bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of IL-23/IL-17 axis in human kidney allograft rejection
Authors: Haouami Youssra , Dhaouadi Tarak , Sfar Imen , Bacha Mongi , Gargah Tahar , Bardi Rafika , Abderrahim Ezzeddine , Goucha Rym , Ben Abdallah Taïeb , Gorgi Yousr 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Th17 cell subset has been implicated in autoimmune diseases, tumor immunity and, transplant rejection. In order to investigate the role of IL-17/IL-23 pathway in allograft outcome, intragraft expression of IL-17 mRNA and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-17RC, and IL23R genes were evaluated with a quantification of IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-23 plasma levels. This study revealed that recipients with acute rejection (AR) had a significant increase in IL-17A mRNA expression levels after transplantation compared to controls (P = 0.037). Moreover, IL-17A plasma levels were significantly higher in AR group; pretransplantation (Day–1 [D–1]): P = 0.00022 and posttransplantation (Day 7 [D7]): P &lt; 10–14. IL-17F and IL-23 plasma levels were significantly higher in AR at D7 only (47.86 vs. 22.99 pg/ml; and 33.82 vs. 18.811 pg/ml; P = 0.015 and P &lt; 10–17, respectively). Using receiver-operating characteristic curves, D7 IL-17A and IL-23 plasma levels exhibited excellent sensitivities and specificities for predicting AR. Genetic study revealed no association between IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-17RC, and IL23R studied SNPs and AR. Nevertheless, a significant improvement of graft survival was found in kidney transplant recipients carrying IL-17F-rs763780*A/A, IL-17RC*G/G, and *G/A genotypes. Besides, IL-17A mRNA levels were significantly higher in patients carrying the IL-23R*G/G genotype comparatively to those with *G/A genotype. Based on these findings, significant increase of IL-17A mRNA and protein levels in AR recipients that are genetically controlled highlights the role of this cytokine that can be a useful clinical biomarker to predict early acute renal allograft rejection.
Study showing significant associations between Day 7 plasma IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-23 and AR with good performances for IL-17A and IL-23 in predicting acute rejection (AR) occurrence; significant increase of IL-17A expression in kidney graft in case of AR; a significant improvement of graft survival in recipients carrying IL-17F-rs763780*A/A, IL-17RC*G/G and *G/A genotypes.
Explaining soil organic matter composition based on associations between OM and polyvalent cations
Authors: Ellerbrock Ruth H. , Gerke Horst H. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSite conditions and soil management determine the content and the composition of soil organic matter (SOM). Organic matter (OM) is characterized by functional groups, which preferentially interact with polyvalent cations and soil minerals. These interactions could perhaps explain the site‐specific composition of bulk SOM and a pyrophosphate‐soluble OM fraction (OM‐PY) using basic soil properties. The objective of this study was to test a simplified model for the interactions between OM and polyvalent cations (i.e., Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, and Mn) by using data from soils from long‐term field experiments. The model considered (1) OM–cation, (2) OM–cation‐mineral, and (3) OM–mineral associations and assumed that the availability of the cation's coordination sites for the interaction with OM depends on these three types of associations. The test was carried out using data (topsoil) from differently fertilized plots from three long‐term field experiments (Halle, Bad Lauchstädt, Rotthalmünster). The composition of SOM and OM‐PY was characterized by the relationship of the ratio of the C=O (i.e., here indicating both carbonylic and carboxylic groups) versus C–O–C absorption band intensities obtained from the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra with the content of exchangeable, oxalate‐, and dithionite‐extractable polyvalent cations. The assumed associations between the OM and cations and the availability of the coordination sites explained most of the variations in the C=O/C–O–C ratios of the SOM, and fewer variations in the OM‐PY, when using the site‐specific exchangeable and oxalate‐extractable cation contents. The C=O/C–O–C ratios of the OM‐PY were site‐independent for samples from plots that regularly received farmyard manure. The results suggested that a simplified model that considers the polyvalent cation content weighted by the number of coordination sites per cation according to the type of association could be used to improve the explanation of site‐specific differences in the OM composition of arable soils.
Response of pomegranate arils (cv. Wonderful) to low oxygen stress under active modified atmosphere condition
Authors: Belay Zinash A , Caleb Oluwafemi J , Mahajan Pramod V , Opara Umezuruike L 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDSuccessful characterization of the relationship between respiration rate (RR) and low oxygen (O2) limit is critical for optimizing the modified atmosphere condition. It is well documented that a low O2 atmosphere reduces the RR of fresh produce, but could also lead to abiotic stress due to the accumulation of glycolysis end products. Therefore, this study investigated the response of pomegranate arils exposed to low O2 atmosphere (composed of 2 kPa O2, 18 kPa carbon dioxide, and 80 kPa nitrogen) and identified the low O2 limit at 5 °C and 10 °C. The study aim was achieved by using real‐time RR and respiration quotient (RQ) data, microbial growth, identifying changes in the fermentative volatile organic compounds profile, and the consumption of respiratory metabolites (organic acids and individual sugars).RESULTSThe gas concentrations changed significantly respective to the storage temperature and resulted in a significant change in the parameters studied. The response of pomegranate arils to low O2 stress involves making alterations to the metabolic composition, especially those involved in anaerobiosis, such as the accumulation of ethanol, and an immediate increase on RQ.CONCLUSIONPomegranate arils (cv. Wonderful) can tolerate down to 1.9 kPa O2 and 2.3 kPa O2 concentrations at 5 °C and 10 °C respectively. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, and Any Mental Health Condition Among U.S. Soldiers and Marines, 2001–2011
Authors: Levin‐Rector Alison , Hourani Laurel L. , Van Dorn Richard A. , Bray Robert M. , Stander Valerie A. , Cartwright Joel K. , Morgan Jessica K. , Trudeau James , Lattimore Pamela K. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractUnderstanding mental health disorder diagnosis and treatment seeking among active‐duty military personnel is a topic with both clinical and policy implications. It has been well documented in military populations that individual‐level military experience, including deployment history and combat exposure, influences mental health outcomes, but the impact of unit‐level factors is less well understood. In the current study, we used administrative longitudinal data to examine a comprehensive set of unit‐ and individual‐level predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), non‐PTSD anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and overall mental health diagnoses among Army and Marines Corps personnel. Using Cox survival models for time‐dependent variables, we analyzed time from military accession (between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2011) until first mental health diagnosis for 773,359 soldiers and 332,093 Marines. Prior diagnosis of a substance abuse disorder during one's military career, hazard ratios (HRs) = 1.68–3.10, and cumulative time spent deployed,HRs = 1.11–2.04, were the most predictive risk factors for all outcomes. Male sex,HRs = 0.35–0.57, and officer rank,HRs = 0.13–0.23, were the most protective factors. Unit‐level rate of high deployment stress was a small but significant predictor of all outcomes after controlling for individual‐level deployment history and other predictors,HRs = 1.01–1.05. Findings suggest both unit‐ and individual‐level risk and protective factors of mental health diagnoses associated with treatment seeking. Clinical, including mental health assessment and management, and policy implications related to the military environment and the individual as it relates to mental health disorders are discussed.
Long‐term changes in a zooplankton community revealed by the sediment archive
Authors: Vehmaa Anu , Katajisto Tarja , Candolin Ulrika 
Published: July 2018

AbstractTo reconstruct changes in zooplankton communities in response to past anthropogenic perturbations, one possibility is to use the sedimentary records. We analyzed the sediments at a coastal site in the Northern Baltic Sea to relate changes in the zooplankton community to anthropogenic eutrophication and the invasion of a predatory cladoceran, Cercopagis pengoi. We sampled 30‐cm laminated sediment cores and dated the sediment layers back to the 1950s. From each 1‐cm layer, we measured eutrophication indicators (δ13C, δ15N, TC, TN, TP) and identified and counted zooplankton resting eggs (cladoceran, calanoid copepod, rotifer). In addition, we estimated the abundance of the cladoceran Bosmina (Eubosmina) maritima by counting subfossils (carapaces, headshields, and ephippia) and estimated the experienced stress as the relationship between sexual and asexual reproduction. Using redundancy and variance partitioning analyses, we found ∼ 16% of the variation in the zooplankton community to be explained by eutrophication, and 24% of the variation in B. (E.) maritima abundance and reproduction mode to be explained by eutrophication and the introduction of the alien predator. Our results show a long‐term shift from calanoid copepods and predatory cladocerans toward small‐sized zooplankton species, like rotifers. Furthermore, the results indicate that the invasion of C. pengoi induced a short‐term increase in sexual reproduction in B. (E.) maritima. The results indicate that anthropogenic eutrophication since the 1950s has altered the zooplankton community toward smaller species, while the invasion of the predatory cladoceran had only a transitory influence on the community during its expansion phase.
Endemicity and climatic niche differentiation in three marine ciliated protists
Authors: Williams Richard A. J. , Owens Hannah L. , Clamp John , Peterson A. Townsend , Warren Alan , Martín‐Cereceda Mercedes 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe biogeographic pattern of single‐celled eukaryotes (protists), including ciliates, is poorly understood. Most marine species are believed to have a relatively high dispersal potential, such that both globally distributed and geographically isolated taxa exist. Primary occurrence data for three large, easily identified ciliate species, Parafavella gigantea, Schmidingerella serrata, and Zoothamnium pelagicum, and environmental data drawn from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's World Ocean Atlas were used to estimate each species’ spatial and environmental distributions using Maxent v3.3.3k. The predictive power of the models was tested with a series of spatial stratification studies, which were evaluated using partial receiver operating characteristic (ROC) statistics. Differences between niches occupied by each taxon were evaluated using background similarity tests. All predictions showed significant ability to anticipate test points. The null hypotheses of niche similarity were rejected in all background similarity tests comparing the niches among the three species. This article provides the first quantitative assessment of environmental conditions associated with three species of ciliates and a first estimate of their spatial distributions in the North Atlantic, which can serve as a benchmark against which to document distributional shifts. These species follow consistent, predictable patterns related to climate and environmental biochemistry; the importance of climatic conditions as regards protist distributions is noteworthy considering the effects of global climate change.
Selective ablation of dental caries using coaxial Co2 (9.3‐μm) and near‐IR (1880‐nm) lasers
Authors: Chan Kenneth H. , Fried Daniel 
Published: July 2018

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of image‐guided laser ablation of demineralization from tooth occlusal surfaces using coaxial near‐infrared (NIR) and CO2 lasers.Materials and MethodsA CO2 laser operating at a wavelength of 9.3‐μm was combined with a thulium‐doped fiber laser operating at 1880‐nm for the selective removal of simulated occlusal caries lesions from 10 tooth samples. Serial NIR reflectance images at 1880‐nm were used to guide the CO2 laser for image‐guided laser ablation. Polarization‐sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS‐OCT) was used to assess the initial depth of the lesions before removal and assess the volume of sound and demineralized tissue removed by the CO2 laser.ResultsPS‐OCT scans indicated that roughly ∼99% of the lesion was removed by image‐guided laser ablation. A mean volume of 0.191‐mm3 or 11.9‐μm/voxel of excess enamel was removed during lesion removal.ConclusionA co‐aligned NIR/CO2 laser scanning system has great potential for the highly selective removal of dental decay (demineralization). Lasers Surg. Med. 51:176–184, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The spillover effect of downward line extensions on U.S. consumers’ evaluation of a French luxury parent brand: The role of branding strategies, authenticity, and fit
Authors: Boisvert Jean , Ashill Nicholas J. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe phenomenon of “masstige brands” has led many luxury brands to launch downward extensions, which come with the risk of diluting the parent brand. The goal of this study is to test the extent to which downward line extensions may impact a French luxury parent brand's evaluation by U.S. consumers through the role of branding strategies, extension authenticity, and fit. Based on an ANOVA design, our results show that different branding strategies, such as direct, sub‐branded, and/or independent/standalone line extensions, have different impacts on the level of dilution of the luxury parent brand. Specifically, an independent/standalone brand scores better for a downward extension than for a horizontal extension. The findings also reveal that extension authenticity and fit play a key role in the process. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided.
RadAA: A Command‐line Tool for Identification of Radical Amino Acid Changes in Multiple Sequence Alignments
Authors: Seim Inge , Baker Andrew M. , Chopin Lisa K. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractHigh‐throughput sequencing has revolutionised biology and medicine. Numerous genomes and transcriptome assemblies are now available, and these genomic data sets lend themselves to comparisons between species, strains, and other strata. Researchers often need to rapidly identify changes, in particular amino acid substitutions that could confer biological function in their system of interest. However, we are not aware of an easy‐to‐use tool that can be used to detect such changes, and researchers currently rely on idiosyncratic computer code. We present RadAA, a command‐line tool which screens multiple sequence alignments for radical amino acid changes in a stratum/strata by classifying residues into groups by charge (with cysteine in its own group). RadAA is easy to use, even for researchers with little experience in computational biology. It can be run on most operating systems – including MacOS, Windows, and Linux – and integrated into high‐performance computing environments. The RadAA source code and executable binaries are freely available at https://github.com/sciseim/RadAA.
The relation of the pelvis and the perineal function in incontinent women: A neglected subject
Authors: Lemos Amanda Q. , Brasil Cristina A. , Alvares Cecília M. , Passos Jaqueline C. G. , Lordêlo Patrícia , Sá Katia N. 
Published: July 2018

AimsTo Compare the angular parameters of the pelvis of continents and incontinent women and to correlate them with the electrical activity and the function of the pelvic floor muscles.MethodsCross‐sectional study. Incontinent and continent women, aged between 18 and 59 years. The anatomical points were marked following the SAPO protocols, the photographic records were made and analyzed through the SAPO Software. The evaluation of the function of the MPF was performed by bidigital vaginal palpation, using the PERFECT scheme. Surface electromyographic analysis was performed in dorsal decubitus and orthostasis.ResultsThe sample consisted of 40 women, 20 with SUI (IG) and 20 continents (CG), matched by age. The mean age in the CG was 43.5 years (SD 8.4), while in the IG it was 47.1 years (SD 7.8) (P = 0.16). The pelvic angle in the CG presented a mean of −14.3 ± 4.6 and the IG −16.6 ± 4.4 (P = 0.02). When compared to normality, IG presented an accentuation of anterior slope in both analyzed views (P = 0.01). There was a moderate correlation in the IG between the electrical activity of the basal pelvis in orthostasis and the anterior pelvic tilt angles in the right lateral views r = 0.51 (P = 0.02) and left lateral r = 0.46 (P = 0.04). No correlation was found in the CG.ConclusionsIn the present sample, incontinent women have a greater anterior slope of the pelvis, and the greater the degree of anterior slope, the greater the electrical activity of the PFM, during rest, and in orthostasis.
In vivo diffusion MRI detects early spinal cord axonal pathology in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Gatto Rodolfo G. , Li Weiguo , Gao Jin , Magin Richard L. 
Published: July 2018

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exhibits contrast that identifies macro‐ and microstructural changes in neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies have shown that MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can observe changes in spinal cord white matter in animals and humans affected with symptomatic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The goal of this preclinical work was to investigate the sensitivity of DTI for the detection of signs of tissue damage before symptoms appear. High‐field MRI data were acquired using a 9.4‐T animal scanner to examine the spinal cord of an ALS mouse model at pre‐ and post‐symptomatic stages (days 80 and 120, respectively). The MRI results were validated using yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) via optical microscopy of spinal cord tissue slices collected from the YFP,G93A‐SOD1 mouse strain. DTI maps of diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) signal intensity, mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) were computed for axial slices of the lumbar region of the spinal cord. Significant changes were observed in FA (6.7% decrease, p < 0.01), AD (19.5% decrease, p < 0.01) and RD (16.1% increase, p < 0.001) at postnatal day 80 (P80). These differences were correlated with changes in axonal fluorescence intensity and membrane cellular markers. This study demonstrates the value of DTI as a potential tool to detect the underlying pathological progression associated with ALS, and may accelerate the discovery of therapeutic strategies for patients with this disease.
Assessing high‐intensity focused ultrasound treatment of prostate cancer with hyperpolarized 13C dual‐agent imaging of metabolism and perfusion
Authors: Lee Jessie E. , Diederich Chris J. , Bok Robert , Sriram Renuka , Santos Romelyn Delos , Noworolski Susan M. , Salgaonkar Vasant A. , Adams Matthew S. , Vigneron Daniel B. , Kurhanewicz John 
Published: July 2018

The goal of the study was to establish early hyperpolarized (HP) 13C MRI metabolic and perfusion changes that predict effective high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation and lead to improved adjuvant treatment of partially treated regions. To accomplish this a combined HP dual‐agent (13C pyruvate and 13C urea) 13C MRI/multiparametric 1H MRI approach was used to measure prostate cancer metabolism and perfusion 3–4 h, 1 d, and 5 d after exposure to ablative and sub‐lethal doses of HIFU within adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate tumors using a focused ultrasound applicator designed for murine studies. Pathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of the ablated tumor demonstrated fragmented, non‐viable cells and vasculature consistent with coagulative necrosis, and a mixture of destroyed tissue and highly proliferative, poorly differentiated tumor cells in tumor tissues exposed to sub‐lethal heat doses in the ablative margin. In ablated regions, the intensity of HP 13C lactate or HP 13C urea and dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI area under the curve images were reduced to the level of background noise by 3–4 h after treatment with no recovery by the 5 d time point in either case. In the tissues that received sub‐lethal heat dose, there was a significant 60% ± 12.4% drop in HP 13C lactate production and a significant 30 ± 13.7% drop in urea perfusion 3–4 h after treatment, followed by recovery to baseline by 5 d after treatment. DCE MRI Ktrans showed a similar trend to HP 13C urea, demonstrating a complete loss of perfusion with no recovery in the ablated region, while having a 40%–50% decrease 3–4 h after treatment followed by recovery to baseline values by 5 d in the margin region. The utility of the HP 13C MR measures of perfusion and metabolism in optimizing focal HIFU, either alone or in combination with adjuvant therapy, deserves further testing in future studies.
Pilot randomized controlled trial of auricular point acupressure for sleep disturbances in women with ovarian cancer
Authors: Kuo Hui‐Chen , Tsao Ying , Tu Hua‐You , Dai Zih‐Huei , Creedy Debra K. 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACTSleep disturbance is a significant problem affecting around 50% of cancer patients. Non‐pharmacological interventions can be used to improve sleep quality in cancer patients, but little is known about the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of auricular point acupressure (APA) to reduce sleep disturbance in women with ovarian cancer undergoing chemotherapy. A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted at a publicly funded hospital in southern Taiwan. Fifty‐five eligible women were approached and 47 women participated. Women randomly assigned to the control group (n = 24) received sleep hygiene practices alone. Women in the intervention group (n = 23) received sleep hygiene practices and APA treatment which involved gentle fingertip pressure at acupoints on the external ear. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was completed at four time points. Forty women completed the trial giving a retention rate of 85%. Women receiving the intervention reported a 65% reduction in sleep disturbance according to PSQI global scores from Time 1 (mean = 13.2) to Time 2 (mean = 4.65) after 4 weeks of APA treatment. There was a further 10% decrease in PSQI scores at Time 3 (mean = 4.21) after 6 weeks of APA treatment. Compared to controls, women receiving APA had significantly lower PSQI mean global scores at both Time 2 and Time 3 (p < .001). APA treatment for women with ovarian cancer produced significantly improved sleep. Participants found the procedure easy to perform. Pilot findings support the feasibility of a longitudinal study with a larger, representative sample.