bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a novel alloherpesvirus from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Authors: Marcos-Lopez Mar , Waltzek Thomas B. , Hedrick Ronald P. , Baxa Dolores V. , Garber Amber F. , Liston Rebecca , Johnsen Eric , Forward Benjamin S. , Backman Steven , Ferguson Hugh W.
Published: October 2011

Alloherpesviruses affect freshwater and marine fish species. The aim of the current study was to characterize a novel alloherpesvirus in Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua). Samples were processed for histopathology, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), virus isolation, molecular characterization, and in situ hybridization (ISH). Histopathology revealed that the infection was restricted to the gills and that it induced cytomegaly in infected cells. By TEM, numerous viral particles with morphology compatible with a herpesvirus were observed inside the cytomegalic cells. To characterize this new agent, polymerase chain reaction amplified regions of the ATPase subunit of the terminase, and DNA polymerase genes were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed strongest similarity with alloherpesviruses belonging to the genus Ictalurivirus and Salmonivirus. The ISH showed specific labeling of nuclear inclusions in the cytomegalic cells. While virus isolation was unsuccessful, the results obtained through different diagnostic tests in the present study confirm the discovery of a new alloherpesvirus affecting Atlantic cod. The authors propose the formal species designation Gadid herpesvirus 1 (GaHV-1) to be considered for approval by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses.
Imagined user modes: Media morality in everyday life
Authors: Bengtsson Stina
Published: October 2011

This article deals with the moral dimensions of everyday media use. It discusses the values, strategies and norms of the moral economy of media use in everyday life. First, it identifies three different kinds of values connected with media texts and technologies. Second, it discusses different strategies to create a morally correct balance in everyday life. Third, it puts forward the concept of imagined user modes to deepen our understanding of the moral dimensions of everyday media use. Imagined user modes are preconceptions of different technologies and texts and relate to our ideas of how the media affect those who are using them. They are considered when negotiating with ourselves on proper behaviours in specific situations, and therefore they can be different, depending on individual value systems and ideas of a morally correct behaviour.
Australia’s ‘child-abuse material’ legislation, internet regulation and the juridification of the imagination
Authors: McLelland Mark
Published: October 2011

This article investigates the implications of Australia’s prohibition of ‘child-abuse material’ (including cartoons, animation, drawings and text) for Australian fan communities of animation, comics and gaming (ACG) and slash fiction. It is argued that current legislation is out of synch with the new communicative environment brought about by the internet since a large portion of the fans producing and trading in these images are themselves minors and young people. Habermas’s analysis of the conflict between instrumental and communicative rationality is deployed to demonstrate that legislators have misrecognized the nature of the communicative practices that take place within the ‘lifeworlds’ of fan communities, resulting in an unjust ‘juridification’ of their creative works. Drawing on Japanese research into the female fandom surrounding ‘boys’ love’ (BL) manga, it is argued that current Australian legislation not only forecloses the fantasy lives of young Australian fans but also harms them by aligning them with paedophile networks. Finally, drawing upon Jean Cohen’s paradigm of ‘reflexive law’ the article considers a possible way forward that opens up channels of communication between regulators, fans, domain host administrators and media studies professionals that would encourage a more nuanced approach to legislation as well as a greater awareness of the need for self-regulation among fan communities.
Cultural translation, global television studies, and the circulation of telenovelas in the United States
Authors: Conway Kyle
Published: October 2011

‘Cultural translation’ is a metaphor whose currency is increasing in the broad field of cultural studies, but it has largely been neglected in narrower field of television studies. This article brings cultural translation to television studies by proposing an approach to describe how the industrial logics that govern the global circulation of programs also shape them as texts. It then uses this approach to explain the circulation of telenovelas in the English-language market in the United States, paying special attention to Ugly Betty, adapted from the Colombian program Yo soy Betty, la fea.
The affirmative character of cultural studies
Authors: Burgett Bruce , Kochhar-Lindgren Kanta , Krabill Ron , Thomas Elizabeth
Published: October 2011

Drawing on the four authors’ experiences as members of a collective made up of faculty and staff housed across several academic and non-academic educational institutions in the Seattle metropolitan region, the article argues that practitioners of cultural studies can best address questions of praxis by developing and institutionalizing more diverse sites for the critical and creative study of culture. A non-affirmative model of cultural studies needs to be grounded, both institutionally and theoretically, in collaborations that cut across, bridge, and reconfigure the relations among educational institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and community groups.
Defiant laughter: humour and the aesthetics of place in late 19th century Montmartre
Authors: Brigstocke Julian
Published: October 2011

Humour was at the core of the spatial imaginary of the emerging French avant-garde of the 1880s. But what was the specific role of different forms of humour in their attempts to re-imagine urban place and community? In this article I develop a non-representational historical geography of the aesthetics of place in fin-de-siècle Montmartre. The article analyses how Montmartre artists used humour in order to inject new life and vitality into the urban environment. The ambivalence of humour made it a powerful device through which to experiment with creating a novel experience of place and stylizing an affirmative urban ethos. Two modes of humour in particular were predominant: irony and pantomime buffoonery. Through irony, they attempted to create an experience of place that encompassed the contradictory and fugitive nature of the modern city. In buffoonery, they found a way of affirming the city’s potential at the same time as remaining alive to its suffering and violence. In combination, this urban ethos can be theorized as a form of ‘affirmative pessimism’.
Using National Surveys to Measure Dynamic U.S. State Public Opinion: A Guideline for Scholars and an Application
Authors: Pacheco Julianna
Published: October 2011

The author improves on the measurement of U.S. state public opinion by (1) applying previous methods used only on cross-sectional data to create dynamic measures of state public opinion and (2) providing a systematic comparison of the performance of the various methodological approaches on these dynamic measures. The author shows that scholars can use multilevel regression, imputation, and poststratification (MRP) coupled with a simple moving average to measure state public opinion over time. Compared to aggregation, the MRP approach has less error and is more reliable, particularly for the less populated states. The author shows the applicability of the MRP approach by measuring and validating state partisanship and state ideology over time. The validated measures are available for public use. Armed with a method to measure state public opinion over time, scholars can begin to more fully understand the dynamic relationship between public opinion and policy in the U.S. states.
Amelioration of Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury in an Isolated Rabbit Lung Model Using OXANOH
Authors: Hasaniya Nahidh W. , Premaratne Shyamal , Zhang Wayne W. , Razzuk Aziz , Abdul-Ghani Ayman A. , Dashwood Roderick H. , Eklof Bo , Tinsley Larry , McNamara J. Judson
Published: October 2011

Objective: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Oxygen-free radicals (OFRs) produced during ischemia and reperfusion (IR) have been implicated as the final common pathway in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Spin traps have been shown to decrease IR injury in several animal lung models. The hydroxylamine, OXANOH (2-ethyl-2,5,5-trimethyl-3-oxazolidine) has been proposed as an ideal spin trap that would trap extra- and intracellular OFRs producing the stable radical, OXANO• (2-ethyl-2,5,5-trimethyl-3-oxazolidinoxyl). Electron microscopy was used to investigate whether OXANOH would protect against IR injury in the rabbit lung. Methods: OXANOH was obtained by hydrogenation of its stable radical, OXANO• using a safe laboratory technique. Several doses of OXANOH were tested to identify a nontoxic dose. Two quantitative methods were used based on the average surface area of the alveoli and average number of alveoli per unit surface area using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A total of 20 animals were subjected to 2 hours of ischemia followed by 4 hours of reperfusion. On reperfusion, the 4 groups (N = 5) received no treatment, OXANOH, superoxide dismutase (SOD)/catalase, or oxypurinol. Results: A therapeutic dose of 250 μmol/L of OXANO• was suggested in this in vitro model. All the 3 treatments showed significantly less injury compared to the control group and that SOD/catalase was significantly different from OXANOH and oxypurinol ( P < .008). Conclusion: OXANOH ameliorated IR injury in the isolated rabbit lung, almost as effectively as SOD/catalase and oxypurinol.
Superior Mesenteric Artery Stent Fracture Leading to Recurrent Mesenteric Ischemia
Authors: Schellekens Johanna F. , Vos Jan Albert , van den Heuvel Danyel A. F. , Boersma Doeke , de Vries Jean-Paul P. M.
Published: October 2011

We report 2 cases of patients with recurrent symptoms of mesenteric ischemic disease after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stenting due to superior mesenteric artery stent fracture. Both patients were treated by redo PTA and stenting successfully. Stent fractures, their complications, and management are discussed.
Limb Outcome and Mortality in Lower and Upper Extremity Arterial Injury
Authors: Tan Tze-Woei , Joglar Fernando L. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Eberhardt Robert T. , Shaw Palma M. , Rybin Denis , Doros Gheorghe , Farber Alik
Published: October 2011

Objective: To examine the outcomes of lower extremity (LE) and upper extremity (UE) arterial trauma. Methods: Retrospective review of 2008 version of National Trauma Databank. Adult patient with LE and UE arterial trauma was identified and outcomes were compared. Results: There were 8311 cases of extremity arterial trauma and 37% involved the LE. The LE cohort had higher blunt injury (56.2% vs 37.4%; P < .0001). The LE cohort was more likely to require fasciotomy (23.6% vs 6.7%; P < .0001) and amputation (7.8% vs 1.3%; P < .0001). Complication (18.8% vs 5.1%; P < .0001) and mortality rate (7.7% vs 2.2%, P < .0001) were higher in the LE cohort. Regardless of extremity, blunt trauma was associated with higher mortality (4.8% vs 3.8%; P = .03) and amputation (6.7% vs 1.3%; P < .0001). In multivariable analysis, LE arterial trauma was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-2.9; P < .0001) and amputation (OR 4.3, 95% CI 3.2-5.8; P < .0001). Conclusions: Lower and upper extremity arterial injuries have different modes of presentation and outcomes. Lower extremity arterial trauma is more commonly caused by blunt injury and associated with worse outcomes despite more intensive intervention.
School Victims and Crime Reporting
Authors: Watkins Adam M. , Maume Michael O.
Published: October 2011

The current study addresses whether school-related factors, such as the presence of security personnel, affect students' reporting of school violent crimes to police or nonpolice authorities. Data from the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey are used to assess such possible relationships. Current results revealed (a) limited variation in reporting from 1999 to 2007, and (b) limited evidence to suggest that school-related factors condition the decision to report. However, the authors did find that while the presence of security personnel at school reduced the odds of a school crime being reported to any official (school or police), such a presence increased the likelihood of police involvement when the victimization was reported.
Nonsocial Versus Social Reinforcers
Authors: Stevens Jennifer , May David , Rice Nancy , Jarjoura G. Roger
Published: October 2011

A wide variety of theoretical perspectives demonstrate an association with delinquency. Recently, a number of researchers have sought to integrate these theories into developmental models by which they explain different types of delinquency at different phases in the life-course. Using data from approximately 800 delinquents incarcerated in a Midwestern state, the authors continue those efforts by examining the association between delinquency and both nonsocial and social reinforcers over time. Their findings suggest that youth may begin their involvement in delinquency in pursuit of intrinsic gratification but continue that involvement because of the external gratification they receive from their peers. Implications for future research are also discussed.
Neural Correlates of the Antinociceptive Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Central Pain After Stroke
Authors: Ohn Suk Hoon , Chang Won Hyuk , Park Chang-hyun , Kim Sung Tae , Lee Jung Il , Pascual-Leone Alvaro , Kim Yun-Hee
Published: October 2011

Background. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulates central neuropathic pain in some patients after stroke, but the mechanisms of action are uncertain. Objective. The authors used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI (fMRI) to evaluate the integrity of the thalamocortical tract (TCT) and the activation pattern of the pain network in 22 patients with poststroke central pain. Methods. Each patient underwent daily 10-Hz rTMS sessions for 1000 pulses on 5 consecutive days over the hotspot for the first dorsal interosseus muscle. Pain severity was monitored using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Mood was assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Results. Clinical data from all participants along with the DTI and fMRI findings from 10 patients were analyzed. VAS scores decreased significantly, if modestly, following administration of rTMS in 14 responders, which lasted for 2 weeks after the intervention. Regression analysis showed a significant correlation between less initial depression and higher antalgic effect of rTMS. Integrity of the superior TCT in the ipsilesional hemisphere showed significant correlation with change of VAS score after rTMS. fMRI showed significantly decreased activity in the secondary somatosensory cortex, insula, prefrontal cortex, and putamen in rTMS responders, whereas no change was noted in nonresponders. Conclusion. Mood may affect the modest antinociceptive effects of rTMS that we found, which may be mediated by the superior TCT through modulation of a distributed pain network.
Whose Higher Power? Criminalized Women Confront the “Twelve Steps”
Authors: Sered Susan , Norton-Hawk Maureen
Published: October 2011

Drawing on 3 years of fieldwork with a community of criminalized women in eastern Massachusetts, this article explores their ambivalent, often negative, relationship with and feelings about Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA). We suggest that coerced participation in AA/NA undermines any potential value that these programs may have for other types of participants and that the Twelve Step ideology of personal responsibility and turning oneself over to a Higher Power fails to resonate for women who are homeless, poor, incarcerated, abused, and have had their children taken from them.
Prucalopride: safety, efficacy and potential applications
Authors: Quigley Eamonn M. M.
Published: October 2011

Chronic constipation is a very common functional gastrointestinal disorder which can be associated with significant impairments in quality of life for some people with the condition. Its management has, traditionally, been based on dietary and lifestyle changes and the use of a variety of laxative agents. The evidence base for the efficacy of the latter is, in many cases, slim. Not surprisingly, many patients remain dissatisfied with laxatives thus leading to the development of more pharmacological approaches. Among these approaches is the use of prokinetic agents; while prior molecules have been troubled by lack of selectivity and cardiac side effects, the new agent, prucalopride, appears to be highly selective for the serotonin 5-HT4 receptor and is, therefore, a potent stimulator of gut motility. In three large pivotal randomized controlled trials, prucalopride has been effective in relieving the cardinal symptoms of chronic constipation; these effects have been sustained in open-label follow up for as long as 18 months. The safety profile has been encouraging and, especially so, the absence of arrhythmogenic potential. Studies in men, in constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and in other motor disorders are eagerly awaited.
Nonmotor outcomes in Parkinson’s disease: is deep brain stimulation better than dopamine replacement therapy?
Authors: Borgohain Rupam , Kandadai Rukmini Mridula , Jabeen Afshan , Kannikannan Meena A.
Published: October 2011

Nonmotor symptoms are an integral part of Parkinson’s disease and cause significant morbidity. Pharmacological therapy helps alleviate the disease but produces nonmotor manifestations. While deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as the treatment of choice for motor dysfunction, the effect on nonmotor symptoms is not well known. Compared with pharmacological therapy, bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN)-DBS or globus pallidum interna (GPi)-DBS has significant beneficial effects on pain, sleep, gastrointestinal and urological symptoms. STN-DBS is associated with a mild worsening in verbal fluency while GPi-DBS has no effect on cognition. STN-DBS may improve cardiovascular autonomic disturbances by reducing the dose of dopaminergic drugs. Because the motor effects of STN-DBS and GPi-DBS appear to be similar, nonmotor symptoms may determine the target choice in surgery of future patients.
When Hierarchy Wins
Authors: Halevy Nir , Chou Eileen Y. , Galinsky Adam D. , Murnighan J. Keith
Published: October 2011

Past research on pay dispersion has found that hierarchy hurts commitment, cooperation, and performance. In contrast, functional theories of social hierarchy propose that hierarchy can facilitate coordination and performance. We investigated the effects of hierarchical differentiation using a sample of professional basketball teams from the National Basketball Association (NBA). Analyses of archival data revealed that hierarchical differentiation in pay and participation enhanced team performance by facilitating intragroup coordination and cooperation. The data provide the basis for a theoretical analysis which suggests that hierarchy is particularly beneficial for procedurally interdependent tasks (e.g., basketball) but can harm team performance for procedurally independent tasks (e.g., baseball; Bloom, 1999 ). Overall, the current data indicate that team structure (hierarchy) affects team outcomes (performance) through team processes (cooperation and coordination). Thus, under certain conditions, hierarchical differentiation helps lead groups to victory.
Regenerating islet-derived 3-alpha is a biomarker of gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease
Authors: Ferrara James L. M. , Harris Andrew C. , Greenson Joel K. , Braun Thomas M. , Holler Ernst , Teshima Takanori , Levine John E. , Choi Sung W. J. , Huber Elisabeth , Landfried Karin , Akashi Koichi , Vander Lugt Mark , Reddy Pavan , Chin Alice , Zhang Qing , Hanash Samir , Paczesny Sophie
Published: October 2011

There are no plasma biomarkers specific for GVHD of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the GVHD target organ most associated with nonrelapse mortality (NRM) following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Using an unbiased, large-scale, quantitative proteomic discovery approach to identify candidate biomarkers that were increased in plasma from HCT patients with GI GVHD, 74 proteins were increased at least 2-fold; 5 were of GI origin. We validated the lead candidate, REG3α, by ELISA in samples from 1014 HCT patients from 3 transplantation centers. Plasma REG3α concentrations were 3-fold higher in patients at GI GVHD onset than in all other patients and correlated most closely with lower GI GVHD. REG3α concentrations at GVHD onset predicted response to therapy at 4 weeks, 1-year NRM, and 1-year survival (P ≤ .001). In a multivariate analysis, advanced clinical stage, severe histologic damage, and high REG3α concentrations at GVHD diagnosis independently predicted 1-year NRM, which progressively increased with higher numbers of onset risk factors present: 25% for patients with 0 risk factors to 86% with 3 risk factors present (P < .001). REG3α is a plasma biomarker of GI GVHD that can be combined with clinical stage and histologic grade to improve risk stratification of patients.
Notch signaling in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: any role for stromal microenvironment?
Authors: Kamdje Armel Hervé Nwabo , Krampera Mauro
Published: October 2011

Notch signaling pathway regulates many different events of embryonic and adult development; among them, Notch plays an essential role in the onset of hematopoietic stem cells and influences multiple maturation steps of developing lymphoid and myeloid cells. Deregulation of Notch signaling determines several human disorders, including cancer. In the last decade it became evident that Notch signaling plays pivotal roles in the onset and development of T- and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia by regulating the intracellular molecular pathways involved in leukemia cell survival and proliferation. On the other hand, bone marrow stromal cells are equally necessary for leukemia cell survival by preventing blast cell apoptosis and favoring their reciprocal interactions and cross-talk with bone marrow microenvironment. Quite surprisingly, the link between Notch signaling pathway and bone marrow stromal cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia has been pointed out only recently. In fact, bone marrow stromal cells express Notch receptors and ligands, through which they can interact with and influence normal and leukemia T- and B-cell survival. Here, the data concerning the development of T- and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia has been critically reviewed in light of the most recent findings on Notch signaling in stromal microenvironment.
The MDCK variety pack: choosing the right strain
Authors: Dukes Joseph D , Whitley Paul , Chalmers Andrew D
Published: October 2011

The MDCK cell line provides a tractable model for studying protein trafficking, polarity and junctions (tight, adherens, desmosome and gap) in epithelial cells. However, there are many different strains of MDCK cells available, including the parental line, MDCK I, MDCK II, MDCK.1, MDCK.2, superdome and supertube, making it difficult for new researchers to decide which strain to use. Furthermore, there is often inadequate reporting of strain types and where cells were obtained from in the literature. This review aims to provide new researchers with a guide to the different MDCK strains and a directory of where they can be obtained. We also hope to encourage experienced researchers to report the stain and origin of their MDCK cells.
Association of chemerin mRNA expression in human epicardial adipose tissue with coronary atherosclerosis
Authors: Gao Xiuying , Mi Shuhua , Zhang Fuzhuang , Gong Fengying , Lai Yongqiang , Gao Feng , Zhang Xiaoxia , Wang Linjie , Tao Hong
Published: October 2011

Background

Growing evidence suggests that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may play a key role in the pathogenesis and development of coronary artery disease (CAD) by producing several inflammatory adipokines. Chemerin, a novel adipokine, has been reported to be involved in regulating immune responses and glucolipid metabolism. Given these properties, chemerin may provide an interesting link between obesity, inflammation and atherosclerosis. In this study, we sought to determine the relationship of chemerin expression in EAT and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in Han Chinese patients.

Methods

Serums and adipose tissue biopsies (epicardial and thoracic subcutaneous) were obtained from CAD (n = 37) and NCAD (n = 16) patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Gensini score was used to assess the severity of CAD. Serum levels of chemerin, adiponectin and insulin were measured by ELISA. Chemerin protein expression in adipose tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of chemerin, chemR23, adiponectin and TNF-alpha in adipose tissue were detected by RT-PCR.

Results

We found that EAT of CAD group showed significantly higher levels of chemerin and TNF-alpha mRNA, and significantly lower level of adiponectin mRNA than that of NCAD patients. In CAD group, significantly higher levels of chemerin mRNA and protein were observed in EAT than in paired subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), whereas such significant difference was not found in NCAD group. Chemerin mRNA expression in EAT was positively correlated with Gensini score (r = 0.365, P < 0.05), moreover, this correlation remained statistically significant (r = 0.357, P < 0.05) after adjusting for age, gender, BMI and waist circumference. Chemerin mRNA expression in EAT was also positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.305, P < 0.05), waist circumference (r = 0.384, P < 0.01), fasting blood glucose (r = 0.334, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with adiponectin mRNA expression in EAT (r = -0.322, P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the serum levels of chemerin or adiponectin between the two groups. Likewise, neither serum chemerin nor serum adiponectin was associated with Gensini score (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The expressions of chemerin mRNA and protein are significantly higher in EAT from patients with CAD in Han Chinese patients. Furthermore, the severity of coronary atherosclerosis is positive correlated with the level of chemerin mRNA in EAT rather than its circulating level.
Heterologous expression, biochemical characterization, and overproduction of alkaline α-amylase from Bacillus alcalophilus in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Yang Haiquan , Liu Long , Li Jianghua , Du Guocheng , Chen Jian
Published: October 2011

Background

Alkaline α-amylases have potential applications for hydrolyzing starch under high pH conditions in the starch and textile industries and as ingredients in detergents for automatic dishwashers and laundries. While the alkaline α-amylase gains increased industrial interest, the yield of alkaline α-amylases from wild-type microbes is low, and the combination of genetic engineering and process optimization is necessary to achieve the overproduction of alkaline α-amylase.

Results

The alkaline α-amylase gene from Bacillus alcalophilus JN21 (CCTCC NO. M 2011229) was cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis strain WB600 with vector pMA5. The recombinant alkaline α-amylase was stable at pH from 7.0 to 11.0 and temperature below 40°C. The optimum pH and temperature of alkaline α-amylase was 9.0 and 50°C, respectively. Using soluble starch as the substrate, the K
m and V
max of alkaline α-amylase were 9.64 g/L and 0.80 g/(L·min), respectively. The effects of medium compositions (starch, peptone, and soybean meal) and temperature on the recombinant production of alkaline α-amylase in B. subtilis were investigated. Under the optimal conditions (starch concentration 0.6% (w/v), peptone concentration 1.45% (w/v), soybean meal concentration 1.3% (w/v), and temperature 37°C), the highest yield of alkaline α-amylase reached 415 U/mL. The yield of alkaline α-amylase in a 3-L fermentor reached 441 U/mL, which was 79 times that of native alkaline α-amylase from B. alcalophilus JN21.

Conclusions

This is the first report concerning the heterologous expression of alkaline α-amylase in B. subtilis, and the obtained results make it feasible to achieve the industrial production of alkaline α-amylase with the recombinant B. subtilis.
Differential expression of alpha 2 macroglobulin in response to dietylstilbestrol and in ovarian carcinomas in chickens
Authors: Lim Whasun , Jeong Wooyoung , Kim Ji-Hye , Lee Jin-Young , Kim Jinyoung , Bazer Fuller W , Han Jae Yong , Song Gwonhwa
Published: October 2011

Background

Alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M; also known as ovostatin), a homotetrameric protein with four disulfide-linked subunits, has the unique feature of inactivating/inhibiting most known proteases including serine-, threonine-, cysteine-, aspartic- and metalloproteases. In chickens, A2M has been identified and characterized biochemically, but little is known of its functional role(s) in the oviduct, hormonal regulation of expression or its expression in ovarian carcinomas in chickens. Therefore, we investigated estrogen regulation of A2M gene expression during development of the chicken oviduct, and its expression in normal and cancerous ovaries from chickens.

Methods

To determine tissue-specific expression of A2M in chickens, we collected various organs from male and female chickens and performed RT-PCR analyses. To examine A2M gene expression in the oviduct of 1-week-old female chicks that received a subcutaneous implant of 15 mg DES in the abdominal region for 20 days, we performed RT-PCR, qPCR and in situ hybridization analyses using cDNAs from control- (n = 5) and DES-treated oviducts (n = 5), and then each segment of the oviduct from DES-treated chicks. To determine if A2M is a biomarker of ovarian cancer in hens, we collected cancerous (n = 10) ovaries from a total of 136 chickens which had completely stopped egg-laying and performed RT-PCR and in situ hybridization analyses.

Results

We found that A2M is most abundant in the chicken oviduct, specifically luminal (LE) and glandular epithelia (GE), but it was not detected in any other tissues of either sex. We then determined that DES (dietylstilbestrol, a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen) increased A2M mRNA only in LE and GE of the oviduct of chicks. Further, expression of A2M was most abundant in GE of endometrioid adenocarcinoma of cancerous, but not normal ovaries of hens.

Conclusions

Collectively, results of the present study indicate that A2M is novel estrogen-stimulated gene expressed in LE and GE of the chicken oviduct and may be used for monitoring effects of therapies for ovarian cancer in laying hens.
Preparation of Pt Ag alloy nanoisland/graphene hybrid composites and its high stability and catalytic activity in methanol electro-oxidation
Authors: Feng Lili , Gao Guo , Huang Peng , Wang Xiansong , Zhang Chunlei , Zhang Jiali , Guo Shouwu , Cui Daxiang
Published: October 2011

In this article, PtAg alloy nanoislands/graphene hybrid composites were prepared based on the self-organization of Au@PtAg nanorods on graphene sheets. Graphite oxides (GO) were prepared and separated to individual sheets using Hummer's method. Graphene nano-sheets were prepared by chemical reduction with hydrazine. The prepared PtAg alloy nanomaterial and the hybrid composites with graphene were characterized by SEM, TEM, and zeta potential measurements. It is confirmed that the prepared Au@PtAg alloy nanorods/graphene hybrid composites own good catalytic function for methanol electro-oxidation by cyclic voltammograms measurements, and exhibited higher catalytic activity and more stability than pure Au@Pt nanorods and Au@AgPt alloy nanorods. In conclusion, the prepared PtAg alloy nanoislands/graphene hybrid composites own high stability and catalytic activity in methanol electro-oxidation, so that it is one kind of high-performance catalyst, and has great potential in applications such as methanol fuel cells in near future.
TSH Compensates Thyroid-Specific IGF-I Receptor Knockout and Causes Papillary Thyroid Hyperplasia
Authors: Müller Kathrin , Führer Dagmar , Mittag Jens , Klöting Nora , Blüher Matthias , Weiss Roy E. , Many Marie-Christine , Schmid Kurt Werner , Krohn Knut , Führer-Sakel Dagmar
Published: October 2011

Although TSH stimulates all aspects of thyroid physiology IGF-I signaling through a tyrosine kinase-containing transmembrane receptor exhibits a permissive impact on TSH action. To better understand the importance of the IGF-I receptor in the thyroid in vivo, we inactivated the Igf1r with a Tg promoter-driven Cre-lox system in mice. We studied male and female mice with thyroidal wild-type, Igf1r+/−, and Igf1r−/− genotypes. Targeted Igf1r inactivation did transiently reduce thyroid hormone levels and significantly increased TSH levels in both heterozygous and homozygous mice without affecting thyroid weight. Histological analysis of thyroid tissue with Igf1r inactivation revealed hyperplasia and heterogeneous follicle structure. From 4 months of age, we detected papillary thyroid architecture in heterozygous and homozygous mice. We also noted increased body weight of male mice with a homozygous thyroidal null mutation in the Igf1r locus, compared with wild-type mice, respectively. A decrease of mRNA and protein for thyroid peroxidase and increased mRNA and protein for IGF-II receptor but no significant mRNA changes for the insulin receptor, the TSH receptor, and the sodium-iodide-symporter in both Igf1r+/− and Igf1r−/− mice were detected. Our results suggest that the strong increase of TSH benefits papillary thyroid hyperplasia and completely compensates the loss of IGF-I receptor signaling at the level of thyroid hormones without significant increase in thyroid weight. This could indicate that the IGF-I receptor signaling is less essential for thyroid hormone synthesis but maintains homeostasis and normal thyroid morphogenesis.
Deconstructing host-pathogen interactions inDrosophila
Authors: Bier Ethan , Guichard Annabel
Published: October 2011

Many of the cellular mechanisms underlying host responses to pathogens have been well conserved during evolution. As a result, Drosophila can be used to deconstruct many of the key events in host-pathogen interactions by using a wealth of well-developed molecular and genetic tools. In this review, we aim to emphasize the great leverage provided by the suite of genomic and classical genetic approaches available in flies for decoding details of host-pathogen interactions; these findings can then be applied to studies in higher organisms. We first briefly summarize the general strategies by which Drosophila resists and responds to pathogens. We then focus on how recently developed genome-wide RNA interference (RNAi) screens conducted in cells and flies, combined with classical genetic methods, have provided molecular insight into host-pathogen interactions, covering examples of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Finally, we discuss novel strategies for how flies can be used as a tool to examine how specific isolated virulence factors act on an intact host.
Effects on diabetes management of a health-care provider mediated, remote coaching system via a PDA-type glucometer and the Internet
Authors: Cho Jae-Hyoung , Kwon Hyuk-Sang , Kim Hun-Sung , Oh Jeong-Ah , Yoon Kun-Ho
Published: October 2011

We conducted a randomized controlled trial for 12 weeks in patients with type 2 diabetes living in a rural part of Korea. The intervention group ( n = 35) was managed by a diabetes centre which provided specialized management mediated by a primary health-care nurse who used a PDA-type blood glucometer with a bar code detector to measure the capillary glucose levels. The control group ( n = 36) received usual care. Compared with baseline, HbA1c was significantly reduced at three-month follow-up in the intervention group (8.0% vs. 7.5%; P < 0.01), but not in the control group. Total cholesterol was significantly reduced in the intervention group (10.7 mmol/L vs. 10.4 mmol/L; P = 0.043). Fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride levels were lower at follow-up in both groups, but the difference was not significant. The new system could be implemented widely and would contribute to improving the quality of diabetes care, even in isolated rural areas.
Evaluation of a tele-education programme in Brazil
Authors: Joshi Ashish , Novaes Magdala A , Iyengar Sriram , Machiavelli Josiane L , Zhang Jiajie , Vogler Robert , Hsu Chiehwen E
Published: October 2011

We evaluated a tele-education programme for primary care staff in Pernambuco State, Brazil. During 2008 and 2009, tele-education sessions occurred four times each week for one hour per day. The topics included public health, child and adolescent health, mental health and nursing. After each session, participants completed an evaluation questionnaire. A total of 73 municipalities and 141 health centres participated in the programme. There were 254 tele-education sessions scheduled during the 20-month study period; of these, 224 sessions were successfully performed and 30 were cancelled. We collected 3504 responses from the satisfaction survey. There was high acceptance of the programme: 97% rated it as excellent or good.
Email reminders as a self-management tool in depression: a needs assessment to determine patients’ interests and preferences
Authors: Watkins Daphne C , Smith Lisa C , Kerber Kevin , Kuebler Julie , Himle Joseph A
Published: October 2011

We conducted a needs assessment to ascertain patients’ interests and preferences for using email reminders (‘E-minders’) to assist in the self-management of their depression. The E-minders would help patients achieve remission by reminding them of their personal strategies for self-management and their personalized sources of support. Once patients had achieved remission, E-minders would be used to remind them of their original symptoms of depression so that they could monitor for recurrence. Results from a focus group with eight patients suggested that patients would be interested in using E-minders. However, they should not be used to replace aspects of treatment but rather to supplement existing depression treatment regimens.
Home-based telemanagement in chronic heart failure: an 8-year single-site experience
Authors: Giordano Amerigo , Zanelli Emanuela , Scalvini Simonetta
Published: October 2011

During an eight-year period, 358 patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) were enrolled in a six-month home-based telemanagement (HBT) programme. The efficacy of the programme was evaluated in two four-year periods, based on changes in clinical, functional, Quality of Life (QoL) status and rate of hospital readmission. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and the number of patients with comorbidities increased significantly in the second period, while the number of patients with beta-blockers decreased significantly ( P < 0.01). Following the HBT programme, non-cardiovascular hospital readmission rate and all-cause readmission rate increased by 11% ( P < 0.03) and 13% ( P < 0.05), respectively. On re-evaluation after six months (238 patients) there was a general improvement in clinical, functional and QoL status and a significant increase in the mean daily dosage of beta-blockers prescribed. Our experience confirms that HBT for patients with CHF is associated with favourable effects on hospital readmission for cardiovascular reasons and on QoL. However, a more comprehensive multidisciplinary approach will probably be required to obtain favourable effects on total morbidity.
The utility of providing automated medication dose reminders to young children on chronic medication
Authors: Johnson Kevin B , Culpepper Demoyne , Scott Patti , Gordon Jeffry S , Harris Christopher
Published: October 2011

We investigated the effect of text message reminders about medication administration. The study concerned children with cystic fibrosis. We provided 20 children (aged 5–12 years) with pagers that they could customize. For the first two weeks, we sent friendly text messages (non-reminder content) near medication times to acquaint them with the use of the pager. For the second two weeks, we sent messages reminding children to take their medications. The parents completed a survey to assess the child's overall use of the pager and degree of participation in medication management. Sixteen out of 20 children completed the study. Of these, 14 children (88%) were able to help notify parents when medications were due. Children as young as seven years of age may be able to receive reminders about medication administration events. The pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of involving younger children in pager technology related to medication adherence.
An Alanic Marginal Note and The Exact Date of John II's Battle with the Pechenegs
Authors: Ivanov Sergey A. , Lubotsky Alexandr
Published: October 2011

The Greek Prophetologion manuscript Q12 from the library of the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, copied in 1275, contains some thirty marginal notes written in Alanic, a pre-stage of Ossetic.

On leaf 100r, the glossator provided the Greek heading τ παραμο(ν) τς μέ(σο) ν´ (i.e. μεσοπεντηκοστς), ‘Eve of Mid-Pentecost’, with a gloss πητζινάκ χουτζάου πάν which most probably means ‘Pecheneg Sunday’. A Pecheneg festival established after the decisive victory of John II over the Pechenegs is attested by both Nicetas Choniates and Ecloga Basilicorum. It is no wonder that this festival reached distant Alania, since the 12th century was a heyday for the Orthodox Christianity in the Northern Caucasus.

The battle took place near Beroea in spring of the “fifth year” of John II's reign. The majority of historians tend to opt for 1122, but we would not exclude 1123 either. Whatever the year, the marginal note from Q12 may help in establishing the day of the battle, which is not mentioned either in Greek or in Scandinavian sources. If the battle of Beroea took place in 1122, it happened either on the 20th–22nd or on the 24th–26th of April. If the battle was fought in 1123, the day of the victory could then be either the 10th–12th or the 14th–16th of May.
Cultures of Participation as a Persuasive Technology
Authors: Dick Holger , Zietz Jason
Published: October 2011

Traditionell werden mit Persuasiven Technologien dedizierte Systeme beschrieben, die mit der Absicht entwickelt wurden, Nutzer zu bestimmten Aktivitäten zu bewegen. Hier präsentieren wir ein Cultures of Participation Framework, das erklärt, wie aus Socio-Technischen Systemen (STS) — oft unabsichtlich — Persuasive Technologien werden. Wir geben Richtlinien, wie dieses Framework genutzt werden kann, um STS zu entwickeln, die Nutzer in einer positiven Weise beeinflussen. Wir illustrieren das Framework anhand von EMPIRE, einem System das Menschen dazu motiviert und darin unterstützt, Energieverschwendungen zu reduzieren.
Der Digitale Untersetzer — Änderung des Trinkverhaltens durch Reflexion
Authors: Buchholz Hagen , Prinz Wolfgang
Published: October 2011

Das im vorliegenden Text beschriebene persuasive System soll Menschen davon überzeugen, ihr Trinkverhalten zu ändern. Anhand eines ersten Prototyps wurde getestet, ob eine einfache Rückmeldung über die täglich aufgenommene Menge an Flüssigkeit ausreicht. Erste Tests gaben Hinweise darauf, dass die Installation des Systems bei jedem Nutzer zu einer Auseinandersetzung mit dem Thema führte. Zumindest kurzfristig war bei allen Probanden eine Änderung zu erkennen. Nach einer gewissen Zeit schien sich ein Großteil der Testpersonen jedoch an das System zu gewöhnen. Die direkte Wirkung des Systems ging zurück. Eine einfache Darstellung der Tagesaufnahme an Flüssigkeit, scheint in diesem Zusammenhang, langfristig keinen direkten Einfluss nehmen zu können.
“Show-Me” — Ein ambientes Informationssystem zur Reduktion des Wasserverbrauchs
Authors: Kappel Karin , Grechenig Thomas
Published: October 2011

Der weltweite Wasserverbrauch steigt stetig, während die existierenden Süßwasserressourcen immer geringer werden. Aus diesem Grund ist es unerlässlich, sich auch über den täglichen Wasserverbrauch Gedanken zu machen und neuartige Lösungen in diesem Bereich anzuwenden, um insgesamt zu einer Verbrauchsreduktion beizutragen. Ein ausgezeichneter Ansatzpunkt ist dabei die tägliche Dusche, die für eine Vielzahl von Menschen ein wichtiges Ritual darstellt. Je nach Badarmatur oder Duschgewohnheit wird so jeden Tag eine große Menge an Wasser — meist sogar unbewusst — verbraucht. Die Dusche birgt daher ein dementsprechendes Einsparungspotential. Um nachhaltiges Verhalten zu fördern und eine permanente Verhaltensänderung herbeizuführen, hat sich Feedback laut diversen Studien aus unterschiedlichen Bereichen bewährt. Eine Erweiterung des Feedbacks in Form von subtilem Feedback mit Hilfe von Licht, ermöglicht es den Benutzer auf seinen persönlichen Wasserverbrauch aufmerksam zu machen und stimuliert bzw. fördert so ein nachhaltigeres Duschverhalten. Zu diesem Zweck haben wir einen Prototyp entwickelt, mit dem der Effekt von visuellem Feedback auf das Duschverhalten untersucht wurde. Der Wasserverbrauch wird durch das Aufleuchten von je einer LED pro 5 Liter Verbrauch angezeigt. Durch das Design des Prototyps wird ein steigender Wasserspiegel dargestellt und so dem Benutzer ein Gefühl für seinen Wasserverbrauch geben. Durch eine mit dem Prototyp durchgeführte Studie konnten zwei unterschiedliche Benutzergruppen identifiziert werden. Personen, die einen umweltbewussten Lebensstil pflegen und auch in anderen Bereichen auf die Umwelt achten, konnten durch das Feedback ihren Wasserverbrauch reduzieren und ihr Verhalten, z.B. Abdrehen des Wassers während des Einseifens, nachhaltig ändern. Die zweite Benutzergruppe hatte bereits zu Beginn der Studie nicht das vorrangige Ziel Wasser einzusparen und die Personen waren im Allgemeinen und auch in anderen Lebensbereichen nicht umweltbewusst eingestellt. Bei dieser Gruppe hat der Einsatz des Prototyps zwar kurzzeitig zu einer Reduktion des Wasserverbrauchs geführt, allerdings war dies nicht von Dauer und führte zu keiner permanenten Verhaltensänderung.
Development of synthetic amphiploids based on Triticum turgidum × T. Monococcum crosses to improve the adaptability of cereals
Authors: Megyeri M. , Mikó P. , Molnár I. , Kovács G.
Published: October 2011

Cultivated einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum) is an excellent source of resistance against several wheat diseases and quality parameters. Semi-dwarf einkorn lines with good crossability were identified in order to produce Triticum turgidum × T. monococcum synthetic amphiploids. Two combinations were used to develop the amphiploids: durum × einkorn and emmer × einkorn.After the genome duplication of F1 seeds, highly fertile amphiploids were developed. The AuBAm genome structure of the progenies was confirmed by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH).Lines derived from durum × einkorn and emmer × einkorn crosses were studied for agronomic performance, disease resistance and genetic variability. Both amphiploid combinations showed excellent resistance against certain wheat diseases (leaf rust, powdery mildew), but not against fusarium. The durum-based synthetic amphiploid lines showed a higher level of phenotypic diversity. The newly produced T. turgidum × T. monococcum synthetic hexaploids are promising genetic resources for wheat breeding. Selected durum × einkorn lines are currently used in bread wheat improvement to transfer the useful properties of einkorn into cultivated hexaploid wheat via ‘bridge-crossing’.