bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhalation of a plastic wall plug: implications of foreign body characteristics in paediatric patients
Authors: Haloob Nora , Loizou Peter , Lyons Marie
Published: January 2014

Foreign body inhalation causing asphyxiation is a significant cause of death in children under 4 years. Approximately one-fifth of the cases are inorganic industrial objects. We describe the case of an 18-month-old boy who presented with respiratory distress after inhaling a wall plug. An emergency rigid bronchoscopy was performed; however, the nature of the object and its location within the airway proved it difficult to identify at first look, causing the removal to be a challenge even in the most skilled of hands. Furthermore, its design contributed to the severity of obstruction of the airway and hence risk of death. This case prompts a discussion on the safety implications of small inorganic product designs and the measures currently being taken by manufacturers and clinicians to prevent the fatal asphyxiation in children.
Duodenal carcinoid with carcinoid syndrome
Authors: Naalla Ravikiran , Konchada Kamesh , Kannappan Odaiyappan , Lingadakai Ramachandra
Published: January 2014

Carcinoid tumours are uncommon well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumours. Primary duodenal carcinoids account for less than 2% of all gastrointestinal carcinoids. Duodenal carcinoids are seldom associated with carcinoid syndrome. We report a rare case of duodenal carcinoid presenting as a carcinoid syndrome in a middle-aged man with upper abdominal pain, hot flushes, diarrhoea and dry cough. Endoscopy-guided biopsy and 24 h urine 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) proved the diagnosis. He was further evaluated and managed with definitive surgical treatment.
Socioeconomic disadvantage and disease-specific mortality in Asia: systematic review with meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies
Authors: Vathesatogkit Prin , Batty G David , Woodward Mark
Published: January 2014

Background

That socioeconomic deprivation has shown a correlation with disease-specific mortality in Western societies is well documented. However, it is unclear whether these findings are also apparent in Asian societies. Accordingly, we conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from Asia that have reported on the association between socioeconomic position and adult mortality risk.

Methods

Relevant studies were identified through an electronic search of databases. Studies were included if they had published quantitative estimates of the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and mortality in a general population-based sample. The pooled multiple-adjusted relative risks for mortality in the lowest SES group relative to the highest SES group were studied. Random effects meta-analyses were computed.

Results

A total of 29 cohort studies from 10 Asian countries were identified, comprising 1 370 023 individuals and 71 818 total deaths. The three markers of SES most widely used (education, income, occupation) were inversely related to mortality outcomes under consideration (all-causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer). For instance, the pooled relative risks of low education compared with high education were: 1.40 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.52) for all-cause mortality, 1.66 (1.23 to 2.25) for cardiovascular mortality and 1.16 (1.07 to 1.27) for cancer mortality. There was some evidence that the age of cohort members at study induction, the gross national product of the country from which the cohort was drawn and geographical region modified the association between SES and mortality.

Conclusions

Concordant with findings from Western societies, socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with total and cause-specific mortality in Asia.
NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF PARTICLE DEPOSITION IN METAL FOAM HEAT EXCHANGERS
Authors: SAURET EMILIE , SAHA SUVASH C. , GU YUANTONG
Published: January 2014

Australia is a high-potential country for geothermal power with reserves currently estimated in the tens of millions of petajoules, enough to power the nation for at least 1000 years at current usage. However, these resources are mainly located in isolated arid regions where water is scarce. Therefore, wet cooling systems for geothermal plants in Australia are the least attractive solution and thus air-cooled heat exchangers are preferred. In order to increase the efficiency of such heat exchangers, metal foams have been used. One issue raised by this solution is the fouling caused by dust deposition. In this case, the heat transfer characteristics of the metal foam heat exchanger can dramatically deteriorate. Exploring the particle deposition property in the metal foam exchanger becomes crucial. This paper is a numerical investigation aimed to address this issue. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations of a standard one-row tube bundle wrapped with metal foam in cross-flow are performed and highlight preferential particle deposition areas.
Metoclopramide does not increase gastric muscle contractility in newborn rats
Authors: Kasirer Moshe Yair , Welsh Christopher , Pan Jingyi , Shifrin Yulia , Belik Jaques
Published: January 2014

Feeding intolerance resulting from delayed gastric emptying is common in premature neonates. Metoclopramide (MCP), the most frequently used prokinetic drug in neonates, enhances gastric muscle contractility through inhibition of dopamine receptors. Although its therapeutic benefit is established in adults, limited data are available to support its clinical use in infants. Hypothesizing that developmentally dependent differences are present, we comparatively evaluated the effect of MCP on fundus muscle contractility in newborn, juvenile, and adult rats. The muscle strips were either contracted with electrical field stimulation (EFS) to induce cholinergic nerve-mediated acetylcholine release or carbachol, a cholinergic agonist acting directly on the muscarinic receptor. Although in adult rats MCP increased EFS-induced contraction by 294 ± 122% of control ( P < 0.01), no significant effect was observed in newborn fundic muscle. MCP had no effect on the magnitude of the carbachol-induced and/or bethanechol-induced gastric muscle contraction at any age. In response to dopamine, an 80.7 ± 5.3% relaxation of adult fundic muscle was observed, compared with only a 8.4 ± 8.7% response in newborn tissue ( P < 0.01). Dopamine D2 receptor expression was scant in neonates and significantly increased in adult gastric tissue ( P < 0.01). In conclusion, the lack of MCP effect on the newborn fundic muscle contraction potential relates to developmental differences in dopamine D2 receptor expression. To the extent that these novel data can be extrapolated to neonates, the therapeutic value of MCP as a prokinetic agent early in life requires further evaluation.
A computational model of the response of adherent cells to stretch and changes in substrate stiffness
Authors: Parameswaran Harikrishnan , Lutchen Kenneth R. , Suki Béla
Published: January 2014

Cells in the body exist in a dynamic mechanical environment where they are subject to mechanical stretch as well as changes in composition and stiffness of the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM). However, the underlying mechanisms by which cells sense and adapt to their dynamic mechanical environment, in particular to stretch, are not well understood. In this study, we hypothesized that emergent phenomena at the level of the actin network arising from active structural rearrangements driven by nonmuscle myosin II molecular motors play a major role in the cellular response to both stretch and changes in ECM stiffness. To test this hypothesis, we introduce a simple network model of actin-myosin interactions that links active self-organization of the actin network to the stiffness of the network and the traction forces generated by the network. We demonstrate that such a network replicates not only the effect of changes in substrate stiffness on cellular traction and stiffness and the dependence of rate of force development by a cell on the stiffness of its substrate, but also explains the physical response of adherent cells to transient and cyclic stretch. Our results provide strong indication that network phenomena governed by the active reorganization of the actin-myosin structure plays an important role in cellular mechanosensing and response to both changes in ECM stiffness and externally applied mechanical stretch.
Transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing analysis of rat skeletal muscle feed arteries. II. Impact of exercise training in obesity
Authors: Padilla Jaume , Jenkins Nathan T. , Thorne Pamela K. , Martin Jeffrey S. , Rector R. Scott , Davis J. Wade , Laughlin M. Harold
Published: January 2014

We employed next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology to determine the extent to which exercise training alters global gene expression in skeletal muscle feed arteries and aortic endothelial cells of obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. Transcriptional profiles of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle feed arteries (SFA and GFA, respectively) and aortic endothelial cell-enriched samples from rats that underwent an endurance exercise training program (EndEx; n = 12) or a interval sprint training program (IST; n = 12) or remained sedentary (Sed; n = 12) were examined. In response to EndEx, there were 39 upregulated (e.g., MANF) and 20 downregulated (e.g., ALOX15) genes in SFA and 1 upregulated (i.e., Wisp2) and 1 downregulated (i.e., Crem) gene in GFA [false discovery rate (FDR) < 10%]. In response to IST, there were 305 upregulated (e.g., MANF, HSPA12B) and 324 downregulated genes in SFA and 101 upregulated and 66 downregulated genes in GFA, with an overlap of 32 genes between arteries. Furthermore, in aortic endothelial cells, there were 183 upregulated (e.g., eNOS, SOD-3) and 141 downregulated (e.g., ATF3, Clec1b, npy, leptin) genes with EndEx and 71 upregulated and 69 downregulated genes with IST, with an overlap of 35 between exercise programs. Expression of only two genes (Tubb2b and Slc9a3r2) was altered (i.e., increased) by exercise in all three arteries. The finding that both EndEx and IST produced greater transcriptional changes in the SFA compared with the GFA is intriguing when considering the fact that treadmill bouts of exercise are associated with greater relative increases in blood flow to the gastrocnemius muscle compared with the soleus muscle.
Cutaneous Reactions in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Treated with Peginterferon and Ribavirin
Authors: Patrk Ivana , Morović Miro , Markulin Anamarija , Patrk Jogen
Published: January 2014

Background/Objective: Peginterferon alfa and ribavirin could cause various cutaneous reactions. Treatment-related cutaneous reactions are common, and treatable complications can contribute to the treatment discontinuation. Methods: We performed a 6-year prospective study of cutaneous reactions in 271 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. Results: Cutaneous reactions of mild to moderate degree were seen in 36 (13.3%) patients: localized cutaneous reactions in 7 (2.6%) patients, generalized reactions - pruritus, skin xerosis and eczematous changes - in 28 (10.3%) patients, alopecia in 11 (4.1%) patients; exacerbation of lichen planus was seen in 1 patient. Conclusion: The study showed a relatively low prevalence of cutaneous reactions without the need for discontinuation of any of the drugs used. These reactions correlated only with the age of the patients and treatment duration. This finding is of particular importance with regard to the recently introduced direct-acting antivirals in the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, which can cause a very severe form of cutaneous reactions.
Myeloma in Scar Tissue - An Underreported Phenomenon or an Emerging Entity in the Novel Agents' Era? A Single Center Series
Authors: Muchtar Eli , Raanani Pia , Yeshurun Moshe , Shpilberg Ofer , Magen-Nativ Hila
Published: January 2014

Tumor relapse in scar tissue is uncommon in cancer patients. Likewise, extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) relapse in scar tissue in the setting of multiple myeloma (MM) has been rarely reported. We report a series of 3 patients whose disease progressed as EMP at the site of a wound from previous invasive procedures. All 3 patients were treated for the relapsed disease with different treatment modalities, but failed to respond adequately and died several months after relapse. At original MM diagnosis, all had advanced-stage disease. They were treated with novel agents with or without autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and achieved either a complete or very good partial response. We suggest that these treatments, which have become the standard of care in MM, may permit a predominance of myeloma subclones which are independent of the bone marrow microenvironment. These myeloma subclones then gain a survival advantage in the active scar-tissue niche, allowing for their uncontrolled proliferation. This case series might represent an underreported phenomenon and therefore may indicate an emerging and difficult-to-treat disease in the era of targeted therapies in MM. Physicians treating MM should be aware of this phenomenon, especially when referring their patients for invasive procedures.
Electroencephalographic Upper/Low Alpha Frequency Power Ratio Relates to Cortex Thinning in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Moretti D.V. , Paternicò D. , Binetti G. , Zanetti O. , Frisoni G.B.
Published: January 2014

Objective: Temporoparietal cortex thinning is associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer disease (AD). The increase in EEG upper/low α frequency power ratio has been associated with AD converter MCI subjects. We investigated the association of the EEG upper/low α frequency power ratio with patterns of cortical thickness in MCI. Methods: 74 adult subjects with MCI underwent clinical and neuropsychological evaluation, electroencephalography (EEG) recording and high-resolution 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The EEG upper/low α frequency power ratio as well as cortical thickness were computed for each subject. Three MCI groups were detected according to increasing tertile values of EEG upper/low α frequency power ratios, and the difference of cortical thickness among the groups was estimated. Results: The EEG high upper/low α frequency power ratio group had a total cortical grey matter volume reduction of 471 mm2, greater than that of the EEG low upper/low α frequency power ratio group (p < 0.001). The EEG high upper/low α frequency power ratio group showed a similar but less marked pattern (160 mm2) of cortical thinning when compared to the EEG middle upper/low α frequency power ratio group (p < 0.001). Moreover, the EEG high upper/low α frequency power ratio group had wider cortical thinning than other groups, mapped to the supramarginal gyrus and precuneus bilaterally. No significant regional cortical thickness differences were found between middle and low EEG upper/low α frequency power ratio groups. Conclusion: A high EEG upper/low α frequency power ratio was associated with temporoparietal cortical thinning in MCI subjects. The combination of upper/low α frequency power ratio and cortical thickness measurement could be useful for identifying individuals at risk for progression to AD dementia and may be of value in the clinical context.
Type I Interferon Plays Opposing Roles in Cytotoxicity and Interferon-γ Production by Natural Killer and CD8+ T Cells after Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice
Authors: Arimori Yojiro , Nakamura Risa , Yamada Hisakata , Shibata Kensuke , Maeda Naoyoshi , Kase Tetsuo , Yoshikai Yasunobu
Published: January 2014

Type I interferons (IFNs) promote natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T-cell responses, which play a role not only in the resolution of infection but also in the induction of acute lung injury following influenza A virus infection. We show here that IFN-α receptor knock-out (Ifnar1-/-) mice exhibited impaired cytotoxic activity as well as an increased ability of NK and CD8+ T cells to produce IFN-γ after infection with influenza virus A/FM/1/47 (H1N1, a mouse-adapted strain). A deficiency in IFNAR signaling significantly impaired IL-10 production in influenza virus-infected lungs and enhanced IFN-γ production by NK cells, which were suppressed by exogenous IL-10. Depletion of NK cells but not CD8+ T cells in Ifnar1-/- mice improved the survival rate after A/FM/1/47 infection, indicating that NK cells are responsible for acute lung injury in Ifnar1-/- mice following influenza A virus infection, although the depletion of IFN-γ did not improve the outcome. Thus, type I IFN signaling plays a role not only in the upregulation of cytotoxicity but also in the downregulation of some effector mechanisms including IFN-γ production by NK and CD8+ T cells via IL-10 production.
Update on Key Emerging Challenges in Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Jennings Mark T. , Riekert Kristin A. , Boyle Michael P.
Published: January 2014

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem disease causing severe chronic sinopulmonary disease and loss of pancreatic exocrine function, which affects approximately 70,000 individuals worldwide. New therapeutic developments over the last few decades have resulted in a significant increase in survival, with the median predicted survival now reaching the late thirties and more and more CF patients living well into adulthood. However, with this advent of new therapies and the associated increase in survival, new challenges in CF care have also emerged. Two of these challenges, i.e. chronic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lung infection and patient adherence to very complicated and time-consuming therapeutic regimens, are reviewed in detail here. In addition, the ultimate challenge of treating the underlying cause of CF by correcting the dysfunction of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel is reviewed, as agents to correct channel function will likely significantly alter CF clinical outcomes and treatment approaches in the next decade.
Optimizing Evaluation of Split Renal Function in a Living Kidney Donor Using Scintigraphy and Calculation of the Geometric Mean: A Case Report
Authors: Weinberger S. , Bäder M. , Scheurig-Münkler C. , Hinz S. , Neymeyer J. , Miller K. , Kempkensteffen C.
Published: January 2014

Within the evaluation process of living kidney donors, split renal function is usually evaluated by renal scintigraphy. Since split renal function measured by conventional posterior scans depends on the position of the kidney, actual suitable donors may be rejected because of an inaccurate examination technique. We report the case of a 28-year-old male living kidney donor. Due to a complex vascular anatomy of the right kidney, only his left kidney was considered eligible for transplantation. In conventional posterior Tc99m-mercapto-acetyltriglycine scintigraphy, the left kidney had a relative function of 60%. A second scintigraphy using anterior and posterior dimercaptosuccinic acid scans with calculation of the geometric mean showed an adapted relative function of the left kidney of 53%, now meeting the inclusion criteria for living kidney donation. This case shows that the geometric mean method using simultaneous anterior and posterior views obtained with a dual-head gamma camera can be a very helpful approach to determine split renal function of potential living kidney donors. Further investigation is necessary to prove the benefit of a general bilateral scan before living kidney donation.
Effects of Native and Myeloperoxidase-Modified Apolipoprotein A-I on Reverse Cholesterol Transport and Atherosclerosis in Mice
Authors: Hewing Bernd , Parathath Saj , Barrett Tessa , Chung Wing Ki Kellie , Astudillo Yaritzy M. , Hamada Tadateru , Ramkhelawon Bhama , Tallant Thomas C. , Yusufishaq Mohamed Shaif S. , DiDonato Joseph A. , Huang Ying , Buffa Jennifer , Berisha Stela Z. , Smith Jonathan D. , Hazen Stanley L. , Fisher Edward A.
Published: January 2014

Objective—

Preclinical and clinical studies have shown beneficial effects of infusions of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) on atherosclerosis. ApoA-I is also a target for myeloperoxidase-mediated oxidation, leading in vitro to a loss of its ability to promote ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-dependent macrophage cholesterol efflux. Therefore, we hypothesized that myeloperoxidase-mediated ApoA-I oxidation would impair its promotion of reverse cholesterol transport in vivo and the beneficial effects on atherosclerotic plaques.

Approach and Results—

ApoA-I
−/−
or apolipoprotein E–deficient mice were subcutaneously injected with native human ApoA-I, oxidized human ApoA-I (myeloperoxidase/hydrogen peroxide/chloride treated), or carrier. Although early postinjection (8 hours) levels of total ApoA-I in plasma were similar for native versus oxidized human ApoA-I, native ApoA-I primarily resided within the high-density lipoprotein fraction, whereas the majority of oxidized human ApoA-I was highly cross-linked and not high-density lipoprotein particle associated, consistent with impaired ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 interaction. In ApoA-I
−/−
mice, ApoA-I oxidation significantly impaired reverse cholesterol transport in vivo. In advanced aortic root atherosclerotic plaques of apolipoprotein E–deficient mice, native ApoA-I injections led to significant decreases in lipid content, macrophage number, and an increase in collagen content; in contrast, oxidized human ApoA-I failed to mediate these changes. The decrease in plaque macrophages with native ApoA-I was accompanied by significant induction of their chemokine receptor CCR7. Furthermore, only native ApoA-I injections led to a significant reduction of inflammatory M1 and increase in anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage markers in the plaques.

Conclusions—

Myeloperoxidase-mediated oxidation renders ApoA-I dysfunctional and unable to (1) promote reverse cholesterol transport, (2) mediate beneficial changes in the composition of atherosclerotic plaques, and (3) pacify the inflammatory status of plaque macrophages.
Physiological Correlates of Beat-to-Beat, Ambulatory, and Day-to-Day Home Blood Pressure Variability After Transient Ischemic Attack or Minor Stroke
Authors: Webb Alastair John Stewart , Rothwell Peter Malcolm
Published: January 2014

Background and Purpose—

Visit-to-visit and day-to-day variability in systolic blood pressure (SBP) are associated with an increased risk of stroke, more strongly than variability on 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring, but underlying physiological mechanisms are unclear. We related potentially relevant physiological characteristics to beat-to-beat, ambulatory, and day-to-day BP variability to identify underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Methods—

BP variability (coefficient of variation [CV]) on 1-month home BP monitoring (3 sitting readings, 3× daily), on 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring, and on 5-minute beat-to-beat monitoring was related to BP reactivity (to mental arithmetic), arterial aging (aortic stiffness: carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity; aortic pulsatility), heart rate variability (CV of normal-to-normal R-R interval), and orthostatic responses.

Results—

In 223 patients within 6 weeks of a transient ischemic attack or minor stroke, beat-to-beat and home SBP-CVs were associated with response to arithmetic (beat-to-beat odds ratio per SD=1.64;
P
<0.0001 and home BP monitoring, 1.41;
P
=0.025), aortic stiffness (1.84;
P
<0.0001 and 1.31;
P
=0.04), aortic pulsatility (1.98;
P
<0.0001 and 1.61;
P
<0.0001), and heart rate variability–CV of normal-to-normal R-R interval (1.34;
P
=0.03 and 1.35;
P
=0.03), independently of age, sex, and aortic BP. Orthostatic BP changes were associated only with SBP-CV on home BP monitoring (0.62;
P
=0.002). In contrast, no physiological measures were associated with within-day BP variability on awake ambulatory BP monitoring except response to mental arithmetic (1.40;
P
=0.01).

Conclusions—

Beat-to-beat and day-to-day SBP variability, but not variability on ambulatory BP monitoring, had similar physiological correlates, suggesting common underlying mechanisms and identifying potentially treatable targets that may be responsible for the relationship between SBP variability and stroke risk.
Dianthus pseudocrinitus (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Northeast of Iran identified by morphological and molecular data
Authors: Vaezi Jamil , Behroozian Maryam , Memariani Farshid , Joharchi Mohammad Reza
Published: January 2014

A new species from southwest of Bojnord, NE of Iran is described and illustrated here as Dianthus pseudocrinitus (Caryophyllaceae). This species is morphologically similar to D. crinitus subsp. turcomanicus, but can be distinguished from the latter by bract number, width of lower and upper leaves, margin of thickness of outermost bracts, length of calyx, length and width of anther, branches of stem, type of sheath of lower leaf, and tip shape of petal fimbria. The new species is also similar to D. orientalis subsp. stenocalyx in terms of floral characters, but they differ by several non- overlapping morphological characters. Results obtained from the morphological data are consistent with those obtained from the molecular phylogenetic trees based on sequences of the two copies of DFR1 gene, confirming phylogenetic affinity of the new species to D. crinitus subsp. turcomanicus.
Two new species of the genus Timia (Diptera: Ulidiidae) with a key to species with microtrichose black scutellum
Authors: GALINSKAYA TATIANA V.
Published: January 2014

Two new species of Timia are described and figured. Timia (Empyelocera) altaica Galinskaya sp. nov. from Altai (Russia), Timia (Empyelocera) mokhnata Galinskaya sp. nov. from Eastern Pamir (Tajikistan) and T. (E.) nigrimana (Loew, 1866) differ from all other species of Timia in having scutellum flattened superiorly, microtrichose only superiorly; anepisternum shining along the whole surface, without microtrichosity; wing entirely transparent, without spots. Timia (Empyelocera) altaica Galinskaya sp. nov. differs from both of them by the posteroapical extension of cell bcu short, 0.8 times as long as transverse section of vein Cu2. Timia (Empyelocera) mokhnata Galinskaya sp. nov. is similar to T. (E.) nigrimana (Loew, 1866) in having posteroapical extension of cell bcu long, more than 2 times as long as transverse section of vein Cu2 ; the new species differs by the frons, scutum and pleura with long (about 0.6–0.8 times as long as setae) hairs; the orbit of frons with whitish microtrichose triangular spot at its anterior margin. A key to the five species with black microtrichose scutellum, descriptions and illustrations are provided.
Interaction of factor XIII subunits
Authors: Katona Éva , Pénzes Krisztina , Csapó Andrea , Fazakas Ferenc , Udvardy Miklós L. , Bagoly Zsuzsa , Orosz Zsuzsanna Z. , Muszbek László
Published: January 2014

Key Points

The Kd for the association of FXIII subunits is in the range of 10−10 M, and in plasma approximately 1% of FXIII-A2 exists in free form. The binding site for FXIII-A is located within the 2 N-terminal sushi domains of FXIII-B.
Cataract subtype risk factors identified from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination survey 2008–2010
Authors: Rim Tyler Hyung Taek , Kim Min-hyung , Kim Woon Cho , Kim Tae-Im , Kim Eung Kweon
Published: January 2014

Background

To assess the socio-demographic and health-related risk factors associated with cataract subtypes in Korea.

Methods

A total of 11,591 participants (aged ≥40 years) were selected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2008 and 2010. The Korean Ophthalmologic Society conducted detailed ophthalmologic examinations on these participants based on the Lens Opacity Classification System III. Risk factors for developing any type of cataract, and its subtypes (nuclear, cortical, posterior subcapsular and mixed), were identified from univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of cataracts was 40.1% (95% CI, 37.8 − 42.3%) in participants over 40 years old. Older age, lower monthly household income, lower education, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) were independent risk factors for development of any cataract. Older age, lower monthly household income, lower education, hypercholesterolemia, and DM were independent risk factors for development of pure cortical cataracts. Older age, lower education, metabolic syndrome, and DM were independent risk factors for development of pure nuclear cataracts. Older age and DM were independent risk factors for development of pure posterior subcapsular cataracts. Older age, lower monthly household income, lower education, and DM were independent risk factors for development of mixed cataracts.

Conclusion

Although socioeconomic disparities are related to cataract development, this study identified several “modifiable” risk factors that may help to lower the incidence of cataracts and associated vision loss. Improved control of blood pressure, blood, glucose, and cholesterol may help to reduce the incidence of cataracts in the general Korean population.
Risk factors of postoperative recurrences in patients with clinical stage I NSCLC
Authors: Chen Ying-Yi , Huang Tsai-Wang , Tsai Wen-Chiuan , Lin Li-Fan , Cheng Jian-Bo , Chang Hung , Lee Shih-Chun
Published: January 2014

Background

Despite advances in radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and newly developed molecular targeting therapies, long-term survival after resection for patients with NSCLC remains less than 50%. We investigated factors predicting postoperative locoregional recurrences and distant metastases in patients with clinical stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgical resection.

Methods

All patients with clinical stage I NSCLC, who underwent surgical resection between January 2002 and June 2006, were reviewed retrospectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for patients with locoregional recurrences and distant metastases.

Results

A total of 261 patients were eligible. Overall survival was significant related to locoregional recurrences (P = 0.03) and distant metastases (P <0.001). There were significant differences of locoregional recurrence in tumor differentiation (P = 0.032) and advanced pathological stage (P = 0.002). In the group of distant metastases, there were significant differences in tumor differentiation (P = 0.035), lymphovascular space invasion (P = 0.031). Among the relationship between pattern of distant metastasis and clinicopathologic variables in patients with clinical stage I NSCLC, SUVmax (P = 0.02) and tumor size (P = 0.001) had significant differences. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, tumor differentiation is the only risk factor of postoperative outcome for locoregional recurrence and serum CEA (>3.5 ng/mL) is the predictor of distant metastasis.

Conclusions

Tumor differentiation and serum CEA were predictors of postoperative relapse for clinical stage I NSCLC after surgical resection. Risk factors of postoperative recurrence in patients with clinical stage I NSCLC may enable us to optimize the patient selection for postoperative adjuvant therapies or neoadjuvant treatment before surgery.
A maskless synthesis of TiO2-nanofiber-based hierarchical structures for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells with improved performance
Authors: Sabba Dharani , Agarwala Shweta , Pramana Stevin S , Mhaisalkar Subodh
Published: January 2014

TiO2 hierarchical nanostructures with secondary growth have been successfully synthesized on electrospun nanofibers via surfactant-free hydrothermal route. The effect of hydrothermal reaction time on the secondary nanostructures has been studied. The synthesized nanostructures comprise electrospun nanofibers which are polycrystalline with anatase phase and have single crystalline, rutile TiO2 nanorod-like structures growing on them. These secondary nanostructures have a preferential growth direction [110]. UV–vis spectroscopy measurements point to better dye loading capability and incident photon to current conversion efficiency spectra show enhanced light harvesting of the synthesized hierarchical structures. Concomitantly, the dye molecules act as spacers between the conduction band electrons of TiO2 and holes in the hole transporting medium, i.e., spiro-OMeTAD and thus enhance open circuit voltage. The charge transport and recombination effects are characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. As a result of improved light harvesting, dye loading, and reduced recombination losses, the hierarchical nanofibers yield 2.14% electrochemical conversion efficiency which is 50% higher than the efficiency obtained by plain nanofibers.
The apparency hypothesis applied to a local pharmacopoeia in the Brazilian northeast
Authors: Lozano Alejandro , Araújo Elcida Lima , Medeiros Maria Franco Trindade , Albuquerque Ulysses Paulino
Published: January 2014

Background

Data from an ethnobotanical study were analyzed to see if they were in agreement with the biochemical basis of the apparency hypothesis based on an analysis of a pharmacopeia in a rural community adjacent to the Araripe National Forest (Floresta Nacional do Araripe - FLONA) in northeastern Brazil. The apparency hypothesis considers two groups of plants, apparent and non-apparent, that are characterized by conspicuity for herbivores (humans) and their chemical defenses.

Methods

This study involved 153 interviewees and used semi-structured interviews. The plants were grouped by habit and lignification to evaluate the behavior of these categories in terms of ethnospecies richness, use value and practical and commercial importance. Information about sites for collecting medicinal plants was also obtained. The salience of the ethnospecies was calculated. G-tests were used to test for differences in ethnospecies richness among collection sites and the Kruskal-Wallis test to identify differences in the use values of plants depending on habit and lignifications (e.g. plants were classes as woody or non-woody, the first group comprising trees, shrubs, and lignified climbers (vines) and the latter group comprising herbs and non-lignified climbers). Spearman’s correlation test was performed to relate salience to use value and these two factors with the commercial value of the plants.

Results

A total of 222 medicinal plants were cited. Herbaceous and woody plants exhibited the highest ethnospecies richness, the non-woody and herbaceous plants had the most practical value (current use), and anthropogenic areas were the main sources of woody and non-woody medicinal plants; herbs and trees were equally versatile in treating diseases and did not differ with regard to use value. Trees were highlighted as the most commercially important growth habit.

Conclusions

From the perspective of its biochemical fundamentals, the apparency hypothesis does not have predictive potential to explain the use value and commercial value of medicinal plants. In other hand, the herbaceous habit showed the highest ethnospecies richness in the community pharmacopeia, which is an expected prediction, corroborating the apparency hypothesis.
Local and scientific knowledge for assessing the use of fallows and mature forest by large mammals in SE Brazil: identifying singularities in folkecology
Authors: Prado Helbert Medeiros , Murrieta Rui Sérgio Sereni , Adams Cristina , Brondizio Eduardo Sonnewend
Published: January 2014

Background

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) has been discussed in terms of its similarities to and its potential to complement normative scientific knowledge. In this study, we compared the knowledge of a Brazilian quilombola population regarding the habitat use and life habits of large mammals with in situ recordings of the species. We also tested the hypothesis that quilombola LEK has a special focus on the anthropogenic portion of the landscape.

Methods

The habitats investigated were anthropogenic secondary forests and mature forests in the southeastern Atlantic coast of Brazil. We conducted the faunal survey using the camera-trap method. The sampling effort consisted of deploying 1,217 cameras/day in the mature forests and 1,189 cameras/day in the secondary forests. Statistical comparisons regarding the habitat use of the species were based on the randomization procedure. We interviewed 36 men who were more than 40 years old in the three communities studied. Informal, semi-structured and structured interviews were used. Two variables were considered in the LEK analyses: level of internal agreement and level of convergence with the scientific data.

Results

The camera trap sampling resulted in a total of 981 records. Animals such as opossums, tayras, armadillos and deer showed a non-selective pattern in the use of habitats. In contrast, the coati was more common in mature forests. We found that nearly 40% of the interviewees’ responses converged with the scientific data on the use of habitats. However, the LEK on the species’ life habits was highly convergent with the scientific data. The hypothesis that secondary forests would have a greater relevance for local knowledge was validated for four of the five analyzed species.

Conclusions

We suggest two principal considerations of ecological and ethnoecological interest: (1) In the Atlantic Forest of the Ribeira Valley, the secondary forests resulting from shifting cultivation were as attractive to the species as the mature forests; (2) The LEK has a special focus on the more anthropogenic portion of the landscape studied. Finally, we argue that this environmental focus in LEK is part of what makes it different from scientific knowledge and unique in its approach toward local environments.
Identification of conserved RNA secondary structures at influenza B and C splice sites reveals similarities and differences between influenza A, B, and C
Authors: Dela-Moss Lumbini I , Moss Walter N , Turner Douglas H
Published: January 2014

Background

Influenza B and C are single-stranded RNA viruses that cause yearly epidemics and infections. Knowledge of RNA secondary structure generated by influenza B and C will be helpful in further understanding the role of RNA structure in the progression of influenza infection.

Findings

All available protein-coding sequences for influenza B and C were analyzed for regions with high potential for functional RNA secondary structure. On the basis of conserved RNA secondary structure with predicted high thermodynamic stability, putative structures were identified that contain splice sites in segment 8 of influenza B and segments 6 and 7 of influenza C. The sequence in segment 6 also contains three unused AUG start codon sites that are sequestered within a hairpin structure.

Conclusions

When added to previous studies on influenza A, the results suggest that influenza splicing may share common structural strategies for regulation of splicing. In particular, influenza 3′ splice sites are predicted to form secondary structures that can switch conformation to regulate splicing. Thus, these RNA structures present attractive targets for therapeutics aimed at targeting one or the other conformation.
The languages of health in general practice electronic patient records: a Zipf’s law analysis
Authors: Kalankesh Leila R , New John P , Baker Patricia G , Brass Andy
Published: January 2014

Background

Natural human languages show a power law behaviour in which word frequency (in any large enough corpus) is inversely proportional to word rank - Zipf’s law. We have therefore asked whether similar power law behaviours could be seen in data from electronic patient records.

Results

In order to examine this question, anonymised data were obtained from all general practices in Salford covering a seven year period and captured in the form of Read codes. It was found that data for patient diagnoses and procedures followed Zipf’s law. However, the medication data behaved very differently, looking much more like a referential index. We also observed differences in the statistical behaviour of the language used to describe patient diagnosis as a function of an anonymised GP practice identifier.

Conclusions

This works demonstrate that data from electronic patient records does follow Zipf’s law. We also found significant differences in Zipf’s law behaviour in data from different GP practices. This suggests that computational linguistic techniques could become a useful additional tool to help understand and monitor the data quality of health records.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of surface nanoarchitecture from two-dimensional datasets
Authors: Boshkovikj Veselin , Webb Hayden K , Pham Vy T H , Fluke Christopher J , Crawford Russell J , Ivanova Elena P
Published: January 2014

The design of biomaterial surfaces relies heavily on the ability to accurately measure and visualize the three-dimensional surface nanoarchitecture of substrata. Here, we present a technique for producing three-dimensional surface models using displacement maps that are based on the data obtained from two-dimensional analyses. This technique is particularly useful when applied to scanning electron micrographs that have been calibrated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) roughness data. The evaluation of four different surface types, including thin titanium films, silicon wafers, polystyrene cell culture dishes and dragonfly wings confirmed that this technique is particularly effective for the visualization of conductive surfaces such as metallic titanium. The technique is particularly useful for visualizing surfaces that cannot be easily analyzed using AFM. The speed and ease with which electron micrographs can be recorded, combined with a relatively simple process for generating displacement maps, make this technique useful for the assessment of the surface topography of biomaterials.
Tumor phenotype and breast density in distinct categories of interval cancer: results of population-based mammography screening in Spain
Authors: Domingo Laia , Salas Dolores , Zubizarreta Raquel , Baré Marisa , Sarriugarte Garbiñe , Barata Teresa , Ibáñez Josefa , Blanch Jordi , Puig-Vives Montserrat , Fernández Ana Belén , Castells Xavier , Sala Maria
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Interval cancers are tumors arising after a negative screening episode and before the next screening invitation. They can be classified into true interval cancers, false-negatives, minimal-sign cancers, and occult tumors based on mammographic findings in screening and diagnostic mammograms. This study aimed to describe tumor-related characteristics and the association of breast density and tumor phenotype within four interval cancer categories.

Methods

We included 2,245 invasive tumors (1,297 screening-detected and 948 interval cancers) diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 among 645,764 women aged 45 to 69 who underwent biennial screening in Spain. Interval cancers were classified by a semi-informed retrospective review into true interval cancers (n = 455), false-negatives (n = 224), minimal-sign (n = 166), and occult tumors (n = 103). Breast density was evaluated using Boyd’s scale and was conflated into: <25%; 25 to 50%; 50 to 75%; >75%. Tumor-related information was obtained from cancer registries and clinical records. Tumor phenotype was defined as follows: luminal A: ER+/HER2- or PR+/HER2-; luminal B: ER+/HER2+ or PR+/HER2+; HER2: ER-/PR-/HER2+; triple-negative: ER-/PR-/HER2-. The association of tumor phenotype and breast density was assessed using a multinomial logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. All statistical tests were two-sided.

Results

Forty-eight percent of interval cancers were true interval cancers and 23.6% false-negatives. True interval cancers were associated with HER2 and triple-negative phenotypes (OR = 1.91 (95% CI:1.22-2.96), OR = 2.07 (95% CI:1.42-3.01), respectively) and extremely dense breasts (>75%) (OR = 1.67 (95% CI:1.08-2.56)). However, among true interval cancers a higher proportion of triple-negative tumors was observed in predominantly fatty breasts (<25%) than in denser breasts (28.7%, 21.4%, 11.3% and 14.3%, respectively; <0.001). False-negatives and occult tumors had similar phenotypic characteristics to screening-detected cancers, extreme breast density being strongly associated with occult tumors (OR = 6.23 (95% CI:2.65-14.66)). Minimal-sign cancers were biologically close to true interval cancers but showed no association with breast density.

Conclusions

Our findings revealed that both the distribution of tumor phenotype and breast density play specific and independent roles in each category of interval cancer. Further research is needed to understand the biological basis of the overrepresentation of triple-negative phenotype among predominantly fatty breasts in true interval cancers.
Markov Processes with Restart
Authors: Avrachenkov Konstantin , Piunovskiy Alexey , Zhang Yi
Published: January 2014

We consider a general homogeneous continuous-time Markov process with restarts. The process is forced to restart from a given distribution at time moments generated by an independent Poisson process. The motivation to study such processes comes from modeling human and animal mobility patterns, restart processes in communication protocols, and from application of restarting random walks in information retrieval. We provide a connection between the transition probability functions of the original Markov process and the modified process with restarts. We give closed-form expressions for the invariant probability measure of the modified process. When the process evolves on the Euclidean space, there is also a closed-form expression for the moments of the modified process. We show that the modified process is always positive Harris recurrent and exponentially ergodic with the index equal to (or greater than) the rate of restarts. Finally, we illustrate the general results by the standard and geometric Brownian motions.
Fractional Moments of Solutions to Stochastic Recurrence Equations
Authors: Mikosch Thomas , Samorodnitsky Gennady , Tafakori Laleh
Published: January 2014

In this paper we study the fractional moments of the stationary solution to the stochastic recurrence equationXt=AtXt−1+Bt,t∈Z, where ((At,Bt))t∈Zis an independent and identically distributed bivariate sequence. We derive recursive formulae for the fractional moments E|X0|p,p∈R. Special attention is given to the case whenBthas an Erlang distribution. We provide various approximations to the moments E|X0|pand show their performance in a small numerical study.
Optimal Coadapted Coupling for a Random Walk on the Hyper-Complete Graph
Authors: Connor Stephen
Published: January 2014

The problem of constructing an optimal coadapted coupling for a pair of symmetric random walks onZ2dwas considered by Connor and Jacka (2008), and the existence of a coupling which is stochastically fastest in the class of all such coadapted couplings was demonstrated. In this paper we show how to generalise this construction to an optimal coadapted coupling for the continuous-time symmetric random walk onKnd, whereKnis the complete graph withnvertices. Moreover, we show that although this coupling is not maximal for anyn(i.e. it does not achieve equality in the coupling inequality), it does tend to a maximal coupling asn→ ∞.