bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical and morphological features of collagen type III glomerulopathy: a report of nine cases from a single institution
Authors: Bao Hao , Chen Huiping , Zhu Xiaodong , Xu Feng , Zhu Maoyan , Zhang Minchao , He Qian , Zeng Caihong , Liu Zhihong 
Published: March 2015

AimsWe report nine Chinese patients with collagen type III glomerulopathy.Methods and resultsTwo males and seven females were studied, ranging in age from 21 to 67 years. Proteinuria and hypertension were the most common symptoms, with incidences of 88.9 and 77.8%, respectively. Two patients had abnormal renal function. Their histological appearances varied. Massive eosinophilic and weakly periodic acid–Schiff (PAS)‐positive substances were deposited along the capillary loops and in the mesangial area in three cases, while others had thickened capillary walls with a chain‐like structure or double‐contour appearance of the PAS‐ and silver‐stained sections. Immunofluorescence analysis showed the abundant deposition of collagen type III. Electron microscopy revealed massive scattered or bundle‐shaped fibre‐like materials in the subendothelial and mesangial areas. During follow‐up, 44.4% of the patients suffered a doubling of serum creatinine. The level of serum creatinine at biopsy was an independent predictor of this doubled serum creatinine value.ConclusionsCollagen type III deposits in the subendothelial and mesangial areas. Some patients show global nodular lesions, while others show subtle changes only via PAS/silver staining. Proteinuria and hypertension are the most common symptoms, and the serum creatinine level at biopsy is an independent predictor of the doubling of serum creatinine during follow‐up.
Effect of high pressure processing on yield, quality and storage stability of peanut paneer
Authors: Chauhan Om Prakash , Kumar Sumeet , Nagraj Roopa , Narasimhamurthy Ravi , Raju Pakalapati Sinivas 
Published: March 2015

SummaryPaneer was prepared from peanuts by soaking the nuts for 8 h followed by removal of skin, grinding, extraction of milk and coagulation using calcium sulphate (1% solution). In another method the peanut milk was high pressure processed at 600 MPa for 5 min before coagulation. The obtained paneer samples were vacuum packed and kept at refrigerated temperature (6 ± 1 °C) for storage and evaluated for physico‐chemical, sensory and microbial attributes. High pressure processing of milk before coagulation resulted in increase in paneer yield significantly (P < 0.05) as well as maintained the quality of the paneer to a better extent as compared to control during refrigerated storage for a period of 45 days.
Optical path length and wavelength selection using Vis/NIR spectroscopy for olive oil's free acidity determination
Authors: García Martín Juan Francisco 
Published: March 2015

SummaryFour different optical path lengths, namely 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 mm, were assayed for olive oil's free acidity determination using Vis/NIR spectroscopy. Results illustrated that the use of higher path length during spectra acquisition resulted in more accurate PLS models, especially when using solely the NIR region. The PLS model obtained with the NIR spectrum using the 10‐mm cuvette was subjected to optimisation by Monte Carlo uninformative variable elimination (MCUVE) and successive projections algorithm (SPA). Both methods drastically reduced the number of spectral variables and markedly improved the performance of the PLS model, especially the SPA‐PLS model, which achieved a SEP (0.051) quite close to SEL (0.048). Interestingly, only twelve of the eighty spectral variables selected by SPA were among the 314 variables provided by MCUVE. All in all, NIRS incorporated to MCUVE‐PLS or SPA‐PLS may be applied as an alternative method for the rapid determination of olive oil's free acidity.
Topical simvastatin promotes healing of Staphylococcus aureus‐contaminated cutaneous wounds
Authors: Wang Chia‐Chi , Yang Po‐Wei , Yang Sheau‐Fang , Hsieh Kun‐Pin , Tseng Sung‐Pin , Lin Ying‐Chi 
Published: March 2015

AbstractCutaneous wounds are prompt to be contaminated by bacteria, but the clinical benefits of applying antibiotics and antiseptics in wound management have not been proven. Statins are 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A (HMG‐CoA) reductase inhibitors commonly used to lower cholesterol levels. Studies indicated that statins, especially simvastatin, promote wound healing in experimental models. As Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important microorganism responsible for wound infections, the aims of this study were to characterise the anti‐staphylococcal activity of simvastatin and to evaluate the application of simvastatin as a topical therapy for S. aureus‐contaminated wounds. In the present study, simvastatin was bacteriostatic against S. aureus at sub‐inhibitory concentrations up to 8 hours after exposure. Further increased concentrations of simvastatin above the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) did not enhance the growth inhibitory effect. By contrast, the ability of simvastatin to inhibit S. aureus biofilm formation was concentration dependent. Topical application of simvastatin at its MIC against S. aureus accelerated the healing and bacterial clearance of S. aureus‐contaminated wounds in an excisional mice wound model. This effective concentration is well below the safe concentration for topical use. Collectively, topical application of simvastatin has the potential as a novel modality for managing wound infections and promoting wound healing.
Optical Energy Storage Properties of (Ca1−xSrx)2Si5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ Solid Solutions
Authors: Wang Jin , Zhang Haoran , Lei Bingfu , Dong Hanwu , Zhang Haiming , Liu Yingliang , Zheng Mingtao , Xiao Yong 
Published: March 2015

While the reddish‐orange emitting phosphors M2Si5N8:Eu2+(M = Ca, Sr) have been intensively investigated as potential materials for white‐light‐emitting diodes, in this study, optical energy storage properties of (Ca1−xSrx)2Si5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ (x = 0–1) solid solutions were tuned by cation substitution, which was commonly used to tune color point for improving w‐LEDs. Partial substitution of either Ca by Sr or Sr by Ca resulted in a redshifted Eu2+ emission which had a demarcation point at x = 0.5. Furthermore, the (Ca1−xSrx)2Si5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ materials exhibited similar persistent‐ and photostimulated luminescence behaviors with a maximum intensity at about x = 0.2. Such optical energy storage characters of the samples were attributed to the more appropriate trap depths (322–333 K) and higher density of energy level traps indicated by the thermoluminescence analysis.
Association of vitamin D3 with alveolar bone regeneration in dogs
Authors: Hong Hsiang‐Hsi , Yen Tzung‐Hai , Hong Adrienne , Chou Ting‐An 
Published: March 2015

AbstractDesigned sockets prepared on the mandibles of nine Beagle dogs were divided into three groups: Calcitriol +Alloplast, Alloplast and Empty. Five of the nine dogs received Vit.D3 and calcium supplement (Vit.D/Ca group), while the other four dogs without supplements were assigned to Non‐Vit.D/Ca group. After 4 weeks, the extent of vertical ridge resorption (VRR), bone density (density), new bone formation (NBF) and implant stability quotient (ISQ) were measured. Following systemic Vit.D/Ca administration, the Empty subgroup showed significant differences from the Calcitriol + Alloplast subgroup on variants NBF/Density/VRR and the Alloplast subgroup on items NBF/Density/ISQ/VRR. Alternatively, the Calcitriol + Alloplast subgroup revealed higher values of NBF/Density/ISQ (P < 0.001) and a lower VRR	value (P = 0.001) than the Alloplast subgroup. Although there were no significant differences in NBF (P = 0.349), density (P = 0.796), ISQ (P = 0.577) and VRR (0.979) comparisons on alloplast treatment between the Vit.D/Ca and Non‐Vit.D/Ca groups, local application with Calcitriol + Alloplast demonstrated better NBF/Density/ISQ (P = 0.02 to <0.001) effects than which of Alloplast subgroups. Consequently, the results showed that both systemic and local vitamin D3 treatment might accelerate bone regeneration in dogs. Within the using dose, systemic vitamin D3 treatment displayed a superior stimulating effect than local vitamin D3 application did.
Attenuation of cardiac hypertrophy by G‐CSF is associated with enhanced migration of bone marrow‐derived cells
Authors: Huber Bruno C. , Beetz Nick L. , Laskowski Alexandra , Ziegler Tilman , Grabmaier Ulrich , Kupatt Christian , Herbach Nadja , Wanke Ruediger , Franz Wolfgang‐Michael , Massberg Steffen , Brunner Stefan 
Published: March 2015

AbstractGranulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) has been shown to promote mobilization of bone marrow‐derived stem cells (BMCs) into the bloodstream associated with improved survival and cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether G‐CSF is able to attenuate cardiac remodelling in a mouse model of pressure‐induced LV hypertrophy focusing on mobilization and migration of BMCs. LV hypertrophy was induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in C57BL/6J mice. Four weeks after TAC procedure. Mice were treated with G‐CSF (100 μg/kg/day; Amgen Biologicals) for 2 weeks. The number of migrated BMCs in the heart was analysed by flow cytometry. mRNA expression and protein level of different growth factors in the myocardium were investigated by RT‐PCR and ELISA. Functional analyses assessed by echocardiography and immunohistochemical analysis were performed 8 weeks after TAC procedure. G‐CSF‐treated animals revealed enhanced homing of VLA‐4+ and c‐kit+ BMCs associated with increased mRNA expression and protein level of the corresponding homing factors Vascular cell adhesion protein 1 and Stem cell factor in the hypertrophic myocardium. Functionally, G‐CSF significantly preserved LV function after TAC procedure, which was associated with a significantly reduced area of fibrosis compared to control animals. Furthermore, G‐CSF‐treated animals revealed a significant improvement of survival after TAC procedure. In summary, G‐CSF treatment preserves cardiac function and is able to diminish cardiac fibrosis after induction of LV hypertrophy associated with increased homing of VLA‐4+ and c‐kit+ BMCs and enhanced expression of their respective homing factors VCAM‐1 and SCF.
Changes in short‐chain acyl‐coA dehydrogenase during rat cardiac development and stress
Authors: Huang Jinxian , Xu Lipeng , Huang Qiuju , Luo Jiani , Liu Peiqing , Chen Shaorui , Yuan Xi , Lu Yao , Wang Ping , Zhou Sigui 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThis study was designed to investigate the expression of short‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD), a key enzyme of fatty acid β‐oxidation, during rat heart development and the difference of SCAD between pathological and physiological cardiac hypertrophy. The expression of SCAD was lowest in the foetal and neonatal heart, which had time‐dependent increase during normal heart development. In contrast, a significant decrease in SCAD expression was observed in different ages of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). On the other hand, swim‐trained rats developed physiological cardiac hypertrophy, whereas SHR developed pathological cardiac hypertrophy. The two kinds of cardiac hypertrophy exhibited divergent SCAD changes in myocardial fatty acids utilization. In addition, the expression of SCAD was significantly decreased in pathological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, however, increased in physiological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. SCAD siRNA treatment triggered the pathological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, which showed that the down‐regulation of SCAD expression may play an important role in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. The changes in peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) was accordant with that of SCAD. Moreover, the specific PPARα ligand fenofibrate treatment increased the expression of SCAD and inhibited pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Therefore, we speculate that the down‐regulated expression of SCAD in pathological cardiac hypertrophy may be responsible for ‘the recapitulation of foetal energy metabolism’. The deactivation of PPARα may result in the decrease in SCAD expression in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Changes in SCAD are different in pathological and physiological cardiac hypertrophy, which may be used as the molecular markers of pathological and physiological cardiac hypertrophy.
Mycosis fungoides: association of KIR ligands and HLA‐DQB1*05 with bad prognosis of the disease
Authors: Brazzelli V. , Rivetti N. , Badulli C. , Carugno A. , Cananzi R. , De Silvestri A. , Martinetti M. , Borroni G. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackgroundMycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. We previously reported that the prognosis of MF patients is not only related on clinical variables but it is also associated with peculiar HLA alleles. Until today, the association of HLA ligands for KIR with the prognosis of the disease has not yet been analysed.ObjectiveWe investigated the frequency of HLA ligands for killer cell Immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIRs) in MF patients, evaluating if the presence of particular HLA alleles that are ligands for KIR may have prognostic value.MethodsThe study includes 46 Caucasian MF patients that, between 1993 and 1997, underwent HLA genomic typing. All patients were diagnosed and followed up from 1977 to 2012 (mean follow‐up of 11 years).ResultsMF patients have been divided into two groups (long survivors and dead patients). We noticed that the HLA‐Bw6/Bw6 specificity increased among the group of seven dead patients compared to the group of 39 long survivors (71.4% vs. 41.0%, P = ns, OR = 3.59), while in the long survivors group the HLA‐ Bw4/Bw4 specificity increased when compared to dead patients (23.0% vs. 0%, P = ns). Moreover, we observed that six of the seven dead patients had HLA‐DQB1*05; the phenotypic frequency of this HLA allele, in dead and long survivors patients, was 85.7% and 23.0% respectively (P = 0.004; OR = 20).ConclusionOur observations suggest that the presence of the HLA‐DQB1*05 alleles characterizes the patients with the poorest prognosis in MF. In addition, absence of the KIR‐ligand epitope HLA‐B Bw4 showed a trend of being more prominent in MF patients with the poorest prognosis.
Diagnostic accuracy of 18F‐FDG‐PET/CT in early and late stages of high‐risk cutaneous malignant melanoma
Authors: Gellén E. , Sántha O. , Janka E. , Juhász I. , Péter Z. , Erdei I. , Lukács R. , Fedinecz N. , Galuska L. , Remenyik É. , Emri G. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe precise role of total body 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the clinical management of patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is not well established.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT in early‐ and late‐stage patients with high‐risk CMM.MethodsWe retrospectively analysed various imaging, histopathological and clinical data from 97 patients also examined by PET/CT during a 5‐year period (2007–2011). Three groups were assessed: stage I/II, resected stage III and unresectable stage III/stage IV.ResultsThe median follow‐up time of living patients was 43.48 ± 19.67 (15–142) months. We observed a high diagnostic accuracy in all stages (91.3%, 92.5% and 96.2% respectively). PET/CT appeared to be reliable diagnostic tool even for the detection of small lymph node metastases. PET/CT was informative in 14 of 19 cases wherein another imaging examination provided inconclusive results regarding lesion dignity. However, PET/CT was less suitable for properly evaluating the dignity of a lung lesion. A true positive scan was twice as likely in clinically negative patients with resected stage III disease than in patients with stage I/II disease (35.9% and 14.5%, P = 0.007).ConclusionsThese results confirm that PET/CT is an important diagnostic tool in the management of patients with high‐risk CMM, but it cannot replace the standard of care examinations. More accurate clinicopathological and timing criteria must be defined to best utilize the advantages of this imaging method.
Digging for gold nuggets: uncovering novel candidate genes for variation in gastrointestinal nematode burden in a wild bird species
Authors: Wenzel M. A. , Piertney S. B. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe extent to which genotypic variation at a priori identified candidate genes can explain variation in complex phenotypes is a major debate in evolutionary biology. Whereas some high‐profile genes such as the MHC or MC1R clearly do account for variation in ecologically relevant characters, many complex phenotypes such as response to parasite infection may well be underpinned by a large number of genes, each of small and effectively undetectable effect. Here, we characterize a suite of novel candidate genes for variation in gastrointestinal nematode (Trichostrongylus tenuis) burden among red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) individuals across a network of moors in north‐east Scotland. We test for associations between parasite load and genotypic variation in twelve genes previously identified to be differentially expressed in experimentally infected red grouse or genetically differentiated among red grouse populations with overall different parasite loads. These genes are associated with a broad physiological response including immune system processes. Based on individual‐level generalized linear models, genotypic variants in nine genes were significantly associated with parasite load, with effect sizes accounting for differences of 514–666 worms per bird. All but one of these variants were synonymous or untranslated, suggesting that these may be linked to protein‐coding variants or affect regulatory processes. In contrast, population‐level analyses revealed few and inconsistent associations with parasite load, and little evidence of signatures of natural selection. We discuss the broader significance of these contrasting results in the context of the utility of population genomics and landscape genomics approaches in detecting adaptive genomic signatures.
Functional morphology of the tubular genital organs in the female owl monkey (Aotus spp.)
Authors: Mayor Pedro , Takeshita Rafaela Sayuri Cicalise , Coutinho Leandro Nassar , Sánchez Nofre , Gálvez Hugo , Ique Carlos , Ruiz Julio Cesar , Monteiro Frederico Ozanan Barros 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackgroundStudies on reproductive morphology are important to understand the reproductive cycle of non‐human primates.MethodsThis study describes the functional morphology of the adult female tubular genital organs in 41 Aotus (12.8 ± 6.8 years old, ranging from 3 to 25 years), with respect to reproductive status and number of parturitions.ResultsIn females with developing embryos, endometrial glands showed a higher secretion than other females, and the embryo implantation occupied this secretive endometrium. Changes in the thickening, number of layers, and keratinization in the vaginal epithelium suggest that vaginal cytology may be an indicator of the estrous cycle. Non‐pregnant multiparous females had a larger uterine body than nulliparous females. Number of parturitions and reproductive state had an impact on tubular genital organs in female owl monkeys.ConclusionsThese results can be useful for the development of biotechnologies of reproduction and for improvement of the management of this species.
From gross anatomy to the nanomorphome: stereological tools provide a paradigm for advancing research in quantitative morphomics
Authors: Mayhew Terry M. , Lucocq John M. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe terms morphome and morphomics are not new but, recently, a group of morphologists and cell biologists has given them clear definitions and emphasised their integral importance in systems biology. By analogy to other ‘‐omes’, the morphome refers to the distribution of matter within 3‐dimensional (3D) space. It equates to the totality of morphological features within a biological system (virus, single cell, multicellular organism or populations thereof) and morphomics is the systematic study of those structures. Morphomics research has the potential to generate ‘big data’ because it includes all imaging techniques at all levels of achievable resolution and all structural scales from gross anatomy and medical imaging, via optical and electron microscopy, to molecular characterisation. As with other ‘‐omics’, quantification is an important part of morphomics and, because biological systems exist and operate in 3D space, precise descriptions of form, content and spatial relationships require the quantification of structure in 3D. Revealing and quantifying structural detail inside the specimen is achieved currently in two main ways: (i) by some form of reconstruction from serial physical or tomographic slices or (ii) by using randomly‐sampled sections and simple test probes (points, lines, areas, volumes) to derive stereological estimates of global and/or individual quantities. The latter include volumes, surfaces, lengths and numbers of interesting features and spatial relationships between them. This article emphasises the value of stereological design, sampling principles and estimation tools as a template for combining with alternative imaging techniques to tackle the ‘big data’ issue and advance knowledge and understanding of the morphome. The combination of stereology, TEM and immunogold cytochemistry provides a practical illustration of how this has been achieved in the sub‐field of nanomorphomics. Applying these quantitative tools/techniques in a carefully managed study design offers us a deeper appreciation of the spatiotemporal relationships between the genome, metabolome and morphome which are integral to systems biology.
Practical cut‐offs for visual rating scales of medial temporal, frontal and posterior atrophy in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Ferreira D. , Cavallin L. , Larsson E.‐M. , Muehlboeck J.‐S. , Mecocci P. , Vellas B. , Tsolaki M. , Kłoszewska I. , Soininen H. , Lovestone S. , Simmons A. , Wahlund L.‐O. , Westman E. ,   the AddNeuroMed consortium and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackgroundAtrophy in the medial temporal lobe, frontal lobe and posterior cortex can be measured with visual rating scales such as the medial temporal atrophy (MTA), global cortical atrophy – frontal subscale (GCA‐F) and posterior atrophy (PA) scales, respectively. However, practical cut‐offs are urgently needed, especially now that different presentations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are included in the revised diagnostic criteria.AimsThe aim of this study was to generate a list of practical cut‐offs for the MTA, GCA‐F and PA scales, for both diagnosis of AD and determining prognosis in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to evaluate the influence of key demographic and clinical factors on these cut‐offs.MethodsAddNeuroMed and ADNI cohorts were combined giving a total of 1147 participants (322 patients with AD, 480 patients with MCI and 345 control subjects). The MTA, GCA‐F and PA scales were applied and a broad range of cut‐offs was evaluated.ResultsThe MTA scale showed better diagnostic and predictive performances than the GCA‐F and PA scales. Age, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 status and age at disease onset influenced all three scales. For the age ranges 45–64, 65–74, 75–84 and 85–94 years, the following cut‐offs should be used. MTA: ≥1.5, ≥1.5, ≥2 and ≥2.5; GCA‐F, ≥1, ≥1, ≥1 and ≥1; and PA, ≥1, ≥1, ≥1 and ≥1, respectively, with an adjustment for early‐onset ApoE ε4 noncarrier AD patients (MTA: ≥2, ≥2, ≥3 and ≥3; and GCA‐F: ≥1, ≥1, ≥2 and ≥2, respectively).ConclusionsIf successfully validated in clinical settings, the list of practical cut‐offs proposed here might be useful in clinical practice. Their use might also (i) promote research on atrophy subtypes, (ii) increase the understanding of different presentations of AD, (iii) improve diagnosis and prognosis and (iv) aid population selection and enrichment for clinical trials.