bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global dynamic optimization approach to predict activation in metabolic pathways
Authors: de Hijas-Liste Gundián M , Klipp Edda , Balsa-Canto Eva , Banga Julio R
Published: January 2014

Background

During the last decade, a number of authors have shown that the genetic regulation of metabolic networks may follow optimality principles. Optimal control theory has been succesfully used to compute optimal enzyme profiles considering simple metabolic pathways. However, applying this optimal control framework to more general networks (e.g. branched networks, or networks incorporating enzyme production dynamics) yields problems that are analytically intractable and/or numerically very challenging. Further, these previous studies have only considered a single-objective framework.

Results

In this work we consider a more general multi-objective formulation and we present solutions based on recent developments in global dynamic optimization techniques. We illustrate the performance and capabilities of these techniques considering two sets of problems. First, we consider a set of single-objective examples of increasing complexity taken from the recent literature. We analyze the multimodal character of the associated non linear optimization problems, and we also evaluate different global optimization approaches in terms of numerical robustness, efficiency and scalability. Second, we consider generalized multi-objective formulations for several examples, and we show how this framework results in more biologically meaningful results.

Conclusions

The proposed strategy was used to solve a set of single-objective case studies related to unbranched and branched metabolic networks of different levels of complexity. All problems were successfully solved in reasonable computation times with our global dynamic optimization approach, reaching solutions which were comparable or better than those reported in previous literature. Further, we considered, for the first time, multi-objective formulations, illustrating how activation in metabolic pathways can be explained in terms of the best trade-offs between conflicting objectives. This new methodology can be applied to metabolic networks with arbitrary topologies, non-linear dynamics and constraints.
Expressions and clinical significances of c-MET, p-MET and E2f-1 in human gastric carcinoma
Authors: Wu Ju-gang , Yu Ji-wei , Wu Hong-biao , Zheng Lin-hai , Ni Xiao-chun , Li Xiao-qiang , Du Guang-ye , Jiang Bo-jian
Published: January 2014

Background

To investigate on the expressions and the clinical significances of hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-MET), phosphorylated c-MET (p-MET) and e2f-1 transcription factor in primary lesion of gastric adenocarcinoma (GC).

Method

Tissue samples from the primary lesion of GC in patients who accepted D2/D3 radical gastrectomy with R0/R1 resection were stained by immunohistochemistry of c-MET, p-MET, e2f-1 and Ki-67. The univariate and the multivariate analyses involving in clinicopathological parameters and prognostic factors were evaluated.

Results

The positivity rates for c-MET (66.12%, 80 cases/121 cases), p-MET (59.50%, 72 cases/121 cases), e2f-1 (38.84%, 47 cases/121 cases) and Ki-67 (72.73%, 88 cases/121 cases) in primary lesion of GC was significantly higher than that in non-cancerous tissue at 5 cm places far from the margin of primary lesion (P < 0.05, respectively). The deeper tumor invasion, the severer lymph node metastasis, the later stage of TNM and the higher expression of Ki-67 was respectively an independent risk factor for the higher expression of c-MET or p-MET, but the younger age and the shorter survival time was an independent risk factor for the higher expression of e2f-1 respectively. Survival analysis showed that the worse prognosis could be observed in the patients with the combination of both c-MET-positive and e2f-1-negative (P = 0.038) or both p-MET-positive and e2f-1-negative (P = 0.042). Cox analysis demonstrated that the severer lymphatic node metastasis and the higher positivity rate of c-MET, p-MET or e2f-1 were an independent prognosis factor respectively. The higher expression of e2f-1 was identified in patients with Stage I-II, which correlated with a shorter survival time. Survival analysis also revealed that the prognosis of patients with positive expression of e2f-1 at Stage I-II was significantly worse than that in patients with negative expression of e2f-1 (χ
2 = 13.437, P = 0.001). However, in the cases with Stage III-IV, no significant difference could be identified in the prognostic comparison between positive and negative expressions of e2f-1.

Conclusions

The expression of c-MET or p-MET is an independent prognosis factor. It has been observed that the higher expression of e2f-1 occurred in the early stages while the lower expression of it in the later stages in GC.
Removal of boron from aqueous solution using magnetic carbon nanotube improved with tartaric acid
Authors: Zohdi Nima , Mahdavi Fariba , Abdullah Luqman Chuah , Choong Thomas SY
Published: January 2014

Boron removal capacity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified with tartaric acid was investigated in this study. Modification of MWCNTs with tartaric acid was confirmed by Boehm surface chemistry method and fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Experiments were performed to determine the adsorption isotherm and adsorption thermodynamic parameters of boron adsorption on tartaric acid modified MWCNTs (TA-MWCNTs). The effect of variables including initial pH, dosage of adsorbent, contact time and temperature was investigated. Analysis of data showed that adsorption equilibrium could be better described by Freundlich isotherm and the maximum adsorption capacities obtained at the pH of 6.0 was 1.97 mg/g. The estimated thermodynamic values of free energy (ΔG°), entropy (ΔS°) and enthalpy (ΔH°) indicated a spontaneous and an endothermic process. Furthermore, the TA-MWCNTs was magnetized for separation of boron-contaminated adsorbent from aqueous solution by applying magnetic field. The results showed that magnetic TA-MWCNTs particles were separated effectively after adsorption from contaminated water.
Aneuploidy: implications for protein homeostasis and disease
Authors: Oromendia Ana B. , Amon Angelika
Published: January 2014

It has long been appreciated that aneuploidy – in which cells possess a karyotype that is not a multiple of the haploid complement – has a substantial impact on human health, but its effects at the subcellular level have only recently become a focus of investigation. Here, we summarize new findings characterizing the impact of aneuploidy on protein quality control. Because aneuploidy has been associated with many diseases, foremost among them being cancer, and has also been linked to aging, we also offer our perspective on whether and how the effects of aneuploidy on protein quality control could contribute to these conditions. We argue that acquiring a deeper understanding of the relationship between aneuploidy, disease and aging could lead to the development of new anti-cancer and anti-aging treatments.
A Branch and Bound Algorithm for a Class of Biobjective Mixed Integer Programs
Authors: Stidsen Thomas , Andersen Kim Allan , Dammann Bernd
Published: January 2014

Most real-world optimization problems are multiobjective by nature, involving noncomparable objectives. Many of these problems can be formulated in terms of a set of linear objective functions that should be simultaneously optimized over a class of linear constraints. Often there is the complicating factor that some of the variables are required to be integral. The resulting class of problems is named multiobjective mixed integer programming (MOMIP) problems. Solving these kinds of optimization problems exactly requires a method that can generate the whole set of nondominated points (the Pareto-optimal front). In this paper, we first give a survey of the newly developed branch and bound methods for solving MOMIP problems. After that, we propose a new branch and bound method for solving a subclass of MOMIP problems, where only two objectives are allowed, the integer variables are binary, and one of the two objectives has only integer variables. The proposed method is able to find the full set of nondominated points. It is tested on a large number of problem instances, from six different classes of MOMIP problems. The results reveal that the developed biobjective branch and bound method performs better on five of the six test problems, compared with a generic two-phase method. At this time, the two-phase method is the most preferred exact method for solving MOMIP problems with two criteria and binary variables.

This paper was accepted by Dimitris Bertsimas, optimization.
Analysis of Product Rollover Strategies in the Presence of Strategic Customers
Authors: Liang Chao , Çakanyıldırım Metin , Sethi Suresh P.
Published: January 2014

Frequent product introductions emphasize the importance of product rollover strategies. With single rollover, when a new product is introduced, the old product is phased out from the market. With dual rollover, the old product remains in the market along with the new product. Anticipating the introduction of the new product and the potential markdown of the old product, strategic customers may delay their purchases. We study the interaction between product rollover strategies and strategic customer purchasing behavior and find that single rollover is more valuable when the new product's innovation is low and the number of strategic customers is high. Interestingly and counter to intuition, the firm may have to charge a lower price for the old product as well as receive a lower profit with a higher value disposal (outside) option for the old product under single rollover. Facing a market composed of both strategic and myopic customers, the firm does not necessarily reduce the stocking level as more myopic customers become strategic.

This paper was accepted by Yossi Aviv, operations management.
A New Way to Analyze Paired Comparison Rules
Authors: Saari Donald G.
Published: January 2014

The importance of “paired comparisons” has led to the development of several approaches. Missing is a common analytical way to compare techniques and explain properties. To do so, the approach developed here creates a “data space” coordinate system where data aspects that satisfy a strong transitivity condition are separated from those that represent “noise” as characterized by cyclic effects. With this system, paired comparison rules can be compared and paradoxical behavior explained.
Raised levels of metal ions in the blood in patients who have undergone uncemented metal-on-polyethylene Trident–Accolade total hip replacement
Authors: Craig P. , Bancroft G. , Burton A. , Collier S. , Shaylor P. , Sinha A.
Published: January 2014

The issues surrounding raised levels of metal ions in the blood following large head metal-on-metal total hip replacement (THR), such as cobalt and chromium, have been well documented. Despite the national popularity of uncemented metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) THR using a large-diameter femoral head, few papers have reported the levels of metal ions in the blood following this combination. Following an isolated failure of a 44 mm Trident–Accolade uncemented THR associated with severe wear between the femoral head and the trunnion in the presence of markedly elevated levels of cobalt ions in the blood, we investigated the relationship between modular femoral head diameter and the levels of cobalt and chromium ions in the blood following this THR.

A total of 69 patients received an uncemented Trident–Accolade MoP THR in 2009. Of these, 43 patients (23 men and 20 women, mean age 67.0 years) were recruited and had levels of cobalt and chromium ions in the blood measured between May and June 2012. The patients were then divided into three groups according to the diameter of the femoral head used: 12 patients in the 28 mm group (controls), 18 patients in the 36 mm group and 13 patients in the 40 mm group. A total of four patients had identical bilateral prostheses in situ at phlebotomy: one each in the 28 mm and 36 mm groups and two in the 40 mm group.

There was a significant increase in the mean levels of cobalt ions in the blood in those with a 36 mm diameter femoral head compared with those with a 28 mm diameter head (p = 0.013). The levels of cobalt ions in the blood were raised in those with a 40 mm diameter head but there was no statistically significant difference between this group and the control group (p = 0.152). The levels of chromium ions in the blood were normal in all patients.

The clinical significance of this finding is unclear, but we have stopped using femoral heads with a diameter of ≤ 36 mm, and await further larger studies to clarify whether, for instance, this issue particularly affects this combination of components.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:43–7.
The economics of using prophylactic antibiotic-loaded bone cement in total knee replacement
Authors: Gutowski C. J. , Zmistowski B. M. , Clyde C. T. , Parvizi J.
Published: January 2014

The rate of peri-prosthetic infection following total joint replacement continues to rise, and attempts to curb this trend have included the use of antibiotic-loaded bone cement at the time of primary surgery. We have investigated the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the use of antibiotic-loaded cement for primary total knee replacement (TKR) by comparing the rate of infection in 3048 TKRs performed without loaded cement over a three-year period versus the incidence of infection after 4830 TKRs performed with tobramycin-loaded cement over a later period of time of a similar duration. In order to adjust for confounding factors, the rate of infection in 3347 and 4702 uncemented total hip replacements (THR) performed during the same time periods, respectively, was also examined. There were no significant differences in the characteristics of the patients in the different cohorts.

The absolute rate of infection increased when antibiotic-loaded cement was used in TKR. However, this rate of increase was less than the rate of increase in infection following uncemented THR during the same period. If the rise in the rate of infection observed in THR were extrapolated to the TKR cohort, 18 additional cases of infection would have been expected to occur in the cohort receiving antibiotic-loaded cement, compared with the number observed. Depending on the type of antibiotic-loaded cement that is used, its cost in all primary TKRs ranges between USD $2112.72 and USD $112 606.67 per case of infection that is prevented.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:65–9.
The influence of femoral offset on health-related quality of life after total hip replacement
Authors: Liebs T. R.  , Nasser L. , Herzberg W. , Rüther W. , Hassenpflug J.
Published: January 2014

Several factors have been implicated in unsatisfactory results after total hip replacement (THR). We examined whether femoral offset, as measured on digitised post-operative radiographs, was associated with pain after THR. The routine post-operative radiographs of 362 patients (230 women and 132 men, mean age 70.0 years (35.2 to 90.5)) who received primary unilateral THRs of varying designs were measured after calibration. The femoral offset was calculated using the known dimensions of the implants to control for femoral rotation. Femoral offset was categorised into three groups: normal offset (within 5 mm of the height-adjusted femoral offset), low offset and high offset. We determined the associations to the absolute final score and the improvement in the mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) pain subscale scores at three, six, 12 and 24 months, adjusting for confounding variables.

The amount of femoral offset was associated with the mean WOMAC pain subscale score at all points of follow-up, with the low-offset group reporting less WOMAC pain than the normal or high-offset groups (six months: 7.01 (sd 11.69) vs 12.26 (sd 15.10) vs 13.10 (sd 16.20), p = 0.006; 12 months: 6.55 (sd 11.09) vs 9.73 (sd 13.76) vs 13.46 (sd 18.39), p = 0.010; 24 months: 5.84 (sd 10.23) vs 9.60 (sd 14.43) vs 13.12 (sd 17.43), p = 0.004). When adjusting for confounding variables, including age and gender, the greatest improvement was seen in the low-offset group, with the normal-offset group demonstrating more improvement than the high-offset group.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:36–42.
Thromboprophylaxis with dabigatran leads to an increased incidence of wound leakage and an increased length of stay after total joint replacement
Authors: Bloch B. V. , Patel V. , Best A. J.
Published: January 2014

Since the introduction of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on thromboprophylaxis and the use of extended thromboprophylaxis with new oral agents, there have been reports of complications arising as a result of their use. We have looked at the incidence of wound complications after the introduction of dabigatran for thromboprophylaxis in our unit.

We investigated the rate of venous thromboembolism and wound leakage in 1728 patients undergoing primary joint replacement, both before and after the introduction of dabigatran, and following its subsequent withdrawal from our unit.

We found that the use of dabigatran led to a significant increase in post-operative wound leakage (20% with dabigatran, 5% with a multimodal regimen; p < 0.001), which also resulted in an increased duration of hospital stay. The rate of thromboembolism in patients receiving dabigatran was higher (1.3%) than in those receiving the multimodal thromboprophylaxis regimen, including low molecular weight heparin as an inpatient and the extended use of aspirin (0.3%, p = 0.047). We have ceased the use of dabigatran for thromboprophylaxis in these patients.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:122–6.
Giant cell tumour of the proximal femur
Authors: Wijsbek A. E. , Vazquez-Garcia B. L. , Grimer R. J. , Carter S. R. , Abudu A. A. , Tillman R. M. , Jeys L.
Published: January 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess whether the use of a joint-sparing technique such as curettage and grafting was successful in eradicating giant cell tumours of the proximal femur, or whether an alternative strategy was more appropriate.

Between 1974 and 2012, 24 patients with a giant cell tumour of the proximal femur were treated primarily at our hospital. Treatment was either joint sparing or joint replacing. Joint-sparing treatment was undertaken in ten patients by curettage with or without adjunctive bone graft. Joint replacement was by total hip replacement in nine patients and endoprosthetic replacement in five. All 11 patients who presented with a pathological fracture were treated by replacement.

Local recurrence occurred in five patients (21%): two were treated by hip replacement, three by curettage and none with an endoprosthesis. Of the ten patients treated initially by curettage, six had a successful outcome without local recurrence and required no further surgery. Three eventually needed a hip replacement for local recurrence and one an endoprosthetic replacement for mechanical failure. Thus 18 patients had the affected joint replaced and only six (25%) retained their native joint. Overall, 60% of patients without a pathological fracture who were treated with curettage had a successful outcome.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:127–31.
Progression of spinal deformity in wheelchair-dependent patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are not treated with steroids
Authors: Shapiro F. , Zurakowski D. , Bui T. , Darras B. T.
Published: January 2014

We determined the frequency, rate and extent of development of scoliosis (coronal plane deformity) in wheelchair-dependent patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who were not receiving steroid treatment. We also assessed kyphosis and lordosis (sagittal plane deformity). The extent of scoliosis was assessed on sitting anteroposterior (AP) spinal radiographs in 88 consecutive non-ambulatory patients with DMD. Radiographs were studied from the time the patients became wheelchair-dependent until the time of spinal fusion, or the latest assessment if surgery was not undertaken. Progression was estimated using a longitudinal mixed-model regression analysis to handle repeated measurements.

Scoliosis ≥ 10° occurred in 85 of 88 patients (97%), ≥ 20° in 78 of 88 (89%) and ≥ 30° in 66 of 88 patients (75%). The fitted longitudinal model revealed that time in a wheelchair was a highly significant predictor of the magnitude of the curve, independent of the age of the patient (p <  0.001). Scoliosis developed in virtually all DMD patients not receiving steroids once they became wheelchair-dependent, and the degree of deformity deteriorated over time.

In general, scoliosis increased at a constant rate, beginning at the time of wheelchair-dependency (p < 0.001). In some there was no scoliosis for as long as three years after dependency, but scoliosis then developed and increased at a constant rate. Some patients showed a rapid increase in the rate of progression of the curve after a few years – the clinical phenomenon of a rapidly collapsing curve over a few months.

A sagittal plane kyphotic deformity was seen in 37 of 60 patients (62%) with appropriate radiographs, with 23 (38%) showing lumbar lordosis (16 (27%) abnormal and seven (11%) normal).

This study provides a baseline to assess the effects of steroids and other forms of treatment on the natural history of scoliosis in patients with DMD, and an approach to assessing spinal deformity in the coronal and sagittal planes in wheelchair-dependent patients with other neuromuscular disorders.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:100–5.
The evolution and concepts of joint-preserving surgery of the hip
Authors: Leunig M. , Ganz R.
Published: January 2014

The use of joint-preserving surgery of the hip has been largely abandoned since the introduction of total hip replacement. However, with the modification of such techniques as pelvic osteotomy, and the introduction of intracapsular procedures such as surgical hip dislocation and arthroscopy, previously unexpected options for the surgical treatment of sequelae of childhood conditions, including developmental dysplasia of the hip, slipped upper femoral epiphysis and Perthes’ disease, have become available. Moreover, femoroacetabular impingement has been identified as a significant aetiological factor in the development of osteoarthritis in many hips previously considered to suffer from primary osteoarthritis.

As mechanical causes of degenerative joint disease are now recognised earlier in the disease process, these techniques may be used to decelerate or even prevent progression to osteoarthritis. We review the recent development of these concepts and the associated surgical techniques.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:5–18.
Assessing the Supply Chain Efficiency of Hardwood Sawmills in New York State through Case Study Analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis Modeling
Authors: Penfield Patrick C. , Germain René , Smith William
Published: January 2014

Hardwood sawmills throughout the United States were under severe financial pressures during the 2007 to 2009 recession. This was attributed to demand weakness, profitability challenges, and supply chain inefficiencies. The focus of our study was on hardwood sawmills in New York State. A supply chain assessment tool was created to evaluate the supply chain processes of 15 sawmills that had the capability to produce from 3 to 20 million board feet of lumber per year and accounted for 31 percent of the hardwood lumber produced in New York. We collected data that allowed us to rate each sawmill's supply chain and computed their relative efficiency using a mathematical modeling technique called Data Envelopment Analysis. We then used a Pearson correlation analysis to compare our sawmill assessment scores and the relative efficiency score from each sawmill and found a significant correlation of 0.716. The assessment tool we developed can help hardwood sawmills find opportunities to improve their supply chains, allowing their business to save money and improve profit margins.
Dentistry In America
Authors: Simmons Gerald
Published: January 2014

Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) is changing the face of medicine in the United States. If successful, dentistry will be its next target. As a UK-trained dentist who has practised in California for more than 30 years, it is a prospect I dread.
A Study on Major Issues of Multicultural Education in Korea: Based on Needs of Migrants
Authors: Jo Hye-young
Published: January 2014

This study aimed to explore what issues were firstly emphasized, while multicultural education has been spread out and settled in Korea recently. For this, I conducted in-depth interviews with 10 migrants who have stayed in Korea for relatively longer periods and been active in multicultural education related projects. Through the interviews, I attempted to find out which aspects were firstly developed based on their experiences and current academic discussion on multicultural education in Korea. First of all, stereotypes and prejudices on migrants' backgrounds held by Koreans should be corrected and better ways to express interests and curiosities on migrants' cultures and better attitudes for individual interactions should be educated. In addition, we need to emphasize universal human rights deserved for every human beings prior to introducing cultural differences and diverse cultures. Last, migrants should be understood as agents who are doing active practices rather than subjects of one sided assimilation, while they are migrating and adjusting to the Korean society. In sum, we firstly need education for the interacting with individual migrants, deserving universal human rights, and understanding the process of individual migrants' active practices, prior to introducing other cultures and support for migrants' adjustments.
A Study on Factors Affecting the Mental Health of North Korean Refugees - Focusing on the Gyeonggi Residents -
Authors: Choi Hee-chul
Published: January 2014

The objective of this study is to check the mental health level of residents escaping from North Korea residing in Gyeonggi-do and investigate factors affecting on this mental health and to propose suggested practical implications for enhance of mental health in the future. For this, the survey targeting 212 residents of more than 20 years old escaping from North Korea residing in Geyonggi-do has been conducted with the cooperation of Hana Center located in 6 zones of Gyeonggi-do. The meaningful difference appeared in the mental health in the education level of residents escaping from North Korea and the local residence institution as a result of study. Also, the levels of education, the self-esteem, the course of escaping from North Korea and the experience of external injury have been presented as factors affecting on the mental health. It has been proposed that the improvement of mental health of residents escaping from North Korea to be promoted in the future is necessary to access the direction capable of securing the accessibility, the comprehensiveness, the professionalism within the range of transmission system of basic mental health service through the adjustment and the connection of adjacent resources.
The Mediated Effect of Self-esteem in the Relationship between Multicultural Understanding and Attitude of Elementary-school Students
Authors: Jang Seongmin , Jung Minsoo
Published: January 2014

This study examined whether the mediated effect is shown in self-esteem, which influences adjustment to school life in the relationship between multicultural understanding and attitude of elementary-school students. Data was collected by conducting a survey of 424 students in grades 5 and 6 in an elementary school located in Jeollabuk-do. The structural equation analysis was conducted using the SPSS 21.0 program and AMOS 21.0 program software packages. The result of verifying the mediated effect of self-esteem confirmed that the influence of multicultural understanding on multicultural attitude is considerably mediated by self-esteem. This result raises the need to develop and provide practical programs that can enhance self-esteem in order to cultivate the attitude to understand and accept various different cultures in a multicultural society.
Economic Benefits Coming from the Absence of Labels Proliferation
Authors: Marette Stéphan
Published: January 2014

In a lab experiment, two milk bottles with different levels of omega-3 were offered to participants for eliciting willingness to pay. We find that a simple message on the difference regarding the omega-3 content between bottles significantly impacts the participants’ willingness to pay for these bottles. The exit questionnaire also shows that participants would prefer the exclusive use of the omega-3 label posted on the bottle with the highest content in omega-3. From an interpretation of questionnaires and elicited willingness to pay, simulations show that the exclusive use of one label signaling omega-3 would have a positive impact on both profits and consumers’ surpluses.
How the Presidents Ate Their Salmon
Authors: Schmitt Catherine
Published: January 2014

Between 1912 and 1992, recreational anglers on the Penobscot River in Maine carried on the annual tradition of giving the first Atlantic salmon caught each spring to the President of the United States. Local anglers maintained cultural traditions of catching and eating salmon, keeping them in the social memory of the region. Each president’s receipt and consumption of the first fish retained a national memory of Atlantic salmon as food, a memory that otherwise may have faded due to the decline of Atlantic salmon populations. At the same time, the annual gift of the Presidential Salmon revealed how local populations of food fish were affected by national policies regarding energy, industrial water use, and pollution. Today, the Presidential Salmon has implications for current restoration efforts on the Penobscot and other rivers across the globe.
Chromosome Segregation in Budding Yeast: Sister Chromatid Cohesion and Related Mechanisms
Authors: Marston Adele L
Published: January 2014

Studies on budding yeast have exposed the highly conserved mechanisms by which duplicated chromosomes are evenly distributed to daughter cells at the metaphase–anaphase transition. The establishment of proteinaceous bridges between sister chromatids, a function provided by a ring-shaped complex known as cohesin, is central to accurate segregation. It is the destruction of this cohesin that triggers the segregation of chromosomes following their proper attachment to microtubules. Since it is irreversible, this process must be tightly controlled and driven to completion. Furthermore, during meiosis, modifications must be put in place to allow the segregation of maternal and paternal chromosomes in the first division for gamete formation. Here, I review the pioneering work from budding yeast that has led to a molecular understanding of the establishment and destruction of cohesion.
La salud y la vida buena: aportes del enfoque de las capacidades de Amartya Sen para el razonamiento ético en salud pública
Authors: Restrepo-Ochoa Diego Alveiro
Published: January 2014

El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar el aporte del enfoque de las capacidades de Amartya Sen para el razonamiento ético en salud pública. A partir de las críticas del enfoque de las capacidades al utilitarismo, se propone una concepción de salud sustentada en cuatro características: una noción de vida buena de carácter pluralista, la expansión de la libertad como fundamento ético de las acciones en salud, la concepción de la persona como agente y el reconocimiento de la visión interna de la salud, basada en una objetividad posicional. El aporte del enfoque de las capacidades para el razonamiento ético en salud pública puede resumirse en el reconocimiento de cuatro aspectos: la insuficiencia de la asistencia sanitaria como criterio de la ventaja individual, la equidad en salud como un aspecto fundamental de la justicia social, la relevancia de la visión que tienen las personas con relación a su propia salud y el desarrollo de las capacidades como finalidad de las políticas públicas en el campo de la salud pública.
Padrões alimentares e fatores associados entre crianças de um a seis anos de um município do Sul do Brasil
Authors: Souza Rosangela de Leon Veleda de , Madruga Samanta Wink , Gigante Denise Petrucci , Santos Iná S. , Barros Aluísio J. D. , Assunção Maria Cecília Formoso
Published: January 2014

O estudo teve como objetivos descrever padrões alimentares e investigar a associação com fatores demográficos e socioeconômicos entre crianças de um a seis anos na cidade de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Foi utilizada a correlação de Pearson para agrupar os alimentos. Os padrões alimentares foram construídos por meio da análise de componentes principais. As associações foram verificadas usando-se o teste de KruskalWallis (α = 0,05). Foram avaliadas 667 crianças. Identificou-se cinco padrões alimentares: "vegetais", "tradicional" (pão, margarina/margarina, arroz/massa, café, açúcar), "guloseimas e embutidos", "lanches" (laticínios, achocolatados, biscoitos e sucos) e "frutas". Os padrões "vegetais" e "frutas"tiveram maior adesão entre as crianças cujas mães tinham maior escolaridade e renda familiar. O padrão "tradicional" foi o mais observado entre crianças cujas mães tinham menor escolaridade e renda familiar. Os padrões "vegetais" e "tradicional" apresentaram o maior percentual de variância. As condições socioeconômicas das famílias exercem um papel fundamental na determinação do padrão alimentar das crianças.
Intimate partner violence and unintended pregnancy: prevalence and associated factors
Authors: Azevêdo Ana Carolina da C. , Araújo Thália Velho Barreto de , Valongueiro Sandra , Ludermir Ana Bernarda
Published: January 2014

This study investigated the association between unintended pregnancy and intimate partner violence before pregnancy. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,054 women, aged 18 to 49, in Recife, Northeastern Brazil, from July 2005 to March 2006. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis was performed with a hierarchical strategy for entering variables into the model, according to the conceptual framework defined. Unintended pregnancy was reported by 60.3% (636) women. Intimate partner violence prior to the pregnancy was associated with unintended pregnancy (ORadj = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.17-2.11), even when adjusted for the women's sociodemographic characteristics, the partner's behaviour, and the relationship dynamic. When the association was adjusted for the use of contraception and the partner's refusal to use contraception, the association was no longer significant, suggesting that the effect of partner violence on unintended pregnancy may be mediated by these variables. The findings point to the need of screening for intimate partner violence in reproductive health services.
Cost-effectiveness of prevention strategies for American tegumentary leishmaniasis in Argentina
Authors: Orellano Pablo Wenceslao , Vazquez Nestor , Salomon Oscar Daniel
Published: January 2014

The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of reducing tegumentary leishmaniasis transmission using insecticide-impregnated clothing and curtains, and implementing training programs for early diagnosis. A societal perspective was adopted, with outcomes assessed in terms of costs per disability adjusted life years (DALY). Simulation was structured as a Markov model and costs were expressed in American dollars (US$). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of each strategy was calculated. One-way and multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for early diagnosis strategy was estimated at US$ 156.46 per DALY averted, while that of prevention of transmission with insecticide-impregnated curtains and clothing was US$ 13,155.52 per DALY averted. Both strategies were more sensitive to the natural incidence of leishmaniasis, to the effectiveness of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis treatment and to the cost of each strategy. Prevention of vectorial transmission and early diagnosis have proved to be cost-effective measures.
Relationship between blood donors' iron status and their age, body mass index and donation frequency
Authors: Moghadam Ali Malekshahi , Natanzi Mahboobeh Mehrabani , Djalali Mahmoud , Saedisomeolia Ahmad , Javanbakht Mohammad Hassan , Saboor-Yaraghi Ali Akbar , Zareei Mahnaz
Published: January 2014

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Regular blood donation may decrease body iron storage and lead to anemia. The aim here was to evaluate the iron status of Iranian male blood donors and the impact of age, body mass index (BMI) and donation frequency over one year, on iron status indices. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study at Tehran Blood Transfusion Center, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Between July and September 2011, 117 male blood donors were selected and divided into four groups according to their frequency of blood donation. Thirty male non-donors were also recruited as controls after adjusting for age, weight, height, smoking habits and monthly income. Iron status indices and some criteria such as general health and dietary measurements were determined among all subjects. RESULTS: The values of the iron-related parameters were significantly lower among donors than among non-donors. Only total iron binding capacity (TIBC) was found to be significantly higher among different donor groups than in the controls. A significant positive correlation was observed between age and serum ferritin (SF) only among the donors who had donated once within the preceding year. The iron status indices did not show any significant relationship with BMI among donors or non-donors. CONCLUSION: A donation frequency of more than twice a year had a significant influence on iron-related parameters. Therefore, without annual measurement of these parameters, further phlebotomies may lead to iron deficiency and donor rejection in the future.
Patterns of Missing Data in Ethnic Minority Health Research: A Survey Project With Russian-Speaking Immigrant Women With Hypertension
Authors: Brouwer Amanda M. , Mosack Katie E. , Wendorf Angela R. , Sokolova Liliya
Published: January 2014

We explored cultural-level variables and their associations with missing data in a group of immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Elderly hypertensive women (N= 105) completed a health survey. Prevalence of missing data andzscores were calculated to determine which survey items and measures were more likely to have missing data. Hierarchical linear regressions were performed to test whether cultural variables predicted the rate of missing data beyond individual variables. Culture variables associated with survey nonresponse and missing data were related to depression, anxiety, medication beliefs and practices, attitudes toward physicians, and cultural and behavioral identity. An interpretation of the patterns of missing data and strategies to reduce the likelihood of missing data in this population are discussed. Cultural norms likely influence patients’ orientations toward their health care providers. Providers would do well to normalize difficulties with medical adherence and encourage patients to ask questions about such directives. We recommend that researchers consider the cultural appropriateness of survey items and consider alternative methods (i.e., qualitative designs) for culturally sensitive topics such as mental health and sexuality.
Distortion, Bias, and Ethical Informed Consent: Presentations of Etiological and Treatment Factors in Abnormal Psychology Textbooks
Authors: Hunter Noel
Published: January 2014

Concerns have been made highlighting the need for true informed consent and choice when patients and/or parents are confronted with seeking treatment for severe emotional states and crises. Yet, psychosocial treatments are often derided or recommended only in conjunction with psychotropic medications because of the assumed biological basis of mental distress. At the same time, the benefits of medications are often inflated, whereas the harmful effects are drastically minimized or not reported at all. This misinformation is distributed to the public, and to patients, in part through the education of students and trainees. Early educational experiences can shape the thinking of trainees as they begin to formulate their respective approaches to clinical populations, and textbooks are a fundamental part of this education. The purpose of this study was to analyze popular abnormal psychology textbooks to evaluate their representation of the current scientific literature regarding psychopathology. Content areas that were explored were those related to depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. Misrepresentations of the literature were pervasive in areas associated with biological findings. In addition, there were multiple omissions or biased statements related to psychosocial findings, distortions regarding the efficacy of and adverse effects of various treatments, and a lack of reports of the existence of effective alternative approaches to standard mental health care. Concerns regarding the dissemination of distorted and false information in higher education as it pertains to ethics and informed consent are discussed.
Forcing Closed Unbounded Subsets of אω1+1
Authors: Stanley M. C.
Published: January 2014

Using square sequences, a stationary subsetSTof אω1+1is constructed from a treeTof heightω1, uniformly inT. Under suitable hypotheses, adding a closed unbounded subset toSTrequires adding a cofinal branch toTor collapsing at least one ofω1, אω1, and אω1+1. An application is that in ZFC there is no parameter free definition of the family of subsets of אω1+1that have a closed unbounded subset in someω1, אω1, and אω1+1preserving outer model.
KWithout the Measurable
Authors: Jensen Ronald , Steel John
Published: January 2014

We show in ZFC that if there is no proper class inner model with a Woodin cardinal, then there is an absolutely definablecore modelthat is close toVin various ways.
Infinite sets that Satisfy the Principle of Omniscience in any Variety of Constructive Mathematics
Authors: Escardó Martín H.
Published: January 2014

We show that there are plenty of infinite sets that satisfy the omniscience principle, in a minimalistic setting for constructive mathematics that is compatible with classical mathematics. A first example of an omniscient set is the one-point compactification of the natural numbers, also known as the generic convergent sequence. We relate this to Grilliot's and Ishihara's Tricks. We generalize this example to many infinite subsets of the Cantor space. These subsets turn out to be ordinals in a constructive sense, with respect to the lexicographic order, satisfying both a well-foundedness condition with respect to decidable subsets, and transfinite induction restricted to decidable predicates. The use of simple types allows us to reach any ordinal below εQ, and richer type systems allow us to get higher.
Invariance Properties of Almost Disjoint Families
Authors: Arciga-Alejandre M. , Hrušák M. , Martinez-Ranero C.
Published: January 2014

We answer a question of Garcia-Ferreira and Hrušák by consistently constructing a MAD family maximal in the Katětov order. We also answer several questions of Garcia-Ferreira.
The Theory of Tracial Von Neumann Algebras Does Not Have A Model Companion
Authors: Goldbring Isaac , Hart Bradd , Sinclair Thomas
Published: January 2014

In this note, we show that the theory of tracial von Neumann algebras does not have a model companion. This will follow from the fact that the theory of any locally universal, McDuff II1 factor does not have quantifier elimination. We also show how a positive solution to the Connes Embedding Problem implies that there can be no model-complete theory of II1 factors.
A new inscription from Sirmium and the basilica of St. Anastasia
Authors: Popovic Ivana , Ferjancic Snezana
Published: January 2014

A fragmentary marble inscription, preserved in the Museum of Srem in Sremska Mitrovica, seems to mention the basilica of St. Anastasia: [In dom]o beati[ssimae dominae nost]re Anast[asiae. This monument provides epigraphic evidence on the cult place of the martyr in Sirmium, already recorded by written sources. According to the Passion of St. Demetrius, the church of St. Anastasia had already existed in Sirmium when Leontius, praetorian prefect of Illyricum, started the construction of the basilica of St. Demetrius. Although the find spot of the plate is not known, the finds of Ostrogothic coins next to the northern city wall imply that the basilica of St. Anastasia was located in that zone of the city, as the Ostrogoths highly respected the Martyr. It is possible that it should be identified with a martyrium leaning against the northern city wall that had been unearthed and then destroyed at the end of the 19th century.
Early mediaeval hoard of iron objects from Rujkovac and similar finds from the central Balkans
Authors: Bugarski Ivan , Ivanisevic Vujadin
Published: January 2014

By the village of Rujkovac in southern Serbia, one of the numerous local hillforts is situated. Since it has not been systematically explored, our knowledge of its history leans on an insight into the chance finds. On this occasion, we have opted to depict eight iron objects, probably coming from a damaged hoard. Thanks to four Hungarian-type stirrups which have already been published, the hoard from Rujkovac was dated to the second half of the tenth and the first half of the eleventh century. Similar finds from outside the Central Balkans are well studied, but there have been misinterpretations of their occurrence in this territory. The findings of tools from the Rujkovac hoard may be widely dated. The pickaxe belongs to Henning's class L1 the mattock to the class K8, the scythe to the I5 class, and the plowshare to the A3 class of the same typology. Both typologically and territorially, the closest finds come from a hoard of iron objects found at Strezevo by Bitola, Macedonia, but the presented estimations of its date have caused some confusion. It was Valery Jotov who rightly dated it to the second half of tenth and the first half of the eleventh century. Some other similar finds come from the Central Balkans, present-day Serbia and Macedonia, most of which were not sufficiently studied and were incorporated neither in Henning's 1987 corpus nor in Florin Curta's papers that followed (1997, 2011). It is hard to judge the date of some of the hoards. For instance, the Gamzigrad III hoard has been dated to the Late Antiquity, and the Jelica hoard perhaps to the early seventh century. We are open to the possibility that these hoards in fact come from the Early Middle Ages. The other hoards, found at Ada Ciganlija (Belgrade), Pontes, and in Macedonia are chiefly dated to the tenth and eleventh centuries. The Rujkovac and Strezevo hoards are ascribed to the military, the Gamzigrad II to the local smithy, and the rest of the hoards may have belonged to individuals rather than to communities. The prevailing agricultural character of these hoards is closely related to population growth in Byzantium at that time. The hoards testify to the renewal of life and metallurgical activities in the tenth and eleventh centuries in the southern part of the Central Balkans. The increase in money hoards speaks in favour of some economic renewal too. Our earlier conclusion, though with some reservations, was that both the Rujkovac and Strezevo finds came from a Byzantine context. We would suggest that the same could be stated for the rest of the hoards depicted in this paper.