bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigation of reports of sexual dysfunction among male chemical workers manufacturing stilbene derivatives
Authors: Quinn Margaret M. , Wegman David H. , Greaves Ian A. , Katharine S. Hammond , Ellenbecker Michael J. , Spark Richard F. , Smith Emil R. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractA Health Hazard Evaluation was conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in an area of a large chemical plant that manufactured the stilbene derivative 4,4′‐diaminostilbene‐2,2′‐disulfonic acid, an intermediate used for the production of optical brightening agents. Men employed in the area reported problems with impotence. The study population consisted of 44 men aged 20–57 years (mean age 37) employed in the area at the time of the evaluation. An industrial hygiene investigation, health and work history questionnaire survey, physical examinations, and blood chemistry and serum hormone evaluation were conducted. Fourteen percent of the men reported symptoms of impotence over the preceding 6 or more months, 7% had potency problems of shorter duration, and 7% were not currently impotent but had experienced impotence for 6 or more months in the past; 36% experienced decreased libido, all since beginning work in the production area. Low levels of serum testosterone (<350 ng/dl) were observed in 37% of the men. The low serum testosterone concentrations were not accounted for fully by diurnal variation or an effect of rotating shift work. It is suggested that exposures to chemicals possessing estrogenic activity may be related to the observed health effects in these workers.
Annals of morphology. Atavisms: Phylogenetic lazarus?
Authors: Zanni Ginevra , Opitz John M. 
Published: October 2013

Dedication: with highest respect and affection to Prof. Giovanni Neri on the eve of his official administrative retirement as Chair of the Institute of Medical Genetics of the Università Cattolica of Rome for leadership in medical genetics and medical science and friendship for decades. The concept “atavism,” reversion, throwback, Rückschlag remains an epistemological challenge in biology; unwise or implausible over‐interpretation of a given structure as such has led some to almost total skepticism as to its existence. Originating in botany in the 18th century it became applied to zoology (and humans) with increasing frequency over the last two centuries such that the very concept became widely discredited. Presently, atavisms have acquired a new life and reconsideration given certain reasonable criteria, including:

Homology of structure of the postulated atavism to that of ancestral fossils or collateral species with plausible soft tissue reconstructions taking into account relationships of parts, obvious sites of origin and insertion of muscles, vascular channels, etc.
Most parsimonious, plausible phylogenetic assumptions.
Evident rudimentary or vestigial anatomical state in prior generations or in morphogenesis of a given organism.
Developmental instability in prior generations, that is, some closely related species facultatively with or without the trait.
Genetic identity or phylogenomic similarity inferred in ancestors and corroborated in more or less closely related species.
Fluctuating asymmetry may be the basis for the striking evolutionary diversification and common atavisms in limbs; however, strong selection and developmental constraints would make atavisms in, for example, cardiac or CNS development less likely.Thus, purported atavisms must be examined critically in light of the above criteria. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dextrin crosslinked with poly(lactic acid): A novel hydrogel for controlled drug release application
Authors: Das Dipankar , Das Raghunath , Mandal Jayanta , Ghosh Animesh , Pal Sagar 
Published: October 2013

AbstractA new class of biodegradable crosslinked hydrogel, consisting of hydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) and hydrophilic dextrin in presence of crosslinker N,N‐methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) has been synthesized by free‐radical polymerization technique using potassium persulfate (KPS) as initiator. By variation of crosslinker concentration, a series of hydrogels have been prepared and the optimized grade has been selected on the basis of higher crosslinking efficiency as well as lower equilibrium swelling characteristics, XRD analysis. The hydrogels have been characterized by FTIR spectra, 13C‐NMR spectra, CHN analysis, SEM analysis, swelling characteristics, and toxicity study. In vitro release study of model drugs (ciprofloxacin and ornidazole) from hydrogel matrix has been performed in various buffer solutions at 37°C. The drug release kinetics and mechanism have been studied using zero order, first‐order kinetic models, Korsemeyar–Peppas model, Higuchi model, Hixson–Crowell model, and nonlinear Kopcha model. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40039.
Rheology of concentrated sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) solutions
Authors: Gupta Manish , Deshpande Abhijit P. , Kumar P. B. Sunil 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACTSulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK), an ionic polymer, has been shown to be a potential candidate for fuel cell electrolyte as a proton exchange membrane. Rheological behavior of SPEEK solutions is of great interest to understand the molecular associations as well as due to implications in membrane processing. In this work, SPEEK of various degrees of sulfonation (58–80) was prepared and rheology of concentrated solutions of SPEEK was studied. The rheological properties were evaluated using steady and oscillatory shear. It was found that steady shear viscosity and storage modulus at any given concentration, is the highest for the lowest degree of sulfonation SPEEK solutions in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone. The low frequency plateau in storage modulus was observed at some combinations of degrees of sulfonation and concentrations, indicating gel‐like behavior in these SPEEK solutions. No significant change in rheological behavior was observed with different polar solvents. Increase of several orders of magnitude in viscosity, storage and loss moduli were observed with increasing concentrations. The role of hydrophobic aggregation and inter‐chain associations in determining rheology of SPEEK solutions is argued based on comparisons with other material systems. The rheological behavior of SPEEK solutions with 70 as the degree of sulfonation, suggests crossover from hydrophobic‐hydrophilic balance. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40044.
Phase 2, multicenter, open‐label study of tigatuzumab (CS‐1008), a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting death receptor 5, in combination with gemcitabine in chemotherapy‐naive patients with unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer
Authors: Forero‐Torres Andres , Infante Jeffrey R. , Waterhouse David , Wong Lucas , Vickers Selwyn , Arrowsmith Edward , He Aiwu Ruth , Hart Lowell , Trent David , Wade James , Jin Xiaoping , Wang Qiang , Austin TaShara , Rosen Michael , Beckman Robert , von Roemeling Reinhard , Greenberg Jonathan , Saleh Mansoor 
Published: October 2013

AbstractTigatuzumab is the humanized version of the agonistic murine monoclonal antibody TRA‐8 that binds to the death receptor 5 and induces apoptosis of human cancer cell lines via the caspase cascade. The combination of tigatuzumab and gemcitabine inhibits tumor growth in murine pancreatic xenografts. This phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy of tigatuzumab combined with gemcitabine in 62 chemotherapy‐naive patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer. Patients received intravenous tigatuzumab (8 mg/kg loading dose followed by 3 mg/kg weekly) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 once weekly for 3 weeks followed by 1 week of rest) until progressive disease (PD) or unacceptable toxicity occurred. The primary end point was progression‐free survival (PFS) at 16 weeks. Secondary end points included objective response rate (ORR) (complete responses plus partial responses), duration of response, and overall survival (OS). Safety of the combination was also evaluated. Mean duration of treatment was 18.48 weeks for tigatuzumab and 17.73 weeks for gemcitabine. The PFS rate at 16 weeks was 52.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39.3–64.1%). The ORR was 13.1%; 28 (45.9%) patients had stable disease and 14 (23%) patients had PD. Median PFS was 3.9 months (95% CI, 2.2–5.4 months). Median OS was 8.2 months (95% CI, 5.1–9.6 months). The most common adverse events related to tigatuzumab were nausea (35.5%), fatigue (32.3%), and peripheral edema (19.4%). Tigatuzumab combined with gemcitabine was well tolerated and may be clinically active for the treatment of chemotherapy‐naive patients with unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Characterization and Photocatalytic Activities of Mesoporous Silica Containing BiVO4 or La‐BiVO4
Authors: Golmojdeh H. , Zanjanchi M. A. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractPure monoclinic BiVO4, La‐doped BiVO4 catalysts, and MCM‐41 samples containing BiVO4 and La‐doped BiVO4 were prepared via precipitation. An improved photocatalytic activity was observed in the degradation of 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol using La‐doped samples. With higher amounts of La, a partial tetragonal crystalline phase of bismuth vanadate was found. The pure and La‐doped BiVO4 sample were loaded onto the mesoporous silica MCM‐41. Enhanced catalytic activity was achieved in comparison with those not being loaded onto MCM‐41. The lowered band gap following the introduction of La ions and also formation of higher amounts of surface complexes with pollutant molecules are the main reasons of the improved catalytic activity. A comparison of the extent of different chlorophenols toward degradation over the prepared catalysts revealed that under current experimental conditions the samples with more chloride groups suffer higher degradation.
Blood Proteins Strongly Reduce the Mobility of Artificial Self‐Propelled Micromotors
Authors: Wang Hong , Zhao Guanjia , Pumera Martin 
Published: October 2013

AbstractAutonomous self‐propelled catalytic microjets are envisaged as an important technology in biomedical applications, including drug delivery, micro/nanosurgery, and active dynamic bioassays. The direct in vivo application of these microjets, specifically in blood, is however impeded by insufficient knowledge on the in vivo viability of the technique. This study highlights the effect of blood proteins on the viability of the microjets. The presence of blood proteins, including serum albumin and γ‐globulins at physiological concentrations, has been found to dramatically reduce the viability of the microjets. The reduction of viability has been measured in terms of a lower number of active microjets and a decrease in the velocity of propulsion. It is clear from this study that in order for microjets to function in biomedical applications, different modes of propulsion besides platinum‐catalyzed oxygen bubble ejection must be employed. These findings have serious implications for the biomedical applications of catalytic microjets.
Ganglioside GD2 as a therapeutic target for antibody‐mediated therapy in patients with osteosarcoma
Authors: Roth Michael , Linkowski Marissa , Tarim John , Piperdi Sajida , Sowers Rebecca , Geller David , Gill Jonathan , Gorlick Richard 
Published: October 2013

BACKGROUNDSurvival outcomes for patients with osteosarcoma have remained stagnant over the past 30 years. Targeting of ganglioside GD2, a glycosphingolipid on the cell surface of some tumors, with immunotherapy has resulted in improved outcomes for patients with neuroblastoma. In the current study, the expression pattern of GD2 was examined in osteosarcoma.METHODSImmunohistochemistry was performed on osteosarcoma samples from patients at the time of initial biopsy, definitive surgery, and disease recurrence. The intensity and location of staining were scored. Cell‐based enzyme‐linked immunoadsorbent assay was performed on osteosarcoma cell lines to quantitate the level of GD2 expression.RESULTSForty‐four osteosarcoma samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, including 8 samples from the initial biopsy, 28 samples from the definitive surgery, and 8 samples from the time of disease recurrence. GD2 was expressed on all 44 osteosarcoma samples. Osteosarcoma tissue obtained at the time of disease recurrence demonstrated a higher intensity of staining compared with samples obtained at initial biopsy and definitive surgery (P = .016). The majority of osteosarcoma cell lines expressed GD2 at higher levels than the neuroblastoma cell line BE(2)‐C.CONCLUSIONSGanglioside GD2 is highly expressed on osteosarcomas. Clinical trials are needed to assess the efficacy of targeting GD2 in patients with osteosarcoma. Cancer 2014;120:548–554. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
Gas‐Phase Spectroscopy of Ferric HemeNO Complexes
Authors: Wyer Jean A. , Jørgensen Anders V. , Møller Pedersen Bjarke , Brøndsted Nielsen Steen 
Published: October 2013

AbstractWeakly bound complexes between ferric heme cations and NO were synthesised in the gas phase from ion–molecule reactions, and their absorption measured based on photodissociation yields. The Soret band, which serves as an important marker band for heme‐protein spectroscopy, is maximal at 357±5 nm and significantly blue‐shifted compared to ferric heme nitrosyl proteins (maxima between 408 and 422 nm). This is in stark contrast to the Q‐band absorption where the protein microenvironment is nearly innocent in perturbing the electronic structure of the porphyrin macrocycle. Photodissociation is primarily through loss of NO. In contrast to the Q‐band region, two‐photon absorption was seen in the Soret band despite NO loss only requiring ∼1 eV. A model based on intersystem crossing to a long‐lived triplet state where a barrier has to be surmounted is suggested. Finally, we summarise the measured absorption maxima of heme and its complexes with amino acids and NO.
A method for evaluating the use of fluorescent dyes to track proliferation in cell lines by dye dilution
Authors: Begum Julfa , Day William , Henderson Carl , Purewal Sukhveer , Cerveira Joana , Summers Huw , Rees Paul , Davies Derek , Filby Andrew 
Published: October 2013

AbstractLabeling nonquiescent cells with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)‐like dyes gives rise to a population width exceeding the threshold for resolving division peaks by flow cytometry. Width is a function of biological heterogeneity plus extrinsic and intrinsic error sources associated with the measurement process. Optimal cytometer performance minimizes extrinsic error, but reducing intrinsic error to the point of facilitating peak resolution requires careful fluorochrome selection and fluorescent cell sorting. In this study, we labeled the Jurkat and A549 cell lines with CFSE, CellTraceViolet (CTV), and eFluor 670 proliferation dye (EPD) to test if we could resolve division peaks in culture after reducing the labeled input widths by cell sorting. Reanalysis of the sorted populations to ascertain the level of reduction achieved always led to widths exceeding the gated limits due to the contribution of errors. Measuring detector‐specific extrinsic error by sorting uniform fluorescent particles with similar spectral properties to the tracking dyes allowed us to determine the intrinsic error for each dye and cell type using a simple mathematical approach. We found that cell intrinsic error ultimately dictated whether we could resolve division peaks, and that as this increased, the required sort gate width to resolve any division peaks decreased to the point whereby issues with yield made A549 unsuitable for this approach. Finally, attempts to improve yields by setting two concurrent sort gates on the fluorescence distribution enriched for cells in different stages of the cell cycle that had nonequivalent proliferative properties in culture and thus should be practiced with caution. © 2013 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Polygonal finite elements for incompressible fluid flow
Authors: Talischi Cameron , Pereira Anderson , Paulino Glaucio H. , Menezes Ivan F.M. , Carvalho Márcio S. 
Published: October 2013

SUMMARYWe discuss the use of polygonal finite elements for analysis of incompressible flow problems. It is well‐known that the stability of mixed finite element discretizations is governed by the so‐called inf‐sup condition, which, in this case, depends on the choice of the discrete velocity and pressure spaces. We present a low‐order choice of these spaces defined over convex polygonal partitions of the domain that satisfies the inf‐sup condition and, as such, does not admit spurious pressure modes or exhibit locking. Within each element, the pressure field is constant while the velocity is represented by the usual isoparametric transformation of a linearly‐complete basis. Thus, from a practical point of view, the implementation of the method is classical and does not require any special treatment. We present numerical results for both incompressible Stokes and stationary Navier–Stokes problems to verify the theoretical results regarding stability and convergence of the method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Convenient Method to Synthesize 1,3‐Selenazolidin‐2‐ones from 2‐Chloroethyl Amine Salts by Se/CO System under Atmospheric Pressure and Temperature
Authors: Tian Fengshou , Chen Yahong , Li Peng , Lu Shiwei 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT1,3‐Selenazolidin‐2‐ones were successfully synthesized by the reaction of 2‐chloroethyl amine salts with the Se/CO system via selenation and carbonylation in the presence of NaOH under atmospheric pressure and temperature, and were characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance.
New developments in the evolution and application of the WHO/IPCS framework on mode of action/species concordance analysis
Authors: Meek M. E. , Boobis A. , Cote I. , Dellarco V. , Fotakis G. , Munn S. , Seed J. , Vickers C. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACTThe World Health Organization/International Programme on Chemical Safety mode of action/human relevance framework has been updated to reflect the experience acquired in its application and extend its utility to emerging areas in toxicity testing and non‐testing methods. The underlying principles have not changed, but the framework's scope has been extended to enable integration of information at different levels of biological organization and reflect evolving experience in a much broader range of potential applications. Mode of action/species concordance analysis can also inform hypothesis‐based data generation and research priorities in support of risk assessment. The modified framework is incorporated within a roadmap, with feedback loops encouraging continuous refinement of fit‐for‐purpose testing strategies and risk assessment. Important in this construct is consideration of dose–response relationships and species concordance analysis in weight of evidence. The modified Bradford Hill considerations have been updated and additionally articulated to reflect increasing experience in application for cases where the toxicological outcome of chemical exposure is known. The modified framework can be used as originally intended, where the toxicological effects of chemical exposure are known, or in hypothesizing effects resulting from chemical exposure, using information on putative key events in established modes of action from appropriate in vitro or in silico systems and other lines of evidence. This modified mode of action framework and accompanying roadmap and case examples are expected to contribute to improving transparency in explicitly addressing weight of evidence considerations in mode of action/species concordance analysis based on both conventional data sources and evolving methods. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The World Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.
Macrophage depletion reduces cell proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation but increases the ultimate tensile strength of injured Achilles tendons
Authors: de la Durantaye Mélissa , Piette Antoine Boulanger , van Rooijen Nico , Frenette Jérôme 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACTMacrophages are present in large numbers and display specific and distinct phenotypes during the various phases of tissue repair. However, their role following tendon injury and during repair has never been investigated. We injected C57BL/6 mice daily for 4 days with liposome‐encapsulated clodronate to deplete circulating monocytes/macrophages. Placebo mice were injected with PBS. The left Achilles tendons of the mice were transversely sectioned and sutured using the 8‐strand technique. Macrophage accumulation and cell proliferation were significantly lower in the tendons of clodronate‐treated mice than in those of PBS‐treated mice on days 3 and 7 post‐injury. TGF‐β1 staining was significantly more intense in the tendons of PBS‐treated mice on day 7 post‐injury. Edema and the dry mass of the Achilles tendons were also higher in the PBS‐treated mice on days 7 and 14 post‐injury. No differences in absolute strength and stiffness were observed, but Young's modulus and maximal stress were significantly greater for tendons from the clodronate‐treated mice than those from PBS‐treated mice after 14 days of tendon repair. Overall, our findings showed that macrophages promote cell proliferation and extracellular matrix accumulation but their presence leads to inferior ultimate tensile strength of the Achilles tendons. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:279–285, 2014.
Problem Gamblers’ Harsh Gaze on Casino Services
Authors: Prentice Catherine , Woodside Arch G. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACTThis study provides a first look at the perspectives and profiles of casino problem gamblers. The study proposes that problem gamblers (1) have unique antecedent conditions and (2) evaluate their casino service more favorably than nonproblem gamblers. While first proposition receives support, the findings counter the second; surprisingly, problem gamblers view casino service with a harsh gaze. The coverage here includes overall and specific findings from face‐to‐face interviews with gamblers (n = 348) inside seven casinos in the world's largest gaming destination (Macau). The interviews included asking participants to complete the “Problem Gambling Severity Index” (identified to participants as “My gambling‐related experiences”). The study includes both fit and predictive validities of overall service quality models for each of the seven casinos—these findings support the nomological validity that specific patterns of antecedents and outcomes associate with problem gambling. Policy and managerial implications inform how to go about creating unique marketing service designs to assist problem gamblers in managing their gambling behavior.