bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations of Eye Movement Control in Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders
Authors: Gorges Martin , Pinkhardt Elmar H. , Kassubek Jan
Published: May 2014

The evolution of the fovea centralis, the most central part of the retina and the area of the highest visual accuracy, requires humans to shift their gaze rapidly (saccades) to bring some object of interest within the visual field onto the fovea. In addition, humans are equipped with the ability to rotate the eye ball continuously in a highly predicting manner (smooth pursuit) to hold a moving target steadily upon the retina. The functional deficits in neurodegenerative movement disorders (e.g., Parkinsonian syndromes) involve the basal ganglia that are critical in all aspects of movement control. Moreover, neocortical structures, the cerebellum, and the midbrain may become affected by the pathological process. A broad spectrum of eye movement alterations may result, comprising smooth pursuit disturbance (e.g., interrupting saccades), saccadic dysfunction (e.g., hypometric saccades), and abnormal attempted fixation (e.g., pathological nystagmus and square wave jerks). On clinical grounds, videooculography is a sensitive noninvasivein vivotechnique to classify oculomotion function alterations. Eye movements are a valuable window into the integrity of central nervous system structures and their changes in defined neurodegenerative conditions, that is, the oculomotor nuclei in the brainstem together with their directly activating supranuclear centers and the basal ganglia as well as cortical areas of higher cognitive control of attention.
Angiogenesis-Related Biomarkers in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease: Their Association with Liver Disease Complications and Outcome
Authors: Kasztelan-Szczerbinska Beata , Surdacka Agata , Slomka Maria , Rolinski Jacek , Celinski Krzysztof , Cichoz-Lach Halina , Madro Agnieszka , Szczerbinski Mariusz
Published: May 2014

Angiogenesis is believed to be implicated in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We aimed to explore the usefulness and accuracy of plasma angiogenic biomarkers for noninvasive evaluation of the severity of liver failure and ALD outcome. One hundred and forty-seven patients with ALD were prospectively enrolled and assessed based on their (1) gender, (2) age, (3) severity of liver dysfunction according to the Child-Turcotte-Pugh and MELD scores, and (4) the presence of ALD complications. Plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) and angiopoietins 1 and 2 (Ang1 and Ang2) were investigated using ELISAs. Multivariable logistic regression was applied in order to select independent predictors of advanced liver dysfunction and the disease complications. Significantly higher concentrations of Ang2 and VEGF-A in ALD patients as compared to controls were found. There was no difference in Ang1 levels in both groups. A positive correlation of Ang2 levels with INR (Rho 0.66;P<0.0001) and its inverse correlation with plasma albumin levels (Rho –0.62;P<0.0001) were found. High Ang2 concentrations turned out to be an independent predictor of severe liver dysfunction, as well as hepatic encephalopathy and renal impairment. Ang2 possessed the highest diagnostic and prognostic potential among three studied angiogenesis-related molecules.
Association between Arsenic Exposure and Diabetes Mellitus in Cambodia
Authors: Huang Jhih-Wei , Cheng Ya-Yun , Sung Tzu-Ching , Guo How-Ran , Sthiannopkao Suthipong
Published: May 2014

Whereas studies in Taiwan found associations between arsenic exposure from drinking water and diabetes mellitus (DM), studies in other countries yielded inconsistent results, and diet might be a confounder. We conducted a study in Cambodia, where people have non-Western style diet, to evaluate the association. We measured well water and urine samples and examined skin signs of arsenicosis to assess arsenic exposure and used questionnaires to collect data on potential risk factors. We performed a fingertip blood glucose test followed by measurement of hemoglobin A1c to assess DM. The 43-male and 99-female participants had an average age of 40.4 years. We found that participants with skin signs of arsenicosis had a higher level of arsenic in the drinking water (1101.1 versus 972.2 μg/L,P=0.02). Drinking water with arsenic levels above the median (907.25 μg/L) was associated with a nearly twofold increase in the risk of DM (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5–5.8), so was having skin sings of arsenicosis (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 0.5–5.6). The ORs did not reach statistical significance most likely because of the small case number. Therefore, further studies with larger study populations are needed to confirm our findings.
Jørgensen’s Inequality and Algebraic Convergence Theorem in Quaternionic Hyperbolic Isometry Groups
Authors: Qin Huani , Jiang Yueping , Cao Wensheng
Published: May 2014

We obtain an analogue of Jørgensen's inequality in quaternionic hyperbolic space. As an application, we prove that if ther-generator quaternionic Kleinian group satisfies I-condition, then its algebraic limit is also a quaternionic Kleinian group. Our results are generalizations of the counterparts in then-dimensional real hyperbolic space.
Neural Decoding Using a Parallel Sequential Monte Carlo Method on Point Processes with Ensemble Effect
Authors: Xu Kai , Wang Yiwen , Wang Fang , Liao Yuxi , Zhang Qiaosheng , Li Hongbao , Zheng Xiaoxiang
Published: May 2014

Sequential Monte Carlo estimation on point processes has been successfully applied to predict the movement from neural activity. However, there exist some issues along with this method such as the simplified tuning model and the high computational complexity, which may degenerate the decoding performance of motor brain machine interfaces. In this paper, we adopt a general tuning model which takes recent ensemble activity into account. The goodness-of-fit analysis demonstrates that the proposed model can predict the neuronal response more accurately than the one only depending on kinematics. A new sequential Monte Carlo algorithm based on the proposed model is constructed. The algorithm can significantly reduce the root mean square error of decoding results, which decreases 23.6% in position estimation. In addition, we accelerate the decoding speed by implementing the proposed algorithm in a massive parallel manner on GPU. The results demonstrate that the spike trains can be decoded as point process in real time even with 8000 particles or 300 neurons, which is over 10 times faster than the serial implementation. The main contribution of our work is to enable the sequential Monte Carlo algorithm with point process observation to output the movement estimation much faster and more accurately.
Current and Emerging Biomarkers of Cell Death in Human Disease
Authors: Li Kongning , Wu Deng , Chen Xi , Zhang Ting , Zhang Lu , Yi Ying , Miao Zhengqiang , Jin Nana , Bi Xiaoman , Wang Hongwei , Xu Jianzhen , Wang Dong
Published: May 2014

Cell death is a critical biological process, serving many important functions within multicellular organisms. Aberrations in cell death can contribute to the pathology of human diseases. Significant progress made in the research area enormously speeds up our understanding of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cell death. According to the distinct morphological and biochemical characteristics, cell death can be triggered by extrinsic or intrinsic apoptosis, regulated necrosis, autophagic cell death, and mitotic catastrophe. Nevertheless, the realization that all of these efforts seek to pursue an effective treatment and cure for the disease has spurred a significant interest in the development of promising biomarkers of cell death to early diagnose disease and accurately predict disease progression and outcome. In this review, we summarize recent knowledge about cell death, survey current and emerging biomarkers of cell death, and discuss the relationship with human diseases.
Loss of Insulin Receptor in Osteoprogenitor Cells Impairs Structural Strength of Bone
Authors: Thrailkill Kathryn , Bunn R. Clay , Lumpkin Charles , Wahl Elizabeth , Cockrell Gael , Morris Lindsey , Kahn C. Ronald , Fowlkes John , Nyman Jeffry S.
Published: May 2014

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is associated with decreased bone mineral density, a deficit in bone structure, and subsequently an increased risk of fragility fracture. These clinical observations, paralleled by animal models of T1D, suggest that the insulinopenia of T1D has a deleterious effect on bone. To further examine the action of insulin signaling on bone development, we generated mice with an osteoprogenitor-selective (osterix-Cre) ablation of the insulin receptor (IR), designated OIRKO. OIRKO mice exhibited an 80% decrease in IR in osteoblasts. Prenatal elimination of IR did not affect fetal survival or gross morphology. However, loss of IR in mouse osteoblasts resulted in a postnatal growth-constricted phenotype. By 10–12 weeks of age, femurs of OIRKO mice were more slender, with a thinner diaphyseal cortex and, consequently, a decrease in whole bone strength when subjected to bending. In male mice alone, decreased metaphyseal trabecular bone, with thinner and more rodlike trabeculae, was also observed. OIRKO mice did not, however, exhibit abnormal glucose tolerance. The skeletal phenotype of the OIRKO mouse appeared more severe than that of previously reported bone-specific IR knockdown models, and confirms that insulin receptor expression in osteoblasts is critically important for proper bone development and maintenance of structural integrity.
A Secure RFID Authentication Protocol Adopting Error Correction Code
Authors: Chen Chien-Ming , Chen Shuai-Min , Zheng Xinying , Chen Pei-Yu , Sun Hung-Min
Published: May 2014

RFID technology has become popular in many applications; however, most of the RFID products lack security related functionality due to the hardware limitation of the low-cost RFID tags. In this paper, we propose a lightweight mutual authentication protocol adopting error correction code for RFID. Besides, we also propose an advanced version of our protocol to provide key updating. Based on the secrecy of shared keys, the reader and the tag can establish a mutual authenticity relationship. Further analysis of the protocol showed that it also satisfies integrity, forward secrecy, anonymity, and untraceability. Compared with other lightweight protocols, the proposed protocol provides stronger resistance to tracing attacks, compromising attacks and replay attacks. We also compare our protocol with previous works in terms of performance.
Caenorhabditis elegans: A Useful Model for Studying Metabolic Disorders in Which Oxidative Stress Is a Contributing Factor
Authors: Moreno-Arriola Elizabeth , Cárdenas-Rodríguez Noemí , Coballase-Urrutia Elvia , Pedraza-Chaverri José , Carmona-Aparicio Liliana , Ortega-Cuellar Daniel
Published: May 2014

Caenorhabditis elegansis a powerful model organism that is invaluable for experimental research because it can be used to recapitulate most human diseases at either the metabolic or genomic levelin vivo. This organism contains many key components related to metabolic and oxidative stress networks that could conceivably allow us to increase and integrate information to understand the causes and mechanisms of complex diseases. Oxidative stress is an etiological factor that influences numerous human diseases, including diabetes.C. elegansdisplays remarkably similar molecular bases and cellular pathways to those of mammals. Defects in the insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathway or increased ROS levels induce the conserved phase II detoxification response via the SKN-1 pathway to fight against oxidative stress. However, it is noteworthy that, aside from the detrimental effects of ROS, they have been proposed as second messengers that trigger the mitohormetic response to attenuate the adverse effects of oxidative stress. Herein, we briefly describe the importance ofC. elegansas an experimental model system for studying metabolic disorders related to oxidative stress and the molecular mechanisms that underlie their pathophysiology.
Quad-PRE: A Hybrid Method to Predict Protein Quaternary Structure Attributes
Authors: Sheng Yajun , Qiu Xingye , Zhang Chen , Xu Jun , Zhang Yanping , Zheng Wei , Chen Ke
Published: May 2014

The protein quaternary structure is very important to the biological process. Predicting their attributes is an essential task in computational biology for the advancement of the proteomics. However, the existing methods did not consider sufficient properties of amino acid. To end this, we proposed a hybrid method Quad-PRE to predict protein quaternary structure attributes using the properties of amino acid, predicted secondary structure, predicted relative solvent accessibility, and position-specific scoring matrix profiles and motifs. Empirical evaluation on independent dataset shows that Quad-PRE achieved higher overall accuracy 81.7%, especially higher accuracy 92.8%, 93.3%, and 90.6% on discrimination for trimer, hexamer, and octamer, respectively. Our model also reveals that six features sets are all important to the prediction, and a hybrid method is an optimal strategy by now. The results indicate that the proposed method can classify protein quaternary structure attributes effectively.
Therapeutic Implications of Black Seed and Its Constituent Thymoquinone in the Prevention of Cancer through Inactivation and Activation of Molecular Pathways
Authors: Rahmani Arshad H. , Alzohairy Mohammad A. , Khan Masood A. , Aly Salah M.
Published: May 2014

The cancer is probably the most dreaded disease in both men and women and also major health problem worldwide. Despite its high prevalence, the exact molecular mechanisms of the development and progression are not fully understood. The current chemotherapy/radiotherapy regime used to treat cancer shows adverse side effect and may alter gene functions. Natural products are generally safe, effective, and less expensive substitutes of anticancer chemotherapeutics. Based on previous studies of their potential therapeutic uses, Nigella sativa and its constituents may be proved as good therapeutic options in the prevention of cancer. Black seeds are used as staple food in the Middle Eastern Countries for thousands of years and also in the treatment of diseases. Earlier studies have shown that N. sativa and its constituent thymoquinone (TQ) have important roles in the prevention and treatment of cancer by modulating cell signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the role of N. sativa and its constituents TQ in the prevention of cancer through the activation or inactivation of molecular cell signaling pathways.
Heat Removal from Bipolar Transistor by Loop Heat Pipe with Nickel and Copper Porous Structures
Authors: Nemec Patrik , Smitka Martin , Malcho Milan
Published: May 2014

Loop heat pipes (LHPs) are used in many branches of industry, mainly for cooling of electrical elements and systems. The loop heat pipe is a vapour-liquid phase-change device that transfers heat from evaporator to condenser. One of the most important parts of the LHP is the porous wick structure. The wick structure provides capillary force to circulate the working fluid. To achieve good thermal performance of LHP, capillary wicks with high permeability and porosity and fine pore radius are expected. The aim of this work was to develop porous structures from copper and nickel powder with different grain sizes. For experiment copper powder with grain size of 50 and 100 μm and nickel powder with grain size of 10 and 25 μm were used. Analysis of these porous structures and LHP design are described in the paper. And the measurements’ influences of porous structures in LHP on heat removal from the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) have been made.
Wavelets Application in Prediction of Friction Stir Welding Parameters of Alloy Joints from Vibroacoustic ANN-Based Model
Authors: Jiménez-Macías Emilio , Sánchez-Roca Angel , Carvajal-Fals Hipólito , Blanco-Fernández Julio , Martínez-Cámara Eduardo
Published: May 2014

This paper analyses the correlation between the acoustic emission signals and the main parameters of friction stir welding process based on artificial neural networks (ANNs). The acoustic emission signals inZandYdirections have been acquired by the AE instrument NI USB-9234. Statistical and temporal parameters of discomposed acoustic emission signals using Wavelet Transform have been used as input of the ANN. The outputs of the ANN model include the parameters of tool rotation speed and travel speed, and tool profile, as well as the tensile strength. A multilayer feed-forward neural network has been selected and trained, using Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm for different network architectures. Finally, an analysis of the comparison between the measured and the calculated data is presented. The model obtained can be used to model and develop an automatic control of the parameters of the process and mechanical properties of joint, based on the acoustic emission signals.
BLAT-Based Comparative Analysis for Transposable Elements: BLATCAT
Authors: Lee Sangbum , Oh Sumin , Kang Keunsoo , Han Kyudong
Published: May 2014

The availability of several whole genome sequences makes comparative analyses possible. In primate genomes, the priority of transposable elements (TEs) is significantly increased because they account for ~45% of the primate genomes, they can regulate the gene expression level, and they are associated with genomic fluidity in their host genomes. Here, we developed the BLAST-like alignment tool (BLAT) based comparative analysis for transposable elements (BLATCAT) program. The BLATCAT program can compare specific regions of six representative primate genome sequences (human, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, gibbon, and rhesus macaque) on the basis of BLAT and simultaneously carry out RepeatMasker and/or Censor functions, which are widely used Windows-based web-server functions to detect TEs. All results can be stored as a HTML file for manual inspection of a specific locus. BLATCAT will be very convenient and efficient for comparative analyses of TEs in various primate genomes.
Septic Arthritis of the Shoulder Complicating Pregnancy
Authors: Raiser Sara , Davidson Kathryn , Walsh Ashley , Egerman Robert
Published: May 2014

Septic arthropathy leads to rapid joint destruction, impairment, and disability.Staphylococcuscan be particularly virulent to bone and joints leading to adverse obstetric events. At 28 of weeks gestation, a patient presented with pyelonephritis and progressive left shoulder pain. Magnetic resonance imaging indicated early clavicular destruction and acromial involvement. Glenohumeral joint aspiration producedStaphylococcus aureus. The patient then had premature rupture of membranes and progressed rapidly to preterm delivery. Placental pathology revealed chorioamnionitis and microabscesses. Treatment of the infected joint required further surgical drainage and bone resection as well as extended antibiotics. It is important to remember that joint pain in pregnancy may indicate infective arthritis, and pyelonephritis can be a source of such an infection. Evaluation includes magnetic resonance imaging and consultation for joint aspiration. Prompt recognition and treatment are necessary to prevent joint destruction.
Intelligent Control for USV Based on Improved Elman Neural Network with TSK Fuzzy
Authors: Chuang Shang-Jen , Chen Chiung-Hsing , Hong Chih-Ming , Chen Guan-Yu
Published: May 2014

In recent years, based on the rising of global personal safety demand and human resource cost considerations, development of unmanned vehicles to replace manpower requirement to perform high-risk operations is increasing. In order to acquire useful resources under the marine environment, a large boat as an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) was implemented. The USV is equipped with automatic navigation features and a complete substitute artificial manipulation. This USV system for exploring the marine environment has more carrying capacity and that measurement system can also be self-designed through a modular approach in accordance with the needs for various types of environmental conditions. The investigation work becomes more flexible. A catamaran hull is adopted as automatic navigation test with CompactRIO embedded system. Through GPS and direction sensor we not only can know the current location of the boat, but also can calculate the distance with a predetermined position and the angle difference immediately. In this paper, the design of automatic navigation is calculated in accordance with improved Elman neural network (ENN) algorithms. Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy and improved ENN control are applied to adjust required power and steering, which allows the hull to move straight forward to a predetermined target position. The route will be free from outside influence and realize automatic navigation purpose.
On the Performance of Video Quality Assessment Metrics under Different Compression and Packet Loss Scenarios
Authors: Martínez-Rach Miguel O. , Piñol Pablo , López Otoniel M. , Perez Malumbres Manuel , Oliver José , Calafate Carlos Tavares
Published: May 2014

When comparing the performance of video coding approaches, evaluating different commercial video encoders, or measuring the perceived video quality in a wireless environment, Rate/distortion analysis is commonly used, where distortion is usually measured in terms of PSNR values. However, PSNR does not always capture the distortion perceived by a human being. As a consequence, significant efforts have focused on defining an objective video quality metric that is able to assess quality in the same way as a human does. We perform a study of some available objective quality assessment metrics in order to evaluate their behavior in two different scenarios. First, we deal with video sequences compressed by different encoders at different bitrates in order to properly measure the video quality degradation associated with the encoding system. In addition, we evaluate the behavior of the quality metrics when measuring video distortions produced by packet losses in mobile ad hoc network scenarios with variable degrees of network congestion and node mobility. Our purpose is to determine if the analyzed metrics can replace the PSNR while comparing, designing, and evaluating video codec proposals, and, in particular, under video delivery scenarios characterized by bursty and frequent packet losses, such as wireless multihop environments.
Sex Determination Using Inion-Opistocranium-Asterion (IOA) Triangle in Nigerians’ Skulls
Authors: Orish C. N. , Didia B. C. , Fawehinmi H. B.
Published: May 2014

Background. Determination of sex is an important concern to the forensic anthropologists as it is critical for individual identification. This study has investigated the existence of sexual dimorphism in the dimensions and the area of the IOA triangle. Methods. A total of 100 adult dry skulls, (78 males; 22 females) from departments of anatomy in Nigerian universities were used for this study. Automatic digital calliper was used for the measurement. Coefficient of variation, correlation, linear regression, percentiles, and sexual dimorphism ratio were computed from the IOA triangle measurements. The IOA triangle area was compared between sexes. Results. The male parameters were significantly (P<0.05) higher than female parameters. The left opistocranium-asterion length was 71.09±0.56 and 61.68±3.35 mm and the right opistocranium-asterion length was 69.73±0.49 and 60.92±2.10 mm for male and female, respectively. A total area of IOA triangle of 1938.88 mm2 and 1305.68 mm2 for male and female, respectively, was calculated. The left IOA indices were 46.42% and 37.40% in males and females, respectively, while the right IOA indices for males and females were 47.19% and 38.87%, respectively. Conclusion. The anthropometry of inion-opistocranium-asterion IOA triangle can be a guide in gender determination of unknown individuals.
The Influence of Precipitation and Consecutive Dry Days on Burned Areas in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China
Authors: Chen Feng , Fan Zhaofei , Niu Shukui , Zheng Jingming
Published: May 2014

Precipitation is among the more limiting meteorological factors affecting the occurrence and extent of forest fire. We examined the correlation between burned area of individual wildfires and the rainfall amounts occurring on the day of the burn and the number of consecutive dry days for a range of limiting daily rainfall amounts (0–6mm) used to define a “dry” day. Daily threshold rainfall levels that most significantly affected area burned were determined for each ecoregion in Yunnan province, a major fire-prone area, in southwestern China. Results showed that the burned area of a wildfire decreased exponentially with increasing rainfall amounts on the day of burning. Burned area was also positively correlated to the number of consecutive dry days prior to burning. The threshold rainfall value providing the highest correlation between burned area and the number of consecutive dry days prior to a burn varied between ecoregions. Consecutive dry days with rainfall less than the specified threshold predominantly affected large fires (>100 ha) rather than more frequently occurring small fires. These results will help forest managers evaluate regionalfire danger indices for forest fire prevention, particularly for catastrophic forest wildfires causing significant economic losses and threats to human life and environment.
The Complex Dynamics of Bertrand-Stackelberg Pricing Models in a Risk-Averse Supply Chain
Authors: Ma Junhai , Li Qiuxiang
Published: May 2014

We construct dynamic Bertrand-Stackelberg pricing models including two manufacturers and a common retailer in a risk-averse supply chain with the uncertain demand. The risk-averse supply chain follows these strategies: Bertrand game between the two manufacturers and Stackelberg game between the manufacturer and the retailer. We study the effect of the price adjustment speed, the risk preference, and the uncertain demand on the stability of the risk-averse supply chain using bifurcation, power spectrum, attractor, and so forth. It is observed that there exists slip bifurcation when the price adjustment speed across some critical value, the stable region, and total profit of the risk-averse supply chain will increase with increase ofRM1and decrease with increase ofσ. The profit of the supply chain and the two manufacturers will decrease and the weaker (retailer) is a beneficiary when the supply chain is in chaos. The fluctuation in the supply chain can be gradually controlled by the control of the price adjustment speed.
Goodness-of-Fit Based Secure Cooperative Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive Radio Network
Authors: Vu-Van Hiep , Koo Insoo
Published: May 2014

Cognitive radio (CR) is a promising technology for improving usage of frequency band. Cognitive radio users (CUs) are allowed to use the bands without interference in operation of licensed users. Reliable sensing information about status of licensed band is a prerequirement for CR network. Cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) is able to offer an improved sensing reliability compared to individual sensing. However, the sensing performance of CSS can be destroyed due to the appearance of some malicious users. In this paper, we propose a goodness-of-fit (GOF) based cooperative spectrum sensing scheme to detect the dissimilarity between sensing information of normal CUs and that of malicious users, and reject their harmful effect to CSS. The empirical CDF will be used in GOF test to determine the measured distance between distributions of observation sample set according to each hypothesis of licensed user signal. Further, the DS theory is used to combine results of multi-GOF tests. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can protect the sensing process against the attack from malicious users.
Antitumor Activity of Ethanolic Extract ofDendrobium formosumin T-Cell Lymphoma: AnIn VitroandIn VivoStudy
Authors: Prasad Ritika , Koch Biplob
Published: May 2014

Dendrobium, a genus of orchid, was found to possess useful therapeutic activities like anticancer, hypoglycaemic, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and neuroprotective activities. The study was aimed to evaluate the anticancer property of the ethanolic extract ofDendrobium formosumon Dalton’s lymphoma.In vitrocytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay, apoptosis was determined by fluorescence microscopy, and cell cycle progression was analysed using flow cytometry;in vivoantitumor activity was performed in Dalton’s lymphoma bearing mice. The IC50value of ethanolic extract was obtained at 350 μg/mL in Dalton’s lymphoma cells. Fluorescence microscopy analysis showed significant increase in apoptotic cell death in dose- and time-dependent manner which was further confirmed through the resulting DNA fragmentation. Further, flow cytometry analysis showed that the ethanolic extract arrests the cells in G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Thein vivoanticancer activity study illustrates significant increase in the survival time of Dalton’s lymphoma bearing mice on treatment with ethanolic extract when compared to control. These results substantiate the antitumor properties of ethanolic extract ofDendrobium formosumand suggest an alternative in treatment of cancer. Further studies are required regarding the isolation and characterization of bioactive components along with the analysis of molecular mechanism involved.
Extracellular Matrix Modulates Angiogenesis in Physiological and Pathological Conditions
Authors: Neve Anna , Cantatore Francesco Paolo , Maruotti Nicola , Corrado Addolorata , Ribatti Domenico
Published: May 2014

Angiogenesis is a multistep process driven by a wide range of positive and negative regulatory factors. Extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of this process. The degradation of ECM, occurring in response to an angiogenic stimulus, leads to degradation or partial modification of matrix molecules, release of soluble factors, and exposure of cryptic sites with pro- and/or antiangiogenic activity. ECM molecules and fragments, resulting from proteolysis, can also act directly as inflammatory stimuli, and this can explain the exacerbated angiogenesis that drives and maintains several inflammatory diseases. In this review we have summarized some of the more recent literature data concerning the molecular control of ECM in angiogenesis in both physiological and pathological conditions.
Insulin Increases Ceramide Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Hansen M. E. , Tippetts T. S. , Anderson M. C. , Holub Z. E. , Moulton E. R. , Swensen A. C. , Prince J. T. , Bikman B. T.
Published: May 2014

Aims. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of insulin on ceramide metabolism in skeletal muscle.Methods. Skeletal muscle cells were treated with insulin with or without palmitate for various time periods. Lipids (ceramides and TAG) were isolated and gene expression of multiple biosynthetic enzymes were quantified. Additionally, adult male mice received daily insulin injections for 14 days, followed by muscle ceramide analysis.Results. In muscle cells, insulin elicited an increase in ceramides comparable to palmitate alone. This is likely partly due to an insulin-induced increase in expression of multiple enzymes, particularly SPT2, which, when knocked down, prevented the increase in ceramides. In mice, 14 days of insulin injection resulted in increased soleus ceramides, but not TAG. However, insulin injections did significantly increase hepatic TAG compared with vehicle-injected animals.Conclusions. This study suggests that insulin elicits an anabolic effect on sphingolipid metabolism in skeletal muscle, resulting in increased ceramide accumulation. These findings reveal a potential mechanism of the deleterious consequences of the hyperinsulinemia that accompanies insulin resistance and suggest a possible novel therapeutic target to mitigate its effects.
Simple Atomic Absorption Spectroscopic and Spectrophotometric Methods for Determination of Pioglitazone Hydrochloride and Carvedilol in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
Authors: Abdelmonem Afaf A. , Ragab Gamal H. , Hashem Hisham , Bahgat Eman A.
Published: May 2014

This study represents simple atomic absorption spectroscopic and spectrophotometric methods for determination of pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ-HCl) and carvedilol (CRV) based on formation of ion-pair associates between drugs and inorganic complex, bismuth(III) tetraiodide (Method A) and between drugs and organic acidic dyes, fast green and orange G (Method B). Method A is based on formation of ion-pair associate between drugs and bismuth(III) tetraiodide in acidic medium to form orange-red ion-pair associates, which can be quantitatively determined by two different procedures. The formed ion-pair associate is extracted by methylene chloride, dissolved in acetone, dried, and then decomposed by hydrochloric acid, and bismuth content is determined by direct atomic absorption spectrometric technique (Procedure 1) or extracted by methylene chloride, dissolved in acetone, and quantified spectrophotometrically at 490 nm (Procedure 2). Method B is based on formation of ion-pair associate between drugs and either fast green dye or orange G dye in acidic medium to form ion-pair associates. The formed ion-pair associate is extracted by methylene chloride and quantified spectrophotometrically at 630 nm (for fast green dye method) or 498 nm (for orange G dye method). Optimal experimental conditions have been studied. Both methods are applied for determination of the drugs in tablets without interference.
Biological Characterization and Pluripotent Identification of Sheep Dermis-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Progenitor Cells
Authors: Cui Peng , He Xiaohong , Pu Yabin , Zhang Wenxiu , Zhang Ping , Li Changli , Guan Weijun , Li Xiangchen , Ma Yuehui
Published: May 2014

Dermis-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (DMS/PCs) were a multipotential stem cell population, which has potential applications in the tissue damage repair and skin transplant. Although a large number of studies deal with the human DMS/PCs self-renewal and regulation, however, the study of livestock-derived DMS/PCs has rarely been reported. Here, sheep DMS/PCs were isolated from one-month-old sheep embryos and studied at the cellular and molecular level. And then the DMS/PCs biological characteristics were analysed by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Experimental results showed that DMS/PCs could be expanded for 48 passages and the cells viability and hereditary character were steady. In addition, the DMS/PCs makerβ-integrin, CD71, CD44, and CD73 were expressed positively through RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Passage 3 DMS/PCs were successfully induced to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and neurocytes, respectively. The above results suggest that DMS/PCs not only have strong self-renewal capacity but also have the potential to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and neurocytes. The study provides theoretical basis and experimental evidence for potential clinical application.
Hypertrophy of Ligamentum Flavum in Lumbar Spine Stenosis Is Associated with Increased miR-155 Level
Authors: Chen Jianwei , Liu Zude , Zhong Guibin , Qian Lie , Li Zhanchun , Qiao Zhiguang , Chen Bin , Wang Hantao
Published: May 2014

Hypertrophy of ligamentum flavum (LF) contributes to lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and is caused mainly by fibrosis. Recent data indicate that miR-155 plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of different fibrotic diseases. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that miR-155 exerts effects on LF thickness by regulating collagen expression. We found that LF thickness and the expression of collagen I and, collagen III were higher in LF from LSS patients than in LF from lumbar disc herniation (LDH) patients (P<0.01). The expression of miR-155 was significantly higher in LF from LSS group than in LF from LDH group (P<0.01). miR-155 level was positively correlated with LF thickness (r=0.958,P<0.01), type I collagen level (r=0.825,P<0.01), and type III collagen level (r=0.827,P<0.01). miR-155 mimic increased mRNA and protein expression of collagen I and collagen III in fibroblasts isolated from LF, while miR-155 sponge decreased mRNA and protein expression of collagen I and III in fibroblasts. In conclusions, miR-155 is a fibrosis-associated miRNA and may play important role in the pathogenesis of LF hypertrophy.
The “Trojan Horse” Approach to Tumor Immunotherapy: Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Nelson Delia , Fisher Scott , Robinson Bruce
Published: May 2014

Most anticancer therapies including immunotherapies are given systemically; yet therapies given directly into tumors may be more effective, particularly those that overcome natural suppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment. The “Trojan Horse” approach of intratumoural delivery aims to promote immune-mediated destruction by inducing microenvironmental changes within the tumour at the same time as avoiding the systemic toxicity that is often associated with more “full frontal” treatments such as transfer of large numbers of laboratory-expanded tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes or large intravenous doses of cytokine. Numerous studies have demonstrated that intratumoural therapy has the capacity to minimizing local suppression, inducing sufficient “dangerous” tumor cell death to cross-prime strong immune responses, and rending tumor blood vessels amenable to immune cell traffic to induce effector cell changes in secondary lymphoid organs. However, the key to its success is the design of a sound rational approach based on evidence. There is compelling preclinical data for local immunotherapy approaches in tumor immunology. This review summarises how immune events within a tumour can be modified by local approaches, how this can affect systemic antitumor immunity such that distal sites are attacked, and what approaches have been proven most successful so far in animals and patients.
Mobility-Assisted on-Demand Routing Algorithm for MANETs in the Presence of Location Errors
Authors: Vu Trung Kien , Kwon Sungoh
Published: May 2014

We propose a mobility-assisted on-demand routing algorithm for mobile ad hoc networks in the presence of location errors. Location awareness enables mobile nodes to predict their mobility and enhances routing performance by estimating link duration and selecting reliable routes. However, measured locations intrinsically include errors in measurement. Such errors degrade mobility prediction and have been ignored in previous work. To mitigate the impact of location errors on routing, we propose an on-demand routing algorithm taking into account location errors. To that end, we adopt the Kalman filter to estimate accurate locations and consider route confidence in discovering routes. Via simulations, we compare our algorithm and previous algorithms in various environments. Our proposed mobility prediction is robust to the location errors.
Gremlin Activates the Smad Pathway Linked to Epithelial Mesenchymal Transdifferentiation in Cultured Tubular Epithelial Cells
Authors: Rodrigues-Diez Raquel , Rodrigues-Diez Raúl R. , Lavoz Carolina , Carvajal Gisselle , Droguett Alejandra , Garcia-Redondo Ana B. , Rodriguez Isabel , Ortiz Alberto , Egido Jesús , Mezzano Sergio , Ruiz-Ortega Marta
Published: May 2014

Gremlin is a developmental gene upregulated in human chronic kidney disease and in renal cells in response to transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β). Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one process involved in renal fibrosis. In tubular epithelial cells we have recently described that Gremlin induces EMT and acts as a downstream TGF-βmediator. Our aim was to investigate whether Gremlin participates in EMT by the regulation of the Smad pathway. Stimulation of human tubular epithelial cells (HK2) with Gremlin caused an early activation of the Smad signaling pathway (Smad 2/3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and Smad-dependent gene transcription). The blockade of TGF-β, by a neutralizing antibody against active TGF-β, did not modify Gremlin-induced early Smad activation. These data show that Gremlin directly, by a TGF-βindependent process, activates the Smad pathway. In tubular epithelial cells long-term incubation with Gremlin increased TGF-βproduction and caused a sustained Smad activation and a phenotype conversion into myofibroblasts-like cells. Smad 7 overexpression, which blocks Smad 2/3 activation, diminished EMT changes observed in Gremlin-transfected tubuloepithelial cells. TGF-βneutralization also diminished Gremlin-induced EMT changes. In conclusion, we propose that Gremlin could participate in renal fibrosis by inducing EMT in tubular epithelial cells through activation of Smad pathway and induction of TGF-β.
Delaying Onset of Dementia: Are Two Languages Enough?
Authors: Freedman Morris , Alladi Suvarna , Chertkow Howard , Bialystok Ellen , Craik Fergus I. M. , Phillips Natalie A. , Duggirala Vasanta , Raju Surampudi Bapi , Bak Thomas H.
Published: May 2014

There is an emerging literature suggesting that speaking two or more languages may significantly delay the onset of dementia. Although the mechanisms are unknown, it has been suggested that these may involve cognitive reserve, a concept that has been associated with factors such as higher levels of education, occupational status, social networks, and physical exercise. In the case of bilingualism, cognitive reserve may involve reorganization and strengthening of neural networks that enhance executive control. We review evidence for protective effects of bilingualism from a multicultural perspective involving studies in Toronto and Montreal, Canada, and Hyderabad, India. Reports from Toronto and Hyderabad showed a significant effect of speaking two or more languages in delaying onset of Alzheimer’s disease by up to 5 years, whereas the Montreal study showed a significant protective effect of speaking at least four languages and a protective effect of speaking at least two languages in immigrants. Although there were differences in results across studies, a common theme was the significant effect of language use history as one of the factors in determining the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, the Hyderabad study extended the findings to frontotemporal dementia and vascular dementia.
Risk Factors for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Zivaljevic V. , Slijepcevic N. , Paunovic I. , Diklic A. , Kalezic N. , Marinkovic J. , Zivic R. , Vekic B. , Sipetic S.
Published: May 2014

Background.Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a form of thyroid cancer with very poor prognosis, but is fortunately quite rare. Its aetiology is unknown and not well researched.Aim.The aim of this study was to identify potential risk factors for ATC.Material and Method.Case-control study of 126 ATC patients (77 females and 49 males) and 252 controls individually matched by gender, age, and place of abode. In statistical analysis we used a Cox regression model.Results.Univariate logistic regression showed that the risk factors for ATC are low education level, type B blood group, goitre, other nonthyroid malignancies, diabetes, late menarche, and an early first pregnancy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that independent risk factors for ATC are low education level (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.09–1.86), type B blood group (OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.03–5.66), and goitre (OR = 25–33, 95% CI = 5.66–126.65).Conclusion.Independent risk factors for ATC are: low education level, type B blood group, and goitre.
Comparing Solutions under Uncertainty in Multiobjective Optimization
Authors: Mlakar Miha , Tušar Tea , Filipič Bogdan
Published: May 2014

Due to various reasons the solutions in real‐world optimization problems cannot always be exactly evaluated but are sometimes represented with approximated values and confidence intervals. In order to address this issue, the comparison of solutions has to be done differently than for exactly evaluated solutions. In this paper, we define new relations under uncertainty between solutions in multiobjective optimization that are represented with approximated values and confidence intervals. The new relations extend the Pareto dominance relations, can handle constraints, and can be used to compare solutions, both with and without the confidence interval. We also show that by including confidence intervals into the comparisons, the possibility of incorrect comparisons, due to inaccurate approximations, is reduced. Without considering confidence intervals, the comparison of inaccurately approximated solutions can result in the promising solutions being rejected and the worse ones preserved. The effect of new relations in the comparison of solutions in a multiobjective optimization algorithm is also demonstrated.
Time Sensitivity Factor of Single Pulmonary Nodule: A New Cancer Characteristic Metabolic Parameter byF18-FDG PET
Authors: Cheng Ching-Yuan , Lee Kwo-Whei , Lee Chiang-Hsuan , Tyan Yeu-Sheng , Cheng Cheng-Yi , Wang Jhi-Joung , Yang Chao-Wei , Huang Wen-Sheng , Oliver Wong Ching-Yee
Published: May 2014

Objective. To calculate the time sensitivity factor (S) for discriminating the solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) by FDG PET at different time points.Methods. The multiple time-point FDG PET images from 41 patients for evaluating SPN seen on chest X-ray or CT were prospectively analyzed to calculate and evaluateSagainst the gold standard of tissue histology (n=38) or long term clinicoradiographic follow-up (n=3). The maximal standardized uptake values (SUV) at the 3 hourly time points were measured. TheSwas calculated usingS=d{ln⁡(SUV)}/d{ln⁡(t)}at 3 different time intervals. ROC analysis of theSparameters was performed to evaluate the optimal cut-off value and their accuracy in classifying the SPN.Results. The SUV in malignant SPN was higher than the corresponding value in benign lesions at all 3 hourly time points (P<0.003). TheSparameters using 3 different time intervals all significantly separated the two groups (P<0.0005) with an optimal cut-off point near the theoretical value of zero with a high sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%.Conclusion. TheScan be calculated for SPNs using multiple time-point FDG PET, providing a tumor characteristic metabolic parameter with high discrimination power using a simple positive value representing malignancy.
Drying Shrinkage Behaviour of Fibre Reinforced Concrete Incorporating Polyvinyl Alcohol Fibres and Fly Ash
Authors: Noushini Amin , Vessalas Kirk , Arabian Garo , Samali Bijan
Published: May 2014

The current study assesses the drying shrinkage behaviour of polyvinyl alcohol fibre reinforced concrete (PVA-FRC) containing short-length (6 mm) and long-length (12 mm) uncoated monofilament PVA fibres at 0.125%, 0.25%, 0.375%, and 0.5% volumetric fractions. Fly ash is also used as a partial replacement of Portland cement in all mixes. PVA-FRC mixes have been compared to length change of control concrete (devoid of fibres) at 3 storage intervals: early-age (0–7 days), short-term (0–28 days), and long-term (28–112 days) intervals. The shrinkage results of FRC and control concrete up to 112 days indicated that all PVA-FRC mixes exhibited higher drying shrinkage than control. The shrinkage exhibited by PVA-FRC mixes ranged from 449 to 480 microstrain, where this value was only 427 microstrain in the case of control. In addition, the longer fibres exhibited higher mass loss, thus potentially contributing to higher shrinkage.