bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intestinal complications of Behçet’s disease
Authors: Kovacs D Botond , Ray Dipak K , Dasgupta Kaushik , Borowski David W
Published: August 2013

We report a case of a young female patient with long-standing oral and genital Behçet’s disease (BD), who presented with progressive severe colonic inflammation and perforation, requiring multiple laparotomies. The case had ultimately a favourable outcome despite posing a number of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Intestinal complications, although rare, should be considered as important differential diagnoses in patients with BD presenting with abdominal pain, and is a difficult-to-prove differential diagnosis to Crohn's disease.
Endovascular management of ruptured common iliac mycotic aneurysm in an HIV-positive patient
Authors: Aziz Aamir , Mooka Busi , Clarke Moloney Mary , Kavanagh Eamon
Published: August 2013

Isolated iliac artery aneurysms are a rare entity. The majority of cases are asymptomatic and often escape detection. Mortality rates after sudden rupture and emergent surgery for iliac artery aneurysm are very high. We report a case of a 56-year-old man who presented with right hip pain masquerading as septic arthritis or psoas abscess. CT showed ruptured right common iliac artery aneurysm with extensive active extravasation into psoas with a retroperitoneal haematoma. Aneurysm was repaired using an endovascular technique. Postoperative recovery was eventful with the patient experiencing severe back pain radiating down the leg accompanied with fever. CT showed persistent, right iliopsoas haematoma and pelvic haematoma with secondary hydronephrosis. Viral screen for hepatitis B, C and HIV returned positive. The patient was started on intravenous meropenem. Fever and pain settled. Repeated CT scan showed decrease in retroperitoneal pelvic haematoma.
REPRESENTATIONS BY CERTAIN OCTONARY QUADRATIC FORMS WHOSE COEFFICIENTS ARE 1, 2, 3 AND 6
Authors: ALACA ŞABAN , KESICIOĞLU YAVUZ
Published: August 2013

We determine formulae for the numbers of representations of a positive integer by certain octonary quadratic forms whose coefficients are 1, 2, 3 and 6.
GENERALIZATIONS OF IWASAWA'S "RIEMANN–HURWITZ" FORMULA FOR CYCLIC p-EXTENSIONS OF NUMBER FIELDS
Authors: SCHETTLER JORDAN
Published: August 2013

We produce generalizations of Iwasawa's "Riemann–Hurwitz" formula for number fields. These generalizations apply to cyclic extensions of number fields of degree pn for any positive integer n. We first deduce some congruences and inequalities and then use these formulas to establish a vanishing criterion for Iwasawa λ-invariants which generalizes a result of Fukuda et al. for totally real number fields.
Continuous and Emerging Challenges of Potato virus Y in Potato
Authors: Karasev Alexander V. , Gray Stewart M.
Published: August 2013

Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the oldest known plant viruses, and yet in the past 20 years it emerged in the United States as a relatively new and very serious problem in potato. The virus exists as a complex of strains that induce a wide variety of foliar and tuber symptoms in potato, leading to yield reduction and loss of tuber quality. PVY has displayed a distinct ability to evolve through accumulation of mutations and more rapidly through recombination between different strains, adapting to new potato cultivars across different environments. Factors behind PVY emergence as a serious potato threat are not clear at the moment, and here an attempt is made to analyze various properties of the virus and its interactions with potato resistance genes and with aphid vectors to explain this recent PVY spread in potato production areas. Recent advances in PVY resistance identification and mapping of corresponding genes are described. An updated classification is proposed for PVY strains that takes into account the most current information on virus molecular genetics, serology, and host reactivity.
Analytical Solution of MHD Stagnation-Point Flow and Heat Transfer of Casson Fluid over a Stretching Sheet with Partial Slip
Authors: Nandy Samir Kumar
Published: August 2013

This paper investigates the hydromagnetic boundary layer flow and heat transfer of a non-Newtonian Casson fluid in the neighborhood of a stagnation point over a stretching surface in the presence of velocity and thermal slips at the boundary. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similarity transformations. The analytic solutions are developed by a homotopy analysis method (HAM). The results pertaining to the present study indicate that the flow and temperature fields are significantly influenced by Casson parameter (), the magnetic parameter , the velocity slip parameter , and the thermal slip parameter . An increase in the velocity slip parameter causes decrease in the flow velocity, while an increase in the value of the thermal slip parameter causes increase in the temperature of the fluid. It is also observed that the velocity at a point decreases with increase in .
Nontargeted Identification of the Phenolic and Other Compounds of Saraca asoca by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Positive Electrospray Ionization and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Mittal Ashwani , Kadyan Preeti , Gahlaut Anjum , Dabur Rajesh
Published: August 2013

High performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer was used for separation and identification of phenolic and other compounds in the water extracts of Saraca asoca (Roxb.), De. Wilde. The aim of the study was to identify and evaluate the distribution of phenolic compounds in the different parts of the plant. The identity of compounds was established through the comparison with standards and characteristic base peaks as well as other daughter ions. In crude extracts, 34 catechin derivatives, 34 flavonoids, and 17 other compounds were identified. Interestingly, further analysis of compounds showed plant part specific unique pattern of metabolites; that is, regenerated bark is observed to be the best source for catechin/catechin derivative while flowers were found to be the source for wide variety of flavonoids. Moreover, these plant part specific compounds can be used as biomarkers for the identification of plant material or herbal drugs. Overall, the present study provides for the first time a comprehensive analysis of the phenolic components of this herb which may be helpful not only to understand their usage but also to contribute to quality control as well.
A New Alternating Segment Crank-Nicolson Scheme for the Fourth-Order Parabolic Equation
Authors: Guo Ge-yang , Liu Bo
Published: August 2013

A group of asymmetric difference schemes to approach the fourth-order parabolic equation is given. According
to these schemes and the Crank-Nicolson scheme, an alternating segment Crank-Nicolson scheme with intrinsic parallelism is constructed. The truncation errors and the stability are discussed. Numerical simulations show that this new scheme has unconditional stability and high accuracy and convergency, and it is in preference to the implicit scheme method.
Pinocembrin: A Novel Natural Compound with Versatile Pharmacological and Biological Activities
Authors: Rasul Azhar , Millimouno Faya Martin , Ali Eltayb Wafa , Ali Muhammad , Li Jiang , Li Xiaomeng
Published: August 2013

Pinocembrin (5,7-dihydroxyflavanone) is one of the primary flavonoids isolated from the variety of plants, mainly fromPinusheartwood,Eucalyptus, Populus, Euphorbia, andSparattosperma leucanthum, in the diverse flora and purified by various chromatographic techniques. Pinocembrin is a major flavonoid molecule incorporated as multifunctional in the pharmaceutical industry. Its vast range of pharmacological activities has been well researched including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. In addition, pinocembrin can be used as neuroprotective against cerebral ischemic injury with a wide therapeutic time window, which may be attributed to its antiexcitotoxic effects. Pinocembrin exhibits pharmacological effects on almost all systems, and our aim is to review the pharmacological and therapeutic applications of pinocembrin with specific emphasis on mechanisms of actions. The design of new drugs based on the pharmacological effects of pinocembrin could be beneficial. This review suggests that pinocembrin is a potentially promising pharmacological candidate, but additional studies and clinical trials are required to determine its specific intracellular sites of action and derivative targets in order to fully understand the mechanism of its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and apoptotic effects to further validate its medical applications.
Bleomycin Loaded Magnetite Nanoparticles Functionalized by Polyacrylic Acid as a New Antitumoral Drug Delivery System
Authors: Xu Yue , Lin Yi , Zhuang Lin , Lin Jiong , Lv Jiahong , Huang Qin , Sun Jiadong
Published: August 2013

Objective. To prepare, characterize, and analyze the release behavior of bleomycin-loaded magnetite nanoparticles (BLM-MNPs) coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a new drug delivery system that can be specifically distributed in the tumor site.Methods. BLM-MNPs coated with PAA were prepared using a solvothermal approach. The particles were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The loading and release behaviors of BLM-MNPs were examined by a mathematical formula and in vitro release profile at pH 7.5.Results. The sphere Fe3O4nanoparticles with the size of approximately 30 nm exhibit a saturation magnetization of 87 emu/g. The noncoordinated carboxylate groups of PAA confer on the good dispersibility in the aqueous solution and lead to a good loading efficiency of BLM reaching 50% or higher. Approximately 98% of immobilized BLM could be released within 24 h, of which 22.4% was released in the first hour and then the remaining was released slowly and quantitatively in the next 23 hours.Conclusion. BLM-MNPs were prepared and characterized successfully. The particles show high saturation magnetization, high drug loading capacity, and favorable release property, which could contribute to the specific delivery and controllable release of BLM, and the BLM-MNPs could be a potential candidate for the development of treating solid tumors.
Plastic Constitutive Model and Analysis of Flow Stress of 40Cr Quenched and Tempered Steel
Authors: Xiao-qiang Wang , Wen-juan Zhu , Feng-kui Cui , Yu-xi Li
Published: August 2013

To solve the problem of the accuracy of the numerical simulations of cold rolling, the thermomechanical responses of 40Cr under uniaxial compression loading are presented. The strain rates include quasistatic (0.004 s−1) at temperature of 293 K and dynamic loading regime (632 s−1~5160 s−1) at temperature regime (293 K~673 K). Significant strain rate and temperature sensitivity are measured. Based on these observations, the Johnson-Cook phenomenological constitutive model is proposed to predict the mechanical behavior of the 40Cr over wide ranges of strain rate and temperature. The solution process of the equation parameters is given. Correlations with this Johnson-Cook model are shown very close to the observed responses. Important material parameters are provided to the application of numerical analysis in project.
Correcting Inaccurately Recorded Data due to Faulty Calibration of a Capacitance Water Content Probe
Authors: ElNesr Mohammad N. , Alazba A. A. , El-Farrah Mohammad A.
Published: August 2013

Measuring soil water content by capacitance probes requires rigorous calibration to achieve acceptable accuracy. Some of the capacitance probes' users might take several readings using the default device calibrations or other prestored calibrations by mistake. This can lead to logging of faulty readings for periods of up to months or years. This study aimed to (1) study the importance of probe calibration and the level of error that results from using flawed calibrations and (2) to develop a mathematical method to correct the faulty recorded data. This research involved studying eleven scenarios of faulty calibrations including errors in the air/water calibration and in the in-soil calibration. A mathematical method was developed to correct the faulty recorded data and comparisons were made for the data after and before correction. Results indicated that using the manufacturer's default calibration within the software resulted in substantial error values especially for heavy textured soils. It is recommended that users and especially researchers should perform rigorous in-soil calibration wherever the probe is installed, and they should repeat the calibrations whenever the soil structure changed.
A Green Approach to the Production of Hybrid Diindolylmethane‐Phenylboronic Acids via a 3MCR: Promising Antineoplasic Molecules
Authors: Zarco Juarez Mónica , Martínez Joel Omar , Noguez Cordova Olivia , Nicolás Vazquez María Inés , Ramírez-Apan Teresa , Pérez Flores Javier , Miranda Ruvalcaba René , Arroyo Razo Gabriel Arturo
Published: August 2013

The current role of the “Green Chemistry Protocol” in multicomponent reactions is first highlighted. Then, the green approach to the production of three novel hybrid diindolylmethanes‐phenylboronic acids via a 3MCR is discussed, which features the following: solventless conditions, the use of microwave irradiation to activate the reactions, the absence of catalyst, and an efficient atom economy. The products were achieved with moderate yields (41–61%) within a short time frame (5 min) and appropriately characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods (NMR: 1H, 13C, 11B; MS: EI, CI, FAB+, HRMS). During the FAB+ MS determinations, various artifacts that are associated with the boron atom via an interaction with thioglycerol from the matrix were noted in the corresponding FAB+ mass spectra; in addition, the accurate mass determination of these adducts unequivocally confirmed the presence of the target molecules. Moreover, the activity of these target molecules was evaluated in the presence of six cancer cell lines (U251 = glia of the central nerve system, PC‐3 = prostate, K562 = leukemia, HCT‐15 = colon, MCF‐7 = breast, and SKLU‐1 = lung), which resulted in the meta‐regioisomer being the most active. Finally, the products were also analyzed using computational chemistry in order to determine their most stable geometries and reactivities by computing the respective molecular electrostatic potentials.
Composition and Performance of Nanostructured Zirconium Titanium Conversion Coating on Aluminum‐Magnesium Alloys
Authors: Yu Sheng-xue , Zhang Rui-jun , Tang Yong-fu , Ma Yan-ling , Du Wen-chao
Published: August 2013

Nanostructured conversion coating of Al‐Mg alloy was obtained via the surface treatment with zirconium titanium salt solution at 25°C for 10 min. The zirconium titanium salt solution is composed of tannic acid 1.00 g · L−1, K2ZrF6 0.75 g · L−1, NaF 1.25 g · L−1, MgSO4 1.0 g/L, and tetra‐n‐butyl titanate (TBT) 0.08 g · L−1. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT‐IR) were used to characterize the composition and structure of the obtained conversion coating. The morphology of the conversion coating was obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results exhibit that the zirconium titanium salt conversion coating of Al‐Mg alloy contains Ti, Zr, Al, F, O, Mg, C, Na, and so on. The conversion coating with nm level thickness is smooth, uniform, and compact. Corrosion resistance of conversion coating was evaluated in the 3.5 wt.% NaCl electrolyte through polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS). Self‐corrosion current density on the nanostructured conversion coating of Al‐Mg alloy is 9.7 × 10−8 A · cm−2, which is only 2% of that on the untreated aluminum‐magnesium alloy. This result indicates that the corrosion resistance of the conversion coating is improved markedly after chemical conversion treatment.
Modulation of Pineal Melatonin Synthesis by Glutamate Involves Paracrine Interactions between Pinealocytes and Astrocytes through NF-κB Activation
Authors: Villela Darine , Atherino Victoria Fairbanks , Lima Larissa de Sá , Moutinho Anderson Augusto , Amaral Fernanda Gaspar do , Peres Rafael , Martins de Lima Thais , Torrão Andréa da Silva , Cipolla-Neto José , Scavone Cristóforo , Afeche Solange Castro
Published: August 2013

The glutamatergic modulation of melatonin synthesis is well known, along with the importance of astrocytes in mediating glutamatergic signaling in the central nervous system. Pinealocytes and astrocytes are the main cell types in the pineal gland. The objective of this work was to investigate the interactions between astrocytes and pinealocytes as a part of the glutamate inhibitory effect on melatonin synthesis. Rat pinealocytes isolated or in coculture with astrocytes were incubated with glutamate in the presence of norepinephrine, and the melatonin content, was quantified. The expression of glutamate receptors, the intracellular calcium content and the NF-κB activation were analyzed in astrocytes and pinealocytes. TNF-α's possible mediation of the effect of glutamate was also investigated. The results showed that glutamate's inhibitory effect on melatonin synthesis involves interactions between astrocytes and pinealocytes, possibly through the release of TNF-α. Moreover, the activation of the astrocytic NF-κB seems to be a necessary step. In astrocytes and pinealocytes, AMPA, NMDA, and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors were observed, as well as the intracellular calcium elevation. In conclusion, there is evidence that the modulation of melatonin synthesis by glutamate involves paracrine interactions between pinealocytes and astrocytes through the activation of the astrocytic NF-κB transcription factor and possibly by subsequent TNF-αrelease.
An Inverse Problem of Temperature Optimization in Hyperthermia by Controlling the Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
Authors: Aghayan Seyed Ali , Sardari Dariush , Mahdavi Seyed Rabii Mahdi , Zahmatkesh Mohammad Hasan
Published: August 2013

A novel scheme to obtain the optimum tissue heating condition during hyperthermia treatment is proposed. To do this, the effect of the controllable overall heat transfer coefficient of the cooling system is investigated. An inverse problem by a conjugated gradient with adjoint equation is used in our model. We apply the finite difference time domain method to numerically solve the tissue temperature distribution using Pennes bioheat transfer equation. In order to provide a quantitative measurement of errors, convergence history of the method and root mean square of errors are also calculated. The effects of heat convection coefficient of water and thermal conductivity of casing layer on the control parameter are also discussed separately.
Distribution of ABO Blood Group and Major Cardiovascular Risk Factors with Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Biswas Santanu , Ghoshal Pradip K. , Halder Bhubaneswar , Mandal Nripendranath
Published: August 2013

The purpose of this study is to establish whether ABO blood group is related to coronary heart disease in an individual in Asian Indian Bengali population of eastern part of India. Two hundred and fifty (250) CHD patients and two hundred and fifty (250) age and sex matched healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. ABO blood group distribution in patients was compared with control group. Frequency of major cardiac risk factors was determined to find any correlation between blood groups and cardiovascular risk factors. The distribution of ABO blood groups in patients versus control group was A in 24.00 versus 21.60%, B in 30.80 versus 32.40%, O in 38.40 versus 21.60%, and AB in 6.80 versus 24.40%. The analysis showed significant difference in frequency of O (OR = 1.857, 95%CI = 1.112–3.100,P=0.018) and AB (OR = 0.447, 95%CI = 0.227–0.882,P=0.020) blood group between healthy controls and CHD individuals. Our results may suggest that the AB blood group decreases the risk of CHD in healthy controls, and it might be due to the higher concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), while the O blood group increases the risk of CHD due to lower HDL-c levels in Bengali population of eastern part of India.
Optimum Conditions for Maximum Power of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
Authors: Tafaoli-Masoule Mojtaba , Bahrami Arian , Mohammadrezaei Danial
Published: August 2013

It is well known that anode and cathode pressures and cell temperature are the effective parameters in performance of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC). In the present study, the genetic algorithm as one of the most powerful optimization tools is applied to determine operating conditions which result in the maximum power density of a DMFC. A quasi-two-dimensional, isothermal model is presented to determine maximum power of a DMFC. For validation of this model, the results of the model are compared to experimental results and shown to be in good agreement with them.
Remote Stab Wound Resulting in AV Fistula and High-Output Heart Failure
Authors: Rymer Jennifer A. , Anderson Lindsay L. , Posenau J. Trevor , Jones W. Schuyler
Published: August 2013

A 54-year-old African American male with no medical history presented to an urgent care clinic with signs and symptoms of new-onset congestive heart failure. There was an initial concern for congestive heart failure secondary to an ischemic etiology as an echocardiogram revealed a depressed ejection fraction. However, a left heart cardiac catheterization did not demonstrate any significant coronary disease. As a loud bruit was auscultated over the right base of the patient’s neck, he underwent a carotid duplex ultrasound revealing a fistula between the right common carotid artery (CCA) and the right internal jugular vein (IJV). A diagnosis of high-output heart failure secondary to a large arteriovenous (AV) fistula was made, and the patient underwent ligation and repair of the fistula with resolution of symptoms of congestive heart failure.
Pancreatic Remnant Occlusion after Whipple's Procedure: An Alternative Oncologically Safe Method
Authors: Theodosopoulos Theodosios , Dellaportas Dionysios , Yiallourou Anneza I. , Gkiokas George , Polymeneas George , Fotopoulos Alexios
Published: August 2013

Introduction. To present our experience regarding the use of pancreatic stump occlusion technique as an alternative management of the pancreatic remnant after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Methods. Between 2002 and 2009, hospital records of 93 patients who had undergone a Whipple's procedure for either pancreatic-periampullary cancer or chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively studied. In 37 patients the pancreatic duct was occluded by stapling and running suture without anastomosis of the pancreatic remnant, whereas in 56 patients a pancreaticojejunostomy was performed. Operative data, postoperative complications, oncological parameters, and survival rates were recorded. Results. 2/37 patients of the occlusion group and 9/56 patients of the anastomosis group were treated for chronic pancreatitis, whereas 35/37 and 47/56 patients for periampullary malignancies. The duration of surgery for the anastomosis group was significantly longer (mean time 220 versus 180 minutes). Mean hospitalization time was 6 days for both groups. The occlusion group had a lower morbidity rate (24% versus 32%). With regard to postoperative complications, a slightly higher incidence of pancreatic fistulas was observed in the anastomosis group. Conclusions. Pancreatic remnant occlusion is a safe, technically feasible, and reducing postoperative complications alternative approach of the pancreatic stump during Whipple's procedure.
Abstract 06: A genetic risk predictor for breast cancer using a combination of low-penetrance polymorphisms in a Japanese population.
Authors: Ito Hidemi , Sueta Aiko , Iwata Hiroji , Hosono Satoyo , Oze Isao , Watanabe Miki , Iwase Hirotaka , Tanaka Hideo , Matsuo Keitaro
Published: August 2013

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified genetic variants associated with breast cancer. Most GWASs to date have been conducted in women of European descent, however, and the contribution of these variants as predictors in Japanese women is unknown. Here, we analyzed 79 genetic variants identified in previous GWASs and conducted a case–control study with 697 case subjects and 1,394 age- and menopausal status-matched controls. We fit conditional regression models with genetic variants and conventional risk factors. In addition, we created a polygenetic risk score, using those variants with a statistically significant association with breast cancer risk, and also evaluated the contribution of these genetic predictors using the c statistic. Twenty-three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) revealed significant associations with breast cancer risk. A dose-dependent association was observed between the risk of breast cancer and the genetic risk score, which was an aggregate measure of alleles in seven selected variants. Compared to women with scores of 33 to 35, odds ratios (ORs) for women with scores of 23–25, 26–29, 30–32, and 10 or more were 1.28 (95% confidence interval, 0.93-1.76), 2.16 (1.61-2.95), 3.17 (2.07-4.87), and 7.7 (2.69-22.0), respectively (Ptrend = 1.28 × 10−13). The c statistic for a model including the genetic risk score in addition to the conventional risk factors was 0.726, versus 0.675 with the conventional risk factors only (P<0.0001). In conclusion, we identified a genetic risk predictor of breast cancer in a Japanese population. Risk models which include a genetic risk score are possibly useful in distinguishing women at high risk of breast cancer from those at low risk, particularly in the context of targeted prevention.

Citation Format: Hidemi Ito, Aiko Sueta, Hiroji Iwata, Satoyo Hosono, Isao Oze, Miki Watanabe, Hirotaka Iwase, Hideo Tanaka, Keitaro Matsuo. A genetic risk predictor for breast cancer using a combination of low-penetrance polymorphisms in a Japanese population. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr 06.
Abstract 15: Interaction between retinol transporter genes and alcohol on the risk of head and neck cancer.
Authors: Chang Jeffrey S. , Hsiao Jenn-Ren , Wong Tung-Yiu , Tsai Sen-Tien , Ou Chun-Yen , Lo Hung-I , Huang Cheng-Chih , Lee Wei-Ting , Chen Ken-Chung , Huang Jehn-Shyun , Wang Yi-Hui , Weng Ya-Ling , Yang Han-Chien
Published: August 2013

Background: Alcohol is a major risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC). The metabolism of ethanol can disrupt the metabolism of retinoic acid because the two pathways share some key enzymes. Retinoic acid is involved in cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis, which when dysregulated may lead to the development of cancer. A previous genome-wide association study reported an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two retinol transporter genes (TTR and RBP4) and serum retinol level (1). The current study evaluates the interaction between alcohol consumption and SNPs in TTR and RBP4 on the risk of HNC.

Methods: 223 incident cases of HNC and 214 sex- and age- matched controls were recruited from the department of otolaryngology and department of stomatology. In-person interviews were conducted to collect information on the use of alcohol, cigarette, and betel quid. Three tag-SNPs of TTR and 8 tag-SNPs of RBP4 were genotyped using the Taqman-based real-time PCR method or mass spectrometry-based detection method. Unconditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of HNC risk associated with each SNP and to evaluate the joint influence of SNPs and alcohol consumption on HNC risk, adjusted for age, sex, education, cigarette smoking and betel quid use.

Results: No significant association between HNC risk and any of the 11 tag-SNPs was observed. However, three SNPs of RBP4 appeared to modify the relationship between alcohol consumption and HNC risk. After combining the three SNPs into a polygenic risk score, the results showed that those who drank alcohol daily had a different risk of HNC, depending on the number of variant alleles (0 to 2 variant alleles: OR=1.2, 95% CI: 0.7-2.1; 3 or more variant alleles: OR=2.9, 95% CI: 1.1-7.9; interaction P-value = 0.01)

Conclusion: The association between HNC risk and alcohol consumption is modified by the polymorphisms of RBP4.

Citation Format: Jeffrey S. Chang, Jenn-Ren Hsiao, Tung-Yiu Wong, Sen-Tien Tsai, Chun-Yen Ou, Hung-I Lo, Cheng-Chih Huang, Wei-Ting Lee, Ken-Chung Chen, Jehn-Shyun Huang, Yi-Hui Wang, Ya-Ling Weng, Han-Chien Yang. Interaction between retinol transporter genes and alcohol on the risk of head and neck cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr 15.
Abstract 44: Alterations in serum immunoglobulin levels in workers occupationally exposed to trichloroethylene.
Authors: Zhang Luoping , Bassig Bryan , Mora Joseph L. , Vermeulen Roel , Ge Yichen , Curry John D. , Hu Wei , Shen Min , Qiu Chuangyi , Ji Zhiying , Reiss Boris , McHale Cliona , Liu Songwang , Guo Weihong , Purdue Mark , Yue Fei , Li Laiyu , Smith Martyn T. , Huang Hanlin , Tang Xiaojiang , Rothman Nathaniel , Lan Qing
Published: August 2013

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a common occupational solvent and groundwater contaminant, has been associated with a variety of immunotoxic effects and may be associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Altered serum immunoglobulin levels have been reported in NHL patients and in animals exposed to TCE. Recently, we reported that occupational exposure to TCE is associated with immunosuppressive effects and immune dysfunction, including suppression of B cell counts and activation, even at relatively low levels. We hypothesized that TCE exposure would also affect immunoglobulin levels in humans. We measured serum levels of IgG, IgM, and IgE, by ELISA, in TCE-exposed workers (n=80) and unexposed controls (n=45), matched by age and gender, in a cross-sectional, molecular epidemiology study of occupational exposure to TCE in Guangdong, China. Personal exposure measurements were taken using 3 M organic vapor monitoring badges over a three-week period before blood collection. Workers exposed to TCE had about a 17.5% decline in serum levels of IgG compared to unexposed controls (p for exposed vs. unexposed = 0.0002). Similarly, serum levels of IgM were reduced by about 38% in workers exposed to TCE (p for exposed vs. unexposed < 0.0001). Serum levels of both IgG and IgM were significantly decreased in workers exposed to < 12 ppm of TCE, the median exposure level. Adjustment for B cell counts and other potential confounders had minimal impact on our findings. IgE levels were not significantly different between exposed and control subjects. These results are consistent with in vivo observations and provide further evidence that TCE is immunotoxic at relatively low exposure levels, and provide additional biologic plausibility to the reported association of TCE with NHL.

Citation Format: Luoping Zhang, Bryan Bassig, Joseph L. Mora, Roel Vermeulen, Yichen Ge, John D. Curry, Wei Hu, Min Shen, Chuangyi Qiu, Zhiying Ji, Boris Reiss, Cliona McHale, Songwang Liu, Weihong Guo, Mark Purdue, Fei Yue, Laiyu Li, Martyn T. Smith, Hanlin Huang, Xiaojiang Tang, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan. Alterations in serum immunoglobulin levels in workers occupationally exposed to trichloroethylene. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr 44.
Abstract 80: Contributions of cancer epidemiology consortia to genome-wide association studies of common and rare cancers.
Authors: Burgio Michael R. , Seminara Daniela
Published: August 2013

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided a wealth of information on loci associated with the risk of common and rare diseases. Many cancer epidemiology consortia (CEC) have been established to create the large sample sizes and interdisciplinary expertise necessary to address complex scientific questions in cancer research that single teams cannot. The goal of this study was to evaluate the contributions of CECs to GWAS of common and rare cancers. A consortium was defined as a group of investigators from multiple institutions who have established a governance structure to support cooperative research efforts. The National Human Genome Research Institute's (NHGRI) GWAS Catalog, a manually curated database of more than 1,300 published GWAS, was searched for cancer GWAS. The resulting publications were reviewed to determine the number of groups that contributed to each study and whether one or more of those groups were established CECs. We then evaluated the influence of established CECs contributing to a study on reported sample size, number of associations, odds ratios (OR) and P-values of associations, choice of genotyping platform(s), and the impact factor (IF) of the publishing journal. The impacts of the publications on the field and types of follow-up studies published on reported associations also were evaluated. Analyses were conducted for both common and rare cancers. Established CECs contributed to a significant number of cancer GWAS, with more than 50% of published studies on common cancers and more than 30% of studies on rare cancers having utilized CEC resources. CECs have a record of successful collaborative, multidisciplinary research. This expertise, combined with their large numbers of study participants, robust exposure, family history, and follow-up data, mean that CECs are well positioned to make significant contributions to the understanding of cancer etiology in the post-GWAS era.

Citation Format: Michael R. Burgio, Daniela Seminara. Contributions of cancer epidemiology consortia to genome-wide association studies of common and rare cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr 80.
Abstract IA14: Adipose tissue as a rich information source.
Authors: Campbell Kristin L.
Published: August 2013

Low levels of physical activity and being overweight or obese are associated with an increased risk of several types of cancer, particularly colorectal and postmenopausal breast cancer. The proposed biological mechanisms underlying these associations include inflammatory factors, steroid hormones, insulin-like growth factors or insulin resistance. Adipose tissue may play a key role in the association between energy balance and proposed biomarkers of cancer risk, via increased production of inflammatory factors, steroid hormones, and altered adipokines. Therefore, the impact of weight loss and physical activity interventions on adipose tissue gene expression may provide insights into pathways linking obesity/physical activity with cancer risk in human models.

Our group previously established the feasibility and acceptability of obtaining subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue samples in women who were screened to participate in a breast cancer prevention study. We then conducted an ancillary study within a randomized trial of diet, exercise, or combined diet+exercise vs. control among inactive, overweight/obese postmenopausal women. Subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were performed at baseline and after 6 months. Changes in adipose tissue gene expression were determined by microarray. The analytical approach had an emphasis on pre-specified candidate genes and candidate pathways, but also included a gene discovery approach. Furthermore, we examined the correlation of gene expression with serum blood markers. Analysis was conducted both by intervention group and also by degree of weight loss. A change in expression of sex hormone-related genes and LEP were noted with weight change, and the unsupervised clustering of >37,000 transcripts revealed new signaling pathways that require further follow-up.

Citation Format: Kristin L. Campbell. Adipose tissue as a rich information source. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA14.
Abstract IA17: The bacterial world and the genome.
Authors: Salama Nina R.
Published: August 2013

In part due to the Human Microbiome Project and related large scale efforts, there is increasing awareness that the microorganisms that live on and in us can modify risk for a number of chronic diseases including cancer. While Helicobacter pylori was the first bacterium to listed as a carcinogen, recent studies have begun to associate additional bacteria with cancers. Moving beyond association requires establishment of causality and biological mechanism. I will discuss these issues broadly and in the context of our recent efforts to query the role of the upper-GI microbiome in modifying risk for developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. Esophageal cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the US, rising nearly 600% from 1972 – 2002, suggesting a new environmental exposure. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is highly lethal with five year survival of less than 15%. Barrett's esophagus is a precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma and H. pylori is a Proteobacterium colonizing the stomach of 50% of the world's population. Infection with H. pylori can cause peptic ulcers and gastric cancers but also shows a protective association for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Utilizing a large Seattle based prospective cohort of Barrett's esophagus participants, we investigated associations of H. pylori infection with development of cancer or genomic instability defined as tetraploid or aneuploid DNA content measured by flow cytometry and found a significant association of H. pylori infection with less aneuploidy. These results indicate H. pylori carriage has protective effects in the Seattle population and may act at the level of preventing genomic instability, an important step in cancer progression. Investigation of bacterial communities present in multiple niches within the upper GI tract of Seattle Barrett's Study participants (squamous esophagus, Barrett's esophagus, stomach body, stomach antrum) suggest relationships between these communities that may influence disease progression.

Citation Format: Nina R. Salama. The bacterial world and the genome. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
Gas Vesicles across Kingdoms: A Comparative Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study
Authors: Daviso Eugenio , Belenky Marina , Griffin Robert G. , Herzfeld Judith
Published: August 2013

The buoyancy organelles of aquatic microorganisms have to meet stringent specifications: allowing gases to equilibrate freely across the proteinaceous shell, preventing the condensation of water vapor inside the hollow cavity and resisting collapse under hydrostatic pressures that vary with column depth. These properties are provided by the 7- to 8-kDa gas vesicle protein A (GvpA), repeats of which form all but small, specialized portions of the shell. Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance is uniquely capable of providing high-resolution information on the fold and assembly of GvpA. Here we compare results for the gas vesicles of the haloarchaea Halobacterium salinarum with those obtained previously for the cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae. The data suggest that the two organisms follow similar strategies for avoiding water condensation. On the other hand, in its relatively shallow habitat, H. salinarum is able to avoid collapse with a less costly GvpA fold than is adopted by A. flos-aquae.
Cyanobacterial Carboxysomes: Microcompartments that Facilitate CO2 Fixation
Authors: Rae Benjamin D. , Long Benedict M. , Whitehead Lynne F. , Förster Britta , Badger Murray R. , Price G. Dean
Published: August 2013

Carboxysomes are extraordinarily efficient proteinaceous microcompartments that encapsulate the primary CO2-fixing enzyme (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, RuBisCO) in cyanobacteria and some proteobacteria. These microbodies form part of a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM), operating together with active CO2 and HCO3- uptake transporters which accumulate HCO3- in the cytoplasm of the cell. Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) are highly productive on a global scale, especially those species from open-ocean niches, which collectively contribute nearly 30% of global net primary fixation. This productivity would not be possible without a CCM which is dependent on carboxysomes. Two evolutionarily distinct forms of carboxysome are evident that encapsulate proteobacterial RuBisCO form-1A or higher-plant RuBisCO form- 1B, respectively. Based partly on RuBisCO phylogeny, the two carboxysome types are known either as α-carboxysomes, found in predominantly oceanic cyanobacteria (α-cyanobacteria) and some proteobacteria, or as β-carboxysomes, found mainly in freshwater/estuarine cyanobacteria (β-cyanobacteria). Both carboxysome types are believed to have evolved in parallel as a consequence of fluctuating atmospheric CO2 levels and evolutionary pressure acting via the poor enzymatic kinetics of RuBisCO. The three-dimensional structures and protein components of each carboxysome type reflect distinct evolutionarily strategies to the same major functions: subcellular compartmentalization and RuBisCO encapsulation, oxygen exclusion, and CO2 concentration and fixation.
The Shells of BMC-Type Microcompartment Organelles in Bacteria
Authors: Yeates Todd O. , Jorda Julien , Bobik Thomas A.
Published: August 2013

Bacterial microcompartments are large proteinaceous structures that act as metabolic organelles in many bacterial cells. A shell or capsid, which is composed of a few thousand protein subunits, surrounds a series of sequentially acting enzymes and controls the diffusion of substrates and products into and out of the lumen. The carboxysome and the propanediol utilization microcompartment represent two well-studied systems among seven or more distinct types that can be delineated presently. Recent structural studies have highlighted a number of sophisticated mechanisms that underlie the function of bacterial microcompartment shell proteins. This review updates our understanding of bacterial microcompartment shells, how they are assembled, and how they carry out their functions in molecular transport and enzyme organization.
Control of Protein Function through Regulated Protein Degradation: Biotechnological and Biomedical Applications
Authors: Nagpal Jyotsna , Tan Ju Lin , Truscott Kaye N. , Heras Begoña , Dougan David A.
Published: August 2013

Targeted protein degradation is crucial for the correct function and maintenance of a cell. In bacteria, this process is largely performed by a handful of ATP-dependent machines, which generally consist of two components - an unfoldase and a peptidase. In some cases, however, substrate recognition by the protease may be regulated by specialized delivery factors (known as adaptor proteins). Our detailed understanding of how these machines are regulated to prevent uncontrolled degradation within a cell has permitted the identification of novel antimicrobials that dysregulate these machines, as well as the development of tunable degradation systems that have applications in biotechnology. Here, we focus on the physiological role of the ClpP peptidase in bacteria, its role as a novel antibiotic target and the use of protein degradation as a biotechnological approach to artificially control the expression levels of a protein of interest.
Sorcery in the Black Atlantic: The Occult Arts in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Derby Lauren
Published: August 2013

Three recent volumes—Parés and Sansi (eds.), Sorcery in the Black Atlantic; Paton and Forde (eds.), Obeah and Other Powers; and Sweet, Domingos Álvares, African Healing, and the Intellectual History of the Atlantic World—set a new bar for scholarship about Caribbean and Latin American sorcery, stressing its contingency as well as its transnational and cosmopolitan aspects. Their richly contextualized case studies of African-derived practices related to illness and health, as well as the quotidian experience of slaves outside the plantation, challenge the most entrenched assumptions about sorcery and extend its use to a range of social actors, not just slaves. In the process, they serve to relocate the practice of sorcery in Latin America within a broad comparative framework that includes Europe and the Americas as well as Africa.
Face Familiarity Decisions Take 200 msec in the Human Brain: Electrophysiological Evidence from a Go/No-go Speeded Task
Authors: Caharel Stephanie , Ramon Meike , Rossion Bruno
Published: August 2013

Recognizing a familiar face rapidly is a fundamental human brain function. Here we used scalp EEG to determine the minimal time needed to classify a face as personally familiar or unfamiliar. Go (familiar) and no-go (unfamiliar) responses elicited clear differential waveforms from 210 msec onward, this difference being first observed at right occipito-temporal electrode sites. Similar but delayed (by about 40 msec) responses were observed when go response were required to the unfamiliar rather than familiar faces, in a second group of participants. In both groups, a small increase of amplitude was also observed on the right hemisphere N170 face-sensitive component for familiar faces. However, unlike the post-200 msec differential go/no-go effect, this effect was unrelated to behavior and disappeared with repetition of unfamiliar faces. These observations indicate that accumulation of evidence within the first 200 msec poststimulus onset is sufficient for the human brain to decide whether a person is familiar based on his or her face, a time frame that puts strong constraints on the time course of face processing.