bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles improves burn wound healing and tissue regeneration through specific interaction with blood serum proteins
Authors: Seisenbaeva Gulaim A. , Fromell Karin , Vinogradov Vasiliy V. , Terekhov Aleksey N. , Pakhomov Andrey V. , Nilsson Bo , Ekdahl Kristina Nilsson , Vinogradov Vladimir V. , Kessler Vadim G. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBurn wounds are one of the most important causes of mortality and especially morbidity around the world. Burn wound healing and skin tissue regeneration remain thus one of the most important challenges facing the mankind. In the present study we have addressed this challenge, applying a solution-stabilized dispersion TiO2 nanoparticles, hypothesizing that their ability to adsorb proteins will render them a strong capacity in inducing body fluid coagulation and create a protective hybrid material coating. The in vitro study of interaction between human blood and titania resulted at enhanced TiO2 concentrations in formation of rather dense gel composite materials and even at lower content revealed specific adsorption pattern initiating the cascade response, promising to facilitate the regrowth of the skin. The subsequent in vivo study of the healing of burn wounds in rats demonstrated formation of a strongly adherent crust of a nanocomposite, preventing infection and inflammation with quicker reduction of wound area compared to untreated control. The most important result in applying the TiO2 dispersion was the apparently improved regeneration of damaged tissues with appreciable decrease in scar formation and skin color anomalies.
Therapeutic targeting of extracellular DNA improves the outcome of intestinal ischemic reperfusion injury in neonatal rats
Authors: Boettcher Michael , Eschenburg Georg , Mietzsch Stefan , Jiménez-Alcázar Miguel , Klinke Michaela , Vincent Deirdre , Tiemann Bastian , Bergholz Robert , Reinshagen Konrad , Fuchs Tobias A. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThrombosis and inflammation cooperate in the development of intestinal infarction. Recent studies suggest that extracellular DNA released by damaged cells or neutrophils in form of extracellular traps (NETs) contributes to organ damage in experimental models of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Here we compared the therapeutic effects of targeting fibrin or extracellular DNA in intestinal infarction after midgut volvulus in rats. Following iatrogenic midgut volvulus induction for 3 hours, we treated animals with a combination of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) to target fibrin or with DNase1 to degrade extracellular DNA. The therapeutic effects of tPA/LMWH and DNase1 were analyzed after 7 days. We observed that both therapeutic interventions ameliorated tissue injury, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in the intestine. DNase1, but not tPA/LMWH, reduced intestinal neutrophil infiltration and histone-myeloperoxidase-complexes, a surrogate marker of NETs, in circulation. Importantly, tPA/LMWH, but not DNase1, interfered with hemostasis as evidenced by a prolonged tail bleeding time. In conclusion, our data suggest that the therapeutic targeting of fibrin and extracellular DNA improves the outcome of midgut volvulus in rats. DNase1 therapy reduces the inflammatory response including NETs without increasing the risk of bleeding. Thus, targeting of extracellular DNA may provide a safe therapy for patients with intestinal infarction in future.
Disentangling the co-structure of multilayer interaction networks: degree distribution and module composition in two-layer bipartite networks
Authors: Astegiano Julia , Altermatt Florian , Massol François 
Published: November 2017

AbstractSpecies establish different interactions (e.g. antagonistic, mutualistic) with multiple species, forming multilayer ecological networks. Disentangling network co-structure in multilayer networks is crucial to predict how biodiversity loss may affect the persistence of multispecies assemblages. Existing methods to analyse multilayer networks often fail to consider network co-structure. We present a new method to evaluate the modular co-structure of multilayer networks through the assessment of species degree co-distribution and network module composition. We focus on modular structure because of its high prevalence among ecological networks. We apply our method to two Lepidoptera-plant networks, one describing caterpillar-plant herbivory interactions and one representing adult Lepidoptera nectaring on flowers, thereby possibly pollinating them. More than 50% of the species established either herbivory or visitation interactions, but not both. These species were over-represented among plants and lepidopterans, and were present in most modules in both networks. Similarity in module composition between networks was high but not different from random expectations. Our method clearly delineates the importance of interpreting multilayer module composition similarity in the light of the constraints imposed by network structure to predict the potential indirect effects of species loss through interconnected modular networks.
Planar array with bidirectional elements for tunnel environments
Authors: Wang Ren , Wang Bing-Zhong , Ding Xiao , Ou Jun-Yu 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe growing demands for wireless communications in tunnel environments are driven by requests for maintaining uninterrupted internet access for users in tunnels as well as wireless connections for wireless sensors, security, and control networks. Nevertheless, wireless networks in tunnel environments are associated with technical challenges related to elongated wireless coverage in two opposite near-end-fire directions. Here, we introduce a low-profile bidirectional antenna that can be mounted on a large ground plane and that has a dual-magnetic-current mode exhibiting radiation patterns with 3-dB beamwidth coverage at near-end-fire angles. Furthermore, we realized a planar array with eight such bidirectional antennas that were configured as a sparse array in order to reduce the commonplace issues of mutual coupling and grating lobes. The radiation beams of the proposed antenna array can scan in the end-fire area (60° < φ < 120°, 45° < θ < 80°), with scanning gains of 11~15 dB in the near-end-fire directions. In addition, we demonstrate that the proposed array can adaptively generate a directional single beam or multiple beams according to the positions of users, which is suitable for intelligent communication systems with low power consumptions and high communication bandwidths in tunnel environments.
Randomly polarised beam produced by magnetooptically Q-switched laser
Authors: Morimoto Ryohei , Goto Taichi , Taira Takunori , Pritchard John , Mina Mani , Takagi Hiroyuki , Nakamura Yuichi , Lim Pang Boey , Uchida Hironaga , Inoue Mitsuteru 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDiode-pumped solid-state micro lasers are compact (centimetre-scale), highly stable, and efficient. Previously, we reported Q-switched lasers incorporating rare-earth substituted iron garnet (RIG) film. Here, the first demonstration of the magnetooptical (MO) Q-switch in an Nd:YAG laser cavity is performed. We fabricate a quasi-continuous-wave (QCW) diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser cavity, which is shortened to 10 mm in length and which contains an RIG film and a pair of small coils. This cavity yields a 1,064.58-nm-wavelength pulse with 25-ns duration and 1.1-kW peak power at a 1-kHz repetition ratio. Further, the polarisation state is random, due to the isotropic crystal structure of Nd:YAG and the fact that the MO Q-switch incorporating the RIG film does not require the presence of polarisers in the cavity. This is also the first report of an MO Q-switch producing random polarisation.
Canonical germinant receptor is dispensable for spore germination in Clostridium botulinum group II strain NCTC 11219
Authors: Clauwers Charlien , Lood Cédric , Van den Bergh Bram , van Noort Vera , Michiels Chris W. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractClostridium botulinum is an anaerobic sporeforming bacterium that is notorious for producing a potent neurotoxin. Spores of C. botulinum can survive mild food processing treatments and subsequently germinate, multiply, produce toxin and cause botulism. Control of spore germination and outgrowth is therefore essential for the safety of mildly processed foods. However, little is known about the process of spore germination in group II C. botulinum (gIICb), which are a major concern in chilled foods because they are psychrotrophic. The classical model of spore germination states that germination is triggered by the binding of a germinant molecule to a cognate germinant receptor. Remarkably, unlike many other sporeformers, gIICb has only one predicted canonical germinant receptor although it responds to multiple germinants. Therefore, we deleted the gerBAC locus that encodes this germinant receptor to determine its role in germination. Surprisingly, the deletion did not affect germination by any of the nutrient germinants, nor by the non-nutrient dodecylamine. We conclude that one or more other, so far unidentified, germinant receptors must be responsible for nutrient induced germination in gIICb. Furthermore, the gerBAC locus was strongly conserved with intact open reading frames in 159 gIICb genomes, suggesting that it has nevertheless an important function.
MicroRNA-7-5p mediates the signaling of hepatocyte growth factor to suppress oncogenes in the MCF-10A mammary epithelial cell
Authors: Jeong Dawoon , Ham Juyeon , Park Sungbin , Lee Seungyeon , Lee Hyunkyung , Kang Han-Sung , Kim Sun Jung 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMicroRNA-7 (miR-7) is a non-coding RNA of 23-nucleotides that has been shown to act as a tumor suppressor in various cancers including breast cancer. Although there have been copious studies on the action mechanisms of miR-7, little is known about how the miR is controlled in the mammary cell. In this study, we performed a genome-wide expression analysis in miR-7-transfected MCF-10A breast cell line to explore the upstream regulators of miR-7. Analysis of the dysregulated target gene pool predicted hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) as the most plausible upstream regulator of miR-7. MiR-7 was upregulated in MCF-10A cells by HGF, and subsequently downregulated upon treatment with siRNA against HGF. However, the expression of HGF did not significantly change through either an upregulation or downregulation of miR-7 expression, suggesting that HGF acts upstream of miR-7. In addition, the target genes of miR-7, such as EGFR, KLF4, FAK, PAK1 and SET8, which are all known oncogenes, were downregulated in HGF-treated MCF-10A; in contrast, knocking down HGF recovered their expression. These results indicate that miR-7 mediates the activity of HGF to suppress oncogenic proteins, which inhibits the development of normal cells, at least MCF-10A, into cancerous cells.
Quantification of sensitivity and resistance of breast cancer cell lines to anti-cancer drugs using GR metrics
Authors: Hafner Marc , Heiser Laura M. , Williams Elizabeth H. , Niepel Mario , Wang Nicholas J. , Korkola James E. , Gray Joe W. , Sorger Peter K. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractTraditional means for scoring the effects of anti-cancer drugs on the growth and survival of cell lines is based on relative cell number in drug-treated and control samples and is seriously confounded by unequal division rates arising from natural biological variation and differences in culture conditions. This problem can be overcome by computing drug sensitivity on a per-division basis. The normalized growth rate inhibition (GR) approach yields per-division metrics for drug potency (GR50) and efficacy (GRmax) that are analogous to the more familiar IC50 and Emax values. In this work, we report GR-based, proliferation-corrected, drug sensitivity metrics for ~4,700 pairs of breast cancer cell lines and perturbagens. Such data are broadly useful in understanding the molecular basis of therapeutic response and resistance. Here, we use them to investigate the relationship between different measures of drug sensitivity and conclude that drug potency and efficacy exhibit high variation that is only weakly correlated. To facilitate further use of these data, computed GR curves and metrics can be browsed interactively at http://www.GRbrowser.org/.
Insulin resistance and reduced metabolic flexibility: cause or consequence of NAFLD?
Authors: Gastaldelli Amalia 
Published: November 2017

Whether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) precedes insulin resistance (IR) or IR preludes/causes NAFLD has been long debated. Recent studies have shown that there are two phenotypes of NAFLD, ‘genetic’ vs ‘metabolic’ NAFLD. The former patients are more at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic liver disease the latter are more IR and at increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Even if they are not yet diabetics, from a metabolic point of view having NAFLD is equivalent to T2D with reduced peripheral glucose disposal and impaired suppression of hepatic glucose production, but without fasting hyperglycaemia. T2D develops only when hepatic autoregulation is lost and glucose production exceeds the capacity of muscle glucose disposal.
In NAFLD adipocytes are resistant to the effect of insulin, lipolysis is increased and excess plasma free fatty acids (FFA) are taken up by other organs (mainly liver) where they are stored as lipid droplets or oxidized. Increased adiposity is associated with worsen severity of both ‘genetic’ and ‘metabolic’ NAFLD. FFA oxidative metabolism is increased in NAFLD and not shifted towards glucose during insulin infusion. Although this reduced metabolic flexibility is an early predictor of T2D, it can be seen also as a protective mechanism against excess FFA.
In conclusion, IR precedes and causes ‘metabolic’ NAFLD, but not ‘genetic’ NAFLD. Reduced metabolic flexibility in NAFLD might be seen as a protective mechanism against FFA overflow, but together with IR remains a strong risk factor for T2D that develops with the worsening of hepatic regulation of glucose production.
Outcomes of Subfascial, Suprafascial, and Super-Thin Anterolateral Thigh Flaps: Tailoring Thickness without Added Morbidity
Authors: Diamond Shawn , Seth Akhil , Chattha Anmol , Iorio Mathew 
Published: November 2017

Background Subfascial anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap thickness can be problematic with regards to bulk, oral competence, shoe-fit, or as a potential source of recurrent wound breakdown. We have utilized distinct upper thigh fascial planes to fashion thin (suprafascial) or super-thin (periscarpal) ALT flaps to improve surface topography. We compared outcomes based on ALT flap thickness to determine any significant differences in extremity coverage and reconstruction.
Methods Analysis was completed on patients who consecutively underwent ALT free tissue transfer at a single institution from May 2012 to January 2017. Patient's operative, and postoperative characteristics were evaluated. Univariate analysis determined differences among matching as well as functional outcomes. A multivariable regression identified independent risk factors associated with patient, donor site, and flap complications.
Results Fifty-one patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 16 (31.4%) underwent traditional subfascial ALT flaps, and 35 (68.6%) underwent suprafascial (N = 23) or super-thin (N = 12) flaps. Thin flap patients were more likely to use tobacco (42.9% versus 6.3%; p < 0.01), have fewer perforators (1.20 ± 0.41 versus 1.64 ± 0.63; p < 0.009), and shorter mean operative times (425.9 ± 87.8 versus 511.9 ± 79.9; p < 0.002), but nearly identical flap sizes (163 cm2 versus 168 cm2). There were no significant differences in flap complications (18% versus 22%) or donor-site complications (6.3% versus 5.7%) between the thick and thin cohorts, respectively (p > 0.05). In subgroup analysis, diabetes mellitus was an independent risk factor for donor site morbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.23; p = 0.027) for all groups, whereas tobacco use and obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 30) failed to significantly alter outcomes independently.
Conclusions Tailoring ALT thickness can be performed safely without compromising flap outcomes or patient morbidity. Suprafascial and super-thin ALTs allowed for safe, precise solutions for tissue coverage.
Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Elective Hand Surgery
Authors: Vasconcelos Carolina , Serra Marta , Nogueira Rúben , Carmo Leonor 
Published: November 2017

Purpose Antibiotic prophylaxis decreases the rate of surgical site infection in a broad spectrum of surgical procedures. However, in patients undergoing elective hand surgery, there is evidence of lower efficacy, and its use might be related to the development of antimicrobial resistance. The side effects and higher health-related costs must also be taken into consideration. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis in these procedures.
Material and methods A retrospective study was conducted including all patients who underwent clean, elective hand surgery lasting less than 30 minutes from January 1st 2014 to December 31st 2015 at our hospital. The demographic and surgery-related data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, US) software, version 23.0.
Results A total of 346 patients matched the study's inclusion criteria. The infection rate was of 1%, and it was not influenced by gender, age or diabetes mellitus. Antibiotic prophylaxis was administered in 52% of the cases, and it had no effect on the decrease in the infection rate, even in the group of diabetic patients.
Conclusions Despite the inherent limitations of any retrospective study, our data analysis supports the fact that prophylactic antibiotic administration does not reduce the incidence of surgical site infection in clean, elective hand surgery that lasts less than 30 minutes, even in patients at risk.
Quality of Life before and after Endoscopic Pituitary Surgery as Measured by the Short-Form-36
Authors: Kuan Edward , Yoo Frederick , Chyu Jennifer , Oh Angela , Bergsneider Marvin , Wang Marilene 
Published: November 2017

Objectives/Hypotheses To assess quality of life (QOL) after transnasal, endoscopic pituitary surgery using the 36-item short form (SF-36) instrument.
Design Retrospective review was used for this study.
Setting The study was conducted in a tertiary academic medical center.
Participants Patients who underwent endoscopic, transnasal, transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas between January 1, 2007 and July 1, 2016 and completed preoperative and postoperative SF-36 surveys.
Main Outcome Measures SF-36 survey data as measured by its eight domains (physical functioning, physical role functioning, emotional role functioning, energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, social functioning, pain, and general health).
Results There were 18 preoperative, 13 short-term (2 weeks or less after surgery) postoperative, and 14 longer term (>2 weeks after surgery) postoperative surveys. There was no significant difference between preoperative and long-term postoperative SF-36 scores across domains (p > 0.05). In comparing short-term postoperative and preoperative scores, tumor size was positively associated with emotional well-being (p = 0.049) and general health scores (p = 0.031), while visual changes preoperatively were positively associated with general health scores (p = 0.046). Compared with standard U.S. general population summary data, these patients scored lower preoperatively in all domains except for emotional role functioning and pain (p < 0.05). Postoperatively, patients improved to baseline general population data scores with the exception of the physical role functioning domain (p < 0.0001).
Conclusion Patients undergoing endoscopic, transnasal, transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas had lower QOL in six of eight domains preoperatively, but improved to baseline values on the long run after surgery in seven of eight domains. This suggests that minimally invasive pituitary surgery has a restorative role in general QOL as measured by the SF-36.
The impact of high-end ultrasound in the management of a patient with neuroendocrine tumor of the ileum
Authors: Schmidt Tatjana , Schwarz Julia , Steurer Martina , Goetz Martin , Olthof Susann-Cathrin , Malek Nisar , Boozari Bita 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDiagnostic imaging of jejuno-ileal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has been described as challenging. Follow-up requires the detection of metastatic spread as well as screening for local recurrence. Multimodal imaging concepts must often be applied.We report the case of a 45-year-old man with a history of ileal NET. At 2 points in follow-up of our patient, information provided by high-end ultrasound changed prognosis and treatment considerably: when positron emission tomography/computed tomography newly detected suspected hepatic metastases, contrast-enhanced ultrasound correctly identified the lesions as intrahepatic vascular shunts. Moreover, profound B-mode ultrasound solely detected ileal recurrence, leading to early removal of the tumor.
Is integrated relaxation pressure a promising predictor of effectiveness of peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia?
Authors: Jin Hong , Zhao Wei , Zhang Lili , Zheng Zhongqing , Wang Tao , Wu Lanlan , Wang Bangmao 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
Background Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), first introduced in 2010, appears to be an effective therapy with few complications. This study aimed to find an optimal predictor of POEM outcome in achalasia.
Methods We retrospectively assessed 89 patients diagnosed with achalasia who underwent POEM in General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, from September 2012 to March 2015. Associations of Eckardt score with symptom duration, lower esophageal resting pressure, 4-second integrated relaxation pressure (4s-IRP), and maximum esophageal diameter were assessed before POEM. The most relevant data were progressively grouped to compare symptom improvement after POEM in 85 patients at 1 year follow-up.
Results The most significant correlation was found between 4s-IRP and Eckardt score (p < 0.01). The 85 achalasia patients (1-year follow-up after POEM) were divided into 3 groups according to 4s-IRP values; patients with mean 4s-IRP of 25 – 34 mmHg exhibited significantly greater improvement of clinical symptoms compared with the remaining 2 groups (p < 0.05). No significant postoperative difference was noted between types I and II in all patients according to Chicago classification criteria. The 40 patients with 4s-IRP of 25 – 34 mmHg were further divided into 2 subgroups; the 28 patients with type II achalasia responded better to POEM than the 12 with type I disease (p < 0.05).
Conclusions 4s-IRP, together with achalasia subtypes, may predict treatment outcome after POEM. Patients with type II achalasia and 4s-IRP of 25 – 34 mmHg may experience more satisfactory remission after POEM.