bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improved detection rate of structural abnormalities in the first trimester using an extended examination protocol
Authors: Iliescu D. , Tudorache S. , Comanescu A. , Antsaklis P. , Cotarcea S. , Novac L. , Cernea N. , Antsaklis A. 
Published: April 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo assess the potential of first‐trimester sonography in the detection of fetal abnormalities using an extended protocol that is achievable with reasonable resources of time, personnel and ultrasound equipment.MethodsThis was a prospective two‐center 2‐year study of 5472 consecutive unselected pregnant women examined at 12 to 13 + 6 gestational weeks. Women were examined using an extended morphogenetic ultrasound protocol that, in addition to the basic evaluation, involved a color Doppler cardiac sweep and identification of early contingent markers for major abnormalities.ResultsThe prevalence of lethal and severe malformations was 1.39%. The first‐trimester scan identified 40.6% of the cases detected overall and 76.3% of major structural defects. The first‐trimester detection rate (DR) for major congenital heart disease (either isolated or associated with extracardiac abnormalities) was 90% and that for major central nervous system anomalies was 69.5%. In fetuses with increased nuchal translucency (NT), the first‐trimester DR for major anomalies was 96%, and in fetuses with normal NT it was 66.7%. Most (67.1%) cases with major abnormalities presented with normal NT.ConclusionsA detailed first‐trimester anomaly scan using an extended protocol is an efficient screening method to detect major fetal structural abnormalities in low‐risk pregnancies. It is feasible at 12 to 13 + 6 weeks with ultrasound equipment and personnel already used for routine first‐trimester screening. Rate of detection of severe malformations is greater in early‐ than in mid‐pregnancy and on postnatal evaluation. Early heart investigation could be improved by an extended protocol involving use of color Doppler. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Glycosaminoglycans in biomedicine
Authors: Scott Rebecca A. , Panitch Alyssa 
Published: April 2013

AbstractGlycosaminoglycans (GAGs) compose one of four classes of mammalian biopolymers, and are arguably the most complex. The research areas of glycobiology, glycopolymers, and the use of GAGs within tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have grown exponentially during the past decade. Researchers are closing in on high throughput methods for GAG synthesis and sequencing, but our understanding of glycan sequence and the information contained in this sequence lags behind. Screening methods to identify key GAG–biopolymer interactions are providing insights into important targets for nanomedicine, regenerative medicine, and pharmaceutics. Importantly, GAGs are most often found in the form of glycolipids and proteoglycans. Several studies have shown that the clustering of GAGs, as is often the case in proteoglycans, increases the affinity between GAGs and other biopolymers. In addition, GAG clustering can create regions of high anionic charge, which leads to high osmotic pressure. Recent advances have led to proteoglycan mimics that exhibit many of the functions of proteoglycans including protection of the extracellular matrix from proteolytic activity, regulation of collagen fibril assembly on the nanoscale, alteration of matrix stiffness, and inhibition of platelet adhesion, among others. Collectively, these advances are stimulating possibilities for targeting of drugs, nanoparticles, and imaging agents, opening new avenues for mimicking nanoscale molecular interactions that allow for directed assembly of bulk materials, and providing avenues for the synthesis of proteoglycan mimics that enhance opportunities in regenerative medicine. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2013, 5:388–398. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1223This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
Dental applications of nanostructured bioactive glass and its composites
Authors: Polini Alessandro , Bai Hao , Tomsia Antoni P. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractTo improve treatments of bone or dental trauma and diseases such as osteoporosis, cancer, and infections, scientists who perform basic research are collaborating with clinicians to design and test new biomaterials for the regeneration of lost or injured tissue. Developed some 40 years ago, bioactive glass (BG) has recently become one of the most promising biomaterials, a consequence of discoveries that its unusual properties elicit specific biological responses inside the body. Among these important properties are the capability of BG to form strong interfaces with both hard and soft tissues, and its release of ions upon dissolution. Recent developments in nanotechnology have introduced opportunities for materials sciences to advance dental and bone therapies. For example, the applications for BG expand as it becomes possible to finely control structures and physicochemical properties of materials at the molecular level. Here, we review how the properties of these materials have been enhanced by the advent of nanotechnology, and how these developments are producing promising results in hard‐tissue regeneration and development of innovative BG‐based drug delivery systems. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2013, 5:399–410. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1224This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants
Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
New Tripodal Tridentate Ligands with {NS2} Donor Set and a Backbone Hydroxo Anchor, and Their Copper(I) and ­Copper(II) Complexes
Authors: Rittmeier Markus , Dechert Sebastian , Demeshko Serhiy , Meyer Franc 
Published: April 2013

AbstractA series of five tripodal tridentate ligands (HO)C[(CH2)xNR2](CH2SR)2 (HL1–HL5) with {NS2} donor set has been synthesized via an efficient two‐step protocol starting from 1, 3‐dichloroacetone. All five ligands bear a backbone hydroxo group that is available for further functionalization. The five ligands differ by the type of N‐donor (NR2 = pyridine‐2‐yl or imidazol‐2‐yl), by the spacer between the backbone‐C and the N‐donor heterocycle (x = 0, 1), and with respect to their topology, viz. whether two thioether‐S are part of a cyclic 1, 4‐dithiacycloheptane fragment or not (R = Et or –CH2–). Copper(I) and copper(II) complexes have been prepared and studied in solution (ESI‐MS, UV/Vis, and NMR spectroscopy in case of the copper(I) complexes) as well as in solid state (single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction of [(HL2)Cu(MeCN)]n(OTf)n, [(HL3)Cu(MeCN)](PF6) and [(HL5)Cu(MeCN)]n(PF6)n as well as [(L4)2Cu3(MeCN)3](PF6)2 and [(L2)2Cu2Cl2], [(L3)4Cu4](OTf)4, and [(L4)2Cu2(MeCN)2](OTf)2; SQUID magnetometry of [(L2)2Cu2Cl2] and [(L3)4Cu4](OTf)4,). The ligand scaffolds show ambidentate character depending on the metal ion oxidation state. All copper(I) ions are found in distorted tetrahedral environment comprising an {NS2} ligation of the tridentate ligand as well as an exogenous MeCN; either mononuclear complex cations or 1D polymeric structures are found. In case of all copper(II) complexes the backbone‐alcohol group is deprotonated and bridges two metal ions, giving dinuclear or tetranuclear species with antiferromagnetic coupling. The Cu–S bond lengths are found to vary significantly, which reflects the plasticity of the Cu‐thioether bond known from metalloproteins and synthetic analogs.
Coumarin attenuates hepatic steatosis by down-regulating lipogenic gene expression in mice fed a high-fat diet
Authors: Um Min Young , Moon Mi Kyeong , Ahn Jiyun , Youl Ha Tae 
Published: April 2013

Coumarin is a natural compound abundant in plant-based foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, vegetables and green tea. Although coumarin has been reported to exhibit anti-coagulant, anti-inflammation and cholesterol-lowering properties, the effect of coumarin on hepatic lipid metabolism remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of coumarin to protect against hepatic steatosis associated with a high-fat diet (HFD) and investigated potential mechanisms underlying this effect. C57BL/6J mice were fed a normal diet, HFD and HFD containing 0·05 % courmarin for 8 weeks. The present results showed that coumarin reduced weight gain and abdominal fat mass in mice fed the HFD for 8 weeks (P< 0·05). Coumarin also significantly reduced the HFD-induced elevation in total cholesterol, apoB, leptin and insulin (P< 0·05). In the liver of HFD-fed mice, coumarin significantly reduced total lipids, TAG and cholesterol (38, 22 and 9 % reductions, respectively;P< 0·05), as well as lipid droplet number and size. Additionally, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels, as an indicator of hepatic steatosis, were attenuated by coumarin (P< 0·05). Finally, coumarin suppressed the HFD-induced up-regulation in fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity, and the expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1, FAS, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, PPARγ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α in the liver. Taken together, these results demonstrate that coumarin could prevent HFD-induced hepatic steatosis by regulating lipogenic gene expression, suggesting potential targets for preventing hepatic steatosis.
A Quantitative Description of the Henan Famine of 1942
Authors: GARNAUT ANTHONY 
Published: April 2013

AbstractThe Henan famine of 1942 occurred during the middle of the Sino-Japanese war, in a province that was divided between Japanese, Nationalist and Communist political control. Partly due to this wartime context, existing accounts of the famine rely almost exclusively on eyewitness reports. This paper presents a range of statistical sources on the famine, including weather records, contemporary economic surveys and population censuses. These statistical sources allow similarities to be drawn between the Henan famine and other famines that occurred during the Second World War, such as in Bengal, when the combination of bad weather, war-induced disruptions to food markets, and the relegation of famine relief to the war effort, brought great hardship to civilians living near the war front.
Identification ofBesnoitia besnoitiproteins that showed differences in abundance between tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages by difference gel electrophoresis
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ-GARCÍA AURORA , ALVAREZ-GARCÍA GEMA , MARUGÁN-HERNÁNDEZ VIRGINIA , GARCÍA-LUNAR PAULA , AGUADO-MARTÍNEZ ADRIANA , RISCO-CASTILLO VERÓNICA , ORTEGA-MORA LUIS M. 
Published: April 2013

SUMMARYBovine besnoitiosis is a chronic and debilitating disease, caused by the apicomplexan parasiteBesnoitia besnoiti. Infection of cattle byB. besnoitiis governed by the tachyzoite stage, which is related to acute infection, and the bradyzoite stage gathered into macroscopic cysts located in subcutaneous tissue in the skin, mucosal membranes and sclera conjunctiva and related to persistence and chronic infection. However, the entire life cycle of this parasite and the molecular mechanisms underlying tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite conversion remain unknown. In this context, a different antigenic pattern has been observed between tachyzoite and bradyzoite extracts. Thus, to identify stage-specific proteins, a difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE) approach was used on tachyzoite and bradyzoite extracts followed by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. A total of 130 and 132 spots were differentially expressed in bradyzoites and tachyzoites, respectively (average ratio±1·5,P<0·05 int-test). Furthermore, 25 differentially expressed spots were selected and analysed by MALDI-TOF/MS. As a result, 5 up-regulated bradyzoite proteins (GAPDH, ENO1, LDH, SOD and RNA polymerase) and 5 up-regulated tachyzoite proteins (ENO2; LDH; ATP synthase; HSP70 and PDI) were identified. The present results set the basis for the identification of new proteins as drug targets. Moreover, the role of these proteins in tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite conversion and the role of the host cell environment should be a subject of further research.
Vector abundance determinesTrypanosomaprevalence in nestling blue tits
Authors: MARTÍNEZ–DE LA PUENTE J. , MARTÍNEZ J. , RIVERO-DE-AGUILAR J. , DEL CERRO S. , MERINO S. 
Published: April 2013

SUMMARYThe effect of insect vectors on avian exposure to infection by pathogens remains poorly studied. Here, we used an insect repellent treatment to reduce the number of blood-sucking flying insects in blue titCyanistes caeruleusnests and examined its effect on nestling health status measured as body mass, nestling phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) response and blood parasite prevalence. We found that (i) the insect repellent treatment significantly reduced the number of blood-sucking flying insects in nests and (ii) the number of blood-sucking flying insects had a significant effect on the prevalence of the blood parasiteTrypanosomaindependently of the treatment. In addition, we found support for an adverse effect of parasite infections on nestling PHA response. Nestlings infected byTrypanosomamounted a weaker response against PHA than non-parasitized ones. In addition, the number of blowflies in the nest was negatively associated with nestling PHA response. Overall, we found support for the hypothesis that blood-sucking flying insects attacking nestlings increase their exposure to parasite infections. Our results further substantiate the adverse effect of parasites on nestling condition.
Comparing existing MAC tables – hints to possible developments
Authors: Caussin Pierre 
Published: April 2013

Publicly available mass absorption coefficients (MAC) tables do not comprise accuracy data and are typically created from relatively old sources. The idea of comparing tables is not new (De Boer), but current software tools make it possible to quickly develop interactive software to analyze the discrepancies in finer detail and get hints to the reason for the difference. Such a tool has been created and used to compare six public domain databases. Several reasons for sizeable discrepancies have been identified, ranging from probable typos to misplaced or missing absorption edges. In addition to the discrepancies that can reasonably be pigeonholed huge differences exist for all elements below 1000 eV. Since there are many cases where reliable standards are scarce or inexistent the development of a better, consistent MAC table especially in the low energy and low Z regions, and with reliable error bars is a requirement for further development of XRF methods in many advanced fields such as waste management, user safety (RoHS), renewable energy sources, and many more. The international initiative for improved FP which involves several industrial and academic organizations aims to address the issue as a whole, i.e. not only for MAC. Creating such a complete database requires considerable resources; the comparison tool may alleviate the effort in the MAC field by readily showing which energy regions and elements deserve more attention.
Formality in design communication
Authors: Eckert Claudia , Stacey Martin , Earl Christopher 
Published: April 2013

AbstractHow designers communicate within design teams, and with users, suppliers, and customers, differs in formality both between industries and between different situations within one project. This paper identifies three layers of structure in design communication, each of which can be more or less formal: the design process, the interaction between participants, and the representations of design information that are constructed and used. These layers can be formal across a spectrum from explicit rules to habitual conventions. The paper draws on a range of contrasting case studies in mechanical engineering and knitwear design, as well as a larger corpus of cases comparing design domains more generally, to analyze how formality affects design interaction in different situations and process contexts. Mismatches in the understanding of formality can lead to misunderstandings, in particular across expertise boundaries and between designers and their clients or customers. Formality can be modulated in the mannerism of communication, the rhetoric employed, and how representations are constructed, to make communication more effective. The effort and skill put into modulating formality is greater in domains where designers work with end users, like architecture, than it is in companies where designers interact mainly with other professionals.
Surveillance during an era of rapidly changing poliovirus epidemiology in India: the role of one vs. two stool specimens in poliovirus detection, 2000–2010
Authors: CARDEMIL C. V. , RATHEE M. , GARY H. , WANNEMUEHLER K. , ANAND A. , MACH O. , BAHL S. , WASSILAK S. , CHU S.Y. , KHERA A. , JAFARI H. S. , PALLANSCH M. A. 
Published: April 2013

SUMMARYSince 2004, efforts to improve poliovirus detection have significantly increased the volume of specimen testing from acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) patients in India. One option to decrease collection and testing burden would be collecting only a single stool specimen instead of two. We investigated stool specimen sensitivity for poliovirus detection in India to estimate the contribution of the second specimen. We reviewed poliovirus isolation data for 303984 children aged <15 years with AFP during 2000–2010. Using maximum-likelihood estimation, we determined specimen sensitivity of each stool specimen, combined sensitivity of both specimens, and sensitivity added by the second specimen. Of 5184 AFP patients with poliovirus isolates, 382 (7·4%) were identified only by the second specimen. Sensitivity was 91·4% for the first specimen and 84·5% for the second specimen; the second specimen added 7·3% sensitivity, giving a combined sensitivity of 98·7%. Combined sensitivity declined, and added sensitivity increased, as the time from paralysis onset to stool collection increased (P = 0·032). The sensitivity added by the second specimen is important to detect the last chains of poliovirus transmission and to achieve certification of polio eradication. For sensitive surveillance, two stool specimens should continue to be collected from each AFP patient in India.
Ruptured aneurysm of the right coronary sinus of Valsalva in a child with Down syndrome
Authors: Lahrouchi Najim , Rammeloo Lukas A. J. , Koolbergen David R. , Hruda Jaroslav 
Published: April 2013

AbstractAneurysms of one of the aortic sinuses of Valsalva are rare congenital or acquired lesions. Here we present the case of an adolescent with Down syndrome with ruptured aneurysm of the right coronary sinus into the right atrium. All sinuses of Valsalva were normal during cardiological screening owing to Down syndrome at the age of 2 weeks. Paediatricians should have a low threshold for referring patients with Down syndrome for cardiac re-evaluation because of the new onset of cardiac symptoms or cardiac physical findings, even in the situation in which there are normal echocardiographic findings in the past.
Surgical Site Infections, International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) Report, Data Summary of 30 Countries, 2005–2010
Authors: Rosenthal Victor D. , Richtmann Rosana , Singh Sanjeev , Apisarnthanarak Anucha , Kübler Andrzej , Viet-Hung Nguyen , Ramírez-Wong Fernando M. , Portillo-Gallo Jorge H. , Toscani Jessica , Gikas Achilleas , Dueñas Lourdes , El-Kholy Amani , Ghazal Sameeh , Fisher Dale , Mitrev Zan , Gamar-Elanbya May Osman , Kanj Souha S. , Arreza-Galapia Yolanda , Leblebicioglu Hakan , Hlinková Soňa , Memon Badaruddin A. , Guanche-Garcell Humberto , Gurskis Vaidotas , Álvarez-Moreno Carlos , Barkat Amina , Mejía Nepomuceno , Rojas-Bonilla Magda , Ristic Goran , Raka Lul , Yuet-Meng Cheong ,   on behalf of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium
Published: April 2013

Objective.To report the results of a surveillance study on surgical site infections (SSIs) conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC).Design.Cohort prospective multinational multicenter surveillance study.Setting.Eighty-two hospitals of 66 cities in 30 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Greece, India, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, and Vietnam) from 4 continents (America, Asia, Africa, and Europe).Patients.Patients undergoing surgical procedures (SPs) from January 2005 to December 2010.Methods.Data were gathered and recorded from patients hospitalized in INICC member hospitals by using the methods and definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) for SSI. SPs were classified into 31 types according toInternational Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, criteria.Results.We gathered data from 7,523 SSIs associated with 260,973 SPs. SSI rates were significantly higher for most SPs in INICC hospitals compared with CDC-NHSN data, including the rates of SSI after hip prosthesis (2.6% vs 1.3%; relative risk [RR], 2.06 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8–2.4];P<.001), coronary bypass with chest and donor incision (4.5% vs 2.9%; RR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.4–1.6];P<.001); abdominal hysterectomy (2.7% vs 1.6%; RR, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.4–2.0];P<.001); exploratory abdominal surgery (4.1 % vs 2.0%; RR, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.6–2.6];P<.001); ventricular shunt, 12.9% vs 5.6% (RR, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.9–2.6];P<.001), and others.Conclusions.SSI rates were higher for most SPs in INICC hospitals compared with CDC-NHSN data.
A self-updating road map of The Cancer Genome Atlas
Authors: Robbins David E. , Grüneberg Alexander , Deus Helena F. , Tanik Murat M. , Almeida Jonas S. 
Published: April 2013

Abstract
Motivation: Since 2011, The Cancer Genome Atlas’ (TCGA) files have been accessible through HTTP from a public site, creating entirely new possibilities for cancer informatics by enhancing data discovery and retrieval. Significantly, these enhancements enable the reporting of analysis results that can be fully traced to and reproduced using their source data. However, to realize this possibility, a continually updated road map of files in the TCGA is required. Creation of such a road map represents a significant data modeling challenge, due to the size and fluidity of this resource: each of the 33 cancer types is instantiated in only partially overlapping sets of analytical platforms, while the number of data files available doubles approximately every 7 months.
Results: We developed an engine to index and annotate the TCGA files, relying exclusively on third-generation web technologies (Web 3.0). Specifically, this engine uses JavaScript in conjunction with the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Resource Description Framework (RDF), and SPARQL, the query language for RDF, to capture metadata of files in the TCGA open-access HTTP directory. The resulting index may be queried using SPARQL, and enables file-level provenance annotations as well as discovery of arbitrary subsets of files, based on their metadata, using web standard languages. In turn, these abilities enhance the reproducibility and distribution of novel results delivered as elements of a web-based computational ecosystem. The development of the TCGA Roadmap engine was found to provide specific clues about how biomedical big data initiatives should be exposed as public resources for exploratory analysis, data mining and reproducible research. These specific design elements align with the concept of knowledge reengineering and represent a sharp departure from top-down approaches in grid initiatives such as CaBIG. They also present a much more interoperable and reproducible alternative to the still pervasive use of data portals.
Availability: A prepared dashboard, including links to source code and a SPARQL endpoint, is available at http://bit.ly/TCGARoadmap. A video tutorial is available at http://bit.ly/TCGARoadmapTutorial.
Contact: robbinsd@uab.edu