bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope inter‐ and intra‐individual dietary reconstruction from the late 14th to early 18th century site of Alytus, Lithuania
Authors: Whitmore Katie M. , Dupras Tosha L. , Williams Lana J. , Skipitytė Raminta , Schultz John J. , Jankauskas Rimantas 
Published: December 2018

AbstractObjectivesThe Baltic region, particularly Lithuania, was a politically vibrant area of Eastern Europe during the medieval and early modern period. To better understand the diet of Lithuanians during the late 14th to early 18th century, we examine stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone and dentin samples from the site of Alytus. We investigate possible dietary differences based on sex, age, and religious practice, as well as dietary changes throughout an individual's lifetime, within the broader European milieu.Materials and methodsStable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was conducted on bone (n = 35) and dentin (n = 38) collagen samples from a total of 39 individuals buried in the cemetery at Alytus (late 14th to early 18th centuries).ResultsResults indicate individuals at Alytus consumed a C3 terrestrial based diet. The δ13C and δ15N values are not significantly different between bone and dentin, and did not vary by sex.DiscussionThe diet at Alytus was homogeneous between males and females and between tissue types. The lack of evidence indicating substantial consumption of fish is unexpected given widespread Catholic fasting practices and marine resource trade throughout Europe. Comparisons with other populations indicate that individuals from Alytus differ in diet from contemporaneous Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth elites. Comparison of the diets of non‐elite individuals in the Eastern Baltic region also reveals dietary variability.
Fine liquid blowing: A high Reynolds number, high production rate nanofiber manufacturing technique
Authors: Rawlins John , Kang Jinhee 
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACTA novel gas‐assisted jetting process, term fine liquid blowing, is used to improve the production rate of making nanofiber from polymer solution. A high‐velocity gas stream is introduced through a central protruding core needle, while a liquid is introduce via an adjacent satellite needle. This arrangement avoids passing the high‐velocity gas over the surface of the slow flowing liquid and results in the stable acceleration of the liquid flow on its approach to the tip of the core needle, where it interacts with the high‐velocity gas, initiating numerous liquid jets at elevated Reynolds numbers of up to more than 800. The method was used to produce poly (vinyl alcohol) nonwoven fiber mats at polymer solution feed rates of up to 900 mL h, surpassing other conventional methods. The produced fibers were of diameters ranging from 96 to 430 nm. Over the tested range, polymer flow rate did not show significant influence on the resulting fiber diameter. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47384.
The addition effect of hollow glass microsphere on the dispersion behavior and physical properties of polypropylene/clay nanocomposites
Authors: Jung Bich Nam , Kang DongHo , Cheon Solmi , Shim Jin Kie , Hwang Sung Wook 
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACTPolypropylene (PP) nanocomposites have been widely researched for last decade due to its high mechanical property and multiple usages in various industrial fields from automobile to consumer packaging. Dispersion of nanoclay in polyethylene and PP is the key factor due to their hydrophobic property. Adding surfactant or introducing a polymer with a functional group, and modifying a natural clay with organic ions have been tried to achieve the better dispersion of clay in polymer matrix. In this study, the PP/clay nanocomposite with maleic anhydride grafted PP and hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) at various compositions were prepared and characterized. The addition of HGMs to PP/clay nanocomposites significantly improved the tensile stress at yield point except 7 wt % of HGMs. It is assumed that this could be due to not only the reinforcing effect of HGMs in PP, but the crushing effect of HGMs on the clay resulting in interlayer increase of clay as well. The barrier properties was also found to be improved about 32% max resulting from the better dispersion and presence of HGMs. It could be assumed that the HGMs could act as a ball creating a ball milling crush force to achieve the better dispersion of clay in the polymer and improve nanocomposite performance. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47476.
Rapid prototyping of proteins: Mail order gene fragments to assayable proteins within 24 hours
Authors: Dopp Jared Lynn , Rothstein Samuel Michael , Mansell Thomas Joseph , Reuel Nigel Forest 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this study, we present a minimal template design and accompanying methods to produce assayable quantities of custom sequence proteins within 24 hr from receipt of inexpensive gene fragments from a DNA synthesis vendor. This is done without the conventional steps of plasmid cloning or cell‐based amplification and expression. Instead the linear template is PCR amplified, circularized, and isothermally amplified using a rolling circle polymerase. The resulting template can be used directly with cost‐optimized, scalably‐manufactured Escherichia coli extract and minimal supplement reagents to perform cell‐free protein synthesis (CFPS) of the template protein. We demonstrate the utility of this template design and 24 hr process with seven fluorescent proteins (sfGFP, mVenus, mCherry, and four GFP variants), three enzymes (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, a chitinase catalytic domain, and native subtilisin), a capture protein (anti‐GFP nanobody), and 2 antimicrobial peptides (BP100 and CA(1–7)M(2–9)). We detected each of these directly from the CFPS reaction using colorimetric, fluorogenic, and growth assays. Of especial note, the GFP variant sequences were found from genomic screening data and had not been expressed or characterized before, thus demonstrating the utility of this approach for phenotype characterization of sequenced libraries. We also demonstrate that the rolling circle amplified version of the linear template exhibits expression similar to that of a complete plasmid when expressing sfGFP in the CFPS reaction. We evaluate the cost of this approach to be $61/mg sfGFP for a 4 hr reaction. We also detail limitations of this approach and strategies to overcome these, namely proteins with posttranslational modifications.
Extracellular hemoglobin combined with an O2‐generating material overcomes O2 limitation in the bioartificial pancreas
Authors: Mouré Anne , Bacou Elodie , Bosch Steffi , Jegou Dominique , Salama Apolline , Riochet David , Gauthier Olivier , Blancho Gilles , Soulillou Jean‐Paul , Poncelet Denis , Olmos Eric , Bach Jean‐Marie , Mosser Mathilde 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe bioartificial pancreas encapsulating pancreatic islets in immunoprotective hydrogel is a promising therapy for Type 1 diabetes. As pancreatic islets are highly metabolically active and exquisitely sensitive to hypoxia, maintaining O2 supply after transplantation remains a major challenge. In this study, we address the O2 limitation by combining silicone‐encapsulated CaO2 (silicone‐CaO2) to generate O2 with an extracellular hemoglobin O2‐carrier coencapsulated with islets. We showed that the hemoglobin improved by 37% the O2‐diffusivity through an alginate hydrogel and displayed antioxidant properties neutralizing deleterious reactive O2 species produced by silicone‐CaO2. While the hemoglobin alone failed to maintain alginate macroencapsulated neonate pig islets under hypoxia, silicone‐CaO2 alone or combined to the hemoglobin restored islet viability and insulin secretion and prevented proinflammatory metabolism (PTGS2 expression). Interestingly, the combination took the advantages of the two individual strategies, improved neonate pig islet viability and insulin secretion in normoxia, and VEGF secretion and PDK1 normalization in hypoxia. Moreover, we confirmed the specific benefits of the combination compared to silicone‐CaO2 alone on murine pseudo‐islet viability in normoxia and hypoxia. For the first time, our results show the interest of combining an O2 provider with hemoglobin as an effective strategy to overcome O2 limitations in tissue engineering.
Diagnostic utility of immunohistochemical analysis and Epstein–Barr virus‐encoded small RNAs in situ hybridisation of cell block sections obtained using fine‐needle aspiration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma with lymph node metastasis
Authors: Zhang Yanlin , Yu Xiaomeng , Yang Yan , Wang Yunhong , Chen Shuyuan , Zhou Xiaoge 
Published: December 2018

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the diagnostic utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis (FNA) and Epstein–Barr virus‐ (EBV) encoded small RNAs (EBERs) in situ hybridisation analyses of cell block (CB) sections obtained using fine needle aspiration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with lymph node metastasis.MethodsA total of 38 FNA biopsies were collected using a Youyi aspirator. The cytomorphology, CB‐based histomorphology, IHC, and EBERs in situ hybridisation were observed and the sensitivity/final diagnostic rates were compared with those of simple smears and a combination of smears and CBs.ResultsThe 38 cases of metastatic lymph nodes from NPC displayed the morphological characteristics of non‐keratinising carcinoma in cell smears and CB sections. The tumour cells showed high expression of CK5/6, P63, Ki‐67, and EBERs (94.7%, 36/38 cases) in the CB sections. The sensitivity and the final diagnostic rates were lowest with the simple cell smears (86.8%, 33/38 and 71.1%, 27/38 cases), moderate with the smears combined with CB sections (92.1%, 35/38 cases and 81.6%, 31/38 cases), and the highest with IHC and EBERs in situ hybridisation (94.7%, 36/38 and 94.7%, 36/38 cases).ConclusionsFNA has great value in the diagnosis of NPC with lymph node metastases, and using cell smears combined with IHC and EBERs in situ hybridisation of CB sections could help clinical doctors promptly identify the primary lesions.
Role of fine‐needle aspiration in post liver transplant patients: A clinical/cytological review
Authors: Rohra Prih , Mir Fatima , Lin Diana Murro , Furlan Karina , Javidiparsijani Sara , Lucero David , Gattuso Paolo 
Published: December 2018

BackgroundFine‐needle aspiration (FNA) of superficial and deep‐seated lesions has been used with high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions. However, literature of FNA in posttransplant patients is sparse, especially in postliver transplant. We undertook a retrospective study to evaluate the utility of FNA in the clinical management of post liver transplant patients.MethodsWe searched our institution's surgical/cytologic databases (November1993–February2016) to identify liver transplant cases and FNA procedures performed on allograft liver recipients. Institutional IRB approval was obtained for this study.Results886 liver allograft recipients were reviewed, 41(5%) of which were transplanted for hepatocellular carcinoma. 62/886(7%) underwent an FNA procedure. 39males and 23females included with mean age of 58years. Mean time between transplant and FNA was 34months.21/62(34%) were malignant neoplasms, most common malignancy was adenocarcinoma: 8cases(3lung,3pancreas,1colon,1cholangiocarcinoma)and 8cases of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma patients had recurrence, 6 in the allograft liver and 1case each of metastasis to the iliac bone and periportal lymph node. 3cases were squamous‐cell carcinoma (2lung and 1scalp). 2cases were posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders.34/62(55%) cases were benign aspirates from various organs (8lung,6liver,5pancreas,4breast,3thyroid,3lymph‐nodes and 1case each of salivary gland, bile‐duct,intraabdominal,abdominal wall,and oral cavity) 0.6/62(10%) cases were inflammatory.22cases had histologic correlation: 5true‐positives,16true‐negatives,1false‐negative (a patient with parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma whose FNA diagnosis was sialadenitis), and no false‐positive. The sensitivity was 83% and the specificity was 100%. The positive predictive value was 100% and the negative predictive value was 94%.ConclusionsThis review shows that 40/62(65%) of the aspirates were benign lesions, indicating that a conservative approach is recommended in the clinical management of these patients, especially since the interval between transplant and FNA was on average 34months. FNA is a safe, minimally invasive method to follow‐up these patients.
Alignment‐based design and synthesis of new antimicrobial Aurein‐derived peptides with improved activity against Gram‐negative bacteria and evaluation of their toxicity on human cells
Authors: Madanchi Hamid , Akbari Shabnam , Shabani Ali Akbar , Sardari Soroush , Farmahini Farahani Yekta , Ghavami Ghazaleh , Ebrahimi Kiasari Ramin 
Published: December 2018

AbstractConsidering the worldwide increasing prevalence of resistance to traditional antibiotics, it is necessary to find new antibiotics to deal with this issue. Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as new antimicrobial agents. Aureins are a family of AMPs that are isolated from Green and Golden Bell Frogs. These peptides have a favorable antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria. We designed two peptides derived from natural Aurein enjoying alignment‐based design method. After synthesis of the peptides, their secondary structure was checked by circular dichroism. Consequently, the antibacterial effects of these peptides were investigated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and bactericidal concentration. Eventually, the toxicity of these peptides was determined by MTT (3‐[4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2, 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on normal human skin cells (Hu02 cell line). Natural Aurein1.2 was used as a natural control to compare the properties in all stages. The results indicated that these new peptides had medium‐upward antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis (MIC of 8–64 μg/mL) and weak bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC of 128–256 μg/mL). Also, MTT assays results showed that AureinN2 is less toxic than AureinN1 and Aurein1.2. Toxicity of AureinN2 for Hu02 cell lines was between 20 and 40% at the concentration of 8–500 μg/mL. In this study, we were able to improve antimicrobial activity of two synthetic derivatives of the Aurein family against Gram‐negative bacteria by using machine‐learning algorithm and other in silico methods.
Enhancing the value of public vintage seismic data in the Italian offshore
Authors: Diviacco Paolo , Firetto Carlino Marco , Busato Alessandro 
Published: December 2018

AbstractVintage geophysical data represent a huge heritage for the whole scientific community (Sopher, 2018; Schaming et al., 2017; Diviacco et al., 2015) because, despite the antiquated acquisition methods and processing tools, they are generally characterized by high penetration and wide regional extension. Nowadays such large‐scale projects are in fact very difficult to take place, considering environmental, geopolitical, and funding issues. In addition, reprocessing vintage seismic profiles using up‐to‐date software and tools, it is now possible to further increase their original signal‐to‐noise ratio. Italian offshore areas have been widely investigated by a dense network of multichannel seismic reflection profiles, acquired by the Italian Authorities in the years 1960, 1970, and 1980 of the last century in the perspective of mineral prospecting. This asset of data has been recovered, reprocessed, and made accessible within a demanding project undertaken by Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS). The present work aims at describing the data recovery and reprocessing methodologies applied to enhance the quality of these vintage multichannel‐seismic reflection profiles, and at detailing how to access this huge dataset, that have been made compliant with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and available through the OGS‐SNAP data management web portal.Open Practices

This article has earned an Open Data badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.6092/SNAP.cbbba251c17b55c737836768c8737589. Learn more about the Open Practices badges from the Center for Open Science: https://osf.io/tvyxz/wiki.
Long‐term outcome and pattern of failure for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity‐modulated radiotherapy
Authors: Tian Yun‐Ming , Liu Ming‐Zhu , Zeng Lei , Bai Li , Lin Cheng‐guang , Huang Shao‐Min , Deng Xiao‐Wu , Chong‐Zhao  , Lu Tai‐Xiang , Han Fei 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPurposeTo analyze the long‐term outcome and pattern of failure for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).Methods and materialsPatients with NPC after IMRT from 2001 to 2008 were recruited (n = 865). Clinical features, laboratory data, and treatments were collected.ResultsThe 10‐year local recurrence‐free survival, distant metastasis‐free survival, and disease‐specific survival (DSS) were 92.0%, 83.4%, and 78.6%, respectively. A total of 209 patients died: 59% of whom died from distant metastasis. The 10‐year DSS was higher in patients who received chemoradiotherapy than those who received IMRT alone for patients with high‐risk stage III disease, while there was no survival difference for patients with stage II and low‐risk stage III disease.ConclusionsIMRT provides satisfactory long‐term survival for patients with NPC. Distant metastasis has been the most common reason for failure. Adding chemotherapy did not improve survival in patients with stage II and low‐risk stage III disease.
Comparison of contemporary staging systems for oropharynx cancer in a surgically treated multi‐institutional cohort
Authors: Elicin Olgun , Broglie Martina A. , Fankhauser Niklaus , Stoeckli Sandro J. , Pasche Philippe , Reinhard Antoine , Bongiovanni Massimo , Huber Gerhard F. , Morand Grégoire B. , Soltermann Alex , Arnold Andreas , Dettmer Matthias S. , Arnoux André , Stauffer Edouard , Espeli Vittoria , Martucci Francesco , Aebersold Daniel M. , Giger Roland 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundBetween the publication of the Union of International Cancer Control staging system (UICC) 7th and 8th editions, other staging algorithms for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) were proposed from Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), and Yale University.MethodsWith C‐statistics, the above‐mentioned five staging algorithms were compared for overall and relapse‐free survival endpoints in a multi‐institutional cohort of OPSCC cases (n = 338) treated with primary surgery.ResultsPathological UICC 8th ed yielded the highest C‐indexes in the entire cohort and in the HPV− subset, whereas MDACC was superior for HPV+ OPSCC. RTOG was the simplest and holistic algorithm with a noninferior discriminatory power.ConclusionUICC 8th ed, MDACC, and RTOG offer moderate and comparable efficacy for staging in this OPSCC patient cohort undergoing surgical treatment. Notable discrepancy between clinical and pathological UICC 8th ed algorithms poses potential concerns in diagnosis, treatment, research, and data management.
Quality of primary care provided in community clinics in Japan
Authors: Ozaki Makiko , Matsumura Shinji , Iwamoto Momoko , Kamitani Satoshi , Higashi Takahiro , Toyama Manabu , Bito Seiji , Waza Kazuhiro 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundQuality indicators (QIs) for primary care are used worldwide. To date, however, the use of QIs to assess the quality of primary care in Japan has not been reported besides diabetes care. Here, we used QIs to evaluate the quality of primary care services provided by local clinics in Japan.MethodsFour primary care clinics participated in the retrospective medical chart review in 2015. To assess primary care quality, we used 18 process‐oriented QIs from the Quality Indicators for Primary Care practice in Japan (QIPC‐J) those we previously developed by using a modified Delphi appropriateness method, which comprises 39 QIs in five categories (Comprehensive care/Standardized care, Access, Communication, Coordination, and Understanding of patient's background). Adult subjects were selected from among patients who visited each clinic within the previous one year using medical claims data. We collected data by reviewing medical charts, and calculated the quality score for each QI and clinic.ResultsA cumulative total of 4330 medical charts were reviewed. The overall quality score was 31.5%. Adherence to QIs ranged from 3.2% to 85.6%. Some quality scores varied substantially between clinics but the overall quality of care among clinics varied less, from 29.2% to 34.0%.ConclusionsThe quality of primary care services provided by local clinics in Japan varies by both QI and clinic. Strategies to improve the quality of care are warranted.
Humoral response to Clostridium difficile in inflammatory bowel disease, including correlation with immunomodulatory treatment
Authors: Henriksson Gunnel , Bredberg Johan , Wullt Marlene , Lyrenäs Ebbe , Hindorf Ulf , Ohlsson Björn , Grip Olof 
Published: December 2018

Background and AimAn abnormal immune response to intestinal bacteria has been observed in Crohn's disease (CD). Clostridium difficile infection incidence and severity are increased in CD, but reports on the humoral response have provided conflicting results. We aimed to shed light on the possible role of C. difficile in CD pathogenesis by paying attention to the influence of immunomodulatory treatment on the humoral response.MethodsA total of 71 consecutive outpatients with CD, 67 with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 121 healthy controls were analyzed for serum IgA and IgG to C. difficile toxins A and B.ResultsIgA levels were similar in all study groups. IgG to toxin A was increased similarly in CD and UC (P = 0.02 for both). In contrast, IgG to toxin B was elevated only in CD patients not receiving disease‐modifying anti‐inflammatory bowel disease drugs (DMAID) (n = 16) (P = 0.0001), while the CD medication subgroup (n = 47) had a level similar to healthy controls. The UC results were not influenced by DMAID treatment.ConclusionOur findings add support to the idea of a disturbed interaction between intestinal cells and the microbiota being part of the CD disease mechanism. An abnormal immune response to C. difficile toxin B may be a critical component of this interaction.
HPLC determination of γ‐aminobutyric acid and its analogs in human serum using precolumn fluorescence labeling with 4‐(carbazole‐9‐yl)‐benzyl chloroformate
Authors: Yu Yanxin , You Jinmao , Sun Zhiwei , Ji Zhongyin , Hu Na , Zhou Wu , Zhou Xuxia 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this study, a simple analytical method for the determination of γ‐aminobutyric acid, gabapentin, and baclofen by using high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was developed. An amidogen‐reactive fluorescence labeling reagent, 4‐(carbazole‐9‐yl)‐benzyl chloroformate was first used to sensitively label these analytes. The completed labeling of these analytes can be finished rapidly only within 5 min at the room temperature (25°C) to form 4‐(carbazole‐9‐yl)‐benzyl chloroformate labeled fluorescence derivatives. These labeled derivatives expressed strong fluorescence property with the maximum excitation and emission wavelengths of 280 and 380 nm, respectively. The labeled derivatives were analyzed using a reversed‐phase Eclipse SB‐C18 column within 10 min with satisfactory shapes. Excellent linearity (R2 > 0.995) for all analytes was achieved with the limits of detection and the limits of quantitation in the range of 0.25−0.35 and 0.70−1.10 μg/L, respectively. The proposed method was used for the simultaneous determination of γ‐aminobutyric acid and its analogs in human serum with satisfactory recoveries in the range of 94.5–97.5%.