bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phage ϕC2 Mediates Transduction of Tn
6215
, Encoding Erythromycin Resistance, between Clostridium difficile Strains
Authors: Goh Shan , Hussain Haitham , Chang Barbara J. , Emmett Warren , Riley Thomas V. , Mullany Peter
Published: November 2013

In this work, we show that
Clostridium difficile
phage ϕC2 transduces
erm
(B), which confers erythromycin resistance, from a donor to a recipient strain at a frequency of 10
−6
per PFU. The transductants were lysogenic for ϕC2 and contained the
erm
(B) gene in a novel transposon, Tn
6215
. This element is 13,008 bp in length and contains 17 putative open reading frames (ORFs). It could also be transferred at a lower frequency by filter mating.

IMPORTANCE
Clostridium difficile
is a major human pathogen that causes diarrhea that can be persistent and difficult to resolve using antibiotics.
C. difficile
is potentially zoonotic and has been detected in animals, food, and environmental samples.
C. difficile
genomes contain large portions of horizontally acquired genetic elements. The conjugative elements have been reasonably well studied, but transduction has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we show for the first time transduction as a mechanism for the transfer of a novel genetic element in
C. difficile
. Transduction may also be a useful tool for the genetic manipulation of
C. difficile
.
Improving the practice of child death overview panels: a paediatric perspective
Authors: Allen Luke , Lenton Simon , Fraser James , Sidebotham Peter
Published: November 2013

Objective

In England, every death in childhood is reviewed by a local multidisciplinary Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) with the intention of understanding causation and implementing interventions to reduce future deaths. This study aimed to establish how well panels work from the perspective of the paediatricians involved and to ascertain whether they deliver good value and identify areas for improvement.

Design

A questionnaire was sent to every CDOP paediatrician in the country (n=93). Questions focused on the quality of CDOP case discussions as well as examples of effective and significant recommendations. Responses were analysed using simple quantitative and qualitative methods.

Results

84/93 (90%) of the paediatricians responded. Among the respondents, 60 (71%) believe that investment in CDOPs is offering good value, 73 (87%) feel that case discussions are rigorous and consistent and over 90% believe that the correct issues are emerging from discussions. However, responders noted many areas for improvement: 40 (48%) suggested devolving the discussion of specialist deaths (eg, neonates) to hospital-based review meetings or holding themed meetings with invited specialists, 11 (13%) suggested filtering out cases where learning is unlikely before full CDOP meetings and 13 (15%) called for national integration and analysis of data.

Conclusions

In this time of economic austerity it is vital that the CDOPs add value to the invested resources. Although CDOP paediatricians feel that panels are working well, there is scope for improvement through enhancing relationships with commissioning bodies, aggregate review and analysis of CDOP data at a national level and consideration of specialist and/or network review of certain categories of deaths such as cardiac surgery, oncology and neonates.
Left atrial-oesophageal fistula: a very rare, potentially fatal complication of radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation
Authors: Garala Kanai , Gunarathne Ashan , Jarvis Martin , Stafford Peter
Published: November 2013

A 56-year-old man underwent radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. Four weeks later he presented with sepsis and neurological symptoms. Urine analysis demonstrated the presence of blood and protein. A CT scan showed pockets of air in the left atrium. An MRI brain scan revealed multiple cerebral abscesses. The patient developed a third heart sound and splinter haemorrhages. He was subsequently referred to cardiology for transoesophageal echocardiography after starting a course of intravenous meropenem. The cardiology team noted that this individual presented with a triad of infections, neurological sequelae and air in the left atrium after an ablation procedure and diagnosed atrio-oesophageal fistula. A decision to operate was made 9 days after admission. At surgery an area of caseous ulceration was found on the posterior wall of the left atrium overlying the oesophagus. PCR analysis revealedMycoplasma salivarium, part of the oral flora.
MRI observations at return to play of clinically recovered hamstring injuries
Authors: Reurink Gustaaf , Goudswaard Gert Jan , Tol Johannes L , Almusa Emad , Moen Maarten H , Weir Adam , Verhaar Jan A N , Hamilton Bruce , Maas Mario
Published: November 2013

Background

Previous studies have shown that MRI of fresh hamstring injuries have diagnostic and prognostic value. The clinical relevance of MRI at return to play (RTP) has not been clarified yet. The aim of this study is to describe MRI findings of clinically recovered hamstring injuries in amateur, elite and professional athletes that were cleared for RTP.

Methods

We obtained MRI of 53 consecutive athletes with hamstring injuries within 5 days of injury and within 3 days of RTP. We assessed the following parameters: injured muscle, grading of injury, presence and extent of intramuscular signal abnormality. We recorded reinjuries within 2 months of RTP.

Results

MRIs of the initial injury showed 27 (51%) grade 1 and 26 (49%) grade 2 injuries. Median time to RTP was 28 days (range 12–76). On MRI at RTP 47 athletes (89%) had intramuscular increased signal intensity on fluid-sensitive sequences with a mean longitudinal length of 77 mm (±53) and a median cross-sectional area of 8% (range 0–90%) of the total muscle area. In 22 athletes (42%) there was abnormal intramuscular low-signal intensity. We recorded five reinjuries.

Conclusions

89% of the clinically recovered hamstring injuries showed intramuscular increased signal intensity on fluid-sensitive sequences on MRI. Normalisation of this increased signal intensity seems not required for a successful RTP. Low-signal intensity suggestive of newly developed fibrous tissues is observed in one-third of the clinically recovered hamstring injuries on MRI at RTP, but its clinical relevance and possible association with increased reinjury risk has to be determined.
Cancer incidence among Finnish ferrochromium and stainless steel production workers in 1967–2011: a cohort study
Authors: Huvinen Markku , Pukkala Eero
Published: November 2013

Objectives

The aim of the study was to assess the risk of cancer among workers employed in the Finnish ferrochromium and stainless steel industry since the beginning of production in 1967.

Methods

The study cohort was made up of all persons employed by the Finnish stainless steel production chain from chromite mining to cold rolling of stainless steel during the period 1967–2004, and it was divided into subcohorts by production units with specific exposure patterns of the subcohorts assessed in previous studies. Follow-up for cancer through the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry was performed using the personal identity code as key. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated as the ratios of observed numbers of cancer cases and numbers expected on the basis of incidence rates in the population of the same region.

Results

The overall cancer incidence was at the expected level. The lung cancer risk was decreased in the whole cohort (SIR 0.79; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.08). The incidence of prostate cancer was significantly increased (1.31; 1.05 to 1.61) and that for kidney cancer was significantly decreased (0.38; 0.14 to 0.82). None of the department-specific SIRs for lung cancer were significantly different from 1.0. No cancers of the nose and nasal sinuses were observed among workers in the ferrochromium smelter or the stainless steel melting shop.

Conclusions

It is not likely that the occupational exposures in the Finnish ferrochromium and stainless steel industry would have increased the risk of cancer.
Prescribed conditions at infinity for parabolic equations
Authors: Kamin Shoshana , Punzo Fabio
Published: November 2013

We are concerned with existence and uniqueness of the solutions for linear and nonlinear parabolic equations with time-dependent coefficients, in the class of bounded solutions satisfying appropriate conditions at infinity.
REALIZATION OF ${\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}_2({\mathbb C})}$ AT THE CRITICAL LEVEL
Authors: DUNBAR JONATHAN , JING NAIHUAN , MISRA KAILASH C.
Published: November 2013

An explicit realization of the affine Lie algebra [Formula: see text] at the critical level is constructed using a mixture of bosons and parafermions. Subsequently, a representation of the associated Lepowsky–Wilson Z-algebra is given on a space of the tensor product of bosonic fields and certain semi-infinite wedge products.
On the strong homotopy Lie–Rinehart algebra of a foliation
Authors: Vitagliano Luca
Published: November 2013

It is well known that a foliation [Formula: see text] of a smooth manifold M gives rise to a rich cohomological theory, its characteristic (i.e. leafwise) cohomology. Characteristic cohomologies of [Formula: see text] may be interpreted, to some extent, as functions on the space P of integral manifolds (of any dimension) of the characteristic distribution C of [Formula: see text]. Similarly, characteristic cohomologies with local coefficients in the normal bundle TM/C of [Formula: see text] may be interpreted as vector fields on P. In particular, they possess a Lie bracket and act on characteristic cohomology [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we discuss how both the Lie bracket and the action on [Formula: see text] come from a strong homotopy structure at the level of cochains. Finally, we show that such a strong homotopy structure is canonical up to canonical isomorphisms.
Critical elliptic problems in ℝ2 involving resonance in high-order eigenvalues
Authors: Ribeiro Bruno
Published: November 2013

In this paper we deal with the following class of problems [Formula: see text] where Ω ⊂ ℝ2 is bounded with smooth boundary, g has a unilateral critical behavior of Trudinger–Moser type and λk denotes the kth eigenvalue of [Formula: see text], k ≥ 2. We prove existence of nontrivial solution for this problem using variational methods.
Invariant bilinear forms of algebras given by faithfully flat descent
Authors: Neher E. , Pianzola A. , Prelat D. , Sepp C.
Published: November 2013

The existence of nondegenerate invariant bilinear forms is one of the most important tools in the study of Kac–Moody Lie algebras and extended affine Lie algebras. In practice, these forms are created, or shown to exist, either by assumption or in an ad hoc basis. The purpose of this work is to describe the nature of the space of invariant bilinear forms of certain algebras given by faithfully flat descent (which includes the affine Kac–Moody Lie algebras, as well as Azumaya algebras and multiloop algebras) within a functorial framework. This will allow us to conclude the existence, uniqueness and nature of invariant bilinear forms for many important classes of algebras.
DISTANCE-WISE PATHWAY DISCOVERY FROM PROTEIN–PROTEIN INTERACTION NETWORKS WEIGHTED BY SEMANTIC SIMILARITY
Authors: JAROMERSKA SLAVKA , PRAUS PETR , CHO YOUNG-RAE
Published: November 2013

Reconstruction of signaling pathways is crucial for understanding cellular mechanisms. A pathway is represented as a path of a signaling cascade involving a series of proteins to perform a particular function. Since a protein pair involved in signaling and response have a strong interaction, putative pathways can be detected from protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks. However, predicting directed pathways from the undirected genome-wide PPI networks has been challenging. We present a novel computational algorithm to efficiently predict signaling pathways from PPI networks given a starting protein and an ending protein. Our approach integrates topological analysis of PPI networks and semantic analysis of PPIs using Gene Ontology data. An advanced semantic similarity measure is used for weighting each interacting protein pair. Our distance-wise algorithm iteratively selects an adjacent protein from a PPI network to build a pathway based on a distance condition. On each iteration, the strength of a hypothetical path passing through a candidate edge is estimated by a local heuristic. We evaluate the performance by comparing the resultant paths to known signaling pathways on yeast. The results show that our approach has higher accuracy and efficiency than previous methods.
NANOTOXICITY OF MULTIWALL CARBON NANOTUBES TO A549 CELLS IN VITRO
Authors: WANG FU-DE , ZHANG HUA , JIN CHAN , LIANG HAO , TANG YING , YANG YONG-JI
Published: November 2013

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been widely applied in many fields due to the excellent physical and chemical properties. As the production and applications of nanotubes expand, public concern about their potential risks to human health has also raised. Cytotoxicity of MWCNTs was evaluated in this study using a cultured human epithelial cell line A549. Uptake of MWCNTs by cultured A549 cells was observed by TEM imaging. Dose-dependent decrease of cell viability showed the cytotoxicity of MWCNTs. Significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and GSH depletion which reduced the cellular antioxidant level could be the major factor of cytotoxicity induced by MWCNTs. MWCNTs seemed to trigger the activation of cell autophagy with the intracellular ATG16L1 level increase as a defense mechanism.
A TDL Based Non-WSSUS Vehicle-to-Vehicle Channel Model
Authors: Li Yan , Ai Bo , Cheng Xiang , Lin Siyu , Zhong Zhangdui
Published: November 2013

This paper proposes a non-wide-sense-stationary-uncorrelated scattering (WSSUS) channel model for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems. The proposed channel model is based on the tapped-delay line (TDL) structure and considers the correlation between taps both in amplitude and phase. Using the relationship between the correlation coefficients of complex Gaussian, Weibull, and Uniform random variables (RVs), the amplitude and the phase of taps with different delays are modeled as correlated RVs to reflect the non-WSSUS properties of V2V channels. The effectiveness of the proposed channel model and simulation method is validated by the measurements in different scenarios.
An Effective Hybrid Firefly Algorithm with Harmony Search for Global Numerical Optimization
Authors: Guo Lihong , Wang Gai-Ge , Wang Heqi , Wang Dinan
Published: November 2013

A hybrid metaheuristic approach by hybridizing harmony search (HS) and firefly algorithm (FA), namely, HS/FA, is proposed to solve function optimization. In HS/FA, the exploration of HS and the exploitation of FA are fully exerted, so HS/FA has a faster convergence speed than HS and FA. Also, top fireflies scheme is introduced to reduce running time, and HS is utilized to mutate between fireflies when updating fireflies. The HS/FA method is verified by various benchmarks. From the experiments, the implementation of HS/FA is better than the standard FA and other eight optimization methods.
A Method of Remaining Capacity Estimation for Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Li Junfu , Wang Lixin , Lyu Chao , Luo Weilin , Ma Kehua , Zhang Liqiang
Published: November 2013

Combining particle filter (PF) with sample entropy feature of discharge voltage, a method of remaining capacity estimation for lithium-ion battery is proposed. The sample entropy calculated from discharge voltage curve can serve as an indicator for assessing the condition of battery. Under a certain working condition, a functional relationship between sample entropy and discharge capacity is created and estimations computed from the function are taken as observations to propagate particles in PF. The results indicate that the algorithm enhances the accuracy. Due to the establishment of functions at different discharge rates and temperature modification, prognostic accuracy of discharge capacity has been improved under multi-operating working conditions.
Trunk Fat Negatively Influences Skeletal and Testicular Functions in Obese Men: Clinical Implications for the Aging Male
Authors: Migliaccio Silvia , Francomano Davide , Bruzziches Roberto , Greco Emanuela A. , Fornari Rachele , Donini Lorenzo M. , Lenzi Andrea , Aversa Antonio
Published: November 2013

Osteocalcin (OSCA) seems to act as a negative regulator of energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Evidence from male rodents suggests that OSCA may also regulate testosterone (T) synthesis. Using a cross-sectional design, we evaluated OSCA, 25(OH) vitamin D, T, 17β-estradiol (E2), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and body composition in 86 obese (mean BMI = 34) male subjects (18–69 yr old). Independently from BMI, an inverse relationship between trunk fat percentage and plasma T (r2=−0.26,P<0.01) and between HOMA-IR and OSCA levels (r2=−0.22,P<0.005) was found. OSCA levels, as well as vitamin D, decreased significantly for higher BMI with significant differences above 35 (P<0.01). A direct correlation between T and bone mineral density at lumbar (BMDL) and neck (BMDH) (P<0.001,r2=−0.20;P<0.001,r2=−0.24) was found, independently from age. An inverse correlation between E2 levels, BMDL, and BMDH (P<0.001,r2=−0.20;P<0.001,r2=−0.19) was observed. These data provide new evidences that a relationship between trunk fat mass, insulin sensitivity, OSCA and T synthesis occurs. This new relationship with skeletal health has relevant implications for the aging male, suggesting OSCA as a novel marker of metabolic and gonadal health status.
TMA Vessel Segmentation Based on Color and Morphological Features: Application to Angiogenesis Research
Authors: Fernández-Carrobles M. Milagro , Tadeo Irene , Bueno Gloria , Noguera Rosa , Déniz Oscar , Salido Jesús , García-Rojo Marcial
Published: November 2013

Given that angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are strongly related to prognosis in neoplastic and other pathologies and that many methods exist that provide different results, we aim to construct a morphometric tool allowing us to measure different aspects of the shape and size of vascular vessels in a complete and accurate way. The developed tool presented is based on vessel closing which is an essential property to properly characterize the size and the shape of vascular and lymphatic vessels. The method is fast and accurate improving existing tools for angiogenesis analysis. The tool also improves the accuracy of vascular density measurements, since the set of endothelial cells forming a vessel is considered as a single object.
Collisions between Whales and Fast Ferries around Korean Waters
Authors: Song Kyung-Jun
Published: November 2013

Although there is heavy maritime traffic around Korean waters, collisions between whales and fast ferries around Korean waters are nearly unknown. A ship strike that was associated with a minke whale occurred near the southeastern part of Tsushima Island along the sailing route of the fast ferry between Korea and Japan on December 16, 2004. It was associated with a fast ferry that runs at a speed of approximately 46.1 kn (83 km/h) between Korea and Japan. This individual was certainly seriously injured or killed by this ship strike because large amounts of skin of this individual were attached to the surface of the fast ferry, and also large amounts of blood of this individual spread out in that area. However, fortunately, serious damage did not occur to the mariners and passengers of the ferry, although many passengers were knocked down to the floor of the fast ferry when the fast ferry collided with the minke whale. In addition, a total of 4 records of possible collisions between whales and fast ferries have occurred on the fast ferry route between Korea and Japan between 2004 and 2007. This study is the first formal report on collisions between whales and fast ferries around Korean waters. Although the effect of ship strikes on the survival of cetaceans distributed around Korean waters is not very high at present compared with that of other threats, such as entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes can pose a significant potential threat to endangered cetaceans such as western gray whales. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare prevention measures for ship strikes for the conservation of cetaceans around Korean waters in the future.
Diagnosis of Severe Fetal Anemia Based on Perinatal Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis of the Current Reference Values
Authors: Reis Zilma Silveira Nogueira , Osanan Gabriel Costa , Coelho Tiago Lanfernini Ricardo , Rezende Cezar Alencar De Lima , Leite Henrique Vitor , Cabral Antônio Carlos Vieira
Published: November 2013

Objectives. To compare current criteria for severe fetal anemia diagnosis.Methodology. A cohort study analyzed 105 alloimmunized fetuses that underwent cordocentesis due to risk of anemia. Concordance among the diagnostic criteria for severe fetal anemia, hemoglobin deficit >7 g/dL, hemoglobin deficit ≥5 g/dL, and hemoglobin concentration <0.55 MoM, was analyzed using Cohen’s Kappa index. Perinatal mortality, fetal hydrops, and fetal acidosis were used to discuss discordances.Results. There was fair concordance among the three criteria analyzed: 0.80 (Kappa index, IC 95%: 0.67 to 0.93) when comparing hemoglobin deficit >7.0 g/dL and hemoglobin concentration <0.55 MoM criteria, 0.63 (Kappa index, IC 95%: 0.47 to 0.69) when comparing hemoglobin deficit ≥5.0 g/dL and hemoglobin deficit >7.0 g/dL reference, and 0.77 (Kappa index, IC 95%: 0.64 to 0.90) when comparing hemoglobin deficit≥5.0 g/dL and hemoglobin concentration <0.55 MoM standards. Eighteen cases were classified differently depending on the criteria used. The cut-off point of hemoglobin deficit ≥5 g/dL was the best criterion to discriminate fetuses with poor perinatal outcome in our study.Conclusions. Relevant discordances in classification of severe fetal anemia were pointed out. Some criteria may underestimate the real gravity of fetal anemia.
A Nonlocal Model for Carbon Nanotubes under Axial Loads
Authors: Barretta Raffaele , Marotti de Sciarra Francesco
Published: November 2013

Various beam theories are formulated in literature using the nonlocal differential constitutive relation proposed by Eringen. A new variational framework is derived in the present paper by following a consistent thermodynamic approach based on a nonlocal constitutive law of gradient-type. Contrary to the results obtained by Eringen, the new model exhibits the nonlocality effect also for constant axial load distributions. The treatment can be adopted to get new benchmarks for numerical analyses.
What Would Be the Most Appropriateα/βRatio in the Setting of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Chi Alexander , Wen Sijin , Liao Zhongxing , Fowler Jack , Xu Jiahong , Nguyen Nam P. , Welsh James S. , Komaki Ritsuko
Published: November 2013

We hypothesize that the correlation between the radiation dose expressed as the biologically effective dose (BED) and the clinical endpoints will correlate better as the value of theα/βratio is increased to >10 Gy, which theoretically minimizes the overestimation of the dose potency associated with the linear quadratic (LQ) formula in the setting of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A search was conducted in the PubMed electronic databases in August 2011. In the studies analyzed, increasing theα/βratio is associated with an increase in the strength of the correlation between isocenter BED and local control, especially in the studies with median followup of ≥24 months, for which Spearman’s correlation coefficients of 0.74–0.76 were achieved forα/βof 20 Gy, 30 Gy, and 50 Gy (P= 0.007–0.008). A trend toward statistical significance was observed for the correlation of isocenter BED and the 2-year overall survival when anα/βof 20 Gy was used approached statistical significance (P=0.073). Our results suggest that anα/β>10 Gy may be more appropriate for the prediction of dose response in the setting of lung SBRT.
Numerical Predictions of the Incipient and Developed Interblade Vortex Lines of a Model Francis Turbine by Cavitation Calculations
Authors: Zuo Zhigang , Liu Shuhong , Liu Demin , Qin Daqing , Wu Yulin
Published: November 2013

The existence of runner interblade vortices can cause instability problems in Francis turbines, for example, pressure fluctuations, vibrations of runners, noise, and so forth. It is favorable in engineering practice to have the knowledge of the appearance of the incipient and developed inter blade vortex lines on the Hill diagram in unit parameters. Most numerical research on the inter blade vortices has been focused on the study of the characteristics of pressure fluctuations by single-phase flow calculations. However, since the two vortex lines are distinguished by observations of visible vortices, which contain cavitating flows, it is clear that cavitation calculations are needed for their predictions. A method by solving RANS equations with RNG k – ∊ turbulence model and ZGB cavitation model was proposed for the predictions in a Francis model turbine. Modifications of the turbulence viscosity were made for better simulation results. Vorticity criterion was chosen to identify the vortices. The fact that the results of cavitation calculations have a better agreement with experimental observations than single-phase calculations proves the validity of this prediction method.
The History of Urinary Stones: In Parallel with Civilization
Authors: Tefekli Ahmet , Cezayirli Fatin
Published: November 2013

The roots of modern science and history of urinary stone disease go back to the Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamia. Hippocrates defined the symptoms of bladder stones. The first recorded details of “perineal lithotomy” were those of Cornelius Celsus. Ancient Arabic medicine was based mainly on classical Greco‐Roman works. Interestingly, the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 forbade physicians from performing surgical procedures, as contact with blood or body fluids was viewed as contaminating to men. With Renaissance new procedures could be tried on criminals. The first recorded suprapubic lithotomy was carried out by Pierre Franco in 1561. In 1874, Bigelow developed a lithotrite, which was introduced into the bladder under anaesthesia (called as “litholopaxy”). Young was the first to report ureteroscopy (1929). With advances in intracorporeal lithotripsy techniques, ureteroscopy became the treatment of choice for ureteric stones. In 1976, Fernstrom and Johannson established percutaneous access to remove a renal stone. However, with the introduction of the first extracorporeal shock wave machine in 1980, a dramatic change in stone management was observed. Civilization in parallel with scientific developments has brought us to a point where we try not to “cut” our patients for stone disease, as Hippocrates admonishes, but rather manage them with minimal invasive alternatives.
Amantadine-Induced Patulous Eustachian Tubes in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Boyd J. T. , Silverman D. A.
Published: November 2013

Patulous Eustachian tube (PET) is a common condition that produces symptoms of aural fullness and autophony. We describe a Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient that experienced a reversible bilateral patulous (hyperpatent) Eustachian tube syndrome induced by treatment with amantadine hydrochloride. The clinical features, relevant anatomy and physiology, and associated risk factors for PET are reviewed.
Body Mass Index: A Risk Factor for Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Kaštelan Snježana , Tomić Martina , Gverović Antunica Antonela , Ljubić Spomenka , Salopek Rabatić Jasminka , Karabatić Mirela
Published: November 2013

The aim of the study was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI) independently or in correlation with other risk factors is associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression. The study included 545 patients with type 2 diabetes. According to DR status, they were divided into three groups: group 1 (no retinopathy;n=296), group 2 (mild/moderate nonproliferative DR;n=118), and group 3 (severe/very severe NPDR or proliferative DR;n=131). Patients without DR were younger than those with signs of retinopathy at time of diabetes onset whilst diabetes duration was longer in groups with severe NPDR and PDR. DR progression was correlated with diabetes duration, BMI, HbA1c, hypertension, and cholesterol. Statistical analyses showed that the progression of retinopathy increased significantly with higher BMI (gr. 1: 26.50 ± 2.70, gr. 2: 28.11 ± 3.00, gr. 3: 28.69 ± 2.50;P<0.01). We observed a significant deterioration of HbA1c and a significant increase in cholesterol and hypertension with an increase in BMI. Correlation between BMI and triglycerides was not significant. Thus, BMI in correlation with HbA1c cholesterol and hypertension appears to be associated with the progression of DR in type 2 diabetes and may serve as a predictive factor for the development of this important cause of visual loss in developed countries.
Experimental Study on Intelligent Control Scheme for Fan Coil Air-Conditioning System
Authors: Li Yanfeng , Bian Jiang , Zhang Ning , Li Junmei
Published: November 2013

An intelligent control scheme for fan coil air-conditioning systems has been put forward in order to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional proportion-integral-derivative (PID) control scheme. These shortcomings include the inability of anti-interference and large inertia. An intelligent control test rig of fan coil air-conditioning system has been built, and MATLAB/Simulink dynamics simulation software has been adopted to implement the intelligent control scheme. A software for data exchange has been developed to combine the intelligence control system and the building automation (BA) system. Experimental tests have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of different control schemes including the traditional PID control, fuzzy control, and fuzzy-PID control for fan coil air-conditioning system. The effects of control schemes have been compared and analyzed in robustness, static and dynamic character, and economy. The results have shown that the developed data exchange interface software can induce the intelligent control scheme of the BA system more effectively. Among the proposed control strategies, fuzzy-PID control scheme which has the advantages of both traditional PID and fuzzy schemes is the optimal control scheme for the fan coil air-conditioning system.
Characterisation and In Silico Analysis of Interleukin‐4 cDNA of Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and Indian Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
Authors: Saini M. , Palai T. K. , Das D. K. , Hatle K. M. , Gupta P. K.
Published: November 2013

Interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) produced from Th2 cells modulates both innate and adaptive immune responses. It is a common belief that wild animals possess better immunity against diseases than domestic and laboratory animals; however, the immune system of wild animals is not fully explored yet. Therefore, a comparative study was designed to explore the wildlife immunity through characterisation of IL‐4 cDNA of nilgai, a wild ruminant, and Indian buffalo, a domestic ruminant. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of nilgai and Indian buffalo and reverse transcribed into cDNA. Respective cDNA was further cloned and sequenced. Sequences were analysed in silico and compared with their homologues available at GenBank. The deduced 135 amino acid protein of nilgai IL‐4 is 95.6% similar to that of Indian buffalo. N‐linked glycosylation sequence, leader sequence, Cysteine residues in the signal peptide region, and 3′ UTR of IL‐4 were found to be conserved across species. Six nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions were found in Indian buffalo compared to nilgai amino acid sequence. Tertiary structure of this protein in both species was modeled, and it was found that this protein falls under 4‐helical cytokines superfamily and short chain cytokine family. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a single cluster of ruminants including both nilgai and Indian buffalo that was placed distinct from other nonruminant mammals.
Estrogens as Antioxidant Modulators in Human Fertility
Authors: Mancini A. , Raimondo S. , Persano M. , Di Segni C. , Cammarano M. , Gadotti G. , Silvestrini A. , Pontecorvi A. , Meucci E.
Published: November 2013

Among treatments proposed for idiopathic male infertility, antiestrogens, like tamoxifen, play a possible role. On the other hand, oxidative stress is a mechanism well recognized for deleterious effects on spermatozoa function. After reviewing the literature on the effects of estrogens in modulation of antioxidant systems, in both sexes, and in differentin vivoandin vitromodels, we suggest, also on the basis of personal data, that a tamoxifen treatment could be active via an increase in seminal antioxidants.
Association ofCILP2andACEGene Polymorphisms with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Slovak Midlife Women
Authors: Luptáková Lenka , Benčová Dominika , Siváková Daniela , Cvíčelová Marta
Published: November 2013

The aim of this study is to assess the association of two polymorphisms, the cartilage intermediate layer protein 2 (CILP2) G/T and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) I/D, with blood pressure and anthropometrical and biochemical parameters related to the development of cardiovascular disease. The entire study sample comprised 341 women ranging in age from 39 to 65 years. TheCILP2genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP and theACEgenotypes by PCR. The Bonferroni pairwise comparisons showed the effect of theCILP2genotype on high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (apoB), apoB-to-apoA1 ratio, the total cholesterol (TC)-to-HDL-C ratio, non-HDL-C, and the LDL-C-to-HDL-C ratio (P<0.05). Here, higher mean levels of HDL-C and lower mean levels of the remaining above mentioned lipid parameters were registered in the GT/TT genotype carriers than in GG carriers. Statistically significant association was identified between theACEgenotype and the following parameters: TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C (P<0.05). The II genotype can lower serum level of TC (B=0.40), LDL-C (B=0.37), and non-HDL-C levels. The results of this study suggest that the minor T allele ofCILP2gene and I allele ofACEgene have a protective effect against elevated serum lipid and lipoprotein levels.
A Preliminary Evaluation of the Physiological Mechanisms of Action for Sleep Restriction Therapy
Authors: Vallières Annie , Ceklic Tijana , Bastien Célyne H. , Espie Colin A.
Published: November 2013

Our objective was to investigate the physiological mechanisms involved in the sleep restriction treatment of insomnia. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used. Sleep of five participants suffering from insomnia was assessed throughout the experimentation by sleep diaries and actigraphy. Ten nights of polysomnography were conducted over five occasions. The first two-night assessment served to screen for sleep disorders and to establish a baseline for dependent measures. Three assessments were undertaken across the treatment interval, with the fifth and last one coming at follow-up. Daily cortisol assays were obtained. Sleep restriction therapy was applied in-lab for the first two nights of treatment and was subsequently supervised weekly. Interrupted time series analyses were computed on sleep diary data and showed a significantly decreased wake time, increased sleep efficiency, and decreased total sleep time. Sleepiness at night seems positively related to sleep variables, polysomnography data suggest objective changes mainly for stage 2, and power spectral analysis shows a decrease in beta-1 and -2 powers for the second night of treatment. Cortisol levels seem to be lower during treatment. These preliminary results confirm part of the proposed physiological mechanisms and suggest that sleep restriction contributes to a rapid decrease in hyperarousal insomnia.
Histopathological Implications ofAspergillusInfection in Lung
Authors: Tochigi Naobumi , Okubo Yoichiro , Ando Tsunehiro , Wakayama Megumi , Shinozaki Minoru , Gocho Kyoko , Hata Yoshinobu , Ishiwatari Takao , Nemoto Tetsuo , Shibuya Kazutoshi
Published: November 2013

This paper opens with a discussion on the significance of invasive fungal infections in advanced contemporary medicine, with an emphasis on the intractability of disease management and the difficulties of diagnosis. This is followed by a discussion concerning classification, histopathological features, and pathophysiology. While it has been largely accepted thatAspergillusspecies is recognized by cellular receptors and attacked by neutrophils, the radiological and macroscopic findings linking infection with neutropenia remain unconfirmed. In an effort to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of invasive aspergillosis, we wish to emphasize the utility of radiological and histopathological examinations since these can provide detailed information on the extremely complex interaction between the causative microbes and tissue responses. A review of noninvasive or semi-invasive aspergillosis is also provided, with particular emphasis on chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, which is recognized as a transition form of simple pulmonary aspergilloma and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, although few findings have been reported in this area.
Influence of Bath Composition at Acidic pH on Electrodeposition of Nickel-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites for Corrosion Protection
Authors: Tientong Jeerapan , Thurber Casey R. , D’Souza Nandika , Mohamed Adel , Golden Teresa D.
Published: November 2013

Nickel-layered silicates were electrochemically deposited from acidic bath solutions. Citrate was used as a ligand to stabilize nickel (II) ions in the plating solution. The silicate, montmorillonite, was exfoliated by stirring in aqueous solution over 24 hours. The plating solutions were analyzed for zeta-potential, particle size, viscosity, and conductivity to investigate the effects of the composition at various pHs. The solution particles at pH 2.5 (−22.2 mV) and pH 3.0 (−21.9 mV) were more stable than at pH 1.6 (−10.1 mV) as shown by zeta-potential analysis of the nickel-citrate-montmorillonite plating solution.Ecorrfor the films ranged from −0.32 to −0.39 V with varying pH from 1.6 to 3.0. The films were immersed in 3.5% NaCl and the open circuit potential monitored for one month. The coatings deposited at pH 3.0 were stable 13 days longer in the salt solution than the other coatings. X-ray diffraction showed a change in the (111)/(200) ratio for the coatings at the various pHs. The scanning electron microscopy and hardness results also support that the electrodeposition of nickel-montmorillonite at pH 3.0 (234 GPa) had improved hardness and morphology compared to pH 2.5 (174 GPa) and pH 1.6 (147 GPa).
Chinese Herbal Medicine for Postinfectious Cough: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Liu Wei , Jiang Hong-Li , Mao Bing
Published: November 2013

Chinese herbal medicine has been commonly used in the treatment of postinfectious cough. The aim of this review is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for postinfectious cough. An extensive search for RCTs was performed using multiple electronic databases, supplemented with a manual search. All studies included were confirmed with specific inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of each study was examined according to the Cochrane risk of bias assessment. Quality of evidence was evaluated using rating approach developed by GRADE working group. The literature search yielded 352 results, of which 12 RCTs satisfied the inclusion criteria, offering moderate-to-high levels of evidence. Methodological quality was considered high in three trials, while in the other nine studies the unclear risk of bias was in the majority. Findings suggested that, compared with western conventional medicine or placebo, Chinese herbal medicine could effectively improve core symptoms of postinfectious cough, act better and have earlier antitussive effect, and enhance patients’ quality of life. No serious adverse event was reported.
Clearance of Apoptotic Cells by Macrophages Induces Regulatory Phenotype and Involves Stimulation of CD36 and Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor
Authors: Ferracini Matheus , Rios Francisco J. O. , Pecenin Mateus , Jancar Sonia
Published: November 2013

Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) induces macrophage differentiation towards a regulatory phenotype (IL-10high/IL-12p40low). CD36 is involved in the recognition of apoptotic cells (AC), and we have shown that the platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) is also involved. Here, we investigated the contribution of PAFR and CD36 to efferocytosis and to the establishment of a regulatory macrophage phenotype. Mice bone marrow-derived macrophages were cocultured with apoptotic thymocytes, and the phagocytic index was determined. Blockage of PAFR with antagonists or CD36 with specific antibodies inhibited the phagocytosis of AC (~70–80%). Using immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy, we showed that efferocytosis increased the CD36 and PAFR colocalisation in the macrophage plasma membrane; PAFR and CD36 coimmunoprecipitated with flotillin-1, a constitutive lipid raft protein, and disruption of these membrane microdomains by methyl-β-cyclodextrin reduced AC phagocytosis. Efferocytosis induced a pattern of cytokine production, IL-10high/IL-12p40low, that is, characteristic of a regulatory phenotype. LPS potentiated the efferocytosis-induced production of IL-10, and this was prevented by blocking PAFR or CD36. It can be concluded that phagocytosis of apoptotic cells engages CD36 and PAFR, possibly in lipid rafts, and this is required for optimal efferocytosis and the establishment of the macrophage regulatory phenotype.
Folate Deficiency Induces Dysfunctional Long and Short Telomeres; Both States Are Associated with Hypomethylation and DNA Damage in Human WIL2-NS Cells
Authors: Bull Caroline F. , Mayrhofer Graham , O'Callaghan Nathan J. , Au Amy Y. , Pickett Hilda A. , Low Grace Kah Mun , Zeegers Dimphy , Hande M. Prakash , Fenech Michael F.
Published: November 2013

The essential role of dietary micronutrients for genome stability is well documented, yet the effect of folate deficiency or excess on telomeres is not known. Accordingly, human WIL2-NS cells were maintained in medium containing 30, 300, or 3,000 nmol/L folic acid (FA) for 42 days to test the hypothesis that chronic folate deficiency would cause telomere shortening and dysfunction. After 14 days, telomere length (TL) in FA-deficient (30 nmol/L) cultures was 26% longer than that of 3,000 nmol/L FA cultures; however, this was followed by rapid telomere attrition over the subsequent 28 days (P trend, P < 0.0001); both long and short telomere status was positively correlated with biomarkers of chromosome instability (P ≤ 0.003) and mitotic dysfunction (P = 0.01), measured by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-cyt) assay. The early increase in TL was associated with FA-deficiency–induced global DNA hypomethylation (P = 0.05), with an effect size similar to that induced by the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine. Quantitative PCR analysis indicated a negative association between FA concentration and uracil incorporation into telomeric DNA (r = −0.47, P = 0.1), suggesting a possible plausible mechanism for uracil as a cause of folate deficiency–induced telomere dysfunction or deletion. Peptide nucleic acid-FISH (PNA-FISH) analysis showed that FA deficiency resulted in 60% of micronuclei containing acentric terminal fragments, an observation consistent with the 3-fold increase in terminal deletions (P = 0.0001). Together, these results demonstrate the impact of folate deficiency on biomarkers of telomere maintenance and integrity, and provide evidence that dysfunctional long telomeres may be as important as critically short telomeres as a cause of chromosomal instability. Cancer Prev Res; 7(1); 128–38. ©2013 AACR.
CD4 T Cells Require ICOS-Mediated PI3K Signaling to Increase T-Bet Expression in the Setting of Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy
Authors: Chen Hong , Fu Tihui , Suh Woong-Kyung , Tsavachidou Dimitra , Wen Sijin , Gao Jianjun , Ng Tang Derek , He Qiuming , Sun Jingjing , Sharma Padmanee
Published: November 2013

The transcription factor T-bet controls the Th1 genetic program in T cells for effective antitumor responses. Anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapy elicits dramatic antitumor responses in mice and in human patients; however, factors that regulate T-bet expression during an antitumor response mediated by anti-CTLA-4 remain to be elucidated. We were the first to report that treatment with anti-CTLA-4 led to an increase in the frequency of T cells expressing inducible costimulator (ICOS). In both treated patients and mice, our data revealed that CD4+ICOShi T cells can act as effector T cells, which produce the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ. We also showed in a small retrospective analysis that an increased frequency of CD4+ICOShi T cells correlated with better clinical outcome and the absence of ICOS or its ligand (ICOSL) in mouse models led to impaired tumor rejection. Here, we show that CD4+ICOShi T cells from anti-CTLA-4–treated patients had an increase in signaling via the phospoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway and an increase in expression of T-bet. An ICOS-specific siRNA transfected into human T cells led to diminished PI3K signaling and T-bet expression. Therefore, we hypothesized that ICOS, and specifically ICOS-mediated PI3K signaling, was required for T-bet expression. We conducted studies in ICOS-deficient and ICOS-YF mice, which have a single amino acid change that abrogates PI3K signaling by ICOS. We found that ICOS-mediated PI3K signaling is required for T-bet expression during an antitumor response elicited by anti-CTLA-4 therapy. Our data provide new insight into the regulation of T-bet expression and suggest that ICOS can be targeted to improve Th1 antitumor responses. Cancer Immunol Res; 2(2); 167–76. ©2013 AACR.
Psychological Well-Being Revisited: Advances in the Science and Practice of Eudaimonia
Authors: Ryff Carol D.
Published: November 2013

This article reviews research and interventions that have grown up around a model of psychological well-being generated more than two decades ago to address neglected aspects of positive functioning such as purposeful engagement in life, realization of personal talents and capacities, and enlightened self-knowledge. The conceptual origins of this formulation are revisited and scientific products emerging from 6 thematic areas are examined: (1) how well-being changes across adult development and later life; (2) what are the personality correlates of well-being; (3) how well-being is linked with experiences in family life; (4) how well-being relates to work and other community activities; (5) what are the connections between well-being and health, including biological risk factors, and (6) via clinical and intervention studies, how psychological well-being can be promoted for ever-greater segments of society. Together, these topics illustrate flourishing interest across diverse scientific disciplines in understanding adults as striving, meaning-making, proactive organisms who are actively negotiating the challenges of life. A take-home message is that increasing evidence supports the health protective features of psychological well-being in reducing risk for disease and promoting length of life. A recurrent and increasingly important theme is resilience - the capacity to maintain or regain well-being in the face of adversity. Implications for future research and practice are considered.