bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bilateral ptosis: an atypical presentation of neurocysticercosis
Authors: Naphade Pravin Umakant , Singh Maneesh Kumar , Garg Ravindra Kumar , Rai Dheeraj
Published: July 2012

Isolated ptosis is a rare presentation of neurocysticercosis (NCC). Here we report the case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with acute onset bilateral symmetrical ptosis with no other neurological deficit. Her imaging revealed a single cystic ring-enhancing lesion with perilesional oedema in the midbrain suggestive of NCC. She responded well to prednisolone.
Eagle's syndrome, a rare cause of neck pain
Authors: Bahgat Mohammed , Bahgat Yassin , Bahgat Ahmed
Published: July 2012

Eagle's syndrome (ES) sometimes called styloid or stylohyoid syndrome is defined as the symptomatic elongation of the styloid process or mineralisation of the stylohyoid ligament. The symptoms related to this condition can be confused with those attributed to a wide variety of facial neuralgias. We report a 34-year-old male patient who presented with a recurrent neck pain and dysphagia. He was diagnosed to have an elongated styloid process. An intraoral transtonsillar shortening of the styloid process was done. We discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of ES as well as a review of the literature.
Delirium within the emergency care setting, occurrence and detection: a systematic review
Authors: Barron Ewan Alexander , Holmes John
Published: July 2012

Recent recommendations from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians identified the detection of delirium in the emergency department (ED) as a ‘high yield’ research objective. This review aimed to determine the occurrence rate, and physician detection rates, of delirium within the ED. A systematic literature review was conducted and identified using online databases. Prospective cohort and cross-sectional studies from hospital EDs were interrogated. Systematic data extraction and assessments of quality were carried out. Searching yielded 723 publications, and 13 papers met inclusion criteria. Occurrence of delirium at admission to the ED ranged from 7% to 20% of patients. Physician diagnosis rates of preconfirmed delirium (using a specified tool) within the ED varied between 11.1% and 46.0%. Many studies used non-validated assessment tools to gather data. Four delirium outcome studies were conducted in the ED setting. Results vary, with several being of poor quality; however, delirium at ED presentation may have a significant effect on long-term outcomes. Delirium is a significant concern in the ED, with many delirious patients not identified by physicians. Given the scale, addressing delirium should be a priority for clinicians and researchers. To improve delirium outcomes and hospital management, measures must include mechanisms to improve detection. Finding a single validated assessment method and facilitating research in this difficult patient population would be an important progress.
Aspirin administration by emergency medical dispatchers using a protocol-driven aspirin diagnostic and instruction tool
Authors: Barron Tracey , Clawson Jeff , Scott Greg , Patterson Brett , Shiner Ronald , Robinson Donald , Wrigley Fenella , Gummett James , Olola Christopher H O
Published: July 2012

Background

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend early aspirin administration to patients with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS)/acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The primary objective of this study was to determine if Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMD) can provide chest pain/heart attack patients with standardised instructions effectively, using an aspirin diagnostic and instruction tool (ADxT) within the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) before arrival of an emergency response crew.

Methods

This retrospective study involved three dispatch centres in the UK and USA. We analysed 6 months of data involving chest pain/heart attack symptoms taken using the MPDS chest pain and heart problems/automated internal cardiac defibrillator protocols.

Results

The EMDs successfully completed the ADxT on 69.8% of the 44 141 cases analysed. The patient's mean age was higher when the ADxT was completed, than when it was not (mean±SD: 53.9±19.9 and 49.9±20.2; p<0.001, respectively). The ADxT completion rate was higher for second-party than first-party calls (70.3% and 69.0%; p=0.024, respectively). A higher percentage of male than female patients took aspirin (91.3% and 88.9%; p=0.001, respectively). Patients who took aspirin were significantly younger than those who did not (mean±SD: 61.8±17.5 and 64.7±17.9, respectively). Unavailability of aspirin was the major reason (44.4%) why eligible patients did not take aspirin when advised.

Conclusions

EMDs, using a standardised protocol, can enable early aspirin therapy to treat potential ACS/AMI prior to responders' arrival. Further research is required to assess reasons for not using the protocol, and the significance of the various associations discovered.
HOLOGRAPHIC SPACETIME
Authors: BANKS TOM
Published: July 2012

The theory of holographic spacetime (HST) generalizes both string theory and quantum field theory (QFT). It provides a geometric rationale for supersymmetry (SUSY) and a formalism in which super-Poincare invariance follows from Poincare invariance. HST unifies particles and black holes, realizing both as excitations of noncommutative geometrical variables on a holographic screen. Compact extra dimensions are interpreted as finite-dimensional unitary representations of super-algebras, and have no moduli. Full field theoretic Fock spaces, and continuous moduli are both emergent phenomena of super-Poincare invariant limits in which the number of holographic degrees of freedom goes to infinity. Finite radius de Sitter (dS) spaces have no moduli, and break SUSY with a gravitino mass scaling like Λ1/4. In regimes where the Covariant Entropy Bound is saturated, QFT is not a good description in HST, and inflation is such a regime. Following ideas of Jacobson, the gravitational and inflaton fields are emergent classical variables, describing the geometry of an underlying HST model, rather than "fields associated with a microscopic string theory". The phrase in quotes is meaningless in the HST formalism, except in asymptotically flat and AdS spacetimes, and some relatives of these.
I/O-efficient shortest path algorithms for undirected graphs with random or bounded edge lengths
Authors: Meyer Ulrich , Zeh Norbert
Published: July 2012

We present I/O-efficient single-source shortest path algorithms for undirected graphs. Our main result is an algorithm with I/O complexity O(√(
nm
log
L
)/
B
+MST(
n, m
)) on graphs with
n
vertices,
m
edges, and arbitrary edge lengths between 1 and
L
; MST(
n, m
denotes the I/O complexity of computing a minimum spanning tree;
B
denotes the disk block size. If the edge lengths are drawn uniformly at random from (0,1], the expected I/O complexity of the algorithm is O(√
nm/B
+ (
m/B
)log
B
+ MST(
n, m
)). A simpler algorithm has expected I/O complexity O(√(
nm
log
B
)/
B
+ MST(
n, m
)) for uniformly random edge lengths.
Improved algorithms for orienteering and related problems
Authors: Chekuri Chandra , Korula Nitish , Pál Martin
Published: July 2012

In this article, we consider the orienteering problem in undirected and directed graphs and obtain improved approximation algorithms. The point to point-orienteering problem is the following: Given an edge-weighted graph
G
=(
V, E
) (directed or undirected), two nodes
s, t
∈
V
and a time limit
B
, find an
s
-
t
walk
in
G
of total length at most
B
that maximizes the number of distinct nodes visited by the walk. This problem is closely related to tour problems such as TSP as well as network design problems such as
k
-MST. Orienteering with
time-windows
is the more general problem in which each node
v
has a specified time-window [
R
(
v
),
D
(
v
)] and a node
v
is counted as visited by the walk only if
v
is visited during its time-window. We design new and improved algorithms for the orienteering problem and orienteering with time-windows. Our main results are the following:

— A (2+ϵ) approximation for orienteering in undirected graphs, improving upon the 3-approximation of Bansal et al. [2004].

— An
O
(log
2
OPT) approximation for orienteering in directed graphs, where OPT ≤
n
is the number of vertices visited by an optimal solution. Previously, only a quasipolynomial-time algorithm due to Chekuri and Pál [2005] achieved a polylogarithmic approximation (a ratio of
O
(log OPT)).

— Given an α approximation for orienteering, we show an
O
(α ċ max{log OPT, log
l
max
/
l
min
}) approximation for orienteering with time-windows, where
l
max
and
l
min
are the lengths of the longest and shortest time-windows respectively.
Scalably scheduling processes with arbitrary speedup curves
Authors: Edmonds Jeff , Pruhs Kirk
Published: July 2012

We give a scalable ((1+ϵ)-speed
O
(1)-competitive) nonclairvoyant algorithm for scheduling jobs with sublinear nondecreasing speedup curves on multiple processors with the objective of average response time.
Smoothed analysis of left-to-right maxima with applications
Authors: Damerow Valentina , Manthey Bodo , Heide Friedhelm Meyer Auf Der , Räcke Harald , Scheideler Christian , Sohler Christian , Tantau Till
Published: July 2012

A left-to-right maximum in a sequence of
n
numbers
s
1
, …,

s
n

is a number that is strictly larger than all preceding numbers. In this article we present a smoothed analysis of the number of left-to-right maxima in the presence of additive random noise. We show that for every sequence of
n
numbers

s
i

∈ [0,1] that are perturbed by uniform noise from the interval [-ϵ,ϵ], the expected number of left-to-right maxima is Θ(√
n
/ϵ + log
n
) for ϵ>1/
n
. For Gaussian noise with standard deviation σ we obtain a bound of
O
((log
3/2
n
)/σ + log
n
).

We apply our results to the analysis of the smoothed height of binary search trees and the smoothed number of comparisons in the quicksort algorithm and prove bounds of Θ(√
n
/ϵ + log
n
) and Θ(
n
/ϵ+1√
n
/ϵ +
n
log
n
), respectively, for uniform random noise from the interval [-ϵ,ϵ]. Our results can also be applied to bound the smoothed number of points on a convex hull of points in the two-dimensional plane and to
smoothed motion complexity,
a concept we describe in this article. We bound how often one needs to update a data structure storing the smallest axis-aligned box enclosing a set of points moving in
d
-dimensional space.
Counting occurrences for a finite set of words
Authors: Bassino Frédérique , Clément Julien , Nicodème Pierre
Published: July 2012

In this article, we provide the multivariate generating function counting texts according to their length and to the number of occurrences of words from a finite set. The application of the inclusion-exclusion principle to word counting due to Goulden and Jackson [1979, 1983] is used to derive the result. Unlike some other techniques which suppose that the set of words isreduced(i.e., where no two words are factor of one another), the finite set can be chosen arbitrarily. Noonan and Zeilberger [1999] already provided a Maple package treating the nonreduced case, without giving an expression of the generating function or a detailed proof. We provide a complete proof validating the use of the inclusion-exclusion principle. Some formulæ for expected values, variance, and covariance for number of occurrences when considering two arbitrary sets of finite words are given as an application of our methodology.
Designing and optimizing swarming in a distributed base station network
Authors: Leroux Philippe , Roy Sébastien
Published: July 2012

Todays' networks are becoming increasingly complex. They must provide a growing variety of services to a wide range of devices. In order to do so, they must make efficient use of modern technologies including MIMO, macrodiversity, power control, channel allocation, beamforming, and so on.

In this context, the centralized management of radio resources on a large scale is rapidly becoming intractable. Distributed intelligence constitutes an increasingly attractive solution to provide network-wide self-configuration and adaptation capabilities. This article presents the design of a swarming system for autonomous power control which adapts naturally to the changing conditions of mobile networks where interference patterns are in constant flux. Empirical methods proposed by Parunak [1997] to develop MultiAgent Systems with Swarming (MASS) are applied to the current context while emphasizing the key concepts that lead to swarming (emergent behavior). A simulation-based study reveals how the system can be fine-tuned to obtain various solutions, balancing resources differently to achieve different trade-off points. Finally, it is shown that the distributed approach based on swarming is not only feasible but leads to higher global QoS levels than comparable centralized approaches.
Anonymous transactions in computer networks
Authors: Dolev Shlomi , Kopeetsky Marina
Published: July 2012

We present schemes for providing anonymous transactions while privacy and anonymity are preserved, providing user's anonymous authentication in distributed networks such as the Internet. We first present a practical scheme for anonymous transactions while the transaction resolution is assisted by a Trusted Authority. This practical scheme is extended to a theoretical scheme where a Trusted Authority is not involved in the transaction resolution. Both schemes assume that all the players interact over anonymous secure channels. Given authority that generates for each player hard to produce evidence
EVID
(e.g., problem instance with or without a solution) to each player, the identity of a user
U
is defined by the ability to prove possession of aforementioned evidence. We use zero-knowledge proof techniques to repeatedly identify
U
by providing a proof that
U
has evidence
EVID
, without revealing
EVID
, therefore avoiding identity theft.

In both schemes the authority provides each user with a unique random string. A player
U
may produce a unique user name and password for each other player
S
using a one-way function over the random string and the
IP
address of
S
. The player does not have to maintain any information in order to reproduce the user name and password used for accessing a player
S
. Moreover, the player
U
may execute transactions with a group of players

S
U

in two phases; in the first phase the player interacts with each server without revealing information concerning its identity and without possibly identifying linkability among the servers in

S
U

. In the second phase the player allows linkability and therefore transaction commitment with all servers in

S
U

, while preserving anonymity (for future transactions).
DARPA Shredder challenge solved
Authors: Geller Tom
Published: July 2012

The eight-person winning team used original computer algorithms to narrow the search space and then relied on human observation to move the pieces into their final positions.
Broader horizons
Authors: Frenkel Karen A.
Published: July 2012

ACM's Committee for Women in Computing(ACM-W) is widening its reach to involve women in industry as well as academia, including community college faculty and students.
Inside the hermit kingdom
Authors: Tjia Paul
Published: July 2012

A unique perspective on an evolving technology sector.
A system is not a product
Authors: Neville-Neil George V.
Published: July 2012

Stopping to smell the code before wasting time reentering configuration data.
Extending the semantics of scheduling priorities
Authors: Polanczyk Rafael Vanoni
Published: July 2012

Increasing parallelism demands new paradigms.
To be or not to be cited in computer science
Authors: De Sutter Bjorn , Van Den Oord Aäron
Published: July 2012

Traditional bias toward journals in citation databases diminishes the perceived value of conference papers and their authors.
Puzzled: Find the magic set
Authors: Winkler Peter
Published: July 2012

Welcome to three new puzzles. Each involves a collection of items, and your job is to find a subset of them that is characterized by a particular property. Since solving the puzzles is not easy, here are a couple of hints: For the first, think about averages; for the other two, try constructing your sets sequentially, bearing in mind that if two partial sums are equal, the terms between them must add up to zero.
Expanding job options
Authors: Kumin Libby , Lazar Jonathan , Feng Jinjuan Heidi
Published: July 2012

There is currently an emerging body of human-computer interaction research on computer skills in children and adults with Down syndrome, which so far seems to conflict with the assumptions based on the medical/clinical literature. Based on the medical/clinical literature, it would seem that the documented sensory and motor issues in children with Down syndrome would lead to difficulty with computer usage. Yet the research literature emerging from the human-computer interaction community indicates that many children and adults with Down syndrome can effectively use computers at an intermediate or advanced level. In the past, computer skills have not been considered as a potential job skill for adults with Down syndrome. This article discusses the existing literature on computer use and skills in people with Down syndrome, the existing environment of employment for adults with Down syndrome, and potential computer-related job categories for adults with Down syndrome.
First Results from Pb+Pb Collisions at the LHC
Authors: Müller Berndt , Schukraft Jürgen , Wysłouch Bolesław
Published: July 2012

At the end of 2010, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN started operation with heavy-ion beams, colliding lead nuclei at a center-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per nucleon. These collisions ushered in a new era in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion physics at energies exceeding that of previous accelerators by more than an order of magnitude. This review summarizes the results from the first year of heavy-ion physics at the LHC obtained by the three experiments participating in the heavy-ion program: ALICE, ATLAS, and CMS.
Co-doped La0.2Sr0.8TiO3 as a possible anode for the LaGaO3-based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
Authors: Yoo Kyung Bin , Choi Gyeong Man
Published: July 2012

Co-doped La0.2Sr0.8TiO3 (LST) was tested as a possible anode on La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (LSGM) electrolyte. In order to improve the anodic performance, various amount of Co (1, 2, 4, 8 mol%) was doped into the LST. The performance was examined at 600oC by measuring impedance of the electrolyte-supported, symmetric single cells. The polarization resistance (Rp) of electrode was minimum for 2mol% Co-doped LST (LSTC) at 600oC in 5% H2+95% Ar. While the Rp value of LST anode increased ~1.6 times after 8 h, the Rp value of 1-2 mol% Co-doped LST was stable with time. A single cell with Ni-impregnated LSTC-GDC composite as an anode, Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (BSCF) as a cathode and LSGM as an electrolyte exhibited the maximum power density of ~250mW/cm2 at 800oC. In addition, Co-doped LST anode showed very stable performance with time in two-chamber condition. Thus, Ni-impregnated LSTC-GDC composite is a promising anode for LaGaO3-based SOFC.
Amylin blunts hyperphagia and reduces weight and fat gain during recovery in socially stressed rats
Authors: Smeltzer Michael , Scott Karen , Melhorn Susan , Krause Eric , Sakai Randall
Published: July 2012

During recovery from social stress in a visible burrow system (VBS), during which a dominance hierarchy is formed among the males, rats display hyperphagia and gain weight preferentially as visceral adipose tissue. By proportionally increasing visceral adiposity, social stress may contribute to the establishment of metabolic disorder. Amylin was administered to rats fed ad libitum during recovery from VBS stress in an attempt to prevent hyperphagia and the resultant gain in body weight and fat mass. Amylin treatment reduced food intake, weight gain, and accumulation of fat mass in male burrow rats, but not in male controls that spent time housed with a single female rather than in the VBS. Amylin did not alter neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), or proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus as measured at the end of the recovery period, nor did it affect plasma corticosterone or leptin. Amylin exerted most of its effect on food intake during the first few days of recovery, possibly through antagonism of NPY and/or increasing leptin sensitivity. The potential for chronic social stress to contribute to metabolic disorder is diminished by amylin treatment, though the neuroendocrine mechanisms behind this effect remain elusive.
Primary polydipsia, but not accumulated ceramide, causes lethal renal damage in saposin D-deficient mice
Authors: Hisaki Harumi , Matsuda Junko , Tadano-Aritomi Keiko , Uchida Shunya , Okinaga Hiroko , Miyagawa Makoto , Tamamori-Adachi Mimi , Iizuka Masayoshi , Okazaki Tomoki
Published: July 2012

Saposin D-deficient (Sap-D−/−) mice develop polydipsia/polyuria and die prematurely due to renal failure with robust hydronephrosis. Such symptoms emerged when they were around 3 mo of age. To investigate the pathogenesis of their water mishandling, we attempted to limit water supply and followed sequential changes of physiological and biochemical parameters. We also analyzed renal histological changes at several time points. At 3 mo old just before water restriction challenge was started, their baseline arginine vasopressin level was comparable to the wild-type (WT) level. Twenty-four-hour water deprivation and desamino d-arginine vasopressin administration improved polydipsia and polyuria to certain degrees. However, creatinine concentrations in Sap-D−/− mice were significantly higher than those in WT mice, suggesting that some renal impairment already emerged in the affected mice at this age. Renal histological analyses revealed that renal tubules and collecting ducts were expanded after 3 mo old. After 6 mo old, vacuolar formation was observed, many inflammatory cells migrated around the ducts, and epithelial monolayer cells of tubular origin were replaced by plentiful cysts of various sizes. At 10∼12 mo old, severe cystic deformity appeared. On the other hand, 8-mo-long water restriction started at 4 mo old dramatically improved tubular damage and restored once-dampened amount of tubular aquaporin2 protein to the WT level. Furthermore, 10-mo-long water restriction ameliorated their renal function. Remarkably, by continuing water restriction thereafter, overall survival period became comparable with that of the WT. Together, polyuria, devastating renal tubular lesions, and renal failure were ameliorated by the mere 10-mo-long water restriction, which would trigger lethal dehydration if the disease were to be caused by any processes other than primary polydipsia. Our study demonstrates that long-term water restriction surely improved renal histopathological changes leading to prevention of premature death in Sap-D−/− mice.
Natriuretic effect by exendin-4, but not the DPP-4 inhibitor alogliptin, is mediated via the GLP-1 receptor and preserved in obese type 2 diabetic mice
Authors: Rieg Timo , Gerasimova Maria , Murray Fiona , Masuda Takahiro , Tang Tong , Rose Michael , Drucker Daniel J. , Vallon Volker
Published: July 2012

Activation of the glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) are new antidiabetic strategies. The GLP-1R and DPP-4 are also expressed in the renal proximal tubular brush border, where they may regulate Na+reabsorption. Exendin-4 (EX4) is a naturally occurring antidiabetic polypeptide (from the saliva of the lizard Heloderma suspectum) and GLP-1R agonist; however, part of its nonglucoregulatory effects are through GLP-1R-independent mechanisms. DPP-4 cleaves and inactivates GLP-1; thus the natriuretic effect of DPP-4 inhibition may be mediated by the GLP-1R. We report that parenteral application of EX4 in wild-type mice induced a diuresis and natriuresis associated with increases in glomerular filtration rate, fractional urinary fluid and Na+excretion, and renal membrane expression of the Na+/H+exchanger NHE3 phosphorylated at S552 and S605, established consensus sites for cAMP-dependent PKA. These effects were absent in mice lacking the GLP-1R and independent of adenylyl cyclase 6. In comparison, parenteral application of the DPP-4 inhibitor alogliptin reduced plasma DPP-4 activity by 95% and induced a diuresis and natriuresis independent of the presence of the GLP-1R or changes in phosphorylated NHE3. The inhibitory effect on renal fluid and Na+reabsorption of EX4, but not alogliptin, was preserved in diabetic db/db mice and associated with a modest reduction in blood pressure. These results reveal mechanistic differences in how EX4 vs. DPP-4 inhibition induces diuresis and natriuresis under normal states, with preservation of GLP-1R-mediated, but not DPP-4 inhibitor-dependent, natriuretic mechanisms in a mouse model of obese type 2 diabetes.
Different spatial frequency bands selectively signal for natural image statistics in the early visual system
Authors: Hansen Bruce C. , Johnson Aaron P. , Ellemberg Dave
Published: July 2012

Early visual evoked potentials (VEPs) measured in humans have recently been observed to be modulated by the image statistics of natural scene imagery. Specifically, the early VEP is dominated by a strong positivity when participants view minimally complex natural scene imagery, with the magnitude of that component being modulated by luminance contrast differences across spatial frequency (i.e., the slope of the amplitude spectrum). For scenes high in structural complexity, the early VEP is dominated by a prominent negativity that exhibits little dependency on luminance contrast. However, since natural scene imagery is broad band in terms of spatial frequency, it is not known whether the above-mentioned modulation results from a complex interaction within or between the early neural processes tuned to different bands of spatial frequency. Here, we sought to address this question by measuring early VEPs (specifically, the C1, P1, and N1 components) while human participants viewed natural scene imagery that was filtered to contain specific bands of spatial frequency information. The results show that the C1 component is largely unmodulated by the luminance statistics of natural scene imagery (being only measurable when such stimuli were made to contain high spatial frequencies). The P1 and N1, on the other hand, were observed to exhibit strong spatial frequency-dependent modulation to the luminance statistics of natural scene imagery. The results therefore suggest that the dependency of early VEPs on natural image statistics results from an interaction between the early neural processes tuned to different bands of spatial frequency.
Hyaluronan and Collagen in Human Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Morphological Analysis
Authors: Hellström Martin , Engström-Laurent Anna , Mörner Stellan , Johansson Bengt
Published: July 2012

Introduction. The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) disease process is not only limited to cardiomyocyte abnormalities but also engages the extracellular matrix. Hyaluronan (HA) and its receptor CD44 are involved in cellular growth and tissue proliferation but have so far been less studied in myocardial hypertrophy. In HCM, collagens are abundant but their histological distribution and relation to hyaluronan have not been described.Material and Methods. Myocardial specimens from 5 patients with symptomatic left ventricular tract obstruction undergoing myectomy due to HCM were processed for histochemistry and immunohistochemistry.Results. HA staining was more intense in HCM patients. The histological distribution of HA was the same in patients and controls, that is, interstitial staining including the space between cardiomyocytes, in fibrous septa, and in the adventitia of intramyocardial blood vessels. CD44 was not detected in the myocardium of patients or controls. Collagen I showed the same general localisation as HA but detailed distribution differed.Conclusions. This is the first study that describes the distribution of hyaluronan in human HCM. HA staining is more intense in HCM patients but without coexpression of its receptor CD44, at least not in the chronic phase of HCM. HA and collagen I have the same localisation.
HRT, Herbal Formula, Induces G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis via Suppressing Akt Signaling Pathway in Human Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Yim Nam-Hui , Cho Won-Kyung , Lee Ju Hye , Jung Young Pil , Yang Hye Jin , Ma Jin Yeul
Published: July 2012

We have demonstrated the anticancer effect of HRT in HCT116, human colon carcinoma cells. HRT inhibited cancer cell growth by causing cell cycle arrest at G2/M and inducing apoptosis as evidenced by DNA fragmentation assay. We found that HRT induces the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9, whereas it reduces the level of Bcl-2 protein and results in the cleavage of PARP. Further, HRT decreased the level of phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream signals such as mTOR and GSK-3β. These results indicate that HRT stimulates the apoptotic signaling pathway and represses the survival and proliferation of colon cancer cells via inhibiting Akt activity. Hence, our results suggest that HRT has a potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent against colon cancer cells.
Successful Aging: A Psychosocial Resources Model for Very Old Adults
Authors: Randall G. Kevin , Martin Peter , Johnson Mary Ann , Poon Leonard W.
Published: July 2012

Objectives. Using data from the first two phases of the Georgia Centenarian Study, we proposed a latent factor structure for the Duke OARS domains: Economic Resources, Mental Health, Activities of Daily Living, Physical Health, and Social Resources.Methods. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on two waves of the Georgia Centenarian Study to test a latent variable measurement model of the five resources; nested model testing was employed to assess the final measurement model for equivalency of factor structure over time.Results. The specified measurement model fit the data well at Time 1. However, at Time 2, Social Resources only had one indicator load significantly and substantively. Supplemental analyses demonstrated that a model without Social Resources adequately fit the data. Factorial invariance over time was confirmed for the remaining four latent variables.Discussion. This study’s findings allow researchers and clinicians to reduce the number of OARS questions asked of participants. This has practical implications because increased difficulties with hearing, vision, and fatigue in older adults may require extended time or multiple interviewer sessions to complete the battery of OARS questions.
Genetic Predisposition for Dermal Problems in Hexavalent Chromium Exposed Population
Authors: Sharma Priti , Bihari Vipin , Agarwal Sudhir K. , Goel Sudhir K.
Published: July 2012

We studied the effect of genetic susceptibility on hexavalent chromium induced dermal adversities. The health status of population was examined from the areas of Kanpur (India) having the elevated hexavalent chromium levels in groundwater. Blood samples were collected for DNA isolation to conduct polymorphic determination of genes, namely:NQO1(C609T),hOGG1(C1245G),GSTT1,andGSTM1(deletion). Symptomatic exposed subjects(n=38)were compared with asymptomatic exposed subjects(n=108)along with asymptomatic controls(n=148)from a non contaminated reference community. Exposed symptomatic group consisted of 36.8% subjects who wereGSTM1null genotyped as compared to asymptomatic where only 19.4% subjects were null. The exposed subjects withGSTM1null genotype were more susceptible to dermal adversities in comparison with wild genotyped subjects (OR = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.071–5.451). Age, smoking, gender or duration of residence were not found to have any confounding effect towards this association. Association with other genes was not statistically significant, nonetheless, possible contribution by these genes cannot be ruled out. In conclusion, variation in the polymorphic status ofGSTM1gene may influence dermal outcomes among residents from Cr(VI) contaminated areas. Further studies are therefore, needed to examine these observations among different population groups.
Ursolic Acid Inhibits Growth and Metastasis of Human Colorectal Cancer in an Orthotopic Nude Mouse Model by Targeting Multiple Cell Signaling Pathways: Chemosensitization with Capecitabine
Authors: Prasad Sahdeo , Yadav Vivek R. , Sung Bokyung , Reuter Simone , Kannappan Ramaswamy , Deorukhkar Amit , Diagaradjane Parmeswaran , Wei Caimiao , Baladandayuthapani Veerabhadran , Krishnan Sunil , Guha Sushovan , Aggarwal Bharat B.
Published: July 2012

Purpose: Development of chemoresistance, poor prognosis, and metastasis often renders the current treatments for colorectal cancer (CRC) ineffective. Whether ursolic acid, a component of numerous medicinal plants, either alone or in combination with capecitabine, can inhibit the growth and metastasis of human CRC was investigated.

Experimental design: The effect of ursolic acid on proliferation of CRC cell lines was examined by mitochondrial dye uptake assay, apoptosis by esterase staining, NF-κB activation by DNA-binding assay, and protein expression by Western blot. The effect of ursolic acid on the growth and chemosensitization was also examined in orthotopically implanted CRC in nude mice.

Results: We found that ursolic acid inhibited the proliferation of different colon cancer cell lines. This is correlated with inhibition of constitutive NF-κB activation and downregulation of cell survival (Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, cFLIP, and survivin), proliferative (cyclin D1), and metastatic (MMP-9, VEGF, and ICAM-1) proteins. When examined in an orthotopic nude mouse model, ursolic acid significantly inhibited tumor volume, ascites formation, and distant organ metastasis, and this effect was enhanced with capecitabine. Immunohistochemistry of tumor tissue indicated that ursolic acid downregulated biomarkers of proliferation (Ki-67) and microvessel density (CD31). This effect was accompanied by suppression of NF-κB, STAT3, and β-catenin. In addition, ursolic acid suppressed EGF receptor (EGFR) and induced p53 and p21 expression. We also observed bioavailability of ursolic acid in the serum and tissue of animals.

Conclusion: Overall, our results show that ursolic acid can inhibit the growth and metastasis of CRC and further enhance the therapeutic effects of capecitabine through the suppression of multiple biomarkers linked to inflammation, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Clin Cancer Res; 18(18); 4942–53. ©2012 AACR.
The European Medicines Agency Review of Eribulin for the Treatment of Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer: Summary of the Scientific Assessment of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use
Authors: Pean Elias , Klaar Sigrid , Berglund Eva Gil , Salmonson Tomas , Borregaard Jeanett , Hofland Kenneth F. , Ersbøll Jens , Abadie Eric , Giuliani Rosa , Pignatti Francesco
Published: July 2012

The European Commission issued on March 17, 2011, a marketing authorization valid throughout the European Union (EU) for eribulin (Halaven; Eisai Limited). The decision was based on the favorable opinion of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommending a marketing authorization for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have progressed after at least 2 chemotherapeutic regimens for advanced disease. Eribulin mesylate is a structurally simplified synthetic analogue of halichondrin B, which is a natural product isolated from the marine sponge Halichondria okadai (ATC code L01XX41). Eribulin is a nontaxane, microtubule dynamics inhibitor belonging to the halichondrin class of antineoplastic agents. Eribulin inhibits the growth phase of microtubules without affecting the shortening phase and sequesters tubulin into nonproductive aggregates leading to G2–M cell-cycle block, disruption of mitotic spindles, and, ultimately, apoptotic cell death after prolonged mitotic blockage. The recommended dose of eribulin is 1.23 mg/m2 (equivalent to 1.4 mg/m2 eribulin mesylate) to be administered intravenously over 2 to 5 min on days 1 and 8 of a 3-week cycle. In the pivotal trial, eribulin was associated with increased overall survival in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who received at least 2 prior chemotherapy lines for advanced disease (median overall survival was 13.2 months in the eribulin arm vs. 10.6 months in the control arm; HR = 0.805; 95% confidence interval, 0.677–0.958; P = 0.014). The most common side effects are asthenia or fatigue and neutropenia. The objective of this article is to summarize the scientific review of the application leading to approval in the EU. The detailed scientific assessment report and product information, including the summary report and product information, including product characteristics, are available on the European Medicines Agency website. Clin Cancer Res; 18(17); 4491–7. ©2012 AACR.
Personalized Nanomedicine
Authors: Lammers Twan , Rizzo Larissa Y. , Storm Gert , Kiessling Fabian
Published: July 2012

Personalized medicine aims to individualize chemotherapeutic interventions on the basis of ex vivo and in vivo information on patient- and disease-specific characteristics. By noninvasively visualizing how well image-guided nanomedicines—that is, submicrometer-sized drug delivery systems containing both drugs and imaging agents within a single formulation, and designed to more specifically deliver drug molecules to pathologic sites—accumulate at the target site, patients likely to respond to nanomedicine-based therapeutic interventions may be preselected. In addition, by longitudinally monitoring how well patients respond to nanomedicine-based therapeutic interventions, drug doses and treatment protocols can be individualized and optimized during follow-up. Furthermore, noninvasive imaging information on the accumulation of nanomedicine formulations in potentially endangered healthy tissues may be used to exclude patients from further treatment. Consequently, combining noninvasive imaging with tumor-targeted drug delivery seems to hold significant potential for personalizing nanomedicine-based chemotherapeutic interventions, to achieve delivery of the right drug to the right location in the right patient at the right time. Clin Cancer Res; 18(18); 4889–94. ©2012 AACR.
Determinants and Prognostic Significance of Exercise Pulmonary Hypertension in Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Lancellotti Patrizio , Magne Julien , Donal Erwan , O'Connor Kim , Dulgheru Raluca , Rosca Monica , Pierard Luc A.
Published: July 2012

Background—

Recent studies emphasized the usefulness of exercise stress echocardiography in asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis. Nevertheless, the additive value of exercise pulmonary hypertension (Ex-PHT) in such patients remains unexplored. We therefore aimed to identify the determinants and to test the impact on outcome of Ex-PHT in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Method and Results—

Asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (n=105; aortic valve area <0.6 cm
2
/m
2
; age, 71±9 years; male, 59%) and preserved left ventricular systolic function (ejection fraction ≥55%) were prospectively submitted to exercise stress echocardiography. Resting PHT and Ex-PHT were defined as a systolic pulmonary arterial pressure >50 and >60 mm Hg, respectively. Ex-PHT was more frequent than resting PHT (55% versus 6%;
P
<0.0001). On multivariable logistic regression, the independent predictors of Ex-PHT were male sex (odds ratio, 4.3;
P
=0.002), resting systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (odds ratio, 1.16;
P
=0.002), exercise indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume (odds ratio, 1.04;
P
=0.026), exercise e′-wave velocity (odds ratio, 1.35;
P
=0.047), and exercise-induced changes in indexed left atrial area (odds ratio, 1.36;
P
=0.006). Ex-PHT was associated with reduced cardiac event-free survival (at 3 years, 22±7% versus 55±9%;
P
=0.014). In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, Ex-PHT was identified as an independent predictor of cardiac events (hazard ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–3.3;
P
=0.047). When exercise-induced changes in mean aortic pressure gradient were added to the multivariable model, Ex-PHT remained independently associated with reduced cardiac event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–3.6;
P
=0.025).

Conclusions—

In asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis, the main determinants of Ex-PHT are male sex, resting systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, and exercise parameters of diastolic burden. Moreover, Ex-PHT is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of cardiac events. These results strongly support the use of exercise stress echocardiography in asymptomatic aortic stenosis.
Contracting on Violence
Authors: Svolik Milan W.
Published: July 2012

Why does the military intervene in the politics of some countries but remain under firm civilian control in others? The paper argues that the origins of military intervention in politics lie in a fundamental moral hazard problem associated with authoritarian repression. Dictators must deter those who are excluded from power from challenging them. When underlying, polity-wide conflict results in threats to the regime that take the particular form of mass, organized, and potentially violent opposition, the military is the only force capable of defeating them. The military exploits this pivotal position by demanding greater institutional autonomy as well as a say in policy, and it threatens to intervene if the civilian leadership departs from a subsequent compromise on these issues. A game-theoretic analysis of such contracting on violence implies that the likelihood of military intervention in politics should be greatest at intermediate levels of mass threats. Original, large- N data on military intervention support these claims.
The Short-run Effects of the Croatian War on Education, Employment, and Earnings
Authors: Kecmanovic Milica
Published: July 2012

The recent war in Croatia (1991–1995) has had numerous adverse affects on the country and the economy as a whole. This article investigates the effect that the war had on the educational, employment, and earnings trajectories of the 1971 birth cohort of men. This birth cohort was very likely to be drafted into the armed forces. Using data from the Croatian and Slovenian Labour Force Surveys, the author treats the occurrence of the war as a natural experiment and applies the difference-in-difference framework to compare this cohort to adjacent cohorts, women, and respective cohorts in Slovenia, a neighboring country that did not experience war. The war appears to have had a negative effect on educational outcomes but a small positive effect on employment and earnings outcomes of this cohort of men. Croatia's victory in the war may provide an explanation for the observed preferential treatment of draftees in the labor market.
Fiction and Critical Perspectives on Social Research
Authors: Leavy Patricia
Published: July 2012

This research note presents an overview of how and why social researchers influenced by critical perspectives are using fiction as a means of producing and disseminating research. Over the past two decades fiction has increasingly been used by social researchers as a means of building critical consciousness, unsettling stereotypes, accessing hard-to-get-at dimensions of human experience and extending public scholarship. This research note reviews how fiction has grown as a research practice within the context of the growing interdisciplinary field of arts-based research practices. The piece ends with examples of academic novels and a play written from queer, feminist, and critical race theoretical perspectives.
Infantile Spasms (West Syndrome) in Children With Inborn Errors of Metabolism
Authors: Gkampeta Anastasia , Pavlou Evangelos
Published: July 2012

West syndrome (infantile spasms) is an epileptic encephalopathy that includes psychomotor deterioration. In rare cases, it is due to an inherited, progressive metabolic disease. More than 25 inborn errors of metabolism have been considered etiologic or predisposing factors for infantile spasms. This is a review of the literature on reported cases of children diagnosed with a metabolic disease who developed infantile spasms. This article presents in brief the most frequent inborn errors of metabolism that have been associated with West syndrome and also illustrates the importance of screening for inborn errors of metabolism in infantile spasms.
The Effect of Diagnosis, Age, and Symptom Severity on Cortical Surface Area in the Cingulate Cortex and Insula in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Doyle-Thomas Krissy A.R. , Kushki Azadeh , Duerden Emma G. , Taylor Margot J. , Lerch Jason P. , Soorya Latha V. , Wang A. Ting , Fan Jin , Anagnostou Evdokia
Published: July 2012

Functional activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula has been reported to be abnormal during social tasks in autism spectrum disorders. However, few studies have examined surface morphometry in these regions and how this may be related to autism spectrum disorder symptomatology. In this study, 27 individuals with autism spectrum disorders and 25 controls between the ages of 7 to 39 years underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Our primary analysis examined differences in surface area in the cingulate and insula, between individuals with and without autism spectrum disorders, as well as age-related changes and associations with social impairments. Surface area in the right cingulate was significantly different between groups and decreased more rapidly with age in autism spectrum disorder participants. In addition, greater surface area in the insula and isthmus was associated with poorer social behaviors. Results suggest atypical surface morphometry in brain regions involved in social function, which appeared to be related to poorer social ability scores.
Effect of Lanz Pressure Regulating Valve on Self-sealing Mechanism and Air Leakage Across the Tracheal Tube Cuffs in a Benchtop Model
Authors: Dave Mital H. , Spielmann Nelly , Mauch Jacqueline , Weiss Markus
Published: July 2012

Background:

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Lanz system on air sealing by self-inflation in high volume–low pressure (HVLP) tube cuffs.

Methods:

In vitro tracheal air sealing was studied in HVLP tracheal tube cuffs (internal diameter [ID] 8.0 mm) made from polyurethane ([PU] Seal Guard tracheal tube, Covidien, Athlone, Ireland) and from polyvinylchloride ([PVC] HiLo tracheal tube, Covidien) with and without Lanz pressure regulating valve. Tube cuffs were placed in a vertical 22 mm ID artificial trachea and inflated to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 cm H2O cuff pressures. Pressure control ventilation with peak inspiratory pressures (PIPs) of 20 or 25 cm H2O was applied and air leakage was assessed spirometrically as the ratio of expiratory to inspiratory tidal volumes. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was applied to compare the air leakage with and without Lanz system for both cuff types at each cuff pressure and PIP ( P < .05).

Results:

The PVC tube cuffs with Lanz system resulted in significant air leakage at both 20 and 25 cm H2O PIP as compared to those without the Lanz system, especially at cuff pressures lower than the preset PIP ( P < .05). Although PU tube cuffs with Lanz system showed reduced air sealing when compared with cuffs without Lanz, the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Cuff pressure compensation with the Lanz system during cyclic respiratory pressure changes interferes with the self-sealing mechanism in HVLP tube cuffs at cuff pressures lower than PIP level. This results in larger air leak across tube cuffs particularly in tube cuffs made from PVC.