bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Structure and Expression of Propanediol Utilization Microcompartments in Acetonema longum
Authors: Tocheva Elitza I. , Matson Eric G. , Cheng Sarah N. , Chen Wesley G. , Leadbetter Jared R. , Jensen Grant J. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACT

Numerous bacteria assemble proteinaceous microcompartments to isolate certain biochemical reactions within the cytoplasm. The assembly, structure, contents, and functions of these microcompartments are active areas of research. Here we show that the Gram-negative sporulating bacterium
Acetonema longum
synthesizes propanediol utilization (PDU) microcompartments when starved or grown on 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD) or rhamnose. Electron cryotomography of intact cells revealed that PDU microcompartments are highly irregular in shape and size, similar to purified PDU microcompartments from
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium LT2 that were imaged previously. Homology searches identified a 20-gene operon in
A. longum
that contains most of the structural, enzymatic, and regulatory genes thought to be involved in PDU microcompartment assembly and function. Transcriptional data on PduU and PduC, which are major structural and enzymatic proteins, respectively, as well as imaging, indicate that PDU microcompartment synthesis is induced within 24 h of growth on 1,2-PD and after 48 h of growth on rhamnose.
Diversity of O-Antigen Repeat Unit Structures Can Account for the Substantial Sequence Variation of Wzx Translocases
Authors: Hong Yaoqin , Reeves Peter R. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACT

The most common system for synthesis of cell surface polysaccharides is the Wzx/Wzy-dependent pathway, which involves synthesis, on the cytoplasmic face of the cell membrane, of repeat units, which are then translocated to the periplasmic face by a Wzx translocase and then polymerized by Wzy to generate the polysaccharide. One such polysaccharide is O antigen, which is incorporated into lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The O antigen is extremely variable, with over 186 forms in
Escherichia coli
. Wzx proteins are also very diverse, but they have been thought to be specific only for the first sugar of the repeat units. However, recent studies demonstrated examples in which Wzx translocases have considerable preference for their native repeat unit, showing that specificity can extend well beyond the first sugar. These results appear to be in conflict with the early conclusions, but they involved specificity for side branch residues and could be a special case. Here we take six Wzx translocases that were critical in the earlier studies on the importance of the first sugar and assess their ability to translocate the
Escherichia coli
O16 and O111 repeat units. We use gene replacements to optimize maintenance of expression level and show that under these conditions the native translocases are the most effective for their native repeat unit, being, respectively, 64-fold and 4-fold more effective than the next best. We conclude that Wzx translocases are commonly adapted to their native repeat unit, which provides an explanation for the great diversity of
wzx
genes.
Characterization of the Operon Encoding the Holliday Junction Helicase RuvAB from Mycoplasma genitalium and Its Role in
mgpB
and
mgpC
Gene Variation
Authors: Burgos Raul , Totten Patricia A. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACT

Mycoplasma genitalium
is an emerging sexually transmitted pathogen associated with reproductive tract disease in men and women, and it can persist for months to years despite the development of a robust antibody response. Mechanisms that may contribute to persistence
in vivo
include phase and antigenic variation of the MgpB and MgpC adhesins. These processes occur by segmental recombination between discrete variable regions within
mgpB
and
mgpC
and multiple archived donor sequences termed MgPa repeats (MgPars). The molecular factors governing
mgpB
and
mgpC
variation are poorly understood and obscured by the paucity of recombination genes conserved in the
M. genitalium
genome. Recently, we demonstrated the requirement for RecA using a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay developed to measure recombination between the
mgpB
and
mgpC
genes and MgPars. Here, we expand these studies by examining the roles of
M. genitalium
ruvA
and
ruvB
homologs. Deletion of
ruvA
and
ruvB
impaired the ability to generate
mgpB
and
mgpC
phase and sequence variants, and these deficiencies could be complemented with wild-type copies, including the
ruvA
gene from
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
. In contrast,
ruvA
and
ruvB
deletions did not affect the sensitivity to UV irradiation, reinforcing our previous findings that the recombinational repair pathway plays a minor role in
M. genitalium
. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and primer extension analyses also revealed a complex transcriptional organization of the RuvAB system of
M. genitalium
, which is cotranscribed with two novel open reading frames (ORFs) (termed ORF1 and ORF2 herein) conserved only in
M. pneumoniae
. These findings suggest that these novel ORFs may play a role in recombination in these two closely related bacteria.
Multimorbidity in primary care in Portugal (MM-PT): a cross-sectional three-phase observational study protocol
Authors: Prazeres Filipe , Santiago Luiz 
Published: February 2014

IntroductionMultimorbidity is defined as the co-occurrence of more than one chronic disease in one person without assigning an index disease. This rapidly increasing phenomenon markedly influences patients’ overall health, has major implications for effective provision of healthcare services and has a significant economic toll on individuals and society. Since Portugal is a country with a growing ageing population, a better understanding of the role of multimorbidity should be assessed. The aim of this study is to further the knowledge of the epidemiological factors associated with multimorbidity in Portugal, chiefly its prevalence and the health and social implications.Methods and analysisThis study protocol describes a primary care nationwide three-phase study. The first phase is drawn to access the prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity. In the second phase, individual parameters are assessed, such as patients’ health-related quality of life, perceived family support and unmet health needs of patients with multimorbidity. The third and last phase of this study aims to characterise general practitioners’ knowledge, awareness and practices related to multimorbidity management.Ethics and disseminationThe study will be conducted in accordance with the principles expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki. It has full approval from the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, and the Ethics Committee of the Central Health Region of Portugal. Study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.
Factors that affect the uptake of community-based health insurance in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic protocol
Authors: Adebayo Esther F , Ataguba John E , Uthman Olalekan A , Okwundu Charles I , Lamont Kim T , Wiysonge Charles S 
Published: February 2014

IntroductionMany people residing in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are regularly exposed to catastrophic healthcare expenditure. It is therefore pertinent that LMICs should finance their health systems in ways that ensure that their citizens can use needed healthcare services and are protected from potential impoverishment arising from having to pay for services. Ways of financing health systems include government funding, health insurance schemes and out-of-pocket payment. A health insurance scheme refers to pooling of prepaid funds in a way that allows for risks to be shared. The health insurance scheme particularly suitable for the rural poor and the informal sector in LMICs is community-based health insurance (CBHI), that is, insurance schemes operated by organisations other than governments or private for-profit companies. We plan to search for and summarise currently available evidence on factors associated with the uptake of CBHI, as we are not aware of previous systematic reviews that have looked at this important topic.MethodsThis is a protocol for a systematic review of the literature. We will include both quantitative and qualitative studies in this review. Eligible quantitative studies include intervention and observational studies. Qualitative studies to be included are focus group discussions, direct observations, interviews, case studies and ethnography. We will search EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, PsycInfo, Africa-Wide Information, Academic Search Premier, Business Source Premier, WHOLIS, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library for eligible studies available by 31 October 2013, regardless of publication status or language of publication. We will also check reference lists of included studies and proceedings of relevant conferences and contact researchers for eligible studies. Two authors will independently screen the search output, select studies and extract data, resolving discrepancies by consensus and discussion. Qualitative data will be extracted using standardised data extraction tools adapted from the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) qualitative appraisal checklist and put together in a thematic analysis where applicable. We will statistically pool data from quantitative studies in a meta-analysis; but if included quantitative studies differ significantly in study settings, design and/or outcome measures, we will present the findings in a narrative synthesis. This protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (ID=CRD42013006364).DisseminationRecommendations will be made to health policy makers, managers and researchers in LMICs to help inform them on ways to strengthen and increase the uptake of CBHI.
Influence of chronic exercise on carotid atherosclerosis in marathon runners
Authors: Taylor Beth A , Zaleski Amanda L , Capizzi Jeffrey A , Ballard Kevin D , Troyanos Christopher , Baggish Aaron L , D'Hemecourt Pierre A , Dada Marcin R , Thompson Paul D 
Published: February 2014

ObjectivesThe effect of habitual, high-intensity exercise training on the progression of atherosclerosis is unclear. We assessed indices of vascular health (central systolic blood pressure (SBP) and arterial stiffness as well as carotid intima-medial thickness (cIMT)) in addition to cardiovascular risk factors of trained runners versus their untrained spouses or partners to evaluate the impact of exercise on the development of carotid atherosclerosis.Settingfield study at Boston Marathon.Participants42 qualifiers (mean age±SD: 46±13 years, 21 women) for the 2012 Boston Marathon and their sedentary domestic controls (46±12 years, n=21 women).OutcomesWe measured medical and running history, vital signs, anthropometrics, blood lipids, C reactive protein (CRP), 10 years Framingham risk, central arterial stiffness and SBP and cIMT.ResultsMultiple cardiovascular risk factors, including CRP, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, heart rate, body weight and body mass index (all p<0.05), were reduced in the runners. The left and right cIMT, as well as central SBP, were not different between the two groups (all p>0.31) and were associated with age (all r≥0.41; p<0.01) and Framingham risk score (all r≥0.44; p<0.01) independent of exercise group (all p>0.08 for interactions). The amplification of the central pressure waveform (augmentation pressure at heart rate 75 bpm) was also not different between the two groups (p=0.07) but was related to age (p<0.01) and group (p=0.02) in a multiple linear regression model.ConclusionsHabitual endurance exercise improves the cardiovascular risk profile, but does not reduce the magnitude of carotid atherosclerosis associated with age and cardiovascular risk factors.
Better training, Better care: Medical Procedures Training Initiative
Authors: Shafei Rachelle 
Published: February 2014

AbstractTraining in procedures has been identified as the top priority for core medical trainees (GMC trainee survey 2011). Current practice relies on each trainee being lucky enough to encounter each procedure during clinical rotations and during on-calls. Where trainees are not lucky enough, they are entering their registrar years without the skills to efficiently lead the medical ‘on-take’.(1) This can lead to delays in patient diagnosis or treatment. Because a single delay can easily burgeon into a lengthy series of multiple delays, this can lead to an associated prolongation of patient stay.(3)Both confidence and competence in practical procedures can be increased with a procedure bleep system. A dedicated procedure bleep, carried on a rotational basis alerts the bleep holder when a medical procedure is planned. The bleep holder then attends to observe, assist, perform, or teach the relevant procedure.This scheme shares the opportunities for procedure exposure amongst all trainees and ensures that a good breadth of experience has been gained independent of current placement. Formal evaluation revealed that 95% (19/20) of junior trainees felt more confident and competent as a result of participation. Furthermore, consultants felt this initiative reduced the burden on the medical registrars on-call.By ensuring our diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are conducted efficiently, we are actively reducing length of hospital stay and improving the standard of healthcare provided.
Republished: Value of biomarkers in osteoarthritis: current status and perspectives
Authors: Lotz M , Martel-Pelletier J , Christiansen C , Brandi M-L , Bruyère O , Chapurlat R , Collette J , Cooper C , Giacovelli G , Kanis J A , Karsdal M A , Kraus V , Lems W F , Meulenbelt I , Pelletier J-P , Raynauld J-P , Reiter-Niesert S , Rizzoli R , Sandell L J , Van Spil W E , Reginster J-Y 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
Osteoarthritis affects the whole joint structure with progressive changes in cartilage, menisci, ligaments and subchondral bone, and synovial inflammation. Biomarkers are being developed to quantify joint remodelling and disease progression. This article was prepared following a working meeting of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis convened to discuss the value of biochemical markers of matrix metabolism in drug development in osteoarthritis. The best candidates are generally molecules or molecular fragments present in cartilage, bone or synovium and may be specific to one type of joint tissue or common to them all. Many currently investigated biomarkers are associated with collagen metabolism in cartilage or bone, or aggrecan metabolism in cartilage. Other biomarkers are related to non-collagenous proteins, inflammation and/or fibrosis. Biomarkers in osteoarthritis can be categorised using the burden of disease, investigative, prognostic, efficacy of intervention, diagnostic and safety classification. There are a number of promising candidates, notably urinary C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type II and serum cartilage oligomeric protein, although none is sufficiently discriminating to differentiate between individual patients and controls (diagnostic) or between patients with different disease severities (burden of disease), predict prognosis in individuals with or without osteoarthritis (prognostic) or perform so consistently that it could function as a surrogate outcome in clinical trials (efficacy of intervention). Future avenues for research include exploration of underlying mechanisms of disease and development of new biomarkers; technological development; the ‘omics’ (genomics, metabolomics, proteomics and lipidomics); design of aggregate scores combining a panel of biomarkers and/or imaging markers into single diagnostic algorithms; and investigation into the relationship between biomarkers and prognosis.
HuR Posttranscriptionally Regulates WEE1: Implications for the DNA Damage Response in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Authors: Lal Shruti , Burkhart Richard A. , Beeharry Neil , Bhattacharjee Vikram , Londin Eric R. , Cozzitorto Joseph A. , Romeo Carmella , Jimbo Masaya , Norris Zoë A. , Yeo Charles J. , Sawicki Janet A. , Winter Jordan M. , Rigoutsos Isidore , Yen Timothy J. , Brody Jonathan R. 
Published: February 2014

Abstract
HuR (ELAV1), an RNA-binding protein abundant in cancer cells, primarily resides in the nucleus, but under specific stress (e.g., gemcitabine), HuR translocates to the cytoplasm in which it tightly modulates the expression of mRNA survival cargo. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that stressing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells by treatment with DNA-damaging anticancer agents (mitomycin C, oxaliplatin, cisplatin, carboplatin, and a PARP inhibitor) results in HuR's translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Importantly, silencing HuR in PDA cells sensitized the cells to these agents, whereas overexpressing HuR caused resistance. HuR's role in the efficacy of DNA-damaging agents in PDA cells was, in part, attributed to the acute upregulation of WEE1 by HuR. WEE1, a mitotic inhibitor kinase, regulates the DNA damage repair pathway, and therapeutic inhibition of WEE1 in combination with chemotherapy is currently in early phase trials for the treatment of cancer. We validate WEE1 as a HuR target in vitro and in vivo by demonstrating (i) direct binding of HuR to WEE1′s mRNA (a discrete 56-bp region residing in the 3′ untranslated region) and (ii) HuR siRNA silencing and overexpression directly affects the protein levels of WEE1, especially after DNA damage. HuR's positive regulation of WEE1 increases γ-H2AX levels, induces Cdk1 phosphorylation, and promotes cell-cycle arrest at the G2–M transition. We describe a novel mechanism that PDA cells use to protect against DNA damage in which HuR posttranscriptionally regulates the expression and downstream function of WEE1 upon exposure to DNA-damaging agents. Cancer Res; 74(4); 1128–40. ©2014 AACR.
The Contribution of Religion to Restorative Justice Behind Bars
Authors: Stamatakis Nikolaos 
Published: February 2014

The present article discusses restorative justice as a distinct way of looking at criminal justice, in particular at imprisonment. It aims to explain how and why some of the fundamental goals of restorative justice, such as reconciliation, reintegration, encounter, and forgiveness are more compatible with the Christian doctrine than with most present approaches to crime. Exploring the conceptual relationship and the contribution of Christianity to the promotion of restorative justice, and vice-versa, a second practical compatibility emerges between Christianity and imprisonment, with reference specifically to the restorative justice programs developed by faith-based organizations behind prison bars in New Zealand and South Africa.
Although the article is written from a Christian perspective matching the clear (Christian-oriented) nature of the programs where the qualitative data derive from, it is not intended to be exclusionary. Restorative justice has application beyond the Judeo-Christian dogma and its principles are deeply embedded in all major religions. But Christianity is undoubtedly dominant both in restorative justice and in prison settings, as it has been constantly involved in the spread and delivery of numerous in-prison restorative justice programs worldwide.
Event Segmentation and Biological Motion Perception in Watching Dance
Authors: Noble Katie , Glowinski Donald , Murphy Helen , Jola Corinne , McAleer Phil , Darshane Nikhil , Penfield Kedzie , Kalyanasundaram Sandhiya , Camurri Antonio , Pollick Frank E. 
Published: February 2014

We used a combination of behavioral, computational vision and fMRI methods to examine human brain activity while viewing a 386 s video of a solo Bharatanatyam dance. A computational analysis provided us with a Motion Index (MI) quantifying the silhouette motion of the dancer throughout the dance. A behavioral analysis using 30 naïve observers provided us with the time points where observers were most likely to report event boundaries where one movement segment ended and another began. These behavioral and computational data were used to interpret the brain activity of a different set of 11 naïve observers who viewed the dance video while brain activity was measured using fMRI. Results showed that the Motion Index related to brain activity in a single cluster in the right Inferior Temporal Gyrus (ITG) in the vicinity of the Extrastriate Body Area (EBA). Perception of event boundaries in the video was related to the BA44 region of right Inferior Frontal Gyrus as well as extensive clusters of bilateral activity in the Inferior Occipital Gyrus which extended in the right hemisphere towards the posterior Superior Temporal Sulcus (pSTS).
Consistent Emotions Elicited by Low-Level Visual Features in Abstract Art
Authors: van Paasschen Jorien , Zamboni Elisa , Bacci Francesca , Melcher David 
Published: February 2014

It is often assumed that works of art have the ability to elicit emotion in their observers. An emotional response to a visual stimulus can occur as early as 120 ms after stimulus onset, before object categorisation can take place. This implies that emotions elicited by an artwork may depend in part on bottom-up processing of its visual features (e.g., shape, colour, composition) and not just on object recognition or understanding of artistic style. We predicted that participants are able to judge the emotion conveyed by an artwork in a manner that is consistent across observers. We tested this hypothesis using abstract paintings; these do not provide any reference to objects or narrative contexts, so that any perceived emotion must stem from basic visual characteristics. Nineteen participants with no background in art rated 340 abstract artworks from different artistic movements on valence and arousal on a Likert scale. An intra-class correlation model showed a high consistency in ratings across observers. Importantly, observers used the whole range of the rating scale. Artworks with a high number of edges (complex) and dark colours were rated as more arousing and more negative compared to paintings containing clear lines, bright colours and geometric shapes. These findings provide evidence that emotions can be captured in a meaningful way by the artist in a set of low-level visual characteristics, and that observers interpret this emotional message in a consistent, uniform manner.
Implicit and Explicit Aesthetic Evaluation of Design Objects
Authors: Mastandrea Stefano , Maricchiolo Fridanna 
Published: February 2014

Can a preference for design objects also be achieved automatically? The aim of this study is to examine whether different levels of expertise in industrial design (laypeople versus design experts) can orient the preference towards different styles of design objects (classic chairs versus modern chairs), at both implicit and explicit levels. Implicit and explicit preferences are often mediated by assessor features. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was used to measure the automaticity of the evaluation. The participants (44 laypeople and 40 experts) performed a categorization task with reference to pictures (five classic and five modern chairs) and words (five positive and five negative aesthetic words). Reaction times were registered. The explicit evaluation of the stimuli was assessed using a seven-point Likert scale referring to the adjectives beautiful, typical, familiar, understandable, complex and interesting in order to appraise overall preferences for both classic and modern design objects.
In both measurements, implicit and explicit preferences for classic and modern objects were moderated by expertise: experts were aesthetically more oriented towards modern objects while laypeople did not show a specific preference for one style. This study is one of the first attempts to demonstrate the differences in aesthetic preferences between experts and non-experts at an implicit level.