bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Renal Dysfunction on Circulating Sclerostin Level in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Kim Se Hwa , Yoon Soo Young , Lim Sung-Kil , Rhee Yumie
Published: June 2014

Objective. Sclerostin is a Wnt inhibitor produced specifically by osteocytes. However, it is not currently clear whether renal dysfunction has an effect on circulating sclerostin level in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of the study was to evaluate this relationship. Design and Patients. We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 302 type 2 diabetic patients with or without chronic kidney disease. Serum sclerostin level was analyzed by ELISA, and renal function was assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Results. There was a strong correlation between sclerostin level with renal function presented as serum creatinine (r=0.745, P<0.001) and eGFR (r=-0.590, P<0.001). Serum sclerostin level was significantly higher in patients with CKD-G3 stage than those with CKD-G1/2 stages after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI (P=0.011). Patients with CKD-G4/5 stages had dramatically increased level of circulating sclerostin. Multiple regression analyses found that age, sex, and eGFR were independent determining factors for circulating sclerostin level. Conclusion. Our data showed that serum sclerostin levels start to increase in diabetic patients with CKD-G3 stage. Further studies are needed to establish the potential role of elevated sclerostin in diabetic patients with CKD.
Hot News Recommendation System from Heterogeneous Websites Based on Bayesian Model
Authors: Xia Zhengyou , Xu Shengwu , Liu Ningzhong , Zhao Zhengkang
Published: June 2014

The most current news recommendations are suitable for news which comes from a single news website, not for news from different heterogeneous news websites. Previous researches about news recommender systems based on different strategies have been proposed to provide news personalization services for online news readers. However, little research work has been reported on utilizing hundreds of heterogeneous news websites to provide top hot news services for group customers (e.g., government staffs). In this paper, we propose a hot news recommendation model based on Bayesian model, which is from hundreds of different news websites. In the model, we determine whether the news is hot news by calculating the joint probability of the news. We evaluate and compare our proposed recommendation model with the results of human experts on the real data sets. Experimental results demonstrate the reliability and effectiveness of our method. We also implement this model in hot news recommendation system of Hangzhou city government in year 2013, which achieves very good results.
Singularity Analysis of Redundant Space Robot with the Structure of Canadarm2
Authors: Chen Gang , Zhang Long , Jia Qingxuan , Sun Hanxu
Published: June 2014

A novel method of singularity analysis for redundant space robot with the structure of Canadarm2 is proposed in this paper. This kind of structure has the characteristics of three consecutive parallel axes. First, the “virtual manipulator” method is employed to transfer the singularity problem of a space robot to that of a ground one. By choosing an appropriate reference system and a reference point of the end‐effector, Jacobian matrix is greatly simplified and then it is reconstructed according to a new standard. On this basis, the Jacobian matrix can be partitioned into four submatrixes whose degradation conditions are put forward; thereafter, the singularity conditions and singular directions of the redundant space robot are obtained. The effectiveness of the proposed singularity analysis method is verified through simulation.
Adaptive Broadcasting Mechanism for Bandwidth Allocation in Mobile Services
Authors: Horng Gwo-Jiun , Wang Chi-Hsuan , Chou Chih-Lun
Published: June 2014

This paper proposes a tree-based adaptive broadcasting (TAB) algorithm for data dissemination to improve data access efficiency. The proposed TAB algorithm first constructs a broadcast tree to determine the broadcast frequency of each data and splits the broadcast tree into some broadcast wood to generate the broadcast program. In addition, this paper develops an analytical model to derive the mean access latency of the generated broadcast program. In light of the derived results, both the index channel’s bandwidth and the data channel’s bandwidth can be optimally allocated to maximize bandwidth utilization. This paper presents experiments to help evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the proposed mechanism is feasible in practice.
Advanced Material Studies for Additive Manufacturing in terms of Future Gear Application
Authors: Bräunig Jan , Töppel Thomas , Müller Bernhard , Burkhardt Martin , Hipke Thomas , Drossel Welf-Guntram
Published: June 2014

Additive manufacturing by laser beam melting is predestined for complex component geometry like integrated cooling channels without enormous posttreatment processing. To investigate the influence of build-up direction in terms of later tooth excitation of gear-wheels, first fundamental material analyses were accomplished in this publication. Therefore, additively produced specimens were used to determine the build-up direction dependent elastic properties of the material in all three spatial directions based on tensile and torsion tests. The anisotropies of elastic limits and breaking points of previous studies were confirmed in this paper. Furthermore, torsion values were also determined depending on build-up direction. Laser beam melted X3NiCoMoTi18-9-5 (hot-work tool steel) was shown to exhibit extremely high performance under shear loading in comparison to conventionally processed steel. The influence of build-up direction on torsional strength was also shown.
Rapid Discrimination of Chlorpheniramine Maleate and Assessment of Its Surface Content Uniformity in a Pharmaceutical Formulation by NIR-CI Coupled with Statistical Measurement
Authors: Zhou Luwei , Wu Zhisheng , Shi Xinyuan , Xu Manfei , Liu Xiaona , Xu Bing , Qiao Yanjiang
Published: June 2014

This study demonstrated that near infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) was a rapid and nondestructive technique for discrimination of chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) and assessment of its surface content uniformity (SCU) in a pharmaceutical formulation. The characteristic wavenumber method was used for discriminating CPM distribution on the tablet surface. To assess the surface content uniformity of CPM, binary image and statistical measurement were proposed. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used as reference method for accurately determining volume content of CPM in the sample. Moreover, HPLC was performed to assess volume content uniformity (VCU) of CPM in whole region and part region of the tablets. The NIR-CI result showed that the spatial distribution of CPM was heterogeneous on the tablet surface. Through the comparison of content uniformity of CPM determined by NIR-CI and HPLC, respectively, it demonstrated that a high degree of VCU did not imply a high degree of SCU of the samples. These results indicate that HPLC method is not suitable for testing SCU, and this has been verified by NIR-CI. This study proves the feasibility of NIR-CI for rapid discrimination of CPM and assessment of its SCU, which is helpful for the quality control of commercial CPM tablets.
Influences of RVG Positions on the Periodic Flow Profiles
Authors: Jedsadaratanachai Withada
Published: June 2014

The effects on the positions of rib vortex generators (RVGs) for periodic laminar flow behavior are presented numerically in three‐dimensional. The RVGs with constant blockage ratio (b/H, BR = 0.15), the pitch ratio (P/H, PR = 1), and flow attack angle (α = 30° ) are inserted in isothermal walls of the square channel. The SIMPLE algorithm and the finite volume method (FVM) are applied for the computational domain. The influences of different gap ratios (g/H = 0–0.35) for Reynolds number based on the hydraulic diameter (Dh), Re = 100–1200, are investigated. It is found that the flow profiles can be divided into two parts; the first, similar in flow configuration, but different in u/u0 values, is called “periodic flow” and the second, similar in both flow configuration and u/u0 values, is called “fully developed periodic flow.” The results reveal that the periodic flow profiles appear around 2nd‐3rd modules while the fully developed flow profiles occur around 6th–9th modules. In addition, the periodic flow profiles and fully developed periodic flow profiles become faster in case of the lowest continuous flow area (g/H = 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30) and the regimes close to the RVG.
Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Cell Differentiation toward Myogenic Lineages: Facts and Perspectives
Authors: Galli Daniela , Vitale Marco , Vaccarezza Mauro
Published: June 2014

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are valuable platforms for new therapies based on regenerative medicine. BM-MSCs era is coming of age since the potential of these cells is increasingly demonstrated. In fact, these cells give origin to osteoblasts, chondroblasts, and adipocyte precursorsin vitro, and they can also differentiate versus other mesodermal cell types like skeletal muscle precursors and cardiomyocytes. In our short review, we focus on the more recent manipulations of BM-MSCs toward skeletal and heart muscle differentiation, a growing field of obvious relevance considering the toll of muscle disease (i.e., muscular dystrophies), the heavier toll of heart disease in developed countries, and the still not completely understood mechanisms of muscle differentiation and repair.
Evaluation on the Efficiency of Biomass Power Generation Industry in China
Authors: Sun Jingqi , Sun Dong , Guo Sen
Published: June 2014

As a developing country with large population, China is facing the problems of energy resource shortage and growing environmental pollution arising from the coal-dominated energy structure. Biomass energy, as a kind of renewable energy with the characteristics of being easy to store and friendly to environment, has become the focus of China’s energy development in the future. Affected by the advanced power generation technology and diversified geography environment, the biomass power generation projects show new features in recent years. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of biomass power generation industry by employing proper method with the consideration of new features. In this paper, the regional difference as a new feature of biomass power generation industry is taken into consideration, and the AR model is employed to modify the zero-weight issue when using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to evaluate the efficiency of biomass power generation industry. 30 biomass power generation enterprises in China are selected as the sample, and the efficiency evaluation is performed. The result can provide some insights into the sustainable development of biomass power generation industry in China.
Retrospective Analysis of Pediatric Tracheostomy
Authors: Akdag Mehmet , Baysal Zeynep , Pirinccioglu Ayfer Gozu , Gul Aylin , Ozkurt Fazıl Emre , Topcu Ismail
Published: June 2014

Purpose. This paper reviews analyses for tracheostomy within our patient population over the last 6 years. Methods. We conducted a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients undergoing tracheostomy at the tertiary Dicle University Medical hospital, Turkey, from January 2006 to December 2012. Patient age, sex, emergency, planned tracheostomy, indications, complications, and decannulation time were all assessed. Results. Fifty-six (34 male, 22 female) adult Pediatric patients undergoing tracheostomy between 2006 and 2013 were investigated. The most common indication for tracheostomy was upper airway obstruction (66.7%), followed by prolonged intubation (33.3%). Mean decannulation times after tracheostomy ranged between 1 and 131 days, the difference being statistically significant (P=0.040). There was no significant difference in terms of mean age (9.8±6.0; P=0.26). There was also no statistical difference between emergency and planned tracheotomies (P=0.606). Conclusion. In our patient population, there was a significant decline in the number of tracheotomies performed for prolonged intubation and an increasing number of patient tracheostomy for upper airway obstruction. According to the literature, permanent decannulation rates were slightly higher with an increase in genetic diseases such as neuromuscular disease.
Common Periodontal Diseases of Children and Adolescents
Authors: Al-Ghutaimel Hayat , Riba Hisham , Al-Kahtani Salem , Al-Duhaimi Saad
Published: June 2014

Background.Since 2000, studies, experiments, and clinical observations revealed high prevalence of periodontal diseases among children and adolescents. Therefore, this paper was designed to provide an update for dental practitioners on epidemiology, microbiology, pathology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal diseases in children and adolescents.Methods.This paper reviews the current literature concerning periodontal diseases in pediatric dentistry. It includes MEDLINE database search using key terms: “periodontal diseases in children,” “Periodontal diseasesin adolescents,” “periodontal diseases risk factors,” “microbiology of periodontal diseases,” “classification of periodontal diseases,” “epidemiology of periodontal diseases,” and “treatment of periodontal diseases.” Articles were evaluated by title and/or abstract and relevance to pediatric dentistry. Sixty-five citations were selected by this method and by the references within the chosen articles. A review of the comprehensive textbooks on pediatric dentistry and periodontology was done. Some recommendations were based on the opinions of experienced researchers and clinicians, when data were inconclusive.
Quartic Rational Said-Ball-Like Basis with Tension Shape Parameters and Its Application
Authors: Zhu Yuanpeng , Han Xuli , Liu Shengjun
Published: June 2014

Four new quartic rational Said-Ball-like basis functions, which include the cubic Said-Ball basis functions as a special case, are constructed in this paper. The new basis is applied to generate a class ofC1continuous quartic rational Hermite interpolation splines with local tension shape parameters. The error estimate expression of the proposed interpolant is given and the sufficient conditions are derived for constructing aC1positivity- or monotonicity- preserving interpolation spline. In addition, we extend the quartic rational Said-Ball-like basis to a triangular domain which has three tension shape parameters and includes the cubic triangular Said-Ball basis as a special case. In order to compute the corresponding patch stably and efficiently, a new de Casteljau-type algorithm is developed. Moreover, theG1continuous conditions are deduced for the joining of two patches.
CELLCOUNTER: Novel Open-Source Software for Counting Cell Migration and InvasionIn Vitro
Authors: Li Xiaoni , Yang Hongshun , Huang Hailiang , Zhu Tao
Published: June 2014

Transwell Boyden chamber based migration/invasion assay is a simple and extensively used approach for the characterization of cell motilityin vitro. Cell motility is quantified by counting the number of cells that pass through the filter membrane. The counting is usually performed manually, which is laborious and error prone. We have therefore developed CELLCOUNTER, an application that is capable of recognizing and counting the total number of cells through an intuitive graphical user interface. The counting can be performed in batch, and the counting results can be visualized and further curated manually. CELLCOUNTER will be helpful in streamlining the experimental process and improving the reliability of the data acquisition.
Dissecting the Role of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells on Bone Metastases
Authors: Buenrostro Denise , Park Serk In , Sterling Julie A.
Published: June 2014

Tumor-induced bone disease is a dynamic process that involves interactions with many cell types. Once metastatic cancer cells reach the bone, they are in contact with many different cell types that are present in the cell-rich bone marrow. These cells include the immune cells, myeloid cells, fibroblasts, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and mesenchymal stem cells. Each of these cell populations can influence the behavior or gene expression of both the tumor cells and the bone microenvironment. Additionally, the tumor itself can alter the behavior of these bone marrow cells which further alters both the microenvironment and the tumor cells. While many groups focus on studying these interactions, much remains unknown. A better understanding of the interactions between the tumor cells and the bone microenvironment will improve our knowledge on how tumors establish in bone and may lead to improvements in diagnosing and treating bone metastases. This review details our current knowledge on the interactions between tumor cells that reside in bone and their microenvironment.
Hybrid Materials for Integrated Photonics
Authors: Bettotti Paolo
Published: June 2014

In this review materials and technologies of the hybrid approach to integrated photonics (IP) are addressed. IP is nowadays a mature technology and is the most promising candidate to overcome the main limitations that electronics is facing due to the extreme level of integration it has achieved. IP will be based on silicon photonics in order to exploit the CMOS compatibility and the large infrastructures already available for the fabrication of devices. But silicon has severe limits especially concerning the development of active photonics: its low efficiency in photons emission and the limited capability to be used as modulator require finding suitable materials able to fulfill these fundamental tasks. Furthermore there is the need to define standardized processes to render these materials compatible with the CMOS process and to fully exploit their capabilities. This review describes the most promising materials and technological approaches that are either currently implemented or may be used in the coming future to develop next generations of hybrid IP devices.
IntegratingIn SilicoPrediction Methods, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation to Predict the Impact of ALK Missense Mutations in Structural Perspective
Authors: Priya Doss C. George , Chakraborty Chiranjib , Chen Luonan , Zhu Hailong
Published: June 2014

Over the past decade, advancements in next generation sequencing technology have placed personalized genomic medicine upon horizon. Understanding the likelihood of disease causing mutations in complex diseases as pathogenic or neutral remains as a major task and even impossible in the structural context because of its time consuming and expensive experiments. Among the various diseases causing mutations, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play a vital role in defining individual’s susceptibility to disease and drug response. Understanding the genotype-phenotype relationship through SNPs is the first and most important step in drug research and development. Detailed understanding of the effect of SNPs on patient drug response is a key factor in the establishment of personalized medicine. In this paper, we represent a computational pipeline in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) for SNP-centred study by the application ofin silicoprediction methods, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation approaches. Combination of computational methods provides a way in understanding the impact of deleterious mutations in altering the protein drug targets and eventually leading to variable patient’s drug response. We hope this rapid and cost effective pipeline will also serve as a bridge to connect the clinicians andin silicoresources in tailoring treatments to the patients’ specific genotype.
Shortest Paths Based Web Service Selection in Internet of Things
Authors: Yin Xiangdong , Yang Jie
Published: June 2014

The connecting of things to the Internet makes it possible for smart things to access all kinds of Web services. However, smart things are energy-limited, and suitable selection of Web services will consume less resources. In this paper, we study the problem of selecting some Web service from the candidate set. We formulate this selection of Web services for smart things as single-source many-target shortest path problem. We design algorithms based on the Dijkstra and breadth-first search algorithms, propose an efficient pruning algorithm for breadth-first search, and analyze their performance of number of iterations andI/Ocost. Our empirical evaluation on real-life graphs shows that our pruning algorithm is more efficient than the breadth-first search algorithm.
Testing Vegetation Flammability: The Problem of Extremely Low Ignition Frequency and Overall Flammability Score
Authors: Kauf Zorica , Fangmeier Andreas , Rosavec Roman , Španjol Željko
Published: June 2014

In the recent decades changes in fire regimes led to higher vulnerability of fire prone ecosystems, with vegetation being the only component influencing fire regime which can be managed in order to reduce probability of extreme fire events. For these management practices to be effective reliable information on the vegetation flammability is being crucial. Epiradiator based testing methods are one of the methods commonly used to investigate vegetation flammability and decrease in ignition frequency is always interpreted as a decrease in flammability. Furthermore, gathered information is often combined into a single flammability score. Here we present results of leaf litter testing which, together with previously conducted research on similar materials, show that material with very low ignition frequency under certain testing conditions can be extremely flammable if testing conditions are slightly changed. Additionally, our results indicate that combining measured information into one single flammability score, even though sometimes useful, is not always meaningful and should be performed with caution.
Aortic Stiffness Is Related to the Ischemic Brain Injury Biomarker N-Methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Antibody Levels in Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Kidher Emaddin , Patel Vanash M. , Nihoyannopoulos Petros , Anderson Jon R. , Chukwuemeka Andrew , Francis Darrel P. , Ashrafian Hutan , Athanasiou Thanos
Published: June 2014

Background. Aortic stiffness changes the flow pattern of circulating blood causing microvascular damage to different end-organ tissues, such as brain cells. The relationship between aortic stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and serum ischemic brain injury biomarker N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody (NR2Ab) levels in aortic valve replacement has not been assessed.Methods. Patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) had their PWV and NR2Ab serum levels measured preoperatively. We analyzed PWV and NR2Ab in two ways: (1) as continuous variables using the actual value and (2) as dichotomous variables (PWV-norm and PWV-high groups) and (NR2Ab-low and NR2Ab-high groups).Results. Fifty-six patients (71±8.4years) were included in this study. The NR2Ab level (ng/mL) was significantly higher in the PWV-high group (n=21) than in PWV-norm group (n=35; median1.8±1.2versus1.2±0.7, resp.,P=0.003). NR2Ab level was positively associated with PWV and negatively associated with male gender. Multiple regression revealed PWV independently related to NR2Ab level, and PWV cut-off was associated with a 7.23 times increase in the likelihood of having high NR2Ab (>1.8 ng/mL).Conclusion. Higher PWV in patients with surgical aortic stenosis is associated with higher levels of the ischemic brain biomarker NR2Ab.
Phase II Study of Single-Agent Orteronel (TAK-700) in Patients with Nonmetastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer and Rising Prostate-Specific Antigen
Authors: Hussain Maha , Corn Paul G. , Michaelson M. Dror , Hammers Hans J. , Alumkal Joshi J. , Ryan Charles J. , Bruce Justine Y. , Moran Susan , Lee Shih-Yuan , Lin H. Mark , George Daniel J. ,   for the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium, a program of the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program and the Prostate Cancer Foundation
Published: June 2014

Purpose: Orteronel (TAK-700) is an investigational, nonsteroidal, oral, inhibitor of androgen synthesis with greater specificity for 17,20-lyase than for 17α-hydroxylase. We investigated orteronel without steroids in patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC; M0).

Experimental Design: Patients with nmCRPC and rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) received orteronel 300 mg twice daily until PSA progression, metastases, or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was percentage of patients achieving PSA ≤0.2 ng/mL (undetectable levels) at 3 months. Secondary endpoints included safety, PSA response, time to metastases, and correlated endpoints.

Results: Thirty-nine patients with a median baseline PSA doubling time of 2.4 months (range, 0.9–9.2) received a median of fourteen 28-day treatment cycles. PSA decreased >30% in 35 patients and 6 (16%) achieved PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/mL at 3 months. Median times to PSA progression and metastasis were 13.8 and 25.4 months, respectively. Kaplan–Meier estimates of freedom from PSA progression were 57% and 42% at 12 and 24 months, and of freedom from metastasis were 94% and 62% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. At 3 months, median testosterone declined by 89% from baseline. Adverse events led to therapy discontinuation in 12 patients and grade ≥3/4 adverse events occurred in 22 patients. Most frequent all-cause adverse events included fatigue (64%), hypertension (44%), diarrhea (38%), and nausea (33%), which were primarily grade 1/2.

Conclusions: Single-agent orteronel produced marked and durable declines in PSA in patients with nmCRPC. Orteronel has moderate but manageable toxicities and its chronic administration without steroids appears feasible. Clin Cancer Res; 20(16); 4218–27. ©2014 AACR.
New Strategies for Preoperative Skin Antisepsis
Authors: Ulmer Miriam , Lademann Juergen , Patzelt Alexa , Knorr Fanny , Kramer Axel , Koburger Torsten , Assadian Ojan , Daeschlein Georg , Lange-Asschenfeldt Bernhard
Published: June 2014

During the past decades, encouraging progress has been made in the prevention of surgical site infections (SSI). However, as SSI still occur today, strategic prevention measures such as standardized skin antisepsis must be implemented and rigorously promoted. Recent discoveries in skin physiology necessitate the development of novel antiseptic agents and procedures in order to ameliorate their efficacy. In particular, alternate target structures in the skin need to be taken into consideration for the development of the next generation of antiseptics. Recent investigations have shown that a high number of microorganisms are located within and in the close vicinity of the hair follicles. This suggests that these structures are an important reservoir of bacterial growth and activity in human skin. To date, it has not been fully elucidated to what extent conventional liquid antiseptics sufficiently target the hair follicle-related microbial population. Modern technologies such as tissue-tolerable plasma (TTP) have been tested for their potential antiseptic efficiency by reducing the bacterial load in the skin and in the hair follicles. First experiments using liposomes to deliver antiseptics into the hair follicles have been evaluated for their potential clinical application. The present review evaluates these two innovative methods for their efficacy and applicability in preoperative skin antiseptics.
Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase with a Systemic Inflammation Score Is Useful for Predicting Response and Survival in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Jung Sung-Hoon , Yang Deok-Hwan , Ahn Jae-Sook , Kim Yeo-Kyeoung , Kim Hyeoung-Joon , Lee Je-Jung
Published: June 2014

We evaluated the relationship between serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level with systemic inflammation score and survival in 213 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) receiving R-CHOP chemotherapy. The patients were classified into 3 groups based on LDH with the Glasgow Prognostic Score (L-GPS). A score of 2 was assigned to patients with elevated C-reactive protein, hypoalbuminemia and elevated LDH, a score of 1 to those with one or two abnormalities and a score of 0 to those with no abnormality. In multivariate analysis, independent poor prognostic factors for progression-free survival were L-GPS 2 [hazard ratio (HR) 5.415, p = 0.001], Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≥2 (HR 3.504, p = 0.001) and bulky lesion (HR 2.030, p = 0.039). Independent poor prognostic factors for overall survival were L-GPS 2 (HR 5.898, p = 0.001) and ECOG PS ≥2 (HR 3.525, p = 0.001). The overall response rate for the R-CHOP chemotherapy decreased according to the L-GPS; it was 96.7% at L-GPS 0, 87% at L-GPS 1 and 75% at L-GPS 2 (p = 0.009). L-GPS based on systemic inflammatory indicators may be a useful clinical prognostic indicator for survival, and predicts the response for R-CHOP chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL.
Antioxidants in Asian-Korean and Caucasian Skin: The Influence of Nutrition and Stress
Authors: Jung Sora , Darvin Maxim E. , Chung Hyoung-Seok , Jung Bena , Lee Sang-Hyuk , Lenz Klaus , Chung Wan-Seok , Yu Ruo-Xi , Patzelt Alexa , Lee Bich-Na , Sterry Wolfram , Lademann Juergen
Published: June 2014

Background: The antioxidant status of the human skin provides protection against the destructive action of free radicals. Most antioxidants cannot be synthesized by the human organism itself, but have to be ingested with a healthy nutrition rich in fruit and vegetables. The Korean cuisine is known to be one of the healthiest worldwide. This binational study investigated the cutaneous carotenoid concentrations in German subjects, South Korean subjects and immigrant Korean subjects resident in Germany and examined whether dietary- and lifestyle-related differences are reflected in the cutaneous carotenoid concentrations. Methods: Measurements of the carotenoid concentrations of 714 healthy volunteers were performed using a non-invasive spectroscopic measurement system based on reflectance spectroscopy. Results: In the present study South Korean residents showed a significantly higher antioxidant status than both native German residents and Korean immigrants living in Germany (p < 0.001). The first generation of Korean immigrants to Germany over the age of 50 mostly preserved Korean dietary habits, showing significantly higher concentrations (p < 0.001) than the German-born second and third Korean generations under the age of 50. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that a healthy nutrition alone does not provide a high antioxidant status unless the stress exposure can be reduced simultaneously.
Effects of Crit-Line® Monitor Use on Patient Outcomes and Epoetin Alfa Dosing following Onset of Hemodialysis: A Propensity Score-Matched Study
Authors: Sibbel Scott P. , Ficociello Linda H. , Black Michael , Thakuria Mayuri , Mullon Claudy , Diaz-Buxo Jose , Alfieri Thomas J.
Published: June 2014

Background: The Crit-Line® monitor (CLM) is a device for monitoring hematocrit, oxygen saturation and change in intravascular blood volume during hemodialysis. Prior studies have evaluated CLM use in dialysis patients, but not specifically in those new to dialysis. Methods: In this retrospective analysis, 199 patients initiating dialysis at 8 facilities routinely using CLM were compared with 796 propensity score-matched non-CLM patients initiating dialysis at facilities not using CLM. Outcomes were considered over the first 180 days on dialysis. Results: Overall, the CLM group had higher StdKt/V (p = 0.06) and received lower doses of intravenous iron than the non-CLM group (p < 0.001). Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent doses were lower in the CLM group in months 1-5. Serum iron and transferrin saturation levels were higher overall for the CLM group than the non-CLM group (p = 0.004 and 0.01, respectively). Hemoglobin levels and time to first hospitalization were similar for both groups. Conclusion: Use of CLM is associated with lower erythropoiesis-stimulating agent and iron use in incident hemodialysis patients.
GABA, Resting-State Connectivity and the Developing Brain
Authors: Kwon Soo Hyun , Scheinost Dustin , Lacadie Cheryl , Benjamin Jennifer , Myers Eliza H. , Qiu Maolin , Schneider Karen C. , Rothman Douglas L. , Constable R. Todd , Ment Laura R.
Published: June 2014

Background: Preclinical data demonstrate that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons initiate connectivity in the developing brain. Objectives: The goal of this study was to compare GABA concentration and its relationship to functional connectivity in the brains of term and preterm infants at term-equivalent age. Methods: Infants received both magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans at term-equivalent age. Whole brain functional connectivity MRI data using intrinsic connectivity distribution maps were compared to identify areas with differences in resting-state functional connectivity between the preterm and term control groups. MRS measured concentrations of GABA, glutamate, N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and choline; NAA/choline was then calculated for comparison between the 2 groups. Results: Preterm infants had lower right frontal GABA and glutamate concentrations than term controls and showed a significantly different relationship between connectivity and GABA concentration in the right frontal lobe. Preterm infants had a positive correlation between GABA concentration and connectivity, while term controls demonstrated a negative correlation between these two developmentally regulated parameters. Conclusion: These results suggest that regional GABA concentrations are associated with normal and altered neonatal resting-state connectivity.
Detection of Dehalococcoides spp. by Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescent in situ Hybridization
Authors: Danko Anthony S. , Fontenete Silvia J. , de Aquino Leite Daniel , Leitão Patrícia O. , Almeida Carina , Schaefer Charles E. , Vainberg Simon , Steffan Robert J. , Azevedo Nuno F.
Published: June 2014

Chlorinated solvents including tetrachloroethene (perchloroethene and trichloroethene), are widely used industrial solvents. Improper use and disposal of these chemicals has led to a widespread contamination. Anaerobic treatment technologies that utilize Dehalococcoides spp. can be an effective tool to remediate these contaminated sites. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop, optimize and validate peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes for the detection of Dehalococcoides spp. in both pure and mixed cultures. PNA probes were designed by adapting previously published DNA probes targeting the region of the point mutations described for discriminating between the Dehalococcoides spp. strain CBDB1 and strain 195 lineages. Different fixation, hybridization and washing procedures were tested. The results indicated that the PNA probes hybridized specifically and with a high sensitivity to their corresponding lineages, and that the PNA probes developed during this work can be used in a duplex assay to distinguish between strain CBDB1 and strain 195 lineages, even in complex mixed cultures. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of using PNA fluorescence in situ hybridization to distinguish between two metabolically and genetically distinct Dehalococcoides strains, and they can have strong implications in the monitoring and differentiation of Dehalococcoides populations in laboratory cultures and at contaminated sites.
Repeat Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy within a Short Interval Does Not Increase the Atypical Cytologic Results for Thyroid Nodules with Previously Nondiagnostic Results
Authors: Lee Ha Young , Baek Jung Hwan , Yoo Hyunkyung , Kim Jae Kyun , Lim Myung Kwan , Chu Young Chae , Kang Young Hye , Lim Jae-Yol
Published: June 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the recommended waiting period of 3 months is necessary for repeat fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Study Design: A retrospective review of 128 nodules from 126 patients with initial nondiagnostic (ND) results was performed for the period between January 2009 and December 2012. Demographic and clinical factors were recorded including age, sex, time interval between FNABs, and ultrasound (US) factors, i.e. nodule size, location, consistency, suspicious malignant findings and thyroiditis. The time interval was subdivided into </≥5, 10, 15 and 20 weeks after the initial FNAB. The effects on the nuclear atypia were analyzed using the Fisher exact test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: None of the demographic, clinical or US variables was significantly related to the atypical diagnosis of repeat FNAB. The time interval until repeat FNAB was also not related to the atypical diagnosis (p = 0.63, 0.57, 0.23 and 0.48 for 5, 10, 15 and 20 weeks, respectively). Conclusion: The timing of repeat FNAB for thyroid nodules with previous ND results did not increase the nuclear atypia on repeat FNAB.
Association between chronic osteomyelitis and deep-vein thrombosis
Authors: Lin Te-Yu , Chen Yu-Guang , Huang Wen-Yen , Lin Cheng-Li , Peng Chiao-Ling , Sung Fung-Chang , Kao Chia-Hung
Published: June 2014

Studies on the association between chronic osteomyelitis and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse a nationwide population-based database for association between DVT or PE after a diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis. This nationwide population-based cohort study was based on data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 1998 to 2008, with a follow-up period extending to the end of 2010. We identified patients with chronic osteomyelitis using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. The patients with chronic osteomyelitis and comparison controls were selected by 1:1 matching on a propensity score. The propensity score was calculated by a logistic regression to estimate the probability of the treatment assignment given the baseline variables including age, sex, and Charlson comorbidity index score. We analysed the risks of DVT and PE by using Cox proportional hazards regression models, including sex, age, and comorbidities. In total, 24,335 chronic osteomyelitis patients and 24,335 controls were enrolled in the study. The risk of developing DVT was 2.49-fold in patients with chronic osteomyelitis compared with the comparison cohort, after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities. The multiplicative increased risks of DVT were also significant in patients with chronic osteomyelitis with any comorbidity. In conclusion, physicians should consider chronic osteomyelitis in their evaluation of risk factors for DVT.
The effect of fibrin(ogen) on thrombin generation and decay
Authors: Wagenvoord Rob , Hemker H. Coenraad , Kremers Romy
Published: June 2014

Defibrination causes a ~30% decrease of thrombin generation (TG) which can be restored by adding native fibrinogen in its original concentration (3 mg/ml). The fibrinogen variant γA/γ′, which binds thrombin with high affinity, is over four times more efficient in this respect than the more common γA/γA form. By using high tissue factor concentrations we accelerated prothrombin conversion so as to obtain a descending part of the TG curve that was governed by thrombin decay only. From that part we calculated the antithrombin (AT)- and α2-macroglobulin- dependent decay constants at a series of concentrations of native, γA/γA and γA/γ′ fibrinogen. We found that the increase of TG in the presence of fibrinogen is primarily due to a dose-dependent decrease of thrombin inactivation by α2-macroglobulin, where the γA/γ′ form is much more active than the γA/γA form. AT-dependent decay is somewhat decreased by γA/γ′ fibrinogen but hardly by the γA/γA form. We assume that binding of thrombin to fibrin(ogen) interferes with its binding to inhibitors. Attenuation of decay only in part explains the stimulating effect of fibrinogen on TG, as fibrinogen stimulates prothrombin conversion, regardless of the fibrinogen variant.

Note: Part of this work was presented at the ISTH meeting in 2013.
Alcohol Consumption, Specific Alcoholic Beverages, and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Stackelberg Otto , Björck Martin , Larsson Susanna C. , Orsini Nicola , Wolk Alicja
Published: June 2014

Background—

Studies investigating the role of alcohol consumption in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are scarce. We aimed to examine associations between total alcohol consumption and specific alcoholic beverages and the hazard of AAA.

Methods and Results—

The study population was made up of 44 715 men from the Cohort of Swedish Men and 35 569 women from the Swedish Mammography Cohort who were 46 to 84 years of age at baseline in 1998. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the associations between alcohol consumption, assessed through a food frequency questionnaire, and AAA, identified by means of linkage to the Swedish Inpatient Register and the Swedish Vascular Registry (Swedvasc). Over the 14-year follow-up until December 2011 (1 019 954 person-years), AAAs occurred in 1020 men and 194 women. Compared with the consumption of 1 glass of alcohol per week (12 g of ethanol), the hazard ratio of AAA among men who consumed 10 glasses per week was 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.68–0.94). The corresponding hazard ratio among women who consumed 5 glasses per week was 0.57 (95% confidence interval, 0.40–0.82). Among participants free from cardiovascular disease, total alcohol consumption did not seem to be associated with hazard of the disease. The most commonly consumed alcoholic beverages, beer among men and wine among women, were inversely associated, whereas no association was observed for liquor.

Conclusions—

Moderate alcohol consumption, specifically wine and beer, was associated with a lower hazard of abdominal aortic aneurysm. The associations between higher doses of alcohol and risk of the disease remain unknown.
Vasculogenic Conditioning of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Promotes Endothelial Progenitor Cell Expansion and Phenotype Transition of Anti‐Inflammatory Macrophage and T Lymphocyte to Cells With Regenerative Potential
Authors: Masuda Haruchika , Tanaka Rica , Fujimura Satoshi , Ishikawa Masakazu , Akimaru Hiroshi , Shizuno Tomoko , Sato Atsuko , Okada Yoshinori , Iida Yumi , Itoh Jobu , Itoh Yoshiko , Kamiguchi Hiroshi , Kawamoto Atsuhiko , Asahara Takayuki
Published: June 2014

Background

Cell‐based therapies involving mononuclear cells (
MNC
s) have been developed for vascular regeneration to treat ischemic diseases; however, quality control of therapeutic
MNC
s has not been evaluated. We investigated the therapeutic potential of peripheral blood (
PB
)
MNC
s, operated by recently developed quality and quantity (
QQ
) culture of endothelial progenitor cells (
EPC
s).

Methods and Results

PBs were collected from healthy volunteers; peripheral blood mononuclear cells (
PBMNC
s) isolated from these
PB
s were subjected to
QQ
culture for 7 days with medium containing stem cell factor, thrombopoietin, Flt‐3 ligand, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin‐6. The resulting cells (
QQMNC
s) in
EPC
colony‐forming assay generated significantly more definitive
EPC
colonies than
PBMNC
s. In flow cytometry, macrophages and helper T lymphocytes of
QQMNC
s became phenotypically polarized into angiogenic, anti‐inflammatory, and regenerative subsets: classical M1 to alternative M2; T helper (Th)1 to Th2; angiogenic or regulatory T‐cell expansion. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (
qRT
‐
PCR
) assay revealed the predominant proangiogenic gene expressions in
QQMNC
s versus
PBMNC
s. Using murine ischemic hindlimb models, the efficacy of
QQMNC
intramuscular transplantation (Tx) was compared to that of
PBMNCTx
, cultured “early
EPC
” Tx (
eEPCTx
), and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor mobilized CD34
+
cell Tx (GmCD34Tx). Laser Doppler imaging revealed the blood perfusion recovery in ischemic hindlimbs after
QQMNCTx
superior to after
PBMNCTx
and
eEPCT
x, but also earlier than after GmCD34Tx. Histological evaluations and q
RT
‐
PCR
assays in ischemic hindlimbs demonstrated that
QQMNCTx
, similarly to GmCD34Tx, enhanced angiovasculogenesis and myogenesis, whereas it preponderantly inhibited inflammation and fibrosis versus
PBMNCTx
and
eEPCTx
.

Conclusions

QQ
culture potentiates the ability of
PBMNC
s to promote regeneration of injured tissue; considering the feasible cell preparation,
QQ
culture‐treated
PBMNC
s may provide a promising therapeutic option for ischemic diseases.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
irb.med.u-tokai.ac.jp/d/2/monthly/2010.html
;
IRB
No.: 10R‐020.

URL
:
irb.med.u-tokai.ac.jp/d/2/monthly/201312.html
;
IRB
No.: 13R228.
Increasing Muscle Mass Improves Vascular Function in Obese (
db/db
) Mice
Authors: Qiu Shuiqing , Mintz James D. , Salet Christina D. , Han Weihong , Giannis Athanassios , Chen Feng , Yu Yanfang , Su Yunchao , Fulton David J. , Stepp David W.
Published: June 2014

Background

A sedentary lifestyle is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and exercise has been shown to ameliorate this risk. Inactivity is associated with a loss of muscle mass, which is also reversed with isometric exercise training. The relationship between muscle mass and vascular function is poorly defined. The aims of the current study were to determine whether increasing muscle mass by genetic deletion of myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle growth, can influence vascular function in mesenteric arteries from obese
db/db
mice.

Methods and Results

Myostatin expression was elevated in skeletal muscle of obese mice and associated with reduced muscle mass (30% to 50%). Myostatin deletion increased muscle mass in lean (40% to 60%) and obese (80% to 115%) mice through increased muscle fiber size (
P
<0.05). Myostatin deletion decreased adipose tissue in lean mice, but not obese mice. Markers of insulin resistance and glucose tolerance were improved in obese myostatin knockout mice. Obese mice demonstrated an impaired endothelial vasodilation, compared to lean mice. This impairment was improved by superoxide dismutase mimic Tempol. Deletion of myostatin improved endothelial vasodilation in mesenteric arteries in obese, but not in lean, mice. This improvement was blunted by nitric oxide (
NO
) synthase inhibitor
l
‐
NG
‐nitroarginine methyl ester (
l
‐
NAME)
. Prostacyclin (
PGI
2
)‐ and endothelium‐derived hyperpolarizing factor (
EDHF)‐
mediated vasodilation were preserved in obese mice and unaffected by myostatin deletion. Reactive oxygen species) was elevated in the mesenteric endothelium of obese mice and down‐regulated by deletion of myostatin in obese mice. Impaired vasodilation in obese mice was improved by
NADPH
oxidase inhibitor (
GKT
136901). Treatment with sepiapterin, which increases levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, improved vasodilation in obese mice, an improvement blocked by
l
‐
NAME
.

Conclusions

Increasing muscle mass by genetic deletion of myostatin improves
NO‐
, but not
PGI
2
‐ or
EDHF‐
mediated vasodilation in obese mice; this vasodilation improvement is mediated by down‐regulation of superoxide.