bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
P120-Catenin Protects Endplate Chondrocytes From Intermittent Cyclic Mechanical Tension Induced Degeneration by Inhibiting the Expression of RhoA/ROCK-1 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Xu Hong-Guang , Ma Ming-Ming , Zheng Quan , Shen Xiang , Wang Hong , Zhang Shu-Feng , Xu Jia-Jia , Wang Chuan-Dong , Zhang Xiao-Ling 
Published: February 2016

Study Design.
The changes of endplate chondrocytes induced by intermittent cyclic mechanical tension (ICMT) were observed by realtime reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analysis.

Objective.
To investigate the role of RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling pathway and E-cadherin/P120-catenin complex in endplate chondrocytes degeneration induced by ICMT.

Summary of Background Data.
ICMT can induce the endplate chondrocyte degeneration. However, the relationship between P120-catenin or RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling pathway and endplate chondrocytes degeneration induced by ICMT is not clear.

Methods.
ICMT (strain at 0.5 Hz sinusoidal curve at 8% elongation) was applied to rat endplate chondrocytes for 6 days, 16 hours a day. The cell viability and apoptosis were examined by the LIVE/DEAD assay and flow cytometry. Histological staining was used to examine the lumbar disc tissue morphology and extracellular matrix. To regulate RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling pathway and the expression of E-cadherin and P120-catenin, RhoA/ROCK-1 pathway-specific inhibitors, E-cadherin, and p120-catenin plasmid were applied. Coimmunoprecipitation was employed to examine the interaction between E-cadherin and P120-catenin, P120-catenin, and RhoA. The related gene expression and protein location was examined by realtime reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunofluorescence.

Results.
There was no change of viability verified by LIVE/DEAD assay and flow cytometry after ICMT loading. ICMT loading led to RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling activation and the loss of the chondrogenic phenotype of endplate chondrocytes. Inhibition of RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling pathway significantly ameliorated the degeneration induced by ICMT. The expression of P120-catenin and E-cadherin were inhibited by ICMT. ICMT reduced the interaction between P120-catenin and E-cadherin. Furthermore, over-expression of P120-catenin and E-cadherin can suppress the expression of chondrogenic gene, over-expression of P120-catenin can suppress the RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling pathway, but over-expression of E-cadherin cannot do it.

Conclusion.
P120-catenin protects endplate chondrocytes from ICMT Induced degeneration by inhibiting the expression of RhoA/ROCK-1 signaling pathway.

Level of Evidence: N/A
Human Papillomavirus Infection and p16 Expression in Extragenital/Extraungual Bowen Disease in Immunocompromised Patients
Authors: Švajdler Marián , Mezencev Roman , Kašpírková Jana , Kacerovská Denisa , Kazakov Dmitry V. , Ondič Ondrej , Michal Michal 
Published: February 2016

Abstract:
An increased rate of second nonmelanoma skin cancers is found in immunocompromised patients. Epidemiological and molecular data implicate ultraviolet radiation as the major risk factor. In addition, there is increasing evidence supporting the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of premalignant and malignant skin lesions in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. In a retrospective cross-sectional study, the authors examined the expression of p16 by immunohistochemistry and the presence of mucosal (α-genus) and cutaneous/epidermodysplasia verruciformis (β-genus) HPV DNA by polymerase chain reaction in 29 biopsy specimens of extragenital/extraungual Bowen disease (BD) from 24 Eastern European white immunocompromised patients. Furthermore, the author evaluated the association between the expression of p16 protein and the presence of HPV DNA. Among 25 specimens from 21 patients evaluable by polymerase chain reaction, HPV DNA was detected in 10 (40%) BD lesions from 9 patients. Beta-HPV predominated over alpha-HPV types. Among 29 immunohistochemically evaluable BD specimens, 22 lesions (∼76%) from 20 patients were scored as p16 positive. HPV DNA-positive and HPV DNA-negative lesions displayed the same proportion of p16 positivity (80%) and no correlation was found between the HPV DNA presence and the p16 expression status. Our pilot study demonstrated that β-HPV infections predominate in BD cases diagnosed among immunocompromised patients, although high- and low-risk mucosal (alpha) HPV genotypes may be detected in a minority of cases. In contrast to anogenital HPV-associated lesions, positive p16 expression is not a reliable marker of high-risk α-HPV infection in BD cases, as it can be also detected in β-HPV infected and HPV-negative cases.
Association of Antihypertensive Medication Adherence With Healthcare Use and Medicaid Expenditures for Acute Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Yang Zhuo , Howard David H. , Will Julie , Loustalot Fleetwood , Ritchey Matthew , Roy Kakoli 
Published: February 2016

Objectives:
We assessed the impact of antihypertensive medication (AHM) adherence on the incidence and associated Medicaid costs of acute cardiovascular disease (CVD) events among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Methods:
The study cohort (n=59,037) consists of nonelderly adults continuously enrolled (36 mo and above) in a Medicaid fee-for-service program. AHM adherence was calculated using the medication possession ratio (MPR) and stratified to low (MPR<60%), moderate (60%≤MPR<80%), and high (MPR≥80%) levels. We used a proportional hazard model to estimate risk for acute CVD events and generalized linear models to estimate Medicaid per-patient-per-year costs.

Results:
Low and moderate adherence subgroups had about 1.8 and 1.4 times higher risk of acute CVD events, compared with high adherence subgroup. By adherence level, Medicaid per-patient per-year costs for (1) CVD-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations were $661 (low), $479 (moderate), and $343 (high) and (2) AHMs were $430 (low), $604 (moderate), and $664 (high). Costs for CVD events and AHMs combined were similar across adherence subgroups.

Conclusions:
Lower adherence to AHM was associated with progressively higher CVD risk. The increase in medication cost from higher AHM adherence was offset solely by reduced Medicaid spending on acute CVD events.
Focused ultrasound enhances sensorimotor decision-making in monkeys
Authors: Downs Matthew E , Teichert Tobias , Buch Amanda , Eleni Karakatsani Maria , Sierra Carlos , Chen Shangshang , Konofagou Elisa E , Ferrera Vincent P 
Published: February 2016

AbstractNoninvasive brain stimulation using focused ultrasound has many potential applications as a research and clinical tool. Here, we investigated the effect of focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with systemically administered microbubbles on visual-motor decision-making behavior in monkeys. We applied FUS to the putamen in one hemisphere to open the blood-brain barrier, and then tested behavioral performance 3-4 hours later. On days when the monkeys were treated with FUS, their decisions were faster and more accurate than days without sonication. The performance improvement suggested both a shift in the decision criterion and an enhancement of the use of sensory evidence in the decision process. FUS also interacted with the effect of a low dose of haloperidol. The results suggest that a two-minute application of FUS can have a sustained impact on performance of complex cognitive tasks, and may increase the efficacy of psychoactive medications. The results lend further support to the idea that the dorsal striatum plays an integral role in evidence- and reward-based decision-making.
Examining the suitability of industrial safety management approaches for information security incident management
Authors: Line Maria Bartnes , Albrechtsen Eirik 
Published: February 2016

Purpose
– This paper aims to discuss whether recent theoretical and practical approaches within industrial safety management might be applicable to, and solve challenges experienced in, the field of information security, specifically related to incident management.

Design/methodology/approach
– A literature review was carried out.

Findings
– Principles, research and experiences on the issues of plans, training and learning in the context of industrial safety management would be suitable for adoption into the field of information security incident management and aid in addressing current challenges.

Research limitations/implications
– There are a number of reasons why approaches from industrial safety management have something to offer to information security incident management: the former field is more mature and has longer traditions, there is more organizational research on industrial safety issues than on information security issues so far, individual awareness is higher for industrial safety risks and worker participation in systematic industrial safety work is ensured by law. More organizational research on information security issues and continuous strengthening of individual security awareness would push information security to further maturity levels where current challenges are solved.

Practical implications
– This paper shows that the field of information security incident management would gain from closer collaborations with industrial safety management, both in research and in practical loss prevention in organizations. The ideas discussed in this paper form a basis for further research on practical implementations and case studies.

Originality/value
– The main audience of this paper includes information security researchers and practitioners, as they will find inspirational theories and experiences to bring into their daily work and future projects.
Regulatory framework of mergers and acquisitions
Authors: Reddy K. Srinivasa 
Published: February 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present various institutional laws that refer to mergers and acquisitions (M
&
As) in India and recommend a few guidelines for institutions and multinational managers participating in foreign investment and acquisition deals.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study is intended to review, summarize and discuss the legal framework that adheres to M
&
As, takeovers and foreign investment.

Findings
– Major observations from the comprehensive review include the fact that higher-valuation inbound deals have been delayed or have failed because of a weak financial infrastructure, erratic nature of government officials and political intervention, and the newly elected government has aimed to attract higher inflow of investments from other developed and emerging markets by easing investment rules and offering tax holidays.

Research limitations/implications
– This paper, indeed, reflects unseen empirical observation with regard to the characteristics of the market for acquisitions in the given country, which has been left to further research.

Practical implications
– The comprehensive review of acquisition laws in India and recommendations would help prospective stakeholders, namely, policymakers, M
&
A advisors, legal consultants, investment bankers, multinational managers and private equity firms.

Originality/value
– This study presents atypical work, which presents a review of M
&
A laws in India, and it recommends fruitful guidelines for institutions in general and managers in particular.
Modeling price transmission between farm and retail prices: a soft switches approach
Authors: Hahn William , Stewart Hayden , Blayney Donald P. , Davis Christopher G. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractVector error correction models (VECM) are used to model price transmission when farm and retail prices are cointegrated. To allow for nonlinearity in the cointegration process, researchers may specify thresholds to break the error correction process into regimes according to whether the retail price is above, below, or close to its equilibrium value given farm prices. However, because the coefficients in a VECM can change when there is movement from one regime to another, the model can be discontinuous. This implies sudden, “hard” regime changes. In this study, we extend the threshold VECM to include features of smooth transition autoregression (STAR) models. Our approach allows for gradual, soft regime changes. An empirical application to retail cheese and farm milk prices is presented.
Evaluating the Illegal Employer Practice of Under‐Reporting Employees’ Salaries
Authors: Williams Colin C. , Horodnic Ioana A. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis article advances understanding of the prevalence and distribution of the illegal employer practice of under‐reporting employees’ salaries, explains this practice and evaluates policy approaches. Analysing a 2013 Eurobarometer survey of 11,025 employees in 28 European countries, one in 33 employees receive under‐reported salaries, mostly in small businesses and vulnerable groups (e.g. unskilled workers, with lower education levels and financial difficulties). Explaining this practice, not as an individual criminal act that increasing the risk of detection can tackle, but as a symptom of systemic problems, which require improvements both in tax morale at the individual level and in the formal institutional environment at the country level to resolve, we then discuss the implications for theory and policy.
Demographic controls of aboveground forest biomass across North America
Authors: Vanderwel Mark C. , Zeng Hongcheng , Caspersen John P. , Kunstler Georges , Lichstein Jeremy W. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractEcologists have limited understanding of how geographic variation in forest biomass arises from differences in growth and mortality at continental to global scales. Using forest inventories from across North America, we partitioned continental‐scale variation in biomass growth and mortality rates of 49 tree species groups into (1) species‐independent spatial effects and (2) inherent differences in demographic performance among species. Spatial factors that were separable from species composition explained 83% and 51% of the respective variation in growth and mortality. Moderate additional variation in mortality (26%) was attributable to differences in species composition. Age‐dependent biomass models showed that variation in forest biomass can be explained primarily by spatial gradients in growth that were unrelated to species composition. Species‐dependent patterns of mortality explained additional variation in biomass, with forests supporting less biomass when dominated by species that are highly susceptible to competition (e.g. Populus spp.) or to biotic disturbances (e.g. Abies balsamea).
Bumble bee colony dynamics: quantifying the importance of land use and floral resources for colony growth and queen production
Authors: Crone Elizabeth E. , Williams Neal M. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBumble bee (Bombus) species are ecologically and economically important pollinators, and many species are in decline. In this article, we develop a mechanistic model to analyse growth trajectories of Bombus vosnesenskii colonies in relation to floral resources and land use. Queen production increased with floral resources and was higher in semi‐natural areas than on conventional farms. However, the most important parameter for queen production was the colony growth rate per flower, as opposed to the average number of available flowers. This result indicates the importance of understanding mechanisms of colony growth, in order to predict queen production and enhance bumble bee population viability. Our work highlights the importance of interpreting bumble bee conservation efforts in the context of overall population dynamics and provides a framework for doing so.
Evaluating serum prolactin and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in patients with pemphigus
Authors: Yousefi Maryam , Mozafari Nikoo , Hosseini Mahboobeh Sadat , Gholamin Sharareh , Razavi Seyed‐Mostafa , Namazi Mohammad Reza , Younespour Shima 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackgroundAltered levels of sex hormones have been observed in many autoimmune disorders, but there is no considerable data about pemphigus. The aim of this study is to compare serum total and free prolactin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels between patients with pemphigus and healthy controls and to determine the correlation of these hormones with disease severity.MethodsThis study included 52 newly diagnosed cases of pemphigus and 57 healthy controls. Serum prolactin (total and free) andDHEASwere measured in all subjects. Data analyses were performed usingJMP, Version 7.ResultsPemphigus patients had significantly higher levels of total and free serum prolactin (bothP= 0.01) and lower levels ofDHEAS(P= 0.005) than healthy controls. A significant association was found between severity of pemphigus and total prolactin levels (r= 0.40,P= 0.003).ConclusionsThe patients with pemphigus had higher total and free prolactin and lowerDHEASconcentrations, and patients with more severe disease had higher levels of serum total prolactin. These new data may suggest a potential role for sex hormones in the pathogenesis of pemphigus disease and provide new insights for the better management of this chronic and life‐threatening disease.
Combined untargeted and targeted metabolomic profiling reveals urinary biomarkers for discriminating obese from normal‐weight adolescents
Authors: Cho K. , Moon J. S. , Kang J‐H. , Jang H. B. , Lee H‐J. , Park S. I. , Yu K‐S. , Cho J‐Y. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryBackgroundChildhood and adolescent obesity may lead to obesity and related complications in adulthood. Biomarkers of obesity can be useful for screening for obesity complications and promoting early intervention during school age. Thus, the metabolomic differences in obese children and adolescents should be investigated for identification of potential biomarkers.ObjectivesWe investigated urinary biomarkers to distinguish metabolomic characteristics between obesity and normal weight in adolescents.MethodsAdolescent subjects were divided into non‐obese (n = 91) and obese (n = 93) groups according to body mass index. Untargeted and targeted metabolomic profiling of urine was performed using high‐performance liquid chromatography (LC)‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MS), LC‐MS/MS and flow injection analysis‐MS/MS systems, respectively.ResultsMultivariate statistical analysis showed clear discrimination between the untargeted metabolomes of non‐obese and obese groups. Seven endogenous metabolites were distinguished in the obese group, and inflammation‐related metabolite markers showed strong predictive power for group classification. From targeted metabolomics, 45 metabolites mostly related to inflammation were significantly different in the obese group.ConclusionsSignificantly different metabolome signatures were identified between normal‐weight and obese adolescents. Combined untargeted and targeted metabolomics demonstrated that inflammation‐driven insulin resistance, ammonia toxicity and oxidative stress may represent crucial metabolomic signatures in obese adolescents.
Internet Safety Issues for Adolescents and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Buijs Petra C. M. , Boot Erik , Shugar Andrea , Fung Wai Lun Alan , Bassett Anne S. 
Published: February 2016

BackgroundResearch on Internet safety for adolescents has identified several important issues including unwanted exposure to sexual material and sexual solicitation.MethodsAlthough individuals with intellectual disabilities often have poor insight and judgment, and may therefore be at risk for Internet dangers, there is surprisingly little published on this topic.ResultsTo illustrate Internet dangers that adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities may face, we report composite case vignettes, based on actual clinical cases of adolescents and adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.ConclusionWe encourage clinicians to discuss Internet safety in their practice and provide recommendations for future research subjects.
Relative fitness of a generalist parasite on two alternative hosts: a cross‐infestation experiment to test host specialization of the hen fleaCeratophyllus gallinae (Schrank)
Authors: Appelgren A. , McCoy K. D. , Richner H. , Doligez B. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractHost range is a key element of a parasite's ecology and evolution and can vary greatly depending on spatial scale. Generalist parasites frequently show local population structure in relation to alternative sympatric hosts (i.e. host races) and may thus be specialists at local scales. Here, we investigated local population specialization of a common avian nest‐based parasite, the hen fleaCeratophyllus gallinae(Schrank), exploiting two abundant host species that share the same breeding sites, the great titParus major(Linnaeus) and the collared flycatcherFicedula albicollis(Temminck). We performed a cross‐infestation experiment of fleas between the two host species in two distinct study areas during a single breeding season and recorded the reproductive success of both hosts and parasites. In the following year, hosts were monitored again to assess the long‐term impact of cross‐infestation. Our results partly support the local specialization hypothesis: in great tit nests, tit fleas caused higher damage to their hosts than flycatcher fleas, and in collared flycatcher nests, flycatcher fleas had a faster larval development rates than tit fleas. However, these results were significant in only one of the two studied areas, suggesting that the location and history of the host population can modulate the specialization process. Caution is therefore called for when interpreting single location studies. More generally, our results emphasize the need to explicitly account for host diversity in order to understand the population ecology and evolutionary trajectory of generalist parasites.
Enterocytozoon bieneusi Genotypes in Grazing Horses in China and their Zoonotic Transmission Potential
Authors: Qi Meng , Wang Rongjun , Wang Haiyan , Jian Fuchun , Li Junqiang , Zhao Jinfeng , Dong Haiju , Zhu Huili , Ning Changshen , Zhang Longxian 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIn present study, 262 fecal specimens were collected from 12 groups of grazing horses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The specimens were subjected to PCR and sequencing analyses of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi in horses was 30.9% (81/262). No significant differences in prevalence were observed between horses of different ages or sexes. Nineteen genotypes were identified: 15 known genotypes (BEB6, CHG19, CM6, CM7, CM8, CS‐1, CS‐4, D, EpbA, EbpC, G, horse1, horse2, O, and Peru8) and four new genotypes (XJH1–XJH4). Six of these genotypes were previously detected in humans: BEB6, D, EbpA, EbpC, O, and Peru8. Genotype EbpC was the most prevalent (21/81), followed by EpbA (20/81), BEB6 (9/81), CM6 (4/81), horse1 (4/81), O (4/81), G (3/81), CHG19 (2/81), CM7 (2/81), horse2 (2/81), and XJH1 (2/81), whereas the remaining eight genotypes were seen in one specimen each. In a phylogenetic analysis, 14 genotypes (65/81, 80.2%), excluding genotypes BEB6, CM7, horse2, XJH1, and XJH4, belonged to group 1, which have zoonotic potential. The high diversity in the E. bieneusi genotypes and their zoonotic potential suggest that grazing horses are a potential source of zoonotic infection in humans.