bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of VO2 and VCO2 rate variability with serum glucose, insulin, and glucose intolerance
Authors: Satué‐Rodríguez Julián , Méndez José D.
Published: June 2012

Changes in the cellular metabolism assessed by the variability of oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) as well as the association of serum glucose and insulin to energy spectral density (ESD) of VO2 and VCO2 were evaluated. Ten nonglucose intolerant and 10 glucose intolerant subjects, aged 21–70 years, were included. Glucose and insulin concentrations and VO2 and VCO2 records were collected every 10 min during 3 h. ESD of VO2 and VCO2 was estimated and associated with glucose and insulin concentrations. Statistical significance in glucose levels, insulin, and ESD of VO2 and VCO2 among nonglucose intolerant subjects and glucose and insulin among glucose intolerance subjects at postload glucose (PLG) state compared with basal state was found. Moreover, glucose was significantly higher in glucose intolerance subjects than nonglucose intolerant subjects for basal and PLG states. These results show an increment in ESD of VO2 and VCO2 at PLG state among nonglucose intolerant subjects and suggest that their measurement may be a key indicator of the variability of cellular metabolic activity and contribute to confirm disturbances in glucose metabolism. © 2012 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 64(8): 705–709, 2012
Binding of phosphatidic acid to 14‐3‐3 proteins hampers their ability to activate the plant plasma membrane H+‐ATPase
Authors: Camoni Lorenzo , Di Lucente Cristina , Pallucca Roberta , Visconti Sabina , Aducci Patrizia
Published: June 2012

Phosphatidic acid is a phospholipid second messenger implicated in various cellular processes in eukaryotes. In plants, production of phosphatidic acid is triggered in response to a number of biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we show that phosphatidic acid binds to 14‐3‐3 proteins, a family of regulatory proteins which bind client proteins in a phosphorylation‐dependent manner. Binding of phosphatidic acid involves the same 14‐3‐3 region engaged in protein target binding. Consequently, micromolar phosphatidic acid concentrations significantly hamper the interaction of 14‐3‐3 proteins with the plasma membrane H+‐ATPase, a well characterized plant 14‐3‐3 target, thus inhibiting the phosphohydrolitic enzyme activity. Moreover, the proton pump is inhibited when endogenous PA production is triggered by phospholipase D and the G protein agonist mastoparan‐7. Hence, our data propose a possible mechanism involving PA that regulates 14‐3‐3‐mediated cellular processes in response to stress. © 2012 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 64(8): 710–716, 2012
Pain tolerance in children and adolescents: Sex differences and psychosocial influences on pain threshold and endurance
Authors: Schmitz A‐K. , Vierhaus M. , Lohaus A.
Published: June 2012

Background

Laboratory studies with children and adolescents revealed inconsistent findings regarding sex differences in pain tolerance, although lower pain tolerance is commonly reported for adult women. Besides biological mechanisms, several socio‐cognitive variables are discussed which may influence pain tolerance in regard to sex differences. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the pain tolerance of children and adolescents using the cold pressor task (CPT) and to analyse influences of pain‐coping and pain‐related self‐efficacy.

Methods

About 1021 children and adolescents aged 9–17 participated in the study. Pain tolerance was defined as the length of time a participant's hand remains under water during the CPT. Two phases of pain tolerance were differentiated: the time until pain is reported (pain threshold) and the time from the threshold until the pain increases to a level resulting in the hand being withdrawn (pain endurance). Pain‐coping and pain‐related self‐efficacy were assessed by self‐report questionnaires.

Results

We revealed an obvious effect of sex on pain threshold, which increased with age, a small effect on pain tolerance and no significant effect on endurance. Independent of sex, pain endurance was influenced by pain‐related self‐efficacy and positive self‐instruction.

Conclusions

Our results support the assumption that female and male adolescents develop in different directions regarding their pain tolerance when reaching puberty. This seems mainly attributable to a decrease of pain threshold in girls. In contrast, boys and girls are able to endure pain to an equal extent influenced, however, by self‐efficacy and coping variables.
Selective glucocorticoid receptor modulation maintains bone mineral density in mice
Authors: Thiele Sylvia , Ziegler Nicole , Tsourdi Elena , De Bosscher Karolien , Tuckermann Jan P , Hofbauer Lorenz C , Rauner Martina
Published: June 2012

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent anti-inflammatory drugs, but their use is limited by their adverse effects on the skeleton. Compound A (CpdA) is a novel GC receptor modulator with the potential for an improved risk/benefit profile. We tested the effects of CpdA on bone in a mouse model of GC-induced bone loss. Bone loss was induced in FVB/N mice by implanting slow-release pellets containing either vehicle, prednisolone (PRED) (3.5 mg), or CpdA (3.5 mg). After 4 weeks, mice were killed to examine the effects on the skeleton using quantitative computed tomography, bone histomorphometry, serum markers of bone turnover, and gene expression analysis. To assess the underlying mechanisms, in vitro studies were performed with human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and murine osteocyte-like cells (MLO-Y4 cells). PRED reduced the total and trabecular bone density in the femur by 9% and 24% and in the spine by 11% and 20%, respectively, whereas CpdA did not influence these parameters. Histomorphometry confirmed these results and further showed that the mineral apposition rate was decreased by PRED whereas the number of osteoclasts was increased. Decreased bone formation was paralleled by a decline in serum procollagen type 1 N-terminal peptide (P1NP), reduced skeletal expression of osteoblast markers, and increased serum levels of the osteoblast inhibitor dickkopf-1 (DKK-1). In addition, serum CTX-1 and the skeletal receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) ratio were increased by PRED. None of these effects were observed with CpdA. Consistent with the in vivo data, CpdA did not increase the RANKL/OPG ratio in MLO-Y4 cells or the expression of DKK-1 in bone tissue, BMSCs, and osteocytes. Finally, CpdA also failed to transactivate DKK-1 expression in bone tissue, BMSCs, and osteocytes. This study underlines the bone-sparing potential of CpdA and suggests that by preventing increases in the RANKL/OPG ratio or DKK-1 in osteoblast lineage cells, GC-induced bone loss may be ameliorated. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
RETHINKING CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FOR CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE. INQUIRY INTO A POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME
Authors: Belda Sergio , Boni Alejandra , Peris Jordi , Terol Lucía
Published: June 2012

Our proposal focuses on a theoretical framework intended to characterise and understand capacity development processes oriented towards the promotion of a critical development practice, an approach that faces the tensions between reformist and critical views of development management. This is what we call capacity development for emancipatory social change. From this viewpoint, we explore a postgraduate university programme in development management offered by theUniversidad Politécnica de Valencia(Spain), with a twofold aim: first, to carry out an inquiry of the programme as a capacity development process in the training of critical development practitioners and second, to discuss the suitability of the framework for understanding similar capacity development processes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
p53 and Sp1 cooperate to regulate the expression of epstein–barr viral Zta protein
Authors: Chua Huey‐Huey , Chiu Hsin‐Yi , Lin Sue‐Jane , Weng Pei‐Lun , Lin Jiun‐Han , Wu Shao‐Wen , Tsai Shu‐Chun , Tsai Ching‐Hwa
Published: June 2012

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) belongs to the gammaherpesvirus family. To produce infectious progeny, EBV reactivates from latency into the lytic cycle by expressing the determinative lytic transactivator, Zta. In the presence of histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), p53 is a prerequisite for the initiation of the EBV lytic cycle by facilitating the expression of Zta. In this study, a serial mutational analysis of Zta promoter (Zp) indicated an important role for the ZID element in responding to HDACi induction and p53 binds to this ZID element together with Sp1, a universal transcription factor. Abolition of the DNA‐binding ability of Sp1 reduces the inducibility of ZID by HDACi and also reduces the amount of p53 binding to ZID. Finally, it was shown that EBV in p53‐positive‐lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) can enter into the lytic cycle spontaneously; however, knockdown of p53 in LCLs leads to retardation of EBV reactivation. J. Med. Virol. 84: 1279–1288, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamics of pregnancy‐associated polyomavirus urinary excretion: A prospective longitudinal study
Authors: McClure Gloria B. , Gardner J. Suzette , Williams Jason T. , Copeland Christina M. , Sylvester Sarah K. , Garcea Robert L. , Meinerz Natalie M. , Groome Lynn J. , Vanchiere John A.
Published: June 2012

Asymptomatic polyomaviruria of pregnancy has been documented in point prevalence studies, but little attention has been given to the dynamics of polyomavirus excretion during pregnancy because of its benign course. We tested the hypothesis that the frequency and/or magnitude of polyomavirus excretion would increase as pregnancy progresses. Urine specimens were obtained prospectively from 179 healthy women during uncomplicated pregnancies and 37 healthy non‐pregnant women. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV) viral loads in urine, blood, and rectal and vaginal swabs collected during routine obstetric and gynecologic clinic visits. Asymptomatic urinary shedding of BKV and/or JCV was observed in 384 (48.0%) of 800 specimens from 100 (55.8%) pregnant women. BKV excretion was more common in pregnant than non‐pregnant women (41.3% vs. 13.5%, P = 0.0026). The frequency of JCV excretion was no different in pregnant compared to non‐pregnant women. The frequency and magnitude of polyomavirus shedding did not vary with gestational age. Post‐partum shedding of BKV, but not JCV, rapidly decreased to undetectable levels. Pregnancy‐associated BKV excretion begins early in pregnancy and terminates rapidly post‐partum. Neither the frequency nor magnitude of BKV or JCV shedding increased with pregnancy progression. Further study into the host factors that regulate pregnancy‐associated BKV excretion may allow identification of the host factors that predict susceptibility to BKV‐associated diseases in immune compromised patients. J. Med. Virol. 84: 1312–1322, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A stability result for abstract evolution problems
Authors: Ramm A. G.
Published: June 2012

Consider an abstract evolution problem in a Hilbert space H
urn:x-wiley:1704214:media:mma2603:mma2603-math-0001
where A(t) is a linear, closed, densely defined operator in H with domain independent of t ≥ 0 and G(t,u) is a nonlinear operator such that ‖G(t,u)‖a(t) ‖u‖p, p = const > 1, ‖f(t)‖ ≤ b(t). We allow the spectrum of A(t) to be in the right half‐plane Re(λ) < λ0(t), λ0(t) > 0, but assume that limt → ∞λ0(t) = 0.

Under suitable assumptions on a(t) and b(t), the boundedness of ‖u(t)‖ as t → ∞ is proved. If f(t) = 0, the Lyapunov stability of the zero solution to problem (1) with u0 = 0 is established. For f ≠ 0, sufficient conditions for the Lyapunov stability are given. The novel point in our study of the stability of the solutions to abstract evolution equations is the possibility for the linear operator A(t) to have spectrum in the half‐plane Re(λ) < λ0(t) with λ0(t) > 0 and limt → ∞λ0(t) = 0 at a suitable rate. The new technique, proposed in the paper, is based on an application of a novel nonlinear differential inequality. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NMR studies of preimplantation embryo metabolism in human assisted reproductive techniques: a new biomarker for assessment of embryo implantation potential
Authors: Pudakalakatti Shivanand M. , Uppangala Shubhashree , D'Souza Fiona , Kalthur Guruprasad , Kumar Pratap , Adiga Satish Kumar , Atreya Hanudatta S.
Published: June 2012

There has been growing interest in understanding energy metabolism in human embryos generated using assisted reproductive techniques (ART) for improving the overall success rate of the method. Using NMR spectroscopy as a noninvasive tool, we studied human embryo metabolism to identify specific biomarkers to assess the quality of embryos for their implantation potential. The study was based on estimation of pyruvate, lactate and alanine levels in the growth medium, ISM1, used in the culture of embryos. An NMR study involving 127 embryos from 48 couples revealed that embryos transferred on Day 3 (after 72 h in vitro culture) with successful implantation (pregnancy) exhibited significantly (p < 10‐5) lower pyruvate/alanine ratios compared to those that failed to implant. Lactate levels in media were similar for all embryos. This implies that in addition to lactate production, successfully implanted embryos use pyruvate to produce alanine and other cellular functions. While pyruvate and alanine individually have been used as biomarkers, the present study highlights the potential of combining them to provide a single parameter that correlates strongly with implantation potential. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nanocomposite films of poly(vinylidene fluoride) filled with polyvinylpyrrolidone‐coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: Enhancement of β‐polymorph formation and tensile properties
Authors: El Achaby Mounir , Arrakhiz Fatima‐Ezzahra , Vaudreuil Sébastien , Essassi El Mokhtar , Qaiss Abouelkacem , Bousmina Mostapha
Published: June 2012

To improve interactions between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix, multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs) were successfully coated with amphiphilic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) using an ultrasonication treatment performed in aqueous solution. It was found that PVP chains could be attached noncovalently onto the nanotubes' surface, enabling a stable dispersion of MWCNTs in both water and N,N‐dimethylformamide. PVP‐coated MWCNTs/PVDF nanocomposite films were prepared by a solution casting method. The strong specific dipolar interaction between the PVP's carbonyl group (CO) and the PVDF's fluorine group CF2 results in high compatibility between PVP and PVDF, helping PVP‐coated MWCNTs to be homogenously dispersed within PVDF. Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray diffraction characterization revealed that the as‐prepared nanocomposite PVDF films exhibit a purely β‐polymorph even at a very low content of PVP‐wrapped MWCNTs (0.1 wt%) while this phase is totally absent in the corresponding unmodified MWCNTs/PVDF nanocomposites. A possible mechanism of β‐phase formation in PVP‐coated MWCNTs/PVDF nanocomposites has been discussed. Furthermore, the tensile properties of PVDF nanocomposites as function of the content in PVP‐coated MWCNTs were also studied. Results shows that the addition of 2.0 wt% of PVP‐coated MWCNTs lead to a 168% increase in Young's modulus and a 120% in tensile strength. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Computational detection of protein complexes in AP‐MS experiments
Authors: Choi Hyungwon
Published: June 2012

Protein complex identification is an important goal of protein–protein interaction analysis. To date, development of computational methods for detecting protein complexes has been largely motivated by genome‐scale interaction data sets from high‐throughput assays such as yeast two‐hybrid or tandem affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry (TAP‐MS). However, due to the popularity of small to intermediate‐scale affinity purification‐mass spectrometry (AP‐MS) experiments, protein complex detection is increasingly discussed in local network analysis. In such data sets, protein complexes cannot be detected using binary interaction data alone because the data contain interactions with tagged proteins only and, as a result, interactions between all other proteins remain unobserved, limiting the scope of existing algorithms. In this article, we provide a pragmatic review of network graph‐based computational algorithms for protein complex analysis in global interactome data, without requiring any computational background. We discuss the practical gap in applying these algorithms to recently surging small to intermediate‐scale AP‐MS data sets, and review alternative clustering algorithms using quantitative proteomics data and their limitations.
Alterations of the RANKL pathway in blood and bone marrow samples of prostate cancer patients without bone metastases
Authors: Todenhöfer Tilman , Hennenlotter Jörg , Schmiedel Benjamin Joachim , Hohneder Andrea , Grimm Sabrina , Kühs Ursula , Salih Helmut Rainer , Bühring Hans‐Jörg , Fehm Tanja , Gakis Georgios , Blumenstock Gunnar , Aufderklamm Stefan , Schilling David , Stenzl Arnulf , Schwentner Christian
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVES

The receptor activator of the NF‐kB ligand (RANKL) pathway is a key mediator of prostate cancer (PC)‐induced bone disease. However, little is known about this pathway in patients with non‐metastatic PC. We aimed to investigate whether changes of RANKL, its inhibitor osteoprotegerin (OPG) and bone marrow‐mesenchymal stromal cells (BM‐MSCs) occur in PC patients without manifest bone metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We determined OPG and soluble RANKL (sRANKL) in serum and corresponding bone marrow (BM) samples of 140 patients before radical prostatectomy by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). As control serum samples of 50 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia were analyzed. BM mononuclear cells (BMNCs) of 16 PC patients were analyzed for expression of RANKL and CD271 (as marker for MSCs) by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

PC patients had significantly lower serum levels of OPG compared to BPH patients (P = 0.007), whereas no differences were observed for serum sRANKL (P = 0.74). Both OPG and sRANKL concentrations of serum and corresponding BM samples correlated significantly (P < 0.0001 each). Interestingly, in PC patients, lower serum and BM OPG levels were associated with a higher proportion of BM‐MSCs (P = 0.04 and 0.0016, respectively). No correlations were observed for sRANKL, OPG, BM‐MSCs, and established risk parameters of PC.

DISCUSSION

The results of the study indicate that localized PC is associated with early specific changes of the RANKL pathway in serum and bone marrow (BM). These changes might be part of the pre‐metastatic niche of PC and implicate a potential benefit of RANKL inhibition in patients with localized PC. Prostate 73: 162–168, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Computing redox potentials for dyes used in p‐type dye‐sensitized solar cells
Authors: Anne Frédéric B. , Galland Nicolas , Jacquemin Denis
Published: June 2012

Using density functional theory, we evaluate the redox potentials of inorganic dyes (hole injectors) used in the p‐type dye sensitized solar cells. First, the theoretical level has been benchmarked for a prototypical case, by carefully considering all aspects of the model (basis set, pseudopotential, functional, solvent model, and thermodynamic cycle). This allowed to pinpoint a simple yet efficient approach providing theoretically converged values. In a second step, our results are compared to available experimental data for a series of recently synthesized ruthenium dyes differing by their anchoring group. As most theoretical investigations up to now have been focussed on n‐type dyes and therefore on oxidation potentials, the proposed approach is a step toward a more rational design of both p‐type and tandem dye‐sensitized solar cell devices. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular dynamics approach to sodium–water reaction compensating macroscopic heat and mass flow dynamics for LMFBR safety
Authors: Fukushima Kimichika , Ugawa Yukio , Endo Hiroshi , Shindo Yoshihisa , Tatewaki Isao , Haga Kazuo , Inoue Masaaki
Published: June 2012

The potential (reaction) energy and reaction rate of an accidental sodium−water reaction are investigated for fast breeder nuclear reactor safety. The potential energy is calculated using the molecular orbital method with accurate Gaussian Quadratures in the density functional scheme. The gaseous reaction rate analysis focuses on collision theory rather than transition state theory; the latter of which is more for solvents/solutions. The rate constant was derived using classical molecular dynamics (MDs) in two dimensions (2D) with the rigid sphere model. The MD calculation reveals analytic sequences suppressing error accumulations and time consumptions. The 2D result is converted to the 3D value via a corresponding cross section ratio with a form factor, reproducing the experimental value. The availability of microscopic results to macroscopic flow dynamics is appended; renormalizing the kinematic viscosity coefficient with scale‐independent constants. An effective (pseudo‐) MD for the heat transfer is also appended. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Matrix and primary ion‐related aspects of tryptophan SIMS analysis
Authors: Stupavska M. , Jerigova M. , Velic D.
Published: June 2012

Effects of different matrices and primary ions on secondary ion emission efficiency were investigated for the analysis of D‐tryptophan, C11H12N2O2, using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) under impact of 25‐keV Bi+ and Bi3+. Matrix‐embedded solid samples of D‐tryptophan with alkaline earth metal salt of CaCO3 were prepared in the form of pellets with either additional cellulose or graphite. In both matrices, CaCO3/cellulose and CaCO3/graphite, the ionization of D‐tryptophan primarily proceeds with a loss of small functional groups or by protonation, surprisingly no Ca cationization. Using Bi+, a decreased ion yield is observed with cellulose in comparison with graphite. Interestingly, using Bi3+ cluster‐SIMS with the cellulose matrix shows enhancement of D‐tryptophan molecular ions by a factor of 2, compared to the graphite matrix. The results of molecular ion yield improvement using graphite matrix support the importance of projectile type, either atomic or cluster. The differences might be explained by the matrix geometries, where cellulose forms a polymeric network compared to grains of graphite. Therefore, Bi+ is less effective due to single event impact, while Bi3+ is more effective due to larger mass and impact area within the cellulose polymeric network. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Handling of baseline measurements in the analysis of crossover trials
Authors: Chen Xun , Meng Zhaoling , Zhang Ji
Published: June 2012

Different analytic approaches for modeling baseline data in crossover trials were compared based on the efficiency in estimating treatment effects. Jointly modeling baseline and post‐baseline data is recommended to best utilize baseline data. It results in the most significant gain in efficiency when data are strongly correlated within the same period but weakly correlated between different periods. Its performance remains comparable to the best of various other modeling methods under small within period correlation or large between period correlation. We also examined the use of baseline data in modeling carryover effect. We noted that to model carryover effect in crossover trial generally would lead to a much less efficient estimator and much more sensitive inference. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tutorial in biostatistics: sample sizes for parallel group clinical trials with binary data
Authors: Julious Steven A. , Campbell Michael J.
Published: June 2012

This article gives an overview of sample size calculations for a single response and a comparison of two responses in a parallel group trial where the outcome is binary. Sample size derivation is given for trials where the objective is to demonstrate: superiority, equivalence, non‐inferiority and estimation to a given precision. For each type of trial the null and alternative hypotheses are described and how the impact these have on the sample size calculations. For each type of trial the calculations are highlighted through worked examples. Sample size tables for the different types of trials and worked examples are given to assist in future calculations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fuel: a fast general purpose object graph serializer
Authors: Dias Martín , Peck Mariano Martinez , Ducasse Stéphane , Arévalo Gabriela
Published: June 2012

Because objects need to be stored and reloaded on different environments, serializing object graphs is a very important activity. There is a plethora of serialization frameworks with different requirements and design trade‐offs. Most of them are based on recursive parsing of the object graphs, an approach which often is too slow. In addition, most of them prioritize a language‐agnostic format instead of speed and language‐specific object serialization. For the same reason, such serializers usually do not support features such as class‐shape changes, global references or executing pre and post load actions. Looking for speed, some frameworks are partially implemented at Virtual Machine (VM) level, hampering code portability and making them difficult to understand, maintain and extend.

In this paper, we present Fuel, a general‐purpose object serializer based on these principles: (1) speed, through a compact binary format and a pickling algorithm which invests time in serialization for obtaining the best performance on materialization; (2) good object‐oriented design, without special help at VM; and (3) serialize any object, thus have a full‐featured language‐specific format.

We implement and validate this approach in Pharo, where we demonstrate that Fuel is faster than other serializers, even those with special VM support. The extensibility of Fuel made possible to successfully serialize various objects: classes in Newspeak, debugger stacks, and full content management system object graphs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stochastic Choice of Allelic Expression in Human Neural Stem Cells
Authors: Jeffries Aaron R. , Perfect Leo W. , Ledderose Julia , Schalkwyk Leonard C. , Bray Nicholas J. , Mill Jonathan , Price Jack
Published: June 2012

Monoallelic gene expression, such as genomic imprinting, is well described. Less well-characterized are genes undergoing stochastic monoallelic expression (MA), where specific clones of cells express just one allele at a given locus. We performed genome-wide allelic expression assessment of human clonal neural stem cells derived from cerebral cortex, striatum, and spinal cord, each with differing genotypes. We assayed three separate clonal lines from each donor, distinguishing stochastic MA from genotypic effects. Roughly 2% of genes showed evidence for autosomal MA, and in about half of these, allelic expression was stochastic between different clones. Many of these loci were known neurodevelopmental genes, such as OTX2 and OLIG2. Monoallelic genes also showed increased levels of DNA methylation compared to hypomethylated biallelic loci. Identified monoallelic gene loci showed altered chromatin signatures in fetal brain, suggesting an in vivo correlate of this phenomenon. We conclude that stochastic allelic expression is prevalent in neural stem cells, providing clonal diversity to developing tissues such as the human brain.
The Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis as a model skin. I: development, patterning, and growth
Authors: Chisholm Andrew D. , Hsiao Tiffany I.
Published: June 2012

The skin of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is composed of a simple epidermal epithelium and overlying cuticle. The skin encloses the animal and plays central roles in body morphology and physiology; its simplicity and accessibility make it a tractable genetic model for several aspects of skin biology. Epidermal precursors are specified by a hierarchy of transcriptional regulators. Epidermal cells form on the dorsal surface of the embryo and differentiate to form the epidermal primordium, which then spreads out in a process of epiboly to enclose internal tissues. Subsequent elongation of the embryo into a vermiform larva is driven by cell shape changes and cell fusions in the epidermis. Most epidermal cells fuse in mid‐embryogenesis to form a small number of multinucleate syncytia. During mid‐embryogenesis the epidermis also becomes intimately associated with underlying muscles, performing a tendon‐like role in transmitting muscle force. Post‐embryonic development of the epidermis involves growth by addition of new cells to the syncytia from stem cell‐like epidermal seam cells and by an increase in cell size driven by endoreplication of the chromosomes in epidermal nuclei. WIREs Dev Biol 2012 doi: 10.1002/wdev.79

This article is categorized under:

Early Embryonic Development > Development to the Basic Body Plan

Invertebrate Organogenesis > Worms
Serum Autotaxin is not a Useful Biomarker for Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Nakamura Kazuhiro , Igarashi Koji , Ohkawa Ryunosuke , Yokota Hiromitsu , Masuda Akiko , Nakagawa Shunsuke , Yano Tetsu , Ikeda Hitoshi , Aoki Junken , Yatomi Yutaka
Published: June 2012

Autotaxin (ATX) is a glycoprotein that was first identified in the conditioned medium of human melanoma cells as an autocrine motility factor. It possesses lysophospholipase D activity, producing the bioactive lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) from lysophosphatidylcholine. Enhanced expression of ATX mRNA has been reported in various cancer cells and tissues, and it has been speculated that ATX overexpression in cancer cells may be associated with aberrant LPA production. LPA and ATX have been implicated in cancer progression and metastasis, and ovarian cancer is a representative example. In the present study, we measured the serum ATX antigen levels in patients with ovarian cancer and evaluated the usefulness of this parameter for clinical laboratory testing. The serum ATX antigen levels were not increased in ovarian cancer patients as compared with the levels in healthy subjects, and the serum ATX may not be useful as a biomarker for ovarian cancer.
Pes planovalgus deformity surgical correction in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Kadhim Muayad , Holmes Laurens , Church Chris , Henley John , Miller Freeman
Published: June 2012

Purpose

Planovalgus foot deformity is common in diplegic and quadriplegic patients. Surgery is the definitive treatment to restore the alignment of the talus, calcaneus, and navicular bones. We aimed, in the current study, to compare the effectiveness of subtalar fusion and calcaneal lengthening, and to assess the recurrence in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 78 patients (138 feet diagnosed with planovalgus deformity) who underwent surgical correction using subtalar fusion or calcaneal lengthening. Range of motion, radiographic indices, kinematic, and pedobarographic data were used to examine the deformity and the outcome of surgery. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the study hypothesis.

Results

Most of the patients were diplegic (87.2 %) and the mean age at surgery was 11.9 ± 2.9 years (range from 4.7 to 18.3 years), with a mean follow-up of 5 ± 4.4 years (range from 1 to 15.4 years). Sixty-three feet were treated with calcaneal lengthening, while 75 were treated with subtalar fusion. The feet treated with subtalar fusion were more severe preoperatively. However, both surgery groups showed improvement postoperatively. Among 12 cases of recurrence, medial column fusion was the main surgery performed to correct the deformity.

Conclusions

Surgery is effective in the treatment of planovalgus deformity in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy. Severe and rigid planovalgus feet can be treated effectively with subtalar fusion. Feet with milder deformity show good results, with calcaneal lengthening. Surgery provides good correction in young patients, but there is a higher recurrence rate.
Marital Fertility Decline in the Netherlands: Child Mortality, Real Wages, and Unemployment, 1860–1939
Authors: Schellekens Jona , van Poppel Frans
Published: June 2012

Previous studies of the fertility decline in Europe are often limited to an earlier stage of the marital fertility decline, when the decline tended to be slower and before the large increase in earnings in the 1920s. Starting in 1860 (before the onset of the decline), this study follows marital fertility trends until 1939, when fertility reached lower levels than ever before. Using data from the Historical Sample of the Netherlands (HSN), this study shows that mortality decline, a rise in real income, and unemployment account for the decline in the Netherlands. This finding suggests that marital fertility decline was an adjustment to social and economic change, leaving little room for attitudinal change that is independent of social and economic change.
Inactivation of barley limit dextrinase inhibitor by thioredoxin‐catalysed disulfide reduction
Authors: Jensen Johanne Mørch , Hägglund Per , Christensen Hans Erik Mølager , Svensson Birte
Published: June 2012

Barley limit dextrinase (LD) that catalyses hydrolysis of α‐1,6 glucosidic linkages in starch‐derived dextrins is inhibited by limit dextrinase inhibitor (LDI) found in mature seeds. LDI belongs to the chloroform/methanol soluble protein family (CM‐protein family) and has four disulfide bridges and one glutathionylated cysteine. Here, thioredoxin is shown to progressively reduce disulfide bonds in LDI accompanied by loss of activity. A preferential reduction of the glutathionylated cysteine, as indicated by thiol quantification and molecular mass analysis using electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry, was not related to LDI inactivation. LDI reduction is proposed to cause conformational destabilisation leading to loss of function.
Evidence for rapid uptake of d‐galacturonic acid in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a channel‐type transport system
Authors: Souffriau Ben , den Abt Tom , Thevelein Johan M.
Published: June 2012

d‐Galacturonic acid is a major component of pectins but cannot be metabolized by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is assumed not to be taken up. We show that yeast displays surprisingly rapid low‐affinity uptake of d‐galacturonic acid, strongly increasing with decreasing extracellular pH and without saturation up to 1.5 M. There was no intracellular concentration above the extracellular level and transport was reversible. Among more than 160 single and multiple deletion mutants in channels and transporters, no strain was affected in d‐galacturonic acid uptake. The uptake was not inhibited by any compound tested as candidate competitive inhibitor, including d‐glucuronic acid, which was also transported. The characteristics of d‐galacturonic acid uptake are consistent with involvement of a channel‐type system, probably encoded by multiple genes.
Pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia and hepatic rupture
Authors: Vigil‐De Gracia Paulino , Ortega‐Paz Luis
Published: June 2012

Objective

To review case reports of hepatic hematoma/rupture in women with pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia.

Methods

MEDLINE, SciELO, and LILACS databases were searched for case reports of pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia with hepatic hematoma/rupture. Only articles written in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese and published between 1990 and 2010 were reviewed.

Results

In total, 180 cases of hepatic hematoma or rupture were identified: 18 (10.0%) with subcapsular hematoma without hepatic rupture; and 162 (90.0%) with capsule rupture. Twelve (6.7%) cases were associated with eclampsia plus hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome. Average age was 30.9 ± 5.0 years, 74/129 (57.4%) women were parous, and cesarean delivery was performed in 132/162 (81.5%) cases. The right lobule was the most frequently affected 77/100 (77.0%). The total maternal mortality rate was 22.2% during the 21 years; however, it decreased to 16.4% in the last decade studied. The perinatal mortality rate was 30.7% and was very similar during the 2 decades.

Conclusion

HELLP syndrome is a frequent diagnosis (92.8%) in hepatic hemorrhage/rupture. The major reduction in maternal mortality rate was probably associated with advances in resuscitation, intensive‐care medicine, and surgical intervention, including liver transplantation and arterial embolization.
Bicultural self‐defense in consumer contexts: Self‐protection motives are the basis for contrast versus assimilation to cultural cues
Authors: Mok Aurelia , Morris Michael W.
Published: June 2012

Studies of social judgment found that the way bicultural individuals respond to cultural cues depends on their cultural identity structure. Biculturals differ in the degree to which they represent their two cultural identities as integrated (vs. nonintegrated), which is assessed as high (vs. low) bicultural identity integration (BII), respectively. High BII individuals assimilate to cultural cues, yet low BII individuals contrast to these cues. The current studies reveal that this dynamic extends to consumer behavior and elucidate the underlying psychological mechanism. We found that high (low) BII individuals exhibit assimilation (contrast) responses to cultural cues in consumer information‐seeking and choice. Furthermore, the pattern occurs with both subliminal (study 1) and supraliminal (study 2) cultural primes, and is mediated by the experience of identity exclusion threat (study 2). Results suggest that the interactive effect of BII and cultural cues arises from nonconscious defense against the exclusion of a cultural identity. Implications for self‐protective processes, automatic behavior, and marketing are discussed.
Convective Heat and Mass Transfer
Authors: Ghiaasiaan S. Mostafa
Published: June 2012

This book was developed during Professor Ghiaasiaan's twelve years of teaching a graduate-level course on convection heat and mass transfer. It is ideal for a graduate course covering the theory and practice of convection heat and mass transfer. The book treats well-established theory and practice but is also enriched by its coverage of modern areas such as flow in microchannels, computational fluid dynamics-based design and analysis methods. Primarily concerned with convection heat transfer, with the essentials of mass transfer also covered. The mass transfer material and problems are presented in such a way that they can be skipped if not required. The book is richly enhanced by examples and end-of-chapter exercises. A complete solutions manual is available to qualified instructors. The book includes eighteen appendices providing compilations of most essential property and mathematical information for analysis of convective heat and mass transfer processes.
Artificial Dreams
Authors: Ekbia H. R.
Published: June 2012

This book is a critique of Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the perspective of cognitive science – it seeks to examine what we have learned about human cognition from AI successes and failures. The book's goal is to separate those 'AI dreams' that either have been or could be realized from those that are constructed through discourse and are unrealizable. AI research has advanced many areas that are intellectually compelling and holds great promise for advances in science, engineering, and practical systems. After the 1980s, however, the field has often struggled to deliver widely on these promises. This book breaks new ground by analyzing how some of the driving dreams of people practicing AI research become valued contributions, while others devolve into unrealized and unrealizable projects.
Astell: Political Writings
Authors: Astell Mary
Published: June 2012

The writings of the High Church Tory pamphleteer Mary Astell (1666–1731) are a remarkable and underestimated contribution to the constitutional debates which ushered in the modern liberal democratic state. An interlocutor with Swift and Defoe, Astell was perhaps the first systematic critic of Locke's writings, something which has been overlooked in the considerable literature evaluating the reception of Locke's Two Treatises on Government. Astell's political pamphlets Reflections upon Marriage, A Fair Way with Dissenters, and An Impartial Enquiry into the Origins of Rebellion ran to five editions in her lifetime, but have never been reprinted in their entirety. This new edition makes accessible the major works of a fine English stylist and important political theorist.
Astrophysical Flows
Authors: Pringle James E. , King Andrew
Published: June 2012

Almost all conventional matter in the Universe is fluid, and fluid dynamics plays a crucial role in astrophysics. This graduate textbook, first published in 2007, provides a basic understanding of the fluid dynamical processes relevant to astrophysics. The mathematics used to describe these processes is simplified to bring out the underlying physics. The authors cover many topics, including wave propagation, shocks, spherical flows, stellar oscillations, the instabilities caused by effects such as magnetic fields, thermal driving, gravity, shear flows, and the basic concepts of compressible fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics. The authors are Directors of the UK Astrophysical Fluids Facility (UKAFF) at the University of Leicester, and editors of the Cambridge Astrophysics Series. This book has been developed from a course in astrophysical fluid dynamics taught at the University of Cambridge. It is suitable for graduate students in astrophysics, physics and applied mathematics, and requires only a basic familiarity with fluid dynamics.
Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization
Authors: Brownlee Jason
Published: June 2012

Far from sweeping the globe uniformly, the 'third wave of democratization' left burgeoning republics and resilient dictatorships in its wake. Applying more than a year of original fieldwork in Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, and the Philippines, in this 2007 book Jason Brownlee shows that the mixed record of recent democratization is best deciphered through a historical and institutional approach to authoritarian rule. Exposing the internal organizations that structure elite conflict, Brownlee demonstrates why the critical soft-liners needed for democratic transitions have been dormant in Egypt and Malaysia but outspoken in Iran and the Philippines. By establishing how ruling parties originated and why they impede change, Brownlee illuminates the problem of contemporary authoritarianism and informs the promotion of durable democracy.
Becoming a Successful Scientist
Authors: Loehle Craig
Published: June 2012

Scientific research requires both innovation and attention to detail, clever breakthroughs and routine procedures. This indispensable guide gives students and researchers across all scientific disciplines practical advice on how to succeed. All types of scientific careers are discussed, from those in industry and academia to consulting, with emphasis on how scientists spend their time and the skills that are needed to be productive. Strategic thinking, creativity and problem-solving, the central keys to success in research, are all explored. The reader is shown how to enhance the creative process in science, how one goes about making discoveries, putting together the solution to a complex problem and then testing the solution obtained. The social dimension of science is also discussed from the development and execution of a scientific research program to publishing papers, as well as issues of ethics and science policy.
George Berkeley Philosophical Writings
Authors: Clarke Desmond M.
Published: June 2012

George Berkeley (1685–1753) was a university teacher, a missionary, and later a Church of Ireland bishop. The over-riding objective of his long philosophical career was to counteract objections to religious belief that resulted from new philosophies associated with the Scientific Revolution. Accordingly, he argued against scepticism and atheism in the Principles and the Three Dialogues; he rejected theories of force in the Essay on Motion; he offered a new theory of meaning for religious language in Alciphron; and he modified his earlier immaterialism in Siris by speculating about the body's influence on the soul. His radical empiricism and scientific instrumentalism, which rejected the claims of the sciences to provide a realistic interpretation of phenomena, are still influential today. This edition provides texts from the full range of Berkeley's contributions to philosophy, together with an introduction by Desmond M. Clarke that sets them in their historical and philosophical contexts.
Biomedical Engineering for Global Health
Authors: Richards-Kortum Rebecca
Published: June 2012

Can technology and innovation transform world health? Connecting undergraduate students with global problems, Rebecca Richards-Kortum examines the interplay between biomedical technology design and the medical, regulatory, economic, social and ethical issues surrounding global health. Driven by case studies, including cancer screening, imaging technologies, implantable devices and vaccines, students learn how the complexities and variation across the globe affect the design of devices and therapies. A wealth of learning features, including classroom activities, project assignments, homework problems and weblinks within the book and online, provide a full teaching package. For visionary general science and biomedical engineering courses, this book will inspire students to engage in solving global issues that face us all.
1-2 Corinthians
Authors: Keener Craig S.
Published: June 2012

This commentary explains 1 and 2 Corinthians passage by passage, following Paul's argument. It uses a variety of ancient sources to show how Paul's argument would have made sense to first-century readers, drawing from ancient letter-writing, speaking, and social conventions. The commentary will be of interest to pastors, teachers, and others who read Paul's letters because of its readability, firm grasp of the background and scholarship on the Corinthian correspondence, and its sensitivity to the sorts of questions asked by those wishing to apply Paul's letters today. It will also be of interest to scholars because of its exploration of ancient sources, often providing sources not previously cited in commentaries.
Conceptual Revolutions in Twentieth-Century Art
Authors: Galenson David W.
Published: June 2012

From Picasso's Cubism and Duchamp's readymades to Warhol's silkscreens and Smithson's earthworks, the art of the twentieth century broke completely with earlier artistic traditions. A basic change in the market for advanced art produced a heightened demand for innovation, and young conceptual innovators – from Picasso and Duchamp to Rauschenberg and Warhol to Cindy Sherman and Damien Hirst – responded not only by creating dozens of new forms of art, but also by behaving in ways that would have been incomprehensible to their predecessors. Conceptual Revolutions in Twentieth-Century Art presents the first systematic analysis of the reasons for this discontinuity. David W. Galenson, whose earlier research has changed our understanding of creativity, combines social scientific methods with qualitative analysis to produce a fundamentally new interpretation of modern art that will give readers a far deeper appreciation of the art of the past century, and of today, than is available elsewhere.