bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Outcome of Proximal Femoral Locking Compression Plate for the Treatment of Comminuted Trochanteric and Subtrochanteric Femoral Fractures in Lateral Decubitus Approach without Peroperative Image Intensifier
Authors: Hossain Md Mobarak , Qasem Fazlul Haque , Alam Quazi Shahidul , Noman MTI
Published: October 2015

Introduction: The Comminuted trochanteric and subtrochanteric femoral fractures are considered as one of the most difficult fractures to treat in the orthopaedic surgery and they associated with high incidence of nonunion, malunion. Various implants, both intramedullary and extramedullary, are available for their fixation.Objective: To assess the success rate of proximal femoral locking compression plate osteosynthesis in comminuted trochanteric and subtrochanteric femoral fracture in lateral decubitus approach without per operative image intensifier.Method: 20 consecutive patients with comminuted Trochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures were operated upon with PF-LCP. Detailed clinical conditions of all patients, duration of operation, technical difficulty with the implant, hospital stay period were recorded. Patients were visited at 6 weeks interval till union then 3 monthly. The Harris Hip Score was used to document hip function at final follow-up.Result: There were fifteen excellent (75%), two good (10%), two fair (10%) and one poor (5%) results according to Harris hip score. No instance of implant failure was recorded.Conclusion: Fixation of comminuted subtrochanteric fractures with PF-LCP in lateral decubitus approach without per operative image intensifier provides stable fixation with high union rate and fewer complications.J Dhaka Medical College, Vol. 23, No.2, October, 2014, Page 179-185
Quality Assessment of Widal Test in Microbiology Laboratories at Primary and Secondary Level Before and After Implementation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): A Comparative Study
Authors: Khatun Khadeza , Muazzam Naima , Shamsuzzaman SM , Kamal AHM Mostafa , Islam Mohammad Shaiful
Published: October 2015

Context: The use of standard operating procedures (SOP) in laboratory testing is one of the most crucial factors in achieving the quality. In primary and secondary level laboratory, the scope for microbiological test is limited. Enteric fever is one of the major public health problem in the developing countries, including Bangladesh. An undiagnosed and maltreated case of enteric fever may result in serious complication and even prove fatal. Widal test is the very extensively used serological test in laboratory at all level to aid in the diagnosis of enteric fever. It is the only available practical test for demonstrating antibodies to Salmonella typhi and S. paratyphi. In this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the present status of microbiology laboratory by comparing the test results of investigator with that of laboratory staff for widal test at primary and secondary level before and after implementation of standard operating procedure (SOP) .Methods: The present study was performed on clinically suspected cases of enteric fever attending at the primary and secondary level laboratories for widal test. A 120 blood samples were collected before implementing SOP and 50 blood samples were collected and tested after following SOP. A cross sectional, descriptive type of study was conducted in Narsingdi Sador Hospital as secondary level microbiology laboratory and Polash Upzilla Health Complex as primary level microbiology laboratoryResults: Before standard operating procedures (SOP), significant titre of widal test was found more by the investigator than the staff at both primary and secondary level. This difference in results was statistically significant (p<0.05). After SOP difference in the results of significant titre of widal test between investigator and staff was not statistically significant (p>0.05).Conclusion: Implementing SOP for widal test and after practicing appropriate and standard techniques for dilution of serum at primary and secondary level, discrepancy in the results of widal test between investigator and staff was reduced and overall quality of tests were improved.J Dhaka Medical College, Vol. 23, No.2, October, 2014, Page 227-233
A Study on Clinical Effect of Combined Pulsed Dye Laser And Intralesional Triamcinolone Acetonide in the Treatment of Keloid
Authors: Yazdi Quazi Salim , Khan Abdul Latif , Hasan Md Sayeed , Murad Imranul Hasan
Published: October 2015

Keloids are common and cause functional and psychological morbidity. A wide variety of treatments, all in current usage, indicate that no treatment has been shown to be markedly superior to the others. This study was done using pulsed dye laser followed by more traditional intralesional steroid injection in the treatment of keloid. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the PDL in combination with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) in the treatment of keloid and to elucidate possible side effects and complications. A prospective clinical trial was done in the Department of Dermatology & Venereology, Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka, from December 2013 to February 2014. Adult patients of both sexes (Fitzpatric skin type IV & V) aged between 15 and 50 years with varying degree of keloids were randomly selected for the study. In this single-blinded clinical trial, 50 patients were randomly assigned and was irradiated by 595-nm flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser (PDL, 5-7.5 J/cm2) at the 1st,4th, and 8th weeks and Intralesional steroid was given following PDL. Lesions were assessed for vascularity, pliability, pigmentation and height. The study showed an excellent improvement in nearly all measures, Good to excellent improvements (>76% improvement) were reported by 93% patient. Vancouver scar scale (0-14) decreased from 12.17 to a post treatment value of 3.41which is an excellent achievement. Results were reported by the blinded observer as follows: in vascularity (from 2.7 to 0.61), in pliability (from 3.9 to 1.1), in hyperpigmentation (from 2.4 to 0.92), in height (from 2.87 to 0.78).J Dhaka Medical College, Vol. 23, No.2, October, 2014, Page 234-238
A Case Report of Unicentric Castleman Disease
Authors: Akter Mafruha , Khalil Ibrahim , Nabi Golam , Hossain Syed Zakir , Mallik Md Uzzwal , Biswas Eshita , Kabir Tania
Published: October 2015

Castleman disease (CD) or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia is an uncommon benign lymphoproliferative disorder. Sometimes it is related to the chronic human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) infection and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Two clinical entities have been described: a unicentric presentation with the disease confined to a single anatomic lymph node and a multicentric presentation characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy and a more aggressive clinical course. Also, three histopathological subtypes have been described: hyalinevascular, plasma cell, and a mixed variant.We report the case of a 22-year-old young man who was diagnosed as unicentric Castleman Disease. We found on routine physical examination a mass localized in the left abdomen without clinically important constitutional symptoms for 3 years. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography scans revealed minimally enhancing soft tissue density lesion & it was seen in the left para aortic region measuring about 71mm x 42 mm in size. The patient subse-quently underwent an exploratory laparotomy. After opening of the abdomen, a lump measuring about 8 cm x 5 cm was found in the mesentery. The whole lump was dissected out and the gap in the mesentery was closed. No other lymphadenopathy was found. The specimen was sent for histopathology which revealed Castleman disease, plasma cell type. The patient completely recovered after surgery. Castleman disease is commonly misdiagnosed as malignant lymphoma, lymphadenitis or ectopic thymoma. So far, its diagnosis is mainly achieved via histopathological examination of surgically obtained tissue. Local or unicentric CD has a good prognosis if surgically excised properly.J Dhaka Medical College, Vol. 23, No.2, October, 2014, Page 256-258
Anthropometry of the nose: a comparative study between adult male Santhals and Bengalis in Bangladesh
Authors: Shah MRI , Anwar S , Mondal DK , Yesmin S , Ahmed S
Published: October 2015

Anthropometry is a scientific methods for taking various measurements of body parts and observation on the living subjects, which play an important role in distinguishing a pure race. The nose is a person's most defining feature because it is at the center of the face. The shape of the nose is a signature indicating the ethnicity, race, age and sex. The aim of this study is to document the mean nasal length, nasal width and nasal index of adult male Santhals and Bengalis in Bangladesh, which provides a comprehensive data for comparisons between each other and with the other ethnic group. Santhals, our study subjects living in the northwest part of Bangladesh, are usually recognized as an ethnic community. Because the Santhals have separate identity and their physical appearance is distinctive to some extent. The study, descriptive, observational and cross sectional is nature, was carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Rangpur Medical College, Rangpur, during the season of July, 2011 to June, 2012. A total number of 100 adult male Santhals and 100 adult male Bengalis were included from different location of Rangur and Dinajpur districts. Nasal length and nasal width were measured using sliding caliper and nasal index was calculated. Unpaired t-test was used to compare the measurement. The mean nose length of the Bengalis were significantly higher than the Santhals but the mean of nose width were significantly higher in Santhals than Bengalis. Most of the Santhals were mesorrhine, but most of the Bengalis were leptorrhine.Mediscope Vol. 2, No. 2: July 2015, Pages 28-32
Quality assessment of compost prepared from spent mushroom substrate
Authors: Ashrafi R , Rahman MM , Jahiruddin M , Mian MH
Published: October 2015

Disposal of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) generated by the mushroom production industry has an adverse effect on the environment which leads to a deterioration of soil, air and water quality. Scope exists to use this substrate to produce good quality compost. The present study was done to assess the quality of SMS compost through evaluation of their characteristics and the chemical changes that occur during composting. Physical, chemical and microbial characteristics were determined by observing color, moisture (%), size reduction, weight loss, pH, EC, different nutrient contents and abundance of E. coli and Salmonella spp. The result showed an increasing trend for the pH, N, P& S concentration and a decreasing trend for EC, OC & C/N ratio during composting period. As determined, the pH value (7.38) and the C/N ratio (21) were within the recommended range that used in different countries. The concentrations of N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn & B were measured as 1.17%, 0.08%, 1.04%, 0.11%, 2.76%, 0.43%, 0.51%, 0.03% and 0.01%, respectively, all of which were within the recommendation limits. Heavy metals such as Zn, Cu and Ni contents were recorded as 0.007%, 0.001%, and 0.33 ppm, respectively showing their values within the maximum allowable limits. The concentration of Pb and Cd was below the detection limit. The SMS compost was free of E. coli and Salmonella spp. Hence, all these properties indicate that the SMS can be effectively used to produce good quality compost.Progress. Agric. 2014. 25: 1-8
Novel Implications of DNA Damage Response in Drug Resistance of Malignant Cancers Obtained from the Functional Interaction between p53 Family and RUNX2
Authors: Ozaki Toshinori , Nakamura Mizuyo , Shimozato Osamu
Published: October 2015

During the lifespan of cells, their genomic DNA is continuously exposed to theendogenous and exogenous DNA insults. Thus, the appropriate cellular response to DNAdamage plays a pivotal role in maintaining genomic integrity and also acts as a molecularbarrier towards DNA legion-mediated carcinogenesis. The tumor suppressor p53 participatesin an integral part of proper regulation of DNA damage response (DDR). p53 is frequentlymutated in a variety of human cancers. Since mutant p53 displays a dominant-negative behavioragainst wild-type p53, cancers expressing mutant p53 sometimes acquire drug-resistantphenotype, suggesting that mutant p53 prohibits the p53-dependent cell death pathwayfollowing DNA damage, and thereby contributing to the acquisition and/or maintenance ofdrug resistance of malignant cancers. Intriguingly, we have recently found that silencing ofpro-oncogenic RUNX2 enhances drug sensitivity of aggressive cancer cells regardless of p53status. Meanwhile, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have stem cell properties such as drug resistance.Therefore, the precise understanding of the biology of CSCs is quite important to overcometheir drug resistance. In this review, we focus on molecular mechanisms behind DDR as wellas the serious drug resistance of malignant cancers and discuss some attractive approachesto improving the outcomes of patients bearing drug-resistant cancers.
Time Delay Extraction from Frequency Domain Data Using Causal Fourier Continuations for High-Speed Interconnects
Authors: Barannyk Lyudmyla , Tran Hung , Elshabini Aicha , Barlow Fred
Published: October 2015

We present a new method for time delay estimation using band limited frequency domain data representing the port responses of interconnect structures. The approach is based on the spectrally accurate method for causality characterization that employs SVD-based causal Fourier continuations, which was recently developed by the authors. The time delay extraction is constructed by incorporating a linearly varying phase factor to the system of equations that determines the Fourier coefficients. The method is capable of determining the time delay using data affected by noise or approximation errors that come from measurements or numerical simulations. It can also be employed when only a limited number of frequency responses is available. The technique can be extended to multi-port and mixed-mode networks. Several analytical and simulated examples are used to demonstrate the accuracy and strength of the proposed technique.
Greenhouse Gas Assessment and Compensation on Brazilian Low Volume Rural Roads Using CarbonROAD—The Santa Rosa de Lima Case
Authors: Salini Reus , Lenngren Carl , Bassi Lauro , Baesso Dalcio
Published: October 2015

The “Santa Catarina Rural” is a Program co-funded by The World Bank for improvements on 1300 km of low volume rural roads on Southern Brazil. The pioneer project under the program was on the municipality of Santa Rosa de Lima, where the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from the road improvement activities as well as the regular traffic were assessed on an experimental basis using the CarbonROAD software application. Here, we show details of the CarbonROAD software application and the construction emissions assessment procedure as well as the mitigating effect of the plants used for compensation. It was found that most of the emissions come from the road improvement work. This includes earthworks, fuel for motor graders, bulldozers and other machines, and materials and gravel extraction, industrialization and transportation, etc. Only a smaller portion comprises regular road traffic. The accumulated emission balance shows that the carbon absorption is larger than construction emissions after just 15 months. The potential for price appraisal of the generated carbon credits is explored.
Climate Change Effects on Heat- and Cold-Related Mortality in the Netherlands: A Scenario-Based Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment
Authors: Huynen Maud , Martens Pim
Published: October 2015

Although people will most likely adjust to warmer temperatures, it is still difficult to assess what this adaptation will look like. This scenario-based integrated health impacts assessment explores baseline (1981–2010) and future (2050) population attributable fractions (PAF) of mortality due to heat (PAFheat) and cold (PAFcold), by combining observed temperature–mortality relationships with the Dutch KNMI’14 climate scenarios and three adaptation scenarios. The 2050 model results without adaptation reveal a decrease in PAFcold (8.90% at baseline; 6.56%–7.85% in 2050) that outweighs the increase in PAFheat (1.15% at baseline; 1.66%–2.52% in 2050). When the 2050 model runs applying the different adaptation scenarios are considered as well, however, the PAFheat ranges between 0.94% and 2.52% and the PAFcold between 6.56% and 9.85%. Hence, PAFheat and PAFcold can decrease as well as increase in view of climate change (depending on the adaptation scenario). The associated annual mortality burdens in 2050—accounting for both the increasing temperatures and mortality trend—show that heat-related deaths will range between 1879 and 5061 (1511 at baseline) and cold-related deaths between 13,149 and 19,753 (11,727 at baseline). Our results clearly illustrate that model outcomes are not only highly dependent on climate scenarios, but also on adaptation assumptions. Hence, a better understanding of (the impact of various) plausible adaptation scenarios is required to advance future integrated health impact assessments.
Geographic Elevation and Cognitive Function among Elderly Residents in Rural Mountainous Areas: Shimane CoHRE Study
Authors: Hamano Tsuyoshi , Onoda Keiichi , Takeda Miwako , Sundquist Kristina , Yamaguchi Shuhei , Nabika Toru
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to test whether there is an association between elevation and cognitive function among elderly residents in rural mountainous areas. Data were collected in 2012 from a cross-sectional study conducted in Ohnan Town, which is located in a rural mountainous area in the southern part of Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Cognitive function was evaluated using CADi (Cognitive Assessment for Dementia, iPad version) and elevation was estimated by using Geographic Information Systems according to the participant’s address. After excluding subjects with missing data, 866 participants were analyzed. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, higher elevation was significantly associated with decreased cognitive function. This finding suggests that it is important to consider the physical environment, i.e., elevation, that would affect accessibility to health-promoting goods, services, and resources when seeking to maintain cognitive function in elderly people living in rural mountainous areas.
Relevant Aspects of Nutritional and Dietary Interventions in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Hernandez-Rodas Maria , Valenzuela Rodrigo , Videla Luis
Published: October 2015

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the main cause of liver disease worldwide. NAFLD is linked to circumstances such as type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Since the obesity figures and related comorbidities are increasing, NAFLD has turned into a liver problem that has become progressively more common. Currently, there is no effective drug therapy for NAFLD; therefore, interventions in lifestyles remain the first line of treatment. Bearing in mind that adherence rates to this type of treatment are poor, great efforts are currently focused on finding novel therapeutic agents for the prevention in the development of hepatic steatosis and its progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. This review presents a compilation of the scientific evidence found in the last years showing the results of interventions in lifestyle, diet, and behavioral therapies and research results in human, animal and cell models. Possible therapeutic agents ranging from supplementation with vitamins, amino acids, prebiotics, probiotics, symbiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols to interventions with medicinal plants are analyzed.
Graphene Functionalized with Arginine Decreases the Development of Glioblastoma Multiforme Tumor in a Gene-Dependent Manner
Authors: Sawosz Ewa , Jaworski Sławomir , Kutwin Marta , Vadalasetty Krishna , Grodzik Marta , Wierzbicki Mateusz , Kurantowicz Natalia , Strojny Barbara , Hotowy Anna , Lipińska Ludwika , Jagiełło Joanna , Chwalibog André
Published: October 2015

Our previous studies revealed that graphene had anticancer properties in experiments in vitro with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells and in tumors cultured in vivo. We hypothesized that the addition of arginine or proline to graphene solutions might counteract graphene agglomeration and increase the activity of graphene. Experiments were performed in vitro with GBM U87 cells and in vivo with GBM tumors cultured on chicken embryo chorioallantoic membranes. The measurements included cell morphology, mortality, viability, tumor morphology, histology, and gene expression. The cells and tumors were treated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and rGO functionalized with arginine (rGO + Arg) or proline (rGO + Pro). The results confirmed the anticancer effect of graphene on GBM cells and tumor tissue. After functionalization with amino acids, nanoparticles were distributed more specifically, and the flakes of graphene were less agglomerated. The molecule of rGO + Arg did not increase the expression of TP53 in comparison to rGO, but did not increase the expression of MDM2 or the MDM2/TP53 ratio in the tumor, suggesting that arginine may block MDM2 expression. The expression of NQO1, known to be a strong protector of p53 protein in tumor tissue, was greatly increased. The results indicate that the complex of rGO + Arg has potential in GBM therapy.
Integrated Bioinformatics, Environmental Epidemiologic and Genomic Approaches to Identify Environmental and Molecular Links between Endometriosis and Breast Cancer
Authors: Roy Deodutta , Morgan Marisa , Yoo Changwon , Deoraj Alok , Roy Sandhya , Yadav Vijay , Garoub Mohannad , Assaggaf Hamza , Doke Mayur
Published: October 2015

We present a combined environmental epidemiologic, genomic, and bioinformatics approach to identify: exposure of environmental chemicals with estrogenic activity; epidemiologic association between endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) and health effects, such as, breast cancer or endometriosis; and gene-EDC interactions and disease associations. Human exposure measurement and modeling confirmed estrogenic activity of three selected class of environmental chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bisphenols (BPs), and phthalates. Meta-analysis showed that PCBs exposure, not Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, increased the summary odds ratio for breast cancer and endometriosis. Bioinformatics analysis of gene-EDC interactions and disease associations identified several hundred genes that were altered by exposure to PCBs, phthalate or BPA. EDCs-modified genes in breast neoplasms and endometriosis are part of steroid hormone signaling and inflammation pathways. All three EDCs–PCB 153, phthalates, and BPA influenced five common genes—CYP19A1, EGFR, ESR2, FOS, and IGF1—in breast cancer as well as in endometriosis. These genes are environmentally and estrogen responsive, altered in human breast and uterine tumors and endometriosis lesions, and part of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in cancer. Our findings suggest that breast cancer and endometriosis share some common environmental and molecular risk factors.
Stem Cells in Skin Regeneration, Wound Healing, and Their Clinical Applications
Authors: Ojeh Nkemcho , Pastar Irena , Tomic-Canic Marjana , Stojadinovic Olivera
Published: October 2015

The skin is the largest organ of the body and has an array of functions. Skin compartments, epidermis, and hair follicles house stem cells that are indispensable for skin homeostasis and regeneration. These stem cells also contribute to wound repair, resulting in restoration of tissue integrity and function of damaged tissue. Unsuccessful wound healing processes often lead to non-healing wounds. Chronic wounds are caused by depletion of stem cells and a variety of other cellular and molecular mechanisms, many of which are still poorly understood. Current chronic wound therapies are limited, so the search to develop better therapeutic strategies is ongoing. Adult stem cells are gaining recognition as potential candidates for numerous skin pathologies. In this review, we will discuss epidermal and other stem cells present in the skin, and highlight some of the therapeutic applications of epidermal stem cells and other adult stem cells as tools for cell/scaffold-based therapies for non-healing wounds and other skin disorders. We will also discuss emerging concepts and offer some perspectives on how skin tissue-engineered products can be optimized to provide efficacious therapy in cutaneous repair and regeneration.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of DXS and DXR Genes in the Terpenoid Biosynthetic Pathway of Tripterygium wilfordii
Authors: Tong Yuru , Su Ping , Zhao Yujun , Zhang Meng , Wang Xiujuan , Liu Yujia , Zhang Xianan , Gao Wei , Huang Luqi
Published: October 2015

1-Deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) and 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) genes are the key enzyme genes of terpenoid biosynthesis but still unknown in Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. Here, three full-length cDNA encoding DXS1, DXS2 and DXR were cloned from suspension cells of T. wilfordii with ORF sizes of 2154 bp (TwDXS1, GenBank accession no.KM879187), 2148 bp (TwDXS2, GenBank accession no.KM879186), 1410 bp (TwDXR, GenBank accession no.KM879185). And, the TwDXS1, TwDXS2 and TwDXR were characterized by color complementation in lycopene accumulating strains of Escherichia coli, which indicated that they encoded functional proteins and promoted lycopene pathway flux. TwDXS1 and TwDXS2 are constitutively expressed in the roots, stems and leaves and the expression level showed an order of roots > stems > leaves. After the suspension cells were induced by methyl jasmonate, the mRNA expression level of TwDXS1, TwDXS2, and TwDXR increased, and triptophenolide was rapidly accumulated to 149.52 µg·g−1, a 5.88-fold increase compared with the control. So the TwDXS1, TwDXS2, and TwDXR could be important genes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis in Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f.
Nephroprotection by Hypoglycemic Agents: Do We Have Supporting Data?
Authors: Górriz Jose , Nieto Javier , Navarro-González Juan , Molina Pablo , Martínez-Castelao Alberto , Pallardó Luis
Published: October 2015

Current therapy directed at delaying the progression of diabetic nephropathy includes intensive glycemic and optimal blood pressure control, renin angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade and multifactorial intervention. However, the renal protection provided by these therapeutic modalities is incomplete. There is a scarcity of studies analysing the nephroprotective effect of antihyperglycaemic drugs beyond their glucose lowering effect and improved glycaemic control on the prevention and progression of diabetic nephropathy. This article analyzes the exisiting data about older and newer drugs as well as the mechanisms associated with hypoglycemic drugs, apart from their well known blood glucose lowering effect, in the prevention and progression of diabetic nephropathy. Most of them have been tested in humans, but with varying degrees of success. Although experimental data about most of antihyperglycemic drugs has shown a beneficial effect in kidney parameters, there is a lack of clinical trials that clearly prove these beneficial effects. The key question, however, is whether antihyperglycemic drugs are able to improve renal end-points beyond their antihyperglycemic effect. Existing experimental data are post hoc studies from clinical trials, and supportive of the potential renal-protective role of some of them, especially in the cases of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. Dedicated and adequately powered renal trials with renal outcomes are neccessary to assess the nephrotection of antihyperglycaemic drugs beyond the control of hyperglycaemia.
Circulating microRNA Biomarkers as Liquid Biopsy for Cancer Patients: Pros and Cons of Current Assays
Authors: Ono Shigeshi , Lam Stella , Nagahara Makoto , Hoon Dave
Published: October 2015

An increasing number of studies have focused on circulating microRNAs (cmiRNA) in cancer patients’ blood for their potential as minimally-invasive biomarkers. Studies have reported the utility of assessing specific miRNAs in blood as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers; however, the methodologies are not validated or standardized across laboratories. Unfortunately, there is often minimum limited overlap in techniques between results reported even in similar type studies on the same cancer. This hampers interpretation and reliability of cmiRNA as potential cancer biomarkers. Blood collection and processing, cmiRNA extractions, quality and quantity control of assays, defined patient population assessment, reproducibility, and reference standards all affect the cmiRNA assay results. To date, there is no reported definitive method to assess cmiRNAs. Therefore, appropriate and reliable methodologies are highly necessary in order for cmiRNAs to be used in regulated clinical diagnostic laboratories. In this review, we summarize the developments made over the past decade towards cmiRNA detection and discuss the pros and cons of the assays.
Synthesis of 4-Hydroxy-2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine, and the Spin State Behaviour of Its Iron(II) Complex Salts
Authors: Cook Laurence , Halcrow Malcolm
Published: October 2015

Treatment of 4-hydroxy-2,6-dibromopyridine with four equivalent of deprotonated pyrazole in hot diglyme affords 4-hydroxy-2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine (L) in low yield. The three complex salts [FeL2]X2 (X− = BF4−, 1; X− = ClO4−, 2; X− = PF6−, 3) have been prepared, and crystallographically characterised as their methanol solvates. The solvate structures contain complexes that are fully high-spin (1 and 3), or in a mixed high:low spin state population at 150 K (2). Bulk samples of 1 and 2 obtained from methanol/diethyl ether contain a second, minor crystal phase that exhibits an abrupt spin-transition near 200 K. Recrystallisation of 1 and 2 from nitromethane/diethyl ether affords powder samples that are highly enriched in this spin-transition phase.
Production of Hyaluronic Acid by Streptococcus zooepidemicus on Protein Substrates Obtained from Scyliorhinus canicula Discards
Authors: Vázquez José , Pastrana Lorenzo , Piñeiro Carmen , Teixeira José , Pérez-Martín Ricardo , Amado Isabel
Published: October 2015

This work investigates the production of hyaluronic acid (H) by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in complex media formulated with peptones obtained from Scyliorhinus canicula viscera by-products. Initially, in batch cultures, the greatest productions were achieved using commercial media (3.03 g/L) followed by peptones from alcalase hydrolyzed viscera (2.32 g/L) and peptones from non-hydrolyzed viscera (2.26 g/L). An increase of between 12% and 15% was found in subsequent fed-batch cultures performed on waste peptones. Such organic nitrogen sources were shown to be an excellent low-cost substrate for microbial H, saving more than 50% of the nutrient costs.
Hydrometallurgical Recovery of Precious Metals and Removal of Hazardous Metals Using Persimmon Tannin and Persimmon Wastes
Authors: Inoue Katsutoshi , Gurung Manju , Xiong Ying , Kawakita Hidetaka , Ohto Keisuke , Alam Shafiq
Published: October 2015

Novel and environmentally benign adsorbents were prepared via a simple sulfuric acid treatment process using the wastes of astringent persimmon, a type of biomass waste, along with persimmon tannin extract which is currently employed for the tanning of leather and as natural dyes and paints. The effectiveness of these new biosorbents was exemplified with regards to hydrometallurgical and environmental engineering applications for the adsorptive removal of uranium and thorium from rare earths, cesium from other alkaline metals such as sodium, hexa-valent chromium from zinc as well as adsorptive recovery of gold from chloride media. Furthermore, reductive coagulation of gold from chloride media for the direct recovery of metallic gold and adsorptive recovery of palladium and platinum using chemically modified persimmon tannin extract were studied. OPEN
Dynamic In Vitro Models of the Human Gastrointestinal Tract as Relevant Tools to Assess the Survival of Probiotic Strains and Their Interactions with Gut Microbiota
Authors: Cordonnier Charlotte , Thévenot Jonathan , Etienne-Mesmin Lucie , Denis Sylvain , Alric Monique , Livrelli Valérie , Blanquet-Diot Stéphanie
Published: October 2015

The beneficial effects of probiotics are conditioned by their survival during passage through the human gastrointestinal tract and their ability to favorably influence gut microbiota. The main objective of this study was to use dynamic in vitro models of the human digestive tract to investigate the effect of fasted or fed state on the survival kinetics of the new probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain CNCM I-3856 and to assess its influence on intestinal microbiota composition and activity. The probiotic yeast showed a high survival rate in the upper gastrointestinal tract whatever the route of admistration, i.e., within a glass of water or a Western-type meal. S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 was more sensitive to colonic conditions, as the strain was not able to colonize within the bioreactor despite a twice daily administration. The main bacterial populations of the gut microbiota, as well as the production of short chain fatty acids were not influenced by the probiotic treatment. However, the effect of the probiotic on the gut microbiota was found to be individual dependent. This study shows that dynamic in vitro models can be advantageously used to provide useful insight into the behavior of probiotic strains in the human digestive environment.
A CuAAC–Hydrazone–CuAAC Trifunctional Scaffold for the Solid-Phase Synthesis of Trimodal Compounds: Possibilities and Limitations
Authors: Fabre Benjamin , Pícha Jan , Vaněk Václav , Buděšínský Miloš , Jiráček Jiří
Published: October 2015

We present a trifunctional scaffold designed for the solid-phase synthesis of trimodal compounds. This scaffold holds two alkyne arms in a free and TIPS-protected form for consecutive CuAAC (copper(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition), one Fmoc-protected hydrazide arm for reaction with aldehydes, and one carboxylic acid arm with CF2 groups for attachment to the resin and 19F-NMR quantification. This scaffold was attached to a resin and derivatized with model azides and aliphatic, electron-rich or electron-poor aromatic aldehydes. We identified several limitations of the scaffold caused by the instability of hydrazones in acidic conditions, in the presence of copper during CuAAC, and when copper accumulated in the resin. We successfully overcame these drawbacks by optimizing synthetic conditions for the derivatization of the scaffold with aromatic aldehydes. Overall, the new trifunctional scaffold combines CuAAC and hydrazone chemistries, offering a broader chemical space for the development of bioactive compounds.
A Practical Route for the Preparation of 1,4,7-Triazacyclononanyl Diacetates with a Hydroxypyridinonate Pendant Arm
Authors: Gai Yongkang , Hu Zhongping , Rong Zhao , Ma Xiang , Xiang Guangya
Published: October 2015

The preparation of triazamacrocyclic hydroxypyridinonate (HOPO-TACN) derivatives as potential chelators for metals in biomedical applications was reported. The synthesis is based on a convergent synthetic approach, in which the key intermediate di-tert-butyl-2,2′-(1,4,7-triazonane-1,4-diyl) diacetate was coupled with a hydroxypyridinonate pendant arm. The method is suitable for rapid syntheses of metal chelator HOPO-TACNs of biomedical interest.
The Multiple Roles of Microrna-223 in Regulating Bone Metabolism
Authors: Xie Yong , Zhang Lihai , Gao Yanpan , Ge Wei , Tang Peifu
Published: October 2015

Bone metabolism is a lifelong process for maintaining skeletal system homeostasis, which is regulated by bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts. Aberrant differentiation of osteoclasts and osteoblasts leads to imbalanced bone metabolism, resulting in ossification and osteolysis diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal factors in regulating bone metabolism via post-transcriptional inhibition of target genes. Recent studies have revealed that miR-223 exerts multiple effects on bone metabolism, especially in the processes of osteoclast and osteoblasts differentiation. In this review, we highlight the roles of miR-223 during the processes of osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation, as well as the potential clinical applications of miR-223 in bone metabolism disorders.
Comparative Study of the Optical and Textural Properties of Tetrapyrrole Macrocycles Trapped Within ZrO2, TiO2, and SiO2 Translucent Xerogels
Authors: Salas-Bañales Eduardo , Quiroz-Segoviano R. , Díaz-Alejo Luis , Rojas-González Fernando , Estrella-González Alberto , Campero Antonio , García-Sánchez Miguel
Published: October 2015

The entrapping of physicochemical active molecules inside mesoporous networks is an appealing field of research due to the myriad of potential applications in optics, photocatalysis, chemical sensing, and medicine. One of the most important reasons for this success is the possibility of optimizing the properties that a free active species displays in solution but now trapped inside a solid substrate. Additionally it is possible to modulate the textural characteristics of substrates, such as pore size, specific surface area, polarity and chemical affinity of the surface, toward the physical or chemical adhesion of a variety of adsorbates. In the present document, two kinds of non-silicon metal alkoxides, Zr and Ti, are employed to prepare xerogels containing entrapped tetrapyrrolic species that could be inserted beforehand in analogue silica systems. The main goal is to develop efficient methods for trapping or binding tetrapyrrole macrocycles inside TiO2 and ZrO2 xerogels, while comparing the properties of these systems against those of the SiO2 analogues. Once the optimal synthesis conditions for obtaining translucent monolithic xerogels of ZrO2 and TiO2 networks were determined, it was confirmed that these substrates allowed the entrapment, in monomeric form, of macrocycles that commonly appear as aggregates within the SiO2 network. From these experiments, it could be determined that the average pore diameters, specific surface areas, and water sorption capacities depicted by each one of these substrates, are a consequence of their own nature combined with the particular structure of the entrapped tetrapyrrole macrocycle. Furthermore, the establishment of covalent bonds between the intruding species and the pore walls leads to the obtainment of very similar pore sizes in the three different metal oxide (Ti, Zr, and Si) substrates as a consequence of the templating effect of the encapsulated species.
A Spectral Unmixing Model for the Integration of Multi-Sensor Imagery: A Tool to Generate Consistent Time Series Data
Authors: Doxani Georgia , Mitraka Zina , Gascon Ferran , Goryl Philippe , Bojkov Bojan
Published: October 2015

The Sentinel missions have been designed to support the operational services of the Copernicus program, ensuring long-term availability of data for a wide range of spectral, spatial and temporal resolutions. In particular, Sentinel-2 (S-2) data with improved high spatial resolution and higher revisit frequency (five days with the pair of satellites in operation) will play a fundamental role in recording land cover types and monitoring land cover changes at regular intervals. Nevertheless, cloud coverage usually hinders the time series availability and consequently the continuous land surface monitoring. In an attempt to alleviate this limitation, the synergistic use of instruments with different features is investigated, aiming at the future synergy of the S-2 MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) and Sentinel-3 (S-3) Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI). To that end, an unmixing model is proposed with the intention of integrating the benefits of the two Sentinel missions, when both in orbit, in one composite image. The main goal is to fill the data gaps in the S-2 record, based on the more frequent information of the S-3 time series. The proposed fusion model has been applied on MODIS (MOD09GA L2G) and SPOT4 (Take 5) data and the experimental results have demonstrated that the approach has high potential. However, the different acquisition characteristics of the sensors, i.e. illumination and viewing geometry, should be taken into consideration and bidirectional effects correction has to be performed in order to reduce noise in the reflectance time series.
AMA- and RWE- Based Adaptive Kalman Filter for Denoising Fiber Optic Gyroscope Drift Signal
Authors: Yang Gongliu , Liu Yuanyuan , Li Ming , Song Shunguang
Published: October 2015

An improved double-factor adaptive Kalman filter called AMA-RWE-DFAKF is proposed to denoise fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) drift signal in both static and dynamic conditions. The first factor is Kalman gain updated by random weighting estimation (RWE) of the covariance matrix of innovation sequence at any time to ensure the lowest noise level of output, but the inertia of KF response increases in dynamic condition. To decrease the inertia, the second factor is the covariance matrix of predicted state vector adjusted by RWE only when discontinuities are detected by adaptive moving average (AMA).The AMA-RWE-DFAKF is applied for denoising FOG static and dynamic signals, its performance is compared with conventional KF (CKF), RWE-based adaptive KF with gain correction (RWE-AKFG), AMA- and RWE- based dual mode adaptive KF (AMA-RWE-DMAKF). Results of Allan variance on static signal and root mean square error (RMSE) on dynamic signal show that this proposed algorithm outperforms all the considered methods in denoising FOG signal.
An Ultrasonic Multi-Beam Concentration Meter with a Neuro-Fuzzy Algorithm for Water Treatment Plants
Authors: Lee Ho-Hyun , Jang Sang-Bok , Shin Gang-Wook , Hong Sung-Taek , Lee Dae-Jong , Chun Myung
Published: October 2015

Ultrasonic concentration meters have widely been used at water purification, sewage treatment and waste water treatment plants to sort and transfer high concentration sludges and to control the amount of chemical dosage. When an unusual substance is contained in the sludge, however, the attenuation of ultrasonic waves could be increased or not be transmitted to the receiver. In this case, the value measured by a concentration meter is higher than the actual density value or vibration. As well, it is difficult to automate the residuals treatment process according to the various problems such as sludge attachment or sensor failure. An ultrasonic multi-beam concentration sensor was considered to solve these problems, but an abnormal concentration value of a specific ultrasonic beam degrades the accuracy of the entire measurement in case of using a conventional arithmetic mean for all measurement values, so this paper proposes a method to improve the accuracy of the sludge concentration determination by choosing reliable sensor values and applying a neuro-fuzzy learning algorithm. The newly developed meter is proven to render useful results from a variety of experiments on a real water treatment plant.
Fault Diagnosis of Demountable Disk-Drum Aero-Engine Rotor Using Customized Multiwavelet Method
Authors: Chen Jinglong , Wang Yu , He Zhengjia , Wang Xiaodong
Published: October 2015

The demountable disk-drum aero-engine rotor is an important piece of equipment that greatly impacts the safe operation of aircraft. However, assembly looseness or crack fault has led to several unscheduled breakdowns and serious accidents. Thus, condition monitoring and fault diagnosis technique are required for identifying abnormal conditions. Customized ensemble multiwavelet method for aero-engine rotor condition identification, using measured vibration data, is developed in this paper. First, customized multiwavelet basis function with strong adaptivity is constructed via symmetric multiwavelet lifting scheme. Then vibration signal is processed by customized ensemble multiwavelet transform. Next, normalized information entropy of multiwavelet decomposition coefficients is computed to directly reflect and evaluate the condition. The proposed approach is first applied to fault detection of an experimental aero-engine rotor. Finally, the proposed approach is used in an engineering application, where it successfully identified the crack fault of a demountable disk-drum aero-engine rotor. The results show that the proposed method possesses excellent performance in fault detection of aero-engine rotor. Moreover, the robustness of the multiwavelet method against noise is also tested and verified by simulation and field experiments.
Why does the Conductivity of a Nickel Catalyst Increase during Sulfidation? An Exemplary Study Using an In Operando Sensor Device
Authors: Fremerey Peter , Jess Andreas , Moos Ralf
Published: October 2015

In order to study the sulfidation of a catalyst fixed bed, an in operando single pellet sensor was designed. A catalyst pellet from the fixed bed was electrically contacted and its electrical response was correlated with the catalyst behavior. For the sulfidation tests, a nickel catalyst was used and was sulfidized with H2S. This catalyst had a very low conductivity in the reduced state. During sulfidation, the conductivity of the catalyst increased by decades. A reaction from nickel to nickel sulfide occurred. This conductivity increase by decades during sulfidation had not been expected since both nickel and nickel sulfides behave metallic. Only by assuming a percolation phenomenon that originates from a volume increase of the nickel contacts when reacting to nickel sulfides, this effect can be explained. This assumption was supported by sulfidation tests with differently nickel loaded catalysts and it was quantitatively estimated by a general effective media theory. The single pellet sensor device for in operando investigation of sulfidation can be considered as a valuable tool to get further insights into catalysts under reaction conditions.
A Novel Multilayered RFID Tagged Cargo Integrity Assurance Scheme
Authors: Yang Ming , Luo Jia , Lu Shao
Published: October 2015

To minimize cargo theft during transport, mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) grouping proof methods are generally employed to ensure the integrity of entire cargo loads. However, conventional grouping proofs cannot simultaneously generate grouping proofs for a specific group of RFID tags. The most serious problem of these methods is that nonexistent tags are included in the grouping proofs because of the considerable amount of time it takes to scan a high number of tags. Thus, applying grouping proof methods in the current logistics industry is difficult. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a method for generating multilayered offline grouping proofs. The proposed method provides tag anonymity; moreover, resolving disputes between recipients and transporters over the integrity of cargo deliveries can be expedited by generating grouping proofs and automatically authenticating the consistency between the receipt proof and pick proof. The proposed method can also protect against replay attacks, multi-session attacks, and concurrency attacks. Finally, experimental results verify that, compared with other methods for generating grouping proofs, the proposed method can efficiently generate offline grouping proofs involving several parties in a supply chain using mobile RFID.