bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cryosurgery and curettage‐cryosurgery for basal cell carcinomas of the mid‐face
Authors: Samain A. , Boullié M.C. , Duval‐Modeste A.B. , Joly P.
Published: October 2014

Background

Surgical treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can be technically difficult in mid‐face area. Cryosurgery is proposed for low‐risk BCC. Cryosurgery has been poorly investigated in mid‐face BCC, which is considered as having a high risk of recurrence.

Objective

To assess the results of cryosurgery and curettage‐cryosurgery in patients with mid‐face BCC.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed between 2005 and 2012 in a reference centre for cryosurgery. Inclusion criteria were: (i) diagnosis of BCC confirmed histologically; (ii) location in the mid‐face area; (iii) treatment with cryosurgery performed between August 2005 and December 2010; and (iv) minimal follow‐up of 18 months after cryosurgery. Follow‐up data were recorded until April 2012. Curettage was performed before cryosurgery in 55 cases of nodular BCC (38%). Patients were followed after cryosurgery either by a dermatologist (n = 48) or by their general practitioner (n = 90). Twelve patients were lost to follow‐up.

Results

One hundred and thirty‐eight patients of mean age 76.5 ± 11.1 years, with a total of 144 BCCs were included. Mean follow‐up was 40.7 ± 15.6 months. Wound healing occurred after a median delay of 4 weeks (range 1–12 weeks). No severe complications were recorded. Seven recurrences (4.9%) were observed after a median time of 24 months (range 4–36 months). The 5‐year Kaplan–Meier recurrence‐free rate was 94%. Thirteen patients with previously treated BCC or morpheiform BCC were treated with cryosurgery as palliative indication, although their subtypes of BCC were theoretical contraindications to cryosurgery. When excluding this subgroup, the 5‐year Kaplan–Meier recurrence‐free rate of the rest of the population was 96.5%.

Conclusion

Cryosurgery and curettage‐cryosurgery can be considered as an alternative and simple method for treatment of BCC of the mid‐face area.
Estimation of normal values of serum transaminases based on liver histology in healthy Asian Indians
Authors: Choudhary Narendra S , Saraf Neeraj , Saigal Sanjiv , Gautam Dheeraj , Lipi Lipika , Soin Arvinder S
Published: October 2014

Background and Aim

Liver biopsy‐based studies have shown that serum levels of aminotransferases are lower than conventional cut‐off of 40 IU/mL in persons with normal histology. There is no such study in Indian population based on liver histology. This study aims to estimate normal values of serum aminotransferases in healthy Indian population with normal liver histology.

Methods

This retrospective study includes all liver donors who underwent liver donation at our centre and had a preoperative liver biopsy done for various reasons. All the donors had negative viral markers. Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) was defined as > 5% hepatocytes having steatosis and no changes of steatohepatitis.

Results

The study included 331 donors (147 males) with the ages of 35.7 ± 10.2 years. NAFL was present in 167 donors (50.4%). In comparison with male donors with normal histology (n = 67), donors with NAFL (n = 80) had significantly higher age, body mass index, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein, and fasting blood sugar. In comparison with female donors with normal histology, donors with NAFL had significantly higher body mass index, ALT, and triglycerides; however, there was no significant difference regarding other parameters. Of the AST and ALT in normal histology donors, 95th percentile were 33.8 IU/L and 38.6 IU/L for males and 31 IU/L and 35.2 IU/L for females. Twenty‐five donors had lean NAFL (body mass index < 23 kg/m2).

Conclusion

Serum aminotransferase values in healthy Asian Indian population with normal histology are provided. Histological NAFL is present in half of apparently normal donors, and it has different clinical and biochemical associations in males and females.
Screening for alcohol misuse within people attending a psychiatric intellectual disability community service
Authors: Pezzoni V. , Kouimtsidis C.
Published: October 2014

Background

There is some evidence that people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) living in the community are exposed to the same risks of alcohol use as the rest of the population. The aims of this project were to investigate the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in patients withIDknown to a psychiatric community specialist team, and to explore appropriate screening tools and any relationship between alcohol use disorders and mental health co‐morbidities.

Method

A random sample of 40 patients was recruited and interviewed usingCAGEand Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to assess alcohol use. Information on physical and mental health was also collected.

Results

One in five patients was positive onCAGE(20%) andAUDIT(22.5%). Significantly more of those had a history of mental illness compared with those who were negative. Thirty per cent of the total sample had been diagnosed with at least one health condition, which clinical notes failed to report. In addition two out of three of those positive onCAGEorAUDITwere smokers.

Conclusions

The study suggests that alcohol use disorders seem to be a hidden problem within theIDpopulation, existing alongside multiple physical and mental health needs.
Police and Security in the World Heritage City of Antigua, Guatemala
Authors: Little Walter E.
Published: October 2014

La seguridad es una preocupación creciente tanto de los residentes locales y turistas internacionales en Antigua, Guatemala. La ciudad no estaba preparada para el aumento de los delitos relacionados con el turismo y el tráfico de drogas. Representaciones locales y nacionales de la Antigua como un tranquilo pueblo colonial español han estado fuera de sincronía con la realidad. La respuesta del Estado a la delincuencia se ha producido en relación con el estado de Antigua como un sitio del Patrimonio Mundial. Basándose en el concepto de Taussig del “sistema nervioso” y la teoría de Agamben de “estado de excepción”, muestro los límites de Debord “sociedad del espectáculo”, en un contexto turístico transnacional en el que los residentes están preocupados por la delincuencia. Al centrar la atención etnográfica sobre la policía, le explico Antiguëños ‘y las actitudes de los mayas acerca de la policía es ambigua y se refieren a las opiniones acerca de los roles de seguridad y la policía. Mi análisis pone de relieve cómo el turismo gafas jugar a cabo en relación a la labor policial.
Policing's Productive Folds: Secretism and Authenticity in Brazilian Cultural Heritage
Authors: Collins John F.
Published: October 2014

No Centro Histórico de Salvador, Bahia [O Pelourinho], as tentativas policiais de inibir os movimentos de turistas e baianos, tanto quanto o apoio oferecido por estos oficiais às tentativas por parte de representantes do Instituto do Patrimônio Artístico e Cultural da Bahia de separar os moradores das suas práticas cotidianas memorializadas como patrimônio cultural, geram um desdobramento da paisagen urbana/histórica do Pelourinho. Estos buracos metafóricos perforam o cotidiano obviamente construido pelo Estado baiano e apoiam a alegação ideológica oferecida pela burocracia patrimonial baiana de que esta instituição realmente proteja os bens e os legados da nação e da humanidade. Isto não quer dizer que tais buracos no tecido do centro histórico sejam ícones verídicos do passado baiano ou a vida popular. Ao contrário, isto revela a importância surpreendente do policiamento às tentativas estaduais de apoiar representações supostamente duradouros e autênticos em espacos que, mesmos patrimonializados, continuam sendo socialmente complexos.
Looking at tardigrades in a new light: using epifluorescence to interpret structure
Authors: PERRY E.S. , MILLER W.R. , LINDSAY S.
Published: October 2014

The use of epifluorescence microscopy coupled with ultraviolet (UV) autofluorescence is suggested as a means to view and interpret tardigrade structures. Endogenous fluorochromes are a known component of tardigrade cuticle, claws and bucco‐pharyngeal apparatus. By imaging the autofluorescence from tardigrades, it is possible to document these structures in detail, including the subdivisions and boundaries of echiniscid (heterotardigrade) plates and the nature and spatial relationships of the texture (pores, granules, papillae and tubercles) on the various plates. This allows the determination of taxonomic features not easily seen with other microscopic techniques.
Effect of L‐lysine on expression of selected genes, serum concentration of amino acids, muscle growth and performance of growing pigs
Authors: Morales A. , García H. , Arce N. , Cota M. , Zijlstra R. T. , Araiza B. A. , Cervantes M.
Published: October 2014

Lysine (Lys) is the first limiting amino acid (AA) in most feed formulations for pigs and most abundant, along with leucine, in muscle proteins. An experiment was conducted with 17 pigs (17.7 ± 0.05 kg initial BW) to identify a role of dietary Lys in the control of protein synthesis in pigs. Fourteen pigs were randomly assigned to one of the two wheat‐based dietary treatments: Lys‐deficient, 3.0 g/kg (DEF) and Lys‐adequate, 10.8 g/kg (ADE). Samples from jejunum mucosa, liver, Longissumus and Semitendinosus muscles, and blood were collected. The other three pigs were sacrificed at the beginning of the trial to measure basal carcass composition. Weight gain, gain:feed ratio, Lys intake and loin eye area were greater in ADE than in DEF pigs (p < 0.01). Muscle‐related carcass characteristics were better, and myosin heavy chain IIb expression (MyHC IIb) in Semitendinosus was higher in ADE than in DEF pigs. Expression of AA transporters CAT‐1 was lower (p < 0.05), serum Lys was higher and serum Val was lower in pigs fed the ADE diet. The higher muscularity, MyHC IIb expression in Semitendinosus muscle and Lys serum of pigs fed the ADE diet suggest that Lys increases growth rate not only by functioning as protein construction unit but also as potential control of the protein synthesis process.
Testing the Validity of the Sibling Sex Ratio Instrument
Authors: Huber Martin
Published: October 2014

We test the validity of the sibling sex ratio instrument suggested by Angrist and Evans using the methods proposed by Kitagawa and Huber and Mellace. The sex ratio of the first two siblings is arguably randomly assigned and influences the probability of having a third child, which makes it a candidate instrument for fertility when estimating the effect of fertility on female labor supply. However, identification hinges on the random assignment of the instrument, an instrumental exclusion restriction, and the monotonicity of fertility in the instrument. We find that the instrumental variable tests of Kitagawa and Huber and Mellace do not point to a violation of these assumptions in the Angrist and Evans data (which can, however, not be ruled out even asymptotically as the tests cannot detect all possible violations).
The floral transcriptome of Eucalyptus grandis
Authors: Vining Kelly J. , Romanel Elisson , Jones Rebecca C. , Klocko Amy , Alves‐Ferreira Marcio , Hefer Charles A. , Amarasinghe Vindhya , Dharmawardhana Palitha , Naithani Sushma , Ranik Martin , Wesley‐Smith James , Solomon Luke , Jaiswal Pankaj , Myburg Alexander A. , Strauss Steven H.
Published: October 2014

As a step toward functional annotation of genes required for floral initiation and development within the Eucalyptus genome, we used short read sequencing to analyze transcriptomes of floral buds from early and late developmental stages, and compared these with transcriptomes of diverse vegetative tissues, including leaves, roots, and stems.

A subset of 4807 genes (13% of protein‐coding genes) were differentially expressed between floral buds of either stage and vegetative tissues. A similar proportion of genes were differentially expressed among all tissues. A total of 479 genes were differentially expressed between early and late stages of floral development. Gene function enrichment identified 158 gene ontology classes that were overrepresented in floral tissues, including ‘pollen development’ and ‘aromatic compound biosynthetic process’. At least 40 floral‐dominant genes lacked functional annotations and thus may be novel floral transcripts.

We analyzed several genes and gene families in depth, including 49 putative biomarkers of floral development, the MADS‐box transcription factors, ‘S‐domain’‐receptor‐like kinases, and selected gene family members with phosphatidylethanolamine‐binding protein domains. Expanded MADS‐box gene subfamilies in Eucalyptus grandis included SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1 (SOC1), SEPALLATA (SEP) and SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) Arabidopsis thaliana homologs.

These data provide a rich resource for functional and evolutionary analysis of genes controlling eucalypt floral development, and new tools for breeding and biotechnology.
Coaching Reduced the Radiation Dose of Pain Physicians by Half during Interventional Procedures
Authors: Slegers A. S. , Gültuna I. , Aukes J. A. , van Gorp E. J. J. A. A. , Blommers F. M. N. , Niehof S. P. , Bosman J.
Published: October 2014

The increased use of C‐arm fluoroscopy in interventional pain management has led to higher radiation exposure for pain physicians. This study investigated whether or not real‐time radiation dose feedback with coaching can reduce the scatter dose received by pain physicians. Firstly, phantom measurements were made to create a scatter dose profile, which visualizes the average scatter radiation for different C‐arm positions at 3 levels of height. Secondly, in the clinical part, the radiation dose received by pain physicians during pain treatment procedures was measured real‐time to evaluate (1) the effect of real‐time dose feedback on the received scatter dose, and (2) the effect of knowledge of the scatter dose profile and active coaching, on the scatter dose received by the pain physician. The clinical study included 330 interventional pain procedures. The results showed that real‐time feedback of the received dose did not lead to a reduction in scatter radiation. However, visualization of the scatter dose in a scatter dose profile and active coaching on optimal positions did reduce the scatter radiation received by pain physicians during interventional pain procedures by 46.4% (P = 0.05). Knowledge of and real‐time coaching with the scatter dose profile reduced the dose of pain physicians by half, caused by their increased awareness for scatter radiation and their insight into strategic positioning.
Relationship between Personality Traits and Endogenous Analgesia: The Role of Harm Avoidance
Authors: Nahman‐Averbuch Hadas , Yarnitsky David , Sprecher Elliot , Granovsky Yelena , Granot Michal
Published: October 2014

Background

Whether psychological factors such as anxiety and pain catastrophizing levels influence the expression of endogenous analgesia in general and, more specifically, the conditioned pain modulation (CPM) response is still under debate. It may be assumed that other psychological characteristics also play a role in the CPM response. The neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are involved both in CPM, as well as personality traits such as harm avoidance (HA), novelty seeking (NS), and reward dependence (RD), which can be obtained by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). However, the associations between these traits (HA, NS, and RD) with endogenous analgesia revealed by CPM have not yet been explored.

Methods

Healthy middle‐age subjects (n = 28) completed the TPQ, Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory, and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and were assessed for CPM paradigms using thermal phasic temporal summation as the “test stimulus” and hand immersion into hot water bath (CPM water) or contact heat (CPM contact) for “conditioning stimulus.”

Results

Higher levels of HA were associated with less‐efficient CPM responses obtained by both paradigms: CPM water (r = 0.418, P = 0.027) and CPM contact (r = 0.374, P = 0.050). However, NS and RD were not associated with the other measurements. No significant relationship was observed between state anxiety and pain catastrophizing levels and the CPM responses.

Conclusions

The relationship between the capacity of endogenous analgesia and the tendency to avoid aversive experience can be explained by mutual mechanisms involving similar neurotransmitters or brain areas. These findings illuminate the key role of harm avoidance obtained by the TPQ in determining the characteristics of pain modulation profile.
UV Signature Mutations
Authors: Brash Douglas E.
Published: October 2014

Sequencing complete tumor genomes and exomes has sparked the cancer field's interest in mutation signatures for identifying the tumor's carcinogen. This review and meta‐analysis discusses signatures and their proper use. We first distinguish between a mutagen's canonical mutations—deviations from a random distribution of base changes to create a pattern typical of that mutagen—and the subset of signature mutations, which are unique to that mutagen and permit inference backward from mutations to mutagen. To verify UV signature mutations, we assembled literature datasets on cells exposed to UVC, UVB, UVA, or solar simulator light (SSL) and tested canonical UV mutation features as criteria for clustering datasets. A confirmed UV signature was: ≥60% of mutations are C→T at a dipyrimidine site, with ≥5% CC→TT. Other canonical features such as a bias for mutations on the nontranscribed strand or at the 3′ pyrimidine had limited application. The most robust classifier combined these features with criteria for the rarity of non‐UV canonical mutations. In addition, several signatures proposed for specific UV wavelengths were limited to specific genes or species; UV's nonsignature mutations may cause melanoma BRAF mutations; and the mutagen for sunlight‐related skin neoplasms may vary between continents.
In Vitro Photodynamic Inactivation Effects of Ru(II) Complexes on Clinical Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus Planktonic and Biofilm Cultures
Authors: Wang Yucheng , Zhou Qianxiong , Wang Ying , Ren Jie , Zhao Hongyou , Wu Sumin , Yang Jiyong , Zhen Jie , Luo Yanping , Wang Xuesong , Gu Ying
Published: October 2014

Photosensitizers (PSs) combined with light are able to generate antimicrobial effects. Ru(II) complexes have been recognized as a novel class of PSs. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) mediated by three Ru(II) polypyridine complexes, 1–3, against four isolates of clinical methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA‐1, MRSA‐2, MRSA‐3 and MRSA‐4). In PDI of a planktonic culture of MRSA‐1, compound 3 showed the highest efficacy, likely owing to its advantageous light absorption, 1O2 quantum yield and bacterial cellular binding. The PDI efficacy of 3 was further evaluated against all other strains and MRSA‐1 biofilms. At appropriate PS concentrations, viability reduction of 100% or 96.83% was observed in planktonic or biofilm forms of MRSA, respectively. The mechanisms of action were investigated using negative staining transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was demonstrated that PDI of planktonic bacteria was achieved primarily through damage to the cell envelope. Biofilms were eliminated through both the destruction of their structure and inactivation of the individual bacterial cells. In conclusion, Ru(II) complexes, especially 3, are potential candidates for the effective photodynamic control of MRSA infections.
Molecular mechanisms of the coordination between astaxanthin and fatty acid biosynthesis in Haematococcus pluvialis (Chlorophyceae)
Authors: Chen Guanqun , Wang Baobei , Han Danxiang , Sommerfeld Milton , Lu Yinghua , Chen Feng , Hu Qiang
Published: October 2014

Astaxanthin, a red ketocarotenoid with strong antioxidant activity and high commercial value, possesses important physiological functions in astaxanthin‐producing microalgae. The green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis accumulates up to 4% fatty acid‐esterified astaxanthin (by dry weight), and is used as a model species for exploring astaxanthin biosynthesis in unicellular photosynthetic organisms. Although coordination of astaxanthin and fatty acid biosynthesis in a stoichiometric fashion was observed in H. pluvialis, the interaction mechanism is unclear. Here we dissected the molecular mechanism underlying coordination between the two pathways in H. pluvialis. Our results eliminated possible coordination of this inter‐dependence at the transcriptional level, and showed that this interaction was feedback‐coordinated at the metabolite level. In vivo and in vitro experiments indicated that astaxanthin esterification drove the formation and accumulation of astaxanthin. We further showed that both free astaxanthin biosynthesis and esterification occurred in the endoplasmic reticulum, and that certain diacylglycerol acyltransferases may be the candidate enzymes catalyzing astaxanthin esterification. A model of astaxanthin biosynthesis in H. pluvialis was subsequently proposed. These findings provide further insights into astaxanthin biosynthesis in H. pluvialis.
Partial Bi-Invariance of SE(3) Metrics1
Authors: Chirikjian Gregory S.
Published: October 2014

In a flurry of articles in the mid to late 1990s, various metrics for the group of rigid-body motions, SE(3), were introduced for measuring distance between any two reference frames or rigid-body motions. During this time, it was shown that one can choose a smooth distance function that is invariant under either all left shifts or all right shifts, but not both. For example, if one defines the distance between two reference frames to be an appropriately weighted Frobenius norm of the difference of the corresponding homogeneous transformation matrices, this will be invariant under left shifts by arbitrary rigid-body motions. However, this is not the full picture—other invariance properties exist. Though the Frobenius norm is not invariant under right shifts by arbitrary rigid-body motions, for an appropriate weighting it is invariant under right shifts by pure rotations. This is also true for metrics based on the Lie-theoretic logarithm. This paper goes further to investigate the full invariance properties of distance functions on SE(3), clarifying the full subsets of motions under which both left and right invariance is possible.
Evaluation of Cathode Air Flow Transients in a SOFC/GT Hybrid System Using Hardware in the Loop Simulation
Authors: Zhou Nana , Yang Chen , Tucker David
Published: October 2014

Thermal management in the fuel cell component of a direct fired solid oxide fuel cell gas turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid power system can be improved by effective management and control of the cathode airflow. The disturbances of the cathode airflow were accomplished by diverting air around the fuel cell system through the manipulation of a hot-air bypass valve in open loop experiments, using a hardware-based simulation facility designed and built by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The dynamic responses of the fuel cell component and hardware component of the hybrid system were studied in this paper.
Hydrodynamic and Heat Transfer Effects of Varying Sparger Spacing Within a Column Photobioreactor Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Bari Ghazi S. , Suess Taylor N. , Anderson Gary A. , Gent Stephen P.
Published: October 2014

This research investigates the placement of spargers on thermofluid effects within a column photobioreactor (PBR) using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This study compares two configurations, each with three rows of spargers spaced at different widths: one with spargers spaced 7.62 cm apart and the other spaced 10.16 cm apart. These spargers are modeled in a PBR with overall dimensions of 34.29 cm in length, 15.25 cm in width, and 34.28 cm in height. The objective of this research is to predict the performance of PBRs using CFD, which can be used to improve the design of PBRs used to grow microalgae for biofuels and bioproducts.
Comparison of Skin Model Representations and Tooth Contact Analysis Techniques for Gear Tolerance Analysis
Authors: Dantan Jean-Yves
Published: October 2014

To improve the tolerancing process in an industrial context, there exists a strong need for tolerance analysis to estimate the probability of scrap in an acceptable computer time and managing the accuracy of the results. The developed approaches for gear tolerance analysis based on simulation, depend on the type of the Skin Model representation, and on the type of behavior model. Therefore, this paper proposes a comparison of four Skin Model representations (discrete shape/parametric surface), and three tooth contact analysis (TCA) techniques (discrete approach/simulation of tangency of tooth surfaces) regarding accuracy of results, computation time and the adequacy with the standard tolerance practices.
Interactive prostate segmentation using atlas‐guided semi‐supervised learning and adaptive feature selection
Authors: Park Sang Hyun , Gao Yaozong , Shi Yinghuan , Shen Dinggang
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

Accurate prostate segmentation is necessary for maximizing the effectiveness of radiation therapy of prostate cancer. However, manual segmentation from 3D CT images is very time‐consuming and often causes large intra‐ and interobserver variations across clinicians. Many segmentation methods have been proposed to automate this labor‐intensive process, but tedious manual editing is still required due to the limited performance. In this paper, the authors propose a new interactive segmentation method that can (1) flexibly generate the editing result with a few scribbles or dots provided by a clinician, (2) fast deliver intermediate results to the clinician, and (3) sequentially correct the segmentations from any type of automatic or interactive segmentation methods.

Methods:

The authors formulate the editing problem as a semisupervised learning problem which can utilize a priori knowledge of training data and also the valuable information from user interactions. Specifically, from a region of interest near the given user interactions, the appropriate training labels, which are well matched with the user interactions, can be locally searched from a training set. With voting from the selected training labels, both confident prostate and background voxels, as well as unconfident voxels can be estimated. To reflect informative relationship between voxels, location‐adaptive features are selected from the confident voxels by using regression forest and Fisher separation criterion. Then, the manifold configuration computed in the derived feature space is enforced into the semisupervised learning algorithm. The labels of unconfident voxels are then predicted by regularizing semisupervised learning algorithm.

Results:

The proposed interactive segmentation method was applied to correct automatic segmentation results of 30 challenging CT images. The correction was conducted three times with different user interactions performed at different time periods, in order to evaluate both the efficiency and the robustness. The automatic segmentation results with the original average Dice similarity coefficient of 0.78 were improved to 0.865–0.872 after conducting 55–59 interactions by using the proposed method, where each editing procedure took less than 3 s. In addition, the proposed method obtained the most consistent editing results with respect to different user interactions, compared to other methods.

Conclusions:

The proposed method obtains robust editing results with few interactions for various wrong segmentation cases, by selecting the location‐adaptive features and further imposing the manifold regularization. The authors expect the proposed method to largely reduce the laborious burdens of manual editing, as well as both the intra‐ and interobserver variability across clinicians.
Rapid estimation of 4DCT motion‐artifact severity based on 1D breathing‐surrogate periodicity
Authors: Li Guang , Caraveo Marshall , Wei Jie , Rimner Andreas , Wu Abraham J. , Goodman Karyn A. , Yorke Ellen
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

Motion artifacts are common in patient four‐dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) images, leading to an ill‐defined tumor volume with large variations for radiotherapy treatment and a poor foundation with low imaging fidelity for studying respiratory motion. The authors developed a method to estimate 4DCT image quality by establishing a correlation between the severity of motion artifacts in 4DCT images and the periodicity of the corresponding 1D respiratory waveform (1DRW) used for phase binning in 4DCT reconstruction.

Methods:

Discrete Fourier transformation (DFT) was applied to analyze 1DRW periodicity. The breathing periodicity index (BPI) was defined as the sum of the largest five Fourier coefficients, ranging from 0 to 1. Distortional motion artifacts (excluding blurring) of cine‐scan 4DCT at the junctions of adjacent couch positions around the diaphragm were classified in three categories: incomplete, overlapping, and duplicate anatomies. To quantify these artifacts, discontinuity of the diaphragm at the junctions was measured in distance and averaged along six directions in three orthogonal views. Artifacts per junction (APJ) across the entire diaphragm were calculated in each breathing phase and phase‐averaged , defined as motion‐artifact severity (MAS), was obtained for each patient. To make MAS independent of patient‐specific motion amplitude, two new MAS quantities were defined: MASD is normalized to the maximum diaphragmatic displacement and MASV is normalized to the mean diaphragmatic velocity (the breathing period was obtained from DFT analysis of 1DRW). Twenty‐six patients’ free‐breathing 4DCT images and corresponding 1DRW data were studied.

Results:

Higher APJ values were found around midventilation and full inhalation while the lowest APJ values were around full exhalation. The distribution of MAS is close to Poisson distribution with a mean of 2.2 mm. The BPI among the 26 patients was calculated with a value ranging from 0.25 to 0.93. The DFT calculation was within 3 s per 1DRW. Correlations were found between 1DRW periodicity and 4DCT artifact severity: −0.71 for MASD and −0.73 for MASV. A BPI greater than 0.85 in a 1DRW suggests minimal motion artifacts in the corresponding 4DCT images.

Conclusions:

The breathing periodicity index and motion‐artifact severity index are introduced to assess the relationship between 1DRW and 4DCT. A correlation between 1DRW periodicity and 4DCT artifact severity has been established. The 1DRW periodicity provides a rapid means to estimate 4DCT image quality. The rapid 1DRW analysis and the correlative relationship can be applied prospectively to identify irregular breathers as candidates for breath coaching prior to 4DCT scan and retrospectively to select high‐quality 4DCT images for clinical motion‐management research.
Thermoregulation During Intermittent Exercise in Athletes With a Spinal-Cord Injury
Authors: Griggs Katy E. , Leicht Christof A. , Price Michael J. , Goosey-Tolfrey Victoria L.
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

Individuals with a spinal-cord injury have impaired thermoregulatory control due to a loss of sudomotor and vasomotor effectors below the lesion level. Thus, individuals with high-level lesions (tetraplegia) possess greater thermoregulatory impairment than individuals with lower-level lesions (paraplegia). Previous research has not reflected the intermittent nature and modality of wheelchair court sports or replicated typical environmental temperatures. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the thermoregulatory responses of athletes with tetraplegia and paraplegia during an intermittent-sprint protocol (ISP) and recovery in cool conditions.

Methods:

Sixteen wheelchair athletes, 8 with tetraplegia (TP, body mass 65.2 ± 4.4 kg) and 8 with paraplegia (body mass 68.1 ± 12.3 kg), completed a 60-min ISP in 20.6°C ± 0.1°C, 39.6% ± 0.8% relative humidity on a wheelchair ergometer, followed by 15 min of passive recovery. Core temperature (Tcore) and mean (Tsk) and individual skin temperatures were measured throughout.

Results:

Similar external work (P = .70, ES = 0.20) yet a greater Tcore (P < .05, ES = 2.27) and Tsk (P < .05, ES = 1.50) response was demonstrated by TP during the ISP.

Conclusions:

Despite similar external work, a marked increase in Tcore in TP during exercise and recovery signifies that thermoregulatory differences between the groups were predominantly due to differences in heat loss. Further increases in thermal strain were not prevented by the active and passive recovery between maximal-effort bouts of the ISP, as Tcore continually increased throughout the protocol in TP.
Clinical translation of an ultrasmall inorganic optical-PET imaging nanoparticle probe
Authors: Phillips Evan , Penate-Medina Oula , Zanzonico Pat B. , Carvajal Richard D. , Mohan Pauliah , Ye Yunpeng , Humm John , Gönen Mithat , Kalaigian Hovanes , Schöder Heiko , Strauss H. William , Larson Steven M. , Wiesner Ulrich , Bradbury Michelle S.
Published: October 2014

Ultrasmall inorganic hybrid optical-PET imaging particles were found to be safe and physiologically stable in patients with melanoma.
BETing on the Therapeutic Potential of Super Enhancers
Authors: Erbay Ebru
Published: October 2014

Antagonism of the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) family of epigenetic reader and transcription cofactors represents a therapeutic opportunity in atherosclerosis.
Too Much of a Good Thing: Finding an
IL1B
Polymorphism That Increases Tuberculosis Susceptibility
Authors: Serezani Henrique
Published: October 2014

Polymorphism in an
IL1B
allele determines disease progression and severity in tuberculosis.
Arenavirus Stable Signal Peptide Is the Keystone Subunit for Glycoprotein Complex Organization
Authors: Bederka Lydia H. , Bonhomme Cyrille J. , Ling Emily L. , Buchmeier Michael J.
Published: October 2014

The rodent arenavirus glycoprotein complex encodes a stable signal peptide (SSP) that is an essential structural component of mature virions. The SSP, GP1, and GP2 subunits of the trimeric glycoprotein complex noncovalently interact to stud the surface of virions and initiate arenavirus infectivity. Nascent glycoprotein production undergoes two proteolytic cleavage events: first within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cleave SSP from the remaining precursor GP1/2 (glycoprotein complex [GPC]) glycoprotein and second within the Golgi stacks by the cellular SKI-1/S1P for GP1/2 processing to yield GP1 and GP2 subunits. Cleaved SSP is not degraded but retained as an essential glycoprotein subunit. Here, we defined functions of the 58-amino-acid lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) SSP in regard to glycoprotein complex processing and maturation. Using molecular biology techniques, confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry, we detected SSP at the plasma membrane of transfected cells. Further, we identified a sorting signal (FLLL) near the carboxyl terminus of SSP that is required for glycoprotein maturation and trafficking. In the absence of SSP, the glycoprotein accumulated within the ER and was unable to undergo processing by SKI-1/S1P. Mutation of this highly conserved FLLL motif showed impaired glycoprotein processing and secretory pathway trafficking, as well as defective surface expression and pH-dependent membrane fusion. Immunoprecipitation of SSP confirmed an interaction between the signal peptide and the GP2 subunit; however, mutations within this FLLL motif disrupted the association of the GP1 subunit with the remaining glycoprotein complex.

IMPORTANCE
Several members of the
Arenaviridae
family are neglected human pathogens capable of causing illness ranging from a nondescript flu-like syndrome to fulminant hemorrhagic fever. Infections by arenaviruses are mediated by attachment of the virus glycoprotein to receptors on host cells and virion internalization by fusion within an acidified endosome. SSP plays a critical role in the fusion of the virus with the host cell membrane. Within infected cells, the retained glycoprotein SSP plays a neglected yet essential role in glycoprotein biosynthesis. Without this 6-kDa polypeptide, the glycoprotein precursor is retained within the endoplasmic reticulum, and trafficking to the plasma membrane where SSP, GP1, and GP2 localize for glycoprotein assembly into infectious virions is inhibited. To investigate SSP contributions to glycoprotein maturation and function, we created an SSP-tagged glycoprotein to directly detect and manipulate this subunit. This resource will aid future studies to identify host factors that mediate glycoprotein maturation.
Assessing the adequacy of the HL7/LOINC Document Ontology Role axis
Authors: Rajamani Sripriya , Chen Elizabeth S , Akre Mari E , Wang Yan , Melton Genevieve B
Published: October 2014

The healthcare landscape is changing, driven by innovative care models and the emergence of new roles that are inter-professional in nature. Currently, the HL7/LOINC Document Ontology (DO) aids the use and exchange of clinical documents using a multi-axis structure of document attributes for Kind of Document, Setting, Role, Subject Matter Domain, and Type of Service. In this study, the adequacy of the Role axis for representing the type of author documenting care was assessed. Experts used a master list of 220 values created from seven resources and established mapping guidelines. Baseline certification, licensure, and didactic training were identified as key parameters that define roles and hence often need to be pre-coordinated. DO was inadequate in representing 82% of roles, and this gap was primarily due to lack of granularity in DO. Next steps include refinement of the proposed schema for the Role axis and dissemination within the larger standards community.
Sedentary behaviour and diet across the lifespan: an updated systematic review
Authors: Hobbs Matthew , Pearson Natalie , Foster Perry J , Biddle Stuart J H
Published: October 2014

Background

Sedentary behaviour and its association with dietary intake in young people and adults are important topics and were systematically reviewed in 2011. There is a need to update this evidence given the changing nature of sedentary behaviour and continued interest in this field. This review aims to assist researchers in better interpreting the diversity of findings concerning sedentary behaviour and weight status.

Objective

To provide an update of the associations between sedentary behaviour and dietary intake across the lifespan.

Methods

Electronic databases searched were MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Science Direct for publications between January 2010 and October 2013, thus updating a previous review. Included were observational studies assessing an association between at least one sedentary behaviour and at least one aspect of dietary intake in preschool children (<5 years), school-aged children (6–11 years), adolescents (12–18 years) and adults (>18 years).

Results

27 papers met inclusion criteria (preschool k=3, school-aged children k=9, adolescents k=15, adults k=3). For all three groups of young people, trends were evident for higher levels of sedentary behaviour, especially TV viewing, to be associated with a less healthful diet, such as less fruit and vegetable and greater consumption of energy-dense snacks and sugar sweetened beverages. Data for the three studies with adults were less conclusive.

Conclusions

Sedentary behaviour continues to be associated with unhealthy diet in young people in mostly cross-sectional studies. More studies utilising a prospective design are needed to corroborate findings and more studies are needed with adults.
Stroke incidence and association with risk factors in women: a 32-year follow-up of the Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg
Authors: Blomstrand Ann , Blomstrand Christian , Ariai Nashmil , Bengtsson Calle , Björkelund Cecilia
Published: October 2014

Objective

To study stroke incidence among women over 32 years of age with a focus on subdividing by stroke type, to consolidate end points and associations with risk factors.

Design

Prospective population study initiated in 1968–1969 with follow-ups in 1974, 1980, 1992 and 2001.

Setting

Gothenburg, Sweden.

Participants

A sample of 1462 women from five age strata examined in 1968–1969, representative of women in the general population.

Main outcome measures

Main types of first-ever stroke and fatal stroke during 1968–2001 identified and validated. Stroke incidence rates in different age strata. Association with baseline smoking, body mass index (BMI), waist–hip ratio, hypertension, serum lipids, physical inactivity, perceived mental stress and education. Associations with atrial fibrillation (AF), diabetes, baseline hypertension and myocardial infarction (MI). Blood pressure (BP) levels 1–3, corresponding to modern guidelines, in relation to stroke risk.

Results

184 (12.6%) cases of first-ever stroke, 33 (18%) of them fatal. Validation reduced unspecified stroke diagnoses from 37% to 11%. Age-standardised incidence rate per 100 000 person-years was 448. A multivariate model showed a significant association between ischaemic stroke and high BMI: HR 1.07 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.12), smoking 1.78 (1.23 to 2.57) and low education 1.17 (1.01 to 1.35). Significant association was seen between haemorrhagic stroke and, besides age, physical inactivity 2.18 (1.04 to 4.58) and for total stroke also hypertension 1.45 (1.02 to 2.08). Survival analysis showed a significantly increased risk of stroke in participants with diabetes (p<0.001), AF (p<0.001) and hypertension (p=0.001), but not MI. Stroke risk increased with increasing BP levels but was already seen for diastolic pressure grade 1 and particularly when combined with systolic BP grade 1; 1.62 (1.17 to 2.25).

Conclusions

Hypertension, smoking, AF, diabetes and high BMI were associated with increased stroke risk. Low education was associated with stroke. Validation of National Patient Registry diagnoses to increase specified diagnoses improved data quality.
Follow-up of intracranial aneurysms treated by flow diverter: comparison of three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography (3D-TOF-MRA) and contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) sequences with digital subtraction angiography as the gold standard
Authors: Attali Jonathan , Benaissa Azzedine , Soize Sébastien , Kadziolka Krzysztof , Portefaix Christophe , Pierot Laurent
Published: October 2014

Background and purpose

Follow-up of intracranial aneurysms treated by flow diverter with MRI is complicated by imaging artifacts produced by these devices. This study compares the diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography (3D-TOF-MRA) and contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) at 3 T for the evaluation of aneurysm occlusion and parent artery patency after flow diversion treatment, with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the gold standard.

Materials and methods

Patients treated with flow diverters between January 2009 and January 2013 followed by MRA at 3 T (3D-TOF-MRA and CE-MRA) and DSA within a 48 h period were included in a prospective single-center study. Aneurysm occlusion was assessed with full and simplified Montreal scales and parent artery patency with three-grade and two-grade scales.

Results

Twenty-two patients harboring 23 treated aneurysms were included. Interobserver agreement using simplified scales for occlusion (Montreal) and parent artery patency were higher for DSA (0.88 and 0.61) and CE-MRA (0.74 and 0.55) than for 3D-TOF-MRA (0.51 and 0.02). Intermodality agreement was higher for CE-MRA (0.88 and 0.32) than for 3D-TOF-MRA (0.59 and 0.11). CE-MRA yielded better accuracy than 3D-TOF-MRA for aneurysm remnant detection (sensitivity 83% vs 50%; specificity 100% vs 100%) and for the status of the parent artery (specificity 63% vs 32%; sensitivity 100% vs 100%).

Conclusions

At 3 T, CE-MRA is superior to 3D-TOF-MRA for the evaluation of aneurysm occlusion and parent artery patency after flow diversion treatment. However, intraluminal evaluation remains difficult with MRA regardless of the sequence used.
Forest forecasting with vegetation models across Russia
Authors: Shuman Jacquelyn K. , Tchebakova Nadezhda M. , Parfenova Elena I. , Soja Amber J. , Shugart Herman H. , Ershov Dmitry , Holcomb Katherine
Published: October 2014

Vegetation models are essential tools for projecting large-scale land-cover response to changing climate, which is expected to alter the distribution of biomes and individual species. A large-scale bioclimatic envelope model (RuBCliM) and an individual species based gap model (UVAFME) are used to simulate the Russian forests under current and future climate for two greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Results for current conditions are compared between models and assessed against two independent maps of Russian forest biomes and dominant tree species. Comparisons measured with kappa statistics indicate good agreement between the models (kappa values from 0.76 to 0.69), as well as between the model results and two observation-based maps for both species presence and absence (kappa values from 0.70 to 0.43). Agreement between these multiple types of data on forest distribution provides confidence in the projected forest response to changing climate. For future conditions, both models indicate a shift in the dominant biomes from conifers to deciduous leaved species. These projections have implications for feedbacks between the energy budget, carbon cycle, and land cover in the boreal system. The distinct biome and species changes emphasize the need for continued investigation of this landmass that has the size necessary to influence regional and global climate.
Harnack inequalities for SDEs with multiplicative noise and non-regular drift
Authors: Li Huaiqian , Luo Dejun , Wang Jian
Published: October 2014

The log-Harnack inequality and Harnack inequality with powers for semigroups associated to SDEs with non-degenerate diffusion coefficient and non-regular time-dependent drift coefficient are established, based on the recent papers [7, 21]. We consider two cases in this work: (1) the drift fulfills the LPS-type integrability, and (2) the drift is uniformly Hölder continuous with respect to the spatial variable. Finally, by using explicit heat kernel estimates for the stable process with drift, the Harnack inequality for the stochastic differential equation driven by symmetric stable process is also proved.
The intrinsic helicity of elementary particles and the spin-statistic connection
Authors: De Martini Francesco , Santamato Enrico
Published: October 2014

The traditional standard quantum mechanics (SQM) is unable to solve the spin-statistics problem, i.e. to justify the utterly important "Pauli exclusion principle". The present paper presents a simple and complete solution of the spin-statistics problem on the basis of the "conformal quantum geometrodynamics (CQG)", a theory that was found to reproduce successfully all relevant processes of the SQM based on Dirac's or Schrödinger's equations, including Heisenberg's uncertainty relations and non-local Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen (EPR) correlations. When applied to a system made of many identical particles, an additional property of all elementary particles enters naturally into play: the "intrinsic helicity". This property, not considered in the SQM, determines the correct spin-statistics connection (SSC) observed in nature.