bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Luminescence study of Dy or Ce activated LiCaBO3 phosphor for γ‐ray and C5+ ion beam irradiation
Authors: Oza Abha H. , Dhoble N. S. , Lochab S. P. , Dhoble S. J. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe photoluminescence and thermoluminescence characteristics of rare earths (Dy or Ce) activated LiCaBO3 phosphors have been studied. Phosphors were synthesized by modified solid state synthesis. The phosphors were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) for structural, morphological and luminescence studies. Dy3+ activated LiCaBO3 shows emission at 486 and 577 nm due to 4 F9/2 → 6H15/2 and 4 F9/2 → 6H13/2 transition, respectively, whereas the PL emission spectra of Ce3+ activated LiCaBO3 phosphor shows a broad band peaking at 432 nm, which is due to the transition from 5d level to the ground state of the Ce3+ ion. The thermoluminescence study was also carried out for both these phosphors for γ‐ray irradiation and carbon beam irradiation. Linearity was studied for a 0.4–3.1 Rad dose γ‐rays. Linear behaviour over this dose range was observed. Gamma ray‐irradiated phosphors were shown to be negligible fading upon storage. All the samples were also studied for 75 MeV C5+ ion beam exposure in the range of 3.75 × 1012 – 7.5 × 1013 ion cm–2 fluence. In addition to this, trapping parameters of all the samples were also calculated using Chen's peak shape method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanism of alcohol‐enhanced lucigenin chemiluminescence in alkaline solution
Authors: Chi Quan , Chen Wanying , He Zhike 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe chemiluminescence (CL) of lucigenin (Luc2+) can be enhanced by different alcohols in alkaline solution. The effect of different fatty alcohols on the CL of lucigenin was related to the carbon chain length and the number of hydroxyl groups. Glycerol provides the greatest enhancement. UV/Vis absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra showed that N‐methylacridone (NMA) was produced in the CL reaction in the presence of different alcohols. The peak of the CL spectrum was located at 470 nm in all cases, indicating that the luminophore was always the excited‐state NMA. The quenching of lucigenin CL by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the electron spin resonance (ESR) results with the spin trap of 5,5‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline N‐oxide (DMPO) demonstrated that superoxide anions (O2•–) were generated from dissolved oxygen in the CL reaction and that glycerol and dihydroxyacetone (DHA) can promote O2•− production by the reduction of dissolved oxygen in alkaline solution. It was assumed that the enhancement provided by different alcohols was related to the solvent effect and reducing capacity. Glycerol and DHA can also reduce Luc2+ into lucigenin cation radicals (Luc•+), which react with O2•− to produce CL, and glycerol can slowly transform into DHA, which is oxidized quickly in alkaline solution. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Buffer‐free therapeutic antibody preparations provide a viable alternative to conventionally buffered solutions: From protein buffer capacity prediction to bioprocess applications
Authors: Bahrenburg Sven , Karow Anne R. , Garidel Patrick 
Published: January 2015

AbstractProtein therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), have significant buffering capacity, particularly at concentrations >50 mg/mL. This report addresses pH‐related issues critical to adoption of self‐buffered monoclonal antibody formulations. We evaluated solution conditions with protein concentrations ranging from 50 to 250 mg/mL. Samples were both buffer‐free and conventionally buffered with citrate. Samples were non‐isotonic or adjusted for isotonicity with NaCl or trehalose. Studies included accelerated temperature stability tests, shaking stability studies, and pH changes in infusion media as protein concentrate is added. We present averaged buffering slopes of capacity that can be applied to any mAb and present a general method for calculating buffering capacity of buffer‐free, highly concentrated antibody liquid formulations. In temperature stability tests, neither buffer‐free nor conventionally buffered solution conditions showed significant pH changes. Conventionally buffered solutions showed significantly higher opalescence than buffer‐free ones. In general, buffer‐free solution conditions showed less aggregation than conventionally buffered solutions. Shaking stability tests showed no differences between buffer‐free and conventionally buffered solutions. “In‐use” preparation experiments showed that pH in infusion bag medium can rapidly approximate that of self‐buffered protein concentrate as concentrate is added. In summary, the buffer capacity of proteins can be predicted and buffer‐free therapeutic antibody preparations provide a viable alternative to conventionally buffered solutions.
“On the job” learning: A bioinformatics course incorporating undergraduates in actual research projects and manuscript submissions
Authors: Smith Jason T. , Harris Justine C. , Lopez Oscar J. , Valverde Laura , Borchert Glen M. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe sequencing of whole genomes and the analysis of genetic information continues to fundamentally change biological and medical research. Unfortunately, the people best suited to interpret this data (biologically trained researchers) are commonly discouraged by their own perceived computational limitations. To address this, we developed a course to help alleviate this constraint. Remarkably, in addition to equipping our undergraduates with an informatic toolset, we found our course design helped prepare our students for collaborative research careers in unexpected ways. Instead of simply offering a traditional lecture‐ or laboratory‐based course, we chose a guided inquiry method, where an instructor‐selected research question is examined by students in a collaborative analysis with students contributing to experimental design, data collection, and manuscript reporting. While students learn the skills needed to conduct bioinformatic research throughout all sections of the course, importantly, students also gain experience in working as a team and develop important communication skills through working with their partner and the class as a whole, and by contributing to an original research article. Remarkably, in its first three semesters, this novel computational genetics course has generated 45 undergraduate authorships across three peer‐reviewed articles. More importantly, the students that took this course acquired a positive research experience, newfound informatics technical proficiency, unprecedented familiarity with manuscript preparation, and an earned sense of achievement. Although this course deals with analyses of genetic systems, we suggest the basic concept of integrating actual research projects into a 16‐week undergraduate course could be applied to numerous other research‐active academic fields. © 2015 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43(3):154–161, 2015.
The chromatographic assay of 4‐hydroxynonenal as a biomarker of diseases by means of MEPS and HPLC technique
Authors: Ligor Magdalena , Ligor Tomasz , Gadzała‐Kopciuch Renata , Buszewski Bogusław 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe aim of this study was to develop and validate a new analytical method for the determination of 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal (4‐HNE) in biological samples while applying microextraction by packed sorbent as a sample preparation method and HPLC with UV–vis detection. Various microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) sorbents like C2, C8, C18, M1 (80% C8 and 20% SCX) and silica were used to separate 4‐HNE from biological samples. The highest affinity of 4‐HNE was observed for sorbents like C18. The extraction efficiency was in the range from 47.4 to 89.2% dependent on the concentration of 4‐HNE. Lower efficiency of 4‐HNE extraction was obtained with use of MEPS packings such as C8 and M1. The extraction efficiency was in the range from 35.2 to 66.3% for packing C8 and from 34.2 to 64.3% for packing M1, respectively. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantitation for UV–vis detection were respectively 4.5 and 9.0 nmol/mL. The proposed method can be used for the evaluation of extraction efficiency of 4‐HNE in biological sample because the values of lower limit of quantitation are lower than the determined amounts of the analyte in samples. The method yields excellent performance of quantification and identification in analysis of inflammation biomarkers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth inhibitory effects of miR‐221 and miR‐222 in non‐small cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Yamashita Ryo , Sato Mitsuo , Kakumu Tomohiko , Hase Tetsunari , Yogo Naoyuki , Maruyama Eiichi , Sekido Yoshitaka , Kondo Masashi , Hasegawa Yoshinori 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBoth pro‐ and anti‐oncogenic roles of miR‐221 and miR‐222 microRNAs are reported in several types of human cancers. A previous study suggested their oncogenic role in invasiveness in lung cancer, albeit only one cell line (H460) was used. To further evaluate involvement of miR‐221 and miR‐222 in lung cancer, we investigated the effects of miR‐221 and miR‐222 overexpression on six lung cancer cell lines, including H460, as well as one immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line, HBEC4. miR‐221 and miR‐222 induced epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐like changes in a minority of HBEC4 cells but, unexpectedly, both the microRNAs rather suppressed their invasiveness. Consistent with the prior report, miR‐221 and miR‐222 promoted growth in H460; however, miR‐221 suppressed growth in four other cell lines with no effects in one, and miR‐222 suppressed growth in three cell lines but promoted growth in two. These are the first results to show tumor‐suppressive effects of miR‐221 and miR‐222 in lung cancer cells, and we focused on clarifying the mechanisms. Cell cycle and apoptosis analyses revealed that growth suppression by miR‐221 and miR‐222 occurred through intra‐S‐phase arrest and/or apoptosis. Finally, lung cancer cell lines transfected with miR‐221 or miR‐222 became more sensitive to the S‐phase targeting drugs, possibly due to an increased S‐phase population. In conclusion, our data are the first to show tumor‐suppressive effects of miR‐221 and miR‐222 on lung cancer, warranting testing their potential as therapeutics for the disease.
ANGPTL3 is a novel biomarker as it activates ERK/MAPK pathway in oral cancer
Authors: Koyama Tomoyoshi , Ogawara Katsunori , Kasamatsu Atsushi , Okamoto Atsushi , Kasama Hiroki , Minakawa Yasuyuki , Shimada Ken , Yokoe Hidetaka , Shiiba Masashi , Tanzawa Hideki , Uzawa Katsuhiro 
Published: January 2015

AbstractAngiopoietin‐like 3 (ANGPTL3), which is involved in new blood vessel growth and stimulation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), is expressed aberrantly in several types of human cancers. However, little is known about the relevance of ANGPTL3 in the behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In this study, we evaluated ANGPTL3 mRNA and protein in OSCC‐derived cell lines (n = 8) and primary OSCCs (n = 109) and assessed the effect of ANGPTL3 on the biology and function of OSCCs in vitro and in vivo. Significant (P < 0.05) ANGPTL3 upregulation was detected in the cell lines and most primary OSCCs (60%) compared with the normal counterparts. The ANGPTL3 expression level was correlated closely (P < 0.05) with tumoral size. In patients with T3/T4 tumors, the overall survival rate with an ANGPTL3‐positive tumor was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of ANGPTL3‐negative cases. In vitro, cellular growth in ANGPTL3 knockdown cells significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with inactivated extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) and cell‐cycle arrest at the G1 phase resulting from upregulation of the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitors, including p21Cip1 and p27Kip1. We also observed a marked (P < 0.05) reduction in the growth in ANGPTL3 knockdown‐cell xenografts with decreased levels of phosphorylated ERK relative to control‐cell xenografts. The current data indicated that ANGPTL3 may play a role in OSCCs via MAPK signaling cascades, making it a potentially useful diagnostic/therapeutic target for use in patients with OSCC.
Quality of life and disease understanding: impact of attending a patient‐centered cancer symposium
Authors: Padrnos Leslie , Dueck Amylou C. , Scherber Robyn , Glassley Pamela , Stigge Rachel , Northfelt Donald , Mikhael Joseph , Aguirre Annette , Bennett Robert M. , Mesa Ruben A. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractTo evaluate the impact of a patient‐centered symposium as an educational intervention on a broad population of cancer patients. We developed a comprehensive patient symposium. Through voluntary questionnaires, we studied the impact of this cancer symposium on quality of life, cancer‐specific knowledge, and symptom management among cancer patients. Symposium attendees were provided surveys prior to and 3 months following the educational intervention. Surveys included (1) EORTC‐QLQ‐C30; (2) disease understanding tool developed for this conference; (3) validated disease‐specific questionnaires. Changes over time were assessed using McNemar's tests and paired t‐tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. A total of 158 attendees completed the pre‐convention survey. Most respondents reported at least “quite a bit” of understanding regarding treatment options, screening modalities, symptomatology, and cancer‐related side effects. Attendees endorsed the least understanding of disease‐related stress, risk factors, fatigue management, and legal issues related to disease/treatment. At 3 months, there was improvement in understanding (12 of 14 areas of self‐reported knowledge especially regarding nutrition, and stress/fatigue management). However, no significant change was seen in QLQ‐C30 functioning, fatigue, pain, or insomnia. A patient symposium, as an educational intervention improves a solid knowledge base amongst attendees regarding their disease, increases knowledge in symptom management, but may be insufficient to impact QoL as a single intervention.
Polyamide Fluorescent Probes for Visualization of Repeated DNA Sequences in Living Cells
Authors: Nozeret Karine , Loll François , Escudé Christophe , Boutorine Alexandre S. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractDNA imaging in living cells usually requires transgenic approaches that modify the genome. Synthetic pyrrole‐imidazole polyamides that bind specifically to the minor groove of double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA) represent an attractive approach for in‐cell imaging that does not necessitate changes to the genome. Nine hairpin polyamides that target mouse major satellite DNA were synthesized. Their interactions with synthetic target dsDNA fragments were studied by thermal denaturation, gel‐shift electrophoresis, circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The polyamides had different affinities for the target DNA, and fluorescent labeling of the polyamides affected their affinity for their targets. We validated the specificity of the probes in fixed cells and provide evidence that two of the probes detect target sequences in mouse living cell lines. This study demonstrates for the first time that synthetic compounds can be used for the visualization of the nuclear substructures formed by repeated DNA sequences in living cells.
Risk assessments and recidivism among a population‐based group of Swedish offenders sentenced to life in prison
Authors: Sturup Joakim , Karlberg Daniel , Fredriksson Björn , Lihoff Tobias , Kristiansson Marianne 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBackgroundIn Sweden, the number of people serving life sentences has steadily increased. To date, few studies have examined the recidivism rate or the predictive validity of different risk assessment instruments in this group.AimsOur aim was to test the predictive validity among inmates serving life sentences of two different instruments used for assessing risk—the Historical, Clinical and Risk Management‐20 (HCR‐20), most widely used in clinical populations, and the Psychopathy Checklist‐Revised (PCL‐R), commonly applied in both penal and clinical settings.MethodNinety‐eight life‐sentenced prisoners were included, 26 of whom were released during the study period. Data on risk assessments and dates for release were collected from administrative records, while recidivism data were retrieved from a national database on criminal convictions.ResultsSex offenders obtained the highest scores and inmates charged with domestic violent offences obtained the lowest scores on both instruments. The released prisoners were followed for a mean period of 33 months. During this time five prisoners (19%) reoffended, four of them violently, with an average time to recidivism of 10 months. Only PCL‐R Facet 4, which reflects antisocial features, was significantly associated with recidivism.ConclusionsThis small, but population‐based, study demonstrates that antisocial behaviour shows incremental predictive validity for reoffending among life‐sentenced offenders, but other measures have little to add for this specific task. The fact that those life sentenced prisoners who reoffended did so so soon after release should prompt allocation of earlier interventions towards preventing this. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficacy and safety of percutaneous transluminal balloon dilation to prevent progression of banding site stenosis after bilateral pulmonary artery banding
Authors: Hoshino Shinsuke , Kitano Masataka , Abe Tadaaki , Yazaki Satoshi , Kagisaki Koji 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesTo investigate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous transluminal balloon dilation (PTBD) for the treatment of bilateral pulmonary artery banding (bil‐PAB) site stenosis. Background: Although bil‐PAB is an alternative initial treatment for high‐risk neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) or critical aortic stenosis (cAS), those patients often suffer from desaturation because of progressive stenosis of the bil‐PAB sites during the interstage period.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of 11 consecutive PTBD procedures performed between 2006 and 2012 to treat bil‐PAB site stenosis in four high‐risk infants (three females) with HLHS or cAS.ResultsPTBD was repeated twice in two patients and three times in one patient over intervals. The mean balloon diameter (BD) and BD‐to‐band circumference (BC) ratio were 3.1 ± 0.5 mm and 0.31 ± 0.06, respectively. After the procedures, the mean minimum lumen diameter was dilated significantly from 1.1 ± 0.1 mm to 1.7 ± 0.3 mm (P < 0.01), and the mean peripheral oxygen saturation increased significantly from 75 ± 8% to 85 ± 4% (P < 0.01). All patients reached the next stage operation involving the Norwood & bidirectional Glenn or Ross procedure, after growth. No complications such as band rupture occurred.ConclusionsFor progressive stenosis of bil‐PAB sites, PTBD using a balloon size that did not exceed the BC (BD around 30% of the BC) was an effective and safe procedure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of ductal stenting versus surgical shunts for palliation of patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum
Authors: Mallula Kiran , Vaughn Gabrielle , El‐Said Howaida , Lamberti John J. , Moore John W. 
Published: January 2015

ObjectivesWe sought to compare ductal stenting (DS) to systemic‐pulmonary artery shunt (SPS) in a contemporary cohort of patients having pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PAIVS).BackgroundAlternative palliative strategies (interventional versus surgical) are currently available for initial palliation of ductal dependent patients with various forms of congenital heart disease. There is little data available to guide strategy selection.MethodsA retrospective review of patients with PAIVS at our institution from Jan 2006 to Dec 2013 was performed. Demographic, echocardiographic, procedural, and follow‐up data were reviewed and analyzed.ResultsTwenty‐nine patients were identified. Thirteen underwent DS and 16 underwent SPS. In the DS group, 6 had radiofrequency perforation of the pulmonary valve, and 12 underwent balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) prior to DS. SPS was performed after perforation of the pulmonary valve in 1 patient and after BPV in 4 patients. Procedural success was 92.8% in the DS group versus 93.3% in the SPS group. In the DS group, one patient required emergency shunting due to intra‐procedural ductal spasm. In the SPS group there was one procedure related death, and there were six significant procedure‐related complications. Five patients required re‐interventions prior to hospital discharge. The median length of hospital stay for the DS versus SPS group was 10 versus 23 days, respectively (P < 0.05). Post discharge, there were seven reinterventions in the DS group and two reinterventions in the SPS group.ConclusionsDS may provide a safe and effective alternative to SPS in selected patients with PAIVS. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The STENTYS® paclitaxel‐eluting stent in the treatment of unprotected distal left main
Authors: Briguori Carlo , Visconti Gabriella , Donahue Michael , Focaccio Amelia , Mitomo Satoru , Kawamoto Hiroyoshi , Nakamura Sunao 
Published: January 2015

BackgroundVessel tapering represents an important limitation of the balloon‐expandable drug‐eluting stent (DES) in the treatment of distal unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) lesions. In this study, we assessed the suitability of the STENTYS DES(P), a self‐apposing nitinol paclitaxel‐eluting stent, for use in the treatment of distal ULMCA lesions.Methods and ResultsFrom February 2012 to September 2013, 75 consecutive patients with tapered (that is a >1 mm difference in the diameter from the proximal to the distal main vessel) distal ULMCA lesions were treated with the STENTYS DES(P) (STENTYS‐DES group) at the Clinica Mediterranea (Naples, Italy). A matched‐group of 75 patients treated with second‐generation DES in the same period (Control group) was selected from the database of New Tokyo Hospital (Chiba, Japan). The result was assessed by both quantitative coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Although the final balloon diameter was larger in the Control group (4.51 ± 0.51 vs. 3.62 ± 0.49 mm; P < 0.001), the IVUS analysis showed a larger final minimal lumen area in the STENTYS‐DES group than in the Control group (left main: 17.45 ± 3.45 vs. 14.84 ± 3.45 mm2; P < 0.001; polygon of confluence: 15.74 ± 3.28 vs. 12.55 ± 5.45 mm2; P < 0.002; ostial left anterior descending artery: 11.73 ± 1.97 vs. 8.56 ± 1.80 mm2; P < 0.001). At 12 ± 5 months, major adverse cardiac events (including death, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization) occurred in seven patients in both groups.ConclusionsThis pilot study suggests that the self‐apposing properties of the STENTYS DES(P) offer a valid alternative for the treatment of the distal ULMCA lesions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Organocatalysed Asymmetric Direct Mannich Reaction of Acetophenone Derivatives and Dibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepines with Azetidine‐2‐carboxylic Acid
Authors: Ren Yuan‐Yuan , Wang You‐Qing , Liu Shuang , Pan Kun 
Published: January 2015

AbstractAn enantioselective direct Mannich reaction of different acetophenone derivatives with various substituted seven‐membered cyclic imines using (S)‐azetidine‐2‐carboxylic acid as an organocatalyst is described, which provides an efficient access to optically active 11‐substituted‐10,11‐dihydrodibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepine derivatives with 87–95 % ee. For α,β‐unsaturated ketone benzalacetone, the desired Mannich product was obtained with 72 % ee. A plausible transition state is established to explain the observed absolute stereochemistry of the Mannich products. The reaction can also be performed on a gram scale with no adverse effects on the yield and enantioselectivity. Furthermore, some simple transformations involving the Wittig olefination and the decarboxylative reduction of the Mannich products were performed.