bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Host adapted intramammary infections in pregnant heifers which were co-housed and reared on fresh milk as calves
Authors: Petzer Inge-Marié , Karzis Joanne , Lesosky Maia , Watermeyer Johanna C , Badenhorst Renette 
Published: March 2013

AbstractBackgroundHeifers can calve down with intramammary infections (IMI) and udder damage. This will have a negative impact on their longevity, future milk yield and financial return. Co-housed pre-weaned calves that are fed fresh milk have the opportunity to suckle each other’s teats and may infect udders of fellow heifer calves with pathogens present in milk. The prevalence of IMI in pregnant heifers in South Africa (SA) which were co-housed and reared on fresh milk as calves, is not known. Quarter secretion samples from both pregnant heifers (n = 2065) and dry cows (n = 5365) were collected for microbiological analysis from eight SA dairy herds. All heifers tested in this study were co-housed pre-weaning and were fed fresh milk as calves.ResultsThe prevalence of coagulase negative staphylococci,Staphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus agalactiae, environmental streptococci, coliforms and samples with no bacterial growth in heifers was 26%, 0.9%, 0.08%, 1.4%, 0.4% and 66%, respectively. The overall prevalence ratio between heifers and cows forStaphylococcus aureusIMI was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.98). Four of the individual herds had prevalence ratios of less than one (p < 0.05), one herd had a prevalence ratio of 3.15 (95% CI: 1.52, 6.32), and the remaining 3 herds had a prevalence ratio not significantly different from 1.0. Marginally significant differences were found betweenStaphylococcus aureusIMI in pregnant heifers compared to cows in their second and later lactations (p = 0.06, p = 0.05, respectively) but no significant differences between heifers and cows in their first lactation.ConclusionsThe presence ofStreptococcus agalactiaeIMI in heifers came as a surprise, especially as herd infection rates were low. The high prevalence ratio ofStaphylococcus aureusbetween heifers and cows in one herd warrants further investigation due to the potential danger of udder damage in a young cow at the start of her productive life. The IMI in heifers with host adapted pathogens can also act as a source of new IMI for lactating dairy cows.
Measurement of cystatin C functional activity in the cerebrospinal fluid of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and control subjects
Authors: Wilson Meghan E , Boumaza Imene , Bowser Robert 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Background
Cystatin C is a constitutively expressed and abundant cysteine protease inhibitor within the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Recent studies have reported a significant reduction in cystatin C concentration in the CSF of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and several other neurodegenerative diseases, relative to healthy controls. Cystatin C can exhibit both neuroprotective and neurotoxic properties, suggesting that altered CSF cystatin C concentrations could potentially impact the pathogenesis or progression of these disorders. However, it is unclear if alterations in cystatin C concentration result in physiologically relevant differences in its functional activity within the CSF. Measurements of the cysteine protease inhibitory activity of cystatin C within the CSF have not been reported, and the relationship between CSF cystatin C concentration and activity levels in different disease contexts has not been investigated.

Methods
We used a papain inhibition assay to evaluate the total cystatin C activity in CSF samples from 23 ALS patients, 23 healthy controls, and 23 neurological disease controls. Cystatin C concentrations in these samples were previously measured by ELISA. Correlations between cystatin C concentration and activity were assessed with nonparametric statistics. Activity ratios were compared among diagnostic groups using both one-way ANOVA and repeated measures statistics.

Results
Total cystatin C activity was found to be directly proportional to its protein concentration in all subjects, and cystatin C activity was not altered in ALS patients. In addition, our data suggest that cystatin C is the predominant cysteine protease inhibitor in human CSF.

Conclusions
Our data demonstrate the successful measurement of the functional activity of cystatin C in the CSF, and show that total cystatin C activity can be inferred from its total protein concentration. Our results also suggest that cystatin C is the major cysteine protease inhibitor in human CSF and altered CSF cystatin C concentration may play a role in the pathobiology of ALS and other neurological diseases.
Structure-activity-relationship study of N-acyl-N-phenylpiperazines as potential inhibitors of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs): improving the potency of a micromolar screening Hit is not truism
Authors: Huynh Tri HV , Demmer Charles S , Abrahamsen Bjarke , Marcher Emil , Frykman Mikael , Jensen Anders A , Bunch Lennart 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
The excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are transmembrane proteins responsible for the uptake of (S)-glutamate from the synaptic cleft. To date, five subtypes EAAT1-5 have been identified for which selective inhibitors have been discovered for EAAT1 and EAAT2. By screening of a commercially available compound library consisting of 4,000 compounds, N-acyl-N-phenylpiperazine analog (±)-

exo

-1 was identified to be a non-selective inhibitor at EAAT1-3 displaying IC50 values in the mid-micromolar range (10 μ M, 40 μ M and 30 μ M at EAAT1, 2 and 3, respectively). Subsequently, we designed and synthesized a series of analogs to explore the structure-activity-relationship of this scaffold in the search for analogs characterized by increased inhibitory potency and/or EAAT subtype selectivity. Despite extensive efforts, all analogs of (±)-

exo

-1 proved to be either inactive or to have least 3-fold lower inhibitory potency than the lead, and furthermore none of the active analogs displayed selectivity for a particular subtype amongst the EAAT1-3. On the basis of our findings, we speculate that (±)-

exo

-1 binds to a recess (deepening) on the EAAT proteins than a well-defined pocket.
Association between alcohol consumption and symptom severity and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia
Authors: Kim Chul H , Vincent Ann , Clauw Daniel J , Luedtke Connie A , Thompson Jeffrey M , Schneekloth Terry D , Oh Terry H 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Introduction
Although alcohol consumption is a common lifestyle behavior with previous studies reporting positive effects of alcohol on chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis, no studies to this date have examined alcohol consumption in patients with fibromyalgia. We examined the association between alcohol consumption and symptom severity and quality of life (QOL) in patients with fibromyalgia.

Methods
Data on self-reported alcohol consumption from 946 patients were analyzed. Subjects were grouped by level of alcohol consumption (number of drinks/week): none, low (≤3), moderate (>3 to 7), and heavy (>7).
Univariate analyses were used to find potential confounders, and analysis of covariance was used to adjust for these confounders. Tukey HSD pairwise comparisons were used to determine differences between alcohol groups.

Results
Five hundred and forty-six subjects (58%) did not consume alcohol. Low, moderate, and heavy levels of alcohol consumption were reported for 338 (36%), 31 (3%), and 31 patients (3%), respectively. Employment status (P <0.001), education level (P = 0.009), body mass index (P = 0.002) and opioid use (P = 0.002) differed significantly among groups with drinkers having higher education, a lower BMI, and a lower frequency of unemployment and opioid use than nondrinkers. After adjusting for these differences, the measures including the number of tender points (P = 0.01), FIQ total score (P = 0.01), physical function (P <0.001), work missed (P = 0.005), job ability (P = 0.03), and pain (P = 0.001) differed across groups, as did the SF-36 subscales of physical functioning (P <0.001), pain index (P = 0.002), general health perception (P = 0.02), social functioning (P = 0.02), and the physical component summary (P <0.001). Pairwise comparison among the 4 groups showed that the moderate and low alcohol drinkers had lower severity of fibromyalgia symptoms and better physical QOL than nondrinkers.

Conclusions
Our study demonstrates that low and moderate alcohol consumption was associated with lower fibromyalgia symptoms and better QOL compared to no alcohol consumption. The reasons for these results are unclear. Since recent studies have demonstrated that γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) levels are low in fibromyalgia, and alcohol is known to be a GABA-agonist, future studies should examine whether alcohol could have a salutary effect on pain and other symptoms in fibromyalgia.
Dexamethasone-Mediated Changes in Adipose Triacylglycerol Metabolism Are Exaggerated, Not Diminished, in the Absence of a Functional GR Dimerization Domain
Authors: Roohk Donald J. , Mascharak Smita , Khambatta Cyrus , Leung Ho , Hellerstein Marc , Harris Charles 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
The glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR) has multiple effector mechanisms, including dimerization-mediated transactivation of target genes via DNA binding and transcriptional repression mediated by protein-protein interactions. Much attention has been focused on developing selective GR modulators that would dissociate adverse effects from therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects. The GRdim/dim mouse has a mutation in the dimerization domain of GR and has been shown to have attenuated transactivation with intact repression. To understand the role of GR dimerization-dependent targets in multiple tissues, we measured metabolic fluxes through several disease-relevant GC target pathways using heavy water labeling and mass spectrometry in wild-type and GRdim/dim mice administered the potent GC dexamethasone (DEX). Absolute triglyceride synthesis was increased in both wild-type and GRdim/dim mice by DEX in the inguinal and epididymal fat depots. GRdim/dim mice showed an exaggerated response to DEX in both depots. De novo lipogenesis was also greatly increased in both depots in response to DEX in GRdim/dim, but not wild-type mice. In contrast, the inhibitory effect of DEX on bone and skin collagen synthesis rates was greater in wild-type compared with GRdim/dim mice. Wild-type mice were more sensitive to DEX-dependent decreases in insulin sensitivity than GRdim/dim mice. Wild-type and GRdim/dim mice were equally sensitive to DEX-dependent decreases in muscle protein synthesis. Chronic elevation of GCs in GRdim/dim mice results in severe runting and lethality. In conclusion, some metabolic effects of GC treatment are exaggerated in adipose tissue of GRdim/dim mice, suggesting that selective GR modulators based on dissociating GR transactivation from repression should be evaluated carefully.
Organizational Effects of Perinatal Exposure to Bisphenol-A and Diethylstilbestrol on Arcuate Nucleus Circuitry Controlling Food Intake and Energy Expenditure in Male and Female CD-1 Mice
Authors: MacKay Harry , Patterson Zachary R. , Khazall Rim , Patel Shoyeb , Tsirlin Dina , Abizaid Alfonso 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
The endocrine disrupting compound bisphenol-A (BPA) has been reported to act as an obesogen in rodents exposed perinatally. In this study, we investigated the effects of early-life BPA exposure on adult metabolic phenotype and hypothalamic energy balance circuitry. Pregnant and lactating CD-1 dams were exposed, via specially prepared diets, to 2 environmentally relevant doses of BPA. Dams consumed an average of 0.19 and 3.49 μg/kg per day of BPA in the low and high BPA treatments prenatally and an average of 0.36 and 7.2 μg/kg per day of BPA postnatally. Offspring were weaned initially onto a normal (AIN93G) diet, then as adults exposed to either a normal or high-fat diet (HFD). Males exposed to the high dose of BPA showed impaired glucose tolerance on both diets. They also showed reduced proopiomelanocortin fiber innervation into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and when exposed to HFD, they demonstrated increased neuropeptide Y and Agouti-related peptide expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). Females exposed to the high BPA dose were heavier, ate more, and had increased adiposity and leptin concentrations with reduced proopiomelanocortin mRNA expression in the ARC when consuming a HFD. BPA-exposed females showed ARC estrogen receptor α expression patterns similar to those seen in males, suggesting a masculinizing effect of BPA. These results demonstrate that early-life exposure to the obesogen BPA leads to sexually dimorphic alterations in the structure of hypothalamic energy balance circuitry, leading to increased vulnerability for developing diet-induced obesity and metabolic impairments, such as glucose intolerance.
Creb1-Mecp2-mCpG Complex Transactivates Postnatal Murine Neuronal Glucose Transporter Isoform 3 Expression
Authors: Chen Yongjun , Shin Bo-Chul , Thamotharan Shanthie , Devaskar Sherin U. 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
The murine neuronal facilitative glucose transporter isoform 3 (Glut3) is developmentally regulated, peaking in expression at postnatal day (PN)14. In the present study, we characterized a canonical CpG island spanning the 5′-flanking region of the glut3 gene. Methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing identified methylation of this CpG (mCpG) island of the glut3 gene, frequency of methylation increasing 2.5-fold with a 1.6-fold increase in DNA methyl transferase 3a concentrations noted with advancing postnatal age (PN14 vs PN3). 5′-flanking region of glut3-luciferase reporter transient transfection in HT22 hippocampal neurons demonstrated that mCpGs inhibit glut3 transcription. Contrary to this biological function, glut3 expression rises synchronously with mCpGs in PN14 vs PN3 neurons. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (IP) revealed that methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (Mecp2) bound the glut3-mCpGs. Depending on association with specific coregulators, Mecp2, a dual regulator of gene transcription, may repress or activate a downstream gene. Sequential chromatin IP uncovered the glut3-mCpGs to bind Mecp2 exponentially upon recruitment of Creb1 rather than histone deacetylase 1. Co-IP and coimmunolocalization confirmed that Creb1 associated with Mecp2 and cotransfection with glut3-mCpG in HT22 cells enhanced glut3 transcription. Separate 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine pretreatment or in combination with trichostatin A reduced mCpG and specific small interference RNAs targeting Mecp2 and Creb1 separately or together depleting Mecp2 and/or Creb1 binding of glut3-mCpGs reduced glut3 expression in HT22 cells. We conclude that Glut3 is a methylation-sensitive neuronal gene that recruits Mecp2. Recruitment of Creb1-Mecp2 by glut3-mCpG contributes towards transactivation, formulating an escape from mCpG-induced gene suppression, and thereby promoting developmental neuronal glut3 gene transcription and expression.
Intervention- versus physiology-based risk assessment scores for predicting cardiac arrest: a pilot study
Authors: Choukalas Christopher G , Kellman Suzanne , Keese Michelle L , Loor Michelle , Vasington Marzanna , O’Connor Michael F , Edelson Dana P 
Published: March 2013

There is increasing interest in predicting and avoiding cardiac arrest in hospitalized patients. Multiple studies have used vital signs or scores based upon them, such as the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS). Scoring systems that measure supportive care, such as the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and the 28-item Therapeutic Interventions Scoring System (TISS-28) might be superior to systems used in previous studies. This study was performed to determine if a system using SOFA and/or TISS would be superior in detecting clinical deterioration prior to cardiac arrest.Using a retrospective chart review, MEWS, SOFA and TISS-28 scores were calculated for twenty patients at baseline and then in the 24 hours prior to their cardiac arrest. Supportive interventions and nursing care (SOFA and TISS-28) changed more than measures of physiology (MEWS) in the period prior to cardiac arrest, likely due to the fact that vital sign deterioration can be delayed by supportive measures. These results support the idea that a SOFA and/or TISS-28 scoring system might be superior to the MEWS, which could be used to make hospital rapid response teams more effective.
Exact Approaches to Multilevel Vertical Orderings
Authors: Chimani Markus , Hungerländer Philipp 
Published: March 2013

We present a semidefinite programming (SDP) approach for the problem of ordering vertices of a layered graph such that the edges of the graph are drawn as vertical as possible. This multilevel vertical ordering (MLVO) problem is a quadratic ordering problem and conceptually related to the well-studied problem of multilevel crossing minimization (MLCM). In contrast to the latter, it can be formulated such that it does not merely consist of multiple sequentially linked bilevel quadratic ordering problems, but as a genuine multilevel problem with dense cost matrix. This allows us to describe the graphs' structures more compactly and therefore obtain solutions for graphs too large for MLCM in practice. In this paper we give motivation and mathematical models for MLVO. We formulate linear and quadratic programs, including some strengthening constraint classes, and an SDP relaxation for MLVO. We compare all approaches both theoretically and experimentally and show that MLVO's properties render linear and quadratic programming approaches inapplicable, even for small sparse graphs, while the SDP works surprisingly well in practice. This is in stark contrast to other ordering problems like MLCM, where such graphs are typically solved more efficiently with integer linear programs. Finally, we also compare our approach to related MLCM approaches.
Chemical Perspectives on Alkali and Earth Alkaline Nitrate and Nitrite Salts for Concentrated Solar Power Applications
Authors: Cordaro Joseph G. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractMolten salts have been widely considered as the leading candidate heat transfer fluids (HTF) used in high temperature, concentrated solar power plants. Specifically, nitrate and nitrite based salts have been investigated as a HTF and even deployed in pilot plants generating up to 19.9 MW of electricity at operating temperatures above 500 °C. New plant designs requiring higher operating temperatures for better efficiencies are pushing the stability limit of HTF. This paper presents an overview of the thermophysical properties of nitrate and nitrite salts and discusses thermodynamic and kinetic stability limitations as they relate to concentrated solar power generation.
Wind Flow Conditions in Offshore Wind Farms: Validation and Application of a CFD Wake Model
Authors: Westerhellweg Annette , Cañadillas Beatriz , Kinder Friederike , Neumann Thomas 
Published: March 2013

AbstractSince August 2009, the first German offshore wind farm ‘alpha ventus’ is operating close to the wind measurement platform FINO1. Within the research project RAVE-OWEA the wind flow conditions in ‘alpha ventus’ were assessed in detail, simulated with a CFD wake model and compared with the measurements. Wind data measured at FINO1 have been evaluated for wind speed reduction and turbulence increase in the wake. Additionally operational data were evaluated for the farm efficiency. The atmospheric stability has been evaluated by temperature measurements of air and water and the impact of atmospheric stability on the wind conditions in the wake has been assessed. As an application of CFD models the generation of power matrices is introduced. Power matrices can be used for the continual monitoring of the single wind turbines in the wind farm. A power matrix based on CFD simulations has been created for ‘alpha ventus’ and tested against the measured data.
A new trend in the complex I research field
Authors: Ohnishi Tomoko , Ohnishi S. Tsuyoshi 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
To date, the 17th European Bioenergetics Conference (EBEC) in Freiburg, Germany (September 15–20, 2012) was the most exciting conference for the complex I (NADH-Q oxidoreductase) research field. A whole day of oral presentations was dedicated to complex I, including three plenary lectures and 11 symposium talks. In addition, 43 posters were dedicated to complex I projects. Here is a brief summary of an exciting paradigm shift from ‘structure major’ to ‘structure plus function’, clearly observed in the complex I research field.
Maternal weight gain in women with gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Horosz Edyta , Bomba-Opon Dorota A. , Szymanska Monika , Wielgos Miroslaw 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the perinatal outcomes in gestational diabetes in women with body mass index (BMI)-adjusted gestational weight gain (GWG) according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 recommendations.

Material and methods: The clinic’s database was used to analyze 675 singleton GDM pregnancy outcomes. GWG for the entire pregnancy was compared to IOM recommendations and adjusted for prepregnancy BMI categories: underweight <18.5; normal 18.5–24.9; overweight 25–29.9; and obese >30. The study group was divided into three categories: below IOM limits, within IOM limits and above IOM limits.

Results: Only 37% of women achieved the proper weight gain (n=256). Almost 30% of women with GDM (n=196) had an excessive weight gain. GWG above limits was associated with a significantly higher neonatal measurements and a higher rate of large-for-gestational-age neonates. In underweight and normal-prepregnancy-weight women, no relation between GWG and birth-weight percentile was noted. For the overweight and obese women, a positive significant correlation between GWG until GDM diagnosis and birth-weight percentile was noted (P=0.002), which was not present when GWG until delivery was considered.

Conclusions: Limited weight gain in overweight and obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus results in favourable pregnancy outcomes.