bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FOXO3 Regulates the CD8 T Cell Response to a Chronic Viral Infection
Authors: Sullivan Jeremy A. , Kim Eui Ho , Plisch Erin H. , Suresh M.
Published: June 2012

Chronic infections with viruses such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and HIV constitute a major global public health problem. Studies of chronic viral infections in humans and mice show that persistent antigenic stimulation induces dysregulation of T cell responses; virus-specific T cells either undergo clonal deletion or lose their ability to display the full spectrum of effector functions, a condition termed functional exhaustion. The ability to generate and retain sufficient numbers of functionally competent T cells, therefore, becomes vitally important in controlling chronic viral infections. Our understanding of the mechanisms governing T cell homeostasis during chronic viral infections, however, is poor. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway controls cell fate decisions in many cell types by modulating the activity of downstream effectors, including the FOXO family of transcription factors. We have observed dynamic,
in vivo
alterations in the phosphorylation levels of three key proteins (Akt, FOXO1/FOXO3 [FOXO1/3], and mammalian target of rapamycin [mTOR]) involved in this signaling cascade and have identified the transcription factor FOXO3 as a negative regulator of the magnitude and effector function of CD8 T cells during chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection in mice. We report that ablation of FOXO3 in T cells reduced apoptosis, increased the abundance of polyfunctional virus-specific CD8 T cells, and improved viral control. Thus, FOXO3 is a promising candidate target for immunotherapies of chronic viral infection.
Influenza Virus Protein PB1-F2 Inhibits the Induction of Type I Interferon by Binding to MAVS and Decreasing Mitochondrial Membrane Potential
Authors: Varga Zsuzsanna T. , Grant Alesha , Manicassamy Balaji , Palese Peter
Published: June 2012

PB1-F2 is a small, 87- to 90-amino-acid-long protein encoded by the +1 alternate open reading frame of the PB1 gene of most influenza A virus strains. It has been shown to contribute to viral pathogenicity in a host- and strain-dependent manner, and we have previously discovered that a serine at position 66 (66S) in the PB1-F2 protein increases virulence of the 1918 and H5N1 pandemic viruses. Recently, we have shown that PB1-F2 inhibits the induction of type I interferon (IFN) at the level of the MAVS adaptor protein. However, the molecular mechanism for the IFN antagonist function of PB1-F2 has remained unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that the C-terminal portion of the PB1-F2 protein binds to MAVS in a region that contains the transmembrane domain. Strikingly, PB1-F2 66S was observed to bind to MAVS more efficiently than PB1-F2 66N. We also tested the effect of PB1-F2 on the IFN antagonist functions of the polymerase proteins PB1, PB2, and PA and observed enhanced IFN inhibition by the PB1 and PB2 proteins in combination with PB1-F2 but not by the PA protein. Using a flow cytometry-based assay, we demonstrate that the PB1-F2 protein inhibits MAVS-mediated IFN synthesis by decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Interestingly, PB1-F2 66S affected the MMP more efficiently than wild-type PB1-F2. In summary, the results of our study identify the molecular mechanism by which the influenza virus PB1-F2 N66S protein increases virulence.
Hepatitis C Virus Infection Alters P-Body Composition but Is Independent of P-Body Granules
Authors: Pérez-Vilaró Gemma , Scheller Nicoletta , Saludes Verónica , Díez Juana
Published: June 2012

Processing bodies (P-bodies) are highly dynamic cytoplasmic granules conserved among eukaryotes. They are present under normal growth conditions and contain translationally repressed mRNAs together with proteins from the mRNA decay and microRNA (miRNA) machineries. We have previously shown that the core P-body components PatL1, LSm1, and DDX6 (Rck/p54) are required for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication; however, how HCV infection affects P-body granules and whether P-body granulesper seinfluence the HCV life cycle remain unresolved issues. Here we show that HCV infection alters P-body composition by specifically changing the localization pattern of P-body components that are required for HCV replication. This effect was not related to an altered expression level of these components and could be reversed by inhibiting HCV replication with a polymerase inhibitor. Similar observations were obtained with a subgenomic replicon that supports only HCV translation and replication, indicating that these early steps of the HCV life cycle trigger the P-body alterations. Finally, P-body disruption by Rap55 depletion did not affect viral titers or HCV protein levels, demonstrating that the localization of PatL1, LSm1, and DDX6 in P-bodies is not required for their function on HCV. Thus, the HCV-induced changes on P-bodies are mechanistically linked to the function of specific P-body components in HCV RNA translation and replication; however, the formation of P-body granules is not required for HCV infection.
Solution Structure, Conformational Dynamics, and CD4-Induced Activation in Full-Length, Glycosylated, Monomeric HIV gp120
Authors: Guttman Miklos , Kahn Maria , Garcia Natalie K. , Hu Shiu-Lok , Lee Kelly K.
Published: June 2012

The gp120 subunit of the HIV Env glycoprotein is responsible for receptor interactions leading to viral entry and is a primary target for neutralizing antibodies. Most structural studies have focused on the heavily truncated, deglycosylated gp120 core, leaving fundamental aspects of the glycoprotein that are responsible for immune evasion and receptor-induced activation unresolved. Here we investigate full-length, glycosylated HIV gp120 in unliganded and CD4-bound forms by using small-angle X-ray scattering to visualize global structural reorganization and hydrogen/deuterium exchange to track changes in local conformational dynamics. The studies revealed unliganded full-length gp120 to be considerably more dynamic, particularly at the CD4 binding site, than suggested by previous studies of the subunit core alone. The large V1/V2 loops, previously unmapped, are positioned to mask the coreceptor binding site in an orientation that recapitulates that observed in the Env trimer. CD4 binding shifts V1/V2 to unmask the coreceptor binding site and triggers profound dynamic changes in gp120 spanning from the binding site to the gp41-interactive face of gp120. These findings provide further insights on the structural basis of Env antigenicity and immunogenicity and of allosteric effects upon receptor binding.
The use of dynamic landscape metapopulation models for forest management: a case study of the red-backed salamander
Authors: Gordon Ascelin , Wintle Brendan A. , Bekessy Sarah A. , Pearce Jennie L. , Venier Lisa A. , Wilson Joab N.
Published: June 2012

Spatial models of population dynamics have been proposed as a useful method for predicting the impacts of environmental change on biodiversity. Here, we demonstrate advances in dynamic landscape metapopulation modelling and its use as a decision support tool for evaluating the impacts of forest management scenarios. This novel modelling framework incorporates both landscape and metapopulation model stochasticity and allows their relative contributions to model output variance to be characterized. It includes a detailed sensitivity analysis, allowing defensible uncertainty bounds and the prioritization of future data gathering to reduce model uncertainties. We demonstrate this framework by modelling the landscape-level impacts of eight forest management scenarios on the red-backed salamander ( Plethodon cinereus (Green, 1818)) in the boreal forest of Ontario, Canada, using the RAMAS Landscape package. The 100 year forest management scenarios ranged in intensity of timber harvesting and fire suppression. All scenarios including harvesting predicted decreases in salamander population size and the current style of forest management is predicted to produce a 9%–17% decrease in expected minimum population size compared with scenarios without harvesting. This method is amenable to incorporating many forms of environmental change and allows a meaningful treatment of uncertainty.
TEST OF NL-RA1 RELATIVISTIC EFFECTIVE INTERACTION FOR THE STRUCTURE OF DEFORMED AND SUPERHEAVY NUCLEI
Authors: RASHDAN M.
Published: June 2012

The NL-RA1 effective interaction of the relativistic mean field theory is employed to study the structure of deformed and superheavy nuclei, using an axially deformed harmonic oscillator basis. It is found that a fair agreement with the experimental data is obtained for the binding energies (BE), deformation parameters and charge radii. Comparison with NL-Z2, NLSH and NL3 interactions show that NL-Z2 gives good binding but larger radii, while NL-SH gives good radii but larger binding. The NL-RA1 interaction is also tested for the new deformed superheavy element with Z≥98. Excellent agreement with the experimental binding is obtained, where the relative error in BEs of Cf, Fm, No, Rf, Sg and Ea (Z = 110) isotopes are found to be of the order ~0.1%. The NL3 predicted larger binding and larger relative errors ~0.2–0.5%. Furthermore, the experimental Q-values of the alpha-decay of the superheavy elements 270110, 288114 and 292116 are satisfactory reproduced by NL-RA1 interaction, where the agreement is much better than that predicted by the phenomenological mass FRDM model. Furthermore, the alpha-decay chain of element 294118 are also better reproduced by NL-RA1 interaction.
SOME INVERSE RELATIONS AND THETA FUNCTION IDENTITIES
Authors: LIU ZHI-GUO
Published: June 2012

Two pairs of inverse relations for elliptic theta functions are established with the method of Fourier series expansion, which allow us to recover many classical results in theta functions. Many nontrivial new theta function identities are discovered. Some curious trigonometric identities are derived.
Frontal eye field microstimulation induces task-dependent gamma oscillations in the lateral intraparietal area
Authors: Premereur Elsie , Vanduffel Wim , Roelfsema Pieter R. , Janssen Peter
Published: June 2012

Macaque frontal eye fields (FEF) and the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) are high-level oculomotor control centers that have been implicated in the allocation of spatial attention. Electrical microstimulation of macaque FEF elicits functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activations in area LIP, but no study has yet investigated the effect of FEF microstimulation on LIP at the single-cell or local field potential (LFP) level. We recorded spiking and LFP activity in area LIP during weak, subthreshold microstimulation of the FEF in a delayed-saccade task. FEF microstimulation caused a highly time- and frequency-specific, task-dependent increase in gamma power in retinotopically corresponding sites in LIP: FEF microstimulation produced a significant increase in LIP gamma power when a saccade target appeared and remained present in the LIP receptive field (RF), whereas less specific increases in alpha power were evoked by FEF microstimulation for saccades directed away from the RF. Stimulating FEF with weak currents had no effect on LIP spike rates or on the gamma power during memory saccades or passive fixation. These results provide the first evidence for task-dependent modulations of LFPs in LIP caused by top-down stimulation of FEF. Since the allocation and disengagement of spatial attention in visual cortex have been associated with increases in gamma and alpha power, respectively, the effects of FEF microstimulation on LIP are consistent with the known effects of spatial attention.
Spatial and temporal properties of eye movements produced by electrical stimulation of semicircular canal afferents
Authors: Lewis Richard F. , Haburcakova Csilla , Gong Wangsong , Karmali Faisal , Merfeld Daniel M.
Published: June 2012

To investigate the characteristics of eye movements produced by electrical stimulation of semicircular canal afferents, we studied the spatial and temporal features of eye movements elicited by short-term lateral canal stimulation in two squirrel monkeys with plugged lateral canals, with the head upright or statically tilted in the roll plane. The electrically induced vestibuloocular reflex (eVOR) evoked with the head upright decayed more quickly than the stimulation signal provided by the electrode, demonstrating an absence of the classic velocity storage effect that improves the dynamics of the low-frequency VOR. When stimulation was provided with the head tilted in roll, however, the eVOR decayed more rapidly than when the head was upright, and a cross-coupled vertical response developed that shifted the eye's rotational axis toward alignment with gravity. These results demonstrate that rotational information provided by electrical stimulation of canal afferents interacts with otolith inputs (or other graviceptive cues) in a qualitatively normal manner, a process that is thought to be mediated by the velocity storage network. The observed interaction between the eVOR and graviceptive cues is of critical importance for the development of a functionally useful vestibular prosthesis. Furthermore, the presence of gravity-dependent effects (dumping, spatial orientation) despite an absence of low-frequency augmentation of the eVOR has not been previously described in any experimental preparation.
Examining the Effectiveness of a Case Management Program for Custodial Grandparent Families
Authors: Campbell Lenora , Carthron Dana L. , Miles Margaret Shandor , Brown LaShanda
Published: June 2012

Researchers have identified complex needs of custodial grandparent families and lack of access to needed resources such as housing, financial and legal assistance, and health care. Case management links these families with needed services while helping them develop skills to promote their health and well-being. This paper describes a case management program for custodial grandparent families using a nurse-social worker case management team. data were collected from 50 grandparents and 33 children using surveys and semi-structured instruments. Physical and mental health outcomes were measured using Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF 12) to measure the perceived quality of health for grandparents and the Child Behavior Checklist to measure the emotional and behavioral functioning of grandchildren. Grandparents more positively perceived their mental health after participating in the program. Perceptions about physical health were generally the same before and after the program. Grandparents' reported that many grandchildren had emotional and behavioral problems in the clinical range. These findings highlight the need for further research on the mental health needs of children being parented by grandparents as well as determining effective models and interventions to minimize adverse effects of parenting on grandparents.
An NR2B-Dependent Decrease in the Expression of trkB Receptors Precedes the Disappearance of Dopaminergic Cells in Substantia Nigra in a Rat Model of Presymptomatic Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Riquelme Eduardo , Abarca Jorge , Campusano Jorge M. , Bustos Gonzalo
Published: June 2012

Compensatory changes occurring during presymptomatic stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) would explain that the clinical symptoms of the disease appear late, when the degenerative process is quite advanced. Several data support the proposition that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could play a role in these plastic changes. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of the specific BDNF receptor, trkB, in a rat model of presymptomatic PD generated by intrastriatal injection of the neurotoxin 6-OHDA. Immunohistochemical studies revealed a decrease in trkB expression in SN pars compacta (SNc) seven days after 6-OHDA injection. At this time point, no change in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive (TH-IR) cells is detected, although a decrease is evident 14 days after neurotoxin injection. The decrease in TH-positive cells and trkB expression in SNc was significantly prevented by systemic administration of Ifenprodil, a specific antagonist of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors. Therefore, an NR2B-NMDA receptor-dependent decrease in trkB expression precedes the disappearance of TH-IR cells in SNc in response to 6-OHDA injection. These results support the idea that a functional coupling between NMDA receptors and BDNF/trkB signalling may be important for the maintenance of the dopaminergic phenotype in SNc during presymptomatic stages of PD.
Postpartum Uterine Wound Dehiscence Leading to Secondary PPH: Unusual Sequelae
Authors: Sengupta Dhar Rinku , Misra Renu
Published: June 2012

Secondary postpartum haemorrhage due to partial or complete dehiscence of uterine wound after caesarean section is unusual. Authors present here a patient with secondary postpartum haemorrhage following uterine dehiscence after caesarean delivery. Conservative management failed to control the bleeding, and she eventually needed hysterectomy. All women who have significant PPH following caesarean should undergo evaluation for any defect in the scar. Scar dehiscence has been diagnosed and repaired after many years of caesarean section in women with persistent abnormal bleeding. Therefore, this condition may have long-term implication if missed postpartum.
Risk Factors Related to Low Ankle-Brachial Index Measured by Traditional and Modified Definition in Hypertensive Elderly Patients
Authors: Monteiro Raphael , Marto Renata , Neves Mario Fritsch
Published: June 2012

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) increases with age and ankle-brachial index (ABI) ≤ 0.9 is a noninvasive marker of PAD. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors related to a low ABI in the elderly using two different methods of ABI calculation (traditional and modified definition using lower instead of higher ankle pressure). A cross-sectional study was carried out with 65 hypertensive patients aged 65 years or older. PAD was present in 18% of individuals by current ABI definition and in 32% by modified method. Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, higher levels of systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure, elevated risk by Framingham Risk Score (FRS), and a higher number of total and antihypertensive drugs in use were associated with low ABI by both definitions. Smoking and LDL-cholesterol were associated with low ABI only by the modified definition. Low ABI by the modified definition detected 9 new cases of PAD but cardiovascular risk had not been considered high in 3 patients when calculated by FRS. In conclusion, given that a simple modification of ABI calculation would be able to identify more patients at high risk, it should be considered for cardiovascular risk prediction in all elderly hypertensive outpatients.
Partial Androgen Deficiency, Depression, and Testosterone Supplementation in Aging Men
Authors: Amore Mario , Innamorati Marco , Costi Sara , Sher Leo , Girardi Paolo , Pompili Maurizio
Published: June 2012

The aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge on the correlation between depressive symptoms with a syndrome called partial androgen deficiency of the aging male (PADAM) and on the potential benefits of testosterone (T) treatment on mood. Despite, the causative nature of the relationship between low T levels and depression is uncertain, many hypogonadal men suffer from depression and vice versa several depressed patients are affected by hypogonadism. Supplementation with testosterone failed to show sound evidence of effectiveness in the treatment of depression. Nevertheless, testosterone supplementation has proved to be effective on some domains significant for the quality of life of aged patients with PADAM (sexual function and cognitive functions, muscular strengths).
Current Status of Treatment of Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy
Authors: Tanaka Fumiaki , Katsuno Masahisa , Banno Haruhiko , Suzuki Keisuke , Adachi Hiroaki , Sobue Gen
Published: June 2012

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is the first member identified among polyglutamine diseases characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy of the bulbar, facial, and limb muscles pathologically associated with motor neuron loss in the spinal cord and brainstem. Androgen receptor (AR), a disease-causing protein of SBMA, is a well-characterized ligand-activated transcription factor, and androgen binding induces nuclear translocation, conformational change and recruitment of coregulators for transactivation of AR target genes. Some therapeutic strategies for SBMA are based on these native functions of AR. Since ligand-induced nuclear translocation of mutant AR has been shown to be a critical step in motor neuron degeneration in SBMA, androgen deprivation therapies using leuprorelin and dutasteride have been developed and translated into clinical trials. Although the results of these trials are inconclusive, renewed clinical trials with more sophisticated design might prove the effectiveness of hormonal intervention in the near future. Furthermore, based on the normal function of AR, therapies targeted for conformational changes of AR including amino-terminal (N) and carboxy-terminal (C) (N/C) interaction and transcriptional coregulators might be promising. Other treatments targeted for mitochondrial function, ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), and autophagy could be applicable for all types of polyglutamine diseases.
Weak Convergence Theorems for Strictly Pseudocontractive Mappings and Generalized Mixed Equilibrium Problems
Authors: Jung Jong Soo
Published: June 2012

We introduce a new iterative method for finding a common element of the set of fixed points of a strictly pseudocontractive mapping, the set of solutions of a generalized mixed equilibrium problem, and the set of solutions of a variational inequality problem for an inverse‐strongly‐monotone mapping in Hilbert spaces and then show that the sequence generated by the proposed iterative scheme converges weakly to a common element of the above three sets under suitable control conditions. The results in this paper substantially improve, develop, and complement the previous well‐known results in this area.
The Effect of Nanoparticle Size on Cellular Binding Probability
Authors: Peretz Vital , Motiei Menachem , Sukenik Chaim N. , Popovtzer Rachela
Published: June 2012

Nanoparticle-based contrast agents are expected to play a major role in the future of molecular imaging due to their many advantages over the conventional contrast agents. These advantages include prolonged blood circulation time, controlled biological clearance pathways, and specific molecular targeting capabilities. Recent studies have provided strong evidence that molecularly targeted nanoparticles can home selectively onto tumors and thereby increase the local accumulation of nanoparticles in tumor sites. However, there are almost no reports regarding the number of nanoparticles that bind per cell, which is a key factor that determines the diagnostic efficiency and sensitivity of the overall molecular imaging techniques. Hence, in this research we have quantitatively investigated the effect of the size of the nanoparticle on its binding probability and on the total amount of material that can selectively target tumors, at a single cell level. We found that 90 nm GNPs is the optimal size for cell targeting in terms of maximal Au mass and surface area per single cancer cell. This finding should accelerate the development of general design principles for the optimal nanoparticle to be used as a targeted imaging contrast agent.
Monte Carlo Simulation Models Evolving in Replicated Runs: A Methodology to Choose the Optimal Experimental Sample Size
Authors: Cassettari Lucia , Mosca Roberto , Revetria Roberto
Published: June 2012

The idea of a methodology capable of determining in a precise and practical way the optimal sample size came from studying Monte Carlo simulation models concerning financial problems, risk analysis, and supply chain forecasting. In these cases the number of extractions from the frequency distributions characterizing the model is inadequate or limited to just one, so it is necessary to replicate simulation runs many times in order to obtain a complete statistical description of the model variables. Generally, as shown in the literature, the sample size is fixed by the experimenter based on empirical assumptions without considering the impact on result accuracy in terms of tolerance interval.
In this paper, the authors propose a methodology by means of which it is possible to graphically highlight the evolution of experimental error variance as a function of the sample size. Therefore, the experimenter can choose the best ratio between the experimental cost and the expected results.
Neural Stem Cells inDrosophila: Molecular Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Normal Neural Proliferation and Abnormal Brain Tumor Formation
Authors: Saini Nidhi , Reichert Heinrich
Published: June 2012

Neural stem cells inDrosophilaare currently one of the best model systems for understanding stem cell biology during normal development and during abnormal development of stem cell-derived brain tumors. InDrosophilabrain development, the proliferative activity of neural stem cells called neuroblasts gives rise to both the optic lobe and the central brain ganglia, and asymmetric cell divisions are key features of this proliferation. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the asymmetric cell divisions by which these neuroblasts self-renew and generate lineages of differentiating progeny have been studied extensively and involve two major protein complexes, the apical complex which maintains polarity and controls spindle orientation and the basal complex which is comprised of cell fate determinants and their adaptors that are segregated into the differentiating daughter cells during mitosis. Recent molecular genetic work has establishedDrosophilaneuroblasts as a model for neural stem cell-derived tumors in which perturbation of key molecular mechanisms that control neuroblast proliferation and the asymmetric segregation of cell fate determinants lead to brain tumor formation. Identification of novel candidate genes that control neuroblast self-renewal and differentiation as well as functional analysis of these genes in normal and tumorigenic conditions in a tissue-specific manner is now possible through genome-wide transgenic RNAi screens. These cellular and molecular findings inDrosophilaare likely to provide valuable genetic links for analyzing mammalian neural stem cells and tumor biology.
A Secure and Stable Multicast Overlay Network with Load Balancing for Scalable IPTV Services
Authors: Wei Tsao-Ta , Wang Chia-Hui , Chu Yu-Hsien , Chang Ray-I
Published: June 2012

The emerging multimedia Internet application IPTV over P2P network preserves significant advantages in scalability. IPTV media content delivered in P2P networks over public Internet still preserves the issues of privacy and intellectual property rights. In this paper, we use SIP protocol to construct a secure application-layer multicast overlay network for IPTV, called SIPTVMON. SIPTVMON can secure all the IPTV media delivery paths against eavesdroppers via elliptic-curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) key exchange on SIP signaling and AES encryption. Its load-balancing overlay tree is also optimized from peer heterogeneity and churn of peer joining and leaving to minimize both service degradation and latency. The performance results from large-scale simulations and experiments on different optimization criteria demonstrate SIPTVMON's cost effectiveness in quality of privacy protection, stability from user churn, and good perceptual quality of objective PSNR values for scalable IPTV services over Internet.
Fluctuation of Spuriously Elevated Troponin I: A Case Report
Authors: Ghali Sam , Lewis Keith , Kazan Viviane , Altorok Neezam , Taji Jamil , Taleb Mohammad , Lanka Kiranmayee , Assaly Ragheb
Published: June 2012

Serum troponin is a useful laboratory study for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. However, elevations can also be seen in a variety of other diseases processes. Falsely positive troponin values caused by interference with current troponin assays have been reported. We report a unique case that demonstrates the fluctuation of falsely elevated troponin correlating with hemoglobin, serving as a marker of heterophile antibody levels. A 74-year-old gentleman presented to our Emergency Department with a several-day history of increasing shortness of breath associated with a new-onset chest pain and a troponin I level of 77.28 ng/mL. Throughout his stay, fluctuations in measured troponin levels correlated strongly with fluctuations in hemoglobin levels. Several investigations confirmed false elevated troponin levels secondary to heterophile antibody interference. We conclude that hemoglobin trending in our patient represented a surrogate measure of his heterophile antibody titers with time and that fluctuations in these levels correlated with respective fluctuations in the falsely elevated troponin levels.
Does Meconium Peritonitis Pseudo-Cyst Obstruct Labour?
Authors: Al Tawil Khalil , Salhi Walid , Sultan Safiah , Namshan Mohammad , Mohammed Saeed
Published: June 2012

Meconium peritonitis pseudo-cyst is very rare. Its perinatal management is controversial and can be associated with increased fetomaternal morbidity and mortality. A 34-week gestation infant with large meconium peritonitis pseudo-cyst, detected by intrapartum fetal ultrasound study, had abnormally increased ratio of fetal abdominal circumference to head circumference. Intrapartum aspiration of the pseudo-cyst was performed and was followed by a smooth vaginal delivery. The postnatal course of the baby showed that early laparotomy was essential for stabilisation of the infant's general condition.
Solubilization and Humanization of Paraoxonase-1
Authors: Sarkar Mohosin , Harsch Christina Keventzidis , Matic George T. , Hoffman Kathryn , Norris Joseph R. , Otto Tamara C. , Lenz David E. , Cerasoli Douglas M. , Magliery Thomas J.
Published: June 2012

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is a serum protein, the activity of which is related to susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and intoxication by organophosphorus (OP) compounds. It may also be involved in innate immunity, and it is a possible lead molecule in the development of a catalytic bioscavenger of OP pesticides and nerve agents. Human PON1 expressed inE. coliis mostly found in the insoluble fraction, which motivated the engineering of soluble variants, such as G2E6, with more than 50 mutations from huPON1. We examined the effect on the solubility, activity, and stability of three sets of mutations designed to solubilize huPON1 with fewer overall changes: deletion of the N-terminal leader, polar mutations in the putative HDL binding site, and selection of the subset of residues that became more polar in going from huPON1 to G2E6. All three sets of mutations increase the solubility of huPON1; the HDL-binding mutant has the largest effect on solubility, but it also decreases the activity and stability the most. Based on the G2E6 polar mutations, we “humanized” an engineered variant of PON1 with high activity against cyclosarin (GF) and found that it was still very active against GF with much greater similarity to the human sequence.
Changes in Children's Answers to Open Questions about the Earth and Gravity
Authors: Hannust Triin , Kikas Eve
Published: June 2012

Many studies that have been conducted to describe children's knowledge about the Earth and gravity have produced discrepant results. However, as most of these studies have been cross-sectional and they have used different methods for collecting and analyzing data, the question Do children at some point construct internally consistent but incorrect explanations to elementary astronomical phenomena? has not been fully answered. The aim of the study was to further explore this question by examining how children respond to open questions about the Earth and gravity and how these answers change over time. Schoolchildren's () answers were examined four times with one-year intervals. It was found that directly after learning the topics in school many children gave synthetic responses and some oscillated between correct and incorrect explanations for a time. By the fourth grade more than half of the children were able to give scientifically accurate answers and good knowledge of facts supported children's ability to correctly generalize their existing knowledge. It was also shown that most children do not construct consistent nonscientific models of the Earth and that only thorough understanding of the discussed phenomena will lead to consistent answering.
A Case of Complete Renal Duplex with H-Shaped Ureter
Authors: Ghobashy A. , El-Shazly M. , Lari A. , Al-Hunaidy O. , Allam A. , Alenezy N. , Yordanov E. , Hathout B.
Published: June 2012

We present a case of complete renal duplex with H-shaped double ureter opening into the bladder with 2 separate orifices. It is an extremely rare variety of renal duplex which was reported only once in the literature. Fifty-four-year-old male presented to our department with right renal pain. Noncontrast CT revealed stone midthird right ureter with duplex right kidney. Retrograde ureteropyelography and ureteroscopy revealed this rare anomaly.
Noninvasive Evaluation of Portal Hypertension: Emerging Tools and Techniques
Authors: Snowdon V. K. , Guha N. , Fallowfield J. A.
Published: June 2012

Portal hypertension is the main cause of complications in patients with cirrhosis. However, evaluating the development and progression of portal hypertension represents a challenge for clinicians. There has been considerable focus on the potential role of noninvasive markers of portal hypertension that could be used to stratify patients with respect to the stage of portal hypertension and to monitor disease progression or treatment response in a longitudinal manner without having to undertake repeated invasive assessment. The pathogenesis of portal hypertension is increasingly understood and emerging knowledge of the vascular processes that underpin portal hypertension has paved the way for exploring novel biomarkers of vascular injury, angiogenesis, and endothelial dysfunction. In this paper we focus on the pathogenesis of portal hypertension and potential non-invasive biomarkers with particular emphasis on serum analytes.
Is There Difference between the Effects of Two-Dose Stimulation for Knee Osteoarthritis in the Treatment of Heat-Sensitive Moxibustion?
Authors: Chen Rixin , Chen Mingren , Xiong Jun , Chi Zhenhai , Zhou Meiqi , Su Tongsheng , Sun Jianhua , Yi Fan , Zhang Bo
Published: June 2012

Considering that the dosage of manipulating Moxa plays an important role in obtaining good effects for heat-sensitive moxibustion, it would be valuable to know whether the use of fixed dosage is as effective as the use of an individual one. The paper carried out a rigorous multi-centre randomized controlled trial, and its result demonstrated that the effectiveness of individual eliminate-sensitive dosing regimen might more superior to the stable conventional dosing regimen in the treatment of KOA. According the record of individual moxibustion time, the dosage differed in the terms of patients' conditions and moxibustion sensation, which had been measured about47.30±6.20minutes (28∼65minutes).
Star Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) Tethered to Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Nanoparticles by a Combination of ATRP and Click Chemistry
Authors: Kuo Shiao-Wei , Hong Jing-Long , Huang Yu-Chan , Chen Jem-Kun , Fan Shih-Kang , Ko Fu-Hsiang , Chu Chih-Wei , Chang Feng-Chih
Published: June 2012

New star poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PNIPAm‐b‐POSS) copolymers were synthesized from octa‐azido functionalized POSS (N3‐POSS) and alkyne‐PNIPAm, which was prepared using an alkyne‐functionalized atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator (propargyl 2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropionamide), via click chemistry. These star PNIPAm‐b‐POSS copolymers undergo a sharp coil‐globule transition in water at above 32°C changing from a hydrophilic state below this temperature to a hydrophobic state above it, which is similar to linear PNIPAm homopolymers. More interestingly, we found that these star polymers exhibited strong blue photoluminescence in water above a lower critical solution temperature (LCST). This photoluminescence was likely due to the constrained geometric freedom and relatively rigid structure caused by intramolecular hydrogen bonding within the star PNIPAm polymers, which exhibit an intrinsic fluorescent behavior.
Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Pancreas: A Rare Entity
Authors: Smith Alexis , Hal Hassan , Frauenhoffer Elizabeth
Published: June 2012

Extramedullary plasmacytomas are plasma cell neoplasms in organs other than the bone marrow. Most are found in the upper respiratory tract. Involvement of the pancreas is rare. We report a case of pancreatic plasmacytoma in association with advanced multiple myeloma.
The Effect of Preoperative Weight Loss before Gastric Bypass: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kadeli Deepak K. , Sczepaniak John P. , Kumar Kavita , Youssef Christie , Mahdavi Arash , Owens Milton
Published: June 2012

Background. Many insurance companies require obese patients to lose weight prior to gastric bypass. From a previous study by the same authors, preoperative weight at surgery is strongly predictive of weight loss up to one year after surgery. This review aims to determine whether preoperative weight loss is also correlated with weight loss up to one year after surgery.Methods. Of the 186 results screened using PubMed, 12 studies were identified. A meta-analysis was performed to further classify studies (A class, B class, regression, and rejected).Results. Of all 12 studies, one met the criteria for A class, six were B class, four were regression, and one was rejected. Six studies supported our hypothesis, five were inconclusive, and no study refuted.Conclusions. Preoperative weight loss is additive to postsurgery weight loss as predicted from the weight at the time of surgery.
Diet, Physical Activity, and Obesity in School-Aged Indigenous Youths in Northern Australia
Authors: Valery Patricia C. , Ibiebele Torukiri , Harris Mark , Green Adèle C. , Cotterill Andrew , Moloney Aletia , Sinha Ashim K. , Garvey Gail
Published: June 2012

Purpose. To examine the relationship between diet, physical activity, and obesity in Indigenous youths from northern Australia.Methods. In a cross-sectional study, physical activity and dietary intake (“short nutrition questionnaire”) were assessed among all youths during a face-to-face interview. For 92 high school youths, additional dietary information was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess associations.Results. Of the 277 youths included, 52% had ≤2 servings of fruit and 84% had <4 servings of vegetables per day; 65% ate fish and 27%, take-away food (“fast food”) at least twice a week. One in four ate local traditional sea food including turtle and dugong (a local sea mammal) at least twice a week. Overweight/obese youths engaged in fewer days of physical activity in the previous week than normal weight youths (OR=2.52, 95% CI 1.43–4.40), though patterns of physical activity differed by sex and age (P<0.001). Overweight/obese youths were 1.89 times (95% CI 1.07–3.35) more likely to eat dugong regularly than nonobese youths. Analysis of food-frequency data showed no difference by weight assessment among high-school students.Conclusions. Low fruit and vegetable intake were identified in these Indigenous youths. Regular consumption of fried dugong and low frequency of physical activity were associated with overweight/obesity reinforcing the need to devise culturally appropriate health promotion strategies and interventions for Indigenous youths aimed at improving their diet and increasing their physical activity.
Abdominal Compartment Syndrome: Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Current Therapy
Authors: Luckianow Gina M. , Ellis Matthew , Governale Deborah , Kaplan Lewis J.
Published: June 2012

Abdominal compartment syndrome’s manifestations are difficult to definitively detect on physical examination alone. Therefore, objective criteria have been articulated that aid the bedside clinician in detecting intra-abdominal hypertension as well as the abdominal compartment syndrome to initiate prompt and potentially life-saving intervention. At-risk patient populations should be routinely monitored and tiered interventions should be undertaken as a team approach to management.
Thermodynamic Study of Human Serum Albumin upon Interaction with Ytterbium (III)
Authors: Behbehani G. Rezaei , Barzegar L. , Savad Koohi M. K. Kiani , Mohebbian M. , Abedi B. Samak , Saboury A. A. , Divsalar A.
Published: June 2012

Complexation reaction between Yb3+ and human serum albumin is examined using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The extension solvation theory was used to reproduce the enthalpies of HAS + Yb3+ interactions over the whole range of Yb3+ concentrations. The binding parameters recovered from this model were attributed to the structural change of HSA. The results show that Yb3+ ions bind to HSA with three equivalent affinity sites. It was found that in the high concentrations of the ytterbium ions, the HSA structure was destabilized.
Overexpression of GOLPH3 Promotes Proliferation and Tumorigenicity in Breast Cancer via Suppression of the FOXO1 Transcription Factor
Authors: Zeng Zhaolei , Lin Huanxin , Zhao Xiaohui , Liu Guanglin , Wang Xi , Xu Ruihua , Chen Kun , Li Jun , Song Libing
Published: June 2012

Purpose: Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) has been reported to be involved in various biologic processes. The clinical significance and biologic role of GOLPH3 in breast cancer, however, remains unknown.

Experimental Design: Expression of GOLPH3 in normal breast cells, breast cancer cells, and 6-paired breast cancer and adjacent noncancerous tissues were quantified using real-time PCR and Western blotting. GOLPH3 protein expression was analyzed in 258 archived, paraffin-embedded breast cancer samples using immunohistochemistry. The role of GOLPH3 in breast cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenicity was explored in vitro and in vivo. Western blotting and luciferase reporter analyses were used to investigate the effect of GOLPH3 overexpression and silencing on the expression of cell-cycle regulators and FOXO1 transcriptional activity.

Results: GOLPH3 was significantly upregulated in breast cancer cells and tissues compared with normal cells and tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed high expression of GOLPH3 in 133 of 258 (51.6%) breast cancer specimens. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation of GOLPH3 expression with advanced clinical stage and poorer survival. Overexpression and ablation of GOLPH3 promoted and inhibited, respectively, the proliferation and tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. GOLPH3 overexpression enhanced AKT activity and decreased FOXO1 transcriptional activity, downregulated cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21Cip1, p27Kip1, and p57Kip2, and upregulated the CDK regulator cyclin D1.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that high GOLPH3 expression is associated with poor overall survival in patients with breast cancer and that GOLPH3 overexpression increases the proliferation and tumorigenicity of human breast cancer cells. Clin Cancer Res; 18(15); 4059–69. ©2012 AACR.
The Prognostic Significance of Vasohibin-1 Expression in Patients with Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Miyazaki Yasumasa , Kosaka Takeo , Mikami Shuji , Kikuchi Eiji , Tanaka Nobuyuki , Maeda Takahiro , Ishida Masaru , Miyajima Akira , Nakagawa Ken , Okada Yasunori , Sato Yasufumi , Oya Mototsugu
Published: June 2012

Purpose: Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is a novel angiogenic molecule that is specifically expressed in activated vascular endothelial cells, and the status of VASH1 expression has been documented in cancer angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to address the prognostic value of VASH1 expression in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC).

Experimental Design: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 171 patients with locally advanced UTUC (Ta-3N0M0). The median follow-up period was 3.8 years. We immunohistochemically examined the accomplished microvessels with anti-CD34 as microvessel density (MVD) and the microvessels with activated endothelial cells as VASH1 density. Then, we analyzed the association between immunohistochemical expression and clinical outcomes.

Results: Forty-two patients experienced tumor recurrence and of these 34 died of the disease during follow-up. VASH1 density was significantly associated with tumor grade, pathologic T stage, and MVD. The 5-year recurrence-free and cancer-specific survival rates were 66.1% and 72.8% in patients with VASH1 density (≥ 40/mm2) and 81.0% and 86.5% in their counterparts, respectively (P < 0.05). MVD was not an independent predictor of tumor recurrence or cancer-specific survival. Multivariate analyses revealed that high VASH1 density was an independent prognostic indicator of both tumor recurrence (P = 0.024, HR = 2.10) and cancer-specific survival (P = 0.031, HR = 2.23) as well as other standard prognostic factors including high tumor grade and lymphovascular invasion.

Conclusions: VASH1 density represents a clinically relevant predictor of patient prognosis in UTUC. The results suggest that VASH1 density could become a new biomarker and provide additional prognostic information in patients with UTUC. Clin Cancer Res; 18(15); 4145–53. ©2012 AACR.
A Transactional Culture Analysis of Corporate Sustainability Reporting Practices
Authors: Patel Taran , Rayner Steve
Published: June 2012

Corporate sustainability (CS) can be defined as organizations’ commitment to profitability, environment, and social well-being. This study uses a transactional culture analysis of CS reporting practices to explain why some Indian organizations conform to voluntary CS reporting guidelines and others do not. The literature contains two different perspectives on culture, defined broadly as a set of values that guide people’s behavior at a given time. Most past studies typically use national culture to explain differences in CS practices across nations. This concept embeds corporate cultures within the larger national culture, neglecting intranation diversity. Conversely, according to the transactional culture approach (TCA) used in this study, cultures are plural and independent of geoethnic boundaries, and emerge through social transactions (i.e., patterned exchanges of material and immaterial items between individuals or groups). TCA encourages multilevel explorations of complex social phenomena. Since CS reporting preferences are the outcome of ongoing transactions among organizational stakeholders across different levels, TCA is more appropriate for this study. Since this application requires an understanding of social accountability (i.e., how individuals hold themselves accountable to others and vice versa), the authors use Mary Douglas’s Cultural Framework (DCF), a transactional framework of social accountability. A qualitative exploration of six Indian organizations using DCF reveals different dominant forms of social accountability in these organizations: either alone or as paired hybrids. Consequently, each organization prioritizes different stakeholders and reacts differently to voluntary CS reporting guidelines. Identifying the dominant form or forms of social accountability in their organizations and understanding their underlying reasons for resisting voluntary CS guidelines enables managers to secure better collaboration for their CS initiatives.