bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Effects of a New Intravaginal Gel, Containing Purified Bovine Colostrum, on Vaginal Blood Flow and Vaginal Atrophy in Ovariectomized Rat
Authors: Vailati Silvia , Melloni Elsa , Riscassi Ermanno , Behr Roussel Delphine , Sardina Marco 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Introduction
Vaginal dryness due to vaginal atrophy is a common complaint of postmenopausal women, interfering with sexual function and quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy is the only effective therapy but with known risks that leave unmet medical needs. A new product, ZP-025 vaginal gel, containing purified (dialyzed lyophilized) bovine colostrum, has been developed for the treatment of vaginal dryness secondary to vaginal atrophy.

Aim
The study aims to investigate the effects of intravaginal application of ZP-025 on vaginal atrophy using an animal model.

Methods
Ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Three weeks after surgery, rats were divided into four groups and treated for 4 weeks (twice a day) with placebo or ZP-025 at low (0.5%) or high (2.3%) concentrations of colostrum; in the control group, rats did not receive any treatment. Changes in vaginal blood flow due to pelvic nerve stimulation were assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry and vaginal tissue was collected for histological assay.

Main Outcome Measures
The main outcome measures were vaginal blood flow before and after pelvic nerve stimulation and histology of vaginal epithelium.

Results
Treatment with ZP-025 to ovariectomized rats induced an increase of vaginal blood flow parameters (vascular capacitance, amplitude and area under the curve of the response) in response to pelvic nerve stimulation compared with control group, statistically significant at 2.3%. Vaginal epithelium showed a physiological estrous cycle aspect in treated animals, with at least five cell layers vs. one or two cell layers in control rats. As expected from a topical formulation, systemic effects on body weights and uterine wet weights were not observed with application of ZP-025.

Conclusions
In this study, the new product ZP-025, containing purified colostrum, was shown to have beneficial effects on vaginal atrophy in ovariectomized rats, improving vaginal hemodynamics and thickness of vaginal epithelium.
Agreement between two‐ and three‐dimensional transperineal ultrasound methods for assessment of fetal head–symphysis distance in active labor
Authors: Youssef A. , Bellussi F. , Montaguti E. , Maroni E. , Salsi G. , Morselli‐Labate A. M. , Paccapelo A. , Rizzo N. , Pilu G. , Ghi T. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo assess the intermethod agreement between two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) transperineal ultrasound methods in measuring a new index of fetal head station (the fetal head–symphysis distance (HSD)) in active labor, and to assess potential factors that may affect their agreement.MethodsHSD was measured by transperineal ultrasound in 86 women in active labor, once using a 2D and once using a 3D technique. 2D images were acquired first in 43 cases and 3D images were acquired first in the other 43 women. Intermethod agreement between 2D and 3D methods was analyzed by means of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman analysis. In addition, potential factors affecting the intermethod reproducibility were investigated including fetal occiput position, order of acquisition, fetal head station, stage of labor, maternal body mass index and use of epidural analgesia, using the ANOVA test to check for systematic bias and Levene's test for homoscedasticity.ResultsGood agreement was demonstrated between 2D and 3D measurements of HSD (ICC, 0.949 (95% CI, 0.914–0.984)). No evidence of systematic difference was shown between the two methods (average difference ± SD = 0.03 ± 2.29 mm; P = 0.888). The only factor that had a significant effect on systematic difference between 2D and 3D methods was order of acquisition (P = 0.042); the first observation was higher regardless of the method used. Fetal head station had a significant effect on the homogeneity between the two methods (P = 0.004) with a better 2D–3D agreement obtained at lower head stations (SD of differences: 1.63 vs 2.59 mm).ConclusionsThere is very good agreement between 2D and 3D methods of assessing HSD. Agreement is better in lower fetal head stations. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Syntheses, Structures, and Electronic Properties of a New Series of Tellurides of the Type [Sequestered Cation]2(Tex) (x = 1–4)
Authors: Thiele Günther , Lichtenberger Niels , Tonner Ralf , Dehnen Stefanie 
Published: September 2013

AbstractThe list of “classical” tellurides with organic cations was expanded by the synthesis of single‐crystalline salts [Li2(en)n](Tex) (en = ethylenediamine) with n = 4, x = 1 (1), n = 4, x = 2 (2), and n = 5, x = 3 (3), [K(18c6)]2(Tex) (18c6 = 1, 4,7, 10, 13, 16‐hexaoxacycloocta‐decane) with x = 2 (4), 4 (5), [K(18c6)]2[K(en)]2(Te2)2 (6), and [K([2.2.2]crypt)]2(Te2) (7) ([2.2.2]crypt = 4, 7,13, 16, 21, 24‐hexaoxa‐1, 10‐diazabicyclo[8.8.8]‐hexacosane). Electronic structure calculations on free molecules and periodic approaches are discussed and compared with experimental UV/Vis spectra, providing a correlation of the bandgaps with the telluride chain length, and a possibility for affecting the gap by according choice of the counterions. Additionally, 125Te NMR chemical shifts of the presented series of en solvated lithium tellurides are presented.
Synthesis and Inhibition Effect of a Novel Tri‐cationic Surfactant on Carbon Steel Corrosion in 0.5 M H2SO4 Solution
Authors: El‐Tabei A. S. , Hegazy M. A. , Bedair A. H. , Sadeq M. A. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractA novel Tri‐cationic surfactant was synthesized, purified and characterized. The critical micelle concentration value of the prepared surfactant was determined by surface tension and conductivity measurements. The surface parameters were calculated by surface tension measurements. The relationship between the surface properties and the corrosion inhibition efficiency of the prepared surfactant was discussed. The inhibition effect of the novel Tri‐cationic surfactant on carbon steel corrosion in 0.5 M H2SO4 was studied by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and weight loss techniques. Potentiodynamic polarization studies revealed that the inhibitor acted as a mixed‐type inhibitor. The high inhibition efficiency was attributed to the blocking of active sites on the steel surface through the adsorption of inhibitor molecules. Inhibitor adsorption on the carbon steel surface was in accordance with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Thermodynamic adsorption and kinetic parameters were obtained from weight losses at different temperatures (20–60 °C).
Labor induction outcomes in third‐trimester stillbirths
Authors: Gawron Lori M. , Kiley Jessica W. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the management of third‐trimester stillbirth at a single institution, stratifying induction intervals and adverse outcomes by method.MethodsWomen diagnosed with fetal demise at 28 weeks or later and admitted to an academic hospital between January 2007 and September 2010 were identified. A chart review extracted demographics, history, induction method, delivery interval, and adverse outcomes.ResultsSeventy‐four women were included, with a median gestational age of 35.5 weeks (range, 28–40 weeks). Ten women had undergone at least 1 prior cesarean. Induction methods included misoprostol alone or for cervical ripening; oxytocin and amniotomy; transcervical Foley catheter; and mifepristone. Overall, 88% of patients delivered within 24 hours; median time to fetal delivery was 11 hours 20 minutes (range, 7 minutes to 57 hours 12 minutes). Adverse outcomes included intrapartum fever and postpartum hemorrhage. In total, 98% of patients, including those with prior cesarean, had a successful vaginal delivery.ConclusionRegardless of third‐trimester induction method for management of stillbirth, the majority of women experience safe delivery within 24 hours. The descriptive data imply that misoprostol‐only inductions might confer the shortest induction intervals; however, further prospective trials are needed to identify the optimal misoprostol regimen for women with third‐trimester stillbirth.
Genetic parameters and non-genetic influences related to birth weight in farmed white-tailed deer
Authors: PARRA-BRACAMONTE G. M. , DE LA ROSA-REYNA X. F. , TREVIÑO-MARTÍNEZ N. , ARELLANO-VERA W. , MORENO-MEDINA V. 
Published: September 2013

SUMMARYStudying and understanding the sources of variation in early life traits in farmed deer are fundamental for management and/or breeding purposes. Data from a captive white-tailed deer population were analysed to identify non-genetic and genetic factors affecting the birth weight (BW) of fawns. The year, type of birth and sex were included in a fixed linear model to examine their significance. All of the examined non-genetic factors had a highly significant effect on BW (P<0·001). The examined years showed variation attributed to food availability affecting the gestational conditions of does. Male fawns were 193 g heavier than female fawns at birth (P<0·001), and singleton births were associated with a higher BW (2·97±0·043 kg) compared with twin (−0·261 g) and triplet (−0·642 g) fawning (P<0·001). The best-fitting animal model was selected by comparing reduced and complete models. Based on the selected animal model, which included direct genetic and common maternal effects, genetic components and parameters were estimated. The direct heritability was found to be 0·28±0·126, and a small but important contribution of common maternal environmental effects was identified (c2=0·15±0·062). The results support the importance of certain environmental factors affecting BW and indicate the relevance of direct genetic and maternal environmental influences to sustained genetic changes in BW and positively correlated traits in farmed white-tailed deer populations.
Physalins B and F,seco-steroids isolated fromPhysalis angulataL., strongly inhibit proliferation, ultrastructure and infectivity ofTrypanosoma cruzi
Authors: MEIRA CÁSSIO S. , GUIMARÃES ELISALVA T. , BASTOS TANIRA M. , MOREIRA DIOGO R. M. , TOMASSINI THEREZINHA C. B. , RIBEIRO IVONE M. , DOS SANTOS RICARDO R. , SOARES MILENA B. P. 
Published: September 2013

SUMMARYWe previously observed that physalins have immunomodulatory properties, as well as antileishmanial and antiplasmodial activities. Here, we investigated the anti-Trypanosoma cruziactivity of physalins B, D, F and G. We found that physalins B and F were the most potent compounds against trypomastigote and epimastigote forms ofT. cruzi. Electron microscopy of trypomastigotes incubated with physalin B showed disruption of kinetoplast, alterations in Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum, followed by the formation of myelin-like figures, which were stained with MDC to confirm their autophagic vacuole identity. Physalin B-mediated alteration in Golgi apparatus was likely due toT. cruziprotease perturbation; however physalins did not inhibit activity of the trypanosomal protease cruzain. Flow cytometry examination showed that cell death is mainly caused by necrosis. Treatment with physalins reduced the invasion process, as well as intracellular parasite development in macrophage cell culture, with a potency similar to benznidazole. We observed that a combination of physalins and benznidazole has a greater anti-T. cruziactivity than when compounds were used alone. These results indicate that physalins, specifically B and F, are potent and selective trypanocidal agents. They cause structural alterations and induce autophagy, which ultimately lead to parasite cell death by a necrotic process.
Phylogenetic structure of host spectra in Palaearctic fleas: stability versus spatial variation in widespread, generalist species
Authors: KRASNOV BORIS R. , PILOSOF SHAI , SHENBROT GEORGY I. , KHOKHLOVA IRINA S. , DEGEN A. ALLAN 
Published: September 2013

SUMMARYWe investigated spatial variation in the phylogenetic structure of host spectra in fleas parasitic on small mammals. Measures of phylogenetic host specificity ((phylogenetic species clustering (PSC) and phylogenetic species variability (PSV)) varied significantly more between than within flea species, but the proportion of variation which accounted for among-species differences was low. In 13 of 18 common flea species, at least one of the indices of the phylogenetic structure of regional host spectra revealed a significantly positive association with the phylogenetic structure of regional host assemblage, while relationships between PSC or PSV of the regional host spectrum and the distance from either the region of a flea's maximal abundance or latitude were not supported. Overall, results of this study demonstrated that although the degree of phylogenetic host specificity in fleas can be considered as a true attribute of a flea species, it is highly spatially variable, with phylogenetic structure of the surrounding host pool being the main reason behind this variation.
Simultaneous measurement of self-generated magnetic fields and electron heat transport in dense plasma
Authors: Lancia L. , Fourment C. , Fuchs J. , Feugeas J.-L. , Nicolai Ph. , Bastiani-Ceccotti S. , Gauthier M. , Hulin S. , Nakatsutsumi M. , Rabec-Le-Gloahec M. , Santos J.J. , Schurtz G. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractThe role of self generated magnetic fields in the transport of a heat wave following a nanosecond laser irradiation of a solid target is investigated. Magnetic fields are expected to localize the electron carrying the heat flux but at the same time are affected in their evolution by the heat flux itself. We performed simultaneous measurements of heat wave propagation velocity within the target and magnetic fields developing on the target surface. These were compared to results obtained by numerical magneto-hydrodynamic modeling, including self-generated B fields. The comparison shows that longitudinal heat flow is overestimated in the simulations. Similarly, but most notably, the radial expansion of the magnetic fields is underestimated by the modeling. The two are likely linked, the more pronounced radial drift of B-fields induces a rotation of heat flux in the radial direction, and corresponding longitudinal heat flux inhibition. This suggests the need for improving present modeling of self-generated magnetic fields evolution in high power laser-matter interaction.
Application of high speed frame camera on the intense electron beam accelerator: An overview
Authors: Cheng Xin-Bing , Liu Jin-Liang , Qian Bao-Liang 
Published: September 2013

AbstractHigh speed framing camera (HSFC) could be used to capture the image of the electron beams generated by the intense electron-beam accelerator (IEBA), and it is useful to visualize the evolution of discharging and plasma generation phenomenon. So an overview of the application of HSFC on the IEBA is presented. First, we introduce the synchronization problem of HSFC and IEBA, and a synchronization trigger system which could provide a trigger signal with rise time of 17 ns and amplitude of about 5 V is presented. Second, an imaging system based on IEBA, HSFC, and the synchronization trigger system is developed, and it can be used to image the developmental process of plasma in the output vacuum chamber of IEBA and to measure the electrical parameter of IEBA and electrical trigger signal in real time. Furthermore, the imaging system is used to investigate the developmental process of the electron beam of the A-K gap in vacuum under 180 nanosecond quasi-square pulses. It is obtained that the short A-K gap is closed prematurely under long pulse operation with plasma expansion velocity of about 6.25 cm/µs and the light emission in the A-K gap region has the characteristics of “re-ignition” with light duration time about 3800 ns. At last, the discharging process of surface flashover channel of poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) insulator with gap spacing of 170 mm in vacuum under nanosecond quasi-square pulses is studied by the imaging system, and the change of luminosity is analyzed during the surface flashover process.
Planning in BDI agents: a survey of the integration of planning algorithms and agent reasoning
Authors: Meneguzzi Felipe , De Silva Lavindra 
Published: September 2013

AbstractAgent programming languages have often avoided the use of automated (first principles or hierarchical) planners in favour of predefined plan/recipe libraries for computational efficiency reasons. This allows for very efficient agent reasoning cycles, but limits the autonomy and flexibility of the resulting agents, oftentimes with deleterious effects on the agent's performance. Planning agents can, for instance, synthesise a new plan to achieve a goal for which no predefined recipe worked, or plan to make viable the precondition of a recipe belonging to a goal being pursued. Recent work on integrating automated planning with belief-desire-intention (BDI)-style agent architectures has yielded a number of systems and programming languages that exploit the efficiency of standard BDI reasoning, as well as the flexibility of generating new recipes at runtime. In this paper, we survey these efforts and point out directions for future work.
The Use of Texture Analysis in the Morpho-Functional Characterization of Mast Cell Degranulation in Rainbow Trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Manera Maurizio 
Published: September 2013

AbstractDegranulation of intestinal mast cells in rainbow trout was studied ex vivo by means of texture analysis and related to the maximal intestinal contraction elicited by degranulation itself. Two strips from the same intestinal segment from ten trout were sampled, processed for light microscopy and stained with Giemsa solution. One of the two strips was exposed to an incremental dose of compound 48/80 in an isolated organ bath before processing. Gray-level RGB channel equivalent and 8-bit gray-level images of five granular cytoplasm areas of mast cells for each section were analyzed for texture features and to evaluate discrimination possibility between treatment groups by means of linear discriminant analysis according to feature selection methods and RGB stacks. Differential mean values (after–before compound 48/80) of the green (r2 = 0.84, p < 0.01) and blue (r2 = 0.83, p < 0.01) RGB channels and 8-bit grayscale (r2 = 0.76, p < 0.05) image correlated significantly with the respective value of maximal intestinal contraction. A possible acidic (anionic) nature for the putative pro-contractile basophil agonist can be inferred.
DETERMINATION OF JOIN REGIONS BETWEEN CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES USING VARIATIONAL CALCULUS
Authors: BAOWAN D. , COX B. J. , HILL J. M. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractWe review the work of the present authors to employ variational calculus to formulate continuous models for the connections between various carbon nanostructures. In formulating such a variational principle, there is some evidence that carbon nanotubes deform as in perfect elasticity, and rather like the elastica, and therefore we seek to minimize the elastic energy. The calculus of variations is utilized to minimize the curvature subject to a length constraint, to obtain an Euler–Lagrange equation, which determines the connection between two carbon nanostructures. Moreover, a numerical solution is proposed to determine the geometric parameters for the connected structures. Throughout this review, we assume that the defects on the nanostructures are axially symmetric and that the into-the-plane curvature is small in comparison to that in the two-dimensional plane, so that the problems can be considered in the two-dimensional plane. Since the curvature can be both positive and negative, depending on the gap between the two nanostructures, two distinct cases are examined, which are subsequently shown to smoothly connect to each other.
Agricultural landscape simplification does not consistently drive insecticide use
Authors: Larsen Ashley E. 
Published: September 2013

Significance
Increases in agricultural production have greatly altered land-use patterns, often resulting in simplified landscapes composed of large monocultures separated by fragments of natural lands. It is thought that these simplified landscapes enable agricultural insect pests to thrive due to an absence of predators and abundant food, necessitating greater insecticide use. Despite the logic of this theory, empirical support is lacking. Using a multiyear analysis it becomes clear that the presence and direction of the relationship between landscape simplification and insecticide use varies greatly between years. In some years more simplified landscapes have increased pest pressure, whereas in other years there is no relationship or it is reversed. Understanding the nature of this variability is critical for land use policy.
End of the Little Ice Age in the Alps forced by industrial black carbon
Authors: Painter Thomas H. , Flanner Mark G. , Kaser Georg , Marzeion Ben , VanCuren Richard A. , Abdalati Waleed 
Published: September 2013

Significance
The end of the Little Ice Age in the European Alps has long been a paradox to glaciology and climatology. Glaciers in the Alps began to retreat abruptly in the mid-19th century, but reconstructions of temperature and precipitation indicate that glaciers should have instead advanced into the 20th century. We observe that industrial black carbon in snow began to increase markedly in the mid-19th century and show with simulations that the associated increases in absorbed sunlight by black carbon in snow and snowmelt were of sufficient magnitude to cause this scale of glacier retreat. This hypothesis offers a physically based explanation for the glacier retreat that maintains consistency with the temperature and precipitation reconstructions.
Nonspecific bridging-induced attraction drives clustering of DNA-binding proteins and genome organization
Authors: Brackley Chris A. , Taylor Stephen , Papantonis Argyris , Cook Peter R. , Marenduzzo Davide 
Published: September 2013

Significance
We use molecular dynamics to simulate reversible binding of proteins to DNA and uncover an unexpected force driving DNA compaction and protein aggregation. In the absence of any explicit interactions between proteins, or between templates, we find proteins aggregate spontaneously to locally organize the genome. The simulations reproduce the structures seen experimentally when small bivalent proteins assemble into rows (like bacterial H-NS protein), larger proteins with eight binding sites into irregular strings (like octameric nucleosomal cores in chromatin fibers), and still-larger complexes representing RNA polymerase II and a transcription factor (NFκB) into clusters surrounded by loops (like transcription factories). We suggest clustering is driven by an entropic bridging-induced attraction that minimizes bending and looping penalties in the template.
Distinct antimicrobial peptide expression determines host species-specific bacterial associations
Authors: Franzenburg Sören , Walter Jonas , Künzel Sven , Wang Jun , Baines John F. , Bosch Thomas C. G. , Fraune Sebastian 
Published: September 2013

Significance
Animals form functional unities with communities of microbes. Often, these bacterial communities are highly specific to host species and resemble host phylogeny. But which factors determine community membership? Which host-factors are capable of selecting suitable bacteria by inhibiting colonization by potential foreign colonizers? In this study, we show that animals express a species-specific repertoire of antimicrobial peptides, which supports and maintains a species-specific bacterial community. Loss-of-function experiments showed that antimicrobial peptide composition is a predictor for bacterial colonization.