bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Transcription by Long Noncoding RNAs
Authors: Bonasio Roberto , Shiekhattar Ramin
Published: September 2014

Over the past decade there has been a greater understanding of genomic complexity in eukaryotes ushered in by the immense technological advances in high-throughput sequencing of DNA and its corresponding RNA transcripts. This has resulted in the realization that beyond protein-coding genes, there are a large number of transcripts that do not encode for proteins and, therefore, may perform their function through RNA sequences and/or through secondary and tertiary structural determinants. This review is focused on the latest findings on a class of noncoding RNAs that are relatively large (>200 nucleotides), display nuclear localization, and use different strategies to regulate transcription. These are exciting times for discovering the biological scope and the mechanism of action for these RNA molecules, which have roles in dosage compensation, imprinting, enhancer function, and transcriptional regulation, with a great impact on development and disease.
Gastrointestinal Microbiota–Mediated Control of Enteric Pathogens
Authors: Yurist-Doutsch Sophie , Arrieta Marie-Claire , Vogt Stefanie L. , Finlay B. Brett
Published: September 2014

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms residing within the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. The GI microbiota is vital to the development of the host immune system and plays a crucial role in human health and disease. The composition of the GI microbiota differs immensely among individuals yet specific shifts in composition and diversity have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, atopy, and susceptibility to infection. In this review, we describe the GI microbiota and its role in enteric diseases caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Clostridium difficile. We discuss the central role of the GI microbiota in protective immunity, resistance to enteric pathogens, and resolution of enteric colitis.
Lineage Sorting in Apes
Authors: Mailund Thomas , Munch Kasper , Schierup Mikkel Heide
Published: September 2014

Recombination allows different parts of the genome to have different genealogical histories. When a species splits in two, allelic lineages sort into the two descendant species, and this lineage sorting varies along the genome. If speciation events are close in time, the lineage sorting process may be incomplete at the second speciation event and lead to gene genealogies that do not match the species phylogeny. We review different recent approaches to model lineage sorting along the genome and show how it is possible to learn about population sizes, natural selection, and recombination rates in ancestral species from application of these models to genome alignments of great ape species.
Whale-Fall Ecosystems: Recent Insights into Ecology, Paleoecology, and Evolution
Authors: Smith Craig R. , Glover Adrian G. , Treude Tina , Higgs Nicholas D. , Amon Diva J.
Published: September 2014

Whale falls produce remarkable organic- and sulfide-rich habitat islands at the seafloor. The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in studies of modern and fossil whale remains, yielding exciting new insights into whale-fall ecosystems. Giant body sizes and especially high bone-lipid content allow great-whale carcasses to support a sequence of heterotrophic and chemosynthetic microbial assemblages in the energy-poor deep sea. Deep-sea metazoan communities at whale falls pass through a series of overlapping successional stages that vary with carcass size, water depth, and environmental conditions. These metazoan communities contain many new species and evolutionary novelties, including bone-eating worms and snails and a diversity of grazers on sulfur bacteria. Molecular and paleoecological studies suggest that whale falls have served as hot spots of adaptive radiation for a specialized fauna; they have also provided evolutionary stepping stones for vent and seep mussels and could have facilitated speciation in other vent/seep taxa.
Microbial Responses to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: From Coastal Wetlands to the Deep Sea
Authors: King G.M. , Kostka J.E. , Hazen T.C. , Sobecky P.A.
Published: September 2014

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico represents the largest marine accidental oil spill in history. It is distinguished from past spills in that it occurred at the greatest depth (1,500 m), the amount of hydrocarbon gas (mostly methane) lost was equivalent to the mass of crude oil released, and dispersants were used for the first time in the deep sea in an attempt to remediate the spill. The spill is also unique in that it has been characterized with an unprecedented level of resolution using next-generation sequencing technologies, especially for the ubiquitous hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities that appeared largely to consume the gases and to degrade a significant fraction of the petroleum. Results have shown an unexpectedly rapid response of deep-sea Gammaproteobacteria to oil and gas and documented a distinct succession correlated with the control of the oil flow and well shut-in. Similar successional events, also involving Gammaproteobacteria, have been observed in nearshore systems as well.
Fish Locomotion: Recent Advances and New Directions
Authors: Lauder George V.
Published: September 2014

Research on fish locomotion has expanded greatly in recent years as new approaches have been brought to bear on a classical field of study. Detailed analyses of patterns of body and fin motion and the effects of these movements on water flow patterns have helped scientists understand the causes and effects of hydrodynamic patterns produced by swimming fish. Recent developments include the study of the center-of-mass motion of swimming fish and the use of volumetric imaging systems that allow three-dimensional instantaneous snapshots of wake flow patterns. The large numbers of swimming fish in the oceans and the vorticity present in fin and body wakes support the hypothesis that fish contribute significantly to the mixing of ocean waters. New developments in fish robotics have enhanced understanding of the physical principles underlying aquatic propulsion and allowed intriguing biological features, such as the structure of shark skin, to be studied in detail.
Insights into Particle Cycling from Thorium and Particle Data
Authors: Lam Phoebe J. , Marchal Olivier
Published: September 2014

Marine particles are a main vector by which the biological carbon pump in the ocean transfers carbon from the atmosphere to the deep ocean. Marine particles exist in a continuous spectrum of sizes, but they can be functionally grouped into a small, suspended class (which constitutes most of the total particle mass) and a large, sinking class (which contributes most of the particle flux). These two classes are connected by aggregation and disaggregation processes. The interplay of processes that create, aggregate, and destroy marine particles determines the strength and transfer efficiency of the biological pump. Measurements of radiocarbon, barium, and organic biomarkers on suspended and sinking particles have provided qualitative insights into particle dynamics, and measurements of thorium isotopes have provided quantitative estimates of rates. Here, we review what has been learned so far about particle dynamics in the ocean from chemical measurements on suspended and sinking particles. We then discuss future directions for this approach.
Infectious Diseases Affect Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics
Authors: Lafferty Kevin D. , Harvell C. Drew , Conrad Jon M. , Friedman Carolyn S. , Kent Michael L. , Kuris Armand M. , Powell Eric N. , Rondeau Daniel , Saksida Sonja M.
Published: September 2014

Seafood is a growing part of the economy, but its economic value is diminished by marine diseases. Infectious diseases are common in the ocean, and here we tabulate 67 examples that can reduce commercial species' growth and survivorship or decrease seafood quality. These impacts seem most problematic in the stressful and crowded conditions of aquaculture, which increasingly dominates seafood production as wild fishery production plateaus. For instance, marine diseases of farmed oysters, shrimp, abalone, and various fishes, particularly Atlantic salmon, cost billions of dollars each year. In comparison, it is often difficult to accurately estimate disease impacts on wild populations, especially those of pelagic and subtidal species. Farmed species often receive infectious diseases from wild species and can, in turn, export infectious agents to wild species. However, the impact of disease export on wild fisheries is controversial because there are few quantitative data demonstrating that wild species near farms suffer more from infectious diseases than those in other areas. The movement of exotic infectious agents to new areas continues to be the greatest concern.
Oceanic Forcing of Coral Reefs
Authors: Lowe Ryan J. , Falter James L.
Published: September 2014

Although the oceans play a fundamental role in shaping the distribution and function of coral reefs worldwide, a modern understanding of the complex interactions between ocean and reef processes is still only emerging. These dynamics are especially challenging owing to both the broad range of spatial scales (less than a meter to hundreds of kilometers) and the complex physical and biological feedbacks involved. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of these processes, ranging from the small-scale mechanics of flow around coral communities and their influence on nutrient exchange to larger, reef-scale patterns of wave- and tide-driven circulation and their effects on reef water quality and perceived rates of metabolism. We also examine regional-scale drivers of reefs such as coastal upwelling, internal waves, and extreme disturbances such as cyclones. Our goal is to show how a wide range of ocean-driven processes ultimately shape the growth and metabolism of coral reefs.
Mineralocorticoids in the Heart and Vasculature: New Insights for Old Hormones
Authors: Lother Achim , Moser Martin , Bode Christoph , Feldman Ross D. , Hein Lutz
Published: September 2014

The mineralocorticoid aldosterone is a key regulator of water and electrolyte homeostasis. Numerous recent developments have advanced the field of mineralocorticoid pharmacology—namely, clinical trials have shown the beneficial effects of aldosterone antagonists in chronic heart failure and post–myocardial infarction treatment. Experimental studies using cell type–specific gene targeting of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) gene in mice have revealed the importance of extrarenal aldosterone signaling in cardiac myocytes, endothelial cells, vascular smooth cells, and macrophages. In addition, several molecular pathways involving signal transduction via the classical MR as well as the G protein–coupled receptor GPER mediate the diverse spectrum of effects of aldosterone on cells. This knowledge has initiated the development of new pharmacological ligands to specifically interfere with targets on different levels of aldosterone signaling. For example, aldosterone synthase inhibitors such as LCI699 and the novel nonsteroidal MR antagonist BAY 94-8862 have been tested in clinical trials. Interference with the interaction between MR and its coregulators seems to be a promising strategy toward the development of selective MR modulators.
Unraveling the Physiological Complexities of Antibiotic Lethality
Authors: Dwyer Daniel J. , Collins James J. , Walker Graham C.
Published: September 2014

We face an impending crisis in our ability to treat infectious disease brought about by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and a decline in the development of new antibiotics. Urgent action is needed. This review focuses on a less well-understood aspect of antibiotic action: the complex metabolic events that occur subsequent to the interaction of antibiotics with their molecular targets and play roles in antibiotic lethality. Independent lines of evidence from studies of the action of bactericidal antibiotics on diverse bacteria collectively suggest that the initial interactions of drugs with their targets cannot fully account for the antibiotic lethality and that these interactions elicit the production of reactive oxidants including reactive oxygen species that contribute to bacterial cell death. Recent challenges to this concept are considered in the context of the broader literature of this emerging area of research. Possible ways that this new knowledge might be exploited to improve antibiotic therapy are also considered.
Hemodynamic Correlates of Cognition in Human Infants
Authors: Aslin Richard N. , Shukla Mohinish , Emberson Lauren L.
Published: September 2014

Over the past 20 years, the field of cognitive neuroscience has relied heavily on hemodynamic measures of blood oxygenation in local regions of the brain to make inferences about underlying cognitive processes. These same functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) techniques have recently been adapted for use with human infants. We review the advantages and disadvantages of these two neuroimaging methods for studies of infant cognition, with a particular emphasis on their technical limitations and the linking hypotheses that are used to draw conclusions from correlational data. In addition to summarizing key findings in several domains of infant cognition, we highlight the prospects of improving the quality of fNIRS data from infants to address in a more sophisticated way how cognitive development is mediated by changes in underlying neural mechanisms.
The Nucleus Accumbens: An Interface Between Cognition, Emotion, and Action
Authors: Floresco Stan B.
Published: September 2014

Nearly 40 years of research on the function of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) has provided a wealth of information on its contributions to behavior but has also yielded controversies and misconceptions regarding these functions. A primary tenet of this review is that, rather than serving as a “reward” center, the NAc plays a key role in action selection, integrating cognitive and affective information processed by frontal and temporal lobe regions to augment the efficiency and vigor of appetitively or aversively motivated behaviors. Its involvement in these functions is most prominent when the appropriate course of action is ambiguous, uncertain, laden with distractors, or in a state of flux. To this end, different subregions of the NAc play dissociable roles in refining action selection, promoting approach toward motivationally relevant stimuli, suppressing inappropriate actions so that goals may be obtained more efficiently, and encoding action outcomes that guide the direction of subsequent ones.
Adult Neurogenesis: Beyond Learning and Memory
Authors: Cameron Heather A. , Glover Lucas R.
Published: September 2014

New neurons continue to be generated in the dentate gyrus throughout life, providing this region of the hippocampus with exceptional structural plasticity, but the function of this ongoing neurogenesis is unknown. Inhibition of adult neurogenesis produces some behavioral impairments that suggest a role for new neurons in learning and memory; however, other behavioral changes appear inconsistent with this function. A review of studies investigating the function of the hippocampus going back several decades reveals many ideas that seem to converge on a critical role for the hippocampus in stress response and emotion. These potential hippocampal functions provide new avenues for investigating the behavioral functions of adult neurogenesis. And, conversely, studies in animals lacking adult neurogenesis, which are likely to have more limited and more specific impairments than are seen with lesions, may provide valuable new insights into the function of the hippocampus. A complete understanding of the function of the hippocampus must explain its role in emotion and the relationship between its emotional and memory functions.
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Working Memory
Authors: D'Esposito Mark , Postle Bradley R.
Published: September 2014

For more than 50 years, psychologists and neuroscientists have recognized the importance of a working memory to coordinate processing when multiple goals are active and to guide behavior with information that is not present in the immediate environment. In recent years, psychological theory and cognitive neuroscience data have converged on the idea that information is encoded into working memory by allocating attention to internal representations, whether semantic long-term memory (e.g., letters, digits, words), sensory, or motoric. Thus, information-based multivariate analyses of human functional MRI data typically find evidence for the temporary representation of stimuli in regions that also process this information in nonworking memory contexts. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), on the other hand, exerts control over behavior by biasing the salience of mnemonic representations and adjudicating among competing, context-dependent rules. The “control of the controller” emerges from a complex interplay between PFC and striatal circuits and ascending dopaminergic neuromodulatory signals.
Representation Activity of The Right and Left Hemispheres of the Brain
Authors: Nikolaenko N. N. , Egorov A. Y. , Freiman E. A.
Published: September 2014

Drawings by psychiatric patients were studied in various states (i) in depression; (ii) after neuroleptic injection; and (iii) during left hemisphere suppression induced by unilateral electroconvulsive seizure (UES). In these states, right hemisphere activation predominates. The results of the study demonstrate that, under the predominance of right hemisphere activation over the left hemisphere, there is a tendency to reproduce the image of the object and to represent it in near space. Drawings by psychiatric patients were also investigated in (i) the manic state; (ii) after injection of psychotropic drugs which improved the mood; and (iii) during right hemisphere suppression following right-sided UES. Under these conditions, left hemisphere activation predominates and the drawings loose the illusion of three-dimensional space. A tendency to reproduce the knowledge and the ideas of the object and to represent it in distant space was observed. Thus, both hemispheres may represent space and elaborate perceptive and conceptional models of the world in different ways. It is probable that different types of representation are based on global (right-hemispheric) in comparison with focal (left-hemispheric) attention to space.
Visual Problems in Parkinson’s Disease: A Questionnaire Survey
Authors: McDowell Sally-Ann , Harris John P.
Published: September 2014

A questionnaire was completed by 53 putative sufferers from Parkinson’s disease and 31 putative age-matched normal controls. The aim of the questionnaire was to elicit reports of any changes in visual perception. The incidence of self-reported Parkinsonian symptoms was very much higher in the patient group than in the controls. The patients reported significantly more problems with depth and motion perception than the controls. They also reported a significantly higher incidence of hallucinations, double vision and the need to turn the head to see objects in the periphery. However, the reported incidence of changes in brightness, colour, shape and size perception was not significantly different in the two groups. The results are discussed with reference to laboratory studies of Parkinsonian vision and to the likely neurological basis of some of the changes.
Premorbid Personality Characteristics in Alzheimer’s Disease: An Exploratory Case–Control Study
Authors: Malinchoc M. , Rocca W. A. , Colligan R. C. , Offord K. P. , Kokmen E.
Published: September 2014

Linking data from a case–control study of Alzheimer’s disease with data from a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) outpatient study, we identified 13 Alzheimer's disease cases and 16 controls for case–control comparison. The mean time between personality testing and onset of Alzheimer's disease (or corresponding age for controls) was 13 years in cases and 14 years in controls. Alzheimer's disease cases, but not the controls, had scores significantly greater than the normative reference on MMPI scales measuring Social Introversion (p = 0.05), and Pessimism (p = 0.01). When compared to controls, Alzheimer's disease cases had significantly greater scores on the Social Introversion scale (p = 0.03). Despite the small sample size and some design limitations of this exploratory study, our findings may suggest that subjects who score higher on these personality scales have a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Word-Retrieval in Two Cases of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Authors: Gurd Jennifer M. , Hodges John R.
Published: September 2014

In this paper, we describe the detailed neuropsychological investigation of two cases of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and demonstrate word-finding difficulties associated with pervasive problems in word-retrieval. The pattern of deficits resembles that seen in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) but is more severe, even in very mild PSP, and appears less amenable to cue facilitation. Performance on a variety of word-production tasks is compared, and experimental controls for motor effects on performance are included. The role of stimulus cues in speeded word-finding is addressed experimentally, as are central executive influences on task performance. This combines with functional brain-scan data from single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) which shows reduced frontal perfusion in one of the two cases.
Epidemiological Investigation of Canine Leishmaniasis in Southern Morocco
Authors: Boussaa Samia , Kasbari Mohamed , El Mzabi Amal , Boumezzough Ali
Published: September 2014

Dogs are the major reservoir of Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean basin. In Morocco, canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is usually believed to be widespread mainly, if not only, in the northern regions and few data are available about the situation in southern parts of the country. Here, we report the results of a preliminary, clinical, and serological study carried out in 2004–2007, in four provinces of southern Morocco. Serological analyses were processed using two different Elisa techniques, a homemade Elisa test and IDVET commercial kit, and confirmed by two different western blot (WB) tests, homemade and LDBIO commercial kits. We highlighted the presence of CanL infection in southern regions, known until then as free of the disease: 19.8% (48/243) of examined dogs displayed clinical signs compatible with CanL and the seroprevalence was particularly high, respectively, 81.8% and 87.8% by Elisa and western blot tests. Our current developed and validated homemade (Elisa and WB) tools will be cost-effective and useful for next large-scale epidemiological studies on Moroccan leishmaniasis animal reservoir.
Alveolar Ridge Preservation Using Xenogeneic Collagen Matrix and Bone Allograft
Authors: Parashis Andreas O. , Kalaitzakis Charalampos J. , Tatakis Dimitris N. , Tosios Konstantinos
Published: September 2014

Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) has been shown to prevent postextraction bone loss. The aim of this report is to highlight the clinical, radiographic, and histological outcomes following use of a bilayer xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM) in combination with freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) for ARP. Nine patients were treated after extraction of 18 teeth. Following minimal flap elevation and atraumatic extraction, sockets were filled with FDBA. The XCM was adapted to cover the defect and 2-3 mm of adjacent bone and flaps were repositioned. Healing was uneventful in all cases, the XCM remained in place, and any matrix exposure was devoid of further complications. Exposed matrix portions were slowly vascularized and replaced by mature keratinized tissue within 2-3 months. Radiographic and clinical assessment indicated adequate volume of bone for implant placement, with all planned implants placed in acceptable positions. When fixed partial dentures were placed, restorations fulfilled aesthetic demands without requiring further augmentation procedures. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis from 9 sites (4 patients) indicated normal mucosa with complete incorporation of the matrix and absence of inflammatory response. The XCM + FDBA combination resulted in minimal complications and desirable soft and hard tissue therapeutic outcomes, suggesting the feasibility of this approach for ARP.
A Review of Water Isotopes in Atmospheric General Circulation Models: Recent Advances and Future Prospects
Authors: Xi Xi
Published: September 2014

Stable water isotopologues, mainly 1H2O, 1H2HO (HDO), and H12O18, are useful tracers for processes in the global hydrological cycle. The incorporation of water isotopes into Atmospheric General Circulation Models (AGCMs) since 1984 has helped scientists gain substantial new insights into our present and past climate. In recent years, there have been several significant advances in water isotopes modeling in AGCMs. This paper reviews and synthesizes key advances accomplished in modeling (1) surface evaporation, (2) condensation, (3) supersaturation, (4) postcondensation processes, (5) vertical distribution of water isotopes, and (6) spatial δ18O-temperature slope and utilizing (1) spectral nudging technique, (2) higher model resolutions, and (3) coupled atmosphere-ocean models. It also reviews model validation through comparisons of model outputs and ground-based and spaceborne measurements. In the end, it identifies knowledge gaps and discusses future prospects of modeling and model validation.
The Prevalence of HIV by Ethnic Group Is Correlated with HSV-2 and Syphilis Prevalence in Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States
Authors: Kenyon Chris Richard , Osbak Kara , Buyze Jozefien
Published: September 2014

Background. This paper investigates two issues: do ethnic/racial groups with high HIV prevalences also have higher prevalences of other STIs? and is HIV prevalence by ethnic group correlated with the prevalence of circumcision, concurrency, or having more than one partner in the preceding year?Methods. We used Spearman’s correlation to estimate the association between the prevalence of HIV per ethnic/racial group and HSV-2, syphilis, symptoms of an STI, having more than one partner in the past year, concurrency, and circumcision in Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.Results. We found that in each country HSV-2, syphilis, and symptomatic STIs were positively correlated with HIV prevalence (HSV-2: Kenya rho = 0.50,P= 0.207; South Africa rho-1,P= 0.000; USA rho-1,P= 0.000, Syphilis: Kenya rho = 0.33,P= 0.420; South Africa rho-1,P= 0.000; USA rho-1,P= 0.000, and STI symptoms: Kenya rho = 0.92,P= 0.001; South Africa rho-1,P= 0.000; UK rho = 0.87,P= 0.058; USA rho-1,P= 0.000). The prevalence of circumcision was only negatively associated with HIV prevalence in Kenya. Both having more than one partner in the previous year and concurrency were positively associated with HIV prevalence in all countries (concurrency: Kenya rho = 0.79,P= 0.036; South Africa rho-1,P= 0.000; UK 0.87,P= 0.058; USA rho-1,P= 0.000 and multiple partners: Kenya rho = 0.82,P= 0.023; South Africa rho-1,P= 0.000; UK rho = 0.87,P= 0.058; USA rho-1,P= 0.000). Not all associations were statistically significant.Conclusion. Further attention needs to be directed to what determines higher rates of partner change and concurrency in communities with high STI prevalence.
Research on Visual Servo Grasping of Household Objects for Nonholonomic Mobile Manipulator
Authors: Xie Huangsheng , Li Guodong , Wang Yuexin , Fu Zhihe , Zhou Fengyu
Published: September 2014

This paper focuses on the problem of visual servo grasping of household objects for nonholonomic mobile manipulator. Firstly, a new kind of artificial object mark based on QR (Quick Response) Code is designed, which can be affixed to the surface of household objects. Secondly, after summarizing the vision-based autonomous mobile manipulation system as a generalized manipulator, the generalized manipulator’s kinematic model is established, the analytical inverse kinematic solutions of the generalized manipulator are acquired, and a novel active vision based camera calibration method is proposed to determine the hand-eye relationship. Finally, a visual servo switching control law is designed to control the service robot to finish object grasping operation. Experimental results show that QR Code-based artificial object mark can overcome the difficulties brought by household objects’ variety and operation complexity, and the proposed visual servo scheme makes it possible for service robot to grasp and deliver objects efficiently.
Efficiency and Flexibility of Fingerprint Scheme Using Partial Encryption and Discrete Wavelet Transform to Verify User in Cloud Computing
Authors: Yassin Ali A.
Published: September 2014

Now, the security of digital images is considered more and more essential and fingerprint plays the main role in the world of image. Furthermore, fingerprint recognition is a scheme of biometric verification that applies pattern recognition techniques depending on image of fingerprint individually. In the cloud environment, an adversary has the ability to intercept information and must be secured from eavesdroppers. Unluckily, encryption and decryption functions are slow and they are often hard. Fingerprint techniques required extra hardware and software; it is masqueraded by artificial gummy fingers (spoof attacks). Additionally, when a large number of users are being verified at the same time, the mechanism will become slow. In this paper, we employed each of the partial encryptions of user’s fingerprint and discrete wavelet transform to obtain a new scheme of fingerprint verification. Moreover, our proposed scheme can overcome those problems; it does not require cost, reduces the computational supplies for huge volumes of fingerprint images, and resists well-known attacks. In addition, experimental results illustrate that our proposed scheme has a good performance of user’s fingerprint verification.
A Fractional Entropy in Fractal Phase Space: Properties and Characterization
Authors: Radhakrishnan Chandrashekar , Chinnarasu Ravikumar , Jambulingam Segar
Published: September 2014

A two-parameter generalization of Boltzmann-Gibbs-Shannon entropy based on natural logarithm is introduced. The generalization of the Shannon-Khinchin axioms corresponding to the two-parameter entropy is proposed and verified. We present the relative entropy, Jensen-Shannon divergence measure and check their properties. The Fisher information measure, the relative Fisher information, and the Jensen-Fisher information corresponding to this entropy are also derived. Also the Lesche stability and the thermodynamic stability conditions are verified. We propose a generalization of a complexity measure and apply it to a two-level system and a system obeying exponential distribution. Using different distance measures we define the statistical complexity and analyze it for two-level and five-level system.
Accelerated Hypertension after Venlafaxine Usage
Authors: Kıvrak Yüksel , Güvenç Tolga Sinan , Akbulut Nurcihan , Yağcı İbrahim , Çığşar Gülşen , Gündüz Süleyman , Balcı Bahattin
Published: September 2014

Venlafaxine is the first antidepressant that acts via inhibiting serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake. Hypertension is observed in doses exceeding 300 mg/day and is the most feared complication. We report a patient with accelerated hypertension after venlafaxine use observed at a dose of 150 mg/day. A 23-year-old patient with symptoms of insomnia, depression, anhedonia, fatigue admitted our clinic. Venlafaxine at a dose of 75 mg/day was initiated after he was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. After 5 months, venlafaxine dose was uptitrated to 150 mg/day due to inadequate response to drug. After using venlafaxine for ten months at the dose of 150 mg/day, he admitted our clinic with headache and epistaxis. He was hospitalized after his blood pressure was measured as 210/170 mmHg. No secondary causes for hypertension were found, and venlafaxine treatment was considered possible etiologic factor. After stopping venlafaxine treatment, his blood pressure was reverted back to normal limits. While mild elevation of blood pressure could be observed after venlafaxine treatment, this case shows that accelerated hypertension with a diastolic blood pressure rise above 120 mmHg could be observed at relatively low doses of venlafaxine. Close monitoring of blood pressure is necessary after initiation of treatment, as accelerated hypertension could cause endorgan damage with potentially catastrophic results.
The Frequency of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusandCoagulaseGene Polymorphism in Egypt
Authors: Abdulghany Hend M. , Khairy Rasha M.
Published: September 2014

The current study aimed to useCoagulasegene polymorphism to identify methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) subtypes isolated from nasal carriers in Minia governorate, Egypt, evaluate the efficiency of these methods in discriminating variable strains, and compare these subtypes with antibiotypes. A total of 400 specimens were collected from nasal carriers in Minia governorate, Egypt, between March 2012 and April 2013. Fifty-eight strains (14.5%) were isolated and identified by standard microbiological methods as MRSA. The identified isolates were tested byCoagulasegene RFLP typing. Out of 58 MRSA isolates 15coatypes were classified, and the amplification products showed multiple bands (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 bands).Coagulasegene PCR-RFLPs exhibited 10 patterns that ranged from 1 to 8 fragments withAluIdigestion. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing with a panel of 8 antimicrobial agents showed 6 different antibiotypes. Antibiotype 1 was the most common phenotype with 82.7%. The results have demonstrated that many new variants of thecoagene are present in Minia, Egypt, different from those reported in the previous studies. So surveillance of MRSA should be continued.
Comparison of Short and Continuous Hydration Regimen in Chemotherapy Containing Intermediate- to High-Dose Cisplatin
Authors: Ouchi Akira , Asano Masahiko , Aono Keiya , Watanabe Tetsuya , Kato Takehiro
Published: September 2014

Aim.The efficacy of the short hydration regimen was reported in chemotherapy containing intermediate- to high-dose cisplatin, and the use of outpatient chemotherapy containing cisplatin with short hydration has been widespread in recent years.Methods.We compared patients with gastric cancer, lung cancer, and urothelial cancer who received outpatient chemotherapy containing cisplatin (≥60 mg/m2/cycle) with the short hydration regimen since April 2012(n=13)with those who received hospital chemotherapy with continuous hydration between April 2011 and March 2013(n=17)in our hospital.Results.Grade 2 or higher acute kidney injury occurred in 2 patients in the continuous hydration group and in no patient in the short hydration group; 1 patient discontinued treatment on account of nephrotoxicity. There was no difference between the 2 groups in maximum creatinine increment and maximum clearance decrement. Relative dose intensity in the short hydration group was higher than that in the continuous hydration group (89.5% versus 80.3%;P<0.01).Conclusions.The short hydration regimen in outpatient chemotherapy containing intermediate- to high-dose cisplatin is as safe as the continuous hydration regimen and increased the efficacy of chemotherapy.
Medical Image Watermarking Technique for Accurate Tamper Detection in ROI and Exact Recovery of ROI
Authors: Eswaraiah R. , Sreenivasa Reddy E.
Published: September 2014

In telemedicine while transferring medical images tampers may be introduced. Before making any diagnostic decisions, the integrity of region of interest (ROI) of the received medical image must be verified to avoid misdiagnosis. In this paper, we propose a novel fragile block based medical image watermarking technique to avoid embedding distortion inside ROI, verify integrity of ROI, detect accurately the tampered blocks inside ROI, and recover the original ROI with zero loss. In this proposed method, the medical image is segmented into three sets of pixels: ROI pixels, region of noninterest (RONI) pixels, and border pixels. Then, authentication data and information of ROI are embedded in border pixels. Recovery data of ROI is embedded into RONI. Results of experiments conducted on a number of medical images reveal that the proposed method produces high quality watermarked medical images, identifies the presence of tampers inside ROI with 100% accuracy, and recovers the original ROI without any loss.
Benign Breast Tissue Composition in Breast Cancer Patients: Association with Risk Factors, Clinical Variables, and Gene Expression
Authors: Sun Xuezheng , Sandhu Rupninder , Figueroa Jonine D. , Gierach Gretchen L. , Sherman Mark E. , Troester Melissa A.
Published: September 2014

Background: Breast tissue composition (epithelium, non-fatty stroma, and adipose) changes qualitatively and quantitatively throughout the lifespan, and may mediate relationships between risk factors and breast cancer initiation. We sought to identify relationships between tissue composition, risk factors, tumor characteristics, and gene expression.

Methods: Participants were 146 patients from the Polish Breast Cancer Study, with data on risk factor and clinicopathological characteristics. Benign breast tissue composition was evaluated using digital image analysis of histologic sections. Whole-genome microarrays were performed on the same tissue blocks.

Results: Mean epithelial, non-fatty stromal, and adipose proportions were 8.4% (SD = 4.9%), 27.7% (SD = 24.0%), and 64.0% (SD = 24.0%), respectively. Among women <50 years old, stroma proportion decreased and adipose proportion increased with age, with approximately 2% difference per year (P < 0.01). The variation in epithelial proportion with age was modest (0.1% per year). Higher epithelial proportion was associated with obesity (7.6% in nonobese vs. 10.1% in obese; P = 0.02) and with poorly differentiated tumors (7.8% in well/moderate vs. 9.9% in poor; P = 0.05). Gene expression signatures associated with epithelial and stromal proportion were identified and validated. Stroma-associated genes were in metabolism and stem cell maintenance pathways, whereas epithelial genes were enriched for cytokine and immune response pathways.

Conclusions: Breast tissue composition was associated with age, body mass index, and tumor grade, with consequences for breast gene expression.

Impact: Breast tissue morphologic factors may influence breast cancer etiology. Composition and gene expression may act as biomarkers of breast cancer risk and progression. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(12); 2810–8. ©2014 AACR.
Efficacy of a Cathepsin K Inhibitor in a Preclinical Model for Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis
Authors: Duong Le T. , Wesolowski Gregg A. , Leung Patrick , Oballa Renata , Pickarski Maureen
Published: September 2014

Cathepsin K (CatK) is essential for osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. CatK expression is also detected in breast cancer cells that metastasize to bone. Here, the CatK inhibitor L-235 dosed in prevention (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg, p.o., b.i.d.) or treatment regimen (30 mg/kg) was compared with the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (ZOL, 7.5 μg/kg/wk, s.c.) in the intratibial injection model of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma in nude rats. Progression of osteolysis, skeletal tumor burden, and local metastasis was evaluated by radiography through 42 days and ex vivo μCT and histology. IHC and RT-PCR confirmed the increases in CatK protein and mRNA levels in human breast cancer primary and metastatic tumors. In the experimental model of breast cancer bone metastasis, L-235 dosed in preventive mode resulted in a dose-related reduction of osteolysis of 72%, 75%, and 87% respectively, compared with ZOL by 86% versus intact. Similarly, L-235 significantly reduced intratibial tumor volume by 29%, 40%, and 63%, respectively, compared with 56% by ZOL versus vehicle. Efficacy of L-235 and ZOL on reduction of osteolytic lesions and tumor burden was comparable in treatment versus preventive regimens. All L-235 doses inhibited cortical disruption and extraskeletal tumor growth to a level comparable with ZOL. Assessment of local metastasis demonstrated that treatment with the CatK inhibitor was more effective than ZOL in reducing breast cancer invasion. These data support the role of CatK in breast cancer skeletal growth and metastasis and CatK inhibitors may represent a novel oral therapy for treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(12); 2898–909. ©2014 AACR.
Statins for the Prevention of Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Ball Timothy , McCullough Peter A.
Published: September 2014

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common medical problem, especially in patients undergoing cardiovascular procedures. The risk of kidney damage has multiple determinants and is often related to or exacerbated by intravenous or intra-arterial iodinated contrast. Contrast-induced AKI (CI-AKI) has been associated with an increased risk of subsequent myocardial infarction, stroke, the development of heart failure, rehospitalization, progression of chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and death. Statins have been studied extensively in the setting of chronic kidney disease and they have been shown to reduce albuminuria, but they have had no effect on the progressive reduction of glomerular filtration or the need for renal replacement therapy. Several meta-analyses have shown a protective effect of short-term statin administration on CI-AKI and led to two large randomized controlled trials evaluating the role of rosuvastatin in the prevention of CI-AKI in high-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome and diabetes mellitus. Both trials showed a benefit of rosuvastatin prior to contrast administration in a statin-naive patient population. In aggregate, these studies support the short-term use of statins specifically for the prevention of CI-AKI in patients undergoing coronary angiography with or without percutaneous coronary intervention.
Biomarkers in Acute Kidney Injury: Are We Ready for Prime Time?
Authors: Devarajan Prasad , Murray Patrick
Published: September 2014

Novel biomarkers are required to improve the timely detection of early acute kidney injury (AKI) and to improve the differential diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and management of AKI cases. It is anticipated that novel biomarkers of early structural AKI (‘acute kidney damage') will provide critical diagnostic and prognostic stratification and complement functional markers such as serum creatinine. Further studies are required to conclusively demonstrate the association between early kidney damage biomarkers and clinical outcomes, both with and independently of functional markers, and to discern whether or not randomization to a treatment for AKI based on high structural/damage biomarker levels results in an improvement in kidney function and clinical outcomes.
Role of Renal Oxygenation and Mitochondrial Function in the Pathophysiology of Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Nourbakhsh Noureddin , Singh Prabhleen
Published: September 2014

There are unique features of renal oxygenation that render the kidney susceptible to oxygen demand-supply mismatch and hypoxia. Renal oxygen consumption by oxidative metabolism is closely coupled to and driven by tubular transport, which is linked to the filtered solute load and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In turn, filtered solute load and GFR are dependent on the renal blood flow. Hence, changes in renal blood flow increase oxygen delivery but also increase oxygen demand (consumption) simultaneously by increasing the tubular workload of solute transport. The renal blood flow to different regions of kidney is also inhomogeneous, increasing the oxygen demand-supply mismatch in particular areas such as the outer medulla which become more susceptible to injury. Thus, tubular transport and oxidative metabolism by miochondria are closely coupled in the kidney and are the principal determinants of intrarenal oxygenation. Here we review the published literature characterizing renal oxygenation and mitochondrial function in ischemic and sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the coupling of transport and metabolism in AKI has not been examined. This is a potentially fruitful area of research that should become increasingly active given the emerging data linking renal oxygenation and hypoxia to acute and chronic dysfunction in the kidney.
Focus on Lipids: High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Its Associated Lipoproteins in Cardiac and Renal Disease
Authors: Shin Hyun Joon , McCullough Peter A.
Published: September 2014

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) contains dozens of apoproteins that participate in normal cholesterol metabolism with a reliance on renal catabolism for clearance from the body. The plasma pool of HDL-C has been an excellent inverse predictor of cardiovascular events. However, when HDL-C concentrations have been manipulated with the use of niacin, fibric acid derivatives, and cholesteryl ester transferase protein inhibitors, there has been no improvement in outcomes in patients where the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol has been well treated with statins. Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) is one of the minor apoproteins of HDL-C, newly discovered in 1997. Circulating APOL1 is a 43-kDa protein mainly found in the HDL3 subfraction. In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), mutant forms of APOL1 have been associated with rapidly progressive CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Because mutant forms of APOL1 are more prevalent in African Americans compared to Caucasians, it may explain some of the racial disparities seen in the pool of patients with ESRD in the United States. Thus, HDL-C is an important lipoprotein carrying apoproteins that play roles in vascular and kidney disease.
Using Biomarkers for Acute Kidney Injury: Barriers and Solutions
Authors: Endre Zoltán H.
Published: September 2014

The clinical implementation of urinary and plasma renal injury biomarkers has been hampered by the variability associated with nonstandardized commercially available biomarker assays, uncertainty and variations in patient selection criteria, and the absence of context-specific cutoffs for biomarker concentrations. These limitations are increased by comparison with serum creatinine to define acute kidney injury. The critical problem affecting biomarker performance is patient heterogeneity involving the cause, context (including comorbidity and baseline renal function), and timing of the injury. We suggest strategies for stratifying subjects to provide appropriate context, and illustrate a creatinine-independent method for defining thresholds for biomarker concentrations in these contexts which utilizes the same sensitivity for the clinical outcomes of dialysis or death. Large multicenter cohort studies are needed to validate the proposed cutoffs.