bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Serum uric acid levels during leprosy reaction episodes
Authors: Morato-Conceicao Yvelise T. , Alves-Junior Eduardo R. , Arruda Talita A. , Lopes Jose C. , Fontes Cor J.F. 
Published: March 2016

Background.Leprosy reactions are acute inflammatory episodes that occur mainly in the multibacillary forms of the disease. The reactions are classified as type 1 (reverse reaction) or type 2 (erythema nodosum leprosum). Leprosy-associated oxidative stress has been widely demonstrated. Several recent studies have shown uric acid (UA) to have antioxidative effects under pathologic conditions. The objective of this study was to assess serum levels of UA in patients with leprosy reactions, with the aim of monitoring their levels before and after treatment, compared with levels in leprosy patients without reactions.Methods.The study included patients aged 18–69 years assisted at a leprosy treatment reference center in the Central Region of Brazil. Patients who were pregnant; were using immunosuppressant drugs or immunobiologicals; or had an autoimmune disease, human immunodeficiency virus infection, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or tuberculosis were excluded. Upon recruitment, all individuals were clinically assessed for skin lesions and neural or systemic impairment. Some patients had already completed treatment for leprosy, while others were still undergoing treatment or had initiated treatment after being admitted. The treatment of the reactional episode was started only after the initial evaluation. Laboratory assessments were performed upon admission (baseline) and at approximately 30 and 60 days (time points 1 and 2, respectively).Results.A total of 123 leprosy patients were recruited between June 2012 and June 2015; among them, 56, 42, and 25 presented with type 1, type 2, and no reactions, respectively. Serum UA levels were significantly reduced in patients with type 2 leprosy reactions compared with patients in the control group and remained lower in the two subsequent assessments, after initiation of anti-reaction treatments, with similar values to those recorded before the treatment.Discussion.The decreased serum UA levels in patients with type 2 leprosy reactions might be due to the consumption of UA to neutralize the enhanced production of oxygen- and nitrogen-reactive species that occurs during type 2 reactions. The maintenance of the reduced levels in the follow-up assessments may indicate persistence of oxidative stress in the initial post-treatment stages, despite improved clinical conditions. The results of this study suggest that serum UA may play an antioxidative role during type 2 leprosy reactions.
Longitudinal distributions of dicarboxylic acids, ω‐oxoacids, pyruvic acid, α‐dicarbonyls, and fatty acids in the marine aerosols from the central Pacific including equatorial upwelling
Authors: Hoque Mir Md. Mozammal , Kawamura Kimitaka 
Published: March 2016

AbstractRemote marine aerosol samples (total suspended particles) were collected during a cruise in the central Pacific from Japan to Mexico (1°59′N–35°N and 171°54′E–90°58′W). The aerosol samples were analyzed for dicarboxylic acids (C2–C11), ω‐oxoacids, pyruvic acid, α‐dicarbonyls, and fatty acids as well as organic and elemental carbon, water‐soluble organic carbon, and total nitrogen (WSTN). During the study, diacids were the most abundant compound class followed by fatty acids, ω‐oxoacids, and α‐dicarbonyls. Molecular compositions of diacids showed a predominance of oxalic (C2) acid followed by malonic (C3) and succinic (C4) acids. Oxalic acid comprises 74% of total diacids. This result suggests that photochemical production of oxalic acid is significant over the central Pacific. Spatial distributions of diacids, ω‐oxoacids, pyruvic acid, α‐dicarbonyls, and fatty acids together with total carbon and WSTN showed higher abundances in the eastern equatorial Pacific where the upwelling of high‐nutrient waters followed by high biological productivity is common, indicating that their in situ production is important in the warmer central Pacific through photochemical oxidation from their gaseous and particulate precursors. This study demonstrates that there is a strong linkage in biogeochemical cycles of carbon in the sea‐air interface via ocean upwelling, phytoplankton productivity, sea‐to‐air emissions of organic matter, and formation of secondary organic aerosols in the eastern equatorial Pacific.
Changes in site‐scale temperature extremes over China during 2071–2100 in CMIP5 simulations
Authors: Chen Yongqin David , Li Jianfeng , Zhang Qiang 
Published: March 2016

AbstractSite‐scale changes in probability behaviors of temperature extremes across China during 2071–2100 are studied with general circulation models (GCMs) provided by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). Future temperature extremes are compared to those of 1961–2005 estimated from observed daily temperatures at 498 stations. Temperature extremes are described by 15 indices recommended by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices; quantile mapping (QM) is used to downscale the gridded GCMs outputs to site scale. The site‐scale and grid‐scale changes of temperature extremes are compared. Results indicate that during 2071–2100, increases of daily maximum and minimum temperatures are more pronounced in the Songhua River Basin, the Liao River Basin, the Hai River Basin, the north part of the Yellow River Basin, and the Northwest Rivers. The numbers of warm days are 3 times of observations, and the warm spell durations become longer. Summer days and tropical nights, which have never been observed in the Tibetan Plateau, may occur in the future. Cold spell may disappear in the Songhua River Basin and the Liao River Basin. Compared to the grid‐scale changes, appearance or disappearance of extremes at the site scale is more obvious with higher confidence. The spatial patterns of the site‐scale and grid‐scale changes are similar, but the change rates are different to a certain extent. For extremes that are more spatially homogenous, the site‐scale and grid‐scale change rates are close. But for extremes that are more spatially heterogeneous, the site‐scale changes are more remarkable.
Synthesis, Structure, and Ligand‐Centered Catalytic Properties of MII Coordination Polymers (M=ZnII, CdII, HgII) with Open Pyridyl N‐Oxide Sites
Authors: Cheng Jun‐Yan , Ding Feng‐Wen , Wang Peng , Zhao Chao‐Wei , Dong Yu‐Bin 
Published: March 2016

AbstractFour MII (M=ZnII, CdII, HgII) coordination polymers were designed and synthesized based on two pyridine N‐oxide bridging ligands: 3,5‐bis(4‐pyridyl)pyridine N‐oxide and 2,6‐bis(3‐pyridyl)pyridine N‐oxide. The resulting polymers all feature a one‐dimensional chain motif and contain free pyridyl moieties. More importantly, they exhibit interesting ligand‐centered (pyridyl N‐oxide) catalytic behavior, and can be used as highly heterogeneous catalysts to promote the Knoevenagel condensation reaction under ambient conditions.
Identification of metabolites of the novel anti‐tumor drug candidate MDH‐7 in rat urine by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry
Authors: Li Juan , Chen Yu , Diao Yanyan , Su Yingqian , Wang Qingli , Yao Zhicun , Yi Tianxiang , Jin Wenting , Zhao Dan , Wang Caihong , Liu Mengru , Liu Hongmin 
Published: March 2016

RationaleOur previous preliminary pharmacokinetic study demonstrated that the novel double pyrimidine tricyclic nucleoside MDH‐7 in rats had a very short half‐life (<30 min) after oral administration. As a result, the in vivo metabolic profile of MDH‐7 should be investigated during early stages of drug development to better select drug candidates.MethodsIn this study, a rapid method was developed to identify the metabolites of MDH‐7 in rat urine by means of ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) using a triple quadrupole linear ion trap instrument. MDH‐7 and its metabolites were detected and characterized by the combined use of the multiple reaction monitoring–information‐dependent acquisition–enhanced product ion (MRM‐IDA‐EPI) mode and the precursor scan information–dependent acquisition–enhanced product ion (PREC‐IDA‐EPI) mode.ResultsTen novel metabolites of MDH‐7 were identified and characterized in rat urine by LC/ESI‐MS and collision‐induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (CID‐MS/MS) analyses. M1 was identified as 5‐fluoro‐N4‐[(pentyloxy)carbonyl]cytosine; M2 and M3 were formed by hydroxylation products of M1. Metabolites M4–M10 were formed by a series of degradation reactions such as: deacetylation, hydroxylation, loss of the defluorocytosine base, oxidative‐deamination, loss of the defluorouracil base, N‐dealkylation and amide hydrolysis.ConclusionsBased on the profiles of the metabolites, possible metabolic pathways of MDH‐7 in rats were proposed for the first time. This study provides new and available information on the metabolism of MDH‐7 which is very useful to further understand its in vivo metabolic fate. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Model-driven synthesis of formally precise, stylized software architectures
Authors: Bagheri Hamid , Sullivan Kevin 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
Reliably producing software architectures in selected architectural styles requires significant expertise yet remains difficult and error-prone. Our research goals are to better understand the nature of style-specific architectures, and relieve architects of the need to produce such architectures by hand. To achieve our goals, this paper introduces a formally precise approach to separate architectural style design decisions from application-specific decisions, and then uses these separate decisions as inputs to an automated synthesizer. This in effect supports a model-driven development (MDD) approach to architecture synthesis with style as a separate design variable. We claim that it is possible to formalize this separation of concerns, long implicit in software engineering research; to automatically synthesize style-specific architectures; and thereby to improve software design productivity and quality. To test these claims, we employed a combination of experimental systems and case study methods: we developed an MDD tool and used it to carry out case studies using Kitchenham’s methods. Our contributions include: a theoretical framework formalizing our separation of concerns and synthesis approach; an MDD framework, Monarch; and results of case studies that we interpret as supporting our claims. This work advances our understanding of software architectural style as a formal refinement; makes application descriptions an explicit subject of study; and suggests that synthesis of architectures can improve software productivity and quality.
Sulfosuccination of Methyl Ricinoleate and Methyl 12‐Hydroxy Stearate Derived from Renewable Castor Oil and Evaluation of Their Surface Properties
Authors: Kumar Pandari Phani , Ramesh Peketi , Kanjilal Sanjit 
Published: March 2016

AbstractSulfosuccination of castor oil‐derived methyl ricinoleate and methyl 12‐hydroxy stearate have been carried out in the present work. Synthesis involves malenization of secondary alcohol of methyl ricinoleate/methyl 12‐hydroxy stearate followed by sulfonation of maleic monoester to generate double‐headed dianionic surfactant with carboxylate and sulfosuccinate functionalities in the head group region. Various reaction conditions were optimized for maximum production of these two sulfosuccinates. Both compounds were evaluated for surface and detergency properties. The surface tension study indicated that the critical micelle concentration of sulfosuccinated methyl ricinoleate and methyl 12‐hydroxy stearate is 0.26 and 0.11 mM, respectively. The detergency property of these two surfactants indicated that they were excellent in wetting time emulsification and Ca‐tolerance. However, these two surfactants exhibited very poor foam height and foam stability.
Sources and Bioactive Properties of Conjugated Dietary Fatty Acids
Authors: Hennessy Alan A. , Ross Paul R. , Fitzgerald Gerald F. , Stanton Catherine 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThe group of conjugated fatty acids known as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers have been extensively studied with regard to their bioactive potential in treating some of the most prominent human health malignancies. However, CLA isomers are not the only group of potentially bioactive conjugated fatty acids currently undergoing study. In this regard, isomers of conjugated α‐linolenic acid, conjugated nonadecadienoic acid and conjugated eicosapentaenoic acid, to name but a few, have undergone experimental assessment. These studies have indicated many of these conjugated fatty acid isomers commonly possess anti‐carcinogenic, anti‐adipogenic, anti‐inflammatory and immune modulating properties, a number of which will be discussed in this review. The mechanisms through which these bioactivities are mediated have not yet been fully elucidated. However, existing evidence indicates that these fatty acids may play a role in modulating the expression of several oncogenes, cell cycle regulators, and genes associated with energy metabolism. Despite such bioactive potential, interest in these conjugated fatty acids has remained low relative to the CLA isomers. This may be partly attributed to the relatively recent emergence of these fatty acids as bioactives, but also due to a lack of awareness regarding sources from which they can be produced. In this review, we will also highlight the common sources of these conjugated fatty acids, including plants, algae, microbes and chemosynthesis.
Dolichol: A Component of the Cellular Antioxidant Machinery
Authors: Cavallini Gabriella , Sgarbossa Antonella , Parentini Ilaria , Bizzarri Ranieri , Donati Alessio , Lenci Francesco , Bergamini Ettore 
Published: March 2016

AbstractDolichol, an end product of the mevalonate pathway, has been proposed as a biomarker of aging, but its biological role, not to mention its catabolism, has not been fully understood. UV‐B radiation was used to induce oxidative stress in isolated rat hepatocytes by the collagenase method. Effects on dolichol, phospholipid‐bound polyunsaturated fatty acids (PL‐PUFA) and known lipid soluble antioxidants [coenzyme Q (CoQ) and α‐tocopherol] were studied. The increase in oxidative stress was detected by a probe sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Peroxidation of lipids was assessed by measuring the release of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Dolichol, CoQ, and α‐tocopherol were assessed by high‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), PL‐PUFA by gas–liquid chromatography (GC). UV‐B radiation caused an immediate increase in ROS as well as lipid peroxidation and a simultaneous decrease in the levels of dolichol and lipid soluble antioxidants. Decrease in dolichol paralleled changes in CoQ levels and was smaller to that in α‐tocopherol. The addition of mevinolin, a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMG‐CoAR), magnified the loss of dolichol and was associated with an increase in TBARS production. Changes in PL‐PUFA were minor. These findings highlight that oxidative stress has very early and similar effects on dolichol and lipid soluble antioxidants. Lower levels of dolichol are associated with enhanced peroxidation of lipids, which suggest that dolichol may have a protective role in the antioxidant machinery of cell membranes and perhaps be a key to understanding some adverse effects of statin therapy.
Anti‐arrhythmic medications increase non‐cardiac mortality – A meta‐analysis of randomized control trials
Authors: Pandya Bhavi , Spagnola Jonathan , Sheikh Azfar , Karam Boutros , Anugu Viswajit Reddy , Khan Asif , Lafferty James , Kenigsberg David , Kowalski Marcin 
Published: March 2016

AbstractIntroductionAnti‐arrhythmic medications (AAMs) are known to increase cardiac mortality significantly due to their pro‐arrhythmic effects. However, the effect of AAMs on non‐cardiac mortality has not been evaluated.MethodsTrials published in English language journals from 1990 to 2015 were thoroughly retrieved by searching websites such as PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Randomized controlled trials reporting non‐cardiac deaths as primary or secondary outcomes were used to compare AAMs to non‐arrhythmic therapy (AV nodal blocking agents, implantable cardiovascular defibrillation (ICD), or placebo). Information regarding the sample size, treatment type, baseline characteristics, and outcomes was obtained by using a standardized protocol. The fixed effect model was used to perform meta‐analysis, and results were expressed in terms of odds ratio (OR) with confidence interval (CI) of 95%, inter study heterogeneity was assessed using I2. Intention to treat principle was applied to extract data.ResultsTotal of 18,728 patients were enrolled in 15 trials; 9359 patients received AAMs and 9369 received non‐arrhythmic therapy. AAMs were associated with an increased risk of non‐cardiac mortality (OR=1.30, [95% CI: 1.12, 1.50], p=0.0005, I2 index=24%) and all‐cause mortality (OR=1.09, [95% CI: 1.01, 1.18], p=0.04, I2=54%) as compared to non‐arrhythmic therapy. There was no difference in the cardiac mortality (OR=1.01, [95% CI: 0.92, 1.11], p=0.82, I2=53%) or arrhythmic mortality (OR=1.00, [95% CI: 0.89, 1.13], p=0.94, I2=64%) between the two groups.ConclusionAAMs are associated with an increased risk of non‐cardiac and all‐cause mortality. The effect of AAMs, especially amiodarone, on non‐cardiac mortality requires further evaluation.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Causing Phantom Hand Pain in a Person With a Transradial Amputation: A Case Presentation
Authors: Hanlan Amy , Finlayson Heather C. , Grant Chris 
Published: March 2016

AbstractIn this case, a 47‐year‐old commercial truck driver with a remote right transradial amputation presented with pain in the medial aspect of his right phantom hand. He was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). This was attributed to the muscular demands associated with using his body‐powered prosthesis for many years. TOS remains a controversial diagnosis in the able‐bodied population and a unique diagnostic challenge in a patient with a transradial amputation. In this case, consideration of TOS guided the rehabilitation and treatment plan. His pain improved with a conservative stretching program.
Unusual Electromyographic Findings Associated With Colchicine Neuromyopathy: A Case Report
Authors: Marciniak Christina , Babu Ashwin , Ghannad Leda , Burnstine Richard , Keeshin Susan 
Published: March 2016

AbstractAn 83‐year‐old man with multiple medical problems, including gout, pseudogout, and renal insufficiency, presented with more than a year of proximal weakness. He had an extensive previous medical workup, including a normal creatinine kinase. His weakness persisted despite endurance and strength training. Electrodiagnostic findings were consistent with a myopathy, although without abnormal spontaneous activity and a length‐dependent neuropathy. On the basis of these findings, colchicine was discontinued. The patient experienced marked symptomatic improvement within a week. Myopathies with neuropathies may be found with the use of colchicine. This case was unusual because of the absence of abnormal spontaneous activity and increased creatinine kinase, as typically reported with colchicine myopathy.Level of EvidenceV
The London Auction Mart and the Marketability of Real Estate in England, 1808–1864
Authors: Fitz-Gibbon Desmond 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThis article considers the cultural work of commoditization through the example of the London Auction Mart and the market for real estate in early nineteenth-century England. The auctioneers who founded this exchange sought to reconfigure the organization of property sales in an institution that would bring order and transparency to a world of informal institutions, local markets, and private exchange. The Auction Mart made visible the idea of a universal, abstract property market. At the same time, it offered a new social and cultural space in which to negotiate the often contradictory meanings of marketable property. This work of making the property market meaningful is told through institutional archives, published accounts, diaries, and estate correspondence.
Fighting Thatcher with Comedy: What to Do When There Is No Alternative
Authors: Schaffer Gavin 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThis article offers a history of British alternative comedy as a case study of political challenge and opposition in the 1980s and considers the role of humor in political campaigning more broadly. It explores left-wing thinking on culture as a potential political weapon, and questions how this informed the development and impact of alternative comedy as a genre. The article observes that pioneering alternative comedians went some way to change British comedy values and inform political discussions. However, it also argues that the complex operation of jokes and the tendency of comedians to become “incorporated” within the political and cultural mainstream ensured that the impacts of radical alternative material were limited and ambiguous. It contends that the practice of alternative comedy was undermined by business and political values that were often influenced by Thatcherism, and that alternative comedians mostly failed to capture the imaginations of working-class Britons. These communities retained instead an affection for more traditional, differently rebellious, comedic voices. Ultimately, this article frames alternative comedy within a longer history of radical humor, drawing out broader lessons concerning the revolutionary potential of jokes and the relationship between comedians, their audiences, and politics.
Drivers of ASCAT C band backscatter variability in the dry snow zone of Antarctica
Authors: FRASER ALEXANDER D. , NIGRO MELISSA A. , LIGTENBERG STEFAN R. M. , LEGRESY BENOIT , INOUE MANA , CASSANO JOHN J. , KUIPERS MUNNEKE PETER , LENAERTS JAN T. M. , YOUNG NEAL W. , TREVERROW ADAM , VAN DEN BROEKE MICHIEL , ENOMOTO HIROYUKI 
Published: March 2016

ABSTRACTC band backscatter parameters contain information about the upper snowpack/firn in the dry snow zone. The wide incidence angle diversity of the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) gives unprecedented characterisation of backscatter anisotropy, revealing the backscatter response to climatic forcing. TheA(isotropic component) andM2(bi-sinusoidal azimuth anisotropy) parameters are investigated here, in conjunction with data from atmospheric and snowpack models, to identify the backscatter response to surface forcing parameters (wind speed and persistence, precipitation, surface temperature, density and grain size). The long-term meanAparameter is successfully recreated with a regression using these drivers, indicating strong links between theAparameter and precipitation on long timescales. While the ASCAT time series is too short to determine which factors drive observed trends, factors influencing the seasonal and short timescale variability are revealed. On these timescales,Astrongly responds to the propagation of surface temperature cycles/anomalies downward through the firn, via direct modulation of the dielectric constant. The influence of precipitation onAis small at shorter timescales. TheM2parameter is controlled by wind speed and persistence, through modification of monodirectionally-aligned surface roughness. This variability indicates that throughout much of coastal Antarctica, a microwave ‘snapshot’ is generally not representative of longer-term conditions.