bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Radiocarbon Dates from the Shelby Mound Site (41CP71) on Greasy Creek in the Big Cypress Creek Basin of East Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K. , Selden Robert Z.
Published: May 2019

Six new radiocarbon dates have been obtained from the Shelby Mound site (41CP71) in the Big Cypress Creek basin in East Texas. They are on charred organic remains—corn cupules and glumes and Hickory (Carya sp.) nutshell—identified in several levels in and immediately below the mound deposits.

The Shelby Mound site on Greasy Creek is the social and political center of an ancestral Caddo Greasy Creek political community. It stretches for several hundred meters along Greasy Creek and a small tributary, with an earthen mound at the northern end of the village and a large cemetery at its southern end. Domestic village areas are between the mound and the cemetery and cover at least 10-15 acres. The Titus phase earthen mound covered a burned structure at the base of the mound, and a second structure had been built that stood on the mound itself, and was then burned and capped first with clay and then with a final sandy fill intermixed with midden deposits. The arrangement of the mound, domestic areas, and planned cemetery here is essentially duplicated at other important Titus phase communities in the Big Cypress Creek basin, although the village areas and the size of the cemetery at the Shelby Mound site are considerably larger than most of the others. Based on work at the site in 2002, the north levee area at the Shelby Mound site was found to have thick midden deposits and evidence for several burned structures, implying the existence of an intensive occupation throughout the life of the community.
41SM53 (P-4) on Prairie Creek, Smith County, Texas
Authors: Walters Mark , Perttula Timothy K.
Published: May 2019

In February 1957, Sam Whiteside of Smith County, Texas, excavated a burial at 41SM53. This site was designated P-4 in Mr. Whiteside’s notes and it was one of several Caddo sites along Prairie Creek in the upper Sabine River basin that he investigated to varying degrees in the 1950s and 1960s. As an a vocational archeologist Mr. Whiteside made many important contributions to East Texas archeology. Dr. Dee Ann Story, of the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin, who corresponded with Mr. Whiteside, later obtained the trinomial 41SM53 for the site.
Glass Beads from Kinsloe Focus Sites in Gregg, Harrison, and Rusk Counties, Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K. , Selden Robert Z.
Published: May 2019

European glass beads are one of the most common artifact categories found on historic Caddo sites in the middle reaches of the Sabine River basin in East Texas on what Jones had dubbed Kinsloe focus sites. Several thousands beads were found by Jones in his investigation of burial features at these sites, along with other European trade goods and Caddo ceramic vessels, pipes, and chipped stone tools.

In Jones’ description of the beads from the Kinsloe focus sites, he relied on the analytical and chronological interpretations of John Witthoft, then of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, although he did seek the advice of R. K. Harris, a notable glass beads expert who had worked on numerous historic Caddo and Wichita sites in eastern and northern Texas. Witthoft’s interpretations of the age of the beads from the sites tended to suggest that the Kinsloe focus sites dated to the early 17th century—when beads of such types tended to date in aboriginal sites in the Northeast U.S.—while Harris suggested that the glass beads on the Kinsloe focus sites dated from no earlier than the early 18th century, and likely dated in several cases after ca. A.D. 1750. Given the likely late 17th to late 18th century ages of the engraved ceramic vessels found on the Kinsloe focus sites, based in large measure on their occurrence on a wide range of Historic Caddo sites, Harris’ temporal interpretations of the glass bead assemblages are consistent with these ceramic temporal ranges, and thus the Kinsloe focus sites are seen as indicative of Caddo settlements postdating the beginning of intensive contact between Europeans and Caddo peoples that began after A.D. 1685.
Additional Caddo Vessels from the Henry Spencer Site (41UR315)
Authors: Perttula Timothy K. , Nelson Bo
Published: May 2019

Perttula documented 184 ceramic vessels from 39 burials at a Late Caddo Titus phase (ca. A.D. 1450-1680) cemetery at the Henry Spencer site (41UR315) in the Little Cypress Creek basin in the East Texas Pineywoods. Subsequently, two additional vessels from the site, one from Burial 23 and one from Burial 34, have been identified in the collections of the Gregg County Historical Museum in Longview, Texas. These two new vessels are documented below.

Burial 23 had six ceramic vessels placed with the deceased Caddo individual. There were seven ceramic vessels placed as funerary offerings with Burial 34.
The Gardener Site (41CP55): A Late Caddo Settlement on Big Cypress Creek in East Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K. , Nelson Bo , Selden Robert Z.
Published: May 2019

The Gardener site (41CP55) in Camp County, Texas, was first recorded by Sullivan prior to construction of Lake Bob Sandlin on Big Cypress Creek. A surface collection of sherds and daub suggested that the site was the locus of a Late Caddo period (ca. A.D. 1450-1680) settlement and burned house. However, no further archaeological work was done at the site before it was inundated by Lake Bob Sandlin in the late 1970s.

Recently, because of lower flood pool levels at Lake Bob Sandlin due to East Texas drought conditions, archaeological materials from the Gardener site have been exposed along the shoreline of the lake. This article concerns the documentation of a substantial aboriginal artifact assemblage collected from the shoreline surface of the site.

The Gardener site is located along an upland slope (330 ft. amsl) on the west side of Picket Spring Branch, a small and northward-flowing tributary to Big Cypress Creek, in the Post Oak Savanna. The old channel of Big Cypress Creek lies approximately 1.8 km north of the site. The overall extent of the site is not known, although Thurmond suggests it is relatively small.
Ceramic Beads from the Cloud Hammond Site (41SM244), Smith County, Texas
Authors: Walters Mark , Perttula Timothy K.
Published: May 2019

During investigations at the Cloud Hammond site (41SM244) during the 1960s, J. A. Walters recovered Caddo ceramics, two clay beads, Perdiz arrow points, and two Gary dart points. The site is located in northern Smith County, Texas, about 400 m east of the Middle Caddo period Jamestown Mound site (41SM54).

Of the artifacts reported to have been recovered from the site, only one clay bead was available for study. No record survives of the extent of investigations at the Cloud Hammond site or if any cultural features such as burials were found during the 1960s work.
Ceramic Pipes from Lake Sam Rayburn Caddo Sites, Angelina River Basin, East Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K.
Published: May 2019

Ceramic pipes are an important part of the ancestral Caddo material culture in all parts of the Caddo area from as early as ca. A.D. 800, and there are also ceramic pipes known from Woodland period sites in the Caddo area. The Caddo pipe forms known include long–stemmed (up to 61 cm in length) Red River pipes, elbow pipes of several varieties, and platform pipes. All three pipe forms are known from Caddo sites at Lake Sam Rayburn in the Angelina River basin in East Texas.
Caddo Ceramic Vessels from Lake Sam Rayburn Sites
Authors: Perttula Timothy K. , Walters Mark
Published: May 2019

The distinctive Caddo ceramic vessels from the lower Neches–Angelina (i.e., Lake Sam Rayburn) and the lower Sabine (i.e., Toledo Bend Reservoir) river basins are not well understood, due to current cultural phase taxonomic difficulties and poorly defined ceramic assemblages. Sites in these areas were included in the Angelina focus by Jelks, which was a “broadly defined unit encompassing the entire Caddoan [sic] sequence in the Lake Sam Rayburn locality; needs reevaluation in light of larger sample of sites which are known in the area." Perttula used the term late Angelina focus to refer to sites in these localities that date after ca. A.D. 1400, but this taxonomic terminology is also not satisfactory. The vessels from the Lake Sam Rayburn Caddo sites warrant restudy, because currently it is difficult to determine what a representative assemblage of ceramic fine ware and utility ware vessels from this part of the Neches–Angelina River basin looks like, and the differing affiliations of local Caddo groups.

Few of the vessels recovered from burials at Lake Sam Rayburn have been typologically identified. The rarity of Belcher Ridged sherds in the Lake Sam Rayburn sites when compared to their frequency in Toledo Bend Reservoir sites appears to indicate that the ancestral Caddo groups that once occupied these two areas had distinctly different utility ware traditions. Furthermore, stylistically–related Titus phase and Belcher phase engraved fine wares are absent in the Lake Sam Rayburn sites, much different from the Toledo Bend Reservoir ceramic assemblages, a trend which may be indicative of differing populations of Caddo peoples living in these two locales. The Lake Sam Rayburn ceramic assemblages warrant a thorough reanalysis—paired with radiocarbon dates from organics (and organic residues on sherds and vessels) in the collections—before it will be possible to establish their temporal, stylistic, and compositional character and diversity, and explore their relationship to other ancestral Caddo ceramic traditions in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana. This article summarizes the reanalysis of the Lake Sam Rayburn ceramic vessels.

There are 21 vessels in the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin collections from Lake Sam Rayburn archaeological investigations. This includes: 12 vessels from Walter Bell (41SB50); one vessel from Bird Point Islands (41SB71); one vessel from the Sawmill site (41SA89); six vessels from the Wylie Price site (41SA94); and one vessel from the Blount site (41SA123).
Caddo Ceramic Sherd Assemblage from a Hearth Feature at the Cherokee Lake Site (41RK132) in Rusk County, Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K.
Published: May 2019

There is a collection of plain and decorated ceramic sherds in the Gregg County Historical Museum from a feature, described as either a fire pit or a hearth, excavated by Buddy Calvin Jones in March 1956 at the Cherokee Lake site (41RK132) on Toawichi Creek in northern Rusk County, Texas. This assemblage is discussed in this article.

The Cherokee Lake site is best known for its early 18th century Nadaco Caddo component, but it also has a Middle Caddo period (ca. A.D. 1200–1400) component. In Jones’ discussion of work he conducted at the Cherokee Lake site, he mentions the excavation of an Historic Caddo burial as well as a large “refuse pit” of prehistoric age, both in Area A of the site. The excavation of a fire pit or hearth in any area at the site is not mentioned by Jones, but it seems likely that the “fire pit/hearth” may be the same feature as the aforementioned refuse pit. In any case, this “fire pit/hearth” feature at the Cherokee Lake site contained a considerable number of plain and decorated ceramic sherds, as did the “refuse pit.” According to Jones, the refuse pit had “Hickory Engraved, Dunkin Incised, variant types, unidentified types of punctated and incised wares,” as well as a small Bullard Brushed jar, a fragment of a second Bullard Brushed jar, both from the upper part of the pit, and fragments of a plain bowl from the floor of the pit.
The W. A. Ford Site (41TT2), Titus County, Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K.
Published: May 2019

The W. A. Ford site (41TT2) is an ancestral Caddo cemetery on a natural sandy knoll on an alluvial terrace about 2 km south of the Sulphur River, along Sanders Slough, in the northwestern part of Titus County, Texas. There are also habitation deposits of both Woodland and Caddo age at the site, but no features were identified in these habitation deposits during the 1934 University of Texas investigations. The site is located in the modern Blackland Prairie habitat, but just to the north of the northern extent of the modern Post Oak Savannah. In this article, I focus on the 11 burial features that were excavated in a small cemetery at the W. A. Ford site, which apparently are from at least two temporally sequent Caddo occupations, as well as the analysis of the 36 ceramic vessels placed as funerary offerings with nine of the 11 burials.
A Late Caddo Period Vessel from the De Long Farm Site (41AN16) in the Upper Neches River Basin, Anderson County, Texas
Authors: Perttula Timothy K.
Published: May 2019

The De Long Farm site (41AN16) is in the Caddo Creek valley in the upper Neches River basin in East Texas, about 3.2 km northwest of the small town of Frankston, Texas. A Caddo midden area was about 200 m to the east.

The site was found by a local farmer after a vessel was discovered in a gully in a field after plowing. University of Texas archaeologists investigated the find spot in October 1935, but after excavating a large area around the vessel find spot, no other vessels or any evidence of burials were found. UT did purchase the one vessel from the local farmer.
Current Research in the Sabine Mine’s Rusk Permit, Rusk County, Texas
Authors: Fields Ross C. , Dockall John E.
Published: May 2019

In 2014–2015, Prewitt and Associates, Inc., conducted test excavations at seven Native American sites—41RK674, 41RK680, 41RK693, 41RK695, 41RK703, 41RK704, and 41RK729—in northeast Rusk County, Texas. These sites are in Area W of the South Hallsville No. 1 Mine’s Rusk Permit, which is operated by North American Coal Corporation–Sabine Mine. The excavations consisted of 92 m2 (80.7 m3) of hand-dug test units and 63 backhoe trenches (702 m2).

Testing determined that the sites have components dating as early as the Middle Archaic period (ca. 3500 B.C.) and as late as the Late Caddo period (late A.D. 1400s), with Late Archaic, Woodland, Early Caddo, and Middle Caddo components represented as well. Four sites have moderate to high densities of cultural materials representing substantial Native American occupations, although none have middens indicating especially prolonged use. Sites 41RK674 and 41RK693 are interpreted as Late Caddo and Middle Caddo farmsteads, respectively, albeit briefly occupied ones. Site 41RK703 has prominent Middle Archaic and probably Late Archaic components representing repeated use as a campsite, with lesser Woodland and Early Caddo components indicating non-residential use. The primary component at 41RK704 represents repeated use during the Woodland period as a special-purpose campsite, and a secondary Early Caddo component reflects less-intensive use as a procurement/processing location or short-term campsite. The other three sites were used less intensively, with 41RK680 having a Woodland component, 41RK695 having a Late Caddo component, and 41RK729 having an unidentified Caddo component; these sites likely were used as procurement or processing locations or short-term campsites.
Archaeological Investigations at the Bowles Creek Site (41CE475), Cherokee County, Texas, in Early 2017
Authors: Perttula Timothy K. , Stingley Kevin , Walters Mark
Published: May 2019

The Bowles Creek is a substantial Historic Caddo period Allen phase settlement on a natural rise in the Bowles Creek floodplain in the Neches River basin in East Texas. There have been several rounds of work completed at the site since it was first recorded by Stingley, including shovel testing, the excavation of 1 x 1 m units, and the remote sensing of a 2400 square meter area. In this article, we discuss the archaeological findings from work done at the site in January and February 2017.
The Cosmos in Clay: An Analysis of Avery Engraved Vessel Motifs
Authors: Nash Louisa
Published: May 2019

This study seeks to provide new interpretations for the abstract and geometric Avery Engraved vessel motifs created by the prehistoric Caddo. I argue that certain motifs represent wings, feathers, and the Upper World, while other motifs act as locatives and are representative of the Lower World in the Caddo conception of a tiered universe. Given the nature of archaeological research, it is not possible to ascertain all of the implications, nuances, and complexities of the motifs that appear on Avery Engraved vessels. However, this study and others like it, which work to extrapolate the meaning of motifs through comparative analysis with representational engraved shell imagery and through the use of ethnographic and ethnohistoric data, can enrich our knowledge about how the Caddo rendered and communicated core beliefs in nonrepresentational ways.
Addressing the Cosmological Significance of a Pot: A Search for Cosmological Structure in the Craig Mound
Authors: Lambert Shawn
Published: May 2019

Ceramic vessels and cosmological structure at first may seem quite unrelated. Many argue the basic and perhaps only function of a pot was a simple human-made container which held foodstuff for cooking and serving purposes. Pre-Contact communities also used ceramics to display complex iconography, some of which may represent important cosmological meanings in time and space. For this paper, I examine the temporal and spatial placement of pottery in 98 Craig Mound burials at the Spiro site in search for cosmological patterns in the imagery of the vessels. Only burials unassociated with the Great Mortuary and the Spirit Lodge were considered, because they have been seriously understudied. Spatial and temporal patterns that emerged from this study suggest burials outside of the Great Mortuary and the Spirit Lodge were also placed in specific areas of the Craig Mound to represent a cosmogram or a ritual display that expressed an important cosmological narrative.
Current Research at Arkansas Archeological Survey’s Henderson State University Research Station
Authors: Trubitt Mary Beth D. , Cinotto Chelsea
Published: May 2019

During 2017, the Arkansas Archeological Survey celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of website postings (http://archeology.uark.edu/who-we-are/50moments/), a forum at the annual meeting of the Arkansas Archeological Society, and a symposium at the annual Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Tulsa. In addition, the Survey made strides in documenting and archiving its history and collections. The Survey’s Henderson State University (HSU) Research Station in Arkadelphia continued to inventory curated artifact collections and scan older paper records and color slides. Trubitt and Cinotto, assisted by volunteers during weekly Archeology Lab Days, are updating the station’s curated collections database with artifact counts and weights, and using identified diagnostic artifacts to revise temporal information in the AMASDA state site files database. We are also adding new information on novaculite projectile point distributions to the “Arkansas Novaculite” website (http://archeology.uark.edu/novaculite/index.html) database. Ultimately, the novaculite distribution map will be expanded to create maps for each time period.

This attention to the station’s curated collections inventory has sparked several new projects. We inventoried over 10,000 artifacts from 1973 testing at the Spanish Diggings site (3GA48) in Garland County, the largest of the Ouachita Mountains novaculite quarries. Novaculite debris from this quarry can now be compared with excavated samples of chipping debris and in-process pieces from other quarries and habitation sites. Diagnostic dart points (Marshall and Gary, var. Gary) indicate use of the quarry at least during the Middle and Late Archaic and Early Woodland periods (ca. 6000-200 B.C.).
Identification of Mycoplasma hyorhinis P37 protein-specific B cell linear epitopes using monoclonal antibodies against baculovirus-expressed P37 protein
Authors: Zhu Hongzhen , Wei Yanwu , Huang Liping , Liu Dan , Xie Yongxing , Xia Deli , Bian Haiqiao , Feng Li , Liu Changming
Published: May 2019

Background

Mycoplasma hyorhinis (Mhr) is the etiologic agent of lameness and polyserositis in swine. Mhr P37 is a membrane protein that may play a critical role in immunity. It is a potential target for diagnostic development, but there is little information concerning its B cell epitopes. To investigate the epitopes of Mhr P37, a recombinant protein was developed in a baculovirus system using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) prepared against P37 protein.

Results

Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) confirmed that the expressed P37 protein was recognized by Mhr-positive porcine and mouse sera. Furthermore, the P37 protein was purified using affinity chromatography and used to immunize mice for hybridoma cell fusion. Four mAbs were found to be positive for Mhr. A panel of truncated P37 proteins was used to identify the minimal B cell linear epitopes of the protein based on these mAbs. The core epitope was determined to be 206KIKKAWNDKDWNTFRNF222.

Conclusions

This study identified mAbs that could provide useful tools for investigating the antigenic structure and function of the Mhr P37 protein as well as its application to diagnostic techniques.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis A Neglected Tropical Disease: Community Knowledge, Attitude And Practices In An Endemic Area, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Tamiru Helina Fikre , Mashalla Yohana James , Mohammed Rezika , Tshweneagae Gloria Thupayagale
Published: May 2019

BackgroundCutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases in the Ethiopian highlands and studies on assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of the community in endemic areas are scanty. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude towards cutaneous leishmaniasis and treatment seeking practices in people living in the endemic highlands areas in the Northwest, Ethiopia and provide evidence-based information to guide development of appropriate interventions to reduce the impact of cutaneous leishmaniasis on communities. Methods Quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic districts (woredas) using a semi structured questionnaires. Households were randomly selected according to probability proportional to size of households in each enumeration area. Systematic random sampling of eligible households was based on the number of households recorded during listing of households. Descriptive statistics was used to describe numerical data, organise and summarise the data in a manner that gave meaning to the numerical form. Frequency tables were used to show descriptive analysis and regression analysis was used to determine correlation between variables.Results While the community knew about cutaneous leishmaniasis knowledge gaps on how the disease is transmitted prevented and prevention were found. Communities perceived cutaneous leishmaniasis a serious disease because of its impact on individuals and expressed positive experiential attitude towards traditional treatment because of easy accessibility. Participants expressed negative experiential attitude and perceived control towards modern treatment because of inaccessibility and distance from where modern treatment is provided. ConclusionPriority should be given to primary prevention and appropriate awareness campaigns on lesion recognition, prevention. Information on modern treatment should be intensified.
Economic impact of harmful algal blooms on human health: a systematic review
Authors: Kouakou Christian R. C. , Poder Thomas G.
Published: May 2019

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) damage human activities and health. While there is wide literature on economic losses, little is known about the economic impact on human health. In this review, we systematically retrieved papers which presented health costs following exposure to HABs. A systematic review was conducted up to January 2019 in databases such as ScienceDirect and PubMed, and 16 studies were selected. Health costs included healthcare and medication expenses, loss of income due to illness, cost of pain and suffering, and cost of death. Two categories of illness (digestive and respiratory) were considered for health costs. For digestive illness cost, we found $86, $1,015 and $12,605, respectively, for mild, moderate and severe cases. For respiratory illness, costs were $86, $1,235 and $14,600, respectively, for mild, moderate and severe cases. We used Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) to access the loss of well-being due to illness caused by HABs. We found that breathing difficulty causes the most loss of QALYs, especially in children, with a loss of between 0.16 and 0.771 per child. Having gastroenteritis could cause a loss of between 2.2 and 7.1 QALYs per 1,000 children. Misleading symptoms of illness following exposure to HABs could cause bias in health costs estimations.

This article has been made Open Access thanks to the generous support of a global network of libraries as part of the Knowledge Unlatched Select initiative.
Aqueous photochemical degradation of mefenamic acid and triclosan: role of wastewater effluent matrices
Authors: Sankoda Kenshi , Sugawara Yuta , Aida Takuya , Yamamoto Chieko , Kobayashi Jun , Sekiguchi Kazuhiko , Wang Qingyue
Published: May 2019

In this study, photochemical degradation of two emerging pharmaceutical chemicals, mefenamic acid (MF) and triclosan (TCS), was investigated to clarify the role of treated wastewater effluent matrices on their environmental photolysis. Target compounds were individually exposed to simulated sunlight in different media: ultrapure buffered water and synthetic field water with treated municipal wastewater effluent. The results in ultrapure buffered water showed that the direct photolysis processes in aquatic environments are not relevant to the elimination of MF. However, in samples containing treated wastewater effluent, photochemical degradation of MF was clearly enhanced. Our results indicate that MF undergoes indirect photolysis by reactive intermediates produced in an effluent matrix. Further quenching experiments suggested that photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals and excited triplet state dissolved organic matter drive the degradation of MF. In contrast to MF, TCS photochemical degradation proceeds through rapid direct photolysis. TCS was quickly degraded in ultrapure buffered water but it is considerably hampered in samples containing wastewater effluent. The declined degradation of TCS in the synthetic field water was discussed in terms of underlying optical filter effects by coexisting chromophoric substances. Results emphasize the importance of taking local water chemistry into consideration when predicting natural attenuation of pharmaceutical chemicals in receiving areas.
Água e política: atores, instituições e poder nos organismos colegiados de Bacia Hidrográfica no Brasil.
Authors: THEODORO Hildelano Delanusse
Published: May 2019

A resenha trata sobre as principais discussões existentes no livro organizado por Rebecca Neaera Abers, professora do Instituto de Ciência Política da Universidade de Brasília, e que tratam sobre a gestão de recursos hídricos no Brasil a partir de um estudo de 14 comitês e 04 consórcios responsável por diversas bacias hidrográficas no território nacional, através do “Projeto Marca d´Água”. Suas questões se referem a salientar quais os obstáculos e potencialidades existentes ao desenvolvimento de processos institucionais e sociais colaborativos entre stakeholders com interesses e realidades tão diferentes. Com a análise dos dados obtidos, o livro se torna referência para o entendimento do perfil dos organismos colegiados de bacia hidrográfica existentes no país atualmente.
Cysteine-rich Proteins for Drug Delivery and Diagnosis
Authors: Yang Guang , Lu Yue , Bomba Hunter N. , Gu Zhen
Published: May 2019

An emerging focus in nanomedicine is the exploration of multifunctional nanocomposite materials that integrate stimuli-responsive, therapeutic, and/or diagnostic functions. In this effort, cysteine-rich proteins have drawn considerable attention as a versatile platform due to their good biodegradability, biocompatibility, and ease of chemical modification. This review surveys cysteine-rich protein-based biomedical materials, including protein-metal nanohybrids, gold nanoparticle-protein agglomerates, protein-based nanoparticles, and hydrogels, with an emphasis on their preparation methods, especially those based on the cysteine residue-related reactions. Their applications in tumor-targeted drug delivery and diagnostics are highlighted.
Lipoproteins in Atherosclerosis Process
Authors: Arnao Valentina , Tuttolomondo Antonino , Daidone Mario , Pinto Antonio
Published: May 2019

Background:

Dyslipidaemias is a recognized risk factor for atherosclerosis, however, new evidence brought to light by trials investigating therapies to enhance HDLcholesterol have suggested an increased atherosclerotic risk when HDL-C is high.

Results:

Several studies highlight the central role in atherosclerotic disease of dysfunctional lipoproteins; oxidised LDL-cholesterol is an important feature, according to “oxidation hypothesis”, of atherosclerotic lesion, however, there is today a growing interest for dysfunctional HDL-cholesterol. The target of our paper is to review the functions of modified and dysfunctional lipoproteins in atherogenesis.

Conclusion:

Taking into account the central role recognized to dysfunctional lipoproteins, measurements of functional features of lipoproteins, instead of conventional routine serum evaluation of lipoproteins, could offer a valid contribution in experimental studies as in clinical practice to stratify atherosclerotic risk
The Effects of Dietary Supplements that Overactivate the Nrf2/ARE System
Authors: Smith Robert E.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Inflammation is one of the most misunderstood aspects of human
health. People have been encouraged to eat foods that have a high antioxidant capacity, and in
vitro tests for total antioxidant capacity emerged. They were based on measuring the destruction
of oxidized test compounds in direct reactions with the antioxidants in foods. Many dietary
supplements arrived in the market. They contained purified antioxidants, such as resveratrol
and EGCG that were and still are widely assumed by many to be quite healthy at any
dose.

Methods:

The literature on inflammation and the Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system was searched
systematically. Articles from prestigious, peer-reviewed journals were obtained and read. The
information obtained from them was used to write this review article.

Results:

Over 150 articles and books were read. The information obtained from them showed
that very few dietary antioxidants exert their effects by reacting directly with Reactive Oxygen
and Nitrogen Species (RONS). Instead, most of the effective antioxidants activate the endogenous
Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system. This helps prevent smoldering inflammation and the
diseases that it can cause. However, when overactivated or activated constitutively, the
Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system can cause some of these diseases, including many types of
multidrug resistant cancer, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusion:

Even though green tea, as well as many fruits, vegetables and spices are quite
healthy, dietary supplements that deliver much higher doses of antioxidants may not be. People
who are diagnosed with cancer and plan to start chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy should
probably avoid such supplements. This is because multidrug resistant tumors can hijack and
overactivate the Nrf2/ARE antioxidant system.
Serum and Urinary NGAL and Cystatin C Levels as Diagnostic Tools for Acute Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Histobiochemical Comparative Study
Authors: Sinna Mustafa M. , Altaf Faris M.N. , Mosa Osama F.
Published: May 2019

Background:

High global incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is an observable complication in critically ill patients. Long-term disease and medication complexity contribute to devastating chronic kidney disease (CKD), diminishing quality of life.

Objective:

To establish new biomarkers to guide patient care and facilitate novel therapeutics development.

Methods:

Serum and urinary levels of creatinine, CysC, and NGAL were estimated in 86 renal patients and compared with healthy controls for AKI and CKD categorization. Creatinine and CysC measurements were used to estimate GFR. Kidney biopsies were prepared for light microscopy for further characterization. Patients’ demographic data were used in group association studies.

Results:

Thirty-six patients met the criteria for AKI and 50 for CKD. Both mean serum and urine creatinine levels were significantly elevated by 2.8 and 2.6, respectively, from baseline in 48 h in the AKI group but not CKD group. Mean serum Cystatin C (CysC) values were higher than controls but similar in both disease states, while urine levels were slightly higher in CKD patients, and remained steady by the end of the follow-up (EF-Up). Further, a significant 2.9-fold and 5.5-fold (p=0.001) increase in serum NGAL in AKI and CKD, respectively, and a dramatic 7.1-factor reduction in AKI group, but no appreciable change in the CKD group from admission to EF-Up were observed. Similarly, urine NGAL level for AKI and CKD increased 3.2-fold and 6-fold respectively, on admission, which decreased moderately with the AKI group (2.5-fold) but increased by a factor of 1-8 (10.7- fold; p=0.001) at EF-Up. ROC assessment curve revealed relatively higher NGAL performance at good predictive values than CysC (p < 0.009).

Conclusion:

Our data demonstrated creatinine elevation by a factor > 2 in 48 h in AKI group but not CKD group, which returned close to normal levels by the EF-Up, an indication of abrupt renal injury in AKI, compared with a persistent effect in the CKD group. Both serum and urine NGAL sensitivity and specificity provided powerful discriminative tool between AKI and CKD by reduction in the AKI group and an increase in the CKD group by the EF-UP, thus, contributing in establishing the basis for AKI and CKD classification. CysC, however, displayed less sensitivity than NGAL, indicating effects by enigmatic non-specific factors.
Circadian-Hypoxia Link and its Potential for Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Bartman Colleen Marie , Eckle Tobias
Published: May 2019

Throughout the evolutionary time, all organisms and species on Earth evolved with an adaptation to consistent oscillations of sunlight and darkness, now recognized as ‘circadian rhythm.’ Single-cellular to multisystem organisms use circadian biology to synchronize to the external environment and provide predictive adaptation to changes in cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of circadian biology has been implicated in numerous prevalent human diseases, and subsequently targeting the circadian machinery may provide innovative preventative or treatment strategies. Discovery of ‘peripheral circadian clocks’ unleashed widespread investigations into the potential roles of clock biology in cellular, tissue, and organ function in healthy and diseased states. Particularly, oxygen-sensing pathways (e.g. hypoxia inducible factor, HIF1), are critical for adaptation to changes in oxygen availability in diseases such as myocardial ischemia. Recent investigations have identified a connection between the circadian rhythm protein Period 2 (PER2) and HIF1A that may elucidate an evolutionarily conserved cellular network that can be targeted to manipulate metabolic function in stressed conditions like hypoxia or ischemia. Understanding the link between circadian and hypoxia pathways may provide insights and subsequent innovative therapeutic strategies for patients with myocardial ischemia. This review addresses our current understanding of the connection between light-sensing pathways (PER2), and oxygen-sensing pathways (HIF1A), in the context of myocardial ischemia and lays the groundwork for future studies to take advantage of these two evolutionarily conserved pathways in the treatment of myocardial ischemia.
Expression Profile of Genes Associated with the Proteins Degradation Pathways in Colorectal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Martyna Bednarczyk , Małgorzata Muc-Wierzgoń , Nikola Zmarzły , Beniamin Grabarek , Urszula Mazurek , Grażyna Janikowska
Published: May 2019

Background:

Changes in expression of genes associated with proteins or organelles degradation system in the cell may be a cause or signal to carcinogenesis. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the profile of gene expression linked to the degradation systems of proteins or organelles in histo-pathologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma in relation to normal colon tissue.

Methods:

Using oligonucleotide microarrays and GeneSpring 13.0, and PANTHER 13.1 software’s we characterized 1095 mRNAs linked to the degradation system of proteins and organelles in sections of colorectal cancer from patients at various clinical stages of disease. Subsequent analyses with restrictive assumptions narrowed down the number of genes differentiating cancer, assuming a P-value of less than 0.05.

Results:

We found that most of the significant genes were silenced in the development of colorectal cancer. The FOXO1 had the lowest fold change value in the first clinical stage (CSI) comparing to the control. The HSPA8 was up-regulated in the two early clinical stages (CSI and CSII), and UBB only in the CSI. Only little-known PTPN22 showed increasing expression at all stages.

Conclusion:

In summary, the examined colorectal adenocarcinoma samples were characterized by almost complete silencing of the significant genes associated with the degradation of proteins and mitochondria in transcriptomic level. The FOXO1, HSPA8 and UBB genes may become potential diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets in the early stage of this cancer.
Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Guzman-Martinez Leonardo , Maccioni Ricardo B. , Farías Gonzalo A. , Fuentes Patricio , Navarrete Leonardo P.
Published: May 2019

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and related forms of dementia are increasingly affecting the aging population throughout the world, at an alarming rate. The World Alzheimer´s Report indicates a prevalence of 46.8 million people affected by AD worldwide. As population ages, this number is projected to triple by 2050 unless effective interventions are developed and implemented. Urgent efforts are required for an early detection of this disease. The ultimate goal is the identification of viable targets for the development of molecular markers and validation of their use for early diagnosis of AD that may improve treatment and the disease outcome in patients. The diagnosis of AD has been difficult to resolve since approaches for early and accurate detection and follow-up of AD patients at the clinical level have been reported only recently. Some proposed AD biomarkers include the detection of pathophysiological processes in the brain in vivo with new imaging techniques and novel PET ligands, and the determination of pathogenic proteins in cerebrospinal fluid showing anomalous levels of hyperphosphorylated tau and low Aβ peptide. These biomarkers have been increasingly accepted by AD diagnostic criteria and are important tools for the design of clinical trials, but difficulties in accessibility to costly and invasive procedures have not been completely addressed in clinical settings. New biomarkers are currently being developed to allow determinations of multiple pathological processes including neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, metabolic impairment, protein aggregation and neurodegeneration. Highly specific and sensitive blood biomarkers, using less-invasive procedures to detect AD, are derived from the discoveries of peripheric tau oligomers and amyloid variants in human plasma and platelets. We have also developed a blood tau biomarker that correlates with a cognitive decline and also with neuroimaging determinations of brain atrophy.
Antiglycation Activity of N, N-Diethylthiobarbiturates Derivatives
Authors: Khan Momin , Ahad Ghulam , Khan Ajmal , Shah Sana , Kanwal  , Salar Uzma , Salman Syed Muhammad , Khan Khalid Mohammed
Published: May 2019

Background:

Previous identification of N,N-diethylthiobarbiturates as potential
α-glucosidase inhibitory potential prompted us to investigate the antiglycation activity of these
synthetic compounds (1-25) in order to identify the lead candidates for their possible antidiabetic
potential.

Methods:

Synthetic compounds (1-25) were evaluated for their antiglycation activity using Bovine
Serum Albumin assay (BSA).

Results:

Compounds exhibited varying degree of inhibition in the range of IC50 = 61.16 ± 2.3 - 656.71
± 2.5 µM as compared to the standard rutin (IC50 = 294.5 ± 1.50 µM). Among the twenty five
synthetic molecules, seven compounds showed good activity in comparison with the standard.
Compound 4 (IC50 = 61.16 ± 2.3 µM) having hydroxy substituents was the most active molecule of
the library. This study revealed that compound 4 has dual acting antidibetic molecule.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the synthetic N,N-diethylthiobarbiturates can act as lead molecules.
Furthermore, synthetic variations on N,N-diethylthiobarbituric acid moiety might be helpful in
generating a library of potential anti diabetic agent. Especially, compound 4 has been identified as
dual acting antidiabetic agent i.e. α-glucosidase inhibitor and antiglycating agent.
Molecular Detection of Carbapenem Resistance in Acinetobacter Baumannii Isolated From Patients in Khorramabad City, Iran
Authors: Babaie Zeinab , Delfani Somayeh , Rezaei Faranak , Norolahi Fatemeh , Mahdian Somayeh , Shakib Pegah
Published: May 2019

Background:

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen, which causes a wide range of infections in hospitals, especially in intensive care units. Nowadays, due to the high resistance of Acinetobacter bumanni to antibiotics, this study, in addition to the phenotypic and genotypic investigations of drug resistance, focused on determining the molecular types of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from patients in Khorramabad city by the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method.

Materials and Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, 50 samples of Acinetobacter baumannii were collected from educational hospitals in Khorramabad city, Iran, from January to August 2015. They were identified in the laboratory using biochemical tests and culture methods. After determining the drug resistance pattern by the disc diffusion method and percentage of resistance genes to carbapenems, Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were analyzed using the PFGE method using the Apa1 enzyme.

Results:

The highest antibiotic resistance observed for Acinetobacter baumannii strains was against ampicillin-sulbactam (100%) and aztreonam (98%). The highest sensitivity was to polymixin B (100%) and colistin (94%), and also to the OXA-51-like gene present in all samples. The OXA-23-like gene was positive in 44 (88%) samples. PFGE results showed that Acinetobacterbaumannii strains had 33 different pulsotype patterns, of which 27 patterns had more than one strain and 23 had only one strain.

Conclusion:

Due to the high resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii and its ease of spread and its ability to transfer resistance genes, resistance control methods should be used in the disinfection of hospital areas. Hospital staff should observe hygiene standards and there should also be a reduction in antibiotic use.
The Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation on the Expanded Disability Status Scale and Inflammatory Cytokines in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sedighiyan Mohsen , Djafarian Kurosh , Dabiri Sasan , Abdolahi Mina , Shab-Bidar Sakineh
Published: May 2019

Recent trial studies have shown that omega-3 supplementation can beneficially improve
scores on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), which is considered a gold standard for measuring
disability and disease severity in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients, as well as reducing neuroinflammation.
The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of omega-3
supplementation on EDSS and cytokines in MS. A systematic search was performed on Pubmed, Scopus
and Cochrane Library up to October 2018. Studies were reviewed based on the Cochrane handbook,
and the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA).
Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were pooled using a random
effects model in order to compare the effects of omega-3 with placebos. Among 4 trials, omega-3 supplementation
had no significant effect on EDSS scale (WMD: -0.07; 95% CI: -0.27 to 0.13; P=0.50),
as well as serum levels of IL-1β (WMD: -7.67; 95% CI: -23.31 to 7.97; P=0.34) and IL-6 (WMD:
-153.57; 95% CI: -455.36 to 148.23; P=0.32). However, omega-3 significantly reduced TNF-α concentration
(WMD: -16.76; 95% CI: -18.63 to -14.88; P < 0.00001) compared to placebo. Overall,
omega-3 supplementation may not have a clinically considerable impact on EDSS or proinflammatory
markers. However, the existing trials are limited in this context, and further clinical trials are required
to confirm the potential effects of the omega-3 supplement on MS disease management.
A Systematic Review of Studies of the STOPP/START 2015 and American Geriatric Society Beers 2015 Criteria in Patients ≥ 65 Years
Authors: Thomas Roger E. , Thomas Bennett C.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Polypharmacy remains problematic for individuals ≥65.

Objective:

To summarise the percentages of patients meeting 2015 STOPP criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions (PIPs), 2015 Beers criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs), and START criteria Potential Prescribing Omissions (PPOs).

Methods:

Searches conducted on 2 January 2019 in Medline, Embase, and PubMed identified 562 studies and 62 studies were retained for review. Data were abstracted independently.

Results:

62 studies (n=1,854,698) included two RCTs and 60 non-randomised studies. For thirty STOPP/START studies (n=1,245,974) average percentages for ≥1 PIP weighted by study size were 42.8% for 1,242,010 community patients and 51.8% for 3,964 hospitalised patients. For nineteen Beers studies (n = 595,811) the average percentages for ≥1 PIM were 58% for 593,389 community patients and 55.5% for 2,422 hospitalised patients. For thirteen studies (n=12,913) assessing both STOPP/START and Beers criteria the average percentages for ≥1 STOPP PIP were 33.9% and Beers PIMs 46.8% for 8,238 community patients, and for ≥ 1 STOPP PIP were 42.4% and for ≥1 Beers PIM 60.5% for 4,675 hospitalised patients. Only ten studies assessed changes over time and eight found positive changes.

Conclusions:

PIP/PIM/PPO rates are high in community and hospitalised patients in many countries. RCTs are needed for interventions to: reduce new/existing PIPs/PIMs/PPO prescriptions, reduce prescriptions causing adverse effects, and enable regulatory authorities to monitor and reduce inappropriate prescriptions in real time. Substantial differences between Beers and STOPP/START assessments need to be investigated whether they are due to the criteria, differential medication availability between countries, or data availability to assess the criteria.