bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive remediation improves memory and psychosocial functioning in first-episode psychiatric out-patients
Authors: Lee R. S. C. , Redoblado-Hodge M. A. , Naismith S. L. , Hermens D. F. , Porter M. A. , Hickie I. B.
Published: December 2012

Background

Cognitive remediation (CR) is an effective treatment for several psychiatric disorders. To date, there have been no published studies examining solely first-episode psychiatric cohorts, despite the merits demonstrated by early intervention CR studies. The current study aimed to assess the effectiveness of CR in patients with a first-episode of either major depression or psychosis.

Method

Fifty-five patients (mean age = 22.8 years, s.d. = 4.3) were randomly assigned to either CR (n = 28) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 27). CR involved once-weekly 2-h sessions for a total of 10 weeks. Patients were comprehensively assessed before and after treatment. Thirty-six patients completed the study, and analyses were conducted using an intent-to-treat (ITT) approach with all available data.

Results

In comparison to TAU, CR was associated with improved immediate learning and memory controlling for diagnosis and baseline differences. Similarly, CR patients demonstrated greater improvements than TAU patients in psychosocial functioning irrespective of diagnosis. Delayed learning and memory improvements mediated the effect of treatment on psychosocial functioning at a marginal level.

Conclusions

CR improves memory and psychosocial outcome in first-episode psychiatric out-patients for both depression and psychosis. Memory potentially mediated the functional gains observed. Future studies need to build on the current findings in larger samples using blinded allocation and should incorporate longitudinal follow-up and assessment of potential moderators (e.g. social cognition, self-efficacy) to examine sustainability and the precise mechanisms of CR effects respectively.
Estimating the heritability of reporting stressful life events captured by common genetic variants
Authors: Power R. A. , Wingenbach T. , Cohen-Woods S. , Uher R. , Ng M. Y. , Butler A. W. , Ising M. , Craddock N. , Owen M. J. , Korszun A. , Jones L. , Jones I. , Gill M. , Rice J. P. , Maier W. , Zobel A. , Mors O. , Placentino A. , Rietschel M. , Lucae S. , Holsboer F. , Binder E. B. , Keers R. , Tozzi F. , Muglia P. , Breen G. , Craig I. W. , Müller-Myhsok B. , Kennedy J. L. , Strauss J. , Vincent J. B. , Lewis C. M. , Farmer A. E. , McGuffin P.
Published: December 2012

Background

Although usually thought of as external environmental stressors, a significant heritable component has been reported for measures of stressful life events (SLEs) in twin studies.

Method

We examined the variance in SLEs captured by common genetic variants from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 2578 individuals. Genome-wide complex trait analysis (GCTA) was used to estimate the phenotypic variance tagged by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We also performed a GWAS on the number of SLEs, and looked at correlations between siblings.

Results

A significant proportion of variance in SLEs was captured by SNPs (30%, p = 0.04). When events were divided into those considered to be dependent or independent, an equal amount of variance was explained for both. This ‘heritability’ was in part confounded by personality measures of neuroticism and psychoticism. A GWAS for the total number of SLEs revealed one SNP that reached genome-wide significance (p = 4 × 10−8), although this association was not replicated in separate samples. Using available sibling data for 744 individuals, we also found a significant positive correlation of R2 = 0.08 in SLEs (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

These results provide independent validation from molecular data for the heritability of reporting environmental measures, and show that this heritability is in part due to both common variants and the confounding effect of personality.
Italian Fascism and the Political Mobilisation of Working-Class Women 1937–43
Authors: WILLSON PERRY
Published: December 2012

The Sezione Operaie e Lavoranti a Domicilio dei Fasci Femminili (Section of the Fascist Women's Groups for Female Workers and Outworkers) is the only one of the three Italian Fascist Party organisations for adult women that has never been studied. Founded in 1937 and recruiting factory workers, outworkers and domestic servants, it achieved a membership of almost a million by the fall of the regime in 1943. A top-down organisation, run by the largely middle-class Fasci Femminili, it offered its membership a mix of social, educational and professional opportunities. This article explores its activities, its organisational structure, the messages it attempted to convey to its membership and the reasons why such large numbers of women joined.
Fantastic Truths, Compelling Lies: Radio Free Europe and the Response to the Slánský Trial in Czechoslovakia
Authors: FEINBERG MELISSA
Published: December 2012

This article examines the coverage by Radio Free Europe (RFE) of the show trial of Rudolf Slánský in 1952 and contrasts this coverage with documents on the response to the trial within Czechoslovakia. RFE aggressively portrayed the trial as a pack of lies and condemned its anti-Semitism as not authentically Czechoslovak. The response within Czechoslovakia was more much nuanced. Most publicly accepted the trial as valid and acted in ways that underscored that acceptance. Within this acceptance, however, they varied from the trial script and brought their own meanings to the story. Those meanings were not always ones that either RFE or Czechoslovak leaders would have recognised as true.
The effects of magnetic separation on cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa motility, viability and cryo-capacitation status
Authors: Faezah S.S.M. , Zuraina F.M.Y , Farah J.H.F. , Khairul O. , Hilwani N.I. , Iswadi M.I. , Fang C.N. , Zawawi I. , Abas O.M. , Fatimah S.I.
Published: December 2012

Cryopreservation is a technique used to preserve cells for long-time storage. It is widely used in agriculture to store male gametes in liquid nitrogen. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum thawing temperature and time for samples subjected to annexin V magnetic-activated cell sorting (AnMACS) as the sperm preparation technique. Pooled semen samples from three ejaculates were divided into two groups. The treatment group was subjected both to AnMACS and to being cryopreserved, whilst the control group was cryopreserved directly without MACS. Post-thaw analysis was carried out for samples thawed at either 20°C for 13 s, 37°C for 30 s, 40°C for 7 s, 60°C for 6 s or 80°C for 5 s. Sperm kinematics, viability and capacitation status were determined for samples subjected to all thawing temperatures described. Results showed that thawing at 37°C for 13 s for MACS-processed samples was a superior option compared with other thawing procedures; there was a significant difference inP< 0.05 values for curvilinear velocity (VCL μm/s) and sperm straightness (STR %) when samples were thawed at 40°C for 7 s, with fewer capacitated spermatozoa (P< 0.05) when samples were thawed at 37°C for 30 s, 40°C for 7 s or 60°C for 6 s. Hence, we can speculate that the use of AnMACS as the sperm preparation technique can somehow enhance sperm cryosurvival rate after cryopreservation, however the fertilization potential of these cells has yet to be determined.
Using the crowd for readability prediction
Authors: DE CLERCQ ORPHÉE , HOSTE VÉRONIQUE , DESMET BART , VAN OOSTEN PHILIP , DE COCK MARTINE , MACKEN LIEVE
Published: December 2012

While human annotation is crucial for many natural language processing tasks, it is often very expensive and time-consuming. Inspired by previous work on crowdsourcing, we investigate the viability of using non-expert labels instead of gold standard annotations from experts for a machine learning approach to automatic readability prediction. In order to do so, we evaluate two different methodologies to assess the readability of a wide variety of text material: A more traditional setup in which expert readers make readability judgments and a crowdsourcing setup for users who are not necessarily experts. To this purpose two assessment tools were implemented: a tool where expert readers can rank a batch of texts based on readability, and a lightweight crowdsourcing tool, which invites users to provide pairwise comparisons. To validate this approach, readability assessments for a corpus of written Dutch generic texts were gathered. By collecting multiple assessments per text, we explicitly wanted to level out readers' background knowledge and attitude. Our findings show that the assessments collected through both methodologies are highly consistent and that crowdsourcing is a viable alternative to expert labeling. This is a good news as crowdsourcing is more lightweight to use and can have access to a much wider audience of potential annotators. By performing a set of basic machine learning experiments using a feature set that mainly encodes basic lexical and morpho-syntactic information, we further illustrate how the collected data can be used to perform text comparisons or to assign an absolute readability score to an individual text. We do not focus on optimising the algorithms to achieve the best possible results for the learning tasks, but carry them out to illustrate the various possibilities of our data sets. The results on different data sets, however, show that our system outperforms the readability formulas and a baseline language modelling approach. We conclude that readability assessment by comparing texts is a polyvalent methodology, which can be adapted to specific domains and target audiences if required.
IMPERFECT TRANSMISSION OF TECHNOLOGY SHOCKS AND THE BUSINESS CYCLE CONSEQUENCES
Authors: Fout Hamilton B. , Francis Neville R.
Published: December 2012

We investigate the business cycle effects of imperfect transmission of technology shocks within a basic real business cycle (RBC) model along two dimensions. First, we assume that agents cannot distinguish a temporary increase in productivity growth from a sustained increase in the underlying growth rate of productivity and instead must conduct signal extraction exercises and update beliefs about the source of aggregated shocks. Second, we propose a technology adjustment cost resulting in the slow diffusion of technological innovations into the production process. Both of these impediments to the transmission of technology result in a large initial wealth effect, increasing investment and hours less, relative to the usual RBC model without these frictions. Furthermore, each of these features is capable of producing a decline in hours on impact of the technology shock matching the negative response in hours found in the data by such works as Gali [American Economic Review89(1), 249–271 (1999)].
A diet following Finnish nutrition recommendations does not contribute to the current epidemic of obesity
Authors: Kanerva Noora , Kaartinen Niina E , Ovaskainen Marja-Leena , Konttinen Hanna , Kontto Jukka , Männistö Satu
Published: December 2012

Objective

Recently, the general public opinion is that nutritional recommendations promote obesity rather than prevent it. We created the Recommended Finnish Diet Score (RFDS) that illustrates the Finnish nutrition recommendations and assessed whether this score is associated with BMI, waist circumference (WC) and body fat percentage (BF%).

Design

Cross-sectional study included two phases of the National FINRISK 2007 Study. Diet was assessed using a validated FFQ. Height, weight, WC and BF% were measured, and BMI values were calculated. The RFDS was developed based on the national nutrition recommendations.

Setting

A large representative sample of the Finnish population.

Subjects

Men (n2190) and women (n2530) aged 25–74 years.

Results

The RFDS was inversely associated with WC in men (OR = 0·48, 95 % CI 0·28, 0·81,P< 0·05) and BF% in both men (OR = 0·44, 95 % CI 0·24, 0·82,P-trend < 0·05) and women (OR = 0·63, 95 % CI 0·37, 1·08,P-trend < 0·05). The inverse association of RFDS and BF% appeared stronger among older age groups (men: OR = 0·21 CI 0·07, 0·64,P-trend < 0·01; women: OR = 0·56, 95 % CI 0·25, 1·27,P-trend < 0·05) and among women with normal BMI (OR = 0·62, 95 % CI 0·36, 1·09,P-trend < 0·05). The RFDS was not associated with BMI.

Conclusions

A diet following nutrition recommendations is likely to help to maintain normal WC and BF%. These findings could be useful for dietary counselling and the prevention of obesity.
Ground motion prediction of realistic earthquake sources using the ambient seismic field
Authors: Denolle M. A. , Dunham E. M. , Prieto G. A. , Beroza G. C.
Published: December 2012

Predicting accurate ground motion is critical for earthquake hazard analysis, particularly in situations where sedimentary basins trap and amplify seismic waves. We exploit the information carried by the ambient seismic field to extract surface‐wave Green's functions between seismic stations and to predict long‐period ground motion from earthquakes. To do so, we modify the surface impulse response to correct for the source depth and for the double‐couple focal mechanism. These corrections are derived under the assumption that material properties in the immediate vicinity of the source depend only on depth. Using this local 1‐D assumption, we solve the surface‐wave eigenproblem and compute the fundamental‐mode displacement eigenfunctions to express the surface‐wave excitation at the source. We validate this technique, which we call the virtual earthquake approach, by comparing computed seismograms with earthquake waveforms from four moderate earthquakes that occur near broadband stations in southern California. The depth and mechanism corrections show clear improvements of the predicted ground motion relative to the surface impulse response.
Introduction to special section on Results of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission
Authors: Vondrak Richard R.
Published: December 2012

Since 2009 the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has made comprehensive measurements of the Moon and its environment. The seven LRO instruments use a variety of primarily remote sensing techniques to obtain a unique set of observations. The analyses of the LRO data sets have overturned previous beliefs and deepened our appreciation of the complex nature of our nearest neighbor. This introduction to the special section describes the LRO mission and summarizes some of the science results in the papers that follow.
Madden‐Julian oscillation as simulated by the MPI Earth System Model: Over the last and into the next millennium
Authors: Schubert Jonathan J. , Stevens Bjorn , Crueger Traute
Published: December 2012

Key Points

The MJO varies on interannual to interdecadal time scales

Solar variability and volcanoes may have influenced the MJO strength marginally

CO2 increased by 1% per year over 150 yrs show the MJO to strengthen by 11%
Addressing Less Common Languages via Telepractice: A Case Example With Vietnamese
Authors: Pham Giang
Published: December 2012

The number of children in the United States who need two languages to communicate in home and school settings is rapidly growing. The challenge to support home and school languages can be daunting considering the shortage of bilingual clinicians and the multitude of home languages in the United States. Telepractice is one approach to address this challenge, namely by connecting bilingual service providers with language-matched children and families. This article describes a case example of telepractice between a bilingual speech-language pathologist and a Vietnamese-speaking mother–child dyad. This case consisted of a speech-language evaluation and weekly training sessions via web conferencing. The author discusses advantages and limitations to telepractice, and introduces web-based resources for professionals working with Vietnamese-speaking families.
An Ethnographic Investigation of African American Mothers' Perceptions of Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Authors: Townsend Alayna , Harris Ovetta , Bland-Stewart Linda
Published: December 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate fourteen African American mothers' perceptions of the utilization of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) by their children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The authors used ethnographic methodologies to describe and interpret their experiences and perceptions. Findings suggest that AAC strategies were perceived as useful to meet their children's social communication needs and were beneficial in developing social communication skills.
Hearing Conservation Program: A Review of Best Practices for the United States Air Force
Authors: Marmer Lindsay , McKenna Elizabeth , Koenig Eric A.
Published: December 2012

In this article, authors review the recent literature in hearing conservation best practices to contribute to the Air Force Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) quality improvement measures. The cited research addresses HCP successes and deficits, revealing a need for increased health behavior theory-based training for workers, improved hearing protection device (HPD) usage, and more documentation of program evaluation. Worker training, based on health behavior theory, has the potential to increase HPD use, a critical component in HCP. HPDs should be fit-tested, monitored, and adjusted to meet workers' needs and should allow for communication without overprotection. Evaluation and consistent record-keeping of the HCP and audiological measures are critical to provide feedback for managers to make adjustments as necessary. In the military environment, it is pertinent to evaluate the program using the Department of Defense’s Defense Occupational Environmental Health Readiness System, Hearing Conservation and Data Repository (DOEHRS-HC/DR) and adapt the HPD inventory to the unique needs of military personnel. Though best practice guidelines for program management have not been proven, the research continues to evolve; only long-term studies will determine the true effectiveness of preventing noise-induced hearing loss in workers.
For Those About to Rock
Authors: Tufts Jennifer
Published: December 2012

Loud music and noisy hobbies are part of our cultural landscape. These activities can be enjoyed with minimal risk to hearing if a few commonsense guidelines are followed. Educating clients about risks and protective strategies will empower them to make informed decisions about their hearing health that best reflect their values and priorities. In this article, the author covers essential information to avoiding noise-induced hearing loss, writing in easily accessible language to better help clinicians convey this information to their clients.
Promoting Hearing Loss Prevention in Audiology Practice
Authors: Byrne David C. , Themann Christa L. , Meinke Deanna K. , Morata Thais C. , Stephenson Mark R.
Published: December 2012

An audiologist should be the principal provider and advocate for all hearing loss prevention activities. Many audiologists equate hearing loss prevention with industrial audiology and occupational hearing conservation programs. However, an audiologist’s involvement in hearing loss prevention should not be confined to that one particular practice setting. In addition to supervising occupational programs, audiologists are uniquely qualified to raise awareness of hearing risks, organize public health campaigns, promote healthy hearing, implement intervention programs, and monitor outcomes. For example, clinical audiologists can show clients how to use inexpensive sound level meters, noise dosimeters, or phone apps to measure noise levels, and recommend appropriate hearing protection. Audiologists should identify community events that may involve hazardous exposures and propose strategies to minimize risks to hearing. Audiologists can help shape the knowledge, beliefs, motivations, attitudes, and behaviors of individuals toward self-protection. An audiologist has the education, tools, opportunity, and strategic position to facilitate or promote hearing loss surveillance and prevention services and activities. This article highlights real-world examples of the various roles and substantial contributions audiologists can make toward hearing loss prevention goals.
Use of the ICF for Guiding Patient-Reported Outcome Measures
Authors: Threats Travis T.
Published: December 2012

The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) has been adopted by most professional organizations that are concerned with the rehabilitation process, including by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). This article discusses how it can be applied to the growing recognition of patient-reported outcomes (PROs). PROs are those outcomes reported directly by the patient concerning their overall functioning and sense of wellbeing. Although the proponents of the ICF and PROs have similar goals in improving the health-related quality of life of the persons with functional health problems, they offer different but complementary components to this common goal. In this article, the author discusses how the ICF's philosophy, structure, and classification system can be useful for guiding the development, use, and interpretation of PROs.
Bridging Person-Centered Outcomes and Therapeutic Processes for College Students With Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Kennedy Mary R. T. , O’Brien Katy H. , Krause Miriam O.
Published: December 2012

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) weigh at least three factors when engaging in evidence-based practice: client perspectives, external scientific evidence, and clinical expertise (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2012). First, SLPs evaluate clients’ abilities and disabilities, and also assist clients in determining realistic and functional outcomes—that is, person-centered outcomes (PCOs). These goals are typically influenced by clients’ cultures, values, roles in society, and individualized aspirations. Second, this client-centered information is then compared and contrasted with the scientific evidence that has documented the benefits of intervention approaches used with clients who are similar and used to obtain these outcomes. Finally, SLPs’ expertise plays an integral role here too, including their prior experience with the intervention approach. The purpose of this article is to describe PCOs of individuals who are attending college during the chronic recovery phase of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and describe relationships between PCOs and therapeutic processes in a coaching approach with college students that includes the emerging evidence.
Patient-Reported Outcomes for Acquired Dysarthria
Authors: Donovan Neila J.
Published: December 2012

The purpose of this article is to review the state of the art in patient-reported outcome (PRO) development for acquired dysarthria for clinicians and researchers interested in adding the patient's perspective to the information they garner from their standard assessment repertoire. In particular, the author summarizes what PROs are available at this time for researchers and clinicians treating individuals with acquired motor speech disorders. At this time, for the motor speech population, few valid and reliable PRO measures exist, and those that do are in various stages of development. Although each PRO measures a different aspect of treatment outcome, each offers an alternative to having no input from the patient's perspective at all.
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Aphasia
Authors: Irwin Billy
Published: December 2012

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for persons with aphasia offer a new method of obtaining subjective reports of social and psychological wellbeing subsequent to stroke and/or aphasia. Several instruments designed to elicit self-report in stroke patients, including those who have aphasia, have adopted aphasia-friendly formats and have included persons with all levels of severity in the development of the instrument. A brief overview of currently available tools is provided with comments regarding the primary focus of the tools and some of the reported psychometric properties. In addition, this article includes a discussion of the rationale and forces that are driving the development and use of these tools, including systematic health-care changes and an increased prominence of the social approach to aphasia. Also, the author discusses an overview of the current and future application of PROs.
Dysphagia Symptoms and Treatment in Huntington's Disease: Review
Authors: Stewart Celia
Published: December 2012

The most common causes of death in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) are aspiration pneumonia and choking on food. The goal of this systematic review is to describe the scope of dysphagia symptoms and current treatments for individuals with HD. This review includes studies that met the following criteria: original research, presentation of swallowing symptoms and/or treatment, and availability in print and in English. Nine research studies and two review articles met the inclusion criteria. No random control or nonrandom studies were found. Dysphagia symptoms were reported in all phases of the swallow.
Relative abundance of the central rock-rat, the desert mouse and the fat-tailed pseudantechinus at Ormiston Gorge in the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park, Northern Territory
Authors: Edwards G. P.
Published: December 2012

This study examines the relative abundance of two species of sympatric rodent, the desert mouse (Pseudomys desertor) and the central rock-rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus), and a sympatric dasyurid (Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis) in relation to rainfall in the West Macdonnell Ranges National Park, Northern Territory, over a 6-year period. Seventeen trapping sessions were conducted between July 2000 and September 2006. All three species showed spikes in abundance during 2001 and 2002, which were very wet years, and then declined as rainfall diminished. Z. pedunculatus was not trapped at the sites beyond June 2002 while P. desertor was not trapped beyond September 2002. P. macdonnellensis was trapped in low numbers between September 2002 and February 2005 but was not trapped subsequently. Rainfall and the abundance of all three mammal species were clearly correlated. However, the patterns of abundance were subtly different. Z. pedunculatus exhibited three distinct peaks in abundance during the study (July 2000, April 2001 and March 2002), P. desertor exhibited two distinct peaks (July 2001 and June 2002) while. P. macdonnellensis exhibited only one peak in abundance (March 2002). The results of this study provide more evidence that populations of both arid Australian rodents and some dasyurids are influenced by rainfall. The study also provides some insights into the population ecology of the poorly known and threatened central rock-rat.
Early evolution and ecology of camouflage in insects
Authors: Pérez-de la Fuente Ricardo , Delclòs Xavier , Peñalver Enrique , Speranza Mariela , Wierzchos Jacek , Ascaso Carmen , Engel Michael S.
Published: December 2012

Taxa within diverse lineages select and transport exogenous materials for the purposes of camouflage. This adaptive behavior also occurs in insects, most famously in green lacewing larvae who nestle the trash among setigerous cuticular processes, known as trash-carrying, rendering them nearly undetectable to predators and prey, as well as forming a defensive shield. We report an exceptional discovery of a green lacewing larva in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain with specialized cuticular processes forming a dorsal basket that carry a dense trash packet. The trash packet is composed of trichomes of gleicheniacean ferns, which highlight the presence of wildfires in this early forest ecosystem. This discovery provides direct evidence of an early acquisition of a sophisticated behavioral suite in stasis for over 110 million years and an ancient plant–insect interaction.
Entpd5
is essential for skeletal mineralization and regulates phosphate homeostasis in zebrafish
Authors: Huitema Leonie F. A. , Apschner Alexander , Logister Ive , Spoorendonk Kirsten M. , Bussmann Jeroen , Hammond Chrissy L. , Schulte-Merker Stefan
Published: December 2012

Bone mineralization is an essential step during the embryonic development of vertebrates, and bone serves vital functions in human physiology. To systematically identify unique gene functions essential for osteogenesis, we performed a forward genetic screen in zebrafish and isolated a mutant,
no bone
(
nob
), that does not form any mineralized bone. Positional cloning of
nob
identified the causative gene to encode
ectonucleoside triphosphate/diphosphohydrolase 5
(
entpd5
); analysis of its expression pattern demonstrates that
entpd5
is specifically expressed in osteoblasts. An additional mutant,
dragonfish
(
dgf
), exhibits ectopic mineralization in the craniofacial and axial skeleton and encodes a loss-of-function allele of
ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase 1
(
enpp1
). Intriguingly, generation of double-mutant
nob/dgf
embryos restored skeletal mineralization in
nob
mutants, indicating that mechanistically, Entpd5 and Enpp1 act as reciprocal regulators of phosphate/pyrophosphate homeostasis in vivo. Consistent with this,
entpd5
mutant embryos can be rescued by high levels of inorganic phosphate, and phosphate-regulating factors, such as
fgf23
and
npt2a
, are significantly affected in
entpd5
mutant embryos. Our study demonstrates that Entpd5 represents a previously unappreciated essential player in phosphate homeostasis and skeletal mineralization.
Signaling axis involving Hedgehog, Notch, and Scl promotes the embryonic endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition
Authors: Kim Peter Geon , Albacker Colleen E. , Lu Yi-fen , Jang Il-ho , Lim Yoowon , Heffner Garrett C. , Arora Natasha , Bowman Teresa V. , Lin Michelle I. , Lensch M. William , De Los Angeles Alejandro , Zon Leonard I. , Loewer Sabine , Daley George Q.
Published: December 2012

During development, the hematopoietic lineage transits through hemogenic endothelium, but the signaling pathways effecting this transition are incompletely characterized. Although the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is hypothesized to play a role in patterning blood formation, early embryonic lethality of mice lacking Hh signaling precludes such analysis. To determine a role for Hh signaling in patterning of hemogenic endothelium, we assessed the effect of altered Hh signaling in differentiating mouse ES cells, cultured mouse embryos, and developing zebrafish embryos. In differentiating mouse ES cells and mouse yolk sac cultures, addition of Indian Hh ligand increased hematopoietic progenitors, whereas chemical inhibition of Hh signaling reduced hematopoietic progenitors without affecting primitive streak mesoderm formation. In the setting of Hh inhibition, induction of either Notch signaling or overexpression of Stem cell leukemia (Scl)/T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia protein 1 rescued hemogenic vascular-endothelial cadherin
+
cells and hematopoietic progenitor formation. Together, our results reveal that Scl overexpression is sufficient to rescue the developmental defects caused by blocking the Hh and Notch pathways, and inform our understanding of the embryonic endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition.
Cyclophilin A predicts clinical outcome in patients with congestive heart failure undergoing endomyocardial biopsy
Authors: Zuern Christine S. , Müller Karin A.L. , Seizer Peter , Geisler Tobias , Banya Winston , Klingel Karin , Kandolf Reinhard , Bauer Axel , Gawaz Meinrad , May Andreas E.
Published: December 2012

Aims

Cyclophilin A (CyPA) represents a ubiquitous intracellular protein, which is secreted by inflammatory and by dying/necrotic cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic relevance of CyPA expression in endomyocardial biopsies of consecutive patients with congestive heart failure.

Methods and results

A total of 227 unselected patients (age 53.9 ± 15 years) with congestive heart failure undergoing endomyocardial biopsy for diagnostic reasons were enrolled. Biopsies were analysed using established histopathological and immunohistological criteria together with CyPA staining. Virus genome was studied by polymerase chain reaction. CyPA was significantly enhanced in patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy (n = 127) as compared with patients with non‐inflammatory cardiomyopathy (n = 100, P < 0.0001). During a mean follow‐up of 16.3 months, 60 patients (26.4%) reached the primary endpoint, a composite of all‐cause death, heart transplantation, malignant arrhythmia, and heart failure‐related rehospitalization. Of all clinical (ejection fraction, New York Heart Association functional class), laboratory (brain natriuretic peptide), and immunohistological parameters (CyPA, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, CD68, CD3, major hisocompatibility complex II, and virus genome) tested, only CyPA was identified as an independent predictor for the composite endpoint [hazard ratio (HR) 2.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–5.2; P = 0.019] as well as for all‐cause death and heart transplantation alone (HR 4.7; 95% CI 1.1–19.8; P = 0.036). Subgroup analysis revealed CyPA as a predictor in patients with non‐inflammatory cardiomyopathy for the composite endpoint (HR 3.0; 95% CI 1.3–6.6; P = 0.007) as well as all‐cause death or heart transplantation alone (HR 6.4; 95% CI 1.4–28.1; P = 0.014).

Conclusions

CyPA is an independent predictor of clinical outcome in patients with congestive heart failure undergoing endomyocardial biopsy.
The core size of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal
Authors: Amorisco N. C. , Agnello A. , Evans N. W.
Published: December 2012

We exploit the detection of three distinct stellar subpopulations in the red giant branch of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal to probe its density distribution. This allows us to resolve directly the evolution of the dark matter mass profile with radius. We find that a cored dark matter halo is consistent well within 1σ with all three stellar populations, and for the first time we are able to put constraints on the core size of such a halo. With respect to previous work, we do not strengthen the statistical exclusion of a dark matter cusp in Fornax, but we find that Navarro–Frenk–White haloes would be required to have unrealistically large scale radii in order to be compatible with the data, hence low values of the concentration parameter. We are then forced to conclude that the Fornax dwarf spheroidal sits within a dark matter halo having a constant-density core, with a core size of r0 = 1+ 0.8− 0.4 kpc.
Defense Activated by 9-Lipoxygenase-Derived Oxylipins Requires Specific Mitochondrial Proteins
Authors: Vellosillo Tamara , Aguilera Verónica , Marcos Ruth , Bartsch Michael , Vicente Jorge , Cascón Tomas , Hamberg Mats , Castresana Carmen
Published: December 2012

9-Lipoxygenases (9-LOXs) initiate fatty acid oxygenation, resulting in the formation of oxylipins activating plant defense against hemibiotrophic pathogenic bacteria. Previous studies using nonresponding to oxylipins (noxy), a series of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants insensitive to the 9-LOX product 9-hydroxy-10,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (9-HOT), have demonstrated the importance of cell wall modifications as a component of 9-LOX-induced defense. Here, we show that a majority (71%) of 41 studied noxy mutants have an added insensitivity to isoxaben, an herbicide inhibiting cellulose synthesis and altering the cell wall. The specific mutants noxy2, noxy15, and noxy38, insensitive to both 9-HOT and isoxaben, displayed enhanced susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 as well as reduced activation of salicylic acid-responding genes. Map-based cloning identified the mutation in noxy2 as At5g11630 encoding an uncharacterized mitochondrial protein, designated NOXY2. Moreover, noxy15 and noxy38 were mapped at the DYNAMIN RELATED PROTEIN3A and FRIENDLY MITOCHONDRIA loci, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy and molecular analyses revealed that the three noxy mutants characterized exhibit mitochondrial dysfunction and that 9-HOT added to wild-type Arabidopsis causes mitochondrial aggregation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The results suggest that the defensive responses and cell wall modifications caused by 9-HOT are under mitochondrial retrograde control and that mitochondria play a fundamental role in innate immunity signaling.
Evolution of Conifer Diterpene Synthases: Diterpene Resin Acid Biosynthesis in Lodgepole Pine and Jack Pine Involves Monofunctional and Bifunctional Diterpene Synthases
Authors: Hall Dawn E. , Zerbe Philipp , Jancsik Sharon , Quesada Alfonso Lara , Dullat Harpreet , Madilao Lina L. , Yuen Macaire , Bohlmann Jörg
Published: December 2012

Diterpene resin acids (DRAs) are major components of pine (Pinus spp.) oleoresin. They play critical roles in conifer defense against insects and pathogens and as a renewable resource for industrial bioproducts. The core structures of DRAs are formed in secondary (i.e. specialized) metabolism via cycloisomerization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) by diterpene synthases (diTPSs). Previously described gymnosperm diTPSs of DRA biosynthesis are bifunctional enzymes that catalyze the initial bicyclization of GGPP followed by rearrangement of a (+)-copalyl diphosphate intermediate at two discrete class II and class I active sites. In contrast, similar diterpenes of gibberellin primary (i.e. general) metabolism are produced by the consecutive activity of two monofunctional class II and class I diTPSs. Using high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, we discovered 11 diTPS from jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). Three of these were orthologous to known conifer bifunctional levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthases. Surprisingly, two sets of orthologous PbdiTPSs and PcdiTPSs were monofunctional class I enzymes that lacked functional class II active sites and converted (+)-copalyl diphosphate, but not GGPP, into isopimaradiene and pimaradiene as major products. Diterpene profiles and transcriptome sequences of lodgepole pine and jack pine are consistent with roles for these diTPSs in DRA biosynthesis. The monofunctional class I diTPSs of DRA biosynthesis form a new clade within the gymnosperm-specific TPS-d3 subfamily that evolved from bifunctional diTPS rather than monofunctional enzymes (TPS-c and TPS-e) of gibberellin metabolism. Homology modeling suggested alterations in the class I active site that may have contributed to their functional specialization relative to other conifer diTPSs.
Expression of the Minor Isoform Pea Ferredoxin in Tobacco Alters Photosynthetic Electron Partitioning and Enhances Cyclic Electron Flow
Authors: Blanco Nicolás E. , Ceccoli Romina D. , Vía María V. Dalla , Voss Ingo , Segretin María E. , Bravo-Almonacid Fernando F. , Melzer Michael , Hajirezaei Mohammad-Reza , Scheibe Renate , Hanke Guy T.
Published: December 2012

Ferredoxins (Fds) are ferrosulfoproteins that function as low-potential electron carriers in plants. The Fd family is composed of several isoforms that share high sequence homology but differ in functional characteristics. In leaves, at least two isoforms conduct linear and cyclic photosynthetic electron transport around photosystem I, and mounting evidence suggests the existence of at least partial division of duties between these isoforms. To evaluate the contribution of different kinds of Fds to the control of electron fluxes along the photosynthetic electron transport chain, we overexpressed a minor pea (Pisum sativum) Fd isoform (PsFd1) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants. The transplastomic OeFd1 plants exhibited variegated leaves and retarded growth and developmental rates. Photosynthetic studies of these plants indicated a reduction in carbon dioxide assimilation rates, photosystem II photochemistry, and linear electron flow. However, the plants showed an increase in nonphotochemical quenching, better control of excitation pressure at photosystem II, and no evidence of photoinhibition, implying a better dynamic regulation to remove excess energy from the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Finally, analysis of P700 redox status during illumination confirmed that the minor pea Fd isoform promotes enhanced cyclic flow around photosystem I. The two novel features of this work are: (1) that Fd levels achieved in transplastomic plants promote an alternative electron partitioning even under greenhouse light growth conditions, a situation that is exacerbated at higher light intensity measurements; and (2) that an alternative, minor Fd isoform has been overexpressed in plants, giving new evidence of labor division among Fd isoforms.
Five pseudopolymorphs of 6-amino-2-thiouracil: absence of N—H...S hydrogen bonds
Authors: Hützler Wilhelm Maximilian , Bolte Michael
Published: December 2012

In order to study the preferred hydrogen-bonding pattern of 6-amino-2-thiouracil, C4H5N3OS, (I), crystallization experiments yielded five different pseudopolymorphs of (I), namely the dimethylformamide disolvate, C4H5N3OS·2C3H7NO, (Ia), the dimethylacetamide monosolvate, C4H5N3OS·C4H9NO, (Ib), the dimethylacetamide sesquisolvate, C4H5N3OS·1.5C4H9NO, (Ic), and two different 1-methylpyrrolidin-2-one sesquisolvates, C4H5N3OS·1.5C5H9NO, (Id) and (Ie). All structures containR21(6) N—H...O hydrogen-bond motifs. In the latter four structures, additionalR22(8) N—H...O hydrogen-bond motifs are present stabilizing homodimers of (I). No type of hydrogen bond other than N—H...O is observed. According to a search of the Cambridge Structural Database, most 2-thiouracil derivatives form homodimers stabilized by anR22(8) hydrogen-bonding pattern, with (i) only N—H...O, (ii) only N—H...S or (iii) alternating pairs of N—H...O and N—H...S hydrogen bonds.
Female, but not male, mice show delayed cutaneous wound healing following aspirin administration
Authors: dos Santos Jeanine S , Monte‐Alto‐Costa Andréa
Published: December 2012

Cyclo‐oxygenase (COX) is an enzyme that participates in the wound healing process. Aspirin, a non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug, simultaneously inhibits the aromatase activity of COX‐1 and COX‐2 isoforms, which is needed for prostaglandin synthesis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether aspirin, and thus COX inhibition, distinctly affects cutaneous wound healing in female and male mice.

Female and male BALB/c mice were treated with aspirin (25 mg/kg per day) for 16 days until they were killed. The control group received vehicle (saline) only. A full‐thickness excisional lesion was made on the back, 2 days after aspirin administration started, and macroscopic, histological and biochemical parameters were evaluated. Sections were stained and immunostained for microscopic analysis. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, hydroxyproline quantity and the protein expression of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were also determined.

Female control and aspirin‐treated groups exhibited delayed wound closure and re‐epithelization compared with the male control and aspirin‐treated groups, respectively. The female control group exhibited reduced MPO activity and a decreased number of macrophage inhibitory factor‐positive cells compared with the male control group. In the female aspirin‐treated group, MPO activity and the number of F4/80‐positive macrophages was higher than in the control group. Collagen was reduced only in the female aspirin‐treated group. The expression of vWF and VEGF protein was increased in the female aspirin‐treated group.

In conclusion, aspirin administration impaired the wound healing process in BALB/c female, but not male, mice.
Remote per‐conditioning reduces oxidative stress, downregulates cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 expression and attenuates ischaemia–reperfusion‐induced acute kidney injury
Authors: Sedaghat Zahra , Kadkhodaee Mehri , Seifi Behjat , Salehi Eisa , Najafi Atefeh , Dargahi Leila
Published: December 2012

Remote per‐conditioning (rPeC) is a phenomenon by which short‐time intermittent ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R) of a remote organ during ischaemia protects other organs from I/R injury (IRI). The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of rPeC on renal IRI in rats.

Rats were subjected to right nephrectomy and randomized as into a sham group (no additional intervention), an I/R group (subjected to 45 min left renal pedicle occlusion) and an rPeC group (subjected to four cycles of 5 min I/R of the left femoral artery administered at the beginning of renal ischaemia). After 24 h, blood, urine and tissue samples were collected.

Compared with the sham group, I/R resulted in renal dysfunction, as evidenced by significantly lower creatinine clearance (CCr; 0.52 ± 0.06 vs 0.11 ± 0.02 mL/min, respectively) and higher fractional excretion of sodium (FENa; 0.80 ± 0.07% vs 2.46 ± 0.20%, respectively). This was accompanied by decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD; 6.9 ± 1.7 vs 26.7 ± 2.7 U/g tissue) and catalase (CAT; 20.2 ± 8.8 vs 32.2 ± 8.7 K/g tissue) activity in the I/R group, as well as decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH; 21.7 ± 8.1 vs 81.2 ± 20.2 μmol/g tissue) and increased malondialdehyde levels (MDA; 1.2 to 0.1 vs 0.5 ± 0.2 μmol/100 mg), cyclo‐oxygenase (COX)‐2 expression and histological damage.

In the rPeC group, renal histology and function were significantly improved (CCr 0.32 ± 0.02 mL/min; FENa 1.33 ± 0.12%) compared with the I/R group. Furthermore, compared with the I/R group, the rPeC group exhibited increases in SOD and CAT activity (22.8 ± 3.8 U/g tissue and 21.7 ± 8.6 K/g tissue, respectively), increased GSH levels (74.0 ± 4.9) and decreased MDA levels (1.1 ± 0.3 μmol/100 mg) and COX‐2 expression.

In conclusion, rPeC appears to exert protective effects against renal IRI. This protection may be a consequence of reductions in lipid peroxidation, intensification of anti‐oxidant systems and downregulation of COX‐2 expression. A simple approach, rPeC may be a promising strategy for protection against IRI in clinical practice.
How Do the Levels of Education and Occupations of Citizens Interact with the National Socio-Economic Context to Influence Public Opinion on Globalisation
Authors: Balestrini Pierre P.
Published: December 2012

This article empirically investigates the impact of national socio-economic contextual factors on public opinion on globalisation. It also examines the mediating impact … of these factors on the relationship between citizens' education, occupation and public opinion on globalisation. Using Eurobarometer data, this article demonstrates that national levels of unemployment, FDI and trade balances, as well as the proportion of the national population with tertiary education attainment, influence citizens' opinions on globalisation. They also show that national levels of unemployment, trade and FDI balances, net migration and the proportion of the national population with tertiary education arbitrate the relationship between individuals' education, occupation and public attitudes towards globalisation. The article then discusses the implications of these findings.