bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside upregulates hepatic cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase expression and reduces hypercholesterolemia in mice
Authors: Wang Dongliang , Xia Min , Gao Song , Li Dan , Zhang Yuan , Jin Tianru , Ling Wenhua 
Published: April 2012

ScopeAlthough previous studies have shown that consumption of anthocyanin extract from plant foods reduces hypercholesterolemia and the severity of atherosclerosis in different animal models, the mechanisms of these actions remained unclear. This study investigated whether pure anthocyanin inhibit atherosclerosis development and reduce hypercholesterolemia in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE)‐deficient mice through enhancement of fecal bile acid excretion, a critical pathway for eliminating circulation cholesterol from the body.Methods and resultsFive‐week‐old male ApoE‐deficient mice were fed the AIN‐93G diet supplemented with or without cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside (0.06% w/w) for 12 weeks. Results showed that cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside consumption inhibited the formation of aortic sinus plaque and reduced hypercholesterolemia, along with promoted fecal bile acid excretion and upregulated hepatic cholesterol 7a‐hydroxylase expression (CYP7A1). In mouse primary hepatocytes, cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside treatment increased bile acid synthesis and CYP7A1 expression in a liver X receptor alpha (LXRα)‐)‐dependent manner. Scintillation proximity and time‐resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays revealed that cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside functions as an agonist of LXRα.ConclusionOur results indicate that the hypocholesterolemic activity of cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside was, at least in part, mediated by activating the potential LXRα‐CYP7A1‐bile acid excretion pathway, thus contributing to the antiatherogenic effect of cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside. Importantly, cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐glucoside could activate LXRα in an agonist‐dependent manner.
Regulation of colon gene expression by vitamin B6 supplementation
Authors: Toya Keigo , Hirata Atsuko , Ohata Tomomi , Sanada Yohei , Kato Norihisa , Yanaka Noriyuki 
Published: April 2012

ScopePrevious studies have shown that vitamin B6 supplementation suppresses the development of colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF), precursor lesions of colon cancer, and cell proliferation in mice receiving the colonic carcinogen, azoxymethane (AOM). This study investigated the molecular mechanism of these effects of dietary vitamin B6.Methods and resultsTo date, the mechanism by which ACFs develop is not yet fully understood. In a search for factors that play a critical role during ACF development, we examined colon gene expression during early stage of ACF development in AOM‐treated mice using DNA microarray analysis. AOM treatment significantly upregulated mRNA closely related to mast cell and cytotoxic T‐cell activity. This study also investigated the effect of vitamin B6 supplementation on colon gene expression in AOM‐treated mice. We found that vitamin B6 supplementation downregulates Cd8a and Ccl8 mRNA expression, suggesting these candidate genes may play a protective role against colonic ACF development. Furthermore, we examined genomic affects of dietary vitamin B6, and showed that Reg3γ mRNA expression in colons is downregulated by vitamin B6.ConclusionThis study provides an insight into the genomic activities of dietary vitamin B6 that may be protective against colon tumor development.
NOrmalized MAgnetization Ratio (NOMAR) filtering for creation of tissue selective contrast maps
Authors: Liu Guanshu , Chan Kannie W. Y. , Song Xiaolei , Zhang Jiangyang , Gilad Assaf A. , Bulte Jeff W. M. , van Zijl Peter C. M. , McMahon Michael T. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractAn MRI segmentation technique based on collecting two additional saturation transfer images is proposed as an aid for improved detection of chemical exchange saturation transfer agents. In this approach, the additional images are acquired at saturation frequencies of −12.5 and −50 ppm. Use of the ratio of these images allows differentiation of voxels with low magnetization transfer contrast (such as fat, cerebrospinal fluid, edema, or blood) from target tissue voxels using a global threshold determined by histogram analysis. We demonstrate that this technique can reduce artifacts, in vitro, in a phantom containing tubes with chemical exchange saturation transfer contrast agent embedded in either crosslinked bovine serum albumin or buffer, and in vivo for detecting diamagnetic CEST (DIACEST) liposomes injected into mice. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spectrally selective 3D TSE imaging of phosphocreatine in the human calf muscle at 3 T
Authors: Parasoglou Prodromos , Xia Ding , Regatte Ravinder R. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractQuantitative information about concentrations of several metabolites in human skeletal muscle can be obtained through localized 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods. However, these methods have shortcomings: long acquisition times, limited volume coverage, and coarse resolution. Significantly higher spatial and temporal resolution of imaging of single metabolites can be achieved through spectrally selective three‐dimensional imaging methods. This study reports the implementation of a three‐dimensional spectrally selective turbo spin‐echo sequence, on a 3T clinical system, to map the concentration of phosphocreatine in the human calf muscle with significantly increased spatial resolution and in a clinically feasible scan time. Absolute phosphocreatine quantification was performed with the use of external phantoms after relaxation and flip angle correction of the turbo spin‐echo voxel signal. The mean ± standard deviation of the phosphocreatine concentration measured in five healthy volunteers was 29.4 ± 2.5 mM with signal‐to‐noise ratio of 14:1 and voxel size of 0.52 mL. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Curing Diabetes With Transplantation?
Authors: Richter Anja , Lerner Susan M. , Schröppel Bernd 
Published: April 2012

AbstractType 1 diabetes affects >1 million people in the United States, where it accounts for up to 10% of all diabetes cases. Glycemic control via the use of exogenous insulin injections in diabetic patients is incomplete, resulting in multiple long‐term complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, vasculopathy, and nephropathy. The goal of beta‐cell replacement by whole‐pancreas or islet transplantation is to achieve long‐term insulin independence, and the proposed benefits are improved quality of life, prevention of recurrent diabetic nephropathy, stabilization or improvement in secondary complications, and improved mortality. No other regimen of insulin delivery can achieve this level of physiologic regulation. Mt Sinai J Med 79:267–275, 2012. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Surgical Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tabrizian Parissa , Schwartz Myron E. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and its incidence is rising in Western countries. Liver resection is the treatment of choice in noncirrhotic patients and in cirrhotic patients with well‐preserved liver function. Postresection survival rates are in the range of 41–74% at 5 years. Predictors of recurrence include tumor grade, vascular invasion, tumor size, number of tumors, presence of satellites, alpha‐fetoprotein level, transfusion, and positive surgical margin. Second hepatic resection for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma is applicable in about 15% of patients with recurrence. Liver transplantation has become an important element of the therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver transplantation provides excellent outcomes applying the Milan criteria with 5‐year survival rates of 70% and low recurrence rates. Intention‐to‐treat analysis has shown that wide extended indications lead to 25% 5‐year survival rates. Expansion of indications beyond the Milan Criteria and use of bridging/downstaging procedures, to convert intermediate advanced stages of hepatocellular cancer within the Milan criteria limits, are counterbalanced by graft shortage and increasing use of marginal donors. Living donor transplantation is an alternative that can eliminate the waiting time and the attendant risk of drop‐out. Mt Sinai J Med 79:223–231, 2012. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
An optimal control problem with nonlocal conditions for the weakly nonlinear hyperbolic equation
Authors: Guliyev H.F. , Tagiyev H.T. 
Published: April 2012

SUMMARYSome problems in physics and engineering may be effectively described in terms of nonlocal problems for differential equations. These nonlocal conditions show that some data on the boundary cannot be measured, and therefore some averaged data of the problem are given. In the present paper, necessary conditions of optimality in the optimal control problem are derived for hyperbolic equations with nonlocal boundary conditions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Degree of sialylation and fucosylation of plasma and amniotic immunoglobulin G changes progressively during normal pregnancy
Authors: Orczyk‐Pawiłowicz Magdalena , Augustyniak Daria , Hirnle Lidia , Kątnik‐Prastowska Iwona 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTObjectiveTerminal‐located glycotopes on immunoglobulin G (IgG) are potential ligands engaged in the interactions that may modulate the biological activities of IgG. The expressions of sialic acid and fucose residues on amniotic IgG were evaluated here in relation to the progression of normal human pregnancy.MethodsSialyl‐glycotope and fucosyl‐glycotope expressions on maternal plasma and amniotic IgG were determined by lectin‐IgG‐ELISA.ResultsThe amniotic and maternal plasma IgG concentrations and a degree of α2,6‐sialylation and α1,6‐fucosylation of maternal plasma IgG were almost unaltered during the normal pregnancy. The plasma IgG of pregnant and nonpregnant women did not contain α2,3‐linked sialic acid and α1,3‐linked and α1,2‐linked fucoses. In contrast, the amniotic IgG from the second trimester was decorated by α2,3‐linked sialic acids, α2,6‐linked sialic acids, and α1,6‐linked fucose, whereas the α1,3‐linked and α1,2‐linked fucoses were weakly expressed. During 35–37 weeks of gestation, all the parameters increased significantly, and they remained almost at the same levels throughout 35–42 weeks, including the delivery. However, they were significantly higher in the postdate pregnancy group.ConclusionThe degree of sialylation and fucosylation of amniotic IgG was associated with the progression of normal pregnancy. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prenatal diagnosis of cardiac defects: accuracy and benefit
Authors: Clur S. A. , Van Brussel P. M. , Ottenkamp J. , Bilardo C. M. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe prenatal diagnosis of cardiac defects can potentially reduce postnatal morbidity and mortality. We wanted to evaluate prenatal cardiac diagnosis accuracy in a population referred for echocardiography.MethodsSingle centre retrospective study of echocardiography referrals between April 1999 and December 2008. We compared the prenatal and postnatal cardiac diagnoses, the modified Aristotle and Wald scores. The final diagnosis Wald score was used to evaluate benefit.ResultsSix hundred fetuses were included. Diagnoses included: normal heart (312, 52%); congenital heart defect (CHD) (231, 38.5%); primary arrhythmia (39, 6.5%); or cardiomyopathy, myocarditis or cardiac tumor (18, 3%). The prenatal and postnatal Aristotle and Wald scores correlated in 81% and 86%, respectively, each with significant differences in 22 cases. Four significant CHDs were misdiagnosed, the surgical prediction was incorrect in 7 and 13 false positive diagnoses of aortic coarctation were made. In 76% (455/600) fetuses prenatal diagnosis was considered beneficial. The average CHD Aristotle score was 9.5 ± 5.0. In babies with CHDs and normal karyotype the score was either 6.5 ± 5.0, 12.9 ± 3.1 or 13.2 ± 2.9, in survivors, cases of postnatal demise and cases of pregnancy termination, respectively.ConclusionPrenatal diagnosis was accurate and the counselling appropriate in most cases; however, a few errors were made. The diagnosis of aortic coarctation remains challenging. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Polish National Registry for Fetal Cardiac Pathology: organization, diagnoses, management, educational aspects and telemedicine endeavors
Authors: Slodki Maciej , Szymkiewicz‐Dangel Joanna , Tobota Zdzislaw , Seligman Neil S. , Weiner Stuart , Respondek‐Liberska Maria 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTObjectiveWe describe the National Registry for Fetal Cardiac Pathology, a program under the Polish Ministry of Health aimed at improving the prenatal diagnosis, care, and management of congenital heart disease (CHD).MethodsAn online database was created to prospectively record diagnosis, prenatal care, delivery, follow‐up, and still images and video for fetuses with CHD. A certification program in fetal cardiac ultrasound was also implemented. Optimal screening and referral centers were identified by number of fetuses entered in the Registry yearly by each center.ResultsFrom 2004 to 2009, 2910 fetuses with CHD were registered (2473 structural, 437 functional anomalies). The most common reasons for referral for fetal echocardiography were abnormal four‐chamber view (56.0%) and extra‐cardiac anomalies (8.2% ), while the most common diagnoses were atrioventricular septal defects (10.2%) and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (9.7%). Prenatal diagnosis increased yearly, from 10.0% of neonatal diagnoses in 2003 to 38.0% in 2008.ConclusionFrom inception of the registry up to 2009 there has been a fourfold increase in the number of neonates referred for cardiac surgery in whom the condition was prenatally diagnosed. Equally important achievements include the establishment of a certification program for fetal echocardiography and the organization of prenatal and neonatal management. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Earth Hummocks in West Dartmoor, SW England: Characteristics, Age and Origin
Authors: Killingbeck James , Ballantyne Colin K. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTExtensive fields of vegetated, dome‐shaped earth hummocks 5–35 cm high and typically 80–200 cm in diameter occur on slopes of up to 15° at elevations of 320–440 m asl on Dartmoor, SW England, but are limited to terrain underlain by metasedimentary rocks and dolerite, and absent from granite areas. Hummocks occur within archaeological sites, implying formation within the last ~ 3000 years and ruling out development over permafrost. The hummocks are composed of frost‐susceptible silty soil (modal grain size 10–100 µm) with occasional clasts, but exhibit no evidence for cryoturbation or diapirism. Hummock size and spacing are fairly consistent at particular sites but vary between sites. Hummock age, distribution and characteristics are incompatible with non‐frost action origins and most proposed frost action origins (cryostatic pressure, soil circulation, permafrost aggradation, soil injection), but regular spacing and granulometry favour initiation by differential frost heave under conditions of periodic shallow (0.2–0.4 m) seasonal ground freezing. We suggest that hummock growth may reflect migration of silt in advance of inclined freezing planes until equilibrium is achieved with soil loss down hummock sides. Our results confirm that hummock formation by frost action occurs on silty soils in humid cool temperate climates with only limited seasonal frost penetration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Probing the catalytic mechanism of a C‐3′‐methyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of D‐tetronitrose
Authors: Bruender Nathan A. , Holden Hazel M. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractD‐Tetronitrose is a nitro‐containing tetradeoxysugar found attached to the antitumor and antibacterial agent tetrocarcin A. The biosynthesis of this highly unusual sugar in Micromonospora chalcea requires 10 enzymes. The fifth step in the pathway involves the transfer of a methyl group from S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine (SAM) to the C‐3′ carbon of dTDP‐3‐amino‐2,3,6‐trideoxy‐4‐keto‐D‐glucose. The enzyme responsible for this transformation is referred to as TcaB9. It is a monomeric enzyme with a molecular architecture based around three domains. The N‐terminal motif contains a binding site for a structural zinc ion. The middle‐ and C‐terminal domains serve to anchor the SAM and dTDP–sugar ligands, respectively, to the protein, and the active site of TcaB9 is wedged between these two regions. For this investigation, the roles of Tyr 76, His 181, Tyr 222, Glu 224, and His 225, which form the active site of TcaB9, were probed by site‐directed mutagenesis, kinetic analyses, and X‐ray structural studies. In addition, two ternary complexes of the enzyme with bound S‐adenosyl‐L‐homocysteine and either dTDP‐3‐amino‐2,3,6‐trideoxy‐4‐keto‐D‐glucose or dTDP‐3‐amino‐2,3,6‐trideoxy‐D‐galactose were determined to 1.5 or 1.6 Å resolution, respectively. Taken together, these investigations highlight the important role of His 225 in methyl transfer. In addition, the structural data suggest that the methylation reaction occurs via retention of configuration about the C‐3′ carbon of the sugar.
Theory of direct capture from two‐and three‐dimensional reservoirs to quantum dot states
Authors: Wilms Alexander , Breddermann Deniz , Mathé Peter 
Published: April 2012

AbstractWe present a comparison of Coulomb scattering rates from a two‐dimensional carrier reservoir/three‐dimensional carrier reservoir and quantum dot states. The scattering rates are microscopically determined in the limit of Born‐Markov approximation.The calculations highlight that, within the considered parameter range the scattering from a two‐dimensional carrier reservoir is more efficient than from a three‐dimensional carrier reservoir. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Investigation of InGaN/GaN quantum wells for polariton laser diodes
Authors: Glauser M. , Rossbach G. , Cosendey G. , Levrat J. , Cobet M. , Carlin J.‐F. , Besbas J. , Gallart M. , Gilliot P. , Butté R. , Grandjean N. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractIII‐nitride based microcavities (MCs) appear as one of the most promising candidates for the realization of room temperature (RT) polariton laser diodes. The present work focuses on the properties of low In content InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) in terms of inhomogeneous broadening, exciton localization energy, and plastic strain relaxation. For a small number of such QWs, an inhomogeneous line broadening of 41 meV is reported, which is compatible with strong coupling regime requirements. By contrast when considering an InGaN/GaN MQW set, a high density of defects is reported, which is ascribed to plastic strain relaxation. From the evolution of the inhomogeneous line broadening as a function of the number of QWs probed by microphotoluminescence measurements, it is concluded that for the realization of polariton light‐emitting devices the QW number should not go beyond 30 for MC structures grown on FS‐GaN substrate relying on InGaN/GaN QWs with an indium content ∼12‐15% and thicknesses of 1.5‐2 nm/3 nm for the wells and the barriers, respectively. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Exploring qubit‐qubit entanglement mediated by one‐dimensional plasmonic nanowaveguides
Authors: Gonzalez‐Tudela A. , Martin‐Cano D. , Moreno E. , Martin‐Moreno L. , Garcia‐Vidal F. J. , Tejedor C. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractWe exploit the qubit‐qubit coupling induced by plasmon‐polariton modes in a one‐dimensional nanowaveguide to obtain various two‐qubit entanglement situations. Firstly, we observe three phenomena occurring when preparing the initial state of the system and leaving it freely relax: spontaneous formation of entanglement, sudden birth and revival.Then, we show that plugging a laser to each of the qubit, the system arrives to an steady state which, depending on their inter‐qubit distance, can also be entangled. For this situation, we also characterize the quantum state of the system showing the entanglement‐purity‐diagram typical for two‐qubit systems. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Breakdown of hydrostatic balance at convective scales in the forecast errors in the Met Office Unified Model
Authors: Vetra‐Carvalho S. , Dixon M. , Migliorini S. , Nichols N. K. , Ballard S. P. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractFor data assimilation in numerical weather prediction, the initial forecast‐error covariance matrix Pf is required. For variational assimilation it is particularly important to prescribe an accurate initial matrix Pf, since Pf is either static (in the 3D‐Var case) or constant at the beginning of each assimilation window (in the 4D‐Var case). At large scales the atmospheric flow is well approximated by hydrostatic balance and this balance is strongly enforced in the initial matrix Pf used in operational variational assimilation systems such as that of the Met Office. However, at convective scales this balance does not necessarily hold any more. Here we examine the extent to which hydrostatic balance is valid in the vertical forecast‐error covariances for high‐resolution models in order to determine whether there is a need to relax this balance constraint in convective‐scale data assimilation. We use the Met Office Global and Regional Ensemble Prediction System (MOGREPS) and a 1.5 km resolution version of the Unified Model for a case study characterized by the presence of convective activity. An ensemble of high‐resolution forecasts valid up to three hours after the onset of convection is produced. We show that at 1.5 km resolution hydrostatic balance does not hold for forecast errors in regions of convection. This indicates that in the presence of convection hydrostatic balance should not be enforced in the covariance matrix used for variational data assimilation at this scale. The results show the need to investigate covariance models that may be better suited for convective‐scale data assimilation. Finally, we give a measure of the balance present in the forecast perturbations as a function of the horizontal scale (from 3–90 km) using a set of diagnostics. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society and British Crown Copyright, the Met Office
Amperometric sensor for nitrite using a glassy carbon electrode modified with thionine functionalized MWCNTs/Au nanorods/SDS nanohybrids
Authors: Zhang Yu , Yuan Ruo , Chai Yaqin , Zhong Xia , Zhong Huaan 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTA sensitive nitrite (NO2‐) biosensor was fabricated by using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Au nanorods, and thionine functionalized MWCNTs (TH‐f‐MWCNTs) nanohybrids modified glassy carbon electrode. TH was covalently immobilized on the MWCNTs via a carbodiimide reaction. Comparing with MWCNTs/GCE, TH‐f‐MWCNTs/GCE displays higher catalytic activity toward the oxidation of NO2‐, since TH not only promoted the electronic transmission but also could improve the concentration of NO2‐ at the surface of the modified electrode in acidic solutions. The Au nanorods (AuNRs) were prepared through a simple wet chemical method and were characterized by TEM. The extremely high surface‐to‐volume ratios associated with one dimension nanostructures make their electrical properties extremely sensitive to species adsorbed on surfaces and result in excellent sensitivity and selectivity. SDS displays excellent film forming ability, which made the electrode stable. Under optimal conditions, the linear range for the detection of nitrite was 0.26 to 51 μM, and the low detection limit was 20 nM. In addition, the modified electrode was successfully applied to determine nitrite in real water samples. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.