bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Types of creativity training: Approaches and their effectiveness
Authors: SCOTT GINAMARIE , LERITZ LYLE E. , MUMFORD MICHAEL D.
Published: December 2011

Prior meta‐analytic studies have provided evidence for the effectiveness of creativity training. In the present study, 156 training programs were obtained and a content analysis was used to appraise these programs with respect to: a) cognitive processes, b) training techniques, c) media, and d) types of practice exercises. A cluster analysis was used to determine the major types of training, as reflected in these variables, and meta‐analytic data were used to assess the effectiveness of each type of training. Overall, 11 common types of training were identified, all of which appeared to have some value. However, some types of training, specifically idea production and cognitive training, proved particularly effective while some commonly applied training strategies, specifically imagery training, proved less effective. The implications of these findings for the design of creativity training are discussed.
The Relationship of Promotion Focus, Need for Cognitive Closure, and Categorical Accessibility in American and Hong Kong Chinese University Students
Authors: IP GRACE WAI‐MAN , CHEN JING , CHIU CHI‐YUE
Published: December 2011

Categorical accessibility is a cognitive factor that limits the extent of creative conceptual expansion. In the present study, we sought to establish the categorical accessibility norms in five conceptual domains among American and Hong Kong Chinese university students. In addition, we predicted that the tendency to access normatively inaccessible exemplars in a conceptual domain is positively related to the motivation to maximize the likelihood of attaining positive outcomes (promotion focus) and negatively related to the need for cognitive closure. We obtained the predicted relationships among both American and Hong Kong Chinese university students. These findings were discussed in terms of their implications for promoting creativity across cultures.
The relationship between creativity, teacher ratings on behavior, age, and gender in pupils from seven to ten years
Authors: BRANDAU HANNES , DAGHOFER FEDOR , HOLLERER LUISE , KASCHNITZ WOLFGANG , KELLNER KARL , KIRCHMAIR GEROLF , KRAMMER IRENE , SCHLAGBAUER ALEXANDRA
Published: December 2011

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the performance on a test for the assessment of creative behavior and teacher ratings on scales for the assessment of behavior commonly seen as negative. The sample consisted of 71 Austrian elementary school students (33 boys and 38 girls), from seven to ten years of age. The children were tested with the German “Creativity Test for Preschoolers and Pupils” by Krampen. This test is based on Guilford's model of the structure of the intellect and it assesses divergent thinking with respect to behavioral, figural, and semantic tasks. The teachers completed the “Conners Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scale,” a teacher rating questionnaire based on the DSM‐IV criteria to assess inattentive and impulsive/hyperactive behavior, and a researcher self‐constructed teacher rating questionnaire, containing the scales “dissocial behavior”, “introverted behavior”, and “creative behavior”. It was found that more impulsive/hyperactive and disruptive behavior was related to a better performance on fluency and more attentive and less introverted behavior were related to a better performance on flexibility. Additionally, it was found that boys present more alternatives in active behavior than girls. The results lead to the conclusion that more lively behavior of pupils should not be seen negatively, as such behavior seems to be a predictor of creative thinking.
Ten Years to Expertise, Many More to Greatness: An Investigation of Modern Writers
Authors: KAUFMAN SCOTT BARRY , KAUFMAN JAMES C.
Published: December 2011

The “ten‐year rule” suggests that it takes about 10 years of preparation to reach “expert” status. How long does it take, however, for someone to reach a level of creative greatness? Through an analysis of 215 contemporary fiction writers, we found that these writers took an average of 10.6 years between their first publication and their best publication, although there was a high degree of variability. This tentatively suggests that at least for modern fiction writers, a second phase after the first ten years may be crucial for achieving eminence. We discuss these findings in the context of results found in other domains of creativity, along with limitations and future directions.
Individual and Environmental Influences on Chinese Student Creativity
Authors: NIU WEIHUA
Published: December 2011

Primarily using self‐report questionnaires and psychometric tests in a sample of 357 Chinese high school students, this study examines how both individual and environmental factors can independently predict student creativity as measured by three different methods, including two product‐orientated measures (story completion and collage making), two divergent thinking measures (circle task and picture completion), and one self‐report inventory on divergent thinking attitudes. Two different types of theoretical models — the cognitive approach and confluence approach — are compared and contrasted. Based on previous research, this study uses the confluence approach to investigate the influences of individual (i.e. intelligence, personality, motivation, thinking styles, and knowledge) and environmental (i.e., school and family environment) factors on creativity. The results have confirmed the major hypothesis that both individual and environmental factors play decisive roles in Chinese student creativity. Implications of these findings are discussed. This paper also calls for a serious consideration of research on environmental influence on creativity and various mechanisms of this influence.
Creativity and Tolerance of Ambiguity: An Empirical Study
Authors: ZENASNI FRANCK , BESANÇON MAUD , LUBART TODD
Published: December 2011

This study examines the relationship between creativity and tolerance of ambiguity. Participants were parents and their adolescent children. Three measures of creativity were used: a divergent thinking task, a story‐writing task and self‐evaluation of creative attitudes and behavior. Participants completed two self‐report measures of tolerance of ambiguity: the short version of the “Measurement of Ambiguity Tolerance” (Norton, 1975; Zenasni & Lubart, 2001) and the “Behaviour Scale of Tolerance/Intolerance for Ambiguity” (Stoycheva, 1998, 2003). Tolerance of ambiguity was significantly and positively related to creativity. Creativity of parents was related to their adolescents' creativity. However, parents' tolerance of ambiguity was not related to adolescents' tolerance of ambiguity or creativity.
Meta‐Analyses of the Relationship of Creative Achievement to Both IQ and Divergent Thinking Test Scores
Authors: KIM KYUNG HEE
Published: December 2011

There is disagreement among researchers about whether IQ tests or divergent thinking (DT) tests are better predictors of creative achievement. Resolving this dispute is complicated by the fact that some research has shown a relationship between IQ and DT test scores (e.g., Runco & Albert, 1986; Wallach, 1970). The present study conducted meta‐analyses of the relationships between creative achievement and both IQ and DT test scores. The analyses included 17 studies (with 5,544 participants) that established the correlation coefficients between IQ and creative achievement and 27 studies (with 47,197 participants) that established the correlation coefficients between DT test scores and creative achievement. Marginal, but statistically significant, Fisher's Z‐transformed correlation coefficients were revealed. The analysis found a significantly higher relationship between DT test scores and creative achievement (r = .216) than between IQ test scores and creative achievement (r = .167). The differences in the correlation coefficients were explained by differences in DT tests, creative achievement types, predicted time periods, and creativity subscales. The significant independent moderator effect for different DT tests indicates that the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) predict creative achievement better than any other DT test included in this study. Among the creative achievement types, music is predicted the best by IQ and all others are predicted best by DT tests. Among the time periods evaluated, the relationship between DT test scores and creative achievement had the highest correlation at the period of 11–15 years.
Innovation and the ‘Dark Side’ of Personality: Dysfunctional Traits and their Relation to Self‐Reported Innovative Characteristics
Authors: ZIBARRAS LARA D. , PORT REBECCA L. , WOODS STEPHEN A.
Published: December 2011

This paper explores the relationship between self‐reported innovative characteristics and dysfunctional personality traits. Participants (N = 207) from a range of occupations completed the Innovation Potential Indicator (IPI) and the Hogan Development Survey (HDS). Those who reported innovative characteristics also reported the following dysfunctional traits: Arrogant, Manipulative, Dramatic, Eccentric; and lower levels of Cautious, Perfectionist and Dependent. A representative approximation of the higher order factor “moving against people” (Hogan & Hogan, 1997) was positively associated with innovative characteristics. It is concluded that innovation potential may be viewed as a positive effect of some otherwise dysfunctional traits, most notably those encompassed under the second‐order HDS factor ‘moving against people’.
A Longitudinal Analysis of Student Creativity Scripts
Authors: ZAMPETAKIS LEONIDAS A. , MOUSTAKIS VASSILIS , DEWETT TODD , ZAMPETAKIS KOSTAS
Published: December 2011

In the present study we used bayesian latent growth modeling to asses the impact of a one‐semester creativity course on the development of engineering students' creativity scripts. We compared a treatment (N = 52) and a control (N = 42) group with respect to individual differences in initial status and in rate of change. Results revealed that the development of creativity scripts followed a linear change over time, with the rate of change being higher for the treatment compared to the control group. Furthermore, substantial individual variability in the rate of creativity scripts gain across students was detected, where students with richer creativity scripts had a weaker rate of increase. The present exploratory effort lays the groundwork for further theoretical and empirical research on the effects of intervention programs for fostering creativity.
Brainstorming, Brainstorming Rules and Decision Making
Authors: PUTMAN VICKY L. , PAULUS PAUL B.
Published: December 2011

This study investigated the effect of brainstorming experience on the ability of groups to subsequently select the best ideas for implementation. Participants generated ideas either alone or in interactive groups and with either the regular brainstorming rules or with additional rules designed to further increase the number of ideas generated. All participants subsequently were asked to select their top five ideas in a group evaluation phase.

Groups of individuals generating ideas in isolation (nominal groups) generated more ideas and more original ideas and were more likely to select original ideas during the group decision phase than interactive group brainstormers. Additional rules increased idea generation but not idea originality or idea selection.
The Role of Bilingualism in Creative Performance on Divergent Thinking and Invented Alien Creatures Tests
Authors: KHARKHURIN ANATOLIY V.
Published: December 2011

This study continues the effort to investigate the possible influence of bilingualism on an individual's creative potential. The performances of Farsi‐English bilinguals living in the UAE and Farsi monolinguals living in Iran were compared on the Culture Fair Intelligence Test battery and two creativity tests: divergent thinking test (the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults) and structured imagination test (Invented Alien Creatures task). The findings of the divergent thinking test revealed that bilingualism facilitates the innovative capacity, the ability to extract novel and unique ideas, but not the generative capacity, the ability to generate and process a large number of unrelated ideas. The findings of the test of structured imagination demonstrated that bilingualism strengthens an ability to violate a standard set of category properties. In addition, the study hints at the construct validity of these two tests of creative functioning. However, the study acknowledges its rather exploratory character as the bilingual and monolingual groups might differ in a number of uncontrolled sociocultural factors that could potentially mediate the effect of bilingualism.
Controlled Substance‐related Beliefs and Use: Relationships to Undergraduates' Creative Personality Traits
Authors: PLUCKER JONATHAN A. , MCNEELY ANDREA , MORGAN CARLA
Published: December 2011

The relationship between creativity and various mind‐altering substances — especially alcohol — has been a popular topic among creativity researchers and the public at large. Yet experimental studies have found little evidence that alcohol use has a causal influence on creativity, with most studies of creative production showing negative or neutral effects. However, the impact of high levels of creativity on future alcohol use (i.e., the reciprocal relationship) has been rarely studied. The present study examined the relationship between creative personality characteristics, use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, and alcohol‐related beliefs among 431 undergraduates. Results of correlational and t‐test analyses suggest that creative personality is not significantly correlated with use of these three controlled substances, and that the relationships between personality scores and self‐reported beliefs about alcohol are generally weak, with notable exceptions. The paper concludes with specific recommendations regarding research on the relationship between creativity and the use of controlled‐substances.
Partly versus Completely Out of Your Mind: Effects of Incubation and Distraction on Resolving Fixation
Authors: KOHN NICHOLAS , SMITH STEVEN M.
Published: December 2011

Incubation has long been proposed as a mechanism in creative problem solving (Wallas, 1926). A new trial‐by‐trial method for observing incubation effects was used to compare the forgetting fixation hypothesis with the conscious work hypothesis. Two experiments examined the effects of incubation on initially unsolved Remote Associates Test (RAT) problems. Following exposure to misleading clues designed to induce initial fixation on RAT problems, versus no clues, participants were retested on problems either immediately after their first attempt (no‐incubation), or after a 40‐second incubation period. Resolution of initially unsolved RAT problems (fixated versus non‐fixated) was examined as a function of complete interruption (Experiment 1) or partial distraction (Experiment 2). An incubation effect, that is, better resolution of initially unsolved problems retested after a delay rather than retesting immediately, was seen only in Experiment 1, in which unsolved problems were completely removed from sight. Furthermore, an incubation effect was found only for initially fixated problems, and not for problems that were not accompanied by misleading clues. The results are consistent with the forgetting fixation hypothesis (Smith & Blankenship, 1989), which states that putting unsolved problems completely out of mind allows initial fixation to dissipate, and the results indicate that the opportunity for some conscious work during incubation periods may not be optimal for resolving fixation.
Fostering Creativity in the Classroom: Effects of Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs, Motivation, and Goal Orientation
Authors: HONG EUNSOOK , HARTZELL STEPHANIE A. , GREENE MARY T.
Published: December 2011

The relationships of teachers' epistemological beliefs, motivation, and goal orientation to their instructional practices that foster student creativity were examined. Teachers' perceived instructional practices that facilitate the development of multiple perspectives in problem solving, transfer, task commitment, creative skill use, and collaboration were measured as indicators of their effort to foster creative thinking in students. Participants were 178 elementary‐school teachers of third‐, fourth‐, and fifth‐graders. Teachers' learning goal orientation was the most significant teacher attribute that demonstrated significant impacts on all five creativity‐fostering instructional practices. Teachers with sophisticated beliefs about knowledge and with high intrinsic motivation for creative work also reported supporting student creativity through some of their instructional practices. However, teachers' motivation for challenging work, beliefs about learning, or performance goals did not significantly predict most of the creativity‐fostering instructional practices. Educational implications of the current findings are offered.
Versatility, Openness to Experience, and Topical Diversity in Creative Products: An Exploratory Historiometric Analysis of Scientists, Philosophers, and Writers
Authors: CASSANDRO VINCENT J. , SIMONTON DEAN KEITH
Published: December 2011

Creative individuals are consideredversatilewhen their achievements extend beyond their most commonly cited domain, thus indicating remarkable and varied interests and abilities. The present study examined the association between versatility and (a) the personalities of eminent creators and (b) the topical diversity of their creative products. The main sample consisted of 67 eminent scientists, creative writers, philosophers, and scholars drawn from the history of Western Civilization, with a subsample of 38 creators obtaining observer‐based scores on openness to experience. Versatile creators were found to have produced works with greater topical diversity than did their non‐versatile counterparts. In addition, topical diversity was positively associated with openness. These relationships varied according to the domain of creative achievement.
Science as Structured Imagination
Authors: DE CRUZ HELEN , DE SMEDT JOHAN
Published: December 2011

This paper offers an analysis of scientific creativity based on theoretical models and experimental results of the cognitive sciences. Its core idea is that scientific creativity — like other forms of creativity — is structured and constrained by prior ontological expectations. Analogies provide scientists with a powerful epistemic tool to overcome these constraints. While current research on analogies in scientific understanding focuses on near analogies, where target and source domain are close, we argue that distant analogies — where target and source domain differ widely — are especially useful in periods of intense conceptual change. To argue this point, we discuss three case studies from the history of science: early physiologists like Harvey, early evolutionary biologists like Darwin, and recent theorists on the evolution of the human mind like Mithen.
Discovering New Ways of Moving: Observational Analysis of Motor Creativity While Dancing Contact Improvisation and the Influence of the Partner
Authors: TORRENTS CARLOTA , CASTAÑER MARTA , DINUŠOVÁ MÁRIA , ANGUERA M. TERESA
Published: December 2011

Contact improvisation (CI) is a form of dance based on motor creativity, improvisation and the physical contact between different improvisers dancing together. This will generate different ways of moving and a varied use of motor creativity depending on the dancers involved. This study aims to observe the differences in movement generation depending on the partner by using OSMOS (Observational System of Motor Skills; Castañer & Camerino 2006; Castañer et al., 2009). Four contact improvisers were video‐recorded while dancing in duets. Data were analysed by three observers using Theme Coder software (Magnusson, 1996) for the detection of T‐patterns and the production of event frequency charts. The results show that (1) the motor skills that appear most frequently are the conduction of partners, elevations, spatial level changes and turns; (2) motor creativity is affected by the partner, as there is a reciprocal influence in the dance; and (3) motor creativity is enhanced by interaction with a partner.
Dissimilarity in Creative Categorization
Authors: RANJAN APARA , SRINIVASAN NARAYANAN
Published: December 2011

Theories of categorization need to account for ways in which people use their creativity to categorize things, especially in the context of similarity. The current three‐phase study is a preliminary attempt to understand how people group concepts together as well as to explore the role of similarity between concepts in creative categorization. Participants were asked to categorize a list of 100 words and the resulting categories were rated for creativity by another set of participants. In the last phase, similarity between words from all the categories was computed using latent semantic analysis. There was a significant correlation between similarity values and creativity ratings for all the categories. In addition, a new set of participants were asked to rate the similarity among the words in the least and most creative categories and there was a significant difference between the mean ratings of the two types of categories. The results indicate that creative categorization is characterized by grouping of dissimilar words. People use creative imagination to construct novel categories by linking apparently dissimilar words.
Sharing My Music with You: The Musical Presentation as a Tool for Exploring, Examining and Enhancing Self‐Awareness in a Group Setting
Authors: BENSIMON MOSHE , AMIR DORIT
Published: December 2011

Musical presentation (MP) is a diagnostic and therapeutic music therapy tool which focuses on the participant's emotional exploration and awareness‐insight development. Using this tool people present themselves through music of their choice and subsequently receive feedback from their peers. This study investigates MP as a tool for enhancing self‐awareness in the context of a voluntary activity that was integrated in courses for undergraduate students in order to demonstrate its possible uses. Open‐ended in‐depth interviews with 15 MP presenters and focus‐group interviews with 41 MP peers who listened to the presentations were conducted. The Johari Window, which is a cognitive psychological model used to help people better understand their interpersonal communication and relationships, served as a conceptual framework for this study. Qualitative analysis of the data showed that presenters' self‐awareness was enhanced through the use of both music and words. As an accessible and creative tool, the MP can be used as a way for people in both therapeutic and non‐therapeutic settings to present themselves via their music to a group and increase their self‐awareness.
A Three‐Pronged Approach for Overcoming Design Fixation
Authors: SMITH STEVEN M. , LINSEY JULIE
Published: December 2011

Earthquakes, lightning, and history‐changing ideas are classic examples of powerful, unpredictable forces of nature. These sorts of phenomena have been difficult to explain and predict, an often frustrating fact as humans try to understand and control the significant influences in our lives. Historically, such phenomena have been attributed to supernatural sources, such as the Muses or various deities. And yet, as scientific inquiry continues to focus on such problems, we begin to make progress, albeit incremental, in comprehending such unpredictable occurrences.

Earthquakes and lightning serve as analogies for the phenomenon referred to as insight. As such, these analogies may help us better understand where ideas come from; in each case, the rare, and potentially powerful phenomenon occurs unexpectedly, yet, as we learn more, it becomes better understood. Lightning is an electrical phenomenon, caused by particles colliding, and building up large electrical fields in the clouds. Earthquakes occur at the edges of tectonic plates, as the Earth releases its heat. Thus, we may begin to understand what causes insight, even though we cannot as yet predict specific occurrences of new insights.

Analogies may not provide fully developed solutions to problems, but they can help us restructure our thinking about certain problems. Problem restructuring is especially appropriate when fixation obstructs problem solving. In this paper, we will explain a few of the fundamentals about human insight experiences, particularly in relation to what have been termed incubation effects. Putting a fixated problem aside can be helpful, and new ideas encountered during fixation can sometimes trigger new insights, particularly if useful analogies help resolve fixation.

How does one overcome the counterproductive effects of fixation? We suggest a three‐pronged approach to this problem: 1. Forgetting fixation, 2. Redefining problems, and 3. Using clues or hints to provoke new ideas. We will explain each of these ideas, in brief, after providing a background for insight, incubation, and fixation.
Design Fixation in the Wild: Design Environments and Their Influence on Fixation
Authors: YOUMANS ROBERT J.
Published: December 2011

Many studies of design fixation ask designers to work in controlled laboratory or classroom environments, but innovative design work frequently occurs in dynamic, social environments. The two studies reviewed in this paper investigated how three independent variables likely to be present in many design environments affect design fixation. The first study found that working with physical prototypes significantly reduced fixation effects, and that working in groups can reduce fixation effects under certain conditions. The second study found that brief interruptions in designers' thought processes during the initial states of the design process also reduce fixation effects. I conclude by discussing what the data from both studies may indicate about the theoretical causes of fixation effects, and what designers might do to prevent fixation from affecting their creative output.
Fixation and Commitment While Designing and its Measurement
Authors: GERO JOHN S.
Published: December 2011

This paper introduces the notion that fixation and commitment while designing can be measured by studying the protocol of the design session. It is hypothesized that the dynamic entropy of the linkograph of the protocol provides the basis for such a measurement. The hypothesis is empirically tested using a design protocol and the results demonstrate that the dynamic entropy of the design protocol's linkograph may form the basis of the measurement of fixation and commitment.
Gender and Science: Women Nobel Laureates
Authors: CHARYTON CHRISTINE , ELLIOTT JOHN O. , RAHMAN MOHAMMED A. , WOODARD JENESS L. , DeDIOS SAMANTHA
Published: December 2011

Women and their creativity are underrepresented in science. To date, few women have been awarded the Nobel Prize in science. Eleven female Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry and physiology/medicine between 1901 and 2006 were compared with 37 males who received the Nobel Prize in the same area one year prior and one year after the women. Data analyzed included birth order, marital status, children, awards (Fulbright, Rhodes, and number of honorary awards received), highest education level and Nobel mentor. Results indicated that female Nobel laureates were significantly less likely to marry and have children. When female laureates had children, they had significantly fewer children than male laureates. Female laureates also had fewer publications than their male counterparts. Our findings suggest that eminent women scientists tend to choose the pursuit of scientific discovery over starting families more often than eminent male scientists. More resources are needed in order to nurture and enhance the recruitment and retention of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Effects of Jatropha oil on rats following 28‐day oral treatment
Authors: Poon Raymond , Valli Victor E. , Nimal Ratnayake W. M. , Rigden Marc , Pelletier Guillaume
Published: December 2011

Jatropha oil is an emerging feedstock for the production of biodiesels. The increasing use of this nonedible, toxic oil will result in higher potential for accidental exposures. A repeated‐dose 28‐day oral toxicity study was conducted to provide data for risk assessment. Jatropha oil diluted in corn oil was administered by gavage to male and female rats at 0.5, 5, 50 and 500 mg kg−1 body weight per day for 28 consecutive days. Control rats were administered corn oil only. The growth rates and consumption of food and water were monitored. At necropsy, organs were weighed and hematological parameters assessed. Serum clinical chemistry and C‐reactive protein were measured and histological examinations of organs and tissues were performed. Markedly depressed growth rate was observed in males and females receiving Jatropha oil at 500 mg kg−1 per day. Decreased white blood cell and lymphocyte counts were detected in females at 50 and 500 mg kg−1 per day and in males at 500 mg kg−1 per day. These changes were correlated to mild and reversible histological changes in male and female spleens. In the liver, a mild increase in portal hepatocytes cytoplasm density was observed in males and females, while periportal vacuolation was observed exclusively in females. Mild acinar proliferation was observed in the female mammary glands at all dose levels. It is concluded that Jatropha oil produces adverse effects on female rats starting at 50 mg kg−1 per day with decreased white blood cell and lymphocyte counts and at 500 mg kg−1 per day in both genders in term of depressed growth rates. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Positive regulation of osteoclastic differentiation by growth differentiation factor 15 upregulated in osteocytic cells under hypoxia
Authors: Hinoi Eiichi , Ochi Hiroki , Takarada Takeshi , Nakatani Eri , Iezaki Takashi , Nakajima Hiroko , Fujita Hiroyuki , Takahata Yoshifumi , Hidano Shinya , Kobayashi Takashi , Takeda Shu , Yoneda Yukio
Published: December 2011

Osteocytes are thought to play a role as a mechanical sensor through their communication network in bone. Although osteocytes are the most abundant cells in bone, little attention has been paid to their physiological and pathological functions in skeletogenesis. Here, we have attempted to delineate the pivotal functional role of osteocytes in regulation of bone remodeling under pathological conditions. We first found markedly increased osteoclastic differentiation by conditioned media (CM) from osteocytic MLO-Y4 cells previously exposed to hypoxia in vitro. Using microarray and real-time PCR analyses, we identified growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) as a key candidate factor secreted from osteocytes under hypoxia. Recombinant GDF15 significantly promoted osteoclastic differentiation in a concentration-dependent manner, with concomitant facilitation of phosphorylation of both p65 and inhibitory-κB in the presence of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand. To examine the possible functional significance of GDF15 in vivo, mice were subjected to ligation of the right femoral artery as a hypoxic model. A significant increase in GDF15 expression was specifically observed in tibias of the ligated limb but not in tibias of the normally perfused limb. Under these experimental conditions, in cancellous bone of proximal tibias in the ligated limb, a significant reduction was observed in bone volume, whereas a significant increase was seen in the extent of osteoclast surface/bone surface when determined by bone histomorphometric analysis. Finally, the anti-GDF15 antibody prevented bone loss through inhibiting osteoclastic activation in tibias from mice with femoral artery ligation in vivo, in addition to suppressing osteoclastic activity enhanced by CM from osteocytes exposed to hypoxia in vitro. These findings suggest that GDF15 could play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of bone loss relevant to hypoxia through promotion of osteoclastogenesis after secretion from adjacent osteocytes during disuse and/or ischemia in bone. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Characterization of hydrophobic anti‐cancer drug‐loaded amphiphilic peptides as a gene carrier
Authors: Park Ji Hwan , Kim Hyun Ah , Cho Su Hee , Lee Minhyung
Published: December 2011

An amphiphilic peptide with a 3‐arginine stretch and a 6‐valine stretch was evaluated as a gene carrier. The short amphiphilic peptide, R3V6, not only formed micelles in aqueous solution, but was also able to deliver plasmid DNA (pDNA) into cells without toxicity. In this research, various amphiphilic peptides were synthesized with a 3‐arginine stretch and a 6‐valine, ‐alanine, ‐leucine, or ‐phenylalanine stretch. In vitro transfection assays in human embryonic kidney 293 cells showed that R3V6 and R3L6 peptides had higher transfection efficiencies than R3A6, R3F6, and poly‐L‐lysine (PLL). Since the peptide micelles had hydrophobic cores, a hydrophobic anti‐cancer drug, bis‐chloronitrosourea (BCNU),was able to be loaded into the cores of the micelles. The incorporation of the hydrophobic drug into the cores of the peptide micelles may stabilize the micelle structure and increase the transfection efficiency. The in vitro transfection assay with BCNU‐loaded R3V6 (R3V6‐BCNU) or R3L6 (R3L6‐BCNU) showed that the BCNU‐loaded peptide micelles had a higher transfection efficiency than the peptide micelles without BCNU. R3V6‐BCNU and R3L6‐BCNU had the highest transfection at a 0.8:1 weight ratio (BCNU:R3V6) and a 1.2:1 weight ratio (BCNU:R3L6), respectively. Furthermore, compared to simple diffusion, a more efficient delivery of the drug into cells may be facilitated by endocytosis of the micelles. R3L6‐BCNU and R3V6‐BCNU had higher cell toxicity to cells than BCNU alone. Therefore, the R3V6‐ and R3L6‐BCNU may be useful for drug and gene combination cancer therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1645–1653, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Endothelial cell surface expression of protein disulfide isomerase activates β1 and β3 integrins and facilitates dengue virus infection
Authors: Wan Shu‐Wen , Lin Chiou‐Feng , Lu Yi‐Tien , Lei Huan‐Yao , Anderson Robert , Lin Yee‐Shin
Published: December 2011

Infection with dengue virus (DENV) causes diseases ranging from mild dengue fever to severe hemorrhage or shock syndrome. DENV infection of endothelial cells may cause cell apoptosis or vascular leakage and result in clinical illness of hemorrhage. However, the endothelial cell molecules involved in DENV infection and the mechanisms governing virus–cell interactions are still uncertain. Since protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) reducing function at the cell surface was shown to be required for entry of certain viruses and bacteria, we explored the role of PDI expressed on endothelial cell surface in DENV infection. Using siRNA to knock down PDI, DENV infection was reduced which could be reversed by treating cells with a reducing agent Tris(2‐carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP). DENV‐induced PDI surface expression was mediated through the Lys‐Asp‐Glu‐Leu (KDEL) receptor‐Src family kinase signal pathway. Furthermore, cell surface PDI colocalized with β1 and β3 integrins after DENV infection, and the activation of integrins was blocked by PDI inhibition. Finally, blockade of PDI inhibited DENV entry into endothelial cells. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism whereby surface PDI which causes integrin activation is involved in DENV entry, and DENV infection further increases PDI surface expression at later time points. These findings may have implications for anti‐DENV drug design. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 1681–1691, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Calpain 2 is required for the invasion of glioblastoma cells in the zebrafish brain microenvironment
Authors: Lal Sangeet , La Du Jane , Tanguay Robert L. , Greenwood Jeffrey A.
Published: December 2011

Glioblastoma is an aggressive primary brain tumor with a 5‐year survival rate of less than 5%. The ability of glioblastoma cells to invade surrounding brain tissue presents the primary challenge for the success of focal therapeutic approaches. We previously reported that the calcium‐activated protease calpain 2 is critical for glioblastoma cell invasion in vitro. Here, we show that expression of calpain 2 is required for the dispersal of glioblastoma cells in a living brain microenvironment. Knockdown of calpain 2 resulted in a 2.9‐fold decrease in the invasion of human glioblastoma cells in zebrafish brain. Control cells diffusely migrated up to 450 μm from the site of injection, whereas knockdown cells remained confined in clusters. The invasion study was repeated in organotypic mouse brain tissues, and calpain 2 knockdown cells demonstrated a 2.3‐fold lower area of dispersal compared with control cells. In zebrafish brain, glioblastoma cells appeared to migrate in part along the blood vessels of the host. Furthermore, angiogenesis was detected in 27% of zebrafish injected with control cells, whereas only 12.5% of fish receiving knockdown cells showed the formation of new vessels, suggesting a role for calpain 2 in tumor cell angiogenesis. Consistent with the progression of glioblastoma in humans, transplanted tumor cells were not observed to metastasize outside the brain of zebrafish. This study demonstrates that calpain 2 expression is required for the dispersal of glioblastoma cells within the dynamic microenvironment of the brain, identifying zebrafish as a valuable orthotopic system for studying glioblastoma cell invasion. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of growing system on nitrate accumulation in two varieties of lettuce and red radicchio of Treviso
Authors: Lucarini Massimo , D'Evoli Laura , Tufi Sara , Gabrielli Paolo , Paoletti Sara , Di Ferdinando Sandra , Lombardi‐Boccia Ginevra
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Green leafy vegetables contribute greatly to the total intake of nitrates from the daily diet. This study evaluates the influence of different cultivation systems on nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables. Two varieties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) (Lattuga Romana, Foglia di Quercia) and two varieties of red radicchio of Treviso (Cychorium intibus L.) (Early, Late) were selected. Lettuce varieties were both organically and biodynamically grown; red radicchio varieties were conventionally grown both in the field and in spring water.

RESULTS: Both lettuce varieties biodynamically grown accumulated 1.3–2 times less nitrate than the respective organically grown plants. The two lettuce varieties showed differences in nitrate accumulating capacity: Foglia di Quercia was almost three times richer in nitrate than Lattuga Romana. The traditional growing systems applied to the red radicchio of Treviso varieties strongly influenced nitrate accumulation in leaves, the Early variety having up to 15 times higher nitrate than the Late variety.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings on nitrate levels in both lettuce and red radicchio of Treviso varieties suggest that both genetic factors and cultivation systems strongly affect the nitrate accumulation capacity. This study also highlights how the cultivation strategy can reduce nitrate levels in leafy vegetables, suggesting the possibility of modulating the N supply along the harvesting time. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Polyacetylenes in fresh and stored carrots (Daucus carota): relations to root morphology and sugar content
Authors: Kjellenberg Lars , Johansson Eva , Gustavsson Karl‐Erik , Olsson Marie E
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Carrot roots contain polyacetylenes, reported to be both beneficial and distasteful when consumed by humans. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between polyacetylene contents, root morphology and sugar content in order to increase the opportunities to optimise the composition of polyacetylenes in carrots.

RESULTS: The falcarinol/total polyacetylene ratio was positively correlated with root size, the amount of sucrose and the sucrose/total soluble sugar ratio among both fresh and stored samples. Root size was inversely correlated with the amounts of falcarindiol and falcarindiol‐3‐acetate, especially among stored samples. Stored carrots exhibited an inverse correlation between polyacetylenes and the amount of soluble sugar. At a falcarinol content at harvest below approximately 200 mg kg−1 dry weight the amounts of all polyacetylenes increased during storage, but above that level the amounts of all polyacetylenes instead decreased.

CONCLUSION: The results indicate similarities in the activity of the enzymes transforming sucrose to hexoses and the enzymes transforming falcarinol to falcarindiol‐3‐acetate and falcarindiol. The negative correlation between root size and polyacetylenes seems to be partly due to dilution but also to a higher synthetisation rate in smaller roots. The results indicate the existence of an equilibrium regulating the level of falcarinol. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Distribution of olive oil phenolic compounds in rat tissues after administration of a phenolic extract from olive cake
Authors: Serra Aida , Rubió Laura , Borràs Xenia , Macià Alba , Romero Maria‐Paz , Motilva Maria‐José
Published: December 2011

Scope The distribution and accumulation of olive oil phenolic compounds in the body are topics lacked of information. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioavailability, metabolism and distribution of phenolic compounds from olive cake.

Methods and results The metabolism and distribution of phenolic compounds were examined by UPLC‐MS/MS after an acute intake of a phenolic extract from olive cake, analyzing plasma and tissues (heart, brain, liver, kidney, spleen, testicle and thymus) 1, 2 and 4 h after ingestion using Wistar rats as the in vivo model. The results showed a wide distribution of phenolic compounds and their metabolites in the tissues, with a main detoxification route through the kidneys. Highlighting the quantification of the free forms of some phenolic compounds, such as oleuropein derivative in plasma (Cmax 4 h: 24 nmol/L) and brain (Cmax 2 h: 2.8 nmol/g), luteolin in kidney (Cmax 1 h: 0.04 nmol/g), testicle (Cmax 2 h: 0.07 nmol/g) and heart (Cmax 1 h: 0.47 nmol/g); and hydroxytyrosol in plasma (Cmax 2 h: 5.2 nmol/L), kidney (Cmax 4 h: 3.8 nmol/g) and testicle (Cmax 2 h: 2.7 nmol/g).

Conclusion After a single ingestion of olive oil phenolic compounds, these were absorbed, metabolized and distributed through the blood stream to practically all parts of the body, even across the blood‐brain barrier.
Insights into internal dynamics of 6‐phosphogluconolactonase from Trypanosoma brucei studied by nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics
Authors: Calligari Paolo A. , Salgado Gilmar F. , Pelupessy Philippe , Lopes Philippe , Ouazzani Jamal , Bodenhausen Geoffrey , Abergel Daniel
Published: December 2011

Nuclear magnetic resonance is used to investigate the backbone dynamics in 6‐phosphogluconolactonase from Trypanosoma brucei (Tb6PGL) with (holo‐) and without (apo‐) 6‐phosphogluconic acid as ligand. Relaxation data were analyzed using the model‐free approach and reduced spectral density mapping. Comparison of predictions, based on 77 ns molecular dynamics simulations, with the observed relaxation rates gives insight into dynamical properties of the protein and their alteration on ligand binding. Data indicate dynamics changes in the vicinity of the binding site. More interesting is the presence of perturbations located in remote regions of this well‐structured globular protein in which no large‐amplitude motions are involved. This suggests that delocalized changes in dynamics that occur upon binding could be a general feature of protein–target interactions. Proteins 2012; © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design, synthesis and insecticidal activities of novel pyrazole amides containing hydrazone substructures
Authors: Wu Jian , Song Bao‐An , Hu De‐Yu , Yue Min , Yang Song
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Pyrazole and hydrazone derivatives possess good insecticidal activities; their substructural units are widely used in pesticide design. In an effort to discover new molecules with good insecticidal activities, a series of pyrazole amide derivatives containing hydrazone substructures were synthesised and bioassayed.

RESULTS: Bioassays demonstrated that some of the title compounds exhibited notable control of Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), Culex pipiens pallens, Laphygma exigua (Hübner), Spodoptera litura (Fabricius), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) and Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) at 5, 10, 0.25, 200, 20, 100 and 500 mg L−1 respectively. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) based on the bioactivities for P. xylostella was studied; the values of q2 and r2 for the CoMFA model were 0.701 and 0.964 respectively.

CONCLUSION: Some of the title compounds displayed good and broad‐spectrum insecticidal activities against different insect species; the CoMFA model revealed that a bulky and negatively charged group at the 4‐position of benzene could enhance insecticidal activity. These results could provide useful information for the design of novel insecticide containing substructural units of pyrazole amide and hydrazone. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Entomopathogenic nematodes for the management of Agrotis ipsilon: effect of instar, nematode species and nematode production method
Authors: Ebssa Lemma , Koppenhöfer Albrecht M
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Previous laboratory studies have indicated the potential of some entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) species for the control of larvae of the black cutworm (BCW). To determine the most promising EPN species and the most susceptible BCW stages, a more in‐depth evaluation of seven EPN species against different BCW instars was carried out, the efficacies of in vitro‐ and in vivo‐produced EPNs were compared and the suitability of BCW instars for EPN reproduction was examined.

RESULTS: Heterorhabditis megidis was the most virulent species, irrespective of larval stage in small arenas, followed most often by H. bacteriophora. In pots with grass, Steinernema carpocapsae tended to be the most virulent species, followed by H. bacteriophora, H. megidis and S. riobrave. Fourth and/or fifth instars were the most susceptible stages to most EPN species, and pupae the least susceptible. Furthermore, H. bacteriophora, H. megidis and S. carpocapsae successfully reproduced in fifth and sixth instars and pupae. In vivo‐produced H. megidis and S. carpocapsae controlled fifth instars better than the corresponding in vitro‐produced products; production method did not affect H. bacteriophora and S. riobrave efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS: Several in vitro‐produced commercial EPN strains were highly virulent to BCW and warrant further testing under field conditions, along with some in vivo‐produced strains. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Core‐shell SiC/SiO2 heterostructures in nanowires
Authors: Wu Renbing , Zha Bailin , Wang Liuying , Zhou Kun , Pan Yi
Published: December 2011

This paper presents a simple vapour deposition method for one‐step synthesis of SiC//SiO2 core‐shell heterostructured nanowires. The phases, structures and morphologies of the synthesized core‐shell heterostructures are systemically studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results show that these heterostructures consist of a single crystalline SiC core of 20∼30 nm diameter covered by a uniform layer, about 15 nm thickness of amorphous SiO2. Such heterostructures were grown based on the vapour–solid mechanism and the deposition way has an important influence on their morphology. A unique optical property has also been found in their photoluminescence spectra that have blue shift relative to the bulk SiC.