bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Attenuation of Corpus Callosum Axon Myelination and Remyelination in the Absence of Circulating Sex Hormones
Authors: Patel Rhusheet , Moore Spencer , Crawford Daniel K. , Hannsun Gemmy , Sasidhar Manda V. , Tan Kevin , Molaie Donna , Tiwari‐Woodruff Seema K. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractSex differences in the structure and organization of the corpus callosum (CC) can be attributed to genetic, hormonal or environmental effects, or a combination of these factors. To address the role of gonadal hormones on axon myelination, functional axon conduction and immunohistochemistry analysis of the CC in intact, gonadectomized and hormone‐replaced gonadectomized animals were used. These groups were subjected to cuprizone diet‐induced demyelination followed by remyelination. The myelinated component of callosal compound action potential was significantly decreased in ovariectomized and castrated animals under normal myelinating condition. Compared to gonadally intact cohorts, both gonadectomized groups displayed more severe demyelination and inhibited remyelination. Castration in males was more deleterious than ovariectomy in females. Callosal conduction in estradiol‐supplemented ovariectomized females was significantly increased during normal myelination, less attenuated during demyelination, and increased beyond placebo‐treated ovariectomized or intact female levels during remyelination. In castrated males, the non‐aromatizing steroid dihydrotestosterone was less efficient than testosterone and estradiol in restoring normal myelination/axon conduction and remyelination to levels of intact males. Furthermore, in both sexes, estradiol supplementation in gonadectomized groups increased the number of oligodendrocytes. These studies suggest an essential role of estradiol to promote efficient CC myelination and axon conduction in both sexes.
Indirect Effects of Human Development Along the Coast on Coral Health
Authors: Guilherme Becker C. , Dalziel Benjamin D. , Kersch‐Becker Mônica F. , Park Mia G. , Mouchka Morgan 
Published: January 2013

AbstractAccelerated human development in coastal areas is causing declines in coral reefs worldwide, but the mechanisms by which development leads to reef degradation are often difficult to identify. Here, we use Akaike information criterion model averaging in combination with path analysis to test for the direct and indirect effects of potential environmental stressors on two coral diseases on the west coast of Hawai'i. We quantified human‐altered land cover and human population density at two spatial scales: inland area of 1‐km radius and watershed. We then tested for the effects of these land cover variables, as well as seawater chlorophyll α concentrations, depth, host coral cover, and proximity to surface water discharge on the density of growth anomalies (GA) and prevalence of trematodiasis (TRE) affecting Porites lobata, the locally dominant reef‐building coral species. Our analyses showed that human‐altered land cover measured at 1‐km scale was a strong indirect predictor of GA. Specifically, we found that human interference adjacent to the coast predicted higher chlorophyll α concentrations, which in turn predicted higher GA density. We also found that chlorophyll α and depth were strong negative predictors of TRE, and host coral cover a positive predictor. Our results indicated that GA are likely regulated by indirect land‐based anthropogenic impacts, whereas TRE is mostly affected by host density‐dependent forces. Path analysis can serve as a useful tool to rapidly identify the scale and indirect effects of anthropogenic stressors related to coral diseases, allowing for accurate conservation planning in the face of limited resources for tropical conservation.
Evaluation of Coumarin and Neoflavone Derivatives as HCV NS5B Polymerase Inhibitors
Authors: Nichols Daniel B. , Leão Raquel A. C. , Basu Amartya , Chudayeu Maksim , de Moraes Paula de F. , Talele Tanaji T. , Costa Paulo R. R. , Kaushik‐Basu Neerja 
Published: January 2013

Coumarins and coumestans represent an important family of compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. We recently identified coumestans as novel inhibitors of hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase and predicted their binding in thumb pocket‐1 (TP‐1) of NS5B. As the coumarins are structurally related to coumestans by virtue of their common A‐ and B‐rings, we postulated them to also exhibit similar binding interaction with NS5B and inhibit its polymerase function. We therefore investigated 24 coumarin and neoflavone derivatives as candidate NS5B inhibitors and identified 14 compounds inhibiting NS5B polymerase activity with IC50 values between 17 and 63 μm. Of these, the newly synthesized 6,8‐diallyl‐5,7‐dihydroxycoumarin (8a) was produced in three steps in high chemical yield from floroglucinol and found to be the most potent of this series, exhibiting activity similar to the reference coumestan LQB‐34. The binding site of 8a was mapped to TP‐1 of NS5B by counter screening against P495L NS5B mutant, employed as a screen for TP‐1 site binders. NS5B‐TP‐1‐8a interaction map provided insight into 8a binding and offered clues for future SAR optimization.
Extracellular vesicles, especially derived from Gram‐negative bacteria, in indoor dust induce neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation associated with both Th1 and Th17 cell responses
Authors: Kim Y.‐S. , Choi E.‐J. , Lee W.‐H. , Choi S.‐J. , Roh T.‐Y. , Park J. , Jee Y.‐K. , Zhu Z. , Koh Y.‐Y. , Gho Y. S. , Kim Y.‐K. 
Published: January 2013

SummaryBackgroundMany bacterial components in indoor dust can evoke inflammatory pulmonary diseases. Bacteria secrete nanometre‐sized vesicles into the extracellular milieu, but it remains to be determined whether bacteria‐derived extracellular vesicles in indoor dust are pathophysiologically related to inflammatory pulmonary diseases.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether extracellular vesicles (EV) in indoor air are related to the pathogenesis of pulmonary inflammation and/or asthma.MethodsIndoor dust was collected from a bed mattress in an apartment. EV were prepared by sequential ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation. Innate and adaptive immune responses were evaluated after airway exposure of EV.ResultsRepeated intranasal application of indoor‐dust‐induced neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation accompanied by lung infiltration of both Th1 and Th17 cells. EV 50–200 nm in diameter were present (102.5 μg protein concentration/g dust) in indoor dust. These vesicles were internalized by airway epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages, and this process was blocked by treatment of polymyxin B (an antagonist of lipopolysaccharide, an outer‐membrane component of Gram‐negative bacteria). Intranasal application of 0.1 or 1 μg of these vesicles for 4 weeks elicited neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation. This phenotype was accompanied by lung infiltration of both Th1 and Th17 cells, which were reversed by treatment of polymyxin B. Serum dust EV‐reactive IgG1 levels were significantly higher in atopic children with asthma than in atopic healthy children and those with rhinitis or dermatitis.Conclusion & Clinical RelevanceIndoor dust EV, especially derived from Gram‐negative bacteria, is a possible causative agent of neutrophilic airway diseases.
Parity and tanned white skin as novel predictors of vitamin D status in early pregnancy: a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Andersen L. B. , Abrahamsen B. , Dalgård C. , Kyhl H. B. , Beck‐Nielsen S. S. , Frost‐Nielsen M. , Jørgensen J. S. , Barington T. , Christesen H. T. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractContextIn pregnancy, vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency, defined as serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) <50 nM, and <25 nM, respectively, may have adverse effects for both mother and child. Prevalence estimates, and identification of subgroups at special risk, may be useful for the planning of preventive strategies.ObjectiveTo study the prevalence and risk factors of hypovitaminosis D in early pregnancy.Design and MethodsIn a cross‐sectional study of 1348 women in early pregnancy from the Odense Child Cohort, Denmark, 25(OH)D was determined and correlated to demographic and lifestyle variables (age, nationality, skin tone, parity, prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), smoking and sun exposure), using multiple linear and logistic regression analyses for all year, or stratified for summer and winter. The risk of vitamin D insufficiency was expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals in brackets.ResultsThe prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was estimated to 27·8% and 3·5% respectively. In adjusted analyses, vitamin D insufficiency was directly associated with winter season, OR = 1·89 (1·35–2·63); increasing prepregnancy BMI, OR = 1·06 (1·03–1·10); and smoking, OR = 2·7 (1·34–5·41); but was less frequent in nulliparous, OR = 0·47 (0·33–0·68) and tanned Caucasians, OR = 0·63 (0·41–0·97). Season‐specific associations having parental origin from outside Europe in summer, OR = 4·13 (1·41–12·13); in winter smoking, OR = 3·15 (1·19–8·36); and prepregnancy BMI, OR = 1·12 (1·06–1·18).ConclusionsVitamin D insufficiency was widespread in early pregnancy. Associations to smoking, prepregnancy BMI and origin outside Europe varied with season. Multiparity and not being tanned in Caucasians represent new risk factors of vitamin D insufficiency.
Feature‐Preserving Surface Reconstruction From Unoriented, Noisy Point Data
Authors: Wang J. , Yu Z. , Zhu W. , Cao J. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractWe propose a robust method for surface mesh reconstruction from unorganized, unoriented, noisy and outlier‐ridden 3D point data. A kernel‐based scale estimator is introduced to estimate the scale of inliers of the input data. The best tangent planes are computed for all points based on mean shift clustering and adaptive scale sample consensus, followed by detecting and removing outliers. Subsequently, we estimate the normals for the remaining points and smooth the noise using a surface fitting and projection strategy. As a result, the outliers and noise are removed and filtered, while the original sharp features are well preserved. We then adopt an existing method to reconstruct surface meshes from the processed point data. To preserve sharp features of the generated meshes that are often blurred during reconstruction, we describe a two‐step approach to effectively recover original sharp features. A number of examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our method.
Coarse‐to‐Fine Isometric Shape Correspondence by Tracking Symmetric Flips
Authors: Sahillioğlu Y. , Yemez Y. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractWe address the symmetric flip problem that is inherent to multi‐resolution isometric shape matching algorithms. To this effect, we extend our previous work which handles the dense isometric correspondence problem in the original 3D Euclidean space via coarse‐to‐fine combinatorial matching. The key idea is based on keeping track of all optimal solutions, which may be more than one due to symmetry especially at coarse levels, throughout denser levels of the shape matching process. We compare the resulting dense correspondence algorithm with state‐of‐the‐art techniques over several 3D shape benchmark datasets. The experiments show that our method, which is fast and scalable, is performance‐wise better than or on a par with the best performant algorithms existing in the literature for isometric (or nearly isometric) shape correspondence. Our key idea of tracking symmetric flips can be considered as a meta‐approach that can be applied to other multi‐resolution shape matching algorithms, as we also demonstrate by experiments.
Content‐Based Colour Transfer
Authors: Wu Fuzhang , Dong Weiming , Kong Yan , Mei Xing , Paul Jean‐Claude , Zhang Xiaopeng 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThis paper presents a novel content‐based method for transferring the colour patterns between images. Unlike previous methods that rely on image colour statistics, our method puts an emphasis on high‐level scene content analysis. We first automatically extract the foreground subject areas and background scene layout from the scene. The semantic correspondences of the regions between source and target images are established. In the second step, the source image is re‐coloured in a novel optimization framework, which incorporates the extracted content information and the spatial distributions of the target colour styles. A new progressive transfer scheme is proposed to integrate the advantages of both global and local transfer algorithms, as well as avoid the over‐segmentation artefact in the result. Experiments show that with a better understanding of the scene contents, our method well preserves the spatial layout, the colour distribution and the visual coherence in the transfer process. As an interesting extension, our method can also be used to re‐colour video clips with spatially‐varied colour effects.
The Migration of Neural Progenitor Cell Mediated by SDF‐1 is NF‐κB/HIF‐1α Dependent upon Hypoxia
Authors: Yin Wen , Ma Lei , Zhang Jun , Huang Kun , Yang Qi , Guo Yan‐Yan , Liu Shui‐Bing , Liu Yong‐Hong , Wu Yu‐Mei 
Published: January 2013

SummaryAimsStromal cell‐derived factor 1 (SDF‐1) is critical for neural progenitor cell (NPC) migration after ischemia for nerve repair, but how hypoxic induction of SDF‐1 is regulated has not been fully addressed. Here, we examined the regulation of SDF‐1 hypoxic induction by the transcription factors nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) and hypoxic inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α) in astrocytes.Methods and ResultsStromal cell‐derived factor‐1 in astrocyte‐conditioned medium (ACM) collected from hypoxic astrocytes induced a time‐ and dose‐dependent increase in NPC migration using chemotaxis assay. The increase in NPC migration correlated with increased SDF‐1 production in astrocytes by real‐time PCR and ELISA assays. Astrocytes produced SDF‐1 time‐dependently upon 3% O2 treatment, which was associated with increased levels of NF‐κB and HIF‐1α using Western blot analysis. Anti‐HIF‐1α compound, 3‐(5′‐hydroxymethyl‐2′‐furyl)‐1‐benzylindazole (YC‐1) and NF‐κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), decreased hypoxic induction of SDF‐1, and PDTC pretreatment cancelled HIF‐1α expression as well, thus NPC migration induced by ACM was decreased accordingly. Moreover, lentiviurs siRNA for NF‐κB p65 abrogated induction of HIF‐1α and SDF‐1 under hypoxia in astrocytes.ConclusionsHypoxic induction of SDF‐1 is reliant upon NF‐κB and HIF‐1α. There is a cross‐talk between HIF‐1α and NF‐κB, both HIF‐1α and SDF‐1 are downstream targets of NF‐κB in hypoxia condition.
Maternal factors associated with heavy periconceptional alcohol intake and drinking following pregnancy recognition: A post‐partum survey of New Zealand women
Authors: Mallard Simonette R. , Connor Jennie L. , Houghton Lisa A. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractIntroduction and AimsAlcohol consumption during pregnancy places the foetus at risk of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Little is known about the current prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption before and following pregnancy recognition in New Zealand.Design and MethodsA retrospective survey of 723 post‐partum women resident in maternity wards located across New Zealand was conducted using a self‐administered questionnaire. Maternal sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and alcohol intake before and after pregnancy recognition were assessed.ResultsOf the 968 women invited to participate, 78% agreed. Eighty‐two percent of women reported consuming alcohol prior to pregnancy and 20% reported typically consuming >4 New Zealand standard drinks per occasion. Overall, 34% of women reported drinking at some time during pregnancy. Twelve percent of pregnancies were at high risk of heavy alcohol exposure in early gestation. In fully adjusted analysis, pregnancies most at risk were those of indigenous Māori women, Pacific women, smokers and drug users. Almost one‐quarter (24%) of drinkers continued to drink following pregnancy recognition, and in fully adjusted analysis, continuing to drink was positively associated with frequency of alcohol consumption before pregnancy (P < 0.001 for linear trend).Discussion and ConclusionsTo reduce the burden of alcohol‐related harm to the foetus, these findings suggest that New Zealand alcohol policy should be focused not only on promoting total abstinence when planning a pregnancy and when pregnant, but also on reducing ‘binge drinking’ culture and the frequent consumption of lower levels of alcohol.[Mallard SR,
Connor JL, Houghton LA. Maternal factors associated with heavy periconceptional alcohol intake and drinking following pregnancy recognition:A post‐partum survey of New Zealand women.Drug Alcohol Rev2013;32:389–397]
Prevalence and key covariates of non‐medical prescription opioid use among the general secondary student and adult populations in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Fischer Benedikt , Ialomiteanu Anca , Boak Angela , Adlaf Edward , Rehm Jürgen , Mann Robert E. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractIntroduction and AimsTo assess the prevalence and key covariates of non‐medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) in two representative surveys of adults (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Monitor, CM) and secondary‐school students (Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, OSDUHS).Design and MethodsData from the 2010 and 2011 cycles (n = 4023) of CM—a stratified, multi‐stage, random‐digit‐dialling telephone survey of adults (18 years and older)—and the 2011 cycle of OSDUHS (n = 3266)—a self‐administered written questionnaire‐based survey of grade 7–12 public system students—were used. Besides NMPOU prevalence, associations were assessed by univariate and multi‐step multivariate (logistic regression) analyses. NMPOU and key socioeconomic (i.e. sex, age, Aboriginal ethnicity, household location, income, subjective social status), health indicators (physical health status, psychological distress, suicidal ideation), drug use (cigarette smoking, binge drinking, cannabis use, other drug use) were measured.ResultsNMPOU (past year) prevalence was 15.5% in students and 5.9% in adults. Various univariate associations with social, health and drug use factors were found in both populations, with differences by sex. Based on multivariate analyses, other drug use (male students) and rural residence, subjective social status, other drug use and suicidal ideation (female students); marital status and cannabis use (male adults) and binge drinking (female adults) were independently associated with NMPOU in the respective study populations.Discussion and ConclusionsNMPOU was high in adults and especially students. Independent predictors of NMPOU were largely inconsistent by sex. Notably, NMPOU is widely distributed across socio‐demographic and ‐economic strata, and thus requires broad‐based interventions.
Giant Left Atrium
Authors: Kucukdurmaz Zekeriya , Gunes Hakan , Kurt Recep , Karapınar Hekim 
Published: January 2013

Mini‐AbstractA 58‐year‐old woman with a history of mitral valve replacement (MVR) 17 years ago and was admitted to our clinic with dyspnea. Transthoracic examination showed a normal functioning MVR with a very large left atrium which was 209 × 96 mm that was not possible to fit the screen in its entirety. Left atrial enlargement may be misdiagnosed as pleural effusion or a mass, so the clinician must be alert to avoid from further invasive examinations like pleurocentesis or biopsy, which may be associated with dangerous complications.
Relationship between Epicardial Fat Measured by Echocardiography and Coronary Atherosclerosis: A Single‐Blind Historical Cohort Study
Authors: Nabati Maryam , Saffar Naser , Yazdani Jamshid , Parsaee Mohammd Sadegh 
Published: January 2013

BackgroundThere are conflicting theories regarding the accuracy of echocardiography for determining the value of epicardial fat thickness in cardiovascular risk assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship.MethodA historical cohort study was conducted on 143 patients, 40 to 87 years old, admitted for coronary angiography. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and measurement of epicardial fat thickness in parasternal long‐axis view at end‐systole for 3 cardiac cycles. Both procedures were performed within a week before performing coronary angiography.ResultsEpicardial fat thickness was significantly correlated with the existence and severity of coronary artery disease (P‐value <0.001). There was also a trend toward lower high‐density lipoprotein in males with thicker epicardial fat.ConclusionEpicardial fat thickness equal to or more than 7 mm may identify an individual with higher probability of having coronary atherosclerosis.
Effect of Septal Ablation on Regional Diastolic Dysfunction and Diastolic Asynchrony in Patients with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: A Follow‐Up Study Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography
Authors: Chen Shi , Duan Fujian , Yuan Jiansong , Qiao Shubin , Lv Xiuzhang , Hu Fenghuan , Yang Weixian , Zhang Jiafen , Yang Yuejin 
Published: January 2013

BackgroundPercutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) is an alternative therapy for patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) that results in sustained improvement in the global diastolic dysfunction. Regional diastolic abnormalities and diastolic asynchrony are very common and closely related to global diastolic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of PTSMA on regional diastolic dysfunction and diastolic asynchrony in HOCM patients using speckle tracking echocardiography.MethodsStrain rate curves were obtained for 18 different segments of the left ventricular (LV) myocardium in 30 HOCM patients 24 hours before and 1 year after PTSMA. The peak strain rate during the isovolumic relaxation period (SRIVR), the peak early diastolic strain rate (SRE), and the time from the onset of the QRS‐wave to SRE (TSRE) were measured for each segment. The left atrial volume indexed to the body surface area (LAVI) was measured as a global diastolic index.ResultsAt 1 year after PTSMA, there was significant improvement of the global SRIVR (0.14 ± 0.06–0.22 ± 0.07%/sec, P < 0.001) and SRE (0.67 ± 0.24–0.82 ± 0.23%/sec, P = 0.001). The coefficient of variation in TSRE (CVTSRE) decreased significantly. The changes in the regional myocardial diastolic deformation and CVTSRE correlated well with the reduction in the LAVI.ConclusionsPercutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation has a favorable effect on regional diastolic abnormalities and diastolic asynchrony, which may partly account for the persistent improvement in global LV diastolic function in HOCM patients after PTSMA.