bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Muscle paralysis in thyrotoxicosis
Authors: Siddiqui Fraz Anwar , Sheikh Aisha
Published: May 2015

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a condition characterised by muscle paralysis due to hypokalaemia usually secondary to thyrotoxicosis. We report a case of a 31-year-old man with no known comorbidities who presented to a tertiary healthcare unit with a 1-month history of difficulty in breathing, palpitations, weight loss and hoarseness of voice. On examination, his thyroid gland was palpable and fine hand tremors were present. An initial provisional diagnosis of hyperthyroidism was made. Three months after initial presentation, the patient presented in emergency with severe muscle pain and inability to stand. Laboratory results revealed hypokalaemia. All the symptoms reverted over the next few hours on administration of intravenous potassium. A diagnosis of TTP was established. After initial presentation, the patient was treated with carbimazole and propranolol. Once he was euthyroid, radioactive iodine ablation therapy (15 mCi) was carried out as definitive therapy, after which the patient's symptoms resolved; he is currently doing fine on levothyroxine replacement and there has been no recurrence of muscle paralysis.
Flow diversion in vasculitic intracranial aneurysms? Repair of giant complex cavernous carotid aneurysm in polyarteritis nodosa using Pipeline embolization devices: first reported case
Authors: Martinez Santos Jaime , Kaderali Zul , Spears Julian , Rubin Laurence A , Marotta Thomas R
Published: May 2015

Intracranial aneurysms in polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) are exceedingly rare lesions with unpredictable behavior that pose real challenges to microsurgical and endovascular interventions owing to their inflammatory nature. We introduce a safe and effective alternative for treating these aneurysms using Pipeline embolization devices (PEDs). A 20-year-old man presented with diplopia, headaches, chronic abdominal pain, and weight loss. Diagnostic evaluations confirmed PAN, including bilateral giant cavernous carotid aneurysms. Cyclophosphamide and steroids achieved significant and sustained clinical improvement, with a decision to follow the aneurysms serially. Seven years later the left unruptured aneurysm enlarged, causing a sudden severe headache and a cavernous sinus syndrome. Treatment of the symptomatic aneurysm was pursued using flow diversion (PED) and the internal carotid artery was successfully reconstructed with a total of four overlapping PEDs. At 6 months follow-up, complete exclusion of the aneurysm was demonstrated, with symptomatic recovery. This is the first description of using a flow-diverting technique in an inflammatory vasculitis. In this case, PEDs not only attained a definitive closure of the aneurysm but also reconstructed the damaged and fragile arterial segment affected with vasculitis.
Explaining variation in cancer survival between 11 jurisdictions in the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership: a primary care vignette survey
Authors: Rose Peter W , Rubin Greg , Perera-Salazar Rafael , Almberg Sigrun Saur , Barisic Andriana , Dawes Martin , Grunfeld Eva , Hart Nigel , Neal Richard D , Pirotta Marie , Sisler Jeffrey , Konrad Gerald , Toftegaard Berit Skjødeberg , Thulesius Hans , Vedsted Peter , Young Jane , Hamilton Willie ,   The ICBP Module 3 Working Group*
Published: May 2015

Objectives

The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) is a collaboration between 6 countries and 12 jurisdictions with similar primary care-led health services. This study investigates primary care physician (PCP) behaviour and systems that may contribute to the timeliness of investigating for cancer and subsequently, international survival differences.

Design

A validated survey administered to PCPs via the internet set out in two parts: direct questions on primary care structure and practice relating to cancer diagnosis, and clinical vignettes, assessing management of scenarios relating to the diagnosis of lung, colorectal or ovarian cancer.

Participants

2795 PCPs in 11 jurisdictions: New South Wales and Victoria (Australia), British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario (Canada), England, Northern Ireland, Wales (UK), Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Analysis compared the cumulative proportion of PCPs in each jurisdiction opting to investigate or refer at each phase for each vignette with 1-year survival, and conditional 5-year survival rates for the relevant cancer and jurisdiction. Logistic regression was used to explore whether PCP characteristics or system differences in each jurisdiction affected the readiness to investigate.

Results

4 of 5 vignettes showed a statistically significant correlation (p<0.05 or better) between readiness to investigate or refer to secondary care at the first phase of each vignette and cancer survival rates for that jurisdiction. No consistent associations were found between readiness to investigate and selected PCP demographics, practice or health system variables.

Conclusions

We demonstrate a correlation between the readiness of PCPs to investigate symptoms indicative of cancer and cancer survival rates, one of the first possible explanations for the variation in cancer survival between ICBP countries. No specific health system features consistently explained these findings. Some jurisdictions may consider lowering thresholds for PCPs to investigate for cancer—either directly, or by specialist referral, to improve outcomes.
Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equations in nonlocal f(R) gravity
Authors: Momeni Davood , Gholizade H. , Raza Muhammad , Myrzakulov Ratbay
Published: May 2015

Nonlocal f(R) gravity was proposed as a powerful alternative to general relativity (GR). This theory has potentially adverse implications for infrared (IR) regime as well as ultraviolet (UV) early epochs. However, there are a lot of powerful features, making it really user-friendly. A scalar–tensor frame comprising two auxiliary scalar fields is used to reduce complex action. However, this is not the case for the modification complex which plays a distinct role in modified theories for gravity. In this work, we study the dynamics of a static, spherically symmetric object. The interior region of space–time had rapidly filled the perfect fluid. However, it is possible to derive a physically based model which relates interior metric to nonlocal f(R). The Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff (TOV) equations would be a set of first-order differential equations from which we can deduce all mathematical (physical) truths and derive all dynamical objects. This set of dynamical equations govern pressure p, density ρ, mass m and auxiliary fields {ψ, ξ}. The full conditional solutions are evaluated and inverted numerically to obtain exact forms of the compact stars Her X-1, SAX J 1808.4-3658 and 4U 1820-30 for nonlocal Starobinsky model of f(◻-1 R) = ◻-1 R+α(◻-1 R)2. The program solves the differential equations numerically using adaptive Gaussian quadrature. An ascription of correctness is supposed to be an empirical equation of state [Formula: see text] for star which is informative in so far as it excludes an alternative nonlocal approach to compact star formation. This model is most suited for astrophysical observation.
Imaging superatomic molecular orbitals in a C60 molecule through four 800-nm photons
Authors: Zhang G. P. , Zhu H. P. , Bai Y. H. , Bonacum J. , Wu X. S. , George Thomas F.
Published: May 2015

Superatomic molecular orbitals (SAMOs) in C 60 are ideal building blocks for functional nanostructures. However, imaging them spatially in the gas phase has been unsuccessful. It is found experimentally that if C 60 is excited by an 800-nm laser, the photoelectron casts an anisotropic velocity image, but the image becomes isotropic if excited at a 400-nm wavelength. This diffuse image difference has been attributed to electron thermal ionization, but more recent experiments (800 nm) reveal a clear nondiffuse image superimposed on the diffuse image, whose origin remains a mystery. Here we show that the nondiffuse anisotropic image is the precursor of the f SAMOs. We predict that four 800-nm photons can directly access the 1f SAMO, and with one more photon, can image the orbital, with the photoelectron angular distribution having two maxima at 0° and 180° and two humps separated by 56.5°. Since two 400-nm photons only resonantly excite the spherical 1s SAMO and four 800-nm photons excite the anisotropic 1f SAMO, our finding gives a natural explanation of the nondiffuse image difference, complementing the thermal scenario.
Asymmetric neutron emissions from sonicated steel
Authors: Petrucci Andrea , Rosada Alberto , Santoro Emilio
Published: May 2015

Following up published works in which we studied and experimentally verified the assumptions of the theory of "Deformed Space-Time" in relation to piezonuclear emissions, and according to previous experiments of sonication by ultrasounds performed on solid materials with high density, cylindrical bars of AISI 304 steel have been sonicated by ultrasounds of the power of 330 Watts and frequency of 20 KHz. We verified by means of passive detectors CR39 (PADC) pulsed emissions of neutrons. In this work, following a recent proposal, it was decided to perform a stereoscopic measurement of neutron emission. It has been verified that they are characterized by a distribution which is anisotropic and asymmetric in the space. The work shows a wide and accurate description of the experiment and the results of neutron emissions, and we stress that there exist two directions corresponding to maximum emission (maximum dose) and zero emission (null dose).
The role of vanadium additive in the activated sintering and shrinkage rate of tungsten–vanadium alloys
Authors: Arshad Kameel , Zhang Ying , Yuan Yue , Zhao Ming-Yue , Muhammad Wazir , Zhou Zhang-Jian , Lu Guang-Hong
Published: May 2015

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a common and effective way to fabricate tungsten-based materials for preliminary investigations of their application in fusion reactor. The selection of doping materials and their appropriate concentration in tungsten is important for activated consolidation and to improve the shrinkage rate during the sintering process. The impact of vanadium concentration on the shrinkage rate of tungsten–vanadium (W–V) alloys has been studied in this work. Improvement in the shrinkage rate and mechanical strength of W–V alloys has been achieved by increasing the V concentration. The residual porosity was gradually decreased and the activated sintering conditions got better with the increase of V concentration. The saturation of shrinkage rate has been found at 1550°C for W-10 wt.%V.
Simultaneous Multithreaded Matrix Processor
Authors: Soliman Mostafa I. , Elsayed Elsayed A.
Published: May 2015

This paper proposes a simultaneous multithreaded matrix processor (SMMP) to improve the performance of data-parallel applications by exploiting instruction-level parallelism (ILP) data-level parallelism (DLP) and thread-level parallelism (TLP). In SMMP, the well-known five-stage pipeline (baseline scalar processor) is extended to execute multi-scalar/vector/matrix instructions on unified parallel execution datapaths. SMMP can issue four scalar instructions from two threads each cycle or four vector/matrix operations from one thread, where the execution of vector/matrix instructions in threads is done in round-robin fashion. Moreover, this paper presents the implementation of our proposed SMMP using VHDL targeting FPGA Virtex-6. In addition, the performance of SMMP is evaluated on some kernels from the basic linear algebra subprograms (BLAS). Our results show that, the hardware complexity of SMMP is 5.68 times higher than the baseline scalar processor. However, speedups of 4.9, 6.09, 6.98, 8.2, 8.25, 8.72, 9.36, 11.84 and 21.57 are achieved on BLAS kernels of applying Givens rotation, scalar times vector plus another, vector addition, vector scaling, setting up Givens rotation, dot-product, matrix–vector multiplication, Euclidean length, and matrix–matrix multiplications, respectively. The average speedup over the baseline is 9.55 and the average speedup over complexity is 1.68. Comparing with Xilinx MicroBlaze, the complexity of SMMP is 6.36 times higher, however, its speedup ranges from 6.87 to 12.07 on vector/matrix kernels, which is 9.46 in average.
Design of a Variable Fractional Delay Filter Using Comprehensive Least Square Method Encompassing All Delay Values
Authors: Kumar Manjeet , Rawat Tarun Kumar
Published: May 2015

The work presented in this paper is concerned with the designing of a variable fractional delay (VFD) FIR filter using least square method encompassing all delay values p. First, the frequency response, e-jωp, of the VFD filter is approximated using power series expansion of an exponential function and then, it is represented in terms of frequency response of the differentiator. Next, the proposed least square method adopts a novel cost function which includes all the fractional delay values. Finally, design and application examples are given to illustrate that the proposed least square method have better design accuracy and significantly reduction in magnitude error with the same degree of complexity than existing least square methods.
STOCHASTIC MULTIRESONANCE INDUCED BY ADDITIVE AMPLITUDE MODULATION SIGNAL AND NOISE IN A GENE TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATORY MODEL
Authors: FENG TIANQUAN , YI MING
Published: May 2015

We investigate the stochastic resonance (SR) and stochastic multiresonance phenomena in a gene transcriptional regulatory system driven by additive amplitude modulation signal and cross-correlated noise. By using the general two-state approach, we obtained the analytic expression of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) under the condition of adiabatic approximation. Our results show that the SR phenomenon can be observed and the peak of SR can be manipulated by the amplitude modulation deepness and the amplitude modulation frequency of the signal. More interestingly, stochastic multiresonance can be observed in the curve of SNR versus cross-correlation coefficient. Our results illustrate the potential to utilize the cross-correlation noise for controlling SNR under fixed noise intensity in the study of stochastic gene transcriptional regulatory process.
THE MULTI-FREQUENCY CORRELATION BETWEEN EUA AND sCER FUTURES PRICES: EVIDENCE FROM THE EMD APPROACH
Authors: ZHANG YUE-JUN , HUANG YI-SONG
Published: May 2015

Currently European Union Allowances (EUA) and secondary Certified Emission Reduction (sCER) have become two dominant carbon trading assets for investors and their linkage attracts much attention from academia and practitioners in recent years. Under this circumstance, we use the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) approach to decompose the two carbon futures contract prices and discuss their correlation from the multi-frequency perspective. The empirical results indicate that, first, the EUA and sCER futures price movements can be divided into those triggered by the long-term, medium-term and short-term market impacts. Second, the price movements in the EUA and sCER futures markets are primarily caused by the long-term impact, while the short-term impact can only explain a small fraction. Finally, the long-term (short-term) effect on EUA prices is statistically uncorrelated with the short-term (long-term) effect of sCER prices, and there is a medium or strong lead-and-lag correlation between the EUA and sCER price components with the same time scales. These results may provide some important insights of price forecast and arbitraging activities for carbon futures market investors, analysts and regulators.
ENUMERATION OF SPANNING TREES ON GENERALIZED PSEUDOFRACTAL NETWORKS
Authors: XIAO JINMEI , ZHANG JINGYUAN , SUN WEIGANG
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we calculate the number of spanning trees on two families of generalized pseudo- fractal networks with two controllable parameters. The initial state is a complete graph with an arbitrary number of nodes as a generalization of a triangle. In the subsequent steps, each existing edge (newly produced edge) gives birth to finite new nodes. Using the electrically equivalent transformations, we obtain the changes of edge weights of corresponding equivalent networks and derive the relationships for enumerating spanning trees between original networks and transformed networks. Finally, we obtain closed-form formulas for the number of spanning trees, which is verified by numerical simulations.
PREDICTING THE WEAR OF SOFT-ON-HARD BEARING COUPLES FOR HUMAN HIP PROSTHESIS USING FINITE ELEMENT CONCEPTS
Authors: SHANKAR S. , NITHYAPRAKASH R.
Published: May 2015

Wear of bearing couples is one of the major concerns in artificial hip implantation. To minimize the wear of hip bearing surfaces, several new materials have been introduced and tested including metal-on-metal, ceramic-on-ceramic and hard-on-hard combinations. The present study involves prediction of wear on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) cup against Co–Cr, alumina and zirconia femoral head by applying the three-dimensional (3D) physiological loads as well as angular motions on these bearing couples to calculate the contact pressure using finite element concepts. The linear and volumetric wear of bearing surfaces increase with increase in gait cycles. Overall, the Zirconia–UHMWPE combination showed least wear, when compared with Alumina–UHMWPE and Co–Cr–UHMWPE combinations. The present study also revealed that the Zirconia–UHMWPE combinations showed less volumetric wear than the Alumina–Alumina bearing which is at present used in artificial hip resurfacements.
Generation of four-photon polarization entangled states with cross-Kerr nonlinearity
Authors: Wang Meiyu , Yan Fengli
Published: May 2015

We show how to prepare three different types of four-photon polarization entangled states among four modes. The scheme only use cross-Kerr medium, polarization beam splitters and X homodyne measurements on coherent light fields, which can be efficiently implemented in quantum optical laboratories. GHZ states and symmetric Dick states can be generated in deterministic way based on the scheme. With the possible availability of suitable strong Kerr nonlinearity, another type of entangled state called genuine four-photon entangled state can be realized as well.
Boundary Condition Related Mixed Boundary Element and its Application in FMBEM for 3D Elastostatic Problem
Authors: Wang Yingjun , Deng Xiaowei , Wang Qifu , Xia Zhaohui , Xu Hua
Published: May 2015

A boundary condition (BC) related mixed element method is presented to address the corner problem in boundary element method (BEM) for 3D elastostatic problems. In this method, noncontinuous elements (NCEs) are only used at the displacement-prescribed corners/edges and continuous elements (CEs) in other places, which can decrease the degrees of freedom (DOFs) compared to the approach using NCEs at all corners/edges. Moreover, an automatic generation algorithm of BC related mixed linear triangular elements is implemented with the help of 3D modeling engine ACIS, and the boundary element analysis (BEA) is integrated into CAD systems. In order to solve large scale problems, the fast multipole BEM (FMBEM) with mixed elements is proposed and utilized in the BEA. The examples show that the node shift scheme adopting 1/4 is optimal and the BEM/FMBEM using mixed elements can produce more accurate results by only increasing a small number of DOFs.
Dynamical Study of Fractional Order Tumor Model
Authors: Arshad Sadia , Sohail Ayesha , Javed Sana
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we have studied the fractional order model of tumor cells growth and their interactions with general immune effector cells, by using multi-step generalized differential transform method (MSGDTM). We discussed this nonlinear model because it differs from most others in the literature. It takes into account (i) the infiltration of the tumor by CTLs (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) and (ii) the possible effects of effector cell inactivation. The approximate solutions obtained by MSGDTM are highly accurate and valid for a longer period of time.
NETWORK TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BY US BIOTECHNOLOGY FIRMS: A CONTEXTUAL APPROACH OF SOCIAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS
Authors: DELERUE HÈLÈNE , CRONJE TOM
Published: May 2015

The biotechnology industry is a knowledge-intensive industry that uses sophisticated production processes in which secrecy plays a key role. This paper investigates the contextual organisational characteristics such as firm size, firm age, and strategies of companies in the biotechnology sector that have adopted social media applications. A hypothetico-deductive method is used in this empirical study. The hypotheses were tested in 639 US Biotechnology firms, using the BioScan Database and an analysis of the firms' websites. Results suggest that social media tools analysed as an aggregate construct can produce misleading results. Except for marketing strategies, contextual characteristics differently affect the number and type of social media used.
A stochastic bioenergetics model-based approach to translating large river flow and temperature into fish population responses: the pallid sturgeon example
Authors: Wildhaber Mark L. , Dey Rima , Wikle Christopher K. , Moran Edward H. , Anderson Christopher J. , Franz Kristie J.
Published: May 2015

In managing fish populations, especially at-risk species, realistic mathematical models are needed to help predict population response to potential management actions in the context of environmental conditions and changing climate while effectively incorporating the stochastic nature of real world conditions. We provide a key component of such a model for the endangered pallid sturgeon (
Scaphirhynchus albus
) in the form of an individual-based bioenergetics model influenced not only by temperature but also by flow. This component is based on modification of a known individual-based bioenergetics model through incorporation of: the observed ontogenetic shift in pallid sturgeon diet from marcroinvertebrates to fish; the energetic costs of swimming under flowing-water conditions; and stochasticity. We provide an assessment of how differences in environmental conditions could potentially alter pallid sturgeon growth estimates, using observed temperature and velocity from channelized portions of the Lower Missouri River mainstem. We do this using separate relationships between the proportion of maximum consumption and fork length and swimming cost standard error estimates for fish captured above and below the Kansas River in the Lower Missouri River. Critical to our matching observed growth in the field with predicted growth based on observed environmental conditions was a two-step shift in diet from macroinvertebrates to fish.
Submerged shorelines and landscape features offshore of Mossel Bay, South Africa
Authors: Cawthra Hayley C. , Compton John S. , Fisher Erich C. , MacHutchon Michael R. , Marean Curtis W.
Published: May 2015

Coastal geomorphic systems have been studied widely to understand the responses of shorelines to fluctuating sea levels. Submerged shorelines, remnant of Pleistocene sea-level lowstands, are well preserved on the South African continental shelf. This paper describes work undertaken to better understand offshore coastal environments now submerged by high sea levels off the South African south coast near Mossel Bay, offshore of the Pinnacle Point archaeological locality. Multibeam bathymetry and side-scan sonar reveal evidence of past sea-level fluctuations and submerged coastal landscape features on the seabed. These results form the basis of an ongoing palaeoenvironmental reconstruction for this part of the shelf. We describe seven significant geomorphic features that show a submerged environment that differs significantly to the immediate adjacent coastal plain. However, these features are comparable to other stretches of the present South African shoreline that serve as modern analogues. We propose that features on the continental shelf primarily reflect geological substrate, gradients and Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations. Early modern humans were likely to have had a different set of resources to use in this Pleistocene landscape compared to those available along the presently exposed coast.
The effect of prenatal maternal infection on respiratory function in mouse offspring: evidence for enhanced chemosensitivity
Authors: Samarasinghe Thilini D. , Sands Scott A. , Skuza Elizabeth M. , Joshi Mandar S. , Nold-Petry Claudia A. , Berger Philip J.
Published: May 2015

Systemic maternal inflammation is implicated in preterm birth and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and may induce morbidities including reduced pulmonary function, sleep-disordered breathing, and cardiovascular disorders. Here we test the hypothesis that antenatal maternal inflammation per se causes altered alveolar development and increased chemoreflex sensitivity that persists beyond infancy. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (150 μg/kg ip) to induce maternal inflammation or saline (SHAM) at embryonic day 16 (randomized). Pups were weighed daily. On days 7, 28, and 60 (D07, D28, and D60), unrestrained wholebody plethysmography quantified ventilation and chemoreflex responses to hypoxia (10%), hypercapnia (7%), and asphyxia (hypoxic hypercapnia). Lungs were harvested to quantify alveolar number, size, and septal thickness. LPS pups had reduced baseline ventilation per unit bodyweight (∼40%, P < 0.001) vs. SHAM. LPS increased ventilatory responses to hypoxia (D07: 66% vs. 28% increase in ventilation; P < 0.001) hypercapnia (170% vs. 88%; P < 0.001), and asphyxia (249% vs. 154%; P < 0.001); hypersensitive hypoxic responsiveness persisted until D60 ( P < 0.001). LPS also increased apnea frequency ( P < 0.01). LPS caused thicker alveolar septae (D07, P < 0.001), diminished alveolar number (D28, P < 0.001) vs. SHAM, but effects were minimal by D60. Pups delivered from mothers exposed to antenatal inflammation exhibit deficits in lung structure and hypersensitive responses to respiratory stimuli that persist beyond the newborn period. Antenatal inflammation may contribute to impaired gas exchange and unstable breathing in newborn infants and adversely affect long-term health.
New DNA Methylation Markers for Pancreatic Cancer: Discovery, Tissue Validation, and Pilot Testing in Pancreatic Juice
Authors: Kisiel John B. , Raimondo Massimo , Taylor William R. , Yab Tracy C. , Mahoney Douglas W. , Sun Zhifu , Middha Sumit , Baheti Saurabh , Zou Hongzhi , Smyrk Thomas C. , Boardman Lisa A. , Petersen Gloria M. , Ahlquist David A.
Published: May 2015

Purpose: Discriminant markers for pancreatic cancer detection are needed. We sought to identify and validate methylated DNA markers for pancreatic cancer using next-generation sequencing unbiased by known targets.

Experimental Design: At a referral center, we conducted four sequential case–control studies: discovery, technical validation, biologic validation, and clinical piloting. Candidate markers were identified using variance-inflated logistic regression on reduced-representation bisulfite DNA sequencing results from matched pancreatic cancers, benign pancreas, and normal colon tissues. Markers were validated technically on replicate discovery study DNA and biologically on independent, matched, blinded tissues by methylation-specific PCR. Clinical testing of six methylation candidates and mutant KRAS was performed on secretin-stimulated pancreatic juice samples from 61 patients with pancreatic cancer, 22 with chronic pancreatitis, and 19 with normal pancreas on endoscopic ultrasound. Areas under receiver-operating characteristics curves (AUC) for markers were calculated.

Results: Sequencing identified >500 differentially hyper-methylated regions. On independent tissues, AUC on 19 selected markers ranged between 0.73 and 0.97. Pancreatic juice AUC values for CD1D, KCNK12, CLEC11A, NDRG4, IKZF1, PKRCB, and KRAS were 0.92*, 0.88, 0.85, 0.85, 0.84, 0.83, and 0.75, respectively, for pancreatic cancer compared with normal pancreas and 0.92*, 0.73, 0.76, 0.85*, 0.73, 0.77, and 0.62 for pancreatic cancer compared with chronic pancreatitis (*, P = 0.001 vs. KRAS).

Conclusions: We identified and validated novel DNA methylation markers strongly associated with pancreatic cancer. On pilot testing in pancreatic juice, best markers (especially CD1D) highly discriminated pancreatic cases from controls. Clin Cancer Res; 21(19); 4473–81. ©2015 AACR.
PKCϵ Is an Essential Mediator of Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis
Authors: Gutierrez-Uzquiza Alvaro , Lopez-Haber Cynthia , Jernigan Danielle L. , Fatatis Alessandro , Kazanietz Marcelo G.
Published: May 2015

The bone is a preferred site for metastatic homing of prostate cancer cells. Once prostate cancer patients develop skeletal metastases, they eventually succumb to the disease; therefore, it is imperative to identify key molecular drivers of this process. This study examines the involvement of protein kinase C epsilon (PKCϵ), an oncogenic protein that is abnormally overexpressed in human tumor specimens and cell lines, on prostate cancer cell bone metastasis. PC3-ML cells, a highly invasive prostate cancer PC3 derivative with bone metastatic colonization properties, failed to induce skeletal metastatic foci upon inoculation into nude mice when PKCϵ expression was silenced using shRNA. Interestingly, while PKCϵ depletion had only marginal effects on the proliferative, adhesive, and migratory capacities of PC3-ML cells in vitro or in the growth of xenografts upon s.c. inoculation, it caused a significant reduction in cell invasiveness. Notably, PKCϵ was required for transendothelial cell migration (TEM) as well as for the growth of PC3-ML cells in a bone biomimetic environment. At a mechanistic level, PKCϵ depletion abrogates the expression of IL1β, a cytokine implicated in skeletal metastasis. Taken together, PKCϵ is a key factor for driving the formation of bone metastasis by prostate cancer cells and is a potential therapeutic target for advanced stages of the disease.

Implications: This study uncovers an important new function of PKCϵ in the dissemination of cancer cells to the bone; thus, highlighting the promising potential of this oncogenic kinase as a therapeutic target for skeletal metastasis. Mol Cancer Res; 13(9); 1336–46. ©2015 AACR.
Kerinokeratosis Papulosa of Childhood
Authors: Bauer Boris , Goebeler Matthias , Weissbrich Benedikt , Kerstan Andreas
Published: May 2015

Background: Kerinokeratosis papulosa (KP) is considered an extremely rare genodermatosis presenting usually as waxy papules on the trunk in childhood. Objective: To describe and analyze the clinical, histological and potential etiopathological aspects of KP. Methods: The dermatoscopic features of a new case of KP of childhood are investigated. The presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in lesional skin was studied by polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, all cases of KP of childhood reported so far were reviewed. Results: As a diagnostic tool, we describe for the first time a dermatoscopic feature, namely a cribriform pattern of KP, in an 11-year-old boy. In addition, we detected HPV (type 57) in his KP lesions. Conclusions: Dermatoscopic examination might be a useful tool to distinguish KP from other skin lesions, e.g. common warts. The detection of HPV type 57 might hint to an etiological role of HPV for KP.
Bronchoscopy-Guided Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation as a Novel Intervention Therapy for Peripheral Lung Cancer
Authors: Koizumi Tomonobu , Tsushima Kenji , Tanabe Tsuyoshi , Agatsuma Toshihiko , Yokoyama Toshiki , Ito Michiko , Kanda Shintaro , Kobayashi Takashi , Yasuo Masanori
Published: May 2015

Background: Our previous animal and preliminary human studies indicated that bronchoscopy-guided cooled radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the lung is a safe and feasible procedure without major complications. Objectives: The present study was performed to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and feasibility of computed tomography (CT)-guided bronchoscopy cooled RFA in patients with medically inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Patients with pathologically diagnosed NSCLC, who had no lymph node involvement or distant metastases (T1-2aN0M0) but were not surgical candidates because of comorbidities (e.g. synchronous multiple nodules, advanced age, cardiovascular disease, poor pulmonary function, etc.) were enrolled in the present study. The diagnosis and location between the nearest bronchus and target tumor were made by CT-guided bronchoscopy before the treatment. A total of 28 bronchoscopy-guided cooled RFA procedures were performed in 20 patients. After treatment, serial CT imaging was performed as follow-up. Results: Eleven lesions showed significant reductions in tumor size and 8 lesions showed stability, resulting in a local control rate of 82.6%. The median progression-free survival was 35 months (95% confidence interval: 22-45 months), and the 5-year overall survival was 61.5% (95% confidence interval: 36-87%). Three patients developed an acute ablation-related reaction (fever, chest pain) and required hospitalization but improved with conservative treatment. There were no other adverse events in the present study. Conclusions: CT-guided bronchoscopy cooled RFA is applicable for only highly selected subjects; however, our trial may be an alternative strategy, especially for disease local control in medically inoperable patients with stage I NSCLC.
Successful Pregnancy and Neobladder Subsequent to Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer and Fertility Preserving Surgery: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hupe Marie C. , Merseburger Axel S. , Günter Hans H. , Wüstemann Max , von Kaisenberg Constantin S.
Published: May 2015

We report a successful pregnancy and birth subsequent to fertility-preserving cystectomy and neobladder formation in a muscle-invasive sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma.
Segalerba, Gianluigi. Semantik und Ontologie, Drei Studien zu Aristoteles
Authors: Noriega-Olmos Simon
Published: May 2015

Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Main, New York, Oxford, Wien: Peter Lang, 2013. xvii, 546 p. 125,25$ (pb). ISBN-13 978-3039112777.
Aristotle on The Cognition of Value
Authors: Hamalainen Hasse
Published: May 2015

In my paper, I defend an interpretation of Aristotle, according to which we need reason (logos) to discern (krinein) which ends of desire would be good, against certain new objections raised in Moss 2011 and 2012.
Acesso à Justiça em um projeto de extensão universitária – um estudo da conciliação extrajudicial na resolução de conflitos e mudança cultural
Authors: Pádua Idiene Aparecida Vitor Proença , Oliveira Paulo De Tarso
Published: May 2015

Este artigo aborda a extensão universitária em uma experiência realizada em 2012 por acadêmicos e profissionais do Escritório Escola Jurídico Social “Desembargador Ranulfo de Melo Freire”, do Curso de Direito da FESP-UEMG, campus de Passos. A universidade, além de centro de produção de conhecimento, deve assumir sua responsabilidade social, atuando, na medida do possível, no atendimento das demandas essenciais da sociedade, visando diminuir a desigualdade e promovendo a cidadania. Entretanto, o desenvolvimento de uma região dificilmente acontecerá de forma plena quando existir um ambiente de conflitos não resolvidos. Apesar do acesso à justiça ser um direito constitucionalmente assegurado, vê-se uma deficiência na sua concretização. Assim, mostram-se importantes as políticas de iniciativa das universidades que promovam o restabelecimento da paz social, por meio da assistência jurídica e demais meios alternativos de resolução de conflitos. O objetivo desse trabalho é analisar o programa PAIJUS, que traz uma proposta de mudança cultural e seus desdobramentos para o desenvolvimento humano e efetivação do direito ao acesso à justiça. A metodologia utilizada inclui revisão bibliográfica, análise documental e entrevista semi-estruturada. O referencial teórico desenvolvido baseou-se principalmente no pensamento, entre outros, de Buarque, Sen, Cappelletti, Furtado, Gomma e Watanabe.
Esse mundo é dos loucos e Azyllo muito louco. Razão e desrazão em tempos sobrios
Authors: Magno Maria Ignes Carlos
Published: May 2015

A proposta da Resenha é a de apresentar dois filmes que marcaram os anos 1960 e 1970. Esse mundo é dos loucos (1966), de Philippe De Roca e Azyllo muito louco (1970), de Nelson Pereira dos Santos. Em ambos os filmes a loucura é o tema central, mais propriamente, a tênue linha que separa a loucura da sanidade. A ideia central é a de mostrar como os autores se utilizam da ficção para provocar reflexões sobre tempos e acontecimentos históricos.

Palavras-chave. Cinema; história; ficção; realidade.
Organizações civis e apropriações das plataformas digitais: desafios e potencialidades da web
Authors: Rossetto Graça Penha Nascimento , Carreiro Rodrigo , Silva Maria Paula Almada e
Published: May 2015

Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar os desafios e perspectivas das organizações civis perante as transformações impulsionadas pelas ferramentas oferecidas na internet. Mais especificamente, objetiva-se demonstrar como a iniciativa se apropria das plataformas digitais para ampliar espaços de participação e cumprir seus objetivos de ação. Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão de literatura, abrangendo questões relativas à sociedade civil e sua interface de atuação nas redes digitais, e um estudo exploratório com uma organização específica, o Cidade Democrática. Essa análise compreende a avaliação de todas as ferramentas que a iniciativa utiliza: site, blog, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook e Catarse para que se entenda como esses instrumentos se articulam a fim de cumprir seus objetivos principais.
A Educomunicação e o POIE: Possíveis aproximações.
Authors: Pereira Michele Marques
Published: May 2015

Este artigo busca compreender a relação entre o trabalho, orientações curriculares e diretrizes normativas para o Professor Orientador de Informática Educativa – POIE – com os princípios e práticas educomunicativas. Será analisada a função desse professor disposta pela SME-SP através da Portaria 2.673 e o resultado da análise será intercalado com os preceitos e práticas educomunicativas, buscando vislumbrar aproximações possíveis. Serão apresentadas percepções sobre a proximidade entre os departamentos de Informática Educativa e Nas Ondas Do Rádio da SME-SP, para então tecer considerações finais.
Aprendizagem social e novas tecnologias
Authors: Romancini Richard
Published: May 2015

Autores de diversos livros e artigos, Colin Lankshear e Michele Knobel são um casal de pesquisadores que tem se dedicado nos últimos anos ao estudo dos “novos letramentos”, que se associam a uma série de práticas contemporâneas ligadas às tecnologias digitais, particularmente, como os blogs, wikis e redes sociais. Nesta entrevista, eles explicam por que passaram a se interessar por esta temática e discutem suas preocupações com a “aprendizagem social”, refletindo sobre como este pode relacionar-se com a educação formal e com as novas mídias.
Deregulation of Retinaldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Leads to Defective Angiogenic Function of Endothelial Colony–Forming Cells in Pediatric Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Lee Ji Yeoun , Moon Youn Joo , Lee Hae-Ock , Park Ae-Kyung , Choi Seung-Ah , Wang Kyu-Chang , Han Jung Woo , Joung Je-Gun , Kang Hyun Seung , Kim Jeong Eun , Phi Ji Hoon , Park Woong-Yang , Kim Seung-Ki
Published: May 2015

Objective––

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a common cause of childhood stroke, in which the abnormal function of the endothelial colony–forming cell (ECFC) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. This study was designed to identify genes involved in MMD pathogenesis using gene expression profiling and to understand the defective function of MMD ECFCs.

Approach and Results––

We compared gene expression profiles of ECFCs isolated from patients with MMD and normal controls. Among the differentially expressed genes, we selected a gene with the most downregulated expression, retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (
RALDH2
). The activity of RALDH2 in MMD ECFCs was assessed by in vitro tube formation assay and in vivo Matrigel plug assay in the presence of all-trans retinoic acid. The transcriptional control of RALDH2 was tested using ChIP assays on acetyl-histone H3. In the results, MMD ECFCs inefficiently formed capillary tubes in vitro and capillaries in vivo, a defect restored by all-trans retinoic acid treatment. Knockdown of RALDH2 mRNA in normal ECFCs also induced decreased activity of capillary formation in vitro. The decreased level of RALDH2 mRNA in MMD ECFCs was attributed to defective acetyl-histone H3 binding to the promoter region.

Conclusions––

From these results, we conclude that the expression of RALDH2 was epigenetically suppressed in ECFCs from patients with MMD, which may play a key role in their functional impairment.
Epigenetic Regulation of Angiogenesis by JARID1B-Induced Repression of HOXA5
Authors: Fork Christian , Gu Lunda , Hitzel Juliane , Josipovic Ivana , Hu Jiong , SzeKa Wong Michael , Ponomareva Yuliya , Albert Mareike , Schmitz Sandra U. , Uchida Shizuka , Fleming Ingrid , Helin Kristian , Steinhilber Dieter , Leisegang Matthias S. , Brandes Ralf P.
Published: May 2015

Objective—

Altering endothelial biology through epigenetic modifiers is an attractive novel concept, which is, however, just in its beginnings. We therefore set out to identify chromatin modifiers important for endothelial gene expression and contributing to angiogenesis.

Approach and Results—

To identify chromatin modifying enzymes in endothelial cells, histone demethylases were screened by microarray and polymerase chain reaction. The histone 3 lysine 4 demethylase JARID1B was identified as a highly expressed enzyme at the mRNA and protein levels. Knockdown of JARID1B by shRNA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells attenuated cell migration, angiogenic sprouting, and tube formation. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition and overexpression of a catalytic inactive JARID1B mutant reduced the angiogenic capacity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. To identify the in vivo relevance of JARID1B in the vascular system,
Jarid1b
knockout mice were studied. As global knockout results in increased mortality and developmental defects, tamoxifen-inducible and endothelial-specific knockout mice were generated. Acute knockout of Jarid1b attenuated retinal angiogenesis and endothelial sprout outgrowth from aortic segments. To identify the underlying mechanism, a microarray experiment was performed, which led to the identification of the antiangiogenic transcription factor
HOXA5
to be suppressed by JARID1B. Importantly, downregulation or inhibition of JARID1B, but not of JARID1A and JARID1C, induced HOXA5 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Consistently, chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that JARID1B occupies and reduces the histone 3 lysine 4 methylation levels at the
HOXA5
promoter, demonstrating a direct function of JARID1B in endothelial
HOXA5
gene regulation.

Conclusions—

JARID1B, by suppressing HOXA5, maintains the endothelial angiogenic capacity in a demethylase-dependent manner.
Guidelines for the Management of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Hemphill J. Claude , Greenberg Steven M. , Anderson Craig S. , Becker Kyra , Bendok Bernard R. , Cushman Mary , Fung Gordon L. , Goldstein Joshua N. , Macdonald R. Loch , Mitchell Pamela H. , Scott Phillip A. , Selim Magdy H. , Woo Daniel
Published: May 2015

Purpose—

The aim of this guideline is to present current and comprehensive recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Methods—

A formal literature search of PubMed was performed through the end of August 2013. The writing committee met by teleconference to discuss narrative text and recommendations. Recommendations follow the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association methods of classifying the level of certainty of the treatment effect and the class of evidence. Prerelease review of the draft guideline was performed by 6 expert peer reviewers and by the members of the Stroke Council Scientific Oversight Committee and Stroke Council Leadership Committee.

Results—

Evidence-based guidelines are presented for the care of patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage. Topics focused on diagnosis, management of coagulopathy and blood pressure, prevention and control of secondary brain injury and intracranial pressure, the role of surgery, outcome prediction, rehabilitation, secondary prevention, and future considerations. Results of new phase 3 trials were incorporated.

Conclusions—

Intracerebral hemorrhage remains a serious condition for which early aggressive care is warranted. These guidelines provide a framework for goal-directed treatment of the patient with intracerebral hemorrhage.
Serum Soluble Corin Is Decreased in Stroke
Authors: Peng Hao , Zhu Fangfang , Shi Jijun , Han Xiujie , Zhou Dan , Liu Yan , Zhi Zhongwen , Zhang Fuding , Shen Yun , Ma Juanjuan , Song Yulin , Hu Weidong
Published: May 2015

Background and Purpose—

Soluble corin was decreased in coronary heart disease. Given the connections between cardiac dysfunction and stroke, circulating corin might be a candidate marker of stroke risk. However, the association between circulating corin and stroke has not yet been studied in humans. Here, we aimed to examine the association in patients wtith stroke and community-based healthy controls.

Methods—

Four hundred eighty-one patients with ischemic stroke, 116 patients with hemorrhagic stroke, and 2498 healthy controls were studied. Serum soluble corin and some conventional risk factors of stroke were examined. Because circulating corin was reported to be varied between men and women, the association between serum soluble corin and stroke was evaluated in men and women, respectively.

Results—

Patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke had a significantly lower level of serum soluble corin than healthy controls in men and women (all
P
values, <0.05). In multivariate analysis, men in the lowest quartile of serum soluble corin were more likely to have ischemic (odds ratio [OR], 4.90; 95% confidence interval, 2.99–8.03) and hemorrhagic (OR, 17.57; 95% confidence interval, 4.85–63.71) stroke than men in the highest quartile. Women in the lowest quartile of serum soluble corin were also more likely to have ischemic (OR, 3.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.76–5.44) and hemorrhagic (OR, 8.54; 95% confidence interval, 2.35–31.02) stroke than women in the highest quartile. ORs of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke were significantly increased with the decreasing levels of serum soluble corin in men and women (all
P
values for trend, <0.001).

Conclusions—

Serum soluble corin was decreased in patients with stroke compared with healthy controls. Our findings raise the possibility that serum soluble corin may have a pathogenic role in stroke.
Ad Reinhardt’s “Black” Paintings
Authors: Reed Arden
Published: May 2015

By education and inclination, Ad Reinhardt (1913–1967) was a politically engaged artist. His gifts suited him well for producing cartoons and collages in left-wing publications. But could he integrate his abstract, avant-garde painting with his activism? The solution came largely through his readings and lifelong friendship with Trappist monk Thomas Merton. Reinhardt’s famous “black” paintings embody negation theology—defining the deity by what it is not. Further, because these paintings require several minutes of intense looking simply to grasp, they exemplify what I call “slow art,” which recreates in a secular idiom the conditions for rumination common to spiritual practices. To jettison the ecclesiastical was not, for Reinhardt, to abandon the spiritual: Merton described his own “black” painting as “a very ‘holy’ picture … an ‘image’ without features to accustom the mind … to the night of prayer and … set aside trivial and useless images that wander into prayer and spoil it.”