bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact Load Measurements in an Erosive Cavitating Flow
Authors: Franc Jean-Pierre , Riondet Michel , Karimi Ayat , Chahine Georges L.
Published: December 2011

Impact load measurements were carried out in a high-speed cavitation loop by means of a conventional pressure sensor flush-mounted in the region of closure of the cavity where maximum damage was observed. The sensor was dynamically calibrated by the ball drop test technique. Pressure pulse amplitudes were measured at different velocities and constant cavitation number and cavity length. It was found that pressure pulse height spectra follow a simple exponential law, which depends upon two parameters interpreted as a reference peak rate and a reference load. By exploring the dependence of both parameters on flow velocity, it was possible to show that the various histograms measured at different velocities can be reduced to a unique non-dimensional one and derive scaling laws, which enable to transpose results from one velocity to another. The measured values of impact loads are compared to similar data in the literature, and the impact load spectra are discussed with respect to pitting test results available from a previous investigation. It is concluded that an uncertainty remains on the measured values of impact loads and that a special effort should be made to compare quantitatively pitting test results and impact load measurements. To evaluate the coherence of both sets of data with each other, it is suggested to introduce two-dimensional histograms of impact loads by considering the size of the impacted area in addition to the measured impact load amplitude. It is conjectured that the combination of impact load measurements and pitting test measurements should allow the determination of such two-dimensional histograms, which are an essential input for analyzing the material response and computing the progression of erosion with exposure time.
The Influence of Chitosan Membrane Properties for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications
Authors: Osifo Peter O. , Masala Aluwani
Published: December 2011

The chitosan membranes with different degrees of deacetylation (dda), prepared from Cape rock lobster collected from the surroundings of Cape Town, South Africa were characterized for suitability in methanol fuel cell applications. A comparison of chitosan membranes characteristics and that of conventional Nafion 117 membranes were made. Following this, the chitosan membranes were chemically modified with sulfuric acid to improve its proton conductivity and mechanical properties. A mass balance on proton transfer across the membrane resulted in a second order differential equation. Experimental data fitted into the equation gives a linear curve that was used to determine the membrane resistance. It was found that the dda of the chitosan membranes affected the water uptake, thereby affecting the proton flow. At a temperature of 20°C, chitosan membranes with a difference of 10% dda have a difference of about 5% water content. Chitosan membranes with a lower dda were found to have higher water content resulting in lower membrane resistances to proton flow. The water content of chitosan membranes was higher than Nafion membranes. The average resistance to proton flow for chitosan membrane was 53 min/cm and a Nafion membrane was 78 min/cm. Thermogravimetry analysis shows that chitosan membrane with higher dda is more thermally stable than chitosan with lower dda, Nafion membranes were more stable at higher temperature than chitosan membranes, Nafion membranes could decompose at temperature of 320 °C while chitosan membranes at 230 °C. Methanol permeability through chitosan membrane of higher dda was more than with one lower dda, however, the permeability through chitosan was three times lower when compares to Nafion membranes under the same temperature and pressure conditions. The performance of chitosan membranes and Nafion 117 membranes measured from a single cell DMFC with Pt-Ru/C anode catalysts and Pt/C cathode catalysts showed that Nafion membranes have a better performance. This was because the current and peak power densities determined for Nafion membranes were 0.56 A/cm2 and 0.075 W/cm2, respectively, and for Chit-I, were 0.22 A/cm2 and 0.0274 W/cm2, respectively, and for Chit-II membrane, were 0.26 A/cm2 and 0.0424 W/cm2, respectively.
Theoretical Study on Temperature Dependence of Cellular Uptake of QDs Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhang Aili , Guan Yingxue , Xu Lisa X.
Published: December 2011

Cellular uptake kinetics of nanoparticles is one of the key issues determining the design and application of the particles. Models describing nanoparticles intrusion into the cell mostly take the endocytosis process into consideration, and the influences of electrical charges, sizes, concentrations of the particles have been investigated. In this paper, the temperature effect on the cellular uptake of Quantum Dots (QDs) is studied experimentally. QDs are incubated with the SPCA-1 human lung tumor cells, and the nanoparticles on the cell membrane and inside the cell are quantified according to the fluorescence intensities recorded. It is found that the amounts of nanoparticles attached onto the cell membrane and inside the cell both increase with temperature. Based on the experimental results, a model is proposed to describe the cellular uptake dynamic process of nanoparticles. The process consists of two steps: nanoparticles adsorption onto the cell membrane and the internalization. The dynamic parameters are obtained through curve fitting. The simulated results show that the internalization process can be categorized into different phases. The temperature dependent internalization rate constant is very small when below 14 °C. It increases distinctly when temperature rises from 14 °C to 22 °C, but there is no evident increase as temperature further increases above 22 °C. Results show that by incorporating a temperature-independent internalization factor, the model predictions well fit the experimental results.
New diamond nanofabrication process for hard x-ray zone plates
Authors: Uhlén Fredrik , Lindqvist Sandra , Nilsson Daniel , Reinspach Julia , Vogt Ulrich , Hertz Hans M. , Holmberg Anders , Barrett Ray
Published: December 2011

The authors report on a new tungsten-hardmask-based diamond dry-etch process for fabricating diamond zone plate lenses with a high aspect ratio. The tungsten hardmask is structured by electron-beam lithography, together with Cl2/O2 and SF6/O2 reactive ion etching in a trilayer resist-chromium-tungsten stack. The underlying diamond is then etched in an O2 plasma. The authors demonstrate excellent-quality diamond gratings with half-pitch down to 80 nm and a height of 2.6 μm, as well as zone plates with a 75 μm diameter and 100 nm outermost zone width. The diffraction efficiency of the zone plates is measured to 14.5% at an 8 keV x-ray energy, and the imaging properties were investigated in a scanning microscope arrangement showing sub-100-nm resolution. The imaging and thermal properties of these lenses make them suitable for use with high-brightness x-ray free-electron laser sources.
Mechanical masking of films deposited by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Langston Michael C. , Usui Takane , Prinz Fritz B.
Published: December 2011

In this work a new method to selectively deposit films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is presented. It was found that polished silicon masks pressed against silicon substrates were able to mask ALD deposition with submicron diffusion under the mask. Static and dynamic assemblies were fabricated to realize the benefits of mechanical masking. The static assemblies demonstrated the ability to block deposition on the back sides of transmission electron microscopy grids, as well as the back sides of 100 mm silicon wafers. The dynamic masking assembly was able to selectively deposit platinum, and then passivate the metal region with zirconium oxide in situ, resulting in a fully embedded metal in dielectric structure.
Energy calibrations in the x-ray absorption spectroscopy of uranium dioxide
Authors: Yu Sung Woo , Tobin J. G. , Olalde-Velasco Paul , Yang Wan Li , Siekhaus Wigbert J.
Published: December 2011

Proper and accurate placement of the components of the unoccupied density of states in uranium dioxide requires a careful calibration of the energy scales in the spectroscopic investigations. Here, the energy scale calibrations and corresponding spectroscopic measurements are described in detail, including photoelectron spectroscopy, inverse photoelectron spectroscopy and, most important, x-ray absorption spectroscopy.
ASalmonellaVirulence Factor Activates the NOD1/NOD2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Marijke Keestra A. , Winter Maria G. , Klein-Douwel Daisy , Xavier Mariana N. , Winter Sebastian E. , Kim Anita , Tsolis Renée M. , Bäumler Andreas J.
Published: December 2011

The invasion-associated type III secretion system (T3SS-1) ofSalmonella entericaserotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) activates the transcription factor NF-κB in tissue culture cells and induces inflammatory responses in animal models through unknown mechanisms. Here we show that bacterial delivery or ectopic expression of SipA, a T3SS-1-translocated protein, led to the activation of the NOD1/NOD2 signaling pathway and consequent RIP2-mediated induction of NF-κB-dependent inflammatory responses. SipA-mediated activation of NOD1/NOD2 signaling was independent of bacterial invasionin vitrobut required an intact T3SS-1. In the mouse colitis model, SipA triggered mucosal inflammation in wild-type mice but not in NOD1/NOD2-deficient mice. These findings implicate SipA-driven activation of the NOD1/NOD2 signaling pathway as a mechanism by which the T3SS-1 induces inflammatory responsesin vitroandin vivo.

IMPORTANCESalmonella entericaserotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) deploys a type III secretion system (T3SS-1) to induce intestinal inflammation and benefits from the ensuing host response, which enhances growth of the pathogen in the intestinal lumen. However, the mechanisms by which the T3SS-1 triggers inflammatory responses have not been resolved. Here we show that the T3SS-1 effector protein SipA induces NF-κB activation and intestinal inflammation by activating the NOD1/NOD2 signaling pathway. These data suggest that the T3SS-1 escalates innate responses through a SipA-mediated activation of pattern recognition receptors in the host cell cytosol.
Association between implementation of an intensivist-led medical emergency team and mortality
Authors: Karvellas Constantine J , de Souza Ivens A O , Gibney R T Noel , Bagshaw Sean M
Published: December 2011

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of implementation of a dedicated intensivist-led medical emergency team (IL-MET) on mortality in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

All adult ward admissions to the ICU between July 2002 and December 2009 were reviewed (n=1920) after excluding readmissions and admissions for <24 h. IL-MET hours were defined as 8:00–15:59 (Monday to Friday). The following periods were analysed: period 1: 1 July 2002–31 August 2004 (control); period 2: 1 September 2004–11 February 2007 (partial MET without dedicated intensivist); and period 3: 12 February 2007–31 December 2009 (hospital-wide IL-MET).

Results

During all three periods, there were no significant differences in length of stay or mortality (IL-MET vs non-IL-MET hours, p>0.1 for all). On multivariate analysis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and age were independently associated with mortality in all three periods (p<0.05 for all). During period 3, there was a non-significant trend towards decreased mortality if admitted during IL-MET hours (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.03, p=0.08). During period 3, there was a non-significant trend towards decreased mortality if admitted during IL-MET hours (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.03, p=0.08). However, this result likely reflects the observed increase in mortality during non-IL MET hours rather than improved mortality during IL-MET hours.

Conclusion

In a single centre experience, implementation of an IL-MET did not reduce the rate of in-hospital death or lengths of stay.
Owner access to isolation facility webcam images
Authors: Silva Susana
Published: December 2011

You have recently installed webcams to monitor your patients in an isolation facility where human and animal contact must be kept to a minimum. It would be technically possible to allow owners to have access to the webcam images. Would this be a good thing to do?
Comments on the dilemma in the October issue: ‘Mammary mass in an overweight dog’
Authors: Mullan Siobhan
Published: December 2011

The dilemma in the October issue concerned an overweight labrador with a mammary mass (In Practice, October 2011, volume 33, pages 493–494), which required biopsy and removal of the mass. However, when the client was advised that the dog would need to lose weight before surgery, they become aggressive, said ‘the dog is on a diet and the weight problem is under control’ and refused to discuss attending weight clinics or changing the animal's food. Practice records showed that the client had previously taken the dog to two weight loss clinics and, at the last visit, it had weighed 27 kg. It was now 33 kg. Rachel Casey commented that there were three options for dealing with this scenario: to ignore the problem until the client returned; to report the owner to the RSPCA; or to contact the owner and try to convince them to reconsider weight loss options. By not taking action, the weight issue would probably not be addressed by the owner and the mass would inevitably grow bigger over time, resulting in a decline in the dog's welfare, while reporting the client to the RSPCA might breach client confidentiality. Consideration also needed to be given to whether the welfare of the dog would be better in kennels or with its owner. She suggested that the best option was to contact the owner and to take the time to consider why the owner was reluctant to address the dog's weight problem. In addition, focusing on the mass and the requirement for surgery rather than the weight of the animal, or suggesting alternative weight‐loss options, such as a balanced home‐made diet, might achieve good welfare outcomes for the dog.
Media training for vets in the limelight
Authors: Walter David
Published: December 2011

The phrase ‘prevention is better than cure’ crops up frequently in the veterinary world and, when it comes to media appearances, it is far better to be prepared in advance than to have to repair the damage caused by a bad interview. In this article, David Walter explains how a short course in media training could prepare vets for defending the profession against criticism and might even present an opportunity for them to promote it proactively.
Investigation of pelvic problems in horses
Authors: Powell Sarah
Published: December 2011

Despite the advanced diagnostic techniques that are currently available, diagnosing equine pelvic injuries and pain can be challenging for even the most experienced equine diagnostician. Due in part to its size and complexity, the equine pelvis is rather daunting to investigate as a site of pain. Localising diagnostic anaesthesia – required for the assessment of pelvic and thoracic limbs in horses – is restricted in the back and pelvis, leading to a degree of subjective assessment, which is obviously not ideal. The introduction of scintigraphic imaging has revolutionised the diagnostic potential of bone injuries of the pelvis but has contributed to a far lesser degree to the understanding of soft tissue pain. This article describes an approach to the investigation of pelvic pain in horses and outlines a number of pathological conditions that can be encountered.
ON ASYMPTOTICALLY STABILIZING THE PLANAR MOTIONS OF AN AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE
Authors: NICOARĂ ŞTEFAN
Published: December 2011

In this paper we give a method to stabilize asymptotically the Lyapunov stable equilibrium states of a system describing the planar motions of an autonomous underwater vehicle.
BALANCED METRICS ON HOMOGENEOUS VECTOR BUNDLES
Authors: MOSSA ROBERTO
Published: December 2011

Let E → M be a holomorphic vector bundle over a compact Kähler manifold (M, ω) and let E = E1 ⊕ ⋯ ⊕ Em → M be its decomposition into irreducible factors. Suppose that each Ej admits a ω-balanced metric in Donaldson–Wang terminology. In this paper we prove that E admits a unique ω-balanced metric if and only if [Formula: see text] for all j, k = 1,…, m, where rj denotes the rank of Ej and Nj = dim H0(M, Ej). We apply our result to the case of homogeneous vector bundles over a rational homogeneous variety (M, ω) and we show the existence and rigidity of balanced Kähler embedding from (M, ω) into Grassmannians.
Using Global Characteristics of a Centrifuge Outflow Experiment to Determine Unsaturated Soil Parameters
Authors: Kačur Jozef , Malengier Benny , Kišon Pavol
Published: December 2011

Several centrifugation scenarios enabling the determination of soil parameters for saturated‐unsaturated
flow in porous media are presented, investigated, and discussed. Only global characteristics
of the infiltration process in a sample are used, so that only simple, noninvasive
measurements are performed. The characteristics can be transient measurements of the rotational
momentum, or of the gravitational center, or of the water amount injected and expelled
from the sample. No information about the saturation or the head distribution in the sample
is required. This setup is different from the common multioutflow experiments. We give numerical
proof that this method allows for fast determination of soil parameters in comparison
to traditional measurements based on equilibrium conditions. The mathematical model of infiltration
is represented by Richards′ strongly nonlinear and degenerate equation expressed in
terms of soil parameters in the van Genuchten‐Mualem ansatz. The parameter identification
process is realized in an iterative way applying the Levenberg‐Marquardt method. Numerical
experiments support the efficiency of the analyzed method and allow one to identify the optimal
centrifugation scenario for imbibition and drainage to be applied when using global characteristics.
A Disposable Copper (II) Ion Biosensor Based on Self-Assembly of L-Cysteine on Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode
Authors: Pooi See Wong , Nathan Sheila , Yook Heng Lee
Published: December 2011

A disposable copper (II) ion biosensor based on self-assembly of L-cysteine on gold nanoparticle-modified screen-printed carbon electrode was fabricated. The electrode was modified by attaching gold nanoparticles onto the surface of screen-printed carbon electrode through seed mediated growth method followed by self-assembly of L-cysteine. As demonstrated by differential pulse voltammetry, the sensor exhibited high sensitivity to copper (II) ion down to ppb (parts per billion) levels. Optimization of various experimental parameters such as pH, buffer concentration, and preconcentration time, which influenced the performance of the biosensor, was investigated. The sensor demonstrated a wide linear response range from 10 to 0.005 ppm(r=0.9870), with a lower detection limit of 8 ppb using 10 min of preconcentration time. The sensor based on screen-printed electrode provides a cost-effective means of application of copper ion sensor for the detection of ppb level of copper ions in water.
Rice Tolerance to Saflufenacil in Clomazone Weed Control Program
Authors: Camargo E. R. , Senseman S. A. , McCauley G. N. , Guice J. B.
Published: December 2011

This research was conducted to evaluate (1) rice tolerance to saflufenacil applied preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) and (2) the combination of saflufenacil and clomazone in light-textured soils. No injury from PRE application of saflufenacil was observed in 2009, and minimal injury for saflufenacil alone was observed in 2010. Injury as high as 68% was observed with combinations of 505 g ha−1of clomazone applied PRE and 50 g ha−1of saflufenacil applied POST in 2009 early evaluations. No interaction between clomazone and POST saflufenacil rates was observed in 2010. Rice injury intensified with increasing rates of saflufenacil applied POST. However, rice recovered with time for herbicide treatments applied PRE and POST in both years. Consequently, rice yield was not affected by any of the saflufenacil rates applied either PRE or POST in a clomazone weed control program.
Unified Approach of Unmanned Surface Vehicle Navigation in Presence of Waves
Authors: Gal Oren
Published: December 2011

Most of the present work for unmanned surface vehicle (USV) navigation does not take into account environmental disturbances such as ocean waves, winds, and currents. In some scenarios, waves should be treated as special case of dynamic obstacle and can be critical to USV’s safety. For the first time, this paper presents unique concept facing this challenge by combining ocean waves' formulation with the probabilistic velocity obstacle (PVO) method for autonomous navigation. A simple navigation algorithm is presented in order to apply the method of USV’s navigation in presence of waves. A planner simulation dealing with waves and obstacles avoidance is introduced.
Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy Is Not Impaired in Mice with Double Deficiency ofMyd88andIFNARGenes
Authors: Vaquero Javier , Riehle Kimberly J. , Fausto Nelson , Campbell Jean S.
Published: December 2011

Liver regeneration is known to occur in mice lacking one or more Toll-like receptors (TLRs) or the adaptor protein MyD88. Though MyD88 is required for signaling by many TLRs, others signal via MyD88-independent pathways, leading to the induction of type I interferons (IFNs). Here, we assessed liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH) in mice lacking both MyD88 and the type I IFN receptor (Myd88-IFNARdouble-KO). Approximately 28% ofMyd88-IFNARdouble-KO mice had gross liver lesions prior to surgery. In mice without lesions,Myd88-IFNARdeficiency abrogated the increase in circulating IL-6 after PH but did not impair hepatocyte BrdU incorporation, mitotic figure counts, or recovery of liver-to-body weight ratios. These results indicate that type I IFNs are not responsible for the preservation of liver regeneration inMyd88-deficient mice, and they also cast doubt on the idea of microbial products being essential triggers of liver regeneration in mice undergoing PH.
(2n − 1)‐Point Ternary Approximating and Interpolating Subdivision Schemes
Authors: Aslam Muhammad , Mustafa Ghulam , Ghaffar Abdul
Published: December 2011

We present an explicit formula which unifies the mask of (2n − 1)‐point ternary interpolating as well as approximating subdivision schemes. We observe that the odd point ternary interpolating and approximating schemes introduced by Lian (2009), Siddiqi and Rehan (2010, 2009) and Hassan and Dodgson (2003) are special cases of our proposed masks/schemes. Moreover, schemes introduced by Zheng et al. (2009) can easily be generated by our proposed masks. It is also proved from comparison that (2n − 1)‐point schemes are better than 2n‐scheme in the sense of computational cost, support and error bounds.
Treatment of Pancreatic and Periampullary Cancers at a Community Hospital: Successful Application of Tertiary Care Treatment Standards
Authors: Moesinger Robert C. , Davis Jan W. , Hill Britani , Johnston W. Cory , Gray Carl , Johnson Harold , Ingersoll Leslye , Whipple Gary , Reilly Mark , Harris Robert , Hansen Vincent
Published: December 2011

Background. The treatment of pancreatic cancer and other periampullary neoplasms is complex and challenging. Major high-volume cancer centers can provide excellent multidisciplinary care of these patients but almost two-thirds of pancreatic cancer patients are treated at low volume centers. There is very little published data from low volume community cancer programs in regards to the treatment of periampullary cancer. In this study, a review of comprehensive periampullary cancer care at two low volume hospitals with comparison to national standards is presented.Methods. This is a retrospective review of 70 consecutive patients with periampullary neoplasms who underwent surgery over a 5-year period (2006–2010) at two community hospitals.Results. There were 51 successful resections of 70 explorations (73%) including 34 Whipple procedures. Mortality rate was 2.9%. Comparison of these patients to national standards was made in terms of operative mortality, resectability rate, administration of adjuvant therapy, clinical trial participation and overall survival. The results in these patients were comparable to national standards.Conclusions. With adequate commitment of resources and experienced surgical and oncologic practitioners, community cancer centers can meet national tertiary care standards in terms of pancreatic and periampullary cancer care.
Oncologic Outcomes of Surgery in T3 Prostate Cancer: Experience of a Single Tertiary Center
Authors: Milonas D. , Smailyte G. , Jievaltas M.
Published: December 2011

Aim. The aim of this study is to present the oncologic outcomes and to determine the prognostic factors of overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), disease-progression-free survival (DPFS), and biochemical-progression-free survival (BPFS) after surgery for pT3 prostate cancer (PCa).Methods. Between 2002 and 2007, a pT3 stage after radical prostatectomy was detected in 182 patients at our institution. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate OS, CSS, DPFS, and BPFS. Cox regression was used to identify predictive factors of survival.Results. pT3a was detected in 126 (69%) and pT3b in 56 (31%) of cases. Five-year OS, CSS, DPFS, and BPFS rates were 90.7%, 94%, 91.8%, and 48.4%, respectively. Survival was significantly different when comparing pT3a to pT3b groups. The 5-year OS, CSS, DPFS, and BPFS were 96% versus 72%, 98% versus 77%, 97.3% versus 79.3%, and 60% versus 24.2%, respectively. Specimen Gleason score was the most significant predictor of OS, CSS, DPFS, and BPFS. The risk of death increased up to 3-fold when a Gleason score 8–10 was present at the final pathology.Conclusions. Radical prostatectomy may offer very good CSS, OS, DPFS, and BPFS rates in pT3a PCa. However, outcomes in patients with pT3b or specimen Gleason ≥8 were significantly worse, suggesting the need for multimodality treatment in those cases.
Molecular Mechanism and Potential Targets for Blocking HPV-Induced Lesion Development
Authors: Guzmán-Olea E. , Bermúdez-Morales V. H. , Peralta-Zaragoza O. , Torres-Poveda K. , Madrid-Marina V.
Published: December 2011

Persistent infection with high-risk HPV is the etiologic agent associated with the development of cervical cancer (CC) development. However, environmental, social, epidemiological, genetic, and host factors may have a joint influence on the risk of disease progression. Cervical lesions caused by HPV infection can be removed naturally by the host immune response and only a small percentage may progress to cancer; thus, the immune response is essential for the control of precursor lesions and CC. We present a review of recent research on the molecular mechanisms that allow HPV-infected cells to evade immune surveillance and potential targets of molecular therapy to inhibit tumor immune escape.
Reliability Evaluation of Distribution Power Systems Based on Artificial Neural Network Techniques
Authors: Hadow Mohammoud M. , Abd Allah Ahmed N. , Abdul karim Sazali P.
Published: December 2011

In order to assess the reliability of distribution systems, more and more researchers are directing their attention to the artificial intelligent method, and several reliability indices have been proposed, such as basic load point indices and system performance indices. Artificial neural network is recently established as a useful and much promising too, applied to variety of power systems engineering. This paper presents ANN version for evaluating the reliability of distribution power systems (DPSs), in the proposed algorithm, the ANN used to predicted (RPS) using historical data method constructed according to the backpropagation learning rule. At the same time, System indices such as SAIFI and SAIDI of real distribution system are computed and compared with results generated by network method. The result obtained by proposed method gives acceptable reliability indices and can also found that the deviation of computed values by the proposed method is less than 1% and needs running time on ASUN network environment of less than 2 s. The ANN approach demonstrates advantage over the network method.
Modulation of Tumor Cell Survival, Proliferation, and Differentiation by the Peptide Derived from Tenascin-C: Implication ofβ1-Integrin Activation
Authors: Iyoda Takuya , Fukai Fumio
Published: December 2011

Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) participates in various biological processes, such as cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Since these processes are essential for keeping homeostasis, aberration of these processes leads to a variety of diseases including cancer. Previously, we found that a peptide derived from tenascin- (TN-) C, termed TNIIIA2, stimulates cell adhesion to ECM through activation ofβ1-integrin. It has been shown that TNIIIA2 can modulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly, TNIIIA2 could not only enhance cell proliferation but also induce apoptotic cell death, depending on cellular context. In this review, we show the function of the peptide TNIIIA2 in cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation and refer to the possibility of new strategy for tumor suppression by regulating cell adhesion status using the ECM-derived functional peptides.
Jaceosidin Induces Apoptosis in U87 Glioblastoma Cells through G2/M Phase Arrest
Authors: Khan Muhammad , Yu Bo , Rasul Azhar , Al Shawi Ali , Yi Fei , Yang Hong , Ma Tonghui
Published: December 2011

Artemisia argyiis a widely used medicinal plant in China. The present study was designed to identify the bioactive constituents with antiglioma activity from leaves ofArtemesia argyi. A bioactivity guided approach based on MTT assay for cells growth inhibition led to the isolation of a flavonoid, “jaceosidin” from ethanol extract of leaves ofArtemesia argyi. The growth inhibitory effect of jaceosidin was explored using flow cytometry and Western blot studies. Our results showed that jaceosidin exerts growth inhibitory effect by arresting the cells at G2/M phase and induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, our study revealed that induction of apoptosis was associated with cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, upregulation of p53 and Bax, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, and activation of caspase 3. This mitochondrial-caspase-3-dependent apoptosis pathway was confirmed by pretreatment with caspase 3 inhibitor, Ac-DEVD-CHO. Our findings suggested that jaceosidin induces mitochondrial-caspase-3-dependent apoptosis in U87 cells by arresting the cell cycle at G2/M phase.
Treatment of Chronic Patellar Tendinopathy with Autologous Bone Marrow Stem Cells: A 5-Year-Followup
Authors: Pascual-Garrido Cecilia , Rolón A. , Makino A.
Published: December 2011

The purpose of this study is to determine if patients with chronic patellar tendinopathy will improve clinically after the inoculation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs). Eight patients with chronic patellar tendinopathy were included. Patients averaged 24 years old (range 14–35). All patients were refractory to conservative treatment for at least 6 months before the procedure. BM-MNCs were harvested from the iliac bone crest and inoculated under ultrasound guide in the patellar tendon lesion. Improvement was assessed through established clinical scores and ultrasound. At 5-year followup, statistically significant improvement was seen for most clinical scores. Seven of eight patients said they would have the procedure again if they had the same problem in the opposite knee and were completely satisfied with the procedure. Seven of 8 patients thought that the results of the procedure were excellent. According to our results, inoculation of BM-MNCs could be considered as a potential therapy for those patients with chronic patellar tendinopathy refractory to nonoperative treatments.
Vocal Parameters That Indicate Threat Level Correlate with FOS Immunolabeling in Social and Vocal Control Brain Regions
Authors: Ellis Jesse M.S. , Riters Lauren V.
Published: December 2011

Transmitting information via communicative signals is integral to interacting with conspecifics, and some species achieve this task by varying vocalizations to reflect context. Although signal variation is critical to social interactions, the underlying neural control has not been studied. In response to a predator, black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapilla) produce mobbing calls (chick-a-dee calls) with various parameters, some of which convey information about the threat stimulus. We predicted that vocal parameters indicative of threat would be associated with distinct patterns of neuronal activity within brain areas involved in social behavior and those involved in the sensorimotor control of vocal production. To test this prediction, we measured the syntax and structural aspects of chick-a-dee call production in response to a hawk model and assessed the protein product of the immediate early gene FOS in brain regions implicated in context-specific vocal and social behavior. These regions include the medial preoptic area (POM) and lateral septum (LS), as well as regions involved in vocal motor control, including the dorsomedial nucleus of the intercollicular complex and the HVC. We found correlations linking call rate (previously demonstrated to reflect threat) to labeling in the POM and LS. Labeling in the HVC correlated with the number of D notes per call, which may also signal threat level. Labeling in the call control region dorsomedial nucleus was associated with the structure of D notes and the overall number of notes, but not call rate or type of notes produced. These results suggest that the POM and LS may influence attributes of vocalizations produced in response to predators and that the brain region implicated in song control, the HVC, also influences call production. Because variation in chick-a-dee call rate indicates predator threat, we speculate that these areas could integrate with motor control regions to imbue mobbing signals with additional information about threat level.
Characteristics of MR Infarcts Associated with Dementia and Cognitive Function in the Elderly
Authors: Aggarwal Neelum T. , Schneider Julie A. , Wilson Robert S. , Beck Todd L. , Evans Denis A. , De Carli Charles
Published: December 2011

Background: Little information exists on the simultaneous effects of magnetic resonance (MR) infarct characteristics, that may increase the likelihood of dementia or lower cognitive function in community populations. Methods: Participants were 580 community-dwelling individuals from the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) who underwent detailed clinical evaluation and MR imaging. The association of MR infarct characteristics (region, number, side, and size) with dementia, global cognition and cognition in five separate cognitive domains was examined using logistic and linear regression analyses controlling for age, sex, race, education and time elapsed between clinical evaluation and MRI. Results: A total of 156 persons had MR infarcts: 108 with 1 infarct and 48 with multiple. Poorer cognitive function and, in particular, slower perceptual speed, were associated with infarcts characterized as cortical, multiple, bilateral or large (all p < 0.05). Multiple infarcts in multiple regions were associated with poor performance in all cognitive domains except visuospatial ability (p < 0.05). Race did not modify any of these associations. Conclusions: In this community sample, cortical and multiple infarcts in multiple regions were associated with dementia; cortical, multiple, large and bilateral infarcts were associated with lower cognition, particularly lower memory function and perceptual speed. These effects were not modified by race.
Prediction of Response to Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Castration Resistance in Primary Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Authors: Divrik Rauf Taner , Türkeri Levent , Şahin Ali F. , Akdoğan Bülent , Ateş Ferhat , Çal Çağ , Baltacı Sümer ,   and Members of the Urooncology Association
Published: December 2011

Purpose: We tried to establish the predictive factors influencing the initial response, as well as its duration, and time to castration resistance (CR) for primary advanced prostate cancer (PC) with bone metastasis. Methods: We evaluated all patients initially receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for primary advanced PC with bone metastasis. A total of 982 patients with complete medical records available for analysis from 18 centers were included in this study. Age, initial PSA, Gleason score (GS) and extent of bone involvement (EBI) were recorded in a database. Results: Among all the patients, 896 (91.2%) responded to ADT initially. Pretreatment PSA and EBI were significant predictors in the multivariate model. Among the 659 patients who progressed into a CR state, the mean duration of response was 22.4 months. There was a significant correlation between the CR state and nadir PSA (nPSA) level and time to nPSA. Pretreatment PSA, EBI, GS, highest tumor volume in biopsy cores (%), number of positive biopsy cores, percent positive biopsy cores and time to nPSA were proven to be significant to predict a nPSA. Pretreatment PSA, GS and EBI were statistically significant predictors of PSA normalization in multivariate analysis. The limitation of the study depends on the retrospective design and a model was developed for low standardization as a result of using multicenter data. The patients enrolled in this study were from a relatively long period of time (1989–2008). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that it is possible to predict the initial response to ADT by pretreatment PSA levels and EBI, while the duration of response can be reflected by a multitude of clinical factors including nPSA, TTnPSA, percent positive cores, biopsy GS and EBI.
Myofibroma of the Oral Mucosa: A Case Report
Authors: Andreadis D. , Epivatianos A. , Samara A. , Kirili T. , Iordanidis F. , Poulopoulos A.
Published: December 2011

Objective: To report a case of coexisting irritation fibroma and myofibroma in oral mucosa. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: One case with two painless, nodular masses, adjacent to each other in the buccal mucosa, was clinically examined with a provisional diagnosis of irritation fibroma, salivary gland tumors, neurofibroma and schwannoma. Histological examination of the smaller swelling showed features of irritation fibroma, while the features of the other mass were compatible with myofibroma or leiomyoma. Additional immunohistochemical examination established the diagnosis of myofibroma. Conclusion: This was a case of a myofibroma that was clinically similar to an adjacent irritation fibroma, which highlights the possibility of misdiagnosis of a myofibroblastic tumor and underlines the importance of histologic examination together with immunohistochemical and/or histochemical analysis if necessary to establish the accurate diagnosis.
Predictors and Prevalence of Successful Aging among Older Malaysians
Authors: Hamid Tengku Aizan , Momtaz Yadollah Abolfathi , Ibrahim Rahimah
Published: December 2011

Background: Successful aging is an important and worldwide concept in gerontology. However, until recently, there has been very little known about successful aging in Malaysia. This study was designed to describe the prevalence and correlates of successful aging among older Malaysians. Methods: Data for this study were obtained from the national survey ‘The Mental Health and Quality of Life of Older Malaysians’. For this study, successful aging was defined based on a multidimensional model, encompassing the avoidance of chronic disease and physical functioning difficulty, and maintenance of good psychocognitive functioning. Results: The prevalence of successful aging among older Malaysians was calculated at 13.8% (CI: 12.6–15.1). Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age, educational attainment, household income, and ethnicity were significantly associated with successful aging. Conclusion: Results of this study show that successful agers were more likely to be among the younger age, ethnic Chinese, and those with a higher education level and household income, after adjusting for all other variables in the model.
Pharmacogenetic warfarin dose refinements remain significantly influenced by genetic factors after one week of therapy
Authors: Lenzini Petra , Wadelius Mia , Jorgensen Andrea , Kimmel Stephen , Ridker Paul , Eriksson Niclas , Anderson Jeffrey , Pirmohamed Munir , Limdi Nita , Pendleton Robert , McMillin Gwendolyn , Burmester James , Kurnik Daniel , Stein C. , Caldwell Michael , Eby Charles , Rane Anders , Lindh Jonatan , Shin Jae-Gook , Kim Ho-Sook , Angchaisuksiri Pantep , Glynn Robert , Kronquist Kathryn , Carlquist John , Grice Gloria , Barrack Robert , Li Juan , Gage Brian , Horne Benjamin
Published: December 2011

By guiding initial warfarin dose, pharmacogenetic (PGx) algorithms may improve the safety of warfarin initiation. However, once international normalised ratio (INR) response is known, the contribution of PGx to dose refinements is uncertain. This study sought to develop and validate clinical and PGx dosing algorithms for warfarin dose refinement on days 6–11 after therapy initiation. An international sample of 2,022 patients at 13 medical centres on three continents provided clinical, INR, and genetic data at treatment days 6–11 to predict therapeutic warfarin dose. Independent derivation and retrospective validation samples were composed by randomly dividing the population (80%/20%). Prior warfarin doses were weighted by their expected effect on S-warfarin concentrations using an exponential-decay pharmacokinetic model. The INR divided by that “effective” dose constituted a treatment response index. Treatment response index, age, amiodarone, body surface area, warfarin indication, and target INR were associated with dose in the derivation sample. A clinical algorithm based on these factors was remarkably accurate: in the retrospective validation cohort its R2 was 61.2% and median absolute error (MAE) was 5.0 mg/week. Accuracy and safety was confirmed in a prospective cohort (N=43). CYP2C9 variants and VKORC1–1639 G→A were significant dose predictors in both the derivation and validation samples. In the retrospective validation cohort, the PGx algorithm had: R2= 69.1% (p<0.05 vs. clinical algorithm), MAE= 4.7 mg/week. In conclusion, a pharmacogenetic warfarin dose-refinement algorithm based on clinical, INR, and genetic factors can explain at least 69.1% of therapeutic warfarin dose variability after about one week of therapy.
Circulation
Editors' Picks
Authors:   The Editors
Published: December 2011

The following articles are being highlighted as part of
Circulation's
Topic Review series. This series will summarize the most important manuscripts, as selected by the editors, published in
Circulation
and the
Circulation
subspecialty journals. The studies included in this article represent the most read manuscripts published on the topic of molecular cardiology in 2009 and 2010.
BLACK AND WHITE LIBERATION
Authors: LAGERWERF LENY
Published: December 2011

Some time ago the department of missiology received a position paper from Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation dealing with "The Churches and Change in Southern Africa". This paper has been an incentive to this review of some (Third World) Christian Literature on Southern Africa, and more particularly on the subject of violence/nonviolence.

Chapter 1 deals with the general question "What is violence?" and with the legitimacy of the use of power. Chapter 2 gives an account of the various (violent or nonviolent) ways that people within or outside these Southern African countries are propagating or practising in their struggle to combat violence.
On the Use of Reanalysis Data for Downscaling
Authors: Brands S. , Gutiérrez J. M. , Herrera S. , Cofiño A. S.
Published: December 2011

In this study, a worldwide overview on the expected sensitivity of downscaling studies to reanalysis choice is provided. To this end, the similarity of middle-tropospheric variables—which are important for the development of both dynamical and statistical downscaling schemes—from 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data on a daily time scale is assessed. For estimating the distributional similarity, two comparable scores are used: the two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic and the probability density function (PDF) score. In addition, the similarity of the day-to-day sequences is evaluated with the Pearson correlation coefficient. As the most important results demonstrated, the PDF score is found to be inappropriate if the underlying data follow a mixed distribution. By providing global similarity maps for each variable under study, regions where reanalysis data should not assumed to be “perfect” are detected. In contrast to the geopotential and temperature, significant distributional dissimilarities for specific humidity are found in almost every region of the world. Moreover, for the latter these differences not only occur in the mean, but also in higher-order moments. However, when considering standardized anomalies, distributional and serial dissimilarities are negligible over most extratropical land areas. Since transformed reanalysis data are not appropriate for regional climate models—in opposition to statistical approaches—their results are expected to be more sensitive to reanalysis choice.
An Examination of Model Track Forecast Errors for Hurricane Ike (2008) in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Brennan Michael J. , Majumdar Sharanya J.
Published: December 2011

Sources of dynamical model track error for Hurricane Ike (2008) in the Gulf of Mexico are examined. Deterministic and ensemble model output are compared against National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS) analyses to identify potential critical features associated with the motion of Ike and its eventual landfall along the upper Texas coast. Several potential critical features were identified, including the subtropical ridge north of Ike and several synoptic-scale short-wave troughs and ridges over central and western North America, and Tropical Storm Lowell in the eastern North Pacific. Using the NCEP Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) data assimilation scheme, the operational GSI analysis from the 0000 UTC 9 September 2008 cycle was modified by perturbing each of these features individually, and then integrating the GFS model using the perturbed initial state. The track of Ike from each of the perturbed runs was compared to the operational GFS and it was found that the greatest improvements to the track forecast were associated with weakening the subtropical ridge north of Ike and strengthening a midlevel short-wave trough over California. A GFS run beginning with an analysis where both of these features were perturbed produced a greater track improvement than either did individually. The results suggest that multiple sources of error exist in the initial states of the operational models, and that the correction of these errors in conjunction with reliable ensemble forecasts would lead to improved forecasts of tropical cyclone tracks and their accompanying uncertainty.