bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dose-responses of Bacillus cereus RS87 for growth enhancement in various Thai rice cultivars
Authors: Jetiyanon Kanchalee , Plianbangchang Pinyupa
Published: December 2010

To achieve the goal of reducing the levels of chemical fertilizers applied in rice production, there is a need to develop microorganisms with the capacity to enhance plant growth. Previous studies have demonstrated that Bacillus cereus RS87 promotes growth of various plants in greenhouse and field trials. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the efficacy and determine the optimum concentration of B. cereus RS87 to enhance growth of various Thai rice cultivars, (ii) measure the chlorophyll content in leaves affected by strain RS87, and (iii) investigate the capacity of strain RS87 to solubilize phosphate and produce siderophores. Three concentrations of strain RS87 (log 6.0, log 7.0, and log 8.0 CFU/mL) were applied to each rice cultivar. Superior responses (i.e., enhanced development of roots and shoots of all rice cultivars) were observed using RS87 at log 8.0 CFU/mL compared with lower bacterial concentrations and the water-treated control treatment. In addition, log 8.0 CFU/mL of RS87 provided the greatest root length and plant height of all rice cultivars 45 days after planting in the greenhouse. Rice leaves treated with log 8.0 CFU/mL of RS87 yielded the highest total chlorophyll, specifically chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, compared with the control. Strain RS87 also solubilized phosphate and produced siderophores. The results of these studies demonstrate that log 8.0 CFU/mL is the optimum concentration of strain RS87 for growth promotion of various Thai rice cultivars.
Accumulation and role of compatible solutes in fast-growing Salinivibrio costicola subsp. yaniae
Authors: Zhu Daochen , Zhang Weimin , Zhang Qingbo , Nagata Shinichi
Published: December 2010

The moderately halophilic bacterium Salinivibrio costicola subsp. yaniae showed an extremely fast growth rate. Optimal growth was observed in artificial seawater containing 1.4 mol/L NaCl and in MM63 media containing 0.6 mol/L NaCl. We analyzed a variety of compatible solutes that had accumulated in this strain grown in the media. The supplementation effect of the compatible solutes glycine betaine, glutamate, and ectoine to the growth of S. costicola subsp. yaniae was examined. Glycine betaine and glutamate had no supplementation effect on the fast growth rate. Growth of salt-sensitive mutants MU1 and MU2, both of which were defective in the ability to synthesize ectoine, was not observed in MM63 medium in the presence of more than 1.0 mol/L NaCl. From these data, we conclude that ectoine was the predominant compatible solute synthesized in this bacterium that effected an extremely fast growth rate.
Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa fatty acid profiles in biofilms and batch planktonic cultures
Authors: Chao Jerry , Wolfaardt Gideon M. , Arts Michael T.
Published: December 2010

The fatty acid composition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was compared between biofilm and batch planktonic cultures. Strain PAO1 biofilms were able to maintain a consistent fatty acid profile for up to 6 days, whereas strain PAO1 batch planktonic cultures showed a gradual loss of cis-monounsaturated fatty acids over 4 days. Biofilms exhibited a greater proportion of hydroxy fatty acids but a lower proportion of both cyclopropane fatty acids and saturated fatty acids (SAFAs). SAFAs with ≥16 carbons, in particular, decreased in biofilms when compared with that in batch planktonic cultures. A reduced proportion of SAFAs and a decline in overall fatty acid chain length indicate more fluidic biophysical properties for cell membranes of P. aeruginosa in biofilms. Separating the biofilms into 2 partitions and comparing their fatty acid compositions revealed additional trends that were not observed in the whole biofilm: the shear-nonremovable layer consistently showed greater proportions of hydroxy fatty acid than the bulk liquid + shear-removable portion of the biofilm. The shear-nonremovable portion demonstrated a relatively immediate decline in the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids between days 2 and 4; which was offset by an increase in the proportion of cyclopropane fatty acids, specifically 19:0cyc(11,12). Simultaneously, the shear-removable portion of the biofilm showed an increase in the proportion of trans-monounsaturated fatty acids and cyclopropane fatty acids.
Differential forage use makes carrying capacity equivocal on ranges of Scandinavian moose (Alces alces)
Authors: Wam Hilde Karine , Hjeljord Olav , Solberg Erling Johan
Published: December 2010

Availability of preferred forage is hypothesized to be positively related to demographic performance in selective ungulates. Comparing two regions with high density of moose ( Alces alces (L., 1758)) having contrasting demographic performance and different composition of available plant species, we show that such a positive relationship may not always apply. The high-performance region (HP) had an estimated 41% higher total availability of browse per capita than the low-performance region (LP), but the availability of preferred species did not differ between the two regions. Although birch (genus Betula L.) was the most abundant browse in both regions (comprising 66% and 50% of the shoot amount available per m2in HP and LP, respectively), it dominated the diet of moose only in HP (constituting, e.g., 69% of all trees browsed in summer compared with 22% in LP). Further research is needed to identify the cause of the seemingly suboptimal use of birch in LP. We also quantified factors that determine forage availability, of which recent logging clearly was the most important: it multiplied browse availability but also reduced coverage of bilberry ( Vaccinum myrtillus  L.), an important forage plant. Our study shows that for selective ungulates, indices of carrying capacity based on forage availability may not apply uniformly across ranges.
OPTIMAL DETERIORATING ITEMS INVENTORY MODEL WITH A THREE-ECHELON SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Authors: YU JONAS C. P.
Published: December 2010

This study develops a mathematical inventory model for deteriorating item taking into account a vertical integration of a three-echelon supply chain (one supplier, one distributor, and one retailer) through strategic alliances. The objective is to minimize the joint total relevant cost for the integrated inventory model. A simple but efficient heuristic technique is used to derive the optimal solution. A numerical example and sensitivity analysis on the optimal results are presented to validate the results of the proposed integrated model. The proposed mathematical model has demonstrated how an integrated approach to decision making can achieve a global optimum and outperform three typically individual models (i.e., independent model, dominant supplier's model and dominant retailer's model).
A HYBRID PERMUTATION-CODED EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHM FOR THE EARLY/TARDY SCHEDULING PROBLEM
Authors: SINGH ALOK
Published: December 2010

In this paper, we have proposed a hybrid permutation-coded steady-state genetic algorithm for a single machine scheduling problem with earliness and tardiness costs and no machine idle time. The steady-state genetic algorithm generates schedules, which are further improved by successive applications of an adjacent pairwise interchange procedure. We have compared our approach against the best approaches reported in the literature. Computational results show the effectiveness of our approach, since it obtained better quality solutions in shorter time.
A RETRIAL QUEUEING MODEL WITH MAP ARRIVALS, CATASTROPHIC FAILURES WITH REPAIRS, AND CUSTOMER IMPATIENCE
Authors: CHAKRAVARTHY SRINIVAS R. , DUDIN ALEXANDER N. , KLIMENOK VALENTINA I.
Published: December 2010

We consider a single server retrial queueing system in which arrivals occur according to a Markovian arrival process. An arriving customer finding an idle server will get service immediately; otherwise the customer enters into a retrial orbit. The system is subject to catastrophic failures at which time all customers in the system (the one in service as well as the customers, if any, in the orbit) are lost. The system undergoes a repair and after completion of a repair the server in the system will be available for service. The customers in the orbit try to reach the server by sending a signal at random times and get service if the server is idle at those times. While customers are waiting in the orbit, they may become impatient and leave the system after a random amount of time. Any arrival finding the server unavailable (due to busy or under repair) and cannot enter the orbit due to the buffer being full (in the case of finite buffer only) is considered lost. Under exponential assumption for all except for the arrivals, the queueing model (for both finite and infinite orbit sizes) is studied using matrix-analytic methods and the qualitative nature of the model is brought out through some illustrative numerical examples.
Synthesis of isoxazoline-linked chlorins and their in vitro cell viabilities
Authors: Wang Jin-Jun , Li Jia-Zhu , Li Yun-Wei , Jakus Judit , Shim Young Key
Published: December 2010

A concise synthesis of isoxazoline-linked chlorins is described. This approach is carried out from methyl pyropheophorbide-a as the starting material via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a vinyl group on the periphery with nitrile oxide to give regioselective products with excellent yields. This method represents an extensive and efficient entry into the functionalization of chlorins with a chlorophyll-α skeleton. Moreover, we have examined a preliminary in vitro effect of these new derivatives on mouse sarcoma S-180 cell line in photodynamic therapy.
Chlorosulfonated corrole: a versatile synthon for advanced materials
Authors: Mahammed Atif , Gross Zeev
Published: December 2010

The easily accessible 2,17-bis-chlorosulfonated 5,10,15-trispentafluorophenylcorrole is demonstrated as a highly versatile synthon for the preparation of corroles with functional groups that may be used for advanced applications and materials. Examples presented here are useful for donor-acceptor dyads, water-solubility inducing carbohydrates, chirality-inducing sugars and amino acids, and biotin-avidin technology.
Measuring the electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes with adsorbed porphyrins using optical transitions
Authors: Sáfar Gustavo de A.M. , CarvalhoDa-Silva Dayse , Idemori Ynara M. , Ribeiro Henrique B. , Fantini Cristiano , Plentz Flávio O. , Malard Leandro , Rebouças Julio S.
Published: December 2010

The dielectric constants of diverse media surrounding single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were probed using photoluminescence (PL) excitation maps of porphyrin/SWCNT aqueous suspensions. The excitation and emission maxima of the nanotubes in these maps were used to probe the dielectric constant variation and doping originated from the porphyrin molecules. The net dielectric constant was calculated for the surrounding medium for each nanotube index and porphyrin isomer. The spread of the dielectric constant values calculated from the data for each (n, m) nanotube chiral index is interpreted on the basis of selective adsorption by each (n, m) nanotube, for each porphyrin isomer. Ultraviolet (UV) Raman spectroscopy corroborates the doping process through the shift of a G band around 1608 cm-1
On the Tensor Convolution and the Quantum Separability Problem
Authors: Pietrzkowski Gabriel
Published: December 2010

We consider the problem of separability: decide whether a Hermitian operator on a finite dimensional Hilbert tensor product [Formula: see text] is separable or entangled. We show that the tensor convolution [Formula: see text] defined for mappings [Formula: see text] on an almost arbitrary locally compact abelian group G , gives rise to formulation of an equivalent problem to the separability one.
Local Numerical Range for a Class of 2 ⊗ d Hermitian Operators
Authors: Jurkowski J. , Rutkowski A. , Chruściński D.
Published: December 2010

Local numerical range is analyzed for a family of circulant observables and states of composite 2 ⊗ d systems. It is shown that for any 2 ⊗ d circulant operator [Formula: see text] there exists a basis giving rise to the matrix representation with real nonnegative off-diagonal elements. In this basis the problem of finding the extremum of [Formula: see text] on product vectors |x〉 ⊗ |y〉 ϵ ℂ2 ⊗ ℂd reduces to the corresponding problem in ℝ2 ⊗ ℝd. The final analytical result for d = 2 is presented.
Smart career advice; laptops as a classroom distraction
Authors: Rosenberger Jack , Robertson Judy
Published: December 2010

http://cacm.acm.org/blogs/blog-cacm/94307

The
Communications
Web site, http://cacm.acm.org, features more than a dozen bloggers in the BLOG@CACM community. In each issue of
Communications
, we'll publish selected posts or excerpts.

twitter

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/blogCACM

Jack Rosenberger shares Patty Azzarello's life lessons about advancing in the workplace. Judy Robertson discusses students' in-class usage of laptops.
Nonlinear systems made easy
Authors: Anthes Gary
Published: December 2010

Pablo Parrilo has discovered a new approach to convex optimization that creates order out of chaos in complex nonlinear systems.
Don't bring me a good idea
Authors: Armour Phillip G.
Published: December 2010

How to sell process changes.
An interview with Frances E. Allen
Authors: Steele Guy L.
Published: December 2010

Frances E. Allen, recipient of the 2006 ACM A.M. Turing Award, reflects on her career.
Follow the intellectual property
Authors: Wiederhold Gio
Published: December 2010

How companies pay programmers when they move the related IP rights to offshore taxhavens.
Using simple abstraction to reinvent computing for parallelism
Authors: Vishkin Uzi
Published: December 2010

The ICE abstraction may take CS from serial (single-core) computing to effective parallel (many-core) computing.
The ephemeral legion
Authors: Locasto Michael E. , Ghosh Anup K. , Jajodia Sushil , Stavrou Angelos
Published: December 2010

Seeking to improve the educational mechanisms for efficiently training large numbers of information security workers.
Opensocial
Authors: Häsel Matthias
Published: December 2010

Building on the OpenSocial API suite, developers can create applications that are interoperable within the context of different social networks.
Discovering Knowledge-Sharing Communities in Question-Answering Forums
Authors: Bouguessa Mohamed , Wang Shengrui , Dumoulin Benoit
Published: December 2010

In this article, we define a knowledge-sharing community in a question-answering forum as a set of askers and authoritative users such that, within each community, askers exhibit more homogeneous behavior in terms of their interactions with authoritative users than elsewhere. A procedure for discovering members of such a community is devised. As a case study, we focus on Yahoo! Answers, a large and diverse online question-answering service. Our contribution is twofold. First, we propose a method for automatic identification of authoritative actors in Yahoo! Answers. To this end, we estimate and then model the authority scores of participants as a mixture of gamma distributions. The number of components in the mixture is determined using the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), while the parameters of each component are estimated using the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm. This method allows us to automatically discriminate between authoritative and nonauthoritative users. Second, we represent the forum environment as a type of transactional data such that each transaction summarizes the interaction of an asker with a specific set of authoritative users. Then, to group askers on the basis of their interactions with authoritative users, we propose a parameter-free transaction data clustering algorithm which is based on a novel criterion function. The identified clusters correspond to the communities that we aim to discover. To evaluate the suitability of our clustering algorithm, we conduct a series of experiments on both synthetic data and public real-life data. Finally, we put our approach to work using data from Yahoo! Answers which represent users’ activities over one full year.
Efficient set intersection for inverted indexing
Authors: Culpepper J. Shane , Moffat Alistair
Published: December 2010

Conjunctive Boolean queries are a key component of modern information retrieval systems, especially when Web-scale repositories are being searched. A conjunctive query
q
is equivalent to a |
q
|-way intersection over ordered sets of integers, where each set represents the documents containing one of the terms, and each integer in each set is an ordinal document identifier. As is the case with many computing applications, there is tension between the way in which the data is represented, and the ways in which it is to be manipulated. In particular, the sets representing index data for typical document collections are highly compressible, but are processed using random access techniques, meaning that methods for carrying out set intersections must be alert to issues to do with access patterns and data representation. Our purpose in this article is to explore these trade-offs, by investigating intersection techniques that make use of both uncompressed “integer” representations, as well as compressed arrangements. We also propose a simple hybrid method that provides both compact storage, and also faster intersection computations for conjunctive querying than is possible even with uncompressed representations.
Engineering basic algorithms of an in-memory text search engine
Authors: Transier Frederik , Sanders Peter
Published: December 2010

Inverted index data structures are the key to fast text search engines. We first investigate one of the predominant operation on inverted indexes, which asks for intersecting two sorted lists of document IDs of different lengths. We explore compression and performance of different inverted list data structures. In particular, we present
Lookup
, a new data structure that allows intersection in expected time linear in the smaller list.

Based on this result, we present the algorithmic core of a full text data base that allows fast Boolean queries, phrase queries, and document reporting using less space than the input text. The system uses a carefully choreographed combination of classical data compression techniques and inverted-index-based search data structures. Our experiments show that inverted indexes are preferable over purely suffix-array-based techniques for in-memory (English) text search engines.

A similar system is now running in practice in each core of the distributed data base engine TREX of SAP.
Utilizing inter-passage and inter-document similarities for reranking search results
Authors: Krikon Eyal , Kurland Oren , Bendersky Michael
Published: December 2010

We present a novel language-model-based approach to
reranking
search results; that is, reordering the documents in an initially retrieved list so as to improve precision at top ranks. Our model integrates whole-document information with that induced from
passages
. Specifically, inter-passage, inter-document, and query-based similarities, which constitute a rich source of information, are combined in our model. Empirical evaluation shows that the precision-at-top-ranks performance of our model is substantially better than that of the initial ranking upon which reranking is performed. Furthermore, the performance is substantially better than that of a commonly used passage-based document ranking method that does not exploit inter-item similarities. Our model also generalizes and outperforms a recently proposed reranking method that utilizes inter-document similarities, but which does not exploit passage-based information. Finally, the model's performance is superior to that of a state-of-the-art pseudo-feedback-based retrieval approach.
Extraction, characterization and utility of prototypical communication groups in the blogosphere
Authors: Choudhury Munmun De , Sundaram Hari , John Ajita , Seligmann Doree Duncan
Published: December 2010

This article analyzes communication within a set of individuals to extract the representative prototypical groups and provides a novel framework to establish the utility of such groups. Corporations may want to identify representative groups (which are indicative of the overall communication set) because it is easier to track the prototypical groups rather than the entire set. This can be useful for advertising, identifying “hot” spots of resource consumption as well as in mining representative moods or temperature of a community. Our framework has three parts: extraction, characterization, and utility of prototypical groups. First, we extract groups by developing features representing communication dynamics of the individuals. Second, to characterize the overall communication set, we identify a subset of groups within the community as the prototypical groups. Third, we justify the utility of these prototypical groups by using them as predictors of related external phenomena; specifically, stock market movement of technology companies and political polls of Presidential candidates in the 2008 U.S. elections.

We have conducted extensive experiments on two popular blogs, Engadget and Huffington Post. We observe that the prototypical groups can predict stock market movement/political polls satisfactorily with mean error rate of 20.32%. Further, our method outperforms baseline methods based on alternative group extraction and prototypical group identification methods. We evaluate the quality of the extracted groups based on their conductance and coverage measures and develop metrics: predictivity and resilience to evaluate their ability to predict a related external time-series variable (stock market movement/political polls). This implies that communication dynamics of individuals are essential in extracting groups in a community, and the prototypical groups extracted by our method are meaningful in characterizing the overall communication sets.
Load Balancing Content-Based Publish/Subscribe Systems
Authors: Cheung Alex King Yeung , Jacobsen Hans-Arno
Published: December 2010

Distributed content-based publish/subscribe systems suffer from performance degradation and poor scalability caused by uneven load distributions typical in real-world applications. The reason for this shortcoming is the lack of a load balancing scheme. This article proposes a load balancing solution specifically tailored to the needs of content-based publish/subscribe systems that is distributed, dynamic, adaptive, transparent, and accommodates heterogeneity. The solution consists of three key contributions: a load balancing framework, a novel load estimation algorithm, and three offload strategies. A working prototype of our solution is built on an open-sourced content-based publish/subscribe system and evaluated on PlanetLab, a cluster testbed, and in simulations. Real-life experiment results show that the proposed load balancing solution is efficient with less than 0.2% overhead; effective in distributing and balancing load originating from a single server to all available servers in the network; and capable of preventing overloads to preserve system stability, availability, and quality of service.
An Interview with Jane Bozarth
Authors: Gualtieri Lisa
Published: December 2010

Jane Bozarth is a tour de force in the online social world that encompasses e-learning. She is the author of Social Media for Trainers (2010), as well as three other books: eLearning Solutions on a Shoestring (2005), Better than Bullet Points (2008), From Analysis to Evaluation (2008). In this interview with eLearn Magazine editor-in-chief Lisa Gualitieri, Bozarth shares her opinions about the film The Social Network and how her constructivist background frames her current work.
β2-Adrenergic receptors inhibit the expression of collagen type II in growth plate chondrocytes by stimulating the AP-1 factor Jun-B
Authors: Mitchell Jane , Lai Lick Pui , Peralta Faye , Xu Yenan , Sugamori Kim
Published: December 2010

The sympathetic nervous system can regulate both osteoblast and chondrocyte growth and activity through β2-adrenergic receptors (β2-AR). We have shown previously that β2-AR activate both adenylyl cyclase and mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1/2 in growth plate chondrocytes prepared from ribs of embryonic E18.5 mice. Here we examined β2-AR inhibition of collagen type II (Col II) expression in growth plate chondrocytes and the molecular pathways involved. Stimulation of β2-AR by isoproterenol inhibited Col II mRNA and protein levels by ∼50% beginning at 2 h, with both remaining suppressed over 24 h. This inhibition was blocked by propranolol and inhibitors of either MEK1 or PKA. Isoproterenol stimulated an AP-1-luciferase reporter and increased the expression of AP-1 factors c-Fos, Fra-1, Fra-2, c-Jun, and Jun-B but had no effect on Jun-D. Stimulation of AP-1 activity was blocked by inhibitors of MEK1 or PKA. siRNA inhibition of AP-1 factors showed that depletion of only Jun-B attenuated isoproterenol-mediated inhibition of Col II. Transfection with jun-B or c-fos showed selective inhibition of Col II mRNA and a Col II luciferase reporter construct by jun-B. Isoproterenol as well as jun-B overexpression in the chondrocytes also inhibited the expression of Sox-6 mRNA and protein, and depletion of Jun-B abrogated β2-AR inhibition of Sox-6. Collectively, these findings demonstrate regulation of chondrocyte differentiation through β2-AR mediated by ERK1/2 and PKA stimulation of the AP-1 factor Jun-B that inhibits the expression of Sox-6 and Col II.
Temporal phasing of locomotor activity, heart rate rhythmicity, and core body temperature is disrupted in VIP receptor 2-deficient mice
Authors: Hannibal Jens , Hsiung Hansen M. , Fahrenkrug Jan
Published: December 2010

Neurons of the brain's biological clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) generate circadian rhythms of physiology (core body temperature, hormone secretion, locomotor activity, sleep/wake, and heart rate) with distinct temporal phasing when entrained by the light/dark (LD) cycle. The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal polypetide (VIP) and its receptor (VPAC2) are highly expressed in the SCN. Recent studies indicate that VIPergic signaling plays an essential role in the maintenance of ongoing circadian rhythmicity by synchronizing SCN cells and by maintaining rhythmicity within individual neurons. To further increase the understanding of the role of VPAC2 signaling in circadian regulation, we implanted telemetric devices and simultaneously measured core body temperature, spontaneous activity, and heart rate in a strain of VPAC2-deficient mice and compared these observations with observations made from mice examined by wheel-running activity. The study demonstrates that VPAC2 signaling is necessary for a functional circadian clock driving locomotor activity, core body temperature, and heart rate rhythmicity, since VPAC2-deficient mice lose the rhythms in all three parameters when placed under constant conditions (of either light or darkness). Furthermore, although 24-h rhythms for three parameters are retained in VPAC2-deficient mice during the LD cycle, the temperature rhythm displays markedly altered time course and profile, rising earlier and peaking ∼4–6 h prior to that of wild-type mice. The use of telemetric devices to measure circadian locomotor activity, temperature, and heart rate, together with the classical determination of circadian rhythms of wheel-running activity, raises questions about how representative wheel-running activity may be of other behavioral parameters, especially when animals have altered circadian phenotype.
Activation of CaMKII and ERK1/2 contributes to the time-dependent potentiation of Ca2+ response elicited by repeated application of capsaicin in rat DRG neurons
Authors: Zhang Xiulin , Daugherty Stephanie L. , de Groat William C.
Published: December 2010

When capsaicin is applied repeatedly to dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons for brief periods (10–15 s) at short intervals (5–10 min), the evoked responses rapidly decline, a phenomenon termed tachyphylaxis. In addition to this phenomenon, the present study using Ca2+ imaging revealed that repeated application of capsaicin to rat dissociated DRG neurons at longer intervals (20–40 min) or during multiple applications at short intervals elicited an enhancement of the responses, termed potentiation. The potentiation occurred in 50–60% of the capsaicin-responsive cells, on average representing a 20- to 30% increase in the peak amplitude of the Ca2+ signal, and was maximal at a 40-min application interval. An analysis of the mechanisms underlying potentiation revealed that it was suppressed by block of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) with 5 μM KN-93 or block of the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 with 2 μM U-0126. Lowering the extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 2 to 1 mM or pretreatment with deltamethrin (1 μM), which blocks calcineurin and tachyphylaxis, enhanced potentiation. Potentiation was not affected by: 1) inhibition of protein kinase C or protein kinase A, 2) block of the three subtypes of neurokinin receptors, or 3) block of the trafficking of transient receptor potential V1 channel to the membrane. These results indicate that the potentiation is a slowly developing Ca2+-modulated process that is mediated by a complex intracellular signaling pathway involving activation of CaMKII and ERK1/2. Potentiation may be an important peripheral autosensitization mechanism that occurs independently of the pronociceptive effects of inflammatory mediators and neurotrophic factors.
Normalization strategy is critical for the outcome of miRNA expression analyses in the rat heart
Authors: Brattelid Trond , Aarnes Eva-Katrine , Helgeland Erik , Guvaåg Steinar , Eichele Heike , Jonassen Anne K.
Published: December 2010

Since normalization strategies plays a pivotal role for obtaining reliable results when performing quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses, this study investigated several miRNA normalization candidates in regards to their efficiency as normalization standards in the ischemic reperfused ex vivo rat heart, with special reference to regulation of the miRNAs miR-1 and miR-101b. The possibility of including primers for several miRNAs in one reverse transcription (RT) reaction was also investigated. Langendorff perfused rat hearts were subjected to 30 min regional ischemia and 0, 1, 5, 15, or 120 min reperfusion. Total RNA was isolated and reverse transcribed for miRNA qPCR analysis. Normalization candidates were evaluated by the NormFinder and geNorm algorithms and the following stability expression rank order was obtained: sno202 < U6B < U87 < snoRNA < 4.5S RNA A < Y1 < 4.5S RNA B < GAPDH. Applying U6B as a normalizer it was found that miR-1 and miR-101b was downregulated in the ischemic reperfused myocardium. Furthermore, up to three primers could be included in one RT reaction by replacing RNase-free water with two supplemental sets of primers in the TaqMan MicroRNA assay protocol. This study demonstrates the importance of validating normalization standards when performing miRNA expression analyses by qPCR, and that miR-1 and miR-101b may play an important role during early reperfusion of the ischemic rat heart.
Ocular Involvement and Blindness Secondary to Linear IgA Dermatosis
Authors: Ramos-Castellón Cinthya , Ortiz-Nieva Gabriela , Fresán Fernando , Villalvazo Leonardo , Garfias Yonathan , Navas Alejandro , Jiménez-Martínez María C.
Published: December 2010

A 43-year-old man with linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) dermatosis associated with gluten intolerance presented with progressive vision loss, pain and photosensitivity in both eyes. His visual acuity was light perception (LP) in both eyes. A physical examination revealed bullous, papular lesions with erythematous borders in periocular tissues, limbs, and thorax. Slit-lamp examination showed conjunctival hyperemia, fibrosis, corneal opacification, and vascularization with epithelial defects. Immunofluorescent skin and corneal surface biopsy studies showed linear IgA deposits. The patient was treated with keratolimbal allogenic transplantation and cryopreserved amniotic membrane in the right eye. Regardless of the treatment he persisted with torpid evolution developing retinal and choroidal detachments. After these events he was started on intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) and showed very slight improvement in ocular surface. These types of blistering diseases are rare in the eye. Even when adequate local treatment is given, systemic treatment is mandatory and ocular prognosis can be unsatisfactory.
Birth Weight in Type 1 Diabetic Pregnancy
Authors: Yves Jacquemyn , Valerie Vandermotte , Katrien Van Hoorick , Guy Martens
Published: December 2010

Our aim was to investigate whether birth weight in mothers with diabetes mellitus type 1 is higher as compared to nondiabetic controls. Methods. A retrospective study was performed using an existing database covering the region of Flanders, Belgium. Data included the presence of diabetes type 1, hypertension, parity, maternal age, the use artificial reproductive technology, fetal‐ neonatal death, congenital anomalies, admission to a neonatal intensive care unit, and delivery by Caesarean section or vaginally. Results. In the period studied, 354 women with diabetes type 1 gave birth and were compared with 177.471 controls. Women with type 1 diabetes more often had a maternal age of over 35 years (16.7% versus 12.0%, P = .008, OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.09–1.95). They more frequently suffered hypertension in pregnancy (19.5% versus 4.7%, P < .0001, OR 4.91; 95% CI 3.73–6.44). Perinatal death was significantly higher in the diabetes mellitus group (3.05% versus 0.73%, P < .0001, OR 4.28; 95% CI 2.22–8.01). Caesarean section was performed almost 5 times as frequently in the diabetes versus the control group (OR 4.57; 95% CI 3.70–5.65). Birth weight was significantly higher in diabetic pregnant women from 33 until 38 weeks included, but those reaching 39 weeks and later were not different with control groups. Conclusion. In Belgium, diabetic pregnancy still carries a high risk for fetal and maternal complications; in general birth weight is significantly higher but for those reaching term there is no significant difference in birth weight.
Effect of Bleaching on Color Change and Surface Topography of Composite Restorations
Authors: Pruthi Gunjan , Jain Veena , Kandpal H. C. , Mathur Vijay Prakash , Shah Naseem
Published: December 2010

This study was conducted to determine the effect of 15% carbamide peroxide bleaching agent on color change and surface topography of different composite veneering materials (Filtek Z350 (3M ESPE), Esthet X (Dentsply India), and Admira (Voco, Germany).Methods. 30 samples were fabricated for evaluation of color change using CIELAB color system and Gonioreflectometer (GK 311/M, ZEISS). 45 disc-shaped specimens were made for evaluation of surface topography after bleaching (Nupro White Gold; Dentsply) using SEM.Statistical analysis. One way ANOVA and Multiple comparison tests were used to analyze the data. Statistical significance was declared if thePvalue was .05 or less.Results and conclusion. All the specimens showed significant discoloration (ΔE>3.3) after their immersion in solutions representing food and beverages. The total color change after bleaching as compared to baseline color was significant in Filtek Z350 (P=.000) and Esthet X (P=.002), while it was insignificant for Admira (P=.18). Esthet X showed maximum surface roughness followed by Admira and Filtek Z350. Bleaching was effective in reducing the discoloration to a clinically acceptable value in all the three groups (ΔE<3.3).
Optimal Estimators for Threshold‐Based Quality Measures
Authors: Abrams Aaron , Ganzell Sandy , Landau Henry , Landau Zeph , Pommersheim James , Zaslow Eric
Published: December 2010

We consider a problem in parametric estimation: given n samples from an unknown distribution, we want to estimate which distribution, from a given one‐parameter family, produced the data. Following Schulman and Vazirani (2005), we evaluate an estimator in terms
of the chance of being within a specified tolerance of the correct answer,
in the worst case. We provide optimal estimators for several families of
distributions on ℝ. We prove that for distributions on a compact space,
there is always an optimal estimator that is translation invariant, and
we conjecture that this conclusion also holds for any distribution on ℝ.
By contrast, we give an example showing that, it does not hold for a certain
distribution on an infinite tree.
Ranging Energy Optimization for a TDOA-Based Distributed Robust Sensor Positioning System
Authors: Wang Tao
Published: December 2010

The author proposes a distributed localization scheme for an asynchronous wireless sensor network (WSN) consisting of at least two beacons as well as some anchors, each collaborating with the beacons to help the sensors within the corresponding service area for self-localization. Most interestingly, each sensor does not need to emit either ranging or communication signals to neighbor sensors in the proposed scheme. Instead, each sensor only needs to estimate the time-of-arrivals (TOAs) of incoming ranging signals from the beacons and the anchors, and then the time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) between the signal propagating from each beacon to the sensor and the one from that beacon to the sensor via an associated anchor is produced and converted to a range difference measurement at the sensor for self-localization. Assuming the location estimator adopted achieves the associated Cramér-Rao bounds (CRB), the localization performance at each sensor is derived and analyzed. When the system features robust sensor positioning (RSP) in that a prescribed accuracy requirement is fulfilled in all service areas of the anchors, the author considers ranging energy optimization problems related to the beacons and the anchors, and presents practical algorithms to solve them. The effectiveness of those algorithms is illustrated by numerical experiments.
A Missense Mutation in Canine CLN6 in an Australian Shepherd with Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis
Authors: Katz Martin L. , Farias Fabiana H. , Sanders Douglas N. , Zeng Rong , Khan Shahnawaz , Johnson Gary S. , O′Brien Dennis P.
Published: December 2010

The childhood neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are inherited neurodegenerative diseases that are progressive and ultimately fatal. An Australian Shepherd that exhibited a progressive neurological disorder with signs similar to human NCL was evaluated. The cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and retina were found to contain massive accumulations of autofluorescent inclusions characteristic of the NCLs. Nucleotide sequence analysis of DNA from the affected dog identified a T to C variant (c.829T>C) in exon 7 of CLN6. Mutations in the human ortholog underlie a late‐infantile form of NCL in humans. The T‐to‐C transition results in a tryptophan to arginine amino acid change in the predicted protein sequence. Tryptophans occur at homologous positions in the CLN6 proteins from all 13 other vertebrates evaluated. The c.829T>C transition is a strong candidate for the causative mutation in this NCL‐affected dog. Dogs with this mutation could serve as a model for the analogous human disorder.
AMPK as Target for Intervention in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity
Authors: Rojas Joselyn , Arraiz Nailet , Aguirre Miguel , Velasco Manuel , Bermúdez Valmore
Published: December 2010

Childhood obesity is a major worldwide health problem. Intervention programs to ameliorate the rate of obesity have been designed and implemented; yet the epidemic has no end near in sight. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has become one of the most important key elements in energy control, appetite regulation, myogenesis, adipocyte differentiation, and cellular stress management. Obesity is a multifactorial disease, which has a very strong genetic component, especially epigenetic factors. The intrauterine milieu has a determinant impact on adult life, since the measures taken for survival are kept throughout life thanks to epigenetic modification. Nutrigenomics studies the influence of certain food molecules on the metabolome profile, raising the question of an individualized obesity therapy according to metabolic (and probably) genetic features. Metformin, an insulin sensitizing agent, its known to lower insulin resistance and enhance metabolic profile, with an additional weight reduction capacity, via activation of AMPK. Exercise is coadjutant for lifestyle modifications, which also activates AMPK in several ways contributing to glucose and fat oxidation. The following review examines AMPK's role in obesity, applying its use as a tool for childhood and adolescent obesity.
The Selection and Use of Sorghum (Sorghum propinquum) Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes as Cytogenetic FISH Probes for Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Figueroa Debbie M. , Davis James D. , Strobel Cornelia , Conejo Maria S. , Beckham Katherine D. , Ring Brian C. , Bass Hank W.
Published: December 2010

The integration of genetic and physical maps of maize is progressing rapidly, but the cytogenetic maps lag behind, with the exception of the pachytene fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) maps of maize chromosome 9. We sought to produce integrated FISH maps of other maize chromosomes using Core Bin Marker loci. Because these 1 Kb restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) probes are below the FISH detection limit, we used BACs from sorghum, a small‐genome relative of maize, as surrogate clones for FISH mapping. We sequenced 151 maize RFLP probes and compared in silico BAC selection methods to that of library filter hybridization and found the latter to be the best. BAC library screening, clone verification, and single‐clone selection criteria are presented along with an example of transgenomic BAC FISH mapping. This strategy has been used to facilitate the integration of RFLP and FISH maps in other large‐genome species.
Identification of Four Potential Epigenetic Modulators from the NCI Structural Diversity Library Using a Cell‐Based Assay
Authors: Best Anne M. , Chang Jianjun , Dull Angie B. , Beutler John A. , Martinez Elisabeth D.
Published: December 2010

Epigenetic pathways help control the expression of genes. In cancer and other diseases, aberrant silencing or overexpression of genes, such as those that control cell growth, can greatly contribute to pathogenesis. Access to these genes by the transcriptional machinery is largely mediated by chemical modifications of DNA or histones, which are controlled by epigenetic enzymes, making these enzymes attractive targets for drug discovery. Here we describe the characterization of a locus derepression assay, a fluorescence‐based mammalian cellular system which was used to screen the NCI structural diversity library for novel epigenetic modulators using an automated imaging platform. Four structurally unique compounds were uncovered that, when further investigated, showed distinct activities. These compounds block the viability of lung cancer and melanoma cells, prevent cell cycle progression, and/or inhibit histone deacetylase activity, altering levels of cellular histone acetylation.
Therapeutic Antibody Targeting of CD47 Eliminates Human Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Chao Mark P. , Alizadeh Ash A. , Tang Chad , Jan Max , Weissman-Tsukamoto Rachel , Zhao Feifei , Park Christopher Y. , Weissman Irving L. , Majeti Ravindra
Published: December 2010

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy and constitutes 15% of adult leukemias. Although overall prognosis for pediatric ALL is favorable, high-risk pediatric patients and most adult patients have significantly worse outcomes. Multiagent chemotherapy is standard of care for both pediatric and adult ALL, but is associated with systemic toxicity and long-term side effects and is relatively ineffective against certain ALL subtypes. Recent efforts have focused on the development of targeted therapies for ALL including monoclonal antibodies. Here, we report the identification of CD47, a protein that inhibits phagocytosis, as an antibody target in standard and high-risk ALL. CD47 was found to be more highly expressed on a subset of human ALL patient samples compared with normal cell counterparts and to be an independent predictor of survival and disease refractoriness in several ALL patient cohorts. In addition, a blocking monoclonal antibody against CD47 enabled phagocytosis of ALL cells by macrophages in vitro and inhibited tumor engraftment in vivo. Significantly, anti-CD47 antibody eliminated ALL in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, spleen, and liver of mice engrafted with primary human ALL. These data provide preclinical support for the development of an anti-CD47 antibody therapy for treatment of human ALL. Cancer Res; 71(4); 1374–84. ©2010 AACR.
Serum Soluble Mesothelin Concentrations in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Relationship to Tumor Volume, Clinical Stage and Changes in Tumor Burden
Authors: Creaney Jenette , Francis Roslyn J. , Dick Ian M. , Musk Arthur W. , Robinson Bruce W. S. , Byrne Michael J. , Nowak Anna K.
Published: December 2010

Purpose: To examine the clinical utility of soluble mesothelin in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Experimental Design: A total of 97 patients (female: 11; male: 86) were prospectively enrolled, longitudinal serum samples collected, and mesothelin concentrations determined. Baseline mesothelin levels were analyzed relative to tumor stage, presence of metastatic disease, the positron emission tomography (PET) parameters maximum standardized uptake value, tumor volume, total glycolytic volume, and survival. Changes in mesothelin level were correlated to objective response to chemotherapy, as assessed radiologically and by PET imaging, and with patient survival.

Results: Baseline mesothelin levels greater than 5 nmol/L were a significant negative prognostic indicator (HR = 2.25; 95% CI, 1.20–4.21) and correlated with tumor stage and volume. In 55 patients who received chemotherapy, change in mesothelin correlated with radiological response (χ2 = 11.32; P = 0.023) and change in metabolically active tumor volume (r = 0.58; P < 0.01). Median survival for patients with a reduction in mesothelin following chemotherapy (19 months) was significantly longer than for patients with increased mesothelin (5 months; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: These findings show the potential value of changes in mesothelin levels for prognostication and monitoring of treatment response in mesothelioma. Clin Cancer Res; 17(5); 1181–9. ©2010 AACR.