bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adult ADHD Among NSW Prisoners
Authors: Moore Elizabeth , Sunjic Sandra , Kaye Sharlene , Archer Vicki , Indig Devon
Published: October 2013

Objective: Given the paucity of research among prisoners, this study aimed to examine the prevalence and psychiatric comorbidity associated with adult ADHD. Method: The study was conducted at four NSW correctional facilities (2 male; 2 female). Results: Thirty-five percent of the sample screened positive for adult ADHD, and 17% of the sample met criteria for a full diagnosis. After adjustment, benzodiazepine dependence, borderline personality disorder, social phobia, antisocial personality disorder, and a number of lifetime psychological disorders remained significantly and independently associated with the diagnosis of adult ADHD. Lowering the threshold on the ADHD Self-Rating Scale to ≥3 (vs. ≥4) increased the sensitivity (80%-93%), but lowered the specificity (55%-47%). Conclusion: Adult ADHD among NSW prisoners is elevated, with substance use disorders and psychiatric comorbidity common. A greater acceptance of this disorder among prisoners, and appropriate treatment, is warranted.
Neuropsychological Functioning in Adults With ADHD and Adults With Other Psychiatric Disorders
Authors: Holst Ylva , Thorell Lisa B.
Published: October 2013

Objective: The aim was to investigate how well neuropsychological measures can discriminate between adults with ADHD and those with other psychiatric disorders. Method: Adults with ADHD and a clinical control group ( n = 110) were included. Neuropsychological functioning was investigated using measures of inhibition, working memory, set shifting, planning, fluency, reaction-time variability, and delay aversion. Results: Adults with ADHD performed more poorly compared with clinical controls with regard to all constructs. The effects of verbal memory, inhibition, set shifting, fluency, and delay aversion remained significant when controlling for IQ. However, when controlling for basic cognitive functions, only the effects of inhibition, fluency, and delay aversion were significant. Sensitivity ranged between 64% and 75%, and specificity between 66% and 81%. Conclusion: Neuropsychological tests have a relatively poor ability to discriminate between adults with ADHD and clinical controls, but they may be used to identify individuals at particularly high risk for poor daily functioning.
Quench the Thirst
Authors: Arai Shoshana R. , Butzlaff Alice , Stotts Nancy A. , Puntillo Kathleen A.
Published: October 2013

Thirst, as a symptom, has long been considered the most prevalent clinical complaint patients voice in healthcare settings. Yet, rarely have researchers examined thirst by its correlation with physiologic factors. This review was undertaken to examine the relationships between thirst ratings and factors mediating its primary physiologic correlates: plasma osmolality (pOsm) and arginine vasopressin peptide (AVP). A literature search was undertaken to identify clinical studies in human subjects that investigated the relationship of thirst to specific physiologic thirst-related correlates and associated thirst mediators. Thirst was induced in 17 selected clinical studies by hyperosmolar infusion, through water deprivation or exercise weight-loss regimens. Positive linear relationships between the subjects' thirst ratings and rising serum pOsm levels confirmed the presence of intact osmotic thirst drives. However, there were significant variations in normal compensatory rises in AVP levels that followed the rises in plasma osmolality after the subjects were exposed to cold, physical pre-conditioning and water immersion tests. Notably, older adults in the studies reported diminished thirst ratings. Weak correlations suggest that angiotensin II may play only a minor role in thirst mediation. Atrial natriuretic hormone's inhibitory effect on thirst was inconsistent. Findings indicated that older adults are at higher risk for profound dehydration due to sensory deficits along with failure to correct volume losses. The thirst trials results support the close correlation between serum pOsm values and patients' thirst ratings, with the exception of the older adult.
The challenges of planning language objectives in content-based ESL instruction
Authors: Baecher Laura , Farnsworth Tim , Ediger Anne
Published: October 2013

The purpose of this research was to investigate the major patterns in content-based instruction (CBI) lesson plans among practicum teachers at the final stage of an MA TESOL program. One hundred and seven lesson plans were coded according to a typology developed to evaluate clarity and identify areas of potential difficulty in the design of content and language objectives by TESOL teacher candidates for use in PreK–12 ESL classrooms. Participants in our study tended to have more difficulty in designing language objectives than content objectives. There was also a tendency to write language objectives that focused heavily on the four language skills and on vocabulary, and considerably less often on grammatical structures, functions, or language learning strategies.
The effects of repetition and time of post-test administration on EFL learners’ form recall of single words and collocations
Authors: Peters Elke
Published: October 2013

This article examines how form recall of target lexical items by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) is affected (1) by repetition (1, 3 or 5 number of occurrences), (2) by the type of target item (single words versus collocations), and (3) by the time of post-test administration (immediately or one week after the learning session). The learning treatment consisted of non-communicative, (partly) decontextualized activities, in which the target items (12 single words and 12 collocations) occurred once, 3 or 5 times. In all activities, participants had to supply the target items’ form. Data were collected in a classroom setting in two groups, differing only in the time of test administration. In group 1, participants took two unannounced post-tests, one test immediately after the experimental treatment and the second test 2 weeks later, whereas participants in group 2 took their first unannounced post-test only 1 week after the experimental treatment and the second test 2 weeks after the treatment. The findings showed a large effect of repetition that was independent of the time of post-test administration. The difference in recall scores of items occurring once or 5 times appeared to be crucial in both groups and for both single words and collocations. Moreover, the effect of repetition was durable. The results also indicated that collocations were more difficult to learn than single words.
Challenges to promoting health in the modern welfare state: The case of the Nordic nations
Authors: Raphael Dennis
Published: October 2013

Aims: Finland, Norway, and Sweden are leaders in promoting health through public policy action. Much of this has to do with the close correspondence between key health promotion concepts and elements of the Nordic welfare state that promote equity through universalist strategies and programs that provide citizens with economic and social security. The purpose of this article is to identify the threats to the Nordic welfare states related to immigration, economic globalization, and welfare state fatigue. Methods: Through a critical analysis of relevant literature and data this article provides evidence of the state of the Nordic welfare state and some of these challenges to the Nordic welfare state and its health promotion efforts. Results: There is evidence of declining support for the unconditional Nordic welfare state, increases in income inequality and poverty, and a weakening of the programs and supports that have associated with the excellent health profile of the Nordic nations. This is especially the case for Sweden. Conclusions: It is argued that the Nordic welfare states’ accomplishments must be celebrated and used as a basis for maintaining the public policies shown to be successful in promoting the health of its citizens.
Field analysis of indoor air quality in high rise and low rise green offices with radiant slab cooling systems in Malaysia
Authors: Yau Y. H. , Hasbi S.
Published: October 2013

Even though the green building concept is fairly new in Malaysia, the development of this industry has been growing in recent years prior to the launch of Malaysia’s own standard, namely the Green Building Index (GBI). One of the criteria assessed in the GBI is the energy efficiency, which takes about 21% of the overall assessment. Considering this, the passive design has been included in the green building concept to reduce the energy usage without compromising occupant thermal comfort. This study attempts to assess the passive design effectiveness in terms of indoor air quality in green office buildings in the tropics. Two green office buildings that incorporated the radiant slab cooling and conventional cooling system have been selected as case studies. A detailed assessment in terms of thermal comfort parameters (temperature and relative humidity), indoor pollutants’ concentration (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde) and air movement was carried out. The results showed that the thermal comfort parameters fall within the Malaysian Standard (MS1525:2007) and ASHRAE Standard-55 2010 except for the air movement in both buildings. Based on the results obtained, future buildings using the radiant slab cooling can have a better comfort level from the lesson learned from both buildings.
Chinese standard requirements on indoor environmental quality for assessment of energy-efficient buildings
Authors: Li Guo-Zhu , Wang Qing-Qin , Wang Jun-Liang
Published: October 2013

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is crucial to the occupants’ comfort and health. However, the energy consumption of indoor environment must not be compromised whilst achieving a comfortable indoor environment. In the Chinese Standard for Energy Efficient Building Assessment ( GB/T 50668-2011) (SEEBA), the energy-efficient performance of indoor environment is predicated on the requirement of achieving a comfortable and healthy environment for occupants in buildings. This standard is formulated with a view to assess the energy efficiency grade of residential buildings and public buildings. In this paper, the evaluation index system and assessment method of SEEBA are introduced, and the provisions in relation to indoor environment in SEEBA are discussed in detail, including the prerequisite items (temperature, humidity, lighting, ventilation and pollutant concentration), standard items (mould growth, temperature, natural lighting and natural ventilation) and outstanding items (automatic ventilation control system for underground garages, use phase change materials to store heat and other functional materials for moderating indoor humidity for residential buildings and automatic building management system to regulate air changes in public buildings). SEEBA has an essential role to provide bench mark standard for evaluation of energy-efficient buildings, providing guidance and promoting the development of healthy energy-efficient buildings in China. SEEBA can be used as a reference standard for energy efficiency assessment of buildings also suitable in many parts of the world.
The possibility of exchange
Authors: Julius AJ
Published: October 2013

I first characterize a moral mistake in coercion. The principle of independence with which I criticize coercion seems also to condemn exchange. I propose an account of exchange from which it follows that exchange upholds independence after all. In support of that account I argue that, of the accounts of exchange that occur to me, only this one has the consequence that, on general assumptions, a person can take part in exchange while acting, intending, and believing with sufficient reason. I argue that the hiring of very poor people by very rich people for labor from which the rich draw a substantial surplus does not give rise to an exchange of this kind. These instances of the wage labor relation resemble coercion insofar as they violate independence.
Efficiency, responsibility and disability
Authors: John Stephen
Published: October 2013

Pre-natal-diagnosis technologies allow parents to discover whether their child is likely to suffer from serious disability. One argument for state funding of access to such technologies is that doing so would be “cost-effective”, in the sense that the expected financial costs of such a programme would be outweighed by expected “benefits”, stemming from the births of fewer children with serious disabilities. This argument is extremely controversial. This paper argues that the argument may not be as unacceptable as is often assumed. In doing so, it sets out a more general framework for assessing the relevance of efficiency calculations to policy-making. The final section also investigates the relationship between the paper’s arguments and claims about parental responsibility for child-bearing and rearing, with reference to Scanlon’s work on “substantive responsibility”.
A phase I/II seamless dose escalation/expansion with adaptive randomization scheme (SEARS)
Authors: Pan Haitao , Xie Fang , Liu Ping , Xia Jielai , Ji Yuan
Published: October 2013

Background

Standard drug development conducts phase I dose finding and phase II dose expansion sequentially and separately. Information between the two phases is rarely shared. Administratively, such a sequential process is time-consuming and burdensome.

Purpose

We propose seamless dose escalation/expansion with adaptive randomization scheme (SEARS), a seamless design that combines phase I dose escalation based on toxicity with phase II dose expansion and dose comparison based on efficacy. SEARS allows extension from phase I to phase II under one design with no gap in between and employs a dynamic and parallel procedure involving simultaneous dose escalation, dose graduation, and adaptive randomization.

Methods

SEARS integrates three components into a seamless scheme. Specifically, in phase I, SEARS applies the modified toxicity probability interval (mTPI) method to monitor dose escalation based on toxicity outcome. Doses that show promising efficacy and safety are immediately graduated from phase I and placed to a phase II stage in which patients are adaptively randomized based on efficacy outcome. Phase I dose escalation, dose graduation, and phase II adaptive randomization proceed simultaneously throughout the entire trial.

Results

Examples are given comparing SEARS with two other designs, in which superior performance of SEARS is demonstrated. An important and promising finding is that SEARS reduces sample sizes without losing power. R program and demo slides of SEARS can be obtained at http://health.bsd.uchicago.edu/yji/soft.html

Limitation

We assume that the binary efficacy and toxicity response can be measured in the same time frame. This is often achievable with surrogate efficacy markers in practice.
Letters to the editor: A resistant genre of unrepresented voices
Authors: Ashraf Hina
Published: October 2013

This article examines the letters to editor (LE) genre unique to the Pakistani English newspapers in the post-9/11 socio-political historical context. Bhatia’s (2002) framework of applied genre theory was central to this study of the letters to the editor corpus that focused on textual links, rhetorical structure, and argumentative patterns in the Pakistani LE discourse. The corpus-driven discourse analysis demonstrated diversity in organization patterns, and the juxtaposition of general discussion, references to particular incidents, and personal accounts, exhibiting what Bhatia (2002) calls the ‘seemingly chaotic realities’ of a society in transition. The findings reveal an overwhelming dissatisfaction of the people vis-a-vis life in general, and the government and its seemingly insurmountable distance from Pakistani people, more specifically. The study draws attention to letters to the editor as a resistant genre in public discourse.
The EBV oncogene LMP1 protects lymphoma cells from cell death through the collagen-mediated activation of DDR1
Authors: Cader Fathima Zumla , Vockerodt Martina , Bose Shikha , Nagy Eszter , Brundler Marie-Anne , Kearns Pamela , Murray Paul G.
Published: October 2013

Key Points

Expression of the EBV oncogene LMP1 in primary human germinal center B cells, upregulates DDR1, a receptor tyrosine kinase activated by collagen Primary HRS cells overexpress DDR1, and its activation significantly increases lymphoma cell survival in vitro
Elevated expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome in neutrophilic asthma
Authors: Simpson Jodie L. , Phipps Simon , Baines Katherine J. , Oreo Kevin M. , Gunawardhana Lakshitha , Gibson Peter G.
Published: October 2013

Asthma is a heterogeneous inflammatory airways disorder where interleukin (IL)-1β is thought to be a key mediator, especially in the neutrophilic subtype of asthma. The generation of active IL-1β requires proteolytic cleavage typically mediated through the formation of a caspase-1-containing inflammasome. This study hypothesised that an IL-1β endotype associated with the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat-containing family protein (NLRP)3/apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC)/caspase-1 inflammasome is characteristic of patients with the neutrophilic subtype of asthma.

Participants with asthma (n=85) and healthy controls (n=27) underwent clinical assessment, spirometry and sputum induction. Sputum was processed for differential cell count, gene expression and protein mediators. NLRP3 and caspase-1 expression was also determined by immunocytochemistry. Sputum macrophages were isolated (n=8) and gene expression of NLRP3 and IL-1β determined.

There was significantly elevated gene expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, caspase-4, caspase-5 and IL-1β in participants with neutrophilic asthma. Protein levels of IL-1β were significantly higher in those with neutrophilic asthma and correlated with sputum IL-8 levels. Sputum macrophages, as well as sputum neutrophils in neutrophilic asthma, expressed NLRP3 and caspase-1 protein.

NLRP3 inflammasome is upregulated in neutrophilic asthma and may regulate the inflammation process observed in this asthma phenotype through production of IL-1β.
Expression of mucoid induction factor MucE is dependent upon the alternate sigma factor AlgU in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Yin Yeshi , Damron F Heath , Withers T Ryan , Pritchett Christopher L , Wang Xin , Schurr Michael J , Yu Hongwei D
Published: October 2013

Background

Alginate overproduction in P. aeruginosa, also referred to as mucoidy, is a poor prognostic marker for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). We previously reported the construction of a unique mucoid strain which overexpresses a small envelope protein MucE leading to activation of the protease AlgW. AlgW then degrades the anti-sigma factor MucA thus releasing the alternative sigma factor AlgU/T (σ22) to initiate transcription of the alginate biosynthetic operon.

Results

In the current study, we mapped the mucE transcriptional start site, and determined that P
mucE
activity was dependent on AlgU. Additionally, the presence of triclosan and sodium dodecyl sulfate was shown to cause an increase in P
mucE
activity. It was observed that mucE-mediated mucoidy in CF isolates was dependent on both the size of MucA and the genotype of algU. We also performed shotgun proteomic analysis with cell lysates from the strains PAO1, VE2 (PAO1 with constitutive expression of mucE) and VE2ΔalgU (VE2 with in-frame deletion of algU). As a result, we identified nine algU-dependent and two algU-independent proteins that were affected by overexpression of MucE.

Conclusions

Our data indicates there is a positive feedback regulation between MucE and AlgU. Furthermore, it seems likely that MucE may be part of the signal transduction system that senses certain types of cell wall stress to P. aeruginosa.
Combined linkage and association mapping reveals candidates for Scmv1, a major locus involved in resistance to sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) in maize
Authors: Tao Yongfu , Jiang Lu , Liu Qingqing , Zhang Yan , Zhang Rui , Ingvardsen Christina Roenn , Frei Ursula Karoline , Wang Baobao , Lai Jinsheng , Lübberstedt Thomas , Xu Mingliang
Published: October 2013

Background

Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) disease causes substantial losses of grain yield and forage biomass in susceptible maize cultivars. Maize resistance to SCMV is associated with two dominant genes, Scmv1 and Scmv2, which are located on the short arm of chromosome 6 and near the centromere region of chromosome 3, respectively. We combined both linkage and association mapping to identify positional candidate genes for Scmv1.

Results

Scmv1 was fine-mapped in a segregating population derived from near-isogenic lines and further validated and fine-mapped using two recombinant inbred line populations. The combined results assigned the Scmv1 locus to a 59.21-kb interval, and candidate genes within this region were predicted based on the publicly available B73 sequence. None of three predicted genes that are possibly involved in the disease resistance response are similar to receptor-like resistance genes. Candidate gene–based association mapping was conducted using a panel of 94 inbred lines with variable resistance to SCMV. A presence/absence variation (PAV) in the Scmv1 region and two polymorphic sites around the Zmtrx-h gene were significantly associated with SCMV resistance.

Conclusion

Combined linkage and association mapping pinpoints Zmtrx-h as the most likely positional candidate gene for Scmv1. These results pave the way towards cloning of Scmv1 and facilitate marker-assisted selection for potyvirus resistance in maize.
Mechanical stress in Arabidopsis leaves orients microtubules in a 'continuous’ supracellular pattern
Authors: Jacques Eveline , Verbelen Jean-Pierre , Vissenberg Kris
Published: October 2013

Background

Cortical microtubules form a dynamic network and continuously undergo shrinking (catastrophe), pausing and rebuilding (rescue). The advantage of such a dynamic system is that it may mediate appropriate responses in a short time span. Microtubules are known to play a pivotal role in determining the orientation of the cellulose microfibril deposition in the plant cell wall. The latter is a solid exoskeleton surrounding the protoplast. It forms the physical framework that interconnects most cells and has to bear the tensile stresses within the tissue. Here we describe the effect of externally applied pressure on microtubule organization in growing Arabidopsis leaves.

Results

Confocal microscopy examination of transgenic plants bearing GFP-tagged TUA6 proteins led to the observation that application of an additional mechanical pressure on growing Arabidopsis leaves triggers an excessive bundling of microtubules within the individual cell. Besides, the microtubules seem to align in neighboring cells, creating a 'continuous’ supracellular pattern. This effect occurs within 3 hours after applied external force and is age-dependent, whereby only cells of leaves up to 19 days after sowing (DAS) are susceptible to the applied pressure.

Conclusions

Upon externally applied pressure on developing Arabidopsis leaves, microtubules bundle and rearrange to form seemingly continuous supracellular patterns. As microtubules guide the cellulose synthase complexes, this observed reorganisation pattern probably affects the cellulose deposition, contributing to the reinforcement of the cell wall in a particular position to cope with the extra-applied pressure. The age-effect is reasonable, since younger cells, which are actively shaping their cell walls, are more vulnerable to altered mechanical stresses while in leaves older than 19 DAS, the walls are more robust and therefore can sustain the applied forces.
Child-oriented marketing techniques in snack food packages in Guatemala
Authors: Chacon Violeta , Letona Paola , Barnoya Joaquin
Published: October 2013

Background

Childhood overweight in Guatemala is now becoming a public health concern. Child-oriented marketing contributes to increase children’s food preference, purchase and consumption. This study sought to assess the availability of child-oriented snack foods sold in school kiosks and convenience stores near public schools in Guatemala, to identify the marketing techniques used in child-oriented snack food packages and to classify the snacks as “healthy” or “less-healthy”.

Methods

We purchased all child-oriented snacks found in stores inside and within 200 square meters from four schools in an urban community. Snacks were classified as child-oriented if the package had any promotional characters, premium offers, children′s television/movie tie-ins, sports references, or the word “child”. We used a checklist to assess child-oriented references and price. Snacks were classified as “healthy” or “less-healthy” according to the UK standards for the Nutritional Profiling Model.

Results

We analyzed 106 packages found in 55 stores. The most commonly used technique was promotional characters (92.5%) of which 32.7% were brand-specific characters. Premium offers were found in 34% of packages and were mostly collectibles (50%). Most marketing techniques were located on the front and covered nearly 25% of the package surface. Median (interquartile range) price was US$ 0.19 (0.25). Nutrition labels were found in 91 (86%) packages and 41% had a nutrition related health claim. Most snacks (97.1%) were classified as “less-healthy”.

Conclusion

In Guatemala, the food industry targets children through several marketing techniques promoting inexpensive and unhealthy snacks in the school environment. Evidence-based policies restricting the use of promotional characters in unhealthy snack food packages need to be explored as a contributing strategy to control the obesity epidemic.
Structural and functional characterisation of the methionine adenosyltransferase from Thermococcus kodakarensis
Authors: Schlesier Julia , Siegrist Jutta , Gerhardt Stefan , Erb Annette , Blaesi Simone , Richter Michael , Einsle Oliver , Andexer Jennifer N
Published: October 2013

Background

Methionine adenosyltransferases catalyse the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine, a cofactor abundant in all domains of life. In contrast to the enzymes from bacteria and eukarya that show high sequence similarity, methionine adenosyltransferases from archaea diverge on the amino acid sequence level and only few conserved residues are retained.

Results

We describe the initial characterisation and the crystal structure of the methionine adenosyltransferase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis. As described for other archaeal methionine adenosyltransferases the enzyme is a dimer in solution and shows high temperature stability. The overall structure is very similar to that of the bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes described, with some additional features that might add to the stability of the enzyme. Compared to bacterial and eukaryotic structures, the active site architecture is largely conserved, with some variation in the substrate/product-binding residues. A flexible loop that was not fully ordered in previous structures without ligands in the active side is clearly visible and forms a helix that leaves an entrance to the active site open.

Conclusions

The similar three-dimensional structures of archaeal and bacterial or eukaryotic methionine adenosyltransferases support that these enzymes share an early common ancestor from which they evolved independently, explaining the low similarity in their amino acid sequences. Furthermore, methionine adenosyltransferase from T. kodakarensis is the first structure without any ligands bound in the active site where the flexible loop covering the entrance to the active site is fully ordered, supporting a mechanism postulated earlier for the methionine adenosyltransferase from E. coli. The structure will serve as a starting point for further mechanistic studies and permit the generation of enzyme variants with different characteristics by rational design.
Structural and biochemical characterization of the essential DsbA-like disulfide bond forming protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Chim Nicholas , Harmston Christine A , Guzman David J , Goulding Celia W
Published: October 2013

Background

Bacterial D is ulfide b ond forming (Dsb) proteins facilitate proper folding and disulfide bond formation of periplasmic and secreted proteins. Previously, we have shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF aid in vitro oxidative folding of proteins. The M. tuberculosis proteome contains another predicted membrane-tethered Dsb protein, Mt-DsbA, which is encoded by an essential gene.

Results

Herein, we present structural and biochemical analyses of Mt-DsbA. The X-ray crystal structure of Mt-DsbA reveals a two-domain structure, comprising a canonical thioredoxin domain with the conserved CXXC active site cysteines in their reduced form, and an inserted α-helical domain containing a structural disulfide bond. The overall fold of Mt-DsbA resembles that of other DsbA-like proteins and not Mt-DsbE or Mt-DsbF. Biochemical characterization demonstrates that, unlike Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF, Mt-DsbA is unable to oxidatively fold reduced, denatured hirudin. Moreover, on the substrates tested in this study, Mt-DsbA has disulfide bond isomerase activity contrary to Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Mt-DsbA acts upon a distinct subset of substrates as compared to Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF. One could speculate that Mt-DsbE and Mt-DsbF are functionally redundant whereas Mt-DsbA is not, offering an explanation for the essentiality of Mt-DsbA in M. tuberculosis.
¹H NMR-based metabolic profiling of human rectal cancer tissue
Authors: Wang Huijuan , Wang Liang , Zhang Hailong , Deng Pengchi , Chen Jie , Zhou Bin , Hu Jing , Zou Jun , Lu Wenjie , Xiang Pu , Wu Tianming , Shao Xiaoni , Li Yuan , Zhou Zongguang , Zhao Ying-Lan
Published: October 2013

Background

Rectal cancer is one of the most prevalent tumor types. Understanding the metabolic profile of rectal cancer is important for developing therapeutic approaches and molecular diagnosis.

Methods

Here, we report a metabonomics profiling of tissue samples on a large cohort of human rectal cancer subjects (n = 127) and normal controls (n = 43) using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) based metabonomics assay, which is a highly sensitive and non-destructive method for the biomarker identification in biological systems. Principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal projection to latent structure with discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied to analyze the 1H-NMR profiling data to identify the distinguishing metabolites of rectal cancer.

Results

Excellent separation was obtained and distinguishing metabolites were observed among the different stages of rectal cancer tissues (stage I = 35; stage II = 37; stage III = 37 and stage IV = 18) and normal controls. A total of 38 differential metabolites were identified, 16 of which were closely correlated with the stage of rectal cancer. The up-regulation of 10 metabolites, including lactate, threonine, acetate, glutathione, uracil, succinate, serine, formate, lysine and tyrosine, were detected in the cancer tissues. On the other hand, 6 metabolites, including myo-inositol, taurine, phosphocreatine, creatine, betaine and dimethylglycine were decreased in cancer tissues. These modified metabolites revealed disturbance of energy, amino acids, ketone body and choline metabolism, which may be correlated with the progression of human rectal cancer.

Conclusion

Our findings firstly identify the distinguishing metabolites in different stages of rectal cancer tissues, indicating possibility of the attribution of metabolites disturbance to the progression of rectal cancer. The altered metabolites may be as potential biomarkers, which would provide a promising molecular diagnostic approach for clinical diagnosis of human rectal cancer. The role and underlying mechanism of metabolites in rectal cancer progression are worth being further investigated.
Family history of hepatocellulcar carcinoma is not associated with its patients’ prognosis after hepatectomy
Authors: Huang Jia , Zhang Yaojun , Chen Meixian , Huang Junting , Xu Li , Chen Minshan
Published: October 2013

Background

Family history of liver cancer is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we investigated the prognosis of patients with HCC with or without family history.

Methods

Data for 1,313 patients who underwent hepatectomy as initial treatment for HCC between 2000 and 2008 at a tertiary cancer center hospital were retrieved from a prospective database. A positive family history was defined as a self-reported history of HCC in first-degree relatives. Clinicopathologic characteristics were compared by family history. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regressions were applied for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

Results

Of 1,313 patients, 169 patients (12.9%) had first-degree relatives with a history of HCC. There were no significant differences between patients with or without family history in basic clinicopathologic characteristics. In either whole group or each stage according to the TNM staging system, first-degree family history was not associated with survival in all patients, hepatitis B virus-positive patients, as well as male patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that first-degree family history was not a prognostic factor, either for OS or DFS.

Conclusion

A first-degree family history of HCC is not associated with its patients’ prognosis after hepatectomy.
CER1gene variations associated with bone mineral density, bone markers, and early menopause in postmenopausal women
Authors: Koromila Theodora , Georgoulias Panagiotis , Dailiana Zoe , Ntzani Evangelia E , Samara Stavroula , Chassanidis Chris , Aleporou-Marinou Vassiliki , Kollia Panagoula
Published: October 2013

Background

Osteoporosis has a multifactorial pathogenesis characterized by a combination of low bone mass and increased fragility. In our study, we focused on the effects of polymorphisms in CER1 and DKK1 genes, recently reported as important susceptibility genes for osteoporosis, on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone markers in osteoporotic women. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of CER1 and DKK1 variations in 607 postmenopausal women. The entire DKK1 gene sequence and five selected CER1 SNPs were amplified and resequenced to assess whether there is a correlation between these genes and BMD, early menopause, and bone turnover markers in osteoporotic patients.

Results

Osteoporotic women seem to suffer menopause 2 years earlier than the control group. The entire DKK1 gene sequence analysis revealed six variations. There was no correlation between the six DKK1 variations and osteoporosis, in contrast to the five common CER1 variations that were significantly associated with BMD. Additionally, osteoporotic patients with rs3747532 and rs7022304 CER1 variations had significantly higher serum levels of parathyroid hormone and calcitonin and lower serum levels of osteocalcin and IGF-1.

Conclusions

No significant association between the studied DKK1 variations and osteoporosis was found, while CER1 variations seem to play a significant role in the determination of osteoporosis and a potential predictive role, combined with bone markers, in postmenopausal osteoporotic women.
A simple strategy to decrease fatal carotid blowout syndrome after stereotactic body reirradiaton for recurrent head and neck cancers
Authors: Yazici Gozde , Sanlı Tolga Yusuf , Cengiz Mustafa , Yuce Deniz , Gultekin Melis , Hurmuz Pervin , Yıldız Ferah , Zorlu Faruk , Akyol Fadil , Gurkaynak Murat , Ozyigit Gokhan
Published: October 2013

Background

This study aimed to compare the therapeutic outcomes and fatal carotid blow out syndrome (CBOS) incidence rates between two different stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) protocols.

Methods

The study included 75 patients with inoperable locally recurrent head and neck cancer treated with SBRT in our department between June 2007 and March 2011. The first 43 patients were treated sequentially (group I). Then our SBRT protocol was changed due to the high rate of CBOS, and the following 32 patients were treated every other day in a prospective institutional protocol (group II).

Results

Median overall survival in group I and group II was 11 months and 23 months, respectively (P = 0.006). We observed 11 cases of CBOS. Only 1 of 7 patients (14%) with CBOS survived in group I, whereas 2 of 4 patients (50%) in group II remain alive. CBOS free median overall survivals were 9 months, and 23 months in group I and group II respectively (P = 0.002). The median radiation dose received by the carotid artery in patients with CBOS was 36.5 Gy (range: 34–42.8 Gy), versus 34.7 Gy (range: 0–44 Gy) in the patients that didn’t have CBOS (P = 0.15). CBOS did not occur in any of the patients with a maximum carotid artery radiation dose <34 Gy.

Conclusions

Every other day SBRT protocol for re-irradiation of recurrent head and neck cancer is promising in terms of decreasing the incidence of fatal CBOS.
Giant mucocele originating from the middle concha in a 5-year-old child: a case report
Authors: Aslan Gaffar , Ugur Mehmet Birol , Başsüllü Nuray
Published: October 2013

Introduction

Mucoceles are mucus-filled, epithelial-lined sacs that slowly develop in the paranasal sinuses when sinus or concha bullosa drainage is obstructed by inflammatory processes, trauma, or prior surgery. They are extremely rare in children. Symptoms usually arise from the nasal obstruction or compression of neighboring structures.

Case presentation

This case report describes a 5-year-old Turkish boy with a 3-year history of nasal obstruction. A computed tomography scan showed a well-defined soft tissue density lesion, seemingly originating in the region of the middle concha and was suggestive of a middle concha mucocele. The mass was removed by endoscopic sinus surgery.

Conclusions

In the case of a child presenting with nasal obstruction, mucocele should be remembered in the differential diagnosis of intranasal tumors. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are helpful in making the diagnosis and endoscopic nasal surgery has proven successful in the treatment.
Secretion of polyhydroxybutyrate in Escherichia coli using a synthetic biological engineering approach
Authors: Rahman Asif , Linton Elisabeth , Hatch Alex D , Sims Ronald C , Miller Charles D
Published: October 2013

Background

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a group of biodegradable plastics that are produced by a wide variety of microorganisms, mainly as a storage intermediate for energy and carbon. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a short-chain-length PHA with interesting chemical and physical properties. Large scale production of PHB is not wide-spread mainly due to the downstream processing of bacterial cultures to extract the PHB. Secretion of PHB from Escherichia coli could reduce downstream processing costs. PHB are non-proteinaceous polymers, hence cannot be directly targeted for secretion. Phasin, PhaP1, is a low molecular weight protein that binds to PHB, reducing PHB granule size. In this study PHB is indirectly secreted with PhaP1 from E. coli via type I secretion using HlyA signal peptides.

Results

This study demonstrated the successful secretion of phasin and phasin bound PHB outside of the cell and into the culture medium. The secretion of PHB was initiated between 24 and 48 h after induction. After 48 h of culturing, 36% of the total PHB produced in the secreting strain was collected in the secreted fraction and 64% remained in the internal fraction. To further support the findings of this study, the PHB secretion phenomenon was observed using SEM.

Conclusions

From this study, the ability to use type I secretion to: 1) secrete phasin and 2) successfully secrete PHB has been shown.
Wilson’s disease in pregnancy: case series and review of literature
Authors: Malik Ayesha , Khawaja Ali , Sheikh Lumaan
Published: October 2013

Background

Wilson’s disease is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by impaired liver metabolism of copper leading to decreased biliary excretion and incorporation of ceruloplasmin levels mainly in the liver and brain. Untreated Wilson’s disease has been shown to cause subfertility and even in cases where pregnancy occurs, it often results in spontaneous miscarriage.

Case presentations

We present four cases of successful pregnancy outcomes in three patients diagnosed with Wilson’s disease along with the literature review. All the patients were managed with zinc sulphate without any postnatal complications.

Conclusion

Patients with Wilson’s disease receiving regular treatment who remain asymptomatic are usually able to conceive and achieve successful outcomes. However, these pregnancies should be considered high risk and merit regular surveillance.
A point mutation in the zinc finger motif of RID1/EHD2/OsID1 protein leads to outstanding yield-related traits in japonica rice variety Wuyunjing 7
Authors: Hu Shikai , Dong Guojun , Xu Jie , Su Yan , Shi Zhenyuan , Ye Weijun , Li Yuanyuan , Li Gengmi , Zhang Bin , Hu Jiang , Qian Qian , Zeng Dali , Guo Longbiao
Published: October 2013

Background

Flowering time, which is often associated with the length of the growth period in rice, determines the adaptability of a plant to various environments. However, little is known about how flowering-time genes affect panicle development and yield formation potential in rice after inducing the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth.

Results

To explore the relationship between floral induction and yield formation and the molecular mechanism of panicle development in rice, a novel mutant, ghd10, was identified from japonica variety Wuyunjing 7 plants subjected to ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) treatment. The ghd10 mutant exhibited delayed flowering time, tall stalks and increased panicle length and primary branch number. Map-based cloning revealed that Ghd10 encodes a transcription factor with Cys-2/His-2-type zinc finger motifs. Ghd10 is orthologous to INDETERMINATE1 (ID1), which promotes flowering in maize (Zea mays) and is identical to the previously cloned genes Rice Indeterminate1 (RID1), Early heading date2 (Ehd2) and OsId1. Transient expression analysis of the Ghd10-GFP fusion protein in tobacco mesophyll cells showed that this protein is expressed in the nucleus. Ghd10 mRNA accumulated most abundantly in developing leaves and panicle structures, but rarely in roots. Expression analysis revealed that the expression levels of Ehd1, Hd1, RFT1, Hd3a and OsMADS15 decreased dramatically under both short-day and long-day conditions in ghd10.

Conclusion

These results indicate that Ghd10, which encodes a promoter of flowering, influences plant height and panicle development by regulating the expression levels of some flowering-related genes, such as Ehd1, Hd1, OsMADS15 and others. The ghd10 allele is a useful resource for improvement of panicle traits in rice grown in tropical and low-latitude areas.
The Drosophila anatomy ontology
Authors: Costa Marta , Reeve Simon , Grumbling Gary , Osumi-Sutherland David
Published: October 2013

Background

Anatomy ontologies are query-able classifications of anatomical structures. They provide a widely-used means for standardising the annotation of phenotypes and expression in both human-readable and programmatically accessible forms. They are also frequently used to group annotations in biologically meaningful ways. Accurate annotation requires clear textual definitions for terms, ideally accompanied by images. Accurate grouping and fruitful programmatic usage requires high-quality formal definitions that can be used to automate classification and check for errors. The Drosophila anatomy ontology (DAO) consists of over 8000 classes with broad coverage of Drosophila anatomy. It has been used extensively for annotation by a range of resources, but until recently it was poorly formalised and had few textual definitions.

Results

We have transformed the DAO into an ontology rich in formal and textual definitions in which the majority of classifications are automated and extensive error checking ensures quality. Here we present an overview of the content of the DAO, the patterns used in its formalisation, and the various uses it has been put to.

Conclusions

As a result of the work described here, the DAO provides a high-quality, queryable reference for the wild-type anatomy of Drosophila melanogaster and a set of terms to annotate data related to that anatomy. Extensive, well referenced textual definitions make it both a reliable and useful reference and ensure accurate use in annotation. Wide use of formal axioms allows a large proportion of classification to be automated and the use of consistency checking to eliminate errors. This increased formalisation has resulted in significant improvements to the completeness and accuracy of classification. The broad use of both formal and informal definitions make further development of the ontology sustainable and scalable. The patterns of formalisation used in the DAO are likely to be useful to developers of other anatomy ontologies.
Optical photon reassignment microscopy (OPRA)
Authors: Roth Stephan , Sheppard Colin JR , Wicker Kai , Heintzmann Rainer
Published: October 2013

To enhance the resolution of a confocal laser scanning microscope the additional information of a pinhole plane image taken at every excitation scan position can be used (Sheppard 1988). This photon reassignment principle is based on the fact that the most probable position of an emitter is at half way between the nominal focus of the excitation laser and the position corresponding to the (off centre) detection position. Therefore, by reassigning the detected photons to this place, an image with enhanced detection efficiency and resolution is obtained. Here we present optical photon reassignment microscopy (OPRA) which realizes this concept in an all-optical way obviating the need for image-processing. With the help of an additional intermediate optical beam expansion between descanning and a further rescanning of the detected light, an image with the advantages of photon reassignment can be acquired. However, just as in computational photon reassignment, a loss in confocal sectioning performance is caused by working with relatively open pinholes. The OPRA system shares properties such as flexibility and ease of use with a confocal laser scanning microscope, and is therefore expected to be of use for future biomedical routine research.
The peak frequency of direct waves for microseismic events
Authors: Eisner Leo , Gei Davide , Hallo Miroslav , Opršal Ivo , Ali Mohammed Y.
Published: October 2013

Direct seismic waves (P- or S-waves) are used to locate and further characterize microseismic events. The resolution of information obtained from direct waves depends on the peak frequencies of the waveforms. The peak frequency results from combination of the source, propagation, and the receiver effects. For frequencies below the corner frequency, propagation effects control the peak frequency in observed seismograms of microseismic events. The frequency dependence of direct body waves can be modeled by attenuation, specifically the global attenuation factor. This model is consistent with observed data along surface profiles explaining the difference between the peak frequencies of P- and S-waves. In addition, the model is consistent with the peak frequencies observed on downhole monitoring arrays. This can be used to invert effective attenuation providing additional unique measurement from microseismic events. The corner frequency can be estimated from the average stress drop and analytical source models such as a circular crack model. Typical stress drops for various magnitude ranges are discussed. The peak frequencies are usually below the corner frequencies of microseismic events smaller than moment magnitude 0.7 for surface monitoring and moment magnitude −0.5 for downhole monitoring. Understanding of the frequency dependence of the direct waves allows us to optimally design monitoring networks and mainly invert effective attenuation providing unique measurement from microseismic monitoring.