bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing aquatic hazards of industrial chemicals: Probabilistic assessment of sustainable molecular design guidelines
Authors: Connors Kristin A. , Voutchkova-Kostal Adelina M. , Kostal Jakub , Anastas Paul , Zimmerman Julie B. , Brooks Bryan W.
Published: May 2014

Basic toxicological information is lacking for the majority of industrial chemicals. In addition to increasing empirical toxicity data through additional testing, prospective computational approaches to drug development aim to serve as a rational basis for the design of chemicals with reduced toxicity. Recent work has resulted in the derivation of a “rule of 2,” wherein chemicals with an octanol–water partition coefficient (log P) less than 2 and a difference between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital and the highest occupied molecular orbital (ΔE) greater than 9 (log P < 2 and ΔE > 9 eV) are predicted to be 4 to 5 times less likely to elicit acute or chronic toxicity to model aquatic organisms. The present study examines potential reduction of aquatic toxicity hazards from industrial chemicals if these 2 molecular design guidelines were employed. Probabilistic hazard assessment approaches were used to model the likelihood of encountering industrial chemicals exceeding toxicological categories of concern both with and without the rule of 2. Modeling predicted that utilization of these molecular design guidelines for log P and ΔE would appreciably decrease the number of chemicals that would be designated to be of “high” and “very high” concern for acute and chronic toxicity to standard model aquatic organisms and end points as defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency. For example, 14.5% of chemicals were categorized as having high and very high acute toxicity to the fathead minnow model, whereas only 3.3% of chemicals conforming to the design guidelines were predicted to be in these categories. Considerations of specific chemical classes (e.g., aldehydes), chemical attributes (e.g., ionization), and adverse outcome pathways in representative species (e.g., receptor-mediated responses) could be used to derive future property guidelines for broader classes of contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:1894–1902. © 2014 SETAC
Toxicity of different-sized copper nano- and submicron particles and their shed copper ions to zebrafish embryos
Authors: Hua Jing , Vijver Martina G. , Ahmad Farooq , Richardson Michael K. , Peijnenburg Willie J.G.M.
Published: May 2014

Three sizes of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs; 25 nm, 50 nm, and 100 nm), 1 submicron-sized particle, and Cu(NO3)2 were added to the culture buffer of zebrafish embryos from 24 h postfertilization to 120 h postfertilization. In suspensions of Cu NPs and the Cu submicron-sized particle, the main contribution to the toxicity to zebrafish embryos was from the particle form of Cu particles (Cu NPparticle, >71%) rather than from dissolved Cu from the Cu particles (Cu NPion). All particles tested as well as copper nitrate inhibited hatching, altered behavioral responses, and increased the incidence of malformations. Different kinds of abnormalities were observed in the morphology and behavior of the zebrafish embryos, depending on the particle size of the Cu suspensions tested. The median lethal concentrations of Cu NPparticle (25 nm, 50 nm, and 100 nm), the submicron-sized particle, and copper nitrate were 0.58 mg/L, 1.65 mg/L, 1.90 mg/L, 0.35 mg/L, and 0.70 mg/L, respectively. Submicron-sized particles and copper nitrate were more toxic than Cu NPs, and smaller Cu NPs were more toxic than larger Cu NPs. Dissolution of Cu NPs and the subsequent ion toxicity was not the primary mechanism of Cu NP toxicity in zebrafish embryos. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:1774–1782. © 2014 SETAC
Hydrologic changes resulting from urban cover in seasonally snow‐covered catchments
Authors: Eimers M. Catherine , McDonald Ethan C.
Published: May 2014

There are few multibasin analyses of the effects of urban land cover on seasonal stream flow patterns within northern watersheds where winter snow cover is the norm. In this study, the effects of urban cover on stream flow were evaluated at nine catchments in southern Ontario, Canada, which vary greatly in urban impervious cover (1–84%) but cluster into two groups having ≥54% urban impervious area (‘urban’) and ≤11% impervious cover (‘rural’), respectively. Annual and seasonal run‐off totals (millimetres) were similar between the rural and urban groups and were relatively insensitive to urban cover. Instead, urban streams had significantly greater high flow frequency, flow variability and quickflow and lower baseflow compared with rural streams. Furthermore, differences in high flow frequency between urban and rural stream groups were largest in the summer and fall and less extreme in the winter and spring, perhaps because of the homogenizing effect of winter snow cover, frozen ground and spring melt on surface imperviousness. Although the clear clustering of streams into urban and rural groups precluded the identification of a threshold above which urban cover is the primary cause of flow differences, relatively high extreme flow frequency and flow variability in the two most urbanized of the rural streams (10–11% impervious) suggest that it may lie close to this range. Furthermore, whereas total run‐off volumes were not affected by urban cover, increases in stream flashiness and a greater frequency of high flow events particularly during the summer and fall may negatively impact stream biota and favour the transfer of surface‐deposited pollutants to urban streams. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outcomes of patients with cytomegalovirus viremia at the time of liver transplantation
Authors: Bruminhent Jackrapong , Razonable Raymund R.
Published: May 2014

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been associated with poor outcomes after liver transplantation. Whether it is safe to perform transplantation for patients with active CMV viremia is not known. Here we report the outcomes of 6 patients with CMV viremia immediately before or at the time of liver transplantation. Data from these patients indicate that CMV can be adequately controlled with antiviral therapy, although patients appear to be at higher risk for indirect effects of CMV such as other opportunistic infections and liver allograft dysfunction. Liver Transpl 20:1029–1033, 2014. © 2014 AASLD.
Comparison of cyanobacterial microcystin synthetase (mcy) E gene transcript levels, mcy E gene copies, and biomass as indicators of microcystin risk under laboratory and field conditions
Authors: Ngwa Felexce F. , Madramootoo Chandra A. , Jabaji Suha
Published: May 2014

Increased incidences of mixed assemblages of microcystin‐producing and nonproducing cyanobacterial strains in freshwater bodies necessitate development of reliable proxies for cyanotoxin risk assessment. Detection of microcystin biosynthetic genes in water blooms of cyanobacteria is generally indicative of the presence of potentially toxic cyanobacterial strains. Although much effort has been devoted toward elucidating the microcystin biosynthesis mechanisms in many cyanobacteria genera, little is known about the impacts of co‐occurring cyanobacteria on cellular growth, mcy gene expression, or mcy gene copy distribution. The present study utilized conventional microscopy, qPCR assays, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to study how competition between microcystin‐producing Microcystis aeruginosa CPCC 299 and Planktothrix agardhii NIVA‐CYA 126 impacts mcyE gene expression, mcyE gene copies, and microcystin concentration under controlled laboratory conditions. Furthermore, analyses of environmental water samples from the Missisquoi Bay, Quebec, enabled us to determine how the various potential toxigenic cyanobacterial biomass proxies correlated with cellular microcystin concentrations in a freshwater lake. Results from our laboratory study indicated significant downregulation of mcyE gene expression in mixed cultures of M. aeruginosa plus P. agardhii on most sampling days in agreement with depressed growth recorded in the mixed cultures, suggesting that interaction between the two species probably resulted in suppressed growth and mcyE gene expression in the mixed cultures. Furthermore, although mcyE gene copies and McyE transcripts were detected in all laboratory and field samples with measureable microcystin levels, only mcyE gene copies showed significant positive correlations (R2 > 0.7) with microcystin concentrations, while McyE transcript levels did not. These results suggest that mcyE gene copies are better indicators of potential risks from microcystins than McyE transcript levels or conventional biomass proxies, especially in water bodies comprising mixed assemblages of toxic and nontoxic cyanobacteria.
Genetic background determines if Stat5b suppresses or enhances murine hepatocarcinogenesis
Authors: Oberley Christopher C. , Bilger Andrea , Drinkwater Norman R.
Published: May 2014

Murine hepatocarcinogenesis requires growth hormone (GH). To determine if the GH‐responsive transcription factor STAT5b (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b) is also required, we compared the hepatic gene expression profiles of global Stat5b null mice to cancer‐resistant mice mutant in the GH pathway—GH‐deficient little and androgen receptor‐null Tfm males. We found a high degree of overlap among Tfm, little, and Stat5b null males. The liver cancer susceptibility of global Stat5b null mice was assessed on three distinct genetic backgrounds: BALB/cJ (BALB), C57BL/6J (B6), and C3H/HeJ (C3H). The effect of Stat5b on hepatocarcinogenesis depended on the genetic background. B6 Stat5b null congenic males and females developed 2.4 times as many tumors as wild‐type (WT) controls (P < 0.002) and the tumors were larger (P < 0.003). In BALB/c congenics, loss of STAT5b had no effect on either sex. C3H Stat5b null congenic males and females were resistant to liver cancer, developing 2.7‐ and 6‐fold fewer tumors, respectively (P < 0.02, 0.01). These results provide the first example of a single gene behaving as both oncogene and tumor suppressor in a given tissue, depending only on the endogenous modifier alleles carried by different genetic backgrounds. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Involvement of protein kinase C α and δ activities on the induction of the retinoic acid system in mammary cancer cells
Authors: Berardi Damián E. , Bessone María I. Díaz , Motter Andrea , Bal de Kier Joffé Elisa D. , Urtreger Alejandro J. , Todaro Laura B.
Published: May 2014

It has been established that retinoids exert some of their effects on cell differentiation and malignant phenotype reversion through the interaction with different members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family. Till nowadays the nature and extension of this interaction is not well understood. Due to the cytostatic and differentiating effects of retinoids, in the present study we propose to evaluate whether the crosstalk between the retinoid system and the PKC pathway could become a possible target for breast cancer treatment. We could determine that ATRA (all‐trans retinoic) treatment showed a significant growth inhibition due to (G1 or G2) cell cycle arrest both in LM3 and SKBR3, a murine and human mammary cell line respectively. ATRA also induced a remarkable increase in PKCα and PKCδ expression and activity. Interestingly, the pharmacological inhibition of these two PKC isoforms prevented the activation of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) by ATRA, indicating that both PKC isoforms are required for RARs activation. Moreover, PKCδ inhibition also impaired ATRA‐induced RARα translocation to the nucleus. In vivo assays revealed that a combined treatment using ATRA and PKCα inhibitors prevented lung metastatic dissemination in an additive way. Our results clearly indicate that ATRA modulates the expression and activity of different PKCs. Besides inducing cell arrest, the activity of both PKC is necessary for the induction of the retinoic acid system. The combined ATRA and PKCα inhibitors could be an option for the hormone‐independent breast cancer treatment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dystonia and tremor secondary to thalamic infarction successfully treated with thalamotomy of the ventralis intermedius nucleus
Authors: Álvarez Mario , Quintanal Nelson , Díaz Amado , Prince José , García Ivan , Carballo Maylen , Rodríguez Rafael , Maragoto Carlos , Pedroso Ivonne , Macías Raul
Published: May 2014

Background

Focal thalamic lesions have been associated with a variety of involuntary movements such as tremor, dystonia, and chorea‐ballism.

Methods

We describe a patient with severe hyperkinesias of the right arm secondary to a thalamic infarction in the left postero‐ventral region of the thalamus.

Results

The dystonia and tremor of the right upper limb were subsequently controlled with another surgical lesion of the ventralis intermedius nucleus of the thalamus.

Conclusion

This observation suggests that ablative surgery might be applied to treat a movement disorder induced by the lesion of the same nucleus, which in addition lead to interesting pathophysiological conjectures. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Peptidoglycan recognition protein genes and risk of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Goldman Samuel M. , Kamel Freya , Ross G. Webster , Jewell Sarah A. , Marras Connie , Hoppin Jane A. , Umbach David M. , Bhudhikanok Grace S. , Meng Cheryl , Korell Monica , Comyns Kathleen , Hauser Robert A. , Jankovic Joseph , Factor Stewart A. , Bressman Susan , Lyons Kelly E. , Sandler Dale P. , Langston J. William , Tanner Caroline M.
Published: May 2014

Increased gut permeability, inflammation, and colonic α‐synuclein pathology are present in early Parkinson's disease (PD) and have been proposed to contribute to PD pathogenesis. Peptidoglycan is a structural component of the bacterial cell wall. Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) maintain healthy gut microbial flora by regulating the immune response to both commensal and harmful bacteria. We tested the hypothesis that variants in genes that encode PGRPs are associated with PD risk. Participants in two independent case‐control studies were genotyped for 30 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the four PGLYRP genes. Using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for potential confounding variables, we conducted analyses in each study, separately and pooled. One SNP failed the assay, and three had little to no variation. The ORs were similar in both study populations. In pooled analyses, three of seven PGLYRP2 SNPs (rs3813135, rs733731, rs892145), one of five PGLYRP3 SNPs (rs2987763), and six of nine PGLYRP4 SNPs (rs10888557, rs12063091, rs3006440, rs3006448, rs3006458, and rs3014864) were significantly associated with PD risk. Association was strongest for PGLYRP4 5'untranslated region (UTR) SNP rs10888557 (GG reference, CG OR 0.6 [95%CI 0.4‐0.9], CC OR 0.15 [95%CI 0.04‐0.6]; log‐additive P‐trend, 0.0004). Common variants in PGLYRP genes are associated with PD risk in two independent studies. These results require replication, but they are consistent with hypotheses of a causative role for the gut microbiota and gastrointestinal immune response in PD. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
DYNAmic Multi‐coIl TEchnique (DYNAMITE) shimming of the rat brain at 11.7 T
Authors: Juchem Christoph , Herman Peter , Sanganahalli Basavaraju G. , Brown Peter B. , McIntyre Scott , Nixon Terence W. , Green Dan , Hyder Fahmeed , de Graaf Robin A.
Published: May 2014

The in vivo rat model is a workhorse in neuroscience research, preclinical studies and drug development. A repertoire of MR tools has been developed for its investigation; however, high levels of B0 magnetic field homogeneity are required for meaningful results. The homogenization of magnetic fields in the rat brain, i.e. shimming, is a difficult task because of a multitude of complex, susceptibility‐induced field distortions. Conventional shimming with spherical harmonic (SH) functions is capable of compensating for shallow field distortions in limited areas, e.g. in the cortex, but performs poorly in difficult‐to‐shim subcortical structures or for the entire brain. Based on the recently introduced multi‐coil approach for magnetic field modeling, the DYNAmic Multi‐coIl TEchnique (DYNAMITE) is introduced for magnetic field shimming of the in vivo rat brain and its benefits for gradient‐echo echo‐planar imaging (EPI) are demonstrated. An integrated multi‐coil/radiofrequency (MC/RF) system comprising 48 individual localized DC coils for B0 shimming and a surface transceive RF coil has been developed that allows MR investigations of the anesthetized rat brain in vivo. DYNAMITE shimming with this MC/RF set‐up is shown to reduce the B0 standard deviation to a third of that achieved with current shim technology employing static first‐ through third‐order SH shapes. The EPI signal over the rat brain increased by 31%, and a 24% gain in usable EPI voxels could be realized. DYNAMITE shimming is expected to critically benefit a wide range of preclinical and neuroscientific MR research. Improved magnetic field homogeneity, together with the achievable large brain coverage of this method, will be crucial when signal pathways, cortical circuitry or the brain's default network are studied. Together with the efficiency gains of MC‐based shimming compared with SH approaches demonstrated recently, DYNAMITE shimming has the potential to replace conventional SH shim systems in small‐bore animal scanners. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An adaptive constraint tightening approach to linear model predictive control based on approximation algorithms for optimization
Authors: Necoara Ion , Ferranti Laura , Keviczky Tamás
Published: May 2014

In this paper, we propose a model predictive control scheme for discrete‐time linear invariant systems based on inexact numerical optimization algorithms. We assume that the solution of the associated quadratic program produced by some numerical algorithm is possibly neither optimal nor feasible, but the algorithm is able to provide estimates on primal suboptimality and primal feasibility violation. By adaptively tightening the complicating constraints, we can ensure the primal feasibility of the approximate solutions generated by the algorithm. We derive a control strategy that has the following properties: the constraints on the states and inputs are satisfied, asymptotic stability of the closed‐loop system is guaranteed, and the number of iterations needed for a desired level of suboptimality can be determined. The proposed method is illustrated using a simulated longitudinal flight control problem. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multifunctionality of foamed poly(lactid acid) and its composites with nanofillers
Authors: Frackowiak Stanislaw , Ludwiczak Joanna , Kozlowski Marek
Published: May 2014

Polymers derived from renewable resources focus increasingly on an interest of research institutes and industry. Replacement of traditional materials by biodegradable polymers brings about the fossil resources savings and helps solving problems related to the plastic packaging waste. Polylactide (PLA) is the most important biodegradable polyester of good mechanical properties, high transparency, and good processability. However, PLA is still more expensive than conventional plastics, moreover its biodegradation rate is moderate. Recent innovations open new fields of PLA application by means of novel nanocomposites and processing technology that provide new properties. In this article, polymeric materials of various functionalities have been presented, in particular PLA‐based functional nanocomposites (with increased barrier properties, electroconductive, or thermosensitive materials) of PLA and cellular PLA. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1647–1652, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Isoform‐specific responses of metallothioneins in a marine pollution biomonitor, the green‐lipped mussel Perna viridis, towards different stress stimulations
Authors: Leung Priscilla T. Y. , Park T. J. , Wang Yu , Che C.M. , Leung Kenneth M.Y.
Published: May 2014

Metallothioneins (MTs) are commonly used as biomarker for metal pollution assessment in marine ecosystems. Using integrated genomic and proteomic analyses, this study characterized two types of MT isoform in the digestive gland of a common biomonitor, the green‐lipped mussel Perna viridis, towards the challenges of a metal (cadmium; Cd) and a non‐metal oxidant (hydrogen peroxide; H2O2) respectively. The two isoforms differed in their deduced protein sequences, with 73 amino acids for MT10‐I and 72 for MT10‐II (a novel type), but both consisted of a high percentage (27.4 to 29.2%) of cysteine. Two‐dimensional gel and Western blot showed that the MT proteins were present in multiple isoform spots, and they were further validated to be MT10‐I and MT10‐II using MS analysis coupled with unrestricted modifications searching. Expression of mRNA revealed that MT10‐I responded promptly to Cd but had a lagged induction to H2O2 treatments, while MT10‐II was exclusively induced by Cd treatment over the course of exposure. Expression of the MT proteins also showed a delayed response to H2O2, compared to Cd treatments. This study uncovered the potential different functional roles of various MTs isoforms in P. viridis and thus advances the resolution of using MTs as biomarkers in future applications.
Cross‐compartment proteostasis regulation during redox imbalance induced ER stress
Authors: Maity Shuvadeep , Basak Trayambak , Bhat Ajay , Bhasin Namrata , Ghosh Asmita , Chakraborty Kausik , Sengupta Shantanu
Published: May 2014

Imbalance in protein homeostasis in specific subcellular organelles is alleviated through organelle‐specific stress response pathways. As a canonical example of stress activated pathway, accumulation of misfolded proteins in ER activates unfolded protein response (UPR) in almost all eukaryotic organisms. However, very little is known about the involvement of proteins of other organelles that help to maintain the cellular protein homeostasis during ER stress. In this study, using iTRAQ‐based LC–MS approach, we identified organelle enriched proteins that are differentially expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) during ER stress in the absence of UPR sensor Ire1p. We have identified about 750 proteins from enriched organelle fraction in three independent iTRAQ experiments. Induction of ER stress resulted in the differential expression of 93 proteins in WT strains, 40 of which were found to be dependent on IRE1. Our study reveals a cross‐talk between ER‐ and mitochondrial proteostasis exemplified by an Ire1p‐dependent induction of Hsp60p, a mitochondrial chaperone. Thus, in this study, we show changes in protein levels in various organelles in response to ER stress. A large fraction of these changes were dependent on canonical UPR signalling through Ire1, highlighting the importance of interorganellar cross‐talk during stress.
High‐precision formation control of nonlinear multi‐agent systems with switching topologies: A learning approach
Authors: Meng Deyuan , Jia Yingmin , Du Junping , Zhang Jun
Published: May 2014

Arbitrary high precision is considered one of the most desirable control objectives in the relative formation for many networked industrial applications, such as flying spacecrafts and mobile robots. The main purpose of this paper is to present design guidelines of applying the iterative schemes to develop distributed formation algorithms in order to achieve this control objective. If certain conditions are met, then the control input signals can be learned by the developed algorithms to accomplish the desired formations with arbitrary high precision. The systems under consideration are a class of multi‐agent systems under directed networks with switching topologies. The agents have discrete‐time affine nonlinear dynamics, but their state functions do not need to be identical. It is shown that the learning processes resulting from the relative output formation of multi‐agent systems can converge exponentially fast with the increase of the iteration number. In particular, this work induces a distributed algorithm that can simultaneously achieve the desired relative output formation between agents and regulate the movement of multi‐agent formations as desired along the time axis. The illustrative numerical simulations are finally performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and performance of the proposed distributed formation algorithms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Semi‐global stabilization via linear sampled‐data output feedback for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems
Authors: Zhang Chuanlin , Jia Ruting , Qian Chunjiang , Li Shihua
Published: May 2014

This paper develops a systematic design scheme to construct a linear sampled‐data output feedback controller that semi‐globally asymptotically stabilizes a class of uncertain systems with both higher‐order and linear growth nonlinearities. To deal with the uncertain coefficients in the systems, a robust state feedback stabilizer and a reduced‐order sampled‐data observer, both in the linear form, are constructed and then integrated together. The semi‐global attractivity and local stability are delicately proved by carefully selecting a scaling gain using the output feedback domination approach and a sampling period sufficiently small to restrain the state growth under a zero‐order‐holder input. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Demographic effects of warming, elevated soil nitrogen and thinning on the colonization of a perennial plant
Authors: Gornish Elise Sylvie
Published: May 2014

Global change is causing significant modifications to native plant communities. These effects can be direct through changes in productivity, or indirect through the spread of invading species. Identifying vital traits important for individual species’ response to environmental variation could be useful for making predictions about how entire communities may respond to global change. I studied the effects of factors associated with global change on the demography of an experimentally introduced species,Pityopsis aspera. In a Florida old‐field, I investigated how warming, increased soil nitrogen and thinning of the extant plant community affected survival, growth and reproduction ofP. asperausing a life table response experiment. The estimated population growth rate (λ) ofP. asperawas reduced by nitrogen addition, as a result of decreased fecundity. However,λincreased in response to the warming treatment, as a result of increased fecundity. In the presence of thinning, both warming and nitrogen served to increaseλas a result of an increase in the growth of young individuals. This experiment illustrates how different vital rates contribute to the population level responses of an experimentally introduced plant to warming, and nitrogen deposition. Results also show how these demographic responses may occur via indirect effects through established species. This work highlights the importance of studying interactions among temperature, soil nitrogen and demography across the entire life cycle in order to capture the complex and, often, non‐additive relationships mediating global change effects.
Measuring Recovery Related Outcomes: A Psychometric Investigation of the Recovery Markers Inventory
Authors: Lusczakoski Kate DeRoche , Olmos-Gallo P. Antonio , McKinney C. J. , Starks Roy , Huff Steve
Published: May 2014

The concept of recovery can be operationalized from either the point of view of the consumer or from the perspective of the provider of services. The Recovery Markers Inventory (RMI) was created to assess recovery-related factors (i.e., actions/events associated with consumer’s recovery) from the provider’s perspective. Evidence, which established the psychometric properties of the RMI, was obtained through the use of: (a) construct validity (i.e., confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch principal components analysis of residuals); (b) concurrent validity (i.e., the calculation of Pearson correlations between the RMI and other recovery-oriented instruments); and (c) reliability (i.e., Rasch Partial Credit models). Evidence presented in this article shows that the RMI scale is unidimensional, has an adequate level of correlation, and acceptable reliability. The current analysis provides evidence to support the RMI as a valid, reliable measure of recovery-related factors, which can complement consumer based instruments in the assessment of changes in recovery.
Ideal Body Image: A Male Perspective on Self
Authors: McNeill Lisa S. , Firman James L.
Published: May 2014

Societal notions of masculinity have changed greatly in the last two decades and males appear more interested in improving or maintaining their appearance in ways traditionally reserved for women (such as the use of cosmetic grooming products). Where female body dissatisfaction and drivers of appearance-related image modification have been studied from a feminine perspective, little research has focused on the perspective of men in relation to these issues. The current study thus examines how males of different ages perceive their physical appearance and what motivates them to undertake activities related to changing or maintaining that appearance. The study does this by asking males to compare themselves to male body images as constructed in the media and by society more generally. An exploratory approach to research is undertaken, utilising focus groups and depth interviews with males in two age cohorts (18–25years and 33–45years). Results suggest that there is a difference in overall perceptions of body image between the two groups, with younger males striving for a lean and muscular body and older males focused on health and lifespan concerns. In contrast to research examining female body perceptions, this study indicates that the media and social comparison act as positive motivators rather than sources of body dissatisfaction.
Chaperonin‐containing TCP‐1 complex directly binds to the cytoplasmic domain of the LOX‐1 receptor
Authors: Bakthavatsalam Deenadayalan , Soung Roh Hun , Tweardy David J. , Chiu Wah , Dixon Richard A.F. , Woodside Darren G.
Published: May 2014

Lectin‐like oxidized low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LOX‐1) is a scavenger receptor that binds oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and has a role in atherosclerosis development. The N‐terminus intracellular region (cytoplasmic domain) of LOX‐1 mediates receptor internalization and trafficking, potentially through intracellular protein interactions. Using affinity isolation, we identified 6 of the 8 components of the chaperonin‐containing TCP‐1 (CCT) complex bound to LOX‐1 cytoplasmic domain, which we verified by coimmunoprecipitation and immunostaining in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We found that the interaction between CCT and LOX‐1 is direct and ATP‐dependent and that OxLDL suppressed this interaction. Understanding the association between LOX‐1 and the CCT complex may facilitate the design of novel therapies for cardiovascular disease.
MicroRNA‐106b in cancer‐associated fibroblasts from gastric cancer promotes cell migration and invasion by targeting PTEN
Authors: Yang Ting-Song , Yang Xiao-Hu , Chen Xi , Wang Xu-Dong , Hua Jie , Zhou Dong-Lei , Zhou Bo , Song Zhen-Shun
Published: May 2014

It is well established that the interaction between cancer cells and microenvironment has a critical role in tumor development, but the roles of miRNAs in this interaction are rarely known. Here, we have shown that miR‐106b is up‐regulated in cancer associated fibroblasts compared with normal fibroblasts established from patients with gastric cancer, the expression level of miR‐106b is associated with poor prognosis of patients, and CAFs with down‐regulated miR‐106b could significantly inhibit gastric cancer cell migration and invasion by targeting PTEN. Taken together, these data suggest that miR‐106b might be a novel candidate target for the treatment of gastric cancer.
Downregulation of miR‐638 promotes invasion and proliferation by regulating SOX2 and induces EMT in NSCLC
Authors: Xia Yang , Wu Yanhu , Liu Bin , Wang Pengli , Chen Yijiang
Published: May 2014

Aberrant expression of microRNAs has been shown to regulate the biological processes of lung cancer cells. However, the role of miR‐638 in the development of NSCLC is still unclear. In this study, low miR‐638 and high SOX2 were shown to be associated with tumor size and metastasis of NSCLC patients. Downregulated miR‐638 could promote cell invasion and proliferation, while high miR‐638 expression reversed the effect. Furthermore, miR‐638 could regulate SOX2 by directly binding to its 3′‐UTR. Silencing of SOX2 by siRNA partially abolished the enhancement of cell invasion and proliferation induced by downregulated miR‐638. Aberrant miR‐638 expression could modulate the expression levels of markers of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition. Our results indicate that miR‐638 may play a pivotal role in the development of NSCLC.
Activation of ERK by sodium tungstate induces protein synthesis and prevents protein degradation in rat L6 myotubes
Authors: Salto Rafael , Vílchez José D. , Cabrera Elena , Guinovart Joan J. , Girón María D.
Published: May 2014

The balance between the rates of protein synthesis and degradation in muscle is regulated by PI3K/Akt signaling. Here we addressed the effect of ERK activation by sodium tungstate on protein turnover in rat L6 myotubes. Phosphorylation of ERK by this compound increased protein synthesis by activating MTOR and prevented dexamethasone‐induced protein degradation by blocking FoxO3a activity, but it did not alter Akt phosphorylation. Thus, activation of ERK by tungstate improves protein turnover in dexamethasone‐treated cells. On the basis of our results, we propose that tungstate be considered an alternative to IGF‐I and its analogs in the prevention of skeletal muscle atrophy.
Hydrogen peroxide contributes to the ultraviolet‐B (280–315 nm) induced oxidative stress of plant leaves through multiple pathways
Authors: Czégény Gyula , Wu Min , Dér András , Eriksson Leif A. , Strid Åke , Hideg Éva
Published: May 2014

Solar UV‐B (280–315 nm) radiation is a developmental signal in plants but may also cause oxidative stress when combined with other environmental factors. Using computer modeling and in solution experiments we show that UV‐B is capable of photosensitizing hydroxyl radical production from hydrogen peroxide. We present evidence that the oxidative effect of UV‐B in leaves is at least twofold: (i) it increases cellular hydrogen peroxide concentrations, to a larger extent in pyridoxine antioxidant mutant pdx1.3‐1 Arabidopsis and; (ii) is capable of a partial photo‐conversion of both ‘natural’ and ‘extra’ hydrogen peroxide to hydroxyl radicals. As stress conditions other than UV can increase cellular hydrogen peroxide levels, synergistic deleterious effects of various stresses may be expected already under ambient solar UV‐B.
Forces stabilizing proteins
Authors: Nick Pace C. , Scholtz J. Martin , Grimsley Gerald R.
Published: May 2014

The goal of this article is to summarize what has been learned about the major forces stabilizing proteins since the late 1980s when site‐directed mutagenesis became possible. The following conclusions are derived from experimental studies of hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding variants. (1) Based on studies of 138 hydrophobic interaction variants in 11 proteins, burying a –CH2− group on folding contributes 1.1 ± 0.5 kcal/mol to protein stability. (2) The burial of non‐polar side chains contributes to protein stability in two ways: first, a term that depends on the removal of the side chains from water and, more importantly, the enhanced London dispersion forces that result from the tight packing in the protein interior. (3) Based on studies of 151 hydrogen bonding variants in 15 proteins, forming a hydrogen bond on folding contributes 1.1 ± 0.8 kcal/mol to protein stability. (4) The contribution of hydrogen bonds to protein stability is strongly context dependent. (5) Hydrogen bonds by side chains and peptide groups make similar contributions to protein stability. (6) Polar group burial can make a favorable contribution to protein stability even if the polar group is not hydrogen bonded. (7) Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds both make large contributions to protein stability.
Restoring the tumour suppressive function of p53 as a parallel strategy in melanoma therapy
Authors: Lu Min , Miller Paul , Lu Xin
Published: May 2014

The tumour suppressor p53 is a master sensor of stress and it controls the expression of hundreds to thousands of genes with diverse biological functions including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and senescence. Consequently p53 is the most mutated gene found in human cancer and p53 mutation rate varies from 5% to 95%. Importantly p53 activity is often inactivated in tumours expressing structurally wild type p53. Thus one of the major challenges in cancer research is to restore the tumour suppressive function of p53. Intensive studies in the past decade have demonstrated that in addition to mutation, p53 activities are largely regulated by cellular factors that control the expression level and/or transcriptional activities of p53. MDM2, MDM4, p14ARF and the ASPP family of proteins are among the most studied regulators of p53. With increased understanding of the complexity of p53 regulation, various p53 reactivating approaches are being developed. This review will focus on the recent understanding of p53 inactivation in melanoma and the approaches to reactivate p53 in preclinical studies. Recent success in the therapeutic targeting of the BRAFV600E oncogenic protein was accompanied with subsequent relapse caused by acquired drug resistance. Restoration of the tumour suppressive function of p53 presents a parallel cancer therapeutic opportunity alongside BRAFV600E inhibition. Thus targeted therapy and concurrent reactivation of p53 may be a fertile ground to achieve synergistic killing of the 50% of cancer cells that express structurally wild type p53.
Netrin‐4 derived from murine vascular endothelial cells inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and prevents bone loss in vivo
Authors: Enoki Yuichiro , Sato Tsuyoshi , Tanaka Shinya , Iwata Takanori , Usui Michihiko , Takeda Shu , Kokabu Shoichiro , Matsumoto Masahito , Okubo Masahiko , Nakashima Keisuke , Yamato Masayuki , Okano Teruo , Fukuda Toru , Chida Dai , Imai Yuuki , Yasuda Hisataka , Nishihara Tatsuji , Akita Masumi , Oda Hiromi , Okazaki Yasushi , Suda Tatsuo , Yoda Tetsuya
Published: May 2014

Bone is a highly vascularized organ, thus angiogenesis is a vital process during bone remodeling. However, the role of vascular systems in bone remodeling is not well recognized. Here we show that netrin‐4 inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Co‐cultures of bone marrow macrophages with vascular endothelial cells markedly inhibited osteoclast differentiation. Adding a neutralizing antibody, or RNA interference against netrin‐4, restored in vitro osteoclast differentiation. Administration of netrin‐4 prevented bone loss in an osteoporosis mouse model by decreasing the osteoclast number. We propose that vascular endothelial cells interact with bone in suppressing bone through netrin‐4.
SPR analysis of promoter binding of Synechocystis PCC6803 transcription factors NtcA and CRP suggests cross‐talk and sheds light on regulation by effector molecules
Authors: Forcada-Nadal Alicia , Forchhammer Karl , Rubio Vicente
Published: May 2014

Surface plasmon resonance monitoring of the binding of transcription factors cAMP receptor protein (CRP) and nitrogen control factor of cyanobacteria (NtcA) from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 to promoter fragments of glnA, glnN (NtcA regulon) and cccS (CRP regulon), revealed exclusive CRP binding to cccS, whereas NtcA was bound to all three promoters with different affinities, which were strongly increased by the NtcA activator 2‐oxoglutarate. Effective NtcA affinity for 2‐oxoglutarate varied with the promoter. High‐affinity promoters and the NtcA‐coactivating protein PII‐interacting protein X (PipX) increased NtcA affinity towards 2‐oxoglutarate, suggesting PipX‐stabilization of the 2‐oxoglutarate‐bound NtcA conformation. PipX binding to NtcA required 2‐oxoglutarate and was much tighter (K
d
≈ 85 nM) than to the PipX‐sequestering PII protein. NtcA appears to require more strongly PipX and 2‐oxoglutarate (2OG) for estimulating gene expression at promoters having “imperfect” NtcA binding sites.
Induction of miR‐29a by saturated fatty acids impairs insulin signaling and glucose uptake through translational repression of IRS‐1 in myocytes
Authors: Yang Won-Mo , Jeong Hyo-Jin , Park Seung-Yoon , Lee Wan
Published: May 2014

MicroRNAs have been shown to play an important role in insulin signaling but their biological function in insulin resistance induced by saturated fatty acids (SFA) remains largely unknown. Here, we report that SFA palmitate and high fat diet (HFD) significantly increase expression of miR‐29a in myocytes. miR‐29a targets IRS‐1 3'UTR directly and represses IRS‐1 expression at the translational level. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of miR‐29a impairs insulin signaling and glucose uptake in myocytes through a substantial decrease in IRS‐1. These findings suggest that the up‐regulation of miR‐29a by SFA is causally related to the development of insulin resistance in myocytes.
Age and impacts of the caldera-forming Aniakchak II eruption in western Alaska
Authors: Blackford J.J. , Payne R.J. , Heggen M.P. , de la Riva Caballero A. , van der Plicht J.
Published: May 2014

The mid-Holocene eruption of Aniakchak volcano (Aniakchak II) in southwest Alaska was among the largest eruptions globally in the last 10,000 years (VEI-6). Despite evidence for possible impacts on global climate, the precise age of the eruption is not well-constrained and little is known about regional environmental impacts. A closely spaced sequence of radiocarbon dates at a peatland site over 1000 km from the volcano show that peat accumulation was greatly reduced with a hiatus of approximately 90–120 yr following tephra deposition. During this inferred hiatus no paleoenvironmental data are available but once vegetation returned the flora changed from a Cyperaceae-dominated assemblage to a Poaceae-dominated vegetation cover, suggesting a drier and/or more nutrient-rich ecosystem. Oribatid mites are extremely abundant in the peat at the depth of the ash, and show a longer-term, increasingly wet peat surface across the tephra layer. The radiocarbon sample immediately below the tephra gave a date of 1636–1446 cal yr BC suggesting that the eruption might be younger than previously thought. Our findings suggest that the eruption may have led to a widespread reduction in peatland carbon sequestration and that the impacts on ecosystem functioning were profound and long-lasting.
Zum Einfluss des Anlaufwinkels und der Füßigkeit des Schützen auf die Antizipation von Elfmeterschüssen
Authors: Loffing Florian , Hagemann Norbert
Published: May 2014

Es wurde wiederholt darauf hingewiesen, dass der Anlaufwinkel eines Elfmeterschützen das Abwehrverhalten eines Torhüters beeinflussen könnte. Eine experimentelle Überprüfung des Einflusses des Anlaufwinkels auf die Vorhersage der Schussrichtung aus Torhütersicht liegt allerdings noch nicht vor. In einem videobasierten Experiment haben wir den Anlaufwinkel links- und rechtsfüßiger Schützen auf sechs Stufen variiert (0° – 50°) und je 20 Torhüter, Feldspieler und Nicht-Fußballer gebeten, die Schussrichtung vorherzusagen. Torhüter und Feldspieler erreichten bessere Leistungen als Nicht-Fußballer. In den 20°- und 30° Bedingungen zeigten sich die besten und in den 0°- und 40°-Bedingungen die schlechtesten Antizipationsleistungen. Außerdem wurden linksfüßige Schüsse schlechter eingeschätzt als rechtsfüßige Schüsse. Weitere Analysen ergaben, dass mit zunehmendem Anlaufwinkel seltener Schüsse in die unteren Torecken erwartet wurden und die Zuversicht in die Richtigkeit der Vorhersagen abnahm. Insgesamt deuten unsere als vorläufig zu betrachtenden Befunde an, dass die Antizipationsleistung von Torhütern durch den Anlaufwinkel von Elfmeterschützen beeinflusst wird.
Einflussfaktoren auf Erfolg und Misserfolg beim Elfmeterschießen
Authors: Noël Benjamin , Furley Philip , Hüttermann Stefanie , Nopp Stephan , Vogelbein Martin , Memmert Daniel
Published: May 2014

Elfmeterforschung kann dazu dienen, grundlagenwissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und Theorien in einem realitätsnäheren Umfeld zu überprüfen oder anwendungsorientierte Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen. Bei vielen Studienergebnissen stellt sich die Frage, inwieweit diese Erkenntnisse auch bei Elfmeterschießen bei Europa- und Weltmeisterschaften von Relevanz sind. Sechs mögliche Einflussfaktoren (Trikotfarbe „Rot“, Schussbein, Erfahrung, Nationalität, Schussreihenfolge, Schussrichtung) werden anhand einer retrospektiven Analyse aller vergangener Elfmeterschießen bei WM- und EM-Turnieren seit 1982 überprüft. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass drei Faktoren – Nationalität, Schussreihenfolge und Schussrichtung – einen tatsächlichen Einfluss auf die Erfolgswahrscheinlichkeit bei Elfmeterschießen der beiden größten Fußballturniere haben. Die anwendungsbezogene Relevanz von experimentell gewonnenen Ergebnissen in Elfmetersituationen wird abschließend kritisch diskutiert.
When You Have to Climb Downhill to Reach the Top
Authors: Jostmann Nils B. , Gieselmann Annika
Published: May 2014

Complex problems often include a response conflict between a subgoal and a final goal. The present experiment investigated the roles of situational demands and individual differences in self-regulation on solving goal-subgoal conflicts in a computerized Tower of Hanoi task. Action-oriented versus state-oriented individuals were randomly assigned to a demanding condition in which they deliberated about a personal decision problem, or to a nondemanding control condition. In line with expectations state-oriented individuals had greater difficulties to solve goal-subgoal conflicts in the demanding compared to the nondemanding condition. Action-oriented individuals performed well in both conditions. In line with Personality Systems Interactions theory ( Kuhl, 2000 ) the findings show that complex problem solving depends on how well people are able to deal with situational demands.
Analyzing Stochastic Dependence of Cognitive Processes in Multidimensional Source Recognition
Authors: Meiser Thorsten
Published: May 2014

Stochastic dependence among cognitive processes can be modeled in different ways, and the family of multinomial processing tree models provides a flexible framework for analyzing stochastic dependence among discrete cognitive states. This article presents a multinomial model of multidimensional source recognition that specifies stochastic dependence by a parameter for the joint retrieval of multiple source attributes together with parameters for stochastically independent retrieval. The new model is equivalent to a previous multinomial model of multidimensional source memory for a subset of the parameter space. An empirical application illustrates the advantages of the new multinomial model of joint source recognition. The new model allows for a direct comparison of joint source retrieval across conditions, it avoids statistical problems due to inflated confidence intervals and does not imply a conceptual imbalance between source dimensions. Model selection criteria that take model complexity into account corroborate the new model of joint source recognition.
Dithiolopyrrolones: biosynthesis, synthesis, and activity of a unique class of disulfide-containing antibiotics
Authors: Li Bo , Wever Walter J. , Walsh Christopher T. , Bowers Albert A.
Published: May 2014

Dithiolopyrrolone natural products have unique structures and exhibit a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Isolated in the late 1940s, these molecules have attracted an increasing interest towards their biosynthesis, synthesis and mechanisms of action.