bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adherence to the ERAS protocol is Associated with 5‐Year Survival After Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gustafsson Ulf O. , Oppelstrup Henrik , Thorell Anders , Nygren Jonas , Ljungqvist Olle 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackgroundSurgical stress can influence oncological outcome and survival. The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol is designed to reduce perioperative stress and has been shown to reduce postoperative morbidity. We studied if adherence to ERAS is associated with increased long‐term survival.MethodsBetween the years 2002 and 2007, 911 consecutive patients, operated with major colorectal cancer surgery at Ersta Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden were analyzed. The histopathological reports of the resected specimen, date, and cause of death of the patients as well as postoperative CRP levels were obtained. The relation between the rate of adherence to the ERAS protocol at the time of surgery, and the short‐term outcomes in relation to 5‐year overall and colorectal cancer‐specific survival was determined in this retrospective cohort study.ResultsIn patients with ≥70 % adherence to ERAS interventions (N = 273,), the risk of 5‐year cancer‐specific death was lowered by 42 %, HR 0.58 (0.39–0.88, cox regression) compared to all other patients (<70 % adherence). Significant independent perioperative predictors of increased 5‐year survival were avoiding overload of intravenous fluids, HR 0.53 (0.32–0.86); oral intake on the day of operation, HR 0.55 (0.34–0.78); and low CRP levels on postoperative day 1.ConclusionHigh adherence to the ERAS protocol may be associated with improved 5‐year cancer‐specific survival after colorectal cancer surgery.
Population‐based evaluation of the effectiveness of two regimens for emergency contraception
Authors: Leung Vivian W.Y. , Soon Judith A. , Lynd Larry D. , Marra Carlo A. , Levine Marc 
Published: February 2016

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate and compare the effectiveness of the levonorgestrel and Yuzpe regimens for hormonal emergency contraception in routine clinical practice.MethodsA retrospective population‐based study included women who accessed emergency contraceptives for immediate use prescribed by community pharmacists in British Columbia, Canada, between December 2000 and December 2002. Linked administrative healthcare data were used to discern the timings of menses, unprotected intercourse, and any pregnancy‐related health services. A panel of experts evaluated the compatibility of observed pregnancies with the timing of events. The two regimens were compared with statistical adjustments for potential confounding.ResultsAmong 7493 women in the cohort, 4470 (59.7%) received levonorgestrel and 3023 (40.3%) the Yuzpe regimen. There were 99 (2.2%) compatible pregnancies in the levonorgestrel group and 94 (3.1%) in the Yuzpe group (P = 0.017). The estimated odds ratio for levonorgestrel compared with the Yuzpe regimen after adjusting for potential confounders was 0.64 (95% confidence interval 0.47–0.87). Against an expected pregnancy rate of approximately 5%, the relative and absolute risk reductions were 56.0% and 2.8%, respectively, for levonorgestrel and 36.7% and 1.8% for the Yuzpe regimen.ConclusionThe levonorgestrel regimen is more effective than the Yuzpe regimen in routine use. The data suggest that both regimens are less effective than has been observed in randomized trials.
Invisible Women: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Family Firms in Nineteenth-Century France
Authors: Khan B. Zorina 
Published: February 2016

The French economy has been criticized for a lack of integration of women in business and for the prevalence of inefficient family firms. A sample drawn from patent and exhibition records is used to examine the role of women in enterprise and invention in France. Middle-class women were extensively engaged in entrepreneurship and innovation, and the empirical analysis indicates that their commercial efforts were significantly enhanced by association with family firms. Such formerly invisible achievements suggest a more productive role for family-based enterprises, as a means of incorporating relatively disadvantaged groups into the market economy as managers and entrepreneurs.“This business model … melds entrepreneurial passion with a long family tradition.”—Wendel Company (1704–2014)1
Types of social supports predicting health-related quality of life among adult patients with CHD in the Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute), Malaysia
Authors: Tye Sue K. , Kandavello Geetha , Gan Kah L. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to examine which types of social supports – emotional/informational support, tangible support, affectionate support, and positive interactions – are the predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult patients with CHD and to assess the influence of demographic variables and clinical factors on these variables.MethodsIn total, 205 adult patients with CHD from the National Heart Institute, Malaysia, were recruited. Patients were first screened by cardiology consultants to ensure they fit the inclusion criteria before filling in questionnaires, which were medical outcome studies – social support survey and AQoL-8D.Results/conclusionsAll social supports and their subscales were found to have mild-to-moderate significant relationships with physical dimension, psychological dimension, and overall HRQoL; however, only positive interaction, marital status, and types of diagnosis were reported as predictors of HRQoL. Surprisingly, with regard to the physical dimension of quality of life, social supports were not significant predictors, but educational level, marital status, and types of diagnosis were significant predictors. Positive interaction, affectionate support, marital status, and types of diagnosis were again found to be predictors in the aspects of the psychological dimension of quality of life. In conclusion, positive interaction and affectionate support, which include elements of fun, relaxation, love, and care, should be included in the care of adult patients with CHD.
A Simple Transmission Electron Microscopy Method for Fast Thickness Characterization of Suspended Graphene and Graphite Flakes
Authors: Rubino Stefano , Akhtar Sultan , Leifer Klaus 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe present a simple, fast method for thickness characterization of suspended graphene/graphite flakes that is based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We derive an analytical expression for the intensity of the transmitted electron beam I0(t), as a function of the specimen thickness t (t<<λ; where λ is the absorption constant for graphite). We show that in thin graphite crystals the transmitted intensity is a linear function of t. Furthermore, high-resolution (HR) TEM simulations are performed to obtain λ for a 001 zone axis orientation, in a two-beam case and in a low symmetry orientation. Subsequently, HR (used to determine t) and bright-field (to measure I0(0) and I0(t)) images were acquired to experimentally determine λ. The experimental value measured in low symmetry orientation matches the calculated value (i.e., λ=225±9 nm). The simulations also show that the linear approximation is valid up to a sample thickness of 3–4 nm regardless of the orientation and up to several ten nanometers for a low symmetry orientation. When compared with standard techniques for thickness determination of graphene/graphite, the method we propose has the advantage of being simple and fast, requiring only the acquisition of bright-field images.
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta protects muscle satellite cells from apoptosis after injury and in cancer cachexia
Authors: Marchildon F , Fu D , Lala-Tabbert N , Wiper-Bergeron N 
Published: February 2016

AbstractCCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPβ), a transcription factor expressed in muscle satellite cells (SCs), inhibits the myogenic program and is downregulated early in differentiation. In a conditional null model in which C/EBPβ expression is knocked down in paired box protein 7+ (Pax7+) SCs, cardiotoxin (CTX) injury is poorly repaired, although muscle regeneration is efficient in control littermates. While myoblasts lacking C/EBPβ can differentiate efficiently in culture, after CTX injury poor regeneration was attributed to a smaller than normal Pax7+ population, which was not due to a failure of SCs to proliferate. Rather, the percentage of apoptotic SCs was increased in muscle lacking C/EBPβ. Given that an injury induced by BaCl2 is repaired with greater efficiency than controls in the absence of C/EBPβ, we investigated the inflammatory response following BaCl2 and CTX injury and found that the levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), a proinflammatory cytokine, were robustly elevated following CTX injury and could induce C/EBPβ expression in myoblasts. High levels of C/EBPβ expression in myoblasts correlated with resistance to apoptotic stimuli, while its loss increased sensitivity to thapsigargin-induced cell death. Using cancer cachexia as a model for chronic inflammation, we found that C/EBPβ expression was increased in SCs and myoblasts of tumor-bearing cachectic animals. Further, in cachectic conditional knockout animals lacking C/EBPβ in Pax7+ cells, the SC compartment was reduced because of increased apoptosis, and regeneration was impaired. Our findings indicate that the stimulation of C/EBPβ expression by IL-1β following muscle injury and in cancer cachexia acts to promote SC survival, and is therefore a protective mechanism for SCs and myoblasts in the face of inflammation.
Drug design from the cryptic inhibitor envelope
Authors: Lee Chul-Jin , Liang Xiaofei , Wu Qinglin , Najeeb Javaria , Zhao Jinshi , Gopalaswamy Ramesh , Titecat Marie , Sebbane Florent , Lemaitre Nadine , Toone Eric J. , Zhou Pei 
Published: February 2016

AbstractConformational dynamics plays an important role in enzyme catalysis, allosteric regulation of protein functions and assembly of macromolecular complexes. Despite these well-established roles, such information has yet to be exploited for drug design. Here we show by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that inhibitors of LpxC—an essential enzyme of the lipid A biosynthetic pathway in Gram-negative bacteria and a validated novel antibiotic target—access alternative, minor population states in solution in addition to the ligand conformation observed in crystal structures. These conformations collectively delineate an inhibitor envelope that is invisible to crystallography, but is dynamically accessible by small molecules in solution. Drug design exploiting such a hidden inhibitor envelope has led to the development of potent antibiotics with inhibition constants in the single-digit picomolar range. The principle of the cryptic inhibitor envelope approach may be broadly applicable to other lead optimization campaigns to yield improved therapeutics.
Top–down assessment of the Asian carbon budget since the mid 1990s
Authors: Thompson R. L. , Patra P. K. , Chevallier F. , Maksyutov S. , Law R. M. , Ziehn T. , van der Laan-Luijkx I. T. , Peters W. , Ganshin A. , Zhuravlev R. , Maki T. , Nakamura T. , Shirai T. , Ishizawa M. , Saeki T. , Machida T. , Poulter B. , Canadell J. G. , Ciais P. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIncreasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principal driver of anthropogenic climate change. Asia is an important region for the global carbon budget, with 4 of the world’s 10 largest national emitters of CO2. Using an ensemble of seven atmospheric inverse systems, we estimated land biosphere fluxes (natural, land-use change and fires) based on atmospheric observations of CO2 concentration. The Asian land biosphere was a net sink of −0.46 (−0.70–0.24) PgC per year (median and range) for 1996–2012 and was mostly located in East Asia, while in South and Southeast Asia the land biosphere was close to carbon neutral. In East Asia, the annual CO2 sink increased between 1996–2001 and 2008–2012 by 0.56 (0.30–0.81) PgC, accounting for ∼35% of the increase in the global land biosphere sink. Uncertainty in the fossil fuel emissions contributes significantly (32%) to the uncertainty in land biosphere sink change.
Signatures of the Adler–Bell–Jackiw chiral anomaly in a Weyl fermion semimetal
Authors: Zhang Cheng-Long , Xu Su-Yang , Belopolski Ilya , Yuan Zhujun , Lin Ziquan , Tong Bingbing , Bian Guang , Alidoust Nasser , Lee Chi-Cheng , Huang Shin-Ming , Chang Tay-Rong , Chang Guoqing , Hsu Chuang-Han , Jeng Horng-Tay , Neupane Madhab , Sanchez Daniel S. , Zheng Hao , Wang Junfeng , Lin Hsin , Zhang Chi , Lu Hai-Zhou , Shen Shun-Qing , Neupert Titus , Zahid Hasan M. , Jia Shuang 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWeyl semimetals provide the realization of Weyl fermions in solid-state physics. Among all the physical phenomena that are enabled by Weyl semimetals, the chiral anomaly is the most unusual one. Here, we report signatures of the chiral anomaly in the magneto-transport measurements on the first Weyl semimetal TaAs. We show negative magnetoresistance under parallel electric and magnetic fields, that is, unlike most metals whose resistivity increases under an external magnetic field, we observe that our high mobility TaAs samples become more conductive as a magnetic field is applied along the direction of the current for certain ranges of the field strength. We present systematically detailed data and careful analyses, which allow us to exclude other possible origins of the observed negative magnetoresistance. Our transport data, corroborated by photoemission measurements, first-principles calculations and theoretical analyses, collectively demonstrate signatures of the Weyl fermion chiral anomaly in the magneto-transport of TaAs.
Visualization and quantification of deformation behavior of clopidogrel bisulfate polymorphs during tableting
Authors: Yin Xian-Zhen , Wu Li , Li Ying , Guo Tao , Li Hai-Yan , Xiao Ti-Qiao , York Peter , Nangia Ashwini , Gui Shuang-Ying , Zhang Ji-Wen 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe deformation behavior of particles under pressure dominates the mechanical properties of solid dosage forms. In this study, the in situ 3D deformation of two polymorphs (I and II) of clopidogrel bisulfate (CLP) was determined to illustrate pressure distribution profiles within the tablet by the deformation of the crystalline particles for the first time. Synchrotron radiation X-ray computed microtomography (SR-μCT) was utilized to visualize and quantify the morphology of thousands crystalline particles of CLP I and CLP II before and after compression. As a result, the deformation was examined across scale dimensions from microns to the size of the final dosage form. Three dimensional parameters such as volume, sphericity, oblate and prolate of individual particle and distributions were computed and analyzed for quantitative comparison to CLP I and CLP II. The different degrees of deformation under the same compression conditions of CLP I and CLP II were observed and characterized quantitatively. The map of deformation degrees within the tablet illustrated the heterogeneous pressure distribution in various regions of the compacted tablet. In conclusion, the polymorph deformation behaviors demonstrated by SR-μCT quantitative structure analysis deepen understanding of tableting across dimensions from microns to millimeters for the macrostrcuture of tablet.
Near Infrared Fluorescence (NIRF) Molecular Imaging of Oxidized LDL with an Autoantibody in Experimental Atherosclerosis
Authors: Khamis Ramzi Y , Woollard Kevin J. , Hyde Gareth D. , Boyle Joseph J , Bicknell Colin , Chang Shang-Hung , Malik Talat H , Hara Tetsuya , Mauskapf Adam , Granger David W , Johnson Jason L. , Ntziachristos Vasilis , Matthews Paul M , Jaffer Farouc A , Haskard Dorian O 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWe aimed to develop a quantitative antibody-based near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) approach for the imaging of oxidized LDL in atherosclerosis. LO1, a well- characterized monoclonal autoantibody that reacts with malondialdehyde-conjugated LDL, was labeled with a NIRF dye to yield LO1-750. LO1-750 specifically identified necrotic core in ex vivo human coronary lesions. Injection of LO1-750 into high fat (HF) fed atherosclerotic Ldlr−/− mice led to specific focal localization within the aortic arch and its branches, as detected by fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) combined with micro-computed tomography (CT). Ex vivo confocal microscopy confirmed LO1-750 subendothelial localization of LO1-750 at sites of atherosclerosis, in the vicinity of macrophages. When compared with a NIRF reporter of MMP activity (MMPSense-645-FAST), both probes produced statistically significant increases in NIRF signal in the Ldlr−/− model in relation to duration of HF diet. Upon withdrawing the HF diet, the reduction in oxLDL accumulation, as demonstrated with LO1-750, was less marked than the effect seen on MMP activity. In the rabbit, in vivo injected LO1-750 localization was successfully imaged ex vivo in aortic lesions with a customised intra-arterial NIRF detection catheter. A partially humanized chimeric LO1-Fab-Cys localized similarly to the parent antibody in murine atheroma showing promise for future translation.
State of Charge Dependent Mechanical Integrity Behavior of 18650 Lithium-ion Batteries
Authors: Xu Jun , Liu Binghe , Hu Dayong 
Published: February 2016

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanism of mechanical deformation/stress-induced electrical failure of lithium–ion batteries (LIBs) is important in crash-safety design of power LIBs. The state of charge (SOC) of LIBs is a critical factor in their electrochemical performance; however, the influence of SOC with mechanical integrity of LIBs remains unclear. This study investigates the electrochemical failure behaviors of LIBs with various SOCs under both compression and bending loadings, underpinned by the short circuit phenomenon. Mechanical behaviors of the whole LIB body, which is regarded as an intact structure, were analyzed in terms of structure stiffness. Results showed that the mechanical behaviors of LIBs depend highly on SOC. Experimental verification on the cathode and anode sheet compression tests show that higher SOC with more lithium inserted in the anode leads to higher structure stiffness. In the bending tests, failure strain upon occurrence of short circuit has an inverse linear relationship with the SOC value. These results may shed light on the fundamental physical mechanism of mechanical integrity LIBs in relation to inherent electrochemical status.
dPABBs: A Novel in silico Approach for Predicting and Designing Anti-biofilm Peptides
Authors: Sharma Arun , Gupta Pooja , Kumar Rakesh , Bhardwaj Anshu 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIncreasingly, biofilms are being recognised for their causative role in persistent infections (like cystic fibrosis, otitis media, diabetic foot ulcers) and nosocomial diseases (biofilm-infected vascular catheters, implants and prosthetics). Given the clinical relevance of biofilms and their recalcitrance to conventional antibiotics, it is imperative that alternative therapeutics are proactively sought. We have developed dPABBs, a web server that facilitates the prediction and design of anti-biofilm peptides. The six SVM and Weka models implemented on dPABBs were observed to identify anti-biofilm peptides on the basis of their whole amino acid composition, selected residue features and the positional preference of the residues (maximum accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and MCC of 95.24%, 92.50%, 97.73% and 0.91, respectively, on the training datasets). On the N-terminus, it was seen that either of the cationic polar residues, R and K, is present at all five positions in case of the anti-biofilm peptides, whereas in the QS peptides, the uncharged polar residue S is preponderant at the first (also anionic polar residues D, E), third and fifth positions. Positive predictions were also obtained for 29 FDA-approved peptide drugs and ten antimicrobial peptides in clinical development, indicating at their possible repurposing for anti-biofilm therapy. dPABBs is freely accessible on: http://ab-openlab.csir.res.in/abp/antibiofilm/.
Truncation of C-terminal 20 amino acids in PA-X contributes to adaptation of swine influenza virus in pigs
Authors: Xu Guanlong , Zhang Xuxiao , Sun Yipeng , Liu Qinfang , Sun Honglei , Xiong Xin , Jiang Ming , He Qiming , Wang Yu , Pu Juan , Guo Xin , Yang Hanchun , Liu Jinhua 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe PA-X protein is a fusion protein incorporating the N-terminal 191 amino acids of the PA protein with a short C-terminal sequence encoded by an overlapping ORF (X-ORF) in segment 3 that is accessed by + 1 ribosomal frameshifting and this X-ORF exists in either full length or a truncated form (either 61-or 41-condons). Genetic evolution analysis indicates that all swine influenza viruses (SIVs) possessed full-length PA-X prior to 1985, but since then SIVs with truncated PA-X have gradually increased and become dominant, implying that truncation of this protein may contribute to the adaptation of influenza virus in pigs. To verify this hypothesis, we constructed PA-X extended viruses in the background of a “triple-reassortment” H1N2 SIV with truncated PA-X and evaluated their biological characteristics in vitro and in vivo. Compared with full-length PA-X, SIV with truncated PA-X had increased viral replication in porcine cells and swine respiratory tissues, along with enhanced pathogenicity, replication and transmissibility in pigs. Furthermore, we found that truncation of PA-X improved the inhibition of IFN-I mRNA expression. Hereby, our results imply that truncation of PA-X may contribute to the adaptation of SIV in pigs.
Probing metabolic states of differentiating stem cells using two-photon FLIM
Authors: Meleshina Aleksandra V. , Dudenkova Varvara V. , Shirmanova Marina V. , Shcheslavskiy Vladislav I. , Becker Wolfgang , Bystrova Alena S. , Cherkasova Elena I. , Zagaynova Elena V. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe ability of stem cells to differentiate into specialized cell types presents a number of opportunities for regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy and developmental biology. Because traditional assessments of stem cells are destructive, time consuming and logistically intensive, the use of a non-invasive, label-free approach to study of cell differentiation provides a powerful tool for rapid, high-content characterization of cell and tissue cultures. Here, we elucidate the metabolic changes in MSCs during adipogenic differentiation, based on the fluorescence of the metabolic co-factors NADH, NADPH and FAD using the methods of two-photon fluorescence microscopy combined with FLIM. To estimate the contribution of energy metabolism and lipogenesis in the observed changes of the metabolic profile, a separate analysis of NADH and NADPH is required. In our study we demonstrated, for the first time, an increased contribution of protein-bound NADPH in adipocytes that is associated with lipogenesis. The optical redox ratio FAD/NAD(P)H decreased during adipogenic differentiation and that this was likely to be explained by the intensive biosynthesis of lipids and the enhanced NADPH production associated with this. Based on the data on the fluorescence lifetime contribution of protein-bound NAD(P)H, we registered a metabolic switch from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation in adipocytes.