bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Duration of Preoperative Sciatica Impact Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation?
Authors: Omidi-Kashani Farzad , Ghayem Hasankhani Ebrahim , Kachooei Amir Reza , Rahimi Mohammad Dawood , Khanzadeh Reza
Published: January 2014

Background. In lumbar disc herniation, most authors recommend nonoperative treatment for the first few weeks of presentation, but what about the upper limit of this golden period? The aim of this study is to assess the effect of preoperative sciatica duration on surgical outcome of lumbar disc herniation.Methods. We retrospectively evaluated 240 patients (124 males and 116 females) with a mean age of36.4±5.9years (range 16 to 63) surgically treated due to primary stable L4-L5 disc herniation. The patients were placed into two groups: with more and less than 12-month duration of preoperative sciatalgia. Disability and pain were measured by Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Wilcoxon test and Mann-WhitneyUtest were used for statistical analysis.Results. Total mean duration of preoperative sciatalgia and follow-up period were 13.3 months (range 2 to 65) and33.7±5.1months (range 24 to 72), respectively. Comparison between the groups showed that duration of preoperative sciatalgia either less or more than 12 months did not affect the surgical outcomes significantly.Conclusions. More or less than 12-month duration of preoperative sciatalgia may not affect the surgical outcomes of simple lumbar disc herniation in the patients undergoing discectomy.
A New Device to Automate the Monitoring of Critical Patients’ Urine Output
Authors: Otero Abraham , Apalkov Andrey , Fernández Roemi , Armada Manuel
Published: January 2014

Urine output (UO) is usually measured manually each hour in acutely ill patients. This task consumes a substantial amount of time. Furthermore, in the literature there is evidence that more frequent (minute-by-minute) UO measurement could impact clinical decision making and improve patient outcomes. However, it is not feasible to manually take minute-by-minute UO measurements. A device capable of automatically monitoring UO could save precious time of the healthcare staff and improve patient outcomes through a more precise and continuous monitoring of this parameter. This paper presents a device capable of automatically monitoring UO. It provides minute by minute measures and it can generate alarms that warn of deviations from therapeutic goals. It uses a capacitive sensor for the measurement of the UO collected within a rigid container. When the container is full, it automatically empties without requiring any internal or external power supply or any intervention by the nursing staff. In vitro tests have been conducted to verify the proper operation and accuracy in the measures of the device. These tests confirm the viability of the device to automate the monitoring of UO.
Usage and Perceived Side Effects of Personal Protective Measures against Mosquitoes among Current Users in Delhi
Authors: Kohli Charu , Kumar Rajesh , Meena G. S. , Singh M. M. , Sahoo Jyotiranjan , Ingle G. K.
Published: January 2014

Background. Mosquito-borne diseases constitute an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The use of personal protective measures (PPM) like mats, bednets, screening, repellents, liquid vaporizers, mosquito coils, and so forth has been advocated as an effective tool in control of mosquito-borne diseases, but data about the safety profile of personal protective measures is still scarce.Objective. To study the usage and side effects of personal protective measures against mosquitoes among current users in Delhi.Materials and Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study among 350 adult individuals selected by systematic sampling method. Data was collected using pretested semistructured questionnaire after taking written informed consent. Data was analysed using SPSS version 17. Chi-square/Fisher’s Exact test was used for qualitative variables to find association andPvalue <0.05 was considered significant.Results. Out of 350 families selected, 210 belonged to rural area and 140 to urban area. Personal protective measures were used by 219 (62.5%) subjects. Liquid vaporizer was the most preferred method (41.4%). Most common perceived side effect of personal protective measures was headache (7.7%). Other perceived side effects were cough (3.2%), sore throat (2.7%), allergy (1.3%), and eye irritation (0.9%) predominantly among coil users.Conclusion. There is a need to have a close watch for side effects of personal protective measures among users. Further research is also needed to develop safe and effective personal protective measures against mosquitoes.
Effect of Selected Metal Contaminants on the Stability of Castor Oil Methyl Ester
Authors: Akhabue Christopher E. , Iworah John C. , Aisien Felix A.
Published: January 2014

This study investigates the effect of iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) contaminants on the stability of castor oil methyl ester (COME). COME was synthesized via transesterification reaction and the peroxide value of the COME was used to monitor its stability. Varied amounts of Fe and Al (0.2 g, 0.4 g, 0.6 g, 0.8 g, and 1.0 g) in powdered form were added to 100 mL of COME and their effect on the peroxide value was monitored for a day, for the first phase of the experiment, while for the second phase, 0.3 g and 0.8 g of these metals were added to 100 mL COME, and their effect was monitored for 9 days. At the end of the study, it was observed that as the amount of the metals added to the COME increases from 0.2 to 1.0 g/100 mL COME, the peroxide values of the COME decrease from 1.6 to 0.3 meq/kg and 1.2 to 0.3–0.2 meq/kg for Al and Fe contaminated COME after 24 h. Also in the second phase of the experiment, the peroxide value of the 0.3 g Fe metal contaminated COME increased from 1.4 to 11.6 meq/kg while that of 0.8 g Fe contaminated COME increased from 1.4 to 3.0 meq/kg after the nine-day period of investigation.
In-Plane Vibration Analysis of Annular Plates with Arbitrary Boundary Conditions
Authors: Shi Xianjie , Shi Dongyan , Qin Zhengrong , Wang Qingshan
Published: January 2014

In comparison with the out-of-plane vibrations of annular plates, far less attention has been paid to the in-plane vibrations which may also play a vital important role in affecting the sound radiation from and power flows in a built-up structure. In this investigation, a generalized Fourier series method is proposed for the in-plane vibration analysis of annular plates with arbitrary boundary conditions along each of its edges. Regardless of the boundary conditions, the in-plane displacement fields are invariantly expressed as a new form of trigonometric series expansions with a drastically improved convergence as compared with the conventional Fourier series. All the unknown expansion coefficients are treated as the generalized coordinates and determined using the Rayleigh-Ritz technique. Unlike most of the existing studies, the presented method can be readily and universally applied to a wide spectrum of in-plane vibration problems involving different boundary conditions, varying material, and geometric properties with no need of modifying the basic functions or adapting solution procedures. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the current solution for predicting the in-plane vibration characteristics of annular plates subjected to different boundary conditions.
An Elusive Bullet in the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Rare Case of Bullet Embolism in the Gastrointestinal Tract and a Review of Relevant Literature
Authors: Biswas Saptarshi , Price Catherine , Abrol Sunil
Published: January 2014

Bullet embolism within the gastrointestinal system is extremely rare. Such bullet injuries are infrequently covered in the general literature, but the surgeon should be aware of the phenomenon. Smaller caliber bullets are more common in civilian gunshot wound (GSW) events. These bullets are able to tumble through the gastrointestinal tract and cause perforation of the intestinal lumen which is small enough to be easily missed. Bullets retained in the abdominal cavity should not be dismissed as fixed and should be carefully monitored to ensure that they do not embolize within the bowel and cause occult lesions during their migration. We present a unique case wherein a bullet caused a minute perforation in the small bowel, before migrating to the distal colon, which resulted in late presentation of sepsis secondary to peritonitis.
On the Molecular Pharmacology of Resveratrol on Oxidative Burst Inhibition in Professional Phagocytes
Authors: Nosáľ Radomír , Drábiková Katarína , Jančinová Viera , Perečko Tomáš , Ambrožová Gabriela , Číž Milan , Lojek Antonín , Pekarová Michaela , Šmidrkal Jan , Harmatha Juraj
Published: January 2014

Resveratrol—3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene—possesses antioxidant activitiesin vitro. It dose-dependently inhibited the generation of peroxyl, hydroxyl, peroxides, and lipid peroxidation products in cell free systems. Oxidative burst of whole human blood stimulated with PMA, fMLP, OpZ, and A23187 was inhibited in a concentration-dependent way, indicating suppression of both receptor and nonreceptor activated chemiluminescence by resveratrol. Results from isolated human neutrophils revealed that resveratrol was active extracellularly as well as intracellularly in inhibiting the generation of reactive oxygen species. Liberation of ATP and analysis of apoptosis showed that in the concentration of 100 μM, resveratrol did not change the viability and integrity of isolated neutrophils. Western blot analysis documented that resveratrol in concentrations of 10 and 100 μM significantly decreased PMA-induced phosphorylation of PKCα/βII. Dose-dependent inhibition of nitrite production and iNOS protein expression in RAW 264.7 cells indicated possible interference of resveratrol with reactive nitrogen radical generation in professional phagocytes. The results suggest that resveratrol represents an effective naturally occurring substance with potent pharmacological effect on oxidative burst of human neutrophils and nitric oxide production by macrophages. It should be further investigated for its pharmacological activity against oxidative stress in ischaemia reperfusion, inflammation, and other pathological conditions, particularly neoplasia.
Driving Posture Recognition by Joint Application of Motion History Image and Pyramid Histogram of Oriented Gradients
Authors: Yan Chao , Coenen Frans , Zhang Bailing
Published: January 2014

In the field of intelligent transportation system (ITS), automatic interpretation of a driver’s behavior is an urgent and
challenging topic. This paper studies vision-based driving posture recognition in the human action recognition framework. A driving
action dataset was prepared by a side-mounted camera looking at a driver’s left profile. The driving actions, including operating the shift
lever, talking on a cell phone, eating, and smoking, are first decomposed into a number of predefined action primitives, that is, interaction
with shift lever, operating the shift lever, interaction with head, and interaction with dashboard. A global grid-based representation
for the action primitives was emphasized, which first generate the silhouette shape from motion history image, followed by application
of the pyramid histogram of oriented gradients (PHOG) for more discriminating characterization. The random forest (RF) classifier
was then exploited to classify the action primitives together with comparisons to some other commonly applied classifiers such as kNN,
multiple layer perceptron, and support vector machine. Classification accuracy is over 94% for the RF classifier in holdout and cross-validation experiments on the four manually decomposed driving actions.
Double Threaded Screw Fixation for Bilateral Stress Fracture of the Medial Malleolus
Authors: Kanto Ryo , Fukunishi Shigeo , Morooka Takatoshi , Seino Daisuke , Takashima Takayuki , Yoshiya Shinichi , Tanaka Juichi
Published: January 2014

An 18-year-old college basketball player presented with continued ankle pain. A radiographic examination showed bilateral medial malleolus stress fractures. Considering the prolonged history and refractory nature of this injury, surgery was adopted as a treatment option. At surgery, the fracture site was percutaneously fixed using two cannulated double threaded screws. Surgery for each side was sequentially performed two months apart. Prompt bony healing was attained after surgery, and the patient could return to his previous sports level six months after the first surgery without subsequent recurrence.
The Study of Fractional Order Controller with SLAM in the Humanoid Robot
Authors: Wen Shuhuan , Chen Xiao , Zhao Yongsheng , Rad Ahmad B. , Othman Kamal Mohammed , Zhang Ethan
Published: January 2014

We present a fractional order PI controller (FOPI) with SLAM method, and the proposed method is used in the simulation of navigation of NAO humanoid robot from Aldebaran. We can discretize the transfer function by the Al-Alaoui generating function and then get the FOPI controller by Power Series Expansion (PSE). FOPI can be used as a correction part to reduce the accumulated error of SLAM. In the FOPI controller, the parameters (Kp,Ki,  and  α) need to be tuned to obtain the best performance. Finally, we compare the results of position without controller and with PI controller, FOPI controller. The simulations show that the FOPI controller can reduce the error between the real position and estimated position. The proposed method is efficient and reliable for NAO navigation.
Technical Quality of Root Fillings Performed by Undergraduate Students: A Radiographic Study
Authors: Vukadinov Tatjana , Blažić Larisa , Kantardžić Ivana , Lainović Tijana
Published: January 2014

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiographic technical quality of endodontic treatment performed by undergraduate students at the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia.Materials and Methods. Electronic records of 220 patients treated by final-year undergraduate students during the school year 2011/2012 were examined, and the final sample consisted of 212 patients, 322 teeth, and 565 root canals. The criteria for overall radiographic adequacy of root canal fillings were defined as the presence of adequate length and density and absence of iatrogenic errors (ledge, fractured instrument, untreated canal, and apical transportation). Chi-square test was used to determine statistical significance between different parameters.Results. Adequate root canal fillings were found in 74.22% of the teeth. The percentage of root fillings with adequate length and density was 89.73% and 92.6%, respectively. Fractured instruments and ledges were present in 16 root canals (2.8%), while the presence of missed canal and apical transportation was observed in 2 cases, each (0.3%).Conclusions. Overall, the technical quality of root canal fillings performed by undergraduate students was satisfactory.
Organizing Pneumonia Preceding Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Kinoshita Yoshiaki , Sakamoto Atsuhiko , Hidaka Kouko
Published: January 2014

Rheumatoid arthritis patients are susceptible to interstitial lung disease, and joint manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis usually precede lung involvements by several years. Organizing pneumonia, as the first manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis, is extremely rare, and its clinical features remain currently unknown. We present a case and a literature review of patients who were pathologically diagnosed with organizing pneumonia first and met the diagnostic criteria of rheumatoid arthritis later. In this review, we observed the following: (1) patients with organizing pneumonia preceding rheumatoid arthritis have a high prevalence of rheumatoid factor or anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies; (2) almost all patients developed rheumatoid arthritis within one year after the diagnosis of organizing pneumonia. We suggest that patients with organizing pneumonia and positive for either rheumatoid factor or anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody should be cautiously followed up regarding the development of rheumatoid arthritis, particularly during the first year after the diagnosis of organizing pneumonia.
Immunological Responses and Epitope Mapping by Tuberculosis-Associated Antigens within the RD1 Region in Japanese Patients
Authors: Nagai Hideaki , Suzukawa Maho , Sakakibara Yumi , Ohta Ken , Reche Pedro A. , Suzuki Koichi , Hoshino Yoshihiko
Published: January 2014

Tuberculosis remains a major global health problem worldwide, and hence there is a need for novel vaccines that better induce cellular-mediated immunity (CMI). In search of a better vaccine target, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Test (QFT-GIT) and the interferon-γELISPOT assay (ELISPOT) were used to compare the magnitude of CMI in patients. Results of the ELISPOT assay led to the discovery of specific epitopes within the early secreted antigenic target 6 kDa (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10 kDa (CFP-10) proteins. Both peptides showed a strong association with several HLA class II DRB1 molecules in the Japanese population. Using ESAT-6-specific HLA class II tetramers, we determined that the expression of ESAT-6-specific CD4+ lymphocytes was significantly decreased in treated patients compared with active patients. In addition, programmed death-1 (PD-1)/killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG-1) double positive cells were found only in treated patients and not in those with active TB. These data could provide clues for the development of novel tuberculosis vaccines.
Optimization of a Biometric System Based on Acoustic Images
Authors: Izquierdo Fuente Alberto , Del Val Puente Lara , Villacorta Calvo Juan J. , Raboso Mateos Mariano
Published: January 2014

On the basis of an acoustic biometric system that captures 16 acoustic images of a person for 4 frequencies and 4 positions, a study was carried out to improve the performance of the system. On a first stage, an analysis to determine which images provide more information to the system was carried out showing that a set of 12 images allows the system to obtain results that are equivalent to using all of the 16 images. Finally, optimization techniques were used to obtain the set of weights associated with each acoustic image that maximizes the performance of the biometric system. These results improve significantly the performance of the preliminary system, while reducing the time of acquisition and computational burden, since the number of acoustic images was reduced.
Stability of High Band Gap P3HT : PCBM Organic Solar Cells Using TiOxInterfacial Layer
Authors: Foe Kurniawan , Namkoong Gon , Samson Matthew , Younes Enas M. , Nam Ilho , Abdel-Fattah Tarek M.
Published: January 2014

We fabricated a poly[3-hexylthiophene] (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) organic photovoltaic cells (OPCs) using TiOxinterfacial layer. We performed optimization processes for P3HT : PC61BM with the TiOxlayer. We found that a solution based TiOxlayer coated at a spin speed of 3000 rpm improved the photon absorption of the active layer. An optimized TiOxlayer was also used as the interfacial layer to investigate the stability of P3HT : PC61BM OPC. After 70 days of storage, we observed that the short-circuit current density (JSC) dropped by 16.2%, fill factor (FF) dropped by 10.6%, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) dropped approximately by 25%, while the open-circuit voltage (VOC) remained relatively stable. We found that a solution based TiOxlayer synthesized using a sol-gel chemistry method was very effective in protecting the active layer from degradation.
Silent Burdens in Disease: Fatigue and Depression in SLE
Authors: Fonseca R. , Bernardes M. , Terroso G. , de Sousa M. , Figueiredo-Braga M.
Published: January 2014

At a time when health is being recognized as more than just avoiding death, age and comorbidity are becoming increasingly important aspects of chronic disease. Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) is probably one of the best paradigms of modern chronic disease, sitting at the crossroads of numerous somatic health problems, immune activation, depression, pain, and fatigue. One hundred forty-eight female participants were enrolled in the present study: 50 diagnosed with SLE, 45 with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 53 age-matched controls. Statistically significant lower scores in quality-of-life dimensions related to physical impairment were found in SLE. Patients with MDD presented significant levels of pain, reduced physical summary component (PSC), and general health scores different from healthy controls. Fatigue was reported in 90% of women with SLE and 77.8% of the MDD patients in contrast with 39.6% in the control group. Significant correlations were seen among fatigue severity, age, and educational level in SLE. From our own previous work and more recent work on the association of immune activation and depression, unexplained fatigue in SLE may signify an early sign of immune activation flare-up. The search for cytokine markers should perhaps be extended to fatigue in SLE.
Anterior Hip Subluxation due to Lumbar Degenerative Kyphosis and Posterior Pelvic Tilt
Authors: Tsuchie Hiroyuki , Yamada Shin , Tazawa Hiroshi , Kijima Hiroaki , Shimada Yoichi
Published: January 2014

Nontraumatic anterior subluxation and dislocation of the hip joint are extremely rare. A 58-year-old woman presented to our outpatient clinic with left hip pain with a duration of 15 years. There was no history of trauma or other diseases. Her hip pain usually occurred only on walking and not at rest. Physical examinations demonstrated no tenderness in the hip joint. The range of motion of both hip joints was almost normal. Laxity of other joints was not observed. The bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and proximal femur confirmed a diagnosis of osteoporosis. A plain radiograph showed osteoarthritic changes of the hip joints, severe posterior pelvic tilt, and superior displacement of both femoral heads, especially in a standing position. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) revealed anterior subluxation of both femoral heads. Seven years after the initial visit, both hip joints showed progression to severe osteoarthritis. Although the exact cause remains unclear, lumbar kyphosis, posterior pelvic tilt, and a decrease in acetabular coverage may have influenced the current case. We should be aware of these factors when we examine patients with hip osteoarthritis.
AnIn VitroSynergistic Interaction of Combinations ofThymus glabrescensEssential Oil and Its Main Constituents with Chloramphenicol
Authors: Ilić Budimir S. , Kocić Branislava D. , Ćirić Vojislav M. , Cvetković Olga G. , Miladinović Dragoljub L.
Published: January 2014

The chemical composition and antibacterial activity ofThymus glabrescensWilld. (Lamiaceae) essential oil were examined, as well as the association between it and chloramphenicol. The antibacterial activities of geraniol and thymol, the main constituents ofT. glabrescensoil, individually and in combination with chloramphenicol, were also determined. The interactions of the essential oil, geraniol, and thymol with chloramphenicol toward five selected strains were evaluated using the microdilution checkerboard assay in combination with chemometric methods. Oxygenated monoterpenes were the most abundant compound class in the oil, with geraniol (22.33%) as the major compound. The essential oil exhibitedin vitroantibacterial activity against all tested bacterial strains, but the activities were lower than those of the standard antibiotic and thymol. A combination of  T. glabrescensoil and chloramphenicol produced a strong synergistic interaction (FIC indices in the range 0.21–0.87) and a substantial reduction of the MIC value of chloramphenicol, thus minimizing its adverse side effects. The combinations geraniol-chloramphenicol and thymol-chloramphenicol produced synergistic interaction to a greater extent, compared with essential oil-chloramphenicol association, which may indicate that the activity of the thyme oil could be attributed to the presence of significant concentrations of geraniol and thymol.
Numerical Study of Natural Convection within a Wavy Enclosure Using Meshfree Approach: Effect of Corner Heating
Authors: Singh Sonam , Bhargava R.
Published: January 2014

This paper presents a numerical study of natural convection within a wavy enclosure heated via corner heating. The considered enclosure is a square enclosure with left wavy side wall. The vertical wavy wall of the enclosure and both of the corner heaters are maintained at constant temperature,TcandTh, respectively, withTh>Tcwhile the remaining horizontal, bottom, top and side walls are insulated. A penalty element-free Galerkin approach with reduced gauss integration scheme for penalty terms is used to solve momentum and energy equations over the complex domain with wide range of parameters, namely, Rayleigh number (Ra), Prandtl number (Pr), and range of heaters in thex- andy-direction. Numerical results are represented in terms of isotherms, streamlines, and Nusselt number. It is observed that the rate of heat transfer depends to a great extent on the Rayleigh number, Prandtl number, length of the corner heaters and the shape of the heat transfer surface. The consistent performance of the adopted numerical procedure is verified by comparison of the results obtained through the present meshless technique with those existing in the literature.
Anxiety Changes Depersonalization and Derealization Symptoms in Vestibular Patients
Authors: Kolev Ognyan I. , Georgieva-Zhostova Spaska O. , Berthoz Alain
Published: January 2014

Background.Depersonalization and derealization are common symptoms reported in the general population.Objective.The aim of the present study was to establish the relationship between anxiety and depersonalization and derealization symptoms in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.Methods.Twenty-four vestibular patients with anxiety and 18 vestibular patients without anxiety were examined for depersonalization and derealization symptoms. They were also compared to healthy controls.Results.The results revealed that anxiety consistently changes depersonalization and derealization symptoms in vestibular patients. They are more frequent, more severe, and qualitatively different in vestibular patients with anxiety than in those without anxiety.Conclusion.Anxiety has an effect on depersonalization and derealization symptoms in vestibular patients. The various hypotheses about the underlying mechanism of this effect were discussed.
Parameters Associated with Significant Liver Histological Changes in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Xiao Li , Xian Jianchun , Li Yang , Geng Aiwen , Yang Xiuzhen , Han Libin , Xu Hongtao
Published: January 2014

This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with significant liver histological changes. Liver biopsies from 157 CHB patients were retrospectively analyzed. Only ALB was significantly correlated with advanced liver necroinflammatory (P=0.001). Age, ALB, GLOB, AST, PLT, and PT were independent predictors of significant fibrosis (P=0.002, P<0.001, P=0.001, P=0.048, P<0.001, and P=0.001, resp.). AST, WBC, and HBV DNA were significantly correlated with advanced fibrosis in normal ALT patients (P<0.001, P=0.041, and P=0.012, resp.) and age, ALB, GLOB, PLT, and PT in patients with abnormal ALT (P=0.003, P<0.001, P=0.004, P<0.001, and P=0.002, resp.). Age, AST, GGT, PLT, and PT were significantly associated with advanced fibrosis in HBeAg+ patients (P=0.01, P=0.016, P=0.027, P=0.016, and P=0.009, resp.) and ALB, GLOB, WBC, PLT, and PT in HBeAg− patients (P<0.001, P=0.004, P=0.005, P<0.001, and P=0.035, resp.). PLT was an excellent predictor for cirrhosis (P<0.001 and AUROC=0.805). ALT was not predictive of advanced fibrosis for patients with HBeAg+ or HBeAg− (P=0.273 and P=0.599, resp.). PLT was an excellent predictor for cirrhosis in CHB patients. Liver histopathology can be recommended for chronic HBV carriers of older age, with normal ALT, lower PLT, and lower ALB.
Vascular Tissue Engineering: Recent Advances in Small Diameter Blood Vessel Regeneration
Authors: Catto Valentina , Farè Silvia , Freddi Giuliano , Tanzi Maria Cristina
Published: January 2014

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality around the globe. The development of a functional and appropriate substitute for small diameter blood vessel replacement is still a challenge to overcome the main drawbacks of autografts and the inadequate performances of synthetic prostheses made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET, Dacron) and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE, Goretex). Therefore, vascular tissue engineering has become a promising approach for small diameter blood vessel regeneration as demonstrated by the increasing interest dedicated to this field. This review is focused on the most relevant and recent studies concerning vascular tissue engineering for small diameter blood vessel applications. Specifically, the present work reviews research on the development of tissue-engineered vascular grafts made of decellularized matrices and natural and/or biodegradable synthetic polymers and their realization without scaffold.
Analysis of an Alanine/Arginine Mixture by Using TLC/FTIR Technique
Authors: Liu Jun , Zhou Feng-shan , Guo Ran , Jiang Ye , Fan Xiaokun , He Anqi , Zhai Yanjun , Weng Shifu , Yang Zhanlan , Xu Yizhuang , Noda Isao , Wu Jinguang
Published: January 2014

We applied TLC/FTIR coupled with mapping technique to analyze an alanine/arginine mixture. Narrow band TLC plates prepared by using AgI as a stationary phase were used to separate alanine and arginine. The distribution of alanine and arginine spots was manifested by a 3D chromatogram. Alanine and arginine can be successfully separated by the narrow band TLC plate. In addition, the FTIR spectra of the separated alanine and arginine spots on the narrow band TLC plate are roughly the same as the corresponding reference IR spectra.
Evaluation of Benzophenone-N-ethyl Morpholine Ethers as Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities
Authors: Bushra Begum A. , Khanum Noor Fatima , Ranganatha V. Lakshmi , Prashanth T. , Al-Ghorbani Mohammed , Khanum Shaukath Ara
Published: January 2014

Microorganisms are closely associated with the health and welfare of human beings. Whereas some microorganisms are beneficial, others are detrimental. Bacterial infections often produce inflammation and pains and in some instances, infections result in high mortality. Any subtle change in the drug molecule, which may not be detected by chemical methods, can be revealed by a change in the antimicrobial activity and hence microbiological assays are very useful. A series of substituted hydroxy benzophenones and benzophenone-N-ethyl morpholine ethers were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Antibacterial activity againstS. aureus,E. aerogenes,M. luteus,K. pneumonia, andS. typhimurium,S. paratyphi-BandP. vulgarisbacterial strains and antifungal activity againstC. albicans,B. cinerea,M. pachydermatis,C. kruseifungal strains were carried out. The bioassays indicated that most of the synthesized compounds showed potential antibacterial and antifungal agents.
Influence of Cytokinins in Combination with GA3on Shoot Multiplication and Elongation of Tea Clone Iran 100 (Camellia sinensis(L.) O. Kuntze)
Authors: Gonbad Reza Azadi , Sinniah Uma Rani , Abdul Aziz Maheran , Mohamad Rosfarizan
Published: January 2014

The use ofin vitroculture has been accepted as an efficient technique for clonal propagation of many woody plants. In the present research, we report the results of a number of experiments aimed at optimizing micropropagation protocol for tea (Camellia sinensis(L.) O. Kuntze) (clone Iran 100) using nodal segments as the explant. The effect of different combinations and concentrations of plant growth regulators (PGR) (BAP, TDZ, GA3) on shoot multiplication and elongation was assessed. The influence of exposure to IBA in liquid form prior to transfer to solid media on rooting of tea microshoots was investigated. The results of this study showed that the best treatment for nodal segment multiplication in terms of the number of shoot per explant and shoot elongation was obtained using 3 mg/L BAP in combination with 0.5 mg/L GA3. TDZ was found to be inappropriate for multiplication of tea clone Iran 100 as it resulted in hyperhydricity especially at concentrations higher than 0.05 mg/L. Healthy shoots treated with 300 mg/L IBA for 30 min followed by transfer to 1/2 strength MS medium devoid of PGR resulted in 72.3% of shoots producing roots and upon transferring them to acclimatization chamber 65% survival was obtained prior to field transfer.
Effect of Temperature on Production of Ochratoxin A by Aspergillus niger in Orange Juice
Authors: Marino Andreana , Fiorentino Caterina , Spataro Francesca , Nostro Antonia
Published: January 2014

This challenging study was carried out to evaluate the temporal production of ochratoxin A (OTA) by Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 and wild type A. niger AM at different temperatures in fresh squeezed orange juice (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osbeck cv Tarocco). Each strain, inoculated into the filtered orange juice, was incubated at 4°C, 20°C, and 26°C for 28 days. In the juice, at 26°C and 20°C, the concentration of A. niger ATCC 16404 increased by more than 2 log10 up to the 21st day. At 4°C it remained constant. The microbial load of A. niger AM decreased at all temperatures. At 26°C, the maximum OTA accumulation found was 3.44 ng/mL on the 21st day for A. niger ATCC 16404 and 8. 44 ng/mL on the 7th day for A. niger AM. The OTA synthesis seemed to be an intrinsic strain-dependent mechanism. A. niger ATCC 16404 produced OTA in accordance with the higher temperatures and the biomass concentrations, whereas A. niger AM produced the toxin at all temperatures regardless of its biomass. These results showed that fresh orange juice contaminated with Aspergillus niger aggregate strains may contain OTA levels.
Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials Based on Polyoxometalates and Ionic Liquids and Their Application in Catalysis
Authors: Ivanova Svetlana
Published: January 2014

An overview of the recent advances in the field of polyoxometalate, ionic liquid hybrids, is proposed with a special attention paid to their application in catalysis, more precisely biphasic and heterogeneous catalysis. Both components of the hybrids are separately outlined pointing to their useful properties and potential for catalysis, followed by the description of the hybrids preparation and synergy between components in a large range of organic transformations. And finally a vision on the future developments is proposed.
Olive Leaf Extract Attenuates Obesity in High‐Fat Diet‐Fed Mice by Modulating the Expression of Molecules Involved in Adipogenesis and Thermogenesis
Authors: Shen Ying , Song Su Jin , Keum Narae , Park Taesun
Published: January 2014

The present study aimed to investigate whether olive leaf extract (OLE) prevents high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced obesity in mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Mice were randomly divided into groups that received a chow diet (CD), HFD, or 0.15% OLE‐supplemented diet (OLD) for 8 weeks. OLD‐fed mice showed significantly reduced body weight gain, visceral fat‐pad weights, and plasma lipid levels as compared with HFD‐fed mice. OLE significantly reversed the HFD‐induced upregulation of WNT10b‐ and galanin‐mediated signaling molecules and key adipogenic genes (PPARγ, C/EBPα, CD36, FAS, and leptin) in the epididymal adipose tissue of HFD‐fed mice. Furthermore, the HFD‐induced downregulation of thermogenic genes involved in uncoupled respiration (SIRT1, PGC1α, and UCP1) and mitochondrial biogenesis (TFAM, NRF‐1, and COX2) was also significantly reversed by OLE. These results suggest that OLE exerts beneficial effects against obesity by regulating the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis and thermogenesis in the visceral adipose tissue of HFD‐fed mice.
ATDC/TRIM29 Phosphorylation by ATM/MAPKAP Kinase 2 Mediates Radioresistance in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Authors: Wang Lidong , Yang Huibin , Palmbos Phillip L. , Ney Gina , Detzler Taylor Ann , Coleman Dawn , Leflein Jacob , Davis Mary , Zhang Min , Tang Wenhua , Hicks J. Kevin , Helchowski Corey M. , Prasad Jayendra , Lawrence Theodore S. , Xu Liang , Yu Xiaochun , Canman Christine E. , Ljungman Mats , Simeone Diane M.
Published: January 2014

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by therapeutic resistance for which the basis is poorly understood. Here, we report that the DNA and p53-binding protein ATDC/TRIM29, which is highly expressed in PDAC, plays a critical role in DNA damage signaling and radioresistance in pancreatic cancer cells. Ataxia-telangiectasia group D-associated gene (ATDC) mediated resistance to ionizing radiation in vitro and in vivo in mouse xenograft assays. ATDC was phosphorylated directly by MAPKAP kinase 2 (MK2) at Ser550 in an ATM-dependent manner. Phosphorylation at Ser-550 by MK2 was required for the radioprotective function of ATDC. Our results identify a DNA repair pathway leading from MK2 and ATM to ATDC, suggesting its candidacy as a therapeutic target to radiosensitize PDAC and improve the efficacy of DNA-damaging treatment. Cancer Res; 74(6); 1778–88. ©2014 AACR.
Rare Coding Variants and Breast Cancer Risk: Evaluation of Susceptibility Loci Identified in Genome-Wide Association Studies
Authors: Zhang Yanfeng , Long Jirong , Lu Wei , Shu Xiao-Ou , Cai Qiuyin , Zheng Ying , Li Chun , Li Bingshan , Gao Yu-Tang , Zheng Wei
Published: January 2014

Background: To date, common genetic variants in approximately 70 loci have been identified for breast cancer via genome-wide association studies (GWAS). It is unknown whether rare variants in these loci are also associated with breast cancer risk.

Methods: We investigated rare missense/nonsense variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) ≤5% located in flanking 500 kb of each of the index single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in 67 GWAS loci. Included in the study were 3,472 cases and 3,595 controls from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Both single marker and gene-based analyses were conducted to investigate the associations.

Results: Single marker analyses identified 38 missense variants being associated with breast cancer risk at P < 0.05 after adjusting for the index SNP. SNP rs146217902 in the EDEM1 gene and rs200340088 in the EFEMP2 gene were only observed in 8 cases (P = 0.004 for both). SNP rs200995432 in the EFEMP2 gene was associated with increased risk with an OR of 6.2 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4–27.6; P = 6.2 × 10−3]. SNP rs80358978 in the BRCA2 gene was associated with 16.5-fold elevated risk (95% CI, 2.2–124.5; P = 2.2 × 10−4). Gene-based analyses suggested eight genes associated with breast cancer risk at P < 0.05, including the EFEMP2 gene (P = 0.002) and the FBXO18 gene (P = 0.008).

Conclusion: Our results identified associations of several rare coding variants neighboring common GWAS loci with breast cancer risk. Further investigation of these rare variants and genes would help to understand the biologic mechanisms underlying the associations.

Impact: Independent studies with larger sample size are warranted to clarify the relationship between these rare variants and breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(4); 622–8. ©2014 AACR.
Prevalence and Characteristics of MUTYH-Associated Polyposis in Patients with Multiple Adenomatous and Serrated Polyps
Authors: Guarinos Carla , Juárez Miriam , Egoavil Cecilia , Rodríguez-Soler María , Pérez-Carbonell Lucía , Salas Ramón , Cubiella Joaquín , Rodríguez-Moranta Francisco , de-Castro Luisa , Bujanda Luis , Serradesanferm Anna , Nicolás-Pérez David , Herráiz Maite , Fernández-Bañares Fernando , Herreros-de-Tejada Alberto , Aguirre Elena , Balmaña Judith , Rincón María-Luisa , Pizarro Angeles , Polo-Ortiz Francisco , Castillejo Adela , Alenda Cristina , Payá Artemio , Soto José-Luis , Jover Rodrigo
Published: January 2014

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of MUTYH mutations in patients with multiple colonic polyps and to explore the best strategy for diagnosing MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP) in these patients.

Experimental Design: This study included 405 patients with at least 10 colonic polyps each. All cases were genetically tested for the three most frequent MUTYH mutations. Whole-gene analysis was performed in heterozygous patients and in 216 patients lacking the three most frequent mutations. Polyps from 56 patients were analyzed for the KRAS-Gly12Cys and BRAF V600E somatic mutations.

Results: Twenty-seven (6.7%) patients were diagnosed with MAP, of which 40.8% showed serrated polyps. The sensitivity of studying only the three common variants was 74.1%. Of 216 patients without any monoallelic mutation in common variants, whole-gene analysis revealed biallelic pathogenic mutation in only one. G396D mutation was associated with serrated lesions and older age at diagnosis. There was a strong association between germinal MUTYH mutation and KRAS Gly12Cys somatic mutation in polyps. BRAF V600E mutation was found in 74% of serrated polyps in MUTYH-negative patients and in none of the polyps of MAP patients.

Conclusions: We observed a low frequency of MUTYH mutations among patients with multiple adenomatous and serrated polyps. The MAP phenotype frequently included patients with serrated polyps, especially when G396D mutation was involved. Our results show that somatic molecular markers of polyps can be useful in identifying MAP cases and support the need for the complete MUTYH gene analysis only in patients heterozygous for recurrent variants. Clin Cancer Res; 20(5); 1158–68. ©2014 AACR.
A Functional Germline Variant in GLI1 Implicates Hedgehog Signaling in Clinical Outcome of Stage II and III Colon Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Szkandera Joanna , Pichler Martin , Absenger Gudrun , Stotz Michael , Weissmueller Melanie , Samonigg Hellmut , Asslaber Martin , Lax Sigurd , Leitner Gerhard , Winder Thomas , Renner Wilfried , Gerger Armin
Published: January 2014

Purpose: Cumulating evidence indicates that germline variants in the Wnt, Notch, and Hedgehog pathways are involved in colon carcinoma progression and metastasis. We investigated germline polymorphisms in a comprehensive panel of Wnt, Notch, and Hedgehog pathway genes to predict time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival in patients with stage II and III colon carcinoma.

Experimental Design: A total of 742 consecutively collected patients with stage II and III colon carcinoma were included in this retrospective study. Genomic DNA was analyzed for 18 germline polymorphisms in Wnt, Notch, and Hedgehog pathway genes (SFRP, DKK 2 and 3, AXIN2, APC, MYC, TCF7L2, NOTCH2, and GLI1) by TaqMan 5′-exonuclease assays.

Results: In univariate analysis, the homozygous mutant variant of GLI1 rs2228226 G>C was significantly associated with decreased TTR in a recessive genetic model after adjustment for multiple testing [HR = 2.35; confidence interval (95% CI), 1.48–3.74; P < 0.001] and remained significant in multivariate analysis including clinical stage, lymphovascular-, vascular-, and perineural-invasion (HR = 2.43; CI 95%, 1.52–3.87; P < 0.001). In subanalyses, the association was limited to patients with surgery alone (HR = 3.21; CI 95%, 1.59–6.49; P = 0.001), in contrast with patients with adjuvant chemotherapy (HR = 0.82; CI 95%, 0.35–1.95; P = 0.657). When the subgroup of patients with “high-risk” GLI1 rs2228226 C/C genotype was analyzed, no benefit of adjuvant 5-fluorouracil–based chemotherapy could be found.

Conclusion: This is the first study identifying GLI1 rs2228226 G>C as an independent prognostic marker in patients with stage II and III colon carcinoma. Prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings. Clin Cancer Res; 20(6); 1687–97. ©2014 AACR.
Mcl-1 Mediates TWEAK/Fn14-Induced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Survival and Therapeutic Response
Authors: Whitsett Timothy G. , Mathews Ian T. , Cardone Michael H. , Lena Ryan J. , Pierceall William E. , Bittner Michael , Sima Chao , LoBello Janine , Weiss Glen J. , Tran Nhan L.
Published: January 2014

Insensitivity to standard clinical interventions, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, remains a substantial hindrance towards improving the prognosis of patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The molecular mechanism of therapeutic resistance remains poorly understood. The TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK)–FGF-inducible 14 (TNFRSF12A/Fn14) signaling axis is known to promote cancer cell survival via NF-κB activation and the upregulation of prosurvival Bcl-2 family members. Here, a role was determined for TWEAK–Fn14 prosurvival signaling in NSCLC through the upregulation of myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (MCL1/Mcl-1). Mcl-1 expression significantly correlated with Fn14 expression, advanced NSCLC tumor stage, and poor patient prognosis in human primary NSCLC tumors. TWEAK stimulation of NSCLC cells induced NF-κB–dependent Mcl-1 protein expression and conferred Mcl-1–dependent chemo- and radioresistance. Depletion of Mcl-1 via siRNA or pharmacologic inhibition of Mcl-1, using EU-5148, sensitized TWEAK-treated NSCLC cells to cisplatin- or radiation-mediated inhibition of cell survival. Moreover, EU-5148 inhibited cell survival across a panel of NSCLC cell lines. In contrast, inhibition of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL function had minimal effect on suppressing TWEAK-induced cell survival. Collectively, these results position TWEAK–Fn14 signaling through Mcl-1 as a significant mechanism for NSCLC tumor cell survival and open new therapeutic avenues to abrogate the high mortality rate seen in NSCLC.

Implications: The TWEAK–Fn14 signaling axis enhances lung cancer cell survival and therapeutic resistance through Mcl-1, positioning both TWEAK–Fn14 and Mcl-1 as therapeutic opportunities in lung cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 12(4); 550–9. ©2014 AACR.
CD74–NRG1 Fusions in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Fernandez-Cuesta Lynnette , Plenker Dennis , Osada Hirotaka , Sun Ruping , Menon Roopika , Leenders Frauke , Ortiz-Cuaran Sandra , Peifer Martin , Bos Marc , Daßler Juliane , Malchers Florian , Schöttle Jakob , Vogel Wenzel , Dahmen Ilona , Koker Mirjam , Ullrich Roland T. , Wright Gavin M. , Russell Prudence A. , Wainer Zoe , Solomon Benjamin , Brambilla Elisabeth , Nagy-Mignotte Hélène , Moro-Sibilot Denis , Brambilla Christian G. , Lantuejoul Sylvie , Altmüller Janine , Becker Christian , Nürnberg Peter , Heuckmann Johannes M. , Stoelben Erich , Petersen Iver , Clement Joachim H. , Sänger Jörg , Muscarella Lucia A. , la Torre Annamaria , Fazio Vito M. , Lahortiga Idoya , Perera Timothy , Ogata Souichi , Parade Marc , Brehmer Dirk , Vingron Martin , Heukamp Lukas C. , Buettner Reinhard , Zander Thomas , Wolf Jürgen , Perner Sven , Ansén Sascha , Haas Stefan A. , Yatabe Yasushi , Thomas Roman K.
Published: January 2014

We discovered a novel somatic gene fusion, CD74–NRG1, by transcriptome sequencing of 25 lung adenocarcinomas of never smokers. By screening 102 lung adenocarcinomas negative for known oncogenic alterations, we found four additional fusion-positive tumors, all of which were of the invasive mucinous subtype. Mechanistically, CD74–NRG1 leads to extracellular expression of the EGF-like domain of NRG1 III-β3, thereby providing the ligand for ERBB2–ERBB3 receptor complexes. Accordingly, ERBB2 and ERBB3 expression was high in the index case, and expression of phospho-ERBB3 was specifically found in tumors bearing the fusion (P < 0.0001). Ectopic expression of CD74–NRG1 in lung cancer cell lines expressing ERBB2 and ERBB3 activated ERBB3 and the PI3K–AKT pathway, and led to increased colony formation in soft agar. Thus, CD74–NRG1 gene fusions are activating genomic alterations in invasive mucinous adenocarcinomas and may offer a therapeutic opportunity for a lung tumor subtype with, so far, no effective treatment.

Significance: CD74–NRG1 fusions may represent a therapeutic opportunity for invasive mucinous lung adenocarcinomas, a tumor with no effective treatment that frequently presents with multifocal unresectable disease. Cancer Discov; 4(4); 415–22. ©2014 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 377