bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Indocyanine green‐augmented diode laser therapy of telangiectatic leg veins: A randomized controlled proof‐of‐concept trial
Authors: Klein Annette , Bäumler Wolfgang , Koller Michael , Shafirstein Gal , Kohl Elisabeth A. , Landthaler Michael , Babilas Philipp 
Published: April 2012

AbstractBackgroundTelangiectatic leg veins, which affect about 40–50% of adults, represent a frequent cosmetic rather than a medical problem. Besides sclerotherapy, various laser devices are common treatment options. However, complete clearance rates can only be achieved in a small number of patients.ObjectiveIn this proof‐of‐concept study, the safety and efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG)‐augmented diode laser therapy (808 nm) was evaluated for the treatment of telangiectatic leg veins.MethodsICG (2 mg/kg body weight) was intravenously administered in 15 female patients (skin type II to III) with telangiectatic leg veins (measuring between 0.25 and 3 mm in diameter). Immediately after ICG injection, diode laser pulses with different radiant exposures (50–110 J/cm2) were applied as one single treatment. Safety and efficacy were assessed 1 and 3 months after treatment by a blinded investigator and the patient. Treatments with the pulsed dye laser (PDL) and the diode laser without ICG served as reference therapies.ResultsThe safety of ICG application and diode laser treatment was excellent in all patients with no persisting side effects. Vessel clearance was dose‐dependent. Diode laser treatment at radiant exposures between 100 and 110 J/cm2 resulted in good vessel clearance, which even improved to excellent after the application of double pulses. Diode laser therapy without ICG and PDL treatment induced poor to moderate clearance of telangiectatic leg veins.ConclusionICG‐augmented diode laser therapy has proved to be a safe and effective treatment option for telangiectatic leg veins. Lasers Surg. Med. 44: 369–376, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Single Chain Folding of Synthetic Polymers by Covalent and Non‐Covalent Interactions: Current Status and Future Perspectives
Authors: Altintas Ozcan , Barner‐Kowollik Christopher 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThe present feature article highlights the preparation of polymeric nanoparticles and initial attempts towards mimicking the structure of natural biomacromolecules by single chain folding of well‐defined linear polymers through covalent and non‐covalent interactions. Initially, the discussion focuses on the synthesis and characterization of single chain self‐folded structures by non‐covalent interactions. The second part of the article summarizes the folding of single chain polymers by means of covalent interactions into nanoparticle systems. The current state of the art in the field of single chain folding indicates that covalent‐bond‐driven nanoparticle preparation is well advanced, while the first encouraging steps towards building reversible single chain folding systems by the use of mutually orthogonal hydrogen‐bonding motifs have been made.
Finite element analysis and algorithms for single‐crystal strain‐gradient plasticity
Authors: Reddy B.D. , Wieners C. , Wohlmuth B. 
Published: April 2012

SUMMARYWe provide optimal a priori estimates for finite element approximations of a model of rate‐independent single‐crystal strain‐gradient plasticity. The weak formulation of the problem takes the form of a variational inequality in which the primary unknowns are the displacement and slips on the prescribed slip systems, as well as the back‐stress associated with the vectorial microstress. It is shown that the return mapping algorithm for local plasticity can be applied element‐wise to this non‐local setting. Some numerical examples illustrate characteristic features of the non‐local model. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modifications to induction therapy decrease risk of early death in infants with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated on Children's Oncology Group P9407
Authors: Salzer Wanda L. , Jones Tamekia L. , Devidas Meenakshi , Hilden Joanne M. , Winick Naomi , Hunger Stephen , Carroll William L. , Camitta Bruce , Dreyer ZoAnn E. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractBackgroundInfants (<366 days of age) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a poor prognosis. Most treatment failures occur within 6–9 months of diagnosis, primarily from relapse.ProcedureThe Children's Oncology Group P9407 study was designed to test if early intensified treatment would improve outcome for infants with ALL. Due to a significant number of early deaths (< 90 days from enrollment), Induction therapy was amended three times. Cohorts 1 + 2 (n = 68), received identical Induction therapy except for reduced daunorubicin dose in Cohort 2. Cohort 3 (n = 141) received prednisone (40 mg/m2/day) instead of dexamethasone (10 mg/m2/day) and short infusion daunorubicin (30 minutes) instead of continuous infusion (48 hours), as well as additional supportive care measures throughout therapy.ResultsEarly deaths occurred in 17/68 (25%) infants in Cohorts 1 + 2 and 8/141 (5.7%) infants in Cohort 3 (P < 0.0001). Among infants ≤90 days of age at diagnosis, early death occurred in 10/17 (58.8%) in Cohorts 1 + 2 and 4/27 (14.8%) in Cohort 3 (P = 0.006). Among infants >90 days of age at diagnosis, early death occurred in 7/51 (13.7%) in Cohorts 1 + 2 and 4/114 (3.5%) in Cohort 3 (P = 0.036). Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections were more common in Cohorts 1 + 2 versus Cohort 3.ConclusionsEarly morbidity and mortality for infants with ALL were reduced by substitution of prednisone (40 mg/m2/day) for dexamethasone (10 mg/m2/day), the delivery of daunorubicin over 30 minutes instead of a continuous infusion for 48 hours, and the provision of more specific supportive care measures. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 59: 834–839. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preparation and characterization of microbial biodegradable poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate)/organoclay nanocomposites
Authors: Wang Kaojin , Wang Yaming , Zhang Ru , Li Qian , Shen Changyu 
Published: April 2012

AbstractNovel biodegradable poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB‐co‐4HB)]/organoclay nanocomposites were prepared via solution casting. Exfoliated nanocomposite structure was confirmed by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for the nanocomposites with low organoclay loadings (≤3 wt%), whereas the mixtures of exfoliated and unexfoliated organoclays were appeared in the nanocomposite with an organoclay content of 5 wt%. The organoclay fillers accelerated significantly the cold crystallization process of P(3HB‐co‐4HB) matrix. The thermal stability of the nanocomposites was in general better than that of pristine P(3HB‐co‐4HB). Considerable increase in tensile modulus was observed for the nanocomposites, especially at an organoclay content of 3 wt%. These results demonstrated that the nanocomposites improved the material properties of P(3HB‐co‐4HB). POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Polymers coalesced from their cyclodextrin inclusion complexes: What can they tell us about the morphology of melt‐crystallized polymers?
Authors: Gurarslan Alper , Joijode Abhay S. , Tonelli Alan E. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractCyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic polysaccharides with nano‐size, largely hydrophobic cavities, and exteriors covered with hydrophilic hydroxyl groups, making them water soluble. Threading and filling their cavities with polymer chains produces noncovalently bonded crystalline inclusion compounds (ICs). In this study, we formed fully covered, stoichiometric ICs between guest poly(L‐lactic acid), poly(ε‐caprolactone), and nylon‐6 chains and host α‐CD. Coalesced samples of all three polymers were obtained after appropriately removing the stacked α‐CD host channels from their ICs. Distinct differential scanning calorimetriy (DSC) thermograms were observed for as‐received and coalesced samples, with the coalesced samples crystallizing faster at higher temperatures from their melts, and this distinction was maintained even after extensive, long‐time melt‐annealing (hours, days, and weeks). We believe this is due to the largely unentangled chains with extended conformations that are more densely packed in the initially coalesced samples. When small amounts (∼2 wt %) of the coalesced polymers are used as self‐nucleating agents for their as‐received samples, the resulting self‐nucleated samples show DSC thermograms similar to those of the neat coalesced polymers, including their long‐time stability to melt‐annealing. Coalesced polymers, whether neat or in samples they self‐nucleate, may conserve their organization in the melt (largely extended and unentangled chains) for long periods, because the process of entangling the many chains influenced by a single initially extended unentangled coalesced chain, after it randomly coils, is extremely sluggish. By contrast, in melt‐crystallized or solution‐cast samples, polymer chains generally become fully randomly coiled, interpenetrate, and entangle after being heated and held in their melts for comparatively much shorter times. For example, we have recently observed (DSC) that ultra high molecular weight, gel‐spun spectra polyethylene (PE) fibers® did not conserve or retain any memory of their as‐spun and highly drawn semicrystalline morphology even after spending as little as 2 min in the melt. As a consequence of the comparison to the behavior of coalesced polymer melts, we believe that polyethylene chains in Spectra fibers® must be at least intimately dispersed within their crystalline regions, and likely partially coiled and entangled in their noncrystalline regions, thereby facilitating their rapid transformation into a full entanglement network of randomly coiling chains in the melt. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012
Generic inhibition of amyloidogenic proteins by two naphthoquinone–tryptophan hybrid molecules
Authors: Scherzer‐Attali Roni , Shaltiel‐Karyo Ronit , Adalist Yonatan H. , Segal Daniel , Gazit Ehud 
Published: April 2012

AbstractAmyloid formation is associated with several human diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and so forth, no disease modifying therapeutics are available for them. Because of the structural similarities between the amyloid species characterizing these diseases, (despite the lack of amino acid homology) it is believed that there might be a common mechanism of toxicity for these conditions. Thus, inhibition of amyloid formation could be a promising disease‐modifying therapeutic strategy for them. Aromatic residues have been identified as crucial in formation and stabilization of amyloid structures. This finding was corroborated by high‐resolution structural studies, theoretical analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations. Amongst the aromatic entities, tryptophan was found to possess the most amyloidogenic potential. We therefore postulate that targeting aromatic recognition interfaces by tryptophan could be a useful approach for inhibiting the formation of amyloids. Quinones are known as inhibitors of cellular metabolic pathways, to have anti‐ cancer, anti‐viral and anti‐bacterial properties and were shown to inhibit aggregation of several amyloidogenic proteins in vitro. We have previously described two quinone‐tryptophan hybrids which are capable of inhibiting amyloid‐beta, the protein associated with AD pathology, both in vitro and in vivo. Here we tested their generic properties and their ability to inhibit other amyloidogenic proteins including α‐synuclein, islet amyloid polypeptide, lysozyme, calcitonin, and insulin. Both compounds showed efficient inhibition of all five proteins examined both by ThT fluorescence analysis and by electron microscope imaging. If verified in vivo, these small molecules could serve as leads for developing generic anti‐amyloid drugs. Proteins 2012; © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis and herbicidal potential of substituted aurones
Authors: Zhang Min , Xu Xiao‐Hua , Cui Yan , Xie Long‐Guan , Kong Chui‐Hua 
Published: April 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND: With the objective of exploring the herbicidal activity of substituted aurones, a series of 4,6‐disubstituted and 4,5,6‐trisubstituted aurones were synthesised, and their herbicidal activities against Brassica campestris L. and Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv. were evaluated in laboratory bioassays. Effects of some of the compounds were evaluated on seed germination. The most active compounds in the laboratory were evaluated in the greenhouse.RESULTS: The compounds were characterised by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS; some of them were further identified by IR. A (Z)‐configuration was assigned to the aurones, based on spectroscopic and crystallographic data. Bioassay results of root growth showed that the aurones had a moderate herbicidal activity against the dicotyledonous plant Brassica campestris. (Z)‐2‐Phenylmethylene‐4,6‐dimethoxy‐3(2H)‐benzofuranone(6o) was the most active compound, with 81.3 and 88.5% inhibition at 10 and 100 µg ml−1 respectively, equal to the activity of mesotrione. Some of the aurones possessed some inhibition of germination on several plant species. For glasshouse tests, the substituted aurones had lower herbicidal activity than metolachlor and mesotrione.CONCLUSION: It is possible that aurone derivatives, which possess structures different from those of the commercial herbicides, may become novel lead compounds for the development of herbicides against dicotyledonous weeds with further structure modification. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Pressure effects on the superconducting transition of ytterbium doped Ce0.6Yb0.4FeAsO0.9F0.1
Authors: Arumugam S. , Kanagaraj M. , Tamil Selvan N. R. , Esakki Muthu S. , Prakash J. , Thakur G. S. , Ganguli A. K. , Yoshino H. , Murata K. , Matsubayashi K. , Uwatoko Y. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThe Effect of pressure on the superconducting transition temperature of Yb doped Ce0.6Yb0.4FeAsO0.9F0.1 has been investigated for the first time using resistivity and magnetization studies. Increase in chemical pressure by substitution of smaller Yb3+ ions in place of Ce3+ ions results in a significant enhancement of Tc from 38 K (Yb free) to 47 K (40% Yb). Enhancement in Tc with external pressure has been observed for this compound up to a maximum value of Tc = 48.7 K at 1 GPa, beyond which Tc starts decreasing monotonously. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Development of interspecies cloned embryos reconstructed with rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) oocytes and cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) fibroblast cell nuclei
Authors: Yamochi Takayuki , Kida Yuta , Oh Noriyoshi , Ohta Sei , Amano Tomoko , Anzai Masayuki , Kato Hiromi , Kishigami Satoshi , Mitani Tasuku , Matsumoto Kazuya , Saeki Kazuhiro , Takenoshita Makoto , Iritani Akira , Hosoi Yoshihiko 
Published: April 2012

SummaryInterspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (ISCNT) has been proposed as a technique to produce cloned offspring of endangered species as well as to investigate nucleus–cytoplasm interactions in mammalian embryo. However, it is still not known which embryo culture medium is optimal for ISCNT embryos for the nuclear donor or the oocyte recipient. We assessed the effects of the culture medium on the developmental competence of the ISCNT embryos by introducing cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) fibroblast nuclei into enucleated rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) oocytes (monkey–rabbit embryo). The monkey–rabbit ISCNT embryos that were cultured in mCMRL-1066 developed to the blastocyst stage, although all monkey–rabbit ISCNT embryos cultured in M199 were arrested by the 4-cell stage. When monkey–rabbit ISCNT and rabbit–rabbit somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos were cultured in mCMRL-1066, the blastocyst cell numbers of the monkey–rabbit ISCNT embryos corresponded to the cell numbers of the control rabbit–rabbit SCNT embryos, which were produced from a rabbit fibroblast nucleus and an enucleated rabbit oocyte. In addition, the presence of mitochondria, which were introduced with monkey fibroblasts into rabbit recipient cytoplasm, was confirmed up to the blastocyst stage by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This study demonstrated that: (1) rabbit oocytes can reprogramme cynomolgus monkey somatic cell nuclei, and support preimplantation development; (2) monkey–rabbit ISCNT embryos developed well in monkey culture medium at early embryonic developmental stages; (3) the cell number of monkey–rabbit ISCNT embryos is similar to that of rabbit–rabbit SCNT embryos; and (4) the mitochondrial fate of monkey–rabbit ISCNT embryos is heteroplasmic from the time just after injection to the blastocyst stage that has roots in both rabbit oocytes and monkey fibroblasts.
Oocyte genome cloning used in biparental bovine embryo reconstruction
Authors: Vichera Gabriel , Olivera Ramiro , Salamone Daniel 
Published: April 2012

SummaryOocyte genome cloning is a method by which haploid maternal embryos are obtained in such a way that parthenogenetic haploid blastomeres from these embryos can be considered as a clone of the original gamete. Our objective was to generate oocyte genome replicates and use them to reconstruct biparental embryos by fusion with haploid male hemizygotes. Furthermore, we generated biparental homogeneous transgene-expressing embryos using parthenogenetic haploid blastomeres that expressed a transgene (EGFP). In the first experiment, parthenogenetic haploid embryos were generated by incubation of oocytes in ionomycin and 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) with a 3 h interval to permit their second polar body extrusion. The cleavage rate was 87.3%. To generate transgene-expressing blastomeres, activated oocytes were injected with pCX–EGFP–liposome complexes 3 h post ionomycin exposure, resulting in a cleavage rate of 84.4%. In the second experiment, haploid parthenogenetic blastomeres that were positive or negative for EGFP expression were used to reconstruct biparental embryos. Cleavage and blastocyst rates for the reconstructed embryos were 78.4% and 61.1% and 10.8% and 8.4%, using EGFP-positive or -negative blastomeres, respectively (P< 0.05). All of the reconstructed embryos showed EGFP expression, with 96.6% of them showing homogenic expression. Oct-4 expression in the reconstructed blastocysts displayed a similar pattern as IVF-blastocyst controls. In conclusion, our results proved that it is possible to use oocyte genome replicates to reconstruct biparental bovine embryos and that this technique is efficient to generate homogeneous transgene-expressing embryos.
The Carrington event not observed in most ice core nitrate records
Authors: Wolff E. W. , Bigler M. , Curran M. A. J. , Dibb J. E. , Frey M. M. , Legrand M. , McConnell J. R. 
Published: April 2012

The Carrington Event of 1859 is considered to be among the largest space weather events of the last 150 years. We show that only one out of 14 well‐resolved ice core records from Greenland and Antarctica has a nitrate spike dated to 1859. No sharp spikes are observed in the Antarctic cores studied here. In Greenland numerous spikes are observed in the 40 years surrounding 1859, but where other chemistry was measured, all large spikes have the unequivocal signal, including co‐located spikes in ammonium, formate, black carbon and vanillic acid, of biomass burning plumes. It seems certain that most spikes in an earlier core, including that claimed for 1859, are also due to biomass burning plumes, and not to solar energetic particle (SEP) events. We conclude that an event as large as the Carrington Event did not leave an observable, widespread imprint in nitrate in polar ice. Nitrate spikes cannot be used to derive the statistics of SEPs.
Association between liver insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors
Authors: Vangipurapu J. , Stančáková A. , Kuulasmaa T. , Soininen P. , Kangas A. J. , Ala‐Korpela M. , Kuusisto J. , Laakso M. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract.  Vangipurapu J, Stančáková A, Kuulasmaa T, Soininen P, Kangas AJ, Ala‐Korpela M, Kuusisto J, Laakso M (University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio; University of Oulu and Biocenter Oulu, Oulu, Finland). Association between liver insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors. J Intern Med 2012; 272: 402–408.Objectives.  The objective of this study was to examine the associations between indices of liver insulin resistance (IR) and whole‐body insulin sensitivity and different cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.Design and subjects.  A total of 8750 nondiabetic men (age 57.2 ± 7.1 years, body mass index 26.8 ± 3.8 kg m−2) were included in this study from the population‐based cross‐sectional Metabolic Syndrome In Men (METSIM) cohort. Liver IR index and Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI) were used as markers of liver IR and whole‐body insulin sensitivity, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the associations between these indices and various CVD risk factors.Results.  Total cholesterol (r = −0.088 vs. r = 0.020; P < 0.0019), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (CRP) (r = 0.284 vs. r = −0.219; P < 0.0019) and total triglycerides (r = 0.507 vs. r = −0.477; P < 0.05) were more highly correlated with liver IR index than with Matsuda ISI. By contrast, Matsuda ISI was nominally more highly correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (r = −0.234 and r = −0.275 vs. r = 0.202 and r = 0.239, respectively) compared to liver IR index. Furthermore, the variance explained by liver IR index was larger than that explained by Matsuda ISI for the majority of CVD risk factors measured.Conclusions.  Liver IR index correlated more strongly than Matsuda ISI with levels of total cholesterol, CRP and triglycerides. Therefore, liver IR might be a significant indicator of CVD risk amongst men.
Environmental and ecological factors that shape the gut bacterial communities of fish: a meta‐analysis
Authors: SULLAM KAREN E. , ESSINGER STEVEN D. , LOZUPONE CATHERINE A. , O’CONNOR MICHAEL P. , ROSEN GAIL L. , KNIGHT ROB , KILHAM SUSAN S. , RUSSELL JACOB A. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractSymbiotic bacteria often help their hosts acquire nutrients from their diet, showing trends of co‐evolution and independent acquisition by hosts from the same trophic levels. While these trends hint at important roles for biotic factors, the effects of the abiotic environment on symbiotic community composition remain comparably understudied. In this investigation, we examined the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the gut bacterial communities of fish from different taxa, trophic levels and habitats. Phylogenetic and statistical analyses of 25 16S rRNA libraries revealed that salinity, trophic level and possibly host phylogeny shape the composition of fish gut bacteria. When analysed alongside bacterial communities from other environments, fish gut communities typically clustered with gut communities from mammals and insects. Similar consideration of individual phylotypes (vs. communities) revealed evolutionary ties between fish gut microbes and symbionts of animals, as many of the bacteria from the guts of herbivorous fish were closely related to those from mammals. Our results indicate that fish harbour more specialized gut communities than previously recognized. They also highlight a trend of convergent acquisition of similar bacterial communities by fish and mammals, raising the possibility that fish were the first to evolve symbioses resembling those found among extant gut fermenting mammals.