bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian methods for expression-based integration of various types of genomics data
Authors: Jennings Elizabeth M , Morris Jeffrey S , Carroll Raymond J , Manyam Ganiraju C , Baladandayuthapani Veerabhadran
Published: September 2013

We propose methods to integrate data across several genomic platforms using a hierarchical Bayesian analysis framework that incorporates the biological relationships among the platforms to identify genes whose expression is related to clinical outcomes in cancer. This integrated approach combines information across all platforms, leading to increased statistical power in finding these predictive genes, and further provides mechanistic information about the manner in which the gene affects the outcome. We demonstrate the advantages of the shrinkage estimation used by this approach through a simulation, and finally, we apply our method to a Glioblastoma Multiforme dataset and identify several genes potentially associated with the patients’ survival. We find 12 positive prognostic markers associated with nine genes and 13 negative prognostic markers associated with nine genes.
X-linked intellectual disability type Nascimento is a clinically distinct, probably underdiagnosed entity
Authors: Czeschik Johanna Christina , Bauer Peter , Buiting Karin , Dufke Claudia , Guillén-Navarro Encarna , Johnson Diana S , Koehler Udo , López-González Vanesa , Lüdecke Hermann-Josef , Male Alison , Morrogh Deborah , Rieß Angelika , Tzschach Andreas , Wieczorek Dagmar , Kuechler Alma
Published: September 2013

X-linked intellectual disability type Nascimento (MIM #300860), caused by mutations in UBE2A (MIM *312180), is characterized by craniofacial dysmorphism (synophrys, prominent supraorbital ridges, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes, depressed nasal bridge, prominent columella, hypoplastic alae nasi, and macrostomia), skin anomalies (hirsutism, myxedematous appearance, onychodystrophy), micropenis, moderate to severe intellectual disability (ID), motor delay, impaired/absent speech, and seizures. Hitherto only five familial point mutations and four different deletions including UBE2A have been reported in the literature.

We present eight additional individuals from five families with UBE2A associated ID - three males from a consanguineous family, in whom we identified a small deletion of only 7.1 kb encompassing the first three exons of UBE2A, two related males with a UBE2A missense mutation in exon 4, a patient with a de novo nonsense mutation in exon 6, and two sporadic males with larger deletions including UBE2A. All affected male individuals share the typical clinical phenotype, all carrier females are unaffected and presented with a completely skewed X inactivation in blood. We conclude that 1.) X-linked intellectual disability type Nascimento is a clinically very distinct entity that might be underdiagnosed to date. 2.) So far, all females carrying a familial UBE2A aberration have a completely skewed X inactivation and are clinically unaffected. This should be taken in to account when counselling those families. 3.) The coverage of an array should be checked carefully prior to analysis since not all arrays have a sufficient resolution at specific loci, or alternative quantitative methods should be applied not to miss small deletions.
Strong cellulase inhibitors from the hydrothermal pretreatment of wheat straw
Authors: Kont Riin , Kurašin Mihhail , Teugjas Hele , Väljamäe Priit
Published: September 2013

Background

The use of the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose with subsequent fermentation to ethanol provides a green alternative for the production of transportation fuels. Because of its recalcitrant nature, the lignocellulosic biomass must be pretreated before enzymatic hydrolysis. However, the pretreatment often results in the formation of compounds that are inhibitory for the enzymes or fermenting organism. Although well recognized, little quantitative information on the inhibition of individual cellulase components by identified inhibitors is available.

Results

Strong cellulase inhibitors were separated from the liquid fraction of the hydrothermal pretreatment of wheat straw. HPLC and mass-spectroscopy analyses confirmed that the inhibitors were oligosaccharides (inhibitory oligosaccharides, IOS) with a degree of polymerization from 7 to 16. The IOS are composed of a mixture of xylo- (XOS) and gluco-oligosaccharides (GOS). We propose that XOS and GOS are the fragments of the xylan backbone and mixed-linkage β-glucans, respectively. The IOS were approximately 100 times stronger inhibitors for Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases (CBHs) than cellobiose, which is one of the strongest inhibitors of these enzymes reported to date. Inhibition of endoglucanases (EGs) by IOS was weaker than that of CBHs. Most of the tested cellulases and hemicellulases were able to slowly degrade IOS and reduce the inhibitory power of the liquid fraction to some extent. The most efficient single enzyme component here was T. reesei EG Tr Cel7B. Although reduced by the enzyme treatment, the residual inhibitory power of IOS and the liquid fraction was strong enough to silence the major component of the T. reesei cellulase system, CBH Tr Cel7A.

Conclusions

The cellulase inhibitors described here may be responsible for the poor yields from the enzymatic conversion of the whole slurries from lignocellulose pretreatment under conditions that do not favor complete degradation of hemicellulose. Identification of the inhibitory compounds helps to design better enzyme mixtures for their degradation and to optimize the pretreatment regimes to minimize their formation.
Prevalence and risk factors for resistant hypertension among hypertensive patients from a developing country
Authors: Kumara WA Nuwan , Perera Thisara , Dissanayake Mekhala , Ranasinghe Priyanga , Constantine Godwin R
Published: September 2013

Background

To study the prevalence and define deferential risk factors for ‘Resistant’ hypertension (RHT) in a hypertensive population of South Asian origin.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among hypertensive patients attending clinics at the Cardiology Unit, Colombo from July-October 2009. All the patients with hypertension who provided informed written consent were recruited to the study (n = 277). A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. A binary logistic-regression analysis was performed in all patients with ‘presence of RHT’ as the dichotomous dependent variable and other independent co-variants.

Results

Mean age was 61 ± 10.3 years and 50.2% were males. The mean of average systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BP) were 133.04 ± 12.91 mmHg and 81.07 ± 6.41 mmHg respectively. Uncontrolled BP was present in 41.1% (n = 114) of patients, of which RHT was present in 19.1% (n = 53). Uncontrolled BP were due to ‘therapeutic inertia’ in 27.8% of the study population. Those with diabetes mellitus, obesity (BMI > 27.5 kg/m2) and those who were older than 55 years were significantly higher in the RHT group than in the non-RHT group. In the binary logistic regression analysis older age (OR:1.36), longer duration of hypertension (OR:1.76), presence of diabetes mellitus (OR:1.67) and being obese (OR:1.84) were significantly associated with RHT.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of the hypertensive patients were having uncontrolled hypertension. Nearly 1/5th of the population was suffering from RHT, which was significantly associated with the presence of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Therapeutic inertia seems to contribute significantly towards the presence of uncontrolled BP.
Curcumin protection activities against γ-Rays-induced molecular and biochemical lesions
Authors: Tawfik Sameh S , Abouelella Amira M , Shahein Yasser E
Published: September 2013

Background

Curcumin is a yellow-pigment phenolic compound used as a food spice and has a broad spectrum of antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Methods

Radio-protective efficacy of curcumin; diferuloylmethane (C21H20O6) was evaluated using molecular and biochemical assays in male mice after exposure to 3 Gy γ-rays. Curcumin was given at a dose of 400 μmol/ kg body weight via gastric tubes for 5 following days either pre-, post- or both pre- and post-exposure.

Results

The incidence of aberrant cells and aberration types (mostly chromatids, breaks and fragments) was reduced with curcumin dosage as compared to irradiated group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hydroperoxide (HP), xanthine oxidase (XO) and apoptotic markers (DNA- fragmentation and caspase-3 activation) were increased significantly, whereas levels of glutathione (GSH) and the enzymatic antioxidants [Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] were significantly depleted in γ-irradiated mice. Curcumin treatments of mice groups including the 5 days pre-irradiation treated group (protected), the 5 days post-irradiation treated group (treated), and the curcumin treated group 5 days pre- and post-irradiation (protracted), have attenuated the liver toxic effects of γ-rays as manifested by reducing the levels of TBARS, HP, XO and DNA fragmentation. Curcumin has also rescued the depletion of GSH and the enzymatic-antioxidant status.

Conclusions

Curcumin has significant radio-protective and radio-recovery activities in γ-irradiated mice. It has antioxidant potential against γ-rays-induced cytogenetic, molecular and biochemical lesions in mice.
Analysis of 754 Cases of Antithyroid Drug-Induced Agranulocytosis Over 30 Years in Japan
Authors: Nakamura Hirotoshi , Miyauchi Akira , Miyawaki Natsuko , Imagawa Junichi
Published: September 2013

Background:

Agranulocytosis is a rare but serious complication of antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy. Characteristics of agranulocytosis have been reported in only a small number of patients.

Method:

We studied 754 cases of ATD-induced agranulocytosis reported over 30 years. The age distribution and sex ratio were compared with those in 12 503 untreated Graves' patients at Kuma Hospital. The annual number of new Graves' patients in Japan was estimated from the Japan Medical Data Center Data Mart-Pharmacovigilance health insurance receipt database.

Results:

Agranulocytosis developed within 90 days after starting ATD therapy in most patients (84.5%). The methimazole dose given at onset was 25.2 ± 12.8 mg/d (mean ± SD). The mean age was 43.4 ± 15.2 years, and the male to female ratio was 1:6.3. When compared with patients at Kuma Hospital, patients with agranulocytosis were older (P < .001) and more females (P < .0001). Of 211 patients with more than 1 granulocyte measurement before onset, 131 (62%) showed normal counts (>1000/μL) within 2 weeks before onset, demonstrating real sudden onset of agranulocytosis. In contrast, some of the 20 patients with more than 4 measurements showed gradual decreases in granulocyte counts. Analysis of physician reports for 30 fatal cases revealed that some deaths might have been prevented. The number of new Graves' patients treated with ATD was estimated at about 35 000 per year, and the incidence rate of agranulocytosis was 0.1% to 0.15% in Japan.

Conclusion:

This is the largest study of agranulocytosis. Agranulocytosis tends to occur abruptly within 3 months after initiation of ATD therapy, although it develops gradually in some patients. Providing every patient with sufficient information on agranulocytosis is critical.
Low temperatures reduce skin healing in the Jacaré do Pantanal (Caiman yacare, Daudin 1802)
Authors: Pressinotti Leandro Nogueira , Borges Ricardo Moraes , Alves De Lima Angela Paula , Aleixo Victor Manuel , Iunes Renata Stecca , Borges João Carlos Shimada , Cogliati Bruno , Cunha Da Silva José Roberto Machado
Published: September 2013

Studies of skin wound healing in crocodilians are necessary given the frequent occurrence of cannibalism in intensive farming systems. Air temperature affects tissue recovery because crocodilians are ectothermic. Therefore, the kinetics of skin wound healing in Caiman yacare were examined at temperatures of 33°C and 23°C. Sixteen caiman were selected and divided into two groups of eight maintained at 23°C or 33°C. The studied individuals' scars were photographed after 1, 2, 3, 7, 15 and 30 days of the experimental conditions, and samples were collected for histological processing after 3, 7, 15 and 30 days. Macroscopically, the blood clot (heterophilic granuloma) noticeably remained in place covering the wound longer for the caiman kept at 23°C. Microscopically, the temperature of 23°C slowed epidermal migration and skin repair. Comparatively, new blood vessels, labeled using von Willebrand factor (vWF) antibody staining, were more frequently found in the scars of the 33°C group. The collagen fibers in the dermis were denser in the 33°C treatment. Considering the delayed healing at 23°C, producers are recommended to keep wounded animals at 33°C, especially when tanks are cold, to enable rapid wound closure and better repair of collagen fibers because such lesions tend to compromise the use of their skin as leather.
A stem cell proliferation burst forms new layers of P63 expressing suprabasal cells during zebrafish postembryonic epidermal development
Authors: Guzman Aida , Ramos-Balderas Jose L. , Carrillo-Rosas Samantha , Maldonado Ernesto
Published: September 2013

Organ growth during development is a highly regulated process with both temporal and spatial constraints. Epidermal stratification is essential for skin growth and development. Although the zebrafish has been well studied, it is not known when and how epidermal stratification occurs. This is because beyond the first five days of development our knowledge is currently limited. We found that epidermal stratification in zebrafish begins when the larvae reach a standard length (SL) of 6 mm at approximately 25 days of age. Over the next four days (from a SL of 6 to 9 mm), epidermis thickness increases almost four-fold. This represents a sudden increase in organ size, since for the previous 20 days of development, the epidermis has been only two layers thick. This pattern is different from that observed in mammals that undergo continuous stratification from E14.5–E18.5. To study how stem cell proliferation gives rise to the new epidermal layers, we used a combination of markers: one for cell proliferation (proliferating cell nuclear-antigen PCNA) and one for epidermal stem cells (P63 transcription factor). We identified, throughout the stratification process, two different waves of cell division. Initially, the most basal epidermal cells divided and generated a subset of suprabasal cells (possibly transient-amplifying cells); within the next several days, the basal cells stopped dividing, and the suprabasal cells began proliferation, giving rise to most of the cell types in the new layers. This part of the process is similar to what has been recently found during epidermal stratification in mammals.
Unique apicomplexan IMC sub-compartment proteins are early markers for apical polarity in the malaria parasite
Authors: Poulin Benoit , Patzewitz Eva-Maria , Brady Declan , Silvie Olivier , Wright Megan H. , Ferguson David J. P. , Wall Richard J. , Whipple Sarah , Guttery David S. , Tate Edward W. , Wickstead Bill , Holder Anthony A. , Tewari Rita
Published: September 2013

The phylum Apicomplexa comprises over 5000 intracellular protozoan parasites, including Plasmodium and Toxoplasma, that are clinically important pathogens affecting humans and livestock. Malaria parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium possess a pellicle comprised of a plasmalemma and inner membrane complex (IMC), which is implicated in parasite motility and invasion. Using live cell imaging and reverse genetics in the rodent malaria model P. berghei, we localise two unique IMC sub-compartment proteins (ISPs) and examine their role in defining apical polarity during zygote (ookinete) development. We show that these proteins localise to the anterior apical end of the parasite where IMC organisation is initiated, and are expressed at all developmental stages, especially those that are invasive. Both ISP proteins are N-myristoylated, phosphorylated and membrane-bound. Gene disruption studies suggest that ISP1 is likely essential for parasite development, whereas ISP3 is not. However, an absence of ISP3 alters the apical localisation of ISP1 in all invasive stages including ookinetes and sporozoites, suggesting a coordinated function for these proteins in the organisation of apical polarity in the parasite.
Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of Tunisian Crithmum maritimum L. Essential oils
Authors: Nguir Asma , Besbes Malek , Ben Jannet Hichem , Flamini Guido , Harzallah-Skhiri Fethia , Hamza M’hamed Ali
Published: September 2013

Â acetylcholinesterase properties of the aerial parts and roots essential oils from Crithmum maritimum L., Apiaceae, gathered in the area of Monastir (Tunisia). The essential oils have been analysed by GC and GC-MS. Remarkable differences were found between the constituent percentages of the different studied organs. The most important compounds from the aerial parts were: Î³-terpinene (39.3%), methylcarvacrol (21.6%) and p-cymene (11.8%). In the roots oil, the main components were terpinolene (36.9%), dillapiole (26.8%) and Î³-terpinene (21.9%). The antioxidant activity of the two oils was evaluated by employing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) and 2,2â€²-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging tests. The results showed that the antioxidant capacity assessed by different in vitro tests were moderate, the ABTS assay after 20 min (IC50 = 0.051 mg/mL) of aerial parts and (IC50 = 0.643 mg/mL) of the roots, appeared to be more potent than that for the DPPH assay (IC50 = 0.92 mg/mL) of aerial parts and (IC50 = 0.048 mg/mL) of roots. In addition, the examined oils showed the highest AchE inhibitory 1 mg/mL activity (31.16% and 26.35%, for the aerial parts and roots, respectively).
Synthesis, characterization and release studies of monomer and copolymers based on 3-aminopyridine as a pharmaceutical precursor
Authors: Diaf Kheira , El bahri Zineb , Bengharez Zohra , Chafi Nafa , Mesli Abderrazzek
Published: September 2013

Â The aim of the current study is to prepare controlled release formulations composed from 3-aminopyridine. This active molecule is modified by chemical grafting on monomer based on (m,p)-vinylbenzaldehyde and then copolymerized with dimethylacrylamide to get hydrosoluble systems. In these systems, the active agent is spaced out from copolymer chain by phenyl group. The obtained supports i.e. monomer and copolymers are characterized by FTIR, NMR (1H, 13C) and other techniques. The drug release from these formulations is studied and the values of release constants demonstrated that 3-aminopyridine release can be modified using these systems. Also, the effect of pH release media on the drug release is discussed.
Electrochromism and conductivity of sulfonated polyaniline films in propylene carbonate
Authors: Fossatti Daiane , Da Silva Wilson Jose , Queiroz de Mello Regina Maria
Published: September 2013

In this work we compare the spectroelectrochemical response of electrochemically deposited sulfonated polyaniline and polyaniline films. The electrochromic performance of SPAN is slightly superior to that of PANI, showing faster coloring and bleaching and slightly higher electrochromic efficiency than PANI. Furthermore, submitting SPAN to successive voltammetry scans in LiClO4/propylene carbonate constitutes a simple method to improve SPAN conductivity by a factor 20.
Microwave dielectric properties of binary solvent wateralcohol, alcohol-alcohol mixtures at temperatures between -35Â°C and +35Â°C and dielectric relaxation studies
Authors: Megriche Adel , Belhadj Abdellatif , Mgaidi Arbi
Published: September 2013

In this work, our objective was to study the complex permittivity of binary mixtures of water-ethanol, water-methanol and methanol-ethanol with various mole fractions at temperature between -35 and 35 Â°C.Measurements were made in the frequency domain from 300 kHz to 1.3 GHz by means of an open ended coaxial line technique coupled to a network analyzer. Water-ethanol and water-methanol mixtures display a Kraszewski Law while methanol-ethanol mixture shows a Shivola-Kong Law. The static dielectric constant, Îµs were obtained from the plateau of Îµ'(Ï‰) curve, in water rich mixture or alcohol rich mixture has similar real permittivity Îµ' of pure liquids. The values of Îµs mixtures increase by decreasing the temperature assigned to the cooperativeÂ dynamics H-bond system in mediums. The validity of permittivity measurements according to the temperature are verified by the Queen-King Law and the j (0ï‚£ jï‚£2) A constants are compared with literature data. The dielectric relaxation behaviour of water-ethanol mixture can be better described with a Cole-Davidson function while for methanol-ethanol one, a Debye function gives a good fit. At 25 Â°C, the relaxation time ï´ in the aqueous mixtures of ethanol and methanol sharply increased with increasing alcohol concentration.
In vitro inhibitory effect of drinking water from south Algeria on the dissolution of dental hydroxyapatite
Authors: Bahloul Hocine , Djellouli Hadja Mebarka , Taleb Safia , Rezgane Zouaoui , Cheriti Abdelkrim , Benghalem Abderezzak
Published: September 2013

Epidemiological surveys in Algeria conducted in the school health program show that the dental carious prevalence is about 67%. Water is the main source of fluorine, recognized as the essential chemical element to prevent carious dental For this purpose, the objective of this study is to test, in vitro, the inhibitory effect of Saharan fluoridated water for the dissolution of hydroxyapatite Ca5(PO4)3OH, under physiological conditions: acid (HNO3) at pH = 5.1 and T = 37 Â° C. Thence, the fluoride content of drinking water of some Saharan region was measured, it varies from 0.48 to 3.87 Â± 0.05 mg / L.The Inhibitory effect of waters is between 54.28 and 83.1%, VC <5%. In addition, a low concentration of fluorine [F-] = 0.25 mg / L reduced the solubility (S) of hydroxyapatite by a factor of 2. Thus, the studied Sahara waters inhibit â€˜in vitroâ€™ the dissolution of hydroxyapatite Ca5 (PO4)3OH.
Political anthropology and civil service reform: prospects and limits
Authors: Rhodes RAW
Published: September 2013

What lessons about public sector reform can be learnt from using political anthropology to study governance reform? What are the strengths and weaknesses of such an approach? I contrast the everyday working experience reported in Rhodes (2011) with the core themes of civil service reform; namely evidence-based policy making, managerialism, and choice. I use five axioms for clarity of exposition: coping and the appearance of rule, not strategic planning; institutional memory, not internal structures; storytelling, not evidence-based policy; contending traditions and stories, not just managerialism; the politics of implementation, not top-down innovation and control.
Performing new worlds? Policy, politics and creative labour in hard times
Authors: Newman Janet
Published: September 2013

This paper addresses the problem of how to engage with the politics of public policy in the current period of cuts, austerity and retrenchment. It explores current strategies of divestment, design and decentralisation, assessing the scope within each for creative enactments and alternative pathways. It then explores ‘public-making’ as a means of countering the affective consequences of austerity, and shows how practitioners mediate and manage the tensions that result through multiple forms of ‘border work’. Finally the paper explores the troubled relationship between progressive policy enactments and neoliberal appropriations.
Weathering the perfect storm? Austerity and institutional resilience in local government
Authors: Lowndes Vivien , McCaughie Kerry
Published: September 2013

English local authorities face a combination of deep budget cuts and sharp increases in citizen demand, linked to the costs of recession and demographic changes. Evidence from case study research shows the dominance of cost-cutting and efficiency measures, as in previous periods of austerity. But creative approaches to service redesign are also emerging as the crisis deepens, based upon pragmatic politics and institutional bricolage. While the absence of radical new ideas and overt political conflict is surprising, local government reveals a remarkable capacity to reinvent its institutional forms to weather what amounts to a ‘perfect storm’.
Just do it differently? Everyday making, Marxism and the struggle against neoliberalism
Authors: Davies Jonathan Stephen
Published: September 2013

The concept of everyday making has become a powerful influence on activists and academics looking for ways to transcend neoliberalism. For everyday makers, democratic and egalitarian spaces are created in the cracks and fissures of power by deciding, in the first place, to act differently. Drawing on Marx’s theory of capital and crisis, this paper rejects the choice between everyday and systemic perspectives. The challenges today are threefold: how to rollback the market, understanding how community and workplace struggles reinforce one another, and grasping the dynamics of scale: the systemic implications of everyday struggles and vice-versa.
The politics of engaged scholarship: impact, relevance and imagination
Authors: Flinders Matthew
Published: September 2013

The relationship between social scientists and the broader social sphere is changing as greater pressure is placed on academics to demonstrate the social relevance and public impact of their research. This pressure is creating widespread concern – intellectual, professional and moral – about the direction of many disciplines and what can be done to thwart what some academics view as the ‘tyranny of relevance’. It is in exactly this context that this paper adopts an interdisciplinary approach in order to offer a more sophisticated and informed account of ‘the politics of engaged scholarship’.
Complex causality in improving underperforming schools: a complex adaptive systems approach
Authors: van der Steen Martijn , van Twist Mark , Fenger Menno , Cointre Sara Le
Published: September 2013

When designing and implementing policies, policy makers usually assume linear, proportionate causation between interventions and consequences. Yet frequently unexpected consequences occur that seem unintended and disproportionate. This article argues that interventions are more appropriately understood as loops, not lines. System dynamics shows that causes and consequences interact in circular patterns, creating unexpected outcomes and self-reinforcing mechanisms. Some loops are vicious, causing deterioration of the situation, others are virtuous, propelling self-sustaining improvements that exceed original intentions. The article illustrates the circular approach to causality by applying it to interventions aimed at the improvement of the performance of primary schools in the Netherlands.
“Modern Christianity Is Ancient Judaism”: Rabbi Gustav Gottheil and the Jewish-American Religious Future, 1873–1903
Authors: Maskell Caleb J. D.
Published: September 2013

Gustav Gottheil was a person of great influence in the development of American Reform Judaism, but his story has been largely forgotten. From 1873 to 1903, he was rabbi at Temple Emanu-El, the largest and wealthiest Reform Congregation on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. A prolific author and public teacher, he was “a striking and dominating figure … in American Judaism at large.” He was also controversial, criticized by some for his perceived openness to the ideals, institutions, and elites of American liberal Christianity. One editorialist wrote that he was “frequently accused of … ogling with Christianity, of servilely fawning upon it.” Another suggested that, when the history of American Reform Judaism was written, “ill-disposed critics [would] deny Gottheil his legitimate place,” judging that he was “dragging the congregation into … un-Jewish paths” based on his warm relations with urban Christian elites.

This essay is a study of the complex dynamics of Gustav Gottheil’s relationship to American Christianity. It argues that Gottheil believed America was in profound religious transition. In spite of the fact that American culture was dominated by Christian normativity, liberal Christians who were giving up their Trinitarian dogmas were actuallybecomingReform Jews—“Modern Christianity,” he said in 1885, “is ancient Judaism.” This trajectory left him in no doubt that Reform Judaism was the “only possible religion of the American future.”

Throughout his ministry, Gottheil sought to advance the process of the conversion of American Christianity to Judaism. He entered into extensive dialogue and friendship with scores of liberal Christian leaders—the “ogling” and “fawning” for which he was criticized. His strategy was rarely to debate but, rather, to inhabit their vocabulary. He spoke the religious language of the normatively Christian American culture, affirming the cultural impulses of the Christian nationalist vision while creatively renarrating them on Jewish foundations.
“Just a Bunch of Agitators”: Kneel-Ins and the Desegregation of Southern Churches
Authors: Kosek Joseph Kip
Published: September 2013

Civil rights protests at white churches, dubbed “kneel-ins,” laid bare the racial logic that structured Christianity in the American South. Scholars have investigated segregationist religion, but such studies tend to focus on biblical interpretation rather than religious practice. A series of kneel-ins at Atlanta's First Baptist Church, the largest Southern Baptist church in the Southeast, shows how religious activities and religious spaces became sites of intense racial conflict. Beginning in 1960, then more forcefully in 1963, African American students attempted to integrate First Baptist's sanctuary. When they were alternately barred from entering, shown to a basement auditorium, or carried out bodily, their efforts sparked a wide-ranging debate over racial politics and spiritual authenticity, a debate carried on both inside and outside the church. Segregationists tended to avoid a theological defense of Jim Crow, attacking instead the sincerity and comportment of their unwanted visitors. Yet while many church leaders were opposed to open seating, a vibrant student contingent favored it. Meanwhile, mass media—local, national, and international—shaped interpretations of the crisis and possibilities for resolving it. Roy McClain, the congregation's popular minister, attempted to navigate a middle course but faced criticism from all sides. The conflict came to a head when Ashton Jones, a white minister, was arrested, tried, and imprisoned for protesting outside the church. In the wake of the controversy, the members of First Baptist voted to end segregation in the sanctuary. This action brought formal desegregation—but little meaningful integration—to the congregation.
Antirevivalism and Its Discontents: Liberal Evangelicalism, the American City, and the Sunday School, 1900–1929
Authors: Bowman Matthew
Published: September 2013

This article examines the rise of antirevivalism among a certain strain of American evangelicals in the first years of the twentieth century. It argues that, influenced by the new discipline of psychology of religion and growing fear of the chaotic environment of the early twentieth-century city, these evangelicals found revivalist evangelicalism to be psychologically damaging and destructive of the process of Christian conversion. Instead, they conceived of a form of evangelicalism they called “liberal evangelicalism,” which repudiated the emotional and cathartic revivalist style of worship and, instead, insisted that evangelicalism could be rational, moderate, and targeted toward the cultivation of socially acceptable virtues. The venue they chose to pursue this form of evangelicalism was the Sunday school. Throughout the nineteenth century, liberal evangelicals feared, the Sunday school had emerged as a revival in miniature, one in which teachers were encouraged to exhort their students to come to cathartic, emotional conversion experiences— a strategy that had found its apotheosis in the “Decision Day,” a regular event in which students were subjected to emotional preaching and encouraged to confess their faith in Christ. Though the Decision Day was itself an evangelical attempt to deal with the transient nature of the city, liberal evangelicals began, in the early twentieth century, to redefine it in ways that would better facilitate the sort of gradual and developmental form of conversion in which they placed their faith. Leading the effort was George Albert Coe, a professor and Sunday school organizer who used his school to experiment with such reforms.
Integration of New Genes into Cellular Networks, and Their Structural Maturation
Authors: Abrusán György
Published: September 2013

It has been recently discovered that new genes can originate de novo from noncoding DNA, and several biological traits including expression or sequence composition form a continuum from noncoding sequences to conserved genes. In this article, using yeast genes I test whether the integration of new genes into cellular networks and their structural maturation shows such a continuum by analyzing their changes with gene age. I show that 1) The number of regulatory, protein–protein, and genetic interactions increases continuously with gene age, although with very different rates. New regulatory interactions emerge rapidly within a few million years, while the number of protein–protein and genetic interactions increases slowly, with a rate of 2–2.25 × 10−8/year and 4.8 × 10−8/year, respectively. 2) Gene essentiality evolves relatively quickly: the youngest essential genes appear in proto-genes ∼14 MY old. 3) In contrast to interactions, the secondary structure of proteins and their robustness to mutations indicate that new genes face a bottleneck in their evolution: proto-genes are characterized by high β-strand content, high aggregation propensity, and low robustness against mutations, while conserved genes are characterized by lower strand content and higher stability, most likely due to the higher probability of gene loss among young genes and accumulation of neutral mutations.
A Novel Intronic Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the Myosin heavy polypeptide 4 Gene Is Responsible for the Mini-Muscle Phenotype Characterized by Major Reduction in Hind-Limb Muscle Mass in Mice
Authors: Kelly Scott A , Bell Timothy A , Selitsky Sara R , Buus Ryan J , Hua Kunjie , Weinstock George M , Garland Theodore , Pardo-Manuel de Villena Fernando , Pomp Daniel
Published: September 2013

Replicated artificial selection for high levels of voluntary wheel running in an outbred strain of mice favored an autosomal recessive allele whose primary phenotypic effect is a 50% reduction in hind-limb muscle mass. Within the High Runner (HR) lines of mice, the numerous pleiotropic effects (e.g., larger hearts, reduced total body mass and fat mass, longer hind-limb bones) of this hypothesized adaptive allele include functional characteristics that facilitate high levels of voluntary wheel running (e.g., doubling of mass-specific muscle aerobic capacity, increased fatigue resistance of isolated muscles, longer hind-limb bones). Previously, we created a backcross population suitable for mapping the responsible locus. We phenotypically characterized the population and mapped the Minimsc locus to a 2.6-Mb interval on MMU11, a region containing ∼100 known or predicted genes. Here, we present a novel strategy to identify the genetic variant causing the mini-muscle phenotype. Using high-density genotyping and whole-genome sequencing of key backcross individuals and HR mice with and without the mini-muscle mutation, from both recent and historical generations of the HR lines, we show that a SNP representing a C-to-T transition located in a 709-bp intron between exons 11 and 12 of the Myosin heavy polypeptide 4 (Myh4) skeletal muscle gene (position 67,244,850 on MMU11; assembly, December 2011, GRCm38/mm10; ENSMUSG00000057003) is responsible for the mini-muscle phenotype, Myh4Minimsc. Using next-generation sequencing, our approach can be extended to identify causative mutations arising in mouse inbred lines and thus offers a great avenue to overcome one of the most challenging steps in quantitative genetics.
Under-Utilization of Controller Medications and Poor Follow-Up Rates Among Hospitalized Asthma Patients
Authors: Lintzenich Annie , Teufel Ronald J. , Basco William T.
Published: September 2013

Objective:

Recommended preventive care following an asthma admission includes prescribing controller medications and encouraging outpatient follow-up. We sought to determine (1) the proportion of patients who receive controller medications or attend follow-up after asthma admission and (2) what factors predict these outcomes.

Methods:

South Carolina Medicaid data from 2007-2009 were analyzed. Patients who were included were 2 to 18 years old, and had at least one admission for asthma. Variables examined were: age, gender, race, and rural location. Outcome variables were controller medication prescription and follow-up appointment. Any claim for an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) or ICS/long-acting beta-agonist in the 2 months after admission was considered appropriate. Any outpatient visit for asthma in the 2 months after admission was considered appropriate. Bivariate analyses used chi-square tests. Logistic regression models identified factors that predict controller medications and follow-up.

Results:

Five hundred five patients were included, of whom 60% were male, 79% minority race/ethnicity, and 58% urban. Rates of receiving controller medications and attending follow-up appointments were low, and an even lower proportion received both. Overall, 52% received a controller medication, 49% attended follow-up, and 32% had both. Multivariable analyses demonstrated that patients not of minority race or ethnicity were more likely to receive controller medications (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.6).

Conclusions:

Patients with asthma admitted for acute exacerbations in South Carolina have low rates of controller medication initiation and follow-up attendance. Minority race/ethnicity patients are less likely to receive controller medications. To decrease rates of future exacerbations, inpatient providers must improve the rates of preventive care delivery in the acute care setting with a focus on racial/ethnic minority populations.
Improved Documentation and Care Planning With an Asthma-Specific History and Physical
Authors: Beck Andrew F. , Sauers Hadley S. , Kahn Robert S. , Yau Connie , Weiser Jason , Simmons Jeffrey M.
Published: September 2013

Objective:

The objective was to determine the effect of an electronic asthma-specific inpatient history and physical (H&P) template on documented history and improvements in care plans.

Methods:

This was a before-after comparison of history and care plan documentation following implementation of a new H&P template. The template was implemented in May 2011. A retrospective review of the electronic health record was completed for 304 consecutive patients (2–16 years of age) admitted for asthma June to September 2010 and 242 admitted June to September 2011. Elements reviewed included asthma severity classification, utilization history (previous oral steroids, emergency visits, hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and intubations), and environmental history (exposure to cockroaches, rodents, and mold). Assessed changes in care plans included social work or asthma-related subspecialty consult and change in controller medications. Patients from 2011 were compared with those from 2010 by using t test and χ2 statistics with adjustment for confounders by use of logistic regression. Interrupted time-series analyses assessed variability in documentation over time.

Results:

In 2011, the new H&P template was used in 74% of encounters. Compared with patients seen preimplementation, documentation in those seen after implementation was more likely to include severity classification (71% vs 44%; P < .0001), complete utilization history (73% vs 12%; P < .0001), and environmental history (66% v. 2%; P < .0001). Documentation became more consistent over time. Changes in care planning were also more common after implementation (63% vs 49%; P = .0006).

Conclusions:

A structured H&P template for asthma led to more complete and less variable documentation of important history and likely led to enhancements in care plans.
Preventing Dehydration-Related Hospitalizations: A Mixed-Methods Study of Parents, Inpatient Attendings, and Primary Care Physicians
Authors: Shanley Leticia , Mittal Vineeta , Flores Glenn
Published: September 2013

Objective:

The goal of this study was to identify the proportion of dehydration-related ambulatory care–sensitive condition hospitalizations, the reasons why these hospitalizations were preventable, and factors associated with preventability.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey of primary care providers (PCPs), inpatient attending physicians, and parents was conducted in a consecutive series of children with ambulatory care–sensitive conditions admitted to an urban hospital over 14 months.

Results:

Eighty-five children were diagnosed with dehydration. Their mean age was 1.6 years; most had public (74%) or no (17%) insurance, and were nonwhite (91%). The proportion of hospitalizations assessed as preventable varied from 12% for agreement among all 3 sources to 45% for any source. Parents identified inadequate prevention (50%), poor self-education (34%), and poor quality of care (38%) as key factors. PCPs identified parents providing insufficient home rehydration (33%), not visiting the clinic (25%), and not calling earlier (16%) as reasons. Inpatient attending physicians cited home rehydration (40%), delays in seeking care (40%), and lacking a PCP (20%) as contributors. Physicians (PCPs and inpatient attending physicians) were more likely than parents to describe the admission as inappropriate (75% vs 67% vs 0%; P < .01). Parental dissatisfaction with their child’s PCP and a history of avoiding primary care due to costs or insurance problems were associated with significantly higher odds of preventable hospitalization.

Conclusions:

Up to 45% of dehydration-related hospitalizations may be preventable. Inadequate parental education by physicians, insufficient home rehydration, deferring clinic visits, insurance and cost barriers, inappropriate admissions, poor quality of care, and parental dissatisfaction with PCPs are the reasons that these hospitalizations might have been prevented.
Chemical sterilization in in vitro propagation of Arundina bambusifolia Lindl. and Epidendrum ibaguense Kunth
Authors: Rodrigues Donizetti Tomaz , Novais Roberto Ferreira , Venegas Víctor Hugo Alvarez , Dias José Maria Moreira , Otoni Wagner Campos , Villani Ecila Mercês de Albuquerque
Published: September 2013

There is a great demand for simpler and less costly laboratory techniques and for more accessible procedures for orchid breeders who do not have the necessary theoretical basis to use the traditional seed and clone production methods of orchids in vitro. The aim of this study was to assess the use of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) as a decontaminant in the process of inoculating adult orchid explants of Arundina bambusifolia and Epidendrum ibaguenses. Solutions of NaClO (1.200, 2.400, 3.600, 4.800 and 6.000 mg L-1 - equivalent to 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mL L-1 of commercial bleach - CB) were sprayed on the explants (1.0 mL) and the culture medium (GB5), in the presence or absence of activated charcoal (2 g L-1). The explants used were nodal segments of field-grown adult plants. The procedures for inoculating the explants were conducted outside the laminar flow chamber (LFC), except for the control treatment (autoclaved medium and explant inoculation inside the LFC). The best results for fresh weight yield, height and number of shoots were obtained using NaClO in solution at 1.200 mg L-1 (equivalent to 50 mL L-1 commercial bleach) with activated charcoal in the culture medium. Fresh weight figures were 1.10 g/jar for Arundina bambusifolia and 0.16 g/jar for Epidendrum ibaguenses. Spraying the NaClO solutions controls the contamination of the culture medium already inoculated with the explants.
Atividade proteolítica de bactérias psicrotróficas em leites estocados em diferentes temperaturas
Authors: Izidoro Thiago Braga , Pereira Juliano Gonçalves , Soares Vanessa Mendonça , Spina Thiago Luiz Belém , Pinto José Paes de Almeida Nogueira
Published: September 2013

A difusão do uso da tecnologia do resfriamento, como estratégia para manutenção das características microbiológicas e organolépticas do leite, não associada aos cuidados básicos de higiene na obtenção do produto, fez com que os micro-organismos psicrotróficos emergissem como as principais bactérias deteriorantes da indústria láctea. Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar como o metabolismo psicrotrófico proteolítico responde a diferentes temperaturas de incubação do leite, delineando um paralelo entre multiplicação de psicrotróficos, quantidade de micro-organismos com capacidade de hidrolisar proteínas e quantidade de GMP (glicomacropeptídeo) liberada. As amostras de leite, coletadas diretamente do tanque de resfriamento, foram submetidas à contagem de micro-organismos psicrotróficos, contagem de micro-organismos proteolíticos e determinação da concentração de GMP, em diferentes tempos (12 h; 24 h; 48 h) e temperaturas (4°C; 8°C; 12°C) de armazenamento. Não houve linearidade entre os parâmetros microbiológicos e o GMP aferido, segundo o binômio tempo/temperatura. A maior concentração de GMP (5,07 µg/mL) foi aferida no binômio 8°C/24 h (T8/M24). Esses dados indicam a necessidade de estudos sobre o metabolismo da microbiota psicrotrófica, de forma a elucidar questões básicas e de profunda relevância sobre seu metabolismo.
Composite synthetic hydroxyapatite 30%, in two physical states, as dermal filler
Authors: Sepúlveda Rodrigo Viana , Borges Andréa Pacheco Batista , Conceição Lissandro Gonçalves , Valente Fabrício Luciani , Reis Emily Correna Carlo , Bohnenberger Ingrid Bitencourt
Published: September 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to the implantation of synthetic hydroxyapatite 30% (HAP-91®) in different physical states as dermal filler. Eighteen New Zealand rabbits were used, distributed randomly into two equal groups and then divided into three groups according to the postoperative period at 8, 21 and 49 days. One mL of HAP-91®, fluid and viscous, was implanted in the subcutaneous tissue, 1 cm proximal to the cranial crest of the right scapula. The thickness of the skin was measured before and after implantation and for the following 15 days. Pain sensitivity assessment was conducted, assigning the following scores: 0 - when the animal allowed the touch of the implant area and expressed no signs of pain; 1 - when the animal allowed the touch, but pain reaction occurred, like increase of the respiratory rate or attempt to escape; 2 - when the animal did not allow the touch to the implanted area. At 8, 21 and 49 days, biopsy of the implanted area was performed. No difference was observed between the thickness of the skin (p>0.05) and all animals received a score 0 for soreness. Histological analysis did not reveal any obvious inflammatory process, showing a predominance of mononuclear cells in samples of eight days and tissue organization around the biomaterial with a tendency to encapsulation. The results indicate that HAP-91®, both viscous and fluid, is biocompatible and suitable for dermal filling.