The goldberg variations I: Assessing the academic quality of multidimensional linear texts and their re-emergence in multimedia publications

After an introduction on the recent history of academic publishing in non-linear media, the article compares two versions of an academic publication by the American sociologist David Theo Goldberg. The two versions deal with the same subject matter, but one is a traditional scholarly article, the other published in an online journal in a non-linear format. While the academic article constructs a tight, linear argument, subordinating a range of themes to a single key theme, the non-linear text gives all themes equal weight, accommodates a greater amount of evidence and documentation, and has more scope for multimodality. © The Author(s) 2010

Treatment of patients with distant metastases from phyllodes tumor of the breast

BACKGROUND: Here, the treatment methods and results of patients with phyllodes tumor of the breast (PT) with distant metastases at a single institution are presented. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on a group of 295 patients with PT treated from 1952 to 2010. RESULTS: Distant metastases developed in 37 (12.5 %) patients; 3/160 (1.9 %) patients had benign PT, 6/36 (16.7 %) were considered borderline, and 28/99 (28.3 %) had malignant PT. Most frequently, the metastases were located in the lungs; 28 (75.7 %), bone 7 (18.9 %), brain 4 (10.8 %), and liver 2 (5.4 %). Metastases occurred on overage 21 months (2–57) after surgery. Patients with lung metastases were generally treated with monochemotherapy or polychemotherapy. In one patient Testosterone and in two patients resection of metastases combined with Doxorubicin were used. Patients with bones or brain metastases were treated with palliative radiotherapy only or combined with Doxorubicin. The mean survival (MS) from diagnosis of distant metastases (DM) was 7 months (2–17). The longest mean survival in patients with bones metastases was 11.8 months, the worst survival was for patients with brain metastases—2.8 months. Hormone therapy appeared to have low efficacy (MS: 2 months) as well as monochemotherapy (MS: 3–5 months). Improved MS was obtained using Doxorubicin (7 months) and Doxorubicin with Cisplatin, Cyclophosphamide, or Ifosfamide (9 months). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of patients with DM from PT is poor. The role of surgery and irradiation of such patients is very limited. There appears to be no role for the use of hormone therapy. This study showed that polychemotherapy with Doxorubicin and Ifosfamide suggest that it might be more effective than once thought

Recurrent mutations of BRCA1, BRCA2 and PALB2 in the population of breast and ovarian cancer patients in Southern Poland

Background Mutations in the BRCA1, BRCA2 and PALB2 genes are well-established risk factors for the development of breast and/or ovarian cancer. The frequency and spectrum of mutations in these genes has not yet been examined in the population of Southern Poland. Methods We examined the entire coding sequences of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and genotyped a recurrent mutation of the PALB2 gene (c.509_510delGA) in 121 women with familial and/or early-onset breast or ovarian cancer from Southern Poland. Results A BRCA1 mutation was identified in 11 of 121 patients (9.1 %) and a BRCA2 mutation was identified in 10 of 121 patients (8.3 %). Two founder mutations of BRCA1 accounted for 91 % of all BRCA1 mutation carriers (c.5266dupC was identified in six patients and c.181 T > G was identified in four patients). Three of the seven different BRCA2 mutations were detected in two patients each (c.9371A > T, c.9403delC and c.1310_1313delAAGA). Three mutations have not been previously reported in the Polish population (BRCA1 c.3531delT, BRCA2 c.1310_1313delAAGA and BRCA2 c.9027delT). The recurrent PALB2 mutation c.509_510delGA was identified in two patients (1.7 %). Conclusions The standard panel of BRCA1 founder mutations is sufficiently sensitive for the identification of BRCA1 mutation carriers in Southern Poland. The BRCA2 mutations c.9371A > T and c.9403delC as well as the PALB2 mutation c.509_510delGA should be included in the testing panel for this population

Induction of cancer-specific cytotoxicity towards human prostate and skin cells using quercetin and ultrasound

Bioflavonoids, such as quercetin, have recently emerged as a new class of chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of various cancer types, but are marred by their low potency and poor selectivity. We report that a short application of low-frequency ultrasound selectively sensitises prostate and skin cancer cells against quercetin. Pretreatment of cells with ultrasound (20 kHz, 2 W cm−2, 60 s) selectively induced cytotoxicity in skin and prostate cancer cells, while having minimal effect on corresponding normal cell lines. About 90% of the viable skin cancer cell population was lost within 48 h after ultrasound-quercetin (50 μM) treatment. Ultrasound reduced the LC50 of quercetin for skin cancer cells by almost 80-fold, while showing no effect on LC50 for nonmalignant skin cells

Poland's 2011 Online Election Campaign: New Tools, New Professionalism, New Ways to Win Votes

This article analyzes the use of the online environment within the context of the Polish parliamentary election of 2011. Using traditional methods of content analysis, we find that parties tend to adhere to a professionalized model of campaigning, and adapting online tools to suit the objectives of the campaign. There also appears to be a recognition that their most likely visitors to these online presences would be converts, and so they attempt to mobilize supporters rather than convert browsers. New parties and candidates are more likely to target browsers, with the latter offering a more personalized experience to online visitors. Importantly, when analyzing the outcome of the contest, we find that being online matters for candidates when controlling for all other variables. Equally, the reach the candidate has, which may well influence their vote share, is dependent on offering a more personalized, representational image and having a frequently updated online presence that should encourage repeat visits. Cumulatively, we suggest the future of online campaigning must not only focus on having a presence, but on using it in a way that appeals to a range of visitors, encouraging repeat visits, and that this strategy could have a positive impact on election outcomes. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Small molecule sensitization to TRAIL is mediated via nuclear localization, phosphorylation and inhibition of chaperone activity of Hsp27

10.1038/cddis.2013.413Cell Death and Disease410