bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Persisting ratio of total amylase output in drain fluid can predict postoperative clinical pancreatic fistula
Authors: Okano Keiichi , Kakinoki Keitaro , Suto Hironobu , Oshima Minoru , Kashiwagi Hirotaka , Yamamoto Naoki , Akamoto Shintaro , Fujiwara Masao , Takama Takehiro , Usuki Hisashi , Hagiike Masanobu , Suzuki Yasuyuki 
Published: May 2011

AbstractBackground/purposeA consistent predictor for pancreatic fistula (PF) development in the early period after pancreatic resection is still lacking.Patients and methodsA total of 54 consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic resection were enrolled between June 2007 and April 2010. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and distal pancreatectomy (DP) were performed in 38 and 16 patients, respectively. For the purpose of finding an early predictor for PF development, we investigated drain amylase levels (d‐Amy, IU/mL), drain output volume (d‐Vol, mL/day) and drain amylase output (Amy‐V, IU/day) on postoperative days (POD) 1 and 3. Amy‐V was calculated as the product of d‐Amy and d‐Vol, and was expressed as the sum of values obtained from all drains. In addition, the ratio of d‐Amy or Amy‐V on POD3 to that on POD1 was calculated as the persisting ratio in each patient.ResultsThe overall incidence of clinical PF (International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula Grade B and C) was 16.7%, occurring in 13.1% after PD and 25% after DP. All PF occurred in cases with a remnant pancreas of soft texture. There was no significant difference in d‐Amy, d‐Vol, or Amy‐V on POD1 and POD3 between patients with and without clinical PF. The persisting ratio of Amy‐V was significantly lower in patients without clinical PF compared to those with clinical PF (p = 0.029). Furthermore, the persisting ratio of Amy‐V was significantly lower in patients with Grade A PF compared to those with Grade B PF (p = 0.03).ConclusionThe persisting ratio of drain amylase output is a new significant predictive factor for clinical PF development.
Separation of Sunflower Oil from Hexane by Use of Composite Polymeric Membranes
Authors: Pagliero C. , Ochoa N. A. , Martino P. , Marchese J. 
Published: May 2011

AbstractVegetable oil extraction, as performed today by the oilseed‐crushing industry, usually involves solvent extraction with commercial hexane. After this step, the vegetable oil–hexane mixture (miscella) must be treated to separate its components by distillation. If solvent‐resistant membranes with good permeation properties can be obtained, membrane separation may replace, or be used in combination with, conventional evaporation. Two tailor‐made flat composite membranes, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF–Si and PVDF–CA) and a commercially available composite membrane (MPF‐50), were used to separate a crude sunflower oil–hexane mixture. The effects of temperature, cross‐flow velocity (v), transmembrane pressure (Δp), and feed oil concentration (Cf) on membrane selectivity and permeation flux were determined. The PVDF–Si membrane achieved the best results, being stable in commercial hexane and having promising permselectivity properties for separation of vegetable oil–hexane miscella. Improved separation performance was obtained at Cf = 25%, Δp = 7.8 bar, T = 30 °C, and v = 0.8 m s−1; a limiting permeate flux of 12 Lm−2 h−1 and 46.2% oil retention were achieved. Low membrane fouling was observed under all the experimental conditions studied.
High‐Resolution NMR Spectroscopy: An Alternative Fast Tool for Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Diacylglycerol (DAG) Oil
Authors: Hatzakis Emmanuel , Agiomyrgianaki Alexia , Kostidis Sarantos , Dais Photis 
Published: May 2011

AbstractMultinuclear (1H, 13C, 31P) and multidimensional NMR spectroscopy was employed for the analysis of diacylglycerol (DAG) oil and the quantification of its acylglycerols and acyl chains composition. A number of gradient selected two dimensional NMR techniques (TOCSY, HSQC‐DEPT, HSQC‐TOCSY, and HMBC) facilitated the assignment of the complex one dimensional 1H‐ and 13C‐NMR spectra. In several cases, the aforementioned 2D‐NMR techniques offered solid proof of earlier assignments based on chemical shift changes induced by the presence and relative positions of double bonds within the acyl chains. Integration of the appropriate signals in the NMR spectra of the three nuclei allowed the determination of DAG oil composition, which was found to be within the limits accepted for this oil, namely 1‐monoacylglycerols 0.40–0.60%; 2‐monoacylglycerols 0.40–0.50%; 1,3‐diacylglycerols 57–62%; 1,2‐diacylglycerols 28–32%; triacylglycerols 9–11%; saturated fatty acids 3–5%; oleic acid 37–45%; linoleic acid 49–53%; and linolenic acid 5–6.5%; tocopherols 0.24–0.27%. The compositional results obtained from the NMR spectra of the three nuclei were compared and discussed in terms of repeatability and ease of performance.
Moderate Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Mortality
Authors: Fuller Theodore D. 
Published: May 2011

Abstract
There has been a growing consensus that moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with a lower risk of mortality and that this association is probably causal. However, a recent review article has raised a serious challenge to this consensus. In short, it determined that most prior research in this area committed serious misclassification errors; furthermore, among those studies that were free of these misclassification errors, no support for a protective role of alcohol consumption was found. This article reexamines the issue using prospective data for more than 124,000 persons interviewed in the U.S. National Health Interview Surveys of 1997 through 2000 with mortality follow-up through 2002 using the Linked Mortality File. The study involves about 488,000 person-years. Controlling for a variety of covariates, this study finds that compared with nondrinkers, those who consume a moderate amount of alcohol have lower all-cause and CHD mortality. The fact that the current study has taken care to avoid the pitfalls of some earlier studies and still finds that those who consume a moderate amount of alcohol have lower all-cause mortality and CHD mortality lends credence to the argument that the relationship is causal.
Evidence for a role of the ileum in the control of nitrogen homeostasis via the regulation of arginine metabolism
Authors: Ventura G. , Moinard C. , Sinico F. , Carrière V. , Lasserre V. , Cynober L. , De Bandt J. P. 
Published: May 2011

As arginine plays a key role in the regulation of liver ureagenesis, we hypothesised that a modulation of enzymes involved in arginine metabolism within the intestine contributes to the regulation of N homeostasis according to protein supply. Our aim was to study the influence of variations in protein or amino acid (AA) supply on intestinal arginase, glutaminase, ornithine aminotransferase (OAT), argininosuccinate lyase and argininosuccinate synthetase. We evaluatedin vivoin rats the responses of these enzymes to short-term (ST, 16 h) and long-term (LT, 15 d) variations in dietary protein (10, 17 or 25 % protein diet). In addition, in order to test whether these responses could involve a direct action of AA on the gene expression and activity of these enzymes, Caco-2/TC7 cells were cultured for 3 d with increasing AA concentrations.In vivo, in the ST, both high- and low-protein diets increased arginase activity in the intestinal mucosa (ST25 %: 46 (sem2) μmol/g per min and ST10 %: 46 (sem2) μmol/g per minv. ST17 %: 36 (sem3) μmol/g per min,P < 0·05). In the LT, OAT expression was increased in the LT10 % group (+277 %,P < 0·05) compared with the LT17 % group. Caco-2/TC7 cells showed inverse relationships between AA supply and arginase (P = 0·058) and OAT (P = 0·035) expressions. The present study demonstrates the regulation of intestinal arginase and OAT expressions in response to protein supply. Ourin vitroexperiments further indicate a direct AA-induced regulation of the mRNA abundance of these enzymes. In situations of limited protein supply, this regulation would increase intestinal arginine catabolism and, possibly via a decrease in arginine portal release, decrease hepatic AA oxidation, thus promoting N sparing.
Glutamine supplementation improves intestinal barrier function in a weaned piglet model of Escherichia coli infection
Authors: Ewaschuk Julia B. , Murdoch Gordon K. , Johnson Ian R. , Madsen Karen L. , Field Catherine J. 
Published: May 2011

The weaning period is associated with an increased prevalence of gastrointestinal infection in many species. Glutamine (Gln) has been shown to improve intestinal barrier function and immune function in both in vivo and in vitro models. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of dietary Gln supplementation on intestinal barrier function and intestinal cytokines in a model of Escherichia coli infection. We randomised 21-d-old piglets (n 20) to nutritionally complete isonitrogenous diets with or without Gln (4·4 %, w/w) for 2 weeks. Intestinal loops were isolated from anaesthetised pigs and inoculated with either saline or one of the two E. coli (K88AC or K88 wild-type)-containing solutions. Intestinal tissue was studied for permeability, cytokine expression, fluid secretion and tight-junction protein expression. Animals receiving Gln supplementation had decreased potential difference (PD) and short-circuit current (Isc) in E. coli-inoculated intestinal loops (PD 0·628 (sem 0·151) mV; Isc 13·0 (sem 3·07) μA/cm2) compared with control-fed animals (PD 1·36 (sem 0·227) mV; Isc 22·4 (sem 2·24) μA/cm2). Intestinal tissue from control, but not from Gln-supplemented, animals responded to E. coli with a significant increase in mucosal cytokine mRNA (IL-1β, IL-6, transforming growth factor-β and IL-10). Tight-junction protein expression (claudin-1 and occludin) was reduced with exposure to E. coli in control-fed animals and was not influenced in Gln-supplemented piglets. Gln supplementation may be useful in reducing the severity of weaning-related gastrointestinal infections, by reducing the mucosal cytokine response and altering intestinal barrier function.
A potential role of IL-6 in the chito-oligosaccharide-mediated inhibition of adipogenesis
Authors: Bahar Bojlul , O'Doherty John V. , Sweeney Torres 
Published: May 2011

Recent studies have suggested that chito-oligosaccharides can have anti-adipogenic properties. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the anti-adipogenic potential of four different chito-oligosaccharides (molecular weight (MW) < 1000, 1000–3000, 3000–5000 and 5000–10 000 Da) and to identify molecular mechanisms underlying the chito-oligosaccharide-mediated inhibition of adipogenesis. Mouse 3T3-L1 cells were allowed to differentiate in the presence of chito-oligosaccharide. At day 8 post-induction of differentiation, lipid accumulation, free glycerol release and the quantitative expression of adipogenic marker genes were evaluated. Chito-oligosaccharides had concentration- and MW-dependent inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation (P < 0·001 and < 0·05, respectively), as well as a concentration-dependent effect (P < 0·001) on free glycerol release and the expression of adipogenic marker genes. The 5000–10 000 Da chito-oligosaccharide was selected for subsequent molecular studies. A panel of forty-four lipid metabolic pathway-specific genes was analysed by quantitative real-time PCR. Chito-oligosaccharide-mediated inhibition of adipogenesis was associated with the up-regulation of theIL-6gene at all concentrations of chito-oligosaccharide examined and the PG-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) gene at higher concentrations of chito-oligosaccharide. The effect of chito-oligosaccharide on gene expression was validated by measuring IL-6 protein concentrations in the media. Finally, anIL-6promoter assay was developed to characterise the effect of chito-oligosaccharide on the transcriptional activity of theIL-6promoter, which was increased in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0·001). We conclude that IL-6 is a candidate signalling molecule in the chito-oligosaccharide-mediated inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells.
Consumption of salmonv.salmon oil capsules: effects onn-3 PUFA and selenium status
Authors: Stonehouse Welma , Pauga Melanie R. , Kruger Rozanne , Thomson Christine D. , Wong Marie , Kruger Marlena C. 
Published: May 2011

Salmon provides long-chain (LC)n-3 PUFA and Se, which are well recognised for their health benefits. Then-3 and Se status of the New Zealand population is marginal. The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of consuming salmonv.supplementation with salmon oil on LCn-3 and Se status. Healthy volunteers (n44) were randomly assigned to one of four groups consuming 2 × 120 g servings of salmon/week or 2, 4 or 6 salmon oil capsules/d for 8 weeks. Linear regression analysis predictive models were fitted to the capsule data to predict changes in erythrocyte LCn-3 levels with intakes of LCn-3 from capsules in amounts equivalent to that consumed from salmon. Changes in Se status (plasma Se and whole-blood glutathione peroxidase) were compared between the groups consuming salmon and capsules (three groups combined). Salmon, 2, 4 and 6 capsules provided 0·82, 0·24, 0·47 and 0·69 g/d of LCn-3 fatty acids. Salmon provided 7 μg/d and capsules < 0·02 μg/d of Se. The predictive model (r20·31,P = 0·001) showed that increases in erythrocyte LCn-3 levels were similar when intakes of 0·82 g/d LCn-3 from salmon or capsules (1·92 (95 % CI 1·35, 2·49)v.2·32 (95 % 1·76, 2·88) %) were consumed. Plasma Se increased significantly more with salmon than with capsules (12·2 (95 % CI 6·18, 18·12)v.1·57 (95 % CI − 2·32, 5·45) μg/l,P = 0·01). LCn-3 status was similarly improved with consumption of salmon and capsules, while consuming salmon had the added benefit of increasing Se status. This is of particular relevance to the New Zealand population that has marginal LCn-3 and Se status.
Solitary extra-skeletal sinonasal metastasis from a primary skeletal Ewing's sarcoma
Authors: Hayes S M , Jani T N , Rahman S M , Jogai S , Harries P G , Salib R J 
Published: May 2011

AbstractIntroduction:Ewing's sarcoma is a rare, malignant tumour predominantly affecting young adolescent males. We describe a unique case of an isolated extra-skeletal metastasis from a skeletal Ewing's sarcoma primary, arising in the right sinonasal cavity of a young man who presented with severe epistaxis and periorbital cellulitis.Results:Histologically, the lesion comprised closely packed, slightly diffuse, atypical cells with round, hyperchromatic nuclei, scant cytoplasm and occasional mitotic figures, arranged in a sheet-like pattern. Immunohistochemical analysis showed positive staining only for cluster of differentiation 99 glycoprotein. Fluorescent in situ hybridisation identified the Ewing's sarcoma gene, confirming the diagnosis.Management:Complete surgical resection was achieved via a minimally invasive endoscopic transnasal approach; post-operative radiotherapy. Ten months post-operatively, there were no endoscopic or radiological signs of disease.Conclusion:Metastatic Ewing's sarcoma within the head and neck is incredibly rare and can pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. An awareness of different clinical presentations and distinct histopathological features is important to enable early diagnosis. This case illustrates one potential management strategy, and reinforces the evolving role of endoscopic transnasal approaches in managing sinonasal cavity and anterior skull base tumours.
Host-parasite interactions and global climate oscillations
Authors: DOI HIDEYUKI , YURLOVA NATALIA I. 
Published: May 2011

SUMMARYIt is suspected that host-parasite interactions are influenced by climatic oscillations such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). However, the effects of climatic oscillations on host-parasite interactions have never been investigated. A long-term (1982–1999) dataset of the host snail Lymnaea stagnalis and trematode metacercariae infection has been collected for Lake Chany in Western Siberia. Using this dataset, we estimated the impact of the NAO on the population dynamics of hosts and parasites as well as their interactions. The results of general linear models showed that the abundance of dominant parasite species and the total parasite abundance significantly increased with NAO, with the exception of Moliniella anceps. Other climatic and biological factors were relatively weak to explain the abundance. There was no significant relationship between NAO and the population density of host snails. The prevalence of infection was related to the total abundance of parasites, but not to the NAO. Thus, the responses to the NAO differed between the host and parasites, indicating mismatching in host-parasite interactions. Therefore, climatic oscillations, such as the NAO, influence common parasitism.
A new way to see RNA
Authors: Keating Kevin S. , Humphris Elisabeth L. , Pyle Anna Marie 
Published: May 2011

AbstractUnlike proteins, the RNA backbone has numerous degrees of freedom (eight, if one counts the sugar pucker), making RNA modeling, structure building and prediction a multidimensional problem of exceptionally high complexity. And yet RNA tertiary structures are not infinite in their structural morphology; rather, they are built from a limited set of discrete units. In order to reduce the dimensionality of the RNA backbone in a physically reasonable way, a shorthand notation was created that reduced the RNA backbone torsion angles to two (η and θ, analogous to φ and ψ in proteins). When these torsion angles are calculated for nucleotides in a crystallographic database and plotted against one another, one obtains a plot analogous to a Ramachandran plot (the η/θ plot), with highly populated and unpopulated regions. Nucleotides that occupy proximal positions on the plot have identical structures and are found in the same units of tertiary structure. In this review, we describe the statistical validation of the η/θ formalism and the exploration of features within the η/θ plot. We also describe the application of the η/θ formalism in RNA motif discovery, structural comparison, RNA structure building and tertiary structure prediction. More than a tool, however, the η/θ formalism has provided new insights into RNA structure itself, revealing its fundamental components and the factors underlying RNA architectural form.
Infection and immunity for human parvovirus B19 in patients with febrile exanthema
Authors: PEDRANTI M. S. , BARBERO P. , WOLFF C. , GHIETTO L. M. , ZAPATA M. , ADAMO M. P. 
Published: May 2011

SUMMARYThe contribution of parvovirus B19 (B19V) as a causative agent of febrile exanthema (FE) in Cordoba, Argentina, was analysed by detection of viral DNA, and specific IgM and IgG. Serum from 141 patients with FE who were negative for measles and rubella, collected during 2005–2009, plus serum from 31 healthy individuals, were assayed. B19V was the aetiological agent in 14·9% of all FE cases, and in 39·1% in an epidemic year (2007). B19V DNA was detected in 47·6% of IgM-positive FE patients, 30·2% of IgM-negative/IgG-positive FE patients, and 9·7% of healthy controls, indicating B19V long-term infection in ~10% of immunocompetent individuals. Persistent B19V DNA was significantly more frequent in children than adults and in males than females. All patients with acute B19V infection had rash and fever, 85·7% had adenopathy, and only 14·3% had arthropathy. This is the first follow-up study of markers of infection and immunity for B19V infection in Argentina.
Molecular-based detection of non-culturable and emerging campylobacteria in patients presenting with gastroenteritis
Authors: BULLMAN S. , O'LEARY J. , CORCORAN D. , SLEATOR R. D. , LUCEY B. 
Published: May 2011

SUMMARYFrom January 2009 to May 2010, 436 faecal samples from patients with diarrhoeal illness in Southern Ireland were identified asCampylobactergenus-positive by an automated multiplex PCR; however, 204 (46·8%) of these samples were culture-negative for campylobacters. A combination ofCampylobacter-specific uniplex PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed the presence ofCampylobacterDNA in 191 (93·6%) of the culture-negative samples. Species-specific PCR identifiedC. jejuni(50·7%)C. ureolyticus(41%) andC. coli(5·7%) as the most prevalent species whileC. fetus,C. upsaliensis,C. hyointestinalisandC. lariaccounted for 10% of culture-negative samples; mixedCampylobacterspp. were detected in 11% of samples. We conclude that non-culturableCampylobacterspp. are responsible for a considerable proportion of human enteritis and the true incidence of infection is likely to be significantly underestimated where conventionalCampylobacterculture methods are used in isolation.
Prediction of maturational competence of feline oocytes using supravital staining of cumulus cells by propidium iodide
Authors: Uchikura Kenzo , Nagano Masashi , Hishinuma Mitsugu 
Published: May 2011

SummaryWe examined the relationship between integrity of cumulus cells and nuclear maturation rate afterin vitroculture to determine a non-invasive prediction of the maturational competence of feline oocytes. Feline cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from either small (400–800 μm) or large (≥800 μm) follicles. Immediately after collection, cumulus cells were evaluated morphologically (thickness of cumulus cell layers) and stained with propidium iodide (PI), which penetrates only non-viable cells. Cumulus cells without PI staining were judged as having good membrane integrity. After evaluation, COCs were cultured for 30 h and their nuclear maturation rate was determined. The nuclear maturation rate of oocytes derived from large follicles (89.8%) was higher (p< 0.05) than that from small follicles (60.8%). There was no difference in the maturation rate of oocytes from follicles with the same size regardless of cumulus morphology. In contrast, oocytes that had cumulus cells with good membrane integrity showed a higher maturation rate (93.8%) than oocytes with poor cumulus integrity (76.9%) in large follicles (p< 0.05). We conclude that evaluation of membrane integrity of cumulus cells by propidium iodide staining can be used to predict the maturational competence of oocytes.
Analysis of DNA looped domains organization duringTriturus cristatusspermatogenesis
Authors: Burlibaşa L. 
Published: May 2011

SummaryChromatin from eukaryotes is organized in DNA loops with sequential attachments to a nucleoskeleton named nuclear matrix. This organization plays major roles in replication, transcription, recombination, DNA repair, chromosome condensation and segregation. During spermatogenesis, chromatin undergoes several dynamic transitions, which are often associated with important changes not only in its physical conformation but even in its compositions and structure. To understand the periodical change in the functional organization of chromatin during spermatogenesis, the higher order organization of chromatin in different testicular cell types (pachytene spermatocytes, round spermatids) and the epididymal sperm ofTriturus cristatushave been investigated. The expansion and the contraction of nucleoid DNA were measured with a fluorescence microscope following exposure of nucleoids to increasing concentrations of ethidium bromide (EtBr) (2.5–200 μg/ml) as an intercalating dye to induce DNA-positive supercoils. Nucleoids from all studied cell types exhibited a biphasic change (condensed–relaxed–condensed) in size as a consequence of exposure to increasing concentrations of EtBr, indicating that they contained negatively supercoiled DNA. At higher EtBr concentrations, maximum positive supercoiling occurred in pachytene DNA loops. Our data suggest that pachytene DNA is the most open chromatin conformation in terms of EtBr intercalation.