title stringlengths 0 901 | abstract stringlengths 3 9.89k | PMID int64 22 25.3M | embedding listlengths 768 768 |
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Mobile-cloud assisted video summarization framework for efficient management of remote sensing data generated by wireless capsule sensors. | Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) has great advantages over traditional endoscopy because it is portable and easy to use, especially in remote monitoring health-services. However, during the WCE process, the large amount of captured video data demands a significant deal of computation to analyze and retrieve informative video frames. In order to facilitate efficient WCE data collection and browsing task, we present a resource- and bandwidth-aware WCE video summarization framework that extracts the representative keyframes of the WCE video contents by removing redundant and non-informative frames. For redundancy elimination, we use Jeffrey-divergence between color histograms and inter-frame Boolean series-based correlation of color channels. To remove non-informative frames, multi-fractal texture features are extracted to assist the classification using an ensemble-based classifier. Owing to the limited WCE resources, it is impossible for the WCE system to perform computationally intensive video summarization tasks. To resolve computational challenges, mobile-cloud architecture is incorporated, which provides resizable computing capacities by adaptively offloading video summarization tasks between the client and the cloud server. The qualitative and quantitative results are encouraging and show that the proposed framework saves information transmission cost and bandwidth, as well as the valuable time of data analysts in browsing remote sensing data. | 25,225,874 | [
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A vibration-based strategy for health monitoring of offshore pipelines' girth-welds. | This study presents numerical simulations and experimental verification of a vibration-based damage detection technique. Health monitoring of a submerged pipe's girth-weld against an advancing notch is attempted. Piezoelectric transducers are bonded on the pipe for sensing or actuation purposes. Vibration of the pipe is excited by two means: (i) an impulsive force; (ii) using one of the piezoelectric transducers as an actuator to propagate chirp waves into the pipe. The methodology adopts the empirical mode decomposition (EMD), which processes vibration data to establish energy-based damage indices. The results obtained from both the numerical and experimental studies confirm the integrity of the approach in identifying the existence, and progression of the advancing notch. The study also discusses and compares the performance of the two vibration excitation means in damage detection. | 25,225,877 | [
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A new human perception-based over-exposure detection method for color images. | To correct an over-exposure within an image, the over-exposed region (OER) must first be detected. Detecting the OER accurately has a significant effect on the performance of the over-exposure correction. However, the results of conventional OER detection methods, which generally use the brightness and color information of each pixel, often deviate from the actual OER perceived by the human eye. To overcome this problem, in this paper, we propose a novel method for detecting the perceived OER more accurately. Based on the observation that recognizing the OER in an image is dependent on the saturation sensitivity of the human visual system (HVS), we detect the OER by thresholding the saturation value of each pixel. Here, a function of the proposed method, which is designed based on the results of a subjective evaluation on the saturation sensitivity of the HVS, adaptively determines the saturation threshold value using the color and the perceived brightness of each pixel. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method accurately detects the perceived OER, and furthermore, the over-exposure correction can be improved by adopting the proposed OER detection method. | 25,225,876 | [
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Sulfotransferase SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism with cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 53 case-control studies. | The SULT1A1 Arg213His (rs9282861) polymorphism is reported to be associated with many kinds of cancer risk. However, the findings are conflicting. For better understanding this SNP site and cancer risk, we summarized available data and performed this meta-analysis. Data were collected from the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Knowledge and CNKI. The association was assessed by odd ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 53 studies including 16733 cancer patients and 23334 controls based on the search criteria were analyzed. Overall, we found SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism can increase cancer risk under heterozygous (OR 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01-1.18, P = 0.040), dominant (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.01-1.19, P = 0.021) and allelic (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.02-1.16, P = 0.015) models. In subgroup analyses, significant associations were observed in upper aero digestive tract (UADT) cancer (heterozygous model: OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.11-2.35, P = 0.012; dominant model: OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.13-2.35, P = 0.009; allelic model: OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.10-2.11, P = 0.012) and Indians (recessive model: OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.22-3.07, P = 0.005) subgroups. Hospital based study also showed marginally significant association. In the breast cancer subgroup, ethnicity and publication year revealed by meta-regression analysis and one study found by sensitivity analysis were the main sources of heterogeneity. The association between SULT1A1 Arg213His and breast cancer risk was not significant. No publication bias was detected. The present meta-analysis suggests that SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism plays an important role in carcinogenesis, which may be a genetic factor affecting individual susceptibility to UADT cancer. SULT1A1 Arg213His didn't show any association with breast cancer, but the possible risk in Asian population needs further investigation. | 25,225,888 | [
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Epidurals in patients receiving thromboprophylaxis with unfractionated heparin three times a day: the value of activated partial thromboplastin time testing. | Dosing subcutaneous (SC) unfractionated heparin (UFH) 3 times a day (TID) for deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis is used for patients in the United States undergoing nonorthopedic surgery. There is a lack of data on the risks of neuraxial techniques in patients receiving TID SC UFH; however, concerns have been raised about higher bleeding risks. In this prospective study, we evaluated the value of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) testing at the time of removal of epidural catheters as a risk-reduction strategy for this population. We collected data from our electronic hospital databases for all patients receiving epidural analgesia in conjunction with 5000 units TID or twice daily dosing (BID) SC UFH from December 2011 to December 2013. Our cohort received aPTT testing before removal of the catheter in all patients receiving TID SC UFH. An aPTT was ordered for patients receiving BID SC UFH only if risk factors for abnormal coagulation variables were identified. Chart reviews were performed on all patients with abnormal aPTT values to evaluate contributing risk factors. Over a 2-year period, 3523 epidurals were placed at our institution, including 714 (20.3%) for patients receiving TID SC UFH, and 1594 (45.2%) for patients receiving BID SC UFH. Of those patients receiving BID SC UFH, 186 (11.7%) had aPTT values drawn on the basis of risk factors. Ten (5.4 %, 95% CI: 2.6%-9.7%) of those patients had an aPTT value of greater than 35 seconds on the date of epidural removal. Of those patients receiving TID SC UFH, 20 (2.8%, 95% CI: 1.7%-4.3%) had an initial aPTT value of more than 35 seconds on the date of epidural removal. All patients who had abnormal aPTT values on TID heparin dosing were identified as having obvious concomitant risk factors for coagulation parameter abnormalities. There were no epidural hematomas in patients receiving either BID or TID dosing (95% CI: 0%-0.001%). The routine use of aPTT testing on patients receiving TID SC UFH at the time of removal of epidural catheters as a risk-reduction strategy is not supported by our results, where only 2.8% (95% CI: 1.7%-4.3%) of these patients had abnormal aPTT values. Our study adds to the limited data currently available on the safety of epidural analgesia in patients receiving TID SC UFH. Given the rare incidence of neuraxial hematoma (95% CI: 0%-0.001%), definitive conclusions on the risks of TID SC UFH administration in patients receiving epidural analgesia cannot be drawn based on our sample size. | 25,225,890 | [
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Expression and DNA methylation of TNF, IFNG and FOXP3 in colorectal cancer and their prognostic significance. | Colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is associated with suppression of host cell-mediated immunity and local immune escape mechanisms. Our aim was to assess the immune function in terms of expression of TNF, IFNG and FOXP3 in CRC. Sixty patients with CRC and 15 matched controls were recruited. TaqMan quantitative PCR and methylation-specific PCR was performed for expression and DNA methylation analysis of TNF, IFNG and FOXP3. Survival analysis was performed over a median follow-up of 48 months. TNF was suppressed in tumour and IFNG was suppressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with CRC. Tumours showed enhanced expression of FOXP3 and was significantly higher when tumour size was >38 mm (median tumour size; P=0.006, Mann-Whitney U-test). Peripheral blood mononuclear cell IFNG was suppressed in recurrent CRC (P=0.01). Methylated TNFpromoter (P=0.003) and TNFexon1 (P=0.001) were associated with significant suppression of TNF in tumours. Methylated FOXP3cpg was associated with significant suppression of FOXP3 in both PBMC (P=0.018) and tumours (P=0.010). Reduced PBMC FOXP3 expression was associated with significantly worse overall survival (HR=8.319, P=0.019). We have detected changes in the expression of immunomodulatory genes that could act as biomarkers for prognosis and future immunotherapeutic strategies. | 25,225,903 | [
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Large spatial scale variability in bathyal macrobenthos abundance, biomass, α- and β-diversity along the Mediterranean continental margin. | The large-scale deep-sea biodiversity distribution of the benthic fauna was explored in the Mediterranean Sea, which can be seen as a miniature model of the oceans of the world. Within the framework of the BIOFUN project ("Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Contrasting Southern European Deep-sea Environments: from viruses to megafauna"), we investigated the large spatial scale variability (over >1,000 km) of the bathyal macrofauna communities that inhabit the Mediterranean basin, and their relationships with the environmental variables. The macrofauna abundance, biomass, community structure and functional diversity were analysed and the α-diversity and β-diversity were estimated across six selected slope areas at different longitudes and along three main depths. The macrobenthic standing stock and α-diversity were lower in the deep-sea sediments of the eastern Mediterranean basin, compared to the western and central basins. The macrofaunal standing stock and diversity decreased significantly from the upper bathyal to the lower bathyal slope stations. The major changes in the community composition of the higher taxa and in the trophic (functional) structure occurred at different longitudes, rather than at increasing water depth. For the β-diversity, very high dissimilarities emerged at all levels: (i) between basins; (ii) between slopes within the same basin; and (iii) between stations at different depths; this therefore demonstrates the high macrofaunal diversity of the Mediterranean basins at large spatial scales. Overall, the food sources (i.e., quantity and quality) that characterised the west, central and eastern Mediterranean basins, as well as sediment grain size, appear to influence the macrobenthic standing stock and the biodiversity along the different slope areas. | 25,225,909 | [
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Impact of polymeric membrane filtration of oil sands process water on organic compounds quantification. | The interaction between organic fractions in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) and three polymeric membranes with varying hydrophilicity (nylon, polyvinylidene fluoride and polytetrafluoroethylene) at different pHs was studied to evaluate the impact of filtration on the quantification of acid-extractable fraction (AEF) and naphthenic acids (NAs). Four functional groups predominated in OSPW (amine, phosphoryl, carboxyl and hydroxyl) as indicated by the linear programming method. The nylon membranes were the most hydrophilic and exhibited the lowest AEF removal at pH of 8.7. However, the adsorption of AEF on the membranes increased as the pH of OSPW decreased due to hydrophobic interactions between the membrane surfaces and the protonated molecules. The use of ultra pressure liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/HRMS) showed insignificant adsorption of NAs on the tested membranes at pH 8.7. However, 26±2.4% adsorption of NAs was observed at pH 5.3 following the protonation of NAs species. For the nylon membrane, excessive carboxylic acids in the commercial NAs caused the formation of negatively charged assisted hydrogen bonds, resulting in increased adsorption at pH 8.2 (25%) as compared to OSPW (0%). The use of membranes for filtration of soluble compounds from complex oily wastewaters before quantification analysis of AEF and NAs should be examined prior to application. | 25,225,922 | [
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Performance of an enhanced pervious pavement system loaded with large volumes of hydrocarbons. | Five litres of lubricating oil and two 8.5 litre batches of diesel were deposited on each of two hydraulically isolated experimental enhanced pervious pavement parking bays. The 50 mm aggregate subbases of the two bays were of either recycled concrete or crushed limestone. The bays were constructed in such a way that a near-surface gravity separator was created by the arranging of the outlet pipes such that a permanent pool of water was maintained in the system and water could only enter from below the level of any floating oil. Dissolved/dispersed hydrocarbons were measured at acceptable concentrations when monitoring was carried out over a period of approximately 5 months. The maximum concentration was 7.2 mg/l and of all the samples collected only 3% exceeded the 5 mg/l limit applied in the UK for a class 1 interceptor, and the majority of samples had hydrocarbon concentrations of less than 2 mg/l. Much more significant is the fact that no free product was discharged from either system up to the time the experiment was dismantled 2 years from the first oil application despite the fact that sufficient hydrocarbon had been added to each pavement to produce a film on a water surface of over 500 hectares. | 25,225,930 | [
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Surface water quality management using an integrated discharge permit and the reclaimed water market. | Water quality trading is a sustainable framework for surface water quality management. It uses discharge permits to reduce the total treatment costs. For example, the case of Gharesoo River in Iran shows that the nitrogen permit market between point and non-point sources is 37% more economical than the command and control framework. Nevertheless, the cost saving may be reduced to 6% by the end of the study period (2050). This depression may be due to the limited technical support for wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, an integrated market is recommended in which the discharge permits and the reclaimed water are traded simultaneously. In this framework, the allocation of secondary treated domestic wastewater for irrigation can provide capacity for other pollutants to discharge into the surface water. This innovative approach may decrease the total treatment costs by 63% at present, while 65%, may be achieved by the end of the study period. Furthermore, this market is able to determine the environmental penalty, trading permits, and reuse prices. For example, the maximum ratio of the average reuse price to the penalty cost is determined as 1 to 10. It is introduced as an incentive indicator for stakeholders to consider the integrated market. Consequently, the applicability and the efficiency of using this approach are verified long term. | 25,225,941 | [
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Preparation of hydroxy-PAAm hydrogels for decoupling the effects of mechanotransduction cues. | It is now well established that many cellular functions are regulated by interactions of cells with physicochemical and mechanical cues of their extracellular matrix (ECM) environment. Eukaryotic cells constantly sense their local microenvironment through surface mechanosensors to transduce physical changes of ECM into biochemical signals, and integrate these signals to achieve specific changes in gene expression. Interestingly, physicochemical and mechanical parameters of the ECM can couple with each other to regulate cell fate. Therefore, a key to understanding mechanotransduction is to decouple the relative contribution of ECM cues on cellular functions. Here we present a detailed experimental protocol to rapidly and easily generate biologically relevant hydrogels for the independent tuning of mechanotransduction cues in vitro. We chemically modified polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAAm) to surmount their intrinsically non-adhesive properties by incorporating hydroxyl-functionalized acrylamide monomers during the polymerization. We obtained a novel PAAm hydrogel, called hydroxy-PAAm, which permits immobilization of any desired nature of ECM proteins. The combination of hydroxy-PAAm hydrogels with microcontact printing allows to independently control the morphology of single-cells, the matrix stiffness, the nature and the density of ECM proteins. We provide a simple and rapid method that can be set up in every biology lab to study in vitro cell mechanotransduction processes. We validate this novel two-dimensional platform by conducting experiments on endothelial cells that demonstrate a mechanical coupling between ECM stiffness and the nucleus. | 25,225,964 | [
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Differential microRNA expression profile between stimulated PBMCs from HIV-1 infected elite controllers and viremic progressors. | The emerging relationship between microRNAs (miRNA) and viral-control is a topic of interest in the field of HIV. Host-genome might play an important role in the control of viremia. The aim of this study was to assess the specific miRNA profile that could contribute to the control of HIV replication in Elite Controllers. After adequate normalization, expression profile of 286 human miRNAs (hsa-miR) was evaluated in phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated PBMCs from 29 individuals classified in 4 groups: 8 elite controllers (EC; viral load <50 cp/ml without treatment), 8 viremic progressors (VP; VL>5000 cp/ml without treatment), 8 patients under antiretroviral treatment (ART; VL<200 cp/ml) and 5 uninfected individuals (HIV-) through TaqMan Array Human microRNA Cards v3.0. A differential expression pattern consisting of 23 miRNAs became significantly different when comparing EC and VP. Profiling analysis segregated the population in two different blocks: while EC and HIV- clustered together in the same block (EC/HIV-_block 1), VP and ART individuals clustered together in a second block (VP/ART_block 2). Two inversely expressed miRNA patterns were determined within those two blocks: a set of 4 miRNAs (hsa-miR-221, -27a, -27b and -29b) was up-expressed in EC/HIV-_block and down-expressed in VP/ART_block while 19 miRNAs were down-expressed in block 1 and up-expressed in block 2. Differential miRNAs were successfully validated through individual RT-qPCR assays. Profile in EC resembled HIV- and differentially clusters with VP and ART. Therefore, differential clustering does not rely on undetectable viremia. | 25,225,963 | [
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Biomimetic environment to study E. coli complex I through surface-enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy. | In this study complex I was immobilized in a biomimetic environment on a gold layer deposited on an ATR-crystal in order to functionally probe the enzyme against substrates and inhibitors via surface-enhanced IR absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). To achieve this immobilization, two methods based on the generation of a high affinity self-assembled monolayer (SAM) were probed. The first made use of the affinity of Ni-NTA toward a hexahistidine tag that was genetically engineered onto complex I and the second exploited the affinity of the enzyme toward its natural substrate NADH. Experiments were also performed with complex I reconstituted in lipids. Both approaches have been found to be successful, and electrochemically induced IR difference spectra of complex I were obtained. | 25,225,967 | [
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Understanding Parkinson disease: an evolving case study. | Thirty years ago, Parkinson disease was described as a shortage of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Today, understanding of this disorder includes possible genetic influences, premorbid and nonmotor issues, and a variety of neurologic, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Using a case study, this article presents the current science of Parkinson disease. | 25,225,972 | [
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Hyper-cryptic marine meiofauna: species complexes in Nemertodermatida. | Nemertodermatida are microscopically small, benthic marine worms. Specimens of two nominal species, Sterreria psammicola and Nemertinoides elongatus from 33 locations worldwide were sequenced for three molecular markers. Species delimitation and validation was done using gene trees, haplotype networks and multilocus Bayesian analysis. We found 20 supported species of which nine: Nemertinoides glandulosum n.sp., N. wolfgangi n.sp., Sterreria boucheti n.sp., S. lundini n.sp., S. martindalei n.sp., S. monolithes n.sp., S. papuensis n.sp., S. variabilis n.sp. and S. ylvae n.sp., are described including nucleotide-based diagnoses. The distribution patterns indicate transoceanic dispersal in some of the species. Sympatric species were found in many cases. The high level of cryptic diversity in this meiofauna group implies that marine diversity may be higher than previously estimated. | 25,225,981 | [
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The search for the missing 50-year-old gold. | Intramuscular and subcutaneous injections of foreign bodies have been used for a number of years for a variety of reasons, including medical and cosmetic purposes. The author describes a case of chronic wound complications secondary to intramuscular gold injections for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The lesions were completely excised, the defect first treated with negative-pressure wound therapy, and, ultimately, split-thickness skin grafting with excellent functional result. | 25,225,991 | [
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Anti-aging proof of concept study: results and summary. | The etiology of aging human skin includes intrinsic physiologic changes greatly accelerated by photoaging, predominantly through exposure to UV light. Consumer interest and demand for anti-aging skin care products is extremely high especially in light of aging populations. Prenatal (fetal) tissue has been shown to possess healing characteristics and regenerative effects. A proprietary tissue engineering technology has been developed to produce a soluble human extracellular matrix material with growth factors and proteins. Neonatal cells are cultured on microbeads under conditions of low oxygen tension. This human cell-conditioned media (hCCM) contains a variety of growth factors and cytokines similar to those found in fetal cells and has been incorporated into a topical preparation for use in facial wound healing (after laser resurfacing procedures) and improving the appearance of aging skin. The objective of this study was to observe the effects of an MRCx™-containing topical skincare regimen on subjects with demonstrated aging skin damage (photodamage) when used consistently over a 3 month time period. Female subjects age 35-65 with Fitzpatrick Skin Type I-IV and mild to moderate amounts of photodamage, fine lines, and wrinkles used Regenica® Replenishing Crème and Regenica® Renew SPF 15 for 3 months. At each visit, photos were taken of subjects while investigators completed skin grading assessments and subjects completed self-assessments. Investigator assessments included evaluation of tactile roughness, visual texture, wrinkles, blotchiness, skin tone evenness, radiance, and translucence on a 5-point scale. Subjects' self-assessments included assessment of fine lines and wrinkles, firmness, evenness of skin tone, brightness, resilience, clarity, and radiance. Changes from baseline were evaluated for each parameter and P values for changes from baseline to each study visit for investigator's assessments and to end-of-study for self-assessments were calculated. Eighteen of 21 enrolled female subjects completed the study. Three subjects chose to drop from the study. Statistically significant improvements in investigator assessments of tactile roughness, visual texture, wrinkles, blotchiness, skin tone evenness, radiance and translucency compared to baseline were observed at weeks 4, 8, and 12 after initiating treatments. Progressive improvement was seen through the last study visit (visit 5, week 12). Similar statistically significant improvements in subjects' self-assessments were seen comparing the first post-baseline visit (visit 2, week 2) to subsequent visits. 93.5 % subjects agreed (somewhat or strongly) with all of the positive subject assessment statements at week 12. Importantly, 100 % of subjects indicated at the end of the study that they would recommend the product to a friend and would want to purchase the product. No treatment-related adverse events were recorded during the study. Regenica was safe and clinically effective in reducing anti-aging effects in this group of female subjects aged 35-65 years as measured by both investigator assessments and subjects' self-assessments. | 25,226,008 | [
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May caries-preventive fluoride regimes have an effect on dental erosive wear? An in situ study. | High and low concentration NaF regimes have shown caries protective properties, but the preventive effect against erosive/abrasive wear is unclear. AIM. To measure the inhibiting effect on enamel wear of low and highly concentrated sodium fluoride (NaF) toothpastes and a stannous (SnF2) fluoride gel in a single-blind, randomized in situ study, using a White Light Interferometer. Sixteen human molars were each divided into four specimens, mounted on acrylic mouth appliances and worn by eight volunteers for 9 days. Experimental procedures were performed in the laboratory. The enamel specimens were brushed every day with fluoride-free toothpaste. Treatments; group 1: no fluoride treatment (control), group 2: SnF2 gel 2500 ppm F (5 min) every third day, group 3: NaF toothpaste 5000 ppm F 5 min every third day and 2 min the other days, group 4: NaF toothpaste 1450 ppm F (2 min) every day. In order to mimic gastric reflux/vomiting, the specimens were etched with 0.01 M HCl for 2 min twice a day. The mean step height (µm) for the control specimens was -32.9 (SD = 6.8). The mean values for the other groups were -22.2 (SD = 8.4) (group 2), -30.8 (SD = 7.8) (group 3) and -31.4 (SD = 7.7) (group 4). Compared with the control, the SnF2 treated specimens showed significantly lower wear. The NaF toothpastes gave no significant protective effect. Application of SnF2 gel every third day gave protection against erosive-abrasive challenges. Daily application of both low concentration and high concentration NaF toothpaste provided no protection. | 25,226,048 | [
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Pyrolysis of coal, biomass and their blends: performance assessment by thermogravimetric analysis. | With the aim to support the experimental tests in a gasification pilot plant, the thermal decomposition of coal, biomass and their mixtures has been carried out through a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and a simplified kinetic analysis. The TGA of pure fuels indicates the low reactivity of South African coal and the relatively high reactivity of Sardinian Sulcis coal during pyrolysis. Among the tested fuels, biomass (stone pine wood chips) is the most reactive one. These results fully confirm those obtained during the experimental tests in the gasification pilot plant. As for the fuel blends, the analysis shows that the synergic effects between the considered coals and biomass are negligible when they are co-pyrolyzed. The results of the analysis confirm that TGA could be very useful to generally predict the gasification performance and to optimize the experimental campaigns in pilot-scale gasification plants. | 25,226,060 | [
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Primary culture of mouse dopaminergic neurons. | Dopaminergic neurons represent less than 1% of the total number of neurons in the brain. This low amount of neurons regulates important brain functions such as motor control, motivation, and working memory. Nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons selectively degenerate in Parkinson's disease (PD). This progressive neuronal loss is unequivocally associated with the motors symptoms of the pathology (bradykinesia, resting tremor, and muscular rigidity). The main agent responsible of dopaminergic neuron degeneration is still unknown. However, these neurons appear to be extremely vulnerable in diverse conditions. Primary cultures constitute one of the most relevant models to investigate properties and characteristics of dopaminergic neurons. These cultures can be submitted to various stress agents that mimic PD pathology and to neuroprotective compounds in order to stop or slow down neuronal degeneration. The numerous transgenic mouse models of PD that have been generated during the last decade further increased the interest of researchers for dopaminergic neuron cultures. Here, the video protocol focuses on the delicate dissection of embryonic mouse brains. Precise excision of ventral mesencephalon is crucial to obtain neuronal cultures sufficiently rich in dopaminergic cells to allow subsequent studies. This protocol can be realized with embryonic transgenic mice and is suitable for immunofluorescence staining, quantitative PCR, second messenger quantification, or neuronal death/survival assessment. | 25,226,064 | [
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Terahertz generation by dynamical photon drag effect in graphene excited by femtosecond optical pulses. | Graphene has been proposed as a particularly attractive material for the achievement of strong optical nonlinearities, in particular generation of terahertz radiation. However, owing to the particular symmetries of the C-lattice, second-order nonlinear effects such as difference-frequency or rectification processes are predicted to vanish in a graphene layer for optical excitations (ℏω ≫ 2EF) involving the two relativistic dispersion bands. Here we experimentally demonstrate that graphene excited by femtosecond optical pulses generate a coherent THz radiation ranging from 0.1 to 4 THz via a second-order nonlinear effect. We fully interpret its characteristics with a model describing the electron and hole states beyond the usual massless relativistic scheme. This second-order nonlinear effect is dynamical photon drag, which relies on the transfer of light momentum to the carriers by the ponderomotive electric and magnetic forces. The model highlights the key roles of next-C-neighbor couplings and of unequal electron and hole lifetimes in the observed second-order response. Finally, our results indicate that dynamical photon drag effect in graphene can provide emission up to 60 THz, opening new routes for the generation of ultrabroadband terahertz pulses. | 25,226,076 | [
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Higher education affects accelerated cortical thinning in Alzheimer's disease: a 5-year preliminary longitudinal study. | Epidemiological studies have reported that higher education (HE) is associated with a reduced risk of incident Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, after the clinical onset of AD, patients with HE levels show more rapid cognitive decline than patients with lower education (LE) levels. Although education level and cognition have been linked, there have been few longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between education level and cortical decline in patients with AD. The aim of this study was to compare the topography of cortical atrophy longitudinally between AD patients with HE (HE-AD) and AD patients with LE (LE-AD). We prospectively recruited 36 patients with early-stage AD and 14 normal controls. The patients were classified into two groups according to educational level, 23 HE-AD (>9 years) and 13 LE-AD (≤9 years). As AD progressed over the 5-year longitudinal follow-ups, the HE-AD showed a significant group-by-time interaction in the right dorsolateral frontal and precuneus, and the left parahippocampal regions compared to the LE-AD. Our study reveals that the preliminary longitudinal effect of HE accelerates cortical atrophy in AD patients over time, which underlines the importance of education level for predicting prognosis. | 25,226,082 | [
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Fluorescein Dye Disappearance Test: A Reliable Test in Assessment of Success After Dacryocystorhinostomy Procedure. | To evaluate the reliability indices of 5-minute fluorescein dye disappearance test (FDDT) for anatomical and subjective successes after dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) procedure and to propose a paradigm in assessment of patients with tearing after DCR. In a retrospective study, results of FDDT (176 eyes of 176 patients) were tested against the success rates after both external (135 eyes) and endoscopic endonasal (41 eyes) DCR and bicanalicular silicone intubation. Subjective success was defined as no symptom or intermittent excess tear (without overflow) in cold weather and anatomical success as free passage on irrigation test. Irrigation was performed at the time of tube removal in 58 eyes and at the last follow up in 118 eyes. Fluorescein dye disappearance test and subjective success were assessed either 1 week after tube removal (58 eyes) or at the last follow up (118 eyes). Grades 0 and 1 were considered as negative FDDT, and grades 2 and 3 as positive FDDT. Included patients who had primary acquired (94.9%) and traumatic (5.1%) nasolacrimal duct obstruction had a mean age of 49.8 years and a mean follow up of 11.7 months. There were 15 cases with previously failed DCR. The mean time of tube removal was 7.2 weeks (SD = 2.2). Final anatomical and subjective success rates were 95.5% (168/176) and 92% (162/176), respectively. Fluorescein dye disappearance test showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 86.3% for the anatomical success. They were 85.7% and 88.2% for the subjective success, accordingly. All anatomically failed DCR showed a positive FDDT (100% sensitivity) in this series. The proposed paradigm offers a less invasive approach to post-DCR epiphora. | 25,226,097 | [
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Graphene thickness-controlled photocatalysis and surface enhanced Raman scattering. | Exceptional photocatalytic enhancement of graphene-semiconductor composites has been widely reported, but our understanding of the role that graphene plays in this enhancement remains limited, which arises from the difficulty of precisely controlling graphene hybridization. Here we present a general platform of a graphene-semiconductor hybrid panel (GHP) system wherein a precise number of layers of graphene are hybridized with photoactive semiconductors (e.g. TiO2, ZnO) to study systematically how graphene affects the photocatalysis. The results show that the graphene enhancement of the photocatalysis depends on the number of graphene layers, with the maximum performance observed at 3 layers. Photodeposited indicators of gold particles further reveal that graphene thickness governs the density of photocatalytic sites and charge transfer efficiency at the graphene-semiconductor interfaces. We suggest that quantized energy levels caused by different numbers of stacked graphene sheets along the vector normal to the graphene basal plane affect the charge transfer routes and lead to the graphene thickness-controlled photocatalysis. GHP substrates deposited with gold particles are promising, uniform substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications with the enhancement factor as high as ∼10(8) on 3-layer graphene. | 25,226,177 | [
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Genetic variation in host plants influences the mate preferences of a plant-feeding insect. | Many species spend their lives in close association with other organisms, and the environments provided by those organisms can play an important role as causes of variation in phenotypes. When this is the case, the genotypes of the individuals constituting the environment may influence the phenotypes of individuals living in that environment. When these effects are between heterospecifics, interspecific indirect genetic effects (IIGEs) occur. Several studies have detected IIGEs, but whether IIGEs contribute to variation in sexually selected traits remains virtually unexplored. We assessed how mate preferences in a plant-feeding insect are influenced by the genotype of their host plant. We established clone lines of a sample of host plant genotypes constituting the background biotic environment for a random sample of insects that we reared on them. We found that the insects' mate preferences varied according to the clone line on which they developed. These results demonstrate that genetic variation in host plants has cross-trophic consequences on a trait that has strong effects on fitness and interpopulation dynamics such as diversification in communication systems. We discuss how IIGEs on mate preferences may influence the way in which selection acts, including the maintenance of variation and the promotion of evolutionary divergence. | 25,226,184 | [
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Analysis of vitamin D status in major depression. | The goals of this study were to determine the serum level of 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), a vitamin D metabolite, in patients with recurrent depression, to assess risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, and to evaluate whether the severity of symptoms of depression and response to treatment were associated with serum vitamin 25(OH)D level. Ninety-one patients 18 to 65 years of age meeting the ICD-10 criteria for recurrent depression were evaluated for depressive symptoms using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The control group consisted of 89 healthy subjects matched according to sex and age. Serum levels of 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (Ca) were determined in all group members. A significantly decreased serum level of 25(OH)D was observed in the group of patients with recurrent depression compared with healthy subjects. PTH and Ca levels were within the reference values in a substantial majority of patients. No correlation was found between 25(OH)D serum level and age, sex, height, body mass index, disease duration, number of depressive episodes, type of pharmacotherapy, or effectiveness of treatment. Low serum levels of 25(OH)D in patients with recurrent depression suggest that these patients are an important risk group for vitamin D deficiency. However, no relationship was found between these low levels of 25(OH)D and response to treatment for depression. Nevertheless, the results indicate the need to monitor the concentration and supplementation of products containing calciferol in such patients. | 25,226,193 | [
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R237 and h238 are key amino acids in the rubella virus E1 neutralization epitope. | Residues 221-239 of rubella virus E1 glycoprotein contain antibody neutralization domains, and the solvent-exposed charged amino acids at the binding interface may be crucial for binding ability. However, the role of charged amino acid residues on the E1 epitope in peptide-antibody binding is unknown. To investigate the role of single amino acid substitutions on the important neutralizing epitope, biolayer interferometry and serological tests were performed. There are three charged residues in the neutralizing epitope: D229, R237, and H238. Substitution of D229 for amino acid A had no influence on the binding activity of the antibody to the peptide. However, substitutions of R237 or H238 for charged amino acid H or R were found to abolish the binding activity. Furthermore, substitution of an uncharged amino acid Q236 for a charged amino acid D was found to reduce the binding activity significantly. Thus, R237 and H238 are key amino acids in the rubella virus E1 neutralization epitope. | 25,226,223 | [
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Laser spark ignition of premixed methane-air mixtures: parameter measurements and determination of key factors for ultimate ignition results. | In this study, we present an experimental investigation of the parameters of the laser spark ignition of premixed methane-air mixtures and the determination of the key factors for the ultimate ignition result. Ignition is achieved in a mesh honeycomb burner using the 1064 nm output of a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd : YAG) laser. All pertinent laser ignition parameters, including the minimum ignition energy, the ignition time and blow out time, and the effects that the variation of experimental conditions, such as the spark energy, ignition position, equivalence ratio (ER), and flow rate, have on these parameters have been addressed systematically. To identify the key factors for the ultimate result of laser ignition, several parameters of the ignition processes are measured simultaneously, with an emphasis given to the temporal behavior of the hydroxyl (OH) radicals in relation to the data regarding the spark energy and the local ER. A clear finding of the study is that successful ignition events are always related to higher OH radical photon emissions, considered to be proportional to the concentration level of the OH radicals present, thus indicating a direct link between the OH level at early times (on a microsecond scale) and the ultimate result of laser ignition. Two-dimensional correlation plots of the spark energy, local ER, and OH radical photon count at early times with the ultimate results of laser ignition indicate that the spark energy and local ER do not play a critical role in determining the success or failure of the ignition and that the OH concentration in the early time range is the key factor in determining the final fate of laser ignition. Finally, on the basis of the results obtained here and in the existing literature, some considerations of the mechanism of laser ignition are presented. | 25,226,251 | [
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A microfluidic technique to probe cell deformability. | Here we detail the design, fabrication, and use of a microfluidic device to evaluate the deformability of a large number of individual cells in an efficient manner. Typically, data for ~10(2) cells can be acquired within a 1 hr experiment. An automated image analysis program enables efficient post-experiment analysis of image data, enabling processing to be complete within a few hours. Our device geometry is unique in that cells must deform through a series of micron-scale constrictions, thereby enabling the initial deformation and time-dependent relaxation of individual cells to be assayed. The applicability of this method to human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells is demonstrated. Driving cells to deform through micron-scale constrictions using pressure-driven flow, we observe that human promyelocytic (HL-60) cells momentarily occlude the first constriction for a median time of 9.3 msec before passaging more quickly through the subsequent constrictions with a median transit time of 4.0 msec per constriction. By contrast, all-trans retinoic acid-treated (neutrophil-type) HL-60 cells occlude the first constriction for only 4.3 msec before passaging through the subsequent constrictions with a median transit time of 3.3 msec. This method can provide insight into the viscoelastic nature of cells, and ultimately reveal the molecular origins of this behavior. | 25,226,269 | [
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Fat quality and incident cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, and cancer mortality. | Cellular characteristics of fat quality have been associated with cardiometabolic risk and can be estimated by computed tomography (CT) attenuation. The aim was to determine the association between CT attenuation (measured in Hounsfield units [HU]) and clinical outcomes. This was a prospective community-based cohort study using data from the Framingham Heart Study (n = 3324, 48% women, mean age 51 years) and Cox proportional hazard models. The primary outcomes of interest were incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes of interest were incident cancer, non-CVD death, and cancer death. There were 111 incident CVD events, 137 incident cancers, 85 deaths including 69 non-CVD deaths, and 45 cancer deaths in up to 23 047 person-years of follow-up. A 1-SD increment in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) HU was inversely associated with incident CVD in the age- and sex-adjusted model (hazard ratio [HR] 0.78, P = .02) but not after multivariable adjustment (HR 0.83, P = .11). VAT HU was directly associated with all-cause mortality (multivariable HR 1.40, P = .003), which maintained significance after additional adjustment for body mass index (HR 1.53, P < .001) and VAT volume (HR 1.99, P < .001). Non-CVD death remained significant in all 3 models, including after adjustment for VAT volume (HR 1.97, P < .001). VAT HU was also associated with cancer mortality (HR 1.93, P = .002). Similar results were obtained for sc adipose tissue HU. Fat quality, as estimated by CT attenuation, is associated with all-cause mortality, non-CVD death, and cancer death. These associations highlight how indirect indices of fat quality can potentially add to a better understanding of obesity-related complications. | 25,226,289 | [
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Familial isolated growth hormone deficiency due to a novel homozygous missense mutation in the growth hormone releasing hormone receptor gene: clinical presentation with hypoglycemia. | Mutations in the growth hormone releasing hormone receptor (GHRHR) gene are a relatively rare cause of isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD). This study aimed to understand the biochemical basis of hypoglycemia in the index case and the molecular basis of severe short stature in a large consanguineous family with IGHD. The index case presented with a hypoglycemic convulsion, following which eight members in two related consanguineous Turkish families were identified with IGHD. Homozygosity mapping identified the homozygous regions shared only among the affected individuals. Sanger sequencing of GHRHR, which resided in the shared homozygous region, was performed. In silico analysis of the pathogenic GHRHR variant was performed. The clinical presentation and hormonal analysis confirmed GH deficiency in all affected individuals. Magnetic resonance imaging scan of the pituitary gland showed anterior pituitary hypoplasia in five affected individuals in which the youngest was only 0.4 years old, but with normal pituitary size in three affected individuals. Homozygosity mapping showed two large homozygous regions on chromosome 7 shared only among affected individuals. Sanger sequencing of GHRHR gene present in one of these shared regions identified a novel homozygous missense mutation (p.C64G) segregating with the disease phenotype. In silico analysis predicted the mutation to be deleterious and disease causing. We describe a large consanguineous Turkish kindred with IGHD due to a novel homozygous missense GHRHR mutation. This is the first description of presentation with hypoglycemia and the earliest reported occurrence of anterior pituitary hypoplasia in patients with GHRHR mutation. | 25,226,297 | [
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Effects of supplemental citrulline malate ingestion during repeated bouts of lower-body exercise in advanced weightlifters. | The purpose of this investigation was to test the efficacy of citrulline malate supplementation on exercise performance, blood lactate, heart rate, and blood pressure during lower-body dynamic resistance exercise. We hypothesized that citrulline malate ingestion before performing submaximal repeated bouts of multiple lower-body resistance exercises would improve performance. Twelve advanced resistance-trained male subjects participated in a randomized, counterbalanced, double-blind study. Subjects were randomly assigned to placebo (PL) or citrulline malate (8 g) groups and then performed repeated bouts of multiple lower-body resistance exercise. Specifically, subjects performed 5 sequential sets (60% 1 repetition maximum) to failure on the leg press, hack squat, and leg extension machines. Blood lactate, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were determined before and after exercise. The exercise protocol resulted in sequential significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in the number of repetitions in all 3 exercises. However, subjects in the citrulline malate group performed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher number of repetitions during all 3 exercises compared with PL group. Blood lactate and heart rate were significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) after exercise compared with before exercise but were not significantly different between citrulline malate and PL (p > 0.05). No significant (p > 0.05) differences were detected for blood pressure measurements. In conclusion, our results suggest that citrulline malate supplementation may be beneficial in improving exercise performance during lower-body multiple-bout resistance exercise in advanced resistance-trained men. | 25,226,311 | [
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Effect of various practical warm-up protocols on acute lower-body power. | The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of box squats with barbell (BBSquat), box squats with elastic resistance bands (BandSquat), and static stretches (SStretch) on external power during a 20-kg weighted jump squat. Twelve male athletes performed each of the 3 warm-up protocols on separate occasions in a randomized order. Weighted jump squat power was assessed using a linear position transducer attached to the bar of a Smith machine. Jump power was measured pre-warm-up and 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up protocol. The BBSquat protocol involved 3 sets of 3RM, BandSquat involved 3 sets of 3 repetitions using highest resistance elastic bands, and the SStretch protocol comprises two 30-second stretches for muscles of the lower limbs. Jump power significantly increased from pre-warm-up to 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up for both the BandSquat and BBSquat protocols. There was no statistical difference in power values between BandSquat and BBSquat. Power output significantly decreased from pre-warm-up to 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up for the SStretch protocol. The BandSquat was just as effective as BBSquat in augmenting acute jump power. The SStretch was detrimental to jump performance. A practical warm-up using relatively inexpensive and portable equipment such as elastic resistance bands was just as effective as a warm-up protocol that requires more substantial and less transportable equipment such as a squat rack and associated free weights. The BandSquat warm-up may be considered more accessible for athletes at various competition levels. | 25,226,313 | [
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The relative importance of performance factors in Korean archery. | This study explored the factors affecting archery performance by calculating their relative importance in Korean archery. This study used the Delphi technique and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). After reviewing the literature and collecting data on performance factors in archery, the importance of factors affecting archery performance was calculated by holding meetings with experts (20 archery experts) and conducting confirmatory factor analysis (463 archers) and the AHP (36 archery experts). Performance factors were divided into mental, skill, and fitness categories. Fitness factors affecting performance included "drawing a bow without an arrow," "lower-body weight training," and "upper-body weight training." Skill factors affecting performance included "extending by maintaining left and right shoulder balance during aiming," "shooting skill over a regular clicker time," "maintaining pace and direction at release," and "drawing skill by maintaining left and right shoulder balance." Mental factors affecting performance were "confidence," "concentration," "emotion control," and "positive thinking." "Confidence" was identified as the most important factor among the 11 subfactors. The performance factors identified in this study and their relative importance in determining successful performance can be used in training for optimal archery performance worldwide. | 25,226,316 | [
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Lower-limb and trunk muscle activation with back squats and weighted sled apparatus. | The back squat is a traditional resistance training exercise, whereas the resisted sled exercise is a relatively new resistance exercise. However, as there are no studies comparing muscle activation between the exercises, the objective of this study was to examine activity of leg and trunk muscles for both exercises. Ten healthy resistance-trained men participated in a randomized crossover design study consisting of 2 preparation sessions and 2 testing sessions. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, lower erector spinae, and the transversus abdominis/internal obliques (TrA/IO) were monitored during a 20-step maximum push with the weighted sled apparatus and a 10 repetition maximum with a bilateral back squat. There were nonsignificant trends for the rectus femoris (p = 0.092: 8.6-16.7%) and biceps femoris (p = 0.09: 10.5-32.8%) to demonstrate higher activity with the sled and squat exercises, respectively. There were main effects for condition with 61.2% greater gastrocnemius EMG with the sled exercise (p = 0.01) and 74.5% greater erector spinae EMG activity with the squat (p = 0.002). There were no significant differences between the exercises for the TrA/IO. In summary, the sled and squat exercises provided similar EMG activity for the quadriceps, hamstrings, and TrA/IO. The squat provided higher lower erector spinae activation, whereas the sled had superior gastrocnemius activation. Depending on the movement-training specificity of the sport, either exercise may be used in a training program while acknowledging the differences in gastrocnemius and erector spinae activity. | 25,226,330 | [
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β-Carotene As a Lipophilic Scavenger of Nitric Oxide. | The efficient bleaching following continuous bubbling of gaseous nitric oxide (NO(•)) to β-carotene (β-Car) dissolved in n-hexane under anaerobic conditions results from an initial addition of two NO(•) followed by fragmentation coupled with further NO(•) addition as shown by mass spectrometry (MS). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and electron transfer (ET) from β-Car to NO(•) are strongly energetically unfavorable in contrast to radical adduct formation (RAF) followed by degradation. The results indicated the lowest energy for addition of the first NO(•) at C7 with an activation free energy of ΔG(≠) = 74.40 kJ mol(-1) and a rate constant of 0.56 s(-1), followed by trans-addition of a second NO(•) at C8 with ΔG(≠) = 55.51 kJ mol(-1). MS confirmed the formation of a dinitrosyl-β-Car (596.6 m/z), and of a β-Car fragment (400.4 m/z) formed by C7/C8 bond cleavage and suggested to be of importance for progression of bleaching. Up to eight reaction products with increasing mass of 28 m/z are assigned to continuous addition of NO(•) to the initially formed fragment forming nitroxides. Continuous wave photolysis of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a NO(•) source dissolved together with β-Car in 4:1 (v/v) methanol:tetrahydrofuran gradually bleached β-Car. Nanosecond laser flash photolysis at 355 nm followed by transient absorption spectroscopy showed a β-Car derived intermediate with an absorption maximum around 420 nm in agreement with a prediction (425 nm) from time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) for the trans-C7,8 dinitrosyl adduct of β-Car. The NO(•) adduct of β-Car decays with a rate constant of ∼10(7) s(-1) at 25 °C. | 25,226,353 | [
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Changes of Number and Function of Late Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Peripheral Blood of COPD Patients Combined with Pulmonary Hypertension. | Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the changes of number and function of late endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in peripheral blood of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients combined with pulmonary hypertension. Subjects and Methods The study enrolled 120 cases including 40 non-COPD and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients (non-COPD group), 40 COPD non-PAH patients (COPD group), and 40 COPD patients combined with PAH (COPD + PAH group). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated by density gradient centrifugation, cultured for 21 days, and then identified as late endothelial progenitor cells. The cell colonies were counted. MTT assay, modified Boyden chamber assay, and human fibronectin plates were used to measure the proliferation, migration, and adhesion functions of the late endothelial progenitor cells, respectively. Results Compared with non-COPD and COPD groups, the number of peripheral blood late EPCs in COPD + PAH group was significantly reduced, and the proliferation, adhesion, and migration capacities were significantly lowered; the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The number and function of late EPCs decreased with the increase of pulmonary artery pressure (p < 0.05). Conclusion The number of late EPCs in COPD patients combined with pulmonary hypertension was reduced, which implies the impaired cell functions. The changes of number and function were negatively correlated with the severity of pulmonary hypertension. | 25,226,359 | [
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Light-absorbing oligomer formation in secondary organic aerosol from reactive uptake of isoprene epoxydiols. | Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from reactive uptake and multiphase chemistry of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) has been found to contribute substantially (upward of 33%) to the fine organic aerosol mass over the Southeastern U.S. Brown carbon (BrC) in rural areas of this region has been linked to secondary sources in the summer when the influence of biomass burning is low. We demonstrate the formation of light-absorbing (290 < λ < 700 nm) SOA constituents from reactive uptake of trans-β-IEPOX onto preexisting sulfate aerosols as a potential source of secondary BrC. IEPOX-derived BrC generated in controlled chamber experiments under dry, acidic conditions has an average mass absorption coefficient of ∼ 300 cm(2) g(-1). Chemical analyses of SOA constituents using UV-visible spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry indicate the presence of highly unsaturated oligomeric species with molecular weights separated by mass units of 100 (C5H8O2) and 82 (C5H6O) coincident with the observations of enhanced light absorption, suggesting such oligomers as chromophores, and potentially explaining one source of humic-like substances (HULIS) ubiquitously present in atmospheric aerosol. Similar light-absorbing oligomers were identified in fine aerosol collected in the rural Southeastern U.S., supporting their atmospheric relevance and revealing a previously unrecognized source of oligomers derived from isoprene that contributes to ambient fine aerosol mass. | 25,226,366 | [
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Intimate partner violence and its association with maternal depressive symptoms 6-8 months after childbirth in rural Bangladesh. | The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), a gross violation of human rights, ranges widely across the world with higher prevalence reported in low- and middle-income countries. Evidence related mainly to physical health shows that IPV has both direct and indirect impacts on women's health. Little is known about the impact of IPV on the mental health of women, particularly after childbirth. To describe the prevalence of IPV experienced by women 6-8 months after childbirth in rural Bangladesh and the factors associated with physical IPV. The study also aims to investigate the association between IPV and maternal depressive symptoms after childbirth. The study used cross-sectional data at 6-8 months postpartum. The sample included 660 mothers of newborn children. IPV was assessed by physical, emotional, and sexual violence. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale assessed maternal depressive symptoms. Prevalence of physical IPV was 52%, sexual 65%, and emotional 84%. The husband's education (OR: 0.41, CI: 0.23-0.73), a poor relationship with the husband (OR: 2.64, CI: 1.07-6.54), and emotional violence by spouse (OR: 1.58, CI: 1.35-1.83) were significantly associated with physical IPV experienced by women. The perception of a fussy and difficult child (OR: 1.05, CI: 1.02-1.08), a poor relationship with the husband (OR: 4.95, CI: 2.55-9.62), and the experience of physical IPV (OR: 2.83, CI: 1.72-4.64) were found to be significant predictors of maternal depressive symptoms among women 6-8 months after childbirth. Neither forced sex nor emotional violence by an intimate partner was found to be significantly associated with maternal depressive symptoms 6-8 months postpartum. It is important to screen for both IPV and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum. Since IPV and spousal relationships are the most important predictors of maternal depressive symptoms in this study, couple-focused interventions at the community level are suggested. | 25,226,416 | [
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The role of mental health in primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence. | In this short communication, we assert that mental health has a crucial role in the primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). However, we found that most research and practice to date has focused on the role of mental health post-violence, and SGBV primary prevention is relying on public health models that do not explicitly include mental health. Yet, key concepts, processes, and competencies in the mental health field appear essential to successful SGBV primary prevention. For example, empathy, self-esteem, compassion, emotional regulation and resilience, stress management, relationship building, and challenging problematic social norms are crucial. Furthermore, competencies such as rapport building, group processing, emotional nurturing, modelling, and the prevention of vicarious trauma among staff are important for the successful implementation of SGBV primary prevention programmes. SGBV primary prevention work would benefit from increased collaboration with mental health professionals and integration of key mental health concepts, processes, and skills in SGBV research. | 25,226,417 | [
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Modeling tumor dynamics and overall survival in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with erlotinib. | Pharmacostatistical models can quantify different relationships and improve decision making in personalized medicine and drug development. Our objectives were to develop models describing non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) dynamics during first-line treatment with erlotinib, and survival of the cohort. Data from patients with advanced NSCLC (n = 39) treated first-line with erlotinib (150 mg/day) were analyzed using nonlinear mixed effects modeling. Exposure-driven disease-drug models were built to describe tumor metabolic and proliferative dynamics evaluated by positron emission tomography (PET) using 2'-deoxy-2'-[F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) and 3'-[F]fluoro-3'-deoxy-L-thymidine (FLT), respectively, at baseline, weeks 1 and 6 after starting erlotinib treatment. A parametric time-to-event model was built to describe overall survival (OS). Demographics, histology, mutational, smoking, and baseline performance statuses were tested for their effects on models developed, in addition to tumor dynamics on survival. An exponential relationship described progression, and a concentration-driven drug effect model described erlotinib effect. An activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation increased the drug effect as assessed using FDG-PET by 2.19-fold (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.35-4.44). An exponential distribution described the times-to-death distribution. Baseline FDG uptake (p=0.0005; hazard ratio [HR] =1.26 for every unit increase, 95%CI: 1.13-1.42) and relative change in FDG uptake after 1 week of treatment (p=0.0073; HR=0.84 for every 10% drop, 95%CI: 0.71-0.91) were significant OS predictors irrespective of the EGFR mutational status. FLT-PET was statistically less significant than FDG-PET for OS prediction. Models describing tumor dynamics and survival of advanced NSCLC patients first-treated with erlotinib were developed. The impacts of different covariates were quantified. | 25,226,426 | [
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Comparative effectiveness of intensity-modulated versus 3D conformal radiation therapy among medicare patients with stage III lung cancer. | The clinical benefit of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) compared to 3D conformal radiation (3D-RT) has not been well established for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using SEER-Medicare, we identified Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with stage III NSCLC who received potentially curative (≥ 25 fractions) thoracic IMRT or 3D-RT from 2002-2009. Overall survival and number of hospital days within 90 days of radiation were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard and negative binomial regression models, respectively. Propensity score adjustment was used to control for clinical and demographic variables associated with outcomes. IMRT comprised an increasing proportion of conformal thoracic radiation for NSCLC, rising from 3.0% in 2002 to 26.8% in 2009. Use of IMRT varied significantly by year of diagnosis, facility type, and geographic region and was more likely to be used among patients receiving chemotherapy or with higher comorbidity scores. Among patients receiving potentially curative treatment, there was no difference in overall survival (propensity adj HR .99, p = 0.83) or number of hospital days in the 90 days following radiation start (propensity adj HR 1.15, p = 0.23). When radiation is used to treat locally advanced NSCLC, IMRT is increasingly preferred to 3D-RT. However, among patients receiving potentially curative radiation there was no significant difference in overall survival or time spent hospitalized following treatment. | 25,226,428 | [
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The unfinished body: the medical and social reshaping of disabled young bodies. | Stories about disability are heavily shaped by the narratives offered by medicine and society. Those narratives enact an 'anomalous' body that is constructed as distant from the norm and therefore 'damaged' but also fixable. In this paper we explore how such narratives, and the practices they encompass, influence the stories disabled young people tell about their bodies and impairment. We do so by drawing on narrative qualitative interviews and visual practices carried out with seventeen disabled young people in a project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council that took place between 2011 and 2012 in the North East of England. The findings discussed here focus on how medical and societal responses to bodily difference become part of the stories disabled young people tell about their bodies, and influence the way they work with the body as something which remains 'unfinished' and therefore both fixable and flawed. Our conclusion is that a narrative of an unfinished body is produced, as young people manage their bodies as something that is integral to their emerging identity, but also as a potential threat that could undermine and give away their labour in making an 'ordinary' functioning body and life. The paper contributes to medical sociology and sociology of the body by producing new knowledge about how disabled embodiment is lived and framed by disabled young people in the context of ongoing attempts to change the body. | 25,226,449 | [
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Combination long-acting β-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids compared with long-acting β-agonists alone in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a manageable respiratory condition, is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Knowing which prescription medications are the most effective in improving health outcomes for people with COPD is essential to maximizing health outcomes. To estimate the long-term benefits of combination long-acting β-agonists (LABAs) and inhaled corticosteroids compared with LABAs alone in a real-world setting. Population-based, longitudinal cohort study conducted in Ontario, Canada, from 2003 to 2011. All individuals aged 66 years or older who met a validated case definition of COPD on the basis of health administrative data were included. After propensity score matching, there were 8712 new users of LABA-inhaled corticosteroid combination therapy and 3160 new users of LABAs alone who were followed up for median times of 2.7 years and 2.5 years, respectively. Newly prescribed combination LABAs and inhaled corticosteroids or LABAs alone. Composite outcome of death and COPD hospitalization. The main outcome was observed among 5594 new users of LABAs and inhaled corticosteroids (3174 deaths [36.4%]; 2420 COPD hospitalizations [27.8%]) and 2129 new users of LABAs alone (1179 deaths [37.3%]; 950 COPD hospitalizations [30.1%]). New use of LABAs and inhaled corticosteroids was associated with a modestly reduced risk of death or COPD hospitalization compared with new use of LABAs alone (difference in composite outcome at 5 years, -3.7%; 95% CI, -5.7% to -1.7%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.92; 95% CI, 0.88-0.96). The greatest difference was among COPD patients with a codiagnosis of asthma (difference in composite at 5 years, -6.5%; 95% CI, -10.3% to -2.7%; HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77-0.91) and those who were not receiving inhaled long-acting anticholinergic medication (difference in composite at 5 years, -8.4%; 95% CI, -11.9% to -4.9%; HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73-0.86). Among older adults with COPD, particularly those with asthma and those not receiving a long-acting anticholinergic medication, newly prescribed LABA and inhaled corticosteroid combination therapy, compared with newly prescribed LABAs alone, was associated with a significantly lower risk of the composite outcome of death or COPD hospitalization. | 25,226,477 | [
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Identification of potent and selective non-covalent inhibitors of the Plasmodium falciparum proteasome. | We have identified short N,C-capped peptides that selectively inhibit the proteasome of the malaria-causing pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. These compounds are highly potent in culture with no toxicity in host cells. One cyclic biphenyl ether compound inhibited intraerythrocytic growth of P. falciparum with an IC50 of 35 nM, and we show that even a pulse treatment with this cyclic peptide induced parasite death due to proteasome inhibition. These compounds represent promising new antimalarial agents that target the essential proteasomal machinery of the parasite without toxicity toward the host. | 25,226,494 | [
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Pediatric intensive care outcomes: development of new morbidities during pediatric critical care. | To investigate significant new morbidities associated with pediatric critical care. Randomly selected, prospective cohort. PICU patients from eight medical and cardiac PICUs. This was a randomly selected, prospective cohort of PICU patients from eight medical and cardiac PICUs. The main outcomes measures were hospital discharge functional status measured by Functional Status Scale scores and new morbidity defined as an increase in the Functional Status Scale of more than or equal to 3. Of the 5,017 patients, there were 242 new morbidities (4.8%), 99 PICU deaths (2.0%), and 120 hospital deaths (2.4%). Both morbidity and mortality rates differed (p < 0.001) among the sites. The worst functional status profile was on PICU discharge and improved on hospital discharge. On hospital discharge, the good category decreased from a baseline of 72% to 63%, mild abnormality increased from 10% to 15%, moderate abnormality status increased from 13% to 14%, severe status increased from 4% to 5%, and very severe was unchanged at 1%. The highest new morbidity rates were in the neurological diagnoses (7.3%), acquired cardiovascular disease (5.9%), cancer (5.3%), and congenital cardiovascular disease (4.9%). New morbidities occurred in all ages with more in those under 12 months. New morbidities involved all Functional Status Scale domains with the highest proportions involving respiratory, motor, and feeding dysfunction. The prevalence of new morbidity was 4.8%, twice the mortality rate, and occurred in essentially all types of patients, in relatively equal proportions, and involved all aspects of function. Compared with historical data, it is possible that pediatric critical care has exchanged improved mortality rates for increased morbidity rates. | 25,226,501 | [
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Anthropometric measurements: options for identifying low birth weight newborns in Kumasi, Ghana. | In Ghana, 32% of deliveries take place outside a health facility, and birth weight is not measured. Low birth weight (LBW) newborns who are at increased risk of death and disability, are not identified; 13%-14% of newborns in Ghana are LBW. We aimed at determining whether alternative anthropometrics could be used to identify LBW newborns when weighing scales are not available to measure birth weight. We studied 973 mother and newborn pairs at the Komfo Anokye Teaching and the Suntreso Government hospitals between November 2011 and October 2012. We used standard techniques to record anthropometric measurements of newborns within 24 hours of birth; low birth weight was defined as birth weight <2.5 kg. Pearson's correlation coefficient and the area under the curve were used to determine the best predictors of low birth weight. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were reported with 95% confidence intervals at generated cut-off values. One-fifth (21.7%) of newborns weighed less than 2.5 kg. Among LBW newborns, the following measurements had the highest correlations with birth weight: chest circumference (r = 0.69), mid-upper arm circumference (r = 0.68) and calf circumference (r = 0.66); the areas under the curves of these three measurements demonstrated the highest accuracy in determining LBW newborns. Chest, mid-upper arm and calf circumferences at cut-off values of ≤ 29.8 cm, ≤ 9.4 cm and ≤ 9.5 cm respectively, had the best combination of maximum sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for identifying newborns with LBW. Anthropometric measurements, such as the chest circumference, mid-upper arm circumference and calf circumference, offer an opportunity for the identification of and subsequent support for LBW newborns in settings in Ghana, where birth weights are not measured by standardized weighing scales. | 25,226,505 | [
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Effects of chronic sleep deprivation on the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway in the temporomandibular joint of rats. | To examine the possible involvement and regulatory mechanisms of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of rats subjected to chronic sleep deprivation (CSD). Rats were subjected to CSD using the modified multiple platform method (MMPM). The serum levels of corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were tested and histomorphology and ultrastructure of the TMJ were observed. The ERK and phospho-ERK (p-ERK) expression levels were detected by Western blot analysis, and the MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 expression levels were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting. The elevated serum CORT and ACTH levels confirmed that the rats were under CSD stress. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed pathological alterations in the TMJ following CSD; furthermore, the p-ERK was activated and the mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 were upregulated after CSD. In the rats administered with the selective ERK inhibitor U0126, decreased tissue destruction was observed. Phospho-ERK activation was visibly blocked and the MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 mRNA and protein levels were lower than the corresponding levels in the CSD without U0126 group. These findings indicate that CSD activates the ERK pathway and upregulates the MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 mRNA and protein levels in the TMJ of rats. Thus, CSD induces ERK pathway activation and causes pathological alterations in the TMJ. ERK may be associated with TMJ destruction by promoting the expression of MMPs. | 25,226,519 | [
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Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Are Associated With Satisfaction With Information Provision and Internet Use Among 3080 Cancer Survivors: Results of the PROFILES Registry. | Dissatisfaction with information provided by healthcare providers may be a reason for cancer survivors to seek health information on the Internet and may also result in more symptoms of anxiety and depression among this population. The aim of this study was to investigate whether anxious and depressive symptoms are associated with satisfaction with information provision and Internet use among cancer survivors. All individuals diagnosed with endometrial or colorectal cancer between 1998 and 2007 or lymphoma or multiple myeloma between 1999 and 2008 as registered in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry were invited for participation. In total, 4 446 survivors received a questionnaire including the 25-item European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group Information questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; 69% responded (n = 3080). Having anxious (odds ratio [OR], 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-0.9; P < .05) or depressive symptoms (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; P < .001), or both (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; P < .001) were negatively associated with experienced helpfulness of the received information. Having depressive symptoms or having both depressive and anxious symptoms were negatively associated with satisfaction with information (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7; OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7, respectively; P < .001). Having depressive symptoms was negatively associated with disease-related Internet use (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9; P < .05). The results may indicate that information provision is suboptimal, either because it is not adjusted to the mental health status of cancer patients or because it is unsatisfactory and thereby causing anxious and depressive symptoms among cancer patients. More attention should be paid to optimally adjust the information provision to the individual needs of the cancer patients for better mental health. | 25,226,516 | [
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Determining the phylogenetic and phylogeographic origin of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H7N3) in Mexico. | Highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza virus (AIV) H7N3 outbreaks occurred 3 times in the Americas in the past 10 years and caused severe economic loss in the affected regions. In June/July 2012, new HP H7N3 outbreaks occurred at commercial farms in Jalisco, Mexico. Outbreaks continued to be identified in neighbouring states in Mexico till August 2013. To explore the origin of this outbreak, time resolved phylogenetic trees were generated from the eight segments of full-length AIV sequences in North America using BEAST. Location, subtype, avian host species and pathogenicity were modelled as discrete traits upon the trees using continuous time Markov chains. A further joint analysis among segments was performed using a hierarchical phylogenetic model (HPM) which allowed trait rates (location, subtype, host species) to be jointly inferred across different segments. The complete spatial diffusion process was visualised through virtual globe software. Our result indicated the Mexico HP H7N3 originated from the large North America low pathogenicity AIV pool through complicated reassortment events. Different segments were contributed by wild waterfowl from different N. American flyways. Five of the eight segments (HA, NA, NP, M, NS) were introduced from wild birds migrating along the central North American flyway, and PB2, PB1 and PA were introduced via the western North American flyway. These results highlight a potential role for Mexico as a hotspot of virus reassortment as it is where wild birds from different migration routes mix during the winter. | 25,226,523 | [
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Drug-resistant tuberculosis control in South Africa: scientific advances and health system strengthening are complementary. | We examine some aspects of the South African health system that have contributed to the current multi- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (M(X)DR-TB) epidemic and identify opportunities for change and improvement. Implementation of several recent major scientific advances have the potential to accelerate the control of M(X)DR-TB, but health systems strengthening will be essential. | 25,226,528 | [
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Synergistic effect of combinatorial treatment with curcumin and mitomycin C on the induction of apoptosis of breast cancer cells: a cDNA microarray analysis. | In order to explore the synergistic mechanisms of combinatorial treatment using curcumin and mitomycin C (MMC) for breast cancer, MCF-7 breast cancer xenografts were conducted to observe the synergistic effect of combinatorial treatment using curcumin and MMC at various dosages. The synergistic mechanisms of combinatorial treatment using curcumin and MMC on the inhibition of tumor growth were explored by differential gene expression profile, gene ontology (GO), ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) and Signal-Net network analysis. The expression levels of selected genes identified by cDNA microarray expression profiling were validated by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Effect of combinatorial treatment on the inhibition of cell growth was observed by MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometric analysis and Hoechst 33258 staining. The combinatorial treatment of 100 mg/kg curcumin and 1.5 mg/kg MMC revealed synergistic inhibition on tumor growth. Among 1501 differentially expressed genes, the expression of 25 genes exhibited an obvious change and a significant difference in 27 signal pathways was observed (p<0.05). In addition, Mapk1 (ERK) and Mapk14 (MAPK p38) had more cross-interactions with other genes and revealed an increase in expression by 8.14- and 11.84-fold, respectively during the combinatorial treatment by curcumin and MMC when compared with the control. Moreover, curcumin can synergistically improve tumoricidal effect of MMC in another human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Apoptosis was significantly induced by the combinatorial treatment (p<0.05) and significantly inhibited by ERK inhibitor (PD98059) in MCF-7 cells (p<0.05). The synergistic effect of combinatorial treatment by curcumin and MMC on the induction of apoptosis in breast cancer cells may be via the ERK pathway. | 25,226,537 | [
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Attention in risky choice. | Previous research on the processes involved in risky decisions has rarely linked process data to choice directly. We used a simple measure based on the relative amount of attentional deployment to different components (gains/losses and their probabilities) of a risky gamble during the choice process, and we related this measure to the actual choice. In an experiment we recorded the decisions, decision times, and eye movements of 80 participants who made decisions on 11 choice problems. We used the number of eye fixations and fixation transitions to trace the deployment of attention during the choice process and obtained the following main results. First, different components of a gamble attracted different amounts of attention depending on participants' actual choice. This was reflected in both the number of fixations and the fixation transitions. Second, the last-fixated gamble but not the last-fixated reason predicted participants' choices. Third, a comparison of data obtained with eye tracking and data obtained with verbal protocols from a previous study showed a large degree of convergence regarding the process of risky choice. Together these findings tend to support dimensional decision strategies such as the priority heuristic. | 25,226,548 | [
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Xanthone dimers: a compound family which is both common and privileged. | Covering: up to 2014. Xanthone dimers are a widespread, structurally-diverse family of natural products frequently found in plants, fungi and lichens. They feature an intriguing variety of linkages between the component xanthones (benzannulated chromanones). These synthetically elusive secondary metabolites are of great interest due to their broad array of bioactivities, which has led to the xanthones being designated as 'privileged structures'. We seek herein to give an overview of all reliably-described xanthone dimers, their structures, occurrence, and the bioactivities established to date. The possible biosynthetic pathways leading to members of this family are also discussed in light of our current knowledge. | 25,226,564 | [
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Effects of acupuncture at GB20 on CO2 reactivity in the basilar and middle cerebral arteries during hypocapnia in healthy participants. | The acupoint GB20 is known to affect vertebrobasilar blood flow regulation. However, no previous study has used transcranial Doppler imaging to examine whether acupuncture at GB20 has a selective effect on blood flow in various cerebral arteries, such as the basilar artery (BA) and the middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). Therefore, this study sought to determine the specific effects of GB20 acupuncture on cerebral blood flow (CBF). Blood flow velocity and CO(2) reactivity were measured by transcranial Doppler imaging with a 2-MHz pulsed Doppler probe observed through both temporal windows for the MCAs and through the suboccipital window for the BA before and after GB20 acupuncture treatment in 15 healthy young male volunteers. The changes in hyperventilation-induced CO(2) reactivity and corrected blood flow velocities at 40 mmHg (CV40) were assessed for the BA and both MCAs. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and after the acupuncture treatment. CO(2) reactivity in the BA increased significantly after GB20 acupuncture treatment compared with baseline (p=0.041). In contrast, CO(2) reactivity in both MCAs remained unchanged. The CV40 in the BA and the MCAs showed no change after the GB20 acupuncture treatment. The mean heart rate decreased significantly after the GB20 acupuncture, whereas the mean blood pressure showed no change. This study demonstrated that acupuncture treatment on GB20 increases CO(2) reactivity specifically in the BA, with no effect in the MCAs. These results clinically support the use of GB20 to treat disorders of posterior cerebral circulation and support the idea that particular acupoints affect specific brain regions and cerebral arteries. | 25,226,574 | [
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Coordinate based meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging data using activation likelihood estimation; full width half max and group comparisons. | Coordinate based meta-analysis (CBMA) is used to find regions of consistent activation across fMRI and PET studies selected for their functional relevance to a hypothesis. Results are clusters of foci where multiple studies report in the same spatial region, indicating functional relevance. Contrast meta-analysis finds regions where there are consistent differences in activation pattern between two groups. The activation likelihood estimate methods tackle these problems, but require a specification of uncertainty in foci location: the full width half max (FWHM). Results are sensitive to FWHM. Furthermore, contrast meta-analysis requires correction for multiple statistical tests. Consequently it is sensitive only to very significant localised differences that produce very small p-values, which remain significant after correction; subtle diffuse differences between the groups can be overlooked. In this report we redefine the FWHM parameter, by analogy with a density clustering algorithm, and provide a method to estimate it. The FWHM is modified to account for the number of studies in the analysis, and represents a substantial change to the CBMA philosophy that can be applied to the current algorithms. Consequently we observe more reliable detection of clusters when there are few studies in the CBMA, and a decreasing false positive rate with larger study numbers. By contrast the standard definition (FWHM independent of the number of studies) is demonstrated to paradoxically increase the false positive rate as the number of studies increases, while reducing ability to detect true clusters for small numbers of studies. We also provide an algorithm for contrast meta-analysis, which includes a correction for multiple correlated tests that controls for the proportion of false clusters expected under the null hypothesis. Furthermore, we detail an omnibus test of difference between groups that is more sensitive than contrast meta-analysis when differences are diffuse. This test is useful where contrast meta-analysis is unrevealing. | 25,226,581 | [
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Aberrant upregulation of 14-3-3σ and EZH2 expression serves as an inferior prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma. | Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy in the world. It is of important significance to find biomarkers for the prognostic monitoring of HCC. The 14-3-3σ and EZH2 proteins are involved in cell cycle regulation and epigenetic silencing. We herein examined the significance of 14-3-3 σ and EZH2 in HCC (n = 167) by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. The correlation between 14-3-3σ and EZH2 expression and patients' clinicopathologic features were examined, as was the correlation between 14-3-3σ and EZH2 expression and the prognosis of HCC patients. We found that 14-3-3σ and EZH2 were highly expressed in HCC (71% and 90%), the expression of EZH2, but not 14-3-3σ, is associated with vascular invasion and tumor differentiation (p<0.01). The coexistence of 14-3-3σ and EZH2 overexpression is associated with a relatively unfavorable prognosis (p<0.01), suggesting that aberrant upregulation of 14-3-3σ and EZH2 expression serves as an inferior prognostic biomarker for HCC. | 25,226,601 | [
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Comparative effectiveness research in clinical practice. | The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has funded systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research in 17 areas over the last 10 years as part of a federal mandate. These reviews provide a reliable and unbiased source of comprehensive information about the effectiveness and risks of treatment alternatives for patients and clinicians. This article describes comparative effectiveness research, provides an overview of how physicians can use it in clinical practice, and references important contributions made by the Minnesota Evidence-based Practice Center. | 25,226,655 | [
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With a little help from FUN FRIENDS young children can overcome anxiety. | This paper highlights resilience as a key concept when working with young children to improve their emotional wellbeing and reduce anxieties. Supporting children aged 4-7 years with anxiety is a significant area of advancement in terms of therapeutic approaches over the last decade. This paper outlines one such approach that was implemented within a Tier 2 Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) within the northern region of England to determine whether findings from Australian studies could be replicated in the UK. A pilot study was undertaken with a group of young children aged 4-7 years old with symptoms of anxiety. All of the children had been referred to the service because of anxiety related issues, such as social phobia, generalised anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. They received a group intervention, FUN FRIENDS, over a period of 12 weeks. By enabling the children to become more self-sufficient this allowed greater emotional and social skills development. All the children demonstrated improved anxiety scores post intervention, as measured by the Spence Child Anxiety Scale. | 25,226,704 | [
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Age related influence on screening coverage and satisfaction. with CervicalCheck. | The aim of this study was to evaluate levels of satisfaction of women attending the CervicalCheck programme and reasons for the age differential in screening uptake. A questionnaire was sent to 5,000 randomly selected attenders with a normal smear test (3,500 aged 25-44, 1,500 aged 45-60). Almost all in both age groups said they would return to CervicalCheck if invited (98.5%; 98.5%) and recommend the service to family/friend (99.6%; 99.5%). The single independent predictor of 'would recommend to family/friend' was willingness to return to CervicalCheck (OR = 31 (5.2-183.7)). Predictors of 'would return if invited' were knowledge of when due to return (OR = 2.5 (1.3-5.0)) and having contacted or having received a letter of invitation from CervicalCheck (OR = 3.1 (1.6-6.1)). Independent predictors of 'knowledge of when due to return' were older age group (OR = 0.5 (0.4-0.7)) and willingness to return to CervicalCheck (OR = 3.2 (1.2-6.3)). The GP is particularly important in informing older women and encouraging attendance. | 25,226,720 | [
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Piperacillin-tazobactam as a cost effective monotherapy in febrile neutropenia. | Fever in neutropenic patient is a medical emergency. Timely intervention with antibiotics has been demonstrated to be effective. We assessed Piperacillin-Tazobactem as a cost effective mono-therapy in solid malignancy patients in our institution in relation to dual antibiotic therapy and other monotherapies. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy, and cost effectiveness of Piperacillin-Tazobactem as monotherapy in febrile neutropenia. Total 150 patients with chemotherapy induced febrile neutropenia were selected. Piperacillin-Tazobactem was given intravenously 4500 mg every 6 hour. Outcome was assessed as success and failure. Success was defined as afebrile for four consecutive days, clearance of signs of infection, no new cultures, and no recurrence of primary infection after completion of therapy. Failure was defined as modification or addition of antibiotic due to clinical deterioration, cultured organism resistant to Piperacillin-Tazobactem and Death. The mean age was 43 years, 31% males and 69% were females. Out of total 150 patients, 73 patients were of breast carcinoma. There were 143 patients with negative blood cultures, and 7 patients with positive blood cultures, out of which 3 patients were resistant to Piperacillin-Tazobactem. Success was achieved in 83.3% of total patients. Daily cost of Piperacillin-Tazobactem was much less in relation to other monotherapies and dual antibiotic therapy including Gentamicin. None of the patient had adverse effects of Piperacillin-Tazobactem. We concluded that Piperacillin-Tazobactem is a safe, well tolerated as well as cost effective monotherapy in patient with febrile neutropenia with solid cancers. Only two percent organisms were resistant to Pipercillin-Tazobactam. | 25,226,731 | [
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Comparison of complete denture fabricated by two different border molding materials, in terms of patients' satisfaction. | Restoration of dentition leads to an improvement in the oral health related quality of life. Complete dentures are used to restore this oral cavity disability to its original condition. This study was designed to compare satisfaction levels between two groups of edentulous patients for whom two different border moulding techniques: 'conventional green stick' and 'polyvinyl siloxane material' were employed. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire based study. A questionnaire was designed in the Department of Prosthodontics at the Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry to compare the satisfaction levels between two groups by assessing the following four variables: 'retention', 'stability', 'comfort during final impression procedure' and 'time taken by the procedure'. No significant differences were found between the two groups for 'retention', 'stability' and 'comfort during the final impression procedure' (p > 0.05). For 'stability' there was a significant difference between the two groups. However, as the difference was only that of one patient (31 patients having 'good stability' in Group A, as compared to 32 in Group B); the difference was not considered significant. The conventional border moulding technique took significantly more time as compared to the modified polyvinyl siloxane technique (p < 0.05).The mean satisfaction score was low (7.36 +/- 0.45). There was a significant difference in the patient satisfaction scores between the modified and the conventional border moulding techniques (p > 0.05). Although a significant difference was found between the patient satisfaction levels between the two groups, the clinical significance of these results is still in question as the only factor found to be different between the two groups was the 'time taken'. | 25,226,748 | [
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How many times and how many ways: the impact of number of nonsuicidal self-injury methods on the relationship between nonsuicidal self-injury frequency and suicidal behavior. | Several variables have been proposed as heavily influencing or explaining the association between nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behavior. We propose that increased comfort with bodily harm may serve as an incrementally valuable variable to consider. We sought to indirectly test this possibility by examining the moderating role of number of NSSI methods utilized on the relationship between NSSI frequency and lifetime number of suicide attempts, positing that increased variability in methods would be indicative with a greater general comfort with inflicting harm upon one's own body. In both a large sample of emerging adults (n = 1,317) and a subsample with at least one prior suicide attempt (n = 143), results were consistent with our hypothesis. In both samples, the interaction term was significant, with the relationship between NSSI frequency and suicidal behavior increasing in magnitude from low to mean to high levels of NSSI methods. Although frequency of NSSI is robustly associated with suicidal behavior, the magnitude of that relationship increases as an individual engages in a wider variety of NSSI methods. We propose that this may be due to an increased comfort with the general concept of damaging one's own body resulting from a broader selection of methods for self-harm. | 25,226,794 | [
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Sedentary behavior as a mediator of type 2 diabetes. | Over the past 5 years, the fastest growing new area of physical activity research centered around the concept that the large amount of time people spend sitting inactive may have significant physiological consequences hazardous to human health, including risk for type 2 diabetes and poor metabolism of lipids and glucose. Meta-analysis (10 studies) suggests there is a 112% greater relative risk associated with a large duration of sedentary behavior for type 2 diabetes. Meta-analysis also indicates significantly greater odds for metabolic syndrome. We also summarize results for 7 studies using objective measures of total sedentary time and focusing on cardiometabolic risks in persons at high risk for type 2 diabetes or already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The underlying hypothesis introduced in 2004 by the inactivity physiology paradigm has been that frequent and abundant contractile activity by certain types of skeletal muscle can have a potent influence on key physiological processes, even when the intensity is below that achieved through exercise. We explain some of the mechanisms for why the metabolism in slow-twitch oxidative skeletal muscle is key for understanding the healthy responses to low-intensity physical activity (LIPA). Findings from objective measures from inclinometry indicated that the quartile range for weekly sedentary time is ∼29 h/week. The total daily time that people sit, stand, and accumulate nonexercise steps is independent of traditionally recommended moderate-vigorous physical activity. The large amount of sedentary time associated with risk for disease can only be reduced significantly with safe and nonfatiguing LIPA, especially in the most at-risk proportion of the population. Importantly, experimental studies are starting to indicate that it will be especially insightful to understand the acute dose-response effects of LIPA in order to understand why reducing sedentary time can improve lipid and glucose metabolism for the prevention and treatment of chronic disorders related to type 2 diabetes. | 25,226,797 | [
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Relationships between exercise, mitochondrial biogenesis and type 2 diabetes. | Skeletal muscle is the major site of insulin-stimulated glucose utilization in the body. Central to this process is oxidative metabolism, which is controlled by mitochondria. Therefore, defects in the biogenesis of this organelle can impact the ability of muscle to oxidize substrates and can have grave consequences on the action of insulin on glucose uptake. In healthy muscle, glucose and free fatty acids (FFAs) are efficiently metabolized preventing the accumulation of harmful lipid by-products. In contrast, in pre-diabetic conditions, reduced oxidative capacity, high levels of reactive oxygen species, and chronic elevations in FFAs culminate in greater intramyocellular lipids and lipid metabolites that interfere with insulin signaling pathways, and contribute to lower insulin sensitivity. While the extent of the involvement of mitochondria in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is still an ongoing debate, there is compelling evidence to suggest that dysfunction in mitochondria, mediated by changes in gene expression, morphology, and mitochondrial turnover, contributes to the dysregulation of insulin signaling pathways observed with this metabolic syndrome. In the present review, we discuss our current understanding of mitochondrial biogenesis and highlight how dysfunction in key mitochondrial biogenesis pathways may play an important role in the pathogenesis of T2D. Moreover, we provide evidence supporting the therapeutic value of exercise in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndromes such as T2D. | 25,226,800 | [
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Metallophytes for organic synthesis: towards new bio-based selective protection/deprotection procedures. | We propose for the first time using metal hyperaccumulating plants for the construction of a repertoire of protection and deprotection conditions in a concept of orthogonal sets. Protection of alcohol, carbonyl, carboxyl, and amino groups are considered. The ecocatalysts derived from metal-rich plants allow selective, mild, eco-friendly, and efficient protection or deprotection reactions. The selectivity is controlled by the choice of the metal, which is hyperaccumulated by the metallophyte. | 25,226,830 | [
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Evaluation of foam surfactant for foam-flushing technique in remediation of DDT-contaminated soil using data envelopment analysis method. | With an aim to select the most appropriate foaming surfactant for remediation of DDT-contaminated soil by foam-flushing technique, the performances of nonionic and anionic surfactant in several aspects were observed in this study. SDS had the best foam static characteristic among the four experimental surfactants. The solubilizing ability for DDT followed the order of Tween80 > TX100 > SDS > Brij35. The adsorption loss of SDS onto soil was the lowest. The order of desorption efficiency for DDT followed as TX-100 > Tween80 > Brij35 > SDS. Based on these experimental investigations, the overall performances of foaming surfactants were evaluated by data envelopment analysis method. The results indicated that SDS was the optimal alternative for remediation of DDT-contaminated soil by foam-flushing technique. This conclusion was reached with the consideration of the cost, foam static characteristic, surfactant adsorption loss, solubilizing ability, and desorption efficiency of surfactant for DDT. | 25,226,831 | [
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Volumetric assessment of tumour response using functional MR imaging in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with a combination of doxorubicin-eluting beads and sorafenib. | To prospectively assess treatment response using volumetric functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with the combination of doxorubicin-eluting bead-transarterial chemoembolization (DEB TACE) and sorafenib. A single center study enrolled 41 patients treated with systemic sorafenib, 400 mg twice a day, combined with DEB TACE. All patients had a pre-treatment and 3-4 week post-treatment MRI. Anatomic response criteria (RECIST, mRECIST and EASL) and volumetric functional response (ADC, enhancement) were assessed. Statistical analyses included paired Student's t-test, Kaplan-Meier curves, Cohen's Kappa, and multivariate cox proportional hazard model. Median tumour size by RECIST remained unchanged post-treatment (8.3 ± 4.1 cm vs. 8.1 ± 4.3 cm, p = 0.44). There was no significant survival difference for early response by RECIST (p = 0.93). EASL and mRECIST could not be analyzed in 12 patients. Volumetric ADC increased significantly (1.32 × 10(-3) mm(2)/sec to 1.60 × 10(-3) mm(2)/sec, p < 0.001), and volumetric enhancement decreased significantly in HAP (38.2% to 17.6%, p < 0.001) and PVP (76.6% to 41.2%, p < 0.005). Patients who demonstrated ≥ 65% decrease PVP enhancement had significantly improved overall survival compared to non-responders (p < 0.005). Volumetric PVP enhancement was demonstrated to be significantly correlated with survival in the combination of DEB TACE and sorafenib for patients with HCC, enabling precise stratification of responders and non-responders. • PVP enhancement is significantly correlated with survival in responders (p < 0.005). • There was no significant survival difference for early response using RECIST (p = 0.93). • mRECIST or EASL could not assess tumour response in 29% of patients. | 25,226,843 | [
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Hesperidin prevents liver fibrosis in rats by decreasing the expression of nuclear factor-κB, transforming growth factor-β and connective tissue growth factor. | To evaluate the antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antinecrotic and antifibrotic effects of hesperidin on CCl4-induced cirrhosis. Liver damage was produced by giving CCl4 injections (0.4 g/kg, i.p., 3 times per week for 8 weeks) to rats. Hesperidin (200 mg/kg) was administered using gavage. The expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-1β was assessed using Western blotting. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) serum activities, glycogen content, reduced/oxidised glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio, lipid peroxidation degree and fibrosis (using hydroxyproline content and a histopathological analysis) were measured. CCl4 increased the enzymatic activities of ALT and γ-GTP, liver lipid peroxidation, the hydroxyproline content as well as NF-κB, TGF-β, CTGF, IL-1β and IL-10 levels and decreased the glycogen content and GSH/GSSG ratio. Hesperidin significantly decreased the modifications produced by CCl4, except in the case of IL-10, which was further increased by the flavone. The group receiving hesperidin alone showed decreases in lipid peroxidation, NF-κB, TGF-β, CTGF and IL-1β and an increase in IL-10. The results of the histopathological analysis were in agreement with the biochemical and molecular findings. This study demonstrates that hesperidin prevents experimental necrosis and fibrosis. The action mechanism of hesperidin is associated with its ability to reduce oxidative stress and modulate proinflammatory and profibrotic signals. These results support earlier findings demonstrating the beneficial effect of hesperidin against liver damage. | 25,226,844 | [
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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and subcallosal deep brain stimulation for refractory depression. | Subcallosal cingulate (SCC) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising experimental treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Given the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in neuroplasticity and antidepressant efficacy, we examined the effect of SCC-DBS on serum BDNF in TRD. Four patients with TRD underwent SCC-DBS treatment. Following a double-blind stimulus optimization phase of 3 months, patients received continuous stimulation in an open label fashion for 6 months. Clinical improvement in depressive symptoms was evaluated bi-weekly for 6 months using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Mature serum BDNF levels were measured before and 9-12 months after surgery. Three patients responded to SCC-DBS: two showed full clinical response (50% reduction in HDRS scores) and one had partial response (35% reduction in HDRS scores) at the clinical endpoint. Interestingly, all four patients showed reduction in serum BDNF concentration from pre-DBS baseline. SCC-DBS for TRD may be associated with decreased levels of serum BDNF. Longitudinal studies with multiple measurements in a larger sample are required to determine the role of BDNF as a biomarker of SCC-DBS antidepressant efficacy. | 25,226,864 | [
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Impact of age, age at diagnosis and duration of diabetes on the risk of macrovascular and microvascular complications and death in type 2 diabetes. | Data are inconsistent regarding the associations between age, age at diagnosis of diabetes, diabetes duration and subsequent vascular complications. The associations between age (or age at diagnosis), diabetes duration and major macrovascular events, all-cause death and major microvascular events were examined in 11,140 patients with type 2 diabetes randomly allocated to intensive or standard glucose control in the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial. Rates were calculated by 5 year baseline age (or age at diagnosis) and diabetes duration strata. Risks were estimated using Cox models adjusted for treatment assignment and HbA1c. The mean age (±SD) was 65.8 ± 6.4 years, age at diagnosis was 57.8 ± 8.7 years and diabetes duration was 7.9 ± 6.4 years. Diabetes duration was associated with the risk of macrovascular events (HR 1.13 [95% CI 1.08, 1.17]), microvascular events (1.28 [1.23, 1.33]) and death (1.15 [1.10, 1.20]) whereas age (or age at diagnosis) was only associated with the risk of macrovascular events (1.33 [1.27, 1.39]) and death (1.56 [1.48, 1.64]). No interaction was observed between diabetes duration, age and the risk of macrovascular events or death (both p > 0.4). However, an interaction was observed between diabetes duration, age and the risk of microvascular events (p = 0.002), such that the effects of increasing diabetes duration were greatest at younger rather than older age. In patients with type 2 diabetes, age or age at diagnosis and diabetes duration are independently associated with macrovascular events and death whereas only diabetes duration is independently associated with microvascular events and this effect is greater in the youngest patients. | 25,226,881 | [
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Methods to quantitate videocapsule endoscopy images in celiac disease. | In this work, bioengineering methods that can be used to quantitatively analyze videocapsule endoscopy images that have been acquired from celiac patients versus controls are described. For videocapsule endoscopic analysis, each patient swallows a capsule which contains an imaging device and light source. In celiac and control patients, images are acquired and analyzed at the level of the small intestine. The data used for videocapsule analysis consisted of high resolution images of dimension 576 × 576 pixels, acquired twice per second. The goal of the quantitative analysis is to detect abnormality in celiac patient images as compared with controls. Several types of abnormality can exist at the level of the small intestine in celiac patients. In untreated patients, and often even after treatment with a gluten-free diet, there can be villous atrophy, as well as presence of fissures and a mottled appearance. To detect and discern these abnormalities, several methods of statistical and structural feature extraction and selection are described. It was found that there is a significantly greater variation in image texture and average brightness level in celiac patients as compared with controls (p < 0.05). Celiac patients have a longer dominant period as compared with controls, averaging 6.4 ± 2.6 seconds versus 4.7 ± 1.6 seconds in controls (p = 0.001). This suggests that overall motility is slower in the celiac patients. Furthermore, the mean number of villous protrusions per image was found to be 402.2 ± 15.0 in celiac patients versus 420.8 ± 24.0 in control patients (p < 0.001). The average protrusion width was 14.66 ± 1.04 pixels in celiacs versus 13.91 ± 1.47 pixels in controls (p = 0.01). The mean protrusion height was 3.10 ± 0.26 grayscale levels for celiacs versus 2.70 ± 0.43 grayscale levels for controls (p < 0.001). Thus celiac patients tended to have fewer protrusions, and these were more varied in shape, tending to be blunted, as compared with controls, which more often had fine, uniform protrusions. A variety of computerized methods are now available to quantitate videocapsule images for comparison of celiac versus control patients. Since these methods are based on computer algorithms, they can be automated and there is no variation in the results due to observer bias. These methods readily lend themselves to automation, so that it may be possible to map the entire small intestine for presence of abnormality in real-time. It is also possible to develop an automated, quantitative clinical score which can be displayed with real-time update during the procedure. This would be useful to determine progress in celiac patients on a gluten-free diet, and to better understand the properties of the healing process in these patients. | 25,226,886 | [
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Carbodimide cross-linked and biodegradation-controllable small intestinal submucosa sheets. | The small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is an acellular collagen-based matrix, primarily composed of fibrillar collagens (types I, II, and V). They enhance healing due to a minimal immune response. A good degradation rate is the degradation of materials equal to the rate of remodeling in the host. The SIS should apply a good degradation rate and cytocompatibility. In this study, a series of SIS with different degradation rates is obtained by treatment with Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). Morphology, composition, degradable ratio, mechanical properties and cytocompatibility of the SIS are evaluated. We determined a 20 μm thickness and 60 μm pore size of the native SIS. The degradable ratio of the native SIS was approximately 90% in the presence of 0.25 mg/ml collagenase for 24 hours. The storage modulus of the native SIS was 388 MPa. The degradable ratio of the SIS decreased to 6% and the storage modulus increased to 777 MPa after being treated with 30 mM EDC for 24 hours. In cytocompatibility assay, cell numbers on the native SIS were similar as on the treated SIS due to the non-toxicity of the EDC treatment process. This SIS exhibited collagenase resistance, stronger mechanical strength and good cytocompatibility after the EDC treatment concluded. The cross-linked SIS could be utilized as a potential cell carrier for tissue engineering application. | 25,226,892 | [
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Effect of balanced low pressure drying of curcuma longa leaf on skin immune activation activities. | The effect of balanced low pressure drying pretreatment associated with ultrasonication extraction (BU) on the enhancement of skin immune modulatory activities of Curcuma longa leaf was studied by comparing with conventional hot air drying (HE), freeze drying (FE) and balanced low pressure drying (BE) pretreatment processes. In considering skin immune activation activities such as the inhibition of hyaluronidase activity, the BU extract showed ca. 10% higher than those of HE, and even higher than that of the FE extract. Nitric oxide production from macrophage of the BU extract in adding 1.0 mg/mL was increased up to 16.5 μM. When measuring inhibition of IL-6 and TNF-a production from the human T lymphocytes (T cell), the BU extract also showed 53% and 78% of inhibition effect, respectively. It is found that the BU extract could effectively suppress the expression levels of skin inflammation related genes such as Cox-2 and iNOS, down to 80% and 85% compared to the control, respectively. Balanced low pressure drying process was especially active on dehydration of the leaves with minimizing the destruction and making easier elution of the bioactive substances, which resulted in higher extraction yield and better biological activities. | 25,226,899 | [
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pH-responsive mesoporous silica nanocarriers based on layer-by-layer self-assembly. | Significant progress has been achieved in the field of pH-sensitive drug delivery system in recent years. For layer-by-layer self-assembly nanocarriers, various pH values can induce the change of permeability and structural stability of the outer polyelectrolyte multi-layers, resulting in the release of the loaded drug. In the present study, carboxyl-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs-COOH) were prepared as reservoirs to hold model cargo, i.e. Rhodamine B (RhB). Polycations, including 1, 4-butanediamine (BDA)-modified linear poly (glycerol methacrylate) (L-B) or BDA-modified star-shaped poly (glycerol methacrylate) (S5-B) and 1,2-ethanediamine (EDA)-modified star-shaped poly (glycerol methacrylate) (S5-E), and polyanion, i.e. poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), are self-assembled by electrostatic interactions as coating. The loading process of RhB was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, and dynamic light scattering, and the release of RhB was controlled by changing the pH of phosphate buffer saline. The results showed that the loading capacity and entrapment efficiency of RhB were the highest for S5-B/PAA, which were 10.1% and 44.4%, respectively. In addition, the release of RhB was about 90% at pH 2.0 and 35% at pH 7.4, which was indicative of obvious pH-responsivity. The MSNs-COOH coated by S5-B/PAA proposed in the present study show potential applications in targeted drug delivery. | 25,226,920 | [
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Classification of normal and cancerous lung tissues by electrical impendence tomography. | Biological tissue impedance spectroscopy can provide rich physiological and pathological information by measuring the variation of the complex impedance of biological tissues under various frequencies of driven current. Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) technique can measure the impedance spectroscopy of biological tissue in medical field. Before application, a key problem must be solved on how to generally distinguish normal tissues from the cancerous in terms of measurable EIT data. In this paper, the impedance spectroscopy characteristics of human lung tissue are studied. On the basis of the measured data of 109 lung cancer patients, Cole-Cole Circle radius (CCCR) and the complex modulus are extracted. In terms of the two characteristics, 71.6% and 66.4% samples of cancerous and normal tissues can be correctly classified, respectively. Furthermore, two characteristics of the measured EIT data of each patient consist of a two-dimensional vector and all such vectors comprise a set of vectors. When classifying the vector set, the rate of correctly partitioning normal and cancerous tissues can be raised to 78.2%. The main factors to affect the classification results on normal and cancerous tissues are generally analyzed. The proposed method will play an important role in further working out an efficient and feasible diagnostic method for potential lung cancer patients, and provide theoretical basis and reference data for electrical impedance tomography technology in monitoring pulmonary function. | 25,226,922 | [
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In vitro cytocompatibility evaluation of chitosan/graphene oxide 3D scaffold composites designed for bone tissue engineering. | Extensively studied nowadays, graphene oxide (GO) has a benefic effect on cell proliferation and differentiation, thus holding promise for bone tissue engineering (BTE) approaches. The aim of this study was not only to design a chitosan 3D scaffold improved with GO for optimal BTE, but also to analyze its physicochemical properties and to evaluate its cytocompatibility and ability to support cell metabolic activity and proliferation. Overall results show that the addition of GO in the scaffold's composition improved mechanical properties and pore formation and enhanced the bioactivity of the scaffold material for tissue engineering. The new developed CHT/GO 3 wt% scaffold could be a potential candidate for further in vitro and in vivo osteogenesis studies and BTE approaches. | 25,226,924 | [
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Single-cell analysis for BDNF and TrkB receptors in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. | Recent studies revealed that BDNF-TrkB pathway plays an important role in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) mediated myocardial angiogenesis. Single-cell analysis is a powerful tool for studying gene expression in individuals since cellular heterogeneity and dynamic microenvironments which individual cell will experience. Little is currently known about the expression of BDNF and TrkB receptors at the single CMEC level. Our single-cell analysis of seven randomly selected CMECs for BDNF and TrkB receptors (FL, T1, T2) showed that under an in vitro culture environment, BDNF was expressed in two of the seven selected CMECs. None of the single CMEC expressed TrkB-FL. TrkB-T1 was expressed in all seven selected CMECs, while, TrkB-T2 was expressed in three of these. In addition, none of single CMEC was found to express both BDNF and three TrkB receptors or BDNF and TrkB-FL simultaneously. These results suggest that a stochastic or random expression pattern for BDNF and their receptors might be set in each of the CMEC to response requirement of the time and spatial change, regulation or pathophysiological change. | 25,226,925 | [
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Digital design and fabrication of simulation model for measuring orthodontic force. | Three dimensional (3D) forces are the key factors for determining movement of teeth during orthodontic treatment. Designing precise forces and torques on tooth before treatment can result accurate tooth movements, but it is too difficult to realize. In orthodontic biomechanical systems, the periodontal tissues, including bones, teeth, and periodontal ligaments (PDL), are affected by braces, and measuring the forces applied on the teeth by braces should be based on a simulated model composed of these three types of tissues. This study explores the design and fabrication of a simulated oral model for 3D orthodontic force measurements. Based on medical image processing, tissue reconstruction, 3D printing, and PDL simulation and testing, a model for measuring force was designed and fabricated, which can potentially be used for force prediction, design of treatment plans, and precise clinical operation. The experiment illustrated that bi-component silicones with 2:8 ratios had similar mechanical properties to PDL, and with a positioning guide, the teeth were assembled in the mandible sockets accurately, and so a customized oral model for 3D orthodontic force measurement was created. | 25,226,926 | [
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Feasibility of compressive follower load on spine in a simplified dynamic state: a simulation study. | This study investigated that the spinal MFs can create compressive follower loads (CFLs) in the lumbar spine in a dynamic state. Three-dimensional optimization and finite element (FE) models of the spinal system were developed and validated using reported experimental data. An optimization analysis was performed to determine the MFs that create CFLs in the lumbar spine in various sagittal postures from 10° extension to 40° flexion. Optimization solutions for the MFs, CFLs, and follower load path (FLP) location were feasible for all studied postures. The FE predictions demonstrated that MFs which created CFLs along the base spinal curve connecting the geometrical centers or along a curve in its vicinity (within anterior or posterior shift by 2 mm) produced stable deformation of the lumbar spine in the neutral standing and flexed postures, whereas the MFs which created the smallest CFLs resulted in unstable deformation. For extended postures, however, finding CFLs creating MFs that produce stable deformation of the extended spine was not possible. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the spinal muscles may stabilize the spine via the CFL mechanism. | 25,226,932 | [
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Analysis of basal physical fitness and lumbar muscle function according to indoor horse riding exercise. | The aim of this study is to verify the effect of indoor horse riding exercise on basal physical exercise and lumbar muscular function. The subjects included were 20 healthy females, who participated in the horse riding exercise using SRider (Rider Co. & ChonbuK National Univ, Korea) for 30 minutes per day, 3 days per week, over a period of 8 weeks. The subjects were divided into 4 groups as follows, with 10 subjects in each group: Postural Balance Exercise mode (PBE), Abdomen Exercise mode (ADE), Whole body Exercise mode (WBE), and Multiple Exercise (MTE). Isokinetic muscular function test was performed before and after the horse riding exercise, to assess the effect of horse riding on basal physical exercise and lumbar muscular function. The test result on basal physical exercise and isokinetic muscular function showed improvements with variable degree in the back muscle strength, maximum joint torque, total work, and muscular acceleration time. The result signifies that the horse riding is an antagonistic exercise mainly performed on waist and abdomen area, and the machine induces persistent muscle contraction and causes myotonic induction enhancing the muscle strength. Indoor horse riding exercise proved its effectiveness for senior or the disabled people who need muscle exercises but have difficulties performing outdoor activities. | 25,226,940 | [
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Comparative analysis of basal physical fitness and muscle function in relation to muscle balance pattern using rowing machines. | The purpose of this study was to evaluate muscle function and basal physical fitness in relation to muscle balance pattern using rowing machines. Twenty four subjects participated in this study, using three different rowing machines. Rowing exercises were performed for twenty-five times a set, four sets a day, 3 days a week, for 8 weeks. Biodex system 3(Biodex Medical Systems Co., New York, USA) was used to measure joint torques in the elbow, shoulder, lumbar and knee of subjects, for analyzing muscle function. The evaluation of basal physical fitness included body composition, muscle strength, muscle endurance, muscle reaction, agility, flexibility and explosive power. Before the experiment, significant differences of joint torques in the elbow, shoulder, lumbar and knee were present between subjects in the group. After the rowing exercise, significant improvement in every joint was witnessed. All aspects of basic fitness increased significantly, and the most improvement was observed in muscle strength from the joint torque results. As shown in the following results, every joint it was evident to have improved by more than 30% with the use of dependent load deviation type over the previously used water load method. This means that it is more effective for enhancing muscle strength and endurance to keep the muscle balance using dependent load deviation. The human body maintains motor coordination of muscle contraction during exercise. The muscle balances in the upper-lower and left-right arms could assist with effective activation of motor coordination. In this paper, an exercise method using dependent load deviation was demonstrated to be more efficient for improving muscle imbalance and strengthening muscles. | 25,226,943 | [
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Implementation of a direct install 3-pole type EM transducer in round window niche for implantable middle ear hearing aids. | Since the 1980's, various types of implantable hearing aids using unique means for delivering acoustic power to the inner ear have been developed. Recently, implantable hearing aids that stimulate the round window by the middle ear transducer have received great attention because it reduces loading effect at the ossicular chain. In this study, we have implemented a direct install 3-pole type EM transducer in round window niche for implantable middle ear hearing aid. The 3-pole type EM transducer consists of two permanent magnets and three coils and exhibit structural features that minimize leakage flux, thereby permitting high efficiency and low magnetic field interference. The stapes velocity was measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer in response to the round window stimulation from the transducer. To verify the usefulness of the 3-pole type EM transducer, we compared the stapes vibration characteristics produced by the transducer and those from a sound source. The magnitude of stapes velocity due to the round window stimulation at 1 mArms was equivalent to that of stapes velocity at 94 dB SPL sound stimulation. Thus, the evaluation study shows that the 3-pole type EM transducer is suitable for implantable hearing devices. | 25,226,951 | [
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Automatic classification of dyslexic children by applying machine learning to fMRI images. | Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) are a source of information to study different pathologies. This tool allows to classify subjects under study, analysing in this case, the functions related to language in young patients with dyslexia. Images are obtained using a scanner and different tests are performed on subjects. After processing the images, the areas that are activated by patients when performing the paradigms or anatomy of the tracts were obtained. The main objective is to ultimately introduce a group of monocular vision subjects, whose brain activation model is unknown. This classification helps to assess whether these subjects are more akin to dyslexic or control subjects. Machine learning techniques study systems that learn how to perform non-linear classifications through supervised or unsupervised training, or a combination of both. Once the machine has been set up, it is validated with the subjects who have not been entered in the training stage. The results are obtained using a user-friendly chart. Finally, a new tool for the classification of subjects with dyslexia and monocular vision was obtained (achieving a success rate of 94.8718% on the Neuronal Network classifier), which can be extended to other further classifications. | 25,227,007 | [
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Improve accuracy for automatic acetabulum segmentation in CT images. | Separation of the femur head and acetabulum is one of main difficulties in the diseased hip joint due to deformed shapes and extreme narrowness of the joint space. To improve the segmentation accuracy is the key point of existing automatic or semi-automatic segmentation methods. In this paper, we propose a new method to improve the accuracy of the segmented acetabulum using surface fitting techniques, which essentially consists of three parts: (1) design a surface iterative process to obtain an optimization surface; (2) change the ellipsoid fitting to two-phase quadric surface fitting; (3) bring in a normal matching method and an optimization region method to capture edge points for the fitting quadric surface. Furthermore, this paper cited vivo CT data sets of 40 actual patients (with 79 hip joints). Test results for these clinical cases show that: (1) the average error of the quadric surface fitting method is 2.3 (mm); (2) the accuracy ratio of automatically recognized contours is larger than 89.4%; (3) the error ratio of section contours is less than 10% for acetabulums without severe malformation and less than 30% for acetabulums with severe malformation. Compared with similar methods, the accuracy of our method, which is applied in a software system, is significantly enhanced. | 25,227,025 | [
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Skull defect reconstruction based on a new hybrid level set. | Skull defect reconstruction is an important aspect of surgical repair. Historically, a skull defect prosthesis was created by the mirroring technique, surface fitting, or formed templates. These methods are not based on the anatomy of the individual patient's skull, and therefore, the prosthesis cannot precisely correct the defect. This study presented a new hybrid level set model, taking into account both the global optimization region information and the local accuracy edge information, while avoiding re-initialization during the evolution of the level set function. Based on the new method, a skull defect was reconstructed, and the skull prosthesis was produced by rapid prototyping technology. This resulted in a skull defect prosthesis that well matched the skull defect with excellent individual adaptation. | 25,227,044 | [
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Quantification of the chemical composition variations of tumors in photothermal therapy by photoacoustic spectroscopy: an in vitro study. | In this study, the change of tumors' chemical composition in the temperature range of 20 ~70 °C is quantified for photothermal tumor therapy by photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) with the wavelengths of 700~1000 nm. Based on the measured photoacoustic signals, two absorption peaks at the wavelengths of 750 nm and 950 nm are identified. It is also observed that high temperature (>55 °C) is able to induce the physical and chemical degeneration of tumors. According to the in vitro tests, a new chemical species, met-hemoglobin, which is absent in normal blood, is generated at high temperature with enhanced near-infrared absorption. | 25,227,052 | [
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Optimal subband Kalman filter for normal and oesophageal speech enhancement. | This paper presents the single channel speech enhancement system using subband Kalman filtering by estimating optimal Autoregressive (AR) coefficients and variance for speech and noise, using Weighted Linear Prediction (WLP) and Noise Weighting Function (NWF). The system is applied for normal and Oesophageal speech signals. The method is evaluated by Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) score and Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) improvement for normal speech and Harmonic to Noise Ratio (HNR) for Oesophageal Speech (OES). Compared with previous systems, the normal speech indicates 30% increase in PESQ score, 4 dB SNR improvement and OES shows 3 dB HNR improvement. | 25,227,070 | [
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Development of a simultaneous vibration and pressure stimulation system for cognitive studies. | In this study, a tactile stimulator that could separately or simultaneously display the vibrotactile and pressure sense was developed. The developed system consisted of a control unit, a drive unit, and an actuator, and can be operated with PC or manually. This system quantitatively controls the stimulation parameters such as the stimulation intensity, duration, frequency, and stimulation type. A preliminary electroencephalogram (EEG) experiment for three types of stimulation (vibrotactile, pressure sense, vibrotactile + pressure sense) highlights that the system could be used in complex tactile cognitive studies. An event-related desynchronization (ERD) and synchronization (ERS) were measured at the area of C3 and C4 for all three types of stimulation, and a clear response was identified in the contralateral somatosensory area from the brain topology. Therefore, it is expected that this system could be widely used in single and complex human tactile cognition and perception studies for vibrotactile and pressure sensation. | 25,227,076 | [
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New KF-PP-SVM classification method for EEG in brain-computer interfaces. | Classification methods are a crucial direction in the current study of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). To improve the classification accuracy for electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, a novel KF-PP-SVM (kernel fisher, posterior probability, and support vector machine) classification method is developed. Its detailed process entails the use of common spatial patterns to obtain features, based on which the within-class scatter is calculated. Then the scatter is added into the kernel function of a radial basis function to construct a new kernel function. This new kernel is integrated into the SVM to obtain a new classification model. Finally, the output of SVM is calculated based on posterior probability and the final recognition result is obtained. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed KF-PP-SVM method, EEG data collected from laboratory are processed with four different classification schemes (KF-PP-SVM, KF-SVM, PP-SVM, and SVM). The results showed that the overall average improvements arising from the use of the KF-PP-SVM scheme as opposed to KF-SVM, PP-SVM and SVM schemes are 2.49%, 5.83 % and 6.49 % respectively. | 25,227,081 | [
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Characterization of microbial associations in human oral microbiome. | Microorganisms interact with each other within a community. Within the same community, some microorganisms tend to co-exist, whereas some others tend to avoid each other. The association among microorganisms can be revealed by computing the correlation between their abundance patterns that are measured through metagenomic sequencing across multiple communities. In this paper, we built an association network among microorganisms from the human oral microbiome. To improve its accuracy, we adopted a network deconvolution algorithm to filter out indirect associations, and we used an ensemble of three correlation measures to filter out the false-positive associations. When applying on the metagenomic data from human oral samples, experimental results showed that phylogenetically close microorganisms formed highly correlated network clusters. Additionally, most of the identified mutually exclusive associations were related to the order Lactobacillales. | 25,227,089 | [
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Prediction of protein structure classes with flexible neural tree. | Prediction of protein structural classes is of great significance to better understand protein folding patterns. An array of methods has been proposed to predict these structures based on sequences. However, the accuracy is strongly affected by the homology of sequences. In the present study, the features based on correlation coefficient of sequence and amino acid composition are extracted. Flexible neutral tree is employed as the classification model. To examine the performance of this method, four benchmark datasets are selected. Altogether, the results show that a higher prediction accuracy of alpha/beta can be achieved by the method compared to others. | 25,227,096 | [
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Predicting the human jejunal permeability and fraction absorbed of fluoroquinolones based on a biophysical model. | The purpose of this study is to predict human jejunal permeability (P(eff)) and fraction absorbed in human (%F(a)) for a group of antibacterial fluoroquinolones (FQs), by using a biophysical model based on measured Caco-2 permeability. The predicted P(eff) (in 10(-4) cm · s(-1) units) ranged from 0.7 (norfloxacin) to 4.5 (pefloxacin). The calculated %F(a) for norfloxacin = 51% (lit. 35%) and for ciprofloxacin = 76% (lit. 81%). Most of the FQs showed calculated %F(a)>90%, and are expected to be well-absorbed. Estimates of P(eff) can be predicted by the biophysical model. From these values, the human absorption may be calculated. Where absorption comparisons were possible, the agreement was acceptably good. | 25,227,102 | [
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Protective effect and mechanism of glutaredoxin 1 on coronary arteries endothelial cells damage induced by high glucose. | In recent years, diabetes and its associated complications have become a major public health concern. The cardiovascular risk increases significantly in diabetes patients. It is a complex disease characterized by multiple metabolic derangements and is known to impair cardiac function by disrupting the balance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants at the cellular level. The subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and accompanying oxidative stress are hallmarks of the molecular mechanisms responsible for cardiovascular disease. Protein thiols act as redox-sensitive switches and are believed to be a key element in maintaining the cellular redox balance. The redox state of protein thiols is regulated by oxidative stress and redox signaling and is important to cellular functions. The potential of the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase enzymes (thioredoxin and glutaredoxin systems) in defense against oxidative stress has been noted previously. Increasing evidence demonstrates that glutaredoxin 1 (Grx1), a cytosolic enzyme responsible for the catalysis of protein deglutathionylation, plays distinct roles in inflammation and apoptosis by inducing changes in the cellular redox system. This study investigates whether and how Grx1 protects coronary artery vascular endothelial cells against high glucose (HG) induced damage. Results indicate that the activation of eNOS/NO system is regulated by Grx 1 and coupled with inhibition of JNK and NF-κB signaling pathway which could alleviate the oxidative stress and apoptosis damage in coronary arteries endothelial cells induced by HG. | 25,227,108 | [
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... |
Next-generation sequencing identifies equine cartilage and subchondral bone miRNAs and suggests their involvement in osteochondrosis physiopathology. | MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of small single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules ranging from 18 to 24 nucleotides. They negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play key roles in many biological processes, including skeletal development and cartilage maturation. In addition, miRNAs involvement in osteoarticular diseases has been proved and some of them were identified as suitable biomarkers for pathological conditions. Equine osteochondrosis (OC) is one of the most prevalent juvenile osteoarticular disorders in horses and represents a major concern for animal welfare and economic reasons. Its etiology and pathology remain controversial and biological pathways as well as molecular mechanisms involved in the physiopathology are still unclear. This study aims to investigate the potential role of miRNAs in equine osteochondrosis (OC) physiopathology.Short-read NGS technology (SOLID™, Life Technologies) was used to establish a comprehensive repertoire of miRNA expressed in either equine cartilage or subchondral bone. Undamaged cartilage and subchondral bone samples from healthy (healthy samples) and OC-affected (predisposed samples) 10-month Anglo-Arabian foals were analysed. Samples were also subjected or not to an experimental mechanical loading to evaluate the role of miRNAs in the regulation of mechano-transduction pathways. Predicted targets of annotated miRNAs were identified using miRmap. Epiphyseal cartilage and subchondral bone miRNome were defined, including about 300 new miRNAs. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between bone and cartilage from healthy and OC foals, as well as after an experimental mechanical loading. In cartilage, functional annotation of their predicted targets suggests a role in the maintenance of cartilage integrity through the control of cell cycle and differentiation, energy production and metabolism as well as extracellular matrix structure and dynamics. In bone, miRNA predicited targets were associated with osteoblasts and osteoclasts differentiation, though the regulation of energy production, vesicle transport and some growth factor signaling pathways. Taken together, our results suggest a role of miRNAs in equine OC physiopathology and in the cellular response to biomechanical stress in cartilage and bone. In silico target prediction and functional enrichment analysis provides new insight into OC molecular physiopathology. | 25,227,120 | [
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Cardiovascular Fitness and Cognitive Spatial Learning in Rodents and in Humans. | The association between cardiovascular fitness and cognitive functions in both animals and humans is intensely studied. Research in rodents shows that a higher cardiovascular fitness has beneficial effects on hippocampus-dependent spatial abilities, and the underlying mechanisms were largely teased out. Research into the impact of cardiovascular fitness on spatial learning in humans, however, is more limited, and involves mostly behavioral and imaging studies. Herein, we point out the state of the art in the field of spatial learning and cardiovascular fitness. The differences between the methodologies utilized to study spatial learning in humans and rodents are emphasized along with the neuronal basis of these tasks. Critical gaps in the study of spatial learning in the context of cardiovascular fitness between the two species are discussed. | 25,227,128 | [
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Polymeric micelles for oral drug administration enabling locoregional and systemic treatments. | Amphiphilic block copolymers are recognized components of parenteral drug nanocarriers. However, their performance in oral administration has barely been evaluated to any great extent. This review provides an overview of the methods used to prepare drug-loaded polymeric micelles and to evaluate their stability in gastrointestinal (GI) fluids, and then analyzes in detail recent in vitro and in vivo results about their performance in oral drug delivery. Oral administration of polymeric micelles has been tested for a variety of therapeutic purposes, namely, to increase apparent drug solubility in the GI fluids and facilitate absorption, to penetrate in pathological regions of the GI tract for locoregional treatment, to carry the drug directly toward the blood stream minimizing presystemic loses, and to target the drug after oral absorption to specific tissue or cells in the body. Each therapeutic purpose demands micelles with different performance regarding stability in the GI tract, ability to overcome physiological barriers and drug release patterns. Depending on the block copolymer composition and structure, a wealth of self-assembled micelles with different morphologies and stability can be prepared. Moreover, copolymer unimers can play a role in improving drug absorption through the GI mucosa, either by increasing membrane permeability to the drug and/or the carrier or by inhibiting drug efflux transporters or first-pass metabolism. Therefore, polymeric micelles can be pointed out as versatile vehicles to increase oral bioavailability of drugs that exhibit poor solubility or permeability and may even be an alternative to parenteral carriers when targeting is pursued. | 25,227,130 | [
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Heritability estimates on Hodgkin's lymphoma: a genomic- versus population-based approach. | Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influencing the risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and demonstrated the association of common genetic variation for this type of cancer. Such evidence for inherited genetic risk is also provided by the family history and the very high concordance between monozygotic twins. However, little is known about the genetic and environmental contributions. A common measure for describing the phenotypic variation due to genetics is the heritability. Using GWAS data on 906 HL cases by considering all typed SNPs simultaneously, we have calculated that the common variance explained by SNPs accounts for >35% of the total variation on the liability scale in HL (95% confidence interval 6-62%). These findings are consistent with similar heritability estimates of ∼ 0.40 (95% confidence interval 0.17-0.58) based on Swedish population data. Our estimates support the underlying polygenic basis for susceptibility to HL, and show that heritability based on the population data is somehow larger than heritability based on the genomic data because of the possibility of some missing heritability in the GWAS data. Besides that there is still major evidence for multiple loci causing HL on chromosomes other than chromosome 6 that need to be detected. Because of limited findings in prior GWASs, it seems worth checking for more loci causing susceptibility to HL. | 25,227,146 | [
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... |
Impact of Groundwater Flow and Energy Load on Multiple Borehole Heat Exchangers. | The effect of array configuration, that is, number, layout, and spacing, on the performance of multiple borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) is generally known under the assumption of fully conductive transport. The effect of groundwater flow on BHE performance is also well established, but most commonly for single BHEs. In multiple-BHE systems the effect of groundwater advection can be more complicated due to the induced thermal interference between the boreholes. To ascertain the influence of groundwater flow and borehole arrangement, this study investigates single- and multi-BHE systems of various configurations. Moreover, the influence of energy load balance is also examined. The results from corresponding cases with and without groundwater flow as well as balanced and unbalanced energy loads are cross-compared. The groundwater flux value, 10(-7) m/s, is chosen based on the findings of previous studies on groundwater flow interaction with BHEs and thermal response tests. It is observed that multi-BHE systems with balanced loads are less sensitive to array configuration attributes and groundwater flow, in the long-term. Conversely, multi-BHE systems with unbalanced loads are influenced by borehole array configuration as well as groundwater flow; these effects become more pronounced with time, unlike when the load is balanced. Groundwater flow has more influence on stabilizing loop temperatures, compared to array characteristics. Although borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) systems have a balanced energy load function, preliminary investigation on their efficiency shows a negative impact by groundwater which is due to their dependency on high temperature gradients between the boreholes and surroundings. | 25,227,154 | [
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Correction of malocclusion and oral rehabilitation in a case of amelogenesis imperfecta by insertion of dental implants followed by Le Fort I distraction osteogenesis of the edentulous atrophic maxilla. | Amelogenesis imperfecta refers a group of hereditary diseases affecting the teeth and can present a variety of clinical forms and appearances, compromising esthetic appearance. Amelogenesis imperfecta variably reduces oral health quality and can result in severe psychological problems. We present the management of an amelogenesis imperfecta Angle class III malocclusion case with speech, esthetics and functional problems. This is an example of the rarely presented delayed eruption with multiple morphologic dental alterations and edentulous maxilla.There are only a few available reports in which this method is used method to correct sagittal discrepancies in edentulous patients.Our treatment plan consisted of a preoperative diagnostic and prosthodontics phase (including preparation of guiding prosthesis), followed by a surgical phase of Le Fort I osteotomy, distraction osteogenesis to correct the malocclusion, implant insertion and a follow up final restorative phase. Our treatment strategy attempts to serve patient needs, achieving function and esthetics while also minimizing the risk of reconstruction failure. Treatment not only restored function and esthetics, but also showed a positive psychological impact and thereby improved perceived quality of life. | 25,227,161 | [
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0.06022574,
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