bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Two Available RNA Extraction Protocols for microRNA Amplification in Serum Samples
Authors: Bergallo Massimiliano , Gambarino Stefano , Martino Silvana , Montin Davide , Montanari Paola , Galliano Ilaria , Tovo Pier‐Angelo 
Published: April 2015

BackgroundmicroRNAs play a critical role in many biological processes such as cell proliferation and maturation, apoptosis, regulation of chronic inflammation and development of cancer.MethodsIn this study is described a protocol for the isolation of RNA from serum and subsequent determination of miRNA expression levels using TaqMan‐based MGB Real‐Time PCR detection. RNA was extracted using two different isolation methods including available kits RNAzol and a modified RNAzol protocol. In all cases, RNA was eluted in RNase free H2O, kept frozen until analysis and the presence of contaminants assessed by NanoDrop spectrophotometry.ResultsHigher RNA quantity was observed in RNAzol (378.8 ng/μl) vs RNAzol modified protocol (226.5 ng/μl) and a better performance in terms of RNA extraction yield and purity. Subsequently, measurements of endogenous miRNAs (RNU43), cellular miRNAs (mir155 and mir146a) and EBV miRNAs (mirBART2‐5p, mirBART15 and mirBART22) were performed by RT‐qPCR.ConclusionIn contrast to the findings in terms of purity and quantity, the amplifiable RNA was more abundant using RNAzol modified protocol compared to not modified protocol.
Convergence vs. Specialization in the ear region of moles (mammalia)
Authors: Crumpton Nick , Kardjilov Nikolay , Asher Robert J. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTWe investigated if and how the inner ear region undergoes similar adaptations in small, fossorial, insectivoran‐grade mammals, and found a variety of inner ear phenotypes. In our sample, afrotherian moles (Chrysochloridae) and the marsupialNotoryctesdiffer from most other burrowing mammals in their relatively short radii of semicircular canal curvature; chrysochlorids and fossorial talpids share a relatively long interampullar width. Chrysochlorids are unique in showing a highly coiled cochlea with nearly four turns. Extensive cochlear coiling may reflect their greater ecological dependence on low frequency auditory cues compared to talpids, tenrecids, and the marsupialNotoryctes. Correspondingly, the lack of such extensive coiling in the inner ear of other fossorial species may indicate a greater reliance on other senses to enable their fossorial lifestyle, such as tactile sensation from vibrissae and Eimer's organs. The reliance of chrysochlorids on sound is evident in the high degree of coiling and in the diversity of its mallear types, and may help explain the lack of any semiaquatic members of that group. The simplest mallear types among chrysochlorids are not present in the basal‐most members of that clade, but all extant chrysochlorids investigated to date exhibit extensive cochlear coiling. The chrysochlorid ear region thus exhibits mosaic evolution; our data suggest that extensive coiling evolved in chrysochlorids prior to and independently of diversification in middle ear ossicle size and shape. J. Morphol. 276:900–914, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ultrasound visualization of the lymphatic vessels in the lower leg
Authors: Hayashi Akitatsu , Yamamoto Takumi , Yoshimatsu Hidehiko , Hayashi Nobuko , Furuya Megumi , Harima Mitsunobu , Narushima Mitsunaga , Koshima Isao 
Published: April 2015

BackgroundIdentification of lymphatic vessels for lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA), which is an effective surgical treatment for obstructive lymphedema, is important. Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography is useful for that purpose, but is not common in many institutions. Although ultrasound is a very common modality, no research has yet underlined the feasibility of the device to detect the lymphatic vessels.MethodsFirst, identification of lymphatic vessels in the lower legs using ultrasound was performed in non‐edematous limbs with linear‐pattern on ICG lymphography (n = 12). The imaging findings and characteristic of the lymphatic vessels in ultrasonography were investigated on transverse scans. Second, to assess the ultrasound detection technique, ICG was injected to healthy volunteers after identification and marking of the lymphatic vessels using ultrasound (n = 14). Sensitivity and specificity of the examination were calculated.ResultsIn the first part, the lymphatic vessels were detected by ultrasound in all cases. Characteristic ultrasonography findings of lymphatic vessels included homogeneous, hypoechoic and spicular misshapen images in all cases. In the second part, the overall sensitivity and specificity were 95.5 and 92.9%, respectively.ConclusionsUltrasonography can identify lymphatic vessels of the lower leg with precision and may aid lymphatic microsurgery for lymphedema. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:397–401, 2016.
Accelerated whole‐brain multi‐parameter mapping using blind compressed sensing
Authors: Bhave Sampada , Lingala Sajan Goud , Johnson Casey P. , Magnotta Vincent A. , Jacob Mathews 
Published: April 2015

PurposeTo introduce a blind compressed sensing (BCS) framework to accelerate multi‐parameter MR mapping, and demonstrate its feasibility in high‐resolution, whole‐brain
and T2 mapping.MethodsBCS models the evolution of magnetization at every pixel as a sparse linear combination of bases in a dictionary. Unlike compressed sensing, the dictionary and the sparse coefficients are jointly estimated from undersampled data. Large number of non‐orthogonal bases in BCS accounts for more complex signals than low rank representations. The low degree of freedom of BCS, attributed to sparse coefficients, translates to fewer artifacts at high acceleration factors (R).ResultsFrom 2D retrospective undersampling experiments, the mean square errors in
and T2 maps were observed to be within 0.1% up to R = 10. BCS was observed to be more robust to patient‐specific motion as compared to other compressed sensing schemes and resulted in minimal degradation of parameter maps in the presence of motion. Our results suggested that BCS can provide an acceleration factor of 8 in prospective 3D imaging with reasonable reconstructions.ConclusionBCS considerably reduces scan time for multiparameter mapping of the whole brain with minimal artifacts, and is more robust to motion‐induced signal changes compared to current compressed sensing and principal component analysis‐based techniques. Magn Reson Med 75:1175–1186, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Moment‐independent regional sensitivity analysis of complicated models with great efficiency
Authors: Zhang Leigang , Lu Zhenzhou , Cheng Lei , Hong Dongpao 
Published: April 2015

SummaryMoment‐independent regional sensitivity analysis (RSA) is a very useful guide tool for assessing the effect of a specific range of an individual input on the uncertainty of model output, while large computational burden is involved to perform RSA, which would certainty lead to the limitation of engineering application. Main tasks for performing RSA are to estimate the probability density function (PDF) of model output and the joint PDF of model output and the input variable by some certain smart techniques. Firstly, a method based on the concepts of maximum entropy, fractional moment and sparse grid integration is utilized to estimate the PDF of the model output. Secondly, Nataf transformation is applied to obtain the joint PDF of model output and the input variable. Finally, according to an integral transformation, those regional sensitivity indices can be easily computed by a Monte Carlo procedure without extra function evaluations. Because all the PDFs can be estimated with great efficiency, and only a small amount of function evaluations are involved in the whole process, the proposed method can greatly decrease the computational burden. Several examples with explicit or implicit input–output relations are introduced to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prediction using hierarchical data: Applications for automated detection of cervical cancer
Authors: Yamal Jose‐Miguel , Guillaud Martial , Atkinson E. Neely , Follen Michele , MacAulay Calum , Cantor Scott B. , Cox Dennis D. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractAlthough the Papanicolaou smear has been successful in decreasing cervical cancer incidence in the developed world, there exist many challenges for implementation in the developing world. Quantitative cytology, a semi‐automated method that quantifies cellular image features, is a promising screening test candidate. The nested structure of its data (measurements of multiple cells within a patient) provides challenges to the usual classification problem. Here we perform a comparative study of three main approaches for problems with this general data structure: (i) extract patient‐level features from the cell‐level data, (ii) use a statistical model that accounts for the hierarchical data structure, and (iii) classify at the cellular level and use an ad hoc approach to classify at the patient level. We apply these methods to a dataset of 1728 patients, with an average of 2600 cells collected per patient and 133 features measured per cell, predicting whether a patient had a positive biopsy result. The best approach we found was to classify at the cellular level and count the number of cells that had a posterior probability greater than a threshold value, with estimated 61% sensitivity and 89% specificity on independent data. Recent statistical learning developments allowed us to achieve high accuracy.
Inhibition of HeLa cells metastasis by bioactive compounds in crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) white blood cells extract
Authors: Patathananone Supawadee , Thammasirirak Sompong , Daduang Jureerut , Gung Chung Jing , Temsiripong Yosapong , Daduang Sakda 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a key role in cancer progression, including cell invasion, metastasis, cell growth, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and cell adhesion. Thus, suppression of the MMPs activities is crucial for inhibiting cancer cells metastasis. Herein, bioactive agents from crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) leukocyte extracts (WBCex) showed the anticancer activity with HeLa cells and inhibited the migration and invasion process by reducing gelatinases (MMP‐2, MMP‐9) activity and their protein levels. This mechanism is regulated via interfering Ras and p38 signal transduction. Moreover, disrupting VEGF and integrin‐signaling cascade by bioactive agents are the predictable mechanisms that cause the decreasing of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 activity. Hence, bioactive substances in WBCex may play the mode of action similar with MMPs inhibitor due to HeLa cell metastasis being suppressed in vitro. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1329–1336, 2016.
Propoxylated Fatty Thiazole, Pyrazole, Triazole, and Pyrrole Derivatives with Antimicrobial and Surface Activity
Authors: El-Sayed Refat , Khairou Khalid S. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractLauric acid and propylene oxide were used to modify four biologically active heterocycles (thiazole, pyrazole, triazole, and pyrrole) to synthesize 17 new surfactants. The chemical structures of these surfactants were confirmed using infrared and 1H, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The surfactants all show good surface activity, low critical micelle concentration (CMC) values, high cloud points, and tight interfacial packing. All showed antimicrobial activity on both bacteria and fungi. In addition, biodegradation testing demonstrated significant breakdown within seven days.
Cultural adaptation of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Turkish version study
Authors: Ilhanli Ilker , Durmus Dilek , Orekici Gulhan 
Published: April 2015

AbstractObjectiveCultural adaptations of the questionnaires are important for easy use. We aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Turkish Version of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.MethodsTo assess test‐retest reliability, the Turkish “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire” and “Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand” questionnaires were answered by patients and controls and were repeated a week later. For testing internal consistency, the Cronbach's alpha test was used. For testing validity, correlations between the subscales of the “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire” and “Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand” questionnaire were measured in patient groups. One hundred patients with idiopathic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and 50 healthy participants were included in the study.ResultsIn test‐retest reliability, intraclass correlations of the subscales of the “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire” were high. Cronbach's alphas were found to be high in all subscales. There was no significant correlation between asthetics and pain scales. We found significant differences between patients and controls regarding all subscales of the “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire”. Correlations between subscales of the “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire” and “Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand” questionnaire were significant. We found no difference between one‐hand effected and two‐hand effected patients, in terms of the “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire”, “Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand” questionnaire Function/Symptom and Work average scores.ConclusionThis study showed that the Turkish version of the “Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire” is reliable and valid and can be used in Turkish patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome because it is comprehensible and practicable.
Bevacizumab in Recurrent Glioblastoma: Five Informative Patient Scenarios
Authors: Mason Warren P. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractGlioblastoma is the most common and malignant primary brain tumour in adults. Maximum feasible surgical resection, radiotherapy and temozolomide chemotherapy at initial diagnosis have improved prognosis but rapid recurrence is typical and survival remains brief. There is an urgent need for effective new treatments and approval of the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab for recurrent glioblastoma by Health Canada in 2009 has been the most notable recent therapeutic advance for this disease. This review with illustrative case studies highlights how bevacizumab has been incorporated into the treatment of glioblastoma in Canada and describes the ongoing controversies surrounding its clinical application.
Stability of a moving radial liquid sheet: experiments
Authors: Paramati Manjula , Tirumkudulu Mahesh S. , Schmid Peter J. 
Published: April 2015

A recent theory (Tirumkudulu & Paramati, Phys. Fluids, vol. 25, 2013, 102107) for a radially expanding liquid sheet, that accounts for liquid inertia, interfacial tension and thinning of the liquid sheet while ignoring the inertia of the surrounding gas and viscous effects, shows that such a sheet is convectively unstable to small sinuous disturbances at all frequencies and Weber numbers $(We\equiv {\it\rho}_{l}U^{2}h/{\it\sigma})$. Here, ${\it\rho}_{l}$ and ${\it\sigma}$ are the density and surface tension of the liquid, respectively, $U$ is the speed of the liquid jet, and $h$ is the local sheet thickness. In this study we use a simple non-contact optical technique based on laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) to measure the instantaneous local sheet thickness and displacement of a circular sheet produced by head-on impingement of two laminar jets. When the impingement point is disturbed via acoustic forcing, sinuous waves produced close to the impingement point travel radially outwards. The phase speed of the sinuous wave decreases while the amplitude grows as they propagate radially outwards. Our experimental technique was unable to detect thickness modulations in the presence of forcing, suggesting that the modulations could be smaller than the resolution of our experimental technique. The measured phase speed of the sinuous wave envelope matches with theoretical predictions while there is a qualitative agreement in the case of spatial growth. We show that there is a range of frequencies over which the sheet is unstable due to both aerodynamic interaction and thinning effects, while outside this range, thinning effects dominate. These results imply that a full theory that describes the dynamics of a radially expanding liquid sheet should account for both effects.
Flaxseed reduces the pro-carcinogenic micro-environment in the ovaries of normal hens by altering the PG and oestrogen pathways in a dose-dependent manner
Authors: Dikshit Anushka , Gomes Filho Manoel Adrião , Eilati Erfan , McGee Stacey , Small Carrie , Gao Chunqi , Klug Thomas , Hales Dale Buchanan 
Published: April 2015

The objective of the present study was to find the optimum dose of flaxseed that would decrease PG and alter oestrogen pathway endpoints implicated in ovarian cancer. In the study, four groups of fifty 1·5-year-old chickens were fed different amounts of flaxseed (0, 5, 10 or 15 % of their total diet) for 4 months and were then killed to collect blood and tissues. Levels of flaxseed lignan metabolites, Enterolactone (EL) and Enterodiol (ED) were measured in the serum, liver and ovaries by liquid chromatography–MS/MS, and n-3 and n-6 fatty acid (FA) levels were measured by GC. The effects of the varied flaxseed doses were assessed by measuring levels of PGE2 and oestrogen metabolites (16-hydroxyestrone (16-OHE1) and 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1)) as well as by analysing the expression of the oestradiol metabolising enzymes CYP3A4 (cytochrome p450, family 3, subfamily A, polypeptide 4), CYP1B1 (cytochrome p450, family 1, subfamily B, polypeptide 1) and CYP1A1 (cytochrome p450, family 1, subfamily A, polypeptide 1) and that of oestrogen receptor α (ERα) in the ovaries. The ratio of n-3:n-FA increased with an increase in flaxseed supplementation and corresponded to a dose-dependent decrease in cyclo-oxygenase-2 protein and PGE2 levels. EL and ED increased in the serum, liver and ovaries with increased concentrations of flaxseed. Flaxseed decreased the expression of ERα in the ovaries. The ratio of 2-OHE1:16-OHE1 in the serum increased significantly in the 15 % flaxseed diet, and there was a corresponding increase in CYP1A1 in the liver and decrease in CYP3A4 in the ovaries. CYP1B1 mRNA also decreased with flaxseed diet in the ovaries. The 15 % flaxseed-supplemented diet significantly decreased inflammatory PGE2, ERα, CYP3A4, CYP1B1 and 16-OHE1, but it increased CYP1A1 and 2-OHE1, which thus reduced the inflammatory and pro-carcinogenic micro-environment of the ovaries.
The development and validation of new equations for estimating body fat percentage among Chinese men and women
Authors: Liu Xin , Sun Qi , Sun Liang , Zong Geng , Lu Ling , Liu Gang , Rosner Bernard , Ye Xingwang , Li Huaixing , Lin Xu 
Published: April 2015

Equations based on simple anthropometric measurements to predict body fat percentage (BF%) are lacking in Chinese population with increasing prevalence of obesity and related abnormalities. We aimed to develop and validate BF% equations in two independent population-based samples of Chinese men and women. The equations were developed among 960 Chinese Hans living in Shanghai (age 46·2 (sd 5·3) years; 36·7 % male) using a stepwise linear regression and were subsequently validated in 1150 Shanghai residents (58·7 (sd 6·0) years; 41·7 % male; 99 % Chinese Hans, 1 % Chinese minorities). The associations of equation-derived BF% with changes of 6-year cardiometabolic outcomes and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) were evaluated in a sub-cohort of 780 Chinese, compared with BF% measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; BF%-DXA). Sex-specific equations were established with age, BMI and waist circumference as independent variables. The BF% calculated using new sex-specific equations (BF%-CSS) were in reasonable agreement with BF%-DXA (mean difference: 0·08 (2 sd 6·64) %, P= 0·606 in men; 0·45 (2 sd 6·88) %, P< 0·001 in women). In multivariate-adjusted models, the BF%-CSS and BF%-DXA showed comparable associations with 6-year changes in TAG, HDL-cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein and uric acid (P for comparisons ≥ 0·05). Meanwhile, the BF%-CSS and BF%-DXA had comparable areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for associations with incident T2D (men P= 0·327; women P= 0·159). The BF% equations might be used as surrogates for DXA to estimate BF% among adult Chinese. More studies are needed to evaluate the application of our equations in different populations.
Diet and cognitive decline at middle age: the role of antioxidants
Authors: Nooyens Astrid C. J. , Milder Ivon E. J. , van Gelder Boukje M. , Bueno-de-Mesquita H. Bas , van Boxtel Martin P. J. , Verschuren W. M. Monique 
Published: April 2015

To assess the relationship between dietary intake of antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene, lutein, flavonoids and lignans) and cognitive decline at middle age, analyses were performed on data from the population based Doetinchem Cohort Study. Habitual diet and cognitive function were assessed twice with a 5-year interval in 2613 persons aged 43–70 year at baseline (1995–2002). Diet was assessed with a validated 178-item semi-quantitative FFQ. Cognitive function was assessed with a neuropsychological test battery, consisting of the 15 Words Learning Test, the Stroop Test, the Word Fluency test, and the Letter Digit Substitution Test. Scores on global cognitive function, memory, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility were calculated. In regression analyses, quintiles of antioxidant intake were associated with change in cognitive domain scores. Results showed that higher lignan intake was linearly associated with less decline in global cognitive function (P= 0·01), memory (P< 0·01) and processing speed (P= 0·04), with about two times less declines in the highest v. the lowest quintile. In the lowest quintile of vitamin E intake, decline in memory was twice as fast as in all higher quintiles (P< 0·01). Global cognitive decline in the highest lutein intake group was greater than in the lowest intake group (P< 0·05). Higher flavonoid intake was associated with greater decline in cognitive flexibility (P for trend = 0·04). Intakes of other antioxidants were not associated with cognitive decline. We conclude that within the range of a habitual dietary intake, higher intake of lignans is associated with less cognitive decline at middle age.
The silkworm GSTe4 is sensitive to phoxim and protects HEK293 cells against UV-induced cell apoptosis
Authors: Chen X.Y. , Liu J. , Zhang C.D. , Li Y.F. , Liu T.H. , Wang L. , Yu Q.Y. , Zhang Y.H. , Lu C. , Pan M.H. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractGlutathioneS-transferases (GSTs, EC 2.5.1.18) are a family of super enzymes with multiple functions that play a major role in the detoxification of endogenous and xenobiotic compounds. In our previous study, we have predicted 23 putative cytosolic GSTs in the silkworm genome using bioinformatic methods. In this study, we cloned and studied the insect-specific epsilon-class GST geneGSTe4from the silkworm,Bombyx mori. The recombinantBmGSTe4(Bac-BmGSTe4) was overexpressed in SF-9 cell lines, and it was found to have effective GST activity. We also found that the expression ofBmGSTe4was especially down-regulated after the silkworms were fumigated with or ingested phoxim. Moreover,BmGSTe4protected HEK293 cells against UV-induced cell apoptosis. These results demonstrated thatBmGSTe4has GST activity, is sensitive to phoxim, and plays a role in inhibition of UV-induced cell apoptosis.