bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chronic exercise normalizes changes in Cav1.2 and KCa1.1 channels in mesenteric arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Shi Lijun , Zhang Hanmeng , Chen Yu , Liu Yujia , Lu Ni , Zhao Tengteng , Zhang Lubo 
Published: December 2014

Background and PurposeRegular physical activity is an effective non‐pharmacological therapy for prevention and control of hypertension. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Accumulating evidence shows that the elevated vascular tone in hypertension is a consequence of the ‘ion channel remodelling’ that occurs during sustained high BP. The present study investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on the electrical remodelling of L‐type Ca2+ (Cav1.2) and large‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ (KCa1.1) channels in mesenteric arteries (MAs) from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).Experimental ApproachSHRs and normotensive (Wistar‐Kyoto) rats were subjected to aerobic training or kept sedentary, and vascular mechanical and functional properties were evaluated.Key ResultsExercise did not affect the heart weight, but reduced the heart rate and body weight in SHR. In mesenteric arterial myocytes, exercise normalized the increased Cav1.2 and KCa1.1 current density in SHRs. Exercise also ameliorated the increased open probability and mean open time of the single KCa1.1 channel in hypertension. The isometric contraction study revealed that both nifedipine (Cav1.2 channel blocker) and NS11021 (KCa1.1 channel activator) induced concentration‐dependent vasorelaxation in MAs precontracted with noradrenaline. Exercise normalized the increased sensitivity of tissues to nifedipine and NS11021 in SHR. Furthermore, protein expression of the Cav1.2 α1C‐subunit together with the KCa1.1 α‐ and β1‐subunit was significantly increased in SHRs; and exercise ameliorated these molecular alterations in hypertension.Conclusions and ImplicationsChronic exercise reduces BP and restores vascular function in MAs from SHR, which might be related to the correction of the Cav1.2 and KCa1.1 channel remodelling during hypertension.
Prognostic significance of promyelocytic leukemia expression in gastrointestinal stromal tumor; integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analysis
Authors: Ichikawa Hiroshi , Yoshida Akihiko , Kanda Tatsuo , Kosugi Shin‐ichi , Ishikawa Takashi , Hanyu Takaaki , Taguchi Takahiro , Sakumoto Marimu , Katai Hitoshi , Kawai Akira , Wakai Toshifumi , Kondo Tadashi 
Published: December 2014

Prognostic markers are urgently needed to optimize the postoperative treatment strategies for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). GIST of the small intestine (I‐GIST) show more aggressive behavior than those of the stomach (S‐GIST), and the molecular background of the malignancy in I‐GIST may include potential prognostic biomarkers. We conducted integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analysis to identify genes showing differential expressions according to the tumor site. We generated protein expression profiles for four cases each of surgically resected I‐GIST and S‐GIST using label‐free proteomic analysis. For proteins showing differential expressions, globalmRNAexpression was compared between 9 I‐GIST and 23 S‐GIST. Among the 2555 genes analyzed, we found that promyelocytic leukemia (PML), a tumor suppressor gene, was significantly downregulated in I‐GIST at both the protein andmRNAlevels (P < 0.01; fold difference ≥2.0). Immunohistochemistry of 254 additional cases from multiple clinical facilities showed that PML‐negative cases were significantly frequent in the I‐GIST group (P < 0.001). The 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate was significantly lower in the PML‐negative than in the PML‐positive cases (60.1%vs91.7%;P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that downregulation of PML was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 2.739;P = 0.001). Our study indicated that prognostication based on PML expression may have potential for optimizing the treatment strategy for GIST patients. Further validation studies of PML for clinical application, and investigation for the mechanistic significance of PML to clarify the molecular backgrounds of malignancy in GIST are warranted.
Identification of Nucleoside Analogs as Inducers of Neuronal Differentiation in a Human Reporter Cell Line and Adult Stem Cells
Authors: Raasch Katharina , Malecki Edith , Siemann Maria , Martinez Malayko M. , Heinisch Jürgen J. , Müller Janine , Bakota Lidia , Kaltschmidt Christian , Kaltschmidt Barbara , Rosemeyer Helmut , Brandt Roland 
Published: December 2014

Nucleoside analogs (NSAs) were among the first chemotherapeutic agents and could also be useful for the manipulation of cell fate. To investigate the potential of NSAs for the induction of neuronal differentiation, we developed a novel phenotypic assay based on a human neuron‐committed teratocarcinoma cell line (NT2) as a model for neuronal progenitors and constructed a NT2‐based reporter cell line that expressed eGFP under the control of a neuron‐specific promoter. We tested 38 structurally related NSAs and determined their activity to induce neuronal differentiation by immunocytochemistry of neuronal marker proteins, live cell imaging, fluorometric detection and immunoblot analysis. We identified twelve NSAs, which induced neuronal differentiation to different extents. NSAs with highest activity carried a halogen substituent at their pyrimidine nucleobase and an unmodified or 2′‐O‐methyl substituted 2‐deoxy‐β‐D‐ribofuranosyl residue as glyconic moiety. Cladribine, a purine nucleoside with similar structural features and in use to treat leukemia and multiple sclerosis, induced also differentiation of adult human neural crest‐derived stem cells. Our results suggest that NSAs could be useful for the manipulation of neuronal cell fate in cell replacement therapy or treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. The data on the structure and function relationship will help to design compounds with increased activity and low toxicity.
Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Molecular Docking of Novel Benzopyran and Phenylpyrazole Derivatives as Akt Inhibitors
Authors: Zhan Wenhu , Lin Sendong , Chen Jing , Dong Xiaowu , Chu Jianbo , Du Wenting 
Published: December 2014

By inspiration of good Akt1 inhibitory and cytotoxic activity of our previously screened hits 1 and 2, a series of novel benzopyrans 3a–c, 4 and phenylpyrazoles 5a–c, 6a–b, and 7 were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated for their in vitro Akt1 inhibitory and cytotoxic activity. The results revealed that all of these compounds showed moderate‐to‐excellent antiproliferative effects against the tested cancer cell lines (i.e. HL‐60, OVCAR, PC‐3, and HepG2). Among them, compounds 3a and 3c exhibited preferable Akt1 inhibitory activities (IC50 of 3a and 3c are 6.18 and 5.28 μm, respectively), while compounds 4, 5a–c, 6a–b, and 7 only showed weak Akt1 inhibitory activities. Consequently, we used molecular docking and dynamic simulation to propose a mode of binding between Akt1 and the 3c compound.
Dental caries development among African American children: results from a 4‐year longitudinal study
Authors: Lim Sungwoo , Tellez Marisol , Ismail Amid I. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo examine dental caries development and caries risk factors among preschool African American children from low‐income families in Detroit, Michigan, over a 4‐year window.MethodsData came from a representative sample of 1021 children (0–5 years) and their caregivers in Detroit. The baseline participants in 2002–2003 (W1) were re‐examined in 2004–2005 (W2) and 2007 (W3). Caries was measured using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System. Bivariate and multivariate analyses for repeated data were conducted to explore associations between caries increment outcomes and demographics, access to dental care, oral health‐related behaviours, and social and physical environments.ResultsThe mean number of new noncavitated caries lesions (NCCL) was 2.8 between W1 and W2 and 2.6 between W2 and W3, while the mean number of new cavitated caries lesions (CCL) was 2.0 and 2.0, respectively, during the same time periods. In younger children (<3 years old in W1), higher number of newNCCLthan newCCLwas observed in both W1–W2 and W2–W3. The risk of newNCCLwas associated with child's soda intake and caregiver's age. For the risk of newCCL, significant risk factors included baselineNCCL, baselineCCL, as well as child's age. Baseline caries and child's soda intake were also associated with the risk of developing new decayed, missing and filled tooth surfaces.ConclusionsHigher number of newNCCLrelative toCCLwas developed among low‐income African American children during early childhood. New caries development was associated with baseline caries and child's soda intake.
Growing an Urban Oasis: A Qualitative Study of the Perceived Benefits of Community Gardening inBaltimore,Maryland
Authors: Poulsen Melissa N. , Hulland Kristyna R. S. , Gulas Carolyn A. , Pham Hieu , Dalglish Sarah L. , Wilkinson Rebecca K. , Winch Peter J. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractCommunity gardening is lauded as an urban planning tool to enhance local food systems while improving degraded urban environments. To understand how best to expand community gardening participation, this study explores the perceived benefits of community gardening inBaltimore,Maryland. In‐depth interviews and focused group interviews with community gardeners revealed that gardens provide benefits at multiple levels, creating an “urban oasis” that provides refuge from urban decay while revitalizing city neighborhoods. At the individual level, gardeners underscored psychological benefits, including pride and a connection with nature. At the neighborhood level, gardeners developed trusting relationships with their neighbors and shared learning experiences. At the community level, gardeners perceived that gardens reclaim city space by cleaning up degraded lots, creating gathering places, and improving the food environment. The variety of perceived benefits that gardens provide to individuals and their communities should be promoted as a tool for developing healthy urban environments.
“They Just Say Organic Food Is Healthier”: Perceptions of Healthy Food among Supermarket Shoppers in Southwest Baltimore
Authors: Rodman Sarah O. , Palmer Anne M. , Zachary Drew A. , Hopkins Laura C. , Surkan Pamela J. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractTo discover how organic food factors into low‐income consumers’ overall understanding of healthy eating, we analyzed 36 in‐depth interviews with adults in Baltimore, Maryland. We asked participants to discuss their understanding of healthy eating. Unprompted, many participants discussed organic food or attributes commonly understood to define organic food. Some participants believed health issues including cancer, weight gain, and allergies can arise from consuming nonorganic foods. Participants expressed that organic competes with other food attributes such as nutrient content in informing their perception of whether a food is healthy. Several voiced concern that nonorganic foods are responsible for weight gain and abnormal development. Our results show that despite limited access, organic is an important factor in some consumers’ understanding of healthy food. Consumers’ perceptions of organic can swamp or compete with other messages about healthy eating. Therefore, consumers’ understanding of organic should be considered in developing diet‐related messages and programs.
NERICA Upland Rice: Seeds of Change for Female‐Headed Households in Uganda?
Authors: Lodin Johanna Bergman , Paulson Susan , Jirström Magnus 
Published: December 2014

AbstractRecognizing that the adoption of new agricultural technology has different effects on different types of households and social actors, this study examines how female‐headed households growing New Rice for Africa (NERICA) upland rice in Hoima District, Uganda, compare with male‐headed NERICA grower households with respect to the production, productivity, and marketing of the crop. We show that NERICA has become an important cash income earner for both household categories, which obtain similar levels of productivity, and identify factors that seem to have helped make it accessible to female‐headed households: the perception of rice not solely as a commercial crop but also a food crop, a ready local market, and good performance without agro‐chemical inputs. In spite of evidence that female‐headed households are constrained by inferior access to land and by lower de facto sales price, we argue that NERICA provides opportunities for these households that may contribute toward more equitable production, productivity, and marketing conditions between female‐ and male‐headed households.
We Are Still Here: Tracing U.S. Agricultural Change through the Kardel Multigenerational Farm
Authors: Kardel Abigail 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThis essay explores the evolution of a specific American family farm in rural Iowa, from 1853 through present. It describes macrolevel economic, structural, and political events during this period and their microlevel effects on the Kardel family farm. Historical sources and interviews with family farm members are used to trace how this working, multigenerational family farm navigated and adapted to national and international events affecting Midwestern U.S. family farming. In so doing, it sheds light on wider trends in agricultural evolution and on factors influencing the prospects for continued survival of U.S. family farming.
Spirits and Exorcism: On the Semiotics of Healing and Recovery
Authors: Alter Joseph S. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractFocusing on the ambiguous and indeterminate relationship between spirit possession and alcoholic spirits, this article shows how biosemiotics provides a way to understand healing and recovery from addiction. The efficacy of treatment for addiction is a spiritual function of social relations anchored in symptomatic diagnosis, rather than in the embodiment of belief as an expression of cultural meaning in ritual forms of treatment. As such, this article offers as critical, semiotic counterpoint to interpretations of ritual efficacy that are based on phenomenology and hermeneutics.
(Re)Working the Program: Gender and Openness in Alcoholics Anonymous
Authors: Kornfield Rachel 
Published: December 2014

AbstractGiven concerns that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) might disempower already disenfranchised groups by focusing attention on self scrutiny and away from social action, this article explores how a cohort of black women members in Chicago portray the role of individual and social forces in their addictions. Despite challenges including histories of sex work and abuse, these women describe themselves as empowered in their recovery efforts and as more successful in AA than their male peers. Their reported success reflects their innovative application of a women‐only meeting. Through this meeting, members develop a practice of “openness” that is in some ways at odds with AA's customary self‐focus, especially as it becomes grounds to exchange stories about social precipitants of addiction and to strategize ways to assert themselves in their relationships. Rather than enacting a pregiven version of AA, these women interpret the program in creative ways that allow them to accomplish a broad set of objectives.
Mitochondrial oxidative stress as a novel therapeutic target to overcome intrinsic drug resistance in melanoma cell subpopulations
Authors: Cierlitza Monika , Chauvistré Heike , Bogeski Ivan , Zhang Xin , Hauschild Axel , Herlyn Meenhard , Schadendorf Dirk , Vogt Thomas , Roesch Alexander 
Published: December 2014

AbstractDespite recent success in melanoma therapy, most patients with metastatic disease still undergo deadly progression. We have identified a novel mechanism of multidrug resistance allowing a small subpopulation of slow‐cycling melanoma cells to survive based on elevated oxidative bioenergy metabolism. In this study, we asked whether such slow‐cycling cells could be eliminated by co‐treatment with the copper‐chelator elesclomol. Elesclomol–copper complexes can cause oxidative stress by disruption of the mitochondrial respiration chain or by indirect non‐mitochondrial induction of reactive oxygen species. We have found that elesclomol effectively kills the slow‐cycling subpopulation and prevents the selective enrichment for slow‐cycling cells, which usually results after monotreatment. We hypothesize that elesclomol could overcome the multidrug resistance of slow‐cycling melanoma cells and prevent tumor repopulation in melanoma patients in future.
Relative food limitation drives geographical clutch size variation inSouthAfrican passerines: a large‐scale test ofAshmole's seasonality hypothesis
Authors: Hořák David , Tószögyová Anna , Storch David 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAimTo separate the effect of overall resource level from the effect of seasonality on avian clutch size to testAshmole's hypothesis that birds have larger clutch sizes in seasonal environments due to high per capita food availability during the breeding season.LocationSouthAfrica andLesotho.MethodsWe used a large‐scale environmental gradient to test the effects of maximum resource availability and resource seasonality (estimated by the normalized difference vegetation index) on clutch size variation among local passerine assemblages (25 km × 25 km grid cells). The importance of maximum resource availability was distinguished from the importance of resource seasonality by using multivariate general additive models and by subsetting the data so that variation in one of these parameters was minimized. Spatial autocorrelation was controlled for by using spatial generalized least squares.ResultsAssemblage mean clutch size showed a hump‐shaped relationship with maximum resource availability but an increase with resource seasonality. When the variation in maximum resource availability was fixed, clutch size increased with increasing seasonality, but it decreased with increasing maximum resource availability when we fixed the variation in seasonality. These results hold for all feeding guilds except granivores, for which we found opposite patterns. The patterns were much less pronounced when family membership was controlled for, indicating that the overall trends are mostly driven by variation between families.Main conclusionsAlthough clutch size can be affected by many factors related to environmental productivity and its variation,Ashmole's hypothesis provides the most parsimonious explanation of the observed patterns: geographical patterns in mean clutch size across bird assemblages seem to be driven by variation of per capita food availability determined by seasonal variation of population density.
The biological efficacy profile of BAX 855, a PEGylated recombinant factor VIII molecule
Authors: Valentino L. A. , Cong L. , Enockson C. , Song X. , Scheiflinger F. , Muchitsch E. M. , Turecek P. L. , Hakobyan N. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryProphylaxis prevents joint and other bleeding episodes in patients with haemophilia A. Development of new factor concentrates with longer circulating half‐lives may encourage patients to start, continue or resume prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to compare the pharmacodynamic effect of a PEGylated full‐length recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) concentrate with that of an unmodified rFVIII concentrate with respect to the duration of prophylactic efficacy in a murine model of haemophilic joint bleeding. Mice were pretreated with BAX 855 or unmodified rFVIII at specified times before right knee puncture to induce haemarthrosis; left knee joints served as controls. Joint bleeding was evaluated using a combination of visual and histological assessments. Administration of a single dose of unmodified rFVIII before joint puncture prevented haemarthrosis in mice up to 24 h, whereas pretreatment with BAX 855 protected the joint from bleeding up to 48 h. This pharmacodynamic study showed prolonged efficacy of BAX 855 compared to ADVATE in a haemophilia A mouse joint bleeding model. This finding supports the possibility of using BAX 855 to increase FVIII trough levels and/or extend the dosing interval in patients with haemophilia A on prophylaxis, which may potentially improve prophylactic efficacy and long‐term adherence.
Investigating an application of speech‐to‐text recognition: a study on visual attention and learning behaviour
Authors: Huang Y‐M. , Liu C‐J. , Shadiev R. , Shen M‐H. , Hwang W‐Y. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractOne major drawback of previous research on speech‐to‐text recognition (STR) is that most findings showing the effectiveness of STR for learning were based upon subjective evidence. Very few studies have used eye‐tracking techniques to investigate visual attention of students on STR‐generated text. Furthermore, not much attention was paid to learning differences, such as learning ability, learning style preferences and gender, to use STR texts. Therefore, this study carried out one experiment. Firstly, participants' visual attention on STR‐generated text was investigated by employing eye‐tracking technique. Secondly, how differently effective STR‐generated texts can be to influence participants' learning achievement was tested. Thirdly, this study compared visual attention and learning behaviour with the different characteristics of participants, such as learning ability, learning style preferences and gender, to use STR‐generated texts. Finally, this study explored students' perceptions regarding usefulness of STR‐generated texts for learning. This paper discusses results, research findings and implications along with conclusions and several suggestions for future development and research.
Osseous resective surgery with and without fibre retention technique in the treatment of shallow intrabony defects: a split‐mouth randomized clinical trial
Authors: Aimetti Mario , Mariani Giulia Maria , Ferrarotti Francesco , Ercoli Elena , Audagna Martina , Bignardi Cristina , Romano Federica 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAimThe aim of this split‐mouth clinical trial was to compare the effectiveness of Apically Positioned Flap with Fibre Retention Osseous Resective Surgery (FibReORS) or Osseous Resective Surgery (ORS) in the treatment of periodontal pockets associated with intrabony defects ≤3 mm at posterior natural teeth.Materials and MethodsTwenty‐six posterior sextants requiring osseous resective surgery were selected in 13 chronic periodontitis patients: 13 sextants were randomly assigned to ORS and 13 to FibReORS. Clinical evaluation of probing depth (PD), gingival recession and clinical attachment level was performed at baseline, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Periapical radiographs were taken prior and after surgical treatment, at 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐up.ResultsOstectomy amounted to 1.0 ± 0.3 mm in the ORS group and to 0.4 ± 0.2 mm in the FibReORS group. At 12‐month examination PD changes did not significantly differ between the experimental groups. ORS group showed significantly (p < 0.001) greater clinical attachment loss (2.2 ± 1.0 mm versus 1.0 ± 0.6 mm), radiographic bone resorption (0.43 ± 0.08 mm versus 0.13 ± 0.09 mm) and post‐operative patient discomfort compared to FibReORS.ConclusionFibReORS resulted in similar PD reduction, but less ostectomy, clinical attachment loss and patient morbidity compared to ORS.