bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Initial responses of osteoblasts derived from human alveolar bone to various compressive forces
Authors: Tripuwabhrut Polbhat , Mustafa Kamal , Brudvik Pongsri , Mustafa Manal 
Published: October 2015

Mechanical stress generated by orthodontic force is recognized as a major factor in the modulation of alveolar bone remodeling. During this process, osteoblasts play a crucial role, not only by participating in bone formation but also by promoting osteoclastogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate how continuous compressive force (CF) affects human primary osteoblasts (HOBs) in terms of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and expression of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and chemokine CXC ligand 8 (CXCL8). Human primary osteoblasts, isolated from human mandibular bone pieces, were cultured with or without CF (1–4 g cm−2) for up to 72 h. Cell viability and proliferation were evaluated using the MTT assay. RT‐PCR was used to determine the levels of expression of KI67 (a proliferation marker), BAX (a pro‐apoptotic marker), BCL2 (an apoptotic inhibitor), IL6, and CXCL8 mRNAs, while a multiplexed bead immunoassay was used to measure the release of IL‐6 and CXCL8. The results revealed that CF decreased cell viability and proliferation in a time‐ and force‐dependent manner. After applying CF for 24 h, the mRNA expression of KI67 was markedly inhibited, whereas the mRNA expression of BAX and BCL2 was unaltered. In addition, CF enhanced the levels of IL6 and CXCL8 mRNAs in a force‐dependent manner, whereas the levels of the corresponding proteins were reduced in the compressed HOBs.
Quantitative skin color measurements in acanthosis nigricans patients: colorimetry and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Pattamadilok Bensachee , Devpura Suneetha , Syed Zain U. , Agbai Oma N. , Vemulapalli Pranita , Henderson Marsha , Rehse Steven J. , Mahmoud Bassel H. , Lim Henry W. , Naik Ratna , Hamzavi Iltefat H. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryTristimulus colorimetry and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) are white‐light skin reflectance techniques used to measure the intensity of skin pigmentation. The tristimulus colorimeter is an instrument that measures a perceived color and the DRS instrument measures biological chromophores of the skin, including oxy‐ and deoxyhemoglobin, melanin and scattering. Data gathered from these tools can be used to understand morphological changes induced in skin chromophores due to conditions of the skin or their treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of these two instruments in color measurements of acanthosis nigricans (AN) lesions. Eight patients with hyperinsulinemia and clinically diagnosable AN were seen monthly. Skin pigmentation was measured at three sites: the inner forearm, the medial aspect of the posterior neck, and anterior neck unaffected by AN. Of the three, measured tristimulus L*a*b* color parameters, the luminosity parameter L* was found to most reliably distinguish lesion from normally pigmented skin. The DRS instrument was able to characterize a lesion on the basis of the calculated melanin concentration, though melanin is a weak indicator of skin change and not a reliable measure to be used independently. Calculated oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations were not found to be reliable indicators of AN. Tristimulus colorimetry may provide reliable methods for respectively quantifying and characterizing the objective color change in AN, while DRS may be useful in characterizing changes in skin melanin content associated with this skin condition.
Pediatric photosensitivity
Authors: Grossberg Anna L. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryPhotosensitivity is a rarely encountered problem in the pediatric population. It may be caused by a diverse group of primary, idiopathic photosensitivity conditions, or may reflect photoexacerbation of an existing dermatosis. In addition, there are several genodermatoses, metabolic disorders, and connective tissue disorders that can present with photosensitivity, usually in addition to other extracutaneous clinical and laboratory findings. It is important that both dermatologic and pediatric practitioners be able to recognize the various causes of photosensitivity, as well as be familiar with the associated stigmata and necessary workup, if needed, of each particular disorder. This review offers an approach to the pediatric patient who presents with photosensitivity, with emphasis on arriving at the proper diagnosis, necessary evaluations, and management strategies.
Peripheral blood monocyte responses in periodontitis
Authors: Fokkema SJ 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPeriodontitis results from the interaction of bacteria on the tooth surfaces and the host immune response. Although periodontal pathogens are essential for the initiation and progression of the disease, the tissue damage in periodontitis is primarily mediated by the host immune response. Differences in the susceptibility to the disease and in the clinal outcome of the therapy seem to be less dependent on genetics but more on lifestyle factors, like smoking, overweight, stress and nutrition. It has been shown that these lifestyle factors may modulate the immune response and therefore influence the initiation and progression of the disease. To study the host immune response, whole blood cell cultures (WBCC) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have been widely used and they specifically reflect the behaviour of monocytes. It has been shown that peripheral blood monocytes in LPS‐stimulated WBCC from non‐smoking periodontitis patients display a T‐helper 2 (Th2)‐promoting phenotype in comparison with controls. After periodontal therapy, this phenotype reversed and was comparable with controls. However, in smoking but treated patients, the Th2‐promoting phenotype of monocytes still remained. Therefore, the aberrant phenotype of monocytes in the peripheral blood from periodontitis patients is likely to be a systemic response to exogenous and endogenous danger molecules released or induced by the periodontal infection or by smoking. It can be concluded that periodontal therapy in non‐smoking periodontitis patients has beneficial health effects and that smoking cessation should be an integral part of the therapy as well for general health reasons as for the clinical outcome.
Angiopoietin Balance in Septic Shock Patients With Acute Lung Injury: Effect of Direct Hemoperfusion With Polymyxin B‐Immobilized Fiber
Authors: Ebihara Itaru , Hirayama Kouichi , Nagai Miho , Kakita Tomoko , Sakai Kentaro , Tajima Reiko , Sato Chihiro , Kurosawa Hiromi , Togashi Amane , Okada Akiko , Usui Joichi , Yamagata Kunihiro , Kobayashi Masaki 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAcute lung injury (ALI) in sepsis is characterized by an increase in microvascular permeability, resulting in pulmonary edema. Several studies have suggested that angiopoietin‐1 and ‐2 play a contributory role in the pathogenesis of ALI. Polymyxin B‐immobilized fiber column hemoperfusion is effective for sepsis‐induced ALI. We investigated the angiopoietin levels before and after direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B‐immobilized fiber column (PMX) therapy. Enzyme‐linked immunoassay was used to measure the serum angiopoietin‐1 and ‐2 levels in 25 patients with septic shock treated with PMX. Eleven of the 25 patients were diagnosed with ALI. There was a significant positive correlation between the angiopoietin‐1 level and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, but there was a significant inverse correlation between the angiopoietin‐2 level and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio. The mean angiopoietin‐1 level before PMX therapy in the ALI group was significantly lower and the mean angiopoietin‐2 level was significantly higher than in the non‐ALI group. The mean angiopoietin‐1 level of the ALI patients in response to PMX therapy was increased during PMX therapy, but that of the non‐ALI patients with newly occurring ALI showed a decreased angiopoietin‐1 level. On the other hand, the mean angiopoietin‐2 level of the responders was decreased during PMX therapy, but that of patients with newly occurring ALI showed an increased angiopoietin‐2 level. This result suggested that each angiopoietin‐1 and ‐2 level may play a role in the pathogenesis of ALI and that PMX therapy ameliorates the angiopoietin balance in patients with ALI in sepsis.
Evaluation of the Effect of Ulinastatin on the Production of Macrophage Colony‐Stimulating Factor In Vitro for Potential Combination Therapy with Leukocyte Adsorption
Authors: Nishise Shoichi , Takeda Hiroaki , Orii Tomohiko , Sato Takeshi , Sasaki Yu , Nishise Yuko , Kawata Sumio 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMacrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF) induces normal intestinal macrophages that have anti‐inflammatory effects. Thus, M‐CSF‐rich conditions in colonic tissues seem to contribute to the improvement of pathological conditions in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However, it has not been clarified whether current therapies for IBD, including granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis using an Adacolumn, and ulinastatin, a serine protease inhibitor, affect the production of M‐CSF. To clarify the effects of these therapies on M‐CSF production, we investigated whether monocyte adsorption to cellulose acetate (CA) beads (carriers for Adacolumn therapy) and ulinastatin augmented M‐CSF production in in vitro experiments. Peripheral blood was incubated with and without CA beads, and then M‐CSF production was measured. Additionally, peripheral blood containing serial dilutions of ulinastatin was incubated with CA beads followed by measurement of M‐CSF production. Monocyte adsorption to CA beads did not affect M‐CSF production. A high concentration of ulinastatin augmented M‐CSF production without inhibiting monocyte adsorption to CA beads, although a low concentration of ulinastatin conversely suppressed M‐CSF production. The present study found that a high concentration of ulinastatin, which was administrated with CA beads, increased the production of M‐CSF. Our results suggest that a combination of ulinastatin and Adacolumn therapy may provide more clinical efficacy for the treatment of IBD in terms of the production of M‐CSF.
Relevance of the Processed Blood Volume per Granulocyte and Monocyte Apheresis Session to its Clinical Efficacy in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Kikuyama Risa , Fukunaga Ken , Kawai Mikio , Yokoyama Yoko , Kamikozuru Koji , Hida Nobuyuki , Ohda Yoshio , Takeda Naohisa , Yoshida Koji , Iimuro Masaki , Kato Kyoichi , Kono Tomoaki , Nogami Koji , Nagase Kazuko , Nakamura Shiro , Takei Yoshiyuki , Miwa Hiroto , Matsumoto Takayuki 
Published: October 2015

AbstractGranulocyte/monocyte adsorption (GMA) has been introduced as an adjunct intervention for active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. The processed blood volume (PV) per GMA session is an important factor for its efficacy because depletion of elevated/activated myeloid leukocytes is its main action. Hitherto, this aspect of GMA has been largely ignored. Thirty‐three patients were enrolled for remission induction therapy with five weekly GMA sessions at a standard PV of 1800 mL, regardless of patients' bodyweight (BW). The patients were divided into three groups: high (H)BW (≥65 kg, n = 11), 50 kg ≤ medium (M)BW < 65 kg (n = 12), and low (L)BW (≤50 kg, n = 10). UC clinical activity index (CAI) was according to Lichtiger, and the clinical efficacies were evaluated at both one week post 3rd GMA (Week 4) and one week post 5th GMA (Week 6). The average BW was 70.9 ± 6.2 kg in HBW, 55.8 ± 4.5 kg in MBW, and 46.8 ± 1.2 kg in LBW, indicating the mean PV/BW in the three groups being 25.6 ± 2.12, 32.5 ± 2.50, and 38.7 ± 1.0 (mL/kg, P < 0.05), respectively. The LBW group consisted of female patients only. Significant improvements of CAI were seen before treatment at either Week 4 or Week 6 in all groups. A significantly higher remission rate was achieved in the LBW (80.0%) vs. MBW (33.3%) or HBW (27.3%) at Week 6 (P < 0.03). According to this GMA evaluation, the lower‐limit of optimum PV/kg should be higher than 38.7 mL/kg for its potential clinical efficacy to be significantly greater than the routine GMA method. Additional BW‐oriented GMA studies in larger and gender controlled cohorts of patients should strengthen our findings.
Plasma Diafiltration Therapy in Patients With Postoperative Liver Failure
Authors: Nakae Hajime , Eguchi Yutaka , Yoshioka Toyokazu , Yoshimura Noriko , Isono Motohide 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPlasma diafiltration (PDF) is a blood purification therapy in which simple plasma exchange (PE) is performed using a selective membrane plasma separator while the dialysate flows outside of the hollow fibers. A prospective, multicenter study was undertaken to evaluate the changes in biochemical examination of blood and the 28‐day and 90‐day survival rates of patients with postoperative liver failure (PLF). Eleven patients with PLF were studied with the therapy performed 98 times. The Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was categorized into three grades: 20–29, 30–39, and 40 or higher. The survival rate was assessed by the severity of MELD score. The 28‐day survival rate was 45.5% and that at 90 days was 27.3%. The levels of total bilirubin, BUN, and creatinine decreased significantly after treatment. On the other hand, the levels of total protein increased after treatment and those of albumin did not change significantly. PDF may be the useful blood purification therapies for use in cases of PLF in terms of medical economics and the removal of water‐soluble and albumin‐bound toxins.
In Vitro Evaluation of High Mobility Group Box 1 Protein Removal with Various Membranes for Continuous Hemofiltration
Authors: Yumoto Miho , Nishida Osamu , Moriyama Kazuhiro , Shimomura Yasuyo , Nakamura Tomoyuki , Kuriyama Naohide , Hara Yoshitaka , Yamada Shingo 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is an alarmin that plays an important role in sepsis and has been recognized as a promising target with a wide therapeutic window; however, no drugs and devices are currently in practical use. We hypothesized that hemofilters composed of porous membranes or cytokine‐adsorbing membranes could remove HMGB1 from the blood. We performed experimental hemofiltration in vitro using four types of hemofilters composed of different membranes specifically designed for continuous hemofiltration. The test solution was a 1000‐mL substitution fluid containing 100 µg of HMGB1 and 35 g of bovine serum albumin. Experimental hemofiltration was conducted for 360 min in a closed loop circulation system. Among the four membranes, surface‐treated polyacrylonitrile (AN69ST) showed the highest capacity to adsorb HMGB1; it adsorbed nearly 100 µg of HMGB1 in the initial 60 min and showed a markedly high clearance rate (60.8 ± 5.0 mL/min) at 15 min. The polymethylmethacrylate membrane had half of the adsorption capacity of the AN69ST membrane. Although the highest sieving coefficient for HMGB1 was obtained with the high cut‐off polyarylethersulfone membrane, which correlated with a constant filtrate clearance rate, albumin loss was observed. However, no such removal of both HMGB1 and albumin was observed with the polysulfone membrane and tubing. We conclude that continuous hemofiltration using the AN69ST membrane is a promising approach for HMGB1‐related sepsis.
A Tangled Web of Principals and Agents: Examining the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill through a Principal–Agent Lens
Authors: Neill Katharine A. , Morris John C. 
Published: October 2015

The explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in April 2010 resulted in the largest oil spill in U.S. waters. In the aftermath of the explosion, many sought answers to what appeared to be a lack of effective oversight of the well's owner, British Petroleum (BP). Using multi‐actor principal–agent theory as our framework, we examine the relationships between citizens, the Minerals Management Service (MMS), BP, and BP's partners in the drilling operation. We find that principal–agent theory provides important insights into the case, and that a lack of monitoring, coupled with the willingness of MMS to align its goals with the oil industry rather than the public interest, resulted in a lax regulatory environment that allowed BP to operate largely without public oversight.Related Articles:
Pautz, Michelle. 2009. “.” Politics & Policy 37 (): 1047‐1072. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00210.x/abstract

Ash, John. 2010. “.” Politics & Policy 38 (): 255‐284. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2010.00237.x/abstract

Elliott‐Teague, Ginger. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 835‐861. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00318.x/abstract
Related Media:
Maps/Photo Gallery: . 2012. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/10/gulf‐oil‐spill/gulf‐spill‐photography
La explosión de la plataforma petrolífera Deepwater Horizon en Abril del 2010 resultó en el derrame petrolero más grande en aguas estadounidenses. Luego de la explosión, muchos buscaron respuestas a lo que pareció ser una falta de planeación efectiva por parte del dueño del yacimiento, British Petroleum (BP). Usando una la teoría del agente‐principal con múltiples actores como marco teórico, examinamos la relación entre ciudadanos, el Servicio de Manejo de Minerales (SMM), BP, y los socios de BP en la perforación de los pozos petrolíferos. Encontramos que la teoría del agente‐principal provee importantes perspectivas sobre el caso; y que la falta de monitoreo, junto con la intención de el MMS de alinear sus intereses con los de la industria petrolera en lugar del interés público, resultó en un ambiente regulatorio laxo que permitió a BP continuar con sus operaciones en gran parte sin una vigilancia regulatoria.
PPACA and Public Health: Creating a Framework to Focus on Prevention and Wellness and Improve the Public's Health
Authors: Majette Gwendolyn Roberts 
Published: October 2015

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), a major piece of health care reform legislation. This comprehensive legislation includes provisions that focus on prevention, wellness, and public health. Some, including authors in this symposium, question whether Congress considered public health, prevention, and wellness issues as mere afterthoughts in the creation of PPACA. As this article amply demonstrates, they did not.This article documents the extent of congressional consideration on public health issues based on personal experience working on the framework for health care reform — specifically, my experience as a Fellow for a member of the Health Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee from 2008-2009. I also include a review of congressional activity in the United States House of Representatives. Analysis of the congressional meetings and hearings reveals that Congress had a deep understanding about the critical need to reform the U.S. public health and prevention system.
Teaching Law in Medical Schools: First, Reflect
Authors: Campbell Amy T. 
Published: October 2015

[T]each the law to empower physicians individually and collectively to use the law and law colleagues to serve patients and promote public welfare; in short to better foster the goals of the medical profession.And yet:[A]ntipathy appears to be deeper and more pervasive than ever before, making it hard to imagine that relations between attorneys and physicians can get much worse.It has long been recognized that an understanding of at least some core legal rules and concepts is an important piece of medical training. To address this, law is now typically part of the core medical school curriculum, often incorporated into bioethics and/or practice of medicine coursework — whether as part of a distinct course or series of courses or threaded through the curriculum (or both). While often this education focuses on rules, some have recommended that it also include fundamentals of legal reasoning, and go beyond knowledge to include skills, attitudes, and behaviors vis-à-vis the law.
Personalized Disclosure by Information-on-Demand: Attending to Patients' Needs in the Informed Consent Process
Authors: Siegal Gil , Bonnie Richard J. , Appelbaum Paul S. 
Published: October 2015

In an explicit attempt to reduce physician paternalism and encourage patient participation in making health care decisions, the informed consent doctrine has become a foundational precept in medical ethics and health law. The underlying ethical principle on which informed consent rests — autonomy — embodies the idea that as rational moral agents, patients should be in command of decisions that relate to their bodies and lives. The corollary obligation of physicians to respect and facilitate patient autonomy is reflected in the rules that have been created to implement consent procedures, especially those requiring disclosure of relevant information.However, there are many practical impediments to patient self-determination in health care decisionmaking. Well-meaning physicians often lack the time to live up to the ideal of facilitating genuine, informed deliberation with and by their patients, and many lack the motivation or skill to do so successfully.
Medical Journals and Conflicts of Interest
Authors: Steinbrook Robert , Lo Bernard 
Published: October 2015

Physicians and patients rely on medical journals as trusted sources of medical information. Unfortunately, in multiple instances conflicts of interest have undermined the credibility of the medical literature.The primary sources of conflict of interest at medical journals are authors, reviewers, editors (a category that includes editorial staff, editorial boards, and other advisory groups), and journals (a category that includes owners and publishers). Consider these examples.
Building an Ethical Foundation for First-in-Human Nanotrials
Authors: Dresser Rebecca 
Published: October 2015

The biomedical literature and popular media are full of upbeat reports about the health benefits we can expect from medical innovations using nanotechnology. Some particularly enthusiastic reports portray nanotechnology as one of the innovations that will lead to a significantly extended human life span. Extreme enthusiasts predict that nanotechnology “will ultimately enable us to redesign and rebuild, molecule by molecule, our bodies and brains….”Nanomaterials have special characteristics that could contribute to improved patient care. But the same characteristics that make nanotechnology promising also present risks to humans exposed to nanomaterials. A failure to appreciate these risks could jeopardize the research effort. As others have pointed out, if nanomedical interventions produce unexpected human harm, a loss of public and government support for nanomedicine is likely to follow.Like other forms of medical innovation, novel nanomedical interventions require human testing to evaluate their safety and effectiveness.
Nanomedicine First-in-Human Research: Challenges for Informed Consent
Authors: King Nancy M. P. 
Published: October 2015

First-in-human (FIH) research has several characteristics that require special attention with respect to ethics and human subjects protections. At least some nanomedical technologies may also have characteristics that merit special attention in clinical research, as other papers in this symposium show. This paper considers how to address these characteristics in the consent form and process for FIH nanomedicine research, focusing principally on experimental nanotherapeutic interventions but also considering nanodiagnostic interventions.It is essential, as a starting point, to recognize that the consent form and process are by no means the primary protectors of human subjects (although they are sometimes so regarded). Instead, consideration of the form and content of informed consent becomes relevant only after a clinical trial has been reviewed and deemed scientifically and ethically acceptable.Two convergent types of challenges to informed consent are posed by nanomedicine FIH research. First, some issues appear generally applicable to FIH research, but have specific nanomedicine implications.