bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In the year of disruptive education
Authors: Hyman Paul
Published: November 2012

As college tuitions soar, various online models vie to educate college students worldwide---at no cost.
Natural algorithms and influence systems
Authors: Chazelle Bernard
Published: November 2012

Algorithms offer a rich, expressive language for modelers of biological and social systems. They lay the grounds for numerical simulations and, crucially, provide a powerful framework for their analysis. The new area of
natural algorithms
may reprise in the life sciences the role differential equations have long played in the physical sciences. For this to happen, however, an "algorithmic calculus" is needed. We discuss what this program entails in the context of
influence systems
, a broad family of multiagent models arising in social dynamics.
Probabilistic analysis of onion routing in a black-box model
Authors: Feigenbaum Joan , Johnson Aaron , Syverson Paul
Published: November 2012

We perform a probabilistic analysis of onion routing. The analysis is presented in a black-box model of anonymous communication in the Universally Composable (UC) framework that abstracts the essential properties of onion routing in the presence of an active adversary who controls a portion of the network and knows all a priori distributions on user choices of destination. Our results quantify how much the adversary can gain in identifying users by exploiting knowledge of their probabilistic behavior. In particular, we show that, in the limit as the network gets large, a user
u
's anonymity is worst either when the other users always choose the destination
u
is least likely to visit or when the other users always choose the destination
u
chooses. This worst-case anonymity with an adversary that controls a fraction
b
of the routers is shown to be comparable to the best-case anonymity against an adversary that controls a fraction √
b
.
Report of the 4th international workshop on principles of engineering service-oriented systems (PESOS 2012)
Authors: Lago Patricia , Lewis Grace A. , Metzger Andreas , Tosic Vladimir , Bianculli Domenico , Di Marco Antinisca , Polini Andrea , Plebani Pierluigi
Published: November 2012

The 4th International Workshop on Principles of Engineering Service-Oriented Systems (PESOS 2012) was held at the International Conference on Software Engineering, ICSE 2012, on June 4, 2012. The special theme of this 4th edition of PESOS was "The Internet of Services." PESOS 2012 brought together software engineering researchers from academia and industry, as well as practitioners working in the areas of service-oriented systems, to discuss research challenges, recent developments, novel application scenarios, as well as methods, techniques, experiences, and tools to support engineering, evolution and adaptation of large-scale, highly-dynamic serviceoriented systems. For the first time, PESOS featured a special session on "The Quest for Case Studies." This effort created an initial reference set of case studies, hosted on a publicly-available repository, for the research community in service-oriented systems. The multiple discussions throughout the day resulted in the identification service requirements for the Internet of Services.
Dynamic process model for identifying modified data using mobile agents in real time ETL processes
Authors: Mrunalini M. , Kumar T. V. Suresh , Kanth K. Rajani
Published: November 2012

Usability and accessibility issues are common causes why software fails to meet user requirements. However, requirements engineers still focus on functional requirements and might ignore to also elicit system usability and accessibility requirements. This is a high risk which can lead to project and software failure. Improving the usability and accessibility of a system in a later development stage is costly and time consuming. Targeting these concerns, the workshop envisioned that research must address the proper integration of system usability and accessibility requirements into the requirements engineering process and also must focus on how to manage and control the evaluation of these requirements in a systematic way.

UsARE 2012 provided a platform for discussing issues which are relevant for both fields, the Requirements Engineering (RE) and the Human Computer Interaction (HCI). The workshop aim was to bring\ together people from these two communities (RE and HCI) to explore this integration. Researchers and practitioners were invited to submit contributions including problem statements, technical solutions, experience reports, planned work and vision papers. Envisioned results may help aligning RE and HCI processes in order to overcome open issues in these fields.
A proposed model for data warehouse user behaviour using intrusion detection system
Authors: Singh Indu , Kumar Manoj
Published: November 2012

Data Warehouse (DW) systems maintain sensitive and crucial information, which is integrated from various heterogenous sources of organization. With the ever increasing deployment and usage of networks, these systems are becoming more vulnerable to malicious attacks. With the increased number of attacks, intrusion detection has become vital part of Information Security. In this paper, we have proposed a model for analyzing and detecting anomalous events based on user behavior analysis through usage patterns, user profiles and session management. After monitoring the events in the system, if any intrusion activity occurs, then alerts are issued to system administrators. Since a user profile is not necessarily fixed but rather it evolves with changing time, so a dynamic user behavior modeling is represented as a sequence of events and combination of fact and dimension tables accessed by the users. In this way, DW systems may be protected by the malicious attacks.
Interactive churn metrics
Authors: Meneely Andrew , Williams Oluyinka
Published: November 2012

A central part of software quality is finding bugs. One method of finding bugs is by measuring important aspects of the software product and the development process. In recent history, researchers have discovered evidence of a "code churn" effect whereby the degree to which a given source code file has changed over time is correlated with faults and vulnerabilities. Computing the code churn metric comes from counting source code differences in version control repositories. However, code churn does not take into account a critical factor of any software development team: the human factor, specifically who is making the changes. In this paper, we introduce a new class of human-centered metrics, "interactive churn metrics" as variants of code churn. Using the git blame tool, we identify the most recent developer who changed a given line of code in a file prior to a given revision. Then, for each line changed in a given revision, determined if the revision author was changing his or her own code ("self churn"), or the author was changing code last modified by somebody else ("interactive churn"). We derive and present several metrics from this concept. Finally, we conducted an empirical analysis of these metrics on the PHP programming language and its post-release vulnerabilities. We found that our interactive churn metrics are statistically correlated with post-release vulnerabilities and only weakly correlated with code churn metrics and source lines of code. The results indicate that interactive churn metrics are associated with software quality and are different from the code churn and source lines of code.
Abstract pathfinder
Authors: Khyzha Artem , Parízek Pavel , Păsăreanu Corina S.
Published: November 2012

We present Abstract Pathfinder, an extension to the Java Pathfinder (JPF) verification tool-set that supports data abstraction to reduce the large data domains of a Java program to small, finite abstract domains, making the program more amenable to verification. We use data abstraction to compute an over-approximation of the original program in such a way that if a (safety) property is true in the abstracted program the property is also true in the original program. Our approach enhances JPF with an abstract interpreter and abstract state-matching mechanisms, together with a library of abstractions from which the user can pick which abstractions to use for a particular application. We discuss the details of our implementation together with some preliminary experiments with analyzing multi-threaded Java programs, where Abstract Pathfinder achieves significant time and memory savings as compared with plain JPF.
Testing android apps through symbolic execution
Authors: Mirzaei Nariman , Malek Sam , Păsăreanu Corina S. , Esfahani Naeem , Mahmood Riyadh
Published: November 2012

There is a growing need for automated testing techniques aimed at Android apps. A critical challenge is the systematic generation of test cases. One method of systematically generating test cases for Java programs is symbolic execution. But applying symbolic execution tools, such as Symbolic Pathfinder (SPF), to generate test cases for Android apps is challenged by the fact that Android apps run on the Dalvik Virtual Machine (DVM) instead of JVM. In addition, Android apps are event driven and susceptible to path-divergence due to their reliance on an application development framework. This paper provides an overview of a two-pronged approach to alleviate these issues. First, we have developed a model of Android libraries in Java Pathfinder (JPF) to enable execution of Android apps in a way that addresses the issues of incompatibility with JVM and path-divergence. Second, we have leveraged program analysis techniques to correlate events with their handlers for automatically generating Android-specific drivers that simulate all valid events.
Ranged Model Checking
Authors: Funes Diego , Siddiqui Junaid Haroon , Khurshid Sarfraz
Published: November 2012

We introduce ranged model checking, a novel technique for more effective checking of Java programs using the Java PathFinder (JPF) model checker. Our key insight is that the order in which JPF makes non-deterministic choices denes a total ordering of execution paths it explores in the program it checks. Thus, two in-order paths define a range for restricting the model checking run by defining a start point and an end point for JPF's exploration. Moreover, a given set of paths can be linearly ordered to define consecutive, (essentially) non-overlapping ranges that partition the exploration space and can be explored separately. While restricting the run of a model checker is a well-known technique in model checking, the key novelty of our work is conceptually to restrict the run using vertical boundaries rather than the traditional approach of using a horizontal boundary, i.e., the search depth bound. Initial results using our prototype implementation using the JPF libraries demonstrate the promise ranged model checking holds.
Protein kinase A mediates glucagon-like peptide 1-induced nitric oxide production and muscle microvascular recruitment
Authors: Dong Zhenhua , Chai Weidong , Wang Wenhui , Zhao Lina , Fu Zhuo , Cao Wenhong , Liu Zhenqi
Published: November 2012

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) causes vasodilation and increases muscle glucose uptake independent of insulin. Recently, we have shown that GLP-1 recruits muscle microvasculature and increases muscle glucose use via a nitric oxide (NO)-dependent mechanism. Protein kinase A (PKA) is a major signaling intermediate downstream of GLP-1 receptors. To examine whether PKA mediates GLP-1's microvascular action in muscle, GLP-1 was infused to overnight-fasted male rats for 120 min in the presence or absence of H89, a PKA inhibitor. Hindleg muscle microvascular recruitment and glucose use were determined. GLP-1 infusion acutely increased muscle microvascular blood volume within 30 min without altering microvascular blood flow velocity or blood pressure. This effect persisted throughout the 120-min infusion period, leading to a significant increase in muscle microvascular blood flow. These changes were paralleled with an approximately twofold increase in plasma NO levels and hindleg glucose extraction. Systemic infusion of H89 completely blocked GLP-1-mediated muscle microvascular recruitment and increases in NO production and muscle glucose extraction. In cultured endothelial cells, GLP-1 acutely increased PKA activity and stimulated endothelial NO synthase phosphorylation at Ser1177and NO production. PKA inhibition abolished these effects. In ex vivo studies, perfusion of the distal saphenous artery with GLP-1 induced significant vasorelaxation that was also abolished by pretreatment of the vessels with PKA inhibitor H89. We conclude that GLP-1 recruits muscle microvasculature by expanding microvascular volume and increases glucose extraction in muscle via a PKA/NO-dependent pathway in the vascular endothelium. This may contribute to postprandial glycemic control and complication prevention in diabetes.
Tetrahydrobiopterin increases NO-dependent vasodilation in hypercholesterolemic human skin through eNOS-coupling mechanisms
Authors: Alexander Lacy M. , Kutz Jessica L. , Kenney W. Larry
Published: November 2012

Localized exogenous R-tetrahydrobiopterin (R-BH4) corrects the deficit in local heat-induced vasodilation (VD) in hypercholesterolemic (HC) human skin through one of two plausible mechanisms: by serving as an essential cofactor to stabilizing endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) or through generalized antioxidant effects. We used the stereoisomer S-BH4, which has the same antioxidant properties but does not function as an essential NOS cofactor, to elucidate the mechanism by which R-BH4 restores cutaneous VD in HC humans. Intradermal microdialysis fibers were placed in 20 normocholesterolemic (NC), 13 midrange cholesterolemic (MC), and 18 HC (LDL: 94 ± 3, 124 ± 3 and 179 ± 6 mg/dl, respectively) men and women to perfuse Ringer (control site) and R-BH4. In 10 NC, 13 MC, and 9 HC subjects (LDL: 94 ± 3, 124 ± 3, 180 ± 10 mg/dl), S-BH4 was perfused at a third microdialysis site. Skin blood flow was measured during a standardized local heating protocol to elicit eNOS-dependent VD. After cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC = LDF/MAP) plateaued, NO-dependent VD was quantified by perfusing NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). Data were normalized as %CVCmax. Fully expressed VD (NC: 97.9 ± 2.3 vs. MC: 85.4 ± 5.4, HC: 79.9 ± 4.2%CVCmax) and the NO-dependent portion (NC: 62.1 ± 3 vs. MC: 45.8 ± 3.9, HC: 35.7 ± 2.8%CVCmax) were reduced in HC (both P < 0.01 vs. NC), but only the fully expressed VD was reduced in MC ( P < 0.01 vs. NC). R-BH4 increased the fully expressed (93.9 ± 3.4%CVCmax; P < 0.01) and NO-dependent VD (52.1 ± 5.1%CVCmax; P < 0.01) in HC but not in NC or MC. S-BH4 increased full-expressed VD in HC ( P < 0.01) but did not affect NO-dependent VD in HC or MC. In contrast S-BH4 attenuated NO-dependent VD in NC (control: 62.1 ± 3 vs. S-BH4: 41.6 ± 7%CVCmax; P < 0.001). Exogenous R-BH4 restores NO-dependent VD in HC human skin predominantly through NOS coupling mechanisms but increases full expression of the local heating response through generalized antioxidant properties.
Teacher Support as a Moderator of Behavioral Outcomes for Youth Exposed to Stressful Life Events
Authors: Huber Rebekah S. , Sifers Sarah K. , Houlihan Daniel , Youngblom Rachel
Published: November 2012

The present study examined the relationship between teacher support, life stress, and behavioral outcomes in 103 youth. Participants completed questionnaires regarding life events, social support, personality, and behavior. Moderated regression analyses were conducted using youth perceptions of teacher support and negative life events to predict externalizing and internalizing problems. Results revealed a significant interaction between teacher support and life stress, indicating teacher support successfully moderated the effect of stress on externalizing problems. Main effects for life stress were consistent with previous literature suggesting that higher amounts of stress predict greater externalizing and internalizing problems. Implications for teacher support are discussed.
Avoidance High-Frequency Chattering Second-Order Sliding Mode Controller Design: Buck Converter in Wind Power System
Authors: Huangfu Yigeng , Ma Ruiqing , Miraoui Abdellatif
Published: November 2012

This paper mainly discussed a method of high-frequency second-order sliding mode control for Buck converter in wind power systems. Because the wind energy of nature is always unpredictable and intermittent, the robust control such as sliding mode control is adopted in past literatures. In order to remove the high frequency chattering problem when the traditional sliding mode achieves convergence, the second order sliding mode algorithm is reviewed firstly. Meanwhile, the Buck converter taken as a step-down converter is usually adopted in wind power system, because of its simple structure and good linearity. Under those conditions, the second order sliding mode controller is designed based on Buck converter, especially in high-power wind generation system. The experimental results illustrate that the theory of second order sliding mode can be used in high-power Buck converter. It provides one novel avoidance high frequency chattering method for the technology development of new energy generation system.
Simulation of the Frank-Starling Law of the Heart
Authors: Ribarič Samo , Kordaš Marjan
Published: November 2012

We developed a lumped parameter, computer-based model of an equivalent electronic circuit for a one-atrium one-ventricle (frog) heart attached to a vascular circuit, to simulate a basic concept of cardiovascular physiology, the Frank-Starling Law of the Heart. A series of simulations was performed, to observe changes in cardiovascular variables (e.g., arterial pressure, ventricular volume, and valve flows) if either preload or afterload was increased. The simulated data agreed qualitatively, and quantitatively when experimental data are available, with data obtained on amphibian or on mammalian myocardium. In addition, the data obtained in these simulations improve our understanding of the mechanism(s) whereby the heart muscle adapts itself to increased distension (increased preload) or to impeded systolic contraction (increased afterload). The analysis of the measured valve flows suggests that the ventricle is a highly input sensitive pump because the input pressure determines the diastolic distension and, consequently, the force of ventricular systolic contraction. On the other hand, the ventricle is a relatively output insensitive pump. Therefore, not only atrium contraction, but also predominantly the preceding ventricular systolic contraction is the main mechanism of the subsequent diastolic ventricular filling. We conclude that the presented model enables the study of basic concepts of cardiovascular physiology.
Low Glycemic Index Carbohydrates versus All Types of Carbohydrates for Treating Diabetes in Pregnancy: A Randomized Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Glycemic Control
Authors: Perichart-Perera Otilia , Balas-Nakash Margie , Rodríguez-Cano Ameyalli , Legorreta-Legorreta Jennifer , Parra-Covarrubias Adalberto , Vadillo-Ortega Felipe
Published: November 2012

Background. Due to the higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM), more pregnant women complicated with diabetes are in need of clinical care.Purpose. Compare the effect of including only low glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates (CHO) against all types of CHO on maternal glycemic control and on the maternal and newborn’s nutritional status of women with type 2 DM and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods. Women (n=107, ≤29 weeks of gestation) were randomly assigned to one of two nutrition intervention groups: moderate energy and CHO restriction (Group 1: all types of CHO, Group 2: low GI foods).Results. No baseline differences in clinical data were observed. Capillary glucose concentrations throughout pregnancy were similar between groups. Fewer women in Group 2 exceeded weight gain recommendations. Higher risk of prematurity was observed in women in Group 2. No differences in glycemic control were observed between women with type 2 DM and those with GDM.Conclusions.Inclusion of low GI CHO as part of a comprehensive nutrition intervention is equally effective in improving glycemic control as compared to all types of CHO. This strategy had a positive effect in preventing excessive maternal weight gain but increased the risk of prematurity.
Inhibition of Hypoxia Inducible Factor Alpha and Astrocyte-Elevated Gene-1 Mediates Cryptotanshinone Exerted Antitumor Activity in Hypoxic PC-3 Cells
Authors: Lee Hyo-Jeong , Jung Deok-Beom , Sohn Eun Jung , Kim Hanna Hyun , Park Moon Nyeo , Lew Jae-Hwan , Lee Seok Geun , Kim Bonglee , Kim Sung-Hoon
Published: November 2012

Although cryptotanshinone (CT) was known to exert antitumor activity in several cancers, its molecular mechanism under hypoxia still remains unclear. Here, the roles of AEG-1 and HIF-1αin CT-induced antitumor activity were investigated in hypoxic PC-3 cells. CT exerted cytotoxicity against prostate cancer cells and suppressed HIF-1αaccumulation and AEG-1 expression in hypoxic PC-3 cells. Also, AEG-1 was overexpressed in prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, HIF-1αsiRNA transfection enhanced the cleavages of caspase-9,3, and PAPR and decreased expression of Bcl-2 and AEG1 induced by CT in hypoxic PC-3 cells. Of note, DMOG enhanced the stability of AEG-1 and HIF-1αduring hypoxia. Additionally, CT significantly reduced cellular level of VEGF in PC-3 cells and disturbed tube formation of HUVECs. Consistently, ChIP assay revealed that CT inhibited the binding of HIF-1αto VEGF promoter. Furthermore, CT at 10 mg/kg suppressed the growth of PC-3 cells in BALB/c athymic nude mice by 46.4% compared to untreated control. Consistently, immunohistochemistry revealed decreased expression of Ki-67, CD34, VEGF, carbonic anhydrase IX, and AEG-1 indices in CT-treated group compared to untreated control. Overall, our findings suggest that CT exerts antitumor activity via inhibition of HIF-1α, AEG1, and VEGF as a potent chemotherapeutic agent.
Morphology and Photoluminescence of Ba0.5Sr0.5MoO4 Powders by a Molten Salt Method
Authors: Wei Ling , Liu Yunfei , Lu Yinong , Wu Tao
Published: November 2012

Ba0.5Sr0.5MoO4 powders with scheelite‐type tetragonal structure were successfully synthesized by a molten salt method. The structure, morphology, and luminescent property of the as‐prepared powders were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL), respectively. The results show that the tetragonal Ba0.5Sr0.5MoO4 powders were synthesized at 650°C for 6 h by the molten salt method. The calcining temperature, the soaking time, and the molar ratio of the salt to Na2MoO4 have great influence on the phase, size, morphology, and PL properties. The better crystallinity and smaller particle size, the higher PL emission peak is.
Anatomical Variations in Clefts of the Lip with or without Cleft Palate
Authors: Carroll K. , Mossey P. A.
Published: November 2012

Objective. Few orofacial cleft (OFC) studies have examined the severity of clefts of the lip or palate. This study examined associations between the severity of cleft of the lip with cleft type, laterality, and sex in four regional British Isles cleft registers whilst also looking for regional variations. Design. Retrospective analysis of cleft classification in the data contained in these four cleft registers. Sample. Three thousand and twelve patients from cleft registers based in Scotland, East England, Merseyside, and Belfast were sourced from the period 2002–2010. Submucous clefts and syndromic clefts were included whilst stillbirths, abortuses, and atypical orofacial clefts were excluded. Results. A cleft of the lip in CLP patients is more likely to be complete in males. A cleft of the lip in isolated CL patients is more likely to be complete in females. Variation in the proportion of cleft types was evident between Scotland and East England. Conclusions. Association between severity of cleft of the lip and sex was found in this study with females having a significantly greater proportion of more severe clefts of the lip (CL) and CLP males being more severe . This finding supports a fundamental difference between cleft aetiology between CL and CLP.
Uptake and Tolerance of Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer and Impact on Survival
Authors: Fisher Stacey , Al-Fayea Turki M. , Winget Marcy , Gao He , Butts Charles
Published: November 2012

The treatment of elderly cancer patients is complicated by many factors. We sought to assess the uptake and tolerance of chemotherapy among patients 75 years and older diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in years 2004–2008 in Alberta, Canada, and assess their survival. All patients who met the above criteria and had an oncologist-consult were included. Data were obtained from the Alberta Cancer Registry and chart review. A total of 171 patients were included in the study, 117 (68%) of whom began chemotherapy. Of those, 52% completed all cycles, 66% did not have any dose reductions, and 31% completed all cycles at the recommended dose. The risk of death for patients who did not complete all cycles of chemotherapy was 2.72 (95% CI: 1.52–4.87) and for those who completed all cycles but with a reduced dose was 1.02 (95% CI: 0.57–1.82) relative to those who completed chemotherapy at full dose after adjusting for several demographic/clinical factors. Our results suggest that a significant proportion of elderly patients are able to tolerate chemotherapy and receive a survival benefit from it while those who experience toxicity may receive a survival benefit from a reduction in chemotherapy dose as opposed to stopping treatment.
Appropriate Separator Sizing: A Modified Stewart and Arnold Method
Authors: Boukadi F. , Singh V. , Trabelsi R. , Sebring F. , Allen D. , Pai V.
Published: November 2012

Oil and gas separators were one of the first pieces of production equipment to be used in the petroleum industry. The different stages of separation are completed using the following three principles: gravity, centrifugal force, and impingement. The sizes of the oil droplets, in the production water, are based mainly on the choke valve pressure drop. The choke valve pressure drop creates a shearing effect; this reduces the ability of the droplets to combine. One of the goals of oil separation is to reduce the shearing effect of the choke. Separators are conventionally designed based on initial flow rates; as a result, the separator is no longer able to accommodate totality of produced fluids. Changing fluid flow rates as well as emulsion viscosity effect separator design. The reduction in vessel performance results in recorded measurements that do not match actual production levels inducing doubt into any history matching process and distorting reservoir management programs. In this paper, the new model takes into account flow rates and emulsion viscosity. The generated vessel length, vessel diameter, and slenderness ratio monographs are used to select appropriate separator size based on required retention time. Model results are compared to API 12J standards.
Monitoring Interior and Exterior Wall Inspections within a Virtual Environment
Authors: Sampaio A. Z. , Rosário D. P. , Gomes A. R.
Published: November 2012

This paper describes two prototype applications based on the Virtual Reality (VR) technology for use in maintenance planning of buildings. In a building, the paint coating applied to interior walls and the different types of materials applied to façades convey their aesthetic character and also perform an important function of protection. This a construction component which is exposed to agents of deterioration related to its use, needing the regular evaluation of its state of repair. The applications support the performance of such periodic inspections and the monitoring of interior and exterior wall maintenance, using the VR technology. Used during an inspection visit, the applications allow users to consult a database of irregularities, normally associated with the coating, classified by the most probable causes and by the recommended repair methodologies. In addition, a chromatic scale related to the degree of deterioration of the coating, defined as a function of the time between the dates of the application of the paint and the scheduled repainting, can be attributed to each element of coating monitored. This use of the VR technology allows inspections and the evaluation of the degree of wear and tear of materials to be carried out in a highly direct and intuitive manner.
Trauma Ultrasound in Civilian Tactical Medicine
Authors: Whelan Lori , Justice William , Goodloe Jeffrey M. , Dixon Jeff D. , Thomas Stephen H.
Published: November 2012

The term “tactical medicine” can be defined in more than one way, but in the nonmilitary setting the term tactical emergency medical services (TEMS) is often used to denote medical support operations for law enforcement. In supporting operations involving groups such as special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams, TEMS entail executing triage, diagnosis, stabilization, and evacuation decision-making in challenging settings. Ultrasound, now well entrenched as a part of trauma evaluation in the hospital setting, has been investigated in the prehospital arena and may have utility in TEMS. This paper addresses potential use of US in the tactical environment, with emphasis on the lessons of recent years’ literature. Possible uses of US are discussed, in terms of both specific clinical applications and also with respect to informing triage and related decision making.
Plk1 Phosphorylation of Orc2 and Hbo1 Contributes to Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Song Bing , Liu X. Shawn , Rice Steven J. , Kuang Shihuan , Elzey Bennett D. , Konieczny Stephen F. , Ratliff Timothy L. , Hazbun Tony , Chiorean Elena G. , Liu Xiaoqi
Published: November 2012

Although gemcitabine is the standard chemotherapeutic drug for treatment of pancreatic cancer, almost all patients eventually develop resistance to this agent. Previous studies identified Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) as the mediator of gemcitabine resistance, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we show that Plk1 phosphorylation of Orc2 and Hbo1 mediates the resistance to gemcitabine. We show that the level of Plk1 expression positively correlates with gemcitabine resistance, both in pancreatic cancer cells and xenograft tumors. Overexpression of Plk1 increases gemcitabine resistance, while inhibition of Plk1 sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine treatment. To validate our findings, we show that inhibition of Plk1 sensitizes tumors to gemcitabine treatment in a mouse xenograft study. Mechanistically, we find that Plk1 phosphorylation of Orc2 maintains DNA replication on gemcitabine treatment. Furthermore, Plk1 phosphorylation of Hbo1 transcriptionally increases cFos expression and consequently elevates its target multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1), which was previously reported to confer chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Knockdown of cFos or MDR1 sensitizes gemcitabine-resistant cells to gemcitabine treatment. Finally, pancreatic cancer cells expressing Plk1-unphosphorylatable mutants of Orc2 or Hbo1 are more sensitive to gemcitabine than cells expressing wild-type Orc2 or Hbo1. In short, our study provides a mechanism for Plk1-mediated gemcitabine resistance, suggesting that Plk1 is a promising target for treatment of gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(1); 58–68. ©2012 AACR.
The Risk of Hardware Infection in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Is Greater at Impulse Generator Replacement than at the Primary Procedure
Authors: Pepper Joshua , Zrinzo Ludvic , Mirza Bilal , Foltynie Thomas , Limousin Patricia , Hariz Marwan
Published: November 2012

Background/Aims: Infection of implanted hardware after deep brain stimulation (DBS) has a significant impact on patient morbidity. We examined all patients who underwent DBS procedures over the last 9 years in our centre to assess the infection rate and possible factors related to surgery that may predispose to infection. Methods: Surgical reports and clinical notes were reviewed in 273 consecutive patients who underwent a total of 519 DBS-related procedures in our institute between November 2002 and September 2011. Results: Sixteen separate hardware-related infections occurred in 11 patients. Infections occurred in 3% of all procedures and 4% of all patients. The infection rate after implantable pulse generator (IPG) replacement surgery was more than three times higher than after de novo DBS surgery. In addition, male patients were more likely to develop device-related infections. Conclusions: It is unclear why infection rates should be more than three times higher after IPG replacement surgery than after the de novo procedure. The former is a shorter and simpler procedure to conduct. Perhaps the use of better antimicrobial protection and rechargeable batteries may be useful strategies to reduce infections following IPG revision surgery.
Possible Pathogenetic Relationship between Fabry Disease and Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Pagni Fabio , Pieruzzi Federico , Zannella Stefano , Di Giacomo Antonella , Bovo Giorgio , Ferrario Franco , Torti Giacomo , Rivera Rodolfo , Assi Emma , Viglione Federica , Nebuloni Manuela
Published: November 2012

The occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in Fabry disease (FD) is a rare event. We report a deep ultrastructural study of RCC in a patient with a previous histological diagnosis of FD. In order to highlight analogies and differences between the two histological samples, we used the nephrectomy specimen as a ‘repeat biopsy’, making a dynamic analysis of the evolution of the disease-related kidney damage. Secondly, a comparative ultrastructural analysis between non-neoplastic tissue and cancer demonstrated for the first time the presence of zebra bodies in the tumor cells. Finally, a hypothetical speculation about the relationship between the lysosomal accumulation, the oxidative damage and the genesis of the tumor was performed. The link connected the accumulation of glycosphingolipid globotriaosylceramide, characteristic of FD, with the expression of CD74 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor that may play an important role in tumorigenesis regulated by the Von Hippel-Lindau/hypoxia-inducible factor 1α pathway.
Tracking Stroke Hospitalization Clusters Over Time and Associations With County-Level Socioeconomic and Healthcare Characteristics
Authors: Schieb Linda J. , Mobley Lee R. , George Mary , Casper Michele
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose—

This study evaluated clustering of stroke hospitalization rates, patterns of the clustering over time, and associations with community-level characteristics.

Methods—

We used Medicare hospital claims data from 1995–1996 to 2005–2006 with a principal discharge diagnosis of stroke to calculate county-level stroke hospitalization rates. We identified statistically significant clusters of high- and low-rate counties by using local indicators of spatial association, tracked cluster status over time, and assessed associations between cluster status and county-level socioeconomic and healthcare profiles.

Results—

Clearly defined clusters of counties with high- and low-stroke hospitalization rates were identified in each time. Approximately 75% of counties maintained their cluster status from 1995–1996 to 2005–2006. In addition, 243 counties transitioned into high-rate clusters, and 148 transitioned out of high-rate clusters. Persistently high-rate clusters were located primarily in the Southeast, whereas persistently low-rate clusters occurred mostly in New England and in the West. In general, persistently low-rate counties had the most favorable socioeconomic and healthcare profiles, followed by counties that transitioned out of or into high-rate clusters. Persistently high-rate counties experienced the least favorable socioeconomic and healthcare profiles.

Conclusions—

The persistence of clusters of high- and low-stroke hospitalization rates during a 10-year period suggests that the underlying causes of stroke in these areas have also persisted. The associations found between cluster status (persistently high, transitional, persistently low) and socioeconomic and healthcare profiles shed new light on the contributions of community-level characteristics to geographic disparities in stroke hospitalizations.
The Effect of Medical Treatments on Stroke Risk in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis
Authors: King Alice , Shipley Martin , Markus Hugh ,   for the ACES Investigators
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose—

Recent evidence suggests current best medical treatment may be sufficient to prevent stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. If this is the case, then it is important to determine risk reduction provided by treatments. Using Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study (ACES) prospective data, the effect of current treatment and risk factors on future stroke and transient ischemic attack risk were determined.

Methods—

Four-hundred seventy-seven patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis were followed-up every 6 months for 2 years. Changes in risk factors and stroke prevention therapies were reviewed at each visit. Using time-dependent Cox regression, the relationship between current treatment over time was determined and presented as hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for risk of stroke, transient ischemic attack, and cardiovascular death end points.

Results—

On multivariate analysis, antiplatelets (
P
=0.001) and lower mean blood pressure (
P
=0.002) were independent predictors of reduced risk of ipsilateral stroke and transient ischemic attack. Antiplatelets (
P
<0.0001) and antihypertensives (
P
<0.0001) were independent predictors of a lower risk of any stroke or cardiovascular death.

Conclusions—

Antiplatelet therapy and blood pressure control are the most important factors in reducing short-term stroke and cardiovascular risk in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. More prospective data are required for medical treatments in asymptomatic carotid stenosis in particular for current statin usage.
Over the Hills and Far Away: Romania's Attempts to Mediate the Start of U.S.-North Vietnamese Negotiations, 1967–1968
Authors: Munteanu Mircea
Published: November 2012

Building on earlier articles published in the Journal of Cold War Studies by James G. Hershberg and Zoltán Szoke, this article discusses Romania's involvement in the attempts to negotiate a peaceful conclusion to the Vietnam War before and after the Tet Offensive. The literature concerning the Romanian channel (codenamed Packers) is negligible thus far. Part of the reason is that even though official U.S. documentation on Packers has been available for two decades, relevant Romanian documents were only recently declassified by the archive of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new evidence from the Romanian archives completes the picture of what was, in effect, the last U.S. chance to begin negotiations over Vietnam without compromising the initial U.S. position. The conversations between Romanian Deputy Foreign Minister George Macovescu and Vietnamese Communist leaders on the eve of the Tet Offensive offer a much more detailed inside look at Hanoi's negotiating position in December 1967–January 1968. The Romanian documents also show the crystallization of the Vietnamese position of March 1968 with regard to opening talks and the San Antonio formula.
Perspectives on Norman Naimark's Stalin's Genocides
Authors: Graziosi Andrea , Rubenstein Joshua , Szporluk Roman , Hollander Paul , Hardy Jeffrey , Ellman Michael , Rossman Jeffrey , Naimark Norman
Published: November 2012

This forum includes commentaries by seven experts—Joshua Rubenstein, Paul Hollander, Andrea Graziosi, Roman Szporluk, Jeffrey Hardy, Michael Ellman, and Jeffrey Rossman—on Norman Naimark's Stalin's Genocides, published by Princeton University Press in 2010. Most of the commentators praise the book highly but raise some questions about specific points, such as the use of the term “genocidal,” the application of “genocide” to the atrocities perpetrated by Iosif Stalin's regime in the Soviet Union, and the estimated numbers of Stalin's victims. Two of the commentators take stronger issue with Naimark's book, particularly the comparison one might make between Stalin's crimes and those of Adolf Hitler in Germany and Eastern Europe. The forum concludes with a reply by Naimark, who not only responds to points raised by the commentators but also elaborates on his intentions when writing the book.
The Religious Debates of Aceh in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century: An Invisible Cultural Dialogue?
Authors: Wormser Paul
Published: November 2012

Abstract

The religious polemics of seventeenth-century Aceh are usually presented as an indication of the high level of Islamic scholarship in this period. On the evidence of unpublished manuscripts, we will, on the contrary, defend the idea that these mystical debates took place between foreign Muslim missionaries, with little contact with the local population. The absence of cultural dialogue between local pre-Islamic religious ideas and Middle Eastern Sufism will lead us to a rethinking of the islamization process, in Aceh and the Malay world.
Cultural Dialogue and Its Premises in Colonial Peru: The Case of Worshipping Sacred Objects
Authors: Brosseder Claudia
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article examines, from both an indigenous and a Spanish perspective, one of the central aspects of the history of evangelization in the colonial Andes: the discourse about “representation” and “embodiment.” By centering on this discourse and by distilling Incan, pre-colonial Andean, and colonial Andean notions from colonial texts, the article contributes to our understanding of the differences between Spanish and Andean concepts of religion and shows how mutual assimilation shaped the evolution of a colonial Andean religion.
The Sovereignty of Wisdom: Boethius’ Consolation in the Light of Folklore
Authors: Aguirre Manuel
Published: November 2012

Abstract

This article argues that Boethius’Consolationcan be read in a folklore key as an allegorical version of the Adventure of the Hero. The text has been the object of analysis often enough, but never, to the author’s knowledge, from the perspective proposed here. The article begins by discussing the shortcomings of certain critical positions regarding the identity of Philosophy. It then applies to theConsolationtools taken from the field of folklore studies—the narrative model proposed in Propp’sMorphology of the Folktale, and the thematic pattern of Sovereignty. Analysis in this light provides evidence that Philosophy is an embodiment of Sovereignty herself, a symbolic figure usually studied by Celtic and Scandinavian scholars, but one which demonstrably plays a key role in Classical literatures as well. This approach is shown to clarify several major aspects of Boethius’ text: the peculiar interplay of its metaphors, the role of Philosophy, the narrative structure within which she exists, and the significance of the various motifs and voice associated with her.
Rethinking Empress Dowager Cixi through the Production of Art
Authors: Yuhang Li , Zurndorfer Harriet T.
Published: November 2012

This essay commences with an overview of recent revisionist scholarship about Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) who in her lifetime and thereafter gained a reputation as a formidable opponent of the modernization process in late Qing China. It reviews both past and present studies about the Empress’s political behavior, considers her changing image in more recent historical writing in and outside China, and then focuses on her interest in art and material culture. Discussion of the Empress’s involvement in drama, garden and palace decoration, fashion, and photography introduces the four articles in this journal issue.
The Empress Dowager as Dramaturg: Reinventing Late-Qing Court Theatre
Authors: Chen Liana
Published: November 2012

This study argues against the common perception that the Qing court theatre was a closed cultural institution. It suggests that this theatre developed in conjunction with popular performance traditions outside the court that were stimulated by Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908). Through close readings of a set of ceremonial dramas (yidian xi) commissioned by the Empress for the birthday celebrations of imperial family members, this essay explores the aesthetic transition from ritual to entertainment in this particular genre. It shows how as Empress Dowager Cixi indulged in her personal fantasies, the court theatre altered. These new plays initiated a paradigm shift from choreographed pageantry to an actor-centered stage, and as such indicate Cixi’s important role in the transformation of ceremonial court theatre.
A Palace of Her Own: Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) and the Reconstruction of the Wanchun Yuan
Authors: Peng Ying-chen
Published: November 2012

Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) is one of the most significant and controversial political figures in modern Chinese history, yet her comprehensive engagement with court art, a symbolic realm of sovereignty in China, remains understudied and is therefore deserving of close analysis. To examine her patronage of art, this paper scrutinizes Cixi’s involvement in the Wanchun yuan (Garden of ten thousand springs) reconstruction project and argues that it not only exemplifies her strategy of asserting political power through art but also provides a rare glimpse of how a patron’s creation and decoration of space can be read as a self-portrait.

The author contends that, on the one hand, Cixi utilized the location and scale of her own palace the Tiandi yijiachun (Spring united between Heaven and Earth) as a symbol of her continuous power struggle with Qing imperial tradition; and, on the other hand, that the palace’s layout and interior décor also suggest Cixi’s feminine and religious identities.
Entdämonisierung von Dtn 32:24
Authors: Kató Szabolcs Ferencz
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Resheph and Qeteb from Deut 32:24 are considered in modern scholarship as demons. This short paper argues this theory and points out a possible alternative explanation: literary paganism.
The Vanishing Character in Biblical Narrative: The Role of Hathach in Esther 4
Authors: Grossman Jonathan
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Literary analysis tends to focus on major characters or minor characters as long as their active role in the narrative serves to further the plot. The contribution of minor characters is often viewed as limited to their active role in the narrative. However, sometimes the passive role of a minor character, and even the disappearance of a character from the plot, can serve a valuable literary purpose. This article outlines the nature of the Vanishing Minor Character, whose literary purpose is to disappear at a crucial moment, making room for the remaining characters. The article demonstrates this model using the character of Hathach—the Persian eunuch—who serves as an intermediary between Esther and Mordecai in Esther 4.
Antiochus IV as the Scorned Prince in Dan 11:21
Authors: Scolnic Benjamin
Published: November 2012

Abstract

While most English translations render nbzh in Dan 11:21 as “contemptible, vile, despicable,” closer examination will demonstrate that this Biblical Hebrew word should be translated as “spurned, scorned, rejected.” Once one understands Dan 11:21 accordingly, other ancient sources can be brought to show that this verse states, in its own thinly-veiled code, that before his rise to power, Antiochus IV, son of the late king Antiochus III and brother of the current king Seleucus IV, had been scorned and had not been given appropriate royal honors. This verse should be seen as another element in the evaluation of Dan 11 as an accurate and important historical source for the events surrounding the rise and rule of Antiochus IV.