bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age‐related changes of leptin and leptin receptor variants in healthy elderly and long‐lived adults
Authors: Roszkowska‐Gancarz Malgorzata , Jonas Marta , Owczarz Magdalena , Kurylowicz Alina , Polosak Jacek , Franek Edward , Slusarczyk Przemyslaw , Mossakowska Malgorzata , Puzianowska‐Kuznicka Monika 
Published: February 2014

AimAging is usually associated with hyperleptinemia and leptin resistance, both increasing the risk of age‐related diseases. It was relevant to establish if healthily aging, non‐obese individuals develop changes in leptin, the soluble leptin receptor (OB‐Re), free leptin index (FLI), in methylation of the leptin receptor gene (LEPR) promoter, and in the expression of long (OB‐Rb) and short (OB‐Ra) leptin receptor isoforms.MethodsWe analyzed these parameters in 38 young (aged 26.8 ± 3.6 years), 37 elderly (aged 64.7 ± 3.1 years) and 39 long‐lived (aged 94.2 ± 3.7 years) healthy, non‐obese Polish Caucasians.ResultsIn elderly men, the median concentration of leptin and the median FLI were significantly higher than in young men (P = 0.009 and P = 0.007, respectively), which was probably partly due to a higher mean body mass index of the elderly study participants. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the expression of functionally active OB‐Rb did not depend on age or sex, whereas the expression of OB‐Ra was lower in the elderly and long‐lived groups than in the young group (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.002, respectively), mostly due to changes observed in women. Most likely, this age‐related decrease was not due to hypermethylation of the LEPR promoter, as methylation of the +20 to +281 fragment of the CpG island did not change with age.ConclusionsIn healthy, non‐obese individuals, only some elements of the leptin axis slightly change with age. On that basis, we suggest that proper function of this axis might be required for this particular phenotype of aging. The present results should, however, be replicated in prospective studies and in other ethnic groups. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 365–371.
Attitudes to weight and weight management in the early teenage years: a qualitative study of parental perceptions and views
Authors: Wills Wendy J. , Lawton Julia 
Published: February 2014

AbstractBackgroundAs most young teenagers grow up in families, parents might be well situated to facilitate and support their weight management and thereby prevent or manage obesity prior to adulthood.AimThis paper explores parents' perceptions of, and views about, their teenage children's weight and the factors that influence parents' weight management strategies.Design, setting and participantsWe conducted two qualitative studies in Scotland, UK, involving in‐depth interviews with the parents of overweight/obese and ‘normal’ weight 13–15 year olds (n = 69).FindingsParents' concerns about their own weight provided useful context for understanding their attitudes or actions with regards to their teenage child. Some parents described their teenager's weight as being of concern to them, although puberty often introduced confusion about a child's weight status. Genetic explanations were very often put forward as a way of making sense of teenage weight or body size. Frustration about advising teenagers about weight management was expressed, and some parents worried about giving their growing child a ‘problem’ if they directly raised concerns about weight with them.DiscussionParents' views about their own weight as well as social and moral norms about labelling a teenager as overweight or as needing help with their weight could usefully inform patient‐centred service development. Parent/teenage partnerships and supporting parents to create a healthy home in which teenagers can make healthier choices are suggestions for intervention development.ConclusionThe study highlights the importance of taking parents' perceptions into account when developing family‐based interventions to address teenage overweight and obesity.
Physicochemical characterisation of the exopolysaccharides of Streptococcus thermophilus ST‐143
Authors: Mende Susann , Dong Tingting , Rathemacher Anne , Rohm Harald , Jaros Doris 
Published: February 2014

SummaryExopolysaccharides (EPS) excreted by lactic acid bacteria used in the dairy environment are either liberated into the medium (free EPS) or remain attached to the cells (capsular EPS). After batch fermentation of Streptococcus thermophilus ST‐143 at pH 6.0, three EPS fractions were isolated and purified: free EPS (EPSf), capsular‐derived EPS (EPScd) and the entire total EPS (EPStotal). EPSf and EPScd were uncharged, consisted of rhamnose, galactose, glucose and N‐glucosamine in different amounts and showed a molecular mass of 2.6 × 106 Da (EPSf) and, in case of EPScd, 7.4 × 103 Da and 1.4 × 105 Da in a ratio of 9: 1. Intrinsic viscosity of the polymers was 1.14 mL mg−1 (EPSf), 0.06 mL mg−1 (EPScd) but 1.23 mL mg−1 for EPStotal. The higher functionality of the entire EPS that was also observed in shear rheology measurements indicates that the presence of small capsular‐derived EPS facilitates the entanglement of the larger polymeric carbohydrates of the EPSf fraction.
Effects of a new nutraceutical substance on clinical and molecular parameters in patients with chronic venous ulceration
Authors: Serra Raffaele , Grande Raffaele , Butrico Lucia , Buffone Gianluca , Caliò Francesco G , Squillace Aida , Rizzo Barbara A , Massara Mafalda , Spinelli Francesco , Ferrarese Alessia G , de Caridi Giovanni , Gallelli Luca , de Franciscis Stefano 
Published: February 2014

AbstractPathophysiological events involved in the onset of chronic venous ulceration (CVU) are inflammation, activation of polymorphonucleates (PMNs) and secretion of proteases such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) that is a support for vascular and tissutal wall. MMPs, neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL) and inflammatory cytokines are overexpressed in CVUs and they could play a central role in pathophysiological mechanisms of skin lesion and delayed wound healing. Bioflavonoids, such as diosmin and other compounds, appear to have several provessel function activities including anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant and phlebotonic effects and are widely used in the treatment of chronic venous disease (CVD)‐related problems.In this article, we evaluated the effects of Axaven®, a new nutraceutical on both clinical and molecular parameters in patients with CVUs.During the study period, 83 patients with CVUs of both sexes were enrolled and divided into two groups: group A (treated group): 25 females and 19 males (median age is 67·7 years) received standard treatment (compression therapy and surgical correction of superficial venous incompetence) + Axaven® once a day for 8 months as adjunctive treatment.Group B (control group): 24 females and 15 males (median age is 65·2 years) were treated only with basic treatment according to their clinical conditions.In our study, the administration of Axaven® in patients with CVUs was able to decrease inflammatory cytokines, MMPs and NGAL, inducing an improvement of both symptoms with an increase of the speed of wound healing.
Interactions of manufactured silver nanoparticles of different sizes with normal human dermal fibroblasts
Authors: Avalos Alicia , Haza Ana I , Mateo Diego , Morales Paloma 
Published: February 2014

AbstractSilver compounds have been used for their medicinal properties for centuries. At present, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are reemerging as a viable topical treatment option for infections encountered in burns, open wounds and chronic ulcers. This study evaluated the in vitro mechanisms of two different sizes of AgNPs (4·7 and 42 nm) toxicity in normal human dermal fibroblasts. The toxicity was evaluated by observing cell viability and oxidative stress parameters. In all toxicity endpoints studied (MTT and lactate dehydrogenase assays), AgNPs of 4·7 nm were much more toxic than the large AgNPs (42 nm). The cytotoxicity of both AgNPs was greatly decreased by pre‐treatment with the antioxidant N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine. The oxidative stress parameters showed significant increase in reactive oxygen species levels, depletion of glutathione level and slight, but not statistically significant inactivation of superoxide dismutase, suggesting generation of oxidative stress. Thus, AgNPs should be used with caution for the topical treatment of burns and wounds, medical devices etc, because their toxicity depends on the size, the smaller NPs being much more cytotoxic than the large.
Challenges in efficacy research: the case of feeding alternatives in patients with dementia
Authors: Zapka Jane , Amella Elaine , Magwood Gayenell , Madisetti Mohan , Garrow Donald , Batchelor‐Aselage Melissa 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAimsTo explore factors at the family caregiver and nursing home administrative levels that may affect participation in a clinical trial to determine the efficacy of hand feeding vs. percutaneous gastrostomy tube feeding in persons with late‐stage dementia.BackgroundDecision‐making regarding use of tube feeding vs. hand feeding for persons with late‐stage dementia is fraught with practical, emotional and ethical issues and is not informed by high levels of evidence.DesignQualitative case study.MethodsTranscripts of focus groups with family caregivers were reviewed for themes guided by behavioural theory. Analyses of notes from contacts with nursing home administrators and staff were reviewed for themes guided by an organizational readiness model. Data were collected between the years 2009–2012.ResultsFactors related to caregiver willingness to participate included understanding of the prognosis of dementia, perceptions of feeding needs and clarity about research protocols. Nursing home willingness to participate was influenced by corporate approval, concerns about legal and regulatory issues, and prior relationships with investigators.ConclusionParticipation in rigorous trials requires lengthy navigation of complex corporate requirements and training competent study staff. Objective deliberation by caregivers will depend on appropriate recruitment timing, design of recruitment materials and understanding of study requirements. The clinical standards and policy environment and the secular trends there‐in have relevance to the responses of people at all levels.
The nursing role in the use of insulin coma therapy for schizophrenia in Britain, 1936–1965
Authors: Adams John 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAimTo explore the nursing role in the use of insulin coma therapy for schizophrenia in Britain, 1936–1965.BackgroundThe only history of mental health nursing in Britain published to date gives a minor role to insulin coma therapy and emphasizes nursing opposition to it.DesignAn historical study using documentary and oral history sources obtained in 2003–2008 and supplemented by material drawn from interviews in 2010.MethodHistorical method was used involving the collection and analysis of primary documentary and oral history material, together with relevant secondary sources.FindingsA range of contemporary sources suggest that nurses in Britain were generally supportive of this treatment regime. The scope for using physical nursing skills was particularly attractive, while the emphasis on close interaction with patients also laid the foundation for later developments in social therapy. The debates surrounding its evidence base are also examined. Faced with a lack of rigorous research findings, clinicians preferred to rely on their clinical judgement. The issue of whether the treatment was abandoned as worthless or merely superseded by still more effective regimes is also explored.ConclusionA nuanced account of the rise and fall of insulin coma therapy provides a lens through which to examine the development of mental health nursing and a case study of the challenges involved in implementing care based on the best evidence.
Decreased serum CA19‐9 is associated with improvement of insulin resistance and metabolic control in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass
Authors: Tu Yinfang , Yu Haoyong , Zhang Pin , Di Jianzhong , Han Xiaodong , Wu Songhua , Bao Yuqian , Jia Weiping 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAims/IntroductionPatients with type 2 diabetes are known to show elevated serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9). The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible relationships of CA19‐9 with metabolic control, insulin resistance (IR), and pancreatic β‐cell function in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes who underwent Roux‐En‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB).Materials and MethodsThe present study included 81 healthy volunteers, and 33 patients diagnosed with obesity and type 2 diabetes who underwent RYGB. Anthropometry, serum levels of CA19‐9, glucose and lipid metabolic profiles, and serum insulin levels were determined at baseline and at 12 weeks after RYGB.ResultsChanges in CA19‐9 were significantly and positively correlated with changes in fasting plasma glucose (r = 0.552, P = 0.001), 2‐h post‐challenge plasma glucose levels (r = 0.623, P = 0.000), glycated hemoglobin levels (r = 0.819, P = 0.000), glycated albumin levels (r = 0.711, P = 0.000), total cholesterol (r = 0.449, P = 0.009) and the Homeostasis Model of Assessment‐IR index (r = 0.407, P = 0.019). Furthermore, a multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the changes in serum levels of CA19‐9 were independently and significantly associated with changes in glycated hemoglobin (β = 0.598, P = 0.000), fasting plasma glucose (β = 0.309, P = 0.000) and Homeostasis Model of Assessment‐IR (β = 0.235, P = 0.010) after adjusting for confounding factors.ConclusionsCA19‐9 could be an effective indicator of IR, and glycemic and lipid metabolism in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes after rapid metabolic control by RYGB. Additionally, CA19‐9 might be a marker with which to evaluate the short‐term effects of glycolipid toxicity on IR in these patients.
Development and Application of a Loop‐Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Method for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Enterococcus faecalis in Drinking Water
Authors: Xu Xiaoke , Zhang Shuhong , Wu Qingping , Zhang Jumei , Li Fei , Cheng Jianheng 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe genus Enterococcus comprises opportunistic pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium, and is used to assess water quality. E. faecalis has become prominent in recent decades because of its ability to develop resistance to various antibiotics. A loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for rapid and sensitive detection of E. faecalis in drinking water samples was developed and applied in this study. Four primers were specifically designed by targeting the mtlf gene. The mtlf‐based LAMP assay was able to specifically detect all of 54 E. faecalis isolates without amplification of 36 nontarget bacterial strains. The detection limit was 74 cfu/mL in pure culture, which was as high as 100‐fold more sensitive than that of the groES‐polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. When applied to artificially contaminated water, the LAMP assay was able to detect E. faecalis with low concentration (3.2 cfu/250 mL), after 10 h enrichment culture. In the case of drinking water samples, 7.14% (7/98) of the samples were found to be positive by LAMP, which was in accordance with the results from the GB/T 8538‐2008 method. The LAMP assay established in this study may provide a candidate method for rapid and sensitive detection of E. faecalis in drinking water samples.Practical ApplicationsE. faecalis contamination in drinking water source and drinking water has been reported. In developing countries, such as China, the LAMP assay may prove as a useful tool for rapid assessment of water quality as it is more cost‐effective, simple and sensitive than PCR.
miR‐494 acts as an anti‐oncogene in gastric carcinoma by targeting c‐myc
Authors: He Weiling , Li Yuhuang , Chen Xinlin , Lu Liya , Tang Bin , Wang Zhixiong , Pan Yunbao , Cai Shirong , He Yulong , Ke Zunfu 
Published: February 2014

AbstractBackgroundWe recently showed that miR‐494 was downregulated in gastric carcinoma (GC). The objectives of this study were to determine the role of miR‐494 in GC malignancy and to identify its target genes.MethodsReal‐time polymerase chain reaction was employed to quantify the expression level of miR‐494 and c‐myc in gastric cancer tissues. Bioinformatics was used to predict the downstream target genes of miR‐494, which were confirmed by luciferase and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Cell functional analyses and a xenograft mouse model were used to evaluate the role of miR‐494 in malignancy.ResultsmiR‐494 was downregulated in human GC tissues and in GC cells and was negatively correlated with c‐myc expression. High level of c‐myc or low level of miR‐494 correlated with poor prognosis. The miR‐494‐binding site in the c‐myc 3′ untranslated region was predicted using TargetScan and was confirmed by the luciferase assay. Additionally, c‐myc and miR‐494 were enriched in coimmunoprecipitates with tagged Argonaute2 proteins in cells overexpressing miR‐494. Furthermore, a miR‐494 mimic significantly downregulated endogenous c‐myc expression, which may contribute to the delayed G1/S transition, decreased synthesis phase bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, and impaired cell growth and colony formation; on the other hand, treatment with a miR‐494 inhibitor displayed the opposite effects. Reduced tumor burden and decreased cell proliferation were observed following the delivery of miR‐494 into xenograft mice.ConclusionmiR‐494 is downregulated in human GC and acts as an anti‐oncogene by targeting c‐myc. miR‐494 plays a role in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer in a recessive fashion.
Prospects for discriminating Zingiberaceae species in India using DNA barcodes
Authors: Vinitha Meenakshi Ramaswamy , Kumar Unnikrishnan Suresh , Aishwarya Kizhakkethil , Sabu Mamiyil , Thomas George 
Published: February 2014

AbstractWe evaluated nine plastid (matK,rbcL,rpoC1,rpoB,rpl36‐rps8,ndhJ,trnL‐F,trnH‐psbA,accD) and two nuclear (ITS and ITS2) barcode loci in family Zingiberaceae by analyzing 60 accessions of 20 species belonging to seven genera from India. Bidirectional sequences were recovered for every plastid locus by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons in all the accessions tested. However, only 35 (58%) and 40 accessions (66%) yielded ITS and ITS2 sequences, respectively, by direct sequencing. In different bioinformatics analyses,matKandrbcLconsistently resolved 15 species (75%) into monophyletic groups and five species into two paraphyletic groups. The 173 ITS sequences, including 138 cloned sequences from 23 accessions, discriminated only 12 species (60%), and the remaining species were entered into three paraphyletic groups. Phylogenetic and genealogic analyses of plastid and ITS sequences imply the possible occurrence of natural hybridizations in the evolutionary past in giving rise to species paraphyly and intragenomic ITS heterogeneity in the species tested. The results support usingmatKandrbcLloci for barcoding Zingiberaceae members and highlight the poor utility of ITS and the highly regarded ITS2 in barcoding this family, and also caution against proposing ITS loci for barcoding taxa based on limited sampling.
Intermediate granulite produced by transformation of eclogite at a felsic granulite contact, in Blanský les, Bohemian Massif
Authors: Štípská P. , Powell R. , Racek M. , Lexa O. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractLayers or bodies of intermediate granulite on scales from a centimetre to a hundred metres occur commonly within the felsic granulite massifs of the Bohemian Massif. Their origin is enigmatic in that they commonly have complex microstructures that are difficult to interpret, and therefore even the sequence of crystallization of minerals is uncertain. At Kleť, in the Blanský les massif, there is a revealing outcrop in a low‐strain zone in which it is clear that intermediate granulite can form by the interaction of felsic granulite with eclogite. The eclogite, retains garnet from its eclogite heritage, the grains at least partially isolated from the matrix by a plagioclase corona. The original omphacite‐dominated matrix of the eclogite now consists of recrystallized diopsidic clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and plagioclase, with minor brown amphibole and quartz. The modification of the eclogite is dominated by the addition of just K2O and H2O, rather than all the elements that would be involved if the process was one of pervasive melt infiltrations. This suggests that the main process involved is diffusion, with the source being the felsic granulite, or local partial melt of the granulite. The diffusion occurred at ~950 °C and 12 kbar, with the main observed effects being (i) the un‐isolation and preferential destruction of the interior part of some of the garnet grains by large idiomorphic ternary feldspar; (ii) textural modification of the matrix primarily involving the recrystallization of clinopyroxene into large poikiloblasts containing inclusions of ternary plagioclase; and (iii) conversion of low‐K plagioclase in the matrix into ternary feldspar by incorporation of the diffused‐in K2O. The phase equilibria in the intermediate granulite are consistent with the chemical potential relationships that would be superimposed on the original eclogite by the felsic granulite at 950 °C and 12 kbar.
Oxytocinase in the Female Rat Hypothalamus: A Novel Mechanism Controlling Oxytocin Neurones During Lactation
Authors: Tobin V. A. , Arechaga G. , Brunton P. J. , Russell J. A. , Leng G. , Ludwig M. , Douglas A. J. 
Published: February 2014

In addition to its peripheral actions, oxytocin released within the brain is important for birth and essential for milk ejection. The oxytocinase enzyme (placental leucine aminopeptidase; P‐LAP) is expressed both peripherally and centrally. P‐LAP controls oxytocin degradation in the uterus, placenta and plasma during pregnancy, although its role in the hypothalamus is unclear. We investigated P‐LAP expression and activity in the hypothalamus in virgin, pregnant and lactating rats, as well as its role in vivo during the milk‐ejection reflex. P‐LAP mRNA and protein were expressed in magnocellular neurones of the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei. Oxytocin neurones co‐expressed P‐LAP without strong subcellular co‐localisation of oxytocin and P‐LAP, indicating that they are packaged in separate vesicles. Examination of the intracellular distribution of oxytocin and P‐LAP showed a redistribution of P‐LAP to within 1 μm of the plasma membrane in the somata of oxytocin neurones during lactation. Both P‐LAP mRNA expression and hypothalamic leucyl/cystinyl aminopeptidase activity in the soluble fraction were higher during lactation than in late pregnant or virgin states. Inhibition of central enzyme activity by i.c.v. injection of amastatin in anaesthetised suckling mothers increased the frequency of reflex milk ejections. Because hypothalamic P‐LAP expression and activity increase in lactation, and the prevention of its action mimics central oxytocin administration, we conclude that P‐LAP regulates auto‐excitatory oxytocin actions during the suckling‐induced milk‐ejection reflex.