bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arrangement of sympathetic fibers within the human common peroneal nerve: implications for microneurography
Authors: Tompkins Rebecca P. R. , Melling C. W. J. , Wilson Timothy D. , Bates Brent D. , Shoemaker J. Kevin
Published: October 2013

Recently, interest has grown in the firing patterns of individual or multiunit action potential firing patterns in human muscle sympathetic nerve recordings using microneurography. Little is known, however, about sympathetic fiber distribution in human lower limb nerves that will affect the multiunit recordings. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the sympathetic fiber distribution within the human common peroneal nerve using immunohistochemical techniques (tyrosine hydroxylase, avidin-biotin complex technique). Five-micrometer transverse and 10-μm longitudinal sections, fixed in formaldehyde, were obtained from the peroneal nerve that had been harvested from three human cadavers (83 ± 11 yr) within 24 h of death. Samples of rat adrenal gland and brain served as controls. Sympathetic fiber arrangement varied between left and right nerves of the same donor, and between donors. However, in general, sympathetic fibers were dispersed throughout ∼25–38 fascicles of the peroneal nerve. The fibers were grouped in bundles of ∼2–44 axons or expressed individually throughout the fascicles, and the distribution was skewed toward smaller bundles with median and interquartile ratio values of 5 and 1 axons/bundle, respectively. These findings confirm the bundled organization of sympathetic axons within the peroneal nerve and provide the anatomical basis for outcomes in microneurographic studies.
Impact Property of PLA/Flax Nonwoven Biocomposite
Authors: Alimuzzaman Shah , Gong R. H. , Akonda Mahmudul
Published: October 2013

Flax fibre reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites were fabricated by using a new technique incorporating an air-laying nonwoven web forming process and compression moulding technologies. The relationship between the main process variables and the properties of the biocomposite was investigated. The results show that with the increasing of flax content, the notched Izod impact strength increased. The maximum value of 28.3 KJ/m2 was achieved at 60% flax fibre content. As the moulding temperature and moulding time increased, the impact strength decreased. The physical properties of the biocomposites were also evaluated. As the flax fibre content increased, the void content of the biocomposites increased. This was further confirmed by the surface morphology of the composite material. The appropriate processing parameters for the biocomposites were established.
Structural, Optical Constants and Photoluminescence of ZnO Thin Films Grown by Sol-Gel Spin Coating
Authors: Gadallah Abdel-Sattar , El-Nahass M. M.
Published: October 2013

We report manufacturing and characterization of low cost ZnO thin films grown on glass substrates by sol-gel spin coating method. For structural properties, X-ray diffraction measurements have been utilized for evaluating the dominant orientation of the thin films. For optical properties, reflectance and transmittance spectrophotometric measurements have been done in the spectral range from 350 nm to 2000 nm. The transmittance of the prepared thin films is 92.4% and 88.4%. Determination of the optical constants such as refractive index, absorption coefficient, and dielectric constant in this wavelength range has been evaluated. Further, normal dispersion of the refractive index has been analyzed in terms of single oscillator model of free carrier absorption to estimate the dispersion and oscillation energy. The lattice dielectric constant and the ratio of free carrier concentration to free carrier effective mass have been determined. Moreover, photoluminescence measurements of the thin films in the spectral range from 350 nm to 900 nm have been presented. Electrical measurements for resistivity evaluation of the films have been done. An analysis in terms of order-disorder of the material has been presented to provide more consistency in the results.
Long-Term Effect of Enzyme Replacement Therapy with Fabry Disease
Authors: Komori Manabu , Sakurai Yuika , Kojima Hiromi , Ohashi Toya , Moriyama Hiroshi
Published: October 2013

Objective.To determine the effects of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) on the hearing acuity in patients with Fabry disease.Materials.The study sample comprised 34 ears of 17 affected patients who underwent pure-tone audiometry before and after ERT.Methods.The patients were studied in relation to factors such as changes in hearing, presence of accompanying symptoms, status of renal and cardiac function, age, and gender. Data of pure-tone audiometry obtained before ERT and at the final examination were compared.Results.At the end of the follow-up period, no significant worsening of hearing acuity was noted at the end of the follow-up period. SSNHL was detected in 10 ears of 6 patients. Steroid therapy successfully cured the disease in 9 of the 10 ears.Conclusions.No significant worsening of hearing acuity was noted from the beginning to the end of ERT. The rate of improvement in SSNHL of Fabry disease was excellent in the treated patients. Hearing loss is a factor that causes marked deterioration of the patients’ quality of life, and it is desirable that the hearing acuity of patients be periodically evaluated and prompt treatment of SSNHL be administered, if available.
Estimation of Phoneme-Specific HMM Topologies for the Automatic Recognition of Dysarthric Speech
Authors: Caballero-Morales Santiago-Omar
Published: October 2013

Dysarthria is a frequently occurring motor speech disorder which can be caused by neurological trauma, cerebral palsy, or degenerative neurological diseases. Because dysarthria affects phonation, articulation, and prosody, spoken communication of dysarthric speakers gets seriously restricted, affecting their quality of life and confidence. Assistive technology has led to the development of speech applications to improve the spoken communication of dysarthric speakers. In this field, this paper presents an approach to improve the accuracy of HMM-based speech recognition systems. Because phonatory dysfunction is a main characteristic of dysarthric speech, the phonemes of a dysarthric speaker are affected at different levels. Thus, the approach consists in finding the most suitable type of HMM topology (Bakis, Ergodic) for each phoneme in the speaker’s phonetic repertoire. The topology is further refined with a suitable number of states and Gaussian mixture components for acoustic modelling. This represents a difference when compared with studies where a single topology is assumed for all phonemes. Finding the suitable parameters (topology and mixtures components) is performed with a Genetic Algorithm (GA). Experiments with a well-known dysarthric speech database showed statistically significant improvements of the proposed approach when compared with the single topology approach, even for speakers with severe dysarthria.
Repeatability and Reproducibility of Measurements Using a NT-530P Noncontact Tono/Pachymeter and Correlation of Central Corneal Thickness with Intraocular Pressure
Authors: Fujimura Fusako , Kamiya Kazutaka , Fujiwara Kazuko , Shoji Nobuyuki , Shimizu Kimiya
Published: October 2013

Purpose. To investigate the repeatability and reproducibility of intraocular pressure (IOP) and central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements using a noncontact tono/pachymeter (NT-530P) and to assess the correlation of CCT with IOP.Methods. Forty-six eyes of healthy volunteers were measured by two examiners. Three consecutive measurements per eye were performed. Repeatability was assessed using the coefficient of variation, and reproducibility was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. Linear correlations were used to determine agreement between CCT and noncorrected IOP and CCT and corrected IOP, which was calculated using a formula built into the NT-530P.Results. The coefficient of variation for IOP was 6.4% and for CCT was 0.4%. The 95% limits of agreement between examiners were−0.17±1.42 mmHg (range:−2.95to 2.61 mmHg) for IOP,−0.93±4.37 μm (range:−9.50to 7.64 μm) for CCT. The corrected IOP was significantly higher than the noncorrected IOP (P=0.010.3). The noncorrected IOP significantly correlated with CCT (r=−0.4883,P=0.0006). The corrected IOP showed no significant correlation with CCT (r=−0.0285,P=0.8509).Conclusions. NT-530P offered repeatability and reproducibility in both IOP and CCT measurements. The corrected IOP calculated using the NT-530P was independent of the CCT, suggesting that this IOP may be less influenced by the central corneal thickness.
Current Controversies in the Prediction, Diagnosis, and Management of Cerebral Vasospasm: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Lee Young , Zuckerman Scott L. , Mocco J.
Published: October 2013

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs in approximately 30,000 persons in the United States each year. Around 30 percent of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage suffer from cerebral ischemia and infarction due to cerebral vasospasm, a leading cause of treatable death and disability following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods used to predict, diagnose, and manage vasospasm are the topic of recent active research. This paper utilizes a comprehensive review of the recent literature to address controversies surrounding these topics. Evidence regarding the effect of age, smoking, and cocaine use on the incidence and outcome of vasospasm is reviewed. The abilities of different computed tomography grading schemes to predict vasospasm in the aftermath of subarachnoid hemorrhage are presented. Additionally, the utility of different diagnostic methods for the detection and visualization of vasospasm, including transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, CT angiography, digital subtraction angiography, and CT perfusion imaging is discussed. Finally, the recent literature regarding interventions for the prophylaxis and treatment of vasospasm, including hyperdynamic therapy, albumin, calcium channel agonists, statins, magnesium sulfate, and endothelin antagonists is summarized. Recent studies regarding each topic were reviewed for consensus recommendations from the literature, which were then presented.
A Feature Selection Approach to the Group Behavior Recognition Issue Using Static Context Information
Authors: Pozo Alberto , Patricio Miguel A. , García Jesús , Molina José Manuel
Published: October 2013

This paper deals with the problem of group behavior recognition. Our approach is to merge all the possible features of group behavior (individuals, groups, relationships between individuals, relationships between groups, etc.) with static context information relating to particular domains. All this information is represented as a set of features by classification algorithms. This is a very high-dimensional problem, with which classification algorithms are unable cope. For this reason, this paper also presents four feature selection alternatives: two wrappers and two filters. We present and compare the results of each method in the basketball domain.
Utility of Charge Transfer and Ion‐Pair Complexation for Spectrophotometric Determination of Eletriptan Hydrobromide in Pure and Dosage Forms
Authors: Gouda Ayman A. , El Sheikh Ragaa , El-Azzazy Rham M.
Published: October 2013

Three simple, sensitive, and accurate spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of eletriptan hydrobromide (ELT) in pure and dosage forms. The first two methods are based on charge transfer complex formation between ELT and chromogenic reagents quinalizarin (Quinz) and alizarin red S (ARS) producing charge transfer complexes which showed an absorption maximum at 569 and 533 nm for Quinz and ARS, respectively. The third method is based on the formation of ion‐pair complex between ELT with molybdenum(V)‐thiocyanate inorganic complex in hydrochloric acid medium followed by extraction of the colored ion‐pair with dichloromethane and measured at 470 nm. Different variables affecting the reactions were studied and optimized. Beer′s law is obeyed in the concentration ranges 2.0–18, 1.0–8.0, and 2.0–32 μg mL−1 for Quinz, ARS, and Mo(V)‐thiocyanate, respectively. The molar absorptivity, Sandell sensitivity, detection, and quantification limits are also calculated. The correlation coefficients were ≥0.9994 with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D%.) of ≤0.925. The proposed methods were successfully applied for simultaneous determination of ELT in tablets with good accuracy and precision and without interferences from common additives, and the validity is assessed by applying the standard addition technique, which is compared with those obtained using the reported method.
Limited Feedback Precoding for Massive MIMO
Authors: Su Xin , Zeng Jie , Li Jingyu , Rong Liping , Liu Lili , Xu Xibin , Wang Jing
Published: October 2013

The large-scale array antenna system with numerous low-power antennas deployed at the base station, also known as massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), can provide a plethora of advantages over the classical array antenna system. Precoding is important to exploit massive MIMO performance, and codebook design is crucial due to the limited feedback channel. In this paper, we propose a new avenue of codebook design based on a Kronecker-type approximation of the array correlation structure for the uniform rectangular antenna array, which is preferable for the antenna deployment of massive MIMO. Although the feedback overhead is quite limited, the codebook design can provide an effective solution to support multiple users in different scenarios. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed codebook outperforms the previously known codebooks remarkably.
The Epidemiology of Smear Positive Tuberculosis in Three TB/HIV High Burden Provinces of Kenya (2003–2009)
Authors: Sitienei J. , Nyambati V. , Borus P.
Published: October 2013

Interest in epidemiology of tuberculosis in Sub-Sahara Africa has been activated by its reemergence in the mid-1990s because HIV and poverty have created a lethal combination that propagates TB transmission. Three provinces of Kenya that collectively contribute to about 56% of TB cases notified in Kenya were included in the study. Data for smear positive TB and TB HIV was extracted from existing database between 2003 and 2009. Data was analyzed to produce trends for each of the provinces, and descriptive statistics were calculated. To deduce existence of differences in gender, provinces, and years, analysis of variance was carried out with values and confidence intervals generated. There were more males (56%) than females affected by TB, but more females with dual infection. Females have a bimodal peak in age groups 15–24 and 25–34, while males have one peak age group at 15–24. The rate of decline for males was higher than for females. Significant differences were found in gender (), year (), and rate of HIV positivity across the provinces (). Declining trend in cases is attributed to effects of integrating TB and HIV services and therefore programs need to address barriers to integrate care.
Si Shen Wan Inhibits mRNA Expression of Apoptosis-Related Molecules in p38 MAPK Signal Pathway in Mice with Colitis
Authors: Zhao Hai-Mei , Huang Xiao-Ying , Zhou Feng , Tong Wen-Ting , Wan Pan-Ting , Huang Min-Fang , Ye Qing , Liu Duan-Yong
Published: October 2013

Si Shen Wan (SSW) is used to effectively treat ulcerative colitis (UC) as a formula of traditional Chinese medicine. To explore the mechanism of SSW-inhibited apoptosis of colonic epithelial cell, the study observed mRNA expression of apoptosis-related molecules in p38 MAPK signal pathway in colonic mucosa in colitis mice treated with SSW. Experimental colitis was induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in mice; meanwhile, the mice were administrated daily either SSW (5 g/kg) or p38 MAPK inhibitor (2 mg/kg) or vehicle (physiological saline) for 10 days. While microscopical evaluation was observed, apoptosis rate of colonic epithelial cell and mRNA expression of apoptosis-related molecules were tested. Compared with colitis mice without treatment, SSW alleviated colonic mucosal injuries and decreased apoptosis rate of colonic epithelial cell, while the mRNA expressions of p38 MAPK, p53, caspase-3, c-jun, c-fos, Bax, and TNF-αwere decreased in the colonic mucosa in colitis mice treated with SSW, and Bcl-2 mRNA and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax were increased. The present study demonstrated that SSW inhibited mRNA expression of apoptosis-related molecules in p38 MAPK signal pathway to downregulate colonic epithelial cells apoptosis in colonic mucosa in mice with colitis.
Evaluating the Immunogenicity of Protein Drugs by ApplyingIn VitroMHC Binding Data and the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource
Authors: Paul Sinu , Kolla Ravi V. , Sidney John , Weiskopf Daniela , Fleri Ward , Kim Yohan , Peters Bjoern , Sette Alessandro
Published: October 2013

The immune system has evolved to become highly specialized in recognizing and responding to pathogens and foreign molecules. Specifically, the function of HLA class II is to ensure that a sufficient sample of peptides derived from foreign molecules is presented to T cells. This leads to an important concern in human drug development as the possible immunogenicity of biopharmaceuticals, especially those intended for chronic administration, can lead to reduced efficacy and an undesired safety profile for biological therapeutics. As part of this review, we will highlight the molecular basis of antigen presentation as a key step in the induction of T cell responses, emphasizing the events associated with peptide binding to polymorphic and polygenic HLA class II molecules. We will further review methodologies that predict HLA class II binding peptides and candidate epitopes. We will focus on tools provided by the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource, discussing the basic features of different prediction methods, the objective evaluation of prediction quality, and general guidelines for practical use of these tools. Finally the use, advantages, and limitations of the methodology will be demonstrated in a review of two previous studies investigating the immunogenicity of erythropoietin and timothy grass pollen.
Ovarian and Breast Cancer Spheres Are Similar in Transcriptomic Features and Sensitive to Fenretinide
Authors: Wang Haiwei , Zhang Yuxing , Du Yanzhi
Published: October 2013

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are resistant to chemotherapy and are ability to regenerate cancer cell populations, thus attracting much attention in cancer research. In this report, we first demonstrated that sphere cells from ovarian cancer cell line A2780 shared many features of CSCs, such as resistance to cisplatin and able to initiate tumors in an efficient manner. Then, we conducted cDNA microarray analysis on spheres from ovarian A2780 cells, and from breast MCF7 and SUM159 cells, and found that molecular pathways underlying spheres from these cancer cell lines were similar to a large extent, suggesting that similar mechanisms are involved in the genesis of CSCs in both ovarian and breast cancer types. In addition, we showed that spheres from these cancer types were highly sensitive to fenretinide, a stimulus of oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells. Thus, our results not only provide important insights into mechanisms underlying CSCs in ovarian and breast cancer, but also lead to the development of more sophisticated protocols of cancer therapy in near future.
Evaluation of Aromatic Plants and Compounds Used to Fight Multidrug Resistant Infections
Authors: Perumal Samy Ramar , Manikandan Jayapal , Al Qahtani Mohammed
Published: October 2013

Traditional medicine plays a vital role for primary health care in India, where it is widely practiced to treat various ailments. Among those obtained from the healers, 78 medicinal plants were scientifically evaluated for antibacterial activity. Methanol extract of plants (100 μg of residue) was tested against the multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Forty-seven plants showed strong activity againstBurkholderia pseudomallei(strain TES and KHW) andStaphylococcus aureus, of whichTragia involucrataL.,Citrus acidaRoxb. Hook.f., andAegle marmelos(L.) Correa ex Roxb. showed powerful inhibition of bacteria. Eighteen plants displayed only a moderate effect, while six plants failed to provide any evidence of inhibition against the tested bacteria. Purified compounds showed higher antimicrobial activity than crude extracts. The compounds showed less toxic effect to the human skin fibroblasts (HEPK) cells than their corresponding aromatic fractions. Phytochemical screening indicates that the presence of various secondary metabolites may be responsible for this activity. Most of the plant extracts contained high levels of phenolic or polyphenolic compounds and exhibited activity against MDR pathogens. In conclusion, plants are promising agents that deserve further exploration. Lead molecules available from such extracts may serve as potential antimicrobial agents for future drug development to combat diseases caused by the MDR bacterial strains as reported in this study.
The Effects ofEucheuma cottoniion Signaling Pathway Inducing Mucin Synthesis in Rat Lungs Chronically Exposed to Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) Coal Dust
Authors: Kania Nia , Mayangsari Elly , Setiawan Bambang , Nugrahenny Dian , Tony Frans , Wahyuni Endang Sri , Widodo M. Aris
Published: October 2013

This study was aimed at investigating the effects ofEucheuma cottonii(EC) in oxidative stress and the signaling for mucin synthesis in rat lungs chronically exposed to coal dust. Coal dust with concomitant oral administration of ethanolic extract of EC at doses of 150 (EC150) or 300 mg/kg BW (EC300) compared to exposed to PM10coal dust at doses of 6.25 (CD6.25), 12.5 (CD12.5), or 25 mg/m3(CD25) (an hour daily for 6 months) and nonexposure group (control). The malondialdehyde (MDA), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-α, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and MUC5AC levels were determined in the lung. The administration of EC300significantly (p< 0.05) reduced the MDA levels in groups exposed to all doses of coal dust compared to the respective coal dust-exposed nonsupplemented groups. Although not statistically significant,EC reduced the EGF levels and EGFR expressions in CD12.5and CD25groups and decreased the TGF-α, level and MUC5AC expression in CD25group compared to the respective coal dust-exposed nonsupplemented groups. EC was able to decrease oxidative stress and was also able to decrease signaling for mucin synthesis, at least a part, via reducing the ligand in chronic coal dust exposure.
Application of a Developed Method for the Extraction of Triazines in Surface Waters and Storage Prior to Analysis to Seawaters of Galicia (Northwest Spain)
Authors: Rodríguez-González Noelia , Beceiro-González Elisa , González-Castro María José , Muniategui-Lorenzo Soledad
Published: October 2013

A simple method based on solid‐phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography for simultaneous determination of nine triazine herbicides (ametryn, atrazine, cyanazine, prometryn, propazine, simazine, simetryn, terbuthylazine, and terbutryn) in surface water samples was developed and validated. Under optimized conditions, 50 mL of water sample was pumped through the Oasis HLB cartridge, and triazines were eluted with 3 mL acetone. Finally the extract was concentrated to dryness, reconstituted with 1 mL methanol : water (1 : 1) and injected into the HPLC‐DAD system. The stability of the herbicides on the cartridges at −18 and 4°C was also evaluated, and the recoveries obtained after three weeks of storage were satisfactory for all compounds. The analytical features of the proposed method were satisfactory: repeatability and intermediate precision were <10% and recoveries in spiked river water and seawater samples were higher than 93% for all compounds studied. Limits of quantification (varied from 0.46 to 0.98 µg L−1) were adequately allowing the determination of these compounds at the levels requested by the 2008/105/EC Directive. Finally, this method was applied to the analysis of 50 seawater samples from Galicia (northwest Spain).
An Update on Laboratory Diagnosis of Liver Inherited Diseases
Authors: Zarrilli Federica , Elce Ausilia , Scorza Manuela , Giordano Sonia , Amato Felice , Castaldo Giuseppe
Published: October 2013

Liver inherited diseases are a group of genetically determined clinical entities that appear with an early chronic liver involvement. They include Wilson’s disease (hepatolenticular degeneration), hereditary hemochromatosis, and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. In addition, cystic fibrosis, although it is not specifically a liver disease, may cause a severe liver involvement in a significant percentage of cases. For all these pathologies, the disease gene is known, and molecular analysis may contribute to the unequivocal diagnosis. This approach could avoid the patient invasive procedures and limit complications associated with a delay in diagnosis. We review liver inherited diseases on the basis of the genetic defect, focusing on the contribution of molecular analysis in the multistep diagnostic workup.
Does Oral Ingestion ofPiper sarmentosumCause Toxicity in Experimental Animals?
Authors: Mohd Zainudin Maizura , Zakaria Zaiton , Megat Mohd Nordin Nor Anita , Othman Faizah
Published: October 2013

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportion in Malaysia and worldwide. Scientific studies have shown that herbal plantPiper sarmentosumexhibits an antidiabetic property. Despite the extensive usage and studies of this herb as alternative medicine, there is paucity of the literature on the safety information of this plant. Thus, the present study aimed to observe the subacute toxic effects ofPiper sarmentosumaqueous extract (PSAE) on the haematological profile, liver, and kidney in rats. The extract was administered by oral gavage to 6 male and femaleSprague Dawleyrats in daily dose of 50 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, and 2000 mg/kg for 28 consecutive days. The control group received normal saline. General behavior of the rats, adverse effects, and mortality were observed for 28 days. The haematological and biochemical parameters were determined at baseline and after the treatment. PSAE did not show abnormality on the body weight and gross observation of internal organs. The haematological, biochemical and histopathological profiles showed minimal changes and variation within normal clinical range except for significant increase in serum potassium level that suggests the need of regular monitoring. Nevertheless, these findings suggested that PSAE up to 2000 mg/kg/day did not show subacute toxicity inSprague Dawleyrats.
A Numerical Method for Fuzzy Differential Equations and Hybrid Fuzzy Differential Equations
Authors: Ivaz K. , Khastan A. , Nieto Juan J.
Published: October 2013

Numerical algorithms for solving first-order fuzzy differential equations and hybrid fuzzy differential equations have been investigated. Sufficient conditions for stability and convergence of the proposed algorithms are given, and their applicability is illustrated with some examples.
Antistress Effects of the Ethanolic Extract fromCymbopogon schoenanthusGrowing Wild in Tunisia
Authors: Ben Othman Mahmoud , Han Junkyu , El Omri Abdelfatteh , Ksouri Riadh , Neffati Mohamed , Isoda Hiroko
Published: October 2013

This study aimed to investigate the antistress properties of the ethanol extract ofCymbopogon schoenanthus(CSEE), growing wild in the southern part of Tunisia. The effect of extracts on H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and stress in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Its effect on stress-induced in ICR mice was exposed to force swim and tail suspension, in concordance with heat shock protein expression (HSP27 and HSP90), corticosterone, and catecholamine neurotransmitters level. Our results demonstrated that pretreatment of SH-SY5Y cells with CSEE at 1/2000, 1/1000, and 1/500 v/v dilutions significantly inversed H2O2-induced neurotoxicity. Moreover, CSEE treatments significantly reversed heat shock protein expression in heat-stressed HSP47-transformed cells (42°C, for 90 min) and mRNA expression of HSP27 and HSP90 in H2O2-treated SH-SY5Y. Daily oral administration of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg CSEE was conducted to ICR mice for 2 weeks. It was resulted in a significant decrease of immobility time in forced swimming and tail suspension tests. The effect of CSEE on animal behavior was concordant with a significant regulation of blood serum corticosterone and cerebral cortex levels of catecholamine (dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline). Therefore, this study was attempted to demonstrate the preventive potential of CSEE against stress disorders atin vitroandin vivolevels.
Multimodality Molecular Imaging of Stem Cells Therapy for Stroke
Authors: Chao Fangfang , Shen Yehua , Zhang Hong , Tian Mei
Published: October 2013

Stem cells have been proposed as a promising therapy for treating stroke. While several studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of stem cells, the exact mechanism remains elusive. Molecular imaging provides the possibility of the visual representation of biological processes at the cellular and molecular level. In order to facilitate research efforts to understand the stem cells therapeutic mechanisms, we need to further develop means of monitoring these cells noninvasively, longitudinally and repeatedly. Because of tissue depth and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), in vivo imaging of stem cells therapy for stroke has unique challenges. In this review, we describe existing methods of tracking transplanted stem cells in vivo, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine imaging, and optical imaging (OI). Each of the imaging techniques has advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we describe multimodality imaging strategies as a more comprehensive and potential method to monitor transplanted stem cells for stroke.
The Prediction of Calpain Cleavage Sites with the mRMR and IFS Approaches
Authors: Zhang Wenyi , Xu Xin , Jia Longjia , Ma Zhiqiang , Luo Na , Wang Jianan
Published: October 2013

Calpains are an important family of the Ca2+-dependent cysteine proteases which catalyze the limited proteolysis of many specific substrates. Calpains play crucial roles in basic physiological and pathological processes, and identification of the calpain cleavage sites may facilitate the understanding of the molecular mechanisms and biological function. But traditional experiment approaches to predict the sites are accurate, and are always labor-intensive and time-consuming. Thus, it is common to see that computational methods receive increasing attention due to their convenience and fast speed in recent years. In this study, we develop a new predictor based on the support vector machine (SVM) with the maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR) method followed by incremental feature selection (IFS). And we concern the feature of physicochemical/biochemical properties, sequence conservation, residual disorder, secondary structure, and solvent accessibility to represent the calpain cleavage sites. Experimental results show that the performance of our predictor is better than several other state-of- the-art predictors, whose average prediction accuracy is 79.49%, sensitivity is 62.31%, and specificity is 88.12%. Since user-friendly and publicly accessible web servers represent the future direction for developing practically more useful predictors, here we have provided a web-server for the method presented in this paper.
Targeting Antigens to Dendritic Cell Receptors for Vaccine Development
Authors: Apostolopoulos Vasso , Thalhammer Theresia , Tzakos Andreas G. , Stojanovska Lily
Published: October 2013

Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly specialized antigen presenting cells of the immune system which play a key role in regulating immune responses. Depending on the method of antigen delivery, DCs stimulate immune responses or induce tolerance. As a consequence of the dual function of DCs, DCs are studied in the context of immunotherapy for both cancer and autoimmune diseases. In vaccine development, a major aim is to induce strong, specific T-cell responses. This is achieved by targeting antigen to cell surface molecules on DCs that efficiently channel the antigen into endocytic compartments for loading onto MHC molecules and stimulation of T-cell responses. The most attractive cell surface receptors, expressed on DCs used as targets for antigen delivery for cancer and other diseases, are discussed.
Blastomyces dermatitidisYeast Lysate Antigen Combinations: Antibody Detection in Dogs with Blastomycosis
Authors: Boyd Alex R. , VanDyke Jamie L. , Scalarone Gene M.
Published: October 2013

The systemic fungal infection, blastomycosis, which infects both humans and animals has presented a diagnostic challenge for clinicians for many years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity ofBlastomyces dermatitidisyeast lysate antigens with respect to antibody detection in dogs with blastomycosis. Lysate antigens were prepared fromB. dermatitidisisolates T-58 and T-66 (dogs, Tennessee) and WI-R and WI-J (dogs, Wisconsin). Based on results obtained from a preliminary comparative study, five combinations of these isolates and one individual isolate were tested against 92 serum specimens from dogs with culture-proven or histologically-confirmed blastomycosis, using the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mean absorbance values obtained from the sera ranged from 0.905 with the individual T-58 antigen to 1.760 using an antigen combination (T-58 + T-66 + WI-R). All of the 6 antigenic preparations were able to detect antibody in the serum specimens, but the antigen combinations detected antibody to a higher degree than the individual antigen. This study provides evidence that combinations of the yeast lysate reagents seem to be more efficacious for antibody detection in dog sera, but our laboratory is continuing to evaluate antigen lysate combinations for detection of antibodies in blastomycosis.
Differential Importance Measure for Components Subjected to Aging Phenomena
Authors: La Rovere Stefano , Vestrucci Paolo , Sperandii Maria , Mandurino Claudia
Published: October 2013

The paper refers to the evaluation of the unavailability of systems made by repairable binary independent components subjected to aging phenomena. Exponential, exponential-linear, and Weibull distributions are assumed for the components failure times. We assume that components failure rate increases only slightly during the maintenance period, but we recognize the effectiveness of preventive maintenance only in presence of aging phenomena. Importance measures allow the ranking of the input variables. We propose analytical equations that allow the estimation of the first-order Differential Importance Measure (DIM) on the basis of the Birnbaum measures of components, under the hypothesis of uniform percentage changes of parameters. Without further information than that used for the estimation of “DIM for components,” “DIM for parameters” allows considering separately the importance of random failures, aging phenomena, and preventive and corrective maintenance. A two-step process is proposed for the system improvement, by increasing the components reliability and maintainability performance as much as possible (within the applicable technological limits) and then by optimizing preventive maintenance on them. Some examples taken from the scientific literature are solved in order to verify the correctness of the analytical equations and to show their use.
Comparison of Microstructural and Morphological Properties of Electrodeposited Fe-Cu Thin Films with Low and High Fe : Cu Ratio
Authors: Sarac Umut , Baykul M. Celalettin
Published: October 2013

Fe-Cu films with low and high Fe : Cu ratio have been produced from the electrolytes with different Fe ion concentrations at a constant deposition potential of −1400 mV versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE) by electrodeposition technique onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated conducting glass substrates. It was observed that the variation of Fe ion concentration in the electrolyte had a very strong influence on the compositional, surface morphological, and microstructural properties of the Fe-Cu films. An increase in the Fe ion concentration within the plating bath increased the Fe content, consequently Fe : Cu ratio within the films. The crystallographic structure analysis showed that the Fe-Cu films had a mixture of face-centered cubic (fcc) Cu and body centered cubic (bcc)α-Fe phases. The average crystallite size decreased with the Fe ion concentration. The film electrodeposited from the electrolyte with low Fe ion concentration exhibited a morphology consisting of dendritic structures. However, the film morphology changed from dendritic structure to cauliflower-like structure at high Fe ion concentration. The surface roughness and grain size were found to decrease significantly with increasing Fe ion concentration in the electrolyte. The significant differences observed in the microstructural and morphological properties caused by the change of Fe ion concentration in the electrolyte were ascribed to the change of Fe : Cu ratio within the films.
Recreational Physical Activity and Leisure-Time Sitting in Relation to Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: Hildebrand Janet S. , Gapstur Susan M. , Campbell Peter T. , Gaudet Mia M. , Patel Alpa V.
Published: October 2013

Epidemiologic evidence supports an inverse association between physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer. Whether associations exist for moderate activities, such as walking, and whether associations differ by estrogen receptor (ER) status, body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), adult weight gain, or use of postmenopausal hormones (PMH) is unclear. The relation between time spent sitting and breast cancer also is unclear. Among 73,615 postmenopausal women in the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, 4,760 women were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1992 and 2009. Extended Cox regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RR) of breast cancer in relation to total recreational physical activity, walking, and leisure-time sitting. Differences in associations by ER status, BMI, weight gain, and PMH use were also evaluated. The most active women (those reporting >42 MET-hours/week physical activity) experienced 25% lower risk of breast cancer than the least active [0–<7 MET-hours/week; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63–0.89; Ptrend = 0.01]. Forty-seven percent of women reported walking as their only recreational activity; among these women, a 14% lower risk was observed for ≥7 hours/week relative to ≤3 hours/week of walking (95% CI, 0.75–0.98). Associations did not differ by ER status, BMI, weight gain, or PMH use. Sitting time was not associated with risk. These results support an inverse association between physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer that does not differ by ER status, BMI, weight gain, or PMH use. The finding of a lower risk associated with ≥7 hours/week of walking may be of public health interest. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(10); 1906–12. ©2013 AACR.
Impact of Interleukin-6 in Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Burger Renate
Published: October 2013

Almost 3 decades have passed since the discovery and cloning of IL-6, and a tremendous amount of work has contributed to the current knowledge of the biological functions of this cytokine, its receptor, and the signaling pathways that are activated. The understanding of the role of IL-6 in human disease has led to the development of novel therapeutic strategies that block the biological functions of IL-6. In clinical studies, IL-6 and IL-6 receptor antibodies have proven efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and Castleman's disease, conditions that are known to be driven by IL-6. The focus of this overview is the role of IL-6 in the pathophysiology of hematological malignancies.
Evaluation of Anosognosia in Alzheimer's Disease Using the Symptoms of Early Dementia-11 Questionnaire (SED-11Q)
Authors: Maki Yohko , Yamaguchi Tomoharu , Yamaguchi Haruyasu
Published: October 2013

Aims: The objective is to propose a brief method to evaluate anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) using the Symptoms of Early Dementia-11 Questionnaire (SED-11Q), a short informant-based screening questionnaire for identifying dementia. Methods: The participants were 107 elderly individuals: 13 with a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of 0.5, 73 with mild AD of CDR 1, and 21 with moderate AD of CDR 2. The patients and caregivers answered the SED-11Q independently, and the degree of discrepancy indicated the severity of anosognosia. Results: The scores were as follows: caregiver scores were 2.46 ± 1.85 (mean ± SD) in CDR 0.5, 6.36 ± 3.02 in CDR 1, and 9.00 ± 1.14 in CDR 2; patient scores were 2.00 ± 1.78, 2.55 ± 2.33, and 1.33 ± 2.46, respectively. Discrepancy was 0.46 ± 1.61, 3.81 ± 3.95, and 7.67 ± 2.87, respectively, and the caregiver assessments were significantly higher than the patient assessments in CDR 1 and CDR 2 (p < 0.001 in both groups). The SED-11Q for anosognosia was validated with the standardized Anosognosia Questionnaire for Dementia (AD-Q). The caregiver scores were moderately correlated with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia scores (r = 0.524), and the patient scores were moderately correlated with depression scores (r = 0.561). Conclusion: The SED-11Q serves a dual purpose: caregiver assessment is useful for the screening of dementia, and any discrepancy between the patient and the caregiver assessment is considered as an indication of the severity of anosognosia; this can be informative for caregivers and essential for successful care.
Intratarsal Keratinous Cyst - An Emerging Entity
Authors: Rajaii Fatemeh , Ghafourian Abdalhossein , Eberhart Charles G.
Published: October 2013

We report two cases of recurrent intratarsal keratinous cysts of the Meibomian gland, a recently described lesion thought to have been previously misdiagnosed. The correct diagnosis can be made based on histopathologic features alone, although expression of cytokeratin (CK) 5/6 in the cyst epithelium is a specific marker of these lesions. Recognition of these lesions, and distinguishing them from other intratarsal cysts that do not recur, is important to guide definitive therapy via full-thickness excision rather than simple incision and drainage.
Plasma Lipoprotein(a) Concentration Predicts Future Coronary and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Stable Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Nestel Paul J. , Barnes Elizabeth H. , Tonkin Andrew M. , Simes John , Fournier Marion , White Harvey D. , Colquhoun David M. , Blankenberg Stefan , Sullivan David R.
Published: October 2013

Objective—

Association between lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) level and a first-ever coronary (CHD) event is recognized. Less is evident in patients with overt CHD and stable symptoms in whom we investigated associations between Lp(a) and future events.

Approach and Results—

Relationships between Lp(a) concentration and CHD and cardiovascular disease outcomes during 6 years’ median follow-up were evaluated in the Long-Term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease (LIPID) study. Lp(a) concentrations were measured in plasma from 7863 patients who had sustained a previous coronary event and been randomized to pravastatin or placebo. Lp(a) levels were categorized by lowest half, third quartile, 75th to 90th percentile, and highest decile. The prognostic value of Lp(a) on outcomes was assessed by fitting a Cox proportional-hazards model after adjustment for other risk factors and baseline cardiovascular disorders. The prognostic value of a change in Lp(a) at year 1 categorized by quartiles was assessed using Cox regression in a landmark model incorporating the above factors and baseline levels. Baseline Lp(a) concentration was associated with total CHD events (
P
<0.001), total cardiovascular disease events (
P
=0.002), and coronary events (
P
=0.03). Greatest risk occurred at >73 mg/dL, upper decile. For events after year 1, an increase in Lp(a) at 1 year was associated with adverse outcomes for total CHD events and total cardiovascular disease events (
P
=0.002 each).

Conclusions—

In the LIPID study, baseline Lp(a) was associated with future cardiovascular disease and CHD events. Increased Lp(a) concentrations after 1 year were also associated with future events, supporting measurement of Lp(a) for risk assessment of patients with known CHD.
Cellular Fetal Microchimerism in Preeclampsia
Authors: Gammill Hilary S. , Aydelotte Tessa M. , Guthrie Katherine A. , Nkwopara Evangelyn C. , Nelson J. Lee
Published: October 2013

Previous studies have shown elevated concentrations of free fetal DNA and erythroblasts in maternal circulation in women with preeclampsia compared with those with normal pregnancy. Pluripotent and immunocompetent fetal cells also transfer to the maternal circulation during pregnancy, but whether concentrations of fetal mononuclear cells also differed in preeclampsia was unknown. We sought to quantify cellular fetal microchimerism in maternal circulation in women with preeclampsia and healthy controls. We studied women with preeclampsia and compared them with women with healthy pregnancies at similar gestational age. To identify a targetable polymorphism unique to the fetus to quantify fetal microchimerism, participants and family members were genotyped for the human leukocyte antigen loci DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1, as well as several other polymorphisms. A panel of polymorphism-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays was used to identify and quantify fetal microchimerism in maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Of 53 preeclampsia samples tested for cellular fetal microchimerism, 17 (32%) were positive when compared with 6 of 57 (6%) control samples (unadjusted odds ratio for detection, 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.5–11.1;
P
=0.007). The concentration of cellular fetal microchimerism (expressed as genome equivalents of fetal microchimerism per 100 000 maternal genome equivalents) was also higher among women with preeclampsia: median 0.0, mean 5.7, range 0 to 153.7, compared with those with controls: median 0.0, mean 0.3, range 0 to 9.1,
P
=0.002. We conclude that women with preeclampsia harbor cellular fetal microchimerism more commonly and at higher concentrations compared with women with uncomplicated pregnancy. The functional capacity and phenotype of these fetal cells are not yet known.