bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2D Electrical Imaging Surveys for Leachate Plume Migration at an Old Dump Site in Ibadan South Western Nigeria: A Case Study
Authors: Omolayo Dare , Tope Fatoba Julius
Published: March 2014

The site surveyed is along a popular ring road in Ibadan. It is an old dump site which had been closed over a long period of time. Development into industrial and residential house schemes had crowded around the site. This development resulted in the exploitation of groundwater within the thick regolith that characterize the area. The investigation was carried out to ascertain leachate plume generation and migration and its impact on the surrounding soil and the groundwater. 2D electrical resistivity imaging using Wenner array was used to delineate the plume and probable trend of migration. The method involves the injection of low frequency DC current into the subsurface and measuring the potential difference set up by another pair of electrodes called potential electrodes. All the traverses show areas of very low resistivity values ranging between 4 ohm-m and 13.8 ohm-m; in addition to this, the water samples collected from hand dug wells that surround the dump site show high total dissolved solids (TDS) with an average value of 2033 mg/L, high conductivity with an average value of 2868 mg/L, and high nitrate value (63 mg/L); these values are above the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible values. This poses a health challenge to the residents living around this site.
An Iterative Regularization Method to Solve the Cauchy Problem for the Helmholtz Equation
Authors: Cheng Hao , Zhu Ping , Gao Jie
Published: March 2014

A regularization method for solving the Cauchy problem of the Helmholtz equation is proposed. The a priori and a posteriori rules for choosing regularization parameters with corresponding error estimates between the exact solution and its approximation are also given. The numerical example shows the effectiveness of this method.
Prevalence of Congenital Anomalies: A Community-Based Study in the Northwest of Iran
Authors: Mashhadi Abdolahi Hossein , Kargar Maher Mohammad Hassan , Afsharnia Farzaneh , Dastgiri Saeed
Published: March 2014

Background. Congenital anomalies are responsible for a remarkable proportion of mortality and morbidity in newborns. The aim of this study was to document the epidemiological features of congenital anomalies in rural areas, northwest of Iran. Method. The study population included live births born between 2004 and 2012 in rural areas of Tabriz district. All health records of the children under 8 years were assessed retrospectively. Results. Of 22500 live births, 254 cases were identified with a primary diagnosis of congenital anomalies giving a prevalence rate of 112.89 per 10 000 births (95% CI: 99.08 to 126.69). Anomalies of the nervous system were the most common defects, accounting for 24% of birth defects followed by the heart diseases anomalies. The highest prevalence rate for birth defects was observed in the south-western region with 386 per 10 000 births (95% CI: 215 to 556) compared to the similar rate in the north-western region with 15 per 10 000 births (95% CI: −14 to 45). Conclusion. The considerable geographic disparities in the prevalence of congenital anomalies in the region might be attributed to the highly polluted industrial zone in the area (including air and water pollution, etc.). This needs further etiological investigations in the region.
Effects of 6‐Hydroxyflavone on Osteoblast Differentiation in MC3T3‐E1 Cells
Authors: Lai Chien-Hung , Wu Yu-Wei , Yeh Shauh-Der , Lin Yu-Hsaing , Tsai Yu-Hui
Published: March 2014

Osteoblast differentiation plays an essential role in bone integrity. Isoflavones and some flavonoids are reported to have osteogenic activity and potentially possess the ability to treat osteoporosis. However, limited information concerning the osteogenic characteristics of hydroxyflavones is available. This study investigates the effects of various hydroxyflavones on osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3‐E1 cells. The results showed that 6‐hydroxyflavone (6‐OH‐F) and 7‐hydroxyflavone (7‐OH‐F) stimulated ALP activity. However, baicalein and luteolin inhibited ALP activity and flavone showed no effect. Up to 50 μM of each compound was used for cytotoxic effects study; flavone, 6‐OH‐F, and 7‐OH‐F had no cytotoxicity on MC3T3‐E1 cells. Moreover, 6‐OH‐F activated AKT and serine/threonine kinases (also known as protein kinase B or PKB), extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK 1/2), and the c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. On the other hand, 7‐OH‐F promoted osteoblast differentiation mainly by activating ERK 1/ 2 signaling pathways. Finally, after 5 weeks of 6‐OH‐F induction, MC3T3‐E1 cells showed a significant increase in the calcein staining intensity relative to merely visible mineralization observed in cells cultured in the osteogenic medium only. These results suggested that 6‐OH‐F could activate AKT, ERK 1/2, and JNK signaling pathways to effectively promote osteoblastic differentiation.
A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Herbal Medicine on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases
Authors: Chen Hai Yong , Ma Chun Ho , Cao Ke-Jian , Chung-Man Ho James , Ziea Eric , Wong Vivian Taam , Zhang Zhang-Jin
Published: March 2014

Herbal medicine (HM) as an adjunct therapy has been shown to be promising for the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the role of herbs in COPD remains largely unexplored. In this present study, we conducted the systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of herbs in COPD. 176 clinical studies with reporting pulmonary function were retrieved from English and Chinese database. Commonly used herbs for acute exacerbations stage (AECOPD) and stable COPD stage (SCOPD) were identified. A meta‐analysis conducted from 15 high quality studies (18 publications) showed that HM as an adjunct therapy had no significant improvement in pulmonary function (FEV1, FEV%, FVC, and FEV1/FVC) compared to conventional medicine. The efficacy of the adjunct HM on improving the arterial blood gas (PaCO2 and PaO2) for AECOPD and SCOPD remains inconclusive due to the heterogeneity among the studies. However, HM as an adjunct therapy improved clinical symptoms and quality of life (total score, activity score, and impact score of St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire). Studies with large‐scale and double‐blind randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the role of the adjunct HM in the management of COPD.
Endogenous Technical Progress in the Theory of Economic Growth
Authors: Pokrovskii Vladimir N.
Published: March 2014

It is shown that substitutive work, which can be defined as work of
production equipment (capital stock) replacing the efforts of workers
in production processes, can be considered as a measure of technical
progress. The methods of estimation of substitutive work are discussed.
The theoretical results are illustrated on the data for the US.
economy.
Smooth Approximationl0-Norm Constrained Affine Projection Algorithm and Its Applications in Sparse Channel Estimation
Authors: Li Yingsong , Hamamura Masanori
Published: March 2014

We propose a smooth approximationl0-norm constrained affine projection algorithm (SL0-APA) to improve the convergence speed and the steady-state error of affine projection algorithm (APA) for sparse channel estimation. The proposed algorithm ensures improved performance in terms of the convergence speed and the steady-state error via the combination of a smooth approximationl0-norm (SL0) penalty on the coefficients into the standard APA cost function, which gives rise to a zero attractor that promotes the sparsity of the channel taps in the channel estimation and hence accelerates the convergence speed and reduces the steady-state error when the channel is sparse. The simulation results demonstrate that our proposed SL0-APA is superior to the standard APA and its sparsity-aware algorithms in terms of both the convergence speed and the steady-state behavior in a designated sparse channel. Furthermore, SL0-APA is shown to have smaller steady-state error than the previously proposed sparsity-aware algorithms when the number of nonzero taps in the sparse channel increases.
Adiponectin Expression in the Porcine Ovary during the Oestrous Cycle and Its Effect on Ovarian Steroidogenesis
Authors: Maleszka Anna , Smolinska Nina , Nitkiewicz Anna , Kiezun Marta , Chojnowska Katarzyna , Dobrzyn Kamil , Szwaczek Hubert , Kaminski Tadeusz
Published: March 2014

Adiponectin is an adipose-secreted hormone that regulates energy homeostasis and is also involved in the control of the reproductive system. The goal of the present study was to investigate changes in adiponectin gene and protein expression in porcine ovarian structures during the oestrous cycle and to examine the effects ofin vitroadministration of adiponectin on basal and gonadotrophin- and/or insulin-induced secretion of ovarian steroid hormones. Both gene and protein expression of adiponectin were enhanced during the luteal phase of the cycle. Adiponectin affected basal secretion of progesterone by luteal cells, oestradiol by granulosa cells, and testosterone by theca interna cells. The gonadotrophin/insulin-induced release of progesterone from granulosa and theca interna cells and the release of oestradiol and androstenedione from theca cells was also modified by adiponectin. In conclusion, the presence of adiponectin mRNA and protein in the porcine ovary coupled with our previous results indicating adiponectin receptors expression suggest that adiponectin may locally affect ovarian functions. The changes in adiponectin expression throughout the oestrous cycle seem to be dependent on the hormonal status of pigs related to the stage of the oestrous cycle. The effect of adiponectin on ovarian steroidogenesis suggests that this adipokine influences reproductive functions in pigs.
The Stress and Reliability Analysis of HTR’s Graphite Component
Authors: Fang Xiang , Wang Haitao , Yu Suyuan
Published: March 2014

The high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTR) is developing rapidly toward a modular, compact, and integral direction. As the main structure material, graphite plays a very important role in HTR engineering, and the reliability of graphite component has a close relationship with the integrity of reactor core. The graphite components are subjected to high temperature and fast neutron irradiation simultaneously during normal operation of the reactor. With the stress accumulation induced by high temperature and irradiation, the failure risk of graphite components increases constantly. Therefore it is necessary to study and simulate the mechanical behavior of graphite component under in-core working conditions and forecast the internal stress accumulation history and the variation of reliability. The work of this paper focuses on the mechanical analysis of pebble-bed type HTR's graphite brick. The analysis process is comprised of two procedures, stress analysis and reliability analysis. Three different creep models and two different reliability models are reviewed and taken into account in simulation. The stress and failure probability calculation results are obtained and discussed. The results gained with various models are highly consistent, and the discrepancies are acceptable.
Kinematics, Singularity, and Workspaces of a Planar 4-Bar Tensegrity Mechanism
Authors: Ji Zhifei , Li Tuanjie , Lin Min
Published: March 2014

Compared with conventional mechanisms, tensegrity mechanisms have many attractive characteristics such as light weight, high ratio of strength to weight, and accuracy of modeling. In this paper, the kinematics, singularity, and workspaces of a planar 4-bar tensegrity mechanism have been investigated. Firstly, the analytical solutions to the forward and inverse kinematic problems are found by using an energy based method. Secondly, the definition of a tensegrity mechanism’s Jacobian is introduced. As a consequence, the singularity analysis of the planar 4-bar tensegrity mechanism has been completed. Thirdly, the actuator and output workspaces are mapped. Finally, some attractive characteristics of the mechanism are concluded.
Cycle Time Reduction in Injection Molding Process by Selection of Robust Cooling Channel Design
Authors: Khan Muhammad , Afaq S. Kamran , Khan Nizar Ullah , Ahmad Saboor
Published: March 2014

Cycle time of a part in injection molding process is very important as the rate of production and the quality of the parts produced depend on it, whereas the cycle time of a part can be reduced by reducing the cooling time which can only be achieved by the uniform temperature distribution in the molded part which helps in quick dissipation of heat. Conformal cooling channel design is the solution to the problem which basically “conforms” to the shape of cavity in the molds. This paper describes the analytical study of cooling analysis of different types of cooling channel designs. The best cooling channel design is also selected on the basis of minimum time to reach ejection temperature, uniform temperature distribution, and minimum warpage of part. “Creo Elements/Pro 5.0” is used to model the case study, its molds, and the cooling circuit whereas analytical study is done using “Autodesk Moldflow Advisor 2013 (AMFA).”
Chimeric Rat/Human HER2 Efficiently Circumvents HER2 Tolerance in Cancer Patients
Authors: Occhipinti Sergio , Sponton Laura , Rolla Simona , Caorsi Cristiana , Novarino Anna , Donadio Michela , Bustreo Sara , Satolli Maria Antonietta , Pecchioni Carla , Marchini Cristina , Amici Augusto , Cavallo Federica , Cappello Paola , Pierobon Daniele , Novelli Francesco , Giovarelli Mirella
Published: March 2014

Purpose: Despite the great success of HER2 vaccine strategies in animal models, effective clinical results have not yet been obtained. We studied the feasibility of using DNA coding for chimeric rat/human HER2 as a tool to break the unresponsiveness of T cells from patients with HER2-overexpressing tumors (HER2-CP).

Experimental Design: Dendritic cells (DCs) generated from patients with HER2-overexpressing breast (n = 28) and pancreatic (n = 16) cancer were transfected with DNA plasmids that express human HER2 or heterologous rat sequences in separate plasmids or as chimeric constructs encoding rat/human HER2 fusion proteins and used to activate autologous T cells. Activation was evaluated by IFN-γ ELISPOT assay, perforin expression, and ability to halt HER2+ tumor growth in vivo.

Results: Specific sustained proliferation and IFN-γ production by CD4 and CD8 T cells from HER2-CP was observed after stimulation with autologous DCs transfected with chimeric rat/human HER2 plasmids. Instead, T cells from healthy donors (n = 22) could be easily stimulated with autologous DCs transfected with any human, rat, or chimeric rat/human HER2 plasmid. Chimeric HER2-transfected DCs from HER2-CP were also able to induce a sustained T-cell response that significantly hindered the in vivo growth of HER2+ tumors. The efficacy of chimeric plasmids in overcoming tumor-induced T-cell dysfunction relies on their ability to circumvent suppressor effects exerted by regulatory T cells (Treg) and/or interleukin (IL)-10 and TGF-β1.

Conclusions: These results provide the proof of concept that chimeric rat/human HER2 plasmids can be used as effective vaccines for any HER2-CP with the advantage of being not limited to specific MHC. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 2910–21. ©2014 AACR.
Clinical Activity of Adjuvant Cytokine-Induced Killer Cell Immunotherapy in Patients with Post-Mastectomy Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Pan Ke , Guan Xun-Xing , Li Yong-Qiang , Zhao Jing-Jing , Li Jian-Jun , Qiu Hui-Juan , Weng De-Sheng , Wang Qi-Jing , Liu Qing , Huang Li-Xi , He Jia , Chen Shi-Ping , Ke Miao-La , Zeng Yi-Xin , Xia Jian-Chuan
Published: March 2014

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high risk form of this disease, even after surgery, due to the absence of targets for hormone treatment and anti–Her-2 therapy. Chemotherapy is the main therapeutic strategy for such patients with breast cancer, although the outcome is often unsatisfactory. Thus, the development of combination adjuvant therapies is essential for improved prognosis in patients with TNBC. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a sequential combination of cytokine-induced killer cell (CIK) infusion and chemotherapy for patients with post-mastectomy TNBC.

Experimental Design: From 2008 to 2012, 90 patients with post-mastectomy TNBC were included in this retrospective study: 45 cases received chemotherapy alone or with sequential radiotherapy; a further 45 cases received chemotherapy with/without radiotherapy and sequential CIK infusion.

Results: Survival analysis showed significantly higher disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates in the CIK treatment group compared with the control group (P = 0.0382, P = 0.0046, respectively; log-rank test). Multivariate survival analysis showed that CIK adjuvant treatment was an independent prognostic factor for OS of patients with TNBC. In subgroup analyses, CIK adjuvant treatment significantly increased the DFS rate of patients with pathologic grade 3, and significantly increased the OS rate of patients in N1, N2, N3, IIB, III TNM (tumor–node–metastasis) stages, and with pathologic grade 3.

Conclusions: These data indicate that adjuvant CIK treatment combined with chemotherapy is an effective therapeutic strategy to prevent disease recurrence and prolong survival of patients with TNBC, particularly those with lymph node metastasis, advanced TNM stage, and poor pathologic grade. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 3003–11. ©2014 AACR.
Chemoprevention of Esophageal Cancer with Black Raspberries, Their Component Anthocyanins, and a Major Anthocyanin Metabolite, Protocatechuic Acid
Authors: Peiffer Daniel S. , Zimmerman Noah P. , Wang Li-Shu , Ransom Benjamin W.S. , Carmella Steven G. , Kuo Chieh-Ti , Siddiqui Jibran , Chen Jo-Hsin , Oshima Kiyoko , Huang Yi-Wen , Hecht Stephen S. , Stoner Gary D.
Published: March 2014

Diets containing either freeze-dried black raspberries (BRBs) or their polyphenolic anthocyanins (ACs) have been shown to inhibit the development of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)–induced esophageal cancer in rats. The present study was conducted to determine whether PCA, a major microbial metabolite of black raspberry (BRB) ACs, also prevents NMBA-induced esophageal cancer in rats. F344 rats were injected with NMBA three times a week for 5 weeks and then fed control or experimental diets containing 6.1% BRBs, an anthocyanin (AC)-enriched fraction derived from BRBs, or protocatechuic acid (PCA). Animals were exsanguinated at weeks 15, 25, and 35 to quantify the development of preneoplastic lesions and tumors in the esophagus, and to relate this to the expression of inflammatory biomarkers. At weeks 15 and 25, all experimental diets were equally effective in reducing NMBA-induced esophageal tumorigenesis, as well as in reducing the expression of pentraxin-3 (PTX3), a cytokine produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to interleukin (IL)-1β and TNF-α. All experimental diets were also active at reducing tumorigenesis at week 35; however, the BRB diet was significantly more effective than the AC and PCA diets. Furthermore, all experimental diets inhibited inflammation in the esophagus via reducing biomarker (COX-2, iNOS, p-NF-κB, and sEH) and cytokine (PTX3) expression. Overall, our data suggest that BRBs, their component ACs, and PCA inhibit NMBA-induced esophageal tumorigenesis, at least in part, by their inhibitory effects on genes associated with inflammation. Cancer Prev Res; 7(6); 574–84. ©2014 AACR.
Effects of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in Contrast-Induced Nephropathy
Authors: Zhou Letian , Duan Shaobin
Published: March 2014

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is considered the third leading cause of iatrogenic acute kidney injury in high-risk patients undergoing radiographic procedures. The main mechanism leading to CIN is medullary hypoxia due to decreased renal blood flow, secondary to renal artery vasoconstriction and direct tubular toxicity by contrast medium. Furthermore, experimental data suggests that an activated renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a role in the pathophysiology of CIN. However, the role of RAAS blockers, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in CIN is controversial. They have been reported to be effective in the prevention of CIN in previous studies, but some studies have concluded that they were associated with an increased risk of CIN, especially in patients with pre-existing renal impairment. In summary, there is no solid data to link ACE inhibitors and ARB to CIN, and larger randomised controlled trials are necessary to further investigate their role in the development of CIN. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology of CIN, the role of RAAS on the development of CIN, and the effect of RAAS blockers on CIN.
Developmental and Clinical Overview of Lithopaidion
Authors: Santoro Giuseppe , Laganà Antonio Simone , Sturlese Emanuele , Giacobbe Valentina , Retto Annalisa , Palmara Vittorio
Published: March 2014

Lithopaidion, or stone child, is generally a single rare asymptomatic formation that evolves from an undiagnosed and untreated advanced abdominal pregnancy. The dead fetus is retained in the maternal abdominal cavity, which causes calcification. In this paper, we review the literature on the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis and clinical features of lithopaidion and report a unique case of lithokelyphos in a patient with an ectopic fallopian pregnancy. We propose a model to unify the data. The new word ‘lithopaidion' can be utilized instead of lithopedion.
Kuwait National Programme for Healthy Living: First 5-Year Plan (2013-2017)
Authors: Behbehani Kazem
Published: March 2014

The Kuwait National Programme for Healthy Living is an initiative to promote the health and well-being for individuals residing in the country. The plan has been created based on current data and available information pertaining to the various lifestyles of the populations living in Kuwait and their impact on health in general and chronic diseases in particular. Leading a healthy lifestyle is important because it means living in an environment, such as the Kuwaiti society, where chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart diseases are significantly reduced. Several factors regarding lifestyles among the various ethnic groups residing in Kuwait have been identified, including inactivity resulting from the lack of need for physical exertion in daily-life activities and social rituals involving the serving of food amongst the various ethnic groups residing in Kuwait. For Kuwaitis and other ethnicities as well, traditional social gatherings include serving food as an integral element of the social ritual. The environments of school and work also contribute to an individual's lifestyle. The goal of the programme is to address the contribution of lifestyle choices and the social environment to health with the goal of creating a healthy environment that will sustain good health and social well-being. This can be accomplished by involving the various stakeholders in promoting the aim of the programme. Finally, addressing the research needs for healthy lifestyle issues can have a huge impact on the outcome of the programmes designed and would aid in creating a healthy living environment.
Different Cerebral Responses to Puncturing at ST36 among Patients with Functional Dyspepsia and Healthy Subjects
Authors: Li Zhengjie , Zeng Fang , Yang Yue , Chen Yuan , Zhang Danhua , Sun Jinbo , Qin Wei , Yang Jie , Liang Fanrong
Published: March 2014

Background: Little research has been done on the connection between functional status and acupuncture efficacy; however, functional status is a key factor in the study of acupuncture efficacy. Therefore, we have tried to compare functional dyspepsia (FD) patients with healthy subjects (HS) to determine the different cerebral responses elicited by acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST36). Patients and Methods: In this study, 24 FD patients and 24 HS were given acupuncture stimulation at ST36 while being monitored by an fMRI scan. Results: Compared with HS, FD patients showed an fMRI signal decrease in the right anterior cingulate cortex, right medial prefrontal cortex, right orbitofrontal cortex, left superior occipital gyrus, and right cuneus; but on the other hand, there was an fMRI signal increase in the right insula, right postcentral gyrus, and right supramarginal gyrus. Conclusion: Acupuncture stimulation at ST36 evoked pronounced changes, especially in the homeostatic afferent processing network of FD patients, compared to HS. We hypothesize that the cerebral responses elicited by acupuncture stimulation in certain diseases, such as FD are correlated to specific regions. The action of stimulating acupoints might be dynamic; the functional status is therefore an essential impact factor for cerebral responses to acupuncture stimulation.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 and Cardiovascular Disease in the General Population
Authors: Kestenbaum Bryan , Sachs Michael C. , Hoofnagle Andy N. , Siscovick David S. , Ix Joachim H. , Robinson-Cohen Cassianne , Lima Joao A.C. , Polak Joseph F. , Blondon Marc , Ruzinski John , Rock Denise , de Boer Ian H.
Published: March 2014

Background—

Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is a phosphate regulatory hormone that directly stimulates left ventricular hypertrophy in experimental models. The role of FGF-23 in cardiovascular disease development in the general population is unclear. We tested associations of FGF-23 with major subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease outcomes in a large prospective cohort.

Methods and Results—

We evaluated 6547 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) who were initially free of cardiovascular disease. We measured serum FGF-23 using the Kainos immunoassay. The MESA measured left ventricular mass by MRI, coronary calcium by computed tomography, and carotid intima-media thickness by ultrasound. The MESA adjudicated incident heart failure, coronary heart disease, and stroke by medical record review. After adjustment, the highest FGF-23 quartile was associated with an estimated 2.4-g greater left ventricular mass (95% confidence interval, 0.4–4.5 greater) and a 26% greater odds of higher coronary calcium scores (95% confidence interval, 9%–46% greater) compared with the lowest quartile. During 7.5-year follow-up, each 20-pg/mL higher FGF-23 concentration was associated with a 19% greater risk of heart failure (95% confidence interval, 3%–37% greater) and a 14% greater risk of coronary heart disease (95% confidence interval, 1%–28% greater). FGF-23 was not associated with carotid intima-media thickness or stroke.

Conclusions—

Higher serum FGF-23 concentrations are associated with subclinical cardiac disease and with new heart failure and coronary disease events, but not with carotid intima-media thickness or stroke. FGF-23 may be a novel cardiovascular risk factor in the general population.
Intracoronary Stem Cell Infusion After Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: de Jong Renate , Houtgraaf Jaco H. , Samiei Sanaz , Boersma Eric , Duckers Henricus J.
Published: March 2014

Background—

Several cell-based therapies for adjunctive treatment of acute myocardial infarction have been investigated in multiple clinical trials, but the benefits still remain controversial. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy of bone marrow–derived mononuclear cell (BMMNC) therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction, but also explores the effect of newer generations of stem cells.

Methods and Results—

A random-effects meta-analysis was performed on randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of stem cell therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction that were published between January 2002 and September 2013. The defined end points were left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes, infarct size, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates. Also, several subgroup analyses were performed on BMMNC trials. Overall, combining the results of 22 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), LV ejection fraction increased by +2.10% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–3.52;
P
=0.004) in the BMMNC group as compared with controls, evoked by a preservation of LV end-systolic volume (−4.05 mL; 95% CI, −6.91 to −1.18;
P
=0.006) and a reduction in infarct size (−2.69%; 95% CI, −4.83 to −0.56;
P
=0.01). However, there is no effect on cardiac function, volumes, or infarct size, when only RCTs (n=9) that used MRI-derived end points were analyzed. Moreover, no beneficial effect could be detected on major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates after BMMNC infusion after a median follow-up duration of 6 months.

Conclusions—

Intracoronary infusion of BMMNC is safe, but does not enhance cardiac function on MRI-derived parameters, nor does it improve clinical outcome. New and possibly more potent stem cells are emerging in the field, but their clinical efficacy still needs to be defined in future trials.
Onset of Antiplatelet Action With High (100 mg) Versus Standard (60 mg) Loading Dose of Prasugrel in Patients With ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Alexopoulos Dimitrios , Makris George , Xanthopoulou Ioanna , Patsilinakos Sotirios , Deftereos Spyridon , Gkizas Vassilios , Perperis Angelos , Karanikas Stavros , Angelidis Christos , Tsigkas Grigorios , Koutsogiannis Nikolaos , Hahalis George , Davlouros Periklis
Published: March 2014

Background—

In patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention, a suboptimal degree of platelet inhibition for the first 2 hours after the standard 60 mg loading dose of prasugrel has been described.

Methods and Results—

In a prospective, 3-center, nonrandomized, controlled study, 2 sequential groups of P2Y12 inhibitor-naive consecutive patients were loaded with either 100 mg (n=47) or 60 mg (n=35) of prasugrel. Platelet reactivity was assessed by VerifyNow at hours 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4. At hour 2, there was a strong trend for the primary end point of platelet reactivity (in P2Y12 reaction units) to be lower (least squares estimates of the mean difference [95% confidence interval], −45.5 [−91.2 to 0.3];
P
=0.051), whereas platelet reactivity percentage inhibition (median, first to third quartile) was higher (75.5% [24%–91.8%] versus 23.5% [0%–78.3%];
P
=0.02) in the 100-mg compared with 60-mg loading dose group. At hour 2, prasugrel 100 mg over 60 mg loading dose significantly reduced high platelet reactivity rates from 28.6% to 8.5% (≥230 P2Y12 reaction units threshold;
P
=0.036) and from 31.4% to 10.6% (≥208 P2Y12 reaction units threshold;
P
=0.024), whereas resulted in lower rate of ≤20% platelet inhibition (23.4% versus 51.4%;
P
=0.009).

Conclusions—

In patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention, a higher (100 mg) than the standard loading dose of prasugrel results in greater and more consistent platelet inhibition, yet this will need to be further validated in additional studies.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01835353.
North American SOLITAIRE Stent-Retriever Acute Stroke Registry
Authors: Abou-Chebl Alex , Zaidat Ossama O. , Castonguay Alicia C. , Gupta Rishi , Sun Chung-Huan J. , Martin Coleman O. , Holloway William E. , Mueller-Kronast Nils , English Joey D. , Linfante Italo , Dabus Guilherme , Malisch Timothy W. , Marden Franklin A. , Bozorgchami Hormozd , Xavier Andrew , Rai Ansaar T. , Froehler Micahel T. , Badruddin Aamir , Nguyen Thanh N. , Taqi Muhammad , Abraham Michael G. , Janardhan Vallabh , Shaltoni Hashem , Novakovic Roberta , Yoo Albert J. , Chen Peng R. , Britz Gavin W. , Kaushal Ritesh , Nanda Ashish , Issa Mohammad A. , Nogueira Raul G.
Published: March 2014

Background and Purpose—

Previous work that predated the availability of the safer stent-retriever devices has suggested that general anesthesia (GA) may have a negative impact on outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular therapy.

Methods—

We reviewed demographic, clinical, procedural (GA versus local anesthesia [LA], etc), and site-adjudicated angiographic and clinical outcomes data from consecutive patients treated with the Solitaire FR device in the investigator-initiated North American SOLITAIRE Stent-Retriever Acute Stroke (NASA) Registry. The primary outcomes were 90-day modified Rankin Scale, mortality, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Results—

A total of 281 patients from 18 centers were enrolled. GA was used in 69.8% (196/281) of patients. Baseline demographic and procedural factors were comparable between the LA and GA groups, except the former demonstrated longer time-to-groin puncture (395.4±254 versus 337.4±208 min;
P
=0.04), lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS; 16.2±5.8 versus 18.8±6.9;
P
=0.002), lower balloon-guide catheter usage (22.4% versus 49.2%;
P
=0.0001), and longer fluoroscopy times (39.5±33 versus 28±22.8 min;
P
=0.008). Recanalization (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥2b; 72.94% versus 73.6%;
P
=0.9) and rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (7.1% versus 11.2%;
P
=0.4) were similar but modified Rankin Scale ≤2 was achieved in more LA patients, 52.6% versus 35.6% (odds ratio, 1.4 [1.1–1.8];
P
=0.01). In multivariate analysis, hypertension, NIHSS, unsuccessful revascularization, and GA use (odds ratio, 3.3 [1.6–7.1];
P
=0.001) were associated with death. When only anterior circulation and elective GA patients were included, there was a persistent difference in good outcomes in favor of LA patients (50.7% versus 35.5%; odds ratio, 1.3 [1.01–1.6];
P
=0.04).

Conclusions—

The NASA Registry has demonstrated that clinical outcomes and survival are significantly better in patients treated with LA, without increased symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage risk. Future trials should prospectively evaluate the effect of GA on outcomes.
From Feedback- to Response-based Performance Monitoring in Active and Observational Learning
Authors: Bellebaum Christian , Colosio Marco
Published: March 2014

Humans can adapt their behavior by learning from the consequences of their own actions or by observing others. Gradual active learning of action–outcome contingencies is accompanied by a shift from feedback- to response-based performance monitoring. This shift is reflected by complementary learning-related changes of two ACC-driven ERP components, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the error-related negativity (ERN), which have both been suggested to signal events “worse than expected,” that is, a negative prediction error. Although recent research has identified comparable components for observed behavior and outcomes (observational ERN and FRN), it is as yet unknown, whether these components are similarly modulated by prediction errors and thus also reflect behavioral adaptation. In this study, two groups of 15 participants learned action–outcome contingencies either actively or by observation. In active learners, FRN amplitude for negative feedback decreased and ERN amplitude in response to erroneous actions increased with learning, whereas observational ERN and FRN in observational learners did not exhibit learning-related changes. Learning performance, assessed in test trials without feedback, was comparable between groups, as was the ERN following actively performed errors during test trials. In summary, the results show that action–outcome associations can be learned similarly well actively and by observation. The mechanisms involved appear to differ, with the FRN in active learning reflecting the integration of information about own actions and the accompanying outcomes.
Prestimulus Interhemispheric Coupling of Brain Rhythms Predicts Cognitive–Motor Performance in Healthy Humans
Authors: Vecchio Fabrizio , Lacidogna Giordano , Miraglia Francesca , Bramanti Placido , Ferreri Florinda , Rossini Paolo Maria
Published: March 2014

Physiological and neuroimaging studies suggest that human actions are characterized by time-varying engagement of functional distributed networks within the brain. In this study, we investigated whether specific prestimulus interhemispheric connectivity, as a measure of synchronized network between the two hemispheres, could lead to a better performance (as revealed by RT) in a simple visuomotor task. Eighteen healthy adults underwent EEG recording during a visual go/no-go task. In the go/no-go task, a central fixation stimulus was followed by a green (50% of probability) or red visual stimulus. Participants had to press the mouse button after the green stimuli (go trials). Interhemispheric coupling was evaluated by the spectral coherence among all the electrodes covering one hemisphere and matched with those on the other. The frequency bands of interest were delta (2–4 Hz), theta (4–8 Hz), alpha 1 (8–10.5 Hz), alpha 2 (10.5–13 Hz), beta 1 (13–20 Hz), beta 2 (20–30 Hz), and gamma (30–40 Hz). The task-related results showed that interhemispheric connectivity decreased in delta and increased in alpha band. Furthermore, we observed positive delta and negative alpha correlations with the RT; namely, the faster the RT, the lower delta and the higher alpha connection between the two hemispheres. These results suggested that the best performance is anticipated by the better functional coupling of cortical circuits involved during the processing of the sensorimotor information, occurring between the two hemispheres pending cognitive go/no-go task.
Perceptual Expertise and Top–Down Expectation of Musical Notation Engages the Primary Visual Cortex
Authors: Wong Yetta Kwailing , Peng Cynthia , Fratus Kristyn N. , Woodman Geoffrey F. , Gauthier Isabel
Published: March 2014

Most theories of visual processing propose that object recognition is achieved in higher visual cortex. However, we show that category selectivity for musical notation can be observed in the first ERP component called the C1 (measured 40–60 msec after stimulus onset) with music-reading expertise. Moreover, the C1 note selectivity was observed only when the stimulus category was blocked but not when the stimulus category was randomized. Under blocking, the C1 activity for notes predicted individual music-reading ability, and behavioral judgments of musical stimuli reflected music-reading skill. Our results challenge current theories of object recognition, indicating that the primary visual cortex can be selective for musical notation within the initial feedforward sweep of activity with perceptual expertise and with a testing context that is consistent with the expertise training, such as blocking the stimulus category for music reading.
Multisensory Integration during Short-term Music Reading Training Enhances Both Uni- and Multisensory Cortical Processing
Authors: Paraskevopoulos Evangelos , Kuchenbuch Anja , Herholz Sibylle C. , Pantev Christo
Published: March 2014

The human ability to integrate the input of several sensory systems is essential for building a meaningful interpretation out of the complexity of the environment. Training studies have shown that the involvement of multiple senses during training enhances neuroplasticity, but it is not clear to what extent integration of the senses during training is required for the observed effects. This study intended to elucidate the differential contributions of uni- and multisensory elements of music reading training in the resulting plasticity of abstract audiovisual incongruency identification. We used magnetoencephalography to measure the pre- and posttraining cortical responses of two randomly assigned groups of participants that followed either an audiovisual music reading training that required multisensory integration (AV-Int group) or a unisensory training that had separate auditory and visual elements (AV-Sep group). Results revealed a network of frontal generators for the abstract audiovisual incongruency response, confirming previous findings, and indicated the central role of anterior prefrontal cortex in this process. Differential neuroplastic effects of the two types of training in frontal and temporal regions point to the crucial role of multisensory integration occurring during training. Moreover, a comparison of the posttraining cortical responses of both groups to a group of musicians that were tested using the same paradigm revealed that long-term music training leads to significantly greater responses than the short-term training of the AV-Int group in anterior prefrontal regions as well as to significantly greater responses than both short-term training protocols in the left superior temporal gyrus (STG).
A new species of Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae) from the eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes
Authors: Ocampo Gilberto , Almeda Frank
Published: March 2014

Miconia glandulipetala is described as a new species from the eastern slope of the central Peruvian Andes. This new species is recognized as a member of the “Leandra + Ossaea (scorpioid)” clade based on its secund flowers and ovoid seeds with testa cells in an aligned pattern and par-convex periclinal walls. The taxon is easily recognized by the presence of 4-merous flowers, 4-locular ovaries, and a subapical glandular hair formed on the margin of each petal.
Notes on Phyllanthera (Apocynaceae) from the upper Sepik of Papua New Guinea: P. lancifolia and P. piforsteriana sp. nov.
Authors: Takeuchi Wayne
Published: March 2014

Phyllanthera piforsteriana (Apocynaceae) is described from the Sepik River basin in Papua New Guinea. Distributional notes are also provided for P. lancifolia, a frequent associate of the new species but otherwise rarely represented in herbarium collections.
The genus Paravelia Breddin, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) in Brazil, with descriptions of eight new species
Authors: RODRIGUES HIGOR D.D. , MOREIRA FELIPE F.F. , NIESER NICO , CHEN PING PING , MELO ALAN L. , DIAS-SILVA KARINA , GIEHL NUBIA F.S.
Published: March 2014

Eight new species of Paravelia Breddin, 1898 from Brazil are described and illustrated: P. amapaensis sp. nov. from Amapá State, P. bipunctata sp. nov. from Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul States, P. bilobata sp. nov. and P. polhemusi sp. nov. from Mato Grosso State, P. bahiana sp. nov. from Bahia State, P. lacrymosa sp. nov. from Minas Gerais State, P. micromaculata sp. nov. from Maranhão State, and P. ornata sp. nov. from Amazonas State. The genus is redescribed, with photos of the dorsal view for nineteen species: P. basalis (Spinola), P. biae Spangler, P. boliviana Breddin, P. bullialata Polhemus & Polhemus, P. capillata (Drake& Harris), P. capixaba Moreira, Nessimian & Rúdio, P. conata (Hungerford), P. dilatata Polhemus & Polhemus, P. foveata Polhemus & Polhemus, P. itatiayana (Drake), P. lanemeloi Moreira & Barbosa, P. manausana Polhemus & Polhemus, P. nieseri Moreira & Barbosa, P. platensis (Berg), P. recens (Drake & Harris), P. rotundanotata (Hungerford), P. spinifera Polhemus & Polhemus, P. splendoris (Drake & Harris) and P. williamsi (Hungerford). Three of these species are recorded for the first time from Brazil: P. platensis, P. spinifera and P. williamsi. Also, the macropterous forms of P. capixaba and P. dilatata are described. Lastly, an identification key to the 36 species of Paravelia recorded from Brazil and a checklist of described species are presented.
A reply to Páll-Gergely’s suggestions to improve the taxonomy index (T-Index) introduced by Valdecasas (2011)
Authors: VALDECASAS ANTONIO G.
Published: March 2014

In a letter to Nature, Valdecasas et al. (2000) criticised the Impact Factor (IF) which calculates the number of citations in scientific publications, particularly within biodiversity studies. Subsequently, even though Krell (2000, 2002) claimed that IF was not relevant to taxonomy, however, IF has continued to play and increasingly important role in evaluations of scientists, taxonomists not excepted (Meier & Lim, 2009).
DNA barcoding of Vietnamese bent-toed geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) and the description of a new species
Authors: NGUYEN SANG NGOC , YANG JUN-XIAO , LE THANH-NGAN THI , NGUYEN LUAN THANH , ORLOV NIKOLAI L. , HOANG CHUNG VAN , NGUYEN TRUONG QUANG , JIN JIE-QIONG , RAO DING-QI , HOANG THAO NGOC , CHE JING , MURPHY ROBERT W. , ZHANG YA-PING
Published: March 2014

Species of bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus) in Vietnam have been described at a rate of nearly four species per year since 2007 mostly based on morphological data. A tool that guides species delimitation will accelerate the rate of documentation, and at a time when the recognition of species greatly benefits conservation. We use DNA barcoding using COI (550 bp) to re-examine the levels of genetic divergence and taxonomic status of 21 described species of Vietnamese bent-toed geckos. Tree-based analyses resolve all sampled species and identify potential undescribed taxa. Kimura 2-parameter genetic distances between the described species average 21.0±4.2% and range from 4.3% to 28.7%. Further, our analyses discover two potentially new species from Vietnam, two from Laos and one from China. Herein we describe the new species Cyrtodactylus puhuensis sp. nov. from Vietnam on the basis of both genetics and morphology. Genetically, it differs from the remaining species by an average K2P distance of 24.0±1.8%. Morphologically, the new species is diagnosed by its medium-size (snout-vent length 79.24 mm and tail length 82.59 mm, for the single known individual), in having a series of moderately enlarged transverse subcaudals and a series of moderately enlarged femoral scales that extend from precloacal scales, in possessing femoral scales without pores, with males having five precloacal pores, and in exhibiting 8 supralabials, 10 infralabials, 23 narrow subdigital lamellae on its fourth toe, and 36 transverse ventrals.
Demystifying three species of Ctenidae (Arachnida: Araneae) described by Embrik Strand. Part I, Ecuador
Authors: DUPÉRRÉ NADINE
Published: March 2014

Ecuador is considered one of the most biodiverse countries in the world (Mittermeier et al. 1997), yet its spider fauna is unknown and understudied. Only 709 species distributed in 43 families are known to occur in Ecuador (Platnick 2013), whereas in Canada, a country much less biodiverse, the spider fauna is composed of 1405 spider species distributed in 43 families (Paquin et al. 2010). It seems reasonable to assume that a large part of the Ecuadorian spider fauna is still undiscovered. Furthermore, some groups are badly in need of revision, many species are known only from the type specimens, old descriptions and in some cases no illustrations were provided by the author making it difficult to recognise these species. In 1909, Embrik Strand described 17 new species of Ctenus Walckenaer, 1805 from South America (Strand 1909); seven of these species (three from Ecuador and four from Brazil) have never been illustrated or included in any recent taxonomic work. Even though Strand’s descriptions are quite elaborate, he did not provide any illustrations, thus making the identification of his species difficult. This paper is the first of two papers on Embrik Strand’s mysterious Ctenus species. The first part includes redescriptions and illustrations for the first time of the three Ecuadorian species: Ctenus datus Strand, 1909, C. inazensis Strand, 1909 and C. satanas Strand, 1909. This is the first step toward a comprehensive study of the family Ctenidae in Ecuador. The second part will include the redescriptions and illustrations for the first time of the four Brazilian species.
Telosticta iban sp. nov. from Sarawak (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae)
Authors: DOW RORY A.
Published: March 2014

T. iban sp. nov. is described from the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Both sexes can be distinguished from all other species of Telosticta by the form of the antehumeral markings.