bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gravidez, Aleitamento e Fármacos em Dermatologia - Tratamento Sistémico
Authors: César Artur , Azevedo Filomena , Mota Alberto
Published: December 2017

O crescente número de fármacos empregues na prática dermatológica e venereológica exige do dermatologista um conhecimento atualizado relativo à sua segurança. No caso particular de mulheres grávidas ou que amamentem, a decisão sobre se se deve ou não tratar com um determinado fármaco deve basear-se numa avaliação ponderada dos benefícios para a saúde materna e dos riscos potenciais para o bem-estar fetal ou do lactente. Quando estas doentes necessitam terapêuticas tópicas ou sistémicas, a maioria pode ser adequadamente tratada com opções consideradas seguras e eficazes. Na primeira parte deste artigo são abordados os dados mais recentes relativos à segurança de alguns dos medicamentos sistémicos mais comummente usados em contexto dermatológico, na mulher em idade fértil.
Papulose Linfomatóide em Idade Pediátrica: Desafios no Diagnóstico e Follow-up
Authors: Kieselová Katarína , Santiago Felicidade , Guiote Victória , Henrique Martinha , Amado Cristina
Published: December 2017

A papulose linfomatóide é uma doença linfoproliferativa cutânea primária, pouco comum que, na maioria dos casos, surge na idade adulta. Apesar de ter a imagem histológica de uma condição maligna, a papulose linfomatóide é, na maioria dos casos, uma doença autolimitada e tem prognóstico favorável. Descreve-se o caso de um menino de 8 anos de idade, saudável, observado por lesões cutâneas polimórficas disseminadas por todo tegumento com 4-6 semanas de evolução. O exame histológico e imunohistoquímico confirmou o diagnóstico de papulose linfomatóide tipo A. Discutem-se os principais desafios no tratamento, follow-up e o risco de progressão da papulose linfomatóide para linfomas secundários nesta faixa etária.
Xantogranuloma múltiplo do adulto: relato de caso e revisão da literatura
Authors: Ferreira Flávia Regina , Siqueira Ramos Felipe , Mandelbaum Samuel , Rocha Gonçalves Fernanda
Published: December 2017

O xantogranuloma múltiplo do adulto é uma histiocitose de células não Langerhans, variante rara do xantogranuloma juvenil. A etiologia é desconhecida, acometendo indivíduos entre 20 e 30 anos, sem predileção por gênero. Clinicamente se apresenta como múltiplas pápulas ou nódulos amarelo-acastanhados disseminados. A confirmação diagnóstica se dá pelo exame anatomopatológico e pela imuno-histoquímica, que permitem ainda diferenciá-lo das histiocitoses de células de Langerhans. A involução espontânea é incomum. Relatamos um caso clássico, raro e clinicamente exuberante de xantogranuloma múltiplo do adulto e aproveitamos para realizar breve revisão literária sobre o tema.
Atualizações em Infeções Sexualmente Transmissíveis
Authors: Miroux Catarino Alexandre , Borges-Costa João
Published: December 2017

As infeções sexualmente transmissíveis são uma importante área de saúde pública, sendo necessário que os clínicos estejam alerta para o seu diagnóstico. Abordamos três temas que são atualmente pertinentes: o vírus Zika como nova infeção sexualmente transmissível, hepatites, incluindo a epidemia de hepatite C em homens que têm sexo com homens infetados com o vírus da imunodeficiência humana e o surto de hepatite A de transmissão sexual que se tem verificado na Europa, e as resistências antimicrobianas da Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Esporotricose na Infância: Mimetizando Leishimaniose: Evolução Favorável com Iodeto de Potássio
Authors: Marçal Machado Thalita , Araújo Dantas Camila , Medeiros Prohmann Caroline , Barcelos e Silva Lorena , Ferreira Montes Lorena , Figueiredo Gatti Rafael , De Oliveira Pozetti Eurides Maria
Published: December 2017

A esporotricose é uma infecção crónica da pele e do tecido celular subcutâneo, causada pelo fungo Sporothrix schenkii. Na infância esta entidade é rara, sendo atualmente a maior ocorrência nessa faixa etária seja pela transmissão zoonótica. O atraso no diagnóstico e o uso inadvertido de múltiplos esquemas antimicrobianos levam à progressão da doença, causando dor e, posteriormente, cicatrizes inestéticas. O diagnóstico diferencial principal em formas cutâneas e linfocutânea é a leishmaniose. Embora haja recomendações internacionais para o uso de itraconazol como primeira linha de tratamento, este tem nível de evidência igual à solução saturada de iodeto de potássio e a apresentação líquida da solução é mais cómoda para crianças.
Metástases Cutâneas de Carcinoma de Células de Hürthle da Tiróide
Authors: Tavares-Bello Rui , Tavares-Bello Carlos , Fernandes Sónia , Serra Carlos , Tellechea Óscar , Garcia Helena
Published: December 2017

Metástases cutâneas de neoplasias internas constituem um evento raro, ocorrendo em 0,9% a 4,4% em grandes estudos necrópsicos e atingindo 9% em grandes séries de doentes neoplásicos. Metástases cutâneas de carcinomas da tiróide são ainda mais raros e, entre eles, os de carcinomas foliculares foram mais raramente reportados, mais escassamente do que os de carcinomas papilares ou medulares. Um Eurocaucasiano de 57 A de idade recorreu à consulta por pápula angiomatoide na área parietal do couro cabeludo, com cerca de 4 meses de evolução. O doente tinha sido submetido, 2 anos antes, a tiroidectomia total, complementada com radioterapia e diversos esquemas quimioterapêuticos por um carcinoma metastático de células de Hürthle da tiróide. A biópsia excisional da pápula permitiu estabelecer, com recurso a estudos imuno-histoquímicos, o diagnóstico de metástase cutânea de carcinoma folicular da tiróide. Os gânglios linfáticos, pulmões e os ossos constituem as mais prevalentes localizações à distância das metástases do carcinoma folicular da tiróide. Embora estas neoplasias representem até 12% das neoplasias malignas da tiróide, metástases cutâneas destes tumores têm sido muito raramente reportadas. Estes tumores são habitualmente carcinomas bem diferenciados, com prognóstico favorável a longo termo e caracterizados histologicamente por estruturas foliculares com material colóide e variáveis anaplasia e distorção arquitectural. No caso apresentado merecem destaque a morfologia angiomatoide da lesão metastática, classicamente associada a metástases de tumores de células renais e a alguns casos já relatados de tumores de células de Hürthle, bem como o comportamento agressivo e a evolução fatal verificados. O caso é ilustrado iconograficamente e uma breve revisão da literatura é efectuada.
Poroqueratose Múltipla Digitada Pós-Irradiação: Caso Clínico
Authors: Tavares Bello Rui , Ponte Pedro , Vale Esmeralda
Published: December 2017

Um espectro de dermatoses de natureza variada – inflamatória, pré-neoplásica ou neoplásica – foi relatado como sequelas tardias de terapia de radiação. A poroqueratose múltipla digitada pós-irradiação (PMDPI), embora raramente reportada, emergiu como uma variante distinta entre as poroqueratoses. É relatado um caso de doente Caucasiana, de 47 anos de idade, que desenvolveu múltiplas pápulas filiformes, espiculadas, sobretudo na área peitoral direita, 12 meses após ter sido submetida a cobaltoterapia por carcinoma ductal infiltrativo da mama direita. As lesões, maioritariamente confinadas ao campo irradiado, evidenciavam ao exame histopatológico lamelas córneas sobre uma epiderme algo atrófica, privada de camada granulosa. A PMDPI é um subtipo peculiar, raro, de padrão de reacção cutânea poroqueratósica que suscita ponderação diagnóstica diferencial histopatológica com variadas dermatoses afins, incluídas no grupo heterogéneo das hiperqueratoses múltiplas digitadas. O caso é iconograficamente ilustrado e a literatura relevante é discutida.
Prevalence and distribution of musculoskeletal disorders in firefighters are influenced by age and length of service
Authors: Negm Ahmed , MacDermid Joy , Sinden Kathryn , D'Amico Robert , Lomotan Margaret , MacIntyre Norma J.
Published: December 2017

Introduction: The objective of this cross-sectional study is to describe the prevalence and severity of self-reported musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in firefighters and how these vary by demographics and length of service (LOS). Methods: A cohort of 294 active-duty firefighters completed a body diagram to indicate the location and pain intensity of their MSK complaints. Where painful sites were indicated, they completed the relevant region-specific self-report disability measure – Neck Disability Index (NDI), Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), or the Short Form of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) – to quantify severity. Prevalence was determined from the body diagrams and severity from the site-specific self-report questionnaires. Differences in MSK severity based on demographics or LOS were determined using ANOVA. Results: The 294 active-duty firefighters had a mean age of 42.6 (SD 9.7) years and mean duration of service of 15.1 (SD 10.1) years. The prevalence of neck, back, upper-limb, and lower-limb complaints was 20%, 33%, 44%, and 45% respectively. Firefighters 42 years or older reported significantly more severe lower-extremity disability (median (IQR) LEFS: 71 (65, 77) vs. 75 (69.5, 78.5), p=0.03) and more severe back disability (median (IQR) RMDQ: 2 (1, 3) vs. 1 (0, 2), p=0.04). Firefighters with 15 years or more of firefighting service reported significantly more severe lower extremity disability (median (IQR) LEFS: 71 (64, 77) vs. 76 (70, 79), p=0.0005). Firefighters reporting >1 MSDs were significantly older than firefighters reporting no MSD ( F(5,285)=3.3, p=0.002). Discussion: The rate of MSDs is high in firefighters, and their severity is elevated with greater age and LOS, suggesting cumulative exposures/injuries and highlighting the need for ongoing assessment of the musculoskeletal system and interventions to reduce injury throughout firefighters' careers.
A propensity score analysis of the impact of surgical intervention on unexpected 30-day readmission following admission for subdural hematoma
Authors: Franko Lynze R. , Sheehan Kyle M. , Roark Christopher D. , Joseph Jacob R. , Burke James F. , Rajajee Venkatakrishna , Williamson Craig A.
Published: December 2017

OBJECTIVE

Subdural hematoma (SDH) is a common disease that is increasingly being managed nonoperatively. The all-cause readmission rate for SDH has not previously been described. This study seeks to describe the incidence of unexpected 30-day readmission in a cohort of patients admitted to an academic neurosurgical center. Additionally, the relationship between operative management, clinical outcome, and unexpected readmission is explored.

METHODS

This is an observational study of 200 consecutive adult patients with SDH admitted to the neurosurgical ICU of an academic medical center. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies were compared between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients. Multivariable logistic regression, weighted by the inverse probability of receiving surgery using propensity scores, was used to evaluate the association between operative management and unexpected readmission.

RESULTS

Of 200 total patients, 18 (9%) died during hospitalization and were not included in the analysis. Overall, 48 patients (26%) were unexpectedly readmitted within 30 days. Sixteen patients (33.3%) underwent SDH evacuation during their readmission. Factors significantly associated with unexpected readmission were nonoperative management (72.9% vs 54.5%, p = 0.03) and female sex (50.0% vs 32.1%, p = 0.03). In logistic regression analysis weighted by the inverse probability of treatment and including likely confounders, surgical management was not associated with likelihood of a good outcome at hospital discharge, but was associated with significantly reduced odds of unexpected readmission (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.08–0.49).

CONCLUSIONS

Over 25% of SDH patients admitted to an academic neurosurgical ICU were unexpectedly readmitted within 30 days. Nonoperative management does not affect outcome at hospital discharge but is significantly associated with readmission, even when accounting for the probability of treatment by propensity score weighted logistic regression. Additional research is needed to validate these results and to further characterize the impact of nonoperative management on long-term costs and clinical outcomes.
Stabilization of a thoracolumbar flexion-distraction injury utilizing a temporary interspinous process construct: technical note
Authors: Wagner Scott C. , Kepler Christopher K.
Published: December 2017

Many techniques for fixation in the thoracolumbar spine have been described. Occasionally, particularly during operative management of unstable ligamentous or bony injuries, temporizing fixation may be required. The authors report the case of a patient with a ligamentous thoracolumbar flexion-distraction injury who underwent reduction, posterior instrumentation and fusion, and temporary fixation of the destabilized segment utilizing a novel interspinous process screw/rod construct. This construct was stable after placement and allowed for traditional instrumentation to be placed without causing secondary injury to the spinal cord. To the authors’ knowledge, this technique has not previously been described.
Bundled payment reimbursement for anterior and posterior approaches for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: an analysis of private payer and Medicare databases
Authors: Virk Sohrab S. , Phillips Frank M. , Khan Safdar N.
Published: December 2017

OBJECTIVE

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a progressive spinal condition that often requires surgery. Studies have shown the clinical equivalency of anterior versus posterior approaches for CSM surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the amount and type of resources used for anterior and posterior surgical treatment of CSM by using large national databases of clinical and financial information from patients.

METHODS

This study consists of 2 large cohorts of patients who underwent either an anterior or posterior approach for treatment of CSM. These patients were selected from the Medicare 5% National Sample Administrative Database (SAF5) and the Humana orthopedic database (HORTHO), which is a database of patients with private payer health insurance. The outcome measures were the cost of a 90-day episode of care, as well as a breakdown of the cost components for each surgical procedure between 2005 and 2014.

RESULTS

A total of 16,444 patients were included in this analysis. In HORTHO, there were 10,332 and 1556 patients treated with an anterior or posterior approach for CSM, respectively. In SAF5, there were 3851 and 705 patients who were treated by an anterior or posterior approach for CSM, respectively. The mean ± SD reimbursements for anterior and posterior approaches in the HORTHO database were $20,863 ± $2014 and $23,813 ± $4258, respectively (p = 0.048). The mean ± SD reimbursements for anterior and posterior approaches in the SAF5 database were $18,219 ± $1053 and $25,598 ± $1686, respectively (p < 0.0001). There were also significantly higher reimbursements for a rehabilitation/skilled nursing facility and hospital/inpatient care for patients who underwent a posterior approach in both the private payer and Medicare databases. In all cohorts in this study, the hospital-related reimbursement was more than double the surgeon-related reimbursement.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides resource utilization information for a 90-day episode of care for both anterior and posterior approaches for CSM surgery. There is a statistically significant higher resource utilization for patients undergoing the posterior approach for CSM, which is consistent with the literature. Understanding the reimbursement patterns for anterior versus posterior approaches for CSM will help providers design a bundled payment for patients requiring surgery for CSM, and this study suggests that a subset of patients who require the posterior approach for treatment also require greater resources. The data also suggest that hospital-related reimbursement is the major driver of payments.
Air gun orbitocranial penetrating injury: emergency endovascular treatment and surgical bypass following pellet migration to middle cerebral artery: case report
Authors: Nussbaum Eric S. , Graupman Patrick , Goddard James K. , Kallmes Kevin M.
Published: December 2017

The authors describe a 14-year-old boy presenting with an orbitocranial penetrating injury (OPI) from a metallic air gun pellet to the left eye who developed hemiparesis and speech difficulty due to migration of the pellet to the left middle cerebral artery. They highlight the potential complications associated with both OPIs and intravascular foreign body migration and occlusion by describing the patient’s presentation, results of imaging evaluation, and the combined endovascular treatment and extracranial-intracranial bypass, which resulted in rapid restoration of blood flow and full neurological recovery with intact vision. Based on this case and a review of the literature on intracranial foreign body migration with resultant vascular occlusion, the authors recommend that complex OPIs be treated at centers that offer both neuroendovascular and neurovascular surgical capabilities on an urgent basis to manage both the primary injury and potential secondary vascular compromise.
TaPT: Temperature-Aware Dynamic Cache Optimization for Embedded Systems
Authors: Adegbija Tosiron , Gordon-Ross Ann
Published: December 2017

Embedded systems have stringent design constraints, which has necessitated much prior research focus on optimizing energy consumption and/or performance. Since embedded systems typically have fewer cooling options, rising temperature, and thus temperature optimization, is an emergent concern. Most embedded systems only dissipate heat by passive convection, due to the absence of dedicated thermal management hardware mechanisms. The embedded system’s temperature not only affects the system’s reliability, but can also affect the performance, power, and cost. Thus, embedded systems require efficient thermal management techniques. However, thermal management can conflict with other optimization objectives, such as execution time and energy consumption. In this paper, we focus on managing the temperature using a synergy of cache optimization and dynamic frequency scaling, while also optimizing the execution time and energy consumption. This paper provides new insights on the impact of cache parameters on efficient temperature-aware cache tuning heuristics. In addition, we present temperature-aware phase-based tuning, TaPT, which determines Pareto optimal clock frequency and cache configurations for fine-grained execution time, energy, and temperature tradeoffs. TaPT enables autonomous system optimization and also allows designers to specify temperature constraints and optimization priorities. Experiments show that TaPT can effectively reduce execution time, energy, and temperature, while imposing minimal hardware overhead.
Pathways to Decarbonise the European Car Fleet: A Scenario Analysis Using the Backcasting Approach
Authors: Höltl Arne , Macharis Cathy , De Brucker Klaas
Published: December 2017

This paper analyses decarbonisation scenarios for the European passenger car fleet in 2050. The scenarios have been developed using the backcasting approach and aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of passenger cars to a level defined in the Transport White paper that is 60% below 1990 levels. Considering the emission levels of 2010, a yearly reduction of 1.7% is required in order to achieve the target. Car emissions were decomposed into the main emission factors of mobility, efficiency and carbon intensity. How these factors change over time depends on various external factors: the pace of technological improvements, the future role of cars in society’s mobility system and the priority given to decarbonising energy demand. The analysis showed that if car mobility and ownership continue to increase as expected in a ‘business as usual’ case, a share of 97% plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles might be required by 2050, together with a substantial decrease in greenhouse gas emission from electricity production. A transition to more advanced car technology such as automated driving, advanced batteries or lightweight materials in vehicle production would raise vehicle efficiency. Should car mobility continue at a high level, an early technology transition will be required.
Complimentary Force Allocation Control for a Dual-Mover Linear Switched Reluctance Machine
Authors: Pan J. F. , Wang Weiyu , Zhang Bo , Cheng Eric , Yuan Jianping , Qiu Li , Wu Xiaoyu
Published: December 2017

This paper inspects the complementary force allocation control schemes for an integrated, dual-mover linear switched reluctance machine (LSRM). The performance of the total force is realized by the coordination of the two movers. First, the structure and characteristics of the LSRM are investigated. Then, a complimentary force allocation control scheme for the two movers is proposed. Next, three force allocation methods—constant proportion, constant proportion with a saturation interval and error compensation, and the variable proportion allocation strategies—are proposed and analyzed, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate that the complimentary force interaction between the two movers can effectively reduce the total amount of force ripples from each method. The results under the variable proportion method also show that dynamic error values falling into 0.044 mm and −0.04 mm under the unit ramp force reference can be achieved. With the sinusoidal force reference with an amplitude of 60 N and a frequency of 0.5 Hz, a dynamic force control precision of 0.062 N and 0.091 N can also be obtained.
Characterizing the Intensity and Dynamics of Land-Use Change in the Mara River Basin, East Africa
Authors: Mwangi Hosea , Lariu Padia , Julich Stefan , Patil Sopan , McDonald Morag , Feger Karl-Heinz
Published: December 2017

The objective of this study was to analyze patterns, dynamics and processes of land-use/cover changes in the transboundary Mara River Basin in East Africa. We specifically focused on deforestation and expansion of agriculture in the watershed. The intensity analysis approach was used to analyze data from satellite imagery-derived land-use/cover maps. Results indicate that swap change accounted for more than 50% of the overall change, which shows a very dynamic landscape transformation. Transition from closed forest to open forest was found to be a dominant landscape change, as opposed to a random change. Similarly, transition from open forest to small-scale agriculture was also found to be a dominant transition. This suggests a trend (pathway) of deforestation from closed forest to small-scale agriculture, with open forest as a transitional land cover. The observed deforestation may be attributed to continuous encroachment and a series of excisions of the forest reserve. Transition from rangeland to mechanized agriculture was found to be a dominant land-use change, which was attributed to change in land tenure. These findings are crucial for designing strategies and integrated watershed management policies to arrest further deforestation in the forest reserves as well as to sustainably control expansion of agriculture.
Bicycle Facilities That Address Safety, Crime, and Economic Development: Perceptions from Morelia, Mexico
Authors: Alveano-Aguerrebere Inés , Javier Ayvar-Campos Francisco , Farvid Maryam , Lusk Anne
Published: December 2017

México is a developing nation and, in the city of Morelia, the concept of the bicyclist as a road user appeared only recently in the Municipal Traffic Regulations. Perhaps the right bicycle infrastructure could address safety, crime, and economic development. To identify the best infrastructure, six groups in Morelia ranked and commented on pictures of bicycle environments that exist in bicycle-friendly nations. Perceptions about bike paths, but only those with impossible-to-be-driven-over solid barriers, were associated with safety from crashes, lowering crime, and contributing to economic development. Shared use paths were associated with lowering the probability of car/bike crashes but lacked the potential to deter crime and foster the local economy. Joint bus and bike lanes were associated with lower safety because of the unwillingness by Mexican bus drivers to be courteous to bicyclists. Gender differences about crash risk biking in the road with the cars (6 best/0 worst scenario) were statistically significant (1.4 for male versus 0.69 for female; p < 0.001). For crashes, crime, and economic development, perceptions about bicycle infrastructure were different in this developing nation perhaps because policy, institutional context, and policing (ticketing for unlawful parking) are not the same as in a developed nation. Countries such as Mexico should consider building cycle tracks with solid barriers to address safety, crime, and economic development.
Adsorption Property and Mechanism of Oxytetracycline onto Willow Residues
Authors: Wang Di , Xu Haiyang , Yang Shengke , Wang Wenke , Wang Yanhua
Published: December 2017

To elucidate the adsorption property and the mechanism of plant residues to reduce oxytetracycline (OTC), the adsorption of OTC onto raw willow roots (WR-R), stems (WS-R), leaves (WL-R), and adsorption onto desugared willow roots (WR-D), stems (WS-D), and leaves (WL-D) were investigated. The structural characterization was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, and an elemental analyzer. OTC adsorption onto the different tissues of willow residues was compared and correlated with their structures. The adsorption kinetics of OTC onto willow residues was found to follow the pseudo-first-order model. The isothermal adsorption process of OTC onto the different tissues of willow residues followed the Langmuir and Freundlich model and the process was also a spontaneous endothermic reaction, which was mainly physical adsorption. After the willow residues were desugared, the polarity decreased and the aromaticity increased, which explained why the adsorption amounts of the desugared willow residues were higher than those of the unmodified residues. These observations suggest that the raw and modified willow residues have great potential as adsorbents to remove organic pollutants.
Assessing the Effectiveness of a Far-Red Fluorescent Reporter for Tracking Stem Cells In Vivo
Authors: Zhou Jing , Sharkey Jack , Shukla Rajeev , Plagge Antonius , Murray Patricia
Published: December 2017

Far-red fluorescent reporter genes can be used for tracking cells non-invasively in vivo using fluorescence imaging. Here, we investigate the effectiveness of the far-red fluorescent protein, E2-Crimson (E2C), for tracking mouse embryonic cells (mESCs) in vivo following subcutaneous administration into mice. Using a knock-in strategy, we introduced E2C into the Rosa26 locus of an E14-Bra-GFP mESC line, and after confirming that the E2C had no obvious effect on the phenotype of the mESCs, we injected them into mice and imaged them over nine days. The results showed that fluorescence intensity was weak, and cells could only be detected when injected at high densities. Furthermore, intensity peaked on day 4 and then started to decrease, despite the fact that tumour volume continued to increase beyond day 4. Histopathological analysis showed that although E2C fluorescence could barely be detected in vivo at day 9, analysis of frozen sections indicated that all mESCs within the tumours continued to express E2C. We hypothesise that the decrease in fluorescence intensity in vivo was probably due to the fact that the mESC tumours became more vascular with time, thus leading to increased absorbance of E2C fluorescence by haemoglobin. We conclude that the E2C reporter has limited use for tracking cells in vivo, at least when introduced as a single copy into the Rosa26 locus.
Antiangiogenic Effect of Flavonoids and Chalcones: An Update
Authors: Mirossay Ladislav , Varinská Lenka , Mojžiš Ján
Published: December 2017

Chalcones are precursors of flavonoid biosynthesis in plants. Both flavonoids and chalcones are intensively investigated because of a large spectrum of their biological activities. Among others, anticancer and antiangiogenic effects account for the research interest of these substances. Because of an essential role in cancer growth and metastasis, angiogenesis is considered to be a promising target for cancer treatment. Currently used antiangiogenic agents are either synthetic compounds or monoclonal antibodies. However, there are some limitations of their use including toxicity and high price, making the search for new antiangiogenic compounds very attractive. Nowadays it is well known that several natural compounds may modulate basic steps in angiogenesis. A lot of studies, also from our lab, showed that phytochemicals, including polyphenols, are potent modulators of angiogenesis. This review paper is focused on the antiangiogenic effect of flavonoids and chalcones and discusses possible underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.
Transcriptome Analysis of Tomato Leaf Spot Pathogen Fusarium proliferatum: De novo Assembly, Expression Profiling, and Identification of Candidate Effectors
Authors: Gao Meiling , Yao Siyu , Liu Yang , Yu Haining , Xu Pinsan , Sun Wenhui , Pu Zhongji , Hou Hongman , Bao Yongming
Published: December 2017

Leaf spot disease caused by the fungus Fusarium proliferatum (Matsushima) Nirenberg is a destructive disease of tomato plants in China. Typical symptoms of infected tomato plants are softened and wilted stems and leaves, leading to the eventual death of the entire plant. In this study, we resorted to transcriptional profile analysis to gain insight into the repertoire of effectors involved in F. proliferatum–tomato interactions. A total of 61,544,598 clean reads were de novo assembled to provide a F. proliferatum reference transcriptome. From these, 75,044 unigenes were obtained, with 19.46% of the unigenes being assigned to 276 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, with 22.3% having a homology with genes from F. fujikuroi. A total of 18,075 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, 720 of which were found to code for secreted proteins. Of these, 184 were identified as candidate effectors, while 79.89% had an upregulated expression. Moreover, 17 genes that were differentially expressed in RNA-seq studies were randomly selected for validation by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR). The study demonstrates that transcriptome analysis could be an effective method for identifying the repertoire of candidate effectors and may provide an invaluable resource for future functional analyses of F. proliferatum pathogenicity in F. proliferatum and tomato plant–host interactions.
Removal of Hexavalent Chromium in Portland Cement Using Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag Powder
Authors: Bae Sungchul , Hikaru Fumino , Kanematsu Manabu , Yoshizawa Chiaki , Noguchi Takafumi , Yu Youngsang , Ha Juyoung
Published: December 2017

Using ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) under different alkaline conditions, we studied the mechanisms and extents of Cr(VI) reduction and sorption and compared them to reactions with Portland cement (PC). We also investigated the effects of mixing PC/GGBS ratios on Cr(VI) dissolution after carbonating the substrates. We observed a complete sorption and reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) in a GGBS-in-Ca(OH)2 solution (pH > ~12.5) after 10 h, whereas in distilled water (pH = ~11.5) GGBS exhibited only marginal sorption and reduction (20%). Cr reactions with dissolved ions in supernatants derived from GGBS indicated that the anions dissolved from GGBS act as a reducing agent for Cr(VI) in a Ca(OH)2 solution. Soft X-ray absorption microscopy identified a partial reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) on the GGBS surface. The carbonation of pure PC paste substantially increased the amount of dissolved Cr(VI) in a solution phase whereas a 5 wt % replacement of PC with GGBS significantly reduced the amount of dissolved Cr(VI). We concluded that in the mixed paste during the early curing stage GGBS reduced a significant fraction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and that the Cr(III) adsorbed in the GGBS-PC mixture’s hydration products does not readily dissolve, even under carbonation conditions.
A Numerical Solution of Fractional Lienard’s Equation by Using the Residual Power Series Method
Authors: Syam Muhammed
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we investigate a numerical solution of Lienard’s equation. The residual power series (RPS) method is implemented to find an approximate solution to this problem. The proposed method is a combination of the fractional Taylor series and the residual functions. Numerical and theoretical results are presented.
Biochemical Properties and Neuroprotective Effects of Compounds in Various Species of Berries
Authors: Kelly Erin , Vyas Poorva , Weber John
Published: December 2017

Several species of berries, such as blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) and lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), have attracted much scientific attention in recent years, especially due to their reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Berries, as with other types of plants, have developed metabolic mechanisms to survive various environmental stresses, some of which involve reactive oxygen species. In addition, the fruits and leaves of berries have high amounts of polyphenols, such as flavonoids, which act as potent antioxidants. These compounds could potentially be beneficial for brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders. There are now several studies documenting the beneficial effects of various berries in cell models of neurotoxicity as well as in vivo models of neurodegenerative disease. In the current review, we discuss the metabolic strategies that plants and animals have developed in order to combat reactive oxygen species. We then discuss issues of bioavailability of various compounds in mammals and provide a synopsis of studies demonstrating the neuroprotective ability of berries and polyphenols. We also summarize findings from our own research group. For example, we have detected various polyphenols in samples of blueberries and lingonberries and have found that the leaves have a much higher antioxidant capacity than the fruits. Extracts from these species have also demonstrated neuroprotective effects in cellular models of toxicity and inflammation, which are being further pursued in animal models.
Contribution of Dietary Supplements to Nutritional Adequacy by Socioeconomic Subgroups in Adults of the United States
Authors: Blumberg Jeffrey , Frei Balz , Fulgoni Victor , Weaver Connie , Zeisel Steven
Published: December 2017

Many Americans have inadequate intakes of several nutrients, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 identified vitamins A, C, D, and E, in addition to calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, choline, and fiber as “underconsumed nutrients”. Based on nationally representative data on 10,698 adults from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), 2009–2012, assessments were made of socioeconomic differences, based on the Poverty Income Ratio (PIR), in terms of the association of dietary supplement use on nutrient intake and nutrient inadequacies. Compared to food alone, the use of any dietary supplement plus food was associated with significantly (p < 0.01) higher intakes of 15–16 of 19 nutrients examined in all socioeconomic groups; and significantly reduced rates of inadequacy for 10/17 nutrients in the subgroup PIR > 1.85 (not poor), but only 4–5/17 nutrients (calcium and vitamins A, C, D, E) for the poor and nearly poor subgroups (PIR < 1.35 and PIR 1.35 to ≤1.85, respectively). An increased prevalence of intakes above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) was seen for 3–9/13 nutrients, but all were less than 5% in the PIR subgroups. In conclusion, dietary supplement use was associated with an increased micronutrient intake, decreased inadequacies, and a slight increase in the prevalence of intakes above the UL, with greater benefits seen in the PIR > 1.85 subgroup.
GE11 Peptide as an Active Targeting Agent in Antitumor Therapy: A Minireview
Authors: Genta Ida , Chiesa Enrica , Colzani Barbara , Modena Tiziana , Conti Bice , Dorati Rossella
Published: December 2017

A lot of solid tumors are characterized by uncontrolled signal transduction triggered by receptors related to cellular growth. The targeting of these cell receptors with antitumor drugs is essential to improve chemotherapy efficacy. This can be achieved by conjugation of an active targeting agent to the polymer portion of a colloidal drug delivery system loaded with an antitumor drug. The goal of this minireview is to report and discuss some recent results in epidermal growth factor receptor targeting by the GE11 peptide combined with colloidal drug delivery systems as smart carriers for antitumor drugs. The minireview chapters will focus on explaining and discussing: (i) Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) structures and functions; (ii) GE11 structure and biologic activity; (iii) examples of GE11 conjugation and GE11-conjugated drug delivery systems. The rationale is to contribute in gathering information on the topic of active targeting to tumors. A case study is introduced, involving research on tumor cell targeting by the GE11 peptide combined with polymer nanoparticles.
Recent Development in ITO-free Flexible Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Lu Shudi , Sun Yang , Ren Kuankuan , Liu Kong , Wang Zhijie , Qu Shengchun
Published: December 2017

Polymer solar cells have shown good prospect for development due to their advantages of low-cost, light-weight, solution processable fabrication, and mechanical flexibility. Their compatibility with the industrial roll-to-roll manufacturing process makes it superior to other kind of solar cells. Normally, indium tin oxide (ITO) is adopted as the transparent electrode in polymer solar cells, which combines good conductivity and transparency. However, some intrinsic weaknesses of ITO restrict its large scale applications in the future, including a high fabrication price using high temperature vacuum deposition method, scarcity of indium, brittleness and scaling up of resistance with the increase of area. Some substitutes to ITO have emerged in recent years, which can be used in flexible polymer solar cells. This article provides the review on recent progress using other transparent electrodes, including carbon nanotubes, graphene, metal nanowires and nanogrids, conductive polymer, and some other electrodes. Device stability is also discussed briefly.
Crystallization and Stereocomplexation of PLA-mb-PBS Multi-Block Copolymers
Authors: D’Ambrosio Rosa , Michell Rose , Mincheva Rosica , Hernández Rebeca , Mijangos Carmen , Dubois Philippe , Müller Alejandro
Published: December 2017

The crystallization and morphology of PLA-mb-PBS copolymers and their corresponding stereocomplexes were studied. The effect of flexible blocks (i.e., polybutylene succinate, PBS) on the crystallization of the copolymers and stereocomplex formation were investigated using polarized light optical microscopy (PLOM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR). The PLA and PBS multiple blocks were miscible in the melt and in the glassy state. When the PLA-mb-PBS copolymers are cooled from the melt, the PLA component crystallizes first creating superstructures, such as spherulites or axialites, which constitute a template within which the PBS component has to crystallize when the sample is further cooled down. The Avrami theory was able to fit the overall crystallization kinetics of both semi-crystalline components, and the n values for both blocks in all the samples had a correspondence with the superstructural morphology observed by PLOM. Solution mixtures of PLLA-mb-PBS and PLDA-mb-PBS copolymers were prepared, as well as copolymer/homopolymer blends with the aim to study the stereocomplexation of PLLA and PDLA chain segments. A lower amount of stereocomplex formation was observed in copolymer mixtures as compared to neat L100/D100 stereocomplexes. The results show that PBS chain segments perturb the formation of stereocomplexes and this perturbation increases with the amount of PBS in the samples. However, when relatively low amounts of PBS in the copolymer blends are present, the rate of stereocomplex formation is enhanced. This effect dissappears when higher amounts of PBS are present. The stereocomplexation was confirmed by FTIR and solid state 13C-NMR analyses.
Magnetic Nanoparticles Coated with a Thermosensitive Polymer with Hyperthermia Properties
Authors: Reyes-Ortega Felisa , Delgado Ángel , Schneider Elena , Checa Fernández B. , Iglesias G.
Published: December 2017

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been widely used to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutics, largely through passive accumulation provided by the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Their incorporation into biopolymer coatings enables the preparation of magnetic field-responsive, biocompatible nanoparticles that are well dispersed in aqueous media. Here we describe a synthetic route to prepare functionalized, stable magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with a temperature-responsive polymer, by means of the hydrothermal method combined with an oil/water (o/w) emulsion process. The effects of both pH and temperature on the electrophoretic mobility and surface charge of these MNPs are investigated. The magnetite/polymer composition of these systems is detected by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and quantified by thermogravimetric analysis. The therapeutic possibilities of the designed nanostructures as effective heating agents for magnetic hyperthermia are demonstrated, and specific absorption rates as high as 150 W/g, with 20 mT magnetic field and 205 kHz frequency, are obtained. This magnetic heating response could provide a promising nanoparticle system for combined diagnostics and cancer therapy.
Estimation of Soil Moisture Index Using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1 Images over Poyang Lake Ungauged Zone
Authors: Zhang Yufang , Gong Jianya , Sun Kun , Yin Jianmin , Chen Xiaoling
Published: December 2017

The C-band radar instruments onboard the two-satellite GMES Sentinel-1 constellation provide global measurements with short revisit time (about six days) and medium spatial resolution (5 × 20 m), which are appropriate for watershed scale hydrological applications. This paper aims to explore the potential of Sentinel-1 for estimating surface soil moisture using a multi-temporal approach. To this end, a linear mixed effects (LME) model was developed over Poyang Lake ungauged zone, using time series Sentinel 1A and 1B images and soil moisture ground measurements from 15 automatic observation sites. The model assumed a linear relationship that varied with both time and space between soil moisture and backscattering coefficient (SM- σ 0 ). Results showed that three LME models developed with different polarized σ 0 images all meet the European Space Agency (ESA) accuracy requirement for GMES soil moisture product (≤5% in volume), with the vertical transmit and vertical receive (VV) polarized model achieving the best performance. However, the SM- σ 0 relationship was found to depend strongly on space, making it difficult to predict absolute soil moisture for each grid. Therefore, a relative soil moisture index was then proposed to correct for site effect. When compared with those of the linear fixed effects model, the soil moisture indices predicted by the LME model captured the temporal dynamics of measured soil moisture better, with the overall R2 and cross-validated R2 being 0.68 and 0.64, respectively. These results indicate that the LME model can be effectively applied to estimate soil moisture from multi-temporal Sentinel-1 images, which is useful for monitoring flood and drought disasters, and for improving stream flow prediction over ungauged zones.
Estimating Tree Height and Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) from Digital Surface Models and Orthophotos Obtained with an Unmanned Aerial System for a Japanese Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) Forest
Authors: Iizuka Kotaro , Yonehara Taichiro , Itoh Masayuki , Kosugi Yoshiko
Published: December 2017

Methods for accurately measuring biophysical parameters are a key component for quantitative evaluation regarding to various forest applications. Conventional in situ measurements of these parameters take time and expense, encountering difficultness at locations with heterogeneous microtopography. To obtain precise biophysical data in such situations, we deployed an unmanned aerial system (UAS) multirotor drone in a cypress forest in a mountainous area of Japan. The structure from motion (SfM) method was used to construct a three-dimensional (3D) model of the forest (tree) structures from aerial photos. Tree height was estimated from the 3D model and compared to in situ ground data. We also analyzed the relationships between a biophysical parameter, diameter at breast height (DBH), of individual trees with canopy width and area measured from orthorectified images. Despite the constraints of ground exposure in a highly dense forest area, tree height was estimated at an accuracy of root mean square error = 1.712 m for observed tree heights ranging from 16 to 24 m. DBH was highly correlated with canopy width (R2 = 0.7786) and canopy area (R2 = 0.7923), where DBH ranged from 11 to 58 cm. The results of estimating forest parameters indicate that drone-based remote-sensing methods can be utilized to accurately analyze the spatial extent of forest structures.
Potential of Sub-GHz Wireless for Future IoT Wearables and Design of Compact 915 MHz Antenna
Authors: Di Serio Adolfo , Buckley John , Barton John , Newberry Robert , Rodencal Matthew , Dunlop Gary , O’Flynn Brendan
Published: December 2017

Internet of Things (IoT) technology is rapidly emerging in medical applications as it offers the possibility of lower-cost personalized healthcare monitoring. At the present time, the 2.45 GHz band is in widespread use for these applications but in this paper, the authors investigate the potential of the 915 MHz ISM band in implementing future, wearable IoT devices. The target sensor is a wrist-worn wireless heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitor with the goal of providing efficient wireless functionality and long battery lifetime using a commercial Sub-GHz low-power radio transceiver. A detailed analysis of current consumption for various wireless protocols is also presented and analyzed. A novel 915 MHz antenna design of compact size is reported that has good resilience to detuning by the human body. The antenna also incorporates a matching network to meet the challenging bandwidth requirements and is fabricated using standard, low-cost FR-4 material. Full-Wave EM simulations are presented for the antenna placed in both free-space and on-body cases. A prototype antenna is demonstrated and has dimensions of 44 mm × 28 mm × 1.6 mm. The measured results at 915 MHz show a 10 dB return loss bandwidth of 55 MHz, a peak realized gain of − 2.37 dBi in free-space and − 6.1 dBi on-body. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential benefits of 915 MHz operation for future IoT devices.