Editorial Board

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Acta Histochemica, Volume 120, Issue 5





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Changes in mucins and matrix metalloproteases in the endometrium of early pregnant alpacas (Vicugna pacos)

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Acta Histochemica, Volume 120, Issue 5
Author(s): Daniela E. Barraza, Renato Zampini, Silvana A. Apichela, Joel I. Pacheco, Martin E. Argañaraz
South American Camelids (SAC) have unique reproductive features, one of which is that 98% of the pregnancies develop in the left uterine horn. Furthermore, early pregnancy is an uncharacterized process in these species, especially in regard to the ultrastructural, biochemical and genetic changes that the uterine epithelial surface undergoes to allow embryo implantation. The present study describes the uterine horn luminal surface and the characteristics of the mucinous glycocalyx in non-pregnant and early pregnant (15 days) female alpacas. In addition, the relative abundance of Mucin 1 and 16 genes (MUC1 and MUC16) was determined, as well as the relative mRNA abundance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that could be involved in MUC shedding during early pregnancy. Noticeable changes were detected in the uterine luminal epithelium and glycocalyx of pregnant alpacas in comparison to non-pregnant ones, as well as presence of MUCs and MMPs in the endometrial environment. The decrease in glycocalyx staining and in the relative abundance of MUC 1 and MUC 16 transcripts in pregnant females would allow embryo attachment to the luminal epithelium and its subsequent implantation, as has been described in other mammals. These results suggest a crucial role of MUC1 and MUC16 and a possible role of MMPs in successful embryo implantation and survival in alpacas.



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Anatomical, histological and immunohistochemical study of testicular development in Columba livia (Aves: Columbiformes)

Publication date: July 2018
Source:Acta Histochemica, Volume 120, Issue 5
Author(s): G.B. Olea, M.V. Aguirre, D.M. Lombardo
In this work, testicular ontogeny is analyzed at the anatomical, histological and immunohistochemical levels; the latter through the detection of GnRHR and PCNA in the testicles of embryos, neonates and juveniles of Columba livia. We analyzed 150 embryos, 25 neonates and 5 juveniles by means of observations under a stereoscopic magnifying glass and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The histological analysis was performed using hematoxylin-eosin staining techniques and the PAS reaction. For the immunohistochemical analysis, the expression of GnRHR and PCNA in embryos corresponding to stages 41, 43 and in neonates of 2, 5, 7 and 75 days post-hatch was revealed in testicular histological preparations. That gonadal outline is evident in stage 18. In stage 29, the testes are constituted of a medulla in which the PGCs are surrounded by the Sertoli cells, constituting the seminiferous tubules. From stage 37 a greater organization of the tubules is visualized and at the time of hatching the testicle is constituted of the closed seminiferous tubules, formed of the PGCs and Sertoli cells. The Leydig cells are evident outside the tubules. In the juvenile stages, the differentiation of germline cells and the organization of small vessels that irrigate the developing testicle begin to be visible. In the analyzed stages, the immunodetection of the GnRHR receptor and PCNA revealed specific marking in the plasma membrane and in the perinuclear zone for GnRHR and in the nucleus of the germline cells in juvenile testicles for PCNA. These results can be used as a basis for further study of endocrine regulation events during testicular ontogeny in avian species.



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Second primary malignancies after high-dose-rate 60Co photon or 252Cf neutron brachytherapy in conjunction with external-beam radiotherapy for endometrial cancer

Publication date: Available online 9 June 2018
Source:Brachytherapy
Author(s): Ernestas Janulionis, Vitalija Samerdokiene, Konstantinas Povilas Valuckas, Vydmantas Atkocius, Mark J. Rivard
PurposeSecond primary malignancies (SPMs) may occur in organs after radiotherapy (RT). This study aimed to determine the rate and distribution of SPMs for photon- or neutron-emitting radiotherapy sources for patients treated for primary endometrial cancer.Methods and MaterialsThe cohort comprised 426 patients with 5334 patient-years of observation. Patients were treated by different methods of RT from 1990 to 2000. Patients received postoperative ⁶⁰Co external-beam radiotherapy (43.4%), external-beam radiotherapy + high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary brachytherapy with ⁶⁰Co or ²⁵²Cf (42.3%), or HDR intracavitary brachytherapy alone with ⁶⁰Co or ²⁵²Cf (14.3%).ResultsOver a 25-year period, 47 SPMs were observed (21 for HDR ⁶⁰Co and 26 for HDR ²⁵²Cf). SPMs were observed for 13 patients in the high-intermediate risk group for each radiation source. Patients treated with ⁶⁰Co developed SPMs in the urinary tract (1.2%) and in lymphoid/hematopoietic tissues (1.2%). Only three SPM cases (0.7%) were observed in digestive tract. In comparison, the patient group treated with ²⁵²Cf developed SPMs in the digestive tract (1.4%) with the majority in the colon (1.2%), urinary tract (0.9%) primarily the kidneys, and vulva (0.7%). All other SPMs (4.9%) were in the low-risk group. Of these, SPMs in the skin were most prevalent (1.6%) for ⁶⁰Co, and breast (1.6%) for ²⁵²Cf, but believed to be caused by factors other than treatment. SPM incidence in the digestive and urinary tracts were similar (2.1%), regardless of radiation source.ConclusionsFor followup at 25 years, 47 SPMs were observed with no differences in the high-intermediate risk group depending on the RT source.



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The detection of brucellosis antibody in whole serum based on the low-fouling electrochemical immunosensor fabricated with magnetic Fe3O4@Au@PEG@HA nanoparticles

Publication date: 15 October 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 117
Author(s): Shuli Lv, Jinliang Sheng, Shiyi Zhao, Mingchao Liu, Lihua Chen
It is a novel competitive challenge for electrochemical biosensor to directly, rapidly and ultrasensitively detect the disease markers in the whole serum due to biofouling caused by the complexity of actual samples. In this paper, poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hyaluronic acid (HA) were utilized to modify Fe3O4 @Au nanoparticles (NPs). Based on the successfully preparation and characterization of Fe3O4 @Au@PEG@HA NPs with TEM, SEM, XRD, FTIR and EDS, respectively, a novel immunosensor of brucellosis with high selectivity, sensitivity and almost perfect protein-resistant properties in various external environments, especially, in complex biological systems was fabricated. More importantly, this immunosensor is capable of assaying brucellosis antibody in 100% serum without suffering from any significant biological interference. In addition, a wide linear response range from 10^–15 g mL⁻¹ to 10^–11 g mL⁻¹ towards antibody in 100% serum and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.36 fg mL⁻¹ (3σ, n = 13) are demonstrated, which indicates that this immunosensor has a promising potential in clinical diagnosis.



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KRAS: Reasons for optimism in lung cancer

Publication date: August 2018
Source:European Journal of Cancer, Volume 99
Author(s): C.R. Lindsay, M. Jamal-Hanjani, M. Forster, F. Blackhall
Despite being the most frequent gain-of-function genetic alteration in human cancer, KRAS mutation has to date offered only limited potential as a prognostic and predictive biomarker. Results from the phase III SELECT-1 trial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) recently added to a number of historical and more contemporary disappointments in targeting KRAS mutant disease, including farnesyl transferase inhibition and synthetic lethality partners such as STK33. This narrative review uses the context of these previous failures to demonstrate how the knowledge gained from these experiences can be used as a platform for exciting advances in NSCLC on the horizon. It now seems clear that mutational subtype (most commonly G12C) of individual mutations is of greater relevance than the categorical evaluation of KRAS mutation presence or otherwise. A number of direct small molecules targeted to these subtypes are in development and have shown promising biological activity, with some in the late stages of preclinical validation.



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Independent effects of age and levodopa on reversal learning in healthy volunteers

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 69
Author(s): Andrew Vo, Ken N. Seergobin, Penny A. MacDonald
The dopamine overdose hypothesis has provided an important theoretical framework for understanding cognition in Parkinson's disease. It posits that effects of dopaminergic therapy on cognition in Parkinson's disease depend on baseline dopamine levels in brain regions that support different functions. Although functions performed by more severely dopamine-depleted brain regions improve with medication, those associated with less dopamine deficient areas are actually worsened. It is presumed that medication-related worsening of cognition owes to dopamine overdose. We investigated whether age-related changes in baseline dopamine levels would modulate effects of dopaminergic therapy on reward learning in healthy volunteers. In a double-blind, crossover design, healthy younger and older adults completed a probabilistic reversal learning task after treatment with 100/25 mg of levodopa/carbidopa versus placebo. Older adults learned more poorly than younger adults at baseline, being more likely to shift responses after misleading punishment. Levodopa worsened stimulus-reward learning relative to placebo to the same extent in both groups, irrespective of differences in baseline performance and expected dopamine levels. When order effects were eliminated, levodopa induced response shifts after reward more often than placebo. Our results reveal independent deleterious effects of age group and exogenous dopamine on reward learning, suggesting a more complex scenario than predicted by the dopamine overdose hypothesis.



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Functional networks underlying item and source memory: shared and distinct network components and age-related differences

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 69
Author(s): Zachary A. Monge, Matthew L. Stanley, Benjamin R. Geib, Simon W. Davis, Roberto Cabeza
Although the medial temporal lobes (MTLs) are critical for both item memory (IM) and source memory (SM), the lateral prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex play a greater role during SM than IM. It is unclear, however, how these differences translate into shared and distinct IM versus SM network components and how these network components vary with age. Within a sample of younger adults (YAs; n = 15, Mage = 19.5 years) and older adults (OAs; n = 40, Mage = 68.6 years), we investigated the functional networks underlying IM and SM. Before functional MRI scanning, participants encoded nouns while making either pleasantness or size judgments. During functional MRI scanning, participants completed IM and SM retrieval tasks. We found that MTL nodes were similarly interconnected among each other during both IM and SM (shared network components) but maintained more intermodule connections during SM (distinct network components). Also, during SM, OAs (compared to YAs) had MTL nodes with more widespread connections. These findings provide a novel viewpoint on neural mechanism differences underlying IM versus SM in YAs and OAs.

Graphical abstract

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Data on modeling of nexus between entrepreneurs׳ commitment and business performance in a developing country

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Data in Brief, Volume 19
Author(s): Ayoade Omisade, Ogunnaike Olaleke, Adegbuyi Omotayo, Kehinde Oladele, Iyiola Oluwole, Lawal Fatai, Onakoya Femi
This article presents data that examined the modeling of nexus between entrepreneurs׳ commitment and business performance in a developing country. 315 copies of questionnaire were retrieved from 400 copies that were administered to Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) Southwest chapters which comprised of six states. In addition to descriptive analysis of part of the data, correlation and regression analysis were used to present the data through structural equation model (SEM). The SEM path analysis shows the estimates of the interconnectedness of the major constructs in the data.



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Data regarding talent management practices and innovation performance of academic staff in a technology-driven private university

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Data in Brief, Volume 19
Author(s): Odunayo Salau, Adewale Osibanjo, Anthonia Adeniji, Olumuyiwa Oludayo, Hezekiah Falola, Ebeguki Igbinoba, Opeyemi Ogueyungbo
The article presented an integrated data on talent management practices and innovation performance of academic staff in a technology-driven private university in Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative approach with a survey research design to establish the major determinants of talent management practices. The population of this study included academic staff and the use of questionnaire was adopted to elicit from the study population. Data was analysed with the use of structural equation modelling and the field data set is made widely accessible to enable critical or a more comprehensive investigation. The findings identified talent development and retention strategies as predictors for facilitating innovation performance in the sample University. It was recommended that management of the sampled university will consistently need to adopt reliable range of strategies to attract and retain people for excellence performance.



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Targeted inhibition of Axl receptor tyrosine kinase ameliorates anti-GBM-induced lupus-like nephritis

Publication date: Available online 9 June 2018
Source:Journal of Autoimmunity
Author(s): Yuxuan Zhen, Iris J. Lee, Fred D. Finkelman, Wen-Hai Shao
Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a typical lesion in autoantibody and immune complex disorders, including SLE. Because the Gas6/Axl pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many types of GN, targeting this pathway might ameliorate GN. Consequently, we have studied the efficacy and mechanism of R428, a potent selective Axl inhibitor, in the prevention of experimental anti-GBM nephritis. Axl upregulation was investigated with Sp1/3 siRNA in the SV40-transformed mesangial cells. For Axl inhibition, a daily dose of R428 (125 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered orally. GN was induced with anti-GBM sera. Renal disease development was followed by serial blood urine nitrogen (BUN) determinations and by evaluation of kidney histology at the time of sacrifice. Axl-associated signaling proteins were analyzed by Western blotting and inflammatory cytokine secretion was analyzed by Proteome array. SiRNA data revealed the transcription factor Sp1 to be an important regulator of mesangial Axl expression. Anti-GBM serum induced severe nephritis with azotemia, protein casts and necrotic cell death. R428 treatment diminished renal Axl expression and improved kidney function, with significantly decreased BUN and glomerular proliferation. R428 treatment inhibited Axl and significantly decreased Akt phosphorylation and renal inflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression; similar effects were observed in anti-GBM antiserum-treated Axl-KO mice. These studies support a role for Axl inhibition in glomerulonephritis.



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Frequent HPV-independent p16/INK4A overexpression in head and neck cancer

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Oral Oncology, Volume 83
Author(s): Matt Lechner, Ankur R. Chakravarthy, Vonn Walter, Liam Masterson, Andrew Feber, Amrita Jay, Paul M. Weinberger, Richard A. McIndoe, Cillian T. Forde, Kerry Chester, Nicholas Kalavrezos, Paul O'Flynn, Martin Forster, Terry M. Jones, Francis M. Vaz, D. Neil Hayes, Tim R. Fenton
Objectivesp16^INK4A (p16) is the most widely used clinical biomarker for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). HPV is a favourable prognostic marker in HNSCC and is used for patient stratification. While p16 is a relatively accurate marker for HPV within the oropharynx, recent reports suggest it may be unsuitable for use in other HNSCC subsites, where a smaller proportion of tumors are HPV-driven.Materials and methodsWe integrated reverse phase protein array (RPPA) data for p16 with HPV status based on detection of viral transcripts by RNA-seq in a set of 210 HNSCCs profiled by The Cancer Genome Atlas project. Samples were queried for alterations in CDKN2A, and other pathway genes to investigate possible drivers of p16 expression.ResultsWhile p16 levels as measured by RPPA were significantly different by HPV status, there were multiple HPV (−) samples with similar expression levels of p16 to HPV (+) samples, particularly at non-oropharyngeal subsites. In many cases, p16 overexpression in HPV (−) tumors could not be explained by mutation or amplification of CDKN2A or by RB1 mutation. Instead, we observed enrichment for inactivating mutations in the histone H3 lysine 36 methyltransferase, NSD1 in HPV (−)/p16-high tumors.ConclusionsRPPA data suggest high p16 protein expression in many HPV (−) non-oropharyngeal HNSCCs, limiting its potential utility as an HPV biomarker outside of the oropharynx. HPV-independent overexpression of wild-type p16 in non-oropharyngeal HNSCC may be linked to global deregulation of chromatin state by inactivating mutations in NSD1.



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Transcriptional control of long-range cortical projections

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Current Opinion in Neurobiology, Volume 53
Author(s): Annalisa Paolino, Laura R Fenlon, Rodrigo Suárez, Linda J Richards
Long-range projection neurons of the neocortex form the major tracts of the mammalian brain and are crucial for sensory-motor, associative and executive functions. Development of such circuits involves neuronal proliferation, specification and migration, as well as axonal elongation, navigation and targeting, where growing axons encounter multiple guidance cues and integrate these signals to execute guidance decisions. The complexity of axon guidance mechanisms in the formation of long-range neuronal projections has suggested that they might be under control of transcription factors, which are DNA-binding proteins that regulate the expression of downstream genes. Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the control of axon guidance by transcriptional regulation, as well as future directions for the elucidation of the mechanisms and pathological relevance of this process.



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Does Virtual Reality Increase Emotional Engagement During Exposure for PTSD? Subjective Distress During Prolonged and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Publication date: Available online 8 June 2018
Source:Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Author(s): Greg M. Reger, Derek Smolenski, Aaron Norr, Andrea Katz, Benjamin Buck, Barbara O. Rothbaum
Prolonged exposure (PE) is a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on emotional processing theory. According to this theory, emotional engagement during imaginal exposure is critical to clinical outcome. One rationale for virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) is the ability of trauma-relevant, multi-sensory stimuli to increase emotional engagement. This study compared the subjective distress of active duty soldiers (N = 108) during exposure via PE or VRE. Soldiers with higher mean or peak distress during the first imaginal exposure had higher baseline PTSD symptom severity. There was no difference between groups on average or peak distress during imaginal exposure at the first or final exposure session. There were no significant differences in between-session habituation observed between VRE and PE groups. However, each ten-point decrease in SUDS scores, either mean or peak, from the initiation of imaginal exposure to the end of treatment, was associated with a greater decrease in CAPS-W scores for both groups. There were no group differences in these trajectories or the magnitude of the association between distress/habituation, and PTSD symptoms. Future research on VRE should measure patient ratings of engagement during exposure to better understand which patients are aided by this innovative approach to treatment.



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Editorial Board

Publication date: July–August 2018
Source:Journal of Communication Disorders, Volume 74





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Feasibility of using computer simulation to predict the postoperative outcome of the minimally invasive Nuss procedure: Simulation prediction vs. postoperative clinical observation

The Nuss procedure is the most minimally invasive and commonly used surgical correction for pectus excavatum (PE) by using a pre-bent pectus bar to elevate the deformed chest wall. However, there exist some complications such as postoperative pain as well as surgical uncertainties due to human judgement. It is therefore important to understand the biomechanical effect of the pectus bar on PE thoraces undergoing an operation to alleviate the postoperative pain as well as to improve surgical outcome.

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Should Planned/Desired Pregnancy be Considered an Absolute Contraindication to Breast Reconstruction with Free Abdominal Flaps? A Retrospective Case Series and Systematic Review

Autologous breast reconstruction is considered by many to be the gold standard reconstructive modality following mastectomy. Despite the advantages of autologous reconstruction, however, surgeons have been cautious in recommending this approach to patients who desire to becoming pregnant postoperatively due to concerns related to abdominal wall morbidity. While intuitive, this approach does not appear to be based on robust data. Hence, the authors examined the clinical outcome in patients who became pregnant following autologous breast reconstruction.

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Long-Distance Care of Face Transplant Recipients in the United States

Promising aesthetic and functional outcomes in facial transplantation have fueled the interest of patients and providers alike. However, there are currently only 11 active face transplant centers in the United States, and only five have accumulated operative experience to date, resulting in an extremely unbalanced geographical distribution of providers. Since face transplant recipients must receive life-long follow-up, this presents unique challenges for face transplant candidates and provider teams, as long-distance travel may add considerable difficulty to pre- and post-transplant care.

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“Immediate breast reconstruction with a Wise pattern mastectomy and NAC-sparing McKissock vertical bipedicle dermal flap”

Preservation of the nipple-areola complex (NAC) in immediate reconstruction of ptotic and large breasts is surgically challenging. This article presents a modification of the inferior dermal flap ("dermal sling") to a vertical bipedicle flap with NAC preservation. The flap is well described in breast reductions, but has never been described in a mastectomy setting. The study reviews data for a case series of 17 breasts in 11 women who were reconstructed with the new technique. The complication rate was 12 percent and the vertical bipedicle NAC-sparing flap has to be considered a feasible option in women with ptotic and/or large breasts.

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Risk factors for developing capsular contracture in women after breast implant surgery A systematic review of the literature

Capsular contracture is the most frequent complication in breast augmentation or reconstruction with breast implants. The exact mechanism for this complication is not completely understood. Yet, it is most likely to be a multifactorial condition. Several patient-, as well as surgery-, and implant-specific risk factors have been related to cause capsular contracture. This review aims to provide a clear overview of all risk factors for capsular contracture.

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