bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Switch to an everolimus‐facilitated cyclosporine A sparing immunosuppression improves glycemic control in selected kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Kälble Florian , Seckinger Jörg , Schaier Matthias , Morath Christian , Schwenger Vedat , Zeier Martin , Sommerer Claudia 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBackgroundMammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mToRi) allow calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) sparing therapy in renal transplant recipients with possible beneficial effects on the long‐term allograft function and cardiovascular risk. The influence of mToRi on glucose metabolism is still under discussion.MethodsIn a retrospective analysis, renal allograft recipients switched from a cyclosporine A (CsA) to an everolimus (EVR)‐based immunosuppression in the first year after transplantation were compared with patients on continued CsA treatment. At 6‐month intervals, the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and new onset of diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) were assessed.ResultsA total of 146 renal transplant recipients were included. The cumulative prevalence of IFG and NODAT 30‐months post‐transplantation was significantly lower in patients switched to an immunosuppression with EVR compared to patients on continued CsA treatment (10% vs 22%, P=.049). However, patients switched to EVR showed a higher incidence of acute cellular rejections in the first 12 months (23% vs 11%, P=.048).ConclusionEVR‐based immunosuppression was associated with a similar or even improved glycemic control and improved renal function. However, due to higher rejection rates, patients switched to EVR should be carefully selected as rejection therapy with steroids counteracts the benefit in glycemic control.
Effect of liraglutide on dietary lipid‐induced insulin resistance in humans
Authors: Koska Juraj , Lopez Lizette , D'Souza Karen , Osredkar Tracy , Deer James , Kurtz Julie , Salbe Arline D. , Harman Sherman M. , Reaven Peter D. 
Published: June 2017

AimsTo test whether liraglutide suppresses postprandial elevations in lipids and thus protects against high saturated fatty acid (SFA) diet‐induced insulin resistance.MethodsIn a randomized placebo‐controlled crossover study, 32 participants with normal or mildly impaired glucose tolerance received liraglutide and placebo for 3 weeks each. Insulin suppression tests (IST) were conducted at baseline and after a 24‐hour SFA‐enriched diet after each treatment. Plasma glucose, insulin, triglycerides and non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were measured over the initial 8 hours (breakfast and lunch) on the SFA diet. A subset of participants underwent ex vivo measurements of insulin‐mediated vasodilation of adipose tissue arterioles and glucose metabolism regulatory proteins in skeletal muscle.ResultsLiraglutide reduced plasma glucose, triglycerides and NEFA concentrations during the SFA diet (by 50%, 25% and 9%, respectively), and the SFA diet increased plasma glucose during the IST (by 36%; all P < .01 vs placebo). The SFA diet‐induced impairment of vasodilation on placebo (−9.4% vs baseline; P < .01) was ameliorated by liraglutide (−4.8%; P = .1 vs baseline). In skeletal muscle, liraglutide abolished the SFA‐induced increase in thioredoxin‐interacting protein (TxNIP) expression (75% decrease; P < .01 vs placebo) and increased 5′AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation (50% vs −3%; P = .04 vs placebo).ConclusionsLiraglutide blunted the SFA‐enriched diet‐induced peripheral insulin resistance. This effect may be related to improved microvascular function and modulation of TxNIP and AMPK pathways in skeletal muscle.
Getting to the root of scales, feather and hair: As deep as odontodes?
Authors: Dhouailly Danielle , Godefroit Pascal , Martin Thomas , Nonchev Stefan , Caraguel Flavien , Oftedal Olav 
Published: June 2017

AbstractWhile every jawed vertebrate, or its recent ancestor, possesses teeth, skin appendages are characteristic of the living clades: skin denticles (odontodes) in chondrichthyans, dermal scales in teleosts, ducted multicellular glands in amphibians, epidermal scales in squamates, feathers in birds and hair‐gland complexes in mammals, all of them showing a dense periodic patterning. While the odontode origin of teleost scales is generally accepted, the origin of both feather and hair is still debated. They appear long before mammals and birds, at least in the Jurassic in mammaliaforms and in ornithodires (pterosaurs and dinosaurs), and are contemporary to scales of early squamates. Epidermal scales might have appeared several times in evolution, and basal amniotes could not have developed a scaled dry integument, as the function of hair follicle requires its association with glands. In areas such as amnion, cornea or plantar pads, the formation of feather and hair is prevented early in embryogenesis, but can be easily reverted by playing with the Wnt/BMP/Shh pathways, which both imply the plasticity and the default competence of ectoderm. Conserved ectodermal/mesenchymal signalling pathways lead to placode formation, while later the crosstalk differs, as well as the final performing tissue(s): both epidermis and dermis for teeth and odontodes, mostly dermis for teleosts scales and only epidermis for squamate scale, feather and hair. We therefore suggest that tooth, dermal scale, epidermal scale, feather and hair evolved in parallel from a shared placode/dermal cell unit, which was present in a common ancestor, an early vertebrate gnathostome with odontodes, ca. 420 million years ago.
Identification of PTPN22,ST6GAL1 and JAZF1 as psoriasis risk genes demonstrates shared pathogenesis between psoriasis and diabetes
Authors: Wang Honglei , Wang Zhenzhen , Rani Parimi Leela , Fu Xi'an , Yu Wenjun , Bao Fangfang , Yu Gongqi , Li Jianke , Li Lulu , Sun Lele , Yue Zhenhua , Zhao Qing , Pan Qing , Cao Jing , Wang Chuan , Chi Xiaojun , Wang Yaru , Yang Qing , Mi Zihao , Liu Hong , Zhang Furen 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe biological connections between psoriasis and diabetes have been suggested by epidemiological, immunological and genetic studies. To identify additional shared susceptibility loci and investigate shared pathogenesis between these two diseases, we genotyped 89 reported diabetes susceptibility loci in 4456 psoriasis cases and 6027 controls of Chinese population using the MassARRAY system from Sequenom. We discovered three significant associations at rs6679677 on 1p13.2 (P=6.15×10−5, OR=5.07), rs16861329 on 3q27.3 (P=2.02×10−4, OR=0.87) and rs849135 on 7p15.1 (P=6.59×10−9, OR=1.78), which suggested PTPN22, ST6GAL1 and JAZF1 as novel susceptibility genes for psoriasis in Chinese population. Our findings implicated the involvement of T‐cell receptor signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and further confirmed the shared genetic susceptibility between psoriasis and diabetes.
Seaweed morphology and ecology during the great animal diversification events of the early Paleozoic: A tale of two floras
Authors: LoDuca S. T. , Bykova N. , Wu M. , Xiao S. , Zhao Y. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractNon‐calcified marine macroalgae (“seaweeds”) play a variety of key roles in the modern Earth system, and it is likely that they were also important players in the geological past, particularly during critical transitions such as the Cambrian Explosion (CE) and the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE). To investigate the morphology and ecology of seaweeds spanning the time frame from the CE through the GOBE, a carefully vetted database was constructed that includes taxonomic and morphometric information for non‐calcified macroalgae from 69 fossil deposits. Analysis of the database shows a pattern of seaweed history that can be explained in terms of two floras: the Cambrian Flora and the Ordovician Flora. The Cambrian Flora was dominated by rather simple morphogroups, whereas the Ordovician Flora, which replaced the Cambrian Flora in the Ordovician and extended through the Silurian, mainly comprised comparatively complex morphogroups. In addition to morphogroup representation, the two floras show marked differences in taxonomic composition, morphospace occupation, functional‐form group representation, and life habit, thereby pointing to significant morphological and ecological changes for seaweeds roughly concomitant with the GOBE and the transition from the Cambrian to Paleozoic Evolutionary Faunas. Macroalgal changes of a similar nature and magnitude, however, are not evident in concert with the CE, as the Cambrian Flora consists largely of forms established during the Ediacaran. The cause of such a lag in macroalgal morphological diversification remains unclear, but an intriguing possibility is that it signals a previously unknown difference between the CE and GOBE with regard to the introduction of novel grazing pressures. The consequences of the establishment of the Ordovician Flora for shallow marine ecosystems and Earth system dynamics remain to be explored in detail but could have been multifaceted and potentially include impacts on the global carbon cycle.
Sooty FalconFalco concolorreproduction and population dynamics on the islands in the Sea of Oman
Authors: McGrady Michael J. , Al‐Fazari Waheed A. , Al‐Jahdhami Mansoor H. , Nicoll Malcolm A. C. , Oli Madan K. 
Published: June 2017

Knowledge of demographic parameters affecting population dynamics is critical to the formulation of effective conservation strategies. Sooty FalconFalco concoloris a little‐studied, Near‐threatened species; estimates of global population size and trend for this species are uncertain. They lay eggs during mid‐summer and sometimes nest in colonies. This unusual breeding ecology suggests that demographic parameters driving their population growth rate may differ from those of most other falcons. We studied Sooty Falcon reproduction at breeding aggregations on Fahal Island and the Daymaniyat islands in the Sea of Oman during 2007–2014, modelled population growth and identified important life history parameters using elasticity analysis. The mean (± se) clutch and brood size was 2.83 ± 0.06 and 2.11 ± 0.07, respectively. Overall, 11.7% of nests failed between the egg and nestling stages, and the failure rate differed significantly between Fahal and the Daymaniyats, and across years. The mean proportion of eggs that hatched annually was 0.66 ± 0.02, and broods were significantly smaller on the Daymaniyats than on Fahal. Falcons on Fahal Island had a higher rate of hatching, a higher rate of nests that produced at least one chick, and produced more chicks per nest than on the Daymaniyats. We suggest that Fahal's proximity to the mainland gives breeding Sooty Falcons access to a more plentiful and stable source of food, especially during the period between arrival from the wintering grounds and the onset of the autumn migration of prey birds, resulting in the better reproductive rates for falcons on Fahal Island, relative to those on the Daymaniyat Islands. The annual asymptotic population growth rate (λ) was 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75–0.99), suggesting a declining population, although Sooty Falcons enjoyed a slightly higher population growth rate on Fahal than on the Daymaniyats. Because our study population is on the edge of the breeding range and is isolated from other breeding areas, measures to improve reproductive success of Sooty Falcons breeding on the islands in the Sea of Oman could be important for conservation of Sooty Falcons in Oman.
Use of microcredit for household income and consumption smoothing by low income communities
Authors: Wickramasinghe Vathsala , Fernando Dilshan 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis paper discusses findings of a study that investigated income, savings and consumption patterns of low income people and critical factors that influence the use of microcredit—a form of small instant loans targeted for low income people—for household income and consumption smoothing. The sample of the study consisted of households from low income communities living in a lower‐middle income country—Sri Lanka. It was found that microcredit borrowers were using the loans for purposes that can be identified as income and consumption smoothing, which is beyond the ideas and intended practice of microcredit. The findings suggest that the consequences of using microcredit for income and consumption smoothing could be costly for households and the society at large.
A performance evaluation of a novel human recombinant tissue factor prothrombin time reagent (Revohem™PT)
Authors: Gardiner C. , Kohama K. , Patel I. , Lane P. , Dwyer S. , Machin S. J. , Mackie I. J. 
Published: June 2017

SummaryIntroductionA new prothrombin time reagent (Revohem™ PT) based on recombinant human tissue factor produced by the silkworm‐baculovirus expression system was tested. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the new PT reagent with two widely used routine PT reagents.MethodsAll testing was performed on a Sysmex CS‐5100 coagulometer. Revohem™ PT was tested for imprecision and stability using normal and abnormal lyophilized commercial control plasmas. Comparability was assessed with two widely used reagents: one containing recombinant human tissue factor (Reagent A) and the other a human placental thromboplastin (Reagent B) using a wide range of normal and abnormal plasmas and analyser‐specific ISI values.ResultsExcellent between‐day imprecision was obtained for Revohem™ PT (CV <1.0%) and acceptable open‐vial on‐board stability over 7 days. There was good agreement between methods in samples from patients with liver disease and patients receiving warfarin and no significant differences between methods with increasing INR values. Both recombinant reagents suffered less interference from lupus anticoagulant than the placental thromboplastin. Revohem™ PT had similar sensitivity to reagents A and B for FII, V, VII and X deficiency and demonstrated dose responsiveness to dabigatran, apixaban and rivaroxaban with steeper response curves than the comparison reagents.ConclusionRevohem™ PT showed comparable or improved performance relative to two widely used reagents and is suitable for use in warfarin control, detection of inherited factor II, V, VII and X deficiency and assessment of liver disease coagulopathy.
T‐cell regulation through a basic suppressive mechanism targeting low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 1
Authors: Panezai Jeneen , Bergdahl Eva , Sundqvist Karl‐Gösta 
Published: June 2017

SummaryCell adhesion is generally considered to depend on positive regulation through ligation of integrins and cytokine receptors. However, here we show that T‐cell adhesion, and notably also T‐cell receptor (TCR) ‐induced activation, are subject to constant suppression through shedding of low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 1 (LRP1). The broad‐spectrum metalloprotease inhibitor GM6001 abrogated shedding, so inducing prominent cell surface expression of LRP1 while enhancing TCR‐induced activation and adhesion to β1 and β2 integrin ligands, hence arresting the cells. Integrin ligands also inhibited shedding but the effect was less potent than that of GM6001. Unlike GM6001, integrin ligands also induced cell surface expression of full‐length thrombospondin‐1 (TSP170) and TSP130, which associated with LRP1, and TSP110, which did not associate with LRP1. Cell surface expression of LRP1 and TSP130 were induced exclusively in adhering cells, expression of TSP110 preferentially in non‐adhering cells and expression of TSP170 correlated with T‐cell motility. The pro‐adhesive chemokine CXCL12 also inhibited LRP1 shedding and induced surface expression of TSP170 and TSP130 while inhibiting TSP110. Exogenous TSP‐1 and ligation of CD28 inhibited shedding although less effectively than GM6001, and the inhibition through CD28 was independent of TSP‐1. Small interfering RNA silencing experiments confirmed involvement of LRP1 and TSP‐1 in integrin‐dependent adhesion and TCR‐induced activation. Hence, the poor LRP1 expression in T cells depends on shedding. Integrin ligands and CXCL12 antagonize shedding through a TSP‐1‐dependent pathway and ligation of CD28 antagonizes shedding independent of TSP‐1. The disappearance of LRP1 from the cell surface may provide basic immunosuppression at the T‐cell level.
An optimal track maintenance scheduling model analysis taking the risk of accidents into consideration
Authors: Miwa Masashi , Oyama Tatsuo 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis paper presents an optimal track maintenance scheduling model developed for maintaining adequate conditions of the railway tracks and accomplishing an efficient management of the railway service. Our model has been used in several major Japanese railway companies to develop optimal track maintenance schedules (OTMS). Since train accidents cause enormous losses (not only for the railway company but also for society), we propose to take into account the risk of train accidents while developing the OTMS. Thus, it is critically important to identify measures to quantitatively evaluate the risk of accidents to ensure safe and stable transportation. We propose a method to estimate track maintenance costs and the related costs associated with the risk of train derailment due to longitudinal level irregularities of the railway track. We attempt to show a desirable condition of railway tracks by applying the accident cost estimation method and the OTMS model to an actual railway section. We also demonstrate how to apply these models to actual railway networks in general by validating the estimation results using actual numerical data.
Sickeningly Sweet: L‐rhamnose stimulates Flavobacterium columnare biofilm formation and virulence
Authors: Lange M D , Farmer B D , Declercq A M , Peatman E , Decostere A , Beck B H 
Published: June 2017

AbstractFlavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease, causes substantial mortality worldwide in numerous freshwater finfish species. Due to its global significance and impact on the aquaculture industry continual efforts to better understand basic mechanisms that contribute to disease are urgently needed. The current work sought to evaluate the effect of L‐rhamnose on the growth characteristics of F. columnare. While we initially did not observe any key changes during the total growth of F. columnare isolates tested when treated with L‐rhamnose, it soon became apparent that the difference lies in the ability of this carbohydrate to facilitate the formation of biofilms. The addition of different concentrations of L‐rhamnose consistently promoted the development of biofilms among different F. columnare isolates; however, it does not appear to be sufficient as a sole carbon source for biofilm growth. Our data also suggest that iron acquisition machinery is required for biofilm development. Finally, the addition of different concentrations of L‐rhamnose to F. columnare prior to a laboratory challenge increased mortality rates in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) as compared to controls. These results provide further evidence that biofilm formation is an integral virulence factor in the initiation of disease in fish.
Dietary Pattern Associated with Frailty: Results from Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan
Authors: Lo Yen‐Li , Hsieh Yao‐Te , Hsu Li‐Lin , Chuang Shao‐Yuan , Chang Hsing‐Yi , Hsu Chih‐Cheng , Chen Ching‐Yu , Pan Wen‐Harn 
Published: June 2017

ObjectivesTo investigate whether dietary patterns are associated with frailty phenotypes in an elderly Taiwanese population.DesignCross‐sectional.SettingNutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT), 2014–2016.ParticipantsNoninstitutionalized Taiwanese nationals aged 65 years and older enrolled in the NAHSIT (N = 923).MeasurementsDietary intake was assessed using a 79‐item food‐frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Presence of 5 frailty phenotypes was determined using modified Fried criteria and are summed into a frailty score. Using data from the NAHSIT (2014–15), reduced rank regression was used to find a dietary pattern that explained maximal degree of variation of the frailty scores. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between frailty and dietary pattern. The findings were validated with data from 2016.ResultsThe derived dietary pattern was characterized with a high consumption of fruit, nuts and seeds, tea, vegetables, whole grains, shellfish, milk, and fish. The prevalence of frailty was 7.8% and of prefrailty was 50.8%, defined using the modified Fried criteria. Using data from the NAHSIT (2014–15), the dietary pattern score showed an inverse dose‐response relationship with prevalence of frailty and pre‐frailty. Individuals in the second dietary pattern tertile were one‐third as likely to be frail as those in the first tertile (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.12−0.85), and those in the third tertile were 4% as likely to be frail as those in the first tertile (aOR = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.01−0.18). The dietary pattern score estimated using FFQ data from the NAHSIT 2016 was also significantly and inversely associated with frailty.ConclusionIndividuals with a dietary pattern with more phytonutrient‐rich plant foods, tea, omega‐3‐rich deep‐sea fish, and other protein‐rich foods such as shellfish and milk had a reduced prevalence of frailty. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings and investigate whether related dietary interventions can reduce frailty in older adults.
Candida albicans biofilms: comparative analysis of room‐temperature and cryofixation for scanning electron microscopy
Authors: VILA T. , FONSECA B.B. , DA CUNHA M.M.L. , DOS SANTOS G.R.C. , ISHIDA K. , BARRETO‐BERGTER E. , DE SOUZA W. , ROZENTAL S. 
Published: June 2017

SummaryBiofilms are frequently related to invasive fungal infections and are reported to be more resistant to antifungal drugs than planktonic cells. The structural complexity of the biofilm as well as the presence of a polymeric extracellular matrix (ECM) is thought to be associated with this resistant behavior. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after room temperature glutaraldehyde‐based fixation, have been used to study fungal biofilm structure and drug susceptibility but they usually fail to preserve the ECM and, therefore, are not an optimised methodology to understand the complexity of the fungal biofilm. Thus, in this work, we propose a comparative analysis of room‐temperature and cryofixation/freeze substitution of Candida albicans biofilms for SEM observation. Our experiments showed that room‐temperature fixative protocols using glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide prior to alcohol dehydration led to a complete extraction of the polymeric ECM of biofilms. ECM from fixative and alcohol solutions were recovered after all processing steps and these structures were characterised by biochemistry assays, transmission electron microscopy and mass spectrometry. Cryofixation techniques followed by freeze‐substitution lead to a great preservation of both ECM structure and C. albicans biofilm cells, allowing the visualisation of a more reliable biofilm structure. These findings reinforce that cryofixation should be the indicated method for SEM sample preparation to study fungal biofilms as it allows the visualisation of the EMC and the exploration of the biofilm structure to its fullest, as its structural/functional role in interaction with host cells, other pathogens and for drug resistance assays.