bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cross-linking of sodium caseinate-structured emulsion with transglutaminase alters postprandial metabolic and appetite responses in healthy young individuals
Authors: Juvonen Kristiina R. , Macierzanka Adam , Lille Martina E. , Laaksonen David E. , Mykkänen Hannu M. , Niskanen Leo K. , Pihlajamäki Jussi , Mäkelä Kari A. , Mills Clare E. N. , Mackie Alan R. , Malcolm Paul , Herzig Karl-Heinz , Poutanen Kaisa S. , Karhunen Leila J. 
Published: July 2015

The physico-chemical and interfacial properties of fat emulsions influence lipid digestion and may affect postprandial responses. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the modification of the interfacial layer of a fat emulsion by cross-linking on postprandial metabolic and appetite responses. A total of fifteen healthy individuals (26·5 (sem6·9) years and BMI 21·9 (sem2·0) kg/m2) participated in a cross-over design experiment in which they consumed two isoenergetic (1924 kJ (460 kcal)) and isovolumic (250 g) emulsions stabilised with either sodium caseinate (Cas) or transglutaminase-cross-linked sodium caseinate (Cas-TG) in a randomised order. Blood samples were collected from the individuals at baseline and for 6 h postprandially for the determination of serum TAG and plasma NEFA, cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), glucose and insulin responses. Appetite was assessed using visual analogue scales. Postprandial TAG and NEFA responses and gastric emptying (GE) rates were comparable between the emulsions. CCK increased more after the ingestion of Cas-TG than after the ingestion of Cas (P< 0·05), while GLP-1 responses did not differ between the two test emulsions. Glucose and insulin profiles were lower after consuming Cas-TG than after consuming Cas (P< 0·05). The overall insulin, glucose and CCK responses, expressed as areas above/under the curve, did not differ significantly between the Cas and Cas-TG meal conditions. Satiety ratings were reduced and hunger, desire to eat and thirst ratings increased more after the ingestion of Cas-TG than after the ingestion of Cas (P< 0·05). The present results suggest that even a subtle structural modification of the interfacial layer of a fat emulsion can alter the early postprandial profiles of glucose, insulin, CCK, appetite and satiety through decreased protein digestion without affecting significantly on GE or overall lipid digestion.
Interspecific competition between Snellenius manilae and Meteorus pulchricornis, larval parasitoids of Spodoptera litura
Authors: Chen W.-T. , Hwang S.-Y. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractSnellenius manilae (Ashmead) and Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are larval endoparasitoids of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Both species preferentially parasitize early-instar S. litura and occupy similar ecological niches. Therefore, competition between the two species may occur. In this study, intrinsic competition and cage experiments were conducted to discuss the interactions between S. manilae and M. pulchricornis. The results indicated that in intrinsic competition, M. pulchricornis was always the dominant species. In cage experiments, when the total number of parasitoids was four, the parasitism rates following the release of one species were significantly higher than the release of two species simultaneously. In addition, parasitism rate of eight M. pulchricornis was also significantly higher than the parasitism rate of the treatment released four S. manilae and four M. pulchricornis simultaneously. Therefore, competition occurs between S. manilae and M. pulchricornis, and M. pulchricornis is typically the superior of the two species. The use of M. pulchricornis as a biological agent for S. litura should be considered.
Long-term growth of body, body parts and composition of gain of dairy goat wethers
Authors: ARAUJO R. P. , VIEIRA R. A. M. , ROCHA N. S. , ABREU M. L. C. , GLÓRIA L. S. , ROHEM JÚNIOR N. M. , FERNANDES A. M. 
Published: July 2015

SUMMARYThe goal of the present study was to characterize the growth of body parts and composition of the growing empty body to infer how these aspects relate to the long-term growth of goat wethers from dairy breeds. Animals were slaughtered at several ages from birth to maturity (≅900 days old). All body parts were weighed and sampled to determine chemical constituent dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, ash and specific energy. The monomolecular (Brody), Gompertz, and Richards models, a biphasic model formed by the combined Brody and Gompertz functions, and a simple linear model were fitted to the growth profiles with different variance functions and were all evaluated using likelihood-information criteria. The effect of breed (genotype) was accounted for in all models but the resulting models were not more likely than the models without the breed effect. Remarkable differences were observed regarding inflection points, growth rates and trends for all body parts and chemical constituents of the body. The biphasic model did not supplant the monomolecular, Gompertz, Richards or the linear model in terms of likelihood-information criteria. Therefore, body parts and chemical constituents of the empty body presented monomolecular, sigmoid and linear time-trends. The growth profiles of fat, protein and energy of the empty body did not scale isometrically with the empty body proper. In addition, the variance was heteroscedastic along the time scale and was better represented by both an exponential variance over time or by a power function of the mean.
The use of multiple restriction enzymes in terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and identification of performance-related caecal bacterial groups in growing broiler chickens
Authors: RUIZ R. , BARROSO-DELJESÚS A. , LARA L. , RUBIO L. A. 
Published: July 2015

SUMMARYFour restriction enzymes (AluI, HhaI, MspI and RsaI), either individually or in combination, were used in terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis to: (i) characterize the chicken intestinal bacterial community; and (ii) tentatively identify intestinal bacterial groups related with increased performance parameters in broiler chickens. Balanced commercial diets free of any feed antibiotics were offered to broilers assigned randomly to one of the five dietary treatments: control (C) (commercial diet with no additive), inulin (I), fructose caramel, propyl propane thiosulphonate (PTS-O)-45 and PTS-O-90. Except for the inulin-supplemented diet, multivariate statistical analysis of T-RFLP profiles based on individual enzymes or their combinations showed that the caecal bacterial community composition was significantly different among diets, particularly between the control and the supplemented diets. Individual RsaI and the combination AluI + RsaI proved to be the most useful to discriminate between dietary treatments. Clostridiaceae 1, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae and Micrococcaceae were tentatively identified as those families most likely to be implicated in defining the caecal microbiota composition of growing broiler chickens, and also as those most closely related with differences in productive parameters.
EXPLAINING THE GAP IN ANTENATAL CARE SERVICE UTILIZATION BETWEEN YOUNGER AND OLDER MOTHERS IN GHANA
Authors: Boamah Sheila A. , Amoyaw Jonathan , Luginaah Isaac 
Published: July 2015

SummaryOver two-thirds of pregnant women (69%) have at least one antenatal care (ANC) coverage contact in sub-Saharan Africa. However, to achieve the full life-saving potential that ANC promises for women and babies, a nuanced understanding of age-specific gaps in utilization of ANC services is required. Using the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey of 1456 individuals, this study examined the disparities in the use of ANC services between younger and older mothers by applying four counterfactual decomposition techniques. The results show that cross-group differences in the explanatory variables largely account for the differentials in ANC service utilization between younger and older mothers. Birth order (parity) accounts for the largest share of the contribution to the overall explained gap in ANC utilization between the younger and older mothers, suggesting that ANC differentials between the two groups are probably due to biosocial factors. To a lesser extent, wealth status of the two groups also contributes to the overall explained gap in ANC service utilization. The policy implications of these findings are that in order to bridge the ANC service utilization gap between the two groups, policymakers must systematically address gaps in cross-group differences in the explanatory variables in order to increase the utilization of ANC to attain the minimum recommendation of four visits as per World Health Organization guidelines.
Routine non-thyroid head and neck cytology in a large UK centre: clinical utility and pitfalls
Authors: Kaye P V , Pigera M , Khan M M , Hollows P , Beasley N 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjective:This study aimed to examine the performance of head and neck cytology at Nottingham University Hospitals between 2009 and 2010.Methods:Cases were extracted from the Winpath pathology reporting system and correlations were investigated between results and the histological and clinical outcomes. Specimen adequacy and the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy of the cytology tests were calculated.Results:In all, 19.7 per cent of aspirates were judged to be inadequate. The absolute and relative sensitivities of head and neck cytology were 87.0 per cent and 89.0 per cent, respectively, and the absolute and relative specificities were 99.0 per cent and 97.0 per cent, respectively. The positive predictive values were 99.0 per cent and 96.0 per cent and the negative predictive values were 92.0 per cent and 92.0 per cent for a diagnostic accuracy of 94.5 per cent and 93.0 per cent. The performance was consistent with previous reports and superior to that of a recent UK series. The high rate of inadequate samples is, however, a concern.Conclusion:Head and neck cytology is a robust technique at our institution, although there are certain problem areas. There is room for improvement in the technical quality of fine needle aspiration.
Incidence of malignancy in solitary thyroid nodules
Authors: Keh S M , El-Shunnar S K , Palmer T , Ahsan S F 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjectives:This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of solitary thyroid nodules in patients who underwent thyroid surgery.Methods:A retrospective review was performed of the case notes of all adult patients who underwent thyroid surgery from January 2003 to December 2009. All patients with solitary thyroid nodules identified by ultrasonography were included.Results:In total, 225 patients underwent thyroid surgery. The prevalence of solitary thyroid nodules was 27.1 per cent (61 out of 225 patients). Seventy-two per cent of patients were women and the mean age at presentation was 52 ± 16 years. In all, 75.4 per cent of solitary nodules had neoplastic pathology and the malignancy rate was 34.4 per cent. The sensitivity and specificity of fine needle aspiration cytology for neoplasm detection were 73.9 per cent and 80.0 per cent, respectively. There was no association between the various ultrasonography parameters and malignancy risk (p > 0.05).Conclusion:Solitary thyroid nodules should be investigated thoroughly with a high index of suspicion because there is a high probability (34.0 per cent) of malignancy.
Otomastoiditis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria: report of 16 cases, 3 with infection intracranially
Authors: Lundman L , Edvardsson H , Ängeby K 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjective:To analyse the clinical presentation, treatment and outcome in patients diagnosed with otomastoiditis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria.Methods:A retrospective case review of 16 patients diagnosed with otomastoiditis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria from 2000 to 2012 was conducted in a hospital and tertiary referral centre in Sweden. The main outcome measures were microbiology findings, and surgical and medical interventions and outcomes. In addition, the relevant literature was reviewed.Results:In three patients with otomastoiditis, the disease had spread intracranially. The bacteriological findings revealed Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 12), Mycobacterium fortuitum (n = 2) and Mycobacterium avium complex (n = 2). Surgical treatment was undertaken in all but three patients, including exploration of the temporal lobe in one patient. Systemic antibiotic treatment was given to all but one patient. Eight patients healed completely. Eight patients developed hearing loss. Two patients had relapse of the mycobacterial infection several months after the antibiotic treatment had been discontinued.Conclusion:Non-tuberculous otomastoiditis is a severe ear disease with challenging considerations, and should be treated aggressively in order to avoid morbidity.
Isolated herpes simplex in the adult larynx as a rare complication of methotrexate-induced immunosuppression
Authors: Lee J , Ojha S , Hughes J , Weir J 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjective:This report describes the clinical presentation and management of a rare case of herpes simplex virus infection in the larynx of a patient treated with methotrexate.Case report:We report a case of a clinically suspicious laryngeal lesion in an 82-year-old woman who started methotrexate treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Shortly afterwards she developed dysphonia, which worsened over four months. On microlaryngoscopy, there was bilateral erythema and ulceration of the vocal folds. No other mucocutaneous lesions or systemic features were present. Biopsies revealed herpes simplex virus infection of the vocal folds; there was complete resolution with oral aciclovir. A brief literature review for this rare entity is presented and the diagnostic challenges arising from under-recognition of atypical presentations are discussed.Conclusion:To our knowledge, this is the first report of a rare complication of herpes simplex virus infection in the context of methotrexate-induced immunosuppression. It may present therapeutic challenges for conditions which rely on immunosuppressive treatments.
Regrowth of the adenoids after adenoidectomy down to the pharyngobasilar fascial surface
Authors: Wei L , Wang M , Hua N , Tong K , Zhai L , Wang Z 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjectives:This study aimed to explore adenoid regrowth after transoral power-assisted adenoidectomy down to the pharyngobasilar fascial surface.Methods:Transoral adenoidectomy down to the pharyngobasilar fascia surface was performed on 39 patients under endoscopic guidance, using a power-assisted system. The operation time, amount of blood loss and iatrogenic injury, presence of complications, and success and regrowth rates were recorded to assess the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of our surgical technique.Results:In this adenoidectomy procedure, the pharyngobasilar fascia was left intact. The estimated blood loss was 5–50 ml (mean 15 ml), and the success rate was 97.3 per cent. Early complications occurred in 2.3 per cent of patients, while no long-term complications occurred in the cohort. No regrowth was found in the follow-up assessments, which were performed for 18–36 months after surgery.Conclusion:Adenoid regrowth was rare after adenoidectomy down to the pharyngobasilar fascial surface. The pharyngobasilar fascia can therefore be considered a surgical boundary for adenoidectomy.
How effective are common ENT operations?
Authors: Seymour N C 
Published: July 2015

AbstractObjective:To review the literature on the outcomes of ENT operations in order to assess whether ENT operations are effective.Methods:The value of evidence-based medicine in relation to ENT was appraised, as was the perception of effectiveness. Literature on common ENT operations, including grommet insertion, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, and correction of the nasal septum, was evaluated.Results and conclusion:When evaluating the effectiveness of ENT operations, the patient's overall condition and improvements after surgery should be measured. Objective and subjective factors should both be considered as good evidence, especially with the increasing role that evidence-based medicine plays in decisions of whether to operate. The literature review provides evidence that ENT operations are effective.
FhCaBP2: a Fasciola hepatica calcium-binding protein with EF-hand and dynein light chain domains
Authors: THOMAS CHARLOTTE M. , TIMSON DAVID J. 
Published: July 2015

SUMMARYFhCaBP2 is a Fasciola hepatica protein which belongs to a family of helminth calcium-binding proteins which combine an N-terminal domain containing two EF-hand motifs and a C-terminal dynein light chain-like (DLC-like) domain. Its predicted structure showed two globular domains joined by a flexible linker. Recombinant FhCaBP2 interacted reversibly with calcium and manganese ions, but not with magnesium, barium, strontium, copper (II), colbalt (II), iron (II), nickel, lead or potassium ions. Cadmium (II) ions appeared to bind non-site-specifically and destabilize the protein. Interaction with either calcium or magnesium ions results in a conformational change in which the protein's surface becomes more hydrophobic. The EF-hand domain alone was able to interact with calcium and manganese ions; the DLC-like domain was not. Alteration of a residue (Asp-58 to Ala) in the second EF-hand motif in this domain abolished ion-binding activity. This suggests that the second EF-hand is the one responsible for ion-binding. FhCaBP2 homodimerizes and the extent of dimerization was not affected by calcium ions or by the aspartate to alanine substitution in the second EF-hand. The isolated EF-hand and DLC-like domains are both capable of homodimerization. FhCaBP2 interacted with the calmodulin antagonists trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, thiamylal and W7. Interestingly, while chlorpromazine and thiamylal interacted with the EF-hand domain (as expected), trifluoperazine and W7 bound to the DLC-like domain. Overall, FhCaBP2 has distinct biochemical properties compared with other members of this protein family from Fasciola hepatica, a fact which supports the hypothesis that these proteins have different physiological roles.
Netrin-1 regulates somatic cell reprogramming and pluripotency maintenance
Authors: Ozmadenci Duygu , Féraud Olivier , Markossian Suzy , Kress Elsa , Ducarouge Benjamin , Gibert Benjamin , Ge Jian , Durand Isabelle , Gadot Nicolas , Plateroti Michela , Bennaceur-Griscelli Annelise , Scoazec Jean-Yves , Gil Jesus , Deng Hongkui , Bernet Agnes , Mehlen Patrick , Lavial Fabrice 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells holds great promise in regenerative medicine. The use of the transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc for reprogramming is extensively documented, but comparatively little is known about soluble molecules promoting reprogramming. Here we identify the secreted cue Netrin-1 and its receptor DCC, described for their respective survival/death functions in normal and oncogenic contexts, as reprogramming modulators. In various somatic cells, we found that reprogramming is accompanied by a transient transcriptional repression of Netrin-1 mediated by an Mbd3/Mta1/Chd4-containing NuRD complex. Mechanistically, Netrin-1 imbalance induces apoptosis mediated by the receptor DCC in a p53-independent manner. Correction of the Netrin-1/DCC equilibrium constrains apoptosis and improves reprogramming efficiency. Our work also sheds light on Netrin-1’s function in protecting embryonic stem cells from apoptosis mediated by its receptor UNC5b, and shows that the treatment with recombinant Netrin-1 improves the generation of mouse and human iPS cells.
Thickness dependence of the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction in inversion symmetry broken systems
Authors: Cho Jaehun , Kim Nam-Hui , Lee Sukmock , Kim June-Seo , Lavrijsen Reinoud , Solignac Aurelie , Yin Yuxiang , Han Dong-Soo , van Hoof Niels J. J. , Swagten Henk J. M. , Koopmans Bert , You Chun-Yeol 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn magnetic multilayer systems, a large spin-orbit coupling at the interface between heavy metals and ferromagnets can lead to intriguing phenomena such as the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, the spin Hall effect, the Rashba effect, and especially the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (IDM) interaction. This interfacial nature of the IDM interaction has been recently revisited because of its scientific and technological potential. Here we demonstrate an experimental technique to straightforwardly observe the IDM interaction, namely Brillouin light scattering. The non-reciprocal spin wave dispersions, systematically measured by Brillouin light scattering, allow not only the determination of the IDM energy densities beyond the regime of perpendicular magnetization but also the revelation of the inverse proportionality with the thickness of the magnetic layer, which is a clear signature of the interfacial nature. Altogether, our experimental and theoretical approaches involving double time Green’s function methods open up possibilities for exploring magnetic hybrid structures for engineering the IDM interaction.
Digital quantum simulation of fermionic models with a superconducting circuit
Authors: Barends R. , Lamata L. , Kelly J. , García-Álvarez L. , Fowler A. G. , Megrant A , Jeffrey E , White T. C. , Sank D. , Mutus J. Y. , Campbell B. , Chen Yu , Chen Z. , Chiaro B. , Dunsworth A. , Hoi I.-C. , Neill C. , O’Malley P. J. J. , Quintana C. , Roushan P. , Vainsencher A. , Wenner J. , Solano E. , Martinis John M. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractOne of the key applications of quantum information is simulating nature. Fermions are ubiquitous in nature, appearing in condensed matter systems, chemistry and high energy physics. However, universally simulating their interactions is arguably one of the largest challenges, because of the difficulties arising from anticommutativity. Here we use digital methods to construct the required arbitrary interactions, and perform quantum simulation of up to four fermionic modes with a superconducting quantum circuit. We employ in excess of 300 quantum logic gates, and reach fidelities that are consistent with a simple model of uncorrelated errors. The presented approach is in principle scalable to a larger number of modes, and arbitrary spatial dimensions.
Carbon-doped BN nanosheets for metal-free photoredox catalysis
Authors: Huang Caijin , Chen Cheng , Zhang Mingwen , Lin Lihua , Ye Xinxin , Lin Sen , Antonietti Markus , Wang Xinchen 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe generation of sustainable and stable semiconductors for solar energy conversion by photoredox catalysis, for example, light-induced water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction, is a key challenge of modern materials chemistry. Here we present a simple synthesis of a ternary semiconductor, boron carbon nitride, and show that it can catalyse hydrogen or oxygen evolution from water as well as carbon dioxide reduction under visible light illumination. The ternary B–C–N alloy features a delocalized two-dimensional electron system with sp2 carbon incorporated in the h-BN lattice where the bandgap can be adjusted by the amount of incorporated carbon to produce unique functions. Such sustainable photocatalysts made of lightweight elements facilitate the innovative construction of photoredox cascades to utilize solar energy for chemical conversion.