445 research outputs found
Concept of finite limit of a function at a point: meanings and specific terms
Get PDFIn this paper, we present some results of an exploratory study performed with students aged 16-17. We investigate the different uses that these students make of terms such as âto approachâ, âto tendâ, âto reachâ, âto exceedâ and âlimitâ that describe the basic notions related to the concept of the finite limit of a function at a point. We use the interpretive framework of conceptual analysis to infer the meanings that students associate with these specific terms in connection with the effective use of terms in their answers.This study was performed with aid and financing from Fellowship FPU AP2010-0906 (MEC-FEDER), Projects EDU2009-11337 and EDU2012-33030 of the National Plan for R&D&R (MICIN), Subprogram EDUC and Group FQM-193 of the 3rd Andalusian Research Plan (PAIDI).This chapter is derived in part from an article published in International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 05 Jul 2013, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/0020739X.2013.80588
Non-traumatic myositis ossificans mimicking a malignant neoplasm in an 83-year-old woman: a case report
Get PDF<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Myositis ossificans is a benign, self-limiting condition that usually affects young, athletically active men. To the best of our knowledge, this case report describes the oldest recorded patient with myositis ossificans.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Our patient was an 83-year-old Japanese woman who presented with a one week history of a palpable mass in the left thigh. She had a history of surgery for transverse colon cancer and lung cancer at the ages of 73 and 80, respectively. Clinical and radiological examinations suggested a malignant neoplasm such as metastatic carcinoma or extraskeletal osteosarcoma. A diagnosis of myositis ossificans was made by core needle biopsy. Our patient was asymptomatic and had no recurrence at one year follow-up.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Clinicians should consider myositis ossificans as a possible diagnosis for a soft tissue mass in the limb of an older patient, thereby avoiding unnecessarily aggressive therapy.</p
The regulatory subunit of PKA-I remains partially structured and undergoes ÎČ-aggregation upon thermal denaturation
Get PDFBackground: The regulatory subunit (R) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is a modular flexible protein that responds with large conformational changes to the binding of the effector cAMP. Considering its highly dynamic nature, the protein is rather stable. We studied the thermal denaturation of full-length RIα and a truncated RIα(92-381) that contains the tandem cyclic nucleotide binding (CNB) domains A and B. Methodology/Principal Findings: As revealed by circular dichroism (CD) and differential scanning calorimetry, both RIα proteins contain significant residual structure in the heat-denatured state. As evidenced by CD, the predominantly α-helical spectrum at 25°C with double negative peaks at 209 and 222 nm changes to a spectrum with a single negative peak at 212-216 nm, characteristic of ÎČ-structure. A similar αâÎČ transition occurs at higher temperature in the presence of cAMP. Thioflavin T fluorescence and atomic force microscopy studies support the notion that the structural transition is associated with cross-ÎČ-intermolecular aggregation and formation of non-fibrillar oligomers. Conclusions/Significance: Thermal denaturation of RIα leads to partial loss of native packing with exposure of aggregation-prone motifs, such as the B' helices in the phosphate-binding cassettes of both CNB domains. The topology of the ÎČ-sandwiches in these domains favors inter-molecular ÎČ-aggregation, which is suppressed in the ligand-bound states of RIα under physiological conditions. Moreover, our results reveal that the CNB domains persist as structural cores through heat-denaturation. © 2011 Dao et al
Bilateral gluteal metastases from a misdiagnosed intrapelvic gastrointestinal stromal tumor
Get PDF<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The location of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) outside of the gastrointestinal system is a rare event.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 56-year old woman presented with a GIST of the pelvis was misdiagnosed and treated as a uterine leiomyosarcoma. The diagnosis was made after the CD117 (KIT) positivity in the biopsy of the excised bowel mass four years from the first presentation. During this period she presented a bilateral muscle and subcutaneous metastasis in the gluteal area.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The correct diagnosis of the extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumor is a challenge even for experienced pathologists. CD117 (KIT) positivity is the most important immunohistochemical feature in the histological diagnosis. To our knowledge a metastatic EGIST (extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumor) to the skeletal muscle bilaterally has not been described previously in the English medical literature.</p
Immature teratoma presenting as a soft-tissue mass with no evidence of other sites of involvement: a case report
Full text linkThe contribution of Real Madridâs first five European Cups to the emergence of a common football space
Get PDFReal Madrid won the first five editions of the European Champion Clubsâ Cup (now formally known as the UEFA Champions League, and to which we will refer hereon as the European Cup) between 1956 and 1960, contributing decisively to the competitionâs consolidation. The tournamentâs history started towards the end of 1954, when a journalist of the French sports daily LâĂquipe, Gabriel Hanot, published an article arguing the need to organise a competition that could bring together the champions of every European league. However, this was not an original proposal. Thirty years before Hanotâs article proposals for such a football competition were circulated among the gameâs ruling elite. Unfortunately, at that time the lack of a good transport infrastructure to travel through Europe discouraged the proposers which, instead, turned their attention to regional supranational competitions, such as the Mitropa Cup or the Latin Cup. The first five editions of the European Cup witnessed as many victories of Real Madrid, thus forging an indissoluble bond between the competition and the Spanish club. These five European titles did not only cement the supremacy of Real Madrid on the pitch as a great football team, but they also contributed to the consolidation of the European Cup itself in the publicâs imaginary. We also argue that given the expectations raised by Real Madridâs triumphs across Europe those matches might have contributed as well to the emergence of a European football space. Since 1955 Real Madrid occupied an ever increasing space in the press across Europe. Real Madrid was then considered as the best expression of modernity in football. This chapter aims to analyse the meaning of these five European Cup titles for the emergence and definition of a nascent European football space. We, of course, also question whether such a common space can be found. The chapter explores in depth the reasons behind Real Madridâs enthusiasm with the new European competition. We also examine the social impact that Real Madridâs hegemony in the European Cup had in the context of Spainâs international isolation during General Francoâs dictatorship (1939-1975). In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, the chapter relies on thematic analysis of selected publications in the Spanish and British press during those years. Moreover, we have also relied on a review of academic literature on the role of Real Madrid during the Franco dictatorship years, mainly the 1950s and 60s. This chapter is part of wider on-going research. In this research we examine the content of two Spanish dailies (ABC and Marca) and three British newspapers (The Guardian, The Times and the Daily Mirror). We searched these newspapers for content related to Real Madrid on specific dates: The semifinal games (two legs) and the final of each one of the five years where Real Madrid won the European Cup. We searched for content the day of each match, the day before and two days after each one of the matches. This chapter is a presentation of the findings obtained through thematic analysis of the data obtained through those searches
A systematic review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of peer education and peer support in prisons.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Prisoners experience significantly worse health than the general population. This review examines the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of peer interventions in prison settings. METHODS: A mixed methods systematic review of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness studies, including qualitative and quantitative synthesis was conducted. In addition to grey literature identified and searches of websites, nineteen electronic databases were searched from 1985 to 2012. Study selection criteria were: Population: Prisoners resident in adult prisons and children resident in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs). INTERVENTION: Peer-based interventions Comparators: Review questions 3 and 4 compared peer and professionally led approaches. OUTCOMES: Prisoner health or determinants of health; organisational/ process outcomes; views of prison populations. STUDY DESIGNS: Quantitative, qualitative and mixed method evaluations. RESULTS: Fifty-seven studies were included in the effectiveness review and one study in the cost-effectiveness review; most were of poor methodological quality. Evidence suggested that peer education interventions are effective at reducing risky behaviours, and that peer support services are acceptable within the prison environment and have a positive effect on recipients, practically or emotionally. Consistent evidence from many, predominantly qualitative, studies, suggested that being a peer deliverer was associated with positive effects. There was little evidence on cost-effectiveness of peer-based interventions. CONCLUSIONS: There is consistent evidence from a large number of studies that being a peer worker is associated with positive health; peer support services are also an acceptable source of help within the prison environment and can have a positive effect on recipients. Research into cost-effectiveness is sparse. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO ref: CRD42012002349
Baseline Systemic Oral Corticosteroid Use in Patients with Asthma Initiating Dupilumab Treatment in the Real World: From the RAPID Global Registry
Get PDFNijra L Lugogo,1 Enrico Heffler,2,3 Vicente Plaza,4 Ole Hilberg,5 Changming Xia,6 Scott Nash,6 Nami Pandit,7 Juby A Jacob-Nara,7 Harry J Sacks,6 Paul J Rowe,7 Yamo Deniz,6 Megan Hardin,8 Xavier Soler6 1University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 2IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; 3Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy; 4Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; 5Lillebaelt Hospital, Vejle, Denmark; 6Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tarrytown, NY, USA; 7Sanofi, Bridgewater, NJ, USA; 8Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USACorrespondence: Nijra L Lugogo, University of Michigan Medical School, 300 North Ingalls St, Suite 2C40, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA, Email [email protected]
Accuracy in Copy Number Calling by qPCR and PRT: A Matter of DNA
Get PDFThe possible implication of copy number variation (CNV) in the genetic susceptibility to human disease needs to be assessed using robust methods that can be applied at a population scale. In this report, we analyze the performance of the two major techniques, quantitative PCR (qPCR) and paralog ratio test (PRT), and investigate the influence of input DNA amount and template integrity on the reliability of both methods. Analysis of three genes (PRELID1, SYNPO and DEFB4) in a large sample set showed that both methods are prone to false copy number assignments if sufficient attention is not paid to DNA concentration and quality. Accurate normalization of samples is essential for reproducible qPCR because it avoids the effect of differential amplification efficiencies between target and control assays, whereas PRT is generally more sensitive to template degradation due to the fact that longer amplicons are usually needed to optimize sensitivity and specificity of paralog sequence PCR. The use of normalized, high quality genomic DNA yields comparable results with both methods
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