bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Arsenic exposure is associated with diminished insulin sensitivity in non‐diabetic Amish adults
Authors: Park Sung Kyun , Peng Qing , Bielak Lawrence F. , Silver Kristi D. , Peyser Patricia A. , Mitchell Braxton D. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundSubstantial evidence supports an association between diabetes and arsenic at high exposure levels, but results are mixed at low exposure levels. The aetiology of diabetes involves insulin resistance and β‐cell dysfunction. However, only a few epidemiologic studies have examined measures of insulin resistance and β‐cell function in relation to arsenic exposure, and no studies have tested for associations with the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). We examined the association between urinary total arsenic and OGTT‐based markers of insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function.MethodsWe studied 221 non‐diabetic adults (mean age = 52.5 years) from the Amish Family Diabetes Study. We computed OGTT‐based validated measures of insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function. Generalized estimating equations accounting for sibship were used to estimate associations.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, sex, waist‐to‐hip ratio and urinary creatinine, an interquartile range increase in urinary total arsenic (6.24 µg/L) was significantly, inversely associated with two insulin sensitivity measures (Stumvoll metabolic clearance rate = −0.23 mg/(kg min), (95% CI: −0.38, −0.089), p = 0.0015; Stumvoll insulin sensitivity index = −0.0029 µmol/(kg min pM), (95% CI: −0.0047, −0.0011), p = 0.0015). Urinary total arsenic was also significantly associated with higher fasting glucose levels (0.57 mg/dL (95% CI: 0.06, 1.09) per interquartile range increase, p = 0.029). No significant associations were found between urinary total arsenic and β‐cell function measures.ConclusionsThis preliminary study found that urinary total arsenic was associated with insulin sensitivity but not β‐cell function measures, suggesting that low‐level arsenic exposure may influence diabetes risk through impairing insulin sensitivity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Derivation of water quality guidelines for priority pharmaceuticals
Authors: Kumar Anupama , Batley Graeme E. , Nidumolu Bhanu , Hutchinson Thomas H. 
Published: December 2015

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals can enter freshwater and affect aquatic ecosystem health. Although toxicity tests have been carried out for the commonly used pharmaceuticals, evidence-based water quality guidelines have not been derived. High-reliability water quality guideline values have been derived for 4 pharmaceuticals—carbamazepine, diclofenac, fluoxetine, and propranolol—in freshwaters using a Burr type III distribution applied to species sensitivity distributions of chronic toxicity data. Data were quality-assured and had to meet acceptability criteria for “chronic” no-observed-effect concentrations or concentrations affecting 10% of species, endpoints of population relevance (namely, effect endpoints based on development, growth, reproduction, and survival). Biomarker response data (e.g., biochemical, histological, or molecular responses) were excluded from the derivation because they are typically not directly relevant to wildlife population-related impacts. The derived guideline values for 95% species protection were 9.2 μg/L, 770 μg/L, 1.6 μg/L, and 14 μg/L for carbamazepine, diclofenac, fluoxetine, and propranolol, respectively. These values are significantly higher than the unknown reliability values derived for the European Commission, Switzerland, or Germany that are based on the application of assessment factors to the most sensitive experimental endpoint (which may include biochemical, histological, or molecular biomarker responses) of a limited data set. The guideline values derived in the present study were not exceeded in recent data for Australian rivers and streams receiving pharmaceutical-containing effluents from wastewater-treatment plants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1815–1824. © 2015 SETAC
Translanguaging Practices and Perspectives of Four Multilingual Teens
Authors: Daniel Shannon M. , Pacheco Mark B. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractIncreasingly, educational research suggests that translanguaging pedagogies can provide meaningful supports for English language learners. Yet, few studies examine how multilingual teens in English‐dominant settings independently translanguage to make sense of school and achieve their goals. In this study, we review definitions of translanguaging and shed light on the rich translanguaging practices of four transnational, multilingual teens in high school and middle school. Holding the view that pedagogical moves should be developed in response to particular groups of learners, we show teens' agentive use of translanguaging and connect these to implications for practice in secondary schools.
Combinatorial PX‐866 and Raloxifene Decrease Rb Phosphorylation, Cyclin E2 Transcription, and Proliferation of MCF‐7 Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Peek Gregory W. , Tollefsbol Trygve O. 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACTAs a potential means to reduce proliferation of breast cancer cells, a multiple‐pathway approach with no effect on control cells was explored. The human interactome being constructed by the Center for Cancer Systems Biology will prove indispensable to understanding composite effects of multiple pathways, but its discovered protein–protein interactions require characterization. Accordingly, we explored the effects of regulators of one protein on downstream targets of the other protein. MCF‐7 estrogen receptor‐positive (ER+) breast cancer cells were treated with raloxifene to upregulate the TGF‐β pathway and PX‐866 to down‐regulate the PI3K/Akt pathway. This resulted in highly significant downstream reduction of cell cycle proliferation in breast cancer cells with no significant proliferation reduction following similar treatment of noncancerous MCF10A breast epithelial cells. Reduced phosphorylation of p107 and substantial reduction of Rb phosphorylation were observed in response. The effects of reduced Rb and p107 phosphorylation were reflected in significant decline in E2F‐1 transcriptional activity, which is dependent on pocket protein phosphorylation status. The reduced proliferation was related to decreased expression of cyclins, including E2F‐1‐regulated Cyclin E2, which was also in response to raloxifene and PX‐866. All combinations of raloxifene and PX‐866 produced significant or highly significant results for reduced MCF‐7 cell proliferation, reduced Cyclin E2 transcription, and reduced Rb phosphorylation. These studies demonstrated that uncontrolled proliferation of ER+ breast cancer cells can be significantly reduced by combinational targeting of two relevant pathways. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 1688–1696, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Geomorphological and Hydrological Effects of Subsidence and Land use Change in Industrial and Urban Areas
Authors: Machowski Robert , Rzetala Martyna A. , Rzetala Mariusz , Solarski Maksymilian 
Published: December 2015

AbstractLand subsidence caused by mining activities is an example of human transformation of the natural environment and leads to changes in land use. The study covers an area of 958 ha in the Silesian Upland, southern Poland. Records from the period 1890–1990 document the presence of subsidence effects in 82.9% of the study area and the maximum displacement figure is more than 30 m which translates to an average rate of 0.3 m per year. It was found that subsidence basins serve as the new local erosion base and new sedimentation basins. They are filled with sediments whose level of pollution ranges from moderate to heavy and extremely heavy. Subsidence has caused a dramatic change in the local hydrology, including the quality and quantity of the water. The specifics involve: the emergence of new closed drainage catchments with a total area of 651.1 ha; an increase in the total watercourse length (from 0.9 to 5.7 km); an increase in the river network density (from 0.09 to 0.56 km km−2); a decrease in the number (from 81 to 48) and an increase in the area (from 23.8 to 58.4 ha) of lakes and ponds; an increase in the lake coverage ratio (from 2.5% to 6.1%) and in water pollution. Subsidence has limited the potential land uses, which led to a decrease in arable land from 619.0 to 122.5 ha that gave way to other land uses, including those equivalent to wasteland. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The finite element square reduced (FE2R) method with GPU acceleration: towards three‐dimensional two‐scale simulations
Authors: Fritzen Felix , Hodapp Max 
Published: December 2015

SummaryThe FE2 method is a renown computational multiscale simulation technique for solid materials with fine‐scale microstructure. It allows for the accurate prediction of the mechanical behavior of structures made of heterogeneous materials with nonlinear material behavior. However, the FE2 method leads to excessive CPU time and storage requirements, even for academic two‐dimensional problems. In order to allow for realistic three‐dimensional two‐scale simulations, a significant reduction of the CPU and memory usage is required. For this purpose, the authors have recently proposed a reduced basis homogenization scheme based on a mixed incremental variational principle. The approach exploits the potential structure of generalized standard materials. Thereby, important speed‐ups and memory savings can be achieved. Using high‐performance GPUs, the reduced‐basis method can be further accelerated. In the present contribution, our previous works are combined and extended to form the FE2‐reduced method: the FE2R. The FE2R can be used to simulate three‐dimensional structural problems with consideration of the nonlinearity and microstructure of the underlying material at acceptable computational cost. Thereby, it allows for a new level of complexity in nonlinear multiscale simulations. Numerical examples illustrate the capabilities of the chosen approach. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance of Multivariate Process Capability Indices Under Normal and Non‐Normal Distributions
Authors: Dianda Daniela F. , Quaglino Marta B. , Pagura José A. 
Published: December 2015

In the context of process capability analysis, the results of most processes are dominated by two or even more quality characteristics, so that the assessment of process capability requires that all of them are considered simultaneously. In recent years, many researchers have developed different alternatives of multivariate capability indices using different approaches of construction.In this paper, four of them are compared through the study of their ability to correctly distinguish capable processes from incapable processes under a diversity of simulated scenarios, defining suitable minimum desirable values that allow to decide whether the process meets or does not meet specifications. In this sense, properties analyzed can be seen as sensitivity and specificity, assuming that a measure is sensitive if it can detect the lack of capability when it actually exists and specific if it correctly identifies capable processes. Two indices based on ratios of regions and two based on the principal component analysis have been selected for the study. The scenarios take into account several joint distributions for the quality variables, normal and non‐normal, several numbers of variables, and different levels of correlation between them, covering a wide range of possible situations.The results showed that one of the indices has better properties across most scenarios, leading to right conclusions about the state of capability of processes and making it a recommendable option for its use in real‐world practice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of nanoparticles to deliver immunomodulatory oligonucleotides
Authors: Klinman Dennis M. , Sato Takashi , Shimosato Takeshi 
Published: December 2015

Synthetic oligonucleotides (ODNs) containing unmethylated ‘CpG motifs’ stimulate the innate immune system to produce cytokines, chemokines, and polyreactive antibodies. CpG ODNs have shown promise as vaccine adjuvants and for the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer. The immunostimulatory activity of CpG ODNs is inhibited by DNA‐containing ‘suppressive’ motifs. ODNs expressing suppressive motifs (Sup ODNs) reduce ongoing immune reactions and show promise in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This work reviews recent progress in the use of nanoparticles as carriers of CpG and Sup ODNs to target their delivery to the GI tract and lungs. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2016, 8:631–637. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1382This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants
Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid-Based Structures
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease
Impaired Health‐Related Quality of Life in Children and Families Affected by Methylmalonic Acidemia
Authors: Splinter Kimberly , Niemi Anna‐Kaisa , Cox Rachel , Platt Julia , Shah Monisha , Enns Gregory M. , Kasahara Mureo , Bernstein Jonathan A. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractAn understanding of health related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and families affected by methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is important in planning counseling and therapeutic intervention. Liver transplantation (LT) is used as a treatment for MMA; however, its risks and benefits continue to be investigated. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to measure HRQoL in children and families affected by MMA using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) parent version, and (2) to assess the impact of LT on HRQoL by comparing LT and non‐LT patient scores and free responses. Parents/caregivers reported lower scores on the majority of the PedsQL™ scales as compared to samples of healthy children, children with solid organ transplants for indications other than MMA, and families affected by chronic conditions. Scores for children with MMA were lowest in school and social functioning and scores for families were lowest in worry and activity impairment. There were no significant differences in LT and non‐LT patient scores on the PedsQL™ scales. Our results document the negative impact of MMA on HRQoL.
Vetch aphid, Megoura crassicauda (Hemiptera: Aphididae), parasitism does not reduce the bean production of narrow‐leaved vetch, Vicia sativa subsp. nigra (Fabaceae)
Authors: Kasai Atsushi 
Published: December 2015

AbstractMegoura crassicauda Mordvilko (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a dominant aphid species found on Vicia sativa subsp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. (Fabaceae) in the spring. Worker ants of Formica japonica, the dominant ant species attracted to the extrafloral nectaries of V. s. nigra, often attack ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata), which are aphid enemies. However, the workers of F. japonica do not attack or exclude M. crassicauda, the non‐myrmecophilous aphid. It appears that the “bodyguard” retained by the plant guards the plant's herbivore by attacking the herbivores’ enemies, rather than guarding the plant itself. The relationship between V. s. nigra and M. crassicauda was observed in the field to examine and evaluate the cost of parasitism. Parasitism by M. crassicauda delayed flower bud formation markedly in V. s. nigra but did not kill the plants. V. s. nigra plants that were parasitized showed a net bean production similar to that of the non‐parasitized controls. The parasitism rate of M. crassicauda increased when extrafloral nectaries were used by F. japonica. These results may indicate that M. crassicauda provides V. s. nigra with benefits by preventing other serious disadvantages.
Examining the potential clinical value of curcumin in the prevention and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Goozee K. G. , Shah T. M. , Sohrabi H. R. , Rainey-Smith S. R. , Brown B. , Verdile G. , Martins R. N. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractCurcumin derived from turmeric is well documented for its anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies show that curcumin also possesses neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing properties that may help delay or prevent neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Currently, clinical diagnosis of AD is onerous, and it is primarily based on the exclusion of other causes of dementia. In addition, phase III clinical trials of potential treatments have mostly failed, leaving disease-modifying interventions elusive. AD can be characterised neuropathologically by the deposition of extracellularβamyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. Disruptions in Aβmetabolism/clearance contribute to AD pathogenesis.In vitrostudies have shown that Aβmetabolism is altered by curcumin, and animal studies report that curcumin may influence brain function and the development of dementia, because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its ability to influence Aβmetabolism. However, clinical studies of curcumin have revealed limited effects to date, most likely because of curcumin’s relatively low solubility and bioavailability, and because of selection of cohorts with diagnosed AD, in whom there is already major neuropathology. However, the fresh approach of targeting early AD pathology (by treating healthy, pre-clinical and mild cognitive impairment-stage cohorts) combined with new curcumin formulations that increase bioavailability is renewing optimism concerning curcumin-based therapy. The aim of this paper is to review the current evidence supporting an association between curcumin and modulation of AD pathology, includingin vitroandin vivostudies. We also review the use of curcumin in emerging retinal imaging technology, as a fluorochrome for AD diagnostics.
Responses in whole-body amino acid kinetics to an acute, sub-clinical endotoxin challenge in lambs
Authors: Hoskin S. O. , Bremner D. M. , Holtrop G. , Lobley G. E. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractSome effects of parasitism, endotoxaemia or sepsis can be mitigated by provision of extra protein. Supplemented protein may encompass a metabolic requirement for specific amino acids (AA). The current study investigates a method to identify and quantify the amounts of AA required during inflammation induced by an endotoxin challenge. One of each pair of six twin sheep was infused in the jugular vein for 20 h with either saline (control) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2 ng/kg body weight per min) fromEscherichia coli. Between 12 and 20 h a mixture of stable isotope-labelled AA was infused to measure irreversible loss rates. From 16 to 20 h all sheep were supplemented with a mixture of unlabelled AA infused intravenously. Blood samples were taken before the start of infusions, and then continuously over intervals between 14 and 20 h. At 20 h the sheep were euthanised, and liver and kidney samples were taken for measurement of serine-threonine dehydratase (SDH) activity. LPS infusion decreased plasma concentrations of most AA (P<0·05;P<0·10 for leucine and tryptophan), except for phenylalanine (which increasedP=0·022) and tyrosine. On the basis of the incremental response to the supplemental AA, arginine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, lysine (tendency only), glycine, methionine, proline, serine and threonine were important in the metabolic response to the endotoxaemia. The AA infusion between 16 and 20 h restored the plasma concentrations in the LPS-treated sheep for the majority of AA, except for glutamine, isoleucine, methionine, serine and valine. LPS treatment increased (P<0·02) SDH activity in both liver and kidney. The approach allows quantification of key AA required during challenge situations.
Acute unilateral sensorineural hearing loss associated with anabolic steroids and polycythaemia: case report
Authors: Tikka T , Mistry N , Janjua A 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackground:Unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss due to an infarct in the vertebrobasilar system has been widely reported. Most patients have a background of traditional coronary risk factors related to these cerebrovascular episodes.Case report:A 32-year-old male, a regular user of anabolic steroids, presented to the emergency department with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and symptoms suggestive of an infarct of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery but in the absence of risk factors for ischaemic stroke.Results:Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of infarction in the region supplied by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery. Polycythaemia was found on haematological analysis, which we believe was secondary to the use of anabolic steroids. The patient was commenced on aspirin as per the stroke management protocol. There was resolution of neurological symptomatology six weeks after the episode, but no improvement in hearing.Conclusion:To our knowledge, this is the first case report of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss secondary to the use of anabolic steroids causing polycythaemia. This cause should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with sensorineural hearing loss, especially in young males, when no other risk factors can be identified.
The work of the British School at Athens, 2014–2015
Authors: Morgan Catherine 
Published: December 2015

Over the past year the School has delivered a rich and varied research programme combining a range of projects in antiquity, spanning the Palaeolithic to Byzantine periods, science-based archaeology to epigraphy (including the work of the Fitch Laboratory and the Knossos Research Centre), with research in sectors from the fine arts to history and the social sciences (see Map 2).At Knossos, new investigation in the suburb of Gypsadhes, directed by Ioanna Serpetsedaki (23rd EPCA), Eleni Hatzaki (Cincinnati), Amy Bogaard (Oxford) and Gianna Ayala (Sheffield), forms part of Oxford University's ERC-funded project Agricultural Origins of Urban Civilisation. The Gypsadhes excavation features large-scale bioarchaeological research, aimed at providing the fine-grained information necessary to reconstruct the Knossian economy through time.
A dual role for Caspase8 and NF-κB interactions in regulating apoptosis and necroptosis of ovarian cancer, with correlation to patient survival
Authors: Hernandez L , Kim M K , Noonan A M , Sagher E , Kohlhammer H , Wright G , Lyle L T , Steeg P S , Anver M , Bowtell D D ,   on behalf of the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group, Annunziata C M 
Published: December 2015

AbstractOvarian cancer is a deadly disease characterized by primary and acquired resistance to chemotherapy. We previously associated NF-κB signaling with poor survival in ovarian cancer, and functionally demonstrated this pathway as mediating proliferation, invasion and metastasis. We aimed to identify cooperating pathways in NF-κB-dependent ovarian cancer cells, using genome-wide RNA interference as a loss-of-function screen for key regulators of cell survival with IKKβ inhibition. Functional genomic screen for interactions with NF-κB in ovarian cancer showed that cells depleted of Caspase8 died better with IKKβ inhibition. Overall, low Caspase8 was associated with shorter overall survival in three independent gene expression data sets of ovarian cancers. Conversely, Caspase8 expression was markedly highest in ovarian cancer subtypes characterized by strong T-cell infiltration and better overall prognosis, suggesting that Caspase8 expression increased chemotherapy-induced cell death. We investigated the effects of Caspase8 depletion on apoptosis and necroptosis of TNFα-stimulated ovarian cancer cell lines. Inhibition of NF-κB in ovarian cancer cells switched the effects of TNFα signaling from proliferation to death. Although Caspase8-high cancer cells died by apoptosis, Caspase8 depletion downregulated NF-κB signaling, stabilized RIPK1 and promoted necroptotic cell death. Blockage of NF-κB signaling and depletion of cIAP with SMAC-mimetic further rendered these cells susceptible to killing by necroptosis. These findings have implications for anticancer strategies to improve outcome for women with low Caspase8-expressing ovarian cancer.