bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MiR‐145 affected the circular RNA expression in prostate cancer LNCaP cells
Authors: He Jin‐Hua , Han Ze‐Ping , Zhou Jia‐Bin , Chen Wei‐Ming , Lv Yu‐Bing , He Men Ling , Li Yu‐Guang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractRecent evidence has demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) played crucial roles in fine‐tuning the levels of gene expression by sequestering the corresponding microRNA (miRNAs). Their interaction with disease‐associated miRNAs indicates that circRNAs are important for the development of disease, and miR‐145 has been previously shown to have antitumor effect in prostate cancer. In the current study, we successfully established the miR‐145‐overexpressed prostate cancer LNCaP cells (LNCaP‐miR‐145) using lentiviral vectors. LNCaP cells expressing the empty vector (LNCaP‐NC) were used as the negative control. The circRNA expression in LNCaP‐miR‐145 cells was detected by microarray analysis, and the miRNA targets of circRNAs were predicted using the bioinformatics software TargetScan and miRanda. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression levels of circRNAs in the prostate cancer tissue, nonmalignant tissue, LNCaP‐miR‐145 cells, and LNCaP‐NC cells. The interaction of miRNA and circRNA was further confirmed by the dual‐luciferase reporter assay. A total of 267 and 149 circRNAs were significantly up‐ and downregulated in LNCaP‐miR‐145 cells, respectively. hsa_circRNA_101981, hsa_circRNA_101996 and hsa_circRNA_09142 were the 3 circRNAs that interacted with hsa‐miR‐145‐5p; hsa_circRNA_008068 and hsa_circRNA_406557 were the 2 circRNAs that interacted with hsa‐miR‐145‐3p. Most of the circRNAs corresponded to the protein‐coding exons. The expression levels of hsa_circRNA_101981, hsa_circRNA_00806, and hsa_circRNA_406557 were upregulated in the LNCaP‐miR‐145 cells, but downregulated in the prostate cancer tissue. In contrast, the expression levels of hsa_circRNA_101996 and hsa_circRNA_091420 were downregulated in the LNCaP‐miR‐145 cells, but upregulated in the prostate cancer tissue. Moreover, miR‐145‐5P might regulate the expression of hsa_circRNA_101981, hsa_circRNA_101996, and hsa_circRNA_09142, while miR‐145‐3P might regulate the expression of hsa_circRNA_008068 and hsa_circRNA_406557. Overexpression of miR‐145 promoted the expression of hsa_circRNA_101981, hsa_circRNA_008068, and hsa_circRNA_406557 but suppressed the expressions of hsa_circRNA_101996 and hsa_circRNA_091420 in LNCaP cells. The results from the current study should give us a clue to clarify the tumor suppressive effect of miR‐145.
Silver Nanoparticles Engineered Polystyrene‐Poly(N‐isopropylmethacrylamide‐acrylic acid) Core Shell Hybrid Polymer Microgels for Catalytic Reduction of Congo Red
Authors: Naseem Khalida , Farooqi Zahoor H. , Begum Robina , Wu Weitai , Irfan Ahmad , Al‐Sehemi Abdullah G. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPolystyrene‐poly(N‐isopropylmethacrylamide‐acrylic acid) [pSty‐p(NIpmam‐AC)] core shell microgels loaded with silver nanoparticles (NPs) as a recyclable catalyst for rapid reduction of Congo Red (CR) dye in aqueous medium is reported for the first time. Catalytic activity of Ag‐pSty‐p(NIpmam‐AC) core shell composite microgels is measured by adopting the reduction of CR as a benchmark reaction. Restriction of Ag NPs in single layered p(NIpmam‐AC) shell of Ag‐pSty‐p(NIpmam‐AC) core shell composite microgels enhances the diffusion of reactants to access the Ag NPs, surface during reaction with respect to previously reported core shell and homogenous composite microgels, and thus enhances the rate of CR reduction. The solid nonresponsive pSty core induces easy recyclability in core shell composite microgel catalysts. The effect of different reaction parameters such as amount of catalyst, concentration of NaBH4 and CR on the reaction completion time for CR reduction, as well as on the value of apparent rate constant (kapp), is also studied by keeping all other parameters constant, separately. Reduction efficiency of Ag‐pSty‐p(NIpmam‐AC) catalyst is also measured under different reaction conditions for the reduction of CR. A slight decrease in the percentage activity of Ag‐pSty‐p(NIpmam‐AC) catalyst is observed for up to four cycles for CR reduction. The reported Ag‐pSty‐p(NIpmam‐AC) composite microgel catalysts can be used to degrade other pollutants.
Targeting strategies for drug delivery to the kidney: From renal glomeruli to tubules
Authors: Liu Chun‐Ping , Hu You , Lin Ju‐Chun , Fu Hua‐Lin , Lim Lee Yong , Yuan Zhi‐Xiang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractKidney diseases have become a global public health problem. The application of kidney‐targeted drug‐delivery systems in the management of kidney diseases has profound transformative potential. Kidney‐targeted drug delivery can reduce the undesired side effects of often potent drugs and enhance drug efficacy in alleviating the kidney disease. Here, we review the literature on the potential strategies for targeting drugs to the kidneys. Specifically, we provide a broad overview of the targeting vectors and targeting pathways for renal tubules and glomeruli, as well as how the unique structural features of the glomerulus and the receptor‐mediated internalization pathways of the tubules allows for drug targeting. Finally, we summarized the literature examples of drug delivery to the kidneys and elaborated strategies suitable for renal targeting to provide new therapeutic approaches for kidney diseases.
Fully automatic multi‐organ segmentation for head and neck cancer radiotherapy using shape representation model constrained fully convolutional neural networks
Authors: Tong Nuo , Gou Shuiping , Yang Shuyuan , Ruan Dan , Sheng Ke 
Published: August 2018

PurposeIntensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is commonly employed for treating head and neck (H&N) cancer with uniform tumor dose and conformal critical organ sparing. Accurate delineation of organs‐at‐risk (OARs) on H&N CT images is thus essential to treatment quality. Manual contouring used in current clinical practice is tedious, time‐consuming, and can produce inconsistent results. Existing automated segmentation methods are challenged by the substantial inter‐patient anatomical variation and low CT soft tissue contrast. To overcome the challenges, we developed a novel automated H&N OARs segmentation method that combines a fully convolutional neural network (FCNN) with a shape representation model (SRM).MethodsBased on manually segmented H&N CT, the SRM and FCNN were trained in two steps: (a) SRM learned the latent shape representation of H&N OARs from the training dataset; (b) the pre‐trained SRM with fixed parameters were used to constrain the FCNN training. The combined segmentation network was then used to delineate nine OARs including the brainstem, optic chiasm, mandible, optical nerves, parotids, and submandibular glands on unseen H&N CT images. Twenty‐two and 10 H&N CT scans provided by the Public Domain Database for Computational Anatomy (PDDCA) were utilized for training and validation, respectively. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), positive predictive value (PPV), sensitivity (SEN), average surface distance (ASD), and 95% maximum surface distance (95%SD) were calculated to quantitatively evaluate the segmentation accuracy of the proposed method. The proposed method was compared with an active appearance model that won the 2015 MICCAI H&N Segmentation Grand Challenge based on the same dataset, an atlas method and a deep learning method based on different patient datasets.ResultsAn average DSC = 0.870 (brainstem), DSC = 0.583 (optic chiasm), DSC = 0.937 (mandible), DSC = 0.653 (left optic nerve), DSC = 0.689 (right optic nerve), DSC = 0.835 (left parotid), DSC = 0.832 (right parotid), DSC = 0.755 (left submandibular), and DSC = 0.813 (right submandibular) were achieved. The segmentation results are consistently superior to the results of atlas and statistical shape based methods as well as a patch‐wise convolutional neural network method. Once the networks are trained off‐line, the average time to segment all 9 OARs for an unseen CT scan is 9.5 s.ConclusionExperiments on clinical datasets of H&N patients demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed deep neural network segmentation method for multi‐organ segmentation on volumetric CT scans. The accuracy and robustness of the segmentation were further increased by incorporating shape priors using SMR. The proposed method showed competitive performance and took shorter time to segment multiple organs in comparison to state of the art methods.
Does videourodynamic classification depend on patient positioning in patients with stress urinary incontinence?
Authors: Ecclestone Hazel , Cashman Sophia , Solomon Eskinder , Pakzad Mahreen , Hamid Rizwan , Greenwell Tamsin , Ockrim Jeremy 
Published: August 2018

Introduction and Aims: Videocystometrogram (VCMG) is used to assess patients with SUI. A common classification system of SUI is the Blaivas and Olsson classification. The position this grading is performed in has never been established.Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty‐one women complaining of SUI refractory to conservative measures had video‐urodynamic assessment prior to operative intervention. Grading of stored video SUI image traces was assessed as per Blaivas and Olsson criteria by two independent investigators whilst women were both lying and standing with bladder at maximum cystometric capacity.Results: Seventy‐two (56.7%) patients’ grading remained the same in both lying and standing positions. 49(40.5%) patients’ grading altered on standing. twenty had non‐demonstrable incontinence converted to demonstrable incontinence and 29 had demonstrable incontinence on lying that changed grading on standing; 22 of these by one grade and seven by two grades (from I to IIb). A Fisher's exact test demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the distribution of SUI grading between supine and standing positions (P < 0.01).Conclusion: 40.5% of women have a changed Blaivas and Olsson grade of SUI when assessed standing as opposed to lying. This has implications for surgical treatment options and patient counselling. While the Blaivas and Olsson grading system for SUI is simple and reproducible there is little standardisation as to which position this grading is to be performed. We recommend that an international consensus is agreed upon in order for results to be comparable and to help with future outcome studies.
Comparability between adult female anogenital distance and perineal measurements standardized by POP‐Q system (GH and PB)
Authors: Sánchez‐Ferrer María L. , Prieto‐Sánchez María T. , Moya‐Jiménez Luis C. , Adoamnei Evdochia , Mendiola Jaime , Torres‐Cantero Alberto M. 
Published: August 2018

AimsAnogenital distance (AGD) has been proposed as a marker of the prenatal hormonal milieu and potential environmental insults. The measures of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse‐Questionnaire (POP‐Q) system is being widely used in the evaluation of the perineum in women with POP pathologies. Genital hiatus (GH) and perineal body (PB) lengths have been related to both prolapse incidence and recurrence and for pessary treatment failure. The use of AGD in female human studies is now emerging and its comparability with other anthropometric measurements could be relevant. The aim of the study was to compare AGD and POP‐Q system in adult females.MethodsThe study included 155 pregnant women in the first stage of labor. Perineal measurements were performed on women in the lithotomy position: AGD from the anus to the clitoris (AGDAC); AGD from the anus to the fourchette (AGDAF); GH from the external urethral meatus to the posterior midline hymen, and length of the PB from the posterior midline hymen to the mid‐anal opening. Coefficients of variations (CV) were calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland‐Altman graphs were used to compare both set of measurements.ResultsCV were below 15% for AGDAC and GH + PB, though higher for AGDAF and PB (20% and 17%, respectively). ICCs for each pair of measurements were above 80%, (excellent agreement between methods). Concordance between measurements was confirmed by Bland‐Altman graphs.ConclusionsComparable measurements were obtained using AGDs and POP‐Q system. Further studies are needed to explore clinical and epidemiological implications of these findings.
Optimization of pH conditions and characterization of polyelectrolyte complexes between gellan gum and cationic guar gum
Authors: Kaur Jasleen , Kaur Gurpreet 
Published: August 2018

The present study was aimed to investigate optimum pH conditions for polyelectrolyte complexation between gellan gum (GG) and cationic guar gum (CGG). The pKa of both the polymers was determined using potentiometric titrations. The complex formation was investigated at three pH values (based upon the pKa interval of two polymers) and at different mixing ratios (ranging from 10:90 to 90:10). Zeta potential and turbidity studies elucidated the optimum pH and mixing ratio at which maximum interaction takes place between the polymers. The studies revealed neutral zeta potential, highest turbidity, and low transmittance at mixing ratio 30:70 and 40:60 (GG:CGG; pH 5.5), indicating maximum complex formation at these ratios. The percentage yield and viscosity studies of supernatant also revealed maximum interaction at these mixing ratios of polymers. The polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and for their swelling behavior in pH progression medium. The FTIR spectra confirmed formation of bonds between COO¯ and –N+(CH3)3 of GG and CGG, respectively. DSC studies revealed the stability, affinity, and spontaneous nature of complexation between these polymers. The morphological changes detected through SEM studies in GG‐CGG PECs exposed to different pH buffers also found to exhibit pH‐dependent swelling. The FTIR spectra, DSC, SEM, and swelling studies of PECs treated with buffer pH 1.2 followed by buffer pH 7.4 suggested that PECs comprising 40:60 ratio of GG:CGG, prepared at pH 5.5, could be used to formulate a pH‐sensitive drug delivery system.
Treatment with montelukast and antidepressive medication—a symmetry analysis
Authors: Winkel Jane Sterndorff , Damkier Per , Hallas Jesper , Henriksen Daniel Pilsgaard 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPurposeLeukotriene receptor antagonists are used in asthma and rhinitis treatment. Pharmacovigilance data have suggested an association between montelukast and depression, but the association has not been established in controlled study designs. We described the association between initiation of montelukast and depression, using prescriptions of antidepressants as a surrogate marker, and assessed whether the association was related to the underlying asthma disease.MethodsWe performed a symmetry analysis, with a study period from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2016, using 3 nationwide Danish registers. We included all adults, who filled their first prescription of montelukast and antidepressants within an interval of 1 year. In the absence of an association between montelukast and antidepressant use, a symmetrical distribution of prescriptions is expected before and after montelukast initiation (ie, a sequence ratio [rc] of 1.0). We subcategorized the subjects after the severity of underlying asthma disease.ResultsIn total, 4450 subjects filled their first prescriptions of both montelukast and antidepressants within a 1‐year interval: 2434 redeemed their first prescription of montelukast before antidepressants, and 2016 redeemed the medications in the opposite order (rc 1.21 [95% CI 1.14‐1.28]). We found rc above unity in groups with long‐acting asthma treatment, but no increase in antidepressant prescription, when stratifying by the asthma severity.ConclusionWe found a weak association between the use of montelukast and the risk of being prescribed an antidepressant, unlikely to be of clinical relevance. Stratified analyses suggest that this association may relate to asthma, rather than to montelukast.
The Extracorporeal Proteome—The Significance of Selective Protein Removal During Dialysis Therapy
Authors: Kratochwill Klaus 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDialysis as renal replacement therapy aims excess water and waste solutes from the uremic patient while retaining proteins in the plasma. Irrespective of the dialysis modality, hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD), the amount and composition of proteins that are removed are important determinants of the biocompatibility of the therapy. Although hemodialysis membranes would ideally be biologically inert filtration tubes, they are known to adsorb proteins. The part of the plasma proteome that is thereby removed during every dialysis session may be regarded as the extracorporeal proteome, which has to be kept in balance with the plasma proteome, regarding the individual proteins’ biological roles and activation states. In a recent study, Ronci et al. (Proteomics Clin. Appl. 2018, e1700140) comprehensively compare two hemodialyzer membrane materials by shotgun LC–MS proteomic analysis of adsorbed proteins and ultrafiltrates from four HD patients. While pathway analysis is an attractive tool to compare different proteomes on an abstract level, some challenges remain regarding the adaptation for such tools for special proteomes and the interpretation of relative changes compared absolute changes regarding their biological importance in dialysis techniques. In summary, selective protein removal may represent a yet unexploited therapeutic opportunity if the “right” proteins are removed from the blood.
Synthesis and insecticidal activities of novel solanidine derivatives
Authors: Beaulieu Rémi , Grand Eric , Stasik Imane , Attoumbré Jacques , Chesnais Quentin , Gobert Virginie , Ameline Arnaud , Giordanengo Philippe , Kovensky José 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundPotato (Solanum tuberosum) is the fourth culture in the world and is widely used in the agri‐food industries. They generate by‐products in which α‐chaconine and α‐solanine, the two major solanidine‐based glycoalkaloids of potato, are present. As secondary metabolites, they play an important role in the protection system of potato and are involved in plant protection against insects. To add value to these by‐products, we described here new glycoalkaloids that could have phytosanitary properties.ResultsSolanidine, as a renewable source, was modified with an azido linker and coupled by copper‐catalyzed alkyne azide cycloaddition to alkynyl derivatives of the monosaccharides found in the natural potato glycoalkakoids: D‐glucose, D‐galactose and L‐rhamnose. The efficacy of our compounds was evaluated on the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae. The synthetic compounds have stronger aphicidal properties against nymphs than unmodified solanidine. They also showed strong aphicidal activities on adults and a negative impact on fecundity.ConclusionOur synthetic neoglycoalkaloids affected Macrosiphum euphorbiae survival at the nymphal stage as well as at the adult stage. Furthermore, they induced a decrease in fecundity. Our results show that chemical modifications of by‐products may afford new sustainable compounds for crop and plant protection. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Triple oxygen isotope analysis of nitrate using isotope exchange cavity ringdown laser spectroscopy
Authors: Gázquez Fernando , Claire Mark W. 
Published: August 2018

RationaleTriple oxygen isotopes (16O/17O/18O) in nitrate are a valuable tool to ascertain the pathways of nitrate formation in the atmosphere and the fate of nitrate in ecosystems. Here we present a new method for determining Δ17O values in nitrates, based on nitrate‐water isotope equilibration (IE) and subsequent isotopic analysis of water using cavity ringdown laser spectroscopy (CRDS).MethodsNitrate oxygen (O‐NO3−) is equilibrated with water oxygen (O‐H2O) at low pH and 80°C. Subsequently, the δ17O and δ18O values of equilibrated water are determined by CRDS, scaled to V‐SMOW and V‐SLAP and calibrated against nitrate standards (USGS‐34, USGS‐35 and IAEA‐NO3). We provide isotopic measurements of synthetic and natural nitrates and a direct inter‐lab comparison with the classic method of thermal‐decomposition of nitrate followed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry of O2 (TD‐IRMS).ResultsFor synthetic NaNO3, the precision (1SD) of the IE‐CRDS method is 0.8‰ for δ17O values, 1.7‰ for δ18O values and 0.2‰ for Δ17O values when using an O‐NO3−/O‐H2O ratio greater than 0.0114 ± 0.0001 (e.g. 12 μmol of NO3− in 50 μL of acid solution). For natural samples, after purification of nitrates by column chemistry and reprecipitation as AgNO3, the precision is better than 1.8‰ for δ17O values, 3.2‰ for δ18O values and 1‰ for Δ17O values. IE‐CRDS and TD‐IRMS yield Δ17O values within the analytical errors of the two methods.ConclusionsThe IE‐CRDS method for determining Δ17O values in nitrates utilizes a user‐friendly and relatively cheaper benchtop analytical instrument, representing an alternative to IRMS‐based methods for certain applications.
Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) of human fingernail clippings reveal multiple location signals
Authors: Mancuso Christy J. , Ehleringer James R. 
Published: August 2018

RationaleStrontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) in human fingernail keratin tissues have been underexplored for region of origin and travel history reconstruction studies. Here we investigated 87Sr/86Sr ratios in fingernail keratin to establish baseline measurements in a resident group and to examine how 87Sr/86Sr ratios changed with relocation.MethodsFingernail clippings were collected from resident (n = 10) and non‐resident/traveler groups (n = 4 and n = 4) that were part of a larger study in Salt Lake City (UT, USA) from 2015 to 2016. Strontium abundance and 87Sr/86Sr ratios were determined via multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC‐ICP‐MS). 87Sr/86Sr and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios from the traveler participants were compared to examine temporal patterns.ResultsStrontium abundance and 87Sr/86Sr ratios in fingernails from the resident group established a baseline against which we could evaluate potential differences in non‐resident/traveler groups. Resident 87Sr/86Sr ratios remained constant over the study period and were consistent with previously measured tap waters for the area. 87Sr/86Sr ratio changes in non‐resident/traveler groups were rapid and reflected the current location of the individual within 4–5 weeks of arrival. Lastly, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the same fingernail clippings did not exhibit similar temporal patterns, since fingernail δ18O ratios required more time to attain values characteristic of the new environment.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that strontium is incorporated into fingernail tissues differently from hair and this could be advantageous to forensic investigations. We found that 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O ratios of the same fingernail clippings revealed two different time points reflecting an individual's residence over short‐ (4–5 weeks, 87Sr/86Sr ratios) and long‐term (3–5 months, δ18O values) time scales. It is likely that the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of fingernail clippings reflect exogenous signals that are incorporated through bathing waters and that these signals change rapidly with movement to a new location. Our results may aid future forensic studies in the determination of region of origin in unidentified remains.