bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Carotenoid lutein protects rats from gastric ulcer induced by ethanol
Authors: Sindhu Edakkadath R. , Kuttan Ramadasan 
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Background: Carotenoid lutein was evaluated for antiulcerogenic activity in rats.

Methods: Gastric ulcer was induced in fasted rats by oral administration of ethanol (95%) (5 mL/kg body weight). Lutein (100 and 250 mg/kg body weight) was administered everyday for 5 days prior to alcohol administration.

Results: The ulcer index which is a measure of the severity of ulcers was found to be reduced in lutein-treated groups. Morphological and histopathological examination supported the protection of lutein during alcohol-induced damage in rat stomach. Antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase, super oxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase as well as glutathione levels, which were found to be reduced in the gastric mucosa of alcohol-treated groups, were found to be elevated after lutein treatment.

Conclusions: The mechanism of antiulcer activity may be due to the inhibition of oxidative stress produced by alcohol by lutein administration. These findings suggest the potential therapeutic use of lutein as an effective antiulcer agent.
Two types of cochlear hair cells with two different modes of activation are better than one
Authors: Sohmer Haim 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
The hair cells are the receptor cells of the inner ear. There is still controversy concerning the mechanism of their activation. Studies on the hair cells of the bullfrog sacculus have provided much information on the activity of hair cells. However, the mammalian cochlea has two different types of hair cells – the inner hair cells (IHCs) and the outer hair cells (OHCs) – and it is likely that their activation mechanisms are not identical. Mechanical manipulations of the cochlea and measurements of the passive and active displacements of the basilar membrane in the normal and postmortem cochleas provide evidence that the OHCs are activated directly by the fluid pressures induced in the cochlea by low-level sound, and not indirectly by a passive traveling wave. The activated OHCs produce active displacements (the cochlear amplifier) which excite the IHCs, probably by deflecting their stereocilia, followed by excitation of the auditory nerve fibers.
The clinical value of KANET in studying fetal neurobehavior in normal and at-risk pregnancies
Authors: Honemeyer Ulrich , Talic Amira , Therwat Alya , Paulose Litty , Patidar Rheka 
Published: October 2012

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of Kurjak’s Antenatal Neurodevelopmental Test (KANET), a new test for fetal neurodevelopment.

Methods: One hundred seventeen prenatal neurological tests were performed by the KANET scoring system between 28 and 38 weeks of gestation in 24 low-risk (24 fetuses) and 26 at-risk pregnancies (32 fetuses). The study was completed within 12 months from July 2011 onward. All 56 babies were assessed for early neurological outcome at birth by neonatologists.

Results: There were no abnormal KANET scores. Two thirds of all borderline scores were found in the at-risk group. Because KANET was performed more than once in most pregnancies, we introduced the average KANET score. Only one fetus of the “at-risk group” had a borderline average score. This fetus had the only abnormal early neurological outcome of all 56 fetuses. When we compared all 18 borderline KANET scores with fetal diurnal rhythm based on maternal observation, we found that 89% of the borderline scores of the “at-risk” group were at times characterized by the mother as usually “active” periods compared with 33.3% in the low-risk group.

Conclusion: KANET is suggestive of expressing the risk for neurodevelopmental fetal disorders. Studies designed to investigate the potential connectivity of fetal diurnal rhythm and pregnancy risk status should follow.
Crystal structure at 296 and 150 K, vibrational spectra and thermal behaviour of sarcosine sarcosinium nitrate
Authors: Fleck Michel , Ghazaryan Vahram V. , Petrosyan Aram M. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractCrystals of sarcosine sarcosinium nitrate (2 Sar · HNO3) have been grown and characterized at 296 and 150 K by single crystal XRD and vibrational spectroscopy. The species was found to be triclinic (space groupP-1,a= 5.320(1) Å,b= 6.578(1) Å,c= 15.957(2) Å,α= 95.448(6)°,β= 95.944(6)°,γ= 93.410(6)°,V= 551.6(1) Å3, andZ= 2 at 296 K), with a dimeric sarcosine ... sarcosinium cation and a nitrate anion in the asymmetric unit. A very strong hydrogen bond connects the molecules within the dimer. In addition, the tensor of thermal expansion was determined for the temperature range of 200 to 290 K. A strong anisotropy was detected, with thermal expansion along thec-axis approximately 14 times as strong as along thea-axis.
A Brief Review of Determinism in the Prediction of Localized Corrosion Damage
Authors: Macdonald Digby D. , Engelhardt George R. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe great majority of models that have been developed to predict localized corrosion damage are empirical in nature. As such, they lack the ability to effectively predict damage outside of their immediate realm of calibration and generally can only “predict” what is already known. Furthermore, empirical models generally cannot predict new phenomena or relationships. It is shown that it is possible to describe propagation of corrosion damage deterministically,i.e.to describe how the systems evolves from the present state to the future state on the basis of natural laws [conservation of charge, mass-energy, and mass-charge equivalence (Faraday's law),etc.], subject to constraint by the natural laws. It is clear that deterministic models have much more predictive power than do empirical models. However, in the general case, it is possible to describe the development of localized corrosion damage in terms of the propagation of an ensemble of corrosion events, rather than as individual cavities. Accordingly, the prediction can be made in terms of statistical terms, for example, probability that the deepest pit will exceed the critical dimension that defines failure (e.g., thickness of a pipe wall). In doing so, the statistical parameters (mean depth of the deepest pit with its standard deviation,etc.) can be calculated deterministically. In order to perform such calculations, we must possess deterministic models for every stage of cavity development (pit nucleation, propagation and repassivation, transition pit into crack, crack propagation, and so forth). Some of these models are outlined in the current review. The deterministic theory outlined here has been applied for the predation of localized corrosion damage in important, practical systems, including pitting in oil field components, in low pressure steam turbine blades and discs, and in condensing heat exchangers, to name but a few of the current and past applications, some of which are reviewed in this paper.
The Ubiquitin–Proteasome System of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Finley Daniel , Ulrich Helle D , Sommer Thomas , Kaiser Peter 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Protein modifications provide cells with exquisite temporal and spatial control of protein function. Ubiquitin is among the most important modifiers, serving both to target hundreds of proteins for rapid degradation by the proteasome, and as a dynamic signaling agent that regulates the function of covalently bound proteins. The diverse effects of ubiquitylation reflect the assembly of structurally distinct ubiquitin chains on target proteins. The resulting ubiquitin code is interpreted by an extensive family of ubiquitin receptors. Here we review the components of this regulatory network and its effects throughout the cell.
Unusual Case of Apparent Hypermutation in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Sasaki Taku , Naumann Ulf , Forai Petar , Matzke Antonius J M , Matzke Marjori 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
The dms4 (defective in meristem silencing 4) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is unique in having defects in both RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) and plant development. DMS4 is an evolutionarily conserved, putative transcription factor of the Iwr1 (interacts with RNA polymerase II) type. DMS4 interacts with Pol II and also with RNA polymerases IV and V, which function in RdDM. Interactions with multiple polymerases may account for the diverse phenotypic effects of dms4 mutations. To dissect further the roles of DMS4 in RdDM and development, we performed a genetic suppressor screen using the dms4-1 allele, which contains in the sixth intron a splice site acceptor mutation that alters splicing and destroys the open reading frame. Following mutagenesis of dms4-1 seeds using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), we retrieved four dominant intragenic suppressor mutations that restored DMS4 function and wild-type phenotypes. Three of the four intragenic suppressor mutations created new splice site acceptors, which resulted in reestablishment of the wild-type open reading frame. Remarkably, the intragenic suppressor mutations were recovered at frequencies ranging from 35 to 150 times higher than expected for standard EMS mutagenesis in Arabidopsis. Whole-genome sequencing did not reveal an elevated mutation frequency genome-wide, indicating that the apparent hypermutation was confined to four specific sites in the dms4 gene. The localized high mutation frequency correlated with restoration of DMS4 function implies an efficient mechanism for targeted mutagenesis or selection of more fit revertant cells in the shoot apical meristem, thereby rapidly restoring a wild-type phenotype that is transmitted to future generations.
Local Ancestry Corrects for Population Structure in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Genome-Wide Association Studies
Authors: Diao Liyang , Chen Kevin C 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become an important method for mapping the genetic loci underlying complex phenotypic traits in many species. A crucial issue when performing GWAS is to control for the underlying population structure because not doing so can lead to spurious associations. Population structure is a particularly important issue in nonhuman species since it is often difficult to control for population structure during the study design phase, requiring population structure to be corrected statistically after the data have been collected. It has not yet been established if GWAS is a feasible approach in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an important model organism and agricultural species. We thus performed an empirical study of statistical methods for controlling for population structure in GWAS using a set of 201 phenotypic traits measured in multiple resequenced strains of S. cerevisiae. We complemented our analysis of real data with an extensive set of simulations. Our main result is that a mixed linear model using the local ancestry of the strain as a covariate is effective at controlling for population structure, consistent with the mosaic structure of many S. cerevisiae strains. We further studied the evolutionary forces acting on the GWAS SNPs and found that SNPs associated with variation in phenotypic traits are enriched for low minor allele frequencies, consistent with the action of negative selection on these SNPs. Despite the effectiveness of local ancestry correction, GWAS remains challenging in highly structured populations, such as S. cerevisiae. Nonetheless, we found that, even after correcting for population structure, there is still sufficient statistical power to recover biologically meaningful associations.
Genomic Imprinting Leads to Less Selectively Maintained Polymorphism on X Chromosomes
Authors: Santure Anna W , Spencer Hamish G 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Population-genetic models are developed to investigate the consequences of viability selection at a diallelic X-linked locus subject to genomic imprinting. Under complete paternal-X inactivation, a stable polymorphism is possible under the same conditions as for paternal-autosome inactivation with differential selection on males and females. A necessary but not sufficient condition is that there is sexual conflict, with selection acting in opposite directions in males and females. In contrast, models of complete maternal-X inactivation never admit a stable polymorphism and alleles will either be fixed or lost from the population. Models of complete paternal-X inactivation are more complex than corresponding models of maternal-X inactivation, as inactivation of paternally derived X chromosomes in females screens these chromosomes from selection for a generation. We also demonstrate that polymorphism is possible for incomplete X inactivation, but that the parameter conditions are more restrictive than for complete paternal-X inactivation. Finally, we investigate the effects of recurrent mutation in our models and show that deleterious alleles in mutation–selection balance at imprinted X-linked loci are at frequencies rather similar to those with corresponding selection pressures and mutation rates at unimprinted loci. Overall, our results add to the reasons for expecting less selectively maintained allelic variation on X chromosomes.
Multiscale modeling of organic-inorganic interface: From molecular dynamics simulation to finite element modeling
Authors: Lau Denvid , Büyüköztürk Oral , Buehler Markus J. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTBi-layer material systems are found in various engineering applications ranging from nanoscale components, such as thin films in circuit boards, to macroscale structures, such as adhesive bonding in aerospace and civil infrastructure. They are also found in many natural and biological materials such as nacre or bone. The structural integrity of a bi-layer system depends on properties of both the interface and the constitutive materials. In particular, interfacial delamination has been observed as a major integrity issue. Here we present a multiscale model, which can predict the macroscale structural behavior at the interface between organic and inorganic materials, based on a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approach combined with the metadynamics method used to reconstruct the free energy surface (FES) between attached and detached states of the bonded system. We apply this technique to model an epoxy-silica system that primarily features non-bonded and non-directional van der Waals and Coulombic interactions. The reconstructed FES of the epoxy-silica system derived from the molecular level is used to quantify the traction-separation relation at epoxy-silica interface. In this paper, two different approaches in deriving the traction-separation relation based on the reconstructed FES are described. With the derived traction-separation relation, a finite element approach using cohesive zone model (CZM) can be implemented such that the structural behavior of epoxy-silica interface at the macroscopic length scale can be predicted. The prediction from our multiscale model shows a good agreement with experimental data of the interfacial fracture toughness. The method used here provides a powerful new approach to link nano to macro for complex heterogeneous material systems.
Quality evaluation of the available Internet information regarding pain during orthodontic treatment
Authors: Livas Christos , Delli Konstantina , Ren Yijin 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

Objective:
To investigate the quality of the data disseminated via the Internet regarding pain experienced by orthodontic patients.

Materials and Methods:
A systematic online search was performed for ‘orthodontic pain’ and ‘braces pain’ separately using five search engines. The first 25 results from each search term–engine combination were pooled for analysis. After excluding advertising sites, discussion groups, video feeds, and links to scientific articles, 25 Web pages were evaluated in terms of accuracy, readability, accessibility, usability, and reliability using recommended research methodology; reference textbook material, the Flesch Reading Ease Score; and the LIDA instrument. Author and information details were also recorded.

Results:
Overall, the results indicated a variable quality of the available informational material. Although the readability of the Web sites was generally acceptable, the individual LIDA categories were rated of medium or low quality, with average scores ranging from 16.9% to 86.2%. The orthodontic relevance of the Web sites was not accompanied by the highest assessment results, and vice versa.

Conclusions:
The quality of the orthodontic pain information cited by Web sources appears to be highly variable. Further structural development of health information technology along with public referral to reliable sources by specialists are recommended.
On multiplicity correlations in the STAR data
Authors: Fiałkowski Krzysztof , Wit Romuald 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
The STAR data on the multiplicity correlations between narrow pseudorapidity bins in the pp and AuAu collisions are discussed. The PYTHIA 8.145 generator is used for the pp data, and a naïve superposition model is presented for the AuAu data. It is shown that the PYTHIA generator with default parameter values describes the pp data reasonably well, whereas the superposition model fails to reproduce the centrality dependence seen in the data. Some possible reasons for this failure and a comparison with other models are presented.
Effect of hyamine on electrochemical behaviour of brass alloy in HNO3 solution
Authors: Özkır Demet , Bayol Emel , Gürten A. , Sürme Yavuz , Kandemirli Fatma 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe electrochemical behaviours of a brass alloy in 0.1 M nitric acid, including the hyamine inhibitor with concentrations between 2.5 × 10−4 M and 1.0 × 10−5 M, were studied. For this purpose, potentiodynamic polarisation, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear polarisation resistance (LPR) techniques, and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) were utilised. The inhibitor molecules adsorbed on the brass surface were calculated to be in good agreement with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the standard free enthalpy of adsorption (ΔG ads∘). Hyamine effectively improved the corrosion inhibition of brass and acted as a mixed-type inhibitor on alloy surfaces. The surface morphology of the alloy was also clarified by optical microscopic and SEM techniques. A theoretical study of the corrosion inhibition efficiency of hyamine molecule was carried out using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) basis set level.
Phylogeography of Buddleja crispa (Buddlejaceae) and its correlation with drainage system evolution in southwestern China
Authors: Yue Liang‐Liang , Chen Gao , Sun Wei‐Bang , Sun Hang 
Published: October 2012

• Premise of the study: Southwestern China is an area of active tectonism and erosion, yielding a dynamic, deeply eroded landscape that is hypothesized to have influenced the genetic structure of the resident populations of plants and animals. However, few studies have been conducted to examine the influence of changing river channels, particularly in the Yarlung Tsangpo area, on genetic distributions in plants. We here examine the population structure of Buddleja crispa, a dominant element of the dry, warm/hot river‐valley communities, seeking to delimit the current population genetic structure and its relation to past changes in the courses of the major rivers in this area.• Methods: Two chloroplast DNA fragments were used to estimate the genetic variation and phylogeographic structure of the populations, and to infer nested clades, of the species.• Key results: We detected low intrapopulational haplotype diversity and higher overall population haplotype diversity (hS = 0.085, hT = 0.781). Molecular variance was mainly observed between groups (81.42%). Robust population genetic structure were detected by AMOVA (FST = 0.967), coinciding with three nested clades (identified by NCPA) and five phylo‐groups linked with paleo‐drainage systems (identified by SAMOVA). No support for extensive spatial or demographical expansion was obtained.• Conclusions: A general pattern of genetic isolation by vicariance was inferred, and detected disjunct patterns strongly indicate that currently discontinuous drainage systems were historically linked. Most importantly, population subdivisions and genetic variation perfectly reflect the putative Paleo‐Red‐River drainage pattern, and Yarlung Tsangpo populations are closely related to Central Yunnan Plateau populations, indicating that they were previously connected by ancient river courses. Divergence times between these river systems estimated by molecular dating (in the Pleistocene) agree with previous findings.
Development and characterization of nine microsatellite loci for Sisyrinchium micranthum (Iridaceae)
Authors: Tacuatiá Luana O. , Cidade Fernanda W. , Souza Anete P. , Souza‐Chies Tatiana T. 
Published: October 2012

• Premise of the study: Sisyrinchium micranthum is an herb with wide distribution and morphological variation, presenting three known cytotypes (2x, 4x, and 6x), which is naturally occurring from Mexico to Argentina. The development of microsatellite markers for this species is important to provide molecular tools to investigate polyploidy origin, as well as its relationship with phenotypic and genetic variability.• Methods and Results: Nine microsatellite markers were isolated using an enriched genomic library and characterized in a diploid population. Eight markers generated polymorphic loci in 27 plants of a population from southern Brazil. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to nine, and the observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.192 to 0.741 and from 0.370 to 0.884, respectively.• Conclusions: These species‐specific DNA markers may be useful for further investigations of the involved polyploidization process and the population genetics of S. micranthum.
Hematogenous Pyogenic Spinal Infection: Current Perceptions
Authors: Korovessis Panagiotis , Repantis Thomas , Hadjipavlou Alexander G. 
Published: October 2012

Educational Objectives

As a result of reading this article, physicians should be able to:

1.
Understand the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of spinal infection in an effort to avoid devastating and crippling complications such as paralysis, painful deformity, and death.

2.
Understand current perceptions in the ongoing debate of whether operative or conventional treatment should be preferred and in which cases.

3.
Understand the latest advances in the surgical treatment of spinal infection, their indications, and their effectiveness.

4.
Understand the change in the traditionally held belief that in the presence of infection, the use of metal implants or grafts is not indicated.

Controversy exists regarding optimal treatment for pyogenic spinal infection. The authors systematically reviewed peer-reviewed published clinical trials in the English language through 2009 on the clinical presentation, complications, and conservative and operative treatments of pyogenic spinal infection. The cornerstone of therapy for uncomplicated spondylodiskitis is intravenous antibiotics followed by oral antibiotics and bracing. Surgery is effective in complicated cases and improves sagittal balance, restores neurological impairment, and relieves severe pain. In cases of delayed diagnosis or surgery, potential early devastating and late crippling complications may occur. To the authors’ knowledge, no Level I studies compare operative vs conservative treatment of pyogenic spinal infection.