bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations between acylcarnitine to free carnitine ratio and adverse prognosis in heart failure patients with reduced or preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Yoshihisa Akiomi , Watanabe Shunsuke , Yokokawa Tetsuro , Misaka Tomofumi , Sato Takamasa , Suzuki Satoshi , Oikawa Masayoshi , Kobayashi Atsushi , Takeishi Yasuchika 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAimsThe failing heart is accompanied by disturbed energy metabolism with mitochondrial dysfunction. Carnitine transports fatty acids into mitochondria for β‐oxidation. Decreased myocardial carnitine levels accompanied by increased plasma carnitine levels in heart failure (HF) have been reported. The plasma acylcarnitine to free carnitine ratio (AC/FC) is recognized as a marker of carnitine deficiency. We aimed to investigate the impact of the AC/FC on HF prognosis, taking into consideration differences between HF patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and those with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).Methods and resultsConsecutive 168 HF patients were divided into three groups based on their AC/FC: first to third tertiles (n = 56, respectively). We followed up all patients for cardiac events including cardiac death and/or worsening HF. During the follow‐up period (1004 days), there were 23 cardiac deaths and 28 worsening HF. In the Kaplan–Meier analysis, the cardiac event rate of the third group was highest among the three groups (P = 0.022). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, AC/FC was a predictor of cardiac events (P = 0.007). When HFpEF (n = 79) and HFrEF (n = 89) were analysed separately, the cardiac event rate of the third group was highest with regard to HFpEF (P = 0.008), but not HFrEF (P = 0.321). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, AC/FC was a predictor of cardiac events with regard to HFpEF (P = 0.031), but not HFrEF (P = 0.095). Therefore, the impact of the AC/FC on cardiac events was different between HFpEF and HFrEF (P = 0.042 for interaction).ConclusionsThe AC/FC can identify high risk HF patients, especially in HFpEF.
GIS‐based multiregional potential evaluation and strategies selection framework for various renewable energy sources: a case study of eastern coastal regions of China
Authors: Sun Yanwei , Wang Run , Li Jialin , Liu Jian 
Published: June 2017

AbstractEvaluation of available potential and suitable alternative options for various renewable energy sources (RES) requires the explicit consideration of inter‐regional disparities and site‐specific conditions (e.g., environmental, socio‐economic, and resources features) for a larger scale region or country. This paper presents a novel multiregional analytical framework considering inter‐regional suitability difference and inter‐RES competitiveness at a given location in order to support efficient and sustainable RES spatial planning strategies. A GIS‐based multicriteria evaluation technique was used to identify the geospatial potential/appropriate sites for various RES through combination of satellite‐derived information, reanalysis data, ground measurements, and statistical data. The composite index (CI) considering location suitability and sustainability of renewable energy technology was then used to compare different RES options, and as a selection criteria to define suitable strategies for each specific region. A real case study concerning the China's eastern coastal 10 provinces of RES planning issue demonstrates the applicability of the proposed approach. The present results illustrate how to coordinate the competing relationships between inter‐regions and inter‐RES for a given location in the eastern coastal regions of China. This could provide useful insight into plan the long‐term RES developing paths and facilitate the determination of optimal energy mix for the other same type area.
Developing High Field MRI Contrast Agents by Tuning the Rotational Dynamics: Bisaqua GdAAZTA‐based Dendrimers
Authors: Tei Lorenzo , Gugliotta Giuseppe , Gambino Giuseppe , Fekete Marianna , Botta Mauro 
Published: June 2017

AbstractMonomeric and dimeric AAZTA‐based bifunctional chelators (AAZTA=6‐amino‐6‐methylperhydro‐1,4‐diazepine tetraacetic acid) were attached to different generations (G0, G1 and G2) of ethylenediamine‐cored PAMAM dendrimers (PAMAM=polyamidoamine) to obtain a series of six dendrimeric systems with 4 to 32 chelates at the periphery. These GdIII‐loaded dendrimers have molecular weight ranging from 3.5 to 25 kDa, thus allowing a systematic investigation on the changes in relaxivity (r1) with the variation of the rotational dynamics following the increase in molecular size. Variable‐temperature 17O NMR (on the dimeric building block Gd2L2) and 1H Nuclear Magnetic Relaxation Dispersion measurements at different temperatures indicate that the water exchange lifetime (τM∼90 ns) of the two inner sphere water molecules does not represent a limiting factor to the relaxivity of the systems. The r1 values at 1.5 T (60 MHz) and 298 K increases from 10.2 mM−1 s−1 for the monomer GdL1 to 31.4 mM−1 s−1 for the dendrimer Gd32G2‐32 (+308 %). However, the relaxivity (per Gd) does not show a linear dependence on the molecular mass, but rather the enhancement tends to attenuate markedly for larger systems. This effect has been attributed to the growing decrease in correlation between local rotational motions and global molecular tumbling.
Anal Sphincters Evaluation by Endoanal Ultrasound in Obstructed Defecation
Authors: Albuquerque Andreia , Macedo Guilherme 
Published: June 2017

ObjectivesTo evaluate anal sphincter abnormalities detected by endoanal ultrasound in obstructed defecation due to rectocele and rectal intussusception.MethodsThe retrospective analysis includes 45 patients with obstructed defecation syndrome due to rectocele and/or rectal intussusception with or without fecal incontinence, and submitted to endoanal ultrasound.ResultsNinety‐three percent (n = 42) were women (mean age of 63 ± 12 years), and 47% (n = 21) of the patients had fecal incontinence. In total, 29% (n = 13) had a previous anorectal surgery, and 93% (n = 39) of the women had a previous vaginal delivery. An isolated rectal intussusception was diagnosed in 20% (n = 9) of the patients, an isolated rectocele in 24% (n = 11), and rectal intussusception and rectocele in 56% (n = 25). Thirty‐six percent of patients had anal sphincter lacerations (n = 16): 12% (n = 2) had only internal laceration, 69% (n = 11) had only external laceration, and 19% (n = 3) had both. Two patients had a thinner internal anal sphincter with 0.9 and 1.2 mm, respectively. In total, 25% of the patients without fecal incontinence had an occult anal sphincter laceration, and all were women with an external sphincter laceration in the anterior quadrant and a previous vaginal delivery. In patients with obstructed defecation and fecal incontinence, 48% had sphincter lacerations. Previous anorectal surgery was a predictor of anal sphincter laceration (odds ratio [OR] 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.214–18.971; P = .025), but fecal incontinence (OR 2.7; 95% CI = 0.774–9.613; P = .119) and previous vaginal delivery (OR 1.250; 95% CI = 0.104–15.011; P = .860) were not.ConclusionsEndoanal ultrasound should be considered in obstructed defecation with or without fecal incontinence, especially if surgical correction is planned.
Artificial light at night decreases biomass and alters community composition of benthic primary producers in a sub‐alpine stream
Authors: Grubisic Maja , Singer Gabriel , Bruno M. Cristina , van Grunsven Roy H. A. , Manfrin Alessandro , Monaghan Michael T. , Hölker Franz 
Published: June 2017

AbstractArtificial light at night (ALAN) is recognized as a contributor to environmental change and a biodiversity threat on a global scale. Despite its widespread use and numerous potential ecological effects, few studies have investigated the impacts on aquatic ecosystems and primary producers. Light is a source of energy and information for benthic autotrophs that form the basis of food webs in clear, shallow waters. Artificial night‐time illumination may thus affect biomass and community composition of primary producers. We experimentally mimicked the light conditions of a light‐polluted area (approximately 20 lux, white LED) in streamside flumes on a sub‐alpine stream. We compared the biomass and community composition of periphyton grown under ALAN with periphyton grown under a natural light regime in two seasons using communities in early (up to 3 weeks) and later (4–6 weeks) developmental stages. In early periphyton, ALAN decreased the biomass of autotrophs in both spring (57% at 3 weeks) and autumn (43% at 2 weeks), decreased the proportion of cyanobacteria in spring (54%), and altered the proportion of diatoms in autumn (11% decrease at 2 weeks and 5% increase at 3 weeks). No effects of ALAN were observed for later periphyton. Further work is needed to test whether streams with frequent physical disturbances that reset the successional development of periphyton are more affected by ALAN than streams with more stable conditions. As periphyton is a fundamental component of stream ecosystems, the impact of ALAN might propagate to higher trophic levels and/or affect critical ecosystem functions.
Macroalgae may mitigate ocean acidification effects on mussel calcification by increasing pH and its fluctuations
Authors: Wahl M. , Schneider Covachã S. , Saderne V. , Hiebenthal C. , Müller J. D. , Pansch C. , Sawall Y. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractOcean acidification (OA) is generally assumed to negatively impact calcification rates of marine organisms. At a local scale however, biological activity of macrophytes may generate pH fluctuations with rates of change that are orders of magnitude larger than the long‐term trend predicted for the open ocean. These fluctuations may in turn impact benthic calcifiers in the vicinity. Combining laboratory, mesocosm and field studies, such interactions between OA, the brown alga Fucus vesiculosus, the sea grass Zostera marina and the blue mussel Mytilus edulis were investigated at spatial scales from decimetres to 100s of meters in the western Baltic. Macrophytes increased the overall mean pH of the habitat by up to 0.3 units relative to macrophyte‐free, but otherwise similar, habitats and imposed diurnal pH fluctuations with amplitudes ranging from 0.3 to more than 1 pH unit. These amplitudes and their impact on mussel calcification tended to increase with increasing macrophyte biomass to bulk water ratio. At the laboratory and mesocosm scales, biogenic pH fluctuations allowed mussels to maintain calcification even under acidified conditions by shifting most of their calcification activity into the daytime when biogenic fluctuations caused by macrophyte activity offered temporal refuge from OA stress. In natural habitats with a low biomass to water body ratio, the impact of biogenic pH fluctuations on mean calcification rates of M. edulis was less pronounced. Thus, in dense algae or seagrass habitats, macrophytes may mitigate OA impact on mussel calcification by raising mean pH and providing temporal refuge from acidification stress.
MicroRNA‐196 Regulates HOX Gene Expression in Human Gluteal Adipose Tissue
Authors: Divoux Adeline , Xie Hui , Li Jian‐Liang , Karastergiou Kalypso , Perera Ranjan J. , Chang R. Jeffrey , Fried Susan K. , Smith Steven R. 
Published: June 2017

ObjectiveLower body fat is associated with diminishing cardiometabolic risk. Physiological differences between gluteofemoral and abdominal subcutaneous adipocyte functions are known, but the molecular basis for depot differences in adipocyte function is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to identify depot differences in microRNA (miRNA) expression in human abdominal and gluteofemoral subcutaneous adipose tissues and their implication in gene regulation.MethodsAbdominal and gluteofemoral adipose tissue aspirates obtained from 18 participants (9 male and 9 female, age 30 ± 1.5 y, BMI 27.3 ± 1.23 kg/m2) were analyzed for miRNA expression profiles by next‐generation DNA sequencing. The raw reads were mapped to miRBase 17, and differentially expressed miRNAs were confirmed by qRT‐PCR. The hsa‐mimic‐miR196a was transfected into cultured abdominal preadipocytes isolated from five women with obesity. Target gene expression was evaluated by RT‐qPCR.ResultsAmong the 640 miRNAs detected in adipose tissue, miR196a2, miR196a1, miR196b, and miR204 showed a higher expression in the gluteofemoral depot (fold change = 2.7, 2.3, 1.7, and 2.3, respectively) independent of sex. Bioinformatic analyses and human primary preadipocyte transfection with miR196 suggested that the differentially expressed miRNAs could directly or indirectly modulate homeobox (HOX) gene expression.ConclusionsThe miR196 gene family could play an important role in the regulation of HOX gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue and in fat distribution variation.
Spherical Microstructures of Lu2O3:Ln3+ (Ln=Tm, Dy, Tb, Eu): Rapid Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis, Energy Transfer, and Multicolor Emission
Authors: Wang Yuexin , Liu Wei , Song Yanhua , Li Yi , Zhou Xiuqing , Sheng Ye , Zheng Keyan , Zou Haifeng 
Published: June 2017

AbstractLu2O3:Ln3+ (Ln=Tm, Dy, Tb, Eu) microspheres have been synthesized via a rapid microwave route followed by annealing process. Diverse morphologies of samples can be easily realized by changing the volume ratio of H2O/EtOH. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Under the excitation of UV light, Lu2O3:Ln3+ exhibited the characteristic transitions of Ln3+, and green (Tb3+), blue (Tm3+), red (Eu3+), yellow (Dy3+) light can be obtained. Under 360 nm irradiation (1D2‐3F4 transition of Tm3+), both characteristic transitions of Tm3+ and Dy3+ can be observed in Lu2O3:1%Tm3+,x%Dy3+ samples. Furthermore, the critical distance between Tm3+ and Dy3+ was calculated, and the energy transfer process from Tm3+ to Dy3+ was dipole‐dipole interaction. This synthetic method may be useful for preparing other inorganic materials with multi‐color emitting.
Amino acid synthesis deficiencies
Authors: de Koning T. J. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractIn recent years the number of disorders known to affect amino acid synthesis has grown rapidly. Nor is it just the number of disorders that has increased: the associated clinical phenotypes have also expanded spectacularly, primarily due to the advances of next generation sequencing diagnostics. In contrast to the “classical” inborn errors of metabolism in catabolic pathways, in which elevated levels of metabolites are easily detected in body fluids, synthesis defects present with low values of metabolites or, confusingly, even completely normal levels of amino acids. This makes the biochemical diagnosis of this relatively new group of metabolic diseases challenging. Defects in the synthesis pathways of serine metabolism, glutamine, proline and, recently, asparagine have all been reported. Although these amino acid synthesis defects are in unrelated metabolic pathways, they do share many clinical features. In children the central nervous system is primarily affected, giving rise to (congenital) microcephaly, early onset seizures and varying degrees of mental disability. The brain abnormalities are accompanied by skin disorders such as cutis laxa in defects of proline synthesis, collodion‐like skin and ichthyosis in serine deficiency, and necrolytic erythema in glutamine deficiency. Hypomyelination with accompanying loss of brain volume and gyration defects can be observed on brain MRI in all synthesis disorders. In adults with defects in serine or proline synthesis, spastic paraplegia and several forms of polyneuropathy with or without intellectual disability appear to be the major symptoms in these late‐presenting forms of amino acid disorders. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the disorders in amino acid synthesis.
Grain Refinement and Improvement of Solidification Defects in Direct-Chill Cast Billets of A4032 Alloy by Melt Conditioning
Authors: Li Hu-Tian , Zhao Pizhi , Yang Rongdong , Patel Jayesh B. , Chen Xiangfu , Fan Zhongyun 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Melt-conditioned, direct-chill (MC-DC) casting is an emerging technology to manipulate the solidification process by melt conditioning via intensive shearing in the sump during DC casting to tailor the solidification microstructure and defect formation. When using MC-DC casting technology in an industrial scale DC cast billet of an A4032 aluminum alloy, significant grain refinement and uniform microstructure can be achieved in the primary α-Al phase with fine secondary dendritic arm spacing (SDAS). Improved macrosegregation is quantitatively characterized and correlated with the suppression of channel segregation. The mechanisms for the prevention of channel segregation are attributed to the increased local cooling rate in the liquid–solid phase region in the sump and the formation of fine equiaxed dendritic grains under intensive melt shearing during MC-DC casting. A critical cooling rate has been identified to be around 0.5 to 1 K/s (°C/s) for the channel segregation to happen in the investigated alloy based on quantitative metallographic results of SDAS. Reduction and refinement of microporosity is attributed to the improved permeability in the liquid–solid phase region estimated by the Kozeny–Carman relationship. The potential improvement in the mechanical properties achievable in MC-DC cast billets is indicated by the finer and more uniform forging streamline in the forgings of MC-DC cast billet.
Limit theorems for some branching measure-valued processes
Authors: Cloez Bertrand 
Published: June 2017

AbstractWe consider a particle system in continuous time, a discrete population, with spatial motion, and nonlocal branching. The offspring's positions and their number may depend on the mother's position. Our setting captures, for instance, the processes indexed by a Galton–Watson tree. Using a size-biased auxiliary process for the empirical measure, we determine the asymptotic behaviour of the particle system. We also obtain a large population approximation as a weak solution of a growth-fragmentation equation. Several examples illustrate our results. The main one describes the behaviour of a mitosis model; the population is size structured. In this example, the sizes of the cells grow linearly and if a cell dies then it divides into two descendants.
Robust scheduling for flexible processing networks
Authors: Pedarsani Ramtin , Walrand Jean , Zhong Yuan 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
Modern processing networks often consist of heterogeneous servers with widely varying capabilities, and process job flows with complex structure and requirements. A major challenge in designing efficient scheduling policies in these networks is the lack of reliable estimates of system parameters, and an attractive approach for addressing this challenge is to design robust policies, i.e. policies that do not use system parameters such as arrival and/or service rates for making scheduling decisions. In this paper we propose a general framework for the design of robust policies. The main technical novelty is the use of a stochastic gradient projection method that reacts to queue-length changes in order to find a balanced allocation of service resources to incoming tasks. We illustrate our approach on two broad classes of processing systems, namely the flexible fork-join networks and the flexible queueing networks, and prove the rate stability of our proposed policies for these networks under nonrestrictive assumptions.
A PPARγ transcriptional cascade directs adipose progenitor cell-niche interaction and niche expansion
Authors: Jiang Yuwei , Berry Daniel C. , Jo Ayoung , Tang Wei , Arpke Robert W. , Kyba Michael , Graff Jonathan M. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAdipose progenitor cells (APCs) reside in a vascular niche, located within the perivascular compartment of adipose tissue blood vessels. Yet, the signals and mechanisms that govern adipose vascular niche formation and APC niche interaction are unknown. Here we show that the assembly and maintenance of the adipose vascular niche is controlled by PPARγ acting within APCs. PPARγ triggers a molecular hierarchy that induces vascular sprouting, APC vessel niche affinity and APC vessel occupancy. Mechanistically, PPARγ transcriptionally activates PDGFRβ and VEGF. APC expression and activation of PDGFRβ promotes the recruitment and retention of APCs to the niche. Pharmacologically, targeting PDGFRβ disrupts APC niche contact thus blocking adipose tissue expansion. Moreover, enhanced APC expression of VEGF stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and expands the adipose niche. Consequently, APC niche communication and retention are boosted by VEGF thereby impairing adipogenesis. Our data indicate that APCs direct adipose tissue niche expansion via a PPARγ-initiated PDGFRβ and VEGF transcriptional axis.
XBP1-FoxO1 interaction regulates ER stress-induced autophagy in auditory cells
Authors: Kishino Akihiro , Hayashi Ken , Hidai Chiaki , Masuda Takeshi , Nomura Yasuyuki , Oshima Takeshi 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship among X-box-binding protein 1 unspliced, spliced (XBP1u, s), Forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) and autophagy in the auditory cells under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In addition, the relationship between ER stress that causes unfolded protein response (UPR) and autophagy was also investigated. The present study reported ER stress induction by tunicamycin treatment that resulted in IRE1α-mediated XBP1 mRNA splicing and autophagy. XBP1 mRNA splicing and FoxO1 were found to be involved in ER stress-induced autophagy. This inference was based on the observation that the expression of LC3-II was suppressed by knockdown of IRE1α, XBP1 or FoxO1. In addition, XBP1u was found to interact with XBP1s in auditory cells under ER stress, functioning as a negative feedback regulator that was based on two important findings. Firstly, there was a significant inverse correlation between XBP1u and XBP1s expressions, and secondly, the expression of XBP1 protein showed different dynamics compared to the XBP1 mRNA level. Furthermore, our results regarding the relationship between XBP1 and FoxO1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) paradoxically showed negative regulation of FoxO1 expression by XBP1. Our findings revealed that the XBP1-FoxO1 interaction regulated the ER stress-induced autophagy in auditory cells.
The Hippo pathway acts downstream of the Hedgehog signaling to regulate follicle stem cell maintenance in the Drosophila ovary
Authors: Hsu Ta-Hsing , Yang Chia-Yu , Yeh Tsung-Han , Huang Yi-Chia , Wang Tsu-Wei , Yu Jenn-Yah 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe Hippo pathway is conserved and plays important roles in organ size control. The core components of the Hippo pathway are two kinases Hippo (Hpo), Warts (Wts), and a transcription-co-activator Yorkie (Yki). Yki activity is regulated by phosphorylation, which affects its nuclear localization and stability. To determine the role of the Hippo pathway in stem cells, we examine follicle stem cells (FSCs) in the Drosophila ovary. Yki is detected in the nucleus of FSCs. Knockdown of yki in the follicle cell lineage leads to a disruption of the follicular epithelium. Mitotic clones of FSCs mutant for hpo or wts are maintained in the niche and tend to replace the other FSCs, and FSCs mutant for yki are rapidly lost, demonstrating that the Hippo pathway is both required and sufficient for FSC maintenance. Using genetic interaction analyses, we demonstrate that the Hedgehog pathway acts upstream of the Hippo pathway in regulating FSC maintenance. The nuclear localization of Yki is enhanced when the Hedgehog signaling is activated. Furthermore, a constitutively active but not a wild-type Yki promotes FSC maintenance as activation of the Hedgehog signaling does, suggesting that the Hedgehog pathway regulates Yki through a post-translational mechanism in maintaining FSCs.