bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Heterozygous RAB27A Mutation Associated with Delayed Cytolytic Granule Polarization and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Zhang Mingce , Bracaglia Claudia , Prencipe Giusi , Bemrich-Stolz Christina J. , Beukelman Timothy , Dimmitt Reed A. , Chatham W. Winn , Zhang Kejian , Li Hao , Walter Mark R. , De Benedetti Fabrizio , Grom Alexei A. , Cron Randy Q. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Frequently fatal, primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) occurs in infancy resulting from homozygous mutations in NK and CD8 T cell cytolytic pathway genes. Secondary HLH presents after infancy and may be associated with heterozygous mutations in HLH genes. We report two unrelated teenagers with HLH and an identical heterozygous RAB27A mutation (c.259G→C). We explore the contribution of this Rab27A missense (p.A87P) mutation on NK cell cytolytic function by cloning it into a lentiviral expression vector prior to introduction into the human NK-92 cell line. NK cell degranulation (CD107a expression), target cell conjugation, and K562 target cell lysis was compared between mutant– and wild-type–transduced NK-92 cells. Polarization of granzyme B to the immunologic synapse and interaction of mutant Rab27A (p.A87P) with Munc13-4 were explored by confocal microscopy and proximity ligation assay, respectively. Overexpression of the RAB27A mutation had no effect on cell conjugate formation between the NK and target cells but decreased NK cell cytolytic activity and degranulation. Moreover, the mutant Rab27A protein decreased binding to Munc13-4 and delayed granzyme B polarization toward the immunologic synapse. This heterozygous RAB27A mutation blurs the genetic distinction between primary and secondary HLH by contributing to HLH via a partial dominant-negative effect.
LincRNA-Cox2 Promotes Late Inflammatory Gene Transcription in Macrophages through Modulating SWI/SNF-Mediated Chromatin Remodeling
Authors: Hu Guoku , Gong Ai-Yu , Wang Yang , Ma Shibin , Chen Xiqiang , Chen Jing , Su Chun-Jen , Shibata Annemarie , Strauss-Soukup Juliane K. , Drescher Kristen M. , Chen Xian-Ming 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) are long noncoding transcripts (&gt;200 nt) from the intergenic regions of annotated protein-coding genes. One of the most highly induced lincRNAs in macrophages upon TLR ligation is lincRNA-Cox2, which was recently shown to mediate the activation and repression of distinct classes of immune genes in innate immune cells. We report that lincRNA-Cox2, located at chromosome 1 proximal to the PG-endoperoxide synthase 2 (Ptgs2/Cox2) gene, is an early-primary inflammatory gene controlled by NF-κB signaling in murine macrophages. Functionally, lincRNA-Cox2 is required for the transcription of NF-κB–regulated late-primary inflammatory response genes stimulated by bacterial LPS. Specifically, lincRNA-Cox2 is assembled into the switch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) complex in cells after LPS stimulation. This resulting lincRNA-Cox2/SWI/SNF complex can modulate the assembly of NF-κB subunits to the SWI/SNF complex, and ultimately, SWI/SNF-associated chromatin remodeling and transactivation of the late-primary inflammatory-response genes in macrophages in response to microbial challenge. Therefore, our data indicate a new regulatory role for NF-κB–induced lincRNA-Cox2 as a coactivator of NF-κB for the transcription of late-primary response genes in innate immune cells through modulation of epigenetic chromatin remodeling.
T-bet Regulates Natural Regulatory T Cell Afferent Lymphatic Migration and Suppressive Function
Authors: Xiong Yanbao , Ahmad Sarwat , Iwami Daiki , Brinkman C. Colin , Bromberg Jonathan S. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
T-bet is essential for natural regulatory T cells (nTreg) to regulate Th1 inflammation, but whether T-bet controls other Treg functions after entering the inflammatory site is unknown. In an islet allograft model, T-bet−/− nTreg, but not induced Treg, failed to prolong graft survival as effectively as wild-type Treg. T-bet−/− nTreg had no functional deficiency in vitro but failed to home from the graft to draining lymph nodes (dLN) as efficiently as wild type. T-bet regulated expression of adhesion- and migration-related molecules, influencing nTreg distribution in tissues, so that T-bet−/− nTreg remained in the grafts rather than migrating to lymphatics and dLN. In contrast, both wild-type and T-bet−/− CD4+ conventional T cells and induced Treg migrated normally toward afferent lymphatics. T-bet−/− nTreg displayed instability in the graft, failing to suppress Ag-specific CD4+ T cells and prevent their infiltration into the graft and dLN. Thus, T-bet regulates nTreg migration into afferent lymphatics and dLN and consequently their suppressive stability in vivo.
Bagaza virus inhibits Japanese encephalitis & West Nile virus replication in Culex tritaeniorhynchus & Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes
Authors: Sudeep A.B. , Bondre V.P. , George R. , Ghodke Y.S. , Aher R.V. , Gokhale M.D. 
Published: February 2016

Background & objectives:
Studies have shown that certain flaviviruses influence susceptibility of mosquitoes by inhibiting/enhancing replication of important flaviviruses. Hence, a study was designed to determine whether Bagaza virus (BAGV), a flavivirus isolated from Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes in India, alters susceptibility of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to Japanese encephalitis (JEV) and West Nile viruses (WNV).

Methods:
JEV and WNV infection in Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in the presence of BAGV was carried out by intrathoracic (IT) inoculation and oral feeding methods. Mosquitoes were infected with BAGV and WNV/JEV either simultaneously or in a phased manner, in which mosquitoes were infected with BAGV by IT inoculation followed by super-infection with JEV/WNV after eight days post-infection (PI). JEV and WNV yield on 7th and 14th day PI after super-infection was determined by 50 per cent tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) method.

Results:
In Cx. tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes, prior infection with BAGV significantly reduced JEV and WNV replication while in Cx. quinquefasciatus, BAGV influence was only seen with WNV. Reduction in virus titre was observed in IT inoculated and oral fed mosquitoes irrespective of the infection mode. JEV replication was also found reduced in Cx. tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes persistently infected with BAGV at passage four.

Interpretation & conclusions:
BAGV infection in Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes altered their susceptibility to JEV and WNV producing low virus yield. However, the role of BAGV in inhibiting JEV/WNV replication in field mosquitoes needs further investigations.
Antimalarial efficacy of Albizia lebbeck (Leguminosae) against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro & P. berghei in vivo
Authors: Kalia Shagun , Walter Neha Sylvia , Bagai Upma 
Published: February 2016

Background & objectives:

Albizia lebbeck Benth. (Leguminosae) has long been used in Indian traditional medicine. The current study was designed to test antimalarial activity of ethanolic bark extract of A. lebbeck (EBEAL).

Methods:
EBEAL was prepared by soxhlet extraction and subjected to phytochemical analysis. The extract was evaluated for its in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine (CQ) sensitive (MRC2) and CQ resistant (RKL9) strains. Cytotoxicity (CC50) of extract against HeLa cells was evaluated. Median lethal dose (LD50) was determined to assess safety of EBEAL in BALB/c mice. Schizonticidal (100-1000 mg/kg) and preventive (100-750 mg/kg) activities of EBEAL were evaluated against P. berghei. Curative activity (100-750 mg/kg) of extract was also evaluated.

Results:
Phytochemical screening revealed presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, terpenes and phytosterols. The extract exhibited IC50 of 8.2 μg/ml (MRC2) and 5.1 μg/ml (RKL9). CC50 of extract on HeLa cell line was calculated to be >1000 μg/ml. EBEAL showed selectivity indices (SI) of >121.9 and >196.07 against MRC2 and RKL9 strains of P. falciparum, respectively. LD50 of EBEAL was observed to be >5 g/kg. Dose-dependent chemosuppression was observed with significant (P<0.001) schizonticidal activity at 1000 mg/kg with ED50 >100 mg/kg. Significant (P<0.001) curative and repository activities were exhibited by 750 mg/kg concentration of extract on D7.

Interpretation & conclusions:
The present investigation reports antiplasmodial efficacy of EBEAL in vitro against P. falciparum as evident by high SI values. ED50 of <100 mg/kg against P. berghei categorizes EBEAL as active antimalarial. Further studies need to be done to exploit its antiplasmodial activity further.
Knowledge and practice regarding hypertension and diabetes among the elderly in a rural area in southern India following an educational program: A comparative study
Authors: Kasthuri Arvind , Krishnamurthy Aditi , Kiran Pretesh , Mohammad As , Shanbhag Deepthi 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Aim: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are important problems in the elderly. They can largely be avoided through appropriate lifestyle modification. We implemented an ongoing education program for the elderly in the villages near Bangalore, Southern Karnataka, India. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice regarding hypertension and diabetes among elderly residents in the study area with and without exposure to the education program. Materials and Methods: Elderly residents of three villages who attended the educational sessions (exposed) and two similar villages without educational exposure (unexposed) were identified, matched with regard to age and gender, and interviewed to assess the knowledge and practice regarding hypertension and diabetes. The responses were scored, and mean scores were calculated in the two groups. Results and Discussion: A total of 130 elderly persons, 65 exposed and 65 unexposed to the education program were interviewed. Overall, the exposed group scored significantly higher than the unexposed group with respect to knowledge (11.17 vs 4.97, P < 0.05) and practice (1.35 vs 0.40, P < 0.05) regarding hypertension. Knowledge (14.85 vs 6.57, P < 0.05) and practice (1.49 vs 0.34, P < 0.05) scores regarding diabetes were also higher in the exposed group. However, the scores were less than 50% of the maximum attainable score even in the exposed group showing the need for further educational input. Conclusion: Regular health education sessions by physicians, nurses, and community health workers for the elderly are a useful strategy in improving the knowledge and practice for preventing and managing chronic disease. This is a model of health promotion in the elderly.
Evaluation of the Sequential Spot Sampler (S3) for time-resolved measurement of PM2.5 sulfate and nitrate through lab and field measurements
Authors: Hecobian A. , Evanoski-Cole A. , Eiguren-Fernandez A. , Sullivan A. P. , Lewis G. S. , Hering S. V. , Collett Jr. J. L. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract. The Sequential Spot Sampler (S3), a newly developed instrument to collect aerosols for time-resolved chemical composition measurements, was evaluated in the laboratory and field for the measurement of particulate sulfate and nitrate. The S3 uses a multi-temperature condensation growth tube to grow individual aerosols to droplets which are then deposited as a ∼ 1 mm diameter dry spot at the end of the growth tube in a 100 µL well of a multi-well plate. The well plate advances automatically to provide a sequence of time-resolved samples. The collected aerosols are subsequently analyzed in the laboratory. The sample is concentrated during the collection process, and the laboratory extraction and analysis steps can be automated. The well plate, as received from the field, is placed onto a needle-based autosampler that adds liquid for sample extraction and injects sample extract from each well onto an ion chromatograph for analysis. Laboratory evaluation for sulfate and nitrate ions showed that poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) used as well plate material does not contribute any artifacts; a 60 min extraction procedure leads to the recovery of sulfate and nitrate from the dry spots at above 95 % extraction efficiency; and samples stored frozen and analyzed up to 23 months later show less than a 10 % change in sulfate and nitrate concentrations. The limit of detection was 0.5 µg m−3 for sulfate and 0.2 µg m−3 for nitrate for a 1 h sampling period. In a month-long field study conducted in southern California, two S3s were deployed alongside a URG denuder–filter-pack and a Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler combined with an Ion Chromatograph (PILS-IC). Collocated S3 sampler concentrations compared by linear regression show good agreement, with r2 =  0.99 and slope = 0.99 (±0.004) µg m−3 for sulfate and r2 = 0.99 and slope = 1.0 (±0.006) µg m−3 for nitrate. When compared to the URG denuder–filter-pack and the PILS-IC, the S3 sulfate and nitrate concentrations yielded correlations above 0.84 for the square of the correlation coefficient and regression slopes close to 1.
Seeming and Being in the “Cosmetics” of Sophistry: The Infamous Analogy of Plato'sGorgias
Authors: Reames Robin 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe earliest record of the term “kommōtikē,” commonly translated as “cosmetics” or “self-adornment,” occurs in the “most famous passage” of Plato's dialogue Gorgias (Kennedy 1994, 37). There, Socrates compares rhetoric to cookery and sophistry to “kommōtikē” (464b–66a). This marks a decisive moment in the Platonic corpus, a moment when rhetoric and sophistry are associated with seeming and appearance and therefore distanced from being and reality. I outline the reasons why this translation is incomplete if not misleading. I propose an adjustment that pulls both the analogy and the dialogue away from a Platonist distinction between seeming and being and toward a distinction between foreign profligacy and domestic austerity. This transformation discharges the vulgarization of appearance as mere appearance and mere seeming that has long infected and hampered both our understanding of Plato's thought and of early rhetoric.
Medical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia: Results from a population-based study
Authors: Bishr Mohamed , Boehm Katharina , Trudeau Vincent , Tian Zhe , Dell’Oglio Paolo , Schiffmann Jonas , Jeldres Claudio , Sun Maxine , Shariat Sharokh F. , Graefen Markus , Saad Fred , Karakiewicz Pierre I. 
Published: February 2016

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> In men with bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), medical treatment usually represents the first line. We examined the patterns of medical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the Montreal metropolitan area, within the context of a case control study focusing on incident prostate cancer.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: Cases were 1933 men with incident prostate cancer. Population controls included 1994 age-matched men. In-person interviews collected sociodemographic characteristics and medical history, including BPH diagnosis, its duration, and type of medical treatment received. Baseline characteristics were compared by the chi-square likelihood test for categorical variables and by the students t-test for continuously coded variables.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Overall, 1120 participants had history of BPH, of those 53.7% received medical treatment for BPH. Individuals with medically treated BPH, compared to individuals with medically untreated BPH, were older at index date [mean: 66.9 vs. 64.9 years, p˂0.001] and at diagnosis of BPH [mean: 62.3 vs. 60.3 years, p˂0.001]. They also had a longer duration of BPH-history [mean: 4.7 vs. 4.0 years, p=0.02]. Regarding medical treatment, monotherapy was more often used than combination therapy [87.6% vs. 12.4%, p˂0.001]. Alpha-blockers (69.9%) were most commonly used as monotherapy, followed by 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) (26.6%). Alpha-blockers plus 5ARIs were the most common combination therapy (97.3%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Despite evidence from randomized, controlled trials for better efficacy with use of combination therapy, monotherapy consisting of alpha-blockers or 5ARI, in that order, is most frequently used. Additionally, 5ARI use was more common than previously reported (27% vs. 15%).</p>
Qualitative Twitter analysis of participants, tweet strategies, and tweet content at a major urologic conference
Authors: Borgmann Hendrik , Woelm Jan-Henning , Merseburger Axel , Nestler Tim , Salem Johannes , Brandt Maximilian P. , Haferkamp Axel , Loeb Stacy 
Published: February 2016

<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The microblogging social media platform Twitter is increasingly being adopted in the urologic field. We aimed to analyze participants, tweet strategies, and tweet content of the Twitter discussion at a urologic conference.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comprehensive analysis of the Twitter activity at the European Association of Urology Congress 2013 (#eau2013) was performed, including characteristics of user profiles, engagement and popularity measurements, characteristics and timing of tweets, and content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: Of 218 Twitter contributors, doctors (45%) were the most frequent, ahead of associations (15%), companies (10%), and journals (3%). However, journals had the highest tweet/participant rate (22 tweets/participant), profile activity (median: 1177 total tweets, 1805 followers, 979 following), and profile popularity (follower/following ratio: 2.1; retweet rank percentile: 96%). Links in a profile were associated with higher engagement (p&lt;0.0001) and popularity (p&lt;0.0001). Of 1572 tweets, 57% were original tweets, 71% contained mentions, 20% contained links, and 25% included pictures. The majority of tweets (88%) were during conference hours, with an average of 24.7 tweets/hour and a peak activity of 71 tweets/hour. Overall, 59% tweets were informative, led by the topics uro-oncology (21%), urologic research (21%), and urotechnology (12%). Limitations include the analysis of a single conference, assessment of global profile and not domain-specific activity, and the rapid evolution in Twitter-using habits.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Results of this qualitative analysis are promising for an enrichment of the scientific discussions at urologic conferences through the use of Twitter.</p>
Correction of Footdrop Due to Multiple Sclerosis Using the STIMuSTEP Implanted Dropped Foot Stimulator
Authors: Taylor Paul N. , Wilkinson Hart Ingrid A. , Khan Mansoor S. , Slade-Sharman Diana E.M. 
Published: February 2016

Background: Footdrop is a significant problem in multiple sclerosis, reducing the safety and efficiency of walking. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can produce dorsiflexion, correcting footdrop. The purpose of this retrospective analysis of clinical study data was to compare the effect of external and implanted FES devices for the correction of footdrop.
Methods: External FES was used for a minimum of 6 months before implantation. Walking performance was assessed using 10-m walking speed, 3-minute walking distance, the Physiological Cost Index, and health- and device-related quality of life and device-use questionnaires. Assessments were made before implantation and a mean (SD) of 128 (24) days after surgery, with additional walking speed measurements at 3 years.
Results: Twenty-three people with multiple sclerosis received the STIMuSTEP implant. Both devices enabled statistically significant increases in walking speed and walking distance, with a strong trend toward a reduced Physiological Cost Index, indicating that walking required less effort (P = .07). Both devices improved device-related quality of life. Walking speed gain with FES was maintained at 3 years. Three implants failed after falls, and there was one case of neuropraxia. The implant was used more days per week and was quicker to put on each day than the external FES device.
Conclusions: The STIMuSTEP implanted dropped foot stimulator is an effective long-term intervention for the correction of footdrop.
Crystallization behavior of amorphous indium–gallium–zinc-oxide films and its effects on thin-film transistor performance
Authors: Suko Ayaka , Jia JunJun , Nakamura Shin-ichi , Kawashima Emi , Utsuno Futoshi , Yano Koki , Shigesato Yuzo 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide (a-IGZO) films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering and post-annealed in air at 300–1000 °C for 1 h to investigate the crystallization behavior in detail. X-ray diffraction, electron beam diffraction, and high-resolution electron microscopy revealed that the IGZO films showed an amorphous structure after post-annealing at 300 °C. At 600 °C, the films started to crystallize from the surface with c-axis preferred orientation. At 700–1000 °C, the films totally crystallized into polycrystalline structures, wherein the grains showed c-axis preferred orientation close to the surface and random orientation inside the films. The current–gate voltage (I
d–V
g) characteristics of the IGZO thin-film transistor (TFT) showed that the threshold voltage (V
th) and subthreshold swing decreased markedly after the post-annealing at 300 °C. The TFT using the totally crystallized films also showed the decrease in V
th, whereas the field-effect mobility decreased considerably.
Revisiting nitrification in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific: A focus on controls
Authors: Peng Xuefeng , Fuchsman Clara A. , Jayakumar Amal , Warner Mark J. , Devol Allan H. , Ward Bess B. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractNitrification, the oxidation of ammonium (
) to nitrite (
) and to nitrate (
), is a component of the nitrogen (N) cycle internal to the fixed N pool. In oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), which are hotspots for oceanic fixed N loss, nitrification plays a key role because it directly supplies substrates for denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox), and may compete for substrates with these same processes. However, the control of oxygen and substrate concentrations on nitrification are not well understood. We performed onboard incubations with 15N‐labeled substrates to measure rates of
and
oxidation in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP). The spatial and depth distributions of
and
oxidation rates were primarily controlled by
and
availability, oxygen concentration, and light. In the euphotic zone, nitrification was partially photoinhibited. In the anoxic layer,
oxidation was negligible or below detection, but high rates of
oxidation were observed.
oxidation displayed extremely high affinity for both
and oxygen. The positive linear correlations between
oxidation rates and in situ
concentrations and ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) gene abundances in the upper oxycline indicate that the natural assemblage of ammonia oxidizers responds to in situ
concentrations or supply by adjusting their population size, which determines the
oxidation potential. The depth distribution of archaeal and bacterial amoA gene abundances and N2O concentration, along with independently reported simultaneous direct N2O production rate measurements, suggests that AOA were predominantly responsible for
oxidation, which was a major source of N2O production at oxygen concentrations > 5 µM.