bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of hyaluronic and aminocaproic acid in the treatment of alveolar osteitis
Authors: Dubovina Dejan , Mihailovic Branko , Bukumiric Zoran , Vlahovic Zoran , Miladinovic Milan , Mikovic Nikola , Lazic Zoran
Published: May 2016

Background/Aim. Alveolar osteitis (AO), also known as ?dry socket?, is relatively common post-extraction complication. It probably occurs due to excessive fibrinolytic activity in the coagulum and is characterized by intense pain sensations. The aim of this clinical study was to examine the role of hyaluronic acid and aminocaproic acid in the treatment of AO. Methods. The study included 60 patients with the clinical diagnosis of AO. All the patients were divided into two groups of 30 patients each according to the applied non-pharmacological measure: irrigation ? irrigation of dry socket with sterile saline; curettage ? careful curettage. Both of these groups were further divided into three subgroups regarding the applied treatment (hyaluronic acid; hyaluronic acid + aminocaproic acid; Alvogyl ?, an anesthetic and antiseptic paste), each with 10 patients, according to the following protocol: 0.2 mL of hyaluronic acid in the form of a 0.8% gel; 2 mL of aminocaproic acid and hyaluronic acid; Alvogyl?. During each visit, scheduled for every two days until complete absence of painful sensations, the patients had the therapeutic method repeated as at the first examination. At each control visit the number of present symptoms and signs of AO was recorded, as well as the level of pain (measured with a visual analogue scale). Results. With the use of hyaluronic acid, with or without aminocaproic one, a statistically significantly faster reduction in pain sensations was achieved, along with the reduction in the number of symptoms and signs of AO compared to the use of Alvogyl?. Conclusion. Hyaluronic acid, applied alone or in combination with aminocaproic acid significantly reduces pain sensation, thus it can be successfully used in the treatment of AO.
The influence of various risk factors on the strength of pelvic floor muscle in women
Authors: Parezanovic-Ilic Katarina , Mladenovic-Segedi Ljiljana , Jurisic-Skevin Aleksandra , Zivanovic-Macuzic Ivana , Grbovic Vesna , Nurkovic Jasmin , Jovanovic Milan , Jeremic Dejan
Published: May 2016

Background/Aim. Damage of any element of pelvic floor leads to its functional damages, reflected in the occurrence of urinary incontinence, prolapse of pelvic organs, fecal incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Basic aim of our paper was to investigate the influence of various risk factors on pelvic floor muscle strength in women. Methods. The study included 90 female patients and examined how age, job, body weight and height, number of deliveries, sports activities, incontinence occurrence, previous prolapse-caused gynecological surgeries, other gynecological surgeries and other conservatively treated gynecological diseases influence the value of pelvic floor muscle strength. Pelvic floor muscle strength was measured using vaginal dynamometer. Results. Univariate regression analysis showed that parameters such as age, demanding job, body height, number of deliveries, sports activities, prolapse-caused gynecological surgeries, other gynecological surgeries and other gynecological diseases were in positive correlation with the values of pelvic floor muscle strength. In multivariate regression model, incontinence and gynecological operation of prolapse were singled out as independent risk factors. Conclusion. If risk factors that cause damage to pelvic floor muscle are known, it is possible to prevent the damages and improve the quality of women's life.

 This article has been corrected. Link to the correction 10.2298/VSP2007765E
The 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in breast cancer
Authors: Mihailovic Jasna , Ubavic Milan
Published: May 2016

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Clinical Outcomes of Metabolic Surgery: Microvascular and Macrovascular Complications
Authors: Adams Ted D. , Arterburn David E. , Nathan David M. , Eckel Robert H.
Published: May 2016

Understanding of the long-term clinical outcomes associated with bariatric surgery has recently been advanced. Research related to the sequelae of diabetes—in particular, long-term microvascular and macrovascular complications—in patients who undergo weight-loss surgery is imperative to this pursuit. While numerous randomized control trials have assessed glucose control with bariatric surgery compared with intensive medical therapy, bariatric surgery outcome data relating to microvascular and macrovascular complications have been limited to observational studies and nonrandomized clinical trials. As a result, whether bariatric surgery is associated with a long-term reduction in microvascular and macrovascular complications when compared with current intensive glycemic control therapy cannot be determined because the evidence is insufficient. However, the consistent salutary effects of bariatric surgery on diabetes remission and glycemic improvement support the opportunity (and need) to conduct high-quality studies of bariatric surgery versus intensive glucose control. This review provides relevant background information related to the treatment of diabetes, hyperglycemia, and long-term complications; reports clinical findings (to date) with bariatric surgery; and identifies ongoing research focusing on long-term vascular outcomes associated with bariatric surgery.
Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and albumin adjusted-IMA (AAIMA) as biomarkers for diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Reddy Varikasuvu Seshadri , Sethi Sumita , Agrawal Poonam , Gupta Navdeep , Garg Renu
Published: May 2016

Introduction: Oxidative stress has important role in the pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) has been recently considered as a marker of oxidative damage in diabetes. However, there is scarcity of published information about both IMA and albumin adjusted-IMA (AAIMA) in DR patients. Objectives: To evaluate the serum levels of IMA and AAIMA in patients with DR and in healthy controls. Material and methods: This was a cross sectional study. Serum was obtained to measure lipids, albumin and IMA from the the patients with DR and non-diabetic subjects. The IMA level was measured by a colorimetric albumin cobalt binding (ACB) assay and the values were presented as absorbance units (ABSU). The IMA levels were adjusted for albumin interference and the AAIMA by using a formula [Individual serum albumin/median albumin concentration of the population X IMA]. Results: This study was done on 18 DR and 20 non- diabetic patients. The mean Serum IMA values in DR group and controls were 0.50±0.17 and 0.32±0.17, respectively (P=0.002). The mean serum AAIMA values in DR group and controls were 0.48±0.20 and 0.32±0.17, respectively (P=0.01). The albumin and HDL- Cholesterol levels were significantly lower in DR patients compared to controls (p=0.004 and p=0.01, respectively). Conclusions: The level of IMA and AAIMA were higher in cases of DR compared to that of non-diabetic subjects. The levels of albumin and HDL-Cholesterol were lower in DR patients compared to controls.
Cycloplegic influence on the accuracy of autorefractometer in myopic and hyperopic children
Authors: Prabhakar SK , Prathibha KS , Angadhi Pooja A , Singhal Anuj Kumar , Ara Raghavender Reddy , Naaz A Shamsiya
Published: May 2016

Objective: To investigate the cycloplegic effect on the accuracy of TOPCON AR RM-8000B autorefractometer in children. Materials and methods: This study included 219 children of age 3 to 16 years. Topical 1% cyclopentolate hydrochloride was instilled for attaining cycloplegia. The children with the refractive error of –0.75 Diopter or more were grouped as myopic and more than +1.00 Diopter as hyperopic. Autorefraction was performed in addition to manual refraction. We used the XLSTAT and Medcalc statistics software. Results: Out of 219 children, 149 (68%) were emmetropic, 48 (22%) hyperopic and 22 (10%) myopic (n=70). Males and females constituted 29 (60.42%) and 19 (39.58%) respectively in hyperopic group where as 11 (54.55%) and 9 (45.45%) children were myopic. The means of ages of the children were 10.29 (+/- 2.96) and 13.14 (+/- 2.36) years in hyperopic and myopic groups respectively. Cycloplegic hyperopic and myopic autorefraction revealed mean sphere of +1.45 and -4.06 diopter with correlation coefficient of 0.95 and 0.99 respectively. Non-cycloplegic hyperopic autorefraction showed 74.2% sensitivity and 8.3% specificity at >-1 diopter with area under curve of 0.517 (p<0.0001). Cycloplegic hyperopic autorefraction showed 100% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity at >+1.85 diopter with accuracy of 0.616. Non-cycloplegic myopic autorefraction showed 100% sensitivity and 0.91% specificity at >-0.75 diopter with accuracy of 0.889. Cycloplegic myopic autorefraction showed 100% sensitivity and specificity at >-1.25 diopter with perfect accuracy. Conclusion: Non-cycloplegic hyperopic autorefraction failed to identify true negative cases. Cycloplegic autorefraction identified true positive cases and myopic autorefraction was relatively unaffected by cycloplegia.
The indications for and the diagnostic yield of imaging in neuro-ophthalmic and orbital disorders
Authors: Pradhan Eli , Bhandari Sanjeeb , Ghosh Yajati Kumar
Published: May 2016

Correction: On 7th June, the first author's name was changed FROM Eli Ranjitkar Pradan TO Eli PradhanIntroduction: Neuro-imaging is an important method of investigation in neuro- ophthalmic and orbital conditions. These investigations are expensive and time consuming. This study describes the diagnostic yield of neuroimaging in patients referred from neuro-ophthalmic services.Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic yield of neuroimaging in patients with neuro-ophthalmic and orbital disorders. Materials and methods: Retrospective review of records of 188 patients referred to radiology department for imaging by the neuro-ophthalmic servicesat University Hospital Coventry. Main outcome measures: Imaging findings were defined to be significant, if it led to changes in patient management, and as relevant, if the abnormal imaging finding related to the patient’s neuro-ophthalmic complaint, examination finding or condition. The imaging findings were categorized into five groups based on significance and relevance as (a) significant and relevant, (b) significant and not relevant, (c) relevant and not significant, (d) not significant and not relevant, or (e) normal. The percentage of tests with a significant and relevant finding was defined as the diagnostic yield. The yield of the imaging test ordered was also analyzed based on neuro-ophthalmic examination findings and indication for imaging. Results: One hundred and eighty eight neuro-imaging studies were analyzed. The majority of this referral was made for evaluation of the orbit (30%) and the anterior visual pathway (22%), followed by motility disorder (16%) and cerebro vascular accidents (11%). Hemifacial spasm, nystagmus and headache were less common indications for imaging referral. Sixty-one (32.4%) had significant and relevant findings to the patient’s neuro- ophthalmic condition. In the majority (33/61, 54%), imaging was done to evaluate the orbit. Conclusion: Among the imaging referral from neuro-ophthalmic practice, request for evaluation of the orbit provides a higher diagnostic yield.
Management of childhood glaucoma in Sturge Weber Syndrome: A challenge
Authors: Lavaju Poonam , Mahat Pawan
Published: May 2016

Background: Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare congenital neuro- oculo- cutaneous disorder. Glaucoma is one of the ocular abnormalities associated with it. Management of glaucoma in SWS is challenging. Objective: To report surgical and visual outcome of trabeculectomy in bilateral glaucoma in Sturge-Weber syndrome and the challenges encountered in its management. Case description: A six-year-old girl presented with gradually progressive increase in size of both the eyes associated with watering, photophobia and diminution of vision since birth. On examination she was diagnosed to have bilateral SWS with glaucoma, refractive to antiglaucoma medications. She underwent trabeculectomy with intraoperative use of 5- FU. The post operative period was complicated with choroidal effusion in both the eyes with shallow anterior chamber. In the second post operative day, the right eye anterior chamber re- formation was done with ringer lactate solution. There was spontaneous resolution of choroidal effusion with normalization of intraocular pressure with no adverse effect on visual acuity within one week. Conclusion: Treatment of glaucoma associated with Sturge-Weber syndrome is challenging. When planning surgical intervention an increased risk of choroidal effusion associated with it, should be kept in mind.
Chitosan ameliorates growth and biochemical attributes in mungbean varieties under saline condition
Authors: Ray Shuma Rani , Bhuiyan Muhammad Javidul Haque , Hossain Mohammad Anowar , Hasan Ahmed Khairul , Sharmin Shayla
Published: May 2016

The pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of chitosan on the morphological, biochemical parameters of four Mungbean varieties (BARI Mung3, BARI Mung6, BINA Mung5 and BINA Mung8) under salinity condition. Each pot having eight kilograms of soil was prepared to grow three plants of each variety. The experiment comprised with four different conditions in triplicates viz. control, saline (40 mM NaCl, 25 days after sowing- DAS), saline plus chitosan (25 ppm chitosan, 30DAS on saline condition) and chitosan (25 ppm chitosan on control condition). Seed collections followed by data analysis were done. Proline content was measured accordingly. Salinity caused reduction in all growth and yield contributing attributes compared to control groups of all four varieties. Proline accumulation was enhanced due to saline condition, and this accumulation was not enhanced by application of chitosan. However, application of chitosan played as an outstanding stimulating role in all morphological parameters like number of flowers plant-1, number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1 and thousand seeds weight under salinity stress.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.3(1): 45-51, April 2016
Effects of rooting media and varieties on rooting performance of dragon fruit cuttings (Hylocereu sundatus Haw.)
Authors: Rahad MAB Khalil , Islam M Ashraful , Rahim M Abdur , Monira S
Published: May 2016

The experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different rooting media on rooting performance, plant growth and development of two varieties of Pitahaya (dragon fruit) cuttings at the Fruit Tree Improvement Project (FTIP), Germplasm Centre (GPC) of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh during the period from May 2014 to August 2014. The two factors experiment consisted with of two different varieties of dragon fruit viz., BAU Dragon fruit-1 (V1) and BAU Dragon fruit-2 (V2) with 14 rooting media. viz. control (soil 100%) (T0), 50% cow dung + 50% soil (T1), Saw dust (100%) (T2), Compost (100%) (T3), 50% soil + 50% sand (T4), 50% soil + 50% saw dust (T5), Sand (100%) (T6), Indole-3 Acetic Acid (IAA) 500 ppm solution + soil (100%) (T7), 300 ppm solution + soil (100%) (T8), 200 ppm solution of IAA + soil (100%) (T9), 500 ppm solution of Indole-3 Butyric Acid (IBA) + soil (100%) (T10), 300 ppm solution IBA + soil (100%) (T11), 200 ppm solution IBA + soil (100%) (T12), (IBA+IAA) 200 ppm solution of each + soil (100%) (T13). All the parameter showed significant effect except number of branches per plant. In case of variety less time was needed for first root initiation (22.33 days) with the longest plant height (34.02 cm). The better result regarding number of roots per cutting (6.00) was found in case of BAU dragon fruit-2 (V2) where the highest root length (15.22 cm). In case of different treatment, the better result regarding number of roots per cutting (8.17) at 100 DAP was counted from the combination of (IAA+IBA) 200 ppm solution + soil (100%) (T13). The highest root length (25.38 cm) was observed in IAA 200 ppm solution + soil (100%) (T9). In case of combined effect, the minimum time was required for first root initiation (20.78 days) with IAA 300 ppm solution + soil (100%) (T8). The highest root length (25.87 cm) was observed in BAU Dragon fruit-1 with IAA 200 ppm solution + soil (100%) (V1T9). Number of roots per cutting was noticed (9.67) in BAU Dragon fruit-2 200 ppm solution of each IAA and IBA + soil (100%) (V2T13).Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.3(1): 67-77, April 2016
Stratospheric Aerosols from Major Volcanic Eruptions: A Composition-Climate Model Study of the Aerosol Cloud Dispersal and e-folding Time
Authors: Pitari Giovanni , Di Genova Glauco , Mancini Eva , Visioni Daniele , Gandolfi Ilaria , Cionni Irene
Published: May 2016

Large explosive volcanic eruptions are capable of injecting considerable amounts of particles and sulfur gases above the tropopause, causing large increases in stratospheric aerosols. Five major volcanic eruptions after 1960 (i.e., Agung, St. Helens, El Chichón, Nevado del Ruiz and Pinatubo) have been considered in a numerical study conducted with a composition-climate coupled model including an aerosol microphysics code for aerosol formation and growth. Model results are compared between an ensemble of numerical simulations including volcanic aerosols and their radiative effects (VE) and a reference simulations ensemble (REF) with no radiative impact of the volcanic aerosols. Differences of VE-REF show enhanced diabatic heating rates; increased stratospheric temperatures and mean zonal westerly winds; increased planetary wave amplitude; and tropical upwelling. The impact on stratospheric upwelling is found to be larger when the volcanically perturbed stratospheric aerosol is confined to the tropics, as tends to be the case for eruptions which were followed by several months with easterly shear of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), e.g., the Pinatubo case. Compared to an eruption followed by a period of westerly QBO, such easterly QBO eruptions are quite different, with meridional transport to mid- and high-latitudes occurring later, and at higher altitude, with a consequent decrease in cross-tropopause removal from the stratosphere, and therefore longer decay timescale. Comparing the model-calculated e-folding time of the volcanic aerosol mass during the first year after the eruptions, an increase is found from 8.1 and 10.3 months for El Chichón and Agung (QBO westerly shear), to 14.6 and 30.7 months for Pinatubo and Ruiz (QBO easterly shear). The corresponding e-folding time of the global-mean radiative flux changes goes from 9.1 and 8.0 months for El Chichón and Agung, to 28.7 and 24.5 months for Pinatubo and Ruiz.
Prevalence of Hypertension among Adults in Remote Rural Areas of Xinjiang, China
Authors: Wang Yulin , Zhang Jingyu , Ding Yusong , Zhang Mei , Liu Jiaming , Ma Jiaolong , Guo Heng , Yan Yizhong , He Jia , Wang Kui , Li Shugang , Ma Rulin , Murat Bek , Guo Shuxia
Published: May 2016

Objective: The present study aimed to estimate prevalence of hypertension among adults in rural remote areas of Xinjiang, China and evaluate the associated factors of hypertension. Methods: The survey was based on questionnaire interviews and clinical measurements of 11,340 individuals (≥18 years old), and was conducted during 2009–2010 via a stratified cluster random sampling method in the remote rural areas of Xinjiang, about 4407 km away from the capital Beijing. Hypertension was defined according to WHO/ISH criteria. Results: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of the population were (126.3 ± 21.4) and (80.9 ± 13.4) mmHg. Compared with Han nationality subjects, SBP and DBP of Kazakh nationality subjects were significantly high (p < 0.05), while the SBP and DBP of Uyghur subjects were significantly low (Kazakh: (128.7 ± 23.9) and (83.0 ± 14.6) mmHg, Uyghur: (123.6 ± 19.3) and (77.4 ± 12.7) mmHg, Han: (126.5 ± 20.5) and (82.6 ± 11.9) mmHg, p < 0.05). Prevalence of hypertension of the population was 32.1%, and was greater among Kazakhs and lower among Uyghur than Han (Kazakh: 36.9%, Uyghur: 26.1%, Han: 33.7%, p < 0.05). The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was 30.2%, and was greater among Kazakhs while lower among Uyghurs than Han subjects (Kazakh: 37.0%, Uyghur: 26.0%, Han: 33.8%, p < 0.05, p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed Gender (OR = 1.324), age (OR = 2.098, 3.681, 6.794, 9.473, 14.646), nationality (OR = 1.541), occupation (OR = 1.659, 1.576), education (OR = 1.260), BMI (OR = 1.842), WC (OR = 1.585), WHR (OR = 1.188), WHR (OR = 1.188), diabetes (OR = 1.879), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.361), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.131) and high blood low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (OR = 1.956) were all positively correlated with hypertension, while low blood high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR = 0.765) was negatively correlated with hypertension. Conclusions: Prevalence of hypertension among adults in remote rural areas of Xinjiang was higher than the national average. Prevalence of hypertension was greater among Kazakhs and lower among Uyghurs than Han nationals, thus indicating significant differences between regions and nationalities. Gender, age, nation, occupation, education, overweight or obesity, abdominal obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, high LDL-C were positively correlated with hypertension, low HDL-C was negatively correlated with hypertension.
Dutch Primary Schoolchildren’s Perspectives of Activity-Friendly School Playgrounds: A Participatory Study
Authors: Caro Helena , Altenburg Teatske , Dedding Christine , Chinapaw Mai
Published: May 2016

School playgrounds are important physical activity (PA) environments for children, yet only a small number of children reaches the target of 40% of moderate-to-vigorous PA time during recess. The aim of this study was to explore children’s perspectives (i.e., child-identified determinants) of activity-friendly school playgrounds. We conducted participatory research with children as co-researchers, framed as a project to give children the opportunity to discuss their views and ideas about their school playgrounds. At three schools, six children (9–12 years old) met over five to seven group meetings. Data analysis included children’s conclusions obtained during the project and the researcher’s analysis of written reports of all meetings. Children indicated a strong desire for fun and active play, with physical playground characteristics and safety, rules and supervision, peer-interactions, and variation in equipment/games as important determinants. Our results indicate that improving activity-friendliness of playgrounds requires an integrated and multi-faceted approach. It also indicates that children, as primary users, are able to identify barriers for active play that are easily overlooked, unknown or differently perceived by adults. Hence, we believe that structural involvement of children in designing, developing and improving playgrounds may increase children’s’ active play and consequently PA levels during recess.
Kidney Injury Molecule-1 Is Specifically Expressed in Cystically-Transformed Proximal Tubules of the PKD/Mhm (cy/+) Rat Model of Polycystic Kidney Disease
Authors: Gauer Stefan , Urbschat Anja , Gretz Norbert , Hoffmann Sigrid , Kränzlin Bettina , Geiger Helmut , Obermüller Nicholas
Published: May 2016

Expression of kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) is rapidly upregulated following tubular injury, constituting a biomarker for acute kidney damage. We examined the renal localization of Kim-1 expression in PKD/Mhm (polycystic kidney disease, Mannheim) (cy/+) rats (cy: mutated allel, +: wild type allel), an established model for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, with chronic, mainly proximal tubulointerstitial alterations. For immunohistochemistry or Western blot analysis, kidneys of male adult heterozygously-affected (cy/+) and unaffected (+/+) littermates were perfusion-fixed or directly removed. Kim-1 expression was determined using peroxidase- or fluorescence-linked immunohistochemistry (alone or in combination with markers for tubule segments or differentiation). Compared to (+/+), only in (cy/+) kidneys, a chronic expression of Kim-1 could be detected by Western blot analysis, which was histologically confined to an apical cellular localization in areas of cystically-transformed proximal tubules with varying size and morphology, but not in distal tubular segments. Kim-1 was expressed by cystic epithelia exhibiting varying extents of dedifferentiation, as shown by double labeling with aquaporin-1, vimentin or osteopontin, yielding partial cellular coexpression. In this model, in contrast to other known molecules indicating renal injury and/or repair mechanisms, the chronic renal expression of Kim-1 is strictly confined to proximal cysts. Its exact role in interfering with tubulo-interstitial alterations in polycystic kidney disease warrants future investigations.
Targeted Gene Knockin in Porcine Somatic Cells Using CRISPR/Cas Ribonucleoproteins
Authors: Park Ki-Eun , Park Chi-Hun , Powell Anne , Martin Jessica , Donovan David , Telugu Bhanu
Published: May 2016

The pig is an ideal large animal model for genetic engineering applications. A relatively short gestation interval and large litter size makes the pig a conducive model for generating and propagating genetic modifications. The domestic pig also shares close similarity in anatomy, physiology, size, and life expectancy, making it an ideal animal for modeling human diseases. Often, however, the technical difficulties in generating desired genetic modifications such as targeted knockin of short stretches of sequences or transgenes have impeded progress in this field. In this study, we have investigated and compared the relative efficiency of CRISPR/Cas ribonucleoproteins in engineering targeted knockin of pseudo attP sites downstream of a ubiquitously expressed COL1A gene in porcine somatic cells and generated live fetuses by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). By leveraging these knockin pseudo attP sites, we have demonstrated subsequent phiC31 integrase mediated integration of green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene into the site. This work for the first time created an optimized protocol for CRISPR/Cas mediated knockin in porcine somatic cells, while simultaneously creating a stable platform for future transgene integration and generating transgenic animals.
Cloning, Expression and 3D Structure Prediction of Chitinase from Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1
Authors: Hao Zhikui , Wu Hangui , Yang Meiling , Chen Jianjun , Xi Limin , Zhao Weijie , Yu Jialin , Liu Jiayang , Liao Xiangru , Huang Qingguo
Published: May 2016

Two CHI genes from Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1 encoding chitinases were identified and their protein 3D structures were predicted. According to the amino acid sequence alignment, CHI1 gene encoding 166 aa had a structural domain similar to the GH18 type II chitinase, and CHI2 gene encoding 383 aa had the same catalytic domain as the glycoside hydrolase family 19 chitinase. In this study, CHI2 chitinase were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 cells, and this protein was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose, and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. Optimal activity of CHI2 chitinase occurred at a temperature of 40 °C and a pH of 6.5. The presence of metal ions Fe3+, Fe2+, and Zn2+ inhibited CHI2 chitinase activity, while Na+ and K+ promoted its activity. Furthermore, the presence of EGTA, EDTA, and β-mercaptoethanol significantly increased the stability of CHI2 chitinase. The CHI2 chitinase was active with p-NP-GlcNAc, with the Km and Vm values of 23.0 µmol/L and 9.1 mM/min at a temperature of 37 °C, respectively. Additionally, the CHI2 chitinase was characterized as an N-acetyl glucosaminidase based on the hydrolysate from chitin. Overall, our results demonstrated CHI2 chitinase with remarkable biochemical properties is suitable for bioconversion of chitin waste.
Dendritic-Tumor Fusion Cell-Based Cancer Vaccines
Authors: Koido Shigeo
Published: May 2016

Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that play a critical role in the induction of antitumor immunity. Therefore, various strategies have been developed to deliver tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) to DCs as cancer vaccines. The fusion of DCs and whole tumor cells to generate DC-tumor fusion cells (DC-tumor FCs) is an alternative strategy to treat cancer patients. The cell fusion method allows DCs to be exposed to the broad array of TAAs originally expressed by whole tumor cells. DCs then process TAAs endogenously and present them through major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II pathways in the context of costimulatory molecules, resulting in simultaneous activation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. DC-tumor FCs require optimized enhanced immunogenicity of both DCs and whole tumor cells. In this context, an effective fusion strategy also needs to produce immunogenic DC-tumor FCs. We discuss the potential ability of DC-tumor FCs and the recent progress in improving clinical outcomes by DC-tumor FC-based cancer vaccines.
Multiparameter Microwave Characterization and Probing of Ultralow Glucose Concentration Using a Microfabricated Biochip
Authors: Adhikari Kishor , Kim Eun , Kim Nam
Published: May 2016

This paper presents a planar biochip consisting of electromagnetically coupled, symmetric, square open loops for the multiparameter microwave characterization of deionized water, a phosphate-buffered saline solution, and a fructose-deionized water solution. The characterization additionally includes the probing of an ultralow glucose concentration in a very small volume of human sera and in solutions of d-glucose powder and deionized water. The interaction between the coupled electromagnetic field and the aqueous solution sample translates into a predictable relationship between the electrical characteristics of the biochip (magnitude and phase of S-parameters, attenuation, phase constant, group delay, characteristic impedance, and effective complex permittivity) and the physical properties of the solution. Owing to the microfabrication technology used for fabricating the proposed microbiochip, it is possible to develop robust, compact square open loops with a microsized coupling gap that characterizes a very small volume (1 μL) of the sample. Additionally, the biochip’s impedance peaks at its resonances were modeled using glucose-level-dependent coupling capacitance between folded square open loops and mutual inductance between center-loaded T-shaped stubs. These peaks linearly shifted in frequencies and markedly varied in impedance. Consequently, a physiologically relevant amount of glucose (50–400 mg/dL) with a high sensitivity (up to 2.036 Ω/(mg·dL−1)) and an ultralow detection limit (up to 4.8 nmol/L) was linearly detected.
Enantiopure Trisubstituted Tetrahydrofurans with Appendage Diversity: Vinyl Sulfone- and Vinyl Sulfoxide-Modified Furans Derived from Carbohydrates as Synthons for Diversity Oriented Synthesis
Authors: Dey Debanjana , Pathak Tanmaya
Published: May 2016

Enantiomerically pure 2-substituted-2,5-dihydro-3-(aryl) sulfonyl/sulfinyl furans have been prepared from the easily accessible carbohydrate derivatives. The orientation of the substituents attached at the C-2 position of furans is sufficient to control the diastereoselectivity of the addition of various nucleophiles to the vinyl sulfone/sulfoxide-modified tetrahydrofurans, irrespective of the size of the group. The orientation of the substituents at the C-2 center also suppresses the influence of sulfoxides on the diastereoselectivity of the addition of various nucleophiles. The strategy leads to the creation of appendage diversity, affording a plethora of enantiomerically pure trisubstituted furanics for the first time.
Spouses’ Dependence across Generations and Pricing Impact on Reversionary Annuities
Authors: Luciano Elisa , Spreeuw Jaap , Vigna Elena
Published: May 2016

This paper studies the dependence between coupled lives, i.e., the spouses’ dependence, across different generations, and its effects on prices of reversionary annuities in the presence of longevity risk. Longevity risk is represented via a stochastic mortality intensity. We find that a generation-based model is important, since spouses’ dependence decreases when passing from older generations to younger generations. The independence assumption produces quantifiable mispricing of reversionary annuities, with different effects on different generations. The research is conducted using a well-known dataset of double life contracts.
GRACE-Derived Terrestrial Water Storage Changes in the Inter-Basin Region and Its Possible Influencing Factors: A Case Study of the Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Yao Chaolong , Luo Zhicai , Wang Haihong , Li Qiong , Zhou Hao
Published: May 2016

We investigate terrestrial water storage (TWS) changes over the Sichuan Basin and the related impacts of water variations in the adjacent basins from GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), in situ river level, and precipitation data. Although GRACE shows water increased over the Sichuan Basin from January 2003 to February 2015, two heavy droughts in 2006 and 2011 have resulted in significant water deficits. Correlations of 0.74 and 0.56 were found between TWS and mean river level/precipitation within the Sichuan Basin, respectively, indicating that the Sichuan Basin TWS is influenced by both of the local rainfall and water recharge from the adjacent rivers. Moreover, water sources from the neighboring basins showed different impacts on water deficits observed by GRACE during the two severe droughts in the region. This provides valuable information for regional water management in response to serious dry conditions. Additionally, the Sichuan Basin TWS is shown to be influenced more by the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) than the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), especially for the January 2003–July 2012 period with a correlation of −0.66. However, a strong positive correlation of 0.84 was found between TWS and ENSO after August 2012, which is a puzzle that needs further investigation. This study shows that the combination of other hydrological variables can provide beneficial applications of GRACE in inter-basin areas.
MERIS Phytoplankton Time Series Products from the SW Iberian Peninsula (Sagres) Using Seasonal-Trend Decomposition Based on Loess
Authors: Cristina Sónia , Cordeiro Clara , Lavender Samantha , Costa Goela Priscila , Icely John , Newton Alice
Published: May 2016

The European Space Agency has acquired 10 years of data on the temporal and spatial distribution of phytoplankton biomass from the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) sensor for ocean color. The phytoplankton biomass was estimated with the MERIS product Algal Pigment Index 1 (API 1). Seasonal-Trend decomposition of time series based on Loess (STL) identified the temporal variability of the dynamical features in the MERIS products for water leaving reflectance (ρw(λ)) and API 1. The advantages of STL is that it can identify seasonal components changing over time, it is responsive to nonlinear trends, and it is robust in the presence of outliers. One of the novelties in this study is the development and the implementation of an automatic procedure, stl.fit(), that searches the best data modeling by varying the values of the smoothing parameters, and by selecting the model with the lowest error measure. This procedure was applied to 10 years of monthly time series from Sagres in the Southwestern Iberian Peninsula at three Stations, 2, 10 and 18 km from the shore. Decomposing the MERIS products into seasonal, trend and irregular components with stl.fit(), the ρw(λ) indicated dominance of the seasonal and irregular components while API 1 was mainly dominated by the seasonal component, with an increasing effect from inshore to offshore. A comparison of the seasonal components between the ρw(λ) and the API 1 product, showed that the variations decrease along this time period due to the changes in phytoplankton functional types. Furthermore, inter-annual seasonal variation for API 1 showed the influence of upwelling events and in which month of the year these occur at each of the three Sagres stations. The stl.fit() is a good tool for any remote sensing study of time series, particularly those addressing inter-annual variations. This procedure will be made available in R software.
Improving Kinematic Accuracy of Soft Wearable Data Gloves by Optimizing Sensor Locations
Authors: Kim Dong , Lee Sang , Park Hyung-Soon
Published: May 2016

Bending sensors enable compact, wearable designs when used for measuring hand configurations in data gloves. While existing data gloves can accurately measure angular displacement of the finger and distal thumb joints, accurate measurement of thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint movements remains challenging due to crosstalk between the multi-sensor outputs required to measure the degrees of freedom (DOF). To properly measure CMC-joint configurations, sensor locations that minimize sensor crosstalk must be identified. This paper presents a novel approach to identifying optimal sensor locations. Three-dimensional hand surface data from ten subjects was collected in multiple thumb postures with varied CMC-joint flexion and abduction angles. For each posture, scanned CMC-joint contours were used to estimate CMC-joint flexion and abduction angles by varying the positions and orientations of two bending sensors. Optimal sensor locations were estimated by the least squares method, which minimized the difference between the true CMC-joint angles and the joint angle estimates. Finally, the resultant optimal sensor locations were experimentally validated. Placing sensors at the optimal locations, CMC-joint angle measurement accuracies improved (flexion, 2.8° ± 1.9°; abduction, 1.9° ± 1.2°). The proposed method for improving the accuracy of the sensing system can be extended to other types of soft wearable measurement devices.
Development of a Tonometric Sensor with a Decoupled Circular Array for Precisely Measuring Radial Artery Pulse
Authors: Jun Min-Ho , Kim Young-Min , Bae Jang-Han , Jung Chang , Cho Jung-Hee , Jeon Young
Published: May 2016

The radial artery pulse is one of the major diagnostic indices used clinically in both Eastern and Western medicine. One of the prominent methods for measuring the radial artery pulse is the piezoresistive sensor array. Independence among channels and an appropriate sensor arrangement are important for effectively assessing the spatial-temporal information of the pulse. This study developed a circular-type seven-channel piezoresistive sensor array using face-down bonding (FDB) as one of the sensor combination methods. The three-layered housing structure that included independent pressure sensor units using the FDB method not only enabled elimination of the crosstalk among channels, but also allowed various array patterns to be created for effective pulse measurement. The sensors were arranged in a circular-type arrangement such that they could estimate the direction of the radial artery and precisely measure the pulse wave. The performance of the fabricated sensor array was validated by evaluating the sensor sensitivity per channel, and the possibility of estimating the blood vessel direction was demonstrated through a radial artery pulse simulator. We expect the proposed sensor to allow accurate extraction of the pulse indices for pulse diagnosis.
Real-Time Monitoring System for a Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plant
Authors: Moreno-Garcia Isabel , Palacios-Garcia Emilio , Pallares-Lopez Victor , Santiago Isabel , Gonzalez-Redondo Miguel , Varo-Martinez Marta , Real-Calvo Rafael
Published: May 2016

There is, at present, considerable interest in the storage and dispatchability of photovoltaic (PV) energy, together with the need to manage power flows in real-time. This paper presents a new system, PV-on time, which has been developed to supervise the operating mode of a Grid-Connected Utility-Scale PV Power Plant in order to ensure the reliability and continuity of its supply. This system presents an architecture of acquisition devices, including wireless sensors distributed around the plant, which measure the required information. It is also equipped with a high-precision protocol for synchronizing all data acquisition equipment, something that is necessary for correctly establishing relationships among events in the plant. Moreover, a system for monitoring and supervising all of the distributed devices, as well as for the real-time treatment of all the registered information, is presented. Performances were analyzed in a 400 kW transformation center belonging to a 6.1 MW Utility-Scale PV Power Plant. In addition to monitoring the performance of all of the PV plant’s components and detecting any failures or deviations in production, this system enables users to control the power quality of the signal injected and the influence of the installation on the distribution grid.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma Diagnosed from Peritoneal Effluent
Authors: Viray Paul , Setyapranata Stella , Holt Stephen G.
Published: May 2016

In infective cases of peritoneal dialysis (PD) peritonitis, examination of the effluent fluid usually shows a predominance of neutrophils, and a bacterial organism is frequently isolated by culture. Where no organisms are identified, cases are often referred to as culture-negative ‘peritonitis,’ but non-infective causes for cloudy effluent are rare. We report the unusual finding of cloudy effluent as a presenting sign of recurrent lymphoma, diagnosed by cytological examination of the peritoneal effluent.
Uninterrupted Peritoneal Dialysis after Robotic-Assisted Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
Authors: Lew Susie Q. , Chernofsky Mildred R.
Published: May 2016

This report describes the first case of uninterrupted peritoneal dialysis (PD) after robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy. Frequent low-volume PD exchanges in a supine position to minimize intra-abdominal pressure starting on post-operative day 3 successfully provided adequate clearance and ultrafiltration. The patient did not encounter any metabolic or wound complications. Pre-admission PD prescription was resumed on post-operative day 14. Interim hemodialysis was not needed.
WIYN OPEN CLUSTER STUDY. LXXI. SPECTROSCOPIC MEMBERSHIP AND ORBITS OF NGC 6791 SUB-SUBGIANTS
Authors: Milliman Katelyn E. , Leiner Emily , Mathieu Robert D. , Tofflemire Benjamin M. , Platais Imants
Published: May 2016

In an optical color–magnitude diagram, sub-subgiants (SSGs) lie redward of the main sequence and fainter than the base of the red giant branch in a region not easily populated by standard stellar-evolution pathways. In this paper, we present multi-epoch radial velocities for five SSG candidates in the old and metal-rich open cluster NGC 6791 (8 Gyr, [Fe/H] = +0.30). From these data, we are able to make three-dimensional kinematic membership determinations and confirm four SSG candidates as likely cluster members. We also identify three member SSGs as short-period binary systems and present their orbital solutions. These are the first SSGs with known three-dimensional kinematic membership, binary status, and orbital parameters since the two SSGs in M67 studied by Mathieu et al. We also remark on the other properties of these stars including photometric variability, Hα emission, and X-ray luminosity. The membership confirmation of these SSGs in NGC 6791 strengthens the case that SSGs are a new class of nonstandard stellar evolution products, and that a physical mechanism must be found that explains the evolutionary paths of these stars.
ACHIEVING CONSISTENT DOPPLER MEASUREMENTS FROM SDO/HMI VECTOR FIELD INVERSIONS
Authors: Schuck Peter W. , Antiochos S. K. , Leka K. D. , Barnes Graham
Published: May 2016

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory is delivering vector magnetic field observations of the full solar disk with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution; however, the satellite is in a highly inclined geosynchronous orbit. The relative spacecraft–Sun velocity varies by ±3 km s−1 over a day, which introduces major orbital artifacts in the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) data. We demonstrate that the orbital artifacts contaminate all spatial and temporal scales in the data. We describe a newly developed three-stage procedure for mitigating these artifacts in the Doppler data obtained from the Milne–Eddington inversions in the HMI pipeline. The procedure ultimately uses 32 velocity-dependent coefficients to adjust 10 million pixels—a remarkably sparse correction model given the complexity of the orbital artifacts. This procedure was applied to full-disk images of AR 11084 to produce consistent Dopplergrams. The data adjustments reduce the power in the orbital artifacts by 31 dB. Furthermore, we analyze in detail the corrected images and show that our procedure greatly improves the temporal and spectral properties of the data without adding any new artifacts. We conclude that this new procedure makes a dramatic improvement in the consistency of the HMI data and in its usefulness for precision scientific studies.
THE MOST BOUND HALO PARTICLE–GALAXY CORRESPONDENCE MODEL: COMPARISON BETWEEN MODELS WITH DIFFERENT MERGER TIMESCALES
Authors: Hong Sungwook E. , Park Changbom , Kim Juhan
Published: May 2016

We develop a galaxy assignment scheme that populates dark matter halos with galaxies by tracing the most bound member particles (MBPs) of simulated halos. Several merger timescale models based on analytic calculations and numerical simulations are adopted as the survival times of mock satellite galaxies. We build mock galaxy samples from halo merger data of the Horizon Run 4 N-body simulation from z = 12–0. We compare group properties and two-point correlation functions (2pCFs) of mock galaxies with those of volume-limited SDSS galaxies, with r-band absolute magnitudes of

and −20 at z = 0. It is found that the MBP-galaxy correspondence scheme reproduces the observed population of SDSS galaxies in massive galaxy groups (

) and the small-scale 2pCF (

) quite well for the majority of the merger timescale models adopted. The new scheme outperforms the previous subhalo-galaxy correspondence scheme by more than 2σ.