bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gene and cell‐mediated therapies for muscular dystrophy
Authors: Konieczny Patryk , Swiderski Kristy , Chamberlain Jeffrey S. 
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACTDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating muscle disorder that affects 1 in 3,500 boys. Despite years of research and considerable progress in understanding the molecular mechanism of the disease and advancement of therapeutic approaches, there is no cure for DMD. The current treatment options are limited to physiotherapy and corticosteroids, and although they provide a substantial improvement in affected children, they only slow the course of the disorder. On a more optimistic note, more recent approaches either significantly alleviate or eliminate muscular dystrophy in murine and canine models of DMD and importantly, many of them are being tested in early phase human clinical trials. This review summarizes advancements that have been made in viral and nonviral gene therapy as well as stem cell therapy for DMD with a focus on the replacement and repair of the affected dystrophin gene. Muscle Nerve 47: 649–663, 2013
Numerical modeling and optimization of wastewater treatment using porous polymeric membranes
Authors: Rezakazemi Mashallah , Ghafarinazari Ali , Shirazian Saeed , Khoshsima Ali 
Published: November 2012

AbstractA new modeling approach was developed for prediction of ammonia removal from water by means of porous membranes. The model was based on adaptive neuro‐fuzzy interface system (ANFIS) to simulate ammonia stripping from water by means of hollow‐fiber membrane contactors. The predictions aimed to obtain optimum conditions for ammonia stripping using the Taguchi method. The initial concentrations of ammonia, pH of the ammonia solution, velocity of the feed, and the presence of excess ions in the ammonia feed solution were considered as the input properties. On the other hand, mass transfer coefficient was considered as output. The prediction results revealed that the pH of the ammonia feed has a significant effect on the separation of ammonia from water. The results also showed that the prediction of ANFIS model and experimental data match well and that the model can be used for prediction of porous membranes. Furthermore, simulated annealing was also used to determine controllable conditions to find the highest mass transfer coefficient. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Explicit and implicit multi‐center integrations
Authors: Koch Wolfhard H. G. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractWe present truncated expansions of multicenter one‐electron nuclear attraction and two‐electron repulsion integrals over localized basis functions in terms of one‐ and two‐center integrals of “Coulomb,” “exchange,” and “hybrid” type. Two variants are discussed: the “Explicit Multi‐center Integrations” and the “Implicit Multi‐Center Integrations” (abbreviated as “EMCI” and “IMCI”, respectively). While EMCI also deals with individual integrals, the IMCI option is the more appealing one: it enables us to evaluate the entire matrix elements of “Restricted Hartree–Fock”‐type in a very effective and chemically meaningful way. Due to the diatomic nature of our expansions, integrations over “Slater‐Type Orbitals” become well‐feasible, too. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the relation between surface roughness of metallic substrates and adhesion of human primary bone cells
Authors: Anselme K. , Bigerelle M. 
Published: November 2012

SummarySurface characteristics of materials, whether their topography, chemistry, or surface energy, play an essential part in osteoblast adhesion on biomaterials. Thus, the quality of cell adhesion will influence the cell's capacity to proliferate and differentiate in contact with a biomaterial. We have developed for more than ten years numerous studies on the influence of topography and chemistry of metallic substrates on the response of primary human bone cells. The originality of our approach is that contrary to most of other authors, we quantified the adhesion of primary human bone cells on metallic substrates with perfectly characterized surface topography after some hours but also over 21 days. Moreover, we have developed original statistical approaches for characterizing the relation between surface roughness and cell‐adhesion parameters. In this article, we will illustrate different studies we did these last ten years concerning the development of a new adhesion parameter, the adhesion power; the correlation between short‐term adhesion, long‐term adhesion, and proliferation; the influence of roughness organization on cell adhesion and the development of the order parameter; our modeling approach of cell adhesion on surface topography; the relative influence of surface chemistry and topography on cell adhesion and contact angle; the relation between surface features dimensions and cell adhesion. Further, some considerations will be given on the methods for scanning surface topography for cell‐adhesion studies. Finally, perspectives will be given to elucidate these intracellular mechanotransduction mechanisms induced by the deformation of cells on model sinusoidal peaks‐or‐valleys surfaces. SCANNING 36:11–20, 2014. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Utility of improvised video‐camera collars for collecting contact data from white‐tailed deer: Possibilities in disease transmission studies
Authors: Lavelle Michael J. , Hygnstrom Scott E. , Hildreth Aaron M. , Campbell Tyler A. , Long David B. , Hewitt David G. , Beringer Jeff , VerCauteren Kurt C. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractRapidly evolving electronic technology enables wildlife researchers to collect previously unobtainable data. To explore possibilities of using deer‐borne cameras (DBCs) to collect behavioral data from an animal's point of view, we constructed DBCs and deployed them on 26 adult male white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) within a closed population (405‐ha fenced area) in southern Texas just prior to the breeding season during autumn 2010. Our DBCs consisted of global positioning system collars with attached motion‐activated trail cameras. We obtained 21,474 video clips from 17 functional DBCs over a period of 14 days. Individual‐based data are invaluable in disease and population modeling; therefore, we confirmed the identify of 37 individual deer in field of view of DBCs based on ear tags, collar numbers, and antler characteristics (e.g., point counts, relative mass, tine length). Additionally, we recorded 85 contacts, including 36 with identifiable deer, involving breeding (n = 1), sparring (n = 63), grooming (n = 5), and muzzle contact (n = 16). Our results demonstrate the value of using DBCs to record direct contacts and associated behaviors and even to enable estimation of contact rates, thus improving the understanding of the potential for transmission of disease pathogens. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Responses of white‐tailed deer and northern bobwhite food plants to a gradient of stand‐establishment intensities in pocosin pine plantations
Authors: Marsh Graham M. , Lane Vanessa R. , Miller Karl V. , Castleberry Steven B. , Miller Darren A. , Wigley T. Bently 
Published: November 2012

AbstractLoblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations are established using various treatments to manage competing vegetation and increase pine production. Although young pine plantations historically supported early successional vegetation communities that contained abundant wildlife forage, increasing intensity of stand‐establishment treatments, particularly herbicides, has caused concern regarding potential effects on composition, availability, and quality of wildlife forage within young pine plantations. Few long‐term studies have described relationships between intensity of site preparation and effects on important forage plants for 2 economically and ecologically important game species: white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). Therefore, we examined effects of 6 treatments of increasing stand‐establishment intensity via combinations of mechanical and chemical site preparation with herbaceous weed‐control on deer and bobwhite food plants from 1 year to 8 years after site preparation in loblolly pine plantations (n = 6) within pocosins in the Lower Coastal Plain of North Carolina, USA, during summers of 2002–2005, 2007–2009. Although woody and vine forage plants for deer and quail were common on all treatments, chemical site preparation resulted in long‐term decreases (approx. 50% for 8 yr) in coverage of these plants. Type of mechanical site preparation–spacing and herbaceous weed‐control had few effects on woody and herbaceous deer and quail food plants. Dissimilar from research in other regions, reduction in woody cover did not provide a concurrent increase in herbaceous food plants. Because of relatively poor forage quality in pocosin habitats, vegetation management practices may reduce deer and quail food quantity without increasing quality. However, because abundance of low‐quality forage is high in pocosin habitats, localized forage reductions due to site‐preparation techniques may not affect overall carrying capacity in these areas. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Evaluation of hair cortisol concentration as a biomarker of long‐term stress in free‐ranging polar bears
Authors: Macbeth Bryan J. , Cattet Marc R. L. , Obbard Martyn E. , Middel Kevin , Janz David M. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractLong‐term physiological stress in individual animals may be an important mechanism linking ecological change with impaired wildlife population health. In the Southern Hudson Bay (SH) subpopulation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus), increasing stress associated with climate warming may be related to declining body condition. Accordingly, the development of tools to assess long‐term stress in this species may prove invaluable for conservation efforts in this threatened population. The measurement of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has shown promise as a potential biomarker of long‐term stress in free‐ranging bears. However, to serve as a useful management tool, factors influencing HCC in polar bears must be identified and then revealed to establish linkages between environmental conditions and the fitness of individual animals. We determined HCC (median = 0.48 pg/mg [range = 0.16–2.26 pg/mg]) in 185 polar bears captured in southern Hudson Bay from 2007 to 2009. HCC was influenced by sex, family group status, and capture period but not by body region or hair type. Using models developed through a combination of hypothesis testing and information theory, we also determined that HCC was negatively associated with growth indices (length, mass, and body condition index) linked to fitness in polar bears. Additional research will be required across several polar bear populations to establish the utility of HCC as a tool for polar bear conservation. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
On reversing the northern bobwhite population decline: 20 years later
Authors: Hernández Fidel , Brennan Leonard A. , DeMaso Stephen J. , Sands Joseph P. , Wester David B. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) decline has become a cause célébre of wildlife conservation during the past 2 decades. With few exceptions, current broad‐scale population trends show ongoing erosion in bobwhite numbers across most of the species' range. The causes of these declines are ultimate factors exacerbated by certain proximate factors. Ultimate factors are centered on the loss and fragmentation of habitat. Proximate factors such as predation and disease also may be present. The impacts of some factors, such as climate change, remain unknown but may influence bobwhite population trajectories over the long term. Progress has occurred in bobwhite conservation efforts since 1990 and has culminated in the formation of the National Bobwhite Technical Committee and the publication of the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. The vast majority of prevailing agricultural, forestry, and to some extent rangeland land uses in the United States continue as threats to bobwhite population persistence in the foreseeable future. Land‐use patterns that once sustained widespread abundance of northern bobwhite during the early 20th century clearly are past and likely never to return. Landscape features that sustain and elevate northern bobwhite populations will only be maintained as a function of purposeful management actions directed at saving and creating usable space. © The Wildlife Society, 2012
Effects of landscape‐scale forest change on the range contraction of ruffed grouse in New York State, USA
Authors: Porter William F. , Jarzyna Marta A. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractIn New York State, USA, the abundance of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) has declined >75% since the 1960s. We hypothesized that range contraction of grouse in New York State was associated with broad‐scale spatial patterns relating to forest maturation and that these patterns would be evident at the landscape scale. We evaluated data available from New York Breeding Bird Atlases conducted in the early 1980s and again in the early 2000s, which included surveys of >5,000, 25‐km2 sample blocks across a landscape of 125,384 km2. We related detection and non‐detection of grouse within Breeding Bird Atlas blocks to forest amount, landscape configuration, and presence of neighboring grouse populations via autologistic regression. Loss of early successional forest was inversely related to the continued persistence of grouse (R2 = 0.61). Models showed that ruffed grouse were no longer detected in marginal areas of their distribution, blocks with low amounts of forest, and blocks with landscape configurations potentially advantageous to nest predators. We conclude that declines in both habitat quality and quantity have contributed to range contraction within New York State and that the factors affecting grouse populations have acted at broader spatial scales than are typically considered in habitat evaluation. Our work demonstrates that large landscape‐scale data sets are valuable in assessing changes in distribution and abundance of wildlife populations. Landscape analyses at large geographic scales (>100,000 km2) are of particular importance to managers because they represent ways of quantifying the influence of economic incentives and land‐use policy on habitats across large regions. © The Wildlife Society, 2012
Use of citizen advisory committees to direct deer management in Pennsylvania
Authors: Fleegle Jeannine T. , Rosenberry Christopher S. , Wallingford Bret D. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractEffective deer management must consider diverse stakeholder values. From 2006 to 2011, the Pennsylvania (USA) Game Commission implemented citizen advisory committees (CACs) to measure deer–human conflicts and tolerance for deer populations in each wildlife management unit. There was a general lack of public interest in participating in CACs. Key stakeholder groups were often absent and CACs exhibited a strong hunter bias. Although the CAC process seemed to benefit those involved, the scope was limited and likely did not represent the values and attitudes of the entire citizenry within the wildlife management unit. As a result of this CAC experience, the Pennsylvania Game Commission moved to a citizen survey in 2011 to ensure all interests are represented as the future success of deer management depends on greater understanding of the values and attitudes of every stakeholder. © The Wildlife Society, 2012
Mutations in the N‐terminal region of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe glutathione transporter pgt1+ allows functional expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Thakur Anil , Bachhawat Anand K. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractPgt1p encodes a glutathione transporter in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, orthologous to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae glutathione transporter, Hgt1p. Despite high similarity to Hgt1p, Pgt1p failed to display functionality during heterologous expression in S. cerevisiae. In the present study we employed a genetic strategy to investigate the reason behind the non‐functionality of pgt1+ in S. cerevisiae. Functional mutants were isolated after in vitro mutagenesis. Several mutants were obtained and four mutants analysed. Among these, three yielded different point mutations in the N‐terminal region (301–350 bp) of the transporter before the first transmembrane domain, while one mutant contained a deletion of 42 nucleotides within the same region. The mutant pgt1+ proteins not only expressed and localized correctly, but displayed high‐affinity glutathione transport capabilities in S. cerevisae. Comparison of wild‐type pgt1+ with the functional mutants revealed that a loss in protein expression was responsible for lack of functionality of wild‐type pgt1+ in S. cerevisiae. The mRNA levels in wild‐type and mutants were comparable, suggesting that the block was in translation. The formation of a strong stem–loop structure appeared to be responsible for inefficient translation in pgt1+ and disruption of these structures in the mutants was probably permitting translation. This was confirmed by making silent mutations in this region of wild‐type pgt1+, which led to their functionality in S. cerevisiae. This genetic strategy to relieve functional blocks in expression should greatly facilitate the study of these and other transporters from more intractable genetic organisms in a heterologous expression system. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Splenic Artery Switch for Revascularization of the Liver: A Salvage Procedure for Inflammatory Arterial Hemorrhage
Authors: Kröpil F. , Schauer M. , Krausch M. , Kröpil P. , Topp S. A. , Raffel A. M. , Eisenberger C. F. , Knoefel Wolfram T. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBackgroundHemorrhage caused by inflammatory vessel erosion represents a life‐threatening complication after upper abdominal surgery such as pancreatic head resection. The gold standard therapeutic choice is an endovascular minimally invasive technique such as embolization or stent placement. Hepatic arterial hemorrhage in presence of pancreatitis and peritonitis is a particular challenge is if a standard therapeutic option is not possible.MethodsThe management of five patients with massive bleeding from the common hepatic artery is described. All patients underwent a splenic artery switch. The splenic artery was dissected close to the splenic hilum and transposed end‐to‐end to the common hepatic artery after resection of the eroded part. Patients’ medical records, radiology reports, and images were reviewed retrospectively. Technical success was defined as immediate cessation of hemorrhage and preserved liver vascularization. Clinical success was defined as hemodynamic stability and adequate long‐term liver function.ResultsTotal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed in four of the five cases. Hemodynamic stability and good liver perfusion was achieved in these patients.ConclusionsSplenic artery switch is an effective, safe procedure for revascularization of the liver in case of hepatic arterial hemorrhage following pancreatic surgery, pancreatitis, and/or peritonitis. The technique is a promising option if a standard procedure—e.g., stent implantation, embolization and surgical repair with alloplastic prosthesis or autologous venous interposition graft—is not possible.
Termination of atrial fibrillation by ablation of high‐dominant frequency sites adjacent to epicardial adipose tissue
Authors: Nagashima Koichi , Nakahara Shiro , Okumura Yasuo , Mano Hiroaki , Sonoda Kazumasa , Kogawa Rikitake , Sasaki Naoko , Takayanagi Kan , Watanabe Ichiro , Hirayama Atsushi 
Published: November 2012

AbstractWe report an interesting case in which atrial fibrillation (AF) was terminated during ablation of high‐dominant frequency (DF) sites covered with epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). High‐DF sites are known to be related to the center of focal‐firing rotors or local reentry circuits. Therefore, this phenomenon suggests that EAT may be related to the development of dominant rotors maintaining AF.
A Pliocene age and origin for the strandflat of the Western Isles of Scotland: a speculative hypothesis
Authors: DAWSON ALASTAIR G. , DAWSON SUE , COOPER J. ANDREW G. , GEMMELL ALASTAIR , BATES RICHARD 
Published: November 2012

AbstractA series of very wide (up to 15 km) raised shore platforms in the Scottish Hebrides are identified and described for the first time and are considered part of a high rock platform shoreline in the western isles of Scotland described by W. B. Wright in his classic Geological Magazine paper a century ago as a ‘preglacial’ feature. Subsequent interpretations suggesting that the platforms were produced during the Pleistocene are rejected here in favour of a speculative hypothesis that the features are part of the well-known strandflat that is extensively developed across large areas of the northern hemisphere. It is argued that the Scottish strandflat developed during the Pliocene and was later subjected to extensive Pleistocene glacial erosion such that only a few areas of platform have survived in the Scottish Inner Hebrides (ice-proximal) while they are well-preserved in the Outer Hebrides (ice-distal). Support for a Pliocene hypothesis is provided by the marine oxygen isotope record for this time interval which points to prolonged periods of relative sea level stability as would be required for the production of such wide features. This hypothesis for the formation of a Scottish strandflat not only provides an elegant explanation for the origin and age of the raised rock platform fragments that occur throughout the western isles of Scotland, but it may also have relevance for other coastal areas of the northern hemisphere (e.g. Norway, Greenland, Alaska) where the strandflat is a well-developed feature.
The Practice of Autonomy in the Age of Neoliberalism: Strategies from Indigenous Women's Organising in Mexico
Authors: BLACKWELL MAYLEI 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBridging the ways in which scholars have looked at the co-option of both gender and cultural rights through neoliberal governance in Latin America, this article will examine how gender has been utilised by the state as a discourse of governmentality in order to regulate indigenous subjects. Moreover, the article will explore how indigenous women activists in Mexico are creating apracticeof autonomy as a vital strategy to move beyond rights discourse and challenge the ways in which neoliberal states have selectively co-opted social movement demands. Through their grassroots forms of consultation, indigenous women activists shift the concept of autonomy as a right granted by the state to a practice of decolonisation that is part of everyday life and community sociality.
Dust-ion-acoustic nonlinear waves in a dusty electronegative plasma with vortex-like negative ions
Authors: ROY N. , DUHA S. S. , MAMUN A. A. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe basic features of the nonlinear waves, which are associated with positive ion dynamics and dust charge fluctuation, have been investigated by employing the reductive perturbation method in a dusty electronegative plasma containing Boltzmann electrons, vortex-like negative ions, mobile positive ions, and charge fluctuating stationary dust (negatively charged). It has been observed that the basic features of the nonlinear waves (viz. amplitude, width, speed, etc.) in the plasma system under consideration have been significantly modified by the trapping parameter (introduced for vortex-like distribution of negative ions). The implications of the results (obtained from this investigation) in space and laboratory experiments have been briefly discussed.