bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Repair of spinal cord injury by implantation of bFGF-incorporated HEMA-MOETACL hydrogel in rats
Authors: Chen Bo , He Jianyu , Yang Hao , Zhang Qian , Zhang Lingling , Zhang Xian , Xie En , Liu Cuicui , Zhang Rui , Wang Yi , Huang Linhong , Hao Dingjun 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThere is no effective strategy for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). An appropriate combination of hydrogel materials and neurotrophic factor therapy is currently thought to be a promising approach. In this study, we performed experiments to evaluate the synergic effect of implanting hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (HEMA-MOETACL) hydrogel incorporated with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) into the site of surgically induced SCI. Prior to implantation, the combined hydrogel was surrounded by an acellular vascular matrix. Sprague–Dawley rats underwent complete spinal cord transection at the T-9 level, followed by implantation of bFGF/HEMA-MOETACL 5 days after transection surgery. Our results showed that the bFGF/HEMA-MOETACL transplant provided a scaffold for the ingrowth of regenerating tissue eight weeks after implantation. Furthermore, this newly designed implant promoted both nerve tissue regeneration and functional recovery following SCI. These results indicate that HEMA-MOETACL hydrogel is a promising scaffold for intrathecal, localized and sustained delivery of bFGF to the injured spinal cord and provide evidence for the possibility that this approach may have clinical applications in the treatment of SCI.
Kirenol Attenuates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Inhibiting Differentiation of Th1 and Th17 Cells and Inducing Apoptosis of Effector T Cells
Authors: Xiao Juan , Yang Rongbing , Yang Lin , Fan Xiaohang , Liu Wenwei , Deng Wenbin 
Published: March 2015

AbstractExperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model of multiple sclerosis (MS), is characterized by CNS demyelination mediated by autoreactive T cells. Kirenol, a biologically active substance isolated from Herba Siegesbeckiae, has potent anti-inflammatory activities. Here we investigated effects of kirenol on EAE. Kirenol treatment markedly delayed onset of disease and reduced clinical scores in EAE mice. Kirenol treatment reduced expression of IFN-γ and IL-17A in the serum and proportion of Th1 and Th17 cells in draining lymph nodes. Priming of lymphocytes was reduced and apoptosis of MOG-activated CD4+ T cells was increased in kirenol treated EAE mice. Kirenol treatment of healthy animals did not affect the lymphocytes in these non-immunized mice. Further invitro studies showed that kirenol inhibited viability of MOG-specific lymphocytes and induced apoptosis of MOG-specific CD4+ T cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Kirenol treatment upregulated Bax,downregulated Bcl-2,and increased activation of caspase-3 and release of cytochrome c, indicating that a mitochondrial pathway was involved in kirenol induced apoptosis. Moreover, pretreatment with either a pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk or a more specific caspase 3 inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO in lymphocytes reduced kirenol induced apoptosis. Our findings implicate kirenol as a useful agent for the treatment of MS.
The Effect of Direct and Indirect Monitoring on Generosity Among Preschoolers
Authors: Fujii Takayuki , Takagishi Haruto , Koizumi Michiko , Okada Hiroyuki 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of direct and indirect monitoring on generosity among five-year-old preschoolers and to reveal the primary motivation for their generosity. Forty-two preschoolers completed one-shot dictator games in Condition 1 while being monitored by the experimenter (the direct monitoring condition). In Condition 2, an image of staring eyes was displayed on the computer monitor (the indirect monitoring condition). In Condition 3, the computer monitor showed a picture of flowers (the non-monitoring condition). The results showed that while there was no difference between the mean levels of allocation in the indirect and non-monitoring conditions, the mean level of allocation in the direct monitoring condition was significantly higher than in the non-monitoring condition. These results showed that five-year-old preschoolers concerned with being monitored by and receiving direct responses from, others tend to be more generous.
The location and translocation of ndh genes of chloroplast origin in the Orchidaceae family
Authors: Lin Choun-Sea , Chen Jeremy J. W. , Huang Yao-Ting , Chan Ming-Tsair , Daniell Henry , Chang Wan-Jung , Hsu Chen-Tran , Liao De-Chih , Wu Fu-Huei , Lin Sheng-Yi , Liao Chen-Fu , Deyholos Michael K. , Wong Gane Ka-Shu , Albert Victor A. , Chou Ming-Lun , Chen Chun-Yi , Shih Ming-Che 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complex is encoded by 11 ndh genes in plant chloroplast (cp) genomes. However, ndh genes are truncated or deleted in some autotrophic Epidendroideae orchid cp genomes. To determine the evolutionary timing of the gene deletions and the genomic locations of the various ndh genes in orchids, the cp genomes of Vanilla planifolia, Paphiopedilum armeniacum, Paphiopedilum niveum, Cypripedium formosanum, Habenaria longidenticulata, Goodyera fumata and Masdevallia picturata were sequenced; these genomes represent Vanilloideae, Cypripedioideae, Orchidoideae and Epidendroideae subfamilies. Four orchid cp genome sequences were found to contain a complete set of ndh genes. In other genomes, ndh deletions did not correlate to known taxonomic or evolutionary relationships and deletions occurred independently after the orchid family split into different subfamilies. In orchids lacking cp encoded ndh genes, non cp localized ndh sequences were identified. In Erycina pusilla, at least 10 truncated ndh gene fragments were found transferred to the mitochondrial (mt) genome. The phenomenon of orchid ndh transfer to the mt genome existed in ndh-deleted orchids and also in ndh containing species.
Loss of muscleblind-like 1 results in cardiac pathology and persistence of embryonic splice isoforms
Authors: Dixon Donald M. , Choi Jongkyu , El-Ghazali Ayea , Park Sun Young , Roos Kenneth P. , Jordan Maria C. , Fishbein Michael C. , Comai Lucio , Reddy Sita 
Published: March 2015

AbstractCardiac dysfunction is a prominent cause of mortality in myotonic dystrophy I (DM1), a disease where expanded CUG repeats bind and disable the muscleblind-like family of splice regulators. Deletion of muscleblind-like 1 (Mbnl1ΔE2/ΔE2) in 129 sv mice results in QRS, QTc widening, bundle block and STc narrowing at 2–4 months of age. With time, cardiac function deteriorates further and at 6 months, decreased R wave amplitudes, sinus node dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis, multi-focal myocardial fiber death and calcification manifest. Sudden death, where no end point illness is overt, is observed at a median age of 6.5 and 4.8 months in ~67% and ~86% of male and femaleMbnl1ΔE2/ΔE2mice, respectively. Mbnl1 depletion results in the persistence of embryonic splice isoforms in a network of cardiac RNAs, some of which have been previously implicated in DM1, regulating sodium and calcium currents,Scn5a,Junctin,Junctate,Atp2a1,Atp11a,Cacna1s,Ryr2, intra and inter cellular transport,Clta,Stx2,Tjp1, cell survival,Capn3,Sirt2,Csda, sarcomere and cytoskeleton organization and function,Trim55,Mapt,Pdlim3,Pdlim5,Sorbs1,Sorbs2,Fhod1,Spag9and structural components of the sarcomere,Myom1,Tnnt2,Zasp. Thus this study supports a key role for Mbnl1 loss in the initiation of DM1 cardiac disease.
In vivo X-ray elemental imaging of single cell model organisms manipulated by laser-based optical tweezers
Authors: Vergucht Eva , Brans Toon , Beunis Filip , Garrevoet Jan , De Rijcke Maarten , Bauters Stephen , Deruytter David , Vandegehuchte Michiel , Van Nieuwenhove Ine , Janssen Colin , Burghammer Manfred , Vincze Laszlo 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWe report on a radically new elemental imaging approach for the analysis of biological model organisms and single cells in their natural, in vivo state. The methodology combines optical tweezers (OT) technology for non-contact, laser-based sample manipulation with synchrotron radiation confocal X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microimaging for the first time. The main objective of this work is to establish a new method for in vivo elemental imaging in a two-dimensional (2D) projection mode in free-standing biological microorganisms or single cells, present in their aqueous environment. Using the model organism Scrippsiella trochoidea, a first proof of principle experiment at beamline ID13 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) demonstrates the feasibility of the OT XRF methodology, which is applied to study mixture toxicity of Cu-Ni and Cu-Zn as a result of elevated exposure. We expect that the new OT XRF methodology will significantly contribute to the new trend of investigating microorganisms at the cellular level with added in vivo capability.
Superior cycle performance and high reversible capacity of SnO2/graphene composite as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Liu Lilai , An Maozhong , Yang Peixia , Zhang Jinqiu 
Published: March 2015

AbstractSnO2/graphene composite with superior cycle performance and high reversible capacity was prepared by a one-step microwave-hydrothermal method using a microwave reaction system. The SnO2/graphene composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The size of SnO2 grains deposited on graphene sheets is less than 3.5 nm. The SnO2/graphene composite exhibits high capacity and excellent electrochemical performance in lithium-ion batteries. The first discharge and charge capacities at a current density of 100 mA g−1 are 2213 and 1402 mA h g−1 with coulomb efficiencies of 63.35%. The discharge specific capacities remains 1359, 1228, 1090 and 1005 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at current densities of 100, 300, 500 and 700 mA g−1, respectively. Even at a high current density of 1000 mA g−1, the first discharge and charge capacities are 1502 and 876 mA h g−1 and the discharge specific capacities remains 1057 and 677 mA h g−1 after 420 and 1000 cycles, respectively. The SnO2/graphene composite demonstrates a stable cycle performance and high reversible capacity for lithium storage.
Cryptic haplotypes of “CandidatusLiberibacter africanus”
Authors: Nelson Warrick R , Eveillard Sandrine , Dubrana Marie-Pierre , Bové Joseph M 
Published: March 2015

Abstract“CandidatusLiberibacter africanus” (Laf) has long been recognised as a causal agent of the devastating citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening. This species is currently restricted to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and some Indian Ocean islands and vectored by the African citrus psyllid,Trioza erytreae. Blotchy mottle on citrus leaves is characteristic of the disease.Somewhat similar symptoms in the Rutaceous treeCalodendrum capensis(Cape Chestnut) resulted in the discovery of Laf outside commercial citrus crops in South Africa. This was classed as a subspecies of Laf (capensis, hence LafC). In subsequent surveys of both commercial citrus crops andCalodendrum, both natural and ornamental specimens, LafC was not found in the citrus crop, nor has Laf been found inC. capensis. HLB was reported from Madagascar in 1968 but no sequences from this source have so far been published.Until fairly recently, only the reference 16S rRNA gene sequences of Laf (L22533) and LafC (AF137368) had been deposited in GenBank. Both of these reference sequences contain a number of unresolved nucleotides. Resolving these nucleotide positions by aligning against more recently available sequences, it becomes evident that these unresolved positions represent one percentage point difference in similarity between Laf and LafC. The originally reported 97.4% similarity is therefore incorrect based on this new information. Recalculating the similarity on the full length 16S rDNA sequence results in 99.54% similarity, a value too high to justify a subspecies status. LafC should therefore be reduced to that of a haplotype of Laf.Further, the six 16S rRNA gene sequences currently available in GenBank identified as the species Laf separate into 2 haplotype groups. The 3 haplotypes of Laf are therefore LafA designated as the first accession sequenced (L22533), LafC for the former capensis subspecies and to recognise the prior use of this term, and LafB for the third haplotype not previously recognised. Thus the cryptic presence of 3 haplotypes is revealed by this review of the Laf 16S rDNA sequences.
Active prey mixing as an explanation for polyphagy in predatory arthropods: synergistic dietary effects on egg production despite a behavioural cost
Authors: Marques Renata Vieira , Sarmento Renato Almeida , Lemos Felipe , Pedro‐Neto Marçal , Sabelis Maurice W. , Venzon Madelaine , Pallini Angelo , Janssen Arne 
Published: March 2015

Summary

Mixing of prey that differ in nutrient content or toxic compounds (dietary mixing) may allow synovigenic predatory arthropods to balance their diet or dilute toxins of different prey items to maximize performance: dietary mixing may therefore explain the prevalence of polyphagy in this functional group.

Several predatory arthropods can redress nutritional imbalances in their diet by actively mixing different diets, based on experiments with artificial diets or with prey that were manipulated to contain different nutrients.

Evidence is also accumulating that predator species perform better on a mixed diet of several different prey species, but evidence that they actively forage for different prey species is scarce.

Thus, evidence that predators actively forage for a mixed diet consisting of natural, non‐manipulated prey to increase their performance is still rare. Here, we investigate whether arthropod predators invest in achieving an optimal diet by active mixing of different prey species or by simply eating what they encounter.

Females of two species of plant‐inhabiting predatory mites produced significantly more eggs when feeding on a prey mixture of co‐occurring phytophagous mites than when feeding on either of the two prey species separately.

When the two prey species were offered on two separate, connected patches at some distance from each other, predators commuted significantly more between the two patches to obtain a mixed diet and had a significantly increased egg production than predators that were offered a single prey species on two patches.

Thus, predators actively commuted between patches to balance their diet. We propose that active dietary mixing can have synergistic effects on predator fitness and has the potential to explain polyphagy in this functional group.
Multi‐block finite‐difference method for 3D elastodynamic simulations in anisotropic subhorizontally layered media
Authors: Sofronov Ivan , Zaitsev Nikolai , Dovgilovich Leonid 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTPrediction of elastic full wavefields is required for reverse time migration, full waveform inversion, borehole seismology, seismic modelling, etc. We propose a novel algorithm to solve the Navier wave equation, which is based on multi‐block methodology for high‐order finite‐difference schemes on curvilinear grids. In the current implementation, the blocks are subhorizontal layers. Smooth anisotropic heterogeneous media in each layer can have strong discontinuities at the interfaces. A curvilinear adaptive hexahedral grid in blocks is generated by mapping the original 3D physical domain onto a parametric cube with horizontal layers and interfaces. These interfaces correspond to the main curvilinear physical contrast interfaces of a subhorizontally layered formation. The top boundary of the parametric cube handles the land surface with smooth topography. Free‐surface and solid–solid transmission boundary conditions at interfaces are approximated with the second‐order accuracy. Smooth media in the layers are approximated up to sixth‐order spatial schemes. All expected properties of the developed algorithm are demonstrated in numerical tests using corresponding parallel message passing interface code.
Levator hiatal area as a risk factor for cystocele recurrence after surgery: a prospective study
Authors: Vergeldt TFM , Notten KJB , Weemhoff M , van Kuijk SMJ , Mulder FEM , Beets‐Tan RG , Vliegen RFA , Gondrie ETCM , Bergmans MGM , Roovers JPWR , Kluivers KB 
Published: March 2015

ObjectiveTo investigate whether increased levator hiatal area, measured preoperatively, was independently associated with anatom‐ical cystocele recurrence 12 months after anterior colporrhaphy.DesignMulticentre prospective cohort study.SettingNine teaching hospitals in the Netherlands.PopulationWomen planned for conventional anterior colporrhaphy without mesh.MethodsWomen underwent physical examination, translabial three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to surgery. At 12 months after surgery the physical examination was repeated.Main outcome measuresWomen with and without anatomical cystocele recurrence were compared to assess the association with levator hiatal area on 3D ultrasound, levator hiatal area on MRI, and potential confounding factors. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was created to quantify the discriminative ability of using levator hiatal area to predict anatomical cystocele recurrence.ResultsOf 139 included women, 76 (54.7%) had anatomical cystocele recurrence. Preoperative stage 3 or 4 and increased levator hiatal area during Valsalva on ultrasound were significantly associated with cystocele recurrence, with odds ratios of 3.47 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI 1.66–7.28) and 1.06 (95% CI 1.01–1.11) respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.60 (95% CI 0.51–0.70) for levator hiatal area during Valsalva on ultrasound, and 0.65 (95% CI 0.55–0.71) for preoperative Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP–Q) stage.ConclusionsIncreased levator hiatal area during Valsalva on ultrasound prior to surgery and preoperative stage 3 or 4 are independent risk factors for anatomical cystocele recurrence after anterior colporrhaphy; however, increased levator hiatal area as the sole factor for predicting anatomical cystocele recurrence after surgery shows poor test characteristics.
Association between individual response to food taste and gastroesophageal symptoms
Authors: Shibata Tomoyuki , Nakamura Masahiko , Omori Takafumi , Tahara Tomomitsu , Ichikawa Yuichiro , Okubo Masaaki , Ishizuka Takamitsu , Nakagawa Yoshihito , Nagasaka Mitsuo , Nakamura Masakatsu , Arisawa Tomiyasu , Hirata Ichiro 
Published: March 2015

ObjectiveTaste is an important element in food preferences. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is related to lifestyles including eating habits. We aimed to investigate the relationship between responses to specific tastes and GERD.MethodsAltogether 280 patients including 170 men with a mean age of 58.6 years were included in the study to determine the relationship between their liking for specific tastes and GERD using a new self‐administered questionnaire (responses to various tastes and participants' sensitivity to taste and hot food and on the frequency of stomatitis). Another self‐administrated questionnaire was administrated for a diagnosis of GERD (the frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD cut‐off score of 10). Furthermore, 142 of 280 patients who had received esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) were investigated on the association between endoscopic esophagitis and their favorite tastes.ResultsIn the association analyses between responses to specific tastes and GERD, the group liking salty food and the group with a high frequency of stomatitis had a significantly higher incidence of GERD (salty food: odds ratio [OR] 2.059, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.215–3.488, P = 0.0073; stomatitis: OR 2.861, 95% CI 1.558–5.253, P = 0.0007, respectively). In association analyses with endoscopic esophagitis, the groups liking salty and sour food had a significantly higher incidence rate of endoscopic esophagitis (salty: OR 2.718, 95% CI 1.330–5.555, P = 0.0061; sour: OR 3.267, 95% CI 1.491–7.160, P = 0.0031, respectively).ConclusionsSensitivity and response to specific food taste were associated with GERD. The results of a preference to hot or salty food and endoscopic esophagitis suggest that physical stimuli are important for esophageal injuries.
Endodontics and the ageing patient
Authors: Johnstone M , Parashos P 
Published: March 2015

AbstractPatients are living longer and the rate of edentulism is decreasing. Endodontic treatment is an essential part of maintaining the health and well‐being of the elderly. Retention of natural teeth improves the quality of life and the overall health and longevity of ageing patients. Also, teeth that might be otherwise extracted may be strategically valuable to retain a prosthesis, and elderly patients are more likely to have medical complications that may prevent dental extractions from being safely performed. The technical goals of endodontic treatment in the elderly are the same as those for younger patients. However, the pulpo‐dentinal complex undergoes calcific changes over time, which may pose challenges for the clinician. The purposes of this review are to discuss age changes in the pulp and the challenges posed by diagnosing, treatment planning and treating the elderly endodontic patient.
Treatment planning concepts for the ageing patient
Authors: Ettinger RL 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThere is an ageing imperative in Australia as in many other industrialized nations, and these populations are extremely heterogeneous. In young adults, the factors which influence decision making for oral health care are whether the patient has the will, the time or the finances to pay for care, while for clinicians, the decisions are whether they have the skill and the resources to carry out the treatment plan. For older adults, the decision making includes all of the previous identified factors, but they are now complicated by the patient's medical and medication problems, the side effects of the medications they are taking, their cognitive status as well as the cumulative effects of a lifetime of physiological, traumatic and iatrogenic effects on the dentition and the oral cavity.The decision‐making process which has evolved has been called many names, from cost‐effective care to minimal invasive dentistry to rational dental care. Fundamentally, they are similar. Rational dental care has been defined as the process of decision making, which develops a treatment plan that is in the best interest of the patient after evaluating all of the modifying factors. This article will discuss the various concepts, and the strengths and weaknesses of some of these systems. It will also illustrate some of the clinical problems as there is very little evidence‐based data to support any of these concepts. However, treatment planning is still an art, which can only be carried out for an individual and not a group, and the result must serve the needs of the patient and enhance the quality of his or her life.