bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Protection by Edaravone, a Radical Scavenger, against Manganese‐Induced Neurotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Apaydin Melda , Erbas Oytun , Taskiran Dilek 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTManganese (Mn) is a required element for biological systems; however, its excessive exposure may lead to a neurological syndrome known as manganism. The aim of the present study was to assess the toxic effects of subacute exposure of Mn by measuring weight gain, motor performance, and biochemical parameters (complex I activity, lipid peroxides, and protein carbonyls) in brain mitochondria in rats. We also examined whether edaravone (EDA), a radical scavenger, exerts protective effects against Mn‐induced neurotoxicity. In addition, we evaluated the accumulation of Mn in brain regions using magnetic resonance imaging. Mn‐exposed rats revealed significantly impaired motor performance, weight loss, and Mn accumulation in particular brain area. Lipid peroxides and protein carbonyls were significantly increased in Mn‐exposed rats, whereas complex I activity was found to be decreased. EDA treatment significantly prevented mitochondrial oxidative damage and improved motor performance. These findings suggested that EDA might serve as a clinically effective agent against Mn‐induced neurotoxicity.
Morphological differentiation of seven parthenogenetic Artemia (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) populations from China, with special emphasis on ploidy degrees
Authors: Asem Alireza , Sun Shi‐Chun 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTParthenogenetic Artemia from seven Chinese locations with different elevations and various ploidies are characterized by phenotypic and morphometric analyses. Our findings show that the studied populations exhibit dissimilar patterns of ovisac. Four phenotypic patterns of furca are qualified and one of them is shared among di‐, tetra‐ and pentaploid Artemia. Results of discriminant analysis based on morphometric data reveal that tetra‐ and pentaploid populations are grouped together, but the Aqqikkol Lake population is clearly differentiated. Previous hypothesis/conclusion that polyploid Artemia are larger than diploids is only partly supported by the present results, which show that pentaploid and tetraploid populations are larger than the mostly diploid populations in terms of the total length, but the body size of the Aibi Lake triploids has not significant difference with the sympatric diploids and the mostly diploid Aqqikkol population that inhabit in very high altitude has the largest body size among all parthenogenetic populations. The founding confirms that body size of Artemia is following with Bergmann's rule. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:258–266, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Strongly Even‐Cycle Decomposable Graphs
Authors: Huynh Tony , King Andrew D. , Oum Sang‐il , Verdian‐Rizi Maryam 
Published: January 2016

AbstractA graph is strongly even‐cycle decomposable if the edge set of every subdivision with an even number of edges can be partitioned into cycles of even length. We prove that several fundamental composition operations that preserve the property of being Eulerian also yield strongly even‐cycle decomposable graphs. As an easy application of our theorems, we give an exact characterization of the set of strongly even‐cycle decomposable cographs.
Real‐time patient experience surveys of hospitalized medical patients
Authors: Indovina Kimberly , Keniston Angela , Reid Mark , Sachs Katherine , Zheng Chi , Tong Angie , Hernandez Danny , Bui Kathy , Ali Zeinab , Nguyen Thao , Guirguis Helpees , Albert Richard K. , Burden Marisha 
Published: January 2016

BACKGROUNDReal‐time feedback about patients' perceptions of the quality of the care they are receiving could provide physicians the opportunity to address concerns and improve these perceptions as they occur, but physicians rarely if ever receive feedback from patients in real time.OBJECTIVETo evaluate if real‐time patient feedback to physicians improves patient experience.DESIGNProspective, randomized, quality‐improvement initiative.SETTINGUniversity‐affiliated, public safety net hospital.PARTICIPANTSPatients and hospitalist physicians on general internal medicine units.INTERVENTIONReal‐time daily patient feedback to providers along with provider coaching and revisits of patients not reporting optimal satisfaction with their care.MEASUREMENTSPatient experience scores on 3 provider‐specific questions from daily surveys on all patients and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores and percentiles on randomly selected patients.RESULTSChanges in HCAHPS percentile ranks were substantial (communication from doctors: 60th percentile versus 39th, courtesy and respect of doctors: 88th percentile versus 23rd, doctors listening carefully to patients: 95th percentile versus 57th, and overall hospital rating: 87th percentile versus 6th (P = 0.02 for overall differences in percentiles), but we found no statistically significant difference in the top box proportions for the daily surveys or the HCAHPS survey. The median [interquartile range] top box score for the overall hospital rating question on the HCAHPS survey was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (10 [9, 10] vs 9 [8, 10], P = 0.04).CONCLUSIONSReal‐time feedback, followed by coaching and patient revisits, seem to improve patient experience. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:251–256. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine
Great Expectations? Remittances and Asset Accumulation in Pakistan
Authors: Ahmed Junaid , Mughal Mazhar , Klasen Stephan 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThis study examines asset accumulation patterns of the recipients of foreign and domestic remittances. Employing a number of matching techniques, we analyse stocks of consumer, productive, housing and financial assets among migrants' stay‐behind households in Pakistan. We find that asset accumulation among remittance‐receiving households depends upon the nature and magnitude of remittances, the economic situation, and the geographical location of the recipient households. Foreign remittances lead to a substantial increase in household assets, while no significant change results from domestic remittances. We conclude that foreign remittances are considered as mainly transitory income and are used to generate precautionary savings in cash and kind. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
USPIO‐enhanced 3D‐cine self‐gated cardiac MRI based on a stack‐of‐stars golden angle short echo time sequence: Application on mice with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Trotier Aurélien J. , Castets Charles R. , Lefrançois William , Ribot Emeline J. , Franconi Jean‐Michel , Thiaudière Eric , Miraux Sylvain 
Published: January 2016

PurposeTo develop and assess a 3D‐cine self‐gated method for cardiac imaging of murine models.Materials and MethodsA 3D stack‐of‐stars (SOS) short echo time (STE) sequence with a navigator echo was performed at 7T on healthy mice (n = 4) and mice with acute myocardial infarction (MI) (n = 4) injected with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles. In all, 402 spokes were acquired per stack with the incremental or the golden angle method using an angle increment of (360/402)° or 222.48°, respectively. A cylindrical k‐space was filled and repeated with a maximum number of repetitions (NR) of 10. 3D cine cardiac images at 156 μm resolution were reconstructed retrospectively and compared for the two methods in terms of contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR). The golden angle images were also reconstructed with NR = 10, 6, and 3, to assess cardiac functional parameters (ejection fraction, EF) on both animal models.ResultsThe combination of 3D SOS‐STE and USPIO injection allowed us to optimize the identification of cardiac peaks on navigator signal and generate high CNR between blood and myocardium (15.3 ± 1.0). The golden angle method resulted in a more homogeneous distribution of the spokes inside a stack (P < 0.05), enabling reducing the acquisition time to 15 minutes. EF was significantly different between healthy and MI mice (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe method proposed here showed that 3D‐cine images could be obtained without electrocardiogram or respiratory gating in mice. It allows precise measurement of cardiac functional parameters even on MI mice. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:355–365.
Diffusion‐Weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging detect delayed graft function and correlate with allograft fibrosis in patients early after kidney transplantation
Authors: Hueper Katja , Khalifa Abedalrazag A. , Bräsen Jan H. , Vo Chieu Van Dai , Gutberlet Marcel , Wintterle Sabine , Lehner Frank , Richter Nicolas , Peperhove Matti , Tewes Susanne , Weber Kristina , Haller Hermann , Wacker Frank , Gwinner Wilfried , Gueler Faikah , Hartung Dagmar 
Published: January 2016

PurposeTo combine diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for detection of allograft dysfunction in patients early after kidney transplantation and to correlate diffusion parameters with renal function and renal histology of allograft biopsies.Materials and MethodsBetween day 4 and 11 after kidney transplantation 33 patients with initial graft function and 31 patients with delayed graft function (DGF) were examined with a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. DTI and DWI sequences were acquired and fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmono), pure diffusion (ADCdiff), and the perfusion fraction (Fp) were calculated. Kidney biopsies in 26 patients were analyzed for allograft pathology, ie, acute tubular injury, inflammation, edema, renal fibrosis, and rejection. Histological results were correlated with MRI parameters.ResultsIn the renal medulla FA (0.25 ± 0.06 vs. 0.29 ± 0.06, P < 0.01) and ADCmono (1.73 ± 0.13*10−3 vs. 1.93 ± 0.16*10−3 mm2/s, P < 0.001) were significantly reduced in DGF patients compared with patients with initial function. For ADCdiff and Fp similar reductions were observed. FA and ADCmono significantly correlated with renal function (r = 0.53 and r = 0.57, P < 0.001) and were inversely correlated with the amount of renal fibrosis (r = –0.63 and r = –0.65, P < 0.05).ConclusionCombined DTI and DWI detected allograft dysfunction early after kidney transplantation and correlated with allograft fibrosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:112–121.
Characteristics of sea breezes over the Jiangsu coastal area, China
Authors: Huang Meng , Gao Zhiqiu , Miao Shiguang , Xu Xiazhen 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTThe synoptic circulation patterns during sea breeze events for the period March 2010 to February 2011 in the coastal region of the Jiangsu Province are investigated using the Lamb–Jenkinson circulation classification method for National Centers for Environment Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data. The results show that the undefined flow type (UD), the rotational flow types of anticyclones (A)/cyclones (C), the directional flow types of southeast (SE)/southwest (SW) and the hybrid flow type CSW (combining the C and SW patterns) are conducive to the development of sea breeze circulation in the coastal region of the Jiangsu Province and together account for 84.3% of the circulation types in the year 2010. The wind observation data collected at a height of 70 m over the Nantong wind tower operated by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) and located on the coast of Jiangsu are also analysed. The statistical characteristics of sea breeze circulation in the coastal area of Jiangsu are: (1) sea breeze circulation occurs most often in the summer (June–August) with a frequency of 52.8% and is rarely observed from November to January; (2) sea breeze circulation usually occurs 5–6 h after sunrise and lasts until 2–3 h after sunset, and the duration of sea breeze circulation has a maximum value of approximately 11 h in February; (3) the seasonal variation of sea breeze strength is small, with the monthly average wind speed about 3 m s−1; and (4) in 2010, the daily average hodograph in the Nantong station during the sea breeze days exhibits an expected clockwise rotation.
The true prognosis of resected distal cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Courtin‐Tanguy Laetitia , Rayar Michel , Bergeat Damien , Merdrignac Aude , Harnoy Yann , Boudjema Karim , Meunier Bernard , Sulpice Laurent 
Published: January 2016

BackgroundPrognosis of distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains poorly assessed. The aims of this study were to describe the oncological results of PD in DCC and to compare its prognosis to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).MethodsAll PD for periampullary carcinoma performed between January 2000 and March 2013 were extracted from a prospective database. Risk factors likely to influence overall (OS) and disease‐free (DFS) survivals of DCC were assessed by multivariable analyses. The DCC and PDAC prognoses were compared after matching using propensity score (nearest neighbor matching).ResultsOf the 290 patients analyzed, 56 had DCC, with a mean age of 65 ± 15 years. The median OS was 36.9 months. Recurrence occurred in 35 patients (67%), mostly in the liver (37%). The median DFS was 14.6 months. Combined organ resection was an independent risk factor for worse OS and DFS (P = 0.01 and P = 0.001, respectively). Matching analysis found no significant difference between DCC and PDAC in terms of OS (P = 0.284) or DFS (P = 0.438).ConclusionThis first propensity analysis demonstrated that DCC and PDAC have the same prognosis, linked to the high rate of early recurrence, particularly associated with the need for combined organ resection. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:575–580. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The dietary flavonol quercetin ameliorates angiotensin II‐induced redox signaling imbalance in a human umbilical vein endothelial cell model of endothelial dysfunction via ablation of p47phox expression
Authors: Jones Huw S. , Gordon Andrew , Magwenzi Simba G. , Naseem Khalid , Atkin Stephen L. , Courts Fraser L. 
Published: January 2016

ScopeQuercetin is reported to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive but not normotensive humans, but the role of endothelial redox signaling in this phenomenon has not been assessed. This study investigated the effects of physiologically obtainable quercetin concentrations in a human primary cell model of endothelial dysfunction in order to elucidate the mechanism of action of its antihypertensive effects.Methods and resultsAngiotensin II (100 nM, 8 h) induced dysfunction, characterized by suppressed nitric oxide availability (85 ± 4% p<0.05) and increased superoxide production (136 ± 5 %, p<0.001). These effects were ablated by an NADPH oxidase inhibitor. Quercetin (3 μM, 8 h) prevented angiotensin II induced changes in nitric oxide and superoxide levels, but no effect upon nitric oxide or superoxide in control cells. The NADPH oxidase subunit p47phox was increased at the mRNA and protein levels in angiotensin II‐treated cells (130 ± 14% of control, p<0.05), which was ablated by quercetin co‐treatment. Protein kinase C activity was increased after angiotensin II treatment (136 ± 51%), however this was unaffected by quercetin co‐treatment.ConclusionPhysiologically obtainable quercetin concentrations are capable of ameliorating angiotensin II‐induced endothelial nitric oxide and superoxide imbalance via protein kinase C‐independent restoration of p47phox gene and protein expression.
Effect of low or high glycemic load diets on experimentally induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats
Authors: Thompson Henry J. , Neuhouser Marian L. , Lampe Johanna W. , McGinley John N. , Neil Elizabeth S. , Schwartz Yvonne , McTiernan Anne 
Published: January 2016

ScopeHigh glycemic load diets have been associated with increased breast cancer risk in population‐based studies, but the evidence is mixed. This investigation determined whether diets differing in glycemic load affected the carcinogenic process using a preclinical model.Methods and resultsHuman diets, formulated to differ 2‐fold in glycemic load, were evaluated in the 1‐methyl‐nitrosourea‐induced (37.5 mg/kg) mammary carcinogenesis model. Cancer incidence (23.3 versus 50.0%, p = 0.032), multiplicity, (0.40 versus 1.03, p = 0.030) and burden, (0.62 versus 1.19 g/rat, p = 0.037) were reduced in the low versus high glycemic load diets, respectively. However, the low glycemic protective effect was attenuated when two purified diets that differed in resistant starch and simulated the glycemic effects of the human diets were fed. Protection was associated with alterations in markers of cell growth regulation.ConclusionOur findings show that human low or high glycemic load dietary patterns differentially affect the carcinogenic response in a nondiabetic rodent model for breast cancer. However, factors that are associated with these patterns, in addition to dietary carbohydrate availability, appear to account for the differences observed.
A fast and flexible MRI system for the study of dynamic vocal tract shaping
Authors: Lingala Sajan Goud , Zhu Yinghua , Kim Yoon‐Chul , Toutios Asterios , Narayanan Shrikanth , Nayak Krishna S. 
Published: January 2016

PurposeThe aim of this work was to develop and evaluate an MRI‐based system for study of dynamic vocal tract shaping during speech production, which provides high spatial and temporal resolution.MethodsThe proposed system utilizes (a) custom eight‐channel upper airway coils that have high sensitivity to upper airway regions of interest, (b) two‐dimensional golden angle spiral gradient echo acquisition, (c) on‐the‐fly view‐sharing reconstruction, and (d) off‐line temporal finite difference constrained reconstruction. The system also provides simultaneous noise‐cancelled and temporally aligned audio. The system is evaluated in 3 healthy volunteers, and 1 tongue cancer patient, with a broad range of speech tasks.ResultsWe report spatiotemporal resolutions of 2.4 × 2.4 mm2 every 12 ms for single‐slice imaging, and 2.4 × 2.4 mm2 every 36 ms for three‐slice imaging, which reflects roughly 7‐fold acceleration over Nyquist sampling. This system demonstrates improved temporal fidelity in capturing rapid vocal tract shaping for tasks, such as producing consonant clusters in speech, and beat‐boxing sounds. Novel acoustic‐articulatory analysis was also demonstrated.ConclusionA synergistic combination of custom coils, spiral acquisitions, and constrained reconstruction enables visualization of rapid speech with high spatiotemporal resolution in multiple planes. Magn Reson Med 77:112–125, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
True and apparent optogenetic BOLDfMRI signals
Authors: Schmid Florian , Wachsmuth Lydia , Albers Franziska , Schwalm Miriam , Stroh Albrecht , Faber Cornelius 
Published: January 2016

PurposeOptogenetic fMRI (ofMRI) is a novel tool in neurophysiology and neuroimaging. The method is prone to light‐induced artifacts, two of which were investigated in this study.MethodsofMRI was performed in rats using two excitatory opsins (ChR2 and C1V1TT) virally transduced in somatosensory cortex or thalamus. Heat‐induced apparent BOLD activation at the site of the optical fiber and stimulation light–induced activation of the visual pathways were investigated, and control experiments for these two artifacts were established.ResultsSpecific optogenetic BOLD activation was observed with both opsins, accompanied by BOLD in the visual pathways. Unspecific heat‐induced BOLD was ruled out by a control experiment employing low‐level constant illumination in addition to pulsed optogenetic stimulation. Activation of the visual pathways was confirmed to be physiological by direct visual stimulation of the eyes and was suppressed by additional low‐level constant light to the eyes. Light inside the brain was identified as one source of the BOLD signal observed in the visual pathways.ConclusionofMRI is a method of tremendous potential, but unspecific activations in fMRI not caused by the activation of opsins must be avoided or recognized as such. The control experiments presented here allow for validating the specificity of optogenetic stimulation. Magn Reson Med 77:126–136, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Measuring distributions by phase encoding
Authors: Jordanova Kalina V. , Nishimura Dwight G. , Kerr Adam B. 
Published: January 2016

PurposeWe propose a method to acquire
distribution plots by encoding in
instead of image space. Using this method,
data is acquired in a different way from traditional spatial
mapping, and allows for quick measurement of high dynamic range
data.MethodsTo encode in
, we acquire multiple projections of a slice, each along the same direction, but using a different phase sensitivity to
. Using a convex optimization formulation, we reconstruct histograms of the
distribution estimates of the slice.ResultsWe verify in vivo
distribution measurements by comparing measured distributions to distributions calculated from reference spatial
maps using the Earth Mover's Distance. Phantom measurements using a surface coil show that for increased spatial
variations, measured
distributions using the proposed method more accurately estimate the distribution than a low‐resolution spatial
map, resulting in a 37% Earth Mover's Distance decrease while using fewer measurements.ConclusionWe propose and validate the performance of a method to acquire
distribution information directly without acquiring a spatial
map. The method may provide faster estimates of a
field for applications that do not require spatial
localization, such as the transmit gain calibration of the scanner, particularly for high dynamic
ranges. Magn Reson Med 77:229–236, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Three‐layered radio frequency coil arrangement for sodium MRI of the human brain at 9.4 Tesla
Authors: Shajan G. , Mirkes Christian , Buckenmaier Kai , Hoffmann Jens , Pohmann Rolf , Scheffler Klaus 
Published: January 2016

PurposeA multinuclei imaging setup with the capability to acquire both sodium (23Na) and proton (1H) signals at 9.4 Tesla is presented. The main objective was to optimize coil performance at the 23Na frequency while still having the ability to acquire satisfactory 1H images.MethodsThe setup consisted of a combination of three radio frequency (RF) coils arranged in three layers: the innermost layer was a 27‐channel 23Na receive helmet which was surrounded by a four‐channel 23Na transceiver array. The outer layer consisted of a four‐channel 1H dipole array for B0 shimming and anatomical localization. Transmit and receive performance of the 23Na arrays was compared to a single‐tuned 23Na birdcage resonator.ResultsWhile the transmit efficiency of the 23Na transceiver array was comparable to the birdcage, the 23Na receive array provided substantial signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) gain near the surface and comparable SNR in the center. The utility of this customized setup was demonstrated by 23Na images of excellent quality.ConclusionHigh SNR, efficient transmit excitation and B0 shimming capability can be achieved for 23Na MRI at 9.4T using novel coil combination. This RF configuration is easily adaptable to other multinuclei applications at ultra high field (≥ 7T). Magn Reson Med 75:906–916, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.