bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Primary pituitary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with somatotroph hyperplasia and acromegaly: case report
Authors: Ravindra Vijay M. , Raheja Amol , Corn Heather , Driscoll Meghan , Welt Corrine , Simmons Debra L. , Couldwell William T.
Published: August 2016

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and comprises approximately 30% of all lymphomas. Patients typically present with a nonpainful mass in the neck, groin, or abdomen associated with constitutional symptoms. In this report, however, the authors describe a rare case of a 61-year-old woman with hyperprolactinemia, hypothyroidism, and acromegaly (elevation of insulin-like growth factor-1 [IGF-1]) with elevated growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) in whom an MRI demonstrated diffuse enlargement of the pituitary gland. Despite medical treatment, the patient had persistent elevation of IGF-1. She underwent a transsphenoidal biopsy, which yielded a diagnosis of DLBCL with an activated B-cell immunophenotype with somatotroph hyperplasia. After stereo-tactic radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy, she is currently in remission from her lymphoma and has normalized IGF-1 levels without medical therapy, 8 months after her histopathological diagnosis. This is the only reported case of its kind and displays the importance of a broad differential diagnosis, multidisciplinary evaluation, and critical intraoperative decision-making when treating atypical sellar lesions.
Navigated odontoid screw placement using the O-arm: technical note and case series
Authors: Pisapia Jared M. , Nayak Nikhil R. , Salinas Ryan D. , Macyszyn Luke , Lee John Y. K. , Lucas Timothy H. , Malhotra Neil R. , Isaac Chen H. , Schuster James M.
Published: August 2016

OBJECTIVE

As odontoid process fractures become increasingly common in the aging population, a technical understanding of treatment approaches is critical. 3D image guidance can improve the safety of posterior cervical hardware placement, but few studies have explored its utility in anterior approaches. The authors present in a stepwise fashion the technique of odontoid screw placement using the Medtronic O-arm navigation system and describe their initial institutional experience with this surgical approach.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed all cases of anterior odontoid screw fixation for Type II fractures at an academic medical center between 2006 and 2015. Patients were identified from a prospectively collected institutional database of patients who had suffered spine trauma. A standardized protocol for navigated odontoid screw placement was generated from the collective experience at the authors' institution. Secondarily, the authors compared collected variables, including presenting symptoms, injury mechanism, surgical complications, blood loss, operative time, radiographically demonstrated nonunion rate, and clinical outcome at most recent follow-up, between navigated and nonnavigated cases.

RESULTS

Ten patients (three female; mean age 61) underwent odontoid screw placement. Most patients presented with neck pain without a neurological deficit after a fall. O-arm navigation was used in 8 patients. An acute neck hematoma and screw retraction, each requiring surgery, occurred in 2 patients in whom navigation was used. Partial vocal cord paralysis occurred after surgery in one patient in whom no navigation was used. There was no difference in blood loss or operative time with or without navigation. One patient from each group had radiographic nonunion. No patient reported a worsening of symptoms at follow-up (mean duration 9 months).

CONCLUSIONS

The authors provide a detailed step-by-step guide to the navigated placement of an odontoid screw. Their surgical experience suggests that O-arm–assisted odontoid screw fixation is a viable approach. Future studies will be needed to rigorously compare the accuracy and efficiency of navigated versus nonnavigated odontoid screw placement.
A Study on English Teaching Standard in Four Agricultural Universities in Bangladesh
Authors: Ansarey Diana
Published: August 2016

This research has investigated the standard of English teaching in different agricultural universities in Bangladesh. Four agricultural universities namely, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sylhet Agricultural University and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University were considered in this study conducted in 2015-16. A total of 50 students were selected at random and were interviewed with a pre tested questionnaire. As the medium of instruction of their respective programs, English is a supplementary course in the agricultural universities of Bangladesh which aims to prepare the students to encounter global communication challenges. After the completion of graduation and post-graduation, the students make themselves ready to serve in various local and multinational organizations and companies. In the workplace, English requires additional focuses along with students subjective expertise due to their prime medium of communication in English. In the case of recruitment, employers often suggest them to develop English language proficiency. So, teaching and learning English is worthy, of focus in regard of the agricultural universities. In this study, the researcher has focused on different steps of students academic affiliation with English which includes students academic proficiency in English during admission, needs analysis, syllabus design, purposes of the course as ESP, content quality, hours invested, and assessment. This qualitative research was conducted by observation method and questionnaire survey for data collection. The study revealed that a large number of students studied English course who could communicate efficiently with foreign teams visiting Bangladesh. However, many participants had no clear idea about social and business English. They have suggested the universities to focus on students English proficiency for professional success.The Agriculturists 2016; 14(1) 142-1150
Preparation and Evaluation of Ornidazole Periodontal Films
Authors: Urmi Jayera Islam , Alam Marzia , Pathan Md Saiful Islam
Published: August 2016

Periodontitis is a local infection in the gingival crevices, which affects the structural organs surrounding the teeth like periodontal ligament, connective tissue and bone. Ornidazole is an antimicrobial drug widely used to treat periodontitis. The primary objective of this study was to design and evaluate periodontal films of ornidazole for placement into the periodontal pockets for targeted delivery of drug. Nine formulations (F1 to F9) were prepared by solvent casting method using polymer A, polymer B and plasticizer A. Chloroform and dichloromethane were used as solvent system. The API and dental films were then evaluated for various parameters including trinocular microscopic image, melting point, weight variation, thickness, folding endurance, surface pH, swelling index, percentage moisture loss, antimicrobial activity, content uniformity, in vitro drug release and release kinetics as well as RTIR and DSC. Formulation F1 showed the minimum weight and thickness and F9 showed the maximum. It was observed that weight and thickness of film were directly proportional to the total solid content of the film. RSDs of content uniformity test for all the batches were below 3.0%. Folding endurance and swelling index of films were inversely proportional to the amount of polymer in the film. The surface pH of all the batches were between 6-7. Formulation F1 revealed the maximum percentage of moisture loss (19.34%), while F8 showed the minimum (3.654%). Formulation F2 demonstrated data the highest zone of inhibition (21.91 mm).Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 19(2): 133-146, 2016
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension Among University Students in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh
Authors: Haque Md Uzzal , Ahmmed SK Benozir , Akanda Md Khokon Miah , Hasan Md Tarek , Mou Sumaiya Akter , Sajon Sadiur Rahman , Islam Md Anwar Ul
Published: August 2016

Obesity has become a new challenge for health care providers in the world, which leads to reduced life expectancy or increased health problems. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of obesity and hypertension among the undergraduate and postgraduate students in Rajshahi city. About 675 students were interviewed by standard questionnaires with their verbal consents. In this study, we found that a major portion of the population (13.93% which is about 94 students out of 675) were overweight and 61 students (9.04%) were obese at different stages on the basis of Body Mass Index (BMI) values where 75.41% and 31.15% were male and female students, respectively. About 31.15% of the obese students came from families with monthly income of 31000-40000 taka and 29.50% obese students have at least one obese parent. We also observed that about 32 students (52.46%) out of 61 obese students were pre-hypertensive and 34.43% obese students were stage I hypertensive patient. In this study, we found that the most common risk factors of obesity and hypertension among university students were sedentary life style, physical activity less than 30 min/day, smoking, frequent intake of soft drinks, fast food and food rich in fats (Junk food). This may be the first health survey conducted regarding obesity and hypertension among these university students in Bangladesh, which might be helpful for health workers to raise awareness among the mass people.Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 19(2): 179-184, 2016
In vitro Membrane Stabilizing and In vivo Analgesic Activities of Boehmeria glomerulifera Miq. in Swiss-Albino Mice Model
Authors: Papia Sabikunnahar , Rahman Muhammed Mahfuzur , Rahman Md Mustafezur , Adib Mohaiminul , Khan Mohammad Firoz
Published: August 2016

Boehmeria glomerulifera Miq. is an indigenous plant of Bangladesh. Traditional healers use this plant to treat various diseases. The crude methanol extract of whole plant of B. glomerulifera and its Kupchan fractions were screened for in vitro membrane stabilizing and only the crude extract at doses of 200- and 400- mg/kg body weight were screened for analgesic activity in mice model in order to establish the medicinal values of this plant. The membrane stabilizing activity of the extractives was evaluated by the ability of test materials to inhibit hypotonic solution- and heat-induced haemolysis of human erythrocytes. Moreover, the analgesic activity of methanol extract was evaluated by acetic acid induced writhing method and tail immersion method in mice. In hypotonic solution- and heat-induced conditions, the crude methanol extract showed inhibition of haemolysis by 64.80±0.34% and 21.63±0.76%, respectively as compared to 77.74±0.67% and 40.41±0.69% demonstrated by the standard, acetyl salicylic acid. On the other hand, the analgesic activity was determined for its peripheral and central pharmacological responses using acetic acid-induced writhing test and tail immersion method at doses of 200- and 400- mg/kg body weight. The extract reduced the acetic acid-induced writhings significantly (p < 0.05) in a dose dependent manner with the highest activity observed at 400 mg/kg (46.0%) body weight when compared to that of Diclofenac sodium (64.0%), as the standard drug. A significant increase (p < 0.01) of latency period was also found in tail immersion method. Therefore, the present study established that the methanol extract of B. glomerulifera possesses moderate membrane stabilizing and significant analgesic activities.Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 19(2): 185-189, 2016
Study of Interaction of Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide with Deoxyribonucleic Acid by Fluorescence Quenching
Authors: Amin Toufiq Ul , Islam Md Reazul , Sultan Md Zakir , Sultana Sonia , Islam Md Saiful , Hasnat Abul
Published: August 2016

Interactions with many clinically active therapeutic agents with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are well studied and it expedites deciphering the structure of DNA and to investigate the pathological implication of those molecules in a living organism. The interaction of dextromethorphan hydrobromide (DEX) with calf thymus DNA (ct DNA) was studied employing UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. The binding affinity of DEX to DNA was calculated at different temperatures and the stoichiometry of binding was characterized to be about 1 dextromethorphan molecule per nucleotide. Hypochromic effect was found in the absorption spectra of dextromethorphan, and its wavelength had no shift in the presence of DNA indicating external binding mode of dextromethorphan to DNA. Quenching constants 3532 L/ mol and 12446L/ mol at 298 K and 308 K respectively with correlation co-efficient of 0.974 and 0.976, using Stern-Volmer equation and the quenching mechanism was found to be dynamic. Fluorescence spectroscopic results showed the quenching of fluorescence intensity of DEX in the presence of DNA, indicating the interaction between DEX and DNA. Based on this, hydrophobic interaction were found to play the dominating role in DEX-DNA binding and those binding forces also indicate the binding site of dextromethorphan to be in the minor groove of DNA.Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 19(2): 197-205, 2016
Constituents of Erythrina - a Potential Source of Secondary Metabolities: A Review
Authors: Hussain Mohammad Musarraf , Tuhin Md Tariqul Haque , Akter Fahima , Rashid Mohammad A
Published: August 2016

The genus Erythrina is a potential source of chemical constituents, many of which medicinal properties. Although some reviews on chemical constituents of particular Erythrina species could be found, no detailed review covering the chemistry of different Erythrina species has been reported to the best of my knowledge. Therefore, the aim of this review was to compile the phytoconstituents reported from various species of Erythrina. A total of 155 secondary metabolites have been published from 15 species of Erythrina. Among them E. subumbrans and E. variegata consist of the highest number of chemical constituents.Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 19(2): 237-253, 2016
Effect of alternate wetting and drying versus continuous flooding on carbon rates in rice and soil
Authors: Hossain MB
Published: August 2016

An experiment was conducted at Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) farm, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during 2010-2011 to find out the effect of different water and organic residue rates on rice and soil. Organic carbon rates from cow dung (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 t C ha-1 including control) were evaluated under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and continuous flooding (CF). CF system in combination with chemical fertilizers and 2.0 t C ha-1 produced the maximum plant height, filled grains tiller-1, 1000 grains weight, grain and straw yields. Combined use of 2.0 t C ha-1 cow dung and CF system decreased CO2-C gas emission, increased carbon accumulation in above ground biomass of rice as well as carbon sequestration in soil. This treatment also helped to optimize soil pH. Based on these results, it may be concluded that continuous flooding system in combination 2.0 t C ha-1 increased grain yield, carbon accumulation in above ground biomass, carbon sequestration in soil and optimized soil pH.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (1): 26-33, June, 2016
Performance of Indian spinach and papaya in litchi based agroforestry system
Authors: Uddin H , Chowhan S
Published: August 2016

An investigation was conducted at Borjona village of Kapasia, Gazipur district during September 2011 to October 2012 to examine the biological performance of Indian spinach and papaya in litchi based agroforestry system. Papaya was planted between two litchi plants in each line and Indian spinach varieties were grown in the inter-space of two lines of litchi plant as well as control (farmers practice) in May 2012. Yield and yield contributing characters of Indian spinach varieties grown as litchi-papaya based agroforestry system and control did not vary. However, sprout plant-1 and sprout weight of Indian spinach varieties grown in litchi-papaya based system were significantly influenced while the other parameters did not vary. Sprout plant-1 of KS green (2.97) and local (2.89) variety were identical but higher over KS red variety (2.57). Sprout weight of KS red variety was the highest (85.80 g) while KS green and local variety gave lower and identical sprout weight. Though the yield did not vary among the varieties, KS red gave the highest yield (36.32 t ha- 1) followed by local (34.61 t ha-1) and KS green (34.00 t ha-1). In case of growth of litchi, plant height and stem diameter increment were 21.39 and 44.94 % over the eleven months observation period. The yield of papaya was quite satisfactory with an average 42 fruits per plant with 23.71 t ha-1. Therefore, in the Litchi-Papaya-Indian spinach based system, Indian spinach varieties could be ranked as KS red > Local> KS green.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (1): 34-40, June, 2016
Fungal Metabolites for the Control of Biofilm Infections
Authors: Estrela Andréia , Abraham Wolf-Rainer
Published: August 2016

Many microbes attach to surfaces and produce a complex matrix of polymers surrounding their cells, forming a biofilm. In biofilms, microbes are much better protected against hostile environments, impairing the action of most antibiotics. A pressing demand exists for novel therapeutic strategies against biofilm infections, which are a grave health wise on mucosal surfaces and medical devices. From fungi, a large number of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity have been characterized. This review discusses natural compounds from fungi which are effective against fungal and bacterial biofilms. Some molecules are able to block the cell communication process essential for biofilm formation (known as quorum sensing), others can penetrate and kill cells within the structure. Several targets have been identified, ranging from the inhibition of quorum sensing receptors and virulence factors, to cell wall synthesizing enzymes. Only one group of these fungal metabolites has been optimized and made it to the market, but more preclinical studies are ongoing to expand the biofilm-fighting arsenal. The broad diversity of bioactive compounds from fungi, their activities against various pathogens, and the multi-target trait of some molecules are promising aspects of fungal secondary metabolites. Future screenings for biofilm-controlling compounds will contribute to several novel clinical applications.
Recombinant Poxvirus and the Tumor Microenvironment: Oncolysis, Immune Regulation and Immunization
Authors: Sharp Daniel , Lattime Edmund
Published: August 2016

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are being extensively studied for their potential roles in the development of cancer therapy regimens. In addition to their direct lytic effects, OVs can initiate and drive systemic antitumor immunity indirectly via release of tumor antigen, as well as by encoding and delivering immunostimulatory molecules. This combination makes them an effective platform for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies beyond their primary lytic function. Engineering the viruses to also express tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) allows them to simultaneously serve as therapeutic vaccines, targeting and amplifying an immune response to TAAs. Our group and others have shown that vaccinating intratumorally with a poxvirus that encodes TAAs, in addition to immune stimulatory molecules, can modulate the tumor microenvironment, overcome immune inhibitory pathways, and drive both local and systemic tumor specific immune responses.
DiamondTorre Algorithm for High-Performance Wave Modeling
Authors: Levchenko Vadim , Perepelkina Anastasia , Zakirov Andrey
Published: August 2016

Effective algorithms of physical media numerical modeling problems’ solution are discussed. The computation rate of such problems is limited by memory bandwidth if implemented with traditional algorithms. The numerical solution of the wave equation is considered. A finite difference scheme with a cross stencil and a high order of approximation is used. The DiamondTorre algorithm is constructed, with regard to the specifics of the GPGPU’s (general purpose graphical processing unit) memory hierarchy and parallelism. The advantages of these algorithms are a high level of data localization, as well as the property of asynchrony, which allows one to effectively utilize all levels of GPGPU parallelism. The computational intensity of the algorithm is greater than the one for the best traditional algorithms with stepwise synchronization. As a consequence, it becomes possible to overcome the above-mentioned limitation. The algorithm is implemented with CUDA. For the scheme with the second order of approximation, the calculation performance of 50 billion cells per second is achieved. This exceeds the result of the best traditional algorithm by a factor of five.
G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Cancer
Authors: Bar-Shavit Rachel , Maoz Myriam , Kancharla Arun , Nag Jeetendra , Agranovich Daniel , Grisaru-Granovsky Sorina , Uziely Beatrice
Published: August 2016

Despite the fact that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest signal-conveying receptor family and mediate many physiological processes, their role in tumor biology is underappreciated. Numerous lines of evidence now associate GPCRs and their downstream signaling targets in cancer growth and development. Indeed, GPCRs control many features of tumorigenesis, including immune cell-mediated functions, proliferation, invasion and survival at the secondary site. Technological advances have further substantiated GPCR modifications in human tumors. Among these are point mutations, gene overexpression, GPCR silencing by promoter methylation and the number of gene copies. At this point, it is imperative to elucidate specific signaling pathways of “cancer driver” GPCRs. Emerging data on GPCR biology point to functional selectivity and “biased agonism”; hence, there is a diminishing enthusiasm for the concept of “one drug per GPCR target” and increasing interest in the identification of several drug options. Therefore, determining the appropriate context-dependent conformation of a functional GPCR as well as the contribution of GPCR alterations to cancer development remain significant challenges for the discovery of dominant cancer genes and the development of targeted therapeutics.
Genes Expressed Differentially in Hessian Fly Larvae Feeding in Resistant and Susceptible Plants
Authors: Chen Ming-Shun , Liu Sanzhen , Wang Haiyan , Cheng Xiaoyan , El Bouhssini Mustapha , Whitworth R.
Published: August 2016

The Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor, is a destructive pest of wheat worldwide and mainly controlled by deploying resistant cultivars. In this study, we investigated the genes that were expressed differentially between larvae in resistant plants and those in susceptible plants through RNA sequencing on the Illumina platform. Informative genes were 11,832, 14,861, 15,708, and 15,071 for the comparisons between larvae in resistant versus susceptible plants for 0.5, 1, 3, and 5 days, respectively, after larvae had reached the feeding site. The transcript abundance corresponding to 5401, 6902, 8457, and 5202 of the informative genes exhibited significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in the respective paired comparisons. Overall, genes involved in nutrient metabolism, RNA and protein synthesis exhibited lower transcript abundance in larvae from resistant plants, indicating that resistant plants inhibited nutrient metabolism and protein production in larvae. Interestingly, the numbers of cytochrome P450 genes with higher transcript abundance in larvae from resistant plants were comparable to, or higher than those with lower transcript abundance, indicating that toxic chemicals from resistant plants may have played important roles in Hessian fly larval death. Our study also identified several families of genes encoding secreted salivary gland proteins (SSGPs) that were expressed at early stage of 1st instar larvae and with more genes with higher transcript abundance in larvae from resistant plants. Those SSGPs are candidate effectors with important roles in plant manipulation.
25(OH)D Is Effective to Repress Human Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Growth through the Conversion of 25(OH)D to 1α,25(OH)2D3
Authors: Chiang Kun-Chun , Yeh Chun-Nan , Huang Cheng-Cheng , Yeh Ta-Sen , S. Pang Jong-Hwei , Hsu Jun-Te , Chen Li-Wei , Kuo Sheng-Fong , Kittaka Atsushi , Chen Tai , Juang Horng-Heng
Published: August 2016

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a devastating disease without effective treatments. 1α,25(OH)2D3, the active form of Vitamin D, has emerged as a new anti-cancer regimen. However, the side effect of hypercalcemia impedes its systemic administration. 25(OH)D is biologically inert and needs hydroxylation by CYP27B1 to form 1α,25(OH)2D3, which is originally believed to only take place in kidneys. Recently, the extra-renal expression of CYP27B1 has been identified and in vitro conversion of 25(OH)D to 1α,25(OH)2D3 has been found in some cancer cells with CYP27B1 expression. In this study, CYP27B1 expression was demonstrated in CCA cells and human CCA specimens. 25(OH)D effectively represses SNU308 cells growth, which was strengthened or attenuated as CYP27B1 overexpression or knockdown. Lipocalcin-2 (LCN2) was also found to be repressed by 25(OH)D. After treatment with 800 ng/mL 25(OH)D, the intracellular 1α,25(OH)2D3 concentration was higher in SNU308 cells with CYP27B1 overexpression than wild type SNU308 cells. In a xenograft animal experiment, 25(OH)D, at a dose of 6 μg/kg or 20 μg/kg, significantly inhibited SNU308 cells’ growth without inducing obvious side effects. Collectively, our results indicated that SNU308 cells were able to convert 25(OH)D to 1α,25(OH)2D3 and 25(OH)D CYP27B1 gene therapy could be deemed as a promising therapeutic direction for CCA.
Vitamin C and Heart Health: A Review Based on Findings from Epidemiologic Studies
Authors: Moser Melissa , Chun Ock
Published: August 2016

Vitamin C is a powerful dietary antioxidant that has received considerable attention in the literature related to its possible role in heart health. Although classical vitamin C deficiency, marked by scurvy, is rare in most parts of the world, some research has shown variable heart disease risks depending on plasma vitamin C concentration, even within the normal range. Furthermore, other studies have suggested possible heart-related benefits to vitamin C taken in doses beyond the minimal amounts required to prevent classically defined deficiency. The objective of this review is to systematically review the findings of existing epidemiologic research on vitamin C and its potential role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is well established that vitamin C inhibits oxidation of LDL-protein, thereby reducing atherosclerosis, but the cardiovascular outcomes related to this action and other actions of vitamin C are not fully understood. Randomized controlled trials as well as observational cohort studies have investigated this topic with varying results. Vitamin C has been linked in some work to improvements in lipid profiles, arterial stiffness, and endothelial function. However, other studies have failed to confirm these results, and observational cohort studies are varied in their findings on the vitamin’s effect on CVD risk and mortality. Overall, current research suggests that vitamin C deficiency is associated with a higher risk of mortality from CVD and that vitamin C may slightly improve endothelial function and lipid profiles in some groups, especially those with low plasma vitamin C levels. However, the current literature provides little support for the widespread use of vitamin C supplementation to reduce CVD risk or mortality.
Epigenetic Mechanisms in Bone Biology and Osteoporosis: Can They Drive Therapeutic Choices?
Authors: Marini Francesca , Cianferotti Luisella , Brandi Maria
Published: August 2016

Osteoporosis is a complex multifactorial disorder of the skeleton. Genetic factors are important in determining peak bone mass and structure, as well as the predisposition to bone deterioration and fragility fractures. Nonetheless, genetic factors alone are not sufficient to explain osteoporosis development and fragility fracture occurrence. Indeed, epigenetic factors, representing a link between individual genetic aspects and environmental influences, are also strongly suspected to be involved in bone biology and osteoporosis. Recently, alterations in epigenetic mechanisms and their activity have been associated with aging. Also, bone metabolism has been demonstrated to be under the control of epigenetic mechanisms. Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), the master transcription factor of osteoblast differentiation, has been shown to be regulated by histone deacetylases and microRNAs (miRNAs). Some miRNAs were also proven to have key roles in the regulation of Wnt signalling in osteoblastogenesis, and to be important for the positive or negative regulation of both osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. Exogenous and environmental stimuli, influencing the functionality of epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of bone metabolism, may contribute to the development of osteoporosis and other bone disorders, in synergy with genetic determinants. The progressive understanding of roles of epigenetic mechanisms in normal bone metabolism and in multifactorial bone disorders will be very helpful for a better comprehension of disease pathogenesis and translation of this information into clinical practice. A deep understanding of these mechanisms could help in the future tailoring of proper individual treatments, according to precision medicine’s principles.
The Role of Cyclo(His-Pro) in Neurodegeneration
Authors: Grottelli Silvia , Ferrari Ilaria , Pietrini Grazia , Peirce Matthew , Minelli Alba , Bellezza Ilaria
Published: August 2016

Neurodegenerative diseases may have distinct genetic etiologies and pathological manifestations, yet share common cellular mechanisms underpinning neuronal damage and dysfunction. These cellular mechanisms include excitotoxicity, calcium dysregulation, oxidative damage, ER stress and neuroinflammation. Recent data have identified a dual role in these events for glial cells, such as microglia and astrocytes, which are able both to induce and to protect against damage induced by diverse stresses. Cyclo(His-Pro), a cyclic dipeptide derived from the hydrolytic removal of the amino-terminal pyroglutamic acid residue of the hypothalamic thyrotropin-releasing hormone, may be important in regulating the nature of the glial cell contribution. Cyclo(His-Pro) is ubiquitous in the central nervous system and is a key substrate of organic cation transporters, which are strongly linked to neuroprotection. The cyclic dipeptide can also cross the brain-blood-barrier and, once in the brain, can affect diverse inflammatory and stress responses by modifying the Nrf2-NF-κB signaling axis. For these reasons, cyclo(His-Pro) has striking potential for therapeutic application by both parenteral and oral administration routes and may represent an important new tool in counteracting neuroinflammation-based degenerative pathologies. In this review, we discuss the chemistry and biology of cyclo(His-Pro), how it may interact with the biological mechanisms driving neurodegenerative disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and thereby act to preserve or restore neuronal function.
The Influence of Forest Management Regimes on Deforestation in a Central Indian Dry Deciduous Forest Landscape
Authors: Agarwal Shivani , Nagendra Harini , Ghate Rucha
Published: August 2016

This research examines the impact of forest management regimes, with various degrees of restriction, on forest conservation in a dry deciduous Indian forest landscape. Forest change is mapped using Landsat satellite images from 1977, 1990, 1999, and 2011. The landscape studied has lost 1478 km2 of dense forest cover between 1977 and 2011, with a maximum loss of 1002 km2 of dense forest between 1977 and 1990. The number of protected forest areas has increased, concomitant with an increase in restrictions on forest access and use outside protected areas. Interviews with residents of 20 randomly selected villages indicate that in the absence of alternatives, rather than reducing their dependence on forests, communities appear to shift their use to other, less protected patches of forest. Pressure shifts seem to be taking place as a consequence of increasing protection, from within protected areas to forests outside, leading to the creation of protected but isolated forest islands within a matrix of overall deforestation, and increased conflict between local residents and forest managers. A broader landscape vision for forest management needs to be developed, that involves local communities with forest protection and enables their decision-making on forest management outside strict protected areas.
Synthesis and Characterization of Reduced Graphene Oxide-Supported Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI/rGO) Composites Used for Pb(II) Removal
Authors: Fan Mingyi , Li Tongjun , Hu Jiwei , Cao Rensheng , Wu Qing , Wei Xionghui , Li Lingyun , Shi Xuedan , Ruan Wenqian
Published: August 2016

Reduced graphene oxide-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI/rGO) composites were prepared by chemical deposition method and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, N2-sorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Operating parameters for the removal process of Pb(II) ions, such as temperature (20–40 °C), pH (3–5), initial concentration (400–600 mg/L) and contact time (20–60 min), were optimized using a quadratic model. The coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.99) obtained for the mathematical model indicates a high correlation between the experimental and predicted values. The optimal temperature, pH, initial concentration and contact time for Pb(II) ions removal in the present experiment were 21.30 °C, 5.00, 400.00 mg/L and 60.00 min, respectively. In addition, the Pb(II) removal by nZVI/rGO composites was quantitatively evaluated by using adsorption isotherms, such as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, of which Langmuir isotherm gave a better correlation, and the calculated maximum adsorption capacity was 910 mg/g. The removal process of Pb(II) ions could be completed within 50 min, which was well described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Therefore, the nZVI/rGO composites are suitable as efficient materials for the advanced treatment of Pb(II)-containing wastewater.
Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Constituents from the Essential Oil of Lippia alba (Verbenaceae)
Authors: Santos Nara , Pascon Renata , Vallim Marcelo , Figueiredo Carlos , Soares Marisi , Lago João , Sartorelli Patricia
Published: August 2016

Backgroud: Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) is a plant widely used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. The present work deals with the chemical composition of the crude essential oil extracted from leaves of L. alba and evaluation of its antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Methods: Leaves of L. alba were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as well as by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of crude essential oil were evaluated in vitro using MTT and broth microdilution assays, respectively. Results: Chemical analysis afforded the identification of 39 substances corresponding to 99.45% of the total oil composition. Concerning the main compounds, monoterpenes nerol/geraniol and citral correspond to approximately 50% of crude oil. The cytotoxic activity of obtained essential oil against several tumor cell lines showed IC50 values ranging from 45 to 64 µg/mL for B16F10Nex2 (murine melanoma) and A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma). In the antimicrobial assay, was observed that all tested yeast strains, except C. albicans, were sensitive to crude essential oil. MIC values were two to four-folds lower than those determined to bacterial strains. Conclusion: Analysis of chemical composition of essential oils from leaves of L. alba suggested a new chemotype nerol/geraniol and citral. Based in biological evidences, a possible application for studied oil as an antifungal in medicine, as well as in agriculture, is described.
Impurity Antimony-Induced Creep Property Deterioration and Its Suppression by Rare Earth Ceriumfor a 9Cr-1Mo Ferritic Heat-Resistant Steel
Authors: Xu Yewei , Song Shenhua
Published: August 2016

The high temperature creep properties of three groups of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel samples, undoped, doped with Sb, and doped with Sb and Ce, are evaluated under the applied stresses from 150 MPa to 210 MPa and at the temperatures from 873–923 K. The creep behavior follows the temperature-compensated power law as well as the Monkman-Grant relation. The creep activation energy for the Sb-doped steel (519 kJ/mol) is apparently lower than that for the undoped one (541 kJ/mol), but it is considerably higher for the Sb+Ce-doped steel (621 kJ/mol). Based on the obtained relations, both the creep lifetimes under 50 MPa, 80 MPa, and 100 MPa in the range 853–923 K and the 105 h creep rupture strengths at 853 K, 873 K, and 893 K are predicted. It is demonstrated that the creep properties of the Sb-doped steel are considerably deteriorated but those of the Sb+Ce-doped steel are significantly improved as compared with the undoped steel. Microstructural and microchemical characterizations indicate that the minor addition of Ce can stabilize the microstructure of the steel by segregating to grain boundaries and dislocations, thereby offsetting the deleterious effect of Sb by coarsening the microstructure and weakening the grain boundary.
Nutraceutical Improvement Increases the Protective Activity of Broccoli Sprout Juice in a Human Intestinal Cell Model of Gut Inflammation
Authors: Ferruzza Simonetta , Natella Fausta , Ranaldi Giulia , Murgia Chiara , Rossi Carlotta , Trošt Kajetan , Mattivi Fulvio , Nardini Mirella , Maldini Mariateresa , Giusti Anna , Moneta Elisabetta , Scaccini Cristina , Sambuy Yula , Morelli Giorgio , Baima Simona
Published: August 2016

Benefits to health from a high consumption of fruits and vegetables are well established and have been attributed to bioactive secondary metabolites present in edible plants. However, the effects of specific health-related phytochemicals within a complex food matrix are difficult to assess. In an attempt to address this problem, we have used elicitation to improve the nutraceutical content of seedlings of Brassica oleracea grown under controlled conditions. Analysis, by LC-MS, of the glucosinolate, isothiocyanate and phenolic compound content of juices obtained from sprouts indicated that elicitation induces an enrichment of several phenolics, particularly of the anthocyanin fraction. To test the biological activity of basal and enriched juices we took advantage of a recently developed in vitro model of inflamed human intestinal epithelium. Both sprouts’ juices protected intestinal barrier integrity in Caco-2 cells exposed to tumor necrosis factor α under marginal zinc deprivation, with the enriched juice showing higher protection. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the extent of rescue from stress-induced epithelial dysfunction correlated with the composition in bioactive molecules of the juices and, in particular, with a group of phenolic compounds, including several anthocyanins, quercetin-3-Glc, cryptochlorogenic, neochlorogenic and cinnamic acids.
Stabilization of Inverse Miniemulsions by Silyl-Protected Homopolymers
Authors: Wald Sarah , Wurm Frederik , Landfester Katharina , Crespy Daniel
Published: August 2016

Inverse (water-in-oil) miniemulsions are an important method to encapsulate hydrophilic payloads such as oligonucleotides or peptides. However, the stabilization of inverse miniemulsions usually requires block copolymers that are difficult to synthesize and/or cannot be easily removed after transfer from a hydrophobic continuous phase to an aqueous continuous phase. We describe here a new strategy for the synthesis of a surfactant for inverse miniemulsions by radical addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, which consists in a homopolymer with triisopropylsilyl protecting groups. The protecting groups ensure the efficient stabilization of the inverse (water-in-oil, w/o) miniemulsions. Nanocapsules can be formed and the protecting group can be subsequently cleaved for the re-dispersion of nanocapsules in an aqueous medium with a minimal amount of additional surfactant.
Envisioning Religiously Diverse Partnership Systems among Government, Faith Communities and FBOs
Authors: Schneider Jo
Published: August 2016

Recent U.S. policy regarding faith-based organizations (FBO) envisions “partnerships with government” that include both financial and non-financial relationships. This paper explores the current nature of a three-way partnership among faith communities, FBOs and government, proposing ways that government could more effectively partner with faith communities and their organizations. I use data from the Faith and Organizations Project and earlier studies of refugee resettlement and social welfare supports. The paper combines research and policy literature with research findings to describe how faith communities organize social services, education, health, senior services and community development through their FBOs, differences among religions and denominations and current forms of partnerships with government. Conclusions provide policy suggestions for U.S. systems.
Landscape Effects of Wildfire on Permafrost Distribution in Interior Alaska Derived from Remote Sensing
Authors: Brown Dana , Jorgenson Mark , Kielland Knut , Verbyla David , Prakash Anupma , Koch Joshua
Published: August 2016

Climate change coupled with an intensifying wildfire regime is becoming an important driver of permafrost loss and ecosystem change in the northern boreal forest. There is a growing need to understand the effects of fire on the spatial distribution of permafrost and its associated ecological consequences. We focus on the effects of fire a decade after disturbance in a rocky upland landscape in the interior Alaskan boreal forest. Our main objectives were to (1) map near-surface permafrost distribution and drainage classes and (2) analyze the controls over landscape-scale patterns of post-fire permafrost degradation. Relationships among remote sensing variables and field-based data on soil properties (temperature, moisture, organic layer thickness) and vegetation (plant community composition) were analyzed using correlation, regression, and ordination analyses. The remote sensing data we considered included spectral indices from optical datasets (Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)), the principal components of a time series of radar backscatter (Advanced Land Observing Satellite—Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS-PALSAR)), and topographic variables from a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital elevation model (DEM). We found strong empirical relationships between the normalized difference infrared index (NDII) and post-fire vegetation, soil moisture, and soil temperature, enabling us to indirectly map permafrost status and drainage class using regression-based models. The thickness of the insulating surface organic layer after fire, a measure of burn severity, was an important control over the extent of permafrost degradation. According to our classifications, 90% of the area considered to have experienced high severity burn (using the difference normalized burn ratio (dNBR)) lacked permafrost after fire. Permafrost thaw, in turn, likely increased drainage and resulted in drier surface soils. Burn severity also influenced plant community composition, which was tightly linked to soil temperature and moisture. Overall, interactions between burn severity, topography, and vegetation appear to control the distribution of near-surface permafrost and associated drainage conditions after disturbance.
Regular Deployment of Wireless Sensors to Achieve Connectivity and Information Coverage
Authors: Cheng Wei , Li Yong , Jiang Yi , Yin Xipeng
Published: August 2016

Coverage and connectivity are two of the most critical research subjects in WSNs, while regular deterministic deployment is an important deployment strategy and results in some pattern-based lattice WSNs. Some studies of optimal regular deployment for generic values of rc/rs were shown recently. However, most of these deployments are subject to a disk sensing model, and cannot take advantage of data fusion. Meanwhile some other studies adapt detection techniques and data fusion to sensing coverage to enhance the deployment scheme. In this paper, we provide some results on optimal regular deployment patterns to achieve information coverage and connectivity as a variety of rc/rs, which are all based on data fusion by sensor collaboration, and propose a novel data fusion strategy for deployment patterns. At first the relation between variety of rc/rs and density of sensors needed to achieve information coverage and connectivity is derived in closed form for regular pattern-based lattice WSNs. Then a dual triangular pattern deployment based on our novel data fusion strategy is proposed, which can utilize collaborative data fusion more efficiently. The strip-based deployment is also extended to a new pattern to achieve information coverage and connectivity, and its characteristics are deduced in closed form. Some discussions and simulations are given to show the efficiency of all deployment patterns, including previous patterns and the proposed patterns, to help developers make more impactful WSN deployment decisions.
Efficient Lane Boundary Detection with Spatial-Temporal Knowledge Filtering
Authors: Nan Zhixiong , Wei Ping , Xu Linhai , Zheng Nanning
Published: August 2016

Lane boundary detection technology has progressed rapidly over the past few decades. However, many challenges that often lead to lane detection unavailability remain to be solved. In this paper, we propose a spatial-temporal knowledge filtering model to detect lane boundaries in videos. To address the challenges of structure variation, large noise and complex illumination, this model incorporates prior spatial-temporal knowledge with lane appearance features to jointly identify lane boundaries. The model first extracts line segments in video frames. Two novel filters—the Crossing Point Filter (CPF) and the Structure Triangle Filter (STF)—are proposed to filter out the noisy line segments. The two filters introduce spatial structure constraints and temporal location constraints into lane detection, which represent the spatial-temporal knowledge about lanes. A straight line or curve model determined by a state machine is used to fit the line segments to finally output the lane boundaries. We collected a challenging realistic traffic scene dataset. The experimental results on this dataset and other standard dataset demonstrate the strength of our method. The proposed method has been successfully applied to our autonomous experimental vehicle.