bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pénétrer le monde des morts
Authors: Kerestetzi Katerina
Published: July 2013

L’objectif de cet article est de proposer une réflexion sur la constitution de l’identité rituelle dans le palo monte. Pour devenir palero, c’est-à-dire adepte de ce culte cubain d’influence bantoue, le prétendant scelle un pacte rituel avec un genre particulier d’esprits des morts aux pouvoirs exceptionnels, que l’on nomme nfumbis. Les pratiquants considèrent que leur puissance ou efficacité magique découle directement de leur degré d’intimité avec ces morts, au point que les plus investis d’entre eux passent l’essentiel de leur temps à leurs côtés, au détriment, parfois, de la compagnie des vivants. Cet article démontrera que les jalons du développement de cette intimité sont posés dès les premières phases initiatiques, en particulier au travers de certains actes rituels qui agissent dans le sens d'une convergence ontologique entre le mort et le vivant. Ensuite, nous verrons comment, dans la vie quotidienne, le rapport entre les paleros et les nfumbis, initialement contractuel et utilitaire, gagne en densité et en complexité jusqu’à se lester de sentiments tels que l’affection ou l’amour.
L’intégration d’étrangers dans la santería et le culte d’Ifá à La Havane
Authors: Gobin Emma
Published: July 2013

La santería et le culte d’Ifá cubain connaissent une situation d’expansion croissante. Depuis les années 1990, nombreux sont les étrangers, (Latino‑)Américains ou Européens, qui se rendent dans l’île à des fins initiatiques et rituelles. Cet article se propose de considérer les implications de ce phénomène sur les pratiques locales. Il revient ainsi sur les logiques qui guident la construction d’une trajectoire de spécialiste pour ensuite envisager la façon dont l’intégration d’étrangers dans la pratique influe sur la construction interactionnelle, parfois concurrentielle, des statuts personnels de même que sur le développement des relations à soi et aux autres chez les prêtres de la santería et d’Ifá. Deux échelles d’analyse sont dégagées pour cela : celle du « commun » des initiés, celle d’« élites » érudites et/ou politisées. Toutes deux permettent non seulement d’appréhender certaines dynamiques de pouvoir mais aussi de mettre en évidence des logiques structurelles d’innovation et d’intenses processus réflexifs. Inhérents à la dynamique du culte, ceux-ci se voient en partie favorisés par cette nouvelle situation.
« Ilé Tuntun » à La Havane
Authors: Konen Alain
Published: July 2013

Cet article propose une ethnographie de la « maison-temple » Ilé Tuntun à La Havane, dirigée par le babalawo (prêtre-devin du rite Ifá) Frank Obeché. Cette dernière a pour objectif, avec l’aide de dignitaires politiques et religieux yoruba, de retisser les liens perdus à l’Afrique et de réformer la pratique du rite Ifá à Cuba. La spécificité de son projet réside dans la transformation du rite cubain, dont l’organisation est acéphale, en un rite subordonné à l’autorité de Frank Obeché et du souverain yoruba d’Ifé (Nigeria). En revenant sur l’histoire de l’esclavage, en refusant le syncrétisme et en transformant la pratique divinatoire sur laquelle le rite Ifá repose, Ilé Tuntun introduit en réalité une nouvelle modalité du culte des ancêtres, sous la forme notamment d’un festival annuel et de l’adoption d’un calendrier « yoruba ». Si la démarche met en jeu une certaine continuité avec des tentatives similaires passées, elle remet explicitement en question la légitimité des babalawo cubains, ce qui suscite leur défiance. Ilé Tuntun provoque ainsi le débat tout en possédant une véritable visibilité à La Havane.
Ethnography and Religious Anthropology of Cuba: Historical and Bibliographical Landmarks
Authors: Gobin Emma , Morel Géraldine
Published: July 2013

The development that Cuban studies are undergoing today, particularly the ethnographic study of religious practices usually characterised as “of African origin”, is no coincidence. This introductory paper offers an overview of the socio-historical conditions that have favoured this renaissance, placing them in the Cuban ideological and political context. In order to establish a few reference points in a field of research that has become particularly dynamic, it also outlines some important trends in the scholarship on Cuban religions and briefly lists and comments on recent studies. Whether produced in Europe, the United-States or Cuba itself, these works often attest to distinct orientations which this introduction broadly touches upon before delving into the main features of the ‘Afro-Cuban’ religious field and the research themes emerging from this collection, which also reflect some important approaches of contemporary anthropology of religion.
Repeated Systemic Administrations of Both Aminobisphosphonates and Human Vγ9Vδ2 T Cells Efficiently Control Tumor Development In Vivo
Authors: Santolaria Thibault , Robard Myriam , Léger Alexandra , Catros Véronique , Bonneville Marc , Scotet Emmanuel
Published: July 2013

Peripheral Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes compose a major γδ T cell subset in primates with broad reactivity against tumor cells. Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are specifically activated by phosphorylated isoprenoid pathway metabolites called “phosphoagonists.” Accordingly, pharmacologic inhibitors of the mevalonate pathway, such as aminobisphosphonates (NBP) that upregulate the intracellular production of phosphoagonists, increase antitumor Vγ9Vδ2 T cell responses. Immunotherapeutic protocols exploiting GMP-grade agonist molecules targeting human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes have yielded promising, yet limited, signs of antitumor efficacy and therefore need to be improved for next-generation immunotherapies. In this study, we used a model of s.c. human tumor xenografts in severely immunodeficient mice to assess the antitumor efficacy of systemic NBP treatments when combined with the adoptive transfer of human Vγ9Vδ2 T cells. We show that infusion of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, 24 h after systemic NBP treatment, efficiently delays tumor growth in mice. Importantly, our results indicate efficient but transient in vivo NBP-induced sensitization of tumor cells to human Vγ9Vδ2–T cell recognition. Accordingly, repeated and combined administrations of both NBP and γδ T cells yielded improved antitumor responses in vivo. Because Vγ9Vδ2 T cells show similar responsiveness toward both autologous and allogeneic tumors and are devoid of alloreactivity, these results provide preclinical proof of concept for optimized antitumor immunotherapies combining NBP treatment and adoptive transfer of allogeneic human γδ T cells.
Association of Progesterone, Pessary, and Antibiotic for Treating Pregnant Woman with Short Cervix Syndrome: Importance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment of Pessary Position
Authors: Júnior Edward Araujo , Santana Eduardo Félix Martins , Nardozza Luciano Marcondes Machado , Moron Antonio Fernandes
Published: July 2013

Preterm delivery (PD) is the most important cause of neonatal mortality, particularly before the 32nd week of pregnancy. A short cervix is the most important quantitative marker for predicting PD. However, there are other qualitative markers such as cervical gland area, cervical funneling, and sludge. We present the case of a pregnant woman who was diagnosed with a short cervix at 14-weeks and demonstrate the use of triple therapy, which helped to achieve a good perinatal result. A 37-year-old pregnant woman (G3P0) was referred to our service at 14-weeks of pregnancy presenting with a short cervix (20 mm) and a positive sludge sign. She was hospitalized; a pessary was inserted, and started on antibiotic therapy (clindamycin and cefalotin for 10 days). At 20 weeks, she was again admitted to the hospital, and this time presented with a further shortened cervix (9 mm), cervical funneling, and a positive sludge sign, with the pessary in position. The following procedures were performed: Amniocentesis on the sludge (negative bacterioscopy), another cycle of antibiotics, administration of oral progesterone, and imaging to determine retention of pessary position. The patient was placed in the Trendelenburg position and remained hospitalized for 82 days. At 32 + 1 weeks, the fetus presented distress (tachycardia). C-section was performed, producing a live female newborn weighing 2,180 g and presenting Apgar indexes of 8/8. This case report demonstrates the importance of magnetic resonance imaging to assess the position of pessary in a pregnant woman with short cervix.
Hantavirus Fever without Pulmonary Syndrome in Panama
Authors: Armien Blas , Pascale Juan M. , Muñoz Carlos , Mariñas Jamileth , Núñez Heydy , Herrera Milagro , Trujillo José , Sánchez Deyanira , Mendoza Yaxelis , Hjelle Brian , Koster Frederick
Published: July 2013

In Panama, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is caused by Choclo virus, a species phylogenetically related to Andes and Maporal viruses. Up to 60% of the population has been positive for specific serum antibody in community-based surveys, but mortality is very uncommon. In four western Panama clinics, we tested individuals presenting with a severe febrile prodrome for acute hantavirus (HV) infection by immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction as well as clinically similar infections, such as dengue and leptospirosis. From 2006 to 2009, at least 21% of 117 patients diagnosed with HV infection had HV Fever (HF) with no evidence of pulmonary edema (no respiratory distress or radiographic lung infiltrates), and 44% of patients had very mild HPS (radiographic pulmonary edema but no respiratory insufficiency). HV infection caused by Choclo virus in Panama presents often as HF, which contrasts with HV in the Americas but is consistent with the high seroprevalence in endemic regions.
Use of qPCR and Genomic Sequencing to Diagnose Plasmodium ovale wallikeri Malaria in a Returned Soldier in the Setting of a Negative Rapid Diagnostic Assay
Authors: Cohen Robert , Feghali Karla , Alemayehu Saba , Komisar Jack , Hang Jun , Weina Peter J. , Coggeshall Patricia , Kamau Edwin , Zapor Michael
Published: July 2013

Plasmodium ovale is one of several clinically relevant malaria species known to cause disease in humans. However, in contrast to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, which are responsible for most cases of human malaria, P. ovale has a wide distribution but low prevalence in tropical regions. Here, we report the case of a soldier returning from Liberia with P. ovale wallikeri malaria. This case highlights the limitations of both microscopy and the malaria rapid diagnostic test for diagnosing infection with P. ovale and for distinguishing P. ovale wallikeri from P. ovale curtisi. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in which quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification using the Cytochrome B gene, coupled with genomic sequencing of the potra locus, was used for definitive diagnosis of P. ovale wallikeri malaria.
Interpretation of observed microwave signatures from ground dual polarization radar and space multi frequency radiometer for the 2011 Grímsvötn volcanic eruption
Authors: Montopoli M. , Vulpiani G. , Cimini D. , Picciotti E. , Marzano F. S.
Published: July 2013

Abstract. The important role played by ground-based microwave weather radars for the monitoring of volcanic ash clouds has been recently demonstrated. The potential of microwaves from satellite passive and ground-based active sensors to estimate near-source volcanic ash cloud parameters has been also proposed, though with little investigation of their synergy and the role of the radar polarimetry. The goal of this work is to show the potentiality and drawbacks of the X-band Dual Polarization radar measurements (DPX) through the data acquired during the latest Grímsvötn volcanic eruptions that took place on May 2011 in Iceland. The analysis is enriched by the comparison between DPX data and the observations from the satellite Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) and a C-band Single Polarization (SPC) radar. SPC, DPX, and SSMIS instruments cover a large range of the microwaves spectrum, operating respectively at 5.4, 3.2, and 0.16–1.6 cm wavelengths. The multi-source comparison is made in terms of Total Columnar Concentration (TCC). The latter is estimated from radar observables using the "Volcanic Ash Radar Retrieval for dual-Polarization X band systems" (VARR-PX) algorithm and from SSMIS brightness temperature (BT) using a linear BT–TCC relationship. The BT–TCC relationship has been compared with the analogous relation derived from SSMIS and SPC radar data for the same case study. Differences between these two linear regression curves are mainly attributed to an incomplete observation of the vertical extension of the ash cloud, a coarser spatial resolution and a more pronounced non-uniform beam filling effect of SPC measurements (260 km far from the volcanic vent) with respect to the DPX (70 km from the volcanic vent). Results show that high-spatial-resolution DPX radar data identify an evident volcanic plume signature, even though the interpretation of the polarimetric variables and the related retrievals is not always straightforward, likely due to the possible formation of ash and ice particle aggregates and the radar signal depolarization induced by turbulence effects. The correlation of the estimated TCCs derived from DPX and SSMIS BTs reaches −0.73.
Ammonia emissions from deciduous forest after leaf fall
Authors: Hansen K. , Sørensen L. L. , Hertel O. , Geels C. , Skjøth C. A. , Jensen B. , Boegh E.
Published: July 2013

Abstract. The understanding of biochemical feedback mechanisms in the climate system is lacking knowledge in relation to bi-directional ammonia (NH3) exchange between natural ecosystems and the atmosphere. We therefore study the atmospheric NH3 fluxes during a 25-day period during autumn 2010 (21 October to 15 November) for the Danish beech forest Lille Bøgeskov to address the hypothesis that NH3 emissions occur from deciduous forests in relation to leaf fall. This is accomplished by using observations of vegetation status, NH3 fluxes and model calculations. Vegetation status was observed using plant area index (PAI) and leaf area index (LAI). NH3 fluxes were measured using the relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) method. The REA-based NH3 concentrations were compared to NH3 denuder measurements. Model calculations of the atmospheric NH3 concentration were obtained with the Danish Ammonia MOdelling System (DAMOS). The relative contribution from the forest components to the atmospheric NH3 flux was assessed using a simple two-layer bi-directional canopy compensation point model. A total of 57.7% of the fluxes measured showed emission and 19.5% showed deposition. A clear tendency of the flux going from deposition of −0.25 ± 0.30 μg NH3-N m−2 s−1 to emission of up to 0.67 ± 0.28 μg NH3-N m−2 s−1 throughout the measurement period was found. In the leaf fall period (23 October to 8 November), an increase in the atmospheric NH3 concentrations was related to the increasing forest NH3 flux. Following leaf fall, the magnitude and temporal structure of the measured NH3 emission fluxes could be adequately reproduced with the bi-directional resistance model; it suggested the forest ground layer (soil and litter) to be the main contributing component to the NH3 emissions. The modelled concentration from DAMOS fits well the measured concentrations before leaf fall, but during and after leaf fall, the modelled concentrations are too low. The results indicate that the missing contribution to atmospheric NH3 concentration from vegetative surfaces related to leaf fall are of a relatively large magnitude. We therefore conclude that emissions from deciduous forests are important to include in model calculations of atmospheric NH3 for forest ecosystems. Finally, diurnal variations in the measured NH3 concentrations were related to meteorological conditions, forest phenology and the spatial distribution of local anthropogenic NH3 sources. This suggests that an accurate description of ammonia fluxes over forest ecosystems requires a dynamic description of atmospheric and vegetation processes.
Greenland accumulation and its connection to the large-scale atmospheric circulation in ERA-Interim and paleo-climate simulations
Authors: Merz N. , Raible C. C. , Fischer H. , Varma V. , Prange M. , Stocker T. F.
Published: July 2013

Abstract. Accumulation and aerosol chemistry records from Greenland ice cores offer the potential to reconstruct variability in Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation over the last millennia. However, an important prerequisite for a reconstruction is the stable relationship between local accumulation at the ice core site with the respective circulation pattern throughout the reconstruction period. We address this stability issue by using a comprehensive climate model and performing time-slice simulations for the present, the pre-industrial, the early Holocene and the last glacial maximum (LGM). The relationships between accumulation, precipitation and atmospheric circulation are investigated on on various time-scales. The analysis shows that the relationship between local accumulation on the Greenland ice sheet and the large-scale circulation undergoes a significant seasonal cycle. As the weights of the individual seasons change, annual mean accumulation variability is not necessarily related to the same atmospheric circulation patterns during the different climate states. Within a season, local Greenland accumulation variability is indeed linked to a consistent circulation pattern, which is observed for all studied climate periods, even for the LGM, however these circulation patterns are specific for different regions on the Greenland ice sheet. The simulated impact of orbital forcing and changes in the ice-sheet topography on accumulation exhibits strong spatial variability emphasizing that accumulation records from different ice core sites cannot be expected to look alike since they include a distinct local signature. Accumulation changes between different climate periods are dominated by changes in the amount of snowfall and are driven by both thermodynamic and dynamic factors. The thermodynamic impact determines the strength of the hydrological cycle, and warmer temperatures are generally accompanied by an increase in Greenland precipitation. Dynamical drivers of accumulation changes are the large-scale circulation and the local orography having a distinct influence on the local flow characteristic and hence the amount of precipitation deposited in any Greenland region.
Western Faculty Profile: Dr. Alp Sener
Authors: Gupta Himanshu , Tan Alice
Published: July 2013

Dr. Alp Sener is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Microbiology and Immunology at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. A Schulich Clinician Scientist with a unique vision of integrating both basic science and clinical research, Dr. Sener works on prolonging renal graft survival through minimizing post-transplant graft rejection and developing techniques to preserve donor tissue. WURJ members, Himanshu Gupta and Alice Tan, had the opportunity to interview him and investigate his career and research.
The Polish Duel and Its Last Apologia: Władysław Boziewicz’s Polski kodeks honorowy (The Polish Code of Honor)
Authors: Swan Oscar
Published: July 2013

The "code of honor" as most people know it is a set of assumptions and expectations about what a person is entitled–indeed, is obliged by social custom–to do when "insulted" in order to preserve his personal self-respect and public dignity. In a word, to defend his "honor"–leading in more serious instances (nowadays, mostly in novels and films) to challenging one’s offender to a duel. However, few in our time would know how to stage a duel if called upon to do so. The Polski kodeks honorowy [Polish code of honor], a slim volume (suitable, say, for tucking into one’s weapons case) by Władysław Boziewicz (1886-1946), is the last and by far the best-written formal codification of the system of dueling growing out of centuries of practice on the territory of Poland. Like almost no other, it is a work that needs to be examined in the context of the country and of the times in which the author lived, that is, interwar Poland.
Quel processus d’apprentissage de la gestion du fait religieux dans les entreprises françaises ?
Authors: Galindo Géraldine , Surply Joëlle
Published: July 2013

Les débats sur la question religieuse s’inscrivent en France dans la sphère publique comme en entreprise. Ainsi, dans le monde professionnel, certains salariés présentent-ils des revendications de nature religieuse. L’objectif de cette recherche exploratoire vise à analyser le processus d’intégration du fait religieux dans les pratiques de management des grandes entreprises françaises, selon la perspective développée par les théories de l’apprentissage. Nous identifions différents niveaux, différentes phases, le recours à une instrumentation permettant d’appréhender la gestion du fait religieux selon divers processus d’apprentissage influencés, tant au plan organisationnel que professionnel, par la place conférée à l’intime par les managers, salariés, dirigeants.
Exemple de pratique de gestion de la diversité à la française : réalité, opportunité et aliénation
Authors: Marbot Eléonore , Nivet Brigitte
Published: July 2013

Depuis une décennie, les entreprises mettent en oeuvre des pratiques de diversité. La célébration de la diversité envahit toutes les sphères sociétales en faisant évoluer la notion et les pratiques de gestion de la diversité « à la française » : L’égalité républicaine reconnaît la diversité mais par abstraction de toutes les différences (Renaut, 2009) et se transforme en une injonction paradoxale, valoriser les différences et ne pas les prendre en compte. Cette contribution est une réflexion sur l’émergence de cette notion de diversité comme principe de gestion dans les organisations à travers un inventaire des pratiques de gestion et leur analyse et au regard de la conception républicaine de l’égalité.
La mise en oeuvre d’une démarche diversité en PME – Quelques enseignements d’un centre d’appel spécialisé
Authors: Naschberger Christine , Guerfel-Henda Sana
Published: July 2013

Dans cette publication nous souhaitons aborder la question de la diversité sous l’angle d’une petite et moyenne entreprise (PME). Il est souvent évoqué que les démarches diversité dans des PME sont différentes de celles des grandes entreprises. L’objectif de cet article est tout d’abord de montrer que les PME s’engagent également et que leurs approches ne sont pas aussi éloignées de celles des grands groupes. D’un point de vue théorique, nous souhaitons démontrer à travers une étude empirique, que l’intégration de la diversité peut emmener les entreprises de petite et moyenne taille d’une approche traditionnelle en ressources humaines (RH) vers une approche renouvelée dite stratégique.
Developing Higher Education in South Wales: The Emergence of the Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute
Authors: Saunders Danny , Marshall Helen , Cowe Francis , Payne Robert , Rogers Andrew
Published: July 2013

This case study outlines the emergence of a large higher education partnership in a sub-region of Wales which has for many years been associated with a low skills stereotype involving unemployment, poverty and deprivation. It contextualises the difficulties and challenges of 2008 – the time when the Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute (UHOVI) emerged as a viable programme for change with an ambition to recruit 1,663 local students by 2013. The case study reviews historical and contemporary developments, arguing that the people and places of the heads of the valleys cannot be written off or ghettoised; instead there is strength and potential through building lifelong learning communities that draw on economic, social and cultural practices.
Towards the Construction of a Personal Professional Pathway: An Experimental Project for the Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning in the University of Catania
Authors: Piazza Roberta
Published: July 2013

In Italy, accreditation of prior learning is a sensitive issue. Despite the lack of laws or qualification frameworks regulating the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, most Italian universities proceed with caution, allowing only a restricted number of credits in the university curriculum related to practical activities or to external internships.

The Faculty of Education of the University of Catania, partner in a Leonardo da Vinci project (2008–2010) regarding university placement services, has created an e-learning course for self-evaluation of non-formal and informal learning. The course, aimed at students attending their final year of a first level degree, has been set up as a support activity for students with low possibilities of entering the job market and not used to making the most of their learning experiences, especially if related to non-formal and informal settings. Ninety percent of these students are women from a low socio-cultural background with little experience or other qualifications.

To date, modules have offered students useful tools to increase personal awareness in careers guidance, since the University of Catania cannot offer its students alternative opportunities.
TRiC’s tricks inhibit huntingtin aggregation
Authors: Shahmoradian Sarah H , Galaz-Montoya Jesus G , Schmid Michael F , Cong Yao , Ma Boxue , Spiess Christoph , Frydman Judith , Ludtke Steven J , Chiu Wah
Published: July 2013

In Huntington’s disease, a mutated version of the huntingtin protein leads to cell death. Mutant huntingtin is known to aggregate, a process that can be inhibited by the eukaryotic chaperonin TRiC (TCP1-ring complex) in vitro and in vivo. A structural understanding of the genesis of aggregates and their modulation by cellular chaperones could facilitate the development of therapies but has been hindered by the heterogeneity of amyloid aggregates. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) and single particle cryo-electron tomography (SPT) we characterize the growth of fibrillar aggregates of mutant huntingtin exon 1 containing an expanded polyglutamine tract with 51 residues (mhttQ51), and resolve 3-D structures of the chaperonin TRiC interacting with mhttQ51. We find that TRiC caps mhttQ51 fibril tips via the apical domains of its subunits, and also encapsulates smaller mhtt oligomers within its chamber. These two complementary mechanisms provide a structural description for TRiC’s inhibition of mhttQ51 aggregation in vitro.
Hypothemycin, a fungal natural product, identifies therapeutic targets in Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Nishino Mari , Choy Jonathan W , Gushwa Nathan N , Oses-Prieto Juan A , Koupparis Kyriacos , Burlingame Alma L , Renslo Adam R , McKerrow James H , Taunton Jack
Published: July 2013

Protein kinases are potentially attractive therapeutic targets for neglected parasitic diseases, including African trypanosomiasis caused by the protozoan, Trypanosoma brucei. How to prioritize T. brucei kinases and quantify their intracellular engagement by small-molecule inhibitors remain unsolved problems. Here, we combine chemoproteomics and RNA interference to interrogate trypanosome kinases bearing a Cys-Asp-Xaa-Gly motif (CDXG kinases). We discovered that hypothemycin, a fungal polyketide previously shown to covalently inactivate a subset of human CDXG kinases, kills T. brucei in culture and in infected mice. Quantitative chemoproteomic analysis with a hypothemycin-based probe revealed the relative sensitivity of endogenous CDXG kinases, including TbGSK3short and a previously uncharacterized kinase, TbCLK1. RNAi-mediated knockdown demonstrated that both kinases are essential, but only TbCLK1 is fully engaged by cytotoxic concentrations of hypothemycin in intact cells. Our study identifies TbCLK1 as a therapeutic target for African trypanosomiasis and establishes a new chemoproteomic tool for interrogating CDXG kinases in their native context.
Peak Oil and Energy Independence: Myth and Reality
Authors: Murray James W. , Hansen Jim
Published: July 2013

Despite the recent uptick in production of natural gas and liquid fuels in the United States, increasing energy resource scarcity and reliance on unconventional fossil fuel sources will make energy independence for the nation very unlikely. Rather, geologists, economists, environmentalists, and resource managers are looking with interest at when the use of fossil fuels is expected to peak—will that occurrence be driven by the market or by supply? What level will emissions reach before this peak is reached?
The Clinical and Forensic Value of Information that Children Report While Drawing
Authors: Macleod Emily , Gross Julien , Hayne Harlene
Published: July 2013

Drawing is commonly used in clinical interviews to help children talk about their experiences. Research has shown that drawing increases the amount of information that children report about some emotional experiences. Here, we aimed to investigate the use of drawing in interviews about other, clinically relevant emotions, and the clinical and forensic relevance of the information that children report while drawing. To do this, sixty 5‐ to 6‐ and 11‐ to 12‐year‐olds drew and told, or told, about prior experiences that had made them feel happy, angry, proud (confident), and worried (nervous). For all emotions, drawing and telling increased the amount of forensically relevant, episodic details (e.g., who was there and what happened) that children reported relative to telling alone. In contrast, drawing and telling did not alter the amount of information that children reported about clinically relevant details (e.g., thoughts and emotions). We discuss the implications of these findings for using drawing in interviews with children. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gadolinium‐Functionalized Aggregation‐Induced Emission Dots as Dual‐Modality Probes for Cancer Metastasis Study
Authors: Li Kai , Ding Dan , Prashant Chandrasekharan , Qin Wei , Yang Chang‐Tong , Tang Ben Zhong , Liu Bin
Published: July 2013

Understanding the localization and engraftment of tumor cells at postintravasation stage of metastasis is of high importance in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Advanced fluorescent probes and facile methodologies for cell tracing play a key role in metastasis studies. In this work, we design and synthesize a dual‐modality imaging dots with both optical and magnetic contrast through integration of a magnetic resonance imaging reagent, gadolinium(III), into a novel long‐term cell tracing probe with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) in far‐red/near‐infrared region. The obtained fluorescent‐magnetic AIE dots have both high fluorescence quantum yield (25%) and T1 relaxivity (7.91 mM−1 s−1) in aqueous suspension. After further conjugation with a cell membrane penetrating peptide, the dual‐modality dots can be efficiently internalized into living cells. The gadolinium(III) allows accurate quantification of biodistribution of cancer cells via intraveneous injection, while the high fluorescence provides engraftment information of cells at single cellular level. The dual‐modality AIE dots show obvious synergistic advantages over either single imaging modality and hold great promises in advanced biomedical studies.
A compound heterozygote SLC26A2 mutation resulting in robin sequence, mild limbs shortness, accelerated carpal ossification, and multiple epiphysial dysplasia in two Brazilian sisters. A new intermediate phenotype between diastrophic dysplasia and recessive multiple epiphyseal dysplasia
Authors: Zechi‐Ceide Roseli Maria , Moura Priscila Padilha , Raskin Salmo , Richieri‐Costa Antonio , Guion‐Almeida Maria Leine
Published: July 2013

Mutations in solute carrier family 26 (sulfate transporter), member 2 (SLC26A2) gene result in a spectrum of autosomal recessive chondrodysplasias that range from the mildest recessive form of multiple epiphysial dysplasia (rMED) through the most common diastrophic dysplasia (DTD) to lethal atelosteogenesis type II and achondrogenesis IB. The clinical variability has been ascribed to quantitative effect of mutations of the sulfate transporter activity. Here we describe two Brazilian sisters, born to healthy and non consanguineous parents, with Robin sequence, mild shortening of upper and lower limbs, brachymetacarpalia/tarsalia, additional and accelerated carpal ossification, marked genu valgum, and multiple epiphysial dysplasia. This phenotype was intermediate between DTD and rMED, and both girls have a compound heterozygous mutations for the SLC26A2, a Finnish founder mutation (c.−26 + 2T>C), and R279W. This combination of mutations has been observed in individuals with different phenotypes, including DTD, DTD variant, and rMED. The distinct phenotype of our cases reinforces the hypothesis that other factors may be influencing the phenotype as previously suggested. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Simple Proline‐Derived Phosphine‐Thiazole Iridium Complexes for Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Trisubstituted Olefins
Authors: Yotapan Nattawut , Paptchikhine Alexander , Bera Milan , Avula Satya Kumar , Vilaivan Tirayut , Andersson Pher G.
Published: July 2013

Proline‐based phosphine‐thiazole/imidazole ligands have been synthesized and successfully applied in the homogeneous, iridium‐catalyzed, asymmetric hydrogenation of trisubstituted functionalized and unfunctionalized olefins. Five different sets of ligands were prepared then evaluated for their catalytic activity and enantioselectivity in asymmetric hydrogenation.
Surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis in cystic fibrosis: a systematic review
Authors: Liang Jonathan , Higgins Thomas S. , Ishman Stacey L. , Boss Emily F. , Benke James R. , Lin Sandra Y.
Published: July 2013

Background

The objective of this work was to systematically review literature on the effectiveness of surgical management for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

Methods

We performed a literature search encompassing the last 25 years in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Inclusion criteria included English language papers containing original data, more than 6 subjects, and measurable clinical outcomes. Data was systematically collected on study design, patient demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes, and level‐of‐evidence. Two investigators independently reviewed all manuscripts. A quality assessment of the included studies was performed.

Results

The initial search yielded 416 abstracts, of which 24 articles met inclusion criteria, detailing 680 adult and pediatric CF patients who underwent surgical therapy. Surgical treatment included primarily endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) (22/24). Outcome measures included sinonasal symptoms (14/24), endoscopic findings (8/24), pulmonary function testing (8/24), recurrence or revision surgery (5/24), hospitalization (4/24), need for antibiotic therapy (2/24), radiographic findings (2/24), and pulmonary exacerbations (1/24). The level‐of‐evidence was predominantly Level 4 (21/24); there were no Level 1 evidence studies. Most studies found improvement in symptom measures and endoscopic findings but no improvement in lower airway function after surgical therapy. Postoperative measures of the other outcomes were inconclusive or inconsistent.

Conclusion

For adult and pediatric CF sinusitis, ESS yielded clinical improvement as measured primarily by sinonasal symptoms and endoscopic findings. It is unclear if surgical intervention modifies lower airway disease. Future prospective studies with predetermined, objective, and validated outcome measures are needed to determine the effectiveness of surgical intervention for CF‐related CRS. Overall evidence Grade B/C.
Aggregation of neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis kindreds: A population‐based case–control cohort study of familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Byrne Susan , Heverin Mark , Elamin Marwa , Bede Peter , Lynch Catherine , Kenna Kevin , MacLaughlin Russell , Walsh Cathal , Al Chalabi Ammar , Hardiman Orla
Published: July 2013

Objective

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 14% of cases. Five percent report a family history of ALS, and other ALS patients report a family history of other neurodegenerative diseases. The objective of this study was to conduct a family aggregation study of ALS, and neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions in ALS kindreds and matched healthy controls. The aim was to determine the true rate of familial ALS and the recurrence risk of ALS in family members, and to identify kindreds with increased aggregation of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease in the context of the recently described expanded hexanucleotide repeat in C9orf72.

Methods

A prospective, population‐based, case–control family aggregation study was conducted. Family history information was collected through questionnaires and interviews from ALS patients and matched controls. Cause of death was verified with death certification. The recurrence rate of ALS and the risk in family members of other neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease was calculated using the relative risk (lambda) and cumulative risk using Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

Medical histories from 9,684 first‐ and second‐degree relatives of 172 ALS probands and 192 controls were obtained. Cause of death was verified in 2,494 cases. Sixteen percent (n = 27) of ALS patients had a family history of ALS. The lifetime hazard ratio (HR) of developing ALS among first‐ and second‐degree relatives was 34.3 (p < 0.0001) in relatives of ALS patients with the C9orf72 repeat expansion, and 2.3 (p = 0.019) in relatives of ALS patients without the expansion. The relatives of ALS patients also had an increased HR of developing a psychotic illness (HR = 4.7, p = 0.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6–12.3) and of suicide (HR = 5.6, p < 0.0001, 95% CI = 2.4–12.9)

Interpretation

The true rate of familial ALS in Ireland is 16%. There is an overlap between ALS, FTD, and neuropsychiatric disease that is pronounced in kindreds with the C9orf72 repeat expansion, but is also present in kindreds of those without the C9orf72 expanded repeat. Ann Neurol 2013;74:699–708
Elevated Serum BAFF Levels Are Associated With Rising Anti–Double‐Stranded DNA Antibody Levels and Disease Flare Following B Cell Depletion Therapy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Carter Lucy M. , Isenberg David A. , Ehrenstein Michael R.
Published: July 2013

Objective

To determine whether serum BAFF levels correlate with relapse or remission in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) following B cell depletion therapy (BCDT) and to assess the relationship between serum BAFF levels, B cell numbers, and immunoglobulin and autoantibody levels during active disease, both before and after BCDT.

Methods

Thirty‐five patients with active SLE underwent BCDT with rituximab and were monitored for a minimum of 18 months, using clinical and serologic measures of disease activity. Serum BAFF was measured sequentially by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay before BCDT and during disease relapse or remission after B cell repopulation.

Results

Serum BAFF levels prior to BCDT correlated positively with the numbers of CD19+ B cells and with the levels of IgG and IgA. Following BCDT and subsequent B cell repopulation, BAFF levels were significantly higher during relapse, as compared with disease remission, and were significantly greater than at disease flare prior to BCDT. At the time of relapse after BCDT, serum BAFF levels were inversely correlated with B cell numbers, with flare at lower B cell numbers being associated with the highest BAFF levels. The correlations between serum BAFF levels and levels of IgG and IgA were lost following BCDT, but changes in serum BAFF levels correlated positively with changes in anti–double‐stranded DNA (anti‐dsDNA) antibody levels during relapse or remission after BCDT.

Conclusion

The present findings suggest a significant role of BAFF in driving disease flare after B cell repopulation following BCDT. Sequential BCDT may promote ever‐increasing levels of BAFF, accompanied by rising anti‐dsDNA antibody levels and disease flare even at low B cell numbers. Therefore, our data justify the judicious use of BAFF blockade in a subgroup of lupus patients after BCDT.
Ethical Challenges in Rheumatology: A Survey of the American College of Rheumatology Membership
Authors: MacKenzie C. Ronald , Meltzer Michele , Kitsis Elizabeth A. , Mancuso Carol A.
Published: July 2013

Objective

Despite the frequency of ethical issues arising in patient care, ethical discourse in the rheumatology literature is negligible. To better understand the scope of ethical problems occurring in our specialty, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest surveyed ACR members. Specific objectives of the survey were 1) to learn the perceived frequency of ethical issues in rheumatology, 2) to identify activities that pose ethical problems in rheumatologic practice, 3) to determine the extent of education on, and self‐perceived knowledge about, ethics among ACR members, and 4) to determine member interest in, and suggest content for, future ACR‐sponsored educational activities related to bioethics.

Methods

The survey included 12 non–open‐ended questions addressing 5 core areas: 1) ethical dilemmas in daily practice, 2) ethical concerns in basic and clinical research, 3) influence of industry, 4) ethics of regulatory policies, potential conflicts, and disclosure, and 5) personal education on and interest in ethics. Two open‐ended questions were also included, asking respondents to list the ethical issues most relevant to rheumatology and to provide any comments. Data analysis was descriptive.

Results

Seven hundred seventy‐one responses were received. Respondents believed that ethical issues arise most frequently in practice and in clinical research. The most common ethical issues cited were the high cost of treatment for patients (51% of respondents) and for society (48%), and the practice of defensive medicine (45%).

Conclusion

The survey results suggest that ethical problems in rheumatology are of concern to the ACR membership. Further, there is a perceived need for educational programs targeted at helping members address such professional challenges.
Combining fiber dissection, plastination, and tractography for neuroanatomical education: Revealing the cerebellar nuclei and their white matter connections
Authors: Arnts Hisse , Kleinnijenhuis Michiel , Kooloos Jan G.M. , Schepens‐Franke Annelieke N. , van Cappellen van Walsum Anne‐Marie
Published: July 2013

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in white matter anatomy of the human brain. With advances in brain imaging techniques, the significance of white matter integrity for brain function has been demonstrated in various neurological and psychiatric disorders. As the demand for interpretation of clinical and imaging data on white matter increases, the needs for white matter anatomy education are changing. Because cross‐sectional images and formalin‐fixed brain specimens are often insufficient in visualizing the complexity of three‐dimensional (3D) white matter anatomy, obtaining a comprehensible conception of fiber tract morphology can be difficult. Fiber dissection is a technique that allows isolation of whole fiber pathways, revealing 3D structural and functional relationships of white matter in the human brain. In this study, we describe the use of fiber dissection in combination with plastination to obtain durable and easy to use 3D white matter specimens that do not require special care or conditions. The specimens can be used as a tool in teaching white matter anatomy and structural connectivity. We included four human brains and show a series of white matter specimens of both cerebrum and cerebellum focusing on the cerebellar nuclei and associated white matter tracts, as these are especially difficult to visualize in two‐dimensional specimens and demonstrate preservation of detailed human anatomy. Finally, we describe how the integration of white matter specimens with radiological information of new brain imaging techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging tractography can be used in teaching modern neuroanatomy with emphasis on structural connectivity. Anat Sci Educ. 7: 47–55. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.
Full‐text citation analysis: A new method to enhance scholarly networks
Authors: Liu Xiaozhong , Zhang Jinsong , Guo Chun
Published: July 2013

In this article, we use innovative full‐text citation analysis along with supervised topic modeling and network‐analysis algorithms to enhance classical bibliometric analysis and publication/author/venue ranking. By utilizing citation contexts extracted from a large number of full‐text publications, each citation or publication is represented by a probability distribution over a set of predefined topics, where each topic is labeled by an author‐contributed keyword. We then used publication/citation topic distribution to generate a citation graph with vertex prior and edge transitioning probability distributions. The publication importance score for each given topic is calculated by PageRank with edge and vertex prior distributions. To evaluate this work, we sampled 104 topics (labeled with keywords) in review papers. The cited publications of each review paper are assumed to be “important publications” for the target topic (keyword), and we use these cited publications to validate our topic‐ranking result and to compare different publication‐ranking lists. Evaluation results show that full‐text citation and publication content prior topic distribution, along with the classical PageRank algorithm can significantly enhance bibliometric analysis and scientific publication ranking performance, comparing with term frequency–inverted document frequency (tf–idf), language model, BM25, PageRank, and PageRank + language model (p < .001), for academic information retrieval (IR) systems.
Parsimonious citer‐based measures: The artificial intelligence domain as a case study
Authors: Rokach Lior , Mitra Prasenjit
Published: July 2013

This article presents a new Parsimonious Citer‐Based Measure for assessing the quality of academic papers. This new measure is parsimonious as it looks for the smallest set of citing authors (citers) who have read a certain paper. The Parsimonious Citer‐Based Measure aims to address potential distortion in the values of existing citer‐based measures. These distortions occur because of various factors, such as the practice of hyperauthorship. This new measure is empirically compared with existing measures, such as the number of citers and the number of citations in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). The results show that the new measure is highly correlated with those two measures. However, the new measure is more robust against citation manipulations and better differentiates between prominent and nonprominent AI researchers than the above‐mentioned measures.