bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The attitude toward xenocorneal transplantation in wait‐listed subjects for corneal transplantation in Korea
Authors: Lee Jong Joo , Kim Dong Hyun , Jang Young Eun , Choi Hyuk Jin , Kim Mee Kum , Wee Won Ryang 
Published: October 2013

AbstractShortage of donor cornea is a significant problem in Asia, and xenocorneal transplantation is being actively studied to alleviate this problem. However, the attitudes of subjects who await corneal transplants toward xenocorneal transplantation are not known at all. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the attitudes of subjects on the waiting lists for corneal transplants, toward corneal xenotransplantation. A telephone questionnaire survey comprising six items was conducted in 132 subjects among the wait‐listed individuals (n = 590) who were awaiting corneal transplantation or had undergone corneal transplantation at Seoul National University Hospital from July, 2003 to August, 2012. Among six inquiries, four questions were used to analyze attitudes toward corneal xenotransplantation. Each question pertained to (1) the acceptance of xenocorneal transplantation, (2) willingness to participate in clinical trials, (3) worries in xenocorneal transplantation, and (4) the concern of self‐identity or social life after xenocorneal transplantation. To analyze demographic factors influencing the question, the subjects were arbitrarily divided into two groups: the young (age < 60 yr, n = 58) and the elderly (age ≥ 60 yr, n = 74) or the less‐educated (n = 53) and the well‐educated with high school diploma, college graduation, or higher education (n = 79). Collected demographic data were analyzed as influencing factors on each question using a chi‐square and logistic regression tests. In this study, 42.4% of the subjects (n = 56) expressed favorable views on xenocorneal transplantation using porcine corneas to cure visual loss from corneal blindness. Among those subjects expressing favorable views (n = 56), the willingness to participate in clinical trials, knowing they and their spouses must undergo long‐term surveillance, was 62.5% (n = 35). There were 76.5% of subjects (n = 101) expressing worries regarding xenocorneal transplantation, while 28.8% of subjects (n = 38) expressed their concerns about self‐identity or social life after xenotransplantation. Younger subjects expressed more worry about xenotransplantation than elderly subjects. The well‐educated expressed less concern over self‐identity and social life than the less‐educated. This survey among subjects who are wait‐listed for corneal transplant or who have received a corneal transplant demonstrates that there is an interest in xenocorneal transplantation as an alternate procedure, although there are worries about the procedure that should be further explored in educational campaigns and future studies of the general population.
Structural Origins of Oxacillinase Specificity in Class D β-Lactamases
Authors: June Cynthia M. , Vallier Beth C. , Bonomo Robert A. , Leonard David A. , Powers Rachel A. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Since the discovery and use of penicillin, the increase of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens has become a major health concern. The most prevalent resistance mechanism in Gram-negative bacteria is due to β-lactamase expression. Class D β-lactamases are of particular importance due to their presence in multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. The class D enzymes were initially characterized by their ability to efficiently hydrolyze isoxazolyl-type β-lactams like oxacillin. Due to this substrate preference, these enzymes are traditionally referred to as oxacillinases or OXAs. However, this class is comprised of subfamilies characterized by diverse activities that include oxacillinase, carbapenemase, or cephalosporinase substrate specificity. OXA-1 represents one subtype of class D enzyme that efficiently hydrolyzes oxacillin, and OXA-24/40 represents another with weak oxacillinase, but increased carbapenemase, activity. To examine the structural basis for the substrate selectivity differences between OXA-1 and OXA-24/40, the X-ray crystal structures of deacylation-deficient mutants of these enzymes (Lys70Asp for OXA-1; Lys84Asp for OXA-24) in complexes with oxacillin were determined to 1.4 Å and 2.4 Å, respectively. In the OXA-24/40/oxacillin structure, the hydrophobic R1 side chain of oxacillin disrupts the bridge between Tyr112 and Met223 present in the apo OXA-24/40 structure, causing the main chain of the Met223-containing loop to adopt a completely different conformation. In contrast, in the OXA-1/oxacillin structure, a hydrophobic pocket consisting of Trp102, Met99, Phe217, Leu161, and Leu255 nicely complements oxacillin's nonpolar R1 side chain. Comparison of the OXA-1/oxacillin and OXA-24/40/oxacillin complexes provides novel insight on how substrate selectivity is achieved among subtypes of class D β-lactamases. By elucidating important active site interactions, these findings can also inform the design of novel antibiotics and inhibitors.
Limited Role of Nuclear Receptor Nur77 in Escherichia coli-Induced Peritonitis
Authors: Hamers Anouk A. J. , Uleman Sven , van Tiel Claudia M. , Kruijswijk Daniëlle , van Stalborch Anne-Marieke , Huveneers Stephan , de Vries Carlie J. M. , van 't Veer Cornelis 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Nuclear receptor Nur77 (NR4A1, TR3, or NGFI-B) has been shown to play an anti-inflammatory role in macrophages, which have a crucial function in defense against peritonitis. The function of Nur77 in
Escherichia coli
-induced peritoneal sepsis has not yet been investigated. Wild-type and Nur77-knockout mice were inoculated with
E. coli
, and bacterial outgrowth, cell recruitment, cytokine profiles, and tissue damage were investigated. We found only a minor transient decrease in bacterial loads in lung and liver of Nur77-knockout compared to wild-type mice at 14 h postinfection, yet no changes were found in the peritoneal lavage fluid or blood. No differences in inflammatory cytokine levels or neutrophil/macrophage numbers were observed, and bacterial loads were equal in wild-type and Nur77-knockout mice at 20 h postinfection in all body compartments tested. Also, isolated peritoneal macrophages did not show any differences in cytokine expression patterns in response to
E. coli
. In endothelial cells, Nur77 strongly downregulated both protein and mRNA expression of claudin-5, VE-cadherin, occludin, ZO-1, and β-catenin, and accordingly, these genes were upregulated in lungs of Nur77-deficient mice. Functional permeability tests pointed toward a strong role for Nur77 in endothelial barrier function. Indeed, tissue damage in
E. coli
-induced peritonitis was notably modulated by Nur77; liver necrosis and plasma aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT)/alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels were lower in Nur77-knockout mice. These data suggest that Nur77 does not play a role in the host response to
E. coli
in the peritoneal and blood compartments. However, Nur77 does modulate bacterial influx into the organs via increased vascular permeability, thereby aggravating distant organ damage.
Importance of Bacillithiol in the Oxidative Stress Response of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Posada Ana C. , Kolar Stacey L. , Dusi Renata G. , Francois Patrice , Roberts Alexandra A. , Hamilton Chris J. , Liu George Y. , Cheung Ambrose 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

In
Staphylococcus aureus
, the low-molecular-weight thiol called bacillithiol (BSH), together with cognate
S
-transferases, is believed to be the counterpart to the glutathione system of other organisms. To explore the physiological role of BSH in
S. aureus
, we constructed mutants with the deletion of
bshA
(
sa1291
), which encodes the glycosyltransferase that catalyzes the first step of BSH biosynthesis, and
fosB
(
sa2124
), which encodes a BSH-
S
-transferase that confers fosfomycin resistance, in several
S. aureus
strains, including clinical isolates. Mutation of
fosB
or
bshA
caused a 16- to 60-fold reduction in fosfomycin resistance in these
S. aureus
strains. High-pressure liquid chromatography analysis, which quantified thiol extracts, revealed some variability in the amounts of BSH present across
S. aureus
strains. Deletion of
fosB
led to a decrease in BSH levels. The
fosB
and
bshA
mutants of strain COL and a USA300 isolate, upon further characterization, were found to be sensitive to H
2
O
2
and exhibited decreased NADPH levels compared with those in the isogenic parents. Microarray analyses of COL and the isogenic
bshA
mutant revealed increased expression of genes involved in staphyloxanthin synthesis in the
bshA
mutant relative to that in COL under thiol stress conditions. However, the
bshA
mutant of COL demonstrated decreased survival compared to that of the parent in human whole-blood survival assays; likewise, the naturally BSH-deficient strain SH1000 survived less well than its BSH-producing isogenic counterpart. Thus, the survival of
S. aureus
under oxidative stress is facilitated by BSH, possibly via a FosB-mediated mechanism, independently of its capability to produce staphyloxanthin.
The importance of non-exercise physical activity for cardiovascular health and longevity
Authors: Ekblom-Bak Elin , Ekblom Björn , Vikström Max , de Faire Ulf , Hellénius Mai-Lis 
Published: October 2013

BackgroundSedentary time is increasing in all societies and results in limited non-exercise physical activity (NEPA) of daily life. The importance of low NEPA for cardiovascular health and longevity is limited, especially in elderly.AimTo examine the association between NEPA and cardiovascular health at baseline as well as the risk of a first cardiovascular disease (CVD) event and total mortality after 12.5 years.Study designCohort study.Material and methodsEvery third 60-year-old man and woman in Stockholm County was invited to a health screening study; 4232 individuals participated (78% response rate). At baseline, NEPA and exercise habits were assessed from a self-administrated questionnaire and cardiovascular health was established through physical examinations and laboratory tests. The participants were followed for an average of 12.5 years for the assessment of CVD events and mortality.ResultsAt baseline, high NEPA was, regardless of regular exercise and compared with low NEPA, associated with more preferable waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in both sexes and with lower insulin, glucose and fibrinogen levels in men. Moreover, the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome was significantly lower in those with higher NEPA levels in non-exercising and regularly exercising individuals. Furthermore, reporting a high NEPA level, compared with low, was associated with a lower risk of a first CVD event (HR=0.73; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.94) and lower all-cause mortality (0.70; 0.53 to 0.98).ConclusionsA generally active daily life was, regardless of exercising regularly or not, associated with cardiovascular health and longevity in older adults.
Increased waist circumference and prevalence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension in Chinese adults: two population-based cross-sectional surveys in Shanghai, China
Authors: Ruan Ye , Mo Miao , Joss-Moore Lisa , Li Yan Yun , Yang Qun Di , Shi Liang , Zhang Hua , Li Rui , Xu Wang Hong 
Published: October 2013

ObjectiveTo evaluate the changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and their associations with the prevalence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Chinese adults.Design2 consecutive population-based cross-sectional surveys.SettingA total of 12 districts and seven counties in Shanghai, China.Participants12 329 randomly selected participants of the survey in 2002–2003, and 7423 randomly selected participants of the survey in 2009. All participants were residents of Shanghai aged 35–74 years.Outcome measuresMeasured BMI and WC. Previously diagnosed and newly identified hypertension and T2DM by measured blood pressure, fasting and postload glucose.ResultsWhile the participants of the two surveys were comparable in BMI in each age group, the participants of the 2009 survey had significantly larger WC than those of the 2002–2003 survey, with an annual percentage change being higher among participants aged 45–49 years in men and women. The increase in prevalence of T2DM was observed in all age groups and also appeared more evident in participants aged 45–49 years. The prevalence of hypertension was observed to increase more rapidly in elderly men and middle-aged women. Obesity, both overt and central, was associated with the risk of the two diseases, but BMI was more strongly linked to hypertension while WC appeared more evidently related with T2DM.ConclusionsThe prevalence of central obesity and related chronic diseases has been increasing in Shanghai, China. Our findings provide useful information for the projection of the growing burden of T2DM and hypertension in Chinese adults.
Design of a randomised controlled trial of adapted physical activity during adjuvant treatment for localised breast cancer: the PASAPAS feasibility study
Authors: Touillaud M , Foucaut A-M , Berthouze S E , Reynes E , Kempf-Lépine A-S , Carretier J , Pérol D , Guillemaut S , Chabaud S , Bourne-Branchu V , Perrier L , Trédan O , Fervers B , Bachmann P 
Published: October 2013

IntroductionAfter a diagnosis of localised breast cancer, overweight, obesity and weight gain are negatively associated with prognosis. In contrast, maintaining an optimal weight through a balanced diet combined with regular physical activity appears to be effective protective behaviour against comorbidity or mortality after a breast cancer diagnosis. The primary aim of the Programme pour une Alimentation Saine et une Activité Physique Adaptée pour les patientes atteintes d'un cancer du Sein (PASAPAS) randomised controlled trial is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing an intervention of adapted physical activity (APA) for 6 months concomitant with the prescription of a first line of adjuvant chemotherapy. Secondary aims include assessing the acceptability of the intervention, compliance to the programme, process implementation, patients’ satisfaction, evolution of biological parameters and the medicoeconomic impact of the intervention.Methods and analysisThe study population consists of 60 women eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy after a diagnosis of localised invasive breast cancer. They will be recruited during a 2-year inclusion period and randomly allocated between an APA intervention arm and a control arm following a 2:1 ratio. All participants should benefit from personalised dietetic counselling and patients allocated to the intervention arm will be offered an APA programme of two to three weekly sessions of Nordic walking and aerobic fitness. During the 6-month intervention and 6-month follow-up, four assessments will be performed including blood draw, anthropometrics and body composition measurements, and questionnaires about physical activity level, diet, lifestyle factors, psychological criteria, satisfaction with the intervention and medical data.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the French Ethics Committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes Sud-Est IV) and the national agencies for biomedical studies and for privacy. All participants will give written informed consent. The study findings will be disseminated through the scientific public and serve as a foundation for future randomised controlled trials of efficacy.
Comparative Efficacy of Bisphosphonates in Metastatic Breast and Prostate Cancer and Multiple Myeloma: A Mixed-Treatment Meta-analysis
Authors: Palmieri Carlo , Fullarton John R. , Brown Janet 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Purpose: A mixed-treatment comparison (MTC) was undertaken to compare the efficacy of zoledronic acid, clodronate, pamidronate, and ibandronate (i.v. and oral) in patients with skeletal-related events (SRE) secondary to metastatic breast and prostate cancer and multiple myeloma.
Experimental Design: Studies of bisphosphonates in the three malignancies were identified and SRE data were extracted. Outcomes from the MTC were expressed as the annual SRE rate and as the mean likelihood (probability) ratio for the rate of SREs during treatment with zoledronic acid compared with the other bisphosphonates.
Results: A total of 17 studies were identified (7 breast, 3 prostate, and 7 multiple myeloma). Data were available for all bisphosphonates in breast cancer; no data were available for ibandronate (oral or i.v.) in prostate cancer or for oral ibandronate in multiple myeloma. The SRE rates in breast cancer were 1.60 for zoledronic acid, 1.67 for oral ibandronate (excess SRE rate, 4%), 1.70 for i.v. ibandronate (6%), 2.07 for pamidronate (29%), and 2.29 for clodronate (42%). In prostate cancer, the SRE rates were 0.83 for zoledronic acid, 1.11 for clodronate (35%), and 1.41 for pamidronate (71%). In multiple myeloma, the SRE rates were 1.43 for zoledronic acid, 1.64 for pamidronate (15%), 1.90 for clodronate (33%), and 2.49 for i.v. ibandronate (75%).
Conclusions: Zoledronic acid seems to be the most efficacious bisphosphonate for reducing the risk of SREs in patients with cancer of the breast or prostate and those with multiple myeloma. Clin Cancer Res; 19(24); 6863–72. ©2013 AACR.
The Reconstruction of Choice Value in the Brain: A Look into the Size of Consideration Sets and Their Affective Consequences
Authors: Kim Hye-young , Shin Yeonsoon , Han Sanghoon 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
It has been proposed that choice utility exhibits an inverted U-shape as a function of the number of options in the choice set. However, most researchers have so far only focused on the “physically extant” number of options in the set while disregarding the more important psychological factor, the “subjective” number of options worth considering to choose—that is, the size of the consideration set. To explore this previously ignored aspect, we examined how variations in the size of a consideration set can produce different affective consequences after making choices and investigated the underlying neural mechanism using fMRI. After rating their preferences for art posters, participants made a choice from a presented set and then reported on their level of satisfaction with their choice and the level of difficulty experienced in choosing it. Our behavioral results demonstrated that enlarged assortment set can lead to greater choice satisfaction only when increases in both consideration set size and preference contrast are involved. Moreover, choice difficulty is determined based on the size of an individual's consideration set rather than on the size of the assortment set, and it decreases linearly as a function of the level of contrast among alternatives. The neuroimaging analysis of choice-making revealed that subjective consideration set size was encoded in the striatum, the dACC, and the insula. In addition, the striatum also represented variations in choice satisfaction resulting from alterations in the size of consideration sets, whereas a common neural specificity for choice difficulty and consideration set size was shown in the dACC. These results have theoretical and practical importance in that it is one of the first studies investigating the influence of the psychological attributes of choice sets on the value-based decision-making process.
Metrical Rhythm Implicitly Orients Attention in Time as Indexed by Improved Target Detection and Left Inferior Parietal Activation
Authors: Bolger Deirdre , Coull Jennifer T. , Schön Daniele 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
When we direct attentional resources to a certain point in time, expectation and preparedness is heightened and behavior is, as a result, more efficient. This future-oriented attending can be guided either voluntarily, by externally defined cues, or implicitly, by perceived temporal regularities. Inspired by dynamic attending theory, our aim was to study the extent to which metrical structure, with its beats of greater or lesser relative strength, modulates attention implicitly over time and to uncover the neural circuits underlying this process of dynamic attending. We used fMRI to investigate whether auditory meter generated temporal expectancies and, consequently, how it affected processing of auditory and visual targets. Participants listened to a continuous auditory metrical sequence and pressed a button whenever an auditory or visual target was presented. The independent variable was the time of target presentation with respect to the metrical structure of the sequence. Participants' RTs to targets occurring on strong metrical positions were significantly faster than responses to events falling on weak metrical positions. Events falling on strong beats were accompanied by increased activation of the left inferior parietal cortex, a region crucial for orienting attention in time, and, by greater functional connectivity between the left inferior parietal cortex and the visual and auditory cortices, the SMA and the cerebellum. These results support the predictions of the dynamic attending theory that metrical structure with its relative strong and weak beats modulates attentional resources over time and, in turn, affects the functioning of both perceptual and motor preparatory systems.
Evaluating Hydroclimatic Change Signals from Statistically and Dynamically Downscaled GCMs and Hydrologic Models
Authors: Shrestha Rajesh R. , Schnorbus Markus A. , Werner Arelia T. , Zwiers Francis W. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis study analyzed potential hydroclimatic change in the Peace River basin in the province of British Columbia, Canada, based on two structurally different approaches: (i) statistically downscaled global climate models (GCMs) using the bias-corrected spatial disaggregation (BCSD) and (ii) dynamically downscaled GCM with the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM). Additionally, simulated hydrologic changes from the GCM–BCSD-driven Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model were compared to the CRCM integrated Canadian Land Surface Scheme (CLASS) output. The results show good agreements of the GCM–BCSD–VIC simulated precipitation, temperature, and runoff with observations, while the CRCM-simulated results differ substantially from observations. Nevertheless, differences (between the 2050s and 1970s) obtained from the two approaches are qualitatively similar for precipitation and temperature, although they are substantially different for snow water equivalent and runoff. The results obtained from the five Coupled Global Climate Model, version 3, (CGCM3)-driven CRCM runs are similar, suggesting that the multidecadal internal variability is not a large source of uncertainty for the Peace River basin. Overall, the GCM–BCSD–VIC approach, for now, remains the preferred approach for projecting basin-scale future hydrologic changes, provided that it explicitly accounts for the biases and includes plausible snow and runoff parameterizations. However, even with the GCM–BCSD–VIC approach, projections differ considerably depending on which of an ensemble of eight GCMs is used. Such differences reemphasize the uncertain nature of future hydroclimatic projections.