185 research outputs found
Author self-citation in orthodontics is associated with author origin and gender.
No full textBACKGROUND
The aims of this bibliometric study were to determine author self-citation trends in high-impact orthodontic literature and to investigate possible association between self-citation and publication characteristics.
METHODS
Six orthodontic journals with the highest impact factor as ranked by 2017 Journal Citation Reports were screened for a full publication year (2018) for original research articles, reviews, and case reports. Eligible articles were scrutinized for article and author characteristics and citation metrics. Univariable and multivariable negative binomial regression was used to examine associations between self-citation incidence and publication characteristics.
RESULTS
Medians for author self-citation rate of the most self-citing authors and self-citations were 3.03% (range 0-50) and 1 (range 0-19), respectively. In the univariable analysis, there was no association between self-citation counts and study type (P = 0.41), article topic (P = 0.61), number of authors (P = 0.62), and rank of authors (P = 0.56). Author origin (P = 0.001), gender (P = 0.001) and journal (P = 0.05) were associated with self-citation counts and in the multivariable analysis only origin and gender remained strong self-citation predictors. Asian authors and females self-cited significantly less often than all other regions and male authors.
CONCLUSIONS
Authors in orthodontics do not self-cite at a frequency that suggests potential citation manipulation. Author origin and gender were the only variables associated with citations counts. More bibliometric research is necessary to draw solid conclusions about author self-citation trends in orthodontic literature
Study on the role of microRNA in animal models of human autoimmune diseases
No full textObjective:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory diseasecharacterised by synovial hyperplasia and consequent formation offibrous tissue termed pannus, cartilage degradation and bone erosionwith bone fusion. Synovial fibroblasts (SFs) are widely recognized as akey cell type mediating RA pathogenesis. The purpose of the thesiswas to identify novel microRNA (miR) associations in synovialfibroblasts (SFs), by performing miR expression profiling on cellsisolated from the human TNF transgenic mouse model (TghuTNF,Tg197) and patients biopsies, and analyse their function in vitro and invivo.Methods:miR expression was determined by miR deep sequencing (miR-seq)and the arthritic profile was established by pairwise comparisons. qPCRanalysis was utilised for profile validation, miR and gene quantitation inpatient SFs. Dysregulated miR target genes and pathways werepredicted via bioinformatic algorithms and validated using gain-offunctioncoupled with reporter assays experiments. The in vivo funtionof miRs was assessed by using knock-out mice.Results:miR-seq demonstrated that TghuTNF-SFs exhibit a distinct pathogenicprofile with 22 significantly upregulated and 30 significantlydownregulated miRs. Validation assays confirmed the dysregulation ofmiR-223, miR-146a and miR-155 previously associated with humanrheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathology, as well as that of miR-221/222 andmiR-323-3p. Notably, the latter were also found significantly upregulatedin patient RASFs, suggesting for the first time their association with RApathology.Complete deletion of miR-155 from Tg197 mice had no affect on SFactivation or arthritis development in these mice.In vitro gain and loss of function experiment, coupled with functionalassay results suggested that miR-221/222 is a TNF responsive miRcluster that targets P27 and PTEN and regulates the cell cycle inarthritic SF.Bioinformatic analysis suggested Wnt/Cadherin signaling as a putativepathway target. miR-323-3p overexpression was shown to enhance Wntpathway activation and decrease the levels of its predicted target BTRC,an inhibitor of β-catenin.Conclusions:Using miR-seq based profiling in SFs from the TghuTNF mouse modeland validations in RA patient biopsies, we identify miR-221/222 andmiR-323-3p as novel dysregulated miRs in RASFs. Furthermore, weshow that miR-323-3p is a positive regulator of WNT/cadherin signalingin RASFs suggesting its potential pathogenic involvement and futureuse as a therapeutic target in RA.Σκοπός:Η ρευματοειδής αρθρίτιδα (ΡΑ), μια χρόνια συστημικήφλεγμονώδης ασθένεια, επηρεάζει κατά κύριο λόγο τις διαρθρώσεις. Ηπαρούσα μελέτη επικεντρώνεται ειδικότερα στους αρθρικούςινοβλάστες, κυτταρικός τύπος που συμβάλλει σημαντικά στηνπαθογένεια της ασθένειας.Ο διαγονιδιακός ποντικός Tg197, έχει αναγνωριστεί ως ζωικόπειραματικό πρότυπο ρευματοειδούς αρθρίτιδας. Επίσης, πρόσφαταβρέθηκε ότι τα μίκροRNA (miRNA), ρυθμίζουν μια πληθώρα βασικώνκυτταρικών λειτουργιών και μπορούν να αποτελέσουν δυνητικάσημαντικούς θεραπευτικούς στόχους.Έτσι επιλέξαμε να συγκρίνουμε τα επίπεδα έκφρασης των miRNA σεTg197 αρθριτικούς ινοβλάστες, να επιβεβαιώσουμε τα ευρήματα σεαρθρικούς ινοβλάστες ασθενών με ΡΑ και τέλος να αναλύσουμε τονπιθανό ρόλο των απορρυθμισμένων miRNA στους μηχανισμούς τηςπαθογένειας in vitro και in vivo.Μεθοδολογία:Τα επίπεδα έκφρασης των miRNA ταυτοποιήθηκανχρησιμοποιώντας την τεχνική «βαθιάς» αλληλούχισης καιεπιβεβαιώθηκαν μέσω ποσοτικής αντίδρασης αλυσιδωτήςπολυμεράσης. Πρόβλεψη του πιθανού ρόλου των miRNA επιτεύχθηκεμέσω χρήσης βιοπληροφορικών αλγορίθμων. Ο ρόλος των miRNA σεαρθρικούς ινωβλάστες διερευνήθηκε μέσω in vitro πειραμάτων και ορόλος τους υπο φυσιολογικές και αρθριτικές συνθήκες διερευνήθηκεμέσω της χρήσης διαγονιδιακών ποντικών.Αποτελέσματα:Ανάλυση της έκφρασης miRNA (miRNA προφίλ) των Tg197αρθρικών ινοβλαστών, έδειξε πως 22 miRNA υπερεκφράζονται και 30miRNA παρουσιάζουν μειωμένη έκφραση στους Tg197 αρθρικούςινοβλάστες. Στη συνέχεια επιβεβαιώθηκε η απορρύθμιση των miR-223,miR-146a και miR-155, η έκφραση των οποίων έχει βρεθεί ήδηαπορρυθμισμένη σε ασθενής με ΡΑ , καθώς και ότι απ ορρυθμισμέναείναι και τα miR-221/222 και miR-323-3. Αξιοσημείωτα, μετρήσεις τωνεπιπέδων miR-221/222 και miR-323-3p σε δείγματα ασθενώνεπιβεβαίωσαν την απορρύθμισή, συνδέοντας έτσι για πρώτη φορά αυτάτα miRNA με τους μηχανισμούς της ανθρώπινης ασθένειας.Κλινικές και ιστοπαθολογικές μελέτες έδειξαν πως η συνολικήαδρανοποίηση του miR-155 σε Tg197 ποντικούς δεν ήταν ικανή ναεπηρεάσει ούτε την ενεργοποίηση των Tg197 αρθρικών ινοβλαστώντους, ούτε να μεταβάλει την πορεία της ασθένειας τους.Ιn vitro πειράματα έδειξαν πως η έκφραση του miR-221/222 μπορείνα επαχθεί από τον TNF και η υπερέκφραση του miR-221/222 έχει ώςαποτέλεσμα την αναστολή της έκφρασης των προτεϊνών P27 και PTENκαι την επιτάχυνση του κυτταρικού κύκλου.Τέλος, βιοπληροφορικές αναλύσεις πρ οέβλεψαν το σημ ατοδοτικόμονοπάτι WNT/Cadherin ως πιθανό στόχο του miR-323-3p. In vitroπειράματα επιβεβαίωσαν τις προβλέψεις, δείχνοντας πως ηυπερέκφραση του miR-323-3p ενίσχυσε την ενεργοποίηση του WNTμονοπατιού και κατάφερε να αναστείλει την έκφραση του αναστολέα τηςβ-CATENIN, BTRC.Συμπέρασματα:Εν κατακλειδι, η μεθοδολογία που εφαρμόστηκε στην παρούσαδιατριβή, κατάφερε να ταυτοποιήσει τρία καινούργια miRNA, τα miR-221-222 και miR-323-3p, αναδεικνύοντας τα έτσι σε νέους πιθανούςθεραπευτικούς στόχους
Study on the role of microRNA in anial models of human autoimmune diseases
No full textΠεριέχει εικόνες, πίνακες και σχήματαΣκοπός:Η ρευματοειδής αρθρίτιδα (ΡΑ), μια χρόνια συστημικήφλεγμονώδης ασθένεια, επηρεάζει κατά κύριο λόγο τις διαρθρώσεις. Ηπαρούσα μελέτη επικεντρώνεται ειδικότερα στους αρθρικούςινοβλάστες, κυτταρικός τύπος που συμβάλλει σημαντικά στηνπαθογένεια της ασθένειας.Ο διαγονιδιακός ποντικός Tg197, έχει αναγνωριστεί ως ζωικόπειραματικό πρότυπο ρευματοειδούς αρθρίτιδας. Επίσης, πρόσφαταβρέθηκε ότι τα μίκροRNA (miRNA), ρυθμίζουν μια πληθώρα βασικώνκυτταρικών λειτουργιών και μπορούν να αποτελέσουν δυνητικάσημαντικούς θεραπευτικούς στόχους.Έτσι επιλέξαμε να συγκρίνουμε τα επίπεδα έκφρασης των miRNA σεTg197 αρθριτικούς ινοβλάστες, να επιβεβαιώσουμε τα ευρήματα σεαρθρικούς ινοβλάστες ασθενών με ΡΑ και τέλος να αναλύσουμε τονπιθανό ρόλο των απορρυθμισμένων miRNA στους μηχανισμούς τηςπαθογένειας in vitro και in vivo.Μεθοδολογία:Τα επίπεδα έκφρασης των miRNA ταυτοποιήθηκανχρησιμοποιώντας την τεχνική «βαθιάς» αλληλούχισης καιεπιβεβαιώθηκαν μέσω ποσοτικής αντίδρασης αλυσιδωτήςπολυμεράσης. Πρόβλεψη του πιθανού ρόλου των miRNA επιτεύχθηκεμέσω χρήσης βιοπληροφορικών αλγορίθμων. Ο ρόλος των miRNA σεαρθρικούς ινωβλάστες διερευνήθηκε μέσω in vitro πειραμάτων και ορόλος τους υπο φυσιολογικές και αρθριτικές συνθήκες διερευνήθηκεμέσω της χρήσης διαγονιδιακών ποντικών.Αποτελέσματα:Ανάλυση της έκφρασης miRNA (miRNA προφίλ) των Tg197αρθρικών ινοβλαστών, έδειξε πως 22 miRNA υπερεκφράζονται και 30miRNA παρουσιάζουν μειωμένη έκφραση στους Tg197 αρθρικούςινοβλάστες. Στη συνέχεια επιβεβαιώθηκε η απορρύθμιση των miR-223,miR-146a και miR-155, η έκφραση των οποίων έχει βρεθεί ήδηαπορρυθμισμένη σε ασθενής με ΡΑ , καθώς και ότι απ ορρυθμισμέναείναι και τα miR-221/222 και miR-323-3. Αξιοσημείωτα, μετρήσεις τωνεπιπέδων miR-221/222 και miR-323-3p σε δείγματα ασθενώνεπιβεβαίωσαν την απορρύθμισή, συνδέοντας έτσι για πρώτη φορά αυτάτα miRNA με τους μηχανισμούς της ανθρώπινης ασθένειας.Κλινικές και ιστοπαθολογικές μελέτες έδειξαν πως η συνολικήαδρανοποίηση του miR-155 σε Tg197 ποντικούς δεν ήταν ικανή ναεπηρεάσει ούτε την ενεργοποίηση των Tg197 αρθρικών ινοβλαστώντους, ούτε να μεταβάλει την πορεία της ασθένειας τους.Ιn vitro πειράματα έδειξαν πως η έκφραση του miR-221/222 μπορείνα επαχθεί από τον TNF και η υπερέκφραση του miR-221/222 έχει ώςαποτέλεσμα την αναστολή της έκφρασης των προτεϊνών P27 και PTENκαι την επιτάχυνση του κυτταρικού κύκλου.Τέλος, βιοπληροφορικές αναλύσεις πρ οέβλεψαν το σημ ατοδοτικόμονοπάτι WNT/Cadherin ως πιθανό στόχο του miR-323-3p. In vitroπειράματα επιβεβαίωσαν τις προβλέψεις, δείχνοντας πως ηυπερέκφραση του miR-323-3p ενίσχυσε την ενεργοποίηση του WNTμονοπατιού και κατάφερε να αναστείλει την έκφραση του αναστολέα τηςβ-CATENIN, BTRC.Συμπέρασματα:Εν κατακλειδι, η μεθοδολογία που εφαρμόστηκε στην παρούσαδιατριβή, κατάφερε να ταυτοποιήσει τρία καινούργια miRNA, τα miR-221-222 και miR-323-3p, αναδεικνύοντας τα έτσι σε νέους πιθανούςθεραπευτικούς στόχους.Objective:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory diseasecharacterised by synovial hyperplasia and consequent formation offibrous tissue termed pannus, cartilage degradation and bone erosionwith bone fusion. Synovial fibroblasts (SFs) are widely recognized as akey cell type mediating RA pathogenesis. The purpose of the thesiswas to identify novel microRNA (miR) associations in synovialfibroblasts (SFs), by performing miR expression profiling on cellsisolated from the human TNF transgenic mouse model (TghuTNF,Tg197) and patients biopsies, and analyse their function in vitro and invivo.Methods:miR expression was determined by miR deep sequencing (miR-seq)and the arthritic profile was established by pairwise comparisons. qPCRanalysis was utilised for profile validation, miR and gene quantitation inpatient SFs. Dysregulated miR target genes and pathways werepredicted via bioinformatic algorithms and validated using gain-offunctioncoupled with reporter assays experiments. The in vivo funtionof miRs was assessed by using knock-out mice.Results:miR-seq demonstrated that TghuTNF-SFs exhibit a distinct pathogenicprofile with 22 significantly upregulated and 30 significantlydownregulated miRs. Validation assays confirmed the dysregulation ofmiR-223, miR-146a and miR-155 previously associated with humanrheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathology, as well as that of miR-221/222 andmiR-323-3p. Notably, the latter were also found significantly upregulatedin patient RASFs, suggesting for the first time their association with RApathology.Complete deletion of miR-155 from Tg197 mice had no affect on SFactivation or arthritis development in these mice.In vitro gain and loss of function experiment, coupled with functionalassay results suggested that miR-221/222 is a TNF responsive miRcluster that targets P27 and PTEN and regulates the cell cycle inarthritic SF.Bioinformatic analysis suggested Wnt/Cadherin signaling as a putativepathway target. miR-323-3p overexpression was shown to enhance Wntpathway activation and decrease the levels of its predicted target BTRC,an inhibitor of β-catenin.Conclusions:Using miR-seq based profiling in SFs from the TghuTNF mouse modeland validations in RA patient biopsies, we identify miR-221/222 andmiR-323-3p as novel dysregulated miRs in RASFs. Furthermore, weshow that miR-323-3p is a positive regulator of WNT/cadherin signalingin RASFs suggesting its potential pathogenic involvement and futureuse as a therapeutic target in RA.137 σ
An Interactive Multimedia Advertising Systems For Networked Mobile Devices
No full textInterdisciplinary research into novel application areas such as interactive advertising is benefited greatly by the wide availability of networked mobile devices. The majority of PDA and mobile phones available today support Internet browsing and multimedia content delivery while they permit advanced user feedback, offering rich communication capabilities for advertisers. In addition, new multimedia technologies such as Flash, Shockwave and other game technologies enable the development of new customised and portable advertising applications.
This paper describes the design of an interactive system where advertisements are delivered on-demand, the user responds to the content ensuring message delivery while system design prevents unwanted communication to be circulated. Various relevant issues are discussed, including the underlying data-flow, user-interaction, system security, human factors and the development of content for use in multiple advertising scenarios
Aerosol Dynamics
No full textAirborne particulate matter (PM) contains different chemical components, its size ranging from few nanometers to several hundred micrometers (Hinds, 1999). It is apparent that particulate matter is not a single pollutant, and its mass includes a mixture of numerous pollutants distributed differently at different sizes. Particle size is an essential parameter that determines the chemical composition, optical properties, deposition of particles, and their inhalation in the human respiratory tract (Hinds, 1999; Friedlander, 2000; Seinfeld and Pandis, 2006; Lazaridis, 2011). Particle size is specified by the particle diameter, , which is most commonly expressed in micrometers. Particles represent a very small fraction, less than 0.0001%, of the total aerosol mass or volume (Drossinos and Housiadas, 2005). The gas phase influences mainly the particle flow through hydrodynamic forces.JRC.F.6 - Energy systems evaluatio
Atmospheric chemistry and physics: from air pollution to climate change
No full textExpanded and updated with new findings and new features Since the second edition of Seinfeld and Pandis’ classic textbook, significant progress has taken place in the field of atmospheric chemistry and physics, particularly in the areas of tropospheric chemistry, aerosols, and the science of climate change. A new edition of this comprehensive work has been developed by the renowned author team. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 3rd Edition, as the previous two editions have done, provides a rigorous and comprehensive treatment of the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere – including the chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere, aerosol physics and chemistry, atmospheric new particle formation, physical meteorology, cloud physics, global climate, statistical analysis of data, and mathematical chemical/transport models of the atmosphere. Each of these topics is covered in detail and in each area the central results are developed from first principles. In this way the reader gains a significant understanding of the science underlying atmospheric processes and will be able to extend theories and results to solving real world problems. The 3rd edition includes new chapters on Atmospheric Organic Aerosols and Global Climate, as well as a significantly updated chapter on Physical Meteorology. Many chapters and topics have been updated and expanded from the Second Edition, including the Chemistry of Biogenic Hydrocarbons in the Troposphere, especially Isoprene Chemistry; Aqueous-Phase Organic Chemistry; mechanisms of Nucleation in the Atmosphere; Aerosol-Cloud relationships; and Chemistry of Mercury. A new section on Positive Matrix Factorization is included that carefully develops this powerful statistical method for aerosol data analysis. New problems have been added, especially ones at a basic level, to increase the utility of this text in classroom situations. All chapters develop results based on fundamental principles, enabling the reader to build a solid understanding of the science underlying atmospheric processes. Readers familiar with the book will discover a text with many new and revised additions. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 3rd Edition is an ideal textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a reference for researchers in environmental and atmospheric science, chemistry, meteorology, and civil and environmental engineering
T-helper cell type 2 (Th2) and non-Th2 molecular phenotypes of asthma using sputum transcriptomics in U-BIOPRED.
No full textAsthma is characterised by heterogeneous clinical phenotypes. Our objective was to determine molecular phenotypes of asthma by analysing sputum cell transcriptomics from 104 moderate-to-severe asthmatic subjects and 16 nonasthmatic subjects.After filtering on the differentially expressed genes between eosinophil- and noneosinophil-associated sputum inflammation, we used unbiased hierarchical clustering on 508 differentially expressed genes and gene set variation analysis of specific gene sets.We defined three transcriptome-associated clusters (TACs): TAC1 (characterised by immune receptors IL33R, CCR3 and TSLPR), TAC2 (characterised by interferon-, tumour necrosis factor-α- and inflammasome-associated genes) and TAC3 (characterised by genes of metabolic pathways, ubiquitination and mitochondrial function). TAC1 showed the highest enrichment of gene signatures for interleukin-13/T-helper cell type 2 (Th2) and innate lymphoid cell type 2. TAC1 had the highest sputum eosinophilia and exhaled nitric oxide fraction, and was restricted to severe asthma with oral corticosteroid dependency, frequent exacerbations and severe airflow obstruction. TAC2 showed the highest sputum neutrophilia, serum C-reactive protein levels and prevalence of eczema. TAC3 had normal to moderately high sputum eosinophils and better preserved forced expiratory volume in 1 s. Gene–protein coexpression networks from TAC1 and TAC2 extended this molecular classification.We defined one Th2-high eosinophilic phenotype TAC1, and two non-Th2 phenotypes TAC2 and TAC3, characterised by inflammasome-associated and metabolic/mitochondrial pathways, respectively.<br/
Enabling Virtual Sensing as a Service
No full textIn many situations, placing a physical sensor in the ideal position in or on the human body to acquire sensing data is incredibly difficult. Virtual sensors, in contrast to physical sensors, can provide indirect measurements by making use of other available sensor data. In this paper, we demonstrate a virtual sensing application developed as a service on top of a cloud-based health sensor data management platform called Wiki-Health. The proposed application “implants” virtual sensors in the human body by integrating environmental, geographic and personal sensor data with physiological models to compute temperature estimations of various parts of the body. The feasibility of the proposed virtual sensing service is supported by a case study. The ability to share computational models relevant to do calculations on measured data on the go is also discussed
Publication rate of abstracts from presentations at the British Orthodontic Conference 2009-2014.
No full textOBJECTIVE
The primary objective of this study was to investigate the publication rate of scientific abstracts presented at the British Orthodontic Conference 2009-2014. Predictors of full-text publications after presentation of abstracts were explored.
DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Details of abstracts were retrieved from the conference programmes. Abstracts were screened and full-text publications identified by a single author with discrepancies discussed. Two electronic databases were searched to identify full-text publication of abstracts presented at the British Orthodontic Conference during 2009-2014. Study characteristics were recorded in a prespecified data collection sheet. Descriptive and correlation statistics were calculated. Multivariable Cox regression modelling was implemented in order to assess the effect of predictors on the instance of probability of publication.
RESULTS
A total of 225 abstracts (148 poster presentations and 77 oral presentations) were identified. Observational studies were frequent (60%) and significant results were reported in 38.7% of abstracts. The rate of full-text publication after abstract presentation was 46.2% with a mean time to publication of 18.3 ± 18.7 months. Authors based at both university and hospitals (Hazard ratio: 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-5.47, P=0.01) had a higher instant probability of publication compared to university only, whereas diagnostic studies (Hazard ratio: 0.18, 95% CI 0.04-0.74, P=0.02) had lower instant probability of publication compared to systematic reviews.
CONCLUSION
Over 50% of study abstracts presented at the British Orthodontic Conference during 2009-2014 remain unpublished. Author affiliation and study type appear to influence full text publication. In order to reduce publication bias within the literature, publication of full-text articles by authors of presented abstracts is encouraged
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