bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A simple, cost‐effective, and rapid separation process for the isolation of anticoagulant active fraction from the fruit extract of Momordica charantia: Characterization of bioactive components and anticoagulant mechanism of active fraction in a mouse model
Authors: Gogoi Debananda , Jha Shambhavi , Chattopadhyay Pronobesh , Mukherjee Ashis K. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA simple, rapid, and cost‐effective process for the separation of an active anticoagulant fraction from the aqueous fruit extract of Momordica charantia by using rice husk as adsorbed is described. The in vitro anticoagulant activity of active anticoagulant fraction was comparable to commercial anticoagulants heparin and warfarin. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and phytols in the active anticoagulant fraction, nevertheless; it was devoid of glycosides, triterpenoids, tannins, saponins, steroids, and carbohydrates. By gas chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis, decanoic acid, 1,2,3‐propanetriyl ester (22.3%), dodecanoic acid, 1,2,3‐propanetriyl ester‐d5 (17.3%), dodecenoic acid, 1,2,3‐propanetriyl ester (12.5%), and 4‐B‐methylandrostane 2,3‐diol‐1,17‐dione (11.4%) were identified as the most abundant constituents of active anticoagulant fraction. Presence of αβ‐fibrinogenase enzyme was identified by biochemical assay but not by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis suggesting presence of a novel protease enzyme in this fraction. The active anticoagulant fraction demonstrated biding to fibrinogen but not to thrombin or Factor Xa, inhibited the collagen/ADP‐induced mammalian platelet aggregation, showed in vitro thrombolytic activity, noncytotoxic to mammalian cells, showed in vivo plasma defibrinogenation and anticoagulant activities, and inhibited k‐carrageen‐induced thrombus formation in the tails of mice. Therefore, active anticoagulant fraction (an herbal drug) may find therapeutic application for the prevention and/or treatment of hyperfibrinogenemia/thrombosis‐associated cardiovascular disorders.
Effect of Ultrasound‐Guided Hydrorelease of the Multifidus Muscle on Acute Low Back Pain
Authors: Kanamoto Hirohito , Orita Sumihisa , Inage Kazuhide , Shiga Yasuhiro , Abe Koki , Eguchi Yawara , Ohtori Seiji 
Published: August 2020

ObjectivesTo examine improvement in acute low back pain (LBP) using ultrasound‐guided hydrorelease of the multifidus muscle.MethodsThis prognostic cohort study was conducted in a private clinic on samples of 75 patients with acute LBP diagnosed based on physical and imaging findings. Hydrorelease of the multifidus muscle was performed at the L4/5 level. The LBP visual analog scale (VAS) scores (cm) before and 5 minutes after hydrorelease were statistically evaluated. We defined improvement rate (%) as {LBP VAS scores (cm) immediately before hydrorelease – LBP VAS scores (cm) 5 minutes after hydrorelease} × 100 / LBP VAS scores (cm) immediately before hydrorelease and examined the correlation of the Heckmatt score and average age with the improvement rate.ResultsLBP VAS scores (cm) before and 5 minutes after hydrorelease were 7.19 ± 1.01 (mean ± SD) and 2.85 ± 1.25, respectively (p < 0.05). No significant correlations were noted between the LBP improvement rate and the Heckmatt score or age. There were no gender variations in the improvement rate.ConclusionsUltrasound‐guided hydrorelease of the multifidus muscle led to considerable LBP VAS score improvement at the outpatient level. The improvement rate showed no correlations with the Heckmatt score or age, and there were no significant gender variations in the improvement rate. Therefore, fatty degeneration of muscles and change in muscle echogenicity due to age and gender may not be associated with muscular LBP. These findings suggest that multifidus muscle hydrorelease could be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of acute LBP.
Metastatic Patterns and Prognosis of de novo Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the United States
Authors: Xu Yali , Huang Taoyuan , Mao Min , Zhai Jinming , Chen Jinhai 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveTo evaluate the distant metastatic patterns and prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) in de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC) using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.MethodsPatients with de novo mNPC who had been diagnosed between 2004 and 2016 were identified from the SEER database. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to calculate OS and CSS. Log‐rank tests were employed to measure survival variation among subgroups. Individual predictors of CSS and OS were examined using Cox proportional‐hazards regression models in patients with de novo mNPC.ResultsWe evaluated 224 patients with de novo mNPC who matched our inclusion criteria. Three‐year CSS and OS for the whole cohort was 29.8% and 27.9%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that CSS and OS were influenced by age, histology, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and liver metastasis. Neither the number of metastatic sites nor their specific location in bone, lungs, distant lymph nodes or brain significantly affected CSS or OS. The aforementioned independent prognosticators continued to significantly influence survival following multivariate analysis. Taking distant metastasis without liver involvement as a reference, liver metastasis was associated significantly with shorter OS at a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.581 (P = .021) and CSS at a HR of 1.643 (P = .016). Older age, keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, no chemotherapy, and no radiotherapy were also prognosticators for poor OS (P < .05). Similar results were documented for CSS (P < .05).ConclusionFor patients with de novo mNPC, liver metastasis is an independent prognosticator for inferior CSS and OS.Level of Evidence3a Laryngoscope, 131:E1130–E1138, 2021
Stabilizing Polymeric Interface by Janus Nanosheet
Authors: Guan Jipeng , Gui Haoguan , Zheng Yanyan , You Jichun , Li Yongjin , Liang Fuxin , Yang Zhenzhong 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA strategy is proposed to stabilize the polymeric interface by using the irregular Janus nanosheet (JNS). The poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) at 60/40 (wt/wt) with a bi‐continuous structure is selected as the model melt blend, and the PMMA/epoxy JNS is synthesized and used as the compatibilizer. The JNS is preferentially located at the interface. The interfacial coverage by the JNS reaches a saturated state forming the interconnected jamming structure at 0.5 wt% of the JNS. The interface is thus stabilized which is well preserved after annealing at high temperature. After selectively etching PLLA, the robust PVDF porous material is derived with the JNS armored at the pore skeleton surface. The porous material provides a universal scaffold to achieve stable functional materials after filling the pores.
SALL4 promotes tumor progression in breast cancer by targeting EMT
Authors: Chen Teng , Tsang Julia Y. S. , Su Xiao‐Chun , Li Peng , Sun Wen‐Qin , Wong Iris L. K. , Choy Kit‐Ying , Yang Qing , Tse Gary M. K. , Chan Tak H. , Chow Larry M. C. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSal‐like protein 4 (SALL4) is overexpressed in breast cancer and might contribute to breast cancer progression, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here, we found that within a group of 371 ethnic Chinese breast cancer patients, SALL4 was associated with lower grade (P = .002) and progesterone receptor positivity (P = .004) for overall cases; lower Ki67 (P = .045) and high vimentin (P = .007) for luminal cases. Patients with high SALL4 expression in lymph node metastasis showed a significantly worse survival than those with low expression. Knockout of SALL4 in a triple‐negative breast cancer cell line MDA‐MB‐231‐Red‐FLuc‐GFP led to suppressed ability in proliferation, clonogenic formation, migration, and mammosphere formation in vitro, tumorigenicity and lung colonization in vivo. On the other hand, overexpression of SALL4 enhanced migration and mammosphere formation in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistically, there was a positive correlation between SALL4 expression and mesenchymal markers including Zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), vimentin, Slug, and Snail in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiment indicated that SALL4 can bind to the promoter region of vimentin (−778 to −550 bp). Taken together, we hypothesize that SALL4 promotes tumor progression in breast cancer by inducing the mesenchymal markers like vimentin through directly binding to its promoter. Increased SALL4 level in metastatic lymph node relative to the primary site is an important poor survival marker in breast cancer.
Unilateral versus bilateral sacral neuromodulation test in the treatment of refractory idiopathic overactive bladder: A randomized controlled pilot trial
Authors: Wagner Laurent , Alonso Sandrine , Le Normand Loïc , Faix Antoine , Kabani Sarah , Castelli Christel , Gamé Xavier , Cornu Jean‐Nicolas , Bey Elsa 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAimTo compare treatment success rate in terms of improvement of bladder overactivity between unilateral and bilateral sacral neuromodulation testing.MethodsA multicentric, parallel, randomized, open pilot trial (October 2012‐September 2017) was conducted. Participants presented primary overactive bladder resistant to first‐line treatments. Patients were excluded in case of secondary bladder, pelvic, or neurological condition. Patients were randomized between bilateral testing (n = 28) or unilateral testing (n = 27), to determine the best functional response before final implantation. The primary outcome was the rate of patients presenting at least 50% of clinical improvement at 1 month on urinary frequency, number of urge incontinence episodes or number of urinary urgency episodes. Symptom severity, implantation success rate, uroflowmetry, device tolerance, complications, and quality of life were also assessed.ResultsFifty‐five patients have been included. The rate of patients presenting at least one significant clinical improvement at month 1 was 62% in the bilateral group versus 84% in the unilateral group (P = .0891), RR = 0.74 (0.51; 1.07). There was no significant difference between bilateral and unilateral groups in terms of improvement of urinary frequency (0% and 17%; P = .1115), number of urge incontinence episodes (52% and 63%; P = .4929) or number of urinary urgency episodes (57% and 74%; P = .2411). More complications were reported in the bilateral group than in the unilateral group (9 [47%] vs 4 [16%], respectively; P = .0239).ConclusionSystematic bilateral sacral neuromodulation testing before final implantation did not appear to increase success rate compared with unilateral stimulation in the treatment of overactive bladder.
The eruption of the Laacher See volcano (~13,000 years BP) and possible fluoride poisoning amongst contemporaneous wildlife and human foragers—Outline of a hypothesis and the way to test it
Authors: Riede Felix , Kierdorf Uwe 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAt about 13,000 calendar years before present (BP) the Laacher See volcano, located in present‐day western Germany, erupted catastrophically. It has been argued that this eruption and its attendant ash fallout played a causal role in the demographic and cultural change documented archaeologically amongst contemporaneous human hunter–gatherer populations in northern Europe. The population displacement and subsequent changes in material culture are clearly visible in the archaeological record, especially in southern Scandinavia. A particular challenge to this scenario is the apparently paradoxical proposition that the effects of the Laacher See volcanic eruption became more pronounced with distance from the volcano itself. There are, however, several documented detrimental health effects of volcanic eruptions that, owing to the physical properties of the ash fallout, actually do become more severe with distance from the eruptive centre. Volcanic eruptions introduce large amounts of chemicals into the atmosphere and deposit these, via ash fallout, in the environment. Here, we explore the hypothesis that the deposition of tephra with a high fluoride content contributed to making the landscapes affected by Laacher See ash fallout unsuitable for wildlife and humans. We briefly describe the possible fate of the fluoride released by the Laacher See volcanic eruption and its potential effects on northern European ecosystems with particular attention to impact pathways from wildlife to humans and to humans directly. Finally, we outline possible avenues of empirically investigating fluoride toxicosis in wildlife, especially large mammalian herbivores, following this volcanic event.
Adhesive application on particleboard from natural fibers: A review
Authors: Owodunni Amina Adedoja , Lamaming Junidah , Hashim Rokiah , Taiwo Owolabi Folahan Abdulwahab , Hussin Mohd Hazwan , Mohamad Kassim Mohamad Haafiz , Bustami Yazmin , Sulaiman Othman , Amini Mohd Hazim Mohamad , Hiziroglu Salim 
Published: August 2020

AbstractImpending health challenges in the formulations of particleboards from cellulosic‐based waste particles such as wood chips, sawdust, and veneer boards are of great concern. These wastes are majorly bonded together with synthetic resin or binder in the presence of heat and pressure to produce particleboards of various specifications and sizes depending on the end‐use. The qualities of the particleboards depend on the modification of the particle geometry, resin levels, board density, and manufacturing processes. The addition of special additives to enhance the qualitative performance of particleboards such as dimensional stability, fire retardancy enhancement, and moisture resistance is included in the manufacturing process. The milestone in the use of wood particles for particleboard manufacture is the large reduction in the environmental hazard that these abundant wastes cause. Furthermore, this review reports recent research efforts in the use of green adhesives to reduce the health threat related to utilizing formaldehyde‐based particleboard. The use of adhesives produced from natural sources has contributed toward the reduction in the impending health challenges and the cost of building construction by using such a particleboard.
Should vanishing twin pregnancies be systematically excluded from cell‐free fetal DNA testing?
Authors: Balaguer Nuria , Mateu‐Brull Emilia , Serra Vicente , Simón Carlos , Milán Miguel 
Published: August 2020

AbstractObjectiveTo demonstrate the feasibility of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) testing in vanishing twin (VT) pregnancies in routine clinical practice.MethodsOur study included 24 874 singleton and 206 VT consecutive pregnancies. Cell‐free DNA was analyzed by massively parallel sequencing. Both aneuploidy analysis (chromosomes 13,18, 21, X, and Y) and fetal fraction estimation were performed according to an Illumina algorithm. Contaminant DNA contribution from the demised co‐twin was studied in detail.ResultsVT pregnancies exhibited a higher prevalence of screen‐positive cases (5.8% vs 2.5%), sex discrepancies (10.2% vs 0.05%), and false positive rates (FPR) (2.6% vs 0.3%) than singleton pregnancies. However, their incidence was significantly lower in tests performed after the 14th week (screen‐positive cases: 3.1%; sex discrepancies: 7.8%; and FPR: 0.8%). Among the 12 cases in which cfDNA was performed at two time points, fading of contaminating cfDNA was observed in four cases with a sex discrepancy and in one false positive for trisomy 18, resulting in a final correct result.ConclusionsOur data suggest VT pregnancies could be included in cfDNA testing as long as it is applied after the 14th week of pregnancy. However, future studies to validate our findings are needed before including VT cases in routine clinical practice. Once established, unnecessary invasive procedures could be avoided, mitigating negative emotional impact on future mothers.
Understanding the effects of montmorillonite and sepiolite on the properties of solution‐cast chitosan and chitosan/silk peptide composite films
Authors: Chen Pei , Xie Fengwei , McNally Tony 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBlending with another biopolymer or nanomaterial can be an effective route to modify or tailor the properties of chitosan materials. In this work, we compared the effects of two nanoclays, montmorillonite (MMT) and sepiolite (SPT), on the properties of chitosan and chitosan/silk peptide (SP) films. While the solution‐cast chitosan/SP films showed no phase separation on a micron length scale, some degree of molecular‐level heterogeneity or incompatibility was evident. MMT nanoplatelets were delaminated in the chitosan‐alone matrix, resulting in enhanced mechanical properties and hydrophobicity. In comparison, inclusion of SPT nanoneedles was less effective at altering the properties of the chitosan matrix. In the chitosan/SP system, the MMT was poorly dispersed, suggesting the two biopolymers interfere with how each interacts with the nanoclay. Nonetheless, in this case, MMT disrupted biopolymer chain interactions, leading to reduced mechanical properties and increased surface hydrophilicity. In contrast, SPT was found to enhance the mechanical properties of the chitosan/SP matrix, certainly associated with it being better dispersed. Thus, this work shows the efficacy of MMT and SPT as a route to altering the structure and properties of chitosan‐based biopolymer matrices. © 2020 The Authors. Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Synthesis of new Biginelli polycondensates: renewable materials with tunable high glass transition temperatures
Authors: Windbiel Julian T , Meier Michael AR 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe Biginelli reaction was applied as a simple one‐pot multicomponent polycondensation approach to efficiently synthesize a set of 15 new and fully renewable poly(3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2(1H)‐one)s. One of six bis‐acetoacetates or three bis‐acetoacetamides, terephthalic aldehyde and (methyl‐)urea were used as renewable starting materials in various combinations, hence significantly expanding the known set of monomers as well as polymer structures. The bis‐acetoacetates and bis‐acetoacetamides with different spacer lengths were synthesized in yields of up to 99% in a one‐step process. Thermal analysis of the obtained set of polymers revealed high glass transition temperatures (Tg) ranging from 160 to 308 °C. The Tg was tunable in small steps of 10 °C by simple variation of bis‐acetoacetate or bis‐acetoacetamide monomers as well as the choice of (methyl‐)urea. The poly(3,4‐dihydropyrimidin‐2(1H)‐one)s showed good thermal stability with Td5% values well above the respective high Tg values. © 2020 The Authors. Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Modeling recombination and contact resistance of poly‐Si junctions
Authors: Folchert Nils , Peibst Robby , Brendel Rolf 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWe present a semi‐analytical model for the calculation of the current through and the recombination in carrier‐selective junctions consisting of a poly‐Si/SiOx/c‐Si layer stack. We calculate the recombination parameter J0 and the contact resistance ρC after solving the band‐bending‐problem on both sides of the interfacial oxide. Comparisons with finite‐element simulations show that the current calculation is reliable at all bias conditions except for inversion and that current through pinholes is resolved adequately in the model. The model allows a coherent description of lifetime‐, current‐voltage‐ and capacitance‐voltage measurements performed on a sample with dominant tunneling. We use our model to investigate the influence of oxide thickness and pinhole density on J0 and ρC of our state‐of‐the‐art poly‐silicon‐on‐oxide (POLO) junctions and demonstrate its usefulness for the optimization of poly‐Si based junctions.
A Systematic Review of Measures of Dysarthria Severity in Stroke Patients
Authors: Chiaramonte Rita , Vecchio Michele 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveTo define methods to measure dysarthria due to stroke and guide physicians in delineating a diagnostic protocol using the best current strategies.DesignSystematic review.Literature SurveyA search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify measurement methods for dysarthria severity in adults after stroke.MethodsTwo reviewers independently reviewed articles and came to a consensus about which ones to include. The authors excluded all duplicates, articles involving individuals with aphasia or other speech problems other than dysarthria, and articles unrelated to stroke. Articles were included if diagnostic measures were used to examine the effectiveness of speech rehabilitation in stroke patients.SynthesisThe search identified 1154 articles with the keywords “stroke” OR “ictus” OR “cerebral vascular accident” AND “dysarthria” OR “Speech and Language Disorders” AND “diagnosis” OR “assessment.” The reviewers analyzed 86 full texts. There were 37 publications that met the criteria and were included in the systematic review. These articles were used to describe the main methods used for measuring the severity of stroke‐related dysarthria before and after speech rehabilitation.ConclusionDespite the range of diagnostic tools available, robust trials are lacking, and the diagnostic approaches are always different. More research is needed to find the best diagnostic methodologies and delineate a definitive diagnostic protocol.
Ceftaroline vs vancomycin for the treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Branstetter Joshua , Searcy Heather , Benner Kim , Yarbrough April , Crowder Carly , Troxler Brad 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIntroductionRespiratory infection with methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an increasing complication in cystic fibrosis (CF) that results in accelerated lung function decline and mortality. Vancomycin is considered a first‐line intravenous treatment agent for MRSA associated acute pulmonary exacerbations (APEs); however, rates of vancomycin intolerance and resistance have been observed. These factors have led to the exploration of additional treatment options for treating MRSA associated APEs.MethodsThis is a retrospective chart review conducted at a CF center including patients 0 to 21 years of age with CF admitted for an APE and treated with either vancomycin or ceftaroline between January 2016 and August 2018. The primary endpoint was to determine ceftaroline efficacy compared to vancomycin in the treatment of MRSA associated APEs.ResultsThere were 180 patients included in the study with 90 patients in each antibiotic group. Admission to discharge forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) improved in the ceftaroline (66.5% vs 81.1%; P < .001) and vancomycin (65.5% vs 77.3%; P < .001) treatment groups. No difference existed in mean change in FEV1 (14.1% vs 13.5%; P = .25) or readmissions (15% vs 22; P = .27) between ceftaroline and vancomycin groups, respectively.DiscussionIn this retrospective study, no difference existed between ceftaroline and vancomycin with regard to observed improvement in lung function from admission to discharge. Additionally, no difference was observed in mean FEV1 or readmission rate between the two groups. Ceftaroline may represent an effective and safe intravenous antimicrobial option for targeting MRSA in pediatric CF patients with APEs.