James, SE; (2016) 'Not Yet' Materialized: Carlfriedrich Claus's 'Talking Papers'. Art History , 39 (4) pp. 796-819. 10.1111/1467-8365.12268 .
http://ift.tt/2eYEOuE
Medicine by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis,Anapafseos 5 Agios Nikolaos,Crete 72100,Greece,tel :00302841026182 & 00306932607174
Δευτέρα 21 Νοεμβρίου 2016
‘Not Yet’ Materialized: Carlfriedrich Claus's ‘Talking Papers’
Molecular Surveillance Identifies Multiple Transmissions of Typhoid in West Africa
Wong, VK; Holt, KE; Okoro, C; Baker, S; Pickard, DJ; Marks, F; Page, AJ; Wong, VK; Holt, KE; Okoro, C; Baker, S; Pickard, DJ; Marks, F; Page, AJ; Olanipekun, G; Munir, H; Alter, R; Fey, PD; Feasey, NA; Weill, F-X; Le Hello, S; Hart, PJ; Kariuki, S; Breiman, RF; Gordon, MA; Heyderman, RS; Jacobs, J; Lunguya, O; Msefula, C; MacLennan, CA; Keddy, KH; Smith, AM; Onsare, RS; De Pinna, E; Nair, S; Amos, B; Dougan, G; Obaro, S; - view fewer (2016) Molecular Surveillance Identifies Multiple Transmissions of Typhoid in West Africa. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases , 10 (9) , Article e0004781. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004781 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2fhOprA
Sur quelques question d'équidistribution en géométrie arithmétique
Richard, R; Shah, N; (2009) Sur quelques question d'équidistribution en géométrie arithmétique. Doctoral thesis, Université Rennes 1. Gold open access
http://ift.tt/2eYGcgL
Islands for learning and playing – Leopold Primary School Playground Structures
Storp, S; Weber, P; (2015) Islands for learning and playing – Leopold Primary School Playground Structures. In: Tulum, H, (ed.) Theory and History of Architecture Conference: ARCHTHEO '15. (pp. pp. 114-123). DAKAM: Istanbul, Turkey.
http://ift.tt/2fhUswB
Home/Life – A register of adaptations to the fabric of Le Corbusier's Unite in Briey, France
Weber, PM; (2015) Home/Life – A register of adaptations to the fabric of Le Corbusier's Unite in Briey, France. In: Tulum, H, (ed.) Theory and History of Architecture Conference: ARCHTHEO '15. (pp. pp. 270-281). DAKAM: Istanbul, Turkey.
http://ift.tt/2eYGG6D
Interictal epileptiform discharges have an independent association with cognitive impairment in children with lesional epilepsy
Glennon, JM; Weiss-Croft, L; Harrison, S; Cross, JH; Boyd, SG; Baldeweg, T; (2016) Interictal epileptiform discharges have an independent association with cognitive impairment in children with lesional epilepsy. Epilepsia , 57 (9) pp. 1436-1442. 10.1111/epi.13479 .
http://ift.tt/2fhHYoG
HCV reinfection incidence and spontaneous clearance rates in HIV-positive men who have sex with men in Western Europe
Ingiliz, P; Martin, TC; Rodger, A; Stellbrink, HJ; Mauss, S; Boesecke, C; Mandorfer, M; Ingiliz, P; Martin, TC; Rodger, A; Stellbrink, HJ; Mauss, S; Boesecke, C; Mandorfer, M; Bottero, J; Baumgarten, A; Bhagani, S; Lacombe, K; Nelson, M; Rockstroh, JK; NEAT study group, .; - view fewer (2016) HCV reinfection incidence and spontaneous clearance rates in HIV-positive men who have sex with men in Western Europe. Journal of Hepatology 10.1016/j.jhep.2016.09.004 . (In press).
http://ift.tt/2eYG94z
Diagnosis of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2 disease): Expert recommendations for early detection and laboratory diagnosis
Fietz, M; AlSayed, M; Burke, D; Cohen-Pfeffer, J; Cooper, JD; Dvořáková, L; Giugliani, R; Fietz, M; AlSayed, M; Burke, D; Cohen-Pfeffer, J; Cooper, JD; Dvořáková, L; Giugliani, R; Izzo, E; Jahnová, H; Lukacs, Z; Mole, SE; Noher de Halac, I; Pearce, DA; Poupetova, H; Schulz, A; Specchio, N; Xin, W; Miller, N; - view fewer (2016) Diagnosis of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2 disease): Expert recommendations for early detection and laboratory diagnosis. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism , 119 (1-2) pp. 160-167. 10.1016/j.ymgme.2016.07.011 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2fhUy77
Social network analysis in medical education
Isba, R; Woolf, K; Hanneman, R; (2016) Social network analysis in medical education. Medical Education 10.1111/medu.13152 . (In press).
http://ift.tt/2eYE492
Non-invasive quantification of prostate cancer using AMICO framework for VERDICT MRI
Bonet-Carne, E; Daducci, A; Panagiotaki, E; Johnston, E; Stevens, N; Atkinson, D; Punwani, S; Bonet-Carne, E; Daducci, A; Panagiotaki, E; Johnston, E; Stevens, N; Atkinson, D; Punwani, S; Alexander, DC; - view fewer (2016) Non-invasive quantification of prostate cancer using AMICO framework for VERDICT MRI. In: Proceedings of the ISMRM 24th Annual Meeting & Exhibition. (pp. p. 3465). International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM): Singapore.
http://ift.tt/2fhUK6r
On DLA's η
Kawakatsu, H; Montagner, J-P; Song, TRA; (2015) On DLA's η. GSA Special Papers , 514 pp. 33-38. 10.1130/2015.2514(03) . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2eYGa8V
Clinical characteristics and predictors of gangrene in patients with systemic sclerosis and digital ulcers in the Digital Ulcer Outcome Registry: a prospective, observational cohort
Allanore, Y; Denton, CP; Krieg, T; Cornelisse, P; Rosenberg, D; Schwierin, B; Matucci-Cerinic, M; Allanore, Y; Denton, CP; Krieg, T; Cornelisse, P; Rosenberg, D; Schwierin, B; Matucci-Cerinic, M; DUO Investigators, .; - view fewer (2016) Clinical characteristics and predictors of gangrene in patients with systemic sclerosis and digital ulcers in the Digital Ulcer Outcome Registry: a prospective, observational cohort. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases , 75 (9) pp. 1736-1740. 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209481 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2fhRPus
A comprehensive basis for determining the allocation of urban street space
Jones, PM; (2016) A comprehensive basis for determining the allocation of urban street space. In: Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Transport Research. World Conference on Transport Research: Shanghai, China.
http://ift.tt/2eYBgZn
The evolution of urban transport policy from car-based to people-based cities: is this development path universally applicable?
Jones, PM; (2016) The evolution of urban transport policy from car-based to people-based cities: is this development path universally applicable? In: Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Transport Research. Elsevier: Shanghai, China. (In press).
http://ift.tt/2fhUvbr
Circulating Apolipoprotein E Concentration and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Meta-analysis of Results from Three Studies
Sofat, R; Cooper, JA; Kumari, M; Casas, JP; Mitchell, JP; Acharya, J; Thom, S; Sofat, R; Cooper, JA; Kumari, M; Casas, JP; Mitchell, JP; Acharya, J; Thom, S; Hughes, AD; Humphries, SE; Hingorani, AD; - view fewer (2016) Circulating Apolipoprotein E Concentration and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Meta-analysis of Results from Three Studies. PLoS Medicine , 13 (10) , Article e1002146. 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002146 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2eYE48O
Dynamics of magnetic modulation of ferrofluid droplets for digital microfluidic applications
Sen, U; Chatterjee, S; Sen, S; Tiwari, MK; Mukhopadhyay, A; Ganguly, R; (2017) Dynamics of magnetic modulation of ferrofluid droplets for digital microfluidic applications. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials , 421 pp. 165-176. 10.1016/j.jmmm.2016.07.048 .
http://ift.tt/2fhUl49
Challenges in species tree estimation under the multispecies coalescent model
Yang, Z; Xu, B; (2016) Challenges in species tree estimation under the multispecies coalescent model. Genetics (In press).
http://ift.tt/2eYG4y5
Efficient Bayesian species tree inference under the multispecies coalescent
Yang, Z; Rannala, B; (2017) Efficient Bayesian species tree inference under the multispecies coalescent. Systematic Biology (In press).
http://ift.tt/2fhVPLM
The Temporal Politics of Spiritual Conquest: History, Geography and Franciscan Orientalism in the Conquista Espiritual do Oriente of Friar Paulo da Trindade
Biedermann, Z; (2016) The Temporal Politics of Spiritual Conquest: History, Geography and Franciscan Orientalism in the Conquista Espiritual do Oriente of Friar Paulo da Trindade. Culture & History Digital Journal , 5 (2) , Article e014. 10.3989/chdj.2016.014 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2eYDhF1
eReaxFF: a pseudoclassical treatment of explicit electrons within reactive force field simulations
We present a computational tool, eReaxFF, for simulating explicit electrons within the framework of the standard ReaxFF reactive force field method. We treat electrons explicitly in a pseudoclassical manner that enables simulation several orders of magnitude faster than quantum chemistry (QC) methods, while retaining the ReaxFF transferability. We delineate here the fundamental concepts of the eReaxFF method and the integration of the Atom condensed Kohn-Sham DFT approximated to second order (ACKS2) charge calculation scheme into the eReaxFF. We trained our force field to capture electron affinities (EA) of various species. As a proof-of-principle, we performed a set of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with an explicit electron model for representative hydrocarbon radicals. We establish a good qualitative agreement of EAs of various species with experimental data, and MD simulations with eReaxFF agree well with the corresponding Ehrenfest dynamics simulations. The standard ReaxFF parameters available in the literature are transferrable to the eReaxFF method. The computationally economic eReaxFF method will be a useful tool for studying large-scale chemical and physical systems with explicit electrons as an alternative to computationally demanding QC methods.
http://ift.tt/2gaLqGc
Influence of orientation and radiative heat transfer on aluminum foams in Buoyancy-induced convection
Two differently-produced open-cell aluminum foams were compared to a commercially available finned heat sink. Further, an aluminum plate and block were tested as a reference. All heat sinks have the same base plate dimensions of four by six inches. The first foam was made by investment casting of a polyurethane preform and has a porosity of 0.946 and a pore density of 10 pores per linear inch. The second foam is manufactured by casting over a solvable core and has a porosity of 0.85 and a pore density of 2.5 pores per linear inch. The effects of orientation and radiative heat transfer are experimentally investigated. The heat sinks are tested in a vertical and horizontal orientation. The effect of radiative heat transfer is investigated by comparing a painted/anodized heat sink with an untreated one. The heat flux through the heat sink for a certain temperature difference between the environment and the heat sink's base plate is used as the performance indicator. For temperature differences larger than 30 °C, the finned heat sink outperforms the in-house-made aluminum foam heat sink on average by 17%. Furthermore, the in-house-made aluminum foam dissipates on average 12% less heat than the other aluminum foam for a temperature difference larger than 40 °C. By painting/anodizing the heat sinks, the heat transfer rate increased on average by 10% to 50%. Finally, the thermal performance of the horizontal in-house-made aluminum foam heat sink is up to 18% larger than the one of the vertical aluminum foam heat sink.
http://ift.tt/2gaO5PS
Minimal basis iterative stockholder: atoms in molecules for force-field development
Atomic partial charges appear in the Coulomb term of many force-field models and can be derived from electronic structure calculations with a myriad of atoms-in molecules (AIM) methods. More advanced models have also been proposed, using the distributed nature of the electron cloud and atomic multipoles. In this work, an electrostatic force field is defined through a concise approximation of the electron density, for which the Coulomb interaction is trivially evaluated. This approximate "pro-density" is expanded in a minimal basis of atom-centered s-type Slater density functions, whose parameters are optimized by minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence of the pro-density from a reference electron density, e.g., obtained from an electronic structure calculation. The proposed method, Minimal Basis Iterative Stockholder (MBIS), is a variant of the Hirshfeld AIM method, but it can also be used as a density-fitting technique. An iterative algorithm to refine the pro-density is easily implemented with a linear-scaling computational cost, enabling applications to supramolecular systems. The benefits of the MBIS method are demonstrated with systematic applications to molecular databases and extended models of condensed phases. A comparison to 14 other AIM methods shows its effectiveness when modeling electrostatic interactions. MBIS is also suitable for rescaling atomic polarizabilities in the Tkatchenko-Scheffler scheme for dispersion interactions.
http://ift.tt/2g9kBhX
RTM production monitoring of the A380 hinge arm droop nose mechanism: a multi-sensor approach
his research presents a case study of production monitoring on an aerospace composite component: the hinge arm of the droop nose mechanism on the Airbus A380 wing leading edge. A sensor network composed of Fibre Bragg Gratings, capacitive sensors for cure monitoring and thermocouples was embedded in its fibre reinforced lay-up and measurements were acquired throughout its Resin Transfer Moulding production process. Two main challenges had to be overcome: first, the integration of the sensor lines in the existing Resin Transfer Moulding mould without modifying it; second, the demoulding of the component without damaging the sensor lines. The proposed embedding solution has proved successful. The wavelength shifts of the Fibre Bragg Gratings were observed from the initial production stages, over the resin injection, the complete curing of the resin and the cooling-down prior to demoulding. The sensors proved to be sensitive to detecting the resin flow front, vacuum and pressure increase into the mould and the temperature increase caused by the resin curing. Measurements were also acquired during the post-curing cycle. Residual strains during all steps of the process were derived from the sensors' wavelength shift, showing values up to 0.2% in compression. Moreover, the capacitive sensors were able to follow-up the curing degree during the production process. The sensors proved able to detect the resin flow front, whereas thermocouples could not measure an appreciable increase of temperature due to the fact that the resin had the same temperature as the mould.
http://ift.tt/2guYR49
Film-veiwing in Turkish and Moroccan diasporic families: a gender and place perspective
This article explores the relation between gender identities and spatial aspects of audience reception by means of a case study on film-viewing in the Turkish and Moroccan diasporic communities in the Belgian city of Antwerp. Drawing on feminist and gender approaches to audience reception on the one hand, and research into the spatial dynamics underlying audience reception on the other, we look at film-viewing as a socially and spatially meaningful practice that is relevant for the understanding of gender identities in diasporic families. This article is based on the results of a four-year project on diasporic film cultures in Antwerp that investigated how film-viewing practices relate to social and cultural dynamics within the Turkish and Moroccan communities. The data that are discussed include participant observations, in-depth interviews and group interviews with a varied sample of people with Turkish and Moroccan backgrounds. The results show that although film-viewing, especially in the public space of the film theatre, can be mobilized by women as an emancipating social practice, gendered power structures often prevail. Also in the domestic contexts, a more traditional gender division is articulated by the respondent concerning family viewing. We conclude that the space of the film theatre and film-going serve the continuity and stability of gendered family relations, rather than subverting them.
http://ift.tt/2g9oh35
Water coordination and dehydration processes in defective UiO-66 type metal organic frameworks
The UiO-66 metal organic framework is one of the most thermally and chemically stable hybrid materials reported to date. However, it is also accepted that the material contains structurally embedded defects, which may be engineered to enhance properties towards specific applications such as catalysis, sensing, etc. The synthesis conditions determine to a large extent the level of perfection of the material and additionally the catalytic activity may be enhanced by post-synthesis activation at high temperature under vacuum, in which defect coordinating species (H2O, HCl, monocarboxylic modulators, etc.) evaporate. The molecular level characterization of defects is extremely challenging from both theoretical and experimental points of view. Such experimental endeavor was recently proposed via experimental SXRD measurements, also unraveling the coordination of water on the Zr-O-Zr defect sites [Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 11162-11167]. The present work provides a theoretical understanding of defect structures in UiO-66(Zr) by means of periodic density functional theory calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. A range of defect structures are generated with different numbers of missing linkers. For each of the defects, the free energetic and mechanical stability is discussed and the coordination of water and charge balancing hydroxide ions is studied. For catalysis applications, the material is mostly pretreated to remove water by dehydration reactions. For each of the proposed defect structures, mechanistic pathways for dehydration reactions of the Zr-bricks are determined employing nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations. During the dehydroxylation trajectory, loose hydroxyl groups and terephthalate decoordinations are observed. Furthermore, dehydration reactions are lower activated if terephthalate linkers are missing in the immediate environment of the inorganic brick. The creation of defects and the dehydration processes have a large impact on the mechanical properties of the material, which is evidenced by lower bulk moduli and elastic constants for structures with more defects.
http://ift.tt/2guR5Hs
Characterization of a new pink-fruited tomato mutant results in the identification of a null allele of the SlMYB12 transcription factor
The identification and characterization of new tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutants affected in fruit pigmentation and nutritional content can provide valuable insights into the underlying biology, as well as a source of new alleles for breeding programs. To date, all characterized pink-pigmented tomato fruit mutants appear to result from low SlMYB12 transcript levels in the fruit skin. Two new mutant lines displaying a pink fruit phenotype (pf1 and pf2) were characterized in this study. In the pf mutants, SlMYB12 transcripts accumulated to wild-type levels but exhibited the same truncation, which resulted in the absence of the essential MYB activation domain coding region. Allelism and complementation tests revealed that both pf mutants were allelic to the y locus and showed the same recessive null allele in homozygosis: Delta y. A set of molecular and metabolic effects, reminiscent of those observed in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) myb11 myb12 myb111 triple mutant, were found in the tomato Delta y mutants. To our knowledge, these have not been described previously, and our data support the idea of their being null mutants, in contrast to previously described transcriptional hypomorphic pink fruit lines. We detected a reduction in the expression of several flavonol glycosides and some associated glycosyl transferases. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that the effects of the pf mutations extended beyond the flavonoid pathway into the interface between primary and secondary metabolism. Finally, screening for Myb-binding sites in the candidate gene promoter sequences revealed that 141 of the 152 co-down-regulated genes may be direct targets of SlMYB12 regulation.
http://ift.tt/2guW5fn
HIV counselling and testing in secondary schools: what students want
Background: HIV counselling and testing (HCT) is an essential element in the response to the HIV epidemic. There are still major research gaps about the best ways to provide HCT, especially to the youth, and school-based HCT is a model that has been suggested. To make HCT youth friendly and to enhance access to the service, the particular needs of the youth need to be addressed. Aim: To explore the expressed needs of students about school-based HCT service provision. Method: The study was conducted in 6 secondary schools in Cape Town where a mobile HCT service is provided by a non-governmental organisation. In each school, two mixed gender focus groups were held, one with grades 8 and 9 students and one with grades 10 and 11. A total of 91 students aged 13-21 were involved. The focus groups were conducted in the students' home language. All groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Results: Content data analysis was done and the following themes emerged: (1) Where the students want HCT to be done, (2) How they want HCT to be done and (3) Who should do the counselling. Most students want HCT to be provided in schools on condition that their fears and expressed needs are taken into account. They raised concerns regarding privacy and confidentiality, and expressed the need to be given information regarding HCT before testing is done. They wanted staff providing the service to be experienced and trained to work with youth, and they wanted students who tested positive to be followed up and supported. Conclusion: To increase youth utilisation of the HCT service, their expressed needs should be taken into account when developing a model for school-based HCT.
http://ift.tt/2g9q3kR
Feminist practice and solidarity in secular societies: case studies on feminists crossing religious-secular divides in politics and practice in Antwerp, Belgium
In west European countries, public debates on migration, integration, and diversity are informed by particular understandings of secularism and the secular society. In our increasingly diverse societies, so the story goes, it is needed to implement a certain type of secularism and/or support particular types of secular standpoints in order to maintain a certain status quo that guarantees security, democracy, and equality for all. Religion is often perceived and simultaneously constructed in opposition to the emancipation and equal rights of women. This dominant logic, in which secularism and religion are opposites, makes it difficult for women of diverse religious–cultural backgrounds to cooperate on an equal footing for a shared feminist cause. However, feminist politics and practices that cross religious–secular divides can and do take place. Feminist research has so far paid little attention to the actualities of this feminist border-crossing and the transformations it may engender in our current sociopolitical context. In this article, I aim to offer a consideration of feminist politics and solidarity crossing religious–secular divides in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern region of Belgium. Through two case studies, I explore how cooperation and solidarity across religious–secular boundaries are developed and being talked about by activists. I argue that such feminist coalitions can and do directly and indirectly affect the public debates and inspire feminist thinking on issues regarding religion, secularism, and feminism in the multicultural society.
http://ift.tt/2guQnKr
Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and comorbidity of obsessive compulsive disorder and aortic aneurysm
Description
A 59-year-old man with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) was on antidepressant treatment for years. Six months ago, he got a severe headache on the left side of his head, reported pain behind his left eye, diplopia and ptosis displayed on his left eyelid. The patient had mild migraine attacks occasionally. However, his previous headache was very intense when compared with earlier ones. By cranial MRI, a lesion (22x7 mm horizontally, 13x8 mm vertically) adjacent to carotid segment 4 (C4) of the left internal carotid artery was found. The lesion showed a hyperintense signal in contrast-enhanced T2-weighted images, which was the result of enhanced abnormal soft tissue extending through the orbital fissure and into the orbital apex. This did not cause compression on the optic nerve and there was slight bulging into the left cavernous sinus (figure 1). The patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid biochemical parameters were within...
http://ift.tt/2guSaz6
Proofs as Cognitive or Computational: Ibn Sı̄nā’s Innovations
Abstract
We record the advances made by the eleventh century Persian logician Ibn Sina—known in the West as Avicenna—away from a purely cognitive view of proofs and towards a more computational view, and the kinds of consideration that led him to these advances. Some of Ibn Sina's new logics, which stand somewhere between Aristotle's categorical syllogisms and modern first-order logic, can serve as a kind of laboratory for testing what are the differences between Aristotelian and modern logic, and where these differences come from.
http://ift.tt/2gehO8t
Correction: Aortic valve replacement for Libman-Sacks endocarditis
Keenan JB, Janardhanan R, Larsen BT, et al. Aortic valve replacement for Libman-Sacks endocarditis. BMJ Case Reports 2016; doi:10.1136/bcr-2016-215914
The revised author list of this paper is as follows:
Jack B Keenan, Taufiek Konrad Rajab, Rajesh Janardhanan, Brandon T Larsen, Zain Khalpey
http://ift.tt/2gBAfaP
Cutaneous neck lesion of occult odontogenic origin: search for the tooth
The differential diagnosis for inflammatory neck swellings is vast. A swelling of dental origin should be considered because, while rare, they mimic more common causes of neck lumps. We report the case involving a recurrent submandibular swelling in a young female patient that was presumed to be an epidermoid cyst by her general medical practitioner. After 6 months of unsuccessful treatment in the community, an odontogenic source was identified and treated successfully following referral to a local Oral and Maxillofacial department.
http://ift.tt/2ge8DVq
Thyroid metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma with EML4-ALK rearrangement
Thyroid metastases from lung cancer are very rare. A woman aged 42 years with a tumour in the lower lobe of the right lung was diagnosed as having lung adenocarcinoma positive for echinoderm microtubule-associated proteinlike 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase. Positron emission tomography demonstrated fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation in the lower lobe of the right lung, the right thyroid lobe and both adrenal glands. We performed fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and used reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) to diagnose the patient as having metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the thyroid gland. We believe that FNAB combined with RT-PCR can be an effective method for diagnosing metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the thyroid gland.
http://ift.tt/2gBDz5Z
Successful improvement of Buschke-Löwenstein tumour in an HIV-infected patient with antiretroviral therapy alone
Buschke-Löwenstein tumour (BLT), also defined as giant condyloma acuminatum, is a rare exophytic tumour affecting the anogenital and perianal regions associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, with a potential of malignant transformation and which is at a greater risk in T-cell mediated immunodeficient patients. Different therapeutic options, alone or in combination, have been reported for the treatment of BLT including local therapy but wide surgical local excision is however recommended as the most important therapeutic intervention. We report a case of a HIV-infected man who developed a voluminous pelvic BLT which disappeared progressively under antiretroviral therapy with no additional treatment, contemporary to an improvement of his immunity, highlighting the possible spontaneous reversibility of HPV-induced tumours in treated HIV infection.
http://ift.tt/2ge42m2
Metastatic trichilemmal carcinoma in a patient with breast cancer
Trichilemmal carcinoma (TC) is described as a very rare cancer of the skin adnexa.1 2 Ninety per cent of the lesions present on the scalp. Prognostic factors in TC are limited to lymph node status and surgical margins, with no statistical significance observed for age or gender of the patient, size of tumour or locoregional recurrence. We present a 46-year-old black patient who developed TC during treatment for breast cancer. Postoperative histology of the scalp lesion excision confirmed no involved margins. At the three monthly appointment, the patient was reviewed and multiple, new scalp lesions were noted. A CT scan of the head, neck found multiple lesions on the scalp, limited to the soft tissue, not involving the outer table of the skull. There was bilateral invasion of the parotid glands. To the best of our knowledge, no syndromes or associations between breast cancer and adnexal skin tumours exist.
http://ift.tt/2gByiLK
Never forget basics
Description
A patient with open fracture of both bones of a leg was posted for wound debridement and external fixation. L3–L4 space was identified by the loss of resistance technique with Tuohy's needle. An epidural catheter was passed through the Tuohy's needle. Aspiration of epidural catheter resulted in cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) tap. We tried to pull the catheter while the needle was in situ. Although there was a little resistance, we could remove the catheter. When we inspected the catheter, it was found that epidural catheter tip with only the 8 cm mark was visible (figure 1). Immediately the Tuohy's needle was removed and it was concluded that the epidural catheter tip was neither palpable nor visible. The patient was given general anaesthesia and allowed surgeons to proceed with the planned surgery. We decided to document and explain to the patient about sheared catheter and not...
http://ift.tt/2gecnGi
Vascular compression of left renal vein: the nutcracker phenomenon
Description
A 75-year-old woman presented to the outpatient clinic with symptoms of upper abdominal pain radiating to the back. On evaluation with contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen, she was found to have carcinoma of the body of pancreas. Incidentally, vascular compression of the left renal vein was seen between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta (the nutcracker sign) (figure 1). In view of poor performance status, she underwent palliation with percutaneous splanchnic nerve radiofrequency ablation. Since she was asymptomatic for the vascular compression and serum creatinine was normal (1.2 mg/dL), she was observed for the same.
Figure 1
(A) Axial contrast-enhanced CT image showing mass lesion in the body of pancreas (asterisk) with dilated left renal vein, (B) magnified image showing compression of the left renal vein between the superior mesenteric artery and aorta with dilation of the proximal left renal vein (arrow).
http://ift.tt/2gBCNpj
Development of a nomogram for the prediction of pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Summary
Nomograms incorporating multiple prognostic factors are useful for individualized estimation of survival in cancer patients. However, nomograms for the prediction of pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with esophageal cancer are scarce. Here, we describe the development of a nomogram for predicting pCR after nCRT in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We retrospectively reviewed the records of 392 ESCC patients who underwent nCRT followed by esophagectomy. Seventy percent of the participants (n = 274) were randomly assigned to a training cohort, whereas the remaining 30% were included in a validation cohort (n = 118). Data from the training cohort were subjected to multivariate logistic regression analyses for selecting variables to be included in the nomogram. The performance of the resulting nomogram was internally and externally validated by calculating the bias-corrected concordance statistic (c-statistic) and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. After surgery, 25.77% of the study patients achieved pCR. The following variables were included in the nomogram: (i) age, (ii) pretreatment tumor length, (iii) history of head and neck cancer, (iv) post-nCRT albumin levels, and (v) post-nCRT endoscopic findings coupled with endoscopic biopsy results. The bias-corrected c-statistic and AUROC of the internal and external validation sets were 0.77 and 0.747, respectively. Our nomogram showed a good performance for predicting pCR after nCRT in ESCC patients.
http://ift.tt/2gudzbR
Review of chemotherapeutic approaches for operable and inoperable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Summary
The predominant histological types of esophageal cancer are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Since these two histological types present as different diseases in terms of their epidemiology, pathologenesis, and tumor biology, separate therapeutic approaches should be developed against each type. While surgical resection remains the dominant therapeutic intervention for patients with operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), their high rates of tumor recurrence have prompted investigation of multimodality therapies that combine surgery with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and chemoradiotherapy. In Japan, preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) followed by radical esophagectomy has been accepted as the standard therapeutic approach for resactable clinical Stage II/III ESCC. Similarly, the CDDP and 5-FU regimen has been accepted as the first-line treatment for metastatic and unresectable ESCCs in Japan. Thus, in Japan chemotherapy is an indispensable component of therapy for both resectable and unresectable ESCCs. This review discusses the current knowledge, rationale, and available data regarding chemotherapy for resectable and unresectable ESCCs.
http://ift.tt/2g8TMKH
Patterns of reflux in gastroesophageal reflux disease in pediatric population of New South Wales
Summary
This study is to determine the association of ambulatory pH monitoring (24hr pH) with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux and its other investigations. The clinical and epidemiological profiles of subjects referred for reflux disorders are also studied. Symptoms or group of symptoms, profiles and prior investigations of 1259 consecutive pediatric subjects (with 1332 24hr pH studies performed) referred for evaluation of reflux disorders between 1988 and 2012 were retrospectively studied. Chi-square or fisher exact test was used for hypothesis testing, student t-test for the comparison of means and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for comparing medians of continuous variables. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), defined as reflux causing major symptoms and complications, was diagnosed in 57.5% subjects of the total sample. Forty-three percent were girls and 56.7% were boys. The most common age group was between 4 months and 2 years (51.2%). Vomiting (64.4%) and irritability (74%) were the most common symptoms with the neurological conditions (23.2%) being the most frequent underlying condition. The parameters used in 24hr pH were significantly higher in those diagnosed with GERD (P < 0.0001). The prevalence of GERD was found to be significantly higher when both gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms were present (P = 0.008) at 66.4% than when compared with gastrointestinal (56.5%) and respiratory (52.2%) symptoms in isolation. Symptoms alone were not reliable in diagnosing GERD. Only 57.5% had GERD among patients referred for reflux disorders. 24hr pH is reliable and should be considered routine in reflux disorders, as it identifies patients with pathologic reflux and avoids a needless surgery. © 2016 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus
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Efficacy and safety of cisplatin-based versus nedaplatin-based regimens for the treatment of metastatic/recurrent and advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Cisplatin and nedaplatin show significant antitumor activity and have been widely used for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, it is still unclear whether the efficacy and safety of nedaplatin-based regimens are comparable to those of cisplatin-based regimens in patients with metastatic/recurrent or advanced ESCC. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of these two regimens for the treatment of metastatic/recurrent and advanced ESCC. We systematically searched Pubmed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database, as well as abstracts presented at conferences (all up to January 2015), for randomized-controlled and nonrandomized clinical trials that compared cisplatin-based and nedaplatin-based regimens in patients with metastatic/recurrent or advanced ESCC. Data were extracted from the original studies by two independent reviewers. This meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.3 (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration, 2014) software. Ten eligible trials, including 598 patients diagnosed with metastatic/recurrent or advanced ESCC, were included in our analysis. Our results demonstrated that the nedaplatin-based regimens were comparable to the cisplatin-based regimens in terms of overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio, HR: 1.22, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.86–1.74, p = 0.26) and overall response rate (ORR) (risk ratio, RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.77–1.10, p = 0.37) and generated fewer grade 3 and 4 side effects including nausea (RR: 3.41, 95% CI: 1.67–6.96, p < 0.001) and vomiting (RR: 3.62, 95% CI: 1.77–7.40, p < 0.001) and fewer grade 1 and 2 adverse events including nausea (RR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.23–1.93, p < 0.001), vomiting (RR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.76–2.30, p < 0.001), peripheral neuropathy (RR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.08–2.84, p = 0.02) and renal dysfunction (creatinine) (RR: 3.28, 95% CI: 1.37–7.84, p = 0.008). This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that the efficacy of nedaplatin-based regimens was comparable to that of cisplatin-based regimens for patients with metastatic/recurrent or advanced ESCC, and that nedaplatin-based regimens were associated with less toxicity and better tolerability. However, this study was a meta-analysis of previously released data; therefore, there is a potential publication bias and heterogeneity among the included trials. Future, well-designed RCTs with large cohorts are warranted.
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Long-term benefit of transoral incisionless fundoplication using the esophyx device for the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease responsive to medical therapy
Summary
Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) using the EsophyX device has been shown to be effective and safe in patients with Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); however, the subset of patients that would mostly benefit from this technique remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of the TIF procedure in patients with a history of esophagitis or proven chronic GERD who have achieved symptom control with the administration of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) but did not wish to continue receiving medications for life. Forty-five patients with typical GERD symptoms (heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain) and a history of esophagitis grade A and B or proven GERD by esophageal pH monitoring underwent TIF using Esophyx. Patients with eosphagitis C and D or those with large hiatal hernias (>2 cm in length) were excluded. The primary clinical effectiveness measure was GERD symptom elimination at follow up based on normalization of the GERD health related quality of life (GERD-HRQL) questionnaire. After a median follow up period of 59 months (36–75) the median GERD-HRQL scores improved significantly from 27 (2–45) at baseline to 4 (0–26) (P < 0.001) in the 44 patients completing the study. Heartburn was eliminated in 12 out of the 21 patients included (57.1%), regurgitation was eliminated in 15 out of the 17 patients included (88.2%) and finally chest pain was eliminated in 5 patients out of the six patients included (83.3%). Overall, 32 patients out of the 44 patients (72.7%) that completed the study follow up reported elimination of their main symptom, without the need for PPI administration (none PPI usage). Furthermore, six more patients (13.6%), five with heartburn, and one with regurgitation reported half PPI dose taken for <50% of the preceding follow up period (occasional PPI usage), while six more patients (four with heartburn, one with regurgitation, and one with chest pain) reported full or half PPI dose taken for more than 50% of the preceding follow up period (daily PPI usage). Creation of an esophagogastric fundoplication using the EsophyX device abolished reflux symptoms in 72.7% of PPI-responsive GERD patients at a median 59 month follow-up.
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Tagging polymorphisms of methyl-CpG binding domain 4 and gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma risk in a Chinese population
Summary
Potential effects of genetic factors on carcinogenesis of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA) may exist. The present experiment specifically evaluated the genetic influence of single nucleotide in methyl-CpG binding domain 4 (MBD4) on GCA tumorigenesis. A case–control experiment based on hospital recruited 330 GCA patients and 608 non-cancer patients was carried out. We employed ligation detection reaction method to detect the genotypes. The results revealed that MBD4 rs3138373, rs2005618, and rs3138355 mutations had no significant association with the risk of GCA. However, a lower risk of GCA presented in male patients who carried the MBD4 rs3138355 G>A polymorphic loci by the stratified analyses. In general, The MBD4 gene polymorphism could not influence GCA hereditary predisposition. Nevertheless, whether the finding learned from our experiment could apply to other ethnic groups will remain vague until future multicenter studies further test and verify our conclusions.
http://ift.tt/2g8SFux
Fracture toughness and cracking behaviour of SCC compared to VC
Vibrated concrete (VC) and self-compacting concrete (SCC) have a substantially different composition, resulting in dissimilar mechanical properties regarding cracking behaviour. The critical value of the mode I stress-intensity factor KIC is an appropriate fracture parameter for evaluating fracture toughness and can be obtained from three-point bending tests (3PBT) on small, notched specimens. Subsequent determination of the energy release rate thus allows to examine the crack propagation and fracture process of both concrete types. This paper describes the results of such 3PBTs on samples, made from VC and SCC. Evaluation of the cracking behaviour, derived from these results, reveals remarkable differences.
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A clockwork orange
Book review of "A Clockwork Orange" by Peter Krämer, published by Palgrave Macmillan, Controversies series.
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What's new in atopic eczema? An analysis of systematic reviews published in 2014. Part 2. Treatment and prevention
Summary
This review forms part of a series of annual updates that summarize the evidence base for atopic eczema (AE). It provides a summary of key findings from 12 systematic reviews (SRs) that were published or indexed during 2014, and focuses on the treatment and prevention of AE. For an update of SRs on the epidemiology, mechanisms of disease and methodological issues, see Part 1 of this update. Although phototherapy and various systemic medications (including ciclosporin, azathioprine and methotrexate) are commonly used to treat AE, many of these have not been robustly assessed in head-to-head randomized controlled trials. Educational interventions may improve AE severity and quality of life for children and their families. Intake of probiotics prenatally and postnatally may help prevent AE, but there is little evidence to suggest a role in the treatment of AE. Although no benefit was found for allergen avoidance in preventing AE, the use of immunotherapy to treat AE-associated aeroallergen sensitivity requires further evaluation. There is insufficient evidence for Vitamin D supplementation for the treatment of AE This overview of reviews provides a succinct guide for clinicians and patients wishing to remain up to date with the most recent evidence for the treatment and prevention of AE.
http://ift.tt/2gcuugq
Determining predictive outcome factors for a Multimodal Treatment Program in Low Back Pain Patients: a retrospective cohort study
Objectives: To determine the predictive outcome factors for a multifaceted rehabilitation program among acute and chronic low back pain (LBP) patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 565 (153 acute and 412 chronic) LBP patients who participated in a multimodal treatment program at an outpatient clinic in Belgium between 2007 to 2010. The predictive value of several factors including age, gender, body mass index, fat percentage, Oswestry Disability Index score, Beck Depression Index score, Numeric Rating Scale score for back and leg pain intensity, and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia score on favorable treatment outcome was examined using logistic regression analysis. Results: The results from the multivariate regression indicated that a higher score on the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (OR=0.92) decreases the odds of a favorable outcome following a multimodal treatment program in acute LBP. Older age (OR=0.97), low LBP intensity (OR=1.191), and higher scores on the Beck Depression Index (OR=0.96) and the Oswestry LBP Disability Index (OR=0.93) decreased the odds for a favorable treatment outcome in chronic LBP. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that predictive factors for (un)favorable treatment outcome differ between acute and chronic LBP. Specifically, the presence of kinesiophobia is predictive for poor treatment outcome in acute LBP. In chronic LBP, older age, low LBP intensity, and higher degrees of depression and LBP related disability levels are predictive for poor treatment outcome. Therefore, therapists should assess these predictive factors at intake to optimize the content of the multimodal treatment program to individual patient needs.
http://ift.tt/2gAPUqW
Caliphate and Kingship in a fifteenth-century literary history of Muslim leadership and pilgrimage: Al-Ḏahab al-Masbūk fī Ḏikr man Ḥağğa min al-Ḫulafāʾ wa-l-Mulūk: critical edition, annotated translation, and study by Jo Van Steenbergen
In Caliphate and Kingship in a Fifteenth-Century Literary History of Muslim Leadership and Pilgrimage Jo Van Steenbergen presents a new study, edition and translation of al-Ḏahab al-Masbūk fī Ḏikr man Ḥağğa min al-Ḫulafāʾ wa-l-Mulūk, a summary history of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca by al-Maqrīzī (766-845 AH/ca. 1365-1442 CE). Traditionally considered as a useful source for the history of the ḥağğ, al-Ḏahab al-Masbūk is re-interpreted here as a complex literary construction that was endowed with different meanings. Through detailed contextualist, narratological, semiotic and codicological analyses Van Steenbergen demonstrates how these meanings were deeply embedded in early-fifteenth century Egyptian transformations, how they changed substantially over time, and how they included particular claims about authorship and about legitimate and good Muslim rule.
http://ift.tt/2gdu7lu
De verkaveling in cijfers
Elk jaar worden duizenden gronden in Vlaanderen verkaveld. Het verkavelingsplan is één vand e oudste en meest gebruikte planningsinstrumenten in VLaanderen. Ongeveer één op vier gezinnen woon in een verkaveling. En toch weten we weini over verkavelingen. Met dit hoofdstuk vullen we dit kennishiaat in.
http://ift.tt/2gckbZO
Functional mechanisms underlying pleiotropic risk alleles at the 19p13.1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility locus
A locus at 19p13 is associated with breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) risk. Here we analyse 438 SNPs in this region in 46,451 BC and 15,438 OC cases, 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 73,444 controls and identify 13 candidate causal SNPs associated with serous OC (P = 9.2 x 10(-20)), ER-negative BC (P = 1.1 x 10(-13)), BRCA1-associated BC (P = 7.7 x 10(-16)) and triple negative BC (P-diff = 2 x 10(-5)). Genotype-gene expression associations are identified for candidate target genes ANKLE1 (P = 2 x 10(-3)) and ABHD8 (P<2 x 10(-3)). Chromosome conformation capture identifies interactions between four candidate SNPs and ABHD8, and luciferase assays indicate six risk alleles increased transactivation of the ADHD8 promoter. Targeted deletion of a region containing risk SNP rs56069439 in a putative enhancer induces ANKLE1 downregulation; and mRNA stability assays indicate functional effects for an ANKLE1 30-UTR SNP. Altogether, these data suggest that multiple SNPs at 19p13 regulate ABHD8 and perhaps ANKLE1 expression, and indicate common mechanisms underlying breast and ovarian cancer risk.
http://ift.tt/2fiXQKR
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