bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A NOTE ON NIL AND JACOBSON RADICALS IN GRADED RINGS
Authors: SMOKTUNOWICZ AGATA
Published: September 2013

It was shown by Bergman that the Jacobson radical of a Z-graded ring is homogeneous. This paper shows that the analogous result holds for nil radicals, namely, that the nil radical of a Z-graded ring is homogeneous. It is obvious that a subring of a nil ring is nil, but generally a subring of a Jacobson radical ring need not be a Jacobson radical ring. In this paper, it is shown that every subring which is generated by homogeneous elements in a graded Jacobson radical ring is always a Jacobson radical ring. It is also observed that a ring whose all subrings are Jacobson radical rings is nil. Some new results on graded-nil rings are also obtained.
A NOVEL FRAMEWORK FOR TRACKING ONLINE COMMUNITY INTERACTION IN SOCIAL NETWORK
Authors: SHARMA SANJIV , PUROHIT G. N.
Published: September 2013

This paper focuses on a design of improved framework and analysis of existing framework which exploits certain algorithms for tracking online community in social network. Tracking of online community is an imperative task where the goal is to identify meaningful group structures in the dynamic social network and consider the problem of the evolution of groups of users in dynamic scenarios. Existing frameworks for tracking community in social network have some limitation which makes it less scalable and computationally inefficient. This novel framework facilitates scalable tracking communities over the time in social networks and offers efficient methods to deal with the problems which are offered in most of the existing frameworks.
SENSORY SIGNAL PROCESSING ISSUES IN A TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM
Authors: DE SILVA CLARENCE W. , XIAO SHAN , LI MAOQING , DE SILVA CHERYL N.
Published: September 2013

A telemedicine system will provide sustainable, comprehensive, low-cost, fast, private, and convenient access to medical consultation and diagnosis for patients from remote locations. The telemedicine system addressed in this paper consists of a sensor jacket, which is worn by the patient for medical monitoring. The signals sensed through the jacket are processed and transmitted through a public telecommunication link, to a medical professional in a hospital at distance. The medical professional interacts with the patient through audio and video links, and simultaneously examines the data transmitted by the monitoring system. Medical assessment, diagnosis, and prescription are carried out on this basis. Sensing and signal processing are paramount to providing the patient data to the medical professional in an accurate and effective manner. This paper presents some relevant issues and techniques. Specific examples of electrocardiograms and respiratory signals are provided to illustrate the applicable signal conditioning approaches. Results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and the effectiveness of these methods.
LIMITED DOMINATING BROADCAST IN GRAPHS
Authors: JAFARI RAD NADER , KHOSRAVI FATEMEH
Published: September 2013

For a given graph G, a function f : V(G) → {0, 1, …, diamG} such that for every vertex v of G, f(v) ≤ e(v) (where e(v) is the eccentricity of the vertex v and diamG is the diameter of G), is a broadcast on G. A broadcast f is a dominating broadcast if Nf[V+] = V(G), where V+ = {u | f(u) > 0}, Nf[V+] = ⋃u∈V+Nf[u], and Nf[u] = {v | d(u, v) ≤ f(u)}. In this paper, inspired by Dunbar et al. [3], we study limited dominating broadcast in graphs and obtain some properties, bounds, and characterizations for limited broadcast domination number in graphs.
ARC ANALYSIS ALGORITHM (AAA) FOR ARC-WEIGHTED GRAPHS
Authors: MATHEW SUNIL
Published: September 2013

A special sub class of weighted graphs called partial trees are discussed in this article. Partial trees are weighted graphs with some of its threshold subgraphs as trees. The structure of partial trees are studied and the types of arcs in partial trees are identified. Some characterizations for partial trees involving partial bridges and strong paths are obtained and an arc analysis algorithm for weighted graphs is discussed.
Advances in Optical Adjunctive Aids for Visualisation and Detection of Oral Malignant and Potentially Malignant Lesions
Authors: Bhatia Nirav , Lalla Yastira , Vu An N. , Farah Camile S.
Published: September 2013

Traditional methods of screening for oral potentially malignant disorders and oral malignancies involve a conventional oral examination with digital palpation. Evidence indicates that conventional examination is a poor discriminator of oral mucosal lesions. A number of optical aids have been developed to assist the clinician to detect oral mucosal abnormalities and to differentiate benign lesions from sinister pathology. This paper discusses advances in optical technologies designed for the detection of oral mucosal abnormalities. The literature regarding such devices, VELscope and Identafi, is critically analysed, and the novel use of Narrow Band Imaging within the oral cavity is also discussed. Optical aids are effective in assisting with the detection of oral mucosal abnormalities; however, further research is required to evaluate the usefulness of these devices in differentiating benign lesions from potentially malignant and malignant lesions.
Study on Situational Influences Perceived in Nursing Discipline on Health Promotion: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Hosseini Meimanat , Ashk Torab Tahereh , Taghdisi Mohammad Hossein , Esmaeili Vardanjani Safar Ali
Published: September 2013

Introduction and Objectives. Nurses, as behavioral models, play a key role in health promotion, and their attitudes towards health promotion highly influence their health and performance. The aim of this study is to explore nursing students' perception of studies in nursing discipline as a situational influence on health promotion. Materials and Methods. This study was conducted using directed content analysis, by means of 20 deep semistructured interviews with nursing students. The participants were selected on purposive sampling. Data was analyzed by the qualitative content analysis method. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and reviewed, and all codes were extracted and summarized. The codes were subcategorized on the basis of centralization and were categorized after review of subcategories, and finally, a theme was determined. Findings. The theme of nursing discipline's situational influence on nursing students' health promotion was revealed. This theme consisted of “choosing the field,” “unfavorable environmental factors,” “negative impacts of studies in nursing discipline on health,” “positive effects of studies in nursing discipline on health”, “needs,” “attractiveness (aesthetics),” and “coping with negative situational influences in nursing discipline.” Conclusion. The perception of studies in nursing discipline as a health-promoting behavior is under influence of social environment. Considering the importance of the students' positive perception of the existing situation, it is essential to pay attention to their attitudes and perceptions so that they can provide better services to patients.
Simplified Boundary Element Method for Kinematic Response of Single Piles in Two-Layer Soil
Authors: Liang Fayun , Chen Haibing , Guo Wei Dong
Published: September 2013

A simple approach is formulated to predict the elastic, kinematic pile bending during harmonic or transient excitation for a circular pile (rather than a simplified thin strip). The kinematic response of a pile embedded in two-layer soil is resolved in the frequency domain caused by the upward propagation of shear waves from the underlying bedrock. The simplified approach is generally valid to nonhomogeneous soil profiles, in light of the good comparison with the dynamic FE method and BDWF solution. It employs the soil-displacement-influence coefficientsIsto consider the pile-soil interaction (resembling the spring constantkxin the BDWF) and provides conservative estimations of maximum kinematic bending moments at the soil-layer interface (with a sharper stiffness contrast). The accuracy of the approach may be improved by incorporating the interaction of soil into the soil-displacement-influence coefficientsIsfor such cases withVb/Va<3.
Lexicographic Product and Isoperimetric Number
Authors: Aslan Ersin , Kirlangic Alpay
Published: September 2013

The isoperimetric number of a graph , denoted by , was introduced by Mohar (1987). A graph and a subset of its vertices are given, and let denote the edge boundary of , the set of edges which connects vertices in to vertices not in . The isoperimetric number of is defined as . In this paper, some results about the isoperimetric number of graphs obtained by graph operations are given.
Over 10% Gain of Output Power of Medium-Sized Solar Cells by an Improvement of Geometry of Collector Electrodes
Authors: Obinata Kei , Takeda Yasuhiko , Kato Naohiko , Motohiro Tomoyoshi
Published: September 2013

Practical solar cells require larger active areas than ones in the R&D stage in laboratories. However, the enlargement lowers conversion efficiency because of the following two reasons: (1) increase of resistive loss in the transparent conductive electrode caused by the longer distance for the photogenerated carriers to pass and (2) active area loss caused by shadows of collector electrodes laid on to reduce the previous resistive loss. In the present study, we have constructed an advisable modeling method to calculate output power of medium-sized solar cells and optimized geometry of the collector electrodes. Results of the modeling taught us a possible improvement of the output power by over 10%. These simulated results were reproduced by electrochemical experiments.
Pure Red Cell Aplasia with Adult Onset Still’s Disease
Authors: Robillard Nicholas , Nguyen Paul Van , Wistaff Robert , Laskine Mikhael
Published: September 2013

Adult Onset Still’s Disease (AOSD) is a rare inflammatory syndrome mostly seen in young adults. Known for its wide range of clinical manifestations, AOSD often presents with nonremitting systemic signs and symptoms. Many rare case associations have been described with AOSD, but only few with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). We are presenting a fourth known case of a young female adult with AOSD and PRCA in the literature.
Sphingolipids and Brain Resident Macrophages in Neuroinflammation: An Emerging Aspect of Nervous System Pathology
Authors: Assi Emma , Cazzato Denise , De Palma Clara , Perrotta Cristiana , Clementi Emilio , Cervia Davide
Published: September 2013

Sphingolipid metabolism is deeply regulated along the differentiation and development of the central nervous system (CNS), and the expression of a peculiar spatially and temporarily regulated sphingolipid pattern is essential for the maintenance of the functional integrity of the nervous system. Microglia are resident macrophages of the CNS involved in general maintenance of neural environment. Modulations in microglia phenotypes may contribute to pathogenic forms of inflammation. Since defects in macrophage/microglia activity contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, it will be essential to systematically identify the components of the microglial cell response that contribute to disease progression. In such complex processes, the sphingolipid systems have recently emerged to play important roles, thus appearing as a key new player in CNS disorders. This review provides a rationale for harnessing the sphingolipid metabolic pathway as a potential target against neuroinflammation.
Protective Effect of Qiliqiangxin Capsule on Energy Metabolism and Myocardial Mitochondria in Pressure Overload Heart Failure Rats
Authors: Zhang Junfang , Wei Cong , Wang Hongtao , Tang Siwen , Jia Zhenhua , Wang Lei , Xu Dengfeng , Wu Yiling
Published: September 2013

Qiliqiangxin capsule (QL) was developed under the guidance of TCM theory of collateral disease and had been shown to be effective and safe for the treatment of heart failure. The present study explored the role of and mechanism by which the herbal compounds QL act on energy metabolism,in vivo, in pressure overload heart failure. SD rats received ascending aorta constriction (TAC) to establish a model of myocardial hypertrophy. The animals were treated orally for a period of six weeks. QL significantly inhibited cardiac hypertrophy due to ascending aortic constriction and improved hemodynamics. This effect was linked to the expression levels of the signaling factors in connection with upregulated energy and the regulation of glucose and lipid substrate metabolism and with a decrease in metabolic intermediate products and the protection of mitochondrial function. It is concluded that QL may regulate the glycolipid substrate metabolism by activating AMPK/PGC-1αaxis and reduce the accumulation of free fatty acids and lactic acid, to protect cardiac myocytes and mitochondrial function.
H2Control for the Continuous-Time Markovian Jump Linear Uncertain Systems with Partly Known Transition Rates and Input Quantization
Authors: Zhao Xin-Gang , Ye Dan , Han Jian-Da
Published: September 2013

For a class of continuous-time Markovian jump linear uncertain systems with partly known transition rates and input quantization, theH2state-feedback control design is considered. The elements in the transition rates matrix include completely known, boundary known, and completely unknown ones. First, anH2cost index for Markovian jump linear uncertain systems is introduced; then by introducing a new matrix inequality condition, sufficient conditions are formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) for theH2control of the Markovian jump linear uncertain systems. Less conservativeness is achieved than the result obtained with the existing technique. Finally, a numerical example is given to verify the validity of the theoretical results.
Bidirectional Microglia-Neuron Communication in the Healthy Brain
Authors: Eyo Ukpong B. , Wu Long-Jun
Published: September 2013

Unlike other resident neural cells that are of neuroectodermal origin, microglia are resident neural cells of mesodermal origin. Traditionally recognized for their immune functions during disease, new roles are being attributed to these cells in the development and maintenance of the central nervous system (CNS) including specific communication with neurons. In this review, we highlight some of the recent findings on the bidirectional interaction between neurons and microglia. We discuss these interactions along two lines. First, we review data that suggest that microglial activity is modulated by neuronal signals, focusing on evidence that (i) neurons are capable of regulating microglial activation state and influence basal microglial activities; (ii) classic neurotransmitters affect microglial behavior; (iii) chemotactic signals attract microglia during acute neuronal injury. Next, we discuss some of the recent data on how microglia signal to neurons. Signaling mechanisms include (i) direct physical contact of microglial processes with neuronal elements; (ii) microglial regulation of neuronal synapse and circuit by fractalkine, complement, and DAP12 signaling. In addition, we discuss the use of microglial depletion strategies in studying the role of microglia in neuronal development and synaptic physiology. Deciphering the mechanisms of bidirectional microglial-neuronal communication provides novel insights in understanding microglial function in both the healthy and diseased brain.
Evaluation of a Worksite Cervical Screening Initiative to Increase Pap Smear Uptake in Malaysia: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Abdullah Fauziah , O’Rorke Michael , Murray Liam , Su Tin Tin
Published: September 2013

Background. Despite the significant burden of cervical cancer, Malaysia like many middle-income countries relies on opportunistic cervical screening as opposed to a more organized population-based program. The aim of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of a worksite screening initiative upon Papanicolaou smear test (Pap test) uptake among educated working women in Malaysia.Methods. 403 female teachers who never or infrequently attended for a Pap test from 40 public secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur were recruited into a cluster randomized trial conducted between January and November 2010. The intervention group participated in a worksite cervical screening initiative whilst the control group received usual care from the existing cervical screening program. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of the intervention program on Pap smear uptake after 24 weeks of followup.Results. The proportion of women attending for a Pap test was significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group (18.1% versus 10.1%,Pvalue < 0.05) with the worksite screening initiative doubling the Pap smear uptake, adjusted odds ratio 2.44 (95% CI: 1.29–4.62).Conclusion. Worksite health promotion interventions can effectively increase cervical smear uptake rates among eligible workers in middle-income countries. Policy makers and health care providers in these countries should include such interventions in strategies for reducing cervical cancer burden. This trial is registered withIRCT201103186088N1.
Relativistic Propagation of Linearly/Circularly Polarized Laser Radiation in Plasmas
Authors: Sen Sonu , Varshney Meenu Asthana , Varshney Dinesh
Published: September 2013

Paraxial theory of relativistic self-focusing of Gaussian laser beams in plasmas for arbitrary magnitude of intensity of the beam has been presented in this paper. The nonlinearity in the dielectric constant arises on account of relativistic variation of mass. An appropriate expression for the nonlinear dielectric constant has been used to study laser beam propagation for linearly/circularly polarized wave. The variation of beamwidth parameter with distance of propagation, self-trapping condition, and critical power has been evaluated. The saturating nature of nonlinearity yields two values of critical power of the beam ( and ) for self-focusing. When the beam diverges. When the beam first converges then diverges and so on. When the beam first diverges and then converges and so on. Numerical estimates are made for linearly/circularly polarized wave applicable for typical values of relativistic laser-plasma interaction process in underdense and overdense plasmas. Since the relativistic mechanism is instantaneous, this theory is applicable to understanding of self-focusing of laser pulses.
A Simple Methodology for Conversion of Mouse Monoclonal Antibody to Human-Mouse Chimeric Form
Authors: Dang Vinh T. , Mandakhalikar Kedar D. , Ng Oi-Wing , Tan Yee-Joo
Published: September 2013

Passive immunotherapy has mainly been used as a therapy against cancer and inflammatory conditions. Recent studies have shown that monoclonal antibody-(mAb-) based passive immunotherapy is a promising approach to combat virus infection. Specific mouse mAbs can be routinely generated in large amounts with the use of hybridoma technology but these cannot be used for therapy in human beings due to their immunogenicity. Therefore, the development of chimeric and humanized mAbs is important for therapeutic purpose. This is facilitated by a variety of molecular techniques like recombinant DNA technology and the better understanding of the structure and function of antibody. The human-mouse chimeric forms allow detailed analysis of the mechanism of inhibition and the potential for therapeutic applications. Here, a step-by-step description of the conversion process will be described. The commercial availability of the reagents required in each step means that this experimentation can be easily set up in research laboratories.
Generalized -Bernstein-Schurer Operators and Some Approximation Theorems
Authors: Mursaleen M. , Khan Asif
Published: September 2013

We study statistical approximation properties of -Bernstein-Shurer operators and establish some direct theorems. Furthermore, we compute error estimation and show graphically the convergence for a function by operators and give its algorithm.
Analysis of Leakage Reduction Techniques in Independent-Gate DG FinFET SRAM Cell
Authors: Sikarwar Vandna , Khandelwal Saurabh , Akashe Shyam
Published: September 2013

Scaling of devices in bulk CMOS technology leads to short-channel effects and increase in leakage. Static random access memory (SRAM) is expected to occupy 90% of the area of SoC. Since leakage becomes the major factor in SRAM cell, it is implemented using FinFET. Further, double-gate FinFET devices became a better choice for deep submicron technologies. With this consideration in our research work, 6T SRAM cell is implemented using independent-gate DG FinFET in which both the opposite sides of gates are controlled independently which provides better scalability to the SRAM cell. The device is implemented using different leakage reduction techniques such as gated-Vdd technique and multithreshold voltage technique to reduce leakage. Therefore, power consumption in the SRAM cell is reduced and provides better performance. Independent-gate FinFET SRAM cell using various leakage reduction techniques has been simulated using Cadence virtuoso tool in 45 nm technology.
Drive-Response Synchronization of a Fractional-Order Hyperchaotic System and Its Circuit Implementation
Authors: Zhu Darui , Liu Chongxin , Yan Bingnan
Published: September 2013

A novel fractional-order hyperchaotic system is proposed; the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation of this system are studied. Based on the stability theory of fractional calculus, we propose a novel drive-response synchronization scheme. In order to achieve this synchronization control, the Adams-Bashforth-Moulton algorithm is studied. And then, a drive-response synchronization controller is designed to realize the synchronization of the drive and response system, and the simulation results are given. At last, the fractional oscillator circuit of the new fractional-order hyperchaotic system is designed based on the EWB software, and it is verified that the simulation results of the fractional-order oscillator circuit are consistent with the numerical simulation results through circuit simulation.
Norcantharidin, Derivative of Cantharidin, for Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Hsieh Chen-Hsi , Chao K. S. Clifford , Liao Hui-Fen , Chen Yu-Jen
Published: September 2013

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) existing in human cancers have been demonstrated to be a major cause of cancer treatment resistance, invasion, metastasis, and relapse. Self-renewal pathways, Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic hedgehog (Shh), and the Notch signaling pathway play critical roles in developing CSCs and lead to angiogenesis, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Multidrug resistance (MDR) is an unfavorable factor causing the failure of treatments against cancer cells. The most important and thoroughly studied mechanism involved in MDR is the active efflux of chemotherapeutic agents through membrane drug transporters. There is growing evidence that Norcantharidin (NCTD), a water-soluble synthetic small molecule derivative of naturally occurring cantharidin from the medicinal insect blister beetle (Mylabris phalerataPallas), is capable of chemoprevention and tumor inhibition. We summarize investigations into the modulation of self-renewal pathways and MDR in CSCs by NCTD. This review may aid in further investigation of using NCTD to develop more effective strategies for cancer treatment to reduce resistance and recurrence.
Query‐Biased Preview over Outsourced and Encrypted Data
Authors: Peng Ningduo , Luo Guangchun , Qin Ke , Chen Aiguo
Published: September 2013

For both convenience and security, more and more
users encrypt their sensitive data before outsourcing it to a third party such as cloud storage service. However, searching for the desired documents becomes problematic since it is costly to download and decrypt each possibly needed
document to check if it contains the desired content. An informative query‐biased preview feature, as applied in modern search engine, could help the users to learn about the content without downloading the entire document. However, when the data are encrypted, securely extracting a keyword‐in‐context snippet from the data as a preview becomes a challenge. Based on private information retrieval protocol and the core concept of searchable encryption, we propose a single‐server and two‐round solution to securely obtain a query‐biased snippet over the encrypted data from the server. We achieve this novel result by making a document (plaintext) previewable under any cryptosystem and constructing a secure index to support dynamic computation for a best matched snippet when queried by some keywords. For each document, the scheme has O(d) storage complexity and O(log (d/s) + s + d/s) communication complexity, where d is the document size and s is the snippet length.
Infinite-Dimensional Modular Lie SuperalgebraΩ
Authors: Xu Xiaoning , Mu Bing
Published: September 2013

All ad-nilpotent elements of the infinite-dimensional Lie superalgebraΩover a field of positive characteristic are determined. The natural filtration of the Lie superalgebraΩis proved to be invariant under automorphisms by characterizing ad-nilpotent elements. Then an intrinsic property is obtained by the invariance of the filtration; that is, the integers in the definition ofΩare intrinsic. Therefore, we classify the infinite-dimensional modular Lie superalgebraΩin the sense of isomorphism.
Short- and Midterm Results between Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for the Treatment of Morbid Obesity
Authors: Albeladi Bandar , Bourbao-Tournois Céline , Huten Noel
Published: September 2013

Background. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is one of the most widely used bariatric procedures today, and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) as a single-stage procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity is becoming increasingly popular in Europe. The aim of this study was to compare short- and midterm results between LRYGB and LSG.Methods. An observational retrospective study from a database of patients undergoing LRYGB and LSG between January 2008 and June 2011. Seventy patients (mean age 39 years) were included. Patients were followed at 6, 12, and 18 months. Operative time, length of stay, weight loss, comorbidity improvement or resolution, postoperative complications, reinterventions and mortality were evaluated.Results. Thirty-six LRYGB and 34 LSG were included. Mean operative time of LSG was 106 min while LRYGB was 196 min (). Differences in length of stay, early and late complications, and improvement or resolution in comorbidities were not significant (). Eighteen months after surgery, average excess weight loss was 77.6% in LRYGB and 57.1% in LSG (). There was no surgery-related mortality.Conclusions. Both LRYGB and LSG are safe procedures that provide good results in weight loss and resolution of comorbidities at 18 months.
2‐[3,5‐Bis‐(2‐fluorobenzylidene)‐4‐piperidon‐1‐yl]‐N‐(4‐fluorobenzyl)‐acetamide and Its Evaluation as an Anticancer Agent
Authors: Lagisetty Pallavi , Agashe Hrushikesh , Awasthi Vibhudutta
Published: September 2013

Synthesis of 2‐[3,5‐bis‐(2‐fluorobenzylidene)‐4‐piperidon‐1‐yl]‐N‐(4‐fluorobenzyl)‐acetamide, a derivative of 3,5‐bis‐(2‐fluorobenzylidene)‐4‐piperidone (EF24), as an antiproliferative and imageable compound is described. The radioactive derivative was synthesized in 40–45% radiochemical yield using N‐[4‐fluoro(18F)benzyl]‐2‐bromoacetamide (NFLOBA) as a radiolabeled synthon for coupling with EF24. Cell proliferation assays showed that 2‐[3,5‐bis‐(2‐fluorobenzylidene)‐4‐piperidon‐1‐yl]‐N‐(4‐fluorobenzyl)‐acetamide (NFLOBA‐EF24) had antiproliferative efficacy similar to that of EF24 in lung adenocarcinoma H441 cells. 18F‐NFLOBA‐EF24 was investigated in normal rats for whole‐body PET imaging and biodistribution. At necropsy after 1 h of injection, about 12% of injected compound was still circulating in blood; liver, kidney, and muscle were other tissues with moderate amounts of accumulation. In order to assess the tumor‐suppressive activity, nonradioactive NFLOBA‐EF24 was administered in nude rats carrying xenograft H441 tumor. After 15 days of treatment, the tumor size decreased by approximately 83% compared to the tumors in control rats. The tumor regression was also confirmed by molecular imaging of glucose metabolism with 18F‐ fluorodeoxyglucose. The results suggest that EF24 could be efficiently modified with 18F‐labeled synthon NFLOBA for convenient PET imaging without altering the antitumor efficacy of the original compound. This study provides visual kinetics of synthetic curcuminoid EF24 by positron emission tomography for the first time.
Increased Production of Interleukin-4, Interleukin-10, and Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor by Type 2 Diabetes’ Mononuclear Cells Infected with Dengue Virus, but Not Increased Intracellular Viral Multiplication
Authors: Lee Ing-Kit , Hsieh Ching-Jung , Chen Rong-Fu , Yang Zih-Syuan , Wang Lin , Chen Chang-Mei , Liu Chiung-Fen , Huang Chung-Hao , Lin Chun-Yu , Chen Yen-Hsu , Yang Kuender D , Liu Jien-Wei
Published: September 2013

It has been reported that diabetes mellitus (DM) was an epidemiologically identified risk factor for development of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/severe dengue in dengue virus (DENV) affected patients, and T helper 2 (Th2) cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10 each plays an important role in the immunopathogenesis of DHF in studies involving general population. To better understand the relationship between these epidemiological and immunological findings, we performed anin vitrostudy evaluating the sequential immunological reactions and viral load in the DENV infected mononuclear cells of adults with type 2 DM (T2DM group,n=33) and normal adults (control group,n=29). We found in the T2DM group significantly higher IL-4 level on the first(P=0.049)and the third(P=0.022)postinfection days, while higher IL-10(P=0.042)and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)(P=0.009)were detected on the third postinfection day. No significant difference in DENV viral load between the cultured mononuclear cells from both groups was found on the first and third post-infection days. These data immunologically suggest that patients with T2DM are at higher risk for development of DHF/severe dengue and strengthen the previously epidemiologically identified role of DM being a predictive risk factor for progressing into DHF/severe dengue in DENV-affected patients.
From Immunosuppression to Immunomodulation: Current Principles and Future Strategies
Authors: Kovarik Jiri
Published: September 2013

Over the last few decades, tremendous progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms of immune responses. This progress has also led to a more detailed knowledge of the processes leading to the loss of self-tolerance and the destruction of self-tissue in the case of autoimmune diseases, the effector mechanism involved in transplant allograft rejection as well as the driving factors in exacerbated inflammatory disorders. Despite this progress, the challenge still remains to selectively interfere with immune responses responsible for autoimmunity or transplant rejection while keeping an intact response to infectious agents. To date, such a selective interference is still difficult to achieve, as highlighted by the fact that an overall increased risk for infections and malignancy continues to be the most frequent side effect of the currently used immunosuppressive principles. Nevertheless, although discovered several decades ago, many of the ‘first-generation' immunosuppressive principles such as steroids, methotrexate and cyclosporin A are still in clinical use, demonstrating the therapeutic value of these drugs for the patients that are in need. In this review, the author describes the mode of action of the currently most used immunosuppressive agents (not attempting to cover all principles that are available) and expands on recent activities in the discovery and development of novel immunomodulatory principles.
Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder of the Central Nervous System
Authors: Kempf Christian , Tinguely Marianne , Rushing Elisabeth J.
Published: September 2013

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) involves uncommon, severe complications following the transplantation of solid organs, bone marrow and stem cells. Despite comprising mainly lymphoid proliferations that are predominantly driven by lymphotropic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections, PTLD often displays substantial morphologic heterogeneity that can pose diagnostic challenges. With the steady increase in transplantations accompanied by potent immunosuppressive therapy, it is important to heighten awareness of this entity among clinicians and pathologists. In comparison to systemic PTLD, cases that primarily manifest in the central nervous system (CNS) are reported to be more severe and to exhibit unique characteristics. So far, only isolated cases and small series have been reported describing CNS involvement in PTLD. In this article, we review the current knowledge, focusing on the histopathological features of primary CNS lymphoproliferative disorders following organ transplantation.
Calculation of Intraocular Lens Surface Free Energy and its Components from Contact Angle Measurements
Authors: Baillif Stéphanie , Baziard-Mouysset Geneviève , Roques Christine , Baziard Yves , Kodjikian Laurent
Published: September 2013

One of the most important biomaterial characteristics involved in bacterial adhesion on intraocular lenses (IOLs) is hydrophobicity. We calculated the hydrophobicity parameters of IOLs made of 6 different materials (polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA, heparin surface-modified PMMA, HSM-PMMA, silicone, hydrophilic and hydrophobic acrylics and collamer). Values of IOL surface free energy components were determined from contact angle measurements, using the Fowkes, Owens-Wendt and Good-van Oss calculations. Contact angles were higher for silicone and hydrophobic acrylic materials and lower for collamer and hydrophilic acrylic materials. The values of IOL surface free energy components obtained with the 3 different calculations were homogenous. According to the Owens-Wendt calculation, the IOLs could be separated into dispersive implants (hydrophobic acrylic, silicone and PMMA) and polar implants (collamer, hydrophilic acrylic and HSM-PMMA).
Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Hussein Kais , Tiede Christina , Maecker-Kolhoff Britta , Kreipe Hans
Published: September 2013

Transplantation of solid organs and hematopoietic stem cells is accompanied by profound disturbance of immune function mediated by immunosuppressive drugs or delayed immune reconstitution. Disturbed T cell control of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected B cells leads to posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in up to 10% of patients. Children are at a higher risk because they are more often EBV-naïve before transplantation. Patients with PTLD often present with unspecific symptoms (pain and organ/graft dysfunction). Depending on the onset of PTLD, manifestations vary between mainly nodal (late PTLD) and extranodal sites (early PTLD). Histology, immunohistology, EBER in situ hybridization and molecular pathology are required for diagnosis and subclassification of PTLD. The three major types are early lesions (resembling reactive proliferations in immunocompetent patients), polymorphic PTLD (proliferation of B and T cells with effacement of histoarchitecture) and monomorphic PTLD (presenting as malignant lymphomas, mainly high-grade B cell lymphomas). In a subfraction of cases, including monomorphic PTLD, reduction of immunosuppressive medication alone is sufficient to induce remission. Surgical debulking of tumor mass and anti-CD20-antibody treatment with or without chemotherapy (usually at lower dosages than in immunocompetent patients) constitute the basis of additional therapy.
Skin Cancer in Organ Transplant Recipients
Authors: Kempf Werner , Mertz Kirsten D. , Hofbauer Günther F.L. , Tinguely Marianne
Published: September 2013

Organ transplant recipients (OTR) are at a significantly increased risk for developing a wide variety of skin cancers, particularly epithelial skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. Melanoma, skin adnexal neoplasm and cutaneous lymphomas are also more common in OTR and may differ in their clinicopathologic presentation from tumors in immunocompetent patients. The accuracy of clinical diagnosis of suspected premalignant and malignant skin lesions in OTR is modest. Therefore, histopathological diagnosis is an essential element for the diagnostic workup of skin cancers and, in addition, provides important information on prognosis. Squamous cell carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasias (actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma in situ or Bowen's disease) are the most common forms of skin cancer in OTR. The risk of Merkel cell carcinoma and Kaposi's sarcoma is dramatically increased in OTR. Merkel cell carcinoma shows a highly aggressive course. Kaposi's sarcoma tends to spread to extracutaneous sites. Primary cutaneous lymphomas developing after organ transplantation are rare. The spectrum of cutaneous B cell lymphomas in OTR, in particular, differs significantly from that of the general population, with a predominance of Epstein-Barr virus-driven posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. This review discusses the clinical and histopathological aspects of skin cancers in OTR, the impact of dermatopathological analysis on prognosis and the understanding of the pathogenesis of these neoplasms.
Primary Bone Lymphoma: A Retrospective Analysis of 22 Patients Treated in a Single Tertiary Center
Authors: Matikas Alexios , Briasoulis Alexandros , Tzannou Ifigeneia , Oikonomopoulou Dimitra , Bakiri Maria , Karmiris Themis , Harhalakis Nikolaos
Published: September 2013

Background: Primary bone lymphoma is a rare disease, representing less than 5% of all extra-nodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively searched the database of the lymphoma unit, Hematology/Lymphoma Department, Athens General Hospital ‘Evangelismos' for primary bone lymphoma patients. Demographic and clinicopathologic data were collected and overall survival was analyzed. A log-rank test was used in a univariate analysis to identify factors affecting overall survival. Results: We identified 24 and analyzed data from 22 patients. 12 were male (54.5%) and 10 female (45.4%) and their median age was 55 years (range: 19-83). Most patients had localized disease at the time of diagnosis (n = 19, 86.3%), the most common site was the spine (n = 11, 50%) and the most common histology was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. 21 patients received chemotherapy as initial therapy and 16 received combined chemoradiation. 81.8% of the patients (n = 18) achieved complete remission. 5-year survival rate was 86.3% and overall survival was found to be affected by the patients' initial response to treatment. Conclusions: Primary bone lymphoma is usually associated with a good prognosis. Prospective studies are needed in order to clarify the effect of immunochemotherapy in overall survival.
Reduction of Toxicity by Reversing the Order of Infusion of Docetaxel and Cyclophosphamide
Authors: Hanaoka Marie , Kawabata Hidetaka , Iwatani Tsuguo , Takano Toshimi , Miura Daishu
Published: September 2013

Background: This retrospective study aimed to determine whether adverse events are more common in docetaxel followed by cyclophosphamide (TC) as compared to the reverse infusion order (rTC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was undertaken at a single institution for 92 consecutive cases treated with TC or rTC for stage I-III breast cancer in a neoadjuvant/adjuvant setting between December 2006 and June 2011. TC was administered during the first 2.5 years and rTC in the latter 2 years. Results: Among the 92 cases, 50 were in the TC arm and 42 in the rTC arm. Fatigue (72.0 vs. 23.8%), edema (48.0 vs. 16.7%), peripheral neuropathy (66.0 vs. 14.3%), myalgia (48.0 vs. 9.5%) and stomatitis (48.0 vs. 16.7%) occurred significantly more often in cases receiving TC compared to rTC, respectively. Conclusion: Nonhematological toxicities are less common in cases receiving rTC in comparison to those receiving TC.
Correlation between Preferentially Expressed Antigen of Melanoma and Tumour Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand Gene Expression in Different Types of Leukaemia Patients
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Chi Kaikai , Zhang Yin , Ma Baogen , Shi Jie , Chen Yuqing , Lei Pingchong , Li Yulong , Sun Kai
Published: September 2013

Introduction: Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) down-regulation by preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) is a general phenomenon in different types of solid tumours, but research on the correlation between PRAME and TRAIL gene expression in leukaemia patients is rare. Method: PRAME and TRAIL expression was detected in bone marrow samples from 80 newly diagnosed acute leukaemia (AL) patients and 40 chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients using TaqMan-based real-time quantitative PCR methods, and a linear correlation analysis was performed on their levels of expression. A total of 15 normal bone marrow samples from individuals with non-malignant haematological diseases served as normal controls. Results: PRAME expression was higher in both AL and CML patients compared to controls (both p < 0.001). CML patients in both blast crisis (BC) and the accelerated phase (AP) had significantly higher PRAME levels than CML patients in the chronic phase (CP) (p = 0.006 and 0.0461, respectively). TRAIL expression was higher in both the acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) group and the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) group than in the controls (p = 0.039 and 0.047, respectively). In contrast, CML patients had lower TRAIL levels than controls (p = 0.043), and TRAIL expression in CML patients in the advanced phases (BC and AP) was significantly lower than in CML-CP patients (p = 0.006). In CML patients, there was a significant inverse correlation (Spearman's R = -0.6669, p < 0.0001) between PRAME and TRAIL gene expression, while a greater significant inverse correlation was found in patients in the advanced phases (BC and AP) (R = -0.6764). In addition, no correlation was observed in AML and ALL patients. Conclusion: The simultaneous detection of PRAME and TRAIL gene expression may be helpful to monitor condition changes in leukaemia patients and evaluate therapeutic effects in clinical practice, particularly in CML patients.
Twelve-Month ‘‘Social Revolution'' Emerges from Mother-Infant Sensorimotor Coordination: A Longitudinal Investigation
Authors: de Barbaro Kaya , Johnson Christine M. , Deák Gedeon O.
Published: September 2013

Previous accounts of the development of triadic attention identify a ‘‘curious'' shift around nine to twelve months. We introduce a novel approach inspired by distributed and embodied cognition frameworks. In a longitudinal study of five mother-infant dyads, videos of home play interactions were recorded over the infants' first year. We scrutinized the real-time organization of mother-infant sensorimotor activity, including the targets of hands, gaze, and mouth, as the dyad members attended to one another and to toys. We identified a pervasive developmental pattern: At four months, infants converged all sensory modalities on objects introduced by the mother. From six to twelve months, infants showed increasing decoupling of hands and eyes and increasingly elaborate sequences in multi-object play. Concurrently, dyads engaged in increasingly elaborate social exchanges (e.g., turn-taking) as mothers adapted to infants' sensorimotor skills. We therefore theorize that triadic attention emerges not as a novel form of social cognition but as a continuous product of sensorimotor development, scaffolded by parents' expanding social actions.
Pulse Corticosteroid Therapy for Alopecia Areata in Children: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Friedland Rivka , Tal Rotem , Lapidoth Moshe , Zvulunov Alex , Ben Amitai Dan
Published: September 2013

Background/Objective: Alopecia areata may occur at any age, though usually before the age of 20 years. Treatment often consists of systemic steroids administered as high-dose bolus infusions. This study sought to investigate the effectiveness and side effects of intravenous high-dose pulse corticosteroids in children with alopecia areata and to identify prognostic factors for successful treatment. Methods: Patients treated with pulse corticosteroids for alopecia areata in 2001-2008 at the day care unit of a tertiary pediatric medical center were identified by computerized file search and clinical treatment and outcome data were collected. Results: The sample included 24 children (16 female, 8 male) with a mean age of 8.5 ± 4.6 years at diagnosis; 8 (33%) had multifocal disease,10 (42%) multifocal disease with ophiasis, 4 (17%) alopecia totalis and 2 (8%) alopecia universalis. Nail involvement was noted in 9 patients (38%). Mean duration of disease was 22 ± 27 months. Patients were treated with 8 mg/kg body weight intravenous methylprednisolone on 3 consecutive days at 1-month intervals. After a mean of 5.65 ± 1.95 courses, 9 patients (38%) had a complete response, 7 (29%) a partial response and 8 (33%) no response. Of the 16 responders, 13 (81%) relapsed at 9.5 ± 12 months after the last course; 3 patients had side effects, none of which were severe. Three positive prognostic factors were identified: short disease duration (≤6 months), younger age at disease onset (<10 years) and multifocal disease (as opposed to severe, diffuse variants). Conclusions: Careful patient selection is necessary to achieve maximal benefit from pulse corticosteroid treatment for alopecia areata in children.
Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy for the Treatment of Radiation-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Surgical, Oncological and Short-Term Functional Outcomes
Authors: Zugor Vahudin , Labanaris Apostolos P. , Porres Daniel , Heidenreich Axel , Witt Jorn H.
Published: September 2013

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the surgical, oncological and short-term functional outcomes in patients undergoing salvage robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (SRARP) for the treatment of radiation-resistant prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: The records of 3,500 men who underwent RARP from February 2006 to July 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. All peri- and postoperative data were recorded prospectively in our database. A total of 13 patients (0.37%) who had undergone SRARP for the treatment of radiation-resistant prostate cancer were identified. Results: The primary treatment was external beam radiotherapy in 7 patients (53.8%) and brachytherapy in 6 patients (46.2%). The interval from radiotherapy to biochemical recurrence (BCR) varied from 12 to 108 months (median 48.9). Neurovascular bundle preservation was performed in 3 patients (23.1%). No intraoperative or major complications were encountered. Minor complications were encountered in 4 patients (30.7%). At 12 months, 7 patients were continent (53.8%), 3 exhibited mild incontinence (23.1%) and 3 (23.1%) were incontinent. Regarding potency, none of the patients were potent at 6 months, but 3 patients (23.1%) were potent at 1 year. Regarding BCR, 3 of the patients (23.1%) never reached a prostate-specific antigen nadir of zero, and during the follow-up period only 3 patients (23.1%) exhibited BCR. No disease-specific mortality was evident during follow-up. Conclusions: Although early in its development, it appears that SRARP is technically feasible and offers satisfactory surgical, oncological and short-term functional outcomes.