bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Host and environmental predictors of exhaled breath temperature in the elderly
Authors: Bijnens Esmée , Pieters Nicky , Dewitte Harrie , Cox Bianca , Janssen Bram G , Saenen Nelly , Dons Evi , Zeegers Maurice P , Int Panis Luc , Nawrot Tim S
Published: December 2013

Background

Exhaled breath temperature has been suggested as a new method to detect and monitor pathological processes in the respiratory system. The putative mechanism of this approach is based upon changes in the blood flow. So far potential factors that influence breath temperature have not been studied in the general population.

Methods

The exhaled breath temperature was measured in 151 healthy non-smoking elderly (aged: 60–80 years) at room temperature with the X-halo device with an accuracy of 0.03°C. We related exhaled breath temperature by use of regression models with potential predictors including: host factors (sex, age) and environmental factors (BMI, physical activity, and traffic indicators).

Results

Exhaled breath temperature was lower in women than in men and was inversely associated with age, physical activity. BMI and daily average ambient temperature were positively associated with exhaled breath temperature. Independent of the aforementioned covariates, exhaled breath temperature was significantly associated with several traffic indicators. Residential proximity to major road was inversely associated with exhaled breath temperature: doubling the distance to the nearest major intense road was observed a decrease of 0.17°C (95% CI: -0.33 to -0.01; p = 0.036).

Conclusions

Exhaled breath temperature has been suggested as a noninvasive method for the evaluation of airway inflammation. We provide evidence that several factors known to be involved in proinflammatory conditions including BMI, physical activity and residential proximity to traffic affect exhaled breath temperature. In addition, we identified potential confounders that should be taken into account in clinical and epidemiological studies on exhaled breath temperature including sex, age, and ambient temperature.
Protective effect of Sam-Hwang-Sa-Sim-Tang against hepatic steatosis in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet
Authors: Ahn Tae-Gue , Lee Joo-Young , Cheon Se-Yun , An Hyo-Jin , Kook Yoon-Bum
Published: December 2013

Background

Sam-Hwang-Sa-Sim-Tang (SHSST) is a traditional Oriental medication that has been commonly used in Korea for the treatment of hypertension, insomnia, and chest pain. In addition, some studies reported that administration of SHSST results suppression of hyperlipidemia in rats or lowering lipid plasma level such as total cholesterol (TC). Those results made us find and demonstrate positive effect of SHSST much more. The aim of the current study was to examine whether SHSST exerts an effect against hepatic steatosis and two type of SHSST has different efficacy on liver steatosis.

Methods

Total 40 mice were divided randomly and equally into 4 groups: a normal diet (CON) group, high-cholesterol diet (HC) group, and treatment groups fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) with a 30% or 80% ethanol extract of SHSST (SHSST-L and SHSST-H, respectively). The HCD was given for 9 weeks. The SHSST-treated groups were orally administered SHSST at a dose of 150 mg/kg, whereas the other groups received physiological saline.

Results

SHSST administration to mice resulted in a decline in serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Histological examination showed that lipid droplets were smaller in the SHSST-treated group than in the HC group. At the protein level, expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2) was suppressed by SHSST. In addition, the mRNA expression of cholesterol metabolism-related molecules such as SREBP-2, liver X receptor (LXR), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and 3-hydroxy-3methylglutary-CoA (HMG-CoA) was also suppressed in SHSST-treated groups in the liver. In the aorta tissue, SHSST decreased the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, and fibronectin.

Conclusions

The present study indicates that SHSST protects against liver steatosis and protects vessels against inflammation arising from excessive ingestion of cholesterol. These findings may also suggest that SHSST could be used as an adjuvant remedy for protection against liver steatosis.
Flexural strength of a pressable lithium disilicate ceramic: influence of surface treatments
Authors: Sato Tabata do Prado , Cotes Caroline , Yamamoto Lígia Tiaki , Rossi Natalia Rivoli , da Cruz Macedo Vanessa , Kimpara Estevão Tomomitsu
Published: December 2013

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of different surface treatments on the flexural strength of a pressable lithium disilicate ceramic. Sixteen bars (16x2x4 mm) were made, divided into subgroups (n = 10), and the following surface treatments were done: C - no treatment; H - etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid; HC - etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid, silanization, and cementation; N – etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid, neutralization with supersaturated solution of sodium bicarbonate, silanization, and cementation; U – etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid, ultrasonic cleaning in distillated water, silanization, and cementation; NU - etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid, neutralization with supersaturated solution of sodium bicarbonate, ultrasonic cleaning in distillated water, silanization and cementation. The three points flexural strength was performed 24 h after cementation and the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s tests (p-value = 0.05). The results showed that the surface treatment had a significant effect (p-value < 0,05) on the flexural strength of the studied ceramic. The N and NU groups showed lower flexural strength than other groups. Thus, it was concluded that neutralization with supersaturated solution of sodium bicarbonate, followed or not by ultrasonic cleaning results in lower mechanical strength of a pressable lithium disilicate ceramic. The etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid did not reduce the flexural strength of this ceramic type.
Association analysis of the SLC22A11 (organic anion transporter 4) and SLC22A12 (urate transporter 1) urate transporter locus with gout in New Zealand case-control sample sets reveals multiple ancestral-specific effects
Authors: Flynn Tanya J , Phipps-Green Amanda , Hollis-Moffatt Jade E , Merriman Marilyn E , Topless Ruth , Montgomery Grant , Chapman Brett , Stamp Lisa K , Dalbeth Nicola , Merriman Tony R
Published: December 2013

Introduction

There is inconsistent association between urate transporters SLC22A11 (organic anion transporter 4 (OAT4)) and SLC22A12 (urate transporter 1 (URAT1)) and risk of gout. New Zealand (NZ) Māori and Pacific Island people have higher serum urate and more severe gout than European people. The aim of this study was to test genetic variation across the SLC22A11/SLC22A12 locus for association with risk of gout in NZ sample sets.

Methods

A total of 12 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants in four haplotype blocks were genotyped using TaqMan® and Sequenom MassArray in 1003 gout cases and 1156 controls. All cases had gout according to the 1977 American Rheumatism Association criteria. Association analysis of single markers and haplotypes was performed using PLINK and Stata.

Results

A haplotype block 1 SNP (rs17299124) (upstream of SLC22A11) was associated with gout in less admixed Polynesian sample sets, but not European Caucasian (odds ratio; OR = 3.38, P = 6.1 × 10-4; OR = 0.91, P = 0.40, respectively) sample sets. A protective block 1 haplotype caused the rs17299124 association (OR = 0.28, P = 6.0 × 10-4). Within haplotype block 2 (SLC22A11) we could not replicate previous reports of association of rs2078267 with gout in European Caucasian (OR = 0.98, P = 0.82) sample sets, however this SNP was associated with gout in Polynesian (OR = 1.51, P = 0.022) sample sets. Within haplotype block 3 (including SLC22A12) analysis of haplotypes revealed a haplotype with trans-ancestral protective effects (OR = 0.80, P = 0.004), and a second haplotype conferring protection in less admixed Polynesian sample sets (OR = 0.63, P = 0.028) but risk in European Caucasian samples (OR = 1.33, P = 0.039).

Conclusions

Our analysis provides evidence for multiple ancestral-specific effects across the SLC22A11/SLC22A12 locus that presumably influence the activity of OAT4 and URAT1 and risk of gout. Further fine mapping of the association signal is needed using trans-ancestral re-sequence data.
End-stage renal disease and outcome in a surgical intensive care unit
Authors: Apel Mareike , Maia Vivian PL , Zeidan Mohamed , Schinkoethe Claudia , Wolf Gunter , Reinhart Konrad , Sakr Yasser
Published: December 2013

Introduction

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with an increased propensity for critical illness, but whether ESRD is independently associated with a greater risk of death after major surgical procedures is unclear.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from all adult (>18 years) patients admitted to a 50-bed surgical intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2004 and January 2009. ESRD was defined as the need for chronic peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis for at least 6 weeks prior to ICU admission. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis and propensity-score matching to adjust for possible confounders.

Results

In total, 12,938 adult patients were admitted during the study period; 199 patients had ESRD at ICU admission, giving a prevalence of 1.5%. Patients with ESRD were more likely to be male (72.9% versus 63.0%, P = 0.004) and had higher severity scores, a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis, and a lower incidence of cancer at ICU admission than those without ESRD. Patients with ESRD were more likely to have any type of organ failure at ICU admission and during the ICU stay. Patients with ESRD had higher ICU and hospital mortality rates (23.1% and 31.2% versus 5.5% and 10.0%, respectively, P <0.001 pairwise) and longer ICU length of stay (2 (1 to 7) versus 1 (1 to 3) days, P <0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, ESRD was independently associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death (odds ratio = 3.84, 95% confidence interval 2.68 to 5.5, P <0.001). In 199 pairs of patients, hematologic and hepatic failures were more prevalent, ICU and hospital mortality rates were higher (23.1% versus 15.1% and 31.2% versus 19.1%, P <0.05 pairwise), and ICU length of stay was longer (2 (1 to 7) versus 1 (1 to 7) days, P <0.001) in patients with ESRD.

Conclusions

In this large cohort of surgical ICU patients, presence of ESRD at ICU admission was associated with greater morbidity and mortality and independently associated with a greater risk of in-hospital death. Our data can be useful in preoperative risk stratification.
Early fluid resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (6%) in severe burn injury: a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial
Authors: Béchir Markus , Puhan Milo A , Fasshauer Mario , Schuepbach Reto A , Stocker Reto , Neff Thomas A
Published: December 2013

Introduction

There are limited data on the efficacy of early fluid resuscitation with third-generation hydroxyethyl starch (HES 130) in burn injury. Adverse effects of HES on survival and organ function have been reported.

Methods

In this randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, 48 patients with severe burn injury were assigned to receive either lactated Ringer’s solution plus 6% HES 130/0.4 in a ratio of 2:1 or lactated Ringer’s solution with no colloid supplement for the first 72 hours. Primary outcome parameter was the group difference of administered total fluid from intensive care unit (ICU) admission up to day 3. Secondary outcomes included kidney and lung injury and failure, length of stay, and mortality.

Results

Three-day totals of administered resuscitation fluid (medians) were 21,190 mL in the lactated Ringer’s group and 19,535 mL in the HES group (HES: −1,213 mL; P = 0.39). Creatinine levels from day 1 to 3 (HES: +0.4 μmol/L; 95% confidence interval (CI) −18.7 to 19.5; P = 0.97) and urinary outputs from day 1 to 3 (HES: −58 mL; 95% CI −400 to 283; P = 0.90) were not different. Six patients in each group developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (risk ratio 0.96; 95% CI 0.35 to 2.64; P = 0.95). Length of ICU stay (HES vs. lactated Ringer’s: 28 vs. 24 days; P = 0.80) and length of hospital stay (31 vs. 29 days; P = 0.57) were similar. Twenty-eight-day mortality was 4 patients in each group (risk ratio 0.96; 95% CI 0.27 to 4.45; P = 0.95), and in-hospital mortality was 8 in the HES group vs. 5 patients in the lactated Ringer’s group (hazard ratio 1.86; 95% CI 0.56 to 6.19; P = 0.31).

Conclusions

There was no evidence that early fluid resuscitation with balanced HES 130/0.4 (6%) in addition to lactated Ringer’s solution would lead to a volume-sparing effect in severe burn injury. Together with the findings that early renal function, incidence of ARDS, length of stay, and mortality were not negatively influenced by HES in this setting, balanced HES 130/0.4 (6%) plus lactated Ringer’s solution could not be considered superior to lactated Ringer’s solution alone.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01012648
Accidentology
Authors: Matthewman Steve
Published: December 2013

This article surveys the work of one of the most prominent theorists of accidents today, Paul Virilio. Particular focus is given to the May 6, 2010, Flash Crash. This event is used to measure the worth of Virilio's accidentology, as it is viewed as a harbinger of the integral accident, a catastrophic incident that is experienced simultaneously and universally. While Virilio is supported for drawing attention to the technologically mediated accidents that threaten hyperconnected societies, his method and focus are found wanting. His preference for suggestion over qualification means that he eschews empirical elaboration, and his fixation on the political economy of speed proceeds without reference to a political economy of wealth. This asymmetry results in grand theorizing about general conditions that do not exist, and it overlooks the ways in which accidents, crises, and disasters are endemic to the economic system.
Playgrounds and Bombsites
Authors: Highmore Ben
Published: December 2013

This essay argues that bombsites in Britain were a vivid component of a social imaginary that informed the postwar social settlement. Postwar reconstruction, which often involved additional demolition, also produced ruined landscapes that were complexly associated with war damage. The bombsite–demolition site as an accidental or purposeful playground for children added to the vacillating meanings of these ruined landscapes, as they signaled both the destructive power of modern industrial violence and the resilient and resourceful power of children and play to reconstitute and repair such landscapes. The image of children playing among ruins joined these two meanings together, making the bombsite into a habitat for “feral” youth—the imagined threat that haunts the welfare state. By attending to the material and symbolic landscapes of postwar ruins, we can see a cultural politics struggling with internal anxieties and ruinous identifications.
Efeitos de três métodos complementares à aspiração nas repercussões hemodinâmicas e mecânica respiratória em pacientes sob ventilação mecânica invasiva
Authors: Silva Guilherme
Published: December 2013

Introdução: A remoção de secreção das vias aéreas por meio da aspiração auxilia na higiene brônquica, troca gasosa e melhora da mecânica ventilatória. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar os efeitos de três métodos complementares à aspiração nas repercussões hemodinâmicas e mecânica respiratória em pacientes sob ventilação mecânica invasiva. Métodos: Participaram do estudo 45 pacientes com diagnóstico clínico de insuficiência respiratória internados na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos compostos por 15 indivíduos cada: Grupo Ressuscitador Manual (RM), Grupo Fração inspirada de Oxigênio (FiO2) e grupo Ventilação Mecânica (VM). As variáveis analisadas consistiram nos parâmetros da mecânica respiratória e cardiorrespiratórios: frequência cardíaca, frequência respiratória, pressão arterial sistólica, pressão arterial diastólica, saturação periférica de oxigênio, pressão de pico, pressão de platô, complacência estática, complacência dinâmica. A coleta de dados ocorreu em quatro momentos distintos: antes da realização do procedimento, imediatamente após, 5 minutos e 30 minutos após o procedimento. Resultados: Os resultados apontaram que houve repercussões hemodinâmicas e na mecânica respiratória nos três grupos analisados. Quando comparado os grupos, encontrou-se diferença significativa na variável frequência respiratória no período 30 minutos pós-intervenção do grupo RM versus o grupo VM (p= 0,007), variável P. Pico no período 30 minutos pós-intervenção nos grupos RM versus FiO2 (p= 0,005) e na variável C. Dinâmica no período 30 minutos pós-intervenção nos grupos FiO2 e VM (p=0,005). Conclusão: Conclui-se que houve repercussões hemodinâmicas e de mecânica respiratória nos três métodos complementares à aspiração, porém todos são considerados aplicáveis.
ANGDelMut – a web-based tool for predicting and analyzing functional loss mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated angiogenin mutations
Authors: Padhi Aditya K , Vasaikar Suhas V , Jayaram Bhyravabhotla , Gomes James
Published: December 2013

ANGDelMut is a web-based tool for predicting the functional consequences of missense mutations in the angiogenin (ANG) protein, which is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Missense mutations in ANG result in loss of either ribonucleolytic activity or nuclear translocation activity or both of these functions, and in turn cause ALS. However, no web-based tools are available to predict whether a newly identified ANG mutation will possibly lead to ALS. More importantly, no web-implemented method is currently available to predict the mechanisms of loss-of-function(s) of ANG mutants. In light of this observation, we developed the ANGDelMut web-based tool, which predicts whether an ANG mutation is deleterious or benign. The user selects certain attributes from the input panel, which serves as a query to infer whether a mutant will exhibit loss of ribonucleolytic activity or nuclear translocation activity or whether the overall stability will be affected. The output states whether the mutation is deleterious or benign, and if it is deleterious, gives the possible mechanism(s) of loss-of-function. This web-based tool, freely available at http://bioschool.iitd.ernet.in/DelMut/, is the first of its kind to provide a platform for researchers and clinicians, to infer the functional consequences of ANG mutations and correlate their possible association with ALS ahead of experimental findings.
A Bayesian Semiparametric Approach for Endogeneity and Heterogeneity in Choice Models
Authors: Li Yang , Ansari Asim
Published: December 2013

Marketing variables that are included in consumer discrete choice models are often endogenous. Extant treatments using likelihood-based estimators impose parametric distributional assumptions, such as normality, on the source of endogeneity. These assumptions are restrictive because misspecified distributions have an impact on parameter estimates and associated elasticities. The normality assumption for endogeneity can be inconsistent with some marginal cost specifications given a price-setting process, although they are consistent with other specifications. In this paper, we propose a heterogeneous Bayesian semiparametric approach for modeling choice endogeneity that offers a flexible and robust alternative to parametric methods. Specifically, we construct centered Dirichlet process mixtures (CDPM) to allow uncertainty over the distribution of endogeneity errors. In a similar vein, we also model consumer preference heterogeneity nonparametrically via a CDPM. Results on simulated data show that incorrect distributional assumptions can lead to poor recovery of model parameters and price elasticities, whereas the proposed semiparametric model is able to robustly recover the true parameters in an efficient fashion. In addition, the CDPM offers the benefits of automatically inferring the number of mixture components that are appropriate for a given data set and is able to reconstruct the shape of the underlying distributions for endogeneity and heterogeneity errors. We apply our approach to two scanner panel data sets. Model comparison statistics indicate the superiority of the semiparametric specification and the results show that parameter and elasticity estimates are sensitive to the choice of distributional forms. Moreover, the CDPM specification yields evidence of multimodality, skewness, and outlying observations in these real data sets.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1811 .

This paper was accepted by J. Miguel Villas-Boas, marketing.
Managing Global Sourcing: Inventory Performance
Authors: Jain Nitish , Girotra Karan , Netessine Serguei
Published: December 2013

The use of global suppliers has increased considerably over the last three decades. Operations management theory establishes that global sourcing requires more units of inventory, but since these units are often procured at a lower cost from global suppliers the capital invested in inventory and the consequent financial burden may increase or decrease with global sourcing. This study provides rigorous firm-level empirical evidence that links the global sourcing practices of public U.S. firms and their inventory investments. We process bill of lading manifests (customs forms) to extract information on over half a million sea shipments from global suppliers to U.S. public firms and link this information with quarterly financial data from the Compustat database. We provide stylized facts on the participation of different firms and sectors in global trade. Using a simultaneous equation model, we find that an increase in global sourcing results in an increase in inventory investment. A 10% shift in sourcing from domestic to global suppliers increases the inventory investment by 8.8% for an average firm in our sample. We also find that increasing the number of suppliers can mitigate this increase in inventory investment: for example, going from single to dual sourcing reduces inventory investment by about 11%. We illustrate the use of our estimates to identify the impact of changing global sourcing strategy on inventory investment and operational performance metrics.

This paper was accepted by Martin Lariviere, operations management.
Learning to Be Edison: Inventors, Organizations, and Breakthrough Inventions
Authors: Conti Raffaele , Gambardella Alfonso , Mariani Myriam
Published: December 2013

This study examines whether inventors’ past stock of inventions affects the rate at which they produce technological breakthroughs, as well as the role of organizational contingencies in moderating this effect. The breakthrough rate depends on the rate at which an inventor generates inventions and the probability that each of these inventions is a breakthrough. We argue that inventors with larger patent records generate a higher rate of inventions, but the single inventions that they generate each have a lower probability of being a breakthrough. Longitudinal data of 5,144 European inventors and fixed-effects estimation confirm these predictions and reveal that the net effect of the inventors’ stock of past inventions on the breakthrough rate is positive—that is, more established inventors display a higher rate of breakthroughs than brand-new inventors. We also confirm the role of organizational contexts in shaping inventors’ productivity. In particular, firms’ control over research and development targets lessens the advantage of established inventors with regard to the rate of breakthrough generation.
The Liminality of Trajectory Shifts in Institutional Entrepreneurship
Authors: Henfridsson Ola , Yoo Youngjin
Published: December 2013

In this paper, we develop a process model of trajectory shifts in institutional entrepreneurship. We focus on the liminal periods experienced by institutional entrepreneurs when they, unlike the rest of the organization, recognize limits in the present and seek to shift a familiar past into an unfamiliar and uncertain future. Such periods involve a situation where the new possible future, not yet fully formed, exists side-by-side with established innovation trajectories. Trajectory shifts are moments of truth for institutional entrepreneurs, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms of how entrepreneurs reflectively deal with liminality to conceive and bring forth new innovation trajectories. Our in-depth case study research at CarCorp traces three such mechanisms (reflective dissension, imaginative projection, and eliminatory exploration) and builds the basis for understanding the liminality of trajectory shifts. The paper offers theoretical implications for the institutional entrepreneurship literature.
Characterizing the mechanical properties of tropoelastin protein scaffolds
Authors: Ford Audrey C. , Machula Hans , Kellar Robert S. , Nelson Brent A.
Published: December 2013

This paper reports on mechanical characterization of electrospun tissue scaffolds formed from varying blends of collagen and human tropoelastin. The electrospun tropoelastin-based scaffolds have an open, porous structure conducive to cell attachment and have been shown to exhibit strong biocompatibility, but the mechanical character is not well known. Mechanical properties were tested for scaffolds consisting of 100% tropoelastin and 1:1 tropoelastin-collagen blends. The results showed that the materials exhibited a three order of magnitude change in the initial elastic modulus when tested dry vs. hydrated, with moduli of 21 MPa and 0.011 MPa respectively. Noncrosslinked and crosslinked tropoelastin scaffolds exhibited the same initial stiffness from 0 to 50% strain, and the noncrosslinked scaffolds exhibited no stiffness at strains >∼50%. The elastic modulus of a 1:1 tropoelastin-collagen blend was 50% higher than that of a pure tropoelastin scaffold. Finally, the 1:1 tropoelastin-collagen blend was five times stiffer from 0 to 50% strain when strained at five times the ASTM standard rate. By systematically varying protein composition and crosslinking, the results demonstrate how protein scaffolds might be manipulated as customized biomaterials, ensuring mechanical robustness and potentially improving biocompatibility through minimization of compliance mismatch with the surrounding tissue environment. Moreover, the demonstration of strain-rate dependent mechanical behavior has implications for mechanical design of tropoelastin-based tissue scaffolds.
Feasibility Study of Carbon Nanotube Microneedles for Rapid Transdermal Drug Delivery
Authors: Lyon Bradley J. , Aria Adrianus I. , Gharib Morteza
Published: December 2013

We introduce a new approach for fabricating hollow microneedles using vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes (VA-CNTs) for rapid transdermal drug delivery. Here, we discuss the fabrication of the microneedles emphasizing the overall simplicity and flexibility of the method to allow for potential industrial application. By capitalizing on the nanoporosity of the CNT bundles, uncured polymer can be wicked into the needles ultimately creating a high strength composite of aligned nanotubes and polymer. Flow through the microneedles as well as in vitro penetration of the microneedles into swine skin is demonstrated. Furthermore, we present a trade study comparing the difficulty and complexity of the fabrication process of our CNT-polymer microneedles with other standard microneedle fabrication approaches.
ABA triblock copolymer based hydrogels with thermo-sensitivity for biomedical applications
Authors: Tartivel Lucile , Behl Marc , Schroeter Michael , Lendlein Andreas
Published: December 2013

Oligo(ethylene glycol)-oligo(propylene glycol)-oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG-OPG-OEG) triblock copolymers are hydrogel forming and extensively investigated in the field of drug release due to their biocompatibility and thermo-sensitivity. Here the synthesis and characterization of OEG-OPG-OEG based polymer networks from methacrylated oligomers by photo-irradiation are reported. Two precursors were selected to have comparable hydrophilicity (80 wt% OEG content) but different molecular weights of Mn = 8400 g·mol-1 and 14600 g·mol-1. The precursor solutions were prepared in concentration 10 to 30 wt%. The resulting polymer networks prepared from high Mn precursors exhibited higher swellability at equilibrium (up to 3400%) and mechanical properties in the range of G’ ∼ 0.1 to 1 kPa at 5 °C compared to networks based on low Mn precursors. A more significant thermo-sensitive behavior in terms of swellability, volumetric contraction and mechanical transition, starting at 30 °C could also be observed for the networks based on high Mn precursors, thus promoting future application in the field of drug release.
Towards a Silicate Matrix for the Immobilisation of Halide-rich Wastes
Authors: Gilbert M. R.
Published: December 2013

Single-phase calcium chlorosilicate and sodalite, two potential ceramic waste-forms for the immobilisation of CaCl2-based pyroprocessing wastes, have been fabricated at temperatures below the volatilisation point of CaCl2. Solid solutions doped with Sm3+ as an inactive analogue for trivalent actinides have been fabricated and characterised. XRD analysis shows both phases will successfully accommodate Sm3+, with the sodalite in particular remaining single-phase. Fabrication of Sm-doped calcium chlorosilicate in air results in the formation of SmOCl and Ca(Si2O5) secondary phases, however, calcination in an inert atmosphere is shown to successfully retard the formation of SmOCl allowing for higher levels of doping.
The Role of Factors Associated With Apoptosis in Assessing Periodontal Disease Status
Authors: Abuhussein Heba , Bashutski Jill D. , Dabiri Darya , Halubai Sindhu , Layher Mary , Klausner Christine , Makhoul Huwaida , Kapila Yvonne
Published: December 2013

Background: Little is known about the release of apoptotic proteins during periodontal breakdown. This pilot study investigates the presence of factors associated with apoptosis in serum, saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and their association with periodontal disease severity and activity.

Methods: GCF, whole saliva, and serum were obtained from 47 adult patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and 10 healthy controls. Clinical measurements, including probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and radiographs, were used to classify patients into healthy, mild, and moderate/severe CP groups. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure apoptosis or DNA fragmentation in GCF and active caspase‐3, soluble Fas (sFas), and sFas ligand (sFasL) in saliva and serum. Western immunoblotting was used to detect Fas, FasL, sFasL, and caspase‐3 expression in GCF.

Results: DNA fragmentation was positively correlated with PD and CAL regardless of patient disease status (P <0.001). sFas and sFasL were present in saliva and serum, but there were no differences between groups. In GCF, the greater odds of detecting Fas, sFasL, and caspase‐3 increased with increasing PD and CAL (P <0.05). In addition, sites with inflammation and PD ≥5 mm had significantly greater odds of exhibiting Fas, sFasL, and caspase‐3 expression compared with sites without inflammation and PD <5 mm (P <0.05). Caspase‐3 was not detected in saliva or serum. At the patient level, only FasL and disease status were significantly correlated (P <0.05).

Conclusion: Factors associated with apoptosis were detected in GCF in patients with CP.
Mucosal Vaccination Shapes the Expression of Salivary Antibodies and Establishment of CD8+ T‐Cells
Authors: Polak David , Benzki‐Namdar Ester , Houri‐Haddad Yael , Shapira Lior
Published: December 2013

Background: Mucosal vaccination for preventing periodontitis shows promising results. However, various administration routes and adjuvants may have a substantial role in the efficacy of the vaccination. The aim of the study is to compare different modes of mucosal vaccination with whole‐cell Porphyromonas gingivalis and to test the role of various adjuvants as potential modifiers of this process.

Methods: Mucosal vaccine was administered through oral or nasal routes to BALB/C mice. The tested adjuvants included Escherichia coli cholera toxin, E. coli labile toxin (LT), and unmethylated CpG dinucleotide (CpG). Control mice were vaccinated subcutaneously. Saliva and serum were collected; anti–P. gingivalis salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) and serum IgG were quantified. A quantitative enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to measure anti–P. gingivalis IgA levels was established. In addition, cells were extracted from head and neck lymph nodes, and the relative CD8+ cells were quantified using flow cytometry.

Results: All mucosal vaccination modes induced anti–P. gingivalis salivary IgA but not anti–P. gingivalis serum IgG. Subcutaneous vaccination induced both salivary IgA and serum IgG against P. gingivalis. Mucosal vaccination also induced greater establishment of CD8+ cells compared to the subcutaneous vaccination. Oral mucosal vaccinations with LT or CpG were the most efficient for salivary IgA expression and CD8 cell establishment in lymph nodes.

Conclusions: Oral and nasal mucosal vaccination induced a local host response with little systemic effect. The use of CpG or LT as adjuvants with the oral mucosal vaccination was the most efficient vaccination mode in the present mouse model.
Factors Associated with the Persistence of Bullying Victimization From 10th grade to 13th Grade: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Lien Lars , Welander-Vatn Audun
Published: December 2013

Background:

Bullying among adolescents represents a major public health challenge. The aim of this study was to map the stability of bullying victimization across the transitional phase from lower to upper secondary school, and to describe the sociodemographic, academic and health-related characteristics of those bullied during the transition.

Method:

3674 Norwegian adolescents were followed longitudinally from the age of 15/16 until the age of 18/19, answering questionnaires about health, academic achievements, life events, lifestyle and sociodemography. The 337 participants reporting exposure to bullying victimization at age 15/16 were the target group, as we made comparisons between those reporting victimization only at the age of 15/16 (n=289) with the participants for whom the bullying had continued into later adolescence (n = 48).

Results:

14% of those victimized at age 15/16, reported continuation of bullying victimization into upper secondary school. These adolescents were significantly more likely to report having divorced parents, low parental educational level, poor self-perceived economy, muscle and skeletal pain, symptoms of mental distress, lower school marks in Norwegian and higher body-mass index (BMI) when group differences at age 18/19 were assessed through basic inferential statistical tests. However, the multivariate logistic regression analyses only revealed statistically significantly increased adjusted odds ratios for the variables mental distress and school-marks in Norwegian.

Conclusion:

The persistence of exposure to bullying from 10th grade to 13th grade is associated with mental health complaints and poor school performance. Preventive measures to take care of students being continuously bullied should be in place in secondary schools.
Caterpillar Childhoods: Engaging the Otherwise Worlds of Central Australian Aboriginal Children
Authors: Taylor Affrica
Published: December 2013

This article engages with the otherwise worlds of Arrernte caterpillar children living in the Aboriginal fringe camps around Alice Springs, in Central Australia. It traces the constitutive relationships between these children's kinship identities and belongings to country, the materialities of the desert environment in which they live, the adaptive and inclusive past and present Arrernte ‘Caterpillar Dreaming’ stories, Arrernte interspecies relational ethics, and the impact of colonial dispersals and interventions upon Central Australian Aboriginal people's lives. The author poses the question of what we might learn about children's postcolonial natureculture relations from these caterpillar children's otherwise worlds. Picking up on Elizabeth Povinelli's suggestion that the mutually constituting relationship of geographies (places) and biographies (human lives), or geontologies, function as indigenous survival strategies, the author questions whether or not these adaptive caterpillar geontologies can survive in a world irrevocably changed by colonisation and subject to ongoing neo-colonial assimilatory interventions. To make these tracings and to pose these questions, the author draws upon a combination of personal recollections, traditional Arrernte stories and philosophies, and recountings of colonialist and neo-colonialist historical events.
Indigenous Onto-Epistemologies and Pedagogies of Care and Affect in Aotearoa
Authors: Ritchie Jenny
Published: December 2013

This article reflects on research conducted in one kindergarten that was part of a wider project focusing on ‘caring for ourselves, others and the environment’ in early years education in Aotearoa New Zealand. The project drew upon both Māori and western theoretical frames. In this article I respond to Bruno Latour's suggestion that we renew our theoretical considerations to make our practice more responsive to ‘matters of concern’. The interlinked matters of concern that are the focus of this article are the endangered status of both Indigenous peoples' worldviews and of the well-being of the planet. Early childhood teachers during the project introduced Māori (Indigenous) seasonal and healing practices within their daily pedagogies, in some small ways perhaps transcending the ongoing disruption and intergenerational trauma of the history of colonisation. It is argued that indigenous ways of being, knowing, and doing enact an ethic of biocentric relationality which, when applied through early childhood pedagogies, offer a source of hope in this era of anthropogenic climate crisis.
Inclusion body myositis — a case based clinicopathological update
Authors: Bodoki Levente , Vincze Melinda , Griger Zoltán , Csonka Tamás , Murnyák Balázs , Kurucz Andrea , Dankó Katalin , Hortobágyi Tibor
Published: December 2013

Inclusion body myositis is a slowly progressive myopathy affecting predominantly the middle-aged and older patient population. It is a major form of the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies which are chronic systemic autoimmune diseases characterized by symmetrical proximal muscle weakness. Unfortunately, there is no effective therapy yet; however, the early diagnosis is essential to provide treatment options which may significantly slow the progression of the disease. In our case-based clinicopathological study the importance of the close collaboration between the clinician and the neuropathologist is emphasised.
Melatonin protection against burn-induced liver injury. A review
Authors: Bekyarova Ganka , Tzaneva Maria , Hristova Minka , Hristov Krasimir
Published: December 2013

Severe thermal injury may be complicated by dysfunction of organs distant from the original burn wound, including the liver, and represents a serious clinical problem. Although pathophysiology of burn-induced liver injury remains unclear, increasing evidence implicate activation of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and microcirculatory disorders as the main mechanisms of hepatic injury. Several studies suggest melatonin as a multifunctional indolamine that counteracts some of the pathophysiologic steps and displays significant beneficial effects against burn-induced cellular injury. This review summarizes the role of melatonin in restricting the burn-induced hepatic injury and focuses on its effects on oxidative stress, inflammatory response, endothelial dysfunction and microcirculatory disorders as well as on signaling pathways such as regulation of nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB). Further studies are necessary to elucidate the modulating effect of melatonin on the transcription factor responsible for the regulation of the pro-inflammatory and antioxidant genes involved in burn injuries.
Simultaneous determination of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and hydrocortisone in ear drops by high performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Ronowicz Joanna , Kupcewicz Bogumiła , Pałkowski Łukasz , Bilski Piotr , Siódmiak Tomasz , Marszałł Michał , Krysiński Jerzy
Published: December 2013

The aim of the study was to design and validate a reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography method for the separation and quantification of two active pharmaceutical ingredients (ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, hydrocortisone) and a preservative (benzyl alcohol) in ear drops. Effective separation of the examined compounds was achieved on a GraceSmart™ RP 18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with gradient elution and a diode array detector. The total assay run time was 25 min. Analytical method validation assays were performed. Validation parameters used for the evaluation were: specificity, linearity, trueness, precision (repeatability and reproducibility), limit of detection and limit of quantitation. Results of the validation procedure (high recoveries, good standard deviations, no interfering peaks at the retention times corresponding to the analytes) confirm that the developed chromatographic method can be applied for routine analysis of ear drops.
Synthesis of melamine-formaldehyde resin functionalised with sulphonic groups and its catalytic activities
Authors: Shao Lin-Jun , Xing Gui-Ying , Qi Chen-Ze
Published: December 2013

Spherical melamine-formaldehyde resin (MFR) particles were synthesised using the condensation reaction of melamine and formaldehyde with PEG-2000 as an additive. After thermal treatment at 200°C and then sulphonation by chlorosulphuric acid, an MFR-supported strong acid catalyst (SMFR) was prepared with an acidity of 3.23 mmol g−1. This new acid catalyst was evaluated in the reactions of esterification and acetalisation, with the results indicating that this novel acid catalyst was highly efficient in the traditional acid-catalysed reaction. Its high activity, stability and reusability give it great potential for “green” chemical processes.
Short-term Outcome of Coronary Artery bypass Graft Surgery in Diabetics at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital & Research Institute
Authors: Hasan Md Sharif , Siraj Masoom , Rahman Hamidur , Amin Md Nurul
Published: December 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icmj.v2i1.17381 Ibrahim Cardiac Med J 2012; 2(1): 8-11
Precipitating and Relieving Factors of Migraine in Adults
Authors: Amin Md Nurul , Alim Md Abdul , Asaduzzaman Md
Published: December 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icmj.v2i1.17382 Ibrahim Cardiac Med J 2012; 2(1): 12-16
Nutritional Status of Marginalized Adolescent Pregnant Women during their Antenatal Period
Authors: Shelley Farida Easmin , Khatun Hazera
Published: December 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icmj.v2i1.17415 Ibrahim Cardiac Med J 2012; 2(1): 32-35
Cervical and Ovarian Cancer with Different Histological Patterns: A Case Report
Authors: Khatun Hazera , Begum Ferdousi , Tasmin Khandaker Shehneela , Shelley Farida Easmin
Published: December 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icmj.v2i1.17420 Ibrahim Cardiac Med J 2012; 2(1): 61-64
Galaxy Rotation Curves in Covariant Hořava-Lifshitz Gravity
Authors: Alexandre Jean , Kostacinska Martyna
Published: December 2013

Using the multiplicity of solutions for the projectable case of the covariant extension of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity, we show that an appropriate choice for the auxiliary field allows for an effective description of galaxy rotation curves. This description is based on static and spherically symmetric solutions of covariant Hořava-Lifshitz gravity and does not require Dark Matter.
A Human XPC Protein Interactome—A Resource
Authors: Lubin Abigail , Zhang Ling , Chen Hua , White Victoria , Gong Feng
Published: December 2013

Global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) is responsible for identifying and removing bulky adducts from non-transcribed DNA that result from damaging agents such as UV radiation and cisplatin. Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) is one of the essential damage recognition proteins of the GG-NER pathway and its dysfunction results in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), a disorder involving photosensitivity and a predisposition to cancer. To better understand the identification of DNA damage by XPC in the context of chromatin and the role of XPC in the pathogenesis of XP, we characterized the interactome of XPC using a high throughput yeast two-hybrid screening. Our screening showed 49 novel interactors of XPC involved in DNA repair and replication, proteolysis and post-translational modifications, transcription regulation, signal transduction, and metabolism. Importantly, we validated the XPC-OTUD4 interaction by co-IP and provided evidence that OTUD4 knockdown in human cells indeed affects the levels of ubiquitinated XPC, supporting a hypothesis that the OTUD4 deubiquitinase is involved in XPC recycling by cleaving the ubiquitin moiety. This high-throughput characterization of the XPC interactome provides a resource for future exploration and suggests that XPC may have many uncharacterized cellular functions.
Cytotoxicity Test of One-Step Self-Etching Bonding Agents by Standardized Dentin Barrier Test Using Polyurethane Discs
Authors: Kim Mi-Joo , Kim Kyoung-Nam , Kim Kwang-Mahn
Published: December 2013

This study was performed to standardize a dentin barrier test with the substitute and evaluate the cytotoxicity of one-step self-etching bonding agents. Each of the natural bovine dentin and polyurethane discs were 500-μm thick and were tested using a perfusion device. Following the treatment with 0.05% phenol on the natural bovine disc or three kinds of polyurethane discs—30, 40, and 50 pcf (pounds per cubic foot)—cell viability of L-929 was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and expressed as percentages of non-treated group, respectively. A substitute showing permeability similar to that of bovine dentin was determined based on this result. Cytotoxicity test of bonding agents was performed by the selected substitute, the results of which were expressed as percentages of the control. In addition, SEM images were taken after the tests. The cell viability by 40-pcf polyurethane disc was not statistically different from that by bovine dentin disc (P > 0.05). Futurabond DC resulted in the highest cell viability and Bond force the lowest by the 40-pcf polyurethane disc (P < 0.05). The adhesives on the 40-pcf polyurethane disc changed cellular morphology with different degrees on the SEM images. This standardized test might be useful for assessing the cytotoxicity of dental materials applied to dentin before clinical applications.
Bioactive Compounds from the Roots of Asiasarum heterotropoides
Authors: Lee Jun , Lee You , Oh Se-Mi , Yi Jin-Mu , Kim No , Bang Ok-Sun
Published: December 2013

A new tetrahydrofuran lignan, (7S,8R,7'S,8'S)-3-methoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxy-7,9'-epoxylignane-4,7',9-triol (1), and 21 known compounds 2–22 were isolated from the roots of Asiasarum heterotropoides by chromatographic separation methods. The structures of all compounds 1–22 were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis including 1D- and 2D-NMR. Fourteen of these compounds (1–3, 7, 10, 12–17, 19, 21, and 22) were isolated from this species in this study for the first time. All of the isolates were evaluated for their anticancer activities using in vitro assays. Among the 22 tested compounds, two (compounds 5 and 7) induced the downregulation of NO production, FOXP3 expression, and HIF-1α transcriptional activity.