bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gross anatomy examination performances in relation to medical students' knowledge of classical latin and greek
Authors: Stephens Shiby , Moxham Bernard John
Published: February 2018

The ability of medical students to acquire anatomical and medical terminologies could be influenced by their knowledge of classical Greek and Latin. In a previous study (Stephens and Moxham , Clin. Anat. 29:696at. ), it was reported that, while newly recruited medical students have a very favorable attitude toward the need to understand these classical languages, final year students see no benefit. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that, regardless of attitude, students in the initial stages of their medical education perform better at both summative and formative anatomy examinations if they have prior knowledge of Greek and Latin. First year medical students at Cardiff University who had been involved in the previous study concerning attitudes toward the relevance of the classical languages to medical education were evaluated in terms of their examination results in anatomy. Two hundred and twenty‐seven students responded to a questionnaire (83% of the class) that categorized students into their linguistic knowledge and skills and their performances in formative and summative examinations were analyzed. For medical students with prior knowledge of classical Greek and Latin performed better in both summative and formative anatomy examinations. The results are therefore consistent with our hypothesis. Clin. Anat. 31:501–506, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Practical tool for sampling and fast analysis of large cocaine seizures
Authors: Eliaerts J. , Meert N. , Van Durme F. , Samyn N. , De Wael K. , Dardenne P.
Published: February 2018

Large quantities of illicit drugs are frequently seized by law enforcement. In such cases, a representative number of samples needs to be quickly examined prior to destruction. No procedure has yet been set up which rapidly provides information regarding the homogeneity of the samples, the presence of controlled substances, and the degree of purity. This study establishes a protocol for fast analysis of cocaine and its most common cutting agent, levamisole, in large seizures. The protocol is based on a hypergeometric sampling approach combined with Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and support vector machines (SVM) algorithms as analysis methods. To demonstrate the practical use of this approach, 5 large cocaine seizures (consisting between 45 and 85 units) were analysed simultaneously with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), gas chromatography–flame ionisation detector (GC–FID), and a portable FTIR spectrometer using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) sampling combined with SVM models. According to the hypergeometric sampling plan of the guidelines of the Drugs Working Group (DWG) of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI), the required number of subsamples ranged between 19 and 23. Considering the identification analyses, the SVM models detected cocaine and levamisole in all subsamples of Cases 1 to 5 (100% correct classification), which was confirmed by GC–MS analysis. Considering the quantification analyses, the SVM models were able to estimate the cocaine and levamisole content in each subsample, compared to GC–FID data. The developed strategy is easy, cost effective, and provides immediate information about both the presence and concentration of cocaine and levamisole. By using this new strategy, the number of confirmation analyses with laborious and expensive chromatographic techniques could be significantly reduced.
Dehydration of ortho‐, meta‐ and para‐Alkoxy Phenylboronic Acids to their Corresponding Boroxines
Authors: Adamczyk‐Woźniak Agnieszka , Kaczorowska Ewa , Kredátusova Jana , Madura Izabela , Marek Paulina H. , Matuszewska Alicja , Sporzyński Andrzej , Uchman Mariusz
Published: February 2018

Isomeric isobutoxy phenylboronic acids (ortho‐, meta‐, para‐) were synthesized and their properties such as pKa and thermal stability have been compared. Molecular and crystal structures of the para isomer were determined by single crystal XRD methods. DSC and TGA measurements have been carried out on all isomers to study their dehydration as well as thermal stability. The results show that the position of the substituent in phenylboronic acids influences their acidity as well as possible formation of the corresponding boroxines.
Anatase TiO2 Quantum Dots with a Narrow Band Gap of 2.85 eV Based on Surface Hydroxyl Groups Exhibiting Significant Photodegradation Property
Authors: Deng Qixin , Zhang Weifeng , Lan Tongbin , Xie Jianping , Xie Wei , Liu Zechun , Huang Yanjun , Wei Mingdeng
Published: February 2018

Anatase TiO2 quantum dots (QDs) with surface hydroxyl groups and particle size below 3 nm were synthesized via a new synthetic route and showed a low band‐gap energy of 2.85 eV and good dispersibility in an aqueous system. This material exhibited significantly high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange (MO). The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 QDs was 16 times higher than that of commercial P25 at an initial MO concentration of 50 mg L–1 in the reaction system. At a concentration of 10 mg L–1, MO could almost be completely removed within 1 min. The high photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the low band‐gap energy, large surface area, and good aqueous dispersibility of the anatase TiO2 QDs.
One‐Pot Catalytic Copolymerization of Unsaturated Plant Oils or Fatty Acid Methyl Esters with Ethylene
Authors: Fleckhaus André , Fokou Patrice A. , Klaassen Gerd , Rüsch gen. Klaas Mark
Published: February 2018

Until now natural fatty acid esters with their internal CC‐bonds cannot be used as substrates for catalytic polymerization reactions. It is always necessary to convert them to terminal unsaturated fatty acid esters first. Therefore, we now developed a two‐catalyst system consisting of an isomerization catalyst and a Brookhart polymerization catalyst. With this system of isomerizing copolymerization (IsoCoP) it is possible to copolymerize high oleic plant oils or fatty acid methyl esters with ethylene in a one‐pot reaction. The resulting polymers have molecular weights above 30 kDa and can contain more than 20 weight percent plant oils. The copolymers of fatty acid methyl esters are soluble in organic solvents. The predominant part of the copolymers from plant oils is usually soluble. The insoluble fraction is soluble after hydrolysis indicating a rare cross‐linking of polyolefin chains by triglycerol units. The catalytic system is effective yielding polymers with a productivity of up to 100 kg polymer per mole catalyst and pretty robust. Plants oils need to be purified only by a simple filtration over alumina before copolymerization.

Practical Application: The possibility to copolymerize plant oils with ethylene leads to a new class of polymers and may enhance the usage of plant oils for plastics greatly. The new polymers might be used, e.g., for tackifiers or primers.

High oleic plant oils as well as unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters can be directly copolymerized with ethylene by a combination of an isomerization catalyst with a Brookhart polymerization catalyst.
Quantifying Energy Systems Resilience—A Simulation Approach to Assess Recovery
Authors: Kyriakidis Miltos , Lustenberger Peter , Burgherr Peter , Dang Vinh N. , Hirschberg Stefan
Published: February 2018

Resilience often addresses preparedness of systems and social units to internal or/and external hazards, and the subsequent recovery. Preparedness is primarily associated with the designed, as‐built, pre‐disaster phase of a system, whereas recovery deals with the post‐disruption response. As the damage of a system and the service disruption are associated with inherent properties of its components, in addition to the magnitude of the hazard, recovery is additionally influenced by external factors, such as the state of the access infrastructure. This study demonstrates a simulation approach to quantify a metric of resilience, in this case the integral loss of function or service. A case study on the impact of floods on a natural gas network is presented, considering the geospatial location of the network, the areas with and without service, the required times for travel to the damage locations, and inspection/repair. The results underscore how the priorities selected for recovery can lead to strikingly different outcomes in terms of the resilience measure.
Preclinical studies using miR‐32‐5p to suppress clear cell renal cell carcinoma metastasis via altering the miR‐32‐5p/TR4/HGF/Met signaling
Authors: Wang Mingchao , Sun Yin , Xu Junjie , Lu Jieyang , Wang Kefeng , Yang Dong‐Rong , Yang Guosheng , Li Gonghui , Chang Chawnshang
Published: February 2018

While testicular nuclear receptor 4 (TR4) may promote prostate cancer (PCa) metastasis, its role in the clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. Here we found a higher expression of TR4 in ccRCC tumors from patients with distant metastases than those from metastasis‐free patients, suggesting TR4 may play positive roles in the ccRCC metastasis. Results from multiple in vitro ccRCC cell lines also confirmed TR4's positive roles in promoting ccRCC cell invasion/migration via altering the microRNA (miR‐32‐5p)/TR4/HGF/Met/MMP2‐MMP9 signaling. Mechanism dissection revealed that miR‐32‐5p could suppress TR4 protein expression levels via direct binding to the 3′UTR of TR4 mRNA, and TR4 might then alter the HGF/Met signaling at the transcriptional level via direct binding to the TR4‐response‐elements (TR4RE) on the HGF promoter. Then the in vitro data also demonstrated the efficacy of Sunitinib, a currently used drug to treat ccRCC, could be increased after targeting this newly identified miR‐32‐5p/TR4/HGF/Met signaling. The preclinical study using the in vivo mouse model with xenografted ccRCC cells confirmed the in vitro cell lines data. Together, these findings suggest that TR4 is a key player to promote ccRCC metastasis and targeting this miR‐32‐5p/TR4/HGF/Met signaling with small molecules including TR4‐shRNA or miR‐32‐5p may help to develop a new therapy to better suppress the ccRCC metastasis.
Arsenic promotes the COX2/PGE2–SOX2 axis to increase the malignant stemness properties of urothelial cells
Authors: Ooki Akira , Begum Asma , Marchionni Luigi , VandenBussche Christopher J. , Mao Shifeng , Kates Max , Hoque Mohammad Obaidul
Published: February 2018

Chronic arsenic exposure is associated with the development of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). To elucidate the contribution of arsenic exposure to urothelial cancer stem cell (CSC) generation, we established an in vitro stepwise malignant model transformed by chronically exposing human urothelial cells to arsenic. Using this model, we found that chronic arsenic exposure endows urothelial cells with malignant stemness properties including increased expression of stemness‐related factors such as SOX2, sphere formation, self‐renewal, invasion and chemoresistance. SOX2 was gradually and irreversibly overexpressed in line with acquired sphere‐forming and self‐renewal abilities. Following gene set enrichment analyses of arsenic‐exposed and arsenic‐unexposed cells, we found COX2 as an enriched gene for oncogenic signature. Mechanistically, arsenic‐induced COX2/PGE2 increases SOX2 expression that eventually promotes malignant stem cell generation and repopulation. In urine samples from 90 subjects exposed to arsenic and 91 control subjects, we found a significant linear correlation between SOX2 and COX2 expression and the potential of SOX2 and COX2 expression as urinary markers to detect subjects exposed to arsenic. Furthermore, the combination marker yielded a high sensitivity for UCB detection in a separate cohort. Finally, our in vitro model exhibits basal‐type molecular features and dual inhibition of EGFR and COX2 attenuated stem cell enrichment more efficiently than an EGFR inhibitor alone. In conclusion, the COX2/PGE2‐SOX2 axis promotes arsenic‐induced malignant stem cell transformation. In addition, our findings indicate the possible use of SOX2 and COX2 expression as urinary markers for the risk stratification and detection of UCB.
Surface sulfonamide modification of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐based block copolymer micelles to alter pH and temperature responsive properties for controlled intracellular uptake
Authors: Cyphert Erika L. , von Recum Horst A. , Yamato Masayuki , Nakayama Masamichi
Published: February 2018

Two different surface sulfonamide‐functionalized poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐based polymeric micelles were designed as pH‐/temperature‐responsive vehicles. Both sulfadimethoxine‐ and sulfamethazine‐surface functionalized micelles were characterized to determine physicochemical properties, hydrodynamic diameters, zeta potentials, temperature‐dependent size changes, and lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) in both pH 7.4 and 6.8 solutions (simulating both physiological and mild low pH conditions), and tested in the incorporation of a proof‐of‐concept hydrophobic antiproliferative drug, paclitaxel. Cellular uptake studies were conducted using bovine carotid endothelial cells and fluorescently labeled micelles to evaluate if there was enhanced cellular uptake of the micelles in a low pH environment. Both variations of micelles showed enhanced intracellular uptake under mildly acidic (pH 6.8) conditions at temperatures slightly above their LCST and minimal uptake at physiological (pH 7.4) conditions. Due to the less negative zeta potential of the sulfamethazine‐surface micelles compared to sulfadimethoxine‐surface micelles, and the proximity of their LCST to physiological temperature (37°C), the sulfamethazine variation was deemed more amenable for clinically relevant temperature and pH‐stimulated applications. Nevertheless, we believe both polymeric micelle variations have the capacity to be implemented as an intracellular drug or gene delivery system in response to mildly acidic conditions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1552–1560, 2018.
Extension of the QuickFF force field protocol for an improved accuracy of structural, vibrational, mechanical and thermal properties of metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Vanduyfhuys Louis , Vandenbrande Steven , Wieme Jelle , Waroquier Michel , Verstraelen Toon , Van Speybroeck Veronique
Published: February 2018

QuickFF was originally launched in 2015 to derive accurate force fields for isolated and complex molecular systems in a quick and easy way. Apart from the general applicability, the functionality was especially tested for metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of hybrid materials consisting of organic and inorganic building blocks. Herein, we launch a new release of the QuickFF protocol which includes new major features to predict structural, vibrational, mechanical and thermal properties with greater accuracy, without compromising its robustness and transparent workflow. First, the ab initio data necessary for the fitting procedure may now also be derived from periodic models for the molecular system, as opposed to the earlier cluster‐based models. This is essential for an accurate description of MOFs with one‐dimensional metal‐oxide chains. Second, cross terms that couple internal coordinates (ICs) and anharmonic contributions for bond and bend terms are implemented. These features are essential for a proper description of vibrational and thermal properties. Third, the fitting scheme was modified to improve robustness and accuracy. The new features are tested on MIL‐53(Al), MOF‐5, CAU‐13 and NOTT‐300. As expected, periodic input data are proven to be essential for a correct description of structural, vibrational and thermodynamic properties of MIL‐53(Al). Bulk moduli and thermal expansion coefficients of MOF‐5 are very accurately reproduced by static and dynamic simulations using the newly derived force fields which include cross terms and anharmonic corrections. For the flexible materials CAU‐13 and NOTT‐300, the transition pressure is accurately predicted provided cross terms are taken into account. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interference of in vitro hemolysis complete blood count
Authors: de Jonge Gabriela , dos Santos Talita L. , Cruz Bruno R. , Simionatto Mackelly , Bittencourt Jeanine I. M. , Krum Everson A. , Moss Mariane F. , Borato Danielle Cristyane K.
Published: February 2018

Background

Hemolysis may occur in vivo, under pathological conditions, or in vitro, related to pre‐analytical errors. Hemolyzed samples may produce unreliable results, leading to errors in diagnostic and monitoring evaluations. This study aims to evaluate the interference of in vitro hemolysis on the interpretation of the parameters of the blood cell‐counting performed by the impedance method.

Methods

Peripheral blood samples were collected in anticoagulant K2‐EDTA and subsequently divided into three 1.0 mL aliquots. The first aliquot was not subjected to any intervention, and the second and third aliquots were passed 5 and 10 times through a small‐gauge needle to produce scalar amounts of hemolysis. Hematological tests were performed by Hemacounter 60‐RT 7600®.

Results

Comparison of the samples with different degrees of hemolysis showed a decrease in red blood cells count and hematocrit counts and increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and platelet count in samples with a high degree of hemolysis. According to the accepted clinical point of view, the samples with a high degree of hemolysis exceeded the desirable bias, presenting decrease in red blood cells count, hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume, and increase in red cell distribution width, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelet counts. However, samples with a mild degree of hemolysis showed only a slight increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelet count.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that in vitro hemolysis can decrease the clinical and analytical reliability of the assessment of the blood count.
Simultaneous determination and qualitative analysis of six types of components in Naoxintong capsule by miniaturized matrix solid‐phase dispersion extraction coupled with ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Huilin , Jiang Yan , Ding Mingya , Li Jin , Hao Jia , He Jun , Wang Hui , Gao Xiu‐Mei , Chang Yan‐Xu
Published: February 2018

A simple and effective sample preparation process based on miniaturized matrix solid‐phase dispersion was developed for simultaneous determination of phenolic acids (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, 3,5‐dicaffeoylqunic acid, 1,5‐dicaffeoylqunic acid, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, and salvianolic acid B), flavonoids (kaempferol‐3‐O‐rutinoside, calycosin, and formononetin), lactones (ligustilide and butyllidephthalide), monoterpenoids (paeoniflorin), phenanthraquinones (cryptotanshinone), and furans (5‐hydroxymethylfurfural) in Naoxintong capsule by ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography. The optimized condition was that 25 mg Naoxintong powder was blended homogeneously with 100 mg Florisil PR for 4 min. One milliliter of methanol/water (75:25, v/v) acidified by 0.05% formic acid was selected to elute all components. It was found that the recoveries of the six types of components ranged from 61.36 to 96.94%. The proposed miniaturized matrix solid‐phase dispersion coupled with ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography was successfully applied to simultaneous determination of the six types of components in Naoxintong capsules. The results demonstrated that the proposed miniaturized matrix solid‐phase dispersion coupled with ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography could be used as an environmentally friendly tool for the extraction and determination of multiple bioactive components in natural products.
Mice Fed a High‐Cholesterol Diet Supplemented with Quercetin‐3‐Glucoside Show Attenuated Hyperlipidemia and Hyperinsulinemia Associated with Differential Regulation of PCSK9 and LDLR in their Liver and Pancreas
Authors: Mbikay Majambu , Mayne Janice , Sirois Francine , Fedoryak Olesya , Raymond Angela , Noad Jennifer , Chrétien Michel
Published: February 2018

Scope

Hepatic LDL receptor (LDLR) and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulate the clearance of plasma LDL‐cholesterol (LDL‐C): LDLR promotes it, and PCSK9 opposes it. These proteins also express in pancreatic β cells. Using cultured hepatocytes, we previously showed that the plant flavonoid quercetin‐3‐glucoside (Q3G) inhibits PCSK9 secretion, stimulated LDLR expression, and enhanced LDL‐C uptake. Here, we examine whether Q3G supplementation could reverse the hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia of mice fed a high‐cholesterol diet, and how it affects hepatic and pancreatic LDLR and PCSK9 expression.

Methods and results

For 12 weeks, mice are fed a low‐ (0%) or high‐ (1%) cholesterol diet (LCD or HCD), supplemented or not with Q3G at 0.05 or 0.1% (w/w). Tissue LDLR and PCSK9 is analyzed by immunoblotting, plasma PCSK9 and insulin by ELISA, and plasma cholesterol and glucose by colorimetry. In LCD‐fed mice, Q3G has no effect. In HCD‐fed mice, it attenuates the increase in plasma cholesterol and insulin, accentuates the decrease in plasma PCSK9, and increases hepatic and pancreatic LDLR and PCSK9. In cultured pancreatic β cells, however, it stimulates PCSK9 secretion.

Conclusion

In mice, dietary Q3G could counter HCD‐induced hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia, in part by oppositely modulating hepatic and pancreatic PCSK9 secretion.
Combining pure shift and J‐edited spectroscopies: A strategy for extracting chemical shifts and scalar couplings from highly crowded proton spectra of oligomeric saccharides
Authors: Pitoux D. , Hu Z. , Plainchont B. , Merlet D. , Farjon J. , Bonnaffé D. , Giraud N.
Published: February 2018

We report the application of pure shift and J‐edited nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies to the structural analysis of a protected maltotrioside synthetic intermediate whose crowded 1H spectrum displays highly crowded regions. The analytical strategy is based on the implementation of J‐edited and TOCSY experiments whose resolution is optimized by the use of broadband homonuclear decoupling and selective refocusing techniques, to assign and measure chemical shifts and homonuclear scalar couplings with high accuracy. The resulting data show a high level of complementarity, providing a detailed insight into each subunit of this oligomeric saccharide, even for proton sites whose nuclear magnetic resonance signals strongly overlap. This approach allowed for fully assigning proton chemical shifts and extracting 80% of the 3JHH couplings that are in excellent agreement with those expected for D‐gluco‐pyranosyl units in 4C1 conformations.
Use of Lactobacillus for Improved Growth and Enhanced Biochemical, Hematological, and Digestive Enzyme Activity in Common Carp at Mazandaran, Iran
Authors: Valiallahi Jalal , Pourabasali Mohsen , Janalizadeh Elham , Bucio Adolfo
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum strain 44A doses on growth performance, feed utilization, blood serum parameters, and digestive enzyme activities in Common Carp Cyprinus carpio fingerlings. This bacterium was isolated from healthy Striped Mullet Mugil cephalus. Lactobacillus plantarum was added to the diet in three levels (1.5 × 106, 3 × 106, and 4.5 × 106 colony-forming units [CFU]/mg of feed). A control diet was used as a reference. The results indicated that feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate, daily growth coefficient, protein efficiency ratio, condition factor, thermal-unit growth coefficient, and survival rate of Common Carp fingerlings were best for the treatment group fed with L. plantarum at the 4.5 × 106 CFU/mg level. In general, all L. plantarum treatments had better hematological parameters relative to the control, including red blood cell count, total leucocytes, hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. A significant increase in the total protein and globulin concentration in blood serum was found in all probiotic-treated fishes compared with the control group, whereas no significant difference was observed in albumin levels. Other observed changes included lower cortisol and glucose contents in serum blood from probiotic-treated fingerlings than in the control group. Serum lysozyme activity was also considerably greater in fish fed a higher level of L. plantarum compared with the control fish. Mean protease and amylase activities of all probiotic treatment groups were significantly higher than those in the control fish. There was no significant difference in lipase level. In conclusion, the improved enzyme activities obtained with the L. plantarum diets suggest that the addition of probiotics improved diet digestibility, including protein, starch, and fattiness, and resulted in better growth performance and feed efficiency (FCR) in Common Carp.
Nutrition Status Among HIV‐Positive and HIV‐Negative Inpatients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Lazzari Tássia Kirchmann , Forte Gabriele Carra , Silva Denise Rossato
Published: February 2018

Background

The association between tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition is well recognized. Considering the risk of mortality due to malnutrition in patients with TB, it is necessary to conduct a thorough nutrition assessment to identify individuals at nutrition risk. The study objective was to assess the nutrition status of hospitalized patients with TB, co‐infected or not by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Methods

Patients with confirmed diagnosis of TB were included using a cross‐sectional design. Nutrition assessment parameters included: body mass index (BMI), triceps skin‐fold thickness (TSF), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), mid‐upper‐arm circumference (MUAC), mid‐arm muscle circumference (MAMC), food frequency questionnaire, Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and serum levels of hemoglobin.

Results

A total 108 patients completed the study. Forty‐four patients (40.7%) were HIV positive. Considering the BMI, 36.1% of the patients met the criteria for nutrition deficiency. Body fat percentage was low in 27.8% of patients. In addition, more than half of the participants met criteria for malnutrition according to MUAC, MAMC, TSF, SGA, or MST. Malnutrition measured by MAMC was more frequent in HIV‐positive patients (n=33, 75.0%) than in HIV‐negative patients (n=31, 48.4%) (P = 0.010). Regarding the components of diet, selenium and vitamin C intake among HIV‐positive patients was significantly lower than in HIV‐negative patients.

Conclusions

We identified a high prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients with pulmonary TB, regardless of the method used to assess nutrition status. In HIV‐positive patients, malnutrition measured by MAMC was more frequent than in HIV‐negative patients.
Phase Angle as a Sarcopenia Marker in Hospitalized Elderly Patients
Authors: Santana Natalia de Moraes , Pinho Claudia Porto Sabino , da Silva Cristiane Pereira , dos Santos Natalia Fernandes , Mendes Roberta Maria Lins
Published: February 2018

Background

Phase angle (PhA) has been proposed as a parameter to predict clinical outcomes and mortality for various diseases. Several studies have considered it an important nutrition assessment tool. However, the usefulness of this parameter as a sarcopenia marker has not yet been evaluated. This study was developed to evaluate the performance of PhA as a sarcopenia marker in hospitalized elderly patients.

Materials and Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study involving elderly patients admitted to a hospital in northeastern Brazil. The PhA was obtained from resistance and reactance measurements by bioelectrical impedance. Sarcopenia was defined as a decrease in muscle mass associated with a reduced muscle strength or physical performance.

Results

The sample consisted of 148 patients with a mean age of 71.6 (±7.6) years and a 62.8% prevalence of sarcopenia. The average PhA was 5.9 ± 2.0°, similar for men and women (5.9 ± 2.3 vs 5.9 ± 1.8; P = .946). In men, sarcopenic patients had a lower average PhA (5.6 ± 2.3°) when compared with patients without this condition (6.8 ± 1.9°; P = .024). When comparing the value of PhA regarding the degree of sarcopenia, it was found that patients from both sexes with severe sarcopenia had lower averages. The PhA had a low predictive capacity in relation to the diagnostic components of sarcopenia (physical performance, muscle mass, and strength).

Conclusion

PhA was an inaccurate marker to identify sarcopenia and presented low predictive capacity to explain muscle mass, muscle strength, and functional capacity, components involved in the diagnosis of sarcopenia.
Intranasal Ketamine and Its Potential Role in Cancer‐Related Pain
Authors: Singh Vinita , Gillespie Theresa W. , Harvey Robert Donald
Published: February 2018

Cancer‐related pain continues to be a significant therapeutic challenge, made more difficult by contemporary opioid use and diversion concerns. Conventional treatment using a tiered approach of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and adjuvant agents is limited; and alternatives are needed for patients with rapidly progressing pain and those who develop hyperalgesia and tolerance to opioids. Ketamine, an N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) selective antagonist, has historically been used for anesthesia in adult and pediatric populations but has also been investigated for depression, bipolar disorder, and general and postoperative pain management. As an analgesic, low‐dose ketamine decreases morphine requirements and rates of nausea and vomiting, suggesting a potentially beneficial role in cancer‐related pain. Ketamine is typically administered intravenously and has a rapid onset of action with a relatively short half‐life (2–3 hours) but is inconvenient for use in an ambulatory setting. Oral bioavailability is low and erratic, limiting application of this route for chronic use. Intranasal administration has a number of potential advantages, including avoidance of first‐pass hepatic metabolism, no need for venous access, ability to repeat doses quickly, and rapid absorption. Although early studies of intranasal ketamine are promising in a number of indications, information is more limited in its use as an adjunct in cancer‐related pain. We review the background, rationale, pharmacokinetics, and clinical and safety data using intranasal ketamine as an adjunctive agent and its potential in cancer‐related pain.
Potential use of stable isotope and fatty acid analyses for traceability of geographic origins of jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas)
Authors: Gong Yi , Li Yunkai , Chen Xinjun , Chen Ling
Published: February 2018

Rationale

Squid is an important seafood resource for Asian and European countries. With the continuous development of processed squid products, an effective traceability system has become increasingly prominent. Here, we attempt to trace the fishery products of the main target species, jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas), by using biochemical tracers.

Methods

Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N values) and fatty acid profiles were identified in squid from three harvest locations in the eastern Pacific Ocean by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, respectively. Comparative analysis was used to evaluate the geographic variations in tracers and to identify the suitable discriminatory variables among origins.

Results

Significant spatial variations were found in isotopic values and fatty acid profiles in squid muscle tissues, possibly because of different food availability and/or oceanographic conditions that each group experiences at a given location. The stepwise discriminant analysis indicated that δ15N, C16:1n7, C17:1n7, C18:2n6, C20:1 and C20:4n6 were effective variables at differentiating origin.

Conclusions

Combined use of stable isotope ratios and fatty acid analyses could trace geographic origins of jumbo squid. This study provides an alternative approach for improving authenticity evaluation of commercial squid products.
Quantification of dsRNA using stable isotope labeling dilution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Kung An‐Wen , Kilby Peter M. , Portwood David E. , Dickman Mark J.
Published: February 2018

Rationale

Recent developments in RNA interference (RNAi) have created a need for cost‐effective and large‐scale synthesis of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA), in conjunction with high‐throughput analytical techniques to fully characterise and accurately quantify dsRNA prior to downstream RNAi applications.

Methods

Stable isotope labeled dsRNA was synthesised both in vivo (15N) and in vitro (13C,15N‐guanosine‐containing dsRNA) prior to purification and quantification. The stable isotope labeled dsRNA standards were subsequently spiked into total RNA extracted from E. coli engineered to express dsRNA. RNase mass mapping approaches were subsequently performed using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS) for both the identification and absolute quantification of the dsRNA using the ratios of the light and heavy oligonucleotide pairs.

Results

Absolute quantification was performed based on the resulting light and heavy oligoribonucleotides identified using MS. Using this approach we determined that 624.6 ng/μL and 466.5 ng/μL of dsRNA was present in 80 μL total RNA extracted from 108 E. coli cells expressing 765 bp and 401 bp dsRNAs, respectively.

Conclusions

Stable isotope labeling of dsRNA in conjunction with MS enabled the characterisation and quantification of dsRNA in complex total RNA mixtures.
1‐Butanol‐Hydrochloric Acid Hydrolysis of High‐Amylose Maize Starch
Authors: Hu Xiuting , Wang Yu , Liu Chengmei , Jin Zhengyu , Tian Yaoqi
Published: February 2018

The 1‐butanol‐hydrochloric acid (1‐butanol‐HCl) degradation mechanism of high‐amylose maize starch, represented by amylomaize V, is investigated using different methods. More pores are formed in the amylomaize V granules during 1‐butanol‐HCl hydrolysis and these pores become larger and change into cracks. Correspondingly, the average granule size slightly decreases from 13.49 to 10.87 µm after 1‐butanol‐HCl hydrolysis for 7 d. The crystalline areas of amylomaize V are hydrolyzed by 1‐butanol‐HCl and the amylose‐1‐butanol complex might form. In addition, the weight‐average molecular weight of amylomaize V dramatically decreases from 1.25 × 107 to 3.57 × 105 Da after hydrolysis for 4 h, then slowly decreases, and stabilizes at about 2.00 × 104 Da after hydrolysis for 4 d, which is in accordance with the result of iodine staining analysis. High‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography analysis indicates that 1‐butanol‐HCl can hydrolyze the starch like hydrolysis patterns of both the endo‐enzyme and the exo‐enzyme. These results suggests that HCl in 1‐butanol quickly diffuses into the whole amylomazie V granule and simultaneously attacks the crystalline and disorder areas, while the compact periphery of amylomaize V keeps the granules from disintegrating.
Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Results in Downregulation of c-Myc and DNA Replication Pathways with Immunomodulation Toward CD4 and CD8 Cells
Authors: Wang Li-Tzu , Jiang Shih-Sheng , Ting Chiao-Hsuan , Hsu Pei-Ju , Chang Chia-Chi , Sytwu Huey-Kang , Liu Ko-Jiunn , Yen B. Linju
Published: February 2018

Multilineage tissue-source mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess strong immunomodulatory properties and are excellent therapeutic agents, but require constant isolation from donors to combat replicative senescence. The differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into MSCs offers a renewable source of MSCs; however, reports on their immunomodulatory capacity have been discrepant. Using MSCs differentiated from iPSCs reprogrammed using diverse cell types and protocols, and in comparison to human embryonic stem cell (ESC)-MSCs and bone marrow (BM)-MSCs, we performed transcriptome analyses and assessed for functional immunomodulatory properties. Differentiation of MSCs from iPSCs results in decreased c-Myc expression and its downstream pathway along with a concomitant downregulation in the DNA replication pathway. All four lines of iPSC-MSCs can significantly suppress in vitro activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation to a similar degree as ESC-MSCs and BM-MSCs, and modulate CD4 T lymphocyte fate from a type 1 helper T cell (Th1) and IL-17A-expressing (Th17) cell fate to a regulatory T cell (Treg) phenotype. Moreover, iPSC-MSCs significantly suppress cytotoxic CD8 T proliferation, activation, and differentiation into type 1 cytotoxic T (Tc1) and IL-17-expressing CD8 T (Tc17) cells. Coculture of activated PBMCs with human iPSC-MSCs results in an overall shift of secreted cytokine profile from a pro-inflammatory environment to a more immunotolerant milieu. iPSC-MSC immunomodulation was also validated in vivo in a mouse model of induced inflammation. These findings support that iPSC-MSCs possess low oncogenicity and strong immunomodulatory properties regardless of cell-of-origin or reprogramming method and are good potential candidates for therapeutic use.
Recent climate change has increased forest winter bird densities in East Europe
Authors: Askeyev Oleg , Askeyev Arthur , Askeyev Igor
Published: February 2018

Recent studies on climate change have reported serious impacts on winter forest birds in Western Europe. However, in areas where climate change has caused milder winters and more stable conditions in summer, one would expect resident bird populations to increase, rather than to decrease in winter. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of climate change on the population dynamics of ten species of Passeriformes in the Tartarstan Republic, Russia. Ravkin's transect method was used to census fixed randomly selected plots spread over a large geographic area at least once every month for the past 26 years. Observers remained the same over the whole period. The abundance of nine species in the first half of the winter and four species in the second half of the winter showed significant increases during the study period. Unlike studies from countries in Western Europe, there were no significant decreases in these species. Significant changes in winter conditions, as well as during the breeding season, and an overall increase in annual temperatures are likely reasons for a significant increase in the number of birds in winter. Greater winter survival, an increase in the survival rate of fledglings and juveniles during the summer, and later onset of winter, are very important determinants of the winter population. Our findings show that numbers of birds in late winter are related to the severity of winter conditions. Our data do not support conclusions that the populations of forest bird species have decreased due to climate change.
Effect of heating on the structural and optical properties of TiO2 nanoparticles: antibacterial activity
Authors: Haq Sirajul , Rehman Wajid , Waseem Muhammad , Javed Rehan , Mahfooz-ur-Rehman  , Shahid Muhammad
Published: February 2018

TiO2nanoparticles were synthesized at room temperature by chemical precipitation method and were then heated at 120, 300, 600 and 900 °C temperatures. The phase transition and crystallite size variation were determined by X-rays diffraction (XRD) analysis. The surface area, pore volume and pore size were measured using Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) methods. The optical activity of heat treated and non-heat treated samples were carried out by diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy. Four different methods were used to calculate band gap energy. The results obtained from thermogravimetric and differential thermal gravimetric (TG/TDG) analyses and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy agreed with each other. Agar well diffusion method has been applied to explore the antibacterial activity of nanoparticles against different bacterial strains such asBacillus subtilis,Staphylococcus Aureus, Escherichia coliandPseudomonas Aeruginosa. It was observed that TiO2nanoparticles heated at 120 °C displayed maximum antibacterial activity while those heated at higher temperature showed no activity against the examined bacteria.
Quality of classification with LERS system in the data size context
Authors: Sudha M. , Kumaravel A.
Published: February 2018

Rough set theory is a simple and potential methodology in extracting and minimizing rules from decision tables. Its concepts are core, reduct and discovering knowledge in the form of rules. The decision rules explain the decision state to predict and support the new situation. Initially it was proposed as a useful tool for analysis of decision states. This approach produces a set of decision rules involves two types namely certain and possible rules based on approximation. The prediction may highly be affected if the data size varies in larger numbers. Application of Rough set theory towards this direction has not been considered yet. Hence the main objective of this paper is to study the influence of data size and the number of rules generated by rough set methods. The performance of these methods is presented through the metric like accuracy and quality of classification. The results obtained show the range of performance and first of its kind in current research trend.
Learning to cope with anxiety: Long‐term links from adolescence to adult career satisfaction
Authors: Miles Maddison M. , Szwedo David E. , Allen Joseph P.
Published: February 2018

This study examined the long‐term effect of anxiety on career satisfaction for young adults in the United States. The abilities to positively cope with stress and function competently as an adult were examined as potential moderators of this link, and adolescent developmental precursors of these abilities were also investigated. Analyses revealed a negative association between anxiety at age 21 and career satisfaction at age 27. However, this association was ameliorated for youth with better coping skills and functional competence at age 24. Autonomy and relatedness behaviors with best friends and mothers were examined as potential predictors of these moderators, with positive autonomy and relatedness from friends at age 13 emerging as the sole predictor of these skills. Results suggest that although anxiety may inhibit career satisfaction for many youth, positive coping and adult functional competence skills may allow anxious individuals to achieve career satisfaction. Moreover, these skills may be promoted through peer relationships in early adolescence.
School engagement and intentional self‐regulation: A reciprocal relation in adolescence
Authors: Stefansson Kristjan K. , Gestsdottir Steinunn , Birgisdottir Freyja , Lerner Richard M.
Published: February 2018

Students' gradual disconnection from school in adolescence, as reflected in decreased school engagement, has been demonstrated in several cultures and is of great concern to educators. At the same time, intentional self‐regulation (ISR) has been shown to be a precursor, mediator, and outcome of school engagement. However, the relation between school engagement and ISR during adolescence is poorly understood. In this research, we explored the reciprocal relation between school engagement and ISR during adolescence. Based on a sample of 561 adolescents in Iceland (46% girls; Mage at Wave 1 = 14.3 years; SD = 0.3) and four waves of data collected during Grades 9 and 10, the results demonstrated a reciprocal relation between school engagement and ISR after controlling for several covariates (e.g., gender and academic achievement). The results suggest that school engagement and ISR are highly related, yet distinct concepts, which mutually reinforce each other during adolescence.
Individual assets and problem behaviors in at‐risk adolescents: A longitudinal cross‐lagged analysis
Authors: Min Meeyoung O. , Minnes Sonia , Kim June‐Yung , Yoon Miyoung , Singer Lynn T.
Published: February 2018

Autoregressive cross‐lagged structural equation modeling was conducted to examine longitudinal relationships between individual assets (social competence, positive values and identity) and problem behaviors in 373 adolescents (174 boys, 199 girls) who participated in a prospective study on the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure from birth. More behavioral problems at age 12 were related to fewer individual assets at age 15, while greater individual assets were related to more behavioral problems, with a non‐significant yet nuanced (p = .076) gender difference. More problem behaviors were associated with decreased individual assets in girls, yet greater individual assets were associated with more problem behaviors in boys. Efforts to promote individual assets may not lower the risk of engaging in problem behaviors especially among boys. Continued studies into adulthood will uncover how individual assets and problem behaviors in childhood and adolescence may affect social and vocational adjustment in this high risk population.
The Role of Regulation and Financial Compensation on Trust Recovery
Authors: Gasparotto Lisiane Santos , Pacheco Natália Araujo , Basso Kenny , Corte Vitor Francisco Dalla , Rabello Gisele Costa , Gallon Shalimar
Published: February 2018

Although service recovery tactics have been extensively investigated, little is known about what firms should do when service recovery fails (i.e., double deviation). It is primordial to understand whether and how customer trust may be recovered after a double deviation. The results of an experimental study show that it is possible to recover customer trust through improvements in organizational processes (i.e., regulation) and discounts (i.e., financial compensation). Remarkably, regulation and financial compensation lead to similar trust levels, which means that these trust recovery tactics are equally successful. Moreover, attributions of benevolence explain why regulation and financial compensation can recover customer trust after a double deviation.
Direct healthcare cost of schizophrenia – European overview
Authors: Kovács G. , Almási T. , Millier A. , Toumi M. , Horváth M. , Kóczián Kristóf , Götze À , Kaló Z. , Zemplényi A.T.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

To provide an overview on the magnitude of the impact of schizophrenia on the healthcare system in Europe and to gain a better understanding on the most important factors influencing the variation of costs.

Methods

Studies reporting costs and healthcare utilization among patients with schizophrenia were searched in MEDLINE (via Scopus), EMBASE (via Scopus) and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on 19th January 2017.

Results

Twenty-three studies, from the 1075 references initially identified, were included in this review. The annual cost per patient ranged from €533 in Ukraine to €13,704 in the Netherlands. Notably drug costs contributed to less than 25% of the direct healthcare cost per patient in every country, which might be explained by similar pharmaceutical prices among countries due to the reference pricing system applied in Europe. Inpatient costs were the largest component of health service costs in the majority of the countries. Despite methodological heterogeneity across studies, four major themes could be identified (age, severity of symptoms, continuation of treatment/persistence, hospitalization) that have substantial impact on the costs of schizophrenia.

Conclusions

Schizophrenia represents a substantial cost for the healthcare system in Europe driven by the high cost per patient. Substantial savings could potentially be achieved by increasing investment in the following areas: (1) reducing the number of hospitalizations e.g. by increasing the efficiency of outpatient care; (2) working out interventions targeted at specific symptoms; (3) improving patient persistence and adherence in antipsychotic therapy.