bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA-34a modulates genes involved in cellular motility and oxidative phosphorylation in neural precursors derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Chang Shing-Jyh , Weng Shun-Long , Hsieh Jui-Yu , Wang Tao-Yeuan , Chang Margaret Dah-Tsyr , Wang Hsei-Wei
Published: September 2011

Background

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) found in bone marrow (BM-MSCs) and the Wharton's jelly matrix of human umbilical cord (WJ-MSCs) are able to transdifferentiate into neuronal lineage cells both in vitro and in vivo and therefore hold the potential to treat neural disorders such as stroke or Parkinson's disease. In bone marrow MSCs, miR-130a and miR-206 have been show to regulate the synthesis of neurotransmitter substance P in human mesenchymal stem cell-derived neuronal cells. However, how neuronal differentiation is controlled in WJ-MSC remains unclear.

Methods

WJ-MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cords. We subjected WJ-MSCs into neurogenesis by a published protocol, and the miRNome patterns of WJ-MSCs and their neuronal progenitors (day 9 after differentiation) were analyzed by the Agilent microRNA microarray.

Results

Five miRNAs were enriched in WJ-MSCs, including miR-345, miR-106a, miR-17-5p, miR-20a and miR-20b. Another 11 miRNAs (miR-206, miR-34a, miR-374, miR-424, miR-100, miR-101, miR-323, miR-368, miR-137, miR-138 and miR-377) were abundantly expressed in transdifferentiated neuronal progenitors. Among these miRNAs, miR-34a and miR-206 were the only 2 miRNAs been linked to BM-MSC neurogenesis. Overexpressing miR-34a in cells suppressed the expression of 136 neuronal progenitor genes, which all possess putative miR-34a binding sites. Gene enrichment analysis according to the Gene Ontology database showed that those 136 genes were associated with cell motility, energy production (including those with oxidative phosphorylation, electron transport and ATP synthesis) and actin cytoskeleton organization, indicating that miR-34a plays a critical role in precursor cell migration. Knocking down endogenous miR-34a expression in WJ-MSCs resulted in the augment of WJ-MSC motility.

Conclusions

Our data suggest a critical role of miRNAs in MSC neuronal differentiation, and miR-34a contributes in neuronal precursor motility, which may be crucial for stem cells to home to the target sites they should be.
Safety of Early Discharge for Low-Risk Patients With Febrile Neutropenia: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Talcott James A. , Yeap Beow Y. , Clark Jack A. , Siegel Robert D. , Loggers Elizabeth Trice , Lu Charles , Godley Paul A.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Febrile neutropenia commonly complicates cancer chemotherapy. Outpatient treatment may reduce costs and improve patient comfort but risk progression of undetected medical problems.

Patients and Methods

By using our validated algorithm, we identified medically stable inpatients admitted for febrile neutropenia (neutrophils < 500/μL) after chemotherapy and randomly assigned them to continued inpatient antibiotic therapy or early discharge to receive identical antibiotic treatment at home. Our primary outcome was the occurrence of any serious medical complication, defined as evidence of medical instability requiring urgent medical attention.

Results

We enrolled 117 patients with 121 febrile neutropenia episodes before study termination for poor accrual. We excluded five episodes as ineligible and three because of inadequate documentation of the study outcome. Treatment groups were clinically similar, but sociodemographic imbalances occurred because of block randomization. The median presenting absolute neutrophil count was 100/μL. Hematopoietic growth factors were used in 38% of episodes. The median neutropenia duration was 4 days (range, 1 to 15 days). Five outpatients were readmitted to the hospital. Major medical complications occurred in five episodes (8%) in the hospital arm and four (9%) in the home arm (95% CI for the difference, −10% to 13%; P = .56). No study patient died. Patient-reported quality of life was similar on both arms.

Conclusion

We found no evidence of adverse medical consequences from home care, despite a protocol designed to detect evidence of clinical deterioration. These results should reassure clinicians who elect to treat rigorously characterized low-risk patients with febrile neutropenia in suitable outpatient settings with appropriate surveillance for unexpected clinical deterioration.
Should Generational Accounts Replace Public Budgets and Deficits?
Authors: Haveman Robert
Published: September 2011

The author assesses the concept of ‘generational accounts’ and the specific accounts constructed by Alan Auerbach, Jagadeesh Gokhale, and Laurence Kotlikoff (1991). Although these accounts support the assertion of present-orientation in fiscal policy, they rest on numerous assumptions based on judgments that are open to question. These involve the treatment of the public budget constraint, the benefits from public exhaustive expenditures, economic and population projections, the discount rate, and fiscal incidence. Alternative and equally reasonable assumptions could yield radically different conclusions. The author concludes that the Auerbach, Gokhale, and Kotlikoff accounts should not replace the annual public budget, as they argue.
Choosing How to Compete: Strategies and Tactics in Standardization
Authors: Besen Stanley M , Farrell Joseph
Published: September 2011

In a network industry, each firm must decide whether or not it wants its product to be compatible with those of rivals. This horizontal compatibility strategy determines whether competition is a battle to establish a standard or the more conventional competition within a standard. The two forms of competition involve different tactics and may differ in the extent to which they dissipate industry profits. In some cases, all firms in an industry may prefer the same form of competition. In other cases, firms may prefer different forms of competition and either may prevail.
“Doctors Do Too Little Technology”: A Longitudinal Field Study of an Electronic Healthcare System Implementation
Authors: Venkatesh Viswanath , Zhang Xiaojun , Sykes Tracy A.
Published: September 2011

With the strong ongoing push toward investment in and deployment of electronic healthcare (e-healthcare) systems, understanding the factors that drive the use of such systems and the consequences of using such systems is of scientific and practical significance. Elaborate training in new e-healthcare systems is not a luxury that is typically available to healthcare professionals—i.e., doctors, paraprofessionals (e.g., nurses) and administrative personnel—because of the 24 × 7 nature and criticality of operations of healthcare organizations, especially hospitals, thus making peer interactions and support a key driver of or barrier to such e-healthcare system use. Against this backdrop, using social networks as a theoretical lens, this paper presents a nomological network related to e-healthcare system use. A longitudinal study of an e-healthcare system implementation, with data gathered from doctors, paraprofessionals, administrative personnel, patients, and usage logs lent support to the hypotheses that: (1) ingroup and outgroup ties to doctors negatively affect use in all user groups; (2) ingroup and outgroup ties to paraprofessionals and administrative personnel positively affect use in both those groups, but have no effect on doctors' use; and (3) use contributes positively to patient satisfaction mediated by healthcare quality variables—i.e., technical quality, communication, interpersonal interactions, and time spent. This work contributes to the theory and practice related to the success of e-healthcare system use in particular, and information systems in general.
A Complementarity Framework for Forward Contracting Under Uncertainty
Authors: Shanbhag Uday V. , Infanger Gerd , Glynn Peter W.
Published: September 2011

We consider a particular instance of a stochastic multi-leader multi-follower equilibrium problem in which players compete in the forward and spot markets in successive periods. Proving the existence of such equilibria has proved difficult, as has the construction of globally convergent algorithms for obtaining such points.

By conjecturing a relationship between forward and spot decisions, we consider a variant of the original game and relate the equilibria of this game to a related simultaneous stochastic Nash game where forward and spot decisions are made simultaneously. We characterize the complementarity problem corresponding to the simultaneous Nash game and prove that it is indeed solvable. Moreover, we show that an equilibrium to this Nash game is a local Nash equilibrium of the conjectured variant of the multi-leader multi-follower game of interest. Numerical tests reveal that the difference between equilibrium profits between the original and constrained games are small.

Under uncertainty, the equilibrium point of interest is obtainable as the solution to a stochastic mixed-complementarity problem. Based on matrix-splitting methods, a globally convergent decomposition method is suggested for such a class of problems. Computational tests show that the effort grows linearly with the number of scenarios. Further tests show that the method can address larger networks as well. Finally, some policy-based insights are drawn from utilizing the framework to model a two-settlement six-node electricity market.
Temperature Effects on Suction Measurement Using the Filter Paper Technique
Authors: Haghighi Ali , Medero Gabriela M. , Marinho Fernando A. M. , Mercier Baptiste , Woodward Peter K.
Published: September 2011

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of thermal effects on filter paper calibration curves used to obtain the soil suction. When the temperature is significantly different from ambient values, it is essential to consider the influence of temperature on the filter paper calibration curves to obtain a reliable soil suction measurement. The calibration curve of Whatman No. 42 filter paper was determined at 10°C, 25°C, and 50°C using the vapor equilibrium technique with sodium chloride solutions at different concentrations and the axis translation technique. The experimental results showed a major influence of temperature on the filter paper calibration curves. Using the obtained experimental data a calibration equation was proposed, taking into account the effect of temperature. The obtained calibration curves were then used to determine the soil water retention curve of kaolin clay, which showed lower retention capacity at higher temperatures.
Typ oder Token? Zum Auftreten von est' in russischen Possessivsätzen
Authors: Zybatow Gerhild , Mueller-Reichau Olav
Published: September 2011

This paper investigates the semantic composition of Russian possessive constructions. It is argued that in sentences of the kind u X est' Y, the Y-expression is used to refer to a type. Accordingly, the nominal sobaka in a sentence like U Igorja est' sobaka denotes the type ‘dog’. The fact that the sentence (utterance) is nevertheless about a particular dog, i.e. about some token of the type, is explained by the semantic impact of the existence predicate est'. It is demonstrated how the proposed analysis can account for the linguistic data known about Russian possessive constructions, and how it can be implemented in terms of DRT.
Duration of a Well-Child Visit: Association With Content, Family-Centeredness, and Satisfaction
Authors: Halfon Neal , Stevens Gregory D. , Larson Kandyce , Olson Lynn M.
Published: September 2011

BACKGROUND:

Studies of pediatric primary care suggest that time is an important limitation to the delivery of recommended preventive services. Given the increasingly frenetic pace of pediatric practice, there is an increased need to monitor the length of pediatric visits and the association of visit length with content, family-centered care, and parent satisfaction with care.

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the length of well-child visits and the associations of visit length with content, family-centered care, and parent satisfaction among a national sample of children.

METHODS:

We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey of parents of children aged 4 to 35 months from the 2000 National Survey of Early Childhood Health (n = 2068).

RESULTS:

One-third (33.6%) of parents reported spending ≤10 minutes with the clinician at their last well-child visit, nearly half (47.1%) spent 11 to 20 minutes, and 20.3% spent >20 minutes. Longer visits were associated with more anticipatory guidance, more psychosocial risk assessment, and higher family-centered care ratings. A visit of >20 minutes was associated with 2.4 (confidence interval [CI]: 1.5–3.7) higher odds of receiving a developmental assessment, 3.2 (CI: 1.7–6.1) higher odds of recommending the clinician, and 9.7 (CI: 3.5–26.5) higher odds of having enough time to ask questions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Many well-child visits are of short duration, and shorter visits are associated with reductions in content and quality of care and parent satisfaction with care. Efforts to improve preventive services will require strategies that address the time devoted to well-child care. The results of this study should be interpreted in light of changes in practice standards, reimbursement, and outcome measurement that have taken place since 2000 and the limitations of the measurement of utilization solely on the basis of parent report.
Improvement of CdMnTe Detector Performance by MnTe Purification
Authors: Kim K. H. , Bolotnikov A. E. , Camarda G. S. , Tappero R. , Hossain A. , Cui Y. , Yang G. , Gul R. , James R. B.
Published: September 2011

Residual impurities in manganese (Mn) are a big obstacle to obtaining high- performance CdMnTe (CMT) X-ray and gamma-ray detectors. Generally, the zone-refining method is an effective way to improve the material’s purity. In this work, we purified the MnTe compounds combining the zone-refining method with molten Te that has a very high solubility. We confirmed the improved purity of the material by glow-discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS). We also found that CMT crystals from a multiple refined MnTe source, grown by the vertical Bridgman method, yielded better performing detectors.
Effects of dislocations and sub-grain boundaries on X-ray response maps of CdZnTe radiation detectors
Authors: Hossain A. , Bolotnikov A. E. , Camarda G. S. , Cui Y. , Gul R. , Kim K. , Raghothamachar B. , Yang G. , James R. B.
Published: September 2011

The imperfect quality of CdZnTe (CZT) crystals for radiation detectors seriously diminishes their suitability for different applications. Dislocations and other dislocation-related defects, such as sub-grain boundaries and dislocation fields around Te inclusions, engender significant charge losses and, consequently, cause fluctuations in the detector’s output signals, thereby hindering their spectroscopic responses. In this paper, we discuss our results from characterizing CZT material by using a high-spatial-resolution X-ray response mapping system at BNL’s National Synchrotron Light Source. In this paper, we emphasize the roles of these dislocation-related defects and their contributions in degrading the detector’s performance. Specifically, we compare the effects of the sub-grain- and coherent twin-boundaries on the X-ray response maps.
Congenital Lamellar Icthyosis (Collodion Baby)
Authors: Baghel B
Published: September 2011

Lamellar ichthyosis, also known as ichthyosis lammellaris and nonbullous congenital ichthyosis, is a rare inherited skin disorder, affecting around 1 in 600,000 people the images of this rare variety of skin disorder has been presented here. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.3769 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3): 257
Clinical Profile and Sensitivity Pattern of Salmonella Serotypes in Children: A Hospital Based Study
Authors: Joshi BG , Keyal K , Pandey R , Shrestha BM
Published: September 2011

Introduction: Enteric fever is a systemic infection caused by the bacteria, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S.typhi) and Salmonella enterica serovara Paratyphi (S. paratyphi A, B and C). Most of the burden of the disease is limited to the developing world and the disease still has the issues like wide spectrum of clinical presentation and multidrug resistance. Objectives: This study was done to analyze the clinical profile and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in the cases of culture positive enteric fever. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Civil Service Hospital from February 2010 to January 2011 in the paediatric population in the age group of 2 to 14 years. Children with Salmonella species isolated in blood culture were included in the study. Results: Out of the 40 children with culture positive enteric fever, male to female ratio was 1.3:1 with common age group between 11-14 years. S typhi was isolated in 25 cases while S. paratyphi in 15 cases. Clinical features of S. typhi and S. paratyphi were indistinguishable. Both S.typhi and S. paratyphi were found to be 100% sensitive to drugs like Ceftriaxone, Cefotaxime, Cefixime and Chloramphenicol. Sensitivity to Ofloxacin was 100% in S. paratyphi and 92% in S.typhi. Similarly sensitivity of Azithromycin was 92% and 93% for S.typhi and S. paratyphi respectively. Conclusion: Salmonella serotype is still 100 % sensitive to third generation cephalosporin. Some percentage of resistance is seen with Ofloxacin in S. typhi and with Azithromycin in both S.typhi and S. paratyphi. Key words: Enteric fever; S.typhi; S.paratyphi; Sensitivity DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.4382 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3): 180-183
Female Epispadiasis: A Case report
Authors: Bhat N , Wani I
Published: September 2011

Isolated female epispadias without exstrophy is rare to see. It is often overlooked cause of incontinence in a female child. A case of isolated female epispadias without exstrophy in an 11-year-old girl who presented with primary urinary incontinence since birth is reported. She had never had a genitalia examination done by any treating clinician. On examination, she had a bifid clitoris and ill developed labia minora. Voiding cystourethrogram showed small sized bladder with no reflux. Bladder neck reconstruction was done transvesically, with tubularisation of urethra. The case report reflects the importance of physical examination in primary incontinence which can make an early diagnosis and treatment and prevent stigmata of incontinence. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.4415 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3): 244-246
Achondroplasia: Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Shah GS , Shrivastava MK , Shah D , Gupta N
Published: September 2011

A two month old male child presented to emergency of B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan and was admitted to Paediatric ward with history of fever, cough and respiratory distress. On examination the breathing was rapid and shallow. The child was small for age with an upper to lower segment ratio of 1.9. The anteroposterior diameter of thorax was reduced. We report a very rare case of achondroplasia which was recognized in a two month age child who presented with severe pneumonia. Usually the clinically features of achondroplasia is more prominent when the child is growing in height but we diagnosed it in a two months child after performing the skeletal survey.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v31i3.5363 J Nep Paedtr Soc 2011;31(3): 216-224-226
Recently Confirmed Apoptosis-Inducing Lead Compounds Isolated from Marine Sponge of Potential Relevance in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Essack Magbubah , Bajic Vladimir B. , Archer John A.C.
Published: September 2011

Despite intense efforts to develop non-cytotoxic anticancer treatments, effective agents are still not available. Therefore, novel apoptosis-inducing drug leads that may be developed into effective targeted cancer therapies are of interest to the cancer research community. Targeted cancer therapies affect specific aberrant apoptotic pathways that characterize different cancer types and, for this reason, it is a more desirable type of therapy than chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as it is less harmful to normal cells. In this regard, marine sponge derived metabolites that induce apoptosis continue to be a promising source of new drug leads for cancer treatments. A PubMed query from 01/01/2005 to 31/01/2011 combined with hand-curation of the retrieved articles allowed for the identification of 39 recently confirmed apoptosis-inducing anticancer lead compounds isolated from the marine sponge that are selectively discussed in this review.
The Utilization of Historical Data and Geospatial Technology Advances at the Jornada Experimental Range to Support Western America Ranching Culture
Authors: Rango Albert , Havstad Kris , Estell Rick
Published: September 2011

By the early 1900s, concerns were expressed by ranchers, academicians, and federal scientists that widespread overgrazing and invasion of native grassland by woody shrubs were having severe negative impacts upon normal grazing practices in Western America. Ranchers wanted to reverse these trends and continue their way of life and were willing to work with scientists to achieve these goals. One response to this desire was establishment of the USDA Jornada Experimental Range (783 km2) in south central New Mexico by a Presidential Executive Order in 1912 for conducting rangeland investigations. This cooperative effort involved experiments to understand principles of proper management and the processes causing the woody shrub invasion as well as to identify treatments to eradicate shrubs. By the late 1940s, it was apparent that combining the historical ground-based data accumulated at Jornada Experimental Range with rapidly expanding post World War II technologies would yield a better understanding of the driving processes in these arid and semiarid ecosystems which could then lead to improved rangeland management practices. One specific technology was the use of aerial photography to interpret landscape resource conditions. The assembly and utilization of long-term historical aerial photography data sets has occurred over the last half century. More recently, Global Positioning System (GPS) techniques have been used in a myriad of scientific endeavors including efforts to accurately locate historical and contemporary treatment plots and to track research animals including livestock and wildlife. As an incredible amount of both spatial and temporal data became available, Geographic Information Systems have been exploited to display various layers of data over the same locations. Subsequent analyses of these data layers have begun to yield new insights. The most recent technological development has been the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that afford the opportunity to obtain high (5 cm) resolution data now required for rangeland monitoring. The Jornada team is now a leader in civil UAV applications in the USA. The scientific advances at the Jornada in fields such as remote sensing can be traced to the original Western America ranching culture that established the Jornada in 1912 and which persists as an important influence in shaping research directions today.
Complement Regulation at Necrotic Cell Lesions Is Impaired by the Age-Related Macular Degeneration-Associated Factor-H His402 Risk Variant
Authors: Lauer Nadine , Mihlan Michael , Hartmann Andrea , Schlötzer-Schrehardt Ursula , Keilhauer Claudia , Scholl Hendrik P. N. , Charbel Issa Peter , Holz Frank , Weber Bernhard H. F. , Skerka Christine , Zipfel Peter F.
Published: September 2011

Age-related macular degeneration is a leading form of blindness in Western countries and is associated with a common SNP (rs 1061170/Y402H) in the Factor H gene, which encodes the two complement inhibitors Factor H and FHL1. However, the functional consequences of this Tyr402 His exchange in domain 7 are not precisely defined. In this study, we show that the Tyr402 His sequence variation affects Factor H surface recruitment by monomeric C-reactive protein (mCRP) to specific patches on the surface of necrotic retinal pigment epithelial cells. Enhanced attachment of the protective Tyr402 variants of both Factor H and FHL1 by mCRP results in more efficient complement control and further provides an anti-inflammatory environment. In addition, we demonstrate that mCRP is generated on the surface of necrotic retinal pigment epithelial cells and that this newly formed mCRP colocalizes with the cell damage marker annexin V. Bound to the cell surface, Factor H–mCRP complexes allow complement inactivation and reduce the release of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. This mCRP-mediated complement inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activity at necrotic membrane lesions is affected by residue 402 of Factor H and defines a new role for mCRP, for Factor H, and also for the mCRP–Factor H complex. The increased protective capacity of the Tyr402 Factor H variant allows better and more efficient clearance and removal of cellular debris and reduces inflammation and pathology.
IL-1α and IL-1β Recruit Different Myeloid Cells and Promote Different Stages of Sterile Inflammation
Authors: Rider Peleg , Carmi Yaron , Guttman Ofer , Braiman Alex , Cohen Idan , Voronov Elena , White Malka R. , Dinarello Charles A. , Apte Ron N.
Published: September 2011

The immune system has evolved to protect the host from invading pathogens and to maintain tissue homeostasis. Although the inflammatory process involving pathogens is well documented, the intrinsic compounds that initiate sterile inflammation and how its progression is mediated are still not clear. Because tissue injury is usually associated with ischemia and the accompanied hypoxia, the microenvironment of various pathologies involves anaerobic metabolites and products of necrotic cells. In the current study, we assessed in a comparative manner the role of IL-1α and IL-1β in the initiation and propagation of sterile inflammation induced by products of hypoxic cells. We found that following hypoxia, the precursor form of IL-1α, and not IL-1β, is upregulated and subsequently released from dying cells. Using an inflammation-monitoring system consisting of Matrigel mixed with supernatants of hypoxic cells, we noted accumulation of IL-1α in the initial phase, which correlated with the infiltration of neutrophils, and the expression of IL-1β correlated with later migration of macrophages. In addition, we were able to show that IL-1 molecules from cells transfected with either precursor IL-1α or mature IL-1β can recruit neutrophils or macrophages, respectively. Taken together, these data suggest that IL-1α, released from dying cells, initiates sterile inflammation by inducing recruitment of neutrophils, whereas IL-1β promotes the recruitment and retention of macrophages. Overall, our data provide new insight into the biology of IL-1 molecules as well as on the regulation of sterile inflammation.
Effect of the exclusion of crustal ions (Ca2+, Mg 2+, and K+) in estimating water content of PM2.5 at polluted and clean areas
Authors:   Hyung-Min Lee,   Yong Pyo Kim
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Effect of the exclusion of crustal ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+) in estimating water content of PM2.5 is investigated using a gas/aerosol equilibrium model, SCAPE 2 (Simulating Composition of Atmospheric Particles at Equilibrium 2), (Kim et al., 1993; Kim and Seinfeld, 1995; Meng et al., 1998), for the particles collected at polluted city, Seoul, and clean background offshore, Gosan, Korea. Measurement data show higher concentration of all inorganic species at Seoul, up to 5 times higher in average equivalent concentration especially for volatile species. At both sites there were sufficient equivalent fractions of t-NH3 (total ammonia = NH3+NH4+ to neutralize acidic species such as t-H2SO4 (total sulfuric acid = H2SO4+SO42−), t-HNO3 (total nitric acid = HNO3+NO3−) and t-HCl (total hydrochloric acid = HCl+Cl−). t-NH3 and t-HNO3 were higher at Seoul while t-H2SO4 was higher at Gosan. With respect to the estimated water content differences between with and without crustal ions, all the samples are classified into 3 cases; increased, decreased, and constant water content. We identified that change in inorganic composition contributes to increase of water content for aqueous aerosols. And those inorganic compositions vary differently according to ambient atmospheric composition. Meanwhile, aerosol phase shifting from the aqueous to solid phase is the main contributor to decrease of water content and binary salt composition change in the solid phase appears as no change of water content.
Identification and Characterisation of a Calcium Carbonate‐Binding Protein, Blue Mussel Shell Protein (BMSP), from the Nacreous Layer
Authors: Suzuki Michio , Iwashima Ai , Tsutsui Naoaki , Ohira Tsuyoshi , Kogure Toshihiro , Nagasawa Hiromichi
Published: September 2011

The nacreous layer of molluscan shells consists of a highly organised, layered structure comprising calcium carbonate aragonite crystals, each surrounded by an organic matrix. In the Japanese pearl oysterPinctada fucata, the Pif protein from the nacreous layer functions in aragonite binding, and plays a key role in nacre formation. Here, we investigated whether the blue musselMytilus galloprovincialisalso has a protein with similar functions in the nacreous layer. By using a calcium carbonate‐binding assay, we identified the novel protein blue mussel shell protein (BMSP) 100 that can bind calcium carbonate crystals of both aragonite and calcite. When the entire sequence of a cDNA encoding BMSP 100 was determined, it was found that BMSP is a preproprotein consisting of a signal peptide and two proteins, BMSP 120 and BMSP 100. BMSP 120 contains four von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domains and one chitin‐binding domain, thus suggesting that it has a role in maintaining structure within the matrix. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that BMSP 100 is present throughout the nacreous layer with dense localisation in the myostracum. Posttranslational modification analysis indicated that BMSP 100 is phosphorylated and glycosylated. These results suggest that there is a common molecular mechanism betweenP. fucataandM. galloprovincialisthat underlies the nacreous layer formation.
Active zone density is conserved during synaptic growth but impaired in aged mice
Authors: Chen Jie , Mizushige Takafumi , Nishimune Hiroshi
Published: September 2011

Presynaptic active zones are essential structures for synaptic vesicle release, but the developmental regulation of their number and maintenance during aging at mammalian neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) remains unknown. Here, we analyzed the distribution of active zones in developing, mature, and aged mouse NMJs by immunohistochemical detection of the active zone‐specific protein Bassoon. Bassoon is a cytosolic scaffolding protein essential for the active zone assembly in ribbon synapses and some brain synapses. Bassoon staining showed a punctate pattern in nerve terminals and axons at the nascent NMJ on embryonic days 16.5–18.5. Three‐dimensional reconstruction of NMJs revealed that the majority of Bassoon puncta within an NMJ were attached to the presynaptic membrane from postnatal day 0 to adulthood, and colocalized with another active zone protein, Piccolo. During postnatal development, the number of Bassoon puncta increased as the size of the synapses increased. Importantly, the density of Bassoon puncta remained relatively constant from postnatal day 0 to 54 at 2.3 puncta/μm2, while the synapse size increased 3.3‐fold. However, Bassoon puncta density and signal intensity were significantly attenuated at the NMJs of 27‐month‐old aged mice. These results suggest that synapses maintain the density of synaptic vesicle release sites while the synapse size changes, but this density becomes impaired during aging. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:434–452, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atlas of Wnt and R‐spondin gene expression in the developing male mouse lower urogenital tract
Authors: Mehta Vatsal , Abler Lisa L. , Keil Kimberly P. , Schmitz Christopher T. , Joshi Pinak S. , Vezina Chad M.
Published: September 2011

Prostate development is influenced by β‐catenin signaling, but it is unclear which β‐catenin activators are involved, where they are synthesized, and whether their mRNA abundance is influenced by androgens. We identified WNT/β‐catenin‐responsive β‐galactosidase activity in the lower urogenital tract (LUT) of transgenic reporter mice, but β‐galactosidase activity differed among the four mouse strains we examined. We used in situ hybridization to compare patterns of Wnts, r‐spondins (Rspos, co‐activators of β‐catenin signaling), β‐catenin‐responsive mRNAs, and an androgen receptor‐responsive mRNA in wild type fetal male, fetal female, and neonatal male LUT. Most Wnt and Rspo mRNAs were present in LUT during prostate development. Sexually dimorphic expression patterns were observed for WNT/β‐catenin‐responsive genes, and for Wnt2b, Wnt4, Wnt7a, Wnt9b, Wnt10b, Wnt11, Wnt16, and Rspo3 mRNAs. These results reveal sexual differences in WNT/β‐catenin signaling in fetal LUT, supporting the idea that this pathway may be directly or indirectly responsive to androgens during prostate ductal development. Developmental Dynamics 240:2548–2560, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sensitive Detection of Capsaicin by Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry at a Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode in the Presence of Sodium Dodecylsulfate
Authors: Yardım Yavuz
Published: September 2011

In the present paper, a sensitive electroanalytical methodology for the determination of capsaicin using adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) at a boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode is presented. The voltammetric results indicate that in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) the BDD electrode remarkably enhances the oxidation of capsaicin which leads to an improvement of the peak current with a shift of the peak potential to less negative values. A linear working range of 0.05 to 6.0 µg mL−1 (0.16–20 µM) with a detection limit of 0.012 µg mL−1 (0.034 µM) has been obtained using BDD electrode by AdSV.
Density Forecasting with Time‐Varying Higher Moments: A Model Confidence Set Approach
Authors: Wilhelmsson Anders
Published: September 2011

Density forecasts contain a complete description of the uncertainty associated with a point forecast and are therefore important measures of financial risk. This paper aims to examine whether the new more complicated models for financial returns that allow for time variation in higher moments lead to better out‐of‐sample density forecasts. Using two decades of daily Standard & Poor's 500 index returns I find that a model with time‐varying conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis produces significantly better density forecasts than the competing models. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preferential networks of the mediodorsal nucleus and centromedian–parafascicular complex of the thalamus—A DTI tractography study
Authors: Eckert Ulf , Metzger Coraline D. , Buchmann Julia E. , Kaufmann Jörn , Osoba Annemarie , Li Meng , Safron Adam , Liao Wei , Steiner Johann , Bogerts Bernhard , Walter Martin
Published: September 2011

Distinct thalamic nuclei, like the mediodorsal (MD) nucleus and the centromedian/parafascicular complex (CM/Pf), are embedded in different basal ganglia—thalamocortical loops, which were shown to integrate cognitive and emotional aspects of human behavior. Despite well described connections on a microscopic scale, derived from tracing studies in animals, little is known about the intrinsic anatomical connections of these nuclei in humans. This lack of knowledge limits not only interpretation of functional imaging studies but also estimation of direct effects of deep brain stimulation which treats diseases as different as epilepsy or major depression. Therefore, non‐invasive diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies are key to analyzing connectivity patterns and elaborate approaches to close this gap. For our study, we explored the structural connectivity of the MD thalamic nuclei and the CM/Pf complex towards five cortical and six subcortical regions by using a preferential fiber calculation. We found both thalamic nuclei to be preferentially associated to distinct networks: whereas the MD is preferentially connected to prefrontal and limbic cortical regions, the CM is linked to subcortical regions. The anterior insula was the only cortical region associated with the subcortical network of the CM and the cortical network of the MD comprised one subcortical hub, the caudate nucleus, suggesting an integrative role of these two regions. Adding to predescribed anatomical tract tracing connectivities in animal studies, our finding lends support to the existence of similar basal ganglia‐thalamocortical circuits in humans and we could show a robust distinction of preferential connectivity for both thalamic nuclei. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison between transvaginal sonography after diagnostic hysteroscopy and laparoscopic chromopertubation for the assessment of tubal patency in infertile women
Authors: Habibaj Julian , Kosova Halim , Bilali Sokol , Bilali Valbona , Qama Diana
Published: September 2011

Purpose.

Diagnostic hysteroscopy has become a well‐established modality for evaluating the uterine cavity, but provides no information regarding tubal patency. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic value of transvaginal sonography (TVS), performed directly after diagnostic hysteroscopy, for assessing tubal patency in infertile women, and to compare the findings with those obtained by means of laparoscopic chromopertubation.

Methods.

A total of 56 infertile patients were referred to our endoscopic unit for laparoscopic chromopertubation in the period from September 2008 to January 2010. Diagnostic hysteroscopy, followed by TVS, was carried out prior to laparoscopic chromopertubation. The collection of free fluid in the pouch of Douglas was accepted as evidence of tubal patency. The findings of TVS and laparoscopic chromopertubation were compared. The data were analyzed for the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive‐predictivevalue, and negative‐predictive value of the combination of hysteroscopy and TVS in detecting unilateral or bilateral tubal patency.

Results.

The presence of fluid in the pouch of Douglas was observed in 37 of the 56 cases. In 36 of these cases, unilateral or bilateral tubal patency was confirmed by laparoscopic chromopertubation. In 17 of the remaining 19 cases (without fluid in the pouch of Douglas during ultrasound), bilateral tubal occlusion was confirmed by laparoscopic chromopertubation. Diagnostic hysteroscopy followed by TVS showed a high sensitivity and specificity for the assessment of tubal patency.

Conclusions.

TVS performed directly after diagnostic hysteroscopy in infertile patients provides additional nformation regarding tubal patency. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 40:68–73, 2012
Zirconium complexes to overcome oxygen inhibition in free‐radical photopolymerization of acrylates: Kinetic, mechanism, and depth profiling
Authors: Courtecuisse François , Belbakra Abdelhalim , Croutxé‐Barghorn Céline , Allonas Xavier , Dietlin Céline
Published: September 2011

The photopolymerization process of acrylate coatings initiated by visible light (λ > 380 nm) and performed in air was studied in the presence of zirconium complexes. Depth profiling experiments were performed using confocal Raman microscopy showing that the conversion, which is low at the surface of the sample, increases with increasing depth and reaches a full conversion close to the substrate. RT‐FTIR spectroscopy corroborates Raman results in evidencing the efficiency of some zirconium compounds to reduce oxygen inhibition. Finally, laser flash photolysis experiments revealed that the beneficial effect in air is attributable to the reaction of the zirconium complex on the peroxyl radicals formed from the reaction of oxygen with radicals. Therefore, the oxygen present in the medium is depleted, allowing a better efficiency of the photopolymerization process. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Assessing dietary intake during the transition to adulthood: a comparison of age-appropriate FFQ for youth/adolescents and adults
Authors: Larson Nicole , Harnack Lisa , Neumark-Sztainer Dianne
Published: September 2011

Objective

Assessing changes in dietary intake during the transition from adolescence to adulthood is challenging given the need for age-appropriate tools at different developmental stages. The present study investigated the comparability of intake estimates as assessed with the youth/adolescent and adult forms of Willett's FFQ.

Design

Young adults were first asked to complete the adult FFQ as part of a larger study, Project EAT-III (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults). A stratified random sample of respondents was invited to complete the youth/adolescent FFQ by mail within a 3-week period.

Setting

Participants were members of a longitudinal cohort who completed baseline surveys (including the adolescent FFQ) at schools in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and completed Project EAT-III surveys online or by mail in 2008–2009.

Subjects

There were ninety-one men and 103 women (median age = 24·6 years) who completed both forms of the FFQ.

Results

The adolescent and adult forms did not provide comparable absolute intake estimates. However, with few exceptions, correlation coefficients between intake estimates were moderate (r = 0·4–0·6). Furthermore, the percentage of individuals classified into the same quartile rank category based on their responses to the adolescent and adult forms was ≥50 % for fibre, vitamins A and E, and servings of fruit (excluding juice), vegetables, dairy, whole grains and soft drinks.

Conclusions

Although responses on the adolescent and adult FFQ cannot be compared to describe changes in absolute intake over time, these tools provide comparable intake rankings and may be used together in longitudinal studies to investigate influences on diet.
The Danish Cartoon Controversy and the Challenges of Multicultural Politics
Authors: Laborde Cécile
Published: September 2011

Jytte Klausen's The Cartoons That Shook the World offers an interesting political science account of the Danish cartoon controversy and of a broader set of tensions between multiculturalism, civility, and freedom of expression. The book is also a fascinating case study of how political science can itself become the object of dispute, due to Yale University Press' decision to publish the book without any reproductions of the controversial cartoons.

We have thus asked a range of political scientists to comment on the Danish cartoon imbroglio, the book's analysis of it, and the controversy over the book itself.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Reply to Barvosa, Alarcón, and DeSipio
Authors: Smith Rogers M.
Published: September 2011

My thanks to Rafael Alarcón, Edwina Barvosa, and Louis DeSipio for their thoughtful responses to my essay, and to Perspectives on Politics for occasioning this discussion. The respondents each highlight crucial challenges for my argument—but their essays also suggest how I might address those challenges more adequately. I will review the contributions of each writer and sketch the lessons I draw from them in turn.
The conserved protein EF4 (LepA) modulates the elongation cycle of protein synthesis
Authors: Liu Hanqing , Chen Chunlai , Zhang Haibo , Kaur Jaskiran , Goldman Yale E. , Cooperman Barry S.
Published: September 2011

EF4 (LepA), a strongly conserved protein, is important for bacterial growth and functional protein biosynthesis under certain conditions and is quite similar structurally to the translocase EF-G. The elongation cycle in protein synthesis is characterized by ribosome oscillation between pretranslocation (PRE) and posttranslocation (POST) complexes. Here, using ensemble single turnover and equilibrium experiments, as well as single molecule FRET measurements, we demonstrate that EF4 can compete with EF-G for binding to the PRE complex. Such EF4 binding results in formation of a complex, denoted
X
3
, that effectively sequesters a catalytically active ribosome, leading to a transient inhibition of elongation that provides a mechanism for optimization of functional protein synthesis. Earlier [Liu H, et al. (2010)
J Mol Biol
396:1043–1052] we demonstrated that EF4 also reacts with POST complex, leading to the formation of a complex,
I
3
, that appears to be identical with
X
3
. Our present results strongly suggest that PRE complex is the principal target of EF4 action on translation, rather than POST complex as had been previously supposed.
Autopsy series of 68 cases dying before and during the 1918 influenza pandemic peak
Authors: Sheng Zong-Mei , Chertow Daniel S. , Ambroggio Xavier , McCall Sherman , Przygodzki Ronald M. , Cunningham Robert E. , Maximova Olga A. , Kash John C. , Morens David M. , Taubenberger Jeffery K.
Published: September 2011

The 1918 to 1919 “Spanish” influenza pandemic virus killed up to 50 million people. We report here clinical, pathological, bacteriological, and virological findings in 68 fatal American influenza/pneumonia military patients dying between May and October of 1918, a period that includes ∼4 mo before the 1918 pandemic was recognized, and 2 mo (September–October 1918) during which it appeared and peaked. The lung tissues of 37 of these cases were positive for influenza viral antigens or viral RNA, including four from the prepandemic period (May–August). The prepandemic and pandemic peak cases were indistinguishable clinically and pathologically. All 68 cases had histological evidence of bacterial pneumonia, and 94% showed abundant bacteria on Gram stain. Sequence analysis of the viral hemagglutinin receptor-binding domain performed on RNA from 13 cases suggested a trend from a more “avian-like” viral receptor specificity with G222 in prepandemic cases to a more “human-like” specificity associated with D222 in pandemic peak cases. Viral antigen distribution in the respiratory tree, however, was not apparently different between prepandemic and pandemic peak cases, or between infections with viruses bearing different receptor-binding polymorphisms. The 1918 pandemic virus was circulating for at least 4 mo in the United States before it was recognized epidemiologically in September 1918. The causes of the unusually high mortality in the 1918 pandemic were not explained by the pathological and virological parameters examined. These findings have important implications for understanding the origins and evolution of pandemic influenza viruses.
Knickkopf protein protects and organizes chitin in the newly synthesized insect exoskeleton
Authors: Chaudhari Sujata S. , Arakane Yasuyuki , Specht Charles A. , Moussian Bernard , Boyle Daniel L. , Park Yoonseong , Kramer Karl J. , Beeman Richard W. , Muthukrishnan Subbaratnam
Published: September 2011

During each molting cycle of insect development, synthesis of new cuticle occurs concurrently with the partial degradation of the overlying old exoskeleton. Protection of the newly synthesized cuticle from molting fluid enzymes has long been attributed to the presence of an impermeable envelope layer that was thought to serve as a physical barrier, preventing molting fluid enzymes from accessing the new cuticle and thereby ensuring selective degradation of only the old one. In this study, using the red flour beetle,
Tribolium castaneum
, as a model insect species, we show that an entirely different and unexpected mechanism accounts for the selective action of chitinases and possibly other molting enzymes. The molting fluid enzyme chitinase, which degrades the matrix polysaccharide chitin, is not excluded from the newly synthesized cuticle as previously assumed. Instead, the new cuticle is protected from chitinase action by the
T. castaneum
Knickkopf (TcKnk) protein. TcKnk colocalizes with chitin in the new cuticle and organizes it into laminae. Down-regulation of
TcKnk
results in chitinase-dependent loss of chitin, severe molting defects, and lethality at all developmental stages. The conservation of Knickkopf across insect, crustacean, and nematode taxa suggests that its critical roles in the laminar ordering and protection of exoskeletal chitin may be common to all chitinous invertebrates.