bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of IL-20 in chronic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy: Pathogenic and therapeutic implications
Authors: Chang Ming-Shi , Hsu Yu-Hsiang 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Chronic kidney disease and its complications are a major public health problem worldwide. Diabetic nephropathy has become the main contributing cause of terminal renal failure. There are now evidences that different inflammatory molecules, including proinflammatory cytokines, play a critical role in the development of microvascular diabetic complications, including nephropathy. IL-20 is emerging as a potent angiogenic, chemotactic, and proinflammatory cytokine related to several chronic inflammatory disorders likes psoriasis, atherosclerosis, and renal failure. This review discusses the role of IL-20 as a pathogenic factor in renal injury, focusing on chronic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy, and describes potential treatment strategies based on modulation of IL-20's function.
IL-20 is a crucial mediator for regulating tubular cell apoptosis, promoting renal fibrosis, and enhancing podocyte dysfunction.
A dyadic model of motives, pride, gratitude, and helping
Authors: Kim You Jin (YJ) , Van Dyne Linn , Lee Stephanie M. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryAlthough scholars emphasize the importance of dyadic interactions between helpers and helping recipients, prior studies tend to focus on helpers and investigate why they help and how they feel after helping. Thus, we lack understanding of the role of recipients and how their motive attributions influence their affective responses to receiving help. The purpose of this paper is to draw on the affect theory of social exchange and focus on helpers and recipients of helping. Specifically, we develop and test a dyadic model of helping that emphasizes motives and discrete affective responses of both helpers and recipients to providing and receiving help. The model also goes beyond most prior research by acknowledging repeated acts of helping and demonstrates that helper pride and recipient gratitude interact to predict subsequent helping. Our research contributes to the helping literature by offering a more complete model of helping that simultaneously accounts for motives and pride of helpers and motive attributions and gratitude of recipients.
Progranulin is highly expressed in patients with chronic periodontitis and protects against experimental periodontitis in rats
Authors: Li Xiao , Zuo Zhibin , Chen Qian , Li Jing , Tang Wei , Yang Pishan 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackground The autocrine growth factor progranulin (PGRN) plays a crucial role in the physiological and pathological processes. However, its function in chronic periodontitis (CP) remains unclear.Methods Forty‐five CP patients and 43 healthy controls were recruited. Expressions of PGRN in gingival biopsies were assessed by reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The levels of PGRN, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) before and after non‐surgical periodontal treatment were quantified by ELISA. In addition, recombinant human PGRN (rhPGRN) or its vehicle was injected into the gingiva of rats with ligature‐induced experimental periodontitis to test its influence on the disease process. Local inflammatory cell infiltration and alveolar bone loss were assessed by histomorphometric analysis, and the expression levels of TNF‐α and IL‐1β in the gingiva were determined by RT‐qPCR and ELISA.Results PGRN expression was increased in the gingiva and GCF of patients with CP compared with healthy controls. With the decline of periodontal clinical indices, the molar ratio of PGRN to TNF‐α in GCF at 1 month after non‐surgical treatment was significantly higher than at baseline (35.31 ± 22.09 vs 25.67 ± 16.19, P < 0.01). In rats with experimental periodontitis, local administration of rhPGRN attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration (P < 0.05), inhibited alveolar bone loss (P < 0.05) and decreased TNF‐α and IL‐1β levels (both P < 0.01) compared with the vehicle treatment group.ConclusionThese findings suggest that progranulin is highly expressed in the gingiva and GCF of patients with CP and protects against experimental periodontitis in rats.
Nanoencapsulation of carotenoids extracted from tomato peels into zein fibers by electrospinning
Authors: Horuz Tuğba İnanç , Belibağlı K Bülent 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe processing of tomatoes generates significant amounts of tomato waste, which has a high potential to be used in food industry as a natural food colorant, antioxidant, and food supplement providing health benefits. However, it is difficult to incorporate the carotenoids into different food formulations because they are relatively unstable in food systems. Hence, this novel study investigated the use of an electrospinning technique for the encapsulation of carotenoids extracted from tomato peel into zein nanofibers to improve its thermal and storage stability, and antioxidant activity.RESULTSComposite zein nanofibers containing the carotenoids extracted from tomato peel (TP) were successfully produced with above 90% encapsulation efficiency by electrospinning. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed that the extract‐loaded fibers exhibited morphology similar to the neat zein fibers with a bead‐free, smooth, and homogeneously‐distributed morphology. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms showed that the thermal stability of the extract was enhanced by nanoencapsulation. No significant changes in the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of extract‐loaded zein fibers were observed compared to neat zein fiber, showing that the TP extract could be entrapped into the zein fibers. Compared to non‐encapsulated extract, the encapsulated one inside zein fibers had better retention of lycopene and antioxidant activity (AA) during 14‐days' storage. More interestingly, the AA of the extract increased about 11‐fold by nanoencapsulation.CONCLUSIONThis study showed that nanoencapsulation by electrospinning is an effective way to stabilize carotenoids, which is promising for their use in food processing. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Nanoparticle‐induced enzyme pretreatment method for increased glucose production from lignocellulosic biomass under cold conditions
Authors: Dutta Nalok , Saha Malay Kumar 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDAppropriate pretreatment strategies that fractionate sugarcane bagasse (SB) are essential for the successful use of this feedstock in ethanol production. In this paper, we investigate a purely enzymatic process to achieve increased production of reducing sugars (RS) from SB in the presence of MgO nanoparticles (MgN) subjected to a three‐step sequential enzyme treatment.RESULTPretreatment of SB with protease activated by magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgN‐pro) at 95 °C showed an increase in amino acid production by 6.18‐fold compared to the untreated enzyme set at the same temperature. High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) studies showed an 18‐fold removal of lignin from the samples subjected to protease (+ MgN) treatment compared to untreated samples. When the MgN‐pro pretreated samples were subjected to pretreatment with xylanase activated by magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgN‐xyl), more than 30‐fold increased RS was produced at 8 °C compared to cellulase (cel) pretreated samples. Xylanase pretreated SB samples produced 1.82‐ and 1.91‐fold increased reducing sugar and glucose respectively at 8 °C in the presence of MgN compared to untreated samples at the same temperature.CONCLUSIONThe results presented here show the efficiency of the proposed method for improving the enzymatic digestibility of SB and explain the pretreatment action mechanism. These findings have potential implications in bio‐ethanol, bio‐fuel, and agro industries. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of milled flaxseed and storage conditions on sensory properties and selected bioactive compounds in banana and cinnamon muffins used in a clinical trial
Authors: Santiago Amalia , Ryland Donna , Cui Steve , Blewett Heather , Aliani Michel 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDMuffins containing 0, 20, and 30 g of flaxseed were developed for a randomized, controlled cross‐over trial on low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowering. The effect of milled flaxseed and storage (−20 °C for 1 and 6 months) of banana and cinnamon muffins on sensory attribute intensities, selected physical properties, bioactive concentrations, and acceptability by two groups – clinical trial participants and consumers – was investigated.RESULTSThe addition of flax increased flax aroma and flavor, sour aroma, and cohesiveness of mass and brown color, and decreased sweet aroma and flavor, banana and cinnamon aroma and flavor, springiness and mouth dryness. Alpha‐linolenic acid and secoisolariciresinol diglucoside were significantly increased when flax was increased from 20 to 30 g. Clinical trial participants generally found the muffins more acceptable than the consumers. Consumers reported significantly decreased acceptability when flax at any level was added to muffins, with 30 g the least acceptable.CONCLUSIONSMuffins with 20 g flaxseed generally had higher mean acceptability values compared to muffins with 30 g. Neither flavoring nor storage at −20 °C for 6 months appreciably changed muffin attributes or acceptability. Future work will optimize the ingredients as well as the amount of flax needed to provide the required amount of bioactive to positively affect LDL cholesterol level and to produce acceptable muffins. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Investigating the Free‐Volume Characteristics of Regulated Dimethacrylate Networks Below and Above Glass Transition Temperature
Authors: Švajdlenková Helena , Šauša Ondrej , Mat́ko Igor , Koch Thomas , Gorsche Christian 
Published: July 2018

AbstractStudying the relationship between microstructural interactions and resulting macroscopic material properties gives a more elaborate understanding on final material performance. The microstructural arrangement with characteristic length, relaxation, and thermal expansion behavior of regulated dimethacrylate networks is studied by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermomechanical analysis, and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy at a broad temperature range (250–380 K). The length scale ξ (Tg) of cooperative segmental rearrangement is decreased with increasing crosslinking and degree of freedom in regulated chain transfer agent (CTA)‐based networks. The macro and microscopic thermal expansion coefficients are determined in the glassy and rubbery state for three polymer systems—a dimethacrylate‐based reference (poly2M) and regulated photopolymers with CTAs (i.e., thiol, β‐allyl sulfone). The influence of CTAs on the free volume characteristics (i.e., free volume void size, the specific occupied volume V0, free volume number density per unit mass N′, and free volume fraction f) at the glass transition temperature Tg is correlated with the cooperative length, activation energy Ea,α, and mechanically effective crosslinking density. A more complex understanding of the revealed relations contributes to a more elaborate explanation of final material performance.
Optimizers for the singular Trudinger–Moser inequalities in the critical case in
Authors: Lam Nguyen 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe main purpose of this paper is to study the existence of extremal functions for the singular Trudinger–Moser inequalities in the critical case in . More precisely, let and denote
urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201600528:mana201600528-math-0006then we will prove in this article that there exists such that can be achieved for all , .
Technical Note: Retrospective reduction in systematic differences across scanner changes by accounting for noise floor effects in diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Sakaie Ken , Zhou Xiaopeng , Lin Jian , Debbins Josef , Lowe Mark , Fox Robert J. 
Published: July 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine if retrospective correction for noise floor effects can reduce systematic differences and improve reproducibility across major scanner changes. Changes in scanner configuration can negatively impact quantitative MRI studies by introducing systematic differences between measurements that are due to the instrument, not biology. Noise floor rectification is a potential source of systematic differences in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).MethodsHealthy volunteers were scanned before and after a major scanner change at four sites. DTI‐based measures of tissue microstructure were calculated using a standard approach that ignores noise floor effects and using a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) approach that accounts for the noise floor. Voxelwise estimates of systematic differences and reproducibility were evaluated.ResultsAccounting for noise floor effects can reduce the extent of systematic differences and can improve reproducibility. However, when signal levels are high, accounting for the noise floor can have a deleterious effect. An empirical metric constructed to reflect the magnitude of noise floor effects signal‐to‐noise‐floor ratio (SNFR). The MLE approach improves reproducibility for SNFR < 3.ConclusionsAccounting for noise floor effects can boost the robustness of DTI measurements in the presence of scanner changes, potentially improving the reliability of DTI for studies of neurological disease.
Hydrophilic surface modification of polydimetylsiloxane‐co‐2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate (PDMS‐HEMA) by Silwet L‐77 (heptamethyltrisiloxane) surface treatment
Authors: Kalulu Mulenga , Zhang Wei , Xia Xue‐Ke , Oderinde Olayinka , Jiang Yong 
Published: July 2018

Biomaterials and their host organism's quintessential place of interaction are the surfaces of materials, as transportation of liquids within microchannels requires hydrophilic surfaces. Modifying the hydrophobic surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) into a hydrophilic one which can be used in biomaterials remains a big challenge. Herein, PDMS‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) films were prepared by the condensation of PDMS using isophorone diisocyanate as a cross‐linker, followed by the incorporation of HEMA via radical copolymerization. The as‐prepared PDMS‐HEMA films were thereafter hydrophilized via physical treatment with heptamethyltrisiloxane. The surface properties of the obtained PDMS‐HEMA films were characterized in wettability, morphology, topography, swelling, mechanical properties, and protein adsorption. Compared to pristine PDMS‐HEMA as control, the surface wettability, roughness, and protein adsorption of the hydrophilized PDMS‐HEMA films were significantly improved while the films also exhibited excellent optical properties. However, the improvement of the swelling properties remains insignificant, indicating that the interior morphology was still based on the hydrophobic siloxane PDMS. The long‐term hydrophilicity was considered good as no significant hydrophobic recovery was noticeable in a period of 5 months after treatment.
Fabrication, characterization, and performance evaluation of polyethersulfone/TiO2 nanocomposite ultrafiltration membranes for produced water treatment
Authors: Hosseini Seyed Saeid , Fakharian Torbati Sina , Alaei Shahmirzadi Mohammad Amin , Tavangar Tohid 
Published: July 2018

In the present work, development of neat and nanocomposite polyethersulfone membranes composed of TiO2 nanoparticles is presented. Membranes are fabricated using nonsolvent phase inversion process with the objective of improving antifouling, hydrophilicity, and mechanical properties for real and synthetic produced water treatment. Membranes are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared, contact angle, porosity measurement, compaction factor, nanoparticles stability, and mechanical strength. The performance of prepared membranes was also characterized using flux measurement and oil rejection. Fourier‐transform infrared spectra indicated that noncovalence bond formed between Ti and polyethersulfone chains. The contact angle results confirmed the improved hydrophilicity of nanocomposite membranes upon addition of TiO2 nanoparticles owing to the strong interactions between fillers and water molecules. The increased water flux for nanocomposite membranes in comparison with neat ones can be due to coupling effects of improved surface hydrophilicity, higher porosity, and formation of macrovoids in the membrane structure. The membrane containing 7 wt% of TiO2 nanoparticles was the best nanocomposite membrane because of its high oil rejection, water flux, antifouling properties, and mechanical stability. The pure water flux for this membrane was twice greater than that of neat membrane without any loss in oil rejection. The hydrophilicity and antifouling resistance against oil nominates developed nanocomposite membranes for real and synthetic produced water treatment applications with high performance and extended life span.
Measures of respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) in children with neuromuscular disease
Authors: Strang Abigail , Ryan Lauren , Rahman Tariq , Balasubramanian Sona , Hossain Jobayer , Heinle Robert , Shaffer Thomas H. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundPulmonary function testing (PFT) is essential for the clinical assessment of respiratory problems. Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) is a non‐invasive method of PFT requiring minimal patient cooperation. RIP measures the volumetric change in the ribcage and abdomen, from which work of breathing (WOB) indices are derived. WOB indices include: phase angle (Ф), percent ribcage (RC%), respiratory rate (RR), and labored breathing index (LBI). Heart rate (HR) is collected separately.AimThe goal of this study was to assess the utility of a newly developed RIP system, the pneuRIP, in an outpatient clinic setting in children with neuromuscular (NM) disease.MethodThe pneuRIP system measures and displays the WOB indices in real‐time on an iPad display. Forty‐three subjects, 22 NM patients and 21 healthy children (ages: 5‐18 years) were enrolled.ResultsPatients’ means showed an increase of 119.8% for Ф, 15.7% for LBI, and 19.9% for HR compared with healthy subjects, when adjusted for age and gender. The study found significant differences between the mean values of the healthy subjects and patients in Ф (P = 0.000), LBI (P = 0.001), and HR (P = 0.001). No differences were noted for RC% and RR between groups. Data for Ф in NM patients were diffusely distributed as compared with healthy subjects based on analysis of histograms.ConclusionNon‐invasive pneuRIP testing provided instantaneous PFT results. As compared to healthy subjects, NM patients showed abnormal results with increased markers of thoracoabdominal asynchrony, WOB indices, and biphasic breathing patterns likely resulting from NM weakness.
Quantifying pesticide deposits and spray patterns at micro‐scales on apple (Malus domesticus) leaves with a view to arthropod exposure
Authors: Witton Joanna T , Pickering Matthew D , Alvarez Tania , Reed Melissa , Weyman Gabriel , Hodson Mark E , Ashauer Roman 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDPesticides used in commercial crop systems can adversely affect non‐target arthropod populations. The spatial distribution of pesticide residues is rarely studied at scales relevant to these populations. Here, we combine two methods for assessing pesticide spray deposits at spatial scales relevant to non‐target arthropods found in apple orchards. Pesticide residues were determined on individual apple leaves through conventional residue analysis; water‐sensitive paper was used to investigate spatial distributions in deposits at the micro‐scale. We also evaluated how accurately a digital image analysis program estimated pesticide residues.RESULTSWe found that mean pesticide spray coverage on water‐sensitive paper varied by up to 6.1% (95% CI 9.4%, 2.7%) within an apple orchard, and leaf residues varied by up to 0.95 (95% CI 0.54, 1.36) mg kg−1 within a tree. Leaf residues based on analytical chemistry were six times lower than pesticide deposition estimated through image analysis of water‐sensitive paper, although these correlated strongly. This correlation allowed estimation of actual residues by application of a correction factor.CONCLUSIONOur method demonstrates accurate estimation of pesticide deposits at the individual leaf scale through digital analysis of water‐sensitive paper and is a low‐cost, rapid alternative to conventional residue analysis techniques. © 2018 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Gene drive systems: do they have a place in agricultural weed management?
Authors: Neve Paul 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThere is a pressing need for novel control techniques in agricultural weed management. Direct genetic control of agricultural pests encompasses a range of techniques to introduce and spread novel, fitness‐reducing genetic modifications through pest populations. Recently, the development of CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing has brought these approaches into sharper focus. Proof of concept for CRISPR–Cas9‐based gene drives has been demonstrated for the control of disease‐vectoring insects. This article considers whether and how gene drives may be applied in agricultural weed management, focusing on CRISPR–Cas9‐based systems. Population‐suppression drives might be employed to introduce and proliferate deleterious mutations that directly impact fitness and weediness, whereas population‐sensitizing drives would seek to edit weed genomes so that populations are rendered more sensitive to subsequent management interventions. Technical challenges relating to plant transformation and gene editing in planta are considered, and the implementation of gene drives for timely and sustainable weed management is reviewed in the light of weed population biology. The technical, biological, practical and regulatory challenges remain significant. Modelling‐based studies can inform how and if gene drives could be employed in weed populations. These studies are an essential first step towards determining the utility of gene drives for weed management. © 2018 The Author. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.