bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalized Patients With Active Cancer
Authors: Piazza Gregory , Rao Amanda F. , Nguyen Thanh Nha , Seger Andrew C. , Hohlfelder Benjamin , Fanikos John , Goldhaber Samuel Z.
Published: March 2013

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication of cancer and chemotherapy. We evaluated the baseline clinical characteristics, thromboprophylaxis patterns, frequency and timing of VTE, and clinical outcomes in 1000 adult hospitalized patients with active cancer. Overall, symptomatic VTE occurred in 5.4% of hospitalized patients with cancer. The VTE occurred in 2.3% of patients with cancer during hospitalization and in 3.4% between hospital discharge and day 90. Few (13.9%) hospitalized patients with cancer received extended duration pharmacological prophylaxis after hospital discharge. Cancer was the most frequent known cause of death in both the groups. In conclusion, VTE was common in hospitalized patients with cancer, especially after discharge. Inhospital death and death between discharge and day 90 were frequent in hospitalized patients with cancer who developed VTE.
The use of a modern method of designing experiments in ball-cratering abrasive wear testing
Authors: Osuch-Słomka Edyta , Ruta Ryszard , Słomka Zbigniew
Published: March 2013

This article presents an outline of a method of planning an experiment developed by Taguchi for the optimisation of processes and as an example of its application in the optimisation of parameters of a ball-cratering method. Abrasive wear tests were performed on chosen antiwear physical vapour deposition coatings with the optimum work parameters of friction node. (The test friction node is created by the rotating ball and the immobile sample disc that is pressed against it and an abrasive slurry is drip fed into the contact zone.) Then the factor of resistance to abrasive wear was calculated based on the evaluation of their resistance to abrasive wear. The Taguchi optimisation method was used in order to devise and verify the methodology of the abrasive wear research of physical vapour deposition coatings deposited using cathodic arc evaporation on two differently prepared substrates. A series of resistance tests to abrasive wear performed using ball-cratering method was conducted in accordance with the test plan based on the Taguchi design. The variable test parameters were load, the speed of ball rotation and sliding distance. A measuring device, an optical microscope, was used to take pictures and measure the diameters of the wear traces visible in the form of craters received after the performance of tribological tests. The purpose of this research was to devise a method for testing the resistance of antiwear physical vapour deposition coatings deposited on tools and machine parts to abrasive wear (performed using the ball-cratering method) by applying the Taguchi optimisation method. The experiments were carried out using the combination of tribological test parameters based on the nine experiments (L9) using Taguchi orthogonal design with variable three test parameters of load, the speed of ball rotation and sliding distance. The results of the abrasive wear test performed using ball-cratering method on duplex and non-duplex coatings were successfully verified using the Taguchi optimisation program. Optimisation of the tribological test parameters based on the Taguchi method has been found to be very efficient and convenient for the investigation of the abrasive wear rate of the duplex and non-duplex coatings.
Assessing students’ views of school climate: Developing and validating the What’s Happening In This School? (WHITS) questionnaire
Authors: Aldridge Jill , Ala’I Kate
Published: March 2013

This article describes the development and validation of a six-scale survey to assess school climate in terms of students’ perceptions of the degree to which they feel welcome and connected, together with a scale to assess students’ perceptions of bullying. The development of each survey involved a multi-stage approach, including: 1) an extensive review of research related to school climate to identify components that can be considered important for effective schools made up of diverse students; 2) elucidating the scales identified in step one; and 3) writing individual items within the scales. Items from previously validated questionnaires were examined and, if appropriate, adapted. We used Trochim and Donnelly’s (2006) framework for construct validity to guide the validation of the new questionnaire. When the questionnaire was administered to a sample of 4067 high school students from eight schools, various statistical analyses ensured the questionnaire’s discriminant, convergent, concurrent and predictive validity.
Regimes of Violence and the Trias Violentiae
Authors: Schinkel Willem
Published: March 2013

In common-sense usage, violence is usually conceptualized as intentional physical harm. This makes violence identifiable, locatable, and it facilitates the governing of those identified as committing infractions upon the non-violent community. In this article it is illustrated how this conception of violence legitimates the state by blocking the state’s own foundational violence from critical scrutiny. It argues that the liberal state rests on the differentiation between active and reactive violence, whereby the latter is seen as the legitimate violence of the people against violent infractions committed by private individuals. The concept of a ‘regime of violence’ describes the relation between various forms of violence, i.e. their selective and differential articulation and negation. Regimes of violence constitute a way of governing conduct in the medium of violence. The current regime of violence consists of what is called a trias violentiae, which is a specific conception of the relations and translations between private violence, state violence and structural violence.
The use of personal digital assistants in clinical decision making by health care professionals: A systematic review
Authors: Divall Pip , Camosso-Stefinovic Janette , Baker Richard
Published: March 2013

Ownership of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smartphones by health professionals is increasingly common. Providing the best available evidence at the point of care is important for time-poor clinical staff and may lead to benefits in the processes and outcomes of clinical care. This review was performed to investigate the usefulness of PDAs in the clinical setting. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 2000 to March 2010. Randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effects on the processes or outcomes of clinical care of using PDAs compared with not using a PDA were included. Two reviewers independently reviewed citations and abstracts, assessed full text articles and abstracted data from the studies. Seven trials met the review inclusion criteria, of which only three were of satisfactory quality. Studies investigated the use of PDAs either in recording patient information or in decision support for diagnoses or treatment. An increase in data collection quality was reported, and the appropriateness of diagnosis and treatment decisions was improved. PDAs appear to have potential in improving some processes and outcomes of clinical care, but the evidence is limited and reliable conclusions on whether they help, in what circumstances and how they should be used are not possible. Further research is required to assess their value and ensure full benefits from their widespread use, but the pace of technological development creates problems for the timely evaluation of these devices and their applications.
A qualitative case study of LifeGuide: Users’ experiences of software for developing Internet-based behaviour change interventions
Authors: Williams Sarah , Yardley Lucy , Wills Gary B
Published: March 2013

Previously, behavioural scientists seeking to create Internet-based behaviour change interventions have had to rely on computer scientists to actually develop and modify web interventions. The LifeGuide software was designed to enable behavioural researchers to develop and adapt Internet-based behavioural interventions themselves. This article reports a qualitative case study of users’ experiences and perceptions of the LifeGuide software. The aim was to explore users’ experiences and their perceptions of the benefits and limitations of this approach to intervention development. Twenty LifeGuide users took part in semi-structured interviews and one provided feedback via email. Thematic analysis identified three overarching themes: ‘Recognising LifeGuide’s potential’, ‘I’m not a programmer’ and ‘Knowledge sharing – the future of LifeGuide’. Users valued LifeGuide’s potential to allow them to flexibly develop and modify interventions at little cost. However, users noted that their lack of programming experience meant that they needed to learn new skills for using the software, and they varied in the extent to which they felt able to develop interventions without any input from programmers. Respondents saw the potential of using the LifeGuide Community Website to share technical support and examples of intervention components to support their use of LifeGuide.
Optimized sensor placement for damage parameter estimation: Experimental results for a cracked plate
Authors: Moore Edward Z , Murphy Kevin D , Nichols Jonathan M
Published: March 2013

In this article, the optimum sensor and impact locations, for use in a damage identification experiment, are obtained using a hybrid genetic algorithm/steepest descent optimization method. Specifically, data from these optimum locations are used to identify the location, orientation, and size of a crack (termed the crack parameters) in a rectangular plate. The strain gage locations and orientations were selected in order (a) to maximize the difference between the model signal for a healthy plate and the model signal for a randomly damaged plate and (b) to minimize the cross-correlation among the signals measured by each of the gages. The latter requirement, in a sense, maximizes the uniqueness of the information measured from each sensor. The Bayesian model-based structural health monitoring identification technique, used to assess the crack parameters, was previously shown to be successful even for arbitrary sensor location/orientation and excitation location. It is shown here that thoughtful (optimized) sensor and excitation locations allow for improved estimates of the crack parameters. However, there is no substantial change in the width of the confidence intervals associated with these estimates.
The Folly of Fighting for Providence, or, the End of Empire and Exceptionalism
Authors: Hartnett Stephen John
Published: March 2013

This article provides an overview of U.S. exceptionalism, the rhetorical habit of portraying the United States as God’s chosen city upon a hill, and thus as a nation better than, stronger than, and more righteous than all others. Linking post-World War II reactions to Communism to post-9/11 reactions to terrorism–with a detour through Mark Twain’s critique of the Spanish-American War and John L. O’Sullivan’s celebration of the Mexican-American War–the essay argues that the habit of invoking U.S. exceptionalism encourages a dangerous form of rhetorical absolutism in which political disagreements are escalated into eschatological threats to life itself, thus justifying a recurring pattern of waging war in the name of nation and God. Despite his promises of Hope and Change, the article finds President Barack Obama particularly susceptible to this rhetorical dynamic. The essay closes with common-sense suggestions for how to begin debunking exceptionalism, hopefully creating space for re-thinking America’s role in the world.
The War We Lost and the Revolution Yet to Come
Authors: Goodall H.L.
Published: March 2013

This essay offers a vision for higher education based on two convergent ideas: (a) that progressives lost the war on education by failing to adequately engage, much less counter, the existing right-wing narrative; and (b) this narrative loss opens the possibility of a creative revolution capable of transforming education. I forward the idea that what is needed in this bleak time of political fear and economic austerity is a rethinking, and reworking, of the role of education and learning through new collaborations, cooperation, and communication between and among academics and practitioners. I offer some existing models of programs modeled on this rethinking, each one designed to address real-world problems and community challenges. I conclude by suggesting that such a creative revolution is not only practical but also perhaps offers us the only real hope for higher education in the foreseeable future.
Outcomes of Bereavement Care Among Widowed Older Adults With Complicated Grief and Depression
Authors: Ghesquiere Angela , Shear M. Katherine , Duan Naihua
Published: March 2013

Bereavement is common among older adults and may result in major depression or complicated grief (CG). Little is known about the effectiveness of physician care for these conditions. We examined whether, among older adults with CG and/or major depression, using physician support was associated with reductions in grief, depression, or anxiety severity. Outcomes were compared to group and religious support. We analyzed data from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) Study, a prospective cohort study of married couples in the Detroit area. Spousal death was tracked over 5 years, and follow-up interviews conducted with widowed participants at 6 months (wave 1) and 18 months (wave 2) post loss. Analyses were limited to those with CG or depression with support-seeking data (weighted n = 89). Yes/no items asked whether participants had seen each provider for help with grief up until wave 1. A 19-item grief severity measure was developed by CLOC researchers. The 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale measured depression severity. The Symptom Checklist 90–Revised assessed anxiety severity. Regressions indicated that seeking support from a family doctor at wave 1 was not associated with changes in anxiety, depression, or grief severity at wave 2 ( P > .05). However, support group use was associated with reductions in grief severity (β = −8.46, P < .05), and religious leader support-seeking associated with reductions in depression severity (β = −10.12, P < .01). Findings imply that physician care for grief may not be effective, and support group referral may be helpful. Physicians may benefit from training in recognizing and appropriate referring for bereavement-related distress.
Interferon-γ impairs proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells in mice
Authors: de Bruin Alexander M. , Demirel Özlem , Hooibrink Berend , Brandts Christian H. , Nolte Martijn A.
Published: March 2013

Key Points

IFN-γ impairs maintenance of HSCs by directly reducing their proliferative capacity and impairing their restoration upon viral infection. IFN-γ induces SOCS1 expression in HSCs, which inhibits TPO-induced STAT5 phosphorylation, thereby deregulating key cell-cycle genes.
Airway epithelial cells initiate the allergen response through transglutaminase 2 by inducing IL-33 expression and a subsequent Th2 response
Authors: Oh Keunhee , Seo Myung Won , Lee Ga Young , Byoun Ok-Jin , Kang Hye-Ryun , Cho Sang-Heon , Lee Dong-Sup
Published: March 2013

Background

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a post-translational protein-modifying enzyme that catalyzes the transamidation reaction, producing crosslinked or polyaminated proteins. Increased TG2 expression and activity have been reported in various inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation-associated pulmonary fibrosis, and autoimmune encephalitis. In particular, TG2 from epithelial cells is important during the initial inflammatory response in the lung. In this study, we evaluated the role of TG2 in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma, particularly whether TG2 affects initial activation signaling leading to Th2 differentiation against antigens.

Methods

We induced allergic asthma by ovalbumin sensitization and intranasal challenge in wild-type (WT) BALB/c and TG2-deficient mice. Broncheoalveolar lavage fluid cells and intracellular cytokine production were analyzed by flow cytometry. Interleukin (IL)-33 and TG2 expression in lung epithelial cells was detected by confocal microscopy.

Results

Airway responsiveness was attenuated in TG2-deficient mice compared to that in the WT control. In addition, recruitment of eosinophils and Th2 and Th17 differentiation decreased in TG2-deficient mice. Treatment with cysteamine, a transglutaminase inhibitor, also reduced airway hypersensitivity, inflammatory cell recruitment, and T helper cell differentiation. TG2-deficient mice showed reduced IL-33 expression following induction of allergic asthma compared to those in the WT control.

Conclusions

We found that pulmonary epithelial cells damaged by allergens triggered TG2-mediated IL-33 expression leading to type 2 responses by recruiting both innate and adaptive arms of the immune system.
Amplification of interlimb reflexes evoked by stimulating the hand simultaneously with conditioning from the foot during locomotion
Authors: Nakajima Tsuyoshi , Barss Trevor , Klarner Taryn , Komiyama Tomoyoshi , Zehr E Paul
Published: March 2013

Background

Widespread interlimb reflexes evoked in leg muscles by cutaneous stimulation of the hand are phase-modulated and behaviorally relevant to produce functional changes in ankle trajectory during walking. These reflexes are complementary to the segmental responses evoked by stimulation at the ankle. Despite differences in the expression of reflex amplitude based upon site of nerve stimulation, there are some common features as well, suggesting the possibility of shared interneuronal pathways. Currently little is known about integration or shared reflex systems from interlimb cutaneous networks during human locomotion. Here we investigated convergent reflex effects following cutaneous stimulation of the hand and foot during arm and leg cycling (AL) by using spatial facilitation. Participants performed AL cycling and static activation of the target muscle knee extensor vastus lateralis (VL) in 3 different randomly ordered nerve stimulation conditions: 1) superficial radial nerve (SR; input from hand); 2) superficial peroneal nerve (SP; input from foot); and, 3) combined stimulation (SR + SP). Stimuli were applied around the onset of rhythmic EMG bursts in VL corresponding to the onset of the power or leg extension phase.

Results

During AL cycling, small inhibitory (~80 ms) and large facilitatory reflexes (~100 ~ 150 ms) were seen in VL. The amplitudes of the facilitatory responses with SR + SP stimulation were significantly larger than those for SP or SR stimulation alone. The facilitation was also significantly larger than the simple mathematical summation of amplitudes from SP and SR trials. This indicates extra facilitation beyond what would be accounted for by serial neuronal processing and was not observed during static activation.

Conclusions

We conclude that AL cycling activates shared interneurons in convergent reflex pathways from cutaneous inputs innervating the hand and leg. This enhanced activity has functional implications for corrective responses during locomotion and for translation to rehabilitation after neurotrauma.
Effect of meteorological variables on the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children: a time-series analysis in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Huang Yong , Deng Te , Yu Shicheng , Gu Jing , Huang Cunrui , Xiao Gexin , Hao Yuantao
Published: March 2013

Background

Over the last decade, major outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) have been reported in Asian countries, resulting in thousands of deaths among children. However, less is known regarding the effect of meteorological variables on the incidence of HFMD in children. This study aims at quantifying the relationship between meteorological variables and the incidence of HFMD among children in Guangzhou, China.

Methods

The association between weekly HFMD cases in children aged <15 years and meteorological variables in Guangzhou from 2008 to 2011 were analyzed using the generalized additive model (GAM) and time-series method, after controlling for long-term trend and seasonality, holiday effects, influenza period and delayed effects.

Results

Temperature and relative humidity with one week lag were significantly associated with HFMD infection among children. We found that a 1°C increase in temperature led to an increase of 1.86% (95% CI: 0.92, 2.81%) in the weekly number of cases in the 0–14 years age group. A one percent increase in relative humidity may lead to an increase of 1.42% (95% CI: 0.97, 1.87%) in the weekly number of cases in the 0–14 years age group.

Conclusions

This study provides quantitative evidence that the incidence of HFMD in children was associated with high average temperature and high relative humidity. The one-week delay in the effects of temperature and relative humidity on HFMD is consistent with the enterovirus incubation period and the potential time lag between onset of children’s sickness and parental awareness and response.
Histological image classification using biologically interpretable shape-based features
Authors: Kothari Sonal , Phan John H , Young Andrew N , Wang May D
Published: March 2013

Background

Automatic cancer diagnostic systems based on histological image classification are important for improving therapeutic decisions. Previous studies propose textural and morphological features for such systems. These features capture patterns in histological images that are useful for both cancer grading and subtyping. However, because many of these features lack a clear biological interpretation, pathologists may be reluctant to adopt these features for clinical diagnosis.

Methods

We examine the utility of biologically interpretable shape-based features for classification of histological renal tumor images. Using Fourier shape descriptors, we extract shape-based features that capture the distribution of stain-enhanced cellular and tissue structures in each image and evaluate these features using a multi-class prediction model. We compare the predictive performance of the shape-based diagnostic model to that of traditional models, i.e., using textural, morphological and topological features.

Results

The shape-based model, with an average accuracy of 77%, outperforms or complements traditional models. We identify the most informative shapes for each renal tumor subtype from the top-selected features. Results suggest that these shapes are not only accurate diagnostic features, but also correlate with known biological characteristics of renal tumors.

Conclusions

Shape-based analysis of histological renal tumor images accurately classifies disease subtypes and reveals biologically insightful discriminatory features. This method for shape-based analysis can be extended to other histological datasets to aid pathologists in diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.
Inhibition/activation in bipolar disorder: validation of the Multidimensional Assessment of Thymic States scale (MAThyS)
Authors: Henry Chantal , Luquiens Amandine , Lançon Christophe , Sapin Hélène , Zins-Ritter Marcel , Gerard Stephanie , Perrin Elena , Falissard Bruno , Lukasiewicz Michael
Published: March 2013

Background

One of the major issues in clinical practice is the accurate differential diagnosis between mixed states and depression, often leading to inappropriate prescriptions of antidepressants in mixed states, and as a consequence, increasing the risk of manic switch and suicide. In order to better define the spectrum of mixed states, it may be useful to develop a dimensional approach. In this context, the MAThyS (Multidimensional Assessment of Thymic States) scale was built to assess activation/inhibition levels in all bipolar mood episodes, and to determine whether a clinical description in terms of activation/inhibition can help better define bipolar states with which both manic and depressive symptoms are associated. The aim of this paper is the validation of the MAThyS scale in 141 bipolar patients in acute states (manic, hypomanic, mixed, or depressive).

Methods

The validation of the MAThyS scale was the primary outcome of this 24-week, phase III, open-label, olanzapine single-arm clinical trial. Principal component, factorial analysis, and Cronbach’s coefficient calculation (internal consistency) were performed. Concurrent validity (correlations with 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAMD-17], Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAMA], and Young Mania Rating Scale [YMRS]) and responsiveness to the clinical intervention were assessed (change in MAThyS scale and effect size) at 6 and 24 weeks.

Results

Scree plot of eigenvalues identified a 2-dimension structure (“activation/inhibition level” and “emotional component”). Psychometric properties were good: Cronbach’s coefficient was >0.9. Concurrent validity was good with low correlation (−0.19) with the HAMA scale and a higher correlation at baseline with the YMRS (0.72) and HAMD-17(−0.43). As expected, the activation state was predominant in manic, hypomanic, and mixed states while inhibition was predominant in depressive states. MAThyS score improvement was observed (effect size: -0.3 at 6 and 24 weeks).

Conclusions

The MAThyS demonstrated good psychometric properties. The MAThyS scale may help clinicians to better discriminate and follow bipolar episodes, especially the broad spectrum of mixed episodes.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov registration identification number: NCT#002592722
Frequency shifts in the anterior default mode network and the salience network in chronic pain disorder
Authors: Otti Alexander , Guendel Harald , Wohlschläger Afra , Zimmer Claus , Noll-Hussong Michael
Published: March 2013

Background

Recent functional imaging studies on chronic pain of various organic etiologies have shown significant alterations in both the spatial and the temporal dimensions of the functional connectivity of the human brain in its resting state. However, it remains unclear whether similar changes in intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) also occur in patients with chronic pain disorder, defined as persistent, medically unexplained pain.

Methods

We compared 21 patients who suffered from chronic pain disorder with 19 age- and gender-matched controls using 3T-fMRI. All neuroimaging data were analyzed using both independent component analysis (ICA) and power spectra analysis.

Results

In patients suffering from chronic pain disorder, the fronto-insular ‘salience’ network (FIN) and the anterior default mode network (aDMN) predominantly oscillated at higher frequencies (0.20 - 0.24 Hz), whereas no significant differences were observed in the posterior DMN (pDMN) and the sensorimotor network (SMN).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that chronic pain disorder may be a self-sustaining and endogenous mental process that affects temporal organization in terms of a frequency shift in the rhythmical dynamics of cortical networks associated with emotional homeostasis and introspection.
Antioxidant activity and ultrastructural changes in gastric cancer cell lines induced by Northeastern Thai edible folk plant extracts
Authors: Stewart Praphaporn , Boonsiri Patcharee , Puthong Songchan , Rojpibulstit Panadda
Published: March 2013

Background

Phytochemical products have a critical role in the drug discovery process. This promising possibility, however, necessitates the need to confirm their scientific verification before use. Hence, this study aims to evaluate (1) the antioxidant activity, (2) cytotoxicity potential, and (3) the effect on ultrastructural alteration in gastric cancer cell lines through exposure to fractions of three local Northeastern Thai edible plants.

Methods

Plants,Syzygium gratum, Justicia gangeticaandLimnocharis flavawere extracted with ethyl acetate, and each crude extract analysed for their total phenolics content by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Their antioxidant activity was assessed using the ABTS system. The extracts were then assayed for cytotoxicity on two gastric cancer cell lines Kato-III and NUGC-4, and compared with Hs27 fibroblasts as a control using the MTT assay. The cell viability (%), IC50values, as well as the ultrastructural alterations were evaluated after treatment with one way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

The total phenolic values of the ethyl acetate extracts were well correlated with the antioxidant capacity, with extracted product ofS. gratumdisplaying the highest level of antioxidant activity (a 10-fold greater response) overJ. gangeticaandL. flavarespectively. Exposure ofS. gratumandJ. gangeticaextracts to normal cell lines (Hs27) resulted in marginal cytotoxicity effects. However, through a dose-dependent assayS. gratumandJ. gangeticaextracts produced cytotoxicological effects in just over 75 percent of Kato-III and NUGC-4 cell lines. In addition, apoptotic characteristic was shown under TEM in both cancer cell lines with these two extracts, whereas characteristics of autophagy was found in cell lines after post exposure to extracts fromL. flava.

Conclusions

From these three plants,S. gratumhad the highest contents of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. All of them found to contain compound(s) with cytotoxicityin vitroon cancer cells but not on normal cell lines as resolved in tissue culture and ultrastructural analysis. This is the first report to show the effect on cellular alteration as apoptosis of an ethyl acetate extract ofS. gratumandJ. gangetica.Further studies are now focused on individual isolates and their function, prioritizing onS. gratumandJ. gangeticafor the development of novel therapeutics and combatants against cancer.
Effect of different dietary omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid ratios on reproduction in male rats
Authors: Yan Lin , Bai Xiao-long , Fang Zheng-feng , Che Lian-qiang , Xu Sheng-yu , Wu De
Published: March 2013

Background

Beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on the reproduction of male animals are widely described in the literature. However, there is little information about the effect of n-3/n-6 PUFA ratios on male health and reproduction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of diets with different n-3/n-6 PUFA ratios on the reproductive performance of male rats.

Methods

Eighty male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were supplemented with diets containing different n-3/n-6 PUFA ratios (0.13, 0.40, 0.85, 1.52 and 2.85) for 60 days. Half of the rats in each group were sacrificed on day 60, and the other half were chosen to mate with female mice to assess the effects of n-3/n-6 ratios on reproductive performance.

Results

Sperm density and sperm motility of the 1.52 group were higher than other groups (P < .05), and the development of testis and the morphological structure of sperm in the 1.52 group were better than other groups. Furthermore, a higher litter size and birth weights of offspring were observed in the 1.52 group. Additionally, serum reproductive hormone levels were significantly affected by the n-3/n-6 ratios.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrated that a balanced n-3/n-6 ratio was important in male rat reproduction. Therefore there is a necessity to determine an appropriate n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio in man and different male animals in the future.
Annexin-A1 peptide down-regulates the leukocyte recruitment and up-regulates interleukin-10 release into lung after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion in mice
Authors: Guido Bruna Candido , Zanatelli Marianna , Tavares-de-Lima Wothan , Oliani Sonia Maria , Damazo Amílcar Sabino
Published: March 2013

Background

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is a serious and triggering event in the development of remote organ dysfunction, from which the lung is the main target. This condition is characterized by intense neutrophil recruitment, increased microvascular permeability. Intestinal IR is also responsible for induction of adult respiratory distress syndrome, the most serious and life-threatening form of acute lung injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of annexin-A1 protein as an endogenous regulator of the organ remote injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion. Male C57bl/6 mice were subjected to intestinal ischemia, induced by 45 min occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, followed by reperfusion.

Results

The intestinal ischemia/reperfusion evoked a high intensity lung inflammation as indicated by the number of neutrophils as compared to control group. Treatment with annexin-A1 peptidomimetic Ac2-26, reduced the number of neutrophils in the lung tissue and increased its number in the blood vessels, which suggests a regulatory effect of the peptide Ac2-26 in the neutrophil migration. Moreover, the peptide Ac2-26 treatment was associated with higher levels of plasma IL-10.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that the annexin-A1 peptidomimetic Ac2-26 treatment has a regulatory and protective effect in the intestinal ischemia/reperfusion by attenuation of the leukocyte migration to the lung and induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 release into the plasma. The anti-inflammatory action of annexin-A1 and its peptidomimetic described here may serve as a basis for future therapeutic approach in mitigating inflammatory processes due to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.
Antitumor effects of L-BLP25 Antigen-Specific tumor immunotherapy in a novel human MUC1 transgenic lung cancer mouse model
Authors: Wurz Gregory T , Gutierrez Audrey M , Greenberg Brittany E , Vang Daniel P , Griffey Stephen M , Kao Chiao-Jung , Wolf Michael , DeGregorio Michael W
Published: March 2013

Background

L-BLP25 antigen-specific cancer immunotherapeutic agent is currently in phase III clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer. Using a novel human MUC1 transgenic (hMUC1.Tg) lung cancer mouse model, we evaluated effects of L-BLP25 combined with low-dose cyclophosphamide (CPA) pretreatment on Th1/Th2 cytokine production and antitumor activity.

Methods

A chemically-induced lung tumor model was developed in hMUC1.Tg C57BL/6 mice by administering 10 weekly 0.75-mg/g doses of the chemical carcinogen urethane by intraperitoneal injection. Serum cytokines associated with Th1/Th2 polarization and inflammation were measured by multiplex cytokine assay during tumorigenesis. Antitumor activity of L-BLP25 (10 μg) with CPA (100 mg/kg) pretreatment was evaluated following either one or two eight-week cycles of treatment by preparing lung whole mounts and counting tumor foci, and assessing IFN-γ production by ELISpot assay.

Results

During the carcinogenesis phase, no detectable Th1- or Th2-associated cytokine responses were observed, but levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were increased with distinctive kinetics. A single cycle of L-BLP25 consisting of eight weekly doses was ineffective, whereas adding a second cycle given during tumor progression showed a significant reduction in the incidence of tumor foci. Administering two cycles of L-BLP25 induced Th1 cytokines IL-12, IL-2 and IFNγ at 24 h after the last dose, while Th2 and inflammatory cytokines were elevated to a lesser extent.

Conclusions

Urethane-induced lung tumors in hMUC1.Tg mice can be used as a model to assess the efficacy of the MUC1 antigen-specific cancer immunotherapeutic agent L-BLP25. The results indicate that the antitumor response to L-BLP25 requires at least two cycles and pre-treatment with CPA. In addition, monitoring pro-inflammatory serum cytokines may be useful as a biomarker of L-BLP25 response. Taken together, the preclinical lung tumor model can be utilized for determining effective combinations of L-BLP25 with chemotherapy and/or other immunotherapies.
A comparison of medetomidine and its active enantiomer dexmedetomidine when administered with ketamine in mice
Authors: Burnside Wesley M , Flecknell Paul A , Cameron Angus I , Thomas Aurélie A
Published: March 2013

Background

Medetomidine-ketamine (MK) and dexmedetomidine-ketamine (DK) are widely used to provide general anaesthesia in laboratory animals, but have not been compared directly in many of these species, including rodents. This study aimed to compare the onset and depth of anaesthesia, and changes in vital signs, after intraperitoneal (IP) or subcutaneous (SC) administration of ketamine (75 mg kg-1) combined with medetomidine (1 mg kg-1) or dexmedetomidine (0.5 mg kg-1) using a randomised semi-crossover design with ≥ 48 hours between treatments in 10 male and 10 female mice. Each mouse was anaesthetised twice using the same administration route (IP or SC): once with each drug-ketamine combination. Anaesthetised mice were monitored on a heating pad without supplemental oxygen for 89 minutes; atipamezole was administered for reversal. The times that the righting reflex was lost post-injection and returned post-reversal were analysed using general linear models. Tail-pinch and pedal reflexes were examined using binomial generalized linear models. Pulse rate (PR), respiratory rate (fr), and arterial haemoglobin saturation (SpO2) were compared using generalized additive mixed models.

Results

There were no significant differences among treatments for the times taken for loss and return of the righting reflex, or response of the tail-pinch reflex. The pedal withdrawal reflex was abolished more frequently with MK than DK over time (P= 0.021). The response of PR and SpO2were similar among treatments, butfr was significantly higher with MK than DK (P≤ 0.0005). Markedly low SpO2concentrations occurred within 5 minutes post-injection (83.8 ± 6.7%) in all treatment groups and were most severe after 89 minutes lapsed (66.7 ± 7.5%). No statistical differences were detected in regards to administration route (P≤ 0.94).

Conclusions

This study failed to demonstrate clinical advantages of the enantiomer dexmedetomidine over medetomidine when combined with ketamine to produce general anaesthesia in mice. At the doses administered, deep surgical anaesthesia was not consistently produced with either combination; therefore, anaesthetic depth must be assessed before performing surgical procedures. Supplemental oxygen should always be provided during anaesthesia to prevent hypoxaemia.
New cryptic species of the ‘revolutum’ group of Echinostoma (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) revealed by molecular and morphological data
Authors: Georgieva Simona , Selbach Christian , Faltýnková Anna , Soldánová Miroslava , Sures Bernd , Skírnisson Karl , Kostadinova Aneta
Published: March 2013

Background

The digenean species of Echinostoma (Echinostomatidae) with 37 collar spines that comprise the so-called ‘revolutum’ species complex, qualify as cryptic due to the interspecific homogeneity of characters used to differentiate species. Only five species were considered valid in the most recent revision of the group but recent molecular studies have demonstrated a higher diversity within the group. In a study of the digeneans parasitising molluscs in central and northern Europe we found that Radix auricularia, R. peregra and Stagnicola palustris were infected with larval stages of two cryptic species of the ‘revolutum’ complex, one resembling E. revolutum and one undescribed species, Echinostoma sp. IG. This paper provides morphological and molecular evidence for their delimitation.

Methods

Totals of 2,030 R. auricularia, 357 R. peregra and 577 S. palustris were collected in seven reservoirs of the River Ruhr catchment area in Germany and a total of 573 R. peregra was collected in five lakes in Iceland. Cercariae were examined and identified live and fixed in molecular grade ethanol for DNA isolation and in hot/cold 4% formaldehyde solution for obtaining measurements from fixed materials. Partial fragments of the mitochondrial gene nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad 1) were amplified for 14 isolates.

Results

Detailed examination of cercarial morphology allowed us to differentiate the cercariae of the two Echinostoma spp. of the ‘revolutum’ species complex. A total of 14 partial nad 1 sequences was generated and aligned with selected published sequences for eight species of the ‘revolutum’ species complex. Both NJ and BI analyses resulted in consensus trees with similar topologies in which the isolates from Europe formed strongly supported reciprocally monophyletic lineages. The analyses also provided evidence that North American isolates identified as E. revolutum represent another cryptic species of the ‘revolutum’ species complex.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the need for further analyses of patterns of interspecific variation based on molecular and morphological evidence to enhance the re-evaluation of the species and advance our understanding of the relationships within the ‘revolutum’ group of Echinostoma.
Extraction of potential adverse drug events from medical case reports
Authors: Gurulingappa Harsha , Mateen‐Rajpu Abdul , Toldo Luca
Published: March 2013

The sheer amount of information about potential adverse drug events publishedin medical case reports pose major challenges for drug safety experts toperform timely monitoring. Efficient strategies for identification andextraction of information about potential adverse drug events fromfree‐text resources are needed to support pharmacovigilance researchand pharmaceutical decision making. Therefore, this work focusses on theadaptation of a machine learning‐based system for the identificationand extraction of potential adverse drug event relations from MEDLINE casereports. It relies on a high quality corpus that was manually annotatedusing an ontology‐driven methodology. Qualitative evaluation of thesystem showed robust results. An experiment with large scale relationextraction from MEDLINE delivered under‐identified potential adversedrug events not reported in drug monographs. Overall, this approach providesa scalable auto‐assistance platform for drug safety professionals toautomatically collect potential adverse drug events communicated asfree‐text data.
Diversity of endophytic fungi from roots of Panax ginseng and their saponin yield capacities
Authors: Wu Hao , Yang Hong-Yan , You Xiang-Lin , Li Yu-Hua
Published: March 2013

Endophytes of medicinal plants have the capacity to synthesis same or similar active substances with their hosts. To investigate the diversity and capacity to produce saponins of endophytic fungi of Panax ginseng, thirty-eight strains of were isolated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing were used to identify the isolates, and saponins concentrations in the cultures were measured. Agar diffusion method was used to test antimicrobial activity. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze ginsenosides produced by representative strains. Nectria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Verticillium, Engyodontium, Plectosphaerella, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Ascomycete species were isolated. Overall, 18.4% of the isolates belonged to Nectria (Nectria haematococca), 13.2% belonged to Aspergillus, and 10.5% belonged to Penicillium. The highest concentration of triterpenoid saponin was 0.181 mg/ml (Pg27), followed by 0.144 mg/ml (Pg30 and Pg42-1). According to the results of the phylogenetic results, these isolates were species of Fusarium, Aspergillus and Verticillium, respectively. The culture filtrate of Pg30 exhibited its antibacterial activity Staphylococcus aureus. Pg 27 and Pg30 could excrete the substances to inhibit the growth of Rhizoctonia solani. Pg42-1 showed strong inhibition against Klebsiella pneumoniae. From HPLC results, the ginsenoside Rb2 was detected in both Pg27 and Pg30 cultures. The ginsenoside Rc was found in Pg42-1 cultures. In conclusion, thirty-eight endophytic fungal strains were isolated and Pg27 (Fusarium sp.) has a potential application value in saponins production.
Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling: A multidisciplinary Roadmap
Authors: Niazi Muaz A
Published: March 2013

PAC Codes

07.05.Tp, 89.75.-k, 89.75.Fb

Mathematics Subject Classification (2010)

05C82, 68T42, 00A72, 92C42
Clustering datasets by complex networks analysis
Authors: Armano Giuliano , Javarone Marco Alberto
Published: March 2013

This paper proposes a method based on complex networks analysis, devised to perform clustering on multidimensional datasets. In particular, the method maps the elements of the dataset in hand to a weighted network according to the similarity that holds among data. Network weights are computed by transforming the Euclidean distances measured between data according to a Gaussian model. Notably, this model depends on a parameter that controls the shape of the actual functions. Running the Gaussian transformation with different values of the parameter allows to perform multiresolution analysis, which gives important information about the number of clusters expected to be optimal or suboptimal.

Solutions obtained running the proposed method on simple synthetic datasets allowed to identify a recurrent pattern, which has been found in more complex, synthetic and real, datasets.
The challenge of cholangiocarcinoma: dissecting the molecular mechanisms of an insidious cancer
Authors: Zabron Abigail , Edwards Robert J. , Khan Shahid A.
Published: March 2013

Cholangiocarcinoma is a fatal cancer of the biliary epithelium and has an incidence that is increasing worldwide. Survival beyond a year of diagnosis is less than 5%, and therapeutic options are few. Known risk factors include biliary diseases such as primary sclerosing cholangitis and parasitic infestation of the biliary tree, but most cases are not associated with any of these underlying diseases. Numerous in vitro and in vivo models, as well as novel analytical techniques for human samples, are helping to delineate the many pathways implicated in this disease, albeit at a frustratingly slow pace. As yet, however, none of these studies has been translated into improved patient outcome and, overall, the pathophysiology of cholangiocarcinoma is still poorly understood. There remains an urgent need for new approaches and models to improve management of this insidious and devastating disease. In this review, we take a bedside-to-bench approach to discussing cholangiocarcinoma and outline research opportunities for the future in this field.
The green leafhopper,Cicadella viridis(Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae), jumps with near-constant acceleration
Authors: Bonsignori Gabriella , Stefanini Cesare , Scarfogliero Umberto , Mintchev Stefano , Benelli Giovanni , Dario Paolo
Published: March 2013

Jumping insects develop accelerations that can greatly exceed gravitational acceleration. Although several species have been analysed using different tools, ranging from a purely physical to a morpho-physiological approach, instantaneous dynamic and kinematic data concerning the jumping motion are lacking. This is mainly due to the difficulty in observing in detail events that occur in a few milliseconds. In this study, the behaviour of the green leafhopper, Cicadella viridis, was investigated during the take-off phase of the jump, through high-speed video recordings (8000 frames s−1). We demonstrate that C. viridis is able to maintain fairly constant acceleration during overall leg elongation. The force exerted at the foot–ground interface is nearly constant and differs from the force expected from other typical motion models. A biomechanical model was used to highlight that this ability relies on the morphology of C. viridis hind legs, which act as a motion converter with a variable transmission ratio and use the time-dependent musculo-elastic force to generate a nearly constant thrust at the body–ground interface. This modulation mechanism minimizes the risk of breaking the substrate thanks to the absence of force peaks. The results of this study are of broad relevance in different research fields ranging from biomechanics to robotics.