bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of boron oxide addition on the viscosity‐temperature behaviour and structure of phosphate‐based glasses
Authors: Sharmin Nusrat , Hasan Muhammad S. , Rudd Chris D. , Boyd Daniel , Werner‐Zwanziger Ulrike , Ahmed Ifty , Parsons Andrew J. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractIn this study, nine phosphate‐based glass formulations from the system P2O5‐CaO‐Na2O‐MgO‐B2O3 were prepared with P2O5 content fixed as 40, 45 and 50 mol%, where Na2O was replaced by 5 and 10 mol% B2O3 and MgO and CaO were fixed to 24 and 16 mol%, respectively. The effect of B2O3 addition on the viscosity‐temperature behaviour, fragility index and structure of the glasses was investigated. The composition of the glasses was confirmed by ICP‐AES. The viscosity‐temperature behaviour of the glasses were measured using beam‐bending and parallel –plate viscometers. The viscosity of the glasses investigated was found to shift to higher temperature with increasing B2O3 content. The kinetic fragility parameter, m and F1/2, estimated from the viscosity curve were found to decease with increasing B2O3 content. The structural analysis was achieved by a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance. 31P solid‐state magic‐angle‐spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS‐NMR) showed that the local structure of the glasses changes with increasing B2O3 content. As B2O3 was added to the glass systems, the phosphate connectivity increases as the as the Q1 units transforms into Q2 units. The 11B NMR results confirmed the presence of tetrahedral boron (BO4) units for all the compositions investigated. Structural analysis indicates an increasing level of cross‐linking with increasing B2O3 content. Evidence of the presence of P‐O‐B bonds was also observed from the FTIR and 31P NMR analysis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 764–777, 2017.
Smad8/9 Is Regulated Through the BMP Pathway
Authors: Katakawa Yuko , Funaba Masayuki , Murakami Masaru 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTMembers of the transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) family function through Smad‐dependent and Smad‐independent pathways. The Smad‐dependent pathway is stimulated through the phosphorylation of receptor‐regulated Smad (R‐Smad) and inhibited through the dephosphorylation of R‐Smad or the gene induction of inhibitory Smad (I‐Smad). Little information is available on the regulation of R‐Smad gene expression. BMP4 potentiated the up‐regulation of Smad8/9 expression in C2C12, H9c2, 3T3‐L1, HepG2, B16, and primary fibroblasts. BMP4‐induced Smad8/9 expression was cycloheximide‐insensitive and LDN‐193189‐sensitive, suggesting a direct event mediated through BMP type I receptors. BMP4 transcriptionally stimulated the Smad8/9 gene, and BMP‐responsive elements (BREs) spanning nt −121 to nt −44 are involved in the up‐regulation of Smad8/9 expression in response to BMP4. Phosphorylated Smad1/5/8/9 specifically bound to the BREs of Smad8/9 gene. The present study reveals that Smad8/9 is a unique R‐Smad regulated through the BMP pathway at the mRNA level. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 1788–1796, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ex situ bioremediation of chlorophenol contaminated soil: comparison of slurry and solid‐phase bioreactors with the two‐step polymer extraction‐bioregeneration process
Authors: Mosca Angelucci Domenica , Tomei M Concetta 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBACKGROUNDAn innovative approach for ex situ soil bioremediation, based on absorptive polymers extraction combined with biological regeneration of the polymer in a two‐phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB), was tested to remediate soil contaminated by chlorophenols. The objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of the proposed technology in comparison with conventional technologies, such as slurry bioreactors and solid‐phase bioreactors.RESULTSA soil highly contaminated (∼4 g kg−1 for each compound) by a mixture of 4‐chlorophenol (4CP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP), was treated with different bioremediation systems. Removal efficiencies achieved with polymer extraction were >70% for a contact time of 24 h; the contaminated polymer was then regenerated in a TPPB (∼100 and 85% biodegradation efficiencies for 4CP and PCP, respectively). No degradation of PCP occurred in conventional bioreactors, while, for 4CP, 40 days were required for its biodegradation in the slurry bioreactor, and 80 days to reach 67% removal in the solid‐phase bioreactor.CONCLUSIONAdvantages of the two‐step polymer‐based soil treatment in comparison with conventional technologies have been demonstrated for chlorophenols contaminated soils: efficiencies in the range 70–80% for soil decontamination and almost complete mineralization of the two compounds were achieved with reaction times suitable for application (<20 days). © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Emerging therapy in arthritis: Modulation of markers of the inflammatory process
Authors: Mortarino P.A. , Goy D.P. , Abramson D.B. , Cabello J. , Bumaguin G.E. , Vitelli E.J. , Toledo J. , Sarrio L. , Pezzotto S.M. , Mardegan Issa J.P. , Cointry G.R. , Feldman S. 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTThe induction of tolerance has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for arthritis aiming to decrease progression of the pathology, probably by promoting suppressor mechanisms of the autoimmune response. This work aimed to confirm whether the treatment with vitamin D3 could synergize oral tolerance induced by hydrolyzed collagen peptides, in our experimental model of antigen induced arthritis in New Zealand rabbits. Clinical observation of the phenomenon indicates that simultaneous treatment with hydrolyzed collagen peptides and vitamin D3 was beneficial when compared with no treatment, for arthritic animals, and for arthritic animals that received treatment with only hydrolyzed collagen peptides or vitamin D3. Treatment with hydrolyzed collagen peptides caused diminished proinflammatory cytokine levels, an effect synergized significantly by the simultaneous treatment with vitamin D3. The anatomical‐pathological studies of the animals that received both treatments simultaneously showed synovial tissues without lymphocytic and plasma cell infiltrates, and without vascular proliferation. Some of the synovial tissue of the animals of these groups showed a slight decrease in Galectin‐3 expression. We propose that simultaneous oral treatment with vitamin D3 and hydrolyzed collagen peptides could increase the immunoregulatory effect on the process of previously triggered arthritis. We used articular cartilage hydrolysate and not collagen II because peptides best expose antigenic determinants that could induce oral tolerance. Oral tolerance may be considered in the design of novel alternative therapies for autoimmune disease and we have herein presented novel evidence that the simultaneous treatment with vitamin D3 may synergize this beneficial effect. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:89–97, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synchrotron radiation X‐ray micro‐fluorescence: Protocol to study mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Rezende Karla Mayra , Bönecker Marcelo , Perez Carlos Alberto , Mantesso Andrea 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTThe micro‐X‐ray fluorescence by synchrotron radiation (μ‐XRF) is a method to determine the composition of tissues without destroying the samples. However, this technique has never been used for the analysis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). This study compared different protocols for fixing, storing, preserving, and establishing the correct numbers of dental derived MSC submitted to μ‐XRF analysis. Stem cells were obtained from human dental tissue. After cell expansion, and MACS isolation, the samples were fixed and the following quantities of cells 1 × 104 to 1 × 107 were divided in two groups: G1: fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde diluted in phosphate‐buffered saline solution, and G2: fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde diluted in MilliQ water. The G1 cells showed precipitation of chemical components from the solution resulting in the formation of salt crystals while G2 cells were clear and almost transparent in the sample holder. With regards to cells concentration, the best results occurred when four droplets of 1 × 107 cells were analyzed. This work shows that to identify and study the distribution of trace elements in MSC by μ‐XRF, the best protocol is fixation in 4% paraformaldehyde diluted with MilliQ water at 4°C and a concentration of four incremental droplets of 1 × 107 cells. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:149–154, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Chinese researchers, scholarly communication behaviour and trust
Authors: Nicholas David , Xu Jie , Xu Lifang , Su Jing , Watkinson Anthony 
Published: January 2016

AbstractOver 660 Chinese researchers were questioned about their scholarly use, citing, and publishing and how trust is exercised in these key activities. Research showed few signs of new forms of scholarly usage behaviour taking hold, despite multiple opportunities afforded by Science 2.0 developments. Thus, for determining trustworthiness for usage purposes, the most important activity was reading the abstract. In terms of citations, citing the seminal source was the most common activity. In contrast, citing non‐peer reviewed sources, such as the social media, was not thought acceptable. For publishing, relevance to the field was the most important factor when choosing a place to publish. Comparisons were made with a study of 3650 international researchers, which employed the same methods and questions. The main differences between Chinese and international researchers were that the former (a) rated abstracts more highly, (b) took into account impact factors more when citing and publishing and (c) were much more likely to be influenced by institutional directives when placing their articles.
Early adopters of ORCID functionality enabling recognition of peer review: Two brief case studies
Authors: Hanson Brooks , Lawrence Rebecca , Meadows Alice , Paglione Laura 
Published: January 2016

Key points

Publishers increasingly acknowledge the need for better recognition of peer review activities and are experimenting with ways to achieve this.
A recent community working group recommended a set of data exchange standards to support this recognition, and these have now been implemented by the Open Researcher and Contributor ID.
The American Geophysical Union and F1000 are the first adopters of this new functionality.
A Selective Mucin/Methylcellulose Hybrid Gel with Tailored Mechanical Properties
Authors: Nowald Constantin , Penk Anja , Chiu Hsin‐Yi , Bein Thomas , Huster Daniel , Lieleg Oliver 
Published: January 2016

Mucin glycoproteins are key components of native mucus which serves as an initial barrier in the human body against microbial attack. Mucins are able to prevent bacterial adhesion and can trap viruses. However, the weak mechanical properties of mucin solutions have so far prevented their application in a physiological environment. Here, methylcellulose biopolymers are used as mechanical adjuvants to overcome this limitation and generate a thermoresponsive mucin/methylcellulose hybrid system. The hybrid material developed combines the selective permeability properties brought about by mucins with the thermal autogelation properties of methylcellulose. As a consequence, triggered by contact with body‐warm surfaces, the hybrid material rapidly forms a gel at physiological conditions, and this external temperature stimulus can also be harnessed to stimulate drug release from incorporated thermosensitive liposomes. Finally, the hybrid gel selectively retards the release of embedded molecules which can be used to further control and prolong drug release from the material.
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Recent Strategies in Tissue Engineering for Guided Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Authors: Belanger Kayla , Dinis Tony M. , Taourirt Sami , Vidal Guillaume , Kaplan David L. , Egles Christopher 
Published: January 2016

The repair of large crushed or sectioned segments of peripheral nerves remains a challenge in regenerative medicine due to the complexity of the biological environment and the lack of proper biomaterials and architecture to foster reconstruction. Traditionally such reconstruction is only achieved by using fresh human tissue as a surrogate for the absence of the nerve. However, recent focus in the field has been on new polymer structures and specific biofunctionalization to achieve the goal of peripheral nerve regeneration by developing artificial nerve prostheses. This review presents various tested approaches as well their effectiveness for nerve regrowth and functional recovery.image
Treatment Preferences at the End‐of‐Life in Parkinson's Disease Patients
Authors: Li Wei , Ng Hwee Lan , Li Wenyun , Piano Anthony N. , Karim Shireen Abdul , Tay Kay Yaw , Au Wing Lok , Tan Louis CS 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundFew studies have been performed on palliative care in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study was undertaken to understand treatment preferences of PD patients toward end‐of‐life care.MethodsA questionnaire modified from the Willingness to Accept Life‐Sustaining Treatment instrument was administered to participants. Four different scenarios based on the burden of care and outcome of the treatment were presented in detail to obtain decisions for end‐of‐life care. The responses in each scenario were compared between PD patients and controls. Further analyses were performed to identify factors that influenced treatment preferences among PD patients.ResultsIn total, 136 PD patients and 60 controls were recruited. Parkinson's disease patients and controls were demographically similar, except that PD patients had more previous hospital admissions (P = 0.0195). Parkinson's disease patients were more likely to opt for high‐burden care with poor outcome than controls (odds ratio [OR] = 2.11, P = 0.04).In the subgroup analysis for PD patients, the factors that influenced treatment preference toward end‐of‐life care were belief in religion (OR: 7.43, 95% confidence interval:1.97–28.07), higher Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score (2.51, 1.14–5.50) in scenario B; belief in religion (6.93, 2.23–21.43), married patients (6.93, 2.23–21.43) in scenario C; and Chinese patients (0.29, 0.10–0.79), better PD knowledge (0.37, 0.17–0.80), and higher UPDRS motor scores (3.05, 1.35–6.9) in scenario D.ConclusionParkinson's disease patients were more likely to agree to high‐burden care with a poor outcome compared to controls. Among PD patients, race, marital status, religious status, knowledge about PD, and severity of motor impairment significantly influenced their end‐of‐life treatment preferences.
Lewy body pathology involves the olfactory cells in Parkinson's disease and related disorders
Authors: Saito Yuko , Shioya Ayako , Sano Terunori , Sumikura Hiroyuki , Murata Miho , Murayama Shigeo 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundThe “dual‐hit” and propagation hypotheses of α‐synuclein suggests that the olfactory cells of the olfactory epithelium are among the earliest sites of involvement in Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated the olfactory epithelium in consecutive cases that had been registered with a brain bank.ObjectivesThis study was undertaken to check the presence or absence of Lewy body pathology in olfactory cells.MethodsThirty‐six male and 11 female patients were examined, including eight with PD, two with dementia with Lewy bodies, 11 with incidental Lewy body disease, and 26 with no Lewy‐related alpha‐synucleinopathy. The olfactory epithelium was sampled by craniotomy followed by resection of the cribriform plate, which was fixed in formalin and decalcified with ethylenediaminetetra‐acetate. Coronal paraffin‐embedded sections of the plate were stained with hematoxylin and eosin or immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against phosphorylated α‐synuclein to detect Lewy body pathology and neuronal markers of protein gene product 9.5, phosphorylated neurofilament, and tyrosine hydroxylase.ResultsLewy body pathology was detected in the olfactory cells of the olfactory epithelium in a single patient with incidental Lewy body disease and in six patients with PD, but it was not detected in patients who had dementia with Lewy bodies.ConclusionsWe detected Lewy body pathology in the olfactory epithelium in six of the eight patients with Parkinson's disease and in one patient with incidental Lewy body pathology. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Dopaminergic treatment modulates sensory attenuation at the onset of the movement in Parkinson's disease: A test of a new framework for bradykinesia
Authors: Macerollo Antonella , Chen Jui‐Cheng , Korlipara Prasad , Foltynie Thomas , Rothwell John , Edwards Mark John , Kilner James Morvan 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe primary motor sign of Parkinson's disease is bradykinesia. It has been surprisingly difficult to provide a clear neurobiological mechanism for this fundamental movement deficit in Parkinson's disease. It has been proposed that in healthy individuals the gating of sensory afferents prior to and during movement is an essential step in initiating movement. This down‐weighting has been proposed to account for the attenuation of the somatosensory evoked potential following median nerve stimulation at the onset of and during hand movements. The objective of this study was to test whether this sensory attenuation present at movement onset in healthy controls is present in patients with Parkinson's disease.MethodsEighteen right‐handed patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and 16 right‐handed age‐matched healthy participants were studied. Somatosensory evoked potentials were elicited after electrical stimulation of the median nerve at the wrist. Electroencephalograms were recorded over the scalp at 3 sites on according to the International 10‐20 System (F3, C3, and P3). Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded in 2 conditions: at rest and at the onset of movement (a self‐paced abduction movement of the right thumb).ResultsOff medication, Parkinson's disease patients had no sensory attenuation at movement onset. On medication, sensory attenuation at movement onset was present.ConclusionsWe suggest that this preliminary result is consistent with the hypothesis that, a failure in sensory attenuation contributes to the difficulties in movement initiation in Parkinson's disease. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Docosahexaenoic acid attenuates adipose tissue angiogenesis and insulin resistance in high fat diet‐fed middle‐aged mice via a sirt1‐dependent mechanism
Authors: Luo Xiaoqin , Jia Ru , Yao Qinyu , Xu Yirui , Luo Zhenyu , Luo Xiao , Wang Nanping 
Published: January 2016

ScopeDocosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22: 6, n‐3), one of PUFAs, exerts beneficial effects on inflammatory diseases, obesity and diabetes. Angiogenesis in adipose tissue has a major role in the development of obesity and its related metabolic complications. Inhibition of angiogenesis is an emerging strategy for the novel treatment for obesity. Thus, we examined the effect of DHA on angiogenesis in adipose tissues and investigated the underlying mechanisms.Methods and resultsIn high‐fat diet (HFD) fed middle‐aged mice, DHA inhibited the macrophage‐derived inflammation and angiogenesis in adipose tissues, reduced adipocyte size and body fat composition and improved insulin sensitivity. Moreover, DHA reversed the HFD‐induced reduction of Sirt1 in adipose tissues. Interestingly, the effects of DHA were attenuated by lentivirus‐mediated Sirt1 knockdown with increasing expression of markers of macrophage‐derived inflammation and angiogenesis, associated with impaired insulin sensitivity.ConclusionOverall, our findings demonstrated that DHA reduced angiogenesis of adipose tissues and attenuated insulin resistance in HFD‐induced obese mice via the activation of Sirt1.
Numerical modeling of dynamic rock fracture with a combined 3D continuum viscodamage‐embedded discontinuity model
Authors: Saksala T. , Brancherie D. , Ibrahimbegovic A. 
Published: January 2016

SummaryThis paper deals with numerical modeling of dynamic failure phenomena in rate‐sensitive quasi‐brittle materials, such as rocks, with initial microcrack populations. To this end, a continuum viscodamage‐embedded discontinuity model is developed and tested in full 3D setting. The model describes the pre‐peak nonlinear and rate‐sensitive hardening response of the material behavior, representing the fracture‐process zone creation, by a rate‐dependent continuum damage model. The post‐peak response, involving the macrocrack creation accompanied by exponential softening, is formulated by using an embedded displacement discontinuity model. The finite element implementation of this model relies upon the linear tetrahedral element, which seems appropriate for explicit dynamic analyses involving stress wave propagation. The problems of crack locking and spreading typical of embedded discontinuity models are addressed in this paper. A combination of two remedies, the inclusion of viscosity in the spirit of Wang's viscoplastic consistency approach and introduction of isotropic damaging into the embedded discontinuity model, is shown to be effective in the present explicit dynamics setting. The model performance is illustrated by several numerical simulations. In particular, the dynamic Brazilian disc test and the Kalthoff–Winkler experiment show that the present model provides realistic predictions with the correct failure modes and rate‐dependent tensile strengths of rock at different loading rates. The ability of initial embedded discontinuity populations to model the initial microcrack populations in rocks is also successfully tested. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rotaxane‐type hyperbranched polymers from a crown ether host and paraquat guests containing blocking groups
Authors: Lee Minjae , Gibson Harry W. 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACTRotaxane‐type hyperbranched polymers are synthesized for the first time from A2B type semi‐rotaxane monomers formed in situ via complexation of bis(m‐phenylene)‐32‐crown‐10 dimethanol (1) and two paraquat ω‐n‐alkylenecarboxylic acid derivatives with tris(p‐t‐butylphenyl)methylphenylalkylene stoppers (8 and 9). Rotaxane and taco complexes exist in solutions of the hyperbranched polyesters in CD3CN/CDCl3 as confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, but the taco complexes, which derive from non‐rotaxanated paraquat units, disappear in DMSO‐d6. NMR spectroscopy indicates the portion of rotaxanes strongly interlocked by the environment (inner rotaxanes) is larger in HP1•9, which has longer alkylene spacers, perhaps indicating a higher degree of polymerization. The molecular size increases upon formation of the hyperbranched polymers are confirmed by dynamic light scattering and by viscometry. As with covalent hyperbranched polymers a number of potential applications exist; the unique mechanically linked character and the presence of uncomplexed host and guest moieties foreshadow the use of such systems for their responses to external stimuli with the added benefit of providing molecular recognition sites useful as delivery vehicles. Use of other host‐guest motifs to form the semirotaxane A2B monomers is possible and complementary systems with higher binding constants will enable efficient syntheses of high molecular weight, mechanically linked hyperbranched polymers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 1647–1658