bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist on glucose tolerance in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus: protocol for an investigator-initiated, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, parallel intervention trial
Authors: Foghsgaard Signe , Vedtofte Louise , Mathiesen Elisabeth R , Svare Jens A , Gluud Lise L , Holst Jens J , Damm Peter , Knop Filip K , Vilsbøll Tina
Published: November 2013

Introduction

Pregnancy is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity, which is usually overcome by a compensatory increase in insulin secretion. Some pregnant women are not able to increase their insulin secretion sufficiently, and consequently develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The disease normally disappears after delivery. Nevertheless, women with previous GDM have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) later in life. We aim to investigate the early development of T2D in women with previous GDM and to evaluate whether treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, liraglutide, may modify their risk of developing T2D.

Methods and analyses

100 women with previous GDM will be randomised to either liraglutide or placebo treatment for 1 year (blinded) with an open-label extension for another 4 years. Additionally, 15 women without previous GDM will constitute a baseline control group. Women will be tested with an oral glucose tolerance test (primary endpoint: area under the curve for plasma glucose) and an isoglycaemic intravenous glucose infusion at baseline, after 1 year and after 5 years. Additional evaluations include a glucagon test, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, imaging of the liver (ultrasound elastography and fibroscanning), anad libitummeal for food intake evaluation and questionnaires related to appetite, quality of life and alcohol consumption habits.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol has been approved by the Danish Medicines Agency, the Scientific-Ethical Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark, and the Danish Data Protection Agency and will be carried out under the surveillance and guidance of the GCP unit at Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg in compliance with the ICH-GCP guidelines and in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Positive, negative and inconclusive results will be published at scientific conferences and as one or more scientific manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.

Registrations

The trial is registered at https://eudract.ema.europa.eu (2012-001371-37) andhttp://www.clinicaltrials.gov(NCT01795248).
A practical approach to the management of high-output stoma
Authors: Mountford Christopher G , Manas Derek M , Thompson Nicholas P
Published: November 2013

The development of a high-output stoma (HOS) is associated with water, electrolyte and nutritional complications. Prompt, careful assessment and management is required to avoid rapid clinical deterioration in this patient population. A multidisciplinary approach to management ensures the best possible outcome and quality of life for patients who experience HOS. This article outlines the important considerations in the identification and pathophysiology of HOS. A systematic approach to the management of the condition is outlined, considering fluid and electrolyte requirements, nutrient deficiencies and manipulation of gastrointestinal absorption, motility and secretions using medical and surgical therapies.
Visualization of nutrient translocation in ectomycorrhizal symbioses
Authors: Wu Bingyun
Published: November 2013

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi receive photosynthetically fixed carbon from the host tree and, in return, supply nutrients such as phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from the soil. An ECM symbiosis system in a two-dimensional, soil-free rhizobox was developed to visualize nutrient translocation during ECM symbioses using a digital, time-course autoradiographic technique with imaging plates. Several studies using 14C and 33P radioisotope tracing experiments are discussed to demonstrate the translocation of 33P-phosphoric acid and photosynthetically fixed carbon between fungi and host trees and between mycelia via mycelia anastomosis. Additionally, novel techniques that can visualize nutrient translocation during mycorrhizal symbioses are discussed.
Assessment of multifractality in high energy heavy ion interactions
Authors: Ghosh Dipak , Deb Argha , Biswas Subrata , Mandal Pasupati , Sarkar Rittika
Published: November 2013

This paper presents an analysis on fractality of compound hadrons (pions + protons) and shower particles produced in heavy ion interactions initiated by 12C and 24Mg beams at incident energy 4.5A GeV and 32S beam at incident energy 200A GeV. G-moments analysis in emission angle (cosθ) space reveals multifractality in both compound hadrons and pion emission process. The degree of multifractality has been assessed using the Levy stability index. Moreover this analysis also suggests nonthermal phase transition in multiparticle production for both cases.
Membrane potential differences and GABAA receptor expression in hepatic tumor and non-tumor stem cells
Authors: Bautista Wendy , Perez-Alvarez Victor , Burczynski Frank , Raouf Afshin , Klonisch Thomas , Minuk Gerald
Published: November 2013

The ability to differentiate tumor initiating stem cells (TISCs) from healthy, normal stem cells (NSCs) could have important diagnostic and therapeutic implications for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to document and compare cell membrane potentials (PDs) and GABAA receptor subunit expression in hepatic TISCs and NSCs. PD values were determined in CD133+ Huh-7 TISCs and CD133+ WBF344 NSCs by single channel microelectrode impalement. GABAA receptor subunit expression was documented using immunohistochemistry (IH) in both cell lines as well as surgically resected HCC and healthy liver tissues. TISCs were significantly depolarized compared with NSCs (−4.0 ± 1.8 versus −11.0 ± 2.4 mV, respectively; p < 0.05). GABAA α6 subunit expression was either absent or markedly attenuated, while γ3 subunit expression was abundant in TISCs and HCC compared with NSCs and healthy liver tissues. Exposure to the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol caused hyperpolarization of TISCs (Δ −4.4 ± 1.1) but depolarization of NSCs (Δ + 5.2 ± 2.3) and attenuation of TISC proliferative activity. We conclude that TISCs and NSCs have significantly different cell membrane potentials and these differences are associated with differences in GABAA receptor subunit expression.
Characterization and analysis of an industrial strain ofStreptomyces bingchenggensisby genome sequencing and gene microarray
Authors: Wang Xiang-Jing , Zhang Bo , Yan Yi-Jun , An Jing , Zhang Ji , Liu Chong-Xi , Xiang Wen-Sheng
Published: November 2013

Streptomyces bingchenggensis is a soil bacterium that produces milbemycins, a family of macrolide antibiotics that are commercially important in crop protection and veterinary medicine. In addition, S. bingchenggensis produces many other natural products including the polyether nanchangmycin and novel cyclic pentapeptides. To identify the gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of these compounds, and better clarify the biochemical pathways of these gene clusters, the whole genome of S. bingchenggensis was sequenced, and the transcriptome profile was subsequently investigated by microarray. In comparison with other sequenced genomes in Streptomyces, S. bingchenggensis has the largest linear chromosome consisting of 11 936 683 base pairs (bp), with an average GC content of 70.8%. The 10 023 predicted protein-coding sequences include at least 47 gene clusters correlated with the biosynthesis of known or predicted secondary metabolites. Transcriptional analysis demonstrated an extremely high expression level of the milbemycin gene cluster during the entire growth period and a moderately high expression level of the nanchangmycin gene cluster during the initial hours that subsequently decreased. However, other gene clusters appear to be silent. The genome-wide analysis of the secondary metabolite gene clusters in S. bingchenggensis, coupled with transcriptional analysis, will facilitate the rational development of high milbemycins-producing strains as well as the discovery of new natural products.
STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF FINITE-LENGTH SINGLE-WALLED CARBON AND SILICON CARBIDE NANOTUBES: DFT STUDY
Authors: PETRUSHENKO IGOR K. , IVANOV NIKOLAY A.
Published: November 2013

This paper presents a systematical analysis of the structure and electronic properties of armchair single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as well as single-walled silicon carbide nanotubes ( SiCNTs ) by using density functional theory. The geometries of all species were optimized at the B3LYP level of theory using the SVP basis set. The different behavior of C – C bonds "parallel" and "perpendicular" to the nanotube axis has been found. The HOMO–LUMO energy gap, ionization potential, electron affinity, electronegativity and hardness of studied tubes were compared. The influence of both SWCNTs and SiCNTs lengths on their electronic properties has been analyzed.
SPECTRAL FUNCTION AND DOS OF ULTRACOLD FERMI GASES IN THE NORMAL PHASE INCLUDING THE EFFECT OF INDUCED INTERACTION
Authors: GONG HAO , RUAN XIAO-XIA , DU LONG , SUN WEI-MIN , ZONG HONG-SHI
Published: November 2013

In this paper, taking into account the effect of the induced interaction, we calculate the spectral function and hence density of states (DOS) of ultracold Fermi gases within the framework of non-self-consistent T-matrix approximation (nTMA) in the normal phase. The corresponding equations are calculated on the real-frequency axis directly with high accuracy. Our result shows that pseudogap phenomenon still exists in the spectral function and DOS.
RELIABLE INTEGRATION OF CONTINUOUS CONSTRAINTS INTO EXTREME LEARNING MACHINES
Authors: NEUMANN KLAUS , ROLF MATTHIAS , STEIL JOCHEN JAKOB
Published: November 2013

The application of machine learning methods in the engineering of intelligent technical systems often requires the integration of continuous constraints like positivity, monotonicity, or bounded curvature in the learned function to guarantee a reliable performance. We show that the extreme learning machine is particularly well suited for this task. Constraints involving arbitrary derivatives of the learned function are effectively implemented through quadratic optimization because the learned function is linear in its parameters, and derivatives can be derived analytically. We further provide a constructive approach to verify that discretely sampled constraints are generalized to continuous regions and show how local violations of the constraint can be rectified by iterative re-learning. We demonstrate the approach on a practical and challenging control problem from robotics, illustrating also how the proposed method enables learning from few data samples if additional prior knowledge about the problem is available.
FUZZY EXTREME LEARNING MACHINE FOR A CLASS OF FUZZY INFERENCE SYSTEMS
Authors: RONG HAI-JUN , HUANG GUANG-BIN , LIANG YONG-QI
Published: November 2013

Recently an Online Sequential Fuzzy Extreme Learning (OS-Fuzzy-ELM) algorithm has been developed by Rong et al. for the RBF-like fuzzy neural systems where a fuzzy inference system is equivalent to a RBF network under some conditions. In the paper the learning ability of the batch version of OS-Fuzzy-ELM, called as Fuzzy-ELM is further evaluated to train a class of fuzzy inference systems which can not be represented by the RBF networks. The equivalence between the output of the fuzzy system and that of a generalized Single-Hidden Layer Feedforward Network as presented in Huang et al. is shown first, which is then used to prove the validity of the Fuzzy-ELM algorithm. In Fuzzy-ELM, the parameters of the fuzzy membership functions are randomly assigned and then the corresponding consequent parameters are determined analytically. Besides an input variable selection method based on the correlation measure is proposed to select the relevant inputs as the inputs of the fuzzy system. This can avoid the exponential increase of number of fuzzy rules with the increase of dimension of input variables while maintaining the testing performance and reducing the computation burden. Performance comparison of Fuzzy-ELM with other existing algorithms is presented using some real-world regression benchmark problems. The results show that the proposed Fuzzy-ELM produces similar or better accuracies with a significantly lower training time.
A CURIOUS LEARNING MODEL WITH ELM FOR FUZZY COGNITIVE MAPS
Authors: HUANG DONG , SHEN ZHIQI
Published: November 2013

The design of fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) mainly relies on human knowledge, which implies subjectivity of the developed model. This affects the accuracy of an FCM significantly. In order to address this issue, we propose a novel learning model for FCMs in this paper. It achieves efficient learning by automatically adjusting the system parameters according to the environment. The learning model consists of extreme learning machine (ELM) and a curious model, where ELM learns from the modeled system and the curious model helps to further improve the performance of ELM. We use an example to illustrate the effectiveness of our model. The simulation results show that our model helps to improve the accuracy of FCMs.
DIESEL ENGINE MODELLING USING EXTREME LEARNING MACHINE UNDER SCARCE AND EXPONENTIAL DATA SETS
Authors: WONG PAK KIN , VONG CHI MAN , CHEUNG CHUN SHUN , WONG KA IN
Published: November 2013

To predict the performance of a diesel engine, current practice relies on the use of black-box identification where numerous experiments must be carried out in order to obtain numerical values for model training. Although many diesel engine models based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) have already been developed, they have many drawbacks such as local minima, user burden on selection of optimal network structure, large training data size and poor generalization performance, making themselves difficult to be put into practice. This paper proposes to use extreme learning machine (ELM), which can overcome most of the aforementioned drawbacks, to model the emission characteristics and the brake-specific fuel consumption of the diesel engine under scarce and exponential sample data sets. The resulting ELM model is compared with those developed using popular ANNs such as radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) and advanced techniques such as support vector machine (SVM) and its variants, namely least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) and relevance vector machine (RVM). Furthermore, some emission outputs of diesel engines suffer from the problem of exponentiality (i.e., the output y grows up exponentially along input x) that will deteriorate the prediction accuracy. A logarithmic transformation is therefore applied to preprocess and post-process the sample data sets in order to improve the prediction accuracy of the model. Evaluation results show that ELM with the logarithmic transformation is better than SVM, LS-SVM, RVM and RBFNN with/without the logarithmic transformation, regardless the model accuracy and training time.
AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING "SIGNIFICANT EVENTS" ON SenseCam
Authors: LI NA , CRANE MARTIN , RUSKIN HEATHER J.
Published: November 2013

SenseCam is an effective memory-aid device that can automatically record images and other data from the wearer's whole day. The main issue is that, while SenseCam produces a sizeable collection of images over the time period, the vast quantity of captured data contains a large percentage of routine events, which are of little interest to review. In this article, the aim is to detect "Significant Events" for the wearers. We use several time series analysis methods such as Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA), Eigenvalue dynamics and Wavelet Correlations to analyse the multiple time series generated by the SenseCam. We show that Detrended Fluctuation Analysis exposes a strong long-range correlation relationship in SenseCam collections. Maximum Overlap Discrete Wavelet Transform (MODWT) was used to calculate equal-time Correlation Matrices over different time scales and then explore the granularity of the largest eigenvalue and changes of the ratio of the sub-dominant eigenvalue spectrum dynamics over sliding time windows. By examination of the eigenspectrum, we show that these approaches enable detection of major events in the time SenseCam recording, with MODWT also providing useful insight on details of major events. We suggest that some wavelet scales (e.g., 8 minutes–16 minutes) have the potential to identify distinct events or activities.
Metal-exchange reaction of Mg-octaphenyltetraazaporphyrin with Co(II)
Authors: Zvezdina Svetlana V. , Chizhova Natalya V. , Mamardashvili Nugzar Zh.
Published: November 2013

The metal-exchange reaction of Mg ( II )-octaphenyltetraazaporphyrin with CoCl 2 leading to formation of Co ( II )-octaphenyltetraazaporphyrin was studied by the method of UV-vis spectroscopy. The kinetic parameters of the metal-exchange reaction were determined.
Application of multiphoton microscopy in dermatological studies: A mini-review
Authors: Yew Elijah , Rowlands Christopher , So Peter T. C.
Published: November 2013

This review summarizes the historical and more recent developments of multiphoton microscopy, as applied to dermatology. Multiphoton microscopy offers several advantages over competing microscopy techniques: there is an inherent axial sectioning, penetration depths that compete well with confocal microscopy on account of the use of near-infrared light, and many two-photon contrast mechanisms, such as second-harmonic generation, have no analogue in one-photon microscopy. While the penetration depths of photons into tissue are typically limited on the order of hundreds of microns, this is of less concern in dermatology, as the skin is thin and readily accessible. As a result, multiphoton microscopy in dermatology has generated a great deal of interest, much of which is summarized here. The review covers the interaction of light and tissue, as well as the various considerations that must be made when designing an instrument. The state of multiphoton microscopy in imaging skin cancer and various other diseases is also discussed, along with the investigation of aging and regeneration phenomena, and finally, the use of multiphoton microscopy to analyze the transdermal transport of drugs, cosmetics and other agents is summarized. The review concludes with a look at potential future research directions, especially those that are necessary to push these techniques into widespread clinical acceptance.
Stone-built heritage inventory and ‘performance in use’ condition assessment of stonework
Authors: Smith B. J. , Curran J. M. , Warke P. A. , Adamson C. , Stelfox D. , Savage J.
Published: November 2013

An academic–industrial partnership was formed with the aim of constructing a natural stone database for Northern Ireland that could be used by the public and practitioners to understand both the characteristics of the stone used in construction across Northern Ireland and how it has performed in use, and, through a linked database of historical quarries, explore the potential for obtaining locally sourced replacement stone. The aims were to improve the level of conservation specification by those with a duty of care for historical structures, and to enhance the quality of the conservation work undertaken by architects and contractors through their improved knowledge of stone and stone decay processes.
Analysis of responses to the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A in the pulmonary vascular bed of the intact-chest rat
Authors: Pankey Edward A. , Zsombok Andrea , Lasker George F. , Kadowitz Philip J.
Published: November 2013

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel is a nonselective cation channel expressed on many cell types, including the vascular endothelium and smooth muscle cells. TRPV4 channels play a role in regulating vasomotor tone and capillary permeability. The present study was undertaken to investigate responses to the TRPV4 agonist GSK101790A on the pulmonary and systemic vascular beds in the rat. Intravenous injection of GSK1016790A at doses of 2–10 μg/kg produced dose-dependent decreases in systemic arterial pressure, small decreases in pulmonary arterial pressure, and small increases in cardiac output, and responses were not altered by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor meclofenamate or the cytochrome P-450 inhibitor miconazole. Injection of GSK1016790A at a dose of 12 μg/kg iv produced cardiovascular collapse that was reversible in some animals. GSK1016790A produced dose-related decreases in pulmonary and systemic arterial pressure when baseline tone in the pulmonary vascular bed was increased with U-46619. After treatment with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, GSK1016790A produced larger decreases in systemic arterial pressure and dose-dependent increases in pulmonary arterial pressure followed by a small decrease. These results demonstrate that GSK1016790A has vasodilator activity in pulmonary and systemic vascular beds and that when NOS is inhibited, GSK1016790A produced pulmonary vasoconstrictor responses that were attenuated by the L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist isradipine. The presence of TRPV4 immunoreactivity was observed in small pulmonary arteries and airways. The present data indicate that responses to TRPV4 are modulated differently by NOS in pulmonary and systemic vascular beds and are attenuated by the TRPV4 antagonist GSK2193874.
High inborn aerobic capacity does not protect the heart following myocardial infarction
Authors: Høydal M. A. , Kaurstad G. , Rolim N. P. , Johnsen A. B. , Alves M. , Koch L. G. , Britton S. L. , Stølen T. O. , Smith G. L. , Wisløff U.
Published: November 2013

Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2max) is a strong prognostic marker for morbidity and mortality, but the cardio-protective effect of high inborn V̇o2max remains unresolved. We aimed to investigate whether rats with high inborn V̇o2max yield cardio-protection after myocardial infarction (MI) compared with rats with low inborn V̇o2max. Rats breed for high capacity of running (HCR) or low capacity of running (LCR) were randomized into HCR-SH (sham), HCR-MI, LCR-SH, and LCR-MI. V̇o2max was lower in HCR-MI and LCR-MI compared with respective sham ( P < 0.01), supported by a loss in global cardiac function, assessed by echocardiography. Fura 2-AM loaded cardiomyocyte experiments revealed that HCR-MI and LCR-MI decreased cardiomyocyte shortening (39%, and 34% reduction, respectively, both P < 0.01), lowered Ca2+ transient amplitude (37%, P < 0.01, and 20% reduction, respectively), and reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content (both; 20%, P < 0.01) compared with respective sham. Diastolic Ca2+ cycling was impaired in HCR-MI and LCR-MI evidenced by prolonged time to 50% Ca2+ decay that was partly explained by the 47% ( P < 0.01) and 44% ( P < 0.05) decrease in SR Ca2+-ATPase Ca2+ removal, respectively. SR Ca2+ leak increased by 177% in HCR-MI ( P < 0.01) and 67% in LCR-MI ( P < 0.01), which was abolished by inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. This study demonstrates that the effect of MI in HCR rats was similar or even more pronounced on cardiac- and cardiomyocyte contractile function, as well as on Ca2+ handling properties compared with observations in LCR. Thus our data do not support a cardio-protective effect of higher inborn aerobic capacity.
Fibroblasts and the Ground They Walk On
Authors: Tschumperlin Daniel J.
Published: November 2013

Fibroblast migration is essential to normal wound healing and pathological matrix deposition in fibrosis. This review summarizes our understanding of how fibroblasts navigate 2D and 3D extracellular matrices, how this behavior is influenced by the architecture and mechanical properties of the matrix, and how migration is integrated with the other principle functions of fibroblasts, including matrix deposition, contraction, and degradation.
When Cells Become Organelle Donors
Authors: Rogers Robert S. , Bhattacharya Jahar
Published: November 2013

More than 40 variations of intercellular organelle transfer, such as a mitochondria or lysosome originating in one cell being transported to another cell, have been described. We review the mechanisms and subcellular structures by which, and conditions under which, transfer occurs, with particular attention paid to the role of external cell stress in activating transfer. We propose a research agenda for answering key questions in this burgeoning field.
Framework for the Shape Optimization of Aerodynamic Profiles Using Genetic Algorithms
Authors: López D. , Angulo C. , Fernández de Bustos I. , García V.
Published: November 2013

This study developed a framework for the shape optimization of aerodynamics profiles using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and genetic algorithms. A genetic algorithm code and a commercial CFD code were integrated to develop a CFD shape optimization tool. The results obtained demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed tool. The shape optimization of airfoils was studied using different strategies to demonstrate the capacity of this tool with different GA parameter combinations.
Metformin Inhibits Expression and Secretion of PEDF in Adipocyte and Hepatocyte via Promoting AMPK Phosphorylation
Authors: Yang Shumin , Lv Qiong , Luo Ting , Liu Lulu , Gao Rufei , Chen Shumei , Ye Peng , Cheng Qingfeng , Li Qifu
Published: November 2013

Objective. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) plays an important role in obesity-induced insulin resistance (IR). The study aims to investigate the effect of metformin, a widely used agent to improve IR, on PEDF production both in vivo and in vitro.Methods. SD rats were divided into normal control group, high fat group (HF group), and metformin group (MET group). Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp was performed to evaluate insulin sensitivity. IR models of 3T3-L1 and HepG2 cells were established and then treated with metformin and inhibitor of AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK).Results. In vivo, the HF group showed increased serum PEDF which is negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity, while the MET group revealed decreased serum PEDF and downregulated PEDF expression in fat and liver, concomitant with significantly improved IR. In vitro, the IR cells showed enhanced PEDF secretion and expression, whereas metformin lowered PEDF secretion and expression, accompanied with increased glucose uptake. Metformin stimulated AMPK phosphorylation in fat and liver of the obese rats, while in vitro, when combined with AMPK inhibitor, the effect of metformin on PEDF was abrogated.Conclusions. Metformin inhibits the expression and secretion of PEDF in fat and liver via promoting AMPK phosphorylation, which is closely associated with IR improvement.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Theoretical Studies of N‐(4‐((4‐chlorobenzyl)oxy)phenyl)‐4‐ (trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin‐2‐amine
Authors: Jin Jian-Chang , Sun Zhao-Hui , Yang Ming-Yan , Wu Jing , Liu Xing-Hai
Published: November 2013

The title compound (C18H13ClF3N3O) were synthesized and recrystallized from CH3OH. The compound was characterized by  1H
NMR, MS, HRMS, and X‐ray diffraction. The compound crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n
with a = 8.2354
(14), b = 12.686
(2), c = 16.633
(3) Å, α = 90, β = 97.951
(3), γ = 90∘,
V = 1721.0
(5)  Å3, Z = 4,
and R = 0.0376
for 1933 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I).
X‐ray analysis reveals that intermolecular N–H⋯N interactions exist in the adjacent molecules. Theoretical calculation of the title compound was carried out with HF/6‐31G (d, p), B3LYP/6‐31G (d, p). The full geometry optimization was carried out using 6‐31G (d, p) basis set and the frontier orbital energy. The optimized geometric bond lengths and bond angles obtained by using HF and DFT (B3LYP) showed the best agreement with the experimental data.
Comparative Evaluation of Agroindustrial Byproducts for the Production of Alkaline Protease by Wild and Mutant Strains of Bacillus subtilis in Submerged and Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Mukhtar Hamid , Haq Ikramul
Published: November 2013

The present study describes the screening of different agroindustrial byproducts for enhanced production of alkaline protease by a wild and EMS induced mutant strain of Bacillus subtilis IH‐72EMS8. During submerged fermentation, different agro‐industrial byproducts were tested which include defatted seed meals of rape, guar, sunflower, gluten, cotton, soybean, and gram. In addition to these meals, rice bran, wheat bran, and wheat flour were also evaluated for protease production. Of all the byproducts tested, soybean meal at a concentration of 20 g/L gave
maximum production of the enzyme, that is, 5.74  ±  0.26 U/mL from wild and 11.28  ±  0.45 U/mL from mutant strain, during submerged fermentation. Different mesh sizes (coarse, medium, and fine) of the soybean meal were also evaluated, and a finely ground soybean meal (fine mesh) was found to be the best. In addition to the defatted seed meals, their alkali extracts were also tested for the production of alkaline protease by Bacillus subtilis, but these were proved nonsignificant for enhanced production of the enzyme. The production of the enzyme was also studied in solid state fermentation, and different agro‐industrial byproducts were also evaluated for enzyme production.
Wheat bran partially replaced with guar meal was found as the best substrate for maximum enzyme production under solid state fermentation conditions.
Structural Evolution of Low‐Molecular‐Weight Poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐polystyrene Diblock Copolymer Thin Film
Authors: Wu Hui , Huang Xiaohua
Published: November 2013

The structural evolution of low‐molecular‐weight poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐polystyrene (PEO‐b‐PS) diblock copolymer thin film with various initial film thicknesses on silicon substrate under thermal annealing was investigated by atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, and contact angle measurement. At film thickness below half of the interlamellar spacing of the diblock copolymer (6.2 nm), the entire silicon is covered by a polymer brush with PEO blocks anchored on the Si substrate due to the substrate‐induced effect. When the film is thicker than 6.2 nm, a dense polymer brush which is equal to half of an interlamellar layer was formed on the silicon, while the excess material dewet this layer to form droplets. The droplet surface was rich with PS block and the PEO block crystallized inside the bigger droplet to form spherulite.
A Novel Approach to Word Sense Disambiguation Based on Topical and Semantic Association
Authors: Wang Xin , Zuo Wanli , Wang Ying
Published: November 2013

Word sense disambiguation (WSD) is a fundamental problem in nature language processing, the objective of which is to identify the most proper sense for an ambiguous word in a given context. Although WSD has been researched over the years, the performance of existing algorithms in terms of accuracy and recall is still unsatisfactory. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to word sense disambiguation based on topical and semantic association. For a given document, supposing that its topic category is accurately discriminated, the correct sense of the ambiguous term is identified through the corresponding topic and semantic contexts. We firstly extract topic discriminative terms from document and construct topical graph based on topic span intervals to implement topic identification. We then exploit syntactic features, topic span features, and semantic features to disambiguate nouns and verbs in the context of ambiguous word. Finally, we conduct experiments on the standard data set SemCor to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, and the results indicate that our approach achieves relatively better performance than existing approaches.
Multidimensional Scaling Analysis of the Dynamics of a Country Economy
Authors: Tenreiro Machado J. A. , Mata Maria Eugénia
Published: November 2013

This paper analyzes the Portuguese short‐run business cycles over the last 150 years and presents the multidimensional scaling (MDS) for visualizing the results. The analytical and numerical assessment of this long‐run perspective reveals periods with close connections between the macroeconomic variables related to government accounts equilibrium, balance of payments equilibrium, and economic growth. The MDS method is adopted for a quantitative statistical analysis. In this way, similarity clusters of several historical periods emerge in the MDS maps, namely, in identifying similarities and dissimilarities that identify periods of prosperity and crises, growth, and stagnation. Such features are major aspects of collective national achievement, to which can be associated the impact of international problems such as the World Wars, the Great Depression, or the current global financial crisis, as well as national events in the context of broad political blueprints for the Portuguese society in the rising globalization process.
Medium‐Chain Acyl‐CoA Deficiency: Outlines from Newborn Screening, In Silico Predictions, and Molecular Studies
Authors: Catarzi Serena , Caciotti Anna , Thusberg Janita , Tonin Rodolfo , Malvagia Sabrina , la Marca Giancarlo , Pasquini Elisabetta , Cavicchi Catia , Ferri Lorenzo , Donati Maria A. , Baronio Federico , Guerrini Renzo , Mooney Sean D. , Morrone Amelia
Published: November 2013

Medium‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) is a disorder of fatty acid oxidation characterized by hypoglycemic crisis under fasting or during stress conditions, leading to lethargy, seizures, brain damage, or even death. Biochemical acylcarnitines data obtained through newborn screening by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) were confirmed by molecular analysis of the medium‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (ACADM) gene. Out of 324.000 newborns screened, we identified 14 MCADD patients, in whom, by molecular analysis, we found a new nonsense c.823G>T (p.Gly275*) and two new missense mutations: c.253G>C (p.Gly85Arg) and c.356T>A (p.Val119Asp). Bioinformatics predictions based on both phylogenetic conservation and functional/structural software were used to characterize the new identified variants. Our findings confirm the rising incidence of MCADD whose existence is increasingly recognized due to the efficacy of an expanded newborn screening panel by LC‐MS/MS making possible early specific therapies that can prevent possible crises in at‐risk infants. We noticed that the “common” p.Lys329Glu mutation only accounted for 32% of the defective alleles, while, in clinically diagnosed patients, this mutation accounted for 90% of defective alleles. Unclassified variants (UVs or VUSs) are especially critical when considering screening programs. The functional and pathogenic characterization of genetic variants presented here is required to predict their medical consequences in newborns.
Three-Dimensional Multidetector CT for Anatomic Evaluation of Orbital Tumors
Authors: Debnam J. Matthew , Mayer Rory R. , Esmaeli Bita , Weinberg Jeffrey S. , DeMonte Franco , Guha-Thakurta Nandita
Published: November 2013

Intricate resection and complex reconstructive procedures often required for primary and metastatic orbital tumors are facilitated by accurate imaging. A three-dimensional (3D) image can be reconstructed from source axial multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) images to visualize orbital tumors. To assess the utility of 3D images in this setting, the 3D images were reconstructed retrospectively for 20 patients with an orbital tumor and compared to two-dimensional (2D) orthogonal MDCT studies. Both types of images were assessed for their capacity to show the bony orbital walls and foramina, extraocular muscles, and optic nerve in the orbit contralateral to the tumor and, in the affected orbit, the extent of the tumor and its relationship to normal orbital contents and associated bone destruction. 3D imaging is most informative when axial images are acquired at 1.25 mm collimation. The optic nerve, extraocular muscles, and well-circumscribed orbital tumors were well visualized on 3D images. On 3D imaging, tumor-associated destruction of the lateral and superior orbital walls was fairly well demonstrated and that of the inferior and medial walls was not. The 3D images provide the surgeon with a comprehensive view of well-circumscribed orbital tumors and its relationship to extraocular muscles, exiting foramina, and the superior and lateral walls.
Some New Inequalities of Jordan Type for Sine
Authors: Zeng Shan-Peng , Wu Yue-Sheng
Published: November 2013

The authors find some new inequalities of Jordan type for the sine function. These newly established inequalities are of new form and are applied to deduce some known results.
Effects and Mechanisms of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Ameliorating Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Liu Qing , Li Jiqiang , Wang Jing , Li Jianping , Janicki Joseph S. , Fan Daping
Published: November 2013

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MIR) injury is a major contributor to the morbidity and mortality associated with coronary artery disease, which accounts for approximately 450,000 deaths a year in the United States alone. Chinese herbal medicine, especially combined herbal formulations, has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of myocardial infarction for hundreds of years. While the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine is well documented, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this review, we highlight recent studies which are focused on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms using extracted compounds, single herbs, or herbal formulations in experimental settings. These studies represent recent efforts to bridge the gap between the enigma of ancient Chinese herbal medicine and the concepts of modern cell and molecular biology in the treatment of myocardial infarction.
Loss of Androgen Receptor Expression Promotes a Stem-like Cell Phenotype in Prostate Cancer through STAT3 Signaling
Authors: Schroeder Anne , Herrmann Andreas , Cherryholmes Gregory , Kowolik Claudia , Buettner Ralf , Pal Sumanta , Yu Hua , Müller-Newen Gerhard , Jove Richard
Published: November 2013

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is important for prostate cancer progression. However, androgen-deprivation and/or AR targeting-based therapies often lead to resistance. Here, we demonstrate that loss of AR expression results in STAT3 activation in prostate cancer cells. AR downregulation further leads to development of prostate cancer stem-like cells (CSC), which requires STAT3. In human prostate tumor tissues, elevated cancer stem-like cell markers coincide with those cells exhibiting high STAT3 activity and low AR expression. AR downregulation-induced STAT3 activation is mediated through increased interleukin (IL)-6 expression. Treating mice with soluble IL-6 receptor fusion protein or silencing STAT3 in tumor cells significantly reduced prostate tumor growth and CSCs. Together, these findings indicate an opposing role of AR and STAT3 in prostate CSC development. Cancer Res; 74(4); 1227–37. ©2013 AACR.
Mast Cells: Potential Positive and Negative Roles in Tumor Biology
Authors: Marichal Thomas , Tsai Mindy , Galli Stephen J.
Published: November 2013

Mast cells are immune cells that reside in virtually all vascularized tissues. Upon activation by diverse mechanisms, mast cells can secrete a broad array of biologically active products that either are stored in the cytoplasmic granules of the cells (e.g., histamine, heparin, various proteases) or are produced de novo upon cell stimulation (e.g., prostaglandins, leukotrienes, cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors). Mast cells are best known for their effector functions during anaphylaxis and acute IgE-associated allergic reactions, but they also have been implicated in a wide variety of processes that maintain health or contribute to disease. There has been particular interest in the possible roles of mast cells in tumor biology. In vitro studies have shown that mast cells have the potential to influence many aspects of tumor biology, including tumor development, tumor-induced angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling, and the shaping of adaptive immune responses to tumors. Yet, the actual contributions of mast cells to tumor biology in vivo remain controversial. Here, we review some basic features of mast cell biology with a special emphasis on those relevant to their potential roles in tumors. We discuss how using in vivo tumor models in combination with models in which mast cell function can be modulated has implicated mast cells in the regulation of host responses to tumors. Finally, we summarize data from studies of human tumors that suggest either beneficial or detrimental roles for mast cells in tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 1(5); 269–79. ©2013 AACR.
Occupational and Non-Occupational Allergic Contact Dermatitis: A Follow-Up Study
Authors: Macan Jelena , Rimac Davor , Kežić Sanja , Varnai Veda Marija
Published: November 2013

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to obtain insight into the clinical course and prognosis of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), including potential effects of genetic and environmental factors. Methods: Eighty-two patients with previously defined ACD acquired occupationally (OACD) or non-occupationally (NOACD) were patch retested and evaluated for the presence of persistent eczema, atopy and filaggrin mutations. Results: The crude risk for the persistence of a positive patch test (PT) reaction was 6.3 times higher (95% CI 3.63-11.0) for PT reactions assessed as ‘+++' compared to ‘++' reactions at the first PT. Among the categories of OACD, NOACD, age, gender, atopy, and the number of positive PT reactions at the first and second PT, only OACD (OR 10.0, 95% CI 1.95-51.2) and number of positive PT reactions at retesting (OR 3.85, 95% CI 1.57-9.44) were found to be predictors of persistent eczema. Conclusions: Occupationally acquired contact allergy was emphasized as the most important factor in predicting poor prognosis of ACD.
Common Descent of B Chromosomes in Two Species of the Fish Genus Prochilodus (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae)
Authors: Voltolin T.A. , Pansonato Alves J.C. , Senhorini J.A. , Foresti F. , Camacho J.P.M. , Porto-Foresti F.
Published: November 2013

To ascertain the origin of B chromosomes in 2 fish species of the genus Prochilodus, i.e. P. lineatus and P. nigricans, we microdissected them and generated B-specific DNA probes. These probes were used to perform chromosome painting in both species and in 3 further ones belonging to the same genus (P. argenteus, P. brevis and P. costatus). Both probes hybridized with the B chromosomes in P. lineatus and P. nigricans, but with none of the chromosomes in the 5 species. This indicates that the B chromosomes have low similarity with DNAs located in the A chromosomes and suggests the possibility that the B chromosomes in the 2 species have a common origin. The most parsimonious explanation would imply intergeneric hybridization in an ancestor of P. lineatus and P. nigricans yielding the B chromosome as a byproduct, which remained in these 2 species after their phylogenetic origin, but was perhaps lost in other Prochilodus species. This hypothesis predicts that B chromosomes are old genomic elements in this genus, and this could be tested once a species from a relative genus would be found showing homology of its A chromosomes with the B-probes employed here, through a comparison of B chromosome DNA sequences with those in the A chromosomes of this other species.
Effect of Positive End-Expiratory Pressure on Ductal Shunting and Systemic Blood Flow in Preterm Infants with Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Authors: Fajardo Maria Florencia , Claure Nelson , Swaminathan Sethuraman , Sattar Sumbal , Vasquez Amelia , D'Ugard Carmen , Bancalari Eduardo
Published: November 2013

Background: Left to right (L-R) shunting through a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can reduce systemic and cerebral blood flow in preterm infants. To minimize this, the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is often raised to increase pulmonary vascular resistance and reduce L-R shunting. The effects of this maneuver on systemic and cerebral hemodynamics and oxygenation are not well documented. Objective: To compare the effects of different PEEP on the left ventricular output (LVO), superior vena cava (SVC) flow, LVO/SVC flow ratio, cerebral oxygenation (CrSO2) and gas exchange in mechanically ventilated preterm infants with PDA. Methods: Sixteen mechanically ventilated infants of 23-30 weeks' gestational age with L-R shunting through the PDA were studied. Ultrasound measurements of LVO and SVC flow, CrSO2, arterial oxygen saturation and transcutaneous CO2 tension (TcPCO2) obtained at PEEP of 2 and 8 cm H2O were compared with baseline values at 5 cm H2O. Results: There was a small but significant reduction in LVO and the LVO/SVC flow ratio at PEEP of 8 compared to 5 cm H2O. SVC flow and CrSO2 did not differ significantly. Conclusions: Increasing PEEP to 8 cm H2O in ventilated preterm infants with a PDA produced a modest decrease in L-R ductal shunting as indicated by a lower LVO/SVC flow ratio. The higher PEEP did not have a significant effect on cerebral perfusion or oxygenation.
Exercise-Induced Muscle Vasodilatation and Treadmill Exercise Test Responses in Individuals without Overt Heart Disease
Authors: Nunes Rafael Amorim Belo , Giampaoli Viviana , de Freitas Humberto Felício Gonçalves , da Costa Pereira Alexandre , Araújo Fernando , Correia Gustavo Ferreira , Rondon Maria Urbana Pinto Brandão , Negrão Carlos Eduardo , Mansur Alfredo José
Published: November 2013

Background: The beneficial effects of exercise on cardiovascular health may be related to the improvement in several physiologic pathways, including peripheral vascular function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cardiovascular responses during the treadmill exercise test and exercise-induced muscle vasodilatation in individuals without overt heart disease. Methods: The study included 796 asymptomatic subjects (431 females and 365 males) without overt heart disease. We evaluated the heart rate (chronotropic reserve and heart rate recovery), blood pressure (maximum systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as systolic blood pressure recovery) and exercise capacity during symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing. Exercise-induced muscle vasodilatation was studied with venous occlusion plethysmography and estimated by forearm blood flow and vascular conductance responses during a 3-min handgrip maneuver. Results: Forearm blood flow increase during the handgrip exercise was positively associated with heart rate recovery during treadmill exercise testing (p < 0.001). Forearm vascular conductance increase during the handgrip exercise was inversely associated with exercise diastolic blood pressure during exercise treadmill testing (p = 0.038). No significant association was found between exercise capacity and exercise-induced muscle vasodilation. Conclusion: In a sample of individuals without overt heart disease, exercise-induced muscle vasodilatation was associated with heart rate and blood pressure responses during treadmill exercise testing, but was not associated with exercise capacity. These findings suggest that favorable hemodynamic and chronotropic responses are associated with better vasodilator capacity, but exercise capacity does not predict muscle vasodilatation.