bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Combinatorial Approach for Developing Ring Communication Graphs for Vehicle Formations
Authors: Konduri Shyamprasad , Pagilla Prabhakar R. , Darbha Swaroop
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we study vehicle formations employing ring-structured communication strategies and propose a combinatorial approach for developing ring graphs for vehicle formations. In vehicle platoons, a ring graph is formed when each vehicle receives information from its predecessor, and the lead vehicle receives information from the last vehicle, thus forming a ring in its basic form. In such basic form, the communication distance between the first and the last vehicle increases with the platoon size, which creates implementation issues due to sensing range limitations. If one were to employ a communication protocol such as the token ring protocol, the delay in updating information and communication arises from the need for the token to travel across the entire graph. To overcome this limitation, alternative ring graphs which are formed by smaller communication distances between vehicles are proposed in this paper. For a given formation and a constraint on the maximum communication distance between any two vehicles, an algorithm to generate a ring graph is obtained by formulating the problem as an instance of the traveling salesman problem (TSP). In contrast to the vehicle platoons, generation of a ring communication graph is not straightforward for two- and three-dimensional formations; the TSP formulation allows this for both two- and three-dimensional formations with specific constraints. In addition, with ring communication structure, it is possible to devise simple ways to reconfigure the graph when vehicles are added/removed to/from the formation, which is discussed in the paper. Further, the experimental results using mobile robots for platooning and two-dimensional formations using ring graphs are shown and discussed.
Sensitivity Developments for RBDO With Dependent Input Variable and Varying Input Standard Deviation
Authors: Cho Hyunkyoo , Choi K. K. , Lamb David
Published: April 2017

In reliability-based design optimization (RBDO), dependent input random variables and varying standard deviation (STD) should be considered to correctly describe input distribution model. The input dependency and varying STD significantly affect sensitivity for the most probable target point (MPTP) search and design sensitivity of probabilistic constraint in sensitivity-based RBDO. Hence, accurate sensitivities are necessary for efficient and effective process of MPTP search and RBDO. In this paper, it is assumed that dependency of input random variable is limited to the bivariate statistical correlation, and the correlation is considered using bivariate copulas. In addition, the varying STD is considered as a function of input mean value. The transformation between physical X-space and independent standard normal U-space for correlated input variable is presented using bivariate copula and marginal probability distribution. Using the transformation and the varying STD function, the sensitivity for the MPTP search and design sensitivity of probabilistic constraint are derived analytically. Using a mathematical example, the accuracy and efficiency of the developed sensitivities are verified. The RBDO result for the mathematical example indicates that the developed methods provide accurate sensitivities in the optimization process. In addition, a 14D engineering example is tested to verify the practicality and scalability of the developed sensitivity methods.
Removing biofilms from stainless steel without changing surface properties relevant for bacterial attachment
Authors: Huttenlochner Katharina , Müller-Renno Christine , Ziegler Christiane , Merz Rolf , Merz Birgit , Kopnarski Michael , Chodorski Jonas , Schlegel Christin , Ulber Roland
Published: April 2017

The influence of oxygen (and argon) plasma cleaning and a base-acid cleaning procedure on stainless steel surfaces was studied. The main aim was to clean stainless steel samples from Paracoccus seriniphilus biofilms without changing the surface properties which are relevant for bacterial attachment to allow reuse in a biofilm reactor. It is shown that oxygen plasma cleaning, which very successfully removes the same kind of biofilm from titanium surfaces, is not suitable for stainless steel. It largely influences the surface chemistry by producing thick metal oxide layers of varying compositions and changing phenomenological surface properties such as wettability. A promising method without changing surface properties while cleaning satisfactorily is a combination of base and acid reagents at elevated temperature.
Bone CLARITY: Clearing, imaging, and computational analysis of osteoprogenitors within intact bone marrow
Authors: Greenbaum Alon , Chan Ken Y. , Dobreva Tatyana , Brown David , Balani Deepak H. , Boyce Rogely , Kronenberg Henry M. , McBride Helen J. , Gradinaru Viviana
Published: April 2017

Bone clearing and light-sheet microscopy enables visualization and quantification of fluorescent single cells in intact bone.
What’s old is new again: Autologous stem cell transplant for AMD
Authors: Byrne Leah C.
Published: April 2017

Transplanted RPE cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells maintained vision and were well tolerated in a patient with age-related macular degeneration.
Hepatitis C Virus Indirectly Disrupts DNA Damage-Induced p53 Responses by Activating Protein Kinase R
Authors: Mitchell Jonathan K. , Midkiff Bentley R. , Israelow Benjamin , Evans Matthew J. , Lanford Robert E. , Walker Christopher M. , Lemon Stanley M. , McGivern David R.
Published: April 2017

Many DNA tumor viruses promote cellular transformation by inactivating the critically important tumor suppressor protein p53. In contrast, it is not known whether p53 function is disrupted by hepatitis C virus (HCV), a unique, oncogenic RNA virus that is the leading infectious cause of liver cancer in many regions of the world. Here we show that HCV-permissive, liver-derived HepG2 cells engineered to constitutively express microRNA-122 (HepG2/miR-122 cells) have normal p53-mediated responses to DNA damage and that HCV replication in these cells potently suppresses p53 responses to etoposide, an inducer of DNA damage, or nutlin-3, an inhibitor of p53 degradation pathways. Upregulation of p53-dependent targets is consequently repressed within HCV-infected cells, with potential consequences for cell survival. Despite this, p53 function is not disrupted by overexpression of the complete HCV polyprotein, suggesting that altered p53 function may result from the host response to viral RNA replication intermediates. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9-mediated ablation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase R (PKR) restored p53 responses while boosting HCV replication, showing that p53 inhibition results directly from viral activation of PKR. The hepatocellular abundance of phosphorylated PKR is elevated in HCV-infected chimpanzees, suggesting that PKR activation and consequent p53 inhibition accompany HCV infection
in vivo
. These findings reveal a feature of the host response to HCV infection that may contribute to hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

IMPORTANCE
Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of liver cancer in most developed nations. However, the mechanisms whereby HCV infection promotes carcinogenesis remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that HCV infection inhibits the activation of p53 following DNA damage. Contrary to previous reports, HCV protein expression is insufficient to inhibit p53. Rather, p53 inhibition is mediated by cellular protein kinase R (PKR), which is activated by HCV RNA replication and subsequently suppresses global protein synthesis. These results redefine our understanding of how HCV infection influences p53 function. We speculate that persistent disruption of p53-mediated DNA damage responses may contribute to hepatocellular carcinogenesis in chronically infected individuals.
Severe chronic diarrhoea secondary to primary lymph node gastrinoma
Authors: Abu Ghanimeh Mouhanna , Abuamr Khalil , Sadeddin Esmat , Yousef Osama
Published: April 2017

The existence of primary lymph node (LN) gastrinoma is questionable and controversial. In fact, the presence of gastrinoma in such uncommon site raises the possibility of metastasis from another occult primary site. An extensive evaluation and careful follow-up is always warranted. A female aged 48 years presented with chronic abdominal pain and watery diarrhoea. Her serum gastrin and chromogranin were elevated, and an underlying gastrinoma was suspected. Further evaluation with an octreotide scan, an endoscopic ultrasound and a secretin stimulation test confirmed the diagnosis. Further evaluation for multiple endocrine neoplasia-1 syndrome was negative. She underwent a surgical enucleation near the head of the pancreas. No other lesions were found after careful exploration of the gastrinoma triangle. Histology showed a LN with a neuroendocrine tumour that tested positively with gastrin and chromogranin stains. Her symptoms resolved postoperatively, her serum gastrin normalised and a repeated octreotide scan was negative.
Cystic artery pseudoaneurysm following acute necrotising pancreatitis
Authors: Thillai Manoj , Sethi Pulkit , Narayana Menon Ramachandran , Puthukudiyil Kader Nazar
Published: April 2017

Cystic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare pathology. Of the 20 cases reported so far, chronic cholecystitis and iatrogenic biliary injury form the majority of causes. Currently, there is no published report of such pseudoaneurysms caused secondary to pancreatitis, hence the management in such a scenario is unclear. We hereby present the first such report of cystic artery pseudoaneurysm occurring as a sequel of acute necrotising pancreatitis. A 33-year-old man who recovered from a recent attack of acute pancreatitis was readmitted for melena and fever. Computed tomography of abdomen revealed blood in the gall bladder with pericholecystic blush and resolving pancreatic necrosis. Percutaneous transarterial embolisation of the cystic artery was done. This stabilised the patient but persistent sepsis and clinical deterioration warranted a surgical exploration and cholecystostomy. Hence, transarterial embolisation followed by surgery in selected cases can be an ideal management protocol.
Association between exposure in the cement production industry and non-malignant respiratory effects: a systematic review
Authors: Fell Anne Kristin Møller , Nordby Karl Christian
Published: April 2017

Objectives

Based on findings from a systematic literature search, we present and discuss the evidence for an association between exposure to cement dust and non-malignant respiratory effects in cement production workers.

Design and setting

Systematic literature searches (MEDLINE and Embase) were performed. Outcomes were restricted to respiratory symptoms, lung function indices, asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumoconiosis, induced sputum or fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements.

Participants

The studies included exposed cement production workers and non-exposed or low-exposed referents.

Primary and secondary outcomes

The searches yielded 594 references, and 26 articles were included. Cross-sectional studies show reduced lung function levels at or above 4.5 mg/m3of total dust and 2.2 mg/m3of respiratory dust. ORs for symptoms ranged from 1.2 to 4.8, while FEV1/FVC was 1–6% lower in exposed than in controls. Cohort studies reported a high yearly decline in FEV1/FVC ranging from 0.8% to 1.7% for exposed workers. 1 longitudinal study reported airflow limitation at levels of exposure comparable to ∼1 mg/m3respirable and 3.7–5.4 mg/m3total dust. A dose–response relationship between exposure and decline in lung function has only been shown in 1 cohort. 2 studies have detected small increases in FeNO levels during a work shift; 1 study reported signs of airway inflammation in induced sputum, whereas another did not detect an increase in hospitalisation rates.

Conclusions

Lack of power, adjustment for possible confounders and other methodological issues are limitations of many of the included studies. Hence, no firm conclusions can be drawn. There are few longitudinal data, but recent studies report a dose–response relationship between cement production dust exposure and declining lung function indicating a causal relationship, and underlining the need to reduce exposure among workers in this industry.
Relation between carotid stiffness, cognitive performance and brain connectivity in a healthy middle-aged population: an observational neurophysiological cohort study with magnetoencephalography
Authors: Nieboer Dagmar , Douw Linda , van Dijk Bob W , Heymans Martijn W , Stam Cornelis J , Twisk Jos W R
Published: April 2017

Objective

Impaired blood flow of the carotid artery can result in cognitive impairment, but how these vascular impairments lead to global cognitive disturbances is largely unknown. Problems in functional connectivity between brain areas may be responsible for these widespread effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the association between carotid stiffness, functional connectivity and cognitive performance in relatively young and healthy adults before clinical vascular pathology occurs.

Design

The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study: an observational study.

Setting

Participants were included by attending 1 of the 2 selected secondary schools in The Netherlands.

Participants

Men (n=110) and women (n=120) aged 41–44 years (42±0.7).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Data were obtained with regard to local carotid stiffness captured measured with the Young's elastic modulus (YEM). All participants underwent a commonly used Dutch intelligence test and resting-state eyes-closed magnetoencephalography (MEG). Five artefact-free epochs were analysed. The phase lag index (PLI) was used as a measure of functional connectivity between all sensors and was assessed in six frequency bands (δ–γ).

Results

Carotid stiffness was significantly associated with increased functional connectivity in the α2 band in men (β: 0.287; p=0.008). The same results were found for women in the β band (β: 0.216; p=0.040). Furthermore, carotid stiffness was associated with superior cognitive function in men (β: 0.238; p=0.007). In addition, there was neither a significant association nor a consistent pattern between cognitive function and functional connectivity.

Conclusions

The increased connectivity might be a maladaptive phenomenon caused by disinhibition of neurons which may explain the direction of the results. This study suggests that detection of increased (local) carotid stiffness may be promising to identify a disturbance in the organisation of the functional brain network, even before clinical vascular pathology occurs.
108: REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE FOR PERFORMANCE OF “NURSE COMPANIONSHIP PROGRAM” DURING CESAREAN SECTION
Authors: Lotfi Mojgan , Roshangar Fariborz , Aghazadeh Ahmad Mirza , Asghari Elnaz , Aghaee Elmira
Published: April 2017

Background and aims:

Maternal health outcomes after cesarean section are affected by some variable such as pain, anxiety, and fluctuations of vital signs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of the “nurse companion ship” program on Women who are candidate for cesarean section.

Methods:

In a systematic review, all papers published in both Persian and English language regarding preoperative care program for surgery were included without a time limit. Magiran, SID, IranMedex, IranDoc, PubMed, Science Direct, Ovid, Google Scholar, CINAHL databases were searched using the terms: Surgery, Operation room, Doula, Nursing companion ship, preoperative visit, Cesarean, Health outcomes. In addition to databases, national data and dissertations were used. Also, “Data Extraction Form” which developed based on research aim, was used for data collection.

Results:

60 of 95 articles (%63) were from descriptive studies, 10 of them (%10.5) were quantitative study and there were 25 (%26.5) intervention study. Finally, 35 papers and research projects were included in this study. These studies were performed mainly on natural childbirth, and also other surgical fields. Accompany with patients, using therapeutic touch, making eye contact, availability for needs of patients, emotional and psychological support, and pre-operative education were the most interventions in the preoperative care program. In order to evaluation of the program, some variable such as pain, anxiety, patient satisfaction, hospital stay and recovery, and cortisol level was checked out.

Conclusion:

To developing an effective program specifically for women undergoing cesarean section, there is a need for Delphi study which is done base on guidelines and programs recommended in these scientific studies.
The implementation of cardiac arrest treatment recommendations in English acute NHS trusts: a national survey
Authors: Carberry James , Couper Keith , Yeung Joyce
Published: April 2017

Purpose of the study

There are approximately 35 000 in-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year. Successful resuscitation requires integration of the medical science, training and education of clinicians and implementation of best practice in the clinical setting. In 2015, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) published its latest resuscitation treatment recommendations. It is currently unknown the extent to which these treatment recommendations have been successfully implemented in practice in English NHS acute hospital trusts.

Methods

We conducted an electronic survey of English acute NHS trusts to assess the implementation of key ILCOR resuscitation treatment recommendations in relation to in-hospital cardiac arrest practice at English NHS acute hospital trusts.

Results

Of 137 eligible trusts, 73 responded to the survey (response rate 53.3%). The survey identified significant variation in the implementation of ILCOR recommendations. In particular, the use of waveform capnography (n=33, 45.2%) and ultrasound (n=29, 39.7%) was often reported to be available only in specialist areas. Post-resuscitation debriefing occurs following every in-hospital cardiac arrest in few trusts (5.5%, n=4), despite a strong ILCOR recommendation. In contrast, participation in a range of quality improvement strategies such as the National Cardiac Arrest Audit (90.4%, n=66) and resuscitation equipment provision/audit (91.8%, n=67) were high. Financial restrictions were identified by 65.8% (n=48) as the main barrier to guideline implementation.

Conclusion

Our survey found that ILCOR treatment recommendations had not been fully implemented in most English NHS acute hospital trusts. Further work is required to better understand barriers to implementation.
Identification of quantitative trait loci underlying seed protein content of soybean including main, epistatic, and QTL × environment effects in different regions of Northeast China
Authors: Teng Weili , Li Wen , Zhang Qi , Wu Depeng , Zhao Xue , Li Haiyan , Han Yingpeng , Li Wenbin
Published: April 2017

The objective here was to identify QTL underlying soybean protein content (PC), and to evaluate the additive and epistatic effects of the QTLs. A mapping population, consisting of 129 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), was created by crossing ‘Dongnong 46’ and ‘L-100’. Phenotypic data of the parents and RILs were collected for 4 years in three locations of Heilongjiang Province of China. A total of 213 SSR markers were used to construct a genetic linkage map. Eight QTLs, located on seven chromosomes (Chr), were identified to be associated with PC among the 10 tested environments. Of the seven QTLs, five QTLs, qPR-2 (Satt710, on Chr9), qPR-3 (Sat_122, on Chr12), qPR-5 (Satt543, on Chr17), qPR-7 (Satt163, on Chr18), and qPR-8 (Satt614, on Chr20), were detected in six, seven, seven, six, and seven environments, respectively, implying relatively stable QTLs. qPR-3 could explain 3.33%–11.26% of the phenotypic variation across eight tested environments. qPR-5 and qPR-8 explained 3.64%–10.1% and 11.86%–18.40% of the phenotypic variation, respectively, across seven tested environments. Eight QTLs associated with PC exhibited additive and (or) additive × environment interaction effects. The results showed that environment-independent QTLs often had higher additive effects. Moreover, five epistatic pairwise QTLs were identified in the 10 environments.
Multichannel loudness compensation method based on segmented sound pressure level for digital hearing aids
Authors: Liang Ruiyu , Xi Ji , Bao Yongqiang
Published: April 2017

To improve the performance of gain compensation based on three-segment sound pressure level (SPL) in hearing aids, an improved multichannel loudness compensation method based on eight-segment SPL was proposed. Firstly, the uniform cosine modulated filter bank was designed. Then, the adjacent channels which have low or gradual slopes were adaptively merged to obtain the corresponding non-uniform cosine modulated filter according to the audiogram of hearing impaired persons. Secondly, the input speech was decomposed into sub-band signals and the SPL of every sub-band signal was computed. Meanwhile, the audible SPL range from 0 dB SPL to 120 dB SPL was equally divided into eight segments. Based on these segments, a different prescription formula was designed to compute more detailed gain to compensate according to the audiogram and the computed SPL. Finally, the enhanced signal was synthesized. Objective experiments showed the decomposed signals after cosine modulated filter bank have little distortion. Objective experiments showed that the hearing aids speech perception index (HASPI) and hearing aids speech quality index (HASQI) increased 0.083 and 0.082 on average, respectively. Subjective experiments showed the proposed algorithm can effectively improve the speech recognition of six hearing impaired persons.
Combating cancer with data
Authors: Shein Esther
Published: April 2017

Supercomputers will sift massive amounts of data in search of therapies that work.
Exploiting vector instructions with generalized stream fusion
Authors: Mainland Geoffrey , Leshchinskiy Roman , Jones Simon Peyton
Published: April 2017

Ideally, a program written as a composition of concise, self-contained components should perform as well as the equivalent hand-written version where the functionality of what was many components has been manually combined into a monolithic implementation. That is, programmers should not have to sacrifice code clarity or good software engineering practices to obtain performance---we want compositionality without a performance penalty. This work shows how to attain this goal for high-level Haskell in the domain of sequence-processing functions, which includes applications such as array processing.

Prior work on stream fusion shows how to automatically transform some high-level sequence-processing functions into efficient implementations. It has been used to great effect in Haskell libraries for manipulating byte arrays, Unicode text, and unboxed vectors. However some operations, like vector append, do not perform well within the stream fusion framework. Others, like SIMD computation using the SSE and AVX instructions available on modern x86 chips, do not seem to fit in the stream fusion framework at all. We describe generalized stream fusion, which solves these issues through a careful choice of stream representation. Benchmarks show that high-level Haskell code written using our compiler and libraries can produce code that is faster than both compiler- and hand-vectorized C.
Genetic Factors and the Risk of Periodontitis Development: Findings from a Systematic Review Composed of 13 Studies of Meta-Analysis with 71,531 Participants
Authors: da Silva Maélson Klever , de Carvalho Antonio Carlos Gonçalves , Alves Even Herlany Pereira , da Silva Felipe Rodolfo Pereira , Pessoa Larissa dos Santos , Vasconcelos Daniel Fernando Pereira
Published: April 2017

Purpose. This work aimed to synthesize the results of recent meta-analysis focusing on polymorphism in inflammatory mediators and its relation with the risk of periodontitis development.Materials and Methods. A systematic search was conducted using databases for publications prior to October 2016. Three examiners extracted data from articles with a clear association between polymorphisms in the inflammatory mediator gene and the development of periodontitis through meta-analysis using the fixed or randomized statistical models to calculate the Odds Ratio with values ofP<0.05considered significant.Results. A total of 13 meta-analysis articles with 25 polymorphisms in seven interleukins (IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-18), three cellular receptors (Fcγreceptors: FCGR2A, FCGR3A, and FCGR3B), and five inflammatory mediators (COX-2, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-9), with a total of 71,531 participants, approaching different classifications of the disease.Conclusion. The study demonstrated that polymorphisms in the IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-6, IL-10, MMP-3 (chronic form), and MMP-9 (chronic form) polymorphisms were significantly associated with the risk of developing periodontitis, whereas other polymorphisms in the IL-4, IL-8, IL-18, Fcγ, COX-2, MMP-2, MMP-3 (aggressive), MMP-8, and MMP-9 (aggressive) polymorphisms had no significant association with risk of developing periodontitis.
A New Method to Measure Crack Extension in Nuclear Graphite Based on Digital Image Correlation
Authors: Lai Shigang , Shi Li , Fok Alex , Li Haiyan , Sun Libin , Zhang Zhengming
Published: April 2017

Graphite components, used as moderators, reflectors, and core-support structures in a High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor, play an important role in the safety of the reactor. Specifically, they provide channels for the fuel elements, control rods, and coolant flow. Fracture is the main failure mode for graphite, and breaching of the above channels by crack extension will seriously threaten the safety of a reactor. In this paper, a new method based on digital image correlation (DIC) is introduced for measuring crack extension in brittle materials. Cross-correlation of the displacements measured by DIC with a step function was employed to identify the advancing crack tip in a graphite beam specimen under three-point bending. The load-crack extension curve, which is required for analyzing the R-curve and tension softening behaviors, was obtained for this material. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the threshold value employed for the cross-correlation parameter in the crack identification process was conducted. Finally, the results were verified using the finite element method.
Growth of Carbon Nanofibers in Phenolic Resin for Carbon-Contained Refractory Using Different Catalysts
Authors: Yu Jun , Zhao Huizhong , Zhang Han , Li Jingjie , Ding Xiongfeng
Published: April 2017

Various phenolic resins modified with carbon nanofibers were prepared using Fe(NO3)3, Co(NO3)2, and Ni(NO3)3 as catalyst, respectively. The influences of different catalysts on the phase, microstructure evolution, and oxidation resistance of the modified phenolic resin were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The results showed that, compared with a single catalyst, the mixed catalysts (Co(NO3)2 : Fe(NO3)3 = 1 : 1) promoted the growth of the carbon nanofibers, which have the higher crystallinity, homogeneous dispersion, and nonagglomeration. These carbon nanofibers can effectively reduce carbon losses, increase char yield, and fill the holes in the thermal cracking process of phenolic resins.
Heterogeneous Responses of Ovarian Cancer Cells to Silver Nanoparticles as a Single Agent and in Combination with Cisplatin
Authors: Fahrenholtz Cale D. , Swanner Jessica , Ramirez-Perez Maria , Singh Ravi N.
Published: April 2017

We investigated the effects of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) exposure in three ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780, SKOV3, and OVCAR3). We found that AgNPs were highly cytotoxic toward A2780 and SKOV3 cells but OVCAR3 cells were less sensitive to AgNPs. In agreement with the cytotoxicity data, AgNPs caused DNA damage in A2780 and SKOV3 cells, but not in OVCAR3 cells. A2780 and SKOV3 showed higher levels of basal reactive oxygen species (ROS) relative to OVCAR3 cells. AgNP exposure increased ROS levels in both A2780 and SKOV3 cells, but not in OVCAR3 cells. We found that the heterogeneous cytotoxicity was specific to the uptake of intact particles and was not due to differences in sensitivity to silver ions. Furthermore, the combination of AgNPs and standard-of-care platinum therapy, cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), CDDP), was synergistic for treatment of A2780 and OVCAR3 cells and the combination of AgNPs and CDDP showed a favorable dose reduction in all cell lines tested. These results provide insight into potential applications of AgNPs for treatment of ovarian cancer.
Chai‐Qin‐Cheng‐Qi Decoction and Carbachol Improve Intestinal Motility by Regulating Protein Kinase C‐Mediated Ca2+ Release in Colonic Smooth Muscle Cells in Rats with Acute Necrotising Pancreatitis
Authors: Zhang Chen-Long , Lin Zi-Qi , Luo Rui-Jie , Zhang Xiao-Xin , Guo Jia , Wu Wei , Shi Na , Deng Li-Hui , Chen Wei-Wei , Zhang Xiao-Ying , Bharucha Shameena , Huang Wei , Sutton Robert , Windsor John A. , Xue Ping , Xia Qing
Published: April 2017

Chai‐Qin‐Cheng‐Qi decoction (CQCQD) improves intestinal motility in acute pancreatitis (AP), but the mechanism(s) require elucidation. We investigated the effects of CQCQD and carbachol, a prokinetic agent, on colonic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in L‐arginine‐induced necrotising AP model in rats. In treatment groups, intragastric CQCQD (20 g/kg, 2 hourly × 3 doses) or intraperitoneal carbachol (60 μg/kg) was given 24 hours after induction of AP. Both CQCQD and carbachol decreased the severity of pancreatic and colonic histopathology (all P < 0.05). Both CQCQD and carbachol reduced serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and substance P and increased motility levels. CQCQD upregulated SMC phospholipase C‐beta 1 (PLC‐β1) mRNA and PLC protein (both P < 0.05), while both treatments upregulated protein kinase C‐alpha (PKC‐α) mRNA and PKC protein and downregulated adenylate cyclase (AC) mRNA and protein compared with no treatment (all P < 0.05). Neither treatment significantly altered L‐arginine‐induced PKC‐β1 and PKC‐ε mRNA reduction. Both treatments significantly increased fluorescence intensity of SMC intracellular calcium concentration (3563.5 and 3046.9 versus 1086.9, both P < 0.01). These data suggest CQCQD and carbachol improve intestinal motility in AP by increasing in colonic SMCs via upregulating PLC, PKC and downregulating AC.
Manufacture of Fine-Pored Ceramics by the Gelcasting Method
Authors: Psiuk Bronisław , Gerle Anna , Osadnik Małgorzata , Śliwa Andrzej
Published: April 2017

The fine-pored materials represent a wide range of applications and searches are being continued to develop methods of their manufacturing. In the article, based on measurements on fine-grained powders of Al2O3, TiO2, and SiO2, it has been demonstrated that gelcasting can be relatively simple method of obtaining of nanoporous materials with high values of both specific surface area and open porosity. The powders were dispersed in silica sol, and the gelling initiator was NH4Cl. The usefulness of experiment design theory for developing of fine-pored materials with high porosity and specific surface area was also shown.
Melatonin in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Analysis Using Modern Mathematical Modeling Methods
Authors: Paprocka Justyna , Kijonka Marek , Boguszewicz Łukasz , Sokół Maria
Published: April 2017

Purpose. The aim of the study was to assess melatonin secretion pattern in children with TSC and to compare it with the secretion patterns in children with and without epilepsy.Material and Methods. Melatonin secretion was measured every three hours using the RIA method in four children with recognized TSC. The parameters of the melatonin secretion models were interpreted and compared with those obtained for the patients with epilepsy (n=76) and the children from the control, nonepileptic group (n=36). To describe the diurnal melatonin secretion, mathematical model was constructed and nonlinear least squares method with the Levenberg-Marquardt optimization algorithm was applied to approximate its parameters. The dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) parameters were also estimated from the model.Results and Conclusions. Statistically significant differences were found between the TSC melatonin secretion profiles and the nonepileptic control group. The profiles for the epileptic and TSC groups were found to be similar. For the TSC group, though a small one, the variations in the MLT release amplitudes seem to be independent of the total number of seizures; however, the MLT release shift appears to depend on the number of seizures.
Safety Evaluation of Potential Toxic Metals Exposure from Street Foods Consumed in Mid-West Nigeria
Authors: Ekhator O. C. , Udowelle N. A. , Igbiri S. , Asomugha R. N. , Igweze Z. N. , Orisakwe O. E.
Published: April 2017

Objective. Street-vended foods offer numerous advantages to food security; nevertheless, the safety of street food should be considered. This study has investigated the level of potential toxic metal (Pb, Cd, Hg, Sb, Mn, and Al) contamination among street-vended foods in Benin City and Umunede. Methods. Twenty street food samples were purchased from vendors at bus stops. Metals were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The methods developed by the US EPA were employed to evaluate the potential health risk of toxic metals. Results. The concentrations of the toxic metals in mg/kg were in the range of Pb (0.014–1.37), Cd (0.00–0.00017), Hg (0.00–0.00014), Sb (0.00–0.021), Mn (0.00–0.012), and Al (0.00–0.22). All the toxic metals except Pb were below permissible limit set by WHO, EU, and USEPA. The daily intake, hazard quotient, and hazard index of all toxic metals except for Pb in some street foods were below the tolerable daily intake and threshold value of 1, indicating an insignificant health risk. Total cancer risk was within the priority risk level of 1.0E-04 but higher than the acceptable risk level of 1E-06. Conclusion. Consumption of some of these street foods is of public health concern.
Overexpressed Fatty Acid Synthase in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: Targeting a Progression-Associated Metabolic Driver Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Imatinib
Authors: Li Chien-Feng , Fang Fu-Min , Chen Yen-Yang , Liu Ting-Ting , Chan Ti-Chun , Yu Shih-Chen , Chen Li-Tzong , Huang Hsuan-Ying
Published: April 2017

Purpose: In gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), lipid-metabolizing enzymes remain underexplored, including fatty acid synthase (FASN).

Experimental Design: Forty GISTs were quantitated for FASN mRNA abundance. FASN immunoexpression was informative in 350 GISTs, including 213 with known KIT/PDGFRA/BRAF genotypes. In imatinib-resistant FASN-overexpressing GIST cells, the roles of overexpressed FASN and FASN-targeting C75 in tumor phenotypes, apoptosis and autophagy, KIT transcription, PI3K/AKT/mTOR activation, and imatinib resistance were analyzed by RNAi or myristoylated-AKT transfection. The therapeutic relevance of dual blockade of FASN and KIT was evaluated in vivo.

Results: FASN mRNA abundance significantly increased from very low/low-risk to high-risk levels of NCCN guidelines (P < 0.0001). FASN overexpression was associated with a nongastric location (P = 0.05), unfavorable genotype (P = 0.005), and increased risk level (P < 0.001) and independently predicted shorter disease-free survival (P < 0.001). In vitro, FASN knockdown inhibited cell growth and migration, inactivated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and resensitized resistant GIST cells to imatinib. C75 transcriptionally repressed the KIT promoter, downregulated KIT expression and phosphorylation, induced LC3-II and myristoylated AKT-suppressible activity of caspases 3 and 7, attenuated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/RPS6/4E-BP1 pathway activation, and exhibited dose-dependent therapeutic additivism with imatinib. Compared with both monotherapies, the C75/imatinib combination more effectively suppressed the growth of xenografts, exhibiting decreased KIT phosphorylation, Ki-67, and phosphorylated PI3K/AKT/mTOR levels and increased TUNEL labeling.

Conclusions: We have characterized the prognostic, biological, and therapeutic implications of overexpressed FASN in GISTs. C75 represses KIT transactivation, abrogates PI3K/AKT/mTOR activation, and provides a rationale for dual blockade of KIT and FASN in treating imatinib-resistant GISTs. Clin Cancer Res; 23(16); 4908–18. ©2017 AACR.
Combined AURKA and H3K9 Methyltransferase Targeting Inhibits Cell Growth By Inducing Mitotic Catastrophe
Authors: Mathison Angela , Salmonson Ann , Missfeldt Mckenna , Bintz Jennifer , Williams Monique , Kossak Sarah , Nair Asha , de Assuncao Thiago M. , Christensen Trace , Buttar Navtej , Iovanna Juan , Huebert Robert , Lomberk Gwen
Published: April 2017

The current integrative pathobiologic hypothesis states that pancreatic cancer (PDAC) develops and progresses in response to an interaction between known oncogenes and downstream epigenomic regulators. Congruently, this study tests a new combinatorial therapy based on the inhibition of the Aurora kinase A (AURKA) oncogene and one of its targets, the H3K9 methylation–based epigenetic pathway. This therapeutic combination is effective at inhibiting the in vitro growth of PDAC cells both, in monolayer culture systems, and in three-dimensional spheroids and organoids. The combination also reduces the growth of PDAC xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, it was found that inhibiting methyltransferases of the H3K9 pathway in cells, which are arrested in G2–M after targeting AURKA, decreases H3K9 methylation at centromeres, induces mitotic aberrations, triggers an aberrant mitotic check point response, and ultimately leads to mitotic catastrophe. Combined, these data describe for the first time a hypothesis-driven design of an efficient combinatorial treatment that targets a dual oncogenic–epigenomic pathway to inhibit PDAC cell growth via a cytotoxic mechanism that involves perturbation of normal mitotic progression to end in mitotic catastrophe. Therefore, this new knowledge has significant mechanistic value as it relates to the development of new therapies as well as biomedical relevance.

Implications: These results outline a model for the combined inhibition of a genetic-to-epigenetic pathway to inhibit cell growth and suggest an important and provocative consideration for harnessing the capacity of cell-cycle inhibitors to enhance the future use of epigenetic inhibitors. Mol Cancer Res; 15(8); 984–97. ©2017 AACR.
An Unusual Case of Contact Dermatitis
Authors: Hughes Olivia B. , Maderal Andrea D. , Tosti Antonella
Published: April 2017

We report a case of acute psoriasiform contact dermatitis of the forehead and scalp related to the use of a low-laser light cap. The patient had a positive patch test to dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDE), methylisothiazolinone, kathon CG, and cobalt. We believe that DMDE in the fabric of the cap was responsible for the allergic contact dermatitis in this case as the lesions resolved with cessation of cap use.
Recent Advances in Stroke Prevention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Ronco Federico , Mazzone Patrizio , Hosseinian Leila , Genovesi Simonetta
Published: April 2017

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a high prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), but in this population the risk/benefit ratio of anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) for thromboprophylaxis is uncertain. Summary: In end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis, VKA seem less effective in stroke prevention than in the general population, with an increased risk of major bleeding. Recently, novel oral anticoagulant agents (NOACs) have proven to be effective for stroke prevention in AF and have demonstrated an improved safety profile compared to VKA. Limited data from post hoc analyses of controlled clinical trials suggest the safe and effective use of NOACs in patients with moderate renal impairment (i.e., estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR, between 30 and 50 mL/min). The question still remains whether NOACs can be used in patients with an eGFR <30 mL/min, since there are no studies addressing this subject. In fact, patients with CKD stage 4 and 5 were excluded from controlled clinical trials on anticoagulation therapy for stroke prevention in AF. Left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion represents a nonpharmacological alternative for stroke prevention in patients with AF who are difficult to manage medically. Preliminary data indicate a similar efficacy and safety profile in patients with CKD compared to patients with normal renal function. Key Messages: Stroke prevention in patients with ESRD and AF represents a clinical challenge with poor evidence. LAA occlusion may become the standard of care for stroke prevention in patients with ESRD and AF.
Conventional Thinking? The 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and the Politics of Legal Restraints on Weapons during the Cold War
Authors: Carvin Stephanie
Published: April 2017

Though largely unknown, the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) has been successful in many areas. The treaty remains in force today and has helped to regulate many types of weapons, including landmines, incendiary weapons, and blinding laser weapons. Additionally, it has helped to clarify terms important for international legal norms, such as “unnecessary suffering” and “military necessity.” The CCW was the first treaty to regulate conventional weapons in more than 70 years. Why is this seemingly useful treaty relatively unfamiliar compared with other laws of war treaties, remembered only by humanitarians who occasionally invoke it to denounce it for being conservative or even a “humanitarian failure”? This article shows that besides “humanitarian politics,” Cold War politics had a major and underappreciated impact on conventional weapons treaty negotiations from the late 1960s through the 1980s. In particular, Cold War politics established the different sides in the negotiations (West, East, and South), which had a far-reaching impact on the conduct and tone of the negotiations, determined the weapons and issues under discussion, and ultimately affected implementation of the 1980 CCW following its ratification. By tracing the history of conventional weapons negotiations from 1968 to 1980 and examining the key impact of Cold War politics on the process, this article sheds light on the politics of conventional weapons negotiations today.
Cold War Sport, Film, and Propaganda: A Comparative Analysis of the Superpowers
Authors: Shaw Tony , Youngblood Denise J.
Published: April 2017

Films and sports played central roles in Cold War popular culture. Each helped set ideological agendas domestically and internationally while serving as powerful substitutes for direct superpower conflict. This article brings film and sport together by offering the first comparative analysis of how U.S. and Soviet cinema used sport as an instrument of propaganda during the Cold War. The article explores the different propaganda styles that U.S. and Soviet sports films adopted and pinpoints the political functions they performed. It considers what Cold War sports cinema can tell us about political culture in the United States and the Soviet Union after 1945 and about the complex battle for hearts and minds that was so important to the East-West conflict.
A new subfamily of Feaellidae (Arachnida, Chelonethi, Feaelloidea) from Southeast Asia
Authors: JUDSON MARK L. I.
Published: April 2017

The first extant representatives of the pseudoscorpion family Feaellidae from Southeast Asia are described. Cybella n. gen. is proposed for Cybella deharvengi n. sp. (type species), collected from an isolated limestone hill in Hon Chong Province, Vietnam, and C. bedosae n. sp., found in a limestone cave in Kampuchea, Cambodia. Cybella species seem to be restricted to karst formations and are probably troglophilic. The type localities of the two known species are threatened by quarrying activities, these being particularly pressing in the case of C. deharvengi n. sp. Cybella shows important differences from other Feaellidae that require a modification of the familial diagnosis and justify the erection of a new subfamily, Cybellinae. The discovery of this group provides insights into the evolution of the unusual morphology of the family, notably concerning the pleural plates of Feaellinae, which are lacking in Cybellinae. The smaller sclerites of the pleura of Pseudogarypidae and Feaellidae are shown to be muscle apodemes, which provide an additional synapomorphy for Feaelloidea. Two types of coxal spines, termed primary and secondary, are distinguished in Feaelloidea, based on the presence of a lumen within the primary spines and its absence in secondary spines. The new morphological term atrial plate is proposed for a sclerotized plate of the male genitalia, extending between the lateral rods and the lateral apodemes. Claims that the internal genital setae of males of non-chthonioid pseudoscorpions are secretory are reviewed and found to lack support.        Additional information concerning the fossil genus Protofeaella Henderickx, 2016 is provided, based on an adult male in amber from the Cretaceous (lowermost Cenomanian) of Myanmar. Protofeaella shares with Cybella the absence of pleural plates and the antiaxial position of the chemosensory setae of the movable chelal finger. However, it differs from both Cybellinae and Feaellinae in having relatively long chelal fingers that lack a tuberculate basal tooth, both of which are interpreted as symplesiomorphic states within Feaellidae. Protofeaella is therefore provisionally treated as a stem-group feaellid and not assigned to a subfamily.        The existence of a Cretaceous member of the Pseudogarypidae is noted in the mid-Cretaceous (late Albian‒early Cenomanian) of Germany, representing the oldest record of this family.
The genus Vieira Navás (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a new species, a key to the species, and new geographic records
Authors: SOSA FRANCISCO , TAUBER CATHERINE A.
Published: April 2017

Vieira Navás is a small genus of Neotropical green lacewings in the tribe Belonopterygini. Here, a fifth species, Vieira flinti sp. nov., is described from Venezuela and Brazil. This species shares significant features with disparate members of the genus; thus the genus as a whole is now known to express a more continuous range of morphological variation than previously recognized. We present a key for identifying Vieira species and new geographic records for previously described species in the genus.
The Role of Inner-Core Moisture in Tropical Cyclone Predictability and Practical Forecast Skill
Authors: Emanuel Kerry , Zhang Fuqing
Published: April 2017

Errors in tropical cyclone intensity forecasts are dominated by initial-condition errors out to at least a few days. Initialization errors are usually thought of in terms of position and intensity, but here it is shown that growth of intensity error is at least as sensitive to the specification of inner-core moisture as to that of the wind field. Implications of this finding for tropical cyclone observational strategies and for overall predictability of storm intensity are discussed.