bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study: Study Design and Baseline Results
Authors:   The ACES Investigators
Published: September 2009

Background

Better methods of identifying which patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis will develop stroke, are required to improve the risk-benefit ratio of carotid endarterectomy. A promising method is the detection of asymptomatic embolic signals using transcranial Doppler. Embolic signals predict stroke risk in symptomatic carotid stenosis, but their predictive role in asymptomatic carotid stenosis is uncertain.

Aims

The Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study is a prospective observational study in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis ≥70%.

Method

Two 1-h transcranial Doppler recordings from the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery are performed at baseline, and a single-hour recording is performed at 6, 12 and 18 months. Follow-up is for 2 years. All recordings are centrally blinded to subject identity during analysis. The primary hypothesis is: do embolic signals on either of two 1-h recordings at entry predict ipsilateral transient ischaemic attack and stroke risk over the following 2 years? The major secondary hypothesis is: does the presence of embolic signals on a single-hour-long recording at baseline or at 6, 12 or 18 months predict ipsilateral transient ischaemic attack and stroke risk over the subsequent 6-month period?

Results

Recruitment was completed in October 2007 with 482 subjects. At the baseline, the proportion of subjects with embolicsignals was 10·7% on recording 1,10·8% on recording 2 and 16·7% on either of the two recordings. Embolic signal prevalence on the two recordings was significantly associated (χ2 27·48, P<0·0005). Patients without embolic signals were more likely to be treated with antiplatelets (90·8 vs 76·9%, P<0·0005) and this difference persisted on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Asymptomatic Carotid Emboli Study will determine whether embolic signal is a useful predictor in asymptomatic carotid stenosis, and detection allows its predictive value to be compared with clinical features, imaging parameters and ultrasound plaque morphology. Baseline data show antiplatelet therapy is associated with fewer embolic signals.
Aetiology and outcome in 90 cats presenting with dyspnoea in a referral population
Authors: Swift S. , Dukes‐McEwan J. , Fonfara S. , Loureiro J. F. , Burrow R.
Published: September 2009

Objectives: Dyspnoea is an unspecific severe presenting sign, which can be life threatening and requires prompt treatment. Dyspnoeic cats often have significant underlying disease. Underlying aetiologies in cats that presented with dyspnoea were reviewed, and associations with patient signalment and outcome were investigated.

Methods: The case records of 90 dyspnoeic cats were retrospectively reviewed and separated into different groups depending on aetiology (cardiac, respiratory, neoplastic and trauma). Duration of clinical signs, presentation, hospitalisation length and survival were analysed.

Results: Cardiac (38 per cent), respiratory (32 per cent) and neoplastic (20 per cent) diseases were common causes of feline dyspnoea. Cats with respiratory causes had longer duration of clinical signs (P<0·001) before presentation. Cats with neoplasia were significantly older (P<0·001). No significant difference in respiratory rates was present between the groups (P = 0·154). High heart rates (P<0·001) and abnormalities on cardiac auscultation were more likely in the cardiac group.

Clinical Significance: Frequent causes of dyspnoea in cats were cardiac disease followed by respiratory causes and neoplastic conditions. Heart rate on presentation and presence of heart murmurs or gallops are useful to identify cardiac causes. Improved proportion surviving was found in the respiratory group (P = 0·027), whereas cats with neoplasia had the worst outcome.
Survival of a cat with pneumonia due to cowpox virus and feline herpesvirus infection
Authors: Johnson M. S. , Martin M. , Stone B. , Hetzel U. , Kipar A.
Published: September 2009

Cowpox virus infection in cats is rare and usually leads to cutaneous lesions alone. Pulmonary infection and pneumonia have been documented occasionally but all such cases described to date have been fatal. Although usually affecting the upper respiratory tract, feline herpesvirus can also induce pneumonia. The present report describes the case of a cat that recovered from a pneumonia in which both poxvirus and feline herpesvirus were demonstrated.
Inflammatory phenotypes in adult asthma: clinical applications
Authors: Gibson Peter Gerard
Published: September 2009

Background:  The pattern of granulocyte infiltration can be used to identify different inflammatory phenotypes in asthma. Recognized granulocyte phenotypes using induced sputum are eosinophilic (EA), neutrophilic, mixed granulocytic and paucigranulocytic asthma.

Methods:  The recognition and importance of inflammatory phenotype analysis using induced sputum in adult asthma are reviewed using published literature.

Results:  Knowledge of inflammatory phenotype is useful because it relates to treatment response, mechanistic pathways involved in disease pathogenesis and future disease risk. The population attributable risk of asthma because of eosinophilic inflammation is about 50%, and conversely, this means that up to 50% of asthma cannot be attributed to eosinophilic inflammation, and represents asthma associated with non‐eosinophilic processes. In these patients, bronchial biopsy shows significantly fewer eosinophils in the bronchial mucosa than subjects with EA. This confirms that non‐eosinophilic asthma is a consistent pattern/phenotype in the airway lumen and the airway mucosa. A key aspect of asthma inflammatory phenotype analysis is that it can be applied to individual patients.

The underlying principle relates to the association between a clinical response to corticosteroids and the presence of a selective sputum eosinophilia.

Conclusions:  Clinically useful applications of induced sputum analysis are the detection of non‐adherence to corticosteroid therapy, assessment of adequacy of inhaled corticosteroid therapy, long‐term therapy management in asthma, oral corticosteroid dose adjustment in refractory asthma and assessment of occupational asthma.

Please cite this paper as: Gibson PG. Inflammatory phenotypes in adult asthma: clinical applications. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2009; 3: 198–206.
Incidence and prevalence of adult asthma is associated with low socio‐economic status
Authors: Ekerljung Linda , Sundblad Britt‐Marie , Rönmark Eva , Larsson Kjell , Lundbäck Bo
Published: September 2009

Background:  Low socio‐economic status is often related to health problems; however, previous studies on asthma, usually cross‐sectional, yield inconsistent results. In this study, longitudinal and cross‐sectional data on the association between socio‐economic status and asthma as well as respiratory symptoms among adults are presented.

Methods:  A postal questionnaire was sent on two occasions, 1996 and 2006, to a randomly selected sample of subjects aged 20–69 years in 1996. In total, 4479 subjects participated in both surveys. The questionnaire included questions on asthma, respiratory symptoms and possible determinants. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for potential confounders, was used to study the association between asthma, respiratory symptoms and socio‐economic status.

Results:  Manual workers in service had the highest prevalence and cumulative incidence for all investigated symptoms and asthma. Despite a large decrease in smokers, the increase in incident bronchitic symptoms was higher than the increase of incident asthma and incident asthmatic symptoms. Low socio‐economic status, rhinitis and a family history of asthma were risk factors for having and developing asthma and respiratory symptoms.

Conclusion:  Low socio‐economic status is significantly associated with an increased risk for prevalent and incident asthma and respiratory symptoms in this longitudinal population‐based survey. The increase in risk was most pronounced in manual workers. Several studies have recently shown an association between low socio‐economic status and respiratory symptoms and we conclude that asthma can not be considered as a disease that mainly affects the middle and upper socio‐economic classes.

Please cite this paper as: Ekerljung L, Sundblad B‐M, Rönmark E, Larsson K and Lundbäck B. Incidence and prevalence of adult asthma is associated with low socio‐economic status. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2010; 4: 147–156.
The Politicisation of Culture and the Contestation of Iranian National Identity in Khatami's Iran
Authors: Holliday Shabnam
Published: September 2009

Islam and nationalism are often linked in Iranian political discourses. While looking at Islam is crucial to an understanding of Iranian nationalism, it is essential to highlight that it is not the only basis of nationalism. The political discourses during Seyyed Mohammad Khatami's presidency (1997–2005) illustrate the complexity of nationalism in Iran. This paper examines discourses of national identity that are contested by addressing the role of culture. The aim of this paper is to illustrate that the basis of the contestation is a perceived dichotomy between two cultures: Iraniyyat ‐ being Iranian in terms of Iran's pre‐Islamic heritage and exclusion of the Islamic heritage — and Islamiyyat— being Islamic in terms of Iran's Islamic heritage and exclusion of pre‐Islamic heritage.
Angiotensin receptors in the eyes of arterial hypertensive rats
Authors: Vaajanen Anu , Lakkisto Päivi , Virtanen Ismo , Kankuri Esko , Oksala Olli , Vapaatalo Heikki , Tikkanen Ilkka
Published: September 2009

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine whether the eye tissues of arterial hypertensive rats evince expression of angiotensin receptors (AT1and AT2) as well as the novel Mas receptor, whose endogenous ligand is vasorelaxingAngiotensin(1–7) [Ang(1–7)].

Methods: Enucleated eyes from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and double transgenic rats harbouring human renin and angiotensinogen genes (dTGR) and their normotensive controls were used. Half of the rats were pretreated orally with anAngiotensin II(Ang II) type 1 receptor blocker (ARB). The eyes were snap‐frozen in isopentane at −40° and stored at −70° for subsequent reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis orin vitroautoradiography.

Results: The mRNA expression of AT1aand AT2as well as the novel Mas receptor was detected in all rat groups, being markedly higher in the retina than in the ciliary body. dTGR had significantly more receptors than SHR, but no direct relation to blood pressure level was seen. According to the autoradiography, treatment with ARB blocked a part of AT1receptors but had no clear effect on AT2receptors.

Conclusion: The novel Mas receptor was found by RT‐PCR in eye tissue for the first time. Its specific ligand,Ang(1–7), may be involved in the regulation of intraocular pressure – as recently demonstrated by us – and in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases as a counter‐regulatory component for the vascular and proliferative actions ofAng II. The results suggest that the density of AT1receptors in the eye is independent of the blood pressure level of the animal.
Neuroform stent assisted aneurysm treatment: evolving treatment strategies, complications and results of long term follow-up
Authors: Fiorella D , Albuquerque F C , Woo H , Rasmussen P A , Masaryk T J , McDougall C G
Published: September 2009

Introduction

This report details experience with the Neuroform stent, with an emphasis on evolving treatment strategies, complication rates and treatment durability.

Methods

All patients undergoing Neuroform stent assisted aneurysm treatment were registered in prospectively maintained endovascular databases at two institutions.

Results

284 patients with 302 aneurysms underwent aneurysm treatment with Neuroform during a 42-month study period. Imaging follow-up was available for 166 of 286 saccular aneurysms which were treated with stents and coils (average interval 12.9 months). 80 demonstrated progressive thrombosis (48.2%), 40 were unchanged (24.1%) and 46 (27.7%) demonstrated re-canalization, 25 (15.1%) of which were major recanalizations requiring retreatment. The vast majority of recanalizations and retreatments were observed in large or giant aneurysms. A cumulative total of 25 ischemic strokes (8.8%) and eight neurovascular deaths (2.8%) were recorded in these patients. Ten of these strokes were associated with transient deficits which went on to complete resolution by the time of discharge or at the initial clinical follow-up, yielding a significant stroke rate of 5.3%. Delayed (>48 h) complications, including four deaths—related to stroke (n=2, 6 days and 8 weeks post-procedure) and spontaneous parenchymal hemorrhages (n=2)—represent events which are a direct consequence of stenting and likely would not have been encountered in the context of standard non-stent supported embolization techniques.

Conclusion

Neuroform facilitates the endovascular treatment of complex and wide necked cerebral aneurysms. However, complete occlusion at angiographic follow-up remains uncommon and is observed in only one-third of patients. Delayed complications (>48 h) represent an important component of the overall complications associated with Neuroform assisted aneurysm embolization.
THRESHOLD MULTIPARTY QUANTUM-INFORMATION SPLITTING VIA QUANTUM CHANNEL ENCRYPTION
Authors: YANG YU-GUANG , WEN QIAO-YAN
Published: September 2009

We propose a (t, n)-threshold multiparty quantum-information splitting protocol following some ideas of the standard teleportation protocol [C. H. Bennett, G. Brassard, C. Crpeau, R. Jozsa, A. Peres and W. K. Wootters, Phys. Rev. Lett.70 (1993) 1895] and Tokunaga et al.'s protocol [Y. Tokunaga, T. Okamoto and N. Imoto, Phys. Rev. A71 (2005) 012314]. The sender distributes the classical shared keys to his or her n agents and each agent owns a secret key in advance. The sender's quantum information can be extracted by an agent subset by collaboration in such a way that at least t or more agents can get the quantum information with the mutual assistances but any t - 1 or fewer agents cannot. In contrast to the previous multiparty quantum-information splitting protocols in which the sender's quantum information can be recovered only if all the agents collaborate, our protocol is more practical and more flexible.
REVISITING NASERI'S SECURE QUANTUM SEALED-BID AUCTION
Authors: LIU YI-MIN , WANG DONG , LIU XIAN-SONG , ZHANG ZHAN-JUN
Published: September 2009

The secure quantum sealed-bid auction protocol [Mosayeb Naseri, Opt. Commun.282 (2009) 1939] is revisited. It is found that, utilizing intercept-measure-resend attacks, any evil bidder can make the auction aborted without being detected by the auctioneer. Further, if the evil bidder succeeds to be the first bidder, then he/she can win conclusively in the auction. To prevent such attacks, some defence strategies are adopted in the qubit distribution stage and the channel security check stage respectively and the original protocol is therefore modified somewhat.
TOWARDS GRASP-ORIENTED VISUAL PERCEPTION FOR HUMANOID ROBOTS
Authors: BOHG JEANNETTE , BARCK-HOLST CARL , HUEBNER KAI , RALPH MARIA , RASOLZADEH BABAK , SONG DAN , KRAGIC DANICA
Published: September 2009

A distinct property of robot vision systems is that they are embodied. Visual information is extracted for the purpose of moving in and interacting with the environment. Thus, different types of perception-action cycles need to be implemented and evaluated.

In this paper, we study the problem of designing a vision system for the purpose of object grasping in everyday environments. This vision system is firstly targeted at the interaction with the world through recognition and grasping of objects and secondly at being an interface for the reasoning and planning module to the real world. The latter provides the vision system with a certain task that drives it and defines a specific context, i.e. search for or identify a certain object and analyze it for potential later manipulation. We deal with cases of: (i) known objects, (ii) objects similar to already known objects, and (iii) unknown objects. The perception-action cycle is connected to the reasoning system based on the idea of affordances. All three cases are also related to the state of the art and the terminology in the neuroscientific area.
FUZZY INCLUSION AND FUZZY SIMILARITY WITH GÖDEL FUZZY IMPLICATOR
Authors: BEG ISMAT , ASHRAF SAMINA
Published: September 2009

Fuzzy inclusion and fuzzy similarity are introduced as mappings which produce fuzzy sets constructed with the help of Gödel implicator. The properties of resulting fuzzy sets of inclusion and similarity are studied in detail. Some axiomatic characteristics for being fuzzy orders and fuzzy equivalence relations are also included.
ACTIVE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT WITH CARDINALITY CONSTRAINTS: AN APPLICATION OF PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION
Authors: THOMAIDIS NIKOS S. , ANGELIDIS TIMOTHEOS , VASSILIADIS VASSILIOS , DOUNIAS GEORGIOS
Published: September 2009

This paper considers the task of forming a portfolio of assets that outperforms a benchmark index, while imposing a constraint on the tracking error volatility. We examine three alternative formulations of active portfolio management. The first one is a typical setup in which the fund manager myopically maximizes excess return. The second formulation is an attempt to set a limit on the total risk exposure of the portfolio by adding a constraint that forces a priori the risk of the portfolio to be equal to the benchmark's. In this paper, we also propose a third formulation that directly maximizes the efficiency of active portfolios, while setting a limit on the maximum tracking error variance. In determining optimal active portfolios, we incorporate additional constraints on the optimization problem, such as a limit on the maximum number of assets included in the portfolio (i.e. the cardinality of the portfolio) as well as upper and lower bounds on asset weights. From a computational point of view, the incorporation of these complex, though realistic, constraints becomes a challenge for traditional numerical optimization methods, especially when one has to assemble a portfolio from a big universe of assets. To deal properly with the complexity and the "roughness" of the solution space, we use particle swarm optimization, a population-based evolutionary technique. As an empirical application of the methodology, we select portfolios of different cardinality that actively reproduce the performance of the FTSE/ATHEX 20 Index of the Athens Stock Exchange. Our empirical study reveals important results concerning the efficiency of common practices in active portfolio management and the incorporation of cardinality constraints.
AFFECTIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF MOVIE SCENES BASED ON CONTENT ANALYSIS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
Authors: SOLEYMANI MOHAMMAD , CHANEL GUILLAUME , KIERKELS JOEP J. M. , PUN THIERRY
Published: September 2009

In this paper, we propose an approach for affective characterization of movie scenes based on the emotions that are actually felt by spectators. Such a representation can be used to characterize the emotional content of video clips in application areas such as affective video indexing and retrieval, and neuromarketing studies. A dataset of 64 different scenes from eight movies was shown to eight participants. While watching these scenes, their physiological responses were recorded. The participants were asked to self-assess their felt emotional arousal and valence for each scene. In addition, content-based audio- and video-based features were extracted from the movie scenes in order to characterize each scene. Degrees of arousal and valence were estimated by a linear combination of features from physiological signals, as well as by a linear combination of content-based features. We showed that a significant correlation exists between valence-arousal provided by the spectator's self-assessments, and affective grades obtained automatically from either physiological responses or from audio-video features. By means of an analysis of variance (ANOVA), the variation of different participants' self assessments and different gender groups self assessments for both valence and arousal were shown to be significant (p-values lower than 0.005). These affective characterization results demonstrate the ability of using multimedia features and physiological responses to predict the expected affect of the user in response to the emotional video content.
Deletion of Fas in the pancreatic β-cells leads to enhanced insulin secretion
Authors: Choi Diana , Radziszewska Anna , Schroer Stephanie A. , Liadis Nicole , Liu Yunfeng , Zhang Yi , Lam Patrick P. L. , Sheu Laura , Hao Zhenyue , Gaisano Herbert Y. , Woo Minna
Published: September 2009

Fas/Fas ligand belongs to the tumor necrosis factor superfamily of receptors/ligands and is best known for its role in apoptosis. However, recent evidence supports its role in other cellular responses, including proliferation and survival. Although Fas has been implicated as an essential mediator of β-cell death in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, the essential role of Fas specifically in pancreatic β-cells has been found to be controversial. Moreover, the role of Fas on β-cell homeostasis and function is not clear. The objective of this study is to determine the role of Fas specifically in β-cells under both physiological and diabetes models. Mice with Fas deletion specifically in the β-cells were generated using the Cre-loxP system. Cre-mediated Fas deletion was under the control of the rat insulin promoter. Absence of Fas in β-cells leads to complete protection against FasL-induced cell death. However, Fas is not essential in determining β-cell mass or susceptibility to streptozotocin- or HFD-induced diabetes. Importantly, Fas deletion in β-cells leads to increased p65 expression, enhanced glucose tolerance, and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, with increased exocytosis as manifested by increased changes in membrane capacitance and increased expression of Syntaxin1A, VAMP2, and munc18a. Together, our study shows that Fas in the β-cells indeed plays an essential role in the canonical death receptor-mediated apoptosis but is not essential in regulating β-cell mass or diabetes development. However, β-cell Fas is critical in the regulation of glucose homeostasis through regulation of the exocytosis machinery.
Sex differences in the regulation of Kiss1/NKB neurons in juvenile mice: implications for the timing of puberty
Authors: Kauffman Alexander S. , Navarro Víctor M. , Kim Joshua , Clifton Donald K. , Steiner Robert A.
Published: September 2009

In mammals, puberty onset typically occurs earlier in females than in males, but the explanation for sexual differentiation in the tempo of pubertal development is unknown. Puberty in both sexes is a brain-dependent phenomenon and involves alterations in the sensitivity of neuronal circuits to gonadal steroid feedback as well as gonadal hormone-independent changes in neuronal circuitry. Kisspeptin, encoded by the Kiss1 gene, plays an essential but ill-defined role in pubertal maturation. Neurokinin B (NKB) is coexpressed with Kiss1 in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and is also important for puberty. We tested whether sex differences in the timing of pubertal development are attributable to sexual differentiation of gonadal hormone-independent mechanisms regulating hypothalamic Kiss1/NKB gene expression. We found that, in juvenile females, gonadotropin secretion and expression of Kiss1 and NKB in the ARC increased immediately following ovariectomy, suggesting that prepubertal females have negligible gonadal hormone-independent restraint on their reproductive axis. In contrast, in similarly aged juvenile males, no changes occurred in LH levels or Kiss1 or NKB expression following castration, suggesting that gonadal hormone-independent mechanisms restrain kisspeptin/NKB-dependent activation of the male reproductive axis before puberty. Notably, adult mice of both sexes showed comparable rapid increases in Kiss1/NKB expression and LH secretion following gonadectomy, signifying that sex differences in the regulation of ARC Kiss1/NKB neurons are manifest only during peripubertal development. Our findings demonstrate that the mechanisms controlling pubertal activation of reproduction in mice are different between the sexes and suggest that gonadal hormone-independent central restraint on pubertal timing involves Kiss1/NKB neurons in the ARC.
Influence of Context and Behavior on Stimulus Reconstruction From Neural Activity in Primary Auditory Cortex
Authors: Mesgarani Nima , David Stephen V. , Fritz Jonathan B. , Shamma Shihab A.
Published: September 2009

Population responses of cortical neurons encode considerable details about sensory stimuli, and the encoded information is likely to change with stimulus context and behavioral conditions. The details of encoding are difficult to discern across large sets of single neuron data because of the complexity of naturally occurring stimulus features and cortical receptive fields. To overcome this problem, we used the method of stimulus reconstruction to study how complex sounds are encoded in primary auditory cortex (AI). This method uses a linear spectro-temporal model to map neural population responses to an estimate of the stimulus spectrogram, thereby enabling a direct comparison between the original stimulus and its reconstruction. By assessing the fidelity of such reconstructions from responses to modulated noise stimuli, we estimated the range over which AI neurons can faithfully encode spectro-temporal features. For stimuli containing statistical regularities (typical of those found in complex natural sounds), we found that knowledge of these regularities substantially improves reconstruction accuracy over reconstructions that do not take advantage of this prior knowledge. Finally, contrasting stimulus reconstructions under different behavioral states showed a novel view of the rapid changes in spectro-temporal response properties induced by attentional and motivational state.
Assessment of LWR‐HTR‐GCFR Integrated Cycle
Authors: Bomboni Eleonora , Cerullo Nicola , Lomonaco Guglielmo
Published: September 2009

Preliminary analyses already performed showed that innovative GCRs, both thermal and fast, are very promising candidate to reach the Gen‐IV sustainability goal. The integrated LWR‐HTR‐GCFR basically aims at closing the current nuclear fuel cycle: in principle, thanks to the unique characteristics of Helium coolant reactors, LWR SNF along with DU become valuable material to produce energy. Additionally, burning HMs of LWR SNF means not only a drastic reduction in the Unat demand but also a remarkable decrease in the long‐term radiotoxic component of nuclear waste to be geologically stored. This paper focuses on the analyses of the LWR‐HTR‐GCFR cycle performed by the University of Pisa in the frame of the EU PUMA project (6th FP). Starting from a brief outline of the main characteristics of HTR and GCFR concepts and of the advantages of linking LWR, HTR and GCFR in a symbiotic way, this paper shows the integrated cycle involving a typical LWR (1000 MWe), a PBMR (400 MWth) and a GCFR‐“E” (2400 MWth). Additionally, a brief overview of the main technological constraints concerning (Pu+MA)‐based advanced fuels is given, in order to explain and justify the choices made in the framework of the considered cycle. Thereafter, calculations performed and results obtained are described.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in Pregnancy: A Case Report
Authors: Scherjon S. , Lam W. F. , Gelderblom H. , Jansen F. W.
Published: September 2009

Background. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive tract and are diagnosed relatively seldom in pregnancy.Case. We describe a remarkable clinical course and long-term outcome, now nine years after first diagnosis, of a massive and metastatic, with a high malignancy grade GIST case, found in and treated from the first trimester of pregnancy onwards.Conclusion. GIST occurring during pregnancy is extremely rare. However, early diagnosis is important for optimal management. The recent better understanding of oncogenesis, the use of immunohistochemistry for differential diagnosis of GISTs, and the use of imatinib mesylate as the treatment of first choice are—as shown in this case—important for care of pregnant women with this type of malignancy.
Improving EWMA Plans for Detecting Unusual Increases in Poisson Counts
Authors: Sparks R. S. , Keighley T. , Muscatello D.
Published: September 2009

Automated public health records provide the necessary data for rapid outbreak detection. An
adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) plan is developed for signalling unusually high incidence when monitoring a time series of nonhomogeneous daily disease counts. A Poisson transitional regression model is used to fit background/expected trend in counts and provides “one-day-ahead” forecasts of the next day's count. Departures of counts from their forecasts are monitored. The paper outlines an approach for
improving early outbreak data signals by dynamically adjusting the exponential weights to be efficient at signalling local persistent high side changes. We emphasise outbreak signals in steady-state situations; that is, changes that occur after the EWMA statistic had run through several in-control counts.
Anticancer activity of targeted proapoptotic peptides and chemotherapy is highly improved by targeted cell surface calreticulin–inducer peptides
Authors: Obeid Michel
Published: September 2009

We have recently identified (a) ectocalreticulin as the main source of immunogenicity of cancer cell death induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, (b) ectoERP57 as critical protein for inducing cell surface exposure of calreticulin, and (c) that ectoERP57 and ectocalreticulin are cotranslocated together to the tumor cell surface by the mediator of the inhibition of PP1/GADD34 complex. Here, I report that the immunogenicity of cancer cell death induced by anticancer targeted proapoptotic peptides is also dictated by ectocalreticulin. To improve the anticancer activity of these proapoptotic peptides, I have designed several targeted chimeric inhibitor peptides of the PP1/GADD34 complex, which are comprised of an inhibitor peptide of the PP1/GADD34 complex fused to a protein transduction domain-5, to prostate homing peptide, or to the tumor antigen BiP/GRP78-binding peptide motifs. These inhibitor peptides (a) induce ectocalreticulin and ectoERP57 in a variety of tumor cell lines by the mediator of the inhibition of the interaction between PP1 and GADD34, (b) increase the phagocytosis of anticancer targeted proapoptotic peptide-treated tumor cells by dendritic cells, and (c) improve highly the anticancer activity of proapoptotic peptides and chemotherapy by suppressing or reducing the tumor growth in several isogenic mouse models of colon, mammary, and fibrosarcoma tumors and by increasing the lifespan of transgenic adenocarcinoma mouse prostate mice. These results suggest (a) that the inhibition of PP1/GADD34 complex is a key element to improve the anticancer activity of targeted proapoptotic peptides and chemotherapy and (b) that these targeted peptides combination approach could serve as a new powerful autonomous anticancer therapy. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(9):2693–707]
Epidemiology of Human Influenza A and B Viruses in Myanmar from 2005 to 2007
Authors: Dapat Clyde , Saito Reiko , Kyaw Yadanar , Naito Makoto , Hasegawa Go , Suzuki Yasushi , Dapat Isolde C. , Zaraket Hassan , Cho Tin Maung , Li Danjuan , Oguma Taeko , Baranovich Tatiana , Suzuki Hiroshi
Published: September 2009

Objectives: To perform genetic analysis of influenza A and B viruses in Myanmar from 2005 to 2007 and to determine the prevalence of amantadine-resistant influenza A viruses. Methods: Phylogenies of the HA and NA genes were analyzed and mutations in M2 that confer resistance to amantadine were screened. Results: Influenza in Myanmar exhibited seasonality, which coincided during the rainy season from June to August. Out of 2,618 samples, 76 influenza A and 132 influenza B viruses were isolated. Phylogenetic analysis showed that in 2005, 11 A/H1N1 isolates formed one cluster with A/Solomon Islands/3/2006 and were amantadine-sensitive strains. One A/H3N2 isolate was amantadine-resistant harboring S31N mutation in M2 and possessing S193F and D225N substitutions in HA (clade N), similar to A/Wisconsin/67/2005. No viruses were isolated in 2006 due to sample storage failure. In 2007, all 64 A/H3N2 isolates were amantadine-resistant and similar to A/Brisbane/10/2007. For influenza B, 3 Yamagata-lineage and 17 Victoria-lineage isolates were detected in 2005 and 112 Victoria-lineage viruses were isolated in 2007. All Victoria-lineage isolates were reassortants possessing NA derived from the Yamagata lineage. Conclusion: Continuous surveillance in tropical countries is important for elucidating the seasonality of influenza and determining the molecular characteristics of circulating strains.
Analysis of Nitric Oxide Metabolism as a Placental or Maternal Factor Underlying the Etiology of Pre-Eclampsia
Authors: Nishizawa Haruki , Pryor-Koishi Kanako , Suzuki Machiko , Kato Takema , Sekiya Takao , Tada Shin , Kurahashi Hiroki , Udagawa Yasuhiro
Published: September 2009

Background:Defective nitric oxide (NO)-mediated vasodilation is widely regarded as an underlying cause of hypertension in pre-eclampsia, although there are also arguments against this hypothesis. Methods:We examined both the mRNA levels and the presence of a Glu298Asp substitution in the NO synthase (NOS) gene, as well as the NO metabolite concentration, in placentas and maternal sera from women with pre-eclampsia and in normotensive pregnant controls (25–40 vs. 24–41 weeks of gestation). Results:Pre-eclamptic and control placentas did not show any significant differences in their NO metabolite levels or their NOS expression levels as measured by quantitative RT-PCR. In addition, we did not find any association between pre-eclampsia and the occurrence of the Glu298Asp amino acid substitution in the NOS gene. In contrast, high maternal circulating NO metabolites were evident in severe pre-eclampsia (p < 0.0001). Although a positive correlation between circulating NO metabolites and blood pressure was not observed, uterine artery resistance measured by ultrasound was found to positively correlate with the maternal NO levels. Conclusions:Our current data suggest that an altered placental NOS pathway is unlikely to be the primary cause of pre-eclampsia and that the activation of this pathway is possibly in response to maternal symptoms.
Clinical and Pathological Observation and Treatment of Chronic Orbital Osteomyelitis
Authors: Zeng Changhong , Luo Qingli , He Weiming
Published: September 2009

Purpose: To evaluate diagnosis, treatment, and histopathologic changes of chronic orbital osteomyelitis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the history, clinical manifestations, computed tomography (CT) scans, histopathology, treatment methods, and outcomes for 6 patients with chronic orbital osteomyelitis at the Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, from January 1988 to January 2008. Results: One of the 6 patients had a history of frontal sinusitis, 4 patients had a history of trauma, and the remaining patient had a history of lateral orbitotomy. All patients had red swelling of the skin at the orbital margin, fistula formation, and pus emerging repeatedly from the fistulae. CT scans showed that sequestrum and abscess had formed in all patients. Those patients were treated by radical debridement and antibiotics with satisfactory results. Histopathologic examination showed that in 6 patients the bone trabeculae disappeared from the sequestra, abscess formed around the sequestra, and vessel dilation occurred in the areas of pathologic change with inflammatory cell infiltration. Two sequestra were completely encapsulated by fibrous connective tissue and formed involucrum. Conclusions: Chronic orbital osteomyelitis was often found in patients with a traumatic history who had received improper or delayed treatment when injured. The main clinical features included low-grade inflammation, pus, sequestrum and fistulation. Pathologic characteristics were formation of sequestrum, abscess and involucrum. Clinical manifestations and CT scan allowed accurate diagnoses, and radical treatment using a combination of debridement and antibiotics provided satisfactory results.
In vitro Comparison of Nyvad’s System and ICDAS-II with Lesion Activity Assessment for Evaluation of Severity and Activity of Occlusal Caries Lesions in Primary Teeth
Authors: Braga M.M. , Mendes F.M. , Martignon S. , Ricketts D.N.J. , Ekstrand K.R.
Published: September 2009

This in vitro study of occlusal surfaces on primary molars aimed to: (1) evaluate the reproducibility of the Nyvad and ICDAS-II visual systems in detecting caries; (2) to test the accuracy of the systems in estimating lesion depth, and (3) to examine the association between the Nyvad system and the Lesion Activity Assessment system, an adjunct to ICDAS-II. Two samples of extracted primary molars (sample 1, n = 38; sample 2, n = 69) were evaluated independently by 2 examiners. In this in vitro study, evaluation of plaque in the Nyvad system was not possible. Histology (sample 2) was used to validate lesion depth. Area under ROC curves (Az), sensitivity, specificity and percent agreement of both systems were calculated at D1, D2 and D3 thresholds. Both systems showed kappa for intra- and inter-examiner agreement >0.86 and good correlation with histology: Spearman ρ = 0.73 (Nyvad) and 0.78 (ICDAS-II). They presented similar performances except that ICDAS-II showed significantly higher sensitivity (Nyvad 0.89; ICDAS 0.92) and Az (Nyvad 0.85; ICDAS 0.90) for the D1 threshold. The correlation between the systems for lesion activity (Cramer’s V) was 0.71. Therefore, both visual systems are reliable and can estimate caries lesion depth on primary teeth. Under in vitro conditions, there is no major difference between the Nyvad system and Lesion Activity Assessment in assessing caries activity.
Osteon Classification in Human Fibular Shaft by Circularly Polarized Light
Authors: Beraudi Alina , Stea Susanna , Bordini Barbara , Baleani Massimiliano , Viceconti Marco
Published: September 2009

Pattern of osteonal classification referred to collagen fiber orientation in a human fibula was studied. Along the length of the whole bone, serial 100-µm parallel cross sections were obtained and analyzed by circularly polarized light microscopy. The distribution of 3 different kinds of osteons (transversal, alternated and longitudinal-hooped) depending on their collagen fiber orientation were analyzed to determine the effect of length, anatomical quadrant and cortical thickness. Referring to length, the 3 types of osteons appeared with approximately the same relative frequency, but when the symmetry of the fibula was considered and the length was expressed as distance from the bone mid-section, the alternated osteons are predominant in the mid-section. On the contrary, moving toward the epiphyses, the balance is inverted, and transversal together with longitudinal-hooped types become more frequent than the alternated type. Osteonal pattern distribution was not significantly affected by the anatomical quadrant of each section or by the thickness of the cortex. This observation seems to confirm that along the fibula shaft the orientation of collagen fibers within the osteons is consistent with the loading conditions which the bone undergoes.
Public Awareness and Knowledge of Herpes Zoster: Results of a Global Survey
Authors: Paek Esther , Johnson Robert
Published: September 2009

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ), the reactivation of varicella zoster virus, occurs in 1 in 5 people worldwide and may result in a variety of complications, including postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Treatment of patients with HZ represents a considerable challenge, especially among the elderly who are prone to get a more severe form of the disease and its complications. Since May 2006, a vaccine was approved for the prevention of HZ or PHN among individuals aged 50 or 60 years and older. Objective: Since the success of any new vaccine initiative depends on public awareness of the disease, we conducted the HZ Global Awareness Survey to gauge existing levels of awareness and knowledge of HZ. Methods: The survey was conducted by telephone or face-to-face among 8,688 adults ≧50 years of age in 22 countries between December 2006 and January 2007 and addressed awareness, knowledge, symptoms, and treatment of HZ. Results: Wide variation in HZ awareness was noted among countries. In some countries (New Zealand, Brazil, and Malaysia) nearly all individuals surveyed (97–100%) over the age of 50 years had heard of HZ. In contrast, less than 20% of individuals surveyed were aware of HZ in Turkey, India and Chile. The survey revealed almost universally poor knowledge of the causes and symptoms of HZ. Only 3% of respondents mentioned chicken pox as the cause of the disease. The majority of respondents were unaware of their risk of HZ, with 71% considering themselves unlikely or very unlikely to develop HZ. The survey also revealed that those respondents with prior HZ experience were much more likely to consider pain as the worst symptom of the disease than those without prior HZ experience. The misconception of HZ-related morbidity among individuals with no first-hand experience of the disease highlights the global educational need to raise awareness of the seriousness of HZ and its potential long-term complications. Conclusions: This survey suggests a population-wide effort to improve global awareness of HZ would be required for a successful vaccine initiative. Further studies would be required to understand regional differences in the understanding of HZ.
Memory Complaints Are Frequent but Qualitatively Different in Young and Elderly Healthy People
Authors: Ginó Sandra , Mendes Tiago , Maroco João , Ribeiro Filipa , Schmand Ben A. , de Mendonça Alexandre , Guerreiro Manuela
Published: September 2009

Background: Subjective memory complaints are frequently reported by the elderly. There is less information about the characterization of subjective memory complaints in young people. Objective: To determine different memory complaints between young and elderly people with the use of the Subjective Memory Complaints (SMC) scale. Methods: Participants were volunteers attending a health itinerant unit, a blood donor centre, a leisure centre for retired people, a senior citizens college or university. All participants were questioned about their own memory abilities using the SMC scale and assessed for the presence of depressive symptoms. Results: Nine-hundred and forty-six subjects aged 18–92 years were included in the study. The mean total score on the SMC scale was 4.89 ± 3.03, and 75.9% of the participants had at least minor complaints about their memory. Older people had more general memory complaints and reported they were more likely to become transiently confused, whereas younger people reported they were more frequently told by others that they were forgetful and would more often take notes. Conclusions: Memory complaints were frequent both in young and elderly subjects, but the detailed assessment revealed age-related differences in the type of complaints.
Heart Rate Variability during Sleep and Wakefulness in Low-Birthweight Infants
Authors: Watanabe K. , Iwase K. , Hara K.
Published: September 2009

The effects of various stages of sleep and wakefulness on heart rate were studied, with R-R interval histograms computed by a ATAC computer, in serial polygraphic EEG recordings made on 22 low-birthweight infants. The heart rate depended on postnatal age rather than on conceptional age, decreasing progressively after birth to each a minimum at various days between 7 and 30 days old, followed by a gradual increase. The heart rate was higher during stage 3 than during stage REM. The heart rate variability was greatest during stage REM and stage 1; it was smallest during stage 3. During crying and bottle feeding, the variability was as small as during stage 3. The variability during wakefulness was larger than during stage 3, but far smaller than during stage REM. The heart rate was very regular, and without the changes associated with sleep stages in infants of 25 to 30 weeks’ conceptional age.
Development of Cardiovascular Responses to Autonomic Blockade in Intact Fetal and Neonatal Lambs
Authors: Vapaavouri E.K. , Shinebourne E.A. , Williams R.L. , Heymann M.A. , Rudolph A.M.
Published: September 2009

Blood pressure and heart rate response to pharmacologic autonomic blockade were studied in the 31 fetuses of 27 time-dated pregnant sheep from 85 to 150 days of gestation and in 5 neonatal lambs. A fetal hind limb vein and either a femoral or carotid artery were cannulated and following at least 2 days’ recovery from surgery, the fetuses were studied over several days while the ewes stood undisturbed. The degree of control exerted by the autonomic nervous system in the fetus was examined by selective blockade of parasympathetic, and of α- and β-adrenergic, components. Evidence of autonomic activity was found at all ages studied, and the responses of late gestation fetuses and of the neonates were similar. Whereas parasympathetic and α-adrenergic blockade produced a maximum response by 120 days’ gestation with little further change, β-adrenergic response increased significantly during late gestation.
Intrauterine Pneumonia
Authors: Lauweryns J. , Bernat R. , Lerut A. , Detournay G.
Published: September 2009

Several agents usually supposed from experiments done on adult animals and during extrauterine life to induce a ‘congenital pneumonia’, have been directly introduced into the amniotic cavity of rabbit fetuses and their effects studied after 72 hours. Human meconium, rabbit amniotic cellular debris, gastric juice or acidified amniotic fluid did not produce any granulocytic inflammatory reaction within the lungs or the fetal membranes. The injection of various types of bacteria revealed on microscopic examination an acute chorioamnionitis and usually also the peculiarities (intrapulmonary polymorphs and amniotic fluid cells; no fibrin; no septicemia) of an ‘intrauterine pneumonia’, resembling the congenital pneumonia’ of the human infant. The umbilical cord and other fetal mucous membranes disclosed no inflammatory lesions. These experiments argue in favour of an exclusive bacterial origin in the induction of an intrauterine pneumonia.
Glycerol as a Phosphatidyl Choline Precursor in the Developing Mammalian Lung
Authors: Mims LeRoy C. , Kotas Robert V.
Published: September 2009

In vitro evidence demonstrates that glycerol is actively incorporated by the developing mammalian lung into phosphatidyl choline (PC synthesis) and such incorporation is a good indicator of newly synthesized PC. Morphologic evidence is also presented which shows that circulating glycerol can be used for de novo synthesis of PC and strengthens the hypothesis that circulating glycerol in the immediate postpartum adaptive period may contribute significantly to pulmonary phosphatidyl choline synthesis and thus to alveolar stability.
Iodine Concentration and Content in the Organs of Rat during Postnatal Development
Authors: Stolc V. , Knopp J. , Stolcova Emilia
Published: September 2009

It was found that the thyroid attains its maximum relative weight during the first three weeks of postnatal life. The concentration of thyroidal iodine declines during the 3rd week; the highest value was found in the 7th week of life. Serum protein-bound iodine (PBI) and the majority of tissues showed the highest iodine concentration at 17 days of life, the muscle at 3 days, and the alimentary tract at 8 days. Beside the thyroid, the highest concentration was found in the stomach (635 ng I/g, 8th day) and the pelt (369 ng I/g, 23rd day) The serum contained 49 ng PBI/ml (17th day).