bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study and Electrochemical Impedance Characterization of The β-Cyclodextrin, β-CD, Polymer on a Carbon Paste Electrode
Authors: Alarcón-Ángeles Georgina , Herrera Hector , Corona Avendaño Silvia , Romero-Romo Mario , Ramírez-Silva Ma. Teresa , Palomar-Pardavé Manuel
Published: December 2011

Biosensors have become important devices applied to diverse purposes in areas like chemistry, medicine, in the environmental, food, and biomaterials sciences and engineering, and various others. However, most of the sensing devices bear the problem of their inherent gradual loss of biological activity. Presently, this aspect has led several researchers to study the effect and interrelations of supramolecular structures like the cyclodextrins, CD, as recent studies on the latter have opened up new possibilities of creating useful tools to eliminate the said problem, as these compounds have been known to increase the solubility, availability and selectivity of various analytes of interest, which would be particularly useful to effect quantitative determinations in the health sector. The present work studies the electropolymerization of b-cyclodextrin on a carbon paste electrode by means of electrochemical impedance and cyclic voltammetry, supplemented by SEM characterization. The results obtained showed that the b-cyclodextrin polymer favored diffusion of dopamine, although better diffusion features were seen for the ascorbic acid when it was also present in solution.
Electrochemical Behavior of Dopamine with 2-Hydroxipropil-β-Cyclodextrin for the Determination of the Complexation Constant
Authors: Ramírez-Silva Ma. Teresa , Romero-Romo Mario , Palomar-Pardavé Manuel , Corona Avendaño Silvia
Published: December 2011

The complexation constant was evaluated, pKd, between dopamine and 2-hydroxypropilbetaCD through two methods at pH 1: by cyclic voltammetry and with spectrophotometry using the software SQUAD, which requires absorbance data and a chemical model that considers the inclusion complex that is likely to be formed. Both methods produced very similar pKd values, namely: spectrophotometry gave 3.69 whereas electrochemistry gave 3.75. The composition ratio for the complex was dopamine-hydroxypropil−β−CD 1:1.
Study of Adsorption of Sodium Isopropyl Xanthate on Galena
Authors: Moreno-Medrano Edgar D. , Casillas Norberto , Cruz Roel , Lara-Castro Rene H. , Larios-Durán Roxana , Bárcena-Soto Maximiliano
Published: December 2011

This paper deals with a study of the oxidation processes of the PbS-sodium isopropyl xanthate system in alkaline conditions (pH 8, similar to flotation circuits Pb-Cu) by using cyclic voltammetry and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Three oxidation peaks are identified in the voltammograms that correspond to reactions previously reported in the literature. A plot of the differential capacitance of the double layer vs. potential gives a potential of zero charge (PZC) of -0.31 V vs. SCE for the system, that coincides with an oxidation peak attributed to the adsorption of xanthate. EIS at PZC for different xanthate concentrations evidence an adsorption processes via a charge transfer mechanism under diffusional control. EIS data at potentials more positive than PZC display an inductive loop that is related to a charge transfer processes involving the reaction of the adsorbed intermediates with the consequent modification of the PbS-sodium isopropyl xanthate interface.
Titanium Nanotubes Formation by Reversible Pulses Anodization
Authors: Soto M. , Carrillo M. , Zlatev Roumen K. , Stoytcheva M. S. , Valdez B.
Published: December 2011

The coverage percentage of Ti surface with hydroxyapatitite for medical application increase if nanotubes having large diameter and short length are preliminary formed on Ti. Pulsed anodization with 120 V anodic pulse amplitude and -5 V cathodic one was applied for nanotube formation in electrolyte containing 1.5% F- as HF during 100 hours at 25 oC. to obtain maximal coverage percentage of the Ti prosthesis with hydroxyapatite facilitating its acceptance by the human body due to the same composition of the hydroxyapatite as those of the bones.
TiO2 Nanostructures Obtained in Non-Aqueous Electrolytes at Low Potential
Authors: Concha Guzmán María O. , Cuevas-Arteaga Cecilia , Rincón González Marina E.
Published: December 2011

In this paper, the synthesis of TiO2 porous arrays on titanium substrates in non-aqueous solution of ethylene glycol (1 vol.% H2O) + 0.5 wt.% NH4F was investigated. Electrochemical anodization of titanium was carried out at 3V during 39 to 72 hours. The microstructural analysis of samples by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy suggests that the thickness of porous layers decrease with the anodization time, whereas the polydispersity in the pore size increases by the integration of small pores formed early during the anodization process. At 72 hours the presence of a double wall of the porous is indicative of the incipient formation of nanotubes. By the other hand, the pore depth suggests that the oxide film was formed by the coalescence of 20-50 nm diameter hemispherical titania particles.
CD36 overexpression predisposes to arrhythmias but reduces infarct size in spontaneously hypertensive rats: gene expression profile analysis
Authors: Neckář Jan , Šilhavý Jan , Zídek Václav , Landa Vladimír , Mlejnek Petr , Šimáková Miroslava , Seidman J. G. , Seidman Christine , Kazdová Ludmila , Klevstig Martina , Novák František , Vecka Marek , Papoušek František , Houštěk Josef , Drahota Zdeněk , Kurtz Theodore W. , Kolář František , Pravenec Michal
Published: December 2011

CD36 fatty acid translocase plays a key role in supplying heart with its major energy substrate, long-chain fatty acids (FA). Previously, we found that the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) harbors a deletion variant of Cd36 gene that results in reduced transport of long-chain FA into cardiomyocytes and predisposes the SHR to cardiac hypertrophy. In the current study, we analyzed the effects of mutant Cd36 on susceptibility to ischemic ventricular arrhythmias and myocardial infarction in adult SHR- Cd36 transgenic rats with wild-type Cd36 compared with age-matched SHR controls. Using an open-chest model of coronary artery occlusion, we found that SHR- Cd36 transgenic rats showed profound arrhythmogenesis resulting in significantly increased duration of tachyarrhythmias (207 ± 48 s vs. 55 ± 21 s, P < 0.05), total number of premature ventricular complexes (2,623 ± 517 vs. 849 ± 250, P < 0.05) and arrhythmia score (3.86 ± 0.18 vs. 3.13 ± 0.13, P < 0.001). On the other hand, transgenic SHR compared with SHR controls showed significantly reduced infarct size (52.6 ± 4.3% vs. 72.4 ± 2.9% of area at risk, P < 0.001). Similar differences were observed in isolated perfused hearts, and the increased susceptibility of transgenic SHR to arrhythmias was abolished by reserpine, suggesting the involvement of catecholamines. To further search for possible molecular mechanisms of altered ischemic tolerance, we compared gene expression profiles in left ventricles dissected from 6-wk-old transgenic SHR vs. age-matched controls using Illumina-based sequencing. Circadian rhythms and oxidative phosphorylation were identified as the top KEGG pathways, while circadian rhythms, VDR/RXR activation, IGF1 signaling, and HMGB1 signaling were the top IPA canonical pathways potentially important for Cd36-mediated effects on ischemic tolerance. It can be concluded that transgenic expression of Cd36 plays an important role in modulating the incidence and severity of ischemic and reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias and myocardial infarct size induced by coronary artery occlusion. The proarrhythmic effect of Cd36 transgene appears to be dependent on adrenergic stimulation.
Susceptibility to Dental Caries and the Salivary Proline-Rich Proteins
Authors: Levine Martin
Published: December 2011

Early childhood caries affects 28% of children aged 2–6 in the US and is not decreasing. There is a well-recognized need to identify susceptible children at birth. Caries-free adults neutralize bacterial acids in dental biofilms better than adults with severe caries. Saliva contains acidic and basic proline-rich proteins (PRPs) which attach to oral streptococci. The PRPs are encoded within a small region of chromosome 12. An acidic PRP allele (Db) protects Caucasian children from caries but is more common in African Americans. Some basic PRP allelic phenotypes have a three-fold greater frequency in caries-free adults than in those with severe caries. Early childhood caries may associate with an absence of certain basic PRP alleles which bind oral streptococci, neutralize biofilm acids, and are in linkage disequilibrium with Db in Caucasians. The encoding of basic PRP alleles is updated and a new technology for genotyping them is described.
No-Reflow Phenomenon and Endothelial Glycocalyx of Microcirculation
Authors: Maksimenko Alexander V. , Turashev Askar D.
Published: December 2011

The progress in reperfusion therapy dictated the necessity for developing new tools and procedures for adjacent/additional therapy of acute cardiovascular disorders. The adjacent therapy is targeted on the damage of the microcirculation, leading to the unfavorable prognosis for the patients. The no-reflow phenomenon holds special place in the multifactorial etiology of the microcirculation disorders, offering a new challenge in treating the patients associated with ST-segment elevation on ECG at myocardial infarction. One of the numerous causes of no-reflow, the influence of the endothelial glycocalyx of the microcirculation, is analyzed. The results obtained in the studies of the endothelial glycocalyx ultrastructure are generalized, the effect that the fragments of the glycocalyx glycosaminoglycans have on the function of the vascular wall is demonstrated. The trends in searching for correlations between the thickness of the capillary glycocalyx and the cardiovascular disease risk are noted.
Loss of the 14-3-3σ Tumor Suppressor Is a Critical Event in ErbB2-Mediated Tumor Progression
Authors: Ling Chen , Su Vi-Minh-Tri , Zuo Dongmei , Muller William J.
Published: December 2011

14-3-3σ is a putative tumor suppressor involved in cell-cycle progression and epithelial polarity. We demonstrate that loss of one or both copies of the conditional 14-3-3σ allele results in accelerated mammary and salivary tumorigenesis in mice expressing an activated erbB2 oncogene under the endogenous erbB2 promoter. Significantly, the majority of tumors bearing a single conditional 14-3-3σ allele lose expression of the remaining 14-3-3σ allele, which is associated with epigenetic methylation of the 14-3-3σ locus. In addition to accelerated tumor onset, in a mouse mammary tumor virus-driven ErbB2 tumor model, loss of 14-3-3σ results in enhanced metastatic phenotype that is correlated with loss of cellular junctions. Taken together, these results provide compelling evidence that 14-3-3σ is a potent tumor suppressor involved in ErbB2-driven breast cancer initiation and metastasis.

Significance: 14-3-3σ has been identified as a normal mammary epithelial cell marker frequently downregulated during neoplastic development. Consistent with its potential role as a tumor suppressor, we demonstrate that targeted disruption of 14-3-3σ in a number of epithelial tissues can profoundly impact both the initiation and metastatic phases of ErbB2-mediated tumor progression through modulation of a number of distinct signaling networks. Cancer Discovery; 2(1); 68–81. ©2011 AACR.

Read the Commentary on this article by Hynes and Smirnova, p. 19

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1
PI3Kδ Inhibitors in Cancer: Rationale and Serendipity Merge in the Clinic
Authors: Fruman David A. , Rommel Christian
Published: December 2011

Several phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors are in the clinic and many more are in preclinical development. CAL-101, a selective inhibitor of the PI3Kδ isoform, has shown remarkable success in certain hematologic malignancies. Although PI3Kδ signaling plays a central role in lymphocyte biology, the degree of single-agent therapeutic activity of CAL-101 during early-phase development has been somewhat unexpected. CAL-101 works in part by blocking signals from the microenvironment that normally sustain leukemia and lymphoma cells in a protective niche. As PI3Ks enter the arena of molecular-targeted therapies, CAL-101 provides proof of principle that isoform-selective compounds can be effective in selected cancer types and patient populations.

Significance: A key question is whether compounds targeting a single PI3K catalytic isoform can provide meaningful single agent efficacy in cancer cells that express multiple isoforms. Clinical studies of the drug CAL-101 have provided a significant advance by showing that selective targeting of PI3Kδ achieves efficacy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, in part through targeting the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Discovery; 1(7); 562–72. ©2011 AACR.
Cellular Oxidative Stress and Peroxisomal Enzyme Activities in Pediatric Liver Transplant Patients
Authors: Al-Qabandi Wafa’a , Owayed Abdullah F. , Dhaunsi Gursev S.
Published: December 2011

Objectives: In this study, we examined the activities of key peroxisomal enzymes in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of pediatric liver transplant patients. Subjects and Methods: Venous blood was drawn from 14 patients aged 5–16 years on FK-506 treatment and 18 healthy subjects for isolation of lymphocytes. β-Oxidation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), NADPH oxidase (NOX), catalase and peroxisomal enzyme acyl CoA oxidase (ACO) were measured in cellular homogenates. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured as an index of lipid peroxidation. Protein content and mRNA levels of catalase, peroxisomal membrane protein-70 (PMP-70) and ACO were measured using Western blotting and PCR techniques. Results: PBLs isolated from liver transplant patients showed significantly (p < 0.01) increased levels (226.9 ± 24.5 µmol/mg protein) of MDA as compared to the levels in controls (162.8 ± 19.6 µmol/mg protein), whereas enzyme activities of SOD and NOX remained unaltered in patients’ cells. Enzyme activities of catalase and GPx were markedly (p < 0.01) decreased in cells isolated from liver transplant patients. ACO activity and β-oxidation of VLCFAs in PBLs from liver transplant patients were however found to be significantly increased by 38 and 52% respectively when compared with controls. Gene expression of PMP-70 and ACO was also significantly increased (p < 0.01) in PBLs of patients. Conclusion: Our results clearly showed that peroxisomal metabolic activities are markedly altered in lymphocytes of liver transplant patients and might contribute to the development of cellular oxidative stress.
Associations Between Lipoprotein(a) Levels and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Black and White Subjects
Authors: Virani Salim S. , Brautbar Ariel , Davis Brian C. , Nambi Vijay , Hoogeveen Ron C. , Sharrett A. Richey , Coresh Josef , Mosley Thomas H. , Morrisett Joel D. , Catellier Diane J. , Folsom Aaron R. , Boerwinkle Eric , Ballantyne Christie M.
Published: December 2011

Background—

On the basis of studies with limited statistical power, lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is not considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in blacks. We evaluated associations between Lp(a) and incident CVD events in blacks and whites in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

Methods and Results—

Plasma Lp(a) was measured in blacks (n=3467) and whites (n=9851). Hazards ratios (HRs) for incident CVD events (coronary heart disease and ischemic strokes) were calculated. Lp(a) levels were higher with wider interindividual variation in blacks (median [interquartile range], 12.8 [7.1–21.7] mg/dL) than whites (4.3 [1.7–9.5] mg/dL;
P
<0.0001). At 20 years of follow-up, 676 CVD events occurred in blacks, and 1821 events occurred in whites. Adjusted HRs (95% confidence interval) per race-specific 1-SD–greater log-transformed Lp(a) were 1.13 (1.04–1.23) for incident CVD, 1.11 (1.00–1.22) for incident coronary heart disease, and 1.21 (1.06–1.39) for ischemic strokes in blacks. For whites, the respective HRs (95% confidence intervals) were 1.09 (1.04–1.15), 1.10 (1.05–1.16), and 1.07 (0.97–1.19). Quintile analyses showed that risk for incident CVD was graded but statistically significant only for the highest compared with the lowest quintile (HR [95% confidence interval], 1.35 [1.06–1.74] for blacks and 1.27 [1.10–1.47] for whites). Similar results were obtained with the use of Lp(a) cutoffs of ≤10 mg/dL, >10 to ≤20 mg/dL, >20 to ≤30 mg/dL, and >30 mg/dL.

Conclusions—

Lp(a) levels were positively associated with CVD events. Associations were at least as strong, with a larger range of Lp(a) concentrations, in blacks compared with whites.
Advertising Regulation and the Protection of Children-Consumers in the European Union: In the Best Interests of ... Commercial Operators?
Authors: Garde Amandine
Published: December 2011

This article argues that, despite its promise to mainstream the best interests of the child into all EU policies, the European Commission has failed to ensure that the EU internal market and consumer policies, which are at the heart of the EU legal order, adequately protect children. Two main pieces of EU legislation illustrate the argument: the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
The EU, Online Child Safety and Media Literacy
Authors: Savirimuthu Joseph
Published: December 2011

Media literacy continues to assume an important role in EU online child safety governance. Its central premise is that individuals who do not have access to relevant information will be least able to make informed choices about how online interactions and risks can be managed in safe and effective manner. This intuition is broadly correct but 'network publics' create new complications that media literacy measures must now address. This article examines the role of the EU in enhancing the safety of children in the online environment through the use of public awareness and education strategies. The analysis of EU online child safety governance strategy and, more specifically, the awareness-raising strategies pursued under the Safer Internet Programme reveals some of the ways child safety issues are now being transformed into legal and social obligations.
Fides publica in Ancient Rome and its reception by Grotius and Locke
Authors: de Wilde Marc
Published: December 2011

The article analyzes the Roman notion of des publica and its reception by Grotius and Locke. The Romans considered des publica a general standard of behavior for all those invested with state power. It was regarded as a legal norm with moral connotations, which applied especially, though not exclusively, to exceptional situations, such as wars. Grotius appears to have been the first since Antiquity to rediscover the notion of des publica as a fundamental norm of public law; for him, it became especially valuable as a criterion for determining the legality of civil war and resistance. This understanding of des was also adopted by Locke, who argued that the people had a right of resistance in case the government structurally violated its trust. Contrary to the dominant view in the literature, this article shows that Locke's concept of trust was influenced not only by peculiarly English ideas about political trusteeship, but also by the Roman notion of des publica.
Comparison of statistical approaches to rare variant analysis for quantitative traits
Authors: Chen Han , Hendricks Audrey E , Cheng Yansong , Cupples Adrienne L , Dupuis Josée , Liu Ching-Ti
Published: December 2011

With recent advances in technology, deep sequencing data will be widely used to further the understanding of genetic influence on traits of interest. Therefore not only common variants but also rare variants need to be better used to exploit the new information provided by deep sequencing data. Recently, statistical approaches for analyzing rare variants in genetic association studies have been proposed, but many of them were designed only for dichotomous outcomes. We compare the type I error and power of several statistical approaches applicable to quantitative traits for collapsing and analyzing rare variant data within a defined gene region. In addition to comparing methods that consider only rare variants, such as indicator, count, and data-adaptive collapsing methods, we also compare methods that incorporate the analysis of common variants along with rare variants, such as CMC and LASSO regression. We find that the three methods used to collapse rare variants perform similarly in this simulation setting where all risk variants were simulated to have effects in the same direction. Further, we find that incorporating common variants is beneficial and using a LASSO regression to choose which common variants to include is most useful when there is are few common risk variants compared to the total number of risk variants.
Use of principal components to aggregate rare variants in case-control and family-based association studies in the presence of multiple covariates
Authors: Kazma Rémi , Hoffmann Thomas J , Witte John S
Published: December 2011

Rare variants may help to explain some of the missing heritability of complex diseases. Technological advances in next-generation sequencing give us the opportunity to test this hypothesis. We propose two new methods (one for case-control studies and one for family-based studies) that combine aggregated rare variants and common variants located within a region through principal components analysis and allow for covariate adjustment. We analyzed 200 replicates consisting of 209 case subjects and 488 control subjects and compared the results to weight-based and step-up aggregation methods. The principal components and collapsing method showed an association between the gene FLT1 and the quantitative trait Q1 (P<10−30) in a fraction of the computation time of the other methods. The proposed family-based test has inconclusive results. The two methods provide a fast way to analyze simultaneously rare and common variants at the gene level while adjusting for covariates. However, further evaluation of the statistical efficiency of this approach is warranted.
Use of Bayesian networks to dissect the complexity of genetic disease: application to the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 simulated data
Authors: Kang Jia , Zheng Wei , Li Lun , Lee Joon Sang , Yan Xiting , Zhao Hongyu
Published: December 2011

Complex diseases are often the downstream event of a number of risk factors, including both environmental and genetic variables. To better understand the mechanism of disease onset, it is of great interest to systematically investigate the crosstalk among various risk factors. Bayesian networks provide an intuitive graphical interface that captures not only the association but also the conditional independence and dependence structures among the variables, resulting in sparser relationships between risk factors and the disease phenotype than traditional correlation-based methods. In this paper, we apply a Bayesian network to dissect the complex regulatory relationships among disease traits and various risk factors for the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 simulated data. We use the Bayesian network as a tool for the risk prediction of disease outcome.
Large-scale risk prediction applied to Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 mini-exome sequence data
Authors: Li Gengxin , Ferguson John , Zheng Wei , Lee Joon Sang , Zhang Xianghua , Li Lun , Kang Jia , Yan Xiting , Zhao Hongyu
Published: December 2011

We consider the application of Efron’s empirical Bayes classification method to risk prediction in a genome-wide association study using the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 (GAW17) data. A major advantage of using this method is that the effect size distribution for the set of possible features is empirically estimated and that all subsequent parameter estimation and risk prediction is guided by this distribution. Here, we generalize Efron’s method to allow for some of the peculiarities of the GAW17 data. In particular, we introduce two ways to extend Efron’s model: a weighted empirical Bayes model and a joint covariance model that allows the model to properly incorporate the annotation information of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In the course of our analysis, we examine several aspects of the possible simulation model, including the identity of the most important genes, the differing effects of synonymous and nonsynonymous SNPs, and the relative roles of covariates and genes in conferring disease risk. Finally, we compare the three methods to each other and to other classifiers (random forest and neural network).
Principal components ancestry adjustment for Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 data
Authors: Jin Jing , Cerise Jane E , Kang Sun Jung , Yoon Eun Jung , Yoon Seungtai , Mendell Nancy R , Finch Stephen J
Published: December 2011

Statistical tests on rare variant data may well have type I error rates that differ from their nominal levels. Here, we use the Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 data to estimate type I error rates and powers of three models for identifying rare variants associated with a phenotype: (1) by using the number of minor alleles, age, and smoking status as predictor variables; (2) by using the number of minor alleles, age, smoking status, and the identity of the population of the subject as predictor variables; and (3) by using the number of minor alleles, age, smoking status, and ancestry adjustment using 10 principal component scores. We studied both quantitative phenotype and a dichotomized phenotype. The model with principal component adjustment has type I error rates that are closer to the nominal level of significance of 0.05 for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in noncausal genes for the selected phenotype than the model directly adjusting for population. The principal component adjustment model type I error rates are also closer to the nominal level of 0.05 for noncausal SNPs located in causal genes for the phenotype. The power for causal SNPs with the principal component adjustment model is comparable to the power of the other methods. The power using the underlying quantitative phenotype is greater than the power using the dichotomized phenotype.
Amelioration of Diabetic Neuropathy by TAT-Mediated Enhanced Delivery of Metallothionein and SOD
Authors: Min Dongsoo , Kim Hyunok , Park Leejin , Kim Tae Hwa , Hwang Sejin , Kim Mi Jung , Jang Seongho , Park Yongsoo
Published: December 2011

Because diabetic neuropathy (DN) appears to result from oxidative stress in neuronal tissues, antioxidant treatment should counteract the condition. Metallothionein (MT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) are free-radical scavengers, but their ability to cross biological membranes is limited. Applying cell penetrating peptide technologies, we made Tat-MT and Tat-SOD constructs and tested their ability to protect PC12 cells, as surrogates of peripheral nerve cells, from various forms of oxidative damage. Tat-MT and Tat-SOD were successfully delivered to PC12 cells, and the intracellular activities of MT and SOD increased in line with the amount of protein delivered. These agents inhibited cellular damage and apoptotic signaling caused by three different types of injuries (high glucose, hypoxia, and advanced glycation end product injury). We also examined transduction of Tat-MT and Tat-SOD into Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats. A single ip injection of Tat-MT and Tat-SOD resulted in increased radical scavenging activity and decreased apoptosis, by inhibiting nuclear factor κB and MAPK signaling. Continuous treatment resulted in improved myelination of sciatic nerves and delayed the clinical development of DN. We conclude that effective delivery of a combination antioxidant treatment may facilitate the repair of damage in patients with DN.
Evidence for widespread association of mammalian splicing and conserved long-range RNA structures
Authors: Pervouchine Dmitri D. , Khrameeva Ekaterina E. , Pichugina Marina Yu. , Nikolaienko Oleksii V. , Gelfand Mikhail S. , Rubtsov Petr M. , Mironov Andrei A.
Published: December 2011

Pre-mRNA structure impacts many cellular processes, including splicing in genes associated with disease. The contemporary paradigm of RNA structure prediction is biased toward secondary structures that occur within short ranges of pre-mRNA, although long-range base-pairings are known to be at least as important. Recently, we developed an efficient method for detecting conserved RNA structures on the genome-wide scale, one that does not require multiple sequence alignments and works equally well for the detection of local and long-range base-pairings. Using an enhanced method that detects base-pairings at all possible combinations of splice sites within each gene, we now report RNA structures that could be involved in the regulation of splicing in mammals. Statistically, we demonstrate strong association between the occurrence of conserved RNA structures and alternative splicing, where local RNA structures are generally more frequent at alternative donor splice sites, while long-range structures are more associated with weak alternative acceptor splice sites. As an example, we validated the RNA structure in the human SF1 gene using minigenes in the HEK293 cell line. Point mutations that disrupted the base-pairing of two complementary boxes between exons 9 and 10 of this gene altered the splicing pattern, while the compensatory mutations that reestablished the base-pairing reverted splicing to that of the wild-type. There is statistical evidence for a Dscam-like class of mammalian genes, in which mutually exclusive RNA structures control mutually exclusive alternative splicing. In sum, we propose that long-range base-pairings carry an important, yet unconsidered part of the splicing code, and that, even by modest estimates, there must be thousands of such potentially regulatory structures conserved throughout the evolutionary history of mammals.
The long noncoding RNA Vax2os1 controls the cell cycle progression of photoreceptor progenitors in the mouse retina
Authors: Meola Nicola , Pizzo Mariateresa , Alfano Giovanna , Surace Enrico Maria , Banfi Sandro
Published: December 2011

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as regulators of many basic cellular pathways. Several lncRNAs are selectively expressed in the developing retina, although little is known about their functional role in this tissue. Vax2os1 is a retina-specific lncRNA whose expression is restricted to the mouse ventral retina. Here we demonstrate that spatiotemporal misexpression of Vax2os1 determines cell cycle alterations in photoreceptor progenitor cells. In particular, the overexpression of Vax2os1 in the developing early postnatal mouse retina causes an impaired cell cycle progression of photoreceptor progenitors toward their final committed fate and a consequent delay of their differentiation processes. At later developmental stages, this perturbation is accompanied by an increase of apoptotic events in the photoreceptor cell layer, in comparison with control retinas, without affecting the proper cell layering in the adult retina. Similar results are observed in mouse photoreceptor-derived 661W cells in which Vax2os1 overexpression results in an impairment of the cell cycle progression rate and cell differentiation. Based on these results, we conclude that Vax2os1 is involved in the control of cell cycle progression of photoreceptor progenitor cells in the ventral retina. Therefore, we propose Vax2os1 as the first example of lncRNA that acts as a cell cycle regulator in the mammalian retina during development.
Evaluation of Sealed Joint Performance for the Selection of Sealants Suitable for Use in Autoclaved Lightweight Concrete Panels
Authors: Miyauchi Hiroyuki , Lacasse Michael A. , Murata Shigeki , Enomoto Noriyoshi , Tanaka Kyoji
Published: December 2011

The strength of autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) is evidently lower than that of normal concrete. Therefore, when movement occurs at a sealed joint between ALC panels, the sealant is required to deform and remain intact without damaging the ALC substrate. However, there is currently not sufficient information to permit evaluation of the expected performance of sealants applied to ALC substrates. In this study, static and dynamic tests were carried out in order to obtain an index that could be used to select the modulus of a sealant that can be expected to provide long-term performance when applied to an ALC substrate. To develop this index, an initial study was carried out in order to clarify actual joint movement between ALC panels of buildings; the expansion and contraction at the joint were measured, and shear joint movement was calculated based on the expected story-to-story drift of an external wall due to earthquake loads. Thereafter, in a subsequent stage of the study, five types of two-component polyurethane sealant products, of different elastic modulus, were subjected to tensile and shear tests from which the relationship between stress and the type of joint fracture was determined. The results from these tests revealed that when the stress is greater than 0.6 to 0.7 N/mm2, the ALC substrate is more easily fractured than the sealant. In a final stage of the study, the cyclic fatigue resistance of the same two-component sealants was evaluated using tensile and shear fatigue tests. Results from the fatigue tests indicated that the high modulus sealants lost adhesion from the ALC substrate at an early stage in the test. As well, the fatigue resistance of test specimens with joints having three-sided adhesion was lower than that of specimens having normally configured joints with adhesion on two sides of the sealant. Therefore, on the basis of results derived from all the studies, it was determined that a suitable sealant for use on ALC substrates is a sealant having a low modulus that is applied in the normal fashion as a two-sided joint.
Modellierung und Ausführung von multimodalen Anwendungen auf Basis von Zustandsdiagrammen
Authors: Feuerstack Sebastian , dos Santos Anjo Mauro , Pizzolato Ednaldo Brigante
Published: December 2011

Neuartige Interaktionsformen, wie die Verwendung von Gesten zur Steuerung von Benutzungsschnittstellen ermöglichen eine Anwendungsbedienung auch in Situationen wo hardwarebasierte Steuerungen nicht verwendbar sind oder können Personen mit körperlichen Beeinträchtigungen unterstützen. Das große Spektrum an denkbaren Gesten bietet zahlreiche Interaktionsmöglichkeiten, erfordert aber auch umfangreiche Nutzertests um eine intuitive, fehlertolerante, sowie zielgruppengerechte Steuerung zu entwickeln. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt wie mittels der modellbasierten Entwicklung basierend auf Interaktoren, die mit Zustandsdiagrammen beschrieben und Mappings verbunden werden, multimodale Benutzungsschnittstellen entworfen und direkt ausgeführt werden können. Dabei steht die schnelle Entwicklung von verschieden prototypischen Interaktionsvarianten im Vordergrund.
Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) em crianças do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: cobertura, estado nutricional e confiabilidade dos dados
Authors: Damé Patrícia Kluwe Viégas , Pedroso Márcia Regina de Oliveira , Marinho Clarissa Lapenda , Gonçalves Veralice Maria , Duncan Bruce Bartholow , Fisher Paul Douglas , Romero Ana Leonisa Coronel , Castro Teresa Gontijo de
Published: December 2011

Este estudo objetivou avaliar: cobertura do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) no Rio Grande do Sul e suas Coordenadorias Regionais de Saúde em 2006; estado nutricional das crianças de 0-10 anos e a confiabilidade dos dados sobre estado nutricional registradas no sistema. Realizou-se estudo transversal descritivo de base secundária com 63.320 crianças. A cobertura baseou-se no número de menores de 10 anos cobertos pela Estratégia Saúde da Família nos municípios. Os índices estatura/idade (E/I) e de massa corporal/idade (IMC/I) foram classificados com base na Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). A concordância entre classificações nutricionais registradas no sistema e as geradas neste estudo foi avaliada pelo teste kappa ponderado (nível de 5%). No Rio Grande Sul, a cobertura do sistema foi de 10,5% e encontraram-se frequências de déficit de E/I de 7,1% e de excesso de peso de 8,4%. A concordância entre classificações teve kappa = 0,43. Apontaram-se baixas cobertura do sistema e concordâncias de classificações e a coexistência de excesso de peso e déficit estatural entre os acompanhados.
Light is Right—Various Techniques to Fabricate Hollow Obturators
Authors: Nanda Aditi , Jain Veena , Nafria Anil
Published: December 2011

Management of malignancies and abnormal growths in maxillary sinus often include ablative surgeries. The closure of the resulting anatomical defect can be achieved with an obturator prosthesis. Reduction in weight of the obturator is an important consideration in improving the retention and stability of the prosthesis. Hollowing the bulb of the obturator (extension of the prosthesis into the defect) is an effective method of reducing the weight of the prosthesis. Such obturators can be one piece or two pieces. Of the many methods to make an obturator hollow, four techniques are described here. Along with the pros and cons of each, the method of fabrication is detailed as well. It is the discretion of the operator to apply these techniques aptly for fabrication of either an interim or a definitive prosthesis.
The use of nutritional 'positive deviants' to identify approaches for modification of dietary practices.
Authors: Wishik S M , Vynckt S
Published: December 2011

The paper describes methodology for doing nutrition surveys among deprived population groups of grossly homogeneous socioeconomic status so as to identify those families in which a child between age six months and five years falls in the upper 25 per cent in height and weight measurements. These families are labeled as being "Positive Deviants" from the undernutrition that prevails in the population. They are then studied anthropologically to uncover any practices related to food sources, storage, preparation, consumption, and content. The information would be used in designing food supplementation or other nutritional promotion in the population at large on the assumption that the observed "favorable" practices, although atypical, are feasible and culturally acceptable because they are indigenously rather than extraneously derived. In addition, the survey collected data on fertility because of findings concerning the close interrelatedness among a woman's nutritional state, her age when first giving birth, intervals between births, and the growth and development of her young children. Severe undernutrition raised a woman's safe age threshold for first birth above 20 years and a reasonably safe birth interval to more than three years.
Canine salmonellosis: A review and report of dog to child transmission of Salmonella enteritidis.
Authors: Morse E V , Duncan M A , Estep D A , Riggs W A , Blackburn B O
Published: December 2011

Dogs have been shown to harbor 53 salmonellae serotypes. Multiple simultaneous infections with 2 to 4 serotypes have been observed. The prevalence of canine salmonellosis may be a high as 27 per cent. Salmonella typhimurium and S. anatum are the most common etiologic agents. Dogs commonly experience a sub-clinical course of salmonellosis. Some investigators state that the dog may serve as a source of human infections. A few reports in the literature have documented this fact. The transmissions of S. enteritidis from dog to child is described in this article.
Changing images of professionalism: the case of public health nurses.
Authors: Bloom J R , O'Reilly C A , Parlette G N
Published: December 2011

A survey of 89 public health nurses in a California county explored factors that might account for the growing support of unions and subsequent militancy among nurses. As predicted, changes in the backgrounds of public health nurses have occurred over time: 1) older nurses are more likely to have graduated from a diploma program and to have parents of lower educational and occupational attainment than younger nurses; 2) older nurses are more likely to view nursing as a calling and less likely to desire representation in collective bargaining by the union or to believe striking professional; 3) older nurses and those from lower social class backgrounds were less likely to belong to the union and less likely to participate in a county-wide strike. Because age and parental background factors are independently related to our indicators of militancy--union membership and participation in a strike--the results are interpreted as a change in nurses' images of professionalism.
The State Mental Hospital: A Local Health Department's Role
Authors: Anthony Nicholas , Leff Arnold M.
Published: December 2011

The publicizing of the abysmal conditions in state mental institutions and the problems precipitated by their deinstitutionalization programs, have challenged local health authorities to develop effective roles in ameliorating these difficulties. Long-view State Hospital is a state mental hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cincinnati Health Department acted as a change agent to deal with the hospital's many chronic problems and the new difficulties precipitated by moving patients into the community for care. The city conducted its own evaluation of the hospital and its deinstitutionalization program and strongly advocated needed improvements. Problems were encountered in implementing this advocacy role, particularly in relation to the local health department's authority regarding this state-funded and operated institution. However, the many city recommendations that were implemented, the increased funding given the hospital and the community mental health centers, the continuing communication between city and state officials, as well as a follow-up evaluation indicated that the Cincinnati Health Department had played a positive role in the change process. (Am. J. Public Health 69:64-67, 1979.)
Heart healthy eating and exercise: introducing and maintaining changes in health behaviors.
Authors: Coates T J , Jeffery R W , Slinkard L A
Published: December 2011

The Heart Program is a health education project developed for elementary school students. It was designed to 1) increase their consumption of complex carbohydrates, and decrease their consumption of saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar; 2) increase their level of habitual physical activity; and 3) generalize these changes to other family members. The overall program and 12 class lessons were designed using informative instruction, participatory classroom activities, personal goal setting, parent handouts, feedback, and reinforcement. The program was evaluated using a time-series experimental design with all students in three 4th grade classes at School 1 and three 5th grade classes at School 2. Evaluation was conducted using direct observations of eating and activity, as well as paper-and-pencil assessments of knowledge and attitude. Results indicated substantial changes in eating behavior at school, knowledge about heart health, food preferences, and family eating patterns are reported by parents. Observed changes in exercise were minimal during treatment, and were related to seasonal sports activities at follow-up. Eating which spanned summer vacation. These outcomes suggest that school programs developed using specific techniques can be effective in facilitating important behavior changes at school and at home.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding vasectomy among residents of Hamilton County, Ohio, 1980.
Authors: Huether C A , Howe S , Kelaghan J
Published: December 2011

A telephone survey of 1,172 Hamilton County, Ohio residents indicated that for ever-married people, 25.1 per cent of those aged 18-45 and 33.8 per cent of those 30-45 had been sterilized. Blacks and Whites had comparable levels of sterilization but, among Blacks, female sterilization was over eight times as common as vasectomy, while for Whites, the ratio was 1.2. Catholics had only one-half the sterilization rate of Protestants. Race, sex, income, and education were all related to knowledge and attitudes toward vasectomy. The need for more information was a major reason cited for not having a vasectomy.
Dementia after DBS Surgery: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Rektorova I. , Hummelova Z. , Balaz M.
Published: December 2011

We report the case history of a 75-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease who developed severe cognitive problems after deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the bilateral subthalamic nuclei (STN). After a brief cognitive improvement, the patient gradually deteriorated until she developed full-blown dementia. We discuss the case with respect to the cognitive effects of STN DBS and the possible risk factors of dementia after STN DBS surgery.
LQTS-Associated Mutation A257G in α1-Syntrophin Interacts with the Intragenic Variant P74L to Modify Its Biophysical Phenotype
Authors: Cheng Jianding , Van Norstrand David W. , Medeiros-Domingo Argelia , Tester David J. , Valdivia Carmen R. , Tan Bi-Hua , Vatta Matteo , Makielski Jonathan C. , Ackerman Michael J.
Published: December 2011

The SNTA1-encoded α1-syntrophin (SNTA1) missense mutation, p.A257G, causes long QT syndrome (LQTS) by pathogenic accentuation of Nav1.5’s sodium current (INa). Subsequently, we found p.A257G in combination with the SNTA1 polymorphism, p.P74L in 4 victims of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as well as in 3 adult controls. We hypothesized that p.P74L-SNTA1 could functionally modify the pathogenic phenotype of p.A257G-SNTA1, thus explaining its occurrence in non-LQTS populations. The SNTA1 variants p.P74L, p.A257G, and the combination variant p.P74L/p.A257G were engineered using PCR-based overlapextension and were co-expressed heterologously with SCN5A in HEK293 cells. INa was recorded using the whole-cell method. Compared to wild-type (WT), the significant increase in peak INa and window current found with p.A257G was reversed by the intragenic variant p.P74L (p.P74L/p.A257G). These results report for the first time the intragenic rescue of an LQT-associated SNTA1 mutation when found in combination with the SNTA1 polymorphism p.P74L, suggesting an ever-increasing picture of complexity in terms of genetic risk stratification for arrhythmia.
The Impact of Health Information Exchange on Health Outcomes
Authors: Warholak T. , Hincapie A.
Published: December 2011

Background and Objective: Healthcare professionals, industry and policy makers have identified Health Information Exchange (HIE) as a solution to improve patient safety and overall quality of care. The potential benefits of HIE on healthcare have fostered its implementation and adoption in the United States. However,there is a dearth of publications that demonstrate HIE effectiveness. The purpose of this review was to identify and describe evidence of HIE impact on healthcare outcomes.

Methods: A database search was conducted. The inclusion criteria included original investigations in English that focused on a HIE outcome evaluation. Two independent investigators reviewed the articles. A qualitative coding approach was used to analyze the data.

Results: Out of 207 abstracts retrieved, five articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 3 were randomized controlled trials, 1 involved retrospective review of data, and 1 was a prospective study. We found that HIE benefits on healthcare outcomes are still sparsely evaluated, and that among the measurements used to evaluate HIE healthcare utilization is the most widely used.

Conclusions: Outcomes evaluation is required to give healthcare providers and policy-makers evidence to incorporate in decision-making processes. This review showed a dearth of HIE outcomes data in the published peer reviewed literature so more research in this area is needed. Future HIE evaluations with different levels of interoperability should incorporate a framework that allows a detailed examination of HIE outcomes that are likely to positively affect care.