bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Physicians' guideline adherence is associated with better prognosis in outpatients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: the QUALIFY international registry
Authors: Komajda Michel , Cowie Martin R. , Tavazzi Luigi , Ponikowski Piotr , Anker Stefan D. , Filippatos Gerasimos S. ,   on behalf of the QUALIFY Investigators
Published: May 2017

AbstractAimsTo evaluate the impact of physicians' adherence to guideline‐recommended medications for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), including ≥50% prescription of recommended doses, on clinical outcomes at 6‐month follow‐up.Methods and resultsIn QUALIFY, an international, prospective, observational, longitudinal survey, 6669 outpatients with HFrEF were recruited 1–15 months after heart failure (HF) hospitalization from September 2013 to December 2014 in 36 countries and followed up at 6 months. A global adherence to guidelines score was developed for prescription of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta‐blockers (BBs), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) and ivabradine and their dosages. Baseline global adherence score was good in 23% of patients, moderate in 55%, and poor in 22%. At 6‐month follow‐up, poor adherence was associated with significantly higher overall mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42–3.44, P=0.001], cardiovascular mortality (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.36–3.77, P=0.003), HF mortality (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.21–4.2, P=0.032), combined HF hospitalization or HF death (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.08–1.71, P=0.024) and cardiovascular hospitalization or cardiovascular death (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08–1.69, P=0.013). There was a strong trend between poor adherence and HF hospitalization (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.04–1.68, P=0.069).ConclusionGood adherence to pharmacologic treatment guidelines for ACEIs, ARBs, BBs, MRAs and ivabradine, with prescription of at least 50% of recommended dosages, was associated with better clinical outcomes during 6‐month follow‐up. Continuing global educational initiatives are needed to emphasise the importance of guideline recommendations for optimising drug therapy and prescribing evidence‐based doses in clinical practice.
Alkyl caffeates as antioxidants in O/W emulsions: Impact of emulsifier type and endogenous tocopherols
Authors: Sørensen Ann‐Dorit Moltke , Villeneuve Pierre , Jacobsen Charlotte 
Published: May 2017

Antioxidant addition can be one strategy to limit lipid oxidation in emulsions. Research has proven that an important factor regarding the efficacy of antioxidants is their localization in the emulsion; however, other factors such as interactions with other components can also have an impact. Thus, the aim was to evaluate the impact of emulsifiers (Citrem and Tween80) and presence of endogenous tocopherols on the efficacies of caffeic acid and caffeates (C1–C20) as antioxidants in emulsions. Lipid oxidation was evaluated during storage and partitioning of caffeic acid and caffeates was estimated by measuring their concentrations in the aqueous phase. Partitioning of caffeic acid and caffeates was influenced by emulsifier type and the presence of endogenous tocopherols. Caffeic acid was the most efficient antioxidant in Citrem and Tween stabilized emulsions in the presence of endogenous tocopherol. In contrast, for Tween stabilized emulsions, caffeic acid acted as a prooxidant and the evaluated caffeates acted as strong antioxidants in the absence of endogenous tocopherol. Thus, when endogenous tocopherol was present lipophilization of caffeic acid did not increase its efficacy as an antioxidant. It is suggested that the differences observed in antioxidant efficiency with different emulsifiers and with and without endogenous tocopherols is due to emulsifier–antioxidant interactions and antioxidant–antioxidant interactions in the emulsions.Practical applications: Food emulsions contain endogenous tocopherols, thus, the impact of endogenous tocopherols on the efficacy of applied antioxidants is of interest to the industry. So far the hypotheses about antioxidant in emulsions are based on simple emulsions systems without the presence of tocopherols. The finding in this study revealed that both emulsifier type and the presence of endogenous tocopherol had an impact on the efficacy of caffeic acid and caffeates due to emulsifier–antioxidant and antioxidant–antioxidant interactions. This highlights the importance of evaluating the antioxidant in each emulsion system before selecting antioxidants for optimal protection against lipid oxidation.CAT value determined in oil‐in‐water micro emulsions with caffeic acid and caffeates (100 μM) and with and without endogenous tocopherol and lipid oxidation is initiated with the water soluble radical AAPH.
Effects of a self‐guided, web‐based activity programme for patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain in primary healthcare: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Calner T. , Nordin C. , Eriksson M.K. , Nyberg L. , Gard G. , Michaelson P. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBackgroundWeb‐based interventions for pain management are increasingly used with possible benefits, but never used in addition to multimodal rehabilitation (MMR). MMR is recommended treatment for persistent pain in Sweden. The aim was to evaluate the effects of a self‐guided, web‐based programme added to MMR for work ability, pain, disability and health‐related quality of life.MethodsWe included 99 participants with persistent musculoskeletal pain in a randomized study with two intervention arms: (1) MMR and web‐based intervention, and (2) MMR. Data was collected at baseline, 4 and 12 months. Outcome measures were work ability, working percentage, average pain intensity, pain‐related disability, and health‐related quality of life.ResultsThere were no significant effects of adding the web‐based intervention to MMR regarding any of the outcome variables.ConclusionsThis trial provides no support for adding a self‐guided, web‐based activity programme to MMR for patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain.SignificanceThe comprehensive self‐guided, web‐based programme for activity, Web‐BCPA, added to multimodal treatment in primary health care had no effect on work ability, pain, disability or health‐related quality of life. Future web‐based interventions should be tailored to patients’ individual needs and expectations.
Relationship between white matter connectivity loss and cortical thinning in cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Authors: Reijmer Yael D. , Fotiadis Panagiotis , Charidimou Andreas , van Veluw Susanne J. , Xiong Li , Riley Grace A. , Martinez‐Ramirez Sergi , Schwab Kristin , Viswanathan Anand , Gurol M. Edip , Greenberg Steven M. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractPatients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) show loss of white matter connectivity and cortical thinning on MRI, primarily in posterior brain regions. Here we examined whether a potential causal relationship exists between these markers of subcortical and cortical brain injury by examining whether changes in cortical thickness progress in tandem with changes in their underlying connections. Thirty‐one patients with probable CAA with brain MRI at two time points were included (follow‐up time: 1.3 ± 0.4 years). Brain networks were reconstructed using diffusion MRI‐based fiber tractography. Of each network node, we calculated the change in fractional anisotropy‐weighted connectivity strength over time and the change in cortical thickness. The association between change in connectivity strength and cortical thickness was assessed with (hierarchical) linear regression models. Our results showed that decline in posterior network connectivity over time was strongly related to thinning of the occipital cortex (β = 0.65 (0.35–0.94), P < 0.001), but not to thinning of the other posterior or frontal cortices. However, at the level of individual network nodes, we found no association between connectivity strength and cortical thinning of the corresponding node (β = 0.009 ± 0.04, P = 0.80). Associations were independent of age, sex, and other brain MRI markers of CAA. To conclude, CAA patients with greater progressive loss of posterior white matter connectivity also have greater progression of occipital cortical thinning, but our results do not support a direct causal relationship between them. The association can be better explained by a shared underlying mechanism, which may form a potential target for future treatments. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3723–3731, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neural systems for evaluating speaker (Un)believability
Authors: Jiang Xiaoming , Sanford Ryan , Pell Marc D. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractOur voice provides salient cues about how confident we sound, which promotes inferences about how believable we are. However, the neural mechanisms involved in these social inferences are largely unknown. Employing functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the brain networks and individual differences underlying the evaluation of speaker believability from vocal expressions. Participants (n = 26) listened to statements produced in a confident, unconfident, or “prosodically unmarked” (neutral) voice, and judged how believable the speaker was on a 4‐point scale. We found frontal–temporal networks were activated for different levels of confidence, with the left superior and inferior frontal gyrus more activated for confident statements, the right superior temporal gyrus for unconfident expressions, and bilateral cerebellum for statements in a neutral voice. Based on listener's believability judgment, we observed increased activation in the right superior parietal lobule (SPL) associated with higher believability, while increased left posterior central gyrus (PoCG) was associated with less believability. A psychophysiological interaction analysis found that the anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral caudate were connected to the right SPL when higher believability judgments were made, while supplementary motor area was connected with the left PoCG when lower believability judgments were made. Personal characteristics, such as interpersonal reactivity and the individual tendency to trust others, modulated the brain activations and the functional connectivity when making believability judgments. In sum, our data pinpoint neural mechanisms that are involved when inferring one's believability from a speaker's voice and establish ways that these mechanisms are modulated by individual characteristics of a listener. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3732–3749, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spectral attenuation of brain and retina tissues in the near‐infrared range measured using a fiber‐based supercontinuum device
Authors: Saldaña‐Díaz José Eduardo , Jarabo Sebastián , Salgado‐Remacha Francisco Javier , Perdices Lorena , Pinilla Isabel , Sánchez‐Cano Ana 
Published: May 2017

AbstractA novel setup for the efficient constant optical measurements of biological tissues in the near infrared is presented. The system combines the use of a fiber‐based supercontinuum source with a simple optics fiber collimator. This configuration allows a wide spectral range of measurement and, at the same time, can efficiently filter the straightforward transmitted light while avoiding scattered light. As a performance example, the optical characterization of rat brain and retina tissues are shown. The attenuation coefficient for both tissues in the near infrared region is also obtained. This technique could be applied in clinical research as a noninvasive method with several potential practical applications.
Label‐free imaging of healthy and infarcted fetal sheep hearts by two‐photon microscopy
Authors: Sorvina Alexandra , Bader Christie A. , Lock Mitchell C. , Brooks Douglas A. , Morrison Janna L. , Plush Sally E. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCoronary heart disease is one of the largest causes of death worldwide, making this a significant health care issue. A critical problem for the adult human heart is that it does not undergo effective repair in response to damage, leaving patients with a poor prognosis. Unlike the adult, fetal hearts have the ability to repair after myocardial damage. Using two‐photon microscopy, we have visualised the morphological and metabolic changes following myocardial infarction in sheep fetuses, to characterise response to cardiac injury in a mammalian model. Following myocardial infarction, fetal hearts showed no significant increase in collagen deposition in the region of the infarction, when compared to either the surrounding tissue or shams. In contrast, metabolic activity (i. e. NAD(P)H and FAD) was significantly reduced in the region of myocardial infarction, when compared to either the surrounding tissue or sham hearts. For comparison, we also imaged two hearts from preadolescent sheep (sham and myocardial infarction) and showed highly ordered collagen deposition with decreased metabolic activity within the infarcted area. Therefore, two‐photon imaging had the capacity to image both morphological and metabolic changes in response to myocardial infarction and showed differences in the response with age. Picture: Two‐photon imaging of myocardial infarction (b and d) enabled the visualisation of increased collagen (blue; Em=431 nm) and changes in other tissue autofluorescence (green; Em=489–606 nm) in fetal (a and b) and preadolescent (c and d) hearts, compared to shams (a and c). The excitation wavelength was 840 nm. Scale bars: 10 μm.magnified image
On‐chip spectroscopic assessment of microbial susceptibility to antibiotics within 3.5 hours
Authors: Schröder Ulrich‐Christian , Kirchhoff Johanna , Hübner Uwe , Mayer Günter , Glaser Uwe , Henkel Thomas , Pfister Wolfgang , Fritzsche Wolfgang , Popp Jürgen , Neugebauer Ute 
Published: May 2017

AbstractIn times of rising antibiotic resistances, there is a high need for fast, sensitive and specific methods to determine antibiotic susceptibilities of bacterial pathogens. Here, we present an integrated microfluidic device in which bacteria from diluted suspensions are captured in well‐defined regions using on‐chip dielectrophoresis and further analyzed in a label‐free and non‐destructive manner using Raman spectroscopy. Minimal sample preparation and automated sample processing ensure safe handling of infectious material with minimal hands‐on time for the operator. Clinical applicability of the presented device is demonstrated by antibiotic susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli towards the commonly prescribed second generation fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin resistant E. coli were differentiated from sensitive E. coli with high accuracy within roughly three hours total analysis time paving the way for future point‐of‐care devices. Spectral changes leading to the discrimination between sensitive and resistant bacteria are in excellent agreement with expected metabolic changes in the bacteria due to the mode of action of the drug. The robustness of the method was confirmed with experiments involving different chip devices with different designs, both electrode as well as microfluidics design, and material. Furthermore, general applicability was demonstrated with different operators over an extended time period of half a year.
Intracellular localization and delivery of plasmid DNA by biodegradable microsphere‐mediated femtosecond laser optoporation
Authors: Ishii Atsuhiro , Hiruta Yuki , Heinemann Dag , Heisterkamp Alexander , Kanazawa Hideko , Terakawa Mitsuhiro 
Published: May 2017

AbstractMicro‐/nanosphere‐mediated femtosecond laser cell perforation is one of the high throughput technologies used for macro‐molecule‐delivery into multiple cells. We have demonstrated the delivery of plasmid‐DNA/liposome complexes into cells using biodegradable polymer microspheres and a femtosecond laser and investigated the intracellular localization of the complexes by delivering fluorescence‐labeled plasmid‐DNA/liposome complexes into cells. The utilization of liposomes increases the number of complexes delivered into the cytoplasm by laser illumination, which contributed to the increased transfection rate. In the experiment involving polystyrene (PS) microspheres of different diameters, the fluorescence of the complexes was detected in the nucleus as well as cytoplasm after laser illumination for PS microspheres of 3.0 μm diameter. The direct delivery of complexes into the nucleus is probably attributed to the enhancement of the nuclear membrane permeability by the enhanced optical field obtained close to the nucleus. These revelations on the intracellular localization of foreign DNA would provide effective laser‐based transfection. Picture: Intranuclear delivery of plasmid‐DNA/liposome complexes by utilizing dielectric microspheres and a femtosecond laser.
DNA Length Modulates the Affinity of Fragments of Genomic DNA for the Nuclear Matrix In Vitro
Authors: García‐Vilchis David , Aranda‐Anzaldo Armando 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTClassical observations have shown that during the interphase the chromosomal DNA of metazoans is organized in supercoiled loops attached to a compartment known as the nuclear matrix (NM). Fragments of chromosomal DNA able to bind the isolated NM in vitro are known as matrix associated/attachment/addressed regions or MARs. No specific consensus sequence or motif has been found that may constitute a universal, defining feature of MARs. On the other hand, high‐salt resistant DNA–NM interactions in situ define true DNA loop anchorage regions or LARs, that might correspond to a subset of the potential MARs but are not necessarily identical to MARs characterized in vitro, since there are several examples of MARs able to bind the NM in vitro but which are not actually bound to the NM in situ. In the present work we assayed the capacity of two LARs, as well as of shorter fragments within such LARs, for binding to the NM in vitro. Paradoxically the isolated (≈2 kb) LARs cannot bind to the NM in vitro while their shorter (≈300 pb) sub‐fragments and other non‐related but equally short DNA fragments, bind to the NM in a high‐salt resistant fashion. Our results suggest that the ability of a given DNA fragment for binding to the NM in vitro primarily depends on the length of the fragment, suggesting that binding to the NM is modulated by the local topology of the DNA fragment in suspension that it is known to depend on the DNA length. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4487–4497, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long Noncoding RNA lncARSR Promotes Doxorubicin Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Modulating PTEN‐PI3K/Akt Pathway
Authors: Li Yaling , Ye Yun , Feng Bimin , Qi Yan 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is generally resistant to chemotherapy due to intrinsic or acquired drug resistances. Many molecules and signaling pathways are involved in chemo‐resistance of HCC cells. However, the contribution of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) to chemo‐resistance of HCC cells is still largely unknown. In this study, we revealed the critical roles of long noncoding RNA lncARSR in chemo‐resistance of HCC cells. lncARSR is upregulated in HCC, associated with large tumor size and advanced BCLC stage, and indicts poor prognosis. Functional assays showed that overexpression of lncARSR enhances doxorubicin resistance of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. And while knockdown of lncARSR increases sensitivity of HCC cells to doxorubicin in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that lncARSR physically associates with PTEN mRNA, promotes PTEN mRNA degradation, decreases PTEN expression, and activates PI3K/Akt pathway. PTEN is downregulated in HCC, and the expression of PTEN is negatively correlated with lncARSR in HCC tissues. Furthermore, the effects of lncARSR overexpression on doxorubicin resistance could be reversed by PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, and lncARSR knockdown‐induced doxorubicin sensitivity could be reversed by PTEN depletion. Taken together, our results showed that upregulated lncARSR promotes doxorubicin resistance in HCC via modulating PTEN‐PI3K/Akt pathway, and implied that lncARSR may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC chemo‐resistance. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4498–4507, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A 56‐year‐old female with celiac artery compression syndrome recovering through dietary changes and weight gain
Authors: Yoshida Kiichiro , Kita Keiichiro , Yamashiro Seiji 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCeliac artery compression syndrome is a rare condition characterized by extrinsic compression of the celiac artery by the median arcuate ligament, which leads to chronic, recurrent postprandial epigastric pain. Although traditional treatment of this syndrome involves laparotomy to release the median arcuate ligament, here we report on the rare case of a middle‐aged woman recovering with no specific treatment through her use of a food diary to change her diet which resulted in gradual weight gain. This suggests that in some cases, a conservative therapy for celiac artery compression syndrome should be tried before choosing surgical intervention.
Development of a systems‐based in situ multiplex biomarker screening approach for the assessment of immunopathology and neural tissue plasticity in male rats after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Bogoslovsky Tanya , Bernstock Joshua D. , Bull Greg , Gouty Shawn , Cox Brian M. , Hallenbeck John M. , Maric Dragan 
Published: May 2017

AbstractTraumatic brain injuries (TBIs) pose a massive burden of disease and continue to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. A major obstacle in developing effective treatments is the lack of comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms that mediate tissue damage and recovery after TBI. As such, our work aims to highlight the development of a novel experimental platform capable of fully characterizing the underlying pathobiology that unfolds after TBI. This platform encompasses an empirically optimized multiplex immunohistochemistry staining and imaging system customized to screen for a myriad of biomarkers required to comprehensively evaluate the extent of neuroinflammation, neural tissue damage, and repair in response to TBI. Herein, we demonstrate that our multiplex biomarker screening platform is capable of evaluating changes in both the topographical location and functional states of resident and infiltrating cell types that play a role in neuropathology after controlled cortical impact injury to the brain in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Our results demonstrate that our multiplex biomarker screening platform lays the groundwork for the comprehensive characterization of changes that occur within the brain after TBI. Such work may ultimately lead to the understanding of the governing pathobiology of TBI, thereby fostering the development of novel therapeutic interventions tailored to produce optimal tissue protection, repair, and/or regeneration with minimal side effects, and may ultimately find utility in a wide variety of other neurological injuries, diseases, and disorders that share components of TBI pathobiology.