bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sphingosine 1‐phosphate has anti‐apoptotic effect on liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and proliferative effect on hepatocytes in a paracrine manner in human
Authors: Nowatari Takeshi , Murata Soichiro , Nakayama Ken , Sano Naoki , Maruyama Takehito , Nozaki Reiji , Ikeda Naoya , Fukunaga Kiyoshi , Ohkohchi Nobuhiro 
Published: November 2014

AimSphingosine 1‐phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite released from erythrocytes and platelets, and is a potent stimulus for endothelial cell proliferation. However, the role of S1P on human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) remains unclear. The proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis in LSEC are involved in the promotion of liver regeneration and the suppression of liver injury after liver resection and transplantation. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of S1P on human LSEC and the interaction between S1P and LSEC in hepatocyte proliferation in vitro.MethodsImmortalized human LSEC were used. LSEC were cultured with S1P, and the cell proliferation, anti‐apoptosis, signal transductions and production of cytokines and growth factors were subsequently examined. To investigate the interaction between S1P and LSEC in hepatocyte proliferation, primary human hepatocytes were cultured with the supernatants of LSEC with and without S1P. DNA synthesis and signal transductions in hepatocytes were examined.ResultsS1P induced LSEC proliferation through activation of Akt and extracellular signal‐related kinase pathways and suppressed LSEC apoptosis by affecting the expression levels of Bcl‐2, Bax and cleaved caspase‐3. S1P promoted interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in LSEC. The supernatants of LSEC cultured with S1P enhanced hepatocyte DNA synthesis more strongly than the supernatants of LSEC cultured without S1P through activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription‐3 pathway.ConclusionS1P has proliferative and anti‐apoptotic effects and promotes the production of IL‐6 and VEGF in human LSEC, thereby promoting hepatocyte proliferation.
An identification guide to some major Quaternary fossil reef‐building coral genera (Acropora, Isopora, Montipora, and Porites)
Authors: Humblet Marc , Hongo Chuki , Sugihara Kaoru 
Published: November 2014

AbstractFossil coral identification is essential for paleoenvironment and sea level reconstructions and in paleoecological and evolutionary studies. It follows the taxonomy of their modern analogues and therefore is based on the external skeleton macromorphology. However, for geologists examining outcrops or drill cores, identification largely relies on cross sections. The coral surface is usually obscured by encrusters or by sediments, or because corals are broken or eroded. It is therefore important to understand the relationship between the internal structure of corals and their surface morphology. We provide a comprehensive description of the internal structure of four common coral genera (Acropora, Isopora, Montipora, and Porites). This identification guide is addressed to reef geologists who wish to identify Quaternary reef corals at the generic level based on cross sections. The massive basal part of Acropora is composed of an interbranch space filled with a highly regular mesh‐like network of skeletal elements parallel and perpendicular to growth direction. Corallites have conspicuous dissepiments with a ladder‐like appearance in longitudinal section. Corallites of Isopora are structurally similar but they do not show the same differentiation into axial and radial corallites. Corallites are generally sinuous and the coenosteum is less regular. Montipora has smaller corallites which appear as tubes lined with spiny septa. The coenosteum is characterized by long rod‐like skeletal elements parallel to growth direction projecting upward at the colony surface to form spinules or larger ornementations. These vertical rods are connected laterally by short bar‐like skeletal elements. In Porites, the size of corallites is similar to Montipora but they are juxtaposed and completely filled with skeletal elements. Longitudinal cross sections display a dense network of corallites' skeletal components parallel and perpendicular to growth direction. This new taxonomic guide provides a useful reference material for those who attempt to identify reef‐building corals in the fossil record.
Determination of fourteen sunscreen agents in cosmetics using high‐performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Chang N. I. , Yoo M. Y. , Lee S. H. 
Published: November 2014

SynopsisObjectiveCommercial sunscreens consist of various compounds ranging from inorganic mineral pigments to organic chemical absorbents to achieve the required degree of protection against sunlight. However, the UV radiation screening ingredients have side effects. In this study, therefore, to ensure compliance with the maximum permissible chemical concentrations in sunscreen cosmetic products, a simultaneous and improved determination method for sunscreen chemicals was assessed.MethodsWaters 2690 separations module HPLC system equipped with a Waters 486 tunable absorbance detector (UV–visible detector) has been employed and optimized to detect 14 compounds. For the separation, a Waters C18 column (5 μm, 4.6 mm i.d. 150 mm) and 1% of 0.1 M phosphoric acid in ethanol (solvent A) and in distilled water (solvent B) as mobile phases were used.ResultsThe correlation coefficients of 14 standard mixture solutions exceeded 0.9993 in the range 2.5–200 μg mL−1. The intra‐ and interday recovery and precision (relative standard deviation) of the method were 90.91–109.98% and within 10%, respectively, indicating that the developed method could provide reliable, precise and reproducible data. The detection limit was determined to be 0.01–1.99 μg mL−1, and the quantization limit was determined to be 0.02–6.02 μg mL−1, which were relatively lower than previous studies.ConclusionThis method was highly optimized in terms of selectivity, reproducibility and efficiency for the detection of 14 compounds. The validation data indicated that the improved method was quite suitable for their quantitative analysis of commercial product samples. Therefore, this method was applied to the determination of 14 compounds in commercial sunscreen cosmetic products. We verified that the amounts of sunscreen ingredients in the five currently sold sunscreens were >0.5% and within the designated limit, which means those could produce the safe and desired sunscreen effects on the skin. The present method could be applied to effectively monitor the process management and quality control of the cosmetics that are sold in the market.
Root surface strain during canal shaping and its influence on apical microcrack development: a preliminary investigation
Authors: Jamleh A. , Komabayashi T. , Ebihara A. , Nassar M. , Watanabe S. , Yoshioka T. , Miyara K. , Suda H. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractAimTo determine the root surface strain (RSS) generated during root canal shaping and its effects on apical microcrack development.MethodologyTwenty‐five extracted human mandibular premolars were selected and decoronated. The teeth were instrumented with either the ProTaper (PT) or WaveOne (WO) (Dentsply Maillefer) NiTi rotary systems (n = 10 per group) or used as controls (n = 5). Instrumented root canals were enlarged to ProTaper F4 (size 40, 0.06 taper) or using WaveOne LARGE (size 40, 0.08 taper) instruments according to the manufacturer's instructions. An electrical strain gage (KFG02‐120‐C1‐16, Kyowa Dengyo, Tokyo, Japan) was fixed on the proximal root surface and connected to a strain amplifier via a bridge box in order to measure RSS. During canal shaping, the strain output of the amplifier was recorded. The instantaneous RSS induced by each instrument and the maximum RSSs were determined. All teeth were then stained with contrast media and imaged with micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) at an isotropic resolution of 10 μm to detect microcracks. The mean maximum RSS values (microstrain) and mean number of microcracks recorded for both groups were tested for statistical significance using Mann–Whitney U‐test. Presence/absence of microcracks in both groups was compared by chi‐square tests.ResultsIncreased baseline RSS from strain accumulation during canal shaping was observed, with similar maximum RSS (mean ± SD) for PT (416.6 ± 185.1 μstrain) and WO (398.2 ± 163.8 μstrain) (P = 0.94). The interevaluator reliability for microcrack detection using micro‐CT had a kappa value of 0.998. Compared to the PT group, there was a trend for fewer samples with microcracks in the WO group (P = 0.051). On the micro‐CT images, apical microcracks were detected in 20 PT and 11 WO samples (P = 0.10). The microcracks were observed in the buccolingual direction in all WO and 81% of PT samples. No vertical root fractures were found. The maximum RSS obtained during canal shaping was poorly correlated with the number of microcracks found (R2 = 0.093).ConclusionsBased on these preliminary data, canal shaping appears to cause apical microcracks regardless of the type of rotary instrument motion. Contrast‐enhanced micro‐CT was able to identify microcracks in roots.
Epidemiology, disease burden and outcomes of cirrhosis in a large secondary care hospital in South Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Hsiang J. C. , Bai W. W. , Raos Z. , Stableforth W. , Upton A. , Selvaratnam S. , Gane E. J. , Gerred S. J. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundLiver cirrhosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality; however, little is known about its impact in New Zealand.AimsWe aim to determine the disease burden, epidemiology and outcomes of cirrhotic patients.MethodsThis is a retrospective study of cirrhosis patients under secondary public hospital care in a geographically defined region, between the years 2000 and 2011. Cirrhosis complications and mortality was recorded. Poisson log‐linear regression analysis was performed for incidence rate ratio (IRR) and Cox regression analysis was used to analyse time‐related events.ResultsSeven hundred and forty‐six cirrhotic patients were analysed; most were European/Other (39.9%), Pacific islanders (21.6%), Southeast Asian/Chinese (17.8%) and Maori (12.3%). 68.4% were male. The common primary aetiologies for cirrhosis were chronic hepatitis B (CHB) cirrhosis (37.3%), alcoholic liver disease (ALD) cirrhosis (24.1%), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cirrhosis (22.3%) and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) cirrhosis (16.4%). The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality rates were highest in NAFLD and CHB cirrhosis groups (3.0 and 3.1 per 100 patient‐year respectively), compared with ALD and CHC groups (2.2 and 1.4 per 100 patient‐year, all P < 0.05 respectively). Patients with ALD and NAFLD cirrhosis had the highest all‐cause and non‐HCC mortality rate compared with viral hepatitis cirrhosis groups. The IRR for HCC incidence, liver‐related mortality and HCC mortality were 1.087, 1.098 and 1.114, respectively (all P < 0.001), suggesting increasing incidence and disease burden over the study period.ConclusionThe number of cirrhotic patients in secondary care is increasing steadily. Cirrhosis complications and mortality rates are also rising, particularly the incidence and mortality of HCC.
Does the availability of therapeutic drug monitoring, computerised dose recommendation and prescribing decision support services promote compliance with national gentamicin prescribing guidelines?
Authors: Diasinos N. , Baysari M. , Kumar S. , Day R. O. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundGentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that is highly effective in treating Gram‐negative infections, but inappropriate use leads to toxicity. In 2010, the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines (Antibiotic) were revised to recommend the use of computerised methods to individualise dosing of gentamicin and optimise therapy, rather than traditional nomogram approaches.AimTo determine whether gentamicin prescribing was compliant with the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines, version 14 (2010) in a setting where computerised dose recommendation resources and computerised decision support were available, and to determine why the resources were effective or ineffective in achieving compliance to guidelines.MethodsDuring phase 1, a retrospective audit of gentamicin prescribing from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012 (n = 826) at a 320‐bed teaching hospital in Sydney was undertaken. In phase 2, 12 doctors from specialties with high‐volume prescribing of gentamicin were interviewed.ResultsIntravenous gentamicin was used in 545 cases, 81% of which were for short‐term therapy (≤48 h). Doctors feared inducing toxicity in patients, but limited the dose rather than altering the dosing interval according to renal function. Of the ‘continued’ dosing cases, 55% went unmonitored and the computerised dose recommendation service was rarely used. Doctors were unaware of its availability despite electronic alerts accompanying prescriptions of gentamicin.ConclusionsIn comparison with the national guidelines, there was significant under‐dosing and monitoring practices were haphazard. Computerised electronic alerts were ineffective in informing users. To improve prescribing practices, we recommend exploring alternative computerised decision support approaches (e.g. pre‐written orders) and more pervasive and persuasive implementation strategies.
Factors relating to consent for organ donation: prospective data on potential organ donors
Authors: Marck C. H. , Neate S. L. , Skinner M. R. , Dwyer B. M. , Hickey B. B. , D'Costa R. , Weiland T. J. , Jelinek G. A. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundObtaining family consent to organ donation is a significant obstacle to improving further Australian deceased organ donation rates. Currently, neither the consent rates for donors eligible to donate after circulatory death, nor factors that influence decision to decline or consent to donation in general are known in Australia.MethodsThis study at four university teaching hospitals in Melbourne, Victoria, examined consecutive patients where organ donation was discussed with the familyResultsA total of 123 cases were identified; the family consent rate was 52.8%, and 34.1% proceeded to donation. Consent to donation was related to potential donor factors such as country of birth, cultural background in Australia, a non‐religious or Christian background and registration on the Australian Organ Donor Register. Family‐related factors included being English speaking and having knowledge of the deceased's wishes about organ donation. Family of donation after circulatory death‐eligible donors were less likely to consent to donation than the family of donation after brain death‐eligible donors, although not reaching statistical significance. Among consented potential donors, those eligible for donation after brain death and with a shorter length of stay were more likely to proceed to donating organs for transplantation.ConclusionDespite a small sample size, these findings describe current consent and donation rates and associated factors and may assist in improving conversations about organ donation.
Determining the best shipper sizes for sending products to customers
Authors: Alonso M.T. , Alvarez‐Valdes R. , Parreño F. , Tamarit J.M. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractA distribution company has to send products, packed into shippers, from the warehouse to retail shops. The number of different shipper types is regarded as a parameter given by the user, who is looking for a balance between transportation costs and stock and procurement costs. The problem is to decide the sizes of the shipper types to keep at the warehouse so as to minimize the cost of meeting the forecasted demand over the planning horizon. In this paper, we describe an integer linear programming formulation for the problem and obtaining feasible solutions. Other models, based on multiknapsack and p‐median and facility location models, are for obtaining lower bounds. We study several ways of reducing the set of possible shipper types in order to obtain models of a manageable size. The feasible solutions obtained are improved by using a reduced model and metaheuristic algorithm. A computational study conducted on real instances provided by the company is presented and discussed.
Filling in the Missing Link between Universalism and Democracy: The Case of Costa Rica
Authors: Martínez Franzoni Juliana , Sánchez-Ancochea Diego 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThis article explores a missing link in the recent literature on the formation of social policies: that between democracy and universalism, one desirable yet elusive feature of these policies. We base our argument on a case study of Costa Rica, the most successful case of universalism in Latin America. We proceed by first depicting Costa Rica's peculiar policy architecture, based on the incremental expansion of benefits funded on payroll taxes. Then we reconstruct the policy process to stress the key role played by technopoliticians in a democratic context. Backed by political leadership and equipped with international ideas, technopoliticians drove social policy design from agenda setting to adoption and implementation. Third, we argue that key aspects of the policy architecture established in the early 1940s were fundamental building blocks for a distinctive and seldom explored road to universalism. We conclude considering contemporary implications.
PSOCUBE, a multidimensional assessment of psoriasis patients as a both clinically/practically sustainable and evidence‐based algorithm
Authors: Linder D. , Altomare G. , Amato S. , Amerio P. , Balato N. , Campanati A. , Conti A. , Gisondi P. , Prignano F. , Saraceno R. , Piaserico S. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundThere is increasing awareness of the clinical relevance of psoriasis comorbidities and of the importance of timely and effective screening for such comorbidities in the management of psoriatic patients. Previous works have focused on assessing evidence for prevalence of comorbidities and on the best available evidence for sensitivity in diagnosing suspected comorbidities. No algorithms are available, which have been tested on large numbers of physicians concerning the acceptance of such algorithms both by practicing clinical dermatologists and by their consulting specialists from other fields.ObjectiveTo propose a multidimensional assessment algorithm for psoriasis comorbidities which may prove at the same time enough sensitive and practically sustainable in daily clinical practice.MethodsAfter an exhaustive literature search, we performed a Delphi procedure involving 50 dedicated dermatological centres to obtain a standardized assessment algorithm, which would meet requirements of sustainability and acceptability both from the point of view of Evidence‐Based Medicine as well as from the point of view of practical and clinical feasibility: to meet both requirements, results from the Delphi procedure were elaborated and modified by a restricted panel of experts.ResultsThe procedure has yielded PSOCUBE, a three‐dimensional table comprising 14 clinical examination and history taking items, 32 screening laboratory and instrumental exams and 11 clinimetric scores.ConclusionPSOCUBE, a simple algorithm, may be employed by practising dermatologists to perform standardized assessment procedures on psoriatic patients raising the chances of early recognition of patients at risk for comorbidities, thus fostering more effective prevention; PSOCUBE may therefore contribute to reduce the overall impact of this chronic, widespread disease.
Similar preferences for ornamentation in opposite‐ and same‐sex choice experiments
Authors: Cardoso G. C. , Leitão A. V. , Funghi C. , Batalha H. R. , Lopes R. J. , Mota P. G. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractSelection due to social interactions comprises competition over matings (sexual selection stricto sensu) plus other forms of social competition and cooperation. Sexual selection explains sex differences in ornamentation and in various other phenotypes, but does not easily explain cases where those phenotypes are similar in males and females. Understanding such similarities requires knowing how phenotypes influence nonsexual social interactions as well, which can be very important in gregarious animals, but whose role for phenotypic evolution has been overlooked. For example, ‘mate choice’ experiments often found preferences for ornamentation, but have not assessed whether those are strictly sexual or are general social preferences. Using choice experiments with a gregarious and mutually ornamented finch, the common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), we show that preferences for ornamentation in the opposite‐sex also extend to same‐sex interactions. Waxbills discriminated between opposite‐ and same‐sex individuals, but most preferences for colour traits were similar when interacting with either sex. Similar preferences in sexual and nonsexual associations may be widespread in nature, either as social adaptations or as by‐product of mate preferences. In either case, such preferences may set the stage for the evolution of mutual ornamentation and of various other similarities between the sexes.
The G894t, T‐786c and 4b/a polymorphisms in Enos gene and cancer risk: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhang Lei , Chen Ling Min , Wang Man Ni , Chen Xiang Jun , Li Nian , De Huang Ying , Chen Min 
Published: November 2014

AbstractObjectivePublished results on association between eNOS polymorphisms and cancer risk are conflicting. We aimed to investigate the association and give an overall understanding of possible risk role of eNOS.MethodWe searched PubMed and EMbase databases. The pooled ORs and 95% CIs for the association between eNOS polymorphisms and cancer risk was estimated using fixed‐ or random‐ effect model. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were employed for further analysis.ResultsThe Overall results showed no significant association of G894T polymorphism with cancer susceptibility (T vs. G: OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.07; TT+GT vs. GG: OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.09; TT vs. GT+GG: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.17). For the T‐786C polymorphism, pooled OR under recessive model suggested that CC genotype was significantly associated with increased cancer risk (CC vs. TC+TT: OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.57). For the 4b/a polymorphism, pooled OR for recessive model suggested positive result of 4a/4a genotype (aa vs. ba+bb: OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.43). In subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significant association was found in Caucasians in recessive model but not in Asians for T‐786C and 4b/a, respectively. In subgroup analysis by cancer types, significant result was obtained for breast cancer in recessive model for the T‐786C polymorphism.ConclusionThe eNOS G894T polymorphism may not be a major risk factor for most types of cancers. The CC of T‐786C polymorphism and 4a/4a of 4b/a polymorphism are associated with cancer risk, especially in Caucasians. There is significant association between T786C polymorphism and breast cancer risk. More data are needed to verify these results.