bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Embryonic macrophages and microglia ablation alter the development of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons in mouse embryos
Authors: Angelim Monara Kaélle Sérvulo Cruz , Maia Luciana Maria Silva de Seixas , Mouffle Christine , Ginhoux Florent , Low Donovan , Amancio‐Dos‐Santos Angela , Makhoul Jennifer , Le Corronc Hervé , Mangin Jean‐Marie , Legendre Pascal 
Published: September 2018

AbstractMicroglia are known to regulate several aspects of the development of the central nervous system. When microglia colonize the spinal cord, from E11.5 in the mouse embryo, they interact with growing central axons of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons (SNs), which suggests that they may have some functions in SN development. To address this issue, we analyzed the effects of embryonic macrophage ablation on the early development of SNs using mouse embryo lacking embryonic macrophages (PU.1 knock‐out mice) and immune cell ablation. We discovered that, in addition to microglia, embryonic macrophages contact tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk) C+ SN, TrkB+ SN, and TrkA+ SN peripheral neurites from E11.5. Deprivation of immune cells resulted in an initial reduction of TrkC+ SN and TrkB+ SN populations at E11.5 that was unlikely to be related to an alteration in their developmental cell death (DCD), followed by a transitory increase in their number at E12.5. It also resulted in a reduction of TrkA+ SN number during the developmental period analyzed (E11.5–E15.5), although we did not observe any change in their DCD. Proliferation of cells negative for brain fatty acid‐binding protein (BFABP−), which likely correspond to neuronal progenitors, was increased at E11.5, while their proliferation was decreased at E12.5, which could partly explain the alterations of SN subtype production observed from E11.5. In addition, we observed alterations in the proliferation of glial cell progenitors (BFABP+ cells) in the absence of embryonic macrophages. Our data indicate that embryonic macrophages and microglia ablation alter the development of SNs.
Understanding the quality of life of family carers of people with dementia: Development of a new conceptual framework
Authors: Daley Stephanie , Murray Joanna , Farina Nicolas , Page Thomas E. , Brown Anna , Basset Thurstine , Livingston Gill , Bowling Ann , Knapp Martin , Banerjee Sube 
Published: September 2018

BackgroundDementia is a major global health and social care challenge, and family carers are a vital determinant of positive outcomes for people with dementia. This study's aim was to develop a conceptual framework for the Quality of Life (QOL) of family carers of people with dementia.MethodsWe studied family carers of people with dementia and staff working in dementia services iteratively using in‐depth individual qualitative interviews and focus groups discussions. Analysis used constant comparison techniques underpinned by a collaborative approach with a study‐specific advisory group of family carers.ResultsWe completed 41 individual interviews with 32 family carers and nine staff and two focus groups with six family carers and five staff. From the analysis, we identified 12 themes that influenced carer QOL. These were organised into three categories focussing on person with dementia, carer, and external environment.ConclusionsFor carers of people with dementia, the QOL construct was found to include condition‐specific domains which are not routinely considered in generic assessment of QOL. This has implications for researchers, policy makers, and service providers in addressing and measuring QOL in family carers of people with dementia.
Cortical and subcortical areas involved in the regulation of reach movement speed in the human brain: An fMRI study
Authors: Shirinbayan Seyyed Iman , Dreyer Alexander M. , Rieger Jochem W. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractReach movements are characterized by multiple kinematic variables that can change with age or due to medical conditions such as movement disorders. While the neural control of reach direction is well investigated, the elements of the neural network regulating speed (the nondirectional component of velocity) remain uncertain. Here, we used a custom made magnetic resonance (MR)‐compatible arm movement tracking system to capture the real kinematics of the arm movements while measuring brain activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging to reveal areas in the human brain in which BOLD‐activation covaries with the speed of arm movements. We found significant activation in multiple cortical and subcortical brain regions positively correlated with endpoint (wrist) speed (speed‐related activation), including contralateral premotor cortex (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA), thalamus (putative VL/VA nuclei), and bilateral putamen. The hand and arm regions of primary sensorimotor cortex (SMC) and a posterior region of thalamus were significantly activated by reach movements but showed a more binary response characteristics (movement present or absent) than with continuously varying speed. Moreover, a subregion of contralateral SMA also showed binary movement activation but no speed‐related BOLD‐activation. Effect size analysis revealed bilateral putamen as the most speed‐specific region among the speed‐related clusters whereas primary SMC showed the strongest specificity for movement versus non‐movement discrimination, independent of speed variations. The results reveal a network of multiple cortical and subcortical brain regions that are involved in speed regulation among which putamen, anterior thalamus, and PMC show highest specificity to speed, suggesting a basal‐ganglia‐thalamo‐cortical loop for speed regulation.
Reward‐related regions form a preferentially coupled system at rest
Authors: Huckins Jeremy F. , Adeyemo Babatunde , Miezin Fran M. , Power Jonathan D. , Gordon Evan M. , Laumann Timothy O. , Heatherton Todd F. , Petersen Steven E. , Kelley William M. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractNeuroimaging studies have implicated a set of striatal and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) regions that are commonly activated during reward processing tasks. Resting‐state functional connectivity (RSFC) studies have demonstrated that the human brain is organized into several functional systems that show strong temporal coherence in the absence of goal‐directed tasks. Here we use seed‐based and graph‐theory RSFC approaches to characterize the systems‐level organization of putative reward regions of at rest. Peaks of connectivity from seed‐based RSFC patterns for the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) were used to identify candidate reward regions which were merged with a previously used set of regions (Power et al., 2011). Graph‐theory was then used to determine system‐level membership for all regions. Several regions previously implicated in reward‐processing (NAcc, lateral and medial OFC, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex) comprised a distinct, preferentially coupled system. This RSFC system is stable across a range of connectivity thresholds and shares strong overlap with meta‐analyses of task‐based reward studies. This reward system shares between‐system connectivity with systems implicated in cognitive control and self‐regulation, including the fronto‐parietal, cingulo‐opercular, and default systems. Differences may exist in the pathways through which control systems interact with reward system components. Whereas NAcc is functionally connected to cingulo‐opercular and default systems, OFC regions show stronger connectivity with the fronto‐parietal system. We propose that future work may be able to interrogate group or individual differences in connectivity profiles using the regions delineated in this work to explore potential relationships to appetitive behaviors, self‐regulation failure, and addiction.
Association of IL‐1β, IL‐1RN, and ESR1 genes polymorphism with risk of infection and response to sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir combination therapy in hepatitis C virus genotype‐4 patients
Authors: Khairy Rasha M. , Abdulghany Hend M. , Abdel‐Raheim Salama , Zenhom Nagwa M. , Abd Elfatah Aliaa S , Abdalla Nilly H. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractSofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir combination with or without ribavirin proved to be effective and safe in the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of (SOF plus daclatasvir) combination + ribavirin in the treatment of treatment‐experienced HCV genotype 4 Egyptian patients and to investigate the impact of IL‐1β _31, IL‐1β _511, and IL‐1RN and T29C of ESR1 genes polymorphisms on treatment outcome. The study also aimed to assess the effect of the treatment on liver fibrosis. The sustained virologic response was assessed at 0, 4, 12, and 24 weeks from the beginning of treatment by RT‐PCR. IL‐1β _31, IL‐1β _511, IL‐1RN, and T29C genes polymorphisms were examined by PCR‐based techniques in two groups of patients (responders and non‐responders) and a control group of healthy subjects. A significant association between IL‐1β_511 gene polymorphism and SOF/DAV‐induced response was observed, where the “CC” genotype was the most frequent in responders while the “CT” genotype was the most frequent among non‐responders (P = 0.0001, OR = 39; 95% CI = 4.7–316). IL‐1RN gene polymorphism also showed significant associations with response to treatment, genotypes that include allele “1” were the most frequent in responders, particularly the homozygous genotype “1/1” (P = 0.0001, OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.57–3.2). However, the genotypes “4/4” and “2/4” were the most frequent in non‐responders; (P = 0.0001). At least 71% of the responders carry allele “1” while 54% of non‐responders were allele “4” carriers (P value = 0.0001. OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 6.4–134.2). Liver fibrosis is significantly improved regardless of the response. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(11):1156–1163, 2018
Limulus and heart rhythm
Authors: Kodirov Sodikdjon A. , Psyrakis Dimitrios , Brachmann Johannes , Zhuravlev Vladimir L. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractGreat interest in the comparative physiology of hearts and their functions in Animalia has emerged with classic papers on Limulus polyphemus and mollusks. The recurrent cardiac activity—heart rate—is the most important physiological parameter and when present the
kardia (Greek) is vital to the development of entire organs of the organisms in the animal kingdom. Extensive studies devoted to the regulation of cardiac rhythm in invertebrates have revealed that the basics of heart physiology are comparable to mammals. The hearts of invertebrates also beat spontaneously and are supplied with regulatory nerves: either excitatory or inhibitory or both. The distinct nerves and the source of excitation/inhibition at the level of single neurons are described for many invertebrate genera. The vertebrates and a majority of invertebrates have myogenic hearts, whereas the horseshoe crab
L. polyphemus and a few other animals have a neurogenic cardiac rhythm. Nevertheless, the myogenic nature of heartbeat is precursor, because the contraction of native and stem‐cell‐derived cardiomyocytes does occur in the absence of any neural elements. Even in
L. polyphemus, the heart rhythm is myogenic at embryonic stages.
Synthesis and Urease Inhibition Study of Some New Quinazolinone Derivatives Bearing Triazole, Thiadiazole, and Piperazine Moiety
Authors: Karaali Nesrin , Menteşe Meltem , Baltas Nimet , Menteşe Emre 
Published: September 2018

A new series of 2,3‐disubstituted quinazolin‐4(3H)‐one derivatives bearing triazole and thiadiazole nucleus has been synthesized and then screened for their urease inhibition properties. All synthesized compounds showed outstanding urease inhibitory potentials with IC50 values ranging between 0.25 ± 0.01 and 18.00 ± 0.64 μg/mL when compared with standard inhibitors thiourea (IC50 = 15.08 ± 0.71 μg/mL) and acetohydroxamic acid (IC50 = 21.05 ± 0.96 μg/mL). All new molecules were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS.
Simultaneous Evaluation of Lung Anatomy and Ventilation Using 4D Respiratory‐Motion‐Resolved Ultrashort Echo Time Sparse MRI
Authors: Feng Li , Delacoste Jean , Smith David , Weissbrot Joseph , Flagg Eric , Moore William H , Girvin Francis , Raad Roy , Bhattacharji Priya , Stoffel David , Piccini Davide , Stuber Matthias , Sodickson Daniel K , Otazo Ricardo , Chandarana Hersh 
Published: September 2018

BackgroundComputed tomography (CT) and spirometry are the current standard methods for assessing lung anatomy and pulmonary ventilation, respectively. However, CT provides limited ventilation information and spirometry only provides global measures of lung ventilation. Thus, a method that can enable simultaneous examination of lung anatomy and ventilation is of clinical interest.PurposeTo develop and test a 4D respiratory‐resolved sparse lung MRI (XD‐UTE: eXtra‐Dimensional Ultrashort TE imaging) approach for simultaneous evaluation of lung anatomy and pulmonary ventilation.Study TypeProspective.PopulationIn all, 23 subjects (11 volunteers and 12 patients, mean age = 63.6 ± 8.4).Field Strength/Sequence3T MR; a prototype 3D golden‐angle radial UTE sequence, a Cartesian breath‐hold volumetric‐interpolated examination (BH‐VIBE) sequence.AssessmentAll subjects were scanned using the 3D golden‐angle radial UTE sequence during normal breathing. Ten subjects underwent an additional scan during alternating normal and deep breathing. Respiratory‐motion‐resolved sparse reconstruction was performed for all the acquired data to generate dynamic normal‐breathing or deep‐breathing image series. For comparison, BH‐VIBE was performed in 12 subjects. Lung images were visually scored by three experienced chest radiologists and were analyzed by two observers who segmented the left and right lung to derive ventilation parameters in comparison with spirometry.Statistical TestsNonparametric paired two‐tailed Wilcoxon signed‐rank test; intraclass correlation coefficient, Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsXD‐UTE achieved significantly improved image quality compared both with Cartesian BH‐VIBE and radial reconstruction without motion compensation (P < 0.05). The global ventilation parameters (a sum of the left and right lung measures) were in good correlation with spirometry in the same subjects (correlation coefficient = 0.724). There were excellent correlations between the results obtained by two observers (intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.8855–0.9995).Data ConclusionSimultaneous evaluation of lung anatomy and ventilation using XD‐UTE is demonstrated, which have shown good potential for improved diagnosis and management of patients with heterogeneous lung diseases.Level of Evidence: 2Technical Efficacy: Stage 2J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:411–422.
Optimization of Nutrition Therapy with the Use of Calorimetry to Determine and Control Energy Needs in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients: The ONCA Study, a Randomized, Prospective Pilot Study
Authors: Gonzalez‐Granda Anita , Schollenberger Asja , Haap Michael , Riessen Reimer , Bischoff Stephan C. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractBackgroundAdequate nutrition therapy in critically ill patients poses a challenge because of the variable energy and substrate needs. The objective was to investigate whether nutrition therapy involving indirect calorimetry (IC), instead of equations for assessment of energy needs, could improve the nutrition status of critically ill patients.MethodsForty mechanically ventilated patients were randomized into a group in which energy needs were controlled by calorimetry (IC group) and a group treated with a formula‐based approach reflecting standard care (SC group). The primary outcome was change in the phase angle (PhA), a bioelectrical impedance parameter related to nutrition status and prognosis.ResultsThe mean IC‐based energy requirement was lower than the formula‐based estimate (21.1 ± 6.4 versus [vs] 25 kcal/kg/d, P < .01). The IC group reached 98% ± 8% of the energy goal, whereas the SC group reached only 79% ± 29% (P < 0.05), although mean intake was similar in both groups. The protein intake goal was better met in the IC group (91% ± 24%) than the SC group (73% ± 33%). The PhA of the IC group did not change during treatment, whereas that of the SC group tended to decrease by 0.36° ± 0.86° (P = .077). A shorter length of stay in intensive care was observed in the IC than in the SC group (13 ± 8 vs 24 ± 20 days, P < .05).ConclusionIntensified individual nutrition therapy involving IC appears to be useful for improving nutrition status in critically ill patients.
Dietary Fatty‐Acid Compositions Are more Strongly Reflected in Fatty than Lean Dorsal Fillets of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpioL.)
Authors: Schultz Sebastian , Koussoroplis Apostolos‐Manuel , Kainz Martin J. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIn this fish‐feeding study, we tested similarity patterns between fatty acids (FA) in diets and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) of fish ponds used for semi‐intensive aquaculture, containing naturally occurring pond zooplankton and different feeds (marine or terrestrial feeds) until carp reached market size. We evaluated if and how total lipid contents in dorsal fillets can reflect dietary FA compositions in farm‐raised common carp and hypothesized that increasing total lipid contents in dorsal fillets significantly increase the similarity between dietary and dorsal fillets’ FA compositions. Results of this study showed that carps had higher total lipids when supplied with marine feeds and dietary FA compositions were indeed more strongly reflected in fatty (i.e. high total lipid contents) than in leaner dorsal fillets (low total lipid contents). Increasing total lipid contents in dorsal fillets significantly increased the similarity between the dietary and dorsal fillets’ FA compositions. In contrast, leaner dorsal fillets had FA patterns that were more distinct from dietary FA. Total lipid contents higher than ~60 mg/g dry weight in dorsal fillets had only limited effects on increasing the similarity between FA compositions of diets and dorsal fillets, and were independent of feed sources. It is thus suggested that higher total lipid contents in dorsal fillets can be used as a proxy to predict dietary FA profiles in common carps, or perhaps even in farm‐raised fish in general.
Properties and Biotechnological Applications of Acyl‐CoA:diacylglycerol Acyltransferase and Phospholipid:diacylglycerol Acyltransferase from Terrestrial Plants and Microalgae
Authors: Xu Yang , Caldo Kristian Mark P. , Pal‐Nath Dipasmita , Ozga Jocelyn , Lemieux M. Joanne , Weselake Randall J. , Chen Guanqun 
Published: September 2018

AbstractTriacylglycerol (TAG) is the major storage lipid in most terrestrial plants and microalgae, and has great nutritional and industrial value. Since the demand for vegetable oil is consistently increasing, numerous studies have been focused on improving the TAG content and modifying the fatty‐acid compositions of plant seed oils. In addition, there is a strong research interest in establishing plant vegetative tissues and microalgae as platforms for lipid production. In higher plants and microalgae, TAG biosynthesis occurs via acyl‐CoA‐dependent or acyl‐CoA‐independent pathways. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) catalyzes the last and committed step in the acyl‐CoA‐dependent biosynthesis of TAG, which appears to represent a bottleneck in oil accumulation in some oilseed species. Membrane‐bound and soluble forms of DGAT have been identified with very different amino‐acid sequences and biochemical properties. Alternatively, TAG can be formed through acyl‐CoA‐independent pathways via the catalytic action of membrane‐bound phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT). As the enzymes catalyzing the terminal steps of TAG formation, DGAT and PDAT play crucial roles in determining the flux of carbon into seed TAG and thus have been considered as the key targets for engineering oil production. Here, we summarize the most recent knowledge on DGAT and PDAT in higher plants and microalgae, with the emphasis on their physiological roles, structural features, and regulation. The development of various metabolic engineering strategies to enhance the TAG content and alter the fatty‐acid composition of TAG is also discussed.
Folic Acid Supplementation Attenuates Chronic Hepatic Inflammation in High‐Fat Diet Fed Mice
Authors: Sid Victoria , Shang Yue , Siow Yaw L. , Hewage Susara Madduma , House James D. , O Karmin 
Published: September 2018

AbstractNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of chronic liver disease worldwide. Hepatic inflammation is an important pathogenic mediator of NAFLD. There is currently no pharmacological agent approved for the treatment of NAFLD. Folic acid is a water‐soluble B vitamin that has been shown to have lipid‐lowering and antioxidant effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of folic acid supplementation on hepatic inflammation and to identify the underlying mechanisms. Male C57BL/6 J mice were fed a control diet (10% kcal fat), a high‐fat diet (HFD) (60% kcal fat), or a HFD supplemented with folic acid (26 mg/kg diet) for 8 weeks. HFD feeding led to increased body mass gain, lipid accumulation, activation of transcription factor nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB), and elevation of inflammatory cytokine gene expression in the liver. Folic acid supplementation attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation and aggregation of inflammatory foci induced by HFD feeding. This was associated with a significant reduction of NF‐κB activation and inflammatory cytokine expression. These results suggest that the hepatoprotective effect of folic acid in NAFLD may be attributed, in part, to its anti‐inflammatory action.
Reversible Thermoresponsive Plasmonic Core‐Satellite Nanostructures That Exhibit Both Expansion and Contraction (UCST and LCST)
Authors: Han Fei , Soeriyadi Alexander H. , Gooding J. Justin 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe assembly of sophisticated gold nanoparticle constructs where thermoresponsive core‐satellite nanostructures are created and the satellites are close enough to the core for strong surface plasmon resonance coupling to occur, has begun to be developed. The linker between the core and the satellites being a thermoresponsive polymer means that a dispersion of these nanostructures will show temperature‐dependent optical properties as the distance between the core and the satellites changes. Unlike previous related thermoresponsive core‐satellite systems that undergo a single thermoresponsive transition, herein a polymer system with dual thermoresponsive transitions (block copolymer with both lower critical solution temperature and upper critical solution temperature) is employed as a linker that modulates the gap distance between the “core” and “satellites” in response to the temperature. In this way, optical properties of dispersions can be dynamically tuned. The system permits wide and reversible control of the optical properties, which may render them excellent candidates for reversible nanosensors.