bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystal structure of [N'-(3-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-hydroxybenzohydrazido]( methanol)dioxomolybdenum(VI), C15H13BrMoN2O6
Authors: Li Jing , Jia Xiao-Chuan , Zhao Zhuo , Zhang Bin , Yu Yan-Yan
Published: April 2013

C15H13BrMoN2O6, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 7.4143(3) Å, b = 18.7856(7) Å, c = 12.6319(5) Å, β = 104.463(1)°, V = 1703.7 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0262, wRref(F2) = 0.0680, T = 298 K.
From Materials Science to Nanotechnology: Interdisciplinary Center Programs at Cornell University, 1960–2000
Authors: Mody Cyrus C. M. , Choi Hyungsub
Published: April 2013

During the last several decades, interdisciplinary research centers have emerged as a standard, powerful tool for federal funding of university research. This paper contends that this organizational model can be traced to the “Interdisciplinary Laboratories” program funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency in 1960. The novelty of the IDL program was that it created a peer group of university laboratories with sustained funding to ensure their institutional stability. The Cornell Materials Science Center, one of the first three Interdisciplinary Laboratories, served as a breeding ground for a new community of engineering faculty members, who subsequently helped establish a series of interdisciplinary research centers at Cornell, including the National Research and Resource Facility for Submicron Structures (or National Submicron Facility) in 1977. The Materials Science Center and National Submicron Facility provided explicit models for the expansion and coordination of networks of interdisciplinary centers, both within single universities (such as Cornell) and across multiple campuses (through programs such as the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network and the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers). The center model has proved both flexible and durable in the face of changing demands on universities. By examining the Materials Science Center and the National Submicron Facility, we show that recent institutional developments perceived as entirely novel have their roots in the high Cold War years.
Estrogen receptor β expression and androgen receptor phosphorylation correlate with a poor clinical outcome in hormone-naïve prostate cancer and are elevated in castration-resistant disease
Authors: Zellweger Tobias , Stürm Susanne , Rey Silvia , Zlobec Inti , Gsponer Joel R , Rentsch Cyrill A , Terracciano Luigi M , Bachmann Alexander , Bubendorf Lukas , Ruiz Christian
Published: April 2013

Patients with advanced prostate cancer (PC) are usually treated with androgen withdrawal. While this therapy is initially effective, nearly all PCs become refractory to it. As hormone receptors play a crucial role in this process, we constructed a tissue microarray consisting of PC samples from 107 hormone-naïve (HN) and 101 castration-resistant (CR) PC patients and analyzed the androgen receptor (AR) gene copy number and the protein expression profiles of AR, Serin210-phosphorylated AR (pAR210), estrogen receptor (ER)β, ERα and the proliferation marker Ki67. The amplification of the AR gene was virtually restricted to CR PC and was significantly associated with increased AR protein expression (P<0.0001) and higher tumor cell proliferation (P=0.001). Strong AR expression was observed in a subgroup of HN PC patients with an adverse prognosis. In contrast, the absence of AR expression in CR PC was significantly associated with a poor overall survival. While pAR210 was predominantly found in CR PC patients (P<0.0001), pAR210 positivity was observed in a subgroup of HN PC patients with a poor survival (P<0.05). Epithelial ERα expression was restricted to CR PC cells (9%). ERβ protein expression was found in 38% of both HN and CR PCs, but was elevated in matched CR PC specimens. Similar to pAR210, the presence of ERβ in HN patients was significantly associated with an adverse prognosis (P<0.005). Our results strongly suggest a major role for pAR210 and ERβ in HN PC. The expression of these markers might be directly involved in CR tumor growth.
Genome-wide transcriptome analysis between Small-tail Han sheep and the Surabaya fur sheep using high-throughput RNA sequencing
Authors: Miao Xiangyang , Luo Qingmiao
Published: April 2013

The Small-tail Han sheep and the Surabaya fur sheep are two local breeds in North China, which are characterized by high-fecundity and low-prolificacy breed respectively. Significant genetic differences between these two breeds have provided increasing interests in the identification and utilization of major prolificacy genes in these sheep. High prolificacy is a complex trait, and it is difficult to comprehensively identify the candidate genes related to this trait using the single molecular biology technique. To understand the molecular mechanisms of fecundity and provide more information about high prolificacy candidate genes in high- and low-fecundity sheep, we explored the utility of next-generation sequencing technology in this work. A total of 1.8 Gb sequencing reads were obtained and resulted in more than 20 000 contigs that averaged ∼300 bp in length. Ten differentially expressed genes were further verified by quantitative real-time RT-PCR to confirm the reliability of RNA-seq results. Our work will provide a basis for the future research of the sheep reproduction.
Pituitary and testis responsiveness of young male sheep exposed to testosterone excess during fetal development
Authors: Recabarren Mónica P , Rojas-Garcia Pedro P , Einspanier Ralf , Padmanabhan Vasantha , Sir-Petermann Teresa , Recabarren Sergio E
Published: April 2013

Prenatal exposure to excess testosterone induces reproductive disturbances in both female and male sheep. In females, it alters the hypothalamus–pituitary–ovarian axis. In males, prenatal testosterone excess reduces sperm count and motility. Focusing on males, this study tested whether pituitary LH responsiveness to GNRH is increased in prenatal testosterone-exposed males and whether testicular function is compromised in the testosterone-exposed males. Control males (n=6) and males born to ewes exposed to twice weekly injections of 30 mg testosterone propionate from days 30 to 90 and of 40 mg testosterone propionate from days 90 to 120 of gestation (n=6) were studied at 20 and 30 weeks of age. Pituitary and testicular responsiveness was tested by administering a GNRH analog (leuprolide acetate). To complement the analyses, the mRNA expression of LH receptor (LHR) and that of steroidogenic enzymes were determined in testicular tissue. Basal LH and testosterone concentrations were higher in the testosterone-exposed-males. While LH response to the GNRH analog was higher in the testosterone-exposed males than in the control males, testosterone responses did not differ between the treatment groups. The testosterone:LH ratio was higher in the control males than in the testosterone-exposed males of 30 weeks of age, suggestive of reduced Leydig cell sensitivity to LH in the testosterone-exposed males. The expression of LHR mRNA was lower in the testosterone-exposed males, but the mRNA expression of steroidogenic enzymes did not differ between the groups. These findings indicate that prenatal testosterone excess has opposing effects at the pituitary and testicular levels, namely increased pituitary sensitivity to GNRH at the level of pituitary and decreased sensitivity of the testes to LH.
Effect of mechanical activation on the crystallization and properties of iron-rich glass materials
Authors: García-Hernández Claudia M. , López-Cuevas Jorge , Rodríguez-Galicia José L.
Published: April 2013

The effect of mechanical activation (MA) of the precursor mixture of raw materials and/or the parent glass, on the microstructure and physical and mechanical properties of iron-rich glass-ceramic materials of the system SiO2-B2O3-BaO-Fe2O3, has been studied. MA of the materials is conducted for 0, 2 or 6h using a high energy attrition milling device. Crystallization treatments are given to the parent glass at 650, 750 or 850°C for 5h. Crystallization of the samples is promoted by increased treatment temperature, and especially also by double MA at 850°C. With increasing crystallization temperature, both the density and the compressive strength increase, while porosity decreases. However, at 850°C, prolonged MA decreases both the density and the compressive strength due to an increment in porosity caused by the growth of the BaFe12O19 crystals.
Effects of Austenitizing Temperature and Cooling Rate on the Phase Transformation Texture in Hot Rolled Steels
Authors: López N.M. , Salinas R A.
Published: April 2013

The effects of austenitizing temperature and cooling rate on the microstructures and textures produced by phase transformations in high strength hot rolled Fe-C-Mn steel plates are investigated using orientation imagining microscopy. Samples machined from the plates are austenitized at temperatures between 820-950°C during 30 minutes and quenched in either iced-water, water or oil. Finally, the quenched samples are tempered at 450°C during 30 minutes. Characterization of microstructure and textures produced by these heat treatments was performed by conventional metallography using a reflected light microscope and orientation imaging microscopy using backscattered-electron diffraction patterns in a scanning electron microscope with thermo-ionic electron source.

The results show that the microstructure and texture produced under a given combination of austenitizing temperature and cooling rate are strongly dependent on the mechanism involved in the phase transformation of the austenite (γ). High austenitizing temperatures and cooling rates promote martensitic transformation and development of textures containing significant volume fractions of Br, Cu, transformed-Cu and transformed-Br orientation components. In this case, the austenite and martensite phases are clearly related through the Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship. In contrast, low temperatures and low cooling rates result in a complex mixture of transformation products, such as polygonal ferrite, Widmanstäten ferrite, martensite, bainite and pearlite. The textures formed under these conditions are quite different and contain significant volume fractions of cube, rotated-cube, Goss and rotated-Goss components, following the Bain orientation relationship.
Asymptomatic Pulmonary Congestion and Physical Functioning in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Enia Giuseppe , Torino Claudia , Panuccio Vincenzo , Tripepi Rocco , Postorino Maurizio , Aliotta Roberta , Bellantoni Marianna , Tripepi Giovanni , Mallamaci Francesca , Zoccali Carmine
Published: April 2013

Background and objectives

Poor physical performance is common in patients with kidney failure on dialysis (CKD-5D). Whether lung congestion, a predictable consequence of cardiomyopathy and fluid overload, may contribute to the low physical performance of CKD-5D patients has not been investigated in hemodialysis patients.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

This study investigated the relationship between the physical functioning scale of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form and a validated ultrasonographic measure of lung water in a multicenter survey of 270 hemodialysis patients studied between 2009 and 2010.

Results

Moderate to severe lung congestion by lung ultrasonography was observed in 156 (58%) patients; among these, 60 (38%) were asymptomatic (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class I). On univariate analysis, physical functioning was inversely associated with lung water in the whole group (r=−0.22; P<0.001) and in the subgroup of asymptomatic patients (r=−0.40; P=0.002). Age (r=−0.45; P<0.001) and past cardiovascular events (r=−0.22; P=0.002) were also inversely associated with physical functioning, whereas albumin (r=0.23; P<0.001) was directly associated with the same parameter. NYHA class correlated strongly with physical functioning (r=−0.52; P<0.001). In a multiple regression analysis, both NYHA class and lung water maintained an independent association with physical functioning, whereas albumin and background cardiovascular events failed to independently relate with the same outcome.

Conclusions

Symptomatic and asymptomatic lung congestion is associated with poor physical functioning in hemodialysis patients. This association is independent of NYHA, suggesting that this measurement and NYHA may have complementary value to explain the variability in physical performance in hemodialysis patients.
Comparison of Regulatory T Cells in Hemodialysis Patients and Healthy Controls
Authors: Afzali Behdad , Edozie Francis C. , Fazekasova Henrieta , Scottà Cristiano , Mitchell Peter J. , Canavan James B. , Kordasti Shahram Y. , Chana Prabhjoat S. , Ellis Richard , Lord Graham M. , John Susan , Hilton Rachel , Lechler Robert I. , Lombardi Giovanna
Published: April 2013

Background and objectives

Cell-based therapy with natural (CD4+CD25hiCD127lo) regulatory T cells to induce transplant tolerance is now technically feasible. However, regulatory T cells from hemodialysis patients awaiting transplantation may be functionally/numerically defective. Human regulatory T cells are also heterogeneous, and some are able to convert to proinflammatory Th17 cells. This study addresses the suitability of regulatory T cells from hemodialysis patients for cell-based therapy in preparation for the first clinical trials in renal transplant recipients (the ONE Study).

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Healthy controls and age- and sex-matched hemodialysis patients without recent illness/autoimmune disease on established, complication-free hemodialysis for a minimum of 6 months were recruited. Circulating regulatory T cells were studied by flow cytometry to compare the regulatory T cell subpopulations. Regulatory T cells from members of each group were compared for suppressive function and plasticity (IL-17–producing capacity) before and after in vitro expansion with and without Rapamycin, using standard assays.

Results

Both groups had similar total regulatory T cells and subpopulations I and III. In each subpopulation, regulatory T cells expressed similar levels of the function-associated markers CD27, CD39, HLA-DR, and FOXP3. Hemodialysis regulatory T cells were less suppressive, expanded poorly compared with healthy control regulatory T cells, and produced IL-17 in the absence of Rapamycin. However, Rapamycin efficiently expanded hemodialysis regulatory T cells to a functional and stable cell product.

Conclusions

Rapamycin-based expansion protocols should enable clinical trials of cell-based immunotherapy for the induction of tolerance to renal allografts using hemodialysis regulatory T cells.
Skin Autofluorescence Reflects Integration of Past Long-Term Glycemic Control in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Sugisawa Eri , Miura Junnosuke , Iwamoto Yasuhiko , Uchigata Yasuko
Published: April 2013

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate the relationships between skin autofluorescence (AF) and the impact of past glycemic control and microvascular complications in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Two hundred forty-one patients and 110 controls were enrolled. Advanced glycation end product accumulation was measured with AF reader. Three monthly HbA1c levels during the past 20 years were determined from medical records, and the HbA1c area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. We performed multivariate regression analyses to examine the associations between the severity of diabetes complications and various variables.

RESULTS

Skin AF values increased with increasing the severity of retinopathy (P < 10−11, linear regression analysis) and nephropathy (P < 10−5 for chronic kidney disease stage; P < 10−5 for albuminuria-based stage). HbA1c AUC values over the past 15 years were significantly correlated with skin AF values (past 5 years: R = 0.35, P < 0.0001; past 10 years: R = 0.36, P < 0.0001; past 15 years: R = 0.55, P < 0.0001; past 20 years: R = 0.22, P = 0.13). HbA1c AUC values over the past 3, 5, 10, and 15 years were significantly associated with the severity of both nephropathy and retinopathy. Multivariate analyses in which HbA1c AUC value was removed from the independent variables indicated that only skin AF was independently associated with nephropathy, whereas age at registration, age at onset of diabetes, and skin AF were independently associated with retinopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

Skin AF reflects past long-term glycemic control and may serve as a surrogate marker for the development of microvascular complications in place of HbA1c AUC value.
Clinical and Subclinical Macrovascular Disease as Predictors of Cognitive Decline in Older Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Feinkohl Insa , Keller Marketa , Robertson Christine M. , Morling Joanne R. , Williamson Rachel M. , Nee Lisa D. , McLachlan Stela , Sattar Naveed , Welsh Paul , Reynolds Rebecca M. , Russ Tom C. , Deary Ian J. , Strachan Mark W.J. , Price Jackie F. ,   on behalf of the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study (ET2DS) Investigators
Published: April 2013

OBJECTIVE

Macrovascular disease may contribute to increased risk of accelerated cognitive decline in patients with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to determine associations of measures of macrovascular disease with cognitive change in a cognitively healthy older population with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Eight hundred thirty-one men and women (aged 60–75 years) attended two waves of the prospective Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study (ET2DS). At baseline, clinical and subclinical macrovascular disease was measured, including cardiovascular event history, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), ankle brachial index (ABI), and serum N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Seven neuropsychological tests were administered at baseline and after 4 years; scores were combined to a standardized general ability factor (g). Adjustment of follow-up g for baseline g assessed 4-year cognitive change. Adjustment for vocabulary (estimated premorbid ability) was used to estimate lifetime cognitive change.

RESULTS

Measures of cognitive decline were significantly associated with stroke, NT-proBNP, ABI, and cIMT, but not with nonstroke vascular events. The association of stroke with increased estimated lifetime cognitive decline (standardized β, −0.12) and of subclinical markers with actual 4-year decline (standardized β, −0.12, 0.12, and −0.15 for NT-proBNP, ABI, and cIMT, respectively) reached the Bonferroni-adjusted level of statistical significance (P < 0.006). Results altered only slightly on adjustment for vascular risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke and subclinical markers of cardiac stress and generalized atherosclerosis are associated with cognitive decline in older patients with type 2 diabetes. Further investigation into the potential use of subclinical vascular disease markers in predicting cognitive decline is warranted.
Changes in Dynamic Plantar Pressure During Loaded Gait
Authors: Goffar Stephen L. , Reber Rett J. , Christiansen Bryan C. , Miller Robert B. , Naylor Jacob A. , Rodriguez Brittany M. , Walker Michael J. , Teyhen Deydre S.
Published: April 2013

Background

Lower extremity overuse injuries are detrimental to military readiness. Extremes of arch height and heavy loads carried by military personnel are associated with increased risk for overuse injury. Little is known regarding the impact of load carriage on plantar pressure distributions during gait.

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine how load carriage affects plantar pressure distributions during gait in individuals with varying arch types.

Design

A cross-sectional, repeated-measures design was used for the study.

Methods

The study was performed at a research laboratory at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Service members who were healthy and weighing ≥70 kg were enrolled in the study. The participants (97 men, 18 women; mean age=31.3 years, SD=5.6; mean weight=86.0 kg, SD=11.0) were categorized as having high-, normal-, or low-arched feet on the basis of published cutoff values for the arch height index. Plantar pressure measurements were obtained with the use of an in-shoe pressure measurement system while participants wore combat boots and walked on a treadmill under 3 loaded conditions (uniform, 20-kg load, and 40-kg load). Maximal force (MaxF) and force-time integral (FTI) were assessed with the use of a 9-sector mask to represent regions of the foot. A 3 × 3 repeated-measures analysis of variance was used for analysis across the levels of load and arch type.

Results

A significant interaction existed between arch type and load for MaxF and FTI in the medial midfoot, with greater force in low-arched feet. In the medial forefoot, MaxF and FTI were greatest in high-arched feet across all load conditions. In the great toe region, low-arched and normally arched feet had greater MaxF and FTI. The relative distribution of FTI increased proportionately in all regions of the foot regardless of arch type for all load conditions.

Limitations

The influence of fatigue, greater loads, and different walking speeds was not assessed.

Conclusions

Regardless of arch type, increases in load did not alter the relative distribution of force over the plantar foot during gait. Participants with high-arched feet had greater force in the medial forefoot region, whereas those with normally arched or low-arched feet had greater force in the great toe region, regardless of load. These differences in force distribution may demonstrate different strategies to generate a rigid lever during toe-off.
Acute Cartilage Loading Responses After an In Vivo Squatting Exercise in People With Doubtful to Mild Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Van Ginckel Ans , Witvrouw Erik
Published: April 2013

Background

The effects of exercise on osteoarthritic cartilage remain elusive.

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of dynamic in vivo squatting exercise on the magnitude and spatial pattern of acute cartilage responses in people with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (ie, Kellgren-Lawrence grades 1 and 2).

Design

This investigation was a case-control study.

Methods

Eighteen people with radiographic signs of doubtful to mild medial tibiofemoral osteoarthritis were compared with 18 people who were middle-aged and healthy (controls). Three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging was used to monitor deformation and recovery on the basis of 3-dimensional cartilage volume calculations (ie, total volume and volumes in anterior, central, and posterior subregions) before and after a 30-repetition squatting exercise. Three-dimensional volumes were estimated after semiautomatic segmentation and were calculated at 4 time points (1 before and 3 after scans). Scans obtained after the exercise were separated by 15-minute intervals.

Results

In both groups, significant deformation was noted in the medial compartment (−3.4% for the femur and −3.2% for the tibia in people with osteoarthritis versus −2.8% for the femur and −3.8% for the tibia in people in the control group). People with osteoarthritis had significant deformation in the lateral femur (−3.9%) and a tendency toward significant deformation in the lateral tibia (−3.1%). From 15 minutes after exercise cessation onward, volume changes were no longer significantly different from the baseline. At all time points, no significant between-group differences were revealed for volume changes. People with osteoarthritis showed a tendency toward slower recovery preceded by larger deformations in entire cartilage plates and subregions. Spatial subregional deformation patterns were similar between groups.

Limitations

Generalizability is limited to people with doubtful to mild osteoarthritis and low levels of pain.

Conclusions

Tibiofemoral cartilage deformation appeared similar in magnitude and spatial pattern in people who were middle-aged and either had or did not have tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (ie, Kellgren-Lawrence grades 1 and 2). Restoration of volumes required a 15-minute recovery, especially in the presence of osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration.
Combination of hypoglossal-facial nerve surgical reconstruction and neurotrophin-3 gene therapy for facial palsy
Authors: Wan Hong , Zhang Liwei , Blanchard Stephane , Bigou Stephanie , Bohl Delphine , Wang Chuncheng , Liu Song
Published: April 2013

Object

Facial nerve injury results in facial palsy that has great impact on the psychosocial conditions of affected patients. Reconstruction of the facial nerve to restore facial symmetry and expression is still a significant surgical challenge. In this study, the authors assessed a hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis method combined with neurotrophic factor gene therapy to treat facial palsy in adult rats after facial nerve injury.

Methods

Surgery consisted of the interposition of a predegenerated nerve graft (PNG) that was anastomosed with the hypoglossal and facial nerves at each of its extremities. The hypoglossal nerve was cut approximately 50% for this anastomosis to conserve partial hypoglossal function. Before their transplantation, the PNGs were genetically engineered using lentiviral vectors to induce overexpression of the neurotrophic factor neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) to improve axonal regrowth in the reconstructed nerve pathway. Reconstruction was performed after facial nerve injury, either immediately or after a delay of 9 weeks. The rats were followed up for 4 months postoperatively, and treatment outcomes were then assessed.

Results

Compared with the functional innervation in control rats that underwent facial nerve injury without subsequent treatment, functional innervation of the paralyzed whisker pad by hypoglossal motoneurons in rats treated 4 months after nerve reconstruction was evidenced by the retrograde transport of neuronal tracers, the recording of muscle action potentials conducted by the PNG, and the recovery of facial symmetry. Although a better outcome was observed when reconstruction was performed immediately after facial nerve injury, reconstruction with NT3-treated PNGs significantly improved functional reinnervation of the paralyzed whisker pad even when implantation occurred 9 weeks posttrauma.

Conclusions

Results demonstrated that hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis facilitates innervation of paralyzed facial muscle via hypoglossal motoneurons without sacrificing ipsilateral hemitongue function. Neurotrophin-3 treatment through gene therapy could effectively improve such innervation, even after delayed reconstruction. These findings suggest that the combination of surgical reconstruction and NT-3 gene therapy is promising for its potential application in treating facial palsy in humans.
Chiari I malformation associated with premature unilateral closure of the posterior intraoccipital synchondrosis in a preterm infant
Authors: Kanavaki Aikaterini , Jenny Benoit , Hanquinet Sylviane
Published: April 2013

The authors report a case of a preterm infant at 29 weeks of gestation who gradually developed a Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) with hydrocephalus due to a premature unilateral fusion of the posterior intraoccipital synchondrosis. Brain ultrasonography results in the 1st week of life were normal. Follow-up ultrasonography showed progressive development of triventricular hydrocephalus. Brain MRI demonstrated the presence of a CM-I and a deformation of the occipital bone. A complementary CT scan was obtained, showing a closure of the right posterior intraoccipital synchondrosis, resulting in a deformation of the posterior cranial fossa. This case shows the close relationship between a malformation of the skull base and the secondary development of a brain malformation. The authors discuss the anatomy of the occipital bone and suggest a probable theory for the premature closure of this synchondrosis and the consequent development of a CM-I. The originality of this case lies in the observation of the natural history of a brain malformation in a preterm infant.
Implications of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) with codissolved brain-derived neurotrophic factor injectable scaffold on motor function recovery rate following cervical dorsolateral funiculotomy in the rat
Authors: Grous Lauren Conova , Vernengo Jennifer , Jin Ying , Himes B. Timothy , Shumsky Jed S. , Fischer Itzhak , Lowman Anthony
Published: April 2013

Object

In a follow-up study to their prior work, the authors evaluated a novel delivery system for a previously established treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI), based on a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), lightly cross-linked with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) injectable scaffold. The primary aim of this work was to assess the recovery of both spontaneous and skilled forelimb function following a cervical dorsolateral funiculotomy in the rat. This injury ablates the rubrospinal tract (RST) but spares the dorsal and ventral corticospinal tract and can severely impair reaching and grasping abilities.

Methods

Animals received an implant of either PNIPAAm-g-PEG or PNIPAAm-g-PEG + brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The single-pellet reach-to-grasp task and the staircase-reaching task were used to assess skilled motor function associated with reaching and grasping abilities, and the cylinder task was used to assess spontaneous motor function, both before and after injury.

Results

Because BDNF can stimulate regenerating RST axons, the authors showed that animals receiving an implant of PNIPAAm-g-PEG with codissolved BDNF had an increased recovery rate of fine motor function when compared with a control group (PNIPAAm-g-PEG only) on both a staircase-reaching task at 4 and 8 weeks post-SCI and on a single-pellet reach-to-grasp task at 5 weeks post-SCI. In addition, spontaneous motor function, as measured in the cylinder test, recovered to preinjury values in animals receiving PNIPAAm-g-PEG + BDNF. Fluorescence immunochemistry indicated the presence of both regenerating axons and BDA-labeled fibers growing up to or within the host-graft interface in animals receiving PNIPAAm-g-PEG + BDNF.

Conclusions

Based on their results, the authors suggest that BDNF delivered by the scaffold promoted the growth of RST axons into the lesion, which may have contributed in part to the increased recovery rate.
Palestine and Genocide: An International Historical Perspective Revisited
Authors: Shaw Martin
Published: April 2013

This commentary reviews the responses to an earlier article, ‘Palestine in an International Historical Perspective on Genocide’ (Holy Land Studies, 9:1, 1–25), arguing that they illustrate both the possibilities and the limitations of serious debate about these issues. The responses mostly neglected the analytical core of the argument relating to 1948, which is therefore restated, emphasising Palestine's unique combination of elements that were parts of three general patterns implicated in genocide production (settler colonialism, East European nationalism, conflicts of decolonisation). The paper also gives further attention to the implications of the perspective for understanding the ‘genocide’ question in the subsequent history of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
A public secret: assisted living, caregivers, globalization
Authors: Woodward Kathleen
Published: April 2013

Frail elderly and their caregivers are virtually invisible in representational circuits (film, the novel, photography, television, the web, newspapers), with the elderly habitually dismissed as non-citizens and their caregivers often literally not citizens of the nation-states in which they work. How can we bring what is a scandalous public secret of everyday life into visibility as care of the elderly increasingly becomes a matter of the global market in our neoliberal economies? This essay explores the representation of caregivers and elders, together, in photographs, the memoir, news and feature stories, and documentary film, suggesting that one of the most effective modes of advocating for changes in public policy is engaging people’s understanding through stories and images. In this study, I consider stories of assisted living, which involve elders, who are white, and paid caregivers, who are people of color, gendered female, and part of global care chains; these stories include American writer Ted Conover’s New York Times Magazine feature story ’’The Last Best Friends Money Can Buy’’ (1997) and Israeli Tomer Heymann’s documentary film ’’Paper Dolls’’ (2006). Of key importance is a feeling of kinship as new forms of the family take shape.
Proteins Involved in Distinct Phases of Cold Hardening Process in Frost Resistant Winter Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cv Luxor
Authors: Hlaváčková Iva , Vítámvás Pavel , Šantrůček Jiří , Kosová Klára , Zelenková Sylva , Prášil Ilja , Ovesná Jaroslava , Hynek Radovan , Kodíček Milan
Published: April 2013

Winter barley is an economically important cereal crop grown in higher latitudes and altitudes where low temperatures represent an important environmental constraint limiting crop productivity. In this study changes in proteome of leaves and crowns in a frost tolerant winter barley cv. Luxor in relation to short and long term periods of cold followed by a brief frost treatment were studied in order to disclose proteins responsible for the cold hardening process in distinct plant tissues. The mentioned changes have been monitored using two dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) with subsequent peptide-mapping protein identification. Regarding approximately 600–700 distinct protein spots detected on 2D gels, there has been found at least a two-fold change after exposure to low temperatures in about 10% of proteins in leaves and 13% of proteins in crowns. Protein and nitrogen metabolic processes have been influenced by low temperature to a similar extent in both tissues while catabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and proteins involved in stress response have been more affected in crowns than in leaves. The range of changes in protein abundance was generally higher in leaves and chloroplast proteins were frequently affected which suggests a priority to protect photosynthetic apparatus. Overall, our data proved existence of slightly different response strategies to low temperature stress in crowns and leaves, i.e., tissues with different biological role. Moreover, there have been found several proteins with large increase in accumulation, e.g., 33 kDa oxygen evolving protein of photosystem II in leaves and “enhanced disease susceptibility 1” in crowns; these proteins might have potential to indicate an enhanced level of frost tolerance in barley.
Biophysical Techniques for Detection of cAMP and cGMP in Living Cells
Authors: Sprenger Julia , Nikolaev Viacheslav
Published: April 2013

Cyclic nucleotides cAMP and cGMP are ubiquitous second messengers which regulate myriads of functions in virtually all eukaryotic cells. Their intracellular effects are often mediated via discrete subcellular signaling microdomains. In this review, we will discuss state-of-the-art techniques to measure cAMP and cGMP in biological samples with a particular focus on live cell imaging approaches, which allow their detection with high temporal and spatial resolution in living cells and tissues. Finally, we will describe how these techniques can be applied to the analysis of second messenger dynamics in subcellular signaling microdomains.
Mass Spectrometry-Based Quantitative Metabolomics Revealed a Distinct Lipid Profile in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Qiu Yunping , Zhou Bingsen , Su Mingming , Baxter Sarah , Zheng Xiaojiao , Zhao Xueqing , Yen Yun , Jia Wei
Published: April 2013

Breast cancer accounts for the largest number of newly diagnosed cases in female cancer patients. Although mammography is a powerful screening tool, about 20% of breast cancer cases cannot be detected by this method. New diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer are necessary. Here, we used a mass spectrometry-based quantitative metabolomics method to analyze plasma samples from 55 breast cancer patients and 25 healthy controls. A number of 30 patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls were used as a training dataset to establish a diagnostic model and to identify potential biomarkers. The remaining samples were used as a validation dataset to evaluate the predictive accuracy for the established model. Distinct separation was obtained from an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model with good prediction accuracy. Based on this analysis, 39 differentiating metabolites were identified, including significantly lower levels of lysophosphatidylcholines and higher levels of sphingomyelins in the plasma samples obtained from breast cancer patients compared with healthy controls. Using logical regression, a diagnostic equation based on three metabolites (lysoPC a C16:0, PC ae C42:5 and PC aa C34:2) successfully differentiated breast cancer patients from healthy controls, with a sensitivity of 98.1% and a specificity of 96.0%.
Role of Homeodomain Leucine Zipper (HD-Zip) IV Transcription Factors in Plant Development and Plant Protection from Deleterious Environmental Factors
Authors: Chew William , Hrmova Maria , Lopato Sergiy
Published: April 2013

Homeobox genes comprise an important group of genes that are responsible for regulation of developmental processes. These genes determine cell differentiation and cell fate in all eukaryotic organisms, starting from the early stages of embryo development. Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors are unique to the plant kingdom. Members of the HD-Zip IV subfamily have a complex domain topology and can bind several cis-elements with overlapping sequences. Many of the reported HD-Zip IV genes were shown to be specifically or preferentially expressed in plant epidermal or sub-epidermal cells. HD-Zip IV TFs were found to be associated with differentiation and maintenance of outer cell layers, and regulation of lipid biosynthesis and transport. Insights about the role of these proteins in plant cuticle formation, and hence their possible involvement in plant protection from pathogens and abiotic stresses has just started to emerge. These roles make HD-Zip IV proteins an attractive tool for genetic engineering of crop plants. To this end, there is a need for in-depth studies to further clarify the function of each HD-Zip IV subfamily member in commercially important plant species.
Chemical Methods for Peptide and Protein Production
Authors: Chandrudu Saranya , Simerska Pavla , Toth Istvan
Published: April 2013

Since the invention of solid phase synthetic methods by Merrifield in 1963, the number of research groups focusing on peptide synthesis has grown exponentially. However, the original step-by-step synthesis had limitations: the purity of the final product decreased with the number of coupling steps. After the development of Boc and Fmoc protecting groups, novel amino acid protecting groups and new techniques were introduced to provide high quality and quantity peptide products. Fragment condensation was a popular method for peptide production in the 1980s, but unfortunately the rate of racemization and reaction difficulties proved less than ideal. Kent and co-workers revolutionized peptide coupling by introducing the chemoselective reaction of unprotected peptides, called native chemical ligation. Subsequently, research has focused on the development of novel ligating techniques including the famous click reaction, ligation of peptide hydrazides, and the recently reported a-ketoacid-hydroxylamine ligations with 5-oxaproline. Several companies have been formed all over the world to prepare high quality Good Manufacturing Practice peptide products on a multi-kilogram scale. This review describes the advances in peptide chemistry including the variety of synthetic peptide methods currently available and the broad application of peptides in medicinal chemistry.
Dyslipidemia in Obesity: Mechanisms and Potential Targets
Authors: Klop Boudewijn , Elte Jan , Cabezas Manuel
Published: April 2013

Obesity has become a major worldwide health problem. In every single country in the world, the incidence of obesity is rising continuously and therefore, the associated morbidity, mortality and both medical and economical costs are expected to increase as well. The majority of these complications are related to co-morbid conditions that include coronary artery disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorders and dyslipidemia. Obesity increases cardiovascular risk through risk factors such as increased fasting plasma triglycerides, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, elevated blood glucose and insulin levels and high blood pressure. Novel lipid dependent, metabolic risk factors associated to obesity are the presence of the small dense LDL phenotype, postprandial hyperlipidemia with accumulation of atherogenic remnants and hepatic overproduction of apoB containing lipoproteins. All these lipid abnormalities are typical features of the metabolic syndrome and may be associated to a pro-inflammatory gradient which in part may originate in the adipose tissue itself and directly affect the endothelium. An important link between obesity, the metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia, seems to be the development of insulin resistance in peripheral tissues leading to an enhanced hepatic flux of fatty acids from dietary sources, intravascular lipolysis and from adipose tissue resistant to the antilipolytic effects of insulin. The current review will focus on these aspects of lipid metabolism in obesity and potential interventions to treat the obesity related dyslipidemia.
Extraction of Mangrove Biophysical Parameters Using Airborne LiDAR
Authors: Wannasiri Wasinee , Nagai Masahiko , Honda Kiyoshi , Santitamnont Phisan , Miphokasap Poonsak
Published: April 2013

Tree parameter determinations using airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) have been conducted in many forest types, including coniferous, boreal, and deciduous. However, there are only a few scientific articles discussing the application of LiDAR to mangrove biophysical parameter extraction at an individual tree level. The main objective of this study was to investigate the potential of using LiDAR data to estimate the biophysical parameters of mangrove trees at an individual tree scale. The Variable Window Filtering (VWF) and Inverse Watershed Segmentation (IWS) methods were investigated by comparing their performance in individual tree detection and in deriving tree position, crown diameter, and tree height using the LiDAR-derived Canopy Height Model (CHM). The results demonstrated that each method performed well in mangrove forests with a low percentage of crown overlap conditions. The VWF method yielded a slightly higher accuracy for mangrove parameter extractions from LiDAR data compared with the IWS method. This is because the VWF method uses an adaptive circular filtering window size based on an allometric relationship. As a result of the VWF method, the position measurements of individual tree indicated a mean distance error value of 1.10 m. The individual tree detection showed a kappa coefficient of agreement (K) value of 0.78. The estimation of crown diameter produced a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.75, a Root Mean Square Error of the Estimate (RMSE) value of 1.65 m, and a Relative Error (RE) value of 19.7%. Tree height determination from LiDAR yielded an R2 value of 0.80, an RMSE value of 1.42 m, and an RE value of 19.2%. However, there are some limitations in the mangrove parameters derived from LiDAR. The results indicated that an increase in the percentage of crown overlap (COL) results in an accuracy decrease of the mangrove parameters extracted from the LiDAR-derived CHM, particularly for crown measurements. In this study, the accuracy of LiDAR-derived biophysical parameters in mangrove forests using the VWF and IWS methods is lower than in coniferous, boreal, pine, and deciduous forests. An adaptive allometric equation that is specific for the level of tree density and percentage of crown overlap is a solution for improving the predictive accuracy of the VWF method.
Estimation of Distribution Algorithm for Resource Allocation in Green Cooperative Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks
Authors: Naeem Muhammad , Pareek Udit , Lee Daniel , Anpalagan Alagan
Published: April 2013

Due to the rapid increase in the usage and demand of wireless sensor networks (WSN), the limited frequency spectrum available for WSN applications will be extremely crowded in the near future. More sensor devices also mean more recharging/replacement of batteries, which will cause significant impact on the global carbon footprint. In this paper, we propose a relay-assisted cognitive radio sensor network (CRSN) that allocates communication resources in an environmentally friendly manner. We use shared band amplify and forward relaying for cooperative communication in the proposed CRSN. We present a multi-objective optimization architecture for resource allocation in a green cooperative cognitive radio sensor network (GC-CRSN). The proposed multi-objective framework jointly performs relay assignment and power allocation in GC-CRSN, while optimizing two conflicting objectives. The first objective is to maximize the total throughput, and the second objective is to minimize the total transmission power of CRSN. The proposed relay assignment and power allocation problem is a non-convex mixed-integer non-linear optimization problem (NC-MINLP), which is generally non-deterministic polynomial-time (NP)-hard. We introduce a hybrid heuristic algorithm for this problem. The hybrid heuristic includes an estimation-of-distribution algorithm (EDA) for performing power allocation and iterative greedy schemes for constraint satisfaction and relay assignment. We analyze the throughput and power consumption tradeoff in GC-CRSN. A detailed analysis of the performance of the proposed algorithm is presented with the simulation results.
More Than a Pore: The Cellular Response to Cholesterol-Dependent Cytolysins
Authors: Cassidy Sara , O'Riordan Mary
Published: April 2013

Targeted disruption of the plasma membrane is a ubiquitous form of attack used in all three domains of life. Many bacteria secrete pore-forming proteins during infection with broad implications for pathogenesis. The cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDC) are a family of pore-forming toxins expressed predominately by Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. The structure and assembly of some of these oligomeric toxins on the host membrane have been described, but how the targeted cell responds to intoxication by the CDCs is not as clearly understood. Many CDCs induce lysis of their target cell and can activate apoptotic cascades to promote cell death. However, the extent to which intoxication causes cell death is both CDC- and host cell-dependent, and at lower concentrations of toxin, survival of intoxicated host cells is well documented. Additionally, the effect of CDCs can be seen beyond the plasma membrane, and it is becoming increasingly clear that these toxins are potent regulators of signaling and immunity, beyond their role in intoxication. In this review, we discuss the cellular response to CDC intoxication with emphasis on the effects of pore formation on the host cell plasma membrane and subcellular organelles and whether subsequent cellular responses contribute to the survival of the affected cell.
Intramolecular carbonickelation of alkenes
Authors: Lhermet Rudy , Durandetti Muriel , Maddaluno Jacques
Published: April 2013

The efficiency of the intramolecular carbonickelation of substituted allylic ethers and amines has been studied to evaluate the influence of the groups borne by the double bond on this cyclization. The results show that when this reaction takes place, it affords only the 5-exo-trig cyclization products, viz. dihydrobenzofurans or indoles. Depending on the tethered heteroatom (O or N), the outcome of the cyclization differs. While allylic ethers are relatively poor substrates that undergo a side elimination and need an intracyclic double bond to proceed, allylic amines react well and afford indoline and indole derivatives. Finally, the synthesis of the trinuclear ACE core of a morphine-like skeleton was achieved by using NiBr2bipy catalysis.