bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Is metabolic rate a universal ‘pacemaker’ for biological processes?
Authors: Glazier Douglas S. 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACTA common, long‐held belief is that metabolic rate drives the rates of various biological, ecological and evolutionary processes. Although this metabolic pacemaker view (as assumed by the recent, influential ‘metabolic theory of ecology’) may be true in at least some situations (e.g. those involving moderate temperature effects or physiological processes closely linked to metabolism, such as heartbeat and breathing rate), it suffers from several major limitations, including: (i) it is supported chiefly by indirect, correlational evidence (e.g. similarities between the body‐size and temperature scaling of metabolic rate and that of other biological processes, which are not always observed) – direct, mechanistic or experimental support is scarce and much needed; (ii) it is contradicted by abundant evidence showing that various intrinsic and extrinsic factors (e.g. hormonal action and temperature changes) can dissociate the rates of metabolism, growth, development and other biological processes; (iii) there are many examples where metabolic rate appears to respond to, rather than drive the rates of various other biological processes (e.g. ontogenetic growth, food intake and locomotor activity); (iv) there are additional examples where metabolic rate appears to be unrelated to the rate of a biological process (e.g. ageing, circadian rhythms, and molecular evolution); and (v) the theoretical foundation for the metabolic pacemaker view focuses only on the energetic control of biological processes, while ignoring the importance of informational control, as mediated by various genetic, cellular, and neuroendocrine regulatory systems. I argue that a comprehensive understanding of the pace of life must include how biological activities depend on both energy and information and their environmentally sensitive interaction. This conclusion is supported by extensive evidence showing that hormones and other regulatory factors and signalling systems coordinate the processes of growth, metabolism and food intake in adaptive ways that are responsive to an organism's internal and external conditions. Metabolic rate does not merely dictate growth rate, but is coadjusted with it. Energy and information use are intimately intertwined in living systems: biological signalling pathways both control and respond to the energetic state of an organism. This review also reveals that we have much to learn about the temporal structure of the pace of life. Are its component processes highly integrated and synchronized, or are they loosely connected and often discordant? And what causes the level of coordination that we see? These questions are of great theoretical and practical importance.
Study to determine the durability of glycaemic control with early treatment with a vildagliptin–metformin combination regimen vs. standard‐of‐care metformin monotherapy—the VERIFY trial: a randomized double‐blind trial
Authors: Del Prato S. , Foley J. E. , Kothny W. , Kozlovski P. , Stumvoll M. , Paldánius P. M. , Matthews D. R. 
Published: May 2014

AbstractAimsDurability of good glycaemic control (HbA1c) is of importance as it can be the foundation for delaying diabetic complications. It has been hypothesized that early initiation of treatment with the combination of oral anti‐diabetes agents with complementary mechanisms of action can increase the durability of glycaemic control compared with metformin monotherapy followed by a stepwise addition of oral agents. Dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors are good candidates for early use as they are efficacious in combination with metformin, show weight neutrality and a low risk of hypoglycaemia. We aimed to test the hypothesis that early combined treatment of metformin and vildagliptin slows β‐cell deterioration as measured by HbA1c.MethodsApproximately 2000 people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus who were drug‐naive or who were treated with metformin for less than 1 month, and who have HbA1c of 48–58 mmol/mol (6.5–7.5%), will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio in VERIFY, a 5‐year multinational, double‐blind, parallel‐group study designed to compare early initiation of a vildagliptin–metformin combination with standard‐of‐care initiation of metformin monotherapy, followed by the stepwise addition of vildagliptin when glycaemia deteriorates. Further deterioration will be treated with insulin. The primary analysis for treatment failure will be from a Cox proportional hazard regression model and the durability of glycaemic control will be evaluated by assessing treatment failure rate and the rate of loss in glycaemic control over time as co‐primary endpoints.SummaryVERIFY is the first study to investigate the long‐term clinical benefits of early combination treatment vs. the standard‐of‐care metformin monotherapy with a second agent added by threshold criteria.
Evaluation of the bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity of grape pomace
Authors: Iora Sandra R. F. , Maciel Giselle M. , Zielinski Acácio A. F. , da Silva Marcos V. , Pontes Paula V. de A. , Haminiuk Charles W. I. , Granato Daniel 
Published: May 2014

SummaryGrape pomace is an agro‐industrial residue produced worldwide and mainly employed for animal feed or as a fertiliser. Several studies have shown that grape pomace is a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, polysaccharides, fatty acids and others. Three varieties of grape pomace were evaluated in this study. Antioxidant activity was determined by three different methods, namely,DPPH˙,ABTSand ferrous ion assays. Fatty acids and phenolic compounds were identified, respectively, by gas and liquid chromatography. Results showed that grape pomace is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids and phenolic compounds. Cabernet Sauvignon pomace revealed higher values of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids and total monomeric anthocyanin, and presented the lowest value ofEC50, and thus a higher antioxidant activity among the samples analysed.
Improved soybean oil quality by targeted mutagenesis of the fatty acid desaturase 2 gene family
Authors: Haun William , Coffman Andrew , Clasen Benjamin M. , Demorest Zachary L. , Lowy Anita , Ray Erin , Retterath Adam , Stoddard Thomas , Juillerat Alexandre , Cedrone Frederic , Mathis Luc , Voytas Daniel F. , Zhang Feng 
Published: May 2014

SummarySoybean oil is high in polyunsaturated fats and is often partially hydrogenated to increase its shelf life and improve oxidative stability. The trans‐fatty acids produced through hydrogenation pose a health threat. Soybean lines that are low in polyunsaturated fats were generated by introducing mutations in two fatty acid desaturase 2 genes (FAD2‐1A and FAD2‐1B), which in the seed convert the monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, to the polyunsaturated fat, linoleic acid. Transcription activator‐like effector nucleases (TALENs) were engineered to recognize and cleave conserved DNA sequences in both genes. In four of 19 transgenic soybean lines expressing the TALENs, mutations in FAD2‐1A and FAD2‐1B were observed in DNA extracted from leaf tissue; three of the four lines transmitted heritable FAD2‐1 mutations to the next generation. The fatty acid profile of the seed was dramatically changed in plants homozygous for mutations in both FAD2‐1A and FAD2‐1B: oleic acid increased from 20% to 80% and linoleic acid decreased from 50% to under 4%. Further, mutant plants were identified that lacked the TALEN transgene and only carried the targeted mutations. The ability to create a valuable trait in a single generation through targeted modification of a gene family demonstrates the power of TALENs for genome engineering and crop improvement.
Transgenic rice as bioreactor for production of the Candida antarctica lipase B
Authors: Yang Ying , Wang Dongfang , Zhang Xianwen , Fang Jun , Shen Zhicheng , Lin Chaoyang 
Published: May 2014

SummaryCandida antarctica lipase B (CALB) is a versatile biocatalyst used for a wide range of biotransformation. Methods for low cost production of this enzyme are highly desirable. Here, we report a mass production method of CALB using transgenic rice seeds as the bioreactor. The transgenic rice transformed with the CALB gene under the control of the promoter of the rice seed storage protein GT1 was found to have accumulated a large quantity of CALB in seeds. The transgenic line with the highest lipolytic activity reached to 85 units per gram of dry seeds. One unit is defined as the amount of lipase necessary to liberate 1 μmol p‐nitrophenol from p‐nitrophenyl butyrate in 1 min. The rice recombinant lipase (rOsCALB) from this line represents 40% of the total soluble proteins in the crude seed extracts. The enzyme purified from the rice seeds had an optimal temperature of 40 °C, and optimal pH of 8.5, similar to that of the fermentation products. Test of its conversion ability as a biocatalyst for biodiesel production suggested that rOsCALB is functionally identical to the fermentation products in its industrial application.
The Mechanisms Influencing Active Arts Participation: An Analysis of the Visual Arts, Music, and the Performing Arts
Authors: Vanherwegen Dries , Lievens John 
Published: May 2014

The aim of this article is to gain insight into the factors correlated with active arts participation. Drawing on the cultural reproduction theory and the cultural mobility model, we assess the relative effects of level of education and art education versus social background and focus on possible interaction effects between them. We thereby query if and to what extent art education programs and parental milieu can account for differences in participation according to level of education. Results based on stepwise logistic regression analyses on representative population data for Flanders (N = 3,146) offer a mixed picture. Although we find clear effects of social background on the odds of active arts participation, net effects of art education prove more substantial. However, the context of art education clearly matters: for most of the art forms considered, only out‐of‐school art education shows net effects, while in‐school art education has no net effects. Furthermore, we find how the effects of level of education on active art participation are equally attributable to parental milieu and to art education programs. Finally, four significant interaction effects are found corroborating the cultural mobility model. Results are discussed in the light of both theorems and routes for further research are suggested.
Complete Genome Sequence of Ureaplasma parvum Serovar 3 Strain SV3F4, Isolated in Japan
Authors: Wu Heng Ning , Nakura Yukiko , Motooka Daisuke , Nakamura Shota , Nishiumi Fumiko , Ishino Saki , Kawai Yasuhiro , Tanaka Tatsuya , Takeuchi Makoto , Nakayama Masahiro , Fujita Tomio , Yanagihara Itaru 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACT

Here, we present the complete genome sequence of
Ureaplasma parvum
serovar 3, clinical strain SV3F4, isolated from a Japanese patient with a history of an infectious abortion.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Nonstarter Bacteriocin-Producing Strain Enterococcus mundtii CRL35
Authors: Bonacina Julieta , Saavedra Lucila , Suárez Nadia E. , Sesma Fernando 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACT

Enterococcus mundtii
CRL35 is a bacteriocinogenic strain isolated from an artisanal cheese of northwestern Argentina. Here we report its draft genome sequence, consisting of 82 contigs.
In silico
genomic analysis of biotechnological properties was performed to determine the potential of this microorganism to be used in a food model system.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Highly Virulent Aeromonas hydrophila AL09-71 Isolated from Diseased Channel Catfish in West Alabama
Authors: Pridgeon Julia W. , Zhang Dunhua , Zhang Lee 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACT

Aeromonas hydrophila
AL09-71 was isolated from diseased channel catfish in west Alabama during a 2009 disease outbreak. The full genome of
A. hydrophila
AL09-71 is 5,023,861 bp. The availability of this genome will allow comparative genomics to identify genes involved in pathogenesis or immunogens for the purpose of vaccine development.
Why women choose to give birth at home: a situational analysis from urban slums of Delhi
Authors: Devasenapathy Niveditha , George Mathew Sunil , Ghosh Jerath Suparna , Singh Archna , Negandhi Himanshu , Alagh Gursimran , Shankar Anuraj H , Zodpey Sanjay 
Published: May 2014

ObjectivesIncreasing institutional births is an important strategy for attaining Millennium Development Goal -5. However, rapid growth of low income and migrant populations in urban settings in low-income and middle-income countries, including India, presents unique challenges for programmes to improve utilisation of institutional care. Better understanding of the factors influencing home or institutional birth among the urban poor is urgently needed to enhance programme impact. To measure the prevalence of home and institutional births in an urban slum population and identify factors influencing these events.DesignCross-sectional survey using quantitative and qualitative methods.SettingUrban poor settlements in Delhi, India.ParticipantsA house-to-house survey was conducted of all households in three slum clusters in north-east Delhi (n=32 034 individuals). Data on birthing place and sociodemographic characteristics were collected using structured questionnaires (n=6092 households). Detailed information on pregnancy and postnatal care was obtained from women who gave birth in the past 3 months (n=160). Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders from the community and healthcare facilities.ResultsOf the 824 women who gave birth in the previous year, 53% (95% CI 49.7 to 56.6) had given birth at home. In adjusted analyses, multiparity, low literacy and migrant status were independently predictive of home births. Fear of hospitals (36%), comfort of home (20.7%) and lack of social support for child care (12.2%) emerged as the primary reasons for home births.ConclusionsHome births are frequent among the urban poor. This study highlights the urgent need for improvements in the quality and hospitality of client services and need for family support as the key modifiable factors affecting over two-thirds of this population. These findings should inform the design of strategies to promote institutional births.
A review of geological origins and relationships in the Ballantrae Complex, SW Scotland
Authors: Stone Philip 
Published: May 2014

Synopsis
A substantial history of research has established the Ballantrae Complex as an ophiolite assemblage, generated within the Iapetus Ocean and accreted at the margin of Laurentia as that ocean began to close. Radiometric dates and graptolite biostratigraphy provide an age range from Neoproterozoic (rarely and questionably) to Early Ordovician (commonly and securely). Components of the complex formed in a range of oceanic environments: within-plate oceanic islands, island arcs and back-arc spreading zones. Overall, the various lines of evidence point to an early Arenig marginal basin, incorporating some older elements, which was tectonically disrupted and compressed during an obduction event driven by arc–continent collision. Despite the general consensus as to the age and origin of the complex there remain areas of uncertainty. It is highly probable that some components of the complex that are now structurally juxtaposed originated at a considerable distance from each other both horizontally and vertically. Further, the sporadic presence of high-grade metamorphic rocks – notably blueschists – suggests a complicated and probably polyphase structural history, whilst the relative importance of serpentinite diapirism versus compressional and strike-slip tectonics remains unresolved. In terms of regional structure, the complex appears to occupy a steeply inclined fault zone, separating the Midland Valley from the Southern Uplands terrane to the south, to a depth of several kilometres. This situation questions the concept of the complex as the vestige of an ophiolite sheet obducted on to the Midland Valley basement.
Large-scale Quaternary movements of the Beinn na Leac Fault Block, SE Raasay, Inner Hebrides
Authors: Morton Nicol 
Published: May 2014

Synopsis
The geological map of the southeastern part of Raasay is revised in this paper, with important consequences for the interpretation of the geological structure and history. The strike and dip of the Eyre area to the south are in line with those of the Rudha na Leac–Hallaig area to the north, indicating structural continuity as part of the main southern Raasay tilted fault block. The arcuate fault bounding the Beinn na Leac block extends further south than is shown on previous maps, with a newly recognized part extending from east of the upper part of the Allt Fearns to South Fearns, bounded by the arcuate extension of the main fault. This southern part is extensively overlain by undisturbed Devensian sediments and Pre-Devensian movements are estimated at 173  m. The northern block, forming the hill and cliffs of Beinn na Leac, is not overlain by Devensian deposits and has topographic features, including a detached scree slope, showing clear evidence of later, at least partly post-glacial, movements. The renewed movements, separating it from the southern block, resulted in further movements estimated as at least 165 m, possibly even more further north in the sector, where a total of over 450 m displacement is estimated. The Beinn na Leac Faults are not related to the major NE–SW faults in the Inner Hebrides that define the westerly-tilted fault blocks, including southern Raasay, and dated approximately to the Early Cretaceous. The Beinn na Leac Faults are interpreted as Quaternary listric faults, reflecting the collapse of the scarp of westerly tilted strata into an overdeepened trough east of Raasay formed by repeated glacial erosion. The southern section of the faulted mass was blocked from further movement by thick Devensian deposits offshore filling the southern part of the trough. The Beinn na Leac blocks differ from landslips because they remained coherent and there is no evidence of rotation.
What laboratory-induced dissolution trends tell us about natural diagenetic trends of carbonate rocks
Authors: Vanorio Tiziana , Ebert Yael , Grombacher Denys 
Published: May 2014

Abstract
The pivotal idea of this study is to unravel the processes that control heterogeneity in the attributes of the pore space in carbonate rocks (i.e. stiffness, connectivity and tortuosity), and, in turn, in the transport and elastic properties. We use starting rocks of variable fabric (i.e. a depositional-dependent microstructure) to induce a specific process (e.g. chemical dissolution under stress) and then observe the development of the microstructure, permeability, porosity and velocity due to the induced chemomechanical processes.
We find that the changes in the two end members of the analysed rock types (mudstones and packstones) can lead to two different evolutionary trends of permeability and velocity, depending on the effectiveness of dissolution with respect to compaction. The balance between the two depends on: (a) the fraction of the carbonate phases characterized by large surface area; and (b) the pore stiffness of the rock. Packstones are characterized by low pore stiffness and compact significantly upon dissolution. This behaviour leads to a decrease in velocity because of a reduction in the stiffness at the grain contacts and a slight increase in permeability. The latter is curbed by the ongoing compaction. Mudstones are characterized by higher pore stiffness, experiencing minimal or negligible compaction. This behaviour leads to a slight change in porosity and velocity. However, large permeability changes are observed, related to enhanced connectivity or decreased tortuosity of the pathways.
NDY1/KDM2B Functions as a Master Regulator of Polycomb Complexes and Controls Self-Renewal of Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Kottakis Filippos , Foltopoulou Parthena , Sanidas Ioannis , Keller Patricia , Wronski Ania , Dake Benjamin T. , Ezell Scott A. , Shen Zhu , Naber Stephen P. , Hinds Philip W. , McNiel Elizabeth , Kuperwasser Charlotte , Tsichlis Philip N. 
Published: May 2014

Abstract
The JmjC domain histone H3K36me2/me1 demethylase NDY1/KDM2B is overexpressed in various types of cancer. Here we show that knocking down NDY1 in a set of 10 cell lines derived from a broad range of human tumors inhibited their anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth by inducing senescence and/or apoptosis in some and by inhibiting G1 progression in all. We further show that the knockdown of NDY1 in mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines decreased the number, size, and replating efficiency of mammospheres and downregulated the stem cell markers ALDH and CD44, while upregulating CD24. Together, these findings suggest that NDY1 is required for the self-renewal of cancer stem cells and are in agreement with additional findings showing that tumor cells in which NDY1 was knocked down undergo differentiation and a higher number of them is required to induce mammary adenocarcinomas, upon orthotopic injection in animals. Mechanistically, NDY1 functions as a master regulator of a set of miRNAs that target several members of the polycomb complexes PRC1 and PRC2, and its knockdown results in the de-repression of these miRNAs and the downregulation of their polycomb targets. Consistent with these observations, NDY1/KDM2B is expressed at higher levels in basal-like triple-negative breast cancers, and its overexpression is associated with higher rates of relapse after treatment. In addition, NDY1-regulated miRNAs are downregulated in both normal and cancer mammary stem cells. Finally, in primary human breast cancer, NDY1/KDM2B expression correlates negatively with the expression of the NDY1-regulated miRNAs and positively with the expression of their PRC targets. Cancer Res; 74(14); 3935–46. ©2014 AACR.
Polymerase δ-Interacting Protein 2 Promotes Postischemic Neovascularization of the Mouse Hindlimb
Authors: Amanso Angélica M. , Lassègue Bernard , Joseph Giji , Landázuri Natalia , Long James S. , Weiss Daiana , Taylor W. Robert , Griendling Kathy K. 
Published: May 2014

Objective—
Collateral vessel formation can functionally compensate for obstructive vascular lesions in patients with atherosclerosis. Neovascularization processes are triggered by fluid shear stress, hypoxia, growth factors, chemokines, proteases, and inflammation, as well as reactive oxygen species, in response to ischemia. Polymerase δ-interacting protein 2 (Poldip2) is a multifunctional protein that regulates focal adhesion turnover and vascular smooth muscle cell migration and modifies extracellular matrix composition. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that loss of Poldip2 impairs collateral formation.

Approach and Results—

The mouse hindlimb ischemia model has been used to understand mechanisms involved in postnatal blood vessel formation. Poldip2
+/−
mice were subjected to femoral artery excision, and functional and morphological analysis of blood vessel formation was performed after injury. Heterozygous deletion of Poldip2 decreased the blood flow recovery and spontaneous running activity at 21 days after injury. H
2
O
2
production, as well as the activity of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9, was reduced in these animals compared with Poldip2
+/+
mice. Infiltration of macrophages in the peri-injury muscle was also decreased; however, macrophage phenotype was similar between genotypes. In addition, the formation of capillaries and arterioles was impaired, as was angiogenesis, in agreement with a decrease in proliferation observed in endothelial cells treated with small interfering RNA against Poldip2. Finally, regression of newly formed vessels and apoptosis was more pronounced in Poldip2
+/−
mice.

Conclusions—
Together, these results suggest that Poldip2 promotes ischemia-induced collateral vessel formation via multiple mechanisms that likely involve reactive oxygen species–dependent activation of matrix metalloproteinase activity, as well as enhanced vascular cell growth and survival.