bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities of N‐[(5′‐Substituted‐2′‐phenyl‐1H‐indol‐3′‐yl)methylene]‐5H‐dibenzo[b,f]azepine‐5‐carbohydrazide Derivatives
Authors: Saundane Anand R. , Katkar Vijaykumar Tukaram , Vaijinath A. Verma
Published: October 2013

The main aim of the present study was to synthesize new leads with potential antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. As a part of systematic investigation of synthesis and biological activity, some new indole compounds 3a–c and 4a–c were prepared and screened for their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The antimicrobial evaluation of newly synthesized compounds was carried out by cup‐plate method. Antimicrobial activity results revealed that compound 4a showed promising activity against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and exhibited maximum inhibition against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus terreus, and Aspergillus flavus. The antioxidant activity was performed by three methods, namely, radical scavenging activity (RSA), ferric ions (Fe+3) reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and metal chelating activity by using Hatano’s, Oyaizu’s, and Dinis′ methods, respectively. Compound 4a showed promising RSA, FRAP, and metal chelating activity.
Matrix Sequences in terms of Padovan and Perrin Numbers
Authors: Yilmaz Nazmiye , Taskara Necati
Published: October 2013

The first main idea of this paper is to develop thematrix sequencesthat represent Padovan and Perrin numbers. Then, by taking into account matrix properties of these new matrix sequences, some behaviours of Padovan and Perrin numbers will be investigated. Moreover, some important relationships between Padovan and Perrin matrix sequences will be presented.
Calculation of Weighted Geometric Dilution of Precision
Authors: Chen Chien-Sheng , Chiu Yi-Jen , Lee Chin-Tan , Lin Jium-Ming
Published: October 2013

To achieve high accuracy in wireless positioning systems, both accurate measurements and good geometric relationship between the mobile device and the measurement units are required. Geometric dilution of precision (GDOP) is widely used as a criterion for selecting measurement units, since it represents the geometric effect on the relationship between measurement error and positioning determination error. In the calculation of GDOP value, the maximum volume method does not necessarily guarantee the selection of the optimal four measurement units with minimum GDOP. The conventional matrix inversion method for GDOP calculation demands a large amount of operation and causes high power consumption. To select the subset of the most appropriate location measurement units which give the minimum positioning error, we need to consider not only the GDOP effect but also the error statistics property. In this paper, we employ the weighted GDOP (WGDOP), instead of GDOP, to select measurement units so as to improve the accuracy of location. The handheld global positioning system (GPS) devices and mobile phones with GPS chips can merely provide limited calculation ability and power capacity. Therefore, it is very imperative to obtain WGDOP accurately and efficiently. This paper proposed two formations of WGDOP with less computation when four measurements are available for location purposes. The proposed formulae can reduce the computational complexity required for computing the matrix inversion. The simpler WGDOP formulae for both the 2D and the 3D location estimation, without inverting a matrix, can be applied not only to GPS but also to wireless sensor networks (WSN) and cellular communication systems. Furthermore, the proposed formulae are able to provide precise solution of WGDOP calculation without incurring any approximation error.
Glioblastoma Stem Cells Are Regulated by Interleukin-8 Signaling in a Tumoral Perivascular Niche
Authors: Infanger David W. , Cho YouJin , Lopez Brina S. , Mohanan Sunish , Liu S. Chris , Gursel Demirkan , Boockvar John A. , Fischbach Claudia
Published: October 2013

Glioblastoma multiforme contains a subpopulation of cancer stem–like cells (CSC) believed to underlie tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. Recent studies have localized CSCs in this disease adjacent to endothelial cells (EC) in what has been termed a perivascular niche, spurring investigation into the role of EC–CSC interactions in glioblastoma multiforme pathobiology. However, these studies have been limited by a lack of in vitro models of three-dimensional disease that can recapitulate the relevant conditions of the niche. In this study, we engineered a scaffold-based culture system enabling brain endothelial cells to form vascular networks. Using this system, we showed that vascular assembly induces CSC maintenance and growth in vitro and accelerates tumor growth in vivo through paracrine interleukin (IL)-8 signaling. Relative to conventional monolayers, endothelial cells cultured in this three-dimensional system not only secreted enhanced levels of IL-8 but also induced CSCs to upregulate the IL-8 cognate receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2, which collectively enhanced CSC migration, growth, and stemness properties. CXCR2 silencing in CSCs abolished the tumor-promoting effects of endothelial cells in vivo, confirming a critical role for this signaling pathway in GMB pathogenesis. Together, our results reveal synergistic interactions between endothelial cells and CSCs that promote the malignant properties of CSCs in an IL-8–dependent manner. Furthermore, our findings underscore the relevance of tissue-engineered cell culture platforms to fully analyze signaling mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Res; 73(23); 7079–89. ©2013 AACR.
Androgen Glucuronidation: An Unexpected Target for Androgen Deprivation Therapy, with Prognosis and Diagnostic Implications
Authors: Grosse Laurent , Pâquet Sophie , Caron Patrick , Fazli Ladan , Rennie Paul S. , Bélanger Alain , Barbier Olivier
Published: October 2013

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADTh) remains a mainstay of prostate cancer treatment, but its efficacy is bypassed by mechanisms that are not fully understood. In human prostate cancer cells, androgen glucuronidation, catalyzed by the two UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes UGT2B15 and UGT2B17, is the major androgen inactivation pathway. In this study, we investigated the effect of ADTh on androgen glucuronidation to evaluate its potential clinical utility for prostate cancer prognosis or therapy. UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 expression was evaluated in prostate cancer specimens from untreated or treated patients and in cell models of prostate cancer exposed to clinically relevant antiandrogens. UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 protein levels in prostate were increased after 5 months of ADTh when compared with specimens from untreated patients. UGT2B15 expression remained elevated for up to 12 months, but UGT2B17 returned to initial levels as soon as after 6 months. Several androgen receptor (AR) antagonists tested caused a dose- and time-dependent stimulation of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 expression and androgen glucuronidation in prostate cancer cell lines. The role of AR in these regulatory events was confirmed using AR-deficient LNCaP cells, in which UGT2B attenuation reduced the antiproliferative effects of AR pharmacologic antagonists. Through this combination of clinical and functional investigations, our work revealed that ADTh stimulates a local androgen metabolism in prostate cells, establishing a foundation to evaluate the potential of UGT2B15 and UGT2B17 as drug targets and/or molecular markers for ADTh responsiveness and maintenance in prostate cancer. Cancer Res; 73(23); 6963–71. ©2013 AACR.
In Vivo MAPK Reporting Reveals the Heterogeneity in Tumoral Selection of Resistance to RAF Inhibitors
Authors: Basile Kevin J. , Abel Ethan V. , Dadpey Neda , Hartsough Edward J. , Fortina Paolo , Aplin Andrew E.
Published: October 2013

Activation of the ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) confers resistance to the RAF inhibitors vemurafenib and dabrafenib in mutant BRAF-driven melanomas. Methods to understand how resistance develops are important to optimize the clinical use of RAF inhibitors in patients. Here, we report the development of a novel ERK1/2 reporter system that provides a noninvasive, quantitative, and temporal analysis of RAF inhibitor efficacy in vivo. Use of this system revealed heterogeneity in the level of ERK1/2 reactivation associated with acquired resistance to RAF inhibition. We identified several distinct novel and known molecular changes in resistant tumors emerging from treatment-naïve cell populations including BRAF V600E variants and HRAS mutation, both of which were required and sufficient for ERK1/2 reactivation and drug resistance. Our work offers an advance in understanding RAF inhibitor resistance and the heterogeneity in resistance mechanisms, which emerge from a malignant cell population. Cancer Res; 73(23); 7101–10. ©2013 AACR.
Neuropilin-2 Is Upregulated in Lung Cancer Cells during TGF-β1–Induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Nasarre Patrick , Gemmill Robert M. , Potiron Vincent A. , Roche Joëlle , Lu Xian , Barón Anna E. , Korch Christopher , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Lagana Alessandro , Howe Philip H. , Drabkin Harry A.
Published: October 2013

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its reversal, mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET), are fundamental processes involved in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. SEMA3F is a secreted semaphorin and tumor suppressor downregulated by TGF-β1 and ZEB1-induced EMT. Here, we report that neuropilin (NRP)-2, the high-affinity receptor for SEMA3F and a coreceptor for certain growth factors, is upregulated during TGF-β1–driven EMT in lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, NRP2 upregulation was TβRI dependent and SMAD independent, occurring mainly at a posttranscriptional level involving increased association of mRNA with polyribosomes. Extracellular signal—regulated kinase (ERK) and AKT inhibition blocked NRP2 upregulation, whereas RNA interference-mediated attenuation of ZEB1 reduced steady-state NRP2 levels. In addition, NRP2 attenuation inhibited TGF-β1–driven morphologic transformation, migration/invasion, ERK activation, growth suppression, and changes in gene expression. In a mouse xenograft model of lung cancer, NRP2 attenuation also inhibited locally invasive features of the tumor and reversed TGF-β1–mediated growth inhibition. In support of these results, human lung cancer specimens with the highest NRP2 expression were predominantly E-cadherin negative. Furthermore, the presence of NRP2 staining strengthened the association of E-cadherin loss with high-grade tumors. Together, our results demonstrate that NRP2 contributes significantly to TGF-β1–induced EMT in lung cancer. Cancer Res; 73(23); 7111–21. ©2013 AACR.
Molecular Pathways: SWI/SNF (BAF) Complexes Are Frequently Mutated in Cancer—Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Insights
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Haswell Jeffrey R. , Roberts Charles W.M.
Published: October 2013

SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are pleomorphic multisubunit cellular machines that utilize the energy of ATP hydrolysis to modulate chromatin structure. The complexes interact with transcription factors at promoters and enhancers to modulate gene expression and contribute to lineage specification, differentiation, and development. Initial clues to a role in tumor suppression for SWI/SNF complexes came over a decade ago when the gene encoding the SMARCB1/SNF5 core subunit was found specifically inactivated in nearly all pediatric rhabdoid tumors. In the last three years, cancer-genome sequencing efforts have revealed an unexpectedly high mutation rate of SWI/SNF subunit genes, which are collectively mutated in 20% of all human cancers and approach the frequency of p53 mutations. Here, we provide a background on these newly recognized tumor suppressor complexes, discuss mechanisms implicated in the tumor suppressor activity, and highlight findings that may lead to potential therapeutic targets for SWI/SNF-mutant cancers. Clin Cancer Res; 20(1); 21–27. ©2013 AACR.
KAVA Chalcone, Flavokawain A, Inhibits Urothelial Tumorigenesis in the UPII-SV40T Transgenic Mouse Model
Authors: Liu Zhongbo , Xu Xia , Li Xuesen , Liu Shuman , Simoneau Anne R. , He Feng , Wu Xue-Ru , Zi Xiaolin
Published: October 2013

Flavokawain A (FKA) is the predominant chalcone identified from the kava plant. We have previously shown that FKA preferentially inhibits the growth of p53 defective bladder cancer cell lines. Here, we examined whether FKA could inhibit bladder cancer development and progression in vivo in the UPII-SV40T transgenic model that resembles human urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) with defects in the p53 and the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein pathways. Genotyped UPII-SV40T mice were fed orally with vehicle control (AIN-93M) or FKA (6 g/kg food; 0.6%) for 318 days starting at 28 days of age. More than 64% of the male mice fed with FKA-containing food survived beyond 318 days of age, whereas only about 38% of the male mice fed with vehicle control food survived to that age (P = 0.0383). The mean bladder weights of surviving male transgenic mice with the control diet versus the FKA diet were 234.6 ± 72.5 versus 96.1 ± 69.4 mg (P = 0.0002). FKA was excreted primarily through the urinary tract and concentrated in the urine up to 8.4 μmol/L, averaging about 38 times (males) and 15 times (females) more concentrated than in the plasma (P = 0.0001). FKA treatment inhibited the occurrence of high-grade papillary UCC, a precursor to invasive urothelial cancer, by 42.1%. A decreased expression of Ki67, survivin, and X-linked inhibitor of apoptotic proteins (XIAP) and increased expression of p27 and DR5, and the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive apoptotic cells were observed in the urothelial tissue of FKA-fed mice. These results suggest a potential of FKA in preventing the recurrence and progression of non–muscle-invasive UCC. Cancer Prev Res; 6(12); 1365–75. ©2013 AACR.
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 Signaling Negatively Modulates Lymphatic Development in Vertebrate Embryos
Authors: Dunworth William P. , Cardona-Costa Jose , Bozkulak Esra Cagavi , Kim Jun-Dae , Meadows Stryder , Fischer Johanna C. , Wang Yeqi , Cleaver Ondine , Qyang Yibing , Ober Elke A. , Jin Suk-Won
Published: October 2013

Rationale:

The emergence of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) seems to be highly regulated during development. Although several factors that promote the differentiation of LECs in embryonic development have been identified, those that negatively regulate this process are largely unknown.

Objective:

Our aim was to delineate the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2 signaling in lymphatic development.

Methods and Results:

BMP2 signaling negatively regulates the formation of LECs. Developing LECs lack any detectable BMP signaling activity in both zebrafish and mouse embryos, and excess BMP2 signaling in zebrafish embryos and mouse embryonic stem cell–derived embryoid bodies substantially decrease the emergence of LECs. Mechanistically, BMP2 signaling induces expression of
miR-31
and
miR-181a
in a SMAD-dependent mechanism, which in turn results in attenuated expression of prospero homeobox protein 1 during development.

Conclusions:

Our data identify BMP2 as a key negative regulator for the emergence of the lymphatic lineage during vertebrate development.
The Semantics of בי״ן in the qal and hiphil
Authors: Garr W. Randall
Published: October 2013

Abstract

This paper argues that the morphological difference between qal and non-causative hiphil forms of בי״ן has a semantic correlate. The qal expresses perception, lower degrees of mental activity, and a lower degree of agentivity. It denotes sense-based perception, awareness, and cognizance The hiphil expresses a higher level of agentivity as well as a higher, more complex, and more demanding mental activity. It involves disentangling, decipherment, comprehension, as well as practical application.
Is Fear of the Lord the Source of Wisdom or Vice Versa?
Authors: Schwáb Zoltán
Published: October 2013

Abstract

Despite the diverse interpretations of Prov. 1:7; 9:10, and related verses, scholars have agreed on a crucial point: these verses teach that wisdom stems from the fear of the Lord. Stuart Weeks has challenged this consensus recently, claiming that the relationship works the other way: the fear of the Lord follows from wisdom. I will argue that much of Weeks’ critique of the “traditional” interpretation is correct. Nevertheless, I will also argue that, if it is put carefully, a certain form of the usual understanding of Prov. 1:7 and 9:10 can still be maintained.
Conversion and Autobiography: Telling Tales before the Roman Inquisition
Authors: Fosi Irene
Published: October 2013

Abstract

The goal of this article is to analyze the mechanisms used by Catholic Church authorities during the early modern period to control and repress heresies, as well as the ways in which foreign heretics were converted and eventually assimilated into local society when they came to Rome. Generally speaking, papal policies encouraged foreigners to hide their religious identity, with the aim of giving a superficial appearance of assimilation, in order to avoid any scandal. Although the guidelines established in papal bulls did allow for some exceptions, the high risk of being expelled or persecuted encouraged foreigners to present themselves before the Holy Office and disavow their religious beliefs. Their confessions before the tribunal were filed by the officials of the Inquisition according to stereotypes that filtered the memories of foreigners. How “genuine” were these stories? Do they simply respond to the expectations and manipulative tactics of the judges? The fragile boundary between true and false, between biography and autobiography, poses a question, one that always underlies any study on religious conversion: to what extent can we analyze the “real” motivations underlying any religious conversion?
Magic, Medicine and Authority in Mid-Seventeenth-Century Muscovy: Andreas Engelhardt (d. 1683) and the Role of the Western Physician at the Court of Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich, 1656-1666
Authors: Collis Robert
Published: October 2013

In Early Modern Europe court physicians exerted great influence in service to their royal patrons. These medical practitioners acted as learned conduits, whose knowledge of natural philosophy, which often included occult theories of healing, natural magic and astrology, was able to serve the broad interests of their patrons. Thus, in addition to being charged with maintaining the health of a ruler, physicians were often exploited by monarchs seeking to enhance the general health of their body politic.

This case study of the German physician Andreas Engelhardt examines his decade-long service in Moscow between 1656 and 1666 at the court of Aleksei Mikhailovich. This study of Engelhardt’s role at court at a time of increased Western influence in Muscovy aims to reveal how the tsar sought to utilize the learning of his German physician in a variety of ways. Engelhardt not only administered Western medical remedies, including the use of unicorn horns, to the royal family, but was also instructed to ascertain whether various Russian and Siberian folk remedies possessed beneficent qualities. This process of legitimization and containment of medical knowledge coincided with an attempt to suppress the authority of folk healers, thereby reflecting the autocratic nature of Aleksei Mikhailovich’s reign. Furthermore, this article demonstrates that the tsar drew on Engelhardt’s supposed expertise in astrology and divination in order to know how Muscovy would be affected by the appearance of a comet in the winter of 1664-1665.
The Magic of Others: Mari Witchcraft Reputations and Interethnic Relations in the Volga Region
Authors: Luehrmann Sonja
Published: October 2013

Starting from the portrayal of a Mari-speaking soothsayer in the recent Russian television series “Ivan Groznyi”, this essay asks what the Maris’ longstanding reputation for witchcraft tells us about interethnic relations in European Russia, and about the place of magic in Russia’s popular imaginaries. A Finno-Ugric-speaking group that served as a buffer between Muscovy and the Khanate of Kazan’ until it was brought under Moscow’s rule in the sixteenth century, the Mari have had a reputation for sorcery from early travelers’ accounts up until the twenty-first century. Such a reputation is shared by numerically small and militarily powerless subject populations around the world, and is often interpreted as a mechanism of exclusion. Looking at accounts from non-Mari residents of the Volga region of how they encountered and interacted with Mari magical powers during the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, I argue that at least in recent times, the reputation for sorcery does not constitute grounds for ostracism. Rather, it provides Maris with a niche in a local system of ethnic interdependence, and occasionally, with recognition at a national scale. In a situation where the definition of officially sanctioned religion is fluid and open to contestation, labeling the assumed powers of not-fully-Christianized people as “magic” helps incorporate them into a larger imaginary of spiritual agency, where boundaries between religious systems are less important than the movement between complementary ways of enlisting superhuman help. Representations of Mari witchcraft at a national and regional scale emphasize familiarity, not insurmountable strangeness, and thereby construct a narrative of Russian national strength as rooted in the state’s ability to incorporate and bridge multiple ways of knowing and being.
Verbal Charms Against Authorities and Judges in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Russia
Authors: Toporkov Andrei L.
Published: October 2013

In the 17-18th century Russian manuscript tradition there were no fewer than nine collections (sborniki) consisting of verbal charms that are exclusively or primarily addressed to social issues, and meant to have an effect on judges, military commanders, landowners, bureaucrats, and, not least, on the tsar himself and members of the royal family. The magical purpose of these verbal charms was to have an influence on authorities and judges, to alter the way they felt and their will, their mood and spiritual condition. The tradition of incantations if seen as a whole did not force a person to take this or that specific attitude toward the authorities, but rather offered the possibility of choice either to consider the object of the charm as an implacable foe, deserving of annihilation (if only symbolic), or as someone more positive, from whom love is coaxed. The first type led to the use of “bestial” imagery that was of pagan origin; these charms allowed for the sublimation of aggression and the feeling of social inferiority, channeling these into the creation of fantasy images. The second type makes use of Christian subjects and symbols. Turning to folkloric and then in turn to Christian images, a person would not necessarily contradict himself or play the hypocrite, but rather attempt to resolve on a symbolic plane those practical conflicts that occupied him in real life.
Russian Village Magic in the Late Soviet Period: One Woman’s Repertoire of Zagovory
Authors: Forrester Sibelan
Published: October 2013

This article gives a succinct introduction to the Russian verbal folk genre of the zagovor (spell, charm, or hex) and provides a set of seventeen zagovory given to the author’s informant in the early 1980s by an elderly village woman, accompanied by translations into English. The zagovor is at the heart of Russian folk healing, though it was suppressed in the Soviet period. This individual repertoire reflects the sources and uses of folk healing in the Soviet period and beyond.
CAMBIAL GROWTH PERIODICITY STUDIES OF SOUTH AMERICAN WOODY SPECIES – A REVIEW
Authors: Callado Cátia Henriques , Roig Fidel Alejandro , Tomazello-Filho Mário , Barros Claudia Franca
Published: October 2013

This paper reviews histological studies of cambium activity in South American woody species and provides future research prospects. The majority of the studies almost exclusively describe radial increment and/or its periodicity. There are 15 papers concerning the cambial activity of 17 woody species from the South American flora and 3 exotic species in 4 countries that were published to date. Despite endogenous factors affecting the radial meristem, the seasonality of rains has been identified as the main factor influencing cambial activity in the tropics and subtropics. There is a lack of standardization and a need for improvement and discussion concerning the methods used. Moreover, radial growth studies conducted by monitoring cambium cell production are still scarce in South America, especially when considering the high diversity of the continent’s flora and ecosystems.
XYLEM FORMATION IN YOUNG NORWAY SPRUCE TREES IN DRAHANY HIGHLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC
Authors: Vavrčík H. , Gryc V. , Vichrová G.
Published: October 2013

The dynamics of xylem formation in young Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees was analysed during one growing season in Rajec-Němčice in the Czech Republic. Microcores were taken from six 34-year-old trees in April to October 2009 at weekly intervals by means of a Trephor tool in a second generation spruce monoculture stand. The cambium activity started between 16–30 April and the last cells divided between 27 August and 17 September. The average length of cambium activity was 5.2 months. The cambium achieved its maximum width (12.3 cell layers) in June, whereas the dormant cambium contained 5.3 cell layers on average. Fitting the xylem increments to the Gompertz function showed that the period of most intensive cell formation was at the beginning of July. The total time necessary for the development of most cells was 156 days when modelled with WCDcalc script and 117 days when modelled with the Gompertz function.
ANATOMY AND LIGNIN DISTRIBUTION OF “COMPRESSION-WOOD-LIKE REACTION WOOD” IN GARDENIA JASMINOIDES
Authors: Aiso Haruna , Hiraiwa Tokiko , Ishiguri Futoshi , Iizuka Kazuya , Yokota Shinso , Yoshizawa Nobuo
Published: October 2013

Anatomical characteristics and lignin distribution of ‘compression-wood-like reaction wood’ in Gardenia jasminoides Ellis were investigated. Two coppiced stems of a tree were artificially inclined to form reaction wood (RW). One stem of the same tree was fixed straight as a control, and referred to as normal wood (NW). Excessive positive values of surface-released strain were measured on the underside of RW stems. Anatomical characteristics of xylem formed on the underside of RW and in NW stems were also observed. The xylem formed on the underside exhibited a lack of S3 layer in the secondary fibre walls, an increase of pit aperture angle in the S2 layer, and an increase in lignin content. Some of the anatomical characteristics observed in the underside xylem resembled compression wood in gymnosperms. These results suggest that the increase of microfibril angle in the secondary wall and an increase in lignin content in angiosperms might be common phenomena resembling compression wood of gymnosperms.
Inequality and Market Failure
Authors: Weeden Kim A. , Grusky David B.
Published: October 2013

We argue that market failure is a major and growing source of income inequality in the United States and in liberal market economies (LMEs) more generally. This market failure takes the form of occupational, educational, managerial, and capital rents that are generated by institutional barriers that restrict the free flow of capital or labor. We suggest that these four forms of rent can partly account for (a) the extreme income inequality at the very top of the LME income distribution as well as (b) the extreme income inequality that is also observed beneath the highest percentiles of the income distribution. The sharp increase in these forms of rent, when coupled with rent destruction at the bottom of the labor market, may well explain much of the takeoff in LME inequality in the past four decades. We conclude by outlining the empirical research agenda and policy prescription implied by a rent-based account.
A Synthesis of Peer-Mediated Academic Interventions for Secondary Struggling Learners
Authors: Wexler Jade , Reed Deborah K. , Pyle Nicole , Mitchell Marisa , Barton Erin E.
Published: October 2013

A synthesis of the extant research on peer-mediated reading and math interventions for students in regular or alternative education settings with academic difficulties and disabilities in Grades 6 to 12 (ages 11–18) is presented. Interventions conducted between 2001 and 2012 targeting reading and math were included if they measured effects on at least one academic outcome measure. A total of 13 intervention studies were synthesized in which 10 studies employed an experimental or quasi-experimental design and three studies used a single-case design. Findings from the 13 studies revealed mostly moderate to high effects favoring peer mediation, particularly when implementing a peer-mediated feedback component. In addition, findings suggest such interventions have social validity among adolescents and teachers. More rigorous research on secondary peer-mediated math interventions, peer-mediated interventions in alternative settings, and effective ways to pair dyads to incorporate a structured feedback component is warranted. Implications for peer-mediated instruction for academically struggling adolescents are discussed.
Implementing and Evaluating Goal Setting in a Statewide Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program
Authors: Anthony William A. , Ellison Marsha L. , Rogers E. Sally , Mizock Lauren , Lyass Asya
Published: October 2013

Although the idea of people with psychiatric disabilities determining their own treatment and rehabilitation goals is increasingly accepted, its relationship to service outcomes has rarely been evaluated programmatically. A statewide, Medicaid-funded psychiatric rehabilitation program incorporated a systematic goal setting procedure conducted by practitioners trained in helping people set their own individual rehabilitation goals. Individuals who successfully set either residential or employment goals were followed for up to 18 months to assess progress on these goals. Participants were grouped by type of goal (residential or employment) and by level of participation in the intervention (enrolled, completed 18 months, or graduated). Residential functioning for those who set residential goals increased significantly, independent of level of participation. For people who had set employment goals, only graduates of the intervention showed significant employment gains. Furthermore, employment functioning changed significantly when a goal was set in the residential area; in contrast, residential functioning did not change significantly when goals were set in the employment area. This study suggests that the programmatic effect of goal setting procedures can be evaluated, even when the person’s goals are tailored to an individual’s unique preference. Implications for rehabilitation counseling will be discussed.
Pretreatment With an Intravenous Lipid Emulsion Increases Plasma Eicosapentanoic Acid and Downregulates Leukotriene B4, Procalcitonin, and Lymphocyte Concentrations After Open Heart Surgery in Infants
Authors: Larsen Bodil M. K. , Field Catherine J. , Leong Amanda Y. , Goonewardene Laksiri A. , Van Aerde John E. , Joffe Ari R. , Clandinin Michael T.
Published: October 2013

Background: The effect of providing a lipid emulsion containing medium‐chain triglyceride (MCT), soybean oil, and fish oil in critically ill infants is not widely studied. This study investigated lipid emulsion effects on plasma phospholipids and immune biomarkers. Materials and Methods: Thirty‐two infants undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and dependent on parenteral nutrition (PN) were randomized to receive either soybean oil (control, n = 16) or a 50:40:10 mixture of MCT, soybean oil, and fish oil (treatment, n = 16). PN was administered for 3 days preoperatively and 10 days postoperatively. Fatty acids, procalcitonin (PCT), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and lymphocytes were quantified at baseline, before surgery, and days 1, 7 and 10 after surgery. Results: PCT was significantly lower in the treatment vs control group 1 day postoperatively (P = .01). The treatment group exhibited a lower ω‐6 to ω‐3 ratio (P = .0001) and a higher ω‐3 concentration at all postoperative study periods (P = .001). Treatment resulted in higher (P < .05) plasma phospholipid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on days 7 and 10, while α‐linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid remained constant. An increase in plasma phospholipid EPA concentration was associated with a decrease in plasma phospholipid LTB4 concentration (P < .05). On postoperative day 10, treatment infants with high Pediatric Risk of Mortality III scores exhibited a 45% lower lymphocyte concentration (P < .05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that treating infants undergoing CPB with a lipid emulsion containing ω‐3 improves fatty acid status and results in a lower inflammatory response after surgery. Overall, this alternative ω‐3–enriched lipid emulsion may benefit clinical outcomes of critically ill infants after cardiac surgery.
Bombesin Improves Adaptive Immunity of the Salivary Gland During Parenteral Nutrition
Authors: Pierre Joseph F. , Heneghan Aaron F. , Wang Xinying , Roenneburg Drew A. , Groblewski Guy E. , Kudsk Kenneth A.
Published: October 2013

Background: The parotid and submandibular salivary glands are gut‐associated lymphoid tissues (GALTs) that secrete immune compounds into the oral cavity. Parenteral nutrition (PN) without enteral stimulation decreases GALT function, including intestinal lymphocyte counts and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels. Since the neuropeptide bombesin (BBS), a gastrin‐releasing peptide analogue, stimulates intestinal function and restores GALT parameters, we hypothesized that PN + BBS would stimulate parotid and salivary gland IgA levels, T lymphocytes, and IgA plasma cell counts compared with PN alone. Methods: Male (Institute of Cancer Research) ICR mice received intravenous catheters and were randomized to chow with saline, PN, or PN + BBS (15 µg/tid/mouse) for 5 days (8/group), 2 days after cannulation. Salivary glands were weighed and either frozen for IgA and amylase analysis or fixed for histological analysis of acinar cells, IgA+ plasma cells, and T lymphocytes. Small intestinal wash fluid was collected for IgA regression analysis with salivary glands. Results: PN reduced organ weight, acinar cell size, and amylase activity compared with chow; BBS had no significant effects on these parameters. Compared with chow, PN significantly reduced salivary gland IgA levels, IgA+ plasma cells, and T lymphocytes. PN + BBS significantly elevated IgA and restored cellularity compared with PN. Salivary gland tissue homogenate IgA levels significantly correlated with intestinal fluid IgA levels. Conclusions: Compared with chow, PN results in atrophy of the salivary glands characterized by reduced amylase, IgA, and immune cellularity. BBS has no effect on acinar cells or amylase activity compared with PN but maintains tissue IgA and plasma cells and T‐lymphocyte numbers compared with chow.
The State–Trait Hopelessness Scale
Authors: Dunn Susan L. , Olamijulo Grace B. , Fuglseth Heather L. , Holden Theresa P. , Swieringa Lien L. , Sit Michael J. , Rieth Nicole P. , Tintle Nathan L.
Published: October 2013

Hopelessness is predictive in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) and can persist in patients after a CHD event, adversely affecting recovery. Hopelessness may represent a temporary response (state) or a chronic outlook (trait). Common hopelessness measures fail to differentiate state from trait hopelessness, a potentially important differentiation for treatment. The State–Trait Hopelessness Scale (STHS) was developed and pilot tested with two groups of college students ( n = 39 and 190) and patients with CHD ( n = 44). The instrument was then used with 520 patients, confirming reliability (Cronbach’s α) for the State (.88) and Trait (.91) subscales and concurrent and predictive validity. Separate exploratory factor analyses showed two factors (hopelessness present or hopelessness absent) for the State and Trait subscales, accounting for 58.9% and 57.3% of variance, respectively. These findings support future use of the tool in clinical settings and in intervention studies focused on hopelessness.
Heart rate variability in patients undergoing univentricular heart repair
Authors: Madan Kushal , Garg Pankaj , Deepak Kishore Kumar , Talwar Sachin , Airan Balram , Choudhary Shiv Kumar
Published: October 2013

Objective

Altered cardiac autonomic control may play a role in the long-term outcome of patients undergoing univentricular heart repair. This study was undertaken to compare bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis with preserved antegrade pulmonary blood flow and total cavopulmonary connection, with regard to their effects on cardiac autonomic activity, as measured by heart rate variability indices, prior to and early after surgery.

Methods

This prospective study included 46 patients (27 with bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis and 19 with total cavopulmonary connection. Heart rate variability was measured preoperatively and at 2 and 9 months postoperatively. The heart rate variability was measured by a 900-s electrocardiogram recording. Comparisons were drawn between and within groups, using standard statistical methods.

Results

All heart rate variability parameters were comparable in the 2 groups preoperatively. At the first follow-up, all heart rate variability parameters had decreased in both groups, but the decreases were not statistically significant. Between-group comparisons showed significantly higher parasympathetic and lower sympathetic tone in the bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis group. At the second follow-up, the bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis group had a significant increase in overall cardiac autonomic tone, and the total cavopulmonary connection group had a significant increase in parasympathetic tone, compared to the first follow-up. Between-group comparisons showed higher cardiac autonomic tone in the bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis group.

Conclusion

Total cavopulmonary connection leads to a significant reduction in overall cardiac autonomic tone, compared to bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis with antegrade pulmonary blood flow.
Urgent surgery for cardiac hydatid cyst located in interventricular septum
Authors: Gocen Ugur , Atalay Atakan , Basturk Yuksel , Topcuoglu Mehmet Sah , Yaliniz Hafize , Salih Orhan Kemal
Published: October 2013

A 6-year-old girl was referred with acute chest pain and dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a single large well-defined intramyocardial cystic mass in the interventricular septum. A serologic test was positive for echinococcal infection. Urgent open heart surgery was undertaken to remove the cyst, and albendazole treatment was started. The postoperative course was satisfactory, and the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day without any complication.
The cardiac model of rehabilitation for reducing cardiovascular risk factors post transient ischaemic attack and stroke: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kirk Hayden , Kersten Paula , Crawford Pamela , Keens Angela , Ashburn Ann , Conway Joy
Published: October 2013

Objective:

To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a standard National Health Service cardiac rehabilitation programme on risk factor reduction for patients after a minor stroke and transient ischaemic attack.

Design:

Single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Cardiac rehabilitation classes.

Subjects:

Twenty-four patients.

Intervention:

All participants received standard care. In addition, the intervention group undertook an eight-week cardiac rehabilitation programme consisting of weekly exercise and education classes.

Outcome measures:

Cardiovascular disease risk score; lipid profiles; resting blood pressure; C-reactive protein (measured with a high sensitive assay) and fibrinogen levels; blood glucose; obesity; physical activity levels; subjective health status (SF-36); Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results:

Group comparison with independent t-tests showed a significantly greater improvement in the cardiovascular disease risk score for participants in the intervention group compared to standard care (intervention 25.7 ± 22.8 to 23.15 ± 18.3, control 25.03 ± 15.4 to 27.12 ± 16.1, t = −1.81, P < 0.05). There were also significant improvements for the intervention group in activity levels (intervention 9.41 ± 7.7 to 8.08 ± 5.7, control 14.50 ± 5.5 to 9.83 ± 6.6, t = −2.00, P < 0.05) and the SF-36 domains of physical functioning (intervention 70 ± 24.6 to 75.4 ± 11.1, control 90.00 ± 12.4 to 83.16 ± 17.3, t = −2.72, P < 0.05) and mental health (intervention 84 ± 40 to 92 ± 40, control 88.00 ± 60 to 84 ± 44, z = −2.06, P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

The results suggest that standard cardiac rehabilitation programmes are a feasible and effective means of reducing the risk of future cardiovascular events for patients after minor stroke and transient ischaemic attack.
Narrative Beyond Prison Gates
Authors: Yardley Elizabeth , Wilson David , Kemp Diane , Brookes Michael
Published: October 2013

This article reports on qualitative research with Alan, a former resident of the therapeutic communities at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Grendon, England, exploring narrative identity beyond therapy. The study emphasises the complexity inherent in the five identities on which Alan draws—the Achiever, the Liminal Man, the Lucky Man, the Puppet, and the Wise Man. We suggest that narrative identities are adapted and reconstructed as they are taken outside of the therapeutic community into a less supportive social environment. This process continues to present challenges for the ex-resident, who may struggle to reconcile the redemptive identities nurtured in therapy with condemnatory ones that have echoes of a criminal past, which may be reignited by personal and social circumstances.
Digital image correlation study of mechanical response of nickel superalloy Hastelloy X under thermal and mechanical cycling: Uniaxial and biaxial stress states
Authors: Swaminathan Bharath , Lambros John , Sehitoglu Huseyin
Published: October 2013

The cyclic plastic strain accumulation of a dynamic strain aging Ni-based superalloy, Hastelloy X, is investigated using digital image correlation under both uniaxial and biaxial thermomechanical loading conditions. Thermal cycling and uniaxial mechanical tensile loading demonstrate that this material exhibits a Cottrell–Stokes–type response in which yield stress is not fully recovered after a mechanical loading cycle followed by a second isothermal loading cycle at elevated temperature (between room temperature and 600 °C in this work). The Portevin–Le Chatelier dynamic strain aging effect at higher temperatures, which has been seen to occur in this material, may also contribute to this reduction in flow stress. Additionally, under biaxial stress states introduced by means of a double-notch experimental sample, various cyclic thermal and mechanical loading combinations demonstrated a complex thermomechanical plastic response of this material. For example, cyclic thermal loading experiments at fixed displacement amounts for each cycle show greater plastic strain accumulation after three cycles when cycling is performed at a combination of 300 °C and 600 °C than that for three isothermal 600 °C cycles.
Theoretical and experimental study of width effects on horizontal flame spread over extruded and expanded polystyrene foam surfaces
Authors: Jiang Lin , Xiao Huahua , Zhou Yang , An Weiguang , Yan Weigang , He Jiajia , Sun Jinhua
Published: October 2013

In order to explore the mechanisms of horizontal flame spread over thermal insulation foam surfaces, extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene foams were selected to carry out a series of experiments with different sample widths ranging from 4 to 16 cm. Temperatures in both the solid phase and the gas phase were measured, with considerable differences being found between extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene in their temperature profiles. Extruded polystyrene also showed a distinct pyrolysis stage, while expanded polystyrene showed a lengthy melting stage differences that may be explained from their different thermal properties. The flame spread rates of both materials first decreased and then increased with increasing sample widths. The minimum flame spread rates were at widths of 8 and 10 cm for extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, respectively, resulting from the relative differences between convection and radiation heat flux, which were different for the two foams. Numerical equations were deduced, and the theoretical minimum flame spread rates for extruded polystyrene and expanded polystyrene were found to be 6 and 7.2 cm, respectively. Mass loss rates of both materials showed polynomial functions with different sample widths, while the mass loss rate of expanded polystyrene behaved with more fluctuations and a more gradual change rate. The pool length for extruded polystyrene was longer than for expanded polystyrene at all sample widths. By calculating equivalent length and flame height, it was found that flame heights for extruded polystyrene were always higher than for expanded polystyrene, and for both materials, [Formula: see text], with good linearity.
Influence of nanohydroxyapatite surface properties on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation
Authors: Barros J , Grenho L , Manuel CM , Ferreira C , Melo L , Nunes OC , Monteiro FJ , Ferraz MP
Published: October 2013

Nanohydroxyapatite (nanoHA), due to its chemical properties, has appeared as an exceptionally promising bioceramic to be used as bone regeneration material. Staphylococcus epidermidis have emerged as major nosocomial pathogens associated with infections of implanted medical devices. In this work, the purpose was to study the influence of the nanoHA surface characteristics on S. epidermidis RP62A biofilm formation. Therefore, two different initial inoculum concentrations (Ci) were used in order to check if these would affect the biofilm formed on the nanoHA surfaces. Biofilm formation was followed by the enumeration of cultivable cells and by scanning electron microscopy. Surface topography, contact angle, total surface area and porosimetry of the biomaterials were studied and correlated with the biofilm data. The surface of nanoHA sintered at 830℃ (nanoHA830) showed to be more resistant to S. epidermidis attachment and accumulation than that of nanoHA sintered at 1000℃ (nanoHA1000). The biofilm formed on nanoHA830 presented differences in terms of structure, surface coverage and EPS production when compared to the one formed on nanoHA1000 surface. It was observed that topography and surface area of nanoHA surfaces had influence on the bacterial attachment and accumulation. Ci influenced bacteria attachment and accumulation on nanoHA surfaces over time. The choice of the initial inoculum concentration was relevant proving to have an effect on the extent of adherence thus being a critical point for human health if these materials are used in implantable devices. This study showed that the initial inoculum concentration and surface material properties determine the rate of microbial attachment to substrata and consequently are related to biofilm-associated infections in biomaterials.