bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bacteria of the human gut microbiome catabolize red seaweed glycans with carbohydrate-active enzyme updates from extrinsic microbes
Authors: Hehemann Jan-Hendrik , Kelly Amelia G. , Pudlo Nicholas A. , Martens Eric C. , Boraston Alisdair B.
Published: November 2012

Humans host an intestinal population of microbes—collectively referred to as the gut microbiome—which encode the carbohydrate active enzymes, or CAZymes, that are absent from the human genome. These CAZymes help to extract energy from recalcitrant polysaccharides. The question then arises as to if and how the microbiome adapts to new carbohydrate sources when modern humans change eating habits. Recent metagenome analysis of microbiomes from healthy American, Japanese, and Spanish populations identified putative CAZymes obtained by horizontal gene transfer from marine bacteria, which suggested that human gut bacteria evolved to degrade algal carbohydrates—for example, consumed in form of sushi. We approached this hypothesis by studying such a polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) obtained by horizontal gene transfer by the gut bacterium
Bacteroides plebeius
. Transcriptomic and growth experiments revealed that the PUL responds to the polysaccharide porphyran from red algae, enabling growth on this carbohydrate but not related substrates like agarose and carrageenan. The X-ray crystallographic and biochemical analysis of two proteins encoded by this PUL,
BACPLE_01689
and
BACPLE_01693
, showed that they are β-porphyranases belonging to glycoside hydrolase families 16 and 86, respectively. The product complex of the GH86 at 1.3 Å resolution highlights the molecular details of porphyran hydrolysis by this new porphyranase. Combined, these data establish experimental support for the argument that CAZymes and associated genes obtained from extrinsic microbes add new catabolic functions to the human gut microbiome.
Dynamic force sensing of filamin revealed in single-molecule experiments
Authors: Rognoni Lorenz , Stigler Johannes , Pelz Benjamin , Ylänne Jari , Rief Matthias
Published: November 2012

Mechanical forces are important signals for cell response and development, but detailed molecular mechanisms of force sensing are largely unexplored. The cytoskeletal protein filamin is a key connecting element between the cytoskeleton and transmembrane complexes such as integrins or the von Willebrand receptor glycoprotein Ib. Here, we show using single-molecule mechanical measurements that the recently reported Ig domain pair 20–21 of human filamin A acts as an autoinhibited force-activatable mechanosensor. We developed a mechanical single-molecule competition assay that allows online observation of binding events of target peptides in solution to the strained domain pair. We find that filamin force sensing is a highly dynamic process occurring in rapid equilibrium that increases the affinity to the target peptides by up to a factor of 17 between 2 and 5 pN. The equilibrium mechanism we find here can offer a general scheme for cellular force sensing.
Synergistic dual positive feedback loops established by molecular sequestration generate robust bimodal response
Authors: Venturelli Ophelia S. , El-Samad Hana , Murray Richard M.
Published: November 2012

Feedback loops are ubiquitous features of biological networks and can produce significant phenotypic heterogeneity, including a bimodal distribution of gene expression across an isogenic cell population. In this work, a combination of experiments and computational modeling was used to explore the roles of multiple feedback loops in the bimodal, switch-like response of the
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
galactose regulatory network. Here, we show that bistability underlies the observed bimodality, as opposed to stochastic effects, and that two unique positive feedback loops established by Gal1p and Gal3p, which both regulate network activity by molecular sequestration of Gal80p, induce this bimodality. Indeed, systematically scanning through different single and multiple feedback loop knockouts, we demonstrate that there is always a concentration regime that preserves the system’s bimodality, except for the double deletion of
GAL1
and the
GAL3
feedback loop, which exhibits a graded response for all conditions tested. The constitutive production rates of Gal1p and Gal3p operate as bifurcation parameters because variations in these rates can also abolish the system’s bimodal response. Our model indicates that this second loss of bistability ensues from the inactivation of the remaining feedback loop by the overexpressed regulatory component. More broadly, we show that the sequestration binding affinity is a critical parameter that can tune the range of conditions for bistability in a circuit with positive feedback established by molecular sequestration. In this system, two positive feedback loops can significantly enhance the region of bistability and the dynamic response time.
Catalytic control of enzymatic fluorine specificity
Authors: Weeks Amy M. , Chang Michelle C. Y.
Published: November 2012

The investigation of unique chemical phenotypes has led to the discovery of enzymes with interesting behaviors that allow us to explore unusual function. The organofluorine-producing microbe
Streptomyces cattleya
has evolved a fluoroacetyl-CoA thioesterase (FlK) that demonstrates a surprisingly high level of discrimination for a single fluorine substituent on its substrate compared with the cellularly abundant hydrogen analog, acetyl-CoA. In this report, we show that the high selectivity of FlK is achieved through catalysis rather than molecular recognition, where deprotonation at the C
α
position to form a putative ketene intermediate only occurs on the fluorinated substrate, thereby accelerating the rate of hydrolysis 10
4
-fold compared with the nonfluorinated congener. These studies provide insight into mechanisms of catalytic selectivity in a native system where the existence of two reaction pathways determines substrate rather than product selection.
McClintock’s challenge in the 21st century
Authors: Fedoroff Nina V.
Published: November 2012

In 1950, Barbara McClintock published a Classic PNAS article, “The origin and behavior of mutable loci in maize,” which summarized the evidence leading to her discovery of transposition. The article described a number of genome alterations revealed through her studies of theDissociationlocus, the first mobile genetic element she identified. McClintock described the suite of nuclear events, including transposon activation and various chromosome aberrations and rearrangements, that unfolded in the wake of genetic crosses that brought together two broken chromosomes 9. McClintock left future generations with the challenge of understanding how genomes respond to genetic and environmental stresses by mounting adaptive responses that frequently include genome restructuring.
Inducible, reversible system for the rapid and complete degradation of proteins in mammalian cells
Authors: Holland Andrew J. , Fachinetti Daniele , Han Joo Seok , Cleveland Don W.
Published: November 2012

Inducible degradation is a powerful approach for identifying the function of a specific protein or protein complex. Recently, a plant auxin-inducible degron (AID) system has been shown to degrade AID-tagged target proteins in nonplant cells. Here, we demonstrate that an AID-tagged protein can functionally replace an endogenous protein depleted by RNAi, leading to an inducible null phenotype rapidly after auxin addition. The AID system is shown to be capable of controlling the stability of AID-tagged proteins that are in either nuclear or cytoplasmic compartments and even when incorporated into protein complexes. Induced degradation occurs rapidly after addition of auxin with protein half-life reduced to as little as 9 min and proceeding to completion with first-order kinetics. AID-mediated instability is demonstrated to be rapidly reversible. Induced degradation is shown to initiate and continue in all cell cycle phases, including mitosis, making this system especially useful for identifying the function(s) of proteins of interest during specific points in the mammalian cell cycle.
Eating disorders in athletes: Overview of prevalence, risk factors and recommendations for prevention and treatment
Authors: Bratland‐Sanda Solfrid , Sundgot‐Borgen Jorunn
Published: November 2012

The prevalence of disordered eating and eating disorders vary from 0–19% in male athletes and 6–45% in female athletes. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of eating disorders in adolescent and adult athletes including: (1) prevalence data; (2) suggested sport‐ and gender‐specific risk factors and (3) importance of early detection, management and prevention of eating disorders. Additionally, this paper presents suggestions for future research which includes: (1) the need for knowledge regarding possible gender‐specific risk factors and sport‐ and gender‐specific prevention programmes for eating disorders in sports; (2) suggestions for long‐term follow‐up for female and male athletes with eating disorders and (3) exploration of a possible male athlete triad.
Sphingobacterium caeni sp. nov., isolated from activated sludge
Authors: Sun Li-Na , Zhang Jun , Chen Qing , He Jian , Li Shun-Peng
Published: November 2012

The taxonomic status of a bacterium, strain DC-8T, isolated from activated sludge, was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells of strain DC-8Twere Gram-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped. The isolate grew at temperature range of 10–40 °C (optimum 30–35 °C), pH range of 5.0–10.0 (optimum 6.5–8.0) and NaCl concentrations of 0–5 % (optimum 0–1 %). The predominant menaquinone of strain DC-8Twas MK-7 and major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6cand/or C16 : 1ω7c; 39.7 %), iso-C15 : 0(33.7 %) and C16 : 0(5.2 %). The DNA G+C content was 39.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that strain DC-8Twas a member of the genusSphingobacterium. Strain DC-8Tshared the highest similarity withSphingobacterium siyangenseSY1T(98.4 %),Sphingobacterium multivorumIAM 14316T(98.3 %),Sphingobacterium canadenseCR11T(98.0 %) andSphingobacterium detergens6.2ST(97.9 %) and shared less than 97 % similarity with other members of the genusSphingobacterium. DNA–DNA hybridization experiments showed that the DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain DC-8Tand its closest phylogenetic neighbours were below 70 %. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, whole-cell fatty acid composition as well as biochemical characteristics, strain DC-8Twas clearly distinguished from all recognized species of the genusSphingobacteriumand should be classified as a representative of a novel species of the genusSphingobacterium, for which the nameSphingobacterium caenisp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DC-8T( = CCTCC AB 2012020T = KACC 16850T).
Paramoritella sediminis sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment, and emended descriptions of the genus

Paramoritella

Hosoya et al. 2009 and

Paramoritella alkaliphila
Authors: Yang Sung-Hyun , Seo Hyun-Seok , Lee Jung-Hyun , Kim Sang-Jin , Kwon Kae Kyoung
Published: November 2012

A Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped (2.04–1.27×0.95–1.25 µm) and motile marine bacterium, designated MEBiC06500T was isolated from sediment collected at Daebu Island in the Yellow Sea (37° 20′ N 126° 41′ E), Korea. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain MEBiC06500T showed high similarity with

Paramoritella alkaliphila

A3F-7T (96.5 %). Growth was observed at 10.5–30.2 °C (optimum 23.5 °C), at pH 6.0–9.5 (optimum 8.0) and with 0–5 % (optimum 1.5 %) NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C14 : 0, C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω7c and summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c). The DNA G+C content was 56.0 mol%. The respiratory quinone is Q-8. Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, four unidentified lipids, one unidentified phospholipid and three unidentified aminolipids were detected as major polar lipids. On the basis of this polyphasic taxonomic data, strain MEBiC06500T should be classified as a representative of a novel species in the genus

Paramoritella

, and the proposed name is Paramoritella sediminis sp. nov. The type strain is MEBiC06500T ( = KCCM 42977T = JCM 18292T). Emended descriptions of the genus

Paramoritella

Hosoya et al. 2009 and

Paramoritella alkaliphila

are also given.
Interaction of Herbal Compounds with Biological Targets: A Case Study with Berberine
Authors: Chen Xiao-Wu , Di Yuan Ming , Zhang Jian , Zhou Zhi-Wei , Li Chun Guang , Zhou Shu-Feng
Published: November 2012

Berberine is one of the main alkaloids found in the Chinese herb Huang lian (Rhizoma Coptidis), which has been reported to have multiple pharmacological activities. This study aimed to analyze the molecular targets of berberine based on literature data followed by a pathway analysis using the PANTHER program. PANTHER analysis of berberine targets showed that the most classes of molecular functions include receptor binding, kinase activity, protein binding, transcription activity, DNA binding, and kinase regulator activity. Based on the biological process classification ofin vitroberberine targets, those targets related to signal transduction, intracellular signalling cascade, cell surface receptor-linked signal transduction, cell motion, cell cycle control, immunity system process, and protein metabolic process are most frequently involved. In addition, berberine was found to interact with a mixture of biological pathways, such as Alzheimer’s disease-presenilin and -secretase pathways, angiogenesis, apoptosis signalling pathway, FAS signalling pathway, Hungtington disease, inflammation mediated by chemokine and cytokine signalling pathways, interleukin signalling pathway, and p53 pathways. We also explored the possible mechanism of action for the anti-diabetic effect of berberine. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms of action of berberine using systems biology approach.
Dichlorido{2-[(2,6-diethylphenyl)iminomethyl]quinoline-κ2N,N′}palladium(II) acetonitrile monosolvate
Authors: Motswainyana William M. , Onani Martin O. , Jacobs Jeroen , Van Meervelt Luc
Published: November 2012

The title complex, [PdCl2(C20H20N2)]·CH3CN, was synthesized by the reaction of 2-[(2,6-diethylphenyl)iminomethyl]quinoline with dichlorido(cycloocta-1,5-diene)palladium(II) in dry CH2Cl2. The PdIIion is coordinated by two N atoms of the bidentate quinoline ligand and by two chloride anions, generating a distorted square-planar coordination geometry around the metal centre. There is a detectabletransinfluence for the chloride ligands. The crystal packing is characterized by π–π stacking between the quinoline rings. The use of acetonitrile as the crystallization solvent was essential for obtaining good-quality crystals.
Long‐term outcome of phenobarbital treatment for epilepsy in rural China: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Kwan Patrick , Wang Wenzhi , Wu Jianzhong , Li Shichuo , Yang Hongchao , Ding Ding , Hong Zhen , Dai Xiuying , Yang Bing , Wang Taiping , Yuan Chenglin , Ma Guangyu , de Boer Hanneke M. , Sander Josemir W.
Published: November 2012

Purpose:  To evaluate the long‐term outcome of phenobarbital treatment for convulsive epilepsy in rural China, and to explore factors associated with overall seizure outcomes.

Methods:  We carried out follow‐up assessments of people who took part in an epilepsy community management program conducted in rural counties of six provinces in China. People with convulsive epilepsy who were previously untreated (or on irregular treatment) were commenced on regular treatment with phenobarbital. Information was collected using a standardized questionnaire by face‐to‐face interviews of the individuals (and their families where necessary). Information collected included treatment status, medication change, seizure frequency, and mortality.

Key Findings:  Among the 2,455 people who participated in the original program, outcomes were successfully ascertained during the follow‐up assessment in 1986. Among them, 206 had died. Information on treatment response was obtained in 1,780 (56% male; mean age 33.9 years, range 3–84; mean duration of follow‐up 6.4 years). Among them, 939 (53%) were still taking phenobarbital. The most common reasons for stopping phenobarbital were seizure freedom or substantial seizure reduction, socioeconomic reasons, and personal preference. Four hundred fifty‐three individuals (25%) became seizure‐free for at least 1 year while taking phenobarbital, 88% of whom did so at daily doses of 120 mg or below. Four hundred six (23%) reported adverse events, which led to withdrawal of phenobarbital in <1%. The most common adverse effects were malaise/somnolence (7.4%), dizziness (3%), and lethargy (2.6%). At the follow‐up assessment, 688 (39%) individuals had been seizure free for at least the previous year. People with persistent seizures had significantly longer duration of epilepsy and higher number of seizures in the 12 months before treatment. People who were taking AED treatment irregularly at recruitment were less likely to become seizure‐free.

Significance:  We observed long‐term benefits of regular treatment with phenobarbital for convulsive epilepsy in rural China. One hundred years after the discovery of its antiepileptic effect, phenobarbital is still playing an important role in the management of epilepsy.
Researching Tomorrow's Crisis: Methodological Innovations and Wider Implications
Authors: Buchanan David A. , Denyer David
Published: November 2012

The incidence and impact of crises, disasters and other extreme events appears to be increasing, thus heightening the significance of crisis research. The nature of such events – sudden, inconceivable, damaging, sensitive, unique – has encouraged unconventional methodological perspectives and practices. A review of these developments is timely. This article presents a bounded, temporally bracketed overview of the literatures exploring extreme events, structured around an ‘ideal type’ event sequence with six phases: incubation period, incident, crisis management, investigation, organizational learning and implementation of ‘lessons learned’. While not a traditional review, this approach serves to overcome problems associated with phenomena resistant to precise definition, and maps the structure of a field characterized by fragmentation, insular traditions and epistemological pluralism, generating a template against which crises can be explored. Crisis research appears to have overcome the problems associated with relying on retrospective research designs, accessing sensitive data, addressing novel ethical concerns, developing multi‐level explanations and using single case studies to develop generalizable theory. The wider adoption of these approaches in ‘mainstream’ organization and management studies may prompt innovation and fresh insights in other areas, particularly where the temporal structure of events, the role of slow‐moving causes, and conjunctural reasoning, play significant roles.
Comparisons among survey methodologies to test for abundance and size of a highly targeted fish species
Authors: Gardner J. P. A. , Struthers C. D.
Published: November 2012

Three sampling methods for estimating abundance and size of blue cod Parapercis colias were compared inside and outside Kapiti Marine Reserve, New Zealand (40° 49′ 31·77′′ S; 174° 55′ 02·87′′ E). Two baited methods, baited underwater video (BUV) and experimental angling (EA), were more efficient and had lower levels of estimate variation than diver‐based underwater visual census (UVC). The BUV and EA recorded more fish and of greater size ranges than UVC, and also had fewer zero count replicates. The BUV and EA methodologies revealed highly significant differences in abundance and size of fish between sites (reserve v. non‐reserve), whereas UVC revealed no such differences. These results indicate that BUV is likely to be the most accurate, cost‐effective and easy to use methodology for the surveying of carnivorous temperate reef fishes for future monitoring. It is noted, however, that new data acquired using the BUV methodology may need to be compared over a calibration period to data acquired using the UVC methodology to ensure that historical data sets derived from UVC still have validity and application for future monitoring activity.
Christ For Us Today – Promeity in the Christologies of Bonhoeffer and Kierkegaard
Authors: Ziegler Philip
Published: November 2012

In 1944, Bonhoeffer famously asked ‘Who is Christ really, for us today?’ This question is ambiguous: ‘Christ for us’ points to an objective claim concerning the personal identity of Christ, while ‘for us today’ signals the need for ever new subjective value judgements and contextual appropriations. Does emphasis upon the promeity of Christ, like that found in the work of Bonhoeffer, volatilize the identity of Christ? Examination of the theme of promeity in the work of Bonhoeffer himself, as well as that of Kierkegaard, demonstrates that in the hands of both these Lutheran theologians promeity is acknowledged to be intrinsic to the fides quae creditur. The subjective appropriation and contextual character of Christology then proves to be a function of a prior and more decisive reality, namely the very identity of God in Christ for us.
Nationalism and war commemoration – a Latin American exceptionalism?
Authors: Vom Hau Matthias
Published: November 2012

Recent scholarship on collective memory and nationalism in Latin America argues that – in sharp contrast to Europe – war commemoration has been of little importance to the memory work of states in the region. The article challenges this claim. A comparative‐historical analysis of school textbooks and school ceremonies in twentieth‐century Mexico, Argentina and Peru reveals that the commemoration of major civil and international wars was central to official national narratives in these countries. The article further identifies important qualitative changes in war commemoration over time, especially with respect to how commemorative discourses portrayed agency and assigned responsibility for military victories and losses. These changes are situated within broader transformations of nationalism and new alignments in the politics of nationhood and memory.
The Holocene tufa at Daours (Somme Valley, northern France): Malacological succession and palaeohydrological implications
Authors: Limondin‐Lozouet Nicole , Preece Richard C. , Antoine Pierre
Published: November 2012

One of the thickest and most extensive tufa deposits in northern France occurs at Daours, about 8 km upstream of Amiens at the confluence of the River Somme and its tributary the Hallue. It covers an area of about 80 ha and reaches 10 m above the level of the present valley, probably owing to the construction of a tufa barrage, which caused periodic damming of the valley. The molluscan succession from a 4‐m section through the Daours tufa provides an unusually detailed record of environmental change during the Holocene. The faunal record, supported by four radiocarbon dates, indicates that the tufa sequence at this location does not extend back to the early Holocene but began c. 7340 cal. a BP and ceased to form shortly after c. 4938 cal. a BP, consistent with the notion of a NW European ‘late Holocene tufa decline’. The molluscan record is divisible into six zones that define three aquatic phases separated by three terrestrial episodes, when the tufa surface dried out sufficiently to allow colonization by dry‐ground species, including some shade‐demanding elements. These events are also reflected by differences in the lithology of the tufa. The earliest aquatic phase at the base of the sequence represents the most stable and permanent water‐body. The two subsequent aquatic phases appear to represent smaller, more ephemeral, water‐bodies surrounded by marsh. The land snail assemblages show ecological changes within each terrestrial episode, as well as faunal differences between them. These events, which reflect changes in the local hydrology, were short‐lived, each lasting for only a few hundred years. The tufa at Daours has also yielded flint artefacts and pottery, but it seems unlikely that the dynamic environmental record of the site results from anthropogenic activity.
“I’ve Fixed Things Up”: Paternal Identity of Substance‐Dependent Fathers
Authors: Peled Einat , Gavriel‐Fried Belle , Katz Noam
Published: November 2012

This study deals with how substance‐dependent men perceive their paternal identity. Data were based on in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with 12 Israeli fathers who were enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment. Content analysis revealed that participants had undergone a process of parental identity formation composed of four distinct stages: absence, awakening, taking responsibility, and resolution to re‐form oneself as a father. The discussion highlights the developmental nature of this process. Also discussed are the effects of three factors on the formation of paternal identity: the treatment for addiction, the subjects' newfound identity as “clean addicts,” and social perceptions and discourses about fatherhood and addiction.
Relationship Interventions During the Transition to Parenthood: Issues of Timing and Efficacy
Authors: Trillingsgaard Tea , Baucom Katherine J.W. , Heyman Richard E. , Elklit Ask
Published: November 2012

This study evaluated the efficacy of the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) adapted for Danish couples expecting their first child. Couples were recruited consecutively through a public maternity ward (N = 290). On the basis of due dates, they were allocated to (a) PREP, (b) an information‐based control group (INFO), or (c) naturally occurring care. Approximately half of the couples accepted program invitations. Across 24 months, all 3 groups declined in relationship satisfaction, and no significant differences were found between PREP and INFO or between PREP and the natural condition. Negativity decreased from pre‐ to posttest for women in the PREP condition, but this was not significantly different from the women in the INFO condition. Findings revealed that communication skills training was not effective during pregnancy, and no intervention was successful at preventing the decline in satisfaction during the transition to parenthood. This study suggests that pregnancy may not be an optimal time for relational interventions like PREP.
A Study of Contextual Therapy Theory's Relational Ethics in Couples in Therapy
Authors: Gangamma Rashmi , Bartle‐Haring Suzanne , Glebova Tatiana
Published: November 2012

The hallmark feature of fairness in relationships in Ivan Boszormenyi‐Nagy's contextual therapy theory has largely remained untested among couples in therapy. Fairness here refers to the broad concept of “give and take,” which is influenced by experiences of trustworthiness, loyalty conflicts, and a sense of entitlement or indebtedness in relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of fairness, measured by the Relational Ethics Scale, on relationship satisfaction in a sample of 68 heterosexual couples seeking therapy. Findings indicated a significant correlation between both partners' reports of unfairness and relationship dissatisfaction. Further analysis using Hierarchical Linear Modeling showed that male partners' report of greater fairness in their relationship predicted a greater discrepancy in partners' report of relationship satisfaction. This finding provides strong evidence for addressing issues of fairness in couples therapy. Further, it makes an important contribution to the development of the contextual therapy theory.
Accentuating the Positive, Eliminating the Negative? Relationship Maintenance as a Predictor of Two‐Dimensional Relationship Quality
Authors: Malinen Kaisa , Tolvanen Asko , Rönkä Anna
Published: November 2012

In this study, relationship maintenance and its connections with positive and negative relationship quality were examined among Finnish parents (N = 177 women and 153 men; i.e., partners from 150 couples and 27 women and 3 men whose partner did not participate in the study). Relationship maintenance was measured using Stafford, Dainton, and Haas's (2000) version of the RMSM and two‐dimensional relationship quality using Fincham and Linfield's (1997) PANQIMS. Structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze paired data. Women were found to report more relationship maintenance behaviors than their partners. The results showed further that relationship maintenance was connected with both positive and negative relationship quality. Women's maintenance was linked with their own positive and negative relationship quality and their partners' negative quality. Men's relationship maintenance was connected only with their own experiences of positive quality. All in all, women's relationship maintenance played a more central role for relationship quality.
Volatile isoprenoid emissions from plastid to planet
Authors: Harrison Sandy P. , Morfopoulos Catherine , Dani K. G. Srikanta , Prentice I. Colin , Arneth Almut , Atwell Brian J. , Barkley Michael P. , Leishman Michelle R. , Loreto Francesco , Medlyn Belinda E. , Niinemets Ülo , Possell Malcolm , Peñuelas Josep , Wright Ian J.
Published: November 2012

Approximately 1–2% of net primary production by land plants is re‐emitted to the atmosphere as isoprene and monoterpenes. These emissions play major roles in atmospheric chemistry and air pollution–climate interactions. Phenomenological models have been developed to predict their emission rates, but limited understanding of the function and regulation of these emissions has led to large uncertainties in model projections of air quality and greenhouse gas concentrations. We synthesize recent advances in diverse fields, from cell physiology to atmospheric remote sensing, and use this information to propose a simple conceptual model of volatile isoprenoid emission based on regulation of metabolism in the chloroplast. This may provide a robust foundation for scaling up emissions from the cellular to the global scale.
Femtosecond Laser Nanotexturing of Drug-Eluting Stents
Authors: Nair Rajeev , Molian Vaelan , Molian Pal
Published: November 2012

Drug-eluting stents (DES) have profoundly affected the field of interventional cardiology by dramatically reducing the problem of in-stent restenosis. However, the adverse, long-term, thrombosis raises the questions on the safety profile of DES. Femtosecond pulsed laser nanotexturing of metallic stents was performed to minimize thrombosis by improving three fundamental characteristics of DES: (1) increase the availability of drug for elution; (2) enhance the adhesion between stent and drug; and (3) minimize and, if possible, eliminate the polymer carrier. Results of laser-induced nanoprotrusion/drug interactions confirmed these benefits and indicated that femtosecond laser nanotexturing is a potential cost-effective solution for improving the performance and safety of DES while eliminating the need for postfinishing operations.
The Tetraspanin CD37 Orchestrates the α
4
β
1
Integrin–Akt Signaling Axis and Supports Long-Lived Plasma Cell Survival
Authors: van Spriel Annemiek B. , de Keijzer Sandra , van der Schaaf Alie , Gartlan Kate H. , Sofi Mariam , Light Amanda , Linssen Peter C. , Boezeman Jan B. , Zuidscherwoude Malou , Reinieren-Beeren Inge , Cambi Alessandra , Mackay Fabienne , Tarlinton David M. , Figdor Carl G. , Wright Mark D.
Published: November 2012

Antibody-producing B cells require CD37-dependent integrin signaling for long-term survival.
Triple Therapy Targets Tumors
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: November 2012

Combined targeting of the receptors HER2 and VEGFR delays the growth of HER2-positive breast cancer metastases in mouse brain.
Shuttling Plasticity
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: November 2012

Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the catalytically inactive histone deacetylase HDAC4 is important for memory.
The Noninflammatory Side of TLR2
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: November 2012

Toll-like receptor 2 promotes tumorigenesis in a mouse model of gastric cancer, but not by enhancing inflammation.
Preventing Tumorigenesis, Promoting Tissue Repair
Authors: Andrianantoandro Ernesto
Published: November 2012

Regulation of a soluble inhibitor of the cytokine IL-22 is key to enabling tissue repair but preventing tumorigenesis.
Case-Control Study of Drug Monitoring of β-Lactams in Obese Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Hites Maya , Taccone Fabio Silvio , Wolff Fleur , Cotton Frédéric , Beumier Marjorie , De Backer Daniel , Roisin Sandrine , Lorent Sophie , Surin Rudy , Seyler Lucie , Vincent Jean-Louis , Jacobs Frédérique
Published: November 2012

Severe sepsis and septic shock can alter the pharmacokinetics of broad-spectrum β-lactams (meropenem, ceftazidime/cefepime, and piperacillin-tazobactam), resulting in inappropriate serum concentrations. Obesity may further modify the pharmacokinetics of these agents. We reviewed our data on critically ill obese patients (body mass index of ≥30 kg/m
2
) treated with a broad-spectrum β-lactam in whom therapeutic drug monitoring was performed and compared the data to those obtained in critically nonobese patients (body mass index of <25 kg/m
2
) to assess whether there were differences in reaching optimal drug concentrations for the treatment of nosocomial infections. Sixty-eight serum levels were obtained from 49 obese patients. There was considerable variability in β-lactam serum concentrations (coefficient of variation of 50% to 92% for the three drugs). Standard drug regimens of β-lactams resulted in insufficient serum concentrations in 32% of the patients and overdosed concentrations in 25%. Continuous renal replacement therapy was identified by multivariable analysis as a risk factor for overdosage and a protective factor for insufficient β-lactam serum concentrations. The serum drug levels from the obese cohort were well matched for age, gender, renal function, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score to 68 serum levels measured in 59 nonobese patients. The only difference observed between the two cohorts was in the subgroup of patients treated with meropenem and who were not receiving continuous renal replacement therapy: serum concentrations were lower in the obese cohort. No differences were observed in pharmacokinetic variables between the two groups. Routine therapeutic drug monitoring of β-lactams should be continued in obese critically ill patients.
RivR Is a Negative Regulator of Virulence Factor Expression in Group A Streptococcus
Authors: Treviño Jeanette , Liu Zhuyun , Cao Tram N. , Ramirez-Peña Esmeralda , Sumby Paul
Published: November 2012

The bacterial pathogen group AStreptococcus(GAS) causes human diseases ranging from self-limiting pharyngitis (also known as strep throat) to severely invasive necrotizing fasciitis (also known as the flesh-eating syndrome). To control virulence factor expression, GAS utilizes both protein- and RNA-based mechanisms of regulation. Here we report that the transcription factor RivR (RofA-like protein IV) negatively regulates the abundance of mRNAs encoding the hyaluronic acid capsule biosynthesis proteins (hasABC; ∼7-fold) and the protein G-related α2-macroglobulin-binding protein (grab; ∼29-fold). Our data differ significantly from those of a previous study of the RivR regulon. Given thatgrabandhasABCare also negatively regulated by the two-component system CovR/S (controlofvirulence), we tested whether RivR functions through CovR/S. A comparison ofrivandcovsingle and double mutant strains showed that RivR requires CovR activity forgrabandhasABCregulation. Analysis of the upstream region ofrivRidentified a novel promoter the deletion of which reducedrivRmRNA abundance by 70%. ArivRmutant strain had a reduced ability to adhere to human keratinocytes relative to that of the parental and complemented strains, a phenotype that was abolished upon GAS pretreatment with hyaluronidase, highlighting the importance of capsule regulation by RivR during colonization. TherivRmutant strain was also attenuated for virulence in a murine model of bacteremia infection. Thus, we identify RivR as an important regulator of GAS virulence and provide new insight into the regulatory networks controlling virulence factor production in this pathogen.
Assessment of knowledge and attitudes regarding automated external defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation among American University students
Authors: Bogle Brittany , Mehrotra Sanjay , Chiampas George , Aldeen Amer Z
Published: November 2012

Aim

We sought to quantify knowledge and attitudes regarding automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) among university students. We also aimed to determine awareness of the location of an actual AED on campus.

Methods

We performed an online survey of undergraduate and graduate students at a mid-sized, private university that has 37 AEDs located throughout its two campuses.

Results

267 students responded to the survey. Almost all respondents could identify CPR (98.5%) and an AED (88.4%) from images, but only 46.1% and 18.4%, respectively, could indicate the basic mechanism of CPR and AEDs. About a quarter (28.1%) of respondents were comfortable using an AED without assistance, compared with 65.5% when offered assistance. Of those who did not feel comfortable, 87.7% indicated that they were ‘afraid of doing something wrong.’ One out of 6 (17.6%) respondents knew that a student centre had an AED, and only 2% could recall its precise location within the building. Most (66.3%) respondents indicated they would look for an AED near fire extinguishers, followed by the entrance of a building (19.6%).

Conclusions

This study found that most students at an American university can identify CPR and AEDs, but do not understand their basic mechanisms of action or are willing to perform CPR or use AEDs unassisted. Recent CPR/AED training and 9-1-1 assistance increases comfort. The most common fear reported was incorrect CPR or AED use. Almost all students could not recall where an AED was located in a student centre.
Pouchitis: a practical guide
Authors: Steinhart A Hillary , Ben-Bassat Ofer
Published: November 2012

Up to 30% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) will require surgical management. The established surgical procedure of choice is colectomy with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) for most patients. Patients with UC who have undergone IPAA are prone to develop inflammatory and non-inflammatory complications. Up to 50% of patients can be expected to experience at least one episode of pouchitis, and most of these patients will experience at least one additional acute episode within 2 years. In other cases, pouchitis might follow a relapsing-remitting course or a chronically active course. The specific aetiology of pouchitis is unknown and the optimal means of diagnosis and classification of pouchitis is not completely agreed upon. Diagnosis of pouchitis based on symptoms alone has been shown to be non-specific due to the fact that symptoms can originate from a myriad of aetiologies, not necessarily inflammatory in nature. As a result, the diagnosis of pouchitis should generally be based on the appropriate constellation of symptoms, combined with endoscopic and histological assessment. Due to the frequently relapsing course of pouchitis, and the fact that the aetiology and pathogenesis are not entirely clear, the long-term management can sometimes be challenging. This review outlines the features suggestive of deviation from ‘normal’ pouch function and provides an approach to the optimal use of diagnostic modalities and medical therapies to treat pouchitis in its various forms.
The effect of acetaminophen ingestion on cortico-spinal excitability
Authors: Mauger Alexis R. , Hopker James G.
Published: November 2012

Acetaminophen (ACT) facilitates the inhibition of voltage-gated calcium and sodium currents, which may effect cortico-spinal excitability. Twelve subjects ingested acetaminophen or a placebo and underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess the motor evoked potential (MEP), and cortical silent period (CSP). ACT significantly increased MEP response (P > 0.05) but had no effect on CSP (P > 0.05). This indicates that ACT increases MEP and should be controlled for in studies where these measures are of interest.
Ulcerative Lesions in Behcet's Disease
Authors: Türsen Ümit , Türsen Belma
Published: November 2012

Ulcerative lesions in Behcet’s disease (BD) are regarded as important manifestation for diagnosis. Various kinds of ulcerative lesions appear in patients with BD. They present as orogenital ulcers, necrotizing vasculitis and pyoderma gengrenosum. Gastrointestinal system involvement (Gis) in Behçet’s disease affects all areas from the esophagus to the anus. Most authors believe that the Gis manifestations of Behçet’s disease should be confined to aphthous ulcers, which can occur throughout the Gis tract. All patients with oro-genital and Gis ulcerations should be fully investigated to establish a definitive diagnosis and eliminate the possibility of an underlying BD.
Persistent Lymphadenopathy due to IgG4-Related Disease
Authors: Smith Benjamin , Carroll Matthew B.
Published: November 2012

A 28-year-old healthy female presented to her primary care physician with lymphadenopathy, fatigue, malaise, and night sweats. Symptoms persisted despite conservative treatment and eventually the patient underwent multiple lymph node resections and a bone marrow biopsy before a diagnosis of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) was made. IgG4-RD is a relatively new disorder first histopathologically recognized within the last decade. As the disease can affect a single organ or multiple organs, symptoms can vary greatly among patients. With symptoms ranging from mild, such as lower extremity edema, to severe, such as spinal cord compression, IgG4-RD must be considered in appropriate patients. Diagnostic criteria have been proposed based on organ involvement, serum IgG4 levels, and histopathological criteria. Diagnosis can be difficult to make with many studies suggesting different values for diagnostic criteria, such as the level of tissue IgG4+/IgG+ cell ratio to delineate IgG4-RD. Treatment consists of high dose glucocorticoids as a first line therapy with some patients choosing instead to simply undergo observation. This case illustrates the difficulty in diagnosis and the need for increased awareness among medical professionals.
DMPDS: A Fast Motion Estimation Algorithm Targeting High Resolution Videos and Its FPGA Implementation
Authors: Sanchez Gustavo , Sampaio Felipe , Porto Marcelo , Bampi Sergio , Agostini Luciano
Published: November 2012

This paper presents a new fast motion estimation (ME) algorithm targeting high resolution digital videos and its efficient hardware architecture design. The new Dynamic Multipoint Diamond Search (DMPDS) algorithm is a fast algorithm which increases the ME quality when compared with other fast ME algorithms. The DMPDS achieves a better digital video quality reducing the occurrence of local minima falls, especially in high definition videos. The quality results show that the DMPDS is able to reach an average PSNR gain of 1.85 dB when compared with the well-known Diamond Search (DS) algorithm. When compared to the optimum results generated by the Full Search (FS) algorithm the DMPDS shows a lose of only 1.03 dB in the PSNR. On the other hand, the DMPDS reached a complexity reduction higher than 45 times when compared to FS. The quality gains related to DS caused an expected increase in the DMPDS complexity which uses 6.4-times more calculations than DS. The DMPDS architecture was designed focused on high performance and low cost, targeting to process Quad Full High Definition (QFHD) videos in real time (30 frames per second). The architecture was described in VHDL and synthesized to Altera Stratix 4 and Xilinx Virtex 5 FPGAs. The synthesis results show that the architecture is able to achieve processing rates higher than 53 QFHD fps, reaching the real-time requirements. The DMPDS architecture achieved the highest processing rate when compared to related works in the literature. This high processing rate was obtained designing an architecture with a high operation frequency and low numbers of cycles necessary to process each block.
Systematic Review of Chinese Traditional Exercise Baduanjin Modulating the Blood Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Mei Lijuan , Chen Qingyue , Ge Li , Zheng Guohua , Chen Jinxiu
Published: November 2012

Background. Baduanjin exercise is considered to be beneficial to modulate the blood lipid metabolism. The purpose of the systematic review was to assess the potential efficacy and safety of Baduanjin exercise.Methods. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CBM, CNKI, VIP, Chinese Important Conference Papers Database, and Chinese Dissertation Database were searched for all prospective-controlled trials of Baduanjin exercise from their inception to December 31, 2011.Results. A total of 14 studies were included. Comparing with no treatment, Baduanjin exercise significantly reduced the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C in plasma, and elevated plasma HDL-C level for healthy participants, and the pooled MD (95% confidence interval, CI) was −0.58 mmol/L (−0.86, −0.30 mmol/L), −0.22 mmol/L (−0.31, −0.13 mmol/L), −0.35 mmol/L (−0.54, −0.17 mmol/L), 0.13 mmol/L (0.06, 0.21 mmol/L), respectively. Baduanjin exercise also obviously decreased the levels of TG, LDL-C in plasma comparing with no treatment for patients, and the pooled MD (95% CI) was −0.30 mmol/L (−0.40, −0.19 mmol/L), −0.38 mmol/L (−0.63, −0.13 mmol/L), but there was not obvious to decrease plasma TC level or elevate plasma HDL-C level in patients with the pooled MD (95%CI), −0.39 mmol/L (−1.09, 0.31 mmol/L) and 0.22 mmol/L (−0.11, 0.55 mmol/L), respectively. In addition, the obvious advantage was not observed to modulate the blood lipid metabolism in comparing Baduanjin exercise with other exercises, regardless for health participants or patients.Conclusion. Studies indicated that Baduanjin exercise could significantly decrease the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C levels in plasma and elevate plasma HDL-C level for the healthy people. It also was helpful that Baduanjin exercise modulated the blood lipid metabolism for patients. Moreover, the Baduanjin exercise did not have an obvious advantage on modulating the lipid metabolism comparing with other exercises. But the evidence was uncertain because of the small sample size and low-methodological quality.
Acromegaly: Role of Surgery in the Therapeutic Armamentarium
Authors: Guinto Gerardo , Abdo Miguel , Zepeda Erick , Aréchiga Norma , Mercado Moisés
Published: November 2012

Acromegaly is a complex disease that requires the intervention of a multidisciplinary team. The most frequent clinical manifestations are growing of distal parts of the body and some areas of the face. Patients may also present arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, colonic polyps, cardiomegaly, neurological and endocrine changes secondary to the presence of a GH-secreting tumor in pituitary or extrapituitary origin, or eutopic hypothalamic GHRH hypersecretion and peripheral GHRH hypersecretion. Surgery is the first treatment used for most patients, regardless of the cause. In the great majority of cases, pituitary tumor can be removed through a transsphenoidal approach. Craniotomy is reserved for those cases with giant tumors, particularly when they grow toward the middle or posterior cranial fossa. Best surgical results are obtained when the tumor is confined into the sella turcica or if it has a regular suprasellar extension. When the disease cannot be controlled with surgery, medical treatment is indicated. Somatostatin analogues are included as the first line of medication, followed by dopamine agonist and growth hormone receptors antagonists. Radiation therapy can be also indicated in two main forms for residual tumor with medically refractory patients: radiosurgery for small tumors or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for larger ones.