bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antinociceptive Effect ofTephrosia sinapouExtract in the Acetic Acid, Phenyl-p-benzoquinone, Formalin, and Complete Freund’s Adjuvant Models of Overt Pain-Like Behavior in Mice
Authors: Martinez Renata M. , Zarpelon Ana C. , Domiciano Talita P. , Georgetti Sandra R. , Baracat Marcela M. , Moreira Isabel C. , Andrei Cesar C. , Verri Waldiceu A. , Casagrande Rubia
Published: May 2016

Tephrosia toxicaria, which is currently known asTephrosia sinapou(Buc’hoz) A. Chev. (Fabaceae), is a source of compounds such as flavonoids.T. sinapouhas been used in Amazonian countries traditional medicine to alleviate pain and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effects ofT. sinapouethyl acetate extract in overt pain-like behavior models in mice by using writhing response and flinching/licking tests. We demonstrated in this study thatT. sinapouextract inhibited, in a dose (1–100 mg/kg) dependent manner, acetic acid- and phenyl-p-benzoquinone- (PBQ-) induced writhing response. Furthermore, it was active via intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, and peroral routes of administration.T. sinapouextract also inhibited formalin- and complete Freund’s adjuvant- (CFA-) induced flinching/licking at 100 mg/kg dose. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate thatT. sinapouethyl acetate extract reduces inflammatory pain in the acetic acid, PBQ, formalin, and CFA models of overt pain-like behavior. Therefore, the potential of analgesic activity ofT. sinapouindicates that it deserves further investigation.
Searching for Minimum in Dependence of Squared Speed-of-Sound on Collision Energy
Authors: Liu Fu-Hu , Gao Li-Na , Lacey Roy A.
Published: May 2016

Experimental results of the rapidity distributions of negatively charged pions produced in proton-proton (p-p) and beryllium-beryllium (Be-Be) collisions at different beam momentums, measured by the NA61/SHINE Collaboration at the super proton synchrotron (SPS), are described by a revised (three-source) Landau hydrodynamic model. The squared speed-of-sound parametercs2is then extracted from the width of rapidity distribution. There is a local minimum (knee point) which indicates a softest point in the equation of state (EoS) appearing at about40A GeV/c(or 8.8 GeV) incs2excitation function (the dependence ofcs2on incident beam momentum (or center-of-mass energy)). This knee point should be related to the searching for the onset of quark deconfinement and the critical point of quark-gluon plasma (QGP) phase transition.
IgMκ and IgMλ Measurements for the Assessment of Patients with Waldenström's Macroglobulinaemia
Authors: Boyle Eileen , Manier Salomon , Lejeune Julie , Fouquet Guillemette , Guidez Stephanie , Bonnet Sarah , Debarri Houria , Demarquette Helene , Dulery Remy , Gay Julie , Hennache Bernadette , Onraed Brigitte , Faucompré Jean-Luc , Schraen Suzanna , Facon Thierry , Avet-Loiseau Hervé , Chevret Sylvie , Leblond Veronique , Harding Stephen , Leleu Xavier
Published: May 2016

Purpose: Accurate quantification of monoclonal IgM immunoglobulins is essential for response assessment in patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia (WM). The propensity of IgM to form multimers in serum makes sample evaluation by current laboratory methods particularly challenging.

Experimental Design: We assessed the precision and linearity of IgMκ and IgMλ heavy/light chain (HLC, Hevylite) assays, and established reference intervals using 120 normal donor sera. We compared the quantitative performance of HLC assays with serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and total IgM nephelometry for 78 diagnostic samples and follow-up samples from 25 patients with WM. Comparisons were made between the three methods for diagnostic sensitivity and response assessment.

Results: IgMκ and IgMλ HLC assays showed low imprecision and good linearity. There was good agreement between summated HLC (IgMκ + IgMλ) and total IgM (measured nephelometrically; R2 = 0.90), but only moderate agreement between involved IgM HLC and SPE densitometry (R2 = 0.49). Analysis of 120 normal donor sera produced the following normal ranges: IgMκ: 0.29–1.82 g/L; IgMλ: 0.17–0.94 g/L; IgMκ/IgMλ ratio: 0.96–2.30. Using these ranges, IgM HLC ratios were abnormal in all WM presentation sera tested, including 15 with non-quantifiable SPE. Despite discordance in quantitation, responses assigned with HLC assays showed excellent agreement to those based on international guidelines using SPE or total IgM; although abnormal HLC ratios indicated residual disease in some patients with negative electrophoresis results.

Conclusions: Nephelometric assessment of IgMκ and IgMλ HLC pairs offers a quantitative alternative to traditional laboratory techniques for the measurement of monoclonal IgM and may aid in the management of WM. Clin Cancer Res; 22(20); 5152–8. ©2016 AACR.
Increases in Absolute Lymphocytes and Circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells Are Associated with Positive Clinical Outcome of Melanoma Patients Treated with Ipilimumab
Authors: Martens Alexander , Wistuba-Hamprecht Kilian , Yuan Jianda , Postow Michael A. , Wong Phillip , Capone Mariaelena , Madonna Gabriele , Khammari Amir , Schilling Bastian , Sucker Antje , Schadendorf Dirk , Martus Peter , Dreno Brigitte , Ascierto Paolo A. , Wolchok Jedd D. , Pawelec Graham , Garbe Claus , Weide Benjamin
Published: May 2016

Purpose: To investigate changes of peripheral blood biomarkers and their impact on clinical outcome following treatment with ipilimumab in advanced melanoma patients.

Experimental Design: Changes in blood counts and the frequency of circulating immune cell populations analyzed by flow cytometry were investigated in 82 patients to compare baseline values with different time-points after starting ipilimumab. Endpoints were overall survival (OS) and best clinical response. Statistical calculations were done by Wilcoxon-matched pairs tests, Fisher exact test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and Cox regression analysis.

Results: Increases in absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) 2 to 8 weeks (P = 0.003) and in percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells 8 to 14 weeks (P = 0.001 and P = 0.02) after the first dose of ipilimumab were correlated with improved survival. These associations did not meet significance criteria, when conservatively adjusted for multiple testing, but were additionally correlated with clinical responses (all P < 0.05). However, validation is required. Increases in all three factors were observed in 36% of patients, who had a favorable outcome and survival probabilities of 93.3% and 63.8% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. A partial or complete response was observed in 71% of these patients compared with only 8% in patients with decreases in ≥1 of the 3 factors, respectively. Changes of regulatory T cells or myeloid-derived suppressor cells were not associated with OS.

Conclusions: Increases of ALC observed 2 to 8 weeks after initiation of ipilimumab and delayed increases in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells reflect changes associated with positive outcome. These changes represent surrogate marker candidates and warrant further validation. Clin Cancer Res; 22(19); 4848–58. ©2016 AACR.
Sensitizing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer to PI3K Inhibition by Cotargeting IGF1R
Authors: de Lint Klaas , Poell Jos B. , Soueidan Hayssam , Jastrzebski Katarzyna , Vidal Rodriguez Jordi , Lieftink Cor , Wessels Lodewyk F.A. , Beijersbergen Roderick L.
Published: May 2016

Targeted therapies have proven invaluable in the treatment of breast cancer, as exemplified by tamoxifen treatment for hormone receptor–positive tumors and trastuzumab treatment for HER2-positive tumors. In contrast, a subset of breast cancer negative for these markers, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), has met limited success with pathway-targeted therapies. A large fraction of TNBCs depend on the PI3K pathway for proliferation and survival, but inhibition of PI3K alone generally has limited clinical benefit. We performed an RNAi-based genetic screen in a human TNBC cell line to identify kinases whose knockdown synergizes with the PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941 (pictilisib). We discovered that knockdown of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) expression potently increased sensitivity of these cells to GDC-0941. Pharmacologic inhibition of IGF1R using OSI-906 (linsitinib) showed a strong synergy with PI3K inhibition. Furthermore, we found that the combination of GDC-0941 and OSI-906 is synergistic in 8 lines from a panel of 18 TNBC cell lines. In these cell lines, inhibition of IGF1R further decreases the activity of downstream PI3K pathway components when PI3K is inhibited. Expression analysis of the panel of TNBC cell lines indicates that the expression levels of IGF2BP3 can be used as a potential predictor for sensitivity to the PI3K/IGF1R inhibitor combination. Our data show that combination therapy consisting of PI3K and IGF1R inhibitors could be beneficial in a subset of TNBCs. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(7); 1545–56. ©2016 AACR.
Cell-Cycle Gene Alterations in 4,864 Tumors Analyzed by Next-Generation Sequencing: Implications for Targeted Therapeutics
Authors: Helsten Teresa , Kato Shumei , Schwaederle Maria , Tomson Brett N. , Buys Timon P.H. , Elkin Sheryl K. , Carter Jennifer L. , Kurzrock Razelle
Published: May 2016

Alterations in the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-retinoblastoma (RB) machinery disrupt cell-cycle regulation and are being targeted in drug development. To understand the cancer types impacted by this pathway, we analyzed frequency of abnormalities in key cell-cycle genes across 4,864 tumors using next-generation sequencing (182 or 236 genes; Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments laboratory). Aberrations in the cell-cycle pathway were identified in 39% of cancers, making this pathway one of the most commonly altered in cancer. The frequency of aberrations was as follows: CDKN2A/B (20.1% of all patients), RB1 (7.6%), CCND1 (6.1%), CCNE1 (3.6%), CDK4 (3.2%), CCND3 (1.8%), CCND2 (1.7%), and CDK6 (1.7%). Rates and types of aberrant cell-cycle pathway genes differed between cancer types and within histologies. Analysis of coexisting and mutually exclusive genetic aberrations showed that CCND1, CCND2, and CCND3 aberrations were all positively associated with CDK6 aberrations [OR and P values, multivariate analysis: CCND1 and CDK6 (OR = 3.5; P < 0.0001), CCND2 and CDK6 (OR = 4.3; P = 0.003), CCND3 and CDK6 (OR = 3.6; P = 0.007)]. In contrast, RB1 alterations were negatively associated with multiple gene anomalies in the cell-cycle pathway, including CCND1 (OR = 0.25; P = 0.003), CKD4 (OR = 0.10; P = 0.001), and CDKN2A/B (OR = 0.21; P < 0.0001). In conclusion, aberrations in the cell-cycle pathway were very common in diverse cancers (39% of 4,864 neoplasms). The frequencies and types of alterations differed between and within tumor types and will be informative for drug development strategies. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(7); 1682–90. ©2016 AACR.
Plantago lagopus B Chromosome Is Enriched in 5S rDNA-Derived Satellite DNA
Authors: Kumke Katrin , Macas Jiří , Fuchs Jörg , Altschmied Lothar , Kour Jasmeet , Dhar Manoj K. , Houben Andreas
Published: May 2016

B chromosomes are supernumerary dispensable parts of the karyotype which appear in some individuals of some populations in some species. Using advanced sequencing technology, we in silico characterized the high-copy DNA composition of Plantago lagopus with and without B chromosomes. The nuclear genome (2.46 pg/2C) was found to be relatively rich in repetitive sequences, with highly and moderately repeated elements making up 68% of the genome. Besides a centromere-specific marker, we identified a B-specific satellite and a repeat enriched in polymorphic A chromosome segments. The B-specific tandem repeat PLsatB originated from sequence amplification including 5S rDNA fragments.
Mining of Ruminant Microbial Phytase (RPHY1) from Metagenomic Data of Mehsani Buffalo Breed: Identification, Gene Cloning, and Characterization
Authors: Mootapally Chandra Shekar , Nathani Neelam M. , Patel Amrutlal K. , Jakhesara Subhash J. , Joshi Chaitanya G.
Published: May 2016

Phytases have been widely used as animal feed supplements to increase the availability of digestible phosphorus, especially in monogastric animals fed cereal grains. The present study describes the identification of a full-length phytase gene of Prevotella species present in Mehsani buffalo rumen. The gene, designated as RPHY1, consists of 1,251 bp and is expressed into protein with 417 amino acids. A homology search of the deduced amino acid sequence of the RPHY1 phytase gene in a nonredundant protein database showed that it shares 92% similarity with the histidine acid phosphatase domain. Subsequently, the RPHY1 gene was expressed using a pET32a expression vector in Escherichia coli BL21 and purified using a His60 Ni-NTA gravity column. The mass of the purified RPHY1 was estimated to be approximately 63 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimal RPHY1 enzyme activity was observed at 55°C (pH 5) and exhibited good stability at 5°C and within the acidic pH range. Significant inhibition of RPHY1 activity was observed for Mg2+ and K+ metal ions, while Ca2+, Mn2+, and Na+ slightly inhibited enzyme activity. The RPHY1 phytase was susceptible to SDS, and it was highly stimulated in the presence of EDTA. Overall, the observed comparatively high enzyme activity levels and characteristics of the RPHY1 gene mined from rumen prove its promising candidature as a feed supplement enzyme in animal farming.
Lateral Line Scene Analysis in the Purely Aquatic Frog Xenopus laevis Daudin (Pipidae)
Authors: Elepfandt Andreas , Lebrecht Silke , Schroedter Kirsten , Brudermanns Britta , Hillig Renate , Schuberth Claire , Fliess Alexander
Published: May 2016

The ability to locate and discriminate water surface waves that impinge simultaneously from multiple directions was studied in the clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. Monofrequency waves of 5-30 Hz were presented from point sources at a distance of 10 cm from the frog, unless stated otherwise, and the animal's response turn towards the wave origin examined. Two-choice conditioning with two simultaneous frontal waves at a 90-degree inter-wave angle revealed discrimination thresholds lower than 1 Hz for 10- to 20-Hz source wave frequencies. Smaller inter-wave angles resulted in larger thresholds, and no discrimination was found below 40°. If a third wave was added from behind, the frequency discrimination of the two frontal waves deteriorated, with 18 Hz being discriminated from waves differing by at least 2.75 Hz. Subjects also discriminated between two simultaneous waves of equal frequency presented from differing distances. At a distance of 10 cm, the discrimination threshold was 0.95 cm. Thus, X. laevis is capable of discriminating source distances in an overlap on the basis of wave curvatures. The detection of source directions among four, six or eight waves of equal frequency and distance was investigated by measuring the angular distribution of the response turns. Turns were significantly more closely oriented towards sources than to intermediate directions. The orientation accuracy did not degrade with the number of waves.
The Impact of Mild Cognitive Impairment on Gait and Balance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Studies Using Instrumented Assessment
Authors: Bahureksa Lindsay , Najafi Bijan , Saleh Ahlam , Sabbagh Marwan , Coon David , Mohler M. Jane , Schwenk Michael
Published: May 2016

Background: In addition to cognitive deficits, people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can experience motor dysfunction, including deficits in gait and balance. Objective, instrumented motor performance assessment may allow the detection of subtle MCI-related motor deficits, allowing early diagnosis and intervention. Motor assessment under dual-task conditions may increase diagnostic accuracy; however, the sensitivity of different cognitive tasks is unclear. Objective: To systematically review the extant literature focusing on instrumented assessment of gait and balance parameters for discriminating MCI patients from cognitively intact peers. Methods: Database searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria were: (1) clinically confirmed MCI; (2) instrumented measurement of gait and/or balance; (3) English language, and (4) reporting gait or balance parameters which could be included in a meta-analysis for discriminating between MCI patients and cognitively intact individuals based on weighted effect size (d). Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria and reported quantitative gait (n = 11) or postural balance (n = 4) parameters to be included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that several gait parameters including velocity (d = -0.74, p < 0.01), stride length (d = -0.65, p < 0.01), and stride time (mean: d = 0.56, p = 0.02; coefficient of variation: d = 0.50, p < 0.01) discriminated best between MCI and healthy controls under single-task conditions. Importantly, dual-task assessment increased the discriminative power of gait variables wherein gait variables with counting tasks appeared to be more sensitive (range d = 0.84-1.35) compared to verbal fluency tasks such as animal naming (range d = 0.65-0.94). Balance parameters identified as significant discriminators were anterior-posterior (d = 0.49, p < 0.01) and mediolateral (d = -0.34, p = 0.04) sway position in the eyes-open condition but not eyes-closed condition. Conclusion: Existing studies provide evidence that MCI affects specific gait parameters. MCI-related gait changes were most pronounced when subjects are challenged cognitively (i.e., dual task), suggesting that gait assessment with an additional cognitive task is useful for diagnosis and outcome analysis in the target population. Static balance seems to also be affected by MCI, although limited evidence exists. Instrumented motor assessment could provide a critical opportunity for MCI diagnosis and tailored intervention targeting specific deficits and potentially slowing progression to dementia. Further studies are required to confirm our findings.
Urinary [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] - Novel Biomarkers to Predict Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Kimmel Martin , Shi Jing , Wasser Christoph , Biegger Dagmar , Alscher Mark Dominik , Schanz Moritz Bastian
Published: May 2016

Background: Urine microscopy is an established technique to assess kidney disease, and can add valuable information about the mechanism of damage. However, it requires the time and expertise of an experienced nephrologist and, therefore, is typically used for a limited number of patients in practice. A rapid biomarker test that identifies patients from the emergency department (ED) who are likely to have positive urine microscopy findings would enable more efficient use of this technique. Methods: Four hundred patients were enrolled in the ED; thereof 362 patients had available both tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] and urine score (U-Score) data at enrollment. U-Score was assessed through urine microscopy as described previously. Results: Fifteen (4%) of 362 patients had a U-Score >0. When patients were stratified into 3 groups using the validated [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] cutoffs of 0.3 and 2.0, the proportion of patients with a positive U-Score increased across the 3 strata from 1 to 6 to 24% (p < 0.001). At the 0.3 cutoff, [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] had a sensitivity of 87%, specificity of 62% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99% for prediction of a positive U-Score. At the 2.0 cutoff, specificity increased to 95% and positive predictive value (PPV) increased to 24%. Conclusions: In ED patients, urinary [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] had a high NPV (99%) for ruling out a positive U-Score using the 0.3 cutoff and had a PPV of 24% (6-fold greater than the pre-test probability) using the 2.0 cutoff. As such, urinary [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] may enable more effective use of urine microscopy in these patients and thereby save time and personnel resources. Summary: Urine microscopy is an established technique to assess acute kidney injury and can add valuable information about the mechanism of damage; however it requires the time and expertise of an experienced nephrologist and, therefore, is typically used for a limited number of patients in clinical practice. We have shown in ED patients, urinary [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] had a high NPV (99%) for ruling out a positive U-Score using the 0.3 cutoff and had a PPV of 24% (6-fold greater than the pre-test probability) using the 2.0 cutoff. As such, urinary [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] may enable more effective use of urine microscopy in these patients and thereby save time and personnel resources.
АКТУАЛЬНІСТЬ СИНДРОМУ ХРОНІЧНОЇ ВТОМИ СЕРЕД МОЛОДІ, ЕТІОЛОГІЯ І ПЕРШІ ПРОЯВИ
Authors: Bohdan N. V. , Zarudna O. I.
Published: May 2016

У статті проаналізовано поширеність синдрому хронічної втоми серед молоді, зокрема серед студентів, а також причини та перші симптоми захворювання.
МОЖЛИВОСТІ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ЛІКАРСЬКИХ РОСЛИН ВОЛИНСЬКОЇ ОБЛАСТІ В ФІТОТЕРАПІЇ ЦУКРОВОГО ДІАБЕТУ
Authors: SOVTUS I. M.
Published: May 2016

У статті наведено дані розподілу лімітів використання лікарсько-технічної сировини, охарактеризовано ресурсний потенціал лікарських рослин Волинської області, які зростають на території Волинської області і застосовуються в комплексному лікуванні цукрового діабету. 
ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ІННОВАЦІЙНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ НАВЧАННЯ ПРИ ПІДГОТОВЦІ МОЛОДШИХ МЕДИЧНИХ СПЕЦІАЛІСТІВ
Authors: Kulish N. A.
Published: May 2016

У статті описано досвід впровадження інноваційних технологій навчання при підготовці молодших медичних спеціалістів у Артемівському медичному училищі.
РОЛЬ СЕРЕДНЬОГО МЕДИЧНОГО ПЕРСОНАЛУ В СИСТЕМІ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ’Я НА СУЧАСНОМУ ЕТАПІ
Authors: Baytsym A. Y. , Tugarov D. R. , Krynytska I. Ya.
Published: May 2016

У статті викладено сучасні дані щодо професійних та етичних якостей медичної сестри, реформи медсестринства на сучасному етапі та нових компетенцій в роботі середнього медичного персоналу.
ОЖИРІННЯ ЯК СОЦІАЛЬНА ПРОБЛЕМА СУЧАСНОСТІ
Authors: Matveycheva A. O. , Pushkin V. Ya. , Osinchuk R. R. , Kasiyan R. S.
Published: May 2016

У статті проаналізовано захворюваність на поєднаний перебіг аліментарного ожиріння. Встановлено, що аліментарне ожиріння в населення Тернопільської області найчастіше поєднується з ендокринною патологією, зокрема, з цукровим діабетом 2 типу (у 62,7 % хворих) та кардіологічною патологією, а саме з гіпертонічною хворобою (34,3 % пацієнтів), при цьому в гендерному аспекті частіше на поєднані патології хворіють жінки. Отримані результати свідчать про те, що аліментарне ожиріння призводить до формування несприятливого тла для перебігу основної хвороби.
СУБАРАХНОЇДАЛЬНІ КРОВОВИЛИВИ РІЗНОЇ ЕТІОЛОГІЇ: ОСОБЛИВОСТІ КЛІНІЧНОЇ СИМПТОМАТИКИ ТА МЕДИЧНОГО СПОСТЕРЕЖЕННЯ
Authors: Ugryn G. Ya.
Published: May 2016

У статті розглянуто клінічні особливості субарахноїдальних крововиливів різної етіології, які визначають напрямки медсестринського спостереження у гострому періоді у відділенні інтенсивної терапії.
TUBERCULOSIS IN FAMILY PRACTICE
Authors: Piatnochka I. T. , Kornaha S. I. , Kornaha T. V.
Published: May 2016

Background. In this article we describe a modern family doctor as a comprehensive paediatrician, who
preserves human health, and their importance in fight with tuberculosis. Drug-resistant tuberculosis has become
an urgent matter, multidrug-resistant TB in particular. In Ukraine 23.4% of patients suffer from TB diagnosed for
a first time and 58.6% from recurrent cases of the disease.
Objective. The aim of our research is to present a family doctor as a comprehensive paediatrician and
demonstrate their importance in fight with tuberculosis in modern times.
Results. In recent years in Ternopil region the positive dynamics of epidemiological process, decrease in
incidence and mortality from tuberculosis is evidenced. In 2014, the efficiency of treatment of patients who
were diagnosed with bacterial pulmonary tuberculosis for a first time, was 87.6%. However, the number of
patients, who died of TB within one year of observation over the last decade, increased from 15.6% to 22.2%,
(p <0.05). This proves an untimely tuberculosis diagnosis at different levels of medical services, at primary one
in particular. Mortality rate in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is 17.2%, 1/3 persons died up to one
month.
Conclusions. Family doctor provides first medical aid, eliminates foci of infectious diseases, promotes
healthy lifestyle among population, and is responsible for their health as the highest personal and social value.
KEY WORDS: tuberculosis, family doctor, healthcare.
MOLECULAR APOPTOSIS MECHANISMS WITH UNDERLYING EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE LUNG INJURY
Authors: Marushchak M. I. , Klishch I. M. , Bondarenko Yu. I. , Mazur L. P.
Published: May 2016

Background. Current data suggest systemic autoimmune activation in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary
diseases. The imbalance in the system of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines is very important in
immunopathogenesis.
Objective. The aim of our research was to determine the caspase-3 rate in the dynamics of experimental
acute lung injury and to study the relationship between their level and the number of cells carrying membrane
binding TNF receptor type 1 to define the main mechanisms of cell death.
Results. The analysis of the results of caspase-3 rate in lung homogenate showed that this cysteine proteinase
was uniformly increasing in all experimental groups during simulating of ALI induced by administration of
hydrochloric acid (p<0.001). When comparing the results of caspase course of apoptosis it was defined that,
despite the progressive increase in caspase-3 rate in lung homogenate, cysteine proteinase rate in plasma did
not change.
The receptor mechanism of apoptosis was studied by establishing correlation relationships with the number
of cells carrying membrane binding TNF type 1 (TNF-R1) receptor. A strong positive correlation relationship
between the number of neutrophils with TNF-R1 and caspase-3 rate in lungs of all research groups was
determined.
Conclusions. The implementation of neutrophils death by apoptosis is caused by change of activity of
caspase cascade effector components, such as caspase-3, in cases of ALI induced by intratracheal administration
of hydrochloric acid. One of the potential mechanisms responsible for the activation of caspase course is excessive
generation of active forms of oxygen and increase in the number of neutrophils carrying membrane binding TNF
receptor type 1.
KEY WORDS: caspase-3, tumour necrosis factor alpha receptor 1, acute lung injury
Sequential Ligand-Dependent Notch Signaling Activation Regulates Valve Primordium Formation and Morphogenesis
Authors: MacGrogan Donal , D’Amato Gaetano , Travisano Stanislao , Martinez-Poveda Beatriz , Luxán Guillermo , del Monte-Nieto Gonzalo , Papoutsi Tania , Sbroggio Mauro , Bou Vanesa , Gomez-del Arco Pablo , Gómez Manuel Jose , Zhou Bin , Redondo Juan Miguel , Jiménez-Borreguero Luis J. , de la Pompa José Luis
Published: May 2016

Rationale:

The Notch signaling pathway is crucial for primitive cardiac valve formation by epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and
NOTCH1
mutations cause bicuspid aortic valve; however, the temporal requirement for the various Notch ligands and receptors during valve ontogeny is poorly understood.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to determine the functional specificity of Notch in valve development.

Methods and Results:

Using cardiac-specific conditional targeted mutant mice, we find that endothelial/endocardial deletion of Mib1-Dll4-Notch1 signaling, possibly favored by Manic-Fringe, is specifically required for cardiac epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Mice lacking endocardial
Jag1
,
Notch1
, or
RBPJ
displayed enlarged valve cusps, bicuspid aortic valve, and septal defects, indicating that endocardial Jag1 to Notch1 signaling is required for post–epithelial–mesenchymal transition valvulogenesis. Valve dysmorphology was associated with increased mesenchyme proliferation, indicating that Jag1-Notch1 signaling restricts mesenchyme cell proliferation non–cell autonomously. Gene profiling revealed upregulated Bmp signaling in
Jag1
-mutant valves, providing a molecular basis for the hyperproliferative phenotype. Significantly, the negative regulator of mesenchyme proliferation,
Hbegf
, was markedly reduced in
Jag1
-mutant valves.
Hbegf
expression in embryonic endocardial cells could be readily activated through a RBPJ-binding site, identifying
Hbegf
as an endocardial Notch target. Accordingly, addition of soluble heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor to
Jag1
-mutant outflow tract explant cultures rescued the hyperproliferative phenotype.

Conclusions:

During cardiac valve formation, Dll4-Notch1 signaling leads to epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cushion formation. Jag1-Notch1 signaling subsequently restrains Bmp-mediated valve mesenchyme proliferation by sustaining Hbegf-EGF receptor signaling. Our studies identify a mechanism of signaling cross talk during valve morphogenesis involved in the origin of congenital heart defects associated with reduced NOTCH function.
Aging and Autophagy in the Heart
Authors: Shirakabe Akihiro , Ikeda Yoshiyuki , Sciarretta Sebastiano , Zablocki Daniela K. , Sadoshima Junichi
Published: May 2016

The aging population is increasing in developed countries. Because the incidence of cardiac disease increases dramatically with age, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms through which the heart becomes either more or less susceptible to stress. Cardiac aging is characterized by the presence of hypertrophy, fibrosis, and accumulation of misfolded proteins and dysfunctional mitochondria. Macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) is a lysosome-dependent bulk degradation mechanism that is essential for intracellular protein and organelle quality control. Autophagy and autophagic flux are generally decreased in aging hearts, and murine autophagy loss-of-function models develop exacerbated cardiac dysfunction that is accompanied by the accumulation of misfolded proteins and dysfunctional organelles. On the contrary, stimulation of autophagy generally improves cardiac function in mouse models of protein aggregation by removing accumulated misfolded proteins, dysfunctional mitochondria, and damaged DNA, thereby improving the overall cellular environment and alleviating aging-associated pathology in the heart. Increasing lines of evidence suggest that autophagy is required for many mechanisms that mediate lifespan extension, such as caloric restriction, in various organisms. These results raise the exciting possibility that autophagy may play an important role in combating the adverse effects of aging in the heart. In this review, we discuss the role of autophagy in the heart during aging, how autophagy alleviates age-dependent changes in the heart, and how the level of autophagy in the aging heart can be restored.
The Coronary Circulation as a Target of Cardioprotection
Authors: Heusch Gerd
Published: May 2016

The atherosclerotic coronary vasculature is not only the culprit but also a victim of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Manifestations of such injury are increased vascular permeability and edema, endothelial dysfunction and impaired vasomotion, microembolization of atherothrombotic debris, stasis with intravascular cell aggregates, and finally, in its most severe form, capillary destruction with hemorrhage. In animal experiments, local and remote ischemic pre- and postconditioning not only reduce infarct size but also these manifestations of coronary vascular injury, as do drugs which recruit signal transduction steps of conditioning. Clinically, no-reflow is frequently seen after interventional reperfusion, and it carries an adverse prognosis. The translation of cardioprotective interventions to clinical practice has been difficult to date. Only 4 drugs (brain natriuretic peptide, exenatide, metoprolol, and esmolol) stand unchallenged to date in reducing infarct size in patients with reperfused acute myocardial infarction; unfortunately, for these drugs, no information on their impact on the ischemic/reperfused coronary circulation is available.
Regularized Multitask Learning for Multidimensional Log-Density Gradient Estimation
Authors: Yamane Ikko , Sasaki Hiroaki , Sugiyama Masashi
Published: May 2016

Log-density gradient estimation is a fundamental statistical problem and possesses various practical applications such as clustering and measuring nongaussianity. A naive two-step approach of first estimating the density and then taking its log gradient is unreliable because an accurate density estimate does not necessarily lead to an accurate log-density gradient estimate. To cope with this problem, a method to directly estimate the log-density gradient without density estimation has been explored and demonstrated to work much better than the two-step method. The objective of this letter is to improve the performance of this direct method in multidimensional cases. Our idea is to regard the problem of log-density gradient estimation in each dimension as a task and apply regularized multitask learning to the direct log-density gradient estimator. We experimentally demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed multitask method in log-density gradient estimation and mode-seeking clustering.
Nonlinear Memory Capacity of Parallel Time-Delay Reservoir Computers in the Processing of Multidimensional Signals
Authors: Grigoryeva Lyudmila , Henriques Julie , Larger Laurent , Ortega Juan-Pablo
Published: May 2016

This letter addresses the reservoir design problem in the context of delay-based reservoir computers for multidimensional input signals, parallel architectures, and real-time multitasking. First, an approximating reservoir model is presented in those frameworks that provides an explicit functional link between the reservoir architecture and its performance in the execution of a specific task. Second, the inference properties of the ridge regression estimator in the multivariate context are used to assess the impact of finite sample training on the decrease of the reservoir capacity. Finally, an empirical study is conducted that shows the adequacy of the theoretical results with the empirical performances exhibited by various reservoir architectures in the execution of several nonlinear tasks with multidimensional inputs. Our results confirm the robustness properties of the parallel reservoir architecture with respect to task misspecification and parameter choice already documented in the literature.
Typification of Dioscorea communis and its synonym Tamus communis var. subtriloba (Dioscoreaceae)
Authors: FERRER-GALLEGO PEDRO PABLO , BOISSET FERNANDO
Published: May 2016

The typification of Dioscorea communis (≡ Tamus communis, Dioscoreaceae) is discussed. The designation of the nomenclatural type is based on the consultation of Linnaeus’s original material preserved at LINN, the Clifford Herbarium at BM, the Herbarium Joachim Burser at UPS, and the literature cited in the protologue. The name is lectotypified using a herbarium sheet preserved at LINN. A lectotype is also selected for the name Tamus communis var. subtriloba, from a specimen preserved at the Gussone’s herbarium at NAP.
Notes on the genus Leveillula (Erysiphaceae): a new unrecorded species and notes on Leveillula infecting Ficus, Cucurbita and Tropaeolum in Iran
Authors: KHODAPARAST SEYED AKBAR , TAKAMATSU SUSUMU , SHADLOU ADEL , DAMADI MOHSEN , PIRNIA MAHDI , JAHANI MAHDI
Published: May 2016

Taxonomy of the genus Leveillula has long been considered as a challenge in powdery mildew systematics. During the last decade the rDNA diversity has been used for phylogenetic analysis of the genus Leveillula aiming for better understanding of the genetic diversity and taxonomy of the genus. Iran with an arid and warm climate provides a high Leveillula powdery mildew diversity associated with a wide range of host plants. In this study we have obtained additional rDNA ITS sequences from four samples which show more diversity on ITS rDNA region. According to our observation morphology of Leveillula on Tropaeolum majus is different from what described as L. tropaeolicola on this host species. Leveillula on Ficus carica could be closely related to L. contractirostris. The fungus on Cucurbita is morphologically different from L. taurica, a common species that has been recorded on a wide range of crops as well as Cucurbitaceae. To determine phylogenetic relationships and to facilitate species identification, ITS regions of rDNA were sequenced for new collections. Sequence of rDNA ITS from Cucurbita powdery mildew showed 100% identity to those of L. thevenotiae. Leveillula on Ficus carica clustered with L. contractirostris. ITS sequences of L. jaczewskii was generated for the first time. These data showed that L. jaczewskii is closely related to L. taurica on Zygophyllum fabago (holotype host for L. taurica), however, the two DNA sequences differ at five positions.
Cissus erecta (Vitaceae), a new non-viny herbaceous species from Mt. Popa, Myanmar
Authors: CHO SEONG-HYUN , LEE JUNG-HOON , KANG DAE-HYUN , KIM BO-YUN , TRIAS-BLASI ANNA , HTWE KHIN MYO , KIM YOUNG-DONG
Published: May 2016

Cissus erecta, a new endemic species of Vitaceae from Myanmar, is described and illustrated. The species is similar to C. aubertiana in habit, but it is readily distinguished by its less deeply lobed leaves with serrate margins, persistent stipules, and larger berries. This species is also similar to C. woodrowii in leaf shape, but it is distinguished by having herbaceous habit, leaves with serrate margin, greenish and persistent stipules, compound umbel, and larger globose berries.
A contribution to the knowledge of Orthoptera diversity from Peninsular Malaysia: Bukit Larut, Perak
Authors: TAN MING KAI , KAMARUDDIN KHAIRUL NIZAM
Published: May 2016

Bukit Larut is a hill station at the southern tip of the Bintang Range, Perak of Peninsular Malaysia. While the biodiversity of Bukit Larut has been previously documented, its entomofauna, including the Orthoptera, remains relatively unknown. A faunistic survey was conducted in 2015 as part of the continuous exploration of the highlands in Malay Peninsula. An annotated species list of 71 (24 Caelifera and 47 Ensifera) species of Orthoptera from ten families (five from each order) is presented here. While the coverage of lineages in the orthopteran phylogeny is well-represented, the diversity in Bukit Larut is dominated by the three main families: Acrididae, Gryllidae and Tettigoniidae. Eight new locality records for Bukit Larut and/or Peninsular Malaysia and potential new species awaiting description highlight that the orthopteran diversity in Bukit Larut is not exhaustive.
Redescription of Alox chaunos Galil & Ng, 2007 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Leucosiidae) new to Japan; with notes on the male characters of A. latusoides (Sakai, 1937)
Authors: OHTSUCHI NAOYA , KAWAMURA TOMOHIKO
Published: May 2016

The leucosiid crab Alox chaunos Galil & Ng, 2007 is reported from Japan for the first time, and redescribed on the basis of specimens from the Ryukyu Islands. The taxonomy of this species is discussed, and comparisons are made with A. rugosum (Stimpson, 1858), A. uru Naruse & Ng, 2006, and A. liklik Galil & Ng, 2015. Alox somphos Tan & Ng, 1995, is excluded from the fauna of Japan, the original record actually based on a specimen of A. chaunos. Male characters of A. latusoides are also described for the first time to differentiate this species from A. chaunos.
A Mechanism of the MJO Invoking Scale Interactions
Authors: Krishnamurti T. N. , Krishnamurti Ruby , Simon Anu , Thomas Aype , Kumar Vinay
Published: May 2016

This chapter distinguishes the mechanism of tropical convective disturbances, such as a hurricane, from that of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). The hurricane is maintained by organized convection around the azimuth. In a hurricane the organization of convection, the generation of eddy available potential energy, and the transformation of eddy available potential energy into eddy kinetic energy all occur on the scale of the hurricane and these are called “in-scale processes,” which invoke quadratic nonlinearity. The MJO is not a hurricane type of disturbance; organized convection simply does not drive an MJO in the same manner. The maintenance of the MJO is more akin to a multibody problem where the convection is indeed organized on scales of tropical synoptic disturbances that carry a similar organization of convection and carry similar roles for the generation of eddy available potential energy and its conversion to the eddy kinetic energy for their maintenance. The maintenance of the MJO is a scale interaction problem that comes next, where pairs of synoptic-scale disturbances are shown to interact with a member of the MJO time scale, thus contributing to its maintenance. This chapter illustrates the organization of convection, synoptic-scale energetics, and nonlinear scale interactions to show the above aspects for the mechanism of the MJO.
Modeling Rainfall Interception Loss for an Epiphyte-Laden Quercus virginiana Forest Using Reformulated Static- and Variable-Storage Gash Analytical Models
Authors: Van Stan John T. , Gutmann Ethan D. , Lewis Elliott S. , Gay Trent E.
Published: May 2016

Barrier island forests are sensitive to changing precipitation characteristics as they typically rely on a precipitation-fed freshwater lens. Understanding and predicting significant rainfall losses is, therefore, critical to the prediction and management of hydrometeorological processes in the barrier island forest ecosystem. This study measures and models one such loss, canopy rainfall interception, for a barrier island forest common across subtropical and tropical coastlines: epiphyte-laden Quercus virginiana on St. Catherine’s Island (Georgia, United States). Reformulated Gash analytical models (RGAMs) relying on static- and variable-canopy-storage formulations were parameterized using common maximum water storage (minimum, mean, maximum, and laboratory submersion) and evaporation (Penman–Monteith, saturated rain–throughfall regression, and rain–interception regression) estimation methods. Cumulative interception loss was 37% of rainfall, and the epiphyte community contribution to interception loss was 11%. Variable-storage RGAMs using inferred evaporation and maximum water storage estimates performed best: mean absolute error of 1–2 mm, normalized mean percent error of 15%–25%, and model efficiency of 0.88–0.97, resulting in a 2%–5% overestimate of cumulative interception. Static- and variable-storage RGAMs using physically derived evaporation (Penman–Monteith) underestimated observed interception loss (40%–60%), yet the error was significantly lowered for submersion estimates of maximum water storage. Greater apparent error when using Penman–Monteith rates may result from unknown drying times, evaporation sources, and/or in situ epiphyte storage dynamics. As such, it is suggested that future research apply existing technologies to quantify evaporative processes during rainfall (e.g., eddy covariance) and to develop new methods to directly monitor in situ epiphyte water storage.
Ecological Conversion: What Does it Mean?
Authors: Ormerod Neil , Vanin Cristina
Published: May 2016

This article interrogates the notion of ecological conversion through the lens of the four conversions suggested by Bernard Lonergan and Robert Doran: religious, moral, intellectual, and psychic. It further dialogues with Laudato Si’ to examine how the encyclical illustrates the usefulness of the four types of conversion in bringing out the full reality of ecological conversion.
Book Review: Arup Maharatna, India’s Perception, Society, and Development: Essays Unpleasant
Authors: Sinha Anindita
Published: May 2016

Arup Maharatna, India’s Perception, Society, and Development: Essays Unpleasant, New Delhi, Springer India, 2013, xvii + 183 pp., $129, ISBN: 978-81-32210-17-7.
Status Characteristics and Ability Attributions in Hungarian School Classes
Authors: Grow André , Takács Károly , Pál Judit
Published: May 2016

We study how the status characteristics gender and ethnicity affect the abilities that adolescents attribute to each other in the Hungarian school context. For this, we derive predictions from status characteristics theory that we test by applying exponential random graph models to data collected among students in 27 school classes. By that, we contribute to the few existing studies of status characteristics in a school context, and we propose a novel approach to handle structural dependencies between individual ability attributions. Our results suggest that across classes, gender does not consistently affect ability attributions, while ethnicity does affect ability attributions. Roma students are on average perceived as less able than their Hungarian peers, even after controlling for the structural embeddedness of these perceptions.
Distance education and the scholarship of teaching and learning in political science
Authors: Hamann Kerstin , Pollock Philip H , Smith Gary E , Wilson Bruce M
Published: May 2016

Higher education has been transformed by technology over the past two decades, and teaching and learning online has become considerably more prominent. We examine the extent to which journals in the discipline mirror the rising use of technology in the classroom in the frequency of articles they publish on teaching and learning with technology, with a major focus on online teaching. We find a relatively small share of articles focus on pedagogical technologies, including online teaching, and their impact on student learning. Our findings indicate that in light of the rapid and broad adoption of technology by college teachers, there is much opportunity to expand research on how large numbers of political science students learn in technology-infused classrooms, including online instruction.
CHA2DS2-VASc Score Predicts In-Hospital and Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Who Were Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Bozbay Mehmet , Uyarel Huseyin , Cicek Gokhan , Oz Ahmet , Keskin Muhammed , Murat Ahmet , Yildirim Ersin , Karaca Gurkan , Ergelen Mehmet , Eren Mehmet
Published: May 2016

CHA2DS2-VASc score includes similar risk factors for coronary artery disease. We hypothesized that admission CHA2DS2-VASc score might be predictive of adverse clinical outcomes for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who were undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. A total of 647 patients with STEMI enrolled in this study. The study population was divided into 2 groups according to their admission CHA2DS2-VASc score. The low group (n = 521) was defined as CHA2DS2-VASc score ≤2, and the high group (n = 126) was defined as CHA2DS2-VASc score >2. Patients in the high group had significantly higher incidence of in-hospital cardiovascular mortality (8.7% vs 1.9%; P < .001). Long-term mortality was significantly frequent in the high group (13.4% vs 3.6%, P < .001). Hypertension, admission CHA2DS2-VASc score, and Killip class >1 were independent predictors of long-term mortality. Admission CHA2DS2-VASc score >2 was identified as an effective cutoff point for long-term mortality (area under curve = 0.821; 95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.89; P < .001). CHA2DS2-VASc score is a simple, very useful, easily remembered bedside score for predicting in-hospital and long-term adverse clinical outcomes in STEMI.
Marital Separation and Lethal Male Partner Violence
Authors: Ellis Desmond
Published: May 2016

Findings reported by many researchers indicate that the association between marital separation and intimate partner femicide has achieved the status of a sociological empirical generalization. The primary objective of this article is to contribute toward the cumulative development of a conflict theoretic explanation of separation- associated femicide by creating and testing a deductive conflict resolution theory that explains the empirical generalization. The causal mechanism identified in the theory is the intensity of conflict that increases with participation in adversarial and separation and divorce proceedings. Interventions logically derived from the theory are presented in the penultimate segment. Limitations are identified in the concluding segment.