bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modification of Gene Expression and Virulence Traits in Streptococcus mutans in Response to Carbohydrate Availability
Authors: Moye Zachary D. , Zeng Lin , Burne Robert A.
Published: November 2013

The genetic and phenotypic responses of
Streptococcus mutans
, an organism that is strongly associated with the development of dental caries, to changes in carbohydrate availability were investigated.
S. mutans
UA159 or a derivative of UA159 lacking ManL, which is the EIIAB component (EIIAB
Man
) of a glucose/mannose permease of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) and a dominant effector of catabolite repression, was grown in continuous culture to steady state under conditions of excess (100 mM) or limiting (10 mM) glucose. Microarrays using RNA from
S. mutans
UA159 revealed that 174 genes were differentially expressed in response to changes in carbohydrate availability (
P
< 0.001). Glucose-limited cells possessed higher PTS activity, could acidify the environment more rapidly and to a greater extent, and produced more ManL protein than cultures grown with excess glucose. Loss of ManL adversely affected carbohydrate transport and acid tolerance. Comparison of the histidine protein (HPr) in
S. mutans
UA159 and the
manL
deletion strain indicated that the differences in the behaviors of the strains were not due to major differences in HPr pools or HPr phosphorylation status. Therefore, carbohydrate availability alone can dramatically influence the expression of physiologic and biochemical pathways that contribute directly to the virulence of
S. mutans
, and ManL has a profound influence on this behavior.
Genome Sequences of an H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus Isolated from Vaccinated Layers in China in 2012
Authors: Liu Hualei , Wang Xiaoliang , Wang Jingjing , Zhao Yunling , Zheng Dongxia , Chen Jiming , Huang Baoxu , Wang Zhiliang
Published: November 2013

An H5N1 virus was isolated from vaccinated layers during an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Ningxia, China, in 2012. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus is a novel variant in clade 7.2, and the outbreak likely resulted from mutations in the viral hemagglutinin (HA) gene.
Genome Sequence of Dyella ginsengisoli Strain LA-4, an Efficient Degrader of Aromatic Compounds
Authors: Kong Chunlei , Wang Lijuan , Li Pengpeng , Qu Yuanyuan , Tang Hongzhi , Wang Jingwei , Zhou Hao , Ma Qiao , Zhou Jiti , Xu Ping
Published: November 2013

Dyella ginsengisoli
strain LA-4 can efficiently degrade environmental pollutants such as biphenyl and azo dyes. Here, we present a 4.55-Mb draft genome sequence of strain LA-4, which may provide further insights into the molecular mechanism in environmental pollution remediation.
Genome Sequences of Clinical Vibrio cholerae Isolates from an Oyster-Borne Cholera Outbreak in Florida
Authors: Haley Bradd J. , Choi Seon Young , Hasan Nur A. , Abdullah Abdul Shakur H. , Cebula Thomas A. , Huq Anwar , Colwell Rita R.
Published: November 2013

Between November 2010 and April 2011, 11 cases of cholera were identified and associated with the consumption of raw oysters harvested from Apalachicola Bay, Florida. The etiological agent was the
ctxAB
-positive
Vibrio cholerae
serogroup O75. The genome sequences of the isolates provide useful information and are deposited in the public genome databases.
Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum Strain Lp91, a Promising Indian Probiotic Isolate of Human Gut Origin
Authors: Grover Sunita , Sharma Vineet K. , Mallapa Rashmi H. , Batish Virender K.
Published: November 2013

Lactobacillus plantarum
is a highly versatile species among lactic acid bacteria that has been widely isolated from highly diversified ecological niches, including the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of an Indian isolate of the probiotic strain
L. plantarum
Lp91, isolated from human gut.
An Unorthodox Sensory Adaptation Site in the Escherichia coli Serine Chemoreceptor
Authors: Han Xue-Sheng , Parkinson John S.
Published: November 2013

The serine chemoreceptor of
Escherichia coli
contains four canonical methylation sites for sensory adaptation that lie near intersubunit helix interfaces of the Tsr homodimer. An unexplored fifth methylation site, E502, lies at an intrasubunit helix interface closest to the HAMP domain that controls input-output signaling in methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins. We analyzed, with
in vivo
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) kinase assays, the serine thresholds and response cooperativities of Tsr receptors with different mutationally imposed modifications at sites 1 to 4 and/or at site 5. Tsr variants carrying E or Q at residue 502, in combination with unmodifiable D and N replacements at adaptation sites 1 to 4, underwent both methylation and demethylation/deamidation, although detection of the latter modifications required elevated intracellular levels of CheB. These Tsr variants could not mediate a chemotactic response to serine spatial gradients, demonstrating that adaptational modifications at E502 alone are not sufficient for Tsr function. Moreover, E502 is not critical for Tsr function, because only two amino acid replacements at this residue abrogated serine chemotaxis: Tsr-E502P had extreme kinase-off output and Tsr-E502I had extreme kinase-on output. These large threshold shifts are probably due to the unique HAMP-proximal location of methylation site 5. However, a methylation-mimicking glutamine at any Tsr modification site raised the serine response threshold, suggesting that all sites influence signaling by the same general mechanism, presumably through changes in packing stability of the methylation helix bundle. These findings are consistent with control of input-output signaling in Tsr through dynamic interplay of the structural stabilities of the HAMP and methylation bundles.
Quality of reporting of studies evaluating time to diagnosis: a systematic review in paediatrics
Authors: Launay Elise , Morfouace Michele , Deneux-Tharaux Catherine , Gras le-Guen Christèle , Ravaud Philippe , Chalumeau Martin
Published: November 2013

Objective

An ever-increasing number of studies analyses the distribution, determinants and consequences of time to diagnosis and delays. Weaknesses in their reporting can impede the assessment of the risks of bias and variation and thus create a risk of invalid conclusions and counterproductive clinical and public health efforts. This study sought to assess systematically the quality of reporting of articles about time to diagnosis in paediatrics.

Design

Two authors identified and analysed the quality of reporting of 50 consecutive articles assessing these intervals published from 2005 through October 2011, according to a checklist we developed of 35 items potentially associated with risks of bias and variation.

Main outcome measure

Frequency of articles reporting each item.

Results

Symptoms that should trigger a diagnostic procedure were reported in 28% of the articles; only two articles reported whether all patients with these symptoms underwent that procedure. Only 44% of the articles defined the beginning of the illness, 46% the date of diagnosis and 60% the distribution of time to diagnosis. Two studies met the criteria for all 11 items considered essential for assessing the risks of bias and variation in this type of study.

Interpretation

This study identified many weaknesses in the quality of reporting of studies of time to diagnosis in paediatrics, especially for items potentially related to risks of bias and variation. This finding underlines the need for the development of new (or the refinement of existing) guidelines for reporting this type of study.
Occult bladder injury after laparoscopic appendicectomy
Authors: Lad Meher , Duncan Sarah , Patten Darren K
Published: November 2013

Minimally invasive procedures have revolutionised surgery by reducing pain and the length of hospital stay for patients. These are not simple procedures and training in laparoscopic surgery is an arduous process. Meticulous preparation prior to surgery is paramount to prevent complications.

We report a rare complication involving a 35-year-old patient who underwent a laparoscopic appendicectomy for a perforated appendix. Two days after surgery the patient experienced redness and swelling in the lower abdominal region and oliguria. A delayed computer tomography (CT) scan revealed contrast leakage around the bladder spreading within the peritoneal cavity consistent with an intraperitoneal bladder perforation. She underwent urinary catheterisation for 6 days. A follow-up CT cystogram showed no evidence of leakage into the peritoneal cavity. This case highlights the need for thorough preparation prior to laparoscopic surgery and careful manipulation of instruments during routine procedures to minimise the risk of serious patient complications such as the aforementioned.
Novel modification of tracheostomy tube to allow speech and manage tracheal stenosis
Authors: de la Cruz Michael , Islam Shaheen , Cloyes Rebecca
Published: November 2013

Mid-tracheal, postintubation stenosis can be managed with an extended length tracheostomy tube to bypass the stenotic area. However these extra-long tracheostomy tubes are not fenestrated, and when the stenotic tracheal lumen sits against the tracheostomy tube, phonation is not possible as there is no translaryngeal airflow. A 59-year-old man developed distal tracheal stenosis following a prolonged intubation and tracheostomy after a motorcycle accident. He eventually required an extra-long tracheostomy tube to bypass the stenotic region. We modified a silicone tracheostomy tube by creating a fenestration on its posterior wall. This relieved the obstruction while still allowing phonation and speech.
Total body fat percentage and body mass index and the association with lower extremity injuries in children: a 2.5-year longitudinal study
Authors: Jespersen Eva , Verhagen Evert , Holst René , Klakk Heidi , Heidemann Malene , Rexen Christina Trifonov , Franz Claudia , Wedderkopp Niels
Published: November 2013

Background

Overweight youths are generally recognised as being at increased risk of sustaining lower extremity injuries in sports. However, previous studies are inconclusive and choices for measuring overweight are manifold.

Objective

To examine two different measures of overweight, body mass index (BMI) and total body fat percentage (TBF%), as risk factors for lower limb injuries in a school-based cohort.

Study design

A longitudinal cohort study.

Methods

A total of 632 school children, baseline age 7.7–12.0 years, were investigated. Whole body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans provided measures of TBF%. Measures of BMI were obtained by standard anthropometric methods. Musculoskeletal complaints were reported by parents answering weekly mobile phone text messages during 2.5 years. Injuries were diagnosed by clinicians. Leisure time sports participation was reported weekly using text messaging.

Results

During 2.5 years of follow-up, 673 lower extremity injuries were diagnosed. Children being overweight by both BMI and TBF% showed the highest risk of sustaining lower extremity injuries (IRR 1.38 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.81)). Children who were overweight using BMI and TBF% showed the highest risk of sustaining lower extremity injuries (IRR 1.38 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.81)).

Conclusions

The risk of lower extremity injuries appeared to be increased for overweight children. When comparing two different measures of overweight, overweight by TBF% is a higher risk factor than overweight by BMI. This suggests that a high proportion of adiposity is more predictive of lower extremity injuries, possibly due to a lower proportion of lean muscle mass.
The use of abstract paintings and narratives to foster reflective capacity in medical educators: a multinational faculty development workshop
Authors: Karkabi Khaled , Wald Hedy S , Cohen Castel Orit
Published: November 2013

Reflective capacity is integral to core healthcare professional practice competencies. Reflection plays a central role in teacher education as reflecting on teaching behaviours with critical analysis can potentially improve teaching practice. The humanities including narrative and the visual arts can serve as a valuable tool for fostering reflection. We conducted a multinational faculty development workshop aiming to enhance reflective capacity in medical educators by using a combination of abstract paintings and narratives. Twenty-three family physicians or physicians-in-training from 10 countries participated in the workshop. Qualitative assessment of the workshop showed that the combined use of art and narrative was well received and perceived as contributing to the reflective exercise. Participants generally felt that viewing abstract paintings had facilitated a valuable mood transformation and prepared them emotionally for the reflective writing. Our analysis found that the following themes emerged from participants’ responses: (1) narratives from different countries are similar; (2) the use of art helped access feelings; (3) viewing abstract paintings facilitated next steps; (4) writing reflective narratives promoted examination of educational challenges, compassion for self and other, and building an action plan; and (5) sharing of narrative was helpful for fostering active listening and appreciating multiple perspectives. Future research might include comparing outcomes for a group participating in arts–narrative-based workshops with those of a control group using only reflective narrative or in combination with figurative art, and implementing a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods of assessment.
AN ALTERNATIVE STRING LANDSCAPE COSMOLOGY: ELIMINATING BIZARRENESS
Authors: CLAVELLI L. , GOLDSTEIN GARY R.
Published: November 2013

In what has become a standard eternal inflation picture of the string landscape there are many problematic consequences and a difficulty defining probabilities for the occurrence of each type of universe. One feature in particular that might be philosophically disconcerting is the infinite cloning of each individual and each civilization in infinite numbers of separated regions of the multiverse. Even if this is not ruled out due to causal separation one should ask whether the infinite cloning is a universal prediction of string landscape models or whether there are scenarios in which it is avoided. If a viable alternative cosmology can be constructed one might search for predictions that might allow one to discriminate experimentally between the models. We present one such scenario although, in doing so, we are forced to give up several popular presuppositions including the absence of a preferred frame and the homogeneity of matter in the universe. The model also has several ancillary advantages. We also consider the future lifetime of the current universe before becoming a light trapping region.
TSALLIS STATISTICS AND THE ROLE OF A STABILIZED RADION IN THE SUPERNOVAE SN1987A COOLING
Authors: DAS PRASANTA KUMAR , SELVAGANAPATHY J. , SHARMA CHANDRADEW , JHA TARUN KUMAR , KUMAR V. SUNIL
Published: November 2013

The radion in the two-brane Randall–Sundrum model is required to stabilize the size of the fifth (extra) spatial dimension. It can be copiously produced inside the supernova core due to electron–positron annihilation (e+e-→ϕ), plasmon–plasmon annihilation (γP+γP→ϕ) and nucleon–nucleon bremsstrahlung and can take away the energy released in SN1987A explosion. Working within the q-deformed statistics (Tsallis statistics) and using the "Raffelt criterion" on the supernovae cooling rate [Formula: see text], we find that in Case I (cooling due to e+e-→ϕ channel): for q = 1.22, as the radion mass mϕ changes from 20 GeV to 150 GeV, the lower bound 〈ϕ〉 changes from 7 TeV to ~1.5 TeV and in Case II (cooling due to γP+γP→ϕ channel): for q = 1.11, as mϕ ranges from 20 GeV to 150 GeV, the lower bound 〈ϕ〉 changes from 201 TeV to 3.3 TeV. We investigate the dependence of 〈ϕ〉 on q and found that in Case I: mϕ = 50(100) GeV , 〈ϕ〉 changes from 0.5(0.2) TeV (for q = 1.18) to 5.5(4.8) TeV (for q = 1.30) and in Case II: for mϕ = 50(100) GeV , 〈ϕ〉 changes from 0.8(~0.1) TeV (for q = 1.09) to 569(216) TeV (for q = 1.13). We also verified that the normal Fermi–Dirac and Bose–Einstein statistics get recovered from the Tsallis statistics in the q→1 limit.
NEUTRINO MIXING AND THE DOUBLE TETRAHEDRAL GROUP
Authors: BENTOV YONI , ZEE A.
Published: November 2013

In the spirit of a previous study of the tetrahedral group T ≃A4, we discuss a minimalist scheme to derive the neutrino mixing matrix using the double tetrahedral group T′, the double cover of T. The new features are three distinct two-dimensional representations and complex Clebsch–Gordan coefficients, which can result in a geometric source of CP violation in the neutrino mass matrix. In an appendix, we derive explicitly the relevant group theory for the tetrahedral group T and its double cover T′.
ON THE PRESENTATION OF A LINK AS A SUM OF TWO DESCENDING TANGLE DIAGRAMS
Authors: BAE YONGJU , SEO MYOUNGSOO
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we define the notion of descending tangle diagrams and give a presentation of a link as a sum of two descending tangle diagrams. We also introduce a new invariant of links and find its basic properties.
ENHANCING QUALITY OF IT SERVICES DELIVERY USING ENTERPRISE CROWDSOURCING
Authors: VUKOVIC MAJA , NATARAJAN ARJUN
Published: November 2013

IT outsourcing companies have adopted global delivery model, where IT services, such as backup management, are supplied out of multiple locations worldwide, based on the skill and cost of IT delivery staff, such as system administrators (SAs) and call center agents. Managing IT services quality requires insights obtained by extracting large volumes of tacit knowledge about processes, products and people, which is in collective possession of experts. Current practices to discovering this distributed and unstructured knowledge are semi-automated. Often they involve manual data collection using spreadsheets and tracking of exerts through e-mail. As such they fail to scale and provide accurate insights on demand, such as IT infrastructure snapshots. We present an enterprise crowdsourcing service that enables harnessing of human knowledge to derive quality insights in IT services. Our approach automates knowledge and knowledge owner discovery, and is based on the concept of distributed questionnaires. Experts can breakdown the knowledge requests into multiple parts and engage their networks to co-create the content. We discuss the effectiveness of our approach for knowledge discovery in the context of large-scale, on-going business activities in IT outsourcing organization, which collectively engaged over 2500 experts globally.
n-Point Virasoro algebras and their modules of densities
Authors: Cox Ben , Guo Xiangqian , Lu Rencai , Zhao Kaiming
Published: November 2013

In this paper we introduce and study n-point Virasoro algebras, [Formula: see text], which are natural generalizations of the classical Virasoro algebra and have as quotients multipoint genus zero Krichever–Novikov type algebras. We determine necessary and sufficient conditions for the latter two such Lie algebras to be isomorphic. Moreover we determine their automorphisms, their derivation algebras, their universal central extensions, and some other properties. The list of automorphism groups that occur is Cn, Dn, A4, S4 and A5. We also construct a large class of modules which we call modules of densities, and determine necessary and sufficient conditions for them to be irreducible.
A Riemannian approach to the membrane limit in non-Euclidean elasticity
Authors: Kupferman Raz , Maor Cy
Published: November 2013

Non-Euclidean, or incompatible elasticity, is an elastic theory for pre-stressed materials, which is based on a modeling of the elastic body as a Riemannian manifold. In this paper we derive a dimensionally reduced model of the so-called membrane limit of a thin incompatible body. By generalizing classical dimension reduction techniques to the Riemannian setting, we are able to prove a general theorem that applies to an elastic body of arbitrary dimension, arbitrary slender dimension, and arbitrary metric. The limiting model implies the minimization of an integral functional defined over immersions of a limiting submanifold in Euclidean space. The limiting energy only depends on the first derivative of the immersion, and for frame-indifferent models, only on the resulting pullback metric induced on the submanifold, i.e. there are no bending contributions.
PREDICTING GLAUCOMA PROGRESSION USING DECISION TREES FOR CLUSTERED DATA BY GOODNESS OF SPLIT
Authors: SHARPSTEN LUCIE , FAN JUANJUAN , BARR JOSEPH R. , SU XIAOGANG , DEMIREL SHABAN , LEVINE RICHARD A.
Published: November 2013

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive and potentially blinding condition. Predicting which patients will experience significant progression is recognized as a crucially needed development in the management of this disease. Application of the CART (Classification And Regression Trees) methodology has demonstrated that certain patterns of visual field findings may convey greater predictive information for glaucoma progression. However, the current standard classification tree method was developed for uncorrelated data. In this article a classification tree method is extended to correlated binary data. The robust Wald test statistic from generalized estimating equations (GEE) is used to measure the between-node difference while adjusting for correlation between the eyes of a patient. The proposed method is assessed through simulations conducted under a variety of model configurations and is used to analyze the perimetry and psychophysics in glaucoma (PPIG) study data. Employing an amalgamation algorithm from the result of a best-sized tree, each eye is classified to one of two prognosis categories (less likely, or more likely, to progress). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) indicate that the proposed method, applied to data from both eyes of the same patient, provides much improved prediction accuracy compared with application of standard CART method to the same PPIG data.
A MULTIVARIATE TIME SERIES CLASSIFICATION METHOD FOR STREAMING DATA USING TEMPORAL METAFEATURE ABSTRACTIONS
Authors: SIPES TAMARA , BALAC NATASHA , KARIMABADI HOMA , WOLTER NICOLE , NUNES KENNETH , ROBERTS AARON
Published: November 2013

In this paper we demonstrate a new approach to the classification of multivariate time series streaming data by utilizing a temporal metafeature abstractions method. The technique extracts global features and metafeatures in order to capture the necessary time-lapse information in the streams of data. The features are then used to create a static, intermediate stream representation that includes all the important time-varying information, and is suitable for analysis using the standard supervised data mining techniques. The capability of the new algorithm called MineTool-TS2 was demonstrated through its application to three datasets: UCSD Microgrid energy usage data, a space physics dataset and synthetic data.
SUPPORT VECTORS MACHINE: A TUTORIAL WITH R
Authors: BARR JOSEPH R. , JAHEDI AFROOZ , EHSANI MAHROO
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this tutorial is to introduce the powerful method of support vector machines for classifications and to advocate the usage of the statistical language R to develop SVM-based models.
A NOTE ON THE DISTANCE SPECTRAL RADIUS OF SOME GRAPHS
Authors: NATH MILAN , PAUL SOMNATH
Published: November 2013

We characterize graphs with minimal distance spectral radius in two classes of graphs: with vertex connectivity k and minimum degree at least k, and with given number of blocks. Moreover, we determine the unique graph that maximizes the distance spectral radius among all graphs with given clique number.
Crustal-scale folding: Palaeozoic deformation of the Mt Painter Inlier, South Australia
Authors: Weisheit A. , Bons P. D. , Danišík M. , Elburg M. A.
Published: November 2013

The Mt Painter Inlier (Northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia) was exhumed in the Yankaninna Anticline, in the hanging wall of the major NE–SW-running Paralana Fault System. Regional north–south compression resulted in SE-directed oblique and lateral ramping on to the rigid Curnamona Province. Formation of the crustal-scale anticline caused exhumation of up to 15 km of basement rocks in the core of the anticline. Currently exposed rocks reached the surface in Permian times. Folding and thrusting commenced between
c.
500 and
c.
450 Ma and lasted until the Permian Period. Contrary to previous studies, only a minor part of the deformation can be attributed to the
c.
500 Ma Delamerian Orogeny, with most of the tectonic activity being contemporaneous with the Alice Springs and Lachlan Orogenies. New Permo-Triassic zircon and apatite (U–Th)/He ages, as well as a titanite fission-track age point to a long-lived near-surface hydrothermal event that overprinted the basement and cover rocks. Hydrothermal reheating and burial below the Mesozoic Eromanga Basin sediments, to a depth of no more than 2 km, resulted in partial or full rejuvenation of the apatite (U–Th)/He system.
Exploratory proteomic analysis of hypobaric hypoxia and acute mountain sickness in humans
Authors: Julian Colleen G. , Subudhi Andrew W. , Hill Ryan C. , Wilson Megan J. , Dimmen Andrew C. , Hansen Kirk C. , Roach Robert C.
Published: November 2013

Our objective in this exploratory study was to identify novel biomarkers of importance for acute mountain sickness (AMS) using discovery-based proteomic methods. Peripheral blood samples were collected and AMS symptoms were assessed in 20 healthy volunteers prior to [−15 h (baseline) and 0 h; 1,609 m; barometric pressure = 625 mmHg] and after a 9-h exposure to hypobaric hypoxia (9 h; 4,875 m; barometric pressure = 425 mmHg). AMS status was assessed using the Lake Louise Questionnaire. Plasma samples were pooled according to AMS status at each time point. Protein composition of the samples was determined by a GeLC-MS/MS approach using two analytical platforms (LTQ-XL linear ion trap mass spectrometer and a LTQ-FT ultra hybrid mass spectrometer) for technical replication. Spectral counting was used to make semiquantitative comparisons of protein abundance between AMS-susceptible (AMS) and AMS-resistant (AMS·R) subjects with exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. After 9 h of hypoxia, the abundance of proteins with antioxidant properties (i.e., peroxiredoxin 6, glutathione peroxidase, and sulfhydryl oxidase 1) rose in AMS but not AMS·R. Our exploratory analyses suggest that exposure to hypobaric hypoxia enhances enzymatic antioxidant systems in AMS vs. AMS·R, which, we propose, may be an overcompensation for hypoxia-induced oxidant production. On the basis of our findings we 1) speculate that quenching oxidant activity may have adverse downstream effects that are of pathophysiological importance for AMS such as interrupting oxidant-sensitive cell signaling and gene transcription and 2) question the existing assumption that increased oxidant production in AMS is pathological.
The significant blood resistance to lung nitric oxide transfer lies within the red cell
Authors: Borland Colin , Bottrill Fiona , Jones Aled , Sparkes Chris , Vuylsteke Alain
Published: November 2013

The lung nitric oxide (NO) diffusing capacity (DlNO) mainly reflects alveolar-capillary membrane conductance (Dm). However, blood resistance has been shown in vitro and in vivo. To explore whether this resistance lies in the plasma, the red blood cell (RBC) membrane, or in the RBC interior, we measured the NO diffusing capacity (Dno) in a membrane oxygenator circuit containing ∼1 liter of horse or human blood exposed to 14 parts per million NO under physiological conditions on 7 separate days. We compared results across a 1,000-fold change in extracellular diffusivity using dextrans, plasma, and physiological salt solution. We halved RBC surface area by comparing horse and human RBCs. We altered the diffusive resistance of the RBC interior by adding sodium nitrite converting oxyhemoglobin to methemoglobin. Neither increased viscosity nor reduced RBC size reduced Dno. Adding sodium nitrite increased methemoglobin and was associated with a steady fall in Dno ( P < 0.001). Similar results were obtained at NO concentrations found in vivo. The RBC interior appears to be the site of the blood resistance.
Small Molecule Agonists of PPAR-γ Exert Therapeutic Effects in Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Sawayama Hiroshi , Ishimoto Takatsugu , Watanabe Masayuki , Yoshida Naoya , Sugihara Hidetaka , Kurashige Junji , Hirashima Kotaro , Iwatsuki Masaaki , Baba Yoshifumi , Oki Eiji , Morita Masaru , Shiose Yoshinobu , Baba Hideo
Published: November 2013

The transcription factor PPAR-γ plays various roles in lipid metabolism, inflammation, cellular differentiation, and apoptosis. PPAR-γ agonists used to treat diabetes may have utility in cancer treatment. Efatutazone is a novel later generation PPAR-γ agonist that selectively activates PPAR-γ target genes and has antiproliferative effects in a range of malignancies. In this study, we investigated PPAR-γ status in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and investigated the antiproliferative effects of efatutazone. PPAR-γ was expressed heterogeneously in ESCC, in which it exhibited an inverse relationship with Ki-67 expression. PPAR-γ expression was associated independently with good prognosis in ESCC. Efatutazone, but not the conventional PPAR-γ agonist troglitazone, inhibited ESCC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations suggested that efatutazone acted by upregulating p21Cip1 protein in the nucleus through inactivation of the Akt pathway and dephosphorylation of p21Cip1 at Thr145 without affecting the transcriptional activity of p21Cip1. We also found that treatment with efatutazone led to phosphorylation of the EGF receptor and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Accordingly, the combination of efatutazone with the antiepithelial growth factor receptor antibody cetuximab synergized to negatively regulate the phosphoinositide 3-kinase–Akt and MAPK pathways. Together, our results suggest that efatutazone, alone or in combination with cetuximab, may offer therapeutic effects in ESCC. Cancer Res; 74(2); 575–85. ©2013 AACR.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake and the Risk of Type I and Type II Endometrial Cancer among Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Inoue-Choi Maki , Robien Kim , Mariani Andrea , Cerhan James R. , Anderson Kristin E.
Published: November 2013

Background: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake has been associated with an increased risk of obesity and type II diabetes. However, its association with endometrial cancer is unclear.

Methods: We evaluated dietary intake of SSB, fruit juice, sugar-free beverages, sweets/baked goods, starch, and sugars among 23,039 postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women's Health Study. Incident estrogen-dependent type I and estrogen-independent type II endometrial cancers were identified via linkage with the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Registry. Risks of type I and type II endometrial cancers were separately compared by energy-adjusted dietary intake in Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results: From 1986 to 2010, 506 type I and 89 type II incident endometrial cancers were identified. An increased risk of type I endometrial cancer was observed with increasing SSB intake after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and other cofounders (Ptrend = 0.0005). Compared with nondrinkers of SSB, the risk was 78% higher [95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.32–2.40] among women in the highest quintile of SSB intake. The observed association was not modified by BMI, physical activity, history of diabetes, or cigarette smoking. Higher risk of type I endometrial cancer was also observed with higher intake of sugars. None of the dietary items included in the analysis was associated with type II endometrial cancer risk.

Conclusion: Higher intake of SSB and sugars was associated with an increased risk of type I, but not type II, endometrial cancer.

Impact: SSB intake may be a risk factor for type I endometrial cancer regardless of other lifestyle factors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2384–94. ©2013 AACR.
Molecular Biomarkers of Cancer Stem/Progenitor Cells Associated with Progression, Metastases, and Treatment Resistance of Aggressive Cancers
Authors: Mimeault Murielle , Batra Surinder K.
Published: November 2013

The validation of novel diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets in tumor cells is of critical importance for optimizing the choice and efficacy of personalized therapies. Importantly, recent advances have led to the identification of gene-expression signatures in cancer cells, including cancer stem/progenitor cells, in the primary tumors, exosomes, circulating tumor cells (CTC), and disseminated cancer cells at distant metastatic sites. The gene-expression signatures may help to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and predict the therapeutic responses and overall survival of patients with cancer. Potential biomarkers in cancer cells include stem cell–like markers [CD133, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), CD44, and CD24], growth factors, and their cognate receptors [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), EGFRvIII, and HER2], molecules associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT; vimentin, N-cadherin, snail, twist, and Zeb1), regulators of altered metabolism (phosphatidylinositol-3′ kinase/Akt/mTOR), and drug resistance (multidrug transporters and macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1). Moreover, different pluripotency-associated transcription factors (Oct3/4, Nanog, Sox2, and Myc) and microRNAs that are involved in the epigenetic reprogramming and acquisition of stem cell–like properties by cancer cells during cancer progression may also be exploited as molecular biomarkers to predict the risk of metastases, systemic treatment resistance, and disease relapse of patients with cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(2); 234–54. ©2013 AACR.
Reactive Oxygen Species Induce Epigenetic Instability through the Formation of 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine in Human Hepatocarcinogenesis
Authors: Nishida Naoshi , Arizumi Tadaaki , Takita Masahiro , Kitai Satoshi , Yada Norihisa , Hagiwara Satoru , Inoue Tatsuo , Minami Yasunori , Ueshima Kazuomi , Sakurai Toshiharu , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: November 2013

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) triggers oxidative stress and contributes to the emergence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We previously reported that tumor suppressor gene (TSG) methylation is a critical factor during the early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. In this study, we clarify the association between oxidative stress and epigenetic alterations during hepatocarcinogenesis. We examined DNA oxidation and methylation profiles in 128 liver biopsy samples from CHC patients. The DNA oxidation and methylated TSG numbers were quantified using immunohistochemical analysis of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and quantitative PCR for 11 TSGs, respectively. The quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR (ChIP-qPCR) assay in HepG2 and fetal liver Hc cells treated with H2O2 was used to quantify trimethyl-H3K4, acetylated-H4K16 (an active chromatin marker), trimethyl-H3K27 (a repressive chromatin marker) and 8-OHdG. We analyzed 30 promoters of 25 different TSGs by qPCR. The high levels of 8-OHdG was the only variable that was significantly associated with the increased number of methylated TSGs in CHC (p < 0.0001). The ChIP-qPCR revealed that after H2O2 treatment of the cell lines, the 8-OHdG-bound promoters showed a modification from an active chromatin (trimethyl-H3K4 and acetylated-H4K16 dominant) to a repressive chromatin (trimethyl-H3K27 dominant) status. We conclude that oxidative stress alters the chromatin status, which leads to abnormal methylation of TSGs, and contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis in CHC patients.
Adverse Mandibular Bone Effects Associated with Kidney Disease Are Only Partially Corrected with Bisphosphonate and/or Calcium Treatment
Authors: Allen Matthew R. , Chen Neal X. , Gattone II Vincent H. , Moe Sharon M.
Published: November 2013

Background/Aims: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a high prevalence of periodontal disease that may predispose to tooth loss and inflammation. The goal of this study was to test the hypotheses that a genetic rat model of progressive CKD would exhibit altered oral bone properties and that treatment with either bisphosphonates or calcium could attenuate these adverse changes. Methods: At 25 weeks of age, rats were treated with zoledronate (ZOL), calcium gluconate, or their combination for 5 or 10 weeks. Mandible bone properties were assessed using micro-computed tomography to determine bone volume (BV/TV) and cementum-enamel junction to alveolar crest distance (CEJ-AC). Results: Untreated CKD animals had significantly lower BV/TV at both 30 (-5%) and 35 (-14%) weeks of age and higher CEJ-AC (+27 and 29%) compared to normal animals. CKD animals had a significantly higher parathyroid hormone (PTH) compared to normal animals, yet similar levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). ZOL treatment normalized BV/TV over the first 5 weeks but this benefit was lost by 10 weeks. Calcium treatment, alone or in combination with ZOL, was effective in normalizing BV/TV at both time points. Neither ZOL nor calcium was able to correct the higher CEJ-AC caused by CKD. Calcium, but not ZOL, significantly reduced serum PTH, while neither treatment affected CRP. Conclusions: (i) This progressive animal model of CKD shows a clear mandibular skeletal phenotype consistent with periodontitis, (ii) the periodontitis is not associated with systemic inflammation as measured by CRP, and (iii) reducing PTH has positive effects on the mandible phenotype.
Maurice Maeterlinck e a ressurreição do ator
Authors: Moler Lara Biasoli
Published: November 2013

Maurice Maeterlinck e a ressurreição do ator.
Factors Associated With Onset-to-Door Time in Patients With Transient Ischemic Attack Admitted to Stroke Centers
Authors: Uehara Toshiyuki , Kimura Kazumi , Okada Yasushi , Hasegawa Yasuhiro , Tanahashi Norio , Suzuki Akifumi , Takagi Shigeharu , Nakagawara Jyoji , Arii Kazumasa , Nagahiro Shinji , Ogasawara Kuniaki , Nagao Takehiko , Uchiyama Shinichiro , Matsumoto Masayasu , Iihara Koji , Minematsu Kazuo
Published: November 2013

Background and Purpose—

The aim of this study was to elucidate the factors associated with the time from symptom onset to arrival at a stroke center (onset-to-door time [ODT]) in patients with classically defined transient ischemic attack using data from a multicenter, retrospective study.

Methods—

The subjects were patients with transient ischemic attack admitted to 13 stroke centers in Japan within 7 days of onset between 2008 and 2009. A total of 464 patients registered (292 men, 68.5±13.2 years old), and 421 of them (268 men, 68.8±13.1 years old) were included in the analyses. ODT was classified into the following 5 categories: <3 hours, 3 to 6 hours, 7 to 12 hours, 13 to 24 hours, and >24 hours.

Results—

There were 233 patients (55.3%) who visited a stroke center within 3 hours of symptom onset. Multiple ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that motor weakness, speech disturbance, and duration of symptoms >10 minutes were independently associated with a short ODT. Furthermore, a history of transient ischemic attack and hypertension and a referral from another medical facility were independently associated with a long ODT. Patients with a higher ABCD
2
score were likely to arrive at a stroke center more quickly.

Conclusions—

We identified several factors that were positively and negatively associated with the ODT in patients with transient ischemic attack.
Introduction
Authors: Becker Johannes , Becker Johannes , Belkind Nili , Becker Johannes , Belkind Nili , Karkabi Nadeem , Becker Johannes , Belkind Nili , Karkabi Nadeem , Wood Abigail
Published: November 2013

Place and belonging are ubiquitous topics in public discourse in Israel and Palestine. In academic scholarship and hegemonic narratives alike, nationalism, ethnicity and religion tend to be theorized within relatively bounded, inflexible categories, confined within localized, self-perceived experience. Yet in practice, local subjectivities, actions and discourses of affiliation are multiple, overlapping and adaptable. In recent years, in the shadow of occupation, disillusionment and hyper-nationalism, public performances of ‘alternative’ spaces and identities have challenged fixed spatial boundaries, and performance has become an important site for the expression of alternative imaginations. Via a series of case studies, this thematic issue, co-edited by its four authors, considers expressive culture in territorialized space as a dynamic site for (re)forming and communicating local knowledge, as well as an agent of border drawing and border crossing in Palestine and Israel.
Touch Can Be as Accurate as Passively-Guided Kinaesthesis in Length Perception
Authors: Van Doorn George H. , Richardson Barry L. , Symmons Mark A.
Published: November 2013

Two experiments were designed to investigate the contribution of touch and kinaesthesis to haptic perception of the length of raised lines. Experiment 1 showed that judgements based on kinaesthetic information were not more accurate than those based on cutaneous information. Instead, kinaesthetic and cutaneous inputs appear to be weighted almost equally in the haptic percept, with haptic performance more closely approximated by cutaneous performance than by kinaesthetic. In Experiment 2 it was shown that effects attributed to condition (modality) were not due to the speed with which the stimulus or exploring finger moved. Our results challenge the view that kinaesthesis is more important than touch for identification of raised line drawings.
Anhedonia in substance use disorders: A systematic review of its nature, course and clinical correlates
Authors: Garfield Joshua B B , Lubman Dan I , Yücel Murat
Published: November 2013

Objective:

There is growing evidence that anhedonia is a commonly experienced symptom among substance-using populations. This systematic review synthesises findings across a range of substances to address questions regarding the time course of anhedonia, how anhedonia relates to other symptoms of substance dependence and whether it is similarly prevalent across all addictive drugs.

Method:

A literature search was conducted on PubMed, PsycINFO and MEDLINE, yielding 32 studies that used self-report measures of anhedonia among participants with a history of a substance abuse, dependence or long-term daily use of addictive substances.

Results:

Findings from these studies indicate that anhedonia (1) is elevated in samples dependent on a range of substances; (2) typically appears as a consequence of substance abuse or dependence, and diminishes with abstinence; and (3) predicts increased drug cravings and the likelihood of relapse in those attempting abstinence.

Conclusions:

The common experience of anhedonia in substance-dependent populations, and its relationship to relapse, emphasises the importance of developing therapeutic interventions that specifically target anhedonia in the treatment of all substance use disorders.
Modelling the incidence and mortality of psychotic disorders: Data from the second Australian national survey of psychosis
Authors: Saha Sukanta , Whiteford Harvey , McGrath John
Published: November 2013

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to model estimates related to (a) the incidence of psychotic disorders and (b) the mortality associated with these disorders based on a large, population-based prevalence study.

Methods:

Data were drawn from the second national survey of adults with psychotic disorders conducted in seven Australian catchment areas during March to December 2010. To generate incidence rate estimates, we identified recent onset cases recruited as part of the prevalence study and then imputed population-based incidence rates using a set of conservative assumptions. Similarly, for mortality rates, we identified individuals who had died after being identified as ‘screen-positive’ for psychosis, but prior to full clinical assessment. Using a set of conservative assumptions, we then used these estimates to infer population-based mortality rates.

Results:

Based on our models, we estimated that the incidence rate for psychotic disorders was 28 cases per 100,000 population. The rate estimates were significantly higher in males than females, with an overall male:female ratio of 1.57:1. Incidence rate estimates peaked in the youngest age group (18–24 years). The adjusted mortality rate estimated during the whole period of observation was 12.5 per 1000 persons, with a standardised mortality ratio of 5.5.

Conclusions:

Using treated prevalence data and observed deaths with appropriate algorithms, we were able to impute incidence and mortality rates for psychotic disorders consistent with the published literature. While the second national survey of psychotic disorders was not designed to identify mortality, our estimates provide a stark reminder of the increased mortality associated with these disorders.
Item Pool Design for an Operational Variable-Length Computerized Adaptive Test
Authors: He Wei , Reckase Mark D.
Published: November 2013

For computerized adaptive tests (CATs) to work well, they must have an item pool with sufficient numbers of good quality items. Many researchers have pointed out that, in developing item pools for CATs, not only is the item pool size important but also the distribution of item parameters and practical considerations such as content distribution and item exposure issues. Yet, there is little research on how to design item pools to have those desirable features. The research reported in this article provided step-by-step hands-on guidance on the item pool design process by applying the bin-and-union method to design item pools for a large-scale licensure CAT employing complex adaptive testing algorithm with variable test length, a decision based on stopping rule, content balancing, and exposure control. The design process involved extensive simulations to identify several alternative item pool designs and evaluate their performance against a series of criteria. The design output included the desired item pool size and item parameter distribution. The results indicate that the mechanism used to identify the desirable item pool features functions well and that two recommended item pool designs would support satisfactory performance of the operational testing program.
Durations of American English Vowels by Native and Non-native Speakers: Acoustic Analyses and Perceptual Effects
Authors: Liu Chang , Jin Su-Hyun , Chen Chia-Tsen
Published: November 2013

The goal of this study was to examine durations of American English vowels produced by English-, Chinese-, and Korean-native speakers and the effects of vowel duration on vowel intelligibility. Twelve American English vowels were recorded in the /hVd/ phonetic context by native speakers and non-native speakers. The English vowel duration patterns as a function of vowel produced by non-native speakers were generally similar to those produced by native speakers. These results imply that using duration differences across vowels may be an important strategy for non-native speakers’ production before they are able to employ spectral cues to produce and perceive English speech sounds. In the intelligibility experiment, vowels were selected from 10 native and non-native speakers and vowel durations were equalized at 170 ms. Intelligibility of vowels with original and equalized durations was evaluated by American English native listeners. Results suggested that vowel intelligibility of native and non-native speakers degraded slightly by 3–8% when durations were equalized, indicating that vowel duration plays a minor role in vowel intelligibility.