bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanofibrillation of Dry Chitin Powder by Star Burst System
Authors: Ifuku Shinsuke , Yamada Kiyotaka , Morimoto Minoru , Saimoto Hiroyuki
Published: July 2012

Chitin nanofibers were prepared from dry chitin powder by nanofibrillation using a Star Burst instrument employing a high‐pressure water jet system. FE‐SEM micrographs showed that the nanofibers became thinner as the number of Star Burst passes increased. Fibrillation in an acidic condition made the chitin fibers thinner than those in a neutral condition. The transmittance spectra of chitin nanofiber/acrylic resin composites led us to the same conclusion. In addition, chitin nanofibers prepared by treatment consisting of five Star Burst passes in the neutral condition were thinner than the previously reported nanofibers. X‐ray diffraction profiles showed that the Star Burst system did not damage the chitin nanofibers and did not reduce their crystallinity.
Caregiving Involvement, Job Condition, and Job Satisfaction of Infant-Toddler Child-Care Teachers in the United States
Authors: Hossain Ziarat , Noll Elizabeth , Barboza Maribel
Published: July 2012

This study explored the degree to which infant-toddler child-care teachers were involved in their caregiving tasks, the nature of their job condition, and the relationships among caregiving involvement, SES variables (e.g., age, income, education, and work hours), and job condition including job satisfaction, burnout, and quitting behavior. Forty-one teachers from 10 daycare centers in small towns of the Southwest participated in the study. Results indicate that there was a high level of caregiving involvement and job satisfaction among the teachers. However, most teachers were dissatisfied with their current income levels, showed a moderate level of burnout, and yet did not express their intention to quit their present job. Correlation analyses reveal that teachers’ job satisfaction was positively related to their interaction with children and colleagues, resources, and training but negatively correlated to burnout and quitting behavior. Teachers’ burnout and quitting behavior were negatively correlated to their interaction with children and colleagues, resources, training, and income. While the desire to work with children had a significant impact on teachers’ job satisfaction and burnout, income and level of collegiality significantly predicted their quitting behavior.
Comparison of Tissue Architectural Changes between Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryospray Ablation in Barrett’s Esophagus Using Endoscopic Three-Dimensional Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Tsai Tsung-Han , Zhou Chao , Lee Hsiang-Chieh , Tao Yuankai K. , Ahsen Osman O. , Figueiredo Marisa , Adler Desmond C. , Schmitt Joseph M. , Huang Qin , Fujimoto James G. , Mashimo Hiroshi
Published: July 2012

Two main nonsurgical endoscopic approaches for ablating dysplastic and early cancer lesions in the esophagus have gained popularity, namely, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryospray ablation (CSA). We report a uniquely suited endoscopic and near-microscopic imaging modality, three-dimensional (3D) optical coherence tomography (OCT), to assess and compare the esophagus immediately after RFA and CSA. The maximum depths of architectural changes were measured and compared between the two treatment groups. RFA was observed to induce 230~260 μm depth of architectural changes after each set of ablations over a particular region, while CSA was observed to induce edema-like spongiform changes to ~640 μm depth within the ablated field. The ability to obtain micron-scale depth-resolved images of tissue structural changes following different ablation therapies makes 3D-OCT an ideal tool to assess treatment efficacy. Such information could be potentially used to provide real-time feedback for treatment dosing and to identify regions that need further retreatment.
Developmental Perturbation Induced by Maternal Asthma during Pregnancy: The Short- and Long-Term Impacts on Offspring
Authors: Clifton Vicki L. , Davies Michael , Moore Vivienne , Wright Ian M. R. , Ali Zainab , Hodyl Nicolette A.
Published: July 2012

Maternal asthma is a common disease to complicate human pregnancy. Epidemiological studies have identified that asthma during pregnancy increases the risk of a number of poor outcomes for the neonate including growth restriction, lower birthweight, preterm delivery, neonatal resuscitation, and stillbirth. Asthma therefore represents a significant health burden to society and could have an impact on the lifelong health of the children of women with asthma. Our research has identified that maternal asthma in pregnancy induces placental dysfunction and developmental perturbation in the fetus in a sex specific manner. These alterations in development could increase the risk of metabolic disease in adulthood of children of asthmatic mothers, especially females. In this paper, we will discuss the evidence currently available that supports the hypothesis that children of mothers with asthma may be at risk of lifelong health complications which include diabetes and hypertension.
A Simple and Efficient Method for Synthesizing Te Nanowires from CdTe Nanoparticles with EDTA as Shape Controller under Hydrothermal Condition
Authors: Xue Fangfang , Bi Ning , Liang Jiangong , Han Heyou
Published: July 2012

We developed a simple and efficient method for synthesizing Te nanowires from CdTe nanoparticles with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt dehydrate (EDTA) as shape controller under hydrothermal condition. The system could both complete the transformation to Te and reduce the interference of CdTeS by adjusting the concentration of EDTA, which was proved by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, X‐ray diffraction patterns, and Raman spectra. It was found that the as‐prepared Te nanowires display strong fluorescence emission in the blue‐violet region. The nanowires exhibit a pretty good morphology with the average diameter of ca. 30 nm and a length up to micrometer scale. Moreover, a possible transformation mechanism of CdTe nanoparticles into Te nanowires is also discussed.
A Rare Root Canal Configuration of Maxillary Second Molar: A Case Report
Authors: Badole Gautam P. , Bahadure Rakesh N. , Warhadpande M. M. , Kubde Rajesh
Published: July 2012

A thorough knowledge of root canal morphology is a prerequisite for the endodontic therapy. The maxillary molars, especially the second molars, have the most complicated root canal system in permanent dentition. There are many variations in canal number and configuration in maxillary molars. Treatment may be unsuccessful because the dentist may fail to recognize the unusual canal configuration. The present paper describes a case of a right maxillary second molar with a canal configuration rarely reported in the literature. The tooth had four roots with four root canals, two individual palatal roots (mesiopalatal and distopalatal) with their own separate canals. The mesiobuccal and distobuccal root had normal anatomy. This paper may intensify the complexity of maxillary molar variation and is intended to reinforce clinician’s awareness of the rare morphology of root canals.
Efficiency Control in Iridium Complex-Based Phosphorescent Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Diouf Boucar , Jeon Woo Sik , Pode Ramchandra , Kwon Jang Hyuk
Published: July 2012

Key factors to control the efficiency in iridium doped red and green phosphorescent light emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) are discussed in this review: exciton confinement, charge trapping, dopant concentration and dopant molecular structure. They are not independent from each other but we attempt to present each of them in a situation where its specific effects are predominant. A good efficiency in PhOLEDs requires the triplet energy of host molecules to be sufficiently high to confine the triplet excitons within the emitting layer (EML). Furthermore, triplet excitons must be retained within the EML and should not drift into the nonradiative levels of the electron or hole transport layer (resp., ETL or HTL); this is achieved by carefully choosing the EML’s adjacent layers. We prove how reducing charge trapping results in higher efficiency in PhOLEDs. We show that there is an ideal concentration for a maximum efficiency of PhOLEDs. Finally, we present the effects of molecular structure on the efficiency of PhOLEDs using red iridium complex dopant with different modifications on the ligand to tune its highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies.
Coupled Coincidence Point Theorem in Partially Ordered Metric Spaces via Implicit Relation
Authors: Hung Nguyen Manh , Karapınar Erdal , Van Luong Nguyen
Published: July 2012

We prove a coupled coincidence point theorem for mappings F : X × X → X and g : X → X, where F has the mixed g‐monotone property, in partially ordered metric spaces via implicit relations. Our result extends and improves several results in the literature. Examples are also given to illustrate our work.
Dynamics and Optimal Taxation Control in a Bioeconomic Model with Stage Structure and Gestation Delay
Authors: Zhang Yi , Zhang Qingling , Bai Fenglan
Published: July 2012

A prey‐predator model with gestation delay, stage structure for predator, and selective harvesting effort on mature predator is proposed, where taxation is considered as a control instrument to protect the population resource in prey‐predator biosystem from overexploitation. It shows that interior equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable when the gestation delay is zero, and there is no periodic orbit within the interior of the first quadrant of state space around the interior equilibrium. An optimal harvesting policy can be obtained by virtue of Pontryagin′s Maximum Principle without considering gestation delay; on the other hand, the interior equilibrium of model system loses as gestation delay increases through critical certain threshold, a phenomenon of Hopf bifurcation occurs, and a stable limit cycle corresponding to the periodic solution of model system is also observed. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to show consistency with theoretical analysis.
Prediction of the Setting Properties of Calcium Phosphate Bone Cement
Authors: Rabiee Seyed Mahmud , Baseri Hamid
Published: July 2012

Setting properties of bone substitutes are improved using an injectable system. The injectable bone graft substitutes can be molded to the shape of the bone cavity and set in situ when injected. Such system is useful for surgical operation. The powder part of the injectable bone cement is included ofβ-tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, and dicalcium phosphate and the liquid part contains poly ethylene glycol solution with different concentrations. In this way, prediction of the mechanical properties, setting times, and injectability helps to optimize the calcium phosphate bone cement properties. The objective of this study is development of three different adaptive neurofuzzy inference systems (ANFISs) for estimation of compression strength, setting time, and injectability using the data generated based on experimental observations. The input parameters of models are polyethylene glycol percent and liquid/powder ratio. Comparison of the predicted values and measured data indicates that the ANFIS model has an acceptable performance to the estimation of calcium phosphate bone cement properties.
Inverse Scattering from a Sound‐Hard Crack via Two‐Step Method
Authors: Lee Kuo-Ming
Published: July 2012

We present a two‐step method for recovering an unknown sound‐hard crack in ℝ2 from the measured far‐field pattern. This method, based on a two‐by‐two system of nonlinear integral equations, splits the reconstruction into two consecutive steps which consists of a forward and an inverse problems. In this spirit, only the latter needs to be regularized.
Mining the Virgin Land of Neurotoxicology: A Novel Paradigm of Neurotoxic Peptides Action on Glycosylated Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels
Authors: Liu Zhirui , Tao Jie , Ye Pin , Ji Yonghua
Published: July 2012

Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are important membrane protein carrying on the molecular basis for action potentials (AP) in neuronal firings. Even though the structure-function studies were the most pursued spots, the posttranslation modification processes, such as glycosylation, phosphorylation, and alternative splicing associating with channel functions captured less eyesights. The accumulative research suggested an interaction between the sialic acids chains and ion-permeable pores, giving rise to subtle but significant impacts on channel gating. Sodium channel-specific neurotoxic toxins, a family of long-chain polypeptides originated from venomous animals, are found to potentially share the binding sites adjacent to glycosylated region on VGSCs. Thus, an interaction between toxin and glycosylated VGSC might hopefully join the campaign to approach the role of glycosylation in modulating VGSCs-involved neuronal network activity. This paper will cover the state-of-the-art advances of researches on glycosylation-mediated VGSCs function and the possible underlying mechanisms of interactions between toxin and glycosylated VGSCs, which may therefore, fulfill the knowledge in identifying the pharmacological targets and therapeutic values of VGSCs.
The Prevalence of Dyslipidemia in Patients with Spinal Cord Lesion in Thailand
Authors: Vichiansiri Ratana , Saengsuwan Jittima , Manimmanakorn Nuttaset , Patpiya Sirasaporn , Preeda Arayawichanon , Samerduen Kharmwan , Poosiripinyo Ekasit
Published: July 2012

Objective. To assess the prevalence of dyslipidemia in 90 patients with spinal cord lesion (SCL) of duration greater than 2 years. The study was carried out from November 2007 to September 2008. Methods. Clinical history, physical examination, and lipid profiles were recorded and analyzed. Dyslipidemia was assessed using guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Project Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III). Results. The prevalence of dyslipidemia in at least one lipid parameter was 76.7%. The most frequent finding was low HDL-C (58.9%). Hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and high LDL-C were found in 28.9%, 26.7% and 21.1% of patients, respectively. The factors and age years were associated with high LDL-C ( and ). Patients who exercised less than 30 minutes per day had associated hypercholesterolemia (), hypertriglyceridemia (), and higher LDL-C (). Patients with BMI  kg/m2 had associated hypercholesterolemia and high LDL-C. Age was a significant determinant of high LDL-C. BMI was the most powerful and significant determinant of hypercholesterolemia and high LDL-C. Conclusion. SCL patients should have a regular lipid checkup, especially those patients having the following risk factors: males, age years, BMI  kg/m2 and exercise duration minutes per day.
Accumulative Approach in Multistep Diagonal Gradient‐Type Method for Large‐Scale Unconstrained Optimization
Authors: Farid Mahboubeh , June Leong Wah , Zheng Lihong
Published: July 2012

This paper focuses on developing diagonal gradient‐type methods that employ accumulative approach in multistep diagonal updating to determine a better Hessian approximation in each step. The interpolating curve is used to derive a generalization of the weak secant equation, which will carry the information of the local Hessian. The new parameterization of the interpolating curve in variable space is obtained by utilizing accumulative approach via a norm weighting defined by two positive definite weighting matrices. We also note that the storage needed for all computation of the proposed method is just O(n). Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient and superior by comparison with some other gradient‐type methods.
Influence of TiO2Nanocrystals Fabricating Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell on the Absorption Spectra of N719 Sensitizer
Authors: Wen Puhong , Han Yinfeng , Zhao Weixing
Published: July 2012

The absorption spectra of N719 sensitizer anchored on the films prepared by TiO2nanocrystals with different morphology and size were investigated for improving the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC). We find that the morphology and size of TiO2nanocrystals can affect the UV-vis and FT-IR spectra of the sensitizer anchored on their surfaces. In particular, the low-energy metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions (MLCT) band in the visible absorption spectra of N719 is strongly affected, and locations of these MLCT bands revealed larger differences. The results indicate that there is a red shift of MLCT band in the spectra obtained by using TiO2nanocrystals with long morphology and large size compared to that in solution. And it produced a larger red-shift on the MLCT band after TiO2nanocrystals with small size mixed with some long nanocrystals. Accordingly, the utilization rate to visible light is increased. This is a reason why the DSC prepared by using such film as a photoelectrode has better performance than before mixing.
An Underreported Consequence of Obesity in Pregnancy: Patient-Prosthesis Mismatch
Authors: Hartman William R. , Arendt Katherine W. , Rehfeldt Kent H.
Published: July 2012

As the rate of obesity increases in childbearing-aged women, so too will the complications of obesity in pregnancy. An uncommon and likely underreported complication occurs in obese women who have received prepregnancy cardiac valve replacement with a prosthesis that is inadequately sized for body habitus, a condition referred to as patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM). The physiologic changes of pregnancy as well as the increased weight gain combine to exacerbate PPM. We report a case of PPM that necessitated prosthesis replacement at 16-week gestation. As the incidence of this clinical scenario increases, it is important to understand the implications of prosthesis sizing, as well as the repercussions of having cardiopulmonary surgery to correct the undersized valve prosthesis while pregnant.
Handling of Radical Prostatectomy Specimens: Total Embedding with Large-Format Histology
Authors: Montironi Rodolfo , Lopez Beltran Antonio , Mazzucchelli Roberta , Cheng Liang , Scarpelli Marina
Published: July 2012

A problem when handling radical prostatectomy specimens (RPS) is that cancer is often not visible at gross examination, and the tumor extent is always underestimated by the naked eye. The challenge is increased further by the fact that prostate cancer is a notoriously multifocal and heterogeneous tumor. For the pathologist, the safest method to avoid undersampling of cancer is evidently that the entire prostate is submitted. Even though whole mounts of sections from RPS appear not to be superior to sections from standard blocks in detecting adverse pathological features, their use has the great advantage of displaying the architecture of the prostate and the identification and location of tumour nodules more clearly, with particular reference to the index tumour; further, it is easier to compare the pathological findings with those obtained from digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), and prostate biopsies. We are in favour of complete sampling of the RPS examined with the whole mount technique. There are reasons in favour and a few drawbacks. Its implementation does not require an additional amount of work from the technicians’ side. It gives further clinical significance to our work of uropathologists.
Fertility-Sparing Surgery for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer
Authors: Ribeiro Cubal Adelaide Fernanda , Ferreira Carvalho Joana Isabel , Costa Maria Fernanda Martins , Branco Ana Paula Tavares
Published: July 2012

Nowadays cervical cancer is diagnosed in many women who still want to have children. This led to the need to provide fertility-sparing treatments. The main goal is to maintain reproductive ability without decreasing overall and recurrence-free survival. In this article, we review data on procedures for fertility preservation, namely, vaginal and abdominal trachelectomy, less invasive surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. For each one, oncological and obstetrical outcomes are analyzed. Comparing to traditionally offered radical hysterectomy, the overall oncologic safety is good, with promising obstetrical outcomes.
Pancreatic Metastasis of High-Grade Papillary Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Mimicking Primary Pancreas Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Gunay Yusuf , Demiralay Ebru , Demirag Alp
Published: July 2012

Introduction. Reports of epithelial ovarian carcinomas metastatic to the pancreas are very rare. We herein present a metastasis of high grade papillary serous ovarian cancer to mid portion of pancreas.Case. A 42-year-old patient was admitted with a non-specified malignant cystic lesion in midportion of pancreas. She had a history of surgical treatment for papillary serous ovarian adenocarcinoma. A cystic lesion was revealed by an abdominal computerized tomography (CT) performed in her follow up . It was considered as primary mid portion of pancreatic cancer and a distal pancreatectomy was performed. The final pathology showed high-grade papillary serous adenocarcinoma morphologically similar to the previously diagnosed ovarian cancer.Discussion. Metastatic pancreatic cancers should be considered in patients who present with a solitary pancreatic mass and had a previous non-pancreatic malignancy. Differential diagnosis of primary pancreatic neoplasm from metastatic malignancy may be very difficult. A biopsy for tissue confirmation is required to differentiate primary and secondary pancreatic tumors. Although, the value of surgical resection is poorly documented, resection may be considered in selected patients.Conclusion. Pancreatic metastasis of ovarian papillary serous adenocarcinoma has to be kept in mind when a patient with pancreatic mass has a history of ovarian malignancy.
Effects of Telmisartan with Hydrochlorothiazide versus Valsartan with Hydrochlorothiazide in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Hypertension
Authors: Marfatia Ravi , White William B. , Schumacher Helmut
Published: July 2012

Combination therapy is recommended for patients with blood pressure (BP) significantly above goal by recent consensus guidelines around the globe. The use of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) alone or in combination with a thiazide diuretic is a preferred treatment strategy due to both efficacy and safety considerations. However, there are few data known about the benefits of ARB-diuretic combination therapy in patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension. We performed a subanalysis from two large clinical trials that compared the antihypertensive effects of telmisartan 80 mg versus valsartan 160 mg, both combined with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 25 mg in a subpopulation of 725 patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension (systolic BP SBP ≥ 160 mm Hg). Treatment with telmisartan-HCTZ induced significantly greater reductions in BP (−31.1/−18.3 mm Hg) than valsartan-HCTZ (−28.4/−16.3 mm Hg; SBP , diastolic BP ). More patients receiving the telmisartan combination achieved a BP goal < 140/90 mm Hg than those receiving valsartan-HCTZ. There were similar safety and tolerability data for the two active treatment groups. These findings support the use of longer-acting ARBs combined with higher doses of thiazide diuretic to improve BP control in patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension.
Progress in Oral Vaccination against Tuberculosis in Its Main Wildlife Reservoir in Iberia, the Eurasian Wild Boar
Authors: Beltrán-Beck Beatriz , Ballesteros Cristina , Vicente Joaquín , de la Fuente José , Gortázar Christian
Published: July 2012

Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the main wildlife reservoir for tuberculosis (TB) in Iberia. This review summarizes the current knowledge on wild boar vaccination including aspects of bait design, delivery and field deployment success; wild boar response to vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and inactivated Mycobacterium bovis; and wild boar vaccination biosafety issues as well as prospects on future research. Oral vaccination with BCG in captive wild boar has shown to be safe with significant levels of protection against challenge with virulentM. bovis. An oral vaccination with a new heat-killedM. bovisvaccine conferred a protection similar to BCG. The study of host-pathogen interactions identified biomarkers of resistance/susceptibility to tuberculosis in wild boar such as complement component 3 (C3) and methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase (MUT) that were used for vaccine development. Finally, specific delivery systems were developed for bait-containing vaccines to target different age groups. Ongoing research includes laboratory experiments combining live and heat-killed vaccines and the first field trial for TB control in wild boar.
Evaluation of the Use of Acacia nilotica Leaf as an Ecofriendly Adsorbent for Cr (VI) and Its Suitability in Real Waste Water: Study of Residual Errors
Authors: Prasad Ashly Leena , Thirumalisamy Santhi
Published: July 2012

The present paper aims to investigate the physical characteristics of Acacia nilotica leaves (MVM) relative to their use as an adsorbent for removal of hazardous Cr (VI) from waste water. The adsorbent was characterized by FTIR and SEM studies. The applicability of the Langmuir model to MVM was proved by the high coefficient of determination. Eight error analysis methods, namely, residual root mean square error (RMSE), chi‐square (χ2), sum of the square of the errors (ERRSQ), composite functional error (HYBRD), derivative of Marquardt′s percent standard deviation (MPSD), average relative error (ARE), sum of absolute error (EABS), and average percentage error (APE) were used to evaluate the suitability of the adsorption isotherm. Desorption reveals that recovery of the metal from adsorbent was possible. The ecofriendly adsorbent MVM is expected to be an environmentally and economically feasible adsorbent for the removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution and real waste water.
Removal of Zinc from Aqueous Solutions by Magnetite Silica Core‐Shell Nanoparticles
Authors: Emadi Masoomeh , Shams Esmaeil , Amini Mohammad Kazem
Published: July 2012

Magnetite silica core‐shell nanoparticles (Fe3O4‐SiO2) were synthesized and evaluated as a nanoadsorbent for removing Zn(II) from aqueous solutions. The core‐shell nanoparticles were prepared by combining coprecipitation and sol‐gel methods. Nanoparticles were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and FT‐IR. The magnetization values of nanoparticles were measured with vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The adsorption of Zn(II) ions was examined by batch equilibrium technique. The effects of pH, initial Zn(II) concentration, and contact time on the efficiency of Zn(II) removal were studied. The equilibrium data, analyzed by using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, showed better agreement with the former model. Using the Langmuir isotherm model, maximum capacity of the nanoadsorbent for Zn(II) was found to be 119 mg g−1 at room temperature. Kinetic studies were conducted and the resulting data were analyzed using first‐ and second‐order equations; pseudo‐second‐order kinetic equation was found to provide the best correlation. The adsorption and sedimentation times were very low. The nanoadsorbent can be easily separated from aqueous solution by a magnet. Repeated adsorption acid regeneration cycles were performed to examine the stability and reusability of the nanoadsorbent. The result of this study proved high stability and reusability of Fe3O4‐SiO2 as an adsorbent for Zn(II) ions.
Vitamin, Trace Element, and Fatty Acid Levels of Vitex agnus-castus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., and Papaver somniferum L. Plant Seeds
Authors: Ozkaya Ahmet , Ciftci Harun , Yilmaz Okkes , Zafer Tel Ahmet , Cil Erol , Cevrimli B. Sitki
Published: July 2012

The levels of fat‐soluble vitamin, trace element and fatty acid of Vitex agnus-castus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., and Papaver somniferum L. seeds in Turkey were determined by using HPLC, ICP‐OES, and GC, respectively. In the Vitex agnus-castus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., and Papaver somniferum L. seeds, linoleic acid (18 : 2) was determined with the highest level rates (%54.11, %28.03, and %72.14, resp.). In the Vitex agnus-castus L. seeds, R‐tocopherol, α‐tocopherol, and K1 levels were determined as 9.70 μg/g, 18.20 μg/g, and 24.79 μg/g, respectively; In the Juniperus oxycedrus L. seeds, R‐tocopherol, α‐tocopherol, and K1 were determined as 18.50 μg/g, 0.84 μg/g, and 5.00 μg/g, respectively, and in the Papaver somniferum L. seeds, R‐tocopherol, α‐tocopherol, K1, and D2 levels were determined as 43.25 μg/g, 122.05 μg/g, 12.01 μg/g, and 0.62 μg/g, respectively. In the Vitex agnus-castus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., and Papaver somniferum L. seeds, nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) were determined with the trace element level rates (4.42 mg/kg, 10.43 mg/kg, 3.71 mg/kg for Ni, 7.00 mg/kg, 7.70 mg/kg, and 24 mg/kg for Zn and 93.73 mg/kg, 187.95 mg/kg, and 149.64 mg/kg for Fe, resp.). These parameters in seeds are very important for human life.
Baseline Tumor Oxygen Saturation Correlates with a Pathologic Complete Response in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Ueda Shigeto , Roblyer Darren , Cerussi Albert , Durkin Amanda , Leproux Anais , Santoro Ylenia , Xu Shanshan , O'Sullivan Thomas D. , Hsiang David , Mehta Rita , Butler John , Tromberg Bruce J.
Published: July 2012

Tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation (i.e., oxygenation) is a functional imaging endpoint that can reveal variations in tissue hypoxia, which may be predictive of pathologic response in subjects undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In this study, we used diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging (DOSI) to measure concentrations of oxyhemoglobin (ctO2Hb), deoxy-hemoglobin (ctHHb), total Hb (ctTHb = ctO2Hb + ctHHb), and oxygen saturation (stO2 = ctO2Hb/ctTHb) in tumor and contralateral normal tissue from 41 patients with locally advanced primary breast cancer. Measurements were acquired before the start of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Optically derived parameters were analyzed separately and in combination with clinical biomarkers to evaluate correlations with pathologic response. Discriminant analysis was conducted to determine the ability of optical and clinical biomarkers to classify subjects into response groups. Twelve (28.6%) of 42 tumors achieved pathologic complete response (pCR) and 30 (71.4%) were non-pCR. Tumor measurements in pCR subjects had higher stO2 levels (median 77.8%) than those in non-pCR individuals (median 72.3%, P = 0.01). There were no significant differences in baseline ctO2Hb, ctHHb, and ctTHb between response groups. An optimal tumor oxygenation threshold of stO2 = 76.7% was determined for pCR versus non-pCR (sensitivity = 75.0%, specificity = 73.3%). Multivariate discriminant analysis combining estrogen receptor staining and stO2 further improved the classification of pCR versus non-pCR (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 85.7%). These results show that elevated baseline tumor stO2 are correlated with a pCR. Noninvasive DOSI scans combined with histopathology subtyping may aid in stratification of individual patients with breast cancer before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer Res; 72(17); 4318–28. ©2012 AACR.
The Novel BCR-ABL and FLT3 Inhibitor Ponatinib Is a Potent Inhibitor of the MDR-Associated ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter ABCG2
Authors: Sen Rupashree , Natarajan Karthika , Bhullar Jasjeet , Shukla Suneet , Fang Hong-Bin , Cai Ling , Chen Zhe-Sheng , Ambudkar Suresh V. , Baer Maria R.
Published: July 2012

Ponatinib is a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor with potent activity against BCR-ABL with mutations, including T315I, and also against fms-like tyrosine kinase 3. We tested interactions between ponatinib at pharmacologically relevant concentrations of 50 to 200 nmol/L and the MDR-associated ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins ABCB1, ABCC1, and ABCG2. Ponatinib enhanced uptake of substrates of ABCG2 and ABCB1, but not ABCC1, in cells overexpressing these proteins, with a greater effect on ABCG2 than on ABCB1. Ponatinib potently inhibited [125I]-IAAP binding to ABCG2 and ABCB1, indicating binding to their drug substrate sites, with IC50 values of 0.04 and 0.63 μmol/L, respectively. Ponatinib stimulated ABCG2 ATPase activity in a concentration-dependent manner and stimulated ABCB1 ATPase activity at low concentrations, consistent with it being a substrate of both proteins at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. The ponatinib IC50 values of BCR-ABL–expressing K562 cells transfected with ABCB1 and ABCG2 were approximately the same as and 2-fold higher than that of K562, respectively, consistent with ponatinib being a substrate of both proteins, but inhibiting its own transport, and resistance was also attenuated to a small degree by ponatinib-induced downregulation of ABCB1 and ABCG2 cell-surface expression on resistant K562 cells. Ponatinib at pharmacologically relevant concentrations produced synergistic cytotoxicity with ABCB1 and ABCG2 substrate chemotherapy drugs and enhanced apoptosis induced by these drugs, including daunorubicin, mitoxantrone, topotecan, and flavopiridol, in cells overexpressing these transport proteins. Combinations of ponatinib and chemotherapy drugs warrant further testing. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(9); 2033–44. ©2012 AACR.
CD36 Repression Activates a Multicellular Stromal Program Shared by High Mammographic Density and Tumor Tissues
Authors: DeFilippis Rosa Anna , Chang Hang , Dumont Nancy , Rabban Joseph T. , Chen Yunn-Yi , Fontenay Gerald V. , Berman Hal K. , Gauthier Mona L. , Zhao Jianxin , Hu Donglei , Marx James J. , Tjoe Judy A. , Ziv Elad , Febbraio Maria , Kerlikowske Karla , Parvin Bahram , Tlsty Thea D.
Published: July 2012

Although high mammographic density is considered one of the strongest risk factors for invasive breast cancer, the genes involved in modulating this clinical feature are unknown. Tissues of high mammographic density share key histologic features with stromal components within malignant lesions of tumor tissues, specifically low adipocyte and high extracellular matrix (ECM) content. We show that CD36, a transmembrane receptor that coordinately modulates multiple protumorigenic phenotypes, including adipocyte differentiation, angiogenesis, cell–ECM interactions, and immune signaling, is greatly repressed in multiple cell types of disease-free stroma associated with high mammographic density and tumor stroma. Using both in vitro and in vivo assays, we show that CD36 repression is necessary and sufficient to recapitulate the above-mentioned phenotypes observed in high mammographic density and tumor tissues. Consistent with a functional role for this coordinated program in tumorigenesis, we observe that clinical outcomes are strongly associated with CD36 expression.

Significance: CD36 simultaneously controls adipocyte content and matrix accumulation and is coordinately repressed in multiple cell types within tumor and high mammographic density stroma, suggesting that activation of this stromal program is an early event in tumorigenesis. Levels of CD36 and extent of mammographic density are both modifiable factors that provide potential for intervention. Cancer Discov; 2(9); 826–39. ©2012 AACR.

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Comparison of Platelet-Rich Plasma and VEGF-Transfected Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Vascularization and Bone Formation in a Critical-Size Bone Defect
Authors: Kasten P. , Beverungen M. , Lorenz H. , Wieland J. , Fehr M. , Geiger F.
Published: July 2012

Both platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can promote regeneration. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of these two elements on bone formation and vascularization in combination with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) in a critical-size bone defect in rabbits. The critical-size defects of the radius were filled with: (1) a calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) scaffold + phVEGF165-transfected BMSC (VEGF group), (2) CDHA and PRP, or (3) CDHA, autogenous BMSC, and PRP. As controls served: (4) the CDHA scaffold alone and (5) the CDHA scaffold and autogenous BMSC. The volume of new bone was measured by means of micro-CT scans, and vascularization was assessed in histology after 16 weeks. Bone formation was higher in the PRP + CDHA, BMSC + CDHA, and PRP + BMSC + CDHA groups than in the VEGF group (p < 0.05). VEGF transfection significantly promoted vascularization of the scaffolds in contrast to BMSC and PRP (p < 0.05), but was similar to the result of the CDHA + PRP + BMSC group. The results show that VEGF-transfected BMSC as well as the combination of PRP and BMSC improve vascularization, but bone healing was better with the combination of BMSC and PRP than with VEGF-transfected BMSC. Expression of VEGF in BMSC as a single growth factor does not seem to be as effective for bone formation as expanded BMSC alone or PRP which contains a mixture of growth factors.
Elevated Levels of Soluble Total and Hyperphosphorylated Tau Result in Early Behavioral Deficits and Distinct Changes in Brain Pathology in a New Tau Transgenic Mouse Model
Authors: Flunkert S. , Hierzer M. , Löffler T. , Rabl R. , Neddens J. , Duller S. , Schofield E.L. , Ward M.A. , Posch M. , Jungwirth H. , Windisch M. , Hutter-Paier B.
Published: July 2012

Tauopathies, characterized by hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau protein, include frontotemporal dementias and Alzheimer's disease. To explore disease mechanisms and investigate potential treatments, we generated a transgenic (tg) mouse line overexpressing human tau441 with V337M and R406W mutations. Biochemical characterization of these TMHT (Thy-1 mutated human tau) mice showed a significant increase in human transgene expression relative to endogenous murine tau by Western blot and multi-array immunosorbent assay. Only soluble total tau and phosphorylated tau (ptau at residue Thr181, Ser199, Thr231 and Thr235), but not insoluble total tau and ptau were increased. Application of the Phospho-Tau SRM assay revealed that phosphorylation at Ser396 and Ser404 in soluble tau in the presence of the R406W mutation was at baseline levels in the cortex of TMHT mice compared to non-tg littermates. Histological analyses showed a progressive increase in human tau protein in the amygdala over age, while hippocampal tau levels remained constant from 2 months onwards. Behavioral testing of TMHT mice in the Morris water maze revealed a distinct progressive spatial learning impairment starting already at 5 months of age. Furthermore, we showed that the TMHT mice have early olfactory deficits. These impairments are unbiased by any motor disturbance or lack of motivation. Our results prove that combination of the V337M and R406W mutations of tau accelerates human tau phosphorylation and induces tau pathology as well as cognitive deficits, making this model a suitable tool for basic research on tau as well as in vivo drug testing.
Chondrogenic Differentiation in vitro of Murine Two-Factor Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells is Comparable to Murine Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Kuboth Sina , Kramer Jan , Rohwedel Jürgen
Published: July 2012

Differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells via embryoid bodies has been established as an appropriate model to study the development of various cell types in vitro. Here, we show that murine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, reprogrammed by exogenous expression of the two transcription factors Oct4 and Klf4 (2F OK iPS), differentiate into chondrocytes in vitro characterized by the appearance of Alcian blue-stained nodules and the expression of cartilage-associated genes and proteins. Quantitatively, the chondrogenic differentiation potential of 2F OK iPS and ES cells was found to be similar. Further, we demonstrate the induction of chondrogenic iPS cell differentiation by certain members of the transforming growth factor-β family (BMP-2, TGF-β1). The number of Alcian blue-positive nodules and the expression of the cartilage marker molecule collagen type II increased after application of BMP-2, whereas simultaneous treatment with both BMP-2 and TGF-β1 showed no significant effect on gene expression.
Nifedipine versus Fenoterol in the Management of Preterm Labor: A Randomized, Multicenter Clinical Study
Authors: Valdés E. , Salinas H. , Toledo V. , Lattes K. , Cuellar E. , Perucca E. , Diaz R. , Montecinos F. , Reyes A.
Published: July 2012

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of nifedipine and fenoterol in the management of threatened preterm labor (TPL). Methods: A randomized and multicenter study assessing the tocolytic effect of nifedipine versus fenoterol in patients admitted to the participating maternity units with a diagnosis of TPL and a cost-savings study for economic assessment. For a power of 80% and an α error equal to 0.05, 132 consecutive patients were recruited during the study period; 66 patients were assigned to each group. A χ2 analysis and a mean differences test were performed according to variable types and survival curves per intention-to-treat. Results: Demographics were similar in both groups. The latency period was similar in both groups (26.7 vs. 25.6; p = 0.3). There were no differences in the results obtained. Nifedipine failed more frequently to obtain tocolysis when used as a first-line agent (80 vs. 90%, p = 0.0001). The group treated with fenoterol showed more drug adverse events (57.8 vs. 19.0%, p = 0.0001). The economic assessment did not evidence a significant difference in terms of cost savings between groups treated with either drug. Conclusion: The present study failed to demonstrate either clinical or economic superiority of any of the two drugs used in TPL management. The highest failure percentage of nifedipine when used as a first-line agent should encourage further research.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Radiation Cystitis in Patients with Prostate Cancer: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study
Authors: Nakada Teruhiro , Nakada Hiroko , Yoshida Yasuyuki , Nakashima Yasuyo , Banya Yoshiaki , Fujihira Takeo , Karasawa Kumiko
Published: July 2012

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) for treating radiation cystitis a long-term follow-up study was done in patients with prostate cancer, the second most common malignancy in Japan. Patients and Methods: A total of 38 patients at an age of 68 ± 8 years with radiation cystitis following irradiation of prostate cancer were treated with HBO at 2 absolute atmospheric pressures for 90 min daily. The average number of HBO treatment sessions in each patient was 62 ± 12. The follow-up period was 11.6 ± 3.7 years. We evaluated objective and subjective symptoms periodically with special reference to the initiation timing of HBO therapy. Results: High efficacy ratios of objective and subjective findings were obtained at 2 and 4 (79–95%) years, respectively. After 7 years’ follow-up, these ratios decreased slightly (72–83%) but still remained stable thereafter (75–88%) without any serious accident. Comparison of late morbidity scores before and 11.6 years after HBO therapy showed significant improvement (p < 0.0005). Twenty-eight patients (74%) obtained nonrecurrent outcome. They had received 18% lower (p < 0.001) radiation dosage than recurrent patients. The interval between the onset of hematuria and start of HBO treatment in nonrecurrent patients was 30% shorter (p < 0.001) than that of recurrent patients. Conclusions: We elucidated the long-term safety and beneficial effect of HBO therapy of radiation cystitis in patients with prostate cancer. Early application of HBO treatment after the onset of hematuria appears to produce favorable outcome.
The Role of Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of Pulmonary Nodules and Masses
Authors: Alper Fatih , Kurt Adile Tuba Polat , Aydin Yener , Ozgokce Mesut , Akgun Metin
Published: July 2012

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine whether or not dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with kinetic and morphological parameters can reveal significant differences between malignant and benign pulmonary lesions, and thus to evaluate the use of dynamic MRI in the management of pulmonary nodules. Patients and Methods: Thirty-one patients (4 women and 27 men) underwent 1.5 T MRI, where 10 consecutive dynamic series were performed every 30 s by using 3D fast low-angle shot sequences. The percentage increase in the signal intensity of the lesions was determined for each time point. Time-enhancement curves of the lesions were drawn and classified into four types: A, B, C and D. Early peak (EP) and maximum peak (MP) values of the curves were calculated and compared with the diagnoses of the patients. The usefulness of these parameters was tested statistically. In addition to the comparison of the parameters between the groups, receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to assess sensitivity, specificity, and both positive and negative predictive values of EP and MP parameters. Results: Of the 31 pulmonary lesions, 16 (52%) were malignant. These showed a stronger enhancement with higher median values of EP and MP (77.08 and 123.15, respectively) than those corresponding to the benign lesions (14.45 and 32.53, respectively). There were significant differences between the benign and malignant lesions (p < 0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 75, 93, 92 and 78% for EP and 93, 86, 88 and 93% for MP, respectively. Conclusion: A combination of kinetic and morphological evaluation in dynamic MRI provided accurate differentiation between benign and malignant pulmonary lesions. It was a useful and noninvasive method of evaluating pulmonary nodules.
The First Cytogenetic Characterization of Atemnids: Pseudoscorpions with the Highest Chromosome Numbers (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones)
Authors: Šťáhlavský F. , Král J. , Harvey M.S. , Haddad C.R.
Published: July 2012

The karyotypes of pseudoscorpions of the family Atemnidae (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) were studied for the first time. Karyotype data for 7 species have been obtained. The diploid chromosome numbers of most species considerably exceed the numbers reported in pseudoscorpions so far, with males ranging between 65 and 143. In spite of this, the sex chromosome system of atemnids is characterized by the same features that are found in the majority of other pseudoscorpions with an X0 system; the X chromosome is metacentric and is the largest chromosome or one of the largest chromosomes of the karyotype. Male meiotic cells of Atemnus politus contain 1 or 2 autosome multivalents; most specimens had 2 multivalents. The multivalents were composed of 4, 6, 8 or 10 chromosomes. Multivalent number and structure was consistent within each of the studied individuals. The same number of chromosomes in all of the males examined suggests that multivalents are generated by reciprocal translocations. The high diversity of multivalents suggests considerable range of translocation heterozygosity in the studied population.
Different Conformation of Two Supernumerary 18p Isochromosomes, One with a Concomitant Partial 18q Trisomy
Authors: Noronha Dutra A.R. , Mancini T.I. , Satomi Takeno S. , Moysés Oliveira M. , Kim C.A. , Alvarez Perez A.B. , Domenici Kulikowski L. , Melaragno M.I.
Published: July 2012

The presence of a supernumerary 18p isochromosome is a rare chromosomal abnormality that results in 18p tetrasomy. This is a report on the clinical, cytogenetic and molecular findings of 2 non-related patients with a supernumerary 18p isochromosome. Both patients present some features of the 18p tetrasomy syndrome (strabismus, low-set ears, long and narrow fingers and toes), but additional characteristics were also observed. Cytogenetic analysis, FISH, MLPA and SNP array techniques showed that one of the isochromosomes is symmetric and monocentric, while the other is asymmetric and dicentric, yet resulting in a similar tetrasomy of the 18pter–18p10 region, followed by a partial 18q11.2 trisomy, an unprecedented finding in the literature.