bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Purification of a Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan for SPECT Molecular Imaging of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Saboural Pierre , Chaubet Frédéric , Rouzet Francois , Al-Shoukr Faisal , Azzouna Rana , Bouchemal Nadia , Picton Luc , Louedec Liliane , Maire Murielle , Rolland Lydia , Potier Guy , Guludec Dominique , Letourneur Didier , Chauvierre Cédric
Published: September 2014

Fucoidans constitute a large family of sulfated polysaccharides with several biochemical properties. A commercial fucoidan from brown algae, containing low molecular weight polysaccharidic species constituted of l-fucose, uronic acids and sulfate groups, was simply treated here with calcium acetate solution. This treatment led to a purified fraction with a yield of 45%. The physicochemical characterizations of the purified fucoidan using colorimetric assay, MALLS, dRI, FT-IR, NMR, exhibited molecular weight distributions and chemical profiles similar for both fucoidans whereas the sulfate and l-fucose contents increased by 16% and 71%, respectively. The biodistribution study in rat of both compounds labeled with 99mTc evidenced a predominant renal elimination of the purified fucoidan, but the crude fucoidan was mainly retained in liver and spleen. In rat myocardial ischemia-reperfusion, we then demonstrated the better efficiency of the purified fucoidan. This purified sulfated polysaccharide appears promising for the development of molecular imaging in acute coronary syndrome.
Preliminary Characterization, Antioxidant Properties and Production of Chrysolaminarin from Marine Diatom Odontella aurita
Authors: Xia Song , Gao Baoyan , Li Aifen , Xiong Jihai , Ao Ziqiang , Zhang Chengwu
Published: September 2014

A new chrysolaminarin, named CL2, with a molecular mass of 7.75 kDa, was purified from the marine diatom, Odontella aurita, using DEAE-52 cellulose anion-exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-200 gel-filtration chromatography. The monosaccharide and structural analysis revealed that CL2 was a glucan mainly composed of glucose, which was linked by the β-d-(1→3) (main chain) and β-d-(1→6) (side chain) glycosidic bond, demonstrated by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The antioxidant activity tests revealed that the CL2 presented stronger hydroxyl radical scavenging activity with increasing concentrations, but less was effective on reducing power analysis and scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. The influences of nitrogen concentration and light intensity on chrysolaminarin production of O. aurita were further investigated in a glass column photobioreactor, and a record high chrysolaminarin productivity of 306 mg L−1 day−1 was achieved. In conclusion, the chrysolaminarin CL2 from O. aurita may be explored as a natural antioxidant agent for application in aquaculture, food and pharmaceutical areas.
Stress-Free Bonding Technology with Pyrex for Highly Integrated 3D Fluidic Microsystems
Authors: Thoma Florian , Goldschmidtböing Frank , Cobry Keith , Woias Peter
Published: September 2014

In this article, a novel Pyrex reflow bonding technology is introduced which bonds two functional units made of silicon via a Pyrex reflow bonding process. The practical application demonstrated here is a precision dosing system that uses a mechanically actuated membrane micropump which includes passive membranes for fluid metering. To enable proper functioning after full integration, a technique for device assembly must be established which does not introduce additional stress into the system, but fulfills all other requirements, like pressure tolerance and chemical stability. This is achieved with a stress-free thermal bonding principle to bond Pyrex to silicon in a five-layer stack: after alignment, the silicon-Pyrex-silicon stack is heated to 730 °C. Above the glass transition temperature of 525 °C Pyrex exhibits viscoelastic behavior. This allows the glass layer to come into close mechanical contact with the upper and lower silicon layers. The high temperature and the close contact promotes the formation of a stable and reliable Si-O-Si bond, without introducing mechanical stress into the system, and without deformation upon cooling due to thermal mismatch.
Small Molecule Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors of ErbB2/HER2/Neu in the Treatment of Aggressive Breast Cancer
Authors: Schroeder Richard , Stevens Cheryl , Sridhar Jayalakshmi
Published: September 2014

The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a member of the erbB class of tyrosine kinase receptors. These proteins are normally expressed at the surface of healthy cells and play critical roles in the signal transduction cascade in a myriad of biochemical pathways responsible for cell growth and differentiation. However, it is widely known that amplification and subsequent overexpression of the HER2 encoding oncogene results in unregulated cell proliferation in an aggressive form of breast cancer known as HER2-positive breast cancer. Existing therapies such as trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and lapatinib (Tyverb/Tykerb®), a monoclonal antibody inhibitor and a dual EGFR/HER2 kinase inhibitor, respectively, are currently used in the treatment of HER2-positive cancers, although issues with high recurrence and acquired resistance still remain. Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors provide attractive therapeutic targets, as they are able to block cell signaling associated with many of the proposed mechanisms for HER2 resistance. In this regard we aim to present a review on the available HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors, as well as those currently in development. The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors as sequential or combinatorial therapeutic strategies with other HER family inhibitors is also discussed.
Regulatory Effect of Astragalus Polysaccharides on Intestinal Intraepithelial γδT Cells of Tumor Bearing Mice
Authors: Sun Shuyu , Zheng Kang , Zhao Hongyan , Lu Cheng , Liu Biao , Yu Changyuan , Zhang Ge , Bian Zhaoxiang , Lu Aiping , He Xiaojuan
Published: September 2014

Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) possess multiple immunomodulatory activities. Due to its high molecular weight, orally administration of APS is not easily absorbed into the blood stream, and how APS exerts its capacity in vivo is still not well elucidated. We assume that enteric mucosal immune response might trigger the immune regulation of APS, and our previous studies demonstrated that APS had regulatory activity on intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the functions of APS on intestinal intraepithelial γδT cells, a major subset in IELs and an essential component of maintaining homeostasis and immune regulation in enteric mucosa. Results showed that APS could promote proliferation and function of intestinal intraepithelial γδT cells in vitro, the IFN-γ, FasL and GrB mRNA levels in γδT cells were all significantly increased. Moreover, APS also improved the activity of intestinal intraepithelial γδT cells in vivo, as cytokines production and cytotoxicity of γδT cells were all remarkably improved in tumor-bearing mice treated with APS. In addition, the levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ were significantly increased, whereas the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly decreased in tumor-bearing mice treated with APS. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that APS could improve proliferation and function of intestinal intraepithelial γδT cells, which might an important pathway for immunomodulation of APS in cancer therapy.
Several Human Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors, Structurally Related to Roscovitine, As New Anti-Malarial Agents
Authors: Houzé Sandrine , Hoang Nha-Thu , Lozach Olivier , Le Bras Jacques , Meijer Laurent , Galons Hervé , Demange Luc
Published: September 2014

In Africa, malaria kills one child each minute. It is also responsible for about one million deaths worldwide each year. Plasmodium falciparum, is the protozoan responsible for the most lethal form of the disease, with resistance developing against the available anti-malarial drugs. Among newly proposed anti-malaria targets, are the P. falciparum cyclin-dependent kinases (PfCDKs). There are involved in different stages of the protozoan growth and development but share high sequence homology with human cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). We previously reported the synthesis of CDKs inhibitors that are structurally-related to (R)-roscovitine, a 2,6,9-trisubstituted purine, and they showed activity against neuronal diseases and cancers. In this report, we describe the synthesis and the characterization of new CDK inhibitors, active in reducing the in vitro growth of P. falciparum (3D7 and 7G8 strains). Six compounds are more potent inhibitors than roscovitine, and three exhibited IC50 values close to 1 µM for both 3D7 and 7G8 strains. Although, such molecules do inhibit P. falciparum growth, they require further studies to improve their selectivity for PfCDKs.
Dairy Food at the First Occasion of Eating Is Important for Total Dairy Food Intake for Australian Children
Authors: Riley Malcolm , Baird Danielle , Hendrie Gilly
Published: September 2014

The cross-sectional 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey collected detailed dietary information from a representative sample of more than 4400 children by 24-h dietary recall. Dairy food intake by Australian children is substantially lower than recommendations, and decreases as a percentage of energy intake as children grow older. Children aged 2 to 16 years are, on average, 2.3 times more likely to have a dairy food at the first daily occasion of eating, than at the second occasion. For children who consumed any dairy food at the first occasion of eating, the total daily intake of dairy foods was 129% (95% CI 120%–138%) greater than for children who did not consume a dairy food at the first occasion of eating. Their dairy food intake for the rest of the day following the first occasion of eating was also greater by 29% (95% CI 21%–37%). Younger age group, male sex, location of eating being at home or in a residence and starting the first occasion of eating from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. are all jointly associated with having a dairy food at the first occasion of eating. A simple strategy to increase Australian children’s intake from the dairy and alternatives food group may be to make sure that the first occasion of eating each day includes a dairy food or a nutritional equivalent.
Anorexia Nervosa and Body Fat Distribution: A Systematic Review
Authors: El Ghoch Marwan , Calugi Simona , Lamburghini Silvia , Dalle Grave Riccardo
Published: September 2014

The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of body fat distribution before and after partial and complete weight restoration in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Literature searches, study selection, method development and quality appraisal were performed independently by two authors, and data was synthesized using a narrative approach. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria and were consequently analyzed. The review had five main findings. First, during anorexia nervosa adolescent females lose more central body fat, while adult females more peripheral fat. Second, partial weight restoration leads to greater fat mass deposition in the trunk region than other body regions in adolescent females. Third, after short-term weight restoration, whether partial or complete, adults show a central adiposity phenotype with respect to healthy age-matched controls. Fourth, central fat distribution is associated with increased insulin resistance, but does not adversely affect eating disorder psychopathology or cause psychological distress in female adults. Fifth, the abnormal central fat distribution seems to normalize after long-term maintenance of complete weight restoration, indicating that preferential central distribution of body fat is a transitory phenomenon. However, a discrepancy in the findings has been noted, especially between adolescents and adults; besides age and gender, these appear to be related to differences in the methodology and time of body composition assessments. The PROSPERO Registry—Anorexia Nervosa and Body Fat Distribution: A Systematic Review (CRD42014008738).
Automatic Road Centerline Extraction from Imagery Using Road GPS Data
Authors: Cao Chuqing , Sun Ying
Published: September 2014

Road centerline extraction from imagery constitutes a key element in numerous geospatial applications, which has been addressed through a variety of approaches. However, most of the existing methods are not capable of dealing with challenges such as different road shapes, complex scenes, and variable resolutions. This paper presents a novel method for road centerline extraction from imagery in a fully automatic approach that addresses the aforementioned challenges by exploiting road GPS data. The proposed method combines road color feature with road GPS data to detect road centerline seed points. After global alignment of road GPS data, a novel road centerline extraction algorithm is developed to extract each individual road centerline in local regions. Through road connection, road centerline network is generated as the final output. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our proposed method can rapidly and accurately extract road centerline from remotely sensed imagery.
Defining the Spatial Resolution Requirements for Crop Identification Using Optical Remote Sensing
Authors: Löw Fabian , Duveiller Grégory
Published: September 2014

The past decades have seen an increasing demand for operational monitoring of crop conditions and food production at local to global scales. To properly use satellite Earth observation for such agricultural monitoring, high temporal revisit frequency over vast geographic areas is necessary. However, this often limits the spatial resolution that can be used. The challenge of discriminating pixels that correspond to a particular crop type, a prerequisite for crop specific agricultural monitoring, remains daunting when the signal encoded in pixels stems from several land uses (mixed pixels), e.g., over heterogeneous landscapes where individual fields are often smaller than individual pixels. The question of determining the optimal pixel sizes for an application such as crop identification is therefore naturally inclined towards finding the coarsest acceptable pixel sizes, so as to potentially benefit from what instruments with coarser pixels can offer. To answer this question, this study builds upon and extends a conceptual framework to quantitatively define pixel size requirements for crop identification via image classification. This tool can be modulated using different parameterizations to explore trade-offs between pixel size and pixel purity when addressing the question of crop identification. Results over contrasting landscapes in Central Asia demonstrate that the task of finding the optimum pixel size does not have a “one-size-fits-all” solution. The resulting values for pixel size and purity that are suitable for crop identification proved to be specific to a given landscape, and for each crop they differed across different landscapes. Over the same time series, different crops were not identifiable simultaneously in the season and these requirements further changed over the years, reflecting the different agro-ecological conditions the crops are growing in. Results indicate that sensors like MODIS (250 m) could be suitable for identifying major crop classes in the study sites, whilst sensors like Landsat (30 m) should be considered for object-based classification. The proposed framework is generic and can be applied to any agricultural landscape, thereby potentially serving to guide recommendations for designing dedicated EO missions that can satisfy the requirements in terms of pixel size to identify and discriminate crop types.
Multi-Level Spatial Analysis for Change Detection of Urban Vegetation at Individual Tree Scale
Authors: Zhou Jianhua , Yu Bailang , Qin Jun
Published: September 2014

Spurious change is a common problem in urban vegetation change detection by using multi-temporal remote sensing images of high resolution. This usually results from the false-absent and false-present vegetation patches in an obscured and/or shaded scene. The presented approach focuses on object-based change detection with joint use of spatial and spectral information, referring to it as multi-level spatial analyses. The analyses are conducted in three phases: (1) The pixel-level spatial analysis is performed by adding the density dimension into a multi-feature space for classification to indicate the spatial dependency between pixels; (2) The member-level spatial analysis is conducted by the self-adaptive morphology to readjust the incorrectly classified members according to the spatial dependency between members; (3) The object-level spatial analysis is reached by the self-adaptive morphology involved with the additional rule of sharing boundaries. Spatial analysis at this level will help detect spurious change objects according to the spatial dependency between objects. It is revealed that the error from the automatically extracted vegetation objects with the pixel- and member-level spatial analyses is no more than 2.56%, compared with 12.15% without spatial analysis. Moreover, the error from the automatically detected spurious changes with the object-level spatial analysis is no higher than 3.26% out of all the dynamic vegetation objects, meaning that the fully automatic detection of vegetation change at a joint maximum error of 5.82% can be guaranteed.
Theoretical Accuracy of Along-Track Displacement Measurements from Multiple-Aperture Interferometry (MAI)
Authors: Jung Hyung-Sup , Lee Won-Jin , Zhang Lei
Published: September 2014

The measurement of precise along-track displacements has been made with the multiple-aperture interferometry (MAI). The empirical accuracies of the MAI measurements are about 6.3 and 3.57 cm for ERS and ALOS data, respectively. However, the estimated empirical accuracies cannot be generalized to any interferometric pair because they largely depend on the processing parameters and coherence of the used SAR data. A theoretical formula is given to calculate an expected MAI measurement accuracy according to the system and processing parameters and interferometric coherence. In this paper, we have investigated the expected MAI measurement accuracy on the basis of the theoretical formula for the existing X-, C- and L-band satellite SAR systems. The similarity between the expected and empirical MAI measurement accuracies has been tested as well. The expected accuracies of about 2–3 cm and 3–4 cm (γ = 0.8) are calculated for the X- and L-band SAR systems, respectively. For the C-band systems, the expected accuracy of Radarsat-2 ultra-fine is about 3–4 cm and that of Sentinel-1 IW is about 27 cm (γ = 0.8). The results indicate that the expected MAI measurement accuracy of a given interferometric pair can be easily calculated by using the theoretical formula.
Algal Biomass Analysis by Laser-Based Analytical Techniques—A Review
Authors: Pořízka Pavel , Prochazková Petra , Prochazka David , Sládková Lucia , Novotný Jan , Petrilak Michal , Brada Michal , Samek Ota , Pilát Zdeněk , Zemánek Pavel , Adam Vojtěch , Kizek René , Novotný Karel , Kaiser Jozef
Published: September 2014

Algal biomass that is represented mainly by commercially grown algal strains has recently found many potential applications in various fields of interest. Its utilization has been found advantageous in the fields of bioremediation, biofuel production and the food industry. This paper reviews recent developments in the analysis of algal biomass with the main focus on the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and partly Laser-Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma techniques. The advantages of the selected laser-based analytical techniques are revealed and their fields of use are discussed in detail.
Development of a Wireless Computer Vision Instrument to Detect Biotic Stress in Wheat
Authors: Casanova Joaquin , O'Shaughnessy Susan , Evett Steven , Rush Charles
Published: September 2014

Knowledge of crop abiotic and biotic stress is important for optimal irrigation management. While spectral reflectance and infrared thermometry provide a means to quantify crop stress remotely, these measurements can be cumbersome. Computer vision offers an inexpensive way to remotely detect crop stress independent of vegetation cover. This paper presents a technique using computer vision to detect disease stress in wheat. Digital images of differentially stressed wheat were segmented into soil and vegetation pixels using expectation maximization (EM). In the first season, the algorithm to segment vegetation from soil and distinguish between healthy and stressed wheat was developed and tested using digital images taken in the field and later processed on a desktop computer. In the second season, a wireless camera with near real-time computer vision capabilities was tested in conjunction with the conventional camera and desktop computer. For wheat irrigated at different levels and inoculated with wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), vegetation hue determined by the EM algorithm showed significant effects from irrigation level and infection. Unstressed wheat had a higher hue (118.32) than stressed wheat (111.34). In the second season, the hue and cover measured by the wireless computer vision sensor showed significant effects from infection (p = 0.0014), as did the conventional camera (p < 0.0001). Vegetation hue obtained through a wireless computer vision system in this study is a viable option for determining biotic crop stress in irrigation scheduling. Such a low-cost system could be suitable for use in the ﬁeld in automated irrigation scheduling applications.
Rethinking the Social and Solidarity Society in Light of Community Practice
Authors: Barkin David , Lemus Blanca
Published: September 2014

Building social alternatives is necessary to resist the destructive impacts of the capitalist organization on well-being, social organization, and the planet. This paper offers an analysis of the ways in which peoples are mobilizing to build organizations and to define social movements to move beyond current crises. The lines for constructing an ecologically sound and social-solidarity society require mechanisms for mutual cooperation based on alternative systems of decision making, as well as for doing work and assuring well-being to every member of the community. These depend on forging a process of solidarity among the members of a society as well as building alliances among communities; to assure the satisfaction of basic needs while also attending the most pressing requirements for physical, social and environmental infrastructure and to assure the conservation and rehabilitation of their ecosystems.
1st International Symposium on Stress-Associated RNA Granules in Human Disease and Viral Infection
Authors: Banfield Bruce , Mouland Andrew , McCormick Craig
Published: September 2014

In recent years, important linkages have been made between RNA granules and human disease processes. On June 8-10 of this year, we hosted a new symposium, dubbed the 1st International Symposium on Stress-Associated RNA Granules in Human Disease and Viral Infection. This symposium brought together experts from diverse research disciplines ranging from cancer and neuroscience to infectious disease. This report summarizes speaker presentations and highlights current challenges in the field.
Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation Test Impact on Long-Term Acceptance Rate and Soil Absorption System Design
Authors: Nieć Jakub , Spychała Marcin
Published: September 2014

The aim of this paper was to verify the common methods of hydraulic conductivity estimation for soil assessment in respect to wastewater disposal. The studies were conducted on three types of sandy soils. Hydraulic conductivity was determined using a scale effect-free laboratory method, empirical equations and compared with measurements estimated from a laboratory infiltration column with identified head loss. Based on the hydraulic conductivity values, the long-term acceptance rates (LTAR) [1] were calculated. The differences in LTAR values were about one order of magnitude smaller than differences in hydraulic coefficient. The study showed a good convergention of the results obtained from the constant head method (CHM) by solving the Glover Equation for medium and coarse sands. In low permeability soil (fine sand), the best result was obtained using CHM-a with a capillary rise consideration (a is a factor included in the flow in the unsaturated and saturated zones calculated from a capillary rise). From a practical point of view the relatively small value of LTAR underestimation (20%-for constant head method) is responsible for the extended surface area of the system and provides a security margin (the avoidance of clogging risk). The use of the falling head method, based on the Van Hoorn equation, can be said to be highly overestimated. For medium and coarse sandy soils the underestimation of LTAR calculated and based on CHM test determination is 14%–18%. The total cost of soil absorption system (SAS) designed-based on CHM in comparison to that designed-based on real hydraulic conductivity value in Poland is only about 7%–9% higher.
Phylogenetic relationships and character evolution in Heuchera (Saxifragaceae) on the basis of multiple nuclear loci
Authors: Folk Ryan A. , Freudenstein John V.
Published: September 2014

• Premise of the study: The use of multiple genetic regions from the nuclear genome, including low‐copy markers, has long been recognized as essential to robust phylogenetic construction, addressing gene tree incongruence, and allowing increased resolution to test current taxonomy and resolve basic hypotheses about character evolution, biogeography, and other organismal traits of interest to biologists. Heuchera, the largest genus of Saxifragaceae endemic to North America, has presented an unusually difficult case for systematists with limited sampling in previous molecular studies. We used morphological and multilocus molecular phylogenetic data to test the monophyly of Heuchera, better resolve hypotheses of relationships, and test hypotheses of character evolution, biogeography, and diversification rates.

• Methods: Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using sequences from six nuclear loci and 39 morphological characters using concatenation and coalescent analysis. Ancestral state reconstruction, diversification, and correlated evolution of morphological traits were performed using parsimony, BiSSE, and Pagel's method, respectively.

• Key results: The concatenation and species tree analyses gave confident support to the monophyly of Heuchera and suggested several well‐supported subclades. The addition of morphological data significantly improved support numbers. Ancestral character reconstruction suggested frequent homoplasy and reversal of floral characters and a complex biogeographical history.

• Conclusions: Heuchera is a natural genus; however, the current subgeneric classification is artificial and requires revision. Biogeographic reconstructions suggest a Pacific Northwest origin for the genus; morphological shifts in stamen exsertion and hypanthium length are hypothesized to have driven diversification in Heuchera in concert with possible pollinator shifts.
Precise quantification of silica and ceria nanoparticle uptake revealed by 3D fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Torrano Adriano A , Bräuchle Christoph
Published: September 2014

Particle_in_Cell-3D is a powerful method to quantify the cellular uptake of nanoparticles. It combines the advantages of confocal fluorescence microscopy with fast and precise semi-automatic image analysis. In this work we present how this method was applied to investigate the impact of 310 nm silica nanoparticles on human vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) in comparison to a cancer cell line derived from the cervix carcinoma (HeLa). The absolute number of intracellular silica nanoparticles within the first 24 h was determined and shown to be cell type-dependent. As a second case study, Particle_in_Cell-3D was used to assess the uptake kinetics of 8 nm and 30 nm ceria nanoparticles interacting with human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). These small nanoparticles formed agglomerates in biological medium, and the particles that were in effective contact with cells had a mean diameter of 417 nm and 316 nm, respectively. A significant particle size-dependent effect was observed after 48 h of interaction, and the number of intracellular particles was more than four times larger for the 316 nm agglomerates. Interestingly, our results show that for both particle sizes there is a maximum dose of intracellular nanoparticles at about 24 h. One of the causes for such an interesting and unusual uptake behavior could be cell division.
Molecular ordering at electrified interfaces: Template and potential effects
Authors: Phan Thanh Hai , Wandelt Klaus
Published: September 2014

A combination of cyclic voltammetry and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy was employed to examine the adsorption and phase transition of 1,1’-dibenzyl-4,4’-bipyridinium molecules (abbreviated as DBV2+) on a chloride-modified Cu(111) electrode surface. The cyclic voltammogram (CV) of the Cu(111) electrode exposed to a mixture of 10 mM HCl and 0.1 mM DBVCl2 shows three distinguishable pairs of current waves P1/P’1, P2/P’2, and P3/P’3 which are assigned to two reversible electron transfer steps, representing the reduction of the dicationic DBV2+ to the corresponding radical monocationic DBV+• (P1/P’1) and then to the uncharged DBV0 (P3/P’3) species, respectively, as well as the chloride desorption/readsorption processes (P2/P’2). At positive potentials (i.e., above P1) the DBV2+ molecules spontaneously adsorb and form a highly ordered phase on the c(p × √3)-precovered Cl/Cu(111) electrode surface. A key element of this DBV2+ adlayer is an assembly of two individual DBV2+ species which, lined up, forms a so-called “herring-bone” structure. Upon lowering the electrode potential the first electron transfer step (at P1) causes a phase transition from the DBV2+-related herring-bone phase to the so-called "alternating stripe" pattern built up by the DBV+• species following a nucleation and growth mechanism. Comparison of both observed structures with those found earlier at different electrode potentials on a c(2 × 2)Cl-precovered Cu(100) electrode surface enables a clear assessment of the relative importance of adsorbate–substrate and adsorbate–adsorbate interactions, i.e., template vs self-assembly effects, in the structure formation process of DBV cations on these modified Cu electrode surfaces.
Four weeks supplementation with Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei L. casei W8® shows modest effect on triacylglycerol in young healthy adults
Authors: Bjerg A.T. , Kristensen M. , Ritz C. , Stark K.D. , Holst J.J. , Leser T.D. , Wellejus A. , Astrup A.
Published: September 2014

The microbiota has been shown to have the potential to affect appetite and blood lipids positively in animal studies. We investigated if four weeks supplementation with Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei L. casei W8® (L. casei W8) had an effect on subjective appetite sensation, ad libitum energy intake, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), glucose and insulin response in humans. Secondarily, we explored potential effects on blood lipids, fatty acids and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) activity in humans as well as SCD1 expression in piglets given L. casei W8 for two weeks. 64 healthy participants completed the double-blinded, randomised, controlled, parallel four weeks study with supplementation of L. casei W8 (1010 cfu) or placebo capsules. A meal test was conducted before and after the intervention, where subjective appetite, ad libitum energy intake, GLP-1, glucose and insulin response were measured. Additionally fasting blood lipids and fatty acids concentrations were measured. Sixteen piglets were randomised into two groups: L. casei W8 (1010 cfu/day) as top dressing on morning fed or no treatment. After two weeks piglets were sacrificed and tissue from ileum, jejunum and skeletal muscle were sampled for mRNA analyses of SCD1 expression. Compared to placebo, L. casei W8 did not affect appetite, ad libitum energy intake, GLP-1, glucose and insulin response and total, high-density or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels after four weeks intervention. Triacylglycerol decreased in the L. casei W8 group compared to placebo at week 4 (P=0.03). The C16:1n-7/C16:0 ratio, reflecting SCD1 activity, tended to decrease when having L. casei W8 (P=0.06) compared to placebo. Muscle SCD1 expression decreased in piglets supplemented with L. casei W8 compared to control. In conclusion, supplementation with L. casei W8 did not affect appetite parameters, glucose or insulin responses; but appear to be able to lower triacylglycerol levels, possibly by reducing its production.
What is new on the term probiotics and the role of probiotics for the management of acute gastroenteritis
Authors: Szajewska H.
Published: September 2014

There is an increasing interest in probiotics, and evidence of the effectiveness of probiotics in preventing or treating diarrhoeal diseases is also advancing. The purpose of this short opinion paper is to summarise two aspects of current development in regard to probiotics. First, it discusses what is new with regard to some key questions related to the term ‘probiotic’. Second, recent, evidence-based, clinical practice guidelines on the use of probiotics for the management of acute gastroenteritis in children are presented.
Effect of Weekly Hunting Frequency on Rate of Ducks Harvested
Authors: St. James Elizabeth A. , Schummer Michael L. , Kaminski Richard M. , Penny Edward J. , Burger L. Wesley
Published: September 2014

Waterfowl hunting is important culturally and economically in North America. Few studies have evaluated the relationship between weekly hunting frequency and rate of ducks harvested. We evaluated the effect of hunting 2 or 4 d/wk on rate of ducks harvested on three Mississippi Wildlife Management Areas, USA, during three waterfowl hunting seasons, December–January 2008–2011. Harvest of all ducks combined, mallard Anas platyrhynchos, northern shoveler Anas clypeata, or green-winged teal Anas crecca per hunter day did not differ between areas hunted 2 or 4 d/wk, but increased with hours spent afield. We suggest Wildlife Management Areas may be hunted 4 d/wk without reducing duck harvest per hunter day. We recommend continued evaluations of weekly hunting frequency on rate of ducks harvested to sustain science-guided management of waterfowl hunting on Mississippi public lands and elsewhere.
Observations of Territorial Breeding Common Ravens Caching Eggs of Greater Sage-Grouse
Authors: Howe Kristy B. , Coates Peter S.
Published: September 2014

Previous investigations using continuous video monitoring of greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus nests have unambiguously identified common ravens Corvus corax as an important egg predator within the western United States. The quantity of greater sage-grouse eggs an individual common raven consumes during the nesting period and the extent to which common ravens actively hunt greater sage-grouse nests are largely unknown. However, some evidence suggests that territorial breeding common ravens, rather than nonbreeding transients, are most likely responsible for nest depredations. We describe greater sage-grouse egg depredation observations obtained opportunistically from three common raven nests located in Idaho and Nevada where depredated greater sage-grouse eggs were found at or in the immediate vicinity of the nest site, including the caching of eggs in nearby rock crevices. We opportunistically monitored these nests by counting and removing depredated eggs and shell fragments from the nest sites during each visit to determine the extent to which the common raven pairs preyed on greater sage-grouse eggs. To our knowledge, our observations represent the first evidence that breeding, territorial pairs of common ravens cache greater sage-grouse eggs and are capable of depredating multiple greater sage-grouse nests.
Eliminating Variation in Age at Spawning Leads to Genetic Divergence Within a Single Salmon Population
Authors: Smith Christian T. , Baumsteiger Jason , Ardren William R. , Dettlaff Yvonne , Hawkins Denise K. , Van Doornik Donald M.
Published: September 2014

Most coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch in Washington state spawn at 3 y of age, creating the potential for three temporal populations or “broodlines” at each spawning site. This is generally prevented by a portion of males in each site that mature and reproduce at 2 y of age, resulting in population structure in which the geographic component is stronger than the temporal component. The Quilcene National Fish Hatchery, located on Big Quilcene River in the Hood Canal region of Washington state, selected against late returning coho salmon by excluding all but the earliest returning fish from its broodstock for an unknown number of generations, and restricted gene flow among broodlines by excluding 2-y-old males for 27 generations. The resulting hatchery population exhibited three distinct broodlines that returned in alternating years: an “early” broodline that arrived 1 mo before the wild fish, a “late” broodline that arrived at the same time as the wild fish, and a “middle” broodline that arrived in between these two broodlines. We evaluated temporal and geographic components of population genetic structure in coho salmon from the Quilcene National Fish Hatchery and nine other sites from Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca using 10 microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity at the Quilcene National Fish Hatchery was lowest in the early broodline and highest in the late broodline. Divergence among broodlines at the Quilcene National Fish Hatchery was greater than that observed at any other site, and was also greater than that observed between any of the sites. This apparent reversal of the relative magnitudes of temporal and geographic components for this species emphasizes the importance of variable age-at-maturity in shaping population genetic structure.
Chromatin Decondensation and T Cell Hyperresponsiveness in Diabetes-Associated Hyperglycemia
Authors: Martinez Nuria , Vallerskog Therese , West Kim , Nunes-Alves Claudio , Lee Jinhee , Martens Gregory W. , Behar Samuel M. , Kornfeld Hardy
Published: September 2014

Diabetes is linked to increased inflammation and susceptibility to certain infectious diseases including tuberculosis (TB). We previously reported that aerosol TB in mice with chronic (≥12 wk) hyperglycemia features increased bacterial load, overproduction of several cytokines, and increased immune pathology compared with normoglycemic controls. A similar phenotype exists in human patients with diabetes with TB. The mechanisms of increased T cell activation in diabetes are unknown. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that hyperglycemia modifies the intrinsic responsiveness of naive T cells to TCR stimulation. Purified T cells from chronically hyperglycemic (HG) mice produced higher levels of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines and proliferated more than T cells from normoglycemic controls after anti-CD3e or Ag stimulation. In this way, naive T cells from HG mice resembled Ag-experienced cells, although CD44 expression was not increased. Chromatin decondensation, another characteristic of Ag-experienced T cells, was increased in naive T cells from HG mice. That phenotype depended on expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products and could be reversed by inhibiting p38 MAPK. Chromatin decondensation and hyperresponsiveness to TCR stimulation persisted following transfer of T cells from HG mice into normoglycemic mice. We propose that chronic hyperglycemia causes receptor for advanced glycation end products–mediated epigenetic modification of naive T cells leading to p38 MAPK-dependent chromatin decondensation. This preactivation state facilitates transcription factor access to DNA, increasing cytokine production and proliferation following TCR stimulation. This mechanism may contribute to pathological inflammation associated with diabetes and might offer a novel therapeutic target.
Wedge resection and segmentectomy in patients with stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma
Authors: Reveliotis Konstantinos , Kalavrouziotis George , Skevis Konstantinos , Charpidou Andriani , Trigidou Rodoula , Syrigos Kostas
Published: September 2014

The use of sublobar resections as definitive management in stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma is a controversial topic in the medical community. We intend to report the latest developments and trends in relative indications for each of the above-mentioned surgical approaches for the treatment of stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma as well as the results of studies regarding local recurrence, disease-free survival and five-year survival rates. We reviewed 45 prospective and retrospective studies conducted over the last 25 years listed in the Pubmed and Scopus electronic databases. Trials were identified through bibliographies and a manual search in journals. Authors, citations, objectives and results were extracted. No meta-analysis was performed. Validation of results was discussed. Segmentectomies are superior to wedge resections in terms of local recurrences and cancer-related mortality rates. Sublobar resections are superior to lobectomy in preserving the pulmonary parenchyma. High-risk patients should undergo segmentectomy, whereas lobectomies are superior to segmentectomies only for tumors >2 cm (T2bN0M0) in terms of disease-free and overall 5-year survival. In most studies no significant differences were found in tumors <2 cm. Disease-free surgical margins are crucial to prevent local recurrences. Systematic lymphadenectomy is mandatory regardless of the type of resection used. In sublobar resections with less thorough nodal dissections, adjuvant radiotherapy can be used. This approach is preferable in case of prior resection. In pure bronchoalveolar carcinoma, segmentectomy is recommended. Sublobar resections are associated with a shorter hospital stay. The selection of the type of resection in T1aN0M0 tumors should depend on characteristic of the patient and the tumor. Patient age, cardiopulmonary reserve and tumor size are the most important factors to be considered. However further prospective randomized trials are needed to investigate the efficacy of minimal resections in early lung cancer patients.
The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of locally advanced cervix cancer: a systematic review
Authors: Osman Mohammed
Published: September 2014

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced cervix cancer has comparable benefits to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), but with fewer side effects. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the management of locally advanced cervix cancer from stage IB2 (tumor >4.0 cm) to IIIB (tumor extending to the pelvic wall and/or hydronephrosis). Our primary objective was to assess benefits in terms of survival. The data source included the USA national library of medicine, Medline search, and the National Cancer Institute PDQ Clinical Protocols. Inclusion criteria for consideration in the current systematic review included studies published between January 1997 and December 2012. In terms of histology, they had to be focused on squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and/or adenocarcinoma. Patients should be either chemotherapy naÃ¯ve or cervix cancer chemotherapy naÃ¯ve, and have a performance status â‰¤2. The search in the above-mentioned scientific websites led to identify 49 publications, 19 of which were excluded, as they did not meet the inclusion criteria of this systematic review. Therefore only 30 studies were deemed eligible. Data was collected from 1760 patients enrolled in the current systematic review study. The mean age was 45.2 years. The mean tumor size was 4.7 cm. The most commonly used chemotherapies were cisplatin doublets. Paclitaxel was the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent in the doublets. The mean chemotherapy cycles were 2.7. After chemotherapy, patients underwent surgery after a mean time of 2.5 weeks. The standard operation was radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Chemotherapy achieved an objective response rate of 84%. The 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 61.9% and 72.8% respectively. The treatment protocol was associated with a mild early toxicity profile. Leucopenia and neutropenia were the most common side effects. Late toxicity was also generally mild and mainly associated with bladder dysfunction and vaginal dehiscence. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy achieved comparable survival results to CCRT, and was associated with less toxicity.
BRAF mutation in hairy cell leukemia
Authors: Ahmadzadeh Ahmad , Shahrabi Saeid , Jaseb Kaveh , Norozi Fatemeh , Shahjahani Mohammad , Vosoughi Tina , Hajizamani Saeideh , Saki Najmaldin
Published: September 2014

BRAF is a serine/threonine kinase with a regulatory role in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. A mutation in the RAF gene, especially in BRAF protein, leads to an increased stimulation of this cascade, causing uncontrolled cell division and development of malignancy. Several mutations have been observed in the gene coding for this protein in a variety of human malignancies, including hairy cell leukemia (HCL). BRAF V600E is the most common mutation reported in exon15 of BRAF, which is observed in almost all cases of classic HCL, but it is negative in other B-cell malignancies, including the HCL variant. Therefore it can be used as a marker to differentiate between these B-cell disorders. We also discuss the interaction between miRNAs and signaling pathways, including MAPK, in HCL. When this mutation is present, the use of BRAF protein inhibitors may represent an effective treatment. In this review we have evaluated the role of the mutation of the BRAF gene in the pathogenesis and progression of HCL.
X-linked Hyper-IgM Syndrome with Bronchiectasis
Authors: Nandan Devki , Nag Vimal Kumar , Trivedi Nitin , Singh Sarman
Published: September 2014

The X-linked hyper-immunoglobulin M syndrome (HIGM-1) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by elevated serum IgM levels and low to undetectable levels of serum IgG, IgA and IgE. These patients characteristically present with recurrent sinopulmonary infections and recurrent diarrhea. They also have high susceptibility for Pneumocystis jiroveci (PJ) pneumonia. Herein, we report a case of HGM-1 in a 5-year-old boy who presented with bronchiectasis and, possibly, PJ pneumonia. The diagnosis was established on the basis of clinical features, immune profile, whole blood flow cytometry and history of two male sibling's death due to recurrent pneumonia and diarrhea.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia Type I: A Rare Case Report at Fetal Autopsy
Authors: Davanageri Reshma S , Shokeen Parul D , Bannur Hema B , Patil Kamal P
Published: September 2014

Thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 is a lethal congenital anomaly with skeletal dysplasia. It is characterized by short limb dwarfism, enlarged head with frontal bossing, short neck, protuberant abdomen. It is detected in early gestational period by ultrasonography. The other associated anatomical abnormalities and characteristic laboratory findings aid in the early diagnosis and further work-up.
Adult Hepatic Mesenchymal Hamartoma: An Unusual Case
Authors: Sharma Madhawi , Bansal Preeti , Goyal Neeraj Krishna
Published: September 2014

Mesenchymal hamartoma is a benign hamartomatous lesion with unknown histogenesis. It generally occurs in pediatric population and has been rarely reported in adults. We report an unusual case of a cystic mesenchymal hamartoma of liver in an 81-year-old elderly male. A provisional diagnosis of liver abscess was made and definitive histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. This case has been reported because of its rarity.