bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of radiation on the incidence of prostate cancer among Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors
Authors: Kondo Hisayoshi , Soda Midori , Mine Mariko , Yokota Kenichi 
Published: August 2013

Atomic bomb survivors have been reported to have an increased risk of some cancers, especially leukemia. However, the risk of prostate cancer in atomic bomb survivors is not known to have been examined previously. This study examined the association between atomic bomb radiation and the incidence of prostate cancer among male Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors. The subjects were classified by distance from the hypocenter into a proximal group (<2 km), a distal group (≥2 km), and an early entrance group (those who entered the region <2 km from the hypocenter within 2 weeks after the explosion). Between 1996 and 2009, 631 new cases of prostate cancer were identified among approximately 18 400 male Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors who were alive in 1996. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the risk of prostate cancer development, with adjustment for age at atomic bomb explosion, attained age, smoking status, and alcohol consumption. Compared with the distal group, the proximal group had significant increased risks of total, localized, and high‐grade prostate cancer (relative risk and 95% confidence interval: 1.51 [1.21–1.89]; 1.80 [1.26–2.57]; and 1.88 [1.20–2.94], respectively). This report is the first known to reveal a significant relationship between atomic bomb radiation and prostate cancer.
Synthesis, Analytical Analysis, and Medicinal Aspect of Novel Benzimidazoles and their Metal Complexes
Authors: Agrawal Sangeeta , Bhatnagar Rishi Raj , Tiwari Anjani , Srivastava Rakesh , sharma Upasana 
Published: August 2013

Benzimidazole and their metal analogs that can act as multimodal agent and have non‐peptidic CCK‐B receptor antagonist were synthesized and characterized on the basis of spectroscopic techniques such as FT‐IR, NMR, FAB‐MS and also evaluated for biologic efficacy. The ligands showed binding to most of the organs, known to express CCK receptors in biodistribution studies. Cholecystokinin (CCK1 and CCK2) receptor binding affinities of these analogs (IC50) are 0.802 ± 0.007 for compound C and 0.326 ± 0.012 for compound D in rat pancreatic acini. These studies have provided a new template for further development of novel agents for various related diseases.
Regular dental checkup and snack–soda drink consumption of preschool children are associated with early childhood caries in Korean caregiver/preschool children dyads
Authors: Han Dong‐Hun , Kim Dong‐Hyun , Kim Min‐Ji , Kim Jin‐Bom , Jung‐Choi Kyunghee , Bae Kwang‐Hak 
Published: August 2013

AbstractObjectivesEarly childhood caries (ECC) is a common oral disease among young Korean children. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of ECC with preschool children's oral health behavior and caregivers' oral health in Ulsan, Korea.MethodsIn 2006, cross‐sectional survey of 1214 children under 6 years old and their care givers were surveyed. Two dentists examined according to the WHO criteria. Outcome variable was ECC, and explanatory variables were preschool children's oral health behavior and caregivers' oral health. The chi‐square test and multiple log‐binomial regression models were performed.ResultsThe prevalence of simple ECC was 47.5% and that of severe ECC was 34.8%. In bivariate analysis, ECC prevalence was increased according to children's age, caregiver's age, and type of housing. In multiple log‐binomial regression models, preschool children's irregular oral checkup [prevalence ratio (PR): 1.7 for simple ECC and 1.8 for severe ECC] and frequent snack and soda drinking (PR: 1.2 for simple ECC, and 1.6 for severe ECC) were significant factors.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the prevalence of ECC was high among Korean children. Early intervention programs for preschool children's oral health behavior should be developed based on the risk factors identified in this study.
Telomeres and endocrine dysfunction of the adrenal and GH/IGF‐1 axes
Authors: Aulinas Anna , Ramírez María José , Barahona María José , Mato Eugènia , Bell Olga , Surrallés Jordi , Webb Susan M. 
Published: August 2013

SummaryTelomeres, located at the end of linear chromosomes, are essential to maintain genomic stability. Telomere biology has recently emerged as an important player in the fields of ageing and disease. To maintain telomere length (TL) and reduce its degradation after mitosis, the telomerase enzyme complex is produced. Genetic, epigenetic, hormonal and environmental factors can regulate telomerase function. These include stress hormones such as cortisol and growth factors. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis has been evaluated in psychiatric diseases where hypercortisolism and oxidative stress are often present. Some researches have linked TL shortening to increases in stress‐related cortisol, but others have not. The effects of cortisol on the telomere system are complex and may depend on the intensity and duration of exposure. On the other hand, low levels of IGF‐1 are associated with inflammation and ageing‐related diseases (ischaemic heart disease, congestive heart failure). Both IGF‐1 and TL diminish with age and are positively and strongly correlated with each other. It is not clear whether this positive correlation reflects a single association or a cause–effect relationship. Further research will ideally investigate longitudinal changes in telomeres and both these hormonal axes. To our knowledge, TL dysfunction has not been described in either endogenous hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome) or acromegaly where excessive amounts of GH and consequently IGF‐1 are produced. This review focuses on the possible relationships between telomere dysfunction and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and GH‐IGF‐1 system.
Circulating level of TRAIL concentration is positively associated with endothelial function and increased by diabetic therapy in the newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Xiang Guangda , Zhang Junxia , Ling Yue , Zhao Linshuang 
Published: August 2013

SummaryObjectiveTumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) is associated with atherosclerosis. This study was to investigate the changes of circulating TRAIL and its association with flow‐mediated endothelium‐dependent arterial dilation (FMD) before and after diabetic treatment in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.Materials and MethodsThe study subjects included 55 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 52 healthy subjects. Circulating TRAIL concentration was measured by an ELISA, and high‐resolution ultrasound was used to measure FMD of brachial artery.ResultsThe circulating TRAIL in patients before treatment was 64·46 pg/ml, which was significantly lower than that in control (80·70 pg/ml, P < 0·001). After 6 months of diabetic treatment, TRAIL level increased markedly (75·11 pg/ml), which was still lower than that in control (P < 0·001). FMD was reduced compared with controls at baseline and increased after diabetic therapy (P < 0·001). In multivariate analysis, circulating TRAIL was significantly associated with FMD, fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2‐h blood glucose (2‐h BG), haemoglobinA1c (HbA1c) and C‐reactive protein (CRP) at baseline (P < 0·01). The absolute change in TRAIL was correlated with the changes in FMD, FBG, 2‐h BG, HbA1c and CRP (P < 0·01) before and after diabetic treatment.ConclusionCirculating TRAIL level decreased in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and increased after 6 months of diabetic treatment significantly. The circulating TRAIL level is positively associated with endothelial function. Our data showed that circulating TRAIL level may be a protective maker of endothelial function in type 2 diabetes.
A Photoelastic Stress Analysis of Screw‐ and Cement‐Retained Implant Prostheses with Marginal Gaps
Authors: Lee Jae‐In , Lee Yoon , Kim Nan‐Young , Kim Yu‐Lee , Cho Hye‐Won 
Published: August 2013

AbstractBackgroundThe precise fit of an implant prosthesis is considered to be a prerequisite for the success and maintenance of osseointegration. It is unknown how much static stress can be tolerated at the implant‐bone interface with ill‐fitting prostheses for the two different types of retention (cement vs screw).PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the stress pattern and magnitude in the supporting tissues around ITI (Straumann AG, Waldenburg, Switzerland) implants with screw‐ or cement‐retained prostheses with marginal gaps by photoelastic analysis.Materials and MethodsA photoelastic model of a human mandible, partially edentulous distal to the canine, was made of PL‐2 resin. Three ITI implants (4.1 × 10 mm, Straumann AG, Waldenburg, Switzerland) were placed in the posterior edentulous region, and screw‐ or cement‐retained three‐unit fixed partial dentures (FPDs) were fabricated. Ill‐fitting prostheses were made by placing a 100‐μm gap between the abutments and the superstructures on the second premolar or the first molar. A static vertical force of 134 N was applied at three loading points on each prosthesis. Photoelastic stress analysis was carried out to measure the fringe order around the implant‐supporting structures.ResultsEven in the unloaded condition, low‐level stresses were generated around the implants after screw tightening or cementing the three‐unit FPDs with marginal gaps. Loading on the terminal implants developed high concentrated stresses around the loaded implant, regardless of the types of restorations or the presence of gaps. However, when the middle implant was loaded, moderate stresses were distributed to the anterior and posterior implants.ConclusionsScrew‐retained FPDs with gaps exhibited a wider range of stresses on the interproximal region of adjacent implants than cement‐retained FPDs. However, severe misfit in the prosthesis caused the nonaxial stress transfer to the adjacent implants in the cement‐retained FPDs with gaps.
Immediate Implant Placement into Fresh Extraction Socket in the Mandibular Molar Sites: A Preliminary Study of a Modified Insertion Technique
Authors: Hamouda Nelly I. , Mourad Samah I. , El‐Kenawy Mohamed H. , Maria Ola M. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractBackgroundImmediate implant insertion in mandibular molar extraction sockets raises a series of challenges for clinicians.PurposeThis preliminary study demonstrates the use of a modified insertion technique of implant placement at the time of mandibular molar extraction.Materials and MethodsImmediate implants were placed at the time of molar extraction in 20 patients; a sulcular buccal incision with releasing periosteal incisions were made around the mandibular molar to be replaced, and implant insertion into the interseptal/interradicular bone was performed. The remnants of roots were atraumatically extracted, and the bony defects around the implant were grafted with synthetic resorbable bone substitute β‐ Tricalcium phosphate, and the flap was sutured. Three months later, implants were restored with single crown fixed prostheses. Patients were followed up at 6, 12, and 18 months after insertion using periapical standardized radiographs to monitor the changes in the marginal bone level.ResultsOur modified insertion techniques showed an implant survival rate of 95%; one implant failed 4 weeks after insertion. No significant marginal bone loss around the implant was recorded at all times of follow‐up. Satisfactory soft issue parameters were achieved.ConclusionsThe combination of immediate implant placement with engagement of the interseptal/interradicular bone, atraumatic extraction of remnant roots, and concomitant regenerative therapy showed preliminary favorable outcomes. However, wider application of this technique for longer following up periods is required for further conclusive recommendations.
Birth of an Abstraction: A Dynamical Systems Account of the Discovery of an Elsewhere Principle in a Category Learning Task
Authors: Tabor Whitney , Cho Pyeong W. , Dankowicz Harry 
Published: August 2013

AbstractHuman participants and recurrent (“connectionist”) neural networks were both trained on a categorization system abstractly similar to natural language systems involving irregular (“strong”) classes and a default class. Both the humans and the networks exhibited staged learning and a generalization pattern reminiscent of the Elsewhere Condition (Kiparsky, 1973). Previous connectionist accounts of related phenomena have often been vague about the nature of the networks’ encoding systems. We analyzed our network using dynamical systems theory, revealing topological and geometric properties that can be directly compared with the mechanisms of non‐connectionist, rule‐based accounts. The results reveal that the networks “contain” structures related to mechanisms posited by rule‐based models, partly vindicating the insights of these models. On the other hand, they support the one mechanism (OM), as opposed to the more than one mechanism (MOM), view of symbolic abstraction by showing how the appearance of MOM behavior can arise emergently from one underlying set of principles. The key new contribution of this study is to show that dynamical systems theory can allow us to explicitly characterize the relationship between the two perspectives in implemented models.
Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor interacts with astrocytes and neurons to control respiration
Authors: Caravagna Céline , Soliz Jorge , Seaborn Tommy 
Published: August 2013

AbstractRespiratory rhythm is generated and modulated in the brainstem. Neuronal involvement in respiratory control and rhythmogenesis is now clearly established. However, glial cells have also been shown to modulate the activity of brainstem respiratory groups. Although the potential involvement of other glial cell type(s) cannot be excluded, astrocytes are clearly involved in this modulation. In parallel, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) also modulates respiratory rhythm. The currently available data on the respective roles of astrocytes and BDNF in respiratory control and rhythmogenesis lead us to hypothesize that there is BDNF‐mediated control of the communication between neurons and astrocytes in the maintenance of a proper neuronal network capable of generating a stable respiratory rhythm. According to this hypothesis, progression of Rett syndrome, an autism spectrum disease with disordered breathing, can be stabilized in mouse models by re‐expressing the normal gene pattern in astrocytes or microglia, as well as by stimulating the BDNF signaling pathway. These results illustrate how the signaling mechanisms by which glia exerts its effects in brainstem respiratory groups is of great interest for pathologies associated with neurological respiratory disorders.
Using landscape history to predict biodiversity patterns in fragmented landscapes
Authors: Ewers Robert M. , Didham Raphael K. , Pearse William D. , Lefebvre Véronique , Rosa Isabel M. D. , Carreiras João M. B. , Lucas Richard M. , Reuman Daniel C. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractLandscape ecology plays a vital role in understanding the impacts of land‐use change on biodiversity, but it is not a predictive discipline, lacking theoretical models that quantitatively predict biodiversity patterns from first principles. Here, we draw heavily on ideas from phylogenetics to fill this gap, basing our approach on the insight that habitat fragments have a shared history. We develop a landscape ‘terrageny’, which represents the historical spatial separation of habitat fragments in the same way that a phylogeny represents evolutionary divergence among species. Combining a random sampling model with a terrageny generates numerical predictions about the expected proportion of species shared between any two fragments, the locations of locally endemic species, and the number of species that have been driven locally extinct. The model predicts that community similarity declines with terragenetic distance, and that local endemics are more likely to be found in terragenetically distinctive fragments than in large fragments. We derive equations to quantify the variance around predictions, and show that ignoring the spatial structure of fragmented landscapes leads to over‐estimates of local extinction rates at the landscape scale. We argue that ignoring the shared history of habitat fragments limits our ability to understand biodiversity changes in human‐modified landscapes.
Searching for the Audience of the Weeping Lizard's Distress Call
Authors: Hoare Misque , Labra Antonieta 
Published: August 2013

AbstractThe evolution and functions of avian and mammalian antipredator calls are well understood, which contrasts with a lack of progress in reptiles. Here, we present the first investigation of the functions of a distress call in a lizard. We studied Liolaemus chiliensis, which emits a short and complex high‐pitched scream when it is subdued. We determined the behavioral responses of two potential targets to these calls, conspecifics, and a snake predator. Additionally, we tested whether the chemical environment (presence of chemical scents from conspecifics) modulates the lizards' responses to calls. Both the conspecifics and the predator responded to the distress calls, which triggered a longer period of immobility in the lizards and a reduction in exploratory behavior in the snake, as compared to a white noise. In addition, the lizards in the arena with scents of conspecifics responded to distress calls and noise with more movements and escape attempts. These results suggest that distress calls may enhance the survival of L. chiliensis individuals.
Epidermal growth factor receptor and the sebaceous gland
Authors: Zouboulis Christos C. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractSide effects of EGFR inhibition do not include primary sebaceous gland changes. Dahlhoff et al. evaluated EGFR actions on the sebaceous glands in mutant mice with constitutively activated EGFR expression. Enlarged, hyperproliferative sebaceous glands and increased sebum levels were detected, and c‐myc levels were increased. These data indicate that EGFR‐induced sebocyte mechanisms are probably species‐specific. The detected SCD deregulation is compatible with previous reports, whereas SCD is a marker of sebaceous differentiation, and its expression is essential for lipogenesis. As SCD expression is upregulated by TLR2 activation, there is a link between SCD overexpression and sebaceous differentiation/lipogenesis with inflammation.
Dose‐dependent inhibitory effects of proton pump inhibitors on human osteoclastic and osteoblastic cell activity
Authors: Costa‐Rodrigues João , Reis Sara , Teixeira Sónia , Lopes Sandra , Fernandes Maria H. 
Published: August 2013

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), a class of molecules that are used to decrease gastric acid production, might have adverse effects on bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to characterize the concentration‐dependent and time‐dependent effects of three PPIs (omeprazole, esomeprazole, and lansoprazole) on human osteoclast precursor cells isolated from peripheral blood, and on human mesenchymal stem cells (osteoblast precursors). Cell cultures were characterized for total protein content, apoptosis, and several osteoclastic/osteoblastic features, and also for the involvement of some intracellular signaling pathways. PPIs caused a dose‐dependent decrease in cellular density, which correlated with an increase in the apoptosis rate, effects that became statistically significant at concentrations ≥ 10−5 m. They also inhibited phenotype‐related gene expression and functional parameters. For both cell types, cellular function, i.e. osteoclastic resorption and the formation of mineralized deposits by osteoblastic cells, was more affected than proliferation‐related parameters. The three PPIs showed similar qualitative and quantitative effects, but displayed some differences in the underlying intracellular signaling pathways. These results suggest that PPIs might have a direct deleterious effect on bone cells, with the possibility of decreased bone turnover.
Modelling dispersal and connectivity of broadcast spawning corals at the global scale
Authors: Wood S. , Paris C. B. , Ridgwell A. , Hendy E. J. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractAimWe develop the first global model of connectivity for a generic broadcast spawning coral, and compare the results to connectivity estimates from genetic studies, general biogeographic patterns and theories. We also derive various ‘connectivity indices’ describing relative isolation and source potential between locations.LocationModelled oceans 47° S–47° N.MethodsDispersal of model coral ‘larvae’ was simulated over 8 years using an individual‐based biophysical dispersal model driven by 1/12°‐resolution surface ocean current data and incorporating individual trait variability (e.g. a phased pre‐competency period). Source and arrival locations of modelled larvae on suitable reef habitat gave standardized dispersal paths and relative levels of connectivity.ResultsIn the model c. 50% of connections occurred within 50–100 km, with rarer dispersal between regions linking entire oceans in a ‘stepping stone’ fashion. The central Pacific was an almost complete barrier to dispersal, only rarely breached westward from the Galapagos to Marquesas Islands. Areas showing strong isolation also included Hawaii, Easter Island, the Red Sea and the eastern Atlantic. The Indo‐West Pacific and Great Barrier Reef showed the highest levels of connectivity, with secondary peaks in the western Indian Ocean, corresponding to areas of enriched coral diversity. The central Indo‐Pacific diversity hotspot was overall a greater source than sink for dispersal.ConclusionsThis study provides a global view of connectivity that complements genetic and biogeographic work as well as providing a number of novel findings relevant to biogeographic theories (e.g. the central Indo‐Pacific as a dispersal source; Johnston Atoll as the sole ‘stepping‐stone’ into Hawaii). Discrepancies with proposed connectivity patterns (e.g. one‐way, westward, connectivity across the central Pacific) present hypotheses for future research. The model represents an effective tool for exploring the factors controlling connectivity on this scale and the effects of climate change on future connectivity, and will also aid predictions of future reef distributions.