bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Immunogenic, cellular, and angiogenic drivers of tumor dormancy‐a melanoma view
Authors: Senft Daniela , Ronai Ze′ev A. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryIn tumor cells, the ability to maintain viability over long time periods without proliferation is referred to as a state of dormancy. Maintenance of dormancy is controlled by numerous cellular and environmental factors, from immune surveillance and tumor–stroma interaction to intracellular signaling. Interference of dormancy (to an ‘awaken’ state) is associated with reduced response to therapy, resulting in relapse or in metastatic burst. Thus, maintaining a dormant state should prolong therapeutic responses and delay metastasis. Technical obstacles in studying tumor dormancy have limited our understanding of underlying mechanisms and hampered our ability to target dormant cells. In this review, we summarize the progress of research in the field of immunogenic, angiogenic, and cellular dormancy in diverse malignancies with particular attention to our current understanding in melanoma.
The value of 18F‐FDG PET in pediatric patients with post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder at initial diagnosis
Authors: Vali R. , Punnett A. , Bajno L. , Moineddin R. , Shammas A. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPTLD is a serious complication of both solid organ and BMT. This study assessed whether 18F‐FDG PET, when added to CT scan, had additional value in the initial evaluation of PTLD in pediatric patients and whether PET/CT at baseline can reliably guide biopsy. This retrospective study evaluated 34 consecutive pediatric patients (14 female), aged 3.5–17.0 yr (mean age: 9.9 yr, s.d.: 4.9 yr), who had undergone 18F‐FDG PET/CT from May 2007 to December 2014 at initial diagnosis of PTLD following heart (n = 13), lung (n = 8), kidney (n = 4), liver (n = 3), liver and bowel (n = 3), and bone marrow (n = 3) transplantation. PTLD was diagnosed histopathologically in 33 patients and was based on clinical findings, elevated EBV, and imaging and follow‐up results in one patient. On lesion‐based analysis, 18F‐FDG PET showed more lesions than conventional CT scan (168 vs. 134), but CT revealed 22 lesions negative on PET. On per patient analysis, PET detected more lesions in 13 patients, CT identified more abnormalities in seven, and both showed the same number of lesions in 14. Adding 18F‐FDG PET to CT scans upstaged the disease in seven patients (20.5%). A combination of 18F‐FDG PET and CT was also useful in guiding biopsy, being positive in 36 of 39 samples (92.3%). These findings indicated that 18F‐FDG PET and CT are complementary at initial staging of pediatric PTLD and that 18F‐FDG PET/CT scanning can guide biopsies.
Absence of Sperm Factors as in the Parthenogenesis Does Not Interfere on Bovine Embryo Sensitiveness to Heat Shock at Pre‐Implantation Stage
Authors: Camargo LSA , Paludo F , Pereira MM , Wohlres‐Viana S , Gioso MM , Carvalho BC , Quintao CCR , Viana JHM 
Published: October 2015

ContentsOocyte has been considered the major contributor for embryo thermo‐tolerance. However, it was shown that sperm factors can be transferred to the oocyte during fertilization, raising the question of whether the absence of such factors could interfere on embryo thermo‐tolerance. In this study, we used parthenogenesis to generate bovine embryos without spermatozoa in order to test whether the absence of sperm factors could influence their thermo‐sensitiveness at early stages. In vitro fertilized (IVF) and parthenogenetic (PA) embryos at 44 h post‐insemination/chemical activation were exposed to 38.5°C (control) or 41°C (heat shock) for 12 h and then developed for 48 h and up to blastocyst stage. Apoptosis index and expression of PRDX1, GLUT1, GLUT5 and IGF1r genes in blastocysts derived from heat‐shocked embryos were also evaluated. The heat shock decreased the blastocyst rate at day seven (p < 0.05) for IVF embryos and at day eight (p < 0.01) for both IVF and PA embryos. Total cell number was not affected by heat shock in IVF and PA blastocysts, but there was an increased proportion (p < 0.05) of apoptotic cells in heat‐shocked embryos when compared to controls. There was no interaction (p > 0.05) between method of activation (IVF and PA) and temperature (38.5°C or 41.5°C) for all developmental parameters evaluated. Expression of GLUT1 gene was downregulated (p < 0.05) by heat shock in both IVF and PA blastocyst whereas expression of GLUT5 and IGF1r genes was downregulated (p < 0.05) by heat shock in PA blastocysts. Those data show that the heat shock affects negatively the embryo development towards blastocysts stage, increases the apoptotic index and disturbed the expression of some genes in both IVF and PA embryos, indicating that the presence or absence of sperm factors does not influence the sensitivity of the bovine embryo to heat shock.
Strain Rate Effects on Dynamic Fractures in Fine‐grained Granitic Rock
Authors: Huang C. , Mohanty B. , Zhu Z. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe effect of dynamic strain rates on failure responses of a fine‐grained granitic rock is studied experimentally and theoretically. Theoretical investigation employs a model incorporating dynamic fracture criterion with damage mechanics theory. Experimental investigation is conducted using split Hopkinson pressure bar device. In order to investigate the effects of microstructure on dynamic fracture failure under different loading rates, fragment debris of each tested specimen is collected and analyzed. It is found through the debris analysis that the granitic rock breaks down into the fragment debris in grain size scales and the effect of strain rates on the formation of fragment debris appears to be related to the microstructure of the rock. It is also found that dynamic inertia induced by the dynamic loading can reduce the effect of friction confinement generated by the contact between the cylindrical specimen and two split Hopkinson pressure bars on the dynamic responses of the specimen. Theoretical evaluations agree with the corresponding experimental observations.
Assessing the effectiveness of manure export plus intensive silage cropping for lowering the Olsen‐P status of P‐enriched grassland
Authors: Bailey J. S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA substantial proportion of farmed grassland soils in Northern Ireland (NI) are overly enriched with P and pose a risk to water quality. To address this problem, manure could be exported rather than recycled to P‐enriched land and the latter intensively cropped with grass silage to deplete soil P. To assess the efficacy of such a strategy, a P‐ and K‐enriched grassland site was intensively cropped over a 6‐yr period with fertilizer N alone supplied to support silage growth. By year 6, soil P had declined from index 5 to index 3, and it was estimated that two more years of this management may bring it into the target index 2 range. Soil K, however, declined rapidly from index 4 to index 1 in just 4 yr, with the result that grass production became limited by K deficiency. It was concluded that nonrecycling of manure to P‐enriched grassland under silage management is probably the most effective strategy for lowering soil P status, but care must be taken to prevent K deficiency occurring.
Group 1 CD1‐restricted T cells and the pathophysiological implications of self‐lipid antigen recognition
Authors: Dellabona P. , Consonni M. , de Lalla C. , Casorati G. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractT cell responses are generally regarded as specific for protein‐derived peptide antigens. This is based on the molecular paradigm dictated by the T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of peptide‐major histocompatibility complexs, which provides the molecular bases of the specificity and restriction of the T cell responses. An increasing number of findings in the last 20 years have challenged this paradigm, by showing the existence of T cells specific for lipid antigens presented by CD1 molecules. CD1‐restricted T cells have been proven to be frequent components of the immune system and to recognize exogenous lipids, derived from pathogenic bacteria, as well as cell‐endogenous self‐lipids. This represents a young and exciting area of research in immunology with intriguing biological bases and a potential direct impact on human health.
In silico prediction of drug therapy in catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Yang Pei‐Chi , Moreno Jonathan D. , Miyake Christina Y. , Vaughn‐Behrens Steven B. , Jeng Mao‐Tsuen , Grandi Eleonora , Wehrens Xander H. T. , Noskov Sergei Y. , Clancy Colleen E. 
Published: October 2015

Key points
The mechanism of therapeutic efficacy of flecainide for catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is unclear.
Model predictions suggest that Na+ channel effects are insufficient to explain flecainide efficacy in CPVT.
This study represents a first step toward predicting therapeutic mechanisms of drug efficacy in the setting of CPVT and then using these mechanisms to guide modelling and simulation to predict alternative drug therapies.
AbstractCatecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is an inherited arrhythmia syndrome characterized by fatal ventricular arrhythmias in structurally normal hearts during β‐adrenergic stimulation. Current treatment strategies include β‐blockade, flecainide and ICD implementation – none of which is fully effective and each comes with associated risk. Recently, flecainide has gained considerable interest in CPVT treatment, but its mechanism of action for therapeutic efficacy is unclear. In this study, we performed in silico mutagenesis to construct a CPVT model and then used a computational modelling and simulation approach to make predictions of drug mechanisms and efficacy in the setting of CPVT. Experiments were carried out to validate model results. Our simulations revealed that Na+ channel effects are insufficient to explain flecainide efficacy in CPVT. The pure Na+ channel blocker lidocaine and the antianginal ranolazine were additionally tested and also found to be ineffective. When we tested lower dose combination therapy with flecainide, β‐blockade and CaMKII inhibition, our model predicted superior therapeutic efficacy than with flecainide monotherapy. Simulations indicate a polytherapeutic approach may mitigate side‐effects and proarrhythmic potential plaguing CPVT pharmacological management today. Importantly, our prediction of a novel polytherapy for CPVT was confirmed experimentally. Our simulations suggest that flecainide therapeutic efficacy in CPVT is unlikely to derive from primary interactions with the Na+ channel, and benefit may be gained from an alternative multi‐drug regimen.
Ultrasonic tracking of shear waves using a particle filter
Authors: Ingle Atul N. , Ma Chi , Varghese Tomy 
Published: October 2015

Purpose:This paper discusses an application of particle filtering for estimating shear wave velocity in tissue using ultrasound elastography data. Shear wave velocity estimates are of significant clinical value as they help differentiate stiffer areas from softer areas which is an indicator of potential pathology.Methods:Radio‐frequency ultrasound echo signals are used for tracking axial displacements and obtaining the time‐to‐peak displacement at different lateral locations. These time‐to‐peak data are usually very noisy and cannot be used directly for computing velocity. In this paper, the denoising problem is tackled using a hidden Markov model with the hidden states being the unknown (noiseless) time‐to‐peak values. A particle filter is then used for smoothing out the time‐to‐peak curve to obtain a fit that is optimal in a minimum mean squared error sense.Results:Simulation results from synthetic data and finite element modeling suggest that the particle filter provides lower mean squared reconstruction error with smaller variance as compared to standard filtering methods, while preserving sharp boundary detail. Results from phantom experiments show that the shear wave velocity estimates in the stiff regions of the phantoms were within 20% of those obtained from a commercial ultrasound scanner and agree with estimates obtained using a standard method using least‐squares fit. Estimates of area obtained from the particle filtered shear wave velocity maps were within 10% of those obtained from B‐mode ultrasound images.Conclusions:The particle filtering approach can be used for producing visually appealing SWV reconstructions by effectively delineating various areas of the phantom with good image quality properties comparable to existing techniques.
Evaluation of tumor‐derived MRI‐texture features for discrimination of molecular subtypes and prediction of 12‐month survival status in glioblastoma
Authors: Yang Dalu , Rao Ganesh , Martinez Juan , Veeraraghavan Ashok , Rao Arvind 
Published: October 2015

Purpose:Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer. Four molecular subtypes of GBM have been described but can only be determined by an invasive brain biopsy. The goal of this study is to evaluate the utility of texture features extracted from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans as a potential noninvasive method to characterize molecular subtypes of GBM and to predict 12‐month overall survival status for GBM patients.Methods:The authors manually segmented the tumor regions from postcontrast T1 weighted and T2 fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI scans of 82 patients with de novo GBM. For each patient, the authors extracted five sets of computer‐extracted texture features, namely, 48 segmentation‐based fractal texture analysis (SFTA) features, 576 histogram of oriented gradients (HOGs) features, 44 run‐length matrix (RLM) features, 256 local binary patterns features, and 52 Haralick features, from the tumor slice corresponding to the maximum tumor area in axial, sagittal, and coronal planes, respectively. The authors used an ensemble classifier called random forest on each feature family to predict GBM molecular subtypes and 12‐month survival status (a dichotomized version of overall survival at the 12‐month time point indicating if the patient was alive or not at 12 months). The performance of the prediction was quantified and compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results:With the appropriate combination of texture feature set, image plane (axial, coronal, or sagittal), and MRI sequence, the area under ROC curve values for predicting different molecular subtypes and 12‐month survival status are 0.72 for classical (with Haralick features on T1 postcontrast axial scan), 0.70 for mesenchymal (with HOG features on T2 FLAIR axial scan), 0.75 for neural (with RLM features on T2 FLAIR axial scan), 0.82 for proneural (with SFTA features on T1 postcontrast coronal scan), and 0.69 for 12‐month survival status (with SFTA features on T1 postcontrast coronal scan).Conclusions:The authors evaluated the performance of five types of texture features in predicting GBM molecular subtypes and 12‐month survival status. The authors’ results show that texture features are predictive of molecular subtypes and survival status in GBM. These results indicate the feasibility of using tumor‐derived imaging features to guide genomically informed interventions without the need for invasive biopsies.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two New Zealand Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris Isolates, ICMP 4013 and ICMP 21080
Authors: Desai Dhairyasheel , Li Jin-Hua , van Zijll de Jong Eline , Braun Robert , Pitman Andrew , Visnovsky Sandra , Hampton John , Christey Mary 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Xanthomonas campestris
pv. campestris is a necrotrophic bacterial pathogen of crucifers. We report here the draft genome sequences of isolates ICMP 4013 and ICMP 21080 from New Zealand. These sequences will facilitate the identification of race-specific factors in
X. campestris
pv. campestris.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Streptothricin-Producing Strain
Streptomyces
sp. fd2-tb
Authors: Tang Biao , Yu Yucong , Cen Xufeng , Zhu Yongqiang , Dai Ruixue , Wang Xianwei , Zhao Guoping , Ding Xiaoming 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Streptomyces
sp. fd2-tb can produce streptothricin class antibiotics with broad antimicrobial spectra. To better understand the mechanism of streptothricin biosynthesis and to assess the capacity of this strain in secondary metabolism, we report the draft genome sequence of
Streptomyces
sp. strain fd2-tb.
Pm2.5 and ash residue from combustion of moxa floss
Authors: Huang Jian , Lim Min Yee , Zhao Baixiao , Shao Longyi , Lao Lixing 
Published: October 2015

Background Moxibustion, a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique, involves burning moxa floss to apply heat to certain points or areas of the body surface to treat disease. Moxibustion releases a considerable amount of smoke into the environment. There remains controversy over the safety of moxa smoke and its potential effects on human health. Methods We measured the PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) mass concentration in moxa smoke and the oxidative capacity of PM2.5 and moxa ash (using a plasmid scission assay in whole and water-soluble fractions) in the by-products of moxibustion produced from burning moxa floss of different ratios (3:1 or 15:1) and duration of storage (3 or 10 years) in three simulated moxibustion clinics. Results PM2.5 mass concentration was 224.28, 226.39  and 210.56 μg/m3 for samples A (3 years and 3:1 ratio), B (3 years and 15:1 ratio), and C (10 years and 3:1 ratio), respectively. Average D500 oxidative damage of PM2.5 was 29.42%, 29.16% and 27.01% and that of moxa ash was 22.78%, 20.60% and 21.42% for samples A, B and C, respectively. PM2.5 demonstrated a significantly greater oxidative capacity than moxa ash (p<0.05). Conclusions The oxidative DNA damage induced by individual PM2.5 following moxibustion was lower than that reported in other environments. However, PM2.5 mass concentration after moxibustion is still relatively high. We would recommend ensuring adequate ventilation during moxibustion to reduce any possible risks. Further studies are needed to better define the potential impact of particles in moxibustion by-products on human health.
Thermoregulatory effects of swaddling in Mongolia: a randomised controlled study
Authors: Tsogt Bazarragchaa , Manaseki-Holland Semira , Pollock Jon , Blair Peter S , Fleming Peter 
Published: October 2015

ObjectiveTo investigate thermal balance of infants in a Mongolian winter, and compare the effects of traditional swaddling with an infant sleeping-bag in apartments or traditional tents (Gers).DesignA substudy within a randomised controlled trial.SettingCommunity in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.SubjectsA stratified randomly selected sample of 40 swaddled and 40 non-swaddled infants recruited within 48 h of birth.InterventionSleeping-bags and baby outfits of total thermal resistance equivalent to that of swaddled babies.Outcome measureDigital recordings of infants’ core, peripheral, environmental and microenvironmental temperatures at 30-s intervals over 24 h at ages 1 month and 3 months.ResultsIn Gers, indoor temperatures varied greatly (<0–>25°C), but remained between 20°C and 22°C, in apartments. Despite this, heavy wrapping, bed sharing and partial head covering, infant core and peripheral temperatures were similar and no infants showed evidence of significant heat or cold stress whether they were swaddled or in sleeping-bags. At 3 months, infants in sleeping-bags showed the ‘mature’ diurnal pattern of a fall in core temperature after sleep onset, accompanied by a rise in peripheral temperature, with a reverse pattern later in the night, just before awakening. This pattern was not related to room temperature, and was absent in the swaddled infants, suggesting that the mature diurnal pattern may develop later in them.ConclusionsNo evidence of cold stress was found. Swaddling had no identifiable thermal advantages over sleeping-bags during the coldest times, and in centrally heated apartments could contribute to the risk of overheating during the daytime.Trial registration numberISRTN01992617.
Association of rule of law and health outcomes: an ecological study
Authors: Pinzon-Rondon Angela Maria , Attaran Amir , Botero Juan Carlos , Ruiz-Sternberg Angela Maria 
Published: October 2015

ObjectivesTo explore whether the rule of law is a foundational determinant of health that underlies other socioeconomic, political and cultural factors that have been associated with health outcomes.SettingGlobal project.ParticipantsData set of 96 countries, comprising 91% of the global population.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe following health indicators, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, life expectancy, and cardiovascular disease and diabetes mortality rate, were included to explore their association with the rule of law. We used a novel Rule of Law Index, gathered from survey sources, in a cross-sectional and ecological design. The Index is based on eight subindices: (1) Constraints on Government Powers; (2) Absence of Corruption; (3) Order and Security; (4)FundamentalRights; (5) Open Government; (6) Regulatory Enforcement, (7) Civil Justice; and (8) Criminal Justice.ResultsThe rule of law showed an independent association with infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, life expectancy, and cardiovascular disease and diabetes mortality rate, after adjusting for the countries’ level of per capita income, their expenditures in health, their level of political and civil freedom, their Gini measure of inequality and women's status (p<0.05). Rule of law remained significant in all the multivariate models, and the following adjustment for potential confounders remained robust for at least one or more of the health outcomes across all eight subindices of the rule of law. Findings show that the higher the country's level of adherence to the rule of law, the better the health of the population.ConclusionsIt is necessary to start considering the country's adherence to the rule of law as a foundational determinant of health. Health advocates should consider the improvement of rule of law as a tool to improve population health. Conversely, lack of progress in rule of law may constitute a structural barrier to health improvement.