bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Problems with specialist subcontracting in the construction industry
Authors: Yik F WH , Lai J HK , Chan K T , Yiu E CY
Published: May 2014

It is envisaged that more and more specialist works will be employed in modern buildings for enhancing performance and sustainability. Subcontracting is an economical way of procuring specialist works for modern buildings but it may also give rise to various kinds of problems. Such problems may originate from the characteristics of the specialist works and from subcontracting as a procurement method. In the paper, the key characteristics of specialist works are identified and their implications are analysed. Through discussing how new technologies penetrate the market, the pricing strategies that vendors of new technologies may adopt together with their implications are unveiled. The problems with procuring specialist works through subcontracting are then reviewed, and the issues that building developers should take note of in deciding to equip a building with a specialist work and in procurement and management of the specialist subcontract are highlighted and discussed.

Practical application: By providing an in-depth exposition on subcontracting within the construction industry, the paper can act as a source of information and guide for those initiating and managing projects that involve substantial amounts of subcontracting, especially to project clients when they procure specialist works through subcontracting. The potential problems discussed include not only those that may arise during the construction stage, readers’ attention is also drawn to the impacts on operation and maintenance and the aftermarket monopoly power of vendors of proprietary products and services.
International Randomized Phase III Study of Elacytarabine Versus Investigator Choice in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Roboz Gail J. , Rosenblat Todd , Arellano Martha , Gobbi Marco , Altman Jessica K. , Montesinos Pau , O'Connell Casey , Solomon Scott R. , Pigneux Arnaud , Vey Norbert , Hills Robert , Jacobsen Tove Flem , Gianella-Borradori Athos , Foss Øivind , Vetrhusand Sylvia , Giles Francis J.
Published: May 2014

Purpose

Most patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) eventually experience relapse. Relapsed/refractory AML has a dismal prognosis and currently available treatment options are generally ineffective. The objective of this large, international, randomized clinical trial was to investigate the efficacy of elacytarabine, a novel elaidic acid ester of cytarabine, versus the investigator's choice of one of seven commonly used AML salvage regimens, including high-dose cytarabine, multiagent chemotherapy, hypomethylating agents, hydroxyurea, and supportive care.

Patients and Methods

A total of 381 patients with relapsed/refractory AML were treated in North America, Europe, and Australia. Investigators selected a control treatment for individual patients before random assignment. The primary end point was overall survival (OS).

Results

There were no significant differences in OS (3.5 v 3.3 months), response rate (23% v 21%), or relapse-free survival (5.1 v 3.7 months) between the elacytarabine and control arms, respectively. There was no significant difference in OS among any of the investigator's choice regimens. Prolonged survival was only achieved in a few patients in both study arms whose disease responded and who underwent allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.

Conclusion

Neither elacytarabine nor any of the seven alternative treatment regimens provided clinically meaningful benefit to these patients. OS in both study arms and for all treatments was extremely poor. Novel agents, novel clinical trial designs, and novel strategies of drug development are all desperately needed for this patient population.
Time to Diagnosis of Ewing Tumors in Children and Adolescents Is Not Associated With Metastasis or Survival: A Prospective Multicenter Study of 436 Patients
Authors: Brasme Jean-François , Chalumeau Martin , Oberlin Odile , Valteau-Couanet Dominique , Gaspar Nathalie
Published: May 2014

Purpose

The time to diagnosis (TtD) of Ewing tumors is one of the longest among pediatric tumors. Its precise consequences, however, have not been studied well. We analyzed the distribution of TtD for Ewing tumors in children and adolescents and its association with clinical features, tumor characteristics, surgical outcome, and long-term survival.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed prospectively collected data from two multicenter clinical trials of patients younger than 21 years old who had Ewing bone tumors treated in France between 1988 and 2000. Clinical and tumoral features, TtD, and outcome associations were studied by univariable and multivariable analyses.

Results

The median TtD for the 436 patients was 70 days (interquartile range, 27 to 146 days), with no significant decrease during the study period (P > .2). The factors associated with long TtD were older age and some tumor sites (pelvis, extremities of limbs). Increased tumor volume and decreased histologic response to chemotherapy were associated with long TtD on univariable analysis (P < .05) but not after adjustment. Presence of a nerve or spinal-cord compression at diagnosis, presence or site of metastasis, surgical treatment, mutilating surgery, complete resection, or survival were not associated with TtD.

Conclusion

TtD of Ewing tumors was long, especially for adolescents and for certain tumor sites, and did not improve over time. But TtD was not associated with metastasis, surgical outcome, or survival. These findings could be used to comfort parents at diagnosis and in expert testimony produced for malpractice claims.
Wyden's Waiver: State Innovation on Steroids
Authors: McDonough John E.
Published: May 2014

Section 1332 of Title I of the Affordable Care Act offers to state governments the ability to waive significant portions of the ACA, including requirements related to qualified health plans, health benefit exchanges, cost sharing, and refundable tax credits. It permits state governments to obtain funding that otherwise would have gone to residents and businesses through the ACA and to use those funds to establish, beginning in 2017, an alternative health reform framework within statutory limitations. Section 1332 also permits states to apply in a coordinated fashion for waivers from Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and “any other federal law relating to the provision of health care items or services.” This article reviews the statutory provisions and related regulations of this new and unprecedented state waiver authority, as well as the legislative history of section 1332. Finally, it reviews the limited activities thus far by states contemplating use of this provision and considers ways this authority may be considered for use by states in the future. Section 1332 has the potential to instigate a new, varied, and unprecedented array of state health sector innovations from both sides of the political divide over health care reform.
Asterisk
Authors: Tompkins Avery
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Becoming
Authors: Garner T.
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Child
Authors: Meadow Tey
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Cisgenderism
Authors: Lennon Erica , Mistler Brian J.
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Disability
Authors: Puar Jasbir K.
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Guerrilla
Authors: Stone Sandy
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Nature
Authors: Bendorf Oliver
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Pornography
Authors: Steinbock Eliza
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Sinophone
Authors: Chiang Howard
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Somatechnics
Authors: Sullivan Nikki
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Sports
Authors: Travers Ann
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
The State
Authors: Currah Paisley
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Transbutch
Authors: Manion Jen
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Translatinas/Os
Authors: La Fountain-Stokes Lawrence
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Translation
Authors: Enke A. Finn
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Transxenoestrogenesis
Authors: Hayward Eva
Published: May 2014

This section includes eighty-six short original essays commissioned for the inaugural issue of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. Written by emerging academics, community-based writers, and senior scholars, each essay in this special issue, “Postposttranssexual: Key Concepts for a Twenty-First-Century Transgender Studies,” revolves around a particular keyword or concept. Some contributions focus on a concept central to transgender studies; others describe a term of art from another discipline or interdisciplinary area and show how it might relate to transgender studies. While far from providing a complete picture of the field, these keywords begin to elucidate a conceptual vocabulary for transgender studies. Some of the submissions offer a deep and resilient resistance to the entire project of mapping the field terminologically; some reveal yet-unrealized critical potentials for the field; some take existing terms from canonical thinkers and develop the significance for transgender studies; some offer overviews of well-known methodologies and demonstrate their applicability within transgender studies; some suggest how transgender issues play out in various fields; and some map the productive tensions between trans studies and other interdisciplines.
Negotiating the Spectacle in Transgender Performances of Alexis Arquette, Zackary Drucker, DavEnd, Niv Acosta, and Tobaron Waxman
Authors: George Doran
Published: May 2014

This review looks at the work of five North American artists who tackle the prevailing social demand upon transgender subjects to make a spectacle of their bodies. They reflect upon the body as a social site in order to resist and redeploy the scrutiny under which transgender is drawn. In film, dance, and visual and relational performance, the artists contest conventional social constructions of transgender and articulate existential possibility in ways that contribute to and echo the development of new ideas about embodiment.
The prolyl isomerase, FKBP25, interacts with RNA-engaged nucleolin and the pre-60S ribosomal subunit
Authors: Gudavicius Geoff , Dilworth David , Serpa Jason J. , Sessler Nicole , Petrotchenko Evgeniy V. , Borchers Christoph H. , Nelson Christopher J.
Published: May 2014

Peptidyl-proline isomerases of the FK506-binding protein (FKBP) family belong to a class of enzymes that catalyze the cis–trans isomerization of prolyl-peptide bonds in proteins. A handful of FKBPs are found in the nucleus, implying that the isomerization of proline in nuclear proteins is enzymatically controlled. FKBP25 is a nuclear protein that has been shown to associate with chromatin modifiers and transcription factors. In this study, we performed the first proteomic characterization of FKBP25 and found that it interacts with numerous ribosomal proteins, ribosomal processing factors, and a small selection of chromatin modifiers. In agreement with previous reports, we found that nucleolin is a major FKBP25-interacting protein and demonstrated that this interaction is dependent on rRNA. FKBP25 interacts with the immature large ribosomal subunit in nuclear extract but does not associate with mature ribosomes, implicating this FKBP's action in ribosome biogenesis. Despite engaging nascent 60S ribosomes, FKBP25 does not affect steady-state levels of rRNAs or its pre-rRNA intermediates. We conclude that FKBP25 is likely recruited to preribosomes to chaperone one of the protein components of the ribosome large subunit.
Climbing the vertebrate branch of U1A/U2B″ protein evolution
Authors: Delaney Kimberly J. , Williams Sandra G. , Lawler Mariah , Hall Kathleen B.
Published: May 2014

In the vertebrate lineage of the U1A/U2B″/SNF protein family, the U1A and U2B″ proteins bind to RNA stem–loops in the U1 or U2 snRNPs, respectively. However, their specialization is fairly recent, as they evolved from a single ancestral protein. The progress of their specialization (subfunctionalization) can be monitored by the amino acid sequence changes that give rise to their modern RNA-binding specificity. Using ancestral sequence reconstruction to predict the intermediates on the evolutionary branch, a probable path of sequential changes is defined for U1A and U2B″. The RNA-binding affinity for U1A/U2B″ protein ancestors was measured using modern U1 and U2 snRNA stem–loops and RNA stem–loop variants to understand how the proteins’ RNA specificities evolved.
An image-based, dual fluorescence reporter assay to evaluate the efficacy of shRNA for gene silencing at the single-cell level
Authors: Kojima Shin-ichiro , Borisy Gary G.
Published: May 2014

RNA interference (RNAi) is widely used to suppress gene expression in a specific manner. The efficacy of RNAi is mainly dependent on the sequence of small interfering RNA (siRNA) in relation to the target mRNA. Although several algorithms have been developed for the design of siRNA, it is still difficult to choose a really effective siRNA from among multiple candidates. In this article, we report the development of an image-based, quantitative, ratiometric fluorescence reporter assay to evaluate the efficacy of RNAi at the single-cell level. Two fluorescence reporter constructs are used. One expresses the candidate small hairpin RNA (shRNA) together with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP); the other expresses a 19-nt target sequence inserted into a cassette expressing a red fluorescent protein (either DsRed or mCherry). Effectiveness of the candidate shRNA is evaluated as the extent to which it knocks down expression of the red fluorescent protein. Thus, the red-to-green fluorescence intensity ratio (appropriately normalized to controls) is used as the read-out for quantifying the siRNA efficacy at the individual cell level. We tested this dual fluorescence assay and compared predictions to actual endogenous knockdown levels for three different genes (vimentin, lamin A/C and Arp3) and twenty different shRNAs. For each of the genes, our assay successfully predicted the target sequences for effective RNAi.

To further facilitate testing of RNAi efficacy, we developed a negative selection marker (ccdB) method for construction of shRNA and red fluorescent reporter plasmids that allowed us to purify these plasmids directly from transformed bacteria without the need for colony selection and DNA sequencing verification.
Revision of the Troponin T Release Mechanism from Damaged Human Myocardium
Authors: Starnberg Karin , Jeppsson Anders , Lindahl Bertil , Hammarsten Ola
Published: May 2014

BACKGROUND

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is released from damaged heart tissue in patients with acute myocardial infarction. It is presumed that most cTnT is tightly bound and released following the degradation of myofibrils in necrotic cardiomyocytes, resulting in sustained increases in circulating cTnT. Evidence of a large irreversibly bound fraction is based on the inability to extract most cTnT from cardiac tissue in cold low-salt extraction buffers.

METHODS

Here we examined in vitro extraction of cTnT from human cardiac tissue in serum at 37 °C.

RESULTS

We found that over 80% of the cTnT can be extracted from human cardiac tissue in 90 min using large volumes of human serum at 37 °C. The release ratio was highly dependent on the extraction volume and was only 3% if an equal volume of serum and heart tissue was used. In contrast, extraction of the cytoplasmic cardiac damage markers myoglobin and creatinine kinase was much less affected by changing these conditions. Purified cTnT was poorly soluble in a low-salt extraction buffer at 0 °C, previously used to define the free cTnT fraction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that the diffusible fraction of cTnT is likely substantially larger in vivo than previously reported and likely is not fixed but dependent on local plasma flow. It is therefore possible that the sustained increase in circulating cTnT after myocardial infarction is at least in part due to a slow washout of cTnT that interacts reversibly with tropomyosin in myofibrils.
Mass Spectrometry–Based Candidate Reference Measurement Procedure for Quantification of Amyloid-β in Cerebrospinal Fluid
Authors: Leinenbach Andreas , Pannee Josef , Dülffer Thomas , Huber Andreas , Bittner Tobias , Andreasson Ulf , Gobom Johan , Zetterberg Henrik , Kobold Uwe , Portelius Erik , Blennow Kaj
Published: May 2014

BACKGROUND

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid-β (Aβ42) is a well-established biomarker for Alzheimer disease. Several immunoassays for Aβ42 exist but differ in absolute concentrations and may suffer from matrix interference, thereby hampering interlaboratory comparisons and the use of general cutoff levels. Together with the IFCC Working Group on CSF Proteins, we developed a candidate reference measurement procedure (RMP) for Aβ42.

METHODS

The antibody-independent candidate RMP was based on solid-phase extraction and isotope-dilution LC-MS/MS. The candidate RMP used 2 differently stable isotope-labeled Aβ42 peptides for calibration in human CSF, an important aspect since there was no analyte-free matrix available. Because no CSF certified reference material (CRM) exists, we used a nonlabeled Aβ42 standard, the concentration of which was determined by amino acid analysis. We performed measurements on a high-resolution quadrupole-Orbitrap hybrid instrument. The results were compared with a method run in a second laboratory with triple quadrupole instrumentation.

RESULTS

The candidate RMP allowed quantification of CSF Aβ42 from 150 to 4000 pg/mL. Validation of the method showed a recovery of 100% (15%), intraassay and interassay imprecision of 5.0% and 6.4%, respectively, and an expanded uncertainty of 15.7%. No analytical interferences or carryover were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

This method will help set the value of CSF Aβ42 in a CRM, which could be used to harmonize Aβ42 assays and facilitate the introduction of general cutoff concentrations for CSF Aβ42 in clinical trials and practice.
Getting your groove on with the Tenori-on
Authors: Clements-Cortes Amy
Published: May 2014

This article presents a study on the use of the Tenori-on instrument in music therapy clinical settings, as well as information about the functions of technology in music therapy. The Tenori-on is a digital instrument on which persons can play or compose music. Participants in the study included music therapists (MTs) and music therapy interns/students who received a Tenori-on to assess its application in their clinical work. Feedback was obtained through interviews and surveys on their experiences using the Tenori-on with a variety of populations and their assessments of the instrument’s ability to address communication, emotional, social and motor goals in individual and group settings. Participants described the instrument as fun, engaging, motivating, having sensory appeal, being well suited for improvisation and easy for non-musicians, but also complicated to master. The Tenori-on offers a new, accessible option for MTs to incorporate modern technology into their clinical practice.
Reconstructing leaf growth based on non-destructive digitizing and low-parametric shape evolution for plant modelling over a growth cycle
Authors: Henke Michael , Huckemann Stephan , Kurth Winfried , Sloboda Branislav
Published: May 2014

A simple and efficient photometric methodology is presented, covering all steps from field data acquisition to binarization and allowing for leaf contour modelling. This method comprises the modelling of area and size (correlated and modelled with a Chapman-Richards growth function, using final length as one parameter), and four shape descriptors, from which the entire contour can be reconstructed rather well using a specific spline methodology. As an improvement of this contour modelling method, a set of parameterized polynomials was used. To model the temporal kinetics of the shape, geodesics in shape spaces were employed. Finally it is shown how this methodology is integrated into the 3D modelling platform GroIMP.
ANÁLISE DA PROPAGANDA DE MEDICAMENTOS EM TV ABERTA PARA O DISTRITO FEDERAL E “ENTORNO”
Authors: Honorato Fernando
Published: May 2014

A publicidade é uma ferramenta legítima e não é um problema, se os objetivos comerciais não ultrapassarem os limites éticos. As propagandas de medicamentos no Brasil já eram produzidas desde 1911 e promoviam a venda de medicamentos “mais ou menos” explicitamente. Entretanto, medicamentos são produtos especiais, cujas peças publicitárias requerem cuidados diferenciados no que tange os aspectos éticos e morais. O estudo objetivou investigar quais são e quantificar os ilícitos cometidos em propagandas de medicamentos veiculadas em TV Aberta para o grande público do Distrito Federal e cidades que o circundam, chamadas “Região do Entorno”. No estudo observacional, transversal e descritivo, foram monitoradas 56 propagandas, em 14h de programação, entre março de 2012 a março de 2013. A análise legal da monitoração de 40 peças incluídas na amostragem ocorreu sob a égide da Resolução de Diretoria Colegiada RDC Nº 96/2008 da Anvisa. Os resultados evidenciaram que em 100% das peças publicitárias ocorreram infrações à legislação. Em média foram infringidos quatro artigos da RDC por propaganda e no total foram sete os artigos ignorados da Legislação Sanitária. Em consonância com a literatura, os analgésicos, antigripais, anti-inflamatórios e antiácidos foram os mais divulgados. A ausência de informação sobre os cuidados/advertências, no uso, pode indicar que o medicamento seja totalmente seguro e eficaz, o que induz ao risco sanitário da automedicação irresponsável, que tem se tornado um problema de saúde pública mundial.
RELAÇÃO ENTRE EXIGÊNCIA DOCUMENTAL E LOGÍSTICA DE MEDICAMENTOS ADQUIRIDOS POR PROCESSOS LICITATÓRIOS
Authors: Balam André Niehues , Roderjan João Gabriel
Published: May 2014

Processos licitatórios têm por objetivo a aquisição de bens e produtos onde há emprego de verba pública. Medicamentos e insumos para saúde são comercializados obedecendo leis e resoluções específicas, sendo a comercialização restrita a empresas especializadas e com responsabilidade técnica do farmacêutico. Porém quando adquiridos por licitação medicamentos e insumos para saúde passam a ser categorizados como produtos de consumo, vigorando sobre estes a legislação de licitação e não mais a legislação específica. Tal fato corrobora para que empresas sem as devidas qualificações técnicas, muitas vezes pertencendo a outro ramo de atividade, participem de processos licitatórios. Sem as devidas qualificações a responsabilidade técnica sobre os medicamentos e insumos para saúde ficam comprometidos, resultando em perda de qualidade do processo. Um dos pontos do processo licitatório onde ocorre o maior comprometimento é na logística, que na maioria das vezes é inadequada, causando a perda de qualidade. Alterações de temperatura, manuseio inadequado e variações de umidade expõem os medicamentos a riscos de comprometimento físico-químico, tendo efeito direto sobre sua atividade terapêutica. Na descrição de um edital licitatório deveria constar as obrigatoriedades de responsabilidade técnica e logística de medicamentos e insumos. Em uma amostragem de 100 processos licitatórios demonstra que a legislação específica para medicamentos e correlatos não é citada, abrindo brechas que podem comprometer as garantias de qualidade no medicamento, em especial a logística.
The Effect of Family Background on Student Effort
Authors: Kuehn Zoë , Landeras Pedro
Published: May 2014

Students from more advantageous family backgrounds tend to perform better than those from less advantageous backgrounds. But it is not clear that these students exert more effort. We build a model of students, schools, and employers to study the interaction of family background and effort exerted by the student in the education process. Two factors turn out to be key in determining the relationship between effort and family background: (i) the student’s attitude toward risk and (ii) how the student’s marginal productivity of effort depends on her family background. We show that when the degree of risk aversion is relatively low (high) compared to the sensitivity of the marginal productivity of effort, students from more advantageous family backgrounds exert more (less) effort. Empirically, we find that if parental education was reduced from holding a university degree to incomplete compulsory education, primary and secondary school students would exert around 21–23% less effort (approximately equal to a reduction of 2 hours weekly in homework). For primary school students we also find that marginal productivities of effort are higher for those from less advantageous family backgrounds.
Conductive regenerated silk fibroin composite fiber containing MWNTs
Authors: Piri Negin , Mottaghitalab Vahid , Arbab Shahram
Published: May 2014

The electrically conductive regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) fiber containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) was developed through wet spinning process. A general scheme used for extraction of RSF powder as biopolymer matrix for MWNTs conductive filler. The MWNTs inclusion demands for a sophisticated approach to prepare stable, exfoliated and well distributed filler in matrix solution. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) was utilized to show the ability of RSF in stabilizing of MWNTs throughout spinning solution. A non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior observed for RSF/MWNTs according to strong chain entanglement, whereas, the neat RSF solution shows a lower dependence on the shear rate. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images also confirmed the proper distribution of MWNTs as a continuous fibril media in the RSF matrix. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) demonstrated the role of MWNTs inclusion for increasing of the crystalinity compared to bare RSF fiber. The Raman spectra also confirmed the domination of RSF signatures by strong Raman bands of MWNTs most specifically in RBM region regarding to superior nanotube exfoliation. Moreover, the measurement of four-point probe electrical conductivity for different MWNTs content shows a maximum conductivity of 0.12 S/cm at percolation threshold. The higher thermal stability and greater crystalinity were also evidenced by DSC thermal analysis.
Determination of the melting enthalpy of β phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride)
Authors: Gradys Arkadiusz , Sajkiewicz Pawel
Published: May 2014

Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses of phase composition and of thermal properties of PVDF samples, crystallized at temperatures 27 - 155 °C by casting from N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) solution, are reported. Samples obtained at 27 °C contain only β crystal phase and with increase of casting temperature content of β phase decreases in favor of α phase. Evaluation of combined: phase content (WAXS) and melting heat (DSC), leads to two fold higher than for 100 % α phase value of 100% β melting enthalpy, ΔHβ0= 219.7 J.g-1, which may be justified by strong polar interactions in β phase TTT conformation. The relation ΔHβ0 > ΔHα0 leads either to the thermodynamic stability of β phase in whole temperature range (if Tmβ0 ≥ Tmα0) or to the limited temperature range of thermodynamic stability of α phase (if Tmβ0 < Tmα0).
Electrospinning of polyvinyl butyral in different solvents
Authors: Yener F. , Yalcinkaya B.
Published: May 2014

In this study we aimed at finding different solvents for PVB and determine the effect of concentration and solvents on electrospun polyvinyl butyral (PVB) nanofibers. Firstly, we solved PVB in isopropanol, n-butanol, dimethylformamide, ethanol and acetic acid in various concentrations. Later, we compared fiber characteristics for each solvent. We observed that with increasing concentration, the fiber diameter increased. Bead formation occurred in low concentrations and low viscosity of polymer solution. Each solvent has a different effect on nanofiber morphology. It is observed that fiber diameter and morphology is one of the parameters that can be controlled by solvent.
Intrinsic viscosity of PVP polymers in extremely diluted solutions
Authors: Tothova Jana , Lisy Vladimir
Published: May 2014

In conventional viscometry studies an additional treatment of data is necessary in order to obtain the expected linear dependence of the reduced viscosity on concentration in extremely diluted polymer solutions. This work reports on the direct measurements of this dependence using a new Couette-type viscometer. The values of intrinsic viscosity and Huggins coefficient of the studied poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) water solution notably differ from the previous results obtained by the traditional capillary viscometers. From the obtained data the parameters used in the bead-spring theories of polymer universal behavior, such as the gyration radius and the longest relaxation time are calculated.
Condensation of α,ω-siloxane diols with aminoalkyl- (alkoxy)silanes
Authors: Lubkowska Magdalena , Stanczyk Wlodzimierz A. , Rozga-Wijas Krystyna
Published: May 2014

Kinetics of condensation of individual siloxane diols HO[(CH3)2SiO]xSi(CH3)2OH (x=3,5,6 and 9) with aminoalkyl-alkoxysilanes (RO)2SiR’(CH2)3NHR’’ (R = CH3, CH2CH3; R’ = CH3, OR; R’’ = H, (CH2)2NH2) is described. The second order rate constants point to the significant effect of the siloxane diols chain length on reactivity, which increases for higher homologues (almost an order) of magnitude on coming from x=3 to x=9. The role of substituents at silicon atom is discussed. Three novel functional siloxane oligomers (substrates) are described and characterized.