bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CSC‐3436 inhibits TWIST‐induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition via the suppression of Twist/Bmi1/Akt pathway in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Lai Ying‐Ju , Yu Wan‐Nien , Kuo Sheng‐Chu , Ho Chi‐Tang , Hung Chao‐Ming , Way Tzong‐Der , Chen Chiung‐Tong 
Published: October 2018

AbstractHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide, especially in male. With poor prognosis, significant portions of patients with HNSCC die due to cancer recurrence and tumor metastasis after chemotherapy and targeted therapies. The HNSCC FaDu cell ectopic expression of Twist, a key transcriptional factor of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which triggers EMT and results in the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype, was used as the cell model. Our results demonstrated that treatment with newly synthesized 2‐(3‐hydroxyphenyl)‐5‐methylnaphthyridin‐4‐one (CSC‐3436), a flavonoid derivative, elicited changes in its cell morphology, upregulated E‐cadherin messenger RNA and protein expression, downregulated N‐cadherin, vimentin, and CD133 (a marker associated with tumor‐initiating cells) in FaDu‐pCDH‐Twist cells. Moreover, CSC‐3436 exposure reduced B cell‐specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (Bmi1) expression regulated by Twist and further suppressed the direct co‐regulation of E‐cadherin by Twist and Bmi1. Interestingly, CSC‐3436 reduced EMT, cancer stemness, and migration/invasion abilities through the inhibition of the Twist/Bmi1‐Akt/β‐catenin pathway. Most importantly, our findings provided new evidence that CSC‐3436 played a crucial role in therapeutic targeting to Bmi1 and its molecular pathway in HNSCC, and it will be valuable in prognostic prediction and treatment.
Downregulation of SPIN90 promotes fibroblast activation via periostin‐FAK‐ROCK signaling module
Authors: You Eunae , Huh Yun‐Hyun , Lee Jieun , Ko Panseon , Jeong Jangho , Keum Seula , Kim Jaegu , Kwon Ahreum , Song Woo Keun , Rhee Sangmyung 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAlterations in mechanical properties in the extracellular matrix are modulated by myofibroblasts and are required for progressive fibrotic diseases. Recently, we reported that fibroblasts depleted of SPIN90 showed enhanced differentiation into myofibroblasts via increased acetylation of microtubules in the soft matrix; the mechanisms of the underlying signaling network, however, remain unclear. In this study, we determine the effect of depletion of SPIN90 on FAK/ROCK signaling modules. Transcriptome analysis of
Spin90 KO mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) and fibroblasts activated by TGF‐β revealed that
Postn is the most significantly upregulated gene. Knockdown of
Postn by small interfering RNA suppressed cell adhesion and myofibroblastic differentiation and downregulated FAK activity in
Spin90 KO MEF. Our results indicate that SPIN90 depletion activates FAK/ROCK signaling, induced by
Postn expression, which is critical for myofibroblastic differentiation on soft matrices mimicking the mechanical environment of a normal tissue.
Development of urinary organs in domestic cat during the embryonic and fetal periods
Authors: Mario Lara C. , Morais Maiara P. , Borghesi Jessica , Favaron Phelipe O. , Oliveira Franceliusa D. , Anunciação Adriana R. A. , Agopian Rafael G. , Gomes Samirah A. , Miglino Maria A. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe embryonic origin of the urogenital system came from the intermediate mesoderm. Kidney development involves three successive renal systems with a fast chronological overlap: the pronephro, the mesonephro, and the metanephro. Due to the lack of specific knowledge about this system in cats the present work aimed to describe their urinary organs development, focusing on the structures seen in pronephro, mesonephro, and metanephro during the embryonic and fetal stages of development. The techniques used in this study were: light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. For that, embryos and fetuses from 12 pregnant mixed‐breed domestic cats in different gestational stages were used to describe the proposed organs. The pronephro is present at early stages of embryonary development in embryos from 15 to 19 days with the presence of pronephro's corpuscles, ducts and tubules. The mesonephro is found, in general, between days 17 and 37, and contains mesonephric ducts, mesonephric tubules, and glomeruli. The metanephro is seen since 21 days of pregnancy with the presence of glomeruli, proximal and distal contorted tubules and at day 37, the cortex‐medullary region is already differentiated. The evaluation of these structures enhances the knowledge about embryology of the urinary system in cats, aiding a better anatomical understanding of the system in the specie allowing the correlation with other species.
Ability of a wash regimen to remove biofilm from the exposed surface of materials used in osseointegrated implants
Authors: Allyn Gina , Bloebaum Roy D. , Epperson Richard T. , Nielsen Mattias B. , Dodd Kevin A. , Williams Dustin L. 
Published: October 2018

ABSTRACTThe skin/implant interface of osseointegrated (OI) implants is susceptible to infection, causing excess pain, increased morbidity, and possibly implant removal. Novel distal femoral OI implants with binary nitride coatings have been developed with little physiological modeling to collect microbiological evidence of resistance to bacterial attachment. This in vitro study evaluated a Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy coated with TiNbN and treated with low plasticity burnishing (LPB) to assess attachment and biofilm formation of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) under physiologically modeling conditions compared to standard Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy materials with a polished (“Color Buff”) or non‐polished finish (“Satin Finish”). Washability of the materials were also assessed and compared. It was hypothesized that the TiNbN/LPB treatments would resist bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation to a greater degree than the other two materials, and have a higher degree of bacterial removal following a clinically relevant wash regimen. Material types were exposed to a constant flow of broth containing MRSA and were analyzed using bacterial quantification, surface coverage analysis, and SEM imaging. Quantification data showed no difference in bacterial attachment among the varying material types both with and without the wash regimen. Surface coverage and SEM analysis confirmed results. The wash regimen led to an approximately 3 log10 reduction in bacteria for all material types. Though the results did not support the hypothesis that a TiNbN coating/LPB treatment might resist bacterial attachment/biofilm formation more than other alloys, or have less bacteria after cleaning, results did support the potential importance of a daily wound‐hygiene regimen at the skin/implant interface of OI materials. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Prescreening for Osteoporosis With Quantitative Ultrasound in Postmenopausal White Women
Authors: Steiner Bernhard , Dimai Hans Peter , Steiner Hubert , Cirar Sabrina , Fahrleitner‐Pammer Astrid 
Published: October 2018

ObjectivesCalcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a readily accessible and radiation‐free alternative to dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) for assessing bone mineral density (BMD). Results obtained from QUS measurement cannot directly be compared to DXA, since these techniques capture different bone‐specific parameters. To identify individuals who are likely to have osteoporosis by DXA, device‐specific thresholds have to be defined for QUS. This cross‐sectional study evaluated the accuracy of QUS to identify postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, defined as a T score of –2.5 SDs or lower by DXA, and to calculate device‐specific cutoff values for the QUS device investigated.MethodsWe assessed BMD at the lumbar spine, bilateral femoral neck, and total hip sites with DXA and QUS parameters of the right and left calcanei in a cohort of 245 postmenopausal treatment‐naïve women between 40 and 82 years. Correlation coefficients for BMD and QUS parameters were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated, and areas under the curves (AUCs) were evaluated. Cutoff values for QUS were defined.ResultsCalcaneal QUS had the ability to identify postmenopausal women with a T score of –2.5 or lower at the right hip (AUC, 0.887) and left femoral neck (AUC, 0.824). Cutoff values for the QUS T scores at the right (–1.455) and left (–1.480) calcanei were defined for screening purposes.ConclusionsThis study provides insights into the comparative performance of QUS with DXA. Considering the diagnostic accuracy of this modality in comparison to DXA, it can be recommended as a prescreening tool to reduce the number of DXA screenings.
Feasibility of Ultrasound in Infant Wrist and Thumb Imaging
Authors: Milks Kathryn , Warren Patrick , Popp James , Samora Julie Balch 
Published: October 2018

ObjectivesTo determine the feasibility of ultrasound (US) in infant lateral carpal and base‐of‐the‐thumb imaging. We hypothesized that US would be a practical modality for visualizing the unossified structures.MethodsInstitutional review board approval was obtained for this single‐center pilot study. Healthy infants aged 12 months or younger were enrolled. Ultrasound examinations of the distal radial epiphysis through the first metacarpal were performed with a high‐frequency transducer.ResultsUltrasound evaluations of the base of the thumb were performed in 18 healthy infants (mean age ± SD, 13.8 ± 9.1 weeks; 44% female). Assuming an elliptical shape, the mean areas of the scaphoid and first metacarpal epiphysis measured 0.85 ± 0.19 and 0.44 ± 0.087 cm2, respectively. The mean areas of the trapezium and ossified first metacarpal as approximate rectangular shapes measured 0.23 ± 0.069 and 0.49 ± 0.16 cm2. A perimeter tracing was also used as an alternative area calculation. The mean trapezium area–to–scaphoid area ratio (0.28 ± 0.10) showed less variability compared to the first metacarpal epiphysis area–to–scaphoid area ratio (0.55 ± 0.20) or first metacarpal area–to–scaphoid area ratio (0.64 ± 0.31).ConclusionsOur data suggest that US is well suited for the evaluation of the lateral carpus and base of the thumb in young infants. These data serve as a reference to which wrist and thumb abnormalities can be compared.
Responses of soil organic carbon, soil respiration, and associated soil properties to long‐term thinning in a semiarid spruce plantation in northwestern China
Authors: He Zhi‐Bin , Chen Long‐Fei , Du Jun , Zhu Xi , Lin Peng‐Fei , Li Jing , Xiang Yang‐Zhou 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSilvicultural thinning using whole‐tree harvesting (WTH) has been an important and common forest management practice for Picea crassifolia plantations in the Qilian Mountains of China. However, consequences of this silvicultural practice are still not well known. We examined the influence of three thinning levels on long‐term soil carbon storage, soil respiration (Rs), and soil properties. Our results showed that soil carbon stocks decreased significantly with increasing thinning intensity at a soil depth of 0–70 cm, whereas soil water storage increased, especially in the deep soil layers (30–70 cm). Mean Rs rates during the growing season increased significantly with increasing thinning intensity, and the dynamics of Rs coincided with that of soil temperature. Generally, 65% to 73% of the variation in Rs rates in three thinning levels was explained by the changes in soil temperature. WTH significantly increased soil bulk density at the 0‐ to 30‐cm and soil pH at the 0‐ to 20‐cm depths and significantly decreased soil nitrogen and C:N ratio in the 0‐ to 20‐cm layers. As no significant effect of WTH was detected on fine root biomass, we attributed the elevated soil respiration to accelerated decomposition of organic matter as a result of elevated soil temperature and substrate quality. Our results demonstrate the potential for WTH to relieve water deficits in spruce plantations in semiarid regions but suggest that WTH has a negative impact on carbon sequestration.
Therapeutic potential of pteridine derivatives: A comprehensive review
Authors: Carmona‐Martínez Violeta , Ruiz‐Alcaraz Antonio J. , Vera María , Guirado Antonio , Martínez‐Esparza María , García‐Peñarrubia Pilar 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPteridines are aromatic compounds formed by fused pyrazine and pyrimidine rings. Many living organisms synthesize pteridines, where they act as pigments, enzymatic cofactors, or immune system activation molecules. This variety of biological functions has motivated the synthesis of a huge number of pteridine derivatives with the aim of studying their therapeutic potential. This review gathers the state‐of‐the‐art of pteridine derivatives, describing their biological activities and molecular targets. The antitumor activity of pteridine‐based compounds is one of the most studied and advanced therapeutic potentials, for which several molecular targets have been identified. Nevertheless, pteridines are also considered as very promising therapeutics for the treatment of chronic inflammation‐related diseases. On the other hand, many pteridine derivatives have been tested for antimicrobial activities but, although some of them resulted to be active in preliminary assays, a deeper research is needed in this area. Moreover, pteridines may be of use in the treatment of many other diseases, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, ischemia, or neurodegeneration, among others. Thus, the diversity of the biological activities shown by these compounds highlights the promising therapeutic use of pteridine derivatives. Indeed, methotrexate, pralatrexate, and triamterene are Food and Drug Administration approved pteridines, while many others are currently under study in clinical trials.
Technical Note: U‐net‐generated synthetic CT images for magnetic resonance imaging‐only prostate intensity‐modulated radiation therapy treatment planning
Authors: Chen Shupeng , Qin An , Zhou Dingyi , Yan Di 
Published: October 2018

PurposeClinical implementation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐only radiotherapy requires a method to derive synthetic CT image (S‐CT) for dose calculation. This study investigated the feasibility of building a deep convolutional neural network for MRI‐based S‐CT generation and evaluated the dosimetric accuracy on prostate IMRT planning.MethodsA paired CT and T2‐weighted MR images were acquired from each of 51 prostate cancer patients. Fifteen pairs were randomly chosen as tested set and the remaining 36 pairs as training set. The training subjects were augmented by applying artificial deformations and feed to a two‐dimensional U‐net which contains 23 convolutional layers and 25.29 million trainable parameters. The U‐net represents a nonlinear function with input an MR slice and output the corresponding S‐CT slice. The mean absolute error (MAE) of Hounsfield unit (HU) between the true CT and S‐CT images was used to evaluate the HU estimation accuracy. IMRT plans with dose 79.2 Gy prescribed to the PTV were applied using the true CT images. The true CT images then were replaced by the S‐CT images and the dose matrices were recalculated on the same plan and compared to the one obtained from the true CT using gamma index analysis and absolute point dose discrepancy.ResultsThe U‐net was trained from scratch in 58.67 h using a GP100‐GPU. The computation time for generating a new S‐CT volume image was 3.84–7.65 s. Within body, the (mean ± SD) of MAE was (29.96 ± 4.87) HU. The 1%/1 mm and 2%/2 mm gamma pass rates were over 98.03% and 99.36% respectively. The DVH parameters discrepancy was less than 0.87% and the maximum point dose discrepancy within PTV was less than 1.01% respect to the prescription.ConclusionThe U‐net can generate S‐CT images from conventional MR image within seconds with high dosimetric accuracy for prostate IMRT plan.
Microstructure changes in radiochromic films due to magnetic field and radiation
Authors: Volotskova Olga , Fang Xuiqi , Keidar Michael , Chandarana Hersh , Das Indra J. 
Published: October 2018

PurposeTo correlate the dose response and changes in microscopic structures of the radiochromic films exposed to the clinical magnetic field in the range 1.5–3 T with standard and flattening filter‐free (FFF) photon beams.MethodsThe radiochromic film was cut into 5 × 5 cm2 sheets/samples from one batch. These samples were exposed to a 1.5‐T and/or 3‐T B‐fields from an MRI scanner using an abdominal sequence for 7 min before and after irradiation with 6 MV and/or 6 MV FFF beams. Films were placed in a reference condition at 5 cm depth in a solid water phantom and exposed up to 20 Gy. The sample orientation was maintained the same during exposure, readout, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis. The samples were scanned with an Epson Expression 11000XL in a 48‐bit RGB color mode at 300 dpi with red channel. Scanned images were processed in Image J and red channel mean intensity values were recorded. The samples were then coated with 6 nm gold and imaged by SEM Teneo (5 kV, 13 pA) under 2000, 2500, and 3000 magnifications for texture analysis.ResultsThe changes in the microstructure of the films in magnetic fields (1.5‐ and 3.0‐T) were dose dependent. The orientation and granular size of samples at higher doses were altered compared to the controls. Needle‐shaped structures of the active layer were longer and aligned for samples exposed to higher doses and magnetic field. However, no significant changes in optical density due to the presence of a magnetic field pre/postirradiation up to 20 Gy were observed.ConclusionFine structures of the film represent the polymerization characteristics that are affected by the radiation dose in the magnetic field. Upon exposure to radiation, diacetylene monomers undergo polymerization that forms longer chains with a temporal response. Even though this study did not notice any significant changes in optical density due to the presence of magnetic field, this should be studied in simultaneous application of the magnetic field during treatment in a dedicated MR‐linac unit.
Interpretation attributes derived from airborne electromagnetic inversion models using the continuous wavelet transform
Authors: Christensen Niels B. 
Published: October 2018

ABSTRACTPlanning, contracting, data acquisition and processing plus the inverter's quality assessment and inversion of a regional airborne electromagnetic survey may take some months, while the interpretation of the results is a considerably more complex and comprehensive process. Most often an interpretation necessitates additional data that are time consuming to collect and complicated to integrate into an overall model, for example borehole logs, borehole core samples, water chemistry, surface vegetation, satellite imagery plus all existing geological background knowledge. Interpretation basically has to do with identifying categories and finding boundaries between them so that depths, thicknesses and a whole range of other model attributes can be estimated, qualitatively and/or quantitatively. I present two methods using the continuous wavelet transform of finding attributes intended to assist the interpreter: one finds layer boundaries in the smooth multi‐layer models that are most often used in the inversion of large airborne electromagnetic data sets, and the other finds the natural categories of the model parameter. Naturally, being based on the subsurface conductivity distribution, the boundaries and categories suggested are useful only to the extent that they coincide with geological/hydrogeological boundaries and categories – which is for the interpreter to decide.
Creating an effective asset integrity program
Authors: Moyer Lauren , Hedlund Matthew 
Published: October 2018

Establishing an effective asset integrity management (AIM) program begins with the creation of a leadership team at the appropriate level of management. The team membership should encompass all areas of responsibility for asset integrity. Management at the corporate level cannot effectively drive execution of the details. Oversight at a low level in the organization can result in inconsistencies in implementation across the enterprise or insufficient resources to fully implement the AIM program.The AIM program should drive overall risk management for all assets. Regulatory covered processes may have higher safety risks, but non‐covered assets may still pose significant business risk that requires elevated coverage.The AIM program should be established as a full life cycle program, from design to decommissioning. Clearly defining and documenting standards, roles, and responsibilities for each phase of the life cycle are essential to an effective AIM program. Each role needs to be filled with subject‐matter experts who are actively engaged with the leadership team.A successful AIM program can improve existing risk management and reliability efforts through appropriate management direction, thoughtful application of the program to all assets, and clear documentation of the expectations for the full life cycle of the equipment. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 38: e12008, 2019
Equity valuation: A survey of professional practice
Authors: Pinto Jerald E. , Robinson Thomas R. , Stowe John D. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThis paper reports the results of a scientific survey of the equity valuation practices of CFA Institute members with equity analysis job responsibilities. Using an instrument designed to minimize biases in prior valuation surveys and sampling a larger group than in previous studies (13,500 investment professionals, resulting in 1,980 valid completed questionnaires), this paper documents professional practices in the selection of equity valuation approaches, including specific model variations and key input preferences. Important differences in practice were observed across geographies and employer firm types.
Reconciling Disciplinary Literacy Perspectives With Genre‐Oriented Activity Theory: Toward a Fuller Synthesis of Traditions
Authors: Fisher Rick 
Published: October 2018

AbstractA persisting gap in the field of disciplinary literacy is lack of conceptual clarity around the termdiscipline. In this theoretical article, the author explains some concerns with existing definitional imprecision and argues that genre‐oriented activity theory offers a way to reconceptualize the focus of disciplinary literacy, especially in relation to academic, professional, and other literacies. The author provides an overview of Rhetorical Genre Studies, focusing on a genre‐oriented activity theory model from David Russell, to demonstrate how genres within activity might be used to productively reframe some of the scholarship of disciplinary literacies. Specifically, the notion of genres as recurrent mediating tools used within multilayered, laminated activity systems may offer a more complex frame for exploring disciplinary literacies. The author offers a brief review of previous disciplinary literacy research to show how the field might benefit by incorporating a genre‐oriented approach and closes with research questions for future study.