bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Specific endothelial heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor deletion ameliorates renal injury induced by chronic angiotensin II infusion
Authors: Zeng Fenghua , Kloepfer Lance A. , Finney Charlene , Diedrich André , Harris Raymond C.
Published: May 2016

Transactivation of EGF receptor (EGFR) by angiotensin II (Ang II) plays important roles in the initiation and progression of chronic kidney diseases. Studies suggest that heparin-binding EGF-like factor (HB-EGF) may be a critical mediator in this process, but its role in vivo has not been investigated. In the current study, we found that in response to Ang II infusion, kidneys from endothelial HB-EGF deletion mice had significantly reduced EGFR activation compared with controls. Meanwhile, deletion of endothelial HB-EGF expression decreased Ang II infusion related renal injury, as demonstrated by 1) less albuminuria; 2) less glomerulosclerosis; 3) preserved endothelial integrity and decreased podocyte injury, as shown by greater glomerular tuft area and WT1-positive cells, and fewer apoptotic cells measured by cleaved caspase 3 staining; 4) reduced inflammation in the perivascular area and interstitium measured by F4/80 and CD3 immunostaining; and 5) reduced renal fibrosis. In conclusion, our results suggest that shedding of HB-EGF from endothelium plays an important role in Ang II-induced renal injury by linking Ang II-AT1R with EGFR transactivation. Inhibition of HB-EGF shedding could be a potential therapeutic strategy for chronic kidney disease.
A combined TMS-EEG study of short-latency afferent inhibition in the motor and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Authors: Noda Yoshihiro , Cash Robin F. H. , Zomorrodi Reza , Dominguez Luis Garcia , Farzan Faranak , Rajji Tarek K. , Barr Mera S. , Chen Robert , Daskalakis Zafiris J. , Blumberger Daniel M.
Published: May 2016

Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) enables noninvasive neurophysiological investigation of the human cortex. A TMS paradigm of short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) is characterized by attenuation of the motor-evoked potential (MEP) and modulation of N100 of the TMS-evoked potential (TEP) when TMS is delivered to motor cortex (M1) following median nerve stimulation. SAI is a marker of cholinergic activity in the motor cortex; however, the SAI has not been tested from the prefrontal cortex. We aimed to explore the effect of SAI in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). SAI was examined in 12 healthy subjects with median nerve stimulation and TMS delivered to M1 and DLPFC at interstimulus intervals (ISIs) relative to the individual N20 latency. SAI in M1 was tested at the optimal ISI of N20 + 2 ms. SAI in DLPFC was investigated at a range of ISI from N20 + 2 to N20 + 20 ms to explore its temporal profile. For SAI in M1, the attenuation of MEP amplitude was correlated with an increase of TEP N100 from the left central area. A similar spatiotemporal neural signature of SAI in DLPFC was observed with a marked increase of N100 amplitude. SAI in DLPFC was maximal at ISI N20 + 4 ms at the left frontal area. These findings establish the neural signature of SAI in DLPFC. Future studies could explore whether DLPFC-SAI is neurophysiological marker of cholinergic dysfunction in cognitive disorders.
Does gravity influence the visual line bisection task?
Authors: Drakul A. , Bockisch C. J. , Tarnutzer A. A.
Published: May 2016

The visual line bisection task (LBT) is sensitive to perceptual biases of visuospatial attention, showing slight leftward (for horizontal lines) and upward (for vertical lines) errors in healthy subjects. It may be solved in an egocentric or allocentric reference frame, and there is no obvious need for graviceptive input. However, for other visual line adjustments, such as the subjective visual vertical, otolith input is integrated. We hypothesized that graviceptive input is incorporated when performing the LBT and predicted reduced accuracy and precision when roll-tilted. Twenty healthy right-handed subjects repetitively bisected Earth-horizontal and body-horizontal lines in darkness. Recordings were obtained before, during, and after roll-tilt (±45°, ±90°) for 5 min each. Additionally, bisections of Earth-vertical and oblique lines were obtained in 17 subjects. When roll-tilted ±90° ear-down, bisections of Earth-horizontal (i.e., body-vertical) lines were shifted toward the direction of the head ( P < 0.001). However, after correction for vertical line-bisection errors when upright, shifts disappeared. Bisecting body-horizontal lines while roll-tilted did not cause any shifts. The precision of Earth-horizontal line bisections decreased ( P ≤ 0.006) when roll-tilted, while no such changes were observed for body-horizontal lines. Regardless of the trial condition and paradigm, the scanning direction of the bisecting cursor (leftward vs. rightward) significantly ( P ≤ 0.021) affected line bisections. Our findings reject our hypothesis and suggest that gravity does not modulate the LBT. Roll-tilt-dependent shifts are instead explained by the headward bias when bisecting lines oriented along a body-vertical axis. Increased variability when roll-tilted likely reflects larger variability when bisecting body-vertical than body-horizontal lines.
Synaptic integration of transplanted interneuron progenitor cells into native cortical networks
Authors: Howard MacKenzie A. , Baraban Scott C.
Published: May 2016

Interneuron-based cell transplantation is a powerful method to modify network function in a variety of neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Whether new interneurons integrate into native neural networks in a subtype-specific manner is not well understood, and the therapeutic mechanisms underlying interneuron-based cell therapy, including the role of synaptic inhibition, are debated. In this study, we tested subtype-specific integration of transplanted interneurons using acute cortical brain slices and visualized patch-clamp recordings to measure excitatory synaptic inputs, intrinsic properties, and inhibitory synaptic outputs. Fluorescently labeled progenitor cells from the embryonic medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) were used for transplantation. At 5 wk after transplantation, MGE-derived parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons received excitatory synaptic inputs, exhibited mature interneuron firing properties, and made functional synaptic inhibitory connections to native pyramidal cells that were comparable to those of native PV+ interneurons. These findings demonstrate that MGE-derived PV+ interneurons functionally integrate into subtype-appropriate physiological niches within host networks following transplantation.
Preferential distribution of nociceptive input to motoneurons with muscle units in the cranial portion of the upper trapezius muscle
Authors: Dideriksen Jakob L. , Holobar Ales , Falla Deborah
Published: May 2016

Pain is associated with changes in the neural drive to muscles. For the upper trapezius muscle, surface electromyography (EMG) recordings have indicated that acute noxious stimulation in either the cranial or the caudal region of the muscle leads to a relative decrease in muscle activity in the cranial region. It is, however, not known if this adaption reflects different recruitment thresholds of the upper trapezius motor units in the cranial and caudal region or a nonuniform nociceptive input to the motor units of both regions. This study investigated these potential mechanisms by direct motor unit identification. Motor unit activity was investigated with high-density surface EMG signals recorded from the upper trapezius muscle of 12 healthy volunteers during baseline, control (intramuscular injection of isotonic saline), and painful (hypertonic saline) conditions. The EMG was decomposed into individual motor unit spike trains. Motor unit discharge rates decreased significantly from control to pain conditions by 4.0 ± 3.6 pulses/s (pps) in the cranial region but not in the caudal region (1.4 ± 2.8 pps; not significant). These changes were compatible with variations in the synaptic input to the motoneurons of the two regions. These adjustments were observed, irrespective of the location of noxious stimulation. These results strongly indicate that the nociceptive synaptic input is distributed in a nonuniform way across regions of the upper trapezius muscle.
The Application of MsPSO in the Rockfill Parameter Inversion of CFRD
Authors: Zhu Ye , Chi Shichun
Published: May 2016

An intelligent algorithm that simultaneously analyzes multiple rockfill parameters is proposed. First, the paper introduces the operation and monitoring condition of the Shuibuya concrete-faced rockfill dam (CFRD). Then the constitutive rockfill models and the FEM analysis procedure are introduced in this paper. Third, the MsPSO intelligent algorithm was adopted to inverse the rockfill parameters. The recalculated displacement of Shuibuya CFRD using the inversed rockfill parameters is presented, and a satisfactory result was obtained, indicating that the inversion method is correct and effective. The method developed in this paper can be adopted in any geotechnical engineering parameter inversion.
Syncope with Surprise: An Unexpected Finding of Huge Gastric Diverticulum
Authors: Podda Mauro , Atzeni Jenny , Messina Campanella Antonio , Saba Alessandra , Pisanu Adolfo
Published: May 2016

A gastric diverticulum is a pouch protruding from the gastric wall. The vague long clinical history ranging between dyspepsia, postprandial fullness, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding makes this condition a diagnostic challenge. We present a case of large gastric diverticulum that has been diagnosed during clinical investigations for suspected cardiovascular issues in a patient admitted at the medical ward for syncope. A 51-year-old man presented to the medical department due to a syncopal episode occurring while he was resting on the beach after having his lunch, with concomitant vague epimesogastric gravative pain without any other symptom. A diagnosis of neuromediated syncopal episode was made by the cardiologist. Due to the referred epimesogastric pain, an abdominal ultrasound scan was carried out, showing perisplenic fluid. A CT scan of the abdomen was performed to exclude splenic lesions. The CT scan revealed a large diverticulum protruding from the gastric fundus. The upper gastrointestinal endoscopy visualized a large diverticular neck situated in the posterior wall of the gastric fundus, partially filled by undigested food. The patient underwent surgery, with an uneventful postoperative course. Histologic examination showed a full-thickness stomach specimen, indicative of a congenital diverticulum. At the 2nd month of follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic.
A Two-Stage Compression Method for the Fault Detection of Roller Bearings
Authors: Wang Huaqing , Ke Yanliang , Luo Ganggang , Li Lingyang , Tang Gang
Published: May 2016

Data measurement of roller bearings condition monitoring is carried out based on the Shannon sampling theorem, resulting in massive amounts of redundant information, which will lead to a big-data problem increasing the difficulty of roller bearing fault diagnosis. To overcome the aforementioned shortcoming, a two-stage compressed fault detection strategy is proposed in this study. First, a sliding window is utilized to divide the original signals into several segments and a selected symptom parameter is employed to represent each segment, through which a symptom parameter wave can be obtained and the raw vibration signals are compressed to a certain level with the faulty information remaining. Second, a fault detection scheme based on the compressed sensing is applied to extract the fault features, which can compress the symptom parameter wave thoroughly with a random matrix called the measurement matrix. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method and the comparison of the three selected symptom parameters is also presented in this paper.
Associations between Reoperations and Psychological Factors after Contralateral Risk-Reducing Mastectomy: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Unukovych Dmytro , Wickman Marie , Sandelin Kerstin , Arver Brita , Johansson Hemming , Brandberg Yvonne
Published: May 2016

Introduction. The aim of the study was to investigate associations between reoperations after contralateral risk-reducing mastectomies (CRRM) and emotional problems, body image, sexuality, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with breast cancer and hereditary high risk.Patients and Methods. Patients scheduled for CRRM with breast reconstruction between 1998 and 2010 completed questionnaires, comprised of SF-36, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Body Image Scale, and the Sexual Activity Questionnaire, preoperatively and two years after CRRM. Data on reoperations was collected from medical charts.Results. A total of 80 women participated, with a response rate of 61 (76%) preoperatively and 57 (71%) at the two-year follow-up. At the two-year assessment, 44 (55%) patients had undergone ≥1 reoperation (reoperation group), whereas 36 (45%) had not (no reoperation group). No statistically significant differences between the groups were found for HRQoL, sexuality, anxiety, or depression. A higher proportion of patients in the “reoperation group” reported being dissatisfied with their bodies (81% versus 48%,p=0.01).Conclusion. The results suggest associations between reoperation following CRRM with breast reconstruction and body image problems. Special attention should be paid to body image problems among women who are subject to reoperations after CRRM.
Flexural and Thermal Properties of Novel Energy Conservation Slotted Reinforced Concrete Beams
Authors: Ma Gao , Huang Liang , Yan Libo , Wang Hui , Yin Peng
Published: May 2016

Conventional solid reinforced concrete (RC) beams were modified to slotted beams for consideration as thermal insulation structural components. The slotted beam consisted of an outer and an inner beam, respectively, with a slot located near the middle of the beam along its width direction for filling thermal insulation material. Flexural and thermal behavior of the slotted beams were investigated. Three RC reference solid beams and six slotted beams were fabricated and tested under four-point bending tests. The test results indicated that the failure mode of both slotted beams and the solid beams was flexural failure. However, the damage process of the slotted beams was different from that of the solid beams at the final loading stage. The moment curvature analysis indicated that the tensile reinforcement ratio of the outer and inner beams had an important effect on the flexural behavior, especially the ductility of the slotted beams. Thermal study indicated that the heat transfer coefficient of the slotted beam was greatly reduced and the thermal inertia factor increased a lot, compared with the solid beam. In addition, FE simulation results showed that a new frame structure using slotted beams exhibited obvious and attractive thermal insulation property.
On Certain Properties for Two Classes of Generalized Convex Functions
Authors: Ali Mohamed S. S.
Published: May 2016

Two classes of generalized convex functions in the sense of Beckenbach are considered. For both classes, we show that the existence of support curves implies their generalized convexity and obtain an extremum property of these functions. Furthermore, we establish Hadamard’s inequality for them.
Rootlike Morphology of ZnO:Al Thin Film Deposited on Amorphous Glass Substrate by Sol-Gel Method
Authors: Sutanto Heri , Durri Sufwan , Wibowo Singgih , Hadiyanto Hady , Hidayanto Eko
Published: May 2016

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) thin films have been deposited onto a glass substrate by sol-gel spray coating method at atmospheric pressure. X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis spectrophotometer have been used to characterize the films. XRD spectra indicated that all prepared thin films presented the wurtzite hexagonal structure. SEM images exhibited rootlike morphology on the surface of thin films and the shortest root diameter was about 0.219 μm. The UV-Vis absorption spectra exhibited the absorption edges that were slightly shifted to the lower wavelength. From this result, the incorporation of aluminum into the ZnO involved a slight increase in the optical band-gap of films. The optical bands of films were 3.102 eV, 3.115 eV, 3.118 eV, 3.115 eV, 3.109 eV, and 3.109 eV for ZnO, ZnO:Al 2%, ZnO:Al 4%, ZnO:Al 6%, ZnO:Al 8%, and ZnO:Al 10%, respectively. Increase of Al doping concentration in ZnO films contributed to the increase of their optical band-gap which can be explained by the Burstein-Moss effect.
The LINA Study: Higher Sensitivity of Infant Compared to Maternal Eosinophil/Basophil Progenitors to Indoor Chemical Exposures
Authors: Hörnig Friederike , Kohajda Tibor , Röder Stefan , Herberth Gunda , von Bergen Martin , Borte Michael , Diez Ulrike , Rolle-Kampczyk Ulrike , Simon Jan-C. , Denburg Judah A. , Lehmann Irina , Junge Kristin M.
Published: May 2016

Purpose. Enhanced eosinophil/basophil (Eo/B) progenitor cell levels are known to be associated with allergic inflammation and atopy risk. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of different indoor exposures on the recruitment and differentiation of Eo/B progenitors in mother-child pairs.Methods. In 68 mother-child pairs of the LINA study peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used to assess Eo/B colony forming units (CFUs). Information about disease outcomes and indoor exposures was obtained from questionnaires. Indoor concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured by passive sampling.Results. Infant’s Eo/B CFUs were positively associated with exposure to tobacco smoke, disinfectants, or VOCs. In contrast, for maternal Eo/B CFUs, only a few associations were seen. Higher numbers of infant Eo/B CFUs were observed in children with wheezing symptoms within the second year of life.Conclusions. We demonstrate that infant’s hematopoietic cells seem to respond with more sensitivity to environmental exposure compared to maternal cells. At least in infants, an activation of these hematopoietic cells by environmental exposure could contribute to an enhanced risk for the development of respiratory outcomes.
Fabrication of Core‐Shell PEI/pBMP2‐PLGA Electrospun Scaffold for Gene Delivery to Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells
Authors: Xie Qiao , Jia Lie-ni , Xu Hong-yu , Hu Xiang-gang , Wang Wei , Jia Jun
Published: May 2016

Bone tissue engineering is the most promising technology for enhancing bone regeneration. Scaffolds loaded with osteogenic factors improve the therapeutic effect. In this study, the bioactive PEI (polyethylenimine)/pBMP2‐ (bone morphogenetic protein‐2 plasmid‐) PLGA (poly(D, L‐lactic‐co‐glycolic acid)) core‐shell scaffolds were prepared using coaxial electrospinning for a controlled gene delivery to hPDLSCs (human periodontal ligament stem cells). The pBMP2 was encapsulated in the PEI phase as a core and PLGA was employed to control pBMP2 release as a shell. First, the scaffold characterization and mechanical properties were evaluated. Then the gene release behavior was analyzed. Our results showed that pBMP2 was released at high levels in the first few days, with a continuous release behavior in the next 28 days. At the same time, PEI/pBMP2 showed high transfection efficiency. Moreover, the core‐shell electrospun scaffold showed BMP2 expression for a much longer time (more than 28 days) compared with the single axial electrospun scaffold, as evaluated by qRT‐PCR and western blot after culturing with hPDLSCs. These results suggested that the core‐shell PEI/pBMP2‐PLGA scaffold fabricated by coaxial electrospinning had a good gene release behavior and showed a prolonged expression time with a high transfection efficiency.
Iterative Forward-Backward Pursuit Algorithm for Compressed Sensing
Authors: Wang Feng , Zhang Jianping , Sun Guiling , Geng Tianyu
Published: May 2016

It has been shown that iterative reweighted strategies will often improve the performance of many sparse reconstruction algorithms. Iterative Framework for Sparse Reconstruction Algorithms (IFSRA) is a recently proposed method which iteratively enhances the performance of any given arbitrary sparse reconstruction algorithm. However, IFSRA assumes that the sparsity level is known. Forward-Backward Pursuit (FBP) algorithm is an iterative approach where each iteration consists of consecutive forward and backward stages. Based on the IFSRA, this paper proposes the Iterative Forward-Backward Pursuit (IFBP) algorithm, which applies the iterative reweighted strategies to FBP without the need for the sparsity level. By using an approximate iteration strategy, IFBP gradually iterates to approach the unknown signal. Finally, this paper demonstrates that IFBP significantly improves the reconstruction capability of the FBP algorithm, via simulations including recovery of random sparse signals with different nonzero coefficient distributions in addition to the recovery of a sparse image.
On-Treatment Elevation in Hepatic Transaminases during HCV Treatment with Ombitasvir, Paritaprevir, Dasabuvir, Ritonavir, and Ribavirin: A Case Series
Authors: Bean Madelyne , Tang Lydia , Kottilil Shyam , Beavers Kimberly L. , Meissner Eric G.
Published: May 2016

Eradication of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is now possible with all oral antiviral medications, including the combination of ombitasvir, paritaprevir, dasabuvir, and ritonavir (PrOD) with or without ribavirin. While high rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) can be achieved, a small subset of patients experience on-treatment liver enzyme elevations, in particular women using concurrent estradiol-containing oral contraceptive medications (OCPs). Herein, we describe four cases of liver enzyme elevations within 2-3 weeks of PrOD initiation in African-American men infected with HCV genotype 1a or 1b. Three patients with varying degrees of hepatic fibrosis received a full treatment course without medication modification, achieved SVR, and experienced resolution of liver enzyme abnormalities. One patient with cirrhosis was switched mid-treatment to an alternate HCV regimen, experienced subsequent resolution of liver enzyme abnormalities, and achieved SVR. In summary, these cases suggest that all HCV patients treated with PrOD, independent of gender or concurrent medications, should have laboratory monitoring for liver enzyme elevations, with a particular emphasis on early monitoring in cirrhotic patients.
Gateway Selection Game in Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Wang Hao , Li Jianzhong , Gao Hong
Published: May 2016

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) obtain the information of the physical world and impact the environment through many different kinds of devices. Usually, devices with different wireless technologies communicate with each other and the external networks through gateways placed in the working area. Different kinds of devices in a CPS may not operate with each other for their own benefit, and the competition will be more intense between different kinds of devices. They will contend for bandwidth of gateways to increase their throughput and avoid transmission delay. In this paper, we formulate this gateway selection situation as a noncooperative game. We investigate the actions of devices when they change their gateway and the result of devices' competition. We first give a bandwidth allocation model of gateways and propose a distributed algorithm for clients of gateway selection in order to increase the total bandwidth of their own kind. Then we investigate the migration trends of clients, and three theorems about the condition when clients stop migrating are given. We propose examples of gateway selection game with and without Nash Equilibrium. At last section, we give simulation results of gateway selection game.
Study of the Mechanical Properties of a Nanostructured Surface Layer on 316L Stainless Steel
Authors: Lang F. C. , Xing Y. M. , Zhu J. , Zhao Y. R.
Published: May 2016

A nanostructured surface layer (NSSL) was generated on a 316L stainless steel plate through surface nanocrystallization (SNC). The grains of the surface layer were refined to nanoscale after SNC treatment. Moreover, the microstructure and mechanical properties of NSSL were analyzed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), through nanoindentation, and through reverse analysis of finite element method (FEM). TEM results showed that the grains in the NSSL measured 8 nm. In addition, these nanocrystalline grains took the form of random crystallographic orientation and were roughly equiaxed in shape. In situ SEM observations of the tensile process confirmed that the motions of the dislocations were determined from within the material and that the motions were blocked by the NSSL, thus improving overall yielding stress. Meanwhile, the nanohardness and the elastic modulus of the NSSL, as well as those of the matrix, were obtained with nanoindentation technology. The reverse analysis of FEM was conducted with MARC software, and the process of nanoindentation on the NSSL and the matrix was simulated. The plastic mechanical properties of NSSL can be derived from the simulation by comparing the results of the simulation and of actual nanoindentation.
Serum Heme Oxygenase-1 and BMP-7 Are Potential Biomarkers for Bone Metabolism in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Yuan Tong-ling , Chen Jin , Tong Yan-li , Zhang Yan , Liu Yuan-yuan , Wei James Cheng-Chung , Liu Yi , Zhao Yi , Herrmann Martin
Published: May 2016

Backgrounds. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been reported to play a regulatory role in osteoclastogenesis. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathways induce osteoblastic differentiation and bone remodeling.Aims. To identify serum levels of HO-1, BMP-7, and Runt related-transcription factor 2 (Runx2) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to investigate the relationships between HO-1, BMP-7, Runx2, and other common biomarkers for bone metabolism.Results. Serum levels of HO-1 and BMP-7 were revealed to be significantly higher in patients with RA or AS than in healthy controls (p<0.01). In RA group, HO-1 was positively correlated with BMP-7, Runx2, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRAP-5b) (p<0.05, resp.), BMP-7 was positively correlated with Runx2 and TRAP-5b (p<0.05, resp.), and Runx2 was negatively correlated with N-terminal midfragment of osteocalcin (NMID) (p<0.05). In AS group, we observed identical correlation between HO-1 and BMP-7, but opposite correlations between BMP-7 and TRAP-5b and between Runx2 and NMID, when comparing with the RA cohort.Conclusion. Our findings suggest that HO-1 and BMP-7 are potential biomarkers for bone metabolism in patients with RA and AS. The different correlations between the bone markers point to distinct differences in bone remodeling pathways in the two types of arthritis.
Pregnancy Desire, Partner Serodiscordance, and Partner HIV Disclosure among Reproductive Age HIV-Infected Women in an Urban Clinic
Authors: Rhodes Corinne M. , Cu-Uvin Susan , Rana Aadia I.
Published: May 2016

Women comprise 25% of the US HIV epidemic, with many women of reproductive age. There is a need for providers to address the reproductive needs and desires of women with HIV given that effective antiretroviral therapy has transformed HIV into a chronic disease. This cross-sectional study shows high rates of partner serodiscordance (61%) and moderate HIV disclosure to partners (61%). Patients surveyed reported practitioners discuss condoms (94%) and contraception (71%) more often than pregnancy desire (38%). In our sample, 44% of the surveyed women intended future pregnancy, whereas women who did not intend future pregnancy cited HIV/health and serodiscordance as the most common reasons (56% and 35%, resp.). There was no difference in the knowledge of mother-to-child transmission risk between women who intended or did not intend future pregnancy (p=0.71). These results underline the need for provider training in reproductive counseling to promote risk reduction and education.
ZnO Nanocrystals as Anode Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Du Lijuan , Chen Zongren , Hong Juan , Yue Lu
Published: May 2016

ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized via a thermal decomposition method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence were used to investigate the composition and nanostructure of the material. Compared with commercial ZnO nanoparticles, ZnO nanocrystals showed higher lithium storage capacity and better cycling characteristics and exhibited a reversible discharge capacity of 500 mAh g−1after 100 cycles at 200 mA g−1.
Approximate Multidegree Reduction ofλ-Bézier Curves
Authors: Hu Gang , Cao Huanxin , Zhang Suxia
Published: May 2016

Besides inheriting the properties of classical Bézier curves of degreen, the correspondingλ-Bézier curves have a good performance in adjusting their shapes by changing shape control parameter. In this paper, we derive an approximation algorithm for multidegree reduction ofλ-Bézier curves in theL2-norm. By analysing the properties ofλ-Bézier curves of degreen, a method which can deal with approximatingλ-Bézier curve of degreen+1byλ-Bézier curve of degreem  (m≤n)is presented. Then, in unrestricted andC0,C1constraint conditions, the new control points of approximatingλ-Bézier curve can be obtained by solving linear equations, which can minimize the least square error between the approximating curves and the original ones. Finally, several numerical examples of degree reduction are given and the errors are computed in three conditions. The results indicate that the proposed method is effective and easy to implement.
A Novel Enhancement Algorithm Combined with Improved Fuzzy Set Theory for Low Illumination Images
Authors: Yun Hai-jiao , Wu Zhi-yong , Wang Guan-jun , Tong Gang , Yang Hua
Published: May 2016

A novel enhancement method of global brightness modulation and local contrast enhancement combined with the improved fuzzy set theory is proposed for color image contrast enhancement. The proposed method consists of three stages. Firstly, putting forward nonlinear global brightness mapping model adjusts dynamic range of images for luminance componentVofHSVcolor space. Secondly, membership function is established in stages to adjust local contrast of image details nonlinearly based on fuzzy set theory. Finally, the enhanced images are transformed fromHSVcolor space intoRGBcolor space. The experiments further show that the proposed method has the shortest processing time, the highest AIC values, and the least NIQE values among the other four conventional methods. It has excellent effect, which can enhance the global brightness and local contrast, and advance visibility of low illumination images.
Impact of Antioxidants on Cardiolipin Oxidation in Liposomes: Why Mitochondrial Cardiolipin Serves as an Apoptotic Signal?
Authors: Lokhmatikov Alexey V. , Voskoboynikova Natalia , Cherepanov Dmitry A. , Skulachev Maxim V. , Steinhoff Heinz-Jürgen , Skulachev Vladimir P. , Mulkidjanian Armen Y.
Published: May 2016

Molecules of mitochondrial cardiolipin (CL) get selectively oxidized upon oxidative stress, which triggers the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In a chemical model most closely resembling the mitochondrial membrane—liposomes of pure bovine heart CL—we compared ubiquinol‐10, ubiquinol‐6, and alpha‐tocopherol, the most widespread naturally occurring antioxidants, with man‐made, quinol‐based amphiphilic antioxidants. Lipid peroxidation was induced by addition of an azo initiator in the absence and presence of diverse antioxidants, respectively. The kinetics of CL oxidation was monitored via formation of conjugated dienes at 234 nm. We found that natural ubiquinols and ubiquinol‐based amphiphilic antioxidants were equally efficient in protecting CL liposomes from peroxidation; the chromanol‐based antioxidants, including alpha‐tocopherol, were 2‐3 times less efficient. Amphiphilic antioxidants, but not natural ubiquinols and alpha‐tocopherol, were able, additionally, to protect the CL bilayer from oxidation by acting from the water phase. We suggest that the previously reported therapeutic efficiency of mitochondrially targeted amphiphilic antioxidants is owing to their ability to protect those CL molecules that are inaccessible to natural hydrophobic antioxidants, being trapped within respiratory supercomplexes. The high susceptibility of such occluded CL molecules to oxidation may have prompted their recruitment as apoptotic signaling molecules by nature.
Spectroscopic and Docking Studies on the Binding of Liquiritigenin with Hyaluronidase for Antiallergic Mechanism
Authors: Zeng Hua-jin , Yang Ran , You Jing , Qu Ling-bo , Sun Yan-jun
Published: May 2016

The inhibitory effect of liquiritigenin on hyaluronidase and its binding mechanism were investigated systematically by UV-vis absorption, fluorescence, and molecular modeling approaches. These results indicated that liquiritigenin could interact with hyaluronidase to form a liquiritigenin-hyaluronidase complex. The binding constant, number of binding sites, and thermodynamic parameters were calculated, which indicated that liquiritigenin could spontaneously bind with hyaluronidase mainly through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with one binding site. Synchronous fluorescence, three-dimensional fluorescence, and molecular docking results revealed that liquiritigenin bound directly to the enzyme cavity site and this binding influenced the microenvironment of the hyaluronidase activity site, resulting in reduced hyaluronidase activity. The present study provides useful information for clinical applications of liquiritigenin as a hyaluronidase inhibitor.
Use of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy for Removal of Dabigatran in a Patient in Need of Emergent Surgery
Authors: Parli Sara E. , Thompson Bastin Melissa L. , Lewis Daniel A.
Published: May 2016

Purpose.To report the ability to remove serum dabigatran using continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in a patient with life-threatening bleeding.Summary.A 77-year-old female with history of atrial fibrillation who takes dabigatran for stroke prevention presented with abdominal pain. Patient was found to have bleeding and possible mesenteric ischemia and was taken to the operating room and had continued bleeding postoperatively. CRRT was initiated for the removal of any remaining dabigatran, with serum dabigatran levels collected to evaluate removal of dabigatran with CRRT. This patient had an increased dabigatran level prior to intervention, which decreased to an undetectable level after use of CRRT. Greater than 80% of the drug was removed due to 4 hours of CRRT and residual kidney function. Reversal of dabigatran is an area of current research with recent FDA approval of idarucizumab for use.Conclusion.Bleeding may occur as a result of the use of dabigatran and change in patient’s clinical condition. Use of CRRT may be an option in removing serum dabigatran in the case of a life-threatening bleed.
Correction of Earth Pressure and Analysis of Deformation for Double-Row Piles in Foundation Excavation in Changchun of China
Authors: Zhou Yijun , Yao Aijun , Li Haobo , Zheng Xuan
Published: May 2016

In order to study the earth pressure and the deformation behavior of the double-row piles in foundation excavation, a large-scale physical model test was introduced to simulate deformation of double-row piles in foundation excavation based on the principle of similarity theory in this paper. Represented by the deep foundation pit engineering of Changchun, the strain and the displacement of the double-row piles and the earth pressure are calculated by the above-mentioned physical model test. Then a numerical simulation has been carried out to validate practicability of the physical model test. The results show that the strain and the displacement of the front-row piles are larger than the back-row piles. The earth pressure of the front-row piles appears to be “right convex,” correcting the specification of the earth pressure and putting forward the coefficient of β. The results in this paper may provide constructive reference for practical engineering.
Anti-CCR4 Monoclonal Antibody Mogamulizumab Followed by the GDP (Gemcitabine, Dexamethasone and Cisplatin) Regimen in Primary Refractory Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Kato Harumi , Yamamoto Kazuhito , Higuchi Yusuke , Yamamoto Hideyuki , Saito Toko , Taji Hirofumi , Yatabe Yasushi , Nakamura Shigeo , Kinoshita Tomohiro
Published: May 2016

There are few effective options for salvage therapy in elderly patients with relapsed or refractory angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL). The anti-CCR4 antibody mogamulizumab works via antibody-dependent cytotoxic activity, reduces regulatory T cells, and evokes antitumor immunity in cancer patients. We report a 78-year-old patient with refractory AITL receiving a new immunochemotherapy consisting of sequential mogamulizumab administration followed by the GDP (gemcitabine, dexamethasone and cisplatin) regimen. A favorable consolidative effect of the GDP regimen could be observed in the patient who had partial remission after administration of mogamulizumab monotherapy. The regimen showed an acceptable toxicity profile without serious autoimmunity and an expected treatment response for the elderly patient with primary refractory AITL. This clinical case is the first report of salvage chemotherapy including mogamulizumab for primary refractory AITL described in the literature.
Feasibility and Success Rate of a Fetal MRI and MR Spectroscopy Research Protocol Performed at Term Using a 3.0-Tesla Scanner
Authors: Sanz Cortes Magdalena , Bargallo Nuria , Arranz Angela , Simoes Rui , Figueras Francesc , Gratacos Eduard
Published: May 2016

Objectives: To report the feasibility and main factors affecting the success of a fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS) research protocol performed at term using a 3-tesla scanner. Methods: Pregnant patients at term underwent an MRI. Specific measures were taken to prevent maternal discomfort and distress, such as detailed counseling and maternal repositioning if needed. MRS data were acquired from the frontal lobe and basal ganglia, and processed applying quality control criteria. Results: The mean gestational age at MRI was 37.4 ± 0.9 weeks. From a total of 245 patients that showed up for the MRI, 11 referred claustrophobia which prevented the test from starting, and 30 patients started the test but decided to discontinue due to discomfort. Thus, the examination was complete in 204 patients. MRS data could be obtained in 170 cases from the frontal lobe and 165 cases from the basal ganglia, of which 52.4 and 68.6%, respectively, complied with our defined quality criteria. The mean scanning time was 34:16 ± 9:30 min:s after excluding those cases presenting initial intolerance to the test. Minor abnormalities were described in 11 MRI reports. Conclusions: The fetal MRI/MRS protocol was feasible and generally well tolerated at term on a 3-tesla scanner, but a significant number of cases were lost to analysis. The rate of patients that eventually provided usable research information was 95.5% for anatomical examination and 52.4-68.6% for MRS. This information should be taken into account in the design of fetal brain MRI studies.
Downregulation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 via Nitric Oxide Production in a Hypergalactosemic Model of Neonate Skin Fibroblast Cultures
Authors: Dhaunsi Gursev S. , Al-Essa Mazen
Published: May 2016

Background: Galactosemia is a severe metabolic disorder known to cause hepatosplenomegaly, jaundice and cataracts in neonates, and many patients develop later complications such as mental retardation, disorders of motor function or speech, and hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism. The pathogenetic mechanisms of classical galactosemia are unclear; however, nitric oxide (NO) has been suggested to play a role. Objectives: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is important for the growth and development of children, and the aim of this study was to examine the association of NO production with IGF-1 gene expression under galactosemic conditions. Methods: Serum levels of IGF-1 and nitrite were measured in 15 galactosemia patients and 15 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Fibroblast cultures established from postcircumcision foreskin of 3- to 8-day-old healthy neonates were treated for 72 h with 0-10 mM of galactose or 0-5 mM of galactose-1-phosphate (Gal-1-P) in the presence or absence of NO synthase inhibitor (L-NAME), and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein was measured using Western blot analysis. RT-PCR was performed to assess the IGF-1 gene expression. Results: Galactosemia patients were observed to have significantly (p < 0.01) elevated serum nitrites and markedly decreased levels (p < 0.01) of serum IGF-1 as compared to healthy controls. The cotreatment of neonate skin fibroblast cultures with galactose and Gal-1-P significantly (p < 0.01) increased cellular levels of NO and iNOS protein expression, and decreased (p < 0.01) IGF-1 mRNA levels. Treatment with L-NAME, a NOS inhibitor, significantly (p < 0.05) alleviated a galactose/Gal-1-P-induced decrease in IGF-1 mRNA levels. Conclusion: These results suggest that NO mediates the downregulation of IGF-1 by Gal-1-P/galactose, thereby providing a new molecular mechanism and possible therapeutic insight for galactosemia-related complications.
Importance of Flow Cytometry in the Cytopathologic Evaluation of Lymphoid Lesions Involving the Kidney
Authors: Bynum Jennifer P. , Duffield Amy , Ali Syed Z.
Published: May 2016

Background: Cytomorphology alone is often insufficient for the diagnosis and subclassification of lymphomas, so flow cytometry (FC) may be used as an adjuvant test. Methods: Renal fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) performed from January 1993 to August 2014 were reviewed for FC data or a diagnosis of lymphoma. Results: A total of 586 renal FNAs were collected. Thirty-three cases (5.1%) had FC analysis. Lymphoma was diagnosed 35 times (6%), and FC was performed in 21 (60%) cases. Both cytomorphology and FC were consistent with lymphoma in 20 cases. Cytomorphology alone was diagnostic of lymphoma in 15 cases. In 28 cases, biopsy from the kidney or another site was diagnostic of lymphoma. One subsequent biopsy revealed that a kidney FNA, which showed no definitive morphologic or FC evidence of lymphoma, likely represented necrotic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Conclusion: FC is a useful adjuvant diagnostic test for renal FNAs, particularly for subclassification and confirmation of the diagnosis when there is insufficient material for immunohistochemistry. FC should be interpreted with caution when a sample is limited or when there is suspicion of Hodgkin lymphoma, and further work-up is warranted when cytomorphology suggests lymphoma but FC is negative.
Diagnostic Value of the CD103+CD4+/CD4+ Ratio to Differentiate Sarcoidosis from Other Causes of Lymphocytic Alveolitis
Authors: Bretagne Lisa , Diatta Ibrahima-Dina , Faouzi Mohamed , Nobile Antoine , Bongiovanni Massimo , Nicod Laurent P. , Lazor Romain
Published: May 2016

Background: The CD103 integrin is present on CD4+ lymphocytes of the bronchial mucosa, but not on peripheral blood CD4+ lymphocytes. It has been hypothesized that CD4+ lymphocytes in pulmonary sarcoidosis originate from redistribution from the peripheral blood to the lung, and therefore do not bear the CD103 integrin. Some data suggest that a low CD103+ percentage among bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) CD4+ lymphocytes discriminates between sarcoidosis and other diagnoses. Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of BALF CD103+ to identify sarcoidosis among other causes of alveolar lymphocytosis in a large retrospective case series. Methods: Among 391 consecutive bronchoalveolar lavages performed at our institution and analyzed by flow cytometry, we identified 207 cases, which were grouped into nine diagnostic categories: sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, non-tuberculous infections, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, non-specific interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, drug-induced lung diseases, other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and other diagnoses. To assess the discriminative value of the CD103+CD4+/CD4+ ratio to distinguish sarcoidosis from other entities, areas under ROC curves (AUC) were calculated. Results: Sarcoidosis patients (n = 53) had significantly lower CD103+CD4+/CD4+ ratios than patients in other diagnostic categories. The AUC was 62% for sarcoidosis compared to all other diagnoses, and 69% for sarcoidosis compared to other ILDs. When combining CD103+CD4+/CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratios, the AUC increased to 76 and 78%, respectively. When applying previously published cut-offs to our population, the AUC varied between 54 and 73%. Conclusions: The CD103+CD4+/CD4+ ratio does not accurately discriminate between sarcoidosis and other causes of lymphocytic alveolitis, neither alone nor in combination with the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and is not a powerful marker for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.
Sergey Sukhanov, a Russian Physician in Professor Arthur Van Gehuchten's Lab - Based on Original 19th Century Documents
Authors: Vein Alla A. , Aubert Geneviève
Published: May 2016

In 1898, Russian physician Sergey Alexeevich Sukhanov (1867-1915) spent a 3-month traineeship in Professor Arthur Van Gehuchten's anatomy laboratory in Louvain (Belgium). A folder containing 17 handwritten documents in Russian was recently discovered in the archives of the Museum of the History of Medicine, First Moscow State Medical University. The letters give a lively account of Sukhanov's everyday observations, experiences and opinions while he was in Van Gehuchten's lab. We took a selection of these notes and put them into medical and historical context.
Diet of the Four-horned Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis (De Blainville, 1816) in the Churia Hills of Nepal
Authors: Kunwar Amar , Gaire Raju , Pokharel Krishna Prasad , Baral Suraj , Thapa Tej Bahadur
Published: May 2016

The food composition of the Four-horned Antelope Tetracerus quadricornis was studied in the Churia Hills of Nepal during summer, monsoon and the winter seasons of 2012–2013.  Microhistological technique was used to determine the diet.  The Four-horned Antelope was found to be a mixed feeder feeding on trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses and climbers.  Trees and shrubs contribute the major percentage of diet in all the three seasons.  The Gramineae family is consumed in highest proportion.  Mitragyna parvifolia, Bridelia retusa, Bambusa vulgaris, Hymenodictyon sp. and Ziziphus mauritiana are major tree species while Barleria cristata, Pogostemon benghalensis, Achyranthes sp., Clerodendrum viscosum are among shrubs.  Ageratum conyzoides and Blumea virens are the main forbs Eulaliopsis binata and Imperata cylindrica are the principal grass species.  Climber Trachelospermum lucidum is consumed in a small proportion.  Grasses in monsoon were consumed distinctly at a higher percentage than during the other two seasons.  The Four-horned Antelopes are concentrated feeders and browsers with a generalized feeding strategy. Similar studies need to be conducted in other landscapes and with sympatric and potential competitor species to understand its niche overlaps and degree of competition.
Camera trap records of Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus and Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) from Papikonda National Park, northern Eastern Ghats, India
Authors: Aditya Vikram , Ganesh Thyagarajan
Published: May 2016

The genus Prionailurus consists of forest dwelling spotted cats ranging across most of India (Sunquist and Sunquist 2002, Menon 2003). Few studies have been done on their presence and distribution across the Eastern Ghats. The present note reports the first camera trap records of the Leopard Cat Prionailurus benghalensis Kerr, 1792 and Rusty Spotted Cat, Prionailurus rubiginosus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831 from the Papikonda National Park, situated in the northern Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.
Some comments on the ‘Moist temperate forest butterflies of western Bhutan’
Authors: Irungbam Jatishwor Singh
Published: May 2016

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Authors: Singh Arun P.
Published: May 2016

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