bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Deletion of Periostin Protects Against Atherosclerosis in Mice by Altering Inflammation and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling
Authors: Schwanekamp Jennifer A. , Lorts Angela , Vagnozzi Ronald J. , Vanhoutte Davy , Molkentin Jeffery D. 
Published: November 2015

Objective—
Periostin is a secreted protein that can alter extracellular matrix remodeling in response to tissue injury. However, the functional role of periostin in the development of atherosclerotic plaques has yet to be described despite its observed induction in diseased vessels and presence in the serum.

Approach and Results—

Hyperlipidemic, apolipoprotein E–null mice (
ApoE

−/

−

) were crossed with periostin (
Postn

−/−

) gene–deleted mice and placed on a high-fat diet for 6 or 14 weeks to induce atherosclerosis. En face analysis of aortas showed significantly decreased lesion areas of
ApoE

−/−

Postn

−/−

mice compared with
ApoE

−/−

mice, as well as a reduced inflammatory response with less macrophage content. Moreover, diseased aortas from
ApoE

−/−

Postn

−/−

mice displayed a disorganized extracellular matrix with less collagen cross linking and smaller fibrotic caps, as well as increased matrix metalloproteinase-2, metalloproteinase-13, and procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase-1 mRNA expression. Furthermore, the loss of periostin was associated with a switch in vascular smooth muscle cells toward a more proliferative and synthetic phenotype. Mechanistically, the loss of periostin reduced macrophage recruitment by transforming growth factor-β in cellular migration assays.

Conclusions—
These are the first genetic data detailing the function of periostin as a regulator of atherosclerotic lesion formation and progression. The data suggest that periostin could be a therapeutic target for atherosclerotic plaque formation through modulation of the immune response and extracellular matrix remodeling.
Cerebrolysin and Recovery After Stroke (CARS)
Authors: Muresanu Dafin F. , Heiss Wolf-Dieter , Hoemberg Volker , Bajenaru Ovidiu , Popescu Cristian Dinu , Vester Johannes C. , Rahlfs Volker W. , Doppler Edith , Meier Dieter , Moessler Herbert , Guekht Alla 
Published: November 2015

Background and Purpose—
The aim of this trial was to investigate whether stroke patients who receive Cerebrolysin show improved motor function in the upper extremities at day 90 compared with patients who receive a placebo.

Methods—
This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group study. Patients were treated with Cerebrolysin (30 mL/d) or a placebo (saline) once daily for 21 days, beginning at 24 to 72 hours after stroke onset. The patients also participated in a standardized rehabilitation program for 21 days that was initiated within 72 hours after stroke onset. The primary end point was the Action Research Arm Test score on day 90.

Results—

The nonparametric effect size on the Action Research Arm Test score on day 90 indicated a large superiority of Cerebrolysin compared with the placebo (Mann–Whitney estimator, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–0.79;
P
<0.0001). The multivariate effect size on global status, as assessed using 12 different outcome scales, indicated a small-to-medium superiority of Cerebrolysin (Mann–Whitney estimator, 0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.65;
P
<0.0001). The rate of premature discontinuation was <5% (3.8%). Cerebrolysin was safe and well tolerated.

Conclusions—
Cerebrolysin had a beneficial effect on function and global outcome in early rehabilitation patients after stroke. Its safety was comparable with that of the placebo, suggesting a favorable benefit/risk ratio. Because this study was exploratory and had a relatively small sample size, the results should be confirmed in a large-scale, randomized clinical trial.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu
. Unique identifier: 2007-000870-21.
Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate, a Pentose Phosphate Pathway Product, Might Be a Novel Drug Candidate for Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Li Mei , Zhou Zhi-Peng , Sun Meiling , Cao Lijuan , Chen Jieyu , Qin Yuan-Yuan , Gu Jin-Hua , Han Feng , Sheng Rui , Wu Jun-Chao , Ding Yuqiang , Qin Zheng-Hong 
Published: November 2015

Background and Purpose—
Our previous study has defined a role of TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator in neuroprotection against ischemic injury through increasing the flow of pentose phosphate pathway. We hypothesized that the pentose phosphate pathway product nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) could be a novel drug for treatment of ischemic stroke.

Methods—
The NADPH was given before, at the onset, or after stroke onset with single or repeated intravenous (mice and rats) or intraperitoneal injections (monkey). The short- and long-term therapeutic effects of NADPH were evaluated in male adult ICR mice (total=614) with transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, in male adult Sprague–Dawley rats (total=114) with permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion, and in male adult rhesus monkey (total=12) with thrombotic middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Results—
Administration of NADPH led to a dramatic increase in the levels of ATP and reduced form of glutathione, whereas it decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species. NADPH significantly reduced infarct volume, improved poststroke survival, and recovery of neurological functions in mouse and rat models of stroke. Robust neuroprotection of a single dose of NADPH was seen when it was administered within 5 hours after reperfusion; however, repeat administration of NADPH twice a day for 7 days starting 24 hours after the onset of stroke also offered therapeutic effects. Pretreatment with NADPH also significantly improved the outcome of stroke insult.

Conclusions—
Administration of exogenous NADPH significantly protected neurons against ischemia/reperfusion-induced injury in 2 rodent stroke models. Thus, NADPH might be a promising drug candidate for treatment of ischemic stroke.
A revised infrageneric classification for Brickellia (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae)
Authors: Schilling Edward , SCOTT RANDALL W. , PANERO JOSE L. 
Published: November 2015

A recent molecular phylogenetic study of the predominantly Mexican Brickellia resolved issues regarding its generic circumscription, but a new infrageneric classification remains to be formalized. We propose to recognize as sections nine clades identified as monophyletic based on molecular data. Three of these clades have been previously recognized as distinct genera, Barroetea, Kuhnia, and Phanerostylis, and require names at the sectional level. The remaining six sections have names available from previous taxonomic work, but two of them require validation at the sectional level, and all have a different species composition compared to previous studies.
Quantitative In Situ Analysis of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament
Authors: Fujimaki Yoshimasa , Thorhauer Eric , Sasaki Yusuke , Smolinski Patrick , Tashman Scott , Fu Freddie H. 
Published: November 2015

Background: Quantification of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in different loading conditions is important for understanding the native anatomy and thus achieving anatomic reconstruction. The ACL insertion sites are larger than the ACL midsubstance, and the isthmus (region of the smallest CSA) location may vary with the load or flexion angle. Purpose: To (1) quantify the CSA along the entire ACL, (2) describe the location of the ACL isthmus, (3) explore the relationship between ACL length and CSA, and (4) validate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing the CSA of the midsubstance ACL. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Eight cadaveric knees were dissected to expose the ACL and its attachments. Knees were positioned using a robotic loading system through a range of flexion angles in 3 loading states: (1) unloaded, (2) anterior tibial translation, and (3) combined rotational load of valgus and internal torque. Laser scanning quantified the shape of the ACL and its insertion site boundaries. The CSA of the ACL was measured, and the location of the isthmus was determined; the CSA of the ACL was also estimated from MRI and compared with the laser-scanned data. Results: The CSA of the ACL varied along the ligament, and the isthmus existed at an average (±SD) of 53.8% ± 5.5% of the distance from the tibial insertion center to the femoral insertion center. The average CSA at the isthmus was smallest in extension (39.9 ± 13.7 mm2) and increased with flexion (43.9 ± 12.1 mm2 at 90°). The ACL length was shortest at 90° of flexion and increased by 18.8% ± 10.1% in unloaded extension. Application of an anterior load increased the ACL length by 5.0% ± 3.3% in extension, and application of a combined rotational load increased its length by 4.1% ± 3.0% in extension. Conclusion: The ACL isthmus is located almost half of the distance between the insertion sites. The CSA of the ACL at the isthmus is largest with the knee unloaded and at 90° of flexion, and the area decreases with extension and applied loads. The CSA at the isthmus represents less than half the area of the insertion sites. Clinical Relevance: These results may aid surgical planning, specifically for choosing a graft size and fixation angle that most closely matches the native anatomy and function across the entire range of knee motion.
Efficacy of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica
Authors: Yamasaki Ryo , Matsushita Takuya , Fukazawa Toshiyuki , Yokoyama Kazumasa , Fujihara Kazuo , Ogino Mieko , Yokota Takanori , Miyamoto Katsuichi , Niino Masaaki , Nomura Kyoichi , Tomioka Ryo , Tanaka Masami , Kawachi Izumi , Ohashi Takashi , Kaida Ken-ichi , Matsui Makoto , Nakatsuji Yuji , Ochi Hirofumi , Fukaura Hikoaki , Kanda Takashi , Nagaishi Akiko , Togo Kanae , Mizusawa Hidehiro , Murai Hiroyuki , Kira Jun-ichi 
Published: November 2015

Background: No large-scale studies have compared the efficacy of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy (IVMP) for multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Objective: To explain differences in treatment responses of MS and NMO patients to IVMP. Methods: Changes in neurological symptoms/signs and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores before and within 1 week of IVMP completion were obtained in 2010 at 28 institutions, and retrospectively collated from 271 MS (478 courses) and 73 NMO (118 courses) cases. Results: In MS patients, decreased EDSS score was significant after the first (−0.8 ± 0.9), second (−0.7 ± 0.9), and third (−0.7 ± 0.8) courses ( p < 0.05), but not after the fourth (−0.3 ± 0.7) and fifth (−0.5 ± 0.6). However, decreased EDSS score was only significant after the first course (−0.5 ± 1.5, p < 0.05) in NMO patients. EDSS score was significantly decreased in MS compared with NMO patients at the first course ( p < 0.05), but not thereafter. Model analysis for EDSS score improvement at the first course, adjusting for covariates, showed significantly greater decreases in MS compared with NMO patients ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: IVMP is effective in MS from the first to third courses, and in NMO at the first course. Additionally, IVMP is more efficacious in MS than NMO patients, even at the first course.
Prediction of Reoperation of Femoral Neck Fractures Treated With Cannulated Screws in Elderly Patients
Authors: Gregersen Merete , Krogshede Anna , Brink Ole , Damsgaard Else Marie 
Published: November 2015

Background: Reoperation of femoral neck fractures in elderly patients is frequent. Our aim was to determine predictors of reoperations following primary internal fixation with 3 cannulated screws. Materials and Methods: A follow-up study included all patients aged 65+ years old patients consecutively admitted to an orthopedic ward with femoral neck fracture in the period from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2010, and fixed with cannulated screws. We retrospectively obtained all available data from patient databases related to potential predictors of reoperations: gender, age, dwelling, dementia, body mass index, vitamin D, albumin, prednisolone treatment, walking aid, performance of activities of daily living, low-energy trauma, initial displacement, and surgery quality. Outcome was reoperation due to fixation failure/prominent screws, nonunion, or avascular necrosis of femoral head within 2 years after surgery. By multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, including mortality as a competing risk, we estimated crude and adjusted hazards ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for reoperation. Results: Two years after surgery, 29% of 322 elderly patients underwent reoperation. Reoperation was associated with primary fracture displacement (HRadjusted 1.61; 95% CI: 1.01-2.55; P = .04) compared to undisplacement. A poor quality of primary reduction was associated with a higher risk of reoperations than a good quality (HRadjusted 1.95; 95% CI: 1.02-3.72; P = .04). Elderly individuals in own homes and sheltered housings had a higher risk of reoperation (HRadjusted 2.67; 95% CI 1.35-5.31; P = .005) compared to nursing home residents. Conclusion: Our findings support the evidence of a higher incidence of reoperation in displaced femoral neck fractures compared to the nondisplaced and is associated with poor quality of fracture reduction. Reoperations are most frequent in younger and more independent patients living at home.
Investigation on the Behavior of Conical Shell Foundations Composed of Reactive Powder Concrete Embedded on Sandy Soil
Authors: Fattah Mohammed Y. , Waryosh Walled A. , Al-Hamdani Mohammed A. E. 
Published: November 2015

Many forms of shells are available for use as foundations. Then frustum of a cone in the upright position can serve as footing for columns or raft for structure such as chimneys. Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) is an ultra-high strength, low porosity material with high cement and silica fume contents and steel fibers. RPC uses low water-binder ratios and new generation superplasticizers with eliminating the coarse aggregates, all optimized particle size less than 600 micrometers. RPC can be readily used in a wide variety of structural applications, including situations where the concrete is required to carry substantial tensile stresses due to shear and bursting forces. The present study is devoted to study the behavior of RPC shell foundations. A complete load-frame assembly was designed and fabricated for experimental work. Five values of steel fiber volume fractions of 0, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% were used in casting the shells in order to study the effect of steel fiber content on the shear strength. Three percentages of silica fume were used to obtain different grades of concrete to study the effect of concrete compressive strength on the shear strength. The percentages of silica fume are 5%, 10% and 15% by mass of cementations materials. Results of loading tests conducted on wire – reinforced small – concrete models of conical foundations under loads established substantially high values of load factors involved in the traditional design of the conical foundations by membrane theory. The inclusion of steel fibers in RPC footings results in enhanced stiffness, reduced crack width and reduced rate of crack propagation. At failure, the RPC footings behave in a ductile manner as compared with the nonfibrous footing and most of the steel fibers pulled out of the cement matrix. The inclusion of steel fibers in RPC footings results in a significant enhanced ductility and absorbed energy. For RPC footings with the same steel fiber content, the footings with ring beam have stiffness greater than footings without ring beam. The failure of the conical shell footing is found to start with tension to extend upwards along the generator with its width decreasing with edge. As the applied load increases, the value of circumferential tension increases bending in the radial vertical plane increase near the pedestal base at top where there is complete fixity.
Cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion in survival and metastasis: Stat3 versus Akt
Authors: Niit Maximilian , Hoskin Victoria , Carefoot Esther , Geletu Mulu , Arulanandam Rozanne , Elliott Bruce , Raptis Leda 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBoth cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion are important for epithelial cell differentiation and function. Classical cadherins mediate cell to cell interactions and are potent activators of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat3), thereby offering survival signaling. While the epithelial (E)-cadherin is required for cells to remain tightly associated within differentiated epithelial tissues, cadherin-11 promotes invasion and metastasis, preferentially to the bone. Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix is mediated through the integrin receptors that bind to the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src complex, thus activating downstream effectors such as Ras/Erk1/2 and PI3k/Akt, but not Stat3. Therefore, at high densities of cultured cells or in epithelial tissues, co-ordinate activation of the complementary cadherin/Stat3 and integrin/FAK pathways can greatly enhance survival and growth of tumor cells. In neoplastically transformed cells on the other hand, a variety of oncogenes including activated Src or receptor tyrosine kinases, activate both pathways. Still, most single-agent therapies directed against these signaling pathways have proven disappointing in the clinic. Combined targeting of the Src/FAK and Stat3 pathways with inhibitory drugs would be expected to have greater efficacy in inhibiting tumor cell survival, and enhancing sensitivity to conventional cytotoxic drugs for treatment of metastatic disease.
Intersemiotic Bestiary
Authors: Salimena Mariana , Queiroz João 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
The phenomenon of intersemiotic translation from literature (source-sign) to graphic illustration (target-sign) is well known and has been exhaustively analyzed. Jakobson (2000: 114) defines the phenomenon as “transmutation⁄ or interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs of nonverbal sign systems”. This paper presents an intersemiotic translation of El libro de los Seres Imaginarios by Jorge Luis Borges, more specifically the chapter that describes a bestiary of Chinese fauna. Written in collaboration with Margarita Guerrero, El libro was first published in 1957 with the title Manual de Zoología Fantástica; later it was expanded and republished with the title El Libro de los Seres Imaginarios (“The Book of Imaginary Beings”). In this paper, we identify some formal aspects of the literary source-sign to be considered most relevant. Afterwards, we submit those aspects to graphic recreations directed by the construction of fantastic characters in the aesthetic domain of pixel art.
Double Debunking
Authors: Leone Massimo 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
Why did semiotics develop as a discipline that concentrates on the concept of sign, and that sees and interprets the world through this concept? Why was the idea of a science that systematically studies signs welcome in a certain epoch of humanity, and why does it seem so abstruse to most nowadays? Should it be given up, like something that belongs to a remote, vanished past? Or is there something, in semiotics, that still offers answers that no other discipline can provide?
Memory, Identity, Power
Authors: Giraudo Silvia E. , Martel Alvaro R. 
Published: November 2015

Abstract
In this paper we propose Peircean semiotics as one of the most useful methodological tools to analyze and elaborate interpretative hypotheses about the social meaning of rock art. Social meaning implies a dialectic interaction among memory, identity, and distribution of power within a social group. These three elements, together with materiality, take part in a dynamic productive process of social discourses. In many archaic cultures, rock art was one of those discourses.
Declining Trust in Congress: Effects of Polarization and Consequences for Democracy
Authors: Jones David R. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractWhy has Congress, once a widely trusted institution, experienced such a uniquely dramatic decline in the public’s confidence, and what are the consequences for democracy? This article sets out to systematically address these questions. First, I discuss how we can gauge Americans’ levels of trust in Congress. Second, I examine trends over time in public trust in Congress, looking both partisan differences within this measure, and also overall differences in comparison to other institutions. Third, I examine various ways in which the much-noted rise in party polarization in Congress might explain the downward trend in Americans’ trust in that institution. Finally, I explore one potentially important consequence of declining trust in the legislative branch: Americans’ willingness to obey laws. The results suggest that those interested in the problem of declining trust in government would be wise to focus their attention on Congress. Compared to other institutions, the problem in Congress appears more severe, more intractable, and carries greater political consequences.
The Strategic Promotion of Distrust in Government in the Tea Party Age
Authors: Fried Amy , Harris Douglas B. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThis paper argues that distrust in government is not an inadvertent byproduct of economic change, scandals, and cultural and identity politics, but rather grows out of strategic efforts to promote and harness it for political purposes. Elites encouraging distrust interact with grassroots movements, which they can only loosely direct and control. Identifying four strategic benefits of distrust: organizational, electoral, institutional and policy, the paper discusses how Republicans and conservative movement organizations in the Tea Party age used distrust to develop groups and achieve coherence, try to influence primaries and win elections, argue for the constitutional powers of institutions they control, and seek to influence public policy. Paying special attention to health policy, we examine how, after distrust was successfully used to thwart President Bill Clinton’s proposed reforms, it was employed to try to stop and then to exact a price for President Barack Obama’s passage of the Affordable Care Act. While Tea Party rhetoric and current streams of distrust are often associated with racialized messages and anti-Obama sentiment, we contend they are likely to persist after Obama leaves office, particularly given the Tea Party’s comfort with ungovernability and long-standing conservative use of government distrust.
In Government We Distrust: Citizen Skepticism and Democracy in the United States
Authors: Gershtenson Joseph , Plane Dennis L. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractVirtually all accounts of political trust in the US regard declining trust over the past half-century to be troubling. We argue that these interpretations are in need of reassessment since they often are rooted in the normatively questionable assumption that higher trust is always desirable. We review traditions in democratic theory and American thought extolling the virtues of skepticism and distrust of government and discuss potential problems in common trust measures and conclusions based on them. Using data from the 2014 General Social Survey, we explore relationships between trust, commitment to being vigilant watchdogs of government, and attitudes and behaviors generally considered desirable for a healthy democracy. Our findings indicate that higher trust is not always accompanied by characteristics of good democratic citizens. In fact, it is those individuals who exhibit lower levels of trust with high levels of vigilance who are most politically engaged. Thus, healthy skepticism of government may contribute to the vitality of democracy.