Angiogenesis\u27 effect overall on Health and Disease

Angiogenesis plays a major role in the development of diseases and cancer. The development of illnesses like metastatic breast cancer, cell carcinomas, tumors and various other illnesses, originate from the activation of endothelial cells. When the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is released from hypoxic tissues, they bind to vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR). The binding of VEGF and VEGFR allows for cellular proliferation, increased migration of lattice networks, and the invasion of endothelial cells, which stimulate the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. As a result, it can be concluded that the inhibition of VEGFs would interrupt the growth of tissues that are pathogenic, like in various cancers and diseases. Many therapies utilizing angiogenesis inhibitors are being used as a treatment method in clinical trials and for patients with various medical conditions. Angiogenesis inhibitors known to the market include monoclonal antibodies that are made in laboratories and various foods that exhibit angiogenic properties, the most well-known of which is green tea

Training Artificial Neural Networks: Backpropagation via Nonlinear Optimization

In this paper we explore different strategies to guide backpropagation algorithm used for training artificial neural networks. Two different variants of steepest descent-based backpropagation algorithm, and four different variants of conjugate gradient algorithm are tested. The variants differ whether or not the time component is used, and whether or not additional gradient information is utilized during one-dimensional optimization. Testing is performed on randomly generated data as well as on some benchmark data regarding energy prediction. Based on our test results, it appears that the most promissing backpropagation strategy is to initially use steepest descent algorithm, and then continue with conjugate gradient algorithm. The backpropagation through time strategy combined with conjugate gradients appears to be promissing as well

Orchids of Perlis: new records and distribution

An intensive study on orchid diversity was conducted in Perlis especially within the Perlis State Park during the period 2003 - 2004. During the numerous field trips and studies, a total of 1,783 orchid specimens where collected from the 12 hills (11 limestone hills and one partly granite stone mountain). These samples were identified and differentiated into 119 taxa in 50 genera which are represented by 4 subfamilies. Ninety were identified to species level and the remaining 29 were only identified to genus level as the specimens were incomplete, because of lack of flowers. From these numbers, 62 species in 20 genera are new records for Perlis and 9 species and one genus, Panisea, are new records for Malaysia. The diversity of orchids in Perlis is characteristically closely related to Thailand’s orchid flora, which is Indo- Malayan Floristic Region or Thailand - Burmese Floristic Region as compared to the other parts of Malaya which is Malayan Floristic Region. This can be to the climatic conditions (northern dry - monsoon), geographical location (bordering Peninsular Thailand) and the limestone habitat which is known to haboura high rate of species endemism. As much as 90% of these new records of orchids were collected from near the Malaysian-Thailand border and from Gunung Perlis, the highest peak in Perlis (733m)

Comparison of DC Bead-irinotecan and DC Bead-topotecan drug eluting beads for use in locoregional drug delivery to treat pancreatic cancer

DC Bead is a drug delivery embolisation system that can be loaded with doxorubicin or irinotecan for the treatment of a variety of liver cancers. In this study we demonstrate that the topoisomerase I inhibitor topotecan hydrochloride can be successfully loaded into the DC Bead sulfonate-modified polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel matrix, resulting in a sustained-release drug eluting bead (DEBTOP) useful for therapeutic purposes. The in vitro drug loading capacity, elution characteristics and the effects on mechanical properties of the beads are described with reference to our previous work with irinotecan hydrochloride (DEBIRI). Results showed that drug loading was faster when the solution was agitated compared to static loading and a maximum loading of ca. 40–45 mg topotecan in 1 ml hydrated beads was achievable. Loading the drug into the beads altered the size, compressibility moduli and colour of the bead. Elution was shown to be reliant on the presence of ions to perform the necessary exchange with the electrostatically bound topotecan molecules. Topotecan was shown by MTS assay to have an IC50 for human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells (PSN-1) of 0.22 and 0.27 lM compared to 28.1 and 19.2 lM for irinotecan at 48 and 72 h, respectively. The cytotoxic efficacy of DEBTOP on PSN-1 was compared to DEBIRI. DEPTOP loaded at 6 & 30 mg ml-1, like its free drug form, was shown to be more potent than DEBIRI of comparable doses at 24, 48 & 72 h using a slightly modified MTS assay. Using a PSN-1 mouse xenograft model, DEBIRI doses of 3.3–6.6 mg were shown to be well tolerated (even with repeat administration) and effective in reducing the tumour size. DEBTOP however, was lethal after 6 days at doses of 0.83–1.2 mg but demonstrated reasonable efficacy and tolerability (again with repeat injection possible) at 0.2–0.4 mg doses. Care must therefore be taken when selecting the dose of topotecan to be loaded into DC Bead given its greater potency and potential toxicity

Bidirectional association between disturbed sleep and neuropathic pain symptoms : a prospective cohort study in post-total joint replacement participants

Background Disturbed sleep is strongly correlated with chronic pain. The aim of this study was to examine the association between sleep disturbance and incident joint pain focusing on neuropathic-like pain symptoms. Methods A total of 423 individuals who had undergone total joint replacement (TJR) for osteoarthritis were assessed at the mean time of 3.6 years post-surgery and again at 5.9 years post-TJR, using the Medical Outcomes Survey sleep subscale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and painDETECT questionnaire instruments. Cox hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, and use of hypnotic and analgesic medication. Results The presence of neuropathic pain symptoms predicted incidence of disturbed sleep after adjustment for covariates and pain severity (adjusted HR [aHR] 2.01, 95% CI: 1.00–4.10; p<0.05). There was no association between joint pain and incidence of disturbed sleep when individuals with neuropathic pain symptoms at the baseline visit were excluded (aHR 1.11, 95% CI: 0.47–2.67). Disturbed sleep at baseline predicted incident neuropathic joint pain symptoms (aHR 2.75, 95% CI: 1.21–6.26; p<0.016) but had no effect on incidence of joint pain when all types of pain were considered together (aHR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.30–1.39). Conclusion These data suggest a causal bidirectional link between sleep disturbance and joint pain with neuropathic features but not with other types of joint pain

Association of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy With Incident Hypertension: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Increased left ventricular (LV) mass and changes in LV geometry may precede hypertension onset. The authors examined the associations of LV mass and geometry, assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, with hypertension incidence in 2,567 normotensive participants enrolled in 2000–2002 in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, an ethnically diverse, population-based, US study. Over a median follow-up of 4.8 years, 745 (29%) participants developed hypertension. In a fully adjusted model including baseline blood pressure, the relative risks of incident hypertension from the lowest to highest LV mass quartile were 1.00 (referent), 1.13 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89, 1.43), 1.28 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.63), and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.38, 2.30) (P < 0.001 for linear trend). Higher levels of LV concentric geometry, defined by higher LV mass to end-diastolic volume quartiles, were associated with higher risk of incident hypertension in a fully adjusted model (P = 0.044 for linear trend). In a final model containing both quartiles of LV mass and LV mass/volume along with all covariates including baseline blood pressure, higher LV mass quartiles were associated with incident hypertension (P < 0.001 for linear trend), whereas higher LV mass/volume quartiles were not (P = 0.643 for linear trend). In this multiethnic cohort, alterations in LV mass preceded hypertension onset among normotensive individuals

EFECTO DEL VOLTAJE Y TIEMPO DE ELECTROCOAGULACIÓN EN LA CONCENTRACIÓN DE ESCHERICHIA COLI Y TURBIEDAD DE LAS AGUAS SUBTERRÁNEAS DEL PASEO DE LAS AGUAS, DISTRITO DE VICTOR LARCO HERRERA

La presente investigación, utilizó métodos electroquímicos para la remoción de la carga de contaminantes del agua subterránea, una de ellas es la electrocoagulación, en la investigación se evaluó la remoción del contenido de Escherichia coli y turbiedad de las aguas subterráneas del parque el Paseo Las Aguas ubicado en el distrito de Víctor Larco Herrera de Trujillo. Se realizó por medio de susfactores influyentes como es el voltaje de corriente y tiempo de tratamiento, donde se estableció voltajes de corriente de 10 y 15 voltios, y tiempos de 15, 20 y 25 minutos. En base a los objetivos de la investigación y resultados obtenidos el agua subterránea tratada con un voltaje de 15 voltios a 25 minutos, se encuentra dentro de valores establecidos en el Decreto Supremo N° 031-2010-SA, Reglamento de calidad de agua para consumo humano dispuesto por la Organización Mundial de la Salud