bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greater Skeletal Gains in Ovary Intact Rats at Maturity Are Achieved by Supplementing a Standardized Extract ofButea monospermaStem Bark that Confers Better Bone Conserving Effect following Ovariectomy and Concurrent Treatment Withdrawal
Authors: Srivastava Kamini , Khan Kainat , Tyagi Abdul M. , Khan Mohd. P. , Yadav Dinesh K. , Trivedi Ritu , Maurya Rakesh , Singh Divya , Chattopadhyay Naibedya
Published: April 2013

With a longitudinally designed study, we tested whether an acetone soluble fraction (ASF) from the stem bark ofButea monospermaresulted in maximizing bone gain in rats during growth and maturation and thus protected against osteopenia following ovariectomy (OVx) with concomitant treatment withdrawal. Female rats at weaning were given ASF (100 mg/kg/d) or vehicle for 12 weeks, and baseline skeletal parameters (micro-CT) and total plasma antioxidant status (TAS) were measured. At this stage, one group was OVx and the other group was sham operated. Vehicle group (untreated) after OVx was given E2 or continued with vehicle (OVx control). ASF group after OVx was given vehicle (ASF withdrawn, ASFW). After another 12 weeks, all groups were killed and various skeletal parameters were determined. ASF resulted in substantially better skeletal parameters and higher plasma TAS over control at maturity. Rats treated with ASF before OVx had reduced rates of bone loss compared to OVx control. Twelve weeks after OVx, the ASFW group exhibited better trabecular microarchitectural preservation, bone turnover profiles, increased cortical deposition, and biomechanical strength over the OVx control, and the effects were comparable to OVx + E2 group. ASF supplementation during skeletal growth could maximize bone accrual and could confer increased resistance to post-OVx osteopenia despite treatment withdrawal.
Bovine Serum Albumin‐Loaded Chitosan/Dextran Nanoparticles: Preparation and Evaluation of Ex Vivo Colloidal Stability in Serum
Authors: Katas Haliza , Hussain Zahid , Awang Siti Asarida
Published: April 2013

Chitosan (CS) nanoparticles have several distinct intrinsic advantages; however, their in vivo colloidal stability in biological fluids was not fully explored especially when carrying proteins. The present study aimed to investigate their colloidal stability using an ex vivo physiological model of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and human serum (HS). The stability of bovine‐serum‐albumin (BSA‐) loaded nanoparticles was relatively higher in FBS than that in HS. Particle size of unloaded and BSA‐loaded nanoparticles was statistically unchanged up to 24 h after incubation in FBS. However in HS, a significant increase in particle size from 144 ± 17 to 711 ± 22 nm was observed for unloaded nanoparticles and by 2.5‐fold for BSA‐loaded nanoparticle, at 24 h after incubation in HS. Zeta potential of both nanoparticles was less affected by the components in FBS compared to those in HS. A remarkable swelling extent was experienced for unloaded and BSA‐loaded nanoparticles in HS, up to 54 ± 4% and 44 ± 5%, respectively. Morphology of unloaded and BSA‐loaded nanoparticles was varied from smooth spherical and rod shape to irregular shape when incubated in FBS; however, form agglomerates when incubated in HS. These findings therefore suggest that HS is more reactive to cause colloidal instability to the chitosan nanoparticles compared to FBS.
Coercively Adjusted Auto Regression Model for Forecasting in Epilepsy EEG
Authors: Kim Sun-Hee , Faloutsos Christos , Yang Hyung-Jeong
Published: April 2013

Recently, data with complex characteristics such as epilepsy electroencephalography (EEG) time series has emerged. Epilepsy EEG data has special characteristics including nonlinearity, nonnormality, and nonperiodicity. Therefore, it is important to find a suitable forecasting method that covers these special characteristics. In this paper, we propose a coercively adjusted autoregression (CA-AR) method that forecasts future values from a multivariable epilepsy EEG time series. We use the technique of random coefficients, which forcefully adjusts the coefficients with−1and 1. The fractal dimension is used to determine the order of the CA-AR model. We applied the CA-AR method reflecting special characteristics of data to forecast the future value of epilepsy EEG data. Experimental results show that when compared to previous methods, the proposed method can forecast faster and accurately.
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia and Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Rare Association
Authors: Salmeron Géraldine , Molina Thierry Jo , Fieschi Claire , Zagdanski Anne-Marie , Brice Pauline , Sibon David
Published: April 2013

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) has been associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and classical Hodgkin lymphoma, but to the best of our knowledge, the association of AIHA and nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) has not been reported previously. A 20-year-old woman presented with conjunctival jaundice, fever, asthenia, and hemoglobin 9.2 g/dL revealing IgG-mediated warm antibody AIHA. Computed tomography (CT) scan and positron-emission tomography (PET) scan showed mediastinal and axillary lymph nodes with increased [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake. A mediastinal lymph node was biopsied during mediastinoscopy, and NLPHL was diagnosed by an expert hematopathologist. The hemoglobin level declined to 4.6 g/dL. The treatment consisted of four 28-day cycles of R-ABVD (rituximab 375 mg/m2IV, adriamycin 25 mg/m2IV, bleomycin 10 mg/m2IV, vinblastine 6 mg/m2IV, and dacarbazine 375 mg/m2IV, each on days 1 and 15). Prednisone was progressively tapered over 10 weeks. After the first chemotherapy cycle, the hemoglobin level rose to 12 g/dL. After the four cycles, PET and CT scans showed complete remission (CR). At the last followup (4 years), AIHA and NLPHL were in sustained CR.
Subclasses of Starlike Functions Associated with Fractional q-Calculus Operators
Authors: Murugusundaramoorthy G. , Selvaraj C. , Babu O. S.
Published: April 2013

Making use of fractional q-calculus operators, we introduce a new subclass ℳq(λ,γ,k) of starlike functions and determine the coefficient estimate, extreme points, closure theorem, and distortion bounds for functions in ℳq(λ,γ,k). Furthermore we discuss neighborhood results, subordination theorem, partial sums, and integral means inequalities for functions in ℳq(λ,γ,k).
GAPDH Pseudogenes and the Quantification of Feline Genomic DNA Equivalents
Authors: Helfer-Hungerbuehler A. Katrin , Widmer Stefan , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina
Published: April 2013

Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is broadly used to detect and quantify nucleic acid targets. In order to determine cell copy number and genome equivalents, a suitable reference gene that is present in a defined number in the genome is needed, preferably as a single copy gene. For most organisms, a variable number of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) pseudogenes have been reported. However, it has been suggested that a single-copy of the GAPDH pseudogene is present in the feline genome and that a GAPDH assay can therefore be used to quantify feline genomic DNA (gDNA). The aim of this study was to determine whether one or more GAPDH pseudogenes are present in the feline genome and to provide a suitable alternative qPCR system for the quantification of feline cell copy number and genome equivalents. Bioinformatics and sequencing results revealed that not just one but several closely related GAPDH-like sequences were present in the cat genome. We thus identified, developed, optimized, and validated an alternative reference gene assay using feline albumin (fALB). Our data emphasize the need for an alternative reference gene, apart from the GAPDH pseudogene, for the normalization of gDNA levels. We recommend using the fALB qPCR assay for future studies.
Geometric Pseudospectral Method on SE(3) for Rigid-Body Dynamics with Application to Aircraft
Authors: Li Jie , An Honglei , Zhu Huayong , Shen Lincheng , Fang Bin
Published: April 2013

General pseudospectral method is extended to the special Euclidean group SE(3) by virtue of equivariant map for rigid-body dynamics of the aircraft. On SE(3), a complete left invariant rigid-body dynamics model of the aircraft in body-fixed frame is established, including configuration model and velocity model. For the left invariance of the configuration model, equivalent Lie algebra equation corresponding to the configuration equation is derived based on the left-trivialized tangent of local coordinate map, and the top eight orders truncated Magnus series expansion with its coefficients of the solution of the equivalent Lie algebra equation are given. A numerical method called geometric pseudospectral method is developed, which, respectively, computes configurations and velocities at the collocation points and the endpoint based on two different collocation strategies. Through numerical tests on a free-floating rigid-body dynamics compared with several same order classical methods in Euclidean space and Lie group, it is found that the proposed method has higher accuracy, satisfying computational efficiency, stable Lie group structural conservativeness. Finally, how to apply the previous discretization scheme to rigid-body dynamics simulation and control of the aircraft is illustrated.
Lovastatin inAspergillus terreus: Fermented Rice Straw Extracts Interferes with Methane Production and Gene Expression inMethanobrevibacter smithii
Authors: Faseleh Jahromi Mohammad , Liang Juan Boo , Ho Yin Wan , Mohamad Rosfarizan , Goh Yong Meng , Shokryazdan Parisa , Chin James
Published: April 2013

Lovastatin, a natural byproduct of some fungi, is able to inhibit HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3methyl glutaryl CoA) reductase. This is a key enzyme involved in isoprenoid synthesis and essential for cell membrane formation in methanogenic Archaea. In this paper, experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that lovastatin secreted byAspergillus terreusin fermented rice straw extracts (FRSE) can inhibit growth and CH4production inMethanobrevibacter smithii(a test methanogen). By HPLC analysis, 75% of the total lovastatin in FRSE was in the active hydroxyacid form, andin vitrostudies confirmed that this had a stronger effect in reducing both growth and CH4production inM. smithiicompared to commercial lovastatin. Transmission electron micrographs revealed distorted morphological divisions of lovastatin- and FRSE-treatedM. smithiicells, supporting its role in blocking normal cell membrane synthesis. Real-time PCR confirmed that both commercial lovastatin and FRSE increased (P<0.01) the expression of HMG-CoA reductase gene (hmg). In addition, expressions of other gene transcripts inM. smithii. with a key involvement in methanogenesis were also affected. Experimental confirmation that CH4production is inhibited by lovastatin inA. terreus-fermented rice straw paves the way for its evaluation as a feed additive for mitigating CH4production in ruminants.
Effect of Metakaolin on Strength and Efflorescence Quantity of Cement‐Based Composites
Authors: Weng Tsai-Lung , Lin Wei-Ting , Cheng An
Published: April 2013

This study investigated the basic mechanical and microscopic properties of cement produced with metakaolin and quantified the production of residual white efflorescence. Cement mortar was produced at various replacement ratios of metakaolin (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% by weight of cement) and exposed to various environments. Compressive strength and efflorescence quantify (using Matrix Laboratory image analysis and the curettage method), scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction analysis were reported in this study. Specimens with metakaolin as a replacement for Portland cement present higher compressive strength and greater resistance to efflorescence; however, the addition of more than 20% metakaolin has a detrimental effect on strength and efflorescence. This may be explained by the microstructure and hydration products. The quantity of efflorescence determined using MATLAB image analysis is close to the result obtained using the curettage method. The results demonstrate the best effectiveness of replacing Portland cement with metakaolin at a 15% replacement ratio by weight.
Ultradeep Pyrosequencing of Hepatitis C Virus Hypervariable Region 1 in Quasispecies Analysis
Authors: Caraballo Cortés Kamila , Zagordi Osvaldo , Laskus Tomasz , Płoski Rafał , Bukowska-Ośko Iwona , Pawełczyk Agnieszka , Berak Hanna , Radkowski Marek
Published: April 2013

Genetic variability of hepatitis C virus (HCV) determines pathogenesis of infection, including viral persistence and resistance to treatment. The aim of the present study was to characterize HCV genetic heterogeneity within a hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of a chronically infected patient by ultradeep 454 sequencing strategy. Three independent sequencing error correction methods were applied. First correction method (Method I) implemented cut-off for genetic variants present in less than 1%. In the second method (Method II), a condition to call a variant was bidirectional coverage of sequencing reads. Third method (Method III) usedShort Read Assembly into Haplotypes(ShoRAH) program. After the application of these three different algorithms, HVR1 population consisted of 8, 40, and 186 genetic haplotypes. The most sensitive method was ShoRAH, allowing to reconstruct haplotypes constituting as little as 0.013% of the population. The most abundant genetic variant constituted only 10.5%. Seventeen haplotypes were present in a frequency above 1%, and there was wide dispersion of the population into very sparse haplotypes. Our results indicate that HCV HVR1 heterogeneity andquasispeciespopulation structure may be reconstructed by ultradeep sequencing. However, credible analysis requires proper reconstruction methods, which would distinguish sequencing error from real variabilityin vivo.
Determination of Mercury in Ayurvedic Dietary Supplements That Are Not Rasa Shastra Using the Hydra-C Direct Mercury Analyzer
Authors: Abdalla Amir A. , Smith Robert E.
Published: April 2013

Mercury has been determined in Ayurvedic dietary supplements (Trifala, Trifala Guggulu, Turmeric, Mahasudarshan, Yograj, Shatawari, Hingwastika, Shatavari, and Shilajit) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and direct mercury analysis using the Hydra-C direct mercury analyzer (Teledyne Leeman Labs Hudson, NH, USA). Similar results were obtained from the two methods, but the direct mercury analysis method was much faster and safer and required no microwave digestion (unlike ICP-MS). Levels of mercury ranged from 0.002 to 56 μg/g in samples of dietary supplements. Standard reference materials Ephedra 3240 and tomato leaves that were from the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) and dogfish liver (DOLT3) that was from the Canadian Research Council were analyzed using Hydra-C method. Average mercury recoveries were 102% (RSD% 0.0018), 100% (RSD% 0.0009), and 101% (RSD% 0.0729), respectively. Hydra-C method Limit Of Quantitation was 0.5 ng.
Wronskian Addition Formula and Darboux-Pöschl-Teller Potentials
Authors: Gaillard Pierre , Matveev Vladimir
Published: April 2013

For the famous Darboux-Pöschl-Teller equation, we present new wronskian representation both for the potential and the related eigenfunctions. The simplest application of this new formula is the explicit description of dynamics of the DPT potentials and the action of the KdV hierarchy. The key point of the proof is some evaluation formulas for special wronskian determinant.
Uses of Phage Display in Agriculture: A Review of Food-Related Protein-Protein Interactions Discovered by Biopanning over Diverse Baits
Authors: Kushwaha Rekha , Payne Christina M. , Downie A. Bruce
Published: April 2013

This review highlights discoveries made using phage display that impact the use of agricultural products. The contribution phage display made to our fundamental understanding of how various protective molecules serve to safeguard plants and seeds from herbivores and microbes is discussed. The utility of phage display for directed evolution of enzymes with enhanced capacities to degrade the complex polymers of the cell wall into molecules useful for biofuel production is surveyed. Food allergies are often directed against components of seeds; this review emphasizes how phage display has been employed to determine the seed component(s) contributing most to the allergenic reaction and how it has played a central role in novel approaches to mitigate patient response. Finally, an overview of the use of phage display in identifying the mature seed proteome protection and repair mechanisms is provided. The identification of specific classes of proteins preferentially bound by such protection and repair proteins leads to hypotheses concerning the importance of safeguarding the translational apparatus from damage during seed quiescence and environmental perturbations during germination. These examples, it is hoped, will spur the use of phage display in future plant science examining protein-ligand interactions.
Day 100 Peripheral Blood Absolute Lymphocyte/Monocyte Ratio and Survival in Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma Postautologous Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Porrata Luis F. , Inwards David J. , Ansell Stephen M. , Micallef Ivana N. , Johnston Patrick B. , Hogan William J. , Markovic Svetomir N.
Published: April 2013

Day 100 prognostic factors of postautologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (APBHSCT) to predict clinical outcome in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) patients have not been evaluated. Thus, we studied if the day 100 peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (Day 100 ALC/AMC) affects clinical outcomes by landmark analysis from day 100 post-APBHSCT. Only cHL patients achieving a complete remission at day 100 post-APBHSCT were studied. From 2000 to 2010, 131 cHL consecutive patients qualified for the study. The median followup from day 100 was 4.1 years (range: 0.2–12.3 years). Patients with a Day 100 ALC/AMC ≥ 1.3 experienced superior overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared with Day 100 ALC/AMC < 1.3 (from day 100: OS, median not reached versus 2.8 years; 5 years OS rates of 93% (95% CI, 83%–97%) versus 35% (95% CI, 19%–51%), resp.,P<0.0001; from day 100: PFS, median not reached versus 1.2 years; 5 years PFS rates of 79% (95% CI, 69%–86%) versus 27% (95% CI, 14%–45%), resp.,P<0.0001). Day ALC/AMC ratio was an independent predictor for OS and PFS. Thus, Day 100 ALC/AMC ratio is a simple biomarker that can help to assess clinical outcomes from day 100 post-APBHSCT in cHL patients.
Progenitor Cell Therapy to Treat Acute Myocardial Infarction: The Promise of High-Dose Autologous CD34+Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells
Authors: Poole Joseph C. , Quyyumi Arshed A.
Published: April 2013

ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with an increased risk for congestive heart failure and long-term mortality despite the widespread use of thrombolysis and catheter-based revascularization. The need for improved post-STEMI therapies has led to a surge of novel therapeutics, especially regenerative approaches using autologous mononuclear cells. Indeed, the past decade has been marked by a number of human trials studying the safety and efficacy of progenitor cell delivery in the post-STEMI setting. While a variety of cell types and delivery techniques have been utilized, directed therapy to the infarct-related artery has been the most widely used approach. From over 1300 subjects randomized in these studies, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that cell therapy after STEMI is uniformly safe, while the efficacy of this intervention for improving outcomes is less clear. Recent meta-analyses have highlighted the importance of both timing of cell delivery, as well as the type, quantity, and mobility of delivered cells as determinants of response. Here, we show the case in which higher doses of CD34+cells, which are more potent in terms of their migratory capacity, offer the best hope for preserving cardiac function following STEMI.
Urban Households' Willingness to Pay for Improved Solid Waste Disposal Services in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana
Authors: Awunyo-Vitor Dadson , Ishak Shaibu , Seidu Jasaw Godfred
Published: April 2013

Solid waste management within Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly area continues to be a major challenge for the municipal assembly and one of the key issues is its financial constraints. This study was undertaken to examine households' willingness to pay for improved solid waste management services. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select six hundred respondents for the study. Logistic regression model was used to establish the determinants of willingness to pay for solid waste management whilst the Tobit model was used to evaluate the factors influencing the amount of money the households are willing to pay for improved solid waste management. The logistic model shows that income, age, number of children, quantity of waste generated, and education have significant effects on the willingness to pay, while the amount of money the households are willing to pay was influenced by their income, quantity of waste generated, education, house ownership, and number of children. Thus, the assembly can increase waste collection fees between GHC 3 and GHC 5.00. This would lead to improvement in the waste management within the metropolis. However, the additional charge should take into consideration location and income levels.
Regularity Result for Quasilinear Elliptic Systems with Super Quadratic Natural Growth Condition
Authors: Chen Shuhong , Tan Zhong
Published: April 2013

We consider boundary regularity for weak solutions of second-order quasilinear elliptic systems under natural growth condition with super quadratic growth and obtain a general criterion for a weak solution to be regular in the neighborhood of a given boundary point. Combined with existing results on interior partial regularity, this result yields an upper bound on the Hausdorff dimension of the singular set at the boundary.
Carbon Dioxide Capture from Ambient Air Using Amine-Grafted Mesoporous Adsorbents
Authors: Wagner Annemarie , Steen Bengt , Johansson Göran , Zanghellini Ezio , Jacobsson Per , Johansson Patrik
Published: April 2013

Anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have been identified as a major contributor to climate change. An attractive approach to tackle the increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere is direct extraction via absorption of CO2 from ambient air, to be subsequently desorbed and processed under controlled conditions. The feasibility of this approach depends on the sorbent material that should combine a long lifetime with nontoxicity, high selectivity for CO2, and favorable thermodynamic cycling properties. Adsorbents based on pore-expanded mesoporous silica grafted with amines have previously been found to combine high CO2 adsorption capacity at low partial pressures with operational stability under highly defined laboratory conditions. Here we examine the real potential and functionality of these materials by using more realistic conditions using both pure CO2, synthetic air, and, most importantly, ambient air. Through a combination of thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared (TGA-FTIR) spectroscopy we address the primary functionality and by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy the observed degradation of the material on a molecular level.
Is Weight-Bearing Asymmetry Associated with Postural Instability after Stroke? A Systematic Review
Authors: Kamphuis Jip F. , de Kam Digna , Geurts Alexander C. H. , Weerdesteyn Vivian
Published: April 2013

Introduction. Improvement of postural stability is an important goal during poststroke rehabilitation. Since weight-bearing asymmetry (WBA) towards the nonparetic leg is common, training of weight-bearing symmetry has been a major focus in post-stroke balance rehabilitation. It is assumed that restoration of a more symmetrical weight distribution is associated with improved postural stability.Objective. To determine to what extent WBA is associated with postural instability in people after stroke.Methods. Electronic databases were searched (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL) until March 2012.Main Eligibility Criteria. (1) Participants were people after stroke. (2) The association between WBA and postural stability was reported. Quality of reporting was assessed with the STROBE checklist and a related tool for reporting of confounding.Results. Nine observational studies met all criteria. Greater spontaneous WBA was associated with higher center of pressure (COP) velocity and with poorer synchronization of COP trajectories between the legs (two and one studies, resp.). Evidence for associations between WBA and performance on clinical balance tests or falls was weak.Conclusion. Greater WBA after stroke was associated with increased postural sway, but the current literature does not provide evidence for a causal relationship. Further studies should investigate whether reducing WBA would improve postural stability.
Bacillary Angiomatosis and Bacteremia due toBartonella quintanain a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Authors: Fulchini Rosamaria , Bloemberg Guido , Boggian Katia
Published: April 2013

We present a 63-year-old man treated with alemtuzumab for chronic lymphocytic leukemia who developed multiple angiomatous papules and fever. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from a skin lesion and blood sample revealedBartonella quintanaas causative agent confirming the diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis with bacteremia. Treatment with doxycycline, initially in combination with gentamicin, led to complete resolution of the lesions. This case shows the importance of considering bacillary angiomatosis as a rare differential diagnosis of angiomatous lesions in the immunocompromised patient, particularly in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and following lymphocyte depleting treatments as alemtuzumab.
Examining the Impact of Skin LightenersIn Vitro
Authors: Gruber James V. , Holtz Robert
Published: April 2013

Three cosmetically important skin lightening agents, hydroquinone (HQ), kojic acid (KA), and niacinamide (NA), consume the bulk of successful skin lightening ingredients in cosmetic applications. However, the mechanisms by which these ingredients work are still unclear. In this study, melanocytes and keratinocytes were treated with high, nontoxic doses of HQ, KA, and NA and the cells were examined by human microarrays and protein assays for several important targets including cytotoxicity, melanin expression, tyrosinase gene (TYR) and protein expression, melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene and protein expression, cytochrome c oxidase-1 (COX1) gene and protein expression, and ferritin (FTH1) gene and protein expression. It was found that all the skin lighteners examined showed marked increases in TYR, COX1, and FTH1 gene and protein expression, but not in MC1R expression in melanocytes. Upregulation of COX1 and FTH1 genes and proteins was common across both cell lines, melanocytes and keratinocytes. The results of the tyrosinase expression were somewhat unexpected. The role of iron in the expression of melanin is somewhat unexplored, but common and strong upregulation of ferritin protein in both types of cells due to the treatments suggests that iron plays a more pivotal role in melanin synthesis than previously anticipated.
Phase II Study of Bortezomib as a Single Agent in Patients with Previously Untreated or Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia Ineligible for Intensive Therapy
Authors: Sarlo Chiara , Buccisano Francesco , Maurillo Luca , Cefalo Mariagiovanna , Di Caprio Luigi , Cicconi Laura , Ditto Concetta , Ottaviani Licia , Di Veroli Ambra , Del Principe Maria Ilaria , Grasso Maria Assunta , Nasso Daniela , De Santis Giovanna , Amadori Sergio , Venditti Adriano
Published: April 2013

We explored the safety and efficacy of bortezomib given as single agent in patients with untreated or relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), unfit for conventional chemotherapy. Fourteen patients were treated with bortezomib 1.5 mg/m2 administered twice weekly for two weeks, every 3 weeks. Median age was 70 years (range 60–81) and the median number of cycles delivered was 2 (range 1–4). Of 13 evaluable patients, in 8 (61%), the administration of bortezomib resulted in an antileukemic effect as demonstrated by peripheral blood and/or bone marrow blast reduction. In 4 (50%) of these 8, a decrease by 37% of transfusion requirement was also observed . Overall median survival was 4 months (range 0.25–10). Neurotoxicity was the most frequent adverse event with 7 of 13 (54%) patients experiencing grades 3-4 peripheral neuropathy. Neurotoxicity led to treatment discontinuation in 4 (57%) of 7. In conclusion, the observed anti-leukemic activity of bortezomib indicates that there is room for designing additional studies in which combination with other chemotherapeutic agents should be considered. Clinical registration no.: EUDRACT 2006-006923-38.
Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma of Caecum Causing Intussusception
Authors: Verma Rashmi , Osborn Sally , Horgan Kieran
Published: April 2013

Malignant transformation of endometriosis is rare and is usually seen in ovarian endometriosis. The colon and rectum are the most common sites for extragonadal endometriosis, and although serosal involvement is commonly seen, mucosal involvement is rare. Malignant transformation of endometriosis is a rare but a well-known complication of endometriosis. We report an unusual presentation of endometrioid adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis, arising from endometriosis in the caecal wall and causing ileocaecal intussusception. The patient presented with sudden onset of abdominal pain with features suggestive of acute appendicitis. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed an ileocaecal intussusception. Conversion to open surgery confirmed a caecal mass causing ileocaecal intussusception, and a radical right hemicolectomy was performed. Histology revealed endometrioid adenocarcinoma arising in a focus of endometriosis in the muscularis propria and involving the mucosa, with one regional metastatic lymph node.
Social Support Network among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Iran
Authors: Forouzan Ameneh Setareh , Jorjoran Shushtari Zahra , Sajjadi Homeira , Salimi Yahya , Dejman Masoumeh
Published: April 2013

This study considers social network interactions as a potential source of support for individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 224 people with HIV/AIDS who refer to behavioral counseling centers. Participants were randomly selected among all people with HIV/AIDS from these centers. Relatives were more reported as sources of support than nonrelatives. They were closer to participants, but there was difference between the closest type among relative and nonrelative supporters(P=0.01). Mean of functional support with considering the attainable range 0–384 was low(126.74  (SD=76.97)). Social support of participants has been found to be associated with CD4 cell count(P=0.000), sex(P=0.049), and network size(P=0.000)after adjusted for other variables in the final model. Totally, in this study, many of participants had the static social support network that contained large proportions of family and relatives. The findings contribute to the evidence for promotion of knowledge about social support network and social support of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Almost Periodic Solution for Memristive Neural Networks with Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Wu Huaiqin , Zhang Luying
Published: April 2013

This paper is concerned with the dynamical stability analysis for almost periodic solution of memristive neural networks with time-varying delays. Under the framework of Filippov solutions, by applying the inequality analysis techniques, the existence and asymptotically almost periodic behavior of solutions are discussed. Based on the differential inclusions theory and Lyapunov functional approach, the stability issues of almost periodic solution are investigated, and a sufficient condition for the existence, uniqueness, and global exponential stability of the almost periodic solution is established. Moreover, as a special case, the condition which ensures the global exponential stability of a unique periodic solution is also presented for the considered memristive neural networks. Two examples are given to illustrate the validity of the theoretical results.
Rhodiola crenulataExtract Alleviates Hypoxic Pulmonary Edema in Rats
Authors: Lee Shih-Yu , Li Min-Hui , Shi Li-Shian , Chu Hsin , Ho Cheng-Wen , Chang Tsu-Chung
Published: April 2013

Sudden exposure of nonacclimatized individuals to high altitude can easily lead to high altitude illnesses. High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is the most lethal form of high altitude illness. The present study was designed to investigate the ability ofRhodiola crenulataextract (RCE), an herbal medicine traditionally used as an antiacute mountain sickness remedy, to attenuate hypoxia-induced pulmonary injury. Exposure of animals to hypobaric hypoxia led to a significant increase in pathological indicators for pulmonary edema, including the lung water content, disruption of the alveolar-capillary barrier, and protein-rich fluid in the lungs. In addition, hypobaric hypoxia also increased oxidative stress markers, including (ROS) production, (MDA) level, and (MPO) activity. Furthermore, overexpression of plasma (ET-1), (VEGF) in (BALF), and (HIF-1α) in lung tissue was also found. However, pretreatment with RCE relieved the HAPE findings by curtailing all of the hypoxia-induced lung injury parameters. These findings suggest that RCE confers effective protection for maintaining the integrity of the alveolar-capillary barrier by alleviating the elevated ET-1 and VEGF levels; it does so by reducing hypoxia-induced oxidative stress. Our results offer substantial evidence to support arguments in favor of traditional applications ofRhodiola crenulatafor antihigh altitude illness.
Noise Performance of Heterojunction DDR MITATT Devices Based on at W-Band
Authors: Banerjee Suranjana , Acharyya Aritra , Banerjee J. P.
Published: April 2013

Noise performance of different structures of anisotype heterojunction double-drift region (DDR) mixed tunneling and avalanche transit time (MITATT) devices has been studied. The devices are designed for operation at millimeter-wave W-band frequencies. A simulation model has been developed to study the noise spectral density and noise measure of the device. Two different mole fractions and of Ge and corresponding four types of device structure are considered for the simulation. The results show that the -Si heterojunction DDR structure of MITATT device excels all other structures as regards noise spectral density (  sec) and noise measure (33.09 dB) as well as millimeter-wave properties such as DC-to-RF conversion efficiency (20.15%) and CW power output (773.29 mW).
Leishmania majorSelf-Limited Infection Increases Blood Cholesterol and Promotes Atherosclerosis Development
Authors: Fernandes Luciana R. , Ribeiro Ana Cecília C. , Segatto Marcela , Santos Luís Felipe F. F. , Amaral Joana , Portugal Luciane R. , Leite Jacqueline I. A.
Published: April 2013

Leishmania majorinfection of resistant mice causes a self-limited lesion characterized by macrophage activation and a Th1 proinflammatory response. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease involving hypercholesterolemia and macrophage activation. In this study, we evaluated the influence ofL. majorinfection on the development of atherosclerosis using atherosclerosis-susceptible apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE KO) mice. After 6 weeks of infection, apoE KO mice exhibited reduced footpad swelling and parasitemia similar to C57BL/6 controls, confirming that both strains are resistant to infection withL. major.L. major-infected mice had increased plasma cholesterol levels and reduced triacylglycerols. With regard to atherosclerosis, noninfected mice developed only fatty streak lesions, while the infected mice presented with advanced lesions containing a necrotic core and an abundant inflammatory infiltrate. CD36 expression was increased in the aortic valve of the infected mice, indicating increased macrophage activation. In conclusion,L. majorinfection, although localized and self-limited in resistant apoE KO mice, has a detrimental effect on the blood lipid profile, increases the inflammatory cell migration to atherosclerotic lesions, and promotes atherogenesis. These effects are consequences of the stimulation of the immune system byL. major, which promotes the inflammatory components of atherosclerosis, which are primarily the parasite-activated macrophages.
Congenital Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis
Authors: Hammami Saber , Harrathi Khaled , Lajmi Khaled , Hadded Samir , Ben Meriem Chebil , Guédiche Mohamed Néji
Published: April 2013

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare syndrome characterized by pulmonary surfactant accumulation within the alveolar spaces. It occurs with a reported prevalence of 0.1 per 100,000 individuals. Two clinically different pediatric types have been defined as congenital PAP which is fatal and a late-onset PAP which is similar to the adult form and less severe. The clinical course of PAP is variable, ranging from spontaneous remission to respiratory failure. Whole-lung lavage is the current standard treatment for PAP patients. We report a new congenital case of PAP.
Lessons From Early REDD+ Experiences in the Philippines
Authors: Lasco Rodel D. , Mallari Neil Aldrin D. , Pulhin Florencia B. , Florece Ailene M. , Rico Edmund Leo B. , Baliton Romnick S. , Urquiola Joan P.
Published: April 2013

There is growing interest globally in REDD+ initiatives to help mitigate climate change; the Philippines is no exception. In this paper, we review early REDD+ project experiences in the country. The guiding document for REDD+ in the Philippines is the National REDD+ Strategy (PNRPS) which was prepared by a multisectoral group of authors. There are five REDD+ projects that are underway. The critical factors emerging from these early REDD+ actions are the following: external support, local participation, free prior and informed consent, capacity building, sustainability, national laws and policies, biodiversity conservation, and use of safeguards. The pioneering projects reviewed here as well as the emerging lessons from them will hopefully provide a firmer basis for future REDD+ actions in the country.
Engineering Microbial Cells for the Biosynthesis of Natural Compounds of Pharmaceutical Significance
Authors: Jeandet Philippe , Vasserot Yann , Chastang Thomas , Courot Eric
Published: April 2013

Microbes constitute important platforms for the biosynthesis of numerous molecules of pharmaceutical interest such as antitumor, anticancer, antiviral, antihypertensive, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunological agents, and antibiotics as well as hormones, belonging to various chemical families, for instance, terpenoids, alkaloids, polyphenols, polyketides, amines, and proteins. Engineering microbial factories offers rich opportunities for the production of natural products that are too complex for cost-effective chemical synthesis and whose extraction from their originating plants needs the use of many solvents. Recent progresses that have been made since the millennium beginning with metabolic engineering of microorganisms for the biosynthesis of natural products of pharmaceutical significance will be reviewed.
Mechanism of Selective Inhibition of Yohimbine and Its Derivatives in Adrenoceptor α2 Subtypes
Authors: Hai-Bo Liu , Yong Peng , Lu-qi Huang , Jun Xu , Pei-Gen Xiao
Published: April 2013

Some natural alkaloids from medicinal plants, such as yohimbine and its derivatives, have been reported with adrenoceptor (AR) α2 subtypes inhibiting activity. In trying to address the possible mechanism of the action, a set of homology models of AR α2 was built based on MOE. After that, docking and molecular dynamics methods were used to investigate the binding modes of yohimbine and its 2 derivatives in the active pocket of adrenoceptor α2 subtype A, B, and C. The key interactions between the 3 ligands and the 3 receptors were mapped. Binding mode analysis presents a strong identity in the key residues in each subtype. Only a few differences play the key role in modulating selectivity of yohimbine and its derivatives. These results can guide the design of new selective AR α2 inhibitors.
E. coli-Derived L-Asparaginase Retains Enzymatic and Cytotoxic ActivityIn Vitrofor Canine and Feline Lymphoma after Cold Storage
Authors: Wypij Jackie M. , Pondenis Holly C.
Published: April 2013

Background. L-asparaginase is effective in treating canine and feline lymphoma, however chemotherapy poses a significant financial cost to veterinary clients, limiting therapy for many pets. Single dose vials result in significant drug wastage, and drug shortages limit consistent availability for pets.Hypothesis.E. coli-derived asparaginase retains enzymatic and antineoplastic activity in canine and feline lymphoma cells after cold storage.Methods.E. coli-derived asparaginase was cold-stored: refrigeration (7–14 days) and freezing (14 days–six months, one to three freeze/thaw cycles). Enzymatic activity of asparaginase was measured via a modified asparagine assay. Effects of cold-stored asparaginase on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity were measured in feline (MYA-1, F1B) and canine (17–71, OSW) lymphoma cells.Results. Cold-storedE. coli-derived asparaginase retains antineoplastic activity in all four cell lines tested. Cold-storedE. coli-derived L-asparaginase depletes asparagine and retains enzymatic activity. Duration of refrigeration, duration of freezing, and number of freeze-thaw cycles have minimal effect on asparaginase enzyme activity.Conclusions and Clinical Importance. This study establishes a scientific basis for long-term cold storage of reconstitutedE. coli-derived asparaginase that may result in better utilization of limited drug resources and improve financial feasibility ofE. coli-derived asparaginase as a therapeutic option for pets with lymphoma.
The NRF2 Activation and Antioxidative Response Are Not Impaired Overall during Hyperoxia-Induced Lung Epithelial Cell Death
Authors: Potteti Haranatha R. , Reddy Narsa M. , Hei Tom K. , Kalvakolanu Dhananjaya V. , Reddy Sekhar P.
Published: April 2013

Lung epithelial and endothelial cell death caused by pro-oxidant insults is a cardinal feature of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) patients. The NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) activation in response to oxidant exposure is crucial to the induction of several antioxidative and cytoprotective enzymes that mitigate cellular stress. Since prolonged exposure to hyperoxia causes cell death, we hypothesized that chronic hyperoxia impairs NRF2 activation, resulting in cell death. To test this hypothesis, we exposed nonmalignant small airway epithelial cells (AECs) to acute (1–12 h) and chronic (36–48 h) hyperoxia and evaluated cell death, NRF2 nuclear accumulation and target gene expression, and NRF2 recruitment to the endogenousHMOX1andNQO1promoters. As expected, hyperoxia gradually induced death in AECs, noticeably and significantly by 36 h; ~60% of cells were dead by 48 h. However, we unexpectedly found increased expression levels of NRF2-regulated antioxidative genes and nuclear NRF2 in AECs exposed to chronic hyperoxia as compared to acute hyperoxia. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed an increased recruitment of NRF2 to the endogenousHMOX1andNQO1promoters in AECs exposed to acute or chronic hyperoxia. Thus, our findings demonstrate that NRF2 activation and antioxidant gene expression are functional during hyperoxia-induced lung epithelial cell death and that chronic hyperoxia does not impair NRF2 signaling overall.
Generation and Modified Projective Synchronization for a Class of New Hyperchaotic Systems
Authors: Jia Nuo , Wang Tao
Published: April 2013

A class of new hyperchaotic systems with different nonlinear terms is proposed, and the existence of hyperchaos is exhibited by calculating their Lyapunov exponent spectrums. Then the universal theories on modified projective synchronization (MPS) of the systems with general form which linearly depends on unknown parameters or time-varying parameters, are investigated by presenting an adaptive control strategy together with parameter update laws and a nonlinear control scheme based on Lyapunov stability theory. Subsequently, the presented control methods are applied to achieve MPS of the new hyperchaotic systems, and their effectiveness is illustrated by numerical simulations.
Spontaneous Healing of a Rectovaginal Fistula Developing after Laparoscopic Segmental Bowel Resection for Intestinal Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Authors: Kondo William , Ribeiro Reitan , Trippia Carlos Henrique , Zomer Monica Tessmann
Published: April 2013

The surgical treatment of intestinal deep infiltrating endometriosis has an associated risk of major complications such as dehiscence of the intestinal anastomosis, pelvic abscess, and rectovaginal fistula. The management of postoperative rectovaginal fistula frequently requires a reoperation and the construction of a stoma for temporary fecal diversion. In this paper we describe a 27-year-old woman undergoing laparoscopic treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis (extramucosal cystectomy, resection of the uterosacral ligaments, resection of the posterior vaginal fornix, and segmental bowel resection) complicated by a rectovaginal fistula, which healed spontaneously with nonsurgical conservative treatment.
Time-Consistent Strategies for a Multiperiod Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection Problem
Authors: Wu Huiling
Published: April 2013

It remained prevalent in the past years to obtain the precommitment strategies for Markowitz's mean-variance portfolio optimization problems, but not much is known about their time-consistent strategies. This paper takes a step to investigate the time-consistent Nash equilibrium strategies for a multiperiod mean-variance portfolio selection problem. Under the assumption that the risk aversion is, respectively, a constant and a function of current wealth level, we obtain the explicit expressions for the time-consistent Nash equilibrium strategy and the equilibrium value function. Many interesting properties of the time-consistent results are identified through numerical sensitivity analysis and by comparing them with the classical pre-commitment solutions.
Large-Scale CFD Parallel Computing Dealing with Massive Mesh
Authors: Shang Zhi
Published: April 2013

In order to run CFD codes more efficiently on large scales, the parallel computing has to be employed. For example, in industrial scales, it usually uses tens of thousands of mesh cells to capture the details of complex geometries. How to distribute these mesh cells among the multiprocessors for obtaining a good parallel computing performance (HPC) is really a challenge. Due to dealing with the massive mesh cells, it is difficult for the CFD codes without parallel optimizations to handle this kind of large-scale computing. Some of the open source mesh partitioning software packages, such as Metis, ParMetis, Scotch, PT-Scotch, and Zoltan, are able to deal with the distribution of large number of mesh cells. Therefore they were employed as the parallel optimization tools ported into Code_Saturne, an open source CFD code, for testing if they can solve the issue of dealing with massive mesh cells for CFD codes. Through the studies, it was found that the mesh partitioning optimization software packages can help CFD codes not only deal with massive mesh cells but also have a good HPC.