bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of Substrate Stiffness on Morphology and MMP‐1 Gene Expression in Tenocytes Stimulated With Interleukin‐1β
Authors: Maeda Eijiro , Kuroyanagi Kaname , Ando Yoriko , Matsumoto Takeo 
Published: June 2019

ABSTRACTTendon cells, tenocytes, are constantly subjected to mechanical stress in vivo, which maintains a level of cellular tension. When a tendon is subjected to overloading, local rupture of collagen fibers are induced, which deprives tenocytes of mechanical stress, lowers their cellular tension level and upregulates their catabolism. In addition, leukocytes are attracted to the rupture sites and produce interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and this exogenous IL‐1β also stimulates tenocyte catabolism. We tested a hypothesis that catabolic tenocytes with low cellular tension at the rupture sites excessively respond to the exogenous IL‐1β and further upregulate matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP‐1) gene expression. Tenocytes from rabbit Achilles tendon were cultured on the following substrates: glass or polydimethylsiloxane micropillar substrates with a height of 2, 4, or 8 µm. Following a 3‐day IL‐1β stimulation at a concentration of 0, 1, 10, or 100 pM, the effects of IL‐1β stimulation on cell morphology and MMP‐1 gene expression was analysed with fluorescent microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization, respectively. In addition, the effects of IL‐1β stimulation on cell membrane fluidity were examined. It was demonstrated that the cells on 8‐µm‐height micropillars exhibited a greater response than those on rigid substrates with flat (glass) and topologically the same surface (2‐µm‐height micropillars) to IL‐1β when supplied at the same concentration. Besides this, membrane fluidity was lower in the cells on micropillars. Therefore, it appears that cellular attachment to softer substrates lowers the cellular actin cortex tension, reducing the membrane fluidity and possibly elevating the sensitivity of IL‐1 receptors to ligand binding. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 38:150–159, 2020
Salinity and pH as factors affecting the passive sampling and extraction of pharmaceuticals from water
Authors: Lis Hanna , Stepnowski Piotr , Caban Magda 
Published: July 2019

AbstractPassive sampling is an attractive technique for the long‐term monitoring of pharmaceuticals in the water environment. The reliability of the received results depends on the properly performed calibration, namely the determination of analyte sampling rates. This step can be the source of a systematic error, as the sampling rate values are dependent on the water donor phase parameters. This is especially important for pharmaceuticals, since their chemical characteristics and ionic form change with pH. In this study, the cross‐effect of pH (3, 7, and 9) and salinity (0, 7, and 35 practical salinity unit, using artificial sea water) on the passive sampling of 21 pharmaceuticals (antiparasitics, beta‐blockers, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, sulfonamides) was tested. The primarily determined parameter was the sampling rate. In addition, the extraction efficiency, partitioning coefficient, and the concentration of the analytes on the sorbent were calculated. Generally, for the non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, beta‐blockers, and antiparasitics, the change both in pH and salinity had a negligible impact on the mentioned experimental parameters. In contrast, the extraction of sulfonamides was impacted by both pH and salinity, while lipophilicity was not a decisive parameter.
Changes in Carotid Duplex Ultrasound Velocities After Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Shivapour Daniel M. , Javed Omair , Wu Yuping , Brinza Ellen , Hornacek Deborah , Conic Juliana , Gornik Heather L. , Kim Esther S. H. 
Published: July 2019

ObjectivesThe peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end‐diastolic velocity (EDV) obtained by carotid duplex ultrasound (CDU) imaging of the internal carotid arteries (ICAs) are parameters used to determine the severity of ICA stenosis. Severe aortic stenosis (AS) results in a parvus‐et‐tardus pattern on spectral Doppler waveforms; however, the impact of severe AS on CDU velocities is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of severe AS on CDU velocities by evaluating changes in CDU velocities before and after aortic valve replacement (AVR)MethodsA single‐center retrospective review of patients with severe AS who underwent surgical AVR and who had preoperative and postoperative CDU examinations performed within 12 months of each other was conducted. Patients with any carotid intervention between the preoperative and postoperative CDU were excluded.ResultsWe identified 92 patients who satisfied all inclusion criteria. The mean age was 72.2 years; 71.7% were men; the mean preoperative aortic valve area ± SD was 0.8 ± 0.2 cm2; and the mean time from preoperative to postoperative AVR CDU was 182.3 ± 98.4 days. The peak aortic valve gradient decreased from 62.5 to 22.0 mm Hg after AVR (P < .001); however, there were no significant changes in the PSV or EDV in either the right or left ICA.ConclusionsAlthough severe AS may cause characteristic changes in the spectral Doppler waveform on CDU imaging, there is no significant effect on the ICA PSV or EDV. Adjustments in velocity criteria to determine the degree of carotid artery stenosis in patients with substantial AS may not be necessary.
The prognostic factors between different viral etiologies among advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving sorafenib treatment
Authors: Yeh Ming‐Lun , Huang Chung‐Feng , Huang Ching‐I , Hsieh Ming‐Yen , Hou Nei‐Jen , Lin I‐Hung , Liang Po‐Cheng , Tsai Yi‐Shan , Hsieh Meng‐Hsuan , Lin Zu‐Yau , Chen Shinn‐Chern , Dai Chia‐Yen , Huang Jee‐Fu , Yu Ming‐Lung , Chuang Wan‐Long 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSorafenib is currently the first‐line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) patients. However, the outcomes and prognostic factors of sorafenib therapy have not been well investigated. We aimed to investigate the pretreatment factors and outcomes among Taiwanese aHCC patients receiving sorafenib treatment. A total of 347 patients with aHCC and well‐compensated liver cirrhosis (Child‐Pugh A) status receiving sorafenib were consecutively enrolled from March 2013 through December 2016. Pre‐treatment clinical data and viral hepatitis markers were collected and analyzed with their outcomes. The primary endpoint of the study was overall survival. The factors associated with overall survival were also investigated. The median overall survival of all the patients was 238 days (range, 9‐1504 days) with a 1‐year overall survival of 43.2%. Positive hepatitis B surface antigen and absence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) were independent factors associated with better overall survival. The median duration of sorafenib therapy was 93.0 days (range, 4‐1504 days). After stopping sorafenib, the median survival was 93.0 days (range, 1‐1254 days). The 1‐year survival after stopping sorafenib was 21.2%. In chronic hepatitis B patients, total bilirubin level was the only factor associated with overall survival. Hepatitis C antibody RNA negativity, tumor size, PVT, and white blood cell count were the independent factors associated with survival among those chronic hepatitis C patients. There were different prognostic factors stratified by viral etiologies in aHCC patients receiving sorafenib. Viral eradication increased survival in chronic hepatitis C patients.
Flood‐induced metal contamination in the topsoil of floodplain agricultural soils: A case‐study in Colombia
Authors: Marrugo‐Negrete José , Pinedo‐Hernández José , Combatt Enrique M. , Bravo Andrea G. , Díez Sergi 
Published: June 2019

AbstractAnomalously cold conditions in the tropical Pacific, related to a strong La Niña event, affected numerous countries in 2010. Several areas in Colombia were severely impacted, including agricultural fields in La Mojana floodplain that were completely flooded for almost 2 years. This study assesses the effects of flooding on the levels, spatial distribution, and sources of trace metals in 222 agricultural topsoils of this floodplain. Our results show that mean concentrations of Cu 48.4 mg kg−1 (11–103 mg kg−1), Zn 79.2 mg kg−1 (6–207 mg kg−1), Ni 58.1 mg kg−1 (17–101 mg kg−1), Pb 3.2 mg kg−1 (0.13–14 mg kg−1), Cd 0.56 mg kg−1 (0.05–1.4 mg kg−1), Mn 411 mg kg−1 (55–1,277 mg kg−1), and Hg 0.10 mg kg−1 (0.05–0.22 mg kg−1) were higher than the world's averages. Topsoils revealed different degrees of pollution depending on the metal, of which Pb was the most problematic element, with 82% of the soil samples classified as heavily contaminated. Principal component analysis suggests that soil contamination was primarily derived from poor agricultural practices and contaminated river overflows from upstream mining areas. Our results show that an extreme flood event might increase the bioavailability of metals (especially Pb) for crops in most (66%) of the agricultural soils, posing a potential threat to human health.
A New Method for Percutaneous Drug Delivery by Thermo‐Mechanical Fractional Injury
Authors: Shavit Ronen , Dierickx Christine 
Published: June 2019

Background and ObjectivesPercutaneous drug delivery (PDD) is a means of increasing the uptake of topically applied agents into the skin. Successful delivery of a photosensitizer into the skin is an important factor for effective photodynamic therapy. To evaluate the efficacy of pretreatment by thermomechanical fractional injury (TMFI) (Tixel®, Novoxel®, Israel) at low‐energy settings in increasing the permeability of the skin to a known hydrophilic‐photosensitizer medication, 5‐amino‐levulinic‐acid hydrochloride (ALA) in compounded 20% ALA gel. To compare the effect of TMFI on ALA permeation into the skin in compounded gel to three commercial photosensitizing medications in different vehicles: ALA microemulsion gel, methyl‐amino‐levulinic‐acid hydrochloride (MAL) cream, and ALA hydroalcoholic solution.Study Design/Materials and MethodsFive healthy subjects were treated in two separate experiments and on a total of 136 test sites, with four topical photosensitizer preparations as follows: compounded 20% ALA gel prepared in a good manufacturing practice (GMP)‐certified pharmacy (Super‐Pharm Professional, Israel), 10% ALA microemulsion gel (Ameluz®, Biofrontera Bioscience GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany), 16.8% MAL cream (Metvix®, Galderma, Lausanne, Switzerland), and 20% ALA hydroalcoholic solution (Levulan Kerastick®, DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Wilmington, MA, USA). The dermal sites were pretreated by Tixel® (Novoxel® Ltd., Israel) prior to topical drug application. One site was untreated to serve as control. Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence intensity readouts were taken immediately and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours posttreatment.ResultsThe highest average PpIX fluorescence intensity measurements were obtained for the compounded 20% ALA gel following pre‐treatment by TMFI at 6 milliseconds pulse duration. After 2 and 3 hours, TMFI‐treated sites exhibited an increased hourly rate in readouts of FluoDerm units, which were 156–176% higher than the control rates (P ≤ 0.004). TMFI pre‐treatment did not enhance the percutaneous permeation of either ALA or MAL following the microemulsion gel, hydroalcoholic solution, and cream applications.ConclusionsPretreatment with low‐energy TMFI at a pulse duration of 6 milliseconds increased the percutaneous permeation of ALA linearly over the first 5 hours from application when the compounded 20% ALA gel was used. Formulation characteristics have substantial influence on the ability of TMFI pretreatment to significantly increase the percutaneous permeation of ALA and MAL. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genetics and genetic counseling in psychiatry: Results from an opinion survey of professionals and users
Authors: Martorell Lourdes , Sanfeliu Annabel , Blázquez Ana , Lojo Elia , Cortés Maria José , de Pablo Joan , Vilella Elisabet 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe heritability of several psychiatric disorders is high, and specific at‐risk variants have been identified. Therefore, genetic counseling and genetic testing can be prescribed to some psychiatric patients, but these services are not standardized for most of the population. The aims of the study were to gather opinions from mental health professionals and users regarding (a) the genetics of psychiatric disorders and (b) the usefulness of a genetic counseling unit in psychiatry.MethodsThe survey was conducted in the province of Tarragona (Spain), and we analyzed 152 valid questionnaires from professionals and 959 from users.ResultsSixty‐one percent of professionals strongly believed that psychiatric disorders have a genetic basis, and 59% rated a genetic counseling unit in psychiatry as very or extremely useful. However, only a few professionals reported that patients asked them about the genetics of their diseases (12%) or the possibility of transmitting the disease to offspring (19%). Forty‐seven percent of users strongly believed that psychiatric disorders have a genetic basis, 30% responded that they talked with their families about the genetics of their diseases, and 43% were worried about transmitting the disease to offspring; however, only 14% reported that their psychiatrist had talked to them about this topic. Remarkably, 80% of users would consider a genetic counseling unit very or extremely useful.ConclusionsThe present study showed that mental health professionals were more aware of the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders than users, and both considered the implementation of a genetic counseling service very useful.
Quantitative 1H NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) in the early process development of a new quorum sensing inhibitor
Authors: Cavalcante Robson A.F. , Silva Felipe L. , Favero Fernanda , Resck Inês S. , Pereira Alex L. , Machado Angelo H.L. 
Published: June 2019

Abstract2‐methyl‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro‐2H‐chromen‐4(3H)‐one (called 6‐oxo) is presented as a new AI‐1 quorum sensing inhibitor for Vibrio harveyi. The development of a chemical process to afford traceable materials for new biological assays demands the development of analytical methods to ensure their purity and quality. This work describes the use of quantitative 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (qNMR) to assess the purity of a sample of 6‐oxo (99.88%) and a sample of its major process impurity (E)‐1‐(2‐hydroxycyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐yl)but‐2‐en‐1‐one (called HCB; 98.28%). To explore the scope of the use of qNMR to quantify the amount of low‐content components in samples related to the chemical process for 6‐oxo synthesis, this work also determined the amount of 6‐oxo in two HCB samples: (a) the high‐purity HCB sample described above and (b) a crude HCB sample collected during the chemical process. Despite the complexity of the crude sample, the amount of 6‐oxo was readily assessed and could help to estimate the extent to which 6‐oxo was already formed during the HCB synthesis. This information can help the understanding of how the process parameters can be modified to improve the performance of the whole process, by controlling the reaction mechanisms working at each step of this chemical process. In this context, our results reinforce qNMR as a complementary analytical tool for the quantification of the main component found in a sample, contributing to the standardization of reference materials and thus allowing the development of analytical methods for process control and traceability of the samples used for biological assays.
Thermo‐/moisture‐responsive shape‐memory effect of poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) networks
Authors: Segiet Dominik , Raidt Thomas , Özdem Hatay , Weckes Sebastian , Tiller Joerg C. , Katzenberg Frank 
Published: June 2019

ABSTRACTIn this work, poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEtOx) is crosslinked to realize a moisture‐ and thermo‐responsive shape‐memory polymer. The obtained PEtOx networks exhibit excellent shape‐memory properties with storable strains of up to 650% and recovery values of 100% over at least 10 shape‐memory cycles. The trigger temperature (Ttrig) of 68 °C of a PEtOx network at a relative humidity (RH) of 0% decreases with increasing moisture and equals room temperature at an RH of 40%. Thus, programmed PEtOx networks trigger sensitively on a certain temperature/moisture combination and, further, can be programmed as well as triggered at room temperature exclusively by varying humidity. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019, 57, 1053–1061
Multimapping confounds ribosome profiling analysis: A case‐study of the Hsp90 molecular chaperone
Authors: Halpin Jackson C. , Jangi Radhika , Street Timothy O. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractRibosome profiling (Ribo‐seq) can potentially provide detailed information about ribosome position on transcripts and estimates of protein translation levels in vivo. Hsp90 chaperones, which play a critical role in stress tolerance, have characteristic patterns of differential expression under nonstressed and heat shock conditions. By analyzing published Ribo‐seq data for the Hsp90 chaperones in S. cerevisiae, we find wide‐ranging artifacts originating from “multimapping” reads (reads that cannot be uniquely assigned to one position), which constitute ~25% of typical S. cerevisiae Ribo‐seq datasets and ~80% of the reads from HEK293 cells. Estimates of Hsp90 protein production as determined by Ribo‐seq are reproducible but not robust, with inferred expression levels that can change 10‐fold depending on how multimapping reads are processed. The differential expression of Hsp90 chaperones under nonstressed and heat shock conditions creates artificial peaks and valleys in their ribosome profiles that give a false impression of regulated translational pausing. Indeed, we find that multimapping can even create an appearance of reproducibility to the shape of the Hsp90 ribosome profiles from biological replicates. Adding further complexity, this artificial reproducibility is dependent on the computational method used to construct the ribosome profile. Given the ubiquity of multimapping reads in Ribo‐seq experiments and the complexity of artifacts associated with multimapping, we developed a publicly available computational tool to identify transcripts most at risk for multimapping artifacts. In doing so, we identify biological pathways that are enriched in multimapping transcripts, meaning that particular biological pathways will be highly susceptible to multimapping artifacts.
Confirming the safety instrumented system layer of protection
Authors: Chastain‐Knight Denise 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe safety instrumented system (SIS) is a complex protection layer with high reliability requirements. Assuring the effectiveness of the SIS requires monitoring the effectiveness of the safety instrumented functions (SIFs) as well as the independent protection layer(s) (IPL) that reduce demand on the SIF(s). An SIF tripping more frequently than anticipated may be due to flaws in IPLs intended to reduce demand on the SIF. A slower than expected or failed SIF trip may be due to flaws in the SIF components, the proof testing program, the maintenance program, or inadequate SIF design. This article will identify parameters that should be routinely monitored, illustrate how data can be captured and analyzed, detect weaknesses in the SIS IPL, and provide recommendations for routine monitoring and audit activities.
Computing weighted Szeged and PI indices from quotient graphs
Authors: Tratnik Niko 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThe weighted (edge‐)Szeged index and the weighted (vertex‐)PI index are modifications of the (edge‐)Szeged index and the (vertex‐)PI index, respectively, because they take into account also the vertex degrees. As the main result of this article, we prove that if G is a connected graph, then all these indices can be computed in terms of the corresponding indices of weighted quotient graphs with respect to a partition of the edge set that is coarser than the Θ*‐partition. If G is a benzenoid system or a phenylene, then it is possible to choose a partition of the edge set in such a way that the quotient graphs are trees. As a consequence, it is shown that for a benzenoid system, the mentioned indices can be computed in sublinear time with respect to the number of vertices. Moreover, closed formulas for linear phenylenes are also deduced.
A new approach to predict the formation of 3D hybrid organic‐inorganic perovskites
Authors: Kumar Aditya , Singh Ajeet , Ojha Animesh K. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractRecently, hybrid organic‐inorganic perovskite (HOIPs) materials are used to enhance the power conversion efficiency of the solar cells. The tolerance factor (TF) and octahedral factor (μ) are widely used to predict the formation of three‐dimensional (3D) HOIPs structures. However, in some of the cases (e.g. CH3NH3GeI3 (MAGeI3) [TF = 1.06, μ = 0.33] NH2CHNH2GeI3 (FAGeI3) [TF = 1.14, μ = 0.33] and CH3C(NH2)2GeI3 (ACGeI3) [TF = 1.17, μ = 0.33]), these factors could not predict the formation of HOIPs structures. Thus, we have introduced a new factor based on the HOMO‐LUMO energy gap of the organic cations, metal cations, anions, and volume of the organic cations. We have tested and utilized the HOMO‐LUMO energy gap factor (β) on 403 ABX3 combinations. The factor β successfully predicts and differentiate the perovskite and non‐perovskite materials. Further, we also observed that for the formation of HOIPs structure, volume of the organic cation should also be in the range of 20 to 46 cm3/mol. Based on the newly reported factor, we have also designed some new organic cations which may form a 3D HOIPs structure.
Effect of project‐based learning on high school students' state‐mandated, standardized math and science exam performance
Authors: Craig Tara T. , Marshall Jill 
Published: June 2019

AbstractIn a technologically driven society, math and science students in the United States are falling further and further behind their international counterparts, resulting in an influx of STEM focused, reformed K‐12 schools, including schools focused on project‐based learning (PBL). This article reports a study of the effectiveness of PBL on high school students' performance on state mandated standardized mathematics and science achievement measures. Manor New Tech High School is a nationally recognized model STEM school, with a diverse student population, where all instruction is delivered through PBL. Although there is ample research suggesting that PBL is advantageous for increasing STEM learning compared to conventional teaching approaches, there is a lack of studies randomly assigning students to receive PBL. Further, some of the effects observed for students attending project‐based schools could be due to a self‐selection bias for students or parents that choose such an alternative learning environment. This study addresses both of these concerns and found that students taught through PBL, as a group, matched performance of conventionally taught students on all science 11th grade and mathematics 9th, 10th, and 11th grade TAKS achievement measures and exceeded performance by a scale score increase of 133 for the 10th grade science TAKS measure by (B = 133.082, t = 3.102, p < .05). One possible explanation of the differences observed in this study could be the TAKS instrument used to capture student math and science achievement that interprets “real‐life applications” of content differently between math and science questions. These results align with literature on the effects of PBL and deepen our understanding of these effects by providing a controlled study with random assignments to the PBL experience. Future research looking at the effect of PBL on achievement on the PISA could be beneficial in identifying benefits of PBL implementation in schools.