bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding: a population-based survey in Western Australia
Authors: Sim Tin Fei , Sherriff Jillian , Hattingh H Laetitia , Parsons Richard , Tee Lisa BG 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBackgroundMain concerns for lactating women about medications include the safety of their breastfed infants and the potential effects of medication on quantity and quality of breast milk. While medicine treatments include conventional and complementary medicines, most studies to date have focused on evaluating the safety aspect of conventional medicines. Despite increasing popularity of herbal medicines, there are currently limited data available on the pattern of use and safety of these medicines during breastfeeding. This study aimed to identify the pattern of use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding in Perth, Western Australia, and to identify aspects which require further clinical research.MethodsThis study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire validated through two pilot studies. Participants were 18 years or older, breastfeeding or had breastfed in the past 12 months. Participants were recruited from various community and health centres, and through advertising in newspapers. Simple descriptive statistics were used to summarise the demographic profile and attitudes of respondents, using the SPSS statistical software.ResultsA total of 304 questionnaires from eligible participants were returned (27.2% response rate) and analysed. Amongst the respondents, 59.9% took at least one herb for medicinal purposes during breastfeeding, whilst 24.3% reported the use of at least one herb to increase breast milk supply. Most commonly used herbs were fenugreek (18.4%), ginger (11.8%), dong quai (7.9%), chamomile (7.2%), garlic (6.6%) and blessed thistle (5.9%). The majority of participants (70.1%) believed that there was a lack of information resources, whilst 43.4% perceived herbal medicines to be safer than conventional medicines. Only 28.6% of users notified their doctor of their decision to use herbal medicine(s) during breastfeeding; 71.6% had previously refused or avoided conventional medicine treatments due to concerns regarding safety of their breastfed infants.ConclusionsThe use of herbal medicines is common amongst breastfeeding women, while information supporting their safety and efficacy is lacking. This study has demonstrated the need for further research into commonly used herbal medicines. Evidence-based information should be available to breastfeeding women who wish to consider use of all medicines, including complementary medicines, to avoid unnecessary cessation of breastfeeding or compromising of pharmacotherapy.
Accumulated lipids rather than the rigid cell walls impede the extraction of genetic materials for effective colony PCRs in Chlorella vulgaris
Authors: Tear Crystal Jing Ying , Lim Chanyuen , Wu Jinchuan , Zhao Hua 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
Failure of colony PCRs in green microalga Chlorella vulgaris is typically attributed to the difficulty in disrupting its notoriously rigid cell walls for releasing the genetic materials and therefore the development of an effective colony PCR procedure in C. vulgaris presents a challenge.

Results
Here we identified that colony PCR results were significantly affected by the accumulated lipids rather than the rigid cell walls of C. vulgaris. The higher lipids accumulated in C. vulgaris negatively affects the effective amplification by DNA polymerase. Based on these findings, we established a simple and extremely effective colony PCR procedure in C. vulgaris. By simply pipetting/votexing the pellets of C. vulgaris in 10 ul of either TE (10 mM Tris/1 mM EDTA) or 0.2% SDS buffer at room temperature, followed by the addition of 10 ul of either hexane or Phenol:Chloroform:Isoamyl Alcohol in the same PCR tube for extraction. The resulting aqueous phase was readily PCR-amplified as genomic DNA templates as demonstrated by successful amplification of the nuclear 18S rRNA and the chloroplast rbcL gene. This colony PCR protocol is effective and robust in C. vulgaris and also demonstrates its effectiveness in other Chlorella species.

Conclusions
The accumulated lipids rather than the rigid cell walls of C. vulgaris significantly impede the extraction of genetic materials and subsequently the effective colony PCRs. The finding has the potential to aid the isolation of high-quality total RNAs and mRNAs for transcriptomic studies in addition to the genomic DNA isolation in Chlorella.
A rapid cooperation-differentiated medium access control protocol with packet piggyback for multihop wireless networks
Authors: Li Yayan , Liu Kai , Liu Feng , Xu Zhen 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
To improve the efficiency of node cooperation and multiple access performance in multihop wireless networks, a rapid cooperation-differentiated medium access control (MAC) protocol is proposed. In the protocol, the helper selection process is divided into a priority differentiation phase and contention resolution phase for helpers with the same priority. A higher priority helper can choose an earlier minislot in the priority differentiation phase to send a busy tone. As a result, the protocol promptly selects all the highest priority helpers. The contention resolution phase for the same priority helpers can use any existing collision resolution scheme, such as the k-round elimination contention scheme. Helpers sending a busy tone first can proceed to the next round, while others, sensing the busy tone, subsequently withdraw from contention. Therefore, a unique optimal helper is selected from the highest priority helpers with high probability. A packet piggyback mechanism is also adopted, which allows a high data rate helper with its own data packets, to transmit these to their recipient without reservation. This significantly decreases the reservation overhead and effectively improves cooperation efficiency and channel utilization. Simulation results show that the maximum throughput of the proposed protocol is 39.6% and 9.6% higher than those of the cooperative MAC-aggregation (CoopMACA) and instantaneous relay-based cooperative MAC protocols, respectively, in a wireless local area network environment, and 40.8% and 31.9% higher, respectively, in an ad hoc network environment.
[COMMODE] a large-scale database of molecular descriptors using compounds from PubChem
Authors: Dander Andreas , Mueller Laurin AJ , Gallasch Ralf , Pabinger Stephan , Emmert-Streib Frank , Graber Armin , Dehmer Matthias 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
Molecular descriptors have been extensively used in the field of structure-oriented drug design and structural chemistry. They have been applied in QSPR and QSAR models to predict ADME-Tox properties, which specify essential features for drugs. Molecular descriptors capture chemical and structural information, but investigating their interpretation and meaning remains very challenging.

Results
This paper introduces a large-scale database of molecular descriptors called COMMODE containing more than 25 million compounds originated from PubChem. About 2500 DRAGON-descriptors have been calculated for all compounds and integrated into this database, which is accessible through a web interface at http://commode.i-med.ac.at.
Gender difference in relationship between body mass index and development of chronic kidney disease
Authors: Komura Hiroshi , Nomura Ikuo , Kitamura Kazuo , Kuwasako Kenji , Kato Johji 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
An epidemiological approach to preventing the development or progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is necessary, while few effective preventive measures are currently available. We conducted a community-based, cohort study to identify the factors associated with the development of CKD in the general population.

Methods
We examined 1876 local residents of a Japanese community who had an annual health check-up and, of those, 1506 residents judged not to have CKD (473 men and 1033 women) were followed for the development of CKD over 10 years.

Results
The numbers of male and female residents who developed CKD during the follow-up period were 167 (35.3%) and 299 (28.9%), respectively. As compared to those without CKD development, the residents who developed CKD were older, and had a higher body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, and creatinine in both genders. The rate of CKD development in obese female residents was higher than in non-obese women, but such a difference was not noted in male residents. In addition to age and serum creatinine, we identified BMI as an independently significant factor for the development of CKD in women, but not in men.

Conclusions
Increased BMI is a significant risk factor for the development of CKD in women, and there seems to be a gender difference in the association between increased BMI and the development of CKD in the general population.
Transcriptional profiling of adult Drosophila antennae by high-throughput sequencing
Authors: Shiao Meng-Shin , Fan Wen-Lang , Fang Shu , Lu Mei-Yeh Jade , Kondo Rumi , Li Wen-Hsiung 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Background
Antennae of fruit flies are the major organs responsible for detecting environmental volatiles, e.g., egg-laying substrates. An adult antenna contains many sensilla full of olfactory sensory neurons, where olfactory receptor (Or) genes are expressed. Each sensory neuron only expresses up to three receptors, making it difficult to estimate expression levels by conventional methods. In this study, we applied Illumina RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to study the expression levels of Or and other genes in fly antennae.

Results
RNA from approximately 1,200 pairs of adult antennae from each sex of Drosophila melanogaster was used to obtain the antennal transcriptome of each sex. We detected approximately 12,000 genes expressed in antennae of either sex. The most highly expressed genes included pheromone-binding genes, transmembrane transporter genes, and sensory reception genes. Among the 61 annotated Or genes, we observed 53 and 54 genes (approximately 90%) expressed (fragments per kilobase of exon per million fragments mapped (FPKM) > 0.05) in male and female antennae, respectively; approximately 25 genes were expressed with FPKM > 15. Compared to previous studies, which extracted RNA from the whole body or head and used microarrays, antenna-specific transcriptomes obtained by RNA-seq provided more reliable estimates of gene expression levels and revealed many lowly expressed genes. Ninty-one genes, including one odorant-binding protein (Obp) gene and four Or genes, were differentially expressed between male and female antennae. These sexually biased genes were enriched on the X chromosome and showed enrichment in different gene ontology categories for male and female flies. The present and previous data together suggest that a gene family with putative immune response functions is related to pheromone detection and involved in the courtship behavior of male flies.

Conclusions
Tissue-specific RNA-seq is powerful for detecting lowly expressed genes. Our study provides new insight into the expression of olfactory-related genes in Drosophila antennae.
Pangola grass as forage for ruminant animals: a review
Authors: Tikam Kanitta , Phatsara Chirawat , Mikled Choke , Vearasilp Therdchai , Phunphiphat Wirapon , Chobtang Jeerasak , Cherdthong Anusorn , Südekum Karl-Heinz 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
This review focuses on the introduction and investigation of pangola grass as a tropical forage species especially in Thailand. Pangola grass (Digitaria eriantha Steud., synonym D. decumbens) is one of recent examples of grasses that have been successfully introduced to Southeast Asia and is often considered as one of the highest quality tropical grasses popularly grown as pasture. Pangola grass is utilized extensively as grass for animal grazing, hay and silage making. Its crude protein content is commonly in the order of 5 to 14% of dry matter and may exceed 15% of dry matter with young regrowth under high fertilization. It has been documented that the type and number of ruminants receiving pangola grass can determine the success of its use. Results obtained when pangola grass in fresh, hay or silage form was fed to ruminant animals as supplements showed better performances in body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, meat quality, and milk yield and composition. In conclusion, pangola grass is a promising forage and a source of high quality feed for ruminant animals in tropical countries.
Cyr61 is involved in neutrophil infiltration in joints by inducing IL-8 production by fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Zhu Xianjin , Xiao Lianbo , Huo Rongfen , Zhang Jie , Lin Jinpiao , Xie Jun , Sun Songtao , He Yong , Sun Yue , Zhou Zhou , Shen Baihua , Li Ningli 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
Introduction
It is well known that neutrophils play very important roles in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and interleukin (IL)-8 is a critical chemokine in promoting neutrophil migration. We previously showed that increased production of Cyr61 by fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in RA promotes FLS proliferation and Th17 cell differentiation, thus Cyr61 is a pro-inflammatory factor in RA pathogenesis. In this study, we explored the role of Cyr61 in neutrophil migration to the joints of RA patients.

Methods
RA FLS were treated with Cyr61 and IL-8 expression was analyzed by real-time PCR and ELISA. The migration of neutrophils recruited by the culture supernatants was determined by the use of a chemotaxis assay. Mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were treated with anti-Cyr61 monoclonal antibodies (mAb), or IgG1 as a control. Arthritis severity was determined by visual examination of the paws and joint destruction was determined by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Signal transduction pathways in Cyr61-induced IL-8 production were investigated by real-time PCR, western blotting, confocal microscopy, luciferase reporter assay or chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay.

Results
We found that Cyr61 induced IL-8 production by RA FLS in an IL-1β and TNF-α independent pathway. Moreover, we identified that Cyr61-induced IL-8-mediated neutrophil migration in vitro. Using a CIA animal model, we found that treatment with anti-Cyr61 mAb led to a reduction in MIP-2 (a counterpart of human IL-8) expression and decrease in neutrophil infiltration, which is consistent with an attenuation of inflammation in vivo. Mechanistically, we showed that Cyr61 induced IL-8 production in FLS via AKT, JNK and ERK1/2-dependent AP-1, C/EBPβ and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Conclusions
Our results here reveal a novel role of Cyr61 in the pathogenesis of RA. It promotes neutrophil infiltration via up-regulation of IL-8 production in FLS. Taken together with our previous work, this study provides further evidence that Cyr61 plays a key role in the vicious cycle formed by the interaction between infiltrating neutrophils, proliferated FLS and activated Th17 cells in the development of RA.
Activation of the STAT3 Signaling Pathway Is Associated With Poor Survival in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With R-CHOP
Authors: Huang Xin , Meng Bin , Iqbal Javeed , Ding B. Belinda , Perry Anamarija M. , Cao Wenfeng , Smith Lynette M. , Bi Chengfeng , Jiang Chunsun , Greiner Timothy C. , Weisenburger Dennis D. , Rimsza Lisa , Rosenwald Andreas , Ott German , Delabie Jan , Campo Elias , Braziel Rita M. , Gascoyne Randy D. , Cook James R. , Tubbs Raymond R. , Jaffe Elaine S. , Armitage James O. , Vose Julie M. , Staudt Louis M. , McKeithan Timothy W. , Chan Wing C. , Ye B. Hilda , Fu Kai 
Published: November 2013

Purpose We previously reported that constitutive STAT3 activation is a prominent feature of the activated B-cell subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (ABC-DLBCL). In this study, we investigated whether STAT3 activation can risk stratify patients with DLBCL. Patients and Methods By an immunohistochemical method, we investigated phosphotyrosine STAT3 (PY-STAT3) expression from 185 patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone). Cell line-based siRNA experiments were also performed to generate an 11-gene, PY-STAT3 activation signature, which was used to study a previously published cohort of 222 patients with DLBCL. The STAT3 activation status determined by these two methods and by STAT3 mRNA levels were then correlated with survival. Results PY-STAT3 was detected in 37% of DLBCL and enriched in ABC-DLBCL cases (P = .03). PY-STAT3 positivity significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS; P = .01) and event-free survival (EFS; P = .006). Similar observations were made for high levels of STAT3 mRNA. In multivariable analysis, PY-STAT3 status (P = .02), International Prognostic Index (P = .02), and BCL2 expression (P = .046) were independent prognosticators of OS in this cohort. Among the cell-of-origin subgroups, PY-STAT3 was associated with poor EFS among non–germinal center B-cell DLBCL cases only (P = .027). Similarly, the 11-gene STAT3 activation signature correlated with poor survival in the entire DLBCL cohort (OS, P < .001; EFS, P < .001) as well as the ABC-DLBCL subgroup (OS, P = .029; EFS, P = .025). Conclusion STAT3 activation correlated with poor survival in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP, especially those with tumors of the ABC-DLBCL subtype.
Validation of the 12-Gene Colon Cancer Recurrence Score in NSABP C-07 As a Predictor of Recurrence in Patients With Stage II and III Colon Cancer Treated With Fluorouracil and Leucovorin (FU/LV) and FU/LV Plus Oxaliplatin
Authors: Yothers Greg , O'Connell Michael J. , Lee Mark , Lopatin Margarita , Clark-Langone Kim M. , Millward Carl , Paik Soonmyung , Sharif Saima , Shak Steven , Wolmark Norman 
Published: November 2013

Purpose Accurate assessments of recurrence risk and absolute treatment benefit are needed to inform colon cancer adjuvant therapy. The 12-gene Recurrence Score assay has been validated in patients with stage II colon cancer from the Cancer and Leukemia Group B 9581 and Quick and Simple and Reliable (QUASAR) trials. We conducted an independent, prospectively designed clinical validation study of Recurrence Score, with prespecified end points and analysis plan, in archival specimens from patients with stage II and III colon cancer randomly assigned to fluorouracil (FU) or FU plus oxaliplatin in National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project C-07. Methods Recurrence Score was assessed in 892 fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens (randomly selected 50% of patients with tissue). Data were analyzed by Cox regression adjusting for stage and treatment. Results Continuous Recurrence Score predicted recurrence (hazard ratio for a 25-unit increase in score, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.50 to 2.55; P < .001), as well as disease-free and overall survival (both P < .001). Recurrence Score predicted recurrence risk (P = .001) after adjustment for stage, mismatch repair, nodes examined, grade, and treatment. Recurrence Score did not have significant interaction with stage (P = .90) or age (P = .76). Relative benefit of oxaliplatin was similar across the range of Recurrence Score (interaction P = .48); accordingly, absolute benefit of oxaliplatin increased with higher scores, most notably in patients with stage II and IIIA/B disease. Conclusion The 12-gene Recurrence Score predicts recurrence risk in stage II and stage III colon cancer and provides additional information beyond conventional clinical and pathologic factors. Incorporating Recurrence Score into the clinical context may better inform adjuvant therapy decisions in stage III as well as stage II colon cancer.
De Novo Treatment of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma With Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Gemcitabine, and Prednisolone in Patients With Cardiac Comorbidity: A United Kingdom National Cancer Research Institute Trial
Authors: Fields Paul A. , Townsend William , Webb Andrew , Counsell Nicholas , Pocock Christopher , Smith Paul , Jack Andrew , El-Mehidi Nadjet , Johnson Peter W. , Radford John , Linch David C. , Cunnningham David 
Published: November 2013

Purpose The treatment of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with cardiac comorbidity is problematic, because this group may not be able to receive anthracycline-containing chemoimmunotherapy. We designed a single-arm phase II multicenter trial of rituximab, gemcitabine, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-GCVP) in patients considered unfit for anthracycline-containing chemoimmunotherapy because of cardiac comorbidity. Patients and Methods Sixty-one of 62 patients received R-GCVP, administered on day 1 with gemcitabine repeated on day 8 of a 21-day cycle. Median age was 76.5 years. All patients had advanced disease; 27 (43.5%) had left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤ 50%, and 35 (56.5%) had borderline ejection fraction of > 50% and comorbid cardiac risk factors such as ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or hypertension. Primary end point was overall response rate at the end of treatment. Results Thirty-eight patients (61.3%; 95% CI, 49.2 to 73.4) achieved disease response (complete response [CR], n = 18; undocumented/unconfirmed CR, n = 6; partial response, n = 14). Two-year progression-free survival for all patients was 49.8% (95% CI, 37.3 to 62.3), and 2-year overall survival was 55.8% (95% CI, 43.3 to 68.4). Thirty-four patients experienced grade ≥ 3 hematologic toxicity. There were 15 cardiac events, of which seven were grade 1 to 2, five were grade 3 to 4, and three were fatal, reflecting the poor cardiac status of the study population. Conclusion Our phase II multicenter trial showed that the R-GCVP regimen is an active, reasonably well-tolerated treatment for patients with DLBCL for whom anthracycline-containing immunochemotherapy was considered unsuitable because of coexisting cardiac disease.