bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cost‐effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia comorbid with depression: Analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Watanabe Norio , Furukawa Toshiaki A. , Shimodera Shinji , Katsuki Fujika , Fujita Hirokazu , Sasaki Megumi , Sado Mitsuhiro , Perlis Michael L.
Published: September 2014

Aim

Although the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia has been confirmed, dissemination depends on the balance of benefits and costs. This study aimed to examine the cost‐effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia consisting of four weekly individual sessions.

Methods

We conducted a 4‐week randomized controlled trial with a 4‐week follow up in outpatient clinics in Japan. Thirty‐seven patients diagnosed as having major depressive disorder according to DSM‐IV and suffering from chronic insomnia were randomized to receive either treatment as usual (TAU) alone or TAU plus cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Effectiveness was evaluated as quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) over 8 weeks' time, estimated by bootstrapping of the observed total scores of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Direct medical costs for cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and TAU were also evaluated. We calculated the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio.

Results

Over the 8 weeks of the study, the group receiving cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia plus TAU had significantly higher QALY (P = 0.002) than the TAU‐alone group with an incremental value of 0.019 (SD 0.006), and had non‐significantly higher costs with an incremental value of 254 (SD 203) USD in direct costs. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio was 13 678 USD (95% confidence interval: −5691 to 71 316). Adding cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia demonstrated an approximately 95% chance of gaining one more QALY if a decision‐maker was willing to pay 60 000 USD, and approximately 90% for 40 000 USD.

Conclusion

Adding cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is highly likely to be cost‐effective for patients with residual insomnia and concomitant depression.
UVA Irradiation Induced Heme Oxygenase‐1: A Novel Phototherapy for Morphea
Authors: Nisar Muhammad Farrukh , Parsons Kimberly Suzanne George , Bian Chun Xiang , Zhong Julia Li
Published: September 2014

Long wave UVA radiation (340–400 nm) causes detrimental as well as beneficial effects on human skin. Studies of human skin fibroblasts irradiated with UVA demonstrate increased expression of both antifibrotic heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP‐1). The use of UVA‐induced MMP‐1 is well‐studied in treating skin fibrotic conditions such as localized scleroderma, now called morphea. However, the role that UVA‐induced HO‐1 plays in phototherapy of morphea has not been characterized. In the present manuscript, we have illustrated and reviewed the biological function of HO‐1 and the use of UVA1 wavebands (340–400 nm) for phototherapy; the potential use of HO‐1 induction in UVA therapy of morphea is also discussed.
Discrete automorphism groups of convex cones of finite type
Authors: Looijenga Eduard
Published: September 2014

We investigate subgroups of $\text{SL}(n,\mathbb{Z})$ which preserve an open nondegenerate convex cone in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ and admit in that cone as fundamental domain a polyhedral cone of which some faces are allowed to lie on the boundary. Examples are arithmetic groups acting on self-dual cones, Weyl groups of certain Kac–Moody algebras, and they do occur in algebraic geometry as the automorphism groups of projective manifolds acting on their ample cones.
The Hardy–Littlewood conjecture and rational points
Authors: Harpaz Yonatan , Skorobogatov Alexei N. , Wittenberg Olivier
Published: September 2014

Schinzel’s Hypothesis (H) was used by Colliot-Thélène and Sansuc, and later by Serre, Swinnerton-Dyer and others, to prove that the Brauer–Manin obstruction controls the Hasse principle and weak approximation on pencils of conics and similar varieties. We show that when the ground field is $\mathbb{Q}$ and the degenerate geometric fibres of the pencil are all defined over $\mathbb{Q}$, one can use this method to obtain unconditional results by replacing Hypothesis (H) with the finite complexity case of the generalised Hardy–Littlewood conjecture recently established by Green, Tao and Ziegler.
The physiology of altered eating behaviour after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass
Authors: le Roux Carel W. , Bueter Marco
Published: September 2014

New Findings

What is the topic of this review?

This review describes the altered eating behaviour after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and discusses results of experiments designed to translate findings from animals into humans by performing similar types of direct behaviour‐testing experiments.

What advances does it highlight?

Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass patients often report a decrease in preference for calorically dense food items, such as desserts, while reporting an increased preference for fruits and vegetables. After RYGB surgery, rats show a reduced preference for higher concentrations of sucrose (sweet) or fat (Intralipid®). Conditioned taste aversion may contribute to the reduction in fat preference after RYGB. After Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass, patients are less willing to work for a chocolate reward than before the operation in a so‐called progressive ratio test.

Obesity and its related comorbidities can be detrimental for the affected individual, as well as constituting a major challenge to public health systems worldwide. Currently, the most effective treatment option leading to clinically significant and maintained body weight loss and reduction in obesity‐related morbidity and mortality is obesity surgery, which is recommended for patients with a body mass index of >40 kg m–2, or >35 kg m–2 if obesity‐associated comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, are present. This report focuses on the altered eating behaviour after the most common of these operations, the Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass. Animal and human experiments designed to understand the underlying physiological mechanisms of altered taste and appetite are discussed.
Large-Scale Biochemical Profiling of the Candida albicans Biofilm Matrix: New Compositional, Structural, and Functional Insights
Authors: Lopez-Ribot Jose L.
Published: September 2014

Among pathogenic fungi,
Candida albicans
is most frequently associated with biofilm formation, a lifestyle that is entirely different from the planktonic state. One of the distinguishing features of these biofilms is the presence of extracellular material, commonly referred to as the “biofilm matrix.” The fungal biofilm matrix embeds sessile cells within these communities and plays important structural and physiological functions, including antifungal drug resistance with important clinical repercussions. This matrix is mostly self-produced by the fungal cells themselves and is composed of different types of biopolymers. In
C. albicans
, the main components of the biofilm matrix are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and DNA, but many of them remain unidentified and/or poorly characterized. In their recent article, Zarnowski et al. [mBio 5(4):e01333-14, 2014, doi:10.1128/mBio.01333-14] used a variety of biochemical and state-of-the-art “omic” approaches (glycomics, proteomics, and lipidomics) to identify and characterize unique biopolymers present in the
C. albicans
biofilm matrix. Besides generating a true “encyclopedic” catalog of individual moieties from each of the different macromolecular categories, results also provide important insights into structural and functional aspects of the fungal biofilm matrix, particularly the interaction between different components and the contribution of multiple matrix constituents to biofilm antifungal drug resistance.
Time spent in different types of childcare and children's development at school entry: an Australian longitudinal study
Authors: Gialamas Angela , Mittinty Murthy N , Sawyer Michael G , Zubrick Stephen R , Lynch John
Published: September 2014

Objective

To investigate whether the total amount of time in childcare through the first 3 years of life was associated with children's receptive vocabulary, externalising and internalising problem behaviours at age 4–5 years, and whether this association varied for different types of childcare.

Methods

We used data from the prospective, population-based Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (n=3208–4066, depending on outcome). Parental reports of the time spent in different types of childcare were collected at face-to-face interviews at age 0–1years and at age 2–3 years. Children's receptive vocabulary was directly assessed in the child's home, and externalising and internalising behaviours were measured by questionnaire, completed by parents and teachers at age 4–5 years.

Results

At 3 years of age, 75% of the sample spent regular time in the care of someone other than the parent. After adjustment, more time in childcare was not associated with children's receptive vocabulary ability but was associated with higher levels of parent-reported (β=0.10 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.21)) and teacher-reported (β=0.31 (0.19 to 0.44)) externalising problem behaviours and lower levels of parent-reported internalising problem behaviours (β=−0.08 (−0.15 to −0.00)). Compared with children who did not attend any type of childcare, children in centre-based care had higher parent-reported and teacher-reported externalising and lower internalising problem behaviours.

Conclusions

More time in centre-based childcare (but not other types of care) through the first 3 years of life was associated with higher parent-reported and teacher-reported externalising problem behaviours, and lower parent-reported internalising problem behaviours but not with children's receptive vocabulary ability at school entry.
The extent and cost of potentially avoidable admissions in hospital inpatients with palliative care needs: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Robinson Jackie , Boyd Michal , O'Callaghan Anne , Laking George , Frey Rosemary , Raphael Deborah , Snow Barry , Gott Merryn
Published: September 2014

Objective

More than 90% of people spend time in hospital in the last year of life and, in many developed countries, hospitals are the setting in which most people will die. Previous research indicates that a proportion of these hospital admissions could have been avoided. The objective of this study was to establish the extent and cost of potentially avoidable hospital admissions among patients with palliative care needs.

Methods

A prospective survey of hospital inpatients was undertaken to identify patients who met clinical criteria indicating palliative care need. Case notes were reviewed by two expert palliative care clinicians to determine if the hospital admission was potentially avoidable. An analysis of the cost of potentially avoidable admissions compared to all other admissions for those patients identified as being in the last year of life was carried out using the statistical analysis software R V.2.15.1. Logistic regression was performed using the logit (log of OR) link. The binary outcome of the logistic regression model was a potentially avoidable admission.

Results

Of the 99 patients who met the criteria for palliative care need, 22 were deemed to have experienced a potentially avoidable admission. Those living in a residential aged care facility were more at risk of experiencing such admissions. The mean total cost of hospital care for those with palliative care needs was lower for those whose admission was deemed potentially avoidable.

Conclusions

A significant proportion of patients with palliative care needs experience a potentially avoidable admission. Although these admissions are relatively short compared to those whose admissions are unavoidable, any hospital admission impacts on the experiences of patients and families and may contribute to unnecessary hospital expenditure.
Health-related quality of life in transfusion-dependent patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: a prospective study to assess the impact of iron chelation therapy
Authors: Efficace Fabio , Santini Valeria , La Nasa Giorgio , Cottone Francesco , Finelli Carlo , Borin Lorenza , Quaresmini Giulia , Di Tucci Anna Angela , Volpe Antonio , Cilloni Daniela , Quarta Giovanni , Sanpaolo Grazia , Rivellini Flavia , Salvi Flavia , Molteni Alfredo , Voso Maria Teresa , Alimena Giuliana , Fenu Susanna , Mandelli Franco , Angelucci Emanuele
Published: September 2014

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in lower-risk, transfusion-dependent patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) treated with deferasirox. A secondary objective was to investigate the relationship between HRQOL, serum ferritin levels and transfusion dependency.

Patients and methods

This was a prospective multicentre study enrolling 159 patients, of whom 152 received at least one dose of deferasirox. HRQOL was assessed with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at baseline and then at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Primary analysis was performed estimating mean HRQOL scores over time by a linear mixed model on selected scales.

Results

The median age of treated patients was 72 years (range 24–87 years). No statistically significant changes over time were found in mean scores for global health status/quality of life (p=0.564), physical functioning (p=0.409) and fatigue (p=0.471) scales. Also, no significant changes were found for constipation (p=0.292), diarrhoea (p=0.815) and nausea and vomiting (p=0.643). Serum ferritin levels were not associated with HRQOL outcomes. A higher patient-reported baseline pain severity was an independent predictive factor of an earlier achievement of transfusion independence with a HR of 1.032 (99% CI 1.004 to 1.060; p=0.003).

Conclusions

HRQOL of transfusion-dependent patients with MDS receiving deferasirox therapy remains stable over time. HRQOL assessment might also provide important predictive information on treatment outcomes.

Trial registration number

NCT00469560.
Physical and mental health outcomes following housing improvements: evidence from the GoWell study
Authors: Curl Angela , Kearns Ade , Mason Phil , Egan Matthew , Tannahill Carol , Ellaway Anne
Published: September 2014

Background

Existing research points towards physical and mental health gains from housing improvements, but findings are inconsistent and often not statistically significant. The detailed characteristics and variability of housing improvement works are problematic and studies are often small, not experimental, with short follow-up times.

Methods

A quasi-experimental design was used to assess the impact on physical health and mental health (using SF-12v2 Physical and Mental health component summary scales) of four types of housing improvement works—central heating, ‘Secured By Design’ front doors, fabric works, kitchens and bathrooms—both singly and in pairwise combinations. A longitudinal sample of 1933 residents from 15 deprived communities in Glasgow, UK was constructed from surveys carried out in 2006, 2008 and 2011. Sociodemographic characteristics and changes in employment status were taken into account.

Results

Fabric works had positive associations with physical health (+2.09, 95% CI 0.13 to 4.04) and mental health (+1.84, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.65) in 1–2 years. Kitchens and bathrooms had a positive association with mental health in 1–2 years (+2.58, 95% CI 0.79 to 4.36). Central heating had a negative association with physical health (−2.21, 95% CI −3.74 to −0.68). New front doors had a positive association with mental health in <1 year (+5.89, 95% CI 0.65 to 11.14) and when provided alongside kitchens and bathrooms (+4.25, 95% CI 1.71 to 6.80). Gaining employment had strong associations with physical health (+7.14, 95% CI 4.72 to 9.55) as well as mental health (+5.50, 95% CI 3.27 to 7.73).

Conclusions

Fabric works may provide insulation benefits and visual amenity benefits to residents. Front doors may provide important security benefits in deprived communities. Economic regeneration is important alongside property-led regeneration.
Vitamin E supplementation in canine atopic dermatitis: improvement of clinical signs and effects on oxidative stress markers
Authors: Plevnik Kapun A. , Salobir J. , Levart A. , Tavčar Kalcher G. , Nemec Svete A. , Kotnik T.
Published: September 2014

Low levels of plasma vitamin E concentrations were found in canine atopic dermatitis (CAD). The present study was aimed at determining the effect of an eight‐week vitamin E supplementation on clinical response (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI‐03) scores and pruritus intensity) in dogs with atopic dermatitis. Levels of oxidative stress markers (plasma malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), blood glutathione peroxidase and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, plasma and skin vitamin E concentrations) were also determined. Twenty‐nine dogs with CAD were included in the study. Fourteen received vitamin E (8.1 IU/kg once daily, orally) and 15 received mineral oil as placebo (orally). All dogs were treated with antihistamine fexofenadine. Levels of oxidative stress markers (with the exception of skin vitamin E), CADESI‐03 and pruritus intensity were determined at the beginning, then every two weeks. Skin vitamin E was determined at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. Significantly higher plasma levels of vitamin E and TAC were observed in the vitamin E group than in the placebo group. CADESI‐03 scores determined throughout the treatment in the vitamin E group were significantly lower than in the placebo group. The findings of this study support the supplementation of vitamin E in dogs with atopic dermatitis.
The regulation of glucose metabolism: implications and considerations for the assessment of glucose homeostasis in rodents
Authors: Kowalski Greg M. , Bruce Clinton R.
Published: September 2014

The incidence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing at alarming rates. In the quest to understand the underlying causes of and to identify novel therapeutic targets to treat T2D, scientists have become increasingly reliant on the use of rodent models. Here, we provide a discussion on the regulation of rodent glucose metabolism, highlighting key differences and similarities that exist between rodents and humans. In addition, some of the issues and considerations associated with assessing glucose homeostasis and insulin action are outlined. We also discuss the role of the liver vs. skeletal muscle in regulating whole body glucose metabolism in rodents, emphasizing the importance of defective hepatic glucose metabolism in the development of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and T2D.
Vague Filters of Residuated Lattices
Authors: Ghorbani Shokoofeh
Published: September 2014

Notions of vague filters, subpositive implicative vague filters, and Boolean vague filters of a residuated lattice are introduced and some related properties are investigated. The characterizations of (subpositive implicative, Boolean) vague filters is obtained. We prove that the set of all vague filters of a residuated lattice forms a complete lattice and we find its distributive sublattices. The relation among subpositive implicative vague filters and Boolean vague filters are obtained and it is proved that subpositive implicative vague filters are equivalent to Boolean vague filters.
Intracranial Meningioma Diagnosed during Pregnancy Caused Maternal Death
Authors: Kurdoglu Zehra , Cetin Orkun , Gulsen Ismail , Dirik Deniz , Bulut M. Deniz
Published: September 2014

Brain tumors are rarely diagnosed during pregnancy. Accelerated growth of intracranial meningiomas during pregnancy sometimes requires urgent surgical intervention. We describe a 41-year-old pregnant woman with severe neurological decompensation requiring immediate neurosurgery. Cesarean section resulted in maternal death. Meningioma diagnosed during a viable pregnancy should be managed according to the severity of maternal neurological symptoms and gestational age of pregnancy. Early intervention for intracranial tumors during pregnancy may save maternal and fetal lives.
Nonlinear Finite-Horizon Regulation and Tracking for Systems with Incomplete State Information Using Differential State Dependent Riccati Equation
Authors: Khamis Ahmed , Naidu D. Subbaram , Kamel Ahmed M.
Published: September 2014

This paper presents an efficient online technique used for finite-horizon, nonlinear, stochastic, regulator, and tracking problems. This can be accomplished by the integration of the differential SDRE filter algorithm and the finite-horizon state dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) technique. Unlike the previous methods which deal with the linearized system, this technique provides finite-horizon estimation and control of the nonlinear stochastic systems. Further, the proposed technique is effective for a wide range of operating points. Simulation results of a missile guidance system are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Massive Transfusion Protocol Activation Does Not Result in Preferential Use of Older Red Blood Cells
Authors: McDaniel Lauren M. , Triulzi Darrell J. , Cramer James , Zuckerbraun Brian S. , Sperry Jason L. , Peitzman Andrew B. , Raval Jay S. , Neal Matthew D.
Published: September 2014

Widespread, anecdotal belief exists that patients receiving massive transfusion, particularly those for whom a massive transfusion protocol (MTP) is activated, are more likely to receive older red blood cells (RBCs). Retrospective review of blood bank records from calendar year 2011 identified 131 patients emergently issued ≥10 RBC units (emergency release (ER)) prior to obtaining a type and screen. This cohort was subclassified based on whether there was MTP activation. For comparison, 176 identified patients transfused with ≥10 RBC units in a routine fashion over 24 hours represented the nonemergency release (nER) cohort. Though the median age of ER RBCs was 5 days older than nER RBCs (ER 20, nER 15 days, P<0.001), both fell within the third week of storage. Regardless of MTP activation, transfused ER RBCs had the same median age (MTP 20, no-MTP 20 days, P=0.069). In the ER cohort, transition to type-specific blood components increased the median age of transfused RBC units from 17 to 36 days (P<0.001). These data refute the anecdotal belief that MTP activation results in transfusion of older RBCs. However, upon transition to type-specific blood components, the age of RBCs enters a range in which it is hypothesized that there may be a significant effect of storage age on clinical outcomes.
A Pancreatic Head Tumor Arising as a Duodenal GIST: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Bormann Fabian , Wild Wolfgang , Aksoy Hüseyin , Dörr Pius , Schmeck Sanja , Schwarzbach Matthias
Published: September 2014

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract that originate from theintestinal cells of Cajal(ICC) (Fletcher et al., 2002). Only a few cases have been described with extragastrointestinal stromal tumors (Kim et al., 2012; Soufi et al., 2013; Meng et al., 2011). They are often diagnosed as a pancreatic head tumor as they are very difficult to relate to the duodenum with CT, MRI, or ultrasound. We present a case of a sixty-four-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain and cardialgia for a follow-up examination after breast cancer surgery. On laparotomy there was a 3 × 5 cm hypervascular mass arising from the pancreatic head with macroscopically no attachment to the duodenum. The patient underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) modified after Traverso-Longmire, histopathology proved a duodenal GIST. This case proves that duodenal GISTs can grow invasively into the pancreas and appear as solid pancreas head tumor; therefore, these tumors should be included into differential diagnosis.
Lipid Lowering Effect of Punica granatum L. Peel in High Lipid Diet Fed Male Rats
Authors: Sadeghipour Alireza , Eidi Maryam , Ilchizadeh Kavgani Ali , Ghahramani Reza , Shahabzadeh Saleh , Anissian Ali
Published: September 2014

Many herbal medicines have been recommended for the treatment of dyslipidemia. The antilipidemic effect of hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.) was investigated in high lipid diet fed male rats. Intraperitoneally administration of pomegranate peel extract (50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight) for 23 days on the levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, alkaline phosphatase (AP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in high lipid diet fed male rats was evaluated. Treatment of pomegranate extract decreased body weight in treated rats, significantly. Administration of the plant extract significantly decreased serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL‐C, alkaline phosphatise, AST, and ALT levels, whereas it increased serum HDL‐C in high lipid diet fed rats in comparison to saline control group. Also, histopathological study showed that treatment of pomegranate peel extract attenuates liver damage in high lipid diet fed rats in comparison to saline group. It is concluded that the plant should be considered as an excellent candidate for future studies on dyslipidemia.
Mean Platelet Volume in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Its Relationship with Simpler Heart Rate Derivatives
Authors: Akyüz Aydın , Akkoyun Dursun Çayan , Oran Mustafa , Değirmenci Hasan , Alp Recep
Published: September 2014

Some studies show increased mean platelet volume (MPV) in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to evaluate MPV in OSA patients without cardiovascular risk factors and the possible association of heart rate derivatives with MPV. A total of 82 patients (aged 30–70 years) were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of either OSA or non-OSA as the control group. The OSA group consisted of 52 patients and the control group consisted of 30 subjects. Neither group was significantly different in terms of MPV values as well as heart rate (HR) derivatives such as minimum HR, maximum HR, the difference between maximum HR and minimum HR, mean HR, and heart rate performance index (HRPI) [(HR max. − HR min.)/HR mean] (P> 0.05 for all variables). In multivariate analysis, platelet count and percentages of recording time spent at arterial oxygen saturation < 90% significant variables are associated with MPV (β±SE: −0.004 ± 0.002, 95% CI, −0.008 to −0.001;P= 0.034) and (β±SE: 2.93 ± 1.93, 95% CI, 0.167 to 5.69;P= 0.038). Consequently, our findings predominantly suggest that there is a casual and reciprocal interaction between MPV and autonomic activation.
An Esophagogastroduodenal Crohn’s-Like Disease in a Long-Standing Pan-Ulcerative Colitis Patient
Authors: Moore Christopher , Jakate Shriram , Keshavarzian Ali
Published: September 2014

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises the principal subtypes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), with a fraction remaining as IBD unclassified (IBDU). Given the complexity of IBD manifestations in a patient over time and our increasing understanding of IBD biology, a modification in subtype diagnosis can also occur. Herein is a case of a 27-year-old female with well-controlled and long-standing pan-UC, who developed Crohn’s-like esophagogastroduodenitis. The difficulty in classifying IBD into a single traditional subtype, and the debated presentation of a coexistent IBD will be discussed.
Entering the Era of Data Science: Targeted Learning and the Integration of Statistics and Computational Data Analysis
Authors: van der Laan Mark J. , Starmans Richard J. C. M.
Published: September 2014

This outlook paper reviews the research of van der Laan’s group on Targeted Learning, a subfield of statistics that is concerned with the construction of data adaptive estimators of user-supplied target parameters of the probability distribution of the data and corresponding confidence intervals, aiming at only relying on realistic statistical assumptions. Targeted Learning fully utilizes the state of the art in machine learning tools, while still preserving the important identity of statistics as a field that is concerned with both accurate estimation of the true target parameter value and assessment of uncertainty in order to make sound statistical conclusions. We also provide a philosophical historical perspective on Targeted Learning, also relating it to the new developments in Big Data. We conclude with some remarks explaining the immediate relevance of Targeted Learning to the current Big Data movement.
Awakened Oscillations in Coupled Consumer-Resource Pairs
Authors: Mustafin Almaz
Published: September 2014

The paper concerns two interacting consumer-resource pairs based on chemostat-like equations under the assumption that the dynamics of the resource is considerably slower than that of the consumer. The presence of two different time scales enables to carry out a fairly complete analysis of the problem. This is done by treating consumers and resources in the coupled system as fast-scale and slow-scale variables, respectively, and subsequently considering developments in phase planes of these variables, fast and slow, as if they are independent. When uncoupled, each pair has unique asymptotically stable steady state and no self-sustained oscillatory behavior (although damped oscillations about the equilibrium are admitted). When the consumer-resource pairs are weakly coupled through direct reciprocal inhibition of consumers, the whole system exhibits self-sustained relaxation oscillations with a period that can be significantly longer than intrinsic relaxation time of either pair. It is shown that the model equations adequately describe locally linked consumer-resource systems of quite different nature: living populations under interspecific interference competition and lasers coupled via their cavity losses.
Improvement of the Quality and the Shelf Life of the High Oxygen Modified Atmosphere Packaged Veal by Superficial Spraying with Dihydroquercetin Solution
Authors: Dragoev Stefan Georgiev , Staykov Alexandar Stoyanov , Vassilev Kiril Petrov , Balev Dessislav Kostadinov , Vlahova-Vangelova Dessislava Borislavova
Published: September 2014

The improvement of quality and the shelf life of veal by combination of 80%O2/20%CO2modified atmosphere packaging and superficial spraying with 0.02% dihydroquercetin solutions was studied. The control samples C, air packaged only, D, air packaged sprayed by 0.02% dihydroquercetin solution, MAP, modified atmosphere packaging only, BMAP, modified atmosphere packaging sprayed by 0.02% butylated hydroxytoluene solution, and DMAP, modified atmosphere packaging sprayed by 0.02% dihydroquercetin solution, were measured. The best results were obtained in modified atmosphere packaging sprayed by 0.02% dihydroquercetin solution. Comparisons with control samples were expressed as reduction in acid value with 27.72%, peroxide value with 64.74%, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) with 65.71%, and the pH with 6.18%. The acid and peroxide values, TBARS, and pH were decreased linearly in response when applying the combination of 80%O2/20%CO2modified atmosphere packaging and superficial spraying with 0.02% dihydroquercetin solutions(P<0.05). The changes of amino nitrogen content of modified atmosphere packaging veal were not influenced statistically significantly by 0.02% dihydroquercetin solution(P>0.05). According to results obtained it was concluded that 80%O2/20%CO2modified atmosphere packaged veal stored at0±0.5°C after 0.02% dihydroquercetin solution treatment can preserve its quality and shelf life to 15 dpostmortem.
Curcumin: A Potential Candidate in Prevention of Cancer via Modulation of Molecular Pathways
Authors: Rahmani Arshad H. , Al Zohairy Mohammad A. , Aly Salah M. , Khan Masood A.
Published: September 2014

Cancer is the most dreadful disease worldwide in terms of morbidity and mortality. The exact cause of cancer development and progression is not fully known. But it is thought that cancer occurs due to the structural and functional changes in the genes. The current approach to cancer treatment based on allopathic is expensive, exhibits side effects; and may also alter the normal functioning of genes. Thus, a safe and effective mode of treatment is needed to control the cancer development and progression. Some medicinal plants provide a safe, effective and affordable remedy to control the progression of malignant cells. The importance of medicinal plants and their constituents has been documented in Ayurveda, Unani medicine, and various religious books. Curcumin, a vital constituent of the spice turmeric, is an alternative approach in the prevention of cancer. Earlier studies have shown the effect of curcumin as an antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor and it also has a noteworthy role in the control of different diseases. In this review, we summarize the understanding of chemopreventive effects of curcumin in the prevention of cancer via the regulation of various cell signaling and genetic pathways.
Alterations in Red Blood Cell Deformability during Storage: A Microfluidic Approach
Authors: Cluitmans Judith C. A. , Chokkalingam Venkatachalam , Janssen Arno M. , Brock Roland , Huck Wilhelm T. S. , Bosman Giel J. C. G. M.
Published: September 2014

Red blood cells (RBCs) undergo extensive deformation when travelling through the microcapillaries. Deformability, the combined result of properties of the membrane-cytoskeleton complex, the surface area-to-volume ratio, and the hemoglobin content, is a critical determinant of capillary blood flow. During blood bank storage and in many pathophysiological conditions, RBC morphology changes, which has been suggested to be associated with decreased deformability and removal of RBC. While various techniques provide information on the rheological properties of stored RBCs, their clinical significance is controversial. We developed a microfluidic approach for evaluating RBC deformability in a physiologically meaningful and clinically significant manner. Unlike other techniques, our method enables a high-throughput determination of changes in deformation capacity to provide statistically significant data, while providing morphological information at the single-cell level. Our data show that, under conditions that closely mimic capillary dimensions and flow, the capacity to deform and the capacity to relax are not affected during storage in the blood bank. Our data also show that altered cell morphology by itself does not necessarily affect deformability.
A Compact Vivaldi Shaped Partially Dielectric Loaded TEM Horn Antenna for UWB Communication
Authors: İlarslan Mustafa , Türk A. Serdar , Demirel Salih , Aydemir M. Emre , Keskin A. Kenan
Published: September 2014

Ultrawideband (UWB) antennas are of huge demand and Vivaldi antennas as well as the TEM horn antennas are good candidates for UWB applications as they both have relatively simple geometry and high gain over a wide bandwidth. The aim of this study is to design a compact antenna that achieves maximum gain over a bandwidth between 1.5 and 10.6 GHz while minimizing its size. The idea is to make use of combined respective advantages of Vivaldi and TEM horn antennas to achieve the desired goals by shaping the TEM horn antenna to look like a Vivaldi antenna. The antenna structure is modified by a dielectric load in the center to increase the gain bandwidth. It is placed in a surrounding box made of PEC material to reduce the undesired side lobes and to obtain more directive radiation pattern. The simulations are performed by using the CST STUDIO SUITE electromagnetic (EM) simulation software and they are later verified by the actual measurements. The Vivaldi shaped partially dielectric loaded (VS-PDL) TEM horn antenna is proposed as a compact UWB antenna for systems using the newly established UWB band and also for the communication systems of popular bands like ISM, Wi-Fi, and GSM.
Pseudospectral Renormalization Method for Solitons in Quasicrystal Lattice with the Cubic-Quintic Nonlinearity
Authors: Antar Nalan
Published: September 2014

We modified the spectral renormalization method as the pseudospectral renormalization method in order to find the localized solutions. The pseudospectral renormalization method can be applied to a large class of problems including different homogeneities. Using this computational method, we demonstrate the existence of two different solitons in optical media described by the self-focusing cubic and the self-defocusing quintic nonlinear Schrödinger equation with quasicrystal lattice. It is shown that there are two different lattice solitons corresponding to the first and the second renormalization factors for the self-focusing cubic and the self-defocusing quintic model. However, the self-focusing quintic nonlinearity without optical lattice does not support two different solitons. We showed that the lattice solitons corresponding to the first and the second renormalization factors have the same powers and amplitudes. We also demonstrate that quintic nonlinearity supports bistable solitons by adding the optical lattice such as a quasicrystal lattice. The linear and nonlinear stabilities of these solitons are investigated using direct simulation of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with the cubic-quintic nonlinearity and its linearized equation.
Precision Measurement of the Position-Space Wave Functions of Gravitationally Bound Ultracold Neutrons
Authors: Kamiya Y. , Ichikawa G. , Komamiya S.
Published: September 2014

Gravity is the most familiar force at our natural length scale. However, it is still exotic from the view point of particle physics. The first experimental study of quantum effects under gravity was performed using a cold neutron beam in 1975. Following this, an investigation of gravitationally bound quantum states using ultracold neutrons was started in 2002. This quantum bound system is now well understood, and one can use it as a tunable tool to probe gravity. In this paper, we review a recent measurement of position-space wave functions of such gravitationally bound states and discuss issues related to this analysis, such as neutron loss models in a thin neutron guide, the formulation of phase space quantum mechanics, and UCN position sensitive detectors. The quantum modulation of neutron bound states measured in this experiment shows good agreement with the prediction from quantum mechanics.
Role of Surfactant in the Formation of Gold Nanoparticles in Aqueous Medium
Authors: Das Abhishek , Chadha Ridhima , Maiti Nandita , Kapoor Sudhir
Published: September 2014

The stability of gold nanoparticles is a major issue which decides their impending usage in nanobiotechnological applications. Often biomimetically synthesized nanoparticles are deemed useless owing to their instability in aqueous medium. So, surfactants are used to stabilize the nanoparticles. But does the surfactant only stabilize by being adsorbed to the surface of the nanoparticles and not play significantly in moulding the size and shape of the nanoparticles? Keeping this idea in mind, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) synthesized by l-tryptophan (Trp) mediated reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) were stabilized by anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), and its effect on the moulding of size and properties of the GNPs was studied. Interestingly, unlike most of the gold nanoparticles synthesis mechanism showing saturation growth mechanism, inclusion of SDS in the reaction mixture for GNPs synthesis resulted in a bimodal mechanism which was studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The mechanism was further substantiated with transmission electron microscopy. Zeta potential of GNPs solutions was measured to corroborate stability observations recorded visually.
Effect of Piroxicam and/or Ascorbic Acid on Postoperative Pain in Orchidectomised Goats
Authors: Okafor Richard Oluchukwu , Remi-Adewunmi Bolanle Dupe , Fadason Samuel Tanko
Published: September 2014

The study evaluates effects of varied doses of ascorbic acid and piroxicam on behavioural signs of pain in orchidectomised Savannah Brown goats during their postsurgical pain management. The goats were divided into 6 groups of 3 goats each. Orchidectomy was performed on all animals under sedation with xylazine and linear infiltration with lignocaine. After surgery, varied doses of piroxicam (IM) and ascorbic acid (IV) were administered to the goats: Group A = piroxicam, 5 mg/kg + ascorbic acid, 100 mg/kg; Group B = piroxicam, 5 mg/kg + ascorbic acid, 200 mg/kg; Group C = piroxicam, 10 mg/kg + ascorbic acid, 100 mg/kg; Group D = piroxicam, 5 mg/kg; Group E: ascorbic acid, 100 mg/kg together with antibiotics, procaine penicillin, 20,000 IU/kg + streptomycin, 10 mg/kg (IM); and Group F (control) received only the antibiotics. After surgery, pain intensity was determined in each goat by numerical rating scale. Vocalisation, teeth grinding, rapid and shallow breathing, tail wagging, occasionally bleating, neck extension, and dorsal lip curling were recorded at varying degrees across the experimental groups. The goats in the control group showed the highest degree of behavioural signs of pain. It is concluded that treatment with a combination of piroxicam and ascorbic acid ameliorated pain more than either of the agents in orchidectomised Savannah Brown goats.
Cervical Bone GraftCandida albicansOsteomyelitis: Management Strategies for an Uncommon Infection
Authors: Brembilla Carlo , Lanterna Luigi Andrea , Risso Andrea , Bonaldi Giuseppe , Gritti Paolo , Resmini Bruno , Viscone Andrea
Published: September 2014

Candidaosteomyelitis in the current literature is an emerging infection. The factors contributing to its emergence include a growing population of immunosuppressed patients, invasive surgeries, broad-spectrum antibiotics, injection drug users, and alcohol abuse. The diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion. The insidious progression of infection and the nonspecificity of laboratory and radiologic findings may contribute to a delay in diagnosis. The current case concerns a 27-year-old man with a spinal cord injury who, after undergoing anterior cervical fixation and fusion surgery, developed postoperative systemic bacterial infection and required long-term antibiotic therapy. After six months, a CT scan demonstrated an almost complete anterior dislocation of the implants caused by massive bone destruction and reabsorption inCandida albicansinfection. The patient underwent a second intervention consisting firstly of a posterior approach with C4–C7 fixation and fusion, followed by a second anterior approach with a corpectomy of C5 and C6, a tricortical bone grafting from the iliac crest, and C4–C7 plating. The antifungal therapy with fluconazole was effective without surgical debridement of the bone graft, despite the fact that signs of the bone graft being infected were seen from the first cervical CT scans carried out after one month.
HTLV-1 bZIP Factor HBZ Promotes Cell Proliferation and Genetic Instability by Activating OncomiRs
Authors: Vernin Céline , Thenoz Morgan , Pinatel Christiane , Gessain Antoine , Gout Olivier , Delfau-Larue Marie-Hélène , Nazaret Nicolas , Legras-Lachuer Catherine , Wattel Eric , Mortreux Franck
Published: September 2014

Viruses disrupt the host cell microRNA (miRNA) network to facilitate their replication. Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) replication relies on the clonal expansion of its host CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, yet this virus causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) that typically has a CD4+ phenotype. The viral oncoprotein Tax, which is rarely expressed in ATLL cells, has long been recognized for its involvement in tumor initiation by promoting cell proliferation, genetic instability, and miRNA dysregulation. Meanwhile, HBZ is expressed in both untransformed infected cells and ATLL cells and is involved in sustaining cell proliferation and silencing virus expression. Here, we show that an HBZ–miRNA axis promotes cell proliferation and genetic instability, as indicated by comet assays that showed increased numbers of DNA-strand breaks. Expression profiling of miRNA revealed that infected CD4+ cells, but not CD8+ T cells, overexpressed oncogenic miRNAs, including miR17 and miR21. HBZ activated these miRNAs via a posttranscriptional mechanism. These effects were alleviated by knocking down miR21 or miR17 and by ectopic expression of OBFC2A, a DNA-damage factor that is downregulated by miR17 and miR21 in HTLV-1–infected CD4+ T cells. These findings extend the oncogenic potential of HBZ and suggest that viral expression might be involved in the remarkable genetic instability of ATLL cells. Cancer Res; 74(21); 6082–93. ©2014 AACR.
Metabolic Vulnerabilities in Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Byrne Frances L. , Poon Ivan K.H. , Modesitt Susan C. , Tomsig Jose L. , Chow Jenny D.Y. , Healy Marin E. , Baker William D. , Atkins Kristen A. , Lancaster Johnathan M. , Marchion Douglas C. , Moley Kelle H. , Ravichandran Kodi S. , Slack-Davis Jill K. , Hoehn Kyle L.
Published: September 2014

Women with metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes, have an increased risk of developing endometrial cancer. However, the metabolism of endometrial tumors themselves has been largely understudied. Comparing human endometrial tumors and cells with their nonmalignant counterparts, we found that upregulation of the glucose transporter GLUT6 was more closely associated with the cancer phenotype than other hallmark cancer genes, including hexokinase 2 and pyruvate kinase M2. Importantly, suppression of GLUT6 expression inhibited glycolysis and survival of endometrial cancer cells. Glycolysis and lipogenesis were also highly coupled with the cancer phenotype in patient samples and cells. To test whether targeting endometrial cancer metabolism could be exploited as a therapeutic strategy, we screened a panel of compounds known to target diverse metabolic pathways in endometrial cells. We identified that the glycolytic inhibitor, 3-bromopyruvate, is a powerful antagonist of lipogenesis through pyruvylation of CoA. We also provide evidence that 3-bromopyruvate promotes cell death via a necrotic mechanism that does not involve reactive oxygen species and that 3-bromopyruvate impaired the growth of endometrial cancer xenografts Cancer Res; 74(20); 5832–45. ©2014 AACR.
Definition of Smad3 Phosphorylation Events That Affect Malignant and Metastatic Behaviors in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Bae Eunjin , Sato Misako , Kim Ran-Ju , Kwak Mi-Kyung , Naka Kazuhito , Gim Jungsoo , Kadota Mitsutaka , Tang Binwu , Flanders Kathleen C. , Kim Tae-Aug , Leem Sun-Hee , Park Taesung , Liu Fang , Wakefield Lalage M. , Kim Seong-Jin , Ooshima Akira
Published: September 2014

Smad3, a major intracellular mediator of TGFβ signaling, functions as both a positive and negative regulator in carcinogenesis. In response to TGFβ, the TGFβ receptor phosphorylates serine residues at the Smad3 C-tail. Cancer cells often contain high levels of the MAPK and CDK activities, which can lead to the Smad3 linker region becoming highly phosphorylated. Here, we report, for the first time, that mutation of the Smad3 linker phosphorylation sites markedly inhibited primary tumor growth, but significantly increased lung metastasis of breast cancer cell lines. In contrast, mutation of the Smad3 C-tail phosphorylation sites had the opposite effect. We show that mutation of the Smad3 linker phosphorylation sites greatly intensifies all TGFβ-induced responses, including growth arrest, apoptosis, reduction in the size of putative cancer stem cell population, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and invasive activity. Moreover, all TGFβ responses were completely lost on mutation of the Smad3 C-tail phosphorylation sites. Our results demonstrate a critical role of the counterbalance between the Smad3 C-tail and linker phosphorylation in tumorigenesis and metastasis. Our findings have important implications for therapeutic intervention of breast cancer. Cancer Res; 74(21); 6139–49. ©2014 AACR.