bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity Evaluation of Organochalcogens in Human Leucocytes: A Comparative Study between Ebselen, Diphenyl Diselenide, and Diphenyl Ditelluride
Authors: Caeran Bueno Diones , Meinerz Daiane Francine , Allebrandt Josiane , Waczuk Emily Pansera , dos Santos Danúbia Bonfanti , Mariano Douglas Oscar Ceolin , Rocha João Batista Teixeira
Published: November 2013

Organochalcogens, particularly ebselen, have been used in experimental and clinical trials with borderline efficacy. (PhSe)2and (PhTe)2are the simplest of the diaryl dichalcogenides and share with ebselen pharmacological properties. In view of the concerns with the use of mammals in studies and the great number of new organochalcogens with potential pharmacological properties that have been synthesized, it becomes important to develop screening protocols to select compounds that are worth to be testedin vivo. This study investigated the possible use of isolated human white cells as a preliminary model to test organochalcogen toxicity. Human leucocytes were exposed to 5–50 μM of ebselen, (PhSe)2, or (PhTe)2. All compounds were cytotoxic (Trypan’s Blue exclusion) at the highest concentration tested, and Ebselen was the most toxic. Ebselen and (PhSe)2were genotoxic (Comet Assay) only at 50 μM, and (PhTe)2at 5–50 μM. Here, the acute cytotoxicity did not correspond within vivotoxicity of the compounds. But the genotoxicity was in the same order of thein vivotoxicity to mice. These results indicate thatin vitrogenotoxicity in white blood cells should be considered as an early step in the investigation of potential toxicity of organochalcogens.
Adaptive Quasi-Sliding Mode Control for Permanent Magnet DC Motor
Authors: Hoyos Fredy E. , Rincón Alejandro , Taborda John Alexander , Toro Nicolás , Angulo Fabiola
Published: November 2013

The motor speed of a buck power converter and DC motor coupled system is controlled by means of a quasi-sliding scheme. The fixed point inducting control technique and the zero average dynamics strategy are used in the controller design. To estimate the load and friction torques an online estimator, computed by the least mean squares method, is used. The control scheme is tested in a rapid control prototyping system which is based on digital signal processing for a dSPACE platform. The closed loop system exhibits adequate performance, and experimental and simulation results match.
Citrus bergamiaRisso Elevates Intracellular Ca2+in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells due to Release of Ca2+from Primary Intracellular Stores
Authors: Kang Purum , Han Seung Ho , Moon Hea Kyung , Lee Jeong-Min , Kim Hyo-Keun , Min Sun Seek , Seol Geun Hee
Published: November 2013

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effects of essential oil ofCitrus bergamiaRisso (bergamot, BEO) on intracellular Ca2+in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Fura-2 fluorescence was used to examine changes in intracellular Ca2+concentration[Ca2+]i. In the presence of extracellular Ca2+, BEO increased[Ca2+]i, which was partially inhibited by a nonselective Ca2+channel blocker La3+. In Ca2+-free extracellular solutions, BEO increased[Ca2+]iin a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that BEO mobilizes intracellular Ca2+. BEO-induced[Ca2+]iincrease was partially inhibited by a Ca2+-induced Ca2+release inhibitor dantrolene, a phospholipase C inhibitor U73122, and an inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3)-gated Ca2+channel blocker, 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borane (2-APB). BEO also increased[Ca2+]iin the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, an inhibitor of mitochondrial Ca2+uptake. In addition, store-operated Ca2+entry (SOC) was potentiated by BEO. These results suggest that BEO mobilizes Ca2+from primary intracellular stores via Ca2+-induced and IP3-mediated Ca2+release and affect promotion of Ca2+influx, likely via an SOC mechanism.
Short-Term Forecasting Models for Photovoltaic Plants: Analytical versus Soft-Computing Techniques
Authors: Monteiro Claudio , Fernandez-Jimenez L. Alfredo , Ramirez-Rosado Ignacio J. , Muñoz-Jimenez Andres , Lara-Santillan Pedro M.
Published: November 2013

We present and compare two short-term statistical forecasting models for hourly average electric power production forecasts of photovoltaic (PV) plants: the analytical PV power forecasting model (APVF) and the multiplayer perceptron PV forecasting model (MPVF). Both models use forecasts from numerical weather prediction (NWP) tools at the location of the PV plant as well as the past recorded values of PV hourly electric power production. The APVF model consists of an original modeling for adjusting irradiation data of clear sky by an irradiation attenuation index, combined with a PV power production attenuation index. The MPVF model consists of an artificial neural network based model (selected among a large set of ANN optimized with genetic algorithms, GAs). The two models use forecasts from the same NWP tool as inputs. The APVF and MPVF models have been applied to a real-life case study of a grid-connected PV plant using the same data. Despite the fact that both models are quite different, they achieve very similar results, with forecast horizons covering all the daylight hours of the following day, which give a good perspective of their applicability for PV electric production sale bids to electricity markets.
Damping Based Traffic Allocation in Wireless Machine-to-Machine Communications Networks
Authors: Yu Ruiguo , Yuan Zhenxia , Zhao Mankun , Yu Mei , Lu Xu
Published: November 2013

Machine-to-machine (M2M) technology that allows machine devices to communicate directly with each other without human intervention has emerged as a cutting-edge technology for next-generation communication. As its applications become more and more popular, the number of users grows quickly and the quality of service needs to be improved. The traffic allocation problem may lead to many other problems such as low utilization ratio of the bandwidth and the jitter. When we tried to analyze the load on different paths using the simplest multipath routing algorithms, we found that the load changes just like simple harmonic motion, which inspires us to use physic and mathematic methods and tools to analyze the loading balance problems. And then, we designed a new traffic allocation algorithm. Compared with other algorithms, the algorithm proposed in this paper has much wider applicability. And the performance comparison experiment shows that DBTAs can really achieve improvement in decreasing the packet delay variance.
Deterministic Aided STAP for Target Detection in Heterogeneous Situations
Authors: Degurse J.-F. , Savy L. , Marcos S. , Molinié J.-Ph.
Published: November 2013

Classical space-time adaptive processing (STAP) detectors are strongly limited when facing highly heterogeneous environments. Indeed, in this case, representative target free data are no longer available. Single dataset algorithms, such as the MLED algorithm, have proved their efficiency in overcoming this problem by only working on primary data. These methods are based on the APES algorithm which removes the useful signal from the covariance matrix. However, a small part of the clutter signal is also removed from the covariance matrix in this operation. Consequently, a degradation of clutter rejection performance is observed. We propose two algorithms that use deterministic aided STAP to overcome this issue of the single dataset APES method. The results on realistic simulated data and real data show that these methods outperform traditional single dataset methods in detection and in clutter rejection.
Fault Detection and Isolation in Inertial Measurement Units Based on -CUSUM and Wavelet Packet
Authors: de Oliveira Élcio Jeronimo , Milagre da Fonseca Ijar , Koiti Kuga Hélio
Published: November 2013

The aim of this paper is to present a fault detection algorithm (FDI) based on signal processing techniques developed for an inertial measurement unit (IMU) with minimal redundancy of fiber optic gyros. In this work the recursive median filter is applied in order to remove impulses (outliers) arising from data acquisition process and parity vector operations, improving the fault detection and isolation performance. The FDI algorithm is divided into two blocks: fault detection (FD) and fault isolation (FI). The FD part of the algorithm is used to guarantee the reliability of the isolation part and is based on parity vector analysis using -CUSUM algorithm. The FI part is performed using parity space projection of the energy subbands obtained from wavelet packet decomposition. This projection is an extension of clustering analysis based on singular value decomposition (SVD) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results of the FD and FI algorithms have shown the effectiveness of the proposed method, in which the FD algorithm is capable of indicating the low-level step bias fault with short delay and a high index of correct decisions of the FI algorithm also with low-level step bias fault.
Analytical Analysis of Motion Separability
Authors: Hadian Jazi Marjan , Bab-Hadiashar Alireza , Hoseinnezhad Reza
Published: November 2013

Motion segmentation is an important task in computer vision and several practical approaches have already been developed. A common approach to motion segmentation is to use the optical flow and formulate the segmentation problem using a linear approximation of the brightness constancy constraints. Although there are numerous solutions to solve this problem and their accuracies and reliabilities have been studied, the exact definition of the segmentation problem, its theoretical feasibility and the conditions for successful motion segmentation are yet to be derived. This paper presents a simplified theoretical framework for the prediction of feasibility, of segmentation of a two‐dimensional linear equation system. A statistical definition of a separable motion (structure) is presented and a relatively straightforward criterion for predicting the separability of two different motions in this framework is derived. The applicability of the proposed criterion for prediction of the existence of multiple motions in practice is examined using both synthetic and real image sequences. The prescribed separability criterion is useful in designing computer vision applications as it is solely based on the amount of relative motion and the scale of measurement noise.
Antioxidative Properties and Inhibition of Key Enzymes Relevant to Type-2 Diabetes and Hypertension by Essential Oils from Black Pepper
Authors: Oboh Ganiyu , Ademosun Ayokunle O. , Odubanjo Oluwatoyin V. , Akinbola Ifeoluwa A.
Published: November 2013

The antioxidant properties and effect of essential oil of black pepper (Piper guineense) seeds onα-amylase,α-glucosidase (key enzymes linked to type-2 diabetes), and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) (key enzyme linked to hypertension) were assessed. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and dried with anhydrous Na2SO4, and the phenolic content, radical [1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and nitric oxide (NO)] scavenging abilities as well as the ferric reducing antioxidant property (FRAP) and Fe2+-chelating ability of the essential oil were investigated. Furthermore, the effect onα-amylase,α-glucosidase, and ACE enzyme activities was also investigated. The characterization of the constituents was done using GC. The essential oil scavenged DPPH*, NO*, and ABTS* and chelated Fe2+.α-Pinene,β-pinene, cis-ocimene, myrcene, allo-ocimene, and 1,8-cineole were among the constituents identified by GC. The essential oil inhibitedα-amylase,α-glucosidase, and ACE enzyme activities in concentration-dependent manners, though exhibiting a stronger inhibition ofα-glucosidase thanα-amylase activities. Conclusively, the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and inhibition ofα-amylase,α-glucosidase, and angiotensin-1 converting enzyme activities by the essential oil extract of black pepper could be part of the mechanism by which the essential oil could manage and/or prevent type-2 diabetes and hypertension.
Uptake and Distribution of Cd in Sweet Maize Grown on Contaminated Soils: A Field-Scale Study
Authors: Xu Wending , Lu Guining , Dang Zhi , Liao Changjun , Chen Qiangpei , Yi Xiaoyun
Published: November 2013

Maize is an economic crop that is also a candidate for use in phytoremediation in low-to-moderately Cd-contaminated soils, because the plant can accumulate high concentration of Cd in parts that are nonedible to humans while accumulating only a low concentration of Cd in the fruit. Maize cultivars CT38 and HZ were planted in field soils contaminated with Cd and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) was used to enhance the phytoextractive effect of the maize. Different organs of the plant were analyzed to identify the Cd sinks in the maize. A distinction was made between leaf sheath tissue and leaf lamina tissue. Cd concentrations decreased in the tissues in the following order: sheath > root > lamina > stem > fruit. The addition of NTA increased the amount of Cd absorbed but left the relative distribution of the metal among the plant organs essentially unchanged. The Cd in the fruit of maize was below the Chinese government’s permitted concentration in coarse cereals. Therefore, this study shows that it is possible to conduct maize phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil while, at the same time, harvesting a crop, for subsequent consumption.
MiR-134/487b/655 Cluster Regulates TGF-β–Induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Drug Resistance to Gefitinib by Targeting MAGI2 in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells
Authors: Kitamura Kazuhiro , Seike Masahiro , Okano Tetsuya , Matsuda Kuniko , Miyanaga Akihiko , Mizutani Hideaki , Noro Rintaro , Minegishi Yuji , Kubota Kaoru , Gemma Akihiko
Published: November 2013

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) has recently been recognized as a key element of cell invasion, migration, metastasis, and drug resistance in several types of cancer, including non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our aim was to clarify microRNA (miRNA)-related mechanisms underlying EMT followed by acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in NSCLC. miRNA expression profiles were examined before and after transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) exposure in four human adenocarcinoma cell lines with or without EMT. Correlation between expressions of EMT-related miRNAs and resistance to EGFR-TKI gefitinib was evaluated. miRNA array and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that TGF-β1 significantly induced overexpression of miR-134, miR-487b, and miR-655, which belong to the same cluster located on chromosome 14q32, in lung adenocarcinoma cells with EMT. MAGI2 (membrane-associated guanylate kinase, WW, and PDZ domain–containing protein 2), a predicted target of these miRNAs and a scaffold protein required for PTEN, was diminished in A549 cells with EMT after the TGF-β1 stimulation. Overexpression of miR-134 and miR-487b promoted the EMT phenomenon and affected the drug resistance to gefitinib, whereas knockdown of these miRNAs inhibited the EMT process and reversed TGF-β1–induced resistance to gefitinib. Our study demonstrated that the miR-134/487b/655 cluster contributed to the TGF-β1–induced EMT phenomenon and affected the resistance to gefitinib by directly targeting MAGI2, in which suppression subsequently caused loss of PTEN stability in lung cancer cells. The miR-134/miR-487b/miR-655 cluster may be a new therapeutic target in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, depending on the EMT phenomenon. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(2); 444–53. ©2013 AACR.
Angiopoietin-like Protein 2 Accelerates Carcinogenesis by Activating Chronic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Aoi Jun , Endo Motoyoshi , Kadomatsu Tsuyoshi , Miyata Keishi , Ogata Aki , Horiguchi Haruki , Odagiri Haruki , Masuda Tetsuro , Fukushima Satoshi , Jinnin Masatoshi , Hirakawa Satoshi , Sawa Tomohiro , Akaike Takaaki , Ihn Hironobu , Oike Yuichi
Published: November 2013

Chronic inflammation has received much attention as a risk factor for carcinogenesis. We recently reported that Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (Angptl2) facilitates inflammatory carcinogenesis and metastasis in a chemically induced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin mouse model. In particular, we demonstrated that Angptl2-induced inflammation enhanced susceptibility of skin tissues to “preneoplastic change” and “malignant conversion” in SCC development; however, mechanisms underlying this activity remain unclear. Using this model, we now report that transgenic mice overexpressing Angptl2 in skin epithelial cells (K14-Angptl2 Tg mice) show enhanced oxidative stress in these tissues. Conversely, in the context of this model, Angptl2 knockout (KO) mice show significantly decreased oxidative stress in skin tissue as well as a lower incidence of SCC compared with wild-type mice. In the chemically induced SCC model, treatment of K14-Angptl2 Tg mice with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) significantly reduced oxidative stress in skin tissue and the frequency of SCC development. Interestingly, K14-Angptl2 Tg mice in the model also showed significantly decreased expression of mRNA encoding the DNA mismatch repair enzyme Msh2 compared with wild-type mice and increased methylation of the Msh2 promoter in skin tissues. Msh2 expression in skin tissues of Tg mice was significantly increased by NAC treatment, as was Msh2 promoter demethylation. Overall, this study strongly suggests that the inflammatory mediator Angptl2 accelerates chemically induced carcinogenesis through increased oxidative stress and decreased Msh2 expression in skin tissue.

Implications: Angptl2-induced inflammation increases susceptibility to microenvironmental changes, allowing increased oxidative stress and decreased Msh2 expression; therefore, Angptl2 might be a target to develop new strategies to antagonize these activities in premalignant tissue. Mol Cancer Res; 12(2); 239–49. ©2013 AACR.
Association Analysis of the IL2RA Gene with Alopecia Areata in a Chinese Population
Authors: Miao Y. , Kang Z. , Xu F. , Qi S. , Sheng Y. , Han Y. , Hu R. , Guo X. , Yang Q.
Published: November 2013

Background: Interleukin-2 receptor subunit alpha (IL2RA) is highly expressed on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and is important for immune homeostasis and the suppression of autoimmune responses. It has been suggested that the single nucleotide polymorphism in IL2RA may affect the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA). Objective: Our aim was to investigate the link between IL2RA polymorphism and AA in a Chinese population. Methods: We examined 427 patients and 430 controls in this study. The rs3118470 polymorphism was evaluated using high-resolution melting analysis and direct sequencing. Results: The prevalence of the C/C, T/C and T/T genotypes was 16.2, 48.2 and 35.6%, respectively. The genotype distribution and allele frequencies were significantly different between AA and control subjects (p < 0.0001). The C allele frequency was significantly higher in the AA group (p < 0.0001), and the frequencies of C allele and C/C genotype were higher in the patients with family history (p = 0.034; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The rs3118470 single nucleotide polymorphism of IL2RA may be a genetic marker to assess the risk of AA in a Chinese population.
Human Complement Factor H and Factor H-Like Protein 1 Are Expressed in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Authors: Weinberger Andreas W.A. , Eddahabi Cordula , Carstesen Dörthe , Zipfel Peter F. , Walter Peter , Skerka Christine
Published: November 2013

Background: A common haplotype in the gene for the regulator of the alternative pathway of complement activation factor H has been linked to individual predisposition to age- related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: In this study, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, i.e. immortalized ARPE-19 as well as primary human RPE cells, were investigated for expression of factor H and FHL-1 by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization analysis. Results: Factor H and the alternative spliced product FHL-1 are expressed in RPE cells, i.e. in immortalized ARPE-19 and primary human RPE cells. Factor H and FHL-1 expression was induced in a dose-dependent manner in ARPE-19 cells upon treatment with the inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6). In situ hybridization experiments confirmed an elevated expression rate of the factor H gene in IL-6-treated ARPE-19 cells. AMD is characterized by complement-associated inflammatory processes in the retina. Thus, local synthesis of complement regulators affects the protection of retinal cells and may be involved in the pathogenesis at the RPE-choroid interface.
A Case of Renal Cell Carcinoma with Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombus Diagnosed during Pregnancy
Authors: Katayama Hiromichi , Ito Akihiro , Kakoi Narihiko , Shimada Shuichi , Saito Hideo , Arai Yoichi
Published: November 2013

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) during pregnancy is rare, and the treatment of this condition requires appropriate steps to treat both the patient and the fetus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe a case of RCC with tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC) occurring during pregnancy. The affected 46-year-old pregnant woman with placenta previa was clinically diagnosed with cT3bN0M0 RCC at 25 weeks gestation. Therapeutic considerations included risk of sudden pulmonary embolism, risk of thrombosis or intraoperative hemorrhage, and safe delivery of the fetus. After extensive consultation with obstetricians and pediatricians, the surgical management was divided into two steps. First, the patient underwent Caesarean section and simultaneous hysterectomy at 26 weeks gestation. Then, 16 days after delivery, when hemodynamics and hemostasis had improved due to termination of gestation, the patient underwent radical nephrectomy with concomitant IVC thrombectomy.
Season of Birth in Suicides: Excess of Births during the Summer among Schizophrenic Suicide Victims
Authors: Karhumaa Tuomo , Hakko Helinä , Nauha Rauno , Räsänen Pirkko
Published: November 2013

Background: Season of birth is associated with several psychiatric disorders and suicidal behavior. We explored the association between the season of birth and suicide among schizophrenic and psychotic suicide victims. Methods: The study sample consisted of all suicides in the province of Oulu in Northern Finland from 1989 to 2010. Causes of death were extracted from death certificates, and psychiatric diagnoses associated with the hospital treatments were obtained from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register. The seasons were defined as follows: winter (from November to January), spring (from February to April), summer (from May to July), and autumn (from August to October). Suicide victims (n = 1,902) were categorized as having either schizophrenia (n = 228) or psychosis other than schizophrenia (n = 240). Suicide victims without any hospital-treated mental disorder (n = 1,434) were used as a comparison group. Results: The distribution of births among suicide victims with schizophrenia differed statistically significantly from that observed in the general population, with a peak in summer (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.5). Conclusions: Birth during summer may predispose schizophrenic persons to suicide. The putative roles of serotonin, dopamine, and vitamin D status in the season of birth of psychotic suicide victims are discussed.
Ex utero Intrapartum Treatment to Resection of a Bronchogenic Cyst Causing Airway Compression
Authors: Chatterjee Debnath , Hawkins Joy L. , Somme Stig , Galan Henry L. , Prager Jeremy D. , Crombleholme Timothy M.
Published: November 2013

We present a case report of a 28-year-old primigravida with a singleton pregnancy complicated by a fetal bronchogenic cyst compressing the left mainstem bronchus with resultant hyperinflation of the entire left lung and rightward mediastinal shift. An ex utero intrapartum treatment to resection of the fetal bronchogenic cyst via a fetal thoracotomy was performed at 36 weeks' gestational age, circumventing a potentially complicated neonatal airway emergency at birth.
Effects of the Degree of Obesity on Achieving Target Blood Pressure and Metabolic Deterioration in Obese Individuals: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Ozturk Serkan , Baltaci Davut , Turker Yasemin , Kutlucan Ali , Yengil Erhan , Deler Mehmet Harun , Gur Mucahit , Ankarali Handan
Published: November 2013

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the severity of obesity and its impact on achieving target blood pressure and metabolic derangement in obese individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional and population-based study was conducted between January and December 2012. A total of 1837 consecutive obese patients admitted to our outpatient clinic were enrolled. The anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, bioelectrical impedance fat analysis, blood sample analysis, impaired glucose status, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance of 1265 obese patients were compared between groups of patients separated by severity of obesity. Results: Only approximately one-third of patients with previous hypertension achieved normal blood pressure. In addition, the majority of patients without previous hypertension had higher blood pressure at the end of the study compared with baseline. The percent of patients with an impaired fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL was 38.5%. The frequency of impaired glucose tolerance was 39.1% in the patients who underwent OGTT Body mass index (BMI) was associated with impaired blood glucose, hypertension, insulin resistance, and the development of metabolic syndrome. The incidences of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and uncontrolled blood pressure were significantly different between groups of differing obesity severity (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.041, and p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The severity of obesity was associated with the failure to achieve target blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. Based on our data, blood pressure and metabolic parameters in obese patients should be monitored frequently and treated with caution.
Adult Renal Size is Not a Suitable Marker for Nephron Numbers: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis
Authors: Bueters Ruud RG , van de Kar Nicole CAJ , Schreuder Michiel F
Published: November 2013

Background: Renal size is often used as a marker for nephron numbers as estimation of glomerular numbers is not yet possible in vivo. However, the validity of an association between the two is questionable. As a proper marker for nephron number in an individual is needed in clinical practice, this study was designed to assess the association between renal size and nephron numbers. Methods: An individual patient data meta-analysis was performed on data retrieved with a PubMed and Embase search. Only studies were included that described individual human data on kidney size and nephron numbers determined by stereology, the gold standard methodology to estimate nephron numbers. As renal size increases until the end of puberty, and nephron numbers decline after the age of 60 years, only data from individuals aged 18-60 years without renal disease were included. Results: Six papers were identified that provided data on renal weight and nephron numbers from 114 individuals. Backward linear regression identified kidney weight and race as the only 2 significant factors explaining nephron numbers (R square 0.085, p=0.007). Controlling for race, there was a significant correlation between nephron number and kidney weight (r=0.231, r square=0.053, p=0.01). Conclusion: These data indicate that only ∼5% of the variation in nephron numbers is explained by differences in renal size. Renal size in adulthood should not be used as a marker for nephron numbers in an individual.
Maternal Separation Induces Alterations in Reversal Learning and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Adult Rats
Authors: Xue Xiaofang , Shao Shuang , Wang Weiwen , Shao Feng
Published: November 2013

Aims: Early postnatal maternal and/or sibling separation (MS) can play an important role in the development of psychopathologies during ontogeny. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of repeated MS on the cognitive and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) function of rats. Methods: We investigated the effects of repeated MS that lasted 3 h/day during postnatal days 1-21 on spatial learning and reversal learning in Morris water maze tests in male rats. The rats were tested in 4 trials. Moreover, we examined the effects of MS on BDNF protein expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the nucleus accumbens, and the hippocampus via immunohistochemistry measurements. Results: We found that repeated MS modestly disrupted reversal learning performance in the Morris water maze and decreased BDNF protein expression in the mPFC. Conclusion: The present study enhances our understanding of the neurobiological and behavioral consequences of repeated episodes of MS in rats to some degree.
Perceptions regarding Genetic Testing in Populations at Risk for Nephropathy
Authors: Freedman Barry I. , Fletcher Alison J. , Sanghani Vivek R. , Spainhour Mitzie , Graham Angelina W. , Russell Gregory B. , Cooke Bailey Jessica N. , Iltis Ana S. , King Nancy M.P.
Published: November 2013

Background: Population ancestry-based differences exist in genetic risk for many kidney diseases. Substantial debate remains regarding returning genetic test results to participants. African-Americans (AAs) and European-Americans (EAs) at risk for end-stage kidney disease were queried for views on the value and use of genetic testing in research. Methods: A standardized survey regarding attitudes toward genetic testing was administered to 130 individuals (64 AA, 66 EA) with first-degree relatives on dialysis. Fisher's exact test was used to assess differences in participant attitudes between population groups. Results: Mean (SD) age of surveyed AAs and EAs was 45.5 (12.8) and 50.5 (14.4) years, respectively (p = 0.04), with similar familial relationships (p = 0.22). AAs and EAs wished to know their test results if risk could be: (1) reduced by diet or exercise (100 and 98%, p = 0.99); (2) reduced by medical treatment (100 and 98%, p = 0.99), or (3) if no treatments were available (90 and 82%, p = 0.21). If informed they lacked a disease susceptibility variant, 87% of AAs and 88% of EAs would be extremely or pretty likely to inform family members (p = 0.84). If informed they had a disease susceptibility variant, 92% of AAs and 89% of EAs would be extremely or pretty likely to inform their family (p = 0.43). Conclusions: Attitudes toward obtaining and using genetic test results for disease in research contexts were similar in AAs and EAs at risk for end-stage kidney disease. A substantial majority would want information regardless of available treatments and would share the information with the family. These results have important implications for patient care, study design and the informed consent process.
Does Intrathecal Baclofen Have a Place in the Treatment of Painful Spasms in Friedreich Ataxia
Authors: Ghaderi Berntsson Shala , Holtz Anders , Melberg Atle
Published: November 2013

We present the case of a 50-year-old female patient with Friedreich ataxia (FA) who was treated successfully with an intrathecal baclofen (ITB)-delivering pump for painful spasms. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of FA where ITB relieved painful and disabling spasms. We suggest that ITB should be considered in the treatment of disabling spasms in patients with FA.
Should oral anticoagulants be restarted after warfarin-associated cerebral haemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation?
Authors: Agnelli Giancarlo , Paciaroni Maurizio
Published: November 2013

Intracranial haemorrhage (ICH), which affects up to 1% of patients on oral anticoagulation per year, is the most feared and devastating complication of this treatment. After such an event, it is unclear whether anticoagulant therapy should be resumed. Such a decision hinges upon the assessment of the competing risks of haematoma growth or recurrent ICH and thromboembolic events. ICH location and the risk for ischaemic cerebrovascular event seem to be the key factors that lead to risk/benefit balance of restarting anticoagulation after ICH. Patients with lobar haemorrhage or cerebral amyloid angiopathy remain at higher risk for anticoagulant-related ICH recurrence than thromboembolic events and, therefore would be best managed without anticoagulants. Patients with deep hemispheric ICH and a baseline risk of ischemic stroke >6.5% per year, that corresponds to CHADS2 ≥ 4 or CHA2DS2-VASc ≥ 5, may receive net benefit from restarting anticoagulation. To date, a reasonable recommendation regarding time to resumption of anticoagulation therapy would be after 10 weeks. Available data regarding the role of magnetic resonance imaging in assessing the risks of both ICH and warfarin-related ICH do not support the use of this test for excluding anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Eulerian and Lagrangian Isopycnal Eddy Diffusivities in the Southern Ocean of an Eddying Model
Authors: Griesel A. , McClean J. L. , Gille S. T. , Sprintall J. , Eden C.
Published: November 2013

Lagrangian isopycnal diffusivities quantify the along-isopycnal mixing of any tracer with mean gradients along isopycnal surfaces. They are studied in the Southern Ocean of the 1/10° Parallel Ocean Program (POP) model using more than 50 000 float trajectories. Concurrent Eulerian isopycnal diffusivities are estimated directly from the eddy fluxes and mean tracer gradients. Consistency, spatial variation, and relation to mean jets are evaluated. The diffusivities are calculated in bins large enough to reduce contributions from the rotational components that do not lead to net tracer mixing. Because the mean jets are nonzonal and nonparallel, meridional dispersion includes standing eddies and is significantly different from cross-stream dispersion. With the subtraction of the local Eulerian mean, the full Lagrangian diffusivity tensor can be estimated. Along-stream diffusivities are about 6 times larger than cross-stream diffusivities. Along-streamline averages of Eulerian and Lagrangian isopycnal diffusivities are similar in that they are larger north of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and smaller in the ACC in the upper 500 m. Eulerian diffusivities are often twice as large as the Lagrangian diffusivities below 500 m. There is large longitudinal variability in the diffusivities and in their relation to the mean flow. In bins with one prominent jet, diffusivities are reduced at the surface in the jet and increased to the north and south of the jet. There is a local maximum at depths of 500–1000 m. In other bins where mean jets merge and diverge because of topography, there is no consistent relation of the diffusivities with the mean flow. Eulerian fluxes are upgradient in about 15% of the bins.
An analytical method for predicting damage zone in orthogonal machining of unidirectional composites
Authors: Jahromi A Sahraie , Bahr B , Krishnan KK
Published: November 2013

The objective of this research was to study chip formation mechanisms in order to predict damage in the orthogonal machining of unidirectional polymer–matrix composites by experimentation and analysis. This study presents a new analytical formula, which is able to successfully predict the fiber orientations at which depth of machining damage is higher based on different cutting parameters and can be used to minimize machining damage by selecting proper fiber and matrix materials. Orthogonal cuttings were conducted by experiments and then compared to the developed theory. The variables that were presented for this research were tool geometry and fiber orientation.
Contributions of Matrilineal and Patrilineal Kin Alloparental Effort to the Development of Life History Strategies and Patriarchal Values
Authors: Cabeza De Baca Tomás , Sotomayor-Peterson Marcela , Smith-Castro Vanessa , Figueredo Aurelio José
Published: November 2013

Childrearing behaviors are often shaped by familial and cultural principles that function as guides for socialization goals and effective childrearing practices. For an increasing number of Latino families, the extended kin often acts as a source of childcare support. Due to a scarcity of research on the familial support configurations of Latin American families, the current study utilizes a cross-cultural retrospective approach to explore the associations between matrilineal/patrilineal kin and life history strategies in relation to childrearing. Applying a family system and life history framework, the present model tested 200 university students from Mexico and Costa Rica on measures of family emotional environment and traditional social values (e.g., familismo/simpatía and patriarchal values). Results found that childcare assistance from patrilineal and matrilineal kin was associated with positive family emotional environment, which weakly mediated the association between kin care and slow life history. Positive associations were also found between matrilineal kin childcare and traditional Latin social values. However, patriarchal values were only predicted by higher levels of patrilineal kin aid. The results are consistent with the general theoretical literature of life history theory and family systems theory, suggesting that high levels of childcare produce positively emotional family climates, which in turn perpetuate the development of prosocial individuals with slow life history strategies. Implications for further research are discussed.
The Effect of Tutoring With Nonstandard Equations for Students With Mathematics Difficulty
Authors: Powell Sarah R. , Driver Melissa K. , Julian Tyler E.
Published: November 2013

Students often misinterpret the equal sign (=) as operational instead of relational. Research indicates misinterpretation of the equal sign occurs because students receive relatively little exposure to equations that promote relational understanding of the equal sign. No study, however, has examined effects of nonstandard equations on the equation solving and equal-sign understanding of students with mathematics difficulty (MD). In the present study, second-grade students with MD ( n = 51) were randomly assigned to standard equations tutoring, combined tutoring (standard and nonstandard equations), and no-tutoring control. Combined tutoring students demonstrated greater gains on equation-solving assessments and equal-sign tasks compared to the other two conditions. Standard tutoring students demonstrated improved skill on equation solving over control students, but combined tutoring students’ performance gains were significantly larger. Results indicate that exposure to and practice with nonstandard equations positively influence student understanding of the equal sign.
Diabetes Peer Coaching
Authors: Rogers Elizabeth A. , Hessler Danielle M. , Bodenheimer Thomas S. , Ghorob Amireh , Vittinghoff Eric , Thom David H.
Published: November 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of peer coaches associated with improvement in diabetes control among low-income patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Low-income patients with type 2 diabetes who spoke English or Spanish from 6 urban clinics in San Francisco, California, were invited to participate in the study. Twenty participants received training and provided peer coaching to 109 patients over a 6-month peer coaching intervention. Primary outcome was average change in patient glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C). Characteristics of peer coaches included age, gender, years with diabetes, A1C, body mass index (BMI), levels of diabetes-related distress, self-efficacy in diabetes self-management, and depression.

Results

Patient improvement in A1C was associated with having a coach with a lower sense of self-efficacy in diabetes management ( P < .001), higher level of diabetes-related distress ( P = .01), and lower depression score ( P = .03).

Conclusions

Coach characteristics are associated with patient success in improving A1C. “Better” levels of coach diabetes self-efficacy and distress were not helpful and, in fact, were associated with less improvement in patient A1C, suggesting that some coach uncertainty about his or her own diabetes might foster improved patient self-management. These coach characteristics should be considered when recruiting peer coaches.
Extracts from The Cochrane Library: Interventions for the Prevention of Postoperative Ear Discharge after Insertion of Ventilation Tubes (Grommets) in Children
Authors: Schilder Anne G. M. , Burton Martin J. , Shin Jennifer J. , Rosenfeld Richard M.
Published: November 2013

The “Cochrane Corner” is a section in the journal that highlights systematic reviews relevant to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, with invited commentary to aid clinical decision making. This installment features a Cochrane Review, “Interventions for the Prevention of Postoperative Ear Discharge after Insertion of Ventilation Tubes (Grommets) in Children,” that concludes if a surgeon has a high rate of postoperative otorrhea in children, then saline irrigation or antibiotic ear drops at the time of surgery would significantly reduce that rate. If topical drops are chosen, a single application at the time of surgery is suggested to reduce the cost and potential for ototoxic damage (if applicable).
Prophylactic fibrinogen administration during complex congenital cardiac surgery leading to thrombosis of a patient’s brachial artery and the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit: a case report
Authors: Stanzel RDP , Henderson M , O’Blenes SB
Published: November 2013

Cardiac surgery represents one of the largest consumers of blood products due to the level of blood loss in these patients. As such, there is considerable interest in hemostatic therapies for this patient population. A hemostatic agent that has recently garnered interest is fibrinogen. The conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin by activated thrombin results in clot formation, leading to hemostasis. Currently, a number of studies are underway to evaluate the efficacy of fibrinogen concentrate in cardiac surgery patients. While potentially beneficial in hemostasis for cardiac patients, the current case report provides evidence of the importance of timing in the administration of this product.
Genetic differences in cytochrome P450 enzymes and antidepressant treatment response
Authors: Hodgson Karen , Tansey Katherine , Dernovšek Mojca Zvezdana , Hauser Joanna , Henigsberg Neven , Maier Wolfgang , Mors Ole , Placentino Anna , Rietschel Marcella , Souery Daniel , Smith Rebecca , Craig Ian W , Farmer Anne E , Aitchison Katherine J , Belsy Sarah , Davis Oliver SP , Uher Rudolf , McGuffin Peter
Published: November 2013

Aims:

Antidepressant response varies between patients, possibly due to differences in the rate cytochrome P450 enzymes metabolise antidepressants into inactive compounds. Drug metabolism rates are influenced by common variants in the genes encoding these enzymes. However, it remains unclear whether treatment outcomes can be predicted by either CYP450 genotype or antidepressant serum concentration.

Methods:

In GENDEP (a pharmacogenetic study of depressed individuals treated with either escitalopram or nortriptyline), serum concentrations of antidepressants and their primary metabolite were measured after eight weeks treatment and variants in CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 were genotyped.

Results:

Amongst patients taking escitalopram (n=223), the genotype CYP2C19 was significantly associated with escitalopram serum concentrations and desmethylescitalopram:escitalopram ratio. For those taking nortriptyline (n=161), the CYP2D6 genotype was significantly associated with nortriptyline and 10-hydroxynortriptyline serum concentrations and 10-hydroxynortriptyline:nortrip-tyline ratio. CYP450 genotypes conferring greater enzyme activity were linked to lower drug serum concentrations and higher metabolite:drug ratios. Nonetheless, no significant association was found between either CYP450 genotype or antidepressant serum concentration and treatment response.

Conclusions:

While there is a significant relationship between the CYP450 genotype and serum concentrations of escitalopram and nortriptyline, the genotypes are not predictive of differences in treatment response for either drug. Furthermore, differences in antidepressant serum concentrations are not associated with variability in treatment response.
Reviewing the ketamine model for schizophrenia
Authors: Frohlich Joel , Van Horn John D
Published: November 2013

The observation that antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), such as phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine, transiently induce symptoms of acute schizophrenia had led to a paradigm shift from dopaminergic to glutamatergic dysfunction in pharmacological models of schizophrenia. The glutamate hypothesis can explain negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia better than the dopamine hypothesis, and has the potential to explain dopamine dysfunction itself. The pharmacological and psychomimetic effects of ketamine, which is safer for human subjects than phencyclidine, are herein reviewed. Ketamine binds to a variety of receptors, but principally acts at the NMDAR, and convergent genetic and molecular evidence point to NMDAR hypofunction in schizophrenia. Furthermore, NMDAR hypofunction can explain connectional and oscillatory abnormalities in schizophrenia in terms of both weakened excitation of inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) interneurons that synchronize cortical networks and disinhibition of principal cells. Individuals with prenatal NMDAR aberrations might experience the onset of schizophrenia towards the completion of synaptic pruning in adolescence, when network connectivity drops below a critical value. We conclude that ketamine challenge is useful for studying the positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms, dopaminergic and GABAergic dysfunction, age of onset, functional dysconnectivity, and abnormal cortical oscillations observed in acute schizophrenia.
Expression and clinical significance of the programmed cell death 5 gene and protein in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Xu Fenglei , Wu Kai , Zhao Miaoqing , Qin Yejun , Xia Ming
Published: November 2013

Objective

To determine the expression of the gene programmed cell death 5 ( PDCD5) and its protein PDCD5 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and to analyse possible correlations with clinicopathological parameters.

Methods

PDCD5 mRNA expression was assessed using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and expression of PDCD5 protein was studied using Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and morphologically normal para-carcinoma tissue.

Results

A total of 41 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 29 normal para-carcinoma tissue specimens were examined. Expression of both PDCD5 mRNA and PDCD5 protein was significantly reduced in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma compared with normal tissue. Expression was correlated with clinical stage and histological grade, but was not associated with age, sex, location of primary tumour or the presence of lymph node metastases.

Conclusion

The expression of PDCD5 and its protein were shown to be reduced in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The functional importance of PDCD5 as a regulating agent in cell apoptosis suggests that it may play a key role in tumour pathogenesis and development.