bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and survival of systemic lupus erythematosus in Hong Kong Chinese
Authors: Mok CC
Published: December 2010

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a fairly common rheumatic disease in Hong Kong, China. The prevalence and annual incidence of SLE are estimated to be 0.1% and 6.7/100,000 population, respectively. The 10-year cumulative survival of SLE patients in Hong Kong is 83% and the age and gender-adjusted standardized mortality ratio was 5.25 (1.64–10.4) from 1999 to 2008. The commonest cause of death is infections (60%), followed by cardiovascular complications (16%). Life expectancy analysis reveals a loss of 20 years in women and 27 years in men when SLE develops at birth. The loss in life years is greatest in the younger age groups. Renal damage is the most frequent disease-related damage, whereas musculoskeletal damage is the commonest treatment-related complication. The quality of life of our SLE patients is impaired and declines over time, which is contributed by new organ damage. One-third of our patients lose their ability to work within 5 years of disease onset, which is mainly attributed to musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression symptoms, and memory deterioration. With the availability of novel therapeutics and an increased awareness of complication prevention in SLE, it is expected that our patients will live longer with a better quality of life in the next decade.
Predictors of Client Engagement and Attrition in Home-Based Child Maltreatment Prevention Services
Authors: Damashek Amy , Doughty Debby , Ware Lisa , Silovsky Jane
Published: December 2010

High rates of program attrition in home-based family support and child maltreatment prevention services are common. Research examining factors related to family engagement (i.e., enrollment and completion rates) may help program developers increase the impact of child abuse prevention services by reducing attrition. The present study examined the relative influence of provider, program, and individual factors from the Integrated Theory of Parent Involvement (ITPI) as well as maternal and family demographic and risk variables in predicting service enrollment and completion in a home-based child maltreatment prevention service (SafeCare+) and a standard community care program (Services as Usual [SAU]). Participants were 398 female caregivers of children ages 5 and below. Support was found for the primary role of program and provider factors in client enrollment and completion of services. Specifically, participants in SafeCare+ were 4 times more likely to enroll in services and 8.5 times more likely to complete services than those in SAU. Family risk variables including intimate partner psychological aggression, substance abuse, and depression were also significant predictors. Recommended next steps include integration of risk-related factors in the ITPI framework and disentangling specific provider and program factors related to service engagement.
High-dose frequency beta-interferons increase the risk of liver test abnormalities in multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study
Authors: Chan S , Kingwell E , Oger J , Yoshida E , Tremlett H
Published: December 2010

Background: Post-marketing studies and case reports have linked beta-interferon (IFNβ) treatment with liver enzyme abnormalities and liver injuries in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Few predictors of risk exist.

Objective: We investigated the effect of IFNβ and other patient characteristics on levels of the liver enzyme, alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Method: Repeated ALT test results were reviewed retrospectively for 1064 MS patients prescribed an IFNβ as their first immunomodulatory drug. Liver enzyme abnormality was defined as an ALT elevation twice the upper limit of normal (≥2 ULN). The Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to analyze the effect of age (≤35, >35–40, >40–45, >45 years), gender, disease duration, IFNβ product, and duration of treatment (≤5, >5–15, >15–40, >40 months) on de novo liver enzyme abnormality.

Results: Over a mean treatment period of 38.7 months (SD = 34.9), 12.4% (95/766) of MS patients developed de novo liver enzyme abnormality. Multivariable GEE results showed a dose frequency response effect of IFNβs on liver enzyme abnormality: OR = 3.8(95% CI: 1.6–9.2) for IFNβ-1a 44 µg SC, and OR = 3.4 (95% CI: 1.5–7.9) for IFNβ-1b 250 µg SC compared with the lower frequency IFNβ-1a 30 µg IM. Younger age (≤40 years), male gender, and ≤15 months of IFNβ exposure were also independent predictors.

Conclusion: A dose frequency response effect was observed, with high-frequency IFNβs having the greatest risk. The first 15 months of treatment, men, and younger patients were also associated with elevated risk. Regular ALT monitoring in MS patients appears prudent; long-term consequences of ALT elevations should be further investigated.
Video-based Indoor Human Gait Recognition Using Depth Imaging and Hidden Markov Model: A Smart System for Smart Home
Authors: Zia Uddin Md. , Kim Tae-Seong , Jeong Tai Kim
Published: December 2010

Smart homes that are capable of home healthcare and e-Health services are receiving much attention due to their potential for better care of the elderly and disabled in an indoor environment. Recently the Center for Sustainable Healthy Buildings at Kyung Hee University has developed a novel indoor human activity recognition methodology based on depth imaging of a user’s activities. This system utilizes Independent Component Analysis to extract spatiotemporal features from a series of depth silhouettes of various activities. To recognise the activities from the spatiotemporal features, trained Hidden Markov Models of the activities would be used. In this study, this technique has been extended to recognise human gaits (including normal and abnormal). Since this system could be of great significance for the caring of the elderly, to promote and preserve their health and independence, the gait recognition system would be considered a primary function of the smart system for smart homes. The indoor gait recognition system is trained to detect abnormal gait patterns and generate warnings. The system works in real-time and is aimed to be installed at smart homes. This paper provides the information for further development of the system for their application in the future.
Residents’ Satisfaction of Indoor Environmental Quality in Their Old Apartment Homes
Authors: Sung Heui Cho  , Tae Kyung Lee  , Jeong Tai Kim
Published: December 2010

The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of old apartment homes and the residents’ satisfaction with living in these properties. About 168 households were surveyed in this study. The survey was based on the evaluation of deterioration using housing performance indicators and the questionnaire study. First, this study compared and analysed the results of both technical evaluation and residents’ satisfaction on the IEQ of old apartments based on case studies. Second, the study validated the IEQ evaluation of the home environments using multiple regression analyses based on residents’ satisfaction and their perception about the indoor environment. Third, the importance of the indoor environment composition factors contributing to the home environmental quality was assessed based on the survey of residents’ perception and experts’ opinions. Analytic hierarchy process was used to evaluate the housing experts’ opinions. The objective evaluation by technical criteria was also carried out to determine the conditions of the apartment homes. This study should contribute to elaborate evaluation models for the development of guidelines for the home environmental quality of high-rise and high-density old apartment buildings in Korea.
Mind–Body Dissonance
Authors: Huang Li , Galinsky Adam D.
Published: December 2010

The ability of humans to display bodily expressions that contradict mental states is an important developmental adaptation. The authors propose that mind–body dissonance, which occurs when bodily displayed expressions contradict mentally experienced states, signals that the environment is unusual and that boundaries of cognitive categories should be expanded to embrace atypical exemplars. Four experiments found that mind–body dissonance increases a sense of incoherence and leads to category expansion. Recalling a happy memory while frowning or a sad event while smiling, listening to sad music while smiling or happy music while frowning, and assuming an expansive posture while being in a low-power role or a constricted posture while being in a high-power role all led to higher category inclusiveness compared to when the body and mind were coherent. The ability to display bodily expressions that contradict mental states may be an important foundation for the capacity of humans to embrace atypical ideas.
TLR2-dependent pathway of heterologous down-modulation for the CC chemokine receptors 1, 2, and 5 in human blood monocytes
Authors: Fox James M. , Letellier Elisa , Oliphant Christopher J. , Signoret Nathalie
Published: December 2010

During innate immune responses, the inflammatory CC chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5 mediate the recruitment of blood monocytes to infected tissues by promoting cell migration in response to chemokines CCL2-5. Toll-like receptors also play an essential role, allowing pathogen recognition by the recruited monocytes. Here, we demonstrate that Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) stimulation by lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Staphylococcus aureus leads to gradual down-modulation of CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5 from the plasma membrane of human blood-isolated monocytes and inhibits chemotaxis. Interestingly, LTA does not promote rapid desensitization of chemokine-mediated calcium responses. We found that the TLR2 crosstalk with chemokine receptors is not dependent on the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein, but instead involves phospholipase C, the small G protein Rac1, and is phorbol ester sensitive. Activation of this pathway by LTA lead to β-arrestin–mediated endocytosis of Ser349-phosphorylated CCR5 into recycling endosomes, as does CCL5 treatment. However, LTA-induced internalization of CCR5 is a slower process associated with phospholipase C–mediated and phorbol ester–sensitive phosphorylation. Overall, our data indicate that TLR2 negatively regulates CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5 on human blood monocytes by activating the machinery used to support chemokine-dependent down-modulation and provide a molecular mechanism for inhibiting monocyte migration after pathogen recognition.
Disruption of Src function potentiates Chk1-inhibitor–induced apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cells in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Dai Yun , Chen Shuang , Shah Rena , Pei Xin-Yan , Wang Li , Almenara Jorge A. , Kramer Lora B. , Dent Paul , Grant Steven
Published: December 2010

Ras/MEK/ERK pathway activation represents an important compensatory response of human multiple myeloma (MM) cells to checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitors. To investigate the functional roles of Src in this event and potential therapeutic significance, interactions between Src and Chk1 inhibitors (eg, UCN-01 or Chk1i) were examined in vitro and in vivo. The dual Src/Abl inhibitors BMS354825 and SKI-606 blocked Chk1-inhibitor–induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation, markedly increasing apoptosis in association with BimEL up-regulation, p34cdc2 activation, and DNA damage in MM cell lines and primary CD138+ MM samples. Loss-of-function Src mutants (K297R, K296R/Y528F) or shRNA knock-down of Src prevented the ERK1/2 activation induced by Chk1 inhibitors and increased apoptosis. Conversely, constitutively active Ras or mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase 1 (MEK1) significantly diminished the ability of Src inhibitors to potentiate Chk1-inhibitor lethality. Moreover, Src/Chk1-inhibitor cotreatment attenuated MM-cell production of vascular endothelial growth factor and other angiogenic factors (eg, ANG [angiogenin], TIMP1/2 [tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1/2], and RANTES [regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted]), and inhibited in vitro angiogenesis. Finally, coadministration of BMS354825 and UCN-01 suppressed human MM tumor growth in a murine xenograft model, increased apoptosis, and diminished angiogenesis. These findings suggest that Src kinase is required for Chk1-inhibitor–mediated Ras → ERK1/2 signaling activation, and that disruption of this event sharply potentiates the anti-MM activity of Chk1 inhi-bitors in vitro and in vivo.
Gain-of-function GPIb ELISA assay for VWF activity in the Zimmerman Program for the Molecular and Clinical Biology of VWD
Authors: Flood Veronica H. , Gill Joan Cox , Morateck Patricia A. , Christopherson Pamela A. , Friedman Kenneth D. , Haberichter Sandra L. , Hoffmann Raymond G. , Montgomery Robert R.
Published: December 2010

von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a common bleeding disorder, but diagnosis is sometimes challenging because of issues with the current von Willebrand factor (VWF) assays, VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) and VWF ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF:RCo), used for diagnosis. We evaluated 113 healthy controls and 164 VWD subjects enrolled in the T.S. Zimmerman Program for the Molecular and Clinical Biology of VWD for VWF:Ag, VWF:RCo, and a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)–based assay of VWF-glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) interactions using a gain-of-function GPIb construct (tGPIbα235Y;239V) as a receptor to bind its ligand VWF in an assay independent of ristocetin (VWF:IbCo ELISA). Healthy controls, type 1, 2A, 2M, and 2N subjects had VWF:RCo/VWF:Ag ratios similar to the ratio obtained with VWF:IbCo ELISA/VWF:Ag. Type 2B VWD subjects, however, had elevated VWF:IbCo ELISA/VWF:Ag ratios. Type 3 VWD subjects had undetectable (< 1.6 U/dL) VWF:IbCo ELISA values. As previously reported, VWF:RCo/VWF:Ag ratio was decreased with a common A1 domain polymorphism, D1472H, as was direct binding to ristocetin for a 1472H A1 loop construct. The VWF:IbCo ELISA, however, was not affected by D1472H. The VWF:IbCo ELISA may be useful in testing VWF binding to GPIb, discrimination of type 2 variants, and in the diagnosis of VWD as it avoids some of the pitfalls of VWF:RCo assays.
Differential requirements for the Ets transcription factor Elf-1 in the development of NKT cells and NK cells
Authors: Choi Hak-Jong , Geng Yanbiao , Cho Hoonsik , Li Sha , Giri Pramod Kumar , Felio Kyrie , Wang Chyung-Ru
Published: December 2010

E26 Transformation specific (Ets) family transcription factors control the expression of a large number of genes regulating hematopoietic cell development and function. Two such transcription factors, Ets-1 and myeloid Elf-1–like factor (MEF), have been shown to play critical roles in both natural killer (NK)– and NKT-cell development, but not in the development of conventional T cells. In this study, we address the role of E74-like factor 1 (Elf-1), another Ets family transcription factor that is closely related to MEF but divergent from Ets-1, in NK- and NKT-cell development using Elf-1–deficient (Elf-1−/−) mice. Whereas the proportion of NK cells in Elf-1−/− mice was normal, the proportion of NKT cells was significantly reduced in the thymus and periphery of Elf-1−/− mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Although Ets-1–deficient mice lack NKT cells altogether, Elf-1−/− mice exhibited only a partial block in NKT-cell development caused by a cell-intrinsic defect in the selection, survival, and maturation of NKT cells. In addition, residual NKT cells found in Elf-1−/− mice produced less cytokine upon antigen stimulation compared with WT NKT cells. Our data demonstrate that Elf-1 plays an important and nonredundant role in the development and function of NKT cells, but is not involved in NK-cell development.
RhoA-mediated signaling up-regulates hepatocyte growth factor gene and protein expression in response to apoptotic cells
Authors: Park Hyun-Jung , Choi Youn-Hee , Cho Young Joo , Henson Peter M , Kang Jihee Lee
Published: December 2010

Clearance of apoptotic cells by macrophages induces HGF secretion. We examined the regulatory mechanisms of HGF mRNA and protein expression in macrophages upon exposure to apoptotic cells. The interaction of RAW 264.7 macrophages with apoptotic Jurkat cells, but not with viable cells, resulted in expression of HGF mRNA and protein. Exposure of RAW 264.7 cells to apoptotic cells induced activation of RhoA, the PI3K/Akt pathway, and MAPKs, including p38 MAPK, ERK, and JNK. Down-regulation of the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway by pharmacological inhibitors or a RhoA-specific siRNA suppressed HGF mRNA and protein expression by macrophages in response to apoptotic cells through the phosphorylation of Akt and the MAPKs. Inhibition of PI3K decreased phosphorylation of Akt and the MAPKs. Inhibition of JNK, but not p38 MAPK and ERK, reduced Akt phosphorylation. The pharmacological inhibitor of PI3K and the MAPKs blocked HGF mRNA and protein expression. Other types of apoptotic cells, such as HeLa cells and murine thymocytes, could also induce HGF mRNA through the RhoA-dependent pathway. Likely, the RhoA-dependent signaling pathway was required for HGF mRNA induction in primary cells of peritoneal macrophages in response to apoptotic cells. An HGFR-blocking antibody did not alter apoptotic cell-induced activation of RhoA, Akt, and the MAPKs, as well as HGF production. Overall, the data provide evidence that activation of the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway up-regulates transcriptional HGF production in response to apoptotic cells.
Opinion Leadership and Social Contagion in New Product Diffusion
Authors: Iyengar Raghuram , Van den Bulte Christophe , Valente Thomas W.
Published: December 2010

We study how opinion leadership and social contagion within social networks affect the adoption of a new product. In contrast to earlier studies, we find evidence of contagion operating over network ties, even after controlling for marketing effort and arbitrary systemwide changes. More importantly, we also find that the amount of contagion is moderated by both the recipients' perception of their opinion leadership and the sources' volume of product usage. The other key finding is that sociometric and self-reported measures of leadership are weakly correlated and associated with different kinds of adoption-related behaviors, which suggests that they probably capture different constructs. We discuss the implications of these novel findings for diffusion theory and research and for marketing practice.
The Perils of Behavior-Based Personalization
Authors: Zhang Juanjuan
Published: December 2010

“Behavior-based personalization” has gained popularity in recent years, whereby businesses offer personalized products based on consumers' purchase histories. This paper highlights two perils of behavior-based personalization in competitive markets. First, although purchase histories reveal consumer preferences, competitive exploitation of such information damages differentiation, similar to the classic finding that behavior-based price discrimination intensifies price competition. With endogenous product design, there is yet a second peril. It emerges when forward-looking firms try to avoid the first peril by suppressing the information value of purchase histories. Ideally, if a market leader serves all consumers on day 1, purchase histories contain no information about consumer preferences. However, knowing that their rivals are willing to accommodate a market leader, firms are more likely to offer a mainstream design at day 1, which jeopardizes differentiation. Based on this understanding, I investigate how the perils of behavior-based personalization change under alternative market conditions, such as firms' better knowledge about their own customers, consumer loyalty and inertia, consumer self-selection, and the need for classic designs.
Practice Prize Paper—Uncovering Implicit Consumer Needs for Determining Explicit Product Positioning: Growing Prudential Annuities' Variable Annuity Sales
Authors: Kumar V. , Shah Denish
Published: December 2010

A variable annuity is a popular product for investing retirement income. However, thousands of similar-looking variable annuity products are being offered by hundreds of financial service companies. In such a scenario, how can Prudential achieve meaningful product differentiation to increase the sales of its variable annuities? The solution led to the development and implementation of the “Emotion Quotient” (EQ) Tool. The EQ Tool enabled Prudential to redefine its marketing and sales approach along a proactive (as opposed to responsive) market orientation paradigm. This was accomplished by first using the EQ Tool to uncover and quantify the prevalence of certain emotions (such as fear and regret) in the prospective consumer and then pitching relevant variable annuity product(s) that could mitigate the specific behavioral risk corresponding to the prevalent emotion(s). This approach, which was backed by extensive research (as described in this study), enabled Prudential to gain over $450 million lift in variable annuity sales and contributed to consumer welfare by promoting awareness of behavioral risk to investors who are within five years of their retirement. This research study illustrates how industry can collaborate with academia to successfully apply marketing science to solve real-world business problems.
Quality–Speed Conundrum: Trade-offs in Customer-Intensive Services
Authors: Anand Krishnan S. , Paç M. Fazıl , Veeraraghavan Senthil
Published: December 2010

In many services, the quality or value provided by the service increases with the time the service provider spends with the customer. However, longer service times also result in longer waits for customers. We term such services, in which the interaction between quality and speed is critical, as customer-intensive services. In a queueing framework, we parameterize the degree of customer intensity of the service. The service speed chosen by the service provider affects the quality of the service through its customer intensity. Customers queue for the service based on service quality, delay costs, and price. We study how a service provider facing such customers makes the optimal “quality–speed trade-off.” Our results demonstrate that the customer intensity of the service is a critical driver of equilibrium price, service speed, demand, congestion in queues, and service provider revenues. Customer intensity leads to outcomes very different from those of traditional models of service rate competition. For instance, as the number of competing servers increases, the price increases, and the servers become slower.

This paper was accepted by Sampath Rajagopalan, operations and supply chain management.
Portfolio Choice Under Cumulative Prospect Theory: An Analytical Treatment
Authors: He Xue Dong , Zhou Xun Yu
Published: December 2010

We formulate and carry out an analytical treatment of a single-period portfolio choice model featuring a reference point in wealth, S-shaped utility (value) functions with loss aversion, and probability weighting under Kahneman and Tversky's cumulative prospect theory (CPT). We introduce a new measure of loss aversion for large payoffs, called the large-loss aversion degree (LLAD), and show that it is a critical determinant of the well-posedness of the model. The sensitivity of the CPT value function with respect to the stock allocation is then investigated, which, as a by-product, demonstrates that this function is neither concave nor convex. We finally derive optimal solutions explicitly for the cases in which the reference point is the risk-free return and those in which it is not (while the utility function is piecewise linear), and we employ these results to investigate comparative statics of optimal risky exposures with respect to the reference point, the LLAD, and the curvature of the probability weighting.

This paper was accepted by Wei Xiong, finance.
Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC Technical Report)
Authors: Wieser Michael E. , Coplen Tyler B.
Published: December 2010

The biennial review of atomic-weight determinations and other cognate data has resulted in changes for the standard atomic weights of 11 elements. Many atomic weights are not constants of nature, but depend upon the physical, chemical, and nuclear history of the material. The standard atomic weights of 10 elements having two or more stable isotopes have been changed to reflect this variability of atomic-weight values in natural terrestrial materials. To emphasize the fact that these standard atomic weights are not constants of nature, each atomic-weight value is expressed as an interval. The interval is used together with the symbol [a; b] to denote the set of atomic-weight values, A
r(E), of element E in normal materials for which a ≤ A
r(E) ≤ b. The symbols a and b denote the bounds of the interval [a; b]. The revised atomic weight of hydrogen, A
r(H), is [1.007 84; 1.008 11] from 1.007 94(7); lithium, A
r(Li), is [6.938; 6.997] from 6.941(2); boron, A
r(B), is [10.806; 10.821] from 10.811(7); carbon, A
r(C), is [12.0096; 12.0116] from 12.0107(8); nitrogen, A
r(N), is [14.006 43; 14.007 28] from 14.0067(2); oxygen, A
r(O), is [15.999 03; 15.999 77] from 15.9994(3); silicon, A
r(Si), is [28.084; 28.086] from 28.0855(3); sulfur, A
r(S), is [32.059; 32.076] from 32.065(2); chlorine, A
r(Cl), is [35.446; 35.457] from 35.453(2); and thallium, A
r(Tl), is [204.382; 204.385] from 204.3833(2). This fundamental change in the presentation of the atomic weights represents an important advance in our knowledge of the natural world and underscores the significance and contributions of chemistry to the well-being of humankind in the International Year of Chemistry 2011. The standard atomic weight of germanium, A
r(Ge), was also changed to 72.63(1) from 72.64(1).
Sodium oxybate increases prolactin secretion in narcolepsy patients and healthy controls
Authors: Donjacour Claire E H M , Aziz N Ahmad , Frölich Marijke , Roelfsema Ferdinand , Overeem Sebastiaan , Lammers Gert Jan , Pijl Hanno
Published: December 2010

Objective

Hypocretin deficiency causes narcolepsy and may affect neuroendocrine systems, including TSH, ACTH and LH secretion. Symptoms can be treated effectively with sodium oxybate (SXB) in many patients. This study was performed to compare prolactin (PRL) secretion in patients and matched controls and establish the effect of SXB administration on PRL and sleep in both the groups.

Design

Open label intervention. Blood was sampled before and after 5 days of SXB treatment. The study was performed at the Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Methods

Subjects were admitted to the clinical research centre on both occasions.

Patients or participants

Eight male hypocretin-deficient narcolepsy with cataplexy patients and eight controls matched for sex, age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and fat percentage were enrolled.

Interventions

SXB two times 3 g per night for five consecutive nights.

Results

Patients and controls underwent 24 h blood sampling at 10 min intervals for measurement of PRL concentrations. The PRL concentration time series was analysed with a new deconvolution programme, approximate entropy (ApEn) and Cosinor analysis. Sleep was polygraphically recorded. Basal and pulsatile PRL secretion, as well as pulse regularity and frequency, ApEn and diurnal parameters were similar in patients and controls. SXB treatment caused similar nocturnal increase in PRL secretion, advance of the acrophase and decrease in ApEn in patients and controls. Slow wave sleep was increased to a similar extent in patients and controls.

Conclusion

This detailed study did not demonstrate altered PRL secretion in hypocretin-deficient narcolepsy patients during the basal state or during SXB administration. Therefore, hypocretin signalling is unlikely to be a regulator of the lactotrophic system.
Effect of soil and N rate on the nitrogen and phosphorus ratio, yield and oil content of rape seeds
Authors: Máthéné Gáspár Gabriella , Radimszky László , Németh Tamás
Published: December 2010

Termesztett növényeink tápanyagigény szerinti csoportosításában az őszi káposztarepce (Brassica napusL. subsp. napus) a nagy tápanyagigényű növényfajok közé sorolandó. A tápanyagok közül a nitrogéntrágya termést meghatározó szerepe mellett jelentős a repce P-igénye is. A nitrogén és a foszfor a növények esszenciális tápelemei, melyeknek egyedi koncentrációján túl arányuk is külön jelentőséggel bír. Tükrözi a termés kémiai összetevőinek (fehérje, szénhidrát, zsír) arányát, s így alkalmas a termesztett növények csoportosítására, továbbá az optimális tápanyag-ellátás jelzésére.
Vizsgálatainkat 2007–2008-ban az MTA TAKI Nagyhörcsöki (mészlepedékes csernozjom talajon) és Őrbottyáni (humuszos, karbonátos homoktalajon) Kísérleti Telepén végeztük egy N-trágyázási tartamkísérlet részeként.
Arra kerestünk választ, hogy hogyan alakul a két eltérő talajon a repcemag N/P aránya, s ez milyen összefüggést mutat a N-ellátással, a termés mennyiségével és olajtartalmával.
Főbb eredményeink:
– A N-adag növelésével a repcemag N-tartalma és N/P aránya nőtt, a P- és olajtartalma csökkent mindkét talajon. A két tápelem egyedi szintje a homoktalajon volt magasabb, arányuk (N/P) átlaga viszont a csernozjom talajon.
– A két talajon termett repcemag N/P aránya hasonló tartományban mozgott (4,1–4,2 és 5,3–5,4 között). N-trágyázás nélkül azonos N/P arányt mutatott (4,4), és az arány növekedése mindkét talajon a mag olajtartalmának csökkenését eredményezte. Jellemző különbség volt viszont a termés- és olajhozamokban, a N/P arány és a termésmennyiség összefüggésében, továbbá a termésmaximumnál a mag N/P arányában. Az N/P arány növekedésével az őrbottyáni homoktalajon a magtermés mennyisége nőtt, a nagyhörcsöki csernozjom talajon csökkent. Ugyancsak különbözött az optimális tápanyag-ellátottságot jelző termésmaximumra jellemző N/P arány, amely Nagyhörcsökön 4,5–4,7, Őrbottyánban pedig 4,8–5,3 között volt. A csernozjom talajon tehát a termésmaximum alacsonyabb N/P aránynál volt, mint a homoktalajon.
– Eredményeink alapján megállapítottuk, hogy a repcemag nitrogén- és foszfortartalma és N/P aránya a különböző talajokon nagyban hasonlít ugyan, azonban a tápanyagfelvételi lehetőségek különbözősége miatt a tápelemek „optimális szintjében és arányában” jellegzetes eltérésekkel kell számolnunk.
Effect of N fertilization on the N balance of chernozem meadow soil and the depth distribution of NO3-N between 1990 and 2007
Authors: Izsáki Zoltán
Published: December 2010

A Szarvason 1989-ben, csernozjom réti talajon, négy-négy N-, P- és K-kezelés-kombinációval, 64 kezeléssel beállított műtrágyázási tartamkísérlet négy N-ellátottsági szintjén (0, 80, 160 és 240 kg·ha–1) vizsgáltuk a kiválasztott kezelésekben a talajok N-mérlegét, a NO3-N mélységi eloszlását a kísérleti periódus 4., 8., 11., 14. és 18. évében a 200–300 cm-es talajrétegben. A talaj mélyben karbonátos, a humuszos réteg vastagsága 85–100 cm, a művelt réteg pH(KCl) értéke 5,0–5,2, humusztartalma 3,0–3,2 %, kötöttsége (KA) 50, agyagtartalma 32%. A kísérleti eredmények alapján az alábbi fontosabb megállapítások tehetők: – A 3,0–3,2% humusztartalmú csernozjom réti talaj jó N-szolgáltató képességű, a 18 év alatt a növények által felvett N-mennyiség 2273 kg·ha–1volt, ami éves átlagban 126 kg·ha–1N-szolgáltatásnak felelt meg. A vízellátottságtól, ebből eredően a növények terméshozamától, valamint N-igényétől függően az évenkénti N-felvétel 40–275 kg·ha–1között változott N-trágyázás nélkül. – A talaj N-mérlege 80 kg·ha–1N-trágyázásnál negatív, azonban ilyen szintű N-ellátottságnál a növények átlagos N-felvétele 170 kg·ha–1·év–1volt. A nagyobb N-adag (160, ill. 240 kg·ha–1) a N-felvételt átlagban csak 15–20 kg-mal növelte hektáronként, míg a terméshozamok szignifikánsan nem emelkedtek. Az évenkénti 80 kg·ha–1N-trágyázás esetén és még N-trágyázás nélkül is előfordulhat NO3-N kimosódás, ha a hiányos vízellátottság miatt a növények kis terméshozamukkal nem képesek felvenni a rendelkezésre álló nitrogént. – A 160 kg·ha–1N-trágyázás halmozott N-mérlege csak kismértékben volt negatív. A 18 évből 7 évben a növények N-felvétele 160 kg·ha–1alatt maradt. A talaj természetes N-szolgáltatását is figyelembe véve a 160 kg·ha–1N-adag termőhelyi viszonyaink között már túlzott, az évek többségében a növények potenciális termőképességének N-igényét már meghaladja, s NO3-N kimosódással járt együtt. – A 240 kg·ha–1N-trágyázás halmozott N-mérlege pozitív és 18 évből 11 évben a növények N-felvétele nem érte el a hektáronkénti 240 kg-ot. Ezen a N-ellátottsági szinten a terméshozamok már nem növekedtek, egyes években termésdepresszió mutatkozott és a NO3-N kimosódás jelentős volt. – A szélsőségesen csapadékos és száraz időjárás miatt bekövetkezett talajvízszint-emelkedés, majd -süllyedés jelentős mértékű NO3-N kimosódást okozott.
Nitrate desorption analysis on pseudomyceliar chernozem soil
Authors: Lásztity Borivoj , Biczók Gyula , Jáki István
Published: December 2010

Mészlepedékes csernozjom talajon beállított őszi búza trágyázási kísérlet talajának szántott rétegéből dekádonként talajmintákat vettünk. A mintákból folyamatos vizes áramú nitrát deszorpciós vizsgálatokat végeztünk Stefanovits és munkatársai (1984) szerint.
A N-műtrágyázás az első ötperces frakcióban szignifikánsan, a további frakciókban csupán tendenciaszerűen növelte a nitrát mennyiségét.
A deszorpció intenzív, az első frakcióban volt a teljes leoldott mennyiség 84%-a.
A tavaszi mintákban mért nitráttartalmak a nyáriaknál szignifikánsan nagyobbak.
A vizsgálati eredmények igazolják, hogy a módszer segítségével jól kimutatható a nitrogéntrágyázás hatása. Egyúttal arra is felhívják a figyelmet, hogy érdemes lenne a frakcionálási időket finomítani, valamint csökkenteni a frakciók számát. Fontos lenne vizsgálni, hogy a deszorpciós görbe alakja (ellaposodása) milyen összefüggésben lehet a talajok fizikai féleségével, esetleg a talajok agyagásvány összetételével.
Evaluation of mineral fertilizer effects in a long-term experiment on a planted sward
Authors: Kádár Imre
Published: December 2010

Egy műtrágyázási tartamkísérlet 32. évében, 2005-ben vizsgáltuk az eltérő N-, P- és K-ellátottsági szintek és kombinációik hatását a réti csenkesz(Festuca pratensis)vezérnövényű, nyolckomponensű, pillangós nélküli gyepkeverék termésére, fejlődésére és elemtartalmára. A termőhely mészlepedékes csernozjom talaja a szántott rétegben mintegy 3% humuszt, 3–5% CaCO3-ot és 20–22% agyagot tartalmazott, N és K elemekben közepesen, P és Zn elemekben gyengén ellátottnak minősült. A kísérlet 4N×4P×4K = 64 kezelést×2 ismétlést = 128 parcellát foglalt magában. A talajvíz 13–15 m mélyen helyezkedik el, a terület aszályérzékeny. A vizsgált 2005. évben azonban kielégítő mennyiségű (649 mm) csapadék hullott és annak eloszlása is kedvező volt. A gyep telepítése spenót elővetemény után 2000. szeptember 20-án történt gabona sortávra 60 kg·ha–1vetőmaggal, amelynek 25%-át (15 kg) a réti csenkesz(Festuca pratensis);21–21%-át (12,6 kg) a nádképű csenkesz(Festuca arundinacea)és az angol perje(Lolium perenne); 9%-át (5,4 kg) a taréjos búzafű(Agropyron cristatum), valamint 6–6%-át (3,6 kg) a vörös csenkesz(Festuca rubra), a réti komócsin(Phleum pratense), a zöld pántlikafű(Phalaris arundinacea)és a csomós ebír(Dactylis glomerata)tette ki. Főbb eredményeink: – A meghatározó N-trágyázás nyomán a szénatermés 5-szörösére emelkedett a két kaszálással a N-kontrollhoz viszonyítva. A maximális 10 t·ha–1körüli légszáraz szénahozamokat a 300 kg N·ha–1·év–1N-adag, valamint a 150 mg·kg–1körüli AL-P2O5-, illetve 150 mg·kg–1feletti AL-K2O-tartalom biztosította. Növénydiagnosztikai szempontból a nagy terméshez kötődő optimális elemtartalom 2% körüli N- és K-, illetve 0,2–0,3% P-koncentráció volt a szénában. – A két kaszálással felvett minimum (a 2 t·ha–1körüli szénatermést adó N-kontroll) és maximum (a 10 t·ha–1körüli szénahozamú, nitrogénnel és PK-vel jól ellátott talajok) elemmennyiségek a következőképpen alakultak: N 21–196 kg, K 39–188 kg, Ca 9–48 kg, Mg 4–22 kg, P 6–21 kg. – Az N×P és N×K kölcsönhatások kifejezettebbé váltak a 2. kaszálás idején. A P 0,18–0,55%, a NO3-N 86–1582 mg·kg–1, a Cu 4,7–7,4 mg·kg–1, a Mo 0,7–4,1 mg·kg–1extrém értékeket jelzett az N×P kezelések függvényében. Az N×K kezelésekben a K 1,44–2,73%, a Mg 0,26–0,39%, a Na 71–2178 mg·kg–1, a Ba 4,1–9,6 mg·kg–1, a Cd 15–44 µg·kg–1szélsőértékekkel volt jellemezhető. A Sr a 10–26 mg·kg–1koncentrációtartományban módosult a P×K-ellátottság nyomán. Élettani, takarmányozástani szempontból az indukált kölcsönhatások nyomon követése elengedhetetlen, amennyiben olyan mérvű tápelemhiányok, illetve aránytalanságok jöhetnek létre, melyek anyagcserezavarokat okozhatnak a növényt fogyasztó állatban.
Effect of compost application on the nutrient-supplying capacity of the soil
Authors: Elfoughi Alaeddin , Benedek Szilveszter , Bayoumi Hamuda Hosam E. A. F. , Füleky György
Published: December 2010

A komposztok előállítása, ill. trágyaként való felhasználása – amellett, hogy megoldja a biológiai hulladékok elhelyezésének problémáját – hozzájárul a talajtermékenység növeléséhez is. A biológiai hulladékokból előállított komposztok pozitív hatást gyakorolnak a talaj biológiai, fizikai és kémiai tulajdonságaira. Jelen munkánkban tenyészedény-kísérletben, különböző arányú talaj és komposzt keverékek alkalmazásával vizsgáltuk a komposzttrágyázás hatását a növények hozamára és tápanyag-felvételére, ill. a talaj tápelemtartalmára. Inkubációs kísérletet állítottunk be továbbá a komposztban található tápelemek mineralizációjának vizsgálata céljából. Eredményeink a következő megállapításokban foglalhatók össze: – A növények hozama, ill. N-, P- és K-felvétele nőtt nagyobb arányú komposzttrágyázás esetén. – Előbbiek szerint szintén nőtt a talaj C-, N-, P- és K-tartalma. – Az inkubáció folyamán folyamatosan nőtt a C-, de csökkent a N-tartalom. – Vizsgálataink rámutatnak továbbá arra is, hogy a HWP forró vizes talajextrakció jól alkalmazható a talaj tápanyag-szolgáltató képességének nyomon követésére.
Approval Summary: Pemetrexed Maintenance Therapy of Advanced/Metastatic Nonsquamous, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Cohen Martin H. , Cortazar Patricia , Justice Robert , Pazdur Richard
Published: December 2010

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Consider tumor histology when making treatment decisions for patients with NSCLC.Identify patients with NSCLC who may be appropriate candidates for maintenance therapy with pemetrexed.

This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com.

On July 2, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved pemetrexed injection (Alimta® Injection; Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN) for maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has not progressed after four cycles of platinum-based doublet induction chemotherapy.

A double-blind study of pemetrexed plus best supportive care versus placebo plus best supportive care was conducted. Pemetrexed, 500 mg/m2 i.v., was administered every 21 days until disease progression. Folic acid, vitamin B12, and a corticosteroid were given to all study patients.

There were 663 randomized patients (pemetrexed, 441; placebo, 222). Treatments were well balanced with respect to baseline disease characteristics and stratification factors.

The median overall survival (OS) time for intent-to-treat (ITT) patients was 13.4 months for patients receiving pemetrexed and 10.6 months for those receiving placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65–0.95; p = .012). Median OS times were 15.5 months versus 10.3 months for patients with nonsquamous histologies receiving pemetrexed and placebo, respectively (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56–0.88). The median OS time in patients with squamous histology receiving pemetrexed was 9.9 months, versus 10.8 months for those receiving placebo (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.77–1.50). A significantly longer progression-free survival interval for both the ITT and nonsquamous patient populations receiving pemetrexed maintenance therapy was also observed.

The most common (>5%) adverse reactions in patients receiving pemetrexed were hematologic toxicity, an increase in hepatic enzymes, fatigue, gastrointestinal toxicity, sensory neuropathy, and skin rash.
Amelioration of Inflammation Induced Oxidative Stress and Tissue Damage by Aqueous Methanolic Extract of Nigella sativa Linn. in Arthritic Rats
Authors: Sajad Mir , Asif Mohd , Umar Sadiq , Zargan Jamil , Rizwan Mohd , Ansari S. H. , Ahmad Mashkoor , Khan Haider Ali
Published: December 2010

Pathology of rheumatoid arthritis suggests autoimmunity linked to inflammation. This study is an attempt to identify targets of inflammation in joints and amelioration of the disease process by a natural product.Wistar rats were immunised with collagen, disease developed after 13±1 days post induction. Nigella sativa Linn. aqueous methanolic extract was given at two diffferent dosages, viz. 400 and 500 mg/kg daily until the 20th day. The analysis of inflammation and associated protease activation was evaluated by myeloperoxidase (MPO) and articular elastase (ELA). Post inflammatory generation of various free radicals was checked by evaluating several enzymatic and non enzymatic parameters (GSH, SOD and catalase), including peroxidation of membranes. Finally, articular nitrite content was estimated as to highlight the tissue injury evidenced by histology caused by autoimmunity.Nigella sativa decreased MPO and associated elastase activity dose dependently (p < 0.001). Moreover, Nigella sativa decreased the lipid peroxidation (p < 0.001) with replenishment of GSH (p < 0.001) confirming their inverse nature. SOD activity increased significantly (p < 0.01), with a parallel increment in catalase activity (p < 0.01). Consistent with these findings, articular nitrite content was reduced (p < 0.01), which was further confirmed by the histological findings. Our study suggests autoimmune stimulation of inflammatory cells and associated oxidative stress as a putative mechanism of RA and possible prevention by N. sativa.
Waring’s problem with digital restrictions in $$
\mathbb{F}
$$
q[X]
Authors: Madritsch Manfred
Published: December 2010

We present a generalization of a result due to Thuswaldner and Tichy to the ring of polynomials over a finite fields. In particular, we want to show that every polynomial of sufficiently large degree can be represented as sum of kth powers, where the bases evaluated on additive functions meet certain congruence restrictions.
On direct limits of MV-algebras
Authors: Halušková Emília
Published: December 2010

We prove that the correspondence between MV-algebras and abelian ℓ-groups with the strong unit is preserved in the direct limit construction. Further, several classes of MV-algebras which are closed under formation of direct limits will be distinguished.
Un desangramiento frenético
Authors: Nouhaud Dorita
Published: December 2010

R. Arenas committed suicide on the 7th of December 1990 in New York when he was in the last phase of HIV infection. However, before ending his life, he tried to complete his work El Color del verano, la Pentagonía,the first four volumes of which were already on sale. He finished his book of memories  Antes que anochezca by revising the third poem of the poetic trilogy, Leprosorio. It’s hard to believe that he could set himself such an enormous task whilst enduring the last stages of disease. A sense of failure infuses his last three works but feelings of hatred become much more apparent when he refers to the cause of this failure, Fidel Castro. The most interesting aspect of the aesthetic representation is related to the changeable nature of memory and how the inconstancy of this exiled writer’s memories help to develop the work he started months or – in the instance of Leprosorio - even years ago. At the same time, those changes affect also his interpretation of the irreparable twilight that lights up at the last moment and which creates the certainty of unlimited liberty achievable at the final limits of life and by himself alone.
La mémoire et l’imaginaire utopique
Authors: Lani Soraya
Published: December 2010

En 1964 la dictature militaire s’installe au Brésil créant la censure à tous les niveaux. A ce moment-là, l’écrivain juif brésilien Moacyr Scliar intègre le groupe d’écrivains latino-américains liés au courant littéraire du réalisme magique dont ses membres cherchent des subterfuges littéraires, tels que les discours allégorique et métaphorique, pour s’opposer au régime. L’émergence de cette nouvelle représentation esthétique suscite ainsi une relecture du passé, où la mémoire arrange esthétiquement le souvenir. Dans ce contexte, nous proposons d’analyser dans le roman « Sa Majesté des Indiens » (1997), où le temps du récit s’insère dans le contexte dictatorial brésilien, la manière dont Moacyr Scliar s’approprie l’histoire officielle, et comment, par le biais des personnages historiques, l’écrivain parvient à construire un imaginaire utopique basé sur une fusion culturelle et idéologique pour échapper à la répression.
Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, filial Córdoba
Authors: Bello Vanesa , Villa Paula
Published: December 2010

Este trabajo se sustenta en un análisis comunicativo y contextual que da cuenta de la identificación e interpretación de las prácticas comunicativas realizadas por Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, filial Córdoba bajo las presidencias de Raúl Alfonsín, Carlos Menem y Néstor Kirchner pues dichos mandatos han tenido grandes diferencias en materia de DD.HH. La organización supo valerse de vastas formas expresivas y/o estéticas con fines comunicacionales, políticos, sociales y culturales que hicieron posible el logro de sus objetivos. La comunicación, al principio sin saberlo, brindó mayores posibilidades para su lucha perseverante y cotidiana: permitió la consolidación en el espacio público, la construcción de una memoria y una identidad colectiva fuerte y con gran legitimación social, reforzó la unidad interna y multiplicó las redes sociales externas. Por ello, las prácticas operaron como pilares en la búsqueda de los nietos priorizando, cada vez más, su perfeccionamiento.
Las voces del silencio
Authors: Semilla Durán María Angélica
Published: December 2010

The article analyses the novel by Carlos Gamerro El secreto y las voces in the framework of the texts studying the memory issues of the last Argentinian dictatorship. The purpose here is to shed light on the narrative devices used to describe the logical manipulations, the verbal shift and the social mechanisms that contributed to configure a society globally accomplice of the crimes committed by the dictatorship, be it by naturalization or concealment. The silence plot is difficult to counter, and when the speech finally returns, it carries other unsensed secrets and shows that all the consciences have, in one way or another, lacked vigilance.
La hora azul en pos de la memoria traumática del Perú
Authors: Sourp Claire
Published: December 2010

La novela del peruano Alonso Cueto (La hora azul, 2005) propone una reflexión sobre las relaciones entre el hombre y las memorias, su memoria personal y la de su país. El encuentro del personaje principal con la amante de su padre –militar que participó en la lucha contra Sendero luminoso en los años 80– le permite indagar su historia personal y metafóricamente, también se da a conocer la historia del trauma reciente de la Guerra sucia. Esa novela se puede leer como una representación estética de la memoria peruana y participa, en el marco de la ficción, al proceso de comprensión de la situación de violencia emprendido con la investigación de los miembros de la Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación. Por consiguiente, el artículo se centra en el testimonio que proporciona el personaje femenino cuyo cuerpo sirve de hito dentro de esta búsqueda de la verdad y de la historia. Un cuerpo inasible, lastimado, a la imagen de la memoria que se intenta reconstruir, un cuerpo que para escapar al peso del pasado y del trauma del conflicto se suicida y le deja al otro la misión de contar, el legado de la memoria.