bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduced Specificity of Hippocampal and Posterior Ventrolateral Prefrontal Activity during Relational Retrieval in Normal Aging
Authors: Giovanello Kelly S. , Schacter Daniel L.
Published: August 2011

Neuroimaging studies of episodic memory in young adults demonstrate greater functional neural activity in ventrolateral pFC and hippocampus during retrieval of relational information as compared with item information. We tested the hypothesis that healthy older adults—individuals who exhibit behavioral declines in relational memory—would show reduced specificity of ventrolateral prefrontal and hippocampal regions during relational retrieval. At study, participants viewed two nouns and were instructed to covertly generate a sentence that related the words. At retrieval, fMRIs were acquired during item and relational memory tasks. In the relational task, participants indicated whether the two words were previously seen together. In the item task, participants indicated whether both items of a pair were previously seen. In young adults, left posterior ventrolateral pFC and bilateral hippocampal activity was modulated by the extent to which the retrieval task elicited relational processing. In older adults, activity in these regions was equivalent for item and relational memory conditions, suggesting a reduction in ventrolateral pFC and hippocampal specificity with normal aging.
On the Vertical Decay Rate of the Maximum Tangential Winds in Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Stern Daniel P. , Nolan David S.
Published: August 2011

In this study, it is shown that the maximum tangential winds within tropical cyclones decrease with height at a percentage rate that is nearly independent of both the maximum wind speed and the radius of maximum winds (RMW). This can be seen by normalizing the profiles of maximum tangential winds Vmax by their respective values at 2-km height. From Doppler radar analyses, profiles of maximum normalized tangential wind Vmaxnorm are found to share a common shape, despite spanning a great range of intensities. There is a systematic dependence of Vmaxnorm on intensity and size, but it is shown to be small, and the mean profile of Vmaxnorm can be used to accurately “predict” the individual profiles of Vmax. Using Emanuel’s steady-state analytical vortex model, it is shown that Vmaxnorm is essentially independent of the size of the RMW. It is shown mathematically that the near independence of Vmaxnorm from size is due to the facts that the RMW is nearly a surface of constant absolute angular momentum M and that its outward slope increases linearly with radius. As the slope of the RMW is not a function of intensity, Vmaxnorm is also nearly independent of intensity in theory, and this is confirmed using Emanuel’s simple time-dependent model. In contrast to intensity, it is shown that Vmaxnorm increases with potential intensity. A suite of idealized simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) are used to further examine the manner in which the maximum winds change with height. Above 2-km height, vertical profiles of Vmaxnorm are nearly independent of both intensity and size. Occasional deviations from this near-universal profile in these simulations are due to unbalanced winds, and it is proposed that this is the cause of occasional observations of maximum winds that are nearly constant with height through the midtroposphere, as in Hurricane Gloria (1985) and Hurricane Dennis (2005).
A Systematic Relationship between Intraseasonal Variability and Mean State Bias in AGCM Simulations
Authors: Kim Daehyun , Sobel Adam H. , Maloney Eric D. , Frierson Dargan M. W. , Kang In-Sik
Published: August 2011

Systematic relationships between aspects of intraseasonal variability (ISV) and mean state bias are shown in a number of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations. When AGCMs are categorized as either strong ISV or weak ISV models, it is shown that seasonal mean precipitation patterns are similar among models in the same group but are significantly different from those of the other group. Strong ISV models simulate excessive rainfall over the South Asian summer monsoon and the northwestern Pacific monsoon regions during boreal summer. Larger ISV amplitude also corresponds closely to a larger ratio of eastward-to-westward-propagating variance, but no model matches the observations in both quantities simultaneously; a realistic eastward-to-westward ratio is simulated only when variance exceeds that observed. Three sets of paired simulations, in which only one parameter in the convection scheme is changed to enhance the moisture sensitivity of convection, are used to explore the common differences between the two groups in greater detail. In strong ISV models, the mean and the standard deviation of surface latent heat flux is greater, convective rain fraction is smaller, and tropical tropospheric temperatures are lower compared to weak ISV models. The instantaneous joint relationships between daily gridpoint relative humidity and precipitation differ in some respects when strong and weak ISV models are compared, but these differences are not systematic enough to explain the differences in ISV amplitude. Conversely, there are systematic differences in the frequency with which specific values of humidity and precipitation occur. In strong ISV models, columns with a higher saturation fraction and rain rate occur more frequently and make a greater contribution to total precipitation.
Fiscal Policy in the Longer Term
Authors: Barrell Ray
Published: August 2011

Governments are important players in many parts of the economy, and at present perhaps the most visible is the balance they set between taxing and spending. Tax and spending polices are in part designed to redistribute resources between individuals, but they can also be used to redistribute resources over time. Governments can also use tax and spending policies to sustain or restrain economic activity, and in most countries a case can be made for using active fiscal policy in periods of clear economic distress, or in periods when it would be useful to restrain imbalances that can lead to financial crises. As a result it is difficult to gauge the appropriate stance of policy. Short-run problems have to be balanced against longer-term needs, and mistakes are common. In the UK, for instance, in the six years up until 2008 the balance of policy was perhaps too loose, whilst over the next five years it is probably too tight, even though deficits are projected to be higher than they were before 2009.
World Overview
Authors: Holland Dawn , Delannoy Aurélie , Fic Tatiana , Hurst Ian , Orazgani Ali , Paluchowski Paweł , Whitworth Rachel
Published: August 2011

GDP growth in the OECD group of economies moderated in the first quarter of 2011, reflecting a contraction in output in Japan related to the earthquake in March 2011 and a slowdown in the US economy. This was partly offset by an acceleration of growth in the Euro Area, to some extent attributable to a weather related rebound in Northern Europe, but also a strong rise in business investment in Germany and France. Moderate growth at the OECD level persisted into the second quarter. Supply-chain disruptions continued to affect Japan; the high oil price eroded real wages, exacerbating the effect of high unemployment on consumption in the US; the deepening sovereign debt crisis in Europe raised uncertainty, leading to a rise in precautionary savings even in countries not restrained by severe fiscal austerity programmes. Outside the OECD, China and India continue to drive world growth, although rising inflation points to more moderate prospects in the second half of the year. We forecast global GDP growth of about 4½ per cent per annum in both 2011 and 2012, compared to 5 per cent growth recorded in 2010. The key assumptions underlying this forecast are discussed in Appendix A, with our forecasts for key macro variables in 40 major economies detailed in Appendix B.
Prediction of the vortex yarn tenacity from some process and nozzle parameters based on numerical simulation and artificial neural network
Authors: Zeguang Pei  , Chongwen Yu
Published: August 2011

In this study, two methods, the numerical simulation and the artificial neural network, are adopted to predict the vortex yarn tenacity from some process and nozzle parameters. The fiber-airflow interaction and the motional characteristics of the fiber inside the vortex spinning nozzle are analyzed through the numerical simulation method to predict the yarn tenacity from the parameters of the jet orifice diameter and the yarn delivery speed. The back-propagation multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network is adopted to predict the tenacity of vortex yarn spun from modal fibers. The following parameters are used as inputs: nozzle pressure, jet orifice angle, distance between the guiding needle and the spindle, and spindle cone angle. The predicted and measured tenacities show low relative errors and a high correlation coefficient, indicating the artificial neural network method provides accurate prediction results. In addition, the effects of these parameters on the yarn tenacity are also analyzed.
Influence of electrochemical pre-treatment in dyeing wastewater reuse for five reactive dyes
Authors: Riera-Torres Miquel , Gutierrez-Bouzan M Carmen , Valldeperas Morell Josep , Jose Lis Manuel , Crespi Martí
Published: August 2011

In this study, the influence of an electrochemical pre-treatment was evaluated in dyeing wastewater reuse for five reactive dyes for cotton fabrics. The most proper dyeing method was established and the influence of alkali was also studied. Wastewater was treated in an electrochemical cell at 20 Lh−1 and 40 mA/cm2 for between 3 and 15 minutes before being reused. During the electrochemical treatment the evolution of the dye degradation was evaluated by COD measurements. From the results, it can be concluded that 70% of the wastewater can be satisfactorily reused by direct bath reuse with most of the reactive dyes obtaining DE (CMC (2:1)) values below 1 with respect to the reference. Differences of DE (CMC (2:1) can be improved up to 75% by applying an electrochemical pre-treatment. In DE (CMC (2:1)) values, DL* was found to be the most influential parameter. Finally, the influence of the level of dye degradation in the wastewater was observed as non-relevant in the direct reuse of the bath for most of the studied dyes.
Turning Art Into Mere Illustration
Authors: Hagtvedt Henrik , Patrick Vanessa M.
Published: August 2011

Broadly speaking, artworks are accorded a special significance and are recognized as powerful communication tools. In the current research, the authors posit that the “specialness” of artworks may be diminished simply by emphasizing that which is depicted in them. This emphasis results in the artwork being viewed as a mere illustration rather than a work of art. Specifically, the influence of an “artwork as art” is context independent, but the influence of an “artwork as illustration” is context dependent. The authors demonstrate this phenomenon in two experiments, in the context of products associated with artworks. In a third experiment, they further demonstrate that an abstract (concrete) mind-set aligns with the influence of an artwork as art (illustration).
Critique and Experience in Foucault
Authors: Lemke Thomas
Published: August 2011

It is widely known that by the end of the 1970s, Foucault had begun to refer to ‘experience’ to account for his intellectual trajectory and to redirect the work on The History of Sexuality. However, the interest in experience also decisively shaped Foucault’s analysis of the ‘critical attitude’ that he explicitly started to address at about the same time. The article argues that Foucault’s notion of critique is informed by a specific reading and understanding of ‘experience’. Experience is conceived of as dominant structure and transformative force, as existing background of practices and transcending event, as the object of theoretical inquiry and the objective of moving beyond historical limits. Foucault defines experience as a dynamic interplay between games of truth, forms of power and relations to the self. Accordingly, the Foucauldian account of critique is characterized by three aspects: the activity of problematization, the art of voluntary insubordination, and the audacity to expose one’s own status as a subject. While the first section of the article briefly reconstructs the trajectory of ‘experience’ in Foucault’s work from the 1960s to the 1980s, the main part discusses the dimensions and implications of this ‘experimental’ critique.
Patellar Tendon Ruptures in National Football League Players
Authors: Boublik Martin , Schlegel Theodore , Koonce Ryan , Genuario James , Lind Charles , Hamming David
Published: August 2011

Background: Although knee injuries are common among professional football players, ruptures of the patellar tendon are relatively rare. Predisposing factors, mechanisms of injury, treatment guidelines, and recovery expectations are not well established in high-level athletes.

Hypothesis: Professional football players with isolated rupture of the patellar tendon treated with timely surgical repair will return to their sport.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: Twenty-four ruptures of the patellar tendon in 22 National Football League (NFL) players were identified from 1994 through 2004. Team physicians retrospectively reviewed training room and clinic records, operative notes, and imaging studies for each of these players. Player game statistics and draft status were analyzed to identify return to play predictors. A successful outcome was defined as participating in 1 regular-season NFL game.

Results: Eleven of the 24 injuries had antecedent symptoms. The most common mechanism of injury was an eccentric overload to a contracting extensor mechanism. Physical examination demonstrated a palpable defect in all players. Twenty-two were complete ruptures, and 2 were partial injuries. Three of the 24 cases had a concomitant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. In 19 of the 24 injuries, the player returned to participate in at least 1 game in the NFL. Players who returned were drafted, on average, in the fourth round, while those who failed to return to play were drafted, on average, in the sixth round. Of those players who returned to play, the average number of games played was 45.4, with a range of 1 to 142 games.

Conclusion: Patellar tendon ruptures can occur in otherwise healthy professional football players without antecedent symptoms or predisposing factors. The most common mechanism of injury is eccentric overload. Close attention should be paid to stability examination of the knee given the not uncommon occurrence of concomitant ACL injury. Although this is usually a season-ending injury when it occurs in isolation, acute surgical repair generally produces good functional results and allows for return to play the following season. Players chosen earlier in the draft are more likely to return to play.
Accuracy of Teacher Judgments of Preschoolers’ Math Skills
Authors: Kilday Carolyn R. , Kinzie Mable B. , Mashburn Andrew J. , Whittaker Jessica V.
Published: August 2011

As the interest in improving children’s early math skills has grown, due in part to their strong associations with later overall school achievement, questions have been raised regarding teachers’ knowledge about children’s math abilities. The current study uses hierarchical linear modeling to examine the associations between teachers’ judgments of children’s math skills using an indirect rating scale assessment and children’s performance on two direct assessments of their number sense and geometry and measurement skills. Approximately 40% of the variance in the rating scale completed by the teacher is attributable to systematic differences between classrooms, not specifically to the child. Overall, the association between teacher report and students’ skills is approximately r = .50, which suggests that teachers can accurately determine whether students are above or below the mean but do not appropriately rate students as high or low as a direct assessment of their skills would indicate. This finding has implications for teachers, particularly in terms of teacher preparation, and for researchers, because of the information regarding the accuracy of teacher rating scales of preschool students’ math skills.
Women, Private Practice and Billable Hours
Authors: Durrani Shabnum , Singh Parbudyal
Published: August 2011

Women have been entering law schools in record numbers over the past two decades. In fact, they currently outnumber men in many law schools in the United States and Canada. However, they face several barriers to full integration in law firms. As a result, many of them are leaving in droves. In this article, the authors examine one of the issues—the billable hours pay system—that prevents them from becoming partners in law firms. After critically examining the role and impact of the billable hours’ culture on women lawyers, and drawing on the total rewards strategy used in some organizations, the authors offer modest recommendations for changing the pay system.
Bereaved Parents’ Perception of the Grandparents’ Reactions to Perinatal Loss and the Pregnancy That Follows
Authors: O’Leary Joann , Warland Jane , Parker Lynnda
Published: August 2011

This article presents bereaved parents’ perceptions of their parents’ (the grandparents) reactions at the time of loss and in the pregnancy that follows. Data originated from two phenomenological studies conducted to understand bereaved parents’ experiences during their loss and subsequent pregnancy. However, this article reports a secondary thematic analysis focused on bereaved parents perceptions of the grandparents’ support (or lack of) at the time of loss and during the pregnancy following loss. Our findings illustrate some families found the means to share their grief at the time of loss in a constructive manner, while in others the intergenerational relationship was strained. Most important to parents was intergenerational acknowledgment of the ongoing relationship to the deceased child as an important, though absent family member, especially during the pregnancy that followed. Those supporting bereaved families can play an important role in helping intergenerational communication around perinatal loss and the subsequent pregnancy.
Refinement and Psychometric Reevaluation of the Instrument
Authors: Saveman Britt-Inger , Benzein Eva G. , Engström Åsa H. , Årestedt Kristofer
Published: August 2011

The instrument Families’ Importance in Nursing Care–Nurses’ Attitudes (FINC-NA) was developed to measure nurses’ attitudes toward the importance of families in nursing care. The low variations in item responses, which affect the discrimination ability and unstable internal consistency, have been considered as limitations. The aim of this study was to refine and revalidate FINC-NA regarding score distribution, homogeneity, dimensionality, differential item functioning for gender, stability, and internal consistency. There were 246 registered nurses studying at advanced levels who answered the revised FINC-NA. The FINC-NA had five response alternatives. The findings showed that although some subscales still deviated from a normal distribution, the variability of the scores and the homogeneity was improved. In addition, the dimensionality was reproduced and minor problems with differential item functioning for gender were detected. All FINC-NA scales showed good reliability. The results allow the use of the revised FINC-NA in studies where an assessment of nurses’ attitudes toward families’ importance in nursing care is desired.
Confusion and inconsistency in diagnosis of Asperger syndrome: a review of studies from 1981 to 2010
Authors: Sharma Shilpi , Woolfson Lisa Marks , Hunter Simon C.
Published: August 2011

This paper presents a review of past and current research on the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome (AS) in children. It is suggested that the widely used criteria for diagnosing AS in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV are insufficient and invalid for a reliable diagnosis of AS. In addition, when these diagnostic criteria are applied, there is the potential bias of receiving a diagnosis towards the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum. Through a critical review of 69 research studies carried out between 1981 and 2010, this paper shows that six possible criteria for diagnosing AS (specifically, the age at which signs and symptoms related to autism become apparent, language and social communication abilities, intellectual abilities, motor or movement skills, repetitive patterns of behaviour and the nature of social interaction) overlap with the criteria for diagnosing autism. However, there is a possibility that some finer differences exist in the nature of social interaction, motor skills and speech patterns between groups with a diagnosis of AS and autism. These findings are proposed to be of relevance for designing intervention studies aimed at the treatment of specific symptoms in people with an autism spectrum disorder.
Tagging SNPs in REN, AGTR1 and AGTR2 genes and response of renin activity, angiotensin II and aldosterone concentrations to antihypertensive treatment in Kazakans
Authors: Yan Weili , Zhang Yuanming , Shan Zimei , Wang Qian , Huang Yongdi , Wang Chenchen , Yan Kai
Published: August 2011

Hypothesis: Polymorphisms of REN, AGTR1 and AGTR2 may be associated with responses of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) activity phenotypes to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) antihypertensive treatment.

Materials and methods: A total of 400 first diagnosed Kazak hypertensives were randomly allocated to two groups and received a 3-week course of either captopril and atenolol as monotherapy under double blinding. Genotype–phenotype association analyses were performed by covariance analyses between baseline level and responses of blood pressure, renin, angiotensin II and aldosterone concentrations with tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in REN, AGTR1 and AGTR2 genes. A false discovery rate method was used to adjust multiple testing.

Results: After adjustment for multiple testing, we found that the G allele of rs6676670 (T/G) in intron 1 of REN was significantly associated with higher baseline aldosterone concentrations ( p < 0.0001, explained variance (EV) = 2.3%). Significant associations after adjustments were also found between the A allele of rs2887284, with higher baseline renin activity ( p = 0.022, EV = 1.0%), higher responses of renin ( p = 0.018 EV = 5.4%), and higher responses of angiotensin II ( p = 0.0255, EV = 3.13%) to the treatment of ACEI. The carriers of the A allele of rs2887284 appeared to be more sensitive to the ACEI treatment.

Conclusion: rs2887284 in intron 9 of REN is associated with the response of renin and angiotensin II levels to ACEI treatment.
How I treat thalassemia
Authors: Rachmilewitz Eliezer A. , Giardina Patricia J.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this article is to set forth our approach to diagnosing and managing the thalassemias, including β-thalassemia intermedia and β-thalassemia major. The article begins by briefly describing recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of thalassemia. In the discussion on diagnosing the condition, we cover the development of improved diagnostic tools, including the use of very small fetal DNA samples to detect single point mutations with great reliability for prenatal diagnosis of homozygous thalassemia. In our description of treatment strategies, we focus on how we deal with clinical manifestations and long-term complications using the most effective current treatment methods for β-thalassemia. The discussion of disease management focuses on our use of transfusion therapy and the newly developed oral iron chelators, deferiprone and deferasirox. We also deal with splenectomy and how we manage endocrinopathies and cardiac complications. In addition, we describe our use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which has produced cure rates as high as 97%, and the use of cord blood transplantation. Finally, we briefly touch on therapies that might be effective in the near future, including new fetal hemoglobin inducers and gene therapy.
TLR7 enables cross-presentation by multiple dendritic cell subsets through a type I IFN-dependent pathway
Authors: Oh Jason Z. , Kurche Jonathan S. , Burchill Matthew A. , Kedl Ross M.
Published: August 2011

Conjugation of TLR agonists to protein or peptide antigens has been demonstrated in many studies to be an effective vaccine formula in inducing cellular immunity. However, the molecular and cellular mediators involved in TLR-induced immune responses have not been carefully examined. In this study, we identify Type I IFN and IL-12 as critical mediators of cross-priming induced by a TLR7 agonist-antigen conjugate. We demonstrate that TLR7-driven cross-priming requires both Type I IFN and IL-12. Signaling through the IFN-αβR was required for the timely recruitment and accumulation of activated dendritic cells in the draining lymph nodes. Although IL-12 was indispensable during cross-priming, it did not regulate DC function. Therefore, the codependency for these 2 cytokines during TLR7-induced cross-priming is the result of their divergent effects on different cell-types. Furthermore, although dermal and CD8α+ DCs were able to cross-prime CD8+ T cells, Langerhans cells were unexpectedly found to potently cross-present antigen and support CD8+ T-cell expansion, both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, the data show that a TLR7 agonist-antigen conjugate elicits CD8+ T-cell responses by the coordinated recruitment and activation of both tissue-derived and lymphoid organ-resident DC subsets through a Type I IFN and IL-12 codependent mechanism.
Hepcidin expression in human airway epithelial cells is regulated by interferon-γ
Authors: Frazier Marie D , Mamo Lisa B , Ghio Andrew J , Turi Jennifer L
Published: August 2011

Background

Hepcidin serves as a major regulator of systemic iron metabolism and immune function. Airway epithelial cells have an extensive interface with the environment, and so must be able to respond locally to the presence of particulates, infection, and inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that hepcidin is expressed in airway epithelial cells and is regulated by early phase cytokines.

Methods

Primary, differentiated human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells were used to assess hepcidin gene expression in response to IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, as well as to LPS + CD14. The role of the Janus Kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway in IFN-γ-mediated hepcidin production was assessed by measuring JAK2 phophorylation and STAT1 nuclear translocation. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used to determine whether hepcidin altered iron transport in either NHBE cells or primary alveolar macrophages.

Results

We demonstrate that differentiated human airway epithelial cells express hepcidin mRNA and that its expression is augmented in response to IFN-γ via activation of STAT1. However, while IFN-γ induced hepcidin gene expression, we were not able to demonstrate diminished expression of the iron export protein, ferroportin (Fpn), at the cell surface, or iron accumulation in airway epithelial in the presence of exogenous hepcidin.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate that airway epithelial cells express hepcidin in the lung in response to IFN-γ. The presence of hepcidin in the airway does not appear to alter cellular iron transport, but may serve as a protective factor via its direct antimicrobial effects.
Genotyping common and rare variation using overlapping pool sequencing
Authors: He Dan , Zaitlen Noah , Pasaniuc Bogdan , Eskin Eleazar , Halperin Eran
Published: August 2011

Background

Recent advances in sequencing technologies set the stage for large, population based studies, in which the ANA or RNA of thousands of individuals will be sequenced. Currently, however, such studies are still infeasible using a straightforward sequencing approach; as a result, recently a few multiplexing schemes have been suggested, in which a small number of ANA pools are sequenced, and the results are then deconvoluted using compressed sensing or similar approaches. These methods, however, are limited to the detection of rare variants.

Results

In this paper we provide a new algorithm for the deconvolution of DNA pools multiplexing schemes. The presented algorithm utilizes a likelihood model and linear programming. The approach allows for the addition of external data, particularly imputation data, resulting in a flexible environment that is suitable for different applications.

Conclusions

Particularly, we demonstrate that both low and high allele frequency SNPs can be accurately genotyped when the DNA pooling scheme is performed in conjunction with microarray genotyping and imputation. Additionally, we demonstrate the use of our framework for the detection of cancer fusion genes from RNA sequences.
Functional characterization of the sciarid BhC4-1 core promoter in transgenic Drosophila
Authors: Garcia Adriana C , Gitaí Daniel LG , Humann Fernanda C , Paçó-Larson Maria L , Monesi Nadia
Published: August 2011

Background

Core promoters are cis-regulatory modules to which bind the basal transcriptional machinery and which participate in the regulation of transcription initiation. Although core promoters have not been extensively investigated through functional assays in a chromosomal context, the available data suggested that the response of a given core promoter might vary depending on the promoter context. Previous studies suggest that a (-57/+40) fragment constitutes the core promoter of the BhC4-1 gene which is located in DNA puff C4 of the sciarid fly Bradysia hygida. Here we tested this (-57/+40) fragment in distinct regulatory contexts in order to verify if promoter context affects its core promoter activity.

Results

Consistent with the activity of a core promoter, we showed that in the absence of upstream regulatory sequences the (-57/+40) fragment drives low levels of reporter gene mRNA expression throughout development in transgenic Drosophila. By assaying the (-57/+40) fragment in two distinct regulatory contexts, either downstream of the previously characterized Fbp1 enhancer or downstream of the UAS element, we showed that the BhC4-1 core promoter drives regulated transcription in both the germline and in various tissues throughout development. Furthermore, the use of the BhC4-1 core promoter in a UAS construct significantly reduced salivary gland ectopic expression in third instar larvae, which was previously described to occur in the context of the GAL4/UAS system.

Conclusions

Our results from functional analysis in transgenic Drosophila show that the BhC4-1 core promoter drives gene expression regardless of the promoter context that was assayed. New insights into the functioning of the GAL4/UAS system in Drosophila were obtained, indicating that the presence of the SV40 sequence in the 3' UTR of a UAS construct does not preclude expression in the germline. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that ectopic salivary gland expression in the GAL4/UAS system does not depend only on sequences present in the GAL4 construct, but can also be affected by the core promoter sequences in the UAS construct. In this context, we propose that the sciarid BhC4-1 core promoter constitutes a valuable core promoter which can be employed in functional assays in insects.
Vitamin D binding protein variants associate with asthma susceptibility in the Chinese han population
Authors: Li Fei , Jiang Lei , Willis-Owen Saffron A , Zhang Youming , Gao Jinming
Published: August 2011

Background

Asthma is a genetically heterogeneous disease. Polymorphisms of genes encoding components of the vitamin D pathway have been reported to associate with the risk of asthma. We have previously demonstrated that vitamin D status was associated with lung function in Chinese asthma patients. In this study, we tested whether polymorphisms of genes encoding for vitamin D receptor (VDR), vitamin D 25-hydroxylase (CYP2R1) and vitamin D binding protein (GC) were associated with asthma in the Chinese Han population.

Methods

We sequenced all 8 exons of VDR and all 5 exons of CYP2R1 in a Chinese case-control cohort of asthma consisting of 467 cases and 288 unrelated healthy controls. Two mutations were identified in these regions. These variants were specified as rs2228570 in exon 2 of VDR and rs12794714 in exon 1 of CYP2R1. We also genotyped two common polymorphisms in GC gene (rs4588 and rs7041) by a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. We analyzed the association between these 4 polymorphisms and asthma susceptibility and asthma-related traits.

Results

Polymorphic markers in VDR and CYP2R1 were not associated with asthma in the Chinese Han cohort. Importantly, variants in GC gene, which give rise to the two most common electrophoretic isoforms of the vitamin D binding protein, were associated with asthma susceptibility. Compared with isoform Gc1, Gc2 was significantly associated with the risk of asthma (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.01-1.78 p = 0.006).

Conclusions

The results provide supporting evidence for association between GC variants and asthma susceptibility in the Chinese Han population.
Role of serum S100B and PET-CT in follow-up of patients with cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Peric Barbara , Zagar Ivana , Novakovic Srdjan , Zgajnar Janez , Hocevar Marko
Published: August 2011

Background

Increased level of serum S100B can serve as a marker of metastatic spread in patients with cutaneous melanoma (CM). In patients with elevated S100 B and/or clinical signs of disease progression PET-CT scan is a valuable tool for discovering metastases and planning treatment.

The aims of this study were to determine whether regular measurements of serum S100B are a useful tool for discovering patients with CM metastases and to evaluate the diagnostic value of PET-CT during the follow-up.

Methods

From September 2007 to February 2010, 115 CM patients included in regular follow up at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana were appointed to PET-CT. There were 82 (71.3%) patients with clinical signs of disease progression and 33 (28.7%) asymptomatic patients with two subsequent elevated values of S100B. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV, NPV) of S100B and PET-CT were calculated using standard procedures.

Results

Disease progression was confirmed in 81.7% of patients (in 86.5% of patients with clinical signs of disease progression and in 69.7% of asymptomatic patients with elevated S100B). Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of S100B was 33.8%, 90.9%, 96.0% and 17.5% in patients with clinical signs of disease progression. In 20.0% of patients increased serum S100B was the only sign of disease progression. Sensitivity and PPV of S100 in this group of patients were 100.0% and 69.7%.

With PET-CT disease progression was diagnosed in 84.2% of symptomatic patients and in 72.7% of asymptomatic patients with elevated S100B. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of PET-CT for symptomatic patients was 98.5%, 90.9%, 98.5% and 90.9% and 100%, 90.0%, 95.8% and 100% for asymptomatic patients with elevated S100.

Conclusions

Measurements of serum S100B during regular follow-up of patients with CM are a useful tool for discovering disease progression in asymptomatic patients. The value of its use increases if measurements are followed by extended whole body PET-CT.
Kids in the city study: research design and methodology
Authors: Oliver Melody , Witten Karen , Kearns Robin A , Mavoa Suzanne , Badland Hannah M , Carroll Penelope , Drumheller Chelsea , Tavae Nicola , Asiasiga Lanuola , Jelley Su , Kaiwai Hector , Opit Simon , Lin En-Yi Judy , Sweetsur Paul , Barnes Helen Moewaka , Mason Nic , Ergler Christina
Published: August 2011

Background

Physical activity is essential for optimal physical and psychological health but substantial declines in children's activity levels have occurred in New Zealand and internationally. Children's independent mobility (i.e., outdoor play and traveling to destinations unsupervised), an integral component of physical activity in childhood, has also declined radically in recent decades. Safety-conscious parenting practices, car reliance and auto-centric urban design have converged to produce children living increasingly sedentary lives. This research investigates how urban neighborhood environments can support or enable or restrict children's independent mobility, thereby influencing physical activity accumulation and participation in daily life.

Methods/Design

The study is located in six Auckland, New Zealand neighborhoods, diverse in terms of urban design attributes, particularly residential density. Participants comprise 160 children aged 9-11 years and their parents/caregivers. Objective measures (global positioning systems, accelerometers, geographical information systems, observational audits) assessed children's independent mobility and physical activity, neighborhood infrastructure, and streetscape attributes. Parent and child neighborhood perceptions and experiences were assessed using qualitative research methods.

Discussion

This study is one of the first internationally to examine the association of specific urban design attributes with child independent mobility. Using robust, appropriate, and best practice objective measures, this study provides robust epidemiological information regarding the relationships between the built environment and health outcomes for this population.
Factors Influencing Receipt of Iron Supplementation by Young Children and their Mothers in Rural India: Local and National Cross-Sectional Studies
Authors: Pasricha Sant-Rayn , Biggs Beverley-Ann , Prashanth NS , Sudarshan H , Moodie Rob , Black Jim , Shet Arun
Published: August 2011

Background

In India, 55% of women and 69.5% of preschool children are anaemic despite national policies recommending routine iron supplementation. Understanding factors associated with receipt of iron in the field could help optimise implementation of anaemia control policies. Thus, we undertook 1) a cross-sectional study to evaluate iron supplementation to children (and mothers) in rural Karnataka, India, and 2) an analysis of all-India rural data from the National Family Health Study 2005-6 (NFHS-3).

Methods

All children aged 12-23 months and their mothers served by 6 of 8 randomly selected sub-centres managed by 2 rural Primary Health Centres of rural Karnataka were eligible for the Karnataka Study, conducted between August and October 2008. Socioeconomic and demographic data, access to health services and iron receipt were recorded. Secondly, NFHS-3 rural data were analysed. For both studies, logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with receipt of iron.

Results

The Karnataka Study recruited 405 children and 377 of their mothers. 41.5% of children had received iron, and 11.5% received iron through the public system. By multiple logistic regression, factors associated with children's receipt of iron included: wealth (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.63 [95% CI 1.11, 6.24] for top vs bottom wealth quintile), male sex (OR 2.45 [1.47, 4.10]), mother receiving postnatal iron (OR 2.31 [1.25, 4.28]), mother having undergone antenatal blood test (OR 2.10 [1.09, 4.03]); Muslim religion (OR 0.02 [0.00, 0.27]), attendance at Anganwadi centre (OR 0.23 [0.11, 0.49]), fully vaccinated (OR 0.33 [0.15, 0.75]), or children of mothers with more antenatal health visits (8-9 visits OR 0.25 [0.11, 0.55]) were less likely to receive iron. Nationally, 3.7% of rural children were receiving iron; this was associated with wealth (OR 1.12 [1.02, 1.23] per quintile), maternal education (compared with no education: completed secondary education OR 2.15 [1.17, 3.97], maternal antenatal iron (2.24 [1.56, 3.22]), and child attending an Anganwadi (OR 1.47 [1.20, 1.80]).

Conclusion

In rural India, public distribution of iron to children is inadequate and disparities exist. Measures to optimize receipt of government supplied iron to all children regardless of wealth and ethnic background could help alleviate anaemia in this population.
Mitochondrial genetic differentiation across populations of the malaria vector Anopheles lesteri from China (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Yang Manni , Ma Yajun , Wu Jing
Published: August 2011

Background

Anopheles lesteri is a primary vector of Plasmodium spp. in central China. A complete understanding of vector population structure and the processes responsible for the differentiation is important to the vector-based malaria control programmes and for identifying heterogeneity in disease transmission as a result of discrete vector populations. There is no adequate An. lesteri population genetic data available.

Methods

Polymorphism of sequence variations in mitochondrial COII and Cytb genes were assessed to explore the level of genetic variability and differentiation among six populations of An. lesteri from China.

Results

There were 30 (4.37%) and 21 (5.33%) polymorphic sites for mtDNA-COII and Cytb gene, respectively. Totally 31 COII and 30 Cytb haplotypes were obtained. The range of F

ST
values was from 0.101 to 0.655 by mtDNA-COII, and 0.029 to 0.231 by Cytb gene. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the percentage of variation within populations (65.83%, 88.48%) was greater than that among populations (34.17%, 11.52%) using both genes. The Tajima's D and Fu's Fs values were all negative, except Tajima's D values of YN and HNB populations, which suggest a large number of low-frequency mutations in populations and the populations were in expansion proceeding.

Conclusions

Levels of genetic variation within An. lesteri populations were higher than among them. While these results may suggest considerable levels of gene flow, other explanations, such as the effect of historical population perturbations can also be hypothesized.
The role of soluble fiber intake in patients under highly effective lipid-lowering therapy
Authors: Ramos Silvia C , Fonseca Francisco A , Kasmas Soraia H , Moreira Flávio T , Helfenstein Tatiana , Borges Ney C , Moreno Ronilson A , Rezende Vinicius M , Silva Fernanda C , Izar Maria C
Published: August 2011

Background

It has been demonstrated that statins can increase intestinal sterol absorption. Augments in phytosterolemia seems related to cardiovascular disease.

Objective

We examined the role of soluble fiber intake in endogenous cholesterol synthesis and in sterol absorption among subjects under highly effective lipid-lowering therapy.

Design

In an open label, randomized, parallel-design study with blinded endpoints, subjects with primary hypercholesterolemia (n = 116) were assigned to receive during 12 weeks, a daily dose of 25 g of fiber (corresponding to 6 g of soluble fibers) plus rosuvastatin 40 mg (n = 28), rosuvastatin 40 mg alone (n = 30), sinvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg plus 25 g of fiber (n = 28), or sinvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg (n = 30) alone.

Results

The four assigned therapies produced similar changes in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides (p < 0.001 vs. baseline) and did not change HDL-cholesterol. Fiber intake decreased plasma campesterol (p < 0.001 vs. baseline), particularly among those patients receiving ezetimibe (p < 0.05 vs. other groups), and β-sitosterol (p = 0.03 vs. baseline), with a trend for lower levels in the group receiving fiber plus ezetimibe (p = 0.07). Treatment with rosuvastatin alone or combined with soluble fiber was associated with decreased levels of desmosterol (p = 0.003 vs. other groups). Compared to non-fiber supplemented individuals, those treated with fibers had weight loss (p = 0.04), reduced body mass index (p = 0.002) and blood glucose (p = 0.047).

Conclusion

Among subjects treated with highly effective lipid-lowering therapy, the intake of 25 g of fibers added favorable effects, mainly by reducing phytosterolemia. Additional benefits include improvement in blood glucose and anthropometric parameters.
Treating frailty-a practical guide
Authors: Fairhall Nicola , Langron Colleen , Sherrington Catherine , Lord Stephen R , Kurrle Susan E , Lockwood Keri , Monaghan Noeline , Aggar Christina , Gill Liz , Cameron Ian D
Published: August 2011

Frailty is a common syndrome that is associated with vulnerability to poor health outcomes. Frail older people have increased risk of morbidity, institutionalization and death, resulting in burden to individuals, their families, health care services and society. Assessment and treatment of the frail individual provide many challenges to clinicians working with older people. Despite frailty being increasingly recognized in the literature, there is a paucity of direct evidence to guide interventions to reduce frailty. In this paper we review methods for identification of frailty in the clinical setting, propose a model for assessment of the frail older person and summarize the current best evidence for treating the frail older person. We provide an evidence-based framework that can be used to guide the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of frail older people.
HIV-1 Tat activates indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase in murine organotypic hippocampal slice cultures in a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent manner
Authors: Fu Xin , Lawson Marcus A , Kelley Keith W , Dantzer Robert
Published: August 2011

Background

We have established that activation of the tryptophan degrading enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) mediates the switch from cytokine-induced sickness behavior to depressive-like behavior. Because human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein causes depressive-like behavior in mice, we investigated its ability to activate IDO in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSCs) derived from neonatal C57BL/6 mice.

Methods

Depressive-like behavior in C57BL/6J mice was assessed by the forced swim test. Expression of cytokines and IDO mRNA in OHSCs was measured by real-time RT-PCR and cytokine protein was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). p38 MAPK phosphorylation was analyzed by western blot.

Results

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of Tat (40 ng) induced depressive-like behavior in the absence of sickness. Addition of Tat (40 ng/slice) to the medium of OHSCs induced IDO steady-state mRNA that peaked at 6 h. This effect was potentiated by pretreatment with IFNγ. Tat also induced the synthesis and release of TNFα and IL-6 protein in the supernatant of the slices and increased expression of the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the serotonin transporter (SERT). Tat had no effect on endogenous synthesis of IFNγ. To explore the mechanisms of Tat-induced IDO expression, slices were pretreated with the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor SB 202190 for 30 min before Tat treatment. SB 202190 significantly decreased IDO expression induced by Tat, and this effect was accompanied by a reduction of Tat-induced expression of TNFα, IL-6, iNOS and SERT.

Conclusion

These data establish that Tat induces IDO expression via an IFNγ-independent mechanism that depends upon activation of p38 MAPK. Targeting IDO itself or the p38 MAPK signaling pathway could provide a novel therapy for comorbid depressive disorders in HIV-1-infected patients.
Viral suppression of multiple escape mutants by de novo CD8+T cell responses in a human immunodeficiency virus-1 Infected elite suppressor
Authors: O'Connell Karen A , Hegarty Robert W , Siliciano Robert F , Blankson Joel N
Published: August 2011

Elite suppressors or controllers (ES) are HIV-1 infected patients who maintain undetectable viral loads without treatment. While HLA-B*57-positive ES are usually infected with virus that is unmutated at CTL epitopes, a single, dominant variant containing CTL escape mutations is typically seen in plasma during chronic infection. We describe an ES who developed seven distinct and rare escape variants at an HLA-B*57-restricted Gag epitope over a five year period. Interestingly, he developed proliferative, de novo CTL responses that suppressed replication of each of these variants. These responses, in combination with low viral fitness of each variant, may contribute to sustained elite control in this ES.