bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of community-acquired pneumonia in older adults
Authors: Simonetti Antonella F. , Viasus Diego , Garcia-Vidal Carolina , Carratalà Jordi
Published: January 2014

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an increasing problem among the elderly. Multiple factors related to ageing, such as comorbidities, nutritional status and swallowing dysfunction have been implicated in the increased incidence of CAP in the older population. Moreover, mortality in patients with CAP rises dramatically with increasing age. Streptococcus pneumoniae is still the most common pathogen among the elderly, although CAP may also be caused by drug-resistant microorganisms and aspiration pneumonia. Furthermore, in the elderly CAP has a different clinical presentation, often lacking the typical acute symptoms observed in younger adults, due to the lower local and systemic inflammatory response. Several independent prognostic factors for mortality in the elderly have been identified, including factors related to pneumonia severity, inadequate response to infection, and low functional status. CAP scores and biomarkers have lower prognostic value in the elderly, and so there is a need to find new scales or to set new cut-off points for current scores in this population. Adherence to the current guidelines for CAP has a significant beneficial impact on clinical outcomes in elderly patients. Particular attention should also be paid to nutritional status, fluid administration, functional status, and comorbidity stabilizing therapy in this group of frail patients. This article presents an up-to-date review of the main aspects of CAP in elderly patients, including epidemiology, causative organisms, clinical features, and prognosis, and assesses key points for best practices for the management of the disease.
BioShell-Threading: versatile Monte Carlo package for protein 3D threading
Authors: Gniewek Pawel , Kolinski Andrzej , Kloczkowski Andrzej , Gront Dominik
Published: January 2014

Background

The comparative modeling approach to protein structure prediction inherently relies on a template structure. Before building a model such a template protein has to be found and aligned with the query sequence. Any error made on this stage may dramatically affects the quality of result. There is a need, therefore, to develop accurate and sensitive alignment protocols.

Results

BioShell threading software is a versatile tool for aligning protein structures, protein sequences or sequence profiles and query sequences to a template structures. The software is also capable of sub-optimal alignment generation. It can be executed as an application from the UNIX command line, or as a set of Java classes called from a script or a Java application. The implemented Monte Carlo search engine greatly facilitates the development and benchmarking of new alignment scoring schemes even when the functions exhibit non-deterministic polynomial-time complexity.

Conclusions

Numerical experiments indicate that the new threading application offers template detection abilities and provides much better alignments than other methods. The package along with documentation and examples is available at: http://bioshell.pl/threading3d.
Evolutionary classification of ammonium, nitrate, and peptide transporters in land plants
Authors: von Wittgenstein Neil JJB , Le Cuong H , Hawkins Barbara J , Ehlting Jürgen
Published: January 2014

Background

Nitrogen uptake, reallocation within the plant, and between subcellular compartments involves ammonium, nitrate and peptide transporters. Ammonium transporters are separated into two distinct families (AMT1 and AMT2), each comprised of five members on average in angiosperms. Nitrate transporters also form two discrete families (NRT1 and NRT2), with angiosperms having four NRT2s, on average. NRT1s share an evolutionary history with peptide transporters (PTRs). The NRT1/PTR family in land plants usually has more than 50 members and contains also members with distinct activities, such as glucosinolate and abscisic acid transport.

Results

Phylogenetic reconstructions of each family across 20 land plant species with available genome sequences were supplemented with subcellular localization and transmembrane topology predictions. This revealed that both AMT families diverged prior to the separation of bryophytes and vascular plants forming two distinct clans, designated as supergroups, each. Ten supergroups were identified for the NRT1/PTR family. It is apparent that nitrate and peptide transport within the NRT1/PTR family is polyphyletic, that is, nitrate and/or peptide transport likely evolved multiple times within land plants. The NRT2 family separated into two distinct clans early in vascular plant evolution. Subsequent duplications occurring prior to the eudicot/monocot separation led to the existence of two AMT1, six AMT2, 31 NRT1/PTR, and two NRT2 clans, designated as groups.

Conclusion

Phylogenetic separation of groups suggests functional divergence within the angiosperms for each family. Distinct groups within the NRT1/PTR family appear to separate peptide and nitrate transport activities as well as other activities contained within the family, for example nitrite transport. Conversely, distinct activities, such as abscisic acid and glucosinolate transport, appear to have recently evolved from nitrate transporters.
Plus ça change – evolutionary sequence divergence predicts protein subcellular localization signals
Authors: Fukasawa Yoshinori , Leung Ross KK , Tsui Stephen KW , Horton Paul
Published: January 2014

Background

Protein subcellular localization is a central problem in understanding cell biology and has been the focus of intense research. In order to predict localization from amino acid sequence a myriad of features have been tried: including amino acid composition, sequence similarity, the presence of certain motifs or domains, and many others. Surprisingly, sequence conservation of sorting motifs has not yet been employed, despite its extensive use for tasks such as the prediction of transcription factor binding sites.

Results

Here, we flip the problem around, and present a proof of concept for the idea that the lack of sequence conservation can be a novel feature for localization prediction. We show that for yeast, mammal and plant datasets, evolutionary sequence divergence alone has significant power to identify sequences with N-terminal sorting sequences. Moreover sequence divergence is nearly as effective when computed on automatically defined ortholog sets as on hand curated ones. Unfortunately, sequence divergence did not necessarily increase classification performance when combined with some traditional sequence features such as amino acid composition. However a post-hoc analysis of the proteins in which sequence divergence changes the prediction yielded some proteins with atypical (i.e. not MPP-cleaved) matrix targeting signals as well as a few misannotations.

Conclusion

We report the results of the first quantitative study of the effectiveness of evolutionary sequence divergence as a feature for protein subcellular localization prediction. We show that divergence is indeed useful for prediction, but it is not trivial to improve overall accuracy simply by adding this feature to classical sequence features. Nevertheless we argue that sequence divergence is a promising feature and show anecdotal examples in which it succeeds where other features fail.
A comprehensive microRNA expression profile of the backfat tissue from castrated and intact full-sib pair male pigs
Authors: Bai Ying , Huang Jin-Ming , Liu Gang , Zhang Ji-Bin , Wang Jian-Ying , Liu Cheng-Kun , Fang Mei-Ying
Published: January 2014

Background

It is widely known that castration has a significant effect on the accumulation of adipose tissue. microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to be involved in fat deposition and to be regulated by the androgen-induced androgen receptor (AR). However, there is little understanding of the relationship between miRNAs and fat deposition after castration. In this study, the high-throughput SOLiD sequencing approach was used to identify and characterize miRNA expression in backfat from intact and castrated full-sib male 23-week-old pigs. The patterns of adipogenesis and fat deposition were compared between castrated and intact male pigs.

Results

A total of 366 unique miRNA genes were identified, comprising 174 known pre-miRNAs and 192 novel pre-miRNAs. One hundred and sixty-seven pre-miRNAs were common to both castrated (F3) and intact (F4) male pig small RNA libraries. The novel pre-miRNAs encoded 153 miRNAs/miRNA*s and 141 miRNAs/miRNA*s in the F3 and F4 libraries, respectively. One hundred and seventy-seven miRNAs, including 45 up- and 132 down-regulated, had more than 2-fold differential expression between the castrated and intact male pigs (p-value < 0.001). Thirty-five miRNAs were further selected, based on the expression abundance and differentiation between the two libraries, to predict their targets in KEGG pathways. KEGG pathway analyses suggested that miRNAs differentially expressed between the castrated and intact male pigs are involved in proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, migration, adipose tissue development and other important biological processes. The expression patterns of eight arbitrarily selected miRNAs were validated by stem-loop reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. These data confirmed the expression tendency observed with SOLiD sequencing. miRNA isomiRs and mirtrons were also investigated in this study. Mirtrons are a recently described category of miRNA relying on splicing rather than processing by the microprocessor complex to generate the RNAi pathway. The functions of miRNAs important for regulating fat deposition were also investigated in this study.

Conclusions

This study expands the number of fat-deposition-related miRNAs in pig. The results also indicate that castration can significantly affect the expression patterns of fat-related miRNAs. The differentially expressed miRNAs may play important roles in fat deposition after castration.
Identification of mechanosensitive genes during skeletal development: alteration of genes associated with cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell signalling pathways
Authors: Rolfe Rebecca A , Nowlan Niamh C , Kenny Elaine M , Cormican Paul , Morris Derek W , Prendergast Patrick J , Kelly Daniel , Murphy Paula
Published: January 2014

Background

Mechanical stimulation is necessary for regulating correct formation of the skeleton. Here we test the hypothesis that mechanical stimulation of the embryonic skeletal system impacts expression levels of genes implicated in developmentally important signalling pathways in a genome wide approach. We use a mutant mouse model with altered mechanical stimulation due to the absence of limb skeletal muscle (Splotch-delayed) where muscle-less embryos show specific defects in skeletal elements including delayed ossification, changes in the size and shape of cartilage rudiments and joint fusion. We used Microarray and RNA sequencing analysis tools to identify differentially expressed genes between muscle-less and control embryonic (TS23) humerus tissue.

Results

We found that 680 independent genes were down-regulated and 452 genes up-regulated in humeri from muscle-less Spd embryos compared to littermate controls (at least 2-fold; corrected p-value ≤0.05). We analysed the resulting differentially expressed gene sets using Gene Ontology annotations to identify significant enrichment of genes associated with particular biological processes, showing that removal of mechanical stimuli from muscle contractions affected genes associated with development and differentiation, cytoskeletal architecture and cell signalling. Among cell signalling pathways, the most strongly disturbed was Wnt signalling, with 34 genes including 19 pathway target genes affected. Spatial gene expression analysis showed that both a Wnt ligand encoding gene (Wnt4) and a pathway antagonist (Sfrp2) are up-regulated specifically in the developing joint line, while the expression of a Wnt target gene,Cd44, is no longer detectable in muscle-less embryos. The identification of 84 genes associated with the cytoskeleton that are down-regulated in the absence of muscle indicates a number of candidate genes that are both mechanoresponsive and potentially involved in mechanotransduction, converting a mechanical stimulus into a transcriptional response.

Conclusions

This work identifies key developmental regulatory genes impacted by altered mechanical stimulation, sheds light on the molecular mechanisms that interpret mechanical stimulation during skeletal development and provides valuable resources for further investigation of the mechanistic basis of mechanoregulation. In particular it highlights the Wnt signalling pathway as a potential point of integration of mechanical and molecular signalling and cytoskeletal components as mediators of the response.
Hospital-based HIV/HSV-2 seroprevalence among male patients with anal disease in Korea: cross sectional study
Authors: Wang Jin-Sook , Hwang Do Yeon , Yu Hye-Kyung , Kim Sung Soon , Lee Jong Kyun , Kee Mee-Kyung
Published: January 2014

Background

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 seroprevalence in male patients with anal disease.

Methods

HIV seroprevalence was estimated for different age groups of male patients with anal disease who were treated at Songdo colorectal hospital in Korea between 2001 and 2011. HIV seroprevalence of patients with anal disease was compared with that of patients with nonanal disease for each year from 2007 to 2011. HSV-2 antibody tests were conducted on 2,038 HIV-tested male patients with anal disease in 2009.

Results

For 11 years from 2001, HIV seroprevalence differed significantly by age group (P < 0.001) and was highest in the group aged <20 years. From 2007 to 2011, HIV seroprevalence in patients with anal disease was 7.6/10,000–13.3/10,000 and that in patients with nonanal disease was 0–0.9/10,000. HSV-2 seroprevalence among patients with anal disease was 24.0%, and only one patient with HIV and HSV-2 was observed.

Conclusions

HIV seroprevalencein male patients with anal disease was significantly higher than that for other diseases. HSV-2 seroprevalence was similar to that in the general male population. Implementation of the current HIV surveillance system for male patients at colorectal hospitals is necessary to help prevent HIV transmission.
Host biomarkers distinguish dengue from leptospirosis in Colombia: a case–control study
Authors: Conroy Andrea L , Gélvez Margarita , Hawkes Michael , Rajwans Nimerta , Liles W Conrad , Villar-Centeno Luis Angel , Kain Kevin C
Published: January 2014

Background

Dengue fever and leptospirosis have partially overlapping geographic distributions, similar clinical presentations and potentially life-threatening complications but require different treatments. Distinguishing between these cosmopolitan emerging pathogens represents a diagnostic dilemma of global importance. We hypothesized that perturbations in host biomarkers can differentiate between individuals with dengue fever and leptospirosis during the acute phase of illness.

Methods

We randomly selected subjects from a prospective cohort study of acute febrile illness in Bucaramanga, Colombia and tested 19 serum biomarkers by ELISA in dengue fever (DF, n = 113) compared to subjects with leptospirosis (n = 47). Biomarkers were selected for further analysis if they had good discriminatory ability (area under the ROC curve (AUC) >0.80) and were beyond a reference range (assessed using local healthy controls).

Results

Nine biomarkers differed significantly between dengue fever and leptospirosis, with higher levels of Angptl3, IL-18BP, IP-10/CXCL10, Platelet Factor 4, sICAM-1, Factor D, sEng and sKDR in dengue and higher levels of sTie-2 in leptospirosis (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Two biomarkers, sEng and IL18BP, showed excellent discriminatory ability (AUROC >0.90). When incorporated into multivariable models, sEng and IL18BP improved the diagnostic accuracy of clinical information alone.

Conclusions

These results suggest that host biomarkers may have utility in differentiating between dengue and leptospirosis, clinically similar conditions of different etiology.
High prevalence of Y-box protein-1/p18 fragment in plasma of patients with malignancies of different origin
Authors: Tacke Frank , Galm Oliver , Kanig Nicolas , Yagmur Eray , Brandt Sabine , Lindquist Jonathan A , Eberhardt Christiane S , Raffetseder Ute , Mertens Peter R
Published: January 2014

Background

Expression of the cold shock protein Y-box protein 1 (YB-1) is associated with deleterious outcome in various malignant diseases. Our group recently showed that the detection of an 18 kDa YB-1 fragment (YB-1/p18) in human plasma identifies patients with malignant diseases. We now tested the prevalence, clinical, and diagnostic value of YB-1/p18 detection in common tumors.

Methods

A newly established monoclonal YB-1 antibody was used to detect YB-1/p18 by immunoblotting in plasma samples from 151 unselected tumor patients, alongside established tumor markers and various diagnostic measures, during evaluation for a cancerous disease and in follow-up studies after therapeutic interventions.

Results

Circulating YB-1/p18 was detected in 78% of patients having a tumor disease. YB-1/p18 positivity was highly prevalent in all examined malignancies, including lung cancer (32/37; 87%), breast cancer (7/10; 70%), cancer of unknown primary (CUP; 5/5, 100%) or hematological malignancies (42/62; 68%). Positivity for YB-1/p18 was independent of other routine laboratory parameters, tumor stage, or histology. In comparison to 13 established tumor markers (cancer antigens 15–3, 19–9, 72–4, and 125; carcinoembryonic antigen; cytokeratin fragments 21–1; neuron-specific enolase; alpha-fetoprotein; beta-2-microglobulin; squamous cell carcinoma antigen; thymidine kinase; tissue polypeptide antigen; pro-gastrin-releasing peptide), YB-1/p18 detection within serum samples was the most sensitive general parameter identifying malignant disorders. YB-1/p18 concentrations altered during therapeutic interventions, but did not predict prognosis.

Conclusions

Plasma YB-1/p18 detection has a high specific prevalence in malignancies, thereby providing a novel tool for cancer screening independent of the tumor origin.
Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty in cases with existing scleral-sutured and iris-sutured intraocular lenses
Authors: Röck Daniel , Röck Tobias , Bartz-Schmidt Karl-Ulrich , Yoeruek Efdal
Published: January 2014

Background

To report two cases of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) in patients with existing scleral-fixated and iris-fixated intraocular lenses (sf-IOL and if-IOL, respectively).

Case presentation

DMEK procedures were performed on a 49-year-old woman with a pre-existing sf-IOL (case 1) and a 69-year-old woman with a pre-existing if-IOL (case 2) in order to treat secondary corneal edema due to pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Visual acuity, refractive error, intraocular pressure, slit lamp examination, pachymetry measurements and endothelial cell density (ECD) were considered and repeated during follow-ups.

Both cases had no intraoperative complications. At postoperative day 1 graft centration and complete attachment were noted. The IOL positions were unchanged in comparison to their preoperative positions. In case 1, visual acuity improved from 1/15 at 1 meter preoperative to 20/200 within one week and to 20/63 within 12 weeks of follow up. In case 2, visual acuity improved from counting fingers at 1 meter preoperative to 20/200 within one week and to 20/100 within 12 weeks of follow-up. In case 2 a partial graft dislocation was observed at postoperative day twenty. Complete graft re-apposition was achieved by rebubbling procedure performed with intracameral air injection.

Conclusions

DMEK surgery in the treatment of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy in the presence of sf-IOL and if-IOL can successfully be performed. These eyes are at increased risk of IOL dislocation into the vitreous cavity during DMEK surgery.
Response of an aggressive periosteal aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) of the radius to denosumab therapy
Authors: Pauli Chantal , Fuchs Bruno , Pfirrmann Christian , Bridge Julia A , Hofer Silvia , Bode Beata
Published: January 2014

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC), once considered a reactive lesion, has been proven to be a neoplasia characterized by rearrangements of theUSP6-gene. Aggressive local growth and recurrences are common and therapeutic options may be limited due to the vicinity of crucial structures. We describe a case of a locally aggressive, multinucleated giant cell-containing lesion of the forearm of a 21-year old woman, treated with denosumab for recurrent, surgically uncontrollable disease. Under the influence of this RANKL inhibitor, the tumor showed a marked reduction of the content of the osteoclastic giant cells and an extensive metaplastic osteoid production leading to the bony containment, mostly located intracortically in the proximal radius. The diagnosis of a periosteal ABC was confirmed by FISH demonstratingUSP6gene rearrangement on the initial biopsy. Function conserving surgery could be performed, enabling reconstruction of the affected bone. Inhibition of RANKL with denosumab may offer therapeutic option for patients not only with giant cell tumors but also with ABCs.
Fabrication of micro-ridge long-period gratings inscribed on polarization-maintaining fibers
Authors: Kwon Oh-Jang , Shin Myungjun , Han Young-Guen
Published: January 2014

We experimentally investigated a simple and new technique for the fabrication of micro-ridge long-period gratings (MRLPGs) based on polarization-maintaining fibers (PMFs). The cladding region of the PMFs was etched periodically using a wet etching technique resulting in the periodic formation of micro-ridges on the surface of the PMF. The PMF-based MRLPGs has two resonant peaks because of the birefringence of the PMF. The extinction ratios of two resonant peaks of the PMF-based MRLPGs were effectively improved by increasing the applied strain because of the photoelastic effect.
New results on the Baire partial quasi-metric space, fixed point theory and asymptoticcomplexity analysis for recursive programs
Authors: Alghamdi Maryam A , Shahzad Naseer , Valero Oscar
Published: January 2014

In Cerdà-Uguet et al. (Theory Comput. Syst. 50:387-399, 2012), a newmathematical fixed point technique, that uses the so-called Baire partial quasi-metricspace, was introduced with the aim of providing the asymptotic complexity of a class ofrecursive algorithms. The aforementioned technique presents the advantage that requiresless calculations than the quasi-metric original one given by Schellekens (Electron. NotesTheor. Comput. Sci. 1:211-232, 1995). In this paper we continue the study, started inCerdà-Uguet et al. (Theory Comput. Syst. 50:387-399, 2012), on the use ofpartial quasi-metric spaces for asymptotic complexity analysis of algorithms. Concretely,our main purpose is to prove that the Baire partial quasi-metric space is an appropriatemathematical framework for discussing via fixed point arguments the asymptotic complexityof a general class of recursive algorithms to which all the algorithms analyzed inCerdà-Uguet et al. (Theory Comput. Syst. 50:387-399, 2012) belong. Theobtained results are illustrated by means of applying them to yield the complexity of twocelebrated recursive algorithms which don not belong to the class discussed inCerdà-Uguet et al. (Theory Comput. Syst. 50:387-399, 2012).

MSC: 47H10, 54E50, 68Q15, 68Q25, 68W40.
A new type fixed point theorem for a contraction on partially ordered generalized complete metric spaces with applications
Authors: Eshaghi Gordji Madjid , Ramezani Maryam , Sajadian Farhad , Cho Yeol Je , Park Choonkil
Published: January 2014

In this paper, we prove a fixed point theorem for a contraction in generalized complete metric spaces endowed with partial order. As an application, we use the fixed point theorem to prove the Hyers-Ulam stability of the Cauchy functional equation in Banach spaces endowed with a partial order.

MSC:54H25, 47H10, 39B52.
Existence of solutions for fractional differential equations with integral boundary conditions
Authors: Yan Rian , Sun Shurong , Lu Hongling , Zhao Yan
Published: January 2014

In this paper, we study boundary-value problems for the following nonlinear fractional differential equations involving the Caputo fractional derivative:

D

0
+

α

C

x
(
t
)
=
f
(
t
,
x
(
t
)

,
C

D

0
+

β

x
(
t
)
)

,

t
∈
[
0
,
1
]

,

x
(
0
)
+

x
′

(
0
)
=
y
(
x
)

,

∫
0
1

x
(
t
)

d
t
=
m

,

x
″

(
0
)
=

x
‴

(
0
)
=
⋯
=

x

(
n
−
1
)

(
0
)
=
0

, where

D

0
+

α

C

,

D

0
+

β

C

are the Caputo fractional derivatives,

f
:
[
0
,
1
]
×
R
×
R
→
R

is a continuous function,

y
:
C
(
[
0
,
1
]
,
R
)
→
R

is a continuous function and

m
∈
R

,

n
−
1
<
α
<
n

(

n
≥
2

),

0
<
β
<
1

is a real number. By means of the Banach fixed-point theorem and the Schauder fixed-point theorem, some solutions are obtained, respectively. As applications, some examples are presented to illustrate our main results.

MSC:34A08, 34B10.
Association of XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism with head and neck cancer susceptibility: evidence from 11,443 subjects
Authors: Lin Hai , Lin Dong , Zheng Chunquan
Published: January 2014

Background

Whether the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Lys751Gln of xeroderma pigmentosum group D(XPD) gene increases susceptibility to head and neck cancer (HNC) is controversial and undetermined. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to systematically assess the possible association between them.

Methods

The OVID, Medline, Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science databases were searched to identify the eligible studies. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were used to assess the strength of association.

Results

A total of 11,443 subjects from eighteen studies were subjected to meta-analysis. Overall, XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism had no association with increased HNC risk under all five genetic models (P > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity and source of controls, still no significant association was found under five genetic models (P > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis by cancer type, XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism had statistically significant association with elevated laryngeal cancer (LC) and nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) risk under heterozygous comparison and dominant model (P<0.05) and borderline significantly increased risk was found under allele contrast for LC and NPC. Carriers of Lys allele and Lys/Lys genotype may be associated with elevated LC and NPC risk.

Conclusions

There is overall lack of association between XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism and HNC risk under all five genetic models and still no significant association was found in the subgroup analysis by ethnicity and source of controls. However, XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism was significantly associated with susceptibility to LC and NPC and the Lys allele and Lys/Lys genotype of XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism may be a risk factor for LC and NPC. However, relatively modest sample sizes were included in this meta-analysis and studies with large sample sizes and representative population are warranted to further clarify this finding.

Virtual slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5628716106316015.
Effects of foliar application of salicylic acid and nitric oxide in alleviating iron deficiency induced chlorosis of Arachis hypogaea L.
Authors: Kong Jing , Dong Yuanjie , Xu Linlin , Liu Shuang , Bai Xiaoying
Published: January 2014

Background

The aim of this experiment was to analyze the alleviation mechanism of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a nitric oxide donor) on peanut seedlings under Fe deficiency. The effects of SA and SNP on iron uptake and availability, ions balance and oxidant damage were studied with foliar application of exogenous 1.0 mM SA (SA) or 2.5 mM SNP (SNP) or 0.5 mM SA+1.25 mM SNP [1/2(SA+SNP)] or 1.0 mM SA+2.5 mM SNP (SA+SNP).

Results

The results showed that after 21 days treatment, the peanut seedlings growing under iron deficiency conditions exhibited leaf interveinal chlorosis, and this iron-deficiency induced symptom was prevented by foliar application of SA, SNP, 1/2 (SA+SNP), especially SA+SNP. The increased contents of chlorophyll and active iron, and increased Fe accumulation in cell organelles were observed in SA+SNP treated young leaves, suggesting that an improvement of iron availability in plants. Moreover, the improved nutrient solution pH, increased H+-ATPase activity and increased iron concentration in roots in SA+SNP treated plants, suggesting that SA+SNP is effective in modulating iron uptake. Furthermore, the increased calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) concentrations and decreased manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) concentrations in the leaves and roots of peanut indicated that SA+SNP stimulated the maintenance of ions disturbed by Fe deficiency. In addition, SA+SNP alleviated the increased accumulation of superoxide anion (O2
•-) generation rate and malondialdehyde (MDA), and modulated the antioxidant enzymes.

Conclusions

These results indicated that the interaction of SA and SNP promoted Fe uptake, translocation and activation; modulated the balance of mineral elements; and protected Fe deficiency induced oxidative stress. Therefore, SA and SNP had synergistic effects in alleviating chlorosis induced by Fe deficiency.
Induction of nerve growth factor expression and release by mechanical and inflammatory stimuli in chondrocytes: possible involvement in osteoarthritis pain
Authors: Pecchi Emilie , Priam Sabrina , Gosset Marjolaine , Pigenet Audrey , Sudre Laure , Laiguillon Marie-Charlotte , Berenbaum Francis , Houard Xavier
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Nerve growth factor (NGF) level is increased in osteoarthritis (OA) joints and is involved in pain associated with OA. Stimuli responsible for NGF stimulation in chondrocytes are unknown. We investigated whether mechanical stress and proinflammatory cytokines may influence NGF synthesis by chondrocytes.

Methods

Primary cultures of human OA chondrocytes, newborn mouse articular chondrocytes or cartilage explants were stimulated by increasing amounts of IL-1β, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), visfatin/nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) or by cyclic mechanical compression (0.5 Hz, 1 MPa). Before stimulation, chondrocytes were pretreated with indomethacin, Apo866, a specific inhibitor of NAMPT enzymatic activity, or transfected by siRNA targeting visfatin/NAMPT. mRNA NGF levels were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR and NGF released into media was determined by ELISA.

Results

Unstimulated human and mouse articular chondrocytes expressed low levels of NGF (19.2 ± 8.7 pg/mL, 13.5 ± 1.0 pg/mL and 4.4 ± 0.8 pg/mL/mg tissue for human and mouse articular chondrocytes and costal explants, respectively). Mechanical stress induced NGF release in conditioned media. When stimulated by IL-1β or visfatin/NAMPT, a proinflammatory adipokine produced by chondocytes in response to IL-1β, a dose-dependent increase in NGF mRNA expression and NGF release in both human and mouse chondrocyte conditioned media was observed. Visfatin/NAMPT is also an intracellular enzyme acting as the rate-limiting enzyme of the generation of NAD. The expression of NGF induced by visfatin/NAMPT was inhibited by Apo866, whereas IL-1β-mediated NGF expression was not modified by siRNA targeting visfatin/NAMPT. Interestingly, PGE2, which is produced by chondrocytes in response to IL-1β and visfatin/NAMPT, did not stimulate NGF production. Consistently, indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, did not counteract IL-1β-induced NGF production.

Conclusions

These results show that mechanical stress, IL-1β and extracellular visfatin/NAMPT, all stimulated the expression and release of NGF by chondrocytes and thus suggest that the overexpression of visfatin/NAMPT and IL-1β in the OA joint and the increased mechanical loading of cartilage may mediate OA pain via the stimulation of NGF expression and release by chondrocytes.
Methotrexate induces production of IL-1 and IL-6 in the monocytic cell line U937
Authors: Olsen Nancy J , Spurlock Charles F , Aune Thomas M
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Methotrexate (MTX) has been for decades a standard treatment in a wide range of conditions, from malignancies to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Despite this long experience, the mechanisms of action of MTX remain incompletely understood. Reported immunologic effects of MTX include induction of increased production of some cytokines, an effect that seems to be at odds with the generally anti-inflammatory effects of this drug in diseases like RA. To further elucidate these immune activities, we examined effects of MTX on the human monocytic cell line U937.

Methods

The U937 cell line was treated in vitro with pharmacologic-range concentrations of MTX and effects on production of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and TNF alpha were measured. Changes in gene expression for IL-1 and IL-6 and specificities in the Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway including JNK 1, JNK2, JUN and FOS were also determined. The contribution of NF-kB, folate and adenosine pathways to the observed effects was determined by adding appropriate inhibitors to the MTX cultures.

Results

MTX mediated a dose-dependent increase in IL-1 and IL-6 in U937 cells, as measured by secreted proteins and levels of gene expression. The increased cytokine expression was inhibited by addition of parthenolide and folinic acid, but not by caffeine and theophylline, suggesting that NF-kB and folates, but not adenosine, were involved in mediating the observed effects. When U937 cells were cultured with MTX, upregulated expression of JUN and FOS, but not JNK 1 or 2, also was observed.

Conclusions

MTX induces expression of proinflammatory cytokines in U937 monocytic cells. These effects might mediate the known toxicities of MTX including pneumonitis, mucositis and decreased bone mineral density.
Birth weight, childhood body mass index, and height in relation to mammographic density and breast cancer: a register-based cohort study
Authors: Andersen Zorana J , Baker Jennifer L , Bihrmann Kristine , Vejborg Ilse , Sørensen Thorkild IA , Lynge Elsebeth
Published: January 2014

Introduction

High breast density, a strong predictor of breast cancer may be determined early in life. Childhood anthropometric factors have been related to breast cancer and breast density, but rarely simultaneously. We examined whether mammographic density (MD) mediates an association of birth weight, childhood body mass index (BMI), and height with the risk of breast cancer.

Methods

13,572 women (50 to 69 years) in the Copenhagen mammography screening program (1991 through 2001) with childhood anthropometric measurements in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register were followed for breast cancer until 2010. With logistic and Cox regression models, we investigated associations among birth weight, height, and BMI at ages 7 to 13 years with MD (mixed/dense or fatty) and breast cancer, respectively.

Results

8,194 (60.4%) women had mixed/dense breasts, and 716 (5.3%) developed breast cancer. Childhood BMI was significantly inversely related to having mixed/dense breasts at all ages, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) ranging from 0.69 (0.66 to 0.72) at age 7 to 0.56 (0.53 to 0.58) at age 13, per one-unit increase in z-score. No statistically significant associations were detected between birth weight and MD, height and MD, or birth weight and breast cancer risk. BMI was inversely associated with breast cancer, with hazard ratios of 0.91 (0.83 to 0.99) at age 7 and 0.92 (0.84 to 1.00) at age 13, whereas height was positively associated with breast cancer risk (age 7, 1.06 (0.98 to 1.14) and age 13, 1.08 (1.00 to 1.16)). After additional adjustment for MD, associations of BMI with breast cancer diminished (age 7, 0.97 (0.88 to 1.06) and age 13, 1.01 (0.93 to 1.11)), but remained with height (age 7, 1.06 (0.99 to 1.15) and age 13, 1.09 (1.01 to 1.17)).

Conclusions

Among women 50 years and older, childhood body fatness was inversely associated with the breast cancer risk, possibly via a mechanism mediated by MD, at least partially. Childhood tallness was positively associated with breast cancer risk, seemingly via a pathway independent of MD. Birth weight was not associated with MD or breast cancer in this age group.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adult patients with hematologic malignancies and severe acute respiratory failure
Authors: Wohlfarth Philipp , Ullrich Roman , Staudinger Thomas , Bojic Andja , Robak Oliver , Hermann Alexander , Lubsczyk Barbara , Worel Nina , Fuhrmann Valentin , Schoder Maria , Funovics Martin , Rabitsch Werner , Knoebl Paul , Laczika Klaus , Locker Gottfried J , Sperr Wolfgang R , Schellongowski Peter ,   Arbeitsgruppe für hämato-onkologische Intensivmedizin der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Internistische und Allgemeine Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin (ÖGIAIN)
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is the main reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs). We report the first series of adult patients with ARF and HMs treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of 14 patients with HMs (aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) n = 5; highly aggressive NHL, that is acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Burkitt lymphoma, n = 5; Hodgkin lymphoma, n = 2; acute myeloid leukemia, n = 1; multiple myeloma, n = 1) receiving ECMO support because of ARF (all data as medians and interquartile ranges; age, 32 years (22 to 51 years); simplified acute physiology score II (SAPS II): 51 (42 to 65)). Etiology of ARF was pneumonia (n = 10), thoracic manifestation of NHL (n = 2), sepsis of nonpulmonary origin (n = 1), and transfusion-related acute lung injury (n = 1). Diagnosis of HM was established during ECMO in four patients, and five first received (immuno-) chemotherapy on ECMO.

Results

Before ECMO, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 60 (53 to 65), (3.3 to 3.7). Three patients received venoarterial ECMO because of acute circulatory failure in addition to ARF; all other patients received venovenous ECMO. All patients needed vasopressors, and five needed hemofiltration. Thrombocytopenia occurred in all patients (lowest platelet count was 20 (11 to 21) G/L). Five major bleeding events were noted. ECMO duration was 8.5 (4 to 16) days. ICU and hospital survival was 50%. All survivors were alive at follow-up (36 (10 to 58) months); five patients were in complete remission, one in partial remission, and one had relapsed.

Conclusions

ECMO therapy is feasible in selected patients with HMs and ARF and can be associated with long-term disease-free survival.
Autologous circulating angiogenic cells treated with osteopontin and delivered via a collagen scaffold enhance wound healing in the alloxan-induced diabetic rabbit ear ulcer model
Authors: O’Loughlin Aonghus , Kulkarni Mangesh , Vaughan Erin E , Creane Michael , Liew Aaron , Dockery Peter , Pandit Abhay , O’Brien Timothy
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Diabetic foot ulceration is the leading cause of amputation in people with diabetes mellitus. Peripheral vascular disease is present in the majority of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Despite standard treatments there exists a high amputation rate. Circulating angiogenic cells previously known as early endothelial progenitor cells are derived from peripheral blood and support angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, providing a potential topical treatment for non-healing diabetic foot ulcers.

Methods

A scaffold fabricated from Type 1 collagen facilitates topical cell delivery to a diabetic wound. Osteopontin is a matricellular protein involved in wound healing and increases the angiogenic potential of circulating angiogenic cells. A collagen scaffold seeded with circulating angiogenic cells was developed. Subsequently the effect of autologous circulating angiogenic cells that were seeded in a collagen scaffold and topically delivered to a hyperglycemic cutaneous wound was assessed. The alloxan-induced diabetic rabbit ear ulcer model was used to determine healing in response to the following treatments: collagen seeded with autologous circulating angiogenic cells exposed to osteopontin, collagen seeded with autologous circulating angiogenic cells, collagen alone and untreated wound. Stereology was used to assess angiogenesis in wounds.

Results

The cells exposed to osteopontin and seeded on collagen increased percentage wound closure as compared to other groups. Increased angiogenesis was observed with the treatment of collagen and collagen seeded with circulating angiogenic cells.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that topical treatment of full thickness cutaneous ulcers with autologous circulating angiogenic cells increases wound healing. Cells exposed to the matricellular protein osteopontin result in superior wound healing. The wound healing benefit is associated with a more efficient vascular network. This topical therapy provides a potential novel therapy for the treatment of non-healing diabetic foot ulcers in humans.
Full elastic finite-difference modeling and interpretation of karst system in a subsalt carbonate reservoir
Authors: Zhan Xin , Fang Xinding , Daneshvar Reza , Liu Enru , Harris Christopher E.
Published: January 2014

We evaluated an advanced forward-modeling-based reservoir characterization technique that uses full elastic finite-difference simulation to investigate the limits of karst identification in stacked seismic data. Identification of karsts is important for field development in carbonated reservoirs because paleokarst features can result in a loss of circulation and/or sometimes lost drill bits. Our primary objective was to verify whether we can detect and interpret the location and size of karsts from seismic data, especially given a complex overburden. We constructed an elastic reservoir model consisting of compressional velocity ([Formula: see text]), shear velocity ([Formula: see text]), and density for the study area using interpreted horizons and well log information. Karsts with varying widths, thicknesses, dip angles, and porosities were inserted to generate multiple versions of the model. We also evaluated the imaging impact of overlying faults and salt on karst detection. Full elastic simulation was performed on the various reservoir models using a realistic acquisition geometry to generate gathers, which were then prestack time migrated to quantify the impact of different karst properties on the seismic images and study the effect of reservoir property changes on the seismic response. Finally, a wave-equation target-oriented analysis was presented to improve the understanding of subsalt amplitude and illumination. From the finite-difference modeling and analysis that we performed, we obtained an uncertainty range on karst property estimation from seismic images and gained insights into future survey design for subsalt interpretation and amplitude analysis. For our specific model, we found the limit of karst identification from seismic data is a 30-m-wide horizontal karst or a 500 m karst dipping at 60°. Also, the karst image width reflected its true width only when the actual karst width was larger than the P-wave wavelength (240 m in this case). With a dipping overburden above the reservoir, apparent positions of karsts were shifted in the updip direction by prestack time migration up to 50 m from their true position. This lateral uncertainty should be kept in mind in well planning to avoid karst features interpreted from a time-migrated seismic section.
Resilience of the Canterbury Hospital System to the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake
Authors: Jacques Caitlin C. , McIntosh Jason , Giovinazzi Sonia , Kirsch Thomas D. , Wilson Thomas , Mitrani-Reiser Judith
Published: January 2014

The paper analyzes the performance of a hospital system using a holistic and multidisciplinary approach. Data on impacts to the hospital system were collected using a standardized survey tool. A fault-tree analysis method is adopted to assess the functionality of critical hospital services based on three main contributing factors: staff, structure, and stuff. Damage to utility networks and to nonstructural components was found to have the most significant effect on hospital functionality. The functional curve is integrated over time to estimate the resilience of the regional acute-care hospital with and without the redistribution of its major services. The ability of the hospital network to offer redundancies in services after the earthquake increased the resilience of the Christchurch Hospital by 12%. The resilience method can be used to assess future performance of hospitals, and to quantify the effectiveness of seismic retrofits, hospital safety legislation, and new seismic preparedness strategies.
Efficiency of Complex Application of Various Types of Graphics Programs during Geometric Models Development at Specialists’ Training
Authors: Токарев  , Tokarev Vladimir , Шевелев  , Shevelev Yuriy
Published: January 2014

The technique efficacy is consisting in acquirement

by students the necessary knowledge and skills related to implementation

of software applications for solving of practical problems

on development of objects’ information models, as well as for work

with information in global computer networks.
Love of descriptive geometry and passion for height
Authors: Соляникова  , Solyanikova E. , Нестеренко  , Nesterenko Leonid , Бурлов  , Burlov V. , Кикта  , Kikta A.
Published: January 2014

This paper is devoted to N.A. Rynin – outstanding

Russian scientist, talented engineer, splendid theorist and practitioner

who brought the invaluable contribution to many areas of science including the theory of air and space flights. This paper’s

material is highlighting the role of N.A. Rynin as outstanding

person among representatives of geometrography sciences of Russian

classic school. His scientific contribution to wonderful world of

descriptive geometry is a basis of engineering thought formation at

the modern technical training system of junior specialists. Currency

of historical information about this outstanding person consists in

necessity of prestige raise related to technical education at this

country’s high education institutions of our country that is so indispensable

on the modern stage of Russia’s development.
Criminal Liability of Legal Persons in the Russian Legislation: to the History of the Question "pro et contra"
Authors: Lafitskiy Vladimir , Semykina Olga
Published: January 2014

The article providers a historical analysis of the doctrinal arguments «pro et contra» of the introduction criminal liability of corporate persons in the Russian legislation, and considered legal provisions on criminal liability of corporate which existed in the Russian legal system of X – first half of XX centuries.
Education outside Educational Organizations: Legal Prospects
Authors: Tsomartova Fatima , Kachmazova Lyudmila
Published: January 2014

The article analyzes the problems of legal status of homeschooling and self-education at the federal, regional, municipal and local levels in connection with coming into effect of a new legal regulation of relations in the sphere of education.
Legal Consciousness in Light of Categories of Certainty and Uncertainty
Authors: Vlasyenko Nikolay
Published: January 2014

From the perspective of uncertainty and certainty categories it is analyzed classical and modern schools of law. The author talks about legal positivism, natural law school, integrative and libertarian understanding of the essence of law, offers evaluate the productivity of theories of law by means of categories of certainty and uncertainty.