bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triple-negative breast cancer: bridging the gap from cancer genomics to predictive biomarkers
Authors: Davis S. Lindsey , Eckhardt S. Gail , Tentler John J. , Diamond Jennifer R.
Published: January 2014

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a challenge clinically due to a lack of response to hormonal and HER2-targeted agents coupled with an aggressive disease course. As the biology of this breast cancer subtype is better understood, it is clear that TNBC is a heterogeneous disease and one targeted therapy is unlikely to be active in all patients. Biomarkers predictive of response to treatment are thus of great importance in TNBC. This review outlines studies evaluating biomarkers predictive of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and to targeted therapies in the advanced setting. The development of validated biomarkers in conjunction with novel targeted therapies represents an opportunity to improve patient outcomes in TNBC.
Applying Problem Behavior Theory in a Developing Arabic Country
Authors: El-Shenawy Omnia E. , Shehata Abdel-Moneim
Published: January 2014

The current study tested the applicability of Jessor’s Problem Behavior Theory in explaining problem behavior among adolescents in Egypt. Data were collected from 887 adolescents (52% males) with a mean age of 13.4 years. Participants rated three measures of problem behaviors (delinquent behavior, cigarette smoking, and problem substance use), three types of psychosocial protection (models protection, controls protection, and support protection), and three types of psychosocial risk (models risk, opportunity risk, and vulnerability risk). Female adolescents reported lower levels of problem behavior involvement than male adolescents. Psychosocial protective and risk factors accounted for significant variation in adolescents’ problem behavior involvement. For males, models risk was the most important risk factor in problem behavior involvement variation, whereas for females, opportunity risk was the most important risk factor. Present findings are useful in understanding problem behavior involvement among Egyptian youth and informing the design of interventions to reduce problem behavior.
Econophysics: Comments on a Few Applications, Successes, Methods and Models
Authors: Ausloos Marcel
Published: January 2014

For this special issue, the article aims at discussing a few econophysics problems studied so far rather successfully. The following ‘applications’ in micro-econophysics are considered: (i) financial crashes; it is emphasized that one can distinguish between endogenous and exogenous causes; (ii) portofolio control, selection and inherent risk measure; (iii) foreign currency exchanges, also distinguishing endogenous and exogenous money control; (iv) price and asset evolution values. It is shown that some macro-econo-physics problems have been also tackled, like geographic/ political constraints, the globalization of the economy and country clustering. Moreover, it is daring to suggest prospect for studies and researches, whence presenting some selection of a few interesting perspectives.
Chaotic Synchronization and the Global Economy
Authors: Abraham Ralph , Nivala Michael
Published: January 2014

A brief introductory article on the role of chaotic synchronization in the context of complex economic systems. The basic framework developed by the late Richard Goodwin in his book, Chaotic Economic Dynamics, of 1990 has been extended to massively complex dynamical systems of chaotic elements. Recent experimental results and speculative applications to global economic systems are presented.1
Perioperative Outcome of Dyssomnia Patients on Chronic Methylphenidate Use
Authors: Stoicea Nicoleta , Ellis Thomas , Moran Kenneth , Ackermann Wiebke , Wilson Thomas , Quevedo Eduardo , Bergese Sergio
Published: January 2014

Methylphenidate is frequently prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, and other sleep disorders requiring psychostimulants. Our report is based on 2 different clinical experiences of patients with chronic methylphenidate use, undergoing general anesthesia. These cases contrast different strategies of taking versus withholding the drug treatment on the day of surgery. From the standpoint of anesthetic management and patient safety, the concerns for perioperative methylphenidate use are mainly related to cardiovascular stability and possible counteraction of sedatives and anesthetics.
In the Routine HIV Testing Era, Primary Care Physicians in Community Health Centers Remain Unaware of HIV Testing Recommendations
Authors: Arya Monisha , Zheng Micha Yin , Amspoker Amber Bush , Kallen Michael Anthony , Street Richard Lewis , Viswanath Kasisomayajula , Giordano Thomas Peter
Published: January 2014

Background:

Despite the 2006 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for routine HIV testing in health care settings, many persons remain untested.

Purpose:

To determine physician barriers to HIV testing, we surveyed primary care physicians in community health centers in a high HIV prevalence city.

Methods:

Primary care physicians were invited via e-mail to participate in a Web-based survey. One hundred and thirty-seven physicians participated (response rate: 43.9%).

Results:

Fifty-five physicians (41.0%) were unaware of updated CDC HIV testing recommendations. Physicians were unaware that testing should be routinely offered in primary care settings caring for adolescents (62 physicians, 45.6%) and primary care settings caring for adults (33, 24.3%). Physicians were also unaware that teenage years patients aged 13 to 17 years (68, 49.6%) and adult patients aged 18 to 64 years (40, 29.2%) should be routinely HIV tested.

Conclusion:

With the new 2013 US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations to support routine HIV testing, it is critical to address ongoing physician HIV testing barriers to mitigate the HIV epidemic.
Caps, Shrouds, Lawn and Tackle: English Bishops and their Dress from the Sixteenth Century to the Restoration
Authors: Harmes Marcus
Published: January 2014

The vestiarian controversies of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in England have attracted an extensive scholarly literature. This literature has tended to show the ways the Church of England could be condemned as inadequately reformed through attacks against its external trappings. Much less has been written about how the targets of attack — the clothing that bishops wore — could in fact be transformed into a means of defending the Church. This paper analyses George Hooper’s 1683 tract The Church of England Free from the Imputation of Popery, within the context of disputation concerning episcopal government. Hooper appreciated that attacks on vesture were part of more penetrating attacks against religious hierarchies. By turns mocking and serious, Hooper compared the Church of England to reformed confessions and the Church of Rome, arguing that far from being popish, the dress of bishops stood out distinctively as Protestant trappings and provided positive examples of how English bishops differed from their Roman counterparts.
Investigating the Blusa: The Cultural and Sartorial Biography of an Algerian Dress
Authors: Belkaïd Leyla
Published: January 2014

This essay describes the evolution of the garment known as a blusa, worn by urban women in north-western Algeria. The blusa, a full-length dress with short sleeves, was conceived and developed in the cities of Tlemcen and Oran. It incorporates locally meaningful traditions as well as fashion styles in conjunction with different cultures. Its transformation illustrates how Algerian women resisted cultural assimilation through dress while creatively appropriating western European textiles, techniques and aesthetics in their clothing, during the French colonial period (1830–1962) and its aftermath. The exploration of the contemporary blusa variations reveals how the relationship between clothing and identity is still highly complex in Algerian cities. To date, the invention, the rituals, the design, and the production of the blusa dress has been little studied. This paper reconstitutes an historical puzzle based on recent object-based research and anthropological investigations. It seeks to interpret the blusa as an interface between tradition and modernity.
Selective List of Recent Dress Exhibitions
Authors: Stewart Imogen
Published: January 2014

This list includes temporary exhibitions and new permanent displays mounted in UK museums and galleries during 2013. Each display contained at least some items of dress or dress fabrics, fashion plates or fashion photography.
Privateers of the Caribbean: The Hedge Funds–US–UK–Offshore Nexus
Authors: Fichtner Jan
Published: January 2014

This article argues that a nexus exists between private profit-orienteded actors (privateers and hedge funds) — being only lightly regulated by their home countries (Britain and America) — and ‘offshore’ territories located in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the Anglo-Saxon world. This article argues that the ultimate reason for this nexus is the common ‘Lockean’ state/society complex of the UK and the US. The analysis of hedge funds as privateers reveals that both benefit at the expense of others, while the geographic regions in which they are based are virtually the same — London and New York/Boston. Furthermore, this article shows that the hedge fund ‘value chain’ is clearly dominated by the US and the UK. Most hedge funds are based in Offshore Financial Centres (OFCs). While this is commonplace, by introducing the OFC-Intensity Ratio we show that the most intensive OFCs are under the sovereignty of the US and the UK.
Epistasis between the haptoglobin common variant and α+thalassemia influences risk of severe malaria in Kenyan children
Authors: Atkinson Sarah H. , Uyoga Sophie M. , Nyatichi Emily , Macharia Alex W. , Nyutu Gideon , Ndila Carolyne , Kwiatkowski Dominic P. , Rockett Kirk A. , Williams Thomas N.
Published: January 2014

Key Points

Epistasis between the haptoglobin (Hp) common variants and α+thalassemia predicts the risk of severe malaria in Kenyan children. The inconsistent relationship between Hp type and malaria reported in previous studies may be explained by this epistatic interaction.
Clonal evolution and clinical correlates of somatic mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Lundberg Pontus , Karow Axel , Nienhold Ronny , Looser Renate , Hao-Shen Hui , Nissen Ina , Girsberger Sabine , Lehmann Thomas , Passweg Jakob , Stern Martin , Beisel Christian , Kralovics Robert , Skoda Radek C.
Published: January 2014

Key Points

The total number of somatic mutations was inversely correlated with survival and risk of leukemic transformation in MPN. The great majority of somatic mutations were already present at MPN diagnosis, and very few new mutations were detected during follow-up.
Fixed point theorems for weakly T-Chatterjea and weakly T-Kannan contractions in b-metric spaces
Authors: Mustafa Zead , Roshan Jamal Rezaei , Parvaneh Vahid , Kadelburg Zoran
Published: January 2014

In this work, we obtain some fixed point results for generalized weakly T-Chatterjea-contractive and generalized weakly T-Kannan-contractive mappings in the framework of complete b-metric spaces. Examples are provided in order to distinguish these results from the known ones.

MSC:47H10, 54H25.
geneCommittee: a web-based tool for extensively testing the discriminatory power of biologically relevant gene sets in microarray data classification
Authors: Reboiro-Jato Miguel , Arrais Joel P , Oliveira José Luis , Fdez-Riverola Florentino
Published: January 2014

Background

The diagnosis and prognosis of several diseases can be shortened through the use of different large-scale genome experiments. In this context, microarrays can generate expression data for a huge set of genes. However, to obtain solid statistical evidence from the resulting data, it is necessary to train and to validate many classification techniques in order to find the best discriminative method. This is a time-consuming process that normally depends on intricate statistical tools.

Results

geneCommittee is a web-based interactive tool for routinely evaluating the discriminative classification power of custom hypothesis in the form of biologically relevant gene sets. While the user can work with different gene set collections and several microarray data files to configure specific classification experiments, the tool is able to run several tests in parallel. Provided with a straightforward and intuitive interface, geneCommittee is able to render valuable information for diagnostic analyses and clinical management decisions based on systematically evaluating custom hypothesis over different data sets using complementary classifiers, a key aspect in clinical research.

Conclusions

geneCommittee allows the enrichment of microarrays raw data with gene functional annotations, producing integrated datasets that simplify the construction of better discriminative hypothesis, and allows the creation of a set of complementary classifiers. The trained committees can then be used for clinical research and diagnosis. Full documentation including common use cases and guided analysis workflows is freely available at http://sing.ei.uvigo.es/GC/.
The natural insect peptide Neb-colloostatin induces ovarian atresia and apoptosis in the mealworm Tenebrio molitor
Authors: Czarniewska Elżbieta , Rosiński Grzegorz , Gabała Elżbieta , Kuczer Mariola
Published: January 2014

Background

The injection of Neb-colloostatin into T. molitor females causes gonadoinhibitory effects on ovarian development. This peptide inhibits intercellular space formation (patency) in follicular epithelium and results in slowed vitellogenesis, delayed ovulation, reduced number of eggs laid and presumably cell death in the terminal follicles. However, as does the form of cell death in the terminal follicle, the mode of action of Neb-colloostatin remains unknown.

Results

We tested Neb-colloostatin for a sterilizing effect on females of Tenebrio molitor. We report that injection of nanomolar doses of Neb-colloostatin induce ovarian follicle atresia in 4-day old females during their first gonadotropic cycle. Light microscope observations revealed morphological changes in the ovary: after Neb-colloostatin injection the terminal oocytes are significantly smaller and elicit massive follicle resorption, but the control terminal follicles possess translucent ooplasm in oocytes at different stages of vitellogenesis. A patency is visible in follicular epithelium of the control vitellogenic oocytes, whereas peptide injection inhibits intercellular space formation and, in consequence, inhibits vitellogenesis. Confocal and electron microscope examination showed that peptide injection causes changes in the morphology indicating death of follicular cells. We observed F-actin cytoskeleton disorganization, induction of caspase activity, changes in chromatin organization and autophagic vacuole formation. Moreover, the apical cytoplasm of follicular cells is filled with numerous free ribosomes, probably indicating a higher demand for protein biosynthesis, especially in preparation for autophagic vacuole formation. On the other hand, the process of polyribosomes formation is inhibited, indicating the contributing effect of this hormone.

Conclusion

Neb-colloostatin induces atresia in the mealworm ovary. Degeneration of T. molitor follicles includes changes in morphology and viability of follicular cells, and oosorption as a consequence of these changes.
A novel polyclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA for detection of Plasmodium vivaxdeveloped from two lactate dehydrogenase protein segments
Authors: Sousa Luciana Pereira , Mariuba Luis André Morais , Holanda Rudson Jesus , Pimentel João Paulo , Almeida Maria Edilene Martins , Chaves Yury Oliveira , Borges Davi , Lima Emerson , Crainey James Lee , Orlandi Patricia Puccinelli , Lacerda Marcus Vinicius , Nogueira Paulo Afonso
Published: January 2014

Background

Immunoassays for Plasmodium detection are, presently, most frequently based on monoclonal antibodies (MAbs); Polyclonal antibodies (PAbs), which are cheaper to develop and manufacture, are much less frequently used. In the present study we describe a sandwich ELISA assay which is capable of detecting P. vivax Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) in clinical blood samples, without cross reacting with those infected with P. falciparum.

Methods

Two recombinant proteins were produced from different regions of the P. vivax LDH gene. Two sandwich ELISA assay were then designed: One which uses mouse anti-LDH 1-43aa PAbs as primary antibodies (“Test 1”) and another which uses anti-LDH 35-305aa PAbs (“Test 2”) as the primary antibodies. Rabbit anti-LDH 1-43aa PAbs were used as capture antibodies in both ELISA assays. Blood samples taken from P. vivax and P. falciparum infected patients (confirmed by light microscopy) were analysed using both tests.

Results

“Test 2” performed better at detecting microscopy-positive blood samples when compared to “Test 1”, identifying 131 of 154 positive samples (85%); 85 positives (55%) were identified using “test 1”. “Test 1” produced one false positive sample (from the 20 malaria-free control) blood samples; “test 2” produced none. Kappa coefficient analysis of the results produced a value of 0.267 when microscope-positive blood smears were compared with “test 1”, but 0.734 when microscope-positive blood smears were compared with the results from “test 2”. Positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were observed to be 98% and 22% respectively, for “Test 1”, and 99% and 45%, for “test 2”. No cross reactivity was detected with P. falciparum positive blood samples (n = 15) with either test assay.

Conclusion

Both tests detected P. vivax infected blood and showed no evidence of cross-reacting with P. falciparum. Further studies will need to be conducted to establish the full potential of this technique for malaria diagnostics. As well as representing a promising new cost-effective novel technique for P. vivax diagnosis and research, the method for developing this assay also highlights the potential for PAb-based strategies for diagnostics in general.
Molecular identification of adenoviruses associated with respiratory infection in Egypt from 2003 to 2010
Authors: Demian Pola N , Horton Katherine C , Kajon Adriana , Siam Rania , Hasanin Amel Mohamed Nageib , Elgohary Sheta Amany , Cornelius Claire , Gaynor Anne M
Published: January 2014

Background

Human adenoviruses of species B, C, and E (HAdV-B, –C, -E) are frequent causative agents of acute respiratory infections worldwide. As part of a surveillance program aimed at identifying the etiology of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Egypt, we characterized 105 adenovirus isolates from clinical samples collected between 2003 and 2010.

Methods

Identification of the isolates as HAdV was accomplished by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and confirmed by a set of species and type specific polymerase chain reactions (PCR).

Results

Of the 105 isolates, 42% were identified as belonging to HAdV-B, 60% as HAdV–C, and 1% as HAdV-E. We identified a total of six co-infections by PCR, of which five were HAdV-B/HAdV-C co-infections, and one was a co-infection of two HAdV-C types: HAdV-5/HAdV-6. Molecular typing by PCR enabled the identification of eight genotypes of human adenoviruses; HAdV-3 (n = 22), HAdV-7 (n = 14), HAdV-11 (n = 8), HAdV-1 (n = 22), HAdV-2 (20), HAdV-5 (n = 15), HAdV-6 (n = 3) and HAdV-4 (n = 1). The most abundant species in the characterized collection of isolates was HAdV-C, which is concordant with existing data for worldwide epidemiology of HAdV respiratory infections.

Conclusions

We identified three species, HAdV-B, -C and -E, among patients with ILI over the course of 7 years in Egypt, with at least eight diverse types circulating.
Prenatal risk factors for Tourette Syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Chao Ting-Kuang , Hu Jing , Pringsheim Tamara
Published: January 2014

Background

Tourette Syndrome (TS) appears to be an inherited disorder, although genetic abnormalities have been identified in less than 1% of patients, and the mode of inheritance is uncertain. Many studies have investigated environmental factors that might contribute to the onset and severity of tics and associated comorbidities such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). A systematic review and qualitative analysis were performed to provide a broad view of the association between pre- and perinatal factors and TS.

Methods

The Medline, Embase and PsycINFO databases were searched using terms specific to Tourette’s syndrome and keywords such as “pregnancy”, “prenatal”, “perinatal”, “birth” and “neonatal”. Studies were limited to studies on human subjects published in English or French through October 2012.

Results

22 studies were included. Studies were of limited methodological quality, with most samples derived from specialty clinics, and most exposures ascertained retrospectively. The majority of the results for demographic factors of parents, including age, education, socioeconomic status, and marital status, revealed no significant association with the onset of TS, or the presence of comorbidity. Many factors were reported to be significantly associated with the onset of TS, the presence of comorbidity and symptom severity, but the most consistently reported factors were maternal smoking and low birth weight.

Conclusions

There are few studies evaluating the relationship between pre and perinatal events and TS, and existing studies have major limitations, including the use of clinic rather than epidemiologically derived samples, retrospective data collection on pre and perinatal events and multiple hypothesis testing without appropriate statistical correction. The mechanism by which prenatal and perinatal adversities could lead to TS onset or symptom severity is unknown, but may be related to changes in the dopaminergic system as a result of early brain injury.
Time to presentation, pattern and immediate health effects of alleged child sexual abuse at two tertiary hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Girgira Timketa , Tilahun Birkneh , Bacha Tigist
Published: January 2014

Background

Children are vulnerable to abuse and violence because their level of development makes them unable to protect themselves. Such adversities during early childhood may have a negative impact on the future lives of the victims.

This study was done to determine the delay to hospital presentation, clinical manifestations and immediate health effects of child sexual abuse in two tertiary care hospitals in Ethiopia.

Methods

We reviewed records of all cases of child sexual and physical abuse between January 2011 and December 2012. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to test the presence and strength of association between time to reporting to hospital and, age and sex of the victim, place of residence and relation of the victim to the perpetrator. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were generated. Significance was taken as p-value < 0.05.

Results

During the study period, we identified records of 275 children who were seen for alleged physical and sexual abuse; they accounted for 0.6% of the outpatient department (OPD) visits. The majority of the victims were cases of sexual abuse (97.3%) and most of them were female (75.7%). The mean age of the victims was 9.5 years (standard deviation (SD) = 4.2 years). The majority of the abusers were known to the victim (73.0%) and male (98.8%). Neighbors (38.95%), teachers (7.9%) and relatives (13.4%) were the most commonly reported perpetrators. The median length of time taken to present to hospital after the abuse incident was 4 days (range = 2 hours to 3 years). Male victims were 2.4 times more likely to have a delay of greater than one week to present to hospital (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR), 2.40; 95% Confidence interval (CI), 1.34-4.31; P-value = 0.002). Sexual abuse was associated with various immediate health effects, for example, hymenal tear, urinary tract infection and, perineal laceration or tear.

Conclusion

Presentation for care was often delayed. Male sex was independently associated with a delayed presentation to care. We recommend that further studies are carried out to identify the reasons for delay to reporting and design mechanisms to address them.
Effects of Carissa opaca fruits extracts on oxidative pulmonary damages and fibrosis in rats
Authors: Sahreen Sumaira , Khan Muhammad Rashid , Khan Rahmat Ali
Published: January 2014

Background

Carissa opaca is a Pakistani fruit, traditionally used in the treatment of various human ailments including asthma and pulmonary damage. The present study investigated the protective effects of Carissa opaca against CCl4-induced oxidative stress in rat lungs.

Methods

To assess the protective effects of Carissa opaca, 42 Sprague–Dawley male rats (170–180 g) were randomly divided into 7 groups. Group I was untreated and group II received olive oil intraperitoneally (i.p.) and dimethyl sulfoxide orally. Groups III, IV, V, VI and VII were administered CCl4, 3 ml/kg bodyweight (30% in olive oil i.p.). Group IV was administered 50 mg/kg bodyweight silymarin whereas groups V, VI and VII were treated with 200 mg/kg of various fractions of Carissa opaca after 48 h of CCl4 treatment for eight weeks. Antioxidant profiles in lungs were evaluated by estimating the activities of antioxidant enzymes: catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, quinone reductase and reduced glutathione. CCl4-induced lipid peroxidation was determined by measuring the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) with conjugation of DNA damage and histopathology.

Results

Administration of CCl4 for 8 weeks significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the activities of antioxidant enzymes and GSH concentration while increasing TBARS content and DNA damage. Co-treatment of various fractions of Carissa opaca and silymarin restored the activities of antioxidant enzymes and glutathione content. Changes in TBARS concentration and DNA fragmentation was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) following Carissa opaca and silymarin treatment in lung.

Conclusions

Histopathological changes in rat lungs induced by CCl4 were significantly restored by co-treatment with Carissa opaca and silymarin.
Existence results for fractional integral inclusions via nonlinear alternative for contractive maps
Authors: Alsaedi Ahmed , Ntouyas Sotiris K , Ahmad Bashir , Alsulami Hamed H
Published: January 2014

In this paper, a new existence result is obtained for a fractional multivalued problem with fractional integral boundary conditions by applying a (Krasnoselskii type) fixed-point result for multivalued maps due to Petryshyn and Fitzpatric [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 194:1-25, 1974]. The case for lower semi-continuous multivalued maps is also discussed. An example for the illustration of our main result is presented.

MSC:34A60, 34A08.
Risk factors for perinatal death in two different levels of care: a case–control study
Authors: Moura Paula Maria Silveira Soares , Maestá Izildinha , Rugolo Lígia Maria Souza Suppo , Angulski Luís Felipe Ramos Berbel , Caldeira Antônio Prates , Peraçoli José Carlos , Rudge Marilza Vieira Cunha
Published: January 2014

Background

According to the World Health Organization, there are over 6.3 million perinatal deaths (PND) a year worldwide. Identifying the factors associated with PND is very helpful in building strategies to improve the care provided to mothers and their babies.

Objective

To investigate the maternal, gestational and neonatal factors associated with PND at two different levels of care.

Methods

Case–control study including 299 PND cases and 1161 infants that survived the early neonatal period (controls) between 2001–2006 in two hospitals at different care levels (secondary and tertiary) located in southeastern Brazil. Correlations between study variables and PND were evaluated by univariate analysis. PND-related variables were included in a multiple logistic regression model, and independent estimates of PND risk were obtained.

Results

Although five-minute Apgar score <7, low birthweight and maternal hemorrhage were associated with PND in the secondary care center, no independent risk factors were identified at this level of care. In the tertiary hospital, PND was positively associated with primiparity, male sex, prematurity, low 5-minute Apgar score, and pregnancy complicated by arterial hypertension or intrauterine infection.

Conclusions

Several risk factors positively associated with PND were indentified in the tertiary, but not in the secondary care level hospital. Since most of the risk factors herein identified are modifiable through effective antenatal and intrapartum care, greater attention should be given to preventive strategies.
Genotoxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes at occupationally relevant doses
Authors: Siegrist Katelyn J , Reynolds Steven H , Kashon Michael L , Lowry David T , Dong Chenbo , Hubbs Ann F , Young Shih-Houng , Salisbury Jeffrey L , Porter Dale W , Benkovic Stanley A , McCawley Michael , Keane Michael J , Mastovich John T , Bunker Kristin L , Cena Lorenzo G , Sparrow Mark C , Sturgeon Jacqueline L , Dinu Cerasela Zoica , Sargent Linda M
Published: January 2014

Carbon nanotubes are commercially-important products of nanotechnology; however, their low density and small size makes carbon nanotube respiratory exposures likely during their production or processing. We have previously shown mitotic spindle aberrations in cultured primary and immortalized human airway epithelial cells exposed to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). In this study, we examined whether multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) cause mitotic spindle damage in cultured cells at doses equivalent to 34 years of exposure at the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL). MWCNT induced a dose responsive increase in disrupted centrosomes, abnormal mitotic spindles and aneuploid chromosome number 24 hours after exposure to 0.024, 0.24, 2.4 and 24 μg/cm2 MWCNT. Monopolar mitotic spindles comprised 95% of disrupted mitoses. Three-dimensional reconstructions of 0.1 μm optical sections showed carbon nanotubes integrated with microtubules, DNA and within the centrosome structure. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated a greater number of cells in S-phase and fewer cells in the G2 phase in MWCNT-treated compared to diluent control, indicating a G1/S block in the cell cycle. The monopolar phenotype of the disrupted mitotic spindles and the G1/S block in the cell cycle is in sharp contrast to the multi-polar spindle and G2 block in the cell cycle previously observed following exposure to SWCNT. One month following exposure to MWCNT there was a dramatic increase in both size and number of colonies compared to diluent control cultures, indicating a potential to pass the genetic damage to daughter cells. Our results demonstrate significant disruption of the mitotic spindle by MWCNT at occupationally relevant exposure levels.
Lipid accumulation and biosynthesis genes response of the oleaginous Chlorella pyrenoidosaunder three nutrition stressors
Authors: Fan Jianhua , Cui Yanbin , Wan Minxi , Wang Weiliang , Li Yuanguang
Published: January 2014

Background

Microalgae can accumulate considerable amounts of lipids under different nutrient-deficient conditions, making them as one of the most promising sustainable sources for biofuel production. These inducible processes provide a powerful experimental basis for fully understanding the mechanisms of physiological acclimation, lipid hyperaccumulation and gene expression in algae. In this study, three nutrient-deficiency strategies, viz nitrogen-, phosphorus- and iron-deficiency were applied to trigger the lipid hyperaccumulation in an oleaginous Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Regular patterns of growth characteristics, lipid accumulation, physiological parameters, as well as the expression patterns of lipid biosynthesis-related genes were fully analyzed and compared.

Results

Our results showed that all the nutrient stress conditions could enhance the lipid content considerably compared with the control. The total lipid and neutral lipid contents exhibit the most marked increment under nitrogen deficiency, achieving 50.32% and 34.29% of dry cell weight at the end of cultivation, respectively. Both photosynthesis indicators and reactive oxygen species parameters reveal that physiological stress turned up when exposed to nutrient depletions. Time-course transcript patterns of lipid biosynthesis-related genes showed that diverse expression dynamics probably contributes to the different lipidic phenotypes under stress conditions. By analyzing the correlation between lipid content and gene expression level, we pinpoint several genes viz. rbsL, me g6562, accA, accD, dgat g2354, dgat g3280 and dgat g7063, which encode corresponding enzymes or subunits of malic enzyme, ACCase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase in the de novo TAG biosynthesis pathway, are highly related to lipid accumulation and might be exploited as target genes for genetic modification.

Conclusion

This study provided us not only a comprehensive picture of adaptive mechanisms from physiological perspective, but also a number of targeted genes that can be used for a systematic metabolic engineering. Besides, our results also represented the feasibility of lipid production through trophic transition cultivation modes, throwing light on a two-stage microalgal lipid production strategy with which heterotrophy stage provides sufficient robust seed and nitrogen-starvation photoautotrophy stage enhances the overall lipid productivity.
Eliminating interference by anthocyanin in chlorophyll estimation of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) leaves
Authors: Huang Wen-Dar , Lin Kuan-Hung , Hsu Ming-Huang , Huang Meng-Yuan , Yang Zhi-Wei , Chao Pi-Yu , Yang Chi-Ming
Published: January 2014

Background

Spectral reflectance was evaluated for its usefulness as a nondestructive estimation of chlorophyll (Chl) content from three cultivars of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) with green, yellow, and purple leaves grown in a greenhouse for 22 days. While the green and yellow leaves contain variant amount of photosynthetic pigments without or with little level of anthocyanins, the purple leaves, except large amount of photosynthetic pigments, have high quantity of anthocyanins.

Results

For green and yellow leaves, the reciprocal reflectance (R-1) and derived indices incorporating near infrared (NIR) reflectance, [(Rλ)-1 - (RNIR)-1] and [(RNIR/Rλ) - 1], in the green and red edge spectral ranges were shown to be strongly correlated (r
2 = 0.8 ~ 0.9) with the chlorophyll content. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the chlorophyll content estimation using these indices was < 50 mg m-2. However, when purple leaves containing high levels of anthocyanins were included in the sample, R-1 in the green spectral range and the above-mentioned indices displayed much weaker correlations with the chlorophyll content. The RMSE of chlorophyll estimation using these indices in the green spectral range sharply increased to > 110 mg m-2 when the sample included purple leaves. The new index, [1 - (Rλ/RNIR)], was therefore inferred and developed to eliminate the distorting effect of anthocyanins on chlorophyll content estimation using reflectance in the green spectral range. For leaves with high levels of anthocyanins, the correlation between [1 - (Rλ/RNIR)] and the chlorophyll content remained strong (r2 = 0.8 ~ 0.9) in the green spectral range, and the RMSE was minimal.

Conclusion

The reflectance index, [1 - (Rλ/RNIR)], therefore represents a new and useful parameter for estimating leaf chlorophyll content in leaves with any level of anthocyanins such as purple rice leaf.
How do people with disabilities cope while waiting for disability insurance benefits?
Authors: Coe Norma B , Lindner Stephan , Wong Kendrew , Wu April Yanyuan
Published: January 2014

Disability Insurance waiting time varies from a few months to several years. We estimate the causal effect of longer waiting times on the use of five financial coping strategies. We find that SNAP benefits are the most responsive to longer waiting times. Moreover, while spousal employment is not responsive to longer wait times, spousal employment leads to longer waiting times, presumably because these applicants are more able to appeal. Together, these results suggest that coping strategies are used to both help applicants during the wait time and to extend the waiting time and increase their probability of success.

JEL Classification Code

H53; J08; I3
MRI osteitis predicts cartilage damage at the wrist in RA: a three-year prospective 3T MRI study examining cartilage damage
Authors: McQueen Fiona M , McHaffie Alexandra , Clarke Andrew , Lee Arier C , Reeves Quentin , Curteis Barbara , Dalbeth Nicola
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Cartilage damage impacts on patient disability in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aims of this magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study were to investigate cartilage damage over three years and determine predictive factors.

Methods

A total of 38 RA patients and 22 controls were enrolled at t = 0 (2009). After 3 years, clinical and MRI data were available in 28 patients and 15 controls. 3T MRI scans were scored for cartilage damage, bone erosion, synovitis and osteitis. A model was developed to predict cartilage damage from baseline parameters.

Results

Inter-reader reliability for the Auckland MRI cartilage score (AMRICS) was high for status scores; intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), 0.90 (0.81 to 0.95) and moderate for change scores (ICC 0.58 (0.24 to 0.77)). AMRICS scores correlated with the Outcome MEasures in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trials (OMERACT) MRI joint space narrowing (jsn) and X-Ray (XR) jsn scores (r =0.96, P < 0.0001 and 0.80, P < 0.0001, respectively). AMRICS change scores were greater for RA patients than controls (P = 0.06 and P = 0.04 for the two readers). Using linear regression, baseline MRI cartilage, synovitis and osteitis scores predicted the three-year AMRICS (R2 = 0.67, 0.37 and 0.39, respectively). A multiple linear regression model predicted the three-year AMRICS (R2 = 0.78). Baseline radial osteitis predicted increased cartilage scores at the radiolunate and radioscaphoid joints, P = 0.0001 and 0.0012, respectively and synovitis at radioulnar, radiocarpal and intercarpal-carpometacarpal joints also influenced three-year cartilage scores (P-values of 0.001, 0.04 and 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions

MRI cartilage damage progression is preceded by osteitis and synovitis but is most influenced by pre-existing cartilage damage suggesting primacy of the cartilage damage pathway in certain patients.
Good correlation between changes in objective and subjective signs of inflammation in patients with short- but not long duration of axial spondyloarthritis treated with tumor necrosis factor-blockers
Authors: Weiß Anja , Song In-Ho , Haibel Hildrun , Listing Joachim , Sieper Joachim
Published: January 2014

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of symptom duration on treatment response and on the correlation between improvements in patient reported outcomes (PRO) and objective inflammation in patients with axial spondylarthritis (SpA) treated with etanercept (ETA) or adalimumab (ADA).

Methods

Data from 112 patients with axial SpA originally enrolled in two randomized controlled clinical trials were pooled and analyzed after one year of treatment with ETA (n = 66) or ADA (n = 46). Patients with <4 years and ≥4 years of disease were compared for improvement in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), C-reactive protein (CRP) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) score for sacroiliac joints (SIJ).

Results

Patients with <4 years of disease showed a significantly better improvement than longer diseased patients in BASDAI (3.2 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7 to 3.7) vs. 1.7 (1.1 to 2.2)), BASFI, BASMI and ASDAS (1.6 (1.4 to 1.8) vs. 0.9 (0.7 to 1.1)). The change in BASDAI showed a significant correlation with the change in SIJ score (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rho) = 0.37, P = 0.01) and the change in CRP (rho = 0.45, P = 0.001) in patients with <4 years of disease. For long diseased patients this correlation was poor and did not achieve statistical significance (rho = 0.13, P = 0.46; rho = 0.22, P = 0.13 respectively).

Conclusion

The low correlation between change of PROs and change of objective signs of inflammation seen in axial SpA patients with longer symptom duration treated with tumor necrosis factor-blocker seems to indicate that inflammation is not the only cause of the patients’ symptoms, while inflammation seems to be the major cause in short diseased patients.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials.gov NCT00844142 (Trial 1); NCT00235105 (Trial 2)
Runx2 activates PI3K/Akt signaling via mTORC2 regulation in invasive breast cancer cells
Authors: Tandon Manish , Chen Zujian , Pratap Jitesh
Published: January 2014

Introduction

The Runt-related transcription factor Runx2 is critical for skeletal development but is also aberrantly expressed in breast cancers, and promotes cell growth and invasion. A de-regulated serine/threonine kinase Akt signaling pathway is implicated in mammary carcinogenesis and cell survival; however, the mechanisms underlying Runx2 role in survival of invasive breast cancer cells are still unclear.

Methods

The phenotypic analysis of Runx2 function in cell survival was performed by gene silencing and flow cytometric analysis in highly invasive MDA-MB-231 and SUM-159-PT mammary epithelial cell lines. The expression analysis of Runx2 and pAkt (serine 473) proteins in metastatic breast cancer specimens was performed by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein levels of kinases and phosphatases functional in Akt signaling were determined by real-time PCR and Western blotting, while DNA-protein interaction was studied by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays.

Results

The high Runx2 levels in invasive mammary epithelial cell lines promoted cell survival in Akt phosphorylation (pAkt-serine 473) dependent manner. The analysis of kinases and phosphatases associated with pAkt regulation revealed that Runx2 promotes pAkt levels via mammalian target of rapamycin complex-2 (mTORC2). The recruitment of Runx2 on mTOR promoter coupled with Runx2-dependent expression of mTORC2 component Rictor defined Runx2 function in pAkt-mediated survival of invasive breast cancer cells.

Conclusions

Our results identified a novel mechanism of Runx2 regulatory crosstalk in Akt signaling that could have important consequences in targeting invasive breast cancer-associated cell survival.
Serum butyrylcholinesterase predicts survival after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after cardiovascular surgery
Authors: Distelmaier Klaus , Winter Max-Paul , Rützler Kurt , Heinz Gottfried , Lang Irene M , Maurer Gerald , Koinig Herbert , Steinlechner Barbara , Niessner Alexander , Goliasch Georg
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Risk stratification in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support after cardiovascular surgery remains challenging, because data on specific outcome predictors are limited. Serum butyrylcholinesterase demonstrated a strong inverse association with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in non-critically ill patients. We therefore evaluated the predictive value of preoperative serum butyrylcholinesterase levels in patients undergoing venoarterial ECMO support after cardiovascular surgery.

Methods

We prospectively included 191 patients undergoing venoarterial ECMO therapy after cardiovascular surgery at a university-affiliated tertiary care center in our registry.

Results

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality were defined as primary study end points. During a median follow-up time of 51 months (IQR, 34 to 71) corresponding to 4,197 overall months of follow-up, 65% of patients died. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed a significant and independent inverse association between higher butyrylcholinesterase levels and all-cause mortality with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.44 (95% CI, 0.25 to 0.78; P = 0.005), as well as cardiovascular mortality, with an adjusted HR of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.70; P = 0.002), comparing the third with the first tertile. Survival rates were higher in patients within the third tertile of butyrylcholinesterase compared with patients within the first tertile at 30 days (68% versus 44%) as well as at 6 years (47% versus 21%).

Conclusions

The current study revealed serum butyrylcholinesterase as a strong and independent inverse predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing venoarterial ECMO therapy after cardiovascular surgery. These findings advance the limited knowledge on risk stratification in patients undergoing ECMO support and represent a valuable addition for a comprehensive decision making before ECMO implantation.
Editorial: Bone marrow progenitors share their experiences with their offspring
Authors: Goodridge Helen S
Published: January 2014

Discussion of how imprinting of bone marrow progenitors impacts the function of the dendritic cells that they produce.
Editorial: Pulmonary resident memory CD8 T cells: here today, gone tomorrow
Authors: Anderson Kristin G , Masopust David
Published: January 2014

Discussion on the role of lung resident memory CD8 T cells for rapid defense against local infection.
Editorial: Optimizing iTreg differentiation: STATs in the balance
Authors: Williams Calvin B , Chatila Talal A
Published: January 2014

Discussion on the competing roles of STAT3 and STAT5-dependent signaling pathways in iTreg cell induction and function.
Vitamin–mineral treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder in adults: double-blind randomised placebo-controlled
trial
Authors: Rucklidge Julia J. , Frampton Chris M. , Gorman Brigette , Boggis Anna
Published: January 2014

Background

The role of nutrition in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) is gaining international attention; however, treatments
have generally focused only on diet restriction or supplementing with one
nutrient at a time.

Aims

To investigate the efficacy and safety of a broad-based micronutrient
formula consisting mainly of vitamins and minerals, without omega fatty
acids, in the treatment of ADHD in adults.

Method

This double-blind randomised controlled trial assigned 80 adults with
ADHD in a 1:1 ratio to either micronutrients (n = 42) or
placebo (n = 38) for 8 weeks (trial registered with the
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry:
ACTRN12609000308291).

Results

Intent-to-treat analyses showed significant between-group differences
favouring active treatment on self- and observer- but not clinician-ADHD
rating scales. However, clinicians rated those receiving micronutrients
as more improved than those on placebo both globally and on ADHD
symptoms. Post hoc analyses showed that for those with
moderate/severe depression at baseline, there was a greater change in
mood favouring active treatment over placebo. There were no group
differences in adverse events.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary evidence of efficacy for micronutrients
in the treatment of ADHD symptoms in adults, with a reassuring safety
profile.
Practical Synthesis of Glaziovianin A, a Cytotoxic Isoflavone, and Its O7-Propargyl Analogue
Authors: Hayakawa Ichiro , Shioda Shuya , Ikedo Akiyuki , Kigoshi Hideo
Published: January 2014

Glaziovianin A and its O7-propargyl analogue are potent cytotoxic isoflavones. We found that the O7-propargyl analogue completely arrested cell-cycle progression. We have achieved the large-scale synthesis of glaziovianin A and its O7-propargyl analogue for further in vivo experimentation.