bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Child injury: using national emergency department monitoring systems to identify temporal and demographic risk factors
Authors: Hughes Karen , McHale Philip , Wyke Sacha , Lowey Helen , Bellis Mark A
Published: July 2013

Background

Injury is a leading cause of death in children. Emergency department (ED) data offer a potentially rich source of data on child injury. This study uses an emerging national ED data collection system to examine sociodemographics and temporal trends in child injury attendances in England.

Methods

Cross sectional examination of ED attendances for key injury types made by children aged 0–14 years between April 2010 and March 2011 (road traffic injury (RTI) n=21 670; assault n=9529; deliberate self harm (DSH) n=3066; sports injury n=88 250; burns n=22 222; poisoning n=12 446). Multivariate analyses examined the impact of demographics (age, gender, residential deprivation) and temporal events (day, month, school and public holidays) on risk of attendance for different injury types.

Results

For most injury types, attendance increased with deprivation. The attendance ratio between children from the poorest and richest deprivation quintiles was greatest for assaults (4.21:1). Conversely, sports injury attendance decreased with deprivation. Males made more attendances than females for all but DSH. Age and temporal profiles varied by injury type. Assault attendances reduced at weekends while burns attendances increased. RTI and sports injury attendances were increased during school term times.

Conclusions

ED data can provide a major epidemiological resource for examining both temporal and demographic risks of child injury. Emerging systems, such as the one analysed here, can already inform the targeting of prevention, and with improved data coding and use, their utility would be greatly strengthened.
Outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke from proximal intracranial vessel occlusion and NIHSS score below 8
Authors: Mokin Maxim , Masud Muhammad W , Dumont Travis M , Ahmad Ghasan , Kass-Hout Tareq , Snyder Kenneth V , Hopkins L Nelson , Siddiqui Adnan H , Levy Elad I
Published: July 2013

Objective

Acute ischemic stroke due to proximal intracranial vessel occlusion is associated with poor prognosis and neurologic outcomes. Outcomes specifically in patients with stroke due to these occlusions and lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores (0–7 range) have not been described previously.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed discharge outcomes (reported in our ‘Get With the Guidelines-Stroke’ database) in patients with an admission NIHSS score of 0–7 due to proximal intracranial large vessel occlusion (based on CT angiography results) who were excluded from receiving intravenous (IV) thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and endovascular intra-arterial (IA) stroke interventions.

Results

Among the 204 patients included in our analysis, younger age and lower admission NIHSS score (0–4 range) were strong predictors of good outcome (defined as ability to ambulate independently) at discharge whereas female sex was a predictor of poor outcome. There was no significant difference between cerebrovascular risk factors, specific sites of occlusion, or presenting symptoms and outcomes at discharge. There was great variability in functional outcomes at discharge and discharge disposition (home versus acute or subacute facility or nursing home versus death/hospice) with a trend toward worse outcomes in patients with higher (5–7 range) NIHSS scores on admission.

Conclusions

Patients with acute stroke due to large vessel occlusion and low admission NIHSS scores (0–7 range) may have poor functional outcomes at discharge. These patients, if not eligible for IV thrombolysis, might benefit from IA revascularization therapies.
The nocebo effect: patient expectations and medication side effects
Authors: Faasse Kate , Petrie Keith J
Published: July 2013

Expectation of treatment side effects is consistently linked with those symptoms being realised. Patient expectations, including those generated by the informed consent process, can have a large influence on the side effects that patients feel after starting a new medical treatment. Such symptoms may be the result of the nocebo effect, whereby the expectation of side effects leads to them being experienced. Side effects may also be due to the misattribution of pre-existing or unrelated symptoms to the new medication. Medical professionals' own negative beliefs about a treatment, especially generic drugs, may further enhance patients' expectations of adverse effects. The news media may also influence expectations, particularly when media attention is directed towards a health or medication scare. This field of research has ethical and clinical implications for both medical professionals and the news media with respect to the level and type of information about treatment side effects that is provided to patients or members of the public.
Do differences in age between sexual partners affect sexual risk behaviour among Australian gay and bisexual men?
Authors: Prestage Garrett , Jin Fengyi , Bavinton Benjamin , Scott Stephen Andrew , Hurley Michael
Published: July 2013

Objective

To describe the relationships between HIV-negative Australian gay men's sexual behaviour and differences in age between them and their sex partners.

Design

Anonymous computer-assisted internet survey was administered.

Methods

We used multinomial logistic regression to examine factors associated with reported differences in partners’ age (10 years older, within 10 years and 10 years younger) among 1476 men.

Results

Two-thirds of the men reported their most recent casual sex partners were within 10 years of age to themselves, as were 79.3% of their regular partners. Neither men's own age nor relative differences in age with their partners was associated with the likelihood to engage in unprotected anal intercourse. Among men who reported sex with a regular partner, those with older partners tended to restrict themselves to the receptive position (adjusted ORs (AOR)=2.00; 95% CI 1.02 to 3.92; p=0.044). Among men who reported sex with a casual partner, those with younger partners tended to take the insertive position, both on occasions when a condom was used (AOR=2.42; 95% CI 1.39 to 4.20; p=0.002) and on occasions when a condom was not used (AOR=2.54; 95% CI 1.04 to 6.20; p=0.041).

Conclusions

Age differences between gay men and their sex partners make little difference to the likelihood of engaging in sexual risk behaviour overall with either regular or casual partners. Those whose partners are substantially older than themselves are more likely, however, to take the receptive position during anal intercourse. Where risk of HIV infection among younger men is elevated this could be due to differences in sexual position, rather than differences in unprotected anal intercourse per se, during sex with men who are substantially older than themselves.
Treatment of fibroadenomatosis in 14 cats with aglepristone – changes in blood parameters and follow‐up
Authors: Jurka P. , Max A.
Published: July 2013

Fourteen female cats with fibroadenomatosis were treated with aglepristone, and the effectiveness of the treatment and its effect on selected haematological and blood chemistry parameters were studied. The cats were monitored for 12 months after the end of the treatment. Complete remission of the clinical signs was achieved on average 3·9 weeks after the treatment began; the success of the treatment confirmed the clinical diagnosis of fibroadenomatosis. During the course of the treatment the cats’ haematological parameters returned to normal. In cats that had previously been treated with longacting medroxyprogesterone acetate, treatment with aglepristone for five weeks was recommended. Cases of fibroadenomatosis reappearing after a few months should be regarded as new disease rather than a relapse. Six cats were subsequently mated and four gave birth to one or more litters; all the pregnancies proceeded normally with no clinically evident fibroadenomatosis. The other eight cats underwent ovariohysterectomy soon after the aglepristone treatment was completed.
Four cases of omental herniation in cattle
Authors: Pardon B. , Vertenten G. , Durie I. , Declercq J. , Everaert D. , Simoens P. , Deprez P.
Published: July 2013

Four cases in cattle of omental herniation through an acquired omental rent are described. Clinical signs were indistinguishable from other causes of mechanical ileus and exploratory laparotomy was necessary to establish a diagnosis. In all cases a variably sized portion of jejunal loops was obstructed in an omental rent in the deep layer of the greater omentum. In two cases simple reduction was possible, and in one case incision of the hernial ring was necessary before reduction could be performed. Resection was necessary only in a calf, in which the incarceration was complicated by severe abomasal distension and local peritonitis. In all four cases the omental rent was closed by a serosa‐serosa suture. Three cases made an uneventful recovery and returned to normal production, but one of these animals died three months postoperatively from an unknown cause. The calf was euthanased two days postoperatively because of persistent ileus.
Impact ofd-amino acid dehydrogenase on virulence factor production by aPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Oliver Kathryn E. , Silo-Suh Laura
Published: July 2013

Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections remain the leading cause of lung dysfunction and mortality for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Many other bacteria inhabit the CF lung, but P. aeruginosa utilizes novel strategies that allow it to colonize this environment as the predominant bacterial pathogen. d-Amino acid dehydrogenase encoded by dadA is highly expressed by P. aeruginosa within the CF lung, and it is required for optimal production of hydrogen cyanide by some CF-adapted isolates. To better understand the increased significance of d-amino acid dehydrogenase in P. aeruginosa physiology, we characterized the contribution of the dad operon to virulence factor production. In this study, we determined that DadA is required for optimal production of pyocyanin, pyoverdine, and rhamnolipid by CF-adapted and non-CF-adapted isolates of P. aeruginosa. In addition, DadA is required for optimal production of alginate, biofilm formation, and virulence of a CF-adapted isolated of P. aeruginosa in an alfalfa seedling model of infection. Taken together, the results indicate that DadA plays a pleiotropic role in the production of important virulence factors by P. aeruginosa.
Structural and optical properties of PbI2 nanostructures obtained using the thermal evaporation method
Authors: Mohammed Safaa I. , Al-Douri Y. , Hashim U. , Ahmed N.M. , Al-Gaashani R.
Published: July 2013

Lead iodide (PbI2) nanostructures were successfully prepared using the thermal evaporation method on a glass substrate at room temperature. The structural properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, which revealed that the crystal size increases as thickness increases. Crystal size was calculated to be in the range 27.3–61.08 nm. In addition, the preferred growth orientation was (001) for all samples. The surface morphologies using scanning electron microscopy have shown an increasing of grain size with increasing thickness. Also, optical properties using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy were researched as a function of thickness. The absorption data have indicated direct transmission with optical energy band gap that varies continuously from 2.35 to 2.40 eV at room temperature. The refractive index and optical dielectric constant were investigated to verify the suitability of the model for electro-optical systems. The low fluctuation in energy band gap indicates that the grain size is quite small. The obtained results are in good agreement with experimental and theoretical data.
SOLUTION FOR THE PHOTOACOUSTIC WAVE EQUATION WITH A SINGLE SPATIAL DEGREE OF FREEDOM, BEER'S LAW ABSORPTION OF RADIATION AND MECHANICAL BARRIERS
Authors: HERRERÍAS-AZCUÉ F. , GONZÁLEZ-VEGA A. , TORRES-ARENAS J. , GUTIÉRREZ-JUÁREZ G.
Published: July 2013

A photoacoustic model with one degree of freedom in the spatial coordinates for a plane sample is studied. The model proposed considers a sample with Beer's law absorption immersed in a fluid with different acoustical impedance. An analytical solution for this problem is given. It is shown that the generated PA wave is composed of a pressure peak followed by a reflected and inverted pulse with diminished magnitude. It is also remarked that the form described for the pulse has a periodicity related to the sample's width and attenuated by the reflection coefficient. It is noted that, due to this attenuation, information about the sample's width is more easily detected at the irradiation side. Border cases are taken for equal impedances and infinite sample width.
STOCHASTIC RESONANCE FOR A METAPOPULATION SYSTEM SUBJECTED TO CORRELATED COLORED NOISES
Authors: WANG KANG-KANG , LIU XIAN-BIN , LI SHENG-HONG
Published: July 2013

In the present paper, for a Levins metapopulation system that is driven by correlated colored noises, the phenomenon of stochastic resonance (SR) is investigated. Based on the two-state theory and by the use of fast descent method, the expression of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is obtained. Via a numerical simulation, it is shown that the conventional SR occurs in the Levins model for the different values of system parameters. And furthermore, it is revealed that, under the different conditions that if the correlation intensities between the two noises are different, i.e. positive or negative, then all the effects of the addictive noise intensity, the multiplicative noise intensity, the correlated noise intensity and the correlation time on SNR are different.
POSITIVE TWIST KNOTS AND THICKENINGS
Authors: GEORGE WHITNEY
Published: July 2013

We prove that any neighborhood N of a positive twist knot [Formula: see text], m ≥ 3 and odd with extremal Euler number can be thickened to a standard neighborhood of a maximal Thurston–Bennequin number Legendrian representative of [Formula: see text].
SYNTHESIS, GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF L-VALINE ZINC HYDROCHLORIDE — A NOVEL SEMI-ORGANIC NONLINEAR OPTICAL SINGLE CRYSTAL
Authors: JANANAKUMAR DEEPA , MANI P.
Published: July 2013

Single crystals of L-valine zinc hydrochloride (LVZHCl), a novel semi-organic nonlinear optical material were synthesized and grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation method at room temperature. The cell parameters of LVZHCl had been determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The linear and non-linear optical properties of the crystals were studied by Fourier Transform Infrared, Ultraviolet Visible Near infrared, ac impedance, laser damage threshold, and second harmonic generation analysis. The thermal stability of the crystals was assessed by Differential thermal-Thermogravimetric analysis. The crystallinity and mechanical properties of the crystals were studied by Dielectric behavior and Vickers microhardness test.
NONLINEAR REFRACTIVE INDEX MEASUREMENTS OF CURCUMIN WITH CW LASER
Authors: HENARI F. Z. , CASSIDY S. , JASIM KHALIL E. , DAKHEL A. A.
Published: July 2013

We report on the measurements of the nonlinear reflective index coefficient for curcumin at three different wavelengths using a Z-scan technique. This material is found to be a new type of natural nonlinear media. It shows a large negative nonlinear refractive index of the order of 10–6 cm2/W. The origin of the nonlinearity was investigated by comparison of the formalism that is known as the Gaussian decomposition model with the thermal lens model. The nonlinear refractive index was found to vary with intensity and reveals that curcumin can be a promising material for optical limiting.
Martingale solution and Markov selection of stochastic non-Newtonian fluid driven by Lévy noise
Authors: Huang Jianhua , Zheng Yan , Li Jin
Published: July 2013

This paper is devoted to stochastic non-Newtonian fluid driven by Lévy noise. By the tight compactness of distribution of the solution for finite-dimensional approximate in a Hilbert space, Skorohod embedding theorem and representation of martingale, the existence of the martingale solution is shown. Moreover, the procedure of the proof for the Markov selection in [J. Differential Equations250 (2011) 2737–2778] are simplified to show the existence of Markov selection for the martingale solution.
SPANNING PROPERTIES OF GRAPHS INDUCED BY DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAS
Authors: DAMIAN MIRELA , FLATLAND ROBIN
Published: July 2013

Let S be a set of points in the plane, such that the unit disk graph with vertex set S is connected. We address the problem of finding orientations and a minimum radius for directional antennas of a fixed cone angle placed at the points of S, such that the induced communication graph G[S] is a hop t-spanner of the unit disk graph for S (meaning that G[S] is strongly connected, and contains a directed path with at most t edges between any pair of points within unit distance). We consider problem instances in which antenna angles are bounded below by 120° and 90°. We show that, in the case of 120° angles, a radius of 5 suffices to establish a hop 4-spanner; and in the case of 90° angles, a radius of 7 suffices to establish a hop 5-spanner.
INDUCED SUBGRAPHS OF GAMMA GRAPHS
Authors: SRIDHARAN N. , AMUTHA S. , RAO S. B.
Published: July 2013

Let G be a graph. The gamma graph of G denoted by γ ⋅ G is the graph with vertex set V(γ ⋅ G) as the set of all γ-sets of G and two vertices D and S of γ ⋅ G are adjacent if and only if |D ∩ S| = γ(G) – 1. A graph H is said to be a γ-graph if there exists a graph G such that γ ⋅ G is isomorphic to H. In this paper, we show that every induced subgraph of a γ-graph is also a γ-graph. Furthermore, if we prove that H is a γ-graph, then there exists a sequence {Gn} of non-isomorphic graphs such that H = γ ⋅ Gn for every n.
GRAPHS WITH SMALL INDEPENDENCE NUMBER MINIMIZING THE SPECTRAL RADIUS
Authors: DU XUE , SHI LINGSHENG
Published: July 2013

The independence number of a graph is defined as the maximum size of a set of pairwise non-adjacent vertices and the spectral radius is defined as the maximum eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix of the graph. Xu et al. in [The minimum spectral radius of graphs with a given independence number, Linear Algebra and its Applications431 (2009) 937–945] determined the connected graphs of order n with independence number [Formula: see text] which minimize the spectral radius. In this paper, we show that the graph obtained from a path of order α by blowing up each vertex to a clique of order k minimizes the spectral radius among all connected graphs of order kα with independence number α for α = 3, 4 and conjecture that this is true for all α ∈ ℕ.
Mutation of a single amino acid converts the human water channel aquaporin 5 into an anion channel
Authors: Qin Xue , Boron Walter F.
Published: July 2013

Aquaporin 6 (AQP6) is unique among mammalian AQPs in being an anion channel with negligible water permeability. However, the point mutation Asn60Gly converts AQP6 from an anion channel into a water channel. In the present study of human AQP5, we mutated Leu51 (corresponding to residue 61 in AQP6), the side chain of which faces the central pore. We evaluated function in Xenopus oocytes by two-electrode voltage clamp, video measurements of osmotic H2O permeability ( Pf), microelectrode measurements of surface pH (pHS) to assess CO2 permeability, and surface biotinylation. We found that AQP5-L51R does not exhibit the H2O or CO2 permeability of the wild-type protein but instead has a novel p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (pCMBS)-sensitive current. The double mutant AQP5-L51R/C182S renders the conductance insensitive to pCMBS, demonstrating that the current is intrinsic to AQP5. AQP5-L51R has the anion permeability sequence I− > NO3− ≅ NO2− > Br− > Cl− > HCO3− > gluconate. Of the other L51 mutants, L51T (polar uncharged) and L51V (nonpolar) retain H2O and CO2 permeability and do not exhibit anion conductance. L51D and L51E (negatively charged) have no H2O or CO2 permeability. L51K (positively charged) has an intermediate H2O and CO2 permeability and anion conductance. L51H is unusual in having a relatively low CO2 permeability and anion conductance, but a moderate Pf. Thus, positively charged mutations of L51 can convert AQP5 from a H2O/CO2 channel into an anion channel. However, the paradoxical effect of L51H is consistent with the hypothesis that CO2, in part, takes a pathway different from H2O through AQP5.
Physiological and behavioral responses to different watering intervals in lactating camels (Camelus dromedarius)
Authors: Bekele Tafesse , Olsson Kerstin , Olsson Ulf , Dahlborn Kristina
Published: July 2013

During drought periods camels are watered at long intervals, but effects on body fluid homeostasis of lactating camels are not known. It was hypothesized that camels store water after drinking and minimize water losses by diurnal variation in body temperature, changes in behavior, and release of vasopressin. The aim was to find a sustainable watering interval for lactating camels. Seven lactating camels were studied in a cross-over trial in which they were watered once daily (W1), every fourth day (W4), every eighth day (W8), or after 16 days (W16) with a 5-day interval between treatments. When offered water every fourth or eighth days, the camels drank sufficient amounts to cover their needs for subsequent days, but after 16 days of dehydration they did not drink enough to compensate the body weight loss. Rectal temperature fell at night and the camels searched shade during daytime minimizing evaporative fluid losses. Plasma osmolality and sodium concentration were elevated after 4 days of water deprivation and plasma protein and vasopressin concentrations after 8 days. Milk production decreased during the last week of W16. Plasma aldosterone concentration was elevated upon rehydration after W16, indicating sodium deficiency. In conclusion, lactating camels stored water after drinking and reduced water losses by staying in shade, keeping body temperature low, and releasing plasma vasopressin. However, serious dehydration was observed during W8, and after 16 days of water deprivation recovery took a long time. A watering interval between 4 and 7 days seems advisable under similar environmental conditions.
Hydrogen sulfide induces hypersensitivity of rat capsaicin-sensitive lung vagal neurons: role of TRPA1 receptors
Authors: Hsu Chun-Chun , Lin Ruei-Lung , Lee Lu-Yuan , Lin You Shuei
Published: July 2013

The sensitization of capsaicin-sensitive lung vagal (CSLV) afferents by inflammatory mediators is important in the development of airway hypersensitivity. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous mediator inducing hyperalgesia through transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) receptors located on nociceptors. We conducted this study to determine whether H2S elevates the sensitivity of rat CSLV afferents. In anesthetized, artificially ventilated rats, the inhalation of aerosolized sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, a H2S donor) caused no significant changes in the baseline activity of CSLV afferents. However, the afferent responses to right atrial injection of capsaicin or phenylbiguanide and to lung inflation were all markedly potentiated after NaHS inhalation. By contrast, the inhalation of its vehicle or NaOH (with a similar pH to NaHS) failed to enhance the afferent responses. Additionally, the potentiating effect on the afferent responses was found in rats inhaling l-cysteine (a substrate of H2S synthase) that slowly releases H2S. The potentiating effect of NaHS on the sensitivity of CSLV afferents was completely blocked by pretreatment of HC-030031 (a TRPA1 receptor antagonist) but was unaffected by its vehicle. In isolated rat CSLV neurons, the perfusion of NaHS alone did not influence the intracellular Ca2+ concentration but markedly potentiated the Ca2+ transients evoked by capsaicin. The NaHS-caused effect was totally abolished by HC-030031 pretreatment. These results suggest that H2S induces a nonspecific sensitizing effect on CSLV fibers to both chemical and mechanical stimulation in rat lungs, which appears mediated through an action on the TRPA1 receptors expressed on the nerve endings of CSLV afferents.
Differential control of metabolic and cardiovascular functions by melanocortin-4 receptors in proopiomelanocortin neurons
Authors: do Carmo Jussara M. , da Silva Alexandre A. , Rushing John S. , Pace Benjamin , Hall John E.
Published: July 2013

We examined the role of melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4R) in proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) neurons in regulating metabolic and cardiovascular functions. Using Cre-loxP technology, we selectively rescued MC4R in Pomc neurons of mice with whole body MC4R deficiency (MC4R-Pomc-Cre mice). Body weight, food intake, and whole body oxygen consumption (V̇o2) were determined daily, and blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and body temperature were measured 24 h/day by telemetry. An intracerebroventricular cannula was placed in the right lateral ventricle for intracerebroventricular infusions. Littermate MC4R-deficient (LoxTB-MC4R) mice were used as controls. After control measurements, the MC4R antagonist (SHU-9119; 1 nmol/h) was infused intracerebroventricularly for 7 days. Compared with LoxTB-MC4R mice, MC4R-Pomc-Cre mice were less obese (47 ± 2 vs. 52 ± 2 g) and had increased energy expenditure (2,174 ± 98 vs. 1,990 ± 68 ml·kg−1·min−1), but food intake (4.4 ± 0.2 vs. 4.3 ± 0.3 g/day), BP (112 ± 1 vs. 109 ± 3 mmHg), and HR [557 ± 9 vs. 551 ± 14 beats per minute (bpm)] were similar between groups. Chronic SHU-9119 infusion increased food intake (4.2 ± 0.2 to 6.1 ± 0.5 g/day) and body weight (47 ± 2 to 52 ± 2 g) in MC4R-Pomc-Cre mice, while no changes were observed in LoxTB-MC4R mice. Chronic SHU-9119 infusion also increased BP and HR by 5 ± 1 mmHg and 60 ± 8 bpm in MC4R-Pomc-Cre mice without altering BP or HR in LoxTB-MC4R mice. These results indicate that MC4Rs in Pomc neurons are important for regulation of energy balance. In contrast, while activation of MC4R in Pomc neurons facilitates the BP response to acute stress, our data do not support a major role of MC4R in Pomc neurons in regulating baseline BP and HR.
SIRPα signaling regulates podocyte structure and function
Authors: Takahashi Satoshi , Tomioka Mai , Hiromura Keiju , Sakairi Toru , Hamatani Hiroko , Watanabe Mitsuharu , Ikeuchi Hidekazu , Kaneko Yoriaki , Maeshima Akito , Aoki Takeo , Ohnishi Hiroshi , Matozaki Takashi , Nojima Yoshihisa
Published: July 2013

Signal-regulatory protein-α (SIRPα) is a transmembrane protein that contains tyrosine phosphorylation sites in its cytoplasmic region; two tyrosine phosphatases, SHP-1 and SHP-2, bind to these sites in a phosphorylation-dependent manner and transduce multiple intracellular signals. Recently, SIRPα was identified as one of the major tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in the glomeruli and found to be expressed in podocytes. In the present study, we examined the role of SIRPα expression in podocytes using knockin mice (C57BL/6 background) expressing mutant SIRPα that lacks a cytoplasmic region (SIRPα-mutant mice). Light microscopic examination revealed no apparent morphological abnormalities in the kidneys of the SIRPα-mutant mice. On the other hand, electron microscopic examination revealed abnormal podocytes with irregular major processes and wider and flattened foot processes in the SIRPα-mutant mice compared with their wild-type counterparts. Significantly impaired renal functions and slight albuminuria were demonstrated in the SIRPα-mutant mice. In addition, adriamycin injection induced massive albuminuria together with focal glomerulosclerosis in the SIRPα-mutant mice, while their wild-type counterparts were resistant to adriamycin-induced nephropathy. These data demonstrate that SIRPα is involved in the regulation of podocyte structure and function as a filtration barrier under both physiological and pathological conditions.
Ultra-fast selection of grasping points
Authors: Voudouris D. , Smeets J. B. J. , Brenner E.
Published: July 2013

To grasp an object one needs to determine suitable positions on its surface for placing the digits and to move the digits to those positions. If the object is displaced during a reach-to-grasp movement, the digit movements are quickly adjusted. Do these fast adjustments only guide the digits to previously chosen positions on the surface of the object, or is the choice of contact points also constantly reconsidered? Subjects grasped a ball or a cube that sometimes rotated briefly when the digits started moving. The digits followed the rotation within 115 ms. When the object was a ball, subjects quickly counteracted the initial following response by reconsidering their choice of grasping points so that the digits ended at different positions on the rotated surface of the ball, and the ball was grasped with the preferred orientation of the hand. When the object was a cube, subjects sometimes counteracted the initial following response to grasp the cube by a different pair of sides. This altered choice of grasping points was evident within ∼160 ms of rotation onset, which is shorter than regular reaction times.
Effects of forward masking on sound localization in cats: basic findings with broadband maskers
Authors: Gai Yan , Ruhland Janet L. , Yin Tom C. T.
Published: July 2013

Forward masking is traditionally measured with a detection task in which the addition of a preceding masking sound results in an increased signal-detection threshold. Little is known about the influence of forward masking on localization of free-field sound for human or animal subjects. Here we recorded gaze shifts of two head-unrestrained cats during localization using a search-coil technique. A broadband (BB) noise masker was presented straight ahead. A brief signal could come from 1 of the 17 speaker locations in the frontal hemifield. The signal was either a BB or a band-limited (BL) noise. For BB targets, the presence of the forward masker reduced localization accuracy at almost all target levels (20 to 80 dB SPL) along both horizontal and vertical dimensions. Temporal decay of masking was observed when a 15-ms interstimulus gap was added between the end of the masker and the beginning of the target. A large effect of forward masking was also observed for BL targets with low (0.2–2 kHz) and mid (2–7 kHz) frequencies, indicating that the interaural timing cue is susceptible to forward masking. Except at low sound levels, a small or little effect was observed for high-frequency (7–15 kHz) targets, indicating that the interaural level and the spectral cues in that frequency range remained relatively robust. Our findings suggest that different localization mechanisms can operate independently in a complex listening environment.
Excitatory and inhibitory contributions to receptive fields of alpha-like retinal ganglion cells in mouse
Authors: Marco Stefano Di , Protti Dario A. , Solomon Samuel G.
Published: July 2013

The ON and OFF pathways that emerge at the first synapse in the retina are generally thought to be streamed in parallel to higher visual areas, but recent work shows cross talk at the level of retinal ganglion cells. The ON pathway drives inhibitory inputs onto some OFF ganglion cells, such that these neurons show “push-pull” convergence of OFF-excitation and ON-disinhibition. In this study we measure the spatial receptive field of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to OFF-sustained (OFF-S) retinal ganglion cells of mouse, establish how contrast adaptation modulates excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs, and show the pharmacology of the inhibitory inputs. We find that the spatial tuning properties of excitatory and inhibitory inputs are sufficient to determine the spatial profile of the spike output and that high spatial acuity may be particularly reliant on disinhibitory circuits. Contrast adaptation reduced excitation to OFF-S ganglion cells, as expected, and also unmasked an asymmetry in inhibitory inputs: disinhibition at light-off was immune to contrast adaptation, but inhibition at light-on was substantially reduced. In pharmacological experiments we confirm that inhibitory inputs are partly mediated by glycine, but our measurements also suggest a substantial role for GABA. Our observations therefore reveal functional diversity in the inhibitory inputs to OFF ganglion cells and suggest that in addition to enhancing operational range these inputs help shape the spatial receptive fields of ganglion cells.
The Korean Mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) Extract Has an Antiobesity Effect and Protects against Hepatic Steatosis in Mice with High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity
Authors: Jung Hoe-Yune , Kim Yu-Hee , Kim In-Bo , Jeong Ju Seong , Lee Jung-Han , Do Myoung-Sool , Jung Seung-Pil , Kim Kwang-Soo , Kim Kyong-Tai , Kim Jong-Bae
Published: July 2013

This study investigates the inhibitory effects of Korean mistletoe extract (KME) on adipogenic factors in 3T3-L1 cells and obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in mice fed a high-fat diet. Male C57Bl/6 mice fed a high-fat diet were treated with KME (3 g/kg/day) for 15 weeks for the antiobesity and NAFLD experiments. Body weight and daily food intake were measured regularly during the experimental period. The epididymal pad was measured and liver histology was observed. The effects of KME on thermogenesis and endurance capacity were measured. The effects of KME on adipogenic factors were examined in 3T3-L1 cells. Body and epididymal fat pad weights were reduced in KME-treated mice, and histological examination showed an amelioration of fatty liver in KME-treated mice, without an effect on food consumption. KME potently induces mitochondrial activity by activating thermogenesis and improving endurance capacity. KME also inhibited adipogenic factorsin vitro. These results demonstrate the inhibitory effects of KME on obesity and NAFLD in mice fed a high-fat diet. The effects appear to be mediated through an enhanced mitochondrial activity. Therefore, KME may be an effective therapeutic candidate for treating obesity and fatty liver caused by a high-fat diet.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment Is Superior to Standardized Mini-Mental Status Exam in Detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Alagiakrishnan Kannayiram , Zhao Nancy , Mereu Laurie , Senior Peter , Senthilselvan Ambikaipakan
Published: July 2013

Aim. This study compares the usefulness of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to Standardized Mini-Mental Status Exam (SMMSE) for diagnosing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) population.Methods. This prospective pilot study enrolled 30 community dwelling adults with Type 2 DM aged 50 years and above. Subjects were assessed using both the SMMSE and MoCA for MCI. In all subjects, depression and dementia were ruled out using the DSM IV criteria, and a functional assessment was done. MCI was diagnosed using the standard test, the European consortium criteria. Sensitivity and specificity analysis, positive and negative predictive values, likelihood ratios and Kappa statistic were calculated.Results. In comparison to consortium criteria, the sensitivity and specificity of MoCA were 67% and 93% in identifying individuals with MCI, and SMMSE were 13% and 93%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values for MoCA were 84% and 56%, and for SMMSE were 66% and 51%, respectively. Kappa statistics showed moderate agreement between MoCA and consortium criteria (kappa = 0.4) and a low agreement between SMMSE and consortium criteria (kappa = 0.07).Conclusion. In this pilot study, MoCA appears to be a better screening tool than SMMSE for MCI in the diabetic population.
Cerebral Hyperperfusion Syndrome following Protected Carotid Artery Stenting
Authors: Knur Rainer
Published: July 2013

The cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome is a very rare complication after revascularization of the carotid artery and accompanied by postoperative or postinterventional hypertension in almost all patients. We report a case of a 77-year-old man who developed a complete aphasia and increased right-sided weakness following endovascular treatment of severe occlusive disease of the left internal carotid artery. We discuss the risk and management of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome after carotid artery stenting.
Myoclonus following a Peripheral Nerve Block
Authors: Hudson Arlene J. , Guthmiller Kevin B. , Hyatt Marian N.
Published: July 2013

Myoclonus is an extremely rare perioperative complication following neuraxial anesthesia. It has also been reported to occur due to peripheral nerve lesions. We report a case of self-limiting myoclonus following a routine peripheral nerve block in an otherwise healthy patient.
Design Thinking and Cloud Manufacturing: A Study of Cloud Model Sharing Platform Based on Separated Data Log
Authors: Wei Zhe , Feng Yixiong , Wang Xiaoyi , Sun Zuowen , Sun Yong
Published: July 2013

To solve the product data consistency problem which is caused by the portable system that cannot conduct real-time update of product data in mobile environment under the mass customization production mode, a new product data optimistic replication method based on log is presented. This paper focuses on the design thinking provider, probing into a manufacturing resource design thinking cloud platform based on manufacturing resource-locating technologies, and also discuss several application scenarios of cloud locating technologies in the manufacturing environment. The actual demand of manufacturing creates a new mode which is service-oriented and has high efficiency and low consumption. Finally, they are different from the crowd-sourcing application model of Local-Motors. The sharing platform operator is responsible for a master plan for the platform, proposing a open interface standard and establishing a service operation mode.
Traditional Herbal Medicine: A Review of Potential of Inhibitory Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Basic Research and Clinical Trial
Authors: Wang Zhidong , Li Jun , Ji Yuanyuan , An Peng , Zhang Shu , Li Zongfang
Published: July 2013

Although significantly develops in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), features of HCC remain an aggressive cancer with a dismal outcome. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), specifically Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), is one of the most popular complementary and alternative medicine modalities worldwide. The use of heat-clearing and detoxicating (Chinese namedqingre jiedu) CHM has attracted great attention as an alternative antitumor including HCC considering its low toxicity and high activity. Together these reports indicate that CHM is a promising anti-HCC herbal remedy in basic research. For patients with advanced HCC, CHM including formula and single combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization or chemotherapy is able to decrease tumor growth and the side effect of toxicity and improve overall survival, quality of life, and immune function. Due to its abundance, low cost, and safety in consumption, CHM remains a species with tremendous potential for further investigation in HCC.
Analysis of Activated Platelet-Derived Growth FactorβReceptor and Ras-MAP Kinase Pathway in Equine Sarcoid Fibroblasts
Authors: Altamura Gennaro , Corteggio Annunziata , Nasir Lubna , Yuan Zheng Qiang , Roperto Franco , Borzacchiello Giuseppe
Published: July 2013

Equine sarcoids are skin tumours of fibroblastic origin affecting equids worldwide. Bovine papillomavirus type-1 (BPV-1) and, less commonly, type-2 are recognized as etiological factors of sarcoids. The transforming activity of BPV is related to the functions of its major oncoprotein E5 which binds to the platelet-derived growth factorβreceptor (PDGFβR) causing its phosphorylation and activation. In this study, we demonstrate, by coimmunoprecipitation and immunoblotting, that in equine sarcoid derived cell lines PDGFβR is phosphorylated and binds downstream molecules related to Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase-ERK pathway thus resulting in Ras activation. Imatinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase receptors inhibitor which selectively inhibits the activation of PDGFβR in the treatment of several human and animal cancers. Here we show that imatinib inhibits receptor phosphorylation, and cell viability assays demonstrate that this drug decreases sarcoid fibroblasts viability in a dose-dependent manner. This study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathology of sarcoids and paves the way to a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of this common equine skin neoplasm.
Characterizing AcupunctureDe Qiin Mild Cognitive Impairment: Relations with Small-World Efficiency of Functional Brain Networks
Authors: Bai Lijun , Zhang Ming , Chen Shangjie , Ai Lin , Xu Maosheng , Wang Dan , Wang Fei , Liu Lihua , Wang Fang , Lao Lixing
Published: July 2013

As an intermediate state between normal aging and dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) became a hot topic and early treatments can improve disease prognosis. Acupuncture is shown to have possible effect in improving its cognitive defect. However, the underlying neural mechanism of acupuncture and relations betweenDe Qiand different needling depths are still elusive. The present study aimed to explore how acupuncture can exert effect on the reorganization of MCI and to what extent needling depths, associating withDe Qisensations, can influence the acupuncture effects for MCI treatment. Our results presented that MCI patients exhibited losses of small-world attributes indicated by longer characteristic path lengths and larger clustering coefficients, compared with healthy controls. In addition, acupuncture with deep needling can induce much stronger and a wide range ofDe Qisensations both in intensity and prevalence. Acupuncture with deep needling showed modulatory effect to compensate the losses of small-world attributes existed in MCI patients while acupuncture with superficial needling did not. Furthermore, acupuncture with deep needling enhanced the nodal centrality primarily in the abnormal regions of MCI including the hippocampus, postcentral cortex as well as anterior cingulate cortex. This study provides evidence to understand neural mechanism underlying acupuncture and the key role ofDe Qifor MCI treatment.
Empirical Study of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Ensemble Models for Software Development Effort Estimation
Authors: Elish Mahmoud O. , Helmy Tarek , Hussain Muhammad Imtiaz
Published: July 2013

Accurate estimation of software development effort is essential for effective management and control of software development projects. Many software effort estimation methods have been proposed in the literature including computational intelligence models. However, none of the existing models proved to be suitable under all circumstances; that is, their performance varies from one dataset to another. The goal of an ensemble model is to manage each of its individual models’ strengths and weaknesses automatically, leading to the best possible decision being taken overall. In this paper, we have developed different homogeneous and heterogeneous ensembles of optimized hybrid computational intelligence models for software development effort estimation. Different linear and nonlinear combiners have been used to combine the base hybrid learners. We have conducted an empirical study to evaluate and compare the performance of these ensembles using five popular datasets. The results confirm that individual models are not reliable as their performance is inconsistent and unstable across different datasets. Although none of the ensemble models was consistently the best, many of them were frequently among the best models for each dataset. The homogeneous ensemble of support vector regression (SVR), with the nonlinear combiner adaptive neurofuzzy inference systems-subtractive clustering (ANFIS-SC), was the best model when considering the average rank of each model across the five datasets.
Aubergine and Potato Sensitivity with Latex Sensitisation and Oral Allergy Syndrome
Authors: Bansal A. S.
Published: July 2013

Aubergine allergy is rare outside of India and the far east, and very few cases have been reported. We describe a case of aubergine allergy in a 9-year-old girl of Anglo-Indian descent who also had sensitivity to potato, coincidental oral allergy syndrome, and latex sensitisation with mild oral symptoms on consuming kiwi fruit. Specific IgE to aubergine was negative, but skin testing was positive to both raw and cooked aubergine. With early and increased consumption of exotic vegetables in western countries, more cases of aubergine allergy can be expected and negative blood tests do not exclude type 1 sensitivity.
Association of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Polymorphisms with Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Application of Artificial Neural Network in DFU Risk Assessment in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Authors: Singh Kanhaiya , Singh Vivek Kumar , Agrawal Neeraj K. , Gupta Sanjeev K. , Singh Kiran
Published: July 2013

The Toll-Like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays an important role in immunity, tissue repair, and regeneration. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the association of TLR4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs4986790, rs4986791, rs11536858 (merged into rs10759931), rs1927911, and rs1927914 with increased diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PCR-RFLP was used for genotyping TLR4 SNPs in 125 T2DM patients with DFU and 130 controls. The haplotypes and linkage disequilibrium between the SNPs were determined using Haploview software. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling was done to observe their predictability for the risk of DFU in T2DM patients. Risk genotypes of all SNPs except rs1927914 were significantly associated with DFU. Haplotype ACATC (Pvalue =9.3E-5) showed strong association with DFU risk. Two haplotypes ATATC (Pvalue = 0.0119) and ATGTT (Pvalue = 0.0087) were found to be protective against DFU. In conclusion TLR4 SNPs and their haplotypes may increase the risk of impairment of wound healing in T2DM patients. ANN model (83%) is found to be better than the MLR model (76%) and can be used as a tool for the DFU risk assessment in T2DM patients.
On Thermodynamics of Charged and Rotating Asymptotically AdS Black Strings
Authors: Zhao Ren , Ma Mengsen , Li Huaifan , Zhang Lichun
Published: July 2013

In this paper, we study thermodynamics of cylindrically symmetric black holes and calculate the equation of states and heat capacity of charged and rotating black strings. In the process, we treat the cosmological constant as a thermodynamic pressure and its conjugate quantity as a thermodynamic volume. It is shown that, when taking the equivalence between the thermodynamic quantities of black strings and the ones of general thermodynamic system, the isothermal compressibility and heat capacity of black strings satisfy the stability conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium and no divergence points exist for heat capacity. Thus, we obtain the conclusion that the thermodynamic system relevant to black strings is stable and there is no second-order phase transition for AdS black holes in the cylindrically symmetric spacetime.