bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of selenium supplementation on expression of SEPP1 in mRNA and protein levels in subjects with and without metabolic syndrome suffering from coronary artery disease: Selenegene study a double‐blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Gharipour Mojgan , Ouguerram Khadija , Nazih El‐Hassane , Salehi Mansour , Behmanesh Mehrdad , Roohafza Hamidreza , Hosseini Syed Mohsen , Nezafati Pouya , Dianatkhah Minoo , Gharipour Amin , Haghjoo Shaghayegh , Sarrafzadegan Nizal , Sadeghi Masoumeh 
Published: June 2018

AbstractSelenoprotein P (SePP) is involved in the protection against diseases. The present study is the first investigation of the effect of selenium supplementation on plasma selenium and expression of SEPP1 in mRNA and protein levels based on metabolic syndrome (MetS), in individuals suffering from coronary artery diseases. In this clinical trial, 160 patients with angiographically documented stenosis of more than 75% in each vessel were enrolled. Patients received either 200‐mg selenium yeast tablets or placebo tablets orally after a meal, once daily for 60 days. The mRNA and protein levels of the selenium and SePP1 products were determined before and after the study. From the initial 160 participants, 145 subjects (71 MetS‐affected individuals, 74 MetS‐unaffected individuals) enrolled in this study. Comparing the selenium and placebo groups, no significant percentage changes of plasma selenium, △Ct SEPP1, or SePP were shown (P > 0.05). Moreover, beyond a significant difference for the expression of SePP in the selenium group compared to its baseline level (P < 0.05), no other significant differences were revealed for plasma selenium and △Ct SEPP1 after the intervention in either group (P > 0.05). Selenium supplementation did not affect plasma selenium or the mRNA or protein level of SePP in either groups after a 2‐months intervention beyond a significant increase of SePP in the MetS group. This trial suggests that further studies should investigate the long‐term use of selenium supplementation and the effect of a SePP increase on MetS as a potential therapeutic effect.
MiR‐490‐5p inhibits the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by down‐regulating E2F2 and ECT2
Authors: Fang Zheng‐Qing , Li Mao‐Chun , Zhang Yu‐Qin , Liu Xiang‐Guo 
Published: June 2018

AbstractWe intended to evaluate miR‐490‐5p expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and detect the potential targets of miR‐490‐5p. In vitro experiments were conducted to further investigate the biological function of miR‐490‐5p on HCC cell metastasis. We investigated the abnormally expressed miRNAs in HCC tissues, and the miR‐490‐5p expression level was detected by qRT‐PCR. E2F2 and ECT2 were proved to be the potential targets of miR‐490‐5p by luciferase reporter assay. The expression levels of E2F2 and ECT2 were determined using Western blot. Transwell assay was used to analyse the impact of miR‐490‐5p on metastasis of HCC cells. Four high‐expressed miRNAs, and seven low‐expressed miRNAs, including miR‐490‐5p, were detected in HCC tissues. The expression level of miR‐490‐5p was connected with the tumor size, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, and survival ratio of HCC patients. E2F2 and ECT2 were the targets of miR‐490‐5p, and miR‐490‐5p inhibited HCC cell metastasis through down‐regulating the expressions of E2F2 and ECT2. The over‐expressed miR‐490‐5p could restrain the metastasis of HCC cells by down‐regulating E2F2 and ECT2 expression levels.
Tumor‐targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1‐R arrests a doxorubicin‐resistant PDGFRA‐amplified patient‐derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model of pleomorphic liposarcoma
Authors: Kiyuna Tasuku , Tome Yasunori , Murakami Takashi , Zhao Ming , Miyake Kentaro , Igarashi Kentaro , Kawaguchi Kei , Miyake Masuyo , Oshiro Hiromichi , Higuchi Takashi , Li Yunfeng , Dry Sarah M. , Nelson Scott D. , Russell Tara A. , Eckardt Mark A. , Singh Arun S. , Kanaya Fuminori , Eilber Fritz C. , Hoffman Robert M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractPleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS) is a recalcitrant soft‐tissue sarcoma (STS) subtype in need of transformative therapy. We have previously established a patient‐derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model, of PLPS with PDGFRA amplification, using surgical orthotopic implantation. In the current study, the PLPS PDOX model was randomized into 3 groups of 7 mice each: untreated control; doxorubicin (DOX)‐treated; and treated with Salmonella typhimurium A1‐R (S. typhimurium A1‐R) expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). Tumor volume and body weight were monitored during the treatment period. The PLPS PDOX was resistant to DOX. In contrast, the PLPS PDOX was highly sensitive to S. typhimurium A1‐R. There was no significant body‐weight loss among these 3 groups. Fluorescence imaging demonstrated that S. typhimurium A1‐R‐GFP was very effective to target the PLPS PDOX tumor. The current study demonstrates that a PLPS PDOX, resistant to first‐line therapy DOX, was highly sensitive to tumor targeting S. typhimurium A1‐R.
ERβ targets ZAK and attenuates cellular hypertrophy via SUMO‐1 modification in H9c2 cells
Authors: Pai Peiying , Shibu Marthandam Asokan , Chang Ruey‐Lin , Yang Jaw‐Ji , Su Chia‐chi , Lai Chao‐Hung , Liao Hung‐En , Viswanadha Vijaya Padma , Kuo Wei‐Wen , Huang Chih‐Yang 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAberrant expression of leucine zipper‐ and sterile ɑ motif‐containing kinase (ZAK) observed in pathological human myocardial tissue is associated with the progression and elevation of hypertrophy. Our previous reports have correlated high levels of estrogen (E2) and abundant estrogen receptor (ER) α with a low incidence of pathological cardiac‐hypertrophy and heart failure in the premenopause female population. However, the effect of elevated ERβ expression is not well known yet. Therefore, in this study, we have analyzed the cardioprotective effects and mechanisms of E2 and/or ERβ against ZAK overexpression–induced cellular hypertrophy. We have used transient transfection to overexpress ERβ into the ZAK tet‐on H9c2 cells that harbor the doxycycline‐inducible ZAK plasmid. The results show that ZAK overexpression in H9c2 cells resulted in hypertrophic effects, which was correlated with the upregulation of p‐JNK and p‐p38 MAPKs and their downstream transcription factors c‐Jun and GATA‐4. However, ERβ and E2 with ERβ overexpressions totally suppressed the effects of ZAK overexpression and inhibited the levels of p‐JNK, p‐p38, c‐Jun, and GATA‐4 effectively. Our results further reveal that ERβ directly binds with ZAK under normal conditions; however, ZAK overexpression reduced the association of ZAK‐ERβ. Interestingly, increase in ERβ and E2 along with ERβ overexpression both enhanced the binding strengths of ERβ and ZAK and reduced the ZAK protein level. ERβ overexpression also suppressed the E3 ligase‐casitas B‐lineage lymphoma (CBL) and attenuated CBL‐phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) protein association to prevent PI3K protein degradation. Moreover, ERβ and/or E2 blocked ZAK nuclear translocation via the inhibition of small ubiquitin‐like modiﬁer (SUMO)‐1 modification. Taken together, our results further suggest that ERβ overexpression strongly suppresses ZAK‐induced cellular hypertrophy and myocardial damage.
Synthesis and evaluation of a novel inorganic–organic composite flocculant, consisting of chitosan and poly‐ferric cerium silicate
Authors: Liu Mei , Zhu Pengfei , Yang Wenjing , Chen Yanjun , Lan Jian , Ren Shuyang 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDCoagulation/flocculation is widely used in the treatment of dye wastewater because of the low cost, high efficiency, short process and convenient operation. However, with the increase of pollutants in water and in recent years the higher requirement for environment protection, traditional flocculants have found it difficult to meet the processing requirements. Therefore, to develop new, efficient, stable and environment‐friendly flocculants is very necessary and urgent.RESULTSDecoloration performance and mechanism, stability and structure of flocculants were determined from experimental data, and the results indicated that chitosan and poly‐ferric cerium silicate (CTS‐PFCS) flocculant, a three‐dimensional chain‐net structure with bar‐like branches, was a complex compound rather than a simple mixture of raw materials. The decoloration performance and stability of this flocculant was superior to that of poly‐ferric cerium silicate (PFCS) when treating Direct Red dye wastewater, and also it had a wide range of pH application. The main mechanism for flocculation is charge‐neutralization and chemical adsorption in the initial stage of flocculation and later bridge‐aggregation.CONCLUSIONA novel inorganic–organic composite flocculant CTS‐PFCS was successfully synthesized by the combination of chitosan and homemade PFCS. The potential use of chitosan as an organic additive for modifying inorganic polymers flocculant in the clarification of wastewater was demonstrated. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
A facile lead acetate conversion process for synthesis of high‐purity alpha‐lead oxide derived from spent lead‐acid batteries
Authors: Yu Wenhao , Yang Jiakuan , Li Mingyang , Hu Yuchen , Liang Sha , Wang Junxiong , Zhang Peiyuan , Xiao Keke , Hou Huijie , Hu Jingping , Kumar Ramachandran Vasant 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe lead oxide product recovered from spent lead‐acid battery paste via the hydrometallurgical route usually contains many impurity elements, i.e. Ba and Fe. In this paper, a facile lead acetate conversion process was proposed for synthesis of high‐purity alpha‐lead oxide (α‐PbO) derived from spent lead‐acid batteries.RESULTSThe desulfurized lead paste was leached with acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide to prepare lead acetate solution, which was then reacted with sodium hydroxide solution to synthesize high‐purity α‐PbO. The doses of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide were the two key parameters for the removals of the impurities, due to their dominant effects on the pH and redox potential of the leaching step. Under the optimized conditions (the molar ratios of CH3COOH/Pb of 2.00, H2O2/PbO2 of 3.5, and NaOH/Pb of 2.5), the high‐purity α‐PbO product with impurities of 20.5 mg kg−1 Fe and 1.5 mg kg−1 Ba was prepared, which were the lowest impurities content in lead product recovered via a hydrometallurgical route compared with previous literature. The total removal efficiencies of impurities Ba and Fe reached 99.9 wt% and 99.0 wt%, respectively. The total recovery efficiency of Pb from the spent lead paste was 92.6 wt%.CONCLUSIONThe proposed acetic acid leaching process was proved to be an effective strategy to remove the impurities via a hydrometallurgical route. The recovered high‐purity α‐PbO could be used as the positive active materials for lead‐acid battery. This study could provide insights into the impurities removal in the hydrometallurgical recovery of spent lead paste. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Enterovaginal and colovesical fistulas as late complications of pelvic radiotherapy
Authors: Iwamuro Masaya , Hasegawa Kou , Hanayama Yoshihisa , Kataoka Hitomi , Tanaka Takehiro , Kondo Yoshitaka , Otsuka Fumio 
Published: June 2018

AbstractA 72‐year‐old Japanese woman presented with a fever, diarrhea, intermittent spotting, and constant fluid discharge from the vagina. Imaging studies revealed an enterovaginal fistula. She underwent radical hysterectomy and radiotherapy 35 years previously. She also had a surgical history of nephrostomy, nephrectomy, ileoascending anastomosis, and colostomy. As bleeding from the enterovaginal fistula was uncontrollable, ileocecal resection was performed. However, a colovesical fistula with urinary tract infection occurred 3 months later. The present case indicates that fistula formation occurs and causes various symptoms in patients who underwent postpelvic radiotherapy, particularly in those with prior surgeries in the irradiated field.
Therapeutic heparin during the peripartum period – challenges associated with safe use
Authors: North Angela M. , Barrett Helen L. , Lust Karin M. , Whitfield Karen M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBackgroundExpert opinion varies on the use of therapeutic unfractionated heparin during the peripartum period. While dosing guidelines have been suggested, their transition to clinical practice is lagging.AimTo evaluate the protocols employed, adherence to these protocols, and monitoring of therapeutic unfractionated heparin in obstetric patients during the peripartum period in a quaternary teaching hospital.MethodThis retrospective study investigated all women who received therapeutic heparin during the peripartum period between June 2014 and June 2016. The peripartum period was defined as 28 days prior to and post‐delivery. Prescribing and administration information was obtained from the state‐wide heparin infusion order form. Medical notes were studied to document the heparin infusion protocols utilised.ResultsA variety of dosing approaches were used in the 20 patients studied. Heparin bolus dosing was correctly determined in 46% of results. Heparin infusion rate change was correctly determined in 64% of results. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was correctly ordered by the medical officer in 230 results (66%), incorrectly ordered in 68 results (20%) and unable to make an interpretation in 48 results (14%). There were no cases of rethrombosis reported. Post‐partum bleeding occurred in two patients. The APTT at the time of these bleeding events was noted to be subtherapeutic.ConclusionThis study highlights the variability in therapeutic heparin protocols utilised during the peripartum period. The desire by clinicians to target a low APTT range during the postnatal peripartum period to balance bleeding risk has also been identified in this study.
Improving nutrient release of wall‐disrupted bee pollen with a combination of ultrasonication and high shear technique
Authors: Wu Wei , Wang Kai , Qiao Jiangtao , Dong Jie , Li Zhanping , Zhang Hongcheng 
Published: June 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDPollen collected by honey bees contains a substantial amount of nutrients and has a high nutritive value. However, it can be difficult to digest and absorb a high level of nutrients due to the complex wall of bee pollen.RESULTSWe observed that amino acids were mostly distributed inside the cell wall of lotus bee pollen, rape bee pollen, apricot bee pollen, wuweizi bee pollen, and camellia bee pollen, using time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS). Thus, five species of bee pollen were wall disrupted with a combination of ultrasonication and high shear technique (US‐HS). After the treatment, bee pollen walls were completely broken into fragments, and a large number of nutrients were released. The amino acid, fatty acid, protein, crude fat, reducing sugar, β‐carotene, calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium content increased after wall disruption.CONCLUSIONOverall, our study demonstrated that US‐HS can disrupt bee pollen walls to release nutrients. Further studies are therefore being conducted to compare the digestibility and absorptivity of pollen nutrients before and after wall disruption. Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry seems to be a reliable mapping technique for determining the distribution of food ingredients. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Management of pruning residues for soil protection in olive orchards
Authors: Moreno‐García Manuel , Repullo‐Ruibérriz de Torres Miguel Angel , Carbonell‐Bojollo Rosa María , Ordóñez‐Fernández Rafaela 
Published: June 2018

AbstractErosion is one of the main environmental problems affecting soil in olive orchards. The present research aims to study the protection effect against soil erosion of three different managements of pruning residues in olive orchard. The investigation was carried out in an olive orchard with a total production of 0.39 kg m−2 of dry weight of pruning residues every 2 years. These pruning were chopped and scattered in 2 m‐wide strips through three different managements. Management A, with densities of 1.56 kg m−2 distributed in all the inter‐rows of olive orchard. Management B, with densities of 3.12 kg m−2 distributed on half of the inter‐rows of olive orchard. And management C, with densities of 3.12 kg m−2 distributed on half of the inter‐rows of olive orchard, alternating this application every 2 years with another half of the inter‐rows. The influence of the residues on soil protection has been measured through the evolution of three parameters of the residues over 4 years: residues mass degradation, soil cover percentage, and spatial distribution. The results of the study have shown that the management C is the one that best protects the soil from erosion in olive orchard. This management maintains a protecting cover over inter‐rows of olive orchard above 40%, maintaining homogeneity of the cover twice as much as the management in which pruning residues are left in all inter‐rows.
High‐speed colonization of bare ground—Permanent plot studies on primary succession of plants in recently deglaciated glacier forelands
Authors: Fickert Thomas , Grüninger Friederike 
Published: June 2018

AbstractGlacier forelands are highly suitable environments to study vegetation dynamics. Due to time constraints, the method of ‘space for time substitution’ is commonly employed, using spatially different sites to reconstruct a temporal sequence. However, migration patterns, growth performance, shifts in frequency or abundance of species, changes in biological traits, setbacks, etc. can only be detected by long‐term monitoring on permanent plots. In 2005, a set of permanent plots were established immediately in front of two glacier termini in the European Alps (Goldbergkees, Austria; Lenksteinferner, Italy), which were revisited every second year thereafter. Changes in ground cover and individual numbers of vascular plants as well as structural features such as life‐form composition and dispersal biology types are recorded. The six visits between 2005 and 2015 allow for a detailed appraisal of early vegetation development in glacier forelands, which is surprisingly swift and primarily progressive, but locally interrupted by temporary setbacks due to disturbances. This study contributes to a better understanding of high alpine vegetation dynamics in paraglacial landscapes, that is, transitional landscapes characterized by particular rate and direction of change.
Sewage sludge as an organic amendment for quarry restoration: Effects on soil and vegetation
Authors: Carabassa Vicenç , Ortiz Oriol , Alcañiz Josep M. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractQuarry restoration in Mediterranean environments usually needs organic amendments to improve the substrates used for technosol construction. Digested sewage sludges from municipal wastewater treatment plants are rich in organic matter, N, and P and constitute an available and economically interesting alternative for substrate amendment. However, their pollutant burden and labile organic matter content involve an environmental risk that must be controlled. Moreover, ecological succession in restored areas can be influenced by the use of sludge and should be assessed. To minimize these risks, a new sewage sludge dose criterion relating to its labile organic matter and heavy metal content has been established. Sewage sludge doses currently range between 10 and 50 Mg ha−1. In order to verify the suitability of this dose criterion, 16 areas rehabilitated using sewage sludge located in limestone quarries in a Mediterranean climate in Catalonia (NE Spain) have been assessed. These evaluations focused on physicochemical properties of rehabilitated soils, land degradation processes, and ecological succession. In the short term, 6 months after sludge application, an increment of organic matter content in the restored soils was observed, without significant increases in electrical conductivity or heavy metals content, and with a dense plant cover that contributes to effective soil erosion control. Two years after, ruderal plants were still present but later successional species colonized the restored zones in different degrees. These results suggest that sewage sludge, used as a soil amendment according to the proposed methodology, can safely improve technosol quality without constraints that compromise ecological succession.
Statistical check of USLE‐M and USLE‐MM to predict bare plot soil loss in two Italian environments
Authors: Bagarello Vincenzo , Ferro Vito , Giordano Giuseppe , Mannocchi Francesco , Todisco Francesca , Vergni Lorenzo 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe USLE‐M and the USLE‐MM estimate event plot soil loss. In both models, the erosivity term is given by the runoff coefficient, QR, times the single‐storm erosion index, EI30. In the USLE‐MM, QREI30 is raised to an exponent b1 > 1 whereas b1 = 1 is assumed in the USLE‐M. Simple linear regression analysis can be applied to parameterize both models, but logarithmically transformed data have to be used for USLE‐MM. Parameterizing the USLE‐MM with nonlinear regression of untransformed data could be a more appropriate procedure. A statistical check of the two suggested models (USLE‐M and USLE‐MM), considering two alternative parameterization procedures for the USLE‐MM, was carried out for the Masse and Sparacia experimental stations, in Italy. The analysis showed that the USLE‐MM with the linear regression parameterization procedure was the only correctly specified model, that is, with normally distributed and homoscedastic residuals. With this model, the normalized soil loss, Ae,N, prediction error did not exceed a factor of 5.7 for Ae,N > 17.3 Mg ha−1 at Masse and of 3.5 for Ae,N > 27.5 Mg ha−1 at Sparacia. Stable values of b1 require inclusion of high Ae,N values in the calibration dataset. Using a common exponent b1 for the two stations increases the practical interest for the model and did not imply a substantial worsening of the model performances, especially for the highest soil loss values. Development of a USLE‐MM‐type model having a wide applicability appears possible, and data from other experimental sites could make this conclusion more robust.
Intake of Protein Hydrolysates and Phenolic Fractions Isolated from Flaxseed Ameliorates TNBS‐Induced Colitis
Authors: e Silva Fernanda G. D. , Paiatto Lisiery N. , Yamada Aureo T. , Netto Flavia M. , Simioni Patrícia U. , Tamashiro Wirla M. S. C. 
Published: June 2018

ScopeIn the attempt to develop new therapeutic treatments for colitis, fractions containing phenolic compound isolate (Phi) and phenolic reduced‐flaxseed protein hydrolysate (phr‐FPH) from flaxseed are evaluated for their effects on the in vitro production of pro‐inflammatory mediators and on the course of experimental colitis.Methods and resultsThe anti‐inflammatory effects of Phi and phr‐FPH from flaxseeds are studied in RAW264.7 cells and in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) colitis model. It is observed that the incubation with Phi or phr‐FPH result in lower levels of tumor necrosis factor α and nitric oxide in macrophages stimulated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide + interferon‐γ. Prophylactic and therapeutic treatments with Phi and phr‐FPH, respectively, greatly contribute to the prevention of weight loss and colon inflammation in colitic BALB/c mice. T cell proliferation, expansion of TH1 and TH17 cells, and pro‐inflammatory cytokines are lower, whereas Treg cells are higher in spleen cell cultures from Phi‐treated mice. In addition, therapeutic phr‐FPH treatment is able to reduce the expansion of TH17 in splenic cell cultures.ConclusionThe consumption of phenolic and protein compounds extracted from flaxseeds has a protective effect on TNBS‐induced colitis, and may be useful in the control of other inflammatory disorders.