bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Police Interrogation to Prison
Authors: Beauregard Eric , Mieczkowski Tom
Published: April 2012

The study aimed to examine sex offender characteristics associated with a decision to confess. Based on the analysis of 624 sex offenders, our findings showed that, depending on the type of sex offender, different characteristics are associated with their likelihood of confessing during the police interrogation. Moreover, distinguishing between those who fully confess and those who only confess partially yielded mixed findings. Finally, our results showed that confession was not static and that offender characteristics were associated with a decision to confess once admitted to the prison. The findings are discussed in light of the implications for interrogation strategies.
Heel Blood Flow During Loading and Off-Loading in Bedridden Older Adults With Low and Normal Ankle–Brachial Pressure Index
Authors: Masaki Nami , Sugama Junko , Okuwa Mayumi , Inagaki Misako , Matsuo Junko , Nakatani Tosio , Sanada Hiromi
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences in heel blood flow during loading and off-loading in bedridden adults older than 65 years. The patients were divided into three groups based on ankle–brachial pressure index (ABI) and transcutaneous oxygen tension (tcPO2): (1) patients with an ABI ≥ 0.8 (Group A); (2) patients with an ABI < 0.8 and heel tcPO2 ≥ 10 mmHg (Group B); and (3) patients with an ABI < 0.8 and heel tcPO2 < 10 mmHg (Group C). Heel blood flow was monitored using tcPO2 sensors. Data were collected with the heel (1) suspended above the bed surface (preload), (2) on the bed surface for 30 min (loading), and (3) again suspended above the bed surface for 60 min (off-loading). Heel blood flow during off-loading was assessed using three parameters: oxygen recovery index (ORI), total tcPO2 for the first 10 min, and change in tcPO2 after 60 min of off-loading. ORI in Group C ( n = 8) was significantly shorter than in Groups A ( n = 22) and B ( n = 15). Total tcPO2 for the first 10 min of off-loading in Group C was significantly less than that in Groups A and B. Change in tcPO2 after 60 min of off-loading in Group C was less than in Group A. Based on these findings, additional preventive care against heel blood flow decrease in older adults with an ABI < 0.8 and heel tcPO2 < 10 mmHg might be necessary after loading.
Small Screen Cinema
Authors: Jedlowski Alessandro
Published: April 2012

Analyzing the Nigerian video industry through the lens of new media theory, this article proposes a genealogy of the Nollywood media format to identify and define its specificities. The films that the industry produces are often referred to as cinema but, compared to the output of other film industries around the world, Nollywood produces something that can be located in between cinema and television. The informality of Nigerian videos’ production and distribution has in fact allowed for the articulation of complex processes of remediation, which have participated in creating an original product, something that I would like to call “small screen cinema.” This media format has had a determinant role in Nollywood’s popular success and its definition is thus important for a general understanding of the industry’s social, economic, and cultural relevance.
Same and Different
Authors: Gonzalez Roger Geertz
Published: April 2012

In this study, most Latino college students preferred the term “Hispanic” over “Latino” as a panethnic term. These Latino students also detailed their differences based on how they perceive other specific Latino ethnic groups, non-Latino groups, their political identity, and their immigration and citizenship status.
Spiritual Liberals and Religious Conservatives
Authors: Hirsh Jacob B. , Walberg Megan D. , Peterson Jordan B.
Published: April 2012

While church and state are officially separated in many Western nations, there is nonetheless a great deal of overlap between the religious beliefs and political orientations of individual citizens. Religious individuals tend to be more conservative, placing a greater emphasis on order, obedience, and tradition. While many religious movements emphasize conservative values, there also exists a tradition of religious thought associated with equality, universalism, and transcendence—values more in line with political liberalism. The current study examined whether these divergent political orientations relate to the distinction between religiousness and spirituality. Political orientation, spirituality, and religiousness were assessed in two large community samples (Study 1: N = 590; Study 2: N = 703). Although spirituality and religiousness were positively correlated, they displayed divergent associations with political orientation: conservatives tended to be more religious, while liberals tend to be more spiritual. Experimentally inducing spiritual experiences similarly resulted in more liberal political attitudes.
EnzML: multi-label prediction of enzyme classes using InterPro signatures
Authors: De Ferrari Luna , Aitken Stuart , van Hemert Jano , Goryanin Igor
Published: April 2012

Background

Manual annotation of enzymatic functions cannot keep up with automatic genome sequencing. In this work we explore the capacity of InterPro sequence signatures to automatically predict enzymatic function.

Results

We present EnzML, a multi-label classification method that can efficiently account also for proteins with multiple enzymatic functions: 50,000 in UniProt. EnzML was evaluated using a standard set of 300,747 proteins for which the manually curated Swiss-Prot and KEGG databases have agreeing Enzyme Commission (EC) annotations. EnzML achieved more than 98% subset accuracy (exact match of all correct Enzyme Commission classes of a protein) for the entire dataset and between 87 and 97% subset accuracy in reannotating eight entire proteomes: human, mouse, rat, mouse-ear cress, fruit fly, the S. pombe yeast, the E. coli bacterium and the M. jannaschii archaebacterium. To understand the role played by the dataset size, we compared the cross-evaluation results of smaller datasets, either constructed at random or from specific taxonomic domains such as archaea, bacteria, fungi, invertebrates, plants and vertebrates. The results were confirmed even when the redundancy in the dataset was reduced using UniRef100, UniRef90 or UniRef50 clusters.

Conclusions

InterPro signatures are a compact and powerful attribute space for the prediction of enzymatic function. This representation makes multi-label machine learning feasible in reasonable time (30 minutes to train on 300,747 instances with 10,852 attributes and 2,201 class values) using the Mulan Binary Relevance Nearest Neighbours algorithm implementation (BR-kNN).
The Physalis peruviana leaf transcriptome: assembly, annotation and gene model prediction
Authors: Garzón-Martínez Gina A , Zhu Z Iris , Landsman David , Barrero Luz S , Mariño-Ramírez Leonardo
Published: April 2012

Background

Physalis peruviana commonly known as Cape gooseberry is a member of the Solanaceae family that has an increasing popularity due to its nutritional and medicinal values. A broad range of genomic tools is available for other Solanaceae, including tomato and potato. However, limited genomic resources are currently available for Cape gooseberry.

Results

We report the generation of a total of 652,614 P. peruviana Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs), using 454 GS FLX Titanium technology. ESTs, with an average length of 371 bp, were obtained from a normalized leaf cDNA library prepared using a Colombian commercial variety. De novo assembling was performed to generate a collection of 24,014 isotigs and 110,921 singletons, with an average length of 1,638 bp and 354 bp, respectively. Functional annotation was performed using NCBI’s BLAST tools and Blast2GO, which identified putative functions for 21,191 assembled sequences, including gene families involved in all the major biological processes and molecular functions as well as defense response and amino acid metabolism pathways. Gene model predictions in P. peruviana were obtained by using the genomes of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Solanum tuberosum (potato). We predict 9,436 P. peruviana sequences with multiple-exon models and conserved intron positions with respect to the potato and tomato genomes. Additionally, to study species diversity we developed 5,971 SSR markers from assembled ESTs.

Conclusions

We present the first comprehensive analysis of the Physalis peruviana leaf transcriptome, which will provide valuable resources for development of genetic tools in the species. Assembled transcripts with gene models could serve as potential candidates for marker discovery with a variety of applications including: functional diversity, conservation and improvement to increase productivity and fruit quality. P. peruviana was estimated to be phylogenetically branched out before the divergence of five other Solanaceae family members, S. lycopersicum, S. tuberosum, Capsicum spp, S. melongena and Petunia spp.
Age – related treatment strategy and long-term outcome in acute myocardial infarction patients in the PCI era
Authors: Kala Petr , Kanovsky Jan , Rokyta Richard , Smid Michal , Pospisil Jan , Knot Jiri , Rohac Filip , Poloczek Martin , Ondrus Tomas , Holicka Maria , Spinar Jindrich , Jarkovsky Jiri , Dusek Ladislav
Published: April 2012

Background

Older age, as a factor we cannot affect, is consistently one of the main negative prognostic values in patients with acute myocardial infarction. One of the most powerful factors that improves outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes is the revascularization preferably performed by percutaneous coronary intervention. No data is currently available for the role of age in large groups of consecutive patients with PCI as the nearly sole method of revascularization in AMI patients. The aim of this study was to analyze age-related differences in treatment strategies, results of PCI procedures and both in-hospital and long-term outcomes of consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods

Retrospective multicenter analysis of 3814 consecutive acute myocardial infarction patients divided into two groups according to age (1800 patients ≤ 65 years and 2014 patients > 65 years). Significantly more older patients had a history of diabetes mellitus and previous myocardial infarctions.

Results

The older population had a significantly lower rate of coronary angiographies (1726; 95.9% vs. 1860; 92.4%, p < 0.0001), PCI (1541; 85.6% vs. 1505; 74.7%, p < 0.001), achievement of optimal final TIMI flow 3 (1434; 79.7% vs. 1343; 66.7%, p < 0.001) and higher rate of unsuccessful reperfusion with final TIMI flow 0-1 (46; 2.6% vs. 78; 3.9%, p = 0.022). A total of 217 patients (5.7%) died during hospitalization, significantly more often in the older population (46; 2.6% vs. 171; 8.5%, p < 0.001). The long-term mortality (data for 2847 patients from 2 centers) was higher in the older population as well (5 years survival: 86.1% vs. 59.8%). Though not significantly different and in contrast with PCI, the presence of diabetes mellitus, previous MI, final TIMI flow and LAD, as the infarct-related artery, had relatively lower impact on the older patients. Severe heart failure on admission (Killip III-IV) was associated with the worst prognosis in the whole group of patients, though its significance was higher in the youngers (HR 6.04 vs. 3.14, p = 0.051 for Killip III and 12.24 vs. 5.65, p = 0.030 for Killip IV). We clearly demonstrated age as a strong discriminator for the whole population of AMI patients.

Conclusions

In a consecutive AMI population, the older group (>65 years) was associated with a less pronounced impact of risk factors on long-term outcome. To ascertain the coronary anatomy by coronary angiography and proceed to PCI if suitable regardless of age is crucial in all patients, though the primary success rate of PCI in the older age is lower. Age, when viewed as a risk factor, was a dominant discriminating factor in all patients.
Accuracy and precision of variance components in occupational posture recordings: a simulation study of different data collection strategies
Authors: Liv Per , Mathiassen Svend Erik , Svendsen Susanne Wulff
Published: April 2012

Background

Information on exposure variability, expressed as exposure variance components, is of vital use in occupational epidemiology, including informed risk control and efficient study design. While accurate and precise estimates of the variance components are desirable in such cases, very little research has been devoted to understanding the performance of data sampling strategies designed specifically to determine the size and structure of exposure variability. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy and precision of estimators of between-subjects, between-days and within-day variance components obtained by sampling strategies differing with respect to number of subjects, total sampling time per subject, number of days per subject and the size of individual sampling periods.

Methods

Minute-by-minute values ofaverage elevation,percentage time above 90°andpercentage time below 15°were calculated in a data set consisting of measurements of right upper arm elevation during four full shifts from each of 23 car mechanics. Based on this parent data, bootstrapping was used to simulate sampling with 80 different combinations of the number of subjects (10, 20), total sampling time per subject (60, 120, 240, 480 minutes), number of days per subject (2, 4), and size of sampling periods (blocks) within days (1, 15, 60, 240 minutes). Accuracy (absence of bias) and precision (prediction intervals) of the variance component estimators were assessed for each simulated sampling strategy.

Results

Sampling in small blocks within days resulted in essentially unbiased variance components. For a specific total sampling time per subject, and in particular if this time was small, increasing the block size resulted in an increasing bias, primarily of the between-days and the within-days variance components. Prediction intervals were in general wide, and even more so at larger block sizes. Distributing sampling time across more days gave in general more precise variance component estimates, but also reduced accuracy in some cases.

Conclusions

Variance components estimated from small samples of exposure data within working days may be both inaccurate and imprecise, in particular if sampling is laid out in large consecutive time blocks. In order to estimate variance components with a satisfying accuracy and precision, for instance for arriving at trustworthy power calculations in a planned intervention study, larger samples of data will be required than for estimating an exposure mean value with a corresponding certainty.
Myocardial strains from 3D displacement encoded magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Kindberg Katarina , Haraldsson Henrik , Sigfridsson Andreas , Engvall Jan , Ingels Neil B , Ebbers Tino , Karlsson Matts
Published: April 2012

Background

The ability to measure and quantify myocardial motion and deformation provides a useful tool to assist in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of heart disease. The recent development of magnetic resonance imaging methods, such as harmonic phase analysis of tagging and displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE), make detailed non-invasive 3D kinematic analyses of human myocardium possible in the clinic and for research purposes. A robust analysis method is required, however.

Methods

We propose to estimate strain using a polynomial function which produces local models of the displacement field obtained with DENSE. Given a specific polynomial order, the model is obtained as the least squares fit of the acquired displacement field. These local models are subsequently used to produce estimates of the full strain tensor.

Results

The proposed method is evaluated on a numerical phantom as well as in vivo on a healthy human heart. The evaluation showed that the proposed method produced accurate results and showed low sensitivity to noise in the numerical phantom. The method was also demonstrated in vivo by assessment of the full strain tensor and to resolve transmural strain variations.

Conclusions

Strain estimation within a 3D myocardial volume based on polynomial functions yields accurate and robust results when validated on an analytical model. The polynomial field is capable of resolving the measured material positions from the in vivo data, and the obtained in vivo strains values agree with previously reported myocardial strains in normal human hearts.
Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A): a transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR and mediates PAX3-FKHR–dependent motility in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells
Authors: Liu Lingling , Wang Yong-Dong , Wu Jing , Cui Jimmy , Chen Taosheng
Published: April 2012

Background

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) has a high propensity to metastasize, leading to its aggressiveness and a poor survival rate among those with the disease. More than 80% of aggressive ARMSs harbor a PAX3-FKHR fusion transcription factor, which regulates cell migration and promotes metastasis, most likely by regulating the fusion protein’s transcriptional targets. Therefore, identifying druggable transcription targets of PAX3-FKHR that are also downstream effectors of PAX3-FKHR–mediated cell migration and metastasis may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for treating ARMS.

Methods

To identify genes whose expression is directly affected by the level of PAX3-FKHR in an ARMS cellular-context, we first developed an ARMS cell line in which PAX3-FKHR is stably down-regulated, and showed that stably downregulating PAX3-FKHR in ARMS cells significantly decreased the cells’ motility. We used microarray analysis to identify genes whose expression level decreased when PAX3-FKHR was downregulated. We used mutational analysis, promoter reporter assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays to determine whether PAX3-FKHR binds to the promoter region of the target gene. We used siRNA and pharmacologic inhibitor to downregulate the target gene of PAX3-FKHR and investigated the effect of such downregulation on cell motility.

Results

We found that when PAX3-FKHR was downregulated, the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) decreased. We showed that PAX3-FKHR binds to a paired-domain binding-site in the CPT1A promoter region, indicating that CPT1A is a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR. Furthermore, downregulating CPT1A decreased cell motility in ARMS cells, indicating that CPT1A is a downstream effector of PAX3-FKHR–mediated cell migration and metastasis.

Conclusions

Taken together, we have identified CPT1A as a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR and revealed the novel function of CPT1A in promoting cell motility. CPT1A may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ARMS.
Assessment of the effect of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying for malaria control in three rural kebeles of Adami Tulu District, South Central Ethiopia
Authors: Bekele Damtew , Belyhun Yeshambel , Petros Beyene , Deressa Wakgari
Published: April 2012

Background

In the Adami Tulu District, indoor residual spraying (IRS) and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) has been the main tool used to control malaria. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of IRS and ITNs control strategies in Aneno Shisho kebele (lowest administrative unit of Ethiopia) compared with Kamo Gerbi (supplied ITN only) and Jela Aluto (no IRS and ITNs), with regards to the prevalence of malaria and mosquito density.

Methods

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted after heavy rains (October/November, 2006) and during the sporadic rains (April, 2007) in the three kebeles of Adami Tulu District. Malaria infection was measured by means of thick and thin film. Monthly collection of adult mosquitoes from October-December 2006 and April-May 2007 and sporozoite enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on the collected mosquitoes were detected. Data related to the knowledge of mode of malaria transmission and its control measures were collected. Data collected on parasitological and knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) surveys were managed and analysed using a statistical computer program SPSS version 13.0. A P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results

The overall prevalence of malaria was 8.6% in Jela Aluto, 4.4% in Kamo Gerbi and 1.3% in Aneno Shisho in the two season surveys. The vector, Anopheles gambiae s.l., Anopheles pharoensis and Anopheles coustani were recorded. However, sporozoite ELISA on mosquito collections detected no infection. The difference in overall malaria prevalence and mosquito density between the three kebeles was significant (P<0.05).

Conclusions

The present study has provided some evidence for the success of ITNs/IRS combined malaria control measures in Aneno Shisho kebele in Adami Tulu District. Therefore, the combined ITNs/IRS malaria control measures must be expanded to cover all kebeles in the District of Ethiopia.
Lymph-node ratio is an independent prognostic factor in patients with stage III colorectal cancer: a retrospective study from the Middle East
Authors: Elias Elias , Mukherji Deborah , Faraj Walid , Khalife Mohammad , Dimassi Hani , Eloubeidi Mohamad , Hattoum Hasan , Abou-Alfa Ghassan K , Saleh Ahmad , Shamseddine Ali
Published: April 2012

Background

In this retrospective study, we evaluated the prognostic effect of positive lymph-node ratio (pLNR) on patients with stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). Our paper is the first analysis, to our knowledge, to deal with such data from the Middle East.

Methods

We analyzed the clinicopathological data of 535 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at our institution between 1983 and 2003. The 164 patients diagnosed with stage III disease were divided into two categories based on lymph-node ratio (LNR) being the ratio of positive lymph nodes over total lymph nodes dissected: LNR ≤0.4 and LNR >0.4. We used Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate the prognostic effect of pLNR.

Results

The 10-year survival rate for the patients with stage IIIA, IIIB and IIIC cancers were 76%, 56% and 0% respectively (P = 0.014). Using pLNR of 0.4 as the cutoff point was found to yield clinically and significant results, with a significant difference in the outcomes of patients with pLNR ≤0.4 compared to those with pLNR >0.4 (hazard ratio = 5.25, 95% confidence interval = 1.2 to 22.1, P = 0.02).

Conclusion

The ratio-based staging (pLNR) of CRC is a more accurate and clinically useful prognostic method than the number of positive LNs resected or the total number of LNs retrieved for predicting the course of patients with stage III CRC.
Skp2 expression unfavorably impacts survival in resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Liang Yi , Hou Xue , Cui Qian , Kang Tie-Bang , Fu Jian-Hua , Zhang Lan-Jun , Luo Rong-Zhen , He Jie-Hua , Zeng Yi-Xin , Yang Hao-Xian
Published: April 2012

Background

The correlation of S-phase kinase–associated protein 2 (Skp2) with metastasis and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore whether there was a correlation between the expression of Skp2 evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the clinical outcome of patients with operable ESCC, and to further determine the possible mechanism of the impact of Skp2 on survival.

Methods

Tissue microarrays that included 157 surgically resected ESCC specimens was successfully generated for immunohistochemical evaluation. The clinical/prognostic significance of Skp2 expression was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the postoperative survival between groups. The prognostic impact of clinicopathologic variables and Skp2 expression was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards model. A cell proliferation assay and a colony formation assay were performed in ESCC cell lines to determine the function of Skp2 on the progression of ESCC in vitro.

Results

Skp2 expression correlated closely with the T category (p = 0.035) and the pathological tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (p = 0.027). High expression of Skp2 was associated with poor overall survival in resectable ESCC (p = 0.01). The multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that pathological T category, pathological N category, cell differentiation, and negative Skp2 expression were independent factors for better overall survival. In vitro assays of ESCC cell lines demonstrated that Skp2 promoted the proliferative and colony-forming capacity of ESCCs.

Conclusions

Negative Skp2 expression in primary resected ESCC is an independent factor for better survival. Skp2 may play a pro-proliferative role in ESCC cells.
Proteomic analysis of HIV-1 Nef cellular binding partners reveals a role for exocyst complex proteins in mediating enhancement of intercellular nanotube formation
Authors: Mukerji Joya , Olivieri Kevin C , Misra Vikas , Agopian Kristin A , Gabuzda Dana
Published: April 2012

Background

HIV-1 Nef protein contributes to pathogenesis via multiple functions that include enhancement of viral replication and infectivity, alteration of intracellular trafficking, and modulation of cellular signaling pathways. Nef stimulates formation of tunneling nanotubes and virological synapses, and is transferred to bystander cells via these intercellular contacts and secreted microvesicles. Nef associates with and activates Pak2, a kinase that regulates T-cell signaling and actin cytoskeleton dynamics, but how Nef promotes nanotube formation is unknown.

Results

To identify Nef binding partners involved in Pak2-association dependent Nef functions, we employed tandem mass spectrometry analysis of Nef immunocomplexes from Jurkat cells expressing wild-type Nef or Nef mutants defective for the ability to associate with Pak2 (F85L, F89H, H191F and A72P, A75P in NL4-3). We report that wild-type, but not mutant Nef, was associated with 5 components of the exocyst complex (EXOC1, EXOC2, EXOC3, EXOC4, and EXOC6), an octameric complex that tethers vesicles at the plasma membrane, regulates polarized exocytosis, and recruits membranes and proteins required for nanotube formation. Additionally, Pak2 kinase was associated exclusively with wild-type Nef. Association of EXOC1, EXOC2, EXOC3, and EXOC4 with wild-type, but not mutant Nef, was verified by co-immunoprecipitation assays in Jurkat cells. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated depletion of EXOC2 in Jurkat cells abrogated Nef-mediated enhancement of nanotube formation. Using bioinformatic tools, we visualized protein interaction networks that reveal functional linkages between Nef, the exocyst complex, and the cellular endocytic and exocytic trafficking machinery.

Conclusions

Exocyst complex proteins are likely a key effector of Nef-mediated enhancement of nanotube formation, and possibly microvesicle secretion. Linkages revealed between Nef and the exocyst complex suggest a new paradigm of exocyst involvement in polarized targeting for intercellular transfer of viral proteins and viruses.
Hemodynamic effects of peri-operative statin therapy in on-pump cardiac surgery patients
Authors: Hinz Jose , Gehoff Philipp , Schotola Hanna , Hosseini Morteza Tavakkoli , Didilis Vassilios N , Jebran Ahmad Fawad , Gehoff Anastasia , Wiese Christoph H , Schulz Egbert Godehard , Schoendube Friedrich Albert , Popov Aron Frederik
Published: April 2012

Background

Peri-operative statin therapy in cardiac surgery cases is reported to reduce the rate of mortality, stroke, postoperative atrial fibrillation, and systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation could affect the hemodynamic parameters and stability. We set out to study the effect of statin therapy on perioperative hemodynamic parameters and its clinical outcome.

Methods

In a single center study from 2006 to 2007, peri-operative hemodynamic parameters of 478 patients, who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, were measured. Patients were divided into those who received perioperative statin therapy (n = 276; statin group) and those who did not receive statin therapy (n = 202; no-statin group). The two groups were compared together using Kolmogorov-Smirnov-Test, Fisher’s-Exact-Test, and Student’s-T-test. A p value < 0.05 was considered as significant.

Results

There was no significant difference in the preoperative risk factors. Onset of postoperative atrial fibrillation was not affected by statin therapy. Extended hemodynamic measurements revealed no significant difference between the two groups, apart from Systemic Vascular Resistance Index (SVRI) . The no-statin group had a significantly higher SVRI (882 ± 206 vs. 1050 ± 501 dyn s/cm5/m2, p = 0.022). Inotropic support was the same in both groups and no significant difference in the mortality rate was noticed. Also, hemodynamic parameters were not affected by different types and doses of statins.

Conclusions

Perioperative statin therapy for patients undergoing on-pump coronary bypass grafting or valvular surgery, does not affect the hemodynamic parameters and its clinical outcome.
Apoptosis-inducing factor downregulation increased neuronal progenitor, but not stem cell, survival in the neonatal hippocampus after cerebral hypoxia-ischemia
Authors: Sun Yanyan , Zhang Yu , Wang Xiaoyang , Blomgren Klas , Zhu Changlian
Published: April 2012

Background

A considerable proportion of all newly generated cells in the hippocampus will die before becoming fully differentiated, both under normal and pathological circumstances. The caspase-independent apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) has not been investigated previously in this context.

Results

Postnatal day 8 (P8) harlequin (Hq) mutant mice, expressing lower levels of AIF, and wild type littermates were injected with BrdU once daily for two days to label newborn cells. On P10 mice were subjected to hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and their brains were analyzed 4 h, 24 h or 4 weeks later. Overall tissue loss was 63.5% lower in Hq mice 4 weeks after HI. Short-term survival (4 h and 24 h) of labeled cells in the subgranular zone was neither affected by AIF downregulation, nor by HI. Long-term (4 weeks) survival of undifferentiated, BLBP-positive stem cells was reduced by half after HI, but this was not changed by AIF downregulation. Neurogenesis, however, as judged by BrdU/NeuN double labeling, was reduced by half after HI in wild type mice but preserved in Hq mice, indicating that primarily neural progenitors and neurons were protected. A wave of cell death started early after HI in the innermost layers of the granule cell layer (GCL) and moved outward, such that 24 h after HI dying cells could be detected in the entire GCL.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that AIF downregulation provides not only long-term overall neuroprotection after HI, but also protects neural progenitor cells, thereby rescuing hippocampal neurogenesis.
Thailandepsins are new small molecule class I HDAC inhibitors with potent cytotoxic activity in ovarian cancer cells: a preclinical study of epigenetic ovarian cancer therapy
Authors: Wilson Andrew J , Cheng Yi-Qiang , Khabele Dineo
Published: April 2012

Background

New treatment strategies are emerging to target DNA damage response pathways in ovarian cancer. Our group has previously shown that the class I biased HDAC inhibitor romidepsin (FK228) induces DNA damage response and has potent cytotoxic effects in ovarian cancer cells. Here, we investigated newly discovered HDAC inhibitors, thailandepsin A (TDP-A) and thailandepsin B (TDP-B), to determine the effects on cell viability, apoptosis and DNA damage response in ovarian cancer cells.

Methods

FK228, TDP-A and TDP-B were tested in five ovarian cancer cell lines. Cellular viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Immunofluorescence assays were used to assess activated caspase 3. Western blots were performed to detect protein expression of PARP cleavage, pH2AX, P-glycoprotein and tubulin acetylation.

Results

Treatment with TDPs decreased cell viability at nanonomolar concentrations in four of the five ovarian cancer cell lines studied. Similar to FK228, both TDP compounds exerted minimal effects on NCI/ADR-RES ovarian cancer cells. Across the four cell lines sensitive to the TDPs, TDP-B consistently had a greater inhibitory effect than TDP-A on cell viability. TDP-B also had relatively greater effects on promoting cell apoptosis and induction of pH2AX (a mark of DNA damage response), than TDP-A. These antitumor effects of TDP-B were of similar magnitude to those induced by an equal concentration of FK228. Similar to FK228, the nanomolar concentrations of the TDPs had little effect on tubulin acetylation (a mark of class II HDAC6 inhibition).

Conclusions

The new small molecule HDAC inhibitors TDP-A and TDP-B are FK228 analogues that suppress cell viability and induce apoptosis at nanomolar drug concentrations. TDP-B showed the most similarity to the biological activity of FK228 with greater cytotoxic effects than TDP-A in vitro. Our results indicate that FK228-like small molecule class I HDAC-biased HDAC inhibitors have therapeutic potential for ovarian cancer.
The Sp1 transcription factor is essential for the expression of gliostatin/thymidine phosphorylase in rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes
Authors: Ikuta Kenji , Waguri-Nagaya Yuko , Kikuchi Kae , Yamagami Takaya , Nozaki Masahiro , Aoyama Mineyoshi , Asai Kiyofumi , Otsuka Takanobu
Published: April 2012

Introduction

Gliostatin/thymidine phosphorylase (GLS/TP) has angiogenic and arthritogenic activities, and aberrant GLS production has been observed in the active synovial membranes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The human GLS gene promoter contains at least seven consensus binding sites for the DNA binding protein Sp1. Here we examined whether Sp1 is necessary for GLS production in RA. We also studied the effects of the Sp1 inhibitor mithramycin on GLS production in RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs).

Methods

FLSs from RA patients were treated with specific inhibitors. The gene and protein expression of GLS were studied using the quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and an enzyme immunoassay. Intracellular signalling pathway activation was determined by western blotting analysis, a luciferase assay, a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and a small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection.

Results

The luciferase and ChIP assays showed that Sp1 binding sites in the GLS promoter were essential for GLS messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. GLS production was suppressed in FLSs by siRNA against Sp1 transfection. Mithramycin decreased GLS promoter activity, mRNA and protein expression in FLSs. Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) significantly increased GLS expression in RA FLSs; this effect was reduced by pre-treatment with cycloheximide and mithramycin.

Conclusions

Pretreatment of mithramycin and Sp1 silencing resulted in a significant suppression of GLS production in TNF-α-stimulated FLSs compared to controls. GLS gene expression enhanced by TNF-α was partly mediated through Sp1. As physiological concentrations of mithramycin can regulate GLS production in RA, mithramycin is a promising candidate for anti-rheumatic therapy.
Antioxidant micronutrients in the critically ill: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Manzanares William , Dhaliwal Rupinder , Jiang Xuran , Murch Lauren , Heyland Daren K
Published: April 2012

Introduction

Critical illness is characterized by oxidative stress, which is a major promoter of systemic inflammation and organ failure due to excessive free radical production, depletion of antioxidant defenses, or both. We hypothesized that exogenous supplementation of trace elements and vitamins could restore antioxidant status, improving clinical outcomes.

Methods

We searched computerized databases, reference lists of pertinent articles and personal files from 1980 to 2011. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in critically ill adult patients that evaluated relevant clinical outcomes with antioxidant micronutrients (vitamins and trace elements) supplementation versus placebo.

Results

A total of 21 RCTs met inclusion criteria. When the results of these studies were statistically aggregated (n = 20), combined antioxidants were associated with a significant reduction in mortality (risk ratio (RR) = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72 to 0.93, P = 0.002); a significant reduction in duration of mechanical ventilation (weighed mean difference in days = -0.67, 95% CI -1.22 to -0.13, P = 0.02); a trend towards a reduction in infections (RR= 0.88, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.02, P = 0.08); and no overall effect on ICU or hospital length of stay (LOS). Furthermore, antioxidants were associated with a significant reduction in overall mortality among patients with higher risk of death (>10% mortality in control group) (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.92, P = 0.003) whereas there was no significant effect observed for trials of patients with a lower mortality in the control group (RR = 1.14, 95% 0.72 to 1.82, P = 0.57). Trials using more than 500 μg per day of selenium showed a trend towards a lower mortality (RR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.02, P = 0.07) whereas trials using doses lower than 500 μg had no effect on mortality (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.33, P = 0.75).

Conclusions

Supplementation with high dose trace elements and vitamins may improve outcomes of critically ill patients, particularly those at high risk of death.
Intestinotrophic Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 (GLP-2) Activates Intestinal Gene Expression and Growth Factor-Dependent Pathways Independent of the Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Gene in Mice
Authors: Yusta Bernardo , Holland Dianne , Waschek James A. , Drucker Daniel J.
Published: April 2012

The enteroendocrine and enteric nervous systems convey signals through an overlapping network of regulatory peptides that act either as circulating hormones or as localized neurotransmitters within the gastrointestinal tract. Because recent studies invoke an important role for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as a downstream mediator of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) action in the gut, we examined the importance of the VIP-GLP-2 interaction through analysis of Vip−/− mice. Unexpectedly, we detected abnormal villous architecture, expansion of the crypt compartment, increased crypt cell proliferation, enhanced Igf1 and Kgf gene expression, and reduced expression of Paneth cell products in the Vip−/− small bowel. These abnormalities were not reproduced by antagonizing VIP action in wild-type mice, and VIP administration did not reverse the intestinal phenotype of Vip−/− mice. Exogenous administration of GLP-2 induced the expression of ErbB ligands and immediate-early genes to similar levels in Vip+/+vs. Vip−/− mice. Moreover, GLP-2 significantly increased crypt cell proliferation and small bowel growth to comparable levels in Vip+/+vs. Vip−/− mice. Unexpectedly, exogenous GLP-2 administration had no therapeutic effect in mice with dextran sulfate-induced colitis; the severity of colonic injury and weight loss was modestly reduced in female but not male Vip−/− mice. Taken together, these findings extend our understanding of the complex intestinal phenotype arising from loss of the Vip gene. Furthermore, although VIP action may be important for the antiinflammatory actions of GLP-2, the Vip gene is not required for induction of a gene expression program linked to small bowel growth after enhancement of GLP-2 receptor signaling.
My Screens Are Killing Me, or Watching Hurts
Authors: Case Sue-Ellen
Published: April 2012

In this article, Sue-Ellen Case parses the different modes of spectatorship prompted in audience members by Maria Jerez's The Case of the Spectator, an intermedial performance inspired by pulp-crime novels, Hitchcock films, and midcentury Americana.
Plant odour stimuli reshape pheromonal representation in neurons of the antennal lobe macroglomerular complex of a male moth
Authors: Chaffiol Antoine , Kropf Jan , Barrozo Romina B. , Gadenne Christophe , Rospars Jean-Pierre , Anton Sylvia
Published: April 2012

Male moths are confronted with complex odour mixtures in a natural environment when flying towards a female-emitted sex pheromone source. Whereas synergistic effects of sex pheromones and plant odours have been observed at the behavioural level, most investigations at the peripheral level have shown an inhibition of pheromone responses by plant volatiles, suggesting a potential role of the central nervous system in reshaping the peripheral information. We thus investigated the interactions between sex pheromone and a behaviourally active plant volatile, heptanal, and their effects on responses of neurons in the pheromone-processing centre of the antennal lobe, the macroglomerular complex, in the moth Agrotis ipsilon. Our results show that most of these pheromone-sensitive neurons responded to the plant odour. Most neurons responded to the pheromone with a multiphasic pattern and were anatomically identified as projection neurons. They responded either with excitation or pure inhibition to heptanal, and the response to the mixture pheromone + heptanal was generally weaker than to the pheromone alone, showing a suppressive effect of heptanal. However, these neurons responded with a better resolution to pulsed stimuli. The other neurons with either purely excitatory or inhibitory responses to all three stimuli did not exhibit significant differences in responses between stimuli. Although the suppression of the pheromone responses in AL neurons by the plant odour is counter-intuitive at first glance, the observed better resolution of pulsed stimuli is probably more important than high sensitivity to the localization of a calling female.
A long-latency aversive learning mechanism enables locusts to avoid odours associated with the consequences of ingesting toxic food
Authors: Simões Patrício M. V. , Ott Swidbert R. , Niven Jeremy E.
Published: April 2012

Avoiding food that contains toxins is crucial for the survival of many animals, particularly herbivores, because many plants defend themselves with toxins. Some animals can learn to avoid food containing toxins not through its taste but by the toxins’ effects following ingestion, though how they do so remains unclear. We studied how desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria), which are generalist herbivores, form post-ingestive aversive memories and use them to make appropriate olfactory-based decisions in a Y-maze. Locusts form an aversion gradually to an odour paired with food containing the toxin nicotine hydrogen tartrate (NHT), suggesting the involvement of a long-latency associative mechanism. Pairing of odour and toxin-free food accompanied by NHT injections at different latencies showed that locusts could form an association between an odour and toxic malaise, which could be separated by up to 30 min. Tasting but not swallowing the food, or the temporal separation of odour and food, prevents the formation of these long-latency associations, showing that they are post-ingestive. A second associative mechanism not contingent upon feeding operates only when odour presentation is simultaneous with NHT injection. Post-ingestive memory formation is not disrupted by exposure to a novel odour alone but can be if the odour is accompanied by simultaneous NHT injection. Thus, the timing with which food, odour and toxin are encountered whilst foraging is likely to influence memory formation and subsequent foraging decisions. Therefore, locusts can form specific long-lasting aversive olfactory associations that they can use to avoid toxin-containing foods whilst foraging.
Ideologues Beat Idealists
Authors: Ghosh Sambuddha , Tripathi Vinayak
Published: April 2012

Our model considers a majority election between two candidates— an ideologue committed to a fixed policy and an idealist who implements the ex post choice of the majority. Voters are aware that their individual rankings of policies may change after the election according to common or idiosyncratic shocks. We show that in equilibrium the ideologue often beats the idealist, even when this choice hurts all voters. Inefficiency arises both for sincere and for strategic voters; we also show that it is more pervasive in the latter case. Groups may be inflexible even when each individual has a preference for flexibility. (JEL C72, D72)
Book Reviews
Authors: Rand Graham K.
Published: April 2012

In Book Reviews, we review an extensive and diverse range of books. They cover theory and applications in operations research, statistics, management science, econometrics, mathematics, computers, and information systems. In addition, we include books in other fields that emphasize technical applications. The editor will be pleased to receive an e-mail from those willing to review a book, with an indication of specific areas of interest. If you are aware of a specific book that you would like to review, or that you think should be reviewed, please contact the editor.

The following books are reviewed in this issue of Interfaces, 42(2), March-April 2012: Red Plenty: Industry! Progress! Abundance! – Inside the Fifties' Soviet Dream, Francis Spufford; Sports Data Mining, Robert P. Schumaker, Osama K. Solieman, and Hsinchun Chen; Foundations of Optimization, Osman Güler; Stochastic Processes with Applications to Reliability Theory, Toshio Nakagawa; Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery via Logic-Based Methods, Evangelos Triantaphyllou; Random-Like Multiple Objective Decision Making, Jiuping Xu and Liming Yao.
Assessing Golfer Performance on the PGA TOUR
Authors: Broadie Mark
Published: April 2012

The game of golf involves many different types of shots, including long tee shots (typically hit with a driver), approach shots to greens, shots from the sand, and putts on the green. Although determining the winner of a golf tournament by counting strokes is easy, assessing which factors contributed most to the victory is not. In this paper, we apply an analysis based on strokes gained, introduced previously, to assess professional golfer performance in different parts of the game [Broadie M (2008) Assessing golfer performance using Golfmetrics. Crews D, Lutz R, eds. Sci. Golf V: Proc. World Sci. Congress Golf (Energy in Motion, Inc., Mesa, AZ), 253–262]. Strokes gained is a simple and intuitive measure of each shot's contribution to a golfer's score and was implemented by the PGA TOUR to measure putting in May 2011. We apply strokes gained analysis to extensive ShotLink™ data to rank PGA TOUR golfers in various skill categories and to quantify the factors that differentiate these golfers. Long-game shots (those starting over 100 yards from the hole) explain about two-thirds of the score variability among PGA TOUR golfers. Tiger Woods is ranked first in total strokes gained, and at or near the top of PGA TOUR golfers in each of the three main categories: long game, short game, and putting. He dominates because he excels in all phases of the game, but his long game accounts for about two-thirds of his scoring advantage relative to the average of other PGA TOUR golfers (i.e., the field). We use a similar approach to rank PGA TOUR courses for their difficulty, both overall and in each part of the game. We also discuss the recent change in the groove rule for irons by the United States Golf Association. A preliminary analysis shows that it has had almost no impact on scores from the rough.