bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiology and Treatment of Acute Apical Abscesses
Authors: Siqueira José F. , Rôças Isabela N.
Published: April 2013

Acute apical abscess is the most common form of dental abscess and is caused by infection of the root canal of the tooth. It is usually localized intraorally, but in some cases the apical abscess may spread and result in severe complications or even mortality. The reasons why dental root canal infections can become symptomatic and evolve to severe spreading and sometimes life-threatening abscesses remain elusive. Studies using culture and advanced molecular microbiology methods for microbial identification in apical abscesses have demonstrated a multispecies community conspicuously dominated by anaerobic bacteria. Species/phylotypes commonly found in these infections belong to the genera
Fusobacterium
,
Parvimonas
,
Prevotella
,
Porphyromonas
,
Dialister
,
Streptococcus
, and
Treponema
. Advances in DNA sequencing technologies and computational biology have substantially enhanced the knowledge of the microbiota associated with acute apical abscesses and shed some light on the etiopathogeny of this disease. Species richness and abundance and the resulting network of interactions among community members may affect the collective pathogenicity and contribute to the development of acute infections. Disease modifiers, including transient or permanent host-related factors, may also influence the development and severity of acute abscesses. This review focuses on the current evidence about the etiology and treatment of acute apical abscesses and how the process is influenced by host-related factors and proposes future directions in research, diagnosis, and therapeutic approaches to deal with this disease.
Complement Component 3C3 and C3a Receptor Are Required in Chitin-Dependent Allergic Sensitization to Aspergillus fumigatus but Dispensable in Chitin-Induced Innate Allergic Inflammation
Authors: Roy René M. , Paes Hugo C. , Nanjappa Som G. , Sorkness Ron , Gasper David , Sterkel Alana , Wüthrich Marcel , Klein Bruce S.
Published: April 2013

Levels of the anaphylatoxin C3a are increased in patients with asthma compared with those in nonasthmatics and increase further still during asthma exacerbations. However, the role of C3a during sensitization to allergen is poorly understood. Sensitization to fungal allergens, such asAspergillus fumigatus, is a strong risk factor for the development of asthma. Exposure to chitin, a structural polysaccharide of the fungal cell wall, induces innate allergic inflammation and may promote sensitization to fungal allergens. Here, we found that coincubation of chitin with serum or intratracheal administration of chitin in mice resulted in the generation of C3a. We established a model of chitin-dependent sensitization to solubleAspergillusantigens to test the contribution of complement to these events. C3−/−and C3aR−/−mice were protected from chitin-dependent sensitization toAspergillusand had reduced lung eosinophilia and type 2 cytokines and serum IgE. In contrast, complement-deficient mice were not protected against chitin-induced innate allergic inflammation. In sensitized mice, plasmacytoid dendritic cells from complement-deficient animals acquired a tolerogenic profile associated with enhanced regulatory T cell responses and suppressed Th2 and Th17 responses specific forAspergillus. Thus, chitin induces the generation of C3a in the lung, and chitin-dependent allergic sensitization toAspergillusrequires C3aR signaling, which suppresses regulatory dendritic cells and T cells and induces allergy-promoting T cells.

IMPORTANCEAsthma is one of the fastest growing chronic illnesses worldwide. Chitin, a ubiquitous polymer in our environment and a key component in the cell wall of fungal spores and the exoskeletons of insects, parasites, and crustaceans, triggers innate allergic inflammation. However, there is little understanding of how chitin is initially recognized by mammals and how early recognition of chitin affects sensitization to environmental allergens and development of allergic asthma. The complement system is evolutionarily one of the oldest facets of the early or innate warning systems in mammals. We studied whether and how complement components influence the recognition of chitin and shape the downstream sensitization toward fungal allergens. We show here that complement recognition of chitin plays a critical role in shaping the behavior of dendritic cells, which in turn regulate the function of T cells that mediate allergic responses to fungi.
Powerful Genetic Resource for the Study of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Hammer Neal D. , Skaar Eric P.
Published: April 2013

In “A Genetic resource for Rapid and Comprehensive Phenotype Screening of Nonessential
Staphylococcus aureus
Genes” (mBio 4(2):e00537-12, doi: 10.1128/mBio.00537-12, 2013), Fey et al. describe the creation and application of a defined transposon mutant library of methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
. This library is well organized and made accessible to the research community through an easily navigable central repository. The mutant library promises to be a significant resource for researchers seeking a greater understanding of this pathogen.
Comparison of handheld rebound tonometry with Goldmann applanation tonometry in children with glaucoma: a cohort study
Authors: Dahlmann-Noor Annegret Hella , Puertas Renata , Tabasa-Lim Shenille , El-Karmouty Ahmed , Kadhim Mustafa , Wride Nicholas Kloster , Lewis Amanda , Grosvenor Dawn , Rai Poornima , Papadopoulos Maria , Brookes John , Bunce Catey , Khaw Peng Tee
Published: April 2013

Objective

To test agreement of two methods to measure intraocular pressure (IOP): rebound tonometry (RBT) and gold standard Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) in children with glaucoma.

Design

Observational prospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary paediatric glaucoma clinic at a single centre.

Participants

102 individuals attending a paediatric glaucoma clinic, mean (SD) age 11.85 (3.17), of whom 53 were male.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, child preference for measurement method.

Results

Limits of agreement for intraobserver and interobserver were, respectively, (−2.71, 2.98) mm Hg and (−5.75, 5.97) mm Hg. RBT frequently gave higher readings than GAT and the magnitude of disagreement depend on the level of IOP being assessed. Differences of 10 mm Hg were not uncommon. RBT was the preferred method for 70% of children.

Conclusions

There is poor agreement between RBT and GAT in children with glaucoma. RBT frequently and significantly overestimates IOP. However, ‘normal’ RBT readings are likely to be accurate and may spare children an examination under anaesthesia (EUA). High RBT readings should prompt the practitioner to use another standard method of IOP measurement if possible, or consider the RBT measurement in the context of clinical findings before referring the child to a specialist clinic or considering EUA.
Seroprevalence of syphilis among HIV-infected individuals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a hospital-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Eticha Begna Tulu , Sisay Zufan , Alemayehu Addisu , Shimelis Techalew
Published: April 2013

Objective

To determine the prevalence of syphilis and its risk factors among people with HIV at a hospital in Ethiopia.

Design

A hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

This study was conducted at one of the largest public hospitals in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia.

Participants

A consecutive 306 HIV-positive patients were recruited prospectively from January to March 2010. For comparative purposes, 224 HIV-negative consecutive attendees at the voluntary counselling and testing centre in the same period were also included. Participants under 15 years of age and treated for syphilis and with a CD4 T-cell count below 50 cells/mm3were excluded.

Outcome measures

Blood samples and data on sociodemographic and risk factors for syphilis were collected. Sera were screened for syphilis using rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test, and those positives were retested usingTreponema pallidumhaemagglutination assay (TPHA) test.

Results

The seroprevalence of syphilis among HIV-infected individuals was 9.8% compared with 1.3% among HIV-uninfected individuals, OR 8.01 (95% CI 2.4 to 26.6; p=0.001). A comparable rate of syphilis was found among men (11%) and women (8.9%) with HIV infection. Syphilis prevalence non-significantly increased with age, with the highest rate in 40–49 years of age (16.9%). Except a history of sexually transmitted infections, which was associated with syphilis OR 2.25 (95% CI 1.03 to 4.9; p=0.042), other risk factors did not raise the odds of infection.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of syphilis among people with HIV infection highlights the need to target this population to prevent the transmission of both infections. Screening all HIV-infected people for syphilis and managing those infected would have clinical and epidemiological importance.
Specificity and sensitivity of transcranial sonography of the substantia nigra in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease: prospective cohort study in 196 patients
Authors: Bouwmans Angela E P , Vlaar Annemarie M M , Mess Werner H , Kessels Alfons , Weber Wim E J
Published: April 2013

Objective

Numerous ultrasound studies have suggested that a typical enlarged area of echogenicity in the substantia nigra (SN+) can help diagnose idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). Almost all these studies were retrospective and involved patients with well-established diagnoses and long-disease duration. In this study the diagnostic accuracy of transcranial sonography (TCS) of the substantia nigra in the patient with an undiagnosed parkinsonian syndrome of recent onset has been evaluated.

Design

Prospective cohort study for diagnostic accuracy.

Setting

Neurology outpatient clinics of two teaching hospitals in the Netherlands.

Patients

196 consecutive patients, who were referred to two neurology outpatient clinics for analysis of clinically unclear parkinsonism. Within 2 weeks of inclusion all patients also underwent a TCS and a123I-ioflupane Single Photon Emission CT (FP-CIT SPECT) scan of the brain (n=176).

Outcome measures

After 2 years, patients were re-examined by two movement disorder specialist neurologists for a final clinical diagnosis, that served as a surrogate gold standard for our study.

Results

Temporal acoustic windows were insufficient in 45 of 241 patients (18.67%). The final clinical diagnosis was IPD in 102 (52.0%) patients. Twenty-four (12.3%) patients were diagnosed with atypical parkinsonisms (APS) of which 8 (4.0%) multisystem atrophy (MSA), 6 (3.1%) progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), 6 (3.1%) Lewy body dementia and 4 (2%) corticobasal degeneration. Twenty-one (10.7%) patients had a diagnosis of vascular parkinsonism, 20 (10.2%) essential tremor, 7 (3.6%) drug-induced parkinsonism and 22 (11.2%) patients had no parkinsonism but an alternative diagnosis. The sensitivity of a SN+ for the diagnosis IPD was 0.40 (CI 0.30 to 0.50) and the specificity 0.61 (CI 0.52 to 0.70). Hereby the positive predictive value (PPV) was 0.53 and the negative predictive value (NPV) 0.48. The sensitivity and specificity of FP-CIT SPECT scans for diagnosing IPD was 0.88 (CI 0.1 to 0.95) and 0.68 (CI 0.58 to 0.76) with a PPV of 0.75 and an NPV of 0.84.

Conclusions

The diagnostic accuracy of TCS in early stage Parkinson's disease is not sufficient for routine clinical use.

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier

NCT0036819
The safety and efficacy of intracoronary nitrite infusion during acute myocardial infarction (NITRITE-AMI): study protocol of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Jones D A , Andiapen M , Van-Eijl T J A , Webb A J , Antoniou S , Schilling R J , Ahluwalia A , Mathur A
Published: April 2013

Introduction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of death and disability in the UK and worldwide. Presently, timely and effective reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) remains the most effective treatment strategy for limiting infarct size, preserving left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and improving clinical outcomes. However, the process of reperfusion can itself induce cardiomyocyte death, known as myocardial reperfusion injury, for which there is currently no effective therapy. Extensive preclinical evidence exists to suggest that sodium nitrite (as a source of endogenous nitric oxide) is an effective therapeutic strategy for preventing myocardial reperfusion injury. The purpose of NITRITE-AMI is to test whether sodium nitrite reduces reperfusion injury and subsequent infarct size in patients undergoing PPCI for MI.

Methods and design

NITRITE-AMI is a double-blind, randomised, single-centre, placebo-controlled trial to determine whether intracoronary nitrite injection reduces infarct size in patients with myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty. The study will enrol 80 patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Patients will be randomised to receive either a bolus of intracoronary sodium nitrite or placebo (sodium chloride) at the time of PPCI. The primary outcome is infarct size assessed by creatine kinase area under the curve (AUC) over 48 h. Secondary endpoints include troponin T AUC and infarct size, LV dimensions and myocardial salvage index assessed by cardiac MR (CMR), markers of platelet reactivity and inflammation, the safety and tolerability of intracoronary nitrite, and 1 year major adverse cardiac events.

Ethics and dissemination

The study is approved by the local ethics committee (NRES Committee London West London: 11/LO/1500) and by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) (EudraCT nr. 2010-022460-12). The results of the trial will be published according to the CONSORT statement and will be presented at conferences and reported in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration

United Kingdom Clinical Research Network (Study ID 12117),http://clinicaltrials.gov(NCT01584453) and Current Controlled Trials (ISRCTN:38736987).
Energy balance and body composition during US Army special forces training
Authors: Margolis Lee M. , Rood Jennifer , Champagne Catherine , Young Andrew J. , Castellani John W.
Published: April 2013

Small Unit Tactics (SUT) is a 64-day phase of the Special Forces Qualification Course designed to simulate real-world combat operations. Assessing the metabolic and physiological responses of such intense training allows greater insights into nutritional requirements of soldiers during combat. The purpose of this study was to examine energy balance around specific training events, as well as changes in body mass and composition. Data were collected from 4 groups of soldiers (n = 36) across 10-day periods. Participants were 28 ± 5 years old, 177 ± 6 cm tall, and weighed 83 ± 7 kg. Doubly labeled water (D218O) was used to assess energy expenditure. Energy intake was calculated by subtracting energy in uneaten foods from known energy in distributed foods in individually packaged combat rations or in the dining facility. Body composition was estimated from skinfold thickness measurements on days 0 and 64 of the course. Simulated urban combat elicited that largest energy deficit (11.3 ± 2.3 MJ·day−1(2700 ± 550 kcal·day−1); p < 0.05), and reduction in body mass (3.3 ± 1.9 kg; p < 0.05), during SUT, while energy balance was maintained during weapons familiarization training and platoon size raids. Over the entire course body mass decreased by 4.2 ± 3.7 kg (p < 0.01), with fat mass decreasing by 2.8 ± 2.0 kg (p < 0.01) and fat-free mass decreasing by 1.4 ± 2.8 kg (p < 0.05). The overall reduction in body mass suggests that soldiers were in a negative energy balance during SUT, with high energy deficit being observed during strenuous field training.
Molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective determination of trace bisphenol A in river water by electrochemiluminescence
Authors: Jiang Xiaohua , Ding Wengjie , Luan Chonglin
Published: April 2013

The detection of bisphenol A (BPA) is very important for public health and environmental monitoring. In this work, BPA was found to be able to significantly quench the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of the Ru(bpy)32+/2-(dibutylamino)ethanol (DBAE) system. Molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized as solid-phase extraction sorbents, which were used for the selective extraction and purification of BPA. Under optimal conditions, the inhibited ECL intensity versus the logarithm of the concentration of BPA was in good linear relationship over a concentration range from 2.2 × 10−10to 1.1 × 10−7mol/L. The limit of detection was 4.5 × 10−11mol/L (S/N = 3). The developed method was successfully applied for determination of BPA in river water with high sensitivity and reliability. Further, a possible mechanism for the quenching effects of the Ru(bpy)32+/DBAE system by BPA was also proposed.
Identification of quantitative trait loci for cadmium accumulation and distribution in rice (Oryza sativa)
Authors: Yan Yong-Feng , Lestari Puji , Lee Kyu-Jong , Kim Moon Young , Lee Suk-Ha , Lee Byun-Woo
Published: April 2013

Cadmium (Cd) poses a serious risk to human health due to its biological concentration through the food chain. To date, information on genetic and molecular mechanisms of Cd accumulation and distribution in rice remains to be elucidated. We developed an independent F7RIL population derived from a cross between two japonica cultivars with contrasting Cd levels, ‘Suwon490’ and ‘SNU-SG1’, for QTLs identification of Cd accumulation and distribution. ‘Suwon490’ accumulated five times higher Cd in grain than ‘SNU-SG1’. Large genotypic variations in Cd accumulation (17-fold) and concentration (12-fold) in grain were found among RILs. Significant positive correlations between Cd accumulation in grain with shoot Cd accumulation and shoot to grain distribution ratio of Cd signify that both shoot Cd accumulation and shoot to grain Cd distribution regulate Cd accumulation in japonica rice grain. A total of five main effect QTLs (scc10 for shoot Cd accumulation; gcc3, gcc9, gcc11 for grain Cd accumulation; and sgr5 for shoot to grain distribution ratio) were detected in chromosomes 10, 3, 9, 11, and 5, respectively. Of these, the novel potential QTL sgr5 has the strongest effect on shoot to grain Cd distribution. In addition, two digenic epistatic interaction QTLs were identified, suggesting the substantial contribution of nonallelic genes in genetic control of these Cd-related traits.
Phlegm-Dampness Constitution: Genomics, Susceptibility, Adjustment and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Wang Ji , Wang Qi , Li Lingru , Li Yingshuai , Zhang Huimin , Zheng Luyu , Yang Lingling , Zheng Yanfei , Yang Yin , Peng Guiying , Zhang Yan , Han Yuanyuan
Published: April 2013

The constitution of traditional Chinese medicine was established in 1970s by Chinese scholars, in which the constitutions of Chinese people were classified into nine types for study. The phlegm-dampness constitution is one of the nine constitutions and is the most common type in constitution study. Genomics studies found four upregulated genes: COPS8, GNPDA1, CD52 and ARPC3; and six downregulated genes: GSPT2, CACNB2, FLJ20584, UXS1, IL21R and TNPO in the phlegm-dampness constitution. Gene functional analyses on genes affecting the differences between the phlegm-dampness constitution and the balanced constitution indicated that people with phlegm-dampness constitution were susceptible to hyperlipemia and diabetes. Results of epidemiological surveys also revealed that people with phlegm-dampness constitution have a much higher risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension and diabetes than people with a balanced constitution. Therefore, differentiation of phlegm-dampness constitution could be performed in the normal population with the Constitution of Chinese Medicine Scale to estimate the risks of those diseases for prediction. For people with phlegm-dampness constitution, Chinese medicine could be used to reduce risk of related diseases. Constitution-based strategies in disease prevention and treatment are consistent with the current proposed 4P medical mode (personalized, predictive, preventive and participatory). With the rising burden of global disease and increasing medical expenditure, the objectives of medicine are transforming from treatment to prevention. Thus, studies on the phlegm-dampness constitution of traditional Chinese medicine are significantly important for the prediction and prevention of related diseases and maintenance of human health.
The New Use of an Ancient Remedy: A Double-Blinded Randomized Study on the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Chen Letian , Qi Haiyu , Jiang Dezhen , Wang Renshuo , Chen Aidong , Yan Zhixiang , Xiao Jun
Published: April 2013

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common chronic inflammatory disease with unknown causes and unknown cures in Western medicine. This double-blinded study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (Paeoniflorin (PAE) plus cervus and cucumis polypeptide injection (CCPI) using disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) as a control (methotrexate (MTX) plus leflunomide (LEF)). Patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: PAE + CCPI, MTX + LEF, and MTX + LEF + CCPI. The primary end point was the American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement response criteria (ACR20). The secondary end point was that of adverse effect frequencies and the speed of onset action. Our results showed that more patients in the CCPI-containing groups responded to the ACR20 during early treatment. After six months, ACR20 showed no significant difference among the three treatments. The maximum improvement in the two DMARD groups was significantly higher than that in the PAE + CCPI group (p < 0.01). CCPI made the onset action of the DMARD therapy 4.6 times faster. PAE + CCPI had significantly lower adverse event incidences than the two DMARD groups. These results indicate that PAE + CCPI appear to be a more acceptable alternative to DMARDs when patients cannot use DMARDs. CCPI appears to be a beneficial add-on to DMARDs that makes the onset of action faster, especially when patients need to relieve RA symptoms as soon as possible. Although not as effective as DMARDs, PAE appears to be a safer option to substitute DMARDs for long-term RA treatment when DMARD toxicity is an issue.
The Influence of Electro-Acupuncture Stimulation to Female Constipation Patients
Authors: Chen Chien-Yue , Ke Ming-Da , Kuo Cheng-Deng , Huang Chien-Hsun , Hsueh Ya-Hsin , Chen Jing-Rhong
Published: April 2013

This study aims to examine electro-acupuncture stimulation (EA) assisted therapy with analysis of heart rate variability to understand autonomic nervous activity variability (ANAV) and to track the changes in female patients with constipation. The average ages were 42±12 years old. The participants were divided by a single-blind and randomized trial into two groups: the electro-acupuncture-point group, and the non-electro-acupuncture-point group. Both of the groups had eight treatments, once a week. For the electro-acupuncture (EA) group, needles were inserted into their Zusunli (ST36), Shangiuxu (ST37), Tiensu (ST25), Shueidao (ST28), Guanyuan (CV4) and Qihai (CV6) points. For the sham electro-acupuncture (SA) group, needles were inserted into acu-points that were not the ones mentioned for the EA group. While inserting needles, needles were inserted lightly into the participants' skin and removed quickly (mock Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, TENTS). After an eight-week treatment period, the autonomic nervous system activities of the SA group did not show significant differences in their heart rate variability. However, the autonomic nervous system activities of the EA group had continuously increased after each session. The normalized high frequency powers (nHFP) of their autonomic nervous system activities were 26.79 in the first week, and they increased to 32.28 in the fourth week. In the eighth week, their nHFP had increased to 37.60 (p < 0.05). The normalized low frequency power (nLFP) was 30.81 in the first week. However, it decreased to 25.98 after three weeks of treatment. After the eight-week treatment period, the nLFP decreased to 24.84 (p < 0.05). After the eight-week treatment, the control group did not appear to undergo any physiological change, while the constipation had been improved for the experimental group. It was found that the activation of parasympathetic nervous system in the experimental group increased after the eight-week treatment. The effects of such a result on the enhancement of the activation of parasympathetic nervous system and the improvement of constipation should be further discussed.
Bauhinia championii Extraction Treatment of Collagen-Induced Arthritis via Downregulation of the Expression of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB
Authors: Xu Wei , Chu Kedan , Li Huang , Zhang Yuqin , Huang Mingqing , Zheng Haiyin , Sha Mei , Zhang Xun , Chen Lidian
Published: April 2013

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has emerged as an important worldwide public health problem. Due to the lack of efficacy and major side effects related to many Western medical treatments, traditional Chinese medicine or herbal medicine is very often used to treat this disease. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of Bauhinia championii (Benth.) Benth. extraction (BCBE) in a rat model of RA induced by type-II collagen. Wistar rats with type-II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were given either 125 or 500 mg/kg of BCBE for RA. Paw swelling and weight were measured, and pathological joint sections of CIA rats were observed using the hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining method. Protein and mRNA expression of toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) were determined by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis in synovial tissue. During therapeutic treatment, BCBE significantly suppressed paw swelling, increased weight loss and ameliorated pathological joint changes. The protein and mRNA expressions of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB were downregulated in the CIA model when treated with BCBE. In conclusion, these results suggest that the treatment of RA with BCBE confers anti-RA activity and has therapeutic potential in this CIA model.
Curculigo orchioidesProtects Cisplatin-Induced Cell Damage
Authors: Kang Tong Ho , Hong Bin Na , Jung Su-Young , Lee Jeong-Han , So Hong-Seob , Park Raekil , You Yong-Ouk
Published: April 2013

Cisplatin is commonly used as a chemotherapeutic agent against many human cancers. However, it generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and has serious dose-limiting side effects, including ototoxicity. The roots of Curculigo orchioides (C. orchioides) have been used to treat auditory diseases such as tinnitus and hearing loss in Chinese traditional medicine. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of an ethanol extract obtained from C. orchioides rhizome (COR) on cisplatin-induced cell damage in auditory cells (HEI-OC1). COR (2.5–25 μg/ml) inhibited cisplatin-induced HEI-OC1 cell damage in a dose-dependent manner. To investigate the protective mechanism of COR on cisplatin cytotoxicity in HEI-OC1 cells, we measured the effects of COR on ROS generation and lipid peroxidation in cisplatin-treated cells as well as its scavenging activities against superoxide radicals, hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and DPPH radicals. COR (1–25 μg/ml) had scavenging activities against superoxide radicals, hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and DPPH radicals, as well as reduced lipid peroxidation. In in vivo experiments, COR was shown to reduce cochlear and peripheral auditory function impairments through cisplatin-induced auditory damage in mice. These results indicate that COR protects from cisplatin-induced auditory damage by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and scavenging activities against free radicals.
CONDENSATE STRUCTURE OF D-BRANE DEFECT INDUCED FLAVOR VACUUM
Authors: MAVROMATOS NICK E. , SARKAR SARBEN , TARANTINO WALTER
Published: April 2013

It is argued that four-Fermi interactions induced by non-perturbative effects due to scattering of stringy matter from D-particles, D-instantons and more generally bulk gauge fields in brane models with large extra dimensions have, in specific situations, condensate structure described by flavor vacua.
SO(10) GUT IN FOUR AND FIVE DIMENSIONS: A REVIEW
Authors: FUKUYAMA TAKESHI
Published: April 2013

We review SO(10) grand unified theories (GUTs) in four and five dimensions (4D and 5D). The renormalizable minimal SO(10) SUSY GUT is the central theme of this paper. It is very predictive and makes it possible to construct all mass matrices including those of the Dirac and heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos. Its predictions covers all ranges of particle phenomena. The explicit construction of the Higgs superpotential and the explicit display of a symmetry breaking pattern from GUT to the SM show that the naive desert from the SM to GUT in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) is a too simplified concept and we have many definitely determined intermediate energy scales in general. This situation destroys the naive gauge coupling unification in the MSSM scheme. Also the precise measurements of neutrino oscillation data have revealed several small but manifest mismatches with our predictions. Also there are arguments that it is impossible to construct a GUT theory in 4D with a finite number of multiplets that leads to the MSSM with a residual R symmetry. If we try to solve all these pathologies comprehensively, it is very attractive for us to go into extra dimensions. Extra dimension may be either warped or flat. The fifth dimension, for simplicity, is compactified on the S1/(Z2) (warped) or on the S1/(Z2×Z′2) (flat) orbifold with two inequivalent branes at the orbifold fixed points. In the former warped case, intermediate energy scales are translated with the positions of Higgs fields in the bulk and the fundamental scheme of the MSSM is recovered. On the other hand, in the latter flat scenario, all matter and Higgs multiplets reside on the Pati–Salam (PS) brane where the PS symmetry is manifest. There the original renormalizability in Yukawa coupling is broken but its essential structures of mass matrices in minimal SO(10) GUT in 4D is promoted to the PS invariant action in 4D. In the gaugino mediation mechanism, the SO(10) gauge multiplet is transmitted to the PS brane through the gaugino mediation with bulk gauge multiplet. Further breaking of the PS gauge group to the SM group is realized by VEVs of the Higgs multiplets [Formula: see text]. We show that this model not only cures all pathologies in SO(10) GUT in 4D but also provides the consistent inflation scenario and dark matter candidate and leptogenesis. The gauge coupling unification is successfully realized after incorporating the threshold corrections of the Kaluza–Klein modes.

Finally we add some comments on the impacts of the discovery of a Higgs-like particle by the Large Hadronic Collider at CERN (LHC) on SUSY GUTs.
RIEMANN-CHRISTOFFEL TENSOR IN DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRY OF FRACTIONAL ORDER APPLICATION TO FRACTAL SPACE-TIME
Authors: JUMARIE GUY
Published: April 2013

By using fractional differences, one recently proposed an alternative to the formulation of fractional differential calculus, of which the main characteristics is a new fractional Taylor series and its companion Rolle's formula which apply to non-differentiable functions. The key is that now we have at hand a differential increment of fractional order which can be manipulated exactly like in the standard Leibniz differential calculus. Briefly the fractional derivative is the quotient of fractional increments. It has been proposed that this calculus can be used to construct a differential geometry on manifold of fractional order. The present paper, on the one hand, refines the framework, and on the other hand, contributes some new results related to arc length of fractional curves, area on fractional differentiable manifold, covariant fractal derivative, Riemann-Christoffel tensor of fractional order, fractional differential equations of fractional geodesic, strip modeling of fractal space time and its relation with Lorentz transformation. The relation with Nottale's fractal space-time theory then appears in quite a natural way.
A MOVING KRIGING INTERPOLATION-BASED MESHLESS LOCAL PETROV–GALERKIN METHOD FOR ELASTODYNAMIC ANALYSIS
Authors: DAI BAODONG , CHENG JING , ZHENG BAOJING
Published: April 2013

A meshless local Petrov–Galerkin method (MLPG) based on the moving Kriging interpolation for elastodynamic analysis is presented in this paper. The present method is developed based on the moving Kriging interpolation for constructing shape functions at scattered points, and the Heaviside step function is used as a test function in each subdomain to avoid the need for domain integral in symmetric weak form. Since the shape functions constructed by this moving Kriging interpolation have the delta function property, the essential boundary conditions can be implemented easily, and no special treatment techniques are required. The discrete equations of the governing elastodynamic equations for two-dimensional solids are obtained using the local weak-forms. The Newmark method is adopted for the time integration scheme. Some numerical results are compared to that obtained from the exact solutions of the problem and other (meshless) methods. This comparison illustrates the efficiency and accuracy of the present method for solving the static and dynamic problems.
Pharmaceutical use of gold from antiquity to the seventeenth century
Authors: Console Renzo
Published: April 2013

Following extensive bibliographical research, a chronological history of the pharmaceutical use of gold is outlined through four periods: antiquity, the Middle Ages, early modern times and the seventeenth century. At the time of its highest popularity as a medicine, gold was usually acquired and employed in the form of fine filings or thin leaves of standard size. The most complex and famous medicine containing gold was
Aurea Alexandrina
, created in the late Middle Ages and later copied into many books. A complete list of its ingredients in Latin and English is included in the present paper. As in
Aurea Alexandrina
, gold was very often accompanied in a formula by other precious components like silver, gems and pearls. In addition to being an important ingredient in many medicines, gold was also used for making surgical instruments and for coating pills that otherwise had a bad taste or smell. The medicinal use of gold, even when it was very fashionable, was not unanimously regarded as effective and many authors clearly expressed either enthusiasm or scepticism about this matter.
Kisspeptin inhibits a slow afterhyperpolarization current via protein kinase C and reduces spike frequency adaptation in GnRH neurons
Authors: Zhang Chunguang , Rønnekleiv Oline K. , Kelly Martin J.
Published: April 2013

Kisspeptin signaling via its cognate receptor G protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54) in gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons plays a critical role in regulating pituitary secretion of luteinizing hormone and thus reproductive function. GPR54 is Gq-coupled to activation of phospholipase C and multiple second messenger signaling pathways. Previous studies have shown that kisspeptin potently depolarizes GnRH neurons through the activation of canonical transient receptor potential channels and inhibition of inwardly rectifying K+channels to generate sustained firing. Since the initial studies showing that kisspeptin has prolonged effects, the question has been why is there very little spike frequency adaption during sustained firing? Presently, we have discovered that kisspeptin reduces spike frequency adaptation and prolongs firing via the inhibition of a calcium-activated slow afterhyperpolarization current ( IsAHP). GnRH neurons expressed two distinct IsAHP, a kisspeptin-sensitive and an apamin-sensitive IsAHP. Essentially, kisspeptin inhibited 50% of the IsAHPand apamin inhibited the other 50% of the current. Furthermore, the kisspeptin-mediated inhibition of IsAHPwas abrogated by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor calphostin C, and the PKC activator phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate mimicked and occluded any further effects of kisspeptin on IsAHP. The protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors H-89 and the Rp diastereomer of adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphorothioate had no effect on the kisspeptin-mediated inhibition but were able to abrogate the inhibitory effects of forskolin on the IsAHP, suggesting that PKA is not involved. Therefore, in addition to increasing the firing rate through an overt depolarization, kisspeptin can also facilitate sustained firing through inhibiting an apamin-insensitive IsAHPin GnRH neurons via a PKC.
Frogs and estivation: transcriptional insights into metabolism and cell survival in a natural model of extended muscle disuse
Authors: Reilly Beau D. , Schlipalius David I. , Cramp Rebecca L. , Ebert Paul R. , Franklin Craig E.
Published: April 2013

Green-striped burrowing frogs ( Cyclorana alboguttata ) survive in arid environments by burrowing underground and entering into a deep, prolonged metabolic depression known as estivation. Throughout estivation, C. alboguttata is immobilized within a cast-like cocoon of shed skin and ceases feeding and moving. Remarkably, these frogs exhibit very little muscle atrophy despite extended disuse and fasting. Little is known about the transcriptional regulation of estivation or associated mechanisms that may minimize degradative pathways of atrophy. To investigate transcriptional pathways associated with metabolic depression and maintenance of muscle function in estivating burrowing frogs, we assembled a skeletal muscle transcriptome using next-generation short read sequencing and compared gene expression patterns between active and 4 mo estivating C. alboguttata . This identified a complex suite of gene expression changes that occur in muscle during estivation and provides evidence that estivation in burrowing frogs involves transcriptional regulation of genes associated with cytoskeletal remodeling, avoidance of oxidative stress, energy metabolism, the cell stress response, and apoptotic signaling. In particular, the expression levels of genes encoding cell cycle and prosurvival proteins, such as serine/threonine-protein kinase Chk1, cell division protein kinase 2, survivin, and vesicular overexpressed in cancer prosurvival protein 1, were upregulated during estivation. These data suggest that estivating C. alboguttata are able to regulate the expression of genes in several major cellular pathways critical to the survival and viability of cells, thus preserving muscle function while avoiding the deleterious consequences often seen in laboratory models of muscle disuse.
Assessment of Endothelial Dysfunction in Childhood Obesity and Clinical Use
Authors: Bruyndonckx Luc , Hoymans Vicky Y. , Van Craenenbroeck Amaryllis H. , Vissers Dirk K. , Vrints Christiaan J. , Ramet José , Conraads Viviane M.
Published: April 2013

The association of obesity with noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular complications and diabetes, is considered a major threat to the management of health care worldwide. Epidemiological findings show that childhood obesity is rapidly rising in Western society, as well as in developing countries. This pandemic is not without consequences and can affect the risk of future cardiovascular disease in these children. Childhood obesity is associated with endothelial dysfunction, the first yet still reversible step towards atherosclerosis. Advanced research techniques have added further insight on how childhood obesity and associated comorbidities lead to endothelial dysfunction. Techniques used to measure endothelial function were further brought to perfection, and novel biomarkers, including endothelial progenitor cells, were discovered. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical overview on bothin vivoas well asin vitromarkers for endothelial integrity. Additionally, an in-depth description of the mechanisms that disrupt the delicate balance between endothelial damage and repair will be given. Finally, the effects of lifestyle interventions and pharmacotherapy on endothelial dysfunction will be reviewed.
Angry Apps: The Impact of Network Timer Selection on Power Consumption, Signalling Load, and Web QoE
Authors: Schwartz Christian , Hoßfeld Tobias , Lehrieder Frank , Tran-Gia Phuoc
Published: April 2013

The popularity of smartphones and mobile applications has experienced a considerable growth during the recent years, and this growth is expected to continue in the future. Since smartphones have only very limited energy resources, battery efficiency is one of the determining factors for a good user experience. Therefore, some smartphones tear down connectionsto the mobile network soon after a completed data transmission to reduce the power consumption of their transmission unit. However, frequent connection reestablishments caused by apps which send or receive small amounts of data often lead to a heavy signalling load within the mobile network. One of the major contributions of this paper is the investigation of the resulting tradeoff between energy consumption at the smartphone and the generated signalling traffic in the mobile network. We explain that this tradeoff can be controlled by the connection release timeout and study the impact of this parameter for a number of popular apps that cover a wide range of traffic characteristics in terms of bandwidth requirements and resulting signalling traffic. Finally, we study the impact of the timer settings on Quality of Experience (QoE) for web traffic. This is an important aspect since connection establishments not only lead to signalling traffic but also increase the load time of web pages.
Estimation of Modelling Parameters for H.263-Quantized Video Traces
Authors: Drigas A. , Kouremenos S.
Published: April 2013

We propose methods for selecting the modelling parameters of H.263-quantized video traffic under two different encoding scenarios. For videos encoded with a constant quantization step (unconstrained), we conclude that a two-parameter power relation holds between the exhibited video bit rate and the quantizer value and that the autocorrelation decay rate remains constant for all cases. On the basis of these results, we propose a generic method for estimating the modelling parameters of unconstrained traffic by means of measuring the statistics of the single “raw” video trace. For rate-controlled video (constrained), we propose an approximate method based on the adjustment of the “shape” parameter of the counterpart—with respect to rate—unconstrained video trace. The convergence of the constructed models is assessed viaq-qplots and queuing simulations. On the assumption that the popular MPEG-4 encoders like XVID, DIVX usually employ identical H.263 quantization and rate control schemes, it is expected that the results of this paper also hold for the MPEG-4 part 2 family.
Bessel Transform of -Bessel Lipschitz Functions
Authors: Daher Radouan , El Hamma Mohamed
Published: April 2013

Using a generalized translation operator, we obtain an analog of Theorem 5.2 in Younis (1986) for the Bessel transform for functions satisfying the -Bessel Lipschitz condition in .
Psychiatric Disorder and Incessant Tachyarrhythmia in a Child
Authors: Chau Peter , Moore Jeremy
Published: April 2013

The case of a 14-year-old female with ectopic atrial tachycardia who had been followed for a history of anxiety and depression is presented. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit after she attempted suicide, at which point there was electrocardiographic evidence of the atrial arrhythmia. During subsequent invasive electrophysiology study, a focus near the tricuspid annulus was localized and targeted for ablation, followed by resolution of the psychiatric symptoms. The case highlights the overlap between psychiatric complaints and true cardiac arrhythmia. A review of the literature is presented, with a special emphasis on distinguishing these two entities as well as a synopsis of this uncommon arrhythmia in the pediatric population.
Convergence of Common Random Fixed Point of Finite Family of Asymptotically Quasi-Nonexpansive-Type Mappings by an Implicit Random Iterative Scheme
Authors: Saluja A. S. , Jhade Pankaj kumar
Published: April 2013

We introduce a new implicit random iteration process generated by a finite family of asymptotically quasi-nonexpansive-type mappings and study necessary and sufficient conditions for the convergence of this process in a uniformly convex Banach space. The results presented in this paper extend and improve the recent ones announced by Plubtieng et al. (2007), Beg and Thakur (2009), and Saluja and Nashine (2012).
A Novel Characteristic Expanded Mixed Method for Reaction-Convection-Diffusion Problems
Authors: Liu Yang , Li Hong , Gao Wei , He Siriguleng , Fang Zhichao
Published: April 2013

A novel characteristic expanded mixed finite element method is proposed and analyzed for reaction-convection-diffusion problems. The diffusion term∇·(a(x,t)∇u)is discretized by the novel expanded mixed method, whose gradient belongs to the square integrable space instead of the classicalH(div;Ω)space and the hyperbolic partd(x)(∂u/∂t)+c(x,t)·∇uis handled by the characteristic method. For a priori error estimates, some important lemmas based on the novel expanded mixed projection are introduced. The fully discrete error estimates based on backward Euler scheme are obtained. Moreover, the optimal a priori error estimates inL2- andH1-norms for the scalar unknownuand a priori error estimates in(L2)2-norm for its gradientλand its fluxσ(the coefficients times the negative gradient) are derived. Finally, a numerical example is provided to verify our theoretical results.
A Model for Urban Environment and Resource Planning Based on Green GDP Accounting System
Authors: Xu Linyu , Yu Bing , Yue Wencong , Xie Xiaodong
Published: April 2013

The urban environment and resources are currently on course that is unsustainable in the long run due to excessive human pursuit of economic goals. Thus, it is very important to develop a model to analyse the relationship between urban economic development and environmental resource protection during the process of rapid urbanisation. This paper proposed a model to identify the key factors in urban environment and resource regulation based on a green GDP accounting system, which consisted of four parts: economy, society, resource, and environment. In this model, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method and a modified Pearl curve model were combined to allow for dynamic evaluation, with higher green GDP value as the planning target. The model was applied to the environmental and resource planning problem of Wuyishan City, and the results showed that energy use was a key factor that influenced the urban environment and resource development. Biodiversity and air quality were the most sensitive factors that influenced the value of green GDP in the city. According to the analysis, the urban environment and resource planning could be improved for promoting sustainable development in Wuyishan City.
On Generalized Fractional Differentiator Signals
Authors: Jalab Hamid A. , Ibrahim Rabha W.
Published: April 2013

By employing the generalized fractional differential operator, we introduce a system of fractional order derivative for a uniformly sampled polynomial signal. The calculation of the bring in signal depends on the additive combination of the weighted bring-in ofNcascaded digital differentiators. The weights are imposed in a closed formula containing the Stirling numbers of the first kind. The approach taken in this work is to consider that signal function in terms of Newton series. The convergence of the system to a fractional time differentiator is discussed.