bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analytical validation of an in‐house method for adenosine deaminase determination
Authors: Silva Dalsasso Joaquim Lisiê , Granzotto Natalli , Dos Santos Laís Fernanda , Fontana Roman Camila , Martinello Flávia 
Published: November 2018

BackgroundThe adenosine deaminase (ADA) enzyme is a marker of inflammatory processes whose activity can be measured through a colorimetric method developed as an in‐house assay. This validation can reduce costs and expand the alternatives for laboratory diagnosis.MethodsThe ADA analysis was achieved through a modified form of Giusti and Galanti's (1984) method. The following parameters were characterized: calibration curve, linearity, analytical sensitivity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, method working range, precision (within‐assay and between‐assay), bias, total analytical error, and sample stability. The results were statistically evaluated and compared with quality specifications based on biological variations and the performance of commercial tests.ResultsThe analytical sensitivity and limit of detection (0.013 and 3.0 U/L, respectively) were lower than those of commercial tests. The method's working range was 3.2‐100.0 U/L. According to the quality specification, the method showed optimum performance with a bias <3.5%. However, repeatability (2.2% and 1.7% for normal‐ and high‐activity samples, respectively) and reproducibility achieved worse results when compared to commercial tests. The method demonstrated an inappropriate between‐assay precision for low enzymatic activity (10.4%) and the minimum and desirable performance for medium (8.8%) and high (5.0%) activities, respectively. It also presented at least a minimum performance (<25%) for the total analytical error of the three analyzed samples. The pleural fluid samples were found to be stable at −20°C for six days.ConclusionThe findings show that the in‐house method displays an acceptable performance and is capable of generating results comparable to existing commercial tests.
The role of microRNAs involved in PI3‐kinase signaling pathway in colorectal cancer
Authors: Noorolyai Saeed , Mokhtarzadeh Ahad , Baghbani Elham , Asadi Milad , Baghbanzadeh Kojabad Amir , Mogaddam Mahsa Maleki , Baradaran Behzad 
Published: November 2018

AbstractIn recent decades, cancer has been one of the most important concerns of the human community, which affects human life from many different ways, such as breast, lung, colorectal, prostate, and other cancers. Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the world that has recently been introduced as the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. microRNAs have a very crucial role in tumorgenesis and prevention of cancer, which plays a significant role with influencing various factors through different signaling pathways. Phosphoinositide 3 (PI3)‐kinase/AKT is one of the most important signaling pathways involved in the control and growth of tumor in colorectal cancer, through important proteins of this pathway, such as PTEN and AKT, that they can perform specific influence on this process. Our effort in this study is to collect microRNAs that act as tumor suppressors and oncomirs in this cancer through PI3‐kinase/AKT signaling pathway.
Ranolazine prevents pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure by restoring aberrant Na+ and Ca2+ handling
Authors: Nie Jiali , Duan Quanlu , He Mengying , Li Xianqing , Wang Bei , Zhou Chi , Wu Lujin , Wen Zheng , Chen Chen , Wang Dao Wu , Alsina Katherina M. , Wehrens Xander H.T. , Wang Dao Wen , Ni Li 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBackgroundCardiac hypertrophy and heart failure are characterized by increased late sodium current and abnormal Ca2+ handling. Ranolazine, a selective inhibitor of the late sodium current, can reduce sodium accumulation and Ca
2+ overload. In this study, we investigated the effects of ranolazine on pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in mice.Methods and ResultsInhibition of late sodium current with the selective inhibitor ranolazine suppressed cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and improved heart function assessed by echocardiography, hemodynamics, and histological analysis in mice exposed to chronic pressure overload induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Ca2+ imaging of ventricular myocytes from TAC mice revealed both abnormal SR Ca
2+ release and increased SR Ca
2+ leak. Ranolazine restored aberrant SR Ca
2+ handling induced by pressure overload. Ranolazine also suppressed Na
+ overload induced in the failing heart, and restored Na
+‐induced Ca
2+ overload in an sodium‐calcium exchanger (NCX)‐dependent manner. Ranolazine suppressed the Ca
2+‐dependent calmodulin (CaM)/CaMKII/myocyte enhancer factor‐2 (MEF2) and CaM/CaMKII/calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T‐cells (NFAT) hypertrophy signaling pathways triggered by pressure overload. Pressure overload also prolonged endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress leading to ER‐initiated apoptosis, while inhibition of late sodium current or NCX relieved ER stress and ER‐initiated cardiomyocyte apoptosis.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that inhibition of late sodium current with ranolazine improves pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and systolic and diastolic function by restoring Na+ and Ca
2+ handling, inhibiting the downstream hypertrophic pathways and ER stress. Inhibition of late sodium current may provide a new treatment strategy for cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Design, Synthesis, and Antimycobacterial Activities of Diethylene Glycol Tethered Moxifloxacin–Isatin Hybrids
Authors: Xu Zhi , Zhao Shi‐Jia , Deng Jia‐Lun , Wang Qin , Lv Zao‐Sheng 
Published: November 2018

A new class of diethylene glycol tethered moxifloxacin–isatin hybrids 5a–l was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv and multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) strains. Our results showed that all hybrids with higher lipophilicity than the parent moxifloxacin exhibited promising activity against the tested strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in a range of 0.2–16 μg/mL. In particular, hybrid 5h (MIC: 0.20 and 0.5 μg/mL), which was found to be most active against MTB H37Rv and MDR‐TB, was twofold more potent than isoniazid (MIC: 0.39 μg/mL) against MTB H37Rv and ≥64‐fold more active than isoniazid and rifampicin (MIC: >128 and 32 μg/mL, respectively) against MDR‐TB.
Conversion of cassava leaf to bioavailable, high‐protein yeast cell biomass
Authors: Boundy‐Mills Kyria , Karuna Nardrapee , Garay L Antonio , Lopez Julian M , Yee Calvin , Hitomi Alex , Nishi Audry K , Enriquez Lauren L , Roberts Christopher , Block David E , Jeoh Tina 
Published: November 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDCassava leaves are an abundant global agricultural residue because the roots are a major source of dietary carbohydrates. Although cassava leaves are high in protein, the protein is not bioavailable. This work aimed to convert cassava leaves to a bioavailable protein‐rich animal feed ingredient using high‐protein yeasts.RESULTSThe structural proteins (ca 200 g kg−1 d.b.) from sundried cassava leaves were solubilized by mild alkali pretreatment, and the resulting cassava leaf hydrolysate (CLH) was used to screen for growth of 46 high‐protein yeasts from 30 species. Promising candidates from the initial screen cultivated at a 10 mL scale demonstrated increases in relative abundance of essential amino acids over that of CLH. In particular, lysine, growth‐limiting for some livestock, was increased up to 226% over the CLH content. One yeast, Pichia kudriavzevii UCDFST 11‐602, was grown in 3 L of CLH in a bioreactor to examine the scale‐up potential of the yeast protein production. While glucose was completely consumed, yeast growth exited log phase before depleting either carbon or nitrogen, suggesting other growth‐limiting factors at the larger scale.CONCLUSIONSHigh‐value animal feed with enriched essential amino acid profiles can be produced by yeasts grown on agricultural residues. Yeasts convert structural protein solubilized from cassava leaves to essential amino acid‐enriched, digestible protein. The low carbohydrate content of the leaves (ca 200 g kg−1 d.b.), however, necessitated glucose supplementation for yeast growth. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Carboxymethylated polyethylenimine modified magnetic nanoparticles specifically for purification of His‐tagged protein
Authors: Chang Mengmeng , Qin Qian , Wang Bohong , Xia Tian , lv Wangjie , Sun Xiaoshan , Shi Xianzhe , Xu Guowang 
Published: November 2018

AbstractEmploying immobilized metal‐ion affinity chromatography and magnetic separation could ideally provide a useful analytical strategy for purifying His‐tagged protein. In the current study, a facile route was designed to prepare CMPEI‐Ni2+@SiO2@Fe3O4 (CMPEI=carboxymethylated
polyethyleneimine) magnetic nanoparticles composed of a strong magnetic core of Fe3O4 and a Ni2+‐immobilized carboxymethylated polyethyleneimine coated outside shell, which was formed by electrostatic interactions between polyanionic electrolyte of carboxymethylated polyethyleneimine and positively charged surface of 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propylamin modified SiO2@Fe3O4. The resulting CMPEI‐Ni2+@SiO2@Fe3O4 composite nanoparticles displayed well‐uniform structure and high magnetic responsiveness. Hexa His‐tagged peptides and purified His‐tagged recombinant retinoid X receptor alpha were chosen as the model samples to evaluate the adsorption, capacity, and reusability of the composite nanoparticles. The results demonstrated the CMPEI‐Ni2+@SiO2@Fe3O4 nanoparticles possessed rapid adsorption, large capacity, and good recyclability. The obtained nanoparticles were further used to purify His‐tagged protein in practical environment. It was found that the nanoparticles could selectively capture His‐tagged recombinant retinoid X receptor protein from complex cell lysate. Owing to its easy synthesis, large binding capacity, and good reusability, the prepared CMPEI‐Ni2+@SiO2@Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles have great potential for application in biotechnological fields.
Statistical dependence for detecting whale‐watching effects on humpback whales
Authors: Garcia‐Cegarra Ana M. , Villagra Damian , Gallardo Diego I. , Pacheco Aldo S. 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACTWhale‐watching is one of the fastest growing ecotourism industries and involves the observation of endangered wild cetacean species. However, this growth has raised concerns because of the negative effects this activity may have on the behavior and survival of focal species. Hence, detecting the effects of this activity requires sensitive analytical methods allowing the implementation of regulations to protect cetacean welfare. We compared the performance of different hypothesis tests from classical and Bayesian approaches to detect whale‐watching effects on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) behavior. From a cliff located 31 m above sea level in northern Peru, we measured breathing frequency, surface time, long dive duration, directness index (i.e., path linearity), and swimming speed of humpback whales before, during, and after encounters with whale‐watching boats. During 167 hours of observation, we tracked 180 humpback whale groups; 43% of groups had calves and 57% did not. Inference by null‐hypothesis testing indicated significant changes only in directness index after boat encounters in groups with a calf. Other methods of inference detected moderate behavior responses as increments in the number of adult breaths, swimming speed, and dive intervals for adults and calves. Whale‐watching regulations must be implemented in Peru to regulate number of boats, distance to whales, approximate speed, and time observing humpback whales. Whale‐watching of humpback whales with calves should be avoided. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
Printed dual‐frequency quasi‐Yagi antenna with a monopole driver
Authors: Atuchin Victor V. , Gorbachev A. P. , Sulaimanov R. T. , Tarasenko N. V. , Khrustalev V. A. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractThe printed dual‐frequency quasi‐Yagi antenna with a monopole driver and one‐side implementation is proposed for central frequencies f01 = 1.765 GHz and f02 = 1.9 GHz. The antenna contains 2 directors and one reflector which are used as low‐ and high‐frequency passive elements simultaneously.
Printed eight‐band compact antenna with lumped inductance for wireless USB dongle
Authors: Zhang Weijun , Weng Zibin , Wang Lei 
Published: November 2018

AbstractIn this article, a compact design of a printed antenna for the wireless USB dongle over the mobile‐telecoms spectrum is presented. This antenna, which has a small dimension of 21 × 11 mm2, is directly printed on the FR4 substrate, consisting of 2 rectangular patches, 2 parasitic branches and a lumped inductor. In this design, the lumped inductor is used to create a resonant mode at around 770 MHz for LTE700/GSM850/900 bands. The 2 patches and 2 parasitic branches introduce two resonance frequencies that cover 1700‐2700 MHz communication bands. The measured results show a radiation efficiency of >58% and a gain above 1.9 dBi, signifying a good accordance with the simulated ones. Therefore, the proposed antenna is expected to be a good candidate in wireless USB dongle communication applications.
Nonstationary model of oblique x‐ray incidence in amorphous selenium detectors: II. Transfer functions
Authors: Acciavatti Raymond J. , Maidment Andrew D. A. 
Published: November 2018

PurposeOne limitation of experimental techniques for quantifying resolution and noise in detectors is that the measurement is made in a region‐of‐interest (ROI). With theoretical modeling, these properties can be measured at a point, allowing for quantification of spatial anisotropy. This paper calculates nonstationary transfer functions for amorphous selenium (a‐Se) detectors in breast imaging. We use this model to demonstrate the performance advantage of a “next‐generation” tomosynthesis (NGT) system, which is capable of x‐ray source motion with more degrees of freedom than a clinical tomosynthesis system.MethodsUsing Swank's formulation, the optical transfer function (OTF) and presampled noise power spectra (NPS) are determined based on the point spread function derived in Part 1. The modulation transfer function (MTF) is found from the normalized modulus of the OTF. To take into account the presence of digitization, the presampled NPS is convolved with a two‐dimensional comb function, for which the period along each direction is the reciprocal of the detector element size. The detective quantum efficiency (DQE) is then determined from combined knowledge of the OTF and NPS.ResultsFirst, the model is used to demonstrate the loss of image quality due to oblique x‐ray incidence. The MTF is calculated along various polar angles, corresponding to different orientations of the input frequency. The MTF is independent of the incidence angle if the polar angle is perpendicular to the ray incidence direction. However, along other polar angles, oblique incidence results in MTF degradation at high frequencies. The MTF degradation is most substantial along the ray incidence direction. Unlike the MTF, the normalized NPS (NNPS) is independent of the incidence angle. To measure the relative signal‐to‐noise, the DQE is also calculated. Oblique incidence yields high‐frequency DQE degradation, which is more pronounced than the MTF degradation. This arises because the DQE is proportionate with the square of the MTF. Ultimately, this model is used to evaluate how the image quality varies over the detector area. For various projection images, we calculate the variation in the incidence angle over this area. With the NGT system, the source can be positioned in such a way that this variation is minimized, and hence the DQE exhibits less anisotropy. To achieve this improvement in the image quality, the source needs to have a component of motion in the posteroanterior (PA) direction, which is perpendicular to the conventional direction of source motion in tomosynthesis.ConclusionsIn a‐Se detectors, the DQE at high frequencies is degraded due to oblique incidence. The DQE degradation is more pronounced than the MTF degradation. This model is used to quantify the spatial variation in DQE over the detector area. The use of PA source motion is a strategy for minimizing this variation and thus improving the image quality.
Evaluation of foam conditioning effect on groundwater inflow at tunnel cutting face
Authors: Liu Xiao‐Xue , Shen Shui‐Long , Zhou Annan , Xu Ye‐Shuang 
Published: November 2018

SummaryThis paper presents an analytical evaluation on the influence of foam conditioning on groundwater inflow at shield tunnel cutting face by the force‐equilibrium principle. Three key variables are highlighted, namely, the maximum foam infiltration distance, the critical infiltration distance, and the hydraulic conductivity of foam‐conditioned soil or rock fissure. To capture the variation of water level induced by foam injection, a dynamic water‐level equation is considered in the force‐equilibrium principle. The proposed analytical equations are employed to analyze a water inflow case during shield tunneling in a weathered mylonite fault. The results indicate that the hydraulic conductivity of foam‐conditioned mylonite and the infiltration distance decrease with an increase of shear stress of foam fluid. A three‐dimensional finite element model is employed to validate the analytical solutions. The comparison between the observed and calculated results confirms that the proposed method can predict groundwater inflow in foam‐conditioned soils.
Reproducibility of brain MRS in older healthy adults at 7T
Authors: Wijtenburg S. Andrea , Rowland Laura M. , Oeltzschner Georg , Barker Peter B. , Workman Clifford I. , Smith Gwenn S. 
Published: November 2018

To date, the majority of MRS reproducibility studies have been conducted in healthy younger adults, with only a few conducted in older adults at 3 T. With the growing interest in applying MRS methods to study the longitudinal course and effects of treatments in neurodegenerative disease, it is important to establish reproducibility in age‐matched controls, especially in older individuals. In this study, spectroscopic data were acquired using a stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) localization technique in two regions (anterior and posterior cingulate cortices—ACC, PCC, respectively) in 10 healthy, cognitively normal older adults (64 ± 8.1 years). Reproducibility was assessed via mean coefficients of variation (CVs) and relative differences (RDs) calculated across two visits performed 2–3 months apart. Metabolites with high signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) such as NAA, tCho, and Glu had mean CVs of 10% or less and mean RDs of 15% or less across both regions. Metabolites with lower SNR such as GABA and Gln had slightly higher mean CVs of 22% or less and mean RDs of 27% or less across both regions. These results demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring MRS data at 7 T in older subjects, and establish that the spectroscopic data are reproducible in both the ACC and PCC in older, healthy subjects to the same extent as in previous studies in young subjects.
Prevalence of sarcopenia in inpatients 70 years and older using different diagnostic criteria
Authors: Reijnierse Esmee M. , Buljan Angela , Tuttle Camilla S. L. , van Ancum Jeanine , Verlaan Sjors , Meskers Carel G. M. , Maier Andrea B. 
Published: November 2018

AbstractAimTo compare prevalence rates of sarcopenia applying multiple diagnostic criteria in hospitalized older patients.DesignObservational, longitudinal EMPOWER study.MethodsA total of 378 hospitalized inpatients aged 70 years and older were recruited. Muscle mass and strength were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis and handheld dynamometer respectively. Nine commonly used diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia were applied. Analyses were stratified for sex.ResultsMean age was 79.7 years (SD 6.43) and 50.8% were males. Depending on the applied criterion, prevalence of sarcopenia ranged between 12.0–75.9% in males and 3.1–75.3% in females. Males had a higher prevalence of sarcopenia compared with females in all but one of the applied diagnostic criteria. In males, highest prevalence of sarcopenia was found using muscle mass as diagnostic criterion while in females this was observed when using muscle strength. Five male and one female hospitalized older patients were sarcopenic according to all applied diagnostic criteria.
A fully discrete spectral method for fractional Cattaneo equation based on Caputo–Fabrizo derivative
Authors: Li Haonan , Lü Shujuan , Xu Tao 
Published: November 2018

Recently Caputo and Fabrizio introduced a new derivative with fractional order without singular kernel. The derivative can be used to describe the material heterogeneities and the fluctuations of different scales. In this article, we derived a new discretization of Caputo–Fabrizio derivative of order α (1 < α < 2) and applied it into the Cattaneo equation. A fully discrete scheme based on finite difference method in time and Legendre spectral approximation in space is proposed. The stability and convergence of the fully discrete scheme are rigorously established. The convergence rate of the fully discrete scheme in H1 norm is O(τ2 + N1−m), where τ, N and m are the time‐step size, polynomial degree and regularity in the space variable of the exact solution, respectively. Furthermore, the accuracy and applicability of the scheme are confirmed by numerical examples to support the theoretical results.
The recording of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in BIFAP primary care database: A validation study
Authors: Martín‐Merino Elisa , Llorente‐García Ana , Montero‐Corominas Dolores , Huerta Consuelo 
Published: November 2018

AbstractPurposeIn Spain, a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was firstly marketed in 2006 and mainly administered in primary care (PC) practices for girls/women or schools. As for all vaccines, a valid data source is required for research on observational effectiveness or safety. The objective of this study is to identify and validate HPV vaccinations recorded among women in The Primary Care Database For Pharmacoepidemiological Research (BIFAP) from 2007.MethodsBIFAP includes a Vaccination File filled by PC practitionners and pediatricians. Information on women with HPV vaccinations recorded at any age was identified and validated according to whether (1) doses adhered to the following standard intervals: 27 to 269 days between first and second doses, >55 days between second and third doses, and <366 between first and third doses, and (2) additional information recorded in clinical records confirmed (through recording the brand, batch, expiring date, administration site, or vaccination comment) or refuted the vaccination and date. The latter was retrieved through manual review of anonymous records randomly selected.ResultsOne hundred seventeen thousand seventy‐three women with HPV vaccination records were identified (mean age 14.7 years); 82.5% had three jabs, 87.3% in recommended intervals. A sample of 978 patients' records, including 2245 jabs, was reviewed. Of the 363 jabs with additional information, 91% confirmed the vaccination. Confirmatory data was more frequent when doses strictly adhered to recommendations (96.8%‐100%) than not (60.0%‐85.7%).ConclusionsIn BIFAP, a cohort of women vaccinated against HPV, mostly with three doses in recommended intervals, was identified. Although additional information about the vaccination was scarce, when present, it highly confirmed it, making BIFAP a potential data source for HPV vaccine research.