bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gene expression in human fungal pathogen Coccidioides immitis changes as arthroconidia differentiate into spherules and mature
Authors: Viriyakosol Suganya , Singhania Akul , Fierer Joshua , Goldberg Jonathan , Kirkland Theo N , Woelk Christopher H
Published: May 2013

Background

Coccidioides immitis is a dimorphic fungus that causes disease in mammals, including human beings. It grows as a mycelium containing arthroconidia in the soil and in the host arthroconidia differentiates into a unique structure called a spherule. We used a custom open reading frame oligonucleotide microarray to compare the transcriptome of C. immitis mycelia with early (day 2) and late stage (day 8) spherules grown in vitro. All hybridizations were done in quadruplicate and stringent criteria were used to identify significantly differentially expressed genes.

Results

22% of C. immitis genes were differentially expressed in either day 2 or day 8 spherules compared to mycelia, and about 12% of genes were differentially expressed comparing the two spherule time points. Oxireductases, including an extracellular superoxide dismutase, were upregulated in spherules and they may be important for defense against oxidative stress. Many signal transduction molecules, including pleckstrin domain proteins, protein kinases and transcription factors were downregulated in day 2 spherules. Several genes involved in sulfur metabolism were downregulated in day 8 spherules compared to day 2 spherules. Transcription of amylase and α (1,3) glucan synthase was upregulated in spherules; these genes have been found to be important for differentiation to yeast in Histoplasma. There were two homologs of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (4-HPPD); transcription of one was up- and the other downregulated. We tested the effect of a 4-HPPD inhibitor, nitisinone, on mycelial and spherule growth and found that it inhibited mycelial but not spherule growth.

Conclusions

Transcription of many genes was differentially expressed in the process of arthroconidia to spherule conversion and spherule maturation, as would be expected given the magnitude of the morphologic change. The transcription profile of early stage (day 2) spherules was different than late stage (day 8) endosporulating spherules. In addition, very few genes that are important for spore to yeast conversion in other dimorphic fungi are differentially expressed in C. immitis mycelia and spherules suggesting that dimorphic fungi may have evolved different mechanisms to differentiate from mycelia to tissue invasive forms.
Clinical characteristics and risk factors of non-Candida fungaemia
Authors: Yamamoto Masaki , Takakura Shunji , Hotta Gou , Matsumura Yasufumi , Matsushima Aki , Nagao Miki , Ito Yutaka , Ichiyama Satoshi
Published: May 2013

Background

The incidence of fungaemia has been increasing worldwide. It is important to distinguish non-Candida fungaemia from candidaemia because of their different antifungal susceptibilities. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical characteristics of non-Candida fungaemia and identify the clinical factors that differentiate it from candidaemia.

Methods

We investigated the clinical manifestations and mortality of non-Candida fungaemia in Kyoto University Hospital from 2004 to 2009.

Results

There were 110 episodes of fungaemia during the study period. There were 11 renal replacement therapy episodes of fungaemia due to non-Candida yeasts (10.0%), including 6 episodes with Cryptococcus neoformans, 4 with Trichosporon asahii, and 1 with Kodamaea ohmeri, in addition to 99 episodes of candidaemia (90.0%). The presence of collagen disease [odds ratio (OR) 9.00; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.58-51.4; P = 0.01] or renal replacement therapy (OR 15.0; 95% CI 3.06-73.4; P < 0.01) was significantly more common in non-Candida fungaemia patients than in candidaemia patients. Prior colonisation by the species may be a predictor of non-Candida fungaemia. Non-Candida fungaemia had a higher mortality than candidaemia (54.5% versus 21.2%, P = 0.03).

Conclusions

Although Candida species frequently cause fungaemia, we should also be aware of non-Candida yeasts because of their high mortality, particularly among high-risk patients, such as those with collagen disease and those under renal replacement therapy. Prior colonisation by the causative organisms may be an important predictor of non-Candida fungaemia.
Is legal status impacting outcomes of group therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder with male asylum seekers and refugees from Iran and Afghanistan?
Authors: Drožđek Boris , Kamperman Astrid M , Tol Wietse A , Knipscheer Jeroen W , Kleber Rolf J
Published: May 2013

Background

Legal status and other resettlement stressors are known to impact mental health of asylum seekers and refugees. However, the ways in which they interact with treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with these populations is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine whether legal status and other resettlement stressors influence outcomes of a trauma-focused group PTSD treatment within a day-treatment setting with asylum seekers and refugees.

Methods

Sixty six male Iranian and Afghan patients with PTSD residing in the Netherlands were assessed with self-rated symptom checklists for PTSD, anxiety and depression, and a demographic questionnaire one week before and two weeks after the treatment. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine the impact of legal status and living arrangements on the treatment outcomes per symptom domain.

Results

The results suggest that both asylum seekers and refugees can be helped with their mental health complaints with a trauma-focused group therapy for PTSD regardless of their legal status. Obtaining a refugee status in a course of the treatment appears to improve the treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

Legal status is impacting outcomes of group therapy for PTSD with male asylum seekers and refugees. Asylum seekers may benefit from group treatment regardless of unstable living conditions.
Urbanisation, urbanicity, and health: a systematic review of the reliability and validity of urbanicity scales
Authors: Cyril Sheila , Oldroyd John C , Renzaho Andre
Published: May 2013

Background

Despite a plethora of studies examining the effect of increased urbanisation on health, no single study has systematically examined the measurement properties of scales used to measure urbanicity. It is critical to distinguish findings from studies that use surrogate measures of urbanicity (e.g. population density) from those that use measures rigorously tested for reliability and validity. The purpose of this study was to assess the measurement reliability and validity of the available urbanicity scales and identify areas where more research is needed to facilitate the development of a standardised measure of urbanicity.

Methods

Databases searched were MEDLINE with Full Text, CINAHL with Full Text, and PsycINFO (EBSCOhost) as well as Embase (Ovid) covering the period from January 1970 to April 2012. Studies included in this systematic review were those that focused on the development of an urbanicity scale with clearly defined items or the adoption of an existing scale, included at least one outcome measure related to health, published in peer-reviewed journals, the full text was available in English and tested for validity and reliability.

Results

Eleven studies met our inclusion criteria which were conducted in Sri Lanka, Austria, China, Nigeria, India and Philippines. They ranged in size from 3327 to 33,404 participants. The number of scale items ranged from 7 to 12 items in 5 studies. One study measured urban area socioeconomic disadvantage instead of urbanicity. The emerging evidence is that increased urbanisation is associated with deleterious health outcomes. It is possible that increased urbanisation is also associated with access and utilisation of health services. However, urbanicity measures differed across studies, and the reliability and validity properties of the used scales were not well established.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need for studies to standardise measures of urbanicity. Longitudinal cohort studies to confirm the relationship between increased urbanisation and health outcomes are urgently needed.
The influence of early exposure to vitamin D for development of diseases later in life
Authors: Jacobsen Ramune , Abrahamsen Bo , Bauerek Marta , Holst Claus , Jensen Camilla B , Knop Joachim , Raymond Kyle , Rasmussen Lone B , Stougaard Maria , Sørensen Thorkild IA , Vaag Allan A , Heitmann Berit L
Published: May 2013

Background

Vitamin D deficiency is common among otherwise healthy pregnant women and may have consequences for them as well as the early development and long-term health of their children. However, the importance of maternal vitamin D status on offspring health later in life has not been widely studied. The present study includes an in-depth examination of the influence of exposure to vitamin D early in life for development of fractures of the wrist, arm and clavicle; obesity, and type 1 diabetes (T1D) during child- and adulthood.

Methods/design

The study is based on the fact that in 1961 fortifying margarine with vitamin D became mandatory in Denmark and in 1972 low fat milk fortification was allowed. Apart from determining the influences of exposure prior to conception and during prenatal life, we will examine the importance of vitamin D exposure during specific seasons and trimesters, by comparing disease incidence among individuals born before and after fortification. The Danish National databases assure that there are a sufficient number of individuals to verify any vitamin D effects during different gestation phases. Additionally, a validated method will be used to determine neonatal vitamin D status using stored dried blood spots (DBS) from individuals who developed the aforementioned disease entities as adults and their time and gender-matched controls.

Discussion

The results of the study will contribute to our current understanding of the significance of supplementation with vitamin D. More specifically, they will enable new research in related fields, including interventional research designed to assess supplementation needs for different subgroups of pregnant women. Also, other health outcomes can subsequently be studied to generate multiple health research opportunities involving vitamin D. Finally, the results of the study will justify the debate of Danish health authorities whether to resume vitamin D supplementation policies.
‘All those things together made me retire’: qualitative study on early retirement among Dutch employees
Authors: Reeuwijk Kerstin G , de Wind Astrid , Westerman Marjan J , Ybema Jan Fekke , van der Beek Allard J , Geuskens Goedele A
Published: May 2013

Background

Due to the aging of the population and subsequent higher pressure on public finances, there is a need for employees in many European countries to extend their working lives. One way in which this can be achieved is by employees refraining from retiring early. Factors predicting early retirement have been identified in quantitative research, but little is known on why and how these factors influence early retirement. The present qualitative study investigated which non-health related factors influence early retirement, and why and how these factors influence early retirement.

Methods

A qualitative study among 30 Dutch employees (60–64 years) who retired early, i.e. before the age of 65, was performed by means of face-to-face interviews. Participants were selected from the cohort Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM).

Results

For most employees, a combination of factors played a role in the transition from work to early retirement, and the specific factors involved differed between individuals. Participants reported various factors that pushed towards early retirement (‘push factors’), including organizational changes at work, conflicts at work, high work pressure, high physical job demands, and insufficient use of their skills and knowledge by others in the organization. Employees who reported such push factors towards early retirement often felt unable to find another job. Factors attracting towards early retirement (‘pull factors’) included the wish to do other things outside of work, enjoy life, have more flexibility, spend more time with a spouse or grandchildren, and care for others. In addition, the financial opportunity to retire early played an important role. Factors influenced early retirement via changes in the motivation, ability and opportunity to continue working or retire early.

Conclusion

To support the prolongation of working life, it seems important to improve the fit between the physical and psychosocial job characteristics on the one hand, and the abilities and wishes of the employee on the other hand. Alongside improvements in the work environment that enable and motivate employees to prolong their careers, a continuous dialogue between the employer and employee on the (future) person-job fit and tailored interventions might be helpful.
Overexpression of Cystatin SN positively affects survival of patients with surgically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Chen You-Fang , Ma Gang , Cao Xun , Luo Rong-Zhen , He Li-Ru , He Jie-Hua , Huang Zhi-Liang , Zeng Mu-Sheng , Wen Zhe-Sheng
Published: May 2013

Background

Cystatin SN is a secreted protein and a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. It has been considered to be a tumor marker for gastrointestinal tract cancer in several functional researches. However, the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of Cystatin SN expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been elucidated.

Methods

In our study, the expression of Cystatin SN was detected in 209 surgically resected ESCC tissues and 170 peritumoral normal esophageal mucosae by immunohistochemistry. The prognostic significance of Cystatin SN expression was analysed with Kaplan-Meier plots and the Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

The results showed that the immunostaining of Cystatin SN in ESCC tissues was less intense than that in the normal control tissue (P < 0.001). Compared with patients with low tumoral Cystatin SN expression, ESCC patients with tumors high-expression Cystatin SN exhibited increased disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the expression level of Cystatin SN could further stratify the ESCC patients by survival (DFS and OS) in the stage II subgroup (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analyses showed that Cystatin SN expression, N status and differentiation were independent and significant predictors of survival.

Conclusions

We concluded that ESCC patients whose tumors express high levels of Cystatin SN have favourable survival compared with those patients with low Cystatin SN expression. Tumoral Cystatin SN expression may be an independent predictor of survival for patients with resectable ESCCs.
Attenuation of oxidative stress in U937 cells by polyphenolic-rich bark fractions of Burkea africana and Syzygium cordatum
Authors: Cordier Werner , Gulumian Mary , Cromarty Allan Duncan , Steenkamp Vanessa
Published: May 2013

Background

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the progression of various diseases, which may result in the depletion of endogenous antioxidants. Exogenous supplementation with antioxidants could result in increased protection against oxidative stress. As concerns have been raised regarding synthetic antioxidant usage, the identification of alternative treatments is justified. The aim of the present study was to determine the antioxidant efficacy ofBurkea africanaandSyzygium cordatumbark extracts in anin vitrooxidative stress model.

Methods

Cytotoxicity of crude aqueous and methanolic extracts, as well as polyphenolic-rich fractions, was determined in C2C12 myoblasts, 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes, normal human dermal fibroblasts and U937 macrophage-like cells using the neutral red uptake assay. Polyphenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium trichloride assays, and antioxidant activity using the Trolox Equivalence Antioxidant Capacity and DPPH assays. The extracts efficacy against oxidative stress in AAPH-exposed U937 cells was assessed with regards to reactive oxygen species generation, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione depletion.

Results

B.africanaandS.cordatumshowed enrichment of polyphenols from the aqueous extract, to methanolic extract, to polyphenolic-rich fractions. Antioxidant activity followed the same trend, which correlated well with the increased concentration of polyphenols, and was between two- to three-fold stronger than the Trolox antioxidant control. Both plants had superior activity compared to ascorbic acid in the DPPH assay. Polyphenolic-rich fractions were most toxic to the 3T3-L1 (IC50’s between 13 and 21 μg/ml) and C2C12 (IC50’s approximately 25 μg/ml) cell lines, but were not cytotoxic in the U937 and normal human dermal fibroblasts cultures. Free radical-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (up to 80%), cytotoxicity (up to 20%), lipid peroxidation (up to 200%) and apoptosis (up to 60%) was successfully reduced by crude extracts ofB.africanaand the polyphenolic-rich fractions of both plants. The crude extracts ofS.cordatumwere not as effective in reducing cytotoxic parameters.

Conclusion

Although oxidative stress was attenuated in U937 cells, cytotoxicity was observed in the 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cell lines. Further isolation and purification of polyphenolic-fractions could increase the potential use of these extracts as supplements by decreasing cytotoxicity and maintaining antioxidant quality.
Clustering of unhealthy food around German schools and its influence on dietary behavior in school children: a pilot study
Authors: Buck Christoph , Börnhorst Claudia , Pohlabeln Hermann , Huybrechts Inge , Pala Valeria , Reisch Lucia , Pigeot Iris
Published: May 2013

Background

The availability of fast foods, sweets, and other snacks in the living environment of children is assumed to contribute to an obesogenic environment. In particular, it is hypothesized that food retailers are spatially clustered around schools and that a higher availability of unhealthy foods leads to its higher consumption in children. Studies that support these relationships have primarily been conducted in the U.S. or Australia, but rarely in European communities. We used data of FFQ and 24-HDR of the IDEFICS study, as well as geographical data from one German study region to investigate (1) the clustering of food outlets around schools and (2) the influence of junk food availability on the food intake in school children.

Methods

We geocoded food outlets offering junk food (e.g. supermarkets, kiosks, and fast food restaurants). Spatial cluster analysis of food retailers around child-serving institutions was conducted using an inhomogeneous K-function to calculate global 95% confidence envelopes. Furthermore, a food retail index was implemented considering the kernel density of junk food supplies per service area, adjusted for residential density. We linked the food retail index to FFQ and 24-HDR data of 384 6- to 9-year-old school children in the study region and investigated the impact of the index on food intake, using multilevel regression models adjusted for sex, age, BMI, parent’s education and income, as well as adjusting for over- and underreporting of food intake.

Results

Comparing the 95% confidence envelopes to the observed K-function, we showed that food stores and fast food restaurants do not significantly cluster around schools. Apart from this result, the food retail index showed no effect on BMI (β=0.01,p=0.11) or food intake variables assessed by FFQ and 24-HDR.

Conclusion

In the built environment of the German study region, clustering of food retailers does not depend on the location of schools. Additionally, the results suggest that the consumption of junk food in young children is not influenced by spatial availability of unhealthy food. However, investigations should be replicated in other European communities to increase environmental variability.
A unique, interactive and web-based pediatric rheumatology teaching module: residents’ perceptions
Authors: Batthish Michelle , Bassilious Ereny , Schneider Rayfel , Feldman Brian M , Hyman Avi , Tse Shirley ML
Published: May 2013

Background

The limited availability of pediatric rheumatologists for teaching in pediatric residency programs negatively impacts resident education about rheumatology. At present, there are no educational websites available for trainees to learn about pediatric rheumatology. We are planning to develop an interactive web-based teaching module to improve resident learning about rheumatology (“POINTER”: Pediatric Online INteractive TEaching in Rheumatology). The aim of this study was to perform a needs assessment of pediatric residents who will be using POINTER.

Methods

Pediatric residents (n = 60) at The Hospital for Sick Children were emailed an online survey. This was designed to assess prior use of online teaching modules, the utility of an online teaching module for rheumatology and which technologies should be included on such a site.

Results

Forty-seven residents participated in the survey (78.3% response rate). Ninety-one percent of the respondents thought that an interactive teaching website would enhance their learning and should include case-based teaching modules. Several web-based technologies were felt to be important for inclusion on the teaching modules. These included graphics and animation (86.4%), interactivity (93.2%), pictures (100%), live digital videos (88.9%) and links to articles and research (88.6%).

Conclusions

An interactive web-based rheumatology teaching module would be well utilized by pediatric residents. Residents showed preference for case-based teaching modules as well as multimedia modalities for learning a detailed musculoskeletal examination.
Bacteria tracking by in vivomagnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Hoerr Verena , Tuchscherr Lorena , Hüve Jana , Nippe Nadine , Loser Karin , Glyvuk Nataliya , Tsytsyura Yaroslav , Holtkamp Michael , Sunderkötter Cord , Karst Uwe , Klingauf Jürgen , Peters Georg , Löffler Bettina , Faber Cornelius
Published: May 2013

Background

Different non-invasive real-time imaging techniques have been developed over the last decades to study bacterial pathogenic mechanisms in mouse models by following infections over a time course. In vivo investigations of bacterial infections previously relied mostly on bioluminescence imaging (BLI), which is able to localize metabolically active bacteria, but provides no data on the status of the involved organs in the infected host organism. In this study we established an in vivo imaging platform by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for tracking bacteria in mouse models of infection to study infection biology of clinically relevant bacteria.

Results

We have developed a method to label Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with iron oxide nano particles and detected and pursued these with MRI. The key step for successful labeling was to manipulate the bacterial surface charge by producing electro-competent cells enabling charge interactions between the iron particles and the cell wall. Different particle sizes and coatings were tested for their ability to attach to the cell wall and possible labeling mechanisms were elaborated by comparing Gram-positive and -negative bacterial characteristics. With 5-nm citrate-coated particles an iron load of 0.015 ± 0.002 pg Fe/bacterial cell was achieved for Staphylococcus aureus. In both a subcutaneous and a systemic infection model induced by iron-labeled S. aureus bacteria, high resolution MR images allowed for bacterial tracking and provided information on the morphology of organs and the inflammatory response.

Conclusion

Labeled with iron oxide particles, in vivo detection of small S. aureus colonies in infection models is feasible by MRI and provides a versatile tool to follow bacterial infections in vivo. The established cell labeling strategy can easily be transferred to other bacterial species and thus provides a conceptual advance in the field of molecular MRI.
Tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells used as vehicles for anti-tumor therapy exert different in vivoeffects on migration capacity and tumor growth
Authors: Belmar-Lopez Carolina , Mendoza Gracia , Oberg Daniel , Burnet Jerome , Simon Carlos , Cervello Irene , Iglesias Maite , Ramirez Juan Carlos , Lopez-Larrubia Pilar , Quintanilla Miguel , Martin-Duque Pilar
Published: May 2013

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been promoted as an attractive option to use as cellular delivery vehicles to carry anti-tumor agents, owing to their ability to home into tumor sites and secrete cytokines. Multiple isolated populations have been described as MSCs, but despite extensivein vitrocharacterization, little is known about theirin vivobehavior.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and efficiency of different MSC lineages derived from five different sources (bone marrow, adipose tissue, epithelial endometrium, stroma endometrium, and amniotic membrane), in order to assess their adequacy for cell-based anti-tumor therapies. Our study shows the crucial importance of understanding the interaction between MSCs and tumor cells, and provides both information and a methodological approach, which could be used to develop safer and more accurate targeted therapeutic applications.

Methods

We first measured thein vivomigration capacity and effect on tumor growth of the different MSCs using two imaging techniques: (i) single-photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography (SPECT-CT), using the human sodium iodine symporter gene (hNIS) and (ii) magnetic resonance imaging using superparamagnetic iron oxide. We then sought correlations between these parameters and expression of pluripotency-related or migration-related genes.

Results

Our results show that migration of human bone marrow-derived MSCs was significantly reduced and slower than that obtained with the other MSCs assayed and also with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The qPCR data clearly show that MSCs and hiPSCs exert a very different pluripotency pattern, which correlates with the differences observed in their engraftment capacity and with their effects on tumor growth.

Conclusion

This study reveals differences in MSC recruitment/migration toward the tumor site and the corresponding effects on tumor growth. Three observations stand out: 1) tracking of the stem cell is essential to check the safety and efficacy of cell therapies; 2) the MSC lineage to be used in the cell therapy needs to be carefully chosen to balance efficacy and safety for a particular tumor type; and 3) different pluripotency and mobility patterns can be linked to the engraftment capacity of the MSCs, and should be checked as part of the clinical characterization of the lineage.
Are systematic reviews up-to-date at the time of publication?
Authors: Beller Elaine M , Chen Joyce Kee-Hsin , Wang Una Li-Hsiang , Glasziou Paul P
Published: May 2013

Background

Systematic reviews provide a synthesis of evidence for practitioners, for clinical practice guideline developers, and for those designing and justifying primary research. Having an up-to-date and comprehensive review is therefore important. Our main objective was to determine the recency of systematic reviews at the time of their publication, as measured by the time from last search date to publication. We also wanted to study the time from search date to acceptance, and from acceptance to publication, and measure the proportion of systematic reviews with recorded information on search dates and information sources in the abstract and full text of the review.

Methods

A descriptive analysis of published systematic reviews indexed in Medline in 2009, 2010 and 2011 by three reviewers, independently extracting data.

Results

Of the 300 systematic reviews included, 271 (90%) provided the date of search in the full-text article, but only 141 (47%) stated this in the abstract. The median (standard error; minimum to maximum) survival time from last search to acceptance was 5.1 (0.58; 0 to 43.8) months (95% confidence interval = 3.9 to 6.2) and from last search to first publication time was 8.0 (0.35; 0 to 46.7) months (95% confidence interval = 7.3 to 8.7), respectively. Of the 300 reviews, 295 (98%) stated which databases had been searched, but only 181 (60%) stated the databases in the abstract. Most researchers searched three (35%) or four (21%) databases. The top-three most used databases were MEDLINE (79%), Cochrane library (76%), and EMBASE (64%).

Conclusions

Being able to identify comprehensive, up-to-date reviews is important to clinicians, guideline groups, and those designing clinical trials. This study demonstrates that some reviews have a considerable delay between search and publication, but only 47% of systematic review abstracts stated the last search date and 60% stated the databases that had been searched. Improvements in the quality of abstracts of systematic reviews and ways to shorten the review and revision processes to make review publication more rapid are needed.
Obsidian use in the mosaic of the St. Juvenal church, Narni (Italy): chemical characterization and origin
Authors: Avino Pasquale , Moioli Pietro , Rosada Alberto , Seccaroni Claudio
Published: May 2013

Tesserae from the mosaic on the front of the San Giovenale chapel inside the Narni Cathedral were analyzed through non-destructive XRF analysis for the characterization of both colouring matters and opacifiers of the glass matrix. Subsequently, the concentration of the elements present at trace levels (μg g-1) was determined by means of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) for comparisons with obsidians of known provenance and well-studied micro-elemental composition, in order to identify the geographical origin of the obsidian used in this Middle Ages mosaic. The main result is that the black tesserae were made with obsidian fragments coming from the Sardinia deposits (probably, Arci Mountain site C).
DNA methylation dynamics during intestinal stem cell differentiation reveals enhancers driving gene expression in the villus
Authors: Kaaij Lucas TJ , van de Wetering Marc , Fang Fang , Decato Benjamin , Molaro Antoine , van de Werken Harmen JG , van Es Johan H , Schuijers Jurian , de Wit Elzo , de Laat Wouter , Hannon Gregory J , Clevers Hans C , Smith Andrew D , Ketting René F
Published: May 2013

Background

DNA methylation is of pivotal importance during development. Previous genome-wide studies identified numerous differentially methylated regions upon differentiation of stem cells, many of them associated with transcriptional start sites.

Results

We present the first genome-wide, single-base-resolution view into DNA methylation dynamics during differentiation of a mammalian epithelial stem cell: the mouse small intestinal Lgr5+ stem cell. Very little change was observed at transcriptional start sites and our data suggest that differentiation-related genes are already primed for expression in the stem cell. Genome-wide, only 50 differentially methylated regions were identified. Almost all of these loci represent enhancers driving gene expression in the differentiated part of the small intestine. Finally, we show that binding of the transcription factor Tcf4 correlates with hypo-methylation and demonstrate that Tcf4 is one of the factors contributing to formation of differentially methylated regions.

Conclusions

Our results reveal limited DNA methylation dynamics during small intestine stem cell differentiation and an impact of transcription factor binding on shaping the DNA methylation landscape during differentiation of stem cells in vivo.
Amelioration of motor/sensory dysfunction and spasticity in a rat model of acute lumbar spinal cord injury by human neural stem cell transplantation
Authors: van Gorp Sebastiaan , Leerink Marjolein , Kakinohana Osamu , Platoshyn Oleksandr , Santucci Camila , Galik Jan , Joosten Elbert A , Hruska-Plochan Marian , Goldberg Danielle , Marsala Silvia , Johe Karl , Ciacci Joseph D , Marsala Martin
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Intraspinal grafting of human neural stem cells represents a promising approach to promote recovery of function after spinal trauma. Such a treatment may serve to: I) provide trophic support to improve survival of host neurons; II) improve the structural integrity of the spinal parenchyma by reducing syringomyelia and scarring in trauma-injured regions; and III) provide neuronal populations to potentially form relays with host axons, segmental interneurons, and/or α-motoneurons. Here we characterized the effect of intraspinal grafting of clinical grade human fetal spinal cord-derived neural stem cells (HSSC) on the recovery of neurological function in a rat model of acute lumbar (L3) compression injury.

Methods

Three-month-old female Sprague–Dawley rats received L3 spinal compression injury. Three days post-injury, animals were randomized and received intraspinal injections of either HSSC, media-only, or no injections. All animals were immunosuppressed with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and methylprednisolone acetate from the day of cell grafting and survived for eight weeks. Motor and sensory dysfunction were periodically assessed using open field locomotion scoring, thermal/tactile pain/escape thresholds and myogenic motor evoked potentials. The presence of spasticity was measured by gastrocnemius muscle resistance and electromyography response during computer-controlled ankle rotation. At the end-point, gait (CatWalk), ladder climbing, and single frame analyses were also assessed. Syrinx size, spinal cord dimensions, and extent of scarring were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Differentiation and integration of grafted cells in the host tissue were validated with immunofluorescence staining using human-specific antibodies.

Results

Intraspinal grafting of HSSC led to a progressive and significant improvement in lower extremity paw placement, amelioration of spasticity, and normalization in thermal and tactile pain/escape thresholds at eight weeks post-grafting. No significant differences were detected in other CatWalk parameters, motor evoked potentials, open field locomotor (Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotion score (BBB)) score or ladder climbing test. Magnetic resonance imaging volume reconstruction and immunofluorescence analysis of grafted cell survival showed near complete injury-cavity-filling by grafted cells and development of putative GABA-ergic synapses between grafted and host neurons.

Conclusions

Peri-acute intraspinal grafting of HSSC can represent an effective therapy which ameliorates motor and sensory deficits after traumatic spinal cord injury.
Illustrated Pocket Diaries and the Commodification of Culture
Authors: Jung Sandro
Published: May 2013

This paper introduces a little-known print genre that flourished in Britain from the late 1770s to the late nineteenth century. Notwithstanding the long life of the illustrated pocket diary-cum-almanac, scholars have failed to assess the range and variety of these annuals or examine in what ways these print objects were produced in a competitive environment that saw, in its most prolific decades, the publication of up to forty different titles per year. Due to the ephemeral nature of the pocket diaries, very few copies have survived, and some titles known to have existed from advertisements have remained entirely untraced. Yet an attempt at charting this genre’s various contexts of production, marketing, and consumption is rewarding in that it will reveal the richness of these publications in terms of design and layout innovations, the ways in which each of these titles promoted a narrative of cultural literacy, and the increasingly—in the course of the nineteenth century—gender-specific marketing of the titles. While introducing a number of different pocket diaries issued from 1779 to the mid nineteenth century, the essay will discuss the earliest diaries (The Royal Engagement Pocket Atlas, The Polite Repository, and Le Souvenir) in some detail to facilitate an understanding of how the genre developed in the nineteenth century. It will focus, in particular, on these annuals’ illustrative material and the ways in which pocket diaries promoted cultural improvement.
Adsorption Behavior of Lanthanide Ions on Nonbiological Phospholipid Membranes: A Model Study Using Liposome
Authors: Yamasaki Shinya , Shirai Osamu , Kano Kenji , Kozai Naofumi , Sakamoto Fuminori , Ohnuki Toshihiko
Published: May 2013

The adsorption behavior of lanthanide ions (except for Pm) on liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol was examined to understand the interaction between lanthanide ions and the phosphoryl moiety of phospholipids. The adsorption of lanthanide ions increased with an increase in pH under the weakly acidic conditions. Selective adsorption with the local maximum at the Eu3+ ion and local minimum at the Er3+ ion was observed, similar to the selective adsorption of the bacterial cell surface but different from that of orthophosphates. These results indicate that the adsorption of lanthanide on the phospholipid does not result from simple adsorption on orthophosphate functional groups but by the composition and molecular structure of the phospholipid. Our results strongly suggest that liposomes can be used as a simple biomembrane model without any biological activity for the study of adsorption of lanthanide ions.
Development of Novel Inhibitors Specific for Human Heparanase-1
Authors: Ohmae Masashi , Fujita Yuki , Takada Junko , Kimura Shunsaku
Published: May 2013

The octylglycosides 1–3 having heparan sulfate fragments were designed as inhibitors specific for human heparanase-1. Inhibition experiments for the heparanase revealed the inhibitory effects of 1 and 3 (IC50 = 6 and 1.4 mM, respectively). It was difficult for compound 2 to inhibit the heparanase activity. Furthermore, the inhibitory action of 3 was specific for the heparanase, whereas 1 and 2 also inhibited the hydrolysis activity of exoenzyme β-glucuronidase from bovine liver.
Thermostable α-Glucan Phosphorylase-catalyzed Successive α-Mannosylations
Authors: Shimohigoshi Riko , Takemoto Yasutaka , Yamamoto Kazuya , Kadokawa Jun-ichi
Published: May 2013

In this study, we found that thermostable α-glucan phosphorylase from Aquifex aeolicus VF5 catalyzed enzymatic successive α-mannosylations of maltotriose using α-d-mannose 1-phosphate as a glycosyl donor to produce nonnatural heterooligosaccharides composed of α-(1 → 4)-linked oligo-mannose residues at a nonreducing end of maltotriose.
Heterotriangulene as an Electron-transfer Mediator in Reduction of vic-Dibromide Compounds
Authors: Inagi Shinsuke , Kaihatsu Noriyuki , Kuribayashi Shunsuke , Fuchigami Toshio
Published: May 2013

A novel heterotriangulene derivative and its nonfused analogue were successfully prepared, and their electrochemical and optical properties were studied by cyclic voltammetry measurements and UV–vis and photoluminescence analyses. The mediatory use of the heterotriangulene derivative for the electrocatalytic reduction of dibromo compounds was also investigated.
Columnar and Smectic Mesophases Observed for Mixed Liquid Crystal Systems Using 4-Substituted Benzoic Acids
Authors: Iwata Takashi , Miyata Ryohei , Matsumoto Akikazu
Published: May 2013

We report liquid crystalline systems constructed by the hierarchical supramolecular self-organization of various substituted benzoic acid derivatives as the building blocks. Discotic lamellar and rectangular columnar phases and smectic phase were observed for the mixed liquid crystal systems consisting of 4-(1,3-alkadiynyl)benzoic acids (mPhDA), 4-(1-alkynyl)benzoic acids (mPhA), and 4-alkoxybenzoic acids (mOBA) as the components.
Feline diffuse iris melanoma
Authors: Gent Georgina
Published: May 2013

Although iris neoplasia in the cat is relatively uncommon, melanoma is the most common form encountered (Duncan and Peiffer, 1991). For the practitioner, changes in iris pigmentation in cats present a challenge in diagnosis and advising owners on the best course of action. The aim of this article is to summarise the salient features of iris melanoma and the factors involved in decision-making.
Imagining Difference: Bimal Roy’s Representation of the Margins
Authors: Mukherjee Tutun
Published: May 2013

The new mode for telling stories that radically changed the manner of “making sense” of the social world opened up exciting vistas for the narrative experience. The invention of the camera had already altered the dimensions of human perception; the rapid innovations with
the technological apparatus of cinema made available an ingenious medium of expression for narrativizing the world.
The New Edge of Indian Cinema: An Analysis of the Treatments of Gender, Sexuality, and Matrimony in the New Indian Cinema in English
Authors: Dasgupta Satarupa
Published: May 2013

Traditionally, there have been two schools of Hindi cinema. The center stage has always been occupied by Bollywood, which enthralls the Indian audiences globally with “song-and-dance extravaganzas and melodramatic stories big on family values; the other was the “Satyajit
Ray-inspired realistic art-house films, which flowered in the 1970s and 1980s,” and which “tried to create a distinct language of film, but their work was relegated to festivals and television, where it wilted in the wings…” (Chopra, 2005). However, a particularly
noticeable trend in the Indian movie industry in recent years has been the emergence of a third type of cinema -- the new Indian cinema in English.
Hong Kong Martial Arts Women
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: May 2013

Chinese culture and cinema have long traditions of martial arts heroines. But it was not until Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) that Western audiences finally acclaimed what many in academic and fan circles already knew, namely the role of the martial arts heroine.
Ang Lee’s film delivered nothing new as revered martial arts choreographer Yuen Wooping commented upon at the time. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a contemporary (and often dreary) art cinema representation of many major achievements within “wu xia” or martial arts narratives.
Strongly influenced by the pioneering work of King Hu (1920-1997), whose A Touch of Zen (1971) won the Technical Superiority Film Prize at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon attempted a merger of past and present traditions.
Sun Mingjin and John Grierson, a Comparative Study of Early Chinese and British Documentary Film Movements
Authors: Zhu Ying , Zhang Tongdao
Published: May 2013

The name John Grierson (1898_1972) will certainly echo among historians of documentary film. Regardless of the controversial legacy Grierson left behind, his status as a film theorist, producer and the leading figure of the British Documentary Film Movement (1926-1948) is unquestionable.
While the name Grierson immediately brings us back to the early history of documentary filmmaking, the name Sun Mingjin (1911-1992) remains obscure. The little known Sun was actually a pioneer Chinese documentary filmmaker and educator with over a hundred film credits to his name.
The Origins of Asian Film Studies: Seven Pioneers’ Recollections
Authors: Lent John A.
Published: May 2013

As we commence our celebratory conference marking a century of Chinese cinema, it is worth noting that Asian film as a field of study has existed about half that time. Although a number of journalistic accounts appeared throughout the early 20th Century, it was in the 1950s that a sub-discipline
began to coalesce around the research and writing of some scholars, archivists, and journalists, individuals such as Cheng Jihua, Li Shaobai, Donald Richie, Joe Anderson, Régis Bergeron, Jay Leyda, Erik Barnouw, and S. Krishnaswamy. Except for Leyda and Krishnaswamy, all of these pioneers
have shared their recollections of the early days of Asian film scholarship through interviews and memoirs published in Asian Cinema . It is from these articles, and Leyda’s foreword to his book Dianying , that this attempt to reconstruct an early history is based.
A Lonely Long March
Authors: Kar Law
Published: May 2013

The 1960s was a prosperous decade for the Hong Kong cinema but film research and film study were relatively under-developed. There was no film school nor film department in universities and very few film related courses were offered; in fact, there was only one university, The University
of Hong Kong, which was officially accredited by the British Government; others were called post-secondary colleges and could only offer diplomas but not degrees. It was not until 1964 when The Chinese University of Hong Kong was established that the British invested more resources on higher
education in Hong Kong and studies in Chinese and local culture. People began to become aware of the importance of cultural research. Still, cinema was regarded as popular entertainment catered for the market by businessmen; very few scholars would take films seriously as art or culture.
Simple Stories for a Complicated World: An Interview with Filmmaker Izidore Musallam
Authors: Ciecko Anne
Published: May 2013

Film and television director, writer, and producer Izadore Musallam’s work stretches across national boundaries and explores shifting identities.1 Born and raised in the Middle East and educated as a filmmaker in North America, he continues to reside in Canada while making English
and Arabic-language films at home and abroad. Musallam’s debut feature Foreign Nights (1989) dealt with cultural and generational clashes within the Arab diaspora with the story of a Canadian teen dancer and her traditional Palestinian parents; his follow-up Nothing to Lose (1994) is
a gangster spoof about a French Canadian boxer. Heaven Before I Die (1997) is a comedy about a young man from Palestine who moves to Toronto, receives advice from the ghost of Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran played by Omar Sharif, and gets a job as a Charlie Chaplin imitator. Forbidden Fruit (2002)
is an updated Adam and Eve story of the seduction of a priest.
The Fabulous Adventures of Benjamin Brodsky: China’s First Films — Really
Authors: Bren Frank
Published: May 2013

What follows solves the long-running conundrum of who made the first Hong Kong films and when, questions underscored by the territory’s proclaimed film centennial this year based, as many agreed, on mighty slim evidence. As the new evidence shows, the celebration was premature.
Earthwork and eco-clinic: Notes on James Turrell’s ‘Roden Crater Project’
Authors: Matts Tim , Tynan Aidan
Published: May 2013

Situated in the ‘Painted Desert’ north-east of Flagstaff, Arizona, James Turrell’s ‘Roden Crater Project’ is an unprecedented instance of landscape architecture and one of the most important examples of contemporary environmental art. Enclosed within the
region’s volcanic terrain, the project adheres to a system of precise geocosmic alignments, showing a fealty to celestial and astronomical events comparable with the ancient architectures of Newgrange, Ireland and the Temple of the Sun at Karnak. While dominant readings of Turrell’s
work suggest vague notions of its ‘harmony’ with its natural environment, we propose that the significance of the ‘Roden Crater Project’ deserves a more thoroughgoing reconsideration of the architecture–environment relationship. We argue against any aesthetic
recourse to ecopsychological theories purporting a reconciliation of the divide between nature and culture. We instead offer, through readings of the philosophers Deleuze and Guattari and Nick Land, a novel theoretical framework for ecological aesthetics, which we call the eco-clinic. Drawing
in particular on Deleuze and Guattari’s notion of ‘intensive space’ and Land’s conception of ‘geotrauma’, we argue that Turrell’s work represents a radical, post-naturalist reinvention of ecological perception that exceeds the nature/culture divide
in every direction.