bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health related quality of life of children with rheumatic heart diseases: reliability of the Brazilian version of the pediatric quality of life inventory™ cardiac module scale
Authors: do Nascimento Moraes Anabela , Ramos Ascensão Terreri Maria Teresa , Esteves Hilário Maria Odete , Len Cláudio Arnaldo
Published: November 2013

Background

This study aimed to translate the ‘Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™ 3.0) Cardiac Module’ into Portuguese, adapt it to Brazilian culture, and assess its psychometric properties (validity and reproducibility), and to calculate health-related quality of life scores on the PedsQL 4.0 and PedsQL™ 3.0 Cardiac Module Scales for a group of patients 5 to 18 years old with rheumatic heart disease.

Methods

The methods suggested by the authors of the original version of the questionnaire included 1) translation by an expert panel; 2) translation back into English and revision by the authors of the original version; 3) pilot study with seven children and parents in each of three age ranges (5 to 7, 8 to 12, and 13 to 18 years old); and 4) assessment of the measurement properties. In this stage, the PedsQL™ 3.0 Cardiac Module and the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Scale were applied to a sample comprising 109 children and adolescents with rheumatic heart disease and their parents or caregivers. The version for parents or caregivers was administered separately on the same day.

Results

The values of Cronbach’s alpha for all scales assessed in the questionnaire (heart problems and treatment [symptoms], problems with perceived physical appearance, treatment anxiety, cognitive problems, and communication problems) varied from 0.6 to 0.8, indicating good internal consistency. Correlation was found between the scores for the Cardiac Module and the Generic Scale (0.36-0.86), demonstrating convergent validity (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, p < 0.01). The symptoms, problems with perceived physical appearance, and cognitive and communication problem domains were able to distinguish between groups of patients with mild and moderate/severe heart disease (Student’s t-test, p < 0.05). The intraclass correlation of the interobserver reproducibility was adequate (0.76 to 0.94 among the patients [children/adolescents] and 0.76 to 0.84 among their caregivers). The correlation between the patients’ scores and their parents’ scores varied from 0.50 to 0.86 (Pearson’s correlation coefficient, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The Brazilian version of the PedsQL™ 3.0 Cardiac Module was shown to be reliable. The application of this questionnaire in practice will be very useful for all professionals charged with the care of children and adolescents with heart diseases.
Cadherin-12 contributes to tumorigenicity in colorectal cancer by promoting migration, invasion, adhersion and angiogenesis
Authors: Zhao Jingkun , Li Pu , Feng Hao , Wang Puxiongzhi , Zong Yaping , Ma Junjun , Zhang Zhuo , Chen Xuehua , Zheng Minhua , Zhu Zhenggang , Lu Aiguo
Published: November 2013

Background

Cadherin 12 (CDH12), which encodes a type II classical cadherin from the cadherin superfamily, may mediate calcium-dependent cell adhesion. It has been demonstrated that CDH12 could play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma. We decided to investigate the relationship between CDH12 expression level and clinicopathologic variables in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients and to explore the functions of CDH12 in tumorigenesis in CRC.

Methods

The expression levels of CDH12 in colorectal carcinoma tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Real-time PCR and Western Blot were used to screen CDH12 high-expression cell lines. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the proliferation ability of CRC cells being transfected by shRNAs against CDH12. The wound assay and transwell assay were performed to test migration and invasion ability. The importance of CDH12 in cell-cell junctions was detected by cell adhesion assay and cell aggregation assay. Endothelial tube formation assay was used to test the influence of CDH12 on angiogenesis.

Results

Statistical analysis of clinical cases revealed that the positive rate of CDH12 was higher in the CRC tumor tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues. The expression levels of CDH12 in CRC patients are significantly correlated with invasion depth. Consistently, the ability of proliferation, migration and invasion were suppressed when CDH12 was decreased in CRC cells transfected with shRNAs. Cell adhesion assay and cell aggregation assay presented that tumor cells tend to disperse with the lack of CDH12. Endothelial tube formation assay showed that down-regulation of CDH12 could obviously inhibit the process of angiogenesis, implying that CDH12 may play an important role in tumor metastasis

Conclusion

Our results showed that CDH12 promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, adhesion and angiogenesis, suggesting that CDH12 may be an oncogene in colorectal cancer. CDH12 is expected to become a new diagnostic and prognostic marker and a novel target of the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Automated analysis of non-mass-enhancing lesions in breast MRI based on morphological, kinetic, and spatio-temporal moments and joint segmentation-motion compensation technique
Authors: Hoffmann Sebastian , Shutler Jamie D , Lobbes Marc , Burgeth Bernhard , Meyer-Bäse Anke
Published: November 2013

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) represents an established method for the detection and diagnosis of breast lesions. While mass-like enhancing lesions can be easily categorized according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) MRI lexicon, a majority of diagnostically challenging lesions, the so called non-mass-like enhancing lesions, remain both qualitatively as well as quantitatively difficult to analyze. Thus, the evaluation of kinetic and/or morphological characteristics of non-masses represents a challenging task for an automated analysis and is of crucial importance for advancing current computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems. Compared to the well-characterized mass-enhancing lesions, non-masses have no well-defined and blurred tumor borders and a kinetic behavior that is not easily generalizable and thus discriminative for malignant and benign non-masses. To overcome these difficulties and pave the way for novel CAD systems for non-masses, we will evaluate several kinetic and morphological descriptors separately and a novel technique, the Zernike velocity moments, to capture the joint spatio-temporal behavior of these lesions, and additionally consider the impact of non-rigid motion compensation on a correct diagnosis.
Prevalence and predictors of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia among HIV infected women at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza-Tanzania
Authors: Kafuruki Lilian , Rambau Peter Fabian , Massinde Anthony , Masalu Nestory
Published: November 2013

Introduction

Cancer of the cervix rank the second most common cause of cancer related deaths among women in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that 529, 409 new cases are diagnosed annually with a mortality rate approaching 274,883 per year. Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) precedes almost all cervical cancers. The incidence rate of CIN among HIV infected women is five times higher as compared to the rate in HIV negative women. The screening for cervical dysplasia and an appropriate management in women with CIN are effective methods for preventing cervical cancer. This study was done to determine the prevalence and predictors of CIN among a HIV infected women attending Care and Treatment centre (CTC) at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC).

Methods

A cross sectional survey was undertaken among HIV infected women aged 18 years and above attending at BMC CTC clinic between February and March 2013. Visual Inspection with Acetic acid (VIA) was used as the screening method for detection of CIN. Socio-demographic, reproductive and clinical information was obtained from participants and the blood was collected for CD4 lymphocyte count. Cervical punch biopsy for histological examination was performed for those who had VIA positive test. Data were entered and analyzed using STATA Version 12.0 soft ware.

Results

A total number of 95 (26.8%) participants had positive VIA test among three hundred and fifty-five (355) HIV infected women. Histology results showed; 4(4.2%) were normal, 26 (27.4%) had an inflammatory lesion, 58(61.1%) had CIN and 7(7.3%) had invasive cervical cancer. CIN was found to be associated with a history of multiple sexual partners (P<0.001), a history of genital warts (P<0.001), and a history of STI (P = 0.010).

Conclusion

The Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia is a problem among HIV infected women. A history of multiple sexual partners, a history of genital warts, a history STI and a low baseline CD4 T lymphocyte were significant predictors for CIN. Screening for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia is recommended for all women with HIV.
Successful nasal intubation with a laryngeal nerve monitoring tube using bronchoscopy in a patient with plunging goiter: a case report
Authors: Spadaro Savino , D’Agata Manuela , Verri Marco , Ragazzi Riccardo , Volta Carlo A
Published: November 2013

Background

The appropriate positioning of nerve integrity monitoring during thyroid surgery is of relevance. In this case report we describe our experience with accurate placement of a nerve integrity monitoring endotracheal tube, obtained by fiberoptic control, in a patient with expected difficult airway management.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 70-year-old obese woman scheduled for elective total thyroidectomy due to plunging intrathoracic goiter. The preoperative indirect laryngoscopy pointed out a massive bombè of the hypopharyngeal wall to the right and right vocal cord paralysis. The epiglottis was oedematous and the glottis could not be identified. On physical examination, the tongue was large and a Mallampati’s score of 3 was determined. Hence, due to an expected difficult airway management, a nasal intubation with an electromyographic nerve integrity monitoring endotracheal tube trough fiberoptic bronchoscopy was successfully performed.

Conclusion

Our experience suggests that nasal intubation can be safely performed by using a nerve integrity monitoring tube with the help of fiberoptic bronchoscopy.
Locomotor performance of three sympatric species of sea kraits (Laticauda spp.) from Orchid Island, Taiwan
Authors: Wang Shiuang , Lillywhite Harvey B , Tu Ming-Chung
Published: November 2013

Background

Assuming that locomotion has a strong influence on animals’ fitness, we hypothesized that better locomotor performance would be associated with the most frequently utilized habitat. Laticauda colubrina, Laticauda laticaudata, and Laticauda semifasciata have different amphibious habits and microhabitat preferences at Orchid Island, Taiwan. We investigated the morphology and locomotor performance of the three sympatric species of sea krait. The measurements of body size, tail area, and body shape were compared in our study. Data on crawling and swimming speeds were gathered to investigate locomotor performance in terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Results

We found significant differences in the locomotor performances among the three species. L. colubrina was the most terrestrial species in habits and sprinted significantly faster than the others during terrestrial locomotion. On the other hand, L. semifasciata was the most aquatic species, and it swam significantly faster than the other two species. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that sea kraits move well in their respective primary environments. With respect to the highly aquatic L. semifasciata, its laterally compressed body form, large body size, and large area of compressed tail are considered to be beneficial to swimming in an aquatic environment.

Conclusions

More data are required to understand the superior terrestrial locomotion of L. colubrina, but this species may benefit from its more-cylindrical body form compared to L. semifasciata and from its greater muscle mass compared to L. laticaudata. L. laticaudata was intermediate in habits but exhibited the poorest performance in both swimming and terrestrial locomotion. The reasons for this remain unclear.
Optical characteristics and photothermal conversion of natural iron oxide colloid
Authors: Kang Tae Yeon , Chang Ki Soo , Kim Jae Young , Choi Seon-Kang , Chae Weon-Sik
Published: November 2013

Background

Chemical compositions and spectroscopic characteristics of the natural floating colloids in brine mineral water were investigated in this study.

Methods

The natural colloidal materials were investigated using electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, elemental analysis, and absorption and emission spectroscopies.

Results

The natural colloidal particles have a spherical shape, with average diameter of 200 nm, and amorphous crystalline structure. The colloids are mostly composed of iron and oxygen atoms; they also contained small amounts of trace elements and rare earth minerals. In particular, the colloids show remarkable absorption and emission characteristics in the wide spectral region from ultraviolet (UV) to near infrared (NIR), which could make it useful in photoconversion and hyperthermal applications.

Conclusion

From the photothermal conversion efficiency measurement using an infrared thermography under irradiation of visible and NIR light, interestingly, it was found that the natural colloids have higher photothermal conversion efficiency, as compared with those of several different-typed minerals.
Imaging ER-to-Golgi transport: towards a systems view
Authors: Verissimo Fatima , Pepperkok Rainer
Published: November 2013

Proteins synthesised at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) have to undergo a number of consecutive and coordinated steps to reach the Golgi complex. To understand the dynamic complexity of ER-to-Golgi transport at the structural and molecular level, light microscopy approaches are fundamental tools that allow in vivo observations of protein dynamics and interactions of fluorescent proteins in living cells. Imaging protein and organelle dynamics close to the ultra-structural level became possible by combining light microscopy with electron microscopy analyses or super-resolution light microscopy methods. Besides, increasing evidence suggests that the early secretory pathway is tightly connected to other cellular processes, such as signal transduction, and quantitative information at the systems level is fundamental to achieve a comprehensive molecular understanding of these connections. High-throughput microscopy in fixed and living cells in combination with systematic perturbation of gene expression by, e.g. RNA interference, will open new avenues to gain such an understanding of the early secretory pathway at the systems level. In this Commentary, we first outline examples that revealed the dynamic organisation of ER-to-Golgi transport in living cells. Next, we discuss the use of advanced imaging methods in studying ER-to-Golgi transport and, finally, delineate the efforts in understanding ER-to-Golgi transport at the systems level.
Περιεχόμενα του εικοστού τέταρτου τόμου
Authors: Eranistes Eranistes
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Περιεχόμενα
Authors: Eranistes Eranistes
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Η «Είδησις των τάξεων των μουρατόρων» και η πρόσληψη του τεκτονισμού από τον οικουμενικό πατριάρχη Καλλίνικο Γ΄
Authors: Κουτζακιώτης Γιώργος
Published: November 2013

LA « NOUVELLE DES RITES DES MURATORI » ET LA PERCEPTION DE LA FRANC-MAÇONNERIE
PAR LE PATRIARCHE ŒCUMENIQUE KALLINIKOS III

Un texte manuscrit grec du XVIIIe siècle, conservé en deux versions et décrivant la cérémonie de réception d’un nouveau franc-maçon, est la plus ancienne source grecque connue relative à la Franc-maçonnerie ; la première version qui, comme l’a constaté A. Anghélou, est plus étendue sur quelques points et comprend certains éléments linguistiques italiens, se trouve dans un manuscrit provenant de la bibliothèque du patriarche œcuménique Kallinikos III (1757). Dans le présent article, on examine tout d’abord la relation entre les deux versions, on détermine le caractère du texte et on recherche son prototype étranger, qui n’est finalement qu’un texte connu sous le titre de « pamphlet d’Hérault » ou « rituel d’Hérault ». Ensuite, on étudie la perception de la Franc-maçonnerie par Kallinikos III et en général par le clergé orthodoxe vers le milieu du XVIIIe siècle, en la rapprochant des discordes ecclésiastiques orthodoxes de l’époque. Enfin, on réfléchit sur les alphabets cryptographiques attestés dans des manuscrits de Kallinikos III et sur celui présenté comme « maçonnique » dans la deuxième version du texte grec en question.

GEORGES KOUTZAKIOTIS
Δαμιανός Παρασκευάς Σινωπεύς: προκαταρκτικά στοιχεία και ενα αυτόγραφο
Authors: Μακρίδης Βασίλειος Ν.
Published: November 2013

no abstract 
Ο οικογενειακός τάφος του Γεωργίου Θεοχάρη, συντρόφου του Ρήγα, στη Λειψία
Authors: Μακρίδης Βασίλειος Ν.
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Νικόλαος Ζερζούλης (ca. 1710-1773) και Petrus van Musschenbroek (1692-1761). Νέα στοιχεία
Authors: Πέτσιος Κώστας Θ.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
«Ο Ινδός φιλόσοφος». «Οικονομία του ανθρωπίνου βίου». Διαδοχικές ελληνικές μεταφράσεις ενός αγγλικού εγχειριδίου ηθικής
Authors: Σφοίνη Αλεξάνδρα
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Το “Σχολείο των ντελικάτων εραστών” και το “Έρωτος αποτελέσματα”. Νέα στοιχεία για τα στιχουργήματά τους
Authors: Χατζηπαναγιώτη–Sangmeister Ίλια
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Το μαθητικό τετράδιο του Ελευθερίου (Ευγενίου) Βούλγαρη
Authors: Fonkic Boris
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Γλωσσομάθεια και λεξικογραφικές απόπειρες στις Ηγεμονίες. Το πολύγλωσσο λεξικό του Λουκά Γιαγκουλαίου Δελλά Ρώκκα
Authors: Σφοίνη Αλεξάνδρα
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Βιβλία με συνδρομητές. ΙΙ. Από τα χρόνια της Επανάστασης έως το 1832
Authors: Ηλιού Φίλιππος
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Ειδήσεις για τον Κερκυραίο χαρτογράφο Ιωάννη Ξενοδόχο
Authors: Παγκράτης Γεράσιμος Δ.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Η γαλλική μετάφραση και η έκδοση των Στοχασμών του Ευγένιου Βούλγαρη
Authors: Μακρίδης Βασίλειος Ν.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
«Περί της των συμβουλιών ματαιότητος». Ένα ακόμα φαναριώτικο εγχειρίδιο Πολιτικής
Authors: Αποστολόπουλος Δ. Γ.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Λαμπηδών πνευματικής ζωής στις παραμονές του Αγώνα
Authors: Αγγέλου Άλκης
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Ο ψευδώνυμος επικριτής της «Ποιητικής» του Κων. Οικονόμου στον «Λόγιο Ερμή» και τα κίνητρά του
Authors: Φραγκίσκος Εμμ. Ν.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Ιάκωβος Γ. Πιτζιπίος. Ένας ελάσσων λόγιος του 19ου αιώνα
Authors: Σφυρόερας Βασ. Βλ.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Κωνσταντινουπολίτικα στιχουργήματα. «Η ωραία Μελπομένη και ο διπρόσωπος εραστής Νικολάκης»
Authors: Στάθη Πηνελόπη
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Νικόλαος Ζερζούλης, μεταφραστής των μαθηματικών έργων του Christian Wolff
Authors: Μπενάκης Λίνος Γ.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Αυτόγραφη επιστολή του Θεόφιλου Κορυδαλλέως προς τον Antoine Léger
Authors: Τσιότρας Βασ. Ι.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Η τύχη ενός χειρογράφου της Πατριαρχικής Βιβλιοθήκης (olim μονής Ολυμπιώτισσας)
Authors: Αποστολόπουλος Δημήτρης Γ.
Published: November 2013

No abstract
Το «Κρυφό Σχολειό» και πάλι
Authors: Πατρινέλης Χ. Γ.
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Παλαιά λογοτεχνικά κείμενα σε νέες εκδοτικές περιπέ­τειες
Authors: Σπάθης Δημήτρης
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Κοραϊκά παραλειπόμενα [Γ']. Η ημιτελής έκδοση κειμένων και επιστολών του Κοραή από τον Α. Μάμουκα (1861). Νέα στοιχεία
Authors: Φραγκίσκος Εμμ. Ν.
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Έντυπες εκδόσεις νομικών πηγών στον ελληνικό χώρο. Συναγωγή δεύτερη
Authors: Αποστολόπουλος Δημήτρης Γ.
Published: November 2013

no abstract
"Μελόδραμα" και πρώιμες μορφές γερμανικής Όπερας στη Συλλογή διαφόρων θεατρικών ποιημάτων (1820-1821)
Authors: Κουρμπανά Στέλλα
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Tο βλέμμα του «άλλου». Tο Άμστερνταμ στον 18ο αιώνα όπως το είδαν δύο Έλληνες της εποχής
Authors: Δρούλια Λουκία
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Μία, ακόμα, ανέκδοτη επιστολή του Κοραή γραμμένη τον Αύγουστο του 1820
Authors: Αποστολόπουλος Δημήτρης Γ.
Published: November 2013

no abstract
Η χειρόγραφη εκδοχή της εγκυκλίου του πρώην Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νεοφύτου Ζ' (1802) για τις προσθήκες στην α' έκδοση του Πηδαλίου
Authors: Καρύδης Σπύρος Χρ.
Published: November 2013

no abstract
The semantic war: The pen as sword in rewriting western representations of Haiti in the media
Authors: Collins Holly L.
Published: November 2013

‘Haiti, a cursed land’ – This headline atop a 2010 French news publication echoes a widely felt and often repeated sentiment about the island of Haiti. In a world where History is written by the victors, the voices of those who, either themselves or whose ancestors were violently oppressed and exploited, often go unheard. Most of the international media is run and disseminated by the majority voice. It is in this way that stereotypes are circulated, myths perpetuated and the parameters that frame and define certain discourses are made to seem natural rather than constructed by those who do the writing. This article examines Dany Laferrière’s engagement in what he calls ‘The Semantic War’ in order to take on the western media and to rewrite the international press’ reductive depiction of Haiti and its people. Laferrière’s first-person account of the events of 12 January 2010 provides a stark contrast to the proliferated view of Haiti as a ‘cursed’ land of poverty and violence. Because of the respect and popularity Laferrière has garnered in the North American literary community, he is able to be a voice for those who are ignored, and combat western-media representations of Haiti from within.

‘Haïti, un peuple maudit’ – Ce gros titre à la une d’une publication française rappelle un sentiment largement ressenti et souvent répété de l’état insulaire Haïti. Dans un monde où l’Histoire s’écrit par les vainqueurs, les voix de ceux qui sont violemment opprimés ou exploités sont trop souvent ignorées. La voix majoritaire dirige et diffuse la plupart de la presse internationale. C’est ainsi que les stéréotypes se font circuler, les mythes sont perpétués, et les paramètres qui encadrent et définissent des discours deviennent vus comme naturels au lieu de construits par ceux qui les écrivent dans l’imaginaire publique. Cet article montre la manière dans laquelle Dany Laferrière s’engage dans ce qu’il appelle ‘la Guerre Sémantique’ afin de confronter la presse occidentale et récrire leur représentation réductrice d’Haïti et son peuple. Le récit à la première personne de Laferrière des événements du 12 janvier 2010 fournit un contraste extrême à l’opinion proliférée d’Haïti comme un pays maudit, pauvre, et violent. Grâce au respect et à la renommée que Laferrière a gagnés dans l’institution littéraire en Amérique du Nord, il est devenu la voix pour ceux qui sont ignorés et combat ainsi les représentations d’Haïti disséminées par les médias occidentaux du dedans.
Book Reviews
Authors: Baker Charlotte , Bromilow Pollie , Frith Nicki , Kosniowski Jenny , Majumdar Margaret A. , McIlvanney Siobhán , Tarica Estelle , Thomas Bonnie , Yaacoub Faten , Zayzafoon Lamia
Published: November 2013

La Création Romanesque chez Williams Sassine, Philip Amangoua Atcha (2011) Paris: Harmattan, 252 pp., ISBN: 978-2-296-55053-7, p/bk, 23.50

A Taste for the Foreign: Worldly Knowledge and Literary Pleasure in Early Modern French Fiction, Ellen R. Welch (2011) Newark: University of Delaware Press, xxviii + 225pp., ISBN: 978-1-61149-062-6, h/bk, £44.95

Violence in Francophone African & Caribbean Women’s Literature, Chantal Kalisa (2009) Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 225 pp., ISBN: 978-0-8032-1102-5, h/bk, $45.00

Writing Postcolonial France: Haunting, Literature, and the Maghreb, Fiona Barclay (2011) Plymouth: Lexington Books, 152 pp, ISBN: 978-0-7391-4503-6, h/bk, $64.99, £39.95

La Terre et le sang/Land and Blood (trans. Patricia Geesey), Mouloud Feraoun ([1953]) 2012) Charlottesville/London: University of Virginia Press, 243 pp., ISBN: 978-0-8139-3220-0, h/bk, $59.50; ISBN: 978-0-8139-3221-7, p/bk, $22.50

Cherchez la femme: Women and Values in the Francophone World, Erika Fülöp and Adrienne Angelo (eds) (2011) Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 292 pp., ISBN: 978-1-4438-2933-5, h/bk, £39.99

Patrick Chamoiseau: A Critical Introduction, Wendy Knepper (2012) Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 274pp., ISBN: 978-1-61703-154-0, h/bk, ebook 978-1-61703-155-7, $55

Beyond the Slave Narrative: Politics, Sex, and Manuscripts in the Haitian Revolution, Deborah Jenson (2011) Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 322 pp., ISBN: 978-1-84631-497-1, h/bk, £65, ISBN: 978-1-84631-760-6, p/bk, £16.99

Postcolonial Poetics: Genre and Form, P. Crowley and J. Hiddleston (2011) Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 279 pp., ISBN: 978-1-84631-745-3, h/bk £55.85

Francophone Women: Between Visibility and Invisibility, Cybelle H. McFadden and Sandrine F. Teixidor (eds) (2010) New York: Peter Lang, Francophone Cultures and Literatures, 143 pp., ISBN: 978-1-4331-0803-7, h/bk, 60 , £48
Corrosion rate of carbon steel under synergistic effect of seawater parameters including pH, temperature, and salinity in turbulent condition
Authors: Toloei Alisina , Atashin Sanam , Pakshir Mahmood
Published: November 2013

The variation of AISI 1045 carbon steel corrosion rate in seawater is investigated under the simultaneous effect of marine parameters in both stagnant and turbulent conditions. The combined effect of salinity, velocity, pH, and temperature is studied using two-by-two graphical curves, while each parameter is applied at three levels. The possible influence of simultaneously acting factors on each considering parameter is experimentally studied and explained using theoretical basis. This paper offers an advantage of considering the simultaneous effect of parameters instead of individual ones, which simulate the experimental media close to the real in-site marine environment where all the affecting factors act in a combined manner. The most innovation of this study is two-by-two investigation of combined action of effective parameters on corrosion rate, which is much more comprehensive and detailed compared to previous researches. Every parameter is considered at three ranges and all the possible interactions with other factors are taken into account. It is proven that the effect of considered parameters on the rate of corrosion is the function of other simultaneously acting factors. The role of fluid velocity condition and also the reaction polarization status is found to be pronounced.
Volga-Volga
Authors: Kupfer Peter
Published: November 2013

Volga-Volga (1938), the third musical comedy made by the Soviet director-composer team of Grigory Aleksandrov and Isaak Dunayevsky, is one of the most emblematic films of the Soviet 1930s. Indeed, it won its makers a Stalin Prize in 1941 and was supposedly Stalin’s favorite film. But Volga-Volga was also a success with Soviet viewers: they flocked by the millions to see the film, which was still playing in theaters at the outbreak of war in June 1941. As a combination of slapstick comedy and memorable musical numbers that addressed an appropriately Soviet theme, the film clearly spoke to both the masses and officials. But what does Volga-Volga have to say? The film tells the story of a musical “civil war” between a folk ensemble and a classical orchestra, both of which head to Moscow to participate in the national musical Olympiad. Due to “accidental” circumstances, the two ensembles eventually join forces and win the competition with a performance of the “Song about the Volga.”

Though this merger of musical forces and styles seems to serve predominantly comedic purposes, the “story of a song” can also be read as a commentary on the development of music in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. In a period marked by debates and uncertainties in all realms of musical production about what exactly Socialist Realist music was to be, Aleksandrov and Dunayevsky offer as their solution a musical practice that advocates inclusivity by seeking to combine features from many types of music into a distinctly Soviet blend. This thematization of music is enhanced by the nature of the film musical, whose stylistic reliance on music as a bridge between real and ideal worlds embodies the aesthetic demands of Socialist Realism. Furthermore, the film can be understood as an instance of what film scholar Miriam Hansen calls “vernacular modernism,” namely, the adaptation of an American cinematic model into a foreign context as a tool for reflecting and refracting experiences of modernity.
Looking Back on Chicano History
Authors: Camarillo Albert M.
Published: November 2013

In the forty years since the publication of the special issue devoted to Chicano history in the Pacific Historical Review in 1973, the literature on Mexican Americans has flourished. In the early 1970s, the nascent subfield of Chicano history was established, and in subsequent decades it reached maturity as the number of historians writing in this area increased significantly, as did the number of monographs and articles. By the early twenty-first century, the importance of historical studies of Mexican Americans is reflected in the literature of many subfields of U.S. history—labor, women, U.S.-Mexican borderlands, urban, immigration—and in the curriculum of colleges and universities across the nation. This article provides a personal perspective on the origins, foundations, and maturation of Chicano history.
Chicano/a History
Authors: Chávez Ernesto
Published: November 2013

This article surveys the writing of Chicano/a history since its inception and reflects on why scholars have been concerned with certain issues and how they have written about them. Born from the tumult of the Vietnam era, the field has challenged the status quo and emboldened those communities from which Chicano/a historians come and which they ultimately serve. Given the generation-long development of Mexican American history, this article focuses on Chicano/a historiography, with some commentary on the recent emergence of Latino/a history and the future directions that this field may take. It engages three questions that have driven the field: What forces engendered the ethnic Mexican community in the United States? Who comprises it? And how does the past bear on the present?
Metformin enhances glucagon-like peptide 1 via cooperation between insulin and Wnt signaling
Authors: Kim Mi-Hyun , Jee Jae-Hwan , Park Sunyoung , Lee Myung-Shik , Kim Kwang-Won , Lee Moon-Kyu
Published: November 2013

One aspect of the effects of metformin on glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 might be associated with the mechanism by which the cross talk between insulin and Wnt signaling enhances GLP1 secretion, due to the action of metformin as an insulin sensitizer. However, this remains completely unknown. In this study, we have investigated the mechanisms of the action of metformin on cross talk between insulin and Wnt signaling. GLP1 enhancement by meformin was determined in human NCI-H716 intestinal L-cells and hyperglycemic db/db mice treated with metformin (0.25 and 0.5 mM and/or 12.5 mg/kg body weight) for 24 h and 2 months. Metformin increased GLP1 secretion in L-cells and db/db mice. Metformin stimulated the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and TOPflash reporter activity, and gene depletion of β-catenin or enhancement of mutation of transcription factor 7-like 2 binding site offset GLP1. In addition, insulin receptor substrate 2 gene depletion blocked metformin-enhanced β-catenin translocation. These effects were preceded by an increase in glucose utilization and calcium influx, the activation of calcium-dependent protein kinase, and, in turn, the activation of insulin signaling, and the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3β, a potent inhibitor of β-catenin. Furthermore, high blood glucose levels were controlled via GLP1 receptor-dependent insulinotropic pathways in db/db mice, which were evidenced by the increase in GLP1 and insulin levels at 30 min after oral glucose loading and pancreatic insulinotropic gene expression. Our findings indicate that the cooperation between Wnt and its upstream insulin signaling pathways might be a novel and important mechanism underlying the effects of metformin on GLP1 production.
Glucose, Nitrogen, and Phosphate Repletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Common Transcriptional Responses to Different Nutrient Signals
Authors: Conway Michael K , Grunwald Douglas , Heideman Warren
Published: November 2013

Saccharomyces cerevisiae are able to control growth in response to changes in nutrient availability. The limitation for single macronutrients, including nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P), produces stable arrest in G1/G0. Restoration of the limiting nutrient quickly restores growth. It has been shown that glucose (G) depletion/repletion very rapidly alters the levels of more than 2000 transcripts by at least 2-fold, a large portion of which are involved with either protein production in growth or stress responses in starvation. Although the signals generated by G, N, and P are thought to be quite distinct, we tested the hypothesis that depletion and repletion of any of these three nutrients would affect a common core set of genes as part of a generalized response to conditions that promote growth and quiescence. We found that the response to depletion of G, N, or P produced similar quiescent states with largely similar transcriptomes. As we predicted, repletion of each of the nutrients G, N, or P induced a large (501) common core set of genes and repressed a large (616) common gene set. Each nutrient also produced nutrient-specific transcript changes. The transcriptional responses to each of the three nutrients depended on cAMP and, to a lesser extent, the TOR pathway. All three nutrients stimulated cAMP production within minutes of repletion, and artificially increasing cAMP levels was sufficient to replicate much of the core transcriptional response. The recently identified transceptors Gap1, Mep1, Mep2, and Mep3, as well as Pho84, all played some role in the core transcriptional responses to N or P. As expected, we found some evidence of cross talk between nutrient signals, yet each nutrient sends distinct signals.
Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Resolve the Species, Gender, Age, and the Presence of Wolbachia Infection in Laboratory-Reared Drosophila
Authors: Aw Wen C , Dowell Floyd E , Ballard J William O
Published: November 2013

The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in determining species, gender, age, and the presence of the common endosymbiont Wolbachia in laboratory-reared Drosophila. NIRS measures the absorption of light by organic molecules. Initially, a calibration model was developed for each study. An independent set with flies not involved in initial cross-validation was then used to validate the accuracy of each calibration model. Flies from the independent sets were correctly classified into Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans with 94% and 82% accuracy, respectively, whereas flies were successfully classified by gender with accuracy greater than 90%. In the age grading test, correlation plots of the actual and predicted age for males and females of D. melanogaster and D. simulans were shown to be overlapping between the adjacent age groups. It is, however, possible to predict the age of flies as less than 9 days of age with 62–88% accuracy and flies that are equal to or older than 9 days of age with 91–98% accuracy. Finally, we used NIRS to detect the presence of Wolbachia in flies. Flies from the independent sets were successfully identified as infected or not infected with Wolbachia with approximately 90% accuracy. These results suggest that NIRS has the potential to quantify the species, gender, and presence of Wolbachia in fly populations. However, additional optimization of the protocol may be necessary before the technique can reliably estimate fly age.
Mitochondrial Genome Evolution in a Single Protoploid Yeast Species
Authors: Jung Paul P , Friedrich Anne , Reisser Cyrielle , Hou Jing , Schacherer Joseph
Published: November 2013

Mitochondria are organelles, which play a key role in some essential functions, including respiration, metabolite biosynthesis, ion homeostasis, and apoptosis. The vast numbers of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of various yeast species, which have recently been published, have also helped to elucidate the structural diversity of these genomes. Although a large corpus of data are now available on the diversity of yeast species, little is known so far about the mtDNA diversity in single yeast species. To study the genetic variations occurring in the mtDNA of wild yeast isolates, we performed a genome-wide polymorphism survey on the mtDNA of 18 Lachancea kluyveri (formerly Saccharomyces kluyveri) strains. We determined the complete mt genome sequences of strains isolated from various geographical locations (in North America, Asia, and Europe) and ecological niches (Drosophila, tree exudates, soil). The mt genome of the NCYC 543 reference strain is 51,525 bp long. It contains the same core of genes as Lachancea thermotolerans, the nearest relative to L. kluyveri. To explore the mt genome variations in a single yeast species, we compared the mtDNAs of the 18 isolates. The phylogeny and population structure of L. kluyveri provide clear-cut evidence for the existence of well-defined geographically isolated lineages. Although these genomes are completely syntenic, their size and the intron content were found to vary among the isolates studied. These genomes are highly polymorphic, showing an average diversity of 28.5 SNPs/kb and 6.6 indels/kb. Analysis of the SNP and indel patterns showed the existence of a particularly high overall level of polymorphism in the intergenic regions. The dN/dS ratios obtained are consistent with purifying selection in all these genes, with the noteworthy exception of the VAR1 gene, which gave a very high ratio. These data suggest that the intergenic regions have evolved very fast in yeast mitochondrial genomes.
Metronomic Capecitabine in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients: A Phase II Study
Authors: Brandi Giovanni , Rosa Francesco , Agostini Valentina , Girolamo Stefania , Andreone Pietro , Bolondi Luigi , Serra Carla , Sama Claudia , Golfieri Rita , Gramenzi Annagiulia , Cucchetti Alessandro , Pinna Antonio Daniele , Trevisani Franco , Biasco Guido ,   ITALIAN LIVER CANCER (ITA.LI.CA) GROUP
Published: November 2013

Background.

Anti-angiogenic treatment with targeted agents is effective in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of metronomic capecitabine in patients with HCC.

Methods.

This single-institution phase II trial included 59 previously untreated patients with advanced HCC and 31 patients resistant to or intolerant of sorafenib. The treatment schedule was capecitabine 500 mg twice daily until progression of disease, unacceptable toxicity level, or withdrawal of informed consent. Progression-free survival (PFS) was chosen as the primary endpoint.

Results.

A total of 59 previously untreated and 31 previously treated patients with HCC were enrolled. The first cohort achieved a median PFS of 6.03 months and an overall survival (OS) of 14.47 months. Two patients achieved a complete response, 1 patient achieved partial response, and in 30 patients, stable disease was the best outcome. The second cohort achieved a median PFS of 3.27 months and a median OS of 9.77 months. No complete or partial responses were observed, but 10 patients had stable disease. An unscheduled comparison of the first cohort of patients with 3,027 untreated patients with HCC from the Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA) database was performed. One-to-one matching according to demographic/etiologic/oncologic features was possible for 50 patients. The median OS for these 50 capecitabine-treated patients was 15.6 months, compared with a median OS of 8.0 months for the matched untreated patients (p = .043).

Conclusion.

Metronomic capecitabine is well tolerated by patients with advanced HCC and appears to have activity both in treatment-naive patients and in those previously treated with sorafenib.
Assessing perceptions and willingness to use urine in agriculture: a case study from rural areas of eThekwini municipality, South Africa
Authors: Okem A. E. , Xulu S. , Tilley E. , Buckley C. , Roma E.
Published: November 2013

In recent years there has been a growing body of knowledge exploring the benefits of using sanitation-derived nutrients. Such studies aim to uncover strategies that facilitate nutrient recovery from urine and faecal sludge for agricultural use. This paper presents the findings of a study which assessed the willingness to handle and use urine in agriculture among people living in rural areas of eThekwini Municipality, South Africa. Results show that less than 5% of participants are using urine as a fertiliser. This could be attributed to limited awareness of the value of urine in agriculture since only 9.7% are aware that urine contains essential nutrients that can support plant growth. Furthermore, health concerns, smell and the opinions of others are identified as barriers to the handling of urine. The study therefore recommends that participatory field trials and promotional activities are conducted to improve users’ awareness and acceptance. The outcome of this research is of importance to help inform low- and middle-income countries’ governments as they address urban and environmental challenges such as access to adequate sanitation, poverty and food security.
Ceramic pot filter user satisfaction and water quantity production in tsunami-affected Sri Lankan communities
Authors: Casanova Lisa M. , Walters Adam , Nagahawatte Ajith , Sobsey Mark D.
Published: November 2013

Sri Lanka was heavily damaged by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. To reduce risks from unsafe water, the Red Cross distributed ceramic pot filters to households. This analysis was undertaken to determine if flow rate affects user satisfaction with water production by the filter, and if filters produce enough water for household use. Mean filter flow rate was ∼1.25 L/hr, with wide filter-to-filter variation. The relationship between flow rate and user perception of whether the filter produced enough water for household needs is complex. Results suggest that many households had flow insufficient to produce 2 L per household member per day. Although continued use in this population remains high and users express satisfaction with filters, the amount of water produced remains a limitation of the filter.
Drinking water quality for peri-urban residents in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Authors: Thomas K. , McBean E. , Murphy H. M.
Published: November 2013

Piped distribution systems are limited to major urban centres in Cambodia, leaving the residents of peri-urban communities to rely on a variety of surface, rain and groundwater sources for their drinking water supplies. This paper examines microbial water quality results from two of Phnom Penh's peri-urban communities, and describes relationships between water source and treatment type, study site and storage vessel, relative to water quality guidelines. Treating water by boiling was a common practice, although the majority of residents indicated using boiling times far greater than required, which may impact adoption rates. A statistical difference is described between boiled water by source type, with boiled shallow well water having elevated E. coli levels. The only household drinking water type that met WHO guidelines most of the time was boiled rain or tank (vendor) water (56%); boiled rain or tank (vendor) water stored in a kettle, bucket/cooler or bucket with spigot met guideline values 69, 43 and 60% of the time, respectively. The highest quality water is from boiled rain or tank (vendor) water taken directly from a kettle. The findings described provide some insight on how to prioritize water options for various uses.
In pursuit of sustainable water solutions in emerging regions
Authors: Brunson Laura R. , Busenitz Lowell W. , Sabatini David A. , Spicer Paul
Published: November 2013

While lack of access to consistent safe drinking water is estimated to affect nearly 2 billion people worldwide, many of the efforts to solve this crisis have proven to be unsustainable. This paper discusses some of the reasons for these challenges and suggests interdisciplinary practices that could be integrated from the very beginning of a water intervention to achieve long-term success. Of key importance for sustainable water implementation is an enabling environment that incorporates aspects such as funding, potential for market development, and supportive governance. While this enabling environment is acknowledged, the focus of this work is on the integration of three key areas: (i) social and cultural assessment of behavior and preferences; (ii) market-based implementation approaches that draw on this knowledge; and (iii) technology development for these markets.
Assessing the demographic, behavioural and environmental characteristics and the potential effectiveness of a household water filter in the Republic of Kiribati
Authors: Psutka Rebecca , Priest Patricia , Davies Tieren , Rakunuea Teretia , Iddings Steven , Reiffer Andre
Published: November 2013

Aim: To measure diarrhoea burden, environmental hygiene and water quality in Kiribati, in order to assess whether a domestic water filter would be likely to improve child and community health.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of randomly selected households using a questionnaire and analysis of drinking and source water samples.

Results: Female heads of 97 randomly selected households answered the questionnaire. One in four children younger than five years had experienced diarrhoea in the past month and 7% in the past week. Thirty-four percent of respondents and 57% of their children practised open defecation. Handwashing at important times was uncommon, as was safe water storage. Almost all households usually boil water. Overall, drinking water was less contaminated than source water (p = 0.05). Where paired samples of source and drinking water were available, drinking water that had been boiled was significantly less contaminated than source water (1 tailed t-test; p = 0.014).

Conclusion: Both ‘waterwashed’ and waterborne transmission are likely responsible for diarrhoea. In this setting where nearly all households boil water, in the absence of hygiene and storage improvements, the substitution of a filter is unlikely to improve water quality.
Enhanced anaerobic digestion as a sanitation and energy recovery technology
Authors: Garoma T. , Williams C.
Published: November 2013

The potential for using an enhanced anaerobic digestion (AD) process as a sanitation and energy recovery technology for communities that lack access to basic sanitation was evaluated. For the enhanced AD system to generate a reliable supply of biogas, so that it can be adopted and self-sustained by the community, the use of algal biomass as a supplementary feedstock was evaluated. In addition, the effects of operational parameters on waste mineralization and biogas production were investigated. The results show that the system has the potential to be developed into an effective waste treatment technology, and it has produced high biogas yields and digested waste low in fecal bacteria and high in nutrients. Reductions of 42 to 51% in volatile solids and 29 to 45% in chemical oxygen demand were achieved at 35 °C. On average, total coliform and fecal coliform concentrations of 7.6 × 105 and 1.4 × 104 CFU per gram of total solids, respectively, were measured in the digested waste. The total nitrogen and phosphorus content of the residual was determined to be in the range of 9–17% as N and 3–7% as P (7–16% as P2O5). The biogas yields varied in the range of 0.47–0.57 mL per mg of volatile solids digested.