bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evolution, migration and radiation of late Mesozoic conchostracans in East Asia
Authors: Peiji Chen , Gang Li , Batten David J. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractLate Mesozoic deposits in East Asia are mainly of continental origin and contain an abundance of conchostracans, whose rapid evolution and radiation makes them biostratigraphically useful in subdividing and classifying non‐marine strata in the region. In this paper we discuss the evolution and radiation of conchostracan faunas during the late Mesozoic in East Asia. Pseudograpta, known from Callovian deposits in north‐west Scotland, migrated to and flourished in East Asia during the early Oxfordian (Tuchengzian: early Late Jurassic), where it not only diversified into about eight species, but also led to the evolution of Monilestheria and Nestoria by adding a row of tubercles on growth lines and losing the very fine radial lirae on growth bands near the venter of carapaces, respectively. Nestoria reached the acme of its development during the Kimmeridgian (Dabeigouan: mid Late Jurassic), forming a major component of the Nestoria‐Keratestheria fauna. By the beginning of the Yixianian (Tithonian or early Cretaceous: correlation with the standard geological time scale is controversial), an Eosestheria fauna began to flourish, occupying Transbaikalia in Russia, south Mongolia, and north and north‐east China in the ancient Amur River drainage system. By the Early Cretaceous Eosestheria and Diestheria, two dominant genera of the Eosestheria fauna, evolved into Yanjiestheria and Neodiestheria respectively, through a reduction in the size of the reticulation of the carapace and an increase in the density of the radial lirae. The Yanjiestheria fauna flourished. Consisting of some 100 species in 16 genera, its distribution expanded westwards to the Junggar Basin and eastwards to coastal regions of south‐east China, and to Japan. During the Cenomanian a homogeneous Nemestheria fauna was widely distributed in East Asia. Soon after, however, this evolved into four faunas within three palaeogeographic provinces: a Euestherites fauna in the ancient Amur River‐Songhua Lake drainage system in north‐east China; Linhaiella and Tenuestheria faunas in the Yunmeng Lake system in south‐east China; and an Aglestheria fauna in the palaeo‐lakes of south‐west China. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diversification and faunal shift of Siluro‐Devonian vertebrates of China
Authors: Wen‐Jin Zhao , Min Zhu 
Published: February 2007

AbstractA database including all major groups of early vertebrates in the mid‐Palaeozoic of China was analysed to unravel the diversity pattern at the generic level through this period. It was revealed that early vertebrates from China experienced six macroevolutionary intervals during the mid‐Palaeozoic. They are: (1) the origination interval lasting from the Telychian (Llandovery) to the end of the Wenlock; (2) the survival interval lasting from the Ludlow to the Přídolí; (3) the radiation interval lasting from the Lochkovian to the Emsian; (4) the decline interval lasting from the Eifelian to the Givetian; (5) the survival interval during the Frasnian and (6) the recovery interval during the Famennian. Two major evolutionary faunas, that is, the stem‐gnathostome fauna and the crown‐gnathostome fauna, can be recognized during the mid‐Palaeozoic. The stem‐gnathostome fauna included mainly endemic armoured agnathans (e.g. galeaspids and thelodonts), placoderms and acanthodians, and constituted the chief components of Chinese vertebrates during the period. Although the crown‐gnathostome fauna comprising chondrichthyans and osteichthyans only accounted for about 29% of the total vertebrate genera in the mid‐Palaeozoic of China, it ascended to the partial dominance during the period from the Lochkovian to the Frasnian, and then rapidly increased in importance during the Famennian. Two fish faunal turnovers, occurring at the end of mid‐Emsian and the end‐Devonian, respectively, facilitated the faunal shift from the stem‐gnathostome fauna to the crown‐gnathostome fauna.The early vertebrates mainly inhabited shallow marine niches, which are sensitive to sea‐level fluctuations. The diversification of early vertebrates in the Silurian and Early Devonian of China provides an example of major morphological innovations in tropical nearshore environments. The faunal shift of early vertebrates in the mid‐Palaeozoic of China was mainly affected by sea‐level changes and biotic interactions among organisms, suggesting differential responses of two component faunas to physical environmental transitions (e.g. the removal of barriers during the Emsian). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sustained virological response to interferon-α is associated with improved outcome in HCV-related cirrhosis: A retrospective study
Authors: Bruno Savino , Stroffolini Tommaso , Colombo Massimo , Bollani Simona , Benvegnù Luisa , Mazzella Giuseppe , Ascione Antonio , Santantonio Teresa , Piccinino Felice , Andreone Pietro , Mangia Alessandra , Gaeta Giovanni B. , Persico Marcello , Fagiuoli Stefano , Almasio Piero L. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract

The effect of achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) following interferon-α (IFNα) treatment on the clinical outcomes of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis is unknown. In an attempt to assess the risk of liver-related complications, HCC and liver-related mortality in patients with cirrhosis according to the response to IFNα treatment, a retrospective database was developed including all consecutive patients with HCV-related, histologically proven cirrhosis treated with IFNα monotherapy between January 1992 and December 1997. SVR was an undetectable serum HCV-RNA by PCR 24 weeks after IFNα discontinuation. HCC was assessed by ultrasound every 6 months. Independent predictors of all outcomes were assessed by Cox regression analysis. Of 920 patients, 124 (13.5%) were classified as achieving a SVR. During a mean follow-up of 96.1 months (range: 6-167) the incidence rates per 100 person-years of liver-related complications, HCC and liver-related death were 0, 0.66, and 0.19 among SVR and 1.88, 2.10, and 1.44 among non-SVR (

P

< 0.001 by log-rank test). Multivariate analyses found that non-SVR was associated with a higher risk of liver-related complications (hazard ratio, HR, not applicable), HCC (HR 2.59; 95% CI 1.13-5.97) and liver-related mortality (HR 6.97; 95% CI 1.71-28.42) as compared to SVR.

Conclusion:

Thus, in patients with HCV-related, histologically proven cirrhosis, achievement of a SVR after IFNα therapy was associated with a reduction of liver-related mortality lowering both the risk of complications and HCC development. Irrespective of SVR achievement, all patients should continue surveillance because the risk of occurrence of HCC was not entirely avoided. (Hepatology 2007;45:579–587.)
Impact of aboriginal ethnicity on HCV core-induced IL-10 synthesis: Interaction with IL-10 gene polymorphisms
Authors: Aborsangaya Koko Bate , Dembinski Iga , Khatkar Suresh , Alphonse Martin Prince , Nickerson Peter , Rempel Julia D. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract

The host immune response is a critical determinant in viral infection outcome. Epidemiological studies indicate that North American indigenous peoples are more resistant to chronic HCV infection than other populations. Due to the prominence of IL-10 in chronic HCV infection, we investigated the genetic tendency to produce IL-10 in Caucasian (CA) and First Nation (FN) populations. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CA subjects had a greater tendency to produce IL-10 defined by allelic polymorphisms, as well as genotypes and haplotypes, at the -1082, -819, and -592 positions of the IL-10 promoter. More importantly, we directly evaluated the influence of ethnicity on the ability of HCV core protein to induce IL-10 synthesis and found significantly higher IL-10 production by PBMCs isolated from healthy CA subjects compared with FN subjects. Further examination of the underlying relationship between core-induced IL-10 with the high, intermediate, and low phenotypes at the -1082, -819, and -592 position revealed that spontaneous and core-induced IL-10 synthesis tended to interact negatively with defined polymorphisms. This was particularly evident for the FN cohort, in which the relationship was strengthened by a stronger interaction of core with the low–IL-10–producing phenotypes. As with previous studies, concanavalin A induced IL-10 synthesis from the CA cohort positively associated with defined genetic phenotypes.

Conclusion

: Cells from FN subjects had a reduced capacity to produce IL-10 in response to HCV core protein, suggesting that reduced susceptibility of FN immunity to virally induced IL-10 synthesis might contribute to epidemiological observations of enhanced HCV clearance. (Hepatology 2007;45:623–630.)
Biomaterials for orthopedics: A roughness analysis by atomic force microscopy
Authors: Covani Ugo , Giacomelli Luca , Krajewski Adriano , Ravaglioli Antonio , Spotorno Lorenza , Loria Patrizia , Das Saradindu , Nicolini Claudio 
Published: February 2007

AbstractWe conducted an AFM analysis of roughness on 7 materials widely used in bone reconstruction. Roughness was evaluated by measuring Root Mean Square (RMS) values and RMS/average height (AH) ratio, in different dimensional ranges, varying from 100 microns square to a few hundreds of nanometers. The results showed that Titanium presented a lower roughness than the other materials analyzed, frequently reaching statistical significance. On the contrary, bioactive materials, such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive glasses, demonstrated an overall higher roughness. In particular, this study focuses attention on AP40 and especially RKKP, which proved to have a significant higher roughness at low dimensional ranges. This determines a large increase in surface area, which is strongly connected with osteoblast adhesion and growth and to protein absorption. Therefore, the biointegration properties of bioactive glasses can also be given as answer in terms of surface structures in which chemical composition can influence directly the biological system (e.g. with chemical exchanges and development of specific surface electrical charge) and indirectly, via the properties induced on tribological behavior that expresses itself during the smoothing of the surfaces. We also test two new bioactive glasses, RBP1 and RBP2, with a chemical composition similar to AP40, but with some significant small additions and substitutions of components, in order to make preliminary considerations on their potential role in orthopedics. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 2007
Dual requirements of extracellular matrix protein and chitosan for inducing adhesion contacte volution of esophageal epithelia
Authors: Feng Zhiqin , Chian Kerm Sin , Ong Wey Feng , Mhaisalka Priyadarshini S. , Chan Vincent , Ratner Buddy D. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIt has been recently shown that chitosan (CHI)/collagen prostheses induced epithelization at the esophagus site of animal model. However, little is known on the biophysical mechanisms of cell adhesion on CHI‐based material pertaining to esophagus tissue engineering. In this study, the adhesion contact dynamics of porcine esophageal epithelial cells seeded on CHI surface is probed using confocal‐reflectance interference contrast microscopy in conjunction with phase‐contrast microscopy. First of all, cells fail to form any adhesion contact on either CHI or elastin (ES)‐coated surface. On CHI coated with fibronectin (CHI‐FN) or elastin (CHI‐ES), strong adhesion contact of cells evolved over time until they reached a steady‐state level. The initial cell deformation rates of cells on CHI‐FN and CHI‐ES are 0.0138 and 0.0151 min−1, respectively. Interestingly, cells on fibronectin (FN) coated substrate transiently form strong adhesion contact and eventually undergo deadhesion. Moreover, the steady‐state adhesion energy of epithelial cells on CHI‐FN is 1.73 and 148 times larger than that on CHI‐ES and FN, respectively. The actin of cells on CHI‐FN transforms from microfilament meshes at cell periphery to stress fibers throughout the cytoplasm during cell seeding. At the same time, vinculin staining demonstrated the evolution of focal adhesion complexes in cells on CHI‐FN after 130 min of seeding. Interestingly, CHI‐ES induces the formation of focal adhesion complexes in a lesser extent in cell but fails to lead to stress fiber formation. Overall, our study reveals that long‐term adhesion contact evolution of esophageal epithelia is only triggered by both extracellular matrix protein and chitosan. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
In situ growth of hydroxyapatite within electrospun poly(DL‐lactide) fibers
Authors: Cui Wenguo , Li Xiaohong , Zhou Shaobing , Weng Jie 
Published: February 2007

AbstractDevelopment of nanocomposites of hydroxyapatite (HA) and polylactic acid (PLA) is attractive, as the advantageous properties of the two types of materials can be combined to suit better the mechanical and biological demands for biomedical uses. To solve the problematic issue of agglomeration of HA crystallites in the PLA matrix, a novel method is introduced in the present study to use electrospun nanofibers as the reaction confinement for composite fabrication. Poly(DL‐lactide) ultrafine fibers with calcium nitrate entrapment were prepared by electrospinning and then incubated in phosphate solution to form in situ calcium phosphate on the polymer matrix. The formation of nonstoichiometric nanostructured HA and well dispersion of HA particles on the electrospun fibers were observed. Higher crystalline HA phase was indicated in samples after sintering at 1200°C. The formation of the calcium‐phosphate phase was dependent upon the precipitation conditions, and the effects of the incubation time, temperature, and the pH values of the incubation medium were investigated on the spontaneous precipitation and amorphous‐crystalline transformation of HA in the current study. Considering the biodegradability of matrix polymer and the crystallinity and uniform dispersal of HA, optimal conditions for composite preparation were incubating calcium‐containing ultrafine fibers at 37°C in pH 7.4 or at 25°C in pH 9.0 of diammonium hydrogen phosphate solutions for 7 days. Around 25%–34% of mineral contents can be synthesized in the resulting composites, which was higher than the theoretical value due to the nonstoichiometric HA formed in the composite, and the fiber degradation and partial calcium nitrate involved in the HA formation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Polyurethane biomaterials for fabricating 3D porous scaffolds and supporting vascular cells
Authors: Grenier Stéphanie , Sandig Martin , Mequanint Kibret 
Published: February 2007

AbstractSuccessful tissue engineering of vascular grafts largely depends on synthetic scaffolds that support the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of seeded cells. To investigate the utility of polyurethanes for vascular tissue engineering, three‐dimensional porous polyurethane scaffolds with highly interconnected pore structures were fabricated by a pressure differential/particulate leaching technique. Ammonium chloride and paraffin porogens were prepared to fabricate the scaffolds. Grinding of ammonium chloride resulted in particulates with uniform particle sizes but irregular shapes. Paraffin particulates made by a dispersion method, on the other hand, had spherical shapes and uniform particle sizes. Polyurethane scaffolds fabricated from these particulates had open faced, highly interconnected channels that could allow cellular infiltration and nutrient delivery. Human coronary artery smooth muscle and endothelial cell interactions with polyurethane surfaces revealed these biomaterials to maintain the contractile phenotype of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells and the formation of endothelial monolayers. During longer culture times, surface modification with cell adhesive extracellular matrix (ECM) protein promoted vascular cell proliferation, maintenance of the differentiated phenotype and endothelial monolayer integrity. Our results suggest that these polyurethanes, in conjunction with cell adhesive ECM proteins, could also support vascular cells in three‐dimensional bioreactor‐based culture conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Enzymatic synthesis of isotopomers of tyramine labeled with deuterium and tritium
Authors: Panufnik Edyta , Kañska Marianna 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe combined chemical and enzymatic methods of synthesis of five isotopomers of L‐tyrosine, L‐Tyr, and their derivatives, i.e. corresponding isotopomers of tyramine (TA), labeled with deuterium and tritium have been reported. Two‐step synthesis consists with introduction of deuterium or tritium label into intermediate L‐Tyr using isotope exchange followed by enzymatic decarboxylation using enzyme tyrosine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.25). This way five isotopomers of L‐tyrosine, i.e. [2‐2H]‐L‐, [2‐3H]‐L‐,[2‐2H/3H]‐L‐, [3′,5′‐2H2]‐L‐,[3′,5′‐3H2]‐L‐Tyr, and six isotopomers of tyramine i.e. [1S‐2H]‐, [1S‐3H]‐, [1S‐2H/3H]‐, [3′,5′‐2H2]‐, [3′,5′‐2H2]‐, [2′,6′‐2H2]‐TA were obtained. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and ex vivo evaluation of aza‐trozamicol analogs as SPECT radiotracers for exploration of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter
Authors: Assaad Thaer , Mavel Sylvie , Emond Patrick , Chalon Sylvie , Drossard Marie Laure , Vergote Jackie , Bodard Sylvie , Allouchi Hassan , Besnard Jean‐Claude , Guilloteau Denis 
Published: February 2007

AbstractSeveral vesamicol derivatives have already been proposed for SPECT exploration of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) which is localized on the nerve endings of cholinergic neurons which are known to degenerate in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. However, most of these tracers have disadvantages such as in vivo non‐specific binding, slow brain kinetics, or high toxicity. We present in this study the synthesis, the radiolabelling and the cerebral biodistribution in rats of two enantiomeric pairs of new trozamicol derivatives, potential imaging agents for the VAChT. Radiolabelled compounds were obtained with high purity and specific radioactivity. However, after i.v. injection in rats, they distributed homogeneously throughout the brain, in contrast to the reference compound IBVM which showed in the same experimental conditions a high striatum/cerebellum fixation ratio. These results demonstrate that these new compounds are unsuitable for the in vivo imaging of the VAChT using SPECT. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Magnetic resonance findings of osteitis pubis
Authors: Kunduracioglu Burak , Yilmaz Cengiz , Yorubulut Mehmet , Kudas Savas 
Published: February 2007

AbstractPurposeTo determine the correlation of MR findings with clinical features of osteitis pubis and to look for associating injuries complicating chronic cases.Materials and MethodsPelvic MR images of the 22 elite athletes with groin pain were taken. Correlation analysis between the MR findings and clinical properties was carried out.ResultsSix of the MR findings had strong correlation with duration of symptoms. Subchondral bone marrow edema, fluid in symphysis pubis joint, and periarticular edema had significant correlation with acuity of the case. On the contrary, subchondral sclerosis, subchondral resorption and bony margin irregularities, and osteophytes correlated with the chronicity of the case. Associated tendon injuries correlated with the duration of symptoms; i.e., all tendon injuries were in chronic cases.ConclusionSubchondral bone marrow edema, fluid in symphysis pubis joint, and periarticular edema are the most reliable MRI findings of osteitis pubis that has a history of less than six months. Subchondral sclerosis, subchondral resorption and bony margin irregularities, and osteophytes (or pubic beaking) are the most reliable MRI findings of the chronic disease that has been present for more than six months. Associated pathologies, especially adductor or other tendon injuries, underlie more than half of the chronic cases of osteitis pubis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:535–539. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Investigating the effect of exchange and multicomponent T1 relaxation on the short repetition time spoiled steady‐state signal and the DESPOT1 T1 quantification method
Authors: Deoni Sean C.L. , Rutt Brian K. , Jones Derek K. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractPurposeTo examine the spoiled steady‐state (spoiled gradient‐recalled echo sequence [SPGR]) signal arising from two‐compartment systems and the role of experimental parameters, in particular TR for resolving signal from each compartment.Materials and MethodsUsing Bloch‐McConnell simulations, we examined the SPGR signal from two‐component systems in which T1 is much greater than the mean residence time (τm) of proton spins in each component. Specifically, we examined the role of TR on the ability to resolve each components signal, as well as the influence of experimental parameters on derived DESPOT1 T1 values.ResultsResults revealed that when TR ≤ 0.01 τm, the measured SPGR signal may be modeled as a summation of signal from each species using a no‐exchange approximation. Additionally, under this short TR condition, the driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 (DESPOT1) mapping approach provides T1 values preferentially biased toward the short or long T1 species, depending on the choice of flip angles.ConclusionThe ability to model the SPGR signal using a no‐exchange approximation may permit the quantification multicomponent T1 relaxation in vivo. Additionally, the ability to preferentially weight the DESPOT1 T1 value toward the short or long T1 may provide a useful window into these components. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:570–578. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PerfTool: A software platform for investigating bolus‐tracking perfusion imaging quantification strategies
Authors: Kosior Jayme C. , Frayne Richard 
Published: February 2007

AbstractPurposeTo develop a software platform, PerfTool (for perfusion tool), for the comprehensive evaluation of bolus‐tracking quantitative perfusion imaging methods and algorithms, along with a method to rapidly visualize and evaluate the performance of algorithms.Materials and MethodsAlgorithms were evaluated interactively with PerfTool using synthetic ΔR2* data sets with different perfusion parameter permutations (known as test patterns). Patient data and test patterns were used to evaluate a standard singular value deconvolution (SVD) approach (sSVD) and a reformulated implementation (rSVD) that is insensitive to arterial‐tissue delay (ATD), and to explore the effect of the SVD regularization parameter (pSVD) on CBF estimates.ResultsThe CBF overestimation resulting from sensitivity to ATD in sSVD compared to rSVD was demonstrated with the patient data, and the effect was confirmed using a test pattern. The same test pattern demonstrated the CBF underestimation resulting from high pSVD thresholds.ConclusionPerfTool is an extensible software tool that allows perfusion measurements to be obtained by different methods, and is flexible enough to incorporate new developments and apply them to real patient data and test patterns. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:653–659. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.