bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proteomics of the Anterior Pituitary Gland as a Model for Studying the Physiology of a Heterogeneous Organ
Authors: Blake Charles A. , Helmke Steve M.
Published: January 2017

The anterior pituitary gland (AP) secretes six established hormones that collectively control hundreds of biological and behavioral functions. Because of advances in mass spectrometry (MS), protein labeling, and bioinformatics, it is now possible to characterize, compare, and quantify the AP hormones together with large numbers of nonhormonal AP proteins. For example, by using high-performance liquid chromatography in line with tandem MS we characterized 145 proteins in subcellular fractions of the AP of young adult male Golden Syrian hamsters and 115 proteins in subcellular fractions of the AP of young adult male mice. These included hormones, proteins involved in hormone synthesis and release, and housekeeping proteins. We also used difference gel electrophoresis in conjunction with MS and peptide mass fingerprinting to quantify the effects of estrogen on the AP-soluble protein fraction in rats. Ovarlectomized rats were administered 50 μg of estradiol valerate subcutaneously and studied 48 hrs later, before the onset of the anticipated surges of gonadotropins in blood. Following DeCyder image analysis, we Identified by MS and peptide mass fingerprinting 26 protein spots that were upregulated and 19 protein spots that were downregulated. Estrogen increased levels of acidic isoforms of growth hormone and Prolactin, several proteins involved in protein synthesis, folding and secretion, and several metabolic enzymes. Most of the downregulated proteins are involved in RNA or DNA interactions. We followed up on the results with RT-PCR and immunohistochemical techniques to demonstrate that one protein identified by MS in hamster AP, fertility protein SP22, is synthesized in the AP and localized primarily in somatotropes and thyrotropes. These experiments demonstrate the efficacy of our proteomics approach to characterize AP proteins and quantify changes in them. The approaches used to study the AP could serve as a model to investigate other heterogeneous organs.
Proteomics as a Tool for Clinically Relevant Biomarker Discovery and Validation
Authors: Duncan Mark W. , Hunsucker Stephen W.
Published: January 2017

The excitement associated with clinical applications of proteomics was initially focused on its potential to serve as a vehicle for both biomarker discovery and drug discovery and routine clinical sample analysis. Some approaches were thought to be able to “identify” mass spectral characteristics that distinguished between control and disease samples, and thereafter it was believed that the same tool could be employed to screen samples in a high-throughput clinical setting. However, this has been difficult to achieve, and the early promise is yet to be fully realized. While we see an important place for mass spectrometry in drug and biomarker discovery, we believe that alternative strategies will prove more fruitful for routine analysis. Here we discuss the power and versatility of 2D gels and mass spectrometry in the discovery phase of biomarker work but argue that it is better to rely on immunochemical methods for high-throughput validation and routine assay applications.
Molecular Aspects of Arterial Smooth Muscle Contraction: Focus on Rho
Authors: Hilgers Rob H. P. , Webb R. Clinton
Published: January 2017

The vascular smooth muscle cell is a highly specialized cell whose primary function is contraction and relaxation. It expresses a variety of contractile proteins, ion channels, and signalling molecules that regulate contraction. Upon contraction, vascular smooth muscle cells shorten, thereby decreasing the diameter of a blood vessel to regulate the blood flow and Pressure. Contractile activity in vascular smooth muscle cells is Initiated by a Ca2+-calmodulin interaction to stimulate phosphorylation of the light chain of myosin. Ca2+-sensitization of the contractile proteins is signaled by the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway to inhibit the dephosphorylation of the light chain by myosin phosphatase, thereby maintaining force. Removal of Ca2+ from the cytosol and stimulation of myoson phosphatase Initiate the relaxation of vascular smooth muscle.
Long-Term Prolactin Exposure Differentially Stimulated the Transcellular and Solvent Drag-Induced Calcium Transport in the Duodenum of Ovariectomized Rats
Authors: Tudpor Kukiat , Charoenphandhu Narattaphol , Saengamnart Wasana , Krishnamra Nateetip
Published: January 2017

Prolactin, having been shown to stimulate transcellular active and solvent drag-induced calcium transport in the duodenum of female rats, was postulated to improve duodenal calcium transport in estrogen-deficient rats. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to demonstrate the effects of long-term prolactin exposure produced by anterior pituitary (AP) transplantation on the duodenal calcium transport in young (9-week-old) and adult (22-week-old) ovariectomized rats. We found that ovariectomy did not alter the transcellular active duodenal calcium transport in young and adult rats fed normal calcium diet (1.0% w/w Ca) but decreased the solvent drag-induced duodenal calcium transport from 75.50 ± 10.12 to 55.75 ± 4.77 nmol·hr–1 cm–2 (P < 0.05) only in adult rats. Long-term prolactin exposure stimulated the transcellular active calcium transport in young and adult AP-grafted ovariectomized rats fed with normal calcium diet by more than 2-fold from 7.56 ± 0.79 to 16.54 ± 2.05 (P < 0.001) and 9.78 ± 0.72 to 15.99 ± 1.75 (P < 0.001) nmol·hr–1 cm–2, respectively. However, only the solvent drag-induced duodenal calcium transport in young rats was enhanced by prolactin from 95.51 ± 10.64 to 163.20 ± 18.03 nmol·hr–1 cm–2 (P < 0.001) whereas that in adult rats still showed a decreased flux from 75.50 ± 10.12 to 47.77 ± 5.42 nmol·hr–1 cm–2 (P < 0.05). Because oral calcium supplement has been widely used to improve calcium balance in estrogen-deficient animals, the effect of a high-calcium diet (2.0% w/w Ca) was also investigated. The results showed that stimulatory action of long-term prolactin on the transcellular active duodenal calcium transport in both young and adult rats was diminished after being fed a high-calcium diet. The same diet also abolished prolactin-enhanced solvent drag-induced duodenal calcium transport in young and further decreased that in adult AP-grafted ovariectomized rats. We concluded that the solvent drag-induced duodenal calcium transport in adult rats was decreased after ovariectomy. Long-term prolactin exposure stimulated the transcellular active duodenal calcium transport in both young and adult rats whereas enhancing the solvent drag-induced duodenal calcium transport only in young rats. Effects of prolactin were abolished by a high-calcium diet.
Possibility of Autocrine β-Adrenergic Signaling in C2C12 Myotubes
Authors: Smith Jill L. , Patil Pankaj B. , Minteer Shelley D. , Lipsitz Jason R. , Fisher Jonathan S.
Published: January 2017

Levodopa reportedly inhibits insulin action in skeletal muscle. Here we show that C2C12 myotubes produce levodopa and that insulin-stimulated glucose transport is enhanced when endogenous levodopa is depleted. Exogenous levodopa prevented the stimulation of glucose transport by Insulin (P < 0.05) and Increased cAMP concentrations (P < 0.05). The decrease in Insulin-stimulated glucose transport caused by levodopa was attenuated by propranolol (a β-adrenergic antagonist) and Prevented by NSD-1015 (NSD), an inhibitor of DOPA decarboxylase (DDC; converts levodopa to dopamine). Propranolol and NSD both prevented levodopa-related increases in [cAMP]. However, the effects of levodopa were unlikely to be dependent on the conversion of levodopa to catecholamines because we could detect neither DDC in myotubes nor catecholamines in media after incubation of myotubes with levodopa. The data suggest the possibility of novel autocrine β-adrenergic action in C2C12 myotubes in which levodopa, produced by myotubes, could have hormone-like effects that impinge on glucose metabolism.
Gender Modulates the Expression of Calcium-Regulating Proteins in Pediatric Atrial Myocardium
Authors: Pavlovic Mladen , Schaller André , Steiner Bernhard , Berdat Pascal , Carrel Thierry , Pfammatter Jean-Pierre , Ammann Roland A. , Gallati Sabina
Published: January 2017

A differential expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase (SERCA2a) and phospholamban (PLB) characterizes the remodeling process in heart failure and atrial arrhythmias in adult patients. Gender is known to modulate the course and Prognosis of different forms of heart disease. We hypothesized that gender plays a role in molecular changes of myocardial calcium regulating components already in childhood. Moreover, we studied the influence of volume overloaded (VO) on SERCA2a and PLB in pediatric patients. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to measure mRNA expression of SERCA2a and PLB in atrial myocardium from 30 pediatric patients (12 girls, 18 boys). Eighteen patients had VO right atria, and 12 patients had not-overloaded atria (NO). Protein expression was studied by Western blot. In the entire population, SERCA2a and PLB expression was not different between girls and boys. If hemodynamic overload was taken into account, SERCA2a mRNA expression was significantly reduced in the VO group compared with the NO group (P = 0.021). The VO versus NO difference was restricted to toys, which corresponds to a highly significant interaction of gender versus VO status (P = 0.002). The PLB to SERCA2a Protein ratio was significantly lower in girls (P = 0.028). The decrease in SERCA2a mRNA expression in VO atrial myocardium and the PLB to SERCA2a ratio of protein expression was modulated by gender in this pediatric population. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show the impact of gender on the differential expression of calcium-regulating components in Pediatric cardiac patients.
Distinct Host-Dependent Pathogenic Mechanisms Leading to a Similar Clinical Anemia After Infection with Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
Authors: El-Azami-El-Idrissi Mohammed , Franquin Stéphanie , Day Michael J. , Mazza Graziella , Elson Christopher J. , Préat Véronique , Pfau Charles J. , Coutelier Jean-Paul
Published: January 2017

The Docile strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) induces anemia in a number of inbred strains of mice, including C3HeB/FeJ and CBA/Ht animals. A difference in the kinetics of anemia and in compensatory reticulocytosis suggested that impaired erythropoiesis was the major pathogenic mechanism Involved in CBA/Ht mice, but not in C3HeB/FeJ mice. In both mouse strains an antierythrocyte autoantibody production that depended on the presence of functional CD4+ T lymphocytes was observed. Although depletion of T helper lymphocytes prevented anemia in C3HeB/FeJ mice, this treatment largely failed to inhibit the development of the disease in CBA/Ht animals. This observation indicated that the antierythrocyte autoimmune response induced by the infection was at least Partly responsible for the anemia of C3HeB/FeJ mice, but not of CBA/Ht mice. Erythrophagocytosis was enhanced in both mouse strains after LCMV infection, but did not appear to be a major cause of anemia. These data clearly indicate that similar disease profiles induced by the same virus in two different host strains can be the result of distinctly different mechanisms.
The HIV-1 Tat Protein Enhances Megakaryocytic Commitment of K562 Cells by Facilitating CREB Transcription Factor Coactivation by CBP
Authors: Williams Christopher A. , Mondal Debasis , Agrawal Krishna C.
Published: January 2017

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein regulates transcription factor functions and alters cellular gene expression. Because hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) differentiation requires activation of lineage-specific transcription factors, Tat may affect hematopoiesis in HIV-1–infected micro-environments. We have monitored the molecular effects of Tat on megakaryocytic differentiation in the HPC line, K562. Flow cytometry analysis of C061 indicated that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) (16 nM) stimulated megakaryocytic commitment of K562 cells was increased (3- to 4-fold) following exposure to Tat (1–100 ng/ml). Activation of the megakaryocytic transcription factor cAMP regulatory element binding protein (CREB) and its coactivation by the CREB binding protein (CBP) was subsequently monitored. CREB phosphorylation and DNA binding were measured by Western immunodetection and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), respectively. Within 2 hrs after stimulation, Tat increased both CREB phosphorylation and DNA binding by 7- to 10-fold. Transient cotransfection with CREB reporter and CBP expression plasmids demonstrated that Tat treatment increases (3- to 4-fold) both PMA-stimulated and CBP-mediated transcription via the cAMP regulatory element. Histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity was Increased (8- to 10-fold) in Tat-stimulated cells, which suggested increased chromosomal accessibility of transcription factors. Two-hybrid cotransfection assays using reporter plasmld containing the GAL4 DNA-binding domain and expression plasmld coding for the GAL4-CBP fusion protein, showed that Tat increases (2-fold) CBP-mediated coactivation of CREB. Both reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis showed that Tat treatment increases CBP gene expression (7- to 9-fold) and protein levels (5- to 7-fold) within 6–12 hrs after stimulation. Our findings indicated that Tat treatment increases both CREB function and CREB coactivation by CBP, which may facilitate megakaryocytic commitment of K562 cells. Induction of this molecular signaling by HIV-1 Tat protein may have relevance in understanding the HIV-induced hematologic manifestations and possibly in regulation of viral infectivity parameters in progenitor cell reservoirs.
Expression of Metallothionein-I, -II, and -III in Alzheimer Disease and Animal Models of Neuroinflammation
Authors: Hidalgo Juan , Penkowa Milena , Espejo Carmen , Martínez-Cáceres Eva M. , Carrasco Javier , Quintana Albert , Molinero Amalia , Florit Sergi , Giralt Mercedes , Ortega-Aznar Arantxa
Published: January 2017

In recent years it has become increasingly clear that the metallothionein (MT) family of proteins is important in neurobiology. MT-I and MT-II are normally dramatically up-regulated by neuroinflammation. Results for MT-III are less clear. MTs could also be relevant in human neuropathology. In Alzheimer disease (AD), a major neurodegenerative disease, clear signs of inflammation and oxidative stress were detected associated with amyloid plaques. Furthermore, the number of cells expressing apoptotic markers was also significantly increased in these plaques. As expected, MT-I and MT-II immunostaining was dramatically increased in cells surrounding the plaques, consistent with astrocytosis and microgliosis, as well as the increased oxidative stress elicited by the amyloid deposits. MT-III, In contrast, remained essentially unaltered, which agrees with some but not all studies, of AD. In situ hybridization results in a transgenic mouse model of AD amyloid deposits, the Tg2576 mouse, which expresses human Aβ precursor protein harboring the Swedish K670N/M671L mutations, are in accordance with results in human brains. Overall, these and other studies strongly suggest specific roles for MT-I, MT-II, and MT-III in brain physiology.
Metallothioneins: Mercury Species-Specific Induction and Their Potential Role in Attenuating Neurotoxicity
Authors: Aschner Michael , Syversen Tore , Souza Diogo O. , Rocha Joao B.T.
Published: January 2017

Metallothionein (MT) proteins are widespread in bacteria, fungi, plants, and eukaryotic species. They are of low molecular weight (6–7 kDa) and of the 60+ amino acid residues, 20 are cysteines. Functions attributed to MTs include the sequestration and dispersal of metal ions, primarily in zinc and copper homeostasis; regulation of the biosynthesis and activity of zinc metalloproteins, most notably zinc-dependent transcription factors; and cellular cytoprotection from reactive oxygen species, ionizing radiation, electrophilic anticancer drugs and mutagens, and metals. Observations on the abundance of MTs within the central nervous system (CNS) and the identification of a brain-specific isoform, MT-III, suggest that it might have important neurophysiological and neuromodulatory functions. Reinforced by the potential Involvement of MT-III in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, the role of MTs in the CNS has become an intense focus of scientific pursuit. This manuscript represents a survey on the ability of MTs to modulate mercury neurotoxicity, a neurotoxin that has been implied to play an etiologic role in Minamata disease, erethism, and autism, just to name a few.
Metallothionein-3 Is a Component of a Multiprotein Complex in the Mouse Brain
Authors: Ghazi I. El , Martin B. L. , Armitage I. M.
Published: January 2017

Metallothlonein (MT)-3, originally called growth inhibitory factor (GIF), was initially identified through its ability to Inhibit the growth of neuronal cells in the presence of brain extract. MT-3 is the brain specific isoform of the MT family whose specific biological activity associates it with neurological disorders. Indeed, studies report that MT-3 is decreased by ~30% in brains of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Furthermore, many lines of evidence suggest that MT-3 engages in specific protein interactions. To address this, we conducted Immunoaffinity chromatography experiments using an immobilized anti-mouse MT-3 antibody. We identified five associated proteins from the pool of sixteen recovered using mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry after in-gel trypsin digestion of bands from the affinity chromatography. The proteins identified were: heat shock protein 84 (HSP84), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), dihydropyrimidinase-like protein-2 (DRP-2), creatine kinase (CK) and β-actin. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments, also conducted on whole mouse brain extract using the anti-mouse MT-3 antibody along with commercially available antibodies against HSP84 and CK, confirmed that these three proteins were in a single protein complex. Immunohistochemical experiments were then conducted on the perfused mouse brain that confirmed the in situ colocallzation of CK and MT-3 in the hippocampus region. These data provide new Insights into the involvement of MT-3 in a multiprotein complex, which will be used to understand the biological activity of MT-3 and its role in neurological disease.
Differential Effects Between Maotai and Ethanol on Hepatic Gene Expression in Mice: Possible Role of Metallothionein and Heme Oxygenase-1 Induction by Maotai
Authors: Liu Jie , Cheng Min-Liang , Shi Jin-Zheng , Yang Qin , Wu Jun , Li Cheng-Xiu , Waalkes Michael P.
Published: January 2017

Alcohol is a risk factor for liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. On the other hand, light alcoholic beverage consumption is believed to be beneficial because of the effects of both alcohol and nonalcoholic components of the beverage. Maotai is a commonly consumed beverage in China containing 53% alcohol. Epidemiological and experimental studies show that Maotai is less toxic to the liver than ethanol alone. To examine the differential effects of Maotai and ethanol, a low dose of Maotai or an equal amount of ethanol (53%, v/v in water, 5 ml/kg) were given to male mice daily for 1 week, and hepatic RNA was extracted for microarray analysis. Approximately 10% of genes on the liver-selective custom array (588 genes) were altered following Maotai or ethanol administration, but Maotai treated livers had fewer alterations compared with ethanol alone. Real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction confirmed and extended microarray results on selected genes. An induction of metallothionein and heme oxygenase-1 occurred with Maotai, which could not be explained by alcohol consumption alone, whereas the attenuation of ethanol responsive genes such as quinone dehydrogenase, DNA-ligase 1, IGFBP1, and IL-1β suggests less liver injury occurred with Maotai. The expression of genes related to liver fibrosis, such as cytokeratin-18, was slightly increased by the high dose of ethanol, but was unchanged in the Maotai group. In summary, gene expression analysis indicates that Maotai induces a different response than ethanol alone. The dramatic induction of metallothionein and heme oxygenase-1 with Maotai could be important adaptive responses to reduce alcoholic liver injury.
Hepatic Responses to Dietary Stress in Zinc- and Metallothionein-Deficient Mice
Authors: Beattie John H. , Gordon Margaret-Jane , Reid Martin D. , Rucklidge Garry J. , Kwon Chong-Suk , Kwun In-Sook
Published: January 2017

Metallothionein (MT) and zinc are both reported to be protective against oxidative and inflammatory stress and may also influence energy metabolism. The role of MT in regulating intracellular labile zinc, thus influencing zinc (Zn)-modulated protein activity, may be a key factor in the response to stress and other metabolic challenges. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of dietary zinc intake and MT on hepatic responses to a pro-oxidant stress and energy challenge in the form of a high dietary intake of linolelc acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid. Male MT-null (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice, aged 16 weeks, were given semisynthetic diets containing 16% fat and either 5 (marginally zinc-deficient [ZD]) or 35 (zinc-adequate [ZA]) mg Zn/kg. For comparison, separate groups of KO and WT mice were given a rodent chow diet containing 3.36% fat and 86.6 mg Zn/kg. After 4 months on these diets, the body weights of all mice were equal, but liver size, weight, and lipid content were much greater in the animals that consumed semisynthetic diets compared to the chow diet. The increase in liver size was significantly lower in ZA but not ZD KO mice, compared with WT mice. Principally, MT appears to affect the diet-induced increase in liver tissue but it also influences the concentration of hepatic lipid. Plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, were increased by zinc deficiency in WT mice, suggesting that marginal zinc deficiency is proinflammatory. CRP was unaffected by zinc deficiency in KO mice, indicating a role for MT in modulating the influence of zinc. Neither zinc nor MT deficiency affects the level of soluble liver proteins, as determined using two-dimensional (2D) gel proteomics. This study highlights the close association between zinc and MT in the manifestation of stress responses.
Metallothioneins 1 and 2 Attenuate Peroxynitrite-Induced Oxidative Stress in Parkinson Disease
Authors: Ebadi Manuchair , Sharma Sushil
Published: January 2017

We have examined potent peroxynitrite ion (ONOO-) generator 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1)–induced neurotoxicity in control wild-type (controlwt) mice, metallothionein double knockout (MTdko) mice, metallothionein-transgenic (MTtrans) mice, and in cultured human dopaminergic (SK-N-SH) neurons to determine the neuroprotective potential of metallothionein against ONOO - induced neurodegeneratlon in Parkinson disease (PD). SIN-1–induced lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species synthesis, caspase-3 activation, and apoptosis were attenuated by metallothionein gene overexpression and augmented by metallothionein gene down-regulation. A progressive nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration in weaver mutant (wv/wv) mice was associated with enhanced nitrite ion synthesis, metallothionein down-regulation, and significantly reduced dopamine synthesis and 18F-DOPA uptake as determined by high-resolution micropositron emission tomography neuroimaging. The striatal 18F-DOPA uptake was significantly higher in MTtrans mice than in MTdko and α-synuclein knockout (α-Synko) mice. These observations provide further evidence that nitric oxide synthase activation and ONOO- synthesis may be involved in the etiopathogenesls of PD, and that metallothionein gene induction may provide neuroprotection.
The Role of Modern Biology and Medicine in Drug Development in Academia and Industry
Authors: Blake Charles A. , Barker Kenneth L. , Sobel Burton E.
Published: January 2017

This symposium addresses careers in drug development in industry; the performance of translational research by academia, industry, and both; and numerous factors pertinent to alliances essential to drug discovery and development. Drug development is a complex process that regularly involves effective collaborations between academic and physician scientists and industry. There are specific occupational factors affecting recruitment of scientists and physicians in drug development programs in industry; ideal backgrounds for successful applicants for positions in industry in drug development; ethical and regulatory considerations particularly germane to the performance of scientists and physicians in drug development programs in industry and at universities; and particular gratifications available to scientists in Industry working on drug development. Both similarities and differences characterize the performance of translational research in industry compared with academia. In industry, logistic, operational, and scientific oversight is complex, especially because It often Involves relationships with clinical enterprises outside of the corporation. The process is long and arduous from formulation of a good Idea in discovery to acceptance of a novel drug in the marketplace. Collaborations and partnerships by industry often involving academia and confrontation of multiple Issues are pivotal.
In Vitro Evaluation for Potential Calcification of Biomaterials Used for Staple Line Reinforcement in Lung Surgery
Authors: Mavrilas Dimosthenis , Koutsoukos Petros G. , Koletsis Efstratios N. , Apostolakis Efstratios , Dougenis Dimitrios
Published: January 2017

Bovine pericardium (BPC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) have been widely used to reinforce staple lines in lung resection. Since limited Information regarding the calcification of these biomaterials is available, we undertook an In vitro study to evaluate their calcification potential. Commercially available BPC and PTFE biomaterials were evaluated and compared with custom-prepared BPC tissue. In vitro calcification was performed via submersion in supersaturated solution In a double-walled glass reactor at 37.0°C ± 0.1°C, pH 7.4 ± 0.1, mimicking most ion concentrations of human blood plasma. In processing of calcification, the pH decrease of the solution simulated the addition of consumed H+, Ca2+, and PO43– ions from titrant solutions, the concentrations of which were based on the stolchiometry of octacalcium phosphate. The molar ion addition with time was recorded, and the initial slope of the curve was computed for each experiment. The rate of calcification developed (molar calcium phosphate ion addition rate per time and total surface area) (R) was computed after that with respect to the relative supersaturation (σ) used in each experiment. R for custom-prepared BPC tissues was found to be in the range of 0.19 ± 0.08 to 0.52 ± 0.19 (n = 17) in σ range of 0.72 to 1.42. Commercial BPC was found to be 0.016 to 0.052 (n = 4), and PTFE was 0.005 to 0.05 (n = 8) in the same σ range. Both clinically applied biomaterials, BPC and PTFE, seemed to be calcified with rates of at least one order of magnitude lower than the custom-prepared BPC tissue. This data suggested that BPC and PTFE biomaterials showed a similar, relatively very low tendency for calcification compared with custom-prepared BPC tissue. Although further studies are necessary, staple line reinforcement by these two biomaterials should be considered safe from the calcification point of view.
Impact of Cu, Zn-Superoxide Dismutase and Se-Dependent Glutathione Peroxidase-1 Knockouts on Acetaminophen-Induced Cell Death and Related Signaling in Murine Liver
Authors: Zhu Jian-Hong , Zhang Xiaomei , Mcclung James P. , Lei Xin Gen
Published: January 2017

There is increasing evidence showing dual functions of antioxidant enzymes in coping with reactive oxygen species (ROS) versus reactive nitrogen species (RNS). The objective of this study was to compare the impacts of knockout of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1) on cell death and related signaling mediated by acetaminophen (APAP), a RNS inducer in liver. Two groups of young adult knockout mice (SOD1−-/– and GPX1−-/–), along with their wild types (WT), were killed 5 hrs after an ip injection of saline or APAP (300 mg/kg body wt). While the WT mice showed more hepatic necrosis and DNA breakage than the GPX1−-/– mice, the SOD1−-/– mice had essentially no positive response compared with their saline-injected controls. The APAP treatment activated liver c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the WT and GPX1−-/– mice, but not in the SOD1−-/– mice. The APAP-induced changes in other cell death-related signal proteins such as p21, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) also were obviated in the SOD1−-/– mice. In conclusion, knockout of GPX1 did not potentiate APAP-induced cell death and related signaling, whereas the SOD1 null blocked APAP-induced hepatic JNK phosphorylation and cell death.
Molecular and Pharmacological Properties of Human Embryonic Stem Cell–Derived Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Norström Anders , ÅKesson Karolina , Hardarson Thorir , Hamberger Lars , BjöRquist Petter , Sartipy Peter
Published: January 2017

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can be coaxed to differentiate Into specific cell types, including cardiomyocyte-like cells. These cells express cardiac-specific markers and display functional similarities to their adult counterparts. Based on these properties, hESC-derived cardiomyocytes have the potential to be extremely useful in various in vitro applications and to provide the opportunity for cardiac cell replacement therapies. However, before this can become a reality, the molecular and functional characteristics of these cells need to be Investigated in more detail. In the present study we differentiate hESCs into cardiomyocyte-like cells via embryoid bodies (EBs). The fraction of spontaneously beating clusters obtained from the EBs averaged approximately 30% of the total number of EBs used. These cell clusters were isolated, dissociated into single-cell suspensions, and frozen for long-term storage. The cryopreserved cells could be successfully thawed and subcultured. Using electron microscopy, we observed Z discs and tight Junctions in the hESC-derived cardiomyocytes, and by Immunohistochemical analysis we detected expression of cardiac-specific markers (cTnl and cMHC). Notably, using BrdU labeling we also could demonstrate that some of the hESC-derived cardiomyocytes retain a proliferative capacity. Furthermore, pharmacological stimulation of the cells resulted in responses Indicative of functional adrenergic and muscarinic receptor coupling systems. Taken together, these results lend support to the notion that hESCs can be used as a source for the procurement of cardiomyocytes for in vitro and in vivo applications.
Indians and Cowboys and Everyone Else
Authors: Whalen Eamon
Published: January 2017

Musician Sunny Jain and his band, Red Baraat, are fusing cultures and influences to form a rowdy revolution. Journalist Eamon Whalen interviews Jain about his role as bandleader, politics and spirituality, and imagining a new American “cowboy.”
Fat Eggs or Fit Bodies
Authors: Upton Rebecca L.
Published: January 2017

How HIV treatment, fertility fears, and western values have confounded traditional beauty ideals in Botswana.
Weiners Galore
Authors: Gamson Joshua
Published: January 2017

At its core, writes sociologist Joshua Gamson, the documentary “Weiner” is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between American politicking and media.
Is a “Warm Hookup” an Oxymoron?
Authors: England Paula
Published: January 2017

In a review of Lisa Wade’s American Hookup (W.W. Norton, 2017), sexuality scholar and former American Sociological Association president Paula England discusses the author’s use of original research and data from England’s studies to engage the particularities of heterosexual hookups on American college campuses.
An affine invariant approach for dense wide baseline image matching
Authors: Shi Fanhuai , Gao Jian , Huang Xixia
Published: January 2017

Visual sensor networks have emerged as an important class of sensor-based distributed intelligent systems, where image matching is one of the key technologies. This article presents an affine invariant method to produce dense correspondences between uncalibrated wide baseline images. Under affine transformations, both point location and its neighborhood texture are changed between views, so dense matching becomes a tough task. The proposed approach tends to solve this problem within a sparse-to-dense framework. The contribution of this article is in threefolds. First, a strategy of reliable sparse matching is proposed, which starts from affine invariant features extraction and matching and then these initial matches are utilized as spatial prior to produce more sparse matches. Second, match propagation from sparse feature points to its neighboring pixels is conducted in the way of region growing in an affine invariant framework. Third, the unmatched points are handled by low-rank matrix recovery technique. Comparison experiments of the proposed method versus existing ones show a significant improvement in the presence of large affine deformations.
A robust congestion control scheme for cluster wireless multimedia sensor networks with propagation delay and external interference
Authors: Hu Xi , Guo Wei
Published: January 2017

Congestion control in cluster wireless multimedia sensor networks is capable of delivering and gathering multimedia information, while propagation delay and external interference may cause it unable to achieve the maximal network throughput without congestion control. To solve the problem, based on the additive-increase multiplicative-decrease adjustment strategy, a robust congestion control model is proposed with a scheduling scheme in cluster wireless multimedia sensor networks considering the neighbor feedback. The robust congestion control model is a Lur’e-type system. The cluster wireless multimedia sensor network is capable of achieving the desired cluster synchronization with network parameters provided by Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals. Sufficient conditions of the robust congestion control are formulated by linear matrix inequalities. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Time-of-arrival source localization based on weighted least squares estimator in line-of-sight/non-line-of-sight mixture environments
Authors: Park Chee-Hyun , Chang Joon-Hyuk
Published: January 2017

In this article, we propose a line-of-sight/non-line-of-sight time-of-arrival source localization algorithm that utilizes the weighted least squares. The proposed estimator combines multiple sorted measurements using the spatial sign concept, Mahalanobis distance, and Stahel–Donoho estimator, that is, assigning less weight to the samples as they are far from the center of inlier distribution. Also, the eigendecomposition Kendall’s [Formula: see text] covariance matrix is utilized as the scatter measure instead of the conventional median absolute deviation. Thus, the adverse effects by outliers can be attenuated effectively. To validate the superiority of the proposed methods, the root mean square error performances are compared with that of the existing algorithms via extensive simulation.
Acting Up: Theater of the Oppressed as Critical Ethnography
Authors: Dennis Barbara
Published: January 2017

In this paper the author reports on the use of Theater of the Oppressed in a long-term critical ethnography. Building on the work of performative ethnographers, she reviews the literature on the uses of drama in qualitative research and explores the traditional research lines that are blurred in the process. More important, she details the experiences collecting and analyzing data using Theater of the Oppressed. In other published accounts of performative ethnography, data collection is emphasized and data analysis is not usually discussed, in part, because the line between data collection and analysis is blurred in the use of theater as inquiry. The author not only examines that blurring but suggests a method of analysis that others might find useful. The study focused on the integration of English language learners in a Midwestern U.S. high school. The author used Theater of the Oppressed with teachers to explore their role in the bullying activities of students. The analysis reveals changes in awareness witnessed through the drama.
Memories of cinemagoing and film experience: An introduction
Authors: Kuhn Annette , Biltereyst Daniel , Meers Philippe
Published: January 2017

Over the past two decades, the relationship between cinema and memory has been the object of increasing academic attention, with growing interest in film and cinema as repositories for representing, shaping, (re)creating or indexing forms of individual and collective memory. This Special Issue on memory and the experience of cinemagoing centres on the perspective of cinema users and audiences, focusing on memories of films, cinema and cinemagoing from three continents and over five decades of the twentieth century. This introduction considers the relationship between memory studies and film studies, sets out an overview of the origins of, and recent and current shifts and trends within, research and scholarship at the interface between historical film audiences, the cinemagoing experience and memory; and presents the articles and reviews which follow within this frame. It considers some of the methodological issues raised by research in these areas and concludes by looking at some of the challenges facing future work in the field.
Mapping cinema memories: Emotional geographies of cinemagoing in Rome in the 1950s
Authors: Ercole Pierluigi , Treveri Gennari Daniela , O’Rawe Catherine
Published: January 2017

This article, based on the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council–funded project ‘In Search of Italian Cinema Audiences in the 1940s and 1950s: Gender, Genre and National Identity’, explores the power of geovisualization for capturing the affective geographies of cinema audiences. This mapping technique, used in our project to interrogate the Italian exhibition sector as well as to map film distribution, is used to illustrate the affective and emotional dimensions of cartographic practices related to memory. The article first examines the imbrication of memory and space, before moving on to a discussion of our mapping of the memories of one single respondent and the questions this mapping raises about geographical and remembered space, mobility and the relation between mapping and life-cycles.
Paving the Way For Differentiated Instruction in Rural Classrooms Under Common Core State Standards
Authors: Wu Echo H.
Published: January 2017

The author interviewed Dr. Carolyn Callahan, an eminent scholar in gifted education. The interview focused on Dr. Callahan’s work on implementing gifted program in rural areas, and illustrated her suggestions for teachers, researchers, and parents on how to advocate for gifted students.
Conventionally partial critique
Authors: Bunnell Tim
Published: January 2017

Critique of aspects of global cities research formed important points of departure for postcolonial urban scholarship. This commentary revisits the way in which such critique proceeded in relation to wider conventions of academic writing and citation practices. Given the selectivity and simplification involved in attempts to represent any flourishing field of study, it is suggested that we pay more attention to the underlying motivation for and effects of (inevitably) partial critical engagements. The essay by van Meeteren and colleagues is recognized as an important reminder that the boundaries between (sub)fields of research need to remain porous and provisional.
Motivations for activists’ participation in the ‘It Gets Better Project’
Authors: Honda Laurie P.
Published: January 2017

In response to multiple LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) youth suicides in 2010, columnist Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller sought to provide messages of hope to at-risk LGBTQ youth through the creation of the YouTube-based ‘It Gets Better Project’ (IGBP). With data gathered from 20 IGBP participants through Skype- and Google Hangouts-based in-depth interviews, the study reveals how the intersection of participants’ identities and structural oppressions contributed to their motivations for participation in the suicide prevention public relations (PR) awareness campaign. This critical empirical study offers PR scholars and practitioners insight into participants’ multidimensional motivations for campaign participation, and implications for both audiences are discussed.
Worldviews in Collision: Jesus as Critical Educator
Authors: Newell Ted
Published: January 2017

CONTEMPORARY CONNOTATIONS OF “teacher” don't do justice to Jesus' educating activity. “Worldview” understood as a comprehensive social environment helps us to perceive the scale of Jesus' struggle in his society and also Christian teachers' struggle in their settings. Jesus is Israel's teacher in a deeper way than we hear by the term “teacher.” Perspectives opened up by New Testament scholarship's Third Quest for the historical Jesus show that Jesus aimed to clarify the true meaning of God's covenant with Israel while subverting the dominant worldview. The argument is illustrated by analogy with another worldview challenger, the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci, who developed strategies to counter what he named “hegemony.” I conclude with implications for Christian teachers: teachers should understand themselves to be enacters of Jesus' way with students in Christian school or state school settings.
Perceptions of developmental hierarchies in Taiwan: Conceptual, substantive, and methodological insights
Authors: Thornton Arland , Yang Li-shou
Published: January 2017

Motivated by a growing awareness of the penetration of developmental idealism into the daily lives of ordinary people, this paper analyzes Taiwanese college students’ perceptions of developmental hierarchies, a key element of developmental idealism. We investigate the extent to which Taiwanese students hold hierarchical views of the world, whether these views match the views of the United Nations, the stability of these views across time, and the reliability of measurement. Data for this paper come from the survey of ‘Political Values and Attitudes among University Students in Taiwan,’ a panel study conducted by the Election Study Center in Taipei, Taiwan. Our results from this panel study conducted in 2006, 2007, and 2008 show that Taiwanese students have worldviews that include developmental hierarchies that are very similar to the country development ratings of the United Nations. We show that these perceptions of developmental hierarchies can be measured reliably at both the individual and the aggregate levels and are stable across the survey years.
Economic, Financial, and Political Crisis and Well-Being in the PIGS-Countries
Authors: Halvorsen Knut
Published: January 2017

The research question in this article is threefold: To which degree is the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession associated with reduced well-being among people in the four hardest affected EURO countries? Are individual factors associated with reduced well-being the same in these countries? and Are lower socioeconomic groups more severely hit than the better off?. Data before the crisis are compared with data in 2013/2014 (EU-SILC [European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions] survey 2013) for Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Spain. Finland is used as a reference category. Before control of individual characteristics, regressions demonstrate a small and mostly significant fall in average satisfaction with life in these countries, Portugal being an exception. According to the theory of capability and actual economic and political development, it was hypothesized that Greece—being the worst case in terms of economic development—may experience the greatest fall in life satisfaction. This hypothesis is not supported by the data. In fact, the strongest decline was found in Ireland. In particular, lack of political trust stands in Greece out as having an impact, while poor health is related to Ireland and unemployment to Portugal and Spain. Greatest socioeconomic inequality in life satisfaction was found in Portugal.
Sustainable Growth Strategies for 999 in the Era of the ASEAN Economic Community: Medical Equipment and Supplies Trading in Thailand during Changing Environmental Conditions
Authors: Lao-Hakosol Wilaiporn , Walsh John
Published: January 2017

999 is a Thai company that sells, distributes and supports medical equipment and supplies. It has achieved steady growth in its 30 years of existence but now faces unprecedented problems due to environmental change through the implementation of the most recent stage of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) and other challenges. As an emerging, ageing, affluenza-suffering country, Thailand offers a number of interesting opportunities for a company in this sector but those opportunities also appeal to current and potential competitors. Should 999 be thinking of defending its current position or seeking to expand to new markets within the region?
Polaris India Pvt. Ltd: A Case of Experiential Marketing Strategy
Authors: Pandey Satyendra C. , Pattnaik Pinaki Nandan
Published: January 2017

As a marketing strategy, experiential marketing has found prominence in the rapidly changing and ever-evolving competitive economy. To counter competition, an increasing number of companies are gearing up to create experiences for their prospective customers. This case highlights the remarkable success of Polaris India Pvt. Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc., USA, in experiential marketing through its Polaris Experience Zone (PEZ). It traces the origin of Polaris Industries Inc. and its growth in USA with the radical ideas of Edgar Hetteen who is often referred to as the grandfather of the snowmobile industry and the sport as such. The case underlines the challenges faced by Polaris India Pvt. Ltd in setting up its operation, difficulty in registering its name in the minds of the customers, legal barrier to all-terrain vehicles (ATV), etc. It is an important account of how visionary leadership of the managing director of Polaris India coupled with innovative marketing strategy in the form of PEZ enabled the company in announcing itself with impact in the minds of the customers. The case documents some of the challenges that lie ahead for the top management of the company.
Some Aspects of Agrarian Change in Kerala
Authors: Yadu C.R.
Published: January 2017

This article discusses the important features of the post land reforms agrarian relations in Kerala. The first aspect of contemporary land relations in Kerala is the increasing concentration of land in the hands of the rich. It is also seen that there is a marked decline in the proportion of households who directly depend on agriculture for livelihood. The second aspect of Kerala’s post land reforms agrarian relations is concerned with the land concentration and land grabbing in the plantation sector. Kerala’s big plantations quietly and frequently engage in land grabbing which is similar to the land grabbing happening in Latin American and African continents. The third aspect covered in this article is all about the changing class–caste nexus in Kerala’s occupational structure. Caste is no longer a major determining factor of occupations as was the case in the pre-land reform era. Land reforms could significantly break the traditional caste–class nexus.