bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Tourism and the Constructions of ‘Paradise Islands’ in Central America and the Caribbean
Authors: GUERRÓN MONTERO CARLA
Published: October 2010

A comparative perspective of the tourism industry in the islands of Colón, Panama and Carriacou, Grenada is presented in this article. The islands have long histories of association with colonial powers, coupled with more recent histories of ‘discovery’ as tourist destinations. The historical constructions of ‘paradise islands' and the appropriation of tourism for nation‐building purposes in these territories are analysed. The discussion assesses the underlying reasons for the differing responses by African Caribbean populations toward tourism development, in spite of similar colonial and postcolonial histories.
The biopolitics of food provisioning
Authors: Nally David
Published: October 2010

Beginning with Foucault’s writing on food provisioning in the mercantile period, this paper explores how a moral economy of hunger is gradually replaced by a political economy of food security that promotes market mechanisms as a better protection against scarcity. In Western Europe the emergence of political liberalism andlaissez‐faireeconomics substantially shaped how hunger and scarcity were conceptualised and socially managed. Beyond Europe these social forces were manifest in the development of colonial plantations. Here the transformation of non‐capitalist social formations into market economies – what Harvey (2003) terms ‘accumulation by dispossession’– was a foundational moment in the development of a global provisioning system that undermined the anti‐scarcity strategies of some populations, while ensuring food security for others. The subsequent discovery of the ‘Global South’ hunger, together with the desire to encourage better habits and purer morals among ‘backward’ peoples, created the context in which further curative interventions, designed to consolidate a capitalist food economy, were valorised and maintained. These reflections set up the final part of the paper, where I contextualise recent efforts to present agro‐biotechnologies as a pro‐welfare and anti‐scarcity response. Moving beyond the causes of hunger to explore its strategic function, this analysis highlights how corporate agribusiness – in partnership with the life sciences – is attempting to recondition human, animal and bacterial life in order to quicken the reproduction of capital. I term this new moment in the commercialisation of food systemsaccumulation by molecularisation. The paper concludes by examining how the corporate management of food folds into biopolitical strategies for managing life, including the lives of the hungry poor who are ‘let die’ as commercial interests supplant human needs.
Self‐Reported Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Immigrants and Swiss Nationals
Authors: Grossmann Florian F. , Leventhal Marcia E. , Auer‐Böer Bernhard , Wanner Philippe , Bischoff Alexander
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the prevalence of self‐reported cardiovascular risk factors differs between immigrants and Swiss nationals.

Design and Sample: This study is a secondary data analysis of the Swiss Health Survey 2002, a cross‐sectional survey. In total, 19,249 individuals living in Switzerland were included.

Measures: The prevalence of hypertension, high cholesterol level, smoking, diabetes, overweight, low fruit and vegetable intake, and physical inactivity were calculated for major immigrant groups and Swiss nationals. Demographic data were used to control for age and socioeconomic status.

Results: Major immigrant groups were people from Italy, Germany, former Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, France, and Turkey. Compared with Swiss women, women from former Yugoslavia were more likely to have hypertension, and women from Germany were more likely to have high cholesterol levels. Women from Italy, former Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey were more likely to show physical inactivity and (except Turkish women) to be overweight. Men from these countries (except Spanish men) were more likely to be overweight than Swiss men.

Conclusions: Differences exist in the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors between Swiss nationals and many of the immigrant groups. Age and socioeconomic status could only partly explain the differences.
Creating a Brand Image for Public Health Nursing
Authors: Baldwin Kathleen A. , Lyons Roberta L. , Issel L. Michele
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT
Public health nurses (PHNs) have declined as a proportion of both the nursing and the public health workforces in the past 2 decades. This decline comes as 30 states report public health nursing as the sector most affected in the overall public health shortage. Taken together, these data point to a need for renewed recruitment efforts. However, the current public images of nurses are primarily those of professionals employed in hospital settings. Therefore, this paper describes the development of a marketable image aimed at increasing the visibility and public awareness of PHNs and their work. Such a brand image was seen as a precursor to increasing applications for PHN positions. A multimethod qualitative sequential approach guided the branding endeavor. From the thoughts of public health nursing students, faculty, and practitioners came artists' renditions of four award‐winning posters. These posters portray public health nursing—incorporating its image, location of practice, and levels of protection afforded the community. Since their initial unveiling, these posters have been distributed by request throughout the United States and Canada. The overwhelming response serves to underline the previous void of current professional images of public health nursing and the need for brand images to aid with recruitment.
Excision repair cross‐complementation group 1 (ERCC1) expression in advanced urothelial carcinoma patients receiving cisplatin‐based chemotherapy
Authors: KIM KYOUNG Ha , DO IN‐GU , KIM HYEONG SU , CHANG MYUNG HEE , KIM HYO SONG , JUN HYUN JUNG , UHM JIEUN , YI SEONG YOON , LIM DO HYOUNG , JI SANG HOON , PARK MIN JAE , LEE JEEYUN , PARK SE HOON , KWON GHEE YOUNG , LIM HO YEONG
Published: October 2010

Kim KH, Do I‐G, Kim HS, Chang MH, Kim HS, Jun HJ, Uhm J, Yi SY, Lim DH, Ji SH, Park MJ, Lee J, Park SH, Kwon GY, Lim HY. Excision repair cross‐complementation group 1 (ERCC1) expression in advanced urothelial carcinoma patients receiving cisplatin‐based chemotherapy. APMIS 2010; 118: 941–8.

Cisplatin has been the cornerstone of the chemotherapy regimen for urothelial carcinoma. Excision repair cross‐complementation group 1 (ERCC1) is a key component of the platinum‐DNA repair machinery responsible for nucleotide excision repair. Recent reports have suggested that ERCC1 is a predictive and prognostic marker in solid cancers treated with platinum‐based chemotherapy. We performed this study to determine whether or not immunohistochemical expression of ERCC1 can predict objective tumor response and cancer‐specific survival in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with cisplatin‐based chemotherapy. We performed a retrospective analysis of 89 patients with advanced or recurrent urothelial cancer, who had undergone treatment at Samsung Medical Center between May 2001 and August 2007. Pretherapeutic biopsy samples from 89 patients with a known tumor response were available. ERCC1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Of the 89 patients, ERCC1 expression was positive in 49 patients (55%). The overall response rate after chemotherapy was 68.5% (95% CI 54.8–74.8%). Among 61 patients who obtained a response, 27 were negative for ERCC‐1 expression and 34 were positive (p = 0.61). Median duration of follow‐up was 53.7 months (range 14.4–152.3 months). Progression‐free survival (PFS) was 10.6 months for ERCC‐1‐negative patients and 8.4 months for ERCC‐1‐positive patients (p = 0.03); the difference in overall survival between patients with ERCC‐1‐negative tumors and ERCC‐1‐positive tumors (p = 0.73) was not statistically significant. Other than ERCC1 expression, there was no independent prognostic factor for PFS. These results suggest a negative contribution by ERCC1expression to PFS in metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with cisplatin‐based chemotherapy.
Extent of phenotypic flexibility during long‐distance flight is determined by tissue‐specific turnover rates: a new hypothesis
Authors: Bauchinger Ulf , McWilliams Scott R.
Published: October 2010

Phenotypic flexibility in organ size of migratory birds is typically explained in functional terms in accordance with the principal of economic design. However, proposed functional hypotheses do not adequately explain differences in phenotypic flexibility between organs during fasting and in‐flight starvation. We show that the extent of phenotypic flexibility in organ mass in five species of migratory birds during actual migration or simulated in‐flight starvation consistently ranked as follows from highest to lowest mass change: small intestine, liver, kidney, gizzard, heart, flight and leg muscle. This pattern of phenotypic flexibility in organ mass was not consistent with proposed functional hypotheses, and was almost completely explained by differences in tissue‐specific turnover rate measured in vivo using nutrients differing in their isotopic values. Thus, the fundamental process of tissue‐specific protein turnover determines extent of organ mass changes for birds during migration, this likely applies to other organisms during fasting, and no further functional explanation(s) for differences in the magnitude of phenotypic flexibility between organs is required.
Assessment of three strategies practiced by fishery managers for restoring native brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations in Northern French Alpine Streams
Authors: Caudron Arnaud , Champigneulle Alexis , Guyomard René , Largiadèr Carlo R.
Published: October 2010

Abstract – The efficiency of three strategies carried out by fisheries managers to restore native Mediterranean brown trout populations threatened by non‐native Atlantic populations were assessed. The strategies tested were (i) genetic refuge area where stocking is banned, (ii) stocking with Mediterranean fry and (iii) translocation of wild Mediterranean spawners. Using two discriminatory microsatellite loci between Atlantic and Mediterranean alleles, we compared the genetic composition of samples before and after the changes of practices. The three strategies had several detectable effects in the standing populations causing strong temporal changes in departures from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and linkage equilibrium between loci and the apparition of new Mediterranean alleles. The significant reductions in the proportions of Atlantic alleles observed over time can mostly be explained by the disappearing of the pure non‐native Atlantic trout after the stopping of hatchery releases. The results, however, also suggest that the active strategies carried out by managers led to intraspecific introgression between both non‐native Atlantic and native Mediterranean strains.
Mechanisms regulating dendritic cell specification and development
Authors: Watowich Stephanie S. , Liu Yong‐Jun
Published: October 2010

Summary:  Understanding the diversification of dendritic cell (DC) lineages is one of the last frontiers in mapping the developmental hierarchy of the hematopoietic system. DCs are a vital link between the innate and adaptive immune responses; thus, elucidating their developmental pathways is crucial for insight into the generation of natural immunity and for learning how to regulate DCs in clinical settings. DCs arise from hematopoietic stem cells through specialized progenitor subsets under the direction of FMS‐like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) and Flt3L receptor (Flt3) signaling. Recent studies have revealed important contributions from granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) and type I interferons (IFNs) in vivo. Furthermore, DC development is guided by lineage‐restricted transcription factors such as IRF8, E2‐2, and Batf3. A critical question centers on how cytokines and lineage‐restricted transcription factors operate molecularly to direct DC diversification. Here, we review recent findings that provide new insight into the DC developmental process.
Surprising new roles for PU.1 in the adaptive immune response
Authors: Carotta Sebastian , Wu Li , Nutt Stephen L.
Published: October 2010

Summary:  The ETS family transcription factor PU.1 is one of the best‐studied regulators of hematopoiesis. While research over the past two decades has established that PU.1 is essential for many aspects of lymphoid and myeloid cell development, the more recent development of the tools that enable PU.1 function to be assessed in adult mice and in specific cell lineages has led to the discovery of some surprising new roles of this versatile factor in the adaptive immune response. Despite being required for fetal lymphopoiesis, PU.1 is dispensable for the differentiation of committed B cells. There is, however, an emerging and still uncharacterized function of PU.1 as a repressor for late B‐cell differentiation. In contrast, PU.1 is required at every point for the differentiation of all dendritic cells, in part, although its regulation of the crucial receptor Flt3. Within the T‐cell lineage, PU.1 is required for the earliest thymic development, although the mechanism remains unknown, while recent studies have shown a previously unknown function of PU.1 in peripheral T‐cell differentiation. Here, we review insights derived from these mouse models of PU.1 deficiency, with particular emphasis on these functions of PU.1 in the lymphocyte and dendritic cell lineages.
T‐cell lineage determination
Authors: Yang Qi , Jeremiah Bell J. , Bhandoola Avinash
Published: October 2010

Summary:  T cells originate from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the bone marrow but complete their development in the thymus. HSCs give rise to a variety of non‐renewing hematopoietic progenitors, among which a rare subset migrates to the thymus via the bloodstream. The earliest T‐cell progenitors identified in the thymus are not T‐lineage restricted but possess the ability to give rise to cells of many different lineages. Alternative lineage potentials are gradually lost as progenitors progress toward later developmental stages. Here, we review the early developmental events that might be involved in T‐cell lineage fate determination, including the properties of possible thymus‐settling progenitors, their homing into the thymus, and their T‐cell lineage specification and commitment.
A map for lineage restriction of progenitors during hematopoiesis: the essence of the myeloid‐based model
Authors: Kawamoto Hiroshi , Ikawa Tomokatsu , Masuda Kyoko , Wada Haruka , Katsura Yoshimoto
Published: October 2010

Summary:  Most hematology and immunology textbooks describe that the first branch point from the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) produces two progenitors, one for myelo‐erythroid cells and the other for lymphoid cells including T and B cells. This model is based on the concept that the blood cell family can be subdivided into two major lineages, a myelo‐erythroid lineage and a lymphoid lineage. Several alternative models have been proposed during the last three decades. We proposed the myeloid‐based model in 2001, in which myeloid potential is retained in an early stage of branches toward erythroid, T‐, and B‐cell lineages. In this review, we focus on the point that cell differentiation models have two different facets: as a map of developmental potential and a cell fate map. These two are expressed in other words as a map for lineage restriction and a map for physiological production routes. We argue that a map of potential is first and foremost essential for the study of molecular mechanisms of lineage commitment, which is the least clarified aspect of cell differentiation. The validity of the myeloid‐based model of hematopoiesis will be discussed in reference to these two issues, developmental potential and cell fate.
Lymphoid and myeloid lineage commitment in multipotent hematopoietic progenitors
Authors: Kondo Motonari
Published: October 2010

Summary:  Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) continuously replenish all classes of blood cells through a series of lineage restriction steps that results in the progressive loss of differentiation potential to other cell lineages. This review focuses on the recent advances in understanding one of the earliest differentiation steps in HSC maturation, which involves the diversification of the lymphoid and myeloid cell lineages, the two major branches of hematopoietic cells. We discuss progress in the identification and characterization of progenitor populations downstream of HSCs, which has been a key to understanding the sequential biological events that take place along the course of differentiation into a certain hematopoietic cell type. We also discuss the importance of bone marrow microenvironment in lymphoid and myeloid lineage choice.
Rapamycin inhibits lipopolysaccharide induction of granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in macrophages by reducing the levels of octamer‐binding factor‐2
Authors: Chou Yuan‐Yi , Gao Jhen‐I , Chang Shwu‐Fen , Chang Po‐Yuan , Lu Shao‐Chun
Published: October 2010

This article reports an inhibitory effect of rapamycin on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced expression of both inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) in macrophages and its underlying mechanism. The study arose from an observation that rapamycin inhibited the LPS‐induced increase in octamer‐binding factor‐2 (Oct‐2) protein levels through a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)‐dependent pathway in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. As both iNOS and G‐CSF are potential Oct‐2 target genes, we tested the effect of rapamycin on their expression and found that it reduced the LPS‐induced increase in iNOS and G‐CSF mRNA levels and iNOS and G‐CSF protein levels. Blocking of mTOR‐signaling using a dominant‐negative mTOR expression plasmid resulted in inhibition of the LPS‐induced increase in iNOS and G‐CSF protein levels, supporting the essential role of mTOR. Forced expression of Oct‐2 using the pCG–Oct‐2 plasmid overcame the inhibitory effect of rapamycin on the LPS‐induced increase in iNOS and G‐CSF mRNA levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that LPS enhanced the binding of Oct‐2 to the iNOS and G‐CSF promoters and that this effect was inhibited by pretreatment with rapamycin. Moreover, RNA interference knockdown of Oct‐2 reduced iNOS and G‐CSF expression in LPS‐treated cells. The inhibitory effect of rapamycin on the LPS‐induced increase in Oct‐2 protein levels and on the iNOS and G‐CSF mRNA levels was also detected in human THP‐1 monocyte‐derived macrophages. This study demonstrates that rapamycin reduces iNOS and G‐CSF expression at the transcription level in LPS‐treated macrophages by inhibiting Oct‐2 expression.
Evaluation of Dialyzer Jacket Structure and Hollow‐Fiber Dialysis Membranes to Achieve High Dialysis Performance
Authors: Hirano Ayaka , Yamamoto Ken‐ichiro , Matsuda Masato , Ogawa Takehito , Yakushiji Taiji , Miyasaka Takehiro , Sakai Kiyotaka
Published: October 2010

The objective of this study was to determine the optimum dialyzer jacket structure and hollow‐fiber dialysis membrane, both of which are indispensable factors for achieving high dialysis performance, by clarifying the relationship between the dialysis performance and the flow of dialysate and blood in a hollow‐fiber dialyzer. We evaluated the clearance, dialysate, and blood flow for four commercially available hollow‐fiber dialyzers, namely, the APS‐15S, APS‐15SA, TS‐1.6UL, and CX‐1.6U. To evaluate dialysate and blood flow, we measured the residence‐time distribution of dialysate and blood flow of these dialyzers by the pulse‐response method. We also determined the clearances of urea, creatinine, vitamin B12, and lysozyme to evaluate the dialysis performance of these dialyzers. While the baffle and taper structures allow effective supply of dialysate into the dialyzer jacket, the hollow‐fiber shape, inner diameter, and packing density significantly influence the dialysate flow. In dialyzers with long taper‐holding slits, the slit area is a key design parameter for achieving optimum dialysate flow. Similarly, the blood flow is significantly influenced by the structure of the inflowing and outflowing blood ports at the header of a dialyzer, and the shape and inner diameter of the hollow fibers. Hollow fibers with smaller inner diameters cause an increase in blood pressure, which causes blood to enter the hollow fibers more easily. The hollow‐fiber shape hardly affects the blood flow. While improved dialysate and blood flow cause higher clearance of low molecular‐weight substances, higher membrane area and pure‐water permeability accelerate internal filtration, thereby causing an increase in the clearance of large molecular‐weight substances.
Observational upper limits on the gravitational wave production of core collapse supernovae
Authors: Zhu Xing-Jiang , Howell E. , Blair D.
Published: October 2010

The upper limit on the energy density of a stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background obtained from the 2-yr science run (S5) of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is used to constrain the average GW production of core collapse supernovae (ccSNe). We assume that the ccSNe rate tracks the star formation history of the Universe and show that the stochastic background energy density depends only weakly on the assumed average source spectrum. Using the ccSNe rate for z≤ 10, we scale the generic source spectrum to obtain an observation-based upper limit on the average GW emission. We show that the mean energy emitted in GWs can be constrained within < (0.49–1.98) M⊙c2 depending on the average source spectrum. While these results are higher than the total available gravitational energy in a core collapse event, second- and third-generation GW detectors will enable tighter constraints to be set on the GW emission from such systems.
Antibacterial substantivity of a new antibiotic‐based endodontic irrigation solution
Authors: Mohammadi Zahed , Giardino Luciano , Mombeinipour Ali
Published: October 2010

The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual antibacterial activity of Tetraclean, MTAD and 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in bovine root dentin in vitro. One hundred and ten dentin tubes prepared from bovine incisor teeth were infected in vitro for 14 days with Enterococcus faecalis. Thereafter, the specimens were divided into five groups as follows: Tetraclean; MTAD; 5.25% NaOCl; infected dentin tubes (positive control); and sterile dentin tubes (negative control). Dentin chips were collected using round burs into tryptic soy broth and after culturing, the number of colony‐forming units (CFU) was counted. The number of CFU in all experimental groups was minimum after treatment, and the results obtained were significantly different from each other at any time period (P < 0.05). The Tetraclean group showed the most effective antibacterial action at all five experimental periods (P < 0.05). MTAD group showed the least antibacterial activity after treatment. However, at days 7, 14, 21 and 28 MTAD showed more effective antibacterial action than NaOCl. In each group, the number of CFU increased significantly by time‐lapse (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the residual antibacterial activity of Tetraclean was significantly greater than MTAD and 5.25% NaOCl.
Push‐out bond strength of two root‐end filling materials in root‐end cavities prepared by Er,Cr:YSGG laser or ultrasonic technique
Authors: Shokouhinejad Noushin , Razmi Hasan , Fekrazad Reza , Asgary Saeed , Neshati Ammar , Assadian Hadi , Kheirieh Sanam
Published: October 2010

This study compared the push‐out bond strength of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and a new endodontic cement (NEC) as root‐end filling materials in root‐end cavities prepared by ultrasonic technique (US) or Er,Cr:YSGG laser (L). Eighty single‐rooted extracted human teeth were endodontically treated, apicectomised and randomly divided into four following groups (n = 20): US/MTA, US/NEC, L/MTA and L/NEC. In US/MTA and US/NEC groups, root‐end cavities were prepared with ultrasonic retrotip and filled with MTA and NEC, respectively. In L/MTA and L/NEC groups, root‐end cavities were prepared using Er,Cr:YSGG laser and filled with MTA and NEC, respectively. Each root was cut apically to create a 2 mm‐thick root slice for measurement of bond strength using a universal testing machine. Then, all slices were examined to determine the mode of bond failure. Data were analysed using two‐way anova. Root‐end filling materials showed significantly higher bond strength in root‐end cavities prepared using ultrasonic technique (US/MTA and US/NEC) (P < 0.001). The bond strengths of MTA and NEC did not differ significantly. The failure modes were mainly adhesive for MTA, but cohesive for NEC. In conclusion, bond strengths of MTA and NEC to root‐end cavities were comparable and higher in ultrasonically prepared cavities.
Quality of root canal treatment performed by undergraduate dental students at the University of Khartoum, Sudan
Authors: Elsayed Randa Osman , Abu‐bakr Neamat H. , Ibrahim Yahia Eltayeb
Published: October 2010

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of root canal treatment performed by undergraduate dental students at the University of Khartoum. Assessment was by examination of periapical radiographs of completed endodontically treated teeth, performed by undergraduate dental students. A total of 166 postoperative periapical radiographs compromising 265 roots were included. The quality of endodontic treatment was examined in relation to the length of the root filling in relation to the radiographic apex, the density of the obturation according to presence of voids and the taper of root canal fillings. Adequate length of the root filling was found in 34.7% of the maxillary teeth and in 10.9% of mandibular teeth in this study. Adequate density was found in 38.87% of maxillary and 16.98% of mandibular teeth and appropriate taper was found in 40% of maxillary and 16.6% of mandibular teeth. Overall 24.2% in all evaluated teeth were found to have a root filling of an acceptable quality. This result may be because of insufficient preclinical endodontic training of the students' operators or because of the introduction of students to endodontic clinical practice late in their program.
Comparison of the centring ability of the ProTaper™ and ProTaper Universal™ rotary systems for preparing curved root canals
Authors: Aguiar Carlos Menezes , Sobrinho Pamella Bezerra , Teles Fabíola , Câmara Andréa Cruz , de Figueiredo Jose Antonio Poli
Published: October 2010

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the centring ability of the ProTaper™ and ProTaper Universal™ rotary systems for preparing curved root canals, by means of preoperative and postoperative imaging of a cross‐section of their coronal, middle and apical thirds. Twenty mesiobuccal root canals of human mandibular first molars with a degree of curvature ranging from 55° to 60° were randomly divided into two groups of 10 specimens each: Group 1, ProTaper™ rotary system; and Group 2, ProTaper Universal™ rotary system. The data were analysed statistically by Kruskal–Wallis and Student's t‐test at the 5% significance level. The results showed that the differences between the percentages of the presence of deviation observed were not statistically significant. Both systems showed the capacity for producing centred preparations in curved root canals with low proportions of deviation.
Microsurgical endodontic retreatment of post restored posterior teeth: A case series
Authors: Kahler Bill
Published: October 2010

Post‐treatment apical periodontitis may persist due to biological factors as outlined by Nair or when treatment procedures have been ineffective in eliminating the intraradicular infection. This case series reports on the management of five posterior teeth restored with posts where microsurgical techniques were employed utilising the operating microscope, ultrasonics, micro‐instrumentation and mineral trioxide aggregate as a root‐end filling material. Healing was evident at 12‐month review appointments. Microsurgical techniques have significantly improved the outcomes for healing of periapical lesions when compared to traditional approaches to endodontic surgery. Success rates have been shown to be comparable with conventional orthograde treatment.
Predictive biomarkers in the management of EGFR mutant lung cancer
Authors: Rosell Rafael , Moran Teresa , Cardenal Felipe , Porta Rut , Viteri Santiago , Molina Miguel Angel , Benlloch Susana , Taron Miquel
Published: October 2010

Activating mutations in the form of deletions in exon 19 (del 19) or the missense mutation L858R in the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) predict outcome to use of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as gefitinib and erlotinib. Pooled data from several phase II studies show that gefitinib and erlotinib induce responses in over 70% of NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations, with progression‐free survival (PFS) ranging from 9 to 13 months. Two studies in Caucasian and Asian patients have confirmed that these subgroups of patients attain PFS up to 14 months. These landmark outcomes have been accompanied by new challenges, primarily the additional role of chemotherapy and the management of tumors with the secondary T790M mutation that confers resistance to EGFR TKIs. Mechanisms of resistance to reversible EGFR TKIs should be further clarified and could be related to modifications in DNA repair.
From genomic landscapes to personalized cancer management—is there a roadmap?
Authors: Swanton Charles , Caldas Carlos
Published: October 2010

Despite rapid progress in annotating the human genome, progress in biomarker discovery has been limited, in part, due to the restricted adoption of biomarker analysis in clinical trials. In this short review we present a roadmap to drive progress in the field of personalized cancer management and patient stratification. We suggest that improved understanding of disease biology and drug response in advance of clinical trial design would enable novel biomarkers to be identified and prospectively evaluated during early phase trials; there will also be value in banked material from completed clinical trials to identify and validate biomarkers. Such progress requires standardized tissue collection protocols, novel bioinformatics strategies integrated with functional genomics analysis, and next generation sequencing technologies. We argue that the failure to adopt these methods rapidly into clinical trial design will increase late stage drug attrition, waste trial resources, and risk patient harm within unselected cohorts.
Advancing personalized cancer therapy by detection and characterization of circulating carcinoma cells
Authors: Riethdorf Sabine , Pantel Klaus
Published: October 2010

Early dissemination, blood circulation, or homing of single tumor cells in bone marrow and other organs is usually undetectable at primary diagnosis, even by high resolution imaging technologies. However, ultrasensitive approaches now enable the detection of “occult” tumor cells. Many researchers are currently focusing on circulating tumor cells (CTC) in peripheral blood, and several publications have described associations of CTC in patients with metastatic cancer and worse prognosis. However, evidence has emerged that the currently used detection methods lack sensitivity or specificity to track all CTC, especially those that have lost characteristic epithelial features. Therefore, new developments in this field are of utmost interest and will be reviewed here. Moreover, molecular CTC analysis will provide insights into the selection of tumor cells and resistance mechanisms in patients undergoing systemic therapies. This information might support assessing individual prognosis, stratifying patients at risk to systemic therapies, and monitoring therapeutic efficacy.
Discovery of genomic alterations through coregulation analysis of closely linked genes: a frequent gain in 17q25.3 in prostate cancer
Authors: Bermudo Raquel , Abia David , Benitez Daniel , Carrió Anna , Vilella Ramon , Ortiz Ángel R. , Thomson Timothy M. , Fernández Pedro L.
Published: October 2010

Despite its high incidence as the second most common tumor in males worldwide, primary prostate cancer has been associated with few recurrent chromosomal gains and deletions that are consistent across various studies. Few studies have explored how chromosomal alterations are coupled to abnormal gene expression. Here, we review the major genomic aberrations associated with prostate cancer and describe how detailed transcriptional and computational analyses allowed us to discover a recurrent chromosomal gain in a small region on chromosome 17. Fluorescent in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of a copy number gain in 17q25.3 in tumor‐associated preneoplastic lesions of the prostate, 65% of primary tumors, and metastatic samples. These results suggest the involvement of this gain at all steps of prostate cancer progression.
New cancer targets emerging from studies of the Von Hippel‐Lindau tumor suppressor protein
Authors: Kaelin, Jr. William G.
Published: October 2010

Inactivation of the von Hippel‐Lindau tumor suppressor protein (pVHL) causes the most common form of kidney cancer. pVHL is part of a complex that polyubiquitinates the alpha subunit of the heterodimeric transcription factor HIF. In the presence of oxygen, HIF1α is prolyl hydroxylated by EglN1 (also called PHD2); this modification recruits pVHL, which then targets HIF1α for proteasomal degradation. In hypoxic or pVHL‐defective cells, HIF1α accumulates, binds to HIF1β, and transcriptionally activates genes such as VEGF. VEGF inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors, which indirectly affect HIF, are now approved for the treatment of kidney cancer. EglN1 is a 2‐oxoglutarate–dependent dioxygenase; such enzymes can be inhibited with drug‐like small molecules and EglN1 inhibitors are currently being tested for the treatment of anemia. EglN2 (PHD1) and EglN3 (PHD3), which are EglN1 paralogs, appear to play HIF‐independent roles in cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively, and are garnering interest as potential cancer targets. A number of JmjC‐containing proteins, including RBP2 and PLU‐1, are 2‐oxoglutarate–dependent dioxygenases that demethylate histones. Preclinical data suggest that inhibition of RBP2 or PLU‐1 would suppress tumor growth.
A revision of Hieracium (Asteraceae) in Norrbotten, northeastern‐most Sweden, revealed seven new species
Authors: Tyler Torbjörn
Published: October 2010

The large quantity of material of Hieracium sectt. Hieracium, Vulgata, Bifida and Oreadea collected during the recently completed floristic inventory of the northeastern most Swedish province of Norrbotten has been revised. The number of species known from this previously badly under‐collected province hereby increased from 27 to 64, and seven species new to science were revealed. A diagnostic key to all 64 species is provided and H. alces T. Tyler, H. hystrix T. Tyler, H. larsii‐levii T. Tyler, H. pseudopsepharum T. Tyler, H. stenbergii T. Tyler, H. taedum T. Tyler and H. vexillatum T. Tyler are described anew.
Nomenclature of members of Hieracium sectt. Alpestria, Foliosa and Prenanthoidea (Asteraceae) reported from Sweden
Authors: Tyler Torbjörn
Published: October 2010

Names of taxa referred to Hieracium sectt. Alpestria (including the ‘Semidovrensia group’), Foliosa and Prenanthoidea and reported from Sweden have been compiled from the literature and herbaria and all uses have been indexed. Based on this synopsis, the nomenclatural validity and legitimacy of the names are analysed. In total, the use of 75, 62 and 27 names is documented for the three sections, respectively, but it is concluded that only 37, 31 and 13 of these are validly published with available combinations at the rank of species. Whenever these sections are to be revised taxonomically, a large number of new combinations will thus have to be proposed.
Cordiera longicaudata sp. nov. and Duroia valesca sp. nov. of the Alibertia group (Gardenieae–Rubiaceae)
Authors: Persson Claes , Delprete Piero G.
Published: October 2010

Two neotropical species of the Alibertia group (Gardenieae–Rubiaceae) are described and illustrated. Cordiera longicaudata C. Persson & Delprete sp. nov. occurs in Panama and northwestern Ecuador (Awá Reserve) and is characterized by its long drip tips and glabrous to minutely puberulent corollas. Duroia valesca C. Persson & Delprete sp. nov. is from the Atlantic forest of Brazil (states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais) and is distinguished by its heteromorphic calyx lobes that are large, 13–15×7–8 mm, elliptic and contorted in female flowers, whereas the calyx lobes of the male flowers are 3–5×1–2 mm and narrowly triangular.
IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM STUDYING THE CHINESE ECONOMY
Authors: CHOW GREGORY C.
Published: October 2010

In 1979 the United States and China established normal diplomatic relations, allowing me to visit China and study the Chinese economy. After doing so for 30 years since and advising the government of Taiwan in the 1960s and the 1970s and the government of the People's Republic of China in the 1980s and the 1990s, this is an opportune moment for me to summarize the important lessons I have learned. The lessons will be summarized in four parts: on economic science, on formulating economic policy and providing economic advice, on the special characteristics of the Chinese economy and on the experience of China's economic reform.

At the beginning, I should comment on the quality of Chinese official data on which almost all quantitative studies referred to in this article were based. Chow (2006) has presented the view that by and large the official data are useful and fairly accurate. The main justification is that every time I tested an economic hypothesis or estimated an economic relation using the official data the result confirmed the well-established economic theory. It would be a miracle if I had the power to make the Chinese official statisticians fabricate data to support my hypotheses. Even if I had had the power, most of the data had already been published for years before I conceived the ideas of the studies reported in this article.
CURRENCY LINKAGES AMONG ASEAN
Authors: LEE CHIN , AZALI M.
Published: October 2010

The purpose of this study is to examine the potential linkages among ASEAN-5 currencies, in particular the possibility of a Singapore dollar bloc during the pre- and post-crisis periods by using the Johansen multivariate cointegration test and the Granger causality test. Significant nonstationarity and the presence of unit roots were documented for each currency under both study periods. Using ASEAN-4 exchange rates against the Singapore dollar, the Johansen cointegration test showed that there was no cointegrating relationship during the pre-crisis period. However there were two statistically significant cointegrating vectors among ASEAN exchange rates for the post-crisis period. These findings imply that there is low financial integration before the crisis, but that ASEAN countries are financially more integrated after the crisis. This finding also indicates increasingly role of the Singapore dollar in ASEAN. Therefore, the Singapore dollar may be a possible candidate as the common currency for ASEAN. The analysis is repeated by adding the US dollar to the model. The finding ascertains the influence of the US dollar on ASEAN currencies before the crisis.
EMPIRICAL PSYCHOLOGY BETWEEN WHOLESALE PRICE AND CONSUMER PRICE INDICES: THE CASE OF PAKISTAN
Authors: SHAHBAZ MUHAMMAD , WAHID ABU N. M. , HAIDER ADNAN
Published: October 2010

In a small open economy, the retail sector adds value with a lag to existing production and uses existing domestic production as an input. Therefore, demand side dynamics depend on the wholesale prices of the domestic goods, the prices of the imported goods, the nominal exchange rate, the level of indirect taxes, the marginal cost of retail production and interest rates. Hence, this mechanism provides a theoretical basis for causality from wholesale prices to consumer prices. Being motivated by this causal transmission mechanism, this paper tries to examine the causal relationship between wholesale prices and consumer prices in a small developing economy like Pakistan. Empirical methodology uses recently developed tests for the existence of a long-run relationship between wholesale prices and consumer prices. Typically, in applied analysis, testing for the existence of cointegration and causality can only be carried out once the time series properties of the data have been established. For example, tests for cointegration require the variables to be integrated to the same order, typically I(1), prior to estimation. By eliminating the need for unit root pre-testing, the tests applied here considerably simplify the inference procedure. They also reduce the potential for distortions in the inference due to the unknown properties of the testing sequence. Our findings include robust evidence that, for Pakistan, there is a bidirectional causality between wholesale prices and consumer prices. Feedback impact shows that influences from the wholesale price index (WPI) to the consumers' price index (CPI) is stronger or dominating as compared to feedback from CPI to WPI supporting the Cushing-McGarvey (1990) hypothesis.
AN ECO-ENGINEERING MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION FEE
Authors: MALIK MALIK BESHIR , BABIKER MUSTAFA
Published: October 2010

Traffic congestion is becoming a problem all over the world and physical expansion of road networks is becoming not the best option due to cost and other reasons. This paper considers the option of a congestion pricing model and explains its rationale and parametric estimation. The case of a city is studied to reflect on the potential of data collection mechanisms and public participation and awareness.
Changing Trends of Breast Cancer Survival in Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Kumar Shiyam , Burney Ikram A. , Al-Ajmi Adel , Al-Moundhri Mansour S.
Published: October 2010

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in women, with elevated incidence in developing countries. This retrospective study included all 122 patients diagnosed with breast cancer from January 2003 to December 2008 in the Sultanate of Oman. Age at presentation was 47.41 years (SD12.88), with one-third of patients younger than 40 years. The majority of patients presented with stage III (41.2%) and IV (18.2%) breast cancer. T size (), skin involvement (), and stage at presentation () were significantly associated with overall survival. Skin involvement at presentation (), T size (), lymph node status (), and stage () were strong predictors of relapse-free survival. Patients had a 5-year survival of 78%, compared to 64% of breast cancer patients diagnosed between 1996 and 2002 identified in our previously published study. Thus, despite Omani breast cancer patients continuing to present with advanced breast cancer, survival rates have significantly improved.
Does Valproic Acid Induce Neuroendocrine Differentiation in Prostate Cancer?
Authors: Sidana Abhinav , Wang Muwen , Chowdhury Wasim H. , Toubaji Antoun , Shabbeer Shabana , Netto George , Carducci Michael , Lupold Shawn E. , Rodriguez Ronald
Published: October 2010

Valproic Acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that holds promise for cancer therapy. Here, we investigate whether VPA treatment induces neuroendocrine differentiation of Prostate Cancer (PCa). A tissue microarray of VPA‐treated and untreated tumor xenografts and cell lines of human PCa (LNCaP, C4‐2, DU145, and PC‐3) were generated and were analyzed by immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) for NE markers chromogranin A (CgA), synaptophysin, and NCAM (neural cell adhesion molecule). Western blot analysis for CgA was performed to confirm the results of the TMA. IHC analysis did not reveal any induction of CgA, synaptophysin, or NCAM in any xenograft after VPA treatment in vivo. In vitro, VPA treatment induced little synaptophysin expression in C4‐2 and PC‐3 cells and NCAM expression in LNCaP and PC‐3 cells. In the case of CgA, VPA treatment decreased its expression in vitro in a dose‐dependent manner, as determined by western blot analysis. Thus our data demonstrates that VPA does not induce NE differentiation of PCa cells in the physiologically relevant in vivo setting.
The Clinical Interview for Depression: A Comprehensive Review of Studies and Clinimetric Properties
Authors: Guidi Jenny , Fava Giovanni A. , Bech Per , Paykel Eugene
Published: October 2010

Background: A comprehensive assessment of the wide spectrum of depressive symptomatology, particularly in its subclinical forms, is lacking in standard rating scales. There is also an emerging need for instruments that can detect small differences in therapeutic studies and have good sensitivity. The purpose of this paper is to review the clinimetric characteristics of Paykel’s Clinical Interview for Depression (CID) and to examine the results of the studies in which the interview has been used. Methods: Published reports which involved the use of the CID were identified by searching the following electronic databases: Medline, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science. A manual search of the literature was also performed. Results: The initial strategies yielded 169 published reports for potential inclusion in the review: 98 are discussed here. The CID has been used extensively in a variety of studies, including descriptive studies, classification by means of factor analysis and cluster analysis, and predictor variables of response to treatment or relapse. The CID has also been used as an outcome measure in several controlled clinical trials and follow-up studies of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of affective disorders. It has been shown to be valid and reliable, to discriminate depressives from controls, or different subgroups of depressed patients, and to reflect changes during the course of treatment, particularly when individual symptoms are considered. Conclusions: Evidence from these studies highlights the utility of the CID in clinical research and practice. Its clinimetric characteristics, particularly the broad evaluation of affective symptomatology and the sensitivity to change, make it an instrument of choice in therapeutic trials.
Cognitive Profiles of Incipient Dementia in the Goteborg MCI Study
Authors: Nordlund Arto , Rolstad Sindre , Göthlin Mattias , Edman Åke , Hansen Stefan , Wallin Anders
Published: October 2010

Objective: To study which cognitive profiles of incipient dementia strongest predict the conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mixed dementia (MD)/vascular dementia (VaD). Methods: 260 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were included in the study and 209 (79%) were followed up after 2 years. At baseline, the subjects were assessed with a neuropsychological battery covering the cognitive domains speed/attention, memory, visuospatial, language and executive functions. Results: After 2 years, 9 subjects were considered normal, 148 had stationary MCI and 47 (23%) had converted to dementia. Twenty subjects were diagnosed with AD, 15 with MD and 9 with VaD. The others were 2 with unspecified dementias and 1 with primary progressive aphasia. Dementia converters had a high proportion of impairment in all cognitive domains. The profiles of incipient AD and MD/VaD differed, with memory, visuospatial and language symptoms preceding AD, and executive and speed/attention symptoms preceding MD/VaD. Conclusions: The risk of converting to dementia is increased when domains in addition to memory are impaired. The incipient AD and MD/VaD profiles differed quite clearly. Considering that the vascular group consisted of a majority of patients with MD, the differences are convincing – vascular disease seems to have an essential impact on cognition.