bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mutation of sepJ reduces the intercellular signal range of a hetN‐dependent paracrine signal, but not of a patS‐dependent signal, in the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120
Authors: Rivers Orion S. , Videau Patrick , Callahan Sean M.
Published: October 2014

Formation and maintenance of a periodic pattern of nitrogen‐fixing cells called heterocysts by the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 is dependent on regulators encoded by patS and hetN. In this study, genetic mosaic filaments that consisted of cells engineered to produce one of the developmental regulators flanked by target cells capable of reporting the activity of the developmental regulator were used to investigate the intercellular movement of patS‐ and hetN‐dependent activity. We provide evidence that hetN encodes a paracrine signal with a signal range of several cells. The signal that moved between cells did not include the C‐terminus of the annotated HetN protein as indicated by similar signal ranges from source cells expressing either hetN‐YFP or hetN alone, despite a lack of intercellular exchange of the HetN‐YFP fusion protein. Deletion of sepJ, which has been shown to encode a component of intercellular channels, caused a significant decrease in the signal range of hetN expressed from source cells but not of patS. These results are consistent with symplastic transport of a paracrine hetN‐dependent signal between vegetative cells of Anabaena.
Tangier disease in a Turkish family
Authors: Sahiner Neriman , Kocak Mukadder , Demirceken Fulya , Kisa Ucler , Ayva Sebnem , Kazkayasi Mustafa
Published: October 2014

In this report we describe the upper gastrointestinal tractus involvement in a rare genetic disease of lipid metabolism. A 12‐year‐old boy presented with sore throat and fever. On physical examination, orange–yellow tonsils and adenoid tissue were noted. Mild hepatosplenomegaly was present. Lipid profile was compatible with Tangier disease (TD). Endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract showed white‐yellowish fatty deposits on the gastric mucosa. Microscopically, biopsy specimens contained numerous histiocytes with a foamy cytoplasm packed in the lamina propria of the gastric mucosa and at the crypt basement of the duodenum. His sister, 8 years old, was also diagnosed with TD based on abnormal lipid profile and orange–yellow tonsils. TD is a rare familial disorder of lipid metabolism, characterized by deposition of cholesteryl esters, probably involving the entirety of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus.
Neonatal Dubin–Johnson syndrome: Novel compound heterozygous mutation in the ABCC2 gene
Authors: Okada Hitoshi , Kusaka Takashi , Fuke Noriko , Kunikata Jun , Kondo Sonoko , Iwase Takashi , Nan Wang , Hirota Takeshi , Ieiri Ichiro , Itoh Susumu
Published: October 2014

Dubin–Johnson syndrome (DJS) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Neonatal‐onset DJS is rare. It is caused by dysfunction of adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette, sub‐family C, member 2 (ABCC2). We found a novel compound heterozygous mutation of DJS‐related gene: W709R (T2145C): a missense mutation in exon 17, and R768W (C2302T), a missense mutation in exon 18. Serum diglucuronosyl bilirubin/monoglucuronosyl bilirubin ratio was high. ABCC2 may excrete diglucuronosyl bilirubin preferentially over monoglucuronosyl bilirubin.
Successful management of neonatal renal venous thrombosis
Authors: Piscitelli Antonio , Galiano Rossella , Piccolo Vincenzo , Concolino Daniela , Strisciuglio Pietro
Published: October 2014

Renal vein thrombosis is the most common vascular condition involving the newborn kidney and it can result in severe renal damage. We report a newborn with renal vein thrombosis treated with continuous infusion of unfractionated heparin who had normal total renal function after 3 years of follow up, despite reduction of the functional contribution of the affected kidney.
Ocular dimensions, corneal thickness, and corneal curvature in quarter horses with hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia
Authors: Badial Peres R. , Cisneros‐Àlvarez Luis Emiliano , Brandão Cláudia Valéria S. , Ranzani José Joaquim T. , Tomaz Mayana A.R.V. , Machado Vania M. , Borges Alexandre S.
Published: October 2014

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare ocular dimensions, corneal curvature, and corneal thickness between horses affected with hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) and unaffected horses.

Animals

FiveHERDA‐affected quarter horses and five healthy control quarter horses were used.

Methods

Schirmer's tear test, tonometry, and corneal diameter measurements were performed in both eyes of all horses prior to ophthalmologic examinations. Ultrasonic pachymetry was performed to measure the central, temporal, nasal, dorsal, and ventral corneal thicknesses in all horses. B‐mode ultrasound scanning was performed on both eyes of each horse to determine the dimensions of the ocular structures and to calculate the corneal curvature.

Results

Each corneal region examined in this study was thinner in the affected group compared with the healthy control group. However, significant differences in corneal thickness were only observed for the central and dorsal regions.HERDA‐affected horses exhibited significant increases in corneal curvature and corneal diameter compared with unaffected animals. The ophthalmologic examinations revealed mild corneal opacity in one eye of one affected horse and in both eyes of three affected horses. No significant between‐group differences were observed forSchirmer's tear test, intraocular pressure, or ocular dimensions.

Conclusions

Hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia‐affected horses exhibit decreased corneal thickness in several regions of the cornea, increased corneal curvature, increased corneal diameter, and mild corneal opacity. Additional research is required to determine whether the increased corneal curvature significantly impacts the visual accuracy of horses withHERDA.
Establishment of Lolium species resistant to acetolactate synthase‐inhibiting herbicide in and around grain‐importation ports in Japan
Authors: Shimono Y , Shimono A , Oguma H , Konuma A , Tominaga T
Published: October 2014

Compared with natural seed dispersal, human‐mediated seed dispersal could spread herbicide resistance genes on a much larger scale. Herbicide‐resistant weed seeds have been reported as contaminants in commercial grain. We investigated the contamination of seeds of Lolium species with target‐site mutations conferring resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)‐inhibiting herbicides in wheat imported from the USA, Canada and Australia into Japan. We also investigated the establishment of ALS‐inhibiting herbicide‐resistant Lolium species in 12 seaports in Japan that are major entry points for international commodities. We found herbicide‐resistant Lolium spp. seeds from all classes of wheat samples. Resistant individuals became established at six of eight ports where more than 50 kt of imported wheat is unloaded every year. The establishment of resistant Lolium spp. individuals was common at major grain landing ports. Monitoring over 3 years at one port revealed that the frequency of resistant individuals did not fluctuate between years. Many resistant individuals were distributed in front of the entrance of a fodder company, but a few resistant individuals were found in areas 2 km away from the port. The results indicate that gene flow is rare through pollen or seed movement from resistant plants to peripheral populations. Further extensive and long‐term monitoring is necessary to perform a comprehensive risk assessment of herbicide‐resistant plants entering Japan through major commercial ports.
Signal to noise ratio of energy selective x‐ray photon counting systems with pileup
Authors: Alvarez Robert E.
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

To derive fundamental limits on the effect of pulse pileup and quantum noise in photon counting detectors on the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and noise variance of energy selective x‐ray imaging systems.

Methods:

An idealized model of the response of counting detectors to pulse pileup is used. The model assumes a nonparalyzable response and delta function pulse shape. The model is used to derive analytical formulas for the noise and energy spectrum of the recorded photons with pulse pileup. These formulas are first verified with a Monte Carlo simulation. They are then used with a method introduced in a previous paper [R. E. Alvarez, “Near optimal energy selective x‐ray imaging system performance with simple detectors,” Med. Phys. 37, 822–841 (2010)] to compare the signal to noise ratio with pileup to the ideal SNR with perfect energy resolution. Detectors studied include photon counting detectors with pulse height analysis (PHA), detectors that simultaneously measure the number of photons and the integrated energy (NQ detector), and conventional energy integrating and photon counting detectors. The increase in the A‐vector variance with dead time is also computed and compared to the Monte Carlo results. A formula for the covariance of the NQ detector is developed. The validity of the constant covariance approximation to the Cramèr–Rao lower bound (CRLB) for larger counts is tested.

Results:

The SNR becomes smaller than the conventional energy integrating detector (Q) SNR for 0.52, 0.65, and 0.78 expected number photons per dead time for counting (N), two, and four bin PHA detectors, respectively. The NQ detector SNR is always larger than the N and Q SNR but only marginally so for larger dead times. Its noise variance increases by a factor of approximately 3 and 5 for the A1 and A2 components as the dead time parameter increases from 0 to 0.8 photons per dead time. With four bin PHA data, the increase in variance is approximately 2 and 4 times. The constant covariance approximation to the CRLB is valid for larger counts such as those used in medical imaging.

Conclusions:

The SNR decreases rapidly as dead time increases. This decrease places stringent limits on allowable dead times with the high count rates required for medical imaging systems. The probability distribution of the idealized data with pileup is shown to be accurately described as a multivariate normal for expected counts greater than those typically utilized in medical imaging systems. The constant covariance approximation to the CRLB is also shown to be valid in this case. A new formula for the covariance of the NQ detector with pileup is derived and validated.
Graphing Reality
Authors: Beeken Paul
Published: October 2014

Graphing is an essential skill that forms the foundation of any physical science.1 Understanding the relationships between measurements ultimately determines which modeling equations are successful in predicting observations.2 Over the years, science and math teachers have approached teaching this skill with a variety of techniques. For secondary school instruction, the job of graphing skills falls heavily on physics teachers. By virtue of the nature of the topics we cover, it is our mission to develop this skill to the fine art that it is.
Stress relaxation in the nonequilibrium state of a polymer melt
Authors: Andablo-Reyes Efren A. , de Boer Ele L. , Romano Dario , Rastogi Sanjay
Published: October 2014

The influence of entanglement density on the constraint renewal time is studied experimentally in transitory nonequilibrium polymer melts. The entanglement density, as quantified by the rubber elasticity, increases as the linear polymer melt transforms into the equilibrium state. The relaxation modulus obtained from linear step-strain deformations, performed at different points during the equilibration, shows an increase in constraint renewal time as the entanglement density increases. The normalized relaxation modulus curves collapse onto a single curve by rescaling the time axis with a factor G′¯(t)0.9 (where G′¯(t) is the normalized instantaneous modulus). These findings suggest that, though the relaxation time increases with the increasing number of entanglements, the mechanism responsible for stress relaxation, after application of step-strain, is similar to that in a fully entangled melt.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Pyrazinamide Resistance Determinants: a Multicenter Study
Authors: Miotto Paolo , Cabibbe Andrea M. , Feuerriegel Silke , Casali Nicola , Drobniewski Francis , Rodionova Yulia , Bakonyte Daiva , Stakenas Petras , Pimkina Edita , Augustynowicz-Kopeć Ewa , Degano Massimo , Ambrosi Alessandro , Hoffner Sven , Mansjö Mikael , Werngren Jim , Rüsch-Gerdes Sabine , Niemann Stefan , Cirillo Daniela M.
Published: October 2014

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a prodrug that is converted to pyrazinoic acid by the enzyme pyrazinamidase, encoded by the
pncA
gene in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Molecular identification of mutations in
pncA
offers the potential for rapid detection of pyrazinamide resistance (PZA
r
). However, the genetic variants are highly variable and scattered over the full length of
pncA
, complicating the development of a molecular test. We performed a large multicenter study assessing
pncA
sequence variations in 1,950 clinical isolates, including 1,142 multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and 483 fully susceptible strains. The results of
pncA
sequencing were correlated with phenotype, enzymatic activity, and structural and phylogenetic data. We identified 280 genetic variants which were divided into four classes: (i) very high confidence resistance mutations that were found only in PZA
r
strains (85%), (ii) high-confidence resistance mutations found in more than 70% of PZA
r
strains, (iii) mutations with an unclear role found in less than 70% of PZA
r
strains, and (iv) mutations not associated with phenotypic resistance (10%). Any future molecular diagnostic assay should be able to target and identify at least the very high and high-confidence genetic variant markers of PZA
r
; the diagnostic accuracy of such an assay would be in the range of 89.5 to 98.8%.

IMPORTANCE
Conventional phenotypic testing for pyrazinamide resistance in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
is technically challenging and often unreliable. The development of a molecular assay for detecting pyrazinamide resistance would be a breakthrough, directly overcoming both the limitations of conventional testing and its related biosafety issues. Although the main mechanism of pyrazinamide resistance involves mutations inactivating the
pncA
enzyme, the highly diverse genetic variants scattered over the full length of the
pncA
gene and the lack of a reliable phenotypic gold standard hamper the development of molecular diagnostic assays. By analyzing a large number of strains collected worldwide, we have classified the different genetic variants based on their predictive value for resistance which should lead to more rapid diagnostic tests. This would assist clinicians in improving treatment regimens for patients.
Assessing the role of a medication-indication resource in the treatment relation extraction from clinical text
Authors: Bejan Cosmin Adrian , Wei Wei-Qi , Denny Joshua C
Published: October 2014

Objective To evaluate the contribution of the MEDication Indication (MEDI) resource and SemRep for identifying treatment relations in clinical text.

Materials and methods We first processed clinical documents with SemRep to extract the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) concepts and the treatment relations between them. Then, we incorporated MEDI into a simple algorithm that identifies treatment relations between two concepts if they match a medication-indication pair in this resource. For a better coverage, we expanded MEDI using ontology relationships from RxNorm and UMLS Metathesaurus. We also developed two ensemble methods, which combined the predictions of SemRep and the MEDI algorithm. We evaluated our selected methods on two datasets, a Vanderbilt corpus of 6864 discharge summaries and the 2010 Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2)/Veteran's Affairs (VA) challenge dataset.

Results The Vanderbilt dataset included 958 manually annotated treatment relations. A double annotation was performed on 25% of relations with high agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.86). The evaluation consisted of comparing the manual annotated relations with the relations identified by SemRep, the MEDI algorithm, and the two ensemble methods. On the first dataset, the best F1-measure results achieved by the MEDI algorithm and the union of the two resources (78.7 and 80, respectively) were significantly higher than the SemRep results (72.3). On the second dataset, the MEDI algorithm achieved better precision and significantly lower recall values than the best system in the i2b2 challenge. The two systems obtained comparable F1-measure values on the subset of i2b2 relations with both arguments in MEDI.

Conclusions Both SemRep and MEDI can be used to extract treatment relations from clinical text. Knowledge-based extraction with MEDI outperformed use of SemRep alone, but superior performance was achieved by integrating both systems. The integration of knowledge-based resources such as MEDI into information extraction systems such as SemRep and the i2b2 relation extractors may improve treatment relation extraction from clinical text.
Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy augmentation in major depression treatment (ECAM study): study protocol for a randomised clinical trial
Authors: Nakagawa Atsuo , Sado Mitsuhiro , Mitsuda Dai , Fujisawa Daisuke , Kikuchi Toshiaki , Abe Takayuki , Sato Yuji , Iwashita Satoru , Mimura Masaru , Ono Yutaka
Published: October 2014

Introduction

Major depression is a serious mental disorder that causes substantial distress and impairment in individuals and places an enormous burden on society. Although antidepressant treatment is the most common therapy provided in routine practice, there is little evidence to guide second-line therapy for patients who have failed to respond to antidepressants. The aim of this paper is to describe the study protocol for a randomised controlled trial that measures the clinical effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as an augmentation strategy to treat patients with non-psychotic major depression identified as suboptimal responders to usual depression care.

Methods and analysis

The current study is a 16-week assessor-blinded randomised, parallel-groups superiority trial with 12-month follow-up at an outpatient clinic as part of usual depression care. Patients aged 20–65 years with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) Major Depressive Disorder who have experienced at least one failed trial of antidepressants as part of usual depression care, will be randomly assigned to receive CBT plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual alone. The primary outcome is the change in clinician-rated 17-item GRID-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (GRID-HAMD) score at 16 weeks, and secondary outcomes include severity and change in scores of subjective depression symptoms, proportion of responders and remitters, safety and quality of life. The primary population will be the intention-to-treat patients.

Ethics and dissemination

All protocols and the informed consent form comply with the Ethics Guideline for Clinical Research (Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). Ethics review committees at the Keio University School of Medicine and the Sakuragaoka Memorial Hospital approved the study protocol. The results of the study will be disseminated at several research conferences and as published articles in peer-reviewed journals. The study will be implemented and reported in line with the CONSORT statement.

Trial registration number

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000001218.
Acute changes in substrate oxidation do not affect short-term food intake in healthy boys and men
Authors: Hunschede Sascha , El Khoury Dalia , Antoine-Jonville Sophie , Smith Christopher , Thomas Scott , Anderson G. Harvey
Published: October 2014

The acute relationship between substrate oxidation as measured by respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and food intake (FI) has not been defined. The purpose of the study was to determine acute relationships between RER, modified by exercise and a glucose load, and FI and net energy balance (NEB) in physically active normal-weight boys and men. In a crossover design, 15 boys (aged 9–12 years) and 15 men (aged 20–30 years) were randomly assigned to 4 conditions: (i) water and rest, (ii) glucose-drink and rest, (iii) water and exercise, and (iv) glucose-drink and exercise. Indirect calorimetry was used to determine RER, energy expenditure, and carbohydrate and fat oxidation. Subjective appetite and blood glucose were also measured. RER was higher after glucose (0.91 ± 0.01) compared with water (0.87 ± 0.01) (p < 0.0001), and after exercise (0.91 ± 0.01) compared with rest (0.88 ± 0.01) (p = 0.0043) in men (0.91 ± 0.01) compared with boys (0.88 ± 0.01) (p = 0.0002). FI (kcal·m−2) did not differ between boys and men. Glucose (582 ± 24 kcal·m−2) reduced FI compared with water (689 ± 25 kcal·m−2) (p < 0.0001), and further decreased FI when combined with exercise (554 ± 34 kcal·m−2) (p = 0.0303). NEB was reduced with exercise (573 ± 25 kcal·m−2) compared with the sedentary condition (686 ± 24 kcal·m−2) (p < 0.0001), but was higher after the glucose drink (654 ± 27 kcal·m−2) compared with water (605 ± 25 kcal·m−2) (p = 0.0267). No correlations were found between RER and FI or NEB in boys and men, except in the control condition of resting with water. In conclusion, the short-term modification of substrate oxidation by glucose and/or exercise in normal weight and active boys and men did not affect FI and NEB.
Effect of salinity on rhizosphere acidification and antioxidant activity of two acacia species
Authors: Abbas Ghulam , Saqib Muhammad , Akhtar Javaid , Murtaza Ghulam , Shahid Muhammad
Published: October 2014

Salinity is a major environmental stress that is reducing crop yield, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. It is responsible for many physiological and biochemical disorders in plants. To investigate its effects on two acacia species, namely Acacia ampliceps Maslin and Acacia nilotica L., a solution-culture experiment was conducted in which both species were exposed to NaCl concentrations of 100 and 200 mmol·L–1. After four weeks of salinity stress, plants were harvested, and physical-growth data were recorded. The membrane stability index and activities of antioxidants enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase were determined using standard methods. Root exudates were collected for the analysis of organic acids, i.e., citric acid and tartaric acid. Root ash alkalinity was also measured. The results indicated that salinity stress caused a significant increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and in the release of organic acids in both species. Higher activities of antioxidant enzymes resulted in less damage to membranes and produced more shoot and root biomass in A. ampliceps than in A. nilotica. Likewise, having more rhizosphere acidification enabled A. ampliceps to respond in a better way to salinity stress than A. nilotica.
Electron impact ionization cross sections of atoms
Authors: Kaur Jaspreet , Gupta Dhanoj , Naghma Rahla , Ghoshal Debdeep , Antony Bobby
Published: October 2014

In this article, we report the electron impact ionization cross sections for atoms Si, P, S, Sc, Cr, Mn, Co, Zn, Ga, Ge, Nb, Rh, and Cd, having applications in different areas of applied science and technology. The energy regime for the calculation is from the ionization threshold of the target to 2000 eV. We have employed the spherical complex optical potential method to calculate inelastic cross sections. A semiempirical complex scattering potential ionization contribution method is then used to estimate the ionization cross section from the inelastic cross section. In general, good agreement between the present results with available theoretical datasets and measurements are observed. The prime focus of this study was to investigate electron impact ionization phenomena in less studied targets. The results obtained are found to be quite encouraging. The values presented here are reasonable estimates of cross section for all the atoms studied.
Design of Bulk Acoustic Wave Filters for Beidou Receiver
Authors: Lu Tingting , Wang Shuai , Zhang Hao , Xu Lingwei , Gulliver T. Aaron
Published: October 2014

Based on the thin-film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) technology, a new narrow-band bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filter for Beidou B1 band receiver is designed. The aluminum nitride thin film is used as a piezoelectric layer. The Mason model of air-gap TFBAR (AGR) resonators is established in advanced design system to investigate the relationship between electrical impedance and physical parameters. The simulation results illustrate the effect of the area of parallel unit and the number of resonators on the performance of the BAW filters. By changing the series-parallel unit series and area ratio, the pass band of the BAW filter can reach 1556–1566 MHz, and the out-of-band rejection and the insertion loss can reach 47.5 dB and 3.0 dB, respectively.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE TIBIOTALAR JOINT OF INTACT MALE FEET UNDER UNLOADED AND AXIAL-LOADED CONDITIONS
Authors: Nozaki Shuhei , Taniguchi Keigo , Watanabe Kota , Katayose Masaki
Published: October 2014

Purpose: We investigated the distribution of three-axis rotational directions of the tibiotalar joint in intact feet under axial loading and categorized them according to the combinations of the three-axis rotational directions of the tibiotalar joint as three-dimensional (3D) rotational patterns. Methods: The differences in rotational orientation of the talus relative to the tibia under unloaded and axial-loaded conditions were calculated from the 3D models of the tibiotalar joint that were reconstructed from magnetic resonance (MR) images in 27 intact male feet. Results: In the sagittal plane, the talus rotated into plantarflexion in 63% of the feet and into dorsiflexion in 30%. In the coronal plane, the talus rotated into inversion in 37% of the feet and into eversion in 33%. In the transverse plane, the talus rotated into adduction in 85% of the feet and into abduction in 4%. A total of 10 3D tibiotalar joint rotational patterns were observed under axial loading. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of the 10 tibiotalar joint rotational patterns (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The 3D tibiotalar joint rotational patterns under axial loading were consolidated into 10 directions, which provides insight into the subject-specific kinematics of the tibiotalar joint.
Stock Price Informativeness and Idiosyncratic Return Volatility in Emerging Markets: Evidence from China
Authors: Lin Karen Jingrong , Karim Khondkar , Carter Clairmont
Published: October 2014

This study attempts to address two research questions on the idiosyncratic return volatility and stock price informativeness. First, whether idiosyncratic return volatility is a valid proxy for stock price informativeness in emerging markets, and if it is, whether there exists a monotonic relationship between the idiosyncratic return volatility and stock price informativeness throughout the whole sample. We find that the idiosyncratic return volatility reflects the stock price informativeness in China. However, such a relationship does not exist in a monotonic fashion. These results indicate that idiosyncratic return volatility serves as an information measure, but must be used with caution.
Genetic Profiling of thePlasmodium falciparumPopulation Using Antigenic Molecular Markers
Authors: Gupta Purva , Singh Ruchi , Khan Haris , Raza Adil , Yadavendu Veena , Bhatt R. M. , Singh Vineeta
Published: October 2014

About 50% of malaria infections in India are attributed toPlasmodium falciparumbut relatively little is known about the genetic structure of the parasite populations. The molecular genotyping of the parasite populations by merozoite surface protein(msp1 and msp2)and glutamate-rich protein (glurp) genes identifies the existing parasite population in the regions which help in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the parasite’s drive for survival. This study reveals the genetic profile of the parasite population in selected regions across the country with varying degree of endemicity among them. We also report the prevalence ofPfcrtmutations in this parasite population to evaluate the pattern of drug resistance development in them.
Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: An Infrequent Complication of Scoliosis Surgery
Authors: Keskin Metin , Akgül Turgut , Bayraktar Adem , Dikici Fatih , Balık Emre
Published: October 2014

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is a rare condition that causes a proximal small intestinal obstruction due to contraction of the angle between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta. Scoliosis surgery is one of the 15 reasons for superior mesenteric artery syndrome, which can present with acute or chronic manifestations. Although conservative treatment is usually possible, surgical treatment is required in certain cases that cannot be treated using conservative methods. In this paper, we describe a patient who developed superior mesenteric artery syndrome after scoliosis surgery and was treated with duodenojejunostomy due to failure and complications of conservative treatment.
First Report of the Stapled Mesh Stoma Reinforcement Technique in a Urologic Context
Authors: Chang Dwayne Tun Soong , Thyer Isaac Andrew , Larkin John Oliver , Wallace Marina Helen , Hayne Dickon
Published: October 2014

Parastomal hernia is a common complication of ileal conduit formation. Mesh repair of parastomal hernia has lower rate of recurrence than nonmesh techniques but can be time-consuming to perform. The stapled mesh stoma reinforcement technique (SMART) is a novel method of rapidly constructing a reinforced stapled stoma. We report the first case utilising this technique in a urologic context. The procedure was performed on a middle-aged female with recurrent parastomal hernia of her ileal conduit. There were no perioperative complications. The resited stoma remained healthy and functioned normally. Longer term data is clearly desirable though this technique deserves consideration in the treatment of urologic parastomal hernias. This case demonstrates that SMART is an easy and convenient procedure for parastomal hernia repair.
Reduced Oxidative Stress Contributes to the Lipid Lowering Effects of Isoquercitrin in Free Fatty Acids Induced Hepatocytes
Authors: Hassan Waseem , Rongyin Gao , Daoud Abdelkader , Ding Lin , Wang Lulu , Liu Jun , Shang Jing
Published: October 2014

Oxidative stress interferes with hepatic lipid metabolism at various levels ranging from benign lipid storage to so-called second hit of inflammation activation. Isoquercitrin (IQ) is widely present flavonoid but its effects on hepatic lipid metabolism remain unknown. We used free fatty acids (FFA) induced lipid overload and oxidative stress model in two types of liver cells and measured cell viability, intracellular lipids, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) within hepatocytes. In addition, Intracellular triglycerides (TG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined. A novelin vitromodel was used to evaluate correlation between lipid lowering and antioxidative activities. Furthermore, 34 major cytokines and corresponding ROS levels were analyzed in FFA/LPS induced coculture model between hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. At molecular level AMPK pathway was elucidated. We showed that IQ attenuated FFA induced lipid overload and ROS within hepatocytes. Further, IQ reversed FFA induced increase in intracellular TG SOD and MDA. It was shown that antioxidative activity of IQ correlates with its lipid lowering potentials. IQ reversed major proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in FFA/LPS induced coculture model. Finally, AMPK pathway was found responsible for metabolic benefits at molecular level. IQ strikingly manifests antioxidative and related lipid lowering activities in hepatocytes.
Microwave-Assisted Simultaneous Extraction of Luteolin and Apigenin from Tree Peony Pod and Evaluation of Its Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Wang Hongzheng , Yang Lei , Zu Yuangang , Zhao Xiuhua
Published: October 2014

An efficient microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique was employed in simultaneous extraction of luteolin and apigenin from tree peony pod. The MAE procedure was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and compared with other conventional extraction techniques of macerate extraction (ME) and heat reflux extraction (HRE). The optimal conditions of MAE were as follows: employing 70% ethanol volume fraction as solvent, soaking time of 4 h, liquid-solid ratio of 10 (mL/g), microwave irradiation power of 265 W, microwave irradiation time of 9.6 min, and 3 extraction cycles. Under the optimal conditions, 151 μg/g luteolin and 104 μg/g apigenin were extracted from the tree peony pod. Compared with ME and HRE, MAE gave the highest extraction efficiency. The antioxidant activities of the extracts obtained by MAE, ME, and HRE were evaluated using a 2,2-di(4-tert-octylphenyl)-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging assay, a ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), and a reducing power assay. Meanwhile, the structural changes of the unprocessed and processed tree peony pod samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.
Vehicle Velocity and Roll Angle Estimation with Road and Friction Adaptation for Four‐Wheel Independent Drive Electric Vehicle
Authors: Zhao Linhui , Liu Zhiyuan
Published: October 2014

Vehicle velocity and roll angle are important information for active safety control systems of four‐wheel independent drive electric vehicle. In order to obtain robustness estimation of vehicle velocity and roll angle, a novel method is proposed based on vehicle dynamics and the measurement information provided by the sensors equipped in modern cars. The method is robust with respect to different road and friction conditions. Firstly, the dynamic characteristics of four‐wheel independent drive electric vehicle are analyzed, and a four‐degree‐of‐freedom nonlinear dynamic model of vehicle and a tire longitudinal dynamic equation are established. The relationship between the longitudinal and lateral friction forces is derived based on Dugoff tire model. The unknown input reconstruction technique of sliding mode observer is used to achieve longitudinal tire friction force estimation. A simple observer is designed for the estimation of the roll angle of the vehicle. And then using the relationship, the estimated longitudinal friction forces and roll angle, a sliding mode observer for vehicle velocity estimation is provided, which does not need to know the tire‐road friction coefficient and road angles. Finally, the proposed method is evaluated experimentally under a variety of maneuvers and road conditions.
A Neonate with CLOVES Syndrome
Authors: Sarici Dilek , Akin Mustafa Ali , Kurtoglu Selim , Tubas Filiz , Sarici Serdar Umit
Published: October 2014

Congenital lipomatous overgrowth, vascular malformations, and epidermal nevi (CLOVE) syndrome is a recently delineated disorder that comprises vascular malformations (typically truncal), dysregulated adipose tissue, scoliosis, enlarged bony structures (typically of the legs) without progression, or distorting bony overgrowth. The name CLOVE was subsequently extended to CLOVES to emphasize the association with scoliosis/skeletal and spinal anomalies and seizures/central nervous system malformations. We herein report a very rare case of CLOVES syndrome with the findings of lipomatous overgrowth in the cheek (facial asymmetry), vascular malformation (hemangiomas), epidermal nevi (large port wine stains), and skeletal abnormalities (widened first interdigital space, dystrophia in the nail of the first digit of the right foot, and bilateral hypertrophy of the first digits of the feet).
Random Forest Based Coarse Locating and KPCA Feature Extraction for Indoor Positioning System
Authors: Mo Yun , Zhang Zhongzhao , Lu Yang , Meng Weixiao , Agha Gul
Published: October 2014

With the fast developing of mobile terminals, positioning techniques based on fingerprinting method draw attention from many researchers even world famous companies. To conquer some shortcomings of the existing fingerprinting systems and further improve the system performance, on the one hand, in the paper, we propose a coarse positioning method based on random forest, which is able to customize several subregions, and classify test point to the region with an outstanding accuracy compared with some typical clustering algorithms. On the other hand, through the mathematical analysis in engineering, the proposed kernel principal component analysis algorithm is applied for radio map processing, which may provide better robustness and adaptability compared with linear feature extraction methods and manifold learning technique. We build both theoretical model and real environment for verifying the feasibility and reliability. The experimental results show that the proposed indoor positioning system could achieve 99% coarse locating accuracy and enhance 15% fine positioning accuracy on average in a strong noisy environment compared with some typical fingerprinting based methods.
Sequential Use of the Androgen Synthesis Inhibitors Ketoconazole and Abiraterone Acetate in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer and the Predictive Value of Circulating Androgens
Authors: Kim Won , Zhang Li , Wilton John H. , Fetterly Gerald , Mohler James L. , Weinberg Vivian , Morse Allison , Szmulewitz Russell Z. , Friedlander Terence W. , Fong Lawrence , Lin Amy M. , Harzstark Andrea L. , Molina Arturo , Small Eric J. , Ryan Charles J.
Published: October 2014

Purpose: Patients previously treated with ketoconazole were excluded from phase III trials of abiraterone acetate due to potential overlapping mechanism of action. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical utility of abiraterone and its impact on circulating androgens following ketoconazole.

Experimental Design: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with progressive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and prior ketoconazole therapy ≥28 days received abiraterone acetate 1,000 mg daily and prednisone 5 mg twice daily. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with PSA response, defined as ≥30% PSA decline at 12 weeks. H0 = 0.30 versus H1 = 0.50 (α = 0.05, power = 0.83). Circulating androgen levels were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: Thirty-nine patients were included in the final analysis. Twenty (51%; 95% confidence interval, 36%–66%) patients had ≥30% PSA decline; the null hypothesis was rejected. Sixteen (41%) had ≥50% PSA decline. Median PFS (progression-free survival) was 16 weeks; median radiographic PFS (rPFS) was 36 weeks. Samples for measurement of baseline androgens were available in 37 patients. The PSA response proportion was 59% in 29 patients with DHEA ≥ limit of quantitation (LOQ), compared with 13% in 8 patients with DHEA < LOQ (P = 0.042). Median PFS was 6 and 16 weeks in DHEA < LOQ and DHEA ≥ LOQ patients, respectively (P = 0.017); median rPFS was 14 and 36 weeks in DHEA < LOQ and DHEA ≥ LOQ patients, respectively (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Abiraterone demonstrates modest clinical efficacy in mCRPC patients previously treated with ketoconazole. Patients with DHEA ≥ LOQ were more likely to demonstrate PSA responses and longer PFS. Analysis of circulating androgens merits further investigation as a biomarker for response to androgen synthesis inhibitor therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 20(24); 6269–76. ©2014 AACR.
Dietary Intake of Schoolchildren and Adolescents in Developing Countries
Authors: Ochola Sophie , Masibo Peninah Kinya
Published: October 2014

School age and adolescence is a dynamic period of growth and development forming a strong foundation for good health and productive adult life. Appropriate dietary intake is critical for forming good eating habits and provides the much needed nutrients for growth, long-term health, cognition and educational achievements. A large proportion of the population globally is in the school age or adolescence, with more than three quarters of these groups living in developing countries. An up-to-date review and discussion of the dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents in developing countries is suitable to provide recent data on patterns of dietary intake, adequacy of nutrient intake and their implications for public health and nutrition issues of concern. This review is based on literature published from 2000 to 2014 on dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents aged 6-19 years. A total of 50 studies from 42 countries reporting on dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents were included. The dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents in developing countries is limited in diversity, mainly comprising plant-based food sources, but with limited intake of fruits and vegetables. There is a low energy intake and insufficient micronutrient intake. At the same time, the available data indicate an emerging trend of consumption of high-energy snacks and beverages, particularly in urban areas. The existence of a negative and positive energy balance in the same population points to the dual burden of malnutrition and highlights the emerging nutrition transition in developing countries. This observation is important for planning public health nutrition approaches that address the concerns of the two ends of the nutrition divide.
Melatonin Reduces Projection Neuronal Injury Induced by 3-Nitropropionic Acid in the Rat Striatum
Authors: Mu Shuhua , Lin Erjian , Liu Bingbing , Ma Yuxin , OuYang Lisi , Li Youlan , Chen Si , Zhang Jian , Lei Wanlong
Published: October 2014

Background: Melatonin has shown a protective effect against various oxidative damages in the nervous system. Our previous studies have also confirmed its effect on behavioral dysfunction of experimental rats and injury of striatal interneurons induced by 3-nitropropionic acid. The present study aimed to further determine the effect of melatonin on the injury of striatal projection neurons induced by 3-nitropropionic acid. Methods: Classic histology, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and immunoelectron microscopy were applied in this study. Results: The results were as follows: (1) in the striatum, 3-nitropropionic acid induced a clear lesion area with a transition zone around it, in which both D1+ and D2+ fibers were decreased significantly. However, in the group with melatonin treatment, the striatal lesion area was smaller than in the 3-nitropropionic acid group and the loss of D1+ and D2+ fibers was less pronounced than in the 3-nitropropionic acid group. (2) Histochemical results showed that the dendritic spine density of striatal projection neurons was decreased more seriously after 3-nitropropionic acid treatment, whereas the loss of dendritic spines was less marked in the melatonin-treated group than in the 3- nitropropionic acid group. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that the density of D1+ and D2+ dendrites and spines was significantly decreased in the 3-nitropropionic acid group, and the loss of D1+ and D2+ spines as well as D2+ dendrites was significantly reversed by melatonin administration. (3) Western blotting showed that the expression level of projection neuron protein markers decreased more significantly in the 3-nitropropionic acid group than in the control group and increased significantly in the melatonin-treated group. Conclusions: The present results suggest that 3-nitropropionic acid induces serious injury of striatal projection neurons and that melatonin effectively protects against this pathological damage.
Functional and Physical Abilities in the Early Continuum of Cognitive Decline
Authors: Shin Joon-Ho , Lim Jae-Young , Kim Ki Woong , Kim Suyoung , Lee Jaebong , Paik Nam-Jong
Published: October 2014

Background/Aims: The early cognitive continuum has been emphasized recently. We sought to characterize the functional and physical aspects of the cognitive continuum in subjects with no cognitive impairment (NCI), subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), nonamnestic (NA-MCI), and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (A-MCI). Furthermore, we identified the potential diagnostic utility of specific functional tasks. Methods: A total of 702 participants, aged ≥65 years and defined as NCI, SCI, NA-MCI, and A-MCI according to the original Petersen criteria, were included. They completed the Korean basic (K-ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scales (K-IADL) and the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA). Results: Significant differences were observed between the different cognitive status groups in three items and total scores on the K-ADL, six items and total scores on the K-IADL and POMA. Controlling for confounding factors revealed that subjects from the A-MCI group performed poorly at bathing, shopping, handling money, and the sum of assorted functional items. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the declining feature of functional and physical performance according to the cognitive continuum, with A-MCI being discriminative with respect to specific functional tasks as compared to milder cognitive statuses. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
Conjunctival Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Patel Darshak S. , Rundle Paul , Salvi Sachin M. , Fernando Malee , Mudhar Hardeep Singh
Published: October 2014

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) represents an uncommon variant of T-cell lymphomas and most often presents insidiously with systemic symptoms. This report constitutes the first documented case of conjunctival AITL, masquerading as nodular episcleritis, and describes both the clinical and pathological findings. Furthermore, conjunctival T-cell lymphoma in general remains a rare occurrence, and a survey of previously reported cases reveals a wide variation in clinical presentation. A high index of suspicion, thorough examination and conjunctival biopsy are essential to reaching the diagnosis of conjunctival lymphoma. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel