bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of salicylic acid, arbutin and corticosteroids in skin whitening creams available in Pakistan using chromatographic techniques
Authors: Shams A. , Khan I. U. , Iqbal H. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackgroundA simple, new and efficient reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the separation of most popular ingredients in skin whitening creams.MethodsFor RP‐HPLC analysis, a Hibar® C18 250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm column (Merck Millipore, Carolina, USA) as stationary phase with a mobile phase consisting a mixture of acetonitrile, methanol and water 40 : 40 : 20 (pH 7.0), respectively, at flow rate of 0.8 mL min−1 (total run time 10 min) at room temperature was used. Detection was performed at 254 and 280 nm using photodiode array detector. The method was validated in accordance with ICH guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of detection and quantification.ResultsThe method results in excellent separation of skin whitening agents in cosmetic creams. The method is specific for salicylic acid, arbutin, cortisone, hydrocortisone, betamethasone valerate and betamethasone dipropionate. The calibration curve of skin whitening agents was linear with the regression analysis showed r2 ≥ 0.999. %RSD for inter‐ and intraday precision were determined as 0.461 and 0.329 for salicylic acid, 0.427 and 0.317 for arbutin, 0.360 and 0.346 for cortisone, 0.336 and 0.350 for hydrocortisone, 0.463 and 0.339 for betamethasone valerate and 0.385 and 0.372 for betamethasone dipropionate, respectively. LOD and LOQ were calculated as 0.48 and 1.20 μg mL−1 for salicylic acid, 0.09 and 0.22 μg mL−1 for arbutin, 0.07 and 0.18 μg mL−1 for cortisone, 0.06 and 0.24 μg mL−1 for hydrocortisone, 0.07 and 0.20 μg mL−1 for betamethasone valerate and 0.02 and 0.06 μg mL−1 for betamethasone dipropionate. The recovery of skin whitening agents were 97.18% for salicylic acid, 97.99% for arbutin, 98.30% cortisone, 97.63% for hydrocortisone, 98.65% for betamethasone valerate and 98.18% for betamethasone dipropionate, respectively. According to this study, salicylic acid is present in 87.88% skin whitening creams, arbutin in 96.97%, cortisone in 60.60%, hydrocortisone in 48.48%, betamethasone valerate in 15.15% and betamethasone dipropionate present in 12.12% cosmetic creams available in Pakistan.
Prenatal exposure to ethinylestradiol alters the morphologic patterns and increases the predisposition for prostatic lesions in male and female gerbils during ageing
Authors: Perez Ana P. S. , Biancardi Manoel F. , Caires Cássia. R. S. , Falleiros‐Junior Luiz R. , Góes Rejane M. , Vilamaior Patricia S. L. , Santos Fernanda C. A. , Taboga Sebastião R. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryEthinylestradiol (EE) is an endocrine disruptor (ED) which acts as an oestrogen agonist; this compound is known as an oral contraceptive. Male and female rodents exposed to EE during critical time points of development, such as in the prenatal period, show alterations in their reproductive tract during adulthood. Few studies have placed an emphasis on the effects of EE during ageing. Thus, this study had as it's objective the analysis of the morphological and immunohistochemical effects of exposure to EE in the prenatal period on ventral male prostate and female prostate of gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) during ageing. The animals were exposed to EE (15 μg/kg/day) during the 18–22th days of prenatal life (EE/PRE group), and the analyses were performed when the male and female reached 12 months of age. Our results showed an increase in the development of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), which was observed in the male and female prostate of EE/PRE groups. Immunohistochemistry showed a rise in prostatic epithelial and basal cells immunoreactivity, respectively, and to AR and p63 in the male EE/PRE. There were alterations in the morphological pattern of the prostatic glands and increase in predisposition to emergence of prostatic lesions of both sexes during ageing. Despite male and female having been exposed to the same doses of EE, the “exposure to EE promoted modifications” more accentuated in the male prostate. Thus the male gland is more sensitive to the action of this synthetic oestrogen than the female prostate.
The Human Capital Model of Selection and Immigrant Economic Outcomes
Authors: Picot Garnett , Hou Feng , Qiu Hanqing 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis article examines the trends in the economic advantage that highly educated immigrants hold over less educated immigrants in Canada, focusing on the differences between short‐run and longer‐run outcomes. Using data from the Longitudinal Immigration Database covering the period from the 1980s to the 2000s, this study finds that the relative entry earnings advantage that higher education provides to new immigrants has decreased dramatically over the last 30 years. However, university‐educated immigrants had a much steeper earnings trajectory than immigrants with trades or a high school education. The earnings advantage among highly educated immigrants increases significantly with time spent in Canada. This pattern is observed for virtually all immigrant classes and arrival cohorts. The results suggest that short‐run economic outcomes of immigrants are not good predictors of longer‐run results, at least by educational attainment. The implications of these findings for immigration selection policy are discussed in the conclusion.
The T helper type 17/regulatory T cell paradigm in pregnancy
Authors: Figueiredo Ana Sofia , Schumacher Anne 
Published: February 2016

SummaryT helper type 17 (Th17) and regulatory T (Treg) cells are active players in the establishment of tolerance and defence. These attributes of the immune system enmesh to guarantee the right level of protection. The healthy immune system, on the one hand, recognizes and eliminates dangerous non‐self pathogens and, on the other hand, protects the healthy self. However, there are circumstances where this fine balance is disrupted. In fact, in situations such as in pregnancy, the foreign fetal antigens challenge the maternal immune system and Treg cells will dominate Th17 cells to guarantee fetal survival. In other situations such as autoimmunity, where the Th17 responses are often overwhelming, the immune system shifts towards an inflammatory profile and attacks the healthy tissue from the self. Interestingly, autoimmune patients have meliorating symptoms during pregnancy. This connects with the antagonist role of Th17 and Treg cells, and their specific profiles during these two immune challenging situations. In this review, we put into perspective the Th17/Treg ratio during pregnancy and autoimmunity, as well as in pregnant women with autoimmune conditions. We further review existing systems biology approaches that study specific mechanisms of these immune cells using mathematical modelling and we point out possible future directions of investigation. Understanding what maintains or disrupts the balance between these two opponent yet reciprocal cells in healthy physiological settings, sheds light into the development of innovative pharmacological approaches to fight pregnancy loss and autoimmunity.
Generalized mixed integer and VNS heuristic approach to solving the multisize containers drayage problem
Authors: Vidović Milorad , Popović Dražen , Ratković Branislava , Radivojević Gordana 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis paper addresses the problem of vehicle routing in drayage operations, where vehicles can carry containers of different sizes. The multisize container drayage problem with time windows is modeled as a multiple matching problem and formulated as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) model. The proposed MILP model determines optimal pickup and delivery routes of vehicles and is applicable to any type of vehicles capable of simultaneously transporting any arbitrary number of 20‐ and 40‐ft containers. To solve larger sized problems, we proposed a variable neighborhood search (VNS) heuristic. Both MILP and VNS approaches have been tested on numerous test instances and their performances are reported.
A descriptive study of Korean nurses' perception of pain and skin tearing at dressing change
Authors: Kim Jung Yoon , Kim Na Kyung , Lee Yun Jin 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate Korean nurses' level of awareness of pain and skin tearing in wound bed and/or peri‐wound skin at dressing change. A descriptive study was performed. Convenience sampling was employed and registered nurses were recruited from attendees of continuing education program. A total of 399 participants (RN) completed questionnaire. Data was collected from September to November 2014. Many of them perceived skin tearing and wound related pain associated with dressing changing, but most of them did not assess and record pain and skin tearing at dressing change. More than half of respondents reported that they did not provide nursing intervention to prevent pain and skin tearing. Many of them reported that a systematic educational program for preventing pain and skin tearing at dressing change was needed. In conclusion, many of respondents were aware of pain and skin tearing at dressing change, but did not take any further necessary measures, including nursing intervention, for the most appropriate, systematic pain and skin tearing management. Therefore, this study suggested that a systematic and comprehensive educational program for Korean healthcare professions needs to be developed and implemented in Korea's hospital settings.
The effect of diabetes on the wound healing potential of adipose‐tissue derived stem cells
Authors: Kim Sue Min , Kim Yun Ho , Jun Young Joon , Yoo Gyeol , Rhie Jong Won 
Published: February 2016

AbstractTo investigate whether diabetes mellitus affects the wound‐healing‐promoting potential of adipose tissue‐derived stem cells, we designed a wound‐healing model using diabetic mice. We compared the degree of wound healing between wounds treated with normal adipose tissue‐derived stem cells and wounds treated with diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells. We evaluated the wound‐healing rate, the epithelial tongue distance, the area of granulation tissue, the number of capillary and the number of Ki‐67‐stained cells. The wound‐healing rate was significantly higher in the normal adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group than in the diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group; it was also significantly higher in the normal adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group than in the control group. Although the diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group showed a better wound‐healing rate than the control group, the difference was not statistically significant. Similar trends were observed for the other parameters examined: re‐epithelisation and keratinocyte proliferation; granulation tissue formation; and dermal regeneration. However, with regard to the number of capillary, diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells retained their ability to promote neovasculisation and angiogenesis. These results reflect the general impairment of the therapeutic potential of diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells in vivo.
Ethics of Immigration: The Issue of Convicted Criminals
Authors: Fabre Cécile 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIn this paper, I explore and probe Joseph Carens’ remarks, in his recent book The Ethics of Immigration, on the immigration status of foreign convicted criminals who have served their sentence, and who wish either to immigrate into our country or who are already here. Carens rejects deportation when it is not called for by considerations of national security, and agrees that considerations of public order can justify barring convicted foreign criminals from entering the country. I broadly agree with his arguments against deportation: my remarks in this respect are clarificatory and exploratory as much as anything else. But (I argue) both his argument for open borders and his scepticism with respect to radical cosmopolitanism are in tension with his claim that past criminal convictions can act as a bar to entry.
The importance of long‐distance dispersal and establishment events in small insects: historical biogeography of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera, Choreutidae)
Authors: Rota Jadranka , Peña Carlos , Miller Scott E. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractAimTo determine the importance of different biogeographical processes (vicariance, dispersal, long‐distance dispersal and establishment or LDDE) for the current distribution of metalmark moths, a group of small insects, using a time‐calibrated molecular tree.LocationGlobal.MethodsWe sampled 104 species of metalmark moths with representatives from all six major biogeographical regions of the world (Afrotropical, Australasian, Neotropical, Nearctic, Oriental and Palaearctic). The taxon sampling includes c. 20% of known species in the family and covers both subfamilies. Using an eight‐locus molecular data set and secondary calibration points, we inferred a time‐calibrated tree, which was then used for ancestral range estimation with variants of the dispersal‐extinction‐cladogenesis model (DEC), some of which incorporated the founder‐event j‐parameter for modelling of LDDEs (DECj).ResultsThe inferred phylogeny is well resolved and in accordance with earlier works. The metalmark moth distribution is best explained with DECj models. It remains unclear what the ancestral area was. Different models differ in the number and type of events estimated – DEC models infer vicariance for several nodes where DECj models usually infer LDDEs. However, the pattern that emerges from all the analyses is that dispersal and/or LDDE over transoceanic distances such as between the Afrotropics and Australasia and the Afrotropics and Neotropics occurred several times in the evolutionary history of this group.Main conclusionsVicariance may have played an important role in the early evolution of metalmark moths, while dispersal and LDDEs mostly shaped the group's distribution later on. Based on insect flight research using aerial radars, the best mechanism for explaining how small insects cross oceans is by being adapted for exploiting atmospheric conditions as opposed to employing active flight.
Mechanistic relationship between the vagal afferent pathway, central nervous system and peripheral organs in appetite regulation
Authors: Ueno Hiroaki , Nakazato Masamitsu 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe hypothalamus is a center of food intake and energy metabolism regulation. Information signals from peripheral organs are mediated through the circulation or the vagal afferent pathway and input into the hypothalamus, where signals are integrated to determine various behaviors, such as eating. Numerous appetite‐regulating peptides are expressed in the central nervous system and the peripheral organs, and interact in a complex manner. Of such peptides, gut peptides are known to bind to receptors at the vagal afferent pathway terminal that extend into the mucosal layer of the digestive tract, modulate the electrical activity of the vagus nerve, and subsequently send signals to the solitary nucleus and furthermore to the hypothalamus. All peripheral peptides other than ghrelin suppress appetite, and they synergistically suppress appetite through the vagus nerve. In contrast, the appetite‐enhancing peptide, ghrelin, antagonizes the actions of appetite‐suppressing peptides through the vagus nerve, and appetite‐suppressing peptides have attenuated effects in obesity as a result of inflammation in the vagus nerve. With greater understanding of the mechanism for food intake and energy metabolism regulation, medications that apply the effects of appetite‐regulating peptides or implantable devices that electrically stimulate the vagus nerve are being investigated as novel treatments for obesity in basic and clinical studies.
Decreasing the dispatch time of medical reports sent from hospital to primary care with Lean Six Sigma
Authors: Basta Yara L. , Zwetsloot Inez M. , Klinkenbijl Jean H.G. , Rohof Thomas , Monster Mathijs M.C. , Fockens Paul , Tytgat Kristien M.A.J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractRationale, aims and objectivesTimely communication is important to ensure high‐quality health care. To facilitate this, the Gastro Intestinal Oncology Center Amsterdam (GIOCA) stipulated to dispatch medical reports on the day of the patient's visit. However, with the increasing number of patients, administrative processes at GIOCA were under pressure, and this standard was not met for the majority of patients. The aim and objective of this study was to dispatch 90% of medical reports on the day of the patient's visit by improving the logistic process.MethodsTo assess the main causes for a prolonged dispatch time and to design improvements actions, the roadmap offered by Lean Six Sigma (LSS) was used, consisting of five phases: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC roadmap).ResultsInitially, 12.3% of the reports were dispatched on the day of the patient's visit. Three causes for a prolonged dispatch time were identified: (1) determining which doctors involved with treatment would compose the report; (2) the reports composed by a senior resident had to be reviewed by a medical specialist; and (3) a medical specialist had to authorize the administration to dispatch the reports. To circumvent these causes, a digital form was implemented in the electronic medical record that could be completed during the multidisciplinary team meeting. After implementation, 90.6% of the reports were dispatched on the day of the visit.ConclusionThe dispatch time of reports sent from hospital to primary care can be significantly reduced using Lean Six Sigma, improving the communication between hospital and primary care.
Life Cycle Assessment of Offshore Wind Farm Siting: Effects of Locational Factors, Lake Depth, and Distance from Shore
Authors: Tsai Liang , Kelly Jarod C. , Simon Brett S. , Chalat Rachel M. , Keoleian Gregory A. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryAccording to previous studies, the life cycle energy intensity of an offshore wind farm (OWF) varies between 0.03 and 0.13 megawatt‐hours (MWh) of primary energy for each MWh of electricity generated. The variation in these life cycle energy intensity studies, after normalizing for capacity factor and life span, is significantly affected by OWF location because of geographical properties, namely, wind speed and water depth. To improve OWF siting, this study investigates how an OWF's distance from shore and geographical location impacts its environmental benefit. A process‐based life cycle assessment is conducted to compare 20 OWF siting scenarios in Michigan's Great Lakes for their cumulative fossil energy demand, global warming potential, and acidification potential. Each scenario (four lake locations at five offshore distances) has unique foundation, transmission, installation, and operational requirements based on site characteristics. The results demonstrate that the cumulative environmental burden from an OWF is most significantly affected by (1) water depth, (2) distance from shore, and (3) distance to power grid, in descending order of importance, if all other site‐relevant variables are held constant. The results also show that when OWFs are sited further offshore, the benefit of increased wind energy generation does not necessarily outweigh the increase in negative environmental impacts. This suggests that siting OWF nearer to shore may result in a better life cycle environmental performance. Finally, we demonstrate how much an OWF's environmental burdens can be reduced if the OWF system is either recycled, transported a shorter distance, or manufactured in a region with a high degree of renewable energy on the grid.
Micro‐CT scouting for transmission electron microscopy of human tissue specimens
Authors: MORALES A.G. , STEMPINSKI E.S. , XIAO X. , PATEL A. , PANNA A. , OLIVIER K.N. , MCSHANE P.J. , ROBINSON C. , GEORGE A.J. , DONAHUE D.R. , CHEN P. , WEN H. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryTransmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides sub‐nanometre‐scale details in volumetric samples. Samples such as pathology tissue specimens are often stained with a metal element to enhance contrast, which makes them opaque to optical microscopes. As a result, it can be a lengthy procedure to find the region of interest inside a sample through sectioning. We describe micro‐CT scouting for TEM that allows noninvasive identification of regions of interest within a block sample to guide the sectioning step. In a tissue pathology study, a bench‐top micro‐CT scanner with 10 μm resolution was used to determine the location of patches of the mucous membrane in osmium‐stained human nasal scraping samples. Once the regions of interest were located, the sample block was sectioned to expose that location, followed by ultra‐thin sectioning and TEM to inspect the internal structure of the cilia of the membrane epithelial cells with nanometre resolution. This method substantially reduced the time and labour of the search process from typically 20 sections for light microscopy to three sections with no added sample preparation.
Comparative anatomy of the extraocular muscles in four Myliobatoidei rays (Batoidea, Myliobatiformes)
Authors: Cunha Carlo M. , Oliveira Luciano E. , Kfoury Jr José R. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractExtraocular muscles are classically grouped as four rectus and two oblique muscles. However, their description and potential associations with species behavior are limited. The objective was to characterize extraocular muscles in four Myliobatoidei rays from diverse habitats with divergent behaviors. Heads (10 per species) of Dasyatis hypostigma, Gymnura altavela, Mobula thurstoni and Pteroplatytrygon violacea were decalcified and dissected to characterize and describe extraocular muscles. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate relationships between muscle length and species; for P. violacea, D. hypostigma and G. altavela, these were qualitatively and quantitatively consistent with the general pattern of extraocular muscles in vertebrates. In contrast, for M. thurstoni, the two oblique muscles were completely fused and there was a seventh extraocular muscle, named m. lateral rectus β (both were apparently novel findings in this species). There were also significant differences in eye disposition in the chondrocranium. The PCA axis 1 (rectus muscles) and PCA axis 2 (oblique muscles) accounted for 98.47% of data variability. Extraocular muscles had significant differences in length and important anatomical differences among sampled species that facilitated grouping species according to their life history. In conclusion, extraocular muscles are not uniform in all vertebrate species, thereby providing another basis for comparative studies.