bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen metabolism is related to improved water‐use efficiency of nodulated alfalfa grown with sewage sludge under drought
Authors: Laura Fiasconaro M. , Sánchez‐Díaz Manuel , Carmen Antolín M. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractLeguminous plants grown in sewage sludge–amended soils can acquire nitrogen by assimilation of nitrate and ammonium from the soil solution or from atmospheric‐dinitrogen (N2) fixation through association with N2‐fixing bacteria. We proposed that operation of both metabolic processes could contribute to alleviate the impact of drought in sludge‐treated plants. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the involvement of nodule metabolism in the use efficiency of water and N in sludge‐treated plants. Treatments comprised (1) plants inoculated with rhizobia and amended with sewage sludge; (2) plants inoculated with rhizobia without any amendment; and (3) noninoculated plants supplied with ammonium nitrate, each under well‐watered and drought conditions. Under drought, sludge‐treated plants had increased plant growth and higher photosynthetic and water‐use efficiencies than untreated plants. Drought stimulated nitrate reductase and GS/GOGAT activities but did not affect the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase or the leghemoglobin concentration. The results suggest that under drought conditions, both N2 fixation and nitrate assimilation in nodules of sludge‐treated plants contributed to improve plant N supply and to increase the drought tolerance of alfalfa.
Acceptance Levels of Traditional and Nontraditional Superintendents by Experienced Educators
Authors: Thompson Elizabeth H. , Thompson Randall L. , Knight John Richard 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThis triangulated mixed methods study examines the differences in experienced educator acceptance of nontraditional and traditional superintendents in two southern California public high school districts. A researcher‐developed 5‐point Likert‐type survey instrument combined with open‐ended questions was used, which allowed simultaneous collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. Results indicate that participants did not trust, respect, support, or accept nontraditional superintendents in comparison to traditional superintendents. The major theme that emerged from the qualitative analysis was that nontraditional superintendents are not qualified to be superintendents because of a perceived lack of teaching or other educational experience. Traditional superintendents have educational experience that allows them to relate better to teachers and students as well as to deal with complex educational issues. Quantitative data were analyzed relative to the hypotheses that traditional superintendents are easier to (a) trust, (b) respect, (c) support, and (d) accept than are nontraditional superintendents. The results led to the acceptance of all four hypotheses. The major inference of the current study is that experienced educators may not accept the leadership of nontraditional superintendents, which may affect the ability of such superintendents to lead effectively. This result is especially relevant if a nontraditional superintendent has a mandate for change when hired.
Boundary Spanning Leadership: Six Practices for Solving Problems, Driving Innovations, and Transforming Organizations
Authors: Graham Paige 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBy Chris Ernst and Donna Chrobot‐MasonPublished in partnership—Center for Creative Leadership and New York: McGraw‐Hill. 2011. 302 pp. ISBN: 978‐0‐07‐163887‐6. $35.00 HardcoverReviewed by Paige Graham, PhD
Theory and application for the promotion of wheat production in China: past, present and future
Authors: Xu Zhenzhu , Yu Zhenwen , Zhao Junye 
Published: February 2013

AbstractFood security is becoming a crucial concern worldwide. In this study, we focus on wheat – a staple crop in China – as a model to review its history, status quo and future scenarios, with regard to key production technologies and management practices for wheat production and associated food security issues since the new era in China: the post‐1949 era. First, the dominant technologies and management practices over the past 60 years are reviewed. Secondly, we outline several key innovative technologies and their theoretical bases over the last decade, including (i) prohibiting excessively early senescence at a later growth stage to maintain viable leaves with higher photosynthetic capacity, (ii) postponing top dressing nitrogen application to balance carbon and nitrogen nutrition, and (iii) achieving both high yield and better grain quality mainly by increasing soil productivity and balancing the ratio of nutrient elements. Finally, concerns such as water shortages and excessive application of chemical fertilizers are presented. Nevertheless, under high negative conditions, including global warming, rapid population growth, decreasing amounts of arable land, increasing competition with cash crops and severe environmental pollution, we conclude that domestic food production will be able to meet Chinese demand in the mid to long term, because increasingly innovative technologies and improved management practices have been and may continue to be applied appropriately. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
How to identify tremor dominant and postural instability/gait difficulty groups with the movement disorder society unified Parkinson's disease rating scale: Comparison with the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale
Authors: Stebbins Glenn T. , Goetz Christopher G. , Burn David J. , Jankovic Joseph , Khoo Tien K. , Tilley Barbara C. 
Published: February 2013

BackgroundFormulas were developed to define tremor dominant (TD) and postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) phenotypes of Parkinson's Disease (PD) using the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS). TD and PIGD designations, based on the original Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), provided useful designations for classifying different phenotypes of PD. With the advent of the MDS‐UPDRS, a valid set of calculations for these phenotypes is needed.MethodsUPDRS and MDS‐UPDRS scores were collected on 877 PD patients. TD/PIGD scores were calculated using the UPDRS formula for all patients. Comparable TD and PIGD items from the MDS‐UPDRS were used to calculate new ratios. Data were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic models.ResultsThe new MDS‐UPDRS TD/PIGD ratios accounted for a significant area under the curve compared with the UPDRS classification. Optimal sensitivity and specificity were obtained with MDS‐UPDRS cutoff scores of ≥1.15 for TD classification and ≤0.90 for PIGD.ConclusionsThe development of comparable and valid PIGD and TD scores from the MDS‐UPDRS provides a clear method for clinicians and researchers to transition from the original UPDRS to the new MDS‐UPDRS in categorizing patients with different clinical phenotypes. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society
Individual, family, social, and cultural predictors of depressed mood in former soviet immigrant couples
Authors: Miller Arlene M. , Sorokin Olga , Fogg Louis 
Published: February 2013

AbstractGender differences in predictors of depression for married couples from the former Soviet Union were examined in a cross‐sectional, descriptive analysis. Data were collected during a longitudinal study of post‐migration health and adaptation. The sample included 308 men and women (154 couples), ages 40–79, who had lived in the US for an average of 6 years. Generativity, marital satisfaction and communication, social support, immigration challenges, and alienation were independent predictors of depressed mood. A gender interaction was found for generativity, indicating that diminished opportunities to guide the next generation and be productive members of society may have been more depressing for women. Interventions should attend to gender differences in developmental needs, reduce immigration‐related challenges, and strengthen family and social support. Res Nurs Health 36:271–283, 2013
Efficient synthesis of monodisperse, highly crosslinked, and “living” functional polymer microspheres by the ambient temperature iniferter‐induced “living” radical precipitation polymerization
Authors: Zhao Man , Zhang Hongtao , Ma Fengning , Zhang Ying , Guo Xianzhi , Zhang Huiqi 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThe facile and efficient one‐pot synthesis of monodisperse, highly crosslinked, and “living” functional copolymer microspheres by the ambient temperature iniferter‐induced “living” radical precipitation polymerization (ILRPP) is described for the first time. The simple introduction of iniferter‐induced “living” radical polymerization (ILRP) mechanism into precipitation polymerization system, together with the use of ethanol solvent, allows the direct generation of such uniform functional copolymer microspheres. The polymerization parameters (including monomer loading, iniferter concentration, molar ratio of crosslinker to monovinyl comonomer, and polymerization time and scale) showed much influence on the morphologies of the resulting copolymer microspheres, thus permitting the convenient tailoring of the particle sizes by easily tuning the reaction conditions. In particular, monodisperse poly(4‐vinylpyridine‐co‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) microspheres were prepared by the ambient temperature ILRPP even at a high monomer loading of 18 vol %. The general applicability of the ambient temperature ILRPP was confirmed by the preparation of uniform copolymer microspheres with incorporated glycidyl methacrylate. Moreover, the “livingness” of the resulting polymer microspheres was verified by their direct grafting of hydrophilic polymer brushes via surface‐initiated ILRP. Furthermore, a “grafting from” particle growth mechanism was proposed for ILRPP, which is considerably different from the “grafting to” particle growth mechanism in the traditional precipitation polymerization. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013
Stimuli‐responsive polypeptide materials prepared by ring‐opening polymerization of α‐amino acid N‐carboxyanhydrides
Authors: Zhang Shusheng , Li Zhibo 
Published: February 2013

AbstractDesign and synthesis of biodegradable stimuli‐responsive polypeptides are important areas considering their promising applications in biomedical fields. This article summarizes the most recent progresses in the development of stimuli‐responsive polypeptide materials prepared via ring‐opening polymerization of α‐amino acid N‐carboxyanhydrides. We discuss the design, synthesis and structure‐property correlation of emerging materials including thermo‐responsive, redox‐responsive, photo‐responsive and biomolecule responsive polypeptides. Considering the unique structural features of amino acids, we try to emphasize that the thermo‐responsive properties not only depend on the amino acid structure but also rely on the secondary structures of polypeptides. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013
Rainbow hamilton cycles in random graphs
Authors: Frieze Alan , Loh Po‐Shen 
Published: February 2013

AbstractOne of the most famous results in the theory of random graphs establishes that the threshold for Hamiltonicity in the Erdős‐Rényi random graph Gn,p is around . Much research has been done to extend this to increasingly challenging random structures. In particular, a recent result by Frieze determined the asymptotic threshold for a loose Hamilton cycle in the random 3‐uniform hypergraph by connecting 3‐uniform hypergraphs to edge‐colored graphs.In this work, we consider that setting of edge‐colored graphs, and prove a result which achieves the best possible first order constant. Specifically, when the edges of Gn,p are randomly colored from a set of (1 + o(1))n colors, with , we show that one can almost always find a Hamilton cycle which has the additional property that all edges are distinctly colored (rainbow).Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 44, 328‐354, 2014
MELK-Dependent FOXM1 Phosphorylation is Essential for Proliferation of Glioma Stem Cells
Authors: Joshi Kaushal , Banasavadi-Siddegowda Yeshavanth , Mo Xiaokui , Kim Sung-Hak , Mao Ping , Kig Cenk , Nardini Diana , Sobol Robert W. , Chow Lionel M.L. , Kornblum Harley I. , Waclaw Ronald , Beullens Monique , Nakano Ichiro 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a life-threatening brain tumor. Accumulating evidence suggests that eradication of glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) in GBM is essential to achieve cure. The transcription factor FOXM1 has recently gained attention as a master regulator of mitotic progression of cancer cells in various organs. Here, we demonstrate that FOXM1 forms a protein complex with the mitotic kinase MELK in GSCs, leading to phosphorylation and activation of FOXM1 in a MELK kinase-dependent manner. This MELK-dependent activation of FOXM1 results in a subsequent increase in mitotic regulatory genes in GSCs. MELK-driven FOXM1 activation is regulated by the binding and subsequent trans-phosphorylation of FOXM1 by another kinase PLK1. Using mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs), we found that transgenic expression of FOXM1 enhances, while siRNA-mediated gene silencing diminishes neurosphere formation, suggesting that FOXM1 is required for NPC growth. During tumorigenesis, FOXM1 expression sequentially increases as cells progress from NPCs, to pretumorigenic progenitors and GSCs. The antibiotic Siomycin A disrupts MELK-mediated FOXM1 signaling with a greater sensitivity in GSC compared to neural stem cell. Treatment with the first-line chemotherapy agent for GBM, Temozolomide, paradoxically enriches for both FOXM1 (+) and MELK (+) cells in GBM cells, and addition of Siomycin A to Temozolomide treatment in mice harboring GSC-derived intracranial tumors enhances the effects of the latter. Collectively, our data indicate that FOXM1 signaling through its direct interaction with MELK regulates key mitotic genes in GSCs in a PLK1-dependent manner and thus, this protein complex is a potential therapeutic target for GBM.
Human Fetal Hepatic Progenitor Cells Are Distinct from, but Closely Related to, Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells
Authors: Chen Qingfeng , Khoury Maroun , Limmon Gino , Choolani Mahesh , Chan Jerry K.Y. , Chen Jianzhu 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Much controversy surrounds the identity and origin of human hepatic stem and progenitor cells in part because of a lack of small animal models in which the developmental potential of isolated candidate cell populations can be functionally evaluated. We show here that adoptive transfer of CD34+ cells from human fetal liver into sublethally irradiated NOD-SCID Il2rg−/− (NSG) mice leads to an efficient development of not only human hematopoietic cells but also human hepatocyte-like cells in the liver of the recipient mice. Using this simple in vivo assay in combination with cell fractionation, we show that CD34+ fetal liver cells can be separated into three distinct subpopulations: CD34hiCD133hi, CD34loCD133lo, and CD34hiCD133neg. The CD34hiCD133hi population contains hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) as they give rise to T cells, B cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, and monocytes/macrophages in NSG mice and colony-forming unit (CFU)-GEMM cells in vitro. The CD34loCD133lo population does not give rise to hematopoietic cells, but reproducibly generates hepatocyte-like cells in NSG mice and in vitro. The CD34hiCD133neg population only gives rise to CFU-GM and burst-forming unit-erythroid in vitro. Furthermore, we show that the CD34loCD133lo cells express hematopoietic, hepatic, and mesenchymal markers, including CD34, CD133, CD117, epithelial cell adhesion molecule, CD73, albumin, α-fetal protein, and vimentin and transcriptionally are more closely related to HSPCs than to mature hepatocytes. These results show that CD34loCD133lo fetal liver cells possess the hepatic progenitor cell properties and that human hepatic and hematopoietic progenitor cells are distinct, although they may originate from the same precursors in the fetal liver.
Brief Report: Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Atrophy in Coculture Increases Aggressiveness of Transformed Cells
Authors: Castellone Maria D. , Laatikainen Lilja E. , Laurila Juha P. , Langella Angela , Hematti Peiman , Soricelli Andrea , Salvatore Marco , Laukkanen Mikko O. 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are able to influence the growth abilities of transformed cells. Here, we show that papillary thyroid cancer TPC1 and HEK 293T cells interact physically with human primary bone marrow-derived MSCs followed by evanescence of MSC cytoplasm. Interestingly, transformed cells were able to connect only to apoptotic MSCs that had lost their migration ability, whereas naïve MSCs avoided the direct contact. The interaction stimulated the proliferation of the cocultured transformed cells, activated mitogen and stress signaling, and increased resistance to cytotoxins. Consistent with in vitro data, the MSC interaction stimulated transformed cells had enhanced ability to grow and metastasize in vivo. The parental control cells showed mild tumorigenicity as compared to MSC interaction stimulated cells yielding measurable tumors in 31 days and 7 days, respectively. Our coculture model system describes how adjacent transformed cells absorb stromal cells thereby leading to the stroma-driven evolution of moderately carcinogenic cells to highly aggressive metastatic cells.
Context change and associative learning
Authors: Rosas Juan M. , Todd Travis P. , Bouton Mark E. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThis article reviews the effects of changing the background context on performance in associative learning tasks in humans and animals. The findings are complementary and consistent over animal conditioning (Pavlovian and instrumental learning) and human predictive learning and memory paradigms. In many cases, a context change after learning can have surprisingly little disruptive influence on performance. Extinction, or retroactive interference treatments more generally, is more context‐specific than the initial learning. Contexts become important if the participant is exposed to any of several treatments that involve prediction error, which may serve to increase attention to the context. Contexts also become important if they are given predictive or informational value. Studies of instrumental (operant) learning are further consistent with the idea that the context might also influence affordances that support voluntary actions. Context switch effects are not universal, but mainly occur when certain attention and perception processes can come into play. WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:237–244. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1225This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Learning
Solute transport in fractured rocks with stagnant water zone and rock matrix composed of different geological layers—Model development and simulations
Authors: Mahmoudzadeh Batoul , Liu Longcheng , Moreno Luis , Neretnieks Ivars 
Published: February 2013

Key Points
A model is developed to describe solute transport in channels in fractures
The analytical solution to the Laplace‐transformed concentration is derived
Simulations show that diffusion into stagnant water is important
Systems biology of adipose tissue metabolism: regulation of growth, signaling and inflammation
Authors: Manteiga Sara , Choi Kyungoh , Jayaraman Arul , Lee Kyongbum 
Published: February 2013

AbstractAdipose tissue (AT) depots actively regulate whole body energy homeostasis by orchestrating complex communications with other physiological systems as well as within the tissue. Adipocytes readily respond to hormonal and nutritional inputs to store excess nutrients as intracellular lipids or mobilize the stored fat for utilization. Co‐ordinated regulation of metabolic pathways balancing uptake, esterification, and hydrolysis of lipids is accomplished through positive and negative feedback interactions of regulatory hubs comprising several pleiotropic protein kinases and nuclear receptors. Metabolic regulation in adipocytes encompasses biogenesis and remodeling of uniquely large lipid droplets (LDs). The regulatory hubs also function as energy and nutrient sensors, and integrate metabolic regulation with intercellular signaling. Over‐nutrition causes hypertrophic expansion of adipocytes, which, through incompletely understood mechanisms, initiates a cascade of metabolic and signaling events leading to tissue remodeling and immune cell recruitment. Macrophage activation and polarization toward a pro‐inflammatory phenotype drives a self‐reinforcing cycle of pro‐inflammatory signals in the AT, establishing an inflammatory state. Sustained inflammation accelerates lipolysis and elevates free fatty acids in circulation, which robustly correlates with development of obesity‐related diseases. The adipose regulatory network coupling metabolism, growth, and signaling of multiple cell types is exceedingly complex. While components of the regulatory network have been individually studied in exquisite detail, systems approaches have rarely been utilized to comprehensively assess the relative engagements of the components. Thus, need and opportunity exist to develop quantitative models of metabolic and signaling networks to achieve a more complete understanding of AT biology in both health and disease. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2013, 5:425–447. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1213This article is categorized under:

Biological Mechanisms > Metabolism
Physiology > Mammalian Physiology in Health and Disease
Biological Mechanisms > Regulatory Biology
The Effect of Synthetic C-Reactive Protein on the In Vitro Immune Response of Human PBMCs Stimulated with Bacterial Reagents
Authors: Sato Atsushi , Nakashima Hiroyuki , Kinoshita Manabu , Nakashima Masahiro , Ogawa Yoshiko , Shono Satoshi , Ikarashi Masami , Seki Shuhji 
Published: February 2013

AbstractSynthetic C-reactive protein (CRP) rescues mice from lethal endotoxin shock orbacterialinfection by suppressing tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), but in turn, enhances Kupffer cell phagocytic activity. We herein assessed the influence of CRP in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). When human PBMCs were stimulatedin vitrowith penicillin-treatedStreptococcus pyogenes, bacterial DNA motifs and lipopolysaccharide with or without synthetic CRP, CRP suppressed the production of TNF-α and IL-12, but not that of IFN-γ. This was also the case for thein vitroShwartzman reaction induced in PBMCs. CRP also decreased high-mobility group box 1 production from macrophages, which is crucial in the later phase of endotoxin/septic shock. However, CRP upregulated the perforin expression by CD56+NK cells and increased their antitumor cytotoxicity. CRP may thus be a potent immunomodulatory factor in the human immune system, suggesting its therapeutic potential for use against human septic shock.
Interpersonal relationships and emotional distress in adolescence
Authors: Kenny Rachel , Dooley Barbara , Fitzgerald Amanda 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to examine positive and negative qualities in adolescents' interpersonal relationships and their relative importance in predicting emotional distress. Participants were 260 students from three schools in the Dublin area (119 girls; 141 boys), aged 12–18 years (M = 15.32, SD = 1.91). Students completed questionnaires assessing qualities in important interpersonal relationships in their lives and emotional distress. Girls reported more positive qualities in their relationships with mothers and best friends than boys. Younger students reported more positive qualities in their relationships with parents than older students. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed high levels of satisfaction in interpersonal relationships were predictive of low levels of emotional distress whereas high levels of criticism and exclusion were predictive of high levels of distress. High levels of support and disclosure were also linked to emotional distress. These findings and their implications are discussed in detail.