bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does postoperative hand elevation reduce swelling? A randomized study
Authors: Baker R. P. , Field J. , Gozzard C. , Wyatt M. C. , Robertson Y.
Published: January 2010

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of limb elevation on hand swelling after surgery. We prospectively randomized 113 patients undergoing fasciectomy or a trapeziectomy into one of two groups. The first group had the hand elevated postoperatively and the hands of the second group were not elevated. Hand swelling was assessed using a volumetric method. Although the swelling was less in the elevated group this did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup analysis revealed no further significant differences. There were no complications in patients who did not have limb elevation. This study does not support the routine use of elevation for 24 hours after fasciectomy for Dupuytren's disease and trapeziectomy to reduce hand swelling.
Treating epilepsy across its different stages
Authors: Beghi Ettore
Published: January 2010

Epilepsy is a chronic condition requiring long-term treatment with drugs that have intrinsic limitations. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are effective in suppressing seizures but do not alter the disease process. They have a suboptimal tolerability profile and can be teratogenic. Second-generation compounds may be better tolerated but no more effective than traditional AEDs. In this light, as drug therapy is purely symptomatic, acute symptomatic seizures (i.e. seizures occurring in close temporal relationship with acute CNS insults) may require treatment only until recovery or stabilization of the injury. Treatment of the first unprovoked seizure may be considered in patients with abnormal EEG and imaging findings and in those in whom the relapse has severe social, emotional and personal implications. In these cases and in patients with epilepsy (i.e. repeated unprovoked seizures), drugs for partial seizures supported by class I regulatory trials or pragmatic trials are oxcarbazepine in children, carbamazepine or lamotrigine in adults, and lamotrigine or gabapentin in the elderly. Pragmatic trials support use of valproate for generalized seizures, except for women of childbearing age for whom the drug should be tailored to the individual patient. The lowest maintenance dose should be chosen, based on the efficacy and tolerability of the assigned drug. If the first monotherapy fails, the safety profile of a drug is important when opting for another monotherapy or for an add-on therapy. The epilepsy syndrome and the social, psychological and emotional profile of the patient all contribute to the individualization of treatment discontinuation after long-term seizure remission.
Pharmacotherapy in Parkinson’s disease: case studies
Authors: Mestre Tiago , Ferreira Joaquim J.
Published: January 2010

Parkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder with the particular feature of having various available treatments with proven efficacy. However, no treatment is curative. Recent trial results provided data for the discussion about the potential disease-modifying effect of new drugs as well as of other therapeutic strategies. The changing clinical phenotype following the progression of the disease multiplies the number of treatment targets and makes the application of recommendations from guidelines or other treatment algorithms to the individual patient a complex task. In the present manuscript, we discuss the treatment management of three case studies illustrating different stages of disease with distinct phenomenology. The proposed therapeutic alternatives are discussed based on the best data available; that is, treatment guidelines, clinical trial results or observational data.
New treatment option for partial-onset seizures: efficacy and safety of lacosamide
Authors: Chung Steve S.
Published: January 2010

More than 30% of epilepsy patients remain refractory despite the advent of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) over two decades. Although a small percentage of these refractory patients may become seizure free when a new AED is added, combined administration of AEDs or the application of novel AEDs is the most common therapeutic option when surgical treatment cannot be offered. The most recently approved AED in Europe and the USA is lacosamide (LCM), which offers new mechanisms of action and favorable safety profiles. This article reviews LCM’s molecular mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic profiles as well as efficacy and safety from phase II and III clinical trials. In addition, comparison between LCM and other existing AEDs is discussed.
Treatment options in trigeminal neuralgia
Authors: Obermann Mark
Published: January 2010

The incidence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is 4.3 per 100,000 persons per year, with a slightly higher incidence for women (5.9/100,000) compared with men (3.4/100,000). There is a lack of certainty regarding the aetiology and pathophysiology of TN. The treatment of TN can be very challenging despite the numerous options patients and physicians can choose from. This multitude of treatment options poses the question as to which treatment fits which patient best. The preferred medical treatment for TN consists of anticonvulsant drugs, muscle relaxants and neuroleptic agents. Large-scale placebo-controlled clinical trials are scarce. For patients refractory to medical therapy, Gasserian ganglion percutaneous techniques, gamma knife surgery and microvascular decompression are the most promising invasive treatment options.
Abnormal VWF modifies megakaryocytopoiesis: studies of platelets and megakaryocyte cultures from patients with von Willebrand disease type 2B
Authors: Nurden Paquita , Gobbi Giuliana , Nurden Alan , Enouf Jocelyne , Youlyouz-Marfak Ibtissam , Carubbi Cecilia , La Marca Silvia , Punzo Margherita , Baronciani Luciano , De Marco Luigi , Vitale Marco , Federici Augusto B.
Published: January 2010

von Willebrand factor (VWF) is an essential mediator of platelet adhesion to the vessel wall, but little is known about its role in megakaryocytopoiesis. VWF and its platelet receptor, glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα), are both expressed during megakaryocyte (MK) maturation. This study was designed to evaluate whether the enhanced VWF-GPIbα interactions typical of patients with von Willebrand disease type 2B (VWD2B) modify platelet production. Platelets from 9 patients with VWD2B with 7 different gain-of-function mutations were examined by electron microscopy (EM) and immunofluorescence labeling. For the patients with VWD2B, EM characteristically showed variable numbers of structurally abnormal giant platelets, sometimes in agglutinates. Cultures of MKs from controls performed with or without purified VWF confirmed a positive influence of VWF on platelet production with specific inhibition by an antibody blocking VWF binding to GPIbα. VWD2B MK cultures examined by EM showed a disorganized demarcation membrane system and abnormal granule distribution. They produced platelets with structural abnormalities typical of VWD2B. Confocal examination of MK revealed limited extension of pseudopods with few large proplatelets. These results confirm that megakaryocytopoiesis is modified by the enhanced VWF-GPIbα interactions. These data obtained for controls and patients with VWD2B suggest a novel regulatory role of VWF-GPIbα interactions in platelet production.
Chemotherapy rescues tumor-driven aberrant CD4+ T-cell differentiation and restores an activated polyfunctional helper phenotype
Authors: Ding Zhi-Chun , Blazar Bruce R. , Mellor Andrew L. , Munn David H. , Zhou Gang
Published: January 2010

The functional development of tumor-specific CD4+ T cells has a critical impact on the outcome of antitumor immune responses. Adoptive immunotherapy involving tumor-specific CD4+ T cells has shown encouraging clinical benefits in some cancer patients. To mount an effective antitumor immunity, it is desirable to elicit activated type 1 T helper cells. Here, we report that type 1 T helper cell–like effector cells that arose in tumor-bearing hosts progressively expressed programmed death 1 during tumor growth. The programmed death 1hi effector cells displayed a dysfunctional phenotype, characterized by selective down-regulation of interleukin-7 receptor, heightened apoptosis, and poor antitumor efficacy. This tumor-driven aberrant T-cell response could be prevented by a single dose of the widely used chemotherapy agent cyclophosphamide. We show that chemotherapy conditioned the host environment, creating a transient window for optimal effector differentiation for adoptively transferred CD4+ T cells. This robust effector differentiation, which was antigen-driven and mechanistically dependent on an intact host response to type I interferon, gave rise to activated polyfunctional T helper cells with high interleukin-7 receptor, rapid clonal expansion, and potent antitumor activity against established B-cell lymphomas. We hypothesize that prevention of tumor-induced effector cell dysfunction is a major mechanism contributing to the efficacy of combined chemoimmunotherapy.
A temporal precedence based clustering method for gene expression microarray data
Authors: Krishna Ritesh , Li Chang-Tsun , Buchanan-Wollaston Vicky
Published: January 2010

Background

Time-course microarray experiments can produce useful data which can help in understanding the underlying dynamics of the system. Clustering is an important stage in microarray data analysis where the data is grouped together according to certain characteristics. The majority of clustering techniques are based on distance or visual similarity measures which may not be suitable for clustering of temporal microarray data where the sequential nature of time is important. We present a Granger causality based technique to cluster temporal microarray gene expression data, which measures the interdependence between two time-series by statistically testing if one time-series can be used for forecasting the other time-series or not.

Results

A gene-association matrix is constructed by testing temporal relationships between pairs of genes using the Granger causality test. The association matrix is further analyzed using a graph-theoretic technique to detect highly connected components representing interesting biological modules. We test our approach on synthesized datasets and real biological datasets obtained for Arabidopsis thaliana. We show the effectiveness of our approach by analyzing the results using the existing biological literature. We also report interesting structural properties of the association network commonly desired in any biological system.

Conclusions

Our experiments on synthesized and real microarray datasets show that our approach produces encouraging results. The method is simple in implementation and is statistically traceable at each step. The method can produce sets of functionally related genes which can be further used for reverse-engineering of gene circuits.
Global transcriptomic response of Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni upon exposure to serum
Authors: Patarakul Kanitha , Lo Miranda , Adler Ben
Published: January 2010

Background

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution caused by infection with pathogenic serovars of Leptospira spp. The most common species, L. interrogans, can survive in the environment for lengthy periods of time in between infection of mammalian hosts. Transmission of pathogenic Leptospira to humans mostly occurs through abraded skin or mucosal surfaces after direct or indirect contact with infected animals or contaminated soil or water. The spirochete then spreads hematogenously, resulting in multi-organ failure and death in severe cases. Previous DNA microarray studies have identified differentially expressed genes required for adaptation to temperature and osmolarity conditions inside the host compared to those of the environment.

Results

In order to identify genes involved in survival in the early spirochetemic phase of infection, we performed a transcriptional analysis of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni upon exposure to serum in comparison with EMJH medium. One hundred and sixty-eight genes were found to be differentially expressed, of which 55 were up-regulated and 113 were down-regulated. Genes of known or predicted function accounted for 54.5 and 45.1% of up- and down-regulated genes, respectively. Most of the differentially expressed genes were predicted to be involved in transcriptional regulation, translational process, two-component signal transduction systems, cell or membrane biogenesis, and metabolic pathways.

Conclusions

Our study showed global transcriptional changes of pathogenic Leptospira upon exposure to serum, representing a specific host environmental cue present in the bloodstream. The presence of serum led to a distinct pattern of gene expression in comparison to those of previous single-stimulus microarray studies on the effect of temperature and osmolarity upshift. The results provide insights into the pathogenesis of leptospirosis during the early bacteremic phase of infection.
Genetic Diversity of Salmonella enteric serovar Typhi and Paratyphi in Shenzhen, China from 2002 through 2007
Authors: Wu Weiyuan , Wang Hui , Lu Jian , Wu Jinsong , Chen Minjun , Xu Yingchun , Lu Yuemei
Published: January 2010

Background

Typhoid and paratyphoid fever are endemic in China. The objective of this investigation was to determine the molecular features of nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella enteric serovar Typhi (S. typhi) and Paratyphi (S. paratyphi) from blood isolates in Shenzhen, China.

Results

Twenty-five S. typhi and 66 S. paratyphi were isolated from 91 bacteriemic patients between 2002 and 2007 at a hospital in Shenzhen, Southern China. Fifty-two percent (13/25) of S. typhi and 95.3% (61/64) of S. paratyphi A were resistant to nalidixic acid. Sixty-seven isolates of nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella (NARS) showed decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MICs of 0.125-1 μg/mL). All 75 NARS isolates had a single substitution in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of GyrA (Ser83→Phe/Pro/Tyr, or Asp87→Gly/Asn), and 90.7% of these isolates carried the substitution Ser83Phe in GyrA. No mutation was found in the QRDR of gyrB, parC, or parE. Plasmid mediated quinolone resistance genes including qnr and aac(6')-Ib-cr were not detected in any isolate. Twenty-two distinct pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were observed among S. typhi. Sixty-four isolates of S. paratyphi A belonged to one clone. Eighty-seven investigated inpatients were infected in the community. Six patients infected by S. paratyphi A had a travel history before infection.

Conclusions

Nalidixic acid-resistant S. typhi and S. paratyphi A blood isolates were highly prevalent in Shenzhen, China. PFGE showed the variable genetic diversity of nalidixic acid-resistant S. typhi and limited genetic diversity of nalidixic acid -resistant S. paratyphi A.
Toll-like receptor 2 gene polymorphisms, pulmonary tuberculosis, and natural killer cell counts
Authors: Chen Yung-Che , Hsiao Chang-Chun , Chen Chung-Jen , Chin Chien-Hung , Liu Shih-Feng , Wu Chao-Chien , Eng Hock-Liew , Chao Tung-Ying , Tsen Chia-Cheng , Wang Yi-Hsi , Lin Meng-Chih
Published: January 2010

Background

To investigate whether the toll-like receptor 2 polymorphisms could influence susceptibility to pulmonary TB, its phenotypes, and blood lymphocyte subsets.

Methods

A total of 368 subjects, including 184 patients with pulmonary TB and 184 healthy controls, were examined for TLR2 polymorphisms over locus -100 (microsatellite guanine-thymine repeats), -16934 (T>A), -15607 (A>G), -196 to -174 (insertion>deletion), and 1350 (T>C). Eighty-six TB patients were examined to determine the peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations.

Results

We newly identified an association between the haplotype [A-G-(insertion)-T] and susceptibility to pulmonary TB (p = 0.006, false discovery rate q = 0.072). TB patients with systemic symptoms had a lower -196 to -174 deletion/deletion genotype frequency than those without systemic symptoms (5.7% vs. 17.7%; p = 0.01). TB patients with the deletion/deletion genotype had higher blood NK cell counts than those carrying the insertion allele (526 vs. 243.5 cells/μl, p = 0.009). TB patients with pleuritis had a higher 1350 CC genotype frequency than those without pleuritis (12.5% vs. 2.1%; p = 0.004). TB patients with the 1350 CC genotype had higher blood NK cell counts than those carrying the T allele (641 vs. 250 cells/μl, p = 0.004). TB patients carrying homozygous short alleles for GT repeats had higher blood NK cell counts than those carrying one or no short allele (641 vs. 250 cells/μl, p = 0.004).

Conclusions

TLR2 genetic polymorphisms influence susceptibility to pulmonary TB. TLR2 variants play a role in the development of TB phenotypes, probably by controlling the expansion of NK cells.
The association between farming activities, precipitation, and the risk of acute gastrointestinal illness in rural municipalities of Quebec, Canada: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Febriani Yossi , Levallois Patrick , Gingras Suzanne , Gosselin Pierre , Majowicz Shannon E , Fleury Manon D
Published: January 2010

Background

Increasing livestock density and animal manure spreading, along with climate factors such as heavy rainfall, may increase the risk of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI). In this study we evaluated the association between farming activities, precipitation and AGI.

Methods

A cross-sectional telephone survey of randomly selected residents (n = 7006) of 54 rural municipalities in Quebec, Canada, was conducted between April 2007 and April 2008. AGI symptoms and several risk factors were investigated using a phone questionnaire. We calculated the monthly prevalence of AGI, and used multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for several demographic and risk factors, to evaluate the associations between AGI and both intensive farming activities and cumulative weekly precipitation. Cumulative precipitation over each week, from the first to sixth week prior to the onset of AGI, was analyzed to account for both the delayed effect of precipitation on AGI, and the incubation period of causal pathogens. Cumulative precipitation was treated as a four-category variable: high (≥90th percentile), moderate (50th to <90th percentile), low (10th to <50th percentile), and very low (<10th percentile) precipitation.

Results

The overall monthly prevalence of AGI was 5.6% (95% CI 5.0%-6.1%), peaking in winter and spring, and in children 0-4 years old. Living in a territory with intensive farming was negatively associated with AGI: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.70 (95% CI 0.51-0.96). Compared to low precipitation periods, high precipitation periods in the fall (September, October, November) increased the risk of AGI three weeks later (OR = 2.20; 95% CI 1.09-4.44) while very low precipitation periods in the summer (June, July, August) increased the risk of AGI four weeks later (OR = 2.19; 95% CI 1.02-4.71). Further analysis supports the role of water source on the risk of AGI.

Conclusions

AGI poses a significant burden in Quebec rural municipalities with a peak in winter. Intensive farming activities were found to be negatively associated with AGI. However, high and very low precipitation levels were positively associated with the occurrence of AGI, especially during summer and fall. Thus, preventive public health actions during such climate events may be warranted.
Expression of epithelial calcium transport system in rat cochlea and vestibular labyrinth
Authors: Yamauchi Daisuke , Nakaya Kazuhiro , Raveendran Nithya N , Harbidge Donald G , Singh Ruchira , Wangemann Philine , Marcus Daniel C
Published: January 2010

Background

The low luminal Ca2+ concentration of mammalian endolymph in the inner ear is required for normal hearing and balance. We recently reported the expression of mRNA for a Ca2+-absorptive transport system in primary cultures of semicircular canal duct (SCCD) epithelium.

Results

We now identify this system in native vestibular and cochlear tissues by qRT-PCR, immunoblots and confocal immunolocalization. Transcripts were found and quantified for several isoforms of epithelial calcium channels (TRPV5, TRPV6), calcium buffer proteins (calbindin-D9K, calbindin-D28K), sodium-calcium exchangers (NCX1, NCX2, NCX3) and plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA1, PMCA2, PMCA3, and PMCA4) in native SCCD, cochlear lateral wall (LW) and stria vascularis (SV) of adult rat as well as Ca2+ channels in neonatal SCCD. All components were expressed except TRPV6 in SV and PMCA2 in SCCD. 1,25-(OH)2vitamin D3 (VitD) significantly up-regulated transcripts of TRPV5 in SCCD, calbindin-D9K in SCCD and LW, NCX2 in LW, while PMCA4 in SCCD and PMCA3 in LW were down-regulated. The expression of TRPV5 relative to TRPV6 was in the sequence SV > Neonatal SCCD > Adult SCCD > LW > primary culture SCCD. Expression of TRPV5 protein from primary culture of SCCD did not increase significantly when cells were incubated with VitD (1.2 times control; P > 0.05). Immunolocalization showed the distribution of TRPV5 and TRPV6. TRPV5 was found near the apical membrane of strial marginal cells and both TRPV5 and TRPV6 in outer and inner sulcus cells of the cochlea and in the SCCD of the vestibular system.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate for the first time the expression of a complete Ca2+ absorptive system in native cochlear and vestibular tissues. Regulation by vitamin D remains equivocal since the results support the regulation of this system at the transcript level but evidence for control of the TRPV5 channel protein was lacking.
Analysis of the role of PCNA-DNA contacts during clamp loading
Authors: McNally Randall , Bowman Gregory D , Goedken Eric R , O'Donnell Mike , Kuriyan John
Published: January 2010

Background

Sliding clamps, such as Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) in eukaryotes, are ring-shaped protein complexes that encircle DNA and enable highly processive DNA replication by serving as docking sites for DNA polymerases. In an ATP-dependent reaction, clamp loader complexes, such as the Replication Factor-C (RFC) complex in eukaryotes, open the clamp and load it around primer-template DNA.

Results

We built a model of RFC bound to PCNA and DNA based on existing crystal structures of clamp loaders. This model suggests that DNA would enter the clamp at an angle during clamp loading, thereby interacting with positively charged residues in the center of PCNA. We show that simultaneous mutation of Lys 20, Lys 77, Arg 80, and Arg 149, which interact with DNA in the RFC-PCNA-DNA model, compromises the ability of yeast PCNA to stimulate the DNA-dependent ATPase activity of RFC when the DNA is long enough to extend through the clamp. Fluorescence anisotropy binding experiments show that the inability of the mutant clamp proteins to stimulate RFC ATPase activity is likely caused by reduction in the affinity of the RFC-PCNA complex for DNA. We obtained several crystal forms of yeast PCNA-DNA complexes, measuring X-ray diffraction data to 3.0 Å resolution for one such complex. The resulting electron density maps show that DNA is bound in a tilted orientation relative to PCNA, but makes different contacts than those implicated in clamp loading. Because of apparent partial disorder in the DNA, we restricted refinement of the DNA to a rigid body model. This result contrasts with previous analysis of a bacterial clamp bound to DNA, where the DNA was well resolved.

Conclusion

Mutational analysis of PCNA suggests that positively charged residues in the center of the clamp create a binding surface that makes contact with DNA. Disruption of this positive surface, which had not previously been implicated in clamp loading function, reduces RFC ATPase activity in the presence of DNA, most likely by reducing the affinity of RFC and PCNA for DNA. The interaction of DNA is not, however, restricted to one orientation, as indicated by analysis of the PCNA-DNA co-crystals.
Chitosan nanoparticle-based neuronal membrane sealing and neuroprotection following acrolein-induced cell injury
Authors: Cho Youngnam , Shi Riyi , Ben Borgens Richard
Published: January 2010

Background

The highly reactive aldehyde acrolein is a very potent endogenous toxin with a long half-life. Acrolein is produced within cells after insult, and is a central player in slow and progressive "secondary injury" cascades. Indeed, acrolein-biomolecule complexes formed by cross-linking with proteins and DNA are associated with a number of pathologies, especially central nervous system (CNS) trauma and neurodegenerative diseases. Hydralazine is capable of inhibiting or reducing acrolein-induced damage. However, since hydralazine's principle activity is to reduce blood pressure as a common anti-hypertension drug, the possible problems encountered when applied to hypotensive trauma victims have led us to explore alternative approaches. This study aims to evaluate such an alternative - a chitosan nanoparticle-based therapeutic system.

Results

Hydralazine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using different types of polyanions and characterized for particle size, morphology, zeta potential value, and the efficiency of hydralazine entrapment and release. Hydralazine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles ranged in size from 300 nm to 350 nm in diameter, and with a tunable, or adjustable, surface charge.

Conclusions

We evaluated the utility of chitosan nanoparticles with an in-vitro model of acrolein-mediated cell injury using PC -12 cells. The particles effectively, and statistically, reduced damage to membrane integrity, secondary oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation. This study suggests that a chitosan nanoparticle-based therapy to interfere with "secondary" injury may be possible.
Editorial: Maintaining the balance—fishing for drugs to treat persistent neutrophilic inflammation
Authors: Hall Chris , Crosier Phil
Published: February 2010

The use of zebrafish as a platform to acclerate the discovery of therapeutic drugs that promote the resolution of neutrophilic inflammation is discussed.
Progenitor Cell Expansion and Organ Size of Mouse Adrenal Is Regulated by Sonic Hedgehog
Authors: Huang Chen-Che Jeff , Miyagawa Shinichi , Matsumaru Daisuke , Parker Keith L. , Yao Humphrey Hung-Chang
Published: January 2010

The adrenal capsule is postulated to harbor stem/progenitor cells, the progenies of which contribute to the growth of adrenocortex. We discovered that cells in the adrenal capsule are positive for Ptch1 and Gli1, genes indicative of responsiveness to the stimulation of Hedgehog (Hh) ligands. On the other hand, Sonic hedgehog (Shh), one of the mammalian Hh ligands, is expressed in the adrenocortex underneath the adrenal capsule, possibly acting upon the Hh-Responsive capsule. To investigate the functional significance of Shh in adrenal growth, we ablated Shh in an adrenocortex-specific manner using the Steroidogenic factor 1-Cre mouse. Loss of Shh in the adrenocortex led to reduced proliferation of capsular cells and a 50–75% reduction in adrenocortex thickness and adrenal size. The remaining adrenocortex underwent proper zonation and was able to synthesize steroids, indicating that Shh is dispensable for differentiation of adrenocortex. When these animals reached adulthood, their adrenocortex did not undergo compensatory growth in response to a high level of plasma ACTH, and the size of the adrenal remained significantly smaller than the control adrenal. Using a genetic lineage-tracing model, we further demonstrated that the Hh-responding cells in the adrenal capsule migrated centripetally into the adrenocortex. Our results not only provide the genetic evidence to support that the adrenal capsule contributes to the growth of adrenocortex in both fetal and adult life but also identify a novel role of Shh in this process.
Artemin Stimulates Oncogenicity and Invasiveness of Human Endometrial Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Pandey Vijay , Qian Peng-Xu , Kang Jian , Perry Jo K. , Mitchell Murray D. , Yin Zhinan , Wu Zheng-Sheng , Liu Dong-Xu , Zhu Tao , Lobie Peter E.
Published: January 2010

Here, we provide evidence for a functional role of artemin (ARTN) in progression of endometrial carcinoma (EC). Increased ARTN protein expression was observed in EC compared with normal endometrial tissue, and ARTN protein expression in EC was significantly associated with higher tumor grade and invasiveness. Forced expression of ARTN in EC cells significantly increased total cell number as a result of enhanced cell cycle progression and cell survival. In addition, forced expression of ARTN significantly enhanced anchorage-independent growth and invasiveness of EC cells. Moreover, forced expression of ARTN increased tumor size in xenograft models and produced highly proliferative, poorly differentiated, and invasive tumors. The ARTN-stimulated increases in oncogenicity and invasion were mediated by increased expression and activity of AKT1. Small interfering RNA-mediated depletion or antibody inhibition of ARTN significantly reduced oncogenicity and invasion of EC cells. Thus, inhibition of ARTN may be considered as a potential therapeutic strategy to retard progression of EC.
MicroRNA-224 Is Involved in Transforming Growth Factor-β-Mediated Mouse Granulosa Cell Proliferation and Granulosa Cell Function by Targeting Smad4
Authors: Yao Guidong , Yin Mianmian , Lian Jie , Tian Hui , Liu Lin , Li Xin , Sun Fei
Published: January 2010

Many members of the TGF-β superfamily are indicated to play important roles in ovarian follicular development, such as affecting granulosa cell function and oocyte maturation. Abnormalities associated with TGF-β1 signaling transduction could result in female infertility. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as small noncoding RNAs, were recently found to regulate gene expression at posttranscriptional levels. However, little is known about the role of miRNAs in TGF-β-mediated granulosa cell proliferation and granulosa cell function. In this study, the miRNA expression profiling was identified from TGF-β1-treated mouse preantral granulosa cells (GCs), and three miRNAs were found to be significantly up-regulated and 13 miRNAs were down-regulated. Among up-regulated miRNAs, miR-224 was the second most significantly elevated miRNA. This up-regulation was attenuated by treatment of GCs with SB431542 (an inhibitor of TGFβ superfamily type I receptors, thus blocking phosphorylation of the downstream effectors Smad2/3), indicating that miR-224 expression was regulated by TGF-β1/Smads pathway. The ectopic expression of miR-224 can enhance TGF-β1-induced GC proliferation through targeting Smad4. Inhibition of endogenous miR-224 partially suppressed GC proliferation induced by TGF-β1. In addition, both miR-224 and TGF-β1 can promote estradiol release from GC, at least in part, through increasing CYP19A1 mRNA levels. This is the first demonstration that miRNAs can control reproductive functions resulting in promoting TGF-β1-induced GC proliferation and ovarian estrogen release. Such miRNA-mediated effects could be potentially used for regulation of reproductive processes or for treatment of reproductive disorders.
Preparation of Uniform-sized Polymer Nanofibers by Extrusive Spinning Using Ordered Anodic Porous Alumina
Authors: Yanagishita Takashi , Fujimura Ryoko , Nishio Kazuyuki , Masuda Hideki
Published: February 2010

Uniform-sized polymer nanofibers were fabricated by the extrusive spinning of a photocurable monomer under UV irradiation using ordered anodic porous alumina as a nozzle for the spinning. The size of the resulting polymer nanofibers could be controlled by adjusting the pore size of the anodic porous alumina membrane.
Capturing a Metastable Silver(I) Compound of Pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic Acid
Authors: Sun Di , Luo Geng-Geng , Zhang Na , Wei Zhan-Hua , Yang Cheng-Feng , Huang Rong-Bin , Zheng Lan-Sun
Published: February 2010

A metastable 3D supramolecular compound [Ag(NH3)2][Ag3(pzdca)2(NH3)4] (H2pzdca = pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid) (1) has been synthesized and characterized crystallographically. This study offers important information to in-depth understanding of the self-assembly process involving AgI under ammoniacal conditions and conforms that [Ag(NH3)2]+-containing compounds are the intermediates during synthesis of some AgI coordination polymers.
Deep Red Emission of Ca19Ce(PO4)14:Mn2+ Phosphor for Fluorescent Lamp and PDP Applications
Authors: Kuo Te-Wen , Chung Hsiu-Pei , Chen Teng-Ming
Published: February 2010

The unprecedented deep red-emitting phosphor, Ca19Ce(PO4)14:Mn2+, has been fabricated by a convenient solid-state method. A strong red emission centered at 637 nm corresponding to the 4T1(4G) → 6A1(6S) transition of Mn2+ is observed under 130–300 nm excitation. The chromaticity coordinates of optimized phosphor were found to be (0.69, 0.29). In addition, we have also made an attempt to observe strong red emission displayed by this phosphor for use as coating material on compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). It is a promising candidate for application in CFLs as a red-emitting color converter.
Acid–Base Responsive Photoelectric Conversion of a Hydroxyazobenzene-appended Bipyridine–Copper Complex System
Authors: Umeki Satoshi , Kume Shoko , Nishihara Hiroshi
Published: February 2010

We report the synthesis of a new 4-hydroxyazobenzene-appended bipyridine complex of copper, [Cu(oAB-2OH)2]BF4, which exhibits a reversible acid–base responsive redox-active photoisomerization reaction. The acid–base modulation of the photoisomerization reaction permits ON/OFF toggling of the photoelectric conversion in devices containing this complex by the addition of small quantities of acid or base in the presence of 4,4′-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-2,2′-bipyridine, bpy-2COOEt.
Pd-catalyzed Dithiolene–Aryl Cross-coupling Reaction of Aromatic Cyclopentadienylcobalt Dithiolene Complex
Authors: Nomura Mitsushiro , Terada Kosuke , Onozawa Akihide , Mitome Yoshiro , Sugiyama Toru , Kajitani Masatsugu
Published: February 2010

[CpCo(dithiolene)] complex with a boronate group, which is formulated as [CpCo{S2C2(Ph)(Bpin)}] (1, Bpin = 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaboronate), was prepared from the one-pot reaction of [CpCo(CO)2], elemental sulfur, and boronated alkyne. 1 underwent Pd-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions with 3-bromopyridine or 9-bromoanthracene.
An Unexpected Guanidine-catalyzed Amination Reaction Leading to (Z)-α-Aminocinnamamides
Authors: Jiang Bo , Tu Shu-Jiang
Published: February 2010

An unexpected guanidine-catalyzed amination reaction between 4-(arylmethylidene)-2-phenyloxazol-5-ones and N,N-dimethylformamide in water for selective synthesis of new (Z)-α-aminocinnamamides was described. This method has the advantages of short synthetic route, operational simplicity, and minimal environment impact.
Randomization vs. Selection: How to Choose in the Absence of Preference?
Authors: Danan Eric
Published: January 2010

Decision makers sometimes have to choose between alternative options about which they have no preference: either they judge the options equally valuable (indifference) or they have no judgment about their relative value (noncomparability). Choosing randomly is generally considered a natural way to deal with such situations. This paper shows, however, that systematic randomization between noncomparable options may lead to a chain of decisions resulting in monetary losses (a money pump). Furthermore, these losses can be avoided by deliberately selecting one of the noncomparable options instead of randomizing. Thus, randomization among noncomparable options is costly relative to deliberate selection. On the other hand, randomization among indifferent options is costless relative to deliberate selection.
Competing Manufacturers in a Retail Supply Chain: On Contractual Form and Coordination
Authors: Cachon Gérard P. , Kök A. Gürhan
Published: January 2010

It is common for a retailer to sell products from competing manufacturers. How then should the firms manage their contract negotiations? The supply chain coordination literature focuses either on a single manufacturer selling to a single retailer or one manufacturer selling to many (possibly competing) retailers. We find that some key conclusions from those market structures do not apply in our setting, where multiple manufacturers sell through a single retailer. We allow the manufacturers to compete for the retailer's business using one of three types of contracts: a wholesale-price contract, a quantity-discount contract, or a two-part tariff. It is well known that the latter two, more sophisticated contracts enable the manufacturer to coordinate the supply chain, thereby maximizing the profits available to the firms. More importantly, they allow the manufacturer to extract rents from the retailer, in theory allowing the manufacturer to leave the retailer with only her reservation profit. However, we show that in our market structure these two sophisticated contracts force the manufacturers to compete more aggressively relative to when they only offer wholesale-price contracts, and this may leave them worse off and the retailer substantially better off. In other words, although in a serial supply chain a retailer may have just cause to fear quantity discounts and two-part tariffs, a retailer may actually prefer those contracts when offered by competing manufacturers. We conclude that the properties a contractual form exhibits in a one-manufacturer supply chain may not carry over to the realistic setting in which multiple manufacturers must compete to sell their goods through the same retailer.
Speciation and isotope pattern deconvolution for inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry quantitative studies of mineral metabolism and supplementation
Authors: Sanz-Medel Alfredo , Fernández-Sánchez Maria Luisa , González Iglesias Héctor , López-Sastre José Blas
Published: January 2010

Human breast milk can be considered as “ideal” food for the correct development of newborn babies and, for those that are not breast-fed, formula milk has to be used instead. Ideally, the composition of such formula milk preparations should closely resemble that of maternal human milk. Considerable differences between both in the total content of trace elements such as Fe, Cu, Se, Zn, and I and in their chemical form in both milk types have been demonstrated. Speciation analysis in milk whey was carried out first by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) elemental detection and showed that the observed element distribution patterns were very different in the investigated human and formula milks. Using complementary molecular mass techniques (i.e., MALDI-TOF), the identity and chemical characterization of some biomolecules (e.g., protein) with which metals are associated in each fraction was also established (by a typical heteroatom-tagged proteomics protocol). Attempts to assess the nutritional value of elemental supplements in formula milk with the aid of quantitative chemical speciation, using stable isotopes in combination with ICP-MS and isotope pattern deconvolution (IPD), proved to be successful to differentiate and quantify endogenous (natural) and exogenous (supplemented) Se or Fe trace levels. In particular, the application of such ICP-MS based techniques to study Se bioavailability from formula milk and metabolism in Se-supplemented lactating rats is discussed in detail. Quantification of selenospecies of endogenous (natural) and exogenous (supplement) Se in rat’s urine is demonstrated and relevant information on possible Se biotransformations and its final catabolism from such results is discussed.
Bioaccessibility of Se from Se-enriched wheat and chicken meat
Authors: Govasmark Espen , Brandt-Kjelsen Anicke , Szpunar Joanna , Bierla Katarzyna , Vegarud Gerd , Salbu Brit
Published: January 2010

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element to animals and humans as Se is incorporated in a series of organic molecules, such as 30 mammalian selenoproteins or seleno-enzymes, which are vital for the basic functions of life. To increase the Se intake in Se-deficient areas, food and feed can be enriched using Se fertilizers or supplements. The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution, speciation, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability of Se in Se-enriched wheat (SW) grain and in Se-enriched chicken meat products using commercial enzymes and human gastric juices (HGJs). Results from the present work show that Se in wheat is bioaccessible and bioavailable, and that SW flour or bran can serve as a valuable dietary source of Se to humans. However, the bioaccessibility studies using commercial enzymes and HGJs for wheat flour, bran, and chicken meat digestion suggests that the use of commercial enzymes overestimate Se bioavailability. Furthermore, the use of NaCl or Tris-HCl to extract Se proteins from enriched products was not suited for bioaccessibility studies. The SW flour or bran can, however, serve as a valuable dietary source of Se to humans.
Iodine speciation in iodine-enriched microalgae Chlorella vulgaris
Authors: Gómez-Jacinto Veronica , Arias-Borrego Ana , García-Barrera Tamara , Garbayo Ines , Vílchez Carlos , Gómez-Ariza José Luis
Published: January 2010

The characterization of iodine species in the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris after cultivation with different potassium iodide concentrations was performed using the coupling of multidimensional chromatography (size exclusion chromatography, SEC, and anion exchange chromatography, AEC) with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Two iodine fractions, water-soluble and macromolecular fractions, were obtained using a sequential extraction scheme based on chemical reagents. Most iodine species separated from the water-soluble fraction with SEC-ICP-MS (mass range from 0.5 to 100 kDa) are present in inorganic forms (peak III), although the other two peaks were detected (peaks I and II). The application of AEC to the isolated peak III fraction allows the characterization of IO3– (about 25 %) and I– (about 75 %). The application of SEC-ICP-MS (mass range from 10 to 1200 kDa) to the macromolecular fraction reveals the presence of four peaks from the void volume to about 67 kDa, a peak is located about 600 kDa. The mass balance of iodine in the different fractions obtained from the microalgae raw stuff shows that the water-soluble fraction represents 66.7 % of total iodine in microalgae, but the macromolecular fraction only contains 13.3 %, both summing up for 79.9 % of the total amount of iodine, which confirms the suitability of the separation scheme. Further studies have to be focused on the purification of the isolated fractions and their identification by tandem MS.
Algebraic correspondences between genus three curves and certain Calabi-Yau varieties
Authors: Terasoma Tomohide
Published: January 2010

In this paper, we construct certain algebraic correspondences between
genus three curves and certain type of Calabi-Yau threefolds which are
double coverings of three dimensional projective spaces. Via this
correspondence, the first cohomology groups of the curves can be embedded
into the third cohomology groups of the Calabi-Yau three folds. Moreover
we prove that the cokernel of this inclusion of variations of Hodge
structures cannot be a factor of any variations of Hodge structures
comming from polarized abelian schemes.
Memories of meeting worlds or close encounters of the fourth kind
Authors: Dearden Carmen Diana
Published: January 2010

This article is based on the biennial Dorothy Briley Lecture that Dearden delivered at the eighth IBBY Regional conference held in St. Charles, Illinois (near Chicago) in the U.S. in October, 2009. The conference theme was "Children's Books: Where Worlds Meet." She shares memories of books and reading, her work in publishing, as well as her experiences working within IBBY.
Charles Perrault's "Le Petit Poucet" and its possible Arabic Influences
Authors: Al-Rawi Ahmed K.
Published: January 2010

Here the author explores the varying influences affecting a classic Charles Perrault tale, including possible roots in Arabic "ogre" tales and the impact of the Catalonian oral tradition.
Liberal Arts Colleges and Good Practices in Undergraduate Education: Additional Evidence
Authors: Seifert Tricia A. , Pascarella Ernest T. , Goodman Kathleen M. , Salisbury Mark H. , Blaich Charles F.
Published: January 2010

Liberal arts colleges have prided themselves on providing students with a quality undergraduate education among a scholarly community who are interested in their holistic development. Past research has found students who attended liberal arts colleges more frequently experienced Chickering and Gamson’s (1987, 1991) good practices in undergraduate education than their peers. This study examined if this experience differed based on students’ background or precollege characteristics. Overall, we found students at liberal arts colleges who enter college with lower levels of parental education, tested precollege academic preparation, academic motivation, and high school involvement experienced these good practices at levels greater than their peers.
Criminality and Subjectivity in Infortunios de Alonso Ramírez
Authors: Boyer Patricio
Published: January 2010

This essay explores the ways that Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora's Infortunios de Alonso Ramírez adapts the picaresque's classic and Golden Age generic conventions for a Baroque and New World idiom. By examining the nature of criminality in the work, I argue that the traditional Spanish picaro 's ambivalent relationship to the law is, in Sigüenza's text, replaced by an ambivalent relationship to the notion of criminality itself. Building on recent work exploring criollo identity in Sigüenza's writing, I show how he complicates our understanding of identity by offering readers a version of transgression that is more existential than juridical, and how he uses Alonso's story to examine the role early modern capitalism and maritime culture played in the development of New World identities.
Virginia Brown 1940–2009
Authors: Colish Marcia
Published: January 2010

Obituary for Virginia Brown, Professor of Paleography at the University of Toronto; Senior Fellow Emerita of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, University of Toronto; and member of the editorial board of the Journal of the History of Ideas .
Lovejoy's Readings of Bruno: Or How Nineteenth-century History of Philosophy was "Transformed" into the History of Ideas
Authors: Catana Leo
Published: January 2010

Arthur O. Lovejoy made rather grand methodological statements about the nature of history of ideas in his Great Chain of Being (1936). These statements were, it is argued, rhetorical declarations, intended to produce the conviction in the minds of his readers that history of ideas was distinct from history of philosophy and thus deserved institutional independence; they were not adequate descriptions of the method actually practiced. Instead, Lovejoy's historiographical practice can be contextualized within nineteenth-century general histories of philosophy. His studies on Giordano Bruno, dating from 1904 and 1936 respectively, illustrate this historiographical continuity.
What is Affordable Health Insurance?: The Reasonable Tradeoff Account of Affordability
Authors: Saenz Carla
Published: January 2010

The reform of the health care system will include a mandate: Individuals are required to purchase health insurance provided that affordable options are available. But what is affordable health insurance? Three accounts of affordability of health coverage have been advanced. The first two accounts are empirical. The third account is needs-based. All three accounts are inadequate. I propose a fourth, the reasonable tradeoff account, according to which individuals should only be required to make reasonable tradeoffs in order to pay for their health coverage. That is, health insurance is affordable if in order to pay for it one does not to have to sacrifice other benefit(s) that are comparable in importance to the benefits of health coverage.