bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex Differences in Spontaneous Degranulation Activity of Intrahepatic Natural Killer Cells during Chronic Hepatitis B: Association with Estradiol Levels
Authors: Macek Jilkova Zuzana , Decaens Thomas , Marlu Alice , Marche Hélène , Jouvin-Marche Evelyne , Marche Patrice N.
Published: April 2017

Major sex differences are observed in the prevalence, intensity, and severity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Here, we investigated degranulation activity of circulating and intrahepatic natural killer (NK) cells from HBV and HCV chronically infected patients before any treatment (n=125). The frequency of CD107+NK cells in the female liver was significantly higher compared to that in males during chronic HBV infection (p=0.002) and correlated with the plasma levels of estradiol (correlation coefficientr=0.634;p<0.0001). Our results clearly show sex differences in degranulation activity of intrahepatic NK cells of HBV-infected patients. This probably contributes to the ability of females to better deal with HBV disease.
A Taylor Series Approach for Service‐Coupled Queueing Systems with Intermediate Load
Authors: Evdokimova Ekaterina , Wittevrongel Sabine , Fiems Dieter
Published: April 2017

This paper investigates the performance of a queueing model with multiple finite queues and a single server. Departures from the queues are synchronised or coupled which means that a service completion leads to a departure in every queue and that service is temporarily interrupted whenever any of the queues is empty. We focus on the numerical analysis of this queueing model in a Markovian setting: the arrivals in the different queues constitute Poisson processes and the service times are exponentially distributed. Taking into account the state space explosion problem associated with multidimensional Markov processes, we calculate the terms in the series expansion in the service rate of the stationary distribution of the Markov chain as well as various performance measures when the system is (i) overloaded and (ii) under intermediate load. Our numerical results reveal that, by calculating the series expansions of performance measures around a few service rates, we get accurate estimates of various performance measures once the load is above 40% to 50%.
Describing Point of Entry into Care and Being Lost to Program in a Cohort of HIV Positive Pregnant Women in a Large Urban Centre in Uganda
Authors: Musomba Rachel , Mubiru Frank , Nakalema Shadia , Mackline Hope , Kalule Ivan , Kiragga Agnes N. , Ratanshi Rosalind Parkes , Castelnuovo Barbara
Published: April 2017

Introduction. We aim to describe the time of entry into care and factors associated with being lost to program (LTP) in pregnant women on Option B Plus in an integrated HIV and antenatal care (ANC) clinic in Uganda. Methods. We included all pregnant women enrolled into the integrated HIV-ANC clinic from January 2012 to 31st July 2014, while the follow up period extended up to October 30th 2015. LTP was defined as being out of care for ≥3 months. Results. Overall 856 women were included. Only 36.4% (86/236) of the women were enrolled in the first trimester. Overall 69 (8.1%) were LTP. In the multivariate analysis older women (HR: 0.80 per five-year increase, CI: 0.64–1.0, and P=0.060) and women on ART at the time of pregnancy (0.58, CI: 0.34–0.98, and P=0.040) were more likely not to be LTP. Among women already on ART at the time of pregnancy no factor was associated with LTP. Conclusion. Our results suggest the need for interventions to enhance prompt linkage of HIV positive women to HIV services for ART initiation and for increased retention particularly in young and ART naive women.
Effect of Nanosilica Particle Size on the Water Permeability, Abrasion Resistance, Drying Shrinkage, and Repair Work Properties of Cement Mortar Containing Nano-SiO2
Authors: Haruehansapong Sattawat , Pulngern Tawich , Chucheepsakul Somchai
Published: April 2017

This work presents the effect of nanosilica particle sizes on durability properties and repair work properties of cement mortar containing nanosilica (NS). Three different NS particle sizes of 12, 20, and 40 nm were used and compared with those of cement mortar without NS and cement mortar with silica fume (SF). Interesting results were obtained in which the particle size of NS affected directly the abrasion resistance and water permeability. NS with particle size of 40 nm is the optimum size and gave the highest abrasion resistance and water permeability. For repair work properties, cement mortars containing NS (12 and 20 nm) and SF experienced higher drying shrinkage than that of cement mortar without NS and then presented cracking behavior and debonding between the cement mortars and concrete substrate. Cement mortar containing 40 nm of NS gave the lowest drying shrinkage, the lowest crack number, and the highest adhesive strength. These results indicate that the particle size of NS affected not only the durability properties but also the repair work properties of cement mortar.
Understanding Public Views about Air Quality and Air Pollution Sources in the San Joaquin Valley, California
Authors: Cisneros Ricardo , Brown Paul , Cameron Linda , Gaab Erin , Gonzalez Mariaelena , Ramondt Steven , Veloz David , Song Anna , Schweizer Don
Published: April 2017

The San Joaquin Valley of California has poor air quality and high rates of asthma. Surveys were collected from 744 residents of the San Joaquin Valley from November 2014 to January 2015 to examine the public’s views about air quality. The results of this study suggest that participants exposed to high PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size) concentrations perceived air pollution to be of the worst quality. Air quality in the San Joaquin Valley was primarily perceived as either moderate or unhealthy for sensitive groups. Females perceived air pollution to be of worse quality compared to males. Participants perceived unemployment, crime, and obesity to be the top three most serious community problems in the San Joaquin Valley. Participants viewed cars and trucks, windblown dust, and factories as the principle contributors to air pollution in the area. There is a need to continue studying public perceptions of air quality in the San Joaquin Valley with a more robust survey with more participants over several years and seasons.
The Antinociceptive Effect of Light-Emitting Diode Irradiation on Incised Wounds Is Correlated with Changes in Cyclooxygenase 2 Activity, Prostaglandin E2, and Proinflammatory Cytokines
Authors: Chia Yuan-Yi , Liu Chien-Cheng , Feng Guan-Ming , Tseng Chia-Chih Alex , Hung Kuo-Chuan , Chen Chih-Chieh , Tan Ping-Heng
Published: April 2017

Background. Light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy has been reported to relieve pain and enhance tissue repair through several mechanisms. However, the analgesic effect of LED on incised wounds has never been examined.Objectives. We examined the analgesic effect of LED therapy on incision pain and the changes in cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factorα(TNF-α).Methods. Rats received LED therapy on incised skin 6 days before incision (L-I group) or 6 days after incision (I-L group) or from 3 days before incision to 3 days after incision (L-I-L group). Behavioral tests and analysis of skin tissue were performed after LED therapy.Results. LED therapy attenuated the decrease in thermal withdrawal latency in all the irradiated groups and the decrease in the mechanical withdrawal threshold in the L-I group only. The expression levels of COX-2, PGE2, and IL-6 were significantly decreased in the three LED-treated groups, whereas IL-1βand TNF-αwere significantly decreased only in the L-I group compared with their levels in the I groups (p<0.05).Conclusions. LED therapy provides an analgesic effect and modifies the expression of COX-2, PGE2, and proinflammatory cytokines in incised skin.
Pencil-on-Paper Capacitors for Hand-Drawn RC Circuits and Capacitive Sensing
Authors: Thompson Jonathan E.
Published: April 2017

Electronic capacitors were constructed via hand-printing on paper using pencil graphite. Graphite traces were used to draw conductive connections and capacitor plates on opposing sides of a sheet of standard notebook paper. The paper served as the dielectric separating the plates. Capacitance of the devices was generally < 1000 pF and scaled with surface area of the plate electrodes. By combining a pencil-drawn capacitor with an additional resistive pencil trace, an RC low-pass filter was demonstrated. Further utility of the pencil-on-paper devices was demonstrated through description of a capacitive force transducer and reversible chemical sensing. The latter was achieved for water vapor when the hygroscopic cellulose matrix of the paper capacitor’s dielectric adsorbed water. The construction and demonstration of pencil-on-paper capacitive elements broadens the scope of paper-based electronic circuits while allowing new opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of paper-based sensors.
JointL1/2-Norm Constraint and Graph-Laplacian PCA Method for Feature Extraction
Authors: Feng Chun-Mei , Gao Ying-Lian , Liu Jin-Xing , Wang Juan , Wang Dong-Qin , Wen Chang-Gang
Published: April 2017

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as a tool for dimensionality reduction is widely used in many areas. In the area of bioinformatics, each involved variable corresponds to a specific gene. In order to improve the robustness of PCA-based method, this paper proposes a novel graph-Laplacian PCA algorithm by adoptingL1/2constraint (L1/2gLPCA) on error function for feature (gene) extraction. The error function based onL1/2-norm helps to reduce the influence of outliers and noise. Augmented Lagrange Multipliers (ALM) method is applied to solve the subproblem. This method gets better results in feature extraction than other state-of-the-art PCA-based methods. Extensive experimental results on simulation data and gene expression data sets demonstrate that our method can get higher identification accuracies than others.
Containment Control of Underactuated Ships with Environment Disturbances and Parameter Uncertainties
Authors: Zhu Qidan , Ma Junda , Liu Zhilin , Liu Ke
Published: April 2017

An implementable robust containment control algorithm is proposed for a group of underactuated ships in the presence of hydrodynamic parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. The control objective is to drive all the followers into the convex hull spanned by the virtual leaders, whose state information is available only to a subset of the followers. For this purpose, the ship model is primarily transformed to a strict‐feedback form. In the kinematic design, a virtual containment controller, requiring the state information from its neighbors, is presented based on the results obtained from graph theory. In the dynamic design, a robust containment controller is developed through utilizing upper‐to‐up sliding mode control. In addition, in order to simplify the implementations of the control law, the command filtered backstepping (CFBP) method is introduced to prevent the analytic differentiations of the virtual law from each design step of the backstepping (BP) method. Subsequently, it is well proven that all the tracking errors could converge to and remain small neighborhoods of the equilibrium point. Finally, several simulation experiments are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed control algorithm.
A Normotensive Patient with Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Lin Xiao , Miao Xiaoyu , Zhu Pengli , Lin Fan
Published: April 2017

This study was to report a case of normotensive patient with primary aldosteronism who was admitted to our department recently. The patient was a 33-year-old male with right adrenal incidentaloma, but without any symptom. He has no history of hypertension, and blood pressure was normal when measured at multiple time points during hospitalization stay. The 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure prompted a normal blood pressure with the existence of circadian rhythm. The patient was diagnosed with primary aldosteronism by screening and confirmatory test. Due to the absence of symptom, surgery was not preferred. Blood pressure was found to be normal with the 2-month follow-up from discharge until now.
Stemness Maintenance Properties in Human Oral Stem Cells after Long-Term Passage
Authors: Diomede Francesca , Rajan Thangavelu Soundara , Gatta Valentina , D’Aurora Marco , Merciaro Ilaria , Marchisio Marco , Muttini Aurelio , Caputi Sergio , Bramanti Placido , Mazzon Emanuela , Trubiani Oriana
Published: April 2017

Background. Neural crest-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human oral tissues possess immunomodulatory and regenerative properties and are emerging as a potential therapeutic tool to treat diverse diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, myocardial infarction, and connective tissue damages. In addition to cell-surface antigens, dental MSCs express embryonic stem cell markers as neural crest cells originate from the ectoderm layer. In vitro passages may eventually modify these embryonic marker expressions and other stemness properties, including proliferation. In the present study, we have investigated the expression of proteins involved in cell proliferation/senescence and embryonic stem cell markers during early (passage 2) and late passages (passage 15) in MSCs obtained from human gingiva, periodontal, and dental pulp tissues.Methods. Cell proliferation assay, beta galactosidase staining, immunocytochemistry, and real-time PCR techniques were applied.Results. Cell proliferation assay showed no difference between early and late passages while senescence markers p16 and p21 were considerably increased in late passage. Embryonic stem cell markers including SKIL, MEIS1, and JARID2 were differentially modulated between P2 and P15 cells.Discussion. Our results suggest that the presence of embryonic and proliferation markers even in late passage may potentially endorse the application of dental-derived MSCs in stem cell therapy-based clinical trials.
Intraocular Telescopic System Design: Optical and Visual Simulation in a Human Eye Model
Authors: Zoulinakis Georgios , Ferrer-Blasco Teresa
Published: April 2017

Purpose. To design an intraocular telescopic system (ITS) for magnifying retinal image and to simulate its optical and visual performance after implantation in a human eye model. Methods. Design and simulation were carried out with a ray-tracing and optical design software. Two different ITS were designed, and their visual performance was simulated using the Liou-Brennan eye model. The difference between the ITS was their lenses’ placement in the eye model and their powers. Ray tracing in both centered and decentered situations was carried out for both ITS while visual Strehl ratio (VSOTF) was computed using custom-made MATLAB code. Results. The results show that between 0.4 and 0.8 mm of decentration, the VSOTF does not change much either for far or near target distances. The image projection for these decentrations is in the parafoveal zone, and the quality of the image projected is quite similar. Conclusion. Both systems display similar quality while they differ in size; therefore, the choice between them would need to take into account specific parameters from the patient’s eye. Quality does not change too much between 0.4 and 0.8 mm of decentration for either system which gives flexibility to the clinician to adjust decentration to avoid areas of retinal damage.
Directed Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm to Solve the Nurse Rostering Problem
Authors: Rajeswari M. , Amudhavel J. , Pothula Sujatha , Dhavachelvan P.
Published: April 2017

The Nurse Rostering Problem is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization, scheduling problem for assigning a set of nurses to shifts per day by considering both hard and soft constraints. A novel metaheuristic technique is required for solving Nurse Rostering Problem (NRP). This work proposes a metaheuristic technique called Directed Bee Colony Optimization Algorithm using the Modified Nelder-Mead Method for solving the NRP. To solve the NRP, the authors used a multiobjective mathematical programming model and proposed a methodology for the adaptation of a Multiobjective Directed Bee Colony Optimization (MODBCO). MODBCO is used successfully for solving the multiobjective problem of optimizing the scheduling problems. This MODBCO is an integration of deterministic local search, multiagent particle system environment, and honey bee decision-making process. The performance of the algorithm is assessed using the standard dataset INRC2010, and it reflects many real-world cases which vary in size and complexity. The experimental analysis uses statistical tools to show the uniqueness of the algorithm on assessment criteria.
Transcriptome Analysis of Orange Head Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapaL. ssp.pekinensis) and Molecular Marker Development
Authors: Li Jingjuan , Zhang Yihui , Ding Qian , Li Huayin , Liu Lifeng , Wang Fengde , Gao Jianwei
Published: April 2017

Due to the visual appearance and high carotenoid content, orange inner leaves are a desirable trait for the Chinese cabbage. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying the formation of orange inner leaves, theBrCRTISO(Bra031539) gene, as theBr-orcandidate gene, was analyzed among the white and orange varieties, and 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. However, only one SNP (C952to T952) altered the amino acid sequence, resulting in a mutation from Leu318to Phe318in the orange varieties. Additionally, we analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the orange and white F2individuals (14-401 × 14-490) and found four downregulated genes were involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway, which may lead to the accumulation of prolycopene and other carotenoid pigments in the orange inner leaves. In addition, we developed a novel InDel marker in the first intron, which cosegregates with the phenotypes of orange color inner leaves. In conclusion, these findings enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanism of pigment accumulation in the inner leaves of the Chinese cabbage. Additionally, the SNP (C952to T952) and the InDel marker will facilitate the marker-assisted selection during Chinese cabbage breeding.
Electrodeposited Reduced Graphene Oxide Films on Stainless Steel, Copper, and Aluminum for Corrosion Protection Enhancement
Authors: Mohammed Ali Al-Sammarraie Abdulkareem , Hasan Raheema Mazin
Published: April 2017

The enhancement of corrosion protection of metals and alloys by coating with simple, low cost, and highly adhered layer is still a main goal of many workers. In this research graphite flakes converted into graphene oxide using modified Hammers method and then reduced graphene oxide was electrodeposited on stainless steel 316, copper, and aluminum for corrosion protection application in seawater at four temperatures, namely, 20, 30, 40, and 50°C. All corrosion measurements, kinetics, and thermodynamics parameters were established from Tafel plots using three-electrode potentiostat. The deposited films were examined by FTIR, Raman, XRD, SEM, and AFM techniques; they revealed high percentages of conversion to the few layers of graphene with confirmed defects.
Identifying Potential Child Abuse through Oral Examination
Authors: Printz Jillian N. , Baker Aaron , Carr Michele
Published: April 2017

Limited reports of oropharyngeal trauma exist in the literature even though this type of injury is extremely common in pediatric populations. There are no widely agreed upon diagnostic and management tools for such injuries in abuse cases, emphasizing the importance of reporting rare cases of orofacial trauma. This case report of a soft palate laceration demonstrates an instance of initially unrecognized potential child abuse. We aim to clarify understanding of such injuries. Furthermore, the report highlights the need for recognition of oral signs of child abuse in order to promote early detection, reporting, and appropriate management.
PAIRS: Prediction of Activation/Inhibition Regulation Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wang Tengjiao , Feng Yanghe , Wang Qi
Published: April 2017

Uncovering the signaling architecture in protein-protein interaction (PPI) can certainly benefit the understanding of disease mechanisms and promise to facilitate the therapeutic interventions. Therefore, it is important to reveal the signaling relationship from one protein to another in terms of activation and inhibition. In this study, we propose a new measurement to characterize the regulation relationship of a PPI pair. By utilizing both Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and protein domain information, we developed a tool called Prediction of Activation/Inhibition Regulation Signaling Pathway (PAIRS) that takes protein interaction pairs as input and gives both known and predicted result of the human protein regulation relationship in terms of activation and inhibition. It helps to give prognostic regulation information for further signaling pathway reconstruction.
Spectrophotometric Method for the Determination of Atmospheric Cr Pollution as a Factor to Accelerated Corrosion
Authors: Homa Dereje , Haile Ermias , Washe Alemayehu P.
Published: April 2017

The effect of Cr(VI) pollution on the corrosion rate of corrugated iron roof samples collected from tanning industry areas was investigated through simulated laboratory exposure and spectrophotometric detection of Cr(III) deposit as a product of the reaction. The total level of Cr detected in the samples ranged from 113.892 ± 0.17 ppm to 53.05 ± 0.243 ppm and showed increasing trend as sampling sites get closer to the tannery and in the direction of tannery effluent stream. The laboratory exposure of a newly manufactured material to a simulated condition showed a relatively faster corrosion rate in the presence of Cr(VI) with concomitant deposition of Cr(III) under pH control. A significant (P= 0.05) increase in the corrosion rate was also recorded when exposing scratched or stress cracked samples. A coupled redox process where Cr(VI) is reduced to a stable, immobile, and insoluble Cr(III) accompanying corrosion of the iron is proposed as a possible mechanism leading to the elevated deposition of the latter on the materials. In conclusion, the increased deposits of Cr detected in the corrugated iron roof samples collected from tanning industry zones suggested possible atmospheric Cr pollution as a factor to the accelerated corrosion of the materials.
A Field Study on the Indoor Thermal Environment of the Airport Terminal in Tibet Plateau in Winter
Authors: Zhen Jianglong , Lu Jun , Huang Guangqin , Zeng Liyue , Lin Jianping , Xia Hongtao
Published: April 2017

In order to study the characteristics of indoor thermal environment in the airport terminal in Tibet Plateau with radiant floor heating in winter, a field measurement of the indoor thermal environment was conducted in Lhasa Gonggar Airport terminal 2. First, the unique climate characteristics in Tibet Plateau were analyzed through comparison of meteorological parameters in Beijing and Lahsa. The thermal environment in the terminal was divided into outer zone and inner zone as well as south zone and north zone. Thermal environment parameters including air temperature, black globe temperature, relative humidity in each zone, and inner surface temperature of envelope were measured and analyzed. Meanwhile, temperature and relative humidity in the vertical direction were measured. In addition, PMV and PPD were calculated for evaluating the thermal environment in the terminal. The findings can provide guidance for the design and regulation of thermal environment in terminals in Tibet Plateau in China.
The Effect of Tracheal Intubation-Induced Autonomic Response on Photoplethysmography
Authors: Talke Pekka
Published: April 2017

Introduction. Intraoperative stress responses and postoperative pain can be monitored using photoplethysmography (PPG). PPG signal has two components, AC and DC. Effects of noxious stimuli-induced stress responses have not been studied on the DC component of PPG. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a known noxious stimulus (endotracheal intubation) on both the AC and DC components of PPG.Methods. 15 surgical patients having general anesthesia were enrolled into this clinical study. PPG was recorded electronically from a pulse oximeter. Maximum changes in the AC and DC components of the PPG and pulse rate were determined in response to endotracheal intubation from high frequency (62.5 Hz) PPG recordings.Results. Endotracheal intubation-induced autonomic stress response resulted in a significant decrease in the AC component of the PPG and an increase in pulse rate in every subject (p<0.05for all). The decrease in the AC component of the PPG was50±12% (p<0.05) and the increase in pulse rate was26±10 bpm (p<0.05). The response of the DC component was variable (p= NS).Conclusion. Endotracheal intubation-induced stress response resulted in a significant and consistent change in the AC, but not the DC component of the PPG. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT03032939.
Quantitative Analysis of Apatite Formation on Titanium and Zirconia in a Simulated Body Fluid Solution Using the Quartz Crystal Microbalance Method
Authors: Yoshida Eiji , Hayakawa Tohru
Published: April 2017

The bone-bonding ability of a material is evaluated by examining apatite formation on its surface in simulated body fluid (SBF). Partially stabilized zirconia (ZrO2) is currently attractive as an alternative to titanium (Ti) implants; however, no quantitative analysis of apatite formation between Ti and ZrO2 in SBF has been reported. In the present study, we quantitatively evaluated apatite formation onto Ti or ZrO2 in SBF using the 27 MHz quartz crystal microbalance method (QCM). In the QCM measurements, apatite formation was detected as a frequency decrease in the Ti or ZrO2 sensor. Frequency decreases were observed at around 1 hour for Ti and at around 2 hours for the ZrO2 sensor after the injection of SBF. This revealed that the Ti sensor showed faster apatite formation than ZrO2. There was no significant difference in the amounts of apatite formation between the Ti and ZrO2 sensors after 24 hours of apatite formation in SBF. In conclusion, the present quantitative study using QCM revealed that apatite formation on the Ti surface in the SBF was obviously faster than that on the ZrO2 surface. Faster apatite formation may predict faster initiation of bone formation on Ti compared with ZrO2.
Bond Effects between Concrete and Steel Bar Using Different Diameter Bars and Different Initial Crack Width
Authors: Faye Papa Niane , Ye Yinghua , Diao Bo
Published: April 2017

The importance of an accurate simulation of service conditions in the bond performance of reinforced concrete structures in coastal regions is highlighted. Four widths of initial crack of 0, 80, 150, and 210 microns were artificially made by inserting slice into bond specimens during concrete casting. Three bar diameters of 10 mm, 14 mm, and 18 mm were selected. At 28 days, the bond specimens were exposed to the environment of wet-dry cycles of seawater and atmosphere for another 90 days. The pull-out test was then conducted and chloride contents were tested at crack area along 40 mm depth. Results show that, for the specimen with 10 mm bar diameter, cracks width of less than 80 microns vanished rapidly during wet-dry cycles; for other specimens, cracks width of 100–150 microns decreased slightly. However the cracks of width more than 200 microns increased gradually; the chloride content decreased along the depth of concrete, and the chloride content increased as the widths of initial cracks increased or as the bar diameters increased. The ductility of bond specimens decreased as the diameter increased.
Gender, Estrogen, and Obliterative Lesions in the Lung
Authors: Assaggaf Hamza , Felty Quentin
Published: April 2017

Gender has been shown to impact the prevalence of several lung diseases such as cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Controversy over the protective effects of estrogen on the cardiopulmonary system should be of no surprise as clinical trials of hormone replacement therapy have failed to show benefits observed in experimental models. Potential confounders to explain these inconsistent estrogenic effects include the dose, cellular context, and systemic versus local tissue levels of estrogen. Idiopathic PAH is disproportionately found to be up to 4 times more common in females than in males; however, estrogen levels cannot explain why males develop PAH sooner and have poorer survival. Since the sex steroid hormone 17β-estradiol is a mitogen, obliterative processes in the lung such as cell proliferation and migration may impact the growth of pulmonary tissue or vascular cells. We have reviewed evidence for biological differences of sex-specific lung obliterative lesions and highlighted cell context-specific effects of estrogen in the formation of vessel lumen-obliterating lesions. Based on this information, we provide a biological-based mechanism to explain the sex difference in PAH severity as well as propose a mechanism for the formation of obliterative vascular lesions by estrogens.
Formation and Investigation of Electrospun PLA Materials with Propolis Extracts and Silver Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Adomavičiūtė Erika , Pupkevičiūtė Solveiga , Juškaitė Vaida , Žilius Modestas , Stanys Sigitas , Pavilonis Alvydas , Briedis Vitalis
Published: April 2017

An electrospun hydrophilic non-water-soluble biocompatible polylactic acid (PLA) nonwoven material was used as a delivery system for propolis ethanolic extract (PEE) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that are known for their established antiseptic and antimicrobial activity. Combination of PEE and AgNPs in a single product should provide efficient antimicrobial protection and improved wound healing. Evaluations of PEE and AgNPs on morphology of electrospun materials, release kinetics of AgNPs and phenolic compounds, antibacterial properties, and cytotoxicity of electrospun PLA materials were performed. The presence of PEE or/and AgNPs resulted in denser mats formed by thicker PLA fibers. The average diameter of PLA microfibers was 168±29 nm. The average diameter of microfibers increased to 318±40 and 370±30 nm when 10 wt% and 20 wt% ethanol were added, respectively. Addition of 10 wt% or 20 wt% PEE increased the diameter to 282±25 and 371±25 nm, respectively. Suspension of AgNPs also caused the formation of thicker microfibers with 254±25 nm diameter. Electrospun PLA microfibers with PEE maintained viability of HaCaT cells. Testing of antimicrobial activity confirmed the ability of AgNPs containing PLA electrospun materials to inhibit the growth of microorganisms.
Pulmonary Embolism and Intracardiac Type A Thrombus with an Unexpected Outcome
Authors: Português João , Calvo Lucy , Oliveira Margarida , Pereira Vítor Hugo , Guardado Joana , Lourenço Mário Rui , Azevedo Olga , Ferreira Francisco , Canário-Almeida Filipa , Lourenço António
Published: April 2017

Detection of right heart thrombi (RHT) in the context of pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) is uncommon (4–18%) and increases the risk of mortality beyond the presence of PE alone. Type A thrombi are serpiginous and highly mobile and are thought to be originated from large veins and captured in-transit within the right heart. Optimal management of RHT is still uncertain. A 79-year-old woman, with a history of recent total hysterectomy with adnexectomy and a Wells procedure, presented to the emergency department following an episode of syncope. Computed tomography revealed bilateral PE and the presence of a right atrial thrombus. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a free-floating type A thrombus in the right atrium, protruding into the right ventricle, and signs of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricle dysfunction. Considering the recent surgery and clinical stability, treatment with heparin alone was decided. Subsequent clinical improvement was observed and echocardiographic follow-up revealed complete thrombus dissolution and complete recovery of right ventricle function. Most authors recommend treatment of PE with RHT with thrombolysis or embolectomy followed by anticoagulation, although evidence is scarce. Individual risk of hemorrhage and operatory-related mortality should be taken into account when defining the treatment strategy especially when benefit is not firmly established.
Osteomyelitis of the Mandible after Dental Implants in an Immunocompetent Patient
Authors: Balanger Matthieu , Hinet Margaux , Vacher Christian , Bellaiche Norbert , Charrier Jean-Luc , Millot Sarah
Published: April 2017

Dental implants are now broadly used to replace missing teeth, and the presence of infectious complications is rising. Dental implant therapy as a local risk factor for the onset of osteomyelitis and its management have not been widely explored. Here, we report an unusual case of mandibular suppurative osteomyelitis caused byStreptococcus intermediusin a healthy and immunocompetent patient secondary to mandibular implants. We describe how surgery combined with systemic application of antibiotics allowed conservation of the dental implants in the mandibular bone, discuss the probable source of contamination, and present the follow-up of the osteomyelitis.
Failure Modes in Concrete Repair Systems due to Ongoing Corrosion
Authors: Luković Mladena , Šavija Branko , Ye Guang , Schlangen Erik , van Breugel Klaas
Published: April 2017

Corrosion of steel reinforcement is the main cause of deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. It can result in cracking and spalling of the concrete cover. After the damaged cover is repaired, reinforcement corrosion might continue and even accelerate. While the development of the corrosion cell is difficult to control, the damage can be possibly delayed and controlled by use of a suitable repair material. The lattice fracture model is used in this paper to investigate the performance of strain hardening cementitious composite (SHCC) in concrete repair systems exposed to ongoing corrosion. Numerical results were verified by experimental tests when SHCC, nonreinforced material (repair mortar), and commercial repair mortar are used as repair materials. In experiments, reinforcement bars (surrounded by a repair material) were exposed to accelerated corrosion tests. The influence of the substrate surface preparation, the type of repair material, the interface, and the substrate strength on the resulting damage and failure mode of repair systems are discussed. In general, SHCC repair enables distributed cracking with small crack widths, up to several times smaller compared to repair mortar. Furthermore, more warning signs prior to the final failure are present in the SHCC repair system.
Synthesis and Experimental Validation of New Designed Heterocyclic Compounds with Antiproliferative Activity versus Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231
Authors: Barresi Vincenza , Bonaccorso Carmela , Cristaldi Domenico A. , Modica Maria N. , Musso Nicolò , Pittalà Valeria , Salerno Loredana , Fortuna Cosimo G.
Published: April 2017

Recent drug discovery efforts are highly focused towards identification, design, and synthesis of small molecules as anticancer agents. With this aim, we recently designed and synthesized novel compounds with high efficacy and specificity for the treatment of breast tumors. Based on the obtained results, we constructed a Volsurf+ (VS+) model using a dataset of 59 compounds able to predict the in vitro antitumor activity against MCF-7 cancer cell line for new derivatives. In the present paper, in order to further verify the robustness of this model, we report the results of the projection of more than 150 known molecules and 9 newly synthesized compounds. We predict their activity versus MCF-7 cell line and experimentally verify the in silico results for some promising chosen molecules in two human breast cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.
Compact Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor for Underwater Chemical Sensing Robot
Authors: Minagawa Yuichi , Ohashi Mari , Kagawa Yoshinori , Urimoto Arata , Ishida Hiroshi
Published: April 2017

This paper reports on the development of compact surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors for mobile robot olfaction. Underwater robots benefit from olfactory sensing capabilities in various tasks including the search for unexploded ordnance and undersea wreckage. Although the SPR-based chemical sensor is a promising sensing platform, the cumbersome optical setup has been limiting its use on mobile robots. The proposed sensor employs a periodic metal structure formed on a self-assembled layer of polystyrene particles of 200 nm in diameter. With the grating of this size, SPR can be excited even with a simple LED light source. The change in the absorbance is simply measured using a photodiode. Demonstration of the proposed SPR sensor is provided by mounting the sensors on an underwater crayfish robot that autonomously searches for a chemical source. The fabricated sensor shows linear response to ascorbic acid for a concentration range from 20 to 80 mM. Responses of the bare and thiol-coated gold nanostructure to different chemical substances are presented to show the change in the selectivity of the sensor by the coating. Discussions are made on the importance of sample collection for the sensor to attain sensitive chemical detection on a mobile robot.
High-Throughput Genomics and Clinical Outcome in Hard-to-Treat Advanced Cancers: Results of the MOSCATO 01 Trial
Authors: Massard Christophe , Michiels Stefan , Ferté Charles , Le Deley Marie-Cécile , Lacroix Ludovic , Hollebecque Antoine , Verlingue Loic , Ileana Ecaterina , Rosellini Silvia , Ammari Samy , Ngo-Camus Maud , Bahleda Rastislav , Gazzah Anas , Varga Andrea , Postel-Vinay Sophie , Loriot Yohann , Even Caroline , Breuskin Ingrid , Auger Nathalie , Job Bastien , De Baere Thierry , Deschamps Frederic , Vielh Philippe , Scoazec Jean-Yves , Lazar Vladimir , Richon Catherine , Ribrag Vincent , Deutsch Eric , Angevin Eric , Vassal Gilles , Eggermont Alexander , André Fabrice , Soria Jean-Charles
Published: April 2017

High-throughput genomic analyses may improve outcomes in patients with advanced cancers. MOSCATO 01 is a prospective clinical trial evaluating the clinical benefit of this approach. Nucleic acids were extracted from fresh-frozen tumor biopsies and analyzed by array comparative genomic hybridization, next-generation sequencing, and RNA sequencing. The primary objective was to evaluate clinical benefit as measured by the percentage of patients presenting progression-free survival (PFS) on matched therapy (PFS2) 1.3-fold longer than the PFS on prior therapy (PFS1). A total of 1,035 adult patients were included, and a biopsy was performed in 948. An actionable molecular alteration was identified in 411 of 843 patients with a molecular portrait. A total of 199 patients were treated with a targeted therapy matched to a genomic alteration. The PFS2/PFS1 ratio was >1.3 in 33% of the patients (63/193). Objective responses were observed in 22 of 194 patients (11%; 95% CI, 7%–17%), and median overall survival was 11.9 months (95% CI, 9.5–14.3 months).

Significance: This study suggests that high-throughput genomics could improve outcomes in a subset of patients with hard-to-treat cancers. Although these results are encouraging, only 7% of the successfully screened patients benefited from this approach. Randomized trials are needed to validate this hypothesis and to quantify the magnitude of benefit. Expanding drug access could increase the percentage of patients who benefit. Cancer Discov; 7(6); 586–95. ©2017 AACR.

See related commentary by Schram and Hyman, p. 552.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 539
Cord Blood Metabolome Is Highly Associated with Birth Weight, but Less Predictive for Later Weight Development
Authors: Hellmuth Christian , Uhl Olaf , Standl Marie , Demmelmair Hans , Heinrich Joachim , Koletzko Berthold , Thiering Elisabeth
Published: April 2017

Background/Aims: Fetal metabolism may be changed by the exposure to maternal factors, and the route to obesity may already set in utero. Cord blood metabolites might predict growth patterns and later obesity. We aimed to characterize associations of cord blood with birth weight, postnatal weight gain, and BMI in adolescence. Methods: Over 700 cord blood samples were collected from infants participating in the German birth cohort study LISAplus. Glycerophospholipid fatty acids (GPL-FA), polar lipids, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and amino acids were analyzed with a targeted, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based metabolomics platform. Cord blood metabolites were related to growth factors by linear regression models adjusted for confounding variables. Results: Cord blood metabolites were highly associated with birth weight. Lysophosphatidylcholines C16:1, C18:1, C20:3, C18:2, C20:4, C14:0, C16:0, C18:3, GPL-FA C20:3n-9, and GPL-FA C22:5n-6 were positively related to birth weight, while higher cord blood concentrations of NEFA C22:6, NEFA C20:5, GPL-FA C18:3n-3, and PCe C38:0 were associated with lower birth weight. Postnatal weight gain and BMI z-scores in adolescents were not significantly associated with cord blood metabolites after adjustment for multiple testing. Conclusion: Potential long-term programming effects of the intrauterine environment and metabolism on later health cannot be predicted with profiling of the cord blood metabolome.
Intracellular Cytokines Produced by Stimulated CD3+ Cells from Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients
Authors: Ptackova Pavlina , Petrackova Martina , Hindos Miroslav , Duskova Martina , Hamsikova Eva , Klamova Hana , Pecherkova Pavla , Humlova Zuzana , Vonka Vladimir
Published: April 2017

Our work examined the production of intracellular interferon (INF)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-2, and IL-4 by in vitro stimulated CD3+ cells from 38 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. At the time of diagnosis the percentages of cells producing INF-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 were strongly suppressed compared to those in healthy control subjects. Hematological remission achieved through treatment with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors was associated with a highly significant increase in the ratio of cells producing all 4 cytokines. The percentages of CD3+ cells producing cytokines were dependent on age, more so in CML patients than in healthy controls, and they negatively correlated with the number of leukocytes. Patients with an optimal therapy outcome possessed higher percentages of cytokine-producing CD3+ cells at diagnosis than those with nonoptimal outcomes. This difference was statistically significant in the case of INF-γ-producing cells, and it was on the brink of significance in the case of IL-2-producing cells.
Inducible GBP5 Mediates the Antiviral Response via Interferon-Related Pathways during Influenza A Virus Infection
Authors: Feng Jian , Cao Zhongying , Wang Li , Wan Yushun , Peng Nanfang , Wang Qing , Chen Xueyuan , Zhou Yaqin , Zhu Ying
Published: April 2017

Guanylate binding protein (GBP) 5 belongs to the GBP family, which is involved in important cellular processes, including signal transduction, translation, vesicle trafficking, and exocytosis. Structurally, GBPs display a high degree of homology and share highly conserved GTP-binding or hydrolysis domains. GBP5 was reported to be a critical cellular factor in inflammasome assembly. However, little is known about its role in the host antiviral innate immune response. In this study, we found that GBP5 expression was significantly elevated in influenza patients and influenza A virus-infected A549 human lung epithelial cells. The overexpression of GBP5 inhibited virus replication by enhancing the expression of virus-induced interferon (IFN) and IFN-related effectors. Knockdown of GBP5 had the opposite effect. Moreover, GBP5 enhanced endogenous IFN expression by interacting with the NF-κB-essential modulator complex and stimulating NF-κB signaling. Additionally, the expression of proinflammatory factors, such as IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, was also activated by GBP5. Taken together, our results reveal that GBP5 inhibited virus replication through the activation of IFN signaling and proinflammatory factors.
An Intra-Abdominal Desmoid Tumor, Embedded in the Pancreas, Preoperatively Diagnosed as an Extragastric Growing Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
Authors: Mizuno Mari , Kawaguchi Yoshiaki , Kawanishi Aya , Kawashima Yohei , Maruno Atsuko , Ogawa Masami , Tomioku Mifuji , Furukawa Daisuke , Nabeshima Kazuhito , Nakamura Kenji , Hirabayashi Kenichi , Mine Tetsuya
Published: April 2017

A 45-year-old woman was found to have a pancreatic tumor by abdominal ultrasound performed for a medical check-up. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a hypovascular tumor measuring 30 mm in diameter in the pancreatic tail. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration was performed. An extragastric growing gastrointestinal stromal tumor was thereby diagnosed preoperatively, and surgical resection was planned. Laparoscopic surgery was attempted but conversion to open surgery was necessitated by extensive adhesions, and distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and partial gastrectomy were performed. The histological diagnosis was an intra-abdominal desmoid tumor. A desmoid tumor is a fibrous soft tissue tumor arising in the fascia and musculoaponeurotic tissues. It usually occurs in the extremities and abdominal wall, and only rarely in the abdominal cavity. We experienced a case with an intra-abdominal desmoid tumor that was histologically diagnosed after laparotomy, which had been preoperatively diagnosed as an extragastric growing gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Although rare, desmoid tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intra-abdominal tumors. Herein, we report this case with a literature review.
Long Non-Coding RNAs in Cardiac Remodeling
Authors: Shen Shutong , Jiang Huimin , Bei Yihua , Xiao Junjie , Li Xinli
Published: April 2017

Cardiac remodeling occurs after stress to the heart, manifested as pathological processes, including hypertrophy and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells as well as differentiation and proliferation of fibroblasts, ultimately resulting in progression of cardiovascular diseases. Emerging evidence has revealed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) acted as powerful and dynamic modifiers of cardiac remodeling. LncRNAs including Chaer, Chast, Mhrt, CHRF, ROR, H19, and MIAT have been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy while NRF, H19, APF, CARL, UCA, Mhrt and several other lncRNAs (n379599, n379519, n384640, n380433 and n410105) in cardiomyocyte loss and extracellular matrix remodeling. In addition, MALAT1 and TGFB2-OT1 have been reported to contribute to vascular endothelial cells dysfunction while lincRNA-p21 and lnc-Ang362 to vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation. Thus, manipulation of lncRNA expression levels through either the inhibition of disease-up-regulated lncRNAs or increasing disease-down-regulated lncRNAs represents novel therapeutic strategies for cardiac remodeling.