bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eye-tracking-based assessment of cognitive function in low-resource settings
Authors: Forssman Linda , Ashorn Per , Ashorn Ulla , Maleta Kenneth , Matchado Andrew , Kortekangas Emma , Leppänen Jukka M
Published: August 2016

Background

Early development of neurocognitive functions in infants can be compromised by poverty, malnutrition and lack of adequate stimulation. Optimal management of neurodevelopmental problems in infants requires assessment tools that can be used early in life, and are objective and applicable across economic, cultural and educational settings.

Objective and design

The present study examined the feasibility of infrared eye tracking as a novel and highly automated technique for assessing visual-orienting and sequence-learning abilities as well as attention to facial expressions in young (9-month-old) infants. Techniques piloted in a high-resource laboratory setting in Finland (N=39) were subsequently field-tested in a community health centre in rural Malawi (N=40).

Results

Parents' perception of the acceptability of the method (Finland 95%, Malawi 92%) and percentages of infants completing the whole eye-tracking test (Finland 95%, Malawi 90%) were high, and percentages of valid test trials (Finland 69–85%, Malawi 68–73%) satisfactory at both sites. Test completion rates were slightly higher for eye tracking (90%) than traditional observational tests (87%) in Malawi. The predicted response pattern indicative of specific cognitive function was replicated in Malawi, but Malawian infants exhibited lower response rates and slower processing speed across tasks.

Conclusions

High test completion rates and the replication of the predicted test patterns in a novel environment in Malawi support the feasibility of eye tracking as a technique for assessing infant development in low-resource setting. Further research is needed to the test–retest stability and predictive validity of the eye-tracking scores in low-income settings.
Phase II study of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Chang Alex Yuang-Chi , Foo Kian Fong , Koo Wen-Hsin , Ong Simon , So Jimmy , Tan Daniel , Lim Khong Hee
Published: August 2016

Background

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival of locally advanced gastric cancer patients. However, benefit is limited and the best regimen remains controversial.

Objectives

Our primary objective of this prospective, multicenter phase 2 study was to evaluate the pathological complete response rate (PCR) with 2 cycles of docetaxel and capecitabine.

Methods

To be eligible, patients had to have histologically documented gastric cancer, a ECOG performance status 0 or 1, T3or4NanyM0staging after oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), CT scan of thorax and abdomen, and negative laparoscopic examination and peritoneal washing. Eligible patients received two cycles of intravenous docetaxel 60 mg/m2on day 1 and oral capecitabine 900 mg/m2two times per day from day 1 to day 14 every 3 weeks. We evaluated the response by CT scan and EUS. The patients underwent curative resection with D2 lymphadenectomy subsequently.

Results

18 patients were enrolled in the study: 66% were male and the median age was 60 years. 17 patients had T3 disease at diagnosis. There was no pCR noted. 4 patients had a partial response of 22% (95% CI: 7–42%), 8 patients had stable disease and 3 patients had disease progression. The median survival was 17.1 months with 3 long-term survivors after at least 3 years of follow-up. The treatment was well tolerated with neutropenia being the most common toxicity. We observed 22% grade III and 33% grade IV neutropenia, but no neutropenic fever or death was observed from chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel and capecitabine has limited activity against GC. More effective treatment regimens are needed urgently.

Trial registration number

NCT00414271.
Regional trends in avoidable hospitalisations due to complications among population with diabetes in Finland in 1996−2011: a register-based cohort study
Authors: Manderbacka Kristiina , Arffman Martti , Lumme Sonja , Lehikoinen Markku , Winell Klas , Keskimäki Ilmo
Published: August 2016

Objectives

Diabetes requires continuous medical care including prevention of acute complications and risk reduction for long-term complications. Diabetic complications impose a substantial burden on public health and care delivery. We examined trends in regional differences in hospitalisations due to diabetes-related complications among the total diabetes population in Finland.

Research design

A longitudinal register-based cohort study 1996−2011 among a total population with diabetes in Finland.

Participants

All persons with diabetes identified from several administrative registers in Finland in 1964−2011 and alive on 1 January 1996.

Outcome measures

We examined hospitalisations due to diabetes-related short-term and long-term complications, uncomplicated diabetes, myocardial infarction, stroke, lower extremity amputation and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We calculated annual age-adjusted rates per 10 000 person years and the systematic component of variation. Multilevel models were used for studying time trends in regional variation.

Results

There was a steep decline in complication-related hospitalisation rates during the study period. The decline was relatively small in ESRD (30%), whereas rates of hospitalisations for short-term and long-term complications as well as uncomplicated diabetes diminished by about 80%. The overall correlation between hospital district intercepts and slopes in time was −0.72 (p<0.001) among men and −0.99 (p<0.001) among women indicating diminishing variation. Diminishing variation was found in each of the complications studied. The variation was mainly distributed at the health centre level.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that the prevention of complications among persons with diabetes has improved in Finland between 1996 and 2011. The results further suggest that the prevention of complications has become more uniform throughout the country.
Understanding the role of sleep in suicide risk: qualitative interview study
Authors: Littlewood Donna L , Gooding Patricia , Kyle Simon D , Pratt Daniel , Peters Sarah
Published: August 2016

Objective

Sleep problems are associated with increased risk of suicide, independent of depression. This analysis explores narrative accounts of the role of sleep in relation to suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

Design

Qualitative study, based on in-depth semistructured interviews which were analysed with an inductive, latent thematic analysis.

Participants

A maximum variation sample of 18 people with experience of a major depressive episode, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

Setting

Primary care, North West England.

Results

Respondents emphasised the importance of sleep for recovery and management of their mental well-being. Moreover, three inter-related pathways were identified, whereby beliefs about sleep contributed to suicidal thoughts and behaviours. First, being awake during the biological night heightened risk of suicidal behaviours, as this was perceived to be an opportune time for a suicide attempt due to the decreased chances that a friend of family member would intervene during a suicide attempt. Additionally, the reduction in available support at night added to suicide risk. Second, failure to achieve good sleep was perceived to make life harder through contributing to core features of depression, such as negative thinking, attention difficulties and inactivity. Third, sleep acted as an alternative to suicide, by providing an escape from problems, including mental health problems, in waking life. However, this desire to sleep to escape was associated with excessive daytime sleeping, which subsequently may reinforce disturbed sleeping patterns.

Conclusions

Sleep problems should be an important treatment target when working with suicidal clients. More broadly, night-time service provision should be considered when developing suicide prevention initiatives.
The Early Cretaceous Apple Bay flora of Vancouver Island: a hotspot of fossil bryophyte diversity
Authors: Tomescu Alexandru M.F.
Published: August 2016

The pre-Cenozoic bryophyte fossil record is significantly sparser than that of vascular plants or Cenozoic bryophytes. This situation has been traditionally attributed to a hypothesized low preservation potential of the plants. However, instances of excellent pre-Cenozoic bryophyte preservation and the results of experiments simulating fossilization contradict this traditional interpretation, suggesting that bryophytes have good preservation potential. Studies of an anatomically preserved Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) plant fossil assemblage on Vancouver Island (British Columbia), at Apple Bay, focusing on the cryptogamic flora, have revealed an abundant bryophyte component. The Apple Bay flora hosts one of the most diverse bryophyte assemblages worldwide, with at least nine distinct moss types (polytrichaceous, leucobryaceous, tricostate), one complex thalloid liverwort, and two other thalloid plants (representing bryophyte or pteridophyte gametophytes), which contribute a significant fraction of biodiversity to the pre-Cenozoic fossil record of bryophytes. These results (i) corroborate previous observations and studies, indicating that the preservation potential of bryophytes is much better than traditionally thought; (ii) indicate that the bryophyte fossil record is incompletely explored and many more bryophyte fossils are hidden in the rock record, awaiting discovery; and (iii) suggest that the paucity of the pre-Cenozoic bryophyte fossil record is primarily a reflection of inadequate paleobryological capacity.
Current landscapes and legacies of land-use past: understanding the distribution of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and their habitats along the Oregon Coast, USA
Authors: Steel E. Ashley , Muldoon Ariel , Flitcroft Rebecca L. , Firman Julie C. , Anlauf-Dunn Kara J. , Burnett Kelly M. , Danehy Robert J.
Published: August 2016

The Oregon Coast landscape displays strong spatial patterns in air temperature, precipitation, and geology, which can confound our ability to detect relationships among land management, instream conditions, and fish at broad spatial scales. Despite this structure, we found that a suite of immutable or intrinsic attributes (e.g., reach gradient, drainage area, elevation, and percent weak rock geology of the catchments draining to each of our 423 study reaches) could explain much of the variation in pool surface area across the landscape and could contribute to an estimate of how many juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) one might expect to find in those pools. Further, we found evidence of differences in pool surface area across land ownership categories that reflect differing management histories. Our results also suggest that historical land and river management activities, in particular splash dams that occurred at least 50 years ago, continue to influence the distribution of juvenile coho salmon and their habitats today.
Diversity of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase genes in the rumens of roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed different diets
Authors: Li Zhipeng , Henderson Gemma , Yang Yahan , Li Guangyu
Published: August 2016

Reductive acetogenesis by homoacetogens represents an alternative pathway to methanogenesis to remove metabolic hydrogen during rumen fermentation. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of homoacetogen in the rumens of pasture-fed roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed either oak-leaf-based (tannin-rich, 100 mg/kg dried matter), corn-stover-based, or corn-silage-based diets, by using formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS) gene sequences as a marker. The diversity and richness of FTHFS sequences was lowest in animals fed oak leaf, indicating that tannin-containing plants may affect rumen homoacetogen diversity. FTHFS amino acid sequences in the rumen of roe deer significantly differed from those of sika deer. The phylogenetic analyses showed that 44.8% of sequences in pasture-fed roe deer, and 72.1%, 81.1%, and 37.5% of sequences in sika deer fed oak-leaf-, corn-stover-, and corn-silage-based diets, respectively, may represent novel bacteria that have not yet been cultured. These results demonstrate that the rumens of roe deer and sika deer harbor potentially novel homoacetogens and that diet may influence homoacetogen community structure.
AdS and QCD with generalized warp factors and stability
Authors: Sadeghi J. , Khanpour B.
Published: August 2016

In this paper, we studied the thermodynamic behavior of generalized warp factor for the corresponding AdS metric background. To discuss the stability of the theory we studied thermodynamical properties of generalized metric background. Here also to obtain the quantity of sound for the measure of stability of the system, we need to calculate the energy density and pressure. Such parameters of sound for the properties of stability constrain some conditions on the corresponding theory as θ. We used the corresponding conditions and rewrite the action of theory. The new action give us opportunity to study the AdS black hole and thermally charged AdS black hole.
Quantitative calculation of barium vacancy formation mechanism effects on the room-temperature resistance and PTCR effect in donor-doped BaTiO3 ceramics
Authors: Fang Chao
Published: August 2016

A modified barium vacancy formation mechanism in donor-doped barium titanate (BaTiO3) ceramics is proposed. Assuming a uniform distribution of barium vacancies at sintering temperature and only oxygen partial pressure and sintering temperature related concentration of unionized barium vacancies, the electrical characteristics have been calculated by solving a differential equation about electron level. The room-temperature resistivity and positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) behaviors of donor-doped BaTiO3 semiconducting ceramics have been quantitatively computed. The results pointed out that the room-temperature resistivity changes as a U-type curve with an increase of donor concentration. Moreover, the PTCR effect of BaTiO3 semiconductive ceramics was calculated quantitatively under different conditions. Theoretical and experimental results for BaTiO3 semiconductive ceramics are compared and discussed.
Can noncommutativity affect the whole history of the universe?
Authors: Monerat G. A. , Corrêa Silva E. V. , Neves C. , Oliveira-Neto G. , Rezende Rodrigues L. G. , Silva de Oliveira M.
Published: August 2016

We study a classical, noncommutative (NC), Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) cosmological model. The spatial sections may have positive, negative or zero constant curvatures. The matter content is a generic perfect fluid. The initial noncommutativity between some canonical variables is rewritten, such that, we end up with commutative variables and a NC parameter. Initially, we derive the scale factor dynamic equations for the general situation, without specifying the perfect fluid or the curvature of the spatial sections. Next, we consider two concrete situations: a radiation perfect fluid and dust. We study all possible scale factor behaviors, for both cases. We compare them with the corresponding commutative cases and one with the other. We obtain, some cases, where the NC model predicts a scale factor expansion which may describe the present expansion of our universe. Those cases are not present in the corresponding commutative models. Finally, we compare our model with another NC model, where the noncommutativity is between different canonical variables. We show that, in general, it leads to a scale factor behavior that is different from our model.
Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet black holes with a perturbative nonlinear electrodynamics: Geometrical thermodynamics
Authors: Hendi S. H. , Panahiyan S. , Momennia M. , Eslam Panah B.
Published: August 2016

Taking into account the perturbative corrections of Einstein (EN)–Maxwell gravity, we study thermodynamical behavior of the black holes in the context of geometrical thermodynamics (GT). We consider a quadratic Maxwell invariant as a correction of Maxwell theory in electromagnetic viewpoint and Gauss–Bonnet (GB) gravity as a correction of EN theory in gravitational point of view. We study thermodynamical phase transition and show that employing Weinhold, Ruppeiner and Quevedo approaches fails to produce desirable results. Next, Hendi–Panahiyan–Eslam Panah–Momennia (HPEM) metric will be employed in order to study GT of the solutions. We show that this metric is capable of matching all the divergence points of its thermodynamical curvature scalar with phase transition and bound points. Moreover, the effects of the variation of different parameters on phase transition points will be investigated.
Quantum collapse of a charged n-dimensional BTZ-like domain wall
Authors: Greenwood Eric
Published: August 2016

We investigate both the classical and quantum gravitational collapse of a massive, charged, nonrotating [Formula: see text]-dimensional Bañados–Teitelboim–Zanelli (BTZ)-like domain wall in AdS space. In the classical picture, we show that, as far as the asymptotic observer is concerned, the details of the collapse depend on the amount of charge present in the domain wall; that is, if the domain wall is extremal, nonextremal or overcharged. In both the extremal and nonextremal cases, the collapse takes an infinite amount of observer time to complete. However, in the over-charged case, the collapse never actually occurs, instead one finds an oscillatory solution which prevents the formation of a naked singularity. As far as the infalling observer is concerned, in the nonextremal case, the collapse is completed within a finite amount of proper time. Thus, the gravitational collapse follows that of the typical formation of a black hole via gravitational collapse.

Quantum mechanically, we take the absence of induced quasi-particle production and fluctuations of the metric geometry; that is, we ignore the effect of radiation and back-reaction. For the asymptotic observer, we find that, near the horizon, quantization of the domain wall does not allow the formation of the black hole in a finite amount of observer time. For the infalling observer, we are primarily interested in the quantum mechanical effect as the domain wall approaches the classical singularity. In this region, the main result is that the wave function exhibits nonlocal effects, demonstrated by the fact that the Hamiltonian depends on an infinite number of derivatives that cannot be truncated after a finite number of terms. Furthermore, in the large energy density limit, the wave function vanishes at the classical singularity implying that quantization does not rid the black hole of its singularity.
ON A GENERALIZED SELF-SIMILARITY IN THE p-ADIC FIELD
Authors: MUKHAMEDOV FARRUKH , KHAKIMOV OTABEK
Published: August 2016

In the present paper, we introduce a new set which defines a generalized self-similar set for contractive functions [Formula: see text] on the unit ball [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text]-adic numbers. This set is called unconventional limit set. We prove that the unconventional limit set is compact, perfect and uniformly disconnected. Moreover, we provide an example of two contractions for which the corresponding unconventional limiting set is quasi-symmetrically equivalent to the symbolic Cantor set.
Realization of qudits in coupled potential wells
Authors: Landau Ariel , Aharonov Yakir , Cohen Eliahu
Published: August 2016

Quantum computation strongly relies on the realization, manipulation, and control of qubits. A central method for realizing qubits is by creating a double-well potential system with a significant gap between the first two eigenvalues and the rest. In this work, we first revisit the theoretical grounds underlying the double-well qubit dynamics, then proceed to suggest novel extensions of these principles to a triple-well qutrit with periodic boundary conditions, followed by a general [Formula: see text]-well analysis of qudits. These analyses are based on representations of the special unitary groups SU[Formula: see text] which expose the systems’ symmetry and employ them for performing computations. We conclude with a few notes on coherence and scalability of [Formula: see text]-well systems.
The bizarre anti-de Sitter spacetime
Authors: Sokołowski Leszek M.
Published: August 2016

Anti-de Sitter spacetime is important in general relativity and modern field theory. We review its geometrical features and properties of light signals and free particles moving in it. By applying only the elementary tools of tensor calculus, we derive ab initio of all these properties and show that they are really weird. One finds superluminal velocities of light and particles, infinite particle energy necessary to escape at infinite distance and spacetime regions inaccessible by a free fall, though reachable by an accelerated spaceship. Radial timelike geodesics are identical to the circular ones and actually all timelike geodesics are identical to one circle in a fictitious five-dimensional space. Employing the latter space, one is able to explain these bizarre features of anti-de Sitter spacetime; in this sense the spacetime is not self-contained. This is not a physical world.
Dirac equation with anisotropic oscillator, quantum E3′ and Holt superintegrable potentials and relativistic generalized Yang–Coulomb monopole system
Authors: Mohammadi Vahid , Chenaghlou Alireza
Published: August 2016

The two-dimensional Dirac equation with spin and pseudo-spin symmetries is investigated in the presence of the maximally superintegrable potentials. The integrals of motion and the quadratic algebras of the superintegrable quantum [Formula: see text], anisotropic oscillator and the Holt potentials are studied. The corresponding Casimir operators and the structure functions of the mentioned superintegrable systems are found. Also, we obtain the relativistic energy spectra of the corresponding superintegrable systems. Finally, the relativistic energy eigenvalues of the generalized Yang–Coulomb monopole (YCM) superintegrable system (a [Formula: see text] non-Abelian monopole) are calculated by the energy spectrum of the eight-dimensional oscillator which is dual to the former system by Hurwitz transformation.
Based on rough set and fuzzy clustering of MRI brain segmentation
Authors: Zhang Yang , Ye Shufan , Ding Weifeng
Published: August 2016

A new method of MRI brain segmentation integrates fuzzy [Formula: see text]-means (FCM) clustering and rough set theory. In this paper, we use rough set algorithm to find the suitable initial clustering number to initial clustering centers for FCM. Then we use FCM to MRI brain segmentation, but the algorithm of FCM has the limitation of converging to local infinitesimal point in medical segmentation. While avoiding being trapped in a local optimum, we use the particle swarm optimization algorithm to restrict convergence of FCM which can reduce calculation. The final experiment results show that improved algorithm not only retains the advantages of rapid convergence but also can control the local convergence and improve the global search ability. The method in this paper is better than that of cluttering performance.
Exponential stability and periodicity of memristor-based recurrent neural networks with time-varying delays
Authors: Zhang Wei , Li Chuandong , Huang Tingwen
Published: August 2016

In this paper, the stability and periodicity of memristor-based neural networks with time-varying delays are studied. Based on linear matrix inequalities, differential inclusion theory and by constructing proper Lyapunov functional approach and using linear matrix inequality, some sufficient conditions are obtained for the global exponential stability and periodic solutions of memristor-based neural networks. Finally, two illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the results.
New families of integral graphs
Authors: Gopalapillai Indulal
Published: August 2016

Let [Formula: see text] be a simple graph with an adjacency matrix [Formula: see text]. Then the eigenvalues of [Formula: see text] are the eigenvalues of [Formula: see text] and form the spectrum, [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text]. The graph [Formula: see text] is integral if [Formula: see text] consists of only integers. In this paper, we define three new operations on graphs and characterize all integral graphs in the resulting families. The resulting families are denoted by [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]. These characterizations allow us to exhibit many new infinite families of integral graphs.
The k-power bondage number of a graph
Authors: Varghese Seethu , Vijayakumar A.
Published: August 2016

The [Formula: see text]-power domination number, [Formula: see text], of a graph [Formula: see text] is the minimum cardinality of a [Formula: see text]-power dominating set of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we initiate the study of the [Formula: see text]-power bondage number, [Formula: see text], of a graph [Formula: see text], i.e., the minimum cardinality among all sets [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text]. We obtain a sharp upper bound for [Formula: see text] in terms of the degree of [Formula: see text]. We prove that [Formula: see text] for any nonempty tree [Formula: see text] and also provide some conditions on [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text].
Fractional-Order Generalized Thermoelastic Interaction in an Unbounded Media by Pulsed Laser Heating
Authors: Hobiny Aatef D. , Abbas Ibrahim A.
Published: August 2016

In this work, the influence of fractional-order derivative with two relaxation times in a thermoelastic medium under laser pulse is established. The surface of the half-space with free stresses is considered to be heated by a laser pulse. The exact analytical solution is adopted for the variations of temperature as well as the components of displacement and stress. Based on the eigenvalues approach and Laplace transform, the solutions of all variables have been obtained analytically. The results were graphically represented to show the effect of laser pulse in order to display the physical meaning of the phenomena. The graphical results indicate that the influence of fractional-order parameter plays an important role on all distributions.
Direct effect of glucocorticoids on glucose-activated adult rat β-cells increases their cell number and their functional mass for transplantation
Authors: Assefa Zerihun , Akbib Sarah , Lavens Astrid , Stangé Geert , Ling Zhidong , Hellemans Karine H. , Pipeleers Daniel
Published: August 2016

Compounds that increase β-cell number can serve as β-cell replacement therapies in diabetes. In vitro studies have identified several agents that can activate DNA synthesis in primary β-cells but only in small percentages of cells and without demonstration of increases in cell number. We used whole well multiparameter imaging to first screen a library of 1,280 compounds for their ability to recruit adult rat β-cells into DNA synthesis and then assessed influences of stimulatory agents on the number of living cells. The four compounds with highest β-cell recruitment were glucocorticoid (GC) receptor ligands. The GC effect occurred in glucose-activated β-cells and was associated with increased glucose utilization and oxidation. Hydrocortisone and methylprednisolone almost doubled the number of β-cells in 2 wk. The expanded cell population provided an increased functional β-cell mass for transplantation in diabetic animals. These effects are age dependent; they did not occur in neonatal rat β-cells, where GC exposure suppressed basal replication and was cytotoxic. We concluded that GCs can induce the replication of adult rat β-cells through a direct action, with intercellular differences in responsiveness that have been related to differences in glucose activation and in age. These influences can explain variability in GC-induced activation of DNA synthesis in rat and human β-cells. Our study also demonstrated that β-cells can be expanded in vitro to increase the size of metabolically adequate grafts.
Parental HLA Sharing, Feto‐Maternal Compatibility and Neonatal Birthweight in Families With a History of Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion
Authors: Kilpatrick D. C. , Liston W. A.
Published: August 2016

The mean birthweight of babies eventually born to couples with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is allegedly lower if the parents have a high degree of HLA antigen sharing (Reznikoff‐Etievant et al., 1991), but this relationship has not been independently confirmed. We have re‐investigated this question by analysing data from 36 families. In 22 instances, we were able to relate birthweight directly to feto‐maternal HLA compatibility for the first time in such families. We were unable to confirm any appreciable influence of paternal or feto‐maternal HLA sharing on birthweight or placental weight and conclude that RSA families do not differ markedly from normal families in this respect.
Increased Frequency of HLA B 17 Antigen in Girls with Turner Syndrome and their Fathers
Authors: Dacou-Voutetakis C. , Georgopoulos N. , Pappa H. , Vlachos K. , Tarassi K. , Chryssovergi D. , Papasteriades Chr.
Published: August 2016

HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐DR antigen distribution was studied in 49 girls with Turner Syndrome (TS), in 43 of their parents, as well as in 433 controls. No increased frequency of DR3, DR4 was found in our group. However, an increased frequency of HLA B 17 antigen was disclosed (18.3% in TS versus 6.4% in the controls, p<0.001 and Pc<0.01). Furthermore, the HLA B 17 antigen was of paternal origin in 77.7% of the cases . The interpretation of the present findings is quite difficult. Most likely, the findings are related to the chromosomal abnormality rather than to autoimmunity. It is quite possible that genes within the region of class I genes create unfavorable circumstances leading to the loss of the sex chromosome or, alternatively, genes in this region confer protection and prevent miscarriage of the affected fetus.
Increased Serum Phospholipase A2 Activity in Advanced Chronic Liver Disease as an Expression of the Acute Phase Response
Authors: Pirisi Mario , Fabris Carlo , Panozzo Maria Piera , Soardo Giorgio , Toniutto Pierluigi , Bartou Ettore
Published: August 2016

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) modifications were investigated in patients with acute and chronic liver diseases, PLA2 variations were related to indices of liver function as well as to parameters of the acute phase response. Serum PLA2 activity modifications were f1uorimetrically measured in 105 patients affected by acute and chronic liver diseases or extra‐hepatic diseases. One‐way ANOV A demonstrated a significant difference among groups (F= 4.53, P<0.001); Bonferroni’s test for pairwise comparisons showed that patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had higher mean values than subjects with benign extra‐hepatic diseases (p<0.0 I) and mild chronic liver disease (p<0.0S J. Multiple regression analysis, performed choosing PLA2 as the dependent variable and blood urea nitrogen, C‐reacti ve protein, alkaline phosphatase and al‐fetoprotein as predictor variables was significant (multiple R= 0.7056, multiple R2= 0.4978, F= 15.36, P= <0.0001). The standardized regression coefficients found to be significant were those of Creactive protein, blood urea nitrogen and al‐fetoprotein. In conclusion, in patients with chronic liver disease, serum PLA2 activity increases parallel to disease severity and accompanies the expression of proteins of the acute phase response that. like PLA2 activity, increase in serum while liver synthesis declines.
p53 Protein Detected By Immunohistochemical Staining is Not Always Mutant
Authors: Macgeoch Catriona , Barnes Diana M. , Newton Julia A. , Mohammed Shehla , Hodgson Shirley V. , Ng Mun , Bishop D. Timothy , Spurr Nigel K.
Published: August 2016

The expression of the tumour suppressor gene p53 was analyzed in a variety of human solid tumours by immunohistochemistry and direct DNA sequencing. Positive nuclear staining using a panel of anti‐p53 antibodies was used to select tumours for further genetic analysis. Using PCR amplification followed by immobilization onto magnetic beads and direct sequencing, we sequenced exons 5‐9 of the p53 gene fro m 9 melanomas, 8 nasopharyngeal carcinomas, 16 sporadic breast carcinomas and 11 patients from familial breast cancer families. No sequence alterations of the p53 gene were detected in either the melanoma or nasopharyngeal tumours and only 19% of the primary breast carcinomas showed a variant band indicative of a mutation. Our results indicate firstly that p53 mutations are not generally involved in the tumour types studied and secondly the data emphasize the disparity encountered when attempting to correlate p53 immunohistochemical positivity with mutations within the p53 gene.
Distribution of HLA‐DPBl, ‐DQBI‐DQAl Alleles among Sardinian Celiac Patients
Authors: Boy M. F. , La Nasa G. , Balestrieri A. , Cherchi M. V. , Usai P.
Published: August 2016

The Sardinian population in many aspects differs from other Caucasoid populations, particularly for its degree of homogeneity. For this reason we have studied 50 adult Sardinian patients with celiac disease (CD) and 50 control healthy Sardinian individuals by RFLP analysis and by extensive oligotyping for 17 HLA‐DPB 1, 8‐DQB I and 9‐DQA 1 alleles, and established their ‐DPB I alleles and ‐DQB I ‐DQA I genotypes. The heterodimer HLA‐DQB 1 *0201/‐DQA 1 *0501, present in 96% of our patients, is strongly associated with CD susceptibility, confirming published reports. On the other hand we found in 11 of 50 probands (22%) the presence of the allele ‐DQB 1 *05021 DQA1*0102. This genotype is extremely rare in other Caucasian populations and appears to confer limited protection in CD Sardinian patients.
HLA‐B27 Determination by Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Kilpatrick D. C.
Published: August 2016

A method for determining the presence or absence of HLA‐827 by selective amplification of a region in the third exon of the HLA‐B27 gene common to B*270 I to B*2705 inclusive, was evaluated. This polymerase chain reaction/sequence specific primer (PCR‐SSP) method gave perfect correlation with serological typing on 40 individuals of previously determined HLA type and on 50 further clinical samples elaluated blind. It was concluded that HLA‐B27 determination by PCR‐SSP is simple, reliable. cost‐effectile and convient for laboratory staff.
HLA‐Dependent TNF Secretory Response May Provide an Immunogenetic Link between Pre‐Eclampsia and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Kilpatrick David C.
Published: August 2016

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) may be relevant to the pathogenesis of both pre‐eclampsia and type I diabetes, and there is evidence than human TNFα responses to stimuli are HLA‐DR dependent. To test the hypothesis that pre‐eclampsia and diabetes may share a common immunogenetic susceptibility, 92 pre‐eclampsia patients were compared with 264 general population controls. The relative frequencies of individual HLA‐DR antigens in pre‐eclamptics were found to correlate with reported relative TNFα responses for those antigens. Moreover, putative high responder HLA‐DR I, DR3 and DR4 alleles were significantly (p<0.00 I) more frequent in pre‐eclampsia patients (79%) than in controls (59%). This hypothesis could explain the weak association between pre‐eclampsia and diabetes and may help resolve the apparently conflicting literature on HLA in pre‐eclampsia.
Analysis of Receptors for Cytokines and Growth Factors in Human Disease
Authors: Zola Heddy
Published: August 2016

The physiological importance of cytokines and other factors which control cell and tissue growth and differentiation is widely appreciated. While physiological studies have included the cellular receptors for these factors, studies on their role in disease have concentrated on the measurement of cytokines themselves or soluble receptor components. This reflects in part the technical difficulty of measuring cell surface expression of receptors, which occur at and are functional at very low concentrations. In this review, the potential va lue of surface‐expressed receptors as markers of disease is assessed, and methods are described which allow measurements with standard equipment for flow cytometry and tluorescence microscopy.
Asymmetric Central Processing of Sensory Stimuli in Idiopathic Focal Dystonia
Authors: Grünewald R. A. , Shipman J. , Yoneda Y. , Sagar H. J.
Published: August 2016

Idiopathic torsion dystonia is characterized by persistent abnormalities of posture. We tested the hypothesis that abnormal sensorimotor processing is involved pathophysioiogically by looking for asymmetry of sensory processing in patients with asymmetric symptoms. Sixteen patients with torticollis (ten with head turning to the right and six to the left), seven with simple writer's cramp and 19 healthy control subjects were tested. The tasks involved matching one of five lengths of stick or weights presented to one hand with sticks and weights chosen by the other hand. All experiments were performed with the subject blindfolded. Patients with torticollis tended to underestimate weights presented to the hand away from which the head tended to turn. Control subjects showed no significant tendency to overestimate or underestimate lengths or weights with either hand, and dystonic patients showed no tendency to overestimate or underestimate lengths. Those with writer's cramp underestimated weights when the stimulus was presented to the affected hand. An asymmetry can thus be detected in muscles remote from the site of dystonia, indicating a generalized abnormality of sensorimotor processing.
Strategies and Structures in Verbal Fluency Tasks in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Kessler J. , Bley M. , Mielke R. , Kalbe E.
Published: August 2016

Reduced word production in verbal fluency tasks is a sensitive indicator for brain damage. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are supposedly more affected in semantic than in letter fluency, which is probably resulting from partially destroyed structure of semantic knowledge, whereas in letter fluency tasks the patients can use phonemic cues for searching. In this study, 21 patients with probable AD according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria were examined on a verbal fluency task with F, A, S as initial letters, and a supermarket task. Performances were compared with a control group. Patients with AD showed lower word rate in all tasks than the control group. The difference was most significant in the supermarket task. Both groups produced most of the words in the supermarket task, followed by S, A and F. They both showed a percentuallikely distribution pattern of items into different supermarket categories. The items of the supermarket task were mostly ranged in clusters (patients with AD 70%, control group 83%). Patients with AD, however, on average, used fewer categories which they also filled with fewer items. In the F, A, S test, patients with AD mainly produced nouns, whereas the control group named nearly twice as many adjectives and verbs. In patients with AD word generation was highly correlated with degree of dementia, free recall of a verbal memory task, and the Token test. Low word production and qualitatively changed output in patients with AD might relate to an inefficient searching strategy, attentional deficits and/or degraded semantic knowledge.
Impairments in Deductive Reasoning and Working Memory in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Channon Shelley
Published: August 2016

This study was designed to investigate the nature and extent of executive impairments in medicated subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) and matched control subjects. They performed two tasks involving strategic processing, deductive reasoning and memory updating. PD patients differed significantly from controls in solving two- and four-dimensional deductive reasoning problems, and they also showed impairment in memory updating. The findings are discussed in relation to previous studies which have shown deficits in strategic processing in PD.
Brcal: A Review of Structure and Putative Functions
Authors: Paterson James W.E.
Published: August 2016

BRCA1 is a complex gene implicated in familial breast and ovarian cancer. Although it is almost certainly a tumour suppressor, it is also essential for the normal growth and development of embryonic cells. BRCA1 is probably involved in DNA damage and repair, in cell cycle regulation, and in differentiation of celis. It remains to be established whether all these functions are subserved by single mechanism or pathway. Since the cloning of BRCA1 in 1994, much has been learned about the function of the gene. However, a great deal more still has to be uncovered. The size of the protein coded by the BRCA1 gene and the variety of transcripts argues for a complexity of function and regulation that will provide intellectual and technical challenges for years to come.
The Evolution of Antimicrobial Resistance in Respiratory Pathogens in Canada: What are the Clinical Consequences?
Authors: Low Donald E
Published: August 2016

The use of antimicrobial agents has led to reductions in illnesses and deaths from a variety of infectious diseases. Antimicrobial resistance has followed the introduction of almost every new antimicrobial agent and is now emerging as an important public health problem, especially in respiratory tract pathogens in the community. During the past decade in Canada, a rapid and relentless increase in antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus inflluenzae has been witnessed. Adverse implications as a result of the treatment of an infection with an antibiotic to which the offending pathogen is resistant have been recognized in only a few infectious disease syndromes (eg. bacterial meningitis). More often, resistance in vitro does not result in resistance in vivo (eg, respiratory tract infections). Therefore, before recommendations regarding empirical or directed therapy are changed, it is essential that evidence to support those decisions is obtained. More important, the prevention and control of such resistance must be addressed by reducing the burden of antibiotic selective pressure by curtailing inappropriate antibiotic use.
Current Antibiotic Treatment and Outcome for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Authors: MacGowan Alasdair P , Halladay Tracey , Lovering Andrew M
Published: August 2016

A number of national guidelines have been published to aid the antimicrobial management of community‐acquired pneumonia. However, data on prescriptions for lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) indicate considerable variation in the choice of first‐line and subsequent therapy at national and local levels. Outcomes research in LRTI, whether based on clinical, economic or patient‐focused criteria, is still evolving. Clinical outcomes are best studied for both pneumonia and exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Economic evaluations often do not encompass all of the costs, for example, time off from work or the economic impact of antibacterial resistance. Duration of hospital stay is a good marker of costs for hospital providers and may be affected by age. marital status and comorbidities. Antibiotic choice may have an impact on the duration of hospital stay by increasing side effects, predisposing patients to hospitalacquired infection or reduced clinical efficacy. Patient expectation is largely unstudied in pulmonary infection.
Grepafloxacin Clinical Program for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Authors: Rodloff Arne C
Published: August 2016

The present paper evaluates the clinical trial program in lower respiratory tract infections treated with a new fluoroquinolone antibiotic, grepafloxacin. Unlike older quinolones, grepafloxacin has excellent activity against Gram‐positive organisms, which include Streptococcus pneumoniae and “atypical” pathogens Legionella species. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Grepafloxacin has a long half‐life of 12 to 15 h, which allows once daily dosing. Six studies have been conducted regarding community‐acquired lower respiratory tract infections (LRTls), four about community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) and two about acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) . In these studies, grepafloxacin demonstrated clinical equivalence with standard therapies. but, in patients with documented infections. grepafloxacin was statistically superior to amoxycillin in both CAP and ABECB. The new fluoroquinolone has a good safety profile, comparable with that of ciprofloxacin. The most common adverse effects of grepafloxacin were nausea and a metallic taste; however, these effects resulted in only a few discontinuations of therapy. With the increasing prevalence of resistance in pathogens isolated from community‐acquired LRTIs, grepafloxacin offers a good alternative for monotherapy in these patients.
A Strategy And Demonstration For Integrated Biotechnology Information
Authors: Jones Simon B. , Franklin Jack
Published: August 2016

Bioinformatics has developed as a key discipline to support science. Integrated access to the various new and established information resources is a key requirement for their future uti lity. A strategy for this integration has been developed and is being demonstrated to a core group of European users.
Hydrogel-Based Controlled Delivery Systems for Articular Cartilage Repair
Authors: Rey-Rico Ana , Madry Henning , Cucchiarini Magali
Published: August 2016

Delivery of bioactive factors is a very valuable strategy for articular cartilage repair. Nevertheless, the direct supply of such biomolecules is limited by several factors including rapid degradation, the need for supraphysiological doses, the occurrence of immune and inflammatory responses, and the possibility of dissemination to nontarget sites that may impair their therapeutic action and raise undesired effects. The use of controlled delivery systems has the potential of overcoming these hurdles by promoting the temporal and spatial presentation of such factors in a defined target. Hydrogels are promising materials to develop delivery systems for cartilage repair as they can be easily loaded with bioactive molecules controlling their release only where required. This review exposes the most recent technologies on the design of hydrogels as controlled delivery platforms of bioactive molecules for cartilage repair.
Twin Support Vector Machine for Multiple Instance Learning Based on Bag Dissimilarities
Authors: Tomar Divya , Agarwal Sonal
Published: August 2016

In multiple instance learning (MIL) framework, an object is represented by a set of instances referred to as bag. A positive class label is assigned to a bag if it contains at least one positive instance; otherwise a bag is labeled with negative class label. Therefore, the task of MIL is to learn a classifier at bag level rather than at instance level. Traditional supervised learning approaches cannot be applied directly in such kind of situation. In this study, we represent each bag by a vector of its dissimilarities to the other existing bags in the training dataset and propose a multiple instance learning based Twin Support Vector Machine (MIL-TWSVM) classifier. We have used different ways to represent the dissimilarity between two bags and performed a comparative analysis of them. The experimental results on ten benchmark MIL datasets demonstrate that the proposed MIL-TWSVM classifier is computationally inexpensive and competitive with state-of-the-art approaches. The significance of the experimental results has been tested by using Friedman statistic and Nemenyi post hoc tests.