bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Humoral Immune Response in Japanese Acute Hepatitis Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Authors: Yamaguchi N , Tokushige K , Yamauchi K , Hayashi N
Published: April 2016

The humoral immune response to acute infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not yet perfectly clear in terms of immunoglobulin (Ig) response, diversity of HCV antigen, and the relation with hepatitis severity and antibody response.  Serum IgM and IgG anti-HCV levels in patients with HCV and either acute hepatitis (AH) or fulminant hepatitis (FH) were investigated; the diversity of HCV antigen was investigated by RIBA test III.  Of 22 AH patients, 12 (54.5%) were positive for IgM anti-HCV, mainly reacting to HCV core protein. The mean interval until the appearance of IgM anti-HCV after onset was 24.1±26.2 days. IgG anti-HCV mainly reacted to both core and NS-3 antigen, appearing 42.6±42.1 days after onset.  From a serial study of 15 AH patients, it was considered that in seven AH patients (46.7%), the IgM response would precede the IgG response. In another two AH patients, IgM anti-HCV was not detected during the acute disease phase. Of 48 chronic hepatitis patients with HCV-RNA, 40 patients were positive for IgM anti-HCV.  Therefore, IgM anti-HCV was useful for diagnosis in some of the AH patients, but it was difficult to use for distinguishing between acute and chronic infection. All four FH patients with HCV-RNA were positive for both IgM and IgG antibody to HCV at onset. Their antibody titres were higher than those of AH patients. These results suggested that, as in FH due to HBV, FH due to HCV could induce strong and rapid humoral immunity.
The Effects of Infliximab on Laminin, NFκB, and Anti-TNF Expression through Its Effect on Ischemic Liver Tissue
Authors: Akdogan Remzi Adnan , Kalkan Yildiray , Tümkaya Levent , Rakici Halil , Akdogan Elif
Published: April 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of infliximab on expression of laminin, anti-TNF, and NFκB in the rat hepatic cells after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). A total of 30 male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: Control (C), sham I/R (ISC), and I/R+ infliximab (ISC inf); each group comprised 10 animals. C group animals underwent laparotomy without I/R injury. In ISC groups after undergoing laparotomy, 1 hour of superior mesenteric artery ligation was done, which was followed by 1 hour of reperfusion. In the ISC inf group, 3 days before I/R, infliximab (3 mg/kg) was administered intravenously. All animals were killed at the end of reperfusion and hepatic tissue samples were obtained for histopathological and histochemical investigations in all groups. Laminin, anti-TNF, and NFκB immunoreactivity were performed for all groups. ISC caused severe histopathological injury including mucosal erosions, inflammatory cell infiltration, necrosis, hemorrhage, and villous congestion. Infliximab treatment significantly attenuated the severity of intestinal I/R injury and it is shown by laminin, anti-TNF, and NFκB immunoreactivity. Because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, infliximab pretreatment may have protective effects on hepatic cells in the experimental intestinal I/R model of rats.
Age-Related Effects on Future Mental Time Travel
Authors: Anelli Filomena , Ciaramelli Elisa , Arzy Shahar , Frassinetti Francesca
Published: April 2016

Mental time travel (MTT), the ability to travel mentally back and forward in time in order to reexperience past events and preexperience future events, is crucial in human cognition. As we move along life, MTT may be changed accordingly. However, the relation between re- and preexperiencing along the lifespan is still not clear. Here, young and older adults underwent a psychophysical paradigm assessing two different components of MTT: self-projection, which is the ability to project the self towards a past or a future location of the mental time line, and self-reference, which is the ability to determine whether events are located in the past or future in reference to that given self-location. Aged individuals performed worse in both self-projection to the future and self-reference to future events compared to young individuals. In addition, aging decreased older adults’ preference for personal compared to nonpersonal events. These results demonstrate the impact of MTT and self-processing on subjective time processing in healthy aging. Changes in memory functions in aged people may therefore be related not only to memory per se, but also to the relations of memory and self.
Importance of Indigenous Breeds of Chicken for Rural Economy and Their Improvements for Higher Production Performance
Authors: Padhi Mahendra Kumar
Published: April 2016

Indigenous/native breeds of chickens are playing an important role in rural economies in most of the developing and underdeveloped countries. They play a major role for the rural poor and marginalised section of the people with respect to their subsidiary income and also provide them with nutritious chicken egg and meat for their own consumption. Performance of native fowl can be improved by change in husbandry, feeding, and better health cover. However, genetic improvement may be made either through selection and crossbreeding or by utilisation of both selection and crossbreeding. Improvement through selection may be time consuming but the improvement will be permanent. Through crossbreeding improvement may be faster but research has to aim for the production of native-type birds with higher production potential. In the present review efforts have been made to present the importance of native fowl to rural economy and their improvement for higher production performance.
QoS Aware Middleware Support for Dynamically Reconfigurable Component Based IoT Applications
Authors: Agirre Aitor , Parra Jorge , Armentia Aintzane , Estévez Elisabet , Marcos Marga
Published: April 2016

Sensor web systems, cyber-physical systems, and the so-called Internet of Things are concepts that share a set of common characteristics. The nature of such systems is highly dynamic and very heterogeneous and issues such as interoperability, energy consumption, or resource management must be properly managed to ensure the operation of the applications within the required quality of service level. In this context, base technologies such as component based software engineering or Service Oriented Architecture can play a central role. Model driven development and middleware technologies also aid in the design, development, and operation of such systems. This paper presents a middleware solution that provides runtime support for the complete lifecycle management of a system consisting of several concurrent applications running over a set of distributed infrastructure nodes. The middleware builds up on top of a general purpose component model and is driven by a quality of service aware self-configuration algorithm that provides stateful reconfiguration capabilities in face of both internal (application triggered) and external (application unaware) reconfiguration events. The platform has been deployed over an automated warehouse supervision system that serves as a case study.
Experiment and Simulation Study on the Special Phase Behavior of Huachang Near-Critical Condensate Gas Reservoir Fluid
Authors: Hou Dali , Xiao Yang , Pan Yi , Sun Lei , Li Kai
Published: April 2016

Due to the special phase behavior of near-critical fluid, the development approaches of near-critical condensate gas and near-critical volatile oil reservoirs differ from conventional oil and gas reservoirs. In the near-critical region, slightly reduced pressure may result in considerable change in gas and liquid composition since a large amount of gas or retrograde condensate liquid is generated. It is of significance to gain insight into the composition variation of near-critical reservoir during the depletion development. In our study, we performed a series ofPVTexperiments on a real near-critical gas condensate reservoir fluid. In addition to the experimental studies, a commercial simulator combined with the PREOS model was utilized to study retrograde condensate characteristics and reevaporation mechanism of condensate oil with CO2injection based on vapor-liquid phase equilibrium thermodynamic theory. The research shows that when reservoir pressure drops below a certain pressure, the variation of retrograde condensate liquid saturation of the residual reservoir fluid exhibits the phase behavior of volatile oil.
The Regulatory Role of Rolipram on Inflammatory Mediators and Cholinergic/Adrenergic Stimulation-Induced Signals in Isolated Primary Mouse Submandibular Gland Cells
Authors: Lee Dong Un , Shin Dong Min , Hong Jeong Hee
Published: April 2016

Exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induces inflammatory signals in salivary glands. We investigated the regulatory role of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor rolipram on inflammatory mediators and cholinergic/adrenergic stimulation-induced intracellular Ca2+signaling in salivary acinar and ductal cells. Submandibular gland (SMG) expressed PDE4A through 4D mRNA and PDE4 was localized in the luminal membrane of SMG. LPS induced Ca2+signaling and ROS production in SMG. Treatment with rolipram blocked LPS-induced Ca2+increase and ROS production. The application of histamine evoked Ca2+signals and ROS production, which were attenuated by rolipram in SMG cells. Moreover, LPS-induced NLRP3 inflammasome and cleaved caspase-1 were inhibited by rolipram. The inhibitory role of rolipram in ROS-induced Ca2+signaling was mainly observed in acinar cells and not in ductal cells. Rolipram also protected SMG acinar but not ductal cells from LPS-induced cell membrane damage. In the case of cholinergic/adrenergic stimulation, carbachol/isoproterenol-induced Ca2+signals were upregulated by the treatment of rolipram in SMG. In the case of cAMP-dependent ductal bicarbonate secretion by rolipram, no effect was observed on the modulation of ductal chloride/bicarbonate exchange activity. Rolipram could suppress the inflammatory signals and could be a potential therapeutic strategy against LPS-induced inflammation to protect the salivary gland cells.
Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Activity of a New Tablets Formulation from Tamarindus indica L.
Authors: Rodriguez Amado Jesús Rafael , Lafourcade Prada Ariadna , Escalona Arranz Julio Cesar , Pérez Rosés Renato , Morris Quevedo Humberto , Keita Hady , Puente Zapata Edgar , Pinho Fernandes Caio , Tavares Carvalho José Carlos
Published: April 2016

Hepatotoxic chemicals damage liver cells primarily by producing reactive oxygen species. The decoction of the leaves of Tamarindus indica L. is used for liver disorders. In this work we evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of a tablet formulation of this plant. Thirty‐five Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 7). First group (I) is control group, fed with standard diet. Groups II to V (hepatotoxic groups) were subjected to a subcutaneous injection of CCl4 (0.5 mL/kg). Group II was negative control, fed with standard diet; group III was subjected to administration of Silymarin 150 mg/kg and groups IV and V were treated with tablets in dose of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Lipid peroxidation and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione were evaluated. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma‐glutamine transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and a lipid profile were evaluated too. The tablets inhibit lipid peroxidation. The redox balance (SOD‐CAT‐GSH) remains normal in the experimental groups treated with tablets. The liver function using dose of 200 mg/kg of tablets was better than the other experimental groups. These results justify, scientifically, the ethnobotanical use of the leaves of Tamarindus indica L.
Treatment Strategies of Adult Primary Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis: A Systematic Review Focusing on the Last Two Decades
Authors: Beer Arno , Mayer Gert , Kronbichler Andreas
Published: April 2016

Adult primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) remains a therapeutic challenge for the treating physician. With the advent of novel immunosuppressive measures, our arsenal of therapeutic options increased considerably. The aim of this review was to summarize reports published over the last two decades which reported on treatment outcome. Most reports included patients with a steroid-resistant (SR) disease course, yet the cohort with the highest unmet need, since persistent nephrotic range proteinuria is associated with a poor renal prognosis and portends a high risk of developing end-stage renal disease. While in first-line treatment, steroid treatment remains the recommended standard with an overall remission rate of 50% and higher, optimal treatment strategies for steroid-dependent/multirelapsing (SD/MR) and SR patients have to be defined. In both entities, calcineurin inhibitors showed good efficacy, while mycophenolate mofetil was less effective in SR cases compared to those with SD/MR. The same was true for rituximab, a monoclonal antibody targeting B-cells. In resistant cases, addition of extracorporeal treatment options or treatment with alkylating agents may be considered. To shape the future for treatment of FSGS, international collaborations to conduct larger clinical trials are needed to identify potential novel efficacious immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory therapies.
Effects of Lornoxicam on Anastomotic Healing: A Randomized, Blinded, Placebo-Control Experimental Study
Authors: Drakopoulou Stamatoula , Kontis Elissaios , Pantiora Eirini , Vezakis Antonios , Karandrea Despoina , Aravidou Eftychia , Konti-Paphiti Agathi , Argyra Erifili , Voros Dionisios , Polydorou Andreas A. , Fragulidis Georgios P.
Published: April 2016

Introduction and Aim. With the implementation of multimodal analgesia regimens, Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are often administered for optimal pain control and reduction of opioid use. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of lornoxicam, a NSAID, on anastomotic healing employing an animal model.Materials and Methods. A total of 28 Wistar rats were randomly assigned in two groups. All animals underwent ascending colonic transection followed by an end-to-end hand sewn anastomosis. Group 1 received intraperitoneally lornoxicam before and daily after surgery. Group 2 received intraperitoneally an equal volume of placebo. Half of the animals in each group were euthanized on the 3rd pod and the remaining on the 7th pod. Macro- and microscopic indicators of anastomotic healing were compared using a two-tailed Fisher exact test.Results. The lornoxicam group significantly decreased fibroblast in growth and reepithelization of the mucosa at the anastomotic site on the 3rd pod and significantly increased occurrence of deep reaching defects, necrosis, and microabscess on the 7th pod.Conclusion. Lornoxicam administration during the perioperative period adversely affects histologic parameters of intestinal anastomotic healing. These effects of lornoxicam administration were not found to induce significant increase of anastomotic dehiscence in the rat model.
Histopathologic Evaluation of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Hypothyroidism-Induced Rats
Authors: Demir Şule , Ünübol Mustafa , Aypak Serap Ünübol , İpek Emrah , Aktaş Serdar , Ekren Gamze Sevri , Yılmaz Murat , Tunca Recai , Güney Engin
Published: April 2016

It is speculated that thyroid hormones may be involved in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathogenesis. A literature scan, however, demonstrated conflicting results from studies investigating the relationship between hypothyroidism and NAFLD. Therefore, our study aims to evaluate NAFLD, from the histopathologic perspective, in hypothyroidism-induced rats. Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups: the experimental group consumed water containing methimazole 0.025% (MMI, Sigma, USA) for 12 weeks and the control group consumed tap water. At the end of week 12, serum glucose, ALT, AST, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, TSH, fT4, fT3, visfatin, and insulin assays were performed. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and “Oil Red-O” for histopathologic examination of the livers. In our study, we detected mild hepatosteatosis in all hypothyroidism-induced rats. There was statistically significant difference with respect to obesity between the two groups (p<0.001). The mean fasting blood glucose was 126.25 ± 23.4 mg/dL in hypothyroidism-induced group and 102.63 ± 15.51 mg/dL in the control group, with a statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.032). The two groups did not differ statistically significantly with respect to visfatin levels (p>0.05). In conclusion, we found that hypothyroidism-induced rats had mild hepatosteatosis as opposed to the control group histopathologically. Our study indicates that hypothyroidism can cause NAFLD.
Online Sequential Projection Vector Machine with Adaptive Data Mean Update
Authors: Chen Lin , Jia Ji-Ting , Zhang Qiong , Deng Wan-Yu , Wei Wei
Published: April 2016

We propose a simple online learning algorithm especial for high-dimensional data. The algorithm is referred to as online sequential projection vector machine (OSPVM) which derives from projection vector machine and can learn from data in one-by-one or chunk-by-chunk mode. In OSPVM, data centering, dimension reduction, and neural network training are integrated seamlessly. In particular, the model parameters including(1)the projection vectors for dimension reduction,(2)the input weights, biases, and output weights, and(3)the number of hidden nodes can be updated simultaneously. Moreover, only one parameter, the number of hidden nodes, needs to be determined manually, and this makes it easy for use in real applications. Performance comparison was made on various high-dimensional classification problems for OSPVM against other fast online algorithms including budgeted stochastic gradient descent (BSGD) approach, adaptive multihyperplane machine (AMM), primal estimated subgradient solver (Pegasos), online sequential extreme learning machine (OSELM), and SVD + OSELM (feature selection based on SVD is performed before OSELM). The results obtained demonstrated the superior generalization performance and efficiency of the OSPVM.
Cri-Du-Chat Syndrome: Clinical Profile and Chromosomal Microarray Analysis in Six Patients
Authors: Espirito Santo Layla Damasceno , Moreira Lília Maria Azevedo , Riegel Mariluce
Published: April 2016

Cri-du-chat syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. The disease severity, levels of intellectual and developmental delay, and patient prognosis have been related to the size and position of the deletion. Aiming to establish genotype-phenotype correlations, we applied array-CGH to evaluate six patients carrying cytogenetically detected deletions of the short arm of chromosome 5 who were followed at a genetics community service. The patients’ cytogenetic and clinical profiles were reevaluated. A database review was performed to predict additional genes and regulatory elements responsible for the characteristic phenotypic and behavioral traits of this disorder. Array-CGH analysis allowed for delineation of the terminal deletions, which ranged in size from approximately 11.2 Mb to 28.6 Mb, with breakpoints from 5p15.2 to 5p13. An additional dup(8)(p23) (3.5 Mb), considered to be a benign copy number variation, was also observed in one patient. The correlation coefficient value(ρ=0.13)calculated indicated the presence of a weak relationship between developmental delay and deletion size. Genetic background, family history, epigenetic factors, quantitative trait locus polymorphisms, and environmental factors may also affect patient phenotype and must be taken into account in genotype-phenotype correlations.
Damage Identification and Performance Assessment of Regular and Irregular Buildings Using Wavelet Transform Energy
Authors: Kaloop Mosbeh R. , Hu Jong Wan
Published: April 2016

This study investigates a novelty wavelet application for damage detection of regular and irregular building structures under seismic load effects. The energy of wavelet transform and correlation coefficient are used to detect the performance of the damaged building. The simple 3D regular and irregular simulation (finite element model) models of a building are designed to verify the methods’ uses and optimum applications. The obtained results reveal that the energy of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) shows significantly higher performance than the energy of Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) in detecting the damage of the building, and the performance of irregular buildings appeared suitable for use in the seismically active areas. In addition, it can be concluded that the correlation coefficient can be applied to study the effects of damage and the safety of structures.
Quality of Life in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Transarterial Chemoembolization
Authors: Ahmed Saleem , de Souza Nurun Nisa , Qiao Wang , Kasai Meidai , Keem Low Jee , Shelat Vishal G.
Published: April 2016

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide. Majority of patients with HCC are diagnosed in the advanced stages of disease and hence they are only suitable for palliative therapy. TACE (transarterial chemoembolization) is the most commonly used treatment for unresectable HCC. It is however unclear if TACE improves the quality of life (QoL) in patients with HCC. The aim of this review is to evaluate the impact of TACE on QoL of HCC patients.
Length of Hospital Stay Prediction at the Admission Stage for Cardiology Patients Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Tsai Pei-Fang (Jennifer) , Chen Po-Chia , Chen Yen-You , Song Hao-Yuan , Lin Hsiu-Mei , Lin Fu-Man , Huang Qiou-Pieng
Published: April 2016

For hospitals’ admission management, the ability to predict length of stay (LOS) as early as in the preadmission stage might be helpful to monitor the quality of inpatient care. This study is to develop artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict LOS for inpatients with one of the three primary diagnoses: coronary atherosclerosis (CAS), heart failure (HF), and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a cardiovascular unit in a Christian hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 2,377 cardiology patients discharged between October 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011, were analyzed. Using ANN or linear regression model was able to predict correctly for 88.07% to 89.95% CAS patients at the predischarge stage and for 88.31% to 91.53% at the preadmission stage. For AMI or HF patients, the accuracy ranged from 64.12% to 66.78% at the predischarge stage and 63.69% to 67.47% at the preadmission stage when a tolerance of 2 days was allowed.
Comparative Study of Integrated Pest Management and Farmers Practices on Sustainable Environment in the Rice Ecosystem
Authors: Alam Mohammad Zahangeer , Haque Md. Manjurul , Islam Md. Sirajul , Hossain Emran , Hasan Sabiha Binta , Hasan Shahela Binte , Hossain Md. Sakhawat
Published: April 2016

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an environmentally friendly technology. IPM is a multifaceted approach to pest management that seeks to minimize negative impacts on the environment. This technique is an important step towards providing healthy, viable food for a growing global population. The focus of this study was to examine the impact of integrated pest management in a rice agroecosystem. Currently, more than 80% of farmers rely on pesticides. IPM methods employed in our study had an impact on the number of healthy tillers and hills and grain weight. The lowest percentage of dead heart (1.03) and white head (2.00) was found in the IPM treated plots. These plots had an average yield of 7.4 tonne/ha. We found that there were significant differences between the treatment and the observed percentage of dead heart, grain weight, and yield. We conclude that IPM practices are an effective strategy for obtaining high rice yields while protecting the environment and creating a more sustainable agroecosystem. Furthermore, the need for ongoing research and training on IPM methods will be essential for creating a sustainable rice agroecosystem.
Investigations on Shaped Mirror Systems in Quasi-Optical Mode Converters Based on Irradiance Moments Method
Authors: Wang Hai , Lu Zejian , Liu Xiaoming , Yu Junsheng , Yao Yuan , Chen Xiaodong , Qi Limei , Chen Zhijiao
Published: April 2016

A method of transforming high-order Gaussian beams (GBs) mode into circular symmetry fundamental Gaussian beam (FGB) mode with arbitrary waist size is presented using irradiance moments method in quasi-optical (QO) mode converters. The double shaped mirrors correcting amplitude and phase simultaneously are generated by a single incidence irradiance sampling data and known ideal output FGB taking advantage of linear moment matching technique and Fresnel diffraction theory, which can be applied to a wide frequency range especially significant for terahertz band. The numerical coding procedure of creating double correcting mirrors and its fast convergence speed are discussed at 325 GHz. Numerical and experimental comparisons reveal the conclusion that enhancing surface precision and increasing moments order can improve main lobe levels.
Characterization of Visual Scanning Patterns in Air Traffic Control
Authors: McClung Sarah N. , Kang Ziho
Published: April 2016

Characterization of air traffic controllers’ (ATCs’) visual scanning strategies is a challenging issue due to the dynamic movement of multiple aircraft and increasing complexity of scanpaths (order of eye fixations and saccades) over time. Additionally, terminologies and methods are lacking to accurately characterize the eye tracking data into simplified visual scanning strategies linguistically expressed by ATCs. As an intermediate step to automate the characterization classification process, we (1) defined and developed new concepts to systematically filter complex visual scanpaths into simpler and more manageable forms and (2) developed procedures to map visual scanpaths with linguistic inputs to reduce the human judgement bias during interrater agreement. The developed concepts and procedures were applied to investigating the visual scanpaths of expert ATCs using scenarios with different aircraft congestion levels. Furthermore, oculomotor trends were analyzed to identify the influence of aircraft congestion on scan time and number of comparisons among aircraft. The findings show that (1) the scanpaths filtered at the highest intensity led to more consistent mapping with the ATCs’ linguistic inputs, (2) the pattern classification occurrences differed between scenarios, and (3) increasing aircraft congestion caused increased scan times and aircraft pairwise comparisons. The results provide a foundation for better characterizing complex scanpaths in a dynamic task and automating the analysis process.
Nanoformulation of Premixing Propofol Lipid Emulsion and Fentanyl Citrate and Their Effects on Acute Toxicity, Sedation, and Analgesia
Authors: Gao Wei , Sha Baoyong , Fan Zhe , Liu Yansheng , Shen Xin
Published: April 2016

To illustrate the effects of premixing propofol lipid emulsion (PLE) and fentanyl citrate (FC) on acute toxicity, sedation, and analgesia, sixty female mice were randomly assigned to individual and premixed groups. The median lethal dose (LD50), median effective dose (ED50) of loss of righting reflex, and ED50of tail flick test in both groups were determined using the up and down procedure (FC : PLE = 1 μg : 2 mg). PLE was immediately administered to the mice from the individual group via the tail vein after injecting FC. By contrast, FC was mixed with PLE before injection from the premixed group. No significant differences in LD50, histopathological examination, and ED50sedation value were found between the groups. However, ED50of analgesia in the premixed group decreased to half of that in the individual group. Transmission electron microscopic observation revealed ~10 nm fusiform particles at the juncture of 200–300 nm particles in the mixture of PLE and FC compared with the single PLE and its mixture with saline, which may be attributed to the structure of FC. In conclusion, premixing PLE and FC enhanced synergic analgesia twofold but did not influence toxicity and sedation compared with individual injections.
A Comprehensive Approach to Antioxidant Activity in the Seeds of Wild Legume Species of Tribe Fabeae
Authors: Pastor-Cavada Elena , Juan Rocío , Pastor Julio E. , Alaiz Manuel , Vioque Javier
Published: April 2016

The benefits of polyphenols have been widely demonstrated in recent decades. In order to find new species with a high biological functionality, the antioxidant activity of the polyphenol extracts from seeds of 50 taxa of tribe Fabeae (Lathyrus, Lens, Pisum, and Vicia) from Spain has been studied. Considering the average concentration obtained from the data in the four genera of the Fabeae tribe, Pisum and Lathyrus show the highest average polyphenol concentration. The highest specific antioxidant activity as well as the antioxidant activity coefficient was observed in Pisum and Vicia. However, with respect to the total antioxidant activity, the highest average value was observed in Lathyrus and Pisum. The results obtained reveal that many of the wild taxa examined could be potential source of antioxidants.
Network-Aware Reference Frame Control for Error-Resilient H.264/AVC Video Streaming Service
Authors: Gang Hui-Seon , Kwon Goo-Rak , Pyun Jae-Young
Published: April 2016

To provide high-quality video streaming services in a mobile communication network, a large bandwidth and reliable channel conditions are required. However, mobile communication services still encounter limited bandwidth and varying channel conditions. The streaming video system compresses video with motion estimation and compensation using multiple reference frames. The multiple reference frame structure can reduce the compressed bit rate of video; however, it can also cause significant error propagation when the video in the channel is damaged. Even though the streaming video system includes error-resilience tools to mitigate quality degradation, error propagation is inevitable because all errors can not be refreshed under the multiple reference frame structure. In this paper, a new network-aware error-resilient streaming video system is introduced. The proposed system can mitigate error propagation by controlling the number of reference frames based on channel status. The performance enhancement is demonstrated by comparing the proposed method to the conventional streaming system using static number of reference frames.
Correlation between Retinal Vessel Calibre and Neurodegeneration in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the European Consortium for the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy (EUROCONDOR)
Authors: Frydkjaer-Olsen Ulrik , Soegaard Hansen Rasmus , Simó Rafael , Cunha-Vaz José , Peto Tunde , Grauslund Jakob ,   on behalf of the EUROCONDOR
Published: April 2016

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between retinal vessel calibre and measurements of neurodegeneration in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and no or early diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: Baseline data on 440 patients with T2D from the EUROCONDOR clinical trial were used. DR was graded according to the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) scale, and patients with ETDRS levels 10-35 were included. Retinal vessel diameters were measured by semi-automatic software. Calibres were summarized into central retinal artery and vein equivalents (CRAE and CRVE). Results: Median age and diabetes duration were 64.0 and 10.3 years, respectively. ETDRS levels were 10 (42.3%), 20 (27.5%) and 35 (30.2%). The median CRAE and CRVE were 146.7 and 215.3 µm, respectively. CRAE did not differ according to ETRDS level (p = 0.12), but wider CRVE were found in patients with higher ETDRS levels (p = 0.04). In a multivariable linear regression model, CRAE was associated with macular ganglion cell layer thickness (coefficient 0.27 per micrometre, p < 0.01), and CRVE was correlated with macular retinal thickness (coefficient -0.07 per micrometre, p = 0.04) and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness at the optic disc (coefficient 0.32 per micrometre, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Retinal vessel calibre was independently associated with structural changes of the neuroretina in patients with no or early DR.
Early Detection, Referral, Investigation, and Diagnosis of Children with Growth Disorders
Authors: Savage Martin O. , Backeljauw Philippe F. , Calzada Raúl , Cianfarani Stefano , Dunkel Leo , Koledova Ekaterina , Wit Jan M. , Yoo Han-Wook
Published: April 2016

Early diagnosis is a key objective in clinical medicine, and early detection of pathological short stature has tangible benefits for growth prognosis and the well-being of the child. Despite late diagnosis being common in growth disorders, programmes of height screening in primary care are not universal in developed countries and may be random or non-existent. A notable exception is automated growth monitoring in Finland, where an algorithm to detect abnormal growth is integrated into children's electronic health records, resulting in increased diagnoses of pathological short stature. Evidence-based anthropometric criteria for referral of short stature to secondary or tertiary care are now published, due largely to excellent studies in the Netherlands. Following referral of the short child, the protocol for laboratory investigations remains somewhat controversial because in healthy children their diagnostic yield can be too low for cost-effectiveness. However, outside of tertiary academic paediatric endocrinology centres, baseline screening tests are considered worthwhile and may speed up diagnosis and treatment. Finally, auxological cut-offs cannot replace good clinical practice, and the understanding that early and effective management depends on commitment to a diagnosis and individualisation of therapy in the short child cannot be overemphasised.
How Confocal Is Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy on the Skin? Impact of Microscope Configuration and Sample Preparation on Penetration Depth Profiles
Authors: Lunter Dominique Jasmin
Published: April 2016

Background/Aims: The aim of the study was to elucidate the effect of sample preparation and microscope configuration on the results of confocal Raman microspectroscopic evaluation of the penetration of a pharmaceutical active into the skin (depth profiling). Methods: Pig ear skin and a hydrophilic formulation containing procaine HCl were used as a model system. The formulation was either left on the skin during the measurement, or was wiped off or washed off prior to the analysis. The microscope configuration was varied with respect to objectives and pinholes used. Results: Sample preparation and microscope configuration had a tremendous effect on the results of depth profiling. Regarding sample preparation, the best results could be observed when the formulation was washed off the skin prior to the analysis. Concerning microscope configuration, the use of a 40 × 0.6 numerical aperture (NA) objective in combination with a 25-µm pinhole or a 100 × 1.25 NA objective in combination with a 50-µm pinhole was found to be advantageous. Conclusion: Complete removal of the sample from the skin before the analysis was found to be crucial. A thorough analysis of the suitability of the chosen microscope configuration should be performed before acquiring concentration depth profiles.
Cutaneous Human Polyomavirus Small T Antigens and 4E-BP1 Targeting
Authors: Wu Julie H. , Simonette Rebecca A. , Hsiao Thomas , Doan Hung Q. , Rady Peter L. , Tyring Stephen K.
Published: April 2016

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus (TSPyV), human polyomavirus 6 (HPyV6), and human polyomavirus 7 (HPyV7) are implicated in the pathogeneses of distinct hyperproliferative cutaneous growths and encode small tumor (sT) antigens. The current study demonstrates that the four sT antigens differentially regulate 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) serine 65 hyperphosphorylation. MCPyV and HPyV7 sT antigens were found to promote the presence of the hyperphosphorylated 4E-BP1-δ isoform, while TSPyV and HPyV6 sT antigens had no significant effects. Given that hyperphosphorylated 4E-BP1 is associated with an aggressive cancer phenotype, our findings confirm the previously reported pathogenicity of MCPyV sT and highlight a novel mechanism by which HPyV7 sT may mediate oncogenesis.
Disorders of Sex Development with Testicular Differentiation in SRY-Negative 46,XX Individuals: Clinical and Genetic Aspects
Authors: Grinspon Romina P. , Rey Rodolfo A.
Published: April 2016

Virilisation of the XX foetus is the result of androgen excess, resulting most frequently from congenital adrenal hyperplasia in individuals with typical ovarian differentiation. In rare cases, 46,XX gonads may differentiate into testes, a condition known as 46,XX testicular disorders of sex development (DSD), or give rise to the coexistence of ovarian and testicular tissue, a condition known as 46,XX ovotesticular DSD. Testicular tissue differentiation may be due to the translocation of SRY to the X chromosome or an autosome. In the absence of SRY, overexpression of other pro-testis genes, e.g. SOX family genes, or failure of pro-ovarian/anti-testis genes, such as WNT4 and RSPO1, may underlie the development of testicular tissue. Recent experimental and clinical evidence giving insight into SRY-negative 46,XX testicular or ovotesticular DSD is discussed.
Reciprocal 22q11.2 Deletion and Duplication in Siblings with Karyotypically Normal Parents
Authors: Demaerel Wolfram , Hosseinzadeh Majid , Nouri Nayereh , Sedghi Maryam , Dimitriadou Eftychia , Salehi Mansoor , Abdali Hossein , Memarzadeh Mehrdad , Zamani Mahdi , Vermeesch Joris R.
Published: April 2016

The 22q11.2 locus is known to harbor a high risk for structural variation caused by non-allelic homologous recombination, resulting in deletions and duplications. Here, we describe the first family with one sibling carrying the 22q11 deletion and the other carrying the reciprocal duplication. FISH and SNP array analysis of the parents show a maternal origin for both deletion and duplication, without indications of balanced deletions/duplications or mosaicism. We hypothesize that germline mosaicism in the mother underlies the deletion and duplication, which would implicate a high recurrence risk for her offspring.
Surgical Management in Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Tokumaru Teppei , Okabayashi Takehiro , Shima Yasuo , Shibuya Yuichi , Ozaki Kazuhide , Sumiyoshi Tatsuaki , Kozuki Akihito , Teraishi Fuminori , Nakamura Toshio , Matsumoto Manabu , Iwata Jun , Morita Sojiro , Iiyama Tatsuo
Published: April 2016

Background: We have revisited prognostic outcomes and recurrence patterns in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) who underwent complete surgical resection at a single institution. Patients and Methods: Patients who underwent curative surgical treatment were divided into two groups: those with high-risk GISTs (high-risk group) and those with very low-, low-, and intermediate-risk GISTs (lower-risk group). Results: A total of 109 patients who underwent surgery as an initial treatment for GIST were studied. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates after surgery were 90.3 and 71.1%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate in high-risk group patients was 88.1%, and their overall survival rate did not vary significantly from that of the lower-risk group (5-year survival rate, 91.3%). The recurrence rate in patients with high-risk GISTs gradually increased without reaching a plateau, with a cumulative rate of GIST recurrence of 26.4 and 48.9% at 5 and 10 years after surgical treatment, respectively. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the repeat surgical management in metastatic GIST is of clinical usefulness whatever the risk and improves survival.
Increased Signal Intensity in the Dentate Nucleus of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Comparison with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder after Multiple Doses of Gadolinium Contrast
Authors: Tanaka Masami , Nakahara Kazuki , Kinoshita Masako
Published: April 2016

Aims: This study was conducted to compare the effect of linear gadolinium-based contrast agents in the retention in the cerebellar dentate nucleus of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOsd). Methods: The signal intensity ratio of the pons to the cerebellar dentate nucleus was measured on T1-weighted MRI scans of the brain in 21 MS patients and 6 NMOsd patients given at least 10 doses of gadolinium. Linear regression analysis of the number of doses was then conducted for each patient. Results: The mean correlation coefficients of the MS and NMOsd patient groups were 0.0029 and -0.0017, respectively, with positive correlations observed in 17 out of 21 patients (81.0%) in the MS group and 2 out of 6 patients (33.3%) in the NMOsd group. Results suggested that significantly high levels of gadolinium accumulate in MS the more doses to the dentate nucleus are increased (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Repeated doses of linear gadolinium cause accumulation of gadolinium in the cerebellar dentate nucleus, but differences observed between MS and NMOsd patients suggested that both the structure of gadolinium and differences in disease pathology affect accumulation.
Rapid Down-Regulation of Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Expression in the Dentate Gyrus after Acute Stress in vivo: Role of DNA Methylation and MicroRNA Activity
Authors: Mifsud Karen R. , Saunderson Emily A. , Spiers Helen , Carter Sylvia D. , Trollope Alexandra F. , Mill Jonathan , Reul Johannes M.H.M.
Published: April 2016

Background: Although glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in the hippocampus play a vital role in the regulation of physiological and behavioural responses to stress, the regulation of receptor expression remains unclear. This work investigates the molecular mechanisms underpinning stress-induced changes in hippocampal GR mRNA levels in vivo. Methods: Male Wistar rats were killed either under baseline conditions or after forced swim stress (FSS; 15 min in 25°C water). Rat hippocampi were micro-dissected (for mRNA, microRNA, and DNA methylation analysis) or frozen whole (for chromatin immunoprecipitation). In an additional experiment, rats were pre-treated with RU486 (a GR antagonist) or vehicle. Results: FSS evoked a dentate gyrus-specific reduction in GR mRNA levels. This was related to an increased DNMT3a protein association with a discreet region of the Nr3c1 (GR gene) promoter, shown here to undergo increased DNA methylation after FSS. FSS also caused a time-dependent increase in the expression of miR-124a, a microRNA known to reduce GR mRNA expression, which was inversely correlated with a reduction in GR mRNA levels 30 min after FSS. FSS did not affect GR binding to a putative negative glucocorticoid response element within the Nr3c1 gene. Conclusions: Acute stress results in decreased GR mRNA expression specifically in the dentate gyrus. Our results indicate that a complex interplay of multiple molecular mechanisms - including increased DNA methylation of discrete CpG residues within the Nr3c1 gene, most likely facilitated by DNMT3a, and increased expression of miR-124a - could be responsible for these changes.
Contribuições de José Pedro Machado para o conhecimento da história do antroponímia do português do Brasil
Authors: Almeida Aurelina Ariadne Domingues
Published: April 2016

Examina-se a antroponímia, usada no Brasil, oriunda do latim e do grego, documentada no Dicionário onomástico etimológico da língua portuguesa (Machado, 2003). Para desenvolver o estudo, seguiram-se os pressupostos teóricos e metodológicos da metalexicografia e da onomástica, de modo a basear-se em autores como Gonçalves (1988). Após a análise do corpus, constituído por verbetes do referido dicionário, concluiu-se que pouco se sabe sobre a antroponímia de fundo latino e grego e que há dúvidas a respeito da etimologia, bem como das motivações para a adoção de item antroponímico no léxico do português do Brasil. Por outro lado, atestou-se que a inegável herança da antiguidade não se restringe apenas ao léxico comum, mas amplia-se para o onomástico.
Bando que se lançou a respeito dos Índios Jucás: edição e contribuição ao estudo da colonização do Ceará
Authors: Linhares Miguel Afonso , Ximenes Expedito Eloísio
Published: April 2016

Neste estudo, apresentamos uma edição semidiplomática de um bando que Antônio José Vitoriano Borges da Fonseca, capitão-mor do Ceará, lançou em 28 de setembro de 1767, pelo qual anunciou que a aldeia do Jucá, onde os índios jucás foram reduzidos em 1727, passasse a se chamar lugar de Arneiroz, hoje município. Nele, o autor coloca que a mudança decorreu de uma política pela qual as vilas e lugares novos não deviam ter “nomes bárbaros”, ou seja, de origem indígena, mas nomes das vilas e lugares do “reino”, ou seja, de Portugal. A partir das referências ao contexto histórico que o próprio texto encerra, empreendemos, então, uma pesquisa com o intuito de responder, ou ao menos discutir, a duas perguntas: qual é a origem desta política e como foi executada, especialmente na capitania do Ceará? Expusemos o que pudemos apurar em três seções além das considerações iniciais e da edição do documento: considerações codicológicas, diplomáticas e textuais, que além de informarem sobre o estado e a localização do documento, são relevantes por o gênero textual, o bando, estar obsoleto; e considerações históricas, nas quais procuramos esmiuçar as referências ao contexto histórico contidas no próprio texto, como subsídio para as respostas às perguntas norteadoras. Nas considerações finais, evidenciamos que compartilhamos do entendimento de que nomear um lugar não é simplesmente referenciar o espaço, mas é um ato político, imbuído de poder e cultura, atravessado por ideologia(s), que no caso estudado perfez o espólio do mundo indígena, que começou pela religião.
A subjetivação da identidade da criança em cenografias publicitárias
Authors: Moraes Érika De
Published: April 2016

Este artigo discute a identidade da criança a partir da publicidade, sob o prisma da Análise do Discurso de linha francesa, que considera as condições históricas de produção como intrinsecamente vinculadas aos discursos que circulam em uma determinada época. Para tanto, retoma uma propaganda de 1999 (de anúncio publicado na Revista Veja Kid+) e propõe uma análise de anúncios atuais (2015) veiculados na revista Vogue Kids, com base em suas cenografias. Assim, é possível investigar quais marcas discursivas se renovam e quais se mantêm no que se refere à construção da identidade da criança nos anúncios publicitários, por meio de um recorte histórico, permitindo localizar os discursos predominantes a respeito dessa identidade na história recente.
Relações de discurso em narrativas jornalísticas: em busca de sistematizações
Authors: Cunha Gustavo Ximenes
Published: April 2016

Na narrativa jornalística, o jornalista realiza diferentes manobras discursivas, tais como comentar, reformular, contra-argumentar, exemplificar etc. Com base no Modelo de Análise Modular do Discurso, este trabalho mostra que, por serem constitutivas do modo como o jornalista narra, essas manobras não podem ser concebidas como desvinculadas da situação em que são realizadas. Assim, a análise de um corpus formado por 53 sequências narrativas extraídas de reportagens permitiu observar uma série de regularidades, como o predomínio de relações argumentativas e comentativas, que se deve a propriedades do gênero reportagem.