bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid large-scale purification of myofilament proteins using a cleavable His6-tag
Authors: Zhang Mengjie , Martin Jody L. , Kumar Mohit , Khairallah Ramzi J. , de Tombe Pieter P.
Published: September 2015

With the advent of high-throughput DNA sequencing, the number of identified cardiomyopathy-causing mutations has increased tremendously. As the majority of these mutations affect myofilament proteins, there is a need to understand their functional consequence on contraction. Permeabilized myofilament preparations coupled with protein exchange protocols are a common method for examining into contractile mechanics. However, producing large quantities of myofilament proteins can be time consuming and requires different approaches for each protein of interest. In the present study, we describe a unified automated method to produce troponin C, troponin T, and troponin I as well as myosin light chain 2 fused to a His6-tag followed by a tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease site. TEV protease has the advantage of a relaxed P1′ cleavage site specificity, allowing for no residues left after proteolysis and preservation of the native sequence of the protein of interest. After expression in Esherichia coli, cells were lysed by sonication in imidazole-containing buffer. The His6-tagged protein was then purified using a HisTrap nickel metal affinity column, and the His6-tag was removed by His6-TEV protease digestion for 4 h at 30°C. The protease was then removed using a HisTrap column, and complex assembly was performed via column-assisted sequential desalting. This mostly automated method allows for the purification of protein in 1 day and can be adapted to most soluble proteins. It has the advantage of greatly increasing yield while reducing the time and cost of purification. Therefore, production and purification of mutant proteins can be accelerated and functional data collected in a faster, less expensive manner.
ACE2/Ang-(1–7)/Mas axis stimulates vascular repair-relevant functions of CD34+cells
Authors: Singh Neha , Joshi Shrinidh , Guo Lirong , Baker Matthew B. , Li Yan , Castellano Ronald K. , Raizada Mohan K. , Jarajapu Yagna P. R.
Published: September 2015

CD34+stem/progenitor cells have been identified as a promising cell population for the autologous cell-based therapies in patients with cardiovascular disease. The counter-regulatory axes of renin angiotensin system, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/Ang II/angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor and ACE2/Ang-(1–7)/Mas receptor, play an important role in the cardiovascular repair. This study evaluated the expression and vascular repair-relevant functions of these two pathways in human CD34+cells. CD34+cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs), obtained from healthy volunteers. Expression of ACE, ACE2, AT1, and angiotensin type 2 and Mas receptors were determined. Effects of Ang II, Ang-(1–7), Norleu3-Ang-(1–7), and ACE2 activators, xanthenone (XNT) and diminazene aceturate (DIZE) on proliferation, migration, and adhesion of CD34+cells were evaluated. ACE2 and Mas were relatively highly expressed in CD34+cells compared with MNCs. Ang-(1–7) or its analog, Norleu3-Ang-(1–7), stimulated proliferation of CD34+cells that was associated with decrease in phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 levels and was inhibited by triciribin, an AKT inhibitor. Migration of CD34+cells was enhanced by Ang-(1–7) or Norleu3-Ang-(1–7) that was decreased by a Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632. In the presence of Ang II, XNT or DIZE enhanced proliferation and migration that were blocked by DX-600, an ACE2 inhibitor. Treatment of MNCs with Ang II, before the isolation of CD34+cells, attenuated the proliferation and migration to stromal derived factor-1α. This attenuation was reversed by apocynin, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor. Adhesion of MNCs or CD34+cells to fibronectin was enhanced by Ang II and was unaffected by Ang-(1–7). This study suggests that ACE2/Ang-(1–7)/Mas pathway stimulates functions of CD34+cells that are cardiovascular protective, whereas Ang II attenuates these functions by acting on MNCs. These findings imply that activation of ACE2/Ang-(1–7)/Mas axis is a promising approach for enhancing reparative outcomes of cell-based therapies.
Heterogeneity of pulmonary endothelial cyclic nucleotide response toPseudomonas aeruginosaExoY infection
Authors: Morrow K. A. , Seifert R. , Kaever V. , Britain A. L. , Sayner S. L. , Ochoa C. D. , Cioffi E. A. , Frank D. W. , Rich T. C. , Stevens T.
Published: September 2015

Here, we tested the hypothesis that a promiscuous bacterial cyclase synthesizes purine and pyrimidine cyclic nucleotides in the pulmonary endothelium. To test this hypothesis, pulmonary endothelial cells were infected with a strain of the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa that introduces only exoenzyme Y (PA103 ΔexoUexoT::Tc pUCPexoY; ExoY+) via a type III secretion system. Purine and pyrimidine cyclic nucleotides were simultaneously detected using mass spectrometry. Pulmonary artery (PAECs) and pulmonary microvascular (PMVECs) endothelial cells both possess basal levels of four different cyclic nucleotides in the following rank order: cAMP > cUMP ≈ cGMP ≈ cCMP. Endothelial gap formation was induced in a time-dependent manner following ExoY+intoxication. In PAECs, intercellular gaps formed within 2 h and progressively increased in size up to 6 h, when the experiment was terminated. cGMP concentrations increased within 1 h postinfection, whereas cAMP and cUMP concentrations increased within 3 h, and cCMP concentrations increased within 4 h postinfection. In PMVECs, intercellular gaps did not form until 4 h postinfection. Only cGMP and cUMP concentrations increased at 3 and 6 h postinfection, respectively. PAECs generated higher cyclic nucleotide levels than PMVECs, and the cyclic nucleotide levels increased earlier in response to ExoY+intoxication. Heterogeneity of the cyclic nucleotide signature in response to P. aeruginosa infection exists between PAECs and PMVECs, suggesting the intracellular milieu in PAECs is more conducive to cNMP generation.
On the Capacity of Densely Packed Arrays with Mutual Coupling and Correlated Noise
Authors: Dehghanian Vahid , Nielsen John
Published: September 2015

Capacity of a wireless link can be enhanced by increasing the number of receive antennas. However, imposed receiver physical size constraints necessitate that the antenna elements be in close proximity, which typically reduces the overall link capacity of the wireless channel. Counterintuitively, under certain conditions the capacity of the overall link can be enhanced by decreasing antenna spacings. The focus of this paper is that of identifying the fundamental mechanisms and the conditions that give rise to this excess capacity. Closed-form expressions that directly quantify this capacity gain are derived based on a representative circuit theoretic model. Interesting insights are developed about the impact of different noise and interference sources and the limiting effect of heat losses in the antenna system. The capacity analysis is subsequently generalized to encompass the effect of antenna current deformation and load mismatch due to mutual coupling, based on the standard Method of Moments (MoM) analysis, demonstrating similar capacity enhancement behavior as predicted by the closed-form expressions.
Effect of Nourishing “Yin” Removing “Fire” Chinese Herbal Mixture on Hypothalamic Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Expression during Onset of Puberty in Female Rats
Authors: Zeng Gulan , Han Xinghui , Yu Jian , Wang Yonghong , Tian Zhanzhuang
Published: September 2015

Aim. The present study aims to investigate the effects of nourishing “Yin” removing “Fire” (NYRF) Chinese herbal mixture on puberty onset and hypothalamic mTOR expression in female rats.Materials and Methods. Forty female 20-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into Chinese herbal mixture (CHM) and normal saline (NS) groups. Rats in CHM and NS were treated with NYRF mixture and normal saline, respectively, from d22. Rats in each group were sacrificed on d28, d31, and d34. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2) levels were analyzed by ELISA. Hypothalamic mTOR mRNA expression levels were determined by RT-PCR and hypothalamic p-mTOR protein levels were assayed by western blot.Results. The vaginal opening time in CHM group was significantly delayedP<0.05. On d31, in comparison with NS group, the coefficients of uteri and ovaries, levels of serum LH and E2, and the expression levels of hypothalamic mTOR mRNA and p-mTOR protein were significantly lower in CHM groupP<0.05.Conclusion. The mechanism by which the nourishing “Yin” removing “Fire” Chinese herbal mixture delays puberty onset may be associated with the inhibition of the hypothalamic mTOR signaling.
Immunological Parameters Associated With Vitiligo Treatments: A Literature Review Based on Clinical Studies
Authors: Abreu Ana Cláudia Guimarães , Duarte Gabriela Guy , Miranda Juliana Yasmin Pains , Ramos Daniel Gontijo , Ramos Camila Gontijo , Ramos Mariana Gontijo
Published: September 2015

Vitiligo, a depigmentary disorder, caused by the loss of melanocytes, affects approximately 1% of the world population, irrespective of skin type, with a serious psychological impact on the patient quality of life. So far, the origin of vitiligo has not been traced and the pathogenesis is complex, involving the interplay of a multitude of variables. Although there is no treatment that ensures the complete cure of the disorder, there are some pharmacological, phototherapy, and surgical therapies available. A series of variables can affect treatment outcome, such as individual characteristics, emotional issues, type of vitiligo, stability of the lesions, and immunological status. The present literature review identified the main immunological parameters associated with treatments for vitiligo. Cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes are the main cell type involved in treatment success, as fewer cells in skin lesions are associated with better results. Other parameters such as cytokines and regulatory T cells may also be involved. Further clinical scientific studies are needed to elucidate the complex mechanisms underlying vitiligo and its treatments, in order to expand the range of therapeutic approaches for each individual case.
Appraisal of Total Phenol, Flavonoid Contents, and Antioxidant Potential of FolkloricLannea coromandelicaUsingIn VitroandIn VivoAssays
Authors: Kumar Tekeshwar , Jain Vishal
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the impending antioxidant properties of different extracts of crude methanolic extract (CME) of leaves ofLannea coromandelica(L. coromandelica) and its two ethyl acetate (EAF) and aqueous (AqF) subfractions by employing various establishedin vitrosystems and estimation of total phenolic and flavonoid content. The results showed that extract and fractions possessed strong antioxidant activityin vitroand among them, EAF had the strongest antioxidant activity. EAF was confirmed for its highest phenolic content, total flavonoid contents, and total antioxidant capacity. The EAF was found to show remarkable scavenging activity on 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (EC5063.9 ± 0.64 µg/mL), superoxide radical (EC508.2 ± 0.12 mg/mL), and Fe2+chelating activity (EC506.2 ± 0.09 mg/mL). Based on ourin vitroresults, EAF was investigated forin vivoantioxidant assay. Intragastric administration of the EAF can significantly increase levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels, and decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the liver and kidney of CCl4-intoxicated rats. These new evidences show thatL. coromandelicabared antioxidant activity.
Jianpi Huayu Decoction Inhibits Proliferation in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells (SW480) by Inducing G0/G1-Phase Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis
Authors: Xi Song-yang , Teng Yu-hao , Chen Yan , Li Jie-ping , Zhang Ying-ying , Liu Shen-lin , Zou Xi , Zhou Jin-yong , Wu Jian , Wang Rui-ping
Published: September 2015

Jianpi Huayu Decoction (JHD), a Chinese medicine formula, is a typical prescription against multiple tumors in the clinical treatment, which can raise quality of life and decrease complications. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of JHD against human colorectal carcinoma cells (SW480) and explore its mechanism. MTT assay showed that JHD decreased the cellular viability of SW480 cells in dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that JHD induced G0/G1-phase cell cycle arrest in SW480 cells and had a strong apoptosis-inducing effect on SW480 cells. Meanwhile it enhanced the expression of p27, cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-3, and Bax and decreased the levels of PARP, caspase-3, Bcl-2, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, cyclin D2, cyclin D3, and cyclin E1, which was evidenced by RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis. In conclusion, these results indicated that JHD inhibited proliferation in SW480 cells by inducing G0/G1-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, providing a practicaltherapeutic strategy against colorectal cancer.
Brush Cytology with Immunocytochemical Evaluation of VEGF Expression versus Biopsy in Clinically Precancerous Laryngeal Lesions: Can We Diagnose Laryngeal Cancer Only with Brush Cytology?
Authors: Chatziavramidis Angelos , Tsinaslanidou Zinovia , Valeri Rozalia , Konstantinidis Iordanis , Constantinidis Jannis
Published: September 2015

Introduction. Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the most common SCC of the head and neck. The high incidence of this malignancy and the low survival rate necessitate the development of novel diagnostic approaches. Aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic value of laryngeal brush cytology combined with VEGF immunocytochemistry versus histopathology of clinically precancerous lesions of the larynx.Material and Methods. Thirty patients with precancerous or suspected malignant laryngeal lesions underwent microlaryngoscopy, during which samples were taken for cytological, immunocytochemical, and histological analysis. Cytology and histology results were classified as follows: benign lesions, atypia/moderate dysplasia, and malignancy, whereas the expression of VEGF was evaluated as strong, moderate, weak, and zero expression, based on the percentage of cells stained.Results. The cytology results were in accordance with the histology results in 86.7% of the patients. The exfoliative cytology’s sensitivity was estimated at 85% and its specificity at 90%. Its positive prognostic value was 94%, while its negative prognostic value was 75%. The additional immunocytochemical evaluation of VEGF expression increased all the noted parameters.Discussion. Exfoliative cytology of laryngeal lesions is a minimal-invasive, easily applicable procedure during microlaryngoscopy and reliable in terms of diagnostic value. Under certain conditions it could be held also in local anesthesia. Concurrent immunocytochemical analysis of VEGF expression further enhances its diagnostic value.
Vegetative Propagation Trial of Prosopis africana (Guill. et Perr.) Taub. by Air Layering under Sudano-Sahelian Climate in the South-Central Niger
Authors: Abdou Laouali , Karim Saley , Habou Rabiou , Mahamane Ali
Published: September 2015

Prosopis africana is a species of great socioeconomic importance but threatened with extinction in Niger because of overuse and regeneration problem. This study, conducted in the Maradi (Niger) area, precisely at El Gueza in the south of Gazaoua department, aims to evaluate the vegetative propagation capacity of P. africana by air layering under the Sudano-Sahelian climate of the south-central Niger. A ring of bark was taken on each selected branch and the wound was covered with a black plastic filled with a damp mixture of soil and wood debris. The chosen parameters are the diameter class and the position on the branch. In all, 60 branches were treated and followed for 130 days: 28.33% produced shoots and there was no significant difference between the diameter classes and between the positions. These results show that propagating trees of the species by air layering is possible and this technique can be used to multiply and keep this species, which will reduce the regeneration problem linked to a low seed germination rate.
Impacts of the Load Models on Optimal Planning of Distributed Generation in Distribution System
Authors: Bohre Aashish Kumar , Agnihotri Ganga , Dubey Manisha , Kalambe Shilpa
Published: September 2015

The optimal planning (sizing and siting) of the distributed generations (DGs) by using butterfly-PSO/BF-PSO technique to investigate the impacts of load models is presented in this work. The validity of the evaluated results is confirmed by comparing with well-known Genetic Algorithm (GA) and standard or conventional particle swarm optimization (PSO). To exhibit its compatibility in terms of load management, an impact of different load models on the size and location of DG has also been presented in this work. The fitness evolution function explored is the multiobjective function (FMO), which is based on the three significant indexes such as active power loss, reactive power loss, and voltage deviation index. The optimal solution is obtained by minimizing the multiobjective fitness function using BF-PSO, GA, and PSO technique. The comparison of the different optimization techniques is given for the different types of load models such as constant, industrial, residential, and commercial load models. The results clearly show that the BF-PSO technique presents the superior solution in terms of compatibility as well as computation time and efforts both. The algorithm has been carried out with 15-bus radial and 30-bus mesh system.
Lipopolysaccharide fromRhodobacter sphaeroidesAttenuates Microglia-Mediated Inflammation and Phagocytosis and Directs Regulatory T Cell Response
Authors: Gaikwad Sagar , Agrawal-Rajput Reena
Published: September 2015

Microglia activation and neuroinflammation are key events during the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Microglia exhibits toll-like receptors (TLRs), with predominant expression of TLR4, inducing aberrant neuroinflammation and exacerbated neurotoxicity. Studies suggest that microglia initiate infiltration of T cells into the brain that critically influence disease conditions. We report that LPS-Rs, through TLR4 antagonism, significantly inhibit TLR4 mediated inflammatory molecules like IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, iNOS, and NO. LPS-Rs regulates JNK/p38 MAPKs and p65-NF-κB signaling pathways, which we report as indispensible for LPS induced neuroinflammation. LPS-Rs mitigates microglial phagocytic activity and we are first to report regulatory role of LPS-Rs which blocked microglia mediated inflammation and apoptotic cell death. LPS-Rs significantly inhibits expression of costimulatory molecules CD80, CD86, and CD40. Chemokine receptor, CCR5, and T cell recruitment chemokines, MIP-1αand CCL5, were negatively regulated by LPS-Rs. Furthermore, LPS-Rs significantly inhibited lymphocyte proliferation with skewed regulatory T (Treg) cell response as evidenced by increased FOXP3, IL-10, and TGF-β. Additionally, LPS-Rs serves to induce coordinated immunosuppressive response and confer tolerogenic potential to activated microglia extending neurosupportive microenvironment. TLR4 antagonism can be a strategy providing neuroprotection through regulation of microglia as well as the T cells.
Genes of Different Catabolic Pathways Are Coordinately Regulated by Dal81 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Palavecino Marcos D. , Correa-García Susana R. , Bermúdez-Moretti Mariana
Published: September 2015

Yeast can use a wide variety of nitrogen compounds. However, the ability to synthesize enzymes and permeases for catabolism of poor nitrogen sources is limited in the presence of a rich one. This general mechanism of transcriptional control is called nitrogen catabolite repression. Poor nitrogen sources, such as leucine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and allantoin, enable growth after the synthesis of pathway-specific catabolic enzymes and permeases. This synthesis occurs only under conditions of nitrogen limitation and in the presence of a pathway-specific signal. In this work we studied the temporal order in the induction of AGP1, BAP2, UGA4, and DAL7, genes that are involved in the catabolism and use of leucine, GABA, and allantoin, three poor nitrogen sources. We found that when these amino acids are available, cells will express AGP1 and BAP2 in the first place, then DAL7, and at last UGA4. Dal81, a general positive regulator of genes involved in nitrogen utilization related to the metabolisms of GABA, leucine, and allantoin, plays a central role in this coordinated regulation.
Experiment on Conical Pick Cutting Rock Material Assisted with Front and Rear Water Jet
Authors: Liu Xiaohui , Liu Songyong , Li Lie , Cui Xinxia
Published: September 2015

Conical picks are one kind of cutting tools widely used in engineering machinery. In the process of rock breaking, the conical pick bears great cutting force and wear. To solve the problem, a new method, conical pick assisted with high pressure water jet, could break rock effectively, and four different configuration modes of water jet were presented. In this paper, based on the analysis of the different water jet configuration’s advantages and disadvantages, experiments on front water jet, new typed rear water jet, and the combination of those two water jet configuration modes were conducted to study the assisting cutting performance and obtain the quantitative results.
Influence of Substrate Material on Radiation Characteristics of THz Photoconductive Emitters
Authors: Klier Jens , Torosyan Garik , Schreiner Nina Susan , Molter Daniel , Ellrich Frank , Zouaghi Wissem , Peytavit Emilien , Lampin Jean-François , Beigang René , Jonuscheit Joachim , von Freymann Georg
Published: September 2015

We present in this paper spectral and spatial characteristics of terahertz emission from standard dipole antenna structures used as emitters depending on the substrate material. All antenna structures were lithographically fabricated on low-temperature (LT) grown, few-micrometers-thick gallium arsenide (GaAs) layers. To investigate the effect of the substrate material on the radiation pattern of terahertz beams, either semi-insulating gallium arsenide or high-resistivity silicon substrate wafers have been used. As detector a standard 40 µm long dipole antenna on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate with a low-temperature grown gallium arsenide layer on it has been employed; this configuration allows for broadband detection and is still efficient enough for the characterization purpose. Strong dependence of the radiation pattern on the substrate used for the terahertz source is demonstrated. The measured patterns and differences between the two cases of substrates are well explained by means of classical diffraction.
Estimating the Risk of ABO Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn in Lagos
Authors: Akanmu Alani Sulaimon , Oyedeji Olufemi Abiola , Adeyemo Titilope Adenike , Ogbenna Ann Abiola
Published: September 2015

Background. ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn is the most common hemolytic consequence of maternofetal blood group incompatibility restricted mostly to non-group-O babies of group O mothers with immune anti-A or anti-B antibodies.Aim. We estimated the risk of ABO HDN with view to determining need for routine screening for ABO incompatibility between mother and fetus.Materials and Methods. Prevalence of ABO blood group phenotypes in blood donors at the donor clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and arithmetic methods were used to determine population prevalence of ABO genes. We then estimated proportion of pregnancies of group O mothers carrying a non-group-O baby and the risk that maternofetal ABO incompatibility will cause clinical ABO HDN.Results. Blood from 9138 donors was ABO typed. 54.3%, 23%, 19.4%, and 3.3% were blood groups O, A, B, and AB, respectively. Calculated gene frequencies were 0.1416, 0.1209, and 0.7375 for A, B, and O genes, respectively. It was estimated that 14.3% of deliveries will result in a blood group O woman giving birth to a child who is non-group-O. Approximately 4.3% of deliveries are likely to suffer ABO HDN with 2.7% prone to suffer from moderately severe to severe hemolysis.
A Parasite of Marine Rotifers: A New Lineage of Dinokaryotic Dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae)
Authors: Gómez Fernando , Skovgaard Alf
Published: September 2015

Dinoflagellate infections have been reported for different protistan and animal hosts. We report, for the first time, the association between a dinoflagellate parasite and a rotifer host, tentativelySynchaetasp. (Rotifera), collected from the port of Valencia, NW Mediterranean Sea. The rotifer contained a sporangium with 100–200 thecate dinospores that develop synchronically through palintomic sporogenesis. This undescribed dinoflagellate forms a new and divergent fast-evolved lineage that branches among the dinokaryotic dinoflagellates.
Multistage Effort and the Equity Structure of Venture Investment Based on Reciprocity Motivation
Authors: Ding Chuan , Chen Jiacheng , Liu Xin , Zheng Junjun
Published: September 2015

For venture capitals, it is a long process from an entry to its exit. In this paper, the activity of venture investment will be divided into multistages. And, according to the effort level entrepreneurs will choose, the venture capitalists will provide an equity structure at the very beginning. As a benchmark for comparison, we will establish two game models on multistage investment under perfect rationality: a cooperative game model and a noncooperative one. Further, as a cause of pervasive psychological preference behavior, reciprocity motivation will influence the behavior of the decision-makers. Given this situation, Rabin’s reciprocity motivation theory will be applied to the multistage game model of the venture investment, and multistage behavior game model will be established as well, based on the reciprocity motivation. By looking into the theoretical derivations and simulation studies, we find that if venture capitalists and entrepreneurs both have reciprocity preferences, their utility would have been Pareto improvement compared with those under perfect rationality.
Elevated Blood Ammonia Level Is a Potential Biological Risk Factor of Behavioral Disorders in Prisoners
Authors: Duan Yunfeng , Wu Xiaoli , Liang Shan , Jin Feng
Published: September 2015

Hydrothion (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) can be toxic for the human central nervous system and cause psychological disturbances and behavioral disorders. In order to evaluate the association between the two potential toxicants and mental health, in this study, we compare a male prisoner and control population. Forty-nine male prisoners and 52 control volunteers took part in the study. An aggressive behavior assessment, the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to characterize the participants’ mental health status. Venous blood was collected for detection of H2S and NH3. The results indicated that blood NH3was significantly higher in male prisoners than in controls. However, blood H2S was significantly lower. Blood NH3was also significantly and positively correlated with prisoners. In the multivariate adjusted models, after controlling for age, education, marital status, and BMI, we found a positive association between NH3and prisoners, but not blood H2S. While the functions of the two toxicants were quite different, blood NH3may be a potential biological risk factor for behavioral disorders and blood H2S showed neuroprotection. Additionally, the impact of other factors such as diet and gut bacteria should be considered when evaluating risk for behavioral disorders.
Comparative Study of Anterior Eye Segment Measurements with Spectral Swept-Source and Time-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Eyes with Corneal Dystrophies
Authors: Nowinska Anna K. , Teper Sławomir J. , Janiszewska Dominika A. , Lyssek-Boron Anita , Dobrowolski Dariusz , Koprowski Robert , Wylegala Edward
Published: September 2015

Purpose.To compare anterior eye segment measurements and morphology obtained with two optical coherence tomography systems (TD OCT, SS OCT) in eyes with corneal dystrophies (CDs).Methods. Fifty healthy volunteers (50 eyes) and 54 patients (96 eyes) diagnosed with CD (epithelial basement membrane dystrophy, EBMD = 12 eyes; Thiel-Behnke CD = 6 eyes; lattice CD TGFBI type = 15 eyes; granular CD type 1 = 7 eyes, granular CD type 2 = 2 eyes; macular CD = 23 eyes; and Fuchs endothelial CD = 31 eyes) were recruited for the study. Automated and manual central corneal thickness (aCCT, mCCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and nasal and temporal trabecular iris angle (nTIA, tTIA) were measured and compared with Bland-Altman plots.Results.Good agreement between the TD and SS OCT measurements was demonstrated for mCCT and aCCT in normal individuals and for mCCT in the CDs group. The ACD, nTIA, and tTIA measurements differed significantly in both groups. TBCD, LCD, and FECD caused increased CCT. MCD caused significant corneal thinning. FECD affected all analyzed parameters.Conclusions.Better agreement between SS OCT and TD OCT measurements was demonstrated in normal individuals compared to the CDs group. OCT provides comprehensive corneal deposits analysis and demonstrates the association of CD with CCT, ACD, and TIA measurements.
Methylation of the Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Gene Promoter in BeWo Cells: Relationship to Gene Activity
Authors: Pan Xin , Bowman Maria , Scott Rodney J. , Fitter John , Nicholson Richard C. , Smith Roger , Zakar Tamas
Published: September 2015

Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) production by the human placenta increases exponentially as pregnancy advances, and the rate of increase predicts gestational length.CRHgene expression is regulated by cAMP in trophoblasts through a cyclic AMP-response element (CRE), which changes its transcription factor binding properties upon methylation. Here we determined whether methylation of theCRHproximal promoter controls basal and cAMP-stimulatedCRHexpression in BeWo cells, a well-characterized trophoblastic cell line. We treated the cells with 8-Br-cAMP and the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2′ deoxycytidine (5-AZA-dC) and determined the effects onCRHmRNA level and promoter methylation. Clonal bisulfite sequencing showed partial and allele independent methylation of CpGs in theCRHpromoter.CRHmRNA expression and the methylation of a subset of CpGs (including CpG2 in the CRE) increased spontaneously during culture. 8-Br-cAMP stimulatedCRHexpression without affecting the increase in methylation. 5-AZA-dC decreased methylation and augmented 8-Br-cAMP-stimulatedCRHexpression, but it blocked the spontaneous increase ofCRHmRNA level. We conclude that theCRHpromoter is a dynamically and intermediately methylated genomic region in BeWo cells. Promoter methylation did not inhibitCRHgene expression under the conditions employed; rather it determined the contribution of alternative cAMP-independent pathways and cAMP-independent mechanisms toCRHexpression control.
Supporting Technical Debt Cataloging with TD-Tracker Tool
Authors: Foganholi Lucas Borante , Eduardo Garcia Rogério , Medeiros Eler Danilo , Celso Messias Correia Ronaldo , Olivete Junior Celso
Published: September 2015

Technical debt (TD) is an emergent area that has stimulated academic concern. Managers must have information about debt in order to balance time-to-market advantages and issues of TD. In addition, managers must have information about TD to plan payments. Development tasks such as designing, coding, and testing generate different sorts of TD, each one with specific information. Moreover, literature review pointed out a gap in identifying and accurately cataloging technical debt. It is possible to find tools that can identify technical debt, but there is not a described solution that supports cataloging all types of debt. This paper presents an approach to create an integrated catalog of technical debts from different software development tasks. The approach allows tabulating and managing TD properties in order to support managers in the decision process. It also allows managers to track TD. The approach is implemented by TD-Tracker tool, which can integrate different TD identification tools and import identified debts. We present integrations between TD-Tracker and two external tools, used to identify potential technical debts. As part of the approach, we describe how to map the relationship between TD-Tracker and the external tools. We also show how to manage external information within TD-Tracker.
Associations of C1q/TNF-Related Protein-9 Levels in Serum and Epicardial Adipose Tissue with Coronary Atherosclerosis in Humans
Authors: Wang Jing , Hang Tao , Cheng Xun-min , Li De-min , Zhang Qi-gao , Wang Li-jun , Peng Yong-ping , Gong Jian-bin
Published: September 2015

Objective. To investigate the correlation of CTRP9 with coronary atherosclerosis.Methods. Coronary angiography confirmed CAD in 241 patients (62 received CABG) and non-CAD in 121 (55 received valve replacement).Results. Serum levels of LDL-C, CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and leptin in CAD patients were significantly higher than those in non-CAD patients (P<0.05), but APN and CTRP9 were lower (P<0.05). Serum levels of CTRP9 and APN were negatively related to BMI, HOMA-IR, TNF-α, IL-6, and leptin but positively to HDL-C (P<0.05) in CAD patients. After adjustment of APN, CTRP9 was still related to the above parameters. Serum CTRP9 was a protective factor of CAD (P<0.05). When compared with non-CAD patients, leptin mRNA expression increased dramatically, while CTRP9 mRNA expression reduced markedly in epicardial adipose tissue of CAD patients (P<0.05). The leptin expression and macrophage count in CAD group were significantly higher than in non-CAD group, but CAD patients had a markedly lower CTRP9 expression (P<0.05).Conclusions. Circulating and coronary CTRP9 plays an important role in the inflammation and coronary atherosclerosis of CAD patients. Serum CTRP9 is an independent protective factor of CAD.
Distinct Profiles for Mitochondrial t-RNAs and Small Nucleolar RNAs in Locally Invasive and Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Xu Lai , Ziegelbauer Joseph , Wang Rong , Wu Wells W. , Shen Rong-Fong , Juhl Hartmut , Zhang Yaqin , Rosenberg Amy
Published: September 2015

Purpose: To gain insight into factors involved in tumor progression and metastasis, we examined the role of noncoding RNAs in the biologic characteristics of colorectal carcinoma, in paired samples of tumor together with normal mucosa from the same colorectal carcinoma patient. The tumor and healthy tissue samples were collected and stored under stringent conditions, thereby minimizing warm ischemic time.

Experimental Design: We focused particularly on distinctions among high-stage tumors and tumors with known metastases, performing RNA-Seq analysis that quantifies transcript abundance and identifies novel transcripts.

Results: In comparing 35 colorectal carcinomas, including 9 metastatic tumors (metastases to lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels), with their matched healthy control mucosa, we found a distinct signature of mitochondrial transfer RNAs (MT-tRNA) and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNA) for metastatic and high-stage colorectal carcinoma. We also found the following: (i) MT-TF (phenylalanine) and snord12B expression correlated with a substantial number of miRNAs and mRNAs in 14 colorectal carcinomas examined; (ii) an miRNA signature of oxidative stress, hypoxia, and a shift to glycolytic metabolism in 14 colorectal carcinomas, regardless of grade and stage; and (iii) heterogeneous MT-tRNA/snoRNA fingerprints for 35 pairs.

Conclusions: These findings could potentially assist in more accurate and predictive staging of colorectal carcinoma, including identification of those colorectal carcinomas likely to metastasize. Clin Cancer Res; 22(3); 773–84. ©2015 AACR.
Distributed Attention and Shared Emotions in the Innovation Process
Authors: Vuori Timo O. , Huy Quy N.
Published: September 2015

We conducted a qualitative study of Nokia to understand its rapid downfall over the 2005–2010 period from its position as a world-dominant and innovative technology organization. We found that top and middle managers’ shared emotions during the smartphone innovation process caused cycles of behaviors that harmed both the process and its outcome. Together, organizational attention structures and historical factors generated various types of shared fear among top and middle managers. Top managers were afraid of external competitors and shareholders, while middle managers were mainly afraid of internal groups, including superiors and peers. Top managers’ externally focused fear led them to exert pressure on middle managers without fully revealing the severity of the external threats and to interpret middle managers’ communications in biased ways. Middle managers’ internally focused fear reduced their tendency to share negative information with top managers, leading top managers to develop an overly optimistic perception of their organization’s technological capabilities and neglect long-term investments in developing innovation. Our study contributes to the attention-based view of the firm by describing how distributed attention structures influence shared emotions and how such shared emotions can hinder the subsequent integration of attention, influencing innovation processes and outcomes and resulting in temporal myopia—a focus on short-term product innovation at the expense of long-term innovation development.
Music Teacher Licensure Candidates in the United States
Authors: Elpus Kenneth
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze the demographic profile of candidates seeking music teacher licensure in the United States and to understand whether performance on the Praxis II music teacher licensure tests varies systematically as a function of various demographic characteristics. Praxis II music test data and background questionnaire responses, provided by the Educational Testing Service, were analyzed for all examinees from 2007 through 2012 ( N = 20,521). Results showed that music teacher licensure candidates were a highly selected subset of the population. Candidates identified as 86.02% White, 7.07% Black, 1.94% Hispanic, 1.79% Asian, 0.30% Native American/Alaska Native, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 0.82% Multiracial, and 1.74% Other. Compared to various populations of interest with known ethnic/racial compositions, people of color were significantly underrepresented among music teacher licensure candidates, while White people were significantly overrepresented. Analyses of Praxis II music exam scores showed that Praxis II score was significantly associated with race, sex, and other demographic characteristics. Analyses indicated that White candidates earned significantly higher Praxis II scores than did Black candidates and that male candidates earned significantly higher scores than did female candidates. Implications of these results for music teacher education and the diversity of the music teacher workforce are discussed.
Rural Jail Reentry and Mental Health
Authors: Ward Kyle C. , Merlo Alida V.
Published: September 2015

The current study examines the challenges of rural jail reentry including mental health issues faced by offenders returning from jails. This study compared a sample of 200 current jail inmates, 166 probation/parole officers working in rural areas, and 21 rural treatment staff working with former offenders in a treatment capacity. Overall, inmates found structural issues (e.g., employment, housing, ability to pay fines) to be more challenging while practitioners were more likely to rank personal issues (e.g., lack of motivation, temptation to reoffend) as more problematic. Various themes emerged relating to mental health issues including health insurance, medication, transportation, and co-occurrence with substance abuse. Policy implications and recommendations for the future are discussed.
Bullying involvement of Korean children in Germany and in Korea
Authors: Bae Hwa-ok
Published: September 2015

This study compared bullying involvement of Korean or Korean-German children living in Germany with children in Korea, and examined children’s perceptions of school environment associated with bullying involvement of the children. This study included 105 Korean or Korean-German children living in the Bayern State of Germany as the study sample and 95 Korean children in Gyeongnam Province of Korea as the control group. Korean children in Germany were significantly less likely to be exposed to and less likely to be engaged in bullying behaviors than those in Korea, except relational bullying. Overall 21.0% of Korean or Korean-German children were being bullied and 18.1% of children were bullying peers in Germany, whereas 33.7% of children were exposed to being bullied and 35.8% of children were involved in bullying peers in Korea. Children’s perceptions of school environment as being more favorable were significantly associated with decreased bullying involvement of children. Policy implications were suggested based on the findings.
Severe Hypoglycemia and the Role of the Significant Other
Authors: King Jennie , Overland Jane , Fisher Murray , White Kate
Published: September 2015

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of what severe hypoglycemia means to significant others.

Methods

Narrative inquiry methodology was utilized. In-depth interviews were conducted with 7 significant others of adults with type 1 diabetes about their experience with severe hypoglycemia. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then developed into narrated core stories through a process of selecting and organizing events and by describing the relationship among these events. This was followed by thematic analysis to reveal the shared narrative of significant others.

Results

Episodes of severe hypoglycemia were found to turn the participants’ lives upside down. The inability of the individual with diabetes to manage severe hypoglycemia required the significant other to detect and treat these episodes. The theme “managing disruption” captured how the significant others’ role shifted from one of background support to an active, primary role in severe hypoglycemia management. They became (1) the expert by arming themselves with knowledge and skills to assist with the severe hypoglycemia episodes, (2) the sentry by becoming more vigilant and prepared for these episodes, and (3) the protector of the person with diabetes by shielding him or her from the vulnerable position that the severe hypoglycemia episodes placed one in.

Conclusions

This study highlights the important role that significant others play in the management of severe hypoglycemia. It also emphasizes the need for health care professionals to provide appropriate education and support.
Secret wisdom
Authors: Kilcup Charmayne
Published: September 2015

Current models of spiritual development suggest that adolescents have limited capacity for spirituality and spiritual experiences. Adolescents are seen to have immature moral and ethical judgment and be incapable of deep spiritual experience due to lack of cognitive development. This mixed-methods study explored the existence of spiritual intelligence in adolescents using surveys to measure spiritual intelligence and spirituality: the spiritual intelligence self-report inventory (SISRI), the integrated spiritual intelligence scale (ISIS), and the intrinsic spirituality scale (ISS). High scorers were found on every survey, and all surveys were positively correlated. Top scorers were interviewed concerning their lived experience of spirituality. Thematic analysis revealed eight major categories: definition of spirituality, definition of God, importance of family, ways of connecting to the divine, spiritual experiences, role models, spiritual values, and skepticism of spirituality. Some adolescents display high levels of spiritual intelligence, which manifests as having spiritual values (e.g. altruism, compassion, openness), spiritual experiences, and practices to connect to the divine.
Community anchor housing associations: illuminating the contested nature of neoliberal governing practices at the local scale
Authors: McKee Kim
Published: September 2015

In a period of fiscal austerity, the mobilization of the voluntary and community sector has been pivotal to neoliberal public policy reforms. This is reflected in the emergence of a ‘new localism’, which seeks to encourage place-based communities to take responsibility for their own welfare through the ownership and management of community assets. In the UK these political narratives are encapsulated in the Prime Minister's Big Society agenda, which has been influential in the housing field and has underpinned an emergent policy discourse constructing housing associations as community anchor organizations. Drawing on the case study of the community-controlled housing association sector in Scotland, this paper illuminates the centrality of localism to contemporary technologies of neoliberal governance. Through an analytical focus on the agency of front-line housing professionals, it also adds to debates on ‘ethnographies of government’, which emphasize the situated messiness of projects of rule and the struggles around subjectivity.
The politics of security lists
Authors: de Goede Marieke , Sullivan Gavin
Published: September 2015

The authors contributed equally to the paper The List, one of the most archaic means of written enumeration and classification, has made a forceful recurrence in the post-9/11 global security landscape. From terrorist sanctions lists and No-Fly lists to “kill-lists” for drone warfare; from the privately compiled lists of risky banking clients to the regulatory lists of untrustworthy or incompliant companies, the list seems to proliferate as a contemporary technology of security and regulation. How and why are lists becoming newly embedded in security practices? What work do lists perform as specific techniques of government and forms of normative ordering? And what consequences follow for how problems of legal accountability and political responsibility are currently understood and addressed? This paper frames security lists as inscription devices that are heterogeneous, unpredictable and productive in unforeseen ways. It draws attention to the ways they materialise the categories they purport to describe, and how they enact novel forms of knowledge, jurisdiction and targeting. We suggest that critiques could be strengthened by making visible and contesting the fragmented and diffuse conditions through which security lists are produced.
Measuring and understanding the differences between urban and rural areas
Authors: Beynon Malcolm J , Crawley Andrew , Munday Max
Published: September 2015

Understanding the factors that make a location more rural or urban is an important task for planners and policymakers. Traditional individual characteristics of rurality sometimes hide the more complex social as well as physical dynamics of a locality. This paper builds on early work which applied factor analysis to construct a single index of rurality. An approach is developed with a combined metric encompassing multiple measures. These are capable individually of defining rurality but together they deliver greater insight on more complex patterns and help to redefine the simple notion of rurality. The paper then utilises a novel graphical method, the constellation graph, providing a diagnostic and visual framework to aid planners when assessing the spatial dimensions of a locality.