bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preconditioning influences mesenchymal stem cell properties in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Hu Chenxia , Li Lanjuan 
Published: February 2018

AbstractVarious diseases and toxic factors easily impair cellular and organic functions in mammals. Organ transplantation is used to rescue organ function, but is limited by scarce resources. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)‐based therapy carries promising potential in regenerative medicine because of the self‐renewal and multilineage potency of MSCs; however, MSCs may lose biological functions after isolation and cultivation for a long time in vitro. Moreover, after they are injected in vivo and migrate into the damaged tissues or organs, they encounter a harsh environment coupled with death signals due to the inadequate tensegrity structure between the cells and matrix. Preconditioning, genetic modification and optimization of MSC culture conditions are key strategies to improve MSC functions in vitro and in vivo, and all of these procedures will contribute to improving MSC transplantation efficacy in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Preconditioning with various physical, chemical and biological factors is possible to preserve the stemness of MSCs for further application in studies and clinical tests. In this review, we mainly focus on preconditioning and the corresponding mechanisms for improving MSC activities in vitro and in vivo; we provide a glimpse into the promotion of MSC‐based cell therapy development for regenerative medicine. As a promising consequence, MSC transplantation can be applied for the treatment of some terminal diseases and can prolong the survival time of patients in the near future.
The role of ATP signalling in response to mechanical stimulation studied in T24 cells using new microphysiological tools
Authors: Guan Na N. , Sharma Nimish , Hallén‐Grufman Katarina , Jager Edwin W. H. , Svennersten Karl 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe capacity to store urine and initiate voiding is a valued characteristic of the human urinary bladder. To maintain this feature, it is necessary that the bladder can sense when it is full and when it is time to void. The bladder has a specialized epithelium called urothelium that is believed to be important for its sensory function. It has been suggested that autocrine ATP signalling contributes to this sensory function of the urothelium. There is well‐established evidence that ATP is released via vesicular exocytosis as well as by pannexin hemichannels upon mechanical stimulation. However, there are still many details that need elucidation and therefore there is a need for the development of new tools to further explore this fascinating field. In this work, we use new microphysiological systems to study mechanostimulation at a cellular level: a mechanostimulation microchip and a silicone‐based cell stretcher. Using these tools, we show that ATP is released upon cell stretching and that extracellular ATP contributes to a major part of Ca2+ signalling induced by stretching in T24 cells. These results contribute to the increasing body of evidence for ATP signalling as an important component for the sensory function of urothelial cells. This encourages the development of drugs targeting P2 receptors to relieve suffering from overactive bladder disorder and incontinence.
Real‐world data on the efficacy and safety of apremilast in patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis
Authors: Papadavid E. , Rompoti N. , Theodoropoulos K. , Kokkalis G. , Rigopoulos D. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundPsoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which requires long‐term, safe and effective treatment. Apremilast, a small‐molecule PDE4 inhibitor, has been introduced as psoriasis (and psoriatic arthritis) treatment in Europe in 2015.ObjectiveWe analysed and report the efficacy and safety of apremilast in the first 51 patients with psoriasis that have undergone treatment with this novel small molecule in our outpatient clinic.MethodOur primary endpoint was the evaluation of clinical response to apremilast according to the percentage of Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) reduction (ΔPASI) at 16 weeks after treatment initiation. Secondary endpoints were the evaluation at week 16 of (i) PASI; (ii) Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI); (iii) Physician Global Assessment (PGA); (iv) Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index (PSSI); and (v) the percentage of patients who achieved ΔPASI50, ΔPASI75, ΔPASI90 and ΔPASI100; (vi) adverse events (AE); (vii) reasons for drug discontinuation; and (viii) drug survival.ResultsAbout 59.3% of the patients who remained on apremilast achieved at least ΔPASI75 at week 16, while 11.1% achieved combined 50% ≤ PASI < 75% and DLQI ≤ 5 (satisfactory response) adequate enough to maintain treatment. Five patients (18.5%) also achieved ΔPASI100. Patients discontinued apremilast (28%), mostly during the first 4 weeks due to adverse events (12%) with gastrointestinal symptoms being the most common, and later due to lack of efficacy (16%). A statistically significant improvement of PASI, DLQI, PGA and PSSI scores was observed after 4 and 16 weeks of treatment relative to pretreatment measurements.ConclusionApremilast is a safe and efficacious treatment for psoriasis patients as it produces ΔPASI75 and ΔPASI50 responses combined with DLQI ≤ 5 in 16 weeks in 70.4% of the patients. These results, from a real‐world setting, confirm the efficacy and safety of apremilast which has been demonstrated in large phase III clinical trials.
Phot2‐regulated relocation of NPH3 mediates phototropic response to high‐intensity blue light in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Zhao Xiang , Zhao Qingping , Xu Chunye , Wang Jin , Zhu Jindong , Shang Baoshuan , Zhang Xiao 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTwo redundant blue‐light receptors, known as phototropins (phot1 and phot2), influence a variety of physiological responses, including phototropism, chloroplast positioning, and stomatal opening in Arabidopsis thaliana. Whereas phot1 functions in both low‐ and high‐intensity blue light (HBL), phot2 functions primarily in HBL. Here, we aimed to elucidate phot2‐specific functions by screening for HBL‐insensitive mutants among mutagenized Arabidopsis phot1 mutants. One of the resulting phot2 signaling associated (p2sa) double mutants, phot1 p2sa2, exhibited phototropic defects that could be restored by constitutively expressing NON‐PHOTOTROPIC HYPOCOTYL 3 (NPH3), indicating that P2SA2 was allelic to NPH3. It was observed that NPH3‐GFP signal mainly localized to and clustered on the plasma membrane in darkness. This NPH3 clustering on the plasma membrane was not affected by mutations in genes encoding proteins that interact with NPH3, including PHOT1, PHOT2 and ROOT PHOTOTROPISM 2 (RPT2). However, the HBL irradiation‐mediated release of NPH3 proteins into the cytoplasm was inhibited in phot1 mutants and enhanced in phot2 and rpt2‐2 mutants. Furthermore, HBL‐induced hypocotyl phototropism was enhanced in phot1 mutants and inhibited in the phot2 and rpt2‐2 mutants. Our findings indicate that phot1 regulates the dissociation of NPH3 from the plasma membrane, whereas phot2 mediates the stabilization and relocation of NPH3 to the plasma membrane to acclimate to HBL.
Is Proprietary Trading Detrimental to Retail Investors?
Authors: FECHT FALKO , HACKETHAL ANDREAS , KARABULUT YIGITCAN 
Published: February 2018

ABSTRACTWe study the conflict of interest that arises when a universal bank conducts proprietary trading alongside its retail banking services. Our data set contains the stock holdings of every German bank and those of their corresponding retail clients. We investigate (i) whether banks sell stocks from their proprietary portfolios to their retail customers, (ii) whether those stocks subsequently underperform, and (iii) whether retail customers of banks engaging in proprietary trading earn lower portfolio returns than their peers. We present affirmative evidence for all three questions and conclude that proprietary trading can, in fact, be detrimental to retail investors.
Molecular Characterization, Spatial–Temporal Expression Profiles, and Injury‐responsive Regulation of Myocyte‐specific Enhancer Factor 2 Gene Family in the Ricefield Eel, Monopterus albus
Authors: Wu Ping , Chen Dunxue , Cheng Jia , Chen Lin , Chu Wuying , Zhang Jianshe , Liu Li , Zeng Guoqing 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe myocyte‐specific enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) gene family members are well‐established regulators in the control of muscle repair, regeneration, and development. In this study, we cloned the CDS sequences of the four MEF2 family members in the ricefield eel, and their coding sequences (CDS) lengths were 1449 bp, 1419 bp, 1431 bp, and 1608 bp, respectively. Sequence analysis demonstrated that three of them shared four conserved protein domains, including a MADS‐Box, inside SRF‐TF domains, adjacent conserved MEF2 domains, the HJURP‐C domains, while MEF2B have no HJURP‐C domains. Phylogenetic tree analyses indicated that the MEF2 family members were clustered together with those of fish species, and MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D were closely clustered together and kept away from MEF2B. Spatial–temporal expression profiles displayed that the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of MEF2 were upregulated with the developmental stage and were especially highly expressed significantly in skeletal muscles. After subcutaneous injection of bupivacaine hydrochloride, mRNA levels of MEF2 family and rapidly performed injury‐responsive regulation after damage that firstly increased, then decreased until normal levels were recovered, the same as the change in muscle fiber cells. In conclusion, the MEF2 gene family plays a central role in muscle repair, regeneration, and development in fish, at least in the ricefield eel.
Elevated Expression of follistatin Gene in the Pituitaries of Allotriploid Crucian Carp
Authors: Tao Min , Li Shengnan , Song Can , Chen Jie , Hu Hong , Luo Mi , Zhou Rong , Liu Shaojun 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAs a paracrine factor, Follistatin (Fst) plays an important role in regulating biosynthesis and release of pituitary gonadotropin (GTH), gonadal development, and ovulation cycle. In this study, full‐length complementary DNAs (cDNAs) of the follistatin gene in diploid red crucian carp, Carassius auratus red var., allotriploid crucian carp, and allotetraploid hybrids were obtained. Our data showed that the cDNAs of follistatin of all three fish encoded 322 amino acids. Referring to the structural characteristics of Fst in other species, we found that the Fst protein of these three fish had four domains, respectively. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) indicated that the follistatin gene was widely expressed in all tested tissues, except spleens, in these three fish. Real‐time quantitative PCR analysis of different seasonal profiles showed that allotriploids had significantly higher expression of follistatin messenger RNA in pituitaries during both the prespawning and spawning periods. These results suggest that the elevated expression of the follistatin gene in the pituitaries of allotriploids might lead to sterility of allotriploids by blocking the inhibitory effect of activin on luteinizing hormone β subunit. Furthermore, the results may improve our understanding of reproduction characteristics in triploids, which benefits polyploidy breeding.
The Redistribution of Reproductive Responsibility: On the Epigenetics of “Environment” in Prenatal Interventions
Authors: Valdez Natali 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe rapidly shifting field of epigenetics has expanded scientific understanding of how environmental conditions affect gene expression and development. This article focuses on two ongoing clinical trials—one in the United States and one in the United Kingdom—that have used epigenetics as the conceptual basis for testing the relationship between nutrition and obesity during pregnancy. Drawing on ethnographic research, I highlight the different ways that clinical scientists interpret epigenetics to target particular domains of the environment for prenatal intervention. Here I examine three environmental domains: the pregnant body, the home, and everyday experiences. In so doing, I show how different scientific approaches to epigenetics multiply concepts of “the environment,” while also individualizing responsibility onto pregnant bodies. Ultimately, I argue that how the environment is conceptualized in epigenetics is both a scientificanda political project that opens up questions of reproductive responsibility.
The diguanylate cyclase GcpA inhibits the production of pectate lyases via the H‐NS protein and RsmB regulatory RNA in Dickeya dadantii
Authors: Yuan Xiaochen , Tian Fang , He Chenyang , Severin Geoffrey B. , Waters Christopher M. , Zeng Quan , Liu Fengquan , Yang Ching‐Hong 
Published: February 2018

SummaryDickeya dadantii 3937 secretes pectate lyases (Pels) to degrade plant cell walls. Previously, we have demonstrated that EGcpB and EcpC function as bis‐(3′,5′)‐cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c‐di‐GMP)‐specific phosphodiesterases (PDEs) to positively regulate Pel production. However, the diguanylate cyclase (DGC) responsible for the synthesis of c‐di‐GMP and the dichotomous regulation of Pel has remained a mystery. Here, we identified GcpA as the dominant DGC to negatively regulate Pel production by the specific repression of pelD gene expression. Quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) assays revealed that the expression levels of histone‐like, nucleoid‐structuring protein encoding gene hns and post‐transcriptional regulator encoding genes rsmA and rsmB were significantly affected by GcpA. Deletion of hns or rsmB in the gcpAD418A site‐directed mutant restored its Pel production and pelD expression, demonstrating that H‐NS and RsmB contribute to the GcpA‐dependent regulation of Pel in D. dadantii. In addition, RsmB expression was subject to positive regulation by H‐NS. Thus, we propose a novel pathway consisting of GcpA–H‐NS–RsmB–RsmA–pelD that controls Pel production in D. dadantii. Furthermore, we showed that H‐NS and RsmB are responsible for the GcpA‐dependent regulation of motility and type III secretion system (T3SS) gene expression, respectively. Of the two PDEs involved in the regulation of Pels, only EGcpB regulates pelD expression through the same pathway as GcpA.
Transformative effects of Aboriginal health placements for medical, nursing, and allied health students: A systematic review
Authors: McDonald Helena , Browne Jennifer , Perruzza Julia , Svarc Ruby , Davis Corinne , Adams Karen , Palermo Claire 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe aim of the present systematic review was to investigate whether placements in Aboriginal health affect the self‐perceived skill in working in Aboriginal health settings and career aspirations of health students, and in particular, aspects of the placement that had the greatest impact. The Embase, Cinahl, ProQuest, Scopus, Informit, Ovid MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and PubMed databases were searched in April/May 2016. Placements of at least 1 week duration in an Aboriginal health setting involving Australian students of medical, nursing, dentistry, or allied health disciplines, with outcomes relating to changes in students’ knowledge, attitudes, and/or career aspirations, were included. The search retrieved 1351 papers. Fourteen studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. Narrative synthesis found that work placements in Aboriginal health increased understanding and awareness of Aboriginal culture, promoted deeper understanding of Aboriginal health determinant complexity, increased awareness of everyday racism toward Aboriginal Australians, and enhanced desire to work in Aboriginal health. There is a need for improved teaching and learning scholarship to understand whether placements improve students’ skill working with Aboriginal people in health care or increase the likelihood of future employment in these settings.
Etiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns in pediatric urinary tract infection
Authors: Wang Jun , He Lijiao , Sha Jintong , Zhu Haobo , Huang Liqu , Zhu Xiaojiang , Dong Jun , Li Guogen , Ge Zheng , Lu Rugang , Ma Geng , Shi Yaqi , Guo Yunfei 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundUrinary tract infection (UTI) is one of most common pediatric infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the etiology and antimicrobial resistance patterns in children hospitalized at Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, descriptive study of allUTIfrom 1 January 2013 to 30 November 2016 in children discharged from Nanjing Children's Hospital. The isolated pathogens and their resistance patterns were examined using midstream urine culture.ResultsA total of 2,316 children withUTIwere included in the study. The occurrence rates of isolated pathogens were as follows:Enterococcusspp., 35.15%;Escherichia coli, 22.32%;Staphylococcus aureusspp., 7.73%;Streptococcusspp., 7.51%; andKlebsiellaspp., 6.95%. Uropathogens had a low susceptibility to linezolid (3.47%), vancomycin (0.92%), imipenem (5.74%), and amikacin (3.17%), but they had a high susceptibility to erythromycin (90.52%), penicillin G (74.01%), cefotaxime (71.41%), cefazolin (73.41%), cefuroxime (72.52%), and aztreonam (70.11%).ConclusionsThere is high antibiotic resistance in hospitalized children withUTI. Susceptibility testing should be carried out on all clinical isolates, and the empirical antibiotic treatment should be altered accordingly.
Leaf blade structure of Verbesina macrophylla (Cass.) F. S. Blake (Asteraceae): ontogeny, duct secretion mechanism and essential oil composition
Authors: Bezerra L. D. A. , Mangabeira P. A. O. , de Oliveira R. A. , Costa L. C. D. B. , Da Cunha M. 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Secretory structures are common in Asteraceae, where they exhibit a high degree of morphological diversity. The species Verbesina macrophylla, popularly known as assa‐peixe, is native to Brazil where it is widely used for medicinal purposes. Despite its potential medical importance, there have been no studies of the anatomy of this species, especially its secretory structures and secreted compounds. This study examined leaves of V. macrophylla with emphasis on secretory structures and secreted secondary metabolites.

Development of secretory ducts and the mechanism of secretion production are described for V. macrophylla using ultrastructure, yield and chemical composition of its essential oils.

Verbesina macrophylla has a hypostomatic leaf blade with dorsiventral mesophyll and secretory ducts associated with vascular bundles of schizogenous origin. Histochemistry identified the presence of lipids, terpenes, alkaloids and mucopolysaccharides. Ultrastructure suggests that the secretion released into the duct lumen is produced in plastids of transfer cells, parenchymal sheath cells and stored in vacuoles in these cells and duct epithelial cells. The essential oil content was 0.8%, and its major components were germacrene D, germacrene D‐4‐ol, β‐caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene and α‐cadinol.

Secretory ducts of V. macrophylla are squizogenous. Substances identified in tissues suggest that both secretions stored in the ducts and in adjacent parenchyma cells are involved in chemical defence. The essential oil is rich in sesquiterpenes, with germacrene D and its derivatives being notable components.
Sedimentology and geochemistry of a human‐induced tufa deposit: Implications for palaeoclimatic research
Authors: Rodríguez‐Berriguete Álvaro , Alonso‐Zarza Ana Maria , Martín‐García Rebeca , Cabrera Maria del Carmen 
Published: February 2018

AbstractGeochemical variations across laminated tufas and travertines may reflect the growth style of the carbonate build‐up and not just climate‐related changes. This work presents the study of a carbonate deposit, formed on a ravine wall in Gran Canaria Island (Spain), from a broken pipe system used for irrigation of banana plantations. The deposit is a few tens of metres long and has a stepped morphology formed by successive cascade‐barriers and pools. The main facies are framestones of coated stems, laminated bindstones, phytoclastic wackestones and silty mudstones, all of which display micritic or coarse crystalline textures. Lamination from a framestone with coarse crystalline texture was studied from a petrological–sedimentological and geochemical perspective, and water palaeotemperatures were calculated. Lamination displaying five orders of magnitude, from daily to annual or higher, was controlled by the discontinuous supply of water. Lamination consists of crystalline laminae–discontinuity couplets at all observed scales. Estimated mean precipitation rates are 0·7 mm year−1, but discontinuity of sedimentation at all lamination orders may have involved greater precipitation rates. Whereas elemental geochemistry suggests variable conditions not far from chemical equilibrium, stable isotopes suggest that calcite precipitated under disequilibrium conditions. However, the small dimensions of the deposit and the relatively high flow velocities allowed lack of δ13C and δ18O isotope fractionation in CO2‐ nor in ‐calcite, leading to independent temperature calculations, both with mean values of 25°C. Isotopic trends found throughout lamination cannot be explained by strong changes in water temperature nor in δ13CDIC or δ18Ow. The correction made to eliminate these isotopic trends yielded narrower temperature ranges. This paper discusses the accuracy of temperature estimations despite the difficulties coming from disequilibrium and how isotopic trends through time could be explained by the growth of the deposit and not by climate‐related changes.
Benign and malignant collision tumors of melanocytic skin lesions with hemangioma: Dermoscopic and reflectance confocal microscopy features
Authors: Tognetti L. , Cinotti E. , Perrot J.L. , Campoli M. , Fimiani M. , Rubegni P. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundThough the combination/collision of nevi or lentigo simplex and hemangiomas is frequent, the malignant collision tumor melanoma‐hemangioma is exceptional and can sometime clinically simulate a benign collision. To date, a series of collision tumors of hemangiomas associated with either benign or malignant melanocytic skin lesions (MSL) has yet to be studied by non‐invasive imaging and clinico‐pathologic correlates.MethodsWe present 10 cases of patients with collision tumors of hemangioma with different MSL including: 2 in situ lentigo‐maligna melanoma, 1 invasive melanoma, 5 melanocytic nevi, and 2 lentigo simplex. The clinical aspect along with the dermoscopic and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) features is described and compared with histopathologic findings.ResultsDermoscopic examination allows to recognize a dark ring in malignant collision melanoma‐hemangioma and a jelly ring sign in benign collision of nevi/lentigo simplex‐hemangioma. These peculiar features were confirmed by RCM and histopathologic findings.ConclusionTwo simple dermoscopic clues confirmed by RCM features can be proposed to help distinguish between benign and malignant collisions tumors.