bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Critical Role of Dynamin‐Related Protein 1 in Hypoxia‐Induced Pulmonary Vascular Angiogenesis
Authors: Shen Tingting , Wang Na , Yu Xiufeng , Shi Jiucheng , Li Qian , Zhang Chen , Fu Li , Wang Shuang , Xing Yan , Zheng Xiaodong , Yu Lei , Zhu Daling 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a lethal disease characterized by pulmonary vascular obstruction due in part to excessive pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) migration and proliferation. The mitochondrial fission protein dynamin‐related protein‐1 (DRP1) has important influence on pulmonary vascular remodeling. However, whether DRP1 participates in the development and progression of pulmonary vascular angiogenesis has not been reported previously. To test the hypothesis that DRP1 promotes the angiogenesis via promoting the proliferation, stimulating migration, and inhibiting the apoptosis of PAECs in mitochondrial Ca2+‐dependent manner, we performed following studies. Using hemodynamic analysis and morphometric assay, we found that DRP1 mediated the elevation of right ventricular systemic pressure (RVSP), right heart hypertrophy, and increase of pulmonary microvessels induced by hypoxia. DRP1 inhibition reversed tube network formation in vitro stimulated by hypoxia. The mitochondrial Ca2+ inhibited by hypoxia was recovered by DRP1 silencing. Moreover, pulmonary vascular angiogenesis promoted by DRP1 was reversed by the specific mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter inhibitor Ru360. In addition, DRP1 promoted the proliferation and migration of PAECs in mitochondrial Ca2+‐dependent manner. Besides, DRP1 decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced the DNA fragmentation, and inhibited the caspase‐3 activation, which were all aggravated by Ru360. Therefore, these results indicate that the mitochondrial fission machinery promotes migration, facilitates proliferation, and prevents from apoptosis via mitochondrial Ca2+‐dependent pathway in endothelial cells leading to pulmonary angiogenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1993–2007, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MRI phenotype of breast cancer: Kinetic assessment for molecular subtypes
Authors: Blaschke Eric , Abe Hiroyuki 
Published: March 2015

PurposeTo evaluate the dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) kinetic characteristics of newly diagnosed breast cancer molecular subtypes.Materials and MethodsBreast MRI examinations of 112 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were reviewed. Cases of newly diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma were sorted by molecular subtype (28 TN, 11 HER2 +, 73 Lum A/B) and MRI field strength, with lesion segmentation and kinetic analyses performed on a dedicated workstation. For kinetic assessment, 50% and 100% thresholds were employed for display of medium and rapid uptake. Kinetic profiles in terms of percent volume for six kinetic types (medium‐persistent, medium‐plateau, medium‐washout, fast‐persistent, fast‐plateau, fast‐washout) relative to the whole volume of the lesion were obtained. Statistical analysis of the kinetic profiles was performed using Welch's t‐test.ResultsPercent volume of HER2‐positive lesions with >100% uptake at early phase on 3T strength MRI exams was significantly greater compared with luminal A/B (93.8 ± 0.92 vs. 77.3 ± 7.2; P < 0.01) and triple negative (93.8 ± 0.92 vs. 81.3 ± 8.2; P < 0.05) subtypes. The >50% early phase uptake for HER2+ lesions was also higher than Lum A/B (99.1 ± 0.73 vs. 93.6 ± 3.05; P < 0.01) at 3T. In the 1.5T subgroup the percent volume of HER2+ tumors with >50% and >100% early phase uptake trended higher than Lum A/B lesions without reaching significance.ConclusionThe percent volume of HER2‐positive tumors demonstrating rapid early contrast uptake is significantly increased compared to other molecular subtypes. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:920–924.
Clonal differences and impact of defoliation on Sauvignon blanc (Vitis vinifera L.) wines: a chemical and sensory investigation
Authors: Šuklje Katja , Antalick Guillaume , Buica Astrid , Langlois Jennifer , Coetzee Zelmari A , Gouot Julia , Schmidtke Leigh M , Deloire Alain 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe aim of this study, performed on Sauvignon blanc clones SB11 and SB316, grafted on the same rootstock 101–14 Mgt (Vitis riparia × V. ruperstris) and grown at two adjacent vineyards, was two‐fold: (1) to study wine chemical and sensory composition of both clones within an unaltered canopy; and (2) to determine the effect of defoliation (e.g. bunch microclimate) on wine chemical and sensory composition.RESULTSOrthogonal projection to latent structures discriminate analysis (OPLS‐DA) was applied to the concentration profiles of volatile compounds derived from gas chromatography–mass spectrometry data. The loadings directions inferred that 3‐isobutyl‐2‐methoxypyrazine (IBMP) discriminated control treatments (shaded fruit zone) of both clones from defoliation treatments (exposed fruit zone), whereas 3‐sulfanyl‐hexan‐1‐ol (3SH), 3‐sulfanylhexyl acetate (3SHA), hexanol, hexyl hexanoate and some other esters discriminated defoliated treatments from the controls. The OPLS‐DA indicated the importance of IBMP, higher alcohol acetates and phenylethyl esters, for discrimination of clone SB11 from clone SB316 irrespective of the treatment. Defoliation in the fruit zone significantly decreased perceived greenness in clone SB11 and elevated fruitier aromas, whereas in clone SB316 the effect of defoliation on wine sensory perception was less noticeable regardless the decrease in IBMP concentrations.CONCLUSIONThese findings highlight the importance of clone selection and bunch microclimate to diversify produced wine styles. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
High infiltration of tumor‐associated macrophages is associated with a poor response to chemotherapy and poor prognosis of patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer
Authors: Sugimura Keijiro , Miyata Hiroshi , Tanaka Koji , Takahashi Tsuyoshi , Kurokawa Yukinori , Yamasaki Makoto , Nakajima Kiyokazu , Takiguchi Shuji , Mori Masaki , Doki Yuichiro 
Published: March 2015

Background and objectiveTumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are well known to have distinct roles in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the role of TAMs in chemoresistance has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study is to examine whether TAMs, especially M2 macrophages, are associated with the tumor response to chemotherapy with esophageal cancers.MethodsUsing 210 tissues from patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgery, we calculated the number of intratumoral CD68+ macrophages, CD163+ macrophages, and CD8+ lymphocytes using immunohistochemistry. CD68 and CD163 were used as markers for whole macrophages and M2 macrophages, respectively.ResultsInfiltration of CD68+ macrophages and CD163+ macrophages was significantly associated with tumor depth, lymphatic invasion, and venous invasion. High infiltration of CD68+ macrophages and CD163+ macrophages was significantly associated with poor prognosis for patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Regarding the response to chemotherapy, high infiltration of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages had a significant association with poor response to chemotherapy, both clinically and pathologically (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that infiltration of CD163+ macrophages was an independent prognostic factor in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.ConclusionsInfiltration of TAMs, especially M2 macrophages, is associated with a poor response to chemotherapy and poor prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:752–759. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimization of modified dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous preconcentration and determination of nitrazepam and midazolam drugs: An experimental design
Authors: Goudarzi Nasser , Farsimadan Sahar , Chamjangali Mansour Arab , Bagherian Ghadam Ali 
Published: March 2015

A simple, sensitive, and rapid microextraction method, namely, ultrasound‐assisted surfactant‐enhanced emulsification microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplet method coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography was developed for the simultaneous preconcentration and determination of nitrazepam and midazolam. The significant parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were considered using Plackett–Burman design as a screening method. To obtain the optimum conditions with consideration of the selected significant variables, a Box–Behnken design was used. The microextraction procedure was performed using 29.1 μL of 1‐undecanol, 1.36% (w/v) of NaCl, 10.0 μL of sodium dodecyl sulfate (25.0 μg mL−1), and 1.0 μL of Tween80 (25.0 μg mL−1) as an emulsifier in an extraction time of 20.0 min at pH 7.88. In order to investigate the validation of the developed method, some validation parameters including the linear dynamic range, repeatability, limit of detection, and recoveries were studied under the optimum conditions. The detection limits of the method were 0.017 and 0.086 ng mL−1 for nitrazepam and midazolam, respectively. The extraction recovery percentages for the drugs studied were above 91.0 with acceptable relative standard deviation. The proposed methodology was successfully applied for the determination of these drugs in a number of human serum samples.
Increasing the Rainfall Kinetic Energy of Spray Nozzles by using Meshes
Authors: Carvalho Sílvia C. P. , de Lima João L. M. P. , de Lima M. Isabel P. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractRainfall simulators are an important tool in studying soil erosion, which is a key process contributing to land degradation. The kinetic energy of simulated rain is central to these studies and it is used as an indicator of the raindrops' ability to detach particles from the soil surface. The main purpose of this experimental work was to explore the usefulness of incorporating meshes underneath pressurised nozzles' rain simulators that intercept the drops sprayed out by the nozzles and change the simulated rain characteristics, namely by increasing the rainfall kinetic energy. The laboratory experiments included testing four types of spray nozzles (discharge from 2·3 to 11·9 L min−1), combined with a high‐density polyethylene mesh (square aperture of 20 mm). The effect of the mesh was studied for three vertical distances between the nozzle and the mesh (0·20, 0·40 and 0·60 m). A laser disdrometer was used to measure the diameter and fall speed of the simulated raindrops. For the mesh‐free simulations, the nozzles produced drops having on average a mean equivalent diameter of around 0·6 mm and a mean fall speed of about 1·5 m s−1. The mesh increased the formation of bigger drops (>2·5 mm) and, consequently, increased the rainfall kinetic energy of the simulated rain; the magnitude of this increase varied with the spray produced by the nozzles. Results show that meshes can be useful for increasing the kinetic energy of the rainfall simulated by nozzles within soil erosion studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved Electrical Performance of Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Induced by Stable Doping with Polymer Dopants
Authors: Chen Jiayue , Chen Zhaobin , Yang Dalei , Ye Feng , Wang Sisi , Yang Xiaoniu 
Published: March 2015

A series of brominated polystyrenes (BPSs) are readily synthesized and blended as polymer dopants with the p‐type semiconducting polymer, poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT), to improve theirelectrical performance. The obtained P3HT/BPS blend films exhibit increased carrier concentration resulting from doping of P3HT by BPS, which leads to excellent electrical performance, including enhanced hole mobility and conductivity, and the conductivity or mobility increases with the bromination degree of BPS. Compared with conventional small molecular dopants, the polymer dopant, BPS, shows not only excellent doping stability, but also good solution processibility, which makes it a promising materials for fabrication of low cost, flexible, transparent, and high performance solution processable organic electronic devices.
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NlpI‐mediated modulation of outer membrane vesicle production through peptidoglycan dynamics in Escherichia coli
Authors: Schwechheimer Carmen , Rodriguez Daniel L. , Kuehn Meta J. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractOuter membrane vesicles (OMVs) are ubiquitously secreted from the outer membrane (OM) of Gram‐negative bacteria. These heterogeneous structures are composed of OM filled with periplasmic content from the site of budding. By analyzing mutants that have vesicle production phenotypes, we can gain insight into the mechanism of OMV budding in wild‐type cells, which has thus far remained elusive. In this study, we present data demonstrating that the hypervesiculation phenotype of the nlpI deletion mutant of Escherichia coli correlates with changes in peptidoglycan (PG) dynamics. Our data indicate that in stationary phase cultures the nlpI mutant exhibits increased PG synthesis that is dependent on spr, consistent with a model in which NlpI controls the activity of the PG endopeptidase Spr. In log phase, the nlpI mutation was suppressed by a dacB mutation, suggesting that NlpI regulates penicillin‐binding protein 4 (PBP4) during exponential growth. The data support a model in which NlpI negatively regulates PBP4 activity during log phase, and Spr activity during stationary phase, and that in the absence of NlpI, the cell survives by increasing PG synthesis. Further, the nlpI mutant exhibited a significant decrease in covalent outer membrane (OM‐PG) envelope stabilizing cross‐links, consistent with its high level of OMV production. Based on these results, we propose that one mechanism wild‐type Gram‐negative bacteria can use to modulate vesiculation is by altering PG‐OM cross‐linking via localized modulation of PG degradation and synthesis.
Detection of subnanotesla oscillatory magnetic fields using MRI
Authors: Jiang Xia , Sheng Jingwei , Li Huanjie , Chai Yuhui , Zhou Xin , Wu Bing , Guo Xiaodong , Gao Jia‐Hong 
Published: March 2015

PurposeDirect mapping of neuronal currents using MRI would have fundamental impacts on brain functional imaging. Previous reports indicated that the stimulus‐induced rotary saturation (SIRS) mechanism had the best potential of direct detection of neural oscillations; however, it lacked the high‐sensitivity level needed. In this study, a novel strategy is proposed in an effort to improve the detection sensitivity.MethodsIn our modified SIRS sequence, an external oscillatory magnetic field is used as the excitation pulse in place of the standard 90‐degree excitation pulse. This approach could potentially lead to tens or even hundreds times of enhancement in the detection sensitivity for low field signals. It also helps to lower the physiological noise, allows for shorter pulse repetition time, and is less affected by the blood oxygen level.ResultsWe demonstrate that a 100‐Hz oscillatory magnetic field with magnitude as low as 0.25 nanotesla generated in a current loop can be robustly detected using a 3‐Tesla MRI scanner.ConclusionThe modified SIRS sequence offers higher detection sensitivity as well as several additional advantages. These promising results suggest that the direct detection of neural oscillation might be within the grasp of the current MRI technology. Magn Reson Med 75:519–526, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Contact mechanism of a rock fracture subjected to normal loading and its impact on fast closure behavior during initial stage of fluid flow experiment
Authors: Li Bo , Zhao Zhihong , Jiang Yujing , Jing Lanru 
Published: March 2015

SummaryFast closure of rock fractures has been commonly observed in the initial stage of fluid flow experiments at environmental temperatures under low or moderate normal stresses. To fully understand the mechanisms that drive this fast closure, the evolution of local stresses acting on contacting asperities on the fracture surfaces prior to fluid flow tests needs to be evaluated. In this study, we modeled numerically the asperity deformation and failure processes during initial normal loading, by adopting both elastic and elastic–plastic deformation models for the asperities on a real rock fracture with measured surface topography data, and estimated their impact on initial conditions for fluid flow test performed under laboratory conditions. Compared with the previous models that simulate the normal contact of a fracture as the approach of two rigid surfaces without deformations, our models of deformable asperities yielded smaller contact areas and higher stresses on contacting asperities at a given normal stress or normal displacement. The results show that the calculated local stresses were concentrated on the contacts of a few major asperities, resulting in crushing of asperity tips. With these higher contact stresses, however, the predicted closure rates by pressure solution are still several orders of magnitude lower than that of the experimental measurements at the initial stage of fluid flow test. This indicates that single pressure solution may not likely to be the principal compaction mechanism for this fast closure, and that the damages on contacting asperities that occur during the initial normal loading stage may play an important role. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of clean intermittent self‐catheterization in France: A survey of patient and GP perspectives
Authors: Gonzalez Chiappe Solange , Lasserre Andrea , Chartier Kastler Emmanuel , Falchi Alessandra , Blaizeau Fanette , Blanchon Thierry , Hanslik Thomas , Denys Pierre 
Published: March 2015

AimsTo estimate the prevalence of GP (general practitioner) patients performing ISC (intermittent self‐catheterization), to describe GP and patient knowledge about ISC and to assess the patients’ quality of life.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted in metropolitan France between November 2012 and September 2013 with French Sentinelles GPs and their patients (≥18 years) performing ISC. Linear regression models assessed independent associations between quality of life scores (Qualiveen and SF‐12 scores) and patients’ characteristics.ResultsThe prevalence of ISC performers was estimated to be 61.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 61.0–62.4) of 100,000 inhabitants. Patients were males in 58.8% of cases and 53.8 years of age on average. They performed 4.84 catheterizations per day for 10.5 years. Over 1 year, there were 118 (55.1%) cases of patient‐reported urinary incontinence (UI) and 158 (63.3%) cases of patient‐reported urinary tract infection (UTI). Symptomatic UTIs were treated with antibiotics in 79.7% of cases. The average Qualiveen score was 1.38 (95%CI: 1.23–1.53). The average SF‐12 Physical Component Score (PCS) and Mental Component Score (MCS) were 38.6 (95%CI: 36.8–40.4) and 46.4 (95%CI: 44.3–48.5), respectively. According to multivariate analysis, a poorer Qualiveen score and constipation reduced the PCS and a urinary medication prescription reduced the MCS. A poorer Qualiveen score was also associated with UI and UTI on bivariate analysis.ConclusionsISC seems to be significant in French general practice whereas practical skills remain heterogeneous. UI, UTI, and constipation are recurrent issues among ISC performers that significantly decrease their quality of life. Education and adapted guidelines for GP guidance could improve these patients’ conditions. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:528–534, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Beta‐diversity metrics of the upper digestive tract microbiome are associated with body mass index
Authors: Lin Shih‐Wen , Freedman Neal D. , Shi Jianxin , Gail Mitchell H. , Vogtmann Emily , Yu Guoqin , Klepac‐Ceraj Vanja , Paster Bruce J. , Dye Bruce A. , Wang Guo‐Qing , Wei Wen‐Qiang , Fan Jin‐Hu , Qiao You‐Lin , Dawsey Sanford M. , Abnet Christian C. 
Published: March 2015

ObjectiveStudies of the fecal microbiome have implicated the gut microbiota in obesity, but few studies have examined the microbial diversity at other sites. The association between obesity and the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) microbial diversity was explored.MethodsThe UGI microbiome of 659 healthy Chinese adults with a measured body mass index (BMI) range of 15.0 to 35.7 was characterized using the 16S rRNA gene DNA microarray (HOMIM).ResultsIn multivariate‐adjusted models, alpha diversity was not associated with BMI. However, beta diversity, assessed by principal coordinate vectors generated from an unweighted UniFrac distance matrix of pairwise comparisons, was associated with BMI (third and fourth vectors, P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Moreover, beta diversity, assessed by cluster membership (three clusters), was also associated with BMI; individuals in the first cluster [median BMI 22.35, odds ratio (OR) = 0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.05‐4.34] and second cluster [median BMI 22.55, OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.09‐0.75] were significantly less likely to be obese (BMI ≥ 27.5) than those in the third cluster (median BMI 23.59).ConclusionsA beta‐diversity metric of the UGI microbiome is associated with a four fold difference in obesity risk in this Asian population. Future studies should address whether the UGI microbiome plays a causal role in obesity.
Self‐Assembled Functionalized Graphene Nanoribbons from Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Cunha Eunice , Proença Maria Fernanda , Costa Florinda , Fernandes António J. , Ferro Marta A. C. , Lopes Paulo E. , González-Debs Mariam , Melle-Franco Manuel , Deepak Francis Leonard , Paiva Maria C. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractGraphene nanoribbons (GNR) were generated in ethanol solution by unzipping pyrrolidine‐functionalized carbon nanotubes under mild conditions. Evaporation of the solvent resulted in regular few‐layer stacks of graphene nanoribbons observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffraction. The experimental interlayer distance (0.49–0.56 nm) was confirmed by computer modelling (0.51 nm). Computer modelling showed that the large interlayer spacing (compared with graphite) is due to the presence of the functional groups and depends on their concentration. Stacked nanoribbons were observed to redissolve upon solvent addition. This preparation method could allow the fine‐tuning of the interlayer distances by controlling the number and/or the nature of the chemical groups in between the graphene layers.
Functionalization of a Rigid Divalent Ligand for LecA, a Bacterial Adhesion Lectin
Authors: Fu Ou , Pukin Aliaksei V. , Quarles van Ufford H. C. , Kemmink Johan , de Mol Nico J. , Pieters Roland J. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe bacterial adhesion lectin LecA is an attractive target for interference with the infectivity of its producer P. aeruginosa. Divalent ligands with two terminal galactoside moieties connected by an alternating glucose‐triazole spacer were previously shown to be very potent inhibitors. In this study, we chose to prepare a series of derivatives with various new substituents in the spacer in hopes of further enhancing the LecA inhibitory potency of the molecules. Based on the binding mode, modifications were made to the spacer to enable additional spacer–protein interactions. The introduction of positively charged, negatively charged, and also lipophilic functional groups was successful. The compounds were good LecA ligands, but no improved binding was seen, even though altered thermodynamic parameters were observed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC).