bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Methadone—Not a magic bullet in melanoma therapy
Authors: Brüggen Marie‐Charlotte , Mangana Joanna , Irmisch Anja , French Lars E. , Levesque Mitchell P. , Cheng Phil F , Dummer Reinhard 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMethadone (Met) mainly acts as a μ‐opioid receptor agonist. Recent evidence pointing towards the role of Met in sensitization of certain cancer cell lines to chemotherapeutic agents has promoted the hypothesis that Met may be a useful adjuvant to cancer chemotherapy. We wanted to address whether Met has, alone or in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent, an effect on melanoma cell viability in vitro. Only a small fraction (4.3%) of our 102 melanoma biobank cell lines with RNA‐sequencing data showed expression of the main receptor for Met (OPRM1). We assessed the viability of melanoma cell lines with high, medium or low/no OPRM1 expression (OPRM1high, OPRM1med, OPRM1neg) 72 hours after treatment with Met alone or combined with cisplatin (Cis). Our analyses show that Met alone did not affect cell viability. While Cis/Met treatment did not have an effect on viability of OPRM1med or OPRM1neg cell lines, it resulted in a slightly decreased cell viability of OPRM1high cells. Clinically, concurrent temozolomide/Met treatment did not have an effect in our single‐case report of a patient suffering from uveal melanoma. Taken together, our findings do not provide evidence for recommending Met as an adjuvant to chemotherapy in patients with melanoma.
Progress in designing and delivering effective fishing industry–science data collection in the UK
Authors: Mangi Stephen C , Kupschus Sven , Mackinson Steven , Rodmell Dale , Lee Alexandra , Bourke Elizabeth , Rossiter Tom , Masters Jim , Hetherington Stuart , Catchpole Thomas , Righton David 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis study was undertaken to address the increasing need for a strategic approach to industry–science data collections in the face of reducing resources and growing need for evidence in fisheries management. The aim was to evaluate progress in the development of plans and procedures that can be employed to collect, record and use fishing industry knowledge and data in the evidence base for managing fisheries. This was achieved by reviewing industry‐led data initiatives already undertaken or ongoing within the United Kingdom to document how these projects have/are incorporating fishing industry data into the process of management decision‐making; canvassing stakeholder opinion on data gaps and whether these could be filled by data gathered by commercial fishing vessels; establishing what issues might prevent or stimulate commercial fishing vessels in collecting data when they have the opportunity; and describing guidance on a step‐by‐step process for gathering scientific information such that fishers are empowered to collect the right data, at the right times and in the right format for their fishery. Given recent advances in the collection, interpretation and application of fisheries‐dependent data, we compare progress made in the UK to other areas of the world. We conclude that there is considerable evidence of a paradigm shift from the conventional practice of scientists asking fishers to provide data for scientific analyses towards full engagement of key stakeholders in data collection.
In Our Lives and Under Our Skin: An Investigation of Specific Psychobiological Mediators Linking Family Relationships and Health Using the Biobehavioral Family Model
Authors: Priest Jacob B. , Roberson Patricia N. E. , Woods Sarah B. 
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study was to use the Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM) to delineate which psychophysiological variables link romantic and family relationship satisfaction variables to health outcomes. Data from individuals who reported being partnered from the second wave of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS II), Project 4 (n = 812) were used to test a structural equation model which explored which psychophysiological variables potentially mediated associations between positive and negative family emotional climate variables and disease activity. This model found that current and past family variables had larger associations with the psychophysiological variables than romantic partner variables; depressive symptoms, anxiety, and inflammation partially mediated associations between family relationships and health; and, contrary to the hypotheses, romantic partner and family support were linked to worse health outcomes. However, the findings should be viewed with regard to the cross‐sectional design of the study. Overall, the findings support the use of the BBFM as a model that can guide clinical interventions.
Tracing the fate of steroids through a hypersaline microbial mat (Kiritimati, Kiribati/Central Pacific)
Authors: Shen Y. , Thiel V. , Duda J.‐P. , Reitner J. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractEukaryotic steranes are typically absent or occur in very low concentrations in Precambrian sedimentary rocks. However, it is as yet unclear whether this may reflect low source inputs or a preservational bias. For instance, it has been proposed that eukaryotic lipids were profoundly degraded in benthic microbial mats that were ubiquitous prior to the advent of vertical bioturbation in the Cambrian (“mat‐seal effect”). It is therefore important to test the microbial turnover and degradation of eukaryotic steroids in real‐world microbial mats. Here we assessed steroid inventories in different layers of a microbial mat from a hypersaline lake on Kiritimati (Central Pacific). Various eukaryote‐derived C27‐C30 steroids were detected in all mat layers. These compounds most likely entered the mat system as unsaturated sterols from the water column or the topmost mat, and were progressively altered during burial in the deeper, anoxic mat layers over c. 103 years. This is reflected by increasing proportions of saturated sterols and sterenes, as well as the presence of thiosteranes in certain horizons. Sterol alteration can partly be assigned to microbial transformation but is also due to chemical reactions promoted by the reducing environment in the deeper mat layers. Notably, however, compounds with a sterane skeleton were similarly abundant in all mat layers and their absolute concentrations did not show any systematic decrease. The observed decrease of steroid/hopanoid ratios with depth may thus rather indicate a progressive “dilution” by lipids derived from heterotrophic bacteria. Further, pyrolysis revealed that steroids, in contrast to hopanoids, were not sequestered into non‐extractable organic matter. This may lead to a preservational bias against steroids during later stages of burial. Taken together, steroid preservation in the microbial mat is not only controlled by heterotrophic degradation, but rather reflects a complex interplay of taphonomic processes.
What the ~1.4 Ga Xiamaling Formation can and cannot tell us about the mid‐Proterozoic ocean
Authors: Diamond C. W. , Planavsky N. J. , Wang C. , Lyons T. W. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractDespite a surge of recent work, the evolution of mid‐Proterozoic oceanic–atmospheric redox remains heavily debated. Constraining the dynamics of Proterozoic redox evolution is essential to determine the role, if any, that anoxia played in protracting the development of eukaryotic diversity. We present a multiproxy suite of high‐resolution geochemical measurements from a drill core capturing the ~1.4 Ga Xiamaling Formation, North China Craton. Specifically, we analyzed major and trace element concentrations, sulfur and molybdenum isotopes, and iron speciation not only to better understand the local redox conditions but also to establish how relevant our data are to understanding the contemporaneous global ocean. Our results suggest that throughout deposition of the Xiamaling Formation, the basin experienced varying degrees of isolation from the global ocean. During deposition of the lower organic‐rich shales (130–85 m depth), the basin was extremely restricted, and the reservoirs of sulfate and trace metals were drawn down almost completely. Above a depth of 85 m, shales were deposited in dominantly euxinic waters that more closely resembled a marine system and thus potentially bear signatures of coeval seawater. In the most highly enriched sample from this upper interval, the concentration of molybdenum is 51 ppm with a δ98Mo value of +1.7‰. Concentrations of Mo and other redox‐sensitive elements in our samples are consistent with a deep ocean that was largely anoxic on a global scale. Our maximum δ98Mo value, in contrast, is high compared to published mid‐Proterozoic data. This high value raises the possibility that the Earth's surface environments were transiently more oxygenated at ~1.4 Ga compared to preceding or postdating times. More broadly, this study demonstrates the importance of integrating all available data when attempting to reconstruct surface O2 dynamics based on rocks of any age.
Pigment carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures in euxinic basins
Authors: Fulton J. M. , Arthur M. A. , Thomas B. , Freeman K. H. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of chloropigments and porphyrins from the sediments of redox‐stratified lakes and marine basins reveal details of past biogeochemical nutrient cycling. Such interpretations are strengthened by modern calibration studies, and here, we report on the C and N isotopic composition of pigments and nutrients in the water column and surface sediment of redox‐stratified Fayetteville Green Lake (FGL; New York). We also report δ13C and δ15N values for pyropheophytin a (Pphe a) and bacteriochlorophyll e (Bchl e) deposited in the Black Sea during its transition to a redox‐stratified basin ca. 7.8 ka. We propose a model for evolving nutrient cycling in the Black Sea from 7.8 to 6.4 ka, informed by the new pigment data from FGL. The seasonal study of water column nutrients and pigments at FGL revealed population dynamics in surface and deep waters that were also captured in the sediments. Biomass was greatest near the chemocline, where cyanobacteria, purple sulfur bacteria (PSB), and green sulfur bacteria (GSB) had seasonally variable populations. Bulk organic matter in the surface sediment, however, was derived mainly from the oxygenated surface waters. Surface sediment pigment δ13C and δ15N values indicate intact chlorophyll a (Chl a) was derived from near the chemocline, but its degradation product pheophytin a (Phe a) was derived primarily from surface waters. Bacteriopheophytin a (Bphe a) and Bchl e in the sediments came from chemocline populations of PSB and GSB, respectively. The distinctive δ13C and δ15N values for Chl a, Phe a, and Bphe a in the surface sediment are inputs to an isotopic mixing model that shows their decomposition to a common porphyrin derivative can produce non‐specific sedimentary isotope signatures. This model serves as a caveat for paleobiogeochemical interpretations in basins that had diverse populations near a shallow chemocline.
Microtopography‐induced transient waterlogging affects switchgrass (Alamo) growth in the lower coastal plain of North Carolina, USA
Authors: Tian Shiying , Fischer Milan , Chescheir George M. , Youssef Mohamed A. , Cacho Julian F. , King John S. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractVery limited information is currently available on growth responses of switchgrass (lowland cultivars) to transient waterlogging in lowland or poorly drained areas. This study investigated impacts of microtopography‐induced transient waterlogging on switchgrass (Alamo cultivar) growth, represented by leaf‐level gas exchange and biomass yield, in an established experimental field located in the Atlantic coastal plain of North Carolina, USA. Intensive leaf‐level gas exchange measurements were conducted on switchgrass at paired spots with distinct elevations in three sub‐blocks. Aboveground biomass was randomly collected across the study field to explore the potential impacts of the transient waterlogging on biomass yield. The sum of excess water (SEW) was calculated based on measured instantaneous water table depth to generalize the relationship between biomass yield and intensity of transient waterlogging. Results showed significant (P ≤ 0.0001) treatment effects on leaf‐level gas exchange, characterized by evident reduction in both CO2 assimilation rate and stomatal conductance when water table was at or near the soil surface at low positions. Negative impacts of transient waterlogging on leaf‐level gas exchange became more evident with the increasing of elevation differences between paired subplots. Stomatal closure was found to be the main mechanism responsible for the decline of net assimilation under transient waterlogging. Aboveground biomass yields of switchgrass showed relatively high spatial variability and were positively and linearly correlated with microtopography (represented by elevation in the analysis) (P < 0.03, R2 > 0.77). Further analysis showed that biomass yields were negatively correlated with SEW (P < 0.001, R2 > 0.6) with an exponential relationship. Results of this study strongly demonstrated transient waterlogging could negatively affect switchgrass growth by suppressing leaf‐level gas exchange rates and ultimately reducing biomass yield. Findings from this study have critical implications for evaluating the economic viability of growing switchgrass on marginal lands that are subject to transient waterlogging stresses.
Relationship between alcohol consumption and periodontal tissue condition in community‐dwelling elderly Japanese
Authors: Suwama Kana , Yoshihara Akihiro , Watanabe Reiko , Stegaroiu Roxana , Shibata Satoko , Miyazaki Hideo 
Published: March 2018

ObjectivesTo examine the associations among alcohol consumption level, dietary intake and other lifestyle factors, and periodontal condition, in community‐dwelling elderly Japanese of a specific age.BackgroundThe relationship between alcohol consumption level and periodontitis is a controversial issue.MethodsParticipants were 438 dentate elders aged 73 years from a larger cohort survey of elders in Niigata City, Japan. Data collected from oral examination of each participant, including number of the existing teeth, mean probing pocket depth and mean clinical attachment level (CAL) were used for the analyses. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire and a lifestyle habit questionnaire were used to assess food and alcohol consumption, smoking experience, frequency of tooth brushing, interdental brush use, and visits to a dental clinic during the previous year. Blood glucose control was assessed by the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level. Body mass index was calculated from height and weight measurements. The relationships between each variable and the individual mean CAL were analysed by univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsAccording to logistic regression analysis, the mean CAL was significantly associated with the number of existing teeth (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90; P < .001), being a heavy drinker (OR = 2.44; P < .05), and smoking experience (OR = 2.37; P < .01).ConclusionThis study showed that increased mean CAL was significantly associated with heavy drinking in community‐dwelling elderly Japanese (aged 73 years) compared with non‐drinking. Our results provide new evidence that high alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of periodontal disease and its progression.
Evaluation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from alfalfa for silage fermentation
Authors: Li Dongxia , Wang Yanping , Zhang Yingchao , Lin Yanli , Yang Fuyu 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe present study isolated 84 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) 38 alfalfa cultivars in China and evaluated their effectiveness at improving alfalfa silage quality. The strains, belonging to seven genera, 15 species and subspecies were identified based on phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, 16S rDNA sequencing and recA gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The LAB, predominantly Leuconostoc (46.4%), consisted of Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides (22.6%), Leuconostoc lactis (2.4%), Leuconostoc fallax (7.1%), Leuconostoc citreum (1.2%), Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides (13.1%), Enterococcus hirae (8.3%), Enterococcus casseliflavus (8.3%), Enterococcus faecium (6.0%), Streptococcus parauberis (2.4%), Weissella cibaria (2.4%), Weissella confusa (11.9%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (6.0%), Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (2.4%), Lactococcu garvieae (2.4%) and Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum (3.5%). Among the isolates, Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ZZU A18 showed notable ability to decrease the pH in alfalfa broth and exhibited excellent effect to improve alfalfa silage quality. Compared to silage treated with or without a commercial silage additive, inoculation with L. plantarum subsp. plantarum ZZU A18 significantly increased the production of lactic acid and acetic acid, preserved the dry matter and crude protein content, decreased the pH and concentrations of propionic acid, butyric acid, ammonia‐nitrogen and inhibited undesirable microorganisms. In brief, strain ZZU A18 was considered as an effective inoculant for alfalfa silage.
Burden of illness and costs among paediatric haemophilia patients with and without central venous access devices treated in US hospitals
Authors: Buckley B. , Dreyfus J. , Prasad M. , Gayle J. , Kendter J. , Hall E. 
Published: March 2018

IntroductionCentral venous access devices (CVADs) facilitate repeated or urgent treatments for paediatric haemophilia patients, but are associated with complications. This study examined the burden of illness, healthcare utilization and costs for CVADs in a real‐world hospital setting.Materials and MethodsThis study included haemophilia patients ages ≤18 years with discharges during 2006‐2014 in the US Premier Healthcare Database. Haemophilia was identified using ICD‐9 diagnosis codes and CVAD exposure using billing information. After matching haemophilia patients with and without CVADs on demographic and clinical characteristics, we compared infection, thrombosis, length of stay (LOS), inflation‐adjusted hospital cost (2014 $USD) and readmission outcomes using generalized estimating equation models adjusted for hospital teaching status.ResultsAmong 4793 paediatric haemophilia patients treated at one of 548 hospitals, a total of 197 patients were identified with CVAD exposure. The matched sample included 310 haemophilia patients (155 CVAD and 155 non‐CVAD). CVAD cases had greater frequencies of all‐cause infections (29% vs 17%, P = .01) and thrombosis (6% vs 1%, P = .06), longer adjusted mean LOS (9.5 vs 4.7 days, P = .002), higher adjusted mean inpatient total hospitalization costs ($47200 vs $25389, P = .02) as well as more inpatient and outpatient visits at 30‐, 60‐ and 90‐days (P < .05 for all differences) compared with non‐CVAD patients.ConclusionPaediatric haemophilia patients with CVADs experienced greater infection rates, healthcare utilization and higher hospitalization costs compared with non‐CVAD patients. The results of this study may inform further research efforts to understand the costs and benefits of novel treatment alternatives for young haemophilia patients requiring CVADs.
Microtissue engineering root canal dentine with crosslinked biopolymeric nanoparticles for mechanical stabilization
Authors: Li F.‐C. , Kishen A. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAimTo evaluate the functional strain distribution pattern in root dentine following canal preparation and root canal surface engineering with crosslinked biopolymeric nanoparticles using digital moiré interferometry (DMI).MethodologyRoot dentine specimens were prepared, grating material replicated and tested for 10–50 N, compressive loads in a customized high‐resolution, whole‐field moiré interferometry set‐up. Digital moiré fringes were acquired to determine the strain distribution pattern at specific regions of interest before and after canal enlargement, and dentine surface engineering with a chitosan nanoparticle crosslinker solution. Fringe patterns were acquired, and strain distribution pattern in the direction perpendicular to dentinal tubules (U‐field) and parallel to dentinal tubules (V‐field) was analysed with custom digital image‐processing software. Data were analysed with a statistical method on trend analysis at 0.05 significant level.ResultsDistinct deformation patterns perpendicular to the dentinal tubules were observed in root dentine. Root canal dentine removal following instrumentation resulted in an increase in strain distribution, which increased with an increase in applied loads (P < 0.01). The root canal dentine engineered with crosslinked nanoparticles demonstrated a conspicuous decrease in previously increased strain distribution in both coronal and apical root dentine (P < 0.01). A significant increase in tensile strain in root dentine was observed subsequent to instrumentation in the direction parallel to dentinal tubules (P < 0.01). There was a significant reduction in the tensile strain formed at the apical region of the instrumented root dentine following crosslinked nanoparticle treatment (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study highlighted the potential of root canal dentine microtissue engineering with crosslinked chitosan nanoparticle to improve radicular strain distribution patterns in instrumented canals.
Comparative assessment of stained‐glass windows materials by infrared thermography
Authors: Palomar Teresa , Agua Fernando , Gómez‐Heras Miguel 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis paper reports the analyses of infrared thermography images of two stained‐glass windows with the objective of the in situ characterization of this type of artworks. The analyses were carried out by active thermography. The observations revealed that glasses absorbed the long‐wave IR radiation emitted by the halogen lamps and their apparent surface temperature progressively increased. After switching the spotlight off, they experienced a progressive decrease in temperature. Silver stained glasses presented the same thermographic behavior than uncolored glasses because silver nanoparticles were too small or the yellow layer was too thin to produce a different response than the base glass with the IR radiation. The apparent surface temperature of enamels and grisailles depended on their thickness and color. Lead cames maintained an almost constant surface apparent temperature, except those painted that behave in a similar way than enamels. Metallic tin‐lead welds experienced the most important variation in the surface apparent temperature in reflection mode due to the energy reflected by the surface of the weld. Glass defects such as big bubbles were also observed.