bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Favorable impact of extracorporeal photopheresis in acute and chronic graft versus host disease: Prospective single‐center study
Authors: Sakellari Ioanna , Gavriilaki Eleni , Batsis Ioannis , Mallouri Despina , Panteliadou Alkistis‐Kira , Lazaridou Andriana , Vardi Anna , Constantinou Varnavas , Yannaki Evangelia , Papalexandri Apostolia , Kaloyannidis Panayotis , Smias Christos , Anagnostopoulos Achilles 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBackgroundGraft vs host disease (GVHD) is the most severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Conventional immunosuppressive therapy increases morbidity and mortality without improving survival. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been introduced as an alternative treatment in steroid‐dependent and steroid‐refractory disease.Study design and methodsWe studied the safety and efficacy of ECP as a second‐ or third‐line treatment in GVHD.ResultsECP was administered in 21 patients with grade III‐IV acute GVHD and 88 patients with extensive chronic GVHD, without ECP‐related adverse events. Eight patients receiving four or less ECP sessions were not further analyzed. The majority of acute GVHD patients (84%) presented partial (15) or complete (1) response to ECP. Immunosuppression was reduced in 10 of 19 patients and ceased in 1 of 19 patients. One‐year cumulative incidence (CI) of transplant‐related mortality (TRM) (17.6%) was associated with the lack of response to ECP and steroid refractoriness. With a follow‐up of 17.5 (1.8‐58.3) months, 1‐year overall survival (OS) (52.5%) was independently associated with a higher number of ECP sessions. Regarding chronic GVHD, complete response was achieved in 35 patients, whereas partial response in 25 patients, leading to an overall response rate of 73%. Cutaneous sclerosis manifestations were associated with higher response rates. With a follow‐up of 68.1 (5.4‐283.1) months, 5‐year CI of TRM (24.1%) was associated only with a number of ECP sessions. The 5‐year OS (64.5%) was independently associated with number of ECP sessions and cutaneous manifestations.ConclusionOur findings suggest that ECP is safe and effective for GVHD and should be considered early in the course of GVHD, before irreversible end‐organ damage has been established.
Examining the nonkin support networks of orphaned adolescents participating in a family‐based economic‐strengthening intervention in Uganda
Authors: Nabunya Proscovia , Padgett Deborah , Ssewamala Fred M. , Courtney Mark E. , Neilands Torsten 
Published: November 2018

AbstractIn this study, we examined the nonkin support networks of orphaned adolescents participating in a family‐based economic‐strengthening intervention in HIV‐impacted communities in Uganda. We analyzed data from a cluster randomized experimental study for orphaned adolescents aged 11–17 years. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control condition, which received bolstered standard of care (BSOC) services, or the treatment condition, which received BSOC services plus an economic‐strengthening intervention. We conducted binary logistic regression analyses to examine the effect of the intervention on participants’ nonkin support networks. Results indicated that the existing social support networks for orphaned adolescents are small, limited, and usually comprised individuals with similar socioeconomic situations and challenges. Because orphaned adolescents are socially isolated and the threshold for nonkin supportive services is very low, the BSOC services provided to the control condition appeared to be instrumental in their survival and well‐being. Availability of personal savings was associated with higher odds of identifying at least one supportive nonkin tie. The extended family system is still the primary and major source of social support to orphaned children in HIV‐affected communities. In the absence of public safety nets, building social assets, over and above offering economic opportunities to extended families supporting orphaned children, is critical.
Morpho‐palynological assessment of medicinal flora of district Lahore, Pakistan based on LM and SEM
Authors: Shaheen Shabnum , Jaffer Mehwish , Khan Farah , Hussain Khadim , Hanif Uzma , Younis Sidra , Ilyas Sobia , Ishtiaq Saiqa 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThis study was carried out to identify 20 high valued medicinal plants of District Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan with the help of the palynological studies. The distinguishing characteristics for selected species were found by systematized methods using light microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. In this study, important pollen qualitative and quantitative features of these medicinal species such as polar and equatorial outline and their diameter, P/E ratio, presence or absence of pore, sculpturing of pollen, exine thickness, intine thickness, intercellular distance of exine and intine, presence or absence of spines, length of spines, width of spines, presence or absence of colpi and length of colpi, were compared. Remarkable variations in these pollen characters have been observed. Pollen grains were usually circular‐semicircular (Calendula officinalis), spheroidal (Convolvulus arvensis), bilobed and trilobed (Convolvulus arvensis), spiny, (Abutilon indicum), oblate (Terminalia chebula) and elongated (Euphorbia pilulifera). In polar view Conyza bonariensis exhibited the highest pollen size [195.9 (211.6–180.2) μm]. While in equatorial view Calendula officinalis and Euphorbia pilulifera had lowest value [22.5 (20–25) μm] whereas Carissa carandas [165 (140–179) μm] appeared to be the largest. Parthenium hysterophorus showed the highest P/E ratio, that is, 1.28. Colpi were reported in only 7 species. Most of the plants showed 100% fertility but Terminalia chebula showed the least value 35%. In the present, project the diversity in pollen morphology present pollen as a valuable taxonomic tool. It is also concluded that pollen features are helpful at the specific level as well as generic level and can provide us fruitful taxonomic solutions.Research HighlightsPalynological flora of the medicinal plant species of district Lahore, Pakistan is investigated first time on the basis of LM and SEM and the flora is found very significant for taxonomic investigations.
Neutrophil progenitor populations of rhesus macaques
Authors: Weisgrau Kim L , Vosler Logan J , Pomplun Nicholas L , Hayes Jennifer M , Simmons Heather A , Friedrichs Kristen R , Rakasz Eva G 
Published: November 2018

Abstract
Captive-bred rhesus macaques of Indian origin represent one of the most important large animal models for infectious disease, solid organ transplantation, and stem cell research. There is a dearth of information defining hematopoietic development, including neutrophil leukocyte differentiation in this species using multicolor flow cytometry. In the current study, we sought to identify cell surface markers that delineate neutrophil progenitor populations with characteristic immunophenotypes. We defined four different postmitotic populations based on their CD11b and CD87 expression pattern, and further refined their immunophenotypes using CD32, CD64, lactoferrin, and myeloperoxidase as antigenic markers. The four subsets contained myelocyte, metamyelocyte, band, and segmented neutrophil populations. We compared our flow cytometry-based classification with the classical nuclear morphology-based classification. We found overlap of immunological phenotype between populations of different nuclear morphology and identified phenotypically different subsets within populations of similar nuclear morphology. We assessed the responsiveness of these populations to stimulatory signals, such as LPS, fMLP, or PMA, and demonstrated significant differences between human and rhesus macaque neutrophil progenitors. In this study, we provided evidence for species-specific features of granulopoiesis that ultimately manifested in the divergent immunophenotypes of the fully differentiated segmented neutrophils of humans and rhesus macaques. Additionally, we found functional markers that can be used to accurately quantify neutrophil progenitors by flow cytometry. Although these markers do not coincide with the classical nuclear-morphology-based grading, they enable us to perform functional studies monitoring immunophenotypic markers.
A flow cytometric protocol using species-specific characteristics to define rhesus macaque neutrophil progenitors in the bone marrow.
Dose‐response assessment of chemically modified curcumin in experimental periodontitis
Authors: de Almeida Brandão Dayane , Spolidorio Luis Carlos , Johnson Francis , Golub Lorne M. , Guimarães‐Stabili Morgana Rodrigues , Rossa Carlos 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBackgroundCMC2.24, a novel tri‐ketonic chemically modified compound based on natural di‐ketonic curcumin, has been shown to reduce bone loss and inflammatory mediators in experimental periodontitis, however, a potential dose‐response relationship was not determined. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of different doses of CMC2.24 on inflammation and bone resorption in vivo and also to describe on the effects of CMC2.24 on macrophage response.MethodsCMC2.24 was administered daily to animals for 28 days by oral gavage, at the following doses: 0 (control), 1, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg of body weight. Experimental periodontitis was induced by injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the gingival tissues. Outcomes assessed were bone resorption, detection of tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase, and determination of gene expression. In vitro, macrophages (RAW264.7) were treated with different concentrations of CMC2.24: 1, 3, 10, and 30 μM and then subjected to different activation stimuli. Gene expression, phagocytic activity, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cytokine production were evaluated.ResultsCMC2.24 inhibited bone resorption, osteoclastogenesis, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α expression in vivo. These beneficial responses reached maximum levels at a dose of 1 mg/kg, i.e. no dose‐dependent effect. In vitro, CMC2.24 reduced the production of TNF‐α and interleukin‐10, inhibited phagocytic activity and stimulated production of ROS. A dose‐dependent effect was observed only for ROS production.ConclusionLow doses of CMC2.24 (1 mg/kg/day) administered orally were sufficient to significantly inhibit alveolar bone resorption associated with the experimental periodontal disease; whereas in vitro macrophage inflammatory gene expression and phagocytosis were reduced, whereas production of ROS was stimulated.
A method to detect allergenic fish, specifically cod and pollock, using quantitative real‐time PCR and COI DNA barcoding sequences
Authors: Eischeid Anne C 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDFish are one of eight major allergens defined in the US Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, and cod and pollock are two of the major fish allergens. This paper describes development and validation of a method to detect cod and pollock in complex food matrices using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences obtained through DNA barcoding were used to design a single set of primers and probe which detected three species in the genus Gadus: Atlantic cod, Pacific cod, and walleye pollock.RESULTSCod spiked into three different food matrices (cooking oil, clam chowder, and hushpuppy mix) yielded high linearity, dynamic range spanning six orders of magnitude, and lower limits of detection at 1–10 ppm (ppm; mg kg−1). Frying had an adverse effect on the lower limit of detection, but not on linearity.CONCLUSIONSThis work shows that COI DNA barcoding sequences can be used to effectively design real‐time PCR assays for detection of food allergens in complex matrices. While full‐length DNA barcodes distinguish individual species, the PCR assay designed here detected three different species. This is likely because real‐time PCR assays are tolerant to basepair mismatches and do not utilize the full length of the DNA barcode. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Biological value and chemical components of essential oils of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown with organic fertilization sources
Authors: Yaldiz Gulsum , Camlica Mahmut , Ozen Ferit 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDEnvironmental safety of the agricultural utilization of livestock and poultry manures from intensive farming is attracting great attention and is effective as a good source of nitrogen for sustainable crop production. The present study aimed to determine the effects of organic poultry manure applications on the biological value and essential oil content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). In this context, different doses of chicken, kıbele (fermented chicken manure) and turkey manure (750, 1000, 1250 and 1500 kg da−1) with a control (no manure) were applied by sowing.RESULTSThe essential oils consisted of p‐Allyl‐anisole as the most abundant component (5.65–17.90%), followed by nerol (6.69–16.11%), linalool (5.10–10.81%) and z‐citral (5.23–10.73%). The contents of most of the chemical constituents varied significantly (P < 0.05) with organic poultry manure applications. The highest concentration for essential oils components was found in the chicken manure application. Both the antioxidant activity and total phenolic amounts of the basil extracts varied significantly as the organic poultry manure applications changed. The highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic amounts were obtained in the treatments with chicken manure doses of 1000 and 1250 kg da−1, which were significantly different compared to the other treatments and the control treatment. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against bacterial strains: Escherichia coli ATCC 35218, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 was assessed by the disc diffusion method and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration. The results of antimicrobial assays indicated that all of the tested microorganisms were affected. The highest antibacterial activity against all tested microbial species was observed with 1250 kg da−1 chicken manure applications.CONCLUSIONAmong the organic poultry fertilizations, chicken fertilization was of particular interest. Especially, chicken manure doses of 1000–1250 kg da−1 had the highest antibacterial and antioxidant activity, as well as total phenolics, flavonoids and essential oil components. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
A three‐dimensional free‐breathing sequence for simultaneous myocardial T1 and T2 mapping
Authors: Guo Rui , Chen Zhensen , Herzka Daniel A. , Luo Jianwen , Ding Haiyan 
Published: November 2018

Purpose:The aim of this study was to develop, test and validate a 3D free‐breathing technique for simultaneous measurement of native myocardial T1 and T2.Methods:The proposed 3D technique acquires five fat‐suppressed electrocardiogram‐triggered respiratory navigator‐gated spoiled gradient echo volumes in an interleaved manner. Four volumes are prepared using a combination of nonselective saturation and T2 preparation. One volume is acquired with fully recovered longitudinal magnetization for accuracy during parametric fitting. Performance of the technique was validated through numerical simulations, phantom experiments and in vivo experiments in 15 healthy human subjects.Results:Simulations and phantom experiments show that the measured T1 and T2 are largely insensitive to heart rate. In vivo whole‐heart maps with a voxel size of 1.5 × 1.5 × 16 mm3 were acquired without parallel imaging within ~ 8 min including respiratory gating efficiency. The in vivo parametric maps were homogeneous (coefficients of variation of left ventricle myocardium were 6.0% ± 0.8% and 10.2% ± 3.4% for T1 and T2 maps, respectively), with an average T1 value of 1470 ± 59.2 ms and T2 value of 41.6 ± 1.8 msConclusions:The proposed 3D technique allows for measurement of whole‐heart T1 and T2 with preserved accuracy and precision in a single scan.
Multi‐echo MR thermometry using iterative separation of baseline water and fat images
Authors: Poorman Megan E. , Braškutė Ieva , Bartels Lambertus W. , Grissom William A. 
Published: November 2018

Purpose
To perform multi‐echo water/fat separated proton resonance frequency (PRF)‐shift temperature mapping.
Methods
State‐of‐the‐art, iterative multi‐echo water/fat separation algorithms produce high‐quality water and fat images in the absence of heating but are not suitable for real‐time imaging due to their long compute times and potential errors in heated regions. Existing fat‐referenced PRF‐shift temperature reconstruction methods partially address these limitations but do not address motion or large time‐varying and spatially inhomogeneous B0 shifts. We describe a model‐based temperature reconstruction method that overcomes these limitations by fitting a library of separated water and fat images measured before heating directly to multi‐echo data measured during heating, while accounting for the PRF shift with temperature.
Results
Simulations in a mixed water/fat phantom with focal heating showed that the proposed algorithm reconstructed more accurate temperature maps in mixed tissues compared to a fat‐referenced thermometry method. In a porcine phantom experiment with focused ultrasound heating at 1.5 Tesla, temperature maps were accurate to within 1∘C of fiber optic probe temperature measurements and were calculated in 0.47 s per time point. Free‐breathing breast and liver imaging experiments demonstrated motion and off‐resonance compensation. The algorithm can also accurately reconstruct water/fat separated temperature maps from a single echo during heating.
Conclusions
The proposed model‐based water/fat separated algorithm produces accurate PRF‐shift temperature maps in mixed water and fat tissues in the presence of spatiotemporally varying off‐resonance and motion.
UTE‐SENCEFUL: first results for 3D high‐resolution lung ventilation imaging
Authors: Mendes Pereira L. , Wech T. , Weng A.M. , Kestler C. , Veldhoen S. , Bley T.A. , Köstler H. 
Published: November 2018

PurposeThis study aimed to develop a 3D MRI technique to assess lung ventilation in free‐breathing and without the administration of contrast agent.MethodsA 3D‐UTE sequence with a koosh ball trajectory was developed for a 3 Tesla scanner. An oversampled k‐space was acquired, and the direct current signal from the k‐space center was used as a navigator to sort the acquired data into 8 individual breathing phases. Gradient delays were corrected, and iterative SENSE was used to reconstruct the individual timeframes. Subsequently, the signal changes caused by motion were eliminated using a 3D image registration technique, and ventilation‐weighted maps were created by analyzing the signal changes in the lung tissue. Six healthy volunteers and 1 patient with lung cancer were scanned with the new 3D‐UTE and the standard 2D technique. Image quality and quantitative ventilation values were compared between both methods.ResultsUTE‐based self‐gated noncontrast‐enhanced functional lung (SENCEFUL) MRI provided a time‐resolved reconstruction of the breathing motion, with a 49% increase of the SNR. Ventilation quantification for healthy subjects was in statistical agreement with 2D‐SENCEFUL and the literature, with a mean value of 0.11 ± 0.08 mL/mL for the whole lung. UTE‐SENCEFUL was able to visualize and quantify ventilation deficits in a patient with lung tumor that were not properly depicted by 2D‐SENCEFUL.ConclusionUTE‐SENCEFUL represents a robust MRI method to assess both morphological and functional information of the lungs in 3D. When compared to the 2D approach, 3D‐UTE offered ventilation maps with higher resolution, improved SNR, and reduced ventilation artifacts.
Cyclopropylmethyl Protection of Phenols: Total Synthesis of the Resveratrol Dimers Anigopreissin A and Resveratrol–Piceatannol Hybrid
Authors: Kumar Arvind , Saleeb Michael , Werz Dominik , Elofsson Mikael 
Published: November 2018

AbstractWe demonstrate the versatile use of the cyclopropylmethyl group to protect phenols through the total synthesis of two benzofuran‐based natural products, that is, anigopreissin A and the resveratrol–piceatannol hybrid. This protecting group is a good alternative to the conventional methyl group, owing to the feasibility of introduction, stability under a variety of conditions, and its relative ease of removal under different acidic conditions.
Housing Voucher Take‐Up and Labor Market Impacts
Authors: Chyn Eric , Hyman Joshua , Kapustin Max 
Published: November 2018

AbstractLow participation rates in government assistance programs are a major policy concern in the United States. This paper studies take‐up of Section 8 housing vouchers, a program in which take‐up rates are quite low among interested and eligible households. We link 18,109 households in Chicago that were offered vouchers through a lottery to administrative data and study how baseline employment, earnings, public assistance, arrests, residential location, and children's academic performance predict take‐up. Our analysis finds mixed evidence of whether the most disadvantaged or distressed households face the largest barriers to program participation. We also study the causal impact of peer behavior on take‐up by exploiting idiosyncratic variation in the timing of voucher offers. We find that the probability of lease‐up increases with the number of neighbors who recently received voucher offers. Finally, we explore the policy implications of increasing housing voucher take‐up by applying reweighting methods to existing causal impact estimates of voucher receipt. This analysis suggests that greater utilization of vouchers may lead to larger reductions in labor market activity. Differences in take‐up rates across settings may be important to consider when assessing the external validity of studies identifying the effects of public assistance programs.
Pediatric pain screening identifies youth at risk of chronic pain in sickle cell disease
Authors: Sil Soumitri , Cohen Lindsey L. , Dampier Carlton 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the preliminary validation and application of a pain screening tool to identify biopsychosocial risk factors for chronic pain in pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) and classify youth with SCD into prognostic risk groups.MethodYouth presenting to a pediatric SCD clinic completed the Pediatric Pain Screening Tool (PPST), a brief 9‐item self‐report questionnaire developed for rapid identification of risk in youth with pain complaints. Youth also completed a battery of standardized patient‐reported outcomes, including pain characteristics, pain burden, functional disability, pain interference, depressive symptoms, pain catastrophizing, and fear of pain. Healthcare utilization was extracted from medical chart review.ResultsSeventy‐three 8‐ to 18‐year‐olds (94% Black, 57% female) with SCD participated. The PPST demonstrated discriminant validity that ranged from fair to excellent (area under the curves (AUC) = 0.74–0.93, P values < 0.001) for identifying significant pain frequency, disability, pain interference, and psychosocial distress. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated that previously established cutoff scores were appropriate for the SCD sample. Participants were classified into low‐risk (28.8%), medium‐risk (38.4%), and high‐risk (32.9%) groups, with significant group differences across measures, F(18, 116) = 6.67, P < 0.001. The high‐risk group reported significantly higher pain intensity, pain frequency, pain burden, functional disability, pain interference, and depressive symptoms relative to both low‐risk and medium‐risk groups (P values < 0.005).ConclusionsThe high‐risk group demonstrated a pain and psychosocial profile consistent with chronic SCD pain. The PPST may be useful for efficiently identifying youth with chronic SCD pain or those at risk of poor outcomes.