bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Valvular Calcification and Inflammation by Positron Emission Tomography in Patients With Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Dweck Marc Richard , Jones Charlotte , Joshi Nikhil V. , Fletcher Alison M. , Richardson Hamish , White Audrey , Marsden Mark , Pessotto Renzo , Clark John C. , Wallace William A. , Salter Donald M. , McKillop Graham , van Beek Edwin J.R. , Boon Nicholas A. , Rudd James H.F. , Newby David E.
Published: November 2011

Background—

The pathophysiology of aortic stenosis is incompletely understood, and the relative contributions of valvular calcification and inflammation to disease progression are unknown.

Methods and Results—

Patients with aortic sclerosis and mild, moderate, and severe stenosis were compared prospectively with age- and sex-matched control subjects. Aortic valve severity was determined by echocardiography. Calcification and inflammation in the aortic valve were assessed by 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake with the use of positron emission tomography. One hundred twenty-one subjects (20 controls; 20 aortic sclerosis; 25 mild, 33 moderate, and 23 severe aortic stenosis) were administered both 18F-NaF and 18F-FDG. Quantification of tracer uptake within the valve demonstrated excellent interobserver repeatability with no fixed or proportional biases and limits of agreement of ±0.21 (18F-NaF) and ±0.13 (18F-FDG) for maximum tissue-to-background ratios. Activity of both tracers was higher in patients with aortic stenosis than in control subjects (18F-NaF: 2.87±0.82 versus 1.55±0.17; 18F-FDG: 1.58±0.21 versus 1.30±0.13; both
P
<0.001). 18F-NaF uptake displayed a progressive rise with valve severity (
r
2
=0.540,
P
<0.001), with a more modest increase observed for 18F-FDG (
r
2
=0.218,
P
<0.001). Among patients with aortic stenosis, 91% had increased 18F-NaF uptake (>1.97), and 35% had increased 18F-FDG uptake (>1.63). A weak correlation between the activities of these tracers was observed (
r
2
=0.174,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Positron emission tomography is a novel, feasible, and repeatable approach to the evaluation of valvular calcification and inflammation in patients with aortic stenosis. The frequency and magnitude of increased tracer activity correlate with disease severity and are strongest for 18F-NaF.

Clinical Trial Registration—

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01358513.
Brugada-Like Syndrome in Infancy Presenting With Rapid Ventricular Tachycardia and Intraventricular Conduction Delay
Authors: Kanter Ronald J. , Pfeiffer Ryan , Hu Dan , Barajas-Martinez Héctor , Carboni Michael P. , Antzelevitch Charles
Published: November 2011

Background—

Brugada syndrome is a potentially serious channelopathy that usually presents in adulthood and has only rarely been described in infancy. In the absence of metabolic or structural cardiac disease, rapid ventricular tachycardia (>200 bpm) and primary cardiac conduction disease are uncommon in infancy. We hypothesized that infants having rapid ventricular tachycardia and conduction abnormalities and not having structural or metabolic pathogeneses were likely to have mutations in depolarizing current channels.

Methods and Results—

A retrospective review of all clinical materials from a single institution over a 9-year period from all infants <2 years old and having a discharge diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation was performed. Among 32 infants fulfilling inclusion criteria, 12 had a structurally normal heart, and 9 of them had either prolonged QRS duration or Brugada pattern while in sinus rhythm. Of those 5 infants not having a definitive pathogenesis, electrophysiological testing had been performed in 4, and genetic testing had been performed in all 5 of those infants. During electrophysiological testing, a prolonged HV interval was present in 2 of 4, inducible ventricular tachycardia was present in 1 of 4, and a type 1 Brugada pattern was induced by intravenous procainamide in 3 of 4. Genetic testing revealed disease-causing mutations in depolarizing sodium (SCN5A) or calcium (CaCNB2b) channels in all 5 infants.

Conclusions—

Infants having rapid ventricular tachycardia and conduction abnormalities in the absence of structural or metabolic abnormalities are likely to have disease-causing mutations in cardiac depolarizing channels.
Supervised Exercise Versus Primary Stenting for Claudication Resulting From Aortoiliac Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Murphy Timothy P. , Cutlip Donald E. , Regensteiner Judith G. , Mohler Emile R. , Cohen David J. , Reynolds Matthew R. , Massaro Joseph M. , Lewis Beth A. , Cerezo Joselyn , Oldenburg Niki C. , Thum Claudia C. , Goldberg Suzanne , Jaff Michael R. , Steffes Michael W. , Comerota Anthony J. , Ehrman Jonathan , Treat-Jacobson Diane , Walsh M. Eileen , Collins Tracie , Badenhop Dalynn T. , Bronas Ulf , Hirsch Alan T.
Published: November 2011

Background—

Claudication is a common and disabling symptom of peripheral artery disease that can be treated with medication, supervised exercise (SE), or stent revascularization (ST).

Methods and Results—

We randomly assigned 111 patients with aortoiliac peripheral artery disease to receive 1 of 3 treatments: optimal medical care (OMC), OMC plus SE, or OMC plus ST. The primary end point was the change in peak walking time on a graded treadmill test at 6 months compared with baseline. Secondary end points included free-living step activity, quality of life with the Walking Impairment Questionnaire, Peripheral Artery Questionnaire, Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form, and cardiovascular risk factors. At the 6-month follow-up, change in peak walking time (the primary end point) was greatest for SE, intermediate for ST, and least with OMC (mean change versus baseline, 5.8±4.6, 3.7±4.9, and 1.2±2.6 minutes, respectively;
P
<0.001 for the comparison of SE versus OMC,
P
=0.02 for ST versus OMC, and
P
=0.04 for SE versus ST). Although disease-specific quality of life as assessed by the Walking Impairment Questionnaire and Peripheral Artery Questionnaire also improved with both SE and ST compared with OMC, for most scales, the extent of improvement was greater with ST than SE. Free-living step activity increased more with ST than with either SE or OMC alone (114±274 versus 73±139 versus −6±109 steps per hour), but these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions—

SE results in superior treadmill walking performance than ST, even for those with aortoiliac peripheral artery disease. The contrast between better walking performance for SE and better patient-reported quality of life for ST warrants further study.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00132743?order=1
. Unique identifier: NCT00132743.
Do More Effective Teachers Earn More Outside the Classroom?
Authors: Chingos Matthew M. , West Martin R.
Published: November 2011

We examine earnings records for more than 130,000 classroom teachers employed by Florida public schools between the 2001–2 and 2006–7 school years, roughly 35,000 of whom left the classroom during that time. A majority of those leaving the classroom remained employed by public school districts. Among teachers in grades 4–8 leaving for other industries, a 1 standard deviation increase in estimated value added to student math and reading achievement is associated with 6–8 percent higher earnings outside teaching. The relationship between effectiveness and earnings is stronger in other industries than it is for the same groups of teachers while in the classroom, suggesting that current teacher compensation systems do not fully account for the higher opportunity wages of effective teachers.
A Policy Analysis of the Federal Growth Model Pilot Program's Measures of School Performance: The Florida Case
Authors: Weiss Michael J. , May Henry
Published: November 2011

As test-based educational accountability has moved to the forefront of national and state education policy, so has the desire for better measures of school performance. No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) status and safe harbor measures have been criticized for being unfair and unreliable, respectively. In response to such criticism, in 2005 the federal government announced the Growth Model Pilot Program, which permits states to use projection models (a type of growth model) in their accountability systems. This article uses historical longitudinal data from a large school district to empirically show the inaccuracy of one state's projection model, to demonstrate how projection models are very similar to NCLB's original status measure, and to contrast projection models with value-added models. As policy makers debate the reauthorization of NCLB, this research can provide guidance on ways to improve the current measurement of school performance.
Some Ideas for Three-Dimensional Musical Scores
Authors: Berghaus Marc
Published: November 2011

The author discusses his explorations with notation in three dimensions resulting in sculptural scores constructed of wood, metal and glass.
Optical Scores for Improvised Music
Authors: Pancake Catherine
Published: November 2011

The author describes her creation and use of HD videos that serve as projected scores for improvisatory musicians. Each video score provides pulsing color and visual elements to inspire the improvisation group in performance.
Graph Transduction as a Noncooperative Game
Authors: Erdem Aykut , Pelillo Marcello
Published: November 2011

Graph transduction is a popular class of semisupervised learning techniques that aims to estimate a classification function defined over a graph of labeled and unlabeled data points. The general idea is to propagate the provided label information to unlabeled nodes in a consistent way. In contrast to the traditional view, in which the process of label propagation is defined as a graph Laplacian regularization, this article proposes a radically different perspective, based on game-theoretic notions. Within the proposed framework, the transduction problem is formulated in terms of a noncooperative multiplayer game whereby equilibria correspond to consistent labelings of the data. An attractive feature of this formulation is that it is inherently a multiclass approach and imposes no constraint whatsoever on the structure of the pairwise similarity matrix, being able to naturally deal with asymmetric and negative similarities alike. Experiments on a number of real-world problems demonstrate that the proposed approach performs well compared with state-of-the-art algorithms, and it can deal effectively with various types of similarity relations.
True to Milankovitch: Glacial Inception in the New Community Climate System Model
Authors: Jochum Markus , Jahn Alexandra , Peacock Synte , Bailey David A. , Fasullo John T. , Kay Jennifer , Levis Samuel , Otto-Bliesner Bette
Published: November 2011

The equilibrium solution of a fully coupled general circulation model with present-day orbital forcing is compared to the solution of the same model with the orbital forcing from 115 000 years ago. The difference in snow accumulation between these two simulations has a pattern and a magnitude comparable to the ones inferred from reconstructions for the last glacial inception. This is a major improvement over previous similar studies, and the increased realism is attributed to the higher spatial resolution in the atmospheric model, which allows for a more accurate representation of the orography of northern Canada and Siberia. The analysis of the atmospheric heat budget reveals that, as postulated by Milankovitch’s hypothesis, the only necessary positive feedback is the snow–albedo feedback, which is initiated by reduced melting of snow and sea ice in the summer. However, this positive feedback is almost fully compensated by an increased meridional heat transport in the atmosphere and a reduced concentration of low Arctic clouds. In contrast to similar previous studies, the ocean heat transport remains largely unchanged. This stability of the northern North Atlantic circulation is explained by the regulating effect of the freshwater import through the Nares Strait and Northwest Passage and the spiciness import by the North Atlantic Current.
Arctic/Atlantic Exchanges via the Subpolar Gyre*
Authors: Langehaug Helene R. , Medhaug Iselin , Eldevik Tor , Otterå Odd Helge
Published: November 2011

In the present study the decadal variability in the strength and shape of the subpolar gyre (SPG) in a 600-yr preindustrial simulation using the Bergen Climate Model is investigated. The atmospheric influence on the SPG strength is reflected in the variability of Labrador Sea Water (LSW), which is largely controlled by the North Atlantic Oscillation, the first mode of the North Atlantic atmospheric variability. A combination of the amount of LSW, the overflows from the Nordic seas, and the second mode of atmospheric variability, the East Atlantic Pattern, explains 44% of the modeled decadal variability in the SPG strength. A prior increase in these components leads to an intensified SPG in the western subpolar region. Typically, an increase of one standard deviation (std dev) of the total overflow (1 std dev = 0.2 Sv; 1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) corresponds to an intensification of about one-half std dev of the SPG strength (1 std dev = 2 Sv). A similar response is found for an increase of one std dev in the amount of LSW, and simultaneously the strength of the North Atlantic Current increases by one-half std dev (1 std dev = 0.9 Sv).
Examining Interior Grid Nudging Techniques Using Two-Way Nesting in the WRF Model for Regional Climate Modeling
Authors: Bowden Jared H. , Otte Tanya L. , Nolte Christopher G. , Otte Martin J.
Published: November 2011

This study evaluates interior nudging techniques using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for regional climate modeling over the conterminous United States (CONUS) using a two-way nested configuration. NCEP–Department of Energy Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP-II) Reanalysis (R-2) data are downscaled to 36 km × 36 km by nudging only at the lateral boundaries, using gridpoint (i.e., analysis) nudging and using spectral nudging. Seven annual simulations are conducted and evaluated for 1988 by comparing 2-m temperature, precipitation, 500-hPa geopotential height, and 850-hPa meridional wind to the 32-km North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). Using interior nudging reduces the mean biases for those fields throughout the CONUS compared to the simulation without interior nudging. The predictions of 2-m temperature and fields aloft behave similarly when either analysis or spectral nudging is used. For precipitation, however, analysis nudging generates monthly precipitation totals, and intensity and frequency of precipitation that are closer to observed fields than spectral nudging. The spectrum of 250-hPa zonal winds simulated by the WRF model is also compared to that of the R-2 and NARR. The spatial variability in the WRF model is reduced by using either form of interior nudging, and analysis nudging suppresses that variability more strongly than spectral nudging. Reducing the nudging strengths on the inner domain increases the variability but generates larger biases. The results support the use of interior nudging on both domains of a two-way nest to reduce error when the inner nest is not otherwise dominated by the lateral boundary forcing. Nevertheless, additional research is required to optimize the balance between accuracy and variability in choosing a nudging strategy.
Two-Dimensional Retrieval of Typhoon Tracks from an Ensemble of Multimodel Outputs
Authors: Tien Tran Tan , Thanh Cong , Van Hoang Thanh , Chanh Kieu Quoc
Published: November 2011

In this study a method of retrieving optimum information of typhoon tracks in a multimodel ensemble of forecasts is explored. By treating the latitudes and longitudes of typhoon centers as components of two-dimensional track vectors and using the full ensemble mean as a first guess, it is shown that such a two-dimensional approach for the typhoon track forecast can be formulated as a multivariate optimization problem. Experiments with five nonhydrostatic primitive equation models during the 2004–08 typhoon seasons in the western North Pacific basin show some noticeable improvements in the forecasts of typhoon tracks in terms of the forecast errors and track smoothness with this multivariate approach. The advantages of the multivariate optimization approach are its portability and simplicity, which could make it easily adaptable to any operational typhoon forecast center that synthesizes typhoon track forecast products from different sources.
Differential Adaptive Capacity to Extreme Heat: A Phoenix, Arizona, Case Study
Authors: Hayden Mary H. , Brenkert-Smith Hannah , Wilhelmi Olga V.
Published: November 2011

Climate change is projected to increase the number of days producing excessive heat across the southwestern United States, increasing population exposure to extreme heat events. Extreme heat is currently the main cause of weather-related mortality in the United States, where the negative health effects of extreme heat are disproportionately distributed among geographic regions and demographic groups. To more effectively identify vulnerability to extreme heat, complementary local-level studies of adaptive capacity within a population are needed to augment census-based demographic data and downscaled weather and climate models. This pilot study, conducted in August 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona, reports responses from 359 households in three U.S. Census block groups identified as heat-vulnerable based on heat distress calls, decedent records, and demographic characteristics. This study sought to understand social vulnerability to extreme heat at the local level as a complex phenomenon with explicit characterization of coping and adaptive capacity among urban residents.
An Oral Inhibitor of p38 MAP Kinase Reduces Plasma Fibrinogen in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Lomas David A. , Lipson David A. , Miller Bruce E. , Willits Lisa , Keene Oliver , Barnacle Helen , Barnes Neil C. , Tal‐Singer Ruth
Published: November 2011

The aims were to determine the effect of an oral inhibitor of the signaling mediator p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (GW856553, losmapimod) on sputum neutrophils, pulmonary function, and blood biomarkers of inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Three hundred and two individuals with GOLD stage II COPD were randomized to oral losmapimod 7.5 mg twice daily, inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone propionate 50 μg/500 μg combination (SFC), or placebo in a 12‐week, randomized, double‐blind, double‐dummy study (MKI102428/NCT00642148). Neither losmapimod nor SFC had an effect on the primary end point of sputum neutrophils. Losmapimod was well tolerated and reduced plasma fibrinogen by 11% (−0.4 g/L, ratio of effect of losmapimod/placebo 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.96; P = .002) with nonsignificant reductions in interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8, and C‐reactive protein. There was evidence of improvement in hyperinflation with losmapimod compared with placebo (overall P = .02). Inhaled SFC significantly improved lung function and reduced serum CC‐16 (ratio of effect of SFC/placebo 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.82–0.93; P < .001). It was concluded that oral losmapimod significantly reduced plasma fibrinogen in patients with COPD.
Interpellation and Performance
Authors: Avenburg Karen
Published: November 2011

The rituals of the Virgen del Rosario fiesta in Iruya, Argentina, a privileged event for studying the relationship between musical activity and the construction of identities, include elements related to local and broader communities of identification. Its musical spectrum runs from Catholic religious songs and the music of the cachis adoration to cumbia, Argentine patriotic anthems, and local, Andean, and national folkloric music. The fiesta displays processes of communalization—the interplay of homogenizing and particularizing projects of state formation with local notions of traditions—and contributes to creating a collective identity. This identity construction takes place through an unequal and dynamic negotiation of meanings in which cultural inscription is articulated with the performances of social actors.

Los rituales de la fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario en Iruya, Argentina, un acontecimiento privilegiado para estudiar la relación entre la actividad musical y la construcción de identidades, incluyen elementos relacionados tanto con la comunidad local como con grupos de identificación más amplios. Su espectro musical cubre desde las canciones religiosas católicas y la música de la adoración de los cachis, hasta la cumbia, los himnos patrióticos argentinos, y la llamada música folklórica local, andina y nacional. La fiesta da cuenta de procesos de comunalización (la interacción entre los proyectos homogeneizadores y particularizadores de la formación del estado, y las nociones locales de las tradiciones) y contribuye a crear una identidad colectiva. Esta construcción de la identidad se lleva a cabo a través de una desigual y dinámica negociación de significados en los que la inscripción cultural se articula con las performances de los actores sociales.
Revenge and Nostalgia
Authors: Bryan Bradley
Published: November 2011

In certain respects, contemporary thought treats the politics of revenge with disdain while celebrating and employing a politics that is decidedly nostalgic. And yet, following Nietzsche’s work regarding the inherent vengefulness of nostalgic political programs, one is led to an impasse. This article attempts to make plain for politics what is at stake in Nietzsche’s account of revenge, and how political and social action might navigate the distance between revenge and nostalgia. The article brings the thought of Nietzsche and Heidegger together in a new way by asking whether and how Heidegger’s thought could suffer from a hidden vengefulness by adopting a nostalgic pose, one that haunts Nietzsche’s own drive for overcoming. Through an elucidation of the difference between nostalgia and revenge, the article gestures towards the nostalgic and vengeful possibilities that politics holds.
Games without frontiers? Democratic engagement, agonistic pluralism and the question of exclusion
Authors: Glover Robert W.
Published: November 2011

In recent years a growing number of democratic theorists have proposed ways to increase citizen engagement, while channeling those democratic energies in positive directions and away from systematic marginalization, exclusion and intolerance. One novel answer is provided by a strain of democratic theory known as agonistic pluralism, which valorizes adversarial engagement and recognizes the marginalizing tendencies implicit in drives to consensus and stability. However, the divergences between competing variants of agonistic pluralism remain largely underdeveloped or unrecognized. In this article, I address this shortcoming, examining these strains of agonism around the constraints placed upon democratic discourse. I argue that the ‘associative agonism’ of theorists such as Bonnie Honig and William Connolly offers the best means for cultivating virtues necessary to revitalize a contentious democratic politics which also fosters receptivity to pluralism and difference.
Potentially Increased Sensitivity of Pregnant and Lactating Female Rats to Immunotoxic Agents
Authors: Menke Aswin , Wolterbeek Andre , Snel Cor , Bruijntjes Joost , Groot Didima de , Oostrum Lidy van , Waalkens Ine , Kuper C. Frieke
Published: November 2011

Characteristic susceptibility to environmental and pharmaceutical exposure may occur during periods in life of marked histophysiological changes of the immune system. Perinatal development is such a period; pregnancy followed by lactation is potentially another one. Here, we explored the influence of pregnancy and lactation on the model immunotoxic compound di-n-octyltin dichloride (DOTC) in rats using clinical and histopathological parameters. Female rats were exposed to 0, 3, 10, or 30 mg DOTC/kg feed during pregnancy and up to 20 (at weaning) or 56 days after delivery. Age-matched nonmated females were exposed during the same time periods. DOTC at the level of 10 and 30 mg/kg decreased thymus weight and affected thymus morphology in the lactating rats. In addition, DOTC decreased the numbers of neutrophils in the lactating rats. These effects were no longer apparent at day 56 despite continuous exposure to DOTC. This explorative study indicates that the innate and adaptive immune system may be especially sensitive to immunotoxicants during pregnancy and lactation.
Regional service scheme: New tools in economic development
Authors: Koivumäki Eeva-Liisa
Published: November 2011

Economic developers are facing a continuously changing business environment. It is even more difficult than previously to predict the economic conditions which regions and companies located within them will face. Industries are undergoing some radical changes. As a result of the recession, regional economic patterns have to be changed and modernized in a timely fashion. In common with many other regions in the European Union, the need for action arose in Jyväskylä wheneconomic turbulence in the world economy had its radical effects here in 2008. Economic developers responded with an operational scheme to manage structural change in the region. The aim was, within a short period of time, to find new business models based on the particular strengths and advantages of the region.
Methamphetamine exposure and chronic illness in police officers
Authors: Ross Gerald H , Sternquist Marie C
Published: November 2011

Background: The medical literature reports health hazards for law enforcement personnel from repeated exposure to methamphetamine and related chemical compounds. Most effects appear transitory, but some Utah police officers with employment-related methamphetamine exposures developed chronic symptoms, some leading to disability. This report is of an uncontrolled retrospective medical chart evaluation of symptomatic officers treated with a sauna detoxification protocol designed to reduce the chronic symptoms and improve the quality of life. Methods: Sixty-nine officers consecutively entering the Utah Meth Cops Project were assessed before and after a treatment program involving gradual exercise, comprehensive nutritional support and physical sauna therapy. Evaluations included pre- and post-treatment scores of the Research and Development Corporation (RAND) 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in comparison with RAND population norms, pre- and post-treatment symptom score intensities, neurotoxicity scores, Mini-Mental Status Examination, presenting symptom frequencies and a structured evaluation of treatment program safety. Results: Statistically significant health improvements were seen in the SF-36 evaluations, symptom scores and neurotoxicity scores. The detoxification protocol was well tolerated, with a 92.8% completion rate. Conclusions: This investigation strongly suggests that utilizing sauna and nutritional therapy may alleviate chronic symptoms appearing after chemical exposures associated with methamphetamine-related law enforcement activities. This report also has relevance to addressing the apparent ill effects of other complex chemical exposures. In view of the positive clinical outcomes in this group, broader investigation of this sauna-based treatment regimen appears warranted.
When Business and Community Meet: A Case Study of Coca-Cola
Authors: Barkay Tamar
Published: November 2011

Community involvement programs occupy centre-stage in the portfolio of many corporations who display and report upon their socially responsible performance. Focusing mainly on issues such as charity and employee volunteering, corporations remain fairly vague in reporting on the way they translate community involvement policies into concrete actions and on the social impact of their community programs. Based on first-hand observations and on-site ethnographic accounts, this study seeks to enrich extant understandings of the character and consequences of corporate involvement in communities. The study follows the diffusion of Coca-Cola’s global branding strategy and the community involvement program it recommended to the Israeli franchisee and analyzes its design and execution on the ground. The study finds a considerable gap between rhetoric of community involvement and practices of mobilizing the community to further the company’s ends. On a theoretical level, the study shows that community programs function as material performances of present-day capitalist ideology.
India‘s Exports of Software Services
Authors: Banga Rashmi , Kumar Dinesh
Published: November 2011

Services sector in India showed a remarkable resilience to global economic crisis and grew at a rate of 9.3 per cent explaining around 88 per cent of the growth rate in real GDP of India in 2008–09. Exportsof software services helped considerably in providing the necessary resilience. The main objective of the paper is to examine the role of external demand and productivity growth in exports of software services. Global income elasticity of demand for export of software services is estimated for the period 1970–2008. Sources of total factor productivity growth in Indian IT services firms are identified using Data Envelopment Analysis for the period 1994–95 to 2007–08. It is found that high income demand elasticity for India–s software services has contributed substantially to its growth. But more importantly, there has been a steep rise in productivity growth in the post-2000 period which is attributable mainly to technological innovation.
A Methodological Self-Study of Quantitizing
Authors: Seltzer-Kelly Deborah , Westwood Sean J. , Peña-Guzman David M.
Published: November 2011

This inquiry developed during the process of “quantitizing” qualitative data the authors had gathered for a mixed methods curriculum efficacy study. Rather than providing the intended rigor to their data coding process, their use of an intercoder reliability metric prompted their investigation of the multiplicity and messiness that, as they suggest here, are inherent to work that crosses the epistemological boundaries of academic fields and research paradigms. Even as the authors developed a deeper understanding of—and appreciation for—the nature of quantitative rigor, they moved toward a more deeply constructivist view of the research process itself. Ultimately, the authors abandoned the neat study of intercoder reliability that they had envisioned and moved toward the present dialogic report to reveal and examine their process.
Attenuation of hypertension-mediated glomerulosclerosis in conjunction with increased angiotensin (1–7)
Authors: Igase Michiya , Yokoyama Hiroshi , Ferrario Carlos M.
Published: November 2011

Background: Controversy exists as to whether angiotensin (1–7) (Ang (1–7)) acts as a protective hormone against renal injury.

Methods: We compared the degree of improvement of hypertensive nephropathy following 8 weeks’ treatment with either the angiotensin II receptor type 1 antagonist olmesartan medoxomil or the cardioselective beta blocker atenolol in 8-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).

Results: Both treatment regimens reduced mean blood pressure in a similar fashion, while bradycardia was present only in atenolol-treated SHRs. The heart weight:body weight ratio fell more in SHRs medicated with olmesartan versus those receiving atenolol. These changes were associated with increases in plasma Ang II in SHRs given the angiotensin II receptor blocker. At the end of treatment, plasma Ang (1–7) was higher in the olmesartan than atenolol or vehicle groups. The glomerular sclerosis (GS) index was lowered by olmesartan and atenolol compared with the vehicle group. While both olmesartan and atenolol attenuated renal perivascular collagen deposition (PVCD), the greatest effect was observed in SHRs receiving olmesartan. Elevations in plasma Ang (1–7) correlated negatively with reductions in GS or PVCD index, respectively.

Conclusions: While control of blood pressure remains a critical factor in the prevention of hypertensive nephropathy, Ang (1–7) may play a substantial role in preventing the structural changes in glomerulus through its effect on regulations of blood pressure and renal function.
Martensite in quenched Fe–C steels and Engel–Brewer electron theory of crystal structures
Authors: Sherby O D , Wadsworth J , Lesuer D R , Syn C K
Published: November 2011

The Engel–Brewer (E–B) electron theory of crystal structures has been used to develop a model of lath martensite formation in quenched Fe–C steels. Lath martensite is described as a cluster of eight iron atoms surrounding each carbon atom in a matrix of fine subgrained body centred cubic iron. The E–B theory is used to describe the valence state of the cluster and the matrix of iron. Three sequential transformations take place during quenching, involving face centred cubic austenite with valence of 3, hexagonal close packed hexagonite with valence of 2 and body centred cubic ferrite with valence of 1. The E–B theory predicts the maximum solubility of carbon in hexagonal close packed iron, i.e. hexagonite, to be 2·625 at-C, supporting the phenomenological value of 2·75 at-C (0·6 wt-C). The electron binding energies associated with the creation of hexagonite are consistent with experimental observations. The E–B theory also predicts the volume change from austenite to hexagonite and from hexagonite to ferrite that is in agreement with the values obtained from pressure–temperature studies. The exceptional hardness of lath martensite is attributed to the presence of iron–carbon clusters and subgrains and is proportional to its specific volume.
Effect of dilution and cooling rate on microstructure and magnetic properties of Ni base hardfacing alloy deposited on austenitic stainless steel
Authors: Chakraborty G , Albert S K , Bhaduri A K
Published: November 2011

Nickel base Colmonoy 6 alloy finds application in hardfacing of various components made of austenitic stainless steel used in fast reactors. Gas tungsten arc deposited Colmonoy suffers from significant loss in hardness and wear properties due to dilution from the substrate. Magnetic property of the deposit is also influenced by dilution, and variation in magnetic parameters with dilution can be employed for non-destructive assessment of hardness in the hardfaced coating of the finished components. During hardfacing deposition, cooling rate may vary with deposition technique and process parameters. Development of a procedure for measurement of hardness of hardface deposit, irrespective of cooling rate, can prove to be useful for practical application. In the present study, the effect of cooling rate on microstructure, hardness and magnetic parameters of the Ni–Cr–B–Si hardface deposits is evaluated, and for coating cooled at different cooling rates, good prediction of hardness from its magnetic property could be obtained.
Study of fcc metal tension behaviour by crystal plasticity finite element method
Authors: Dong H , Zhu J C , Lai Z H , Yong L , Zhao R D , Yang X W
Published: November 2011

The crystal plasticity finite element method has been adopted to study the plastic deformation behaviour, such as the slip system activation, the number and magnitude of the actived slip system, the rotation character and the macromechanics response of face centred cubic (fcc) single crystal metal during uniaxial tension. Five typical crystalline orientations, including four types of typical fcc texture orientation: Goss orientation, copper orientation, S orientation and brass texture, have been considered, and its effects to plastic deformation have been studied and compared. The results show that the orientation between crystalline and loading direction will influence the slipping character and the macromechanical response: the S crystalline orientation (60, 32 and 65°) has the least number of active slip system (just only 3); the brass texture (35, 45 and 0°) has the smallest magnitude of crystalline lattice rotation; and the brass texture orientation (35, 45 and 0°) has the highest yield stress value.
Bainite and martensite start temperature calculated with exponential carbon dependence
Authors: van Bohemen S M C
Published: November 2011

Analysis of published data demonstrates that the start temperatures of bainite ( Bs) and martensite ( Ms) formation exhibit an exponential carbon dependence. Empirical models are proposed to describe this specific carbon dependence. The models are relatively simple and sufficiently accurate for conventional steels with 0·1–1·9 wt- carbon and less than 7 wt- in total of other alloying elements. Predictions of the Bs and Ms temperatures show a better accuracy than those obtained with equations from literature. An improved prediction of the Ms temperature is important to accurately determine of the amount of martensite at a certain arrest temperature using the Koistinen and Marburger (KM) equation. Predictions of the volume fraction martensite are also influenced by the rate parameter αm controlling the kinetics of martensite formation. Based on the improved models for the composition dependence of Ms and αm, the volume fraction of retained austenite at room temperature has been calculated for Fe–C alloys. The calculated fraction of retained austenite as a function of carbon content is found to be in good agreement with published data, which gives confidence in the proposed models for Ms and αm.
miR-155 regulates HGAL expression and increases lymphoma cell motility
Authors: Dagan Liat Nadav , Jiang Xiaoyu , Bhatt Shruti , Cubedo Elena , Rajewsky Klaus , Lossos Izidore S.
Published: November 2011

HGAL, a prognostic biomarker in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and classic Hodgkin lymphoma, inhibits lymphocyte and lymphoma cell motility by activating the RhoA signaling cascade and interacting with actin and myosin proteins. Although HGAL expression is limited to germinal center (GC) lymphocytes and GC-derived lymphomas, little is known about its regulation. miR-155 is implicated in control of GC reaction and lymphomagenesis. We demonstrate that miR-155 directly down-regulates HGAL expression by binding to its 3′-untranslated region, leading to decreased RhoA activation and increased spontaneous and chemoattractant-induced lymphoma cell motility. The effects of miR-155 on RhoA activation and cell motility can be rescued by transfection of HGAL lacking the miR-155 binding site. This inhibitory effect of miR-155 suggests that it may have a key role in the loss of HGAL expression on differentiation of human GC B cells to plasma cell. Furthermore, this effect may contribute to lymphoma cell dissemination and aggressiveness, characteristic of activated B cell–like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma typically expressing high levels of miR-155 and lacking HGAL expression.
A role for the CXCL12 receptor, CXCR7, in the pathogenesis of human pulmonary vascular disease
Authors: Costello Christine M. , McCullagh Brian , Howell Katherine , Sands Michelle , Belperio John A. , Keane Michael P. , Gaine Sean , McLoughlin Paul
Published: November 2011

Given the critical role that endothelial cell dysfunction plays in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertensive diseases, we set out to establish if CXCR7, a receptor for the pro-angiogenic ligand CXCL12, is expressed in the vasculature of human lung diseases and examine its role in mediating CXCL12-induced responses in primary pulmonary human microvascular endothelial cells.

Receptor and ligand expression was examined in control and explanted human hypertensive lungs, in human plasma and in hypoxic rodent lungs, by ELISA and immunohistochemical studies. Functionalin vitroexperiments examined the role of CXCR7 in CXCL12-induced lung microvascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and wound regeneration and repair.

CXCR7 is elevated in the endothelium of explanted human hypertensive lungs and circulating CXCL12 concentrations are significantly elevated in disease. We demonstrate that alveolar hypoxia similar to that found in lung disease increases CXCR7 expression in the pulmonary endothelium. Furthermore, CXCR7 is the receptor through which endothelial cell regeneration and repair, and proliferation, is mediated, whereas signallingviaCXCR4 is essential for chemotactic cell migration.

Our findings demonstrate that CXCR7 has a critical but previously unrecognised role to play in endothelial cell proliferation, suggesting that CXCR7-mediated signalling may be functionally important in pulmonary vascular diseases.
Bayesian hierarchical clustering for microarray time series data with replicates and outlier measurements
Authors: Cooke Emma J , Savage Richard S , Kirk Paul DW , Darkins Robert , Wild David L
Published: November 2011

Background

Post-genomic molecular biology has resulted in an explosion of data, providing measurements for large numbers of genes, proteins and metabolites. Time series experiments have become increasingly common, necessitating the development of novel analysis tools that capture the resulting data structure. Outlier measurements at one or more time points present a significant challenge, while potentially valuable replicate information is often ignored by existing techniques.

Results

We present a generative model-based Bayesian hierarchical clustering algorithm for microarray time series that employs Gaussian process regression to capture the structure of the data. By using a mixture model likelihood, our method permits a small proportion of the data to be modelled as outlier measurements, and adopts an empirical Bayes approach which uses replicate observations to inform a prior distribution of the noise variance. The method automatically learns the optimum number of clusters and can incorporate non-uniformly sampled time points. Using a wide variety of experimental data sets, we show that our algorithm consistently yields higher quality and more biologically meaningful clusters than current state-of-the-art methodologies. We highlight the importance of modelling outlier values by demonstrating that noisy genes can be grouped with other genes of similar biological function. We demonstrate the importance of including replicate information, which we find enables the discrimination of additional distinct expression profiles.

Conclusions

By incorporating outlier measurements and replicate values, this clustering algorithm for time series microarray data provides a step towards a better treatment of the noise inherent in measurements from high-throughput genomic technologies. Timeseries BHC is available as part of the R package 'BHC' (version 1.5), which is available for download from Bioconductor (version 2.9 and above) via http://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/BHC.html?pagewanted=all.
Gynecomastia during imatinib mesylate treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a rare adverse event
Authors: Liu HeLi , Liao GuoQing , Yan ZhongShu
Published: November 2011

Background

Imatinib mesylate has been the standard therapeutic treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia, advanced and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). It is well tolerated with mild adverse effects. Gynecomastia development during the course of treatment has been rarely reported.

Methods

Ninety-eight patients with advanced or recurrent GIST were treated with imatinib mesylate. Among the fifty-seven male patients six developed gynecomastia during the treatment. The lesions were confirmed by sonography. Sex hormone levels were determined in six patients with and without the presence of gynecomastia respectively. The patients with gynecomatia were treated with tamoxifene and the sex hormones were assayed before and after tamoxifene treatment.

Results

In patients with gynecomastia the lump underneath the bilateral nipples was 2.5 to 5 centimeters in diameter. Their serum free testosterone levels ranged between 356.61 and 574.60 ng/dl with a mean ± SD of 408.64 ± 82.06 ng/dl (95% CI 343.03~474.25 ng/dl), which is within the normal range. The level of serum estradiol was 42.89 ± 16.54 pg/ml (95% CI 29.66~56.12 pg/ml). Three patients had higher levels (43.79~71.21 pg/ml) and the others' were within normal range of 27.00~34.91 pg/ml. Six patients without the development of gynecomastia had normal free testosterone. One patient died because of large tumor burden. The sex hormones had no significant changes before and after tamoxifene treatment.(P > 0.05)

Conclusions

Testosterone levels were not decreased in the six GIST patients with gynecomastia. Three patients had increased serum estradiol level which suggests that imbalance of sex hormones may be the cause of gynecomastia during treatment with imatinib mesylate.
Synergizing metabolic flux analysis and nucleotide sugar metabolism to understand the control of glycosylation of recombinant protein in CHO cells
Authors: Burleigh Susan C , van de Laar Teun , Stroop Corné JM , van Grunsven Wout MJ , O'Donoghue Niaobh , Rudd Pauline M , Davey Gavin P
Published: November 2011

Background

The glycosylation of recombinant proteins can be altered by a range of parameters including cellular metabolism, metabolic flux and the efficiency of the glycosylation process. We present an experimental set-up that allows determination of these key processes associated with the control of N-linked glycosylation of recombinant proteins.

Results

Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) were cultivated in shake flasks at 0 mM glutamine and displayed a reduced growth rate, glucose metabolism and a slower decrease in pH, when compared to other glutamine-supplemented cultures. The N-linked glycosylation of recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) was also altered under these conditions; the sialylation, fucosylation and antennarity decreased, while the proportion of neutral structures increased. A continuous culture set-up was subsequently used to understand the control of HCG glycosylation in the presence of varied glutamine concentrations; when glycolytic flux was reduced in the absence of glutamine, the glycosylation changes that were observed in shake flask culture were similarly detected. The intracellular content of UDP-GlcNAc was also reduced, which correlated with a decrease in sialylation and antennarity of the N-linked glycans attached to HCG.

Conclusions

The use of metabolic flux analysis illustrated a case of steady state multiplicity, where use of the same operating conditions at each steady state resulted in altered flux through glycolysis and the TCA cycle. This study clearly demonstrated that the control of glycoprotein microheterogeneity may be examined by use of a continuous culture system, metabolic flux analysis and assay of intracellular nucleotides. This system advances our knowledge of the relationship between metabolic flux and the glycosylation of biotherapeutics in CHO cells and will be of benefit to the bioprocessing industry.