bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Echocardiographic Measures of Cardiac Structure and Function in Healthy Octogenarians
Authors: Balcioğlu Akif Serhat , Durakoğlugil Murtaza Emre , Okyay Kaan , Tavil Yusuf , Abaci Adnan 
Published: February 2014

BackgroundCurrently, there is not enough echocardiographic information regarding aging‐associated changes in the octogenarian population. We aimed to characterize echocardiographic measures of structure and function among a group of healthy octogenarians.MethodsApproximately 350 octogenarians, residing in nursing homes, were screened in Ankara, Turkey. According to inclusion criteria, 40 octogenarians were enrolled. These subjects underwent conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography according to the guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE). The population was also separated into various groups according to gender, body mass index (BMI, <25 vs. 25–29.9), and blood pressure (<80/120 mmHg vs. 80–89/120–139 mmHg). All measurements were indexed by dividing to body surface area (BSA) for standardization.ResultsLeft ventricular mass (LVM), posterior wall thickness, right ventricular diameter, tricuspid E/A ratio, and septal e'‐wave velocity were significantly higher in men, which lost significance after adjusting for BSA. There was no significant difference between groups formed by BMI and blood pressure. Moreover, mild global left and right ventricular dysfunction including a prominent diastolic counterpart, however, with normal ejection fraction was revealed using conventional and tissue Doppler techniques. Finally, we checked our results with the current reference values of the ASE and observed the following differences: ventricular septum, relative wall thickness, LVM, and mass index values were above ASE reference range, posterior wall measurements were close to upper range. On the contrary, left ventricular diameters and volumes were below ASE reference range.ConclusionsWe described echocardiographic measures of structure and function in a group of healthy octogenarians.
Naïve subset develops the most important alloreactive response among human CD4+T lymphocytes in Human Leukocyte Antigen‐identical related setting
Authors: Chérel Mathilde , Choufi Bachra , Trauet Jacques , Cracco Pascale , Dessaint Jean‐Paul , Yakoub‐Agha Ibrahim , Labalette Myriam 
Published: February 2014

AbstractIn longitudinal clinical studies, receiving a high percentage of allogeneic donor‐derived CD4+CCR7+ T cells, which include naïve and central memory subsets have been correlated with increased incidence and severity of acute GVHD. Whether naïve and central memory CD4+ T‐cell subsets contribute more or equally to alloimmune responses are still unclear in human. The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro the alloreactive response of purified naïve, central memory, and effector memory CD4+ T‐cell subsets in HLA identical setting. By coculturing monocyte‐derived dendritic cells and purified CD4+ T‐cell subsets, from healthy HLA‐identical male and female sibling pairs, we found that naïve CD4+CCR7+CD45RA+ T cells developed the highest proliferative response upon stimulation by minor histocompatibility antigens and were progressively driven to produce high levels of interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin‐6. Comparatively, the central memory CD4+CCR7+CD45RAneg subset proliferated to a lower extent and produced very low amounts of pro‐inflammatory cytokines while the CCR7neg effector memory CD4+ subset was unresponsive. This study demonstrates the superior capacity of naïve CD4+ T cells to mount a primary alloreactive response as compared to central memory T cells. Their proliferative response associated with a pro‐inflammatory differentiation makes them potentially acute GVHD inducers. These in vitro results in line with what we have observed in clinical studies and may also lend support to approaches of partial selective T‐cell depletion for GVHD prevention.
Task‐dependent changes in late inhibitory and disinhibitory actions within the primary motor cortex in humans
Authors: Caux‐Dedeystère Alexandre , Rambour Mélanie , Duhamel Alain , Cassim François , Derambure Philippe , Devanne Hervé 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to investigate the time course of long‐interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) and late cortical disinhibition (LCD) as a function of the motor task (index abduction, thumb–index precision grip). Motor‐evoked potentials were recorded from the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) muscle of the dominant limb in 13 healthy subjects. We used paired‐pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigms in which a test pulse was preceded by a suprathreshold priming pulse (130% of the resting motor threshold) with varying interstimulus intervals (ISIs). In each task, double pulses were delivered with ISIs ranging from 30% of the corresponding silent period (SP; ~ 45 ms) to 220% of the SP (~ 330 ms). In both tasks, we found that LICI was followed by LCD (namely a period of increased cortical excitability lasting until ~ 200% of the SP). The time‐dependent modulation of LICI and LCD differed in the two tasks; LICI was shorter (i.e. disinhibition occurred earlier) and LCD was more intense during precision grip than during index abduction. Long‐interval intracortical inhibition disappeared well before the end of the SP in the precision grip task, suggesting that the mechanisms underlying these two inhibitory phenomena are distinct. Our data suggest that disinhibition might reflect adaptation of neural circuit excitability to the functional requirements of the motor task.
Regulation of pigmentation by substrate elasticity in normal human melanocytes and melanotic MNT1 human melanoma cells
Authors: Choi Hyunjung , Kim Mina , Ahn Song Ih , Cho Eun‐Gyung , Lee Tae Ryong , Shin Jennifer H. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe elasticity of the cellular microenvironment is a key regulator of cellular physiology in many cell types. To investigate the effects of substrate stiffness on the pigmentation process, we cultured normal human melanocytes (NHM) and MNT1 melanoma cells on laminin‐coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates of different stiffness. The dendricity of NHM and MNT1 cells was reduced as the substrate stiffness decreased, and the degree of melanosome transfer from NHM or MNT1 cells to normal human keratinocytes was decreased on softer substrates with the reduced dendricity. Gene and protein expressions of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP2, and gp100/PMEL17 exhibited a consistent decreasing trend with the decreasing stiffness. Because the stiffness sensing is mediated by focal adhesion complex through integrin receptors, we checked laminin specific integrin alpha 6 and p‐FAK for MNT1 cells to observe that the substrate adhesion was weakened as the substrate stiffness decreased. Weaker adhesion on a softer substrate was accompanied by dynamic shape changes in MNT1 cells with higher speed and larger scattering. Dendritic MNT1 cells cultured on a stiffer substrate exhibited lower migration with smaller root mean squared displacement. These results demonstrate the possibility that skin pigmentation can be influenced by mechanical properties of the cellular microenvironment and can increase when the skin becomes stiff.
Acyl‐coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase 1 – significance of single‐nucleotide polymorphism at residue 526 and the role of Pro347 near the fifth transmembrane domain
Authors: Huang Li‐Hao , Nishi Koji , Li Song , Ho Thomas , Dong Ruhong , Chang Catherine C. Y. , Chang Ta‐Yuan 
Published: February 2014

Acyl‐coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferases (ACATs), which are members of the membrane‐bound O‐acyltransferase family, catalyze the conversion of cholesterol to cholesteryl esters. Mammals have two isoenzymes: ACAT1 and ACAT2. Both enzymes are drug targets for treating human diseases. ACAT1 is present in various cell types. It contains nine transmembrane domains (TMDs), with the active site His460 located within TMD7, and the active site Asn421 located within the fourth large cytoplasmic loop. In human ACAT1, a single‐nucleotide polymorphism exists for residue 526: the codon is either CAG for Gln, or CGG for Arg. Gln526/Arg526 is present within the C‐terminal loop. Its biochemical significance is unknown. In addition, within the C‐terminal half of ACAT1, numerous residues conserved with those of ACAT2 are present; the functions of these conserved residues are largely unknown. Here, we performed single‐substitution mutagenesis experiments to investigate the roles of individual residues present in the C‐terminal loop, including Gln526/Arg526, and the eight conserved Pro residues located near/in various TMDs. The results show that the enzyme activity of ACAT1 with Gln526 is less active than that of ACAT1 with Arg526 by 40%. In addition, several residues in the C‐terminal loop are important for maintaining proper ACAT1 protein stability. Other results show that Pro347 plays an important role in modulating enzyme catalysis. Overall, our results imply that the CAG/CGG polymorphism can be utilized to perform ACAT1 activity/human disease susceptibility studies, and that Pro347 located near TMD5 plays an important role in modulating enzyme catalysis.
Thermal acclimation of shoot respiration in an Arctic woody plant species subjected to 22 years of warming and altered nutrient supply
Authors: Heskel Mary A. , Greaves Heather E. , Turnbull Matthew H. , O'Sullivan Odhran S. , Shaver Gaius R. , Griffin Kevin L. , Atkin Owen K. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractDespite concern about the status of carbon (C) in the Arctic tundra, there is currently little information on how plant respiration varies in response to environmental change in this region. We quantified the impact of long‐term nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) treatments and greenhouse warming on the short‐term temperature (T) response and sensitivity of leaf respiration (R), the high‐T threshold of R, and associated traits in shoots of the Arctic shrub Betula nana in experimental plots at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Respiration only acclimated to greenhouse warming in plots provided with both N and P (resulting in a ~30% reduction in carbon efflux in shoots measured at 10 and 20 °C), suggesting a nutrient dependence of metabolic adjustment. Neither greenhouse nor N+P treatments impacted on the respiratory sensitivity to T (Q10); overall, Q10 values decreased with increasing measuring T, from ~3.0 at 5 °C to ~1.5 at 35 °C. New high‐resolution measurements of R across a range of measuring Ts (25–70 °C) yielded insights into the T at which maximal rates of R occurred (Tmax). Although growth temperature did not affect Tmax, N+P fertilization increased Tmax values ~5 °C, from 53 to 58 °C. N+P fertilized shoots exhibited greater rates of R than nonfertilized shoots, with this effect diminishing under greenhouse warming. Collectively, our results highlight the nutrient dependence of thermal acclimation of leaf R in B. nana, suggesting that the metabolic efficiency allowed via thermal acclimation may be impaired at current levels of soil nutrient availability. This finding has important implications for predicting carbon fluxes in Arctic ecosystems, particularly if soil N and P become more abundant in the future as the tundra warms.
Better adherence to prescribed treatment regimen is related to less chronic pain among adolescents and young adults with moderate or severe haemophilia
Authors: McLaughlin J. M. , Witkop M. L. , Lambing A. , Anderson T. L. , Munn J. , Tortella B. 
Published: February 2014

SummaryLittle data exist, especially for adolescent and young adult (AYA) persons with haemophilia (PWH), about the relationship between adherence to prescribed treatment regimen and chronic pain. We examined this relationship among PWH (moderate or severe) aged 13–25 via cross‐sectional survey. Adherence was assessed using the Validated Hemophilia Regimen Treatment Adherence Scale (VERITAS)‐Pro and VERITAS‐PRN for prophylactic and on‐demand participants respectively. VERITAS scores range from 24 (most adherent) to 120 (least adherent). Chronic pain was measured using the FPS‐R and was dichotomized as high for FPS‐R scores ≥4 and low for <4. Logistic regression models were constructed to assess factors associated with having high (vs. low) chronic pain. Of 80 AYA respondents (79 men), most had severe disease (91%), infused prophylactically (86%) and had haemophilia A (91%). Fifty‐one per cent were aged 13–17 and most were white (76%), non‐Hispanic (88%) and never married (93%). Chronic pain was reported as high for 35% of respondents. Mean VERITAS‐Pro scores for those with high and low chronic pain were 53.6 ± 12.3 vs. 47.4 ± 12.9, P = 0.05. VERITAS‐PRN scores were similar across chronic pain status. Logistic regression revealed that for each 10‐point reduction (i.e. increase in adherence) in the combined VERITAS (Pro and PRN) and VERITAS‐Pro scores there was a 35% (OR = 0.65; 95%CI = 0.44, 0.96; P = 0.03) and 39% (OR = 0.61; 95%CI = 0.39, 0.96; P = 0.03) reduction in odds of having high chronic pain respectively. Among AYA PWHs, better adherence was associated with significantly lower odds of having high chronic pain. Moreover, non‐whites were >4 times as likely as whites to report high chronic pain.
Usefulness of evaluating hepatic elasticity using artificial acoustic radiation force ultrasonography before hepatectomy
Authors: Nanashima Atsushi , Sakamoto Ayami , Sakamoto Ichiro , Hayashi Hideyuki , Abo Takafumi , Wakata Kouki , Murakami Goushi , Arai Junichi , Wada Hideo , Takagi Katsunori , Takeshita Hiroaki , Hidaka Shigekazu , To Kazuo , Nagayasu Takeshi 
Published: February 2014

AimTo evaluate hepatic fibrosis and tumor diagnosis preoperatively, we investigated the elasticity calculated by the new parameter of ultrasonography, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI).MethodsWe examined ARFI of the non‐tumorous right and left lateral liver and in the tumor by push pulse of probe in 95 patients with hepatic malignancies undergoing hepatectomy. Measurement of ARFI as hepatic stiffness was indicated as the Vs (m/s).ResultsMeasuring the Vs in the non‐tumor region was achieved in the right liver in 99% and at the left lateral liver in 94%. The Vs in the right liver was significantly lower than in the left lateral liver, and the Vs of the liver tumor was significantly higher than in the non‐tumorous liver. The Vs in the right and left lateral liver was correlated with the platelet count, aspartate aminotransferase, fibrotic indices and indocyanine green test. The Vs in the right liver was significantly correlated with the fibrotic marker or index. The Vs of liver cirrhosis and histological stage 4 in the right and left liver was significantly the highest compared to the others. The Vs in the right liver showed a high area under the receiver–operator curve value predicting histological fibrosis. The Vs in the right was significantly correlated with blood loss and postoperative complications, particularly uncontrolled ascites.ConclusionNon‐invasive ARFI imaging elastography is useful in evaluating impaired liver function or in the differential diagnosis of liver malignancies, highly hepatic fibrosis and in predicting posthepatectomy morbidity.
Diversity of Ichneumonidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in a protected area of Central Spain: What are we protecting?
Authors: Mazón Marina , Bordera Santiago 
Published: February 2014

Abstract

Invertebrates are rarely considered when designing protected areas, and their biodiversity patterns in these areas are almost always unknown.

We studied the spatial and temporal diversity of Ichneumonidae in five selected habitats of Cabañeros National Park: grazing pastureland, shrubland, and three types of woodland (Pyrenean oak, cork oak, and ash woodlands). We focused on 11 subfamilies, with species classified into trophic guilds.

The highest diversity and richness of Ichneumonidae were found in ash woodland and pastureland, each with similar structural habitat complexity. Species turnover between habitats was about 50% and it contributed more to the total species richness than the fauna inherent to the habitats, though less to the total species diversity.

Shrubland is transitional between pasture and woodland and Ichneumonidae assemblages in this habitat are rather different in their species composition from the others.

Parasitoids of phytophages are well represented in all habitats; other guilds are more related to specific habitats, e.g. parasitoids of xylophages in shrubland.

We suggest that shrub may be invading and isolating some of the woodlands. The mosaic landscape of the National Park, including open areas, is essential to ensure the conservation of parasitoids.
Effects of NaOCl, EDTA and MTAD when applied to dentine on stress distribution in post‐restored roots with flared canals
Authors: Belli S. , Eraslan O. , Eraslan O. , Eskitascioglu M. , Eskitascioglu G. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAimTo evaluate the effect of NaOCl, EDTA and MTAD on the stress distribution and levels in roots with flared canals and three different aesthetic post systems using finite element stress analysis (FEA).MethodologyThree‐dimensional (3D) FEA models simulating a maxillary incisor with excessive structural loss and flared root canals were created. The dentine of the first models of each post group was assumed as homogenous, whereas the others were deemed as having their elastic modulus affected up to 100 μm deep as a result of irrigation protocol (5.25 NaOCl, 17% EDTA and MTAD for 2 h). A sound incisor tooth model was used as the control. Restorations were created according to the post system used (pre‐fabricated fibre post (PFP)), polyethylene fibre (Ribbond) post and core build‐up (RBP), and one‐piece milled zirconia post and core (ZP). Ceramic crowns were added to the models. A 300‐N static load was applied at the centre of the palatal surface of the models to calculate the stress distributions. The SolidWorks/Cosmosworks structural analysis programmes were used for FEA analysis. Results were presented by considering von Mises criteria.ResultsThe analysis of the von Mises stresses revealed that RBP created less stress in the remaining root dentine when compared to PFP and ZP. ZP maintained the stresses inside its body and reduced stress on the palatal surface of the root; however, it forwarded more stress towards the apical area. NaOCl‐, EDTA‐ and MTAD‐treated dentine increased the stresses within the root structure regardless of the effect of the post system used (11–15.4 MPa for PFP, 9.5–13.02 MPa for RBP and 14.2 MPa for ZP). Amongst the irrigation solutions used, EDTA and MTAD increased the stresses more than NaOCl in all models. All the irrigation solutions showed the same stress levels and distributions in the ZP model.ConclusionNaOCl‐, EDTA‐ and MTAD‐ treated dentine and a rigid post with high elastic modulus may increase fracture risk in roots with flared canals by increasing the stresses within root dentine. Therefore, solutions that alter the elastic modulus of dentine less (such as NaOCl) or an individually shaped post–core system constructed with a material that has an elastic modulus close to dentine (polyethylene fibre) should be used in weak roots.
In vitro biocompatibility of a dentine substitute cement on human MG63 osteoblasts cells: Biodentine™ versus MTA®
Authors: Attik G. N. , Villat C. , Hallay F. , Pradelle‐Plasse N. , Bonnet H. , Moreau K. , Colon P. , Grosgogeat B. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAimTo compare the in vitro biocompatibility of Biodentine™ and White ProRoot® mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA®) with MG63 osteoblast‐like cells and to characterize the cement surface.MethodologyA direct contact model for MG63 osteoblast‐like cells with cements was used for 1, 3 and 5 days. Four end‐points were investigated: (i) cement surface characterization by atomic force microscopy (AFM), (ii) cell viability by MTT assay, (iii) protein amount quantification by Bradford assay and (iv) cell morphology by SEM. Statistical analyses were performed by analysis of variance (anova) with a repetition test method.ResultsThe roughness of the cements was comparable as revealed by AFM analysis. The MTT test for Biodentine™ was similar to that of MTA®. Biodentine™ and MTA® induced a similar but slight decrease in metabolic activity. The amount of total protein was significantly enhanced at day three (P < 0.05) but slightly decreased at day five for both tested samples. Biodentine™ was tolerated as well as MTA® in all cytotoxicity assays. SEM observations showed improvement of cell attachment and proliferation on both material surfaces following the three incubation periods.ConclusionThe biocompatibility of Biodentine™ to bone cells was comparable to MTA®.
Hydrogen sulphide increases hepatic differentiation of human tooth pulp stem cells compared with human bone marrow stem cells
Authors: Okada M. , Ishkitiev N. , Yaegaki K. , Imai T. , Tanaka T. , Fukuda M. , Ono S. , Haapasalo M. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAimTo determine the differences in stem cell properties, in hepatic differentiation and in the effects of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) on hepatic differentiation between human bone marrow stem cells (hBMC) and stem cells from human exfoliated primary tooth pulp (SHED).MethodologyCD117+ cells were magnetically separated and subjected to hepatic differentiation. CD117+ cell lineages were characterized for transcription factors indicative of stem cells by qRT‐PCR. For the last 9 days of the differentiation, the test cells were exposed to 0.1 ng mL−1 H2S. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry of albumin, alpha‐fetoprotein and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase were carried out after differentiation. Urea concentration and glycogen synthesis were also determined.ResultsGenes expressed in SHED were also expressed in BMC. No difference in expression level of hepatic markers was shown by immunofluorescence. SHED showed more positive cells than hBMC (P < 0.01). H2S increased the number of positive cells in both cultures (P < 0.01). Urea concentration and glycogen synthesis increased significantly after H2S exposure (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Real‐time PCR data were analysed by RT2 profiler RT‐PCR Array Data Analysis version 3.5 (Qiagen), and ELISA data were analysed by Bonferroni's multiple comparison using Windows spss version 16 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Bonferroni's multiple comparison test was also carried out after angle transformation for the percentage data of flow cytometer using Windows spss® version 16 (SPSS Inc). Statistical significance was accepted at P < 0.05.ConclusionsStem cells from human exfoliated primary tooth pulp and BMC have similar properties. The level of hepatic differentiation in SHED compared with BMC was the same or higher. H2S increased the level of hepatic differentiation.