bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cystatin C: immunoregulation role in macrophages infected with Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Blancas-Luciano Blanca Esther , Becker-Fauser Ingeborg , Zamora-Chimal Jaime , Jiménez-García Luis , Lara-Martínez Reyna , Pérez-Torres Armando , González del Pliego Margarita , Aguirre-Benítez Elsa Liliana , Fernández-Presas Ana María 
Published: April 2024

Background
Periodontitis is a chronic infectious disease, characterized by an exacerbated inflammatory response and a progressive loss of the supporting tissues of the teeth. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a key etiologic agent in periodontitis. Cystatin C is an antimicrobial salivary peptide that inhibits the growth of P. gingivalis. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of this peptide and its effect on cytokine production, nitric oxide (NO) release, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and programmed cell death in human macrophages infected with P. gingivalis.

Methods
Monocyte-derived macrophages generated from peripheral blood were infected with P. gingivalis (MOI 1:10) and stimulated with cystatin C (2.75 µg/ml) for 24 h. The intracellular localization of P. gingivalis and cystatin C was determined by immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The intracellular antimicrobial activity of cystatin C in macrophages was assessed by counting Colony Forming Units (CFU). ELISA assay was performed to assess inflammatory (TNFα, IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines. The production of nitrites and ROS was analyzed by Griess reaction and incubation with 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), respectively. Programmed cell death was assessed with the TUNEL assay, Annexin-V, and caspase activity was also determined.

Results
Our results showed that cystatin C inhibits the extracellular growth of P. gingivalis. In addition, this peptide is internalized in the infected macrophage, decreases the intracellular bacterial load, and reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines and NO. Interestingly, peptide treatment increased ROS production and substantially decreased bacterial-induced macrophage apoptosis.

Conclusions
Cystatin C has antimicrobial and immuno-regulatory activity in macrophages infected with P. gingivalis. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the properties of cystatin C for its possible therapeutic use against oral infections such as periodontitis.
Removal of the Azo Dye Congo Red from Aqueous Solutions by the Marine Alga Porphyra yezoensis Ueda
Authors: Wang Xue Song , Chen Jing Ping 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBatch adsorption experiments were carried out using nonliving biomass of Porphyra yezoensis Ueda (red alga) for the removal of Congo red from aqueous solutions at 25°C. The effects of process parameters such as contact time, adsorbent concentration and ionic strength were investigated. The raw biomass and Congo red loaded biomass were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The pseudo first order, pseudo second order and intraparticle diffusion models were tested. The results showed that adsorption of Congo red followed pseudo second order kinetics very well. Langmuir and Freundlich equations were applied to the data related to the adsorption isotherms, and the observed maximum adsorption capacities (qm) were 71.46 mg/g at 25°C. Adsorbent concentration and ionic strength had a marked effect on Congo red adsorption.
Optimizing saturation–recovery measurements of the longitudinal relaxation rate under time constraints
Authors: Hsu Jung‐Jiin , Glover Gary H. , Zaharchuk Greg 
Published: September 2009

AbstractThe saturation–recovery method using two and three recovery times is studied for conditions in which the sum of recovery times is 1.5T1 to 3T1, where T1 is the longitudinal relaxation time. These conditions can reduce scan time considerably for long T1 species and make longitudinal relaxation rate R1 (R1 = 1/T1) mapping for body fluids clinically feasible. Monte Carlo computer simulation is carried out to determine the ideal set of recovery times under various constraints of the sum of recovery times. The ideal set is found to be approximately invariant to the signal‐to‐noise ratio. For the three‐point method, two of the recovery times should be set the same or approximately the same and should be shorter than the third one. Only marginal improvements in accuracy and precision can be achieved by the three‐point method over the two‐point method under a common constraint of the sum of recovery times. Three‐dimensional, high resolution, whole‐brain saturation–recovery scans on volunteers with a fast‐spin‐echo technique (XETA) and completed in a scan time of 10 min generated R1 measurements of cerebrospinal fluid (T1 ∼ 4 s) in agreement with the computer simulation and literature results, which demonstrates the clinical feasibility of applying the two‐point saturation–recovery method for R1 mapping for long relaxation components. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Independent slab‐phase modulation combined with parallel imaging in bilateral breast MRI
Authors: Han Misung , Beatty Philip J. , Daniel Bruce L. , Hargreaves Brian A. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractIndependent slab‐phase modulation allows three‐dimensional imaging of multiple volumes without encoding the space between volumes, thus reducing scan time. Parallel imaging further accelerates data acquisition by exploiting coil sensitivity differences between volumes. This work compared bilateral breast image quality from self‐calibrated parallel imaging reconstruction methods such as modified sensitivity encoding, generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions and autocalibrated reconstruction for Cartesian sampling (ARC) for data with and without slab‐phase modulation. A study showed an improvement of image quality by incorporating slab‐phase modulation. Geometry factors measured from phantom images were more homogenous and lower on average when slab‐phase modulation was used for both mSENSE and GRAPPA reconstructions. The resulting improved signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) was validated for in vivo images as well using ARC instead of GRAPPA, illustrating average SNR efficiency increases in mSENSE by 5% and ARC by 8% based on region of interest analysis. Furthermore, aliasing artifacts from mSENSE reconstruction were reduced when slab‐phase modulation was used. Overall, slab‐phase modulation with parallel imaging improved image quality and efficiency for 3D bilateral breast imaging. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sodium long‐component T mapping in human brain at 7 Tesla
Authors: Fleysher Lazar , Oesingmann Niels , Stoeckel Bernd , Grossman Robert I. , Inglese Matilde 
Published: September 2009

AbstractSodium (23Na) MRI may provide unique information about the cellular and metabolic integrity of the brain. The quantification of tissue sodium concentration from 23Na images with nonzero echo time (TE) requires knowledge of tissue‐specific parameters that influence the single‐quantum sodium signal such as transverse (T2) relaxation times. We report the sodium (23Na) long component of the effective transverse relaxation time T values obtained at 7 T in several brain regions from six healthy volunteers. A two‐point protocol based on a gradient‐echo sequence optimized for the least error per given imaging time was used (TE1 = 12 ms; TE2 = 37 ms; averaged N1 = 5; N2 = 15 times; pulse repetition time = 130 ms). The results reveal that long T component of tissue sodium (mean ± standard deviation) varied between cerebrospinal fluid (54 ± 4 ms) and gray (28 ± 2 ms) and white (29 ± 2 ms) matter structures. The results also show that the long T component increases as a function of the main static field B0, indicating that correlation time of sodium ion motion is smaller than the time‐scale defined by the Larmor frequency. These results are a prerequisite for the quantification of tissue sodium concentration from 23Na MRI scans with nonzero echo time, will contribute to the design of future measurements (such as triple‐quantum imaging), and themselves may be of clinical utility. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Early changes in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in a mouse model of Sandhoff's disease occur prior to disease symptoms and behavioral deficits
Authors: Hu Lingyun , Sun Yingying , Villasana Laura E. , Paylor Richard , Klann Eric , Pautler Robia G. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractSandhoff's disease is a lysosomal storage disease in which the ganglioside GM2 accumulates in lysosomes. It has been reported that MRI cannot detect abnormalities in spin echo images in clinically presymptomatic Sandhoff's disease patients. Because one of the results of GM2 accumulation is cell swelling and lysosomal distension, our goal was to determine if changes in the diffusion of water is perturbed. We utilized the MRI imaging modality diffusion‐weighted imaging to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient in a mouse models of Sandhoff's disease, the hexb−/− mouse, and determined if diffusion‐weighted imaging could be utilized to detect early changes prior to behavioral or overt disease symptom onset. Here we report for the first time a comprehensive behavioral characterization of the hexb−/− mouse in conjunction with the apparent diffusion coefficient measurement. Our data indicate that the apparent diffusion coefficient decreases in the hexb−/− mouse in many but not all brain regions prior to disease symptoms (<3.5 to 4 months of age) and behavioral deficits (3 months of age). The magnitude of the decrease ranged from 4‐18%. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In vivo proton MRS to quantify anesthetic effects of pentobarbital on cerebral metabolism and brain activity in rat
Authors: Du Fei , Zhang Yi , Iltis Isabelle , Marjanska Malgorzata , Zhu Xiao‐Hong , Henry Pierre‐Gilles , Chen Wei 
Published: September 2009

AbstractTo quantitatively investigate the effects of pentobarbital anesthesia on brain activity, brain metabolite concentrations and cerebral metabolic rate of glucose, in vivo proton MR spectra, and electroencephalography were measured in the rat brain with various doses of pentobarbital. The results show that (1) the resonances attributed to propylene glycol, a solvent in pentobarbital injection solution, can be robustly detected and quantified in the brain; (2) the concentration of most brain metabolites remained constant under the isoelectric state (silent electroencephalography) with a high dose of pentobarbital compared to mild isoflurane anesthesia condition, except for a reduction of 61% in the brain glucose level, which was associated with a 37% decrease in cerebral metabolic rate of glucose, suggesting a significant amount of “housekeeping” energy for maintaining brain cellular integrity under the isoelectric state; and (3) electroencephalography and cerebral metabolic activities were tightly coupled to the pentobarbital anesthesia depth and they can be indirectly quantified by the propylene glycol resonance signal at 1.13 ppm. This study indicates that in vivo proton MR spectroscopy can be used to measure changes in cerebral metabolite concentrations and cerebral metabolic rate of glucose under varied pentobarbital anesthesia states; moreover, the propylene glycol signal provides a sensitive biomarker for quantitatively monitoring these changes and anesthesia depth noninvasively. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hydrophobically modified poly(sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate): synthesis and viscosity of aqueous solution
Authors: Jianping Zhou , Yonggang Shangguan , Qiang Wu , Qiang Zheng 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND: Hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes are widely used polymers due to their good water solubility, stretched configuration in water and strong hydrophobic association. The study reported here aimed at researching the double action of hydrophobic association and electrostatic effect of novel hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes in solution.RESULTS: A series of novel hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes were synthesized by micellar copolymerization with various feed ratios of sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate, N‐n‐dodecylamine and sodium dodecylsulfonate. Their structure was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography, and the viscosities of their aqueous and salt solutions were studied.CONCLUSION: The results show that the addition of the hydrophobic comonomer results in a decrease in molecular weight (Mw). The smaller the initial number of hydrophobes in one micelle, the higher is Mw of the resulting copolymer. The viscosity of PAD‐1.73 polyelectrolyte is less sensitive to salt than those of the others. According to the zero shear viscosity and corresponding concentration, the critical cluster‐forming concentration, critical overlap concentration and critical entanglement concentration of these polymer solutions were determined. Moreover, in the dilute regime the viscosity decreases with increasing salinity, while in the semi‐dilute regime the viscosity decreases first and then increases. It is suggested that in dilute and semi‐dilute regimes, hydrophobic intramolecular association and intermolecular association dominate, respectively. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Oligomeric A2+ B3synthesis of highly branched polysulfone ionomers: novel candidates for ionic polymer transducers
Authors: Duncan Andrew J , Layman John M , Cashion Matthew P , Leo Donald J , Long Timothy E 
Published: September 2009

AbstractHighly branched poly(arylene ether sulfone)s with systematically varied degrees of branching and sulfonation were synthesized through oligomeric A2+ B3methods for application as ionic polymer transducer (IPT) membranes. IPTs are a class of electroactive polymer devices that leverage ionomeric membranes to perform electromechanical transduction as actuators and/or sensors. Synthesis of controlled molecular weight A2oligomeric polysulfones targeted the global degree of branching (DBglobal) to approximately 1–3% in the absence of gelation. Size exclusion chromatography confirmed molecular weights greater than 20 000 g mol−1were achieved for linear and branched polysulfones. Increased degree of sulfonation of the A2oligomers reduced the development of molecular weight in the oligomeric A2+ B3branching reaction; the formation of tough, flexible, ion‐conducting membranes is required for emerging transducer applications. Variation in the DBglobalattained did not affect the thermal transitions or elastic modulus as significantly as changes in the degree of sulfonation. However, an ionic dissociation temperature was detected below the glass transition temperature of the polysulfone matrix and was relatively independent of the degree of sulfonation. Successful synthesis and characterization of these well‐defined branched polysulfone ionomers provide a basis for future investigation of polymer topology effects on IPT performance. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Apport de l’échographie dans le bilan d’une infécondité masculine
Authors: Granier J. -L. 
Published: September 2009

Résumé
Présentation d’une assez longue expérience des examens échographiques conduits pour les bilans d’infécondité, sécrétoire par l’exploration du scrotum, excrétoire par l’exploration prostatique endorectale. Confrontations aux diverses pathologies retrouvées et détermination de la place de cette imagerie.
Aspects cliniques, biologiques et thérapeutiques de la cryptorchidie diagnostiquée à l’âge adulte: analyse d’une série de 69 cas
Authors: Fall B. , Fall P. A. , Ali M. , Diao B. , Sow Y. , Kaboré F. A. , Sarr A. , Ndoye A. K. , Diagne B. A. 
Published: September 2009

RésuméButRapporter les aspects cliniques, biologiques et thérapeutiques de la cryptorchidie chez l’adulte et discuter de l’intérêt de l’abaissement du testicule non descendu (TND) chez l’adulte.Patients et méthodesIl s’agit d’une étude rétrospective colligeant 69 patients âgés de plus de 18 ans pris en charge au service d’urologie-andrologie du CHU Aristide-Le-Dantec pour cryptorchidie entre janvier 1999 et décembre 2007.RésultatsL’âge moyen de nos patients était de 31,04 ± 8,4 ans (extrêmes 18 et 55 ans). Les principales circonstances de découverte ont été l’infertilité masculine (38 cas), la vacuité des bourses (21 cas) et la dégénérescence maligne du TND (six cas). La cryptorchidie était unilatérale dans 69,5 % et bilatérale dans 30,4 % des cas. Le spermogramme effectué chez 60 de nos patients a montré une azoospermie dans 46,6 % des cas, une oligozoospermie dans 38,3 % et une numération de spermatozoïdes normale dans 15 % des cas. Tous les patients ayant une cryptorchidie bilatérale avaient une azoospermie. À l’exploration chirurgicale, le TND a été retrouvé dans 95,6 % des cas (66 patients). Le principal type de traitement réalisé a été l’abaissement testiculaire. L’histologie des pièces d’orchidectomie sur testicule non tumoral (n= 7) a trouvé dans tous les cas une atrophie testiculaire sévère avec absence complète de cellules germinales. Les types histologiques des cancers étaient le séminome (n= 3) et le carcinome embryonnaire (n= 3). Parmi les patients ayant une azoospermie (n= 28), aucun cas d’induction de la spermatogenèse après abaissement testiculaire n’a été observé. Parmi les patients ayant consulté pour infertilité masculine, trois d’entre eux ont eu des enfants après abaissement testiculaire, soit un taux de paternité de 7,8 %.ConclusionDans la cryptorchidie de l’adulte, l’abaissement du testicule a peu d’impact sur la fertilité masculine. Mais, vu les progrès actuels de l’assistance médicale à la procréation (AMP), le dogme d’orchidectomie systématique devant un TND diagnostiqué à l’âge adulte doit être reconsidéré.
Medicinal plants as potential male anti-infertility agents: a review
Authors: Nantia E. A. , Moundipa P. F. , Monsees T. K. , Carreau S. 
Published: September 2009

Abstract
For millions of couples, the inability to have a child is a personal tragedy and a large proportion of childless people are confronted with social stigmatization (blame) and personal frustration. Formerly assigned to women, infertility of a couple is nowadays equitably distributed between the two sexes. Among the methods used to treat male infertility problems, medicinal plants have been used empirically as extracts, decoctions, fractions or semi-purified compounds. These herbal products are used in the treatment of a dysfunctioning of the libido, sexual asthenia, erection, and sperm disorders. Pharmacological activities of many of these plants have been shown in vitro using cells, in vivo (on laboratory animals) and human studies. For instance, extracts of Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius and Lepidium meyenii have shown positive effects on sexual desire; while extracts of Astragalus membranaceus, Asparagus racemous, Withania somnifera, Andrographis paniculata and Acanthopanax senticosus improved sperm parameters. Plants provide a treatment option that is affordable and available for infertile couples, and phytotherapy is an essential form of treatment in our health system. However, herbal products are still anarchically used in many regions and countries, and a great proportion of medicinal plants used traditionally to solve male reproductive disorders have not yet been scientifically evaluated. Therefore in this review, we have summarized most of the data dealing with the effects of plant extracts on mammalian reproductive functions.
Explanation of normative declines in parents' knowledge about their adolescent children
Authors: Masche J. Gowert 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to explain why parental knowledge of adolescents' whereabouts declines with age. Such an investigation is important because previous studies have established an association between behavior problems and low levels of parental knowledge. A time‐sequential sample comprising 2415 adolescents aged 13–18 years was investigated on five annual occasions. Each year, parental knowledge declined by .10 SD. Adolescents' establishment of a private sphere (less disclosure; defiance) was the most important mediator of age effects on knowledge. Taken together, declining parental control and the establishment of a private sphere explained 37.5% of the age‐related decline in knowledge. Parental control was, however, not a significant predictor any longer when disclosure and defiance were controlled for. Results also revealed that some of the mediating variables were stronger in early‐to‐mid adolescence. Other variables appeared to slow the age‐related decline, especially in mid‐to‐late adolescence. These variables are therefore interpreted as parents' and adolescents' attempts to balance autonomy development and connectedness. If this balancing fails, adolescent behavior problems might arise along with low levels of parental knowledge early on.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Guided Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy: An Initial Experience in a Community Hospital
Authors: Friedman Paul , Enis Sean , Pinyard Jeremy 
Published: September 2009

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness in diagnosing mammographically and sonographically occult breast lesions by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy in patients who presented to a community-based hospital with a newly established breast MRI program. Methods The records of 142 consecutive patients, median age of 55 years, who had undergone MRI-guided biopsy at our institution between July 2006 and July 2007 were reviewed. From these patients, 197 mammographically and sonographically occult lesions were biopsied at the time of discovery. The pathology was then reviewed and correlated with the MRI findings. Results Cancer was present and subsequently discovered in 8% of the previously occult lesions (16/197) or 11% of the women studied (16/142). Of the cancerous lesions, 56% were invasive carcinomas (9/16) and 44% were ductal carcinomas in situ (7/16). Fourteen percent of the discovered lesions (28/197) were defined as high risk and included atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ, and radial scar. In total, occult cancerous and high-risk lesions were discovered in 22% of the found lesions (44/197) or 31% of the women who underwent MRI-guided biopsy (44/142). Conclusions This study demonstrated that detection of cancerous and high-risk lesions can be significantly increased when an MRI-guided biopsy program is introduced at a community-based hospital. We believe that as radiologists gain confidence in imaging and histologic correlation, community-based hospitals can achieve similar rates of occult lesion diagnosis as those found in data emerging from academic institutions.