bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Potential amelioration of nicotine‐induced toxicity by nanocurcumin
Authors: Chattopadhyay Krishna , Samanta Anwesha , Mukhopadhyay Subrata , Chattopadhyay Brajadulal 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Clinical Research

Curcumin, a nontoxic bioactive agent of turmeric significantly reduces nicotine‐induced toxicity both at cellular and genetic levels. The clinical implication of native curcumin is hindered in the target cells due to its low aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability and poor pharmacokinetics. The problem was tried to overcome by preparing nanocurcumin with a view to improve its aqueous solubility and better therapeutic efficacy against nicotine‐induced toxicity. The prepared nanocurcumin was characterized by Ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy; Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM); X‐ray diffraction (XRD); and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Female albino rats of Wistar strain were daily exposed to effective dose of nicotine (2.5 mg/kg, injected subcutaneously) and supplemented with effective dose of curcumin (80 mg/kg body weight orally) or nanocurcumin (4 mg/kg body weight orally) for 21 days. The preventive efficacies of curcumin and nanocurcumin were evaluated against the changes in liver function enzymes, kidney function parameters, lipid profiles, lipid‐peroxidation, anti‐oxidant status, and tissues damages etc. Results revealed that nanocurcumin more effectively ameliorated the nicotine‐induced toxicities at much lower concentration due to its higher aqueous solubility and more bioavailability. The nanocurcumin can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for better efficacy against nicotine‐induced toxicities than native curcumin.
Risk of dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) inhibitors on site‐specific cancer: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Overbeek Jetty A. , Bakker Marina , van der Heijden Amber A.W.A. , van Herk‐Sukel Myrthe P.P. , Herings Ron M.C. , Nijpels Giel 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThe long‐term impact of dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) inhibition is unknown, and there are concerns about the influence of DPP‐4 inhibition on carcinogenesis of the pancreas and thyroid. As DPP‐4 is a rather unselective enzyme present in many tissues, we focused on all specific cancer types. PubMed and EMBASE were searched between January 2005 and April 2017 to identify studies comparing DPP‐4 inhibitors with either placebo or active drugs on cancer risk. Studies were included if they reported on at least one specific cancer outcome and had a follow‐up of at least 1 year after start of drug use. Methodological quality of the studies was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration's tool and the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Twenty‐five studies met the inclusion criteria (12 randomized controlled trials and 13 observational studies). Sample sizes of the DPP‐4 inhibitor groups ranged from 29 to 8212 patients for randomized controlled trials and from 2422 to 71 137 patients for observational studies. Mean age ranged from 51 to 76 years, and mean follow‐up was 1.5 years. None of the pooled (sensitivity) analyses, except the observational studies studying breast cancer (hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.76 [0.60‐0.96]), showed evidence for an association between DPP‐4 inhibitors and site‐specific cancer. Also for pancreatic and thyroid cancer, no statistically significant risk was found. Based on the current literature, it is not possible to conclude whether DPP‐4 inhibitors were associated with an increased risk of site‐specific cancer. Future studies should address the methodological limitations and follow patients for a longer period to determine the long‐term cancer risk of DPP‐4 inhibitors.
Accounting for disturbance history in models: using remote sensing to constrain carbon and nitrogen pool spin‐up
Authors: Hanan Erin J. , Tague Christina , Choate Janet , Liu Mingliang , Kolden Crystal , Adam Jennifer 
Published: March 2018

AbstractDisturbances such as wildfire, insect outbreaks, and forest clearing, play an important role in regulating carbon, nitrogen, and hydrologic fluxes in terrestrial watersheds. Evaluating how watersheds respond to disturbance requires understanding mechanisms that interact over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Simulation modeling is a powerful tool for bridging these scales; however, model projections are limited by uncertainties in the initial state of plant carbon and nitrogen stores. Watershed models typically use one of two methods to initialize these stores: spin‐up to steady state or remote sensing with allometric relationships. Spin‐up involves running a model until vegetation reaches equilibrium based on climate. This approach assumes that vegetation across the watershed has reached maturity and is of uniform age, which fails to account for landscape heterogeneity and non‐steady‐state conditions. By contrast, remote sensing, can provide data for initializing such conditions. However, methods for assimilating remote sensing into model simulations can also be problematic. They often rely on empirical allometric relationships between a single vegetation variable and modeled carbon and nitrogen stores. Because allometric relationships are species‐ and region‐specific, they do not account for the effects of local resource limitation, which can influence carbon allocation (to leaves, stems, roots, etc.). To address this problem, we developed a new initialization approach using the catchment‐scale ecohydrologic model RHESSys. The new approach merges the mechanistic stability of spin‐up with the spatial fidelity of remote sensing. It uses remote sensing to define spatially explicit targets for one or several vegetation state variables, such as leaf area index, across a watershed. The model then simulates the growth of carbon and nitrogen stores until the defined targets are met for all locations. We evaluated this approach in a mixed pine‐dominated watershed in central Idaho, and a chaparral‐dominated watershed in southern California. In the pine‐dominated watershed, model estimates of carbon, nitrogen, and water fluxes varied among methods, while the target‐driven method increased correspondence between observed and modeled streamflow. In the chaparral watershed, where vegetation was more homogeneously aged, there were no major differences among methods. Thus, in heterogeneous, disturbance‐prone watersheds, the target‐driven approach shows potential for improving biogeochemical projections.
Minor contribution of overstorey transpiration to landscape evapotranspiration in boreal permafrost peatlands
Authors: Warren Rebecca K. , Pappas Christoforos , Helbig Manuel , Chasmer Laura E. , Berg Aaron A. , Baltzer Jennifer L. , Quinton William L. , Sonnentag Oliver 
Published: March 2018

AbstractEvapotranspiration (ET) is a key component of the water cycle, whereby accurate partitioning of ET into evaporation and transpiration provides important information about the intrinsically coupled carbon, water, and energy fluxes. Currently, global estimates of partitioned evaporative and transpiration fluxes remain highly uncertain, especially for high‐latitude ecosystems where measurements are scarce. Forested peat plateaus underlain by permafrost and surrounded by permafrost‐free wetlands characterize approximately 60% (7.0 × 107 km2) of Canadian peatlands. In this study, 22 Picea mariana (black spruce) individuals, the most common tree species of the North American boreal forest, were instrumented with sap flow sensors within the footprint of an eddy covariance tower measuring ET from a forest–wetland mosaic landscape. Sap flux density (JS), together with remote sensing data and in situ measurements of canopy structure, was used to upscale tree‐level JS to overstorey transpiration (TBS). Black spruce trees growing in nutrient‐poor permafrost peat soils were found to have lower mean JS than those growing in mineral soils. Overall, TBS contributed less than 1% to landscape ET. Climate‐change‐induced forest loss and the expansion of wetlands may further minimize the contributions of TBS to ET and increase the contribution of standing water.
Chloroquine‐treated dendritic cells require STAT1 signaling for their tolerogenic activity
Authors: Thome Rodolfo , Bonfanti Amanda Pires , Rasouli Javad , Mari Elisabeth Rose , Zhang Guang‐Xian , Rostami Abdolmohamad , Verinaud Liana 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMS and EAE are T cell‐driven autoimmune diseases of the CNS where IL‐17‐producing Th17 cells promote damage and are pathogenic. Conversely, tolerogenic DCs induce Treg cells and suppress Th17 cells. Chloroquine (CQ) suppresses EAE through the modulation of DCs by unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that STAT 1 is necessary for CQ‐induced tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs) to efficiently suppress EAE. We observed that CQ induces phosphorylation of STAT1 in DCs in vivo and in vitro. Genetic blockage of STAT1 abrogated the suppressive activity of CQ‐treated DCs. Opposed to its WT counterparts, CQ‐treated STAT1−/− BMDCs were unable to suppress Th17 cells and increased EAE severity. Our findings show that STAT1 is a major signaling pathway in CQ‐induced tolDCs and may shed light on new therapeutic avenues for the induction of tolDCs in autoimmune diseases such as MS.
Reactivity of a (Benzene)Ruthenium(II) Cation on a Di‐lacunary γ‐Keggin‐Type Silicotungstate and Synthesis of a Mono‐(Benzene)Ruthenium(II)‐Attached γ‐Keggin‐Type Silicotungstate
Authors: Kikuchi Masaya , Ota Hiromi , López Xavier , Nakaya Toshimi , Tsunoji Nao , Sano Tsuneji , Sadakane Masahiro 
Published: March 2018

AbstractInvited for the cover of this issue is Masahiro Sadakane from Hiroshima University, Japan, collaborating with groups from Okayama University, Japan, and Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain. The cover image shows a new Ru‐containing‐heteropolytungstate.
DHA‐Enriched Phosphatidylcholine and DHA‐Enriched Phosphatidylserine Improve Age‐Related Lipid Metabolic Disorder through Different Metabolism in the Senescence‐Accelerated Mouse
Authors: Ding Lin , Zhang Tiantian , Che Hongxia , Zhang Lingyu , Xue Changhu , Chang Yaoguang , Wang Yuming 
Published: March 2018

Aging is an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis, which is characterized by hyperlipemia. The senescence‐accelerated mouse (SAMP8) is an animal model used in studies of aging, which is associated with a shift of fatty metabolism toward lipogenesis. This study investigates the effects of docosahexaenoic acid‐enriched phosphatidylcholine (DHA‐PC) and docosahexaenoic acid‐enriched phosphatidylserine (DHA‐PS) on age‐related lipid metabolic disorder in SAMP8 mice. Main findings and results: Both dietary DHA‐PC and DHA‐PS significantly decrease serum and hepatic lipid levels. The levels of DHA in hepatic total lipid are significantly increased in both DHA‐PC and DHA‐PS groups (2.59‐ and 2.33‐fold, respectively). Notably, supplementary DHA‐PS remarkably alters the ratio of PE to PC in liver. Mechanistically, DHA‐PC and DHA‐PS suppresses hepatic SREBP‐1c mediates lipogenesis and activates PPARα mediated fatty acid β‐oxidation in the liver. These data are the first to indicate that DHA‐PS has beneficial effects on age‐related lipid metabolism.Practical Applications: The results obtained in this work might contribute to the understanding of biological activities of DHA enriched phospholipids and further investigation on its potential application values for food supplements.This study investigates the effects of docosahexaenoic acid‐enriched phosphatidylcholine (DHA‐PC) and docosahexaenoic acid‐enriched phosphatidylserine (DHA‐PS) on age‐related lipid metabolic disorder in SAMP8 mice. The results shows that DHA‐PC and DHA‐PS improves age‐related lipometabolic disturbance by inhibiting hepatic fatty acid synthesis and enhancing hepatic fatty acid β‐oxidation, providing a reference for the development of functional ingredients rich in DHA phospholipids.
Why Tyrosol Derivatives Have to Be Quantified in the Calculation of “Olive Oil Polyphenols” Content to Support the Health Claim Provisioned in the EC Reg. 432/2012
Authors: Tsimidou Maria Z. , Nenadis Nikolaos , Servili Maurizio , García‐González Diego Luis , Gallina Toschi Tullia 
Published: March 2018

The viewpoint is the outcome of the scientific expertise of the scientists that sign it and work collaboratively in the frame of the OLEUM project. The project aims to better guarantee olive oil quality and authenticity by empowering detection and fostering prevention of olive oil fraud and by an effort of harmonization, correct interpretation, and use of official and supporting analytical methods.Practical Applications: The consensus among scientists, the European food authorities, IOC, and the olive industry on which compounds should be determined to support the health claim on olive oil polyphenols (EC Reg. 432/2012) is of utmost importance and can be supported by the evidence provided in this viewpoint article.The exact interpretation of this health claim involves the clarification of the compounds that should be summed up to give the amount of at least 5 mg phenols per 20 g of oil.
With a little help from our friends: The impact of cross‐group friendship on acculturation preferences
Authors: Hässler Tabea , González Roberto , Lay Siugmin , Lickel Brian , Zagefka Hanna , Tropp Linda R. , Brown Rupert , Manzi Astudillo Jorge , Bernardino Michelle 
Published: March 2018

AbstractDespite extensive research on intergroup contact and acculturation, our understanding of how contact affects receiving society members’ preferences for acculturation orientation of immigrants over time is still relatively rudimentary. This longitudinal study examined how perceived group similarity and outgroup trust mediate the effects of cross‐group friendship on acculturation preferences (culture maintenance and culture adoption) of the receiving society. It was predicted that cross‐group friendship would affect acculturation preferences over time, and that these relationships would be partly mediated by outgroup trust and perceived group similarity. A three‐wave full longitudinal sample (N = 467 Chilean school students) was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results confirmed that cross‐group friendship longitudinally predicted majority members’ support for the adoption of Chilean culture (via perceived group similarity) and Peruvian culture maintenance (via outgroup trust). Conceptual and practical implications are discussed.
A Green Approach to the Synthesis of Well‐structured Prussian Blue Cubes for the Effective Electrocatalytic Reduction of Antiprotozoal Agent Coccidiostat Nicarbazin
Authors: Akilarasan Muthumariappan , Kogularasu Sakthivel , Chen Shen‐Ming , Govindasamy Mani , Chen Tse‐Wei , Ali M. Ajmal , Al‐Hemaid Fahad M. A. , Elshikh M. S. , Farah M. Abul 
Published: March 2018

AbstractFor the first time, a robust electrochemical sensor to detect the coccidiostat nicarbazin (NCZ) is developed through the green synthesis of Prussian blue cubes from Volvariella volvacea (paddy straw mushroom) extract. Recently, numerous articles were reported about the issue that the prophylactic drugs were injected excessively as a feed additive for fattening the chickens in short period. It is a significant concern that the level of coccidiostat NCZ exceeds the residue limits in the tissues of the meat; mainly, in chicken and eggs. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a sensitive, reproducible and long‐lasting sensor for the real‐time detection of NCZ. Thus, we have generated an electrochemical sensor through the economic screen‐printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modification method. Eco‐friendly Prussian blue cubes are fabricated on the carbon film of SPCE. As a result, the modified electrode showed exceptional electrocatalytic ability towards NCZ and the reduction peak currents are correlated to the concentrations of NCZ. It retains the more extensive working range between 1.25×10−7 to 1.53×10−3 mol L−1, and it possesses a very low limit of detection as well as the appreciable sensitivity. This method is successfully applied to the recognition of NCZ in the samples of chicken meat and eggs.
Double Layer Impedance in Mixtures of Acetonitrile and Water
Authors: Aoki Koichi Jeremiah , Chen Jingyuan , Tang Peng 
Published: March 2018

AbstractDouble layer (DL) impedances were evaluated in mixed solutions of water and acetonitrile at various ratios in the polarized potential domain in order to find competitive orientation of the two solvent molecules on the platinum electrode. The DL capacitance at any ratio of the mixture shows the common power law of the ac‐frequency. The capacitance at molar fractions of water less than 0.2 increases linearly with the fraction, and reaches the value for aqueous solution. This variation indicates accumulation of water molecules on the electrode excluding acetonitrile molecules. It is modelled on the concept of the Langmuir‐type isotherm in which water and acetonitrile molecules have competitive interaction with the electrode. The experimental variations by the use of the isotherm yield the difference in the interaction energy, 6 kJ mol−1. The accumulation of water in the DL is supported by the formation of the adsorbed layer by insoluble ferrocene.
Determination of ellagic acid by capillary electrophoresis in Argentinian wines
Authors: Spisso Adrian , Gomez Federico J. V. , Fernanda Silva María 
Published: March 2018

AbstractRising interest in ellagic acid (EA) present in functional foods is supported by its antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidative effects. The present approach presents for the first time the determination of ellagic acid and other phenolics in wines by miniaturized solid phase extraction prior to capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with UV. The extraction was performed using a home‐made miniaturized pipette tip column. The procedure allowed a significant reduction in conditioning/sample/washing/elution volumes. The effects of important factors affecting the extraction efficiency as well as electrophoretic performance were investigated to acquire optimum conditions. The analytes were separated within 10 min with a BGE containing 30 mmol/L sodium tetraborate 10% v/v MeOH pH 9.10. The optimized method was applied to the determination of ellagic acid in commercial and pilot‐scale wines. Indeed, the content of EA was correlated with viticultural parameters such as grape varietal, production area, and aging conditions (oak wood guard and glass bottle ward). In order to validate the results, a comparison between the CZE and HPLC data was made.
Preparation and identification of oligosaccharides in lotus seeds and determination of their distribution in different parts of lotus
Authors: Chen Lingxiao , Hu Dejun , Liang Xiao , Zhao Jing , Li Shaoping 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThree fractions (I–III) were separated from crude oligosaccharides of lotus seeds by fast protein liquid chromatography with final purity of 97.6, 96.3, and 96.8%, respectively. The fractions were identified as sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose by using TLC, HPLC with charged aerosol detector (CAD), LC‐MS, and methylation analysis. Subsequently sucrose and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) with degree of polymerization (DP) 3–5 (raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose) have been quantified by HPLC‐CAD for the first time. All calibration curves for investigated analytes showed good linear regression (R2 > 0.9952). Their limit of detection and limit of quantity were in the ranges 0.14−0.28 and 0.36−0.48 μg/mL, respectively. The recoveries ranged from 96.6 to 103.4%. The contents of sucrose and RFOs DP3–DP5 were different in lotus seeds and other parts of lotus samples, but similar in their own variety. Additionally, the distribution of RFOs in different parts of lotus were also compared and the results indicated that RFOs might be mainly synthesized in lotus seeds. This work is helpful for understanding the way of biosynthesis of RFOs in lotus as well as quality control of plants containing RFOs.
Effects of over‐expression of HIF‐1alpha in bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells on traumatic brain injury
Authors: Shi Xiaodong , Zhang Guodong , Sun Huijuan , Bai Yunan , Liu Yuguang , Zhang Wei , Xiao Hang 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to play therapeutic effect in traumatic brain injury (TBI). To augment the therapeutic effect, MSCs could be engineered to over‐express genes that are beneficial for treatment. In the present study, we over‐expressed hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)‐1alpha in bone marrow derived MSCs (BM‐MSCs) and sought to investigate whether HIF‐1alpha could enhance the therapeutic effect of MSCs in a mouse model of TBI. Balb/c mice were subjected to controlled cortical impact injury and MSCs were transplanted intravenously at 6 h after injury. The lesion volume and brain water content were measured and the neurological function was assessed by modified neurologic severity score tests. Double‐labeled immunofluorescence for BrdU and NeuU was performed to determine angiogenesis and neurogenesis. The expression of erythropoietin (EPO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured by quantitative RT‐PCR and western blotting. After TBI, mice received BM‐MSCs over‐expressing HIF‐1alpha showed significantly more functional recovery, reduced brain damage, increased angiogenesis and neurogenesis and increased expression of VEGF and EPO, compared with control mice or mice treated with non‐transduced BM‐MSCs. Over‐expression of HIF‐1alpha enhanced BM‐MSCs induced improvement of neurological recovery after TBI, by stimulating angiogenesis and neurogenesis.
Connectivity assessment in Mediterranean vineyards using improved stock unearthing method, LiDAR and soil erosion field surveys
Authors: Rodrigo Comino Jesús , Keesstra Saskia D. , Cerdà Artemi 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe interaction between processes and landforms is accelerated in vineyards due to bare tilled soils that enhance splash, runoff, and erosion. Traditionally, in order to assess these processes, the stock unearthing method (SUM) is considered a useful methodology that uses the graft union of the vine plant as passive bio‐indicator of the topsoil level changes. However, SUM assumes that the topography between the rows is planar when development of a model of the current micro‐topography is performed. Thus, we consider that there is a need to develop a new methodology (ISUM: improved SUM) that, by adding new measurements in the inter‐row areas (at least 3), allows inclusion of the absent micro‐topographical information of SUM. In this way, the main aim of this research was to estimate the micro‐topographical changes and soil transport at three different slope positions (upper, middle and lower parts) in a 25‐years‐old vineyard in eastern Spain. LiDAR data were used to compare the connectivity processes at the catchment with the pedon scale. We obtained maps that showed topsoil level changes and detected soil depletion and accumulation signals. We estimated soil displacement rates of –1.6 Mg ha yr‐1 (depletion), +2.8 Mg ha yr‐1 and +13.3 Mg ha yr‐1 (accumulation) at upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. The total average soil erosion rates in the inter‐rows were –5.7 Mg ha‐1 yr‐1. In the row areas, deposition of +10.5 Mg ha yr‐1 was measured. Field erosion marks surveyed after each rainfall event gave insights to the connectivity at the inter‐row and the slope scale. It was found that at the row scale there were sinks of sediments underneath the vines and sources in the inter‐row parts, although they are the highest and lowest local topographical terrain, respectively. This is due to tillage erosion that redistributed the sediments. At the slope scale, the lower part of the slope collected sediments from the upper slope positions, which were transported along the middle part of the slope, as the measurement of ISUM and the field survey after intense rainfall events demonstrated. Connectivity of the flows along the whole slope were rare (twice), and along individual slope parts connectivity was found eight times, and 19 at the inter‐row scale after 8 years of field observations. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.