bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toll-like receptor-4 agonist in post-haemorrhage pneumonia: role of dendritic and natural killer cells
Authors: Roquilly Antoine , Broquet Alexis , Jacqueline Cedric , Gautreau Laetitia , Segain Jean Pierre , de Coppet Pierre , Caillon Jocelyne , Altare Frédéric , Josien Regis , Asehnoune Karim
Published: January 2013

Haemorrhage-induced immunosuppression has been linked to nosocomial infections. We assessed the impact of monophosphoryl lipid A, a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor-domain-containing adaptor protein inducing interferon-biased Toll-like receptor-4 agonist currently used as a vaccine adjuvant in humans, on post-haemorrhage susceptibility to infection.

We used a mouse model of post-haemorrhage pneumonia induced by methicillin-susceptibleStaphylococcus aureus. Monophosphoryl lipid A was administered intravenously after haemorrhage and before pneumonia onset.

Haemorrhage altered survival rate, increased lung damage (neutrophil accumulation, oedema and cytokine release) and altered the functions of dendritic and natural killer cells. Here, we show that monophosphoryl lipid A decreased systemic dissemination ofS. aureusand dampened inflammatory lung lesions. Monophosphoryl lipid A partially restored the capacity for antigen presentation and the transcriptional activity in dendritic cells. Monophosphoryl lipid A did not restore the interferon-γ mRNA but prevented interleukin-10 mRNA overexpression in natural killer cells compared with untreated mice.Ex vivomonophosphoryl lipid A-stimulated dendritic cells or natural killer cells harvested from haemorrhaged animals were adoptively transferred into mice undergoing post-haemorrhage pneumonia. Stimulated dendritic cells (but not stimulated natural killer cells) improved the survival rate compared with mice left untreated.In vivodepletion of natural killer cells decreased survival rate of monophosphoryl lipid A-treated mice.

Dendritic and natural killer cells are critically involved in the beneficial effects of monophosphoryl lipid A within post-haemorrhage pneumonia.
Describing right ventricular function
Authors: Vonk-Noordegraaf Anton , Westerhof Nico
Published: January 2013

In pulmonary hypertension and other conditions, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and left heart failure, right ventricular dysfunction is a prognostic determinant. Therefore, functional parameters pertaining to the right heart alone,i.e.independent of its loading conditions, should be used to quantify right ventricular disease progression and the results of treatment. Two methods to quantitatively describe right ventricular function are reviewed, the pressure–volume relationship and the pump function graph; examples of each method are given. How to estimate wall stress and how to describe diastolic ventricular properties are also discussed.
Fixed-dose combination antituberculosis therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Albanna Amr S. , Smith Benjamin M. , Cowan Deanna , Menzies Dick
Published: January 2013

Fixed-dose combination (FDC) formulations are currently recommended for the treatment of active tuberculosis (TB). We have conducted a systematic review to evaluate the risk of treatment failure or disease relapse, acquired drug resistance, bacterial conversion after 2 months of treatment, adverse events, adherence and treatment satisfaction associated with treatment of active TB using FDC or separate drug formulations.

We searched four electronic databases for randomised controlled trials and cohort studies. Results from trials that directly compared FDC to separate drug formulations were pooled. Results from other studies were reported separately.

We identified 2450 citations from which 15 controlled trials and four additional relevant studies were included. In the 15 trials there were no differences in acquired drug resistance, bacterial conversion after 2 months of treatment or adverse drug reactions with FDC or separate drug formulations. There was a trend toward higher risk of failure or relapse with FDC (pooled relative risk 1.28 (95% CI 0.99–1.7)). Based on individual study results, only one of two trials that assessed treatment satisfaction, and none of five that assessed patient adherence, favoured FDCs.

Although FDC formulations simplify TB therapy, the current evidence does not indicate that these formulations improve treatment outcomes among patients with active TB.
mTOR direct interactions with Rheb-GTPase and raptor: sub-cellular localization using fluorescence lifetime imaging
Authors: Yadav Rahul B , Burgos Pierre , Parker Anthony W , Iadevaia Valentina , Proud Christopher G , Allen Rodger A , O'Connell James P , Jeshtadi Ananya , Stubbs Christopher D , Botchway Stanley W
Published: January 2013

Background

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway has a key role in cellular regulation and several diseases. While it is thought that Rheb GTPase regulates mTOR, acting immediately upstream, while raptor is immediately downstream of mTOR, direct interactions have yet to be verified in living cells, furthermore the localisation of Rheb has been reported to have only a cytoplasmic cellular localization.

Results

In this study a cytoplasmic as well as a significant sub-cellular nuclear mTOR localization was shown , utilizing green and red fluorescent protein (GFP and DsRed) fusion and highly sensitive single photon counting fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) of live cells. The interaction of the mTORC1 components Rheb, mTOR and raptor, tagged with EGFP/DsRed was determined using fluorescence energy transfer-FLIM. The excited-state lifetime of EGFP-mTOR of ~2400 ps was reduced by energy transfer to ~2200 ps in the cytoplasm and to 2000 ps in the nucleus when co-expressed with DsRed-Rheb, similar results being obtained for co-expressed EGFP-mTOR and DsRed-raptor. The localization and distribution of mTOR was modified by amino acid withdrawal and re-addition but not by rapamycin.

Conclusions

The results illustrate the power of GFP-technology combined with FRET-FLIM imaging in the study of the interaction of signalling components in living cells, here providing evidence for a direct physical interaction between mTOR and Rheb and between mTOR and raptor in living cells for the first time.
Derangements of liver tissue bioenergetics in Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis
Authors: Al-Shamsi Mariam , Shahin Allen , Mensah-Brown Eric PK , Souid Abdul-Kader
Published: January 2013

Background

A novelin vitrosystem was employed to investigate liver tissue respiration (mitochondrial O2consumption) in mice treated with concanavalin A (Con A). This study aimed to investigate hepatocyte bioenergetics in this well-studied hepatitis model.

Methods

C57Bl/6 and C57Bl/6IFN-γ−/−mice were injected intravenously with 12 mg ConA/kg. Liver specimens were collected at various timepoints after injection and analyzed for cellular respiration and caspase activation. Serum was analyzed for interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and aminotransferases. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis was used to determine the phenotype of infiltrating cells, and light and electron microscopy were used to monitor morphological changes. Phosphorescence analyzer that measured dissolved O2as function of time was used to evaluate respiration.

Results

In sealed vials, O2concentrations in solutions containing liver specimen and glucose declined linearly with time, confirming zero-order kinetics of hepatocyte respiration. O2consumption was inhibited by cyanide, confirming the oxidation occurred in the respiratory chain. Enhanced liver respiration (by ≈68%, p<0.02) was noted 3 hr after ConA treatment, and occurred in conjunction with limited cellular infiltrations around the blood vessels. Diminished respiration (by ≈30%,p=0.005) was noted 12 hr after ConA treatment, and occurred in conjunction with deranged mitochondria, areas of necrosis, and prominent infiltrations with immune cells, most significantly, CD3+NKT+cells. Increases in intracellular caspase activity and serum IFN-γ and aminotransferase levels were noted 3 hr after ConA treatment and progressed with time. The above-noted changes were less pronounced in C57Bl/6 IFN-γ−/−mice treated with ConA.

Conclusions

Based on these results, liver tissue bioenergetics is increased 3 hr after ConA exposure. This effect is driven by the pathogenesis of the disease, in which IFN-γ and other cytokines contribute to. Subsequent declines in liver bioenergetics appear to be a result of necrosis and active caspases targeting the mitochondria within hepatocytes.
Meta-analysis of associations between TCF7L2 polymorphisms and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Chinese population
Authors: Wang Jinjin , Hu Fulan , Feng Tianping , Zhao Jingzhi , Yin Lei , Li Linlin , Wang Yan , Wang Qian , Hu Dongsheng
Published: January 2013

Background

Associations between transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been evaluated extensively in multiple ethnic groups.TCF7L2has emerged as the strongest T2DM susceptibility gene in Europeans, but the findings have been inconsistent in the Chinese population. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the associations betweenTCF7L2single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and T2DM risk in the Chinese population.

Methods

We performed searches in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Chinese databases (CNKI, CQVIP and Wanfang databases) for literature published from January 2007 to February 2012. We reviewed all relevant articles onTCF7L2polymorphisms and susceptibility to T2DM in the Chinese population written in English and Chinese. Two reviewers extracted data independently using a standardized protocol, and any discrepancies were adjudicated by a third reviewer. Fixed-effects and random-effects meta-analyses were performed to pool the odds ratios (ORs). Publication bias and heterogeneity were examined.

Results

A total of 21 articles were confirmed to be eligible for and included in this meta-analysis: 7 (with 3942 cases and 3502 controls) concerning rs11196218 (IVS−/+4G>A), 8 (with 3377 cases and 2975 controls) concerning rs290487 (IVS3−/+C>T), and 14 (with 7902 cases and 7436 controls) concerning rs7903146 (IVS3−/+C>T). Overall, the results showed a significant association between rs7903146 and T2DM risk. The pooled ORs were 1.54 for the comparison of T and C alleles (95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.37–1.74,p= 1.47 × 10-12,I2= 25.20%) and 1.56 for TC heterozygotes and CC homozygotes (95% CI : 1.38–1.76,p= 8.25 × 10-9,I2= 21.00%). The rs11196218(IVS4G>A) and rs290487 (IVS3C>T) SNPs were not associated with T2DM risk.

Conclusions

The rs7903146 SNP of theTCF7L2gene is associated with increased susceptibility to T2DM in the Chinese population as a whole as well as northern Chinese and southern Chinese as subgroups.
Association of the 5HTR2A gene with suicidal behavior: CASE-control study and updated meta-analysis
Authors: González-Castro Thelma Beatriz , Tovilla-Zárate Carlos , Juárez-Rojop Isela , Pool García Sherezada , Velázquez-Sánchez Martha Patricia , Genis Alma , Nicolini Humberto , López Narváez Lilia
Published: January 2013

Background

The polymorphism rs6313 (T102C) has been associated with suicidal behavior in case–control and meta-analysis studies, but results and conclusions remain controversial. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between T102C with suicidal behavior in a case–control study and, to assess the combined evidence – this case–control study and available data from other related studies – we carried out a meta-analysis.

Methods

We conducted a case–control study that included 161 patients with suicide attempts and 244 controls; we then performed a meta-analysis. The following models were evaluated in the meta-analysis: A) C allele vs T allele; B) T allele vs C allele; C) Caucasian population, D) Asian population, and E) suicide attempters with schizophrenia.

Results

We found an association between attempted suicide and control participants for genotype (χ2=6.28, p=0.04, df=2) and allele (χ2=6.17, p=0.01, df=1, OR 1.48 95% IC: 1.08-2.03) frequencies in the case–control study. The meta-analysis, comprising 23 association studies (including the present one), showed that the rs6313 polymorphism is not associated with suicidal behavior for the following comparisons:T allele vs C allele (OR: 1.03; 95% CI 0.93-1.13; p(Z)=0.44); C allele vs T allele: (OR:0.99; 95% CI: 0.90-1.08; p(Z)=0.22); Caucasians (OR:1.09; 95% CI: 0.96-1.23), and Asians (OR:0.96; 95% CI: 0.84-1.09).

Conclusion

Our results showed association between the rs6313 (T102C) polymorphism and suicidal behavior in the case–control study. However, the meta-analysis showed no evidence of association. Therefore, more studies are necessary to determine conclusively an association between T102C and suicidal behavior.
Age at menarche and its relationship to body mass index among adolescent girls in Kuwait
Authors: Al-Awadhi Nora , Al-Kandari Nouf , Al-Hasan Teebah , AlMurjan Daliah , Ali Salhah , Al-Taiar Abdullah
Published: January 2013

Background

Despite the increasing rates of childhood obesity and rapid change in socio-economic status, the mean age at menarche remains mostly unknown among contemporary girls in Kuwait and other countries in the Gulf region. This study aimed to estimate the mean age at menarche among schoolgirls in Kuwait and investigate the association between age at menarche and obesity.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,273 randomly selected female high school students from all governorates in Kuwait. Overweight was defined as higher than or equal to the 85th percentile and obesity as higher than or equal to the 95th percentile using growth charts provided by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2000). Data on menarche, socio-demographic status, physical activity and diet were collected using confidential self-administered questionnaire.

Results

Out of 1,273 students, 23 (1.8%) were absent or refused to participate. The mean age at menarche was 12.41 years (95% CI: 12.35-12.48). The prevalence of early menarche, defined as less than 11 years of age, was 8.5% (95% CI: 7.0-10.2%). The prevalence of obesity and overweight was 18.3% (95% CI: 16.2-20.6%) and 25.8% (95% CI: 23.42-28.30%), respectively. Age at menarche was inversely and significantly associated with odds of overweight and obesity after adjusting for potential confounders, odds ratio 0.84 (0.77-0.93); (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Age at menarche among contemporary girls in Kuwait is similar to that in industrialized countries. There is an inverse association between age at menarche and obesity or overweight. Trends in menarcheal age should be monitored and time of sexual maturation and its related factors should be taken into account in strategies that aim to combat obesity.
Lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of surfactant proteins A1 and A2 in human renal tubular epithelial cells
Authors: Liu Jiao , Hu Fengqi , Wang Guirong , Zhou Qingshan , Ding Guohua
Published: January 2013

Background

Surfactant protein A (SP-A), encoded by two functional genes, SP-A1 and SP-A2, is essential for the inflammatory process and host defence in the lungs. Recent studies have demonstrated the extrapulmonary expression of SP-A. Similar to the lungs, the kidneys are organs exposed to external pathogens. The present study evaluated the expression and location of SP-A in the kidneys. The effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the expression of SP-A subtypes was also studied in renal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells.

Methods

Immunohistochemical staining was performed using polyclonal antibody against SP-A. RT-PCR was also performed using mRNA from normal human renal tissues and HK-2 cells. The expressions of the SP-A1 and SP-A2 genes were determined by PCR-based RFLP analysis, gene-specific amplification, and direct sequencing of RT-PCR products. Western blot was conducted to analyse the SP-A protein. HK-2 cells were treated with LPS at various concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 2, 5, and 10 μg/mL) for 8 h and at 5 μg/mL at various time points (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 h). The LPS-induced expressions of SP-A1 and SP-A2 mRNA and protein were analysed by RT-PCR and Western blot.

Results

SP-A was localised in the renal tubular epithelial cells in the proximal and distal convoluted tubules. SP-A1 and SP-A2 mRNA and protein were expressed in HK-2 cells and human renal tissues, which were significantly increased in time- and dose-dependent manners after LPS treatment (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Human renal tubular epithelial cells can express both SP-A1 and SP-A2 genes, which may play important roles in the inflammatory modulation of the kidney.
p-Type hydrogen sensing with Al- and V-doped TiO2 nanostructures
Authors: Li Zhaohui , Ding Dongyan , Ning Congqin
Published: January 2013

Doping with other elements is one of the efficient ways to modify the physical and chemical properties of TiO2 nanomaterials. In the present work, anatase TiO2 nanofilms doped with Al and V elements were fabricated through anodic oxidation of Ti6Al4V alloy and further annealing treatment. Hydrogen sensing behavior of the crystallized Ti-Al-V-O nanofilms at various working temperatures was investigated through exposure to 1,000 ppm H2. Different from n-type hydrogen sensing characteristics of undoped TiO2 nanotubes, the Al- and V-doped nanofilms presented a p-type hydrogen sensing behavior by showing increased resistance upon exposure to the hydrogen-containing atmosphere. The Ti-Al-V-O nanofilm annealed at 450°C was mainly composed of anatase phase, which was sensitive to hydrogen-containing atmosphere only at elevated temperatures. Annealing of the Ti-Al-V-O nanofilm at 550°C could increase the content of anatase phase in the oxide nanofilm and thus resulted in a good sensitivity and resistance recovery at both room temperature and elevated temperatures. The TiO2 nanofilms doped with Al and V elements shows great potential for use as a robust semiconducting hydrogen sensor.
Colloidal crystals by electrospraying polystyrene nanofluids
Authors: Coll Arnau , Bermejo Sandra , Hernández David , Castañer Luis
Published: January 2013

This work introduces the electrospray technique as a suitable option to fabricate large-scale colloidal nanostructures, including colloidal crystals, in just a few minutes. It is shown that by changing the deposition conditions, different metamaterials can be fabricated: from scattered monolayers of polystyrene nanospheres to self-assembled three-dimensional ordered nanolayers having colloidal crystal properties. The electrospray technique overcomes the main problems encountered by top-down fabrication approaches, largely simplifying the experimental setup. Polystyrene nanospheres, with 360-nm diameter, were typically electrosprayed using off-the-shelf nanofluids. Several parameters of the setup and deposition conditions were explored, namely the distance between electrodes, nanofluid conductivity, applied voltage, and deposition rate. Layers thicker than 20 μm and area of 1 cm2 were typically produced, showing several domains of tens of microns wide with dislocations in between, but no cracks. The applied voltage was in the range of 10 kV, and the conductivity of the colloidal solution was in the range of 3 to 4 mS. Besides the morphology of the layers, the quality was also assessed by means of optical reflectance measurements showing an 80% reflectivity peak in the vicinity of 950-nm wavelength.
Improved monaural speech segregation based on computational auditory scene analysis
Authors: Yu Wang , Jiajun Lin , Ning Chen , Wenhao Yuan
Published: January 2013

A lot of effort has been made in Computational Auditory Scene Analysis (CASA) to segregate target speech from monaural mixtures. Based on the principle of CASA, this article proposes an improved algorithm for monaural speech segregation. To extract the energy feature more accurately, the proposed algorithm improves the threshold selection for response energy in initial segmentation stage. Since the resulting mask map often contains broken auditory element groups after grouping stage, a smoothing stage is proposed based on morphological image processing. Through the combination of erosion and dilation operations, we suppress the intrusions by removing the unwanted particles and enhance the segregated speech by complementing the broken auditory elements. Systematic evaluation shows that the proposed segregation algorithm improves the output signal-to-noise ratio by an average of 8.55 dB and cuts the percentage of noise residue by an average of 25.36% compared with the mixture, yielding a significant improvement for speech segregation.
Monitoring of some pesticides residue in consumed tea in Tehran market
Authors: Amirahmadi Maryam , Shoeibi Shahram , Abdollahi Mehdi , Rastegar Hossein , Khosrokhavar Roya , Hamedani Morteza Pirali
Published: January 2013

Tea is an agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of various cultivars and sub-varieties of the Camellia sinensis plant, processed and vulcanized using various methods. Tea is a main beverage in Iranian food basket so should be free from toxic elements such as pesticides residue. There is no data bank on the residue of pesticides in the consumed black tea in Iran. The present study is the first attempt for monitoring of 25 pesticide residues from different chemical groups in tea samples obtained from local markets in Tehran, I.R. Iran during the period 2011. A reliable and accurate method based on spiked calibration curve and QuEChERS sample preparation was developed for determination of pesticide residues in tea by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The using of spiked calibration standards for constructing the calibration curve substantially reduced adverse matrix-related effects and negative recovery affected by GCB on pesticides. The recovery of pesticides at 3 concentration levels (n = 3) was in range of 81.4 - 99.4%. The method was proved to be repeatable with RSDr lower than 20%. The limits of quantification for all pesticides were ≤20 ng/g. 53 samples from 17 imported and manufactured brand were analyzed. Detectable pesticides residues were found in 28.3% (15 samples) of the samples. All of the positive samples were contaminated with unregulated pesticides (Endosulfan Sulfate or Bifenthrin) which are established by ISIRI. None of the samples had contamination higher than maximum residue limit set by EU and India.
Risk of bacterial contamination of bone harvesting devices used for autogenous bone graft in implant surgery
Authors: Takamoto Megumi , Takechi Masaaki , Ohta Kouji , Ninomiya Yoshiaki , Ono Shigehiro , Shigeishi Hideo , Tada Misato , Kamata Nobuyuki
Published: January 2013

Background

Various instruments have been developed for collecting bone debris during intraoral autogenous bone graft procedures in implant surgery. The aim of this study was to quantitatively determine the degree of contamination in bone debris collected by different devices.

Methods

Twelve patients underwent autogenous bone collection using a bone chisel, bone scraper, trephine drill, and bone filter during bone augmentation surgery as a part of implant therapy, and the total bacterial count in bone debris collected by each was determined.

Results

Following anaerobic incubation, bacterial colony formation was found in all of the samples. The mean colony forming units (CFU)/g in samples collected by the trephine drill was found to be significantly lower than that of samples obtained with the other devices, while those values for samples collected by the bone scraper and bone filter was significantly higher as compared to the bone chisel and trephine drill.

Conclusion

The bacterial levels may still carry the infection risk. Thus prophylactic antibiotic therapy maybe indicated when using bone particles for intraoral augmentation procedures.
A resource management scenario for traditional and scientific management of pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus paulensis) in the Patos Lagoon estuary (RS), Brazil
Authors: Moura Gustavo Goulart Moreira , Kalikoski Daniela Coswig , Diegues Antonio Carlos Sant’Ana
Published: January 2013

Background

This article aims to discuss the incorporation of traditional time in the construction of a management scenario for pink shrimp in the Patos Lagoon estuary (RS), Brazil. To meet this objective, two procedures have been adopted; one at a conceptual level and another at a methodological level. At the conceptual level, the concept of traditional time as a form of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) was adopted.

Method

At the methodological level, we conduct a wide literature review of the scientific knowledge (SK) that guides recommendations for pink shrimp management by restricting the fishing season in the Patos Lagoon estuary; in addition, we review the ethno-scientific literature which describes traditional calendars as a management base for artisanal fishers in the Patos Lagoon estuary.

Results

Results demonstrate that TEK and SK describe similar estuarine biological processes, but are incommensurable at a resource management level. On the other hand, the construction of a “management scenario” for pink shrimp is possible through the development of “criteria for hierarchies of validity” which arise from a productive dialog between SK and TEK.

Conclusions

The commensurable and the incommensurable levels reveal different basis of time-space perceptions between traditional ecological knowledge and scientific knowledge. Despite incommensurability at the management level, it is possible to establish guidelines for the construction of “management scenarios” and to support a co-management process.
Metabolic syndrome among students attending a historically black college: prevalence and gender differences
Authors: Topè Avinash M , Rogers Phyllis F
Published: January 2013

Background

There are limited data on the prevalence rate of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) among college students attending any Historically Black College and University (HBCU), which are mostly attended by young African Americans (AA). We report the prevalence and gender differences in the components of MetS in a sample population from an HBCU campus.

Methods

Three hundred and seventy six (218 females and 158 males) first year college students (average age 19.8 years), attending Kentucky State University, Frankfort with no prior diagnosis of illness participated in the cross sectional study. Anthropometric screenings included measurement of height, weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI). The clinical screenings included measurement of blood pressure and determination of fasting lipid and glucose concentrations. The National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definitions for MetS were applied. Statistics: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) scores on the Means procedure were used to examine differences between genders for all anthropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters. Fisher’s exact chi-square tests were used to analyze the prevalence of MetS criteria per gender, the number of MetS criteria per BMI category and the prevalence of MetS criteria. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05 for all tests.

Results

Prevalence rates for MetS criteria varied depending on the definition used. According to the NCEP ATP definition, 31.4% of the sample population had at least 1 criterion for MetS, while 20.7% had 2 criteria. When IDF definition was applied, 21.3% sample population had 1 criterion and 17.5% had at least two criteria. Prevalence was highest for low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (37.3%) and elevated fasting glucose (22.1%). On the basis of the NCEP ATP and IDF definitions, overall prevalence of MetS in the total sample was 12%, and 9.3% respectively.

Conclusions

HBCUs offer a unique opportunity to monitor and address the risk factors of MetS in a predominantly young AA population. There is a higher prevalence of MetS in this study population than any other reports on college students.
Production, purification and characterization of a novel thermotolerant endoglucanase (CMCase) from Bacillus strain isolated from cow dung
Authors: Sadhu Sangrila , Saha Pradipta , Sen Sukanta K , Mayilraj Shanmugam , Maiti Tushar Kanti
Published: January 2013

In an attempt to screen out cellulase producing bacteria from herbivorous animal fecal matter it was possible to isolate a potent bacterium from cow dung. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus sp. using 16S rDNA based molecular phylogenetic approach. The effect of different agricultural wastes, paper wastes and carboxymethyl cellulose on endoglucanase production was tested and was found to produce maximally at 8% carboxymethyl cellulose. The endoglucanase was precipitated by ammonium sulfate saturation and purified by DEAE- Sepharose column. The purification was achieved 8.5 fold from the crude extract with a yield of 68.1%. The molecular weight of the protein was determined to be 97 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The enzymatic activity was moderately reduced by detergents (SDS, Tween-80), metal ions (MnCl2, ZnCl2) and EDTA. The endoglucanase was stable between pH 5.0 – 9.0 and temperature between 20−70°C with optimal activity at pH 7.0 and temperature 50°C. The apparent Km value of the enzyme for the substrate carboxymethyl cellulose was recorded to be 0.25 mg/ml. The endoglucanase was stable in the presence of commercial detergents such as Ariel, Surf Excel and Tide, indicated might be of potential applications in detergent industry. The enzyme from this strain could also be applied in bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars.
Modeling Age at Menopause Using Serum Concentration of Anti-Mullerian Hormone
Authors: Tehrani Fahimeh Ramezani , Solaymani-Dodaran Masoud , Tohidi Maryam , Gohari Mahmood Reza , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: January 2013

Context:

Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) has already been used for prediction of age at menopause with promising results.

Objective:

We aimed to improve our previous prediction of age at menopause in a population-based cohort by including all eligible subjects and additional follow-up time.

Design and Setting:

All reproductive-aged women who met our eligibility criteria were selected from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. The serum concentration of AMH was measured at the time of recruitment, and participant's date of menopause was recorded over a 10-year follow-up.

Subjects:

A total of 1015 women, aged 20 to 50 years, with regular and predictable menstrual cycles at the initiation of the study were recruited.

Main Outcome Measure:

The actual ages at menopause were compared with the predicted ones obtained from accelerated failure time model.

Results:

We observed 277 occurrences of menopause. Median menopausal age was 50 years (range 30.1–58.2 years). The median (SD) of differences between the actual menopausal age and those predicted by our model was 0.5 (2.5) years. Model adequacy (measured by C-statistics) for correct prediction of age at menopause was 92%. The estimated ages at menopause and their 95% confidence intervals for a range of values of AMH and age were calculated and summarized in a table.

Conclusions:

Using a model built on age and AMH, we can predict age at menopause many years earlier. This could provide opportunities for interventions in those who are at risk of early or late menopause.
β-Arrestin-Selective G Protein-Coupled Receptor Agonists Engender Unique Biological Efficacy in Vivo
Authors: Gesty-Palmer Diane , Yuan Ling , Martin Bronwen , Wood William H. , Lee Mi-Hye , Janech Michael G. , Tsoi Lam C. , Zheng W. Jim , Luttrell Louis M. , Maudsley Stuart
Published: January 2013

Biased G protein-coupled receptor agonists are orthosteric ligands that possess pathway-selective efficacy, activating or inhibiting only a subset of the signaling repertoire of their cognate receptors. In vitro, d-Trp12,Tyr34-bPTH(7–34) [bPTH(7–34)], a biased agonist for the type 1 PTH receptor, antagonizes receptor-G protein coupling but activates arrestin-dependent signaling. In vivo, both bPTH(7–34) and the conventional agonist hPTH(1–34) stimulate anabolic bone formation. To understand how two PTH receptor ligands with markedly different in vitro efficacy could elicit similar in vivo responses, we analyzed transcriptional profiles from calvarial bone of mice treated for 8 wk with vehicle, bPTH(7–34) or hPTH(1–34). Treatment of wild-type mice with bPTH(7–34) primarily affected pathways that promote expansion of the osteoblast pool, notably cell cycle regulation, cell survival, and migration. These responses were absent in β-arrestin2-null mice, identifying them as downstream targets of β-arrestin2-mediated signaling. In contrast, hPTH(1–34) primarily affected pathways classically associated with enhanced bone formation, including collagen synthesis and matrix mineralization. hPTH(1–34) actions were less dependent on β-arrestin2, as might be expected of a ligand capable of G protein activation. In vitro, bPTH(7–34) slowed the rate of preosteoblast proliferation, enhanced osteoblast survival when exposed to an apoptotic stimulus, and stimulated cell migration in wild-type, but not β-arrestin2-null, calvarial osteoblasts. These results suggest that bPTH(7–34) and hPTH(1–34) affect bone mass in vivo through predominantly separate genomic mechanisms created by largely distinct receptor-signaling networks and demonstrate that functional selectivity can be exploited to change the quality of G protein-coupled receptor efficacy.
Hexosamine Biosynthesis Impairs Insulin Action via a Cholesterolgenic Response
Authors: Penque Brent A. , Hoggatt April M. , Herring B. Paul , Elmendorf Jeffrey S.
Published: January 2013

Plasma membrane cholesterol accumulation has been implicated in cellular insulin resistance. Given the role of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) as a sensor of nutrient excess, coupled to its involvement in the development of insulin resistance, we delineated whether excess glucose flux through this pathway provokes a cholesterolgenic response induced by hyperinsulinemia. Exposing 3T3-L1 adipocytes to physiologically relevant doses of hyperinsulinemia (250pM–5000pM) induced a dose-dependent gain in the mRNA/protein levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGR). These elevations were associated with elevated plasma membrane cholesterol. Mechanistically, hyperinsulinemia increased glucose flux through the HBP and O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification of specificity protein 1 (Sp1), known to activate cholesterolgenic gene products such as the sterol response element-binding protein (SREBP1) and HMGR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that increased O-GlcNAc modification of Sp1 resulted in a higher binding affinity of Sp1 to the promoter regions of SREBP1 and HMGR. Luciferase assays confirmed that HMGR promoter activity was elevated under these conditions and that inhibition of the HBP with 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) prevented hyperinsulinemia-induced activation of the HMGR promoter. In addition, both DON and the Sp1 DNA-binding inhibitor mithramycin prevented the hyperinsulinemia-induced increases in HMGR mRNA/protein and plasma membrane cholesterol. In these mithramycin-treated cells, both cortical filamentous actin structure and insulin-stimulated glucose transport were restored. Together, these data suggest a novel mechanism whereby increased HBP activity increases Sp1 transcriptional activation of a cholesterolgenic program, thereby elevating plasma membrane cholesterol and compromising cytoskeletal structure essential for insulin action.
Involutionary Momentum: Affective Ecologies and the Sciences of Plant/Insect Encounters
Authors: Hustak Carla , Myers Natasha
Published: January 2013

This essay puts forth a theory of “affective ecologies” encompassing plant, animal, and human interactions. The authors’ formulation of “involution” favors a coevolution of organisms that act not on competitive pressures but on affective relations. Drawing in particular from—and challenging—Darwinian and neo-Darwinian accounts of orchid-insect contact and controversial research on plant communication, Hustak and Myers demonstrate the interdependence of seemingly unrelated life forms. The evolving entity within this framework is not an individual organism but a community of organisms in communication with one another, exemplified by the transmission of information through chemical signaling among plants, which forces readers to question what it means to communicate. This relationality also begs a reconsideration of the dynamic between a human subject who conducts an experiment and an animal or plant object of study, which the essay approaches by showing how Darwin became a participant in his own orchid experiments. Taken together, these feminist readings of ecological and evolutionary phenomena result in the dissolution of species and even kingdom boundaries.
Sensational Jellyfish: Aquarium Affects and the Matter of Immersion
Authors: Hayward Eva
Published: January 2013

This essay combines impressions of the Drifters exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium with reflections on how one might approach an encounter with a being whose ways of knowing and sensing challenge anthrocentric logics. Rather than view the immersive exhibit’s jellyfishes as part of a romanticized nature in opposition to human culture or as sympathetic by virtue of some forced familiarity to humans, the author traces the path by which “jellies” have exerted a unique agency throughout the history of their captivity and, in doing so, forges a politics of the alien, in which empathy does not rely on similarity. This essay does for the reader what the aquarium has done for the author: paints a multisensory picture of the world experienced through the tentacles of a creature historically reduced to the object of human spectatorship. Though she demonstrates how humans have constructed the ocean by displaying organisms necessarily removed from their natural habitat, the author holds this train of thought in suspension to contemplate the aspects of sea life that have escaped the epistemological taming that makes the mysterious ocean intelligible to land-dwelling humans. The radical alterity of jellies serves as a reminder of the limits of anthrocentric, anthropomorphic, and scopophilic knowledge.
On Touching—the Inhuman That Therefore I Am
Authors: Barad Karen
Published: January 2013

This essay explores the act of touching as it takes place in physical matter, in theorizing, and in the productive spaces where the two are indistinguishable. First, the author considers how feminist theory goes about touching science and unpacks touch as an act that reveals the self within the other and the other within the self. The essay then offers a tutorial in quantum field theory to prepare the reader for an unexpected interlocutor on the topic of touching: the electron. As Barad demonstrates with descriptions of electrons and how they have troubled physicists to the point of being “normalized” and called “immoral,” these particles resist normative notions of physical contact; they are perverse. On the human scale, electrons trouble the notion of touch by making it impossible to close the distance between atoms: the sense of touch paradoxically relies on electric repulsion between neighboring objects. On the subatomic scale, each electron gleans its energy from touching itself as if undergoing an exchange with another. Not only does the presence of contact come from its absence but also the presence of electrons themselves relies on a void holding their virtual counterparts. On every level, one can never reach the other—even the other within oneself. This paradox on the micro scale that constitutes all macro-scale matter calls into question the spatial and temporal fixity of identity. Barad shows that the notion of a unified, autonomous self is problematic not just on the personal level but on the particle level as well, and she responds to this deconstruction of matter with an ethics of response-ability.
Early stages of retinal development depend on Sec13 function
Authors: Schmidt Katy , Cavodeassi Florencia , Feng Yi , Stephens David J.
Published: January 2013

ER-to-Golgi transport of proteins destined for the extracellular space or intracellular compartments depends on the COPII vesicle coat and is constitutive in all translationally active cells. Nevertheless, there is emerging evidence that this process is regulated on a cell- and tissue-specific basis, which means that components of the COPII coat will be of differential importance to certain cell types. The COPII coat consists of an inner layer, Sec23/24 and an outer shell, Sec13/31. We have shown previously that knock-down of Sec13 results in concomitant loss of Sec31. In zebrafish and cultured human cells this leads to impaired trafficking of large cargo, namely procollagens, and is causative for defects in craniofacial and gut development. It is now widely accepted that the outer COPII coat is key to the architecture and stability of ER export vesicles containing large, unusual cargo proteins. Here, we investigate zebrafish eye development following Sec13 depletion. We find that photoreceptors degenerate or fail to develop from the onset. Impaired collagen trafficking from the retinal pigment epithelium and defects in overall retinal lamination also seen in Sec13-depleted zebrafish might have been caused by increased apoptosis and reduced topical proliferation in the retina. Our data show that the outer layer of the COPII coat is also necessary for the transport of large amounts of cargo proteins, in this case rhodopsin, rather than just large cargo as previously thought.
Structural failures of the blood–gas barrier and the epithelial–epithelial cell connections in the different vascular regions of the lung of the domestic fowl, Gallus gallus variant domesticus, at rest and during exercise
Authors: Maina John N. , Jimoh Sikiru A.
Published: January 2013

Structural failure of blood–gas barrier (BGB) and epithelial–epithelial cell connections (EECCs) in different vascular regions of the exchange tissue of the lung was studied in rested and exercised chickens. The number of red blood cells (nRBCs) was counted and protein concentration (PC) measured after lavaging the respiratory system, and blood was sampled to determine the blood lactate levels (BLLs). The numbers of complete BGB breaks (nBGBBs) and those of the EECCs (nEECCBs) were counted in the different vascular territories of the lung. The nRBCs and the PCs increased with increasing exercise intensities but the rate of increase decreased at higher workloads. From rest to the fastest experimental treadmill speed of 2.95 m.sec−1, BLLs increased 4-fold. In all cases, the nEECCBs exceeded those of the BGB, showing that structurally the BGB is relatively weaker than the EECC. The increase in the number of breaks with increasing exercise can be attributed to increase in the pulmonary capillary blood pressure (PCBP) from faster heart rates and higher cardiac outputs, while the leveling out of the measurements made at higher workloads may have arisen from hemodynamic changes that initially ensued from exudation of blood plasma and then flow of blood into the air capillaries on failure of the BGB. The relative differences in the nBGBBs and the nEECCBs in the different vascular regions of the lung were ascribed to diameters of the branches and their points of origin and angles of bifurcation from the pulmonary artery. Presence of RBCs in the air capillaries of the lungs of rested chickens showed that failure of the BGB commonly occurs even in healthy and unstressed birds. Rapid repair and/or defense responses, which were observed, may explain how birds cope with mechanical injuries of the BGB.
A new murine model of stress-induced complex atherosclerotic lesions
Authors: Najafi Amir H. , Aghili Nima , Tilan Justin U. , Andrews James A. , Peng XinZhi , Lassance-Soares Roberta M. , Sood Subeena , Alderman Lee O. , Abe Ken , Li Lijun , Kolodgie Frank D. , Virmani Renu , Zukowska Zofia , Epstein Stephen E. , Burnett Mary Susan
Published: January 2013

The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine whether ApoE-/- mice, when subjected to chronic stress, exhibit lesions characteristic of human vulnerable plaque and, if so, to determine the time course of such changes. We found that the lesions were remarkably similar to human vulnerable plaque, and that the time course of lesion progression raised interesting insights into the process of plaque development. Lard-fed mixed-background ApoE-/- mice exposed to chronic stress develop lesions with large necrotic core, thin fibrous cap and a high degree of inflammation. Neovascularization and intraplaque hemorrhage are observed in over 80% of stressed animals at 20 weeks of age. Previously described models report a prevalence of only 13% for neovascularization observed at a much later time point, between 36 and 60 weeks of age. Thus, our new stress-induced model of advanced atherosclerotic plaque provides an improvement over what is currently available. This model offers a tool to further investigate progression of plaque phenotype to a more vulnerable phenotype in humans. Our findings also suggest a possible use of this stress-induced model to determine whether therapeutic interventions have effects not only on plaque burden, but also, and importantly, on plaque vulnerability.
Mechanisms ofprickle1afunction in zebrafish epilepsy and retinal neurogenesis
Authors: Mei Xue , Wu Shu , Bassuk Alexander G. , Slusarski Diane C.
Published: January 2013

Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked seizures. The etiology is heterogeneous with both genetic and environmental causes. Genes that regulate neurotransmitters and ion channels in the central nervous system have been associated with epilepsy. However, a recent screening in human epilepsy patients identified mutations in the PRICKLE1 (PK1) locus, highlighting a potentially novel mechanism underlying seizures. PK1 is a core component of the planar cell polarity network that regulates tissue polarity. Zebrafish studies have shown that Pk1 coordinates cell movement, neuronal migration and axonal outgrowth during embryonic development. Yet how dysfunction of Pk1 relates to epilepsy is unknown. To address the mechanism underlying epileptogenesis, we used zebrafish to characterize Pk1a function and epilepsy-related mutant forms. We show that knockdown of pk1a activity sensitizes zebrafish larva to a convulsant drug. To model defects in the central nervous system, we used the retina and found that pk1a knockdown induces neurite outgrowth defects; yet visual function is maintained. Furthermore, we characterized the functional and biochemical properties of the PK1 mutant forms identified in human patients. Functional analyses demonstrate that the wild-type Pk1a partially suppresses the gene knockdown retinal defects but not the mutant forms. Biochemical analysis reveals increased ubiquitylation of one mutant form and decreased translational efficiency of another mutant form compared with the wild-type Pk1a. Taken together, our results indicate that mutation of human PK1 could lead to defects in neurodevelopment and signal processing, providing insight into seizure predisposition in these patients.