bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Treatment of a rapidly expanding thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in an old patient
Authors: Mannacio Vito , Mottola Michele , Ruggiero Danilo , D’Alessio Andrea , Surace Giuseppina Gabriella , Di Tommaso Ettorino , Amato Bruno , Iannelli Gabriele 
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Background
Aortic pathology progression and/or procedure related complications following endovascular repair should always be considered mostly in older patients. We herein describe a hybrid procedure for treatment of rapidly expanding thoracoabdominal aneurysm following endovascular treatment of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in an older patient.

Case presentation
A 82-year-old man at 18 months after endovascular surgery for a contained rupture of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm revealed a type IV thoracoabdominal aneurysm with significant increase of the aortic diameters at superior mesenteric and renal artery levels. A hybrid approach consisting of preventive visceral vessel revascularization and endovascular repair of entire abdominal aorta was performed. Under general anaesthesia and by xyphopubic laparotomy, the infrarenal aneurysmatic aorta and common iliac arteries were replaced by a bifurcated woven prosthetic graf. From each of the prosthetic branches two reverse 14x7 mm bifurcated PTFE prosthetic grafts were anastomized to both renal arteries and to the celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery, respectively. Vessel ischemia was restricted to the time required for anastomosis. Three 10 cm Gore endovascular stent-grafts for a total length of 15 cm, were used. The overlapping of the stent-grafts was carried out from the bottom upwards, starting from the aorto-iliac prosthetic body up to the healthy segment of thoracic aorta, 40 mm from the previous stent-grafts.
The patient was discharged on the 9th postoperative day.

Conclusion
This technique offers the advantage of a less invasive treatment, reducing the risk of paraplegia, visceral ischaemia and pulmonary complications, mostly in older patients.
Surgery for a gastric Dieulafoy’s lesion reveals an occult bleeding jejunal diverticulum. A case report
Authors: Orlando G , Luppino IM , Gervasi R , Lerose MA , Amato B , Spagnuolo R , Marasco R , Doldo P , Puzziello A 
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Background
Jejunal diverticulosis is an uncommon disease and usually asymptomatic. It can be complicated not only by diverticulitis, but by hemorrhage, perforation, intussusception, volvulus, malabsorption and even small bowel obstruction due to enteroliths formed and expelled from these diverticula.

Methods
We describe a case of an occult bleeding jejunal diverticulum, casually discovered in a patient that was taken to surgery for a Dieulafoy’s lesion after unsuccessful endoscopic treatment. We performed a gastric resection together with an ileocecal resection.
Macroscopic and microscopic examinations confirmed the gastric Dieulafoy’s lesion and demonstrated the presence of another source of occult bleeding in asymptomatic jejunal diverticulum.

Discussion
The current case emphasizes that some gastrointestinal bleeding lesions, although rare, can be multiple and result in potentially life-threatening bleeding. The clinician must be mindful to the possibility of multisite lesions and to the correlation between results of the investigations and clinical condition of the bleeding patient.
Feasibility of capsule endoscopy in elderly patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. An up-to-date report
Authors: Orlando G , Luppino IM , Lerose MA , Gervasi R , Amato B , Silecchia G , Puzziello A 
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Background
Anemia is the most common hematologic abnormality in older populations. Furthermore, iron deficiency anemia is common and merits investigation and treatment, as it usually results from chronic occult bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract. In view of a wide use of capsule endoscopy as a diagnostic procedure for occult gastrointestinal bleeding and of the growth of aging population, we performed a literature review about the feasibility of capsule endoscopy in the elderly.

Methods
We conducted a literature search in the PubMed database in July 2012, and all English-language publications on capsule endoscopy in elderly patients since 2005 were retrieved. The potential original articles mainly focused on obscure gastrointestinal bleeding were all identified and full texts were obtained and reviewed for further hand data retrieving.

Results
We retrieved only six papers based on different primary end-points. Four were retrospective non randomized studies and two were prospective non randomized studies. In the end 65, 70, 80 and 85 years were used as an age cut-off. All studies evaluate the diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy in iron deficiency anemia. Only three studies assess the feasibility of capsule examination of the elderly.

Conclusions
Iron deficiency anemia in the elderly with or without obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is the major indication for capsule endoscopy after a negative esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy and colonoscopy. It is safe and effective to identify a small bowel pathology without a great discomfort for the elderly. Inability to swallow the capsule, battery failure before capsule reaches the cecum, and capsule retention are some of the important problems associated with capsule endoscopy in elderly as well as in younger patients.
Association between 24-hour urine sodium and potassium excretion and diet quality in six-year-old children: a cross sectional study
Authors: Kristbjornsdottir Oddny K , Halldorsson Thorhallur I , Thorsdottir Inga , Gunnarsdottir Ingibjorg 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBackgroundLimited data is available on sodium (Na) and potassium (K) intake in young children estimated by 24 hour (24h) excretion in urine. The aim was to assess 24h urinary excretion of Na and K in six-year-old children and its relationship with diet quality.MethodsThe study population was a subsample of a national dietary survey, including six-year-old children living in the greater Reykjavik area (n=76). Three day weighed food records were used to estimate diet quality. Diet quality was defined as adherence to the Icelandic food based dietary guidelines. Na and K excretion was analyzed from 24h urine collections. PABA check was used to validate completeness of urine collections. The associations between Na and K excretion and diet quality were estimated by linear regression, adjusting for gender and energy intake.ResultsValid urine collections and diet registrations were provided by 58 children. Na and K excretion was, mean (SD), 1.64 (0.54) g Na/24h (approx. 4.1 g salt/24h) and 1.22 (0.43) g K/24h. In covariate adjusted models Na excretion decreased by 0.16 g Na/24h (95% CI: 0.31, 0.06) per 1-unit increase in diet quality score (score range: 1–4) while K excretion was increased by 0.18 g K/24h (95% CI: 0.06, 0.29).ConclusionsNa intake, estimated by 24h urinary excretion was on average higher than recommended. Increased diet quality was associated with lower Na excretion and higher K excretion in six-year-old children.
Dihydrotestosterone induces SREBP-1 expression and lipogenesis through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in HaCaT cells
Authors: Zhou Bing-rong , Huang Qiu-hong , Xu Yang , Wu Di , Yin Zhi-qiang , Luo Dan 
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Background
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), and the synthesis and secretion of lipids, in HaCaT cells. HaCaT cells were treated with DHT and either the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 or the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor PD98059. Real time-PCR, Western blot, Oil Red staining and flow cytometry were employed to examine the mRNA and protein expressions of SREBP-1, the gene transcription of lipid synthesis, and lipid secretion in HaCaT cells.

Findings
We found that DHT upregulated mRNA and protein expressions of SREBP-1. DHT also significantly upregulated the transcription of lipid synthesis-related genes and increased lipid secretion, which can be inhibited by the addition of LY294002.

Conclusions
Collectively, these results indicate that DHT induces SREBP-1 expression and lipogenesis in HaCaT cells via activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt Pathway.
Composition of fatty acids in the maternal and umbilical cord plasma of adolescent and adult mothers: relationship with anthropometric parameters of newborn
Authors: Oliveira Olívia RC , Santana Michelle G , Santos Flávia S , Conceição Felipe D , Sardinha Fátima LC , Veiga Glória V , Tavares do Carmo Maria G 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBackgroundConsidering the importance of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to fetal development and the lack of studies that have compared the status of fatty acids between adolescents and adults mothers, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the composition of fatty acids in maternal and umbilical cord plasma from adolescent and adults mothers.MethodsForty pregnant adolescents and forty pregnant adults were selected to assess the distribution profile of fatty acids in the maternal and umbilical cord plasma. Quantification of fatty acids in the total lipids of the sample groups was performed through the use of gas-liquid chromatography.ResultsThe maternal and umbilical cord plasma of the adolescents showed a greater concentration of AA than did that of the adults (P < 0.05). However, a greater percentage of EPA was found in the umbilical cord plasma of the adults (P < 0.05). DHA in the plasma of the adolescent mothers correlated positively to birth weight and head circumference.ConclusionsThis suggests that in situations of greater nutritional risk, as in adolescent pregnancy, n-3PUFA concentrations have a greater influence on the proper development of newborns. Moreover, variations in fatty acid concentrations in the maternal and cord plasma of adolescents and adults may indicate that pregnancy affects the LC-PUFA status of adults and adolescents in distinct ways.
In silico vs in vitro analysis of primer specificity for the detection of Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae and Lactobacillus spp.
Authors: Henriques Ana , Cereija Tatiana , Machado António , Cerca Nuno 
Published: November 2012

Abstract

Background
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common pathology of women in reproductive age that can lead to serious health complications, and is associated with shifts in the normal microflora from predominance of Lactobacillus spp. to a proliferation of other anaerobes such as G. vaginalis and A vaginae, which can be detected by PCR. The optimal PCR pathogen detection assay relies mainly on the specificity and sensitivity of the primers used.

Findings
Here we demonstrate that in silico analytical testing of primer specificity is not a synonym to in vitro analytical specificity by testing a range of published and newly designed primers with both techniques for the detection of BV-associated microorganisms.

Conclusions
By testing primer in vitro specificity with a sufficient range of bacterial strains, we were able to design primers with higher specificity and sensitivity. Also by comparing the results obtained for the newly designed primers with other previously published primers, we confirmed that in silico analysis is not sufficient to predict in vitro specificity. As such care must be taken when choosing the primers for a detection assay.
Rapamycin and mTOR: a serendipitous discovery and implications for breast cancer
Authors: Seto Belinda 
Published: November 2012

AbstractRapamycin was discovered more than thirty years ago from a soil sample from the island of Rapa Nui. It was isolated from Streptomyces hygroscopicus and initial characterization focused on its antifungal activities. Subsequent characterization showed that it has immunosuppressive properties and has been used successfully to reduce organ rejection with kidney transplantation. Rapamycin has proven to be a versatile compound with several seemingly unrelated properties, including antifungal, immunosuppressive, and anticancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Developmental Therapeutics Program demonstrated that rapamycin inhibited cell growth in tumor cell lines. These observations stimulated research to explore the underlying mechanism of anti‐tumor activities. Cell growth inhibition involves binding to the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR). The mTOR signaling pathway is critical to cell growth, proliferation, and survival and rapamycin inhibits these hallmark processes of cancer. Binding of growth factors activates mTOR signaling, which in turn leads to downstream phosphorylation of protein kinases, e.g., p70S6 kinase and lipid kinases in the phosphorylation of phosphoinositides. Understanding of mTOR signaling provided the biological basis for targeted chemotherapeutics development, including several rapamycin analogues for treating breast and other cancers.
Microbiome dynamics of human epidermis following skin barrier disruption
Authors: Zeeuwen Patrick LJM , Boekhorst Jos , van den Bogaard Ellen H , de Koning Heleen D , van de Kerkhof Peter MC , Saulnier Delphine M , van Swam Iris I , van Hijum Sacha AFT , Kleerebezem Michiel , Schalkwijk Joost , Timmerman Harro M 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
Background
Recent advances in sequencing technologies have enabled metagenomic analyses of many human body sites. Several studies have catalogued the composition of bacterial communities of the surface of human skin, mostly under static conditions in healthy volunteers. Skin injury will disturb the cutaneous homeostasis of the host tissue and its commensal microbiota, but the dynamics of this process have not been studied before. Here we analyzed the microbiota of the surface layer and the deeper layers of the stratum corneum of normal skin, and we investigated the dynamics of recolonization of skin microbiota following skin barrier disruption by tape stripping as a model of superficial injury.

Results
We observed gender differences in microbiota composition and showed that bacteria are not uniformly distributed in the stratum corneum. Phylogenetic distance analysis was employed to follow microbiota development during recolonization of injured skin. Surprisingly, the developing neo-microbiome at day 14 was more similar to that of the deeper stratum corneum layers than to the initial surface microbiome. In addition, we also observed variation in the host response towards superficial injury as assessed by the induction of antimicrobial protein expression in epidermal keratinocytes.

Conclusions
We suggest that the microbiome of the deeper layers, rather than that of the superficial skin layer, may be regarded as the host indigenous microbiome. Characterization of the skin microbiome under dynamic conditions, and the ensuing response of the microbial community and host tissue, will shed further light on the complex interaction between resident bacteria and epidermis.
Evidence for conserved post-transcriptional roles of unitary pseudogenes and for frequent bifunctionality of mRNAs
Authors: Marques Ana C , Tan Jennifer , Lee Sheena , Kong Lesheng , Heger Andreas , Ponting Chris P 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
Background
Recent reports have highlighted instances of mRNAs that, in addition to coding for protein, regulate the abundance of related transcripts by altering microRNA availability. These two mRNA roles - one mediated by RNA and the other by protein - are inter-dependent and hence cannot easily be separated. Whether the RNA-mediated role of transcripts is important, per se, or whether it is a relatively innocuous consequence of competition by different transcripts for microRNA binding remains unknown.

Results
Here we took advantage of 48 loci that encoded proteins in the earliest eutherian ancestor, but whose protein-coding capability has since been lost specifically during rodent evolution. Sixty-five percent of such loci, which we term 'unitary pseudogenes', have retained their expression in mouse and their transcripts exhibit conserved tissue expression profiles. The maintenance of these unitary pseudogenes' spatial expression profiles is associated with conservation of their microRNA response elements and these appear to preserve the post-transcriptional roles of their protein-coding ancestor. We used mouse Pbcas4, an exemplar of these transcribed unitary pseudogenes, to experimentally test our genome-wide predictions. We demonstrate that the role of Pbcas4 as a competitive endogenous RNA has been conserved and has outlived its ancestral gene's loss of protein-coding potential.

Conclusions
These results show that post-transcriptional regulation by bifunctional mRNAs can persist over long evolutionary time periods even after their protein coding ability has been lost.
Smart Phones and Multi-Servers
Authors: Loo Alfred , Chung CW , Lam Alan 
Published: November 2012

A smart phone can work as a Web server. Phone owners can access/update the content of their phones with a standard Web browser, and join a P2P system as a client or server. Thus, they can share resources with other people. New applications can be developed using the new concept, and corporations can improve their processes. Examples are provided in this paper. Software developers should also pay attention to this new direction in communications. Programs written for mobile phones are difficult to develop as there are so many different operating systems. New applications can be written to run under the Web server and do not need to interact directly with operating systems, which will make it easier to port application programs to different phone models. Thus, applications can be developed more quickly and later deploy different hardware and software platforms. In addition, development costs can be reduced.
Opinion Fluctuations and Disagreement in Social Networks
Authors: Acemoğlu Daron , Como Giacomo , Fagnani Fabio , Ozdaglar Asuman 
Published: November 2012

We study a tractable opinion dynamics model that generates long-run disagreements and persistent opinion fluctuations. Our model involves an inhomogeneous stochastic gossip process of continuous opinion dynamics in a society consisting of two types of agents: (1) regular agents who update their beliefs according to information that they receive from their social neighbors and (2) stubborn agents who never update their opinions and might represent leaders, political parties, or media sources attempting to influence the beliefs in the rest of the society. When the society contains stubborn agents with different opinions, the belief dynamics never lead to a consensus (among the regular agents). Instead, beliefs in the society fail to converge almost surely, the belief profile keeps on fluctuating in an ergodic fashion, and it converges in law to a nondegenerate random vector. The structure of the graph describing the social network and the location of the stubborn agents within it shape the opinion dynamics. The expected belief vector is proved to evolve according to an ordinary differential equation coinciding with the Kolmogorov backward equation of a continuous-time Markov chain on the graph with absorbing states corresponding to the stubborn agents, and hence to converge to a harmonic vector, with every regular agent's value being the weighted average of its neighbors' values, and boundary conditions corresponding to the stubborn agents' beliefs. Expected cross products of the agents' beliefs allow for a similar characterization in terms of coupled Markov chains on the graph describing the social network. We prove that, in large-scale societies, which are highly fluid, meaning that the product of the mixing time of the Markov chain on the graph describing the social network and the relative size of the linkages to stubborn agents vanishes as the population size grows large, a condition of homogeneous influence emerges, whereby the stationary beliefs' marginal distributions of most of the regular agents have approximately equal first and second moments.
Evaluation of [−2] proPSA and Prostate Health Index (phi) for the detection of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Filella Xavier , Giménez Nuria 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
The usefulness of %[−2] proPSA and Prostate Health Index (phi) in the detection of prostate cancer are currently unknown. It has been suggested that these tests can distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostatic diseases better than PSA or %fPSA. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available scientific evidence to evaluate the clinical usefulness of %[−2] proPSA and phi. Relevant published papers were identified by searching computerized bibliographic systems. Data on sensitivity and specificity were extracted from 12 studies: 10 studies about %[−2] proPSA (3928 patients in total, including 1762 with confirmed prostate cancer) and eight studies about phi (2919 patients in total, including 1515 with confirmed prostate cancer). The sensitivity for the detection of prostate cancer was 90% for %[−2] proPSA and phi, while the pooled specificity was 32.5% (95% CI 30.6–34.5) and 31.6% (95% CI 29.2–34.0) for %[−2] proPSA and phi, respectively. The measurement of %[−2] proPSA improves the accuracy of prostate cancer detection in comparison with PSA or %fPSA, particularly in the group of patients with PSA between 2 μg/L and 10 μg/L. Similar results were obtained measuring phi. Using these tests, it is possible to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies, maintaining a high cancer detection rate. Published results also showed that %[−2] proPSA and phi are related to the aggressiveness of the tumor.
Konzept für einen biologisch inspirierten, semi-passiven pneumatisch angetriebenen zweibeinigen Prothesen-Roboter-Hybrid
Authors: Bauer Ch. , Mors Mona , Fischer A. , Stein Thorsten , Mikut Ralf , Schulz Stefan 
Published: November 2012

Zusammenfassung
Ein Schwerpunkt bei der Entwicklung von Laufmaschinen liegt auf der Stabilisierung der Maschine während der Fortbewegung. Sechsbeinige Laufmaschinen sind in der Lage, permanent statische Stabilität zu garantieren. Bei Vierbeinern ist dies nur auf bestimmte Gangmuster beschränkt und Zweibeiner sind auf dynamische Stabilität angewiesen. Die Arbeiten in diesem Artikel basieren auf Bewegungsstudien von beidseitig amputierten Probanden, die trotz passiver Prothesen stabil laufen können. Zur Übertragung dieses Konzepts auf Laufmaschinen wird ein neuartiger zweibeiniger Demonstrator mit einer künstlichen Wirbelsäule vorgestellt, der über pneumatische Aktoren in der Hüfte und in der Wirbelsäule angetrieben wird. Zusätzlich kommen nichtaktuierte Knie- und Fußprothesenteile zum Einsatz. Das Ziel besteht darin, zweibeinige, unteraktuierte, dadurch leichte und energieeffiziente Roboter zu entwickeln. Neben dem Hardwaredesign und dem Zusammenspiel der einzelnen Komponenten wird auch die Bewegungsgenerierung, die auf biologisch inspirierten Zentralen Mustergeneratoren basiert sowie die experimentelle Erprobung des Demonstrators beschrieben.
Cooperative Control Design for Robot-Assisted Balance During Gait
Authors: Vallery Heike , Bögel Alexander , O´Brien Carolyn , Riener Robert 
Published: November 2012

Abstract
Avoiding falls is a challenge for many persons in aging societies, and balance dysfunction is a major risk factor. Robotic solutions to assist human gait, however, focus on average kinematics, and less on instantaneous balance reactions. We propose a controller that only intervenes when needed, and that avoids stability issues when interacting with humans: Assistance is triggered only when balance is lost, and this action is purely feed-forward. Experiments show that subjects who start falling during gait can be uprighted by such feed-forward assistive forces.