The Pullman Company Papers from the Newberry Library, and the recently discovered Michael van Isveldt Collection from Amsterdam, Netherlands, argues that within Chicago’s rapidly developing Black Metropolis between World War I and II, Chicago bluesman Big Bill Broonzy treaded lightly between a world of black and white “Old Settler” ideas and those brought from the South by migrant “New Settlers.” By doing so, he helped establish a new dimension of the Great Migrations to Chicago’s Black Metropolis that centered on black creativity and a new kind of entrepreneurialism. This new dimension, moreover, nurtured a new identity in the emerging black urban consciousness that involved, in equal parts, southern cultural pathways and new ones created by city life. Scholarship on the development of Chicago’s Black Metropolis and the Great Migrations to the Windy City has viewed the development of race and class dynamics in terms of power negotiations between Old Settlers, African Americans who arrived to Chicago before World War I, and New Settlers, who arrived after. Each group’s respective approaches to community development, class formation, and racial respectability often clashed. To many scholars of the Black Metropolis, most African Americans fell into one of these two camps and many of the studies on these intercommunity dynamics place the problem in a negative light. An examination of Broonzy’s life in Chicago, however, demonstrates that the lines of power and personal politics in the city of Chicago were fluid and he learned to navigate the city by pushing the boundaries of race, class, and public respectability. By pushing these boundaries, moreover, Broonzy developed an identity based on his blues persona that exemplifies African American community and identity development within an urban environment that moved beyond migrants’ industrial labor purists. Broonzy and probably many others straddled both sides of the Old Settler–New Settler paradigm. A laborer by day and musician by night, Broonzy navigated these two spheres with ease, and he, therefore, reveals an entirely new component of community development within the Black Metropolis.
Contract type, perceived mobility and optimism as antecedents of perceived employability
Authors: Kirves Kaisa , Kinnunen Ulla , De Cuyper Nele
Published: May 2013

This study aims to examine how contract type, perceived mobility and optimism are linked to perceived employability (PE). The pattern of results was investigated first cross-sectionally ( n = 1379, Time 1) and then longitudinally with a one-year time lag ( n = 803, Time 2) with a sample of Finnish university researchers and teachers. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses showed that perceived mobility was positively associated with PE among permanent workers but not among temporary workers, whereas optimism was positively related to PE among all the workers at both Time 1 and Time 2. In light of these results, it seems that permanent employees especially benefit from perceived mobility in terms of higher PE, whereas optimism is beneficial for all employees’ PE.
Differentiating Arytenoid Dislocation and Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Paralysis by Arytenoid Movement in Laryngoscopic Video
Authors: Zhuang Peiyun , Nemcek Steven , Surender Ketan , Hoffman Matthew R. , Zhang Fan , Chapin William J. , Jiang Jack J.
Published: May 2013

Objective

To present a new method of quantifying arytenoid movement during inspiration and determine if it can be used to distinguish arytenoid dislocation from vocal fold paralysis.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Retrospective study conducted in a university laboratory based on university hospital data.

Subjects and Methods

Endoscopic videos from 8 patients with dislocation and 5 patients with vocal fold paralysis diagnosed by electromyography were included. Vector analysis measured cuneiform movement, an indirect measurement of arytenoid movement, during 1 inspiration. Measurements normalized and not normalized to vocal fold length were evaluated. Interrater reliability (2 raters) and intrarater reliability (1 rater performing the analysis twice) were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. Raters were blinded to subject group during analysis.

Results

Pixel‐valued cuneiform movement was 81.16 ± 25.62 for dislocation and 30.22 ± 23.60 for paralysis (P =. 019). Unitless cuneiform movement was 0.58 ± 0.17 for dislocation and 0.24 ± 0.18 for paralysis (P =. 030). Interrater ICC was 0.942 for pixel‐valued measurements and 0.962 for unitless measurements. Intrarater ICC was 0.909 for pixel‐valued measurements and 0.881 for unitless measurements.

Conclusions

Both pixel‐valued and unitless measures of arytenoid movement were significantly greater in arytenoid dislocation than vocal fold paralysis. Pixel‐valued measurements were included to demonstrate the ability to make quantitative comparisons across subjects without precise knowledge of camera precision, provided position is approximately stable, as each measurement is inherently normalized by vocal tract length. Future studies will apply this new method of evaluating vocal fold immobility disorders on a larger scale and incorporate a more diverse group of etiologies.
The missing link: Enhanced functional connectivity between amygdala and visceroceptive cortex in migraine
Authors: Hadjikhani Nouchine , Ward Noreen , Boshyan Jasmine , Napadow Vitaly , Maeda Yumi , Truini Andrea , Caramia Francesca , Tinelli Emanuele , Mainero Caterina
Published: May 2013

Background

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder in which altered functional connectivity between pain-modulating circuits and the limbic system may play a role. Cortical spreading depression (CSD), which underlies migraine aura (MWA), induces C-fos expression in the amygdala. The role of CSD and amygdala connectivity in migraine without aura (MwoA) is less clear and may differentiate migraine from other chronic pain disorders.

Methods

Using resting-state functional MRI, we compared functional connectivity between the amygdala and the cortex in MWA and MWoA patients as well as in healthy subjects and in two other chronic pain conditions not associated with CSD: trigeminal neuralgia (TGN) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Results

Amygdala connectivity in both MWA and MWoA was increased to the visceroceptive insula relative to all other groups examined.

Conclusion

The observed increased connectivity within the limbic/viscerosensory network, present only in migraineurs, adds to the evidence of a neurolimbic pain network dysfunction and may reflect repetitive episodes of CSD leading to the development of migraine pain.
Parent‐Reported Effects of Gastrostomy Tube Placement
Authors: Åvitsland Tone Lise , Birketvedt Kjersti , Bjørnland Kristin , Emblem Ragnhild
Published: May 2013

Background: For children with major feeding problems and their parents, meals may be unpleasant. We aimed to evaluate how insertion of a gastrostomy tube influenced parent‐child communication and satisfaction during meals, as well as duration of meals, oral intake, vomiting, and growth. Materials and Methods: Children admitted for a gastrostomy tube placement were included. Age, sex, diagnosis, and preoperative nasogastric tube were registered. Weight, height, oral feeding, duration of meals, and vomiting were assessed preoperatively and 6 and 18 months postoperatively. We used a numeric rating scale to assess parent‐reported parental stress, child satisfaction, parent satisfaction, and parent‐child communication during meals at all 3 time points. Results: Fifty‐eight children were included: 33 boys and 25 girls. Median age was 1.7 years (range, 0.5–14.7 years). Thirty‐nine were neurologically impaired, and 44 had a nasogastric tube for a median of 7.5 months (range, 0.5–28 months) preoperatively. Child satisfaction (P = .001), parent satisfaction (P = .006), and parent‐child communication (P = .026) during meals were significantly improved 18 months after receiving a gastrostomy tube. Vomiting was reduced in 42%, oral intake increased in 49%, and weight‐for‐height percentile increased in 55% of the children. Conclusions: In children with major feeding problems, a gastrostomy tube improved parent‐child communication and satisfaction during meals. Furthermore, oral intake was increased, and vomiting was reduced. Growth improved in around half of the children.
Mythbusters: Credibilising strategies in popular nutrition books by academics
Authors: Penders Bart
Published: May 2013

Healthy eating is a prominent concern amongst public health and diet professionals. Public understanding of healthy eating presents a topic of interest in understanding scientific credibility in the public domain. Three prominent Dutch nutrition scientists, Kok, Seidell and Katan, have produced popular science books on healthy eating, aiming to remove myths about food and nutrition from the public domain. I describe how they do so, and which strategies they have chosen to achieve this goal. In their books, they move beyond traditional academic strategies to build credibility and devise credibilising strategies resembling those of diet authors. While doing so, they move beyond the deficit model, but end up competing for dietary credibility on the diet authors’ terms.
Effect of particle shape and fragmentation on the response of particle dampers
Authors: Sánchez Martín , Carlevaro C Manuel , Pugnaloni Luis A
Published: May 2013

A particle damper (PD) is a device that can attenuate mechanical vibrations thanks to the dissipative collisions between grains contained in a cavity attached to the vibrating structure. It has been recently suggested that, under working conditions in which the damping is optimal, the PD has a universal response in the sense that the specific dissipative properties of the grains cease to be important for the design of the device. We present evidence from simulations of PDs containing grains of different sizes, shapes and restitution coefficients, that the universal response is also valid when fragmentation of the grains occurs (generally due to intensive operation of the PD). In contrast, the welding of grains (caused by operation under high temperatures) can take the PD out of the universal response and deteriorate the attenuation. Interestingly, we observed that even at working conditions off the optimal damping, the shape of the grains remains unimportant for the response of the PD.
Perturbation of fetal hematopoiesis in a mouse model of Down syndrome’s transient myeloproliferative disorder
Authors: Birger Yehudit , Goldberg Liat , Chlon Timothy M. , Goldenson Benjamin , Muler Inna , Schiby Ginette , Jacob-Hirsch Jasmin , Rechavi Gideon , Crispino John D. , Izraeli Shai
Published: May 2013

Key Points

Transient expansion of fetal megaerythroid progenitors in ERG/Gata1s mouse is biologically similar to Down syndrome TMD. The N-terminal domain of GATA1 and the downregulation of ERG expression are essential for normal fetal erythropoiesis.