bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Longitudinal Study of Survival in Belgian Shepherds with Genetic Epilepsy
Authors: Gulløv C.H. , Toft N. , Berendt M.
Published: August 2012

Background

Belgian Shepherds have focal genetic epilepsy. The prevalence of epilepsy has been estimated as 9.5% in the breed and as 33% in the family investigated. Dogs with epilepsy might have an increased risk of premature death.

Objective/Hypothesis

To investigate survival and selected risk factors for premature death in a Belgian Shepherd family with genetic epilepsy.

Animals

One hundred ninety‐nine related Belgian Shepherds.

Methods

Longitudinal observational study, 2009–2011. Follow‐up telephone interviews were all conducted using a structured questionnaire addressing epilepsy, including seizure history and phenomenology, possible remission, possible death, and cause of death.

Results

The life span of epileptic dogs was not significantly shortened by the presence of epilepsy (P = .87). Epilepsy was the predominant cause of death in the population (19/75 = 25%) and epilepsy‐related deaths accounted for 70% (19/27) of all deaths in the group of dogs with epilepsy. Two probable sudden unexpected deaths related to epilepsy occurred in dogs with generalized seizures. Cluster seizures occurred in 33% (17/51) but did not significantly influence the life span of epileptic dogs. Dogs with epilepsy had an epilepsy remission proportion of 13.7%.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

The Belgian Shepherds investigated in the present study display a focal genetic epilepsy with an overall benign course. The life span was not significantly affected by the presence of epilepsy.
Numerical Analysis of External Gear Pumps Including Cavitation
Authors: del Campo D. , Castilla R. , Raush G. A. , Gamez Montero P. J. , Codina E.
Published: August 2012

Hydraulic machines are faced with increasingly severe performance requirements. The need to design smaller and more powerful machines rotating at higher speeds in order to provide increasing efficiencies has to face a major limitation: cavitation. The problem is inherently three-dimensional, due to the axial clearances, the relief and circumferential grooves, and to the circular pipes through which the fluid enters and exits the pump. A simplified two-dimensional numerical approach by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been developed for studying the effect of cavitation in the volumetric efficiency of external gear pumps. The assumptions employed prevent from predicting realistic values of the volumetric efficiency, but show to be valid to understand the complex flow patterns that take place inside the pump and to study the influence of cavitation on volumetric efficiency. A method for simulating the contact between solid boundaries by imposing changes in viscosity has been developed. Experiments of unsteady cavitation in water and oil performed by other authors have been numerically reproduced using different cavitation models in order to select the most appropriate one and to adjust its parameters. The influence of the rotational speed of the pump has been analyzed. Cavitation in the suction chamber very effectively damps the water hammer associated to the sudden change of the contact point position at the end of the gearing cycle. At high rotational speeds, the volume of air becomes more stable, reducing the flow irregularity. When cavitation takes place at the meshing region downstream from the contact point, the volume of air that appears acts as a virtual second contact point, increasing the volumetric efficiency of the pump.
Investigation of Dam-Break Flow Over Abruptly Contracting Channel With Trapezoidal-Shaped Lateral Obstacles
Authors: Ozmen-Cagatay Hatice , Kocaman Selahattin
Published: August 2012

The present paper aims to investigate the dam-break flow over dry channel with an abrupt contracting part in certain downstream section. A new experiment was carried out in a smooth-prismatic channel with rectangular cross section and horizontal bed. A digital imaging technique was adopted for flow measurement and thus flood wave propagation was sensitively obtained. Synchronous filmed images of the dam-break flow were nonintrusively acquired with three cameras, through glass sidewalls of the channel. Free surface profiles and time evolution of water levels were derived directly from the recorded video images using virtual wave probe without disturbing the flow. Furthermore, the present study highlights the formation and propagation of the negative bore due to abruptly contracting channel. The measured results were compared with the numerical solution of Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with k-ε turbulence model and good agreement was achieved. New experimental data can be useful for scientific community to validate numerical models.
Coherence length as a figure of merit in multireference near-field acoustical holography
Authors: Wall Alan T. , Gardner Michael D. , Gee Kent L. , Neilsen Tracianne B.
Published: August 2012

Multireference partial field decomposition (PFD) can be used to generate coherent holograms for near-field acoustical holography measurements. PFD is most successful when the reference array completely senses all independent subsources, but meeting this requirement is not straightforward when the number of subsources and their locations are ambiguous (such as in aeroacoustic sources). A figure of merit based on spatial coherence lengths, called references per coherence length (RPLC), is a useful metric to guide inter-reference spacing in the array design. For numerical, extended, arbitrarily coherent sources one reference per coherence length results in a sufficient reference array.
Recycling of the #5 Polymer
Authors: Xanthos Marino
Published: August 2012

Polypropylene (PP) is a widely used plastic with consumer applications ranging from food packaging to automotive parts, including car battery casings. To differentiate it from other recyclable plastics, it is designated as #5. Here, the factors contributing to PP recycling rates are briefly reviewed. Considerations include collection and separation efficiency, processing chemistry, and market dynamics for the products derived from recyclates.
Response to Comment on “Impaired Respiratory and Body Temperature Control Upon Acute Serotonergic Neuron Inhibition”
Authors: Dymecki Susan M. , Ray Russell R. , Brust Rachael D. , Corcoran Andrea E. , Kim Jun Chul , Richerson George B. , Nattie Eugene
Published: August 2012

Löffler
et al
. highlight the important potential of designer receptors exclusively activated by a designer drug (DREADD)–based technologies to study cell type–specific functions but cautions that the triggering DREADD ligand, clozapine-
N
-oxide (CNO) might, through potential conversion products, have bioactivity outside of the synthetic DREADD receptor system and maintains that Ray
et al
. did not control for such activity. We recount controls used in our work that indicated no discernible DREADD-independent effects of CNO on the homeostatic assays employed and discuss in this regard murine studies reporting CNO bioneutrality in other assays, the rapid renal clearance of N-oxides like CNO, and evidence of negligible conversion to clozapine (CN) in mice and rats.
A Different Angle on Light Communications
Authors: Willner Alan E. , Wang Jian , Huang Hao
Published: August 2012

Can “twisted” light beams enhance optical communication systems?
Elinor Ostrom (1933–2012)
Authors: Wilson Rick K.
Published: August 2012

The only woman to win the Nobel Prize in economics studied the problem of the “tragedy of the commons” for the betterment of mankind.
Congress Ready to Extend Budget at Current Levels
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: August 2012

U.S. government agencies waiting to know how much money they can spend in the fiscal year that begins in October got the word last week from Congress: We'll get back to you next spring.
Scientists Sue to Halt Financial Disclosure Rule
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: August 2012

Outraged over what they see as an illegal invasion of privacy, researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and NASA have joined a lawsuit to block a provision in the Stock Act.
With Eye to Innovation, China Revamps Its Universities
Authors: Xin Hao
Published: August 2012

A private liberal arts college in Tianjin, China, hopes to begin enrollment in the fall of 2013. Students will live in Oxford-style residential colleges, attend small classes, and participate in self-organized activities.
A New Face Reveals Multiple Lineages Alive at the Dawn of Our Genus
Homo
Authors: Gibbons Ann
Published: August 2012

After 40 years of searching, an international team of researchers has found fossils of a face and two jawbones that they say belong to the same species as the mysterious skull of
Homo rudolfensis
.
Neandertal Champion Defends the Reputation of Our Closest Cousins
Authors: Balter Michael
Published: August 2012

Archaeologist João Zilhão and his critics trade charges over who truly invented artifacts at European sites—and whether Neandertals were “modern.”
Garbology 101: Getting a Grip on Waste
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: August 2012

Most people choose to ignore it, but managing waste is a pressing and contentious issue that is prompting a closer look at what we throw away—and where it ends up.
A Better Way to Denitrify Wastewater
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth
Published: August 2012

Anammox bacteria, which convert ammonia into nitrogen gas in the absence of oxygen, could dramatically improve methods of removing ammonia from wastewater streams.
Getting Minds Out of the Sewer
Authors: Miller Greg
Published: August 2012

The aversion to excrement, which is deeply rooted in the human psyche, gets in the way of sensible solutions to recycling wastewater.
Serum IgM Antibodies Contribute to High Levels of Opsonophagocytic Activities in Toddlers Immunized with a Single Dose of the 9-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Authors: Simell Birgit , Nurkka Anu , Ekström Nina , Givon-Lavi Noga , Käyhty Helena , Dagan Ron
Published: August 2012

In immunogenicity trials of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), only IgG antibody concentrations to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PPSs) are usually determined, along with the opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) of antipneumococcal antibodies. We aimed to determine the role of both IgG and IgM in OPA in toddlers receiving one dose of 9-valent PCV (PCV9). The IgG and IgM antibody concentrations to PPSs of serotypes 6A, 9V, 14, 19F, and 23F were measured by enzyme immunoassay in sera from toddlers (ages 18 to 35 months) 1 month after a single PCV9 dose. The OPA for the same serotypes was measured by multiplexed opsonophagocytosis assay (MOPA). Further, IgG and IgM concentrations and MOPA were measured to PPS of serotypes 6A, 14, and 19F in sera collected 12 months after vaccination. The detected MOPA titers were high in comparison to the IgG concentrations 1 month after immunization. The IgM concentrations were higher than IgG concentrations for serotypes 6A and 14 (P< 0.001) and as high as IgG for serotypes 9V, 19F, and 23F. Correlation of the IgM antibody concentrations with MOPA (r= 0.35 to 0.65) was stronger compared to that of the IgG antibodies (r= 0.07 to 0.41). The depletion of IgG antibodies in three sets of pooled sera only slightly decreased the OPA activity against serotype 14. At 12 months after immunization, 50 to 100% of serum samples still showed detectable MOPA activity against serotypes 6A, 14, and 19F. Our results suggest that IgM contributes to OPA 1 month after a single PCV9 vaccination in toddlers and that functionally active IgM and IgG antibodies persist for at least a year.
Cooperative Role of Antibodies against Heat-Labile Toxin and the EtpA Adhesin in Preventing Toxin Delivery and Intestinal Colonization by Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Roy Koushik , Hamilton David J. , Fleckenstein James M.
Published: August 2012

EnterotoxigenicEscherichia coli(ETEC) is an important cause of diarrheal disease in developing countries, where it is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. Vaccine development for ETEC has been hindered by the heterogeneity of known molecular targets and the lack of broad-based sustained protection afforded by existing vaccine strategies. In an effort to explore the potential role of novel antigens in ETEC vaccines, we examined the ability of antibodies directed against the ETEC heat-labile toxin (LT) and the recently described EtpA adhesin to prevent intestinal colonizationin vivoand toxin delivery to epithelial cellsin vitro. We demonstrate that EtpA is required for the optimal delivery of LT and that antibodies against this adhesin play at least an additive role in preventing delivery of LT to target intestinal cells when combined with antibodies against either the A or B subunits of the toxin. Moreover, vaccination with a combination of LT and EtpA significantly impaired intestinal colonization. Together, these results suggest that the incorporation of recently identified molecules such as EtpA could be used to enhance current approaches to ETEC vaccine development.
Treatment with the Interleukin-17A-Blocking Antibody Secukinumab Does Not Interfere with the Efficacy of Influenza and Meningococcal Vaccinations in Healthy Subjects: Results of an Open-Label, Parallel-Group, Randomized Single-Center Study
Authors: Chioato A. , Noseda E. , Stevens M. , Gaitatzis N. , Kleinschmidt A. , Picaud H.
Published: August 2012

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of influenza and meningococcal vaccinations in healthy subjects exposed to the anti-interleukin-17A (IL-17A) monoclonal antibody (MAb) secukinumab. We used an open-label, parallel-group, randomized single-center study of 50 healthy subjects. Subjects received a single 150-mg dose of secukinumab or no treatment, followed by vaccination with inactivated trivalent subunit influenza virus and conjugate group C meningococcal vaccine (Agrippal and Menjugate, respectively) 2 weeks later. Primary efficacy variables were responses of ≥4-fold increases in antibody titer (hemagglutination inhibition [HI; for influenza virus] and serum bactericidal assay [SBA; for
Neisseria meningitides
]) for meningococcus and influenza (at least two out of three serotypes), both at 4 weeks postvaccination. All subjects randomized to secukinumab (
n
= 25) or the control (
n
= 25) completed the study. Antibody responses to vaccinations measured at 4 weeks were comparable in both groups, with ≥4-fold increased responses following influenza virus vaccination of 20/25 (80%) for both groups and following meningococcal vaccination of 19/25 (76%) for the secukinumab group and 18/25 (72%) for the control group. Differences between groups were 0% (90% confidence intervals [CI], 19 and 19%) and 4% (90% CI, 16 and 24%) for influenza virus and meningococcal vaccines, respectively. Antibody responses were comparable between the 2 groups at different time points. Headache was the most frequently reported adverse effect. No deaths or serious adverse events were reported. Blockade of IL-17A by secukinumab does not appear to interfere with efficacy of influenza and meningococcal vaccinations, as assessed by the achievement of protective antibody levels. A protective (≥4-fold) immune response to both vaccinations at 4 weeks was achieved in 80 and 76% of subjects exposed to secukinumab and the control, respectively.
Enrichment of Multilocus Sequence Typing Clade 1 with Oral Candida albicans Isolates in Patients with Untreated Periodontitis
Authors: McManus Brenda A. , Maguire Rory , Cashin Phillipa J. , Claffey Noel , Flint Stephen , Abdulrahim Mohammed H. , Coleman David C.
Published: August 2012

This study investigated the prevalence and cell density of
Candida
species in periodontal pockets, healthy subgingival sites, and oral rinse samples of patients with untreated periodontitis. Twenty-one periodontitis patients underwent sampling at two periodontitis sites, and 19/21 of these patients underwent sampling at one periodontally healthy site. Both paper point and curette sampling techniques were employed. The periodontitis patients and 50 healthy subjects were also sampled by oral rinse.
Candida
isolates were recovered on CHROMagar Candida medium, and representative isolates were identified.
Candida
spp. were recovered from 10/21 (46.7%) periodontitis patients and from 16/50 (32%) healthy subjects.
C. albicans
predominated in both groups and was recovered from all
Candida
-positive subjects.
Candida
-positive periodontitis patients yielded
Candida
from periodontal pockets with average densities of 3,528 and 3,910 CFU/sample from curette and paper point samples, respectively, and 1,536 CFU/ml from oral rinse samples. The majority (18/19) of the healthy sites sampled from periodontitis patients were
Candida
negative. The 16
Candida
-positive healthy subjects yielded an average of 279 CFU/ml from oral rinse samples.
C. albicans
isolates were investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to determine if specific clonal groups were associated with periodontitis. MLST analysis of 31
C. albicans
isolates from periodontitis patients yielded 19 sequence types (STs), 13 of which were novel. Eleven STs belonged to MLST clade 1. In contrast, 16
C. albicans
isolates from separate healthy subjects belonged to 16 STs, with 4 isolates belonging to clade 1. The distributions of STs between both groups were significantly different (
P
= 0.04) and indicated an enrichment of
C. albicans
isolates in periodontal pockets, which warrants a larger study.
RNase L Triggers Autophagy in Response to Viral Infections
Authors: Chakrabarti Arindam , Ghosh Prabar Kumar , Banerjee Shuvojit , Gaughan Christina , Silverman Robert H.
Published: August 2012

Autophagy is a programmed homeostatic response to diverse types of cellular stress that disposes of long-lived proteins, organelles, and invading microbes within double-membraned structures called autophagosomes. The 2′,5′-oligoadenylate/RNase L system is a virus-activated host RNase pathway that disposes of or processes viral and cellular single-stranded RNAs. Here we report that activation of RNase L during viral infections induces autophagy. Accordingly, infections with encephalomyocarditis virus or vesicular stomatitis virus led to higher levels of autophagy in wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) than in RNase L-null MEF. Similarly, direct activation of RNase L with a 2′,5′-oligoadenylate resulted in p62(SQSTM1) degradation, LC3BI/LC3BII conversion, and appearance of autophagosomes. To determine the effect of RNase L-mediated autophagy on viral replication, we compared viral yields in wild-type and RNase L-null MEF in the absence or presence of either chemical inhibitors of autophagy (bafilomycin A1 or 3-methyladenine) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) against ATG5 or beclin-1. At a low multiplicity of infection, induction of autophagy by RNase L during the initial cycle of virus growth contributed to the suppression of virus replication. However, in subsequent rounds of infection, autophagy promoted viral replication, reducing the antiviral effect of RNase L. Our results indicate a novel function of RNase L as an inducer of autophagy that affects viral yields.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Variant Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) Strain: Evidence for Recombination between Vaccine and Wild-Type PRRSV Strains
Authors: Wenhui Lu , Zhongyan Wei , Guanqun Zhang , Zhili Li , JingYun Ma , Qingmei Xie , Baoli Sun , Yingzuo Bi
Published: August 2012

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the etiologic agent of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which can evolve continuously by random mutation or intragenic recombination. Here we report the complete genomic sequence of a PRRSV variant with nucleotide acid deletions and insertions in the nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) gene and a possible recombination event between a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine strain and a prototype Chinese field strain.
Complete Genome Sequence of Porcine Circovirus 2b Strain CC1
Authors: Yang Xin , Chen Fuwang , Cao Yuhang , Pang Daxing , Ouyang Hongsheng , Ren Linzhu
Published: August 2012

A porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) strain, designated CC1, was isolated and purified from tissue samples from pigs with wasting syndromes in China. We report the complete genome sequence of PCV2b strain CC1 with a deletion of C at position 1053 resulting in elongation of open reading frame 2 (ORF2) and formation of ORF5. There were 11 ORFs in the genome.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Vitivirus Isolated from Grapevine
Authors: Al Rwahnih Maher , Sudarshana Mysore R. , Uyemoto Jerry K. , Rowhani Adib
Published: August 2012

A novel virus-like sequence from grapevine was identified by Illumina sequencing. The complete genome is 7,551 nucleotides in length, with polyadenylation at the 3′ end. Translation of the sequence revealed five open reading frames (ORFs). The genomic organization was most similar to those of vitiviruses. The polymerase (ORF1) and coat protein (ORF4) genes shared 31 to 49% nucleotide and 40 to 70% amino acid sequence identities, respectively, with other grapevine vitiviruses. The virus was tentatively named grapevine virus F (GVF).
Characterization and Complete Genome Sequence of Human Coronavirus NL63 Isolated in China
Authors: Geng Heyuan , Cui Lijin , Xie Zhengde , Lu Roujian , Zhao Li , Tan Wenjie
Published: August 2012

Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) was first discovered in Amsterdam in 2004 and was identified as a new human respiratory coronavirus. We here report the first complete genome sequence of HCoV-NL63 strain CBJ 037 isolated in 2008 from a patient with bronchitis in Beijing, China.
Genome Sequence of a Novel Reassortant H3N2 Avian Influenza Virus in Southern China
Authors: Tian Jin , Zhang Changhui , Qi Wenbao , Xu Chenggang , Huang Lihong , Li Huanan , Liao Ming
Published: August 2012

The distribution and prevalence of H3 subtype influenza viruses in avian and mammalian hosts constitutes a potential threat to both human and avian health. We report a complete genome sequence of a novel reassortant H3N2 avian influenza virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that HA and NA showed the highest sequence homologies with those of A/white-backed munia/Hong Kong/4519/2009 (H3N2). However, the internal genes had the highest sequence homologies with those of H6 and H7 subtypes. The data provide further evidence of the existence of a natural reassortant H3N2 strain in southern China.
Genome Sequence of a Novel Actinophage PIS136 Isolated from a Strain of Saccharomonospora sp
Authors: Bajpai Richa , Soni Vishal , Khandrika Lakshmipathi , Jangir Pramod Kumar , Sharma Rakesh , Agrawal Pushpa
Published: August 2012

A wide-host-range bacteriophage (phage) PIS136 was isolated from PA136, a strain of
Saccharomonospora
belonging to the group actinomycetes. Here, we present the genome sequence of the PIS136 phage, which is 94,870 bp long and contains 132 putative coding sequences and one tRNA gene. An IS element-like region with two genes for putative transposases was identified in the genome. The presence of IS element-like sequences suggests that PIS136 is still under active evolution.
A Quantitative Measurement of Antiviral Activity of Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Drugs against Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Dose-Response Curve Slope Strongly Influences Class-Specific Inhibitory Potential
Authors: Deng Kai , Zink M. Christine , Clements Janice E. , Siliciano Robert F.
Published: August 2012

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in macaques is so far the best animal model for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) studies, but suppressing viral replication in infected animals remains challenging. Using a novel single-round infectivity assay, we quantitated the antiviral activities of antiretroviral drugs against SIV. Our results emphasize the importance of the dose-response curve slope in determining the inhibitory potential of antiretroviral drugs and provide useful information for regimen selection in treating SIV-infected animals in models of therapy and virus eradication.
Recurrent myelitis in common variable immunodeficiency successfully managed with high-dose subcutaneous immunoglobulin
Authors: Danieli Maria Giovanna , Pettinari Lucia , Marinangeli Lucia , Logullo Francesco
Published: August 2012

Acute myelitis is an aetiologically heterogeneous inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord. We report on a 71-year-old woman with a recurrent cervical and thoracic myelitis who presented with a new relapse of the disease. Neuromyelitis optica was ruled out such as other possible causes of acute and/or recurrent myelopathy. Serum immunoglobulin levels and specific antibody responses were consistent with the diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). She was treated with high-dose methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin. As a remission-maintaining drug, we decided to treat her with subcutaneous immunoglobulin (CSL Behring) at 0.2 g/kg/week at doses higher than usually employed in replacement therapy in CVID. At 3-year follow-up, the response to treatment was good. No relapses occurred. Our case suggests the effectiveness and safety of subcutaneous immunoglobulin in maintaining remission and in sparing prednisone in a woman with recurrent myelitis associated with CVID.
A 15-day-old male infant presenting with jerking movements of the limbs
Authors: Younas Ayesha , Younas Suleman
Published: August 2012

This 15-day-old Caucasian male infant presented to the clinic with his mother for a well-child visit. During the visit, the mother mentioned that she had observed jerking movements of the limbs, arms more than legs. Various tests were performed and observation in the ward helped determine the characteristics of the seizure-like movements. The infant was born by vaginal delivery with vacuum extraction with a history of possible perinatal asphyxia. After seizures were observed in the ward, the patient was referred to neurology where an EEG was performed. It was normal, excluding epilepsy states. A normal newborn screen excluded most metabolic disorders. After history and examination, investigations and observation, benign sleep myoclonus was diagnosed. Benign sleep myoclonus is a benign disorder that consists of jerking movements of the limbs, usually involving the upper limbs more than the lower limbs and usually occurring during sleep. The seizures spontaneously stopped when the infant was approximately 1.5 months old. This was consistent with the final diagnosis of neonatal sleep myoclonus.
An unusual presentation of pulmonary embolism
Authors: Lee Deacon Zhao Jun , Whittaker Marzena , Al-Mohammad Abdallah
Published: August 2012

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common cardiovascular emergency, by which occlusion of a part of the pulmonary arterial bed may lead to acute life threatening but potentially reversible right ventricular failure. Early diagnosis is fundamental to implement immediate effective treatment to reduce mortality. However, the diagnosis can be easily missed due to non-specific clinical presentation. We wish to present an unusual case whereby a patient with no risk factors for PE, symptoms suggestive of acute pericarditis and an ECG showing concave ST segment elevation was found to have multiple pulmonary emboli.
Unsuspected pheochromocytoma of the urinary bladder: reminder of an important clinical lesson
Authors: Pahwa Harvinder Singh , Kumar Awanish , Srivastava Rohit , Rai Anurag
Published: August 2012

Bladder pheochromocytoma creates an extremely rare situation (0.06% of all bladder tumours). We came across a case with a complaint of intermittent episodes of haematuria. Cystoscopy revealed a solid, bluish submucosal growth with increased vascularity. Immediately after taking biopsy, the patient developed a sharp headache, chest heaviness and marked rise in blood pressure. The procedure was abandoned. Later, serum and urinary markers for pheochromocytoma were within normal limits. The histopathology report came out to be pheochromocytoma of the bladder. Later, partial cystectomy was carried out under general anaesthesia and histopathology confirmed the same. Thus, a surgeon/urologist should have a high index of suspicion for bladder pheochromocytoma while dealing with such cases if he comes across the characteristic symptoms of sharp headache, hypertension, palpitation, sweating, fainting or blurring of vision immediately after voiding or during the cystoscopic manipulation of tumour or cystoscopic findings of a submucosal supratrigonal vascular tumour with a bluish hue.
Elevated cerebrospinal fluid tau in Wernicke encephalopathy
Authors: Frijlink Daphne W , Tilanus Joachim J , Roks Gerwin
Published: August 2012

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) commonly presents with oculomotor abnormalities, gait ataxia and confusion. WE can mimic rapidly progressive dementia syndromes, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau is frequently used for diagnosis of several dementia subtypes, predominantly CJD and Alzheimer's disease. The combination of very high CSF tau (tau) and normal phosphorylated tau (p-tau) levels is almost exclusively seen in aggressive diseases, such as CJD. The authors present a case of a woman with WE, caused by chronic insufficient dietary intake, with highly elevated CSF tau and normal p-tau. The clinical symptoms and CSF findings raised the suspicion of CJD. However, shortly after immediate treatment with thiamine the patient clinically improved. At follow-up, 2.5 months later, she had made a good recovery. This case of rapidly progressive dementia illustrates that, even in the case of a highly elevated CSF tau, clinicians should be alert for treatable causes such as WE.
The 5-minute Apgar score as a predictor of childhood cancer: a population-based cohort study in five million children
Authors: Li Jiong , Cnattingus Sven , Gissler Mika , Vestergaard Mogens , Obel Carsten , Ahrensberg Jette , Olsen Jørn
Published: August 2012

Objective

The aetiology of childhood cancer remains largely unknown but recent research indicates that uterine environment plays an important role. We aimed to examine the association between the Apgar score at 5 min after birth and the risk of childhood cancer.

Design

Nationwide population-based cohort study.

Setting

Nationwide register data in Denmark and Sweden.

Study population

All live-born singletons born in Denmark from 1978 to 2006 (N=1 771 615) and in Sweden from 1973 to 2006 (N=3 319 573). Children were followed up from birth to 14 years of age.

Main outcome measures

Rates and HRs for all childhood cancers and for specific childhood cancers.

Results

A total of 8087 children received a cancer diagnosis (1.6 per 1000). Compared to children with a 5-min Apgar score of 9–10, children with a score of 0–5 had a 46% higher risk of cancer (adjusted HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.89). The potential effect of low Apgar score on overall cancer risk was mostly confined to children diagnosed before 6 months of age. Children with an Apgar score of 0–5 had higher risks for several specific childhood cancers including Wilms’ tumour (HR 4.33, 95% CI 2.42 to 7.73).

Conclusions

A low 5 min Apgar score was associated with a higher risk of childhood cancers diagnosed shortly after birth. Our data suggest that environmental factors operating before or during delivery may play a role on the development of several specific childhood cancers.
Implementation of a low-budget, lifestyle-improvement method in an ordinary primary healthcare setting: a stepwise intervention study
Authors: Blomstrand Ann , Ariai Nashmil , Baar Ann-Christine , Finbom-Forsgren Britt-Marie , Thorn Jörgen , Björkelund Cecilia
Published: August 2012

Objective

To evaluate, in an ordinary primary healthcare setting, the effects of a screening questionnaire and a self-administered health profile dealing with special reference to the involvement of motivated individuals in need of lifestyle changes.

Design

Intervention study in a naturalistic context, using a screening questionnaire offered to consecutive patients, followed by a self-administered health profile and a health dialogue.

Setting

Hisingen primary healthcare area (130 033 inhabitants), Gothenburg, Sweden.

Participants

Men and women aged between 18 and 79, visiting any of the eight public primary healthcare centres (PCC) during an 8-month period, were presented with a screening questionnaire and, were offered, a health profile, a plasma glucose (p-glucose), blood pressure check and a health dialogue.

Main outcome measures

Motivation level, negative lifestyle factors in screening questionnaire and intraindividual changes in blood pressure, p-glucose, body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle factors between baseline and 1-year follow-up.

Results

Subjects with less favourable lifestyle and higher motivation chose to participate. A higher percentage of presumptive participants reported a less favourable lifestyle. The presumptive participants also indicated higher motivation. Participants showed more readiness to initiate lifestyle changes compared to non-participants (p<0.001). At 1-year follow-up significant reductions in BMI, waist circumference, waist–hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure and p-glucose were observed.

Conclusions

The results indicate that the method is on target and applicable to motivated individuals with a ‘risk profile’. A pedagogical model including a self-administered health-profile and a health dialogue, combined with emphasising the individual's own resources, seems to be a feasible method for effective preventive work in primary healthcare.
National audit of antidote stocking in acute hospitals in the UK
Authors: Thanacoody Ruben H K , Aldridge Gloria , Laing Willie , Dargan Paul I , Nash Stephen , Thompson John P , Vale Allister , Bateman Nick , Thomas Simon
Published: August 2012

Background

Inadequate stocking of essential antidotes in hospitals for the treatment of poisoned patients has been reported worldwide. Joint National Poisons Information Service (NPIS)/College of Emergency Medicine (CEM) guidelines for antidote stocking in UK emergency departments and acute hospitals were published in 2008.

Aim

To determine the impact of these guidelines by surveying the availability of antidotes in acute hospitals in the UK.

Methods

A two-page questionnaire consisting of antidote stocking information was distributed in 2010 to the Chief Pharmacist in all acute hospitals in the UK. The availability of 28 antidotes in the NPIS/CEM antidote guidelines as well as that of Intralipid was surveyed.

Results

Surveys were completed for 196 of the 224 (87.5%) hospitals. Over 90% of hospitals had acetylcysteine, activated charcoal, dantrolene, desferrioxamine, naloxone, flumazenil and vitamin K available within the recommended time period. Pralidoxime was reported to be held in only 33% of hospitals, though pralidoxime is supplied by the Department of Health to 95 hospitals in the UK that act as holding centres. Cyproheptadine and viper venom antiserum were held in around 50% of acute hospitals. For the treatment of cyanide and toxic alcohol poisoning, more than one antidote is available. For cyanide poisoning, most hospitals held at least one antidote (usually dicobalt edetate) but 9 (5%) held none of the four antidotes. For toxic alcohol and glycol poisoning, most hospitals held ethanol for intravenous use but not fomepizole and 30 (15%) did not stock any antidote for toxic alcohol poisoning.

Conclusion

Stocking of less commonly used antidotes is inconsistent. This is likely to result in delayed access to treatment and worse patient outcomes.
A new, simple hydrothermal synthesis of magnetic nano-octahedrons — Application to hyperthermia cancer cell killing
Authors: Abdulla-Al-Mamun Md. , Kusumoto Yoshihumi , Islam Md. Shariful
Published: August 2012

Surfactant-free magnetic nano-octahedrons were successfully synthesized by the alkaline hydrothermal decomposition of ferric nitrate salt (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O) in a water–ethanol mixed solvent with a variety of alkaline concentrations. High-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) pictures demonstrated the formation of octahedron-structured magnetic nanoparticles at a 10 mol/L alkaline concentration. A possible synthesis mechanism of the magnetic nano-octahedron was discussed. An alternating current magnetic field to induce hyperthermia cancer cell killing was investigated. Maximum hyperthermia cancer cell killing (~100%) was found with 10 mol/L alkaline-synthesized nano-octahedrons, whereas that with 2 mol/L alkaline gave ~40%.
The use of Ebonex electrodes for the electrochemical removal of nitrate ion from water
Authors: Kearney David , Bejan Dorin , Bunce Nigel J.
Published: August 2012

This work addresses the remediation of nitrate-contaminated water using electrodes made of Ebonex (a titanium oxide ceramic with a wide range of potential stability). The objective was the complete denitrification of solutions containing nitrate ion. Denitrification was achieved in about 50% yield with unreactive supporting electrolytes when Ebonex was used as both cathode and anode, the remaining product being ammonia. Ammonia could be re-oxidized at the Ebonex anode, but this was much less efficient than the reduction step. A more efficient electrolytic denitrification was possible for solutions containing chloride; this is oxidized anodically to hypochlorite, which then oxidizes ammonia chemically to N2. The overall rate of denitrification was highest at moderate concentrations of chloride ion, because hypochlorite also re-oxidizes reduction intermediates such as nitrite back to nitrate. Complete denitrification was achieved at all stages of the reaction using Ebonex cathode and a dimensionally stable anode based on Ti/IrO2 or Ti/RuO2, because the DSA oxidizes chloride ion more efficiently than Ebonex. Cathode fouling by water sources that are high in hardness cations can be prevented by using one DSA and a pair of Ebonex electrodes that undergo periodic polarity reversal.
CELLULAR ANTOMATA
Authors: ROSENBERG ARNOLD L.
Published: August 2012

Problems involving path planning, exploration, and related activities abound in the world of computing. This paper develops a novel model for realizing ant-inspired algorithms that coordinate robots within fixed, geographically constrained environments ("factory/laboratory/warehouse floors") and studies the model via sample tasks that illustrate various aspects of path planning and exploration. The model, dubbed a Cellular ANTomaton (C-ANTomaton, for short), inverts the relationship between ant-robots and the environments that they navigate: "Intelligence" now resides in the "floor" rather than in the ant-robots. The C-ANTomaton model is illustrated via three proof-of-concept problems: (1) Parking requires ant-robots to congregate in their nearest corners of the "floor," in a maximally compact formation. (2) Food-seeking (both with and without impenetrable obstacles) requires each ant-robot to find its own "food" item, until either "foodless" ant-robots or unclaimed "food" items run out. (3) Maze-threading requires a single ant-robot to find the unique exit to a maze. "Unintelligent" C-ANTomaton-based robots accomplish all of these goals provably more efficiently than traditional "intelligent" ant-robots can; indeed, "intelligent" ant-robots cannot always park at all! All of the presented algorithms are scalable, in that they provably work for any number of ant-robots, within any finite-size "floor." In other words, the computers that collectively supply the system with "intelligence" never exploit any information about either the number of ant-robots or the size of the "floor."
EFFECT OF THE THICKNESS OF PAN/Au MODIFIED ELECTRODE ON BIOSENSOR SENSITIVITY
Authors: DONG BO , LU XIAOFENG , LI ZHENYU , ZHANG HONGNAN , WANG ZONGXIN , WANG CE , LIU ZONGWEN
Published: August 2012

A simple electrospinning method was used to control the thickness of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/Au modified electrode. The influence of membrane thickness to modified electrode sensitivity was discussed. In our experiment, a 20-min electrospinning time and a mass ratio of 3:1 PAN/ HAuCl4 are the optimum parameters to generate the high performance PAN/Au membrane modified electrode for detecting H 2 O 2 which has a sensitivity of 145.63 mA M-1 cm-2) and a wide linear range of 20 μM–20 mM.
Adenosine A1-receptor knockout mice have a decreased blood pressure response to low-dose ANG II infusion
Authors: Lee Dexter L. , Bell Tracy D. , Bhupatkar Jenny , Solis Glenn , Welch William J.
Published: August 2012

Adenosine, acting on A1-receptors (A1-AR) in the nephron, increases sodium reabsorption, and also increases renal vascular resistance (RVR), via A1-ARs in the afferent arteriole. ANG II increases blood pressure and RVR, and it stimulates adenosine release in the kidney. We tested the hypothesis that ANG II-infused hypertension is potentiated by A1-ARs' influence on Na+reabsorption. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured by radiotelemetry in A1-AR knockout mice (KO) and their wild-type (WT) controls, before and during ANG II (400 ng·kg−1·min−1) infusion. Baseline MAP was not different between groups. ANG II increased MAP in both groups, but on day 12, MAP was lower in A1-AR KO mice (KO: 128 ± 3 vs. 139 ± 3 mmHg, P < 0.01). Heart rates were significantly different during days 11–14 of ANG II. Basal sodium excretion was not different (KO: 0.15 ± 0.03 vs. WT: 0.13 ± 0.04 mmol/day, not significant) but was higher in KO mice 12 days after ANG II despite a lower MAP (KO: 0.22 ± 0.03 vs. WT: 0.11 ± 0.02 mmol/day, P < 0.05). Phosphate excretion was also higher in A1-AR KO mice on day 12. Renal expression of the sodium-dependent phosphate transporter and the Na+/glucose cotransporter were lower in the KO mice during ANG II treatment, but the expression of the sodium hydrogen exchanger isoform 3 was not different. These results indicate that the increase in blood pressure seen in A1-AR KO mice is lower than that seen in WT mice but was increased by ANG II nonetheless. The presence of A1-ARs during a low dose of ANG II-infusion limits Na+and phosphate excretion. This study suggests that A1-AR antagonists might be an effective antihypertensive agent during ANG II and volume-dependent hypertension.
Activated CD47 regulates multiple vascular and stress responses: implications for acute kidney injury and its management
Authors: Rogers Natasha M. , Yao Mingyi , Novelli Enrico M. , Thomson Angus W. , Roberts David D. , Isenberg Jeffrey S.
Published: August 2012

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains a significant source of early and delayed renal transplant failure. Therapeutic interventions have yet to resolve this ongoing clinical challenge although the reasons for this remain unclear. The cell surface receptor CD47 is widely expressed on vascular cells and in tissues. It has one known soluble ligand, the stress-released matricellular protein thrombospondin-1 (TSP1). The TSP1-CD47 ligand receptor axis controls a number of important cellular processes, inhibiting survival factors such as nitric oxide, cGMP, cAMP, and VEGF, while activating injurious pathways such as production of reactive oxygen species. A role of CD47 in renal IRI was recently revealed by the finding that the TSP1-CD47 axis is induced in renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC) under hypoxia and following IRI. The absence of CD47 in knockout mice increases survival, mitigates RTEC damage, and prevents subsequent kidney failure. Conversely, therapeutic blockade of TSP1-CD47 signaling provides these same advantages to wild-type animals. Together, these findings suggest an important role for CD47 in renal IRI as a proximate promoter of injury and as a novel therapeutic target.
Disorder of fatty acid metabolism in the kidney of PAN-induced nephrotic rats
Authors: Muroya Yoshikazu , Ito Osamu , Rong Rong , Takashima Kenta , Ito Daisuke , Cao Pengyu , Nakamura Yasuhiro , Joh Kensuke , Kohzuki Masahiro
Published: August 2012

Proteinuria is considered to play an essential role in the progression of tubulointerstitial damage, which causes end-stage renal disease. Fatty acid-binding albumins are filtered through glomeruli and reabsorbed into proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). However, the role of fatty acid metabolism associated with albuminuria in the development of tubulointerstitial damage remains unclear. Thus, the present study was designed to determine the changes of fatty acid metabolism in the nephrotic kidney. To induce nephrotic syndrome, Sprague-Dawley rats (SDRs) and Nagase analbuminemic rats (NARs) with inherited hypoalbuminemia were treated with a single injection of puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN). In SDRs, PAN treatment induced massive proteinuria and albuminuria and caused tubular damage, apoptosis, and lipid accumulation in PTECs. Among the enzymes of fatty acid metabolism, expressions of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) and cytochrome P-450 (CYP)4A significantly decreased in PTECs of PAN-treated SDRs. Expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ coactivator (PGC)-1α and estrogen-related receptor (ERR)α also significantly decreased, without changes in the expression of PPAR-α. In NARs, PAN treatment induced proteinuria but not albuminuria and did not cause tubular damage, apoptosis, or lipid accumulation. Expressions of MCAD, PGC-1α, or ERRα did not change in the kidney cortex of PAN-treated NARs, but the expression of CYP4A significantly decreased. These results indicate that massive albuminuria causes tubular damage and lipid accumulation with the reduction of MCAD, CYP4A, PGC-1α, and ERRα in PTECs.
In vascular smooth muscle cells paricalcitol prevents phosphate-induced Wnt/β-catenin activation
Authors: Martínez-Moreno Julio M. , Muñoz-Castañeda Juan R. , Herencia Carmen , Oca Addy Montes de , Estepa Jose C. , Canalejo Rocio , Rodríguez-Ortiz Maria E. , Perez-Martinez Pablo , Aguilera-Tejero Escolástico , Canalejo Antonio , Rodríguez Mariano , Almadén Yolanda
Published: August 2012

The present study investigates the differential effect of two vitamin D receptor agonists, calcitriol and paricalcitol, on human aortic smooth muscle cells calcification in vitro. Human vascular smooth muscle cells were incubated in a high phosphate (HP) medium alone or supplemented with either calcitriol 10−8M (HP + CTR) or paricalcitol 3·10−8M (HP + PC). HP medium induced calcification, which was associated with the upregulation of mRNA expression of osteogenic factors such as bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), Runx2/Cbfa1, Msx2, and osteocalcin. In these cells, activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling was evidenced by the translocation of β-catenin into the nucleus and the increase in the expression of direct target genes as cyclin D1, axin 2, and VCAN/versican. Addition of calcitriol to HP medium (HP + CTR) further increased calcification and also enhanced the expression of osteogenic factors together with a significant elevation of nuclear β-catenin levels and the expression of cyclin D1, axin 2, and VCAN. By contrast, the addition of paricalcitol (HP + PC) not only reduced calcification but also downregulated the expression of BMP2 and other osteoblastic phenotype markers as well as the levels of nuclear β-catenin and the expression of its target genes. The role of Wnt/β-catenin on phosphate- and calcitriol-induced calcification was further demonstrated by the inhibition of calcification after addition of Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1), a specific natural antagonist of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In conclusion, the differential effect of calcitriol and paricalcitol on vascular calcification appears to be mediated by a distinct regulation of the BMP and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.