Viruses, Vol. 8, Pages 139: Deletion of A44L, A46R and C12L Vaccinia Virus Genes from the MVA Genome Improved the Vector Immunogenicity by Modifying the Innate Immune Response Generating Enhanced and Optimized Specific T-Cell Responses

MVA is an attenuated vector that still retains immunomodulatory genes. We have previously reported its optimization after deleting the C12L gene, coding for the IL-18 binding-protein. Here, we analyzed the immunogenicity of MVA vectors harboring the simultaneous deletion of A44L, related to steroid synthesis and A46R, a TLR-signaling inhibitor (MVAΔA44L-A46R); or also including a deletion of C12L (MVAΔC12L/ΔA44L-A46R). The absence of biological activities of the deleted genes in the MVA vectors was demonstrated. Adaptive T-cell responses against VACV epitopes, evaluated in spleen and draining lymph-nodes of C57Bl/6 mice at acute/memory phases, were of higher magnitude in those animals that received deleted MVAs compared to MVAwt. MVAΔC12L/ΔA44L-A46R generated cellular specific memory responses of higher quality characterized by bifunctionality (CD107a/b+/IFN-γ+) and proliferation capacity. Deletion of selected genes from MVA generated innate immune responses with higher levels of determining cytokines related to T-cell response generation, such as IL-12, IFN-γ, as well as IL-1β and IFN-β. This study describes for the first time that simultaneous deletion of the A44L, A46R and C12L genes from MVA improved its immunogenicity by enhancing the host adaptive and innate immune responses, suggesting that this approach comprises an appropriate strategy to increase the MVA vaccine potential.

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Monitoring Drug-Lipid Membrane Interactions via Molecular Rotor Probe

Analyst, 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6AN00721J, Paper

Qinqin Xu, Tao Zhao, Zhihua Sun
Molecular rotors are fluorescent molecules with a viscosity-sensitive fluorescence quantum yield that are often used to measure viscosity changes in biological membranes. Herein, we report the use of a lipophilic...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Preventing cancer with lifestyle counseling

- Jennifer Middleton, MD, MPH

You may have heard about a study examining the correlation among lifestyle habits and cancer that has been making headlines in both the medical and lay press this past week; the researchers found that individuals who met their criteria of a "healthy lifestyle pattern" had significantly lower risk of developing multiple types of cancers. This finding should further bolster our efforts to provide lifestyle counseling to our patients.

The study researchers examined data from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), both large U.S. population cohorts. The NHS has been following female nurses since 1976, and the HPFS has been following male health professionals since 1986. Both cohorts are composed of entirely white individuals. The researchers divided each cohort into two groups: those enrollees who met 4 criteria for a "healthy lifestyle pattern" (never smoked or less than 5 pack-years of smoking, no or moderate alcohol intake, BMI between 18 and 27.5, and at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week and/or 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week) and everyone else, that is, those who did not meet all 4 criteria and therefore fell into the "high risk group." Since they assumed that even the high risk group might still follow healthier behaviors compared to the general population, given that the cohort enrollees all worked in the health professions, they also compared their findings against the U.S. white population as a whole.

The researchers included most cancers in their analyses but excluded skin, brain, lymphatic, and hematopoietic cancers ("because these cancers likely have other strong environmental causes"), along with non-fatal prostate cancers ("given the concern for overdiagnosis...by prostate-specific antigen screening"). 18.5% of the women fell into the healthy lifestyle group, compared to 25.3% for men. 4.6% of the women in the healthy lifestyle group developed cancer compared to 6.2% of women in the high risk group and 7.9% of women in the general US white population; 2.8% of the men in the healthy lifestyle group developed cancer compared to 4.3% in the high risk group and 7.6% in the general US white population. The risk of mortality from cancer follows a similar trend for both genders. The numbers that have been widely quoted in the media in the last week, the population attributable risk, suggests a 20-40% lower cancer incidence and an approximately 50% lower cancer mortality rate among the healthy lifestyle groups compared to the high risk groups. It's not necessarily unreasonable to extrapolate these results to non-white populations, but hopefully future studies will include a more diverse population.

It's important to remember that cohort studies can demonstrate an association or correlation between risk factors and disease, but they cannot definitively prove causation in and of themselves. Regardless of this caveat, the media coverage of this study (which rarely seems to include this point) may still spur more patients to discuss lifestyle counseling with us. The current issue of AFP reviews the recent United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations regarding tobacco smoking cessation, which serves as a good reminder that even brief behavioral interventions can help our patients quit smoking. Physicians and their staff can maximize the efficacy of behavioral interventions by providing them repeatedly, since the intensity of counseling does correlate with quit rates. Providing nicotine replacement therapy is also an effective option for helping patients quit.

Many patients may already connect tobacco use with an increased risk for cancers, but I suspect few relate excessive alcohol use, obesity, and/or lack of exercise to an increased cancer risk. Discussing this study's findings with patients may help encourage lifestyle changes, since fear of developing cancer generally ranks quite high among our patients' health concerns. Here are some recent AFP articles that provide additional information regarding counseling for excessive alcohol use, obesity, and exercise. For more in-depth reading, check out the AFP By Topics on Alcohol Abuse and Dependence, Obesity, and Health Maintenance and Counseling.



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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 748: A Review of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications

The application of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to civil engineering structures has been a developing studied and practiced topic, that has allowed for a better understanding of structures' conditions and increasingly lead to a more cost-effective management of those infrastructures. In this field, the use of fiber optic sensors has been studied, discussed and practiced with encouraging results. The possibility of understanding and monitor the distributed behavior of extensive stretches of critical structures it's an enormous advantage that distributed fiber optic sensing provides to SHM systems. In the past decade, several R & D studies have been performed with the goal of improving the knowledge and developing new techniques associated with the application of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) in order to widen the range of applications of these sensors and also to obtain more correct and reliable data. This paper presents, after a brief introduction to the theoretical background of DOFS, the latest developments related with the improvement of these products by presenting a wide range of laboratory experiments as well as an extended review of their diverse applications in civil engineering structures.

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Remote Sensing, Vol. 8, Pages 436: Hierarchical Coding Vectors for Scene Level Land-Use Classification

Land-use classification from remote sensing images has become an important but challenging task. This paper proposes Hierarchical Coding Vectors (HCV), a novel representation based on hierarchically coding structures, for scene level land-use classification. We stack multiple Bag of Visual Words (BOVW) coding layers and one Fisher coding layer to develop the hierarchical feature learning structure. In BOVW coding layers, we extract local descriptors from a geographical image with densely sampled interest points, and encode them using soft assignment (SA). The Fisher coding layer encodes those semi-local features with Fisher vectors (FV) and aggregates them to develop a final global representation. The graphical semantic information is refined by feeding the output of one layer into the next computation layer. HCV describes the geographical images through a high-level representation of richer semantic information by using a hierarchical coding structure. The experimental results on the 21-Class Land Use (LU) and RSSCN7 image databases indicate the effectiveness of the proposed HCV. Combined with the standard FV, our method (FV + HCV) achieves superior performance compared to the state-of-the-art methods on the two databases, obtaining the average classification accuracy of 91.5% on the LU database and 86.4% on the RSSCN7 database.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 752: An Improved Measurement Method for the Strength of Radiation of Reflective Beam in an Industrial Optical Sensor Based on Laser Displacement Meter

An optical sensor such as a laser range finder (LRF) or laser displacement meter (LDM) uses reflected and returned laser beam from a target. The optical sensor has been mainly used to measure the distance between a launch position and the target. However, optical sensor based LRF and LDM have numerous and various errors such as statistical errors, drift errors, cyclic errors, alignment errors and slope errors. Among these errors, an alignment error that contains measurement error for the strength of radiation of returned laser beam from the target is the most serious error in industrial optical sensors. It is caused by the dependence of the measurement offset upon the strength of radiation of returned beam incident upon the focusing lens from the target. In this paper, in order to solve these problems, we propose a novel method for the measurement of the output of direct current (DC) voltage that is proportional to the strength of radiation of returned laser beam in the received avalanche photo diode (APD) circuit. We implemented a measuring circuit that is able to provide an exact measurement of reflected laser beam. By using the proposed method, we can measure the intensity or strength of radiation of laser beam in real time and with a high degree of precision.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 791: Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarkers in Biliary Tract Cancers

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of highly aggressive malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. The current diagnosis is based mainly on imaging and intraoperative exploration due to brush cytology havinga low sensitivity and the standard markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate 19-9 (CA19-9), not having enough sensitivity nor specificity to be used in a differential diagnosis and early stage detection. Thus, better non-invasive methods that can distinguish between normal and pathological tissue are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of ~20–22 nucleotides that regulate relevant physiological mechanisms and can also be involved in carcinogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are detectable in multiple body fluids, showing great stability, either free or trapped in circulating microvesicles, such as exosomes. miRNAs are ideal biomarkers that may be used in screening and prognosis in biliary tract cancers, aiding also in the clinical decisions at different stages of cancer treatment. This review highlights the progress in the analysis of circulating miRNAs in serum, plasma and bile as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers of BTCs.

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Computers, Vol. 5, Pages 9: Video over DSL with LDGM Codes for Interactive Applications

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network access is subject to error bursts, which, for interactive video, can introduce unacceptable latencies if video packets need to be re-sent. If the video packets are protected against errors with Forward Error Correction (FEC), calculation of the application-layer channel codes themselves may also introduce additional latency. This paper proposes Low-Density Generator Matrix (LDGM) codes rather than other popular codes because they are more suitable for interactive video streaming, not only for their computational simplicity but also for their licensing advantage. The paper demonstrates that a reduction of up to 4 dB in video distortion is achievable with LDGM Application Layer (AL) FEC. In addition, an extension to the LDGM scheme is demonstrated, which works by rearranging the columns of the parity check matrix so as to make it even more resilient to burst errors. Telemedicine and video conferencing are typical target applications.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 792: A Novel Technique to Detect EGFR Mutations in Lung Cancer

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations occur in multiple human cancers; therefore, the detection of EGFR mutations could lead to early cancer diagnosis. This study describes a novel EGFR mutation detection technique. Compared to direct DNA sequencing detection methods, this method is based on allele-specific amplification (ASA), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), peptide nucleic acid (PNA), and SYBR Green I (SYBR), referred to as the AS-RPA-PNA-SYBR (ARPS) system. The principle of this technique is based on three continuous steps: ASA or ASA combined with PNA to prevent non-target sequence amplification (even single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs), the rapid amplification advantage of RPA, and appropriate SYBR Green I detection (the samples harboring EGFR mutations show a green signal). Using this method, the EGFR 19Del(2) mutation was detected in 5 min, while the EGFR L858R mutation was detected in 10 min. In this study, the detection of EGFR mutations in clinical samples using the ARPS system was compatible with that determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing methods. Thus, this newly developed methodology that uses the ARPS system with appropriate primer sets is a rapid, reliable, and practical way to assess EGFR mutations in clinical samples.

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Remote Sensing, Vol. 8, Pages 435: Impact of Satellite Remote Sensing Data on Simulations of Coastal Circulation and Hypoxia on the Louisiana Continental Shelf

We estimated surface salinity flux and solar penetration from satellite data, and performed model simulations to examine the impact of including the satellite estimates on temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen distributions on the Louisiana continental shelf (LCS) near the annual hypoxic zone. Rainfall data from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) were used for the salinity flux, and the diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were used for solar penetration. Improvements in the model results in comparison with in situ observations occurred when the two types of satellite data were included. Without inclusion of the satellite-derived surface salinity flux, realistic monthly variability in the model salinity fields was observed, but important inter-annual variability was missed. Without inclusion of the satellite-derived light attenuation, model bottom water temperatures were too high nearshore due to excessive penetration of solar irradiance. In general, these salinity and temperature errors led to model stratification that was too weak, and the model failed to capture observed spatial and temporal variability in water-column vertical stratification. Inclusion of the satellite data improved temperature and salinity predictions and the vertical stratification was strengthened, which improved prediction of bottom-water dissolved oxygen. The model-predicted area of bottom-water hypoxia on the Louisiana shelf, an important management metric, was substantially improved in comparison to observed hypoxic area by including the satellite data.

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Viruses, Vol. 8, Pages 145: Experimental Infection of Calves by Two Genetically-Distinct Strains of Rift Valley Fever Virus

Recent outbreaks of Rift Valley fever in ruminant livestock, characterized by mass abortion and high mortality rates in neonates, have raised international interest in improving vaccine control strategies. Previously, we developed a reliable challenge model for sheep that improves the evaluation of existing and novel vaccines in sheep. This sheep model demonstrated differences in the pathogenesis of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infection between two genetically-distinct wild-type strains of the virus, Saudi Arabia 2001 (SA01) and Kenya 2006 (Ken06). Here, we evaluated the pathogenicity of these two RVFV strains in mixed breed beef calves. There was a transient increase in rectal temperatures with both virus strains, but this clinical sign was less consistent than previously reported with sheep. Three of the five Ken06-infected animals had an early-onset viremia, one day post-infection (dpi), with viremia lasting at least three days. The same number of SA01-infected animals developed viremia at 2 dpi, but it only persisted through 3 dpi in one animal. The average virus titer for the SA01-infected calves was 1.6 logs less than for the Ken06-infected calves. Calves, inoculated with either strain, seroconverted by 5 dpi and showed time-dependent increases in their virus-neutralizing antibody titers. Consistent with the results obtained in the previous sheep study, elevated liver enzyme levels, more severe liver pathology and higher virus titers occurred with the Ken06 strain as compared to the SA01 strain. These results demonstrate the establishment of a virulent challenge model for vaccine evaluation in calves.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 795: Cold-Induced Browning Dynamically Alters the Expression Profiles of Inflammatory Adipokines with Tissue Specificity in Mice

Cold exposure or β3-adrenoceptor agonist treatment induces the adipose tissues remodeling, relevant for beige adipogenesis within white adipose tissue (WAT). It remains unclear whether this process influences inflammatory adipokines expression in adipose tissues. We determine the temporal profile of cold or β3-adrenoceptor agonist (CL316,243)-induced changes in the expression of inflammatory adipokines in adipose tissues in mice or primary mice adipocytes. Male C57BL/6J mice at eight weeks old were exposed to 4 °C for 1–5 days. Interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT), inguinal subcutaneous WAT (sWAT) and epididymal WAT (eWAT) were harvested for gene and protein expression analysis. In addition, cultured primary mice brown adipocyte (BA) and white adipocyte (WA) treated with or without CL316,243 were harvested for gene expression analysis. The inflammatory adipokines expressed significantly higher in WAT than BAT at baseline. They were rapidly changed in iBAT, while down-regulated in sWAT and up-regulated in eWAT during the cold acclimation. Upon CL316,243 treatment, detected inflammatory adipokines except Leptin were transiently increased in both BA and WA. Our in vivo and in vitro data demonstrate that the browning process alters the inflammatory adipokines expression in adipose tissues, which is acutely responded to in iBAT, dynamically decreased in sWAT whilst increased in eWAT for compensation.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 771: Analysis of 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromones by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and Multivariate Statistical Methods in Wild and Cultivated Agarwood

Agarwood is the fragrant resinous material mainly formed from species of Aquilaria. 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, especially the highly oxidized 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, are the main representative compounds from agarwood. It is important to determine whether agarwood in trade is from cultivated trees or natural trees in the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). We characterized the 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS) and differentiated wild from cultivated agarwood by metabolomic analysis. A total of 141 chromones including 50 potentially new compounds were evaluated as belonging to four structural classes (unoxidized 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-chromones, bi-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, and tri-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones). The metabolic difference between wild and cultivated agarwood was analyzed by component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Fourteen markers of metabolisms in wild and cultivated agarwood were constructed (e.g., 6,7-dimethoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 6,8-dihydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, etc.). These results indicated that UPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS-based metabonomics analysis in agarwood may be useful for distinguishing wild agarwood from cultivated agarwood.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 795: Cold-Induced Browning Dynamically Alters the Expression Profiles of Inflammatory Adipokines with Tissue Specificity in Mice

Cold exposure or β3-adrenoceptor agonist treatment induces the adipose tissues remodeling, relevant for beige adipogenesis within white adipose tissue (WAT). It remains unclear whether this process influences inflammatory adipokines expression in adipose tissues. We determine the temporal profile of cold or β3-adrenoceptor agonist (CL316,243)-induced changes in the expression of inflammatory adipokines in adipose tissues in mice or primary mice adipocytes. Male C57BL/6J mice at eight weeks old were exposed to 4 °C for 1–5 days. Interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT), inguinal subcutaneous WAT (sWAT) and epididymal WAT (eWAT) were harvested for gene and protein expression analysis. In addition, cultured primary mice brown adipocyte (BA) and white adipocyte (WA) treated with or without CL316,243 were harvested for gene expression analysis. The inflammatory adipokines expressed significantly higher in WAT than BAT at baseline. They were rapidly changed in iBAT, while down-regulated in sWAT and up-regulated in eWAT during the cold acclimation. Upon CL316,243 treatment, detected inflammatory adipokines except Leptin were transiently increased in both BA and WA. Our in vivo and in vitro data demonstrate that the browning process alters the inflammatory adipokines expression in adipose tissues, which is acutely responded to in iBAT, dynamically decreased in sWAT whilst increased in eWAT for compensation.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 791: Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarkers in Biliary Tract Cancers

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of highly aggressive malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. The current diagnosis is based mainly on imaging and intraoperative exploration due to brush cytology havinga low sensitivity and the standard markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate 19-9 (CA19-9), not having enough sensitivity nor specificity to be used in a differential diagnosis and early stage detection. Thus, better non-invasive methods that can distinguish between normal and pathological tissue are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of ~20–22 nucleotides that regulate relevant physiological mechanisms and can also be involved in carcinogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are detectable in multiple body fluids, showing great stability, either free or trapped in circulating microvesicles, such as exosomes. miRNAs are ideal biomarkers that may be used in screening and prognosis in biliary tract cancers, aiding also in the clinical decisions at different stages of cancer treatment. This review highlights the progress in the analysis of circulating miRNAs in serum, plasma and bile as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers of BTCs.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 793: The Role of Proanthocyanidins Complex in Structure and Nutrition Interaction in Alfalfa Forage

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the main forages grown in the world. Alfalfa is a winter hardy, drought tolerant, N-fixing legume with a good longevity, high yield, high nutrient levels, high digestibility, unique structural to non-structural components ratio, high dry matter intake, and high animal productivity per hectare. However, its main limitation is its excessively rapid initial rate of protein degradation in the rumen, which results in pasture bloat and inefficient use of protein with consequent excessive excretions of nitrogen into the environment. Proanthocyanidins are secondary plant metabolites that can bind with protein and thereby reduce the rate and extent of ruminal protein degradation. However, these secondary metabolites do not accumulate in alfalfa. This review aims to firstly describe the events involved in the rapid release of protein from alfalfa and its effect on ruminant nutrition, environmental pollution, and pasture bloat; secondly, to describe occurrence, structure, functions and benefits of moderate amounts of proanthocyanidin; and finally, to describe the development of alfalfa which accumulates moderate amounts of proanthocyanidins. The emphasis of this review focuses on the role of proanthocyanidins compounds in structure and nutrition interaction in ruminant livestock systems.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 794: Gibberellic Acid: A Key Phytohormone for Spikelet Fertility in Rice Grain Production

The phytohormone gibberellic acid (GA) has essential signaling functions in multiple processes during plant development. In the "Green Revolution", breeders developed high-yield rice cultivars that exhibited both semi-dwarfism and altered GA responses, thus improving grain production. Most studies of GA have concentrated on germination and cell elongation, but GA also has a pivotal role in floral organ development, particularly in stamen/anther formation. In rice, GA signaling plays an important role in spikelet fertility; however, the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of GA in male fertility remain largely unknown. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the network of GA signaling and its connection with spikelet fertility, which is tightly associated with grain productivity in cereal crops.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 793: The Role of Proanthocyanidins Complex in Structure and Nutrition Interaction in Alfalfa Forage

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the main forages grown in the world. Alfalfa is a winter hardy, drought tolerant, N-fixing legume with a good longevity, high yield, high nutrient levels, high digestibility, unique structural to non-structural components ratio, high dry matter intake, and high animal productivity per hectare. However, its main limitation is its excessively rapid initial rate of protein degradation in the rumen, which results in pasture bloat and inefficient use of protein with consequent excessive excretions of nitrogen into the environment. Proanthocyanidins are secondary plant metabolites that can bind with protein and thereby reduce the rate and extent of ruminal protein degradation. However, these secondary metabolites do not accumulate in alfalfa. This review aims to firstly describe the events involved in the rapid release of protein from alfalfa and its effect on ruminant nutrition, environmental pollution, and pasture bloat; secondly, to describe occurrence, structure, functions and benefits of moderate amounts of proanthocyanidin; and finally, to describe the development of alfalfa which accumulates moderate amounts of proanthocyanidins. The emphasis of this review focuses on the role of proanthocyanidins compounds in structure and nutrition interaction in ruminant livestock systems.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 794: Gibberellic Acid: A Key Phytohormone for Spikelet Fertility in Rice Grain Production

The phytohormone gibberellic acid (GA) has essential signaling functions in multiple processes during plant development. In the "Green Revolution", breeders developed high-yield rice cultivars that exhibited both semi-dwarfism and altered GA responses, thus improving grain production. Most studies of GA have concentrated on germination and cell elongation, but GA also has a pivotal role in floral organ development, particularly in stamen/anther formation. In rice, GA signaling plays an important role in spikelet fertility; however, the molecular genetic and biochemical mechanisms of GA in male fertility remain largely unknown. Here, we review recent progress in understanding the network of GA signaling and its connection with spikelet fertility, which is tightly associated with grain productivity in cereal crops.

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Symmetry, Vol. 8, Pages 37: Optional Frame Selection Algorithm for Adaptive Symmetric Service of Augmented Reality Big Data on Smart Devices

Following recent technological advances in diverse mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets and smartwatches, in-depth studies aimed at improving the quality of augmented reality (AR) are currently ongoing. Smartphones feature the essential elements of AR implementation, such as a camera, a processor and a display in a single device. As a result, additional hardware expansion for AR implementation has become unnecessary, popularizing AR technology at the user level. In the early stages, low-level AR technology was used mainly in limited fields, including simple road guides and marker-based recognition. Due to advances in AR technology, the range of usage has expanded as diverse technologies and purposes are combined. Users' expectations of AR technology have also increased with this trend, and a high quality of service (QoS), with high-resolution, high-quality images, is now available. However, there are limitations in terms of processing speed and graphic treatment with smart devices, which, due to their small size, have inferior performance compared to the desktop environment when processing data for the implementation of high-resolution, high-quality images. This paper proposes an optional frame-selection algorithm (OFSA), which eliminates the unnecessary work involved with redundant frames during rendering for adaptive symmetric service of augmented reality big data on smart devices. Moreover, the memory read-write delay of the internally-operating OFSA, is minimized by adding an adaptive operation function. It is possible to provide adaptive common AR images at an improved frame rate in heterogeneous smart devices with different levels of performance.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 520: Antifungal Effect of Henna against Candida albicans Adhered to Acrylic Resin as a Possible Method for Prevention of Denture Stomatitis

Denture stomatitis is a very common disease affecting the oral mucosa of denture wearers. The aim of this study was to measure the antifungal effect of henna against Candida albicans adhered to acrylic resin as a possible method for prevention of denture stomatitis. One-hundred-eighty acrylic plates were prepared of heat-cured acrylic denture resin. The specimens were divided into six groups of 30 samples each. The first group was only polymer and monomer following the conventional manufacturer instruction for processing complete dentures. The other five groups were processed by adding different concentration of Yamani henna powder (Harazi) to the polymer in a concentration of henna: polymer 1%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%, respectively. Samples were incubated in artificial saliva rich with Candida albicans at 37 °C, and the effect of henna on Candida albicans was evaluated in two different methods: semi-quantitative slide count and a culture-based quantitative assay (quantitative). Variation in the number of live Candida was observed with the increase in the concentration of Yamani henna powder. It was observed that the variation in live Candida, between control group and group B (concentration of Yamani henna powder was 1%), was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.0001. Similarly, variations in live Candida were significant, when the concentration of powder was 7.5% or 10% in contrast with control group and p-values were 0.0001 and 0.001 respectively. Adding henna to acrylic resin denture could be effective in controlling Candida albicans proliferation on the denture surface; however, its effects on the physical properties of acrylic resin denture need further studies.

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Atmosphere, Vol. 7, Pages 73: Composition and Sources of Particulate Matter Measured near Houston, TX: Anthropogenic-Biogenic Interactions

Particulate matter was measured in Conroe, Texas (~60 km north of downtown Houston, Texas) during the September 2013 DISCOVER-AQ campaign to determine the sources of particulate matter in the region. The measurement site is influenced by high biogenic emission rates as well as transport of anthropogenic pollutants from the Houston metropolitan area and is therefore an ideal location to study anthropogenic-biogenic interactions. Data from an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) suggest that on average 64 percent of non-refractory PM1 was organic material, including a high fraction (27%–41%) of organic nitrates. There was little diurnal variation in the concentrations of ammonium sulfate; however, concentrations of organic and organic nitrate aerosol were consistently higher at night than during the day. Potential explanations for the higher organic aerosol loadings at night include changing boundary layer height, increased partitioning to the particle phase at lower temperatures, and differences between daytime and nighttime chemical processes such as nitrate radical chemistry. Positive matrix factorization was applied to the organic aerosol mass spectra measured by the ACSM and three factors were resolved—two factors representing oxygenated organic aerosol and one factor representing hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol. The factors suggest that the measured aerosol was well mixed and highly processed, consistent with the distance from the site to major aerosol sources, as well as the high photochemical activity.

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Water, Vol. 8, Pages 216: Opening the Black Box: Using a Hydrological Model to Link Stakeholder Engagement with Groundwater Management

Stakeholder participation is a foundation of good water governance. Good groundwater governance typically involves the co-production of knowledge about the groundwater system. Models provide a vehicle for producing this knowledge, as well as a "boundary object" around which scientists and stakeholders can convene the co-production process. Through co-production, stakeholders and scientific experts can engage in exchanges that create system knowledge not otherwise achievable. The process involves one-way transfer of information, active two-way conversations, and integration of multiple kinds of knowledge into shared understanding. In the Upper Santa Cruz River basin in Arizona, USA, the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) convened a project aimed at providing scientific underpinnings for groundwater planning and management. This project, entitled Groundwater, Climate, and Stakeholder Engagement, serves as a case study employing the first two stages of knowledge co-production using a hydrological model. Through an iterative process that included two-way communication, stakeholders provided critical input to hydrologic modeling analyses. Acting as a bridging organization, the WRRC facilitated a co-production process, involving location-specific and transferability workshops, which resulted in new knowledge and capacity for applying the model to novel problems.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 771: Analysis of 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromones by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and Multivariate Statistical Methods in Wild and Cultivated Agarwood

Agarwood is the fragrant resinous material mainly formed from species of Aquilaria. 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, especially the highly oxidized 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, are the main representative compounds from agarwood. It is important to determine whether agarwood in trade is from cultivated trees or natural trees in the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). We characterized the 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS) and differentiated wild from cultivated agarwood by metabolomic analysis. A total of 141 chromones including 50 potentially new compounds were evaluated as belonging to four structural classes (unoxidized 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-chromones, bi-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, and tri-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones). The metabolic difference between wild and cultivated agarwood was analyzed by component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Fourteen markers of metabolisms in wild and cultivated agarwood were constructed (e.g., 6,7-dimethoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 6,8-dihydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, etc.). These results indicated that UPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS-based metabonomics analysis in agarwood may be useful for distinguishing wild agarwood from cultivated agarwood.

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Biology, Vol. 5, Pages 22: Effect of Different Broad Waveband Lights on Membrane Lipids of a Cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp., as Determined by UPLC-QToF-MS and Vibrational Spectroscopy

Differential profile of membrane lipids and pigments of a Synechococcus sp. cyanobacterial strain cells exposed to blue, green, red and white light are determined by means of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry or diode array detection. Raman and ATR-IR spectra of intact cells under the diverse light wavebands are also reported. Blue light cells exhibited an increased content of photosynthetic pigments as well as specific species of membrane glycerolipids as compared to cells exposed to other wavebands. The A630/A680 ratio indicated an increased content of phycobilisomes (PBS) in the blue light-exposed cells. Some differences in the protein conformation between the four light waveband-exposed cells were deduced from the variable absorbance at specific wavenumbers in the FT-Raman and ATR-FTIR spectra, in particular bands assigned to amide I and amide II. Bands from 1180 to 950 cm−1 in the ATR-FTIR spectrum suggest degraded outer membrane polysaccharide in the blue light-exposed cells.

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Molecules, Vol. 21, Pages 679: New Casbane and Cembrane Diterpenoids from an Okinawan Soft Coral, Lobophytum sp.

A new rare casbane-type diterpenoid 1 and two new cembrane diterpenoids 2, 3 were isolated from an Okinawan soft coral, Lobophytum sp., together with four known cembrane diterpenoids 4–7. Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR, IR, and MS) and a molecular modeling study. The new isolates showed weak anti-bacterial activity, mild cytotoxicity against HCT116 cells, and anti-inflammatory effect in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

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Steamed and Fermented Ethanolic Extract from Codonopsis lanceolata Attenuates Amyloid-β-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice

Codonopsis lanceolata (C. lanceolata) is a traditional medicinal plant used for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases such as asthma, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. We evaluated whether steamed and fermented C. lanceolata (SFC) extract improves amyloid-β- (Aβ-) induced learning and memory impairment in mice. The Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests were used to evaluate the effect of SFC extract. Moreover, we investigated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling in the hippocampus of mice to determine a possible mechanism for the cognitive-enhancing effect. Saponin compounds in SFC were identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). SFC extract ameliorated amyloid-β-induced memory impairment in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. SFC extract inhibited AChE activity and also significantly increased the level of CREB phosphorylation, BDNF expression, and ERK activation in hippocampal tissue of amyloid-β-treated mice. Lancemasides A, B, C, D, E, and G and foetidissimoside A compounds present in SFC were determined by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. These results indicate that SFC extract improves Aβ-induced memory deficits and that AChE inhibition and CREB/BDNF/ERK expression is important for the effect of the SFC extract. In addition, lancemaside A specifically may be responsible for efficacious effect of SFC.

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Implementing Pharmacogenomics at Your Institution: Establishment and Overcoming Implementation Challenges

With advancements in pharmacogenomics research and genotyping technology, implementation of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice is now feasible. The aim of this publication is to serve as a tutorial for institutions interested in developing pharmacogenomics services. Topics covered include resources needed, clinical decision support establishment, choosing a genotyping platform, and challenges faced with pharmacogenomics service implementation. This tutorial provides practical advice, drawing upon experience of two established clinical pharmacogenomics services.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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Cancers, Vol. 8, Pages 52: The MYC 3′ Wnt-Responsive Element Drives Oncogenic MYC Expression in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Mutations in components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway drive colorectal cancer (CRC) by deregulating expression of downstream target genes including the c-MYC proto-oncogene (MYC). The critical regulatory DNA enhancer elements that control oncogenic MYC expression in CRC have yet to be fully elucidated. In previous reports, we correlated T-cell factor (TCF) and β-catenin binding to the MYC 3′ Wnt responsive DNA element (MYC 3′ WRE) with MYC expression in HCT116 cells. Here we used CRISPR/Cas9 to determine whether this element is a critical driver of MYC. We isolated a clonal population of cells that contained a deletion of a single TCF binding element (TBE) within the MYC 3′ WRE. This deletion reduced TCF/β-catenin binding to this regulatory element and decreased MYC expression. Using RNA-Seq analysis, we found altered expression of genes that regulate metabolic processes, many of which are known MYC target genes. We found that 3′ WRE-Mut cells displayed a reduced proliferative capacity, diminished clonogenic growth, and a decreased potential to form tumors in vivo. These findings indicate that the MYC 3′ WRE is a critical driver of oncogenic MYC expression and suggest that this element may serve as a therapeutic target for CRC.

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Atmosphere, Vol. 7, Pages 71: The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change

This study uses a multi-year temporal climate analogue approach to explore zoo visitor responses to seasonal climatic anomalies and assess the impacts of projected climate change on zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada. A new method for selecting a representative weather station was introduced which ranks surrounding stations based on "climatic distance" rather than physical distance alone. Two years representing anomalously warm temperature conditions and two years representing climatically normal temperature conditions were identified for each season from within the study period from 1999 to 2015. Two years representing anomalously wet precipitation conditions and two years representing anomalously dry precipitation conditions were also identified. F-tests and t-tests were employed to determine if the apparent differences in zoo visitation between the temperature and precipitation paired groupings were statistically significant. A "selective ensemble" of seasonal Global Climate Model (GCM) output from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report was used to determine when these anomalous temperature and precipitation conditions may become the norm in the future. When anomalously warm winters and springs occurred within the historical record, total zoo visitation in those seasons increased significantly. Inversely, when anomalously warm summers occurred, total summer season zoo visitation decreased significantly. Temperature anomalies in the autumn season did not result in any significant differences in total autumn season zoo visitation. Finally, apart from in the spring season, there were no significant differences in total zoo visitation between anomalously wet and dry seasons.

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Coatings, Vol. 6, Pages 21: The Acoustical Durability of Thin Noise Reducing Asphalt Layers

Within the context of the European Noise Directive, traffic noise action plans have been established. One of those actions is to deepen the knowledge about low noise roads, as they are considered the most cost-efficient measure for traffic noise abatement. Therefore, ten test sections were installed in May 2012 in Belgium, with the objective of integrating Thin noise-reducing Asphalt Layers (TAL) in the Flemish road surface policy in a later stage. Eight test sections are paved with TAL with a thickness of a maximum of 30 mm and a maximum content of accessible voids of 18%. The other two sections consist of a Double-layer Porous Asphalt Concrete (DPAC) and a Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA-10 as a reference section). The acoustical quality of the asphalt surfaces has been monitored in time using Statistical Pass-By (SPB) and Close-ProXimity (CPX) measurements up to 34 months after construction. Texture measurements performed with a laser profilometer are linked to the noise measurement results. Very promising initial noise reductions were found, up to 6 dB(A), but higher than expected acoustic deterioration rates and the presence of raveling led to noise reductions of a max. of 1 dB(A) after almost three years. It is shown that the construction process itself has a large influence on the acoustical quality over time.

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Metals, Vol. 6, Pages 122: Hydrometallurgy

Hydrometallurgy, which involves the use of aqueous solutions for the recovery of metals from ores, concentrates, and recycled or residual material, plays an integral role in the multi-billion dollar minerals processing industry.[...]

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