bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CD4+T‐cell inhibitory ligands: a tool for characterizing dysfunctional CD4+ T cells during chronic infection
Authors: Dow Courtney , Henderson Ryan , Sette Alessandro , Mothé Bianca R. 
Published: April 2013

SummaryActivation of CD4+ T cells helps to establish and maintain immune responses. During infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) clone 13, the CD4+ T‐cell responses are lost. In this study, we were interested in the nature of the CD4+ T‐cell responses following infection with LCMV clone 13. To pursue this question, we infected C57BL/6 mice with LCMV clone 13. We used a GP66‐80 MHC Class II tetramer to determine whether the CD4+ T cells were present following infection with LCMV clone 13. We determined that the cells were present and antigen specific, but not functional. We attributed their dysfunction to the presence of CD4+ T‐cell inhibitory ligands. We further stained for the presence of CD4+ T‐cell inhibitory ligands. We found that the during chronic infection the number of CD4+ T cells expressing programmed death‐1 and CD160 were greater over the time–course study than the other CD4+ T‐cell inhibitory ligands. These data show that using CD4+ T‐cell inhibitory ligands as a reagent for characterization can help in understanding the complex immune responses associated with persistent infections.
Extending pension and savings scheme coverage to the informal sector: Kenya's Mbao Pension Plan
Authors: Kwena Rose Musonye , Turner John A. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractThe Mbao Pension Plan is a voluntary individual account savings plan to which all workers in Kenya may contribute without regard to income or age. It is designed to provide a programme that is suitable for the unique nature of the informal sector and to encourage a savings culture for those workers. The key innovation is that low‐income workers can easily make small contributions at relatively low cost, considering the small contributions and small account balances. Participants can conveniently make contributions anytime and anywhere using their cell phones. This savings innovation is made possible by technological innovations that have reduced the costs of cell phones and airtime, and by the entrepreneurial innovation of mobile money. The plan is provided through private‐sector businesses.
The efficacy of topical royal jelly on healing of diabetic foot ulcers: a double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial
Authors: Siavash Mansour , Shokri Saeideh , Haghighi Sepehr , Shahtalebi Mohammad Ali , Farajzadehgan Ziba 
Published: April 2013

AbstractFoot ulcers are major sources of morbidity in individuals with diabetes mellitus. As royal jelly (RJ, a worker honey bee product) contains enzymatic, antibacterial and vasodilative properties, it can potentially help in healing of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical RJ on healing of DFUs. Diabetic patients with foot ulcers who were referred to us at Khorshid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, were managed by offloading, infection control, vascular improvement and debridement (if required). Then, all ulcers were randomly selected to receive either 5% sterile topical RJ or placebo on their total surface area. Patients were followed for 3 months or until complete healing. Twenty‐five patients (6 females and 19 males) and a total of 64 ulcers were included and randomly allocated to case or control group (32 per group). Four ulcers were excluded and 60 ulcers included in the final analysis. Healing parameters including depth, length and width reduction rate, duration of complete healing and incidence of complete healing did not show any significant difference (P = 0·69, 0·95, 0·7, 0·74 and 0·6, respectively) between groups. We did not observe any side effect of topical RJ application. This study could not confirm any significant superiority of 5% topical RJ over placebo for the treatment of DFUs.
Nursing on television: student perceptions of television's role in public image, recruitment and education
Authors: Weaver Roslyn , Salamonson Yenna , Koch Jane , Jackson Debra 
Published: April 2013

AbstractAimsTo explore nursing students' perceptions of how their profession is portrayed on medical television programmes.BackgroundRecruitment and retention in nursing have been linked to the image of the profession in society. Images of nursing in popular media frequently draw on stereotypes that may damage the appeal of nursing for potential students and denigrate the value and status of the profession. A growing body of work analyses how nursing is portrayed in popular media, but less research asks nursing students themselves to reflect on this area.DesignConvergent parallel mixed methods.MethodsData were collected in 2011 from surveys of 484 undergraduate nursing students at a large university in New South Wales, Australia, that included demographic data, their viewing habits of medical television programmes and their opinions of how the shows handled nursing ethics and professionalism and the image of nursing on television and nursing role models.ResultsMost students watch medical television programmes. Students who do not speak English at home watched fewer programmes but were more positive about the depictions of professionalism. The qualitative data showed students were concerned that television can have a negative influence on the image of nursing, but they also recognized some educational and recruitment value in television programmes.ConclusionsIt is important for nurses, educators and students to be critically engaged with the image of their profession in society. There is value in engaging more closely with contemporary media portrayals of nursing for students and educators alike.
Association Analysis for Quality Traits in a Diverse Panel of Chinese Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Germplasm
Authors: Wei Wenliang , Zhang Yanxin , Lü Haixia , Li Donghua , Wang Linhai , Zhang Xiurong 
Published: April 2013

AbstractThe main objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of a sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) panel for association analysis, and investigate the genetic basis of oil content (OC), protein content, oleic acid concentration, and linoleic acid concentration using association mapping. A panel of 216 sesame accessions was phenotyped in a multi‐environment trial and fingerprinted with 608 polymorphic loci produced by 79 primers, including simple sequence repeats (SSRs), sequence‐related amplified polymorphisms (SRAPs), and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Population structure analysis revealed two subgroups in the population. The Q model performed better for its ability to re‐identify associations for the four traits at highly significant P‐values compared to the other three mixed models. And a total of 35 and 25 associations for the four traits in 2010 and 2011 were identified, respectively, with the Q model after Bonferroni correction. Among those associations, only one for OC was re‐identified in two environments, and several markers associated simultaneously with multiple traits were discovered. These results suggest the power and stability of the Q model for association analysis of nutritional traits in this sesame panel for its slight population stratification and familial relationship, which could aid in dissecting complex traits, and could help to develop strategies for improving nutritional quality.
Enhanced dissolution and oral bioavailability of tanshinone IIA base by solid dispersion system with low-molecular-weight chitosan
Authors: Liu Qi-yuan , Zhang Zhen-hai , Jin Xin , Jiang Yan-Rong , Jia Xiao-Bin 
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Objectives
The aim of this study is to improve the dissolution and oral bioavailability of tanshinone IIA (TAN).

Methods
Solid dispersions of TAN with low-molecular-weight chitosan (LMC) were prepared and the in-vitro dissolution and in-vivo performance were evaluated.

Key findings
At 1 h, the extent of dissolution of TAN from the LMC–TAN system (weight ratio 9 : 1) increased about 368.2% compared with the pure drug. Increasing the LMC content from 9 : 1 to 12 : 1 in this system did not significantly increase the rate and the extent of dissolution. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the formation of amorphous tanshinone IIA and the absence of crystallinity in the solid dispersion. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that there was no interaction between drug and carrier. In-vivo test showed that LMC-TAN solid dispersion system presented significantly larger AUC0-t, which was 0.67 times that of physical mixtures and 1.17 times that of TAN. Additionally, the solid dispersion generated obviously higher Cmax and shortened Tmax compared with TAN and physical mixtures.

Conclusions
In conclusion, the LMC -based solid dispersions could achieve complete dissolution, accelerated absorption rate and superior oral bioavailability.
Global visual processing decreases with autistic‐like traits: A study of early lateralized potentials with spatial attention
Authors: Kasai Tetsuko , Murohashi Harumitsu 
Published: April 2013

AbstractExtensive research suggests that autistic individuals have deficits in global visual processing that may cause an attentional bias toward local details. This tendency has also been noted in nonclinical samples with high autistic‐like traits, as measured using the autism‐spectrum quotient (AQ). However, as top‐down attention as an executive control can modulate early visual processing, it is still unclear whether this local processing bias is due to atypicality in bottom‐up processing or a top‐down attentional set. The present study explored this issue by examining event‐related potentials (ERPs) in a sustained focal‐attention task that involved bilateral stimulus arrays. In this task, aP1spatial attention effect (at approximately 100–150 ms post‐stimulus) reflects top‐down attentional modulation of incoming sensory processing, and anN1attention effect (150–200 ms) reflects obligatory attention‐spreading based on perceptual grouping. The results showed thatAQscores were negatively correlated with theN1attention effects for conditions in which bilateral stimuli were grouped with feature similarity and amodal completion. This finding supports the view that bottom‐up processing in perceptual organization varies with autism spectrum.
The vacuum phenomenon in intervertebral disc disease of dogs based on computed tomography images
Authors: Müller M. K. , Ludewig E. , Oechtering G. , Scholz M. , Flegel T. 
Published: April 2013

ObjectivesVacuum phenomenon is suspected to be indicative of disc degeneration and subsequent herniation. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of vacuum phenomenon for identification of herniated discs causing neurological signs. Prevalence of vacuum phenomenon and influencing factors in dogs with disc herniation were determined.MethodsRetrospective review of computed tomography scans from dogs with suspected disc herniation for the presence of gas within intervertebral disc space with subsequent comparison of vacuum phenomenon and herniated disc as confirmed by surgery. Subgroups were created (chondrodystrophic, non‐chondrodystrophic and unknown classification) to analyse prevalence and influencing factors (age, breed and gender) for vacuum phenomenon and agreement with herniated disc.ResultsPrevalence of vacuum phenomenon in all dogs, chondrodystrophic, non‐chondrodystrophic dogs and those with unknown classification was 19·8, 14·9, 35·7 and 24·5%, respectively. Corresponding correlation rate between vacuum phenomenon and herniated disc was 64, 67, 40 and 82%. Prevalence of vacuum phenomenon was significantly higher in nonchondrodystrophic dogs (P=0·04). Age was the only factor influencing prevalence of vacuum phenomenon (P=0·04).Clinical SignificanceIn dogs with intervertebral disc disease, vacuum phenomenon is a frequent but inconsistent finding. Although helpful to identify degenerated discs, it is not suitable to identify currently herniated disc with sufficient accuracy.
Hormonal Treatment Reduces Psychobiological Distress in Gender Identity Disorder, Independently of the Attachment Style
Authors: Colizzi Marco , Costa Rosalia , Pace Valeria , Todarello Orlando 
Published: April 2013

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Gender identity disorder may be a stressful situation. Hormonal treatment seemed to improve the general health as it reduces psychological and social distress. The attachment style seemed to regulate distress in insecure individuals as they are more exposed to hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal system dysregulation and subjective stress.

Aim
The objectives of the study were to evaluate the presence of psychobiological distress and insecure attachment in transsexuals and to study their stress levels with reference to the hormonal treatment and the attachment pattern.

Methods
We investigated 70 transsexual patients. We measured the cortisol levels and the perceived stress before starting the hormonal therapy and after about 12 months. We studied the representation of attachment in transsexuals by a backward investigation in the relations between them and their caregivers.

Main Outcome Measures
We used blood samples for assessing cortisol awakening response (CAR); we used the Perceived Stress Scale for evaluating self-reported perceived stress and the Adult Attachment Interview to determine attachment styles.

Results
At enrollment, transsexuals reported elevated CAR; their values were out of normal. They expressed higher perceived stress and more attachment insecurity, with respect to normative sample data. When treated with hormone therapy, transsexuals reported significantly lower CAR (P &lt; 0.001), falling within the normal range for cortisol levels. Treated transsexuals showed also lower perceived stress (P &lt; 0.001), with levels similar to normative samples. The insecure attachment styles were associated with higher CAR and perceived stress in untreated transsexuals (P &lt; 0.01). Treated transsexuals did not expressed significant differences in CAR and perceived stress by attachment.

Conclusion
Our results suggested that untreated patients suffer from a higher degree of stress and that attachment insecurity negatively impacts the stress management. Initiating the hormonal treatment seemed to have a positive effect in reducing stress levels, whatever the attachment style may be.
Tripartite efflux pumps: energy is required for dissociation, but not assembly or opening of the outer membrane channel of the pump
Authors: Janganan Thamarai K. , Bavro Vassiliy N. , Zhang Li , Borges‐Walmsley Maria Inês , Walmsley Adrian R. 
Published: April 2013

SummaryThe MtrCDE multidrug pump, from Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is assembled from the inner and outer membrane proteins MtrD and MtrE, which are connected by the periplasmic membrane fusion protein MtrC. Although it is clear that MtrD delivers drugs to the channel of MtrE, it remains unclear how drug delivery and channel opening are connected. We used a vancomycin sensitivity assay to test for opening of the MtrE channel. Cells expressing MtrE or MtrE‐E434K were insensitive to vancomycin; but became moderately and highly sensitive to vancomycin respectively, when coexpressed with MtrC, suggesting that the MtrE channel opening requires MtrC binding and is energy‐independent. Cells expressing wild‐type MtrD, in an MtrCE background, were vancomycin‐insensitive, but moderately sensitive in an MtrCE‐E434K background. The mutation of residues involved in proton translocation inactivated MtrD and abolished drug efflux, rendered both MtrE and MtrE‐E434K vancomycin‐insensitive; imply that the pump–component interactions are preserved, and that the complex is stable in the absence of proton flux, thus sealing the open end of MtrE. Following the energy‐dependent dissociation of the tripartite complex, the MtrE channel is able to reseal, while MtrE‐E434K is unable to do so, resulting in the vancomycin‐sensitive phenotype. Thus, our findings suggest that opening of the OMP via interaction with the MFP is energy‐independent, while both drug export and complex dissociation require active proton flux.
The indoor air as a potential determinant of the frequency of invasive aspergillosis in the intensive care
Authors: Boff Cristiane , Zoppas Barbara C. D. A. , Aquino Valério R. , Kuplich Nádia M. , Miron Diogo , Pasqualotto Alessandro C. 
Published: April 2013

SummaryInvasive aspergillosis (IA) seems to be an emerging condition in intensive care units (ICUs). However, little attention has been given to the role of environmental factors that could increase the risk for IA in the ICU. The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of airborne fungi in three Brazilian ICUs, in an attempt to correlate fungal burden with the frequency of Aspergillus spp isolation from clinical samples of patients hospitalised in these units. During a 1‐year period we quantitatively evaluated the presence of fungi in the air of three ICUs in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The quantity of fungi was correlated with environmental factors. Only one of the ICUs studied showed equal concentrations of Aspergillus conidia in the indoor air, in comparison with the outdoor environment. All cases of Aspergillus colonisation and IA cases observed during the study occurred in that particular ICU. Environmental factors have a direct influence on fungal spore concentration in the air in ICUs, as well as air filtration systems in air conditioners. Fungal contamination of the indoor air may influence the frequency of AI in ICU patients.
Differences in brain responses between lean and obese women to a sweetened drink
Authors: Connolly L. , Coveleskie K. , Kilpatrick L. A. , Labus J. S. , Ebrat B. , Stains J. , Jiang Z. , Tillisch K. , Raybould H. E. , Mayer E. A. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractBackgroundIngestion of sweet food is driven by central reward circuits and restrained by endocrine and neurocrine satiety signals. The specific influence of sucrose intake on central affective and reward circuitry and alterations of these mechanisms in the obese are incompletely understood. For this, we hypothesized that (i) similar brain regions are engaged by the stimulation of sweet taste receptors by sucrose and by non‐nutrient sweeteners and (ii) during visual food‐related cues, obese subjects show greater brain responses to sucrose compared with lean controls.MethodsIn a double‐blind, crossover design, 10 obese and 10 lean healthy females received a sucrose or a non‐nutrient sweetened beverage prior to viewing food or neutral images. BOLD signal was measured using a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner.Key ResultsViewing food images after ingestion of either drink was associated with engagement of similar brain regions (amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, anterior insula). Obese differed from lean subjects in behavioral and brain responses rating both beverages as less tasteful and satisfying, yet demonstrating greater brain responses. Obese subjects also showed engagement of an additional brain network (including anterior insula, anterior cingulate, hippocampus, and amygdala) only after sucrose ingestion.Conclusions & InferencesObese subjects had a reduced behavioral hedonic response, yet a greater engagement of affective brain networks, particularly after sucrose ingestion, suggesting that in obese subjects, lingual and gut‐derived signaling generate less central hedonic effects than food‐related memories in response to visual cues, analogous to response patterns implicated in food addiction.
Mandibular symphysis and ramus as sources of osteoblastic cells for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Ferraz EP , Xavier SP , de Oliveira PT , Beloti MM , Rosa AL 
Published: April 2013

ObjectivesAutografts from mandibular symphysis and ramus are often used for bone reconstruction. Based on this, we hypothesized that these sites could be useful cell sources for bone tissue engineering approaches. Thus, our study aimed at evaluating the proliferation and osteoblast phenotype development of cells derived from mandibular symphysis and ramus.Materials and MethodsCells were isolated from bone fragments of four patients by enzymatic digestion and cultured under osteogenic condition for up to 17 days. Cultures were assayed for cell proliferation, gene expression of key bone markers runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), distal‐less homeobox 5 (DLX5), SATB homeobox 2 (SATB2), Osterix (OSX), family with sequence similarity 20, member C (FAM20C), bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression and activity, and extracellular matrix mineralization. Data were compared by two‐way ANOVA or t‐test for independent samples when appropriate.ResultsCells derived from ramus displayed lower proliferative activity and higher gene expression of Runx2, DLX5, SATB2, OSX, FAM20C, BSP, OPN and OC, ALP protein expression and activity and extracellular matrix mineralization compared with symphysis‐derived cells.ConclusionSymphysis and ramus may be considered as cell sources for bone tissue engineering approaches but due to the higher osteogenic potential, ramus‐derived cells are more appealing for constructing cell‐based biomaterials.
Fragmented Images: The Last Tomb Paintings of Tarquinia
Authors: Roth Roman 
Published: April 2013

SummaryCultural decline as a result of the Roman conquest is usually invoked to explain the gradual disappearance of Tarquinian tomb paintings during the third century BC. By contrast, this paper argues that, first, the late tomb paintings of Tarquinia markedly differed from their predecessors by decorating individual burials (fragmentation), as opposed to entire chamber tombs, which should be seen as a culturally meaningful development in the iconographic approach towards representing the deceased; and that, second, the disappearance of this time‐honoured type of monument be seen as part of wider changes in the ways in which Tarquinian and other Etruscan elites chose to materialize their ideologies during the cultural and political realignments of the period of the Roman conquest.
A Fresh Eye on Familiar Objects: Rethinking Toiletry Sets in Roman Britain
Authors: Morrison Wendy A. 
Published: April 2013

SummaryToiletry sets are often commonplace on rural Romano‐British sites, leading to speculation that the indigenous population aspired to Roman standards of hygiene and grooming. Artefacts interpreted as cosmetic grinders have been seen as further evidence for body modification for the sake of appearances; these objects are often prominent in discussion of Romanization and identity. Drawing on ethnographic evidence, this paper offers an alternative to the traditional and seemingly unquestioned function of the Pre‐Roman Iron Age (PRIA)/ Romano‐British toiletry sets and cosmetic grinders. It is suggested that they may have had a role in the treatment of trachoma, an eye disease which may have been rampant in some areas of Roman Britain. It is hoped that this view may generate some discussion not only about the artefacts themselves, but also about how we interpret function, often in the face of a real paucity of evidence.