bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transient hyperphosphatasemia after pediatric liver transplantation
Authors: Yoshimaru Koichiro , Matsuura Toshiharu , Hayashida Makoto , Kinoshita Yoshiaki , Takahashi Yoshiaki , Yanagi Yusuke , Esumi Genshiro , Taguchi Tomoaki 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundTransient hyperphosphatasemia (TH), the incidence of which in healthy children is 1.5–2.8%, is associated with a temporary elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) without any other liver function test (LFT) abnormalities. Fast α2 band, detected on agarose gel electrophoresis, is known to be a highly sensitive phenomenon in TH. The aim of this study was to elucidate the characteristics of TH after liver transplantation (LT).MethodsFive TH patients (6.0%) out of 83 who underwent LT between October 1996 and October 2014, were included in this study. Patient background, duration of TH, peak ALP, time course of ALP and its isoenzyme in TH, other LFT, and imaging results were retrospectively investigated.ResultsMedian patient age at the time of peak ALP during TH was 24 months (range, 16–98 months). Mean duration of TH was 111.0 ± 48.0 days. At 6887 IU/L, median ALP was elevated without any other LFT abnormalities. The first α2 band was detected in all patients, and the band disappeared at the same phase of ALP normalization. All of the patients improved without any treatment. The prevalence of TH was significantly higher in the patients after LT than in age‐matched healthy children (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe detection of fast α2 band in the early phase allows for effective diagnosis of TH after LT, and 3–4 month follow up without treatment is feasible.
Nutrition, sex and season contribute to variation in fat and glycerol levels in the long‐lived moth Caloptilia fraxinella
Authors: Andrea Sean J. , Mori Boyd A. , Evenden Maya L. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe ash leaf cone roller Caloptilia fraxinella Ely (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is an invasive leaf‐mining moth pest of horticultural ash Fraxinus spp. in the Canadian Prairie Provinces. Caloptilia fraxinella overwinter as adults in reproductive diapause and mating occurs after overwintering in the spring. The effect of a carbohydrate food source on fat and glycerol reserves throughout the long adult life stage of this moth is investigated. Insects collected as pupae are given access to either water or sugar water upon adult eclosion. Moths held under the different feeding regimes are sampled before (summer and autumn) and after overwintering in the spring. Analysis of either glycerol or lipid content is conducted for male and female moths from each collection period. Both moth weight and glycerol concentration are affected by moth sex, food regime and season of collection. Although female moths are heavier than males, a higher glycerol concentration occurs in males. Moths fed sugar are heavier and have a higher glycerol concentration than water‐fed moths late in reproductive diapause and after overwintering. Moths collected in the spring after overwintering are lighter and have a lower glycerol content than moths collected before winter. There is a significant influence of feeding regime and season on moth body lipid content, with sugar‐fed moths having more fat than water‐fed moths; however, this difference is smaller in the summer than the autumn or spring. An initial understanding of the overwintering biology and diapause of this pest is provided in the present study.
Ability of the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) to compensate for visual deprivation during the final pre‐adult and adult stages
Authors: Kral Karl 
Published: January 2016

AbstractIn the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria Forsskål), vision is a seemingly indispensable prerequisite for many behaviour patterns. The question arises as to whether and to what extent other senses can compensate for the loss of vision, and whether this can take place in the adult stage. To answer this question, both of the compound eyes of nymphs in the final pre‐adult stage are blinded (but not the ocelli), resulting in permanent visual deprivation during adult life. The results are somewhat unexpected: under laboratory conditions, in comparison with sighted controls, the blinded locusts do not exhibit any noticeable change in overall agility relative to daily activity, nor any detriment in terms of the final moult, reproductive rate or longevity. In their search for a specific food source in an experimental arena with a narrow passage between the compartment where the animals are released and the compartment containing food, in the first trial, visually deprived females need significantly more time than the sighted controls. However with an increasing number of trials, each performed after 1 day of food deprivation, the food finding latency of blinded locusts (S. gregaria) approaches or even surpasses that of normally sighted locusts. The blinded locusts use their antennae, mouthparts and tarsi more extensively, suggesting a more frequent use of tactile and chemical cues, which they gradually learn to use more efficiently. The results indicate that pre‐adult and adult S. gregaria can respond to abrupt, permanent changes in their sensory inputs, and have a significant capacity for adaptation.
Stereoselective Self‐Aggregation of 31‐Epimerically Pure Amino Analogs of Zinc Bacteriochlorophyll‐d in an Aqueous Micelle Solution
Authors: Watanabe Hiroaki , Mizoguchi Tadashi , Tamiaki Hitoshi 
Published: January 2016

AbstractZinc bacteriochlorophyll‐d analogs possessing an amino group instead of the original hydroxy group at the C31 position were prepared by chemical modification of naturally occurring chlorophyll‐a. The synthetic 31‐epimers were successfully separated by reverse phase HPLC to give diastereomerically pure samples. The stereochemistry of the chiral C31‐center in the separated amines was determined by NMR analysis of their diastereomeric amides as well as by their asymmetric synthesis from authentic stereoisomers. Both the epimers were monomeric in tetrahydrofuran to give sharp electronic absorption bands, while they self‐aggregated to form chlorosomal oligomers with the redshifted bands in an aqueous Triton X‐100 micelle solution (pH = 6.9). The resulting oligomers deaggregated by addition of p‐toluenesulfonic acid to give monomeric N‐protonated ammonium species. The aggregation and deaggregation were dependent on the 31‐stereochemistry, indicating that each epimer produced supramolecularly different self‐aggregates.
The Triplet State of 6‐thio‐2′‐deoxyguanosine: Intrinsic Properties and Reactivity Toward Molecular Oxygen
Authors: Pollum Marvin , Ortiz‐Rodríguez Luis A. , Jockusch Steffen , Crespo‐Hernández Carlos E. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThiopurine prodrugs are currently among the leading treatment options for leukemia, immunosuppression, and arthritis. Patients undergoing long‐term thiopurine treatment are at a higher risk of developing sunlight‐induced skin cancers than the general population. This side effect originates from the cellular metabolization of thiopurine prodrugs to form 6‐thio‐2′‐deoxyguanosine, which can absorb UVA radiation, populating its reactive triplet state and leading to oxidatively generated damage. However, the photo‐oxidation mechanism is not fully understood. In this contribution, the oxidation potential and the adiabatic triplet energy of 6‐thio‐2′‐deoxyguanosine are estimated computationally, whereas the intrinsic rate of triple‐state decay and the rate constant for triplet quenching by molecular oxygen are determined using time‐resolved spectroscopic techniques. A singlet oxygen quantum yield of 0.24 ± 0.02 is measured in aqueous solution (0.29 ± 0.02 in acetonitrile). Its magnitude correlates with the relatively low percentage of triplet‐O2 collision events that generate singlet oxygen (SΔ = 37%). This behavior is rationalized as being due to the exergonic driving force for electron transfer between the triplet state of 6‐thio‐2′‐deoxyguanosine and molecular oxygen (ΔGET = −69.7 kJ mol−1), resulting in the formation of a charge‐transfer complex that favors nonradiative decay to the ground state over triplet energy transfer.
The Involvement of Splicing Factor hnRNP A1 in UVB‐induced Alternative Splicing of hdm2
Authors: Feng Jianguo , Li Li , Tong Lingying , Tang Liling , Wu Shiyong 
Published: January 2016

AbstractHuman homolog double minute 2 (hdm2), an oncoprotein, which binds to tumor suppressor p53 to facilitate its degradation, has been known to contribute to tumorigenesis. Its splicing variants are reported to be highly expressed in many cancers and can be induced by ultraviolet B light (UVB). However, the mechanisms of how UVB radiation induces hdm2 alternative splicing still remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the roles of two common splicing factors, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNP) A1 and serine/arginine‐rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1), in regulating UVB‐induced hdm2 splicing. Our study indicated that while the expression of both hnRNP A1 and SRSF1 are induced, only hnRNP A1 is involved in hdm2 alternative splicing upon UVB irradiation. Overexpression of hnRNP A1 resulted in decrease of full‐length hdm2 (hdm2‐FL) and increase of hdm2B, one of hdm2 alternate‐splicing forms; while down‐regulated hnRNP A1 expression led to the decrease of the hdm2‐FL and hdm2B in HaCaT cells. Protein‐mRNA binding assay confirmed that UVB irradiation could increase the binding of hnRNP A1 to hdm2 pre‐mRNA. In conclusion, we elucidated that UVB induces alternative splicing of hdm2 by increasing the expression and the binding of hnRNP A1 to hdm2 full‐length mRNA.
Factors related to dementia patients' length of day‐care clinic attendance
Authors: Ono Toshiyuki , Tamai Akira , Takeuchi Daisuke , Tamai Yuzuru , Hasegawa Yuka 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundIn our previous study, we reported that patients using a day‐care clinic for less than 1 year were older than those who continued day‐care activities for more than 1 year. We found that dementia symptoms, as assessed by caregivers using the initial Assessment Scale for Symptoms of Dementia score, influenced the length of day‐care clinic attendance (LDC). However, these results were obtained by univariate analysis. In this study, we investigated the factors that influenced LDC using multivariate analysis.MethodsWe studied data from 457 patients with dementia who attended our day‐care clinic for dementia patients from 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2012 and continued intervention until 31 March 2013. We evaluated the factors that influenced LDC using Cox's proportional hazards model for each sex.ResultsKaplan–Meier analysis showed a gender difference in LDC. The median LDC was 18 months (interquartile range: 3–37 months) for men and 21 months (interquartile range: 5–53 months) for women (P = 0.027). In model 1, the low initial Assessment Scale for Symptoms of Dementia score for each sex and high initial scores for Hasegawa's Dementia Scale‐Revised and Nishimura's activity of daily living scale in women were related to the long‐term use of day care. Model 2 indicated that a low final score for Nishimura's activity of daily living scale increased LDC for each sex. LDC was not affected by variables related to the caregiving system except for the number of cohabitants in men.ConclusionsIt was suggested that patients with high cognitive and physical functions attend the day‐care clinic for a long time. It was necessary to control the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia for those using day care in the long term. However, patients with low physical function at the end of day‐care attendance may also attend our day‐care service in the long term if they receive favourable assistance.
Disturbed social recognition and impaired risk judgement in older residents with mild cognitive impairment after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011: the Tome Project
Authors: Akanuma Kyoko , Nakamura Kei , Meguro Kenichi , Chiba Masanori , Gutiérrez Ubeda Sergio Ramón , Kumai Keiichi , Kato Yuka , Oonuma Jiro , Kasai Mari , Nakatsuka Masahiro , Seki Takashi , Tomita Hiroaki ,   The Tome Project Members
Published: January 2016

AbstractAimAfter the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, we investigated the safety of residents in the affected communities. Most of the people requiring help were elderly and had previously been assessed as Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5 (i.e. as having mild cognitive impairment (MCI)). We examined how well they understood the television news and whether they could make appropriate decisions.MethodsThis community‐based study of dementia and difficulties following a disaster started in Tome, northern Japan. The subjects were 188 randomly selected older residents who underwent CDR, blood tests, magnetic resonance imaging, and cognitive tests, including an original visual risk cognition task. They were shown NHK news broadcasts from the day of the earthquake to determine whether they could understand the content.ResultsNeither the CDR 0 (healthy) nor the CDR 0.5 (MCI) subjects fully understood the television news. Some subjects did not recognize the danger of aftershocks and engaged in risky behaviour. CDR 0.5 subjects who exhibited such behaviour scored lower on the visual risk cognition task.ConclusionsIt is noteworthy that television news is difficult to understand, even for healthy older adults. We found that MCI subjects had particular difficulties due to the disaster and suggest that risk cognition could be evaluated using visually presented materials.
Attention‐dependent sound offset‐related brain potentials
Authors: Horváth János 
Published: January 2016

AbstractWhen performing sensory tasks, knowing the potentially occurring goal‐relevant and irrelevant stimulus events allows the establishment of selective attention sets, which result in enhanced sensory processing of goal‐relevant events. In the auditory modality, such enhancements are reflected in the increased amplitude of the N1 ERP elicited by the onsets of task‐relevant sounds. It has been recently suggested that ERPs to task‐relevant sound offsets are similarly enhanced in a tone‐focused state in comparison to a distracted one. The goal of the present study was to explore the influence of attention on ERPs elicited by sound offsets. ERPs elicited by tones in a duration‐discrimination task were compared to ERPs elicited by the same tones in not‐tone‐focused attentional setting. Tone offsets elicited a consistent, attention‐dependent biphasic (positive‐negative—P1‐N1) ERP waveform for tone durations ranging from 150 to 450 ms. The evidence, however, did not support the notion that the offset‐related ERPs reflected an offset‐specific attention set: The offset‐related ERPs elicited in a duration‐discrimination condition (in which offsets were task relevant) did not significantly differ from those elicited in a pitch‐discrimination condition (in which the offsets were task irrelevant). Although an N2 reflecting the processing of offsets in task‐related terms contributed to the observed waveform, this contribution was separable from the offset‐related P1 and N1. The results demonstrate that when tones are attended, offset‐related ERPs may substantially overlap endogenous ERP activity in the postoffset interval irrespective of tone duration, and attention differences may cause ERP differences in such postoffset intervals.
Functional Assessment in End‐Stage Renal Disease: Enhancing Quality of Life
Authors: Saby Adam , Miller Lawrence S. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractWhy do functional assessments in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) matter? Multiple studies show that new dialysis patients undergo a substantial decline among activities of daily living. Moreover, poor functional status in ESRD patients is associated with early morality. That is why CMS has developed new criteria to assess ESRD patients in regards to their functional, psychologic, and cognitive capabilities. Functional assessments by health providers have been used in field of Rehabilitation Medicine for over 50 years; rehabilitation physicians have found them effective in establishing goals and monitoring improvement. Assessments can provide guidance by identifying the needs and types of intervention most suited for patients. Impairments can be addressed with referrals to physical therapy for gross motor issues, occupational therapy for self‐care problems, psychiatry for mental disorders, and neurology for cognitive deficits. The more accurate the assessments over time, the more targeted and effective the therapies become. We believe that the new CMS goals to assess functionality will improve ESRD patient's quality of life, longevity, and long‐term healthcare costs.
How Can We Improve the Quality of Life of Dialysis Patients?
Authors: Mitema Donald , Jaar Bernard G. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractAs medical advances are made in the care of persons with chronic illnesses including those with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD), patients are not only experiencing increasing life expectancy but also bearing the burden of illness and treatment for a longer duration of time. With this in mind, it is increasingly important for health care providers to pay close attention to their individual patient's perceptions of their health, fitness, life satisfaction, and well‐being. This assessment of Health‐Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) also includes an evaluation of the patient's level of satisfaction with treatment, outcome, and health status, also taking into account their perspective on future prospects. In addition to improving patient–provider communication by helping in the identification and prioritization of problems, it is important to note that high HRQOL has been shown to be associated with better medical outcomes, including reduction in hospitalizations and death. In this review, we outline several validated tools that are used to quantitatively measure HRQOL in the ESRD population and incorporate these instruments in a review of specific, evidence‐based measures by which we can measurably improve health‐related quality of life in dialysis patients.
Paired comparison of methylene blue‐ and amotosalen‐treated plasma and cryoprecipitate
Authors: Backholer L. , Wiltshire M. , Proffitt S. , Cookson P. , Cardigan R. 
Published: January 2016

Background and objectivesCryoprecipitate is used in the treatment of patients with acquired hypofibrinogenaemia. Studies have not directly compared cryoprecipitate produced following pathogen inactivation (PI) of fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP) using different systems. The effects of methylene blue (MB) and amotosalen (AS) PI systems on the quality of FFP and cryoprecipitate were investigated in a paired study.Materials and MethodsSeven group A and 7 group O pools of plasma were prepared and split into individual units and rapidly frozen to produce FFP. Units of FFP were thawed and either PI treated with MB or amotosalen, or left untreated (control). Samples of FFP along with the corresponding cryoprecipitate were tested for a range of coagulation factors, thrombin generation (TGT) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM).ResultsAS‐FFP showed a smaller decrease following treatment for most coagulation factors analysed than MB‐FFP, except fibrinogen (antigen) and factor VII, partly due to lower volume losses. There was no significant difference between treatment methods for fibrinogen content of cryoprecipitate with treated units meeting current UK specification, or TGT and ROTEM parameters studied.ConclusionsMB‐cryo contained a significantly higher content of FVIII and lower content of FXIII when compared to AS‐cryo, with no difference in fibrinogen activity.
Idiopathic Canine Laryngeal Paralysis as One Sign of a Diffuse Polyneuropathy: An Observational Study of 90 Cases (2007–2013)
Authors: Bookbinder Lauren C. , Flanders James , Bookbinder Paul F. , Harvey H. Jay , Barry Jay S. , Cheetham Jon 
Published: January 2016

ObjectiveTo determine survival and incidence of complications in dogs with idiopathic laryngeal paralysis (ILP) and concurrent neurologic signs.Study DesignObservational study.AnimalsDogs (n = 90) with ILP.MethodsMedical records (January 2007–June 2013) of dogs with ILP were reviewed. Neurologic comorbidities, including pelvic limb neurologic abnormalities and esophageal abnormalities were identified. Using medical record information and client interviews, the relationship between these comorbidities and postoperative survival (primary outcome measure) and postoperative complications (secondary outcome measure) was identified.ResultsDogs that had surgical correction of ILP had a 2.6‐fold reduction in the hazard of death throughout the study period (HR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.34–4.84,P = .006). Owner assessed patient quality of life (10‐point scale) increased by an average of 4.1 ± 1.4 units immediately postoperatively, and 4.9 ± 0.9 units until death or followup compared with preoperative values. Thirty‐five of 72 dogs available for followup had evidence of diffuse neurologic comorbidities. Overall complication rate for dogs with neurologic comorbidities was 74%, compared with 32% for dogs without neurologic comorbidities. Presence of any neurologic comorbidity was associated with a significantly greater odds of any complication (OR = 4.04; 95% CI: 1.25–13.90,P = .019) as well as recurring complications (OR = 8.00; 95% CI: 1.49–54.38;P = .015).ConclusionSurgical correction of ILP was positively associated with survival, and dogs with neurologic comorbidities were at greater risk for developing postoperative complications.
Analysis of Strain Sensor Cable Models and Effective Deployments for Distributed Fiber Optical Geotechnical Monitoring System
Authors: DuToit Dana , Ryan Kent , Rice John , Bay James , Ravet Fabien 
Published: January 2016

Long range, distributed fiber optic sensing systems have been an available tool for more than a decade to monitor pipeline subsidence integrity challenges. Effective deployment scenarios are an important decision to be factored into the selection of this monitoring equipment and typologies relative to specific project needs. In an effort to analyze the effectiveness of various fiber optic deployment conditions, a controlled field experiment was conducted. Within this field experiment, a variety of distributed fiber optic sensors and point sensors were deployed in predefined positions. These positions relative to the pipeline were selected to support a range of deployment needs including new construction or retrofitting of existing pipelines. A 16-inch diameter by 60-meter long epoxy coated pipeline that was capable of being pressurized to mimic operating conditions was utilized. This test pipe was installed in a typical trench setting. Conventional point gauges were installed at key locations on the pipeline. Fiber optic sensor cables were installed at key locations providing 14 alternative scenarios in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, and cost.
After construction of the test pipeline, real time continuous monitoring via the array of conventional and fiber optic sensors commenced. A deep trench was excavated adjacent and parallel to the central portion of the pipeline which began to induce subsidence in the test pipeline. Continued monitoring of the various sensors produced real time visualization of the evolving subsidence. A comparison of the reaction of the sensors is compiled to provide an intelligent selection criteria for integrity managers in terms of accuracy, deployment, and costs for pipeline subsidence monitoring projects. In addition, further analysis of this sensor data should provide more insight into pipeline/soil interaction models and behaviors.