bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
IGF‐1 Receptor Expression on Circulating Osteoblast Progenitor Cells Predicts Tissue‐Based Bone Formation Rate and Response to Teriparatide in Premenopausal Women With Idiopathic Osteoporosis
Authors: Cohen Adi , Kousteni Stavroula , Bisikirska Brygida , Shah Jayesh G , Manavalan J Sanil , Recker Robert R , Lappe Joan , Dempster David W , Zhou Hua , McMahon Donald J , Bucovsky Mariana , Kamanda‐Kosseh Mafo , Stubby Julie , Shane Elizabeth 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTWe have previously reported that premenopausal women with idiopathic osteoporosis (IOP) have profound microarchitectural deficiencies and heterogeneous bone remodeling. Those with the lowest bone formation rate have higher baseline serum insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) levels and less robust response to teriparatide. Because IGF‐1 stimulates bone formation and is critical for teriparatide action on osteoblasts, these findings suggest a state of IGF‐1 resistance in some IOP women. To further investigate the hypothesis that osteoblast and IGF‐1‐related mechanisms mediate differential responsiveness to teriparatide in IOP, we studied circulating osteoblast progenitor (COP) cells and their IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R) expression. In premenopausal women with IOP, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained at baseline (n = 25) and over 24 months of teriparatide treatment (n = 11). Flow cytometry was used to identify and quantify COPs (non‐hematopoetic lineage cells expressing osteocalcin and RUNX2) and to quantify IGF‐1R expression levels. At baseline, both the percent of PBMCs that were COPs (%COP) and COP cell‐surface IGF‐1R expression correlated directly with several histomorphometric indices of bone formation in tetracycline‐labeled transiliac biopsies. In treated subjects, both %COP and IGF‐1R expression increased promptly after teriparatide, returning toward baseline by 18 months. Although neither baseline %COP nor increase in %COP after 3 months predicted the bone mineral density (BMD) response to teriparatide, the percent increase in IGF‐1R expression on COPs at 3 months correlated directly with the BMD response to teriparatide. Additionally, lower IGF‐1R expression after teriparatide was associated with higher body fat, suggesting links between teriparatide resistance, body composition, and the GH/IGF‐1 axis. In conclusion, these assays may be useful to characterize bone remodeling noninvasively and may serve to predict early response to teriparatide and possibly other bone formation–stimulating medications. These new tools may also have utility in the mechanistic investigation of teriparatide resistance in premenopausal IOP and perhaps in other populations. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Endothelial Cells Inhibit the Angiotensin II Induced Phenotypic Modulation of Rat Vascular Adventitial Fibroblasts
Authors: Xu Jia‐Ying , Chang Neng‐Bin , Li Tao , Jiang Rui , Sun Xiao‐Lei , He Yan‐Zheng , Jiang Jun 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTThe phenotypic modulation of vascular adventitial fibroblasts plays an important role in vascular remodeling. Evidence have shown that endothelial cells and adventitial fibroblasts interact under certain conditions. In this study, we investigated the influence of endothelial cells on the phenotypic modulation of adventitial fibroblasts. Endothelial cells and adventitial fibroblasts from rat thoracic aorta were cultivated in a co‐culture system and adventitial fibroblasts were induced with angiotensin II (Ang II). Collagen I and alpha smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression and migration of adventitial fibroblasts were analyzed. Ang II upregulated the expression of collagen I and α‐SMA and the migration of adventitial fibroblasts. Adventitial fibroblasts–endothelial cells co‐culturing attenuated the effects of Ang II. Homocysteine‐treated endothelial cells, which are functionally impaired, were less inhibitory of the phenotypic modulation of adventitial fibroblasts. Supplementation of endothelial cells with L‐arginine (L‐Arg) or 8‐bromoguanosine 3′,5′‐cyclic monophosphate (8‐BrcGMP) enhanced the trends, while with L‐NG‐nitroarginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) or 1H‐[1,2,4]Oxadiazolo[4,3‐a]quinoxalin‐1‐one (ODQ) the opposite effect was observed. Under the influence of Ang II, adventitial fibroblasts were prone to undergo phenotypic modulation, which was closely related to vascular remodeling. Our study showed that endothelial cells influenced fibroblast phenotypic transformation and such effect would be mediated through the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP signaling pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1921–1927, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of a new hemoglobin A1c analyzer for point‐of‐care testing
Authors: Zhou Rui , Wang Wei , Song Zhi‐Xin , Tong Qing , Wang Qing‐Tao 
Published: February 2017

BackgroundThere has been an increasing desire for the use of point‐of‐care testing (POCT) by both primary care clinicians and patients. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a new POCT analyzer for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing.MethodsWe assessed the accuracy, precision, and linearity of the POCT HbA1c analyzer (A1C EZ 2.0) with the Tosoh G8 Analyzer as comparative instrument, following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocols. We evaluated sensitivity and specificity of the A1C EZ 2.0 in the clinical diagnosis of diabetes among 842 subjects from 79 communities in Beijing, China.ResultsUsing regression analysis, the slope of the A1C EZ 2.0 vs the Tosoh G8 Analyzer was 0.9938, with an intercept of 0.0964 and a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.978. For precision, the reproducibility of CV (CVT) were 3.7% and 2.7% at a lower (36 mmol/mol (5.4%)) and higher (107 mmol/mol (11.9%)) level of HbA1c respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for clinical diagnosis of diabetes was 0.911 with the HbA1c cut‐off value of 44 mmol/mol (6.14%). At the HbA1c level of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%), the sensitivity and specificity were76.1% and 86.6%.ConclusionThe A1C EZ 2.0 has a high accuracy and precision, with a wide range of linearity, compared to a comparative laboratory instrument. It met analytical quality specifications and could be suitable for the clinical management of diabetes mellitus.
An investigation of the levels of vitamins A, D, and E in the serum of Chinese pregnant women
Authors: Chen Yu‐juan , Li Zhan‐dong , Mao Cui‐ying , Kang Xu , Zhang Shu‐hua 
Published: February 2017

BackgroundVitamins A, D (Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3) and E, play an important role during pregnancy.MethodsSera were collected from 1056 normal pregnant women, who were between 18 and 40 years old, at seven different hospitals in northeastern China. The levels of Vitamin A and E in the sera samples were detected using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography), and the level of vitamin D was measured by LC‐MS (Liquid Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 21.ResultsThe mean levels of vitamin A, D and E in the 1056 sera samples were 0.39 mg/L (0.38‐0.39), 20.44 μg/L (19.86‐21.08) and 12.96 mg/L (12.70‐13.25), respectively. The levels of vitamin A, D, and E deficiency were 17.05%, 0.19%, and 56.44%, respectively. The levels of vitamin A, D, and E of those between age 21 and 31 among the 1056 pregnant women were similar. The correlation of vitamin E and D was significant at the .01 level (two‐tailed), and the correlation of vitamin A and age was significant at the .05 level (2‐tailed).ConclusionAccording to our finding, the levels of vitamin A, D, and E in the sera of pregnant women in northeastern China were affected by where they live and their age. Vitamin D deficiency was very serious, vitamin A deficiency was common, while vitamin E seems to be sufficient.
More significance of TB‐IGRA except for the diagnose of tuberculosis
Authors: Xu Jun‐Chi , Li Ze‐Yi , Chen Xin‐Nian , Shi Cui‐Lin , Wu Mei‐Ying , Chen Hui , Zhu Xiao‐Yan , Song Hua‐Feng , Wu Min‐Juan , Xu Ping 
Published: February 2017

ObjectiveTuberculosis (TB)‐interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) test has the characteristics of short time, high specificity, and high sensitivity, but it lacks the correlation research between TB‐IGRA test results and body's immune cells, disease progression and prognosis, which is explored in this study.DesignA retrospective study was carried out on positive TB‐IGRA patients who were infected with TB and diagnosed at our hospital from January 2014 to June 2015. The TB‐IGRA, routine blood test, T‐cell subgroup data were collected for statistical analysis.ResultsTB‐IGRA results were in positive proportion to the lymphocytes, CD4+T cells and CD4+CD28+T cells, whereas negative to the Treg cells. Patient with unilateral pulmonary lesion had higher TB‐IGRA than those with bilateral pulmonary lesions. After the stimulation of TB‐specific antigen, the proportion of CD4+IFN‐γ+ and CD8+IFN‐γ+T Tcells were both increased and the CD4+IFN‐γ+T had positive correlation with the value of TB‐IGRA.ConclusionsIFN‐γ was tested with TB‐IGRA in patients with TB by the specific TB T cells and correlated with the lymphocytes, while the lymphocytes also closely related to the host's anti‐TB immunity and disease outcome. Hence the result of TB‐IGRA could reflect the specific anti‐TB immunity ability of the host, disease progression and prognosis. This study further expands the application scope of TB‐IGRA technology in the diagnosis of TB and lays a foundation for clinical practice to understand the immunity state of the patients with TB and the application of auxiliary clinical immunity regulators.
PID control system for biogas desulfurization under anoxic conditions
Authors: Brito Javier , Almenglo Fernando , Ramírez Martín , Gómez José M , Cantero Domingo 
Published: February 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDA high H2S elimination capacity has been achieved by anoxic biotrickling filters but accurate control of the nitrate dosage is required. Different control strategies have been used in biotrickling filters but proportional‐integral‐derivative (PID) control studies have not been reported to date. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the stability and robustness of PID control in an anoxic biotrickling filter.RESULTSThree PID tuning methods were tested: Ziegler–Nichols, Approximate M‐constrained integral gain optimization (AMIGO), and maintained oscillation. The best results were obtained using PID control by the maintained oscillation method, where the system reached stabilization 0.41 h after the H2S inlet step. Moreover, the nitrate consumption was 15.4% lower than that without control.CONCLUSIONThe biotrickling filter operated with a PID control strategy proved to be highly stable and robust against the perturbations and disturbances evaluated. The control system was able to operate satisfactorily to a change in the set‐point of the outlet H2S concentrations from 25 to 200 ppmV. The desulfurized biogas could be fed directly to an internal combustion engine or solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) equipped with a zeolite clean unit. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Exploring the feasibility of empirical, dynamical and combined probabilistic rainy season onset forecasts for São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Coelho Caio A. S. , Firpo Mári A. F. , Maia Aline H. N. , MacLachlan Craig 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the feasibility and presents an assessment of probabilistic rainy season onset forecasts for São Paulo, Brazil, located in a region with a well‐defined wet season from mid‐austral spring (October) to austral autumn (March/April). The probabilistic forecasts were produced with (1) a simple empirical Cox‐regression model using July Niño‐3 index as predictor, (2) the dynamical coupled atmosphere‐land‐surface‐ocean‐sea‐ice model used in theUKMet Office Global Seasonal Forecast System (GloSea5) and (3) a procedure that combines the empirical and dynamical model onset probabilistic forecasts. The probabilistic forecast assessment was performed over the 1996–2009 retrospective forecast period for the event rainy season onset earlier (or later) than the historical (mean) onset date. The three investigated approaches resulted in similar discrimination ability of around 80%, which represents the probability of the probabilistic forecasts correctly distinguishing earlier from a later than mean onsets, suggesting good potential for rainy season onset forecasts for São Paulo. The robustness of this assessment for an extended period (longer than 1996–2009) and for a region (20°S, 25°S, 45°W, 55°W) that includes the city of São Paulo was checked, reinforcing the validity of the obtained results at both local and regional scales.
Spatial characteristics of storm‐total rainfall swaths associated with tropical cyclones over the Eastern United States
Authors: Zhou Yao , Matyas Corene J. 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTThe eastern United States is extremely vulnerable to Atlantic basin tropical cyclones (TCs) and their associated precipitation. While many studies have focused on the magnitude or contribution of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) to overall rainfall, there is a need for a detailed climatology of spatial characteristics of inland TCP extent for this region. In this study, we develop a Geographic Information System method to delineate rainfall swaths for 257 US landfalling TCs during 1948 to 2014 using a daily gridded dataset. We then describe spatial patterns of TCP using three methods. First, we measure the rainfall swath areas and average widths over land, and find that TCs that spend longer periods over land have wider average widths so that rainfall swaths cover larger areas. Second, trends in the change of left extent of TCP swaths are analysed and TC attributes related to these trends are explored. Seventy of 85 TCs have rain swaths that expand on the left side at some points as they move inland. The TCs exhibiting expansion were hurricanes at landfall, re‐intensifying over land, undergoing extratropical transition, and/or moving near the coastline. Last, we construct a series of maps with return intervals and frequency distributions for inland TCP and tropical storm‐force winds. The results show that 94% of 2435 counties over the eastern United States are more frequently exposed to rainfall than wind from TCs. While cumulative rainfall shows a gradual decrease from southeastern coast inland, many inland regions have received five to six TCP events in a single season, which confirms that TCP should be a concern for people living inland as well as near the coast. This study's analysis of the spatial characteristics of TCP inland extent from a climatological perspective should benefit forecasting, hazard mitigation, and risk analysis of TC hazards.
Qualitative Approaches to the Phenomenology of VFR Travel: The use of Literary and Cultural Texts as Resources
Authors: Seaton Tony 
Published: February 2017

AbstractA paradox about visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel is that, although a marginalized category by tourism planners and academics until recently, it has always been, as a domain of behaviour, more central to human experience than leisure tourism. Relationships between relatives and friends have, at all places and times, been forged and sustained by reciprocal visits, a reality borne out by reflection, and one that has been documented widely in cultural texts. This paper explores what these texts tell us about the subjective meaning and significance of VFR travel that is not necessarily disclosed by the quantitative, problem‐centred approaches used in managerial research. The first part examines a sample of, mainly, literary texts from the past and present and identifies some of the diverse scenes and scenarios within them. The paper then moves from the texts to offer a theoretical framework for understanding the phenomenology of VFR travel, derived from the sociological insights of Georg Simmel into social gatherings and informal associations. This qualitative framework, it is proposed, augments the quantitative methodologies that currently dominate VFR research, as a way of exploring the existential features of VFR behaviour. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Imaging Cell–Matrix Interactions in 3D Collagen Hydrogel Culture Systems
Authors: Short Aaron R. , Czeisler Catherine , Stocker Benjamin , Cole Sara , Otero José Javier , Winter Jessica O. 
Published: February 2017

3D hydrogels better replicate in vivo conditions, and yield different results from 2D substrates. However, imaging interactions between cells and the hydrogel microenvironment is challenging because of light diffraction and poor focal depth. Here, cryosectioning and vibrating microtomy methods and fixation protocols are compared. Collagen I/III hydrogel sections (20–100 µm) are fixed with paraformaldehyde (2%–4%) and structurally evaluated. Cryosectioning damaged hydrogels, and vibrating microtomy (100 µm, 2%) yielded the best preservation of microstructure and cell integrity. These results demonstrate a potential processing method that preserves hydrogel and cell integrity, permitting imaging of cell interactions with the microenvironment.
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Tailoring the Electrochemical and Mechanical Properties of PEDOT:PSS Films for Bioelectronics
Authors: ElMahmoudy Mohammed , Inal Sahika , Charrier Anne , Uguz Ilke , Malliaras George G. , Sanaur Sébastien 
Published: February 2017

The effect of 3‐glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GOPS) content in poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) dispersions on the properties of films spun cast from these formulations is investigated. It has been found out that the concentration of GOPS has a tremendous, yet gradual impact on the electrical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties of the PEDOT:PSS/GOPS films and that there is an optimum concentration which maximizes a particular feature of the film such as its water uptake or elasticity. The benefits of aqueous stability and mechanical strength with GOPS are to be compensated by an increase in the electrochemical impedance. GOPS aids obtaining excellent mechanical integrity in aqueous media with still highly conducting properties. Moreover, active devices like organic electrochemical transistors that contain 1 wt% GOPS, which is a concentration that leads to film with high electrical conductivity with sufficient mechanical stability and softness, exhibit steady performance over three weeks. These results suggest that variations in the concentration of such an additive like GOPS can enable a facile co‐optimization of electrical and mechanical properties of a conducting polymer film for in vivo bioelectronics application.
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Preliminary Study on Photochemical Degradation of Natural Rubber Latex
Authors: Ibrahim Suhawati , Othman Nadras , Mohd Nor Zairossani , Ismail Hanafi 
Published: February 2017

SummaryLiquid natural rubber (LNR) is considered as a new material which can be obtained from degradation of natural rubber (NR). In this work, the degradation of NR latex using photochemical degradation under UV light has been studied. In this preliminary result, the degradation degree was found to depend on parameters such as dry rubber content (DRC) of latex and reaction temperature. At the optimized parameters, the molecular weight (Mn) of NR was able to reduce from about 500 kg/mol to as low as 13 kg/mol. The molecular structure of LNR obtained was similar to that the NR, however, the presence carbonyl and hydroxyl groups were observed on the LNR chain as a result of the chain cleavage.
Somatic, psychological, and sexual triggers for overactive bladder syndrome in women
Authors: Zilberlicht Ariel , Haya Nir , Feferkorn Ido , Goldschmidt Eyal , Kaldawy Anis , Abramov Yoram 
Published: February 2017

AimsPatients with overactive bladder (OAB) often describe somatic, psychological, and sexual triggers for their symptoms. The aim of this study was to characterize these triggers and assess their impact on patients’ symptoms and quality of life (QoL).MethodsPatients who visited our urogynecologic clinic between August 2015 and March 2016 and diagnosed with OAB syndrome were asked to fill a questionnaire comprising 34 statements regarding SOmatic, Psychological, and Sexual Triggers for OAB (SOPSETO). Patients additionaly completed the UDI‐6 and IIQ‐7 questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the prevalence of each trigger and its correlation with the UDI‐6 and IIQ‐7 scores.ResultsSixty four women enrolled in this study. The SOPSETO questionnaire was found to be relaiable with Cronbach's alpha of 0.73‐0.88. Construct validity was high with good correlation between the SOPSETO and the UDI‐6 and IIQ‐7 questionnaires. The triggers which had the highest correlation with the total UDI‐6 scores were: Being far from toilets (r = 0.32, P = 0.004), swimming (r = 0.44, P = 0.02), taking a shower/bath (r = 0.36, P = 0.004), touching water (r = 0.35, P = 0.004), stepping out of a car (r = 0.32, P = 0.014), and experiencing an orgasm (r = 0.59, P = 0.001). The triggers: Experiencing an orgasm (r = 0.4, P = 0.033), having intercourse (r = 0.53, P = 0.002), stepping out of a car (r = 0.45, P = 0.001), and touching water (r = 0.28, P = 0.03) most significantly correlated with the total IIQ‐7 scores.ConclusionsCertain somatic, psychological, and sexual factors may trigger OAB symptoms and are therefore potential targets for behavioral therapy of this disorder, and for further research regarding its pathophysiological mechanisms.
The long term predictive value of preoperative pressure flow studies in the resolution of overactive bladder after insertion of a retropubic midurethral sling
Authors: Duckett Jonathan , Balachandran Aswini 
Published: February 2017

AIMSTo identify if the short term association of pressure flow rates with resolution of overactive bladder (OAB) is maintained in the long term in patients with mixed urodynamic incontinence treated with a retropubic midurethral sling. To assess if other demographic factors are associated with the long term resolution of OAB.METHODSThis was follow up study of a consecutive case series of 100 patients treated with a MUS at a single center followed up with questionnaires. Preoperative pressure flow studies were compared to the resolution of urgency and urgency incontinence after surgery.RESULTSA total of 6.25 years after surgery, resolution of urgency and urgency incontinence was associated with a higher preoperative flow rate (26.7 mL/s vs 19.1 mL/s P = 0.02) and a higher flow rate centile (33.1 vs 14.0 P = 0.01). No other demographic parameters were associated with resolution of OAB.CONCLUSIONSThe long term outcome and resolution of urgency and urgency incontinence can be predicted by preoperative pressure flow studies over 6 years after surgery.
Tensor and its tucker core: The invariance relationships
Authors: Jiang Bo , Yang Fan , Zhang Shuzhong 
Published: February 2017

SummaryIn one study, Hillar and Lim famously demonstrated that “multilinear (tensor) analogues of many efficiently computable problems in numerical linear algebra are nondeterministic polynomial‐time hard.” Despite many recent advancements, the state‐of‐the‐art methods for computing such “tensor analogues” still suffer severely from the curse of dimensionality. In this paper, we show that the Tucker core of a tensor, however, retains many properties of the original tensor, including the CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) rank, the border rank, the tensor Schatten quasi norms, and the Z‐eigenvalues. When the core tensor is smaller than the original tensor, this property leads to considerable computational advantages as confirmed by our numerical experiments. In our analysis, we in fact work with a generalized Tucker‐like decomposition that can accommodate any full column‐rank factor matrices.