bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antagonistic Effects ofGingko bilobaandSophora japonicaon Cerebral Vasoconstriction in Response to Histamine, 5-Hydroxytryptamine, U46619 and Bradykinin
Authors: Nguyen Ha Thi Thanh , Nguyen Hai Thanh , Islam Md. Zahorul , Obi Takeshi , Pothinuch Pitchaya , Nguyen Thanh Van , Nguyen Tuong Manh , Dao Cuong Van , Shiraishi Mitsuya , Miyamoto Atsushi
Published: November 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the antagonistic effects of Gingko biloba leaf (GB) and Sophora japonica L. flower bud (SJ) extracts on cerebral vasoconstriction in response to KCl, extracellular Ca[Formula: see text], histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 9,11-dideoxy-9[Formula: see text],11[Formula: see text]-methanoepoxy prostaglandin (PG) F[Formula: see text](U46619) and bradykinin (BK), in order to explain their traditional application for diseases associated with cerebral vasospasm. Isolated porcine basilar arteries (PBA) and endothelial cells from them were used as the study materials. Neither SJ nor GB had any effect on the contractions induced by KCl and extracellular Ca[Formula: see text]. SJ significantly inhibited the contraction induced by histamine, 5-HT, U46619 and BK, whereas GB inhibited histamine-induced contraction, but had no effects on the contractions induced by 5-HT, U46619 and BK. In the presence of diphenhydramine (a H1receptor antagonist), ketanserin (a 5-HT2receptor antagonist) and ONO-3708 (a thromboxane (TX) A2/PG receptor antagonist), the inhibitory effects of these extracts on the contractions induced by histamine, 5-HT and U46619 were abolished. SJ significantly inhibited the contractions induced by BK and PGF[Formula: see text], but in the presence of ONO-3708 (10[Formula: see text] M) had no effect on them. BK enhanced the production of PGF[Formula: see text] from cultured PBA endothelium cells, and SJ significantly attenuated this enhancement. These results suggest that SJ and GB have a H1-antagonistic effect, and that SJ also attenuates cerebral vasoconstriction mediated via 5-HT2and TXA2/PG receptors. These findings appear to explain why SJ has been used traditionally as a therapeutic medication for cerebral vasospasm after cerebral hemorrhage.
Spectral synthesis and residually finite-dimensional algebras
Authors: Székelyhidi László , Wilkens Bettina
Published: November 2016

In 2004, a counterexample was given for a 1965 result of R. J. Elliott claiming that discrete spectral synthesis holds on every Abelian group. Since then the investigation of discrete spectral analysis and synthesis has gained traction. Characterizations of the Abelian groups that possess spectral analysis and spectral synthesis, respectively, were published in 2005. A characterization of the varieties on discrete Abelian groups enjoying spectral synthesis is still missing. We present a ring theoretical approach to the issue. In particular, we provide a generalization of the Principal Ideal Theorem on discrete Abelian groups.
Theoretical investigation and molecular docking approach on the antioxidant activity of Schiff bases and their tautomers
Authors: Ardjani Ahmed Taki Eddine , Mekelleche Sidi Mohamed
Published: November 2016

A theoretical study of the antioxidant behavior of N[Formula: see text]-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzylidene)-4-tert-buty-lenzohydrazide (1), N[Formula: see text]-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-benzylidene)-4-tert-butyl benzohydrazide (2) and N[Formula: see text]-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-4-methyl-benzene-sulfonohydrazide (3) and their tautomers 1 [Formula: see text] –3 [Formula: see text] have been carried out at B3LYP/6-31[Formula: see text]G(2d,2p). The numerical values of descriptors, namely, bond dissociation enthalpy, proton affinity (PA), electron transfer enthalpy (ETE), ionization potential, and proton dissociation enthalpy (PDE) have been calculated in gas phase and media solution (EtOH, DMSO and water). The obtained results show that the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanism is more favored thermodynamically in gas phase, whereas the sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanism is more preferred in solvents. Moreover, the couple (3,3[Formula: see text]) is found to be the most potent antioxidant as expected experimentally. Furthermore, the BDE values of compound 3 [Formula: see text] is much lower than that of ascorbic acid (AA), indicating that the tautomerization of compounds 1–3 has great influence on the antioxidant activity of these compounds. The antioxidant power of compounds (3.3[Formula: see text]) was also rationalized by the calculation of the atomic spin density. In addition, the molecular docking study of compounds 1–3 and 1[Formula: see text] –3[Formula: see text] on xanthine oxidase (XO) as the protein target revealed important interactions between active compounds and amino acids. Moreover, compound 3 is predicted to be a potential inhibitor with higher activity.
An improved active shape model method for facial landmarking based on relative position feature
Authors: Chen Hengxin , Gao Mingqi , Fang Bin
Published: November 2016

Active Shape Model (ASM) is a most effective method of facial landmarking. It employs two models, profile model and shape model, to match the position of facial landmark. In this paper, we introduce a new model based on relative position feature (RPF) in local region to improve ASM. We found the fact that landmarks with larger matching error have more shape matching displacement. So, in our method, RPF model is used to adjust the position of landmarks with more shape matching displacement in every matching iteration. STASM (Stacked ASM) is practical standard of ASM and is proved to be the best method of locating face landmarks. Our experiments on STASM show significant performance improving, especially on databases in which faces are partially blocked by glasses or artificial black square.
Convex decomposition of dimension-altering quantum channels
Authors: Wang Dong-Sheng
Published: November 2016

Quantum channels, which are completely positive and trace preserving mappings, can alter the dimension of a system, e.g. a quantum channel from a qubit to a qutrit. We study the convex set properties of dimension-altering quantum channels, and particularly the channel decomposition problem in terms of convex sum of extreme channels. We provide various quantum circuit representations of extreme and generalized extreme channels, which can be employed in an optimization to approximately decompose an arbitrary channel. Numerical simulations of low-dimensional channels are performed to demonstrate our channel decomposition scheme.
Design and Comparative Analysis of Thermoacoustic Refrigerators
Authors: Prashantha B. G. , Gowda M. S. Govinde , Seetharamu S. , Narasimham G. S. V. L.
Published: November 2016

In this paper, the design of a loudspeaker driven 10[Formula: see text]W cooling power stack-based thermoacoustic refrigerator at 3% drive ratio for a temperature difference of 80[Formula: see text]K using helium as working fluid is discussed. The refrigerator is designed using linear thermoacoustic concepts. Using linear thermoacoustic equations, a theoretical minimum cold heat exchanger temperature is estimated at 75% porosity of stack-heat exchanger system. This paper focuses on the comparative analysis of the present design with the similar 10[Formula: see text]W thermoacoustic refrigerator designs found in the literature. The theoretical performance comparison of TSDH, TDH and CDH resonators designed at 2% and 3% drive ratio is discussed. The resonator designs are validated using DeltaEC software and the results are discussed. DeltaEC simulation results show that the diameter of the vibrating diaphragm of the loudspeaker equal to the diameter of the stack-heat exchangers system has higher electroacoustic efficiency (74.7%) and better performance compared to the smaller diaphragm (42.6%) used in the past research.
Scanpath Trend Analysis on Web Pages
Authors: Eraslan Sukru , Yesilada Yeliz , Harper Simon
Published: November 2016

Eye tracking studies have widely been used in improving the design and usability of web pages and in the research of understanding how users navigate them. However, there is limited research in clustering users’ eye movement sequences (i.e., scanpaths) on web pages to identify a general direction they follow. Existing research tends to be reductionist, which means that the resulting path is so short that it is not useful. Moreover, there is little work on correlating users’ scanpaths with visual elements of web pages and the underlying source code, which means the result cannot be used for further processing. In order to address these limitations, we introduce a new concept in clustering scanpaths called
Scanpath Trend Analysis (STA)
that not only considers the visual elements visited by all users, but also considers the visual elements visited by the majority in any order. We present an algorithm which automatically does this trend analysis to identify a trending scanpath for multiple web users in terms of visual elements of a web page. In contrast to existing research, the STA algorithm first analyzes the most visited visual elements in given scanpaths, clusters the scanpaths by arranging these visual elements based on their overall positions in the individual scanpaths, and then constructs a trending scanpath in terms of these visual elements. This algorithm was experimentally evaluated by an eye tracking study on six web pages for two different kinds of tasks (12 cases in total). Our experimental results show that the STA algorithm generates a trending scanpath that addresses the reductionist problem of existing work by preventing the loss of commonly visited visual elements for all cases. Based on the statistical tests, the STA algorithm also generates a trending scanpath that is significantly more similar to the inputted scanpaths compared to other existing work in 10 out of 12 cases. In the remaining cases, the STA algorithm still performs significantly better than some other existing work. This algorithm contributes to behavior analysis research on the web that can be used for different purposes: for example, re-engineering web pages guided by the trending scanpath to improve users’ experience or guiding designers to improve their design.
Source Authentication Techniques for Network-on-Chip Router Configuration Packets
Authors: Biswas Arnab Kumar
Published: November 2016

It is known that maliciously configured Network-on-Chip routers can enable an attacker to launch different attacks inside a Multiprocessor System-on-Chip. A source authentication mechanism for router configuration packets can prevent such vulnerability. This ensures that a router is configured by the configuration packets sent only by a trusted configuration source. Conventional method like Secure Hash Algorithm-3 (SHA-3) can provide required source authentication in a router but with a router area overhead of 1355.25% compared to a normal router area. We propose eight source authentication mechanisms that can achieve similar level of security as SHA-3 for a router configuration perspective without causing significant area and power increase. Moreover, the processing time of our proposed techniques is 1/100th of SHA-3 implementation. Most of our proposed techniques use different timing channel watermarking methods to transfer source authentication data to the receiver router. We also propose the Individual packet-based stream authentication technique and combinations of this technique with timing channel watermarking techniques. It is shown that, among all of our proposed techniques, maximum router area increment required is 28.32% compared to a normal router.
DBA2J db/db mice are susceptible to early albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis that correlate with systemic insulin resistance
Authors: Østergaard Mette V. , Pinto Vanda , Stevenson Kirsty , Worm Jesper , Fink Lisbeth N. , Coward Richard J. M.
Published: November 2016

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of kidney failure in the world. To understand important mechanisms underlying this condition, and to develop new therapies, good animal models are required. In mouse models of type 1 diabetes, the DBA/2J strain has been shown to be more susceptible to develop kidney disease than other common strains. We hypothesized this would also be the case in type 2 diabetes. We studied db/db and wild-type (wt) DBA/2J mice and compared these with the db/db BLKS/J mouse, which is currently the most widely used type 2 DN model. Mice were analyzed from age 6 to 12 wk for systemic insulin resistance, albuminuria, and glomerular histopathological and ultrastructural changes. Body weight and nonfasted blood glucose were increased by 8 wk in both genders, while systemic insulin resistance commenced by 6 wk in female and 8 wk in male db/db DBA/2J mice. The urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was closely linked to systemic insulin resistance in both sexes and was increased ~50-fold by 12 wk of age in the db/db DBA/2J cohort. Glomerulosclerosis, foot process effacement, and glomerular basement membrane thickening were observed at 12 wk of age in db/db DBA/2J mice. Compared with db/db BLKS/J mice, db/db DBA/2J mice had significantly increased levels of urinary ACR, but similar glomerular histopathological and ultrastructural changes. The db/db DBA/2J mouse is a robust model of early-stage albuminuric DN, and its levels of albuminuria correlate closely with systemic insulin resistance. This mouse model will be helpful in defining early mechanisms of DN and ultimately the development of novel therapies.
Vascular endothelium in diabetes
Authors: Goligorsky Michael S.
Published: November 2016

Three decades ago a revolutionary idea was born that ascribed to dysfunctional endothelia some manifestations of diabetes, the Steno hypothesis, so named after the Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, in Denmark. Here I briefly outline the accomplishments accrued in the past 15 years to buttress this hypothesis. Those include development of novel technological platforms to examine microcirculatory beds, deeper understanding of patterns of microvascular derangement in diabetes, pathophysiology of nitric oxide synthesis and availability, nitrosative and oxidative stress in diabetes, premature senescence of endothelial cells and the role of sirtuin 1 and lysosomal dysfunction in this process, and the state of endothelial glycocalyx and endothelial progenitor cells in diabetes. These pathophysiological findings may yield some therapeutic benefits.
Relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and endogenous carbon monoxide
Authors: Azuma Masanori , Murase Kimihiko , Tachikawa Ryo , Hamada Satoshi , Matsumoto Takeshi , Minami Takuma , Inouchi Morito , Tanizawa Kiminobu , Handa Tomohiro , Oga Toru , Mishima Michiaki , Chin Kazuo
Published: November 2016

Endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) levels are recognized as a surrogate marker for activity of heme oxygenase-1, which is induced by various factors, including hypoxia and oxidative stress. Few reports have evaluated endogenous CO in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Whether OSA more greatly affects exhaled or blood CO is not known. Sixty-nine patients with suspected OSA were prospectively included in this study. Exhaled and blood CO were evaluated at night and morning. Blood and exhaled CO levels were well correlated both at night and morning ( r = 0.52, P < 0.0001 and r = 0.61, P < 0.0001, respectively). Although exhaled CO levels both at night and morning significantly correlated with total sleep time with arterial oxygen saturation < 90% (ρ = 0.41, P = 0.0005 and ρ = 0.27, P = 0.024, respectively), blood CO levels did not correlate with any sleep parameter. Seventeen patients with an apnea and hypopnea index (AHI) < 15 (control group) were compared with 52 patients with AHI ≥ 15 (OSA group). Exhaled CO levels at night in the OSA group were significantly higher than in the control group (3.64 ± 1.2 vs. 2.99 ± 0.70 ppm, P < 0.05). Exhaled CO levels at night decreased after 3 mo of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy in OSA patients ( n = 36; P = 0.016) to become nearly the same level as in the control group ( P = 0.21). Blood CO levels did not significantly change after CPAP therapy. Exhaled CO was positively related to hypoxia during sleep in OSA patients, but blood CO was not. Exhaled CO might better correlate with oxidative stress associated with OSA than blood CO.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) levels are recognized to be a surrogate marker of oxidative stress. No study has evaluated both exhaled and blood CO at the same time in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Here we provide evidence that exhaled CO levels positively correlated with hypoxia during sleep in OSA patients, but blood CO levels did not, and that continuous positive airway pressure therapy significantly decreased exhaled CO levels in the OSA group, but did not significantly affect blood CO.
Neural coupling between homologous muscles during bimanual tasks: effects of visual and somatosensory feedback
Authors: Nguyen Hoi B. , Lee Sang Wook , Harris-Love Michelle L. , Lum Peter S.
Published: November 2016

While the effects of sensory feedback on bimanual tasks have been studied extensively at two ends of the motor control hierarchy, the cortical and behavioral levels, much less is known about how it affects the intermediate levels, including neural control of homologous muscle groups. We investigated the effects of somatosensory input on the neural coupling between homologous arm muscles during bimanual tasks. Twelve subjects performed symmetric elbow flexion/extension tasks under different types of sensory feedback. The first two types involve visual feedback, with one imposing stricter force symmetry than the other. The third incorporated somatosensory feedback via a balancing apparatus that forced the two limbs to produce equal force levels. Although the force error did not differ between feedback conditions, the somatosensory feedback significantly increased temporal coupling of bilateral force production, indicated by a high correlation between left/right force profiles ( P < 0.001). More importantly, intermuscular coherence between biceps brachii muscles was significantly higher with somatosensory feedback than others ( P = 0.001). Coherence values also significantly differed between tasks (flexion/extension). Notably, whereas feedback type mainly modulated coherence in the α- and γ-bands, task type only affected β-band coherence. Similar feedback effects were observed for triceps brachii muscles, but there was also a strong phase effect on the coherence values ( P < 0.001) that could have diluted feedback effects. These results suggest that somatosensory feedback can significantly increase neural coupling between homologous muscles. Additionally, the between-task difference in β-band coherence may reflect different neural control strategies for the elbow flexor and extensor muscles.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study investigated the effects of somatosensory feedback during bimanual tasks on the neural coupling between arm muscles, which remains largely unexplored. Somatosensory feedback using a balancing apparatus, compared with visual feedback, significantly increased neural coupling between homologous muscles (indicated by intermuscular coherence values) and improved temporal correlation of bilateral force production. Notably, feedback type modulated coherence in the α- and γ-bands (more subcortical pathways), whereas task type mainly affected β-band coherence (corticospinal pathway).
Flow Topology of Three-Dimensional Spherical Flame in Shock Accelerated Flows
Authors: Zhu Yuejin , Yu Lei , Dong Gang , Pan Jianfeng , Pan Zhenhua
Published: November 2016

The flow topologies of compressible large-scale distorted flames are studied by means of the analysis of the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor (VGT). The results indicate that compressibility plays a minor role in the distorted flame zone. And the joint probability density function (p.d.f.) of the Q-R diagram appears as a teardrop shape, which is a universal feature of turbulence. Therefore, the distorted flame exhibits the characteristic of large-scale turbulence combustion, especially behind the reflected shock wave, while the p.d.f. of the QS⁎-QW diagram implies that the dissipation is enhanced in the compression and expansion regions, where it is higher than that when P=0. Furthermore, we identify that the flame evolution is dominated by rotation by means of a quantitative statistical study, and the SFS topology is the predominant flow pattern. Not surprisingly, negative dilatation could suppress the unstable topologies, whereas positive dilatation could suppress the stable topologies.
Systems of Inequalities Characterizing Ring Homomorphisms
Authors: Fechner Włodzimierz , Olbryś Andrzej
Published: November 2016

Assume thatT:P→RandU:P→Rare arbitrary mappings between two partially ordered ringsPandR. We study a few systems of functional inequalities which characterize ring homomorphisms. For example, we prove that ifTandUsatisfyT(f+g)≥T(f)+T(g),  U(f·g)≥U(f)·U(g),for allf,g∈PandT≥U, thenU=Tand this mapping is a ring homomorphism. Moreover, we find two other systems for which we obtain analogous assertions.
Five Years of Multidisciplinary Care in Hereditary Cancer: Our Experience in a Spanish University Hospital
Authors: Márquez-Rodas I. , Lobo M. , Flores-Sanchez C. , Sanz M. , Luque S. , Lizarraga S. , González-Asanza C. , Pajares J.A. , Peligros M.I. , Bueno O. , Mata C. , Lopez C. , López-Tarruella S. , Jerez Y. , Muñoz-Martin A. , Blanco M. , Die-Trill M. , Justel J.P. , Solera J. , Martin M.
Published: November 2016

Objective: To analyse the evolution of a multidisciplinary heredofamilial cancer unit (HFCU) in a university hospital. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of the activity of our HFCU in its first 5 years of existence. Results: Between July 2010 and July 2015, 1,518 patients from 1,318 families attended our HFCU. Genetic testing was offered to 862 patients. Of those, 833 (96.6%) accepted testing, with available results for 636 (76.4%). Pathogenic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 were found in 175 patients. Lynch syndrome and adenomatous polyposis were the most frequent syndromes diagnosed (151/175, 86.3%) among 17 different syndromes studied. Of the 404 patients without a previous genetic diagnosis in the family, 62 (15.3%) were found to have mutations in disease-causing genes. Prophylactic surgery and follow-up (33.7%) or follow-up only (66.3%) was proposed for mutation carriers according to international guidelines and patients' preferences. Conclusion: We have a high mutation detection rate, genetic test acceptance, and compliance with risk reduction strategies. However, there is room for improvement, especially in genetic testing timing, considering that an increase in the indications for genetic testing is expected.
Testosterone Deficiency and Testosterone Treatment in Older Men
Authors: Saad Farid , Röhrig Gabriele , von Haehling Stephan , Traish Abdulmaged
Published: November 2016

Frailty is a clinical condition related to changes in metabolism, to sarcopenia, and to decline in muscle mass and strength, bone mineral density, and physical function with aging. The pathophysiology of frailty is multifactorial and associated with comorbidities. Testosterone is implicated in regulating metabolic functions, maintenance of muscle and bone, and inhibition of adipogenesis. In older individuals, reduced testosterone is thought to contribute to an altered state of metabolism, loss of muscle and bone, and increased fat, leading to sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and frailty. While no direct relationship between testosterone deficiency (commonly known as hypogonadism) and frailty has been established (due to the multifactorial nature of frailty), clinical evidence suggests that testosterone deficiency is associated with increased sarcopenia and obesity. Testosterone treatment in frail older men with limited mobility and with testosterone deficiency improved insulin resistance, glucose metabolism, and body composition. These changes contribute to better physical function and improved quality of life. Because frailty increases disability, comorbidities, and the risk of hospitalization, institutionalization, and mortality in older men, it is warranted to explore the potential usefulness of testosterone treatment in frail men with hypogonadism in order to attenuate the progression of sarcopenia and frailty. In this paper, we will discuss the impact of testosterone deficiency on frailty and the potential role of testosterone treatment in ameliorating and reducing the progression of frailty. Such an approach may reduce disability and the risk of hospitalization and increase functional independence and quality of life.
Cerebral Mast Cells Participate In Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction by Promoting Astrocyte Activation
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Yao Hao , Qian Qingqing , Li Nana , Jin Wenjie , Qian Yanning
Published: November 2016

Background: Astrocytes, the major glial cell type that has been increasingly recognized as contributing to neuroinflammation, are critical in the occurrence and development of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Although emerging evidence showed that brain mast cells (MCs) are the "first responders” in neuroinflammation, little is known about the functional communication between MCs and astrocytes. Methods: In this study, we investigated the potential regulation of astrocyte activation by MCs. Rats received an intracerebroventricular injection of Cromolyn (an MC stabilizer) or sterile saline 30 min before undergoing open tibial fracture surgery, and the levels of neuroinflammation and the degree of memory dysfunction were evaluated at 1 day and 3 days after surgery. In the in vitro study, the effect of activated MCs on astrocytes were further clarified. Results: Surgery increased the number of MCs, the astrocyte activation and the production of inflammatory factors, and resulted in cognitive deficits. Site-directed pre-injection of Cromolyn can inhibit this effect. In the vitro study, the conditioned medium from C48/80-stimulated mast cells (P815) could induce primary astrocyte activation and subsequent production of inflammatory cytokines, which could be inhibited by Cromolyn. Conclusion: These findings indicate that activated MCs could trigger astrocyte activation, be involved in neuroinflammation and possibly contribute to POCD. Interactions between MCs and astrocytes could provide potential therapeutic targets for POCD.
Phase II/III Study of Radiofrequency Ablation Combined with Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells Treating Colorectal Liver Metastases
Authors: Li Xiaodong , Dai Xichao , Shi Liangrong , Jiang Yong , Chen Xuemin , Chen Lujun , Zhao Jiemin , Qiang Weiguang , Wu Jun , Ji Mei , Jiang Jingting , Wu Changping
Published: November 2016

Purpose: This phase II/III, non-randomized clinical trial aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of the combination of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells transfusion for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs). Experimental Design: A total of 60 eligible patients with CRLMs were enrolled and divided into Group A (RFA alone, n = 30) and Group B (RFA plus CIK, n = 30), and following enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay was performed in 8 patients with CEA > 50 ng/mL pre-RFA and 7 days post-RFA and CIK treatment, respectively. Results: The median progression-free survival (PFS) times of Group A and Group B were 18.5 months and 23 months, respectively (P = 0.0336). The 3-year progression-free rates were 13.3% in Group A and 20.3% in Group B, respectively. The median overall survival time was 43 months in Group A, and not reached in Group B. The 3-year survival rates were 64.6% in Group A and 81.0% in Group B, respectively (P = 0.1187). Among the 8 patients with CEA > 50ng/mL, 6 had increase of circulating CEA-specific T cells after RFA (P = 0.010). After CIK cell therapy, the number of CEA-specific T cells increased in all the 8 patients comparing with that pre-treatment (P = 0.001) and in 7 patients comparing with that post-RFA (P = 0.028). Conclusions: We firstly confirm that the combination of RFA and CIK cells boosts CEA-specific T cell response and shows to be an efficacious and safe treatment modality for patients with CRLMs.
The Emerging Roles of Long Noncoding RNA ROR (lincRNA-ROR) and its Possible Mechanisms in Human Cancers
Authors: Pan Yan , Li Chen , Chen Jing , Zhang Kai , Chu Xiaoyuan , Wang Rui , Chen Longbang
Published: November 2016

To date, there is only up to 2% of protein-coding genes that are stably transcribed, whereas the vast majority are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). These ncRNAs, also known as non-messenger RNAs (nmRNAs) or functional RNAs (fRNAs), include transfer RNAs, ribosomal RNAs, microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). With the advance of high-resolution microarrays and massively parallel sequencing technology, lncRNAs have gained extended attentions nowadays and are found to play important roles in tumorigenesis and progression of human cancers. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, regulator of reprogramming (linc-ROR), was first discovered in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), where it was controlled by the key pluripotency factors Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. Linc-ROR has been shown to be dysregulated in many types of cancers, including breast cancer (BC), pancreatic cancer (PC), hepatocellular cancer (HCC), endometrial cancer (EC), and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Also, linc-ROR functions as regulatory molecule in a large amount of biological processes. However, the underlying mechanisms of its contribution to carcinogenesis remain to be elucidated. In this review, we will emphasize on the characteristics of linc-ROR and their roles in different types of human cancers.
Small Molecule TH-39 Potentially Targets Hec1/Nek2 Interaction and Exhibits Antitumor Efficacy in K562 Cells via G0/G1 Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis Induction
Authors: Zhu Yongxia , Wei Wei , Ye Tinghong , Liu Zhihao , Liu Li , Luo Yong , Zhang Lidan , Gao Chao , Wang Ningyu , Yu Luoting
Published: November 2016

Background: Cancer is still a major public health issue worldwide, and new therapeutics with anti-tumor activity are still urgently needed. Methods: The anti-tumor activity of TH-39, which shows potent anti-proliferative activity against K562 cells with an IC50 of 0.78 µM, was investigated using immunoblot, co-immunoprecipitation, the MTT assay, and flow cytometry. Results: Mechanistically, TH-39 may disrupt the interaction between Hec1 and Nek2 in K562 cells. Moreover, TH-39 inhibited cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner by influencing the morphology of K562 cells and inducing G0/G1 phase arrest. G0/G1 phase arrest was associated with down-regulation of CDK2-cyclin E complex and CDK4/6-cyclin D complex activities. Furthermore, TH-39 also induced cell apoptosis, which was associated with activation of caspase-3, down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of Bax. TH-39 could also decrease mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in K562 cells. The results indicated that TH-39 might induce apoptosis via the ROS-mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential therapeutic efficacy of the anti-cancer compound TH-39 in treatment-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia.
Overcoming Cost Implications of Mutational Analysis in Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Pragmatic Approach
Authors: Schöffski Patrick , Wozniak Agnieszka , Schöffski Oliver , van Eycken Liesbet , Debiec-Rychter Maria
Published: November 2016

Background: Genetic analysis of tissue derived from patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is not uniformly applied on a national and international level, even though mutational data can provide clinically relevant prognostic and predictive information, especially in patients qualifying for treatment with expensive targeted agents. Methods: The current article describes the rationale for genetic testing of GIST tissue, looks at financial implications associated with such analysis and speculates on potential cost savings introduced by routine mutational testing and tailored use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors based on genotyping. This work is based on a hypothetical analysis of epidemiological data, drug costs, reimbursement criteria and market research figures. Results: The cost burden for routine genotyping of important genes in GISTs, especially in patients at high risk for relapse after primary surgery and in advanced, inoperable metastatic disease, is relatively low. The early identification of GISTs with primary resistance mutations should be the basis for personalized GIST treatment and reimbursement of drugs. As illustrated by Belgian figures, the exclusive use of a drug such as imatinib in patients who are likely to benefit from the agent based on genetic information can lead to significant cost savings, which outweigh the costs for testing. Conclusions: Mutational analysis of GIST should be considered early in all patients at risk for relapse after curative surgery and in the case of advanced, inoperable, metastatic disease. The costs for the actual genotyping should not be used as an argument against profiling of the tumor. The adjuvant and palliative systemic treatment of GISTs should be personalized based on the genotype and other known prognostic and predictive factors. Reimbursement criteria for essential agents such as imatinib should be adapted accordingly.
RE-COVERY DVT/PE: Rationale and design of a prospective observational study of acute venous thromboembolism with a focus on dabigatran etexilate
Authors: Ageno Walter , Casella Ivan B. , Han Chee Kok , Raskob Gary E. , Schellong Sebastian , Schulman Sam , Singer Daniel E. , Kimura Karen , Tang Wenbo , Desch Marc , Goldhaber Samuel Z.
Published: November 2016

The therapeutic management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is rapidly evolving. Following the positive results of pivotal large-scale randomised trials, the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) represent an important alternative to standard anticoagulation. In phase III studies, dabigatran was as effective as, and significantly safer than warfarin. Additional information on real-world data of dabigatran is now warranted. RE-COVERY DVT/PE is a multi-centre, international, observational (i. e. non-interventional) study enrolling patients with acute DVT and/or PE within 30 days after objective diagnosis. The study is designed with two phases. Phase 1 has a cross-sectional design, enrolling approximately 6000 patients independently of treatment choice, with the aim of providing a contemporary picture of the management of VTE worldwide. Phase 2 has a prospective cohort design, with follow-up of one year, enrolling 8000 patients treated with dabigatran or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) with the aim of comparing their safety, defined by the occurrence of major bleeding, and effectiveness, defined by the occurrence of symptomatic recurrent VTE. RE-COVERY DVT/PE will complement both the results of other observational studies in this field and the results of phase III studies with dabigatran, in particular by assessing its clinical benefit in various patient subgroups treated in routine clinical practice.
Structural differences among individuals, genders and generations as the key for ritual transmission, stereotypy and flexibility
Authors: Nielbo Kristoffer L. , Fux Michal , Mort Joel , Zamir Reut , Eilam David
Published: November 2016

We analysed a Zulu wedding ritual, posing two questions: (i) what makes a ritual stereotyped and rigid along with preserving certain flexibility; and (ii) does a ritual pass between generations and individuals en bloc, or as a smaller subset of acts? We found that the ritual repertoire constituted only one act that was common to all individuals that performed the ritual. Repetitive performance of this act conveyed the impression of a stereotyped ritual. This structure eases the transmission of the ritual, since it is only necessary to learn the performance of one act that can then be embedded in a sequence of ‘free-style’ acts. Gender difference was minimal, but young women performed more acts than adults, perhaps as a reflection of them being inexperienced actors. Altogether, the present study unveils underlying mechanisms that seem to characterize the evolution of rituals and thereby highlighting a foundation of human cultural behaviour in general.
Giraffe nursing behaviour reflects environmental conditions
Authors: Gloneková Markéta , Vymyslická Pavla Jůnková , Žáčková Magdalena , Brandlová Karolína
Published: November 2016

Nursing behaviour is one component of mammalian life history strategy that demonstrates context-dependent flexibility within species. Wild giraffes live in groups and feed themselves over large area. In the zoo, giraffes are kept in enclosures with abundant food resources. We aimed to analyse whether the nursing behaviour of giraffes differs between the zoo and nature reserve and discuss which factor (food intake, presence of predators, population density) can explain the difference. We observed seven and four female–calf pairs in the Bandia reserve, Senegal, and in Prague Zoo, Czech Republic, respectively. Nursing bouts were less frequent and longer and calves were less successful in nursing solicitations in the reserve, as females there seemed to be more selective for nursing times and locations, likely due to presence of predators and differences in food intake. Allonursing occurred more frequently in the zoo which can be attributed to higher population density in captive conditions.
Reading Cosmographia: Peter Apian’s Book-Instrument Hybrid and the Rise of the Mathematical Amateur in the Sixteenth Century
Authors: Gaida Margaret
Published: November 2016

The incorporation of paper instruments, also known as volvelles, into astronomical and cosmographical texts is a well-known facet of sixteenth-century printing. However, the impact that these instruments had on the reading public has yet to be determined. This paper argues that the inclusion of paper instruments in Peter Apian’s Cosmographia transforms the text into a book-instrument hybrid. The instruments and accompanying text in Cosmographia enabled readers to make their own measurements and calculations of both the heavens and the earth. Through the experience of manipulating the instruments, the readers became participants in sixteenth century mathematical culture, and thus mathematical amateurs. I conclude that the presence of these mathematical amateurs contributed to a much broader social base for the cultural shift towards an empirical understanding of nature from 1500 to 1700.
The “Subtile Aereal Spirit of Fountains”: Mineral Waters and the History of Pneumatic Chemistry
Authors: Boantza Victor D. , Tomory Leslie
Published: November 2016

The standard history of pneumatic chemistry is dominated by a landmark-discoverers-type narrative stretching from Robert Boyle, through Stephen Hales, Joseph Black, and Joseph Priestley, to Antoine Lavoisier. This article challenges this view by demonstrating the importance of the study of mineral waters – and their “aerial component” – to the evolution of pneumatic chemistry, from around van Helmont to the period before Black (1640s–1750s). Among key figures examined are Joan Baptista van Helmont, Johann Joachim Becher, Robert Boyle, Friedrich Hoffmann, and William Brownrigg.
Naming the Moment
Authors: van den Heever Gerhard
Published: November 2016

This essay introduces and frames a collection of essays speaking into a particularly burning and troubling period in South African history. The slow economic decline over a period of roughly ten years have now accelerated into a two year-long running student protest over high costs of university education. The protesters themselves, and commentary on the protest movement, link the protests to the failure of the promises of the 1994 compromise that saw the inauguration of the new South Africa. At the same time, the protests also pick up on another exclusion, i.e., the vestiges of colonial knowledge regimes and cultural alienation. In the essays here, issues are address that speak into this situation from various perspectives, namely, the agency of African in defining their own history, the authority and sovereignty to interpret the context, and the role of religion in education to construct social identity.
Additions to Karst Fungi 3: Prosthemium sinense sp nov., from Guizhou Province, China
Authors: ARIYAWANSA HIRAN A. , HYDE KEVIN D. , TANAKA KAZUAKI , MAHARACHCHIK-UMBURA SAJEEWA S. N. , AL-SADI ABDULLAH M. , ELGORBAN ABDALLAH M. , LIU ZUO YI
Published: November 2016

During an assessment of biodiversity of ascomycetous fungi in the South China Karst area in Guizhou Province, China, a novel species of Prosthemium was collected. We isolated the taxon and sequenced the ITS, LSU and TUB gene regions. The novel taxon is characterized by immersed, globose or depressed globose ascomata, flattened, papillate ostioles, cellular pseudoparaphyses, broadly cylindrical to broadly cylindro-clavate asci, narrowly oblong, muriform ascospores and a prosthemium-like asexual morph produced in culture. The result of phylogenetic analysis based on combined ITS, LSU and TUB sequence data indicate that the species belongs to the genus Prosthemium and formed a separate clade within the genus. The new fungus is most similar to Prosthemium betulinum, Pr. intermedium, Pr. neobetulinum and Pr. stellare, from which it differs in the overall smaller size and morphology of sexual morph and asexual morph, as well as phylogeny. Thus new fungus is described and illustrated herein as Prosthemium sinense.
Toward a comprehensive COI DNA barcode library for Swiss Stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera) with special emphasis on the genus Leuctra
Authors: GATTOLLIAT JEAN-LUC , VINÇON GILLES , WYLER SOFIA , PAWLOWSKI JAN , SARTORI MICHEL
Published: November 2016

The Swiss Barcode of Life initiative (SwissBOL) aims to inventory the genetic biodiversity in Switzerland using a short DNA sequence. DNA barcoding provides an additional tool for species identification that complements traditional morphological approaches. We report on the establishment of a DNA barcode library for Plecoptera, taxa that are of great importance as bioindicators of water quality and that often present difficulties in species-level identification for larvae and female specimens. Non-destructive DNA extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing of part of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) was conducted for 440 individuals (one to eight per species) belonging to 90 species (of the 112 reported from Switzerland). Intra and interspecific distances were calculated and gene trees reconstructed. In most cases, COI was efficient in delimiting stonefly species. Some doubtful specimens were subsequently re-examined and a few misidentifications were found, especially in some problematic groups in the genus Leuctra Stephens, 1836. Larger genetic distances in some species (e.g. Leuctra nigra (Olivier 1811)) indicate the possible presence of sibling species, while in a few cases closely related species are genetically difficult to separate (within the Leuctra fusca species group).
A study of stonefly taxa (Insecta: Plecoptera) inhabiting a saline stream (Arroyo Salado) in southern Spain
Authors: DE FIGUEROA JOSÉ MANUEL TIERNO , LUZÓN-ORTEGA JULIO MIGUEL , LÓPEZ-RODRÍGUEZ MANUEL JESÚS
Published: November 2016

Few studies of the ecology of Mediterranean saline streams exist. The strong selective pressure exerted by salinity greatly limits the presence of many taxa, Plecoptera (stoneflies) among them. However, a few species of stoneflies have been reported inhabiting saline streams, particularly components of the thermophilous biocoenosis seemed to have adapted to salinity pulses caused by fluctuations in annual rainfall. For two years, three sites within a saline stream, Arroyo Salado in southern Iberian Peninsula, were sampled to determine the stonefly species composition. Conductivity at the three sites ranged from 2290 to 87792, 2550 to 90824, and 206 to 2818 μS/cm, respectively. A total of seven different stonefly taxa were identified at the three sites: Brachyptera auberti Consiglio, Nemoura lacustris Pictet, Capnioneura libera (Navás), Tyrrhenoleuctra sp., Hemimelaena flaviventris (Pictet), Protonemura alcazaba Aubert, and Perla marginata (Panzer), the latter two only at the site where the stream flowed continuously and conductivity was lower. The possible strategies enabling these stonefly species to surviving in Arroyo Salado are discussed.
In Memoriam: Juan Carlos Naranjo López (1952–2014)
Authors: DEL CASTILLO PEDRO LÓPEZ , PETERS JANICE G.
Published: November 2016

Cuba and the Caribbean region lost a distinguished aquatic entomologist, expert on Ephemeroptera, and leader in freshwater conservation efforts on 11 May 2014.Carlos, the only child of Juan Naranjo Guzmán and Juana Milagro López Mustelier, was born on 27 March 1952 and grew up in Manzanillo (presently Granma province). He then moved to Santiago de Cuba to pursue higher education at the Universidad de Oriente. His dissertation for the B.S. Degree in Biological Sciences (1975), conducted under the direction of Tatiana Komorova, Universidad de la Habana, concerned the population dynamics of the coffee leafminer (Leucoptera coffella).
Relationships between Large Precipitating Systems and Atmospheric Factors at a Grid Scale
Authors: Chen Baohua , Liu Chuntao , Mapes Brian E.
Published: November 2016

In this study, TRMM-observed precipitation in the tropics is decomposed according to the horizontal area of radar precipitation features, with special emphasis on large systems (rain area > 104 km2) that contribute roughly half of tropical rainfall. Statistical associations of rain-weighted radar precipitation feature (RPF) size distributions with atmospheric variables on the 1.5° grid of ERA-Interim data are explored. In one-predictor distributions, the association with total precipitable water vapor (TPWV) is the strongest, while relative humidity at low and midlevels and low-level wind shear are also positively related to large-RPF rain fraction. Standard CAPE and CIN variables computed from grid-mean thermodynamic profiles are only weakly related to the size of rain systems. Joint distributions over two variables are also reported. The relative importance of predictors varies over different regions. The eastern Pacific is distinctive for having large rain systems in environments with a moist boundary layer but a dry midtroposphere, with strong shallow wind shear and small CAPE. In contrast, the large-storm environment over the western Pacific is found to be moister in the whole troposphere, with relatively weaker wind shear and larger CAPE. Over tropical land, the Sahel and central Africa stand out as having a great fractional rainfall contributed by large RPFs. Their associated environment is characterized by lower TPWV but stronger shallow wind shear and larger CIN and CAPE, in comparison to the equatorial Amazon basin and the Maritime Continent. Based on these associations, statistical reconstructions of the geographical distribution of large-RPF rain fraction from grid-mean atmospheric predictors are attempted.
Variational Iteration Method for Infrared Radiative Transfer in a Scattering Medium
Authors: Zhang Feng , Shi Yi-Ning , Li Jiangnan , Wu Kun , Iwabuchi Hironobu
Published: November 2016

A new scheme is proposed for using the variational iteration method (VIM) to solve the problem of infrared radiative transfer in a scattering medium. This scheme allows the zeroth-order solution to be identified as the absorption approximation and the scattering effect is included in the first-order iteration. The upward and downward intensities are calculated separately in VIM, which simplifies the calculation process. By applying VIM to two single-layer scattering media and a full radiation algorithm with gaseous transmission, it is found that VIM is generally more accurate than the discrete-ordinates method (DOM), especially for cirrostratus. Computationally, VIM is slightly faster than DOM in the two-stream case but more than twice as fast in the four-stream case. In view of its high overall accuracy and computational efficiency, VIM is well suited to solving infrared radiative transfer in climate models.