bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial efficacy of granulysin‐derived synthetic peptides in acne vulgaris
Authors: Lim Hee‐Sun , Chun Seung‐Min , Soung Min‐Gyu , Kim Jenny , Kim Seong‐Jin 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBackgroundAntimicrobial peptides are considered as a potential alternative to antibiotic treatment in acne vulgaris because the development of a resistant strain of Propionibacterium acnes is problematic. Granulysin can be regarded as an ideal substance with which to treat acne because it has antimicrobial and anti‐inflammatory effects.ObjectivesThis study was performed to explore the effectiveness of granulysin‐derived peptides (GDPs) in killing P. acnes in vitro under a standard microbiologic assay and to evaluate their potential use in a topical agent for the treatment of acne vulgaris.MethodsTwenty different peptides based on the known sequence of a GDP were synthesized and tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity. Thirty patients with facial acne vulgaris were instructed to apply a topical formulation containing synthetic GDP to acne lesions twice per day for 12 weeks.ResultsA newly synthesized peptide in which aspartic acid was substituted with arginine, and methionine was substituted with cysteine, showed the highest antimicrobial activity against P. acnes. Moreover, it was effective against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria in vitro. After treatment with the topical formulation containing 50 ppm of synthetic peptide for 12 weeks, a significant reduction in the number of pustules was observed, regardless of the increase in the number of comedones. In addition, a significant reduction in the clinical grade of acne based on the Korean Acne Grading System (KAGS) was evident.ConclusionsSynthesized GDP shows strong antimicrobial activity against P. acnes in vitro. The clinical improvement observed suggests a topical formulation containing the GDP has therapeutic potential for the improvement of inflammatory‐type acne vulgaris by its antimicrobial activity.
Functional properties of 8S globulin fractions from 15 mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) cultivars
Authors: Liu Hong , Liu Hongkai , Yan Lei , Cheng Xuzhen , Kang Yufan 
Published: January 2015

SummaryThe functional properties including solubility, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, foaming properties and emulsifying properties of 8S globulin fractions from 15 mung bean cultivars were investigated in this study. In addition, the effects of pH on solubility, foaming properties and emulsifying properties were studied. The functional properties of the 8S globulin fractions varied significantly among the different mung bean varieties and exhibited better performance in solubility and emulsion stability compared with soya bean 7S protein. A negative correlation was found between water absorption capacity and oil absorption capacity. Remarkable differences in polypeptides constituents were observed in 8S globulin fractions, and the ratio of 11S/8S globulins has a positive effect on water absorption capacity while a negative effect on oil absorption capacity. As a function of pH, the emulsifying activity indexes of the 8S globulin fractions were found to be distinctly dependent on the solubility, while no significant correlation was found between the emulsifying stability and solubility, nor between the foaming properties and solubility. The foaming capacity showed a strong correlation with foam stability.
Laparoscopic pyeloplasty for secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction: Long‐term results
Authors: Nishi Morihiro , Tsuchida Mayumi , Ikeda Masaomi , Matsuda Daisuke , Iwamura Masatsugu 
Published: January 2015

ObjectiveTo evaluate the long‐term results of laparoscopic pyeloplasty in patients with secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction after failed primary interventions.MethodsBetween August 2000 and October 2012, transperitoneal dismembered laparoscopic pyeloplasty was carried out in 13 patients with a surgical history of failed prior surgical interventions. Perioperative outcomes as well as long‐term results were assessed. These outcomes were compared with those of the same procedure carried out for primary ureteropelvic junction obstruction by a single surgeon during the same study period.ResultsLaparoscopic transperitoneal pyeloplasty was completed successfully in all cases without converting to open surgery or requiring blood transfusion. The preoperative symptoms in 12 of 13 patients all disappeared soon after the operation. Asymptomatic severe hydronephrosis found in a 2‐year‐old boy reduced in size postoperatively. When comparing the primary with the secondary laparoscopic pyeloplasty carried out by the same surgeon, the mean operative time was longer (183 vs 241 min, P = 0.002), estimated blood loss was larger (33 vs 66 mL, P = 0.03) and the complication rate was higher (8.8% vs 22.2%, P = 0.01) in the secondary group. Success rates were 97.9% and 100% (P = 0.41) at a mean follow up of 25.9 and 40.0 months (P = 0.14) for the primary and secondary groups, respectively.ConclusionsLaparoscopic pyeloplasty is an excellent option for patients who failed previous surgical management. This approach provides durable long‐term outcomes comparable with those of primary treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction.
Functional significance of aberrantly expressed microRNAs in prostate cancer
Authors: Goto Yusuke , Kurozumi Akira , Enokida Hideki , Ichikawa Tomohiko , Seki Naohiko 
Published: January 2015

AbstractmicroRNAs, a class of small non‐coding RNAs, regulate protein‐coding gene expression by repressing translation or cleaving RNA transcripts in a sequence‐specific manner. A growing body of evidence suggests that microRNAs contribute to prostate cancer development, progression and metastasis. Based on reports describing microRNA expression signatures, several differentially expressed microRNAs have been discovered. In the present review, eight genome‐wide microRNA expression signatures were used to select aberrantly expressed microRNAs (i.e. upregulated and downregulated microRNAs) in prostate cancer clinical specimens. Also, we mapped these selected microRNAs in the human genome. Interestingly, some clustered microRNAs, such as miR‐221/222, miR‐143/145, miR‐23b/27b/24‐1 and miR‐1/133a, are frequently downregulated in cancer tissues, and recent studies have shown that these clustered microRNAs function as tumor suppressors. We also discuss the functional significance of the differentially expressed microRNAs and the molecular pathways/targets regulated by these microRNAs. These recent findings of microRNAs in prostate cancer will facilitate the development of effective strategies for microRNA‐based therapeutics for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Optimization using simulation and response surface methodology with an application on subway train scheduling
Authors: Rahimi Mazrae Shahi Mohsen , Fallah Mehdipour Elnaz , Amiri Maghsoud 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThis paper presents a technique based on discrete‐event simulation and response surface methodology to model and then optimize the schedule of subway train travels. The aim of this study is to find appropriate headways—time intervals between the travels of two consecutive trains—at different hours in order to optimize average passenger travel time and rate of carriage fullness. For physical reasons and the observance of safety standards, an increase in the train speed in order to decrease average passenger travel time may not exceed some specified limits. One of the ways to decrease this average is to appropriately adjust headways of trains in the schedule. For this purpose, a metamodel of multinomial type is fitted to the data obtained from simulation tests to describe the relation between input variables (headways) and output variables (average passenger travel time in system and carriage fullness rate), and then optimal combinations of input variables are obtained using a weighed metric method and sequential quadratic programming.
Geographic Differences of Pacemaker Implant Rates in Europe
Authors: VARDAS PANOS E. , OVSYSCHER ELI I. 
Published: January 2015

Pacemaker Implant Rates in Europe. Introduction: Pacemaker therapy, which has proved to be the only treatment for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias, exhibits great variation from country to country around the world. The aim of this study was to examine the variations in the number of first implants per calendar year in different European countries and to relate the differences to certain socioeconomic indices.Methods and Results: Information concerning new pacemaker implants during the year 1999 was obtained from the European Pacemaker Registry, which is maintained by the Working Group of Cardiac Pacing of the European Society of Cardiology. Comparisons of pacemaker and econometric indices between western and eastern Europe were carried out using the t‐test. Correlations between selected pacemaker parameters and econometric indices were examined using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Our findings reveal significant geographic differences in both the number of first implants and the types of pacemaker implanted. The gross domestic product is strongly related to the number of new pacemaker implants per year, as well as the number of pacing centers in individual countries.Conclusion: Significant geographic variations exist within Europe as to the number of annual pacemaker implants and the types of pacemakers implanted. These variations are related to specific economic indices in the countries concerned.
Patient Selection for Biventricular Pacing
Authors: LUNATI MAURIZIO , PAOLUCCI MARCO , OLIVA FABRIZIO , FRIGERIO MARIA , MAGENTA GIOVANNI , CATTAFI GIUSEPPE , VECCHI RITA , VICINI ILARIA , CAVAGLIÀ SERGIO 
Published: January 2015

Biventricular Pacing. Introduction: Biventricular pacing improves functional status in the majority of patients with drug‐refractory heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, and interventricular conduction delay. The aim of this study was to analyze the baseline clinical and functional data of a cohort of patients implanted with a biventricular stimulation system in a single‐center experience, to verify if the pathophysiologic characteristics of patients affect outcome, and to determine if preliminary identification of the right candidates for the new therapy is possible with noninvasive parameters.Methods and Results: Since March 1999, 52 patients with advanced heart failure (idiopathic cardiomyopathy 50%, ischemic cardiomyopathy 35%, other etiology 15%) and left bundle branch block underwent cardiac resynchronization and were followed prospectively. Paired analysis over mean (± SD) follow‐up of 348 ± 154 days showed an overall significant decrease of QRS width (baseline 194 ± 33.2 msec vs follow‐up 159.6 ± 20.1 msec), New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (baseline 3.2 ± 0.5 vs follow‐up 2.3 ± 0.5), quality‐of‐life score (baseline 54 ± 25 vs follow‐up 25 ± 16), and increase of maximal VO2 (baseline 12.6 ± 2.5 mL/kg/min vs follow‐up 15.0 ± 3.3 mL/kg/min). There were 80% responders (documented, persistent decrease ≥1 NYHA class) and 20% nonresponders (same NYHA class or decline of status; need for heart transplant; death due to progressive pump failure). No significant differences in baseline clinical and functional variables between the two subgroups were observed. In responders, there was a highly significant global improvement of all variables; in nonresponders, no parameters changed between baseline and follow‐up.Conclusion: These data confirm the role of biventricular pacing in improving the functional status of the great majority of a selected patient population having advanced heart failure and left bundle branch block with wide QRS complex. Basal demographic, clinical, and functional characteristics are not helpful in preliminary selection of responders. Simple evaluation of NYHA class confirms favorable outcome (improvement of functional and hemodynamic status).
Evolution of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Indications: Comparison of Guidelines in the United States and Europe
Authors: STEINBECK GERHARD 
Published: January 2015

ICD Implantation Guidelines. Introduction: The rate of implantation of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) is growing much faster in the United States than in western Europe. Among several factors, education and awareness of the problem of sudden cardiac death might account for this discrepancy.Methods and Results: Guidelines for ICD implantation developed in the United States and various European countries are compared, including the one recently published by the Working Groups on Arrhythmias and Cardiac Pacing of the European Society of Cardiology. Although all guidelines fully concur in their recommendations for patients after cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, small but noticeable differences in opinion can be traced for patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia or syncope, and for primary prevention. In general, European guidelines are more restrictive for the latter indications. Whereas U.S. guidelines were quickly updated over the years, this process took much longer in Europe, and several countries only recently adopted their first guidelines.Conclusion: Although different in details, the recent release of ICD guidelines in major western European countries will undoubtedly lead to a pronounced increase of patients protected by this form of therapy in Europe in the coming years.
Echocardiographic Predictors of Survival in Patients Undergoing Radiofrequency Ablation of Postinfarct Clinical Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors: NABAR ASHISH , RODRIGUEZ LUZ‐MARIA , BATRA RAVINDER KUMAR , TIMMERMANS CARL , CHERIEX EMILE , WELLENS HEIN J.J. 
Published: January 2015

Predictors of Survival in Postinfarct VT. Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of echocardiographic parameters of systolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction for survival in a group of patients with “mappable” ventricular tachycardia (VT) after myocardial infarction who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of their clinical VT(s).Methods and Results: RFA of at least one inducible, “mappable,” and clinical VT was attempted in 61 patients. In total, 63 (79%) of 80 target clinical VTs were ablated successfully, such that clinical VT(s) were noninducible in 49 (80%) of 61 patients. At the last recorded follow‐up (range 2 to 98 months; mean 21 ± 20), nonfatal VT recurrences were observed in 11 (22%) patients; 10 (16%) patients died. On univariate analysis, a higher LV end‐diastolic volume (LVEDV; P = 0.008) and, by multivariate analysis, applying backward selection of variables, older age (P = 0.03) with a higher LVEDV (P = 0.003) predicted patients more likely to die. When age and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were excluded, LV end‐systolic diameter (LVESD; P = 0.007) was the most significant predictor of survival.Conclusion: In our patient population with postinfarct VT who underwent RFA of mappable clinical VT(s), LVEF did not predict survival. In this group of patients with overall low mean LVEF (<35%), older age together with higher LVEDV and LVESD predicted patients who were more prone to die. LV size rather than LVEF correlated with survival.
Retraction: ‘Are European birds leaving traditional wintering grounds in the Mediterranean?’, by José Luis Tellería, Álvaro Ramírez and José Ignacio Aguirre
Authors: Tellería José Luis , Ramírez Álvaro , Aguirre José Ignacio 
Published: January 2015

The above article, published online on 20 January 2015 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editors in Chief, Thomas Alerstam and Jan‐Åke Nilsson, the Nordic Society Oikos and John Wiley and Sons Ltd.The aim of this study was to answer the question, ‘Are European birds leaving traditional wintering grounds in the Mediterranean?’ Due to an analytical error the study only analysed EURING circumstance 20 ring records (see the EURING exchange code) which excludes birds hunted by shot and other ways, but not all hunted individuals. As a result, the effect of illegal hunting on ring recoveries was not controlled for in the analyses. This means that the data is affected by ring records from birds other than ‘alive and probably healthy and released by ringer’ (condition 8 in the EURING exchange code). The authors' intention always was to include both condition 8 and circumstance 20, but unfortunately this was not the case.When the data was reanalysed including both condition 8 and circumstance 20 recoveries, there is no longer any support for the main conclusion of the paper and the authors can only conclude that winter ring recoveries in Spain of some common passerines (robin, chiffchaff and blackcap) do not decrease.The authors apologise for this mistake and hope that the retraction will serve to prevent the spread of the unsound conclusions derived from this paper.
Etanercept for patients with psoriasis who did not respond or who lost their response to adalimumab or infliximab
Authors: Bissonnette R. , Maari C. , Barber K. , Lynde C.W. , Vender R. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBackgroundThere is a paucity of data on the use of etanercept in patients who have previously failed a different tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha antagonist.ObjectivesTo study etanercept in patients who did not achieve a satisfactory response to adalimumab or who lost their response to adalimumab or infliximab and to explore the role of anti‐adalimumab and anti‐infliximab antibodies in etanercept response.MethodsPatients with psoriasis who did not achieve a satisfactory response to adalimumab or who lost their response to adalimumab or infliximab were included. All patients received etanercept 50 mg twice a week for 12 weeks followed by 50 mg once a week for 12 more weeks. Anti‐infliximab and anti‐adalimumab antibodies were measured at baseline. The primary objective was to study the efficacy of etanercept using the proportion of patients who achieved a physician global assessment (PGA) of 0 or 1.ResultsA total of 81 patients were included. The proportion of patients who achieved a PGA of 0 or 1 after 24 weeks of etanercept was 20.0% (95% CI 4.8–35.2%) for patients who had an unsatisfactory response to adalimumab, 35.1% (95% CI 19.0–51.3%) and 35.7% (95% CI 7.0–64.4%) for patients who lost their response to adalimumab and infliximab respectively. The proportion of patients who achieved a PGA of 0 or 1 at week 24 was numerically higher for patients who had anti‐adalimumab or anti‐infliximab antibodies (36.5%) as compared to those without (17.2%; P = 0.08).ConclusionsEtanercept can be effective in patients with psoriasis who failed a previous TNF alpha antagonist.
The Development and Validation of An Activity Monitoring System for Use in Measurement of Posture of Childbearing Women During First Stage of Labor
Authors: Martin Caroline J. Hollins , Kenney Laurence , Pratt Thomas , Granat Malcolm H. 
Published: January 2015

IntroductionThere is limited understanding of the type and extent of maternal postures that midwives should encourage or support during labor. The aims of this study were to identify a set of postures and movements commonly seen during labor, to develop an activity monitoring system for use during labor, and to validate this system design.MethodsVolunteer student midwives simulated maternal activity during labor in a laboratory setting. Participants (N = 15) wore monitors adhered to the left thigh and left shank, and adopted 13 common postures of laboring women for 3 minutes each. Simulated activities were recorded using a video camera. Postures and movements were coded from the video, and statistical analysis conducted of agreement between coded video data and outputs of the activity monitoring system.ResultsExcellent agreement between the 2 raters of the video recordings was found (Cohen's κ = 0.95). Both sensitivity and specificity of the activity monitoring system were greater than 80% for standing, lying, kneeling, and sitting (legs dangling).DiscussionThis validated system can be used to measure elected activity of laboring women and report on effects of postures on length of first stage, pain experience, birth satisfaction, and neonatal condition. This validated maternal posture‐monitoring system is available as a reference—and for use by researchers who wish to develop research in this area.
Let bone and muscle talk together: a study of real and virtual dissection and its implications for femoral musculoskeletal structure of chimpanzees
Authors: Morimoto Naoki , Suwa Gen , Nishimura Takeshi , Ponce de León Marcia S. , Zollikofer Christoph P. E. , Lovejoy C. Owen , Nakatsukasa Masato 
Published: January 2015

AbstractProximal femoral morphology and associated musculature are of special relevance to the understanding of hominoid locomotor systems. Knowledge of bone–muscle correspondence in extant hominoids forms an important comparative basis for inferring structure–function relationships in fossil hominids. However, there is still a lack of consensus on the correspondence between muscle attachment sites and surface morphology of the proximal femoral diaphysis in chimpanzees. Two alternative observations have been proposed regarding the attachment site positions of gluteus maximus (GM) and vastus lateralis (VL) relative to two prominent surface features of the proximal femoral diaphysis, the lateral spiral pilaster and the inferolateral fossa. Here, we use a combination of virtual and physical dissection in an attempt to identify the exact correspondence between muscle attachment sites and osteological features in two specimens of Pan troglodytes verus. The results show that the insertion of the GM tendon is consistently inferolateral to the lateral spiral pilaster, and that a part of the inferolateral fossa consistently forms the attachment site of the VL muscular fibers. While overall musculoskeletal features are similar in the two specimens examined in this study, GM and VL exhibit different degrees of segregation at the level of the inferolateral fossa. One specimen exhibited tendinous GM fibers penetrating the posteromedial part of VL, with both GM and VL inserting at the inferolateral fossa. In the other specimen, GM and VL were separated by a lateral intermuscular septum, which inserted into the inferolateral fossa. Variation of proximal femoral muscle attachments in chimpanzees is thus greater than previously thought. Our results indicate that a conspicuous osteological feature such as the inferolateral fossa does not necessarily correspond to the attachment site of a single muscle, but could serve as a boundary region between two muscles. Caution is thus warranted when interpreting the surface topography of muscle attachment sites and inferring locomotor functions.
Borrower Misreporting and Loan Performance
Authors: GARMAISE MARK J. 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTBorrower misreporting is associated with seriously adverse loan outcomes. Significantly more residential mortgage borrowers reported personal assets just above round number thresholds than just below. Borrowers who reported above‐threshold assets were almost 25 percentage points more likely to become delinquent (mean delinquency was 20%). For applicants with unverified assets, the increase in delinquency was greater than 40 percentage points. Misreporting was most frequent in areas with low financial literacy or social capital. Incorporating behavioral cues such as threshold effects into a risk assessment model improves its ability to uncover delinquencies, though at a cost of mischaracterizing some safe loans.