bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Potential mechanism of apoptosis induced by ultrasound in human hepatocarcinoma cells via comparative proteomic analysis
Authors: Feng Yi , Wan Mingxi 
Published: August 2015

Abstract To analyze the potential molecular mechanism of ultrasound induced apoptosis in cancer cells, comparative proteomic methods were introduced in the study. After ultrasound exposure at the intensity of 1.2 W/cm2, the human SMMC-7721 hepatocarcinoma cells were stained by trypan blue to detect the morphologic changes, and then the flow cytometry was used to examine the percentage of early apoptosis via double staining of FITC-labelled Annexin V and Propidium iodide. The proteins were separated by two-dimensional (2D) SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Among them, the differently expressed proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to reveal the key proteins response to ultrasound exposure. It’s proved early apoptosis of cells were induced by focused ultrasound. After ultrasound exposure, the expressing characteristics of several proteins changed, in which some proteins in HSP family are associated with apoptosis initiation. It is suggested that the focused ultrasound could be applied in the assistant cancer therapy. Moreover, it is proved the comparative proteomic methods could supply information about the protein expression to analyze the metabolic processes related to bio-effects of biomedical ultrasound.
Multiplex biomarker analysis biosensor for detection of hepatitis B virus
Authors: Xu Hua , Gu Dayong , He Jian’an , Shi Lei , Yao Jingyu , Liu Chunxiao , Zhao Chunzhong , Xu Yunqing , Jiang Shengyang , Long Jun 
Published: August 2015

Abstract In this paper, we report the development of a protein microarray-based biosensor for the detection of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological markers using surface plasmon resonance (SPR Printing buffer, protein immobilization time and concentration of the capture protein were optimized systematically to determine the best performance of the biosensor. Under optimal conditions, five hepatitis B markers in 20 μL human serum can be simultaneously detected within 30 minutes, whereas other methods such as ELISA and PCR can detect only one marker within four hours. This platform has been validated by analysis of 35 patients known to have hepatitis B, with 85% agreement between the test platform and analysis by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The results demonstrate that the protein microarray with SPR displayed a sensitivity of 0.1 ng mL−1 for HBsAg. In addition to high sensitivity, it also shows excellent specificity, reproducibility and stability. This integrated protein microarray technique combined with SPR is a promising candidate for hepatitis B diagnosis with high-throughput.
Development of biomarker positivity analysis system for cancer diagnosis based on clinical data
Authors: Yun Jung Min , Hwang Sung Jin , Anh Sung Yong , Lee Seung Min , Kang Peter , Lee Jeong Eun , Yoon Eun Sil , Choi Jin Wook , Park Sung-Hye , Seo Jung-Wook , Park Peom 
Published: August 2015

Abstract In Korea, there were 224,000 new cases of cancer and 75,334 deaths caused by cancer in 2013, which was three times more than the number of death caused by heart disease, the second leading cause of death. This study proposes a biomarker positivity analysis system based on clinical data, for personalized diagnosis and therapy of cancer. Data of 78,912 cases were obtained from immunopathology and surgical pathology reports. Data on sex, age, organ, diagnosis, and biomarkers were entered into a database. To verify the reliability of the clinical data, an additional 50,450 cases from positivity-related research papers were added. The proposed biomarker positivity analysis system makes it possible to extract and combine information for searching. The positivity values are in graphical and tabular format for ease of use. With a link to the internal network of the hospital, real-time pathology reports are available. Twenty-five pathology specialists are chosen as subjects to further confirm the reliability of this system; primary assessment results demonstrate a satisfaction level of 4.7 out of 5 and a concordance rate of 79% with positive data under the same conditions as reported in the literature. In the present study, analysis methods and platforms using large volumes of clinical and literature data are developed for cancer prognoses. It is expected that these tools will benefit both healthcare professionals and non-professionals involved in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Milkvetch root improves immune function in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD
Authors: Jiang Donglin , Wang Xu , Su Qiang , Jiang Shengyang , Yuan Fenglai , Zhang Caidi , Gong Fang , Dong Qiaojing , Shi Jianping , Chen Baohua 
Published: August 2015

Abstract Milkvetch root as a medicine has been used for more over 2000 years in China, can strengthen immune function, protect liver, promote urination, resist aging and stress, reduce blood pressure and extensively resist bacterium. This study explored the effects of milkvetch root on the immune function of patients with a definitive diagnosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. All patients received conventional clinical therapy; those in the experimental group were also administered milkvetch root. The serum levels of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-1 β, and IL-32 and immunocytes including T helper (Th), cytotoxic T (Tc), natural killer (NK), regulatory T (Treg) and B cells were measured 1 day before treatment and 7 and 14 days post-treatment. After bronchodilator inhalation, pulmonary function was evaluated at these same time points. The serum TNF- α, IL-8, IL-1 β, and IL-32 levels were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group 14 days post-treatment. The Th/Tc ratio and NK cell ratio was significantly higher but the Treg cell ratio was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group 14 days post-treatment. These results indicate that milkvetch root can improve the immune function of patients with acute exacerbation of COPD.
Protective effect of vitamin E against acute kidney injury
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Feng Yetong , Wang Yi , Zhou Yulai , Zhao Lei 
Published: August 2015

Abstract It has been well-known for many years now that vitamin E is an essential nutrient; however, some of the physiological functions of this vitamin are still far from being understood. In recent years, a series of preclinical and clinical studies proposed a protective role of vitamin E on acute kidney injury (AKI), which has a high morbidity rate and mortality rate in clinical investigations. Based on the benefits associated with vitamin E, such as strong antioxidant function, low toxicity, rare side-effects, and low cost, this therapy strategy has garnered an extensive amount of interest in the scientific community for the development of new therapy modes against AKI. In this review, a concise overview of the application of vitamin E in the treatment of AKI is provided as well as a summary of a series of published data regarding the combination therapy modes and detailed therapy mechanisms of vitamin E-based therapy against AKI. At present, there are critical points of this therapy mode that are still in need of further clarification, meaning the current understanding of the role of vitamin E in the treatment of AKI remains incomplete. However, the development of more reliable pharmacological or biotechnical strategies with vitamin E for the eventual treatment of patients with AKI may guide the next chapter of vitamin E research.
Comparison of EMG during passive stretching and shortening phases of each muscle for the investigation of parkinsonian rigidity
Authors: Kwon Yuri , Kim Ji-Won , Kim Ji-Sun , Koh Seong-Beom , Eom Gwang-Moon , Lim Tae-Hong 
Published: August 2015

Abstract The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis in the literature that torque resistance of parkinsonian rigidity is the difference between the independent contributions of stretched and shortened muscles. The hypothesis was tested using muscle-specific stretch-shortening (MSSS) EMG ratio in this study. Nineteen patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 18 healthy subjects (the mean age comparable to that of patients) participated in this study. The EMG activity was measured in the four muscles involved in wrist joint movement, i.e. flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi radialis and extensor carpi ulnaris. The passive flexion-extension movement with a range of [Formula: see text] was applied at wrist joint. Root mean squared (RMS) mean was calculated from the envelope of the EMG for each of stretching and shortening phases. MSSS EMG ratio was defined as the ratio of RMS EMG of stretching phase and RMS EMG of shortening phase of a single muscle, and it was calculated for each muscle. MSSS EMG ratios were smaller than one in all muscles. These results indicate that all wrist muscles generate greater mean EMG during shortening than during stretching. Therefore, the torque resistance of parkinsonian rigidity cannot be explained as the simple summation of independent antagonistic torque pair.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the free fatty acids in serum obtained from patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Cui Yu , Chen Xiaobei , Liu Liyan , Xie Wei , Wu Yue , Wu Qunhong , Wang Decai 
Published: August 2015

Abstract As the worldwide elderly population has grown, the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has steadily increased. The differential lifelong exposure of populations to dietary fatty acids has raised concerns about the potential links between cognitive impairments and nutrition. However, few studies have addressed the levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) in AD patient serum. In this study, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to determine the levels of 15 serum FFAs in 31 AD patients and 33 healthy controls. The optimized methodology entailed the formation of methyl esters using 10% v/v H2SO4/CH3OH at 62°C for 2 hours. The linear range was 0.55–300 μg/mL, the range of recovery was 85.1–104.3%, and the detection limit was 0.03–0.08 μg/mL. Several FFAs in the AD patient significantly decreased when compared to the control, including three saturated fatty acids (C14:0, C16:0, and C18:0) and six unsaturated fatty acids (C16:1, C18:1, C18:2, γ-C18:3, C20:2, and C22:6). The serum level of C18:3 was significantly higher in the AD patients. The FFA profiles of the AD patients differed significantly from those of controls. The method effectively determined the FFA levels and could facilitate future studies regarding the relationship between AD and the metabolism of FFAs.
Discrete virus infection model of hepatitis B virus
Authors: Zhang Pengfei , Min Lequan , Pian Jianwei 
Published: August 2015

Abstract In 1996 Nowak and his colleagues proposed a differential equation virus infection model, which has been widely applied in the study for the dynamics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Biological dynamics may be described more practically by discrete events rather than continuous ones. Using discrete systems to describe biological dynamics should be reasonable. Based on one revised Nowak et al’s virus infection model, this study introduces a discrete virus infection model (DVIM). Two equilibriums of this model, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], represents infection free and infection persistent, respectively. Similar to the case of the basic virus infection model, this study deduces a basic virus reproductive number R0 independing on the number of total cells of an infected target organ. A proposed theorem proves that if the basic virus reproductive number [Formula: see text] then the virus free equilibrium [Formula: see text] is locally stable. The DVIM is more reasonable than an abstract discrete susceptible-infected-recovered model (SIRS) whose basic virus reproductive number [Formula: see text] is relevant to the number of total cells of the infected target organ. As an application, this study models the clinic HBV DNA data of a patient who was accepted via anti-HBV infection therapy with drug lamivudine. The results show that the numerical simulation is good in agreement with the clinic data.
Development of SPR biosensor for simultaneous detection of multiplex respiratory viruses
Authors: Shi Lei , Sun Qiuxiang , He Jian’an , Xu Hua , Liu Chunxiao , Zhao Chunzhong , Xu Yunqing , Wu Changlin , Xiang Junjian , Gu Dayong , Long Jun , Lan Hekui 
Published: August 2015

Abstract A surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor was developed for specific detection of nine common respiratory virus, including influenza A and influenza B, H1N1, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus 1-3 (PIV1, 2, 3), adenovirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS). The SPR biosensor was developed by immobilizing nine respiratory virus-specific oligonucleotides in an SPR chip. To increase the biosensor sensitivity, biotin was used to label the PCR primer and further amplify the signal by introducing streptavidin after hybridization. Throat swab specimens representing nine common respiratory viruses were tested by the innovative SPR-based biosensor to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of this method. Results suggest that this biosensor has the potential to simultaneously identify common respiratory viruses.
Quantitative detection of methylation of FHIT and BRCA1 promoters in the serum of ductal breast cancer patients
Authors: Liu Limei , Sun Liyuan , Li Chunhe , Li Xinyang , Zhang Yuhong , Yu Yun , Xia Wei 
Published: August 2015

Abstract The development of carcinoma has been found to be associated with epigenetic modifications. The aim of this study was to estimate the methylation levels of FHIT and BRCA1 promoters using the bisulphite sequencing method (BSP) and high-resolution melting curve analysis (HRM) in the serum of patients with ductal breast carcinoma as a biomarker for the possible application of early diagnosis of breast cancer. The results showed that the methylation levels of both BRCA1 and FHIT promoters were higher in the serum of the breast ductal carcinoma group (BDC group) than those of the breast fibroadenoma group (BFA group), and the healthy individuals group (HI group). However, the methylation levels of the BRCA1 promoters were very low in all three groups compared to the levels of FHIT. The advanced quantitative detection of the samples with HRM showed that the FHIT promoter methylation level of the cfDNA in each serum was also very high in the BDC group compared to the HI group. The methylation level of FHIT was found to be significantly associated with breast cancer (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the methylation quantitative detection of FHIT promoter in serum may be useful for the early diagnosis of ductal breast carcinoma.
Proteomic pilot study of tuberculosis pleural effusion
Authors: Zhang Jiaqiang , Fang Li-Zhou , Liu Ling , Zhang Jianqing , Fu Weiping , Dai Luming 
Published: August 2015

Abstract To discuss the differences in protein expression among tuberculosis pleural effusion (TBPE), malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and transudative pleural effusion (TSPE). We recruited 50 patients with pleural effusion, including 20 TBPEs, 17 MPEs and 13 TSPEs. Using the two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), we acquired the peptide mass finger printings (PMFs) of featured proteins. Then, we identified characteristic proteins by searching in the protein databank of the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and assessed their diagnostic significance. We found five characteristic proteins: C1-inhibitor (C1-INH), transthyretin (TTR), human complement fragment 3b (C3b), human ceruloplasmin (CP), and Z34c protein fragment Fc (Z34c-Fc). C1-INH shows a high expression in TBPE and a low expression in MPE while TTR and C3 show low expression in TBPE and high expressions in MPE. Z34c-Fc and CP have a higher expression in TBPE than in TSPE. No common characteristic protein was found between MPE and TSPE. Statistic analysis consisted of paired t-tests and the difference between them is significance ([Formula: see text]). C1-inhibitor (C1-INH), transthyretin (TTR), human Complement fragment 3b (C3b), human Ceruloplasmin (CP) and Z34c protein fragment Fc (Z34c-Fc) may provide an additional perspective in the differential diagnosis of PE.
Identification of dual active agents targeting 5-HT1A and SERT by combinatorial virtual screening methods
Authors: Wang Panpan , Yang Fengyuan , Yang Hong , Xu Xiaofei , Liu Duo , Xue Weiwei , Zhu Feng 
Published: August 2015

Abstract Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most adopted therapeutics marketed for major depression, and the efficacy of which are greatly reduced by their delayed onset of action and undesirable side effects. 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist and SERT inhibitor (SPARI) was proposed as a novel strategy to overcome the shortage of efficacy by a negative feedback control of 5-HT1A receptor. However, only one SPARI (vilazodone) has been approved for clinical use, and none is currently in clinical trial, which demonstrates a strong need for searching more novel SPARIs to facilitate antidepressants discovery. This work applied a combinatorial virtual screening method (CVSM) by integrating multiple tools. Statistic analysis reveals that CVSM surpasses single virtual screening methods in terms of hit rates and enrichment factors. By adopting optimized CVSM, 91 promising dual target leads form 15 scaffolds were identified, and 40% of these scaffolds have already been reported to show antidepressant related therapeutic effects. In sum, CVSM is capable in identifying novel SPARIs from large chemical libraries with extremely low false hit rate.
Microsatellite markers for the Pilosella alpicola group (Hieraciinae, Asteraceae) and their cross‐amplification in other Hieraciinae genera
Authors: Vít Petr , Šingliarová Barbora , Zozomová‐Lihová Judita , Marhold Karol , Krak Karol 
Published: August 2015

Premise of the study:Microsatellite markers were developed for the Pilosella alpicola group (Asteraceae), comprising four closely related species distributed in subalpine areas of Europe. These species are believed to have diverged recently, but display contrasting cytogeographic patterns and variation in breeding systems, representing a promising model system for studying plant speciation, adaptation, and recent polyploidization.Methods and Results:We developed 17 microsatellite markers for the P. alpicola group using 454 sequencing. Sixteen markers were polymorphic, with the number of alleles per locus ranging from seven to 16 and observed and expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.45 to 0.84 and 0.72 to 0.92, respectively. Ten and five loci amplified in the related species, P. echioides and P. officinarum, respectively, but only two in Andryala and one in Hieracium s. str.Conclusions:The developed microsatellite markers have high potential to become useful tools to study microevolutionary processes in the P. alpicola group and related Pilosella species.
A general methodology for collecting and preserving xystodesmid and other large millipedes for biodiversity research
Authors: Means Jackson , Francis Elizabeth , Lane Avery , Marek Paul 
Published: August 2015

With an estimated 80% of species remaining undescribed (but see Brewer et al. 2012), millipede taxonomy offers the opportunity to discover new species and explore biodiversity. The lack of basic alpha taxonomic information regarding millipedes belies their significant ecological role and potential as premier models in ecological and evolutionary studies. The group possesses many fascinating biological properties (e.g., bioluminescence, mimicry, and complex chemical secretions) that have been the focus of several recent studies and are emerging avenues of future investigation.
Here we summarize a methodology for large-bodied millipede collection, curation, and preservation for genetic analyses with the hope that sharing these techniques will stimulate interest in these charismatic detritivores.
Centre-valued Index for Toeplitz Operators with Noncommuting Symbols
Authors: Phillips John , Raeburn Iain 
Published: August 2015

AbstractWe formulate and prove a “winding number” index theorem for certain “Toeplitz” operators in the same spirit as Gohberg–Krein, Lesch and others. The “number” is replaced by a self-adjoint operator in a subalgebraZ⊆Z(A) of a unital C*-algebra,A. We assume a faithfulZ-valued traceτonAleft invariant under an actionα:R → Aut(A) leavingZpointwise fixed. Ifδis the infinitesimal generator ofαanduis invertible in dom(δ), then the “winding operator” ofuis. By a careful choice of representations we extend (A, Z, τ, α) to a von Neumann settingwhereand. Then, the von Neumann crossed product, and there is a faithful, dual-trace on. IfPis the projection incorresponding to the non-negative spectrum of the generator ofRinsideandis the embedding, then we defineand show it is Fredholm in an appropriate sense and the-valued index ofTuis the negative of the winding operator. In outline the proof follows that of the scalar case done previously by the authors. The main difficulty is making sense of the constructions with the scalars replaced byin the von Neumann setting. The construction of the dual-trace onrequires the nontrivial development of a-Hilbert algebra theory. We show that certain of these Fredholm operators fiber as a “section” of Fredholm operators with scalar-valued index and the centre-valued index fibers as a section of the scalar-valued indices.
MOLECULAR TREATMENT OF RUBBER-LIKE ELASTICITY FOR ACTIVE FILLER–LOADED NETWORKS
Authors: Hoei Yoshio 
Published: August 2015

ABSTRACTPrior comparison of experimental observations and model predictions for natural rubber/styrene–butadiene rubber carbon black–filled systems has indicated a need for further development of tubelike constraint-based entropy models. In particular, systems incorporating active fillers introduce constraints whose effects should be considered. This contribution extends the finite-extension single-chain model proposed originally by Teramoto, via consideration of the bound rubber layer surrounding a filler particle as well as filler-cluster breakup and strain-amplification effects. The resulting model includes descriptors of the entropy state of the polymer matrix, the affine and phantomlike chain deformation, and tube diameter. The model produced a more accurate prediction of the shape of observed stress–strain curves, particularly at moderate and high strains.