bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calculated Vibrational Properties of Ubisemiquinones
Authors: Lamichhane Hari P. , Hastings Gary
Published: January 2013

Density functional theory has been used to calculate harmonic normal mode vibrational frequencies for unlabeled and isotope-labeled ubisemiquinones in both the gas phase and in several solvents. It is shown that four methoxy group conformations are likely to be present in solution at room temperature. Boltzmann weighted infrared and Raman spectra for the four conformers were calculated, and composite spectra that are the sum of the Boltzmann weighted spectra were produced. These composite spectra were compared to experimental FTIR and resonance Raman spectra, and it is shown that the calculated band frequencies, relative band intensities, and C13 and O18 isotope-induced band shifts are in excellent agreement with experiment. The calculations show that the C=O and C=C modes of ubisemiquinone strongly mix with methoxy methyl CH bending vibrations, and that the degree of mixing is altered upon isotope labeling, resulting in complicated changes in mode frequencies, intensities, and composition upon isotope labeling. Upon consideration of the calculated potential energy distributions of the normal modes of ubisemiquinone, and how they change upon isotope labeling, an explanation of some puzzling features in previously published Raman spectra is provided.
A Modified HSP70 Inhibitor Shows Broad Activity as an Anticancer Agent
Authors: Balaburski Gregor M. , Leu Julia I.-Ju , Beeharry Neil , Hayik Seth , Andrake Mark D. , Zhang Gao , Herlyn Meenhard , Villanueva Jessie , Dunbrack Roland L. , Yen Tim , George Donna L. , Murphy Maureen E.
Published: January 2013

The stress-induced HSP70 is an ATP-dependent molecular chaperone that plays a key role in refolding misfolded proteins and promoting cell survival following stress. HSP70 is marginally expressed in nontransformed cells, but is greatly overexpressed in tumor cells. Silencing HSP70 is uniformly cytotoxic to tumor but not normal cells; therefore, there has been great interest in the development of HSP70 inhibitors for cancer therapy. Here, we report that the HSP70 inhibitor 2-phenylethynesulfonamide (PES) binds to the substrate-binding domain of HSP70 and requires the C-terminal helical “lid” of this protein (amino acids 573–616) to bind. Using molecular modeling and in silico docking, we have identified a candidate binding site for PES in this region of HSP70, and we identify point mutants that fail to interact with PES. A preliminary structure–activity relationship analysis has revealed a derivative of PES, 2-(3-chlorophenyl) ethynesulfonamide (PES-Cl), which shows increased cytotoxicity and ability to inhibit autophagy, along with significantly improved ability to extend the life of mice with pre-B-cell lymphoma, compared with the parent compound (P = 0.015). Interestingly, we also show that these HSP70 inhibitors impair the activity of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in cell-free extracts, and induce G2–M arrest and genomic instability in cancer cells. PES-Cl is thus a promising new anticancer compound with several notable mechanisms of action. Mol Cancer Res; 11(3); 219–29. ©2013 AACR.
A Way of Salvation: Becoming Like God in Nag Hammadi
Authors: Roig Lanzillotta Lautaro
Published: January 2013

Abstract

Contrary to general belief, ethical progress as a means to attain the divine and thereby achieve salvation occupies a central place in the Nag Hammadi writings. Plato’s conception of the homoiosis theo or “likeness to god” fits very well this dynamic view of man, since it optimistically claims the possibility of human development and progress. Plato’s dialogues are far from offering a univocal exposition of how this progress was fulfilled, but later Platonists show a rather systematizing tendency. The present paper provides an overview of the homoiosis theo in the Platonic dialogues and evaluates its appropriation by both Middle Platonism and the world of Gnosis. It also offers an exposition and analysis of those Nag Hammadi writings that may allow a proper understanding of the meaning and goal of the homoiosis theo in this collection of texts.
Chironomus polonicus sp. n. (Diptera: Chironomidae) from southern Poland
Authors: MICHAILOVA PARASKEVA , KOWNACKI ANDRZEJ , LANGTON PETER H.
Published: January 2013

The paper describes larval, pupal and adult morphology as well as the karyotype of Chironomus polonicus sp. n. from southern Poland. The material has been obtained from reared egg masses collected in Bolesław pool, near Kraków. The species belongs to the pseudothummi cytocomplex with 2n = 8 and chromosome arm combinations AE, BF, CD, G. Several homozygous inversions distinguish arm A of the new species from that of C. pseudothummi Strenzke. Arm F is similar to that of C. aprilinus Meigen and differs from it by few steps of homozygous inversions. Few morphological differences in the pupa and adult are also presented.
Nematodes from the caecum and colon of Pogonomys (Muridae: Anisomyini) from Papua New Guinea with the descriptions of a new genus of Oxyuridae (Nematoda: Oxyurida) and a new species of Trichuridae (Nematoda: Enoplida)
Authors: SMALES L. R.
Published: January 2013

Nematodes, comprising 2 species, a new genus from the family Syphaciidae and a new species from the family Trichuridae were collected from the lower digestive tracts of 4 species of Pogonomys; P. championi, Flannery (12 individuals), P. loriae, Thomas (14 individuals), P. macrourus, (Milne Edwards) (19 individuals) and P. sylvestris, Thomas (27 individuals) from Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Pogonomicola rugala n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other genera in the Sypaciidae in having cervical alae with numerous folds and a single weakly defined mamelon. Trichuris germani n. sp. differs from all congeners, including the cosmopolitan T. muris, the only other trichurid reported from the region, by the lengths of the spicules and vagina, the ratio of anterior to posterior body length and the number of convolutions of the testis. The genus Pogonomys, with four species from four nematode families had a relatively rich helminth fauna in the lower digestive tract compared to other ansomyins studied. The Oxyuridae, with three genera comprising 5 species was the dominant group found in the lower digestive tract of the Anisomyini, indicating the possibility that the isolation of the old endemic rodents in New Guinea has been associated with a period of coevolution between anisomyin hosts and their syphaciine parasites.
An annotated catalogue of the New World Therevidae (Insecta: Diptera: Asiloidea)
Authors: WEBB DONALD W. , GAIMARI STEPHEN D. , HAUSER MARTIN , HOLSTON KEVIN C. , METZ MARK A. , IRWIN MICHAEL E. , KAMPMEIER GAIL E. , ALGMIN KRISTIN
Published: January 2013

The genera and species of New World stiletto flies (Diptera: Therevidae) are listed, with annotated references to nomenclature, synonymies and generic combinations, type localities, the primary type depositories, distribution, and citations for the most recent revisions. The genus Cyclotelus Walker, 1850 (along with its synonyms Furcifera Kröber, 1911, and Epomyia Cole, 1923a) is synonymized under Cerocatus Rondani, 1848. Ectinorhynchus fascipennis Kröber, 1911 is given the new name Cerocatus rondanii Gaimari, and Phycus rufiventris Kröber, 1911 is given the new name Cerocatus raspii Hauser. Phycus analis Kröber, 1911 and Phycus bicolor Kröber, 1911, are placed as new combinations in Cerocatus Rondani, as are the following species that were previously in combination with Cyclotelus: Furcifera achaeta Malloch, 1932, Cyclotelus badicrusus Irwin and Webb, 1992, Phycus beckeri Kröber, 1911, Epomyia bella Cole, 1923a, Furcifera braziliana Cole, 1960a, Cyclotelus colei Irwin and Lyneborg, 1981a, Thereva diversipes Kröber, 1911, Thereva fascipennis Macquart, 1846a, Psilocephala femorata Kröber, 1911, Furcifera flavipes Kröber, 1928b, Furcifera hardyi Cole, 1960a, Furcifera kroeberi Cole, 1960a, Cyclotelus laetus Walker, 1850, Furcifera longicornis Kröber, 1911, Cyclotelus nigroflammus Walker, 1850, Psilocephala nigrifrons Kröber, 1914a, Thereva pictipennis Wiedemann, 1821, Furcifera polita Kröber, 1911, Cyclotelus pruinosus Walker, 1850, Thereva ruficornis Macquart, 1841a, Psilocephala rufiventris Loew, 1869, Thereva scutellaris Walker, 1857, Cyclotelus silacrusus Irwin and Webb, 1992, Cyclotelus socius Walker, 1850 and Psilocephala sumichrasti Bellardi, 1861. Dialineura pallidiventris Malloch, 1932, Melanothereva blackmani Oldroyd, 1968, Thereva maculicornis Jaennicke, 1867 and Thereva notabilis Macquart, 1841a are placed as new combinations in Entesia Oldroyd. Henicomyia amazonica Irwin and Webb, 1992 is a new synonym of Henicomyia flava Lyneborg, 1972. Henicomyia varipes Kröber, 1912a is given revised species status from former synonymy withHenicomyia hubbardii Coquillett, 1898.
Black students’ recollections of pathways to resilience: Lessons for school psychologists
Authors: Theron Linda C.
Published: January 2013

Drawing on narrative data from a multiple case study, I recount the life stories of two resilient Black South African university students to theorize about the processes that encouraged these students, familiar with penury and parental illiteracy, to resile. I aimed to uncover lessons for school psychologists about resilience, and their role in its promotion, from these students’ recollections. To this end, I first synthesize what the resilience literature reports as generic processes of resilience. Thereafter, I illustrate how these processes were common to the students’ stories of resilience, drawing attention to how Africentricism shaped these processes. The understanding of resilience that flows from this case study illustrates the more recent contentions that resilience theory needs to account for the influence of culture on positive adjustment and translate this into culturally sensitive interventions towards resilience. The broad implications for school psychologists include recognition that resilience processes are nuanced by the socio-cultural ecology in which youths are situated and awareness that resilience processes require multiple ecosystemic partners. For school psychologists working with students of African descent, the importance of understanding how resilience processes are informed by an Africentric world view is foregrounded, along with attentiveness to the caveats implicit in this lesson.
Management of the Incus Body in Ossiculoplasty
Authors: Capra Gregory G. , Ge Xianxi , Balough Ben J. , Shah Anil N. , Turner Sam , Mullin David P. , Pfannenstiel Travis J.
Published: January 2013

Objective

(1) Evaluate the sound transfer impact of removal of the incus body in ossicular chain reconstruction (OCR) using an incus strut prosthesis. (2) Provide basic science data to assist clinical decision making in ossiculoplasty.

Study Design

Basic science.

Setting

Cadaveric temporal bone research laboratory.

Subjects and Methods

Ossicular chain reconstruction with an incus strut prosthesis was performed on 7 human temporal bones with and without the incus body. The difference in round window membrane (RWM) peak‐to‐peak displacements (90‐dB sound pressure level, 250‐8000 Hz) using single‐point laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) was compared with observed baseline, intact ossicular chain values.

Results

Comparing OCR using an incus strut prosthesis to an intact ossicular chain across all 7 temporal bones, the largest differences in RWM velocity occurred at 1011 and 2011 Hz. With increasing frequencies, RWM velocities of the OCR approached the intact ossicular chain. Using a Wilcoxon rank‐sum test comparing the ossicular chain with and without the incus body showed no statistically significant difference across all frequencies (P =. 925). Removing the incus body resulted in improved median RWM velocity (×10−2 mm/s) by 0.6 at 1011 Hz and a decrease of 0.6 at 2011 Hz. A rank‐sum test to evaluate the difference at 1011 and 2011 Hz did not demonstrate statistical significance.

Conclusion

Removal of the incus body in OCR using an incus strut prosthesis did not significantly change sound transfer function of the middle ear relative to its preservation. Our data suggest the impact of the retained mass in OCR to be minimal.
Shadow lives
Authors: Brittain Victoria
Published: January 2013

For years, families and friends have run campaigns in the UK to prevent the extradition to the US of a number of Muslim men of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent, two of whom are British nationals, to face ‘terror’ charges. (They should, if there is evidence against them, be tried in the UK.) The author, in a chapter from her forthcoming book, Shadow Lives, examines the impact of such terror laws on families of suspects. Here, the physical and emotional toll of the incarceration pending extradition (of eight and six years, respectively) on the British families of Babar Ahmad and Syed Talha Ahsan is examined in detail. Both men are accused of providing ‘material support for terrorism’ via the website Azzam.com , which was hosted in the US. Brittain, who has spent many years supporting such families, presents an account, often in their own words, of their experiences of loss, acute anxiety and the long fight for justice.
Reconceptualizing and Theorizing “Omnivorousness”
Authors: Lizardo Omar , Skiles Sara
Published: January 2013

Scores of sociological studies have provided evidence for the association between broad cultural taste, or omnivorousness, and various status characteristics, such as education, occupation, and age. Nevertheless, the literature lacks a consistent theoretical foundation with which to understand and organize these empirical findings. In this article, we offer such a framework, suggesting that a mechanism-based approach is helpful for examination of the origins of the omnivore-univore taste pattern as well as its class-based distribution. We reground the discussion of this phenomenon in Distinction (Bourdieu 1984), conceptualizing omnivorous taste as a transposable form of the aesthetic disposition available most readily to individuals who convert early aesthetic training into high cultural capital occupational trajectories. After outlining the genetic mechanisms that link the aesthetic disposition to early socialization trajectories, we identify two relational mechanisms that modulate its manifestation (either enhancing or inhibiting it) after early socialization.
Scaling Writing Ability
Authors: Dryer Dylan B.
Published: January 2013

This analysis of 83 scoring rubrics and grade definitions from writing programs at U.S. public research universities captures the current state of the struggle to define and measure specific writing traits, and it enables an induction of the underlying theoretical construct of “academic writing” present at these writing programs. Findings suggest that writing specialists have managed to permeate U.S. first-year writing assessment with certain progressive assumptions about writing and writing instruction, but they also indicate critical areas for revision, given such documents’ critical gatekeeping role at postsecondary institutions. The study also raises a broader question about the difficulties of rhetorically constructing “writing ability” in a way that is consistent with the contextualist paradigm dominant in contemporary writing studies.
Response Rate and Nonresponse Bias - Impact of the Number of Contact Attempts on Data Quality in the European Social Survey
Authors: Fuchs Marek , Bossert Dayana , Stukowski Sabrina
Published: January 2013

Increasing respondent contact problems and decreasing respondent willingness to cooperate have contributed to declining response rates in general population surveys, which has raised concerns of survey accuracy. To counteract nonresponse, several methods have been employed, including incentives, advanced letters, alternative survey modes for reluctant respondents, and increased field efforts to contact potential respondents. In particular, the number of contact attempts has been increased for many surveys. Even though more contact attempts increase survey costs, they are a reliable means for increasing response rates. However, the assumption that high response rates foster data quality and smaller nonresponse bias has been challenged. In this paper, we used contact data from the European Social Survey for Norway, Finland and Slovenia to see whether or not additional contact attempts resulting in a higher response rate can potentially reduce nonresponse bias.
Justice, Inequality, and the Market: Soviet Sociology in the Transition to Capitalism
Authors: Grant-Friedman Andrea
Published: January 2013

This essay examines the role played by Soviet sociology in the USSR’s transition to capitalism. It analyzes the discipline’s contribution to the critique of Soviet socio-economic life during the 1980s, identifying the emergence of two divergent viewpoints within Soviet sociology over the relationship between inequality, the market, and the goals of a socialist society. The essay explores how these viewpoints intersected with the implementation of economic reforms by the Gorbachev regime, arguing that the dominant forces within Soviet sociology ultimately helped the party-state bureaucracy craft the legitimizing ideology of perestroika by insisting that growing social inequality and market-based mechanisms of distribution were the very embodiment of socialism. After enduring a politically fraught and semi-pariah existence for much of its history, Soviet sociology enjoyed a belle epoque as it helped the ruling elite navigate the transition to capitalism.
Attentional-Tracking Acuity Is Modulated by Illusory Changes in Perceived Speed
Authors: Marinovic Welber , Pearce Samuel L. , Arnold Derek H.
Published: January 2013

Many activities, such as driving or playing sports, require simultaneous monitoring of multiple, often moving, objects. Such situations tap people’s ability to attend selected objects without tracking them with their eyes—this is known as attentional tracking. It has been established that attentional tracking can be affected by the physical speed of a moving target. In the experiments reported here, we showed that this effect is primarily due to apparent speeds, as opposed to physical speeds. We used sensory adaptation—in this case, prolonged exposure to adapting stimuli moving faster or slower than standard test stimuli—to modulate perceived speed. We found performance decrements and increments for apparently sped and slowed test stimuli when participants attempted attentional tracking. Our data suggest that both perceived speed and the acuity of attention for moving objects reflect a ratio of responses in low-pass and band-pass temporal-frequency channels in human vision.
Interpreters of the Dead
Authors: Moon Claire
Published: January 2013

Forensic anthropology makes particular professional claims – scientific, probative, humanitarian, historical, political and deterrent – which attempt to finalise interpretations of the past. However, I argue that these claims conceal a range of contests and conflicts around the social, political, legal and scientific significance of human remains. I look at the ways in which forensic work is embedded within a network of artefacts, actors and institutions that have different stakes in the interpretation of the past. I analyse conflicts over human remains by positing them as ‘boundary objects’ with agency, in which a number of communities are invested and show how forensic knowledge does not finalise, but interacts with social, political and historical interpretations of past violence in ways that are both conflicted and unpredictable.
Computational analysis of fluid–structure interaction based blast-mitigation effects
Authors: Grujicic M , Snipes JS , Chandrasekharan N
Published: January 2013

Advanced non-linear dynamics, finite element computational methods and tools are utilized in order to assess the blast wave mitigation potential of the fluid–structure interaction phenomena involving rigid and deformable structures. The employed computational methods and tools are verified and validated by first demonstrating that they can quite accurately reproduce analytical solutions for a couple of well-defined blast wave propagation and interaction problems. Then the methods/tools are used to investigate the fluid–structure interaction phenomena involving deformable structures while accounting for both the interaction of the incident blast wave with the structure and for the structure-motion induced blast wave (at the back-face of the structure). To assess the role of the structure deformability, i.e. the role of the shock waves generated within the structure, the results obtained are compared with their rigid structure counterparts. This comparison established that no additional structure-deformability-related blast-mitigation effects are observed in the case of fully supported blast wave loading while, under exponentially decaying blast wave loading, such effects are observed but only under conditions when the shock wave propagation time within the structure is comparable with the incident wave decay time.
The psychic life of resistance: The ethnic subject in a high-tech region
Authors: Barinaga Ester
Published: January 2013

The last 20 years have seen a flood of studies of resistance, ranging from collective to individual acts of resistance, from the study of material aspects to its more ideational ones. Yet students of resistance have neglected the psychological dimension of everyday individual acts of resistance to power. This article is a first step to remedy that oversight. Inspired by Butler’s reading of Foucault’s notion of power at work in subjection and resistance, the article uses Goffman to substantiate such an account. Based on a 20-month ethnographic study of a traditional immigrant suburb north of Stockholm, Sweden, which is being redeveloped into a high-tech region, it offers empirical insight into the psychic life of resistance. Further, a particular resistance strategy is identified: symbolic dislocations through adherence to a boundary other than the one subjecting the self in the first place.
Diaphragmatic Nerve Palsy After Cardiac Surgery in Children in Egypt
Authors: Tantawy Amira Esmat El , Imam Soha , Shawky Hisham , Salah Tarek
Published: January 2013

Introduction: Diaphragmatic paralysis (DP) due to phrenic nerve injury is a complication which occurs in association with congenital cardiac surgery and may be a life-threatening event in infants and young children. Information about this complication is still scarce from the developing countries. Methods: Retrospective study evaluated the incidence of DP among 414 patients who underwent congenital cardiac surgery in Abo Elriesh Children’s Specialized Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt, in the duration from April 2009 to December 2011. Results: Incidence of DP was 3.6% (15 of 414 cases). Median age of affected patients was 10 months (ranged from 1 month to 13 years). Diagnosis of DP was observed after ventricular septal defect repair (3.9%), Glenn anastomosis (8.6%), Tetralogy of Fallot repair (4.3%), Senning operation (10%), arterial switch operation (3.2%), Fontan procedure (33%), coarctation of the aorta repair (7%), and pulmonary artery banding (6.4%). Diaphragmatic plication was performed in 4 of 15 cases. Patients with DP had significantly prolonged mechanical ventilation duration as compared to unaffected patients (median 120, range 48-600 vs 4, range 0-48 hours, P < .000). They also had a higher incidence of nosocomial pneumonia in 8 of 15 (53%) cases, longer duration of intensive care unit stay (median 15, range 4-62 days, P < .006), and significant mortality in 7 of 15 (46%; P < .004). Mortality among patients who underwent diaphragm plication was 1 of 4 (25%). Conclusion: Diaphragmatic paralysis is a relatively rare complication of congenital cardiac surgery in children. Its occurrence is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A high index of clinical suspicion, utilization of bedside diagnostic tools, and a policy of early plication for certain patients may lead to improved outcomes.
Fanconi anemia proteins interact with CtBP1 and modulate the expression of the Wnt antagonist Dickkopf-1
Authors: Huard Caroline C. , Tremblay Cédric S. , Helsper Kathrin , Delisle Marie-Chantal , Schindler Detlev , Lévesque Georges , Carreau Madeleine
Published: January 2013

Key Points

CtBP1 and FA proteins interact together and are implicated in the regulation of the Wnt antagonist Dickkopf-1
MicroRNA regulate immunological pathways in T-cells in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Authors: Jernås Margareta , Nookaew Intawat , Wadenvik Hans , Olsson Bob
Published: January 2013

Key Points

MicroRNA and plasma levels of the target gene CXCL13 differ between ITP and controls indicating that microRNA may be important in ITP.
Hepatoma-derived growth factor and nucleolin exist in the same ribonucleoprotein complex
Authors: Bremer Stephanie , Klein Katharina , Sedlmaier Angela , Abouzied Mekky , Gieselmann Volkmar , Franken Sebastian
Published: January 2013

Background

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a protein which is highly expressed in a variety of tumours. HDGF has mitogenic, angiogenic, neurotrophic and antiapoptotic activity but the molecular mechanisms by which it exerts these activities are largely unknown nor has its biological function in tumours been elucidated. Mass spectrometry was performed to analyse the HDGFStrep-tag interactome. By Pull–down-experiments using different protein and nucleic acid constructs the interaction of HDGF and nucleolin was investigated further.

Results

A number of HDGFStrep-tag copurifying proteins were identified which interact with RNA or are involved in the cellular DNA repair machinery. The most abundant protein, however, copurifying with HDGF in this approach was nucleolin. Therefore we focus on the characterization of the interaction of HDGF and nucleolin in this study. We show that expression of a cytosolic variant of HDGF causes a redistribution of nucleolin into the cytoplasm. Furthermore, formation of HDGF/nucleolin complexes depends on bcl-2 mRNA. Overexpression of full length bcl-2 mRNA increases the number of HDGF/nucleolin complexes whereas expression of only the bcl-2 coding sequence abolishes interaction completely. Further examination reveals that the coding sequence of bcl-2 mRNA together with either the 5′ or 3′ UTR is sufficient for formation of HDGF/nucleolin complexes. When bcl-2 coding sequence within the full length cDNA is replaced by a sequence coding for secretory alkaline phosphatase complex formation is not enhanced.

Conclusion

The results provide evidence for the existence of HDGF and nucleolin containing nucleoprotein complexes which formation depends on the presence of specific mRNAs. The nature of these RNAs and other components of the complexes should be investigated in future.
Association of cardiovascular response to an acute resistance training session with the ACE gene polymorphism in sedentary women: a randomized trial
Authors: de Souza Jéssica Cardoso , Tibana Ramires Alsamir , de Sousa Nuno Manuel Frade , de Souza Vinícius Carolino , Karnikowski Margô G O , Prestes Jonato , Campbell Carmen Silvia Grubert
Published: January 2013

Background

The aim of the present study was to verify the effects of an acute resistance training (RT) session and insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) on systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP), and heart rate (HR).

Methods

The sample consisted of 27 sedentary women (33.3 ± 8.2 yrs; 69.1 ± 13.8 kg; 1.57 ± 0.05 m; 27.6 ± 5.1 kg/m2) divided into two groups according to their polymorphism I/D (DD = 9; II + ID = 18). Volunteers underwent two experimental sessions: RT – an acute session performed with three sets at 60% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) interspersed with 1 minute rest interval between exercises and sets, and a control session (CON) in which they remained seated for 30 minutes in the laboratory. SBP, DBP, MBP and HR were measured before exercise and during one hour every 10 minutes after sessions, in the seated position. A two-way ANOVA for repeated measures with Tukey’s post hoc test was used for the intra and inter-group comparisons.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences on SBP, DBP and MBP after the experimental protocols, and no effect of ACE polymorphism (P > 0.05). However, comparing CON versus exercise effect size values (ES), homozygotic carriers of the allele D presented a drop in SBP which was considered moderate, while in allele I carriers it was small, 30 minutes after exercise. In MBP, homozygotic D carriers exhibited a large ES 20 minutes post-exercise. HR was higher at 10, 20 and 30 minutes after exercise as compared to pre-exercise only for carriers of the I allele (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Therefore, an acute RT session reduces clinical BP. In addition to this; it seems that ACE polymorphism had some influence on cardiovascular response to exercise.

Trial Registration

RBR-6GDYVZ
Impact of plain packaging of tobacco products on smoking in adults and children: an elicitation of international experts’ estimates
Authors: Pechey Rachel , Spiegelhalter David , Marteau Theresa M
Published: January 2013

Background

Governments sometimes face important decisions in the absence of direct evidence. In these cases, expert elicitation methods can be used to quantify uncertainty. We report the results of an expert elicitation study regarding the likely impact on smoking rates in adults and children of plain packaging of tobacco products.

Methods

Thirty-three tobacco control experts were recruited from the UK (n = 14), Australasia (n = 12) and North America (n = 7). Experts’ estimates were individually elicited via telephone interviews, and then linearly pooled. Elicited estimates consisted of (1) the most likely, (2) the highest possible, and (3) the lowest possible value for the percentage of (a) adult smokers and (b) children trying smoking, two years after the introduction of plain packaging (all other things being constant) in a target country in the expert’s region of residence.

Results

The median estimate for the impact on adult smoking prevalence was a 1 percentage point decline (99% range 2.25 to 0), and for the percentage of children trying smoking was a 3 percentage point decline (99% range 6.1 to 0), the latter estimated impact being larger than the former (P < 0.001, sign test). There were no differences in either estimate by region (I2: Adults: 0; Children: 0) but there was considerable variability between experts’ estimates within regions (I2: Adults: 0.91; Children: 0.89).

Conclusions

In the absence of direct evidence for the impact of introducing plain packaging on smoking rates in adults and children, this study shows that tobacco control experts felt the most likely outcomes would be a reduction in smoking prevalence in adults, and a greater reduction in the numbers of children trying smoking, although there was substantial variability in the estimated size of these impacts. No experts judged an increase in smoking as a likely outcome.
Hydrogen-driven asymmetric reduction of hydroxyacetone to (R)-1,2-propanediol by Ralstonia eutropha transformant expressing alcohol dehydrogenase from Kluyveromyces lactis
Authors: Oda Takahiro , Oda Koji , Yamamoto Hiroaki , Matsuyama Akinobu , Ishii Masaharu , Igarashi Yasuo , Nishihara Hirofumi
Published: January 2013

Background

Conversion of industrial processes to more nature-friendly modes is a crucial subject for achieving sustainable development. Utilization of hydrogen-oxidation reactions by hydrogenase as a driving force of bioprocess reaction can be an environmentally ideal method because the reaction creates no pollutants. We expressed NAD-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase from Kluyveromyces lactis in a hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium: Ralstonia eutropha. This is the first report of hydrogen-driven in vivo coupling reaction of the alcohol dehydrogenase and indigenous soluble NAD-reducing hydrogenase. Asymmetric reduction of hydroxyacetone to (R)-1,2-propanediol, which is a commercial building block for antibacterial agents, was performed using the transformant as the microbial cell catalyst.

Results

The two enzymes coupled in vitro in vials without a marked decrease of reactivity during the 20 hr reaction because of the hydrogenase reaction, which generates no by-product that affects enzymes. Alcohol dehydrogenase was expressed functionally in R. eutropha in an activity level equivalent to that of indigenous NAD-reducing hydrogenase under the hydrogenase promoter. The hydrogen-driven in vivo coupling reaction proceeded only by the transformant cell without exogenous addition of a cofactor. The decrease of reaction velocity at higher concentration of hydroxyacetone was markedly reduced by application of an in vivo coupling system. Production of (R)-1,2-propanediol (99.8% e.e.) reached 67.7 g/l in 76 hr with almost a constant rate using a jar fermenter. The reaction velocity under 10% PH2 was almost equivalent to that under 100% hydrogen, indicating the availability of crude hydrogen gas from various sources. The in vivo coupling system enabled cell-recycling as catalysts.

Conclusions

Asymmetric reduction of hydroxyacetone by a coupling reaction of the two enzymes continued in both in vitro and in vivo systems in the presence of hydrogen. The in vivo reaction system using R. eutropha transformant expressing heterologous alcohol dehydrogenase showed advantages for practical usage relative to the in vitro coupling system. The results suggest a hopeful perspective of the hydrogen-driven bioprocess as an environmentally outstanding method to achieve industrial green innovation. Hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria can be useful hosts for the development of hydrogen-driven microbial cell factories.
Interactions of miR-323/miR-326/miR-329 and miR-130a/miR-155/miR-210 as prognostic indicators for clinical outcome of glioblastoma patients
Authors: Qiu Shuwei , Lin Sheng , Hu Dan , Feng Yimin , Tan Yang , Peng Ying
Published: January 2013

Background

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive brain tumor with poor clinical outcome. Identification and development of new markers could be beneficial for the diagnosis and prognosis of GBM patients. Deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) is involved in GBM. Therefore, we attempted to identify and develop specific miRNAs as prognostic and predictive markers for GBM patient survival.

Methods

Expression profiles of miRNAs and genes and the corresponding clinical information of 480 GBM samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset were downloaded and interested miRNAs were identified. Patients’ overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) associated with interested miRNAs and miRNA-interactions were performed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The impacts of miRNA expressions and miRNA-interactions on survival were evaluated by Cox proportional hazard regression model. Biological processes and network of putative and validated targets of miRNAs were analyzed by bioinformatics.

Results

In this study, 6 interested miRNAs were identified. Survival analysis showed that high levels of miR-326/miR-130a and low levels of miR-323/miR-329/miR-155/miR-210 were significantly associated with long OS of GBM patients, and also showed that high miR-326/miR-130a and low miR-155/miR-210 were related with extended PFS. Moreover, miRNA-323 and miRNA-329 were found to be increased in patients with no-recurrence or long time to progression (TTP). More notably, our analysis revealed miRNA-interactions were more specific and accurate to discriminate and predict OS and PFS. This interaction stratified OS and PFS related with different miRNA levels more detailed, and could obtain longer span of mean survival in comparison to that of one single miRNA. Moreover, miR-326, miR-130a, miR-155, miR-210 and 4 miRNA-interactions were confirmed for the first time as independent predictors for survival by Cox regression model together with clinicopathological factors: Age, Gender and Recurrence. Plus, the availability and rationality of the miRNA-interaction as predictors for survival were further supported by analysis of network, biological processes, KEGG pathway and correlation analysis with gene markers.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrates that miR-326, miR-130a, miR-155, miR-210 and the 4 miRNA-interactions could serve as prognostic and predictive markers for survival of GBM patients, suggesting a potential application in improvement of prognostic tools and treatments.
Postnatally-transmitted HIV-1 Envelope variants have similar neutralization-sensitivity and function to that of nontransmitted breast milk variants
Authors: Fouda Genevieve G , Mahlokozera Tatenda , Salazar-Gonzalez Jesus F , Salazar Maria G , Learn Gerald , Kumar Surender B , Dennison S Moses , Russell Elizabeth , Rizzolo Katherine , Jaeger Frederick , Cai Fangping , Vandergrift Nathan A , Gao Feng , Hahn Beatrice , Shaw George M , Ochsenbauer Christina , Swanstrom Ronald , Meshnick Steve , Mwapasa Victor , Kalilani Linda , Fiscus Susan , Montefiori David , Haynes Barton , Kwiek Jesse , Alam S Munir , Permar Sallie R
Published: January 2013

Background

Breastfeeding is a leading cause of infant HIV-1 infection in the developing world, yet only a minority of infants exposed to HIV-1 via breastfeeding become infected. As a genetic bottleneck severely restricts the number of postnatally-transmitted variants, genetic or phenotypic properties of the virus Envelope (Env) could be important for the establishment of infant infection. We examined the efficiency of virologic functions required for initiation of infection in the gastrointestinal tract and the neutralization sensitivity of HIV-1 Env variants isolated from milk of three postnatally-transmitting mothers (n=13 viruses), five clinically-matched nontransmitting mothers (n=16 viruses), and seven postnatally-infected infants (n = 7 postnatally-transmitted/founder (T/F) viruses).

Results

There was no difference in the efficiency of epithelial cell interactions between Env virus variants from the breast milk of transmitting and nontransmitting mothers. Moreover, there was similar efficiency of DC-mediated trans-infection, CCR5-usage, target cell fusion, and infectivity between HIV-1 Env-pseudoviruses from nontransmitting mothers and postnatal T/F viruses. Milk Env-pseudoviruses were generally sensitive to neutralization by autologous maternal plasma and resistant to breast milk neutralization. Infant T/F Env-pseudoviruses were equally sensitive to neutralization by broadly-neutralizing monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies as compared to nontransmitted breast milk Env variants.

Conclusion

Postnatally-T/F Env variants do not appear to possess a superior ability to interact with and cross a mucosal barrier or an exceptional resistance to neutralization that define their capability to initiate infection across the infant gastrointestinal tract in the setting of preexisting maternal antibodies.
No association between XMRV or related gammaretroviruses in Australian prostate cancer patients
Authors: Rezaei Simin D , Hearps Anna C , Mills John , Pedersen John , Tachedjian Gilda
Published: January 2013

Background

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is a gammaretrovirus reported to be associated with prostate cancer (PC) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). While the association of XMRV with CFS and PC has recently been discredited, no studies have been performed in Australian patients to investigate the association between PC and XMRV or related murine leukemia virus (MLV) in matched PC and normal tissue.

Methods

Genomic DNA (gDNA) was purified from matched normal and cancer formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) prostate tissue from 35 Australian PC patients with Gleason scores ranging from 7 – 10. The presence of the ribonuclease L (RNase L) polymorphism R462Q was determined by allele specific PCR. Samples were screened for XMRV and related murine leukemia virus (MLV) variants by qPCR. Contaminating mouse DNA was detected using qPCR targeting mouse intracisternal A particle long terminal repeat DNA.

Results

gDNA was successfully purified from 94% (66/70) of normal and cancer FFPE prostate tissues. RNase L typing revealed 8% were homozygous (QQ), 60% were heterozygous (RQ) and 32% were wild-type (RR) for the RNase L mutation. None of the 66 samples tested were positive for XMRV or related MLV sequences using broad MLV or XMRV specific primers with detection sensitivities of 1 viral copy of MLV/XMRV and XMRV DNA, respectively.

Conclusions

Using highly sensitive qPCR we found no evidence of XMRV or related gammaretroviruses in prostate tissues from 35 Australian PC patients. Our findings are consistent with other studies demonstrating that XMRV is a laboratory contaminant that has no role in the aetiology of PC.
Bovine papillomavirus E5 and E7 oncoproteins in naturally occurring tumors: are two better than one?
Authors: Corteggio Annunziata , Altamura Gennaro , Roperto Franco , Borzacchiello Giuseppe
Published: January 2013

Bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) are oncogenic DNA viruses, which mainly induce benign lesions of cutaneous and/or mucosal epithelia in cattle. Thirteen (BPV 1–13) different viral genotypes have been characterized so far. BPVs are usually species-specific but BPV 1/2 may also infect equids as well as buffaloes and bison and cause tumors in these species. BPV-induced benign lesions usually regress, however occasionally they develop into cancer particularly in the presence of environmental carcinogenic co-factors. The major transforming protein of BPV is E5, a very short hydrophobic, transmembrane protein with many oncogenic activities. E5 contributes to cell transformation through the activation of the cellular β receptor for the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFβ-r), it also decreases cell surface expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) causing viral escape from immunosurveillance, and plays a role in the inhibition of the intracellular communication by means of aberrant connexin expression. E7 is considered as a weak transforming gene, it synergies with E5 in cell transformation during cancer development. E7 expression correlates in vivo with the over-expression of β1-integrin, which plays a role in the regulation of keratinocytes proliferation and differentiation. Additionally, E7 is involved in cell-mediated immune responses leading to tumour rejection, in anoikis process by direct binding to p600, and in invasion process by upregulation of Matrix metalloproteinase1 (MMP-1) expression. Studies on the role of BPV E5 and E7 oncoproteins in naturally occurring tumours are of scientific value, as they may shed new light on the biological role of these two oncogenes in cell transformation.
A Theory of Optimal Quality Reports with Inertia
Authors: Suh Jeongmeen
Published: January 2013

This article investigates optimal quality report design problems in a dynamic context when the service providers have moral hazard problem. I use a two-period repeated contest model between two firms in an attempt to attain a relatively better rating since a better rating leads to a bigger market share. The quality report agency calculates a firm's current rating with the inspected quality of the firm's service and carried-over advantage from the firm's past rating. The size of this advantage is the agency's control variable and models the degree of inertia in the scoring rule. The result shows that how much inertia a scoring rule is required to have, depends on several market characteristics such as the uncertainty in quality production, the consumers switching costs, and the quality investment persistency.
Determining Public Provision of Education Services in a Sequential Education Process
Authors: Romero J. Gabriel
Published: January 2013

This paper applies a political economy approach to the study of the endogenous determination of the size and composition of a public education budget. In this model, there are two education stages: the first is compulsory, while advanced education is optional. Parents decide on the education policy by a majority vote, children attend schools and then decide whether to get advanced education. This paper shows that even in a simple scenario where only public education is available, children's college-attendance decisions may lead the single-crossing condition to fail, which indicates that a majority voting equilibrium may not exist. In a scenario where individuals can opt for private education services, the model provides necessary and sufficient conditions for an equilibrium of the "ends-against-the-middle" type, where the poor are decisive. An implication of this result is that the opting-out feature of education may improve the welfare of the poor.
Testing for Structural Change in Heterogeneous Panels with an Application to the Euro's Trade Effect
Authors: Pauwels Laurent L. , Chan Felix , Mancini Griffoli Tommaso
Published: January 2013

This paper presents a structural change test for panel data models in which the break (or the change) affects some, but not all, cross-section units in the panel. The test is robust to non-normal, heteroskedastic and autocorrelated errors, as well as end-of-sample structural change. The test amounts to computing and comparing pre- and post-break sample statistics as Chow (1960) type F statistics averaged over cross-section units. The cases of known and unknown break date are both considered. Under mild assumptions, the test has a limiting standard normal distribution as the number of cross-sections tends to infinity. Monte Carlo experiments show that the test has good size and power under a wide range of circumstances, including when the break date is unknown and differs across individual units, and when errors exhibit cross-section dependence. Finally, the test is illustrated by seeking a break in the dynamics of trade among euro area countries following the introduction of the euro.
Plateau's problem for integral currents in locally non-compact metric spaces
Authors: Wenger Stefan
Published: January 2013

The purpose of this article is to prove existence of mass minimizing integral currents with prescribed possibly non-compact boundary in all dual Banach spaces and furthermore in certain spaces without linear structure, such as injective metric spaces and Hadamard spaces. We furthermore prove a weak*-compactness theorem for integral currents in dual spaces of separable Banach spaces. Our theorems generalize results of Ambrosio–Kirchheim, Lang, the author, and recent results of Ambrosio–Schmidt.
Desensitization of axially asymmetric optical systems
Authors: Yabe Akira
Published: January 2013

Axially asymmetric optical systems treated in this paper contain both freeform surfaces and spheres. In these systems, freeform surfaces need to be allocated at the most effective position. The problem can be elegantly solved with the method of traveling freeform surfaces. The purpose of this paper is to show that the sensitivity control can be included in this design process.
Extrinsic aberrations in optical imaging systems
Authors: Sasián José
Published: January 2013

This paper discusses extrinsic aberrations in optical systems and provides formulas for their computation. Extrinsic aberrations result when two optical systems are combined, and there is a mismatch between the exit pupil of the first system and the entrance pupil of the second system. Some significant aberration corrections can take place as a result of extrinsic aberrations.
Sammlung Feibel: Geschichte der Kindersoftware
Authors: Feibel Thomas
Published: January 2013

Der Autor und Medienexperte Thomas Feibel erzählt von den Anfängen der Kindersoftware und wie es zu der größten Kindersoftwaresammlung Deutschlands kam, die heute mit der Game Lounge der Öffentlichkeit mit über 16 000 Titeln zur Verfügung steht.