Method development for determination of migrated phthalate acid esters from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging into traditional Iranian drinking beverage (Doogh) samples: a novel approach of MSPE-GC/MS technique

Abstract

In the current study, a novel magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) technique combined with a gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) was developed to determine the phthalate ester content of bottled Doogh samples. Doogh is a yogurt-based drinking beverage, which is frequently consumed in Middle East and Balkans. It is produced by stirring yogurt in Chern separation machine and consists of substances such as water, yogurt, and salt in addition to aqueous extracts of native herbs. The magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-Fe₃O₄) were used as adsorbents of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) due to a superior adsorption capability of hydrophobic compounds. In this context, the quantity of the extractable migrated phthalate esters (dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-N-octyl phthalate (DNOP), and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into Doogh samples was measured. The correlation between the concentration of migrated PAEs and some factors such as the type of Doogh (gaseous and without gas), difference in brand (five brands), volume (1500 and 300 mL), and the storage time also was investigated. The migration level into Doogh samples was increased by incorporating of gas as well as increasing the volume of PET bottles. Also, with elaborating of storage time, the migration of some phthalates such as DEHP (the mean from 2419.85 ng L⁻¹ in the first week to 2716.15 ng L⁻¹ in the second month), DEP, and total phthalate was increased. However, no significant difference in concentrations of migrated phthalate esters among different examined brands was noted. Finally, the concentration of migrated PAEs from bottle into all the examined Doogh samples was below the defined standards by EPA; 6 μg/L for DEHP in drinking water.

Graphical abstract

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Assessing changes in the toxicity of effluents from intensive marine fish farms over time by using a battery of bioassays

Abstract

Although intensive marine fish farming is often assumed to be eco-friendly, the associated activity can lead to chronic exposure of marine organisms to potentially toxic discharges. Moreover, despite the increasing popularity of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), studies of the effects of fish farm effluents are almost non-existent. In the present study, the changes in the toxic potential of effluents from five land-based marine fish farms in NW Spain subjected for different lengths of time to a biodegradation procedure (for 0, 48, 120, and 240 h) were assessed in a battery of bioassays including organisms from different trophic levels (Vibrio fischeri, Isochrysis galbana, and Paracentrotus lividus). The results of the bioassays at the different times were then considered together with farm water flow in the Potential Ecotoxic Effects Probe (PEEP) index. Despite the high volumes of effluents discharged, the generally low toxicity of the effluents hinders assessment of potentially toxic effects. However, dose–response curves and statistical analysis demonstrated the existence of toxic effects during the first five days of the biodegradation procedure, especially immediately after sampling. The proposed modification of the PEEP index better reflects the changes in toxicity over time.

Graphical abstract

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Spatial variation, source identification, and quality assessment of surface water geochemical composition in the Indus River Basin, Pakistan

Abstract

The Indus River Basin (IRB) with an area of 139,202 km² is the lifeline river basin of Pakistan. An intensive study was conducted in six subcatchments of the IRB with five in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) and one of the Lower Indus Basin (LIB; between Tarbela Dam and Panjand), i.e., the Gilgit River Basin (UIB-I), Hunza River Basin (UIB-II), UIB-III, UIB-IV and UIB-V, and LIB. A total of 84 surface water samples were collected from main stream and tributaries from June to August, 2016. The pH, electric conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured in situ, whereas major ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, and NO₃⁻) and Si were analyzed in the laboratory. The results exhibited alkaline pH (8.55 ± 0.20) with diverse TDS (114.69 ± 77.65 mg L⁻¹) and ion concentrations that were characterized primarily by the Ca-Mg-HCO₃ type in the whole basin. The average TDS in the UIB and LIB were 93.99 ± 39.73 and 181.67 ± 167.82 mg L⁻¹, respectively, under the influence of the arid to semi-arid climatic conditions and relatively higher anthropogenic interference in LIB compared to the UIB. The order of dominant major cations was different in the UIB and LIB, reflecting the diverse nature of geological formation. Gibbs plot, mixing diagrams, and ionic ratios were used to identify the controlling mechanism of river geochemistry in the IRB as carbonate weathering in general with different degrees of silicate weathering and minor contribution by evaporite dissolution. In addition, principal component/factor analysis also indicated that the major sources of dissolved loads in the basin are carbonates followed by silicates. Significant influences of silicate minerals were observed in the LIB, and there was a large contribution of evaporites in the UIB-II, UIB-III, and LIB. The suitability assessment showed that the river water fits the WHO permissible limits for drinking purposes from the perspective of major ions, whereas for irrigation purposes, most of the samples exhibited excellent and good levels except for a couple of permissible and doubtful levels from the Sawan and Deratang tributaries in the LIB, which may deteriorate the quality of soil and degrade the water quality downstream.

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Mass transfer inside a flux hood for the sampling of gaseous emissions from liquid surfaces – Experimental assessment and emission rate rescaling

Publication date: April 2018
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 179
Author(s): Ademir A. Prata, Federico Lucernoni, Jane M. Santos, Laura Capelli, Selena Sironi, Nhat Le-Minh, Richard M. Stuetz
This study assesses the mass transfer of compounds inside the US EPA flux hood, one of the enclosure devices most commonly employed for the direct measurement of atmospheric emissions from liquid surfaces in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Experiments comprised the evaporation of water and the volatilisation of a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Special attention was given to the evaluation of the mass transfer coefficients in the microenvironment created by the flux hood and the effects of concentration build up in the hood's headspace. The VOCs emission rates and the water evaporation rates generally increased with the sweep air flow rate, as did the mass transfer coefficients for all compounds. The emission of compounds whose volatilisation is significantly influenced by the gas phase was greatly affected by concentration build up, whereas this effect was not significant for liquid phase-controlled compounds. The gas-film mass transfer coefficient (kG) estimated inside the US EPA flux hood was of the same order as the respective kG reported in the literature for wind tunnel-type devices, but the emission rates measured by the flux hood can be expected to be lower, due to the concentration build-up. Compared against an emission model for the passive surfaces in WWTPs, the mass transfer of acetic acid (representing a gas phase-dominated compound) inside the US EPA flux hood was equivalent to conditions of wind speeds at 10 m height (U10) of 0.27, 0.51 and 0.99 m s⁻¹, respectively, for sweep air flow rates of 2, 5 and 10 L min⁻¹. On the other hand, for higher wind speeds, the emission rates of gas phase-controlled compounds obtained with the flux hood can be considerably underestimated: for instance, at U10  = 5 m s⁻¹, the emission rates of acetic acid inside the flux hood would be approximately 23, 12 and 6 times lower than the emission rates in the field, for sweep air flow rates of 2, 5 and 10 L min⁻¹, respectively. A procedure is presented in order to scale the emission rates of these compounds measured with the flux hood to field conditions of higher winds.

Graphical abstract

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Impact of atmospheric particulate matter pollutants to IAQ of airport terminal buildings: A first field study at Tianjin Airport, China

Publication date: April 2018
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 179
Author(s): Jianlin Ren, Xiaodong Cao, Junjie Liu
Passengers usually spend hours in the airport terminal buildings waiting for their departure. During the long waiting period, ambient fine particles (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles (UFP) generated by airliners may penetrate into terminal buildings through open doors and the HVAC system. However, limited data are available on passenger exposure to particulate pollutants in terminal buildings. We conducted on-site measurements on PM2.5 and UFP concentration and the particle size distribution in the terminal building of Tianjin Airport, China during three different seasons. The results showed that the PM2.5 concentrations in the terminal building were considerably larger than the values guided by Chinese standard and WHO on all of the tested seasons, and the conditions were significantly affected by the outdoor air (Spearman test, p < 0.01). The indoor/outdoor PM2.5 ratios (I/O) ranged from 0.67 to 0.84 in the arrival hall and 0.79 to 0.96 in the departure hall. The particle number concentration in the terminal building presented a bi-modal size distribution, with one mode being at 30 nm and another mode at 100 nm. These results were totally different from the size distribution measured in a normal urban environment. The total UFP exposure during the whole waiting period (including in the terminal building and airliner cabin) of a passenger is approximately equivalent to 11 h of exposure to normal urban environments. This study is expected to contribute to the improvement of indoor air quality and health of passengers in airport terminal buildings.

Graphical abstract

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A Rare Syndrome with Eye, Skin and Brain Abnormalities

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pediatric Neurology
Author(s): Marcelis Annelien, Verstraete Lieve




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Obituary: Arnold P. Gold, Md

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pediatric Neurology
Author(s): Nigel S. Bamford, Darryl C. De Vivo




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Non-Interventional, Multicenter Bicontact® E PMCF Study

Conditions:   Degenerative Osteoarthritis;   Rheumatoid Arthritis;   Femoral Neck Fractures;   Femoral Head Avascular Necrosis
Intervention:  
Sponsor:   Aesculap AG
Recruiting

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Hyoscine Butylbromide Effect on Duration of Labor

Condition:   Labor
Interventions:   Drug: Hyoscine Butylbromide 20Mg/1mL Injection;   Drug: Saline Solution
Sponsors:   Saint Thomas Hospital, Panama;   Sistema Nacional de Investigadores de Panamá
Not yet recruiting

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Scholar : These new articles for Creative Industries Journal are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Creative Industries Journal and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Editorial Performances in Space Graeme Harper Pages: 1-2 | DOI: 10.1080/17510694.2018.1440926 Browse this free access collection on Communication, Media and Culture in Asia: http://bit.ly/cmc-in-asia To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for The American Journal of Family Therapy are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for The American Journal of Family Therapy and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Sexual Scripts and Narrative Therapy with Older Couples Bertranna Muruthi Ph.D., Megan McCoy Ph.D., Jessica Chou Ph.D. & Andrea Farnham MS Pages: 1-15 | DOI: 10.1080/01926187.2018.1428129 2018 Future Directions Forum JOIN US at the 2018 Future Directions Forum for Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology - June 15-16, 2018 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : Philosophical Magazine, Volume 98, Issue 10, April 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Philosophical Magazine, Volume 98, Issue 10, April 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Part A: Materials Science New insights into microstructural evolution of epitaxial Ni–Mn–Ga films on MgO (1 0 0) substrate by high-resolution X-ray diffraction and orientation imaging investigations Amit Sharma, Sangeneni Mohan & Satyam Suwas Pages: 819-847 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1418094 On the modified grain-size-distribution method to evaluate the dynamic recrystallisation fraction in AISI 304 stainless steel D. H. Hong & J. K. Park Pages: 848-863 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1418095 Finite element modelling of creep cavity filling by solute diffusion | C. D. Versteylen, N. K. Szymański, M. H. F. Sluiter & N. H. van Dijk Pages: 864-877 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1418097 Morphology of single Shockley-type stacking faults generated by recombination enhanced dislocation glide in 4H–SiC Hirofumi Matsuhata & Takashi Sekiguchi Pages: 878-898 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2017.1418540 Part B: Condensed Matter Physics Effect of conduction band parabolicity on the spectrum and binding energy of a hydrogenic impurity in GaAs spherical quantum dots Li-Li Wang, Ni Chen, Song Bin, Yun-Hai Mo, Lian-Lian Ma, Guang-Lin He, Zhi-Hai Zhang & Jian-Hui Yuan Pages: 899-910 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2018.1425009 Browse articles in this special issue on: 'Advancements in Civil and Structural Engineering' To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

GEOCHEMISTRY ARTICLES – December 2017

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Organic Geochemistry





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Scholar : Atlantic Journal of Communication, Volume 26, Issue 2, April-June 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Atlantic Journal of Communication, Volume 26, Issue 2, April-June 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. Intergroup Communication This new issue contains the following articles: Original Articles Intersections of Intergroup Communication Research Lauren Keblusek, Howard Giles, Anne Maass & Antonis Gardikiotis Pages: 75-85 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2018.1432618 The Emergence, Convergence, and Resurgence of Intergroup Communication Theory in Computer-Mediated Communication Joseph B. Walther Pages: 86-97 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2018.1432616 Voice and Prejudice: The Social Costs of Auditory Gaydar Fabio Fasoli & Anne Maass Pages: 98-110 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2018.1432617 Self-Uncertainty, Leadership Preference, and Communication of Social Identity Michael A. Hogg Pages: 111-121 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2018.1432619 Toward a Communication Model of Intergroup Interdependence Matt Giles, Rachyl Pines, Howard Giles & Antonis Gardikiotis Pages: 122-130 | DOI: 10.1080/15456870.2018.1432222 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Letter Letter from the Editorial Team Pages: 1-1 | DOI: 10.1080/17467586.2018.1435999 Routledge Psychology 2017 sponsor of BPS #PsychCrunch podcasts. Access 25 journal articles: http://bit.ly/psychcrunch2017 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for Aphasiology are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Aphasiology and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Factors that influence Australian speech-language pathologists' self-reported uptake of aphasia rehabilitation recommendations from clinical practice guidelines Laura Young, Kirstine Shrubsole, Linda Worrall & Emma Power Pages: 1-20 | DOI: 10.1080/02687038.2018.1443201 Routledge Psychology 2017 sponsor of BPS #PsychCrunch podcasts. Access 25 journal articles: http://bit.ly/psychcrunch2017 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

What Can Immunologists Learn from Systems Approaches?

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Trends in Immunology





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Editorial Board

Publication date: 30 March 2018
Source:Journal of Proteomics, Volume 176





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Advancing translational research and precision medicine with targeted proteomics

Publication date: Available online 22 February 2018
Source:Journal of Proteomics
Author(s): Anuli Christiana Uzozie, Ruedi Aebersold
Remarkable advances in quantitative mass spectrometry have shifted the focus of proteomics from the characterization of protein expression profiles to detailed investigations on the spatial and temporal organization of the proteome. Demands for precision therapy and personalized medicine are challenged by heterogeneity in the larger population, which have led to drawbacks in biomarker performance and therapeutic efficacy. The consistent adaptation of the cellular proteome in response to distinctive signals defines a phenotype. Acquisition of quantitative multi-layered omics data on multiple individuals over defined time scales has made it possible to establish means to probe the extent to which the genome, transcriptome and environment influence the variability of the proteome in given conditions, over time. Comprehensive, reproducible datasets generated with contemporary quantitative, massively parallel, targeted proteomic approaches offer as yet untapped benefits for biomarker discovery, development, and validation. The objective of this review is to recapitulate on advances in targeted proteomics approaches for quantifying the cellular proteome and to address ways to incorporate these data towards improving present day methodologies for biomarker evaluation and precision medicine.SignificanceAdvances in quantitative mass spectrometry have shifted the focus of proteomics from the characterization of protein expression profiles to detailed investigations on the spatial and temporal organization of the proteome. This review expounds on avenues through which targeted proteomic methodologies can be constructively implemented in translational research and precision medicine to overcome existing challenges that hinder the success of protein biomarkers in clinics, and to develop precise therapeutics for future applications.

Graphical abstract

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Indeterminate cell histiocytosis in a Chinese patient with florid and extensive nodular lesions and mixed intermediate cell and macrophage-monocyte bilineage

Indeterminate cell histiocytosis (ICH) is an extremely rare cutaneous neoplastic disorder. It has the immunophenotypic features of both Langerhans and non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. We report here a case of a healthy young Chinese woman who presented with disfiguring thick, infiltrated cutaneous nodules on the face, trunk and extremities which appeared progressively over a period of 4 years. No systemic involvement has been detected so far. Results of a skin biopsy showed diffuse dermal infiltration of histiocytoid cells with indented nuclei and positive staining for S100 and CD1a and negativity for CD207 (langerin). Admixed within were some CD68-positive foamy histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells with focal positivity for CD163. Though the clinical presentation is more typical of progressive nodular histiocytosis, the histology and immunoprofile is consistent with ICH. Our report adds to the limited case reports in the current literature of ICH in the Chinese population.

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Scholar : New articles have been published for Journal of Natural History, Volume 52, Issue 7-8

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content The following articles have been newly published in the issue Journal of Natural History, Volume 52, Issue 7-8 on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Effects of different ant species on the attendance of neighbouring hemipteran colonies and the outcomes for the host plant Andréa Andrade Vilela, Kleber Del-Claro Pages: 415-428 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1432774 The issue is in progress. To view all articles already published in this issue, please visit: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tnah20/52/7-8 Hoping to have your article read by anyone, anywhere and at any time? Find out more about publishing open access with Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. You can also unsubscribe from this alert with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

3D-3-culture: A tool to unveil macrophage plasticity in the tumour microenvironment

Publication date: May 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 163
Author(s): Sofia P. Rebelo, Catarina Pinto, Tatiana R. Martins, Nathalie Harrer, Marta F. Estrada, Pablo Loza-Alvarez, José Cabeçadas, Paula M. Alves, Emilio J. Gualda, Wolfgang Sommergruber, Catarina Brito
The tumour microenvironment (TME) shapes disease progression and influences therapeutic response. Most aggressive solid tumours have high levels of myeloid cell infiltration, namely tumour associated macrophages (TAM). Recapitulation of the interaction between the different cellular players of the TME, along with the extracellular matrix (ECM), is critical for understanding the mechanisms underlying disease progression. This particularly holds true for prediction of therapeutic response(s) to standard therapies and interrogation of efficacy of TME-targeting agents. In this work, we explored a culture platform based on alginate microencapsulation and stirred culture systems to develop the 3D-3-culture, which entails the co-culture of tumour cell spheroids of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) and monocytes. We demonstrate that the 3D-3-culture recreates an invasive and immunosuppressive TME, with accumulation of cytokines/chemokines (IL4, IL10, IL13, CCL22, CCL24, CXCL1), ECM elements (collagen type I, IV and fibronectin) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP1/9), supporting cell migration and promoting cell-cell interactions within the alginate microcapsules. Importantly, we show that both the monocytic cell line THP-1 and peripheral blood-derived monocytes infiltrate the tumour tissue and transpolarize into an M2-like macrophage phenotype expressing CD68, CD163 and CD206, resembling the TAM phenotype in NSCLC. The 3D-3-culture was challenged with chemo- and immunotherapeutic agents and the response to therapy was assessed in each cellular component. Specifically, the macrophage phenotype was modulated upon treatment with the CSF1R inhibitor BLZ945, resulting in a decrease of the M2-like macrophages. In conclusion, the crosstalk between the ECM and tumour, stromal and immune cells in microencapsulated 3D-3-culture promotes the activation of monocytes into TAM, mimicking aggressive tumour stages. The 3D-3-culture constitutes a novel tool to study tumour-immune interaction and macrophage plasticity in response to external stimuli, such as chemotherapeutic and immunomodulatory drugs.



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Analysis of Eicosanoid Oxidation Products in Alzheimer Brain by LC-MS with Uniformly 13C-Labeled Internal Standards

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Ran Furman, Jin V. Lee, Paul H. Axelsen
The quantitative analysis of polyunsaturated fatty acyl (PUFA) chain oxidation products in tissue samples by mass spectrometry is hindered by the lack of durable internal standards for the large number of possible products. To address this problem in a study of oxidative PUFA degradation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, uniformly ¹³C-labeled arachidonic acid (ARA) was produced biosynthetically, and allowed to oxidize under controlled conditions into a mixture of U-¹³C-labeled ARA oxidation products. The components of this mixture were characterized with respect to their partitioning behavior during lipid extraction, their durability during saponification, trends in mouse brain tissue concentrations during post mortem intervals, and their overall suitability as internal standards for multiple-reaction monitoring tandem mass spectrometry. This mixture has now been used as a set of internal standards to determine the relative abundance of ARA and 54 non-stereospecific oxidation products in milligram samples of brain tissue. Many of these oxidation products were recovered from both healthy mouse and healthy human brain, although some of them were unique to each source, and some have not heretofore been described. The list of oxidation products detected in AD brain tissue was the same as in healthy human brain, although simple hydroxy-eicosanoids were significantly increased in AD brain. while more complex oxidation products were not. These results are consistent with an increased level of chemically-mediated oxidative ARA degradation in Alzheimer's disease. However, they also point to the existence of processes that selectively produce or eliminate specific oxidation products, and those processes may account for some of the inconsistencies in previously reported results.

Graphical abstract

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Pathways crossing mammalian and plant sulfenomic landscapes

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Jingjing Huang, Patrick Willems, Frank Van Breusegem, Joris Messens
Reactive oxygen species (ROS), and especially hydrogen peroxide, are potent signaling molecules that activate cellular defense responses. Hydrogen peroxide can provoke reversible and irreversible oxidative posttranslational modifications on cysteine residues of proteins that act in diverse signaling circuits. The initial oxidation product of cysteine, sulfenic acid, has emerged as a biologically relevant posttranslational modification, because it is the primary sulfur oxygen modification that precedes divergent series of additional adaptations. In this review, we focus on the functional consequences of sulfenylation for both mammalian and plant proteins. Furthermore, we created compendia of sulfenylated proteins in human and plants based on mass spectrometry experiments, thereby defining the current plant and human sulfenomes. To assess the evolutionary conservation of sulfenylation, the sulfenomes of human and plants were compared based on protein homology. In total, 185 human sulfenylated proteins showed homology to sulfenylated plant proteins and the conserved sulfenylation targets participated in specific biological pathways and metabolic processes. Comprehensive functional studies of sulfenylation remains a future challenge, with multiple candidates suggested by mass spectrometry awaiting scrutinization.

Graphical abstract

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Follow-up with computed tomography after spontaneous isolated dissection of the splanchnic artery

Publication date: November–December 2018
Source:Clinical Imaging, Volume 52
Author(s): Won Jeong Park, Jung Wook Seo
The aim of this study was to evaluate radiological changes after spontaneous isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SIDSMA) and spontaneous isolated dissection of the celiac artery (SIDCA) using computed tomography (CT). This single-center retrospective study was approved by the hospital institutional review board. We reviewed the medical records and morphological CT findings of 33 consecutive patients with SIDSMA or SIDCA who were diagnosed between January 2001 and February 2016. We analyzed changes on follow-up CT images including length of the dissection, presence of a thrombus in the false lumen, maximal outer diameter, degree of luminal stenosis, patency of distal flow, and end-organ injury. We classified short-term (within the first week) and long-term (between the first week and sixth month) follow-up groups and analyzed differences in radiological changes over time using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (continuous variables) and Fisher exact probability tests (categorical variables). Additionally, we examined patients who completed follow-up CT within 3 days after symptomatic changes. Comparing initial and final CT findings, a majority of patients with SIDSMA and SIDCA showed no significant changes in most CT parameters, including dissection length, thrombus presence, dissection diameter, stenosis degree, and extended distal branch. Between the short-term and long-term CT follow-up groups, there were no significant differences in radiological changes except for in the degree of luminal stenosis at the dissected segment in SIDSMA (P = 0.043). Only 10 patients completed follow-up CT within 3 days after symptomatic changes (progression or regression); of these, 1 patient had radiological findings that matched symptom progression, showing an increase in the degree of luminal stenosis and end-organ injury. There was no splanchnic artery dissection-related mortality, symptom progression, or event recurrence. In conclusion, CT follow-up of SIDSMA and SIDCA was mainly useful in the acute phase of dissection, with no significant radiological changes occurring in the long term. Accordingly, we question the utility of long-term follow-up CT after spontaneous isolated arterial dissection, especially in the absence of symptom progression.



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Editorial Board

Publication date: April 2018
Source:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Volume 47





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Multiple perineuriomatous melanocytic nevi

Perineuriomatous differentiation in solitary cutaneous melanocytic nevi has been described. We present a possibly unique case of a patient with multiple such perineuriomatous nevi. This presentation raises the possibility of a germline mutation may be responsible for the pathogenesis of these unusual lesions.

http://ift.tt/2FmAejZ

Granulomatous and lichenoid Dermatitis after IgG4 anti-PD-1 Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Advanced Cancer

Nivolumab is a fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody directed against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). PD-1 inhibition allows T-cell activation and recruitment to destroy cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors have shown significant survival advantage and relatively low side effects in comparison with conventional chemotherapy in several types of advanced cancer. Granulomatous cutaneous reactions have been reported showing sarcoidal and panniculitic morphology. Here we present a case of drug-induced lichenoid and granulomatous dermatitis after checkpoint inhibitor therapy observed in a 63-year-old male treated with nivolumab for advanced glioblastoma. This morphology has not been previously reported. We documented a high number of CD8+ T cells within the lesions. Additionally, we review the side effects observed with the use of checkpoint inhibitors with special focus on cutaneous manifestations.

http://ift.tt/2GzcZCn

Nerve alterations showing autophagy in two patients with lichen aureus

Lichen aureus is a rare, chronic, persistent purpuric dermatosis clinically characterised by striking yellow- to bronze-colored lesions. Histologically, lichen aureus differs from other pigmented purpuric dermatoses in containing dense, band-like infiltrates closely associated with the epidermis. This report describes two patients with lichen aureus, a 20-year-old woman with a lesion on her right arm and a 51-year-old man with a lesion on the right side of his groin. Skin biopsy specimens revealed almost identical findings in both patients, including dense band-like infiltrates containing lymphocytes, histiocytes with hemosiderin deposits scattered extravasated red blood cells and nerve alterations at the dermo-epidermal interface. The nerves within the lesions were filled with granules, which stained positive with antibody to microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3, suggesting autophagy within the nerves. These altered nerves were present only in areas of band-like dermal lymphocytic infiltration. Electron microscopy of the lesions showed the accumulation of autophagosomes in Schwann cells. To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe nerve alterations showing autophagy in patients with lichen aureus.

http://ift.tt/2HBzVSZ

An unusual clinical presentation of myxoid dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with a prominent vasculature: a potential pitfall in the diagnosis of myxoid soft tissue tumors

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare soft tissue tumor that arises primarily on the trunk and extremities but seldom on the scalp. Several variants of DFSP have been described, including myxoid DFSP. Although typical DFSP may have focally myxoid areas, myxoid DFSP, in which most of the stroma is myxoid, is rare and can pose diagnostic challenges. Here, we report a case of myxoid DFSP with an unusual clinical presentation that could have been mistaken for a lipoma. Additionally, the myxoid DFSP displayed prominent vasculature in a myxoid stroma, which could have been mistaken for a myxoid liposarcoma.

http://ift.tt/2GA18UB

Immunopanning Purification and Culture of Retinal Ganglion Cells from Mouse

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Lijun Fang, Tianwen Huang, Catherine Tsilfidis




http://ift.tt/2ohiW01

Designing GABA-Edited Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Studies: Considerations of Scan Duration, Signal-To-Noise Ratio and Sample Size

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Mark Mikkelsen, Rachelle S. Loo, Nicolaas A.J. Puts, Richard A.E. Edden, Ashley D. Harris
BackgroundThe relationships between scan duration, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and sample size must be considered and understood to design optimal GABA-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies.New methodSimulations investigated the effects of signal averaging on SNR, measurement error and group-level variance against a known ground truth. Relative root mean square errors (measurement error) and coefficients of variation (group-level variance) were calculated. GABA-edited data from 18 participants acquired from five voxels were used to examine the relationships between scan duration, SNR and quantitative outcomes in vivo. These relationships were then used to determine the sample sizes required to observe different effect sizes.ResultsIn both simulated and in vivo data, SNR increased with the square root of the number of averages. Both measurement error and group-level variance were shown to follow an inverse-square-root function, indicating no significant impact of cumulative artifacts. Comparisons between the first two-thirds of the data and the full dataset showed no statistical difference in group-level variance. There was, however, some variability across the five voxels depending on SNR, which impacted the sample sizes needed to detect group differences in specific brain regions.Comparison with Existing methodsTypical scan durations can be reduced if taking into account a statistically acceptable amount of variance and the magnitudes of predicted effects.ConclusionsWhile scan duration in GABA-edited MRS has typically been considered in terms of SNR, it is more appropriate to think in terms of the amount of measurement error and group-level variance that provides sufficient statistical power.



http://ift.tt/2ohipv3

High Frequency Oscillations in Epileptic Rodents: Are We Doing It Right?

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Maxime Lévesque, Siyan Wang, Jean Gotman, Massimo Avoli
BackgroundThe detection of high-frequency oscillations (HFOs, ripples: 80–200 Hz, fast ripples: 250–500 Hz) is often based on considering ripples or fast ripples in isolation; overlapping ripples and fast ripples are excluded from further analysis. Here, we studied overlapping HFOs during spontaneous seizures in pilocarpine-treated animals.New methodSpontaneous seizures (n = 6 animals) presented with either hypersynchronous- (HYP, n = 18) or low-voltage fast-onset (LVF, n = 21) pattern. Ripples and fast ripples overlapping by more than 30% were analysed.ResultsOverlapping HFOs could show a unimodal power spectrum between 80 to 500 Hz (n = 188, 58.9%) or a bimodal power spectrum, with peaks in power between 80–200 Hz and between 250–500 Hz (n = 131, 41.1%,). Overlapping HFOs occurred at higher rates during HYP seizures compared to the pre-ictal period in seizure onset zones (p < 0.001) and regions of secondary spread (p < 0.001). When comparing HYP and LVF seizures, we found that overlapping HFOs occurred at higher rates before LVF seizures (p < 0.05) compared to HYP seizures but, during the ictal period, HYP seizures showed higher rates of overlapping HFOs than LVF seizures (p < 0.001).Comparison with existing methodsWe have analysed overlapping ripples and fast ripples shortly before and during seizures.ConclusionsAlthough overlapping ripples and fast ripples represent a minority of HFOs, they may provide additional information on the excitability of neuronal networks that generate seizures in animal models and patients presenting with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.



http://ift.tt/2opORe3

Expressional analysis of APLNR, an essential gene for cancer immunotherapy, in colon and prostate cancers

Publication date: Available online 22 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Nam Jin Yoo, Min Sung Kim, Ju Hwa Lee, Chang Hyeok An, Sug Hyung Lee




http://ift.tt/2omRDRi

The degree of overlap between the follicular dendritic cell meshwork and tumor cells in mantle cell lymphoma is associated with prognosis

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Weihua Hou, Ping Wei, Jianlan Xie, Yuanyuan Zheng, Yanlin Zhang, Xiaoge Zhou
This study concerning mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) investigated retrospectively an association between patient prognosis and the percentage of the total number of lymphoma cells found in the follicular dendritic cell (FDC) meshwork, that is, the degree of overlap of lymphoma cells. Two hundred and nine MCL patients were apportioned to grades I–III, in which the CD21-positive FDC meshwork covered ≤50%, 51%-89%, and ≥90% of the tumor area, respectively. Significant differences among the grades (all, P < 0.01) were found in the following: duration of disease (from onset of clinical manifestation to diagnosis); clinical staging; extranodal involvement (non-lymphoid organs); histological subtype; and Ki-67 proliferation index (PI). After removing the aggressive variants, the overall survival rates of grade I (n = 92) and II (n = 57) patients were similar. The overall survival rates of grade III (n = 46) patients differed from that of grade I + II patients (P < 0.01). The grades negatively correlated with the Ki-67 PI value (r = −0.234, P = 0.001). At each grade the OSR of patients with Ki-67 PI ≤30% was similar to that of patients with Ki-67 >30%. In the Ki-67 PI ≤30% group, the OSRs of the patients differed significantly among the grades. In the Ki-67 >30% group the OSRs of the grades were similar. The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the degree of overlap, age and Ki-67 PI was the independent prognostic factors of the OSRs of MCL patients. Our data suggests that MCL patients in whom there was a high degree of overlap between the FDC meshwork and tumor area have a better clinical prognosis. The degree of overlap correlates well with the Ki-67 PI, which can be used to predict the prognosis of patients.



http://ift.tt/2EK5xYV

Intradepartmental Consultations in Surgical Pathology: Review of a Standardized Process and Factors Influencing Consultation Rates and Practices in an Academic and Community Hospital Setting

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Emily A. Goebel, Helen Ettler, Joanna C. Walsh
Intradepartmental consultations (ICs) are important for quality assurance (QA) and ensuring diagnostic accuracy in surgical pathology. Few studies have reviewed pathologist factors that influence IC rates. Our study reviews IC data and factors that influence both formal (written) and informal (verbal) consultation practices among pathologists in academic and community hospital settings. Formal IC records from the academic hospital were collected and academic and community pathologists were invited to complete a survey about their IC practices. All centers had a formalized process for documenting ICs; however, 92% of academic and 90% of community pathologists also requested informal IC. The top reasons for selecting a particular colleague for IC was perceived level of expertise; however, interpersonal relationships and office proximity had a greater impact on informal IC practice. Top reasons for requesting a formal IC were mandatory (subspecialty defined) consultation and uncertainty regarding pathological findings. Advice on wording was a common reason for informal IC. Written documentation of IC aids in QA and determination of IC metrics; however, informal, undocumented ICs still occur. Reasons for IC and choice of consulting pathologist are multifactorial, and identifying these can help target quality improvement initiatives.



http://ift.tt/2BKOJOO

Bex1 attenuates neuronal apoptosis in rat intracerebral hemorrhage model

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Mingqing He, Yueju Wang, Jiabing Shen, Chengwei Duan, Xiang Lu, Jianzhong Li
Brain expressed x-linked gene 1 (Bex1) which is at high levels in several populations of central nervous system (CNS) neurons, belongs to a family of small proteins of unknown function, playing roles as adaptors or modulators of intracellular signaling pathways. But its distribution and function in CNS remains unclear. Neuronal apoptosis is the major pathogenesis in secondary brain injury of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). In this study, the roles of Bex1 were explored in the pathophysiology of ICH. Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence showed that obvious up-regulation of Bex1 in neurons adjacent to the hematoma after ICH. Furthermore, the increase of Bex1 expression was accompanied by the enhanced expression of Bax and active caspase-3, and decreased expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) following ICH. The in vitro study using Bex1 siRNA transfection in hemin-exposed PC12 cells suggested that Bex1 exerted anti-apoptotic function. Therefore, Bex1 may play the neuronal anti-apoptosis role following ICH, implying a novel molecular target for the therapy of ICH.



http://ift.tt/2Cccdxk

Protective effects of Schisandrin on high glucose-induced changes of RhoA and eNOS activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Rong-Jin Zhang, Hui-Yao Hao, Qing-Juan Liu, Hong-Ye Zuo, Ying-Na Chang, Zhong-Ji Zhi, Peng-Peng Guo, Yong-Mei Hao
Schisandrin, derived from the Chinese medicinal herb Schisandra chinensis, has been found to confer protective effects on circulation systems. But the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a high level of glucose on RhoA and eNOS activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) and how Schisandrin plays a role in mediating these effects. To find the optimal treatment time, HUVECs were cultured at a high glucose concentration (30 mM) for different lengths of time (0, 12, 24, and 48 hours). Subsequently, the cells were randomized into five groups: a normal group, a high glucose group, and three high glucose groups that were given different doses (5, 10, and 20 μM) of Schisandrin. The cells were pretreated with Schisandrin for 24 hours before stimulation with high glucose. The morphology of HUVECs in the various groups was assessed under a light microscope. Immunocytochemical staining was used to detect the level of p-MYPT1 expression. The levels of RhoA activity were determined using the RhoA Activation Assay Biochem Kit. The levels of eNOS activity were examined using a nitrate reduction test. The results showed that in the high glucose group, the activity of RhoA was increased and the activity of eNOS was reduced, thus decreasing the secretion of NO. However, after pretreatment with Schisandrin (10, 20 μM), the activity of RhoA was inhibited and the activity of eNOS increased, which led to an increase in NO production compared with the high glucose group. There was no evident difference between the 5 μM Schisandrin group and the high glucose group. Taken together, these findings indicate that Schisandrin can improve the function of endothelial cells by lowering the activity of RhoA/Rho kinase and raising both the activity of eNOS and the production of NO.



http://ift.tt/2BIdevJ

Role of upregulated miR-136-5p in lung adenocarcinoma: a study of 1242 samples utilizing bioinformatics analysis

Publication date: Available online 22 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Tian-tian Li, Xiang Gao, Li Gao, Bin-liang Gan, Zu-cheng Xie, Jing-jing Zeng, Gang Chen
BackgroundIt is generally acknowledged that miRNAs play pivotal roles in the initiation and development of cancer. The aim of the current study is to investigate the clinicopathological role of miR-136-5p in lung adenocarcinoma and its underlying molecular mechanism.Materials and methodsData of a cohort of 1242 samples were provided by the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas to evaluate miR-136-5p expression in lung adenocarcinoma. A comprehensive meta-analysis integrating the expression data from all sources was performed, followed by a summary receiver operating curve plotted to appraise the upregulated expression of miR-136-5p in lung adenocarcinoma. Candidate targets of miR-136-5p were launched by the intersection of differentially expressed genes in The Cancer Genome Atlas and genes predicted by 12 web-based platforms. Then, hub genes were illustrated by a protein-protein interaction network. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Gene Ontology and Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships analyses of potential target genes were carried out via bioinformatics tools.ResultsMiR-136-5p expression was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma versus normal tissues (standard mean difference = 0.43, 95% confidence interval: 0.27-0.58). The summary receiver operating characteristic curve further verified the upregulation of miR-136-5p in lung adenocarcinoma (area under curve = 0.7459). A total of 311 candidate target genes of miR-136-5p were gathered to create a protein-protein interaction network. Molecular mechanism analysis unveiled the potential miR-136-5p target genes participated in cell adhesion molecules, focal adhesion, complement and coagulation cascades and blood coagulation.ConclusionMiR-136-5p is overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma and is involved in the molecular mechanism of lung adenocarcinoma via suppressing the expressions of downstream targets, especially claudin-18, sialophorin and syndecan 2 that participate in cell adhesion.



http://ift.tt/2EKNUrR

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor induces angiogenin secretion and nuclear translocation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Ayako Mori, Yusuke Nishioka, Mai Yamada, Yuka Nishibata, Sakiko Masuda, Utano Tomaru, Naoyuki Honma, Takanori Moriyama, Akihiro Ishizu
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a well-known humoral protein that induces growth of neurons. Recent studies have suggested that BDNF could act as an angiogenesis inducer similar to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Angiogenin is a strong mediator of angiogenesis. It has particular characteristics both as a secreted protein and a transcription factor. After being incorporated into the cytoplasm, angiogenin is immediately transferred to the nucleus and then mediates the angiogenic effects of angiogenesis inducers, including VEGF. The aim of this study is to determine the association between BDNF and angiogenin. At first, we determined the secretion of angiogenin from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) induced by BDNF with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Next, we determined BDNF-induced nuclear translocation of angiogenin by immunofluorescent staining. In addition, we examined the mRNA expression of angiogenin in HUVEC before and after BDNF stimulation by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. As a result, we noted that BDNF induced angiogenin secretion and nuclear translocation without an increase in the mRNA expression in HUVEC. Furthermore, we demonstrated that BDNF-induced HUVEC proliferation was significantly suppressed when neomycin, a specific inhibitor of nuclear translocation of angiogenin, was administered. These findings indicate that nuclear translocation of angiogenin is critically involved in BDNF-induced proliferation of HUVEC. In conclusion, angiogenin contributes to angiogenesis induced by BDNF.



http://ift.tt/2oszhyz

Local delievery of thalidomide to inhibit neointima formation in rat model with artery injury

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Shougang Sun, Quan Zhang, Qiongying Wang, Qiang Wu, Guangli Xu, Peng Chang, Hao Hu, Feng Bai
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of local administration of thalidomide on neointimal formation after balloon-induced carotid artery injury in rats.MethodsForty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 16): Sham operation group (group A), alone operation group (group B) and Thalidomide group (group C). The carotid arteries of group B and group C were injured by a conventional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) balloon catheter. Group C was treated by local delivery of thalidomide, and group B did not receive thalidomide. The arteries of group A were not injured. Seven and 14 days after balloon injury, rats were sacrificed. Serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Neointima area, lumen area, macrophage infiltration and local expression of VEGF were measured using morphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine VEGF mRNA expression.ResultsThe VEGF levels were significantly increased in group B than in group C at 7 days (4.82 ± 0.17 pg/ml vs 0.98 ± 0.1 pg/mL, P < 0.01) and 14 days (6.3 ± 0.16 pg/ml vs 1.03 ± 0.09 pg/mL, P < 0.01). The TNF-α levels were also significantly increased in group B than in group C at 7 days (83 ± 1.01 pg/mL vs 76.37 ± 0.75 pg/mL, P < 0.01) and 14 days (84.06 ± 1.11 pg/mL vs 78.46 ± 0.94 pg/mL, P < 0.01). However, the area of neointimal formation was significantly reduced in group C than in group B at 14 days (0.07± 0.01 mm² vs 0.12± 0.04 mm², P < 0.01). Macrophage infiltration and local expression of VEGF in the injured arteries were significantly reduced in group C than in group B at 14 days. VEGF mRNA expression was significantly reduced in Group C than in group B at 14 days (6.3 ± 0.16 vs 1.02 ± 0.1, P < 0.01).ConclusionsThalidomide, which is a specific VEGF inhibitor, significantly inhibited neointimal hyperplasia and vascular restenosis after balloon injury to the carotid artery in rats, thus potentially providing a novel method for the prevention and treatment of restenosis, especially in-stent restenosis.



http://ift.tt/2EGtMqG

Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase and B7-H1 expressions as prognostic and follow-up markers in human pancreatic carcinoma

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Liancai Wang, Qingyong Ma, Deyu Li, Senmao Mu, Yong Li, Yafeng Wang, Pengfei Shi, Haibo Yu, Chunhui Gao, Kun Guo, Zhuoli Zhang
This study was to test hypotheses that indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase and B7-H1 expressions can be used as prognostic markers in human pancreatic carcinoma (PC). Ninety-five patients were recruited who had undergone radical surgical resection for PC. IDO and B7-H1 expressions in PC tissue specimens were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques. The clinical and pathological features of these specimens were analyzed.IDO positive, B7-H1 positive, and combined IDO/B7-H1 positive tumors exhibited significant correlations with lymphocytic infiltration, perineural invasion, TNM status, and pathologic grade (p < 0.05), which tended to show strong correlations with malignant progression of PC. Also, IDO correlated with diabetes mellitus (DM) and HAD scale and B7-H1 correlated with smoke (p < 0.05). In addition, the correlation analysis indicated that IDO had a positive correlation with B7-H1 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the results showed that a combination of IDO and B7-H1 expressions could serve as independent prognostic marker after adjusting by Cox proportional hazards regression models (p < 0.05). IDO and B7-H1 expressions were observed in patient with PC tissues and are important markers for PC malignant progression. A combination of IDO and B7-H1 expression can be served as an independent prognostic marker for PC.



http://ift.tt/2opguUx

Detection of the DICER1 hotspot mutation alongside immunohistochemical analysis may provide a better diagnostic measure for ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Xiaobo Zhang, Danhua Shen, Ying Wang
BackgroundTo evaluate the clinicopathological and histopathological characteristics of ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs) in relation to differential diagnosis, and patient prognosis.MethodsA review of clinical data, pathological morphology and immunohistochemical analysis of SLCTs were performed in 18 SLCTs patients. The DICER1 gene mutation was assessed in eight cases that were obtained from in-house surgical resections.ResultsAmong 18 SLCTs patients, three cases had well-differentiated tumors, 8 cases had moderately-differentiated tumors, and the remaining 7 cases had poorly-differentiated tumors. Among the moderately-differentiated tumors, three cases occurred coincidently with other diseases – one case occurred with endometrial carcinoma (grade I), and two cases with endometrial carcinoma of the ovary (grade 2 and grade 3). Immunohistochemical staining for α-inhibin, calretinin, and FOXL2 was positive in all the biopsies tested. The intensity of staining varied depending on the percentage of Sertoli cells and the primitive gonad interstitial composition. DICER1 mutations were detected in three of eight cases that were evaluated and were significantly more in low age range patients (P < 0.05). The initial symptoms of these three cases were sexual changes and elevation of androgen levels. The follow-up time in this study ranged from 3 to 87 months with the mean follow-up time of 29.1 months. Prognosis was generally favorable. There was no recurrence or metastasis in any patient, except for one case with recurrence of endometrial carcinoma.ConclusionThe clinical presentation of SLCTs can be both varied and complex. Pathological examination is imperative for both diagnostic and prognostic grading. Immunohistochemical stain of α-inhibin, FOXL2, and calretinin and genetic testing for DICER1 mutations will be more potent for differential diagnosis.



http://ift.tt/2CdhSDi

MicroRNA-30d/JAG1 axis modulates pulmonary fibrosis through Notch signaling pathway

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Silin Zhao, Xuefei Xiao, Shuang Sun, Da Li, Wei Wang, Yan Fu, Fuyuan Fan
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a fibroproliferative disease which can finally end up fatal lung failure. PF is characterized by abnormal proliferation of fibroblast, dysregulated fibroblast differentiation to myofibroblast and disorganized collagen and extracellular matrix (ECM) production, deposition and degradation. JAG1/Notch signaling has been reported to play a key role in tissue fibrosis including PF. Herein, we confirmed the abnormal upregulation of JAG1 mRNA expression and protein levels in PF tissue specimens; JAG1 knockdown reduced TGF-β1-induced α-SMA and Collagen I protein levels. From the aspect of miRNA regulation, we searched for candidate miRNAs which might target JAG1 to inhibit its expression. Among the selected miRNAs, miR-30d expression was downregulated in PF tissues; miR-30d overexpression attenuated TGF-β1-induced primary normal human lung fibroblast (NHLF) proliferation, as well as α-SMA and Collagen I protein levels. Through directly binding to the 3′-UTR of JAG1, miR-30d significantly inhibited JAG1 mRNA expression and protein level. Furthermore, JAG1 overexpression partially reversed the effect of miR-30d on NHLF proliferation and α-SMA and Collagen I proteins upon TGF-β1 stimulation; miR-30d could suppress TGF-β1 function on NHLFs through blocking JAG1/Notch signaling. Rescuing miR-30d expression to suppress TGF-β1-induced activation of JAG1/Notch signaling may present a promising strategy for PF treatment.



http://ift.tt/2opgow9

Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) in gastric cancer tissues is positively associated with poorer prognosis

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2018
Source:Pathology - Research and Practice
Author(s): Zhen-ye Lv, Zhong-Sheng Zhao, Zai-Yuan Ye, Yuan-Yu Wang, Hui-Ju Wang, Qiong Yang
BackgroundThe present study examined the clinical significance of metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) in the progression and patient survival of gastric cancer.MethodsParaffin-embedded resected tissues of gastric cancer mucosa (n = 436) and adjacent normal mucosa (n = 92) were assessed immunohistochemically for MTA1 protein, and scored according to the percentage of cells positively stained for MTA1 combined with stain intensity. Associations between MTA1 staining scores and clinicopathological factors, including survival time, were evaluated.ResultsThe staining scores for MTA1 were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in matched normal tissues. MTA1 scores positively correlated with tumor size, depth of invasion, presence of lymph node metastasis, lymphatic involvement, venous invasion, distal metastasis, and advanced clinical staging. Patients with high MTA1 scores in gastric cancer tissues had a significantly lower five-year survival rate compared with patients with low MTA1 scores. The multivariate analysis indicated that MTA1 protein levels in resected gastric cancer tissues, as reflected by immunohistochemical staining, are an independent prognostic index of gastric carcinoma (P < 0.01).ConclusionMTA1 immunopositivity was significantly associated with progression of gastric cancer, and may be helpful in gastric cancer prognosis.



http://ift.tt/2ELA2xG

Corrigendum to “Hippocampus and amygdala volumes from magnetic resonance images in children: Assessing accuracy of FreeSurfer and FSL against manual segmentation”[NeuroImage 129 (2016) 1–14]

Publication date: June 2018
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 173
Author(s): Dorothee Schoemaker, Claudia Buss, Kevin Head, Curt A. Sandman, Elysia P. Davis, M. Mallar Chakravarty, Serge Gauthier, Jens C. Pruessner




http://ift.tt/2EMqGNK

Editorial-ozone and plant life: the Italian state-of-the-art

http://ift.tt/2FlRfe1

Biological responses of aquatic organisms and assessment water contamination and ecotoxicity

http://ift.tt/2CAyIrm

Directed Interaction Between Monkey Premotor and Posterior Parietal Cortex During Motor-Goal Retrieval from Working Memory

Abstract

Goal-directed behavior requires cognitive control of action, putatively by means of frontal-lobe impact on posterior brain areas. We investigated frontoparietal directed interaction (DI) in monkeys during memory-guided rule-based reaches, to test if DI supports motor-goal selection or working memory (WM) processes. We computed DI between the parietal reach region (PRR) and dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) with a Granger-causality measure of intracortical local field potentials (LFP). LFP mostly in the beta (12–32 Hz) and low-frequency (f≤10Hz) ranges contributed to DI. During movement withholding, beta-band activity in PRR had a Granger-causal effect on PMd independent of WM content. Complementary, low-frequency PMd activity had a transient Granger-causing effect on PRR specifically during WM retrieval of spatial motor goals, while no DI was associated with preliminary motor-goal selection. Our results support the idea that premotor and posterior parietal cortices interact functionally to achieve cognitive control during goal-directed behavior, in particular, that frontal-to-parietal interaction occurs during retrieval of motor-goal information from spatial WM.

http://ift.tt/2EKuzXL

Subset of Cortical Layer 6b Neurons Selectively Innervates Higher Order Thalamic Nuclei in Mice

Abstract

The thalamus receives input from 3 distinct cortical layers, but input from only 2 of these has been well characterized. We therefore investigated whether the third input, derived from layer 6b, is more similar to the projections from layer 6a or layer 5. We studied the projections of a restricted population of deep layer 6 cells ("layer 6b cells") taking advantage of the transgenic mouse Tg(Drd1a-cre)FK164Gsat/Mmucd (Drd1a-Cre), that selectively expresses Cre-recombinase in a subpopulation of layer 6b neurons across the entire cortical mantle. At P8, 18% of layer 6b neurons are labeled with Drd1a-Cre::tdTomato in somatosensory cortex (SS), and some co-express known layer 6b markers. Using Cre-dependent viral tracing, we identified topographical projections to higher order thalamic nuclei. VGluT1+ synapses formed by labeled layer 6b projections were found in posterior thalamic nucleus (Po) but not in the (pre)thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). The lack of TRN collaterals was confirmed with single-cell tracing from SS. Transmission electron microscopy comparison of terminal varicosities from layer 5 and layer 6b axons in Po showed that L6b varicosities are markedly smaller and simpler than the majority from L5. Our results suggest that L6b projections to the thalamus are distinct from both L5 and L6a projections.

http://ift.tt/2CAJ2Qe

Age-dependent skin texture analysis and evaluation using mobile camera image

Abstract

Background/Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate skin condition, expensive equipment is required, continuous skin care is difficult. Therefore, we obtain the skin image using mobile camera, and propose a new algorithm that easily and simply extracts skin features.

Methods

We analyze skin features, extracting the wrinkle length, cell area, and the number of cells. To get accurate skin features, we obtain a new skin binary image, and apply Watershed segmentation to it. So, we improve the accuracy of skin analysis. Therefore, we compare and analyze the degree of matching distribution of wrinkles, the shape of the cell, etc., using similarity between the ground truth and the proposed algorithm result image.

Results

We extract skin surface features using a mobile camera image, and verify the change in skin features with age. Also, we demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm through the similarity between the ground truth and proposed result image.

Conclusion

The proposed method in this study shows that the skin surface can be quantitatively evaluated by the similarity with ground truth. We also propose a method to diagnose and manage individual skin condition using a mobile camera in real life.

http://ift.tt/2BGA7Qq