bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Restorative effects of Chrysin pretreatment on oxidant–antioxidant status, inflammatory cytokine production, and apoptotic and autophagic markers in acute paracetamol‐induced hepatotoxicity in rats: An experimental and biochemical study
Authors: Eldutar Eyup , Kandemir Fatih Mehmet , Kucukler Sefa , Caglayan Cuneyt 
Published: July 2017

AbstractParacetamol (PC) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug, but it leads to acute hepatotoxicity at high doses intakes. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of Chrysin (CR) on hepatotoxicity constituted at high doses of PC in rats. Rats were subjected to oral pretreatment of CR (25 and 50 mg/kg b.w.) via feeding needle for 6 days against hepatotoxicity induced by a single dose of PC (500 mg/kg b.w.) administered orally via feeding needles. Although PC increases lipid peroxidation and liver enzyme activities, it has led to reduction of antioxidant enzyme activities. PC induced inflammatory responses by increasing the levels of TNF‐α and IL‐1β. Furthermore, PC caused apoptosis and autophagy by increasing activity of Caspase‐3 and LC3B level. On the other hand, CR therapy significantly regulated these values in rats. This study demonstrated that CR possesses restorative effect against PC‐induced hepatotoxicity by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptotic and autophagic tissue damage.
Eribulin regresses a doxorubicin‐resistant Ewing's sarcoma with a FUS‐ERG fusion and CDKN2A‐deletion in a patient‐derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse model
Authors: Miyake Kentaro , Murakami Takashi , Kiyuna Tasuku , Igarashi Kentaro , Kawaguchi Kei , Li Yunfeng , Singh Arun S. , Dry Sarah M. , Eckardt Mark A. , Hiroshima Yukihiko , Momiyama Masashi , Matsuyama Ryusei , Chishima Takashi , Endo Itaru , Eilber Fritz C. , Hoffman Robert M. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractEwing's sarcoma is a recalcitrant tumor greatly in need of more effective therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of eribulin on a doxorubicin (DOX)‐resistant Ewing's sarcoma patient derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model. The Ewing's sarcoma PDOX model was previously established in the right chest wall of nude mice from tumor resected form the patient's right chest wall. In the previous study, the Ewing's sarcoma PDOX was resistant to doxorubicin (DOX) and sensitive to palbociclib and linsitinib. In the present study, the PDOX models were randomized into three groups when the tumor volume reached 60 mm3: G1, untreated control (n = 6); G2, DOX treated (n = 6), intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, weekly, for 2 weeks); G3, Eribulin treated (n = 6, intravenous (i.v.) injection, weekly for 2 weeks). All mice were sacrificed on day 15. Changes in body weight and tumor volume were assessed two times per week. Tumor weight was measured after sacrifice. DOX did not suppress tumor growth compared to the control group (P = 0.589), consistent with the previous results in the patient and PDOX. Eribulin regressed tumor size significantly compared to G1 and G2 (P = 0.006, P = 0.017) respectively. No significant difference was observed in body weight among any group. Our results demonstrate that eribulin is a promising novel therapeutic agent for Ewing's sarcoma.
Toxicity of chemotherapy regimens in advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer therapy: A network meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Fang , Huang Wen‐Feng , Nie Jian , Zhou Yong , Tan Ding‐Wu , Jiang Ji‐Hao 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis network meta‐analysis is adopted in order to compare the toxicity of different chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about different chemotherapy regimens for advanced/metastatic PC were included in this network meta‐analysis using Cochrane Library and PubMed electronic databases. The network meta‐analysis was performed to combine direct and indirect evidence in order to calculate the odd ratios (OR) and draw a surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve. A total of 19 RCTs were enrolled in this network meta‐analysis including 12 chemotherapy regimens (Gemcitabine, Gemcitabine + S‐1 [tegafur], Gemcitabine + nab‐paclitaxel, Gemcitabine + Capecitabine, Gemcitabine + Cisplatin, FOLFIRINOX [oxaliplatin + irinotecan + fluorouracil + leucovorin], Gemcitabine + oxaliplatin, Gemcitabine + irinotecan, Gemcitabine + Exatecan, Gemcitabine + pemetrexed, Gemcitabine + 5‐FU, S‐1). The incidence of anemia of Gemcitabine + Capecitabine regimen was higher compared with Gemcitabine regimen, Gemcitabine + pemetrexed regimen exhibited the highest incidence rates of anemia and neutropenia; while Gemcitabine + S‐1, Gemcitabine + Cisplatin and FOLFIRINOX regimens exhibited the highest incidence rates of neutropenia. However, S‐1 regimen exhibited lower incidence rates of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Moreover, the incidence rates of nausea/vomiting and rash of Gemcitabine + S‐1 regimen were higher compared with Gemcitabine regimen, while Gemcitabine + Cisplatin regimen had the highest incidence rate of nausea/vomiting. This study demonstrated that the hematologic toxicity of S‐1 regimen was the lowest, while Gemcitabine regimen exhibited the lowest incidence rate of non‐hematologic toxicity, providing guidance for the treatment of advanced/metastatic PC.
ω‐hydroxyundec‐9‐enoic acid induces apoptosis by ROS mediated JNK and p38 phosphorylation in breast cancer cell lines
Authors: Ahn Joungjwa , Chung Youn Wook , Park Jin‐Byung , Yang Kyung Mi 
Published: July 2017

Abstractω‐Hydroxyundec‐9‐enoic acid (ω‐HUA), a plant secondary metabolite, exhibits anti‐fungal activity. However, its effect on breast cancer cells is unknown. Here, we investigated the anti‐ breast cancer activity of ω‐HUA and its underlying mechanism. Treatment of human breast cancer cell lines, MDA‐MB‐231 and MDA‐MB‐435, with ω‐HUA induced apoptotic cell death with increased cleaved caspase‐3 and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) levels, and p38 and JNK phosphorylation. Inhibition of these mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways using specific inhibitors or siRNA, for p38 and JNK, respectively, blocked the ω‐HUA‐induced apoptosis in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, pretreatment of the cells with antioxidant N‐acetyl cysteine (NAC) inhibited ω‐HUA‐induced increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, cleaved caspase‐3 and cleaved PARP, and phosphorylated JNK, phosphorylated p38, and increased cell viability and colony‐forming ability. MDA‐MB‐231 xenograft model showed that the ω‐HUA‐treated group exhibited greater tumor regression and significantly reduced tumor weight compared to that exhibited by the vehicle‐administered group. Collectively, ω‐HUA‐induced intracellular ROS generation induced breast cancer cell apoptosis through JNK and p38 signaling pathway activation, resulting in tumor regression. The results suggested that ω‐HUA is an effective supplement for inhibiting human breast cancer growth.
EPO modified MSCs can inhibit asthmatic airway remodeling in an animal model
Authors: Han Xin‐peng , Zhang Fang‐qi , Tan Xiang‐shu , Liu Liang , Ma Wen‐xian , Ou‐Yang Hai‐Feng , Wu Chang‐Gui 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThere was no effective measures can be obtained at present to reverse or prevent airway remodeling. We investigated the therapeutic effect of Erythropoietin (EPO) gene modified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on asthmatic airway remodeling and the possible underlied molecular mechanisms. EPO gene was transfected into MSCs via lentivirus vector. The transfected cells (EPO‐MSCs) were identified by flow cytometry and the EPO secreting function was detected by PCR and Western blot. MSCs or EPO‐MSCs were administrated to albumin (OVA)‐induced chronic asthmatic mouse model via tail veins. The asthmatic phenotype was analyzed. Number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was counted using a hemocytometer. Histological findings of airways were evaluated by microscopic examination. The concentrations of interleukin 4(IL‐4), interleukin 5(IL‐5), and interleukin 13(IL‐13) in lung homogenate were determined by ELISA. The activation state of transforming growth factor‐β 1 (TGF‐β1), Transforming growth factor beta‐activated kinase 1 (TAK1), and p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (p38MAPK) signaling was detected by Real‐Time PCR and Western blotting. EPO‐MSCs were successfully constructed. EPO‐MSCs showed a more potently suppressive effect on local asthmatic airway inflammation and the level of IL‐4, IL‐5, and IL‐13 in lung tissue than MSCs. Moreover, the numbers of goblet cells, the thicknesses of smooth muscle layer, collagen density, percentage of proliferating cell nuclear antigen positive (PCNA+) mesenchymal cells, and von Willebrand factor positive(vWF+) vessels were also significantly inhibited by EPO‐MSCs. Furthermore, EPO‐MSCs could downregulate the expression of TGF‐β1, TAK1, and p38MAPK in lung tissue both in mRNA level and in protein level. EPO gene modified MSCs may more efficiently attenuate asthmatic airway remodeling, which maybe related with the downregulation of TGF‐β1‐TAK1‐p38MAPK pathway activity.
Political Settlements and the Politics of Transformation: Where Do ‘Inclusive Institutions’ Come From?
Authors: Rocha Menocal Alina 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis article analyses how political settlements can help deepen our understanding of how underlying rules of the game and power relations shape patterns of inclusion and exclusion, and prospects for political, social and economic transformation. Drawing on insights from a growing body of research in the area of the politics of development, the paper explores what kinds of factors have helped to foster more inclusive institutions across the developing world. By way of conclusion, it offers reflections on how a political settlement approach can enable donors to engage more effectively in efforts to foster progressive change. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Burning the Tent Down: Violent Political Settlements in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Perera Suda 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThere is a growing consensus amongst those working in conflict‐affected states that political settlements—the formal and informal negotiations, bargains, pacts and agreements made between elite actors—are central to peace and development. Indeed, many now subscribe to the idea that inclusive political settlements are required for positive developmental change. This is based on a notion that political settlements ‘tame’ politics by creating consensus around the rules of political competition and eliminate the need for political violence. However, especially in conflict‐affected states, a focus on political settlements often ignores the (violent) processes by which elites come to power and the extent to which elites may have incentives to maintain violence, even if a political settlement is reached. Through a case study of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this article shows that political settlements are not always alternatives to violence and that even relatively stable and inclusive political settlements may be heavily underpinned by violence. A political settlement alone is therefore not a sufficient condition to ensure peace and development in a country. If the political settlement is based on an understanding of the rules of the game which incentivises violence and coercion by elites, then the outcome will necessarily be a violent one. As the Democratic Republic of the Congo shows, unless a political settlement directly addresses these predatory incentives, the settlement itself may be a driver of conflict, violence and underdevelopment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Malawi's Political Settlement: Crafting Poverty and Peace, 1994–2014
Authors: Cammack Diana 
Published: July 2017

AbstractSince 1994, Malawi's elite have constructed their political settlement in a way that has generally benefited them as a whole and individually. They have established a social contract with the population that mostly maintains enough services to sustain social conciliation, have created a workable though less‐than‐democratic governance arrangement and have done all of this while not establishing a policy environment conducive to national economic development. The paper analyses four ‘critical junctures’ between 1994 and 2014, which are key to Malawi's current political settlement. At each of these, institutions were laid down that have affected political and economic governance. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
‘Without Sultan Qaboos, We Would Be Yemen’: The Renaissance Narrative and the Political Settlement in Oman
Authors: Phillips Sarah G. , Hunt Jennifer S. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractOman's developmental trajectory is a ‘positive outlier’ to most post‐colonial states, particularly those with significant natural resource reserves. Its trajectory confounds many of the usual expectations surrounding the impact of rentier incomes on conflict and inclusive development. This piece attempts to disentangle the threads of Oman's apparent good fortune to reveal characteristics of its political settlement that may (and may not) have salience elsewhere. This paper spotlights the influence of narrative and the non‐domestic factors that played pivotal roles in the formation and evolution of the political settlement, suggesting that both have generally been understated within the literature to date. © 2017 The Authors Journal of International Development Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Ovarian nests in cultured females of the Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei, Acipenseriformes)
Authors: Żelazowska Monika , Fopp‐Bayat Dorota 
Published: July 2017

AbstractOvaries of Acipenser baerii are of an alimentary type and probably are meroistic. They contain ovarian nests, individual follicles, inner germinal ovarian epithelium, and fat tissue. Nests comprise cystoblasts, germline cysts, numerous early previtellogenic oocytes, and somatic cells. Cysts are composed of cystocytes, which are connected by intercellular bridges and are in the pachytene stage of the first meiotic prophase. They contain bivalents, finely granular, medium electron dense material, and nucleoli in the nucleoplasm. Many cystocytes degenerate. Oocytes differ in size and structure. Most oocytes are in the pachytene and early diplotene stages and are referred to as the PACH oocytes. Oocytes in more advanced diplotene stage are referred to as the DIP oocytes. Nuclei in the PACH oocytes contain bivalents and irregularly shaped accumulation of DNA (DNA‐body), most probably corresponding to the rDNA‐body. The DNA‐body is composed of loose, fine granular material, and comprises multiple nucleoli. At peripheries, it is fragmented into blocks that remain in contact with the inner nuclear membrane. In the ooplasm, there is the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complexes, free ribosomes, complexes of mitochondria with cement, fine fibrillar material containing granules, and lipid droplets. The organelles and material of nuclear origin form a distinct accumulation (a granular ooplasm) in the vicinity of the nucleus. Some of the PACH oocytes are surrounded by flat somatic cells. There are lampbrush chromosomes and multiple nucleoli present (early diplotene stage) in the nucleoplasm. These PACH oocytes and neighboring somatic cells have initiated the formation of ovarian follicles. The remaining PACH oocytes transform to the DIP oocytes. The DIP oocytes contain lampbrush chromosomes and a DNA‐body is absent in nuclei. Multiple nucleoli are numerous in the nucleoplasm and granular ooplasm is present at the vegetal region of the oocyte.
The WCS‐FDTD method for simulating graphene
Authors: Chen Juan , Mai Huanxiao , Tian Chunming 
Published: July 2017

AbstractA weakly conditionally stable‐finite difference time‐domain (WCS‐FDTD) scheme to simulate graphene is developed. The Pade fit method is used to approximate the interband conductivity of graphene and introduced into the WCS‐FDTD method directly by using the auxiliary differential equation. The accuracy of the Pade method is verified, and the effect of chemical potential on the accuracy is discussed. The time step size in proposed method is only determined by one spatial cell size, so the computational efficiency of this method is considerably larger than those of the conventional FDTD method and implicit explicit‐finite (HIE)‐FDTD method. An infinite graphene sheet and a graphene‐based metal sheet are simulated by using presented method, and the results are compared with theoretical value and the numerical results of the conventional FDTD method and HIE‐FDTD method. Simulated results show that proposed WCS‐FDTD method has high accuracy, and compared with the FDTD method and HIE‐FDTD method, its computational time is largely shorted. Besides, the numerical example presents that the interband conductivity has important effect on the performance of the graphene at high‐frequency range, especially when the chemical potential is small.
Impact insertion of osteochondral grafts: Interference fit and central graft reduction affect biomechanics and cartilage damage
Authors: Su Alvin W. , Chen Yunchan , Wailes Dustin H. , Wong Van W. , Cai Shengqiang , Chen Albert C. , Bugbee William D. , Sah Robert L. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTAn osteochondral graft (OCG) is an effective treatment for articular cartilage and osteochondral defects. Impact of an OCG during insertion into the osteochondral recipient site (OCR) can cause chondrocyte death and matrix damage. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of graft‐host interference fit and a modified OCG geometry on OCG insertion biomechanics and cartilage damage. The effects of interference fit (radius of OCG ‐ radius of OCR), loose (0.00 mm), moderate (0.05 mm), tight (0.10 mm), and of a tight fit with OCG geometry modification (central region of decreased radius), were analyzed for OCG cylinders and OCR blocks from adult bovine knee joints with an instrumented drop tower apparatus. An increasingly tight (OCG ‐ OCR) interference fit led to increased taps for insertion, peak axial force, graft cartilage axial compression, cumulative and total energy delivery to cartilage, lower time of peak axial force, lesser graft advancement during each tap, higher total crack length in the cartilage surface, and lower chondrocyte viability. The modified OCG, with reduction of diameter in the central area, altered the biomechanical insertion variables and biological consequences to be similar to those of the moderate interference fit scenario. Micro‐computed tomography confirmed structural interference between the OCR bone and both the proximal and distal bone segments of the OCGs, with the central regions being slightly separated for the modified OCGs. These results clarify OCG insertion biomechanics and mechanobiology, and introduce a simple modification of OCGs that facilitates insertion with reduced energy while maintaining a structural interference fit. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:377–386, 2018.
Adipose stem cells enhance myoblast proliferation via acetylcholine and extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 signaling
Authors: El‐Habta Roine , Kingham Paul J. , Backman Ludvig J. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTIntroduction: In this study we investigated the interaction between adipose tissue–derived stem cells (ASCs) and myoblasts in co‐culture experiments. Methods: Specific inductive media were used to differentiate ASCs in vitro into a Schwann cell–like phenotype (differentiated adipose tissue–derived stem cells, or dASCs) and, subsequently, the expression of acetylcholine (ACh)‐related machinery was determined. In addition, the expression of muscarinic ACh receptors was examined in denervated rat gastrocnemius muscles. Results: In contrast to undifferentiated ASCs, dASCs expressed more choline acetyltransferase and vesicular acetylcholine transporter. When co‐cultured with myoblasts, dASCs enhanced the proliferation rate, as did ACh administration alone. Western blotting and pharmacological inhibitor studies showed that phosphorylated extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 signaling mediated these effects. In addition, denervated muscle showed higher expression of muscarinic ACh receptors than control muscle. Discussion: Our findings suggest that dASCs promote proliferation of myoblasts through paracrine secretion of ACh, which could explain some of their regenerative capacity in vivo. Muscle Nerve 57: 305–311, 2018
Optimization techniques for identifying soil parameters in geotechnical engineering: Comparative study and enhancement
Authors: Yin Zhen‐Yu , Jin Yin‐Fu , Shen Jack Shuilong , Hicher Pierre‐Yves 
Published: July 2017

SummaryA comparative study of optimization techniques for identifying soil parameters in geotechnical engineering was first presented. The identification methodology with its 3 main parts, error function, search strategy, and identification procedure, was introduced and summarized. Then, current optimization methods were reviewed and classified into 3 categories with an introduction to their basic principles and applications in geotechnical engineering. A comparative study on the identification of model parameters from a synthetic pressuremeter and an excavation tests was then performed by using 5 among the mostly common optimization methods, including genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, simulated annealing, the differential evolution algorithm and the artificial bee colony algorithm. The results demonstrated that the differential evolution had the strongest search ability but the slowest convergence speed. All the selected methods could reach approximate solutions with very small objective errors, but these solutions were different from the preset parameters. To improve the identification performance, an enhanced algorithm was developed by implementing the Nelder‐Mead simplex method in a differential algorithm to accelerate the convergence speed with strong reliable search ability. The performance of the enhanced optimization algorithm was finally highlighted by identifying the Mohr‐Coulomb parameters from the 2 same synthetic cases and from 2 real pressuremeter tests in sand, and ANICREEP parameters from 2 real pressuremeter tests in soft clay.
A topology optimization formulation for transient design of multi‐entry laminated piezocomposite energy harvesting devices coupled with electrical circuit
Authors: Salas R. A. , Ramírez F. J. , Montealegre‐Rubio W. , Silva E. C. N. , Reddy J. N. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryLaminated piezocomposite energy harvesters (LAPEHs) are multilayer arrangements of piezoelectric and nonpiezoelectric materials. Multiple materials and physics, and dynamic analysis need to be considered in their design. Usually these devices are designed for harmonic excitation; however, they are subjected to other types of excitations. Thus, a novel topology optimization formulation is developed for designing LAPEHs that considers a combination of harmonic and transient optimization problems with the aim of designing the so‐called “multi‐entry" devices in which the power generated is the same for different types of excitation. LAPEHs are modeled by the finite element method, and the material model used for the piezoelectric layer is based on penalization and polarization model who controls material distribution and corresponding polarization. To optimize the RLC circuit, a novel linear interpolation model of coupled electrical impedance is also introduced to consider different magnitudes of the coupled impedance. The topology optimization problem seeks to maximize the active power generated by the LAPEH at its RLC circuit, to minimize its response time measured as the slope of the power versus time curve, and to maximize its stiffness. Numerical examples are shown to illustrate the potential of the method.