bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hedgehog pathway inhibitor saridegib (IPI-926) increases lifespan in a mouse medulloblastoma model
Authors: Lee Michelle J. , Hatton Beryl A. , Villavicencio Elisabeth H. , Khanna Paritosh C. , Friedman Seth D. , Ditzler Sally , Pullar Barbara , Robison Keith , White Kerry F. , Tunkey Chris , LeBlanc Michael , Randolph-Habecker Julie , Knoblaugh Sue E. , Hansen Stacey , Richards Andrew , Wainwright Brandon J. , McGovern Karen , Olson James M.
Published: May 2012

The Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway drives a subset of medulloblastomas, a malignant neuroectodermal brain cancer, and other cancers. Small-molecule Shh pathway inhibitors have induced tumor regression in mice and patients with medulloblastoma; however, drug resistance rapidly emerges, in some cases via de novo mutation of the drug target. Here we assess the response and resistance mechanisms to the natural product derivative saridegib in an aggressive Shh-driven mouse medulloblastoma model. In this model, saridegib treatment induced tumor reduction and significantly prolonged survival. Furthermore, the effect of saridegib on tumor-initiating capacity was demonstrated by reduced tumor incidence, slower growth, and spontaneous tumor regression that occurred in allografts generated from previously treated autochthonous medulloblastomas compared with those from untreated donors. Saridegib, a known P-glycoprotein (Pgp) substrate, induced Pgp activity in treated tumors, which likely contributed to emergence of drug resistance. Unlike other Smoothened (Smo) inhibitors, the drug resistance was neither mutation-dependent norGli2amplification-dependent, and saridegib was found to be active in cells with the D473H point mutation that rendered them resistant to another Smo inhibitor, GDC-0449. The fivefold increase in lifespan in mice treated with saridegib as a single agent compares favorably with both targeted and cytotoxic therapies. The absence of genetic mutations that confer resistance distinguishes saridegib from other Smo inhibitors.
RNAs in Epstein–Barr virions control early steps of infection
Authors: Jochum Simon , Ruiss Romana , Moosmann Andreas , Hammerschmidt Wolfgang , Zeidler Reinhard
Published: April 2012

Herpesviruses are dsDNA viruses, but their virions may additionally contain RNAs that can be transduced to recipient cells. The biological functions of herpes virion RNA species are unknown. Here we address this issue for EBV, a widespread human herpesvirus with oncogenic potential. We show that EBV-derived particles that include virions, virus-like particles, and subviral vesicles contain viral mRNAs, microRNAs, and other noncoding RNAs. Viral RNAs were transduced during infection and deployed immediate functions that enhanced EBV’s capacity to transform primary B cells. Among these transduced viral RNAs, BZLF1 transcripts transactivated viral promoters triggering the prelatent phase of EBV infection, noncoding EBV-encoded RNA transcripts induced cellular cytokine synthesis, and BNLF2a mRNA led to immune evasion that prevented T-cell responses to newly infected B cells. Hence, transduced viral RNAs govern critical processes immediately after infection of B cells with EBV and likely play important roles in herpesviral infection in general.
Estimating the sources of global sea level rise with data assimilation techniques
Authors: Hay Carling C. , Morrow Eric , Kopp Robert E. , Mitrovica Jerry X.
Published: April 2012

A rapidly melting ice sheet produces a distinctive geometry, or fingerprint, of sea level (SL) change. Thus, a network of SL observations may, in principle, be used to infer sources of meltwater flux. We outline a formalism, based on a modified Kalman smoother, for using tide gauge observations to estimate the individual sources of global SL change. We also report on a series of detection experiments based on synthetic SL data that explore the feasibility of extracting source information from SL records. The Kalman smoother technique iteratively calculates the maximum-likelihood estimate of Greenland ice sheet (GIS) and West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) melt at each time step, and it accommodates data gaps while also permitting the estimation of nonlinear trends. Our synthetic tests indicate that when all tide gauge records are used in the analysis, it should be possible to estimate GIS and WAIS melt rates greater than ∼0.3 and ∼0.4 mm of equivalent eustatic sea level rise per year, respectively. We have also implemented a multimodel Kalman filter that allows us to account rigorously for additional contributions to SL changes and their associated uncertainty. The multimodel filter uses 72 glacial isostatic adjustment models and 3 ocean dynamic models to estimate the most likely models for these processes given the synthetic observations. We conclude that our modified Kalman smoother procedure provides a powerful method for inferring melt rates in a warming world.
Formation of a long-lived electron-transfer state in mesoporous silica-alumina composites enhances photocatalytic oxygenation reactivity
Authors: Fukuzumi Shunichi , Doi Kaoru , Itoh Akinori , Suenobu Tomoyoshi , Ohkubo Kei , Yamada Yusuke , Karlin Kenneth D.
Published: April 2012

A simple donor-acceptor linked dyad, 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion (Acr
+
-Mes) was incorporated into nanosized mesoporous silica-alumina to form a composite, which in acetonitrile is highly dispersed. In this medium, upon visible light irradiation, the formation of an extremely long-lived electron-transfer state (Acr
•
-Mes
•+
) was confirmed by EPR and laser flash photolysis spectroscopic methods. The composite of Acr
+
-Mes-incorporated mesoporous silica-alumina with an added copper complex [(tmpa)Cu
II
]

(tmpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) acts as an efficient and robust photocatalyst for the selective oxygenation of
p
-xylene by molecular oxygen to produce
p
-tolualdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. Thus, incorporation of Acr
+
-Mes into nanosized mesoporous silica-alumina combined with an O
2
-reduction catalyst ([(tmpa)Cu
II
]
2+
) provides a promising method in the development of efficient and robust organic photocatalysts for substrate oxygenation by dioxygen, the ultimate environmentally benign oxidant.
MicroRNAs miR-125a and miR-125b constitutively activate the NF-κB pathway by targeting the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (
TNFAIP3, A20
)
Authors: Kim Sang-Woo , Ramasamy Kumaraguruparan , Bouamar Hakim , Lin An-Ping , Jiang Daifeng , Aguiar Ricardo C. T.
Published: May 2012

Constitutive activation of the NF-κB pathway is associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) pathogenesis, but whether microRNA dysfunction can contribute to these events remains unclear. Starting from an integrative screening strategy, we uncovered that the negative NF-κB regulator
TNFAIP3
is a direct target of miR-125a and miR-125b, which are commonly gained and/or overexpressed in DLBCL. Ectopic expression of these microRNAs in multiple cell models enhanced K63-linked ubiquitination of proximal signaling complexes and elevated NF-κB activity, leading to aberrant expression of its transcriptional targets and the development of a proproliferative and antiapoptotic phenotype in malignant B cells. Concordantly, genetic inhibition of miR-125a/miR-125b blunted NF-κB signals, whereas rescue assays and genetic modulation of a TNFAIP3-null model defined the essential role of the
TNFAIP3
targeting on miR-125a/miR-125b-mediated lymphomagenesis. Importantly, miR-125a/mir-125b effects on TNFAIP3 expression and NF-κB activity were confirmed in a well-characterized cohort of primary DLBCLs. Our data delineate a unique epigenetic model for aberrant activation of the NF-κB pathway in cancer and provide a coherent mechanism for the role of these miRNAs in immune cell activation and hematopoiesis. Further, as miR-125b is a direct NF-κB transcriptional target, our results suggest the presence of a positive self-regulatory loop whereby termination of TNFAIP3 function by miR-125 could strengthen and prolong NF-κB activity.
Transcription factor
Olig2
defines subpopulations of retinal progenitor cells biased toward specific cell fates
Authors: Hafler Brian P. , Surzenko Natalia , Beier Kevin T. , Punzo Claudio , Trimarchi Jeffrey M. , Kong Jennifer H. , Cepko Constance L.
Published: April 2012

Previous lineage analyses have shown that retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) are multipotent throughout development, and expression-profiling studies have shown a great deal of molecular heterogeneity among RPCs. To determine if the molecular heterogeneity predicts that an RPC will produce particular types of progeny, clonal lineage analysis was used to investigate the progeny of a subset of RPCs, those that express the basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor,
Olig2
. The embryonic
Olig2
+
RPCs underwent terminal divisions, producing small clones with primarily two of the five cell types being made by the pool of RPCs at that time. The later, postnatal

Olig2
+

RPCs also made terminal divisions, which were biased toward production of rod photoreceptors and amacrine cell interneurons. These data indicate that the multipotent progenitor pool is made up of distinctive types of RPCs, which have biases toward producing subsets of retinal neurons in a terminal division, with the types of neurons produced varying over time. This strategy is similar to that of the developing
Drosophila melanogaster
ventral nerve cord, with the
Olig
2
+
cells behaving as ganglion mother cells.
A double commutant theorem for Murray–von Neumann algebras
Authors: Liu Zhe
Published: April 2012

Murray–von Neumann algebras are algebras of operators affiliated with finite von Neumann algebras. In this article, we study commutativity and affiliation of self-adjoint operators (possibly unbounded). We show that a maximal abelian self-adjoint subalgebra

of the Murray–von Neumann algebra

associated with a finite von Neumann algebra

is the Murray–von Neumann algebra

, where

is a maximal abelian self-adjoint subalgebra of

and, in addition,

is

. We also prove that the Murray–von Neumann algebra

with

the center of

is the center of the Murray–von Neumann algebra

. Von Neumann’s celebrated double commutant theorem characterizes von Neumann algebras

as those for which

, where

, the commutant of

, is the set of bounded operators on the Hilbert space that commute with all operators in

. At the end of this article, we present a double commutant theorem for Murray–von Neumann algebras.
Theory of the energy transfer efficiency and fluorescence lifetime distribution in single-molecule FRET
Authors: Gopich Irina V. , Szabo Attila
Published: May 2012

In single-molecule FRET experiments with pulsed lasers, not only the colors of the photons but also the fluorescence lifetimes can be monitored. Although these quantities appear to be random, they are modulated by conformational dynamics. In order to extract information about such dynamics, we develop the theory of the joint distribution of FRET efficiencies and fluorescence lifetimes determined from bins (or bursts) of photons. Our starting point is a rigorous formal expression for the distribution of the numbers of donor and acceptor photons and donor lifetimes in a bin that treats the influence of conformational dynamics on all timescales. This formula leads to an analytic result for a two-state system interconverting on a timescale slower than the interphoton time and to an efficient simulation algorithm for multistate dynamics. The shape of the joint distribution contains more information about conformational dynamics than the FRET efficiency histogram alone. In favorable cases, the connectivity of the underlying conformational states can be determined directly by simple inspection of the projection of the joint distribution on the efficiency-lifetime plane.
Lake Trout Status in the Main Basin of Lake Huron, 1973–2010
Authors: He Ji X. , Ebener Mark P. , Riley Stephen C. , Cottrill Adam , Kowalski Adam , Koproski Scott , Mohr Lloyd , Johnson James E.
Published: May 2012

We developed indices of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush status in the main basin of Lake Huron (1973–2010) to understand increases in the relative abundance of wild year-classes during 1995–2010. Sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus wounds per 100 lake trout declined from 23.63 in 2000 to 5.86–10.64 in 2002–2010. The average age-7 lake trout catch per effort per recruitment (CPE/R; fish·305 m of gill net−1·million stocked yearlings−1) increased from 0.56 for the 1973–1990 year-classes to 0.92 for the 1991–2001 year-classes. Total CPE (fish/305 m of gill net) declined from 16.4 fish in 1996 to 4.1 fish in 2010, but the percentage of age-5 and younger lake trout steadily decreased from more than 70% before 1996 to less than 10% by 2009. The modal age in gill-net catches increased from age 5 before 1996 to age 7 by 2005. The average adult CPE increased from 2.8 fish/305 m of gill net during 1978–1995 to 5.34 fish/305 m of gill net during 1996–2010. The 1995–2010 year-classes of wild fish were more abundant than previous year-classes and were associated with the relatively high adult abundance during 1996–2010. Until the 2002 year-class, there was no decline in age-7 CPE/R; until 2008, there was no decline in adult CPE. Low survival of the 2002 and 2003 year-classes of stocked fish was related to the event of alewife Alosa pseudoharengus population collapse in 2003–2004. Lake trout in the main basin of Lake Huron are undergoing a transition from a hatchery stock to a wild stock, accompanied by an increased uncertainty in delayed recruitment. Future management should pay more attention to the protection of wild recruitment and the abundance of the spawning stock.

Received April 20, 2011; accepted December 30, 2011
Statistical analysis of glycosylation profiles to compare tissue type and inflammatory disease state
Authors: Hayes Catherine A. , Nemes Szilard , Karlsson Niclas G.
Published: April 2012

Motivation: Glycosylation is one of the most important post-translational modifications of proteins and explains some aspects of the diversification of higher organisms not explained by template-driven synthesis. For glycomics to mature as much as genomics and proteomics, the necessary tools need to be developed and tested. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is one of the gold standards for oligosaccharide analysis and leads to large amounts of data, not easily interpreted manually. We present a study on the testing and validation of statistical analysis tools to aid the structural elucidation of these analyses as well as using the results to answer biologically relevant questions.

Results: We show the usefulness of data reduction and statistical analysis in the interpretation of complex glycosylation data. The reduction does not result in the loss of importance of the glycosylation information as shown by comparison of control and disease samples in two tissue types.

Contact:  catherine.hayes@medkem.gu.se

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Truncated branch and bound achieves efficient constraint-based genetic design
Authors: Egen Dennis , Lun Desmond S.
Published: April 2012

Motivation: Computer-aided genetic design is a promising approach to a core problem of metabolic engineering—that of identifying genetic manipulation strategies that result in engineered strains with favorable product accumulation. This approach has proved to be effective for organisms including Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, allowing for rapid, rational design of engineered strains. Finding optimal genetic manipulation strategies, however, is a complex computational problem in which running time grows exponentially with the number of manipulations (i.e. knockouts, knock-ins or regulation changes) in the strategy. Thus, computer-aided gene identification has to date been limited in the complexity or optimality of the strategies it finds or in the size and level of detail of the metabolic networks under consideration.

Results: Here, we present an efficient computational solution to the gene identification problem. Our approach significantly outperforms previous approaches—in seconds or minutes, we find strategies that previously required running times of days or more.

Availability and implementation: GDBB is implemented using MATLAB and is freely available for non-profit use at http://crab.rutgers.edu/~dslun/gdbb.

Contact:  dslun@rutgers.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Integrated Use of Pyraclostrobin and Epoxiconazole for the Control of Fusarium Head Blight of Wheat in Anhui Province of China
Authors: Chen Yu , Zhang Ai-Fang , Gao Tong-Chun , Zhang Yong , Wang Wen-Xiang , Ding Ke-Jian , Chen Li , Sun Zhong , Fang Xin-Zhou , Zhou Ming-Guo
Published: May 2012

Fusarium asiaticum and F. graminearum are the primary causal agents of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat in China. Carbendazim (a benzimadazole fungicide, MBC), has been extensively used for the control of FHB, resulting in severe MBC resistance in China. This article presents the baseline sensitivity of F. asiaticum and F. graminearum isolates from Anhui Province of China to fungicides pyraclostrobin (a quinone outside inhibitor) and epoxiconazole (a sterol demethylation inhibitor). In the presence of salicylhydroxamic acid, the 50% effective concentration (EC50) values for pyraclostrobin in inhibiting mycelial growth of the 126 F. asiaticum isolates and 63 F. graminearum isolates were 0.012 to 0.135 μg/ml and 0.010 to 0.105 μg/ml, and the EC50 values for pyraclostrobin in inhibiting conidium germination of the F. asiaticum and F. graminearum populations were 0.047 to 0.291 and 0.042 to 0.255 μg/ml, respectively. The EC50 values for epoxiconazole in inhibiting mycelial growth of the F. asiaticum and F. graminearum populations were 0.12 to 0.95 and 0.16 to 0.93 μg/ml, respectively. All of the baseline sensitivity curves were unimodal. This study also suggested that there was no cross-resistance between MBC and pyraclostrobin or epoxiconazole. In the protective and curative tests, pyraclostrobin and epoxiconazole applied at 200 and 300 μg/ml exhibited over 75% protective and curative control efficacy in all treatments. In field trials, both pyraclostrobin and epoxiconazole at 225 g a.i./ha provided over 80% efficacy in 2010 and 2011 at both sites where MBC resistance occurred, suggesting excellent activity against FHB. Interestingly, integrated use of pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole applied at 150 + 150 g a.i./ha provided over 85% efficacy at both sites in 2010 and 2011. Pyraclostrobin and epoxiconazole should be good alternatives to MBC for the control of FHB, and integrated use of these two fungicides might achieve greater efficacy.
First Report of Potato virus Y in Potato in Tajikistan
Authors: Alabi O. J. , Crosslin J. M. , Saidov N. , Naidu R. A.
Published: May 2012

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is widely grown as a staple food and cash crop in Tajikistan and is an important food security crop in the country. In June 2011, we conducted a survey of potatoes in farmers' fields in the Buston and Dushanbe regions (about 200 miles apart) of Tajikistan. Potato plants with stunted growth and leaves showing chlorotic spots, curling, and necrotic spots and rings were observed with the disease incidence monitored in 10 fields each in Buston and Dushanbe areas varying between 10 and 60%. Representative samples from symptomatic plants tested positive for Potato virus Y (PVY) using virus-specific immunostrips (Agdia Inc., Elkhart, IN). Leaf samples from symptomatic plants were collected from Buston and Dushanbe areas, imprinted on FTA Classic Cards (Whatman International Ltd., Maidstone, UK), air dried, and shipped to the lab at Washington State University for confirmatory diagnostic tests. Total nucleic acids were eluted from FTA cards (1) and subjected to reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with primers (PVY/Y4A and PVY/Y3S) specific to the coat protein of PVY (3). Samples infected with PVY ordinary strain (PVYO), tuber necrosis strain (PVYNTN), tobacco veinal necrosis strains (PVYEU-N and PVYNA-N), and a recombinant strain (PVYN:O) were included as references to validate RT-PCR results. A single DNA product of approximately 480 bp was amplified from potato samples that tested positive with PVY-specific immunostrips. The amplified fragments from two samples from Dushanbe and six from Buston areas were cloned separately into pCR2.1 (Invitrogen Corp., Carlsbad, CA) and two independent clones per amplicon were sequenced from both orientations. Pairwise comparison of these sequences showed 90 to 100% identity among the cloned amplicons (GenBank Accession Nos. JQ743609 to JQ743616) and 90 to 100% with corresponding nucleotide sequence of reference PVY strains (GenBank Accession Nos. JQ743617 to JQ743621). A global phylogenetic analysis of sequences revealed the presence of PVYO in both samples from Dushanbe and one sample from Buston regions and presence of PVYNTN in the remaining five samples from the Buston region. Because of the possible occurrence of mixed infections of PVY strains (2), further studies are needed to determine the presence of mixed infections of two or more strains of PVY and their specificity to potato cultivars. To our knowledge, this study represents the first confirmed report of two distinct strains of PVY in potato in Tajikistan. The occurrence of PVYNTN, a quarantine pathogen in many countries (2), warrants additional investigations to improve sanitary status of potato fields and to facilitate the availability of virus-free seed in clean plant programs for significant yield increases in Tajikistan.

References: (1) O. J. Alabi et al. J. Virol. Methods 154:111, 2008. (2) S. Gray et al. Plant Dis. 94:1384, 2010. (3) R. P. Singh et al. J. Virol. Methods 59:189, 1996.
You get what you pay for: reward-specific trade-offs among direct and ant-mediated defences in plants
Authors: Koricheva Julia , Romero Gustavo Q.
Published: May 2012

Plant defences against herbivores include direct defences such as secondary metabolites or physical structures (e.g. trichomes) as well as indirect defences mediated via mutualistic interactions with other organisms including ants. Production of both direct defences and rewards for mutualistic ants may be costly for a plant, and it has been suggested that trade-offs may exist between direct and ant-mediated defences. We have conducted a meta-analysis of 25 studies testing the above hypothesis and found a significant negative correlation between plant allocation to direct and ant-mediated defences. The strength of correlation was similar for across- and within-species comparisons, and for chemical and physical direct defences. However, trade-offs with direct defences were significant only in plants which offered to ants more costly rewards such as food bodies and/or domatia, but not in plants which attracted ants with relatively cheap extrafloral nectaries. Our results therefore support the hypothesis that plant investment in ant-mediated defences may reduce the requirement for direct chemical and physical defences, but only in plants which offer more costly rewards to their bodyguards.
Psidium guajavaandPiper betleLeaf Extracts Prolong Vase Life of Cut Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) Flowers
Authors: Rahman M. M. , Ahmad S. H. , Lgu K. S.
Published: April 2012

The effect of leaf extracts ofPsidium guajavaandPiper betleon prolonging vase life of cut carnation flowers was studied. “Carola” and “Pallas Orange” carnation flowers, at bud stage, were pulsed 24 hours with a floral preservative. Then, flowers were placed in a vase solution containing sprite and a “germicide” (leaf extracts ofP. guajavaandP. betle, 8-HQC, or a copper coin). Flowers treated with 8-HQC, copper coin, and leaf extracts had longer vase life, larger flower diameter, and higher rate of water uptake compared to control (tap water). The leaf extracts ofP. guajavaandP. betleshowed highest antibacterial and antifungal activities compared to the other treatments. Both showed similar effects on flower quality as the synthetic germicide, 8-HQC. Therefore, these extracts are likely natural germicides to prolong vase life of cut flowers.
Thyroid Hormone-Induced Cytosol-to-Nuclear Translocation of Rat Liver Nrf2 Is Dependent on Kupffer Cell Functioning
Authors: Videla Luis A. , Cornejo Pamela , Romanque Pamela , Santibáñez Catherine , Castillo Iván , Vargas Romina
Published: April 2012

L-3,3′,5-triiodothyronine (T3) administration upregulates nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in rat liver, which is redox-sensitive transcription factor mediating cytoprotection. In this work, we studied the role of Kupffer cell respiratory burst activity, a process related to reactive oxygen species generation and liver homeostasis, in Nrf2 activation using the macrophage inactivator gadolinium chloride (GdCl3; 10 mg/kg i.v. 72 h before T3[0.1 mg/kg i.p.]) or NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin (1.5 mmol/L added to the drinking water for 7 days before T3), and determinations were performed 2 h after T3. T3increased nuclear/cytosolic Nrf2 content ratio and levels of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), catalytic subunit of glutamate cysteine ligase, and thioredoxin (Western blot) over control values, proteins whose gene transcription is induced by Nrf2. These changes were suppressed by GdCl3treatment prior to T3, an agent-eliciting Kupffer-cell depletion, inhibition of colloidal carbon phagocytosis, and the associated respiratory burst activity, with enhancement in nuclear inhibitor of Nrf2 kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/Nrf2 content ratios suggesting Nrf2 degradation. Under these conditions, T3-induced tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) response was eliminated by previous GdCl3administration. Similar to GdCl3, apocynin given before T3significantly reduced liver Nrf2 activation and HO-1 expression, a NADPH oxidase inhibitor eliciting abolishment of colloidal carbon-induced respiratory burst activity without altering carbon phagocytosis. It is concluded that Kupffer cell functioning is essential for upregulation of liver Nrf2-signaling pathway by T3. This contention is supported by suppression of the respiratory burst activity of Kupffer cells and the associated reactive oxygen species production by GdCl3or apocynin given prior to T3, thus hindering Nrf2 activation.
Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention: Is This the Future of Colorectal Cancer Prevention?
Authors: Manzano A. , Pérez-Segura P.
Published: April 2012

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is presently one of the most common causes of cancer-related death in our setting and affects a great number of people each year. Screening strategies are commonly used but they do not seem enough to avoid CRC development or prevent completely its mortality. Because of this fact other prevention strategies have gained interest in recent years. Chemoprevention seems to be an attractive option in this setting and several drugs have been studied in this field. This review is focused on salicylates, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cycloxygenase-2 inhibitors (COXIBs), whose mechanism of action could be directly related to colon cancer chemoprevention.
Growth Inhibition by Caffeic Acid, One of the Phenolic Constituents of Honey, in HCT 15 Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Jaganathan Saravana Kumar
Published: April 2012

Previous work from our laboratory showed that the mechanism of crude-honey induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Since phenolic constituents of honey were attributed to its apoptosis-inducing ability, we studied caffeic acid, one of the phenolic constituents of honey, induced effect on colon cancer cells. Antiproliferative effect of caffeic acid was estimated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. MTT assay signified the antiproliferative nature of caffeic acid against the HCT 15 colon cancer cells. A time-dependent inhibition of colony formation was evident with caffeic acid treatment. Cell-cycle analysis of caffeic acid- (CA-) treated cells indicated increasing accumulation of cells at sub-G1phase. Photomicrograph images of treated cells showed membrane blebbing and cell shrinkage. Yo-pro-1 staining of caffeic-acid-treated cells confirmed apoptosis in dose- and time-dependent manner. Increasing ROS generation and reduction in the mitochondrial membrane potential were also accompanied in the caffeic acid-induced apoptosis. This work will promote caffeic acid as a likely candidate in the chemoprevention of colon cancer.
World Aquaculture: Environmental Impacts and Troubleshooting Alternatives
Authors: Martinez-Porchas Marcel , Martinez-Cordova Luis R.
Published: April 2012

Aquaculture has been considered as an option to cope with the world food demand. However, criticisms have arisen around aquaculture, most of them related to the destruction of ecosystems such as mangrove forest to construct aquaculture farms, as well as the environmental impacts of the effluents on the receiving ecosystems. The inherent benefits of aquaculture such as massive food production and economical profits have led the scientific community to seek for diverse strategies to minimize the negative impacts, rather than just prohibiting the activity. Aquaculture is a possible panacea, but at present is also responsible for diverse problems related with the environmental health; however the new strategies proposed during the last decade have proven that it is possible to achieve a sustainable aquaculture, but such strategies should be supported and proclaimed by the different federal environmental agencies from all countries. Additionally there is an urgent need to improve legislation and regulation for aquaculture. Only under such scenario, aquaculture will be a sustainable practice.
Self-Efficacy as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review
Authors: Tsang Sandra K. M. , Hui Eadaoin K. P. , Law Bella C. M.
Published: April 2012

Self-efficacy denotes people's beliefs about their ability to perform in different situations. It functions as a multilevel and multifaceted set of beliefs that influence how people feel, think, motivate themselves, and behave during various tasks. Self-efficacy beliefs are informed by enactive attainment, vicarious experience, imaginal experiences, and social persuasion as well as physical and emotional states. These beliefs are mediated by cognitive, motivational, affective, and selection processes to generate actual performance. Self-efficacy development is closely intertwined with a person's experiences, competencies, and developmental tasks in different domains at different stages in life. This paper reviews the literature to outline the definition and theoretical conceptualizations of the construct originally devised by Bandura that have flourished since the 1990s. Drawing from the studies of the construct to assess self-efficacy, and to inform positive youth development, the paper will present the determinants of the development of self-efficacy beliefs and identify the connection between self-efficacy and adolescent developmental outcomes. The paper will conclude with strategies to enhance youth self-efficacy and proposals for future research directions.
Secondary Metabolites ofHypericum leptophyllumHochst., an Endemic Turkish Species
Authors: Camas Necdet , Radusiene Jolita , Stanius Zydrunas , Caliskan Omer , Cirak Cuneyt
Published: April 2012

In the present study, the presence of the phloroglucinol derivative hyperforin, the naphthodianthrones hypericin and pseudohypericin, the phenylpropane chlorogenic acid and the flavonoids rutin, hyperoside, kaempferol, isoquercetine, quercitrine, and quercetine was investigated inHypericum leptophyllumHochst., an endemic Turkish species for the first time. The aerial parts representing a total of 30 individuals were collected at full flowering and dissected into floral, leaf, and stem tissues. After being dried at room temperature, the plant materials were assayed for secondary metabolite concentrations by HPLC. Aerial plant parts accumulated chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, isoquercetine, quercitrine, and quercetine, but they did not accumulate hyperforin, hypericin, pseudohypericin, rutin, and kaempferol. Accumulation levels of the detected compounds varied with plant tissues. Such kind of data could be useful for elucidation of the chemotaxonomical significance of the corresponding compounds and phytochemical evaluation of this endemic species.
The Waterlogging Tolerance of Wheat Varieties in Western of Turkey
Authors: Yavas Ilkay , Unay Aydin , Aydin Mehmet
Published: April 2012

This research was conducted to determine the wheat varieties against waterlogging which was clearly increased in recent years. For this purpose, this study was performed at Field Crops and Soil Science Department of Agricultural Faculty of Adnan Menderes University during wheat growth stages of 2007-2008. The experimental design was randomized complete block design with split split plot arrangements. The main plots were temperature applications (heat and normal), the growth periods (Zadoks scale; GS14, GS32, GS14 + GS32, and control) were split plots and varieties were split-split plots. The eight different wheat varieties were evaluated in the pots. The waterlogging was performed during GS14, GS32 and GS14 + GS32. In a pot experiment, plants were subjected to waterlogging to the soil surface for 10 days. All applications and varieties decreased the single plant yield. The waterlogging caused a yield loss compared with wheat grown on well-drained soil. In this study, the crop loss due to waterlogging is highly temperature dependent. The severity of the effects of the waterlogging depends on the growth stage of the plot. When all applications were compared with control by means of yield performance, Sagittario and Basribey varieties were less affected than the others.
The Growth ofMonoraphidiumsp. andScenedesmussp. Cells in the Presence of Thorium
Authors: de Queiroz Juliana Cristina , Ferreira Ana Cristina de Melo , da Costa Antonio Carlos Augusto
Published: April 2012

Toxicity of thorium byMonoraphidiumsp. andScenedesmussp. was studied. Microalgal cultures were inoculated in ASM-1 medium in presence and absence of thorium. Its effect was monitored by direct counting on Fuchs-Rosenthal chamber and with software. The toxicity of thorium over the species was observed for concentrations over 50.0 mg/L. After 30 days,Monoraphidiumcells decreased their concentration from4.23×106to4.27×105and8.57×105 cells/mL, in the presence of 50.0 and 100.0 mg/L of thorium, respectively.Scenedesmussp. cells were more resistant to thorium: for an initial cell concentration of7.65×104 cells/mL it was observed a change to5.25×105and5.12×105 cells/mL, in the presence of thorium at 50.0 and 100.0 mg/L, respectively. This is an indication that low concentrations of the radionuclide favored the growth, and thatScenedesmuscells are more resistant to thorium thanMonoraphidiumcells. The software used for comparison with direct count method proved to be useful for the improvement of accuracy of the results obtained, a decrease in the uncertainty and allowed recording of the data. The presence of thorium suggests that low concentrations have a positive effect on the growth, due to the presence of the nitrate, indicating its potential for ecotoxicological studies.
Trends of Rural Tropospheric Ozone at the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Saavedra S. , Rodríguez A. , Souto J. A. , Casares J. J. , Bermúdez J. L. , Soto B.
Published: April 2012

Tropospheric ozone levels around urban and suburban areas at Europe and North America had increased during 80’s–90’s, until the application of NOxreduction strategies. However, as it was expected, this ozone depletion was not proportional to the emissions reduction. On the other hand, rural ozone levels show different trends, with peaks reduction and average increments; this different evolution could be explained by either emission changes or climate variability in a region. In this work, trends of tropospheric ozone episodes at rural sites in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula were analyzed and compared to others observed in different regions of the Atlantic European coast. Special interest was focused on the air quality sites characterization, in order to guarantee their rural character in terms of air quality. Both episodic local meteorological and air quality measurements along five years were considered, in order to study possible meteorological influences in ozone levels, different to other European Atlantic regions.
The Effects of Body Acupuncture on Obesity: Anthropometric Parameters, Lipid Profile, and Inflammatory and Immunologic Markers
Authors: Abdi Hamid , Zhao Baixiao , Darbandi Mahsa , Ghayour-Mobarhan Majid , Tavallaie Shima , Rahsepar Amir Ali , Parizadeh Seyyed Mohammad Reza , Safariyan Mohammad , Nemati Mohsen , Mohammadi Maryam , Abbasi-Parizad Parisa , Darbandi Sara , Akhlaghi Saeed , Ferns Gordon A. A.
Published: April 2012

A randomized controlled clinical trial in 196 obese subjects was performed to examine the effectiveness of body acupuncture on body weight loss, lipid profile and immunogenic and inflammatory markers. Subjects received authentic (cases) or sham (controls) acupuncture for 6 weeks in combination with a low-calorie diet. In the following 6 weeks, they received the low-calorie diet alone. Subjects were assessed at the beginning, 6 and 12 weeks later. Heat shock protein (Hsps)-27, 60, 65, 70 antibody titers and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were also assessed. A significant reduction in measures of adiposity and improvement in lipid profile were observed in both groups, but the levels of anti-Hsp-antibodies decreased in cases only. A reduction in anthropometric and lipid profile in cases were sustained in the second period, however, only changes in lipid profile were observed in the control group. Anti-Hsp-antibodies and hs-CRP levels continued to be reduced in cases but in controls only the reduction in hs-CRP remained. Changes in anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, and anti-Hsp-antibodies were more evident in cases. Body acupuncture in combination with diet restriction was effective in enhancing weight loss and improving dyslipidemia.
Trends and Social Differences in Alcohol Consumption during the Postcommunist Transition in Lithuania
Authors: Klumbiene Jurate , Kalasauskas Darius , Petkeviciene Janina , Veryga Aurelijus , Sakyte Edita
Published: April 2012

The aim of the study was to evaluate the trends and social differences in consumption of various types of alcoholic beverages in Lithuania over the postcommunist transition period (1994–2010). The data were obtained from nine nationally representative postal surveys of Lithuanian population aged 20–64 conducted every second year (n=17154). Prevalence of regular (at least once a week) consumption of beer, wine, or strong alcoholic beverages and the amount of alcohol consumed per week were examined. Regular beer drinking as well as the amounts consumed increased considerably in both genders. The increase in regular consumption of strong alcohol was found among women. Sociodemographic patterning of regular alcohol drinking was more evident in women than in men. In women, young age and high education were associated with frequent regular drinking of wine and beer. Social differences in regular alcohol drinking should be considered in further development of national alcohol control policy in Lithuania.
Analysis of the Volumes of the Posterior Cranial Fossa, Cerebellum, and Herniated Tonsils Using the Stereological Methods in Patients with Chiari Type I Malformation
Authors: Vurdem Ümit Erkan , Acer Niyazi , Ertekin Tolga , Savranlar Ahmet , İnci Mehmet Fatih
Published: May 2012

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the posterior cranial fossa volume, cerebellar volume, and herniated tonsillar volume in patients with chiari type I malformation and control subjects using stereological methods.Material and Methods. These volumes were estimated retrospectively using the Cavalieri principle as a point-counting technique. We used magnetic resonance images taken from 25 control subjects and 30 patients with chiari type I malformation.Results. The posterior cranial fossa volume in patients with chiari type I malformation was significantly smaller than the volume in the control subjects (P<0.05). In the chiari type I malformation group, the cerebellar volume was smaller than the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In the chiari type I malformation group, the ratio of cerebellar volume to posterior cranial fossa volume was higher than in the control group. We also found a positive correlation between the posterior cranial fossa volume and cerebellar volume for each of the groups (r=0.865,P<0.001). The mean (±SD) herniated tonsillar volume and length were0.89±0.50 cm3and9.63±3.37 mm in the chiari type I malformation group, respectively.Conclusion. This study has shown that posterior cranial fossa and cerebellum volumes can be measured by stereological methods, and the ratio of these measurements can contribute to the evaluation of chiari type I malformation cases.
Preconcentration of Trace Amounts of Pb(II) Ions without Any Chelating Agent by Using Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles prior to ETAAS Determination
Authors: Mohammadi S. Z. , Shamspur T. , Karimi M. A. , Naroui E.
Published: April 2012

This work investigates the potential of magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles as an adsorbent for separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of lead from water samples prior to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) determination. No chemical modifier is required in graphite furnace. Pb(II) ion was adsorbed on magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles in the pH range of 5.5–6.5, and then magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were easily separated from the aqueous solution by applying an external magnetic field; so, no filtration or centrifugation was necessary. After extraction and collection of MNPs, the analyte ions were eluted using HNO31.0 mol L−1. Several factors that may affect the preconcentration and extraction process, such as pH, type, and volume of eluent, amount of MNPs, sample volume, salting out effect, and interference ions were studied and optimized. Under the best experimental conditions, linearity was maintained between 0.005–0.5 ng mL−1. Detection limits for lead were 0.8 ng L−1based on . The relative standard deviation of seven replicate measurements of 0.05 ng mL−1of Pb(II) ions was 3.8%. Finally, the method was successfully applied to extraction and determination of lead ions in the water and standard samples.
Genetic Diversity and Variability in Endangered Pantesco and Two Other Sicilian Donkey Breeds Assessed by Microsatellite Markers
Authors: Bordonaro Salvatore , Guastella Anna Maria , Criscione Andrea , Zuccaro Antonio , Marletta Donata
Published: April 2012

The genetic variability of Pantesco and other two Sicilian autochthonous donkey breeds (Ragusano and Grigio Siciliano) was assessed using a set of 14 microsatellites. The main goals were to describe the current differentiation among the breeds and to provide genetic information useful to safeguard the Pantesco breed as well as to manage Ragusano and Grigio Siciliano. In the whole sample, that included 108 donkeys representative of the three populations, a total of 85 alleles were detected. The mean number of alleles was lower in Pantesco (3.7), than in Grigio Siciliano and Ragusano (4.4 and 5.9, resp.). The three breeds showed a quite low level of gene diversity (He) ranging from 0.471 in Pantesco to 0.589 in Grigio. The overall genetic differentiation index (Fst) was quite high; more than 10% of the diversity was found among breeds. Reynolds’ () genetic distances, correspondence, and population structure analysis reproduced the same picture, revealing that, (a) Pantesco breed is the most differentiated in the context of the Sicilian indigenous breeds, (b) within Ragusano breed, two well-defined subgroups were observed. This information is worth of further investigation in order to provide suitable data for conservation strategies.
The Spectrum of Histopathological Lesions in Children Presenting with Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome at a Single Center in Pakistan
Authors: Mubarak Muhammed , Kazi Javed I. , Shakeel Shaheera , Lanewala Ali , Hashmi Seema
Published: May 2012

Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) is a common problem in pediatric nephrology practice. There is currently little information in the literature on the spectrum of histopathologic lesions in children presenting with SRNS in Pakistan. This study was designed to determine the histopathologic lesions in children presenting with SRNS at our center. The study was conducted at the Histopathology Department, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) from January 2009 to August 2011. All children (≤16 years) presenting with SRNS, in whom renal biopsies were performed, were included. Their demographic, clinical, laboratory, and histopathological data were retrieved from files and original renal biopsy forms. The results were analyzed by SPSS version 10.0. A total of 147 children were included. Of these, 91 (61.9%) were males and 56 (38.1%) females, with male-to-female ratio of 1.6 : 1. The mean age was 7.03 ± 4.0 years (range: 6 months–16 years). The histopathological lesions seen on renal biopsies comprised of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (38.5%), followed by minimal change disease (MCD) (23.2%), IgM nephropathy (IgMN) (13.6%), idiopathic mesangial proliferative GN (10.2%), membranous GN (8.2%), and mesangiocapillary GN (4.8%). Our results indicate that FSGS is the predominant lesion in children with SRNS, followed by MCD and IgMN.
A Study on Solubilization of Poorly Soluble Drugs by Cyclodextrins and Micelles: Complexation and Binding Characteristics of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim
Authors: Göktürk Sinem , Çalışkan Elif , Talman R. Yeşim , Var Umran
Published: April 2012

The present study is focused on the characterization of solubilization of poorly soluble drugs, that is, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) by cyclodextrins (α-, β-, and γ-CDs) and anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The phase solubility diagrams drawn from UV spectral measurements are of theALtype and indicate an enhancement of SMX and TMP solubility in the presence of CDs. Complex formation tendency of TMP with CDs followed the order: γ-CD > β-CD > α-C. However, the complex formation constant values, for SMX-CD system yielded the different affinity and follow the order: β-CD > γ-CD > α-CD. With taking into consideration of solubilization capacity of SDS micelles, it has been found that the solubility enhancement of TMP is much higher than that of SMX in the presence of SDS micelles. The binding constants of SMX and TMP obtained from the Benesi-Hildebrand equation are also confirmed by the estimated surface properties of SDS, employing the surface tension measurements. In order to elucidate the solubilization characteristics the surface tension measurements were also performed for nonionic surfactant Triton X-100. Polarity of the microenvironment and probable location of SMX and TMP were also discussed in the presence of various organic solvents.
Proteomic Analysis ofBacillus thuringiensisStrain 4.0718 at Different Growth Phases
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Ding Xuezhi , Xia Liqiu , Sun Yunjun , Yuan Can , Yin Jia
Published: April 2012

The growth process ofBacillus thuringiensisBt4.0718 strain was studied using proteomic technologies. The proteins of Bt whole cells at three phases—middle vegetative, early sporulation, and late sporulation—were extracted with lysis buffer, followed with separation by 2-DE and identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Bioactive factors such as insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) including Cry1Ac(3), Cry2Aa, and BTRX28, immune inhibitor (InhA), and InhA precursor were identified. InhA started to express at the middle vegetative phase, suggesting its contribution to the survival of Bt in the host body. At the early sporulation phase, ICPs started their expression. CotJC, OppA, ORF1, and SpoIVA related to the formation of crystals and spores were identified, the expression characteristics of which ensured the stable formation of crystals and spores. This study provides an important foundation for further exploration of the stable expression of ICPs, the smooth formation of crystals, and the construction of recombinant strains.