bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initial Smoking Experiences and Current Smoking Behaviors and Perceptions among Current Smokers
Authors: Klein Hugh , Sterk Claire E. , Elifson Kirk W.
Published: September 2013

Purpose. We examine early-onset cigarette smoking and how, if at all, it is related to subsequent smoking practices.Methods. From 2004 to 2007, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 485 adult cigarette smokers residing in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Data analysis involved a multivariate analysis to determine whether age of smoking onset was related to current smoking practices when the effects of gender, age, race, marital/relationship status, income, and educational attainment were taken into account.Results. The mean age for smoking onset was 14.8, and more than one-half of all smokers had their first cigarette between the ages of 12 and 16. Most people reported an interval of less than one month between their first and second time using tobacco. Earlier onset cigarette smoking was related to more cigarette use and worse tobacco-related health outcomes in adulthood.Conclusions. Early prevention and intervention are needed to avoid early-onset smoking behaviors. Intervening after initial experimentation but before patterned smoking practices are established will be challenging, as the interval between initial and subsequent use tends to be short.
Heart Rate Variability Is Associated with Survival in Patients with Brain Metastasis: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Wang Yu-Ming , Wu Hau-Tieng , Huang Eng-Yen , Kou Yu Ru , Hseu Shu-Shya
Published: September 2013

Impaired heart rate variability (HRV) has been demonstrated as a negative survival prognosticator in various diseases. We conducted this prospective study to evaluate how HRV affects brain metastasis (BM) patients. Fifty-one BM patients who had not undergone previous brain operation or radiotherapy (RT) were recruited from January 2010 to July 2012, and 40 patients were included in the final analysis. A 5-minute electrocardiogram was obtained before whole brain radiotherapy. Time domain indices of HRV were compared with other clinical factors on overall survival (OS). In the univariate analysis, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) <70 (P=0.002) and standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval (SDNN) <10 ms (P=0.004) significantly predict poor survival. The multivariate analysis revealed that KPS <70 and SDNN <10 ms were independent negative prognosticators for survival in BM patients with hazard ratios of 2.657 and 2.204, respectively. In conclusion, HRV is associated with survival and may be a novel prognostic factor for BM patients.
Increased Glutamate and Homocysteine and Decreased Glutamine Levels in Autism: A Review and Strategies for Future Studies of Amino Acids in Autism
Authors: Ghanizadeh Ahmad
Published: September 2013

There are many reports about the significant roles of some amino acids in neurobiology and treatment of autism. This is a critical review of amino acids levels in autism. No published review article about the level of amino acids in autism was found. The levels of glutamate and homocystein are increased in autism while the levels of glutamine and tryptophan are decreased. Findings regarding the plasma levels of taurine and lysine are controversial. The urinary levels of homocysteine and essential amino acids in both the untreated and treated autistic children are significantly less than those in the controls. The current literature suffers from many methodological shortcomings which needed to be considered in future studies. Some of them are age, gender, developmental level, autism symptoms severity, type of autism spectrum disorders, medical comorbidities, intelligent quotient, diet, concomitant medications, body mass index, and technical method of assessment of amino acids.
Metabolic Signatures of KidneyYangDeficiency Syndrome and Protective Effects of Two Herbal Extracts in Rats Using GC/TOF MS
Authors: Zhao Linjing , Wu Hongbing , Qiu Mingfeng , Sun Wei , Wei Runmin , Zheng Xiaojiao , Yang Yiting , Xin Xue , Zou Haimiao , Chen Tianlu , Liu Jiajian , Lu Lina , Su Jing , Ma Chungwah , Zhao Aihua , Jia Wei
Published: September 2013

KidneyYangDeficiency Syndrome (KDS-Yang), a typical condition in Chinese medicine, shares similar clinical signs of the glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome. To date, the underlying mechanism of KDS-Yanghas been remained unclear, especially at the metabolic level. In this study, we report a metabolomic profiling study on a classical model of KDS-Yangin rats induced by hydrocortisone injection to characterize the metabolic transformation using gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. WKY1, a polysaccharide extract fromAstragalus membranaceusandLycium barbarum, and WKY2, an aqueous extract from a similar formula containingAstragalus membranaceus,Lycium barbarum,Morinda officinalis,Taraxacum mongolicum, andCinnamomum cassia presl, were used separately for protective treatments of KDS-Yang. The changes of serum metabolic profiles indicated that significant alterations of key metabolic pathways in response to abrupt hydrocortisone perturbation, including decreased energy metabolism (lactic acid, acetylcarnitine), lipid metabolism (free fatty acids, 1-monolinoleoylglycerol, and cholesterol), gut microbiota metabolism (indole-3-propionic acid), biosynthesis of catecholamine (norepinephrine), and elevated alanine metabolism, were attenuated or normalized with different degrees by the pretreatment of WKY1 or WKY2, which is consistent with the observations in which the two herbal agents could ameliorate biochemical markers of serum cortisone, adrenocorticotropic (ACTH), and urine 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS).
An Adaptive Unscented Particle Filter Algorithm through Relative Entropy for Mobile Robot Self-Localization
Authors: Yu Wentao , Peng Jun , Zhang Xiaoyong , Li Shuo , Liu Weirong
Published: September 2013

Self-localization is a basic skill for mobile robots in the dynamic environments. It is usually modeled as a state estimation problem for nonlinear system with non-Gaussian noise and needs the real-time processing. Unscented particle filter (UPF) can handle the state estimation problem for nonlinear system with non-Gaussian noise; however the computation of UPF is very high. In order to reduce the computation cost of UPF and meanwhile maintain the accuracy, we propose an adaptive unscented particle filter (AUPF) algorithm through relative entropy. AUPF can adaptively adjust the number of particles during filtering to reduce the necessary computation and hence improve the real-time capability of UPF. In AUPF, the relative entropy is used to measure the distance between the empirical distribution and the true posterior distribution. The least number of particles for the next step is then decided according to the relative entropy. In order to offset the difference between the proposal distribution, and the true distribution the least number is adjusted thereafter. The ideal performance of AUPF in real robot self-localization is demonstrated.
The Role of p38 MAPK in the Aetiopathogenesis of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
Authors: Mavropoulos Athanasios , Rigopoulou Eirini I. , Liaskos Christos , Bogdanos Dimitrios P. , Sakkas Lazaros I.
Published: September 2013

The pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for the induction of immune-mediated disorders, such as psoriasis, remain not well characterized. Molecular signaling pathways are not well described in psoriasis, as well as psoriatic arthritis, which is seen in up to 40% of patients with psoriasis. Signaling pathway defects have long been hypothesized to participate in the pathology of psoriasis, yet their implication in the altered psoriatic gene expression still remains unclear. Emerging data suggest a potential pathogenic role for mitogen activated protein kinases p38 (p38 MAPK) extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the development of psoriasis. The data are still limited, though, for psoriatic arthritis. This review discusses the current data suggesting a crucial role for p38 MAPK in the pathogenesis of these disorders.
TSH-Secreting Pituitary Macroadenoma in a Girl with Lingual Thyroid
Authors: Wacharasindhu S. , Shuangshoti S. , Sunthornyothin S.
Published: September 2013

Patients with long-standing hypothyroid are, in some cases, reported to develop pituitary gland hyperplasia due to loss of feedback inhibition of thyroxine in hypothalamus—the condition of which typically regresses after thyroxine replacement. Herein, a 15-year-old girl—with long-standing untreated lingual hypothyroid—presents with a pathologically proven TSH pituitary macroadenoma and bilateral large ovarian cysts. Although MR imaging may differentiate between hyperplasia and macroadenoma of the pituitary gland, pathological examination is still a cornerstone to correct diagnosis.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Some [1,2,4]Triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline Derivatives as Novel Anticonvulsant Agents
Authors: Alswah Mohamed , Ghiaty Adel , El-Morsy Ahmed , El-Gamal Kamal
Published: September 2013

2-([1,2,4]Triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-4-ylthio)acetic acid hydrazide (10) was used as a precursor for the syntheses of novel quinoxaline derivatives with potential anticonvulsant properties. The newly synthesized compounds have been characterized by IR, 1H NMR, and mass spectral data followed by elemental analysis. The anticonvulsant evaluation was carried out for eleven of the synthesized compounds using metrazol induced convulsions model and phenobarbitone sodium as a standard. Among this set of tested compounds, two of them (14, and 15b) showed the best anticonvulsant activities.
Kinetics and Product Selectivity (Yield) of Second Order Competitive Consecutive Reactions in Fed-Batch Reactor and Plug Flow Reactor
Authors: Selvamony Subash Chandra Bose
Published: September 2013

This literature compares the performance of second order competitive consecutive reaction in Fed-Batch Reactor with that in continuous Plug Flow Reactor. In a kinetic sense, this simulation study aims to develop a case for continuous Plug Flow Reactor in pharmaceutical, fine chemical, and related other chemical industries. MATLAB is used to find solutions for the differential equations. The simulation results show that, for certain cases of nonelementary scenario, product selectivity is higher in Plug Flow Reactor than Fed-Batch Reactor despite the fact that it is the same in both the reactors for elementary reaction. The effect of temperature and concentration gradients is beyond the scope of this literature.
Serum Paraoxonase 1 Activity Is Associated with Fatty Acid Composition of High Density Lipoprotein
Authors: Boshtam Maryam , Emami Razavi Amirnader , Pourfarzam Morteza , Ani Mohsen , Naderi Gholam Ali , Basati Gholam , Mansourian Marjan , Dinani Narges Jafari , Asgary Seddigheh , Abdi Soheila
Published: September 2013

Introduction. Cardioprotective effect of high density lipoprotein (HDL) is, in part, dependent on its related enzyme, paraoxonase 1 (PON1). Fatty acid composition of HDL could affect its size and structure. On the other hand, PON1 activity is directly related to the structure of HDL. This study was designed to investigate the association between serum PON1 activity and fatty acid composition of HDL in healthy men.Methods. One hundred and forty healthy men participated in this research. HDL was separated by sequential ultracentrifugation, and its fatty acid composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. PON1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically using paraxon as substrate.Results. Serum PON1 activity was directly correlated with the amount of stearic acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA). PON1/HDL-C was directly correlated with the amount of miristic acid, stearic acid, and DGLA and was inversely correlated with total amount ofω6 fatty acids of HDL.Conclusion. The fatty acid composition of HDL could affect the activity of its associated enzyme, PON1. As dietary fats are the major determinants of serum lipids and lipoprotein composition, consuming some special dietary fatty acids may improve the activity of PON1 and thereby have beneficial effects on health.
Lipschitz Estimates for Fractional Multilinear Singular Integral on Variable Exponent Lebesgue Spaces
Authors: Wu Hui-Ling , Lan Jia-Cheng
Published: September 2013

We obtain the Lipschitz boundedness for a class of fractional multilinear operators with rough kernels on variable exponent Lebesgue spaces. Our results generalize the related conclusions on Lebesgue spaces with constant exponent.
Pharmacological Treatment for Hepatopulmonary Syndrome
Authors: Eshraghian Ahad , Kamyab Amir A'lam , Yoon Seung Kew
Published: September 2013

Aim. Hepatopulmonary syndrome is a pulmonary dysfunction in the context of liver cirrhosis characterized by arterial deoxygenation. Affected patients have increased morbidity and mortality, and many of them expire before undergoing liver transplantation. Therefore, finding medical therapy as a bridge to transplantation or as a final treatment is necessary. In this study, we aimed to review the current literature about pharmacological options available for treatment of hepatopulmonary syndrome.Methods. A PubMED and Scopus search was conducted in January 2013 on the English literature published in any time period to find human and animal studies reporting pharmacological therapy of hepatopulmonary syndrome.Results. Out of 451 studies, 29 relevant articles were included. The number of patients, type, dose, duration, and mechanism of drugs in these studies was extracted and summarized separately. Most of pharmacologic agents act through inhibition of nitric oxide synthase and reduction in nitric oxide production, inactivation of endothelin-1, and treatment of bacterial translocation and pulmonary angiogenesis.Conclusion. Several drugs have been applied for the treatment of HPS with conflicting results. However, no large randomized trial has been conducted probably due to low number of patients. Multicentered clinical trials are necessary to investigate these drugs.
A Preliminary Assessment of Dispersion Level of SO2in Fars Industrial Region, South of Iran, by GIS
Authors: Dehghani Mansooreh , Taghizadeh Mohammad Mehdi , Hashemi Hassan , Rastgoo Ebrahim
Published: September 2013

The city of Zarghan is located 25 km northeast of Shiraz, southern Iran. Zarghan is affected by numerous pollution sources such as oil refinery, an industrial park, and Shiraz-Tehran highway. The numerous contaminating sources around Zarghan can cause serious local air pollution. Sulfur dioxide gas is an important index of air pollution in cities. Therefore, in order to control and manage Zarghan air quality, it is important to monitor sulfur dioxide concentration in the surrounding area. It is also essential to know about the contribution level of other sources of pollution as well as dispersion radius of pollutants in the area. In this study, the concentration of sulfur dioxide was measured by passive sampling at 10 different stations. These values were interpolated in other parts of the city using ArcGIS software. The results of sampling showed that the concentration of the gas was 60 µgm−3around oil refinery. The level was 19 µgm−3in region located about 3 km from the oil refinery. It was also demonstrated that the gas concentration was not higher than the standard limit within residential area. On the other hand, the role of the local highway and industrial park was not significant in contaminating air in urban areas.
Design and Synthesis of Sustain‐Acting Melatonin Prodrugs
Authors: Văn Thoại Phạm , Nam Nguyen Hai
Published: September 2013

Twelve melatonin amide prodrugs aiming at prolonging the action of melatonin in vivo by improving its half‐life were designed and synthesized. Using an 80% human plasma model, it was found that the aliphatic amide derivatives were relatively stable and melatonin release from these compounds was not sufficient with melatonin release percentage. After 4‐hour incubation with 80% human plasma, the melatonin release percentage achieved only approximately less than 20%. In contrast, the N1‐succinyl and N1‐glutaroylmelatonin derivatives (compounds 11 and 12, resp.) were found to release melatonin in much higher rates. After 3‐hour incubation in 80% human plasma, the melatonin release rates from 11 and 12 were found to be 67.3 and 75.6%, respectively. From these results, the N1‐succinyl and N1‐glutaroylmelatonin derivatives (compounds 11 and 12) could be promising as sustained release prodrugs of melatonin.
Optimization of Chemical Bath Deposited Mercury Chromium Sulphide Thin Films on Glass Substrate
Authors: Patil H. B. , Borse S. V.
Published: September 2013

Semiconducting thin films of ternary () have been deposited on glass substrate by the simple and economical chemical bath deposition method. We report the deposition and optimization of the solution growth parameters such as temperature, complexing agent, thiourea, and deposition time that maximizes the thickness of the deposited thin film. The X-ray diffraction deposited thin films having cubic structure. The thin films were uniform and adherent to substrate. The composition was found homogeneous and stoichiometric by EDAX analysis.
Idiopathic Orofacial Granulomatosis with Varied Clinical Presentation
Authors: Ravindran Rathy , Karunakaran Anila
Published: September 2013

Orofacial granulomatosis is a granulomatous disease of orofacial region, which can occur for a variety of reasons. The clinical features are highly variable and sometimes so insidious that signs and symptoms are not frequently severe to cause alarm. The lips are most commonly involved with persistent/recurrent swelling. The medical history is very important as Crohn’s disease and sarcoidosis can present oral manifestation. Other causes like mycobacterial infection, foreign body reaction, fungal infection, and allergy were excluded with further investigation to establish diagnosis. Here and we report a case of orofacial granulomatosis with a review of the literature.
Adaptive Fault-Tolerant Control for Flight Systems with Input Saturation and Model Mismatch
Authors: Wang Man , Yang Jianying , Li Nan
Published: September 2013

A novel scheme for fault-tolerant control is proposed in this paper, in which model reference adaptive control method is incorporated with control allocation to cope with simultaneous actuator failures, input saturation, and model mismatch in the flight system. In order to reduce performance degradation caused by actuator failures, the proposed scheme redistributes the control signal to healthy actuators and updates the weighting matrix based on actuator effectiveness. Because of saturation errors resulting from actuator constraints and model mismatch caused by abnormal changes in the system, the original reference model may not be appropriate. Under this circumstance, an adaptive reference model which can also provide satisfactory performance is designed. Simulations of a flight control example are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
IgE Sensitization to the Nonspecific Lipid-Transfer Protein Ara h 9 and Peanut-Associated Bronchospasm
Authors: Arkwright Peter D. , Summers Colin W. , Riley Beverley J. , Alsediq Najla , Pumphrey Richard S. H.
Published: September 2013

Allergen component analysis is now available in many laboratories. The aim of this study was to examine the possible association between peanut allergen IgE components and severity of clinical reactions in patients with a history of peanut allergy. Data and sera collected from 192 patients within the Manchester Allergy Research Database and Serum Bank were used in this retrospective study. Sensitization to peanut specific IgE and Ara h 1, 2, 3, and 8 peanut IgE components, as measured by fluoroenzyme immunoassay, was not associated with anaphylaxis. In contrast, sensitization to the lipid-transfer protein Ara h 9 was significantly more prevalent in patients with peanut-associated bronchospasm (26% versus 9% of patients), even after adjusting for potential confounding effects of age, gender, and severity of concomitant chronic atopic diseases. Patients who were sensitized to Ara h 9 were more likely to have ingested rather than just have had skin contact with peanut and have a more rapid onset of symptoms. These results are consistent with observations that sensitization to heat and protease resistant lipid-transfer protein components of hazelnut, grains, and fruit is predictive of anaphylaxis.
Protective Nature of Mangiferin on Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Tissues of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Sellamuthu Periyar Selvam , Arulselvan Palanisamy , Kamalraj Subban , Fakurazi Sharida , Kandasamy Murugesan
Published: September 2013

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of diabetes complications. The aim of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effect of oral administration of mangiferin in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by measuring the oxidative indicators in liver and kidney as well as the ameliorative properties. Administration of mangiferin to diabetic rats significantly decreased blood glucose and increased plasma insulin levels. The activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were significantly (P<0.05) decreased while increases in the levels of lipidperoxidation (LPO) markers were observed in liver and kidney tissues of diabetic control rats as compared to normal control rats. Oral treatment with mangiferin (40 mg/kg b.wt/day) for a period of 30 days showed significant ameliorative effects on all the biochemical and oxidative parameters studied. Diabetic rats treated with mangiferin restored almost normal architecture of liver and kidney tissues, which was confirmed by histopathological examination. These results indicated that mangiferin has potential ameliorative effects in addition to its antidiabetic effect in experimentally induced diabetic rats.
A Novel Four‐Component Reaction between Secondary Amines and Hydroxybenzaldehydes with Isocyanides in Water: An Efficient One‐Pot and Green Synthesis of Benzo[b]furan Derivatives
Authors: Vessally Esmail , Ramazani Ali , Shabrendi Hana , Ghadimi Roghaie , Rouhani Morteza
Published: September 2013

The novel benzo[b]furan derivatives, 7a–i, were synthesized and characterized by Ugi four‐component reaction between 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde derivative 1, a secondary amine 2, and an isocyanide 3 in water. Those reactions were carried out at room temperature with moderate to good yields in one pot.
Synthesis of Silver-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanocomposite by Pulse Mode Ultrasonication and Its Characterization Studies
Authors: Siva Vijayakumar T. , Karthikeyeni S. , Vasanth S. , Ganesh Arul , Bupesh G. , Ramesh R. , Manimegalai M. , Subramanian P.
Published: September 2013

The synthesis of silver-doped zinc oxide (Ag:ZnO) nanocomposite material was achieved using a simple chemical coprecipitation method, in which 0.2 M zinc chloride and 0.001 M silver nitrate coprecipitated with 25% ammonia solution by pulse mode dispersion using ultrasonicator. The obtained silvery white precipitate was dried overnight at 110°C in hot air oven, and the powder was collected. The resulted Ag:ZnO nanocomposite was structurally and optically characterized using various techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern clearly showed the presence of crystalline Ag:ZnO particles. Further, UV-Vis spectrophotometer and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results showed the presence of Ag:ZnO nanocomposite at specific wavelengths. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirm that the synthesized Ag:ZnO nanocomposite material was truncated nanorod in shape and has 48 to 226 nm size in diameter.
Low Serum Concentration of Obestatin as a Predictor of Mortality in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Beberashvili Ilia , Sinuani Inna , Azar Ada , Kadoshi Hadas , Shapiro Gregory , Feldman Leonid , Sandbank Judith , Averbukh Zhan
Published: September 2013

Obestatin, a proposed anorexigenic gut hormone, has been shown to have a number of beneficial cardiotropic effects in experimental studies. We hypothesized that obestatin alteration in hemodialysis patients may link to clinical outcomes. This cross-sectional study with prospective followup for almost 4 years was performed on 94 prevalent hemodialysis patients. Obestatin, leptin, proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α[TNF-α], interleukin-6, and various nutritional markers were measured. Patients with low obestatin levels, defined as a level less than median, had a worse all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. The crude all-cause (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.17 to 4.24) and cardiovascular mortality hazard ratios (HR 4.03, 95% CI 1.27 to 12.76) in these patients continued to be significant after adjustment for various confounders for all-cause mortality. Across the four obestatin-TNF-αcategories, the group with low obestatin and high TNF-α(above median level) exhibited a worse outcome in both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Clinical characteristics of patients in low obestatin high TNF-αgroup did not differ from other obestatin-TNF-αcategorized groups. In summary, low serum obestatin concentration is an independent predictor of mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients. Novel interactions were observed between obestatin and TNF-α, which were associated with mortality risk, especially those due to cardiovascular causes.
Intranasal, siRNA Delivery to the Brain by TAT/MGF Tagged PEGylated Chitosan Nanoparticles
Authors: Malhotra Meenakshi , Tomaro-Duchesneau Catherine , Saha Shyamali , Prakash Satya
Published: September 2013

Neurodegeneration is characterized by progressive loss of structure and function of neurons. Several therapeutic methods and drugs are available to alleviate the symptoms of these diseases. The currently used delivery strategies such as implantation of catheters, intracarotid infusions, surgeries, and chemotherapies are invasive in nature and pose a greater risk of postsurgical complications, which can have fatal side effects. The current study utilizes a peptide (TAT and MGF) tagged PEGylated chitosan nanoparticle formulation for siRNA delivery, administered intranasally, which can bypass the blood brain barrier. The study investigates the optimal dose, duration, biodistribution, and toxicity, of the nanoparticle-siRNA formulation, in-vivo. The results indicate that 0.5 mg/kg of siRNA is delivered successfully to the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and Purkinje cells in the cerebellum after 4 hrs of post intranasal delivery. The results indicate maximum delivery to the brain in comparison to other tissues with no cellular toxic effects. This study shows the potential of peptide-tagged PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles to be delivered intranasally and target brain tissue for the treatment of neurological disorders.
Is Einstein-Cartan Theory Coupled to Light Fermions Asymptotically Safe?
Authors: Mielke Eckehard W.
Published: September 2013

The difference between Einstein's general relativity and its Cartan extension is analyzed within
the scenario of asymptotic safety of quantum gravity. In particular, we focus on the four-fermion
interaction which distinguishes the Einstein-Cartan theory from its Riemannian limit.
Rectal Ischemia Mimicked Tumor Mass
Authors: Zikos Nicolaos , Aggeli Panagiota , Louka Evangelia , Pappas-Gogos George
Published: September 2013

Ischemic proctitis is a rare disease which is usually encountered in elderly with comorbidities. We present a case of an 80-year old man with severe coronary disease who presented with severe hematochezia and hypotension. Endoscopy revealed a rectal mass 3-4 cm above the dental line and rectosigmoid mucosal inflammation compatible with ischemic colitis. The rectal insult was so intense that it resembled a neoplasmatic lesion. We discuss the causes, the prognostic factors, and the clinical and therapeutic challenges of this rare, albeit life-threatening entity, and we review the relative literature. A percentage of 10%–20% of patients with ischemic colitis usually have a distal potentially obstructing lesion or disorder such as cancer, diverticulitis or fecal impaction. Ischemic colitis, when mucosal and submucosal edema is severe and hemorrhagic nodules are large enough, can mimic a neoplasmatic lesion. The best treatment approach is a conservative management initially with a close clinical followup and after stabilization a repetition of rectal endoscopy with new biopsies. Early recognition of this clinical entity is of paramount importance to implement appropriate therapy (conservative or surgical) and avoid potentially fatal treatment of presumed inflammatory or infectious bowel diseases.
Electrocaloric Response of Ferroelectric Material Applicable as Electrothermal Transducer
Authors: Mohammadi Saber , Khodayari Akram , Ahmadi Arash
Published: September 2013

Electrocaloric response of the PMN-10PT is measured experimentally and compared with the numerical results. Based on the compatibility of the experimental and numerical results, feasibility of using ferroelectric materials as an electrothermal transducer has been investigated. In this study, electrocaloric response of three different ferroelectric capacitors (PMN-10PT, PMN-25PT, and PZN-4.5PT) under an applied periodic electric field have been investigated. Alternative switching of the electrocaloric elements with specific boundary conditions generates a directed heat flux. It can be concluded that each ferroelectric material can be used as a transducer in a special temperature range that in which it has good electrocaloric response.
Exponential Attractor for Lattice System of Nonlinear Boussinesq Equation
Authors: Zhao Min , Zhou Shengfan
Published: September 2013

We study the lattice dynamical system of a nonlinear Boussinesq equation. We first verify the Lipschitz continuity of the continuous semigroup associated with the system. Then, we provide an estimation of the tail of the difference between two solutions of the system. Finally, we obtain the existence of an exponential attractor of the system.
Probabilistic Fatigue Assessment Based on Bayesian Learning for Wind-Excited Long-Span Bridges Installed with WASHMS
Authors: Chen Zhi-Wei , Wang Xiao-Ming
Published: September 2013

For long-span bridges located in wind-prone regions, it is a trend to install in situ Wind and Structural Health Monitoring System (WASHMS) for long-term real-time performance assessment. One of the functions of the WASHMS is to provide information for the assessment of wind-induced fatigue damage. Considering the randomness of wind, it is more reasonable to describe wind-induced fatigue damage of bridge in a probabilistic way. This paper aims to establish a probabilistic fatigue model of fatigue damage based on Bayesian learning, and it is applied to a wind-excited long-span bridge installed with a WASHMS. Wind information recorded by the WASHMS is utilized to come up with the joint probability density function of wind speed and direction. A stochastic wind field and subsequently wind-induced forces are introduced into the health monitoring oriented finite element model (FEM) of the bridge to predict the statistics of stress responses in local bridge components. Bayesian learning approach is then applied to determine the probabilistic fatigue damage model. The Tsing Ma suspension bridge in Hong Kong and its WASHMS are finally utilized as a case study. It shows that the proposed approach is applicable for the probabilistic fatigue assessment of long-span bridges under random wind loadings.
Gallai-Colorings of Triples and 2-Factors of
Authors: Chua Lynn , Gyárfás András , Hossain Chetak
Published: September 2013

A coloring of the edges of the -uniform complete hypergraph is a -coloring if there is no rainbow simplex; that is, every set of vertices contains two edges of the same color. The notion extends -colorings which are often called Gallai-colorings and originates from a seminal paper of Gallai. One well-known property of -colorings is that at least one color class has a spanning tree. J. Lehel and the senior author observed that this property does not hold for -colorings and proposed to study , the size of the largest monochromatic component which can be found in every -coloring of , the complete -uniform hypergraph. The previous remark says that and in this note, we address the case . We prove that and this determines for . We also prove that by excluding certain 2-factors from the middle layer of the Boolean lattice on seven elements.
Anti-Proliferative Effect of an Aqueous Extract ofPrunella vulgarisin Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Hwang Sun Mi , Lee Yun Jung , Lee Yong Pyo , Yoon Jung Joo , Lee So Min , Cha Jeong Dan , Choi Kyung Min , Kang Dae Gill , Lee Ho Sub
Published: September 2013

The abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in arterial walls is an important pathogenic factor of vascular disorders such as diabetic atherosclerosis. We have reported the anti-inflammatory effect of an aqueous extract fromPrunella vulgaris(APV) in vascular endothelial cell. In the present study, APV exhibited inhibitory effects on high glucose-stimulated VSMC proliferation, migration, and invasion activities, inducing G1cell cycle arrest with downregulation of cyclins and CDKs and upregulation of the CKIs,p21waf1/cip1andp27kip1. Furthermore, APV dose dependently suppressed the high glucose-induced matrix metalloproteinase activity. High glucose-induced phosphorylation of ERK, p38 MAPK, was decreased by the pretreatment of APV. NF-κB activation by high glucose was attenuated by APV, as an antioxidant. APV attenuated the high glucose-induced decrease of nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) translocation and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. Intracellular cGMP level was also increased by APV treatment. These results demonstrate that APV may inhibit VSMC proliferation via downregulating ROS/NF-κB /ERK/p38 MAPK pathways. In addition, APV has a beneficial effect by the interaction of Nrf2-mediated NO/cGMP with HO-1, suggesting thatPrunella vulgarismay be useful in preventing diabetic atherosclerosis.
The Mode of Inheritance of Scheuermann’s Disease
Authors: Zaidman A. M. , Zaidman M. N. , Strokova E. L. , Korel A. V. , Kalashnikova E. V. , Rusova T. V. , Mikhailovsky M. V.
Published: September 2013

The mode of Scheuermann’s disease inheritance and its phenotypic traits in probands and their relatives were studied in 90 pedigrees (90 probands and 385 relatives). The disorder was identified as a genetically related pathology inherited by autosomal dominant type, controlled by a mutant major gene, as a kyphotic deformity without signs of vertebral bodies’ anomaly and torsion. Morphological and biochemical studies showed disturbance in the structure of vertebral growth plate anterior aspects at the level of deformity, defects in proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes, and change in proteoglycan spectrum in cells and matrix. Twelve candidate genes were studied in chondrocytes isolated from vertebral growth plates of patients with Scheuermann’s disease. The study results included disorder in the IHH gene expression and preservation of the expression of PAX1, two aggrecan isoforms, link protein, types I and II collagen, lumican, versican, growth hormone and growth factor receptor genes, and proliferation gene. Preservation of the SOX9 gene (transcription gene) probably indicates posttranscriptional genetic disorders. The study is under way.
HER-2/neu Mediates Oncogenic Transformation via Altered CREB Expression and Function
Authors: Steven André , Leisz Sandra , Massa Chiara , Iezzi Manuela , Lattanzio Rossano , Lamolinara Alessia , Bukur Jürgen , Müller Anja , Hiebl Bernhard , Holzhausen Hans-Jürgen , Seliger Barbara
Published: September 2013

The cyclic (c)AMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) plays a key role in many cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation, and signal transduction. Furthermore, CREB overexpression was found in tumors of distinct origin and evidence suggests an association with tumorigenicity. To establish a mechanistic link between HER-2/neu–mediated transformation and CREB protein expression and function, in vitro models of HER-2/neu–overexpressing and HER-2/neu–negative/silenced counterparts as well as human mammary carcinoma lesions with defined HER-2/neu status were used. HER-2/neu overexpression resulted in the induction and activation of CREB protein in vitro and in vivo, whereas short hairpin RNA (shRNA)–mediated inhibition of HER-2/neu correlated with downregulated CREB activity. CREB activation in HER-2/neu–transformed cells enhanced distinct signal transduction pathways, whereas their inhibition negatively interfered with CREB expression and/or activation. CREB downregulation in HER-2/neu–transformed cells by shRNA and by the inhibitors KG-501 and lapatinib caused morphologic changes, reduced cell proliferation with G0–G1 cell-cycle arrest, which was rescued by CREB expression. This was accompanied by reduced cell migration, wound healing, an increased fibronectin adherence, invasion, and matrix metalloproteinase expression. In vivo shCREB-HER-2/neu+ cells, but not control cells, exerted a significantly decreased tumorgenicity that was associated with decreased proliferative capacity, enhanced apoptosis, and increased frequency of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Thus, CREB plays an important role in the HER-2/neu–mediated transformation by altering in vitro and in vivo growth characteristics.

Implications: These data suggest that CREB affects tumor immunogenicity and is a potential target for cancer therapy. Mol Cancer Res; 11(11); 1462–77. ©2013 AACR.
Deferasirox Induces Mesenchymal–Epithelial Transition in Crocidolite-Induced Mesothelial Carcinogenesis in Rats
Authors: Nagai Hirotaka , Okazaki Yasumasa , Chew Shan Hwu , Misawa Nobuaki , Yasui Hiroyuki , Toyokuni Shinya
Published: September 2013

Asbestos was used worldwide in huge quantities in the past century. However, because of the unexpected carcinogenicity to mesothelial cells with an extremely long incubation period, many countries face this long-lasting social problem. Mesothelioma is often diagnosed in an advanced stage, for which no effective therapeutic protocols are yet established. We previously reported on the basis of animal experiments that the major pathology in asbestos-induced mesothelial carcinogenesis is local iron overload. Here, we undertook to find an effective strategy to prevent, delay, or lower the malignant potential of mesothelioma during asbestos-induced carcinogenesis. We used intraperitoneal injections of crocidolite to rats. We carried out a 16-week study to seek the maximal-tolerated intervention for iron reduction via oral deferasirox administration or intensive phlebotomy. Splenic iron deposition was significantly decreased with either method, and we found that Perls' iron staining in spleen is a good indicator for iron reduction. We injected a total of 10 mg crocidolite at the age of six weeks, and the preventive measures were via repeated oral administration of 25 to 50 mg/kg/d deferasirox or weekly to bimonthly phlebotomy of 4 to 10 mL/kg/d. The animals were observed until 110 weeks. Deferasirox administration significantly increased the fraction of less malignant epithelioid subtype. Although we found a slightly prolonged survival in deferasirox-treated female rats, larger sample size and refinement of the current protocol are necessary to deduce the cancer-preventive effects of deferasirox. Still, our results suggest deferasirox serves as a potential preventive strategy in people already exposed to asbestos via iron reduction. Cancer Prev Res; 6(11); 1222–30. ©2013 AACR.
New Exome Data Question the Pathogenicity of Genetic Variants Previously Associated With Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors: Jabbari Javad , Jabbari Reza , Nielsen Morten W. , Holst Anders G. , Nielsen Jonas B. , Haunsø Stig , Tfelt-Hansen Jacob , Svendsen Jesper H. , Olesen Morten S.
Published: September 2013

Background—

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a lethal, rare hereditary disease with an estimated prevalence of 1:10 000. The genetic variants that cause CPVT are usually highly penetrant. To date, about 189 variants in 5 genes (
RYR2, CASQ2, CALM1, TRND
, and
KCNJ2
) have been associated with CPVT pathogenesis.

Methods and Results—

The Exome Sequencing Project database (ESP; n= 6503) was systematically searched for previously published missense and nonsense CPVT–associated variants reported in several comprehensive reviews and in 2 databases: The Human Gene Mutation Database and The Inherited Arrhythmias Database. We used 4 different prediction tools to assess all missense variants previously associated with CPVT and compared the prediction of protein damage between CPVT-associated variants identified in the ESP and those variants not identified in the ESP. We identified 11% of the variants previously associated with CPVT in the ESP population. In the literature, 57% of these variants were reported as novel disease-causing variants absent in the healthy control subjects. These putative CPVT variants were identified in 41 out of 6131 subjects in the ESP population, corresponding to a prevalence of CPVT of up to 1:150. Using an agreement of ≥3, in silico prediction tools showed a significantly higher frequency of damaging variants among the CPVT-associated variants not identified in the ESP database (83%) compared with those variants identified in the ESP (50%;
P
=0.021).

Conclusions—

We identified a substantial overrepresentation of CPVT-associated variants in a large exome database, suggesting that these variants are not necessarily the monogenic cause of CPVT.
Protein Engineering for Cardiovascular Therapeutics
Authors: Jay Steven M. , Lee Richard T.
Published: September 2013

A number of new and innovative approaches for repairing damaged myocardium are currently undergoing investigation, with several encouraging results. In addition to the progression of stem cell–based approaches and gene therapy/silencing methods, evidence continues to emerge that protein therapeutics may be used to directly promote cardiac repair and even regeneration. However, proteins are often limited in their therapeutic potential by short local half-lives and insufficient bioavailability and bioactivity, and many academic laboratories studying cardiovascular diseases are more comfortable with molecular and cellular biology than with protein biochemistry. Protein engineering has been used broadly to overcome weaknesses traditionally associated with protein therapeutics and has the potential to specifically enhance the efficacy of molecules for cardiac repair. However, protein engineering as a strategy has not yet been used in the development of cardiovascular therapeutics to the degree that it has been used in other fields. In this review, we discuss the role of engineered proteins in cardiovascular therapies to date. Further, we address the promise of applying emerging protein engineering technologies to cardiovascular medicine and the barriers that must be overcome to enable the ultimate success of this approach.
Outcome and Impact of Surgery in Paradoxical Low-Flow, Low-Gradient Severe Aortic Stenosis and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
Authors: Mohty Dania , Magne Julien , Deltreuil Mathieu , Aboyans Victor , Echahidi Najmeddine , Cassat Claude , Pibarot Philippe , Laskar Marc , Virot Patrice
Published: September 2013

Background—

The clinical relevance and management of paradoxical low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (LFLG-AS) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction remain debated. The aim of this study is to determine the features and outcome of LFLG-AS assessed using cardiac catheterization.

Methods and Results—

Between 2000 and 2010, 768 patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (>50%) and severe AS (valve area ≤1cm
2
) without other valvular disease underwent cardiac catheterization. Mean age was 74±8 years, 42% were women, and 46% had associated coronary artery disease. The prevalence of LFLG (indexed left ventricular stroke volume <35 mL/m
2
and mean gradient <40 mm Hg), normal flow high gradient, normal flow low gradient, and low flow high gradient were 13%, 50%, 22%, and 15%, respectively. Compared with patients with normal flow high gradient, those with LFLG were significantly older, with significantly reduced systemic arterial compliance and vascular resistances and increased valvulo-arterial impedance (all
P
<0.05). Ten-year survival was reduced in LFLG-AS (32±9%) compared with normal flow high gradient (66±4%;
P
=0.0002). After adjustment for other risk factors, LFLG-AS was independently associated with reduced long-term survival (hazard ratio, 1.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–3.07;
P
=0.02). However, despite higher operative mortality, patients with LFLG-AS undergoing aortic valve replacement seemed to have better long-term survival than those managed conservatively (5-year survival rate: 63±6% versus 38±15%;
P
=0.007; hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.59;
P
=0.002).

Conclusions—

This large cardiac catheterization–based study reports that the LFLG-AS entity is not rare and is associated with worse outcome whether treated medically or surgically. However, these patients may have better long-term survival if treated surgically. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding.
Primary Arterial Switch Operation as a Strategy for Total Correction of Taussig–Bing Anomaly
Authors: Hayes Denise A. , Jones Sophie , Quaegebeur Jan M. , Richmond Marc E. , Andrews Howard F. , Glickstein Julie S. , Chen Jonathan M. , Bacha Emile , Liberman Leonardo
Published: September 2013

Background—

Studies of the arterial switch operation for Taussig–Bing anomaly demonstrate significant rates of reintervention and mortality, particularly after initial palliation to delay complete repair. We aimed to describe the long-term outcomes of our 21-year practice of single-stage arterial switch operation for all patients with Taussig–Bing anomaly.

Methods and Results—

A retrospective study was performed, and 43 patients with Taussig–Bing anomaly were identified between 1990 and 2011. Median age at arterial switch operation was 7 (range, 2–192) days, and median operative weight was 3.2 (1.4–6.2) kg. Aortic arch obstruction was present in 30 patients (70%). Hospital mortality was 7% (n=3). Follow-up was available for 37 hospital survivors at a mean of 8.1 (±6.3) years. Late mortality was 2% (n=1). At follow-up, all patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I. Freedom from transcatheter or surgical reintervention was 73% at 1 year, 64% at 5 years, and 60% at 10 years. Eleven patients underwent 13 catheter reinterventions on the pulmonary arteries (n=8) or aortic arch (n=5). Seven patients underwent 11 reoperations, including relief of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (n=5), pulmonary arterioplasty (n=3), recoarctation repair (n=2), and tricuspid valve repair (n=1). By multivariate analysis, a preoperative aortic valve annulus
z
score of ≤−2.5 was associated with reintervention (hazard ratio, 7.66 [95% confidence interval, 1.29–45.6],
P
=0.03).

Conclusions—

Although reintervention is common, primary correction of Taussig–Bing anomaly with arterial switch operation can be achieved in all patients with low mortality and good long-term outcomes.