bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Day surgery anaesthesia in children
Authors: Kovacevic Irina , Simic Dusica , Petkovic Milos
Published: May 2015

The progress of anesthesiology and surgery makes it possible for most of the
interventions to be preformed during day surgery. The objective of this study
was, by the analysis of patients who had undergone day surgery and with
respect of procedure and patients selection criteria, to show that this mode
of treatment is efficient, safe and money saving. Retrospective study
consisted of 2078 children, aged 6 months to 14 years, ASA I-II, subjected to
various interventions at the Day Surgical Department of the University
Children?s Hospital in Belgrade. The analysis of the results demonstrated
that just few patients had postoperative complications, unrelated to applied
anesthesia and premedication. No case was reported to be hospitalized due to
postoperative complications. Temporary and rare postoperative complications,
short separation of children from their parents, and reduced treatment costs
indicate that such trend of management should be continued.
Surgical management of congenital lung anomalies
Authors: Lukac Marija , Sindjic Sanja , Krstic Zoran , Ljubic Aleksandar , Smoljanic Zeljko , Pavicevic Polina , Maglajlic Svjetlana , Vujovic Dragana , Lukac Radoslav
Published: May 2015

Prenatal diagnosis allows for insight into the evaluation of fetal lung
anomalies. Serial ultrasonographic studies of fetuses helped in evaluation
and definition of the natural course of these lesions as well as necessity
for fetal therapy. It has been found that the overall prognosis depends on
the size of the lung mass and the secondary derangement of normal lung tissue
and cardiovascular system. Although much is known about the prenatal course
of these anomalies, little is known about the postnatal course of
asymptomatic patients. Infants who are symptomatic at birth require early
surgical treatment. During the period from 1984-2003, 23 patients with
congenital lung anomalies were treated, out of whom 19 were diagnosed
postnatally and 4 prenatally. All postnatally diagnosed patients (9
congenital lobar emphysema, 5 congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations, 3
pulmonal cysts, 1 bronchopulmonary sequestration and 1 arteriovenous
malformation) underwent surgical excision (lobectomy or sequestrectomy) after
becoming symptomatic (main symptoms were infection or respiratory distress).
Prenatally diagnosed patients (2 bronchopulmonary sequestrations and one
enteric mediastinal cyst) underwent elective surgical interventions
(sequestrectomy and excision of the cyst) in infancy. Postoperative course
was uneventful in all patients. One patient probably had spontaneous
involution of the mass. We believe that elective resection is indicated in
asymptomatic neonates with congenital lung anomalies, because of the
potential risk of infection and occult malignant transformation. Early
resection also maximizes compensatory lung growth. This approach eliminates
any risk of pulmonary infection, lung abscess formation or malignant
transformation. In addition, subsequent exposure to radiation will be
avoided.
Percutaneous gastrostomy as an urgent method of management of critically ill neonate with esophageal and duodenal atresia
Authors: Kolar Mila , Krstic Zoran , Lukac Marija , Stankovic Volodja , Kostic Marko
Published: May 2015

The objective of this article was to present possibilities of percutaneous
gastrostomy for management of a newborn with esophageal and duodenal atresia.
Percutaneous gastrostomy is the most commonly employed technique for
providing long-term enteral nutrition. In adults, it is also method of choice
for decompression of digestive tract in palliative treatment of malignant and
non malignant diseases. This is a case report of two-day old newborn with
esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula and duodenal
atresia. Percutaneous decompressive gastrostomy was used as a temporary
bridge to definite surgery for management of respiratory dysfunction of this
newborn, caused by dilated stomach. Surgical management (esophageal and
duodenal reconstructions) as well as intra- and postoperative period were
without any complications. Three months after surgical management, the infant
is well and without any difficulties.
Medical ethics education
Authors: Piryani R M
Published: May 2015

Ethics education is essential for everyone but indispensable for health care professionals. Health care professionals must strive for excellence as much as possible. The moral duty of health care professionals is to do the best for their patients and take healthcare decision based on evidence and clinical, technical and ethical ground. However, most of the times ethical aspects are either ignored, undermined or overlooked. There seems to be some gap in teaching and learning and its application in practice. The fundamental idea to teach medical ethics at undergraduate level is to sow the seeds to ethics at an early stage in the minds of health care professionals to deliver excellent health care to the community. All religions prescribe ethical and moral behaviour and thought for their followers. Hinduism through Bhagwat Gita preaches karma as the only dharma, Islam speaks of Khuluq, Buddhism of the 10 meritorious deeds, Jainism of three ratnas, Christianity of service and stewardship. Let’s invest our efforts in enhancing medical ethics education in our institutions besides technical education and produce quality healthcare professionals who can take healthcare decision based on evidence, and clinical, technical and ethical ground.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmc.v5i1.12557
Hand hygiene in the intensive care unit
Authors: Gurung G , Pratibha K
Published: May 2015

Adherence to hand hygiene recommendations in the intensive care unit (ICU) is variable and moderate, at the best. This observational study aimed to measure adherence to hand hygiene recommendations among ICU clinicians in 4 multidisciplinary ICUs at Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Chitwan. Researchers observed 100 clinicians (79 nurses, 13 medical officers and 8 physicians and pediatricians) during patient encounter. Clinicians were unaware that they were under observation. We documented use of gloves, soap and alcohol solution before and after patient encounters for purposes of physical examination or patient care. 80% of clinicians used some form of hand hygiene without fully adhering to recommendations, whereas 20% did not appear to attend to hand hygiene at all during observation. Among 80 clinicians who used some form of hand hygiene, 30% of clinicians adhering to recommendations used gloves followed by washing with soap or alcohol solution. Hence, Multidisciplinary approaches to improving hand hygiene is necessary to improve the modest adherence to hand hygiene that researchers observed.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmc.v5i1.12559
Study of the health status of geriatric age group in Chitwan district of Nepal
Authors: Subedi L , Sah R B
Published: May 2015

Retirement, change in housing, illness or death of spouse greatly affect the physical and mental well-being of the geriatric person. This study aims to find out the health status of geriatric age group in chitwan district of Nepal. A cross sectional study was carried out among 300 geriatric people where 15.7% of the geriatric were living alone, 50.3 % and 39.7% of geriatrics gave history of regular use of tobacco and alcohol respectively. Co-morbidities were found in 63% of geriatrics who suffered from 2 or more diseases. In Total 44% were found to have Ophthalmic problems, 23% were found to have ENT problems, 5.33% were found to mental disorders, 33% were found to have CVS problems, 43% were found to have GI problems, 15.67 % were found to have Metabolic disorder. The study highlighted a high prevalence of morbidity and health related problems in geriatric age groups.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmc.v5i1.12560
Comparison of efficacy of propofol and sevoflurane for laryngeal mask airway insertion during elective surgeries
Authors: Rehman H R , Hassan I , Hussain T , Mir A A , Zahid M
Published: May 2015

This study was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi from 5 October 2011 to 5 April 2012 after approval of hospital ethics committee. Three hundred and eighteen patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were selected in the study by non-probability consecutive sampling after taking informed written consent. Patients between the ages of 20 to 40 years were included, belonging to ASA class I and II, requiring General Anesthesia with Laryngeal Mask Airway for different surgical procedures. They were divided into two equal groups by computer generated random numbers. Group A comprised of one hundred and fifty eight patients in whom intravenous propofol was given for induction of anesthesia and Laryngeal mask insertion. Group B comprised of one hundred and fifty eight patients in whom inhalational induction with sevoflurane was done for Laryngeal mask insertion. Conduct of anesthesia was maintained similar in both groups. Cough and gag reflexes were observed in both groups at the time of Laryngeal mask insertion. Drug under study was said to be effective, if it is associated with no cough and gag reflex during Laryngeal mask insertion. All the data was analyzed by SPSS version 15. It was observed that 6.3% patients of group A (propofol) had positive cough reflex as compare to 13.2%% patients of group B (sevoflurane). The difference was statistically significant (p=0.038). While the incidence of gag reflex in group A was 8.2% and group B was 14.5%. But the difference was not found to be statistically significant (p=0.077). Propofol is more effective than sevoflurane for smooth LMA insertion during elective surgeries.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmc.v5i1.12562
Odontome presenting as fibrotic mass in the upper lip: A rare case report
Authors: Shrestha B , Cho K J , Lee J H , Subedi S
Published: May 2015

The extraosseous occurrence of Odontome is rare. Trauma to the tooth bud during its early developmental stages has been proposed as a possible predisposing factor for the origin of odontome. In many cases etiology cannot be identified. Here we report an unusual and rare case of odontome presenting as a fibrotic mass on the upper lip in 32 years old female patient. The authors believe this is the rare documented case of odontome occurring within the soft tissue of upper lip.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmc.v5i1.12573
Field tracking (GPS) of ten icebergs in eastern Baffin Bay, offshore Upernavik, northwest Greenland
Authors: Larsen Poul-Henrik , Hansen Marc Overgaard , Buus-Hinkler Jørgen , Krane Klaus Harnvig , Sønderskov Carsten
Published: May 2015

A field investigation of iceberg drift pattern and drift speed was conducted in September 2011 in Baffin Bay, northwest Greenland. Ten icebergs were equipped with GPS transponders during a field campaign. Above-waterline dimensions (length, width and height) of the icebergs were measured using a GPS/pressure altimeter and geometrically rectified digital photographs taken during the field campaign. Iceberg lengths, masses and drafts ranged from 95 to 450 m, 330 000 to 17 000 000 t and 70 to 260 m, respectively. The drift patterns and speeds were determined on the basis of GPS positions logged continuously at 1 hour intervals. The drift patterns differed significantly from iceberg to iceberg. The GPS signal was lost on six of the icebergs within the first 23 days of logging. Three transponders were transferring data for more than 5 months until the battery ran out of power. One transponder was sending data until summer 2012. The measured maximum drift speed was 68 cm s−1 (2.4 km h−1), and the mean drift speed for all ten icebergs was 10 cm s−1 (0.4 km h−1). Relations between iceberg size and drift speed were investigated, showing that icebergs with large surface areas moved at the highest speeds, which occurred particularly during strong wind conditions.
Evaluation of cardiac patient undergoing non-cardiac surgery
Authors: Mahmood Manzoor , Hoque Harisul
Published: May 2015

Abstract not availableUniversity Heart Journal Vol. 9, No. 2, July 2013; 72-73
Ectopia cordis
Authors: Arzu Jahanara , Siddique Md Abu , Banerjee Sajal K , Ahmed Chowdhury Meshkat , Haque Md Harisul , Sheikh Naveen , Mahmood Manzoor
Published: May 2015

Ectopia cordisis characterized by partial or complete displacement of the heart out of the thoracic cavity The defect is a rare congenital abnormality, occurring in 5.5 to 7.9 per 1 million live births.University Heart Journal Vol. 9, No. 2, July 2013; 119-120
Spatial Distribution of Methanesulphonic Acid in the Arctic Aerosol Collected during the Chinese Arctic Research Expedition
Authors: Ye Peipei , Xie Zhouqing , Yu Juan , Kang Hui
Published: May 2015

Methanesulphonic acid (MSA, mainly derived from marine biogenic emissions) has been frequently used to estimate the marine biogenic contribution. However, there are few reports on MSA over the Arctic Ocean, especially the central Arctic Ocean. Here, we analyzed MSA in aerosol samples collected over the ocean and seas during the Chinese Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 2012) using ion chromatography. The aerosol MSA concentrations over the Arctic Ocean varied considerably and ranged from non-detectable (ND) to 229 ng/m3, with an average of 27 ± 54 ng/m3 (median: 10 ng/m3). We found the distribution of aerosol MSA exhibited an obvious regional variation, which was affected by biotic and abiotic factors. High values were generally observed in the Norwegian Sea; this phenomenon was attributed to high rates of phytoplankton primary productivity and dimethylsulfide (DMS) fluxes in this region. Concentrations over the pack ice region in the central Arctic Ocean were generally lower than over the open waters at the ice edge in the Chukchi Sea. This difference was the mainly caused by sea ice. In addition, we found that higher MSA concentrations were associated with warmer sea surface temperature (SST).
Association Study between the CD157/BST1 Gene and Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Japanese Population
Authors: Yokoyama Shigeru , Al Mahmuda Naila , Munesue Toshio , Hayashi Kenshi , Yagi Kunimasa , Yamagishi Masakazu , Higashida Haruhiro
Published: May 2015

CD157, also referred to as bone marrow stromal cell antigen-1 (BST-1), is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored molecule that promotes pre-B-cell growth. Previous studies have reported associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CD157/BST1 gene with Parkinson’s disease. In an attempt to determine whether SNPs or haplotypes in the CD157/BST1 are associated with other brain disorders, we performed a case-control study including 147 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients at Kanazawa University Hospital in Japan and 150 unselected Japanese volunteers by the sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction method combined with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Of 93 SNPs examined, two SNPs showed significantly higher allele frequencies in cases with ASDs than in unaffected controls (rs4301112, OR = 6.4, 95% CI = 1.9 to 22, p = 0.0007; and rs28532698, OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 1.8 to 21, p = 0.0012; Fisher’s exact test; p < 0.002 was considered significant after multiple testing correction). In addition, CT genotype in rs10001565 was more frequently observed in the ASD group than in the control group (OR = 15, 95% CI = 2.0 to 117, p = 0.0007; Fisher’s exact test). The present data indicate that genetic variation of the CD157/BST1 gene might confer susceptibility to ASDs.
Acute Stress Dysregulates the LPP ERP Response to Emotional Pictures and Impairs Sustained Attention: Time-Sensitive Effects
Authors: Alomari Rima , Fernandez Mercedes , Banks Jonathan , Acosta Juliana , Tartar Jaime
Published: May 2015

Stress can increase emotional vigilance at the cost of a decrease in attention towards non-emotional stimuli. However, the time-dependent effects of acute stress on emotion processing are uncertain. We tested the effects of acute stress on subsequent emotion processing up to 40 min following an acute stressor. Our measure of emotion processing was the late positive potential (LPP) component of the visual event-related potential (ERP), and our measure of non-emotional attention was the sustained attention to response task (SART). We also measured cortisol levels before and after the socially evaluated cold pressor test (SECPT) induction. We found that the effects of stress on the LPP ERP emotion measure were time sensitive. Specifically, the LPP ERP was only altered in the late time-point (30–40 min post-stress) when cortisol was at its highest level. Here, the LPP no longer discriminated between the emotional and non-emotional picture categories, most likely because neutral pictures were perceived as emotional. Moreover, compared to the non-stress condition, the stress-condition showed impaired performance on the SART. Our results support the idea that a limit in attention resources after an emotional stressor is associated with the brain incorrectly processing non-emotional stimuli as emotional and interferes with sustained attention.
What is Known Regarding the Participation of Factor Nrf-2 in Liver Regeneration?
Authors: Morales-González José , Madrigal-Santillán Eduardo , Morales-González Ángel , Bautista Mirandeli , Gayosso-Islas Evila , Sánchez-Moreno Cecilia
Published: May 2015

It has been known for years that, after chemical damage or surgical removal of its tissue, the liver initiates a series of changes that, taken together, are known as regeneration, which are focused on the recovery of lost or affected tissue in terms of the anatomical or functional aspect. The Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf-2) is a reduction-oxidation reaction (redox)-sensitive transcriptional factor, with the basic leucine Zipper domain (bZIP) motif, encoding the NFE2L2 gene. The Keap1-Nrf2-ARE pathway is transcendental in the regulation of various cellular processes, such as antioxidant defenses, redox equilibrium, the inflammatory process, the apoptotic processes, intermediate metabolism, detoxification, and cellular proliferation. Some reports have demonstrated the regulator role of Nrf-2 in the cellular cycle of the hepatocyte, as well as in the modulation of the antioxidant response and of apoptotic processes during liver regeneration. It has been reported that there is a delay in liver regeneration after Partial hepatectomy (PH) in the absence of Nrf-2, and similarly as a regulator of hepatic cytoprotection due to diverse chemical or biological agents, and in diseases such as hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. This regulator/protector capacity is due to the modulation of the Antioxidant response elements (ARE). It is postulated that oxidative stress (OS) can participate in the initial stages of liver regeneration and that Nrf-2 can probably participate. Studies are lacking on the different initiation stages, maintenance, and the termination of liver regeneration alone or with ethanol.
Operational Reliability Assessment of Compressor Gearboxes with Normalized Lifting Wavelet Entropy from Condition Monitoring Information
Authors: Zhang Xiaoli , Wang Baojian , Cao Hongrui , Li Bing , Chen Xuefeng
Published: May 2015

Classical reliability assessment methods have predominantly focused on probability and statistical theories, which are insufficient in assessing the operational reliability of individual mechanical equipment with time-varying characteristics. A new approach to assess machinery operational reliability with normalized lifting wavelet entropy from condition monitoring information is proposed, which is different from classical reliability assessment methods depending on probability and statistics analysis. The machinery vibration signals with time-varying operational characteristics are firstly decomposed and reconstructed by means of a lifting wavelet package transform. The relative energy of every reconstructed signal is computed as an energy percentage of the reconstructed signal in the whole signal energy. Moreover, a normalized lifting wavelet entropy is defined by the relative energy to reveal the machinery operational uncertainty. Finally, operational reliability degree is defined by the quantitative value obtained by the normalized lifting wavelet entropy belonging to the range of [0, 1]. The proposed method is applied in the operational reliability assessment of the gearbox in an oxy-generator compressor to validate the effectiveness.
A Jackknife Correction to a Test for Cointegration Rank
Authors: Chambers Marcus
Published: May 2015

This paper investigates the performance of a jackknife correction to a test for cointegration rank in a vector autoregressive system. The limiting distributions of the jackknife-corrected statistics are derived and the critical values of these distributions are tabulated. Based on these critical values the finite sample size and power properties of the jackknife-corrected tests are compared with the usual rank test statistic as well as statistics involving a small sample correction and a Bartlett correction, in addition to a bootstrap method. The simulations reveal that all of the corrected tests can provide finite sample size improvements, while maintaining power, although the bootstrap procedure is the most robust across the simulation designs considered.
Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Cycling and Usage Analysis in a Heavy-Duty Truck Field Study
Authors: Svens Pontus , Behm Mårten , Lindbergh Göran
Published: May 2015

This paper presents results from a field test performed on commercial power-optimized lithium-ion battery cells cycled on three heavy-duty trucks. The goal with this study was to age battery cells in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) environment and find suitable methods for identifying cell ageing. The battery cells were cycled on in-house developed equipment intended for testing on conventional vehicles by emulating an HEV environment. A hybrid strategy that allows battery usage to vary within certain limits depending on driving patterns was used. This concept allows unobtrusive and low-cost testing of battery cells under realistic conditions. Each truck was equipped with one cell cycling equipment and two battery cells. One cell per vehicle was cycled during the test period while a reference cell on each vehicle experienced the same environmental conditions without being cycled. Differential voltage analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to identify ageing of the tested battery cells. Analysis of driving patterns and battery usage was performed from collected vehicle data and battery cell data.
On the Mechanism of Drug Release from Polysaccharide Hydrogels Cross-Linked with Magnetite Nanoparticles by Applying Alternating Magnetic Fields: the Case of DOXO Delivery
Authors: Uva Marianna , Mencuccini Lorenzo , Atrei Andrea , Innocenti Claudia , Fantechi Elvira , Sangregorio Claudio , Maglio Melania , Fini Milena , Barbucci Rolando
Published: May 2015

The chemical, biological and physical properties of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) hydrogels with silanized magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) as cross-linker were investigated and compared with the analogous hydrogel obtained by using 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP) as cross-linker. The magnetic hydrogel was characterized from the chemical point of view by FT-IR, whereas the morphology of the hydrogel was investigated by FESEM and STEM. The water uptake and rheological measurements reveal how much the swelling and mechanical properties change when CMC is cross-linked with silanized magnetite NPs instead of with DAP. As far as the biological properties, the hybrid hydrogel neither exerts any adverse effect nor any alteration on the cells. The magnetic hydrogels show magnetic hysteresis at 2.5 K as well as at 300 K. Magnetic measurements show that the saturation magnetization, remanent magnetization and coercive field of the NPs are not influenced significantly by the silanization treatment. The magnetic hydrogel was tested as controlled drug delivery system. The release of DOXO from the hydrogel is significantly enhanced by exposing it to an alternating magnetic field. Under our experimental conditions (2 mT and 40 kHz), no temperature increase of the hydrogel was measured, testifying that the mechanism for the enhancement of drug release under the AMF involves the twisting of the polymeric chains. A static magnetic field (0.5 T) does not influence the drug release from the hydrogel, compared with that without magnetic field.
Polyoxoniobates and Polyoxotantalates as Ligands—Revisited
Authors: Abramov Pavel , Sokolov Maxim , Vicent Cristian
Published: May 2015

This short review summarizes our contribution to the coordination chemistry of noble metals (organometallic fragments of Rh, Ir, Ru and hydroxo Pt(IV)) and polyoxocomplexes of niobium and tantalum.
Neuropsychology of Neuroendocrine Dysregulation after Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Zihl Josef , Almeida Osborne
Published: May 2015

Endocrine dysfunction is a common effect of traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition to affecting the regulation of important body functions, the disruption of endocrine physiology can significantly impair mental functions, such as attention, memory, executive function, and mood. This mini-review focuses on alterations in mental functioning that are associated with neuroendocrine disturbances in adults who suffered TBI. It summarizes the contribution of hormones to the regulation of mental functions, the consequences of TBI on mental health and neuroendocrine homeostasis, and the effects of hormone substitution on mental dysfunction caused by TBI. The available empirical evidence suggests that comprehensive assessment of mental functions should be standard in TBI subjects presenting with hormone deficiency and that hormone replacement therapy should be accompanied by pre- and post-assessments.
MicroRNAs as Signaling Mediators and Biomarkers of Drug- and Chemical-Induced Liver Injury
Authors: McGill Mitchell , Jaeschke Hartmut
Published: May 2015

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is major problem for both the drug industry and for clinicians. There are two basic categories of DILI: intrinsic and idiosyncratic. The former is the chief cause of acute liver failure in several developed countries, while the latter is the most common reason for post-marketing drug withdrawal and a major reason for failure to approve new drugs in the U.S. Although considerably more progress has been made in the study of intrinsic DILI, our understanding of both forms of drug hepatotoxicity remains incomplete. Recent work involving microRNAs (miRNAs) has advanced our knowledge of DILI in two ways: (1) possible roles of miRNAs in the pathophysiological mechanisms of DILI have been identified, and (2) circulating miRNA profiles have shown promise for the detection and diagnosis of DILI in clinical settings. The purpose of this review is to summarize major findings in these two areas of research. Taken together, exciting progress has been made in the study of miRNAs in DILI. Possible mechanisms through which miRNA species contribute to the basic mechanisms of DILI are beginning to emerge, and new miRNA-based biomarkers have the potential to greatly improve diagnosis of liver injury and prediction of patient outcomes.
Ionic Liquid-Doped Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Flexible Lithium-Ion Polymer Batteries
Authors: Zhang Ruisi , Chen Yuanfen , Montazami Reza
Published: May 2015

Application of gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) in lithium-ion polymer batteries can address many shortcomings associated with liquid electrolyte lithium-ion batteries. Due to their physical structure, GPEs exhibit lower ion conductivity compared to their liquid counterparts. In this work, we have investigated and report improved ion conductivity in GPEs doped with ionic liquid. Samples containing ionic liquid at a variety of volume percentages (vol %) were characterized for their electrochemical and ionic properties. It is concluded that excess ionic liquid can damage internal structure of the batteries and result in unwanted electrochemical reactions; however, samples containing 40–50 vol % ionic liquid exhibit superior ionic properties and lower internal resistance compared to those containing less or more ionic liquids.
Molecular Architecture and Biomedical Leads of Terpenes from Red Sea Marine Invertebrates
Authors: Hegazy Mohamed , Mohamed Tarik , Alhammady Montaser , Shaheen Alaa , Reda Eman , Elshamy Abdelsamed , Aziz Mina , Paré Paul
Published: May 2015

Marine invertebrates including sponges, soft coral, tunicates, mollusks and bryozoan have proved to be a prolific source of bioactive natural products. Among marine-derived metabolites, terpenoids have provided a vast array of molecular architectures. These isoprenoid-derived metabolites also exhibit highly specialized biological activities ranging from nerve regeneration to blood-sugar regulation. As a result, intense research activity has been devoted to characterizing invertebrate terpenes from both a chemical and biological standpoint. This review focuses on the chemistry and biology of terpene metabolites isolated from the Red Sea ecosystem, a unique marine biome with one of the highest levels of biodiversity and specifically rich in invertebrate species.
Effect of Sphere Properties on Microstructure and Mechanical Performance of Cast Composite Metal Foams
Authors: Garcia-Avila Matias , Rabiei Afsaneh
Published: May 2015

Aluminum-steel composite metal foams (Al-S CMF) are manufactured using steel hollow spheres, with a variety of sphere carbon content, surface roughness, and wall porosity, embedded in an Aluminum matrix through gravity casting technique. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the material were studied using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and quasi-static compressive testing. Higher carbon content and surface roughness in the sphere wall were responsible for an increase in formation of intermetallic phases which had a strengthening effect at lower strain levels, increasing the yield strength of the material by a factor of 2, while higher sphere wall porosity resulted in a decrease on the density of the material and improving its cushioning and ductility maintaining its energy absorption capabilities.
Tackling Drug Resistant Infection Outbreaks of Global Pandemic Escherichia coli ST131 Using Evolutionary and Epidemiological Genomics
Authors: Downing Tim
Published: May 2015

High-throughput molecular screening is required to investigate the origin and diffusion of antimicrobial resistance in pathogen outbreaks. The most frequent cause of human infection is Escherichia coli, which is dominated by sequence type 131 (ST131)—a set of rapidly radiating pandemic clones. The highly infectious clades of ST131 originated firstly by a mutation enhancing conjugation and adhesion. Secondly, single-nucleotide polymorphisms occurred enabling fluoroquinolone-resistance, which is near-fixed in all ST131. Thirdly, broader resistance through beta-lactamases has been gained and lost frequently, symptomatic of conflicting environmental selective effects. This flexible approach to gene exchange is worrying and supports the proposition that ST131 will develop an even wider range of plasmid and chromosomal elements promoting antimicrobial resistance. To stop ST131, deep genome sequencing is required to understand the origin, evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance genes. Phylogenetic methods that decipher past events can predict future patterns of virulence and transmission based on genetic signatures of adaptation and gene exchange. Both the effect of partial antimicrobial exposure and cell dormancy caused by variation in gene expression may accelerate the development of resistance. High-throughput sequencing can decode measurable evolution of cell populations within patients associated with systems-wide changes in gene expression during treatments. A multi-faceted approach can enhance assessment of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli ST131 by examining transmission dynamics between hosts to achieve a goal of pre-empting resistance before it emerges by optimising antimicrobial treatment protocols.
Curcumin, Inflammation, and Chronic Diseases: How Are They Linked?
Authors: He Yan , Yue Yuan , Zheng Xi , Zhang Kun , Chen Shaohua , Du Zhiyun
Published: May 2015

It is extensively verified that continued oxidative stress and oxidative damage may lead to chronic inflammation, which in turn can mediate most chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurological, inflammatory bowel disease and pulmonary diseases. Curcumin, a yellow coloring agent extracted from turmeric, shows strong anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities when used as a remedy for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. How oxidative stress activates inflammatory pathways leading to the progression of chronic diseases is the focus of this review. Thus, research to date suggests that chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and most chronic diseases are closely linked, and the antioxidant properties of curcumin can play a key role in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammation diseases.
Aromatic Amino Acids-Guanidinium Complexes through Cation-π Interactions
Authors: Trujillo Cristina , Rodriguez-Sanz Ana , Rozas Isabel
Published: May 2015

Continuing with our interest in the guanidinium group and the different interactions than can establish, we have carried out a theoretical study of the complexes formed by this cation and the aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, histidine, tryptophan and tyrosine) using DFT methods and PCM-water solvation. Both hydrogen bonds and cation-π interactions have been found upon complexation. These interactions have been characterized by means of the analysis of the molecular electron density using the Atoms-in-Molecules approach as well as the orbital interactions using the Natural Bond Orbital methodology. Finally, the effect that the cation-π and hydrogen bond interactions exert on the aromaticity of the corresponding amino acids has been evaluated by calculating the theoretical NICS values, finding that the aromatic character was not heavily modified upon complexation.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Hydrazone Derivatives as Antifungal Agents
Authors: Casanova Bruna , Muniz Mauro , De Oliveira Thayse , De Oliveira Luís , Machado Michel , Fuentefria Alexandre , Gosmann Grace , Gnoatto Simone
Published: May 2015

Emerging yeasts are among the most prevalent causes of systemic infections with high mortality rates and there is an urgent need to develop specific, effective and non-toxic antifungal agents to respond to this issue. In this study 35 aldehydes, hydrazones and hydrazines were obtained and their antifungal activity was evaluated against Candida species (C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. lusitaneae) and Trichosporon asahii, in an in vitro screening. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the active compounds in the screening was determined against 10 clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis and 10 of T. asahii. The compounds 4-pyridin-2-ylbenzaldehyde] (13a) and tert-butyl-(2Z)-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzylidine)hydrazine carboxylate (7b) showed the most promising MIC values in the range of 16–32 μg/mL and 8–16 μg/mL, respectively. The compounds’ action on the stability of the cell membrane and cell wall was evaluated, which suggested the action of the compounds on the fungal cell membrane. Cell viability of leukocytes and an alkaline comet assay were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity. Compound 13a was not cytotoxic at the active concentrations. These results support the discovery of promising candidates for the development of new antifungal agents.
Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester and Ethanol Extract of Propolis Induce the Complementary Cytotoxic Effect on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Rzepecka-Stojko Anna , Kabała-Dzik Agata , Moździerz Aleksandra , Kubina Robert , Wojtyczka Robert , Stojko Rafał , Dziedzic Arkadiusz , Jastrzębska-Stojko Żaneta , Jurzak Magdalena , Buszman Ewa , Stojko Jerzy
Published: May 2015

Chemotherapy of breast cancer could be improved by bioactive natural substances, which may potentially sensitize the carcinoma cells’ susceptibility to drugs. Numerous phytochemicals, including propolis, have been reported to interfere with the viability of carcinoma cells. We evaluated the in vitro cytotoxic activity of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) and its derivative caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) towards two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T, by implementation of the MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. The morphological changes of breast carcinoma cells were observed following exposure to EEP and CAPE. The IC50 of EEP was 48.35 µg∙mL−1 for MDA-MB-23 cells and 33.68 µg∙mL−1 for Hs578T cells, whereas the CAPE IC50 was 14.08 µM and 8.01 µM for the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cell line, respectively. Here, we report that propolis and CAPE inhibited the growth of the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T lines in a dose-dependent and exposure time-dependent manner. EEP showed less cytotoxic activity against both types of TNBC cells. EEP and, particularly, CAPE may markedly affect the viability of breast cancer cells, suggesting the potential role of bioactive compounds in chemoprevention/chemotherapy by potentiating the action of standard anti-cancer drugs.
Comparisons of the Pharmacokinetic Profile of Four Bioactive Components after Oral Administration of Gan-Sui-Ban-Xia Decoction Plus-Minus Gansui and Gancao Drug Combination in Normal Rats
Authors: Zhang Yang , Qian Dawei , Pan Ying , Zhu Zhenghua , Huang Jing , Xi Junzuan , Guo Jianming , Zhou Xueping , Zhong Gansheng , Duan Jinao
Published: May 2015

Gan-Sui-Ban-Xia Decoction (GSBXD) was first presented by Zhang Zhongjing in the book Synopsis of Golden Chamber during the Han Dynasty period. The formula was then used for the treatment of persistent fluid retention with floating pulse in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which in modern medicine is known as malignant ascites. Here, a rapid liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed for the determination of glycyrrhizinic acid, liquiritin, paeoniflorin, albiflorin after oral administration of GSBXD plus-minus Gansui and Gancao anti-drug combination to investigate the possible pharmacokinetic profile differences of different prescriptions with GSBXD in normal rats. The differences of pharmacokinetic parameters among groups were tested by the Student’s t-test with p < 0.05 as the level of significance. Significant differences were found between the Gansui and Gancao anti-drug combination and other herbs in GSBXD on pharmacokinetic profile of glycyrrhizinic acid, liquiritin, paeoniflorin and albiflorin. The obtained knowledge might contribute to the rationality of the clinic use of GSBXD and also reveal the compatibility conditions of the Gansui and Gancao anti-drug combination.
Custom v. Standardized Risk Models
Authors: Kakushadze Zura , Liew Jim
Published: May 2015

We discuss when and why custom multi-factor risk models are warranted and give source code for computing some risk factors. Pension/mutual funds do not require customization but standardization. However, using standardized risk models in quant trading with much shorter holding horizons is suboptimal: (1) longer horizon risk factors (value, growth, etc.) increase noise trades and trading costs; (2) arbitrary risk factors can neutralize alpha; (3) “standardized” industries are artificial and insufficiently granular; (4) normalization of style risk factors is lost for the trading universe; (5) diversifying risk models lowers P&L correlations, reduces turnover and market impact, and increases capacity. We discuss various aspects of custom risk model building.
An Improved Physics-Based Model for Topographic Correction of Landsat TM Images
Authors: Li Ainong , Wang Qingfang , Bian Jinhu , Lei Guangbin
Published: May 2015

Optical remotely sensed images in mountainous areas are subject to radiometric distortions induced by topographic effects, which need to be corrected before quantitative applications. Based on Li model and Sandmeier model, this paper proposed an improved physics-based model for the topographic correction of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images. The model employed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) thresholds to approximately divide land targets into eleven groups, due to NDVI’s lower sensitivity to topography and its significant role in indicating land cover type. Within each group of terrestrial targets, corresponding MODIS BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) products were used to account for land surface’s BRDF effect, and topographic effects are corrected without Lambertian assumption. The methodology was tested with two TM scenes of severely rugged mountain areas acquired under different sun elevation angles. Results demonstrated that reflectance of sun-averted slopes was evidently enhanced, and the overall quality of images was improved with topographic effect being effectively suppressed. Correlation coefficients between Near Infra-Red band reflectance and illumination condition reduced almost to zero, and coefficients of variance also showed some reduction. By comparison with the other two physics-based models (Sandmeier model and Li model), the proposed model showed favorable results on two tested Landsat scenes. With the almost half-century accumulation of Landsat data and the successive launch and operation of Landsat 8, the improved model in this paper can be potentially helpful for the topographic correction of Landsat and Landsat-like data.
An Energy-Efficient Transmission Scheme for Real-Time Data in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kim Jin-Woo , Barrado José , Jeon Dong-Keun
Published: May 2015

The Internet of things (IoT) is a novel paradigm where all things or objects in daily life can communicate with other devices and provide services over the Internet. Things or objects need identifying, sensing, networking and processing capabilities to make the IoT paradigm a reality. The IEEE 802.15.4 standard is one of the main communication protocols proposed for the IoT. The IEEE 802.15.4 standard provides the guaranteed time slot (GTS) mechanism that supports the quality of service (QoS) for the real-time data transmission. In spite of some QoS features in IEEE 802.15.4 standard, the problem of end-to-end delay still remains. In order to solve this problem, we propose a cooperative medium access scheme (MAC) protocol for real-time data transmission. We also evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme through simulation. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can improve the network performance.
Medically Relevant Assays with a Simple Smartphone and Tablet Based Fluorescence Detection System
Authors: Wargocki Piotr , Deng Wei , Anwer Ayad , Goldys Ewa
Published: May 2015

Cell phones and smart phones can be reconfigured as biomedical sensor devices but this requires specialized add-ons. In this paper we present a simple cell phone-based portable bioassay platform, which can be used with fluorescent assays in solution. The system consists of a tablet, a polarizer, a smart phone (camera) and a box that provides dark readout conditions. The assay in a well plate is placed on the tablet screen acting as an excitation source. A polarizer on top of the well plate separates excitation light from assay fluorescence emission enabling assay readout with a smartphone camera. The assay result is obtained by analysing the intensity of image pixels in an appropriate colour channel. With this device we carried out two assays, for collagenase and trypsin using fluorescein as the detected fluorophore. The results of collagenase assay with the lowest measured concentration of 3.75 µg/mL and 0.938 µg in total in the sample were comparable to those obtained by a microplate reader. The lowest measured amount of trypsin was 930 pg, which is comparable to the low detection limit of 400 pg for this assay obtained in a microplate reader. The device is sensitive enough to be used in point-of-care medical diagnostics of clinically relevant conditions, including arthritis, cystic fibrosis and acute pancreatitis.
Sinusitis, Why a New Journal Dedicated Just to Sinusitis You Ask?
Authors: Ramadan Hassan
Published: May 2015

Sinusitis: a diagnosis that any patient you ask, will tell you that they have it. It is a very common condition, affecting 31 million patients annually in the United States [1]. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects 12.5% of people [2]. [...]
Gavi HPV Programs: Application to Implementation
Authors: Hanson Celina , Eckert Linda , Bloem Paul , Cernuschi Tania
Published: May 2015

Developing countries disproportionately suffer from the burden of cervical cancer yet lack the resources to establish systematic screening programs that have resulted in significant reductions in morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination provides an opportunity for primary prevention of cervical cancer in low-resource settings through vaccine provision by Gavi The Vaccine Alliance. In addition to the traditional national introduction, countries can apply for a demonstration program to help them make informed decisions for subsequent national introduction. This article summarizes information from approved Gavi HPV demonstration program proposals and preliminary implementation findings. After two rounds of applications, 23 countries have been approved targeting approximately 400,000 girls for vaccination. All countries are proposing primarily school-based strategies with mixed strategies to locate and vaccinate girls not enrolled in school. Experiences to date include: Reaching marginalized girls has been challenging; Strong coordination with the education sector is key and overall acceptance has been high. Initial coverage reports are encouraging but will have to be confirmed in population based coverage surveys that will take place later this year. Experiences from these countries are consistent with existing literature describing other HPV vaccine pilots in low-income settings.
Model Calibration Criteria for Estimating Ecological Flow Characteristics
Authors: Vis Marc , Knight Rodney , Pool Sandra , Wolfe William , Seibert Jan
Published: May 2015

Quantification of streamflow characteristics in ungauged catchments remains a challenge. Hydrological modeling is often used to derive flow time series and to calculate streamflow characteristics for subsequent applications that may differ from those envisioned by the modelers. While the estimation of model parameters for ungauged catchments is a challenging research task in itself, it is important to evaluate whether simulated time series preserve critical aspects of the streamflow hydrograph. To address this question, seven calibration objective functions were evaluated for their ability to preserve ecologically relevant streamflow characteristics of the average annual hydrograph using a runoff model, HBV-light, at 27 catchments in the southeastern United States. Calibration trials were repeated 100 times to reduce parameter uncertainty effects on the results, and 12 ecological flow characteristics were computed for comparison. Our results showed that the most suitable calibration strategy varied according to streamflow characteristic. Combined objective functions generally gave the best results, though a clear underprediction bias was observed. The occurrence of low prediction errors for certain combinations of objective function and flow characteristic suggests that (1) incorporating multiple ecological flow characteristics into a single objective function would increase model accuracy, potentially benefitting decision-making processes; and (2) there may be a need to have different objective functions available to address specific applications of the predicted time series.